Relaxer Day - October 2013

If you follow my Instagram, you will notice that I was experimenting with different styles recently - the main reason is that my new growth was becoming a bit too much to handle for me.

So, Saturday 26/10/2013 was relaxer, this time I went to the hairdressers.  She used Affirm relaxer and got my hair super straight.  I gave her permission to cut of two inches, and she said she took off 1.5 and put a long layer in the middle (cos my hair is really thinning there).  asked her to trim off what I needed trimming and she took of about 1.5 inches.  So I think all of the length that I gained.  Sigh.  My friends are natural and suggesting I go natural too, but I want to reach my goal first.

Here's how it looks at the moment.

  

12 months - No Length Retention!

So it's official, it has been one year and I have not retained ANY length, in fact, my hair is shorter.  In the picture on the left, my hair is between 5-6, however, in the picture on the right, my hair is between 4-5. This sure is a long lasting setback!  I need to figure this out, by my calculations, I should be beyond BSL by now, but I am sitting at this odd length between APL and BSL.  Any advice is greatly welcome.

Intesne Red - Hair Dye

I got bored of my hair colour again, so on Saturday (12/10/2013), I decided to dye my hair again.  I started by washing my hair, then poured the dye into an applicator bottle, applied it to my hair methodically and then added a plastic cap and a heat wrap for about 30 minutes.  I then went into the shower and shampooed it again, conditioned and blow dried and flat ironed.  I'm happy with the results.  On previous occasions, I have only rinsed my hair and not shampooed, but I think that was a mistake as I always left a red patch wherever I'd laid my head.  That has not been a problem this time around.

Before Dye

After Dye

I love the vibrancy of the colour, it's only semi-permanent, but I'll enjoy it whilst it lasts.  Do you have any plans for your hair?

Flexi Rod Set (pic-heavy)

I went to a wedding at the weekend, and decided that I would flexi rod my hair for the occasion.  To start with I went to the hairdressers for a wash and blow dry, and then I moisturised my hair with ORS moisturiser and sealed with Organix Coconut Milk Anti Breakage Serum (I just love the smell), then I set to work with the flexi-rods.  I must have had about 30 in my head.

As expected, I had an uncomfortable night's sleep with those things in my head! I don't know why I put myself in this position, but I think it turned out quite nice.  Have a look for yourself.

Sadly, I was running late (as usual) and didn't take any pics of my hair once fully done, but I have an end of the night picture of my hair (appx 12 hours later). The problem is, that all of the curls have fallen, but hopefully, you can see the full effect of the style.  These pics were taken on my phone so the quality is not so great.  I just brushed all my hair to one side and used a large decorative clamp to secure it.  No gel or bobby pins were used.

Hope you like it x

Why I'm Not Retaining Length

I think I've figured it out.  I have not been doing the protective styles that my hair loves.  I have returned to the products and method of hair-care that I used, but not the styles.  At the start of my hair journey, I would put my hair in braids at least once every 4 months (usually when my new growth got too much to handle), and with each relaxer I would see some length retention.  I think I am gonna go back to protective styling in the form of braids, and probably try a weave too.  I just can't figure out why else I've not retained length.  So I have a wedding to attend at the end of the month, so I'll put in the braids the week after and see if I can keep them in until my birthday in November (we'll see)

If this is not the reason I'm not retaining length, then I will have to go back to the drawing board to try and figure this out.  Wish me well!!!

As a side-note, my 'satin' scrunchies arrived today... however, it says '100% polyester' - go figure! lol.  I've noticed that the hairbands that I use, although they are ouch-less, they do sometimes drag out my hair too when I'm removing them, so I ordered these on Amazon, to see if they would help with that problem.  Lets see how they work.

Instagram!

Hey peeps!  So, I've decided to join instagram, so look for me here, my username is texturedstrands.  Hope to see you there x

Relaxer Day - August 2013

Relaxer No 3 this year. Next relaxer due 13/10/2013 (10 weeks post)

On Saturday 3rd August 2013 I relaxed my hair at 11 weeks post.  The week prior, I washed and blow dried my hair to make it easier to manage for the relaxer process, as my roots are something else!  I bought two boxes of relaxer, but ended up only using one (score!).  I purchased the ORS Extra Strength Box kit. This time I used the half and half method to apply the relaxer:

1. I de-tangled my hair and parted it from ear to ear, clipped the top part away and put a plastic cap over it, secured with duck bill clips so that I could protect that half, whilst I relaxed the back half.

