First Flat Iron Adventure & Length Check!

Photo Taken 03.28.2011

Okay..soooo...two trims in one week and one warm flat iron later the above results.  In truth I am not liking my locks straight. I guess I've gotten used to my curls and waves and it seems really out of place and bothersome to me.  I don't think I will be straightening again anytime soon.  Two days later I went back to my normal.  :-)

Length Check!



July 24, 2009



September 21, 2010



I did my big chop (removing all relaxed ends)
 one month prior to this photo on June 20th This length is with 3 trims.
Not too shabby for a 1 year and 2 months!
I wonder what next year's length check around this time will bring?

Comparison & Length Check

Besides the apprehension about my upcoming hair trim, I am pleased overall at the progress I've made from my self inflicted BC in 4/09, to the one I had in the salon on 6/09 to now 02/10. I've not had any form of heat on my curly locks.  I'm really not all that anxious to straighten my hair as some parts are barely wavy and I am extremely worried that the curl will not come back. Although I have specific goals for my hair, I'm really enjoying my hair journey and enjoying all the stages and learning process.  I've sold some of my hair tea bags from my Etsy shop and my next goal is to add an oil and a deep condish to the the inventory (working on formulations). :-) 

As I mentioned before, this length and cut on Alicia Keys is what I'm looking at as a hair style goal.

This was my hair relaxed and long.  It was mid back in length and I mostly wore it in two pig tails. LOL!

Hair Trim Strategies...

I'm definitely on deck for a trim and shaping of my curls.  It is growing like mad and I can see longer strands and overall uneveness on the ends which leads to less clumping of the curl and frizziness.  I'm also seeing some "strand chaffing and/or halo" which means breakage is happening somewhere along the shaft of the hair.

I am still at odds on what approach I should take for this task.  The way I see it my options ad concerns are the following:

1-Go to Salon DelaCruz in NYC and get a cut.  Concerns: Getting too much cut off by an over zealous cutter I've never worked with before and getting bad, uneven cut.

2-Wash, condish, rinse out, leave a light leave in and wrap it backand tie with a satin scarf in a ponytail until dry. It will be wavy after it dries.  Then lightly flat iron with a very warm iron, go to my old hair stylist and have her do a trim straight.  Concerns:  Not really any.  I do want to keep the tri-level cut I currently have and she can follow the line of my current shape with a trim.

3-Wash, Condish, leave in a small amount of condish and braid into four braids on top layer of hair and 4 braids on bottom layer of hair.  Seal he ends and clip off 1/4 of an inch off of each braid myself.

I'm looking at the second week in February and will schedule my cut in accordance with the Morrocco Method Chart. 

I'm interested in what the readers out there have to say about the options I've listed and any advice/opinions you have on them.  Also share your own experiences in the comments!! Thanks!!

This is the length and cut I am shooting for as my hair goal.

Hair Idol!! - T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh

T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh (born Crystal Walker October 13, 1962) is an American actress, writer, director, producer, singer, and comedian. In addition to her status as an original cast member of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, she is perhaps best known for her roles as Erica Lucas on the CBS sitcom Cosby, and as Tanya Baxter on the Disney Channel sitcom That's So Raven.

This woman is 47?!?!?!  A true example of  "Black Don't Crack."  Wow! Gorg!  THIS is what I aspire to for my locks.  Think I can do it by this time next year?  :-)

Comparison & Length Check

I think these two photos speak volumes about what getting off the creamy crack, taking care of yourself and your hair can accomplish in 6 months.  The first photo was taken 4/18/2009 and the second today, 10/28/2009.  It doesn't even look like the same head of hair, does it?  And on 6/20/2009 I got the relaxed ends you still see in the 4/18/2009 photo cut off at Devachan in NYC.  It was pretty short and I still got amazing growth and thickness just since June!!  I attribute healthy eating, my supplements and incorporating henna and other herb/rinses to my treatments.  I also quit shampoo!! I only wash with conditioner and do a very seldom melted, watered down, all natural/vegan shampoo bar wash.  I deep condish at least once a week but now in the winter I've stepped it up to twice a week and it has helped keep the dryness at bay.  I'll be posting the comparison and length checks quarterly and am excited to see what 2010 will bring!