Transitioning to Natural hair: 101 Part 2

Yesterday I did a post on transitioning. I decided to come back and elaborate a little more. If you have not noticed I am VERY excited about natural hair. The only thing I regret about going natural is that I did not do it sooner. :-)

Today let's talk more about No No's while transitioning.

Women like to look beautiful....well most of us do anyway. So the thought of going without a relaxer for an extended period of time makes many shudder. ESPECIALLY in the summertime. Don't fret ladies... there are ways to be glamorous and fly as you journey to natural hair.

1. Colored tresses. A HUGE no no. Some women will start experimenting with different things to reward themselves for staying on track. One thing that I learned quickly and unfortunately PAINFULLY is color is a no no. When you are transitioning, your hair is very weak and fragile. It is also very DRY. Adding color on top of that adds even more stress to your already weak hair. If you want to get a hair cut for FREE...go ahead and color your hair. Nine times out of ten, your hair will break off severely at the line where the relaxed meets the natural. Color CAN be ok...however...you want to successfully transition and make sure your natural hair is properly conditioned and moisturized before you color. Moisture is VERY important in transitioning and being natural. Which leads me to my next point.

2. Deep Conditioning. Your hair needs two things...protein...and moisture. You need both. Protein helps strengthen your hair. Protein deposits into your hair what chemicals take away. Although protein treatments are very much needed. They must be done the correct way. You MUST follow up a protein treatment with a moisturizing conditioner. While protein is good for strength...it can also hurt you by making your hair hard like straw. Moisturizing treatments are needed to keep your hair strong and moisturized. Not only is poorly moisturized hair HARD but it is also frizzy. It has been my experience that the more moisturized my hair is the less frizz I have. Typically protein treatments should be done once every 6 weeks and moisturizing deep treatments should be done weekly. Some protein treatments that I have used are Keraphix (mild protein), Nexxus Emergence (extreme protein) and Aphophee (extreme protein). My favorite ALL time moisturizing conditioner is Pantene Relaxed and Natural Breakage Defense Mask. However I also use Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment, Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose and Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner. I also add either Vatika Oil or Amla Oil to my hair when I am deep conditioning.

3. Braids or Weaves. Now now don't be alarmed. There is nothing wrong with braids or weaves as long as your hair is properly cared for while you are in them. Braids took about 3 inches off my hair because I failed to properly moisturize. However, another time I GAINED 3 inches because I took care of my hair. Braids should never be took tight to the point that you need aspirin to stop your head from throbbing. Same goes for weaves. If you are wearing a sew in, your braids should not be super tight under the tracks. This can cause you to loose not only inches but also your edges. This is because the braids are already tight. Then you sew tracks TIGHTLY to those braids putting even more pressure on your edges. When I weave ( I am blessed to have the skill to do my own) I make sure my braids are not too tight and most times I do a net weave to keep from putting all of that stress on my braids and edges. If you are wearing braids, make sure you use a braid spray that lists Glycerin as the first or second ingredient. Glycerin is very moisturizing and will keep the braids from drying and breaking your hair. If you are wearing a weave, it will be a little harder to get to your braids beneath it. Invest in an color applicator bottle (beauty supply for .99) and fill it with an oil or braid spray and oil your scalp/braids once every other day. I usually use Amla or Vatika Oil on mine.

Well I will stop here for today...of course I will be back. :-)

In the meantime, check out my fotki album. I have a tutorial listed there on how to wear and blend an instant weave. These SAVED me while on my transitioning journey. I will be adding more to this album later and I am contemplating creating videos. In the meantime, enjoy!

www.fotki.com/tuttifruityone

Pantene Relaxed and Natural Breakage Defense Mask Deep Conditioning

Pantene Relaxed and Natural makes one of the BEST deep conditioning treatments. When I first chopped back in May, I had a tough time because of how dry my hair was. When natural hair gets dry, it is a frizzy birds nest that is very hard to work with. Well I hit the hairboards and started reading. I read allot about Pantene's Mask so I decided to give it a try. I fell in LOVE. This stuff has my hair moisturized and feeling like butter. I deep condition with it once a week.

