These are a few things that I have learned that have made my hair journey change.
I just started out not to long ago and there are just some things that I had to figure out myself but I always just wish there was some kind of guide that could tell me where to start. Thanks to the numerous women on fotki. I had a basic skeleton of what to do but there was some definitions that needed clarification. So as I go on and learn I will make note of terminology that I have learned.
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Concerning lengths....
Most women note where they are at in their hair journey by referring to these terms.
NL - Neck Length
SL- Shoulder Length
APL- Arm pit length measure from one side of arm pit length to other.
BSL - Be careful with this one some people use this to say below shoulder length and others use this to describe bra strap length. The latter one is more commonly used.
MBL- Mid back length. In your back there is usually a profound indention. Lol medically its where your lumbar curvature is located. Don't mind me I'm just being my usual nerdy self. But the center of that area is about right.
WSL - Waist Length when you have gotten here I expect nothing but gorgeous hair.
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Some products terminology...
Everyone on fotki are using all these abbreviations and for someone that was new like me I was like. QUE????
CO- Carrier oil you add this with your EO usually in about 10/1 ration EO being used as the smaller quantity.
EO- Essential Oils - pro
EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil - usually used for pre shampooing or hair sealent.
ORS- Organic Root Stimulator
UBH- Ultra Black Hair Products (Cathy Howse products)
http://www.ubhpublications.com/index.html-------------------------------------------------------------------
Hair Techniques/Tools
Bagging- especially used for climates that are harsh due to the cold or dry temperatures. Its a method of putting moisturizers on your ends and then covering with any plastic bag of some sort.
Co-Wash- Using a conditioner in place of shampoos. That can have heavy detergents that will strip your hair of essential moisture. This is especially used when you wash your hair twice a week. One day you use the regular shampoo method and then 3 to 4 days later use the conditioning method.
(Thanks BeautyWitch !!!)
Hennaing- Using Henna to strengthen your hair or to impart an all natural hair color without damaging your hair. Henna is a natural product is one of the secrets of Indian Women to maintaining thick gorgeous hair and a nice hue to your hair.
Magnetic Rollers- You use 2-prongs with this to but a roller set in your hair. The holes in the magnetic rollers maximizes heat flow to your hair. So that your hair dries more evenly.
PreShampooing (Pre-Poo)- This is when you add conditioner or oils maybe even both to your hair prior to your normal wash. You can stay under the hooded drier or sleep with it overnight. It reinforces the moisturizer in your hair and will protect it better against harsh detergents and chemicals found in shampoos. Make sure to wash it out before continuing on with your normal wash.
Sealing- This is when you add oil to your hair after moisturizing with a moisturizer to lock in all those precious oils.
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Extra Stuff
Shedding- although this concept seems easy to understand some people might get it mixed up with breakage. I believed that when you combed your hair anything that was left in your comb was breakage. This of course is wrong. Your hair normally sheds 100 hairs a day and when you comb through it your just removing the hair piece that might have become intertwined in your hair. If you look at an individual hair strand you should be able to see the bulb from which your hair has fell out of the shaft. I actually noticed more shedding about 2 -3 weeks into my regmin but I confused that loss of hair strands for breakage. When in fact my hair was just telling me thanks I'm getting healthier.
http://www.williamcollierdesign.com/hairloss_normal.htmlhttp://www.hairlosstalk.com/newsletter/article220.htmhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/article/286359/hair_care_shedding_or_breakage_understanding.html(the last article was in fact made by one of our own!!! SistaSlick)
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I will keep adding to this list as I grow in my hair journey.
NEW BEGGININGS
Tracking my hair growth……
Healthy Ends, Thick Hair, No breakage…………
6months goal – 2 inches longer
Initial Length –
Final Length –
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1st Trial
(Nov, 21,2007 - Jan, 4, 2007)- 6 weeks 2 days till next perm
Final Length-
Goals:
• DO wash/condition hair every week (Wed.) until next perm.
• NO heat unless I’m applying roller set.
• NO gel, oil, grease
• DO take a vitamin everyday, never miss a day
• NO combing through hair to much, only about 3 times a day or use fingers as an alternative
• DO drink a bottle of water every day
Questions:
What worked?
How did it make my hair feel/how do my roots feel? (soft, rough, tangled)
How did my hair look? (shine, dull, thick, brittle ends, full, limp)
How much breakage do I notice each time? ( When…. I wash, comb through my hair on a daily basis)
What do I do to my hair on a daily basis?
Do I notice any new growth?
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Initial Day !!!!
