Relaxer Update, Quick Length Check & Steam Rollers

I relaxed my hair at a little past 22 weeks post. I didn't plan to stretch that long this time and I don't plan to do it again, but who knows. I spent the majority of this stretch in protective styles so I didn't really struggle with battling my new growth. I think it was a pretty successful stretch. Protective styling has been treating me well. My goal was to finish the year with another style, but I think I may continue with it throughout the winter. Not sure yet, just thinking it may help keep me from having to figure to keep my hair moisturized all the time. My hair hates winter. I am certain I will need to trim soon, but I'm still playing keep away with my scissors so that will have to wait. 

Anyways, my relaxer day went as smooth as I could have asked for. Creme of Nature's Straight From Eden relaxer is definitely my staple now. I was able to repeat my desired results without any problems so that sealed the deal for me. Here's the details:

Prep - 
{1} I thoroughly detangled my hair using my fingers followed by a wide tooth comb. Divided into four sections.

{2} Layered the length of my hair with my "triple threat" - grapeseed oil, PM Tea Tree conditioner, and vaseline - to protect my previously relaxed hair.

{3} Parted my hair to base my scalp with vaseline. After applying vaseline to my scalp, I twisted the length of each section.

{4} When I mixed the relaxer, I added about 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil to the mixture to make sure my hair would not process faster than I wanted.

Relaxer Process - 
{5} I always start applying the relaxer at the crown of my head since it is my most coarse area and work my way down each section, saving my nape and edges for last. I love this twisting method because I can move through my whole head in about 5-6 minutes. I use the rest of the time to make sure I didn't miss any areas. I do not smooth the relaxer in my hair. Total time: 14 minutes.

{6} Rinsed the relaxer out and soaked up the excess water with a towel.

{7} Mid-step protein treatment with Aphogee 2-step. I actually hate this stuff, but in an effort to pare down my ridiculous product stash, I decided to use it. It definitely does its job as far as the protein treating is concerned, which is what matters. Everything else about it sucks though.

{8} Neutralized with the Straight From Eden Hydrating shampoo. I lathered three times, allowing the third to sit for a few minutes just to be sure.

{9} Deep conditioned with Silk Dreams Soothing conditioner and TRESemmé Naturals. Rinsed and did and ACV & aloe rinse. 

Styling - 
{10} Applied my leave-ins - Elasta QP H2 & Straight From Eden Repairing Oil - and detangled my hair.

{11} Blew my hair dry on low heat and lightly flat ironed (1 heat pass).

Blew my hair out & lightly flat ironed it after my relaxer. Did a quick #lengthcheck (playing with my slo-mo 😂) I think I'm ready to claim #brastraplength!! #healthyhair #texlaxed #adesiredbeauty

A video posted by Melanie (@adesiredbeauty) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:36am PST

At this point, I started trying to take pictures for a length check, but ended up playing with the slo-mo video feature :) I posted that on my Instagram last week.

{12} Decided to use my Caruso Steam Rollers, hoping for better sleeker results than the first time. I used mainly the jumbo rollers and a few medium sized ones.

I totally fell in love with my steam rollers this time!! My hair was so soft and bouncy and I LOVED the curls. They gave me soft, loose curls. The curls fell into nice waves by the end of the day, too.  Overall, this relaxer day went very well! 

17 comments Creme of Nature, relaxer, relaxer prep, relaxer update, self relaxing, steam rollers, Straight From Eden Relaxer

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Relaxer Update

texture after relaxing

I relaxed my hair at 17 weeks post with about 2 inches of new growth. I think my hunt for a new relaxer is over. I used Creme of Nature's Straight From Eden relaxer this time and I loved my results. I really wanted to try this because it's plant-derived and doesn't have many of the harsh chemicals that give relaxers such a bad name. I want to use it again to make sure I get the same results before I officially declare it my new staple, but no exaggeration - I LOVED it! And I actually used everything that came in the box with it, which I never do. But I'd heard enough positive reviews of the rest of the products that I wanted to try them. (Plus for $10+ for the kit I better have used everything in it!) Here's how the process went:

{1} I divided my hair into 4 sections and detangled - using my fingers first then moving to a wide tooth comb.

{2} Applied my triple threat layered protection - Aubrey Organics GPB conditioner, grape seed oil, vaseline - to the length of my hair.

{3} In each section - parted hair ~1/4 inch to base scalp with vaseline, then twisted the hair to keep it separated (pre-parting for easy relaxer application).

In every single review for this relaxer that I watched, the women's hair got straighter than I like my hair to get. Even ladies who texlax. This made me nervous that it would process faster than I wanted. Originally, I wasn't planning on adding anything to the relaxer mix because I wanted to see how it worked on its own, but once I got nervous, I decided to add some oil.

{4} I added about 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil to the relaxer mix. I usually add about 1/4 cup so this amount is a lot less than normal. 

{5} My hair is the most coarse at my crown so I always start applying the relaxer there first and do my edges & nape last. It took 14 minutes to touch up my whole head start to finish. FYI: I DO NOT smooth the relaxer. Once I've touched up my whole head, I just go back to make sure I didn't miss any areas then hop in the shower to rinse. 