Well, some of you know that all good things do not last forever. Rumor has it that this product has been discontinued! I have started purchasing every jar that I lay my eyes on these days. For those of you that have not been as fortunate...here are a few Amazon sellers that have the product available. One of them even sells 3 jars at once for 14.94! That's great being that I just paid 6 bucks for my last jar! At any rate...stock up and get moisturized curlies!

Gelly Belly

So...lately I have been wearing either a puff...and most recently a baggied bun. My routine is very simple. When I am in a puff...I CW daily with a cheapie shampoo...and prepare my hair for a puff. When I am on a phony bun, I CW every other day and put my hair in a pony and add the baggy and the phony pony. One thing that I use for both...is GEL.
Back before I discovered the hair boards, I used Ampro's brown gel like it was going out of business. Well maybe a year or two ago, I discovered Fantasica IC Sparklites. This has been my holy grail when it comes to gel. It gives me GREAT hold, no flaking and it isn't hard as a brick either. Well last week I ran out my beloved Sparklites and decided to try one of my other gels (never tried benefit the counter). So here are my results:

Long Aid Curl Activator
Walmart (about 2 or 3 bucks)

I tried this gel on wet hair and then tied my hair down for the ride to work. This gel gave me GREAT hold. The only issue that I had with this gel was it left my hair feeling greasy and gummy. It was not hard mor crunchy...but VERY greasy and gummy.
I would ONLY use this gel as a last resort. If it does this in cold weather I am scared to see what it does in warm weather.

Smooth and Shine Curl Activator
Walmart (2 or 3 bucks)

I tried this gel and I LOVE it. It gave nice hold and was not at all greasy like the Long Aid. I did not even tie my hair down. I will DEFINATELT reuse this gel. The only downfall of this product was how small the jar is. But other than that...two thumbs up!

All in all...nothing has YET to touch my Fantasia gel. It still remains my FAVORITE and my holy grail. But it is good to know that I do have a back up.

So....I wore twists to work

Today was my first time actually wearing my "twists" to work. Overall I got a great response. The are holding up well. I have a satin cap on...and I am ITCHING to wash.

I am also looking forward to my next henna treatment.

Here is a pic of my very first attempt at twist taken a month ago (don't view if u are drinking because u are GOING to laugh.)

And you see my most recent pic here....

Now...I still have a ways to go...but...Henna...weekly deep conditioner....and supplements...they are all winners in my book.

Also, here is a pic of me the day after my first Henna treatment...Notice how full my puff is?

I have a disease....

and it is called hand in HAIR!

So...I was impatient and could not wait on my Jamila brand Henna. So I used Dulhan Henna... I mixed it with Green Tea, honey, olive oil, a pinch of Vatika Oil and Amla Oil. Over kill right? Well I sat it on my heating pad for like 15 minutes....applied...then left on overnight.
The color is more vibrant. I am a chocolate cherry head gal! Call me Cherry Coke if you would! LOL

When I rinsed the Henna out....I used a mixture of conditioners:
Elucence MB
Jessicul WDT
Pantene Breakage Defense

I left it on for an hour and a half and sat under my heating cap for 45 minutes. Rinsed....CWed with my pantene hydrating curls...and into a puff my hair went.
My.Hair.Is.SO. SOOOFFTT!

I can't keep my hand out of it. Because I had to detangle (and loss very little hair mind you) my curls are not as defined as they COULD be but it still looks and feels great. I will take a pic when it dries.
My hair is ALREADY noticably thicker! I am excited. I am contemplating attempting to twist it tonight...we shall see.
At any rate...another successful Henna application.
My next application will be when I receive the Jamila in the mail. After that I may chill for 2 weeks or so....I think I am going to incorporate Amla into my daily regime for a bit...and start back with my OCT once I get on a Henna schedule. I am VERY excited. My hair feels SO soft and it getting thicker ALREADY. Henna head for life....Henna Head for life.

