Fenugreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkk!!!!

I was in a rush after work but I really wanted to wash My HAIR as I have been wearing it straight since Thursday night.

Whilst conducting my daily trawl of hair blogs I happend upon a post by Tola My Long Hair Journey about ORS Replenishing Conditioner.  After posting a comment I thought to myself, as it's wash night tonight I should actually dig this out and put this on My HAIR to give my heavy hands and Alter Ego Garlic Hot Oil Treatment a bit of a break!!!

When I got home, the first thing I did was check that I had hot water!!!!

Next I got one of my trusty pots 10 for 99p from the 99p store, they are brilliant the look like the plastic containers that you get when you order a takeaway but they are round with nice high sides, great for making up conditioner mixes and for putting your relaxer in, if you use lye relaxer but want to add oils or conditioner to it.

This is the process (sorry, no pics - I had zero time!):

1.  I put 1½ teaspoons of shikaikai power, 1 teaspoon of amla powder and one teaspoon of fenugreek (methi) powder into my bowl.  I added enough hot water from the kettle into the powders and mixed to form a slightly loose paste.  I recall from previously doing this with just shikaikai powder that the powder swells and makes a thicker paste after 5mins.

2.  Next, after 5 mins had passed,  I put the very last bit of my ORS Replenishing Conditoner (Professional Formula) probably about two handfuls worth into the mixture.  I then put one and half capfuls of aloe vera juice into the empty coniditoner bottle and swished it around the bottle to get the last bits out. (Yes, tight I know, but we're in a recession people! plus I didn't want to open my last pak.)

3.  Next I mixed in 2½ teaspoons of regular castor oil in and mixed this all together for about 3mins to make sure most, if not all of the lumps had gone.

4.  Next I put the tub into the microwave for 20 seconds.  I then stirred the mixture again.   I put the conditioner in the microwave to heat it because I had zero time to sit under either my steamer or heat cap.

5.  I then cowashed my hair, once with Treseme moisture rich conditioner, which felt so thick and lucious and then one with my Nutrine garlic conditioner (which I am loving, it makes my hair so soft and shiny, but I will save my love for this product for the official review!).

6.  After rinsing, I put a towel on my head to soak up the excess moisture, I then put the conditioner mix back into the microwave for a further 20-25 seconds until it was really nice and warm.  I mixed again and could see that the condtioner was slimier that before.  This was due to the fenugreek powder which creates mucilage which acts as a natural conditioner.

7.  I then applied the conditioner mix throughout my hair.  The mucilage from the fenugreek does something amazing to the conditioner, it gives TREMENDOUS SLIP and also bulks out the amount of conditioner so a little goes a long way!!!

8.  I then covered my hair with a shower cap for 15mins then rinsed out with cool water.

9.  I then put a towel on my head to soak up excess moisture for 5-10mins, whilst I got dressed. 

So far SO SO GOOD!!

10. Next I went to apply my leave ins.  Whilst putting these in I could feel grit on my hands.  I didn't feel like there was alot of grit so I continued putting in my leave ins.  I then went to look at my hair in the bathroom mirror and was shocked to see tons of tiny yellow bits in my hair.  I'm telling you, these bits looked like nits!!! I was horrified, as I had zero time to be messing about with my hair.

11. I then rinsed one section again.  Some bits went but there were still alot.  By this stage, I must add, my hair was shining, and felt gorgeously soft yet strong at the same time.  Unfortunately, just rinsing was not cutting it.  I don't think my showerhead has enough pressure in it so I reluctantly decided to shampoo my hair.  I opted for Elasta QP Conditioning Creme Conditioner and shampoo'd each section  and rinsed.  Et Voila - problem solved.   Using that shampoo was a stroke of genius as it truly is so conditioning that it didn't strip my hair at all, it still felt amazingly soft and was shining away all happy!

12. I then reapplied my liquid and creamy leave ins and was out the door, air drying loosely as I went.

13. When I reached my destination I waited until I was about 80-90% air dried then I detangled, let me tell you, this was like a dream.  My hair was still soft, and shining so much, I actually took pictures (I'll upload them later).  My hair detangled so easily and felt so soft and strong. 