{6} Mid-step protein treatment: After thoroughly rinsing I applied Umberto Repair Treatment Masque & Aphogee 2 Min Reconstructor. I put on plastic cap and my bonnet dryer for 15 mins then rinsed.  

New growth before & after relaxing 

{7} Shampooed with Straight From Eden Neutralizing 3x. I always lather 3x, allowing the final lather to sit for a few minutes, to be safe. This shampoo smells so good! At this point, my hair felt strong, but not hard. 

{8} Towel wrapped my hair for about 20 minutes.

{9} Applied Straight From Eden & Tresemme Naturals conditioners. I had to add the Tressemme just in case the Eden conditioner didn't have enough of a moisturizing effect on my protein treated hair. I put on a plastic cap with heat for 30 minutes, then probably sat with it for another 30 at least before I went to rinse. 

{10} Rinsed with cool water followed by an ACV and Aloe Vera Juice rinse, which I did not rinse out. 

{11} Towel wrapped for 30 mins.

{12} Applied the Straight From Eden Repairing oil & It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In, and detangled in 4 sections.

{13} Blow dried and flat-ironed my hair. I only did one heat pass with the flat iron so I didn't get my hair bone straight. 

This relaxer day went very smoothly. The Straight From Eden line worked so well with my hair and it smells amazing. I am very pleased with the progress of my hair! Especially my nape. I will be doing a proper length check and trim soon. Though I can already admit my hair's in much better shape than I thought. I am not used to trying to maintain straight hair while working out; so, between Zumba and running, my hair definitely swelled. I ended up pulling it back into a banana clip ponytail, which I quickly fell in love with! I use banana clips a lot, but I hadn't tried this style yet. I think I will more often now :) 

14 comments 17 weeks post, Creme of Nature, relaxer update, self relaxing, Straight From Eden Relaxer, texlax

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Wash Day - 23 Weeks Post

I managed to keep my hair straight for about 2.5 weeks. So, by the time I was ready to wash my hair again, I was 23 weeks post relaxer. I am so glad I gave myself the ease of straight hair for awhile, too. It allowed me to just enjoy my hair and think about when (or if) I am going to relax my hair without even worrying about how much new growth I have or how problematic it could become. I'm pretty positive I'm going to relax my hair soon, and I have the explanation of why I decided that coming down the pike. 

Back to my wash day... it went so well! Despite the fact that I have a terrible habit of waiting til late at night to go through with it. My hair was so well behaved, with minimal tangles and little hair lost. Here's how it went down:

{1} Separated my hair into 4 sections. Pre-poo with my DIY garlic oil on my scalp and Aubrey Organics GVP conditioner & safflower oil on the length of my hair with a plastic cap for about 45 minutes. 

{2} Shampooed with CON Argan Oil Moisturizing and Shea Moisture African Black Soap shampoos, watered down in an applicator bottle, lathering twice.

{3} Tried oil rinsing for the first time! I used a little less than a nickel size amount of olive oil for each section, distributed it thru my hair and put my plastic cap back on for about 5 mins before rinsing with warm water. My hair felt... different, not bad at all, but still unusual. I was unsure about what I had just done at this point. 

{4} I put my "turbie twist" towel on to soak up the excess water before applying my deep conditioner, Silk Dreams Vanilla Moisture Dream, put back on my plastic cap and put on my bonnet dryer for about 30 minutes. It was easily another 30 minutes before I actually went to rinse. 

{5} Rinsed with cool water, section by section. Sprayed my diluted ACV rinse on my hair and let it sit for a couple minutes before final rinsing with cooler water. 

{6} T-shirt dried for 30 mins and *boom* Here's where I felt the difference of the oil rinse. My hair felt GREAT! I've used that conditioner many times so I know it doesn't deserve all the credit. Yet, I still wondered hmm... did it really help like that?!

{7} I applied my leave-ins: Elasta QP Silk H2 & Aphogee Green Tea & Keratin Restructurizer, grapeseed oil, and Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner, in that order. Might seem like a lot, but I really didn't use too much of each. Layers are what I need in this mean old moisture stealing winter weather. Detangling was a breeze!!! I almost couldn't believe the small amount of hair that I lost throughout this whole process. 

{8} At this point my hair was almost completely dry. I applied a little Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum & eco-styler gel and began flat twisting my hair. I put 5 twists in the front half going straight back, and 4 in the back half, also straight back. I ended each twist with a bantu knot and went to sleep. 

Taking down my hair in the morning went well and I liked the way it turned out. My hair still felt so very moisturized and soft. I really hope the oil rinsing is going to help my hair retain more moisture because the winter is robbing me here. We shall see whether the effect is long lasting or not. I think my shedding season may be coming to an end, or the garlic oil is working wonders. Maybe some of both. And I'm so excited about the way I am doing with all this new growth. I never would have thought I'd be able to manage this length of a stretch and, so far, do pretty well with it. Yay for getting to know my hair!