Slip and Slide...

So...I tried out my Jessicurl WDT yesterday. My curls were starting to look a little thirsty so I decided that it was time to bun for a little bit. So my Jessicurl JUST so happened to arrive....and when I opened it and saw how thick it was (similar to a moisturizer) I decided to use it as a leave in. I know of another curly that does this so decided what the heck.
So...yesterday I put my hair in a phony bun...nbaggied underneath with the following products.
Elucence MB Conditioner
Shea MOisture Leave IN
Jessicurl WDT
Shea Butter on ends...
This morning when I took it down...my hair felt very soft and moist. So I did my daily CW with Pantene** and this morning I only applied Elucence, Jessicurl and Olive Oil on my ends. I am in a high bun today...baggied underneath. Tonight...I will DC with Pantene Breakage Defense Mask (I found some at Walmart)
So...Jessicurl gets two thumbs up as a leave in. Left my hair feeling buttery soft.

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Conditioner Washes...
I use LOTS of conditioners for conditioner washes. However, my hair responds BEST to Pantene Hydrating Curls. I need to see if Sam's sells a HUGE tub of this. This morning I started out with Bed Head Moisture Maniac (which is pretty good but not mind blowing...Hello Hydration is better and cheaper) and I added Pantene Hydrating Curls to it. I think that this is going to be my main conditioner as my hair responds so well to it.

Until later......

I will also post of a pic of today's "CurlyNikki bun" that I am wearing when I get home tonight.

And the results are in....

As promised here are the post Henna pics. The first one shows first day hair. My curl is a little looser. That makes me nervous...I do NOT want to lose my curls.

But I guess it has to do with the henna...because my second day hair looks HOT! LOL See below. Me likey!

K...me tired...going to bed. Until later...

To Henna or Not...that is the question

So...I was reading a few blogs, cruising a few fotki albums, and browsing a few hair boards...and Henna has caught my attention. Nik from CurlyNikki.com was very helpful with her pictorial...and she was very helpful answering questions. I rushed out...and purchased some Henna...

Then I chickened out.

My only concerns are:
1. I do not want to drastically change my hair color.
2. I do not want to loosen my curl.

However...I DO want thicker, stronger and healthier hair! So...I think this weekend will be a "HennaMeBeautiful" Weekend.

Stay tuned for my results...

My fingers, toes and eyes are crossed.



In other news...I SO need a new style...this one is SO boring now. My hair is currently in flat twists...that are soft as heck...I hope they result in a pretty twist out....We shall see in an hour or so... But anyways...here I am yesterday in my boring puff...

Straight vs Curly

So I get questions about what I products I use on my hair. I decided it would be better to document them all here. I don't use the same products for everything that I do to my hair...
For one...when I wear my hair straight I use a different set of products.

When I am planning to straighten I shampoo with Creme of Nature (the one similar to the green label). This is the ONLY time that I use shampoo. I shampoo so that I can have that light flowy hair once I flat iron. I then condition with Mizani Moisturefuse. It leaves my hair super soft...yet it doesn't weigh my hair down.

I blow dry using Biosilk's Thermal Spray...just a little goes a long way.
Then I rub a dime sized amount of Chi Silk Infusion thru my hair....and I start flat ironing in tiny sections with my Chi Iron. Once I am done, I wrap my hair...and BAM! Silky straight weightless hair!

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She's a Maniac!!!

So...this morning for my conditoner wash I used Bed Head's Moisture Maniac...

And the verdict is....
It is a KEEPER.

It smells GREAT and left my hair amazingly soft. It was also very easy to finger comb in the shower...which is important because I try to stray from combs. So...I will continue with this HUGE bottle and see if it continues to be moisturizing...as some conditioners start that way and end up drying you out over time. So for now...I will add this to my regime.