Curly in Texas

Unbeweaveable

2011-03-26T18:30:00.006-05:00

As I said in my last post, I am currently wearing weave. Just like anything else to do with my hair, everyone had questions and opinions. One friend wanted to know why I was getting weave when I was "supposedly" natural. I tried to explain about protective styling, etc, but his eyes just glazed over. My cousin assumed I got weave so I could work out more. Um no, I don't let my hair stop me from hitting the gym. These are just a couple of the questions people asked but I had many, many more.

Mainly, the reason I decided to wear weave is because I simply wanted to give my hair a break. Any time I have worn braids or weave my hair has grown like a weed. I wanted to leave it alone to grow without being manipulated daily.

I wanted hair that looked like my own, just longer. I did a ton of research on the Black Hair Media forums, and decided on All About My Hair's Kinky Curly wefted hair. It can be found here. I got the 12 inch length, and my stylist ended up cutting a lot. I wish I had left it a little longer looking back but there is always next time.

Had I left my hair out (another regret), it would have blended perfectly. The hair was kind of an off-black/really dark brown color, and that did not work for me. I guess I am too used to coloring my hair! Here is how it looked when it was first installed:

It's hard to see how dark it is there, but it was dark. About a week and a half later, I went to MPS to get my color done. It's the same salon who did the color on my natural hair. I can't believe how good it turned out. I gave her minimal guidance and it turned out absolutely perfect. However, my stylist was not too impressed with my weave install. She had to tighten up parts of it for me, a week and a half after it had been installed. Oops! Anyway, here is how it looks with the color. Yes, I am having a photo shoot at my desk at work. Shouldn't I be working?

All in all, I love my hair. There are a couple of things I wish I had done differently, but it's not a huge deal. Since I got a good, quality hair this time, I'm hoping that this install will last me awhile and I can reuse the hair.

I'm baaaaaaaaack

2011-03-26T14:46:00.002-05:00

Hey all!

As you can see I have had quite a hiatus from my blog, but I had a new reader comment this week which made me think "Someone is still reading my blog!" So I thought I would get back to it. I stopped partly because I spilled some melted Nourish & Shine on my computer keyboard. At first I thought it didn't really affect anything, but slowly but surely different keys started going out. The 5, T, G, B, and space bar stopped working properly. Pretty important keys there.

Besides that, life just got busy with work, the holidays, and everything that comes along with that.

I'm still running, and I also started the Insanity workout DVDs. That along with journaling my my eating on Sparkpeople (I gave up on Weight Watchers after they introduced their new plan - sorry, JHud), has enabled me to drop nearly 30 lbs and counting. I started dating someone, my BFF got engaged.... I could go on and on but I won't. I'm back now and that's all that matters!

Right now, I have my hair weaved up, which I will take some pics and give some details about in another post. I am also approaching the anniversary of my big chop! I'm a little sad I won't get to take pics of my hair for the occasion but such is life =)

So that's what has been going on with me, I promise to update more often going forward!

Breaksfast On the Go

2010-09-12T10:16:00.003-05:00

I was supposed to share these recipes last week. Oops. Anyway, I have found that I do better through the day when I have a healthy and filling breakfast. These two recipes definitely fit the bill, and they are portable. I make a batch on the weekend and put them in the freezer. I take out what I want each morning and by the time I get to work and get ready to eat, they are thawed and ready to be heated.

Quiche Cups

12 eggs
10 oz frozen chopped spinach
3-4 slices Canadian bacon, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cheese (I use Kraft 2% Cheddar)
salt & pepper
splash or two of Tabasco, if you like a little kick
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Chop the bacon and onions, saute briefly in a small skillet with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Microwave frozen spinach until thawed (approx. 4 minutes). Squeeze out any excess liquid.
3. In large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly.
4. Pour evenly into cooking-sprayed muffin tin. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Can eat hot or let cool on rack, then refrigerate or freeze individually.

To reheat, microwave on 6-7 or medium power for one minute.

Baked Oatmeal

2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fat free skim milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 2 eggs)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup Splenda (I don't like artificial sweeteners so I just use regular sugar)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
cooking spray

Preheat over to 350 degrees

1. Combine wet ingredients and add dry ingredients.
2. Bake in sprayed 8" square pan for 35-45 minutes.
3. Keeps well in refrigerator or freezer. Good cold or warm.

Variations - I like o add chopped walnuts and dried cranberries to the mix. Also good with mashed banana instead of applesauce. Experiment to change things up!

Success! First Weigh In

2010-09-12T09:30:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, we are doing a Biggest Loser type contest at my job. We had quite a bit of time between the initial weigh in and our next weigh in due to the Labor Day holiday.

Our first weigh in was on Friday, and I lost 4.2 lbs! Woo hoo! We are doing teams of two, and my partner lost 2 lbs. Which she confessed was purely by accident - she hadn't been tracking her food (she is doing Weight Watchers), nor had she been working out. And she doesn't seem motivated to do either one. GRRRRRR. But what can you do? I can't make her do it.

This week I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing with a few minor tweaks. I am going to step up my workouts, and try to add more fruits and vegetables. This is something I really struggle with but I am going to try and do better. Wish me luck!

On another note, I bought two pairs of jeans in a size smaller than I wear as motivation and they arrived on Friday. I thought I would try them on just for fun and they fit already! I didn't have to jump and down to get them on or anything. They just fit. I was able to wear them to a party yesterday. I guess that running is really working!

BKT Wash N Go

2010-09-08T19:20:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to share some pics of my wash n go on BKT'd hair. Enjoy!

First Post- BKT wash

2010-09-06T18:21:00.005-05:00

Here are pics of my wet hair which were taken this afternoon. My curls are definitely more loose, especially in the front where it was already loose (because of the highlights). But I have my curls back and I feel like myself again.

The best thing about the BKT, now that I see my hair will curl up, is the fact that I will have more options. I wore my hair straight all weekend, where I spent most of the days in outside in the heat, and my hair only reverted slightly at the roots. I very much prefer my hair curly, but if I decide to change it up for a week, I can do that. I'm also hoping the BKT will help with the single strand knot problem I was starting to have as my hair grew longer.

Major Hair Update - BKT

2010-09-06T07:48:00.009-05:00

Well I succumbed to peer pressure (haha not really), and I got a Brazilian Keratin Treatment on my hair (BKT). So far I like it, even moreso once I saw that my hair still had my curls. It seemed to be BKT week at my job, as one of my coworkers also got it, and now another is considering it.

I went to a stylist that a different coworker also got her BKT from a few weeks ago. I went in last Tuesday. Here are the before pictures of my hair:

My stylist used the Coppola brand. After washing my hair, she blew it dry, then applied the keratin. She used a hair color brush and applied it in very small sections. After covering my head with the keratin, I sat for 30 minutes with a plastic cap over my head. She then blew it dry again, then flat ironed it straight.

It was evident I needed a trim, so she cut off about half an inch. One thing I loved was that she showed me exactly how much she was going to trim, and let me watch in the mirror. Most of her clients have longer hair, so I knew she wasn't one of those scissor happy stylists. Anyway, after the trim, my hair was just hanging there. She couldn't put any curl into it until after three days had passed, and I had my first WTF have I done to my hair moment.

