RAW HONEY

Ooh wee! I am learning about raw honey and I can't believe the many beneficial uses it offers to us mere mortals. Reason for my interest is the Max Hydration Method, which requires raw honey as an inportant ingredient in the Cherry Lola treatment stage.

A quick visit to Hippie Brown Girl's fabulous blog enlightened me greatly.

I mean, it can be used directly on the face as a cleanser that has moisturizing, antibacterial and other healing properties!

I love it and can't wait to get that into my life.

With all the beekeepers in Dominica, I would think I could find this easily but, um, nope. Or at least, not yet, anyway.

I have 5 gallons of this stuff in my Amazon cart waiting to be purchased. I might just have Ms. G bring me all the things I need from the US of A! Dang, its at times like this, I miss home.

Anyway, more info on raw honey and many other great things - beautywise -  are available here - http://hippiebrowngirl.com/2014/03/24/homemade-shampoo-conditioner-for-natural-hair/

Max Hydration Method Prep

Here are the steps I plan to follow:

1. First Step: Modified Cherry Lola Treatment
2. Second Step: Clarify with ACV 1:1 Water rinse
3. Third Step: Co-wash & Detangle with warm conditioner for 10-15 minutes
4. Fourth Step: Clay rinse application and leave in for 15 minutes
5. Fifth Step: Leave in Conditioner (Nature's Gate)
6. Sixth Step: Apply Gel

HAIR THOUGHTS & NEW HAIR CARE PLAN

So, it has been a long while since I started my hair journey and I have to say I have had more set backs than I could count!

Even my daughter's hair seems to have reached a plateau, but at least she is yet to have set backs like mine.

Back to my hair, the general dissatisfaction with my inability to retain length (though my hair clearly grows approximately half an inch a month) left me uninterested in really focusing on my hair the way I used to.

As a result, my hair has been in braids, crochet braids for the last 8 months. This has allowed me to forget about my hair. Not the best thing, because that did not help me retain length, but at least, I wasn't preoccupied with my hair for the first time in years!

Now, however, I think I have come back to wondering how to jumpstart my hair care and have healthier hair, be it relaxed or natural.

My original plan was to keep my hair in crochet braids until the summer of 2015 but I am considering trying the max hydration technique instead. I fear that that braids will give my already struggling hair the occasion to become thin  something I REALLY don't want. I'd rather have short but thick hair any day!

With that being said, I have come up with a plan to get me through May and June of 2014.

1. END OF APRIL: Remove crochet braids and leave hair out for 2 - 4 weeks.
1. I will remove braids, do an overnight conditioning treatment, shampoo (with a sulfate shampoo), do an ACV rinse, do a heated DC with silk elements conditioner (it has cones, sadly and I have about 2-3 more containers to use up! Hence the need for a sulfate shampoo).
2. For 2 weeks, I will wear scarves, use braiding hair to create top knots, fishtail ponies and whatever else I need to do.
3. I will use black castor oil mixed with a few other oils on my temples and scalp every other night and do inversion method for 4 minutes each time.
4. I will try to co-wash with an ACV rinse and Nature Made conditioner in the middle of the week and then repeat the overnight DC treatment on the weekends.
5. I will do this for at least 2 - 4 weeks if I can.Keep track of hair growth to see if immersion method and GHE (Green House Effect) work for you
2.  MID MAY/END OF MAY: Put in new crochet braids.
1. I will do a serious protein treatment by simply implementing it into my weekend regimen.
2. Install crochet braids - simple curly do like what I had in February.
3. Keep crochet braids in for 4-6 weeks or at least until kids are on summer break.
4. Continue inversion method, but also begin to use water/moisture spray plus sealing oil/butter every 2 -3 days on scalp and in 'hair')
5. Also implement GHE into regimen.
6. Buy products for Max hydration method.
3. END OF JUNE: Max Hydration time!
1. Remove crochet braids
2. Do a length check with heat around this period
3. Begin max hydration first treatment and then follow up with cowashes EVERY DAY for a week.
4. Continue until you have curl definition and can stretch co washes from every day to every 3 days to every 5 days, to every 7 days.
4. END OF AUGUST: Track Results
1. Do a length check with blowdryer on low heat. REMEMBER, NO DIRECT HEAT!
2. If results are positive, continue MH (Max Hydration) method.
3. If results are NOT positive, hopefully, you will have some length and can continue with crochet braids and/or purchase kinky coily hair to give more fullness to hair.
4. Also, consider whether or not you want a relaxer again.

