June goals update...

We have made it to the end of another month. I know I met my goals this month I was sooo determined.

1. Shampoo wash/ deep condition every 2 weeks check
2. Keep hair braided for 2 weeks at a time  check
3. Use up 1 hair product check, I used up my s-curl
4. M&S as needed check
5. Take multivitamins/ drink water daily this is just so hard to do. I don't know what the problem is I recently purchased crystal light to help with the water situation for next month, but the multivitamins I just cant remember everyday. I need to get it together fast.
6. No heat, trims, or relaxers this whole month check, this was the easiest to do.

 I completed all but one goal which is great way better than last month, but mark my words there will be a day hopefully soon when there are checks straight down my list!

THE TURN UP!

I am 5 weeks away from my 1 year HHJ anniversary, only 5 weeks away. Destined to prove to myself that I can have BSL hair in a years time I have decided to turn up my hair care a bit. I currently need 1 1/2 inches to make BSL, not a lot but I want to make sure I retain my ends and grow my inch and a half. So, here goes:

MY VITAMINS:
Currently I am taking 1 iron pill, 1 multivitamin, and 1 biotin 1000mcg pill. For the next 5 weeks I will only change my dosage of biotin to 2 biotin pills daily.

MY HAIR CARE:
Shampoo/deep cond. every 2 weeks
Wear wig for 5 weeks
Do not comb unless shampoo day
Keep hair in 2 braids for 2 weeks at a time
air dry/no heat/no trim

MY SKIN CARE:
Baking soda mask every other day
Rub face with sea breeze between masks
Use sunscreen when going out
Drink 16oz of water daily

MY PHYSICAL MIX:
Stay stress free
Obtain plenty of sleep
Eat 3 meals a day
Stay positive
Enjoy my summer while it is here!!

SkinCare...

I started taking care of my skin and have been noticing a big change. For those of you who do not know I do have a mild case of eczema that manages to reveal it's self on my cheeks during high stress times , when I get my menstrual. during this time my hormones cause pimples to form on my face, that hurt and grow blackheads which I then pop and form dark scars on my face.

I have dedicated my mornings and every other night to fixing these issues. My skincare love... THE BAKING SODA MASK!. I put it on every other night before I go to bed rinse with warm water blot my face with a towel, an add a little skin moisturizer and go to bed. in the morning I just lightly wash with my ambi face wash and lotion my face for the day. boy oh boy I have now done 3 baking soda masks and my cheeks are glowing the dark marks from popping pimples have faded and there is a softness and evenness to my skin. I am happy, the mask is easy to make and easy to remove I shall continue getting my beauty on!.

Wash day (10 weeks post)

Washed my hair on Sunday the 16th after an overnight deep condition with Queen Helen cholesterol conditioner, and my hair needed it. When I was finished rinsing and washing with shampoo the tub was full of only 4 hair strands which is the first time this has happened. I do believe that this cholesterol conditioner helped to strengthen my hair strands.

 I do notice a fullness to my hair which I am contributing to the no heat till august challenge I am on, I do notice softness (from coconut oil usage) and length as well.. below I have a few pictures. (BSL here I come!)

 

 

SHORT/LONG TERM GOALS UPDATE!

THIS WAS A POST IN MARCH 2013 AND I DECIED TO GO BACK AND UPDATE BOTH MY SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM GOALS BASED ON MY CURRENT PROGRESS. I HAVE BEEN HITTING LENGTH MARKS WAY FASTER THAN I EXPECTED WHICH MEANS THAT MY GOALS HAVE TO CHANGED NOW!

SHORT TERM GOALS: IN 8 MONTHS 6 MONTHS (with growth aids)

• April 2013 grow to line 7 on t-shirt COMPLETED
• August 2013 grow to line 10 on t-shirt (1 year anniversary)
• December 2013 grow to line 12 on t-shirt  (BSL)

From the way things are going I maybe line 12 by August and 14 by December!!!!

LONG TERM GOALS: IN 16 MONTHS 14 MONTHS (w/o growth aids)

• February 2014 grow to line 13 on t-shirt (MBL)
• August 2014 grow to line 16/17 on t-shirt (2 year anniversary WL)

Maybe line 15 by February and Lines 18-20 will make me waist length (which would mean growing my entire length check  t-shirt in 2 years. I am up for the challenge!)

(no trimming until April 15th 2014 which is my next birthday to guarantee I make all of my goals)

Detangled hair session...

I decided to detangle the crap out of my hair. For the next 2 weeks I will be bunning it. Wearing the wigs so much has worn them out and I missed styling my hair. I am going to just take a brake from wigging and go right into bunning.