The next morning, when I did my hair, I am going to admit I cried. I didn't know what to do with it! I went to work and of course everyone loved it. No one understood why I was upset, except my coworker who had gotten her BKT on Monday of the same week. She felt the same way I did. I went through the next two days trying to my hair. I was so mad at myself. Then came Friday *cue angels singing and heavens opening up*

I went back on Friday for the three day followup. This was to wash my hair and style it again. She washed my hair and of course my first question was, "Is it still curly?" Yes, yes it was! I even saw for myself (thought I didn't get to take a picture). She then dried me under the dryer (and I timed it, at her insistence). It took **6** minutes to fully dry my hair under one of those regular salon dryers. SIX! Anyway, she then flat ironed my hair again, and here are the results:

I went home to see my family this weekend, and my mom's first question was "what did you do to your hair?" Once I reassured her I had not relaxed it, she admitted it was cute. I was proud of my mom, she has come a long way. She was so against me going natural and now she was worried I was going back to the creamy crack. My other family loved my hair but my aunt took it too far saying that this was so much more flattering to me blah blah blahhhhh. My mom got her told.

So that's my experience! I don't know if I would do it again but I'm glad I got the itch out of my system. My advice if you are interested is to go to someone who is trained on doing the BKT, and look at before and after pictures. The stylist I used had one of those digital picture frames full of before and afters. Also, ask a lot of questions - and if the stylist acts irritated that you are asking a lot of questions, keep it moving. Some people who do the BKT flat iron and blow dry on high temperatures no matter what. My stylist took one look at my fine strands and knew my hair couldn't handle it, and blew dry on cool and did not use anywhere close to 450 on her flat iron.

Tonight after the gym I am going to wash my hair myself for the first time and I will be attempting a wash and go. My stylist said I should do it exactly the same as I did it before so we shall see!

Day 1!

2010-08-30T20:07:00.003-05:00

So today was the first day of my new healthy lifestyle. I think it went pretty well - until I got home this evening.

I stuck to my plan for breakfast: I had two mini quiches and a greek yogurt. Lunch was leftovers from last night: tilapia and steamed broccoli. I felt great and after work went to the gym. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, and did 30 minutes of weight training.

I got home, and was STARVING. I jumped in the shower, did a wash-n-go, and looked for something to eat. The first thing I saw was some salt & vinegar potato chips. Why didn't I throw those out yesterday? Luckily there weren't too many in there. I guesstimated (another bad move) 2 oz. I journaled it and moved on but I am pretty upset with myself. I am going to have to start planning a good snack for the afternoons so when I get home I am not reaching for the first thing I see in the kitchen.

All that being said, for my first day I think I did ok.

We also got **74** participants signed up for our Biggest Loser contest at work! I'm looking forward to the friendly competition between coworkers!

Failure to plan....

2010-08-29T09:16:00.003-05:00

...is planning to fail ~ Alan Lakein

This is one of my favorite quotes. I am a planner by nature. I love a good to-do list. Going on vacation? Come to me, I love to research the locale. I am on the Fun Committee at my job, responsible for planning all the events around the office. One area I struggle with my love of planning is in healthy diet.

Anytime I have been successful with a healthy lifestyle, it's because I planned ahead every bite that went into my mouth. Because of this, I am planning out my menus for the week as I type. Being that I am single, I can cook a couple of things and stretch them for the entire week, so that helps a lot. Here are the meals I have planned for this week:

Breakfasts:
Mini Quiches
Baked Oatmeal

Lunches:
Dinner leftovers

Dinner:
Lemon Garlic Tilapia, broccoli, brown rice
Mexican Stuffed Peppers

I'll be sharing these recipes throughout the week!

The Biggest Loser!

2010-08-29T07:39:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted in awhile but I'm back! Life has been a little hectic the last couple of weeks, bu things are back to normal.

Anyway, at my job we do a little weight loss competition modeled after the television show. The next "season" starts tomorrow. This weekend I have been fattening myself up for the initial weigh in tomorrow morning (haha). I am also spending today making some healthy breakfasts on the go.

I am going to follow the Weight Watchers Simply Filling Technique, which is pretty much a cross between the South Beach Diet and the traditional points technique of Weight Watchers. If anyone is a long term Weight Watcher (like myself *_*), and remembers the Core plan, it's basically that, with a new name.

So I thought it would be fun to document my process on my blog. With me having to post updates it will help keep me accountable too. I'll still be talking hair and fitness, and we'll just add this to the agenda as well.

I'll check back in tomorrow with the initial weigh in update and maybe if I'm feeling brave, some starting pictures!

Answered prayers

2010-08-13T18:48:00.004-05:00

A little departure from the normal topics around here.... The weirdest thing happened last week.

A few months ago, my friend wanted to try online dating, and wanted me to try it too, so I said what the heck. However, I am not even going to lie, I am extremely picky, so it wasn't really going anywhere for me, until I heard from this guy, we'll call him "R".

R seemed nice enough, normal, employed, and had all his teeth, so I continued to chat with him. And chat. And talk. And text. Lather, rinse, repeat. Never any plans to actually get together. Why I continued this foolishness for two months, I have no idea, but I did. I guess nothing better going on. It's not like he lived across the country - he lives in a suburb about ten miles from me. So there was no reason for us not to meet asap.

Anyway, last week, we were texting AGAIN, and he busts out with "I think I used to date you." I've seen this ninja's picture, and he doesn't even look vaguely familiar. I told him I thought he was mistaken. He asked me if I used to live in GenericSuburb. Check. Didn't you have surgery for xyz? Ummm, yea. And you drove a green car and moved back to Dallas? Ok, WTF? How can I not remember anything about this dude? I was freaked out, but also embarrassed. The ONLY thing that was strangely familiar is that when I got his number, I thought it looked like a number I'd seen before. I work with numbers all day and have a tendency to memorize them easily, so there you go. The only thing I can remember about this guy was his phone number? Good grief.

My main concern was why did we stop dating? I asked R, and he said we just grew apart. That doesn't sound me at all. So I prayed about it. I asked God to please let me know what I needed to do about this guy. That is saying a lot for me, because I am (sadly) not a big prayer. God forgive me. But you know what, God always comes right on time.

R and I were supposed to get together finally tonight. I was the one who finally had to force the issue, which I don't like at all. He told me that he would let me know b/c he might have to go out of town, and he would let me know this morning. I am not the type of girl to put my life on hold waiting around on some man, but I made an exception and looked to hear from him this morning. Not a word from him. So, now I think I have my answer as to why he and I stopped dating eight years ago. His weirdness about us getting together, the fact that I have felt I have had to chase him, and his lack of consideration about letting me know about tonight told me all I need to know.

So the whole point of this long drawn out story is that prayer works, and listen to what God is trying to tell you, even if it's not what you want to hear! And as Jay-Z would say:

The twist out revisited

2010-08-13T16:31:00.008-05:00

I'm still being super adventurous and rocking my twist outs. I really like them because my hair isn't quite so shrunken and it shows off my length a bit. Plus it makes my hair look really thick. Here is a picture of my second attempt last week.

(I'm such a dork)

Then, this past Wednesday I got really crazy and decided to do a twist and curl.

I used a combo of flexirods and perm rods. It wasn't bad sleeping on them. The next morning I took them out and there was one random piece that was hanging down lower than the rest, so I had to roll it while I finished getting ready.

