Random Thoughts :)

Wow...I feel like its been a few lifetimes since I posted here. In all of my excitement about seeing my hair straight again, I failed to realize that it would leave me without all of the hair experiences that I seemed to have almost daily when curly...and therefore blog-less :(

But I had a random hair thought today, so why not share it here???

My hair feels soooo incredibly healthy right now, and I LOVE it. My color has grown out soooooo much, but even the colored part feels good...nothing like how it used to feel years ago when I had my first color! Thank goodness for healthier hair care practices...I pretty much only put heat on it during the wash/blow dry/flat iron process. In between I keep it styled either by wrapping, rolling, or pincurling.

Speaking of color...I soooooo want to keep my color this time. Unfortunately, the recession has postponed that game plan. :( For now, I have to stick with my DIY options...and though I was pleased with my homemade bangs (I'll have to make a separate post about that, complete with pics, later), my coloring skills are just no where near my stylist's...So for now I guess I'll just have to rock the grown out roots! *sigh*

Silky Again (WITH PICS)!

So after the conditioner buildup debacle, I finally went back (later that weekend) and rewashed to get all the buildup out. This time I blow dried & flat ironed....and I LOVE it! My hair is shiny and swangin!!! I tried to search & destroy some of the splits & knots on my ends, but I gave up somewhere around the back of my head. I actually had VERY few splits, but the knots were another story. I'm still snipping here and there when I see some, so maybe by the time I wash again, all of my bad ends will be gone!

I'm definitely going to be rocking this look until it gets too warm again.

ETA: Here's the process I followed...

1) washed with Ion Straightening Shampoo (I lathered & rinsed twice)

2) deep conditioned with Lustrasilk Cholesterol...it was a mix of about 95% Shea Butter Cholesterol & 5% Aloe Vera Cholesterol, covered w/ saran wrap, and sat under the dryer for about 20 min, then rinsed

3) protein conditioned with Aphogee 2 min keratin reconstructor, and rinsed

4) towel dried

4) applied Garnier Fructis sleek & shine leave-in conditioner, then a heat protectant spray

5) separated my hair into 4 sections, secured each in a bantu knot, and sat under the dryer for another 20 min or so (just to remove some of the moisture, and cut down some of the blow drying time)

6) blow dried each section

7) flat ironed each section

....and voila!

Product DRAMA!!!! :(

I was trying to wait for it to get a little cooler before I start rocking the straight looks, but my impatience kicked in, so today I decided to wash & rollerset. Well, as I'm detangling in the shower, I noticed some spots that were a little more difficult to get through than others...but they weren't tangled! The strands were "welded" together with product build up!! :( :( :(

Apparently, all that ORS that I'd been leaving in, combined with half done co-washes (ie not sectioning the hair like I know I should), turned into a not so nice combination that not only doubled my detagling time, but also increased the time it took me to rollerset.

So...lesson....or shall I say lessonS...learned.

1) As much as I loved my slicked back ponytail this summer, I have to curb the prolonged use of 1 style...I feel if I would have switched it up more, I would have caught this problem sooner.

2) I MUST stop being lazy and give my co-washes the time & energy I need to to keep my hair clean.


ETA: The buildup aftermath continued this morning after I removed the rollers. Apparently all of my efforts last night still only removed part of the product, so I was still trying to get more out today. And now my hair feels all ewwww-y & gunky. I will be re-washing & styling in the next couple of days. :(

Feenin..

That's right...I'm just itching to rock a bomb a** roller set...I'm suddenly soooooo over the washn & go look right now. But alas I need some protein conditioner first, cause other wise it will be a hot frizzy mess. Doesn't somebody out there wanna sponsor a sista?!?!?

Sooooo Thankful!

Today I was checking out a hair board where I lurk, and I must say that I am so thankful for my experiences with stylists. Many of these ladies are incredibly distrustful of professionals, and some have had some horrendous experiences. :( I've been to so many stylists in my life, and never had any of the hair damaging experiences that I've read about. I mean, I can't imagine not anticipating the pampering, relaxation, chit chat, and everything else that comes along with an upcoming salon visit.

Whew! Thank goodness for great stylists!! I'm off to make my next appointment now! :)

Bye Bye Curls...

...at least for now. I've been learning and loving my curls & waves pretty much nonstop for the last year and a half, and I think its time to switch things up. It's goodbye Curly Pudding and hello flat iron...at least for the next few months. I'll be rocking presses & rollersets for the fall, winter & spring...at least until its warm enough for me to sweat.

I'll be sure to post some pics!

PRODUCT RAVE - ORS Replenishing Conditioner

I absolutely LOOOOOOOOOVE this conditioner by Organic Root Salon. I decided to try it for 2 reasons....

1) detangling has become more and more of a hassle, & a friend (*waves @ Outtie*) said it was great for detangling, and

2) with my hair newly colored AND me having used the last of my Miss Jessie's Buttercream, I was in need of some serious moisture

Man...this condish definitely takes care of both! It smells GREAT (like freshly sliced oranges), has a lot of natural ingredients, and keeps my hair moisturized & frizz free. I use it to detangle, then add a little more after my final rinse and use it as a leave-in.

It's kind of expensive ($11 for about 23oz), but its sooooo worth it, and you can find it at Sally's.

So yeah...if you have dry hair, see about it! :)