It's been a good hair day, and it's going to be an even better hair night - it's an out night! And I think I won't do the Caramel treatment til tomorrow morning - that way I can have a night with my hair 'out'.
Then - there was discussion as to whether ayurvedics (more specifically, shikakai & amla) lighten your hair - and several ladies noted that it made their hair REDDER. Mind you, I've been noticing an increase in the redness of my hair, but I assumed it was just the henna finally coming out. I checked my hair in the mirror at work (realll close) though - and I don't think that's henna.
*hugselfwithjoy* Ohmigods, ohmigods, OHMIGODS!!! Could I have accidentally stumbled across a way to make my hair RED (or at least, light enough that the henna will show better) WITHOUT harmful chemicals? *fanself* I really might fall out. So - I'm going to keep using them (obviously) and keep track of how red/light my hair gets. I'm seriously so over the moon - I'm almost twitching, I'm so excited!!
I might mix up a FRESH batch of henna to celebrate, rather than using one of the frozen bags. I'm starting to wonder if they are loosing their potency - my gloves haven't been getting stained as much, lately - and considering I'm down to an every 8 week cycle, I need all the 'umph' it can give me.
Okay - I went home - it's FRIDAY!!! - and took out my hair on the way. My hair - for one - was still wet. I soaked it in the shower this morning (oooh, water on my scalp is such a treat - esp. when I KNOW I don't have to care how it looks afterwards!). For two, the twists came apart like butter - just amazingly smooth and easy and soft. It's - lovely. And it smells - fresh. Lightly herby, and slightly human, but - clean, somehow. It's odd.
Anyhow. From before I left work, I had copied down the ingredient list for French Perm Stabilizer Plus - which I think is just a acidic formula that smooths down your cuticles. I figured I could look up each ingredient in the comestic dictionary, and see how much is filler, and how much actully DOES anything. Hrmph. I've listed them in order, as well.
water - obvious! :lol:
isoproply alcohol - The alcohols to be concerned about in skin-care products are ethanol, denatured alcohol, ethyl alcohol, methanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and sd alcohol, which not only can be extremely drying and irritating to skin, but also can generate free-radical damage (Sources: “Skin Care—From the Inside Out and Outside In,” Tufts Daily, April 1, 2002; eMedicine Journal, May 8, 2002, volume 3, number 5, www.emedicine.com; Cutis, February 2001, pages 25–27; Contact Dermatitis, January 1996, pages 12–16; and http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-4/277-284.htm). In a product where these ingredients are at the top of the ingredient list, they will be problematic for all skin types; when they are at the bottom of an ingredient list, there most likely is not enough present to be a problem for skin. (Source - the cosmetic dictionary)
trideceth-7 - Surfactants that help to form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsifed.
carboxylic acid - L-carnitine. Also known as carboxylic acid, it is often erroneously labeled an amino acid (which it is not). It has been claimed to have miraculous (albeit unsubstantiated) properties for enhancing the metabolization of fat when taken orally. There is research in animal studies showing it has anti-aging benefits when taken orally (Source: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, April 2002, pages 133–166). However, there is no known benefit for skin when it is applied topically in skin-care products, though it may have antioxidant properties. See antioxidant.
polyquaternium-10 - Group of ingredients used primarily in hair-care products for their antistatic and film-forming properties. They can have water-binding properties for skin due to the sheer “plastic” film layer they create on skin.
oleakonium chloride - no clue. Creepy.
fragrance - obvious
propylparaben - Group of preservatives, including butylparaben, propylparaben, methylparaben, and ethylparaben, that are the most widely used group of preservatives in cosmetics. It is estimated that more than 90% of all cosmetic products contain some form of paraben. Parabens are believed to cause less irritation than some preservatives. There is research showing that in animal models (and in vitro) parabens can have weak estrogenic activity. Whether that poses any health risk for humans who are using cosmetics is unknown. The technical findings of the study, which involved both oral administration and injection into rat skin, did show evidence of a weak estrogen effect on cells in a way that could be problematic for binding to receptor sites that may cause proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The study concluded that “future work will need to address the extent to which parabens can accumulate in hormonally sensitive tissues and also the extent to which their weak oestrogenic activity can add to the more general environmental oestrogen problem” (Source: Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, January 2002, pages 49–60).
methylparaben - see above.
Okay. We've got a filler (water), an evaporater (isoproply alcohol), a surfactant to help everything mix together (trideceth-7), an acid (carboxylic acid), a smoother/silkener (polyquaternium-10), something mysterious (oleakonium chloride), stuff to make it smell good, and stuff to make it last longer.
Out of that, the only things that REALLY do anything are the acid (carboxylic acid), the smoother/silkener (polyquaternium-10), and the unknown one (oleakonium chloride).
Replacing the acid is easy - in chemical structure, citric acid shares the properties of other carboxylic acids.
The smoother - well, I guess for the sake of detangling - this would be the 'slip'. I'm thinking Irish Moss?
That leaves the mystery ingredient. Let's try breaking it down.
oleakonium chloride
Oleo - possibly related to oleic acid? Arrgh, I need more of a science background! I'm getting nothing on the konium suffix, at all. Well, that's not true. I get several hits on it as an ingredient is several products.... hrmm. I should see if those products have any similarities.
Rusk Thick Body and Texture Amplifier
Alberto VO5® Red REAL CLEAN! Styling Gel
Better Braids Medicated SHAMPOO
Alberto balsam extra body mousse (could only find search links referencing the product)
One n’ Only – resistant formula (Jheri Redding Step 2)
Hrm. None of that seems to really 'hang together'. Someone noted that the product foamed - so maybe it's a foaming agent? I don't know. Maybe it just makes it thick and fluffy - gives the whole mix some substance.
So. Assuming that's right - and I could be totally wrong about EVERYTHING - I should be able to make something that detangles my hair like a dream out of a citric acid/irish moss mixture.
*grin* That was fun. It'll be even MORE fun to make the mixture, and to see if it makes detangling a dream. *slygrin* And if it DOES work - oooh, how much FUN I'll have doing this to OTHER products.....
Product Deconstruction....
Updates & New Stuff.....
Okay.
I finally did the Caramel Treatment pictorial, and I went back through and updated/recreated the picture posts that got broken and I was dragging my feet on - including the henna how-to from ages ago.
I also finally added the new Hair Science links, and added a whole new section for products. Much to my amusement, I don't have many 'lines' linked - it's 80% suppliers of raw ingredients....
It's almost the weekend, and shockingly enough, it's another hair out weekend - that seems to have come up so fast! My hair isn't shrinking as bad this time - or it's gotten a wee bit longer, and therefore isn't shrinking up as much, or the different style has just made the whole process easier.
I'm doing another Caramel Treatment this weekend, but at the same time I'm debating if I should - I'm actually concerned about my hair being OVER moisturized, for once. Henna is in two weeks, though, so that would totally take care of it, if it DID happen.
I'm also thinking about doing the oil pre-poo that is recommended before the SAF tea. When I did it over the weekend, my hair turned out a little drier than I would have liked - though, as of last night, my hair had returned to it's (new!) usual of a lovely buttery state - so, maybe not. If it aint broke, etc, etc, etc......
I thought I had found a site that sold all of the indian herbs in one place, but a) they were almost twice as expensive as Hesh, and b) they were freaking sold out. I KNOW there are a lot of black women during ayurvedics, but damn, ya'll! *sigh* I might just stalk FNWL until their stuff comes back in stock. Even eBay is letting me down! Maybe I'll corner one of my coworkers next time they go to India, and have them bring me back a pound or two. *pictures them trying to get through customs with a couple of pounds of unidentified green powder* Hrrrrrmmm, maybe not.
I'm actually about 2/3 of the way through the container of Amla Oil - I'm not sure which to start using next - the Vatiki oil or the Brahmi. I think the Brahmi might be best.
And oh! Someone gave me a great idea - to use a mini crockpot to melt butters, and a muslin teabag to put hers in - combine the two, and you have herb infused butters. *faint* My hair is SO going to be in love.