It turned out ok though, I think. It's not my favorite so I don't know if I'll be trying this one again.

I DID remember to take the perm rod out before I left for work!

Last night, I washed my hair, and for the first time since doing my BC, I did not do a wash and go! I washed with Nutrogena T-Gel (I have developed dry scalp again, something I thought was gone by way of the relaxer), conditioned with Joico Moisture Recovery, and applied Knot Today as my leave in. I squeezed the excess water out, divided my hair into four sections and did a large twist in each section. I let my hair dry to about 80% dry, then did small twists all over using Nourish & Shine and ORS Twist and Lock Gel.

When I woke up this morning my hair was totally dry so I untwisted and separated each twist. My hair was full of super defined ringlets. It was gorgeous and of course I didn't take any pictures this time! I got several compliments while I was out shopping today! The cashier at DSW was telling me that she was currently transitioning and was 8 months post relaxer. I gave her some encouragement and told her to stick with it, it would be worth it in the end!

I got home before it got too hot and retwisted it again since I don't plan on going out tonight. Tomorrow headed on a road trip to San Antonio with one of my besties. Have a great weekend!

sigh

2010-08-04T18:14:00.003-05:00

I just had to share this conversation between my coworker (a sista) and I this morning:

Coworker: What you done did to your hair now?

(hasn't my hair looked like this for the last three months, minus the two days it was straight?)

Me: *stank eye* I washed it.

Coworker: But it was so pretty and long! You should wear it like that.

Me: Well, I like it curly and straight but the curly is just easier.

Coworker: Once you get it trained, straight will be easier. It's really growing.

Me: Yea it is growing. I like my hair the way it is, I don't want my hair to be trained.

Coworker: If you'd get your hair trained, it might get as long as mine one day.

Me: *death stare with fake smile*

***************************************

And THEN, later on that morning we have conversation with me and coworker "Becky":

Becky: You're hair is curly again!

Me: Yep

Becky: Well I just wanted to tell you your hair is so cute either way. It's so versatile.

Me: Thank you!

***************************************

I just really have no words about my own people sometimes.

Randomness

2010-08-03T18:47:00.003-05:00

My inner product junkie won out this weekend and I ordered two new products: Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment and Wonder Curl. So I'll be doing some product reviews in the near future.

Today after work, I washed my hair and my straight hair was no more. It was fun while it lasted. I was grateful to find I had no heat damage. I was really concerned that I would have some.

I have been a slug since I've been back on vacation. How does one work out every day on vacation then decide to take a break when they return? Foolishness. Anyway, tomorrow morning I am going to start over with my Bridge to 10K program. I am trying to lose 10 lbs this month.

And now for something really different...

2010-08-01T14:41:00.004-05:00

Every month or so, I think I want to straighten my hair. I get myself all psyched up to do it then I chicken out. This time curiosity got the best of me, so I called the salon where I got my color done and made an appointment, which was yesterday. I wanted to do a length check, and see if I needed a trim.

It turned out so well, I wish I hadn't done it.. lol. Good thing I love my curls!

He also said my ends were in great shape and there was no need for a trim. That was a new one, as I'm used to being in a constant state of "needing a trim" and never being able to get my hair past a certain length. Now I have the longest my hair has been in my adult life. I have to say going natural is the best thing I have ever done for my hair.

My first twistout!

2010-07-28T19:25:00.008-05:00

Me being me, I have been getting a little bored with my hair, so I thought I would experiment and try something new. I was sitting on the couch messing with my hair, and I did a couple of sections in two strand twists. Then I thought, well let's get crazy and do my whole head! Because as you know it doesn't get any crazier than a twist out. I'm such a daredevil!

I took a lot of breaks and it took me about two, two and a half hours to finish. Here is a picture of my hair in twists. They turned out pretty big but I think I did an ok job keeping them uniform:

This was done dry, on a two day old wash and go, and I didn't use any additional products on it as I twisted it. I put on my satin bonnet and slept on the twists overnight. The next morning, I took the twists out, using a little Jane Carter Nourish and Shine to separate and fluff. I wasn't too sure at first but I kept working with it and put on a headband and ended up really liking it:

My coworkers were all "your hair is longer!" I didn't want to try to explain the whole stretching thing to them because they wouldn't get it anyway so I just said I did something different with it. Anyway, now I feel confident to try some different things so who knows what I will come up with in the future.

On another note, look how much my hair has grown since I got my highlights last month!

My Denman brush revisited

2010-07-14T14:02:00.003-05:00

This morning I pulled out my trusty Denman brush and decided to use it to shingle my hair with the Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Thought I would try something different. I kind of had forgotten about my brush... hahaha.

I washed, conditioned, and applied Knot Today as my leave in. I sectioned my hair in four sections and clipped each section. In the section I was working on, I separated smaller sections, brushed with the Denman, then applied a small amount of KCCC. I repeated this over my entire head.

I used the same amount of product I usually do (maybe even less), and it didn't really take much longer than it usually takes me to do a wash and go. And here are the results:

Cute! Curls are poppin', but the shrinkage is killing me! It blows my mind looking at that picture, that I can pull my hair back into a ponytail.

Anyway, it's almost time for me to get my Carribbean on. I'll post again next week when I return!

Slowly but surely

2010-07-12T17:30:00.004-05:00

So I'm still doing my running evening though I have not really given an update. Oops! I just finished Week 3 of the Bridge to 10K. That was a tough one. It actually took me four sessions to finish instead of the planned three sessions.

I am going to start Week 4 on Wednesday, and I am going to TRY and keep it going while I am on vacation later this week. Week 4 consists of a 5 minute warmup walk, run 18 minutes/walk 1 minute, repeating this three times, then a 5 minute cooldown walk. Week 3 was 17 minutes of running, so hopefully I won't have too hard a time with this.

What I haven't been doing is running outside like I should. It's just so hard! My whole body hurt last time I did it a couple of weekends ago. I need to get back on track or I'm not going to be ready for my 5K I have planned next month.

I use Nike+ to track my running, and I made it to the Green Level, which means I have run a total of 154 miles. Go me! To celebrate my accomplishment, I think I might treat myself to a new pair of running shoes. Any excuse to shop! Plus I won't get to the next level until I get to 620 miles. WOW.

Hair/progress pics

2010-07-11T08:52:00.007-05:00

Today was deep conditioner and wash day, so I thought I would take some pictures of my hair while it was damp so I could see how it looked before shrinkage. Here is one damp hair shot with some leave in conditioner:

Here is a different view. Please excuse my brows. I am going to get them done today, lol:

Here it is after I've applied my KCCC:

And here is the back:

Shrinkage is something else. You can't tell from the pictures, but my hair is now long enough to pull back into a small ponytail. Definitely long enough to attach a phony pony if I want to go back to that as a protective style. I think I am making great progress! Also, looking at my roots, I think I have gained about a half an inch in length since I got my highlights which was a little less than a month ago. I'll take it!

Finally, when I had my big chop almost three months ago I went out and bought the KCCC. I balked a little at the price, but I am happy to say that I am still on the same jar that I bought three months ago. And I probably have enough to last another month or so. So definitely worth the money in my opinion.

