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.

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?

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.