I Don't Have "good hair" - We Have Good Hair.

Not to offend anyone...but that phrase "good hair" is not really a compliment to me. Personally I consider healthy hair to be good hair. I don't even know how to discuss this without sounding like a jerk. So here is my disclaimer: I mean no harm.

What makes hair "good" anyway?

I have three different textures on my head, are they all good? I don't type my hair but if I had to: my nape is Type 2 (wavy), my sides are more of a type 3(curly), and my crown area is type 4(kinky). So....still good?

So if I base my opinion of hair type on the comments I have received about my hair, I come to the conclusion:

If you have type 2 hair YOU have good hair

If you have type 3 hair YOU have good hair

If you have type 4 hair YOU have good hair

That's everyone!

So unless your hair is fried, split all up, falling out, or dry as the Sahara - you have good hair. If by chance one of those terms describes your hair, get your research on and come join us on the healthy side.

Now go look in a mirror and tell yourself "I have good hair."

Can we all just have HAIR?

I Don't Have "good hair" - We Have Good Hair.

Not to offend anyone...but that phrase "good hair" is not really a compliment to me. Personally I consider healthy hair to be good hair. I don't even know how to discuss this without sounding like a jerk. So here is my disclaimer: I mean no harm.

What makes hair "good" anyway?

I have three different textures on my head, are they all good? I don't type my hair but if I had to: my nape is Type 2 (wavy), my sides are more of a type 3(curly), and my crown area is type 4(kinky). So....still good?

So if I base my opinion of hair type on the comments I have received about my hair, I come to the conclusion:

If you have type 2 hair YOU have good hair

If you have type 3 hair YOU have good hair

If you have type 4 hair YOU have good hair

That's everyone!

So unless your hair is fried, split all up, falling out, or dry as the Sahara - you have good hair. If by chance one of those terms describes your hair, get your research on and come join us on the healthy side.

Now go look in a mirror and tell yourself "I have good hair."

Can we all just have HAIR?

The tired ponytail

This was how my hair look ALL of last week. I was tired and busy and this was a far as my style got. Talk about neglect, LOL.

A few years ago this was my staple style and needless to say I did not retain any length back then. The SSks and split ends from the friction of my hair rubbing on my clothes as just too much for my strands.

After that week I gave my hair a much needed spa night:
Prepooed with Jasmine & Castor Oil

Shampoo with Suave Humectant

Deep Conditioner with Giovanni Smooth As Silk

Applied Kimmaytube's leave in conditioner

Although is my typically wash routine what made it different was that I did each step a little longer and a lot more carefully.

My hair hugged me...

What do you when you need to show your hair some special love?

The tired ponytail

This was how my hair look ALL of last week. I was tired and busy and this was a far as my style got. Talk about neglect, LOL.

A few years ago this was my staple style and needless to say I did not retain any length back then. The SSks and split ends from the friction of my hair rubbing on my clothes as just too much for my strands.

After that week I gave my hair a much needed spa night:
Prepooed with Jasmine & Castor Oil

Shampoo with Suave Humectant

Deep Conditioner with Giovanni Smooth As Silk

Applied Kimmaytube's leave in conditioner

Although is my typically wash routine what made it different was that I did each step a little longer and a lot more carefully.

My hair hugged me...

What do you when you need to show your hair some special love?

Trim your nails!

"Trim your nails!" is what I yelled at myself just now. I was braiding my hair for tomorrow's braid-out and heard my nail slice one of my strands. Typically, trimming my nails is the first in my regimen but tonight I just forgot. Lesson learn...again.

Trim your nails!

"Trim your nails!" is what I yelled at myself just now. I was braiding my hair for tomorrow's braid-out and heard my nail slice one of my strands. Typically, trimming my nails is the first in my regimen but tonight I just forgot. Lesson learn...again.

Scalp Massage

I love a good scalp massage and I love them even more when I am not the one doing it - that is what husbands are for :). In addition, as it turns out there more benefits to a scalp massage besides just the good feeling.

scalp massage.

Sources say that a scalp massage is a great way to ease the mind and the nervous system. Scalp massages increase blood circulation and increase root health and strength. They can also be done with the oil of your choice but be careful not to use an oil that is recommended to be used with a carrier oil (i.e. peppermint oil). A key thing to keep in mind is that scalp massages should be done with the pads of your fingers - not the tips, especially if you have long nails. Check out the resources listed below for more detailed information.

Resources

Hair & Scalp Massage Oils

Steps To A Great Self-Administered Scalp Massage

Scalp Massage

I love a good scalp massage and I love them even more when I am not the one doing it - that is what husbands are for :). In addition, as it turns out there more benefits to a scalp massage besides just the good feeling.

scalp massage.