I also broke down and got the Mega-Tek today - there is a challenge being started, and well *sigh* I just couldn't resist. I'm trying to figure out how to smoothly incorporate it into my reggie - I'm thinking I'll use it on the weekends, before I use the Amla, and then again on Wednesdays - since I'm only getting my hair wet two or three times every two week cycle, my twists seem to be staying in well enough that I don't have to worry about taking them out.
Actually, that's not quite true. They aren't getting as FUZZY, no doubt. But, they are definitely coming apart - the starnd A & B, that is. I think that I could rock a SHARP twistout - but, I'm still paranoid. I'm going to wait til my hair is longer.
Hah, I wonder what day this is for the 'hair up for a year' challenge, for me. I think...... HAVE I worn my hair out? I'll have to look back and see - the only time I'm not sure of is DH's birthday, because I can't remember how I wore my hair - I THINK it was up, one way or another, but I'm not sure.... I might have worn a twistout. Considering that was just two weeks ago, that's kinda sad.
My hair is actually 'down' (sorta) now - I've taken the flat twists out, but the two strand twists are just standing up all over my head. I'm giving my head a good massage - not using the Amla this time, as my scalp is a lil itchy - thoooouggghhh, the amla might tamp it down a little, I don't know. And actually, it's not really itchy - it's - tingly. It's - I don't know. It's doing SOMETHING.
I'm very thrilled that as I was taking the flattwists down, I was getting these occasional long strands of hair - all shed! Out of about 10-15 hairs I saw, only 3 or 4 were broken - so that's just FABULOUS.
Oh yes! I'm also taking pictures this weekend - since I'm going to be starting the Mega-Tek challenge, I want an accurate idea of what my 'normal' rate is, and then, what the Mega-Tek rate is. The last set of progress pics I took was on December 20th, so this will be pretty close to two months. The challenge is from March 1 to June 1st - would it be insane to expect to get at LEAST 4 months worth of growth?
I don't think so, considering a) it's about to get warmer, and my hair always grows faster then and b) I'm gonna be using a danggone growth enhancer! It better grow faster!
So - from Dec 20th to Mar 1 will be compared to March 1 to June 7th, or so (it's the closest 'out' weekend to the 1st, as challenge or no, my hair will NOT be coming out early), and I expect my hair to have gained TWICE as much length. :nod: We shall see.
Okay, I'm distracted & sleepy now, so I'm done.
The Caramel Treat
I figured since I'm about to do another one this weekend, it's high time I did my pictorial for the Caramel Treatment.
The recipe is:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup red palm oil
1/4 cup shea butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
3.5 oz banana baby food
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
water (as needed to thin)
So. The original recipe called for Wheat Germ Oil, but I didn't have that, so I subbed the RPO instead, and it came out just fine.
I measured out the 'solid oils' (coconut, RPO & shea) first.
Put them in my trusty ceramic bowl (the same one from the Henna How-to) and nuked them til they melted.
The darkness is from the RPO - not burnt oil.
While that was going on, I dumped the olive oil, ACV, and banana into the blender. Yes, I could have done it by hand, but PFFFFTTTT.
Using the babyfood was a brilliant idea, and I REALLY think it made the whole process easier. If I ever use fresh bananas, I'll be sure to use the super, super, super, super ripe ones that practically turn into mush as soon as you peel the skin.
Added the melted oil, gave it a quick blend, and.... well, it's not looking like any kind of caramel I've ever seen.......
But, once I added the Molasses and Honey (I saved those til last, since the warm oils and other ingredients would help liquefy them and insure they blended well together) - it looked JUST like the sauce you would put on a sundae. Okay, not quite as translucent, but still - YUMMY!
However, the rather potent smell of ACV coming from it made me resist even CONSIDERING tasting it - though everything in this IS edible. I didn't need any water, as I thought it was actually a little TOO thin. I'm considering adding cornstarch to it next time, to give it a little body.
I used half, and put the other half in a baggy in the freezer for the next go around. Hrm. Maybe I'll beef that one up with cornstarch, and see how it works.
My hair came out - UNBELIEVELY soft and shiny and MOISTURIZED - right after I rinsed the treatment out, my hair was still pretty oily (I didn't cowash or tea rinse my hair afterwards), but over the next day it settled into a gorgeous, GORGEOUS, state of happiness. Considering my hair doesn't LIKE oil, that's a minor miracle.
And, even more interestingly, it's more or less STAYED like that for the last.... it's been three weeks, I think? Yeah - almost a month, really, as I put it in on the 2nd or 3rd of February. Between this and the Ayurvedics, I swear, my hair has almost become a different creature. It's still super soft (and I've done a protien treatment since then), and shiny.
Hrrm, let's see, what have I been up to?
Gave the head a nice soaking in SAF this weekend - I'm getting closer to having my hair come out the same way it started, texture wise. The herbs still 'strip' my hair of all the tenderness that the KP leaves in, and while recoating them wih KP is a good 'stopgap' solution, it's just not the same. I'm almost kicking around the idea of trying to soak my hair in oil first, then using the herbs. I know, I know, my hair doesn't like oil, butttttt.... it might like that. I'll see.
I finally mixed up the new spritzer mix - 2 capfuls of SAA, 3 capfuls of honeyquat, a splash of amla oil, a splash of TTO, and water. One nice thing that the conditioner did was emulsify everything to make it 'stick' better. Oh well, I'll just have to shake it up well every morning. I forgot to add some MSM to it - I didn't even think about it til I was halfway sleep last night.
The twists, they did shrink up again (as expected). My options are to either let them shrink up, or try to dry them 'stretched', and then I think they feel ever dryer..... I'm content with the shrinkage, I suppose.
I get paid this weekend! I'm debating actually waiting on the Mega-Tek, and trying to use up some of the B-Complex I've got under the sink, and adding that to my spritzer and DC's, and seeing if that nudges growth along any. I don't know why/how that would work, but murph - it's a buttload cheaper than the MT.
What I REALLY want to get is some Bhiranaj - and I need more Shikakai and Amla..... I REALLY wish I could find a good website to stock up on them. *sigh* That's also cheaper than the MT, so I think I'll do that, instead.
I want to see what the chemicals that I have in the cabinet - I know I have the ''raw materials" (oh, and some Irish Moss!) for a conditioner base that I got in swap from TLHC - I've never really looked into using them, though.... or even remember what the heck they were.
I'm going to go and look for a better sources for those herbs. *glare* That should nicely waste the last 45 minutes. ;)
Twisty Thoughts.....
I have multiple blogs, and it's funny seeing how one pulls ahead on the dashboard, and the other one falls behind as I go along. I still haven't added the new science links (haven't read through them), but I did spend some time updating the tags, etc. I suppose I should look at my labels, and add some tags that way, as well. We shall see.
Anyhow - Thursday before a hair-in weekend - I think that I'll permanently shift my SAF washes to the 'in weekends'. I'm concerned/worried that it won't be frequent enough (every other week) to really show any major difference, but ya know, this ain't a race, and glory does not always go to the swift. *wrygrin* Two main reasons for that - one, I rarely feel like hopping in and out of the shower after work, and two, it'll help me keep my hair looking nice longer - the whole first week it's dry, and then the second week, I'll only have to get through a week of semi-fuzz/shrunken twists, rather than 10-13 days.
I redid the front bit yesterday, and figured out how to angle/twist the end bit so that it tucks neatly BEHIND the 'hump' rather than hanging out on one side - and I only used one bobby pin/hair pin.....hair pin. It's not 'pinched' together in the middle, so that makes it a hair pin, I think. I don't know, but I do know that it doesn't seem to 'pinch' my hair as much, nor do the little end bobbies catch on my hair. I have to admit, I wonder when/if there is a hairpin with rounded edges, rather than the pointed ones..... I REALLY need to find those 'good hair day' pins.
Oooh! Speaking of which, TLHC has a new error message up - which at least means someone is meddling in the background. I registered for The Beauty Bottle to try to keep up, but Pppfffhht.
