Friday, September 3, 2010

Twistout - What Am I Doing Wrong?

Ok, here are the pictures of my latest twistout:  (lol sorry for the bland looks.  My apartment is cold, so I put on a hoodie, and I took my contacts out earlier lol)




What am I doing wrong?  I just doesn't really look right.  Maybe my hair is too short?

First Twists in a While

I talked to SafiHairCare on twitter about things to use on my hair and about which styles I should use.  Also whether I should protective style.  She told me that she has fine hair and that she usually does twists twice a week and then wears a twist out for the rest of the time.

I've tried twist outs in the past and they've turned out with much to be desired.  They were downright bad.  But after talking to her, I decided to try again and see if I could do the same thing.  I have fine hair and I'm getting tired of doing just wash n go's.

Here are some pictures of my finished twists!







Yayyy!  They already look better than they did before.  When I've tried them in the past I would twist each individual half of the twist and then twist the halves together.  I learned to do it that way from some random youtube video.  It said that the twists would come out better.  Not.  Anyway, this time I just did it the normal way and I even like the way the twists look by themselves!  The only thing that bothers me is that I can't do more twists in my hair.  I think my hair is too thin to do more twists unfortunately, but that's the luck of the draw.

I'll show you guys the finished outcome when I untwist them.  For right now, I'm really having trouble not putting my hands in my hair and messing up the twists, but I think that's what causes breakage, so I need work on that.  Hmm.

Anyway, yeah I'll post twistout pics later today or tomorrow.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Back to Moisture

I recently tried getting away from using my shealoe butter and using a couple of oils and other things to moisturize my hair and keep it from getting dry before the day is over.  The reason I wanted to stop using the shealoe butter was because my scalp was becoming really dry and itchy.

I started using Apple Cider Vinegar for acv rinsing and I started using Blue Magic - the one with Coconut Oil - as a sealant after I cowash with Hello Hydration.

I've decided that I really like using the Blue Magic on my scalp so that it doesn't get dry, and I also really like doing ACV rinses as well.  The ACV just makes my hair feel really soft and clean right after I use it.  I've been reading around on blogs and on the internet, and the reason that it works so well is because the conditioners and oils that we use on our hair are bases on the pH scale.  ACV is an acid with a pH closer to our hair's pH.  Therefore the ACV neutralizes the bases, getting the buildup out of your hair and it closes the pores on your hair temporarily, making your hair hold moisture better for longer.

So, this is my verdict.  I'll stick with using ACV.  I don't use it everyday, just when I feel a lot of buildup on my hair.  I like the way it makes my hair feel.  Also, I'll keep using the Blue Magic with coconut oil because I like the way it makes my scalp stop itching and keeps it feeling good.  One thing I WILL change is that I won't be using shealoe butter anymore, BUT I will be using shea butter.  I'm pretty sure my hair doesn't like aloe vera juice/gel.  lol also, I told my mom about it and she told me I've always been allergic to aloe.   -__-  thanks for telling me sooner, mom.

Anyway, I just ordered another pound of 100% raw unrefined shea butter so that I could just add some oils or something and whip that together.  In my opinion, even though I don't like the buildup you get from using it after a while, shea butter is really the best moisturizer for me.  And as for the buildup, I can now just do an ACV rinse, and I'll be good.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

New Perspective on Some Old Products

Ok, so if you guys have been following my blog, you know that I'm trying to find something to use besides my shealoe butter because it makes my scalp hurt/itch.  I've been using EVOO as a sealant, and it works really well, but I need something to moisturize my scalp.

I know a lot of people are against using things like Blue Magic or those old products with the "bad" ingredients, but I've been reading around on blogs and things and I've decided to try some of that.  That being said, if it hurts my scalp/doesn't work like I want it to, then I'll find a different product.  I just remember when my hair was relaxed, it was one of the only things that would make me stop itching and soothe my scalp.



Also, I've heard people say that it can clog your pores and make your hair not grow, but when I was relaxed, my hair grew really well, and I used Blue Magic all the time.  I think that in my opinion, I just need to use what works for my hair, and not worry what other people are using for their hair.  I know that sounds kind of obvious, but a lot of naturals I know and a lot of natural blogs that I follow tout everything natural, which is fine, but I think I'll try this and see what I think.

I don't use a lot of it at all because like a lot of people remember, it can be horrid when it's sunny outside.  If I use too much, it'll just make my hair a greasy mess, so I definitely will use it in strict moderation, but I'm going to try it and see how I like it.  My mom just found some that has coconut oil in it too, so she bought a regular one and one with coconut oil in it, and I'll see which one I like better.

I'm just ready not to have an irritated scalp anymore.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Shealoe Butter Troubles

Ok, so many of you already know what shealoe butter is, but for those of you who don't know, it's just 100% raw unrefined shea butter mixed with 100% aloe vera juice/gel.  Mine was made with aloe vera juice.  I just put the two together in a tupperware and whipped them with a hand blender.