Nov,21, 2007– Perm, Big Cut , Roller Set
Products: Hawaiian Silky Relaxer, Pro Tech – protein shampoo, others find out
Notes:
She relaxed my hair, the edges burned and about 5 days later I started noticing scabs. Now (Nov, 29, 2007) the scabs are being pulled off or have just came off. My hair turned out gorgeous. It was very full I got numerous compliments on how thick my hair was and full. The curls where too much the first day but by the next and even days to come it looked more gorgeous every day. I was very happy to see that there was little to no shedding from what I saw. My ends look beautiful although I think I need to cut off at least 2 more inches to be truly healthy. There was a little shine to my hair
I wasn’t too pleased with the edges they didn’t come out as straight as I wanted. Was it because she didn’t put the relaxer on that portion long enough or was it because I had used Jam the day before or even that day and it interfered with the straitening process. Or was it because my ends where burned. Only way to tell is to find out next time.
The protein really worked I noticed it gave my hair shine without having to put oil on it.
I really loved the roller set because it allowed me not to put any heat on my hair for the first week all I did was every night wrap it up. I only put oil on my hair a few times probably 3 times in total. I find myself a lot running my fingers through my hair or using a comb to play around with it. I have taken my vitamins every day since Monday (Nov, 26,2007)
The beautician said that I don’t have to put oil in my hair every day, washing and deep conditioning is enough to give my hair moisturizer.
Quote from my beautician:
If your body was oily, would you slap Vaseline all over your body to make it better? No you would hop into the shower and wash up. That’s how are hair is………
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Week 1
Nov, 28, 2007 – 1st Wash, Roller Set
Products: Kera Care Hydrating Detangling Shampoo, Kera Care Conditioner, Kera Care Oil Moisturizer, Botanical Oil.
Notes:
1.) The shampooing went in my opinion almost perfect I washed my hair and there was little to no breakage from what I saw. I believe this has to be a ground breaking thing for me I always get a lot of breakage or shedding. It always brings me almost tears when I see so many chunks in my hands, comb or brush. My hair felt so silky under the shower I kept it simple I put about a quarter size amount of shampoo in my hair and proceeded to washing. I didn’t manipulate it to much I just rubbed it on there were a few places where my scalp was itching so I cheated and kind of ran my nails on it. One important thing I think I did that may seem minute was that I took off my ring special ring that I never take off. I’ve noticed before that when I’m washing my hair my hair has a tendency of snagging on it.
2.) I put the conditioner on and everything was still going fine no breakage just beautiful. That has been my biggest problem my hair will grow but always break in the end. I left it on for maybe 30min +. I washed it out now time for the roller set.
3.) Wow umm defiantly a roller set is harder than what you think. I was trying to do the roller set with the prongs. My beautician said I don’t need any oils or anything to do a roller set and sitting under the dryer. I cheated though and put some Kera Care Oil Moisturizer in. Big problems I had were that I can’t keep the roller tight as I bring it to my head so I had to keep restarting. I couldn’t get my ends to wrap the roller right. I didn’t know what size roller to use and believed that I could have been using the wrong size. So because I was working like a snail my hair began to dry. I was like O NOOOOO stop because it my hair was drying frizzy well you know. So I moistened my ends to keep them slick so I could wrap it around the roller. Still it was so hard. I need to buy my own roller set, clips because I didn’t have enough so I had to use the ones that they always tell you not to use the foam and the tight grip ones. They weren’t that bad for me and I didn’t notice any breakage. So my hair began to dry and feel dry and brittle. I noticed some breakage as I would struggle with the curls. It was a nightmare my arm hurt and everything. By the time I was frustrated I was like well I know its not coming out right because there was some that already began to frizz. Next time I think Ill do a flat wrap or I will have some setting lotion to keep my hair moistened. I just didn’t want anything that would make my hair heavy. I sat under the drier for like 35 minutes not enough. I don’t think I gave my curls enough to maintain its curl, but I was very frustrated at this point.
Results, my hair felt kind of brittle, I wonder if professional did everything I did and used what I did would it come out gorgeous. It wasn’t so bad there were numerous curls that came out beautiful with bounce and shine but then there was also some that came out limp, a lot came out frizzy. I wrapped it up and put some wrapping paper around my head, sat under the dryer it was ok. But I learned a lesson. So I ended up taking a straighter and just straightening and bumping the whole thing. I was very disappointed to see my hair shed more than I have ever seen it I don’t know if that’s a natural thing that happens after you apply heat. So I put some more moisturizer to make my hair not feel so brittle. But it kept breaking or shedding or whatever you call it I wonder is that natural I have to ask someone. I think it was the firzziness, snagging on the comb. It looked great though everyone says they can’t tell I washed it but I sure can because it doesn’t have that bounce and I cant curl it because I am trying to use no heat. So one side is bouncy and they other a little straighter, I’m sure anyone could guess why. I
2nd Day
Little to No breakage, Hair feels so soft, My hair looks lustrous has body and shine but of course my left side doesn’t have that cur. But ill deal with it, I feel some new growth in the middle back and sides. Hair doesn’t feel greasy and my ends still look great!
I’m out…………..
(Nov,29,2007)
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