Can I use heat regularly and maintain healthy hair? Part 1

Probably the most infamous enemy of healthy hair is excessive heat usage from styling tools. We all know that. We all believe it. Some of us have even sworn away our flat irons for good in an effort to create thriving hair.  With all that said,  the question I have is this:  "how can all of these women pictured below use heat on a regular basis and still maintain thick luxurious hair?" And, most importantly," how can we learn to do the same?"

In order to properly answer this most important question, one must first look at these women and seek out some commonalities.  From these common practices, we will grow and get better. But before we get fully into this post, I must make an important disclosure:

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***The information below is meant to serve as a guide on how to use heat responsibly, it is not a license to use heat tools in an ineffective way. My heart just can't take looking at another head of heat damaged hair. I do not want to be responsible for the creation of such.***

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Years ago, I visited this stylist who did a pretty decent job of creating the look of healthy hair.  My friend recommended her and I was eager to try her out for myself.  I sat in her chair as she shared her strategy of how she would do my hair that day.  My only input to the conversation was when I asked that she roller set my hair instead of blow drying.  Immediately, she declined my request stating that if my hair dried under the hooded dryer, my strands would not be fully sealed which could allow for breakage and other non-desirables.  That conversation never left me. 

I eventually left her when I found Dominican salons that would both roller set and blow dry.  It never failed, every time after a blow out my hair, bone straight, would virtually stop breaking and decrease shedding considerably for up to two weeks.  Even when Marie did my hair, I rocked the straight style for at least 2.5 weeks with limited shedding and breakage compared to when I normally do my own hair.  It seemed like each time I went to the salon for a straightening, my hair (temporarily) stopped showing visible signs of damage (breakage/shedding).  What's the connection here?

To understand this deeper, we must contemplate what occurs when we use a straightening tool.  Please keep in mind that most of what I will say is my interpretation of what I think takes place.  None of this is fact.  When one uses a flat iron, three forces come into play--heat, pressure, and tension.  These three factors when combined together, have an extraordinary ability to help seal the strand while creating the look of straight hair.  Sealing the strand can provide some great benefits when done right.

Potential Benefits

•  The feeling of silkiness which reduces friction caused by manipulation.  From this, actions such as combing, detangling, and styling become easier because there is less resistance in the strand, which could lead to less tangles and breakage.
• A sealed strand can better resist external factors such as humidity.  The hair strand expands when it comes in contact is excessive moisture.  As the strand expands, the cuticle layer is raises which creates a rough texture. The hair follicle, then is more susceptible for breakage. 
• Sealing can also provide us the opportunity to reinforce the strand with nourishers that can strengthen the hair.

You might be thinking to yourself "that stuff you listed actually sounds pretty good for the hair."  So why am I hearing all the time that heat isn't good for the hair, and why does my hair feel damaged from my heat usage?

Those are great questions, my friend.  My response to you is this:  Heat is like a wild, ferocious animal that must be tamed and trained for domesticated use.  If not properly trained, the animal can turn on the owner at any moment, attacking unexpectedly, and viciously devouring him.  Knowing this, the animal owner must use extreme intention, focus, and caution whenever interacting with the animal because the consequences of failing to do so is just too great.

In the same way, careless, frequent use of heat tools on textured (chemically treated) hair is like someone frolicking in the cage of a hungry beast, expecting to come out unscathed. It's just not realistic.  On the other hand, if you study the routines of the lovely ladies mentioned above, you will find that they have some common practices to combat the harmful effects of heat.

• Most, if not all of them, restricted heat usage to once or twice a week.  I remember the days, back in high school, when a curling iron was just as commonly used in daily styling as a comb.  This behavior equivalent to having a meaty steak in hand, and back turned, in the presence of a hungry beast.  It just can not happen!
• The heat usage usually occurred in combination with the weekly wash routine.
• They are intentional with the products they used whenever heat was involved.    

My theory is this.  When heat is used after the wash day process, you may be in a place where you can experience the potential benefits I described above. The hair is freshly washed, and conditioned to a desirable state. This makes for the perfect opportunity to properly manage the use of the a flat iron.   Then there's those of us who aren't as disciplined in the use of heat styling tools.  When we choose break out the flat iron after the initial wash day, we start to experience a certain level of diminishing return.  The idea of diminishing return is that the level of effectiveness (or benefit) will decline with continued use of the flat iron (especially if the use occurs between washes). 

I believe the beginning of mastery, with regards to regular use of heat, can occur once we start to shift our view of the intended use of the styling tool.  As a matter of fact, from this point on, I will no longer refer to a flat or curling iron as a styling tool.  Instead, let's call it a sealing tool.  If that's the case, we must think a bit deeper about this sealing process and how to do it effectively.  This topic requires it's own post which will be part II on the topic of effective use of heat.  Talk to you soon!

Help! I need to find an Amazing "Healthy Hair" Stylist

I received a really great question not too long ago from a reader who contacted me inquiring about a serous subject matter. You see, she's on a mission to find a suitable stylist. One she can entrust the care of her hair. My heart goes out to her because I remember the days of going from salon to salon disappointed from my experiences. Worst of all, my hair suffered while I was going through this dreaded trial and error period.

Although I don't have dedicated stylist, I will never forget my experience I had recently while visiting the Prive Salon for my MicroMist treatment. While there, I had the pleasure of having my hair done by Marie. By far, my experience with her was thee best I've ever had with a stylist. If I were one of those people who regularly visited a stylist, Marie would definitely the chosen one. And because of this, I will use Marie as archetype of what you should be looking for in a stylist that will move you forward in your hair journey.

Again, let me reiterate that I've visited many salons in my day. Some of the most memorable (and dreadful) memories I have include:

• One stylist postponed rinsing out my relaxer even when I repeatedly told her the my scalp was burning. When she finally did rinse out, she proceeded to use her long acrylic fingernails (not her finger tips) to scratch the relaxer out of my hair as she rinsed. I'd never experienced so much pain in my life. Even though I was a first time client, I silently asked myself what I could have done to make this woman hate me so much.
• After chatting it up with a woman who had mid back length hair at the Dominican salon. I learned that she made special requests to her stylist with regards to how they rolled her hair so that less heat was required to create the finished product. When I asked my stylist to use this technique on my hair, she looked me in the eye and flat out said "NO" without so much as an explanation and proceeded to do what she wanted with my hair.
• One time, I visited a salon asking for my bangs and my ends trimmed. Knowing there was risk of this stylist over-trimming, I came with a picture in hand of the results I wanted. Needless to say, she kept me out of the mirror the entire time and, hours later, I walked out of the salon with a bob cut and super short bangs (which looked nothing like the picture I showed her).
• There was a stylist who was so ruff with my hair during the blow dry, that she literally caught my earring during one of her strokes with the hair brush, causing my earring to fly across the salon. Honestly, when she showed me the mirror at the end of the blow, I was in shock that I still had hair on my head.
• One stylist finished my blow out and as I stood up to leave the seat, she quickly whipped out the scissors and began cutting. By the time I noticed and said something, she was already doing her thing. She then proceeded to tell me to "shhhhhh" as I expressed discontent for what she had done.

