Lady Kangelia Baxter

In the Life of a Transitioner.....,

What made you decide to transition?  

I made the decision to transition after stretching my relaxer and actually seeing my natural hair texture and saying wow… I actually love my hair more in its natural state.  Besides, God did not make a mistake when He created our hair texture. So…. I decided to flaunt my natural beauty.

How long have you been transitioning?  

I have been transitioning for about 20 weeks now. I am currently 27 weeks post

Were your family and friends supportive of your decision?  I can honestly say that my DH was hesitant at first but, now that he has seen that I desire to transition without the BC he is my biggest supporter. Aside from DH all my family and friends are very supportive. I have however; run into a few nay sayers along the way… Whose comments are always, “and why would you want to do that?”

How has your perception of beauty/hair changed since transitioning?

My perception of beauty has changed in that before now I truly was a slave to the “creamy crack” however since then I have come to realize that as African American women are hair is versatile, unique and beautiful the way that God created it.

What are you doing to manage the two textures?  I am currently doing A LOT of co washing and moisturizing, limiting direct heat, and wearing lots of protective styles (i.e. Bantu knot outs, twist outs, braid outs, rod sets, Caruso roller sets, and buns)

What is your regimen?

My regimen is still evolving since my transition but, for the most part it consists of:

Cleansing my hair 1-2x/Week with Hair One Cleansing Conditioner Tea Tree –

Co wash hair on all other days with cheapie condish followed by CON Argan oil DC

Moisturizing/Strengthening Treatment 1x/wk - Dcing overnight w/ EVCO & saran wrap -Intense Moisture Dcing on dry hair(1 cup SE Mega Chol, 2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp EVCO, 2 tbsp Amla Oil , 2 tbsp EVOO as needed when hair feels really dry on brittle)

Hot Oil Scalp Treatment 1x/wk - Coconut Oil/Hot Six Oil (combo w/ Evco Dcing Tx)

Protein DC(1 cup Vitale Hair Mayo, 2 tbsp Honey, 2 tbsp EVCO, 2 tbsp Amla Oil , 2 tbsp EVOO as needed when hair feels really mushy)…

What has been your favorite product?

EVCO and Mane n Tail Detangler.

What is your ‘go to’ style?

My current go to style is 2 strand twist roller set.

What has been your biggest challenge during your journey to natural?

Managing the two hair textures

Are there any words of encouragement/advice you would like to offer to the new transitioner?

I would encourage a new transitioner not to give up but to stay encouraged and learn to love their hair as God created it!

What is your ultimate hair goal?

My ultimate hair goal is to achieve healthy mid back length hair.

A simple HAIR acronym chart!

My recent 'HAUL'

I recently bagged me a few goodies, some hair products and some hair toys. I heard so much about the 'Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol' I am going to try it out this week and come back with a review.

Also these came in the post from a lovely hair friend of mine from the US, I was over the moon when the postman came with goody delivery......I was cheesing and acting like a kid that got candy from candy shop. I will be reviewing these shortly.

Pentene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner

Pentene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner

Promises: For women of color. Oil-enriched formula seals in moisture.

Get up to 99% -  stronger hair against damage. You Have: Normal to dry hair
Dry, not easy to manage hair
You Want: Strong, healthy hair that shines, Protected with Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural shampoo and conditioner. Advanced Pantene Pro-V Relaxed & Natural Intensive Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner System:
Is specially designed to protect hair against damage to keep it healthy-looking
Fortifies hair with essential oils to keep it strong against damage, soft, manageable and shiny Exclusive formula.

Directions: Immediately after shampooing, apply a generous amount of conditioner to hair. Comb through with fingers for even distribution.

Allow to remain on hair from 3-5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, towel blot and style as usual. Gentle enough for color-treated hair.

Ingredients: Water , Stearyl Alcohol , Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Jojoba Seed Oil - Simmondsia Chinensis , Coconut Oil - Cocos Nucifera , Dimethicone , Panthenol , Panthenyl Ethyl Ether , Fragrance , Glutamic Acid , Benzyl Alcohol , EDTA , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone 

The TRUTH: I love this conditioner, truth be told I never used it as a DC, which I regret now I am out of it, I must repurchase. However I used it for co-washing and loved it, it was very moisturizing. The oils in this conditioner serve well, giving my hair a nice smooth finish. Which  from time to time, I almost felt no need to  proceed to DCing. I will definitely repurchase this conditioner and try it out as DC and review it as such.

I recommend it this conditioner for co-wash thus far. I would suggest this conditioner for those with very thick hair and also those that have dry hair. Those with lighter/finer hair, may find it a little heavy which may result in hair feeling weighed down or greasy.