2. I put the Hollywood Beauty castor oil round my edges and onto the length of my hair to help protect it from over-processing, mixed up the relaxer and applied it.

3. I separated the back section into two and applied the relaxer around the outline of that section first, then in rows starting from the base of my head.  I repeated this for the other half.  This time I timed myself well and I managed to do both halves of the back in 10 minutes.

4. I used the next 10 minutes to go through each section, row by row, smoothing with the back of the comb and with my fingers, to make sure that it processed well.

5. I then rinsed out  the back section trying not to get the top half wet, but because I was lazy and didn't want to get into the shower, this was not too successful.  I stood over the bath with the shower head in my hand and my head to an a

ngle trying to rinse only the back of my head.  Inevitably some of the top section got wet.  I washed out the relaxer then I shampooed once

6. I then added another dose of shampoo, lathered it up, clipped up my hair and covered it with a plastic cap, to let it sit whilst I relaxed the top half.

7. I repeated steps 3 and 4, but this process took a total of 23 minutes (3 minutes longer than it should have)

8. I jumped in the shower and shampooed twice, leaving it on for about 5 mins on one occasion.

9. I then towel dried and added the apple cider vinegar mix to my whole head, put on a plastic cap and covered my whole head with a heated cap for 20 mins,

10. I rinsed my hair, then applied the ORS conditioner, covered my hair with a plastic cap then a heated cap for 20 mins and rinsed it out (phew - final time in the shower)

11. I t-shirt dried my hair, added leave in conditioner, de-tangled and put my hair into a pony tail with a scarf to air dry.

12. At night I added ORS moisturiser, and Olive oil, and put my hair into 6 bantu knots.  This is the result.

As you may be able to tell, I still have a lot of texture in the crown of my head, but the edges and the back half are pretty straight.  I just know that I will never get bone straight hair from a relaxer, my hair is too resistant.  On previous occasions where I have self relaxed or if I have asked a friend to help, it has always taken 30-40 minutes I should not exceed the 20 mins recommended, and this may be the cause of my brittle ends!  I don't know.  Anyway, I realise now that I will just have to settle for a looser texture when I relax, as opposed to bone straight hair.  No biggie I guess.

Textured Strands Struggles
I am still struggling with my ends, they are still frizzy and get tangled easily, I had a good trim from the hairdresser in My, but that does not seem to have had much of an effect on the frizziness. I have cut also given it a trim myself, but it does not seem to help!  I may have to cut it all off and start again, but I am not willing to do that just yet.

I was supposed to be at BSL by this time, so I have not reached my goal, but I'm not giving up.

Relax, Colour, Trim and Length Check

Hey guys,

Here is a video of me explaining how I relaxed and coloured my hair.  Also a clip of my first hairdressers experience in my hair journey, a trim and a length check.

She asked to touch my hair!

Those of you who follow my blog will know that I recently went to the hairdressers for the first time in my hair journey.  I love the results.  The other day, I was in a hair shop, looking for products - as you do, and a lady in the shop came up to me and this is how the conversation went...

Lady - Excuse me, is that your hair?

Me - Yeah

Lady - Are you sure?

Me - Yeah

Lady - Can I touch it? Just the ends

Me - Er...okay

Lady touches my hair

Lady - Oh yeah, it is real

Me - Yeah

Lady - Is there anything special that you do to your hair?

Me - No, not really

Lady - Does the dye damage your hair?

Me - No, cos I use a semi permanent colour

Lady - You have nice hair

Me - Thanks

And with that I continued with my purchases.

Now, since I have been on this hair journey, I have seen blog posts and YouTube videos where women recount stories of when they have had similar experiences. This one was bitter sweet.  I was pleased that my hair looked in such a condition that she had to ask me if it was mine, but also taken aback that she did not believe that I was telling the truth until she touched it.  In any case, she was satisfied that it was hair grown from my scalp, and I was pleased that she believed me.

Raging Red and Wild Cherry

I have taken some pictures of my hair in natural sunlight to show the colour that my hair reaches when dyed with a semi-permanent dye.  I used a combination of Raging Red and Wild Cherry by Adore.  I always use this particular brand as it offers the colour that I want and produces a vibrant wearable colour.  I dyed my hair on relaxer day, then went to the hairdressers (for the first time since my hair journey began almost 3 years ago) one week later where my hair was blow dried and lightly flat ironed, and my hair trimmed and re-shaped.