10 comments 23 weeks post, acv, apple cider vinegar rinse, Aubrey Organics, Creme of Nature, oil rinsing, Shea Moisture, wash day

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Wash Day - Box Braid Prep

This particular wash day I wanted to focus on strengthening and conditioning my hair because of the fact that I was having box braids installed the next day. I haven't had braids since I was a child. So, I wanted to make sure I did a little extra to boost my hair's strength and prepare it for this long(er) term protective style. Here's how the day went:

{1} I separated my hair into 4 sections. I do every step of my wash day in these 4 sections. This is also when I started my initial henna mixture.

{2} I pre-pooed using Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner and a mixture of grapeseed and coconut oils for about 30 minutes with a plastic cap.

{3} Rinsed and shampooed with Shea Moisture ABS Deep Cleansing and CON Argan Oil Moisturizing shampoos.

{4} After letting the excess water soak up in a towel, I added the conditioners & oils and, using gloves, applied my henna gloss treatment while standing in my tub. I did not feel like covering my bathroom with newpaper again and knew it would be easy to clean up any splatter this way.

{5} I sat under my bonnet dryer for about 30 minutes then let my hair cool for a few minutes before going to the shower rinse.

{6} After rinsing, my hair felt strong, yet still soft, but I decided to apply some moisturizing conditioners anyway. Just to be safe. I used Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose (yes, again! I need to review it) and Organix Argan Oil Deep Moisturizing Conditioner. Both of these conditioners have instructions of 2-5 minutes and I feel they actually work in a short amount of time. I put on a plastic cap for maybe 10 minutes and rinsed again.

{7} I t-shirt dried my hair for 30 minutes then began detangling.

{8} As I detangled, section by section, I also applied my leave-ins, Aphogee Green Tea & Keratin Restructurizer and Elasta QP H2. 

{9} At this point, my hair was about 70% dry. I wanted to blow dry it (on low) so that my my new growth and texture did not present any tangling problems to whomever was going to be braiding my hair. I wanted to make it as easy on them as possible to get thru all this hair of mine. 

{10} After doing a quick once over with the dryer, I decided to add Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner, which can be used as a deep conditioner or a leave in, and a little grapeseed oil. My hair just felt like it was going to need something more by the time I was done. I then finished getting my roots together with the blow dryer. 

My hair seemed huge! It felt great and the color was much more noticeable than it was before. It's like a deep, richer burgundy color. Yesss! Very successful wash day. I felt like my hair was in great shape for its upcoming box braid installation.  

10 comments 14 weeks post, ayurvedic hair care, Creme of Nature, henna gloss, henna treatment, Shea Moisture, wash day

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Product Review: Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture & Shine Shampoo (sulfate-free)

I am a bonafide product junkie. I like to consider it more of a hobby than a problem :) and I think its time that others benefit from my hobby. While I enjoy trying new things, if I find something I love, I stick with it. Commence product reviews! I have been using this shampoo for almost a year now...that should tell you something.

Price: $5.49 for 12oz at my local beauty supply store

Product Claims: "This sulfate-free formula nourishes and adds brilliant shine, while gently cleansing and detangling. Features: gently cleanses hair without harsh, moisture stripping agents, strengthens hair while optimizing the moisture balance of the hair and scalp, helps to detangle, soften and boost shine, infused with certified organic Argan oil from Morocco." - from back of bottle and website

Directions: Apply a generous amount to wet hair and massage into lather. Rinse thoroughly and repeat. Follow with Creme of Nature Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water) (Eau), Trideceth-7 Carboxylic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Glycol Stearate, Polyquaternium-10, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Quaternium-15, Parfum (Fragrance), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, CI 14700 (Red 4), CI 19140 (Yellow 5)

My Experience: I love this shampoo!! No, seriously, I LOVE this shampoo! If my hair feels nice going into a wash, it feels great after shampooing with this. If my hair doesn't feel nice going into a wash, it does after. I really feel it does what it claims to do with maybe one exception. My hair feels soft after washing and before conditioning. It doesn't strip my hair at all, which makes sense because it is a sulfate-free shampoo. It lathers! Now, some people have issues with sulfate-free shampoos because they don't always lather, which just doesn't seem right to some. I'm in that group of people; I don't like when my shampoo doesn't lather. This passes that test. Even though I don't apply the shampoo directly to the length of my hair, I still think this helps with detangling. Because of the fact that I don't detangle my hair before washing, I notice how much easier it is to remove tangles with my fingers after shampooing. 

While I do feel that my hair is shiny, I don't think I would give all the credit to shampooing with this. I can't say that I noticed a shine difference when I started using it either. So, that would be my exception, but I'm also not using this for shine enhancement therefore, it's not really important to me anyway. It both cleans and moisturizes my hair and that's what matters. I also like the scent. It's very light and it doesn't linger. As you can see, my bottle is almost gone, but I've had it for a long time and I wash my hair close to weekly. Needless to say, even a "generous amount" goes a long way. I will be purchasing this again. It's a staple for me.

Moral of the story: if you're looking for a new shampoo, especially a moisturizing one, try this one out! I recommend it. 

Has anyone else tried this? Like it, love it, never want to use it again??

6 comments Creme of Nature, product review, shampoo

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