Ahhh, Summer!

I know, I know!!! 17 days, I think that's a record for me in not posting.

*sigh* I don't have much to post about though! I'm a crazy poster when I'm in the midst of a PJfest, or when my hair is giving me problems. Otherwise - well, I'm very much a no news is good news kinda blogger.

I've made it through the month of May, and I haven't brought a SINGLE thing for my hair. It's coming up on June though, and I'm working on my wish list of products, which are as follows:

Premier Cream Rinse (restock)
Eqyss Survivor Detangler (new)
Silk Amino Acids (restock)
pH testing strips (2.0 to 9.0) (new)
Honey (restock)
Molasses (restock(
Ouchless Bands (I'm popping and/or loosing them!) (restock)

I'm head-over-heels for the Cream Rinse - it's currently my favorite detangler - I used it this morning to soften my ends - and it's some AMAZING stuff. My hair feels totally different - moist, soft and smooth after using it - so I ordered 6 more bottles of it. *lol* I use it quickly, and I like to add a little to my DC's, so that seems perfectly reasonable....to me, at least.

I've heard several raves about the Detangler, and so I figured I would try a bottle of it. Worst comes to worst, I won't like it, and it'll join the AfroDetangler in the home of second string products that will be used - eventually.

I'm getting the 16oz bottle of SAA - I've got a little less than half a bottle of it left, right now, and I know that I'll be going through that - it's an essential, at this point.

The pH testing strips, I've been muttering about getting for a while. Having re-read the wonderful Nexxus site about the pH of hair I've decided that I definitely need to look at the pH of my leave-in's, and try to insure that they are around 4.7-5.3 or so - that, I think, will keep my hair even happier than it is now, esp. as I start to manipulate it more.

Yeah, I'm thinking I'm going to have to - so soon, too! - let go of the strict 2 week 'out' hair routine. My hair - it's not really digging it anymore.

Between the increase in temps, and the build-up from the MT, and my regular exercise - I'm DC'ing & washing my hair at least once during the week - I HAVE to in order to not have icky hair. However, that is also causing my twists to become EXCEPTIONALLY frizzy, and while I do embrace the frizzies - they are stepping over the line.

I think that I also have a pretty good halo working, too, which sooooo does not help.

So. I'm going to be redoing/washing my hair every weekend, again - but I will NOT be doing 2ST every weekend - that's just not happening, because it takes up WAY too much time. Just - too, too much time.

Last week, I had flat twists in the front (6 or 7 of them) and two strand twists in the back - that worked out pretty well too, as the front was easy to take down, lightly detangle, and redo in a matter of minutes. The back, though, still - frizz city - even though, by virtue of it being ON the back, I didn't have to look at it as much.

Right now, I'm rocking two flat twists down either side of my head - I didn't get a chance (and didn't really feel like) doing my hair up proper, so this is my version of a ponytail, really - which, speaking of, I STILL cannot do. *sigh*

I want something easy to refresh, long lasting, and allows me access to my scalp to continue applying the MT. If I wasn't so danggone picky (and cheap) I would get braids, but I can feel my hairline revolting at the thought.

I'm thinking I might start doing my hair in the mirror more, and that will give me the ability to do more complex 'looking' styles, that are actually pretty darn simple. I think, maybe flat twists going east to west, and joined down one side? Hrm, I don't know.

Heck, I was even kicking around the thought of a phony puff, but - meh - not really me.

*sigh* I can't WAIT til my hair is long enough to just slap in a bun and be done with.

In other shocking news - I'm considering putting the henna to the side, for a while. I know, I know, it's shocking beyond belief - but - I don't know. My hair - it's healthy enough (finally!) to not need the strengthening aspects of henna. I'm not going to be a redhead using the natural stuff (yeah, I finally gave on that one, too), and with the MT, I don't really need the extra protein like action.
Plus, I'm almost out of henna.

I don't know. It's interesting - henna was really my first step on this hair care pathway, and to let it go is - well, I don't want to call it a turning point, because I plan on keeping on keeping on - but it's definitely a pretty - a pretty big decision.

It started with not really wanting to henna on top of already perfectly proteinated hair. Then, after stumbling across a thread on TLHC, I started thinking about maybe, just possibly, going virgin, again. It's been a very, very, very long time since I've had virgin hair - well over 10 years now, I think - and - I'm kinda curious, honestly. I know that the henna has weighed down my hair some - though, at this point it's own weight might be making the most difference - and I REALLY don't want to loose any more of my kink, and I know as it gets longer, it's going to get looser, as well.

I dunno. I suspect I might give it up via simply neglecting to use it again. I think my last henna was - over two months ago now, maybe in late March? I'll have to look back, and see. Mrrr. We'll see, if I use it again.

See, this is the other danger of not posting in a while - I come back, and I get all rambly & stuff.

I've been lurking on NP lately (I've been boooorrrrreeeeddd) and I've noticed a meme going around about naturals not being able to get past certain lengths - 6-7 inches is the first one I've noticed (which is about shoulder length, stretched) and 14 inches being the other (which I think is about BSL, stretched), and I'm wondering how that came to be. *sigh*
I'm always suspicious of any 'blanket' statement about what is and is not achievable for your hair based on texture. I'm becoming more and more - convinced - that texture (and here, I'm talking strictly wave/curl pattern) only really matters when it comes to the styles that your hair will be able to achieve. It's funny - there is a thread on TLHC about what direction your curls turn, and in the thread, one of the 2a's described her curls the EXACT same way I would describe mine - spiral one direction, straight section, wavy section, s waves, and spiral the other direction to the end. Yeah, my spirals might accomplish all of that in 2 inches, and hers might take 12 to pull it all off - but scale aside - our hair acts remarkably the same. *sigh*

Speaking of length, I have one twist (back, middle) that hangs out 4 inches down onto my back, and the rest at my napeline are all at least over my shoulders. If I wanted to, I think I could claim shoulder-length stretched now, but I'm not gonna. I think I'll be comfy claiming shoulder by Dec or so - I'm really excited to see what it looks like by then! Maybe I'll actually be able to make a ponytail with my WHOLE head at once by then. I can do a double pony now - half on top, half on the back, and even the top one, my front hairline hairs (the halo) isn't quite long enough to get caught up with the rest......but it's getting there.

Hrm.

I think that's everything.

I'll have more pictures, as I start experimenting with styles.

And I'll definitely post a review of the Detangler, too.