Sunday 24 April 2011

I am being haunted by BC!!

As you know I am transitioning, I am now 13 months post texlaxer, I am planning on transitioning for 24 months, before I BC. Or it depend on how I feel once I reach my transitioning gold of 24 months; I may carry on transitioning, I may not. My ultimate transitioning time frame was go for 24 months.

Nevertheless, ever since I reach 12 months post, I can not sleep LOL, not literally, what I mean is I am being tormented by thoughts of BC o.O.

Back in February, I decided to give my hair a rest from doing much to it, so I got kinky twist. They last just little under 3 months, I decided not to get another set of extension straight away, just DC, treat and twist my hair up for a few weeks before I head back to my extensions.

 

Snippets of my Kinky twist:

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I have now taken these down as mentioned prior and I am giving my hair a few weeks rest, then I shall return to extensions for another 3 months. If I don’t I am afraid I will not last another month of transitioning more over the next 11 months lol

I am on one of my hair sites and lward knows, it is like every day someone BC and it pops up on the screen. The killa of it, is their hair looks so nice and they are sporting all those nice well defined braid-outs, twist-outs, fro-hawk, wash ‘ go and dang there are ladies sporting some nice TWAs styles. I mean I don’t think a TWA will suit me, that is why I am transitioning for 24 months.

Before you shoot me, for saying that I don’t think  a TWA will suit me. Just take your fingers off the triggers and hear me out………., the reason behind my idea of a TWA will not suit me.  Are as follows……. if you see the circumference of my head; and by seeing it and measuring my head; from the radii of the circumference of my head to the radius you will them come to the conclusion that I have a pretty huge-mous head.

Now with that being said I have decided a TWA will not work for my head, therefore it is required that I will have a certain amount of hair on my head in order to hid the fact that my head is un-portion-ately huge LOL.

Anyways here are some pics of my hair since I have taken out the kinky twist.

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You can see the difference between the two textures, my natural is big and thick and the texlaxed hair is limped and withered lol.

I have DC conditioning once a week and then I will moisturized and seal and then twist it up and leave it until my next wash and DC session. Sometimes in between wash and DC I will spritz with water and moisturize and seal again, I do this according to my hairs need. Otherwise I will just leave it alone.

Anyway, this was my little transitioning rant about my struggle transitioning to natural and the urge to fight the fight against BCing early LOL.

Lets see if I make it to the 24 months mark, lets hope for the best :D.

Saturday 23 April 2011

Cleanser: Bentonite Clay

 

What is it?
Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays used to treat both internal and external maladies. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes. Internally it can be added to water or glazed upon food to help those with sensitive palates. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering "pure white" is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.

bentonite_clay[1]

Specifications
Color- Light gray to off-white
Odor- Flat

Mineral Content
Silica- 61.4%
Aluminum- 18.1%
Iron- 3.5%
Sodium- 2.3%
Magnesium- 1.7%
Calcium- 0.04%
Titanium- 0.02%
Potassium- 0.01%
Moisture- 7.8%
pH - 8.3 - 9.1

Where does it come from?
Bentonite clay is sedimentary clay composed of weathered and aged volcanic ash. The largest and most active deposits come from Wyoming and Montana. (Mountain Rose Herbs stocks a Wyoming variety).

How is it manufactured?
Bentonite is usually quarry mined from deposits that can range anywhere from 100 feet to several thousand feet. This depends on the health and vitality of the land it is processed from and how far a producer will go to find the right clay with the proper characteristics and consistency.
From here it is mined from the earth and brought out into the sun to remove excess water and moisture and, to make it easier to work with. After the initial drying begins the final transformation. It gets processed (ground) with huge hydraulic crushers and it then goes through the final process of micronization, or "fine granulating". This is usually done with the assistance of sophisticated and expensive granulators. Upon completion of this final process it gets inspected by a quality control team and is sent off for consumer use.

Origin- Wyoming/USA
Extraction- 100% naturally occurring and naturally quarry mined
Shelf life- Indefinite (4-5 years recommended)
Other Common Names- Sodium Bentonite, Sodium Montmorillonite, Wyoming Bentonite.

