Update on Product Usage

I think I used to be a product junkie, but I was mostly a 'recipe junkie' - I was always mixing something new because I just like to create things. I've been like this since I was a kid, growing up with my Caribbean Grandma and Mom, we cooked (my Grandma even made candy!). Anyway, I've always been that friend who knows how to make this, or mix that, for whatever ailment you got.

After chopping my hair off back on 2010, a lot of products worked great. On my short hair. Now that my hair is 7-10 inches long, a lot of things, methods just don't work anymore. I feel like my hair texture changed, even before I started coloring it again (at first for style reasons, now I'm actively covering greys ya'll!). And just in general, with my thick hair, it's just too damn much. This is why I kept my hair chin length from my teens thru my 20s. I remember now why my mom couldn't handle my hair and 4 other kids. I remember why she sent me to get a perm (I still wouldn't have done it myself, I'd have just kept my hair in braids). I remember it all, BUT I'm still not cutting it, and I still ain't getting a perm.

As a result of being overwhelmed by my hair, I took to keeping my hair up in a bun when I lost my job. Maybe once or twice a week I would take it out, but I'd keep it up all week, and it grew so much. And then I started incorporating one of those keratin conditioners in my co-wash routine, to handle all the frizz because I was doing less. The conditioner did a great job without changing the texture of my hair from what I could tell and feel, so I thought why not try the shampoo. 2 weeks later I realized that was a mistake. Also all the bunning was a mistake too. Interestingly my son said to me a couple months ago, 'Ma, you shouldn't tighten your bun.' I thought he was mistaken, my bun wasn't too tight.

Well, it either was, or my hair got mad at me for not doing anything with my hair because my shyt starting falling OUT. Whole strands. NOT breaking off... FALLING OUT. AND my hairline in the front has "eroded" - that's the nicest word I can think of.And I freaked out. I actually cried and flashed back to the time my mom was trying to save money and had her friend's 14 year old daughter named Tiny put a perm in and TAKE OUT my hair when I was 14.

A few weeks ago, I washed and conditioned my hair (I tried cleansing every other week, but I need every week), finger detangled, and loss so much hair, I could have made a wig for a small child. Even a friend of mine told me that while I still had a lot of hair, it looked thinner (the previous week we joked about how I looked like a poodle). I felt so defeated. And I truly had to dig inside and repeat "I am not my hair" to myself, and just remember all of the other things about me (I wasn't sure if the shedding was going to stop since it'd been happening for 2 weeks).

Then I remembered Shea Moisture produced hair products for thin hair. I hit up the local CVS and they only had the shampoo, so I purchased it and Organix's new Biotin and Collagen conditioner because I was not in the mood to drive around looking for the Shea Moisture conditioner. I used the products, along with performing a tea rinse, and while there was shedding, it was less.

I've also been oiling my scalp with the MTG oil (and a lot of peppermint essential oil mixed in to cover the smell). It's been 2 weeks, and my shedding has decreased significantly - I would say it's back to normal. I also finally obtained the conditioner, as well as the Hair Milk (off topic: the Hair Milk does nothing for my hair when wet, but when dry it gives my hair the boost it needs in between washing and I love it).

Looking at the photos, especially the most recent ones, I sit here and can't believe it. I mean I am looking at the Naomi Campbell hairline for real. I guess that's what I get for being careless with my hair. I did forget to take care of myself with the stress of job hunting and other emotional trials, but still.... Anyway, onward and upward.

UPDATE:
Yes, it's only been one day but I had to give my quick review of how the Shea Moisture conditioner worked. So, I co-washed last night, dividing two sides of my hair into 7 braids on each side (no more washing my hair loose). I sprayed, applied the conditioner and braided, put a plastic baggy over my hair and then went about my day cleaning. I didn't do any EVOO/ honey pre-treatment, just the water and conditioner. Rinsed and reapplied a small amount of conditioner and rinsed again.

I undid a braid, finger detangled, applied Shea Moistures Curl Enhancing Smoothie, my homemade shea butter cream, tension blow dried on a cool setting (for super thick areas at the root of some braids I applied warm heat for a few seconds), and then pinned aside as I went through this same process with each of the 14 braids total.

After drying, I went through my hair - now divided in 4 sections - and applied a small amount of the Yucca and Aloe hair milk, oiled my scalp (especially around the edges), pinned up in a very loose bun, applied my homemade hair jelly (mixture of curl activator and oils - I'll do a post on that), tied my hair down and went to bed.

This morning, the bun was big a poofy and soft and luxurious! I kept the bun in for part of the morning while I handled my business this morning. I just undid the bun, and my hair is even more soft and bouncy and big than I thought. It feels great.

Holy Moly Hair Emergency

With all that I'm going through right now, I decided I wanted to try something a little different, look different. So, last week when I co-washed my hair, I blew if out. And it looked cool. Then I used my flat iron to run it through my hair, to help control my hair for the updo styles and chunky cornrow style I'd planned for the week.

Well, that only lasted for a couple days. (I refused to even take a photo of the very cushy bird's nest my hair had become as a result of the conditions). I even oiled my scalped and mixed and apply some shea butter mixture to my hair, hoping for something. Anything. I just wanted to make it to Sunday. AND I'd been keeping my hair in my fav Tracee Ellis Ross cornrow/ 2-strand around the head style (I don't have the fortitude at this time to find out the name of the style.  This:

 

Anyway, it wasn't happening anymore (oh, it looked cute for MAYBE 3 days). All I know is as I undid my twisted cornrow style this morning and a couple of strands were in my fingers instead of attached my scalp, I literally said "Oh hell no! I like my hair. I miss my hair. Where's the spray bottle???"  So After I walked my son to his summer camp, I came home, dropped my keys, and headed straight to the bathroom. Pulled out 8 hair clamps to section all of the massive hair on my head, refilled the spray bottle, pulled out some Creme of Nature Argan Oil Hair Reconstructor (yes, I used that sucka as a leave in because I felt my stuff was damaged!!! Am I overreacting a bit, sure, maybe, but it is what it is!).

I proceeded to spray a section, apply a very small (dime size) amount of the hair reconstructor, and my curls started immediately springing back. I damn near danced, in my bathroom, when I saw this. Then I added my trusty Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Smoothy. I went through each section, and instead of tension blow drying (oh no, we are staying away from any heat for am minute) and pulled it up into a wannabe bun. I added a little QP Glaze to my edges, and tied a silk headband around my hair. Here is what I 'm rocking today (minus the scarf):

 (And yes, I am smiling, for real.) Whew!