Nail Your Regimen Challenge 2014

[spellinto]

I feel like I post in here a lot please excuse that, but I just want to keep my posts as updated as possible.

My wash days might take a turn for the better This is my second time trying my new airdrying method and I am very pleased with the results. I probably should test for consistency a bit more before I call it a "staple" method but I'm really excited about the results. My ends actually looked really nice when all the water evaporated from my hair! That is huge for me; I've tried to achieve healthy ends from airdrying for SO long and I may finally be on the right track. Again, I need to test it out more for consistent results but I am very happy with my results this time around

Another thing I liked from my airdrying session was how textured my hair looked. I posted photos on my blog. If I keep airdrying successfully, I want to work on improving the health of my crown, edges, and nape, and determining if I should use protein more often.

 

[lamaria211]

I used to much protein last weekend so today I DCd on dry hair for a few hours and my hair feels amazing. I used me its a 10 leave in then sealed that in with chi silk infusion. After air drying 80% I M&S with SM transitioning cream and sealed with EVOCO and JBCO.

 

[missbugg21]

Natural - Relaxed – Texturized/Texlaxed - Transitioning:
Transitioning

Current Length:
APL

Current Products:

• Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque w/ Coconut Oil (deep conditioning pre-poo)
• Shea Moisture Moisture Retention Shampoo (cleanser)
• Aussie Moist Conditioner (detangler)
• S-curl (moisturizer when wearing curly styles)
• ORS Hair Lotion (moisturizer when wearing straight styles)

Current Techniques:
Protective styling and low heat/low manipulation styles to gain and retain length

What in your regimen are trying to nail:
I need to find my holy grail products that are the best for my hair.

What's your starting strategy:
Trial and error without PJism

Anything else you want to share:
I am currently 16 months post relaxer and doing well. I had a set-back in 2013 (severe breakage on the right side of my head). I was planning to do a mini-chop and cut my hair into a SL bob, but I think I'll just keep trimming my hair and keep it at APL. My relaxed ends are fighting against the process, but my natural hair is thriving!

 

[faithVA]

spellinto[/USER];19526353]I feel like I post in here a lot please excuse that, but I just want to keep my posts as updated as possible.

My wash days might take a turn for the better This is my second time trying my new airdrying method and I am very pleased with the results. I probably should test for consistency a bit more before I call it a "staple" method but I'm really excited about the results. My ends actually looked really nice when all the water evaporated from my hair! That is huge for me; I've tried to achieve healthy ends from airdrying for SO long and I may finally be on the right track. Again, I need to test it out more for consistent results but I am very happy with my results this time around

Another thing I liked from my airdrying session was how textured my hair looked. I posted photos on my blog. If I keep airdrying successfully, I want to work on improving the health of my crown, edges, and nape, and determining if I should use protein more often.

Never apologize for frequent posting. Frequent posters are what keep a thread alive. I actually should be thanking you

 

[faithVA]

Welcome missbugg21

 

[faithVA]

Not much going on with my hair while in flat twist extensions. I added additional marshmallow balm to my spritz to see if I could get more slip out of it My edges felt a bit dry so I did an additional spritz last night and was heavy handed with the hazelnut and castor oil I put on after it. I may add a bit more oil to it tonight. Still trying to figure out a recipe for a moisturizing spritz.

 

[BranwenRosewood]

I used my coffee conditioner after I rinsed out my henna yesterday and my hair it! I left it on for 4 hours and after I rinsed it out I did LCB with my Aloe Spritz, Shi-Naturals Shea Butter Lotion and my Shealoe Mix. My hair is still feeling good this morning.

 

[Beany]

This stomach bug has caused me to be even more hair lazy than usual. I haven't done anything to my hair since Sunday night when I baggied. I twisted my hair sunday and have been putting those twists into two big flat twists. I havent m&s, steamed, nothing. Hope my hair doesn't suffer too much, also hope this bug goes away.

 

[Ogoma]

Still have the single braid I did on Sunday. Used aloe gel to neaten it up this morning. Will keep like this until Saturday.

 

[Ogoma]

Got tired of seeing myself in the braid and took it down this morning. Put my hair up in a flexi clip, but it looks different.

My hair, from roots to ends, feels very soft and well-moisturized. I think it is fair to conclude my hair has no problems with cones in rinse out/deep conditioners. It seems to work well.

This is week 2 testing out the Aussie 3 Min. I think I have one or two more uses out of this bottle. I will make my final determination when I finish the bottle.