Perfecting my flat twists

2010-07-05T19:27:00.003-05:00

I had today off from work so I have been playing around with my hair while I was lazing around on the couch. I really want to get my flat twist technique down, because I want to be able to do this style:

I think I've got it down, I just have to practice more. I would love to be able to do it for when I go on vacation in 9 days, but knowing me, that's not going to happen. I would just love not to have to fool with my hair for a few days. Maybe I can talk one of my friends into doing it for me :-)

Wave Nouveau... really?

2010-06-30T19:33:00.003-05:00

This morning at work, in the crowded breakroom, a natural haired coworker looked at my hair and then asked me (loudly) "Hey your hair is really cute. Do you have a wave nouveau on it?" Ummmmm... what? I smiled and shook my head. She then said "Oh a texturizer?" I told her, no it's my natural hair. She looked at me stankly and said "THAT'S your natural hair? What do you do to it to get it like that?" I told her I washed, conditioned, and applied a little styling product. She just looked at me like "Yea whatever bish, if you say so" and went on her way.

What in the world? Do they even still make Wave Nouveau? Apparently so since she thought I had recently put it on my hair. And I wish this was something that happened rarely. Just yesterday another coworker asked me if I had a texturizer. When I told her no, she actually complimented me instead of acting like I was lying, so that wasn't quite so bad. Seriously though, at least once a week, someone asks me these type of questions. Not too long after I did my big chop, another coworker claimed I was not being real with her about what I was doing to my hair, because she tried using Kinky Curly on her hair and it did not yield the same results as it did on my hair. Yes girl, I am holding out on you so your hair won't look like mine. Are we in f^&%ing high school?

Don't get me wrong. I love talking about my hair, and giving advice to anyone that asks me. What I don't appreciate is people implying that I am lying about the state of my hair. Are people that ignorant about hair that they don't realize that different people can have different textures? Mine is curly. Ok, so what? I tell you I am not one to always accuse people of being haters, but a friend told me today, what else could it be? And I don't get it. There is nothing special about my hair. It's just hair! What is there to be jealous of -- especially from another natural as was the case in this morning's situation.

Every time I think we as a people are finally moving forward from all that foolishness with our hair and our skin, someone says something to make me realize that nothing much has changed at all.

Caring for my dyed hair

2010-06-27T18:47:00.003-05:00

Because I have made the decision to dye my hair, I know that now I have to give my hair extra TLC. But what kind of TLC, exactly? This is what I have spent this weekend trying to figure out.

One of the main things I have seen is to make sure your hair is super moisturized. This is something that I generally very good about. Every morning I spritz my hair with my moisturizing braid spray, and then I seal with either whipped shea butter, or Jane Carter's Nourish & Shine. I think I will up this to evenings as well, and baggy my hair overnight.

Also, I think I need to be more diligent about deep conditioning. This is something I try and do every weekend, but sometimes if I have a full weekend planned, it just doesn't happen. I made sure I did it yesterday, using ORS Replenishing Conditioner. I applied it last night, baggied my hair, and kept it on overnight. This morning my hair was very soft and felt great. I am going to do this once a week going forward. I am also open to deep conditioner suggestions!

I have read that putting heat on your hair while it is dyed is also risky. I haven't straightened my hair since my big chop, but I still want the option to do so in the future. Since it's not something I do -- or am going to do -- often, I'm not totally writing off straightening yet.

Born to Run

2010-06-22T18:59:00.003-05:00

Another project that I have recently taken on is I have started running. Well let's be real, it's more of a slow jog. But anyway, I have started doing it and I figured that documenting my training for upcoming races would be a cool thing to add to the blog. Healthy hair, healthy body, right?

In the past I have run occasionally, but never on a regular basis. Then at the beginning of April, I started (for the 1,934th time) the Couch to 5k Running Plan. The difference with this time though, was that I actually finished it. It took me 10 weeks. It's a nine week program but I had to repeat one of the weeks. After I finished, I was like "What next?" Then I found the Bridge to 10k, and that is what I am working on now. I start week two tomorrow.

I always run in the mornings, on the treadmill. But I am going to register for a 5k soon, so I figure I better take it outside to the pavement. So on Saturday morning, I am going to get up bright and early and run at the Katy Trail, which is a trail that runs through Uptown Dallas. I'm nervous and excited. I don't know why but for some reason running outside intimidates the heck out of me. I'm sure I'm just being silly!

The best thing about all this is that dealing with my hair when I workout is SO MUCH EASIER now. I think that's one of the biggest reasons I have actually stuck with it this time. Sad, but true.

No more gray hair!

2010-06-20T20:06:00.007-05:00

I'm finally getting around to writing about my salon visit. I've been hanging with the fam at my family reunion all weekend but I'm back! And I have color in my hair!

I arrived at Michelle Patrick Salon right on time for my appointment. I was greeted warmly by the salon owner and receptionist, offered a drink, and given an info sheet to fill out. My stylist was finishing up his previous client so I sat in the waiting area and observed. The salon was very cute -- it is located in a remodeled house -- so that was very different but I liked it. The clientele was definitely very young and hip. It is also a multicultural salon, so there were all different ethnicities, which was cool.

The previous client came out when she was done with our stylist, and after he told me he would be right with me after he checked the client out, the client complimented my hair! She said that she was thinking about going natural and mine was really cute.

Anyway, after my stylist was done with her, he took me to the "color bar" where we discussed what I was looking for. I told him I just wanted to give my hair some texture and some "pop." Nothing too crazy or dramatic since I still have to go work for The Man every day. He said he would do an all over dark reddish brown with some reddish blonde highlights in the front. He asked me if I wanted it straightened, and I thought I did, but I chickened out and just ended up getting a twist out. Here is the final result:

I have to say that I love it! It's exactly what I was looking for! I got a ton of compliments on it from my family over the weekend, and I can't wait for my coworkers to see it tomorrow. I really loved MP Salon and my stylist. I definitely have found a new place to go when I need trims or if I ever get brave enough to straighten it.

Color update

2010-06-13T16:56:00.002-05:00

So I was supposed to get my hair colored the week after Memorial Day, but that had to be nixed because my car got broken into! My new car that I had only had for two weeks. Some clown came and busted the window but didn't steal anything, because there was nothing in there to steal. Big dummy. Three other cars at my apartments got hit. Anyway, the money I'd budgeted for my color went to fixing my window.

But I think everything is going to work out even better. Thanks to Groupon (I freakin love that site), I am going to be able to get my color done for $35. I will be going to Michelle Patrick Salon here in Dallas. It is a multi-ethinic Paul Mitchell salon who is experienced in natural hair. Yippee! I will get $125 worth of services for $35. My appointment is this week and I am so essai!

Reviews and pics to come later this week!

Should you comprimise your curls?

2010-06-10T20:20:00.007-05:00

I always see a lot of people on blogs and hair boards talk about dating with natural hair, and working in corporate America with natural hair. This is a hot topic, and I think something that a lot of people worry about when making the decision to go natural.

As far as being natural at work, luckily this is not something I have had to worry about. There are several people who are natural who work in my department, so I knew I wouldn’t get a lot of the questions that can go along with deviating from the “norm.” I have been at my job for three years and been promoted twice. Both times were while I was transitioning. I don’t think now that I am rocking my natural that it will prohibit my advancement, but you just never know.