Rating: 4/5

Wrap or Doobie!

I bought a flat iron back in June of this year, I got in the sale; it was reduced from £97.99 to £39.19. That is what you call a bargain.


I have only used it once since I bought, I am not a lover of direct heat, I don't mind the fact that I may opt for using it now and again. However, I am so in love and enjoy rollersetting my hair and if I want a straight look that is achievable via 'flat ironing'; instead I wrap my hair once I take down the rollers. It is more healthier for the hair and the results are just as good.


Here is a sneak preview of my wrap after I took my rollers down.

Amla Powder

Amla Powder

Dark and Healthy Hair Naturally.
Hesh Amla Powder is a natural astringent and skin toner that works on both hair and skin. In botanical terms it is known as Emblic Myrobalan. The paste of this powder helps promote black and luxuriant hair. Even as it controls hair loss, it stimulates roots and promotes hair growth. This apart, it prevents scalp infection and controls premature greying of hair. When used on skin, the paste of this powder brightens the complexion and removes pimples and grime.

Promises:

Briefly, 'Hesh Amla Powder' has the following advantages:
- Promotes hair growth
- Controls hair loss
- Cures scalp infection
- Controls greying of hair
- Removes pimple and grime

Ingredients: Amla Powder (Indian Gooseberry)

Directions: Use either as a paste or tea rinse, leave on hair for 30-45 minutes then rinse thoroughly with warm water.

The TRUTH: I wrote a review on Amla oil a while back expressing my undying love for this oil lol, but I must bring your attention to the powder. This powder has numerous benefits, from strengthening of the hair root to the ends of the hair, it also aids in hair growth, it defines curls (this is something I have noted), it also helps in darkening of henna (if you don’t want that lush read colour that henna gives, mix up some amla and it helps lessen the red result), amla also gives a dark tinge to the hair after prolong usage and also helps in premature graying.

I think I will stop there, you get the picture of how awesome and brilliant this one powder alone is and the numerous benefits that it brings to the table in order to appease your hair’s appetite.

You can use this oil in many ways, just to list a few:
1. makes into a paste using either black tea or boiled water and apply to either freshly washed hair and leave on for 30mins – 1hr longer if you wish or the same steps can be done if you pre oiled your hair with coconut oil or any other oil of your choice overnight then in the morning apply the paste to your hair and leave on for as long as you wish. Then rinse the hair thoroughly with warm water to remove the paste completely. Then proceed to co-washing (please be gentle with your hair), you may feel the need to DC wth a moisturizing conditioner and you may not……, listen to your hair, you will be able to tell if you need to DC or not…………., I always do, because I note how strong my hair feels but I know once it dries, it is a different bizniz.

2. You can make it into a ‘tea’ you can add the powder to boil water and brew a tea from the powder, you will then need a cheese cloth to strain the tea to reduce the amount of grains you will haveto deal with when it comes to rinsing your hair. Use the tea to rinse your hair, let it sit for few minutes, then rinse your hair with warm water and proceed to your next regimen step(s).

3. You can infused the powder into a favorite oil of yours, to name a few (EVCO, EVOO, grapeseed oil, sesame oil,, sunflower oil etc), you can strain the through  cheese cloth/fine strainer and then use this oil to apply to the hair daily or use as a pre-poo treatment for your hair.

Either way you choose to us Amla Powder you are sure to notice a difference in the way your hair feels and looks. This powder is a natural hair and scalp nourisher….., A life time staple of mine.

Rating: 5/5

Price: £0.95 for 100g (www.spicesofindia.co.uk)

Start of the week Giveaway: VO5 Moisture Milks (Strawberries & Cream)

The Black Hair Diary GOODY Giveaway!

This is our first ever giveaway, YUP you read it correct it is 'The Black Hair Diary's' giveaway......, so I hope you ladies and all will enjoy it.

We giving away a 15oz bottle of VO5 Moisture Milks Moisturizing Conditioner (Strawberries & Cream) with Soy Milk Protein.

Experience the health and vitality of soy milk protein formula for beautiful hair.

* Treat yourself to the fragrance of fresh-picked strawberries.

* Soy milk protein formula revitalizes dry, damaged hair.

* Moisturizes as it cleansleaving your hair silky, smooth and beautiful.

* Keeps color treated hair looking great.

Rules: It's simple, very! All you have to do to win this bottle of VO5 Moisture Milks (Strawberries & Cream) Moisturizing Conditioner is follower my blog (has to be a visible follower). Then post a comment on the giveaway stating why you would like to win this conditioner.