STAIN CHART

The University of Illinois has a nifty stain chart here - http://web.extension.illinois.edu/stain/

• 
  Adhesive tape
• 
  After shave lotion
• 
  Airplane glue
• 
  Alcoholic beverages
• 
  Antiperspirant
• 
  Apples
• 
  Ashes
• 

Who knows, it might come in handy someday.

NEW DEODORANT AND LOTION RECIPES!

I'm so glad I discovered Wellness Mama today. She has very easy recipes that I can use and that will work given the climate I live in. I discovered her through tPF - a thread on deodorants of all things.

Anyway, here are the recipes -

DEODORANT:

• 3 T Coconut Oil
• 3 T Baking Soda
• 2 T Shea Butter
• 2 T Arrowroot (optional)
• Essential Oils (optional)

LOTION:

• 1/2 cup almond or olive oil (can infuse with herbs first if desired)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup beeswax
• Optional: 1 teaspoon Vitamin E oil
• Optional: 2 tablespoons Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter
• Optional: Essential Oils, Vanilla Extract or other natural extracts to suit your preference

1. Combine ingredients in a pint sized or larger glass jar. I have a mason jar that I keep just for making lotions and lotion bars, or you can even reuse a glass jar from pickles, olives or other foods.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with a couple inches of water and place over medium heat.
3. Put a lid on the jar loosely and place in the pan with the water.
4. As the water heats, the ingredients in the jar will start to melt. Shake or stir occasionally to incorporate. When all ingredients are completely melted, pour into whatever jar or tin you will use for storage. Small mason jars (8 ounce) are great for this. It will not pump well in a lotion pump!
5. Use as you would regular lotion. This has a longer shelf life than some homemade lotion recipes since all ingredients are already shelf stable and not water is added. Use within 6 months for best moisturizing benefits.

New Products I Want

Terresentials is what I have my eyes on.

Its a hair shampoo, of sorts, that cleanses the scalp and hair shaft. Its made from natural products and is free of sulfates, cones and other bad stuff.

I think I'll get it at some point, but not quite yet.

1 Year Without Relaxers!

I can't believe it, but it has been 1 year since I last got a relaxer put in.

YEEHAW!

At 4 months post, I put in braids.

I took them out 3 and a half months later, and was left with tangles after I put conditioner in it overnight. Welp!

Anyway, I followed that up with crochet braids and have kept that up over the last 4 and a half months.

I would like to go another year without a relaxer but I'm not going to make any promises.

Instead, I'll take it one day at a time.

Hair pieces!

Sooooooooo,

I learned about hair pieces that resemble/mimic natural kinky coily hair and now I want in.

Why?

Well, I have not gotten a relaxer in a long while and am learning to appreciate my natural texture. In the event that I never ever get another relaxer, some hair pieces would give me the full look I know I would want.

Here are a few sources:
Heat Free Hair Movement - http://heatfreehair.com/for-kinks/
King Me Hair - kingmehair.com

Crochet braids

Since December 25th, 2013, crochet braids have been my staple protective style.

The first time, I used old braid hair and achieved a big kinky fro look.

The second time, I used Bohemain curl hair and achieved a cute curly do that looked like the Perry wig that I used to wear from time to time.

This third time, I put Expressions braiding hair in for a long straight look. I had hoped to achieve bangs in the front but failed. I have been wearing hats and using scarves to achieve very cute looks such as top knots, side braided ponytails and even just wearing my hair in a wrap, half wrap or half wrap with bun. So far, so good.

For my fourth attempt, I hope to find a wavy curl hair and put that in. I may leave some hair out for the first time to achieve a more natural look.

After that, I will go straight again, leaving some hair out.

I think that I will leave my hair alone in June/July - no crochet braids, no nothing. I will take that time to apply the max hydration method and I hope that over a month, I will achieve a looser curl. Irregardless, it will give my scalp a break and let me play around with my natural hair.

When its time for the kids to go back to school, however, I will probably put in the curly style again and maybe follow that up with box braids, which I can only keep in for 4-6 weeks.