From Relax 2 Natural The Transitioning Story

Comparison Puff Pictures

2011-10-23T15:14:00.002-04:00

These pics show my growth for 4 months of being natural.. I'm not doing anything special.. Right after cutting my hair I co-wash weekly and Deep Conditioning.. Now I use Terr-Essentials hair wash and some weeks I DC and some weeks I don't..

I DC'd on June 19th.. Oct 19th.. Made 4 months..

4 months Natural

2011-10-09T14:45:00.000-04:00

It seems like I been natural longer than 4 months.. I have some great growth and I am getting better with my puffs.. All the other styles I'm still working on.. This is a failed braid out attempt.. My trusty puff never lets me down..

Terressentials Hair Wash

2011-09-02T09:22:00.002-04:00

I must say this is the best purchase I have made so far.. There are some other items too that I consider my best purchase as well but this one has been the rave to use. So you only has to use about 3-4 products on your hair and your hair goes thru a detox depending on how much product build-up you have on your hair. After you use the product you have to use all natural or organic products so that mean I had to go thru my stash and get rid of my not so good products. Most of the all natural products that we are paying a lot of money for really don't have natural products in them. I guess just because the product has the word "natural" in the name doesn't really mean its natural.. Just read your ingredients on the label..

http://www.terressentials.com/

Here are some pics of my hair Day one of the detox and after the detox..

This is the most moisture I've had in my hair since being natural.. After the detox I twist my hair with flaxseed gel that I made and Qhemet Alma & Burdock root cream and this is what my twist look like when I took them out.. Being that I was going to be outside for most of my day I ended up putting my hair in a puff.. My edges did not lay down all day so I need something a little stronger than flaxseed gel for my edges.. Only thing I could use was ecostyler gel but no more. All my gels has to be all natural or homemade..

My Natural Hairstyles

2011-08-06T10:50:00.000-04:00

The 1st 3 is called the Braid & Curl Check out WestNDNbreauty you-tube to get this style.. I did mine a little different from what she did but I got so many compliments.

The last 4 well that is a result of this fail braid out attemp.. I just used some hair candy to spruce it up. Still trying to learn how to do a braid out & twist out that I am happy with

Product Review Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship

2011-07-23T10:19:00.002-04:00

I must say I have slept on this product.. It gives great slip and leaves your hair easy to detangle and manage.. If you ever done an Indigo treatment and know how dry it leaves your hair and sometimes it seems like nothing will ever get it back to its moisturized state.. This will.. I would DC for hours and still my hair would be dry after indigo treatment.. I used this once just as I would co-wash my hair and my hair instantly felt soft and moisturized and once again easy to manage.. If you ever wanted to try this conditioner its worth giving it a try.. It will be the best $2.50 or $3 you ever spent... I also love the leave in but that is getting harder to find in the stores these days. So I will just stick with the conditioner..

I give this product 5 starts

After 18 Months of Transitioning I'm Natural

2011-07-20T10:01:00.000-04:00

I could have gone longer even made my 2 year mark.. But on June 19th I decided to let those relax ends go.. Now I'm just trying to maintain new styles and keep the moisture in and also get my styles too look great... Cannot master braid outs, twist outs right now so I think I might try to do protective styles..

Afro Puff Transitioning Style

2011-03-24T07:07:00.000-04:00

Here is another one of my transitioning styles.. I would have issues trying to get my hair to lie flat and never woudl work.. Some areas would have that dreaded frizz and other areas would be just fine.. This style I decided to use the tension method when I finished air drying it didn't turn out like I expected so I decide to wear my hair in a ponytail.. I cornrowed the top and took the rest and just slicked it back with Eco Styler Gel.. I used the Clear kind and the Argan Oil kind mixed with Mango Butter.. I also did an Aloe Vera Gel mixed with oils and used that to keep my frizz at bay.. These was my results..

15 Months Post Still Going Strong

2011-03-21T07:52:00.000-04:00

Coming up with hair styles has been trying for me during my transition.. 1st starting I would tell you it was detangling but I got that down now.. So I have to say within my 15 months styling is still an issue.. Moisture will alway be my crusade to get my hair moisturized and stay that way. Until I BC that is my mission.. Get moisture, keep it and maintain it. Just doing various things to keep my hair moisturized and right now I am using Chicoro' Moisture Rich Recipes.. She has 4 steps.. Being that I don't shampoo I'm co-washing still somewhat using her steps.. Next will be to use her leave in.. In this pic here I used her pre-poo recipe..

Ingredients you will need: (Pre-Poo)

In a bowl mix

· ½ cup of aloe vera juice or whole leaf aloe vera
· 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite oil (wheat germ, olive, safflower, walnut etc)

In a separate Bowl melt

· Food grade coconut oil (1/4 cup)

· Sit the bottle or jar in hot water- do not put in microwave or on the stove!