 

[snoop]

This stomach bug has caused me to be even more hair lazy than usual. I haven't done anything to my hair since Sunday night when I baggied. I twisted my hair sunday and have been putting those twists into two big flat twists. I havent m&s, steamed, nothing. Hope my hair doesn't suffer too much, also hope this bug goes away.

Hope you get better soon!

I was all excited to straighten my hair last year for a length check. I think I waited about 6 months (planning, gathering the right tools, researching how to do it without damaging my hair.) Now that it's been straight for a week, I'm itching for the weekend to come so that I can wash it out and throw some twists in it and go back ot my routine. I haven't moisturized all week and I don't think that my hair is missing it because of the amount of pressing cream that I'd used, but still, I'm itching to just LOC and GE. The grass is always greener, right?

 

[Angel of the North]

Still have the single braid I did on Sunday. Used aloe gel to neaten it up this morning. Will keep like this until Saturday.

This is a style that holds moisture for me too, I'm going to bun a single braid nest week and try and keep it in for a few days. I'm waiting for my silk bonnets and will use these to try and help me to achieve that. I have started to heavy seal my ends with butter after the oil so I'm now back on the LCOB instead of the LCO, I will monitor how that goes, I'm doing it once a day but will increase to twice a day if I feel it's necessary. I am due to dust in 3 weeks and I can't wait, until then I will continue to baby my ends.

I'm liking the simplicity of my regimen but I may have to go back to weekly DC's if I cannot maintain moisture for two weeks it also means that it will take double the time to use up my stash. I'm enjoying the journey and taking it one step at a time, I'm also enjoying revisiting old products and testing out new ones.

 

[CodeRed]

Found another ingredient that works for my hair: Fenugreek paste. It's cheap. It's healthy. It makes my hair soft and dry scalp disappear. I like it very much

 

[CodeRed]

This weeks herb will be Nettle. My first application will be as the liquid in today's henna.

My mix is

75% Henna
25% Cassia
1tbsp Hibiscus Powder
1tbsp Honey Powder
2 tsp Irish Moss Powder
Strongly brewed Nettle tea
2tbsp Nettle infused Safflower oil
squirt of lemon juice

I'll apply it in an hour and leave it on overnight.

BranwenRosewood

That nettle is some good stuff. I use it in my tea spray and it softens my hair more than any other tea I've used. I hope you had success with it.

 

[faithVA]

BranwenRosewood

That nettle is some good stuff. I use it in my tea spray and it softens my hair more than any other tea I've used. I hope you had success with it.

That is good to know

 

[faithVA]

Found another ingredient that works for my hair: Fenugreek paste. It's cheap. It's healthy. It makes my hair soft and dry scalp disappear. I like it very much

I've just started using the fenugreek paste. I've only used it twice but so far so good

 

[faithVA]

This is a style that holds moisture for me too, I'm going to bun a single braid nest week and try and keep it in for a few days. I'm waiting for my silk bonnets and will use these to try and help me to achieve that. I have started to heavy seal my ends with butter after the oil so I'm now back on the LCOB instead of the LCO, I will monitor how that goes, I'm doing it once a day but will increase to twice a day if I feel it's necessary. I am due to dust in 3 weeks and I can't wait, until then I will continue to baby my ends.

I'm liking the simplicity of my regimen but I may have to go back to weekly DC's if I cannot maintain moisture for two weeks it also means that it will take double the time to use up my stash. I'm enjoying the journey and taking it one step at a time, I'm also enjoying revisiting old products and testing out new ones.

Your regimen sounds really good. I'm glad you are finding what works for you. What cream, butter and oil are you using?

 

[faithVA]

Beany[/USER];19530835]This stomach bug has caused me to be even more hair lazy than usual. I haven't done anything to my hair since Sunday night when I baggied. I twisted my hair sunday and have been putting those twists into two big flat twists. I havent m&s, steamed, nothing. Hope my hair doesn't suffer too much, also hope this bug goes away.

Hope you feel better soon. Your hair will hold up until you can get to it.

 

[faithVA]

I'm trying a lot of new things out tonight. Instead of using shampoo I used Duafe Naturals ACV Mist to cleanse my scalp. I DCd with L'Oreals Moisture Mask for about 1.5 hours with out heat. After rinsing I put on AIA leave-in which has a ph of 7 and baggied. I spritzed with the ACV mist which has a ph between 4 and 4.5 to see if adjusting the ph would help lock in moisture. I put hazelnut oil on each section, spritzed with marshmallow balm mist which is also a ph of 4 and then used different creams on each section. I used Dax Bergamot on the right, Dax Olive Oil on the left and Qhemet Burdock Root on the back with castor oil on the ends. I am now under the dryer, drying my twist.

