Relaxer Prep

I am so excited about getting a relaxer on Sunday. I will be going to a salon because I have decided not to continue to transition to texlaxed hair. I am not sure if I reached my goal of APL, but if I didn't it is okay. I will probably get a trim also. I will be posting pictures as soon as I can.

Is Your Regimen Working?

One of the most important things I have learned since starting my Healthy Relaxed Hair Journey is you have to be flexible. A regimen is a guide not something that is set in stone. There are a lot of things that I did when I started my hair journey that I no longer do, and there are things that I have added since coming up with my original regimen. When I first started I based my regimen and goals off of what others found success doing. This is not a bad way to start, in fact I think having a "hair idol" is a good way to start. Hair journeys can be so confusing at first, so having someone else's regimen can be so helpful. For me it was Shorty2Sweet59. I saw her hair and I wanted her results! So I based my regimen off of what she was doing. After a few months I figured out hey my hair doesn't like this or my hair really doesn't need this.

I decided to reduce the number of times I wash my hair a week from two times a week to once a week about a month ago. And my hair has improved. I no longer have a strict co wash/ shampoo wash schedule. I use to alternate weeks, but now I go on how my hair is feeling. Another major thing I have changed is the amount of product I use to moisturize my hair. I went from dividing my hair into four sections and using a quarter to a half dollar size of moisturizer on each section to a dime size of moisturizer. I think my ends were so dry I felt I had to really coat them with a lot of product to make a difference. Slowly trimming my dry ends made a big difference.

I've even found myself reevaluating my goals because I based them on what others were doing. I wanted the nice blunt cut, but then I realized that's not what I like. I actually like the V shape because it looks more natural on me. I am not knocking anyone who has a blunt straight cut because it looks great on some people. I also had to reevaluate my length goals. When I started out I wanted to be at BSL by the end of the year. Well it did not take long to realize that was not going to happen, so I changed to shooting for APL. Some people can go from SL to WL in a year but I had to accept I am not one of those people and that is okay. My newest goal that I am changing up is my stretching goal. I wanted to make it to 12 weeks and guess what I Did! I made it and instead of running to the salon I decided to go with the flow and keep stretching for a few more weeks. My new growth is not to the point where I feel I really need a relaxer so I pushed my hair appointment back a few weeks.

The point I am trying to make is understand this is called a journey for a reason. Your journey is not going to be the same as mine and mine won't be the same as the next lady's. Use all of these great resources like K.I.S.S., Hairlista, personal blogs, and YouTube as a guide but not as a step by step how to manual. They are great at helping you go in the right direction, but your hair has the ultimate say so as to what you will have need to do. So be flexible and don't be afraid to just go with the flow and see where your hair can take you.

3 Steps to a Great Hair Regimen

There are 3 main steps to keep in mind when you are creating a hair regimen:

1. Keep your hair and scalp CLEAN
2. Make sure your hair is well MOISTURIZED
3. PROTECT your hair

	Daily	Nightly	Wash Day
Clean Hair	Do Not Over Load Your Hair With Products
Moisturized Hair	Apply a water based moisturizer then seal with an oil of your choice.  This can be done at night or in the morning. I moisturize and seal in 4 sections at night. In the morning before I style my hair I moisturize and seal the ends of my hair.		Co wash 1-2x a week Deep Condition 1-2x a week Shampoo with a sulfate free moisturizing shampoo when you have build up. Pre-poo before shampooing your hair. This means put conditioner or oil on your hair before shampooing. If you pre-poo your hair will not feel as stripped and dry after using shampoo.
Protected Hair	Wear protective styles as much as possible. I wear them daily, but try at least 2-3x a week. Use a wide tooth comb when styling your hair. Use metal free hair bands when wearing your hair in a pony tail or bun.	Braid your hair or put it in a loose bun before bed. Always wear a silk/satin bonnet or use silk/satin pillowcases.	Wash your hair in the shower to help prevent knots and tangles. Use a wide tooth comb when detangling. I apply my leave-in conditioners then detangle after my hair is half about 25% dry. Some people detangle in the shower, some detangle while their hair is soaking wet, and some people detangle after they have air dried. Whatever you decide to do just make sure you take your time and detangle carefully.

As you learn more about your hair you will know when you need to tweak the regimen to adapt to your hair. 

Deep Conditioner Regimen- The Life Line of a Successful Hair Journey

I deep condition my hair 2x a week. I usually DC on dry hair, unless my hair has a lot of build up.

The pictures to the left are the products I currently use.

I start off with 4 full tablespoons of Queen Helene Cholesterol. Then I start adding all of the good stuff. 3/4 tablespoon of the followings oil: Coconut oil, Grapeseed oil, Apricot oil, and Sweet Almond oil. 4 or 5 drops of Tea Tree oil. The last thing I add is a tablespoon of honey. I started adding honey a little over a month ago and it has made a huge difference. My hair feels so much softer now.  I stir the mix until everything is mixed together smoothly.

Before I apply the conditioner I separate my hair into four sections. I've found it easier to apply the conditioner to my roots as if I were applying a relaxer. After I finish my roots I apply the conditioner to the rest of my hair. It is important to be sure to lock in all of this good moisture, so I wrap plastic wrap around my head before putting on a shower cap. I sit under a hooded dryer for 30 to 45 minutes most of the time. Some days I don't sit under the dryer, then I keep the conditioner on for a couple of hours.

This regimen has been working wonders for my hair. It continues to give me soft and manageable hair which  has helped since I am transitioning to texlax. I want to try adding peppermint oil, but its not something I'm in a big hurry to go out and get right now. Please let me know what you think about my deep conditioner concoction.

My Relaxed Hair Regimen

Daily

• Moisturize my hair at night using Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter and then I seal using Sweet Almond Oil
• I braid my hair after M&S or I put it in a loose bun then I put on my Satin Bonnet
• I wear my hair in protective styles 99% of the time. The other 1% is braid outs

Weekly

• Co wash 2x a week (usually on Wed & Sat)
• DC 2x a week
• Air dry 100% of the time

I do medium protein treatments once or twice a month, clarify once a month, and wash with a sulfate/silicone free shampoo when I feel like I have build up on my hair.

My regimen had changed since I started and it will continue to change as the needs of my hair changes. I try not to be a product junkie. If you see something you want to try on your hair do some research on the product. Look at the ingredients so you can know what you are putting on your hair. The first day I started my HJ I pulled out all of my hair products and read what was in them. I found out I did not have one conditioner that did not have protein in it. Everything I thought I had to moisturize my hair had petroleum or mineral oil in it. I have also learned that everything my hair idols use I can't use. Every hair journey is different so listen to your hair. One of my hair idols is PrettyWitt77. Look her up on YouTube she has a great video about Listening to your hair.

Like always PLEASE comment!

LOVE- LIVE-LIFE