Remember, everyone's hair has different needs. You may need more or less of this mixture. Or, your hair may not like this at all. None of these will irrevocably change your hair. Thus, you just need to wash out the mixture if your hair doesn't like it.

1. Using your fingers, separate your hair into 4- 8 sections. If your hair is caked with hard product, rinse your hair first. Gently handle the first section. First, smooth the hair in a downward direction. You are just trying to make sure that all the hair is going in one direction. You don't need to completely detangle the hair at this point.

2. Dip your hair in the bowl of aloe vera and oil or cup your hands in the mixture and transfer it to the section onto your hair. Work it through. Get the aloe vera/oil mix into your hair from root to tip. Make sure it is moist throughout the sectioned hair. If your hair is long enough, twist it and wrap it around like a bantu knot. If it is not, try to twist it and move it out the way. Repeat until you have done this to each section.

3. You should have a head full of aloe vera mixed with oil twisted sections. Go back to the first twist you did. Undo it, pour the liquid coconut oil in your hand and work through the section. Re-twist it and repeat on whole head. Place a plastic shower cap on your head for 15-60 minutes. Your moisturizing pre-poo is complete!
__________________

Here is her leave in also for moisture rich hair.. I haven't used this one yet don't have all of the ingredients: She has 4 steps this is her last step..

The fourth step in the process where you have an opportunity to add moisture to your hair is during your leave in step.

Ingredients:

½ cup of aloe vera

1-2 tablespoons of oil

1 tablespoon of vegetable glycerin

1-3 drops of rosemary essential oil (optional)

1-3 drops of sage essential oil (optional)

1-3 drops of basil essential oil (optional)

Liquid panthenol (optional)

1. Mix all the ingredients together. You can even place them in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on your freshly rinsed hair.

2. Work the leave -in mixture into your hair from root to tip.
3. Do not rinse out this mixture.
4. Style your natural hair as usual.

There you have it! This routine is one way to add moisture to your hair. I hope you can keep your hands out of your soft, moist, beautiful afro-textured hair!

Do You Henna

2011-03-18T12:47:00.002-04:00

I would hear so much about Henna on the hair boards.. I was scared to try it. I been on band wagons b4 and some because of not doing the correct research my hair suffered. So I researched found recipe after recipe and decided to do a Henna Gloss.. 1st time I tried it the henna was ok.. I did wait for any color release and followed with Indigo.. The indigo didn't take at all.. I had copper hi-lites where my grey hairs were. 2nd time the same thing just did not take. So the third time I said I am going to follow these recipes and keep it simple.. Less is better. I tried Top Mop Maven Henna Recipe.. Added my own because I didn't have some of the things she had but I still kept it like hers I just used a different brand..For the 1st time my Indigo worked and want to know what I did wrong. Looking around a the recipes instead of adding water to my indigo because I heard of the drying effects I added Aloe Vera Juice the 1st time around and other things that I should have kept out of it.. What I did this go around was just water and salt.. Yes less is best. When I used the Henna Gloss my hair came out soft and not hard or tangled at all. Like b4 when I was adding everything I had in my kitchen.. lol

Here is Top Mop Maven Henna/Gloss Recipe

200G Henna [two boxes]
1/2 Cup Hello Hydration Conditioner
1 Cup Lustrasilk Mango & Shea Butter Conditioner
1/2 Cup of Brahmi Oil added to mixture before applying the Henna on my hair.

This is Letha's Henna Gloss Recipe

200G Henna Jamilia Henna (2bxs)
1 cup of Lustrasilk Argan Oil Conditioner
1/2 Hello Hydration b4 the changed the name (can't remember the name)
1/2 cup of GrapeSeed & Walnut Oil ( applied the oil b4 I put the henna gloss in my hair)
I didn't have any Brahmi Oil so I used this mixture

I did let my mixture sit over night for color release. Most people don't do this so this can be your personal preference.

I had some left over so I might use one box next time.. I made sure I had enough to go all over my hair.. To Keep the black color I plan to do a Henna/Indigo gloss.. That is just where I plan to mix the indigo with the henna so I don't have to go thru the step of using the indigo alone and dealing with the dryness. I have some recipes in mind but still researching that Henna/Indigo Gloss.. I might just use the recipe I have and just add the Indigo right b4 I used the recipe above.. Not sure if anyone remember MedMunky.. I came across a great henna/Indigo gloss recipe that she had so at least I have 2 recipes to try out..

Just do your research and remember less is best no need to add all this extra stuff to your Henna Mix unless you have a mix with 15 ingredients and it work then stick to it but for someone starting out to do Henna keep it simple..

Changing my eating Habits

2011-03-11T10:08:00.000-05:00

Just like when I find out something new about hair I am researching things and the same goes with my eating habits.. They are not good at all. It's great on the weekdays and then the weekend comes. I been thinking to try to become a vegetarian or vegan.. I'm already trying to stay away from egg, milk, and butter.. Find other products to use like Vegan butter.. Not bad at all.. I been on site after site and even plan to dabble into making my own breads without the milk and eggs and even bagels.. If I do use milk it will be Almond Milk.. Love Love that stuff. I really need to get this weight off and I'm always tired.. So becoming a Vegan or Vegetarian does not have to be restricted to just certain food just have to branch out and do your research to come up with different ideas.

