One Year Later: A Trip to the Hair Shop

So, last year I made a vow to never put scissors on my hair as a means of retaining length....Well fast forward a year later, lets just say the split-ends were nagging me and I had to make the trip.

Went to the Hair shop today, don't really have a usual stylist since I do my hair myself so...it was a new lady who did it, claimed to do natural hair as she was natural herself. Yes. she was natural but....never again.

Don't get me wrong, as sweet as sweet can be, but....she didn't know her products - at least when it came to heat + natural hair. The past 2 stylists I've been to in the past, have been able to cut through my thick hair with their blow-dryer like a warm knife through a cold stick of butter.

Yes. she used a heat protectant spray but nothing specially formulated for blow-drying. While both former stylist refused to disclose the name of the product that made blow-drying my hair such a breeze, I do know for sure that the product had some conditioning properties. I repeat, this was merely a heat protectant spray - my hair needs more than that. Heat protectant with softening agent = easy hair.

Needless to say, she had her work cut out for her. My hair neither bent nor broke to her wished. She pulled, she tugged, she yanked....and so on. She did the best she could and trimmed the edges per my request.

The ordeal was over after 30 minutes of hair and scalp abuse. My hair was standing straight-up in a blown-out afro with crinkly ends. Though, I did not expect my hair to fall down after blow-drying, I DID expect it not to have crinkly ends....a testament to her not knowing her products.

Once again, if she did the blow-dryer + right product its capable of straightening the thickest hair from root to tip. Obviously not bone straight like you'd get with a flat-iron. But, straight - as in no curly crinkles at the end.

Any she charged $30 and I gave her $40.....I guess you could think of it as a goodbye tip. Never again. The lesson learned is - I have enough resources at my finger-tips via Youtube and google that I CAN and Need to be my own hairdresser from now on. The goal of the salon trip was to get my ends trimmed. That could have been accomplished right here in this house.

All I'd have to do was watch a few videos to know what products to get....just like I do when my hair's in its coily state. Lesson Learned. .....@ least it was a decent way to gauge my length. The hair is right on track. Growing thick. strong and wonderful.

Baking Soda: Shampoo

So, why don't naturals use baking soda to wash their hair??And if they do...Im just Now getting in on it.

I've used it for 2 weeks now and lets just say....I Will Be Stocking Up On Baking Soda ASAP. PRONTO.

1. Clean- Sparkling Clean Scalp and Strands
2. Soft - Detangles while washing - SOFT!!!! I'm talking almost don't-need-no-conditioner-after-washing- SOFT!!! Heaven knows a product that achieves this feat on tightly-coiled curls....deserves some Spotlight.

Well, don't know if the reviews are out there already or not (I'm sure they are cuz us naturals be slapping e'rythin on our heads @ least ONCE) But here's another one!

Hair Growth Update: Wigs + Braids + Hair oils

@ Amasha - I used Gogo Curl hair by Freetress for my crochet braids.

Update: I took my crochet braids out about 3 wks ago now. Henna'd it and braided it by itself no fake hair added in an upward kinda pineapple shaped pattern for 2 wks.

I took out the braids yesterday - Crazy growth!!! Then I conditioned with banana + molasses + magnesium mixture. Slapped it on my head and went to sleep. Washed it out in the morning and it made my hair feel very strong, full and thick. Plus it looked darker and shinier...Lord knows I luvs me some dark hair.

So I have transitioned from crochet braids to wigs. Because I realized that I like easy access to my scalp for when I oil it every night and just even for fresh air and what not.

The secret to my success so far is not only the ultimate protective styling of braids + wigs but OILS. My current mixture is Castor oil + Brahmi/Alma oil + Hempseed oil + Flaxseed oil and a kitchen sinkful of essential oils including Peppermint & Eucalyptus oil.

Needless to say, I'll be sticking to this regime for a long while.

@ Kay

Thanks for the helpful tip Kay! I'll be sure to get out my measuring tape or ruler next time I take out the weave to start documenting my hair growth.
Honestly...the way my hair shrinks, its like magic right in front of your eyes. 7inches-to-1inch in the blink of an eye - Abrakadabra for real!!!

Aussie Moist Conditioner: To Keep yo' Weave from Lookin' Tired

Tip of the Day:

For anyone out there rocking a weave, wig, wig-a-weaver, whatever. When your all of the above starts looking tired. Go get you some Aussie Moist conditioner (in the purple bottle) and your wig-a-weave or whatever will spring back shiny and new.

Looks like the same concept that works for natural hair works for synthetic hair as well. Just rake the Aussie Conditioner through your situation and head out the door. Bounce and Shine...You'll have everybody thinking it sprouts straight ouch yo head.

That's my tip for the day. Peace & Afro grease...much luv in the middle eas'

P.S. I'm seriously contemplating Biotin....

Growth: The Verdict is In

The weave lasted almost 2 months. It was looking a tad tired and rageddy so it had to be gone. As for my hair underneath, the result is still a mystery in mind.

When I was unraveling my cornrows my hair was nice and soft which I attributed to my alternate days of oiling my scalp and the periodic washing of my entire head in those 2 months. But it didn't look like it grew any. It just looked like it looked before I braided it.

Then when I washed my hair, it was super-super-super coily. Like it went back to its original state for real. I'm talking coils straight from the mother land. My hair shrunk so much after I washed it, got me thinking maybe I lost hair instead of getting some.

But while I was combing sections of it with a rat tail comb so I could braid it and start the process all over again, it did look a tad longer.

So, the conclusion is .....idk. Maybe it takes a bit longer than 2 months to see an apparent growth in length. I'll just have to wait and see the result after this new one I just put in.

One Big Con: The Itch

One con of this crochet hair deal: the itch from hell.

My journey into the world of fake hair continues and will probably stay that way for a long while because I want my length back. Volume, I have aplenty but I'm length starved.

My crochet braided hair is still going strong only because I found a cure for The Itch. Four days into my crocheted hair and my scalp was not having it. It was an itch that I cannot describe, like a gazillion lice eggs were dumped on my scalp and they all spontaneously began to hatch at the same time. Even describing it right now makes my scalp itch.

Anyhoo, I couldn't take it anymore so I mixed some cups of vinegar with water and poured it over my head, then I stuck my head under the spout and turned the water on full force...All I can say is, it was almost like experience nirvana...ecstasy like no other.

Then I stumbled upon...Peppermint oil - my saving grace. I added it into my already made oil along with whatever else was in their. For my scalp, it was like biting into a york peppermint pattie...you know that sensation of icy-cool that your taste buds get when you bite into one, well imagine that feeling on my scalp!

In between oil applications, which is pretty much nightly, I apply my ready made vinegar+water mixture. Spray it into a paper towel or cotton ball and gently rub it on my scalp.

These tips have been the saving grace for my scalp with this crochet braids. If not, 4 days later, I'd have pulled out the scissors and chopped off all the hard work I'd accomplished just 4 days before. I'd have been a shame. Thank God for the inspiration.