How does it work?
Bentonite is very unusual in the fact that once it becomes hydrated, the electrical and molecular components of the clay rapidly change and produce an "electrical charge". Its highest power lies in the ability to absorb toxins, impurities, heavy metals and other internal contaminants. Bentonite clay's structure assists it in attracting and soaking up poisons on its exterior wall and then slowly draw them into the interior center of the clay where it is held in a sort of repository.
To state it another way…
"Bentonite is a swelling clay. When it becomes mixed with water it rapidly swells open like a highly porous sponge. From here the toxins are drawn into the sponge through electrical attraction and once there, they are bound.

 

My First Bentonite Clay Hair Treatment
This is how and what I used to mix my ‘Bentonite Clay Treatment’.

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I use between 2-3 of those green scoop, to ensure I got a good coverage of the clay treatment from scalp to the ends of my hair.SSA50324

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After I mix up the clay and water, I then section my dry hair into four sections and begin to apply to each section one at a time. Pinning up each section as I complete applying the clay.

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This is the results of applying the clay from root to ends.

I then cover my hair with a shower steam cap and left the clay on for about 2hrs, the shower steam cap helps along with my body heat to keep the clay moist and to help with penetration of the clay into my scalp and hair.

The other benefits of steam shower cap is help to prevent the clay form drying and become hard, YOU DO NOT WANT THE CLAY  to dry and become hard on your hair.091220104317

The RESULTS was very nice, my hair felt clean, as for my scalp I am not sure that it cleansed it as I would have liked it to. Also the clay had made my hair felt an odd way, not as in BAD, but odd. I honestly can 091220104319not find a word to describe it lol I have only done this treatment once so far and I do like it and plane to order some more of the ‘bentonite clay’ for future treatments. I will give future updates as to when I attempted another treatment and the results. I will also ensure I take a lot more pictures and better ones too.  

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S.N. I had  some of the bentonite clay left and I have been using it on my face and skin and the results are awesome. It make my face and skin ever so smooth. It like I went to  a spa, instead I did it at home. I like the results I got from this clay so far BUT I have another clay in my arsenal to test out which RHASSOUL/GHASSOUL CLAY. When I do then I will make my final judgement. Watch the space for the final verdict!

Rate: 4.5/5

Price: £0.75 for 100g @ https://www.soapkitchenonline.co.uk     Or     £1.50 for 50g @ http://www.akuawood.co.uk

Tuesday 5 April 2011

Featured Excerpt: Janae Miller

Tell us a little about you……!     Well, I'm what you would consider a natural-color J Miller 1a treated lady.  I struggle with trying to type my hair, but I believe I'm something around a 3c with a hint of 3b. I'm happily married, God-fearing, 23 year young lady. My passion is Christ and hair. I'm currently working in the medical field. If the Lord says the same, my goal is to become a licensed cosmetologist with my specialty being hair color.

When & why did you decide to go natural?      Well, I honestly became natural due to the fact relaxers weren't very beneficial for MY hair. I used to use a relaxer by Hawaain Silky, which was a very mild relaxer, so my hair would still puff and frizz. I never was one to get relaxers every 6 or 8 weeks. I was really a "stretcher" from the start. Just all in all, my family, and myself, never really saw the added benefit in having a relaxer.

Were your friends and family supportive of your decision? If not, how were you able to move forward?     Well, it J Miller 2never really was an issue with my family. It just kind of happened. My family never believed I needed a relaxer, so they were very  supportive. I guess  concerning my family, friends, and my hair, it was never really an issue of whether I was natural or not. I'm one to march to the beat of my own drum, so it really kind of "made sense" when I decided to go natural.

How long have you been natural?   I've been natural for almost 8 years now.

What’s your regimen?    Oh snap! LOL. My regimen changes up with the wind, honey. LOL. To keep it simple, I make sure I keep my hair moisturized. I love the line by Shea Moisture. I seal, and my favorite oil is Olive Oil. I wash my hair weekly, or bi-weekly. I co-wash as needed...I LOVE Vo5's Conditioners. I oil my scalp with a JBCO and peppermint oil mixture, and....that's about it!

What mistakes have you made with your hair that you’ve learned from?  I used to abuse my hair to the highest degree. I've had heat damage. Tangle Damage. Literally burned my hair with a hot comb. Had appliances on so high to the point they've almost caused a fire in my hair!<<<<No exaggeration there. I've abused my hair so much, it's only by the grace of God that I've managed to keep a head full of hair through it all.
The overall lesson in having natural hair is to have PATIENCE! You have to have patience with natural hair.