Here are some sites that I came across while researching Vegan..

http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/special-category/vegan

http://vegandad.blogspot.com/

Found Some Great Buys at Rite Aid

2011-02-02T07:44:00.003-05:00

I went in Rite Aide to get some Herbal Essence which is 2 for $5 and they were having a sale like I never seen b4.. Here are some items I picked up that were 50% off.. Some of these product I never used b4..

Lets start off with Aveeno Nourish & Revitalize which is orginally $7.50 I got it for %50 off got 2 bottle

Tresemme 32 oz $5.49 50% off

FX Special Effects Blow out Cream $4.50 50% off

FX Special Effects Tangle Out $2.40 50% off with $1 coupon off

Samy Deep Conditioning Treatment $7.50 50% off

4 bottles of Herbal Essence which was 2 for $5.. If I like any of these products I plan to go back and buy what they have left.

If you have a rite aid in your area go by and check them out..

Description of Samy:

Samy brings you the ultimate conditioning and protection you need to control frizz and keep your hair beautifully soft, and silky smooth everyday. Samy Deep Conditioning Treatment is formulated with a concentrated blend of shea butter, macadamia oil and melon extract that quickly penetrates and revitalizes hair damaged by over-processing, repeated styling and coloring.

My New Found Love Thread Earrings

2011-01-14T08:38:00.001-05:00

I have fallen in love with these earrings.. I saw them at my local BSS and got them for .99cents well if you know me I will research something until I found it and now I plan to order me a bunch of these earrings. They will go great with my new style when I decide to BC.. These aren't these exact earrings but this is the style.. They are called Thread earrings.. The site that I found are very reasonable too..

http://www.peruvianearring.com/index1.cfm

3 PC Combo that helps with my detangling Process while Transitioning

2010-12-15T19:44:00.000-05:00

3 pc makes you think of food right.. lol For me chicken comes to mind.. Chicken is not my secret combo for helping me thru my transitioning process.. The 3 steps for me are Pre-poo, Co-wash and DC with steam or heat.

My pre-poo I used any conditioner I have on hand. Mixed with Hemp seed oil, Wheat Germ Oil and Sunflower Oil. Depending if I need any protein I will add an egg to the pre-poo. Conditioners I've use is Yes to Cucumbers, Tresemme, Herbal Essence. The co-wash I don't use a lot to co-wash. Its either my Yes to Carrots conditioner (love this stuff) or my Aussie Moist.. The DC sometimes I use Aussie Moist 3 min when I am short on time. Other DC conditioners I use with steam is Shescentit Banana Burlee, HV StirNillah. Any other DC I have on hand. But my main thing I haven't switched up on is my co-wash conditioner. I think Pre-pooing b4 you shampoo or co-wash has really cut down my tangles. Also my Tangle Teezer that I mentioned in another post is a life saver for me

1 Year Post Relaxer Today

2010-12-12T19:48:00.004-05:00

Well Ladies I made it to 1 year transitioning. Haven't taken any pictures yet but the pictures you see below is for me at 10 months post.. I must say I have really enjoyed my transition. I think my only problem was trying to find different styles. I mostly stuck with my same boring style.. Hopefully by June I will decide if I will BC or not.

Product Review on Tangle Teezer

2010-12-05T19:21:00.001-05:00

This device doesn't look like much but it really helped me to detangle my NG while transitioning. I used the denman brush but I get more hair in my brush than I do the tangle teezer.. If you have very thick hair take smaller sections to detangle. This is most def a keeper.. Cost $10 and worth every penny. I plan to keep this on hand at all time.. If you haven't tried it you might want to thing about making this investment.

Black Soap for Skin Care

2010-11-22T19:51:00.002-05:00

I've been hearing a lot about black soap and the kind I already had at my house at so many bad ingredients in it that I stopped using it.. It had too many ingredients that contained Sodium.... I could not pronounce half of the words.. I heard about this soap while reading about ladies doing the oil cleansing method.. My skin use to be so clear until lately.. Just one side of my face would break out and I get the ugliest blackheads.. The blackheads would appear to be gone on the surface but when I touch my face I could still feel the blackheads under my skin.. So I decided to try the Oil Cleansing Method and some of the ladies were stating that the days the don't do this method they use black soap. I picked up a bar from the BSS for $2.50 and this is a great investment for my skin. From the 1st day I used this I could see my skin looking better it had this different look from it than what I get when I use other cleansers. My skin looked clean. Throughout the whole day my skin looked and stayed clean and this is my 3rd day using it and my bumps under my skin is already clearing up and now I am waiting for my skin to clear up. Not sure if its the Oil Cleansing that is helping also but this soap is definitely a keeper in my book.

