SILICON MIX RETURNS...

Washed my hair on Sunday evening. I used my Castille Soap (TJCS) and then followed up with silicon mix which I left on for about 5 minutes or so. After rinsing my hair felt great, silicone and all. I followed up with my usual routine and let it air dry before going to bed.

My hair feels pretty good and looks healthy. It is clear to me that my ends need to go. I only hope I don't lose too much length. But once I get a relaxer, I am sure my hair will look great.

TRADER JOE'S CASTILLE SOAP

I have used Trader Joe's Castille soap twice to wash my hair, and love it. I use it as a shampoo and it does not dry my hair, but leaves it super soft. This last time, I washed and then cowashed with VO5. My hair came out soft and luxurious.

I followed up with my moisture mix, some Silk Infusions (CHI), Mango Butter and sealed. Feels good. This product is definitely a keeper.

MOISTURE DOES MY HAIR GOOD

Again my hair is doing good. I keep it in a bun and keep it moisturized everyday so as to keep it from getting dry and breaking uncontrollably.

The moisture-protein balance seems to be working. But, I will now simply do a cowash with VO5. After that, I will next do a shikamla rinse in a couple days. I hope my hair stays the way it is which is nice.

HAIR NEEDS SOME HELP!

I purchased some Silk Elements Olive Oil conditioner for $12.00!!! I am pissed I spent that much because the ordinary one was $6.99 but the price for both was not indicated! Yeah, I'm a sucker for some nice smelling hair products. I guess.

Anyway, I put it in my hair because it was feeling pretty hard after the last protein conditioner. I left it in for about 2.5 hours and the next day I had a lot of breakage. I have decided to just leave my hair for a little bit but will do a protein conditioner on Monday or so and follow up with the Silk Elements OO con (SEOO) and see how that works. If no progress, I will take my behind to Sintia's next weekend for a deep conditioner and just ask them not to blow dry my hair after the set.

HAIR IS DOING FINE

A week and a half after my relaxer, I opted to wash my hair. I used TE's moisturizing shampoo and then used the sample of Soft Sheen conditioner. I left it in for about 6-7 minutes and when I rinsed, my hair felt great. I opted to not follow up with a quick VO5 conditioner.

So far, my hair feels good. I keep it moisturized and even added a little Silk Infusion then sealed with olive oil. Last night, I added some Mango Butter to my ends and then sealed my entire hair length with castor oil pomade.

Hope my hair stays healthy and grows at least an inch and a half during this stretch.

GOT A RELAXER

Got a relaxer at Sintia's and used the Butter Blends from Mizani relaxer. It worked pretty well. There was a little bit of burning but I did not end up with burns on my scalp.

I opted to not get the cellophane color treatment and saved $30! The lady who blew me out opted to not trim my ends, but they are looking a little see-through so I have to work on them.

My hair is growing out thankfully. After a 13 week stretch it looks like I just might get to APL by the end of the year. I will try to use my Boundless tresses for at least 8 weeks and then allow 3-4 weeks without before a relaxer.

Hope it works.

GREAT HAIR

On Tuesday morning, I cowashed with VO5 and decided to only use the products I had used to do TE's hair a couple days earlier.

Thus, I let my hair airdry about 90%, then sprayed it with my moisturizing spray, applied Mango Butter and sealed with castor oil pomade.

Once my hair was completely dried, I noticed that it felt very soft but certain parts of my hair did not receive adequate product, so I combed my hair out around my head (not backwards as usual) and applied products to the parts that felt dry.

I wrapped my hair up and wigged it per usual.

On Thursday, I combed out my hair to moisturize my edges and nape only to discover that my hair was super soft and hardly needed any product! I used KODL on my edges and nape, then decided to apply it to my new growth. Great idea! My new growth felt super soft and was immediately manageable/combable. I used very small amounts of KODL on each section and then sealed the entire length with olive oil. I am amazed at how soft my hair feels. There was minimal breakage as well.

I plan on getting a relaxer next weekend and will likely continue to moisturize my NG every other day. On Saturday/Sunday, I will use DPR-11, mixed with olive oil, castor oil and maybe even Mahabhingraj oil as a prepoo for about 15-30 minutes, rinse and then clarify with Vinegar.

On Wednesday of next week, I will use the last shea butter green tea sample I have and leave it in for the recommended 5-10 minutes so my hair won't be as hard as it was the last time. Then after rinsing and using DPR-11 to moisturize, I will make sure to base my scalp with castor oil pomade and do that every morning until I get a relaxer.

I GOT A WIG!

I purchased a lace front wig for about $96 about 2 weeks ago and have been enjoying the length it gives me. I have to say, that this wig, is definitely the hair length I would love to have - just around BSL.

The wig is a synthetic lace front wig and it works for me. Here are a couple pics.

I visited Black Hair Media forum and got some additional sites with great wig options -

1. The Luxurious Hair Boutique: I like the 'Chanel' wig
   
2. The Hair Network: I like the 'Beyonce' wig
3. Love My Lace Wig:
4. List of recommended sellers available here
5. Another site to buy synthetics at a cheaper price here
   

I am now searching for the Afro Beauty Love Lace Wig. I spoke to the distributor but am yet to find it in this area. Hopefully, I will.

BEEN A WHILE...

As of today, I will be 8 weeks post on Saturday and continue my hair journey.

I haven't updated in a while, so here is the skinny of the past 5 months.

HORRIBLE HAIR EXPERIENCE
I went to Costa Rica where my hair was literally falling out. Not sure what caused that but a visit to a hair stylist there, helped to keep my hair in check, but once I got back, I started going to the Dominican salon every 3 weeks and got a mini-trim at one point, but that didn't stop the shedding despite the frequent deep conditions.

In January, or is it February-sometime, I got a relaxer and a real trim. I went from grazing APL/full APL to collar bone and it hurt! I think that that is why I stayed away from here for so long. Losing all that length was painful and remains so, but I am thankful that my hair no longer sheds too much and looks relatively healthy.

NEW REGIMEN
I have been washing it about twice a week - cowash and then deep condition on the weekends. I try to moisturize every other day. I have integrated CHI;s Silk Infusion and Keratin Treatment into the mix. I use silk infusion to moisturize and silken and use the Keratin to infuse strength (protein) on cowash days.

PROTEIN
For protein I have just started making my own concoction -

1. 4 spoons Elast QP DPR11
2. some Silk Infusion
3. 1 egg
4. some olive oil
   
5. some castor oil

I hope it will keep my hair strong because it likes protein and I want to do a protein deep condition at least once a week.

NEW MOISTURIZER
I just created a new moisturizer to use in my hair right after washing and if/when I want to baggy.

1. some castor oil
2. some glycerine
3. some olive oil
4. about 3oz of Rose water
5. some Silk Infusion
6. some KODL

I hope this will help me simplify my moisture routine which I find cumbersome. Hopefully, after spraying some of this, I can let it airdry, apply a tiny amount of silk Infusion and Mango butter then seal with Castor Oil pomade or Olive oil.

PROMISES
I have promised my self that once I reach the 8 week mark, I will be at the salon at least every 2 weeks. And, when my hair needs some pampering, I will go whenever the need appears. I no longer want to do long stretches and think I will go for 10-12 week stretches to reduce breakage at the line of demarcation.

GOALS
I aim to be APL (AGAIN) by my 30th birthday. I am not sure if I will get there, but I hope that the summer months will be kind and allow for a serious growth spurt. Currently I have approximately 3/4" of new growth and I hope to grow at least 4 inches before the year ends. So, at least, I should be APL by December.