I'm 5 feet 10 ... With My Hair

 I'm really loving my hair right now! It's just big and awesome. Maybe it was the Swedish massage I had today. I'm just zoning really hard. Yes my hair adds two inches to my height but "I DON'T CARE, I LOVE IT" 

 Scalp? What scalp?
 Relaxer? What relaxer?

                      

                          What I moisturize my hair with daily------->

I mix these four ingredients (free hand). Soften the Shea butter a little add a few drops of grape seed oil, sweet almond oil and some S-curl. This is my own mix, I used what I had (after I bought the Shea butter). I like the Shea by itself but a little oil never hurt. I store the mix in my tiny Tupperware.  

I alternate that moisturizer with my Olive Oil Formula Hair Milk. I haven't mastered the perfect moisturizer for my hair but I like these for the time being. I am still looking butttttt I'm on a budget, so no more hair buys. 

I hope you all feel awesome today!

Peace&Love

Twist-out at The Zoo

So three days with my hair in twists, I finally untwisted them. I applied my Shea butter mix as I untwisted. The take down process took about 15 minutes. After it was done, I rubbed some Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum all over my hair. 

Freshly untwisted hair

                                          

"gone with the wind fabulous" jk jk

    Today was hot and sunny, perfect time to visit  Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. I've been to The Bronx Zoo and Animal Kingdom, and Henry Doorly is my new favorite zoo. 

A few flicks from the zoo

Next wash day I want to detangle and twist my hair again. This time I won't put so many twists in my hair, I want to go for a wavier look. Tonight, after I moisturize and seal, I will probably bun my hair loosely and fall asleep. OR PINEAPPLE!! Today was great and I had a great hair day! 

Peace&love

Why Can't Wash Days be Fun?

I was due for a wash day a few days ago, but I prolonged it. Why can't wash days be fun? Two things inspired me to start my wash day: a chance to practice texlaxing and my first twist-tout! Now I've twisted my hair before, but only in two big sections. That was easy peasy. 

• Garnier Fructis Fight-the-Fall to pre-poo. I also took this time to section my hair as if I was giving myself a touch-up. I did pretty well, so I am less nervous about self texlaxing soon. 
• Giovanni Smooth as Silk Shampoo (religiously, I'm actually running out)
• Coffee rinse
• Deep Conditioner with KeraPro Restorative Treatment, ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner and Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner (a mix I made up on the spot)
• Towel dry a little and sprayed Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Reconstructor
• T-shirt dried my hair for not long enough.
• Since I planned on a twist-out, I moisturized with my African Shea Butter mix and sealed with grape seed oil. During the twisting, I added some Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum.

 (Amazon, Sally's and Walmart are places I buy my hair products)

At first it was great

3 and 1/2 hours later...

So the practice touch-up went really well, however I didn't like the amount of hair I lost while rinsing it out. Mostly shed hair and a few broken strands. Shed hair used to make me really sad, add breakage, OHEMGEE, I can not deal. I blame it on myself prolonging my wash day.  

I detangled and twisted my hair at the same time, piece by piece. I have no particular reason for doing it this way. 

Detangling always takes a while so when I added twists, it took me 3 and 1/2 hours to finish. Of course I love how my hair looks but I'm beat. I don't know how long the twists will last but I'm in no rush to untwist them.

 I lost a lot of hair this detangling process. Twisting isn't something I consider a manipulative hair style but I feel as if I would have lost less hair roller setting. Being 8 and half weeks post probably didn't help. Long wash day and lots of shedding was not fun!

Have you done anything new with your hair?

WHY I LOVE AMAZON

I'm on a budget, a strict budget, an I can't spend any of my money budget. I was always the budget type but it was much easier when I was waiting tables (boy do I miss the tips). I've become somewhat frugal. 

     Money comes and goes is what everyone likes to say but why spend it if I don't need to. I don't have to be frugal but I can't go back to having no money. In college I would go days without my wallet. LMAO I had nothing but over draft fees. I turned that around and did fairly well for myself. There's so many ways to save and budget without missing out on the things you want. So with this new strict budget, I don't want to miss out.

     Now the reason for this post, the main attraction: Amazon. They really are so great. I've been rocking with them since my freshman year in college.

 

     The first semester I spent over 500 dollars on textbooks at the university store. LMAO I had to wait for two paychecks to get all my books. That took a whole month. Then I learned about how amazing Amazon can be. By luck I learned I could sell my books through Amazon. Perhaps I was a little slow (I had no guidance, don't judge me) because people were selling things left and right. eBay and Amazon. My cousin was addicted to bidding on eBay, I was not eBay's biggest fan.

     Anyways, Anyways I sold my overly priced books and was so excited when I'd get an e-mail saying I need to ship them out. I would've been a pro but I ran out of books.

     Later on I got special treatment from them because I was a student. Then I graduated :( I'm back in school now and I totally forgot to see if I can have more special treatment. 

     So 30 days ago I decided to do a 30 day Amazon Prime trail. Amazon Prime is $79 a year. The perks are cool but focus I'm on a strict budget. The ultimate perk is free two-day shipping. Items just arrive at your house as if they were always there (but they weren't).

     So during my 30 days I ordered 8 items. Shipping is usually 4 bucks. 4*8= $32 I would've spent on shipping. Come to think of it $79 a year is pretty awesome. There are ways around it, free two-day shipping if you spend over $25 on the right items.

     How did I order 8 items on a budget? I sent Amazon two textbooks and they gave me an electronic Amazon gift card (gift cards are ill).

     So I enjoyed Amazon Prime and then I took notice of another offer. Audible, an amazon company, has a 30 day free trail. It allows consumers a chance to listen to two books for 30 days.