Ingredients:

Pure Honey, Shea Butter, Osun (Carmwood), Cocoa Pod Powder, Plantain Peel Powder, Palm Kernel Oil, Coconut Oil, Water, Aloe Vera.

This company also sells shea butter and hair products..

http://www.racosmetics.com/index.html

Oil Cleansing Method

Product Review on Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner

2010-11-21T12:04:00.001-05:00

As usual I am always late when it comes to trying something that everyone raves about. I must say this product was definitely worth the wait. Cost of this product is $8.99 but if you shop around you can get it as Ross or other stores for $3.99.. I got in on a sale at Walgreens because I could not find the cucumbers at Ross only had Carrots.. So I got it for buy one which was $8.99 and get one 1/2 off.. Is it worth the price. It really is but only if you are not using loads of conditioner like I do to help control my NG.. So if you are not transitioning, a natural or relaxed who does not need a lot of conditioner then it is worth the price but like me and you have to use tons then you might want to shop around for a cheaper price.. Another thing I just looked on the bottle and my expiration date is 1/12/11 so I need to use that up b4 I waste my money and I know I had these bottle for 2 months already.. On to the review:

I love this product it makes your hair feel clean and soft and it helps on the detangling.. This product is running neck and neck with my aussie moist and I never thought another product could come that close.. I could finger comb my hair in the shower. I could even finger comb the part of my hair which is the thickest and always always need extra help when I detangle. . It left my hair so soft when I rinsed it out. I will most deft buy this product again

5 out of 5 stars

Ingredients
Water, Cucumis Sativa (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peucedanum Graveolens (Dill Extract), Capsicum Annuum (green pepper extract), Maris Aqua (Dead Sea Water), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Magnesium Chloride, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract (Chamomile), Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Brassica Oleracea Italica Seed Oil (broccoli), Benzyl Alcohol, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract (spinach), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Calendula (Calendula Officinalis)

Ingredients
Flower Oil, Maris Limus Silt Extract, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Parfum/Fragrance, Triticum Vulgare Wheat Germ Oil, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Peel Extract, Lactic Acid, Centaurea Cyanus (Cornflower) Flower, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Dehydroacetate Acid

Steaming on Dry Hair

2010-11-20T07:03:00.000-05:00

I guess you can look at this as being a hot oil treatment only difference is instead of heating your oil up the steam will heat the oil up for you.

Hair Steamer - Hair Treatment w/oils

Oils

I've seen articles that state coconut oil and soybean oils are popular oils bring moisture to your scalp. You can use any oil that you choose. The oil is a very good way to lift up dead skin and leave your scalp and hair cleansed.

I finally got a chance to steam on dry hair.. I been seen a couple of you-tube videos and to be honest I never thought about it until I saw those videos.. So I decided to do it myself.. I used Hair Veda Vatika Frosting. Applied it to my scalp massaged that in and also my hair. I sat under my steamer for about 15-20 min. Can't really say I noticed any major results for this but I do know detangling and co-washing went great. I still ended up steaming afterwards also during the winter months I am noticing my hair seems to be drier.. I am working on that to get my moisture back.

If asked which one I perfer I would have to say steam on wet hair with DC and that is only because I've done that more.. I won't give up on steaming on dry hair and oil..

Product Review on HairVeda Amala Cream Rinse

2010-10-18T08:44:00.003-04:00

Price 16 oz bottle $11.75

I was lucky enough to get in on HV famous sales when I purchased this

Amala Cream Rinse is a Creamy Hair & Body shampoo which lightly removes dirt & oils. ACR is formulated with all natural lemon & orange oils and specifically designed to clean tresses. ACR is also great for those with sensitive skin types. Give your hair and body a light cleanse with our unique formula.

Hair: Use before your conditioner washes to remove buildup which accumulates due to heavy conditioner use. Safe to use daily and a great alternative to shampoos. Body: Wet skin and apply ACR onto a washcloth. Smooth the cream all over body and rinse.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Stearalkonium Chloride, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Orange Peel Oil, Germall Plus. Fragrance.

Shelf Life: 4-6 Months

Applications: Up to 20 Uses

Note: Keep out of sunlight

Can't say one bad thing about this product it does exactly what it says. It cleanse my hair without leaving it with that strip feeling and it soften my hair also and it was ready for my co-wash.. I use a lot of gels to lay my edges down and this product really help cleanse away all the gels and other products that I used.. She is correct it does not suds but you can still tell that it is working.

5 out of 5 stars

Product Review on Taliah Waajid Lock It Up

2010-10-18T08:18:00.000-04:00

Price $7.00 Depending on where you buy it.

I did my 1st twist out last night.. I did not like it and that was only because I didn't know what to do with my hair in the front.. So this is definately a challenge for me since I am just winging this hairstyle.. But I must say this product really help define my curls and that was b4 I even twisted my hair..