These were my worst accounts but there were many more mediocre experiences that really turned me off to salons and stylists in general. Needless to say, these scenarios were exactly why I decided to self-manage my healthy hair journey. But one thing I can give credit for is although the process these stylists used were some of the most unhealthy one could imagine, the end results were pretty much always on point. Even the lady who tried to claw my scalp off gave me nice flowing hair that lasted for weeks.

So what's a girl to do? On one hand, I want gorgeous looking hair. One the other hand, I want healthy, thick, long hair. I can say from experience that my hair never flourished while under the care of a stylist. My length retention was almost non-existent and thickness was something I could only dream about. So is there a way to merge healthy hair with great looking results that only a stylist could create? Yes. But you have to find the right person. So let's talk about what the right person could look like by using my experience with Marie as an example.

Marie listened:

One thing I made sure I did before I made my appointment with Marie was to meet her for a brief conversation. I showed up randomly yet she still took the time to chat with me about my hair. I talked about what I wanted and what I didn't want. What my hair liked and what it hated. And all Marie did was listen. When I finally stopped talking, she reassured me that my hair's concerns were her priority. From that very moment, I knew I had found the one.

Marie was flexible:

During my initial conversation with Marie, I made a host of "demands" that were meant to save both my hair and her time. For instance, stylists tend to wash my hair by massaging it vigorously like in an Herbal Essence commercial. Little do they know that doing so creates tangles that are almost impossible to manage. So I let Marie know that I would be washing my hair at home first and all I'd need her to do was deep condition and style. She was open to everything I suggested and gladly accommodated my numerous special requests. At one point during my blow out, I was uncomfortable with the brush she was using. I politely told her that I didn't like the brush and she immediately started using another tool after asking for my o.k. first. Needless to say, Marie's blow out was the most gentle I had ever experienced. Even at 5 months post, she still didn't feel the need to use excessive force with my hair.

Marie cared:

Seriously, I've never had anyone apply conditioner to my hair like Marie did. She parted my hair in tiny sections (like I do at home) and applied $60.00 Kerastase Conditioner like it was a cheapie pre-poo product. She didn't care that my hair would take up most of her day, she didn't care that she probably applied an entire jar's worth of product on my hair. SHE ONLY CARED ABOUT THE HEALTH OF MY HAIR. Just thinking about it almost brings tears to my eyes. This woman was so self less in her actions that I couldn't believe what I was experiencing. Other stylists would put some conditioner in their palms, rub between their hands and run their hands through my hair. This woman was willing to handle my texlaxed hair at 5 months post like it wasn't nothin'. I love her for that.

So maybe your stylist doesn't currently take the time to apply conditioner evenly throughout the hair, a sign of a great stylist is someone who is willing to do so if you request it.

Marie was knowledgeable:

Even though I gave tons of input both before and during the process, Marie was still able to teach this old dog a few new tricks when she showed me how to create straighter results at home even when I'm knee deep in a relaxer stretch. The difference between the good stylists I came in contact with and the horrible ones were obvious. The good ones talked about healthy hair. Aside from Marie, I could think of one other stylist that enjoyed visiting.Both of them shared their love for healthy hair as a premise for doing what they do. When you visit a new salon, listen to his/her conversation. Really listen and discern what they are saying. All stylist will use the words "healthy hair" in their vocabulary but do they mean "healthy looking hair", or hair that is truly healthy and thriving. If a stylist talks about healthy hair, ask them how they go about achieving it. You'll know because you may hear them say things that are familiar to you from reading hair blogs and forums. A knowledgeable stylish should be aware of natural products, minimizing heat, etc. The stylist should understand when the hair needs moisture or when it requires protein. You shouldn't need a deep protein treatment every single week. That may be a sign that your stylist might be a one trick pony. A good stylist should try to analyze your hair and use the treatment option that works best for your current situation.

Marie listened (and didn't judge):

I put listening down twice because of how important it is. Looking back at the examples above of bad stylists, one thing they all had in common was they didn't listen. Another reason why I didn't like going to the salon was because I was always judged on how long I waited to get a touch up or how thick my hair was or whatever. With Marie, I walked in with inches of virgin new growth, texlaxed hair, and relaxed ends. Although she made a comment about the textures, she didn't try to get me to go natural, or convince me to relax all of my hair bone straight to make it easier. She just worked her magic, with what I had, and made it all work out.

When she finally finished her masterpiece, the moment I had been dreading had finally arrived. That awkward moment when the stylist finishes her work and feels compelled to cut off inches of my hair. I knew that I would have to face this moment with Marie and I honestly didn't know how it would go. On the one hand, I was dead set against having a trim, on the other, I knew my ends weren't in the best of shape and a slight trim was exactly what I needed. Although I didn't want to, Marie assured me that she would trim only the minimal amount and held the mirror in a way where I could see exactly what was going on. Although I knew she wanted to take off a little more, in true Marie fashion, she restrained herself and only trimmed the bare minimum which made us both happy.

I'm sharing this experience so hopefully you will get to know the traits that great "healthy hair" stylists share. If I moved to another state and had to find someone like Marie all over again, the one thing I would do differently would be to have that initial conversation with each stylist before I schedule my appointment so I get a better understanding of his/her philosophy on hair care and their definition of healthy hair and how to create it. Are they willing to listen to me and work with, not against me, to further my hair journey? Is their advice sound and does it makes sense? Are they willing to invest their time to create amazing results? If the answer to these questions is yes, then congratulations you may have found your very own "Marie."

Motivation Monday: "What gets measured, gets managed."

I don't know about you but I want to start this year off with a plan that'll support this year's success. What I'd like to share with you today is a tool that I chose to get serious about my finances. I set up a challenging savings goal and decided to accelerate paying off some debt. It was around that time I was reading Peter Druker's the Effective Executive. Peter's famous quote "what gets measured, gets managed" really struck a chord with me. That's when I decided to measure my financial progress until I reached my goals.

The next action I took was to create an Excel spreadsheet which listed all of my debts and my (liquid) assets. I faithfully updated that spreadsheet monthly for two years making incredible progress during that time. Once I reached my savings goal I slacked off a little bit and my focus hasn't been the same ever since. So now I'm back in the swing of things and there's no time like the present to get started. This time I'm applying this tracker technique to various aspects of my life. I plan on updating on a weekly basis so I can view my progress and stay motivated. Too often, we think we're not making progress so we give up on our efforts way prematurely. I know I do this all the time, only to kick myself mentally later on, for not sticking to my plan. Can't tell you how many times I've asked myself "how far would I be by now if I would have kept going?" My new tracker will now serve as my accountability partner. As backup, I created a weekly electronic reminder so there's no excuse.


If I miss a week or two here and there, I won't get discouraged and I won't give up. I'll simply pick up where I left off. This isn't about perfection, it's about progress. No longer will I wonder if progress is being made or if I'm backsliding, it's all there in black and white.

As you can see from the screenshot above, this tool is not yet complete. I still have to include my written goals in the area next to "2012 Intentions." By doing this, I'll have my written goals in front of me on a weekly basis which will propel my progress. Notice that I'm tracking both results and actions. So in the case of statistical measurements (like my weight or how many fans on Facebook) I track the result, but in other instances, My focus is on taking consistent action. Now you might be saying to yourself, "why is she tracking things like "self-love" or "relationship nourished?" I do this because those areas of my life tend to be the first things that fall on the back burner when life happens. Adding them on the tracker keeps them top of mind for me. This list is by far incomplete as there are other areas I'd like to track my progress. Whenever something comes up that I'd like to include, I'll simply add to my list.