I have no plans of leaving my job anytime soon, but if I were put in the position of having to interview for a new job, I’m not sure what I would do with my hair. Soon it should be long enough for a bun, so I might do something like that or a phony pony. When it comes to getting a job, I have the attitude of doing what you need to do to get that job offer. That being said, you have to do what you are comfortable with.

That brings me to the dating thing. Straightening your hair to catch a man? Hell NAW. There is no way, no how. The fact that women out there feel like they need to do this makes me weep. This hair is who I am, and if you don’t like me the way I am, then you are not the one for me! I wish more women would realize this.

The ironic thing is that since I did my big chop, I have had more male attention than I have had in the last year. It’s really very interesting. I think it cuts out a lot of the BS. Maybe men who can appreciate natural hair are different? I don’t know. But what it comes down to is this: DO NOT compromise who you are for ANY man. Never ever ever!

That’s my two cents on some issues that naturals face!

Natural Hair Meetup group

2010-05-23T17:24:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, I joined a Meetup group for natural ladies in the DFW area. I hadn't been to any of the events yet, but today I decided to go to my first one. It was held at the Aveda store in a local mall, to learn more about Aveda products and what they could do for natural hair. The stylist who I had my consultation with was there as well (the Meetup group is how I found out about her).

It was so much fun! One of my besties couldn't make it so I was kind of apprehensive about going alone. I don't know why, I'm not shy or anything... lol. Anyway, I went on and went and I'm so glad I did! It was so fun meeting new people and seeing how everyone wore their hair. Plus the product junkie in me loved testing out all the products. There was a good turnout, probably around 30+ people there!

One thing that did bug was that a lot of people passing by the store would stop and gawk at us. I almost felt like we were animals in the zoo, or something. Maybe they were stunned by our beauty and had to stop and stare! Yea, that's it!

Anyway, I want to encourage anyone reading this who might be newly natural or transitioning or whatever, to check out www.meetup.com, and see if there is a similar group in your area.

Aveda color consultation

2010-05-22T18:26:00.004-05:00

So today was my big color consultation at the Aveda Salon. It went really well!

My appointment was at 1:00. I arrived around 12:55, checked in and filled out an info form. The front desk people were really nice and professional. They offered me a drink as soon as I arrived. My stylist came out at exactly 1:03. WHAT?!??! This was a new and foreign concept to me and I liked it, as someone who is always punctual.

The stylist was black. WHEW! I would have been ok with anyone but I have to admit I was a bit relieved. Anyway, she took me in the back, sat me down, and asked why I was there. I told her that I was interested in coloring my hair. I wanted something that wasn't too crazy, and would cover my gray. Maybe a few highlights thrown in for good measure.

We talked about natural hair, why she thought color would work for my hair texture (apparently some naturals don't have good results with color??), discussed my skin tone, and what colors would look best on me. She said she was thinking of a dark reddish brown base with coppery highlights, and went to get some color swatches. She came back with them and I swear it was like she could see into my head -- it was exactly what I had in mind!

Finally she asked if I wanted to leave with it curly or have it straightened. I told her I had not straightened it since I did my big chop and I was nervous about heat damage, but was definitely curious about the length. She flat ironed a small piece and it was between neck and shoulder length. Then she wet it and it reverted right back, so I agreed to straightening it.

We walked back to the front desk, and scheduled my appointment. I made it for the Tuesday after Memorial Day, but I think I am going to reschedule it to the weekend so I can get a few days out of the style (I work out daily during the week).

I'm excited! I will make sure and post pictures of the results.

Thinking about hair color

2010-05-20T20:44:00.002-05:00

So I'm still loving my hair but I'm getting a little bored. I need to get brave and try some new styles but I feel like I never have much time to experiment. I have also thought about getting my hair colored for the summer.

I already use semi permanent rinses every few weeks to cover my prematurely gray hair. I get tired of having to do it so often, and I think I need a more permanent solution. Plus I just want to add a little "pop" to my hair. It was recommended to me to go to an Aveda Salon, and a lady in a natural hair meetup group recommended a stylist to me who is experienced in working on natural hair.

I called the salon and made an appointment for a consultation on Saturday. I'm a little nervous, and also excited, to be going to a "white" salon. I say I'm excited because I'm anticipating getting a glass of wine upon arrival, not having to be there all day, and not having hands laid on me (another story for another day). Now none of this may be true but it's what I'm expecting :)

I'll definitely post again this weekend and report back on my consultation!

Product Review: Kinky Curly line

2010-05-01T07:23:00.005-05:00

Good morning all! Well I have officially been natural for two weeks now. My go to style has been wash-n-gos. To achieve my look I have been using the Kinky Curly line of products.

Being the product junkie that I am, and not having any set in stone regimen as a natural, I went all out and bought the Come Clean shampoo (which is sulfate free), the Knot Today leave-in, the Curling Custard, and the Spiral Spritz.

Let's get to the point. I'm in love! My biggest concern as a natural was "How am I going to wear my hair?" Let's be real -- I am pretty lazy and will never do a lot of time consuming styles. These products made it easy for me. The shampoo is gentle enough that I can use it daily if I need to (with working out, this is a necessity). The leave-in made detangling a breeze. And the curling custard makes my curls pop and gives them great definition.
The spritz is just ok. It helps to refresh my curls in the mornings but it's nothing that water won't do either. I will continue to use it but won't buy it again when it runs out.

The only complaint (and it's not really a complaint), is that they product causes more shrinkage than I expected. When I come out of the shower with the Knot Today on my hair, my hair is actually hanging to just past ear length. As you can see in my pictures in the past couple of posts, my TWA looks to be about two inches long, if that. Oh the joys of being natural.

Lastly, you have to use the Curling Custard SPARINGLY. If you do not, you will end up with gooey clumps of product in your hair. I learned this the hard way. Also, you need to apply it all through your hair. Don't get lazy like me after a few times and thing you can just rake it through the top layers of your hair then kind of work it all the way through. No, no, and no.

How I use the product:

In the evenings, I shampoo and apply the leave in while in the shower.
When I get out of the shower, my hair will be sopping wet but I DO NOT towel dry. This will lead to frizz if you do.
I apply the KCCC through my hair in sections, clipping up the sections that I am not working on.
After working the product through my hair, I shake my hair like a maniac, then shake it some more.
Allow it to dry while I watch tv or study. If it is not completely dry when I am ready for bed, I use my blow dryer with the diffuser attachment, set on low, to finish up. Then I wear a satin bonnet to bed.
The next morning I refresh using a couple of spritzes of water, my braid spray/joico mix, the Spiral Spritz. Then finish off with either coconut oil/shea butter mix/Jane Carter Nourish & Shine. Just whatever I feel like that day.

One week natural

2010-04-25T14:29:00.004-05:00

So last night I went to my first social event since doing my big chop - a house party for one of my bestie's birthday. It was the first time most of my friends had seen my hair, and the first time my parents had seen my hair.

Earlier in the week I texted a picture to my mom and she called me back and said carefully, "I guess it's cute." I was more worried about what my dad would say. He is so old school and thinks anything that is not permed bone straight is unprofessional. Surprise, surprise, he loved it (or he was a really good actor)! My mom asked me "Can't you at least touch up your edges?" She makes me laugh.