It's interesting, to me, that I'm rather hair-obsessed (hello?!) but, in general, I'm NOT the 'beauty' type. *snort* I'd never be 'That Girl' - I don't wear makeup at all...... I wanted to wear some a few days ago, going out to dinner with DH, and it was sad, digging through my 'makeup' kit - most of which most people would only consider fit for their 5 y/o niece, and the rest (the good stuff) was all from my wedding (four years ago) and I'm certain it should be thrown away. I managed to dig up some mascara and some lipstick - I've no clue where my eyeliner went.....and I laughed at myself as I put it on, because - really? I don't even think he noticed, and I came home with no lipstick, and raccoon eyes. Yeah.
I'm not a fashion plate - don't have the money, the tag size, or the inclination (we aren't even going to TALK about shoes), and so......
Maybe that's why I'm so obsessed with my hair. From growing up not being able to show it, and tossing in the whole weight thing (cuz you know the message always was that fat girls could never be cute - smart, sure, but cute? Come back once you've lost a few...), I've more or less abandoned the 'option' to care about anything but my hair. *sigh*
That was a depressing tangent - but a worthwhile one, because I've brought that message to the forefront - dammit, I can be cute. *sigh* I'll have to sew my own stuff (it's the only way my style AND my pocketbook will be happy), but I CAN be cute. I might do that this weekend.
Hah - and I thought I was done. Someone bumped an old thread, and I saw where I was talking about taking my hair down, putting con in my hair, IMMEADIATELY detangling, then braiding it up to let it 'sit', and rinsing while in the braids.
I know why I stopped - I didn't feel like I was getting everything off of my scalp, and I hate spending any more time than needed in the shower. But. After last weekends detangling session resulting in a Ball O Hair, I'm thinking that I might need to start doing that again. Instead of rinsing it out while it's in the braids, though - undo, rinse, redo - one braid at a time. Gahhhh. My hair isn't NEARLY long enough (in my mind) to have to move to that method of cleaning, but bugger. Seriously, ya'll, last weekends detangle (which, fair enough, was done WITHOUT EQ IFC - in fact, without any sort of 'commercial' conditioner at ALL) had me seriously debating the wisdom of this path.....but - I did give my hair almost two days to be 'free' and to tangle up around itself.....still. I might try it the way I did it last weekend again next weekend (which is Caramel Time, if I remember right), and if the detangling is as rough as it was this time, I'll move up...as I really want to move beyond the reliance on commerical stuff.
Though. I wonder. If I detangled *gasp* dry with AD - I wonder how that would turn out? I'm intensely paranoid about putting comb to my dry hair, but with the AD in it - well, we'll have to see. My goal/intention/hope is to ONLY detangle once every two weeks. I know I'll have to put comb to head at least twice every two weeks - once to detangle, once to part/style....but those times don't HAVE to be back to back. Hrrm. I dunno. I'll figure it out.
Hair Geekery
Oh mi gods, there really IS hair science! Well, I mean, duuuh, obviously, but there are even classes and conferences!!! Most of it seems to be focusing on how best to make better products to have people spend even MORE money....I so wanna subvert that - learn the science and then reframe it to include kitchen witchery.....
Funnily enough, hair studies came up online today around the 'infamous' statement that african hair grows slower than Asian/Caucasoid. I found one reference yesterday, and the thread had a link to an actual study - abstract only, of course. I have a deep craving and desire for a subscription to HighBeam now - it makes my toes curl thinking of all the information that's there!
Anyhow - here's the summary of the data around growth rates, basically:
Asian hair grows an average of 1.3 cm a month. (0.51 inches/month)
Caucasian hair grows an average of 1.2 cm a month (0.47 inches/month)
African hair grows an average of 0.9 cm a month. (0.35 inches/month)
The common consensus is that hair grows an average of 1/2 - 1/4 inch a month, so the studies support 'common knowledge'.
The studies appear to be done using phototrichograms (high magnification pictures of the scalp), so there isn't much lee-way around product usage, health, hair chemicals used, etc, etc.
Interestingly enough, density, on the other hand, is slightly different.
Caucasian hair on average has 227 ± 55 hairs per sqcm (~130,000
total)
African hair on average has 190 ± 40 hairs per sqcm ( ~108,000 total)
Asian hair on average has 170 ± 35 hairs per sqcm (~96,000 total)
Most interesting. I wonder if the lack of density - hrmm, I suspect it would extend over the entire body, and I'd have to say that the average white dude is a heck of a lot hairer than the average black man, and the average asian man is almost body hair free.
I found this great definition set too (gods, how I love Wiki!)
Anagen is the active growth phase of hair follicles. The cells in the root of
the hair are dividing rapidly, adding to the hair shaft. During this phase
the hair grows about 1 cm every 28 days. Scalp hair stays in this active
phase of growth for 2-6 years. The amount of time the hair follicle stays in the
anagen phase is genetically determined. At the end of the anagen phase an
unknown signal causes the follicle to go into the catagen phase.
And that 'unknown signal' bit is innnnttttteeeeresting, indeedly.
The catagen phase is a short transition stage that occurs at the end of the
anagen phase. It signals the end of the active growth of a hair. This phase
lasts for about 2-3 weeks while a club hair is formed.
The telogen phase is the resting phase of the hair follicle. At any given time,
10%-15% of all hairs are in the telogen phase. This phase lasts for about 100
days for hairs on the scalp and much longer for hairs on the eyebrow, eyelash,
arm and leg.During this phase the hair follicle is completely at rest and the
club hair is completely formed. Pulling out a hair in this phase will reveal a
solid, hard, dry, white material at the root.About 25-100 telogen hairs are shed
normally each day.
Innnteresting. So, hair that is healthily shed is actually being pushed out of your head by a new hair. Does that mean that the stuff that stops shedding is actually preventing new hairs from growing? Hrrm. I wonder if any of the ayurvedics specifically address shedding - I bet if they do, it's more along the lines of 'thinning' hair - where shed hairs aren't being replaced by the hair that SHOULD have pushed it out.
Hrrm.
I've read (and how I wish I could remember where now) where someone was trying to do SOMETHING to have their hair go from anagen to telogen (without hitting catagen) and then back into anagen - basically doubling the 'natural' lifespan of a single strand of hair. Dunno if it's even really POSSIBLE. Tis a thought, though. Or.... I wonder if what they were REALLY trying to do was to short-circuit that 'unknown signal'......
I've saved bunch of new links, and one was a juicy looking one about the biochemisty of hair growth, I think. That would be interesting - as obviously there is SOMETHING telling the follicle to start and stop growing - most likely some hormone. *lol* This will be most interesting.
I'll add new links as I go through them - a lot of the information appears to be repeated (or straight copied) so I'll try to only link the 'richest' sources of data.
The Golden Rule of Hair
Know Thyhairself.
*nod*
It sounds so damn simple, doesn't it? It's really the hardest part though, the hardest part of everything. If you know your hair, then you'll have a pretty good idea of when it's happy. And if you can get your hair happy, then it's just a matter of keeping it happy. And - well, logical? I don't know.
I worry that I sound SO self-centered and so mememe and so 'well I did/tried' in my posts, but it's because that's really all I can offer. I don't KNOW how well any of all this will work for anyone else, and I hope I've never pretended to.....
I've got a shitload of bright ideas, though - things that 'logically' seem to work (see, this is why I want to get into Hair Science!), and that seem to be 'logically' based - and 'spreading' my ideas around are really the only way to beta test them *lol* unless I start selling it - and really, that wouldn't work because nothing I could make would SUIT everyone.... really, in the end, it would only suit people whose hair needs/wants the same thing that mines does. *sigh*
*think*
At it's root (hehehe) hair is generally the same. I would think that hair varies between people a little more than fingernails do - different size, different strengths, different growth rates, different natural shapes, etc, etc..... but - the material it's made from is the same. Different proportions of trace minerals, depending on your mothers diet and where you grew up/live.
Hrrmmm.
Ugh, mornings....
yet another reason I'm natural - I don't think I would have hair if I HAD to do it every morning beyond a rinse and/or spritz and/or scarf. Even the work required for a wash & go makes me giggle - it's just not getting done in the morning.