I know I am trying a lot of new things but I am following an instinct and hoping something works

 

[sissimpson]

While I was on vacation, I made 3 visits to the steamroom. One time I put a DC on my hair, and sat in there for about 30 minutes. Unsure about the results, will really need more testing. One thing for sure; my hair likes to be washed EVERY week.

 

[BranwenRosewood]

I'm going to hold off on the mud-washing possibly until August like I originally planned. I have a huge bottle of Garnier Pure Clean, Suave Naturals and Natty Moist that I need to use up before I make any big changes. I've going to start mixing my ayurvedic powders with the conditioners I need to use up and make them my mid-week DC. I'm also going to hold off on testing herbs and teas until I know how make hair reacts to the doctored conditioners.

 

[alanaturelle]

UGH!!! My entire post somehow just got deleted. Anyhoo, just stopping by to say that when I took my bun down today, my hair wasn't as dry as it was last week. So throwing one overnight baggy worked and I'll be doing the same thing for the remaining of winter. Right now, I'm prepooing overnight and will cowash, and deep condition tomorrow.

I have a party to attend tomorrow afternoon so I might do a twist updo but my hair will go back to bun on Sunday night, .

 

[Angel of the North]

Your regimen sounds really good. I'm glad you are finding what works for you. What cream, butter and oil are you using?

faithVA on this occasion:
Cream = Bee Mine deja's milk
Butter = mix of oils blended with shea butter
Oil = avocado oil

I'm still figuring out the butters but I have my staple oils locked down already and I mix them up throughout the year(some work better during winter/summer:
Avocado oil
Grapeseed oil
Papaya oil
Sunflower oil
Carrot oil
HOT6 oil

I'm revisiting castor oil for sealing my ends and would like to try pumpkin seed oil and JBCO too.

 

[Angel of the North]

Although this thread is great for keeping a track of what I'm doing, how and when, I have taken my finger of the button when it comes to recording my hair practices and the journey. I will at some stage backdate the info in my journal. I also want to do monthly progress shot, not necessarily a length check but keeping a visual log of my hair's progress throughout the year.

 

[uofmpanther]

Sure. I eyeball my oil ratio, so I'll pull out my measuring spoons tomorrow and try to give actual measurements. I've been meaning to do actual measurements for some time now, so this will force me to do it.

faithVA - Sorry! Tomorrow turned into several days later because work turned crazy. I finally pulled out my measuring spoons. Here are rough estimates of my oil/water spritz. I use a 4 oz spray bottle, add the following, then fill it to the top with water:

• 1.5 teaspoons of Oil (I usually use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of Castor Oil, Grapeseed Oil and Avocado Oil; but, sometimes, I use olive oil or double-up on one)
• 5 drops of Rosemary Oil (I get headaches if I add too much)
• 10-15 drops of Peppermint essential oil
• 10-15 drops of Lavender Tea Tree essential oil

In the summer, I add about 1-2 teaspoons of glycerin

 

[Ogoma]

Pre-pooing with just coconut oil on dry hair. I used very little because I can't have it get on my face or I break out.

 

[spellinto]

I used two new products last night. I detangled with Pantene Pro-V Moisture Mist Detangler. I liked it a lot as a detangler but less as a source of moisture. It gave a lot of slip but I needed to pair it with my moisturizer before combing. My hair, including my roots, felt about 90% tangle free afterwards, so I'm impressed Moisturized, sealed, and lightly coated my edges, nape, and crown with Jamaican Mango & Lime JBCO. I like this stuff so far, moreso than other brands of castor oil I've tried. I haven't experienced any negative effects from either product, but of course I'll keep testing for consistency.

 

[Ogoma]

Finished the Aussie 3 Min on my front sections so needed to use Giovanni on my back sections.

I really like the Aussie 3 min and the Giovanni Olive & Avocado was a first impression hit. I need to be careful with how much I squeeze out of the bottle. I think I used about a third on only half of my hair. I want the test to stretch to at least two more wash sessions.

My hair feels really good. I have it in a braid now and might do a Curlformer set if I have time later.

 

[faithVA]

I have been missing in action. My hair and I have been having a fight. So for now I have decided to put in puffy twists to give myself a break. And I will just have a regimen for twists and maintaining my scalp and hair while in them. I will wear twist for 3 to 6 weeks depending on how they last.

 

[lamaria211]

Ladies I had to alter my reggie this week due to a protein overload issue but after reassessing my products and a clarify and deeeep DC session with my new baby Keracare humecto I think the problem is under control. I only have 3-4 products that don't contain protein out of about 100. Which is crazy. So next time I go hair shopping I no what I need to do