The tool itself is a work in progress. I know that if I'm consistent, I'll make huge progress in the year to come.

So what are some things you'll be trying to stay focused on your intentions for 2012?

Increase your Hair Growth this winter with these 5 simple techniques

I'm in the midst of a stretch that I hope will make it until six months. There are two main reasons why this stretch may prove to be successful. First because my new growth seems to be the most tamed it's been in a long while. I've got to go back into the archives to see what I've been doing differently over the past 3-4 months. It's working whatever it is. Secondly, I think my winter growth cycle is yielding less new growth than the summertime. I read an article abstract where hair growth was measured in caucasian males. Researchers discovered that peak growth rates in the warmer months were up to 60% higher than at winter levels.

I believe this has something to do with the decline of overall blood circulation that occurs in our bodies when the weather cools down. You see, as the temperature drops, our body's natural protective responses encourage increased circulation and blood flow to our internal organs. As a result, our extremities are left feeling a bit deprived. Notice how your fingers and toes are the first parts of your body to get really cold? That's partly 'cause the warming blood flow is not as prevalent in your fingertips as it is in other parts of your body. Remember that our scalp is also considered somewhat of an extremity. I suspect the amount of nutrient rich blood to the hair follicle is at below optimum levels in winter months. A picture speaks louder than words. Check out this chart below taken from a study done on hair growth cycles throughout the year.

Since we have a hair journey to attend to, we can't have something as simple as cold weather slow us down. We've got to keep moving! Oh, and by the way, you know that seasonal shedding we always seem to get? I have a hunch that poor circulation to the roots may have something to do with it also. So then let's discuss some methods of promoting much needed circulation even during the winter months.

I did a video on this subject a while ago. It's a habit that I had almost forgotten about until recently. I watched the video again and was reminded of the feeling I would get when I finished a bottle of room temperature water early in the morning. It was as if I could feel the liquid traveling all throughout my body. I felt alive! Even now, whenever I feel sleepy during a mid-day meeting, I instantly swig some water and, moments later, I'm alert and my mood has changed. Water is one of the best methods of promoting internal circulation. Because our bodies are made of water, the liquid flows easily and instantly throughout our bodies. I put water first on this list simply because it's foundational to our health. You can be doing all the other stuff on the list below but if you aren't using water as your leverage, you may be fighting a loosing battle. Let's face it, as the temperature drops, drinking adequate water just isn't a priority for us. Let's get healthier by shifting our focus. So make sure you're drinking plenty of water this winter and start this habit first thing in the morning.

Next on our list is heat. I'm not talking about flat iron/curling iron type of heat. I'm thinking more of the heat that comes from our environment. In the summer time, we have a heat source warming our skin for most of our waking day. I think when heat is exposed to a certain part of our body, it responds with increased blood flow to that area. I was watching a movie once, there was a scene where a little girl removed her cast she wore after breaking her arm. Under the cast she kept wanting to scratch with her pencil and, when the cast finally came off, her arm hair was long and thick like a primate. Long after the scene change I racked my brain about the cause of the wonderful and awkward hair growth. What was it about the cast that created this result? The only answer I could come up with was the heat (and humidity) generated by the cast. The best way I could think of to create heat-promoting circulation is to visit a steam room. In a steam room, you get both heat and humidity to your entire body. If you don't have access to a steam room at your local gym or spa, make sure you are using your steamer (or hooded dryer) while deep conditioning. Another way to help promote heat is through exercise. I know that most of us want to stay all bundled up in the fetal position when it's cold out, but doing that will only promote the results we don't want. Exercise gets the heart beating which guarantees blood flow and increased circulation all over. Physical activity usually requires us to breathe more deeply which fills our body with oxygen which helps feed the hair follicle. Plus if you start exercising now, you are avoiding the dreaded winter fat storage syndrome so you will be ready for shorts and dresses in spring.

One of my circulation powerhouses is the use of cayenne pepper. I've used cayenne in my drink and I also sometimes take supplements orally. Years ago I tried using cayenne on my scalp but I accidentally got some in my eye and I decided that I would never do that again. Nothing like the feeling of getting maced your own shower. Cayenne is such a powerful circulation aid that it's said to have the ability to stop a heart attack in it's tracks. I read online that no other herb moves blood faster than cayenne. Using it can make your other supplements more effective as it helps other nutrients travel in the body faster. Cayenne is an acquired taste so you gotta work up your resistance to it a little slowly.

Finally, the mother of all circulation boosters for healthier hair growth is scalp massage. I've written post, after post, after post on scalp massage so I don't think I need to ramble, but what scalp massage does more than the other circulation-boosters I listed above is have the ability to bring blood flow directly to the hair follicles. There's no guessing if your hair will benefit from scalp massage, you know that your efforts will directly bring extra attention to your roots. And nothing but good can come out of that. Scalp massage is one of those things, like everything else I mentioned above, that must be done consistently as a habit in order to produce desired results for you. So have fun and take control of your hair growth this winter!

Be sure to stop by for my next post when I recap all the learning and focus of 2011.....see you soon!

"Help! I had cut my hair from mid-back to shoulder length"

I received a very interesting email the other day from a reader who was seeking help regarding her predicament. She recently cut her hair back from mid-back to neck length due to breakage (for the second time). The writer also mentioned that she deep conditioned regularly, doesn't use too much heat and stretches up to 16 weeks. Sounds like she's doing everything right, so what could be contributing to her breakage?

She and I are still in communication so I don't have all the information needed to help her figure out a root cause yet but her email really made me think. I too have dealt with major set backs that required mini chops. On several occasions I found myself with large sections of hair suffering greatly after reaching decent lengths. How could this happen?

Looking back, I've come to find out that most of it was my fault. In my case, it was my behaviors that lead to the loss of my progress. This revelation was one that didn't come easily. I had to really step back and analyze each and every action (and inaction) related to my hair in order to understand what was happening. My setbacks had nothing to do with the products I used (or needed).

I'll stop sounding all theoretical now and give you some real examples of what I'm actually talking about from my own experience.

Scenario 1:

"One side healthy, the other side damaged"

I was roller setting as usual admiring how thick and even each section of hair I parted. Even as I ran the small toothed comb down the lengths, there was no sign of breakage. I was in heaven. That is until I completed the right side of my hair and moved to the left. All of the sudden, I was dealing with weak, uneven hair so fragile that broken strands appeared with even the slightest touch. "What the?!".... "How did I create such damage to one side of my hair?"

That's when I sat back and silently replayed all my actions over until I could find a cause. Turns out that I my own routine created this. I'm left handed so I naturally feel comfortable using my left hand to take care of the right side of my hair. The right side received all of the care when I applied conditioner and the right side was the first side I set with rollers. By the time I got to the left side of my hair, the right hand was in charge and my patience had run out. With one side of my hair, I was thorough, meticulous and effective. The other side, I was negligent.

Scenerio 2

"What's going on back there?"

Another struggle that I've had to deal with was regarding the back of my hair. After applying consistent focus to bringing health back to the damaged section, I began to see tremendous progress to my left side. Soon, that part of my hair was no longer an issue for me. That's when I noticed the back section of my hair. Turns out that I was neglecting that area of my hair. Why? Because I am one those people that tends to wear her hair over her shoulders. The hair I see when I look in the mirror receives all of my attention. Over time, the back of my hair didn't get as much love as the rest of my strands and so of course eventually, damage began to appear.