Relaxer Day - May 2013

2 ORS relaxer kits and the contents

On Saturday 18th May, I relaxed my hair at 9 weeks post, well my sister did it for me (Thanks x).  I used two boxes of the Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil relaxer kit - one extra strength and one normal strength.  This kit comes with the Olive Oil built in protection relaxer base and activator, Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo, the Olive Oil Replenishing Pak, the Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion and the Olive Oil Wrap/Set Mousse, along with a pair of gloves and a stick to mix the relaxer base and activator.  See picture

This time I completely forgot to base my scalp and my edges (I know!).  My sister started in the middle with the extra strength relaxer as the middle of my hair is the most resistant.  Once that one was finished, she used about half of the normal strength relaxer on the remainder of my hair.  The application and smoothing process took about 45 minutes (I'm trying to do it quicker, but haven't figured it out yet!).  I didn't feel any burning.  She was really great at avoiding touching my scalp with the relaxer.  I then shampooed about 4 times with the Olive Oil Creamy Aloe Shampoo that comes with the kit and towel dried my hair.

Rollers and Set Mousse in spray bottle

I  was going to do the mid protein step, but thought that would prolong the process too much. By this time it was about 11pm.  I asked my sister to apply a semi permanent dye to my hair - Adore Wild Cherry and Raging Red using an applicator brush.I had a full bottle of the wild cherry and a little of the Raging red left over, so I poured it all into a bowl for ease of application.  My sister applied it to my hair using the the relaxer method.  This is a really messy process and I really do recommend having help.  If you can't get that then i would suggest wearing old clothes and covering your floor to protect it from inevitable spillages.  Once the dye was applied, I covered my hair with a plastic cap and stayed under a heated cap for 15 minutes.  I then shampooed twice and added the ORS conditioner.  Again I let that sit on my hair under a plastic cap and a heated cap for 15 minutes.

Raging Red and Wild Cherry

Finally I rinsed and roller set my hair using the ORS wrap set mousse from a spray bottle.  The application took about 1 hour and I sat under the hooded dryer for about 1hr 20 minutes.  Once my hair was dry I applied the ORS moisturiser and sealed with Olive Oil, wrapped my hair and went to bed.  It was a super duper long night, but I love the final product.  I love the results that roller setting gives my hair, it feels soft and smooth and has body and volume.  Love it!!

I went to the hair dressers a week later for the first time in my hair journey and for the first time in about 4 years.  It felt so great to have my hair done professionally, and I think I will be doing it more often. She did a fabulous job on my hair and was super quick.  So I have a few pictures of my hair to so you can see what the colour looked like before and after.  On the left is a pic of my hair wet, after I relaxed it, and on the right is the way the hairdresser did it.

Setback due to laziness?

So it just seems as though my hair has not retained any length since my last length check in September 2012!  My goal was to reach BSL this year, so that's not been going so well.  I did have a good trim of about 2-3 inches in January 2013 as I thought that my ends looked horrible and I thought that a good trim would change that.  I was wrong.  My hair is still brittle, it is still breaking and it feels as though it is shedding more than normal.  I am at a loss as to what to do to fix it.  I think that my relaxers will have to happen every 2-3 months and no less, otherwise the breakage just gets out of hand.  Also, I think I am going to revert back to what I was doing at the start of my hair journey.  I would wash my hair twice a week, wear protective styles all the time, airdry my hair all the time and moisturise and seal twice a day.  That seemed to work in the beginning, so I will go back to that.  TBH, I have been a bit lazy in the last year or so - not covering my head at night, (althogh I do have a satin pillow case), not moisturising and sealing, and only washing once a week.

I tried a flat twist high bun as a protective style recently, so here's a pic of the look.  I am planning to relax in a couple of weeks, and I'll check back in then

Protective Styling Challenge 2013

Happy New Year to you all, I trust that this year is going from strength to strength for you.  I did have a post prepared for New Year, but I haven't got around to uploading it yet.  However, I'd just like to share with you all my motto for the year

YOUR LATTER WILL BE GREATER THAN YOUR PAST, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Receive it and believe it!

Anyway, down to business...I have jumped on the bandwagon and decided to protective style my hair this year to attain my goal of MBL hair.  It is a tall order, but with a bit of dedication, I think I can do it!  This is part of the Hairlista 1 Year Sew-in Protective Style Challenge.  I'm not sure that I will last the year, but I'll be sure to give it a go.

I have posted a video of my first and current protective style - canerows.  I think it makes me look like a teenager, but hey ho, such is life.  I am going to keep them in for as long as I can before they look awful and then consider adding synthetic hair to maintain it a bit longer next time.

Till Next time

Blessings
Naddy x