See told you it was simple.

At this time the contest is open to UK and EUROPE residents ONLY!  The contest begins now and will close Tuesday August 31 at 6pm GMT.  Have fun ladies :-)

Have you tried VO5 Strawberries & Cream Conditioner? How did you like it? I have used it and found it to be wonderful..... however I'm interested in hearing from you, share your experience in the comments below!

My hair in a 'BUN'

To achieve this result I use a comb clip thingy (will post in my accessory pics soon) and then I use the length of my hair and wrap around itself until I come to the end then I use a few booby pins to secure ends......, VOILA I have a donut bun made out of my own hair length.

Ayurvedic (Ayurveda)

Ayurveda (Devanāgarī: आयुर्वेद, 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to India,[1] and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine. [2] In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda [3] comprises the words āyus, meaning 'life' and veda, meaning 'science'.

With that being said I have been exploring the ayurvedic hair care system from 2008-2009, on and off. I have fully been back on it since and the benefit and experience is and has always been exceptional.

Now to bring to your attention on ayuevedic hair care there are many, many oils, herbs and powders to discover, it will take me a life time to blog about them, something I do not have to offer LOL.

I am only going to focus on the ones I have used in the past to give you an idea of they work and what my experience was with them. I will also write about the ones that I am using now and are permanent in my hair care journey.

I did a review on Amal Oil earlier in my diary entry; this oil is one of my favourite ayurvedic oils of all times. This is a staple amongst my hair care products.

Stay tune ladies and all for further reviews on ayurvedic as a hair care’ system.

If ayurvedic hair care is part of your hair journey, please share your experiences and thoughts. Also share what you are using in your hair care journey any unusual powders, oils that is not the common ones that you are using.

Share your tips, advice and for sure your recipes......., 

Avanti Silicon Mix Conditioner

Avanti Silicon Mix Conditioner

Promises: Hair treatment to restore the health, shine and the softness of dry, damaged and weak hair.

Directions: Wash hair and towel dry. Apply with massages. Leave on from 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the condition of the hair. Rinse.

Ingredients: Water, Mineral Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerine, Citric Acid, Cetrimonium Chloride, Dimethycone Copolyol, Cyclomethicone, Keratin, Ceramide, Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance.

The TRUTH: Oh my oh my, This is what you call a DC babay LOL, I am in looove, this is awesome, soft, light, flowing, luxurious and sweet lasting fragrance. This pure awesomeness! There is so many ways I could describe this DC. I did not believe there would a Dominican conditioner that would actually work for me. After the last two experience I was about to give up. Then Silicon Mix came waltzing into my life. This conditioner has a perfume smell, at first I was like wow, it seems strong but after awhile it is appealing and you get use to it. It has a lot of slip, it melts into my hair and I was easily able to use my ‘bootleg’ jilbre shower comb to thoroughly distribute with ease. I sat under my dryer for 30mins and then let my hair kool down then I rinsed thoroughly. I was please, very well pleased at that. The softness flowing of my hair was awesome, I did two wet buns, then two laters I did my first flat iron and the results magnificent. I am getting 2 more 32oz as we speak, this will be a staple in rotation in my haircare.

Rating: 5/5

Silk Elements MegaSilk Intense Conditioning Mayonnaise

Promises:

Contains silk protein and olive oil for extra strength and nourishment

Helps create dramatically softer, healthier-looking hair

Helps mend split ends

Silk Elements MegaSilk Intense Conditioning Mayonnaise is a rich, creamy intense conditioner containing protein and essential oils that help prevent breakage by strengthening and repairing dry, damaged hair. To mend your split ends and avoid breakage, fortify your hair with the essential oils and protein in this product. Your hair will look and feel softer and healthier and will be conditioned from root to tip.

Directions: Can be used as a weekly conditioner or overnight for deep conditioning. Rinse well and style as directed.

