Hair Update

I haven't done a proper update in a while, since I have been on this protective styling run.

Current Hairstyle:
- 4 weeks and counting in my mambo braids. I am taking them out this week, I realised that my hair suffers more than it gains when I keep these styles in for long.

Next Relaxer date: 
- I really don't know, I am just winging it for now, until I feel my hair telling me that it's time... I am 14 weeks post relxer now.

Loving: 
- My hair steamer. I can't go wrong when I use it, I always feel the difference in my hair's moisture after using my steamer.

Recently purchased: 
- A HotHead Deep Conditioning Cap. I haven't used it yet, but I am super excited about it. Purchased from etsy.com

Emptied: 
- aPhogee Keratin 2-minute Restructurizer
- Creme of Nature Leave-in Conditioner
- Tropic Isle Living Jamaican Black Castor Oil 8oz
- A jar of Shea butter

Wish list:
- Nothing, still purging my stash so I am not trying any new things until I cut down on what I have.

Other updates:
- I have been exercising at least twice a week, and I am hoping to increase this to three times a week. It has definitely help me feel better about myself and my health.
- I stopped taking hair vitamins for the past month or so, as I have been on medication. I am hoping to start again soon. I saw good results in terms of my hair thickness when I was on the vitamins. Hopefully I will get the same or better results in my hair's thickness and growth rate.

4

My comeback plan - Protective Styling for the Win

My last protective style was awesome, I tried sooo many hairstyles with my crochet braids, and enjoyed the experience.

But then the day arrived when I had to take them out. And that is when I realised that I lost some hair with it. I had a lot of breakage and dry hair, and had to trim off about 1.5 inches off. This is more than the amount that would have grown over the 2 months (approximately 1 inch) that I had the style on.

Disappointed, demotivated, all the sad words you can think of, describe how I felt. I have been trying to keep my hair manipulation to the lowest amount possible, but this backfired on me this time.

I am not giving up, no! Two weeks ago, I tried a new protective style: Mambo Braids. I got a different stylist to do my hair, who is just awesome. Check her IG Page out HairbyMakanye. Her cornrows were very neat, and she tucked in the cornrows nicely so that none of my hair would be left to dry out.

This is what I have been doing to ensure that I get the most out of this protective styling session:

1.) Moisturize my hair every other day
2.) Two times a week I use my DIY Moisturizer made of conditioner+olive oil+water to give my hair an extra moisture boost
3.) Steam my hair once a week: I do not want to shampoo my hair this time round, just in case some shampoo doesn't wash out and has worse consequences than if I just left my hair like that
4.) Oil my scalp and my cornrows twice a week. I know where the ends of the cornrows are, so I have been targeting those areas to ensure that they are properly moisturized and sealed.
5.) Keep the protective style for a maximum of 4 weeks: I have learnt that my hair loves deep conditioning, and a long period like 6 weeks without a proper deep conditioning session just leaves my hair dry.

I will also be leaving my hair out in between protective styles for at least two weeks, so that my hair can get some pampering from my normal weekly wash day sessions.

Hopefully, I will reap the benefits of protective styling this time round :-)

19

Trouble managing your product stash? Try these few tips

I made one of the biggest mistakes in the first few months of my healthy hair journey. We all get excited when we embark on this new journey, but sometimes we get too excited. Within 6 months, my products could no longer be contained in the one shelf that I used to keep open for hair products. They overflowed to a second, third and fourth shelf. 

In November last year, I did a stock take of all my products, and was so shocked that I had so many products that were meant to do the same thing.

One of my resolutions for this year has been to minimise my stash, keeping only the products that have been of the most help to my hair. This is what I have found most useful as I try to contain my product arsenal...

(1.) Go to the cosmetic shop once a month: This helps keep focus, and I end up preparing a list of the things that I NEED, because I won't be able to go back until the next month.

(2.) Go to the cosmetic shop with close to the exact amount of money you need for your shopping list

(3.) Do not try to fix what is not broken... If a product is working for you, and you read a really great review of a similar product, hang on to your product until you finish it. Then you can try the next one. 

(4.) Have a limit to your storage space and stick to it: This way, you will know when you are reaching the limit, and when you need to hold a product buying "freeze"

(5.) Give products that don't work away: Your hair and the receiver will thank you for it

(6.) Recycle products: Conditioners that did not work can be used for co-washes and pre-poos, Moisturizers can be used as leave-ins, oils can be mixed with your deep conditioners, etc etc. KLP of savingourstrands has a whole list of what else you can do with your products.

(7.) If you've not used it in the last 6-12 months, you are unlikely to ever use it again: How many can relate to this? Even with my other stuff in the house, I use this rule and it helps me clean out my cupboard every now and then.

What has helped you the most in managing your product stash?

6