 Now at first I wasn't that impressed. I'm kind of old school, I enjoy carrying a book in my bag. Using my tablet to read was an adjustment. But hey, I can't knock it till I try it. So I'm signing up. I already have two books in my cart that I want to enjoy. The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen and Bright Side Up: 100 Ways to Be Happier Right Now by Amy Spencer. I've always appreciated Sarah Dessen's novels and I read a great review about Amy Spencer's book. 

Oh Yea! Free Kindle Samples! I sampled a textbook the first week of my summer semester. I got lucky because the first reading assignment was for chapter 1. The free sample was CHAPTER 1! I felt like a genius. 

I'm sure Amazon probably has more to offer. I will discover them later. 

Why I'm Stretching

For years, I have waited at least 7 weeks before I would go to a salon for my relaxer. Lately I have stuck to 8 weeks and a texlax at the salon. Today I am 8 weeks post and I am going to stretch for at least two more weeks.

Why?

    Because I am terrified about texlaxing myself. I can't see where I need to apply the perm. So let's just prolong it. There's just too much hair. Wavy hair, coarse hair, curly, straight!!!! This texlaxed hair with it many textures, boy oh boy, I am not looking forward to it. However, there is no way I will pay 70 bucks to get it done. Plus I never have a good time at salons. 

    I need to man up, WOman up! I have to do it. Or I can just transition to natural...LOL I kid, maybe. I do want to see how long I can go without texlaxing. 

     My hair today feels great. It feels strong and not thirsty. I believe I got managing my new growth down. Took a few months and lots or searching. Whatever moisturizer you like (even good old water) section your hair, apply it and seal it with your favorite oil. I've seriously been spraying my hair with water, sealing it with grape seed oil, bunning it, put a scarf on and off to bed. 

     I keep asking myself why do I want to texlax. Texlaxing will make my hair life a little easier for myself and I miss my fresh texlaxed hair. Sigh, I will keep researching and watching hair videos. I just gotta focus on my goal- Freshly texlaxed hair.

    

4 or 5 days ago. 4 flexi-rods on dry hair

28 (or 30) Days Meditation Challenge

I personally challenge myself to meditate everyday for the next 30 days.

I have tried time and time again to mediate. Today I had an epiphany and I decided to challenge myself. Challenges motivate me, so this is the best way for ME to start. 

Three months ago I bought Meditation For Dummies. Easiest way to start. At the time the book was $24.99 at Barns & Nobles (thank you gift cards!). 

The book comes with a Meditation CD for more aid. I just want to skip everything and reap the benefits of meditation ...it doesn't work like that. However anyone can go right ahead and sit and breathe for five minutes. But I will read this book.

• Week 1- Five minute mediation when I wake up. Experiment with different techniques- candles, lying meditation, walking meditation, outdoor meditation.
• Week 2- Five to ten minutes. Pick one technique and stick with it. 
• Week 3- 10-15 minutes. 
• Week 4- At this time I should be a PRO-FESS-SIONAL. Just meditating like it's second nature. 

A follow up post in 30 days so I can provide a nice conclusion. 

8 Reasons You Should Meditate  & April 2012 Experiment: 30 days of Meditation both helped with my epiphany! 

Challenge yourself today with something you always wanted to do. What will your challenge be?

It's just a setback :(

On April 25th, I wrote:

     "My first real setback. Or perhaps it's just the timing of everything in my life. I had my last salon visit this week. I know I told myself that before (6 months ago) but I'm serious this time. I'm the only one willing to detangle my hair with just my fingers. The struggle. I don't have the patience to pay and watch my hair get combed excessively. I don't want to even think about what my hair went through that day. I imagine the garbage filled with layers and layers of my hair. And everyone says "you have so much hair" according to who? And that doesn't mean I want to lose half if it. I digress. My hair grows and when it grows, it's thick." Poor detangling. 

    
    I'm 7 weeks post. I plan on self texlaxing in 3 weeks. This stretch, I've done one hard protein, I've been prepooing with conditioner or oil, flat ironed once, did my first flexirod set (thanks to these two ladies Jen and Ebony ) coffee rinses, moisture & sealing everyday and one clear rinse (I like clear rinses). After that last salon visit, I trimmed about an inch and a half of nasty ends. I mostly air dry. This stretch I have used these products religiously:

• Giovanni Smooth as Silk Shampoo (love Giovanni) 
• Deep condish with Kerapro (I love)
• Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer after deep condish 

    I recently purchased Organix Coconut Milk Serum for this stupid breakage I'm experiencing. I enjoy the serum, I have been using it a lot. Around seven week post, the shedding becomes annoying. I 'm trying to push through and perhaps last longer than the 10 weeks I originally planned for. 

HAPPY HEALTHY HAIR JOURNEY Y'ALL!

My first flexi-rod set (5 weeks post)
This is my obnoxious smile beeteedubs

After my trim, ends are still shabby (idk when)
Semi-obnoxious smile 

Clear rinse one week after salon
I used Jazzing #10 

First Wash Day Post

Smallest hairball I've seen in weeks! My new shower-head filter
in the background. I hate hard water.

 I don't know what did the trick , but today's 

wash and detangle session was not half bad. 

I started doing coffee rinses for the past three weeks. So before the coffee rinse, I used Garnier Fight-the-Fall conditioner and Alter Ego Garlic Mask to pre-poo. I detangled with my Lacio Lacio leave in, grape seed oil and  Organix Coconut Milk Serum (just a little for the new breakage I've been experiencing).  Last week I did a hard  protein treatment with Aphogee 2 Step. 

This wash day made me excited about posting it. I'm currently air-drying with my scarf.  I don't know if I want to bun it, put flexi-rods in or french braid. I might do 2 or 3
 flexi-rods. Can't promise any pics 

because I don't know what I'll do.

Peace&Love

                                                                

            What slows down your shedding?