Well anyway, I think I'm allergic to it.  It makes my scalp flake a lot and I had a lot of tender spots on my scalp as well that were itchy, but they hurt too much to scratch.  Anyway, I stopped using it two days ago and those tender spots have already almost all faded.

I seem to remember when I first started my hair journey I did well with just cowashing.  It really kept my hair and scalp moisturized for most of the day and it was really good.  After my hair grew a little longer, I started using shea butter - which kinda weighed my hair down and made parts of my scalp a little itchy, but I didn't really think anything of it.  I think that mixing it with the aloe vera juice made it worse for my scalp.

Soooo I think I'll probably stop using the shea butter.  I just need to find another sealer so I can keep the moisture in my hair.  Any suggestions?

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Hair Update: Keeping Hair Moisturized

Ok, guys!  Remember how in an earlier post I talked about how my hair kept getting really dry and I couldn't keep it moisturized in this Texas heat?

Well I tried Giovanni Direct Leave-in and Giovanni Deeper Moisture Smooth as Silk Conditioner and I LOVED them if you recall (I still do).

Here is my new routine:  Before bed, I shower and rinse my hair out really well with just water.  After that I squeeze all of the excess water out of my hair, so it's still wet, but I don't dry it with a towel.  Then, I take 3 pumps of the Giovanni Direct Leave-in (I bought the liter-sized bottle with a pump on it) and distribute it throughout my hair.  Then, I take some of my shealoe butter (I blended it myself, it's just 100% natural unrefined shea butter + 100% pure aloe vera juice) and distribute it throughout my hair on top of the Giovanni.  After that I put on my silk sleeping cap and go about getting ready for bed.  In the morning I just spray water on my hair (I used to use a water+glycerin mix, but I figured out that in this heat it just takes all the moisture out of my hair instead of putting any back in) and fluff it out into a WnG sort of style.

As for washing my hair with shampoo, I usually try to do that like once a week so that my hair doesn't dry out.  When I co-wash - which is what I do when I want to clean my hair, but not strip it - I use the Giovanni Deeper Moisture Smooth as Silk Conditioner. I usually don't do it that often, but when I do, it works pretty well.  I think as a co-wash, I prefer Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner, but I'll use the Giovanni until I run out because it works just fine.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Giovanni - Product Review

The products I bought were the Giovanni Direct Leave-in and the Giovanni Deeper Moister Smooth-as-Silk Conditioner.


As for both products: I LOVED them!

What I did: I co-washed with the Smooth-as-Silk and then after I got out of the shower, semi-dried my hair so that it was still wet, but not dripping, and applied some of the Direct Leave-in.  After that I put on my sleep cap and went to sleep.  When I woke up in the morning, I used my water-glycerin mix in my spray bottle to kind of puff out my hair like normal, and my curls were soooo amazing!  While I was at work today, 2 people actually commented on how they could see more curls than usual in my hair!

How they worked for MY hair:  They worked amazingly!  I got so much curl definition with the leave in!  My hair was actually really moisturized - which is good for me because of this Texas heat.

Will I buy them again?:  Most definitely!  This time I actually went on www.massagewarehouse.com/ to buy a liter of each - I had heard really good reviews - and I'm glad I did!  I'll have a both products for a while and I won't have to buy more!  If you buy from the website, it's a lot cheaper than buying it from HEB or Rite-Aid or something.

Movie Review: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Ok, I'm not gonna lie to you.  I liked it.  :)  But I'd definitely go see it yourself because sometimes I can be a movie whore and like all the movies I see.

The only thing that kinda made me not want to see the movie was because Nicholas Cage was in it.
I wasn't really a fan of National Treasure - it wasn't bad, but it wasn't my cup of tea - but the Sorcerer's Apprentice wasn't too bad.

Can I tell you who I really liked in the movie? Jay Baruchel!  I personally think he's really cute, and he was a good pick for the movie.


Go see it for yourself, but I really kinda liked the movie.  I saw it on a whim because my friend's air conditioner was out today and she needed to get out of the apartment.  I would tell you more about the plot of the movie, but it's kinda predictable..so you probably already know what happens.  lol

**DISCLAIMER:  I don't own any of these pictures, I googled them.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Summer Heat + Natural Hair

Ughhh.  So, I live in Texas.  Today, along with being a heat advisory day it was about 104 degrees outside.

Since the beginning of summer, I've been having trouble keeping my hair moisturized, and I thought that my hair was changing texture or something, but I've realized that it's just the excessive heat we have here.

My hair can be good and moisturized at the beginning of the day, but by the middle of the day, my little afro is just crying because it's so dry.

I think one of my problems is that I co-wash my hair everyday - which is good during every other time of the year - but I think by doing that, it's like I'm starting over with moisture at the beginning of each day.  I've decided to try just co-washing maybe every other day or every 3 days or something.  Also, it could be that my hair is getting longer and I just can't co-wash everyday.  I've never actually tried doing second day hair at all or anything, so I'll try that.