Directions: Start with damp hair. Section off the desired amount of hair to create the comb twist, lock, or two-strand. Apply a small amount of Lock It Up to the area. Comb it through the section and begin the comb twist, lock grooming or two-strand twist.

For defining curl pattern of natural hair:

Apply Lock It Up to the hair and use fingers to help shape and define curl pattern. Lock It Up will not flake or dry hard. It leaves the hair soft and manageable without a sticky, gummy feel. This is a versatile product!

Ingredients:
Pure Deionized Water T.E.A. Natural Herbs, Indian Hemp, Yarrow Roots, Rosemary, Nettle, Natural Hair Locking Recipe Hydrolyzed Protein, Carbomer 940, Natural Preservative, Nipa Guard, Fruits Fragrance, Bio-Flavonoids."

I love this products it worked great for my hair.. I will give it a 4 out of 5 stars and will most def use this again. I didn't use this alone I also used it with Kimmay tubes leave in so that might have help with the moisture but overall I still like it.

Lustrasilk Organic Cholesterol W/Argan Oil

2010-10-16T19:00:00.010-04:00

Healthy Care for Damaged Hair! Contains Argan Oil from North Africa.

All the benefits of organic hair care.A blend of extracts derived from trees, plants, fruits and vegetables that contain natural fatty acids, protein and vitamin to help and keep even the most damaged hair in the best condition ever. The addition of Argan Oil from North Africa puts this product over the top for shiny and growing hair and for mending split ends. This is the one product that will put an end to each and every hair problem.

Directions:
Shampoo and towel dry. Apply Organic Cholesterol to hair and scalp. Leave on for 3-5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water. Style as usual.

Not sure what ingredients are organic in this product but you can't beat the price $2.99 I ordered mine online.. I must say I like...I used mine with steam and I didn't add anything extra to my yet..
It was ok to detangle I have had other conditioners that made NG just melt under steam. I think the price and the fact that it had Argan Oil in it got my attention. Maybe next time I will use this as a pre-poo. I don't plan to give up on this yet. Since I got 2 jars I will definately use this up.

Ingredients:
water(aqua),stearmidopopyl,dimethylamine,stearyl alcohol,cetyl alcohol,argania spinosa kernel oil,carrot(daucus carota sativa) seed oil,rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis) leaf oil,juglans nigra (black walnut) leaf extract, cholesterol,aloe vera(aloe barbadensis extract,chamomilla recruita extract, indian hemp extract,fragrance,vitamin e, methyl & propyl paraben,phosphoric acid,dmdm,disodium edta,yellow 5 &6.

3 out of 5 stars.

Product Review On Aussie Moist

2010-10-10T22:37:00.000-04:00

This one get rave reviews from most of the hair boards that I am a member and of course I am late to try this.. Cost of $3.00 16oz and 32oz for $5 or little more depending on where you buy it.

As most of you ladies may know I am a fan of HE when it comes to making my hair soft and helping me detangle.. Also Tresemme Naturals and Suave is on that list.. These are my fav so I never thought anything could compare to these until tonight I tried Aussie Moist.. OMG.. This conditioner I co-washed and I used a lot and I wet my hair a little and worked it in my hair as if I was using shampoo.. Let me tell you this stuff help me to finger comb my hair.. I never been able to finger comb my hair using any king of conditioner until now.. When I rinse my hair it felt so soft. I've heard the ladies rave about Aussie Moist and they were correct. It does contain cones so if you are not a fan or cones this is not for you: Bottom Line this is def a staple of mine and soon as I use up my other conditioners Aussie Moist will be the only conditioner that I will buy.

Ingredients: water, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, glutamic acid, fragrance, bis-aminopropyl dimethicone, benzyl alcohol, edta, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, ecklonia radiata (australian sea kelp) extract, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice extract.

This is what an article from Curly Nikki said about Aussie Moist:

"Amodimethicone and other similarly modified silicone polymers are considered to be among the best high-performance conditioning polymers currently available to the hair-care product formulator. They provide many unique benefits, including the following:

Provide deep conditioning
Provide targeted conditioning to areas of particularly damaged hair
Protect from thermal damage
Increase color retention
Resist build up
Impart gloss and shine
These modified silicones seem to be of particular benefit for those of us with damaged hair, permanently colored hair or those concerned about the buildup of conditioning agents .

Sprucing Up That Transitioning Style

2010-10-06T13:40:00.001-04:00

Trying to come up with different styles can be challenging while transitioning.. I stay you you-tube and every other site I can think of looking for different styles..What I keep going back to is my trust fake pony tails. I love to wear my corkscrew style but it was hard to find that style of pony tail and come to figure out it only came in kids ponytail.. Yea that right. Well I got it and looks great. I love hair accessories and good ways to spruce up your ponytail or bun is with a pretty flower, docorative sticks, or even scarves.. I found that beautiful silk or satin scarves look beautiful on a ponytail that is hanging a little or a lot. Next time you're not sure what to do with that ponytail find some hair accessories to spruce it up.. Winter time is great for those scarves..

