Baggying...Moisture

Boy oh boy one thing I have learnt about my natural hair is that it just looooves moisture. I was preparing to do a shampoo wash but my hair was really dry :(. I decided to do something I haven't done before and deep condition overnight, in fact I deep conditioned for almost 24 hours. Coincidentally Sunshyne from Hairlista has just posted a blog post of how she DCs overnight http://www.hairliciousinc.com/.
This is what I did:
1. Divided my hair into about four sections without combing (I can't comb my new growth when it's dry) and applied my moisturising DC (Elasta QP-DPR 11) from root to tip
2. Then I detangled my hair because it was coated in this DC using a wide tooth comb
3. I bunned my hair and covered it with a plastic bag which I tied and put a satin bonnet on top
4. Woke up in the morning, left my bonnet on for a while
5. About 18 hours after putting the DC in (the next afternoon) I applied carrot oil to my hair and covered again with a towel
6. I then proceeded to shampoo my hair in the shower about two hours later
My hair was sooo easy to detangle! I would definitely do this again if my hair gets this dry again. Such a time saver and low fuss.
So I have 5 Tips for Transitioners (or even Relaxed heads with New Growth):
1. If you have thick, coarse 4A hair like mine don't even think about combing it when dry. I already have some breakage at my crown from doing this :(. After 9 weeks post I could only detangle with a wide tooth comb on wash days when my hair is wet
2. Moisture, moisture and more moisture (unless you are protein sensitive). I use a moisture DC 2x week and also had to moisturise and seal my new growth daily after about 9 weeks post otherwise it was just too dry
3. Lay off the heat, try not to flat iron your new growth too much because it can lead to heat damage/loss of curl. If you must use direct heat try and use it not more then 1x month and even then remember the heat protectant.
4. Do attempt styles such as flexi rod sets, bantu knots and braidouts to blend the new growth with relaxed ends. I tried this but my new growth does not blend it stands out like a sore thumb :/
5. Patience is key, whether it is when you are combing or styling. Gentle handling of your hair prevents breakage!

Saran Wrap Using Caruso Rollers

I got this idea of youtube, instead of wet roller-setting I used my Caruso rollers (the largest ones, red colour) after I moisturised and sealed. Rollers out:

 My roots were a little dry from the steam so I had to moisturise again. I then wrapped my hair and then put saran wrap over my hair and sat under my hooded dryer for 10 minutes. I then brushed my hair out surprisingly it worked and I will be doing this again, it definitely had that swing and felt almost like I just left a hairdresser.

Results:

Close up of hair texture:

I need to improve my picture-taking, digital camera shots coming soon :)

Braidout Tip! Picture Heavy :)

I did a braidout, I plaited my hair:

 Took it out the next day:

I wasn't very pleased with the results as you can see the ends are straight.
Then I watched this video by Buildable Beauty: http://www.youtube.com/user/BuildableBeauty#p/search/2/yhOUSjTN7lM
This video reccommends plaiting the hair after washing and then setting the hair on flexi rods. So I then shampooed my hair (Creme of Nature detangling shampoo) added my leave-ins (Herbal Essences LTR, Aphogee Pro-Vitamin) and moisturised and sealed. Then plaited my hair, set on 5 flexi rods:

Left overnight to air dry. Here are the results:

Pinned up:

This is how I may wear it today:

To preserve the style at night, just moisturise and seal, braid and set on flexi rods. I was very pleased with the results, the curls are just so springy! So this is my style for the week and then the following week I might go back to roller setting using my Caruso roller sets. Hope it's been helpful!

How I have been wrapping my hair...

Usually I just tie my hair into a low bun and wrap it in a scarf to go to sleep. However I wanted to preserve my roller set from my relaxer on Friday so I have been trying to wrap my hair. I watched this video by ulovemegz for directions:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eDXaJ6wD9g&playnext=1&list=PL845F6EB055DD787F

I love ulovemegz I reccommend you watch her youtube channel for advice on rollersets, braidouts, flexi rods, products, regimen everything! She definitely inspired me to begin my healthy hair journey or check her website http://www.ulovemegz.com/

:)

Caruso Roller Set

Okay so I got my Caruso Roller set (bargain £18 from Ebay) and it creates curls using steam, so it is not direct heat, does not damage the hair and can be basically used everyday. So here are my tools:

 (L-R): Carrot oil (which I seal with), Elasta QP design silk spray (heat protector/holding spray), wide tooth comb, Caruso steamer (the rollers are placed on top) and Elasta QP mango butter moisturiser.

The Caruso steamer came with rollers of 4 different sizes. I used the jumbo rollers:

Results:

Sorry, about the pictures I can't rotate them :/
I then tried the smaller rollers:

(yes Judge Judy in the background, I love her lol)
Results:

These curls actually lasted 24 hours, so I am pleased with the results. I left the rollers in for about 20 minutes and then took them out. Definitely a great/quick way to curl your hair especially as it doesn't use heat or doesn't involve you sitting under the dryer for hours. I'm pleased with my Caruso.

Wishlist...

