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.  :-)

Ricky NYC's - No Frizz Wave Comb

Olive Oil Infused Comb Designed to Combat Frizz!

I ordered one of these today and am anxious to see if it does what it says.  
This "miracle comb" is said to use a special process of baking olive oil within the plastic as well as NANO. The outcome is a comb that allows for faster drying, and its micro-sized particles fill in the damaged hair to create a seamless surface inhibiting bacterial growth. It eliminates frizz, and is anti-static. It adds a natural soft shine without an oily feeling. This comb also recognizes where excess natural oil deposits are and redistributes them to a proper balance. it also works great for dry cuts by controlling fly away hair.


Available at Ricky's NYC.

Product Review: Phytomist Instant Hydrating Conditioner

I got a sample of this as part of a Phyto Sephora VIP gift box featuring this product,  and I must say I am very happy with it's moisturizing properties and i have been spritzing on my length with concentration on the ends when I braid out at night.  I have been sealing with a mixture of Cameilla oil and Castor oil and so far so good. I've gotten up to four good days of braid outs with this method which is great! You can read more reviews on this product here.

What it is:
A weightless leave-in conditioner that instantly detangles, boosts radiance, and protects color.

What it does:
With mist of this spray-on conditioner, color-treated hair's moisture levels and brilliance are restored. Sunflower extract prevents color from fading by protecting hair against oxidation. Lotus flower hydrates and softens while red algae protects hair from environmental stresses.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This formula works as a daily treatment and suits all hair types and textures.

Product Review: Say Yes To Yes To Carrots!

I have a new favorite leave-in with Yes To Carrots. I had been eyeing this one for a little while and have read extremely positive reviews on it, so I made a mental note to pick on up to go on rotation as I cleaned up/finished my existing bottles.

First off I love the smell. It is floral yet slightly nutty if that makes any sense. lol! I do find it to be "uplifting" in an aromatherapy sense I guess you could say.

It dries with no residue and a great shine and softness. I have been just using this as my leave in and not topping with JessiCurl as I have done in the past. After it is completely dry I might scrunch through a teaspoon of organic coconut oil for additional shine, but that's it. I've gotten up to day 3 hair with this method which is great. Since my hair is getting longer by the day, I am looking at ways to stretch my days out as much as possible.

I'm going to do a roller set the second week of November and try to go with that a week and see how that works out with helping to combat the "winter dryness" I am not looking forward to dealing with. Grrrr!

Ingredients In Yes To Carrots Condtioner (99.8% Natural and Paraben Free)

Water (Aqua), Dead Sea Water (Maris Aqua), Silt (Maris Limus), Magnesium Chloride, Chamomila Recutita (Chamomile) Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Calendula Officinalis Oil, Daucus Carota (Carrot) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota (Carrot) Juice, Cucurbita Pepo (Pumpkin) Juice, Ipomoera Batatas (Sweet Potato) Extract, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Honey (Mel) Extract, Fragrance (Parfum), Dimethicone, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat Germ) Oil, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Cetrimonium Chloride, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Peel Extract.

Cinnamon To Lighten Hair?!

Cinnamon contains naturally occuring peroxide and can lighten hair. I'm not looking to lighten myself as the Henna treatments give me highlights already, but for some of you who might be looking to lift the color a bit  and don't use Henna, this might be an option to dyes.

Product Review: Living Proof No Frizz Styling Treatment for Thick to Coarse Hair

UPDATE!:  Well...is strange...my hair LOOKS good with no frizz and even has some shiny to it, but feels dry!  After it dried I did scrunch it like the directions said to soften and yes that did help, but still felt weirdly dry to me.  I also did my regular leave in of Tresemme and topped the styling treatment with my usual Aloe Butter.  For the first time the aloe butter left a barely visible white film on the surface of my hair on one side which leaves me to deduct this product does not play well with others and must be used either alone or with the other products in this line.  That being said, I will give this another shot, using it on it's own, as it did terminate frizz on contact and dried with well defined curls.  This definitely could be great for when it gets hot and humid and I don't happen to want big hair on that day! LOL!

Living Proof Wave Shaping, Curl Defining No Frizz Styling Treatment for Thick to Coarse Hair offers the first new anti-frizz technology in over 30 years. No Frizz addresses the two causes of frizz—humidity and friction. It provides a superior, extremely thin humidity barrier on hair while reducing surface friction. The result is the most effective, lightweight frizz fighter on the market today. This expert styling secret weapon contains a touchable holding polymer to give your waves and curls added definition. Hair is left sleek and manageable without becoming greasy or heavy. No Frizz also repels dirt and oil so you can go longer between shampoos.
My results:
Okay..I like it?..........Maybe? I bought the 2oz. travel size to try it out first before investing in a larger size.  The smell in heinous! Think RAID bug spray!!  Fortunately it appears to dissapate after applying.  I swear I almost didn't put it on my hair the smell was so strong.  I'll tell you one thing, though. The minute I applied this to my head the frizz went bye-bye.  Strange think is, after applying, my hair started to drip water from the ends of my curls when I had already scruched/blotted i dry. I'm guessing it's some form of delivery to the hair in the product.  I continued to drip water (clear water) for a bit, too.  It does define the curl and erradicate frizz, so I will invest in the larger size next time and do one more test to see how it comes out.  Also appears to help with shrinkage factor.