Best of all, I lost pratcially ZERO, yes, that's right, ZERO hair during this wash process.  I lost about 5-10 strands in the whole wash and DC process and seriously teeny tiny amount whilst detangling after airdrying and I lost two strands whilst detangling before the wash process, probably because my hair has been straight! 

I'll be adding fenugreek to my deep conditioners again - and my next henna treatment.  This stuff rocks!  Can't believe I've had it in my hair stash for over 3 months and hadn't got around to using it.  If this stuff works that well in a 15mins treatment, I can't wait to see what it can do over a period of 2-3hrs!!!

Note:  Next time I will sieve the powder before adding it to the conditioner or henna gloss so I am not rinsing for hours and hours and rewashing my hair (",)

This is the brand I used

Happy Happy Happy Days!

Ciao 4 Now

I Do Not ♥ My New Shoes......

Sense by TopShop

Product Details from TopShop Website:

Purple leather snakeskin cut out platform with heel zip detail

and metallic heel approx 5 inches

100% leather

I placed my order for these little beauties online after falling in love with the Lois shoes I'd brought the day before.  I'm really in the market for injecting some colour into my shoe collection so I thought I would indulge seeing as they were on sale for only £40.

Just check out the beautiful metallic heels on these, they even match the toe opening at the front.

I can't wait for them to arrive!!!  The waiting is the only thing I don't like about internet shopping....

UPDATE 27.06.11: 
I received these shoes on Monday and they are going back to the shop.  I love the colour of the platform and the colour of the heel but that is so not enough for me to want to keep them.  The colour of the shoes is a bit incipid, I was expecting them to 'pop' a little more.  Most importantly, the look of the shoes on my feet does not make me feel like I am wearing a sexy pair of shoes.  They feel too clumpy for me and just plain wrong.  Shame, but at least I'll get my money back!!!

Ciao 4 Now

I ♥ My New Shoes, Sixth Addition

Lois by TopShop

Product Details from TopShop Website:

Pink suede platform sandals with ankle strap fastening and twist knot front detail.

Heel height 5"

100% Leather 

It's been a few months since my last purchase(s) and I am making up for lost time.

I stumbled across these little beauties online and rushed to my local store to get the them the very same day.  At £65 they were a bargain but I managed to get an extra 10% off as with my beedie eye, I noticed a very slight defect in that the pair were not 100% identical.  You can't even notice it but I made the cashier notice it and got £6.50 off and felt no shame - all is fair in shoes and war - or is that love and war....?  £59.50 for a fabulous pair of beautiful shoes is not to be sniffed at!!!

These shoes are high, comfortable and very sexy.  I ♥ these shoes and can't wait for my man to take me for a night out so I can shimmy along with him in my most fabulous recent addition.

Ciao 4 Now

If This Is An Example Of Things To Come...........

Then maybe, just maybe.....the hype about Alter Ego Garlic Hot Oil Treatment could be spot on.....

I've just got home from washing my hair at my mums house as my water is still cold. After one use I've gotta say, I'm impressed....a lot less shedding, stronger softer hair and above all, I don't reek of flipping GARLIC!!!

1.  Hair shed whilst detangling with Aloe Vera Juice before prepoo.

2.  Shed hair during detangling process after washing.

3.  Total shed haird during wash day 16.06.11 (",)

I'll do a full review on this product in a months time.

Ciao 4 Now

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You've Gotta Be Kidding Me - What No Hot Water!!!

I'm so not impressed!

After all the excitement of yesterday, with my products arriving, I was bursting to try them out this evening.  Unfortunately, my hot water has decided now to go on the blink and I have nothing but freezing cold water coming out of my taps!!!

I'm not going to make a big fuss about it because it could have been worse, much worse....this could have happend on Saturday when I did my relaxer touch up!!!!  It's a funny coincidence that whilst trawling the blogs as I do almost daily, I came across a blog post stating that one of the things she does is check the water, before applying relaxer, to make sure she doesn't end up with a Malcom X situation on her hands.  Could you imagine!!!

Anyway, I'm going to have to wait a day now before trying out my conditioners.

Ho hum!

