Last Wash 2011 & Happy New Year

Hey!

I'm so happy that I started this hair journey 9 months ago and that you all decided to stay with me thus far!
This is just a general thank you to you all for subscribing to my blog and reading it. Thank you for the comments of encouraging words and advice.

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So onto my wash day. Last night I washed my hair, not because it was necessary, but I just didn't like how it felt. I had used this hemp oil thing that contained mineral oil and I'm not sure if it was mind over matter or what but I just hated how it felt.

So I washed my hair with diluted shampoo and used some Aphogee Two Minute Reconstructer...again. I did say my hair takes protein very well. Then I used a moisturizing conditioner.

I had a comment on my blog recently about mixing honey with ann oil, so I mixed the honey with grapeseed oil, olive oil and coconut oil. I also added some ORS Olive Oil Replenishing Conditioner to make it pasty. The mixture had been sitting there for about 3 days because I was a little lazy, but that seemed to bond the ingredients well. I just stirred it a little and it became a smooth mixture with no honey stickiness.

I left that on overnight and didn't rinse till late afternoon (out of pure laziness of course lol).

After that, I sprayed some Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Reconstructerizer. I always wonder if these people who make these products have some affinity for making up their own words, or if they simply don't like using real words.

I then applied some leave-in conditioner and did a braid-out.

Now I'm sitting here with my braids in hoping that they will be completely dried in time for church later.  I plan to do my regular cute little braid-out updo.


After church I will be spending the first few hours of the year with the bf and a few friends. I'm not really feeling the party thing....

So I hope all of you have an awesome night/morning and I wish you all the best for the year to come!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Love,

Aly

End of year Length Check

Hey Ladies!

Ever since I came back to Jamaica, I've been wearing my hair out with insufficient moisture and less deep cons. The pool and the beach had been regular destinations for a few days. Lets just say "fun" has been more of a priority than hair. So you know what that means? Split Ends. whomp whomp :/

So I went in on haircare this weekend, on Friday I slathered my hair with conditioner and left that on from in the evening to the next morning (Greenhouse type thing). When I woke up I did a Betontite clay hair mask, rinsed and applied my Aphogee 2 minute Reconstructer. I left my scissors at school so I'll have to get one to clip my ends.

Since today is my official end of year length check I decided to blow dry and flat iron my hair.

I recently purchased the Fantasia Hair Polisher Heat Protectant Straightening Serum (the rose pink bottle).

So I applied that before using any heat. My hair now feels super thick after blow drying, that made me super happy. I wish I took blow dried hair pics.

The heat protectant made my hair super easy to straighten with the flat iron and you can feel a layer on top your hair once its applied. Good stuff!

Anyway on to the pictures, I guess I'm a tiny bit disappointed because I wanted to be full APL but the end of the year, but I am proud of myself thus far.

Not bad for just a 9 month hair journey huh!

The patchy looking part of my ends look like that because I didn't comb it through properly. 

I think even if my hair was all the way full to the purple line, I still wouldn't be super excited because I think APL should look like APL even without the process of combing through for a length check. I hope you understand what I mean.

I should be able to see my hair as arm pit length even when I'm not in length check stance, with my head facing forward for accuracy. It should just look APL while even just walking around. 

I'll get there soon though :)

As always thanks for reading and Happy New Year when it comes!! 

Just a short sweet Honey post

Yea corny headline lol. 

Hey guys!

I have been using honey for about 3 weeks now as a pre-treatment type thing when I did my co-washes/shampoo wash. Lets just say I'm not exactly sold on it.

I'm not sure how my hair feels, it's not dry or moisturized like I expected, it's just blah!

I think maybe its because I used store honey and not RAW honey, apparently thats what I'm supposed to be using.

I do use it on my face, however and I like it for that purpose.

It does leave my face feeling soft and it clears up my "bacteria based" pimples. :)

Do you like honey? Do you use a special kind? What do you use it for?

Review: Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment

Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment      Price: $4.29

They say:

Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment prevents breakage before it starts by penetrating and moisturizing the hair from root to the tip.

Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment is made with pure shea butter and essential oils to replace vital oil to your hair leaving it stronger and healthier with a natural shine.

Cantu Shea Butter Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment helps…

• strengthens fragile, weak and brittle hair to stop breakage
• moisturize dry brittle hair with deep penetrating oil and emollients
• protect hair against heat and styling damage

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Shea Butter), Laneth 15, Polyquaternium 37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG 1 Trideceth 6, Steareth 2, Lanolin, Steareth 20, Dimethicone, Phenyltrimethicone, Panthenol, Benzophenone 3, BHA, BHT, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil (Corn), Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Collagen, DMDM Hydantoin, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance (Parfum) (parfum)

My take:

I don't like it.

I'm not sure what happened but the first time I used it I liked it, but then after a few more uses, i found it to be terrible. 

The only positive thing about this product now is the smell. It made my hair feel dry and it weighed down my hair. Its supposed to moisturize but it completely failed to do so in my hair. I used it all the way to the end to give it a few more chances, plus I don't like wasting products, even if I don't like them.

I won't be trying it again.

Aly

Oils for scalp issues/ Free oils!

Hey Ladies,

I know I've been MIA for what seems like a long time, to me, but I'm back. I just needed a break to recuperate from the stress I've been under from school and personal stuff. I just had a whole week of doing nothing, which felt awesome! :)

Back to business

I wanted to talk about itchy scalp issues. Now I've never really had an issue with my scalp since the beginning of my hair journey, but lately my scalp has been begging me to scratch.

This is literally how I feel. Its so frustrating because I don't want to scrape my scalp but I just have to. lol This probably sounds gross, but I know for a fact that its not a dirty scalp issue.

Solutions

Well I went online to see what I could do about my problem and I also consulted Jeni's blog to see what she came up with (she had this issue a while back).


The verdict is, for now, oils!

The oils that Jeni spoke about were eucalyptus and lavender oil. Other sites suggested avocado, olive, tea tree, peppermint oil and german chamomile oils, along with the aforementioned two from Jeni.

Just incase you wanted to know how to use these products for an itchy scalp, you can check that information HERE

Also if you want to get some eucalyptus oil or avocado oil for your itchy scalp or other purposes, here is a chance to get it for FREE! (the oils are generally cheap on here so the coupon below should cover it)

Vitacost has been one of my go-to online stores to get vitamins and some oils when the grocery store isn't a possibility. CLICK HERE to register to get a $10 coupon to shop at Vitacost! Hurry because this link is only good for the next 60 days.

If you guys sign up and get the $10, I get $10 too! Happy shopping!

I hope the information and the coupon helps.

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for the support.

Aly