Sources say that a scalp massage is a great way to ease the mind and the nervous system. Scalp massages increase blood circulation and increase root health and strength. They can also be done with the oil of your choice but be careful not to use an oil that is recommended to be used with a carrier oil (i.e. peppermint oil). A key thing to keep in mind is that scalp massages should be done with the pads of your fingers - not the tips, especially if you have long nails. Check out the resources listed below for more detailed information.

Resources

Hair & Scalp Massage Oils

Steps To A Great Self-Administered Scalp Massage

Hair Diet: What I've noticed thus far.

While wearing my updo that was styled using only sulfate-free, 'cone-free, and natural stylers:

○ I'm still getting itchy at the end of the week (that sucks) - no change here

○ My twists get frizzy faster - I still only touched them up once (pure laziness)

○ Uber softness! So soft that when water hit my hair it was immediately soaked and usually I have to work the water through to get it nice and drenched

○ I was afraid I was going to see a lot of damage that the 'cones were hiding but so far I am very satisfied with what I am seeing and feeling.

I am going to keep this up the rest of the month. As of now I am unsure if this will be a permanent change in my regimen.

Hair Diet: What I've noticed thus far.

While wearing my updo that was styled using only sulfate-free, 'cone-free, and natural stylers:

○ I'm still getting itchy at the end of the week (that sucks) - no change here

○ My twists get frizzy faster - I still only touched them up once (pure laziness)

○ Uber softness! So soft that when water hit my hair it was immediately soaked and usually I have to work the water through to get it nice and drenched

○ I was afraid I was going to see a lot of damage that the 'cones were hiding but so far I am very satisfied with what I am seeing and feeling.

I am going to keep this up the rest of the month. As of now I am unsure if this will be a permanent change in my regimen.

I'm going on a diet!!

LOL, I know someone just said some explicit....but I am not going on a weight loss diet, I am going on a Hair Diet: No 'cones or sulfates.

While on my self imposed cornrow challenge I have decided to add another element. I am only going to use sulfate free and cone free products for the month long challenge. I've never noticed a differenc in my hair with product before but then again I did not use any of the sulfate free and cone free products consistently.

I choose my products after examining these lists:

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/archive/showthread.php?t=34009

http://sites.google.com/site/ladylonghair/'cone-freeconditioners

I will be using:

Dudu Osun Herbal Shampoo

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat conditioner or Giovanni Smooth As Silk

Shea Moisture Shea Butter Leave in

I'm going on a diet!!

LOL, I know someone just said some explicit....but I am not going on a weight loss diet, I am going on a Hair Diet: No 'cones or sulfates.

While on my self imposed cornrow challenge I have decided to add another element. I am only going to use sulfate free and cone free products for the month long challenge. I've never noticed a differenc in my hair with product before but then again I did not use any of the sulfate free and cone free products consistently.

I choose my products after examining these lists:

http://www.longhaircommunity.com/archive/showthread.php?t=34009

http://sites.google.com/site/ladylonghair/'cone-freeconditioners

I will be using:

Dudu Osun Herbal Shampoo

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat conditioner or Giovanni Smooth As Silk

Shea Moisture Shea Butter Leave in

Building YOUR Regimen

Upon starting my healthy hair journey I never even thought once about developing and having a regimen. Now it is one of the first tips that I give someone when I am asked for advice. Why? Because I wish someone would have told me! I get the most true results from products when I use them on a regular schedule. I lost count of the number of times I tossed something in the trash because it didn't work the 1 or 2 times I used it-and used it inconsistently. While building my regimen I used the following layout and tips (based on my experience):

First decide your overall goals for your hair, assess your hair needs to get there, and research your options.

Once you decide on steps and products then decide how often you want to do those methods.

I found it easy to split my regimen into time frames - daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.

Here is an example of one method from each time frame:

Daily: Moisturize

Weekly: Deep Condition

Monthly: Shampoo

Quarterly: Trim ends

Yearly: Henna

This is what works for me and some of the methods will change according to the season. Like with shampooing...I do that more frequently in the warmer months because I am outside a lot and there is chance of sweat :)

To help keep me organized I created a chart. I have a lot to do so this helps me keep track of what I am supposed to be doing and when.

Helpful links:
Learning to Build a Hair Regimen That Works

Black Hair Care Regimen

Building YOUR Regimen

Upon starting my healthy hair journey I never even thought once about developing and having a regimen. Now it is one of the first tips that I give someone when I am asked for advice. Why? Because I wish someone would have told me! I get the most true results from products when I use them on a regular schedule. I lost count of the number of times I tossed something in the trash because it didn't work the 1 or 2 times I used it-and used it inconsistently. While building my regimen I used the following layout and tips (based on my experience):

First decide your overall goals for your hair, assess your hair needs to get there, and research your options.