Usually the glycerin in my water/glycerin spray bottle would help bring in moisture, but the air is so dry that it's not helping, it's actually pulling moisture from my hair and putting it into the atmosphere, so maybe I'll make a spray bottle of just water and see how that goes.

Anyway, I'll see how everything goes and keep you updated on what happens.  I know I'm not the only one who lives in a climate like this, so hopefully I can look around and get ideas about what to do and see what others are doing so that my hair doesn't get damaged from this heat.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Movie Review: Predators

I'm not afraid to say that I liked the movie!

I haven't seen the other "Predator" movies, and I didn't even know they were related (haha shows how much I care about the movies I decide to watch).  Anyway, but I really liked it.

As you can see from the picture up there, the monsters were a bit..unrealistic..to say the least.  Also, Laurence Fishburne's character was..interesting.  lol  When he first takes his mask off after appearing behind Adrien Brody's character, I actually laughed out loud in the theatre.  It was so dramatic, and then I saw him and I was like...hmm..ok.


Also, Adrien Brody.  Come on.  I don't know if it was just the way the lines were written, but ALL of his lines reminded me of the over-dramatic way that Horatio (David Caruso) says all of his lines in CSI: Miami.  lol I was like, no.  I. just. can. not.


BUT, that being said, I really liked Alice Braga's character a lot!  Her lines were so much better, and she's just hot in general.  Good cast.  I think she saved the movie for me.


OMG!  You know who else really saved the movie for me??  Topher Grace!  His character has this really weird twist at the end, and I absolutely didn't expect it!  ( but then again, I'm more adept and guessing the endings to House Hunters on HGTV than for any movie I've ever seen..so if you're good at guess what happens, you probably won't be surprised..)  Anyway, I loved him in this movie!  But then again, find him really attractive in general.  Whatever, be your own judge.



Rating: 3.5/5 stars

*DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these photos/pictures, I found them online by searching the google database.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Tresemmé Naturals - Product Review!

Can I just start out by saying that IT IS SILICONE-FREE??  YES!  I think I finally found the reason why my hair doesn't like some of the products I use on it!

Product: Tresemmé Naturals Conditioner - Silicone-Free

Did it work for ME? YES!  A truly resounding YES!  I'm using it as a leave in at the moment.  I put it in my hair last night and put a sleeping cap on, and then a just sprayed some water/glycerin mix in my hair over it this morning like always!  My hair feels amazing!  EVEN in this summer heat!

I know a lot of people look for things to get curl definition as well, and this worked for me!  By the hair-typing system, I'm pretty sure I have a mix of 4a and 4b hair, and a lot of my curls are really defined!

Also, I don't know if this is just a "me" thing, but I love for people to touch my hair and mess with my hair :)  HIH SYNDROMEEEEE  (Hands in Hair Syndrome )   :D and this conditioner is definitely conductive to my hair being touched.  My friend told me that my hair felt softer today!  Yay!

Will I use it again? Um, YUH. Most def.  I think I may keep it as a staple for summers.  We'll have to see how it fairs in the non-summer months here in Texas (I may not need a leave in for the fall/winter/spring), but for now, it's definitely working!

Where did I buy it? WalMart.  Most def.  It was like $4 and some change.

If you need to know anything else about it, definitely ask me!  Hope you liked this review!  There will be more coming soon!

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Oyin Handmade Review!

This will be a review about Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner, and Frank Juice.


Ok, about Oyin Handmade, I really love that it uses all natural ingredients!  I'm all about that!  I actually loved the smell of the products and the products themselves!

How did I use it? I used the Honey Hemp Conditioner as a co-wash, and I used the Frank Juice to help rehydrate my hair after I'd been outside in this heat (Texas.  bleh.)

Did it work for ME? No..not really.  Neither product worked :(  I was really sad when it didn't because I really loved the products.  DO NOT take this to mean that it won't work for your hair, but currently, in this season (summer) it didn't work for me.

Why? I think that the reason it didn't work was because of the weather.  I live in Texas and it's summer right now.  REST ASSUREDDDD :) :) :)  I'll be trying it again when it's not so dry and hot outside, because I have a feeling that it will work even better then.

Other: The reason I'm willing to try it again when it's not so dry outside is because it works really well for me as a deep conditioner, just not a co-wash product.  Well, let's rephrase, it works really well as a deep conditioner when I stay inside.  About 30 min after I got outside in the heat, my hair was dry.  Boo.  Expect another review when it's not summer here in Texas!  As for the Frank Juice, I just love that stuff!  It smells like heaven!  And I have a feeling that it'll do it's job better as well when it's not 100 degrees outside :)

Woo hoo!

Yayy! Ok, some of you know about my other blog for my weight loss surgery, but I decided to make a blog just for natural hairrrr!!!!!  :D


I'll be updating this soon, so stay tuned!