Ciao 4 Now

Update on My HAIR: Thickness & Length Check #2

It’s been a loooooooooooooong time since my last thickness and length check update. To be honest I didn't feel like doing either a length check or update because my hair was not coming along very well due to the shedding issues I've been experiencing.  The last time I actually did an update was when I started this blog in January 2011

Since my last update I have carried out no less than 5 TRIMS!!!  That is a ridiculous amount of trims, and a lot of hair to have to cut off. But I really had no choice!

I had to cut to counteract the shedding and to get rid of the thin ends I was left with:

(These pictures were taken on 17.05.11)

The left side of My HAIR was doing fine but the right side, not-so-much!

Back of My HAIR pulled closer together

Back of My HAIR fanned out

I could have just about lived with the thinness at the back but the right side looked awful.  Also, I believe those thin ends were caused more and more tangles and shedding.

After my trims / cuts I am now really happy with the current thickness and length of my hair, especially in my nape area which has come along in leaps and bounds! Only the very bottom section of my nape, right in the middle remains pretty short, probably due to having 'always-wearing-my-hair-with-a-part-down-the- middle-itus'! I will try to stop that for the next 10 weeks.

Another thing I am really impressed with is the way I cut my hair.  I manged to get it pretty level. All those hours sat in the stylists chair have obviouly paid off.  Either that or they spent alot of time cutting off my hair! (",)

My HAIR On Relaxer Day:  11.06.11

Same as above

Nape

I am pleased that my hair is the length that it is because now it allows me to be a little more daring when it comes to self-trimming and trying out new things, like switching relaxers. As I said to my mum on Saturday, if it all goes wrong with this relaxer I can always cut it off and start again. However, if my hair was APL or BSL I would be more than hesitant to do so.

In the long run all these trims are helping me to get to my goal of cutting off all my relaxed ends so I am left with just texlaxed ends which means I only have to contend with two textures and not three when my new growth is in full swing when I am deep into my stretches.

I’ve also made the decision to only stretch for 10 weeks at a time in an attempt to retain more length.

Now I have truly gained thickness and significantly reduced my shedding and breakage, I am now on my way to my 2011 goal of reaching thick APL hair, although it may take me to May /June 2012, but I don’t mind, so long as I get there.

My 5 goals going forward for the next 10 weeksare:

1. Get my shedding 100% under control.

2. Maintain / increase my current thickness.

3. Grow at least 1 x inch of newgrowth. ½ inch instretched in natural state, 1 x inch once texlaxed and blowdried.

4. Take my supplements daily.

5. Don't buy anymore prodcuts to try for the next 10 weeks. Only products that can be brought until my next relaxer are those to replenish my staple products (like-for-like).

6. No more trimming (I had to add this one!)

My 3 goals for Year 2 of My HAIR Journey:  July 2011 - July 2012 are:

1. To keep my shedding and breakage under control.

2. To grow my hair to full APL.

3. To have a full head of thick, healthy moisturise protein balanced texlaxed hair.

I plan on adding my 5 goals for each relaxer cycle and see how I get on. I think this will be more rewarding for me at this stage.

Hopefully I’ll progress this year without any further setbacks!!!

Wish me luck!!

Ciao 4 Now

My HAIR: Shedding & Breakage Woes

Shed & Broken Hair:  During Wash Day 17.05.11

Since my "What’s up with my hair" post on 25.04.11 I have been experiencing serious issues with shedding and some breakage.

It’s been a really worrying time and my hair seems to be coming out continuously since before my last relaxer.

I’ve taken pictures of some of the hair I have shed over the past 5 weeks or so, starting from 01.05.11. I don’t have pictures of every wash day but the pictures that I do have, give a clear enough indication of the amount of hair lost. It’s worth noting that the only shedding I have photographed has come from my wash days, and does not include the hair shed during styling.

All of these pictures show shed and broken hair from each half, or quarter of my head depending on how many sections I washed and detangled in.  The shed hair from the left front of my head is towards the top left of the picture, the shed hair from the back right area is towards the bottom right of the picture.

Shed & Broken Hair:  During Detangling Process 14.05.11
(pre protein treatment)

Shed & Broken Hair:  During Wash Process 14.05.11
(during protein treatment)

Shed and Broken Hair:  During Wash Day 07.06.11

Same as previous picutre but one side has been rolled up.

Shed Hair:  Wash Day 31.05.11 (during henna gloss)

Same as above

I could add waaaay more pictures than this, but to be honest, it's just depressing!