Once you decide on steps and products then decide how often you want to do those methods.

I found it easy to split my regimen into time frames - daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly.

Here is an example of one method from each time frame:

Daily: Moisturize

Weekly: Deep Condition

Monthly: Shampoo

Quarterly: Trim ends

Yearly: Henna

This is what works for me and some of the methods will change according to the season. Like with shampooing...I do that more frequently in the warmer months because I am outside a lot and there is chance of sweat :)

To help keep me organized I created a chart. I have a lot to do so this helps me keep track of what I am supposed to be doing and when.

Helpful links:
Learning to Build a Hair Regimen That Works

Black Hair Care Regimen

Recap: January '10 Protective Style

During most of January (5th-30th) I wore two strand twists. It was great not having to worry constantly about styling but it was a struggle to fight through the boredom. I am used to changing my hair every week. When I finally took the twists out, I had a TON of shedding. This was expected since I did not comb or detangle my hair for nearly one month. I knew they were shed hairs because they we long and I could see the white bulbs on top. I didn't look at all of them but I did examine a good number of them just to make sure I was suffering from a ton a breakage. I feel like I retained a lot of length from wearing the twists all month but I didn't think to do before and after pics so I have no way of checking that assumption.

I learned that tea tree and aloe vera are GREAT for the itches. The first two weeks of January I used a water/conditioner mix for moisturizing and my scalp was itching like crazy. The last two weeks I used the aloe vera spray with some tea tree oil and my scalp felt sooooo much better. I also learned that my hair LOVES getting moisturized and sealed nightly. The shaft of my hair feels stronger but yet softer than it did in December. When my scalp felt a little too dry I used some coconut oil and that absorbed right in with no problem.

My routine with the two strand twists was fairly simple. Moisturize & seal nightly, co-wash (while twisted) in the middle of the month, and oiling the scalp when needed. I continued to wear my twists up because most of my length retention would have been lost if I would have allowed my twist to brush against my clothing or constant exposure to the dry winter hair.

Recap: January '10 Protective Style

During most of January (5th-30th) I wore two strand twists. It was great not having to worry constantly about styling but it was a struggle to fight through the boredom. I am used to changing my hair every week. When I finally took the twists out, I had a TON of shedding. This was expected since I did not comb or detangle my hair for nearly one month. I knew they were shed hairs because they we long and I could see the white bulbs on top. I didn't look at all of them but I did examine a good number of them just to make sure I was suffering from a ton a breakage. I feel like I retained a lot of length from wearing the twists all month but I didn't think to do before and after pics so I have no way of checking that assumption.

I learned that tea tree and aloe vera are GREAT for the itches. The first two weeks of January I used a water/conditioner mix for moisturizing and my scalp was itching like crazy. The last two weeks I used the aloe vera spray with some tea tree oil and my scalp felt sooooo much better. I also learned that my hair LOVES getting moisturized and sealed nightly. The shaft of my hair feels stronger but yet softer than it did in December. When my scalp felt a little too dry I used some coconut oil and that absorbed right in with no problem.

My routine with the two strand twists was fairly simple. Moisturize & seal nightly, co-wash (while twisted) in the middle of the month, and oiling the scalp when needed. I continued to wear my twists up because most of my length retention would have been lost if I would have allowed my twist to brush against my clothing or constant exposure to the dry winter hair.

Castor Oil Challenge: My Planned Routine

Castor oil is really thick and some even say that it smells (I don't smell it *Kanye shrug*). You may find it beneficial to mix the Castor oil with a carrier oil. Carrier oils include:

Sweet Almond Oil	Kukui Nut Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil	Macadamia Nut Oil
Avocado Oil	Watermelon Seed Oil
Meadowfoam Oil	Jojoba Oil
Borage Seed Oil	Sunflower Oil
Seabuckthorn Berry Oil	Hemp Seed Oil
Tea Tree Oil	Sesame Oil
Peanut Oil	Hazelnut Oil
Cranberry Seed Oil	Pecan Oil
Evening Primrose Oil	Pomegranate Seed Oil
Coconut Oil	Grapeseed Oil
Rose Hip Oil	Olive Oil

You can find the majority of these oils in any health food store. Olive oil will probably be the easiest to find-it is in almost every grocery store. From previous information I have read-the greener the olive oil the better. But to be honest, my hair response the same way to olive oil no matter the color.Mixing the olive oil with a carrier oil can be tricky.

If you look at some homemade hair product recipes out there you will notice that when Castor is used, the same amount of carrier oil is used. Some people apply the Castor oil straight with no chaser. The choice is yours. Listen to your hair and give it what it asks for.