My friends loved it. It's funny, I was telling one of my friends last night, I feel like I have a whole new found swagger in life and she said she feels the same way (she is natural too). Even though more and more women are going natural, here in Dallas it is still rare, and it's kind of fun to be unique.

Being a natural Day 3

2010-04-20T17:45:00.004-05:00

This picture was so cute (if I do say so myself) that I figured I might as well come out of hiding and post it. This is day three of the two strand twist out that I had done after my big chop.

Last night I used Kinky Curly products on my hair, and after a couple more weeks use I will definitely be posting a review. So far so good, but I want to see how it holds up over a few days, etc.

So far I have to say that I love being natural! I was telling my friend today that I can't keep my hands out of my hair! At work I sit at my desk, playing with my curls. I am so silly!

Most of my coworkers went crazy over my hair, and of course there were a few that looked at me crazy yesterday. They didn't even try and hide it either. I think it's hilarious when someone with a busted head of hair wants to look at me funny, but hey, what can you do? I know I'm fly!

Stick straight hair vs. a buff body

2010-04-18T18:16:00.006-05:00

I saw this article on Naturally Curly and thought it was cute. I can definitely relate since a fresh press would keep me from hitting the gym. I'm so glad I don't have to worry about this anymore. I am going to be super fine!

Big Chop

2010-04-17T18:06:00.003-05:00

This morning, April 17 2010, I officially became natural!

All week I had been itching to do my big chop, but I couldn't decide if I should. I had a hair appointment, but the plan was to get my usual wash and press/flat iron. I was so tired of paying for a press when it would revert sometimes almost immediately after I left the salon. At best, it would last until the next time I worked out. What a waste of money!

So Friday afternoon I called my stylist and talked it over with her. I almost felt like she was discouraging me (but I later found out it was because she thought I had less new growth than I actually had). Her final words to me were "If you think you can rock it confidently, do it." I told her I would think it over and let her know my decision when I came to the salon.

This morning, I walked in and she asked my decision and I told her "Let's do it!" I had already taken out my braids and combed out all the shed hairs, so I was ready. She washed and deep conditioned it, sat me down in the chair, and asked if I was ready. Next thing I heard was snip, snip, snip! She was surprised at how little she had to cut. I had about 5-6 inches of natural hair. Here I was after the cut.

I decided that I wanted a little color, so I got a burgundy rinse put on. She then did my hair in two-strand twists, and set me under the dryer. And here is the final result.

I absolutely love it! I think it turned out so cute! I thought I would be sad cutting my hair, but I didn't feel sad at all. I tell you what though, shrinkage is something else. I think that is the part that was most shocking to me, but I'll live.

Here is another pic that I took once I got home.

All in all, I have NO regrets about my big chop and I am ready to really get my healthy hair journey started!

Time for the braids to come out

2010-04-11T17:50:00.002-05:00

My hair is looking a little ratty lately. Ok, a lot ratty! The lady who braided my hair said the tree braids would last six to eight weeks, but I have so much new growth I don't see how that is going to be possible.

I guess that's a good thing (my hair is growing fast), but d*&% it sucks to pay a lot for some braids and you can only keep them in a month. Anyway, I have an appointment for Saturday to get my hair done. She is going to take the braids out and I will get a press/flat iron. I'll make sure to take some pics for a length check.

It's my anniversary!!

2010-03-28T11:25:00.002-05:00

Check out the ticker on the right hand side of the page. It's been one year since my last relaxer! I almost can't believe it. Time sure has gone by fast.

I have to say, the past year hasn't been too bad. Most of last summer my hair was in a sew-in weave, so that made things a lot easier. When I took the weave out last October, I struggled at first figuring out how to do my hair. I spent a lot of money trying out different products. I don't know how many times I threatened that I was going to get a perm next time I went to the salon. With all that being said, I do not regret my decision one bit.

I wish my hair wasn't braided up so I could do a one year comparison, but that will have to wait a month or so. I'll definitely straighten and do a length check once I take these bad boys out.

My regimen while in tree braids

2010-03-24T07:50:00.005-05:00

As I have said 1,000 times, I love my braids! Here are the products I am using to keep up my look:

For moisture, African Royale BRX Braid and Extensions Sheen Spray

I found out about this product on Long Hair Care Forum (where else?). A lot of the women suggested this as their favorite braid spray, so I headed to the beauty supply store to get a bottle. I really like this spray. It has a pleasant, light scent, and adds a ton of shine. It also makes my new growth very soft. The new growth in my nape area is also curling up nicely since I started using it. From reading other reviews online, a lot of naturals use this on their hair even if they aren't in braids. Makes sense considering how nice the hair in my nape looks.

For protein/strengthening, Joico K-Pak Liquid Reconstructor

Some people think that naturals don't need protein, but I use products that contain it for three reasons: 1) since I am transitioning and still have relaxed ends I need something that will keep my relaxed hair and line of demarcation strong, 2) I use heat on my hair, and 3) my hair is very fine. I love the Joico line, especially this particular leave-in conditioner. Even though my hair is braided up, it still needs TLC, and I don't want a lot of breakage when I take down my braids, so I hope this product will keep my hair strong.

I alternate with one day of the braid spray, and one day with a mix of the Joico and braid spray. I also oil my cornrow parts with a little coconut oil when I feel it's needed. So far I think it's working well, and I have a little new growth already after two weeks.

Loving my braids

2010-03-20T17:45:00.002-05:00

Me getting these tree braids could not come at a better time. As I mentioned before, I am trying to up my workouts, and not having to worry about sweating my style out just makes life so much easier!

Secondly, this week I started studying for the CPA exam (again..lol). During the week, I study in the evenings at home, but today I decided to get out of the house and study because I knew I would get much more accomplished. This morning I was able to shower and get dressed, throw my hair up in a messy bun, and hit it. My hair is just one less thing I have to worry about during this extremely stressful time.

I was thinking I would only keep them in for about 6-8 weeks but I very well might give my hair a short break after taking them out, and then get it braided up again.... rinse and repeat until I have finished my exams!

My tree braids

2010-03-14T18:38:00.005-05:00

On Thursday evening I went to Allure Beauty Bar to get my tree braids. What a great experience. Before my appointment I expressed my concerns about getting my hair braided to tight, and they were very accomodating. This was new to me -- braiding salons I have been to in the past were not interested in my opinions or wants. Anyway, I was told they would take about 3-4 hours and she finished up right before the three hour mark. And here is the finished product:

I absolutely love them! I couldn't be happier. I think I will use different hair if I ever get them again. The hair I got was kind of shiny, and although it was supposed to be wavy, some parts were stick straight and aren't really blending in very well. That's what I get for trying to be on a budget! However, as far as the look and the technique of the tree braids, I am thrilled. I can't wait for my coworkers to see them tomorrow.

I'm getting tree braids!

2010-03-09T18:19:00.003-06:00

Can you tell I'm excited??

I have been going back and forth about what I want to do with my hair next. First it was braids. Then I was just going to do the big chop. Then I thought about another sew in. Last night I was researching Brazilian Keratin Treatment. Then today one of my besties and I were talking about upping our workout game and I decided I needed a protective style that would get me through the spring and not interfere with my working out in any way. So I decided to go with tree braids!

I'm hoping that I can keep them two months, and get another couple of inches of growth in, then do my big chop once they are out.