Now, if I had a sensible job that didn't mind if I showed up at 11ish, or so, then we could talk about a 'style' session in the morning.
I saw a coworker today as I was making my tea, and the back of her head was COVERED in these little 'flipped up' curls - it was really cute, and looked REALLY freshly done, and the thought that crossed my mind first was "My GODS! What time did she get UP this morning - or does she sleep on her face???"
I realized, writing that, that I think I'm the ONLY kinky natural that works in this building. There is one lady who has the most GORGEOUS gray hair who is thinking about transitioning (she cornered me in the bathroom a few days ago - I feel bad, because I didn't serve her well - it's the first time someones asked me in PERSON about transitioning, and I stuttered and stammered and I'm almost certain I either scared her away, or she thought I was bullshitting her and didn't want to help. *sigh*), and I've seen another lady with a auburn fro getting out of her car in the morning - but that's about it. Of course, I've no clue how many of the straight heads are pressing rather than perming.....
Anyhow. Totally did NOT make a new spritizer this morning - I was grumpy, and tired, and realized that I realllly didn't want to bring my butt to work anyhow, so I just sprizted with what's leftover (mostly tto and water, from the smell of it) and rolled on. I've also misplaced my do-rag *faint* which is a MAJOR issue (I'm seriously considering stopping by the BSS on my way home - yeah, it's that serious), and so I was suffering with my funky green scarf, instead. *sigh*
I'll clean out my spritzer bottle and make it tonight...
Oh! Quick recipe note, while I'm thinking of it - talking about the protien treatment, and there was mention of using cornstarch to thicken it up - which, hello, brilliant! I've got a HUGE bag that I won't be eating (grain), and if it works well - I'll SO be adding this to both the Caramel treatment (even though it wasn't THAT drippy), and my protien treatment - which was, as is anything I make with coconut milk, drippier than all get out. *happywiggle*
I twisted my hair differently - because of how I parted it (which I didn't notice til I got up to flat twist it) the widest part of my head would have been the start of the back flat twist, and duurrrr, that's jsut not gonna work. Lucky for me, I had 'put' a part straight down the back (totalllllly accidental), so I've got two half flattwists down the back of my head. The front, I did in a single flat twist across the front - and it was suprisingly hard to do - my fingers lost the memory. I have a 'lump' on one side from the 'tail' being tucked under - I really have to figure out how to better 'finish' the end. Usually, I can swish it down flat enough with my do-rag, but *tear* I dinna where it is, so yeah. I'm a lumphead today.
And yes, I planned on taking pictures, couldn't find the camera, woke up this morning, saw the camera almost as soon as I went downstairs, but ya know, above mentioned morning issues, so no. I'll do it tonight, if I remember.
another weekend comes to an end.....
and I sit here with freshly done, soft sweet smelling hair. Ah, it feels so good. I've wisened up, and massage my scalp with amla oil right after I finish, so that gives me a few extra days to leave it undisturbed.
I suspect this set of twists will start to fall apart pretty quickly too - I think the KiyaPudding just doesn't have enough 'stick'. It's got PLENTY of 'soft' and 'slip' but not much in the stick...but it leaves my hair AMAZING soft and fluffly and LIGHT - it's super soft and airy, all at once.
I'll leave it down for a while, then put it up before I go to bed.
Ah! I was being lazy (yet another reason why I don't think they'll make it NICELY for two weeks), and made them fatter than usual - I took the same care in detangling each twist, but I most likely have about half of the previous set of twists on my head - but they are so full and lucious that it stil looks good. But, I also skipped doingthe front part - I'm thinking of doing a flat twist just straight across my forehead. I ended up with one small part, because by the time I got to the right side, the twists just wouldn't 'flop' that way anymore. It'll be interesting - I'll try to remember to take pictures before I sleep on it tonight.
I want to add some SAA to the pudding, but I haven't - I want to do it in a way that insures in mixes evenly, and I don't know how, just yet - I'll figure something out.
I haven't made a new spritzer yet, either - I'll do that tomorrow morning....
I guess....
that old saying is true - you appreciate something all the more when you have to work hard for it.
Today, I'm SO pleased with my hair - it's still moist from last night a little, but it's SOOOO soft and matte - and it's getting longer! I was able to do the two flattwists style down the side of my head - WITHOUT having to 'struggle' to get it over the hump of my big ole melon head. So, it's a little 'looser' than usual - but it feels very nice - and it's dry enough that it shouldn't shrink up too much and come apart....
Very dense hair I have, there is no doubt of that. I don't need to use ANYTHING designed to make my hair thicker - holy cow, that would be insane. I can't wait til I can actually make a ponytail so that I can calculate the density of my hair - I betcha it'll STILL be something low, just, becausely. *laugh*
*wiggles* It's gonna be an amazing head of hair, in the years to come, that's for certain.
and then....
... I'm humbled by nights like tonight, where the shrinkage took over, and my hair was 3/4 the length that it normally is, and restoring the full length felt like it was ripping off every inch I've grown over the last two weeks my hairs been up.
Arrrgggghhhh. It's detangled (what does that really mean, with hair that retangles in the blink of an eye?) and 'up' in five fat braids (very fat) with Kiya Pudding (sans gel, as - just no.)
Considering it's been up for two weeks, I don't consider the amount of hair that came out to be EXCESSIVE - it's just more than none, which is what I'm shooting for.
Have I mentioned that I'm pretty sure my hair is thick? But, I'm not sure. I should go somewhere and get assurance.
*clutches head*
It's soo soft though. And fluffy. And tender. It's bleeping gorgeous, as much trouble as it is. SO thick. No, I really don't need to go to anyone to have that confirmed - touching the exuberance that is my hair confirms that.
Hrm. It might be time to consider washing my hair in braids. Possibly. Hrrm
Whatever time it is, it's definitely time for me to be offline.
Happy hair nights... ;)
Protien Nation.....
Hrrm - I sit back down to the computer after putting in my protien treatment, and what do I see? A thread about using egg yolks in protien treatments! Now, egg yolks are a lot less slimy than the whites, so for my next protien one, I might skip the Remedi and use an egg yolk instead - that would make my protien treatment all natural, which would rock - an all natural DC (Caramel Treatment) and an all natural protien - that would just leave me using conditioner for my every other week 'light' conditioners - and if Irish Moss is all it's cracked up to be, I might be able to cut that out too......
Anyhow.
My measurements for the protien mix were:
1/2 cup yogurt (plus a dribble)
1/2 cup coconut milk (plus a dribble)
1/4 cup Remedi
capful of SAA
It was pretty liquidy, so I made a little thickener with some citric acid + baking soda - I try to use that mix as little as possible as I'm almost certain it turns into a salt (basic chemistry, again!) but it DOES work so well to make a watery mixture a little more 'stiff'.
I used it all, pouring it on top of my hair and then 'squishing' my hair to work it in. Using this on wet hair would have been a DISASTER - luckily, as I hoped it would, my hair just sucked it up. I took a quick hot shower to warm up my head a little - and I think I'll leave it in for another hour or two, then detangle and rinse out.
Speaking of detangling, my hair isn't hardly tangled at ALL!!! I haven't touched it with a comb yet, but as I was squishing it in, the 'clumps' started to turn into 'curls' *gasp*, and the ones I 'tugged' on came right apart - so I'm hoping that combing through this will be a breeze. If the yogurt works as well as a detangler/loosener as it should, things will be justtt fine. We'll see.
Okay, so I've figured out today's (tonights) protien treatment.
Whole Fat Yogurt (leftover whole milk yogurt, cream on top - a bit old, so I didn't want to eat it, but it was too expensive to just throw away)
Coconut Milk (I thawed out the stuff in the freezer)
Remedi (to give it some thickness)
SAA (just a few drops, to see how it looks)
slap all of that (I'll measure it when I actually go and mix it) into my dry hair, let it sit for a couple of hours, rinse it out, then twist my hair up with some Kiya Pudding + gel, and see what we have tomorrow.
I'm still seing very, very few broken hairs - definitely at least one or two shed hair for each broken hair - that's utterly THRILLING. I can thank (or blame) nothing but the SAF rinse I've been using for that - and I'm even seeing a lot fewer shed hairs.