Transitioning Hairstyle

2010-07-27T12:17:00.001-04:00

I am running out of options for styling my hair I am thinking about just going back to my cornrows and braid to get me thru this transition.. But this will be my style until I get tired of it.. Fake spiral pony tail

7 months & 2 Weeks Post Relaxer

2010-07-15T22:14:00.001-04:00

7 months into my transition.. I just took my braids out I washed and DC with steam.. I wash with Trader Joe's Nourishing Spa Shampoo and DC with this Steam Moisture Mixture I got from LHCF... I used HE Hydrolicious conditioner to detangle my hair. I then used Darcy Botanicals Madagascar Styling Cream and Pomade to style my hair in the ponytail on the 2nd and 3rd pic.. I also used Ecostyler Gel and Suave conditioner mixed with water and Emu Oil as a spray mix and tied my hair down with a scarf.. I was much please with the results..

Herbal Essence Hydralicious Reconditioning Conditioner

2010-07-13T20:54:00.000-04:00

Ladies I think I have found the conditioner to help me detangle during my transition.. I've heard so much about HE but this stuff is no joke.. Now I just need to stock up on some more of this.. Not sure how the other products will react on my hair but this one is def a winner.. It's not $1 like V05 but I am happy with this.. All I do is just pour the bottle all over my head and detangle and my hair feels so soft and mangeable..

7 Months Post & 2 weeks

Product Review on Moisture Clenz and Profective Mist Bodifier

2010-06-22T07:16:00.000-04:00

Moisture Clenz
5.99 - $6.99

This is a good product to use when You just can't wash those braids.. But it does contain Alcohol.. When I used this my scalp felt clean and almost a cooling sensation.. See what the Taliah says about adding Alcohol to this product..

This product is excellent for cleansing, sanitizing and refreshing the scalp when you are not able to shampoo the hair using water. Great for clients that wear locks, twists, braids and weaves. This product is great because you can clean your scalp without disturbing your hairstyle.

The Moisture Clenz does contain alcohol as an ingredient. This may cause some customers to question why would I use alcohol as an ingredient in the TALIAH WAAJID Black Earth Product line. Alcohol when associated with hair care is known for drying the hair and scalp. Alcohol is also known for cleaning and sanitizing immediately upon contact with skin. Doctors use alcohol when sanitizing the skin before pricking it with a needle. Alcohol is not good to use on the scalp alone for cleaning because of possibility of drying the hair and scalp. However it is important that the scalp be clean and free from dirt and built up oil so that there is a good environment for hair growth and healthy hair. The percentage of alcohol used in the Moisture Clenz is low. When properly used the Moisture Clenz will not cause dryness to the hair or scalp. Once used immediately follow up with the Protective Mist Bodifier, the Herbal Strengthener or the African Healing Oyl. We also use other moisturizers in the Moisture Clenz that help combat the dryness caused by using alcohol. We chose to use alcohol in the Moisture Clenz because we did not find another ingredient that cleansed the hair as well as alcohol. Other natural ingredients we tried did not remove odor and did not clean the scalp well enough to sanitize it. The ingredients we chose for the Moisture Clenz produced a product that cleanses and sanitizes the scalp.

Directions for use:

Spray directly on scalp in between part. Use a damp cloth to rub away dirt. Repeat throughout the entire hairstyle. Use whenever needed. Also helps eliminates itching.

Ingredients:

EDTA, propyl paraben, fragrance, peppermint oil, lactic acid, methyl paraben, propylene glycol, laponite, alcohol, water

$5.99- $6.99

I love this stuff.. It is thick so I have to add a little water so I won't use it up and it help distribute evenly for me.. It helps to detangle and gives me great moisture for my NG and hair.. I use this for my braidouts and just slicking my hair back in a pony tail and ponytail rollersets.. This will be one of my staples...

Directions for comb out:
For best results use after shampooing hair with the Total Body Black Earth Shampoo.
If hair does not need to be shampooed before comb-out, wet the hair and apply a small amount of Enhancing Herbal Conditioner to the hair, rinse it out, towel dry and begin comb-out.

Section the hair into 8-10 sections. Use large twists or plaits to separate the sections. Once this is completed begin at the nape area. Undo one section and spray a generous amount of Protective Mist Bodifier to the hair. When applying the Protective Mist Bodifier to the section of hair, use your fingers to separate and comb through the hair to make sure that the product is thoroughly distributed to that section.

Use a large tooth comb (make sure that the teeth of the comb are not too widely separated. When combing natural hair it is best to use a comb with teeth that are just slightly less than 1/4 of an inch apart from each other). Begin to comb out that section
starting from the ends of the hair and working the tangles out moving upward to the scalp of the section. Once this is completed you should be able to effortlessly comb through that section starting from the scalp down to the ends.

