The best part of my teen years

Has now come back to me!!! My favorite hair stylist, the only person who I would ever trust with my weaves, is back on the scene!! I missed her, and even went on the prowl to "look" for her (that's better than saying being so obsessed that I was scouring the internet for two years lol). I found out she got married, and didn't even find out her last name. Needless to say, my search ended up with nothing but goose egg, zilch, nada. Grant it I have one of my best friends who just so happens to be finishing up hair school, but there's only one person who will actually do my weave (no offense to my bff, but this woman used to listen to my demands even if it meant I didn't know what I was talking about lol).
Anyways she's living out our Capricorn dream, she owns and operates the salon (high five, if one of us was going to do it, it was her). Her name is Shawn, and the name is Salon LaShawn located right at Boulevard at the Capital. http://salonlashawn.com/

My twisting concoction

Okay so I stole this idea from a fellow BHM (Black Hair Media) member, in an effort to prevent myself spending more money. She said that in order for her to make her Garnier Fructis Soft Curl Cream (may it R.I.P or live on in it's cousin the putty) from being tacky she added conditioner. She didn't say the ratios, so I'm right now testing it out for myself. I made it in small batches, like to hear it? Well here it goes!
2 small scoops (I'm using the tip of a plastic fork)
3 big squirts of Tresemme Vitamin E conditioner
2 squirts of my oil concoction (this was added because I like the fact I could make it in to a 3 in 1 product: moisturize, seal and style)

Blend until creamy, almost the consistency of I would say a good thick conditioner.
*Oil concoction: I'm using the remainder of my WGO (Wild Growth Oil), a few drops of Avocado oil, 2 squirts of castor oil, 2 small squirts of CoCasta oil blend, a couple of drops of peppermint EO (you really can't even tell it's in there), and olive oil.
Right now the twists are buttery soft, and they haven't unraveled so I think that's mission accomplished as of now. I'll let you guys know when I take them out tomorrow, and plus not a total loss since I can co-wash my hair if it sucks, lol.

Poor AJ

She's been cursed with Mommy and Daddy's dry hair. It's like no matter what I use her hair slurps it right on up. I have even gone as far as doing a conditioning treatment on her hair, which her other grandmother washed out the same weekend using her cheap shit (yes I'm heated by this because I didn't tell her to wash her hair). I have nothing against cheap products, but if you're going to use them please read the ingredients (if you don't want it in your hair don't use it for my child)...I digress, but poor baby hair needs like a good spritzing of water/moisturizer like 3x a day everyday lol.
So, I got a free sample from Wally World (Wal-Mart) of the Roots of Nature Remedies from SoftSheen Carson. The samples included the Reconstructing Deep Treatment, and Strenghtening Oil Moisturizer. I used the Oil Moisturizer on her hair, and ewwww it's really an OIL moisturizer. The first four ingredients: water, glycine sobja oil (soybean oil), glycerin, and coconut oil were decent, but then it's like after everything else that's in their the green tea and shea butter are like smack dab in the middle. Let's just say this, we won't be using it again. Yeah it made her hair soft, not easier to comb and left a greasy film on her hair. I don't even get that when I add straight oil to her hair (well after the leave-in), so this shall go in the "good try, but no cigar" pile.

It's already looking like my baby has her Daddy's 4b hair, with a few coils in there courtesy of Mommy...so if you have a child with a similar hair situation please do not hesitate to share your tips. This is another reason why Mommy decided to go ahead to become natural. I have to know how to take care of her hair, so must start again with mines. *le sigh* Time to go into battle to pick out this afro of hers because she hates hair time lol.

What do you use to pre-poo?

Yes I am asking you because it's spring time, and I want to know if you changed up your pre-poo methods.
*I'm trying to get some input from everyone! :-)*