It's starting to bug me that I can't find a reference for fo-ti power being used in the hair. I see plenty of references to hair strenthening when taken internally, but NOTHING for external use. I suspect that's not the sort of information that's on the web - and if it is, it might not be in English, anyhow.
I'm thinking that I'll make my next batch of SAF tea with just SA, to see how my hair reacts to it - it's the only way I can really determine the effects of the fo-ti powder.
Okay, I'm warmed up now - let me go and do my hair.
Oh yeah, I just brought the domain, too... so soon, this should be switching over to nappydelphia.com... ;)
oooh, that feels good.
I think - I think I'm training myself too well.
I just had to get up, and grab a comb to put the back of my hair up. It was rubbing on the back of my shoulders, and it was LITERALLY driving me batty - like I had ants walking on my shoulders.
And now, with my hair up and pinned I feel - stable, secure, strong.
And, my hair feels lovely, I must say. One of these days, not too far from now, I'm going to rock this as an outside of the house style.
Ooooh, I see a potential for hair toys! Must find seam-free combs/hairtoys.
Oh, dear. Now I'm worrying about the tines on THIS comb. *sigh* It could be dangerous to know too much.
Moving, ALREADY?
Oooh, dangerously enough, I just figured out how easy it is to get a custom domain. Niccce, google, niiiceee. And cheap, too. I'll be doing that.... soon.
So, I took my hair down on my ride home - firstly, my hair is still AMAZINGLY moisturized - it's so soft so tender on the inside, and I'm really happy about that. The edges are a little crispier - I think that I will start to touch them up with a little extra Kiya Pudding every time I get my hair wet - I think that will solve that problem nicely.
The strands of my twists stick better to themselves than they do each other - my twistout actually looks like - oh, a couple hundred tiny, tiny, tiny, sisterlock sized twists, instead of the individual clumps of hair it really is.
*fondles hair*
Yes, yes, very soft. And sturdy feeling too - I'm not seeing as much breakage. I saw a few end bits but all the longish ones have been shed hairs....and at the same time, I don't think that skipping a protien treatment (esp. with the upcoming caramel treatment) would be a good idea.
Speaking of the moisture/protien balance, I had this bright idea on my way home.
What if it's a 'fixed' scale, that determines how much protien your hair needs, based on how much moisture your hair can currently hold? Basically, what if there was a perfect 'sweet spot' that could be measured by measuring how much moisture your hair can hold for x period of time? The more moisture your hair can 'hold', the less protien it 'needs', and vis versa.... And really, what the moisture measurement would be judging is the porousity (or lack thereof) of the hair. Logically, your hair MIGHT be more porous BECAUSE the natural protien bonds have broken down, thus leaving gaping 'holes' in your hair for the moisture to escape out of.
Hrmm, Hrmm, Hrmmmm...... interesting. I'll chew on that more...
I really do believe that there is a science behind hair.......and figuring that out will make taking care of my hair incredibly simple..... once you know a thing, you know how to control it.
And I trust that I know how to GROW hair. Funnily enough, THAT's never been a worry. So, I don't have to dig, as much at least, into the biochemisty aspect of it - and besides, I'm not really willing to experiment on my insides. ;) Worst comes to worse, I can always just shave my head...I can't realllly afford to replace a kidney.
The secret to growing REALLY long hair is to have ends that are in the same condition as your roots. If you can pull off that sort of external hair health, you'll really be maximizing your retention .....and that's a controllable/achievable goal, in my mind.
Yeah, I'm still getting the Mega-Tek, though. *laugh*
oh, also....
a big PPHHHFFFFTTTTT to you, TLHC.
I tried to googlefuu via cache my way into my journal, and no go. It's been what? Two weeks now? *sigh* And it worked for a hot second too. I KNOW it's a free site, and the people working on it are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts, but buggeriffic it ALL.
This, this, is why backups are crucial and critical, and I wouldn't be nearly as crazymaid over here if I just HAD mah stuff.
I really need to be backing up each of these entries too *gives google the stankeye* Just it case something blows up.
Murpgh.
living for the weekend....
Just stumbled across another natural inspiration from a while ago (when I first got into the hair boards thang) and she's gone for a relaxer, and now - *headshake* her hair isn't 1/4 as gorgeous as it used to be - and it looks significantly shorter, too, especially when you take shrinkage into account.
But then, I KNOW that I'm biased towards thick curly hair, and thin, stringy straight hair just ISN'T my thing - but razorcuts are designed to look that way, so - whatever floats your personal style boat, ya know? *plays hairtaps*
Okay, outta other people's heads and onto my own.
This two week style set didn't last NEARLY as well as the first one - the thought I had last night of doing a flat twist UPWARDS did help significantly, though - most of the twists that wouldn't 'catch' before are caught now. I still think I was using a diferent set of hand motions - I should really videotape (tain't really tape anymore, though is it?) myself flat twisting, so that I can actually SEE which motions produce which results.
My hair also stayed pretty moisturized, which is VERY satisfactory. *thinks* I did a SAF wash over the weekend (with con), and I did an amla massage on Tuesday, I think it was, and last week, I don't think I did ANYTHING to my hair at all.....so, I'm happy with that. The Caramel Treatment is a certified winner, for that reason alone. For my hair to NOT dry out without 'serious' maintenence during the week is a definite plus.
I do think that I 'need' both SAF washes though - my scalps been muttering bitterly at me for the last two days, not really COMPLAINING, but letting me know that it's not totally happy. Damn, I think I might only have enough shikaika and amla for another dose, though. *sigh* I might have to swing through one of the Indian stores next week.
Hrmmmmm.....looking forward.
I'm still not sure what sort of protien mix I'm going to do this weekend - I have some leftover coconut milk in the freezer, and I have the Remedi, and *think* I think that's really about it - eggs in the fridge, and I could have DH make me some mayo..... I don't know - I'll most LIKELY end up using the Remedi with a healthy dash of SAA (I finally get to play with it!) and be done with it. It's way too easy for me to go overboard with the protien - I have to keep that in mind. Hrmm... I should stalk the latest 'Naturals & Protien' thread, and see what products/mixtures they are using...I'm good for jacking a good idea.
I'm also going to mix up a new spritzer.......... I'll keep the TTO and the Amla oil in it, and I'll sub out the glycerin with the honeyquat, and I'll add a little SAA, and I'm debating adding ANY conditioner at all. Cichelle has inspired me to see if I can cut my dependancy on conditioner - and so I'm trying to see how many mixes I can work without it. *nod* I think I will leave the conditioner out - see what the SAA can REALLY do on it's own. Worst comes to worst, I'll give my hair a straight con next weekend, and the weekend after that is Caramel, so I KNOW I'll be straight, then.
DH's birthday is on Sunday, and I would like to rock and cute, out style for him - we planned on being out REAL late, so I already took Monday off to rest up from going out, (I'm old) but it'll also be nice just in case I need the day to restore my hair - gods, but I am SAD!!!
My USUAL 'outstyle' is the puffro - but that's just SOO boring. I'm not doing the Bantu TwistieThings, either. If I thought I could deal with these twists being in my head for another two days, I would go with a twist out but...... ooooh. Maybe I can do a chunky twistout! 20-30 twists in my head, and then take them down and rock that - yes, yes, I think I can. That way, I won't have to deal with the usual 2-3 hour twisting up process JUST to take them bad girls back down, I can have 'out' hair, and it'll be all wavy and wild how he likes it. *wiggleseyebrows*
Hrrm, maybe I'll add a little TwistGel to my Kiya Pudding for that style - the gel should give it a lil extra hold to keep the shape of the twists in better.
*thinks* This will be the first time I've ever PLANNED to do a twist out, so now I'm thinking about how to part it so that it'll look right. I know I want my usual slanted off-center part, thicker on the left side since that's my short side. Maybe I should start in the crown, and circle out from there - I don't want to do any true parts besides the front one, so that I don't have to do TOO much to conceal the parts.
Yeah, that'll rock.
Urm, I think that might be it....for now, at least.
