Almost Forgot Last Week's Hair

Hey, everyone!
Last Sunday, I told you guys that I would let you know when I took my hair out.  Well, I haven't taken out my twists yet.  After the second day, I asked my husband if I should take out my twists.  He said, no it still looked nice.  Each day after that I asked him and each day he told me to leave them in.  So here we are again at Sunday and my hair is still twisted up.  I think that I will take my hair out either on Tuesday or Wednesday.  I will keep you posted.

1/17/17 Silver Dreadlock Cuffs

Wash Day!

Hey everyone!

2017 Hair Story Introduction
Today was my first wash day of 2017.  Today will also be the first bookmark of my 2017 Hair Story.  This year, I will take photos of the journey that my hair takes this year.  I think that it is important to document your hair process so that you can learn about your hair as it evolves.  Please note that everyone's hair journey is different so you have to go through the process.  I'm just sharing my process.

If I straighten my hair, it will most likely be for my wedding anniversary just as a gift to my husband but otherwise the goal is to keep heat to a minimum.  Overall, my goal is to get my hair healthy.  I define healthy hair as hair that maintains it's thickness throughout the length.  For me that means that my hair should not be tapered at the end.

In terms of cutting/trimming, I do not plan on getting a hair cut although I would like to.  Otherwise I will trim, I do not have a set time frame for trimming, I look at the state of the ends of my hair while my hair is twisted, or in it's twist out form.  I trim like you trim hedges or bonsai trees, looking for stray hairs or looking for places where my hair tapers.

In terms of what I have noticed last year, my hair seems to be getting "shorter" length-wise but more voluminous.  That's why I want to document photo graphs so that you can see what I mean.


The Routine
First, I washed my hair with Shea Moisture's Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Grow Shampoo.  Next, I used my DIY Conditioner.  I followed up with Shea Moisture's Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Treatment Masque.  I put on a conditioning cap and then took a nap.  You can sit under the dryer for 5-10 minutes.  Or keep it on your hair for 20 minutes without heat.  (But I needed to nap so I kept it in my hair for like an hour and a half).  Once I got up I rinsed out my hair.  I followed up by using As I Am's Detangling Conditioner.  To be honest, I think I prefer the Born Curly Leave-In Detangling Conditioner better.  It's a little thicker and has more slip.

After all of this, I used the Shea Moisture's Strengthen, Grow, & Restore Leave-In Conditioner and Eco-Styler's Styling Gel.  I applied both to each section from the root to the ends and twisted my hair down.  Usually, I flat twist my hair in the size of the sections that I typically make for my twists but I just wanted to finish a little faster.  Typically, I let my hair air dry, which is what I am currently doing.  I will reveal what my hair looks like when I untwist is either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Thanks for reading.  Let me know if you have any questions or you want to see anything in particular.

This post has Amazon Affiliate links.  I am not sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands that I have mentioned in this post.

My Next DIY Product

Hey, Everyone!
What should I try next?

• Homemade DIY shampoo
• Styling my hair with hair jewelry

I'm interested in both.  You can help me decide.  If I don't receive any responses I'll toss a coin and you'll have to wait for me to reveal the look.

In the meantime:

Shop With Me

African Black Soap

Gold Leaf Hair Jewelry

The African Black Soap will be needed for the DIY Shampoo.  Obviously, the Hair Jewelry will be used for the second option.

If you know of any companies that make a greater variety of hair jewelry then please share.

Mirrors & Windows Part 1

In terms of my hair, my hair has been natural for most of my life except for the time between my senior year in high school and my junior year in college.  Once I reached my junior year, I stopped relaxing my hair only because I was starting to do more student teaching and it was cutting into my money because I could not work as many hours at my on-campus job.  By my senior year, I was no longer relaxing my hair.  (Interestingly enough, neither were a few of my friends at the time.  Although for different reasons.)

Even though I was no longer relaxing my hair, I was still straightening my hair.  As a child, my mom often used the hot comb on my hair.  So, all I knew was applying heat to get "good hair".  Finally, I realized that I could embrace my natural curls.  I owe this to Janelle Monae, what she did at the time was different--hairstyles paired with formal black and white wear.  I think the black and white helped me to see her as a blank slate and her hair could shine.

First I started working on the pompadour but then I ended up getting married and getting pregnant so I transitioned into the bun.  After this point in time, I was confused about my natural hair.  Why did Janelle Monae's curls look so good? Why did Naptural85's curls look so good?  Hair envy sunk in.  Luckily, I had my sister-in-law, Ly'chel, who wanted to save my head from hiding in a bun.  She started doing my hair, flat twists and then Marley Braids.

While she was busy saving my head and working on many others, I was watching and learning.  I watched her and I continued to watch other vloggers especially Naptural85.  I then realized that I had heat damage.  Now, each time I do my hair, I realize that my hair even though it is "shrinking" it is actually longer if I straighten it.  Also, while doing my hair it is getting fuller.  What this all tells me is that it is getting healthier.  I am learning my hair and I'm not trying to replicate what others are doing but instead watching other successful "natural hair vloggers" I'm learning what works and doesn't work for me.  I use their experiences to experiment, if it works it works but if it doesn't, it doesn't.