I can also share scenarios for thinning hair, breaking ends, and so forth. What's important to focus on is the how we address the issue. It's important that we remain committed to identifying the root cause, and not simply search out products as a cure-all. Sure I could have shelled out money and got more products, but if my behaviors remained the same, progress wouldn't have been made.

The key to effectively overcoming setbacks (especially those ones that show up out of no where) is to analyze our actions. Really take a look at yourself and what you do with regards to your hair. I believe that every action produces a result. Some of those results are immediate, some long-term. Breakage and damage is a result of our past actions. So understanding and identifying those actions is critical.

So take a moment today and think about what you do that could be contributing to any set backs or current issues. If nothing comes to mind then try this exercise again when you are actively engaged in doing your hair. Take notice of everything from how you are feeling at the moment, to how much time you invest, to the techniques you are using. If you are truly present to this experience, you will learn from it and your hair will benefit.

Healthy Relaxed Hair Feature: How does she get such perfect hair?

I'm ecstatic right now to have the honor of featuring "Pink Pearls", a member of Long Hair Care Forum, on the blog. After glancing at her luscious locks, I knew I had to learn more about what goes into creating a healthy head of hair such as this.......


Lucky for us, she was gracious enough to share all of the details of her hair care routine. So without further adieu, here are your questions answered about Pink's perfect hair.

What is your current length and hair texture?
"I am currently at waist length. It seems my hair has multiple textues: it's coily in some areas and wavy in others. My hair is thick and requires a combination of moisture and smoothing products."

How long did it take to get to your current length?
"With the exception of the time I cut my hair to ear length, it's always been bra strap length or longer. It probably to 2 years to grow from mid back length to waist length. I've never focused on growing my hair any length, just maintain healthy hair. My husband would always use my bra strap as a guide and cut above it. However, once I started trimming less, air drying, stretching and eating healthy, my hair grew more."

Are you relaxed or texlaxed? How often do you touch up, which relaxer do you use? For years I visited the salon. Every 6-8 weeks I would get a touch up until my husband and I were relocated overseas and he volunteered to help with my touch ups. Now I touch up 2-3 times a year with Affirm Sensitive Scalp. I started using Affirm at the recommendation of my cousin who is a salon owner. He suggested using Affirm because it's a great relaxer designed for sensitive scalps. I usually stretch for 5 to 6 month. Currently I am 5 months post.

Tell us about your daily and weekly regimen.
"I've always had a simple regimen.
Daily
In the morning: I use a small amount of coconut oil mixed with avacado oil a few times a week. If my hair is dry, I use Kerastase Sublimateur Jour followed by the oil mix.
Nightly
If my hair is dry, I use Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Relax Nuit, folled by the oil mix. I also massage my scalp a few times a week with the oil mix.
Weekly:
I usually shampoo weekly. I pre-poo overnight with coconut oil, shampoo with Kerastase Dermo-Calmor, Kerastase Bain, Nutri-thermique, deep condition with Kerastase Oleo Relas Slim and Kerastase Masque Nutri-thermique using heat. I also use a mix of apple cider vinegar and spring water as a final rinse. I incorporated the ACV into my regimen after moving to an area here the water is hard. The ACV also leaves my hair smooth and aids in detangling. I mix 3 tablespoons of ACV with 2 cups of Spring Water in a bowl and pour in the mix on my hair. This is my final rinse after deep conditioning. I leave the rinse in my hair and apply my leave-ins. For my leave-ins, I use Kerastase Oleo Relax Slim, Kerastase Nectar Thermique and Kerastase Oleo Relax Serum. I air dry in two ponytails and flat iron or 2-ponytail rollerset or braid out. I apply my leave-ins to wet (not dripping) hair while in the shower.

For my heat protectants, I use Chi Silk Infusion and Redken Smooth Down Heat Glide. In my opinion, the Redken offers more heat protection and the Chi gives my hair a silky, smooth feel. I also use protein and clarify as needed. "


How do you wear your hair throughout the week?
"When I'm home or working out, I wear a loose bun or clipped up with a flexi8. When I'm out I wear my hair down or in a ponytail. Twice a week, at night, I curl my ends with medium size satin covered rollers and cover with a silk scarf. Other nights I sleep with a loose bun and a silk scarf. If I'm wearing a braid-out, I re-braid nightly."

Do you use direct heat? If so, how often?
"Yes I use heat, In fact, I usually experience more dryness and shedding when I wear heat-free styles. I usually alternate between heat styling with braid-out and bantu knot-outs. I try to limit the sue of heat styling by air drying. I flat iron on 300 degrees with my Cloud Nine wide iron using the chase method."

How do you maintain moisture levels and manage breakage?
"Most of the moisture in my hair comes from my diet: drinking lots of water and eating foods containing water. I also use products with moisture and use silk scarves and sleep caps. In the past, I used a hair steamer, which was great at adding moisture. The first time I experienced breakage was recently after my husband and I were relocated to Australia. Since my arrival in June, I've been battling extreme dryness and some breakage. Nothing seemed to work until I tried Kerastase Oleo fusion and a black tea rinse. The Oleo fusion has made my hair soft and mosturized. The black tea risne stopped the breakage. I also have few products from the Kerastase resistance line and will incorporate into my regimen when needed."

Do you do anything internally, such as diet, vitamins, etc, to promote healthy hair?
"Definitely! I love healthy foods, especially Asian food. I eat salmon twice a week, a variety of beans, nuts, fruit and vegetables: kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, bok choy, kiwi, dragon fruit, and many others. A few months ago, I purchased a large bobble and that has helped me incorporate more water into my diet. Normally, I fill-up my large bobble three times a day which is roughly 102 ounces of water. I drink green tea and take a multivitamin. I try to eliminate the white stuff: sugar, salt, and flour. However, good chocolate is my downfall."

Winter is around the corner, are you doing anything to prepare your hair for the colder weather?
"Winter has come and gone! The winter season in Australia is June-August. When I arrive in June it was the beginning of winter. It seemed like immediately my hair and scalp became dry. I had to add a second shampoo to my regimen, Kerastase Dermo-Calm to help with dry scalp. I also started using coconut oil as a pre-poo and daily nourishment for my hair."

You're stuck on a desert island and you can only have 3 hair related items with you. What would they be and why?
"Oh geez, only 3. Well, I would definitely need coconut oil. It softens my hair and conditions my scalp. Kerastase Oleo Fusion is another one I would need. It leaves my hair silky smooth for weeks. I would also need my seamless combs. When I'm past 8 weeks post, I use a combination of 4 combs to detangle and smooth. The 4 Comb Smooth method involves using multiple combs to detangle and smooth your hair as if you were roller setting. It use this method because the longer I stretch, the thicker my hair becomes. It involves using an extra wide too comb, a wide tooth comb, a medium tooth comb and a fine tooth comb. Depending on the density of your hair, you may only need two or three combs to achieve smooth, detangled hair. "


Some random stranger offers you $1million dollars to help her create healthy hair just like yours within a specific period of time, how would you do it?
"I would begin with making sure they were eating right: getting adequate protein, water, fruit and veggies. This step is not an overnight fix, but eventually eating right will aid in healthy hair. Next I would like at the condition o the hair and scalp. Does the hair have split ends and in need of a trim or cut, is it lacking moisture or protein, is the scalp unhealthy, etc? I would also develop a regimen and make product suggestions based on the hair texture and condition. I would inquire about their hair practices: are they protecting the hair at night, using excessive heat, wearing hair styles that add stress to the hair, improper detangling? And I would evaluate the condition of the hair tools and make recommendations."