*fondglare*
The hair, she is NOT behaving.
My back flattwist has officially given up the ghost. Shrinkage has won, and there is no way, no how, I'm going to be able to get it into a flattwist for tomorrow. So.... what to do?
It's not bun worthy either - but, hey, at least I'm back to making a bu, again. I was kinda kicking around the thought of wearing a twist-out, but I'm in two challenges that would prohibit that - BootCamp (definitively NOT a protective style) and the Hair UP for a year one. Though, technically, the hair up one is 95% of the year - I think that's 11 days worth of passes, and a twistout IS considered to be a protective style according to Bootcamp......so REALLY, if I obeyed the letter of the 'law' I could totally do a twistout tomorrow.
My concern is that I would take all my hair down, look in the mirror, and look like Krusty Da Clown. It's been a WHILE since I've done a twistout (I usually only rock them at festivals), and my hair has gotten longer and straighter since then - a twist, okay, a couple came out on my back hairline (when the difficult flat twist came down) that were actually almost straight. Okay, wavy. VERY wavy. No curl. And if all of my hair looked like that *shudder* but then, if I took the twists down, and then got them wet - or got them wet first, then took them down - it might 'wave & curl' a little more.
Murph. I'm still a scaredy cat. It's not that I don't think my hair is appropiate, I just think it's too SHORT to pull off the style I have a mental image of. *sigh*
I might just let the back hang free, and leave the top in. That would be the easiest solution. It would be CUTER to figure out a way to keep the back up and leave the front out, like bangs, AND it would keep my hair off of my neck/shoulders - I'm full and well aware that I'm entering the danger zone vis a vis hair length, and I wan to minimize brushing my shoulder off. Murph.
This has taught me to always do a middle part down the back section, so that I could split it half and half on either side.
Hrrm. Maybe if I flattwist UP, instead of down? I might have to experiment.
Dear gods, it's late. I'm off to bed, now.
After a bit of experiementing. Of course.
Philosophy
I don't think I'm a nappynazi, I really don't. If anything, I feel more like a nappyhypocrite, most days. I've got a whole list of things to use to make my hair 'less kinky', even when I sugarcoat it into being a 'detangler' or a 'softener' or a 'curl loosener' - the real, net result is that my hair is less nappy once I'm done, than it was when I started.
And it's not that I feel somehow 'superior' because I'm pretty stubborn about sticking to a relaxer/texturizer/silkener free life - for me, it's really a realistic decision based on my finances, my personality, and my lifestyle.
So then, why is it that I still feel sad when someone relaxes/texturizers their hair? It's not sad - it's - it's a sense of loss, more so - and it ain't even my hair!
Maybe it's because I'm personally losing an inspiration - there aren't many natural women out there, and there are even fewer with thick 4a/4b hair who are growing it long, and there are even fewer who has been working it out for 4-5 years...... and so, each time one falls to the wayside, it worries me.
Am I insane to think that I can have hair like this?
Okay, maybe not quite so wild woman of the Andes looking, but - still! Or, am I REALLY doomed to being 'forced' into chemically changing my hair once it reaches APL/BSL? I don't know.
I think I'm blessed in that I don't MIND wearing twists and updos and buns - I don't think that they make me look exceedingly juvenile, and I actually think they can be kind of regal looking.
In addition, soon I won't be in the corporate world, so I'll have more - leeway - as to what sort of styles I can rock.
*sigh* I don't know - but at least I've pinned down my own feelings of loss - I've lost an inspiration, and that is righteously something that should make one sad.
Speaking of inspirations - I added a new album to the NapSnaps - inspirational hair! I'm going to have styles, and hair - mostly natural, but if I find a really impressive relaxed head (like Wanakee) I'll include them as well. I've been slacking on capturing inspirational pictures, and I think having the album will help.
Wishlist
It's a slow day at work, so I'm doing one of my favorite things - window shopping!!
I figured I should make a list of the hair stuff I want to get going forward - but I HAVE to clear out some of my old stuff - maybe I can swap for some stuff that I really want.
Anyhow - lists!
Natural Products
Shikaika Powder (refill)
Amla Powder (refill)
I want to try to get both of those in a bulk size - them lil 100g boxes just ain't doing it!
Maka/Bhirihaj Powder (I know I spelled that dreadfully wrong)
Irish Moss (This might be the missing ingredient in my perfect all natural conditioner!)
Coconut Cream (I'm willing to use the cheapie coconut milk, but the cream would make treatments SOOOOO much easier!)
Ghee (I'm really on the fence with this, simply because my hair doesn't like oils - but it IS butter, at the most basic level, so if I can find a small size of it, I'll try it. Worse comes to worst, I'll just cook with it)
Commercial Products
Mega-Tek and/or Ovation Cell Therapy (I know, I know, it's stupid expensive, but DANG, I want to try it!)
Anyhow - I think that's the list for right now. I can't afford a danngone thing, but I'm keeping it all in mind.
My hair is being - odd. For some reason, the back part of my updo keeps coming loose - I KNOW my hair hasn't gotten any shorter, but I'm thinking that shrinkage has set in (I even tried to braid it wet today - I WON'T be doing that again, as I snapped too many hairs that got tangled around my fingers), or that my hair has gotten 'smoother', so that the twists don't 'hold' together as well.
I think I mentioned that several of them came out when I washed my hair over the weekend - which was VERY suprising to me - so the idea that it's smoother/softer could be a valid one.
*checks calendar*
I don't think I mentioned that I actually have a calendar (for the year, yes, the YEAR) that lists each of my treatments, and when. Yes, I'm that anal/organzied/whatever you want to call it.
Anyhow, this weekend I'm scheduled for a protien treatment. My hair is in an okay moisture state - so, one would definitely be okay...... keeping in mind that I'll be henna'ing the week after next (my next out week), so it definitely needs to be a LIGHT protien.
I haven't done a coconut milk/lime mixture in a while, so I might try that. Or, I can use the Remedi and not get all fancy - or, I could do a egg treat - which, on second thought, no, because that just - I know it works, it's just egg in hair? Ugh.
Hrm. Looking at my calendar, I'm wondering if I should rearrange things, so that I do two DC's, one protien treatment, and one henna in a cycle - that would also stop the protien & henna from being back to back, but it would stretch out my henna'ing to once every 2 months, instead of the every month deal I was on last year. *tsk*
Damn, that's actually a really good idea.
Okay - this is what the new schedule looks like....
Week 1 In Condition
Week 2 Out DC
Week 3 In Condition
Week 4 Out Protien
Week 5 In Condition
Week 6 Out DC
Week 7 In Condition
Week 8 Out Henna
Which, isn't too bad at all. *sigh* *waves forlornly to the henna*
I suppose though, if I'm using SAA in all of my conditioners, my hair should naturally reduce it's need for the strengthening properties of henna, and - hell, that might be almost perfect.
Okay, it's taken me most of the day to write this - I'll wrap it up and head home.
Almost Done....
Okay, I've got all my old entries from The Dash over here now..... I'm missing Nov 07 to Feb 08, mostly all the squueee & etc entries from once I got back onto TLHC. I can't remember how much of my new reggie, etc, I wrote out over there - I think it was a pretty good amount, but at the same time I'm not sure. I'm just waiting for it to come back up, now.
Let's see, hair stuff.
Last night after it dried, I rubbed well with amla oil, then flattwisted into my weekly style, spritzed it well, and wore a showercap/doo-rag combo to bed. I don't think it was any dried than usual - at least not obviously - but I saw a little more breakage than I as comfy with, so I wanted to be sure it stayed moist. I might actually water down some EQ IFC, and give my head a good overnight soaking of that, just to insure that my hair doesn't dry out TOO much before the weekend.
Oooooohhhhh!! This weekend, I get to play with the SAA for the first time! I still haven't opened it and smelled it yet - I seem to get distracted by something else everytime I head for the box.