Twist or plait that section back and move on to the next section. Repeat these steps throughout the complete head until all of the sections have been combed out. Now the hair is ready to be styled. NOTE: If you want to blow dry the hair it is best to do so by each section after it has been thoroughly combed out. The Protective Mist Bodifier coats and protects hair strands while blow drying and combing out hair.

The Protective Mist Bodifier as a Daily conditioning spray—Spray on daily or use at least three times a week on scalp and hair for braids, twists, locks, natural hairstyles, up-do’s and transitioning hair. NOTE: when using on braids, twists, locks, make sure that you distribute the Protective Mist Bodifier to the length of the style to make sure that attention is paid to the ends of the your hair. This is vital when the hair has been color treated. Color treated hair needs as much conditioning as possible to help prevent possible breakage.

For extra conditioning for dryer styles, sets and wraps Lightly spray on sets, lock touch ups, wraps, rod sets, etc. before going under the dyer.

Use on all hair types.

Water, Propylene Glycol, Cetearth-20, Cetrimonium Bromide, Wheat Germ, Indian Hemp Seed Oil, Olive Oil, Aloe Vera, Bee Pollen, Silk Amino Acid, Bay Laurel, DMDM, Hydantoin, Fragrance

I also have the African Healing Oyl but haven't used that yet.. I think I might use that while in the braids...

African Healing Oyl

Whipped Shea Almond Butter

2010-06-05T15:37:00.001-04:00

This is a little mixture I whipped up to help keep my braidouts moisturized.. It worked great.. I used some of Hair Veda Vatika Frosting because it smelled so good and I was out of Coconut Oil.. I used some more of her oils also..

Shea Butter
Almond Butter
HV Vatika Frosting
Castor Oil
HV Avasoya Oil
Honey
Olive Oil

My Bootleg Version of the Steamer 14 weeks post

2010-05-15T07:46:00.003-04:00

I decided to steam my hair today and it was a wonderful exerience. I used my bootleg version. I used my facial steamer along with a bag over my steamer and my ends and back of my head got moisturized more than anything the top wasn't as moisturized as the back but it all worked out fine.. I am 14 weeks post and my NG was so soft and when I detangled it was like I didn't need any detangler or leave in my hair had never been this soft. I ponytail rollerset my hair and my NG was still soft. My hair was soft so I just flat ironed my roots and this will be a weekly thing for me. I also think that if I would ever decide to transition this would help me because the detangling process was a breeze.

I washed my hair with Jane Carter Shampoo (old version) and I conditioned with ORS DC and steamed with that in my hair. I found one for $119.00 and free shipping. I used Kid Organic Shea Butter leave in and Profectiv Break Free and did my ponytail rollerset. My ends never looked better. Usually after I rollerset my hair my ends look dry. Don't know if you can really tell a difference or not. I tried the Turban steam but I was never able to get the results I did with the facial steamer.

I used my Caruso Steam Curlers After wards.

4 months into my Transition

2010-04-24T11:14:00.001-04:00

My Ng is getting thicker each month.. I am still using Auyverda powders but I need to find a way to incorporate these powder to where I can pre-poo with conditioners. I noticed when I pre-poo with conditioners instead or just oil my NG soften up and I can detangle my hair b4 I wash it.. I still add the oils but pre-pooing this way is really helping me along.. I've been doing a Brahmi Growth Pak that I got from another blog as my pre-poo that recipe calls for henna I use moisturizing conditioner..
5 to 7 tsp of Brahmi
3 tsp of Alma
2 tsp of Shakaki
1 cup of your favorite moisturizing conditioner( I use Tressemme Naturals and VO5 Strawberries & Cream

Add water to the powders to make a paste and then add conditioner.. Apply oil to your hair 1st b4 adding the Brahmi Pak.. Then add the pak and let it sit for how long you like..

I rise the Pak out and co-wash.. I use Tressemme and Hair One. Sometimes I DC with Heat or use steam.. Then I style my hair.. When I rise the pak out my hair feels so soft with great slip..

2nd week into My Transition

2010-03-20T00:48:00.001-04:00

This is the week I decided to use Ayurvedic Powders to help with growth and over all health of my hair. I mix 1 tsp of Brahmi, Shikakai and 2 tsp of Alma Powder. 1 cup of Hot Water and 1 cup of Cold Water.. I oil my hair the night b4 with Vatika Frosting or Coconut Oil and massage my scalp. I get in the shower and rinse out of the oils then I pour the mix over my hair and then rinse. I use a conditioner wash with Tresseme and Hair One this helps with my detangling process. The last conditioner wash I pour oil over my hair and let it sit in my hair for 10 min. I then do my steam treatment with ORS Replenishing Pak or any conditioner I have on hand. This particular time I did a braid out. I used my shea mix and Aveeno Leave in my hair stayed moisturized and not dry..

Throughout the week what I do is spray my NG with a leave in and moisturized my hair before bed.