Ingredients:
Water, VP/VA Copolymer, PolyfluoroEster, VP/Dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate Copolymer, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycerin, Polyacrylate-13, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Fragrance, Polysorbate 20, Sorbic Acid

Have You Tried? - Atomized Oil?

My hair is very strange with oils.  It mostly hates it, but the lighter, more penetrating ones, i.e., Camellia and Cranberry seem to deliver consistent results.  I sometimes like to finish with a light scrunching of my curls with a teaspoon of one of these light oils once it is completely dry and to add additional shine and softness.  One thing I do hate is putting the oil on my hands! So I put on my thinking cap and remembered this Misto oil atomizer!  Although it is for cooking, it is great to lightly misting your curls with oil at home as well as on the go!  It's on sale at Amazon right now with free shipping. 

Devachan Conditioner Leave In Results...

Well...hummm...there are pros and cons to my rotation leave in results with the return to Devachan.  It did give me some insight on where to go next with this whole experiment, though. 
PROS:  Eradicates FRIZZ!! I mean...NONE on my canopy (top layer of hair) where I always have some.  Smells good. 
CONS:  Consistency similar to watered down elmer's glue and does not spread through hair easily.  Had to re-wet hair (and i apply my leave-ins in the shower) to distribute. Dries with a harder "set" than I'm used to.  I like my curls touchable and even thought they looked good and had a really defined curl pattern, was kinda eggh to touch for me.  Gave more shrinkage than I'm used to seeing.
Soooo...I've decided to take a two step approach.  First attempt will be to mix Devachan with Aubrey's Honeysuckle Rose (1 tablespoon of Devachan to 2 tablespoons of AHR) and see how that works.  If that doesn't work, I will put Devachan just on the canopy and AHR everywhere else.).  Will post results tomorrow on first run!

Curl Cloths For Drying Your Hair!

I stopped using regular towels on my head years back and while I had my relaxed tresses, relied on my Aquis microfiber towel for hair drying.  While I was transitioning, I read about using old cotton tees for scrunching/drying and I use them in addition to Curl Cloths.  Curl Cloths™ are fun and functional, styling cloths specifically designed to set curls for optimal spring, shine, and beautiful definition, without the frizz. 

They come two in a pack and are a pleasure to use.

Today's Hair 11.18.2009 - What's The Tea?

In my quest to end my daily co-washing I've been trying out a number of different next day sprays and sealants to accomplish both great looking hair and at least a 3 day stretch of minimal manipulation.

Since I did a steam on Monday night with The Neautrogena Deep Moisture Mask, I had a "fresh curl" yesterday.  Today I'm on my second day hair and I think it looks pretty good.  I decided to make a tea of alma and fenugreek and put it in a spray bottle to spritz my hair with in hopes it would accomplish two things. Minimize frizz and refresh the curl...so far so good!  I also seal with my Aloe Butter.  I might play around with the ingredients a bit, but I think I might have a winner here! 

Got Denman Brushes!!

So far with my natural hair I've only been coming while wet in the shower and distributing product /combing/styling with my hands.  I have been reading off and on for a while now about the pros and cons of The Denman, and since my hair is getting a bit longer, I'm looking for alternate ways to distribute product and smooth and detangle. I ended up getting the small (D1431) - 5 rows of bristles and the Large (D41) - 9 rows of bristles.  I tried the large first and definitely is for longer hair, shoulder and beyond use. So I put in the closet for future.  :-).  The smaller brush works well with smoothing and distributing product, but I also noticed it flattened my hair into waves with curl on the bottom.  I had to "refluff and scrunch" to get back a more curly look. I do like it, but I will use occasionally...not every day and only after hair is already detangled when I get out of the shower.

Features and Benefits:

•Anti-static rubber pad provides maximum control during blow-drying
•Smooth, round-ended pins for gentle, snag-free styling
•Helps to detangle thick hair and is especially suitable for maintaining naturally curly hair
•Hygienic and durable with resistance to heat and chemicals
•Free flow pin pattern
•Made in the United Kingdom
Brush Care:
1.The rubber pad and pins can be removed for easy cleaning
2.Regularly remove loose hairs with a comb
3.Wash occasionally in warm water
4.Rinse and leave to dry away from direct heat and sunlight
5.Apply liquid soap to handle runners for easy replacement of the pad