We're oh, so broke, and I REALLY don't want DH to see another package hitting the doorstep, but I REALLY want to try some Mega-Tek from Eqyss or their Ovation line, which are apparently more or less the same thing - one for horses (I know, I know, but they've tested it as safe for human crossover), and one for humans. Notice the difference in slickness between the two websites, as well as the almost doubled price? UrrmHmm. I'm about to go and check on eay, too - I wish they had smaller sizes. I also love how they state its petro and silicone free - damn shame folx will use stuff on themselves they KNOW is bad for 'dumb animals'. Anyhow.
I know, I know, I said I was done with the growth enhancers, but........ I want to try them again - at least this one, esp. since I've seen picture type proof of how well it works.....and so far, Sareca hasn't let me down, yet.
I think that's it for right now.......
Lazy Day....
Got up this morning, went straight to rinsing the SAF out of my hair - it's amazing how much my scalp ITCHES just as I'm rinsing off - almost like it's shuddering with delight. Then, it feels fabulously clean and smooth.
I left it to dry, and I plan on doing a nice scalp massage with some amla oil in a little bit - I wanted to let my hair dry fully first - I think that makes a difference somehow.
My twists are fat and furry - several actually came out, which is something that has happened in - like never. Another indication of the shift in texture, maybe? Or is it just that the moister the hair is, the more 'mallable' it is, and thus it - 'stretches' out of it's curls easier? Hrrm. I don't honestly think my texture is changing - I just think that it's - resistance? is changing? Hrm, I don't know.
I'm not brave enough to experiment with full out shrinkage to find out.....which is really the only way I could tell. Hrm.
My hair feels - dry, yet moisturized, interestingly enough. Very Crinkly. Hrrrm, massaging this amla in is going to feel good.....
I'm up to late 2006, in journal entries now.... :) I totally forgot that I had already transfered MOST of my hair journal to my universal journal - I think I'm really just missing the Ayuredic adventures/plotting - which, would be really nice to reread, but I could definitely roughly recreate....
Hehehe!
The spambotting is off, so I'll be up late tonight adding more posts.
I got up and put the SAF tea in my hair - this one, I mixed with conditioner (stored it in a not empty conditioner bottle in the fridge) so it's a real one-two punch - I don't have to worry about DC'ing my hair this weekend as well.
Working on the progress pics album, so that will be up soon - I'm starting from blond, since I'm obscuring my face, I don't feel as guilty about it. So sad, I know....
more later, maybe.
Quick Break
I'm having fun, I'm having fun!
I've figured out a way to obscure my face, thanks to a wise idea from Sapphy, so I updated a few really old entries with pictures.
Most of the NapSnaps are set up - I haven't done my facial magic on the progress pics yet, but then those will be done.
I added a section of links to inspirational albums, too.
Urm, otherwise - *waves hand* just general sprucing up and specifying. Did some reviewing of how to back this up too - the whole TLHC issue has shown me that I really shouldn't rely on one site to keep all my info - hell, I even need to back stuff up at home more often than I do.
Oooh! I can CUSS! 
Hehehe!! I'll try to keep it clean, act somewhat lady like, but the occasional bit might slip in.
Haven't done a thing with the hair today - I really need to get up and pour the danggone SAF in my hair, but I've been a bit - focused - exercising my creative side.
I wore my twists out today - just to give DH a lil hairlove. That's sorta why I'm delaying the SAF too - let him enjoy while he can.....
I'm trying to figure out a convienent way to store my smilies. Hrm, I don't know..... what I'm doing now is pretty cool.... I'll worry myself about it later.
I've stopped adding old entries for right now, as blogger has the spam control triggered, and I just don't feel like dealing with it. Then again, I do need to go through the old entries, because I saw some messed up editing from copying from a BB....
TBL hair isn't grown in a day......neither are blogs....
Slowly, but surely, the Kinkdom is coming together. *grins* It's been loads of fun, creating the 'feel' of the place - I'm really going to have fun.
TLHC is STILL down (*argh!!!*) and I've been having so much fun setting up the Kinkdom, that I didn't even write a bit about the lotioncrafter stuff!!
It came yesterday (true, I didn't have power because of the tornados that swept through the area), and it all looks so lovely. The only thing I tried out was the shealoe butter - it feels just the same, which is a really good thing. Smells - different, though - I think they might use less refined shea butter than what I have - or just a different shea butter altogether.
This is a 'in hair weekend', so nothing much going on with the hair. I'm going to do a SAF rinse this weekend, since I didn't get my midweek one in. My hair is STILL fabulously soft and strong and smooth - it's gorgeous. I'm seriously considering using only the caramel treatment for my outhair DC's from now on - oh! I have a whole picture entry in the wings for the making of the treatment.
I've been having much fun organizing my flickr - I think I may have broke every link for every picture I've ever posted like - ever - by privatizing ALL of my pictures - so far, it looks like the links are all broken. It's a pretty neat way to 'clean up' your tracks, so to speak. I've also more or less come to the conclusion that I won't be showing my full face here, either - I mean, it's hair, and I can figure out how to include nothing but ears & eyes.....Blogspot is MUCH more public than the hair boards, and it IS the Kinkdom, so, yeah. :nod: I might have to scrap my historial album for that reason, unless I can find a creative way to obscure my face - I don't go in for the black bar look much.
I wonder if there is a way for me to have smilies. Hrrrm. I should be able to, as I have them in my flickr account..... ohmigods, that would so rock! 
AHhhh!! I can, I can, I can!! That's just bloody wonderful.
Okay, I'm distracted, now. *laugh*
I really wanted to make a big post, so I could see how it looks - and clean up the junk test posts I have out there now.
At some point, I'll go over to Dash, and get the entries I had already posted there....
So, I'm sick and tired of TLHC being down, and I want to blog, and I want to do pictures - so I'm starting a new blog.
I'm sure I'll get all KINDS of comments, etc, with the word 'Kink' in the title, but it should be fun.
I'd like to figure out a way to put links to tags - I'm thinking I'll have:
General (Rants, Raves, Inspirations)
How To
Recipies
Photos
Regimen
Products
Styles
Plus, along the Side? Top? Bottom? I'll have links to various Flickr sets... I've GOTTA be different, and therefore really don't WANT a fotki.
I'm going to do links to albums that I'll set up on Flickr - I'm in the process of making all my pictures private right now, and I'll have specific albums that will hold the 'best' of my hair stuff. Styles, Progress, Products....
Caramel, cont....
It was starting to get drippy, etc, etc, so I went and rinsed it out. The Caramel Treatment is looking like a keeper! My hair is a bit oilier than I would like - we'll see what happens with that over the next day or two. Very little hair came out as I detangled - and I opted to go without my usual final step of Elasta. It's still Sat. night though, so if I wake up tomorrow with crunchy hair, I have time to remedy that. Or, if my hair starts breaking more when I'm doing my scalp massages - that'll be a sign that it's a little too much oil.
*touches hair gingerly* It's also MUCH straighter. Wow. I can tell when something has really moisturized my hair, as it'll give it a wavy feeling.... it's amazing.
For the first time, as I was braiding my hair into it's airdrying braids, I could 'feel' the ropes that my hair will end up being - heavy and soft and amazingly strong. It's going to be AMAZING my hair is. I have this one fat plait sticking up right from the crown of my head. I think, that when that plait reaches my shoulders - that'll be when I flatiron my hair, to see how long it is straight. I think it will be BSL, by then. *giggle* I can so see myself with BSL hair - it will be so beautiful! *grin* and it'll act like it's SL, I bet. *sigh*
Later that day:
Oh. My. Gods. My hair is GORGEOUS. Incredibly soft, unBELIEVEABLY shiny, and so thick and smooth feeling!! I've SO found my DC, long term, real term. Nothing BUT. This - this is amazing, seriously. I don't think I've had something that made my hair feel this fabulous since citric acid - heck, maybe since HENNA! *strokes hair* My only concern is that I don't think my SCALP approves - it feels a little 'coated' and itchy. I think I nice dose of SAF tea on Wednesday will settle that out though. If it doesn't - *sigh* I don't know. I'll have to see how much it sucks. I REALLY like this stuff. If it's REALLY that irritating to my scalp - *sigh* I'll definitely save it in my 'must-use for longer hair' catergory - once it gets long enough that I can actually 'avoid' my scalp when I use products.
