What I want to try in 2010

Just a quick one. A list of techniques I want to try in 2010:

• No shampoo
• Indian powder glosses
• Straightening (hotcomb or flatiron, not sure yet)

I'll be doing detailed posts on each technique soon. What I'm doing, why I'm doing it and products I'm using.

What techniques are you going to try in 2010?

My Hair and Homemade Coconut Oil - Sealing in moisture

I'd probably say before I started using coconut oil, I never knew what moisturized 4b hair was really like. I'd just accepted the regular dryness for what it was. Every now and then I'd get that moisturized softness/cottonyness, but not for long. The 'normal' crunchiness would soon return. Meh.

So I've been using my homemade coconut oil for about 3 weeks (on both hair and skin), and of course .... I love it!! I'm about half way through it (about 1/4 cup left), so I'll definitely be making more in the next couple of weeks. I've been using it almost every day and it leaves my hair soft and really moisturized. Sometimes it's been the only thing I've applied to damp hair after washing, and it really does seal in the moisture. The moisturized feeling can last for days.

I went away over the past week and couldn't take any of my hair stuff with me. My hair stayed moisturized under my wig until I came back!!

Coconut oil is one of the few oils that penetrate and prevent protein loss from the hair shaft and also being an oil, it would create a diffusion barrier which prevents water from evaporating from the hair. Reasons it works so well!

So what's my moisturizing routine exactly? Well I'm using a method created by Chicoro. Let me tell you, this method really works. Before you put it off, let me just say, if you're having a problem with dry hair, JUST TRY IT! If it doesn't work for you (but I'm pretty sure it will), then so be it. But at least give it a go. I'm emphasising this because I actually came across Chicoro's method on her fotki about a year ago, and then just forgot about it ... I really wish I'd paid more attention back then, I'd probably have retained a little more length using this method. Ok, ok, I'll get to describing this miracle method!

It consists of applying 3 specific layers of products to moisturize and seal.

1) First apply a water based moisturizer. I realize people also refer to creams with the first ingredient being water as a 'water based moisturizer.' For this method, I'd suggest using something that's actually much more watery than that. No creams at this stage. I personally use a mixture of water and glycerine. I've gone back to a 50/50 mixture and it's working well so far. This adds moisture and the glycerine will draw moisture from the air, being an emollient.

2) Secondly apply an oil based moisturizer. I use my beloved coconut oil here. This seals in the moisture by creating that diffusion barrier.

3) Then a heavy or emulsified cream. I use Garnier Fructis Nutri-Repair. Heavier moisturizers sit on the hair and will seal the first 2 layers.

4) Lastly, she then suggests that you cover your hair. I've been wearing a wig when I leave the house or a scarf when I'm home. This prevents the air from stealing all the moisture.

That's it. It takes less than 5 minutes. My hair doesn't feel 'coated' or get 'build up.' I try not to be too heavy handed with the heavy cream leave-in part. You can find more information here:

• Chicoro's Tutorial - How to Strategically Seal the Hair Strand
• Blackonyx77's YouTube tutorial for this method - Sealing MOISTURE in Hair

If you do try this please let me know how it worked for you, if you had to add any variations or what products you used. Even better, also let other naturals know, because dryness is one of our biggest hurdles. This could very well be the solution they need, as it was for me.

Regimen Update

I try to be as consistent as possible with my regimen. But I feel that a regimen doesn't have to be static. As long as there are ways to improve my current routine, I will always try to tweak it every now and then.

My regimen about 8-10 months ago was pretty much made up of Ayurvedic herbs and braids. I still love my Ayurvedic powders but I've taken on more conventional products to give my hair that extra moisturizing 'umpf.' As you may know from previous posts, I've let go of braids and weaves for now as I'd allowed them to wreak havoc on my edges. I've stuck to my current regimen for the past 4 months or so, albeit changes to one or two products.

Regimen:

Cowash (Conditioner wash) once or twice a week with any one of these:

• Yes to Carrots
• Vo5 Strawberries and Cream/ Free Me Fresia
• Herbal Essences Longterm Relationship/ Hello Hydration
• Pantene Colour Revival Intensive Treament
  

But these days it's more likely to be Yes to Carrots, Vo5 or the Pantene.


Shampoo once a week.

• I'm no longer too concerned about what shampoo I use. I just want a clean scalp. At the moment I'm using dilute cheap sulfate shampoo by Alberto Balsam for dry, damaged hair (I figured it would be moisturizing if it's for dry, damaged hair). This is also a recommendation by Cathy Howse in her book Ultra Black Hair Growth II.

• I normally pre-poo with Evoo. At the moment I've run out of it and have been using good ol' Crisco Vegetable Oil. It works really well and I think it actually may be better than EVOO. I think because it's heavier, it tends to protect my hair more from the shampoo. Loving it!

Egg Treatment once a week (3 weeks per month).

• I love this!! It strengthens my hair, but softens it at the same time. I've also noticed that I tend to retain more moisture afterwards.
  

Cassia Obovata once a month

• I swap the egg treatment for this once a month. I'm still in love with it. I used to do it every week. After a while it stopped having the same effect every time, so I decided to space out the treatments.

Moisturizing

• Pretty much everyday. For the past few months I've been using Pantene Moisture Renewal Leave-in. I went through 2 bottles of that. I liked it, but I've recently moved onto Garnier Fructis Nutri-Repair leave-in. I think the Nutri-Repair line is the Australinized version of the Triple Nutrition line. It's got the same darker green bottles and the '3 nourishing fruit oils' line on the bottle. Although, I think the US version of the line is sans this particular leave-in. It's thick, creamy and very moisturizing. Exactly how my hair likes it!

Tea Rinses

• I still love my herbal tea rinses. I haven't used nettle, horsetail etc in a while (but I should!), mainly because I haven't found them locally at a reasonable price. I'd have to order them interstate, and y'all know how that can be on the pockets. So lately, I've been using a Amla + Neem final rinse, which I'm very happy with. Very good for my scalp and also very moisturizing for my hair.
  

Other things

• Combing - I don't do it. Well, not with a comb at least. This has helped me retain a lot of length. I finger comb and that does the trick. Please don't take this as me saying combing is bad. I just personally find that my hair does better without combing. There are some people who simply cannot go without combing because their hair will tangle up. They're better off combing than having to constantly deal with tangles and knotting.

• Twists and plaits - After my bad weave saga I decided to part with extensions indefinately. I redo these every 2 - 4 weeks. This has really given my scalp a break and I think it's been a large contributor to the way my hair has thickened.

Phewf! This post is getting quite long. But hopefully it gives you a good idea to where I am now with my regimen. If you're a newbie to the whole haircare thing, or just simply looking for pointers on improving your regimen, then I highly recommend the article: Hair Regimen Building for Newbies by Audrey Sivasothy a.k.a Sistaslick on the hairboards. I don't necessarily follow her suggestions word for word, but it's a good point of reference.

In my next post, I'll be putting up an update of my edges. So it'll be the improvement after 5 months of using Emu Oil!!

How consistent are you with your regimen? Made any changes lately?