Oh a hair update

Okay so this is one of those random things...okay my hair needed some type of moisture/protein balance because you can finally tell that I was texturizing my hair. Like while sitting around with my pre-poo...I have to pre-poo because if I don't my hair will be tangled mess. My pre-poo consists of Suave Coconut conditioner, CoCasta Shikaki Oil (from Hairveda.com), some extra castor oil, and some avocado oil. I heat up everything in the microwave for about 20 seconds, apply to my hair, and put two plastic bags on my head then cover with a bonnet. Let it sit for...pretty much forever lol. I mean the curls/waves popped, and for one quick second I was like "hmmm maybe I need to just do like Che' (my BFF whose a cosmetology student) suggested?" She said for me to do it 2x a year instead of my 6x year, but honestly I the only chemicals I want in my hair are from my rinses and other dye I use.
Oh and I finally washed my hair the correct way with the Dr. Bronner's soap. The other two times I used it, I used it straight up. Yeah so obviously I didn't think it was concentrated because it made my hair squuuuuuuueaky clean. So, this time I used the soap (Peppermint), added some Hollywood Beauty Olive Oil, and water (1:1:2 ratio) with 3 drops of extra peppermint oil. Tingly untangled goodness is what came of this, and I will be using this method for a long time now. I guess I will have to switch it up from time to time with my other shampoos, but this helped a lot with softening up my roots for detangling.
I guess that's it....lol yeah that's it.

I need your input

Okay so I've been looking for a decent leave-in. I love my Herbal Essences LTR, but right now hair is slurping it up like a wanderer in the dessert. I want to like the Whipped Clouds thought I bought (sample sized on purpose), but I still think my hair needs a better base. Would anyone recommend Shea Moisture Shea Butter leave-in?

I've bought the shampoo many years ago, when I was 100% bone straight relaxed, and actually liked, but found a better product in Cream of Nature green bottle. My hair does like the Whipped Ends (also sample sized), but once again sluuurrrrrrrp lol. I would recommend this for those who aren't suffering from dehydrated hair, just slightly thirsty hair.
All recommendation will be accepted, but mainly leave-ins please and thanks (Vaseline is NOT A LEAVE-IN, BUT SEALER).

Okay I found my other Hairspiration!!!

Nadia Turner! Her and I have similar hair, well at least according to this picture. For those who don't know I've natural before, and I do know what my natural hair looks like after being properly moisturized and taken care of.




Oh yes for my fellow transitioners I will like to recommend this article from a fellow blogger http://www.textureplayground.com/blog/?p=333. This article will help you establish some form of routine for when you want to put together a routine to assist with transitioning. Here's a little bit:

Start establishing a routine that you can continue well after you cut the relaxed ends. Make conditioning and moisturizing your hair a priority. Hair that is well moisturized is much easier to care for. Once a week, wash your hair and follow with a moisturizing conditioner. Put a plastic cap over your hair for about 30 minutes or seat under a dryer for 15 minutes. Your new growth should be a lot softer after conditioning. Stay away from heat as best as possible, so roller set instead of blow drying your hair. Once your hair is dry, go ahead and style. Avoid styles that require you to comb through your hair very often.

Sidebar, I heard that people are now adding 2 more hair types...why???? People are already getting confused with the four hair types that are out there already, why add to the confusion? lol

My hair care from high school up until my freshman year of college

My hair regimen was so simple back then, and I really don't know what went wrong. I guess once I started getting so involved with life (working, commuting to school, and not having the funds) I stopped really being as less obsessed. So this is me trying to remember what I did, and maybe I can try to see what I need to go back to the way things were.

High School/ Freshman Year Regimen

• co-washed my hair like every other day with any conditioner that was in the bathroom (Suave, Motions CPR, Pantene, etc.)
• shampooed my hair over the weekend because that way I could just sit there under the dryer and chill
• rarely used heat because my hair was either pulled back in a ponytail, or in a wrap style
• rarely used hair dye, just a lot of rinses because I lifted my hair at least 2x a year
• used hair grease, it helped my seborrheic dermatitis
• went to the beauty parlor at least 2x a month in high school, and once a month in college
• wore protective styles when life got busier; weaves, cornrows, ponytails
• got a trim when the seasons changed (Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer)
• texlaxed when I didn't know anything about it, I just didn't want my hair bone straight because it had no body at all
• during the summer didn't even bother with relaxing because I was so lazy, that if I wanted my hair straight I would just air dry in a bun and press my roots with a flat/curling iron. Most of the time my relaxers were about 4-5 times a year
• faithfully gave myself a deep conditioning treatment 2x a month, and a hot oil treatment once a month
• worked out everyday: I was in dance and took a gym class every other semester, and in college I was always speed walking to classes (I lived in the back of campus and was always rushing) and going to as many parties as possible
• was a wash and go queen: co-wash and add some settimg lotion and was out!

Like I really knew what I was doing back then because I would purposely cut my hair to my mid-neck just to see how fast I could get it to grow. Maybe I need to go back to those days of hair care by keeping it very simple.