Thanks so far to everyone who has followed me- I just realised I have 13 followers so hey!
I did make a resolution not to buy more things/hair products, but I needed a heat protector spray that also gave great hold for my rollersets/braidouts/flexi rod sets so I bought Elasta QP Design Silk Spray £1.59 (about $2.50).
I love the Elasta QP and Organic Root Stimulator line and mostly stick to these ranges for products. My exceptions are my carrot oil, Herbal Essences beautiful ends leave-in and my VO5 clarifying shampoo/conditioner. I am tempted to try Elasta QP's DPR-11 deep conditioner instead oy my ORS Hair Mayonnaise but we'll see when I run out.
I also want to buy this:
http://www.superdrug.com/conditioner/aussie-3-minute-miracle-deep-conditioner-250ml/invt/286120/
Aussie 3 minute miracle and use this as a moisturising deep conditioner. I'm slightly worried that I'm DCing with Hair Mayonnaise 2x week which is a protein DC so I may alternate with the Aussie (though I've heard the smell is dreadful!).
Oh and another item:
Babyliss Hard Hooded Hair Dryer think it's about £20.

Two things I've decided after my relaxer:
1. My next relaxer is April 8th 2011 , so this means a 10 week stretch (my longest was 9 weeks)
2. I want to start rollersetting after co-washing so I need to buy some magnetic rollers. I think I will rollerset on wet hair 1x week and do a braidout 1x week on wet hair.

But as my hair is relaxed now expect more hair tutorials on things like flexi rods, roller setting, braidouts etc.
hhj :)

Corrective Relaxer (Pics Included)

So I FINALLY got my corrective relaxer yesterday! When I say I have been DYING to get this done it is not even an exagerration. I got mine done at the Raquel Wheeler Salon in London I was charged £30 for a relaxer and roller set , I could have got a trim as well (but I didn't want/need that). I will definitely be going to this salon for my future touch ups, the next one will be April 8th (10 week stretch). I did have to wait 45 minutes to be seen but it was Friday evening. The service was good and the hairdresser didn't get annoyed with my numerous questions including: "you're not going to cut my hair are you?", "you're only going to put my relaxer on the regrowth aren't you?" lol.
To prepare for my relaxer, I did a clarifying shampoo on Thursday 20th January and I did a protein treatment on Monday 24th January, I avoided washing my hair afterwards. I then coated my relaxed ends with carrot oil the night before my relaxer to prevent over processing. I used Organic Root Stimulator Extra Strength- my hair did not burn and furthermore my hairdresser applied the relaxer throughout my hair and combed it through and then left it a bit longer in my hair. My gosh my hair must be coarse! Anyway results:

before relaxer:

 after:

before relaxer:

 after relaxer:

I am very happy, my hair is growing (so far 3 people have asked if it's my real hair lol) and I see progress in my ends and the overall health of my hair. I can't stop touching my hair- I can finally get a comb through :)
I will definitely be using this striped shirt in all of my length check pictures now to make comparisons soo much easier.

The Weekend...

I relaxed my mum's hair with Organic Root Stimulator No-Lye relaxer in normal. Why couldn't my hair turn out like this? :( I based her hairline with vaseline before hand, detangled and seperated into four quandrats using hair sectioning clips, started the timer and began applying the relaxer. After we neutralized about 4 times, applied a protein treatment and blow dried.

My mum did ask part way 'why have I not applied the relaxer all the way to the ends of her hair?' I love my mum but smh. NEVER apply relaxer to already processed hair especially if you're self-relaxing. I tried my Caruso roller set just as a trial.

(my undeprocessed roots :( )

Good results but the curls lasted about 30 minutes , so obviously I need a holding spray. The set was very easy to use! Next time, I'll use the smaller rollers to get a better effect.

My next post will most likely be about my corrective relaxer on Friday 28th January!

I just HAD to do it I had to...

Flat iron my new growth! It's the first time I've done this since the first week of December so it's not too bad. First use of direct heat in 2011. It's a jungle in there...

I actually did a good job compared to the last time, I used my Tresemme Heat Protectant and GHD Salon Styler to straighten. Here's a comparison of the new growth and flat ironed hair

My hair's so thick! (type 4A/4B)

Believe me I'm counting down the days till my corrective relaxer, 15 days and counting! I just received my Caruso roller set in the post today so look out for a future post on that!

Flexi Rod FAIL!

With a capital F.
It looked good from the front...

But from the back....

Eurgh, I've made a decision to get a corrective relaxer at the end of this month at the...salon. Yeah I am actually giving up self-relaxing (for now) and handing it over to the hairdresser. I plan to relax with ORS No-Lye Relaxer Extra Strength by the time I get this corrective it will have been 5 weeks since my last (underprocessed) relaxer. I can't wait till then I'm just bunning every day.

First Try at Bantu Knots!

I did about 8 bantu knots in my hair last night using this method:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ninapruitt?blend=2&ob=1#p/search/0/Yt0kIhWAiKk

I moisturised with my Elasta QP mango butter and sealed with coconut oil. I went to sleep and took them out this morning. This was my first try and I still prefer braidouts- I find bantu knots hard to do! But here are the results:

lol I'd call this a fail ------->










So I then pinned it back:

This looked much better pinned back. Maybe I'm not doing the knots tight enough not sure I will be trying again so hopefully I'll improve!