Ingredients: WATER ,GLYCERIN ,CETEARYL ALCOHOL ,DICETYLDIMONIUM CHLORIDE ,CETYL ALCOHOL ,POLYQUATERNIUM-37 ,PROPYLENE GLYCOL DICAPRYLATE/DICAPRATE ,PROPYLENE GLYCOL ,FRAGRANCE ,DIMETHICONE ,OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) OIL UNSAPONIFIABLE ,DIAZOLIDINYL UREA ,DMDM HYDANTOIN ,METHYLPARABEN ,SILK AMINO ACIDS ,CAPSICUM FRUTESCENS FRUIT EXTRACT ,CHOLESTEROL ,PANTOTHENIC ACID ,EGG OIL ,ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS (ROSEMARY) LEAF E ,URTICA DIOICA (NETTLE) EXTRACT ,HYDROLYZED KERATIN ,TOCOPHERYL ACETATE ,LANOLIN OIL ,HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN ,MELALEUCA ALTERNIFOLIA (TEA TREE) LEAF P ,PPG-1 TRIDECETH-6 ,STEARYL ALCOHOL ,POLYQUATERNIUM-4 ,PHENYL TRIMETHICONE ,CETEARYL ALCOHOL ,BEHENTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE ,SODIUM LAURETH SULFATE ,PROPYLPARABEN ,YELLOW 5 ,YELLOW 6 ,BLUE 1

The TRUTH: I do like this cholesterol, I have used it by itself and it strengthens more than soften, a moisturizing DC is needed afterwards to make the hair moisturized and soft again. Not that it makes it hard, but you know cholesterol and protein strengthens the hair, hence to balance these out a DC is needed. I enjoyed the results from my first use, I the used it and added I think it was either one or two eggs for a hardcore protein treatment and WOW was this HARDCORE protein treatment or what, I know egg is full of it and I have used it before, but with this conditioner and the two eggs, I was in bizniz. I am using it sparingly now as I will not be able to get it here at our sallys as they seem to not be re-stocking any of the silk element line for some reason.

However, I do recommend this treatment as it does promise and it delivers.

Rating: 3.5/5

Luster SCurl ‘’NO DRIP’’ Activator Moisturizer

Promises:

For curls, waves & natural hair. With Vitamin B5. S-Curl Activator and Moisturizer may be used daily to maintain and condition your curly hair style. It contains glycerine and Vitamin B5, which together eliminate breakage and keep your curls.

Directions:

Hold bottle about six inches from hair, spray evenly over the entire head, massage completely through, then style. Use daily to maintain proper moisture balance.

Ingredients:

Water , Glycerine , Cetearyl Alcohol , Propylene Glycol , Acetamide MEA , Ceteth-20 , Olealkonium Chloride , Stearalkonium Chloride , Panthenol , Simethicone , Imidazolidinyl Urea , Methylparaben , Propylparaben , Fragrance.

The TRUTH:

I must say I am very impress with this product! It is very moisturizing and light, I thought at first it would weigh the hair down due to the consistency of the moisturizer but it apply easily and leaves no residue or coating on the hair or hands. A little is all you need, I use like 2-3 spray per section of hair and an extra spray just for the ends then I seal with my HBCO and my hair is on cloud NINE! I am loving this product, it is now a staple.

Rating: 5/5

Price:

£3.99 for 30oz!

A few of my hair 'Goodies'

Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment

Aphogee Two-Step Protein Treatment

Promises:

This remedial process is highly recommended for hair that:   

Is too weak or fine to take a perm or relaxer. (use the week PRIOR to service)

Is over-bleached.

Will not hold color. (use PRIOR to color application)

Breaks when combed or brushed.

Is mushy when wet and brittle after drying.

Directions:

Gently cleanse hair with ApHOGEE Shampoo. Rinse thoroughly & towel blot day.

Apply enough ApHOGEE Treatment to thoroughly saturate hair and comb blend for even distribution.

Leave hair uncovered. Do not use a plastic cap, and seat client under medium heat dryer. (Alternatively, a hand dryer may be used, but hair should not be agitated while drying.)
Note: When ApHOGEE Treatment is dried into the hair, the hair becomes extremely hard. Do not comb or brush hair while ApHOGEE Treatment is dried and in the hair.

Re-wet and gently rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Apply ApHOGEE Moisturizer to hair & scalp. Leave for 2 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Proceed to next service or style as usual.

Ingredients:

Deionized Water, Hydrolyzed Animal Protein, Magnesium Sulfate, Citric Acid, Ethylene Urea, Dimethylol Urea, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Magnesium Carbonate, DMDM Hydantoin, Fragrance.

The TRUTH:

This product is the TRUTH! Very similar to the Keracare Super Reconstructor – Difference is the price tag. The very first time I used this product I was amazed it instantly strengthens the hair, you can feel after you rinse out the product and DC with a moisturizing conditioner, the hair has a new life and is bouncy again. I really love this hardcore protein treatment. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND, you read and follow the instructions carefully as this product dries on the hair to a very hard finish, manipulation in this conditioner is NOT commend follow up with moisturizing DC. I tend to use this product one week after my relaxer, then six weeks into my relaxer and 7 days before my next relaxer, and my hair is healthy and strong.

Rating: 4/5