But mostly, my lazy butt is just ready to be able to shake and go in the mornings!

Natural heads becoming more mainstream!

2010-02-28T18:07:00.003-06:00

Today I met some of my girlfriends for brunch (my favorite meal!). There were seven of us, inevitably, when you get a group of black women together the conversation moves to the topic of hair. Come to find out, four out of the seven of us were natural or transitioning!

How did that happen!? Two or three years ago, if you were natural, you got looked at sideways most of the time. At least here in Texas anyway. Now you see a table like ours today at the restaurant.

The next time I am feeling down and frustrated about my hair, I am going to remember this day! Seeing so many beautiful natural heads makes me smile!

Almost nine months post relaxer

2009-12-21T17:52:00.007-06:00

So I am about eight months and three weeks out. I took a picture yesterday and I think that I have made a ton of progress! Here is a picture which was taken at the beginning of May -- just a little over a month after my last relaxer. You can see my hair is about ear length:

The bangs in the front are a glued-in (I know, I know) track, so my actual hair was quite a bit shorter in the front. Not long after that, I got a sew-in weave, and wore those through the summer and early fall. Now, here is a picture after I took the sew-in out and got my hair pressed. This pic was taken right around when I started this blog in October:

I am at neck length. Now, two months later, my hair looks to be just at shoulder length! I think I have had about two inches of growth:

I have to say that I owe it all to protective styles. I had no idea what that even meant before I started my healthy hair journey. But that phony pony has really allowed my hair to thrive. I can't wait to see what the next couple of months will bring!

Ulta Offer

2009-12-11T07:08:00.004-06:00

Saw this offer on Long Hair Care Forum:

Ulta
30% off one item + 3 Free Samples
Expires Jan 2, 2010
Enter coupon code CJ30OFF1 at checkout

Go ahead and get your hair a Christmas present! Happy Shopping!

Product Review: Andis & Maxiglide Pt. II

2009-12-06T20:23:00.007-06:00

So Friday night, after having my hair so nicely blown dry, I wrapped it, tied it in a satin scarf, and fell out *snore*

Saturday it was time to flat iron. I was so excited about my new Maxiglide. There are two big things that make this flat iron different. One was that the ceramic plates had teeth. Second, it used steam to help soften and straighten the hair. Let me tell you, I was a little apprehensive about the steam part. I had been taught all my life that water, humidity, etc was bad news for my hair. I didn't get how it was going to work, but I was willing to try.

The instructions said to steam the ends of your hair, then make one or two passes with the plates over the entire length. One thing that was stressed was not to apply too much pressure when holding the plates closed. Easy enough. I did my hair in sections starting in the back and working my way to the top and the front. It took me about an hour and here is the final result!

I have to say, it was almost as good as what I get at the salon. I cannot say enough good things about the results of the Maxiglide and Andis. It was an investment, but what I paid for both is less than a visit and a half to the salon. Totally worth it!

Product Review: Andis & Maxiglide Pt. I

2009-12-06T19:33:00.007-06:00

As stated in the previous post, I am now the proud owner of an Andis hair dryer and Maxiglide flat iron. Woohoo!

The Andis hair dryer was purchased at Sally's for $29.99. I got a small discount because I am a beauty club member, so for me it was $27.99. It has 1875 watts, comes with comb and diffuser attachments, and supposedly dries faster due to ionic technology.

I ordered the Maxiglide from HSN.com. I got a great deal on it. The set came with the flat iron, Miniglide styler (basically a mini flat iron), 12 oz of both Maxius shampoo and conditioner, 8 oz Beyond Straight Temporary straightener, 1 oz The End Silicone Shine Enhancer, detangling brush, two carrying cases for the flat irons, and an instructional DVD. The price was $79.99, but I had a coupon code which took $15 off. $64.99 for all that stuff.... heck yea!!

On Friday, I washed my hair with the Maxius shampoo. It was nothing special -- not good and not bad. I would use it again. I used the conditioner to detangle. I liked it, it had a nice scent and a lot of slip, so it made detangling pretty easy. After towel drying my hair, I used a little Cantu leave in and coconut oil. I then detangled one more time, and let my hair dry a little, till it was only damp.

I then applied a little of the Beyond Straight all over my hair, and started drying. The first thing I noticed about the blow dryer is how light it was! I used to always feel like I was getting an arm workout while drying my hair. However, It was nice having the dryer be so light, but my hair was dry so quickly it didn't even matter! My hair isn't that long, so it doesn't take long anyway, but I think my hair was dry in FIVE minutes. Seriously. And the Beyond Straight had it looking and shiny and healthy as my hair has ever looked after being blown dry. Here is the final result:

Next, I'll review the Maxiglide!

New Purchases!

2009-12-06T18:44:00.006-06:00

I know I know.... the last thing I need to be doing is buying anything else for my hair. If I would just stay off my new favorite site, Long Hair Care Forum, I would be good!

On Friday, I purchased the Andis Colorwaves Tourlamine Hair Dryer:

And my new flat iron was delivered, the Maxiglide MP:

I have to say, both were great deals and good investments. In my next post, I will do a review with pics of my hair results.

The Beauty Shop

2009-12-02T20:04:00.005-06:00

Last week, while I was sitting under the dryer at the salon, I was texting one of my girlfriends. She asked me how much longer I planned on getting my hair done at the salon. I immediately told her probably forever. She replied that one of the reasons she decided to go natural was to save money on getting her hair done. I told her I enjoyed going and I wasn't very good at doing my own hair, blah blah blah, etc etc etc. Then I started to think about it some more.

I was raised going to get my hair done religiously. I had my first relaxer at around age 3, and my mom took me every two weeks since then. I was thrilled when I got my first job when I was 16, because then I had my own spending money and could go get my hair done every week! Then I left for college, became poor, and couldn't go to the salon. My hair definitely suffered for it. After graduation and being all grown up, I went back to my salon going ways, and have even kept it up while I am transitioning my hair.

I think I have to change my thinking about taking care of my hair. In the last couple of months I have learned so much about my hair that sometimes I feel like I know more than any stylist I have ever had. However, because of my own experiences I still associate healthy hair with going to get it "done." One of my next goals is going to be to break out of that mindset.

My new weekend regimen

2009-11-22T09:45:00.003-06:00

So I think that I finally figured out a good routine for my hair on the weeks where I don't have an appointment at the salon. Here is what I did yesterday:

Hot oil treatment - I covered my hair with ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner from root to ends, then applied oil. I used one part olive oil and one part coconut oil. I covered my hair in a plastic hair and let it sit for about two hours.
I then rinsed it out and shampooed.
Deep conditioner - I used Ion Effective Care Intensive Therapy. I have always used this even before I decided to go natural and it seems to work well with my transitioning hair as well. I applied it, let it sit while I took my shower, then then detangled.
Towel dried my hair then applied Cantu Leave In Conditioner, and styled.

Today my hair feels great! Very soft and shiny!

I have a problem

2009-11-14T09:25:00.003-06:00

What is all of this, you ask?

I took my sew-in out on October 10, and these are all the products I've bought since then. Back behind all the products on the other end of the counter is all the wine I've had to buy in order to deal with this natural hair, but that's neither here nor there.