During my detangling phase I pulled out plenty of shed hairs. I was wearing the wig for a full 10 days since my last wash and this is the ball I got.

 

I decided to detangle today because I wanted to coat my entire head in coconut oil for its conditioning properties. My hair needs and will be washed on Sunday the 16th which is 4 days away and right back into the bun my hair will go. Currently I am 9 weeks post next Sunday will make me 10 weeks post and boy oh boy are my roots showing out.

I took a picture of where the back of my hair falls when pulled to the front and I am almost at my necklace... remember I am 9 weeks post and not using heat of any kind till august so this is really shrunken hair we are looking at, that needs to be pulled to guess-ta-mate what I am working with.

How I blend my leave out with my wig?

Currently I have been wearing 2 wigs for the past 8 weeks and I love them both.

Starting with my curly wig... I blend my leave out by twisting it and using one flexi rod to roll up my twist. It looks really good when blended. I will try to wet my leave out a bit before twisting and rolling next time to see if the curl will last longer.

With my straight wig I jut bush my leave out with coconut oil added and it blends well because the texture of the wig is similar to my relaxed hair. If my roots seem to not blend well than I will apply coconut oil, heat protectant and flat iron my leave out then bush in to blend with my bristle brush.

This is how I choose to retain length for the past 8 weeks. It is simple and easy I  don't have use heat on my leave out much and the rest of my hair under my wigs is taken care of by getting moisturized with scurl and coconut  oil daily.

Cross wrap!

This was my first attempt to cross wrap back in February and I am not going to lie it is less manipulation and easy to do when compared to the traditional wrap hair around ones head. This is going to be my new night routine when I relax my hair in august, to help maintain my straight hair longer.

shopping list update...

My update: I finally completed my shopping list 2 days ago and let me say I love my coconut oil. This oil was the first oil I purchased when I decided to start a hair journey and once finished I went off to try others like EVOO, Grape seed oil, Castor oil etc. none of these oil can match the softness and moisture coconut oil can give... yea I said it!!

I have a confession, I am a bit of a conditioner junkie. I love trying out all the conditioners I see because dry hair will be always in my life and I need antidotes on hand. So, the aussie moist is not a bad conditioner it really feel moisturizing when I put it in my hair I pray that it aids in my 16 week stretch I am trying to do.

my invisible part straight wig is starting to wear on me. I do wear it everyday so this could be the reason but my ends are getting a bit ragged so I will have to retire my wig soon but not until I complete another 2 weeks so I may just flat iron it tomorrow or something to buy me the 2 weeks.

scurl no drip I have been using on my roots and hair just to switch up product and it really helps on my edges because they are severely under-processed and this added moisture helps tame them.

My ORS shampoo I will be using on the 16th when my 2 weeks are up I just love this stuff!

1. Aussie moist conditioner 
2. Coconut oil 
3. S-curl no drip 
4. ORS aloe shampoo 
5. new invisible part wig

No more purchasing  hair products until August... I mean it this time!!

A little comparison...

Here is a side by side view of 3 month progression. I am still shocked.

let the progression to BSL continue!!

New decision!

I have decided that even though I hate the hair salon, there are benefits there for me... so I will visit the hair salon every 6 months. In an earlier blog from February I mentioned that I see less breakage when my hair isn't so coiled and because I will not use heat on my hair any other time why not. The way at which I go to the salon will change drastically though because I do not need a set back...

• go to the salon with deep conditioner in my hair
• allow them to wash it out
• apply my heat protectant (always bring my heat protectant)
• roller set
• blow and flat iron

The salon will not relax my hair or trim my hair ever... I basically want to use the hair salon as my 6 month heat pass and that's all. My last salon visit was In February so my next salon visit is this august (after I self relax)

wish me luck!

So close I can taste it!

2 inches away from BSL... wow I am going hard now... no, no, no manipulation.

(Currently 8 weeks post)

• only comb on wash days
• wash every 2 weeks with a deep condition
• M&S daily
• vitamins/ water daily
• wig for 8 weeks!!!! then relax and length check... (pray to the gods that I am @ # 11!)

Holy crap!!! (Length check 6/2/13)

I am currently 8 weeks post and today I washed my hair after 3 weeks (I forgot to do it the week before) and while air drying I decided to do a little unofficial length check, well here it is... I am sooo shocked!

I HAD NO IDEA.. I THINK THESE WIGS ARE REALLY WORKING.. my goal was to make it to line 10 by August which would put me at grazing BSL. Things have changed as of today. For the month of August (which is only 2 months away) I am now shooting for line 11 (I will relax in the month of august @ 16 weeks post)... low manipulation is key!!!!