Anything else you'd like to add as a word of encouragement or any other hair care tips you'd like to share?
"Don't get discouraged and don't jump on every bandwagon. When you discover what works for you, stick with it! Begin with a simple regimen, selecting products based on your hair texture (porosity, densit, etc). Make a list of products that worked and those that didn't work. Doing this allows you to look at the ingredients in those products that didn't work and avoid them when making future purchases. Most importantly, be patient and allow your regimen to work."


I'm grateful for Pink's sharing. From her feedback, I was reminded of how important it is to start with a great relaxer. I also noticed how she uses quality products in her regimen. I've never tried Kerastase's products before but now she has me intrigued. Her comment about the ACV rinse reminded me of how important it is to do this step every wash day. I vow to be more consistent. Pre-pooing overnight is so beneficial to the hair. No wonder her locks look so healthy. Pink is one of those people who can use heat effectively in her regimen. I can tell from her sharing that she doesn't take any risks when using heat. Lots of heat protectant and a low temp on her flat iron help her avoid heat damage.

Did you notice how Pink's first area of focus, if offered $1million dollars, would be on the wealthy stranger's diet and eating habits? It's the foundation to healthy hair and I'm certain her diet of leafy greens, omega filled seafood, and lots of water are a key component to having a head of hair like hers.

Inspiration: Nine months + Healthy Regimen=Fabulous Progress

I get really excited when I hear from readers of the blog who say that my random hair rantings have helped them out on their journey. So you can imagine my elation when LHCF member Nix08 sent me an email pictures of the incredible progress she made in just 9 short months! I was so inspired by her success that I asked her to share her regimen with me so I can share you! She was gracious enough to talk in detail about how she was able to quickly achieve her results. So without further adieu......

When did you begin your hair journey and what inspired you to get serious about your hair care?

"I began my hair journey June 17 2010. Earlier that year I started following ‘Jenna’s Victoria Beckham blog’ after doing a fashion overhaul. Her blog lead me to ‘The Girl in a Cashmere Daze’ which lead me to your blog, You inspired me to get serious about hair care. For a few months I'd drop by and read the current postings. Then you posted about the girl at the party you went to who's hair you were in amazement with. From that post it dawned on me that you felt that anyone could grow their hair. It wasn't based solely on DNA or being mixed etc – how was I to know any different. I then went back, printed and probably read every one of your posts, with a highlighter! Your blog became my guide. I had recently relaxed my hair so I went and got a journal for my hair and a trim.

Again on your recommendation I picked up a Sedu, Biolage Cera repair, Biolage daily leave in tonic and a satin cap and a few other items I'm sure. After my first Pre poo/DC with the cera repair, blow dry and flat iron with the sedu I went outside and my neighbour commented on my hair! I'm an excitable person as is but I was downright giddy...so much so that I emailed you to say thanks!! You were gracious enough to entertain my madness and gave me further advice...of which I printed off and put in my journal. You said that the key was to focus on the basics (moisture, strength and stimulation). At the time I wasn't about protective styling so you did warn that things would likely go slower as a result...I'm not a very patient person so within days/weeks I started wearing a low manipulation style...front puff with the back up in a claw clip. I joined LHCF and hairlista and continued to read any and everything I could find on hair care, including re-reading your posts now with even more understanding.

Looking back what was the biggest change in your routine from before to now?

The biggest change would be that there was now an actual routine. I would dread wash day!! I now pre poo which I never did, DC which I never did, moisturize and seal and gently handle my hair both of which I never did.

What are you doing daily/weekly to retain length?

Daily - I focus on maintaining moisture with nightly M&S (moisturizing and sealing), also mid day if my hair is out. I keep my hands out of my hair and wear low manipulation styles majority of the time (that won't be the case for too much longer. But I do plan on investing in some silk blouses – is that taking it too far – I think NOT … hehe ). Also taking my multivitamin for health but as you indicated it also benefits hair.

Weekly - I ensure a balance of moisture and protein, stimulate my scalp, maintain a neutral PH level and handle my hair like fine silk

What do you think is the greatest contributor to the health of your hair?

The greatest contributor to the health of my hair would probably be an understanding of the science behind healthy hair. I've read so much and I’ve been so bewildered as to how ignorant I was about hair that now everything that I do to my hair and every product that I use has a reason behind it: moisturize, strengthen or stimulate.

What advice would you give to someone new to their hair journey?

Think of your hair journey as a course - it takes about a semester to understand the science, the what's and why's of it all, to get your products in order and your routine down. Patience is key with a hair journey but knowledge is fundamental. Read, read and read some more. Some things you will have to experience to fully understand, for example; the moisture/protein balance...I had to get moisture overload to understand what 'mushy' felt like, I had to get protein overload to know when I'd used too much... when I finally got the balance I understood the result of a wet strand test. If you pull and your hair breaks that is dryness or too much protein. If you pull and your hair stretches like chewed gum, that's too much moisture. However, if you pull and your hair springs back like a rubber band, that's Balance!
I think educating yourself on the science helps prevent setbacks....anyone starting their journey now has tons of information at their fingertips and lots of testimonials of people that they can learn from to achieve maximum success and to learn from their mistakes so you don’t have to make too many of your own.

Regimen?
I’m often tweaking as I do love product and playing with my hair but I do have the fundamentals down. I think I probably do a lot to my hair and it likely all isn't necessary however, hair care was once a chore and now it brings me an unbelievable calm and joy so like you will hear often regarding hair do what works for you - this works for me, my hair and my mental health

Daily:
Moisturize with Beauty without Cruelty leave in conditioner
Seal with Gleau!!
Scalp massage (I often forget this step nowadays)
Wrap hair with a satin scarf and sleep on a satin pillowcase

(I don't have the time to co wash now so I don't but for a while I did mid week with Elucence moisture Balance Conditioner then condition with Silicon Mix (for ceramides and protein)

Weekly

Detangle – wide tooth/pick like comb

Pre Poo/Dry DC (Again due to time it’s also my dry DC (I don't DC with heat because although I try and use organic/natural products not all of them are and I don't want to open my pores to more chemicals)).

I layer these products in my hair in this order:
Aloe vera juice or gel (stimulates the scalp and helps neutralize the PH levels of the other products)
Reconstructor - mild protein weekly (I don't do any strong protein treatments)
biolage Cera repair (the week after a perm and every couple months) - ceramides are important
Conditioner(s) of choice - moisturizing with some protein
Wheat germ oil, Avocado oil and olive oil ( ceramides, shine, moisture and additonal stimulating benefits of these oils)
I cover with a couple plastic caps and leave on for a minimum of 30 minutes to several hours - never overnight as my hair seems to get more fragile if I do that.