The rules of the challenge say to apply at least twice a week. Castor oil has anti-fungal properties so if you have a serious dandruff problem you may want to consider a few additional days a week. The challenge will be going on for a while so feel free to start off slow and adjust your application if needed.

My plans for this challenge (and some things you may want to ponder):

Participation time frame: 2 months (Feb 1 -Apr 1)

Brand used: Walgreen’s Castor Oil and then Home Health Castor oil for the rest of the challenge

Mixing: Castor Oil and Avocado Oil (equal parts of each oil)

Application: Twice a week. Sundays and Thursdays, Sunday is my wash night.

Overall goal for this challenge: Healthier scalp, I put a lot of care into my strands but don’t really pay a lot of attention to my scalp.

I have pledged some serious dedication, I hope I can stick to it. Hold me accountable!

Castor Oil Challenge: My Planned Routine

Castor oil is really thick and some even say that it smells (I don't smell it *Kanye shrug*). You may find it beneficial to mix the Castor oil with a carrier oil. Carrier oils include:

Sweet Almond Oil	Kukui Nut Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil	Macadamia Nut Oil
Avocado Oil	Watermelon Seed Oil
Meadowfoam Oil	Jojoba Oil
Borage Seed Oil	Sunflower Oil
Seabuckthorn Berry Oil	Hemp Seed Oil
Tea Tree Oil	Sesame Oil
Peanut Oil	Hazelnut Oil
Cranberry Seed Oil	Pecan Oil
Evening Primrose Oil	Pomegranate Seed Oil
Coconut Oil	Grapeseed Oil
Rose Hip Oil	Olive Oil

You can find the majority of these oils in any health food store. Olive oil will probably be the easiest to find-it is in almost every grocery store. From previous information I have read-the greener the olive oil the better. But to be honest, my hair response the same way to olive oil no matter the color.Mixing the olive oil with a carrier oil can be tricky.

If you look at some homemade hair product recipes out there you will notice that when Castor is used, the same amount of carrier oil is used. Some people apply the Castor oil straight with no chaser. The choice is yours. Listen to your hair and give it what it asks for.

The rules of the challenge say to apply at least twice a week. Castor oil has anti-fungal properties so if you have a serious dandruff problem you may want to consider a few additional days a week. The challenge will be going on for a while so feel free to start off slow and adjust your application if needed.

My plans for this challenge (and some things you may want to ponder):

Participation time frame: 2 months (Feb 1 -Apr 1)

Brand used: Walgreen’s Castor Oil and then Home Health Castor oil for the rest of the challenge

Mixing: Castor Oil and Avocado Oil (equal parts of each oil)

Application: Twice a week. Sundays and Thursdays, Sunday is my wash night.

Overall goal for this challenge: Healthier scalp, I put a lot of care into my strands but don’t really pay a lot of attention to my scalp.

I have pledged some serious dedication, I hope I can stick to it. Hold me accountable!

Castor Oil Challenge

Recently, I have came across a few videos on YouTube regarding a Castor Oil Challenge upon further investigation I discovered that quite a few of the ladies got this Challenge from Black Hair Media (BHM). The claims from the challenge include growth, healthier scalp, and less split ends. Sounds interesting huh? Well because I am more about maintaining length the healthier scalp and less splits intrigued me. So I decided it's worth a shot. I am going to follow that same rules posted on BHM. Once again, curiosity is getting the best of me. However, this challenge utilizes products that I already know that my hair loves. Therefore, I assume that no harm will be done.

I plan to try this starting on Feb 1 and going until April 1. The ending date also happens to be the date I plan to slow down on protective styles. The air should be moist again-April Showers :)

If you want to join me, I hope this gives you enough time to purchase your Castor Oil and your mixing oil.

My previous post highlight all the other benefits that can be gained from using Castor Oil.

Castor Oil Challenge

Recently, I have came across a few videos on YouTube regarding a Castor Oil Challenge upon further investigation I discovered that quite a few of the ladies got this Challenge from Black Hair Media (BHM). The claims from the challenge include growth, healthier scalp, and less split ends. Sounds interesting huh? Well because I am more about maintaining length the healthier scalp and less splits intrigued me. So I decided it's worth a shot. I am going to follow that same rules posted on BHM. Once again, curiosity is getting the best of me. However, this challenge utilizes products that I already know that my hair loves. Therefore, I assume that no harm will be done.

I plan to try this starting on Feb 1 and going until April 1. The ending date also happens to be the date I plan to slow down on protective styles. The air should be moist again-April Showers :)

If you want to join me, I hope this gives you enough time to purchase your Castor Oil and your mixing oil.

My previous post highlight all the other benefits that can be gained from using Castor Oil.