I made up a big batch of Kiya pudding - whipped pudding, shealoe butter, the leftover butters from the caramel treatment, Elasta QP IFC, glycerin, and a tiny bit of amla oil. It's amazingly rich and creamy, and I only need a tiny dab, and as it dries, it gets - lighter - somehow, so that my hair is VERY moist and almsot a little oily, but it's VERY light at the same time. It's very nice. *nod* I re-used one of the empty Carrot Oil containers - ugh, how nasty that was on my hair compared to this! It's amazing, how as time goes on, the things that I used to see as - just the holy GRAIL of products have fallen to the wayside in favor of more natural products (juices and berries, ya'll!) that make my hair feel better than I ever THOUGHT it could.
I was catching up on LHCF, and one of the ladies there is deciding to texeturize because she just can't stand her hair. And I want to comment - I want to say something, I want to say - Wait! I used to hate my hair too, until I realized it wasn't the hair, but it was what I was doing to it - but I don't think I would have been very receptive to that then (Ch! As if she has any idea what this - mess - on top of my head is like! I've tried everything - you're just WRONG!).....and, add to that the fact that I very well MAY be wrong, and I have had that 'good hurr' all along, and was just in denial :eyeroll: but ya know, anything is possible.
Anyhow - the juxposition of me suddenly falling head over heels with my hair (dare I say it's straighter?? It's certainly still nappy - but it's not - kinky, anymore. Interesting. And scary. I don't have coils though, I still have fuzz....) with someone utterly falling OUT of love with their hair (I really do see chemically changing your hair as a sort of divorce. It's an ultimatum to your hair that your hair will never be able to fulfill, without dire force).... it's - odd.
Anyhow. Let me go back to twisting my hair - I'm almost done with the front section.
I realized today, also (staying off the computer is good for the mind) that I'm perfectly comfortable in wearing nothing but twists for 12-18-24 months - just so that I can grow my hair to a length where I CAN comfortably wear it out. It's the long term view of hair growing....it's really how the impatient should best work (if they are being honest, and truly want long hair ASAP) - there more I keep it up NOW, the faster I will have hair to keep DOWN. ;) I can't wait.
Gah, and just writing that sounds/seems so vain somehow.....like I feel like I know it all. And I don't - I just think I have some damn GOOD ideas.
DH asked me yesterday, when I was making the SAF tea, whether I kept track of my recipes (he's a hard-core hustler, always looking for a way to sell) and I had to tell him yes - and that made me realize that I could really start something off - a line of products for the hair that talks to you.
I'm down on cones, I'm down on petro products, I'm down on non-natural stuff. I'm up on moisture, I'm up on herbs, I'm up on subtle smelling stuff. I'm down on hard hair, up on "oh my gods that's soft!" hair. I'm up on fairy tale ends, I'm down on razor cuts styles. I'm all about hair being hair, and your best possible hair being exactly what grows out of your scalp - no edits needed. I'm majorly up on curly hair. I think all hair should be curly....even straight hair.
It would have to be a mostly custom line - I wonder if I could rope people in with different hair types to experiement on. *sigh* Most likely not. Esp. since it's really more a regimen, than a certain collection of products. Not everyone lives the lifestyle where they can spend 2.5 hours on their hair on a weekend night. Hell, after a certain point in my life, I might not be able to do that.
I don't know.
I'm having a hard time seperating the belief that I can from the belief that anybody can.
(Sidenote - I just had DH touch my hair to confirm it - it's still crazy soft, but the oilness is gone - it's been about an hour, I'd say. This is amazing hair. AMAZING)
I'm dragging my feet, hoping that TLHC comes back up before I try the caramel treatment. Hrm. Maybe I can find the cached page(s) on google. Or, the wayback machine.
Yeah, that'll work.
Anyhow, I finally made the order to lotioncrafters (they take paypal!!! :lol: :blush) without editing my order at all.
My next 'thing' is either going to be some hair 'growth' stuff - waiting to hear results on that one - or some bulk ayurvedic herbs. I made some SAF tea today, and I have two empty conditioner bottles worth in the fridge - plus I'm 'pre-conditioning' with the 'leftover' now.
Yes! There is a cached page! Here it is, with all of it's caramely goodness.
*settles down for a good reread*
The thread is twelve pages long, so it'll take me a bit. ;)
Okay. One of the first things I notice that she says (reading this thread with an eye towards tweaking the recipe perfectly to make up for the lack of wheat germ oil and to include measurements based on a two pack of banana baby food - a little over half a cup.... I think. Bugger. I need to figure out how much nanner I have).
Anyhow!
I think the purpose of the different oils is to get the unique benefit that each provides naturaly. You could probably substitute something equally good for wheatgerm oil. I think the whole point is to ustilize as many different natural conditioning agents as possible.
I don't ever use measuring cups, I do it all by "feel" and "eye", but for the fluids, I use one part each ingredient (all equal amounts), except for the water. I add that last, and only if I need it when it gets too viscous. Everything when mixed should fit into a medium sized bowl.
Red Palm oil is pretty darn moisturizing, so, so far, I'm feeling pretty good about using that as a sub for the wheat germ - and since it's semi-solid, it'll do nice in 'thickening' up this whole mixture.
Okay - I have seven ounces of babyfood bananas (FULLY RIPENED BANANAS, CITRIC ACID AND ASCORBIC ACID). The citric acid in it might make it even nicer for my hair. But - one part each ingredient - dude, that's a WHOLE lotta caramel. Even if I only use one of the baby food packs (3.5 ounces) that's still a lot. Let's say I use three ounces of each ingredient (I'd certainly only have to make a batch once every blue moon or so...)
3 oz coconut oilThat's three CUPS of the stuff. Not bad, really, assuming I use a cup and a half each time, that's REALLY only two treatments.... which would be.... three months. Hrm, not bad at all - those two baby food things (for 1.07) will last me half the year. I should start calculating how much my hair stuff costs me.
3 oz olive oil
3 oz red palm oil
3 oz shea butter
3 oz honey
3 oz molasses
3 oz Apple cider vinegar
3 oz banana baby food
water (as needed to thin)
*reading on*
Hrrm. I can only go to page 3 in the cache'd stuff, and the wayback machine only has the 'you are not logged in' screen. So.
*sigh*
I think that's going to be the recipie, then. Though, I think I might cut it down to 2 ounces each of everything but the banana. That's an even 1/4 cup, and will be MUCH easier to measure out.
So. Final recipe for tonights experiment (and it's almost 6pm already!) is:
1/4 cup coconut oilI'll melt the red palm and coconut oil, along with the shea butter - just to thin it out and warm them up a little. While those are melting, I'll blend together the bananas, olive oil, and ACV. I'll add the 'warm' oils to that, then add the honey and molasses to the whole mix. I plan on using the blender to do this - no sense overworking ;) I doubt I'll want to add any water, esp. considering that my hair will be damp from the SAF 'pre-poo' :lol:
1/4 cup red palm oil
1/4 cup shea butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
3.5 oz banana baby food
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
water (as needed to thin)
Hrmmm...let me go and do this now.
BBL.
Oooh, that feels (and looks) NICE!! If it leaves my hair feeling anything like how my hands felt after putting it in - oh DREAMY.
Two things.
1) When I was drying my hair off after rinsing out the SAF tea and before putting in the CT, I realized that my hair was SHINY. No product, just smoothing my hair back from my forehead - SHINY.
2) So far this weekend, I haven't used ANY conditioner!! I've used all natural stuff, and if I can keep this up (assuming that when I rinse my hair out tomorrow, it feels perfect and fabulous, and I just use the AD to braid it up) I could almost make it through without conditioner! I say almost, because I would want to use the Kiya Pudding, and that has conditioner in it. *sigh* I don't know. It's really SO easy to use. But maybe once I have the Honeyquat and the SAA, I won't NEED the conditioner anymore?
I had accidentally measured out 1/3 cup of each of the 'solid' oils, so I have a little of those left over - I poured them into the old dark glass jar - I'm sure I'll find a use for them, at some point.