Rinse - keeping my hair hanging down - never piled on top of my head and being careful not to tangle

Wash:
First lather with diluted elucence clarifying shampoo or Giovanni Triple Treat shampoo put in a squeeze bottle and applied to my roots, I part my hair with my hands and use the pads of my fingers to rub my scalp

Rinse

Second lather with elucence moisture shampoo applied to my hair - just smoothing over my hair again keeping my hair down and straight being careful not to tangle.

Rinse
Conditioner – Govanni Triple treat/Elucence Moisture Balance or Silicone Mix

Rinse – using the water to detangle (its usually still pretty detangled from my detangling before the pre poo

Final rinse, diluted Apple Cider Vinegar with cold water (I do not rinse it out)

Leave In - Spritz of water with Silk Amino Acids and Lavendar oil (SAA is a moisturizing protein, Lavender oil is stimulating), Nioxin Bliss, Beauty Without Cruelty leave in conditioner and Gleau!

Airdry with a headband smoothing my hair down as it dries. Next day I may flat iron if I am over 7 weeks post.

Relaxer

I'm still trying to figure out how long to stretch my relaxer I've gone 15 weeks the first to relaxers after starting my journey then 11. I start to get breakage after 7 weeks and if I really leave my hair alone I can stretch longer but as it grows I want to enjoy it more so I think 8-10 weeks will be it for me.

Trims

I’ve had one trim mid journey but I won’t be getting anymore until I reach my secondary goal of BSL or my ends start to show a lot of splits.

My ultimate goal is MBL mid 2012!!

Relaxed Hair Health: A look back at 2010 and goals for next year

With just a few days left in the year, I think it's a perfect time for you and I to reflect on this chapter of our hair journey (2010) so we can discuss some wins and goals for next year. Prior to writing this post, I went back and read my intentions for my hair written at the end of 2009. Last year I had several areas of damage that seemed to creep up on me somehow. The moment they were identified I decided to take immediate action to rectify the situation.

One of the biggest decisions I made last year was to stop frequenting Dominican Salons. Even though nothing else beats the silky tresses created from just a short time under a blow dryer, I knew I had to make the ultimate sacrifice for my hair. This year's ultimate focus was creating a thicker mane overall. In fact, this desire was so great that I paid little attention to length and focused solely on the creating routines that promoted a thicker, fuller head of hair. Well, I'm elated to tell you all that baby girl got her thickness back. I'm just so excited about the progress I made in this area in just this year along. As a recap, here are some of the strategies that worked for me this year:

• Because I was loosing so much hair in the detangling stage of my routine, I decided to really focus on locating tools that would help me in my struggle. You guys could see how excited I was when I came across some wondeful detangling combs. These things were a God send to me. From the day those combs came into my life, I could walk around with a bit more certainty because I knew that I'd reduced the amount of hair lost during manipulation. The amount of broken hairs from combing alone reduced dramatically when I got the proper detangling tools.


• Once I had some detangling combs in my grips, my next improvement came in the form of how I rollerset my hair week after week. Once apon a time, I'd experience an undesireable amount of hair loss from the manipulation occuring from what was supposed to be a healthier option of styling. This year I had to take a step back and analyze every step in the rollersetting process to determine what the cause was of all the hair I lost during the process. The solution that made a huge impact came from the simple act of rearranging the steps I took when I rollerset. I wrote a post on it which I invite you to read.

• Last year was the first time I purposefully introduced ceramides into my regimen. As you may remember, I went ceramide haywire once I knew of their value. This year I'll continue to feed my hungry strands a balanced diet of moisture, strength and ceramides but in 2011, instead of experimenting, I'll focus on my staple ceramide products.

• Another major win for my hair was the purchase and use of my new water softener. It's amazing the difference I felt once I introduced soft water into the mix. I will have to admit that I became somewhat inconsistent in how often I refreshed my shower softener with it's much needed saltwater mix. If I'm not consistent with this thing, I find myself back to where I started, washing my hair with semi-hard water. This year I have to create a more regular schedule so too much time doesn't go by. Maybe I'll select the first of the month as a consistent time to refresh, just to make it easier for me to remember.

• Shedding has been my hair's achilles heel for the longest. Because of my scalp condition, I tend to suffer with extra amounts of shedding, especially during the winter months. My eyes really opened up to the cost of my consistent shedding when I saw up close scalp pictures of people with severe forms of dandruff. The moment I saw how thin the hair patterns were compared to people with healthy a healthy scalp, I knew I had to take immediate action. Since my biggest objective last year was to create thicker hair, I became extremely focused on what I needed to do to fix this issue once and for all. Luckily for me, the solution came in the form of a $2 sprayer and some powerful essential oils. This year (I'm not kidding) has been the very first fall/winter season that I didn't suffer from the usually "I think I'm going bald" shedding that we normally endure each year. I am forever indebted to essential oils for their amazing impact on my hair journey.

• This year I also came to the realization that my daily hair habits created the areas of damage my hair was suffering from. For instance, when I wear my hair down, I like to sweep my hair over the front of my shoulders so I can see my hair (and play with my length). What I soon realized was that after months and months of doing this, the back of my hair became extremely damaged without me even really realizing it. My full attention was paid to the hair on the front and sides of my head because that was what I could see. By the time I realized it, the very back of my hair was not only several inches shorter than the rest of my hair, it was very weak and fragile to the touch. Today, I'm happy to report that much of that damage has been reversed to the point where the back of my hair is nearing the same length as the rest and will match and maybe even surpass the other areas by 2011. I give all the credit to the strand ceremony. This method allowed once dry and neglected areas of my hair to get the same amount of lovin' as the rest. As a result I realized thickness return to both the back of my hair and the left side.

One other thing I should mention was that for the entire year, I consistently repeated a mantra to myself numerous times a day. It went something like this: "I love my full, thick, healthy, hair! "I just love how full, thick, and healthy, my hair is. Each section, each strand is so healthy." But remember that when I first started saying this, my hair was not at all full thick and healthy (at least to me). I had sections thriving and sections suffering dearly. Not to mention how crazy the shedding was. This reminds me of Njoy's words of inspiration about believing for and focusing on the head of hair you want to have, not what you're experiencing at the moment. Looking back at all the successes of 2010, I strongly believe I was fortunate enough to discover those methods, tools, and products because I was so focused (mentally) on creating thickness and fullness.

So those were some of the highlights from 2010. This year, I'll continue to institute what worked well for me in 2010. But as I look ahead, I feel I'm finally ready to seek the length that I so desire. I've got to start this thing off right by first breaking out my vision board image of the head of hair I desire. I love the length shown in the pic below but coupled with the fullness similar to Brooke's hair. Remember her from the interview I did on her regimen?

In 2011, I want to create the fullness all the way down to the tips of my hair. I desire strong full, thick healthy ends that demonstrate how healthy my hair is. I know that's a tall order for someone who doesn't hide their hair for the purpose of thicker ends. The ends are the key to the length I desire so I must find a way. Oh, and by the way, I don't want to "trim my way to healthy ends" just yet. I believe, that like 2010, as long as I enter the year believing it's possible for me, and take necessary action, I'll attract the solutions that will get me what I want! And of course, you guys know that I'll document my actions along the way. My mind is already churning with ideas of how I can make it possible this year.

I'm excited to also hear about your goals for 2011. How was 2010 for you and what will you accomplish this upcoming year?