3 months Post Relaxer My 1st week of Transitioning

2010-03-12T21:39:00.001-05:00

This is week I decided to transition. I was doing a steam treatment that particular and I noticed how soft and easy it was to comb thru my NG.. I was thinking maybe I can transition with the help of my steamer. I shampoo with JCS Shampoo and DC with ORS replenishing conditioner for about 15 minutes.. At the time I didn't have a regular steamer I did a steam treatment with a facial steamer and my hair turned out great. Learning as the weeks go by I'm trying different products.. I am trying to stick with all natural products.

Thinning Edges this is what helped me

2010-03-01T12:14:00.001-05:00

This Recipe help get my edges back on track.. A couple of other ladies on other hair boards have tried this and got great results. Everybody growth time varies. I didn't start to see any growth for about 1-2 months. Thanks to Claudie she was kindly enough to share this recipe.

3 oz of Castor Oil
1 oz of Vitamin E
15 drops of Rosemary
10 Drops of Tea Tree
10 Drops of Cayenne Tincture

I would use every other day and masage into my scalp and on the days I wasn't using this mixture I would use just plain ole castor oil.

If you are pregnant don't use RoseMary or Have high blood pressure...

Silkening Treatment

2010-02-25T15:31:00.001-05:00

I washed with Eluence Clarifying Shampoo, then I used Cream of Nature Moisturizing shampoo ( I really missed this shampoo this is the old version) Then I DC with Eluence my hair instantly felt soft I sat under the dryer for 20 min. I use Aphogee 2min Recon. For my leave in I used Salon Exclusives leave in conditioner and Gold Moisturizer which is a conditioner but you can use it as a leave in. I sprayed some Aphogee Green Tea and used Mizani Foam and Sallys Generic brand of Paul Mitchell Serum. Sat under the dryer and my hair dried quickly. I blow dried and I used a little bit of my Etae serum on my hair to blow dry. I really like the way my hair looked when I blow dried it. Then I flat iron my hair added a little for Etae Serum and here are the results. My arms got a little tired but I will be trying this again.

B4 I decided to Transition

Review on Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo & Conditioner

2010-02-20T14:01:00.001-05:00

I finally got on the Giovanni bandwagon and I must say I am in love with their products. There smooth as silk shampoo and Conditioner will now be one of my staples. I 1st pre-poo with Natures Gate Aloe Vera Conditioner mixed with a little Castor Oil. Then I shampooed with Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo. I did a Castor Oil Rinse in between and the castor oil was too thick so I washed again with Giovanni. I then DC with the Smooth As Silk Conditioner. Let me tell you the shampoo left my hair ok but I know that was because of the no sulfates but when I used that conditioner my hair felt just like silk and butta. I then used Aphogee 2 minute and again the butta and silk feeling came back. I am not sure if it was just the Giovanni by its self of if it was me using the castor oil rinse help also. The castor oil rinse is suppose to make your hair soft. I used the Giovanni Direct leave in along with my Salon Exclusives gold Sheen conditioner ( a dab of this) sprayed a little Green tea Aphogee. I then rollerset my hair using Bio-Infusion foam wrap (trying to get rid of the last bit I had) with some Sallys generic Paul Mitchell serum and I use the Giovanni Setting lotion on just the front of my hair just to see how it worked and I love that also.

The Castor Oil rinse was 1/4 castor oil and 1/4 water but the castor oil was too thick so next time I will use maybe 1/4 cup Castor Oil and 1/2 cup or water or find a Castor Oil that is not too thick

B4 Transition

Trying To Get Rid of Moisturizers that Don't Work Try Emu Oil

2010-02-10T13:33:00.001-05:00

Do you have tons of moisturizer that doesn't work for you anymore or do you just want to spice up your main moisturizer. I just brought emu oil and I've been adding just a dap to my moisturizer so I can use them up and it's giving my hair that moisture that I couldn't get b4 from some of these moisturizers. I added a drop to HN moisturizer which they already have emu oil in their moisturizer and it just knock the moisture up a notch. I also added it to Cathy Howse Moisturizer and it gave me much added moisture and shine that my hair didn't have b4.(The picture is with Cathy Howse Moisturizer) It last through out the night and when I woke up the next morning I still have that moisture and I really don't need to add more moisturizer to my hair but I did anyway.

B4 Transition

Roller Setting Mix B4 the Transition

2010-02-01T13:27:00.002-05:00

This was b4 I even thought about transitioning..

I did a rollerset with Glycerine, water mix along with my Giovanni Sunset Styling Lotion. I know that I used too much Glycerine and not enough water because it took my hair forever to dry. I really don't have the ratio exactly but I would say 50 water 30 glycerine 20 setting lotion and a drop of emu oil. I love the way it looked and felt but as you can see the pieces on the back didn't dry that well. But overall I loved the outcome and this will be my rollerset mix staple unless I change over to something else. As you can see by my parts that I really didn't care how straight my parts were when I rollerset my hair.