In short, I think this is a heck of a lot of hair to lose.  Especially considering my hair is not long, nore is it thick or dense.   Luckily, since my trims/cuts, the use of garlic capsules on my scalp and my last relaxer, my shedding has halted considerably.

Long may this halt continue....!

Ciao 4 Now

Woooohooooo - My Alter Ego & Nutrine Conditioners Have Arrived!!!!

I'm so excited.  And I just can't hide it!!!

My Alter Ego Hot Oil Conditioner and my Nutrine Conditioners have arrived.  They got here in less than a week all the way from America.

I am soooooo pleased that Ugly & Beauty sent these via DHL, rather than a postal service that partners with Parcel Force, because I can't stand money grabbing Parcel Force with a passion!!!

I'm so pleased that it's wash day tomorrow so I can try out my new goodies!!

Ciao 4 Now

Relaxer Results 10.06.11

Here are a few pics of my 10.06.11 relaxer results and my texture shots:

There were some tangles in the front left section and front right sections of my hair but I managed to get these out with minimal hair loss.  Unfortunately that is a by-product of the relaxer process for me as this is the only time I ever wash my hair when it's not in sections.


Overall I am really happy with the results and happy with my choice to use Affirm Lye Relaxer. I plan on using this going forward.

My HAIR:  Back, Blowdried & Fanned Out

My HAIR:  Back, Blowdried & Pulled Closer Together

My HAIR:  Blowdried - Left Side

My HAIR:  Blowdried - Right Side

Right Side - Doesn't look so troublesome right now.

My HAIR:  Nape, Blowdried

My HAIR:  3 days after relaxer and 9hrs after Caruso roller set

Same as above, time in a ponytail

Ciao 4 Now

Relaxer #2

I decided to relax at just 2 days shy of being 10 weeks post.  This time I chose to use Affirm Fiber Guard Lye Relaxer in normal strength (I'm not ashamed to say that I was a little aprehensive!!!)

I decided a few weeks ago to change from using no-lye relaxer to a lye relaxer from the same range because I have been experiencing dryness issues which is probably caused by calcium build up from both the no-lye relaxer and the hard water in my area.

I was a little scared to use it as a) I wasn't sure if it would burn my scalp, b) whehter I would have problems with overlapping (I was extra careful not to) and c) that it would interact horribly with the Affirm Fiber Guard No-lye Relaxer previously used on my hair for the past two relaxers.  As far as I can tell I've suffered no adverse outcome and my hair feels great - touch wood....it's only been a day since my relaxer!!!  I shouldn't worry too much though, I'm 95% sure this is the exact same relaxer (lye) that my hairdresser used to use, before I stopped going to him a year ago.

This time taking note of my points from last relaxer I actioned the following:

1.  Ask Mummy Dearest to apply relaxer to the back of my head. 
DONE.

2.  Continue to use two tubs of Affirm relaxer. 
DONE.
Changed to Affirm Fiber Guard Lye Relaxer so this step does not apply, I had more than enough relaxer on hand.  I took out what I needed and put it into a bowl and added 3 x tablespoons of olive oil.

3.  Only leave on for 15 mins.
DONE.
In reality it ended up being 17mins in total.  I'm very pleased with that, I've never done it  so quickly!!!

4.  Minimal smoothing after application.
DONE. 
I didn't really smooth, I just checked that the relaxer had soaked through the parts of my hair so no sections were left without relaxer touching them.

5.  No blowdrying the week beforehand, even though it makes for easier application.... 
DONE.

I'm very pleased that I covered all of the points above and as a result I am VERY pleased with my relaxer results. 

My hair feels great, thick and looks really healthy.  I think my last two trims have contributed to this!  After adding my leave ins and detangling (the front left hand side of my hair had a fair few tangles in it, I now only detangle on 90% dried hair) I blowdried my hair using my Toni & Guy blow dryer with pik attachment.  I then documented the results with a few photos and then pincurled ready for bed.   I will post an update on my length and thickness in a separate post.

From now on I think I will definitely continue to stretch to 10 weeks instead of 13 weeks.  Hopefully this will a) result in less shedding and breakage issues and b) make the whole relaxing process easier to mange.

Ciao 4 Now