It's all fun and games until someone lets their hair down

So I spent Saturday evening at a friend's house re-enacting both fun and challenging games from the popular TV game show "Minute to Win It." Overall, game night was entertaining to say the least. The night, however, took a turn for the better when, midway through the evening, one of the party-goers removed her hair claw clip to reveal this....

From that moment on, I thought quietly to myself on how I would strike up a conversation with her to discuss the particulars of her absolutely fabulous head of hair. So I waited patiently as attendees failed and succeeded at various physical and mental challenges using only common household items. Finally the moment came when people, tired from the nights events, started to depart for home. At this point, I still hadn't figured out a smooth transition from natural conversation to the topic of hair. So I did what I thought made sense.............

We're both beginning to pick up toilet paper pieces, ping pong balls, and other randomness off the hard wood floor when out of nowhere I ask "is your hair natural or relaxed?"
She responds that she relaxes her hair and has done so for years. Next, I dropped the awkward question. "Can I take a picture of it?"

Without even giving it much thought, this person who I literally just met granted me this unusual request of having the back of her head photographed. I'm sure she probably thought the few pictures I took of her would satisfy my curiosity. She had no idea that phase two of my plan would consist of an impromptu interview detailing the steps she takes to care for her lovely tresses.

It turns out her regimen is pretty simple. She just does what works for her hair and it's rewarded her with the wonderful gift of luscious lengths. I wasn't forward enough to ask her to stretch her curls out but I wouldn't be surprised (judging from the pic above) if her hair reached waist length.

So here's the scoop:

• She visits the salon every 3 months or so to receive touchups using a mild relaxer from her stylist. Right now she's in a super long 6 month stretch. This isn't the norm for her. In fact, she states that her stylist will probably not be pleased when he finds out how long she's going without a touch up.
• Between salon visits, she washes weekly and deep conditions with Proclaim or Redken products.
• After washing she allows most of the hair to air dry. She then follows up with a blow dry to remove any remaining moisture, and proceeds to flat iron.
• She applies a Redken Smoothdown serum whenever she uses her iron. Once she's done, she puts the iron away until the following wash. I checked out this product's review on Folica. It looks to be pretty effective. I'm making a mental note to check this product out next time I'm strolling down the aisles of my local Ulta store.
• She helps seal in moisture throughout the week with an oil product from Kera Care.
• I asked if she had ever suffered any set-backs. Surprisingly enough, she said that her set backs came when she wore ponytails on a daily basis. The stress from the additional tension caused extreme breakage at the nape. She lifted the hair do demonstrate and I could see the difference in length between her longest layers and the hair at the nape.
• Her method of making a triumphant comeback from her setback is to wear the hair down or use hair claws in lieu of tight ponytails.
• She also admitted that her current regimen does not cause or contribute to excessive breakage. This means she can continue doing what she's doing knowing that she can easily continue to retain length.
• Finally, she stated that though she has allowed 6 months to pass without a touch up, she plans to continue relaxing for now.

So that's pretty much it. I just wanted to share with you my experience with a real life hair inspiration. I didn't go any deeper into the questioning (although I easily could have) for fear of seeming like a deranged hair lush but I'm glad I at least mustered up the nerve to get the pics.

'till next time.

Will what got me here get me there? My thoughts on achieving the next hair length goal

The other day, while standing in line at a local dine in restaurant, I noticed a customer already ahead of me waiting in line. What caught my eye specifically was her lovely waist-length dark hair. In days past, I would glance only momentarily at such a head of hair before moving on to my next thought. Recently, however, I find myself gazing longingly at low mid-back/waist-length hair. More and more, I am beginning to covet every waist length head of hair that enters my line of sight. I take this as a sign that it's now time to update my hair length goals. Up until now, I rarely focused on reaching specified lengths. I merely focused my energy on discovering ways to impact the health of the hair. While I have gained length along the way, I can honestly say that I haven't focused much on gaining inches as a major priority.

So now I'm in a place where I have to think realistically about how I intend to reach these new lengths. First off, I am not under any impression that obtaining waist length will be easy. On the contrary, I believe that "what got me here won't get me there" with regards to my habits and hair practices. At the moment, I'm at my current length because the consistent actions I've taken up until now create the head of hair I have today. Sure, I may be doing all the right things with regards to washing, conditioning and such, but I'm probably also doing (or not doing) things that keep me at a certain length as time passes.

I'm not making these statements to knock any of my progress thus far. In fact, I'm really happy with all of the progress and learning I've experienced up to this moment. At the same time, I completely understand that with wanting to get to the next level more will be required of me. So now I'm at a place where I am looking critically at all of the patterns and behaviors I carry out related to my hair routines. Without much thought I can easily identify that which holds me back. For the sake of being totally transparent, I'll list some of them below:

• I can't (for the like of me) seem to keep a bun in for longer than 48 hours straight. The thought of wearing a bun for 3-4 weeks (or longer) just pains me.
• Every 10-15 minutes. I fondle my hair. There's no way around it. In fact, I will take various opportunities while writing this post to touch my hair.
• Co-washing between washes feels like somewhat of a burden. Rarely do I wash more than once every 4-6 days.

Mind you, these habits aren't the end of the world, but you can see how I can easily graduate to the next level if only I could overcome the negative repercussions of my naughty hair habits. So now my thoughts are buzzing with the question "can I reach low mid-back/waist length hair if I continue to do what I do today?" If I could honestly answer this question by saying "yes", then I'm in a good place. If, on the other hand, my honest assessment is that I likely won't get to waist length. Then the next question I have to answer is "what's it gonna take?"

Before I answer the "what's it gonna take" question, I first have to identify the negative repercussions of continuing the actions that currently hold me back.

As I review the list above, I come to the following conclusions:

• Lack of consistent protective styling exposes my ends to the drying effects of air. Hair that battles with dryness is likely to be prone to breakage. Breakage is the great hinderer of retention and by stifling my retention rate, I assume the risk of not reaching my length goal.
• Frequent manipulation of my hair can also encourage breakage.

So now I come to a place where I must decide if the repercussions of the negative habits are severe enough to influence a change in my actions so I can experience the results I desire. At this point in time, I'm remain stubborn on not being willing to drastically change those habits. I am motivated, however, to identify and instill some additional strategies that will help minimize the impact of the negative results. This means finding out other ways to fortify the hair to withstand some of the unwanted side effects of frequent manipulation and excessive exposure to air.

.....this will be my area of focus over the next several months......

I don't yet have the solution, but I have implemented a few ideas that have already shown some considerable promise. Some of my other ideas, however, have produced disappointing outcomes. Either way, my focus remains steadfast as I move slowly towards the finish line. The finish line, which seems incredibly far away considering the few unhealthy habits that serve as a handicap. Even though low mid-back may take a bit longer than someone else in the same scenario who hides and doesn't constantly fondle their hair, it is not an impossible task. If courageous individuals born without natural limbs can win foot races, a fondling non-protective styler like me can have long hair.

So what about you?

What hair goals are you striving for at the moment? Do you have any hindering habits that keep you from moving forward? Are those habits worth holding on to despite their obvious repercussions?

You want to take it to the next level....What's it gonna take?