What has been your favourite product?   I don't think I've gotten to that point of having a favorite product just yet. I'm still an avid product junkie, BUT, I know what I like. Whatever I use, whether it be a deep conditioner, or moisturizer, it HAS to have a thick consistency. If it's not thick and creamy, I'm usually bypassing it or giving it a MAJOR *side eye*.

Do you have any hair goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?     Most definitely. My goal is to have the longest, strongest, and healthiest hair to grow out of my scalp, in Jesus Name! I want to prove to myself and others, that we can have beautiful, healthy, color treated hair as well. My goal for my hair this year would be to achieve mid back length by the end of this 2011 year.  The steps I plan to take to achieve this is to keep doing what I've been doing; Keep God first. Keep my hair clean and healthy along with a clean and healthy scalp. Moisturize and seal my hair. Protect it from too much damage and manipulation. Basically to just keep an all around Care-and-Cater regimen for my crown of glory. It's as simple as that!

What has the biggest milestone you have faced in your hair journey? How did you overcome this milestone?    Protein overload. That was one milestone that scared the mess out of me. It took a lot of prayer and documenting for me to realize what the problem was with my hair, and when I figured it out, I quickly researched ways to combat it. I had to really supply my hair with moisture. Prayer and One and Only's Argan Oil Restorative mask really helped me.

You love your hair because?   I can really express myself through my hair. God has blessed me with my head of hair, and it J Milleris my Crown of Glory!---1 Corinithians 11:15 -"But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her..."

 

BONUS Question!  

Naturals have more fun because……..,?    We can style it, profile it, mohawk it, twist it, braid it, flat iron it, wash-n-go it, slick it....We can rock it all, chile! LOL.

HERCULES SÄGEMANN

Hercules Sägemann is 'the' renowned producer of natural rubber and plastic combs.  For over 150 years, they have produced the world's highest quality of rakeset__99427_zoom[1]combs. The brand which guarantees highest quality, functional design and maximum hair protection.


The anchor of the Hercules Sägemann brand is the *vulcanized 100% natural rubber or Ebonite combs.

These Black Masterpieces are hand-sawn, hand-cut and hand-polished!  If the comb bears 'Hercules Sägemann' embossed in real gold, it is the best in the world, the best of its kind, and fulfills the highest professional demands.

Source: HERE

Magic Star Rake Set...THE BLACK MASTERPIECES!

Magic Star Rake Set INCLUDES:

  • Magic Star Jumbo Rake

  • Magic mini Star Rake

Whether with lots of volume, curly or smooth, with or without texture, styling SSA50297combs make an individual look possible.  Particularly when smoothing the hair, it is important that the comb is absolutely burr-free.  Only in this way is it possible to guarantee that the hair cuticle is preserved. The width, length and shape of the tooth determines the type of texture and gives the individual look.  It is a friend to your hair and scalp.

The ideal styling comb for every look!

  • Made by hand from 100% Vulcanized Natural Hard Rubber
  • Tried and tested design with perfect ergonomics
  • Twist-resistant and yet flexible
  • The teeth are hand-sawn, hand-cut, and hand-polished to perfection!
  • Non-porous (will not support the growth of mold or mildew); guaranteeing hygiene
  • Chemical and heat resistant 
  • Antistatic (prevents fly-away hair)
  • Very smooth and gentle to the hair and scalp due to rounded tips and sides
  • Very good gliding ability when combing through the hair

 

The TRUTH:        When I return home from my trip abroad and I saw my package from Hercules Sagemann, I was over the moon. I have heard great things about these comb and their benefits to the hair in comparison to regular BSS store combs.

When I open the package and took the combs out of the protective packaging, fist thing I notice is how smooth they were, then the seamless teeth. The end of each teeth are kind-a round, semi triangular shaped ends.

When I use it to detangle on my conditioner saturated hair, it slide through nicely and easy, it took with it just shed hair. I did not see or experience any breakage or pieces of hair from using these combs so far.

I have nothing bad to say about the quality or use of these combs and or make of combs.

Rate: 4/5

Price: US$31.00 including int’l shipping