I am so easy -- all it takes is me to read about some miracle product on a blog, or for a friend to mention she is using some great new conditioner, or trying one product in a line and then deciding I need to have the WHOLE line (Cantu I'm talking to you!) -- and I will be at the beauty supply store the next day. And think about it, this is not even including all the hair products that I already owned! I told a friend earlier this week that I have more hair products than the beauty supply store.

The good news is that I'm slowly but surely settling into my routine; learning what works on my hair and what doesn't work. And also, I can honestly say that I haven't ton of money on this new stuff. I almost fell into the trap of trying an expensive brand endorsed by a couple of celebrities. You know what brand I am talking about. I asked around about this brand and everyone hated it. Saved me $100! And one of the best products that I have found is something I already had in the kitchen, olive oil!

I'm making a vow to myself that I don't buy one more new thing until I have used up what I have here. I wonder if I'll be able to do it.

Today's Salon Visit

2009-11-07T19:20:00.003-06:00

My stylist says it's growing but I can't tell!

Protective Style Pics

2009-11-07T19:00:00.008-06:00

I have recently started wearing a phony pony to protect my ends during the hair challenge I am participating in. Check it out!

Here is a picture of it from the side. I got a lot of compliments on it from my coworkers and friends, and my hair stylist loved it when I saw her today!

Product Review: Denman Brush

2009-11-04T19:23:00.004-06:00

Since I started this hair journey, I've been reading about the Denman hair brush on all the hair blogs. Supposedly, it is good for detangling, blow drying, elongating your hair, massaging your scalp, turning water to wine, etc etc. This afternoon I was telling my friend (who is also natural) about last night's hair debacle, and she suggested the brush to me. I love to spend money so it didn't take much convincing from her that I needed to buy it.

I found the brush at Sally's Beauty Supply, and it was around $10. The cashier said "Another Denman! There's a cult following for these things or something!"

Got home, and did my usual routine of co-washing and detangling with a wide tooth comb in the shower. Towel dried, moisturized, and sealed with oil.

I am going to wear a fake ponytail for awhile as my protective style, and therefore needed to gather my own hair into a high ponytail to attach the fake hair. The brush worked great for that. It also was a second opportunity to get rid of any tangles that the shower comb might have missed.

My favorite thing about this brush is the scalp massage. I love having my scalp massaged and this brush definitely did the trick. Another thing that was great about it is that it worked to distribute product throughout my hair. And, a lot of people on the blogs say the brush makes their curls look better... makes them pop. It might be all in my head but I think it made mine look better too!

All in all, I think this was a great purchase. I have only used it once and I am already raving about it, so I'm sure it will be a good investment. Get this brush!

One of those days....

2009-11-03T19:23:00.003-06:00

I am having a blah hair day. Went to the gym last night and when I got home, I let it air dry, then I simply wore a satin bonnet to bed. FAIL! This morning I tried to moisturize it and re-fluff my knot-out but my hair was not having it. So I got my big elastic and just put it in a puff.

Got home from work today and knew I needed to re-twist my knots. I tried to wet my hair with my spray bottle and tried to detangle and I was just having a really hard time with it. I came *thisclose* to getting the scissors and doing the big chop. However, I got a hold of myself, got my ends moisturized, and my twists are done.

Man.... natural hair is a lot of work sometimes!

Great Video!

2009-11-01T10:09:00.006-06:00

Check out this video. Lots of great information about taking care of your hair!

Some observations

2009-10-31T08:36:00.003-05:00

Good morning and Happy Halloween!

Last night I headed to to the Improv to see the comedienne Sommore with some friends from work. HILARIOUS! While waiting for the show to begin, I noticed something that shocked me (in a good way).

So many sistas rockin' the natural styles!

Last night was the first time I went out (OUT out, not out of the house... lol) without my hair stick straight. It was on day two of a bantu knot-out. To be honest I was kind of concerned but I got over it real quick because I was walking from my apartment to my car and one of my neighbors said how nice I looked. What a boost!

So I arrived at the comedy club, and was waiting on my friends, and I have to say I saw at least a third of the females wearing their hair natural. What a change from just a couple of years ago.

It's Halloween and I am attending a party tonight. Since I will be in costume anyway, I am going to try and stretch this knot-out for one more day. I hope I can make it... I'm not really up for twisting it today!

Nutrition and Healthy Hair

2009-10-29T17:22:00.005-05:00

Yea yea yea, we all know how important it is to keep your hair moisturized, use the right products, and minimize the amount of heat used to style your hair. But did you know what you put into your body has an affect on your hair health too?

The first, and probably easiest rule to remember when it comes to nutrition and your hair is drinking enough water. I have this one down pat, as water is probably what I drink about 90% of the time. Water is important for keeping both your hair and skin moisturized, as shown on the website Hair Finder:

Eight glasses of water per day is absolutely needed for healthy hair. You should drink water to clean out your system. This way, your body will be hydrated and your hair will also get more moisture.

Eating the right foods is also important. While drinking water is easy for me, always eating the right foods is not. I'm eating a slice of pizza as I type this! The best way to ensure healthy hair is eating nutrient-rich, high protein foods, but a multivitamin can help with making up the vitamins you lack. There is a lot more great information about nutrient rich foods in the Hair Finder article.

Your whole body will benefit from improving your eating habits, and in addition to beautiful hair you might have a great side benefit of losing a few pounds.

Remember the old saying, you are what you eat!

Seven Months Post Relaxer

2009-10-28T12:23:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned before, I got my last relaxer in late March 2009. Right now I mainly wear it in two different styles. I need to start experimenting to try some more!

Here is my "protective style", the bantu knot out. This was my first attempt. I am a pro at it now! I can get about 2-3 days out of this style and it has saved my sanity when going to the gym.

And here is my hair after being freshly pressed and flat ironed. It's amazing how much longer it is when it is straightened. It will usually last a week, but if I work out, its OVAH.

I am REALLY trying to limit the amount of heat I use on my hair, and I actually think this might be my last press for awhile. I am going to participate in a hair challenge and part of the challenge is to minimize the heat used on my hair. More details on that to come!

My story

2009-10-28T11:52:00.001-05:00

Seems like everyone is going natural these days. Tyra Banks has declared National Real Hair Day. Chris Rock just released his documentary Good Hair. The November issue of Essence has a multi-page spread about going natural.

So what does “going natural” really mean? For many, including myself, it means giving up relaxers. Relaxers are chemical straightening of the hair. For some people, it means giving up any chemicals on the hair, including color. And for others it includes giving up straightening in any form, including hot combs and heat.

I have chosen to simply give up relaxers, mainly because I am prematurely gray (lol) and they will pry the dye from my cold dead hands, and I work in a conservative field (accounting), and unfortunately even in 2009, straight hair still makes some people more comfortable.

So why did I decide to go natural? I have always been told I have a good grade of hair, but with relaxers, I could only get it to grow to a certain length. And I have very dry skin, which on my scalp manifested itself with a nasty case of dandruff, which was worse after every relaxer. I started to wonder if relaxers were really good for my hair, and in March 2009 I had my final relaxer.

And why the blog? I thought the blog would be a great way to monitor my progress, and if I helped someone along the way, even better! Another inspiration is one of my closest friends, who just adopted a bi-racial baby girl. I have been helping her search for information on black hair, and I thought “Why not compile my knowledge in one place?”