Lessons Learned from my last Relaxer Stretch

I'm so excited. I officially accomplished a personal goal of stretching a full 16 weeks. For me, that was the longest relaxer stretch ever! Four months ago, I visited a Dominican salon for a touch up. I walked in there with three months worth of summer new growth growth, I walked out with freshly relaxed bone straight hair and about 3 inches of hair cut off. No, I didn't ask my stylist to cut my hair but, for some reason, she had a strong desire to do a major trim. Looking back, I know exactly why she did it.

I'll get back to that later but the real reason for this post is because I want to discuss all the good and not so good, I experienced over the past four months. I'd like to be as detailed as possible for my own edification. I'm going to use this post as I would an entry in my hair journal, as a way of sealing in the learning from the last four months so I can replicate the successes and course correct in the areas where I struggled.

So let me start by discussing the state of my hair as it is today. The goals I set out four months ago were to eliminate/reduce breakage, increase moisture levels, strengthen strands overall, and last but not least, thicken the look of the my hair overall. Four months later, my hair feels much stronger, is more elastic, and has retained length and thickened. I'm not exactly where I want to be but I'm more than half way there. Now let's get into what I did the past four months.

Nutrition
I tried my best to remain as consistent as possible with vitamin support for my hair. If you remember, the last stretch was when I was introduced to Noridic Naturals purified omega 3 fish oils. I must say that I'm pretty proud of myself on how consistent I've been with these fish oils. I've already gone through my first bottle and and now working through my second (larger size) Nordic Naturals Omega 3. We're partners for life now. Other supplements that I've tried to remain consistent with are my chlorella green tablets. I also take biotin, a vitamin B supplement, and a multi from time to time. One other supplement I started taking fairly consistently was Cell Food. I'm not sure what the benefits to the hair are, if any. I really just take it for overall nutritional support. My main goal when taking the supplements was not growth, I take supplements more for support. My theory is that the hair has to be a strong as possible coming out of the scalp so it can be more resilient when it undergoes the relaxer process. Not sure how much truth there is to my theory but it makes sense on the most basic level so I'm stickin' with it. Oh, and I should also mentioned that I reintroduced carrot juice back into the line up late into my stretch. I went to the grocery store one day and found Bolthouse farm juice in new larger sizes. The minute I saw it, I knew I had to get a piece of that action. One area that we struggle most with when taking our vitamins is consistency. What I tried to do was not get down on myself if I missed a day here and there. I just started right where I left off and kept it moving.

Routines
As you may already know, I don't hide my hair like I "should". I know of the incredible benefits of protective styling so I gave in a little this last stretch. I didn't bun more than normal last stretch, what I did do was tie my hair up with my scarf more often. So instead of laying on my couch watching a movie, I'd lay on the couch with my hair tied up while watching a movie. I should also take a moment to say that I love my silk scarf much more than my satin (polyester) ones. This year, I'll be beefing up silk scarf collection. I think my husband is tired of seeing me in the same leopard print design day after day. I have no problem tying my hair up because I think of it as a way of recharging my hair. As my hair is exposed all day, it's kinda like having your cell phone off the charger. Sure you can use it all day but sooner or later, you'll have to charge it to get maximum benefit. You best believe that I'll be continuing this habit over the next 3-4 months.

Another technique I implemented over the past three months was using a plastic cap in the morning's as a way of enhancing moisture. What I tried to do was use the plastic cap to simulate humidity and create a slightly damp feel on the hair. Once the hair felt slightly damp (after about 5-10 minutes), I'd remove the plastic cap, add some Gleau oil and tie the hair down with a silk scarf to seal. This technique really helped with me with dryness issues, especially during the winter months when the air is drier than normal. I hope this technique continues to impact my hair positively going forward. Another routine I implemented was trimming according to the lunar cycle. I don't know if that attributed to more growth but I will say that I trimmed more last stretch than I've done in a while. At one point during my stretch, I trimmed just for the heck of it only to find out that the lunar calendar trim was only a few weeks away. I trimmed anyway and I still retained length overall.

I think the area where I made my biggest progress overall was in my weekly wash routine. Over the past four months, I've been nursing one side of my hair which seemed to struggle more than the other side. With the introduction of my facial steamer to my routine. I was able to dedicate a little more effort to the pre-poo step. This extra attention was absolutely critical to the progress I made this last stretch. Week after week, I spent a large amount of time paying attention to the areas of my hair that needed the most attention. Four months later....progress. I'm not right where I want to be yet, but I am much closer to seeing the light than ever before. I treat my wash routine unlike anything else in my life. There are certain other practices that I'd like to remain consistent on but I have to admit, it sometimes still is a struggle for me. Not with my wash routine. There is never (ever) even the hint of deviation from my routine. My mind never debates whether I should carry out the extended pre-poo step or whether I should skip it this one time. Never! Now if only I can transfer that level of dedication to some of the other areas of my life.

Products
Over the past four months, I used pretty much the same staples. The only new products I used were the Asience conditioner, and I also purchased Burt's Bees Hair Repair Shea and Grapefruit deep conditioner. I didn't do an official review post on this product because I don't really use it for it's intended purposes. It's supposed to be a 2 minute treatment but I've been using it consistently in my pre-poos. The ingredients are more in line with a moisturizing conditioner than a 2 minute treatment. Since it contained practically no proteins, I put it to use for other purposes. So far so good. Overall, my routine has been a moisture routine with a little protein mixed in. Since my hair doesn't appreciate protein like it should, I sneak the protein into it's food as one would a stubborn child who won't take it's medicine. This method works really well for me so far, but as always, if there's a better way, I'll find it and I'll chuck this routine without even batting an eye.

Struggles
I'd like to talk a little about where I struggled and what I'll do going forward to avoid or minimize the issues I experienced. This stretch just happened to land right in the middle of shedding season. Every year, around fall, my hair begins it's shedding ritual. The crazy amount of shedding pretty much created the worse bout of tangles I've ever experienced in my life. Even after I relaxed, I had beaucoup tangles to contend with. I take 100% accountability for what I had to go through when I spent pretty much all day babying tangles out of my hair. That's the reason why the lady at the Dominican salon cut my hair last relaxer, they neither had the time nor the patience to deal with my hair's issues. When I stretch, I have the tendency to detangle the length of the hair, while overlooking the roots. What I do is allow the roots to remain in it's compacted position without doing my due diligence in detangling. Meanwhile, my shed coils are getting even more deeply intertwined with it's neighbors. I can't let this happen ever again, so I'll have to do a major detangle at least once a week during my pre-poo so I can release all the hair that's been shed throughout the week. If I find that once a week ain't cuttin' it, I'll increase the frequency. Not only will I play defense by detangling on a regular basis, I'll also have to play some offense and implement strategies that slow the amount shedding.

So here I stand ready to begin another long stretch. I've got a lot to look forward to. I hope to learn even more about my hair this go around. And with the focus on uber-healthy ingredients like ceramides and such, only good things will come about I'm sure. If I had to attribute anything to the success of the past stretch, I would say it was consistency. One thing I could certainly say about my last stretch is that I maintained a laser like focus pretty much the entire time. I knew the day would come when I would enjoy the wonderful fruits of my labor in the form of healthier hair. Today, I look back and smile proudly at what I was able to accomplish. Again, I'm not talking so much about the results as I am the focus and dedication level. As long as these remain, the results will follow. Thanks you all for being in it with me for the long haul. Now enough talking about the past, I'm ready to focus on what's next for my hair.

Thanks for listening.