Showing posts with label Retention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Retention. Show all posts

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Guess what?

I'm braided up again! You guys I couldn't take it! I found myself with little to no time to take care of my hair, and doing the same 2 styles all the time. So I decided to braid my Locs back in.

By far it is my favorite style, not because I have gotten a million compliments on them (which helps lol) but because I have always wanted Locs but I do not have the density to have them look they way I would want them to. Perhaps if I didnt have bald spots but, c'est la vie.

Yarn is really hard to come by (no Walmarts in NYC) so I had to find a Michael's Craft Store, after walking around for an hour and half looking for independent Yarn stores. I bought a huge bundle for $9.49 USD, and I would say that I used more than half of it. It took me over the course of y2 days to put them in (roughly 20 hours). They are much thicker than last time, but that's probably because I tripled up on the strands in the back. (Figutedd I had the yarn, so why not. Lol)

Again I love them! I've already been trying to experiment with styles. I'll be keeping them in the whole summer, and cleansing my scalp with a backing soda, water, ACV mix, with a handy dandy toothbrush.

And that's all folks! Lol I'll be popping in with more styles, so stay tuned!

(If you would like to know how to do them yourself, search yarn braids on the blog and I wrote about how I do them in an older post. Back in 2010 I think lol)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Rebraiding Waist Length Individuals/Box Braids/ Update

Hey All!

I have been missing you guys! I know it has been a minute since I have given you all an update. I still have the braids, in fact I rebraided them.

After about the 3 week mark, my new growth really started to come through. Though new growth is a great thing, I hate seeing it when I have braids. It looks so, unkempt. I knew I wanted to keep them for 2 months so I decided to rebraid so they will look decent for the latter portion of my time with them. I have already made my halfway point with them.

At first I only planned on doing my hairline, and the few braids that are at the middle part. Come to find out, I am super paranoid, and thought that you would be able to tell I have new growth still, so I decided to do my whole head. I did it at my own leisure, probably over the course of a week and a half (lol). It really went quicker this time though, if I did it straight through I am sure it only would have been a matter of a couple of days.

My only complaint, or gripe if you will, is that my braids are much thinner. While rebraiding the hair would form tangles and knots, and it would thin out the hair from the original strand or braid. I am really missing the thickness of my braids. What I am happy about is I somehow learned how to braid tighter, like there was some actual tension after I put a braid in.

It could be that I had acrylic nails on at the time when I put my first set in. Who knows? Either way, I am glad I am finished! I will not be doing it again, if I get more new growth, oh well.

 Here's how my hair came out.






I have yet to wash my hair, I am hoping to get my hands on Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) Herbal Cleanse Dry Shampoo. I hear it works well for those with braids, and I think it will be better than saturating my hair or using actual shampoo, in the past I have experienced a lot of build up trying it that way. Should I use it, I will be doing a review.




I have also heard of people using an applicator bottle, and diluting  a shampoo of their choice, most likely the clarifying kind, with water and applying it directly to the scalp.


As for oiling my scalp, I have rarely done that. I originally brought Ginseng Miracle Wonder 8 Oil, but I have not because for one, I was home (NYC) for 3 weeks, and left it home, and two, I am terrified of build up. I have used it on my skin though, and I love it. Once I get my scalp clean I will get back to using it on my scalp. I will be doing a review on that as well.

I plan on taking my braids out anywhere between the 12th-21st of September. Pretty much on one of those weekends, before my birthday, which is the 27th of September.

I want to straighten my hair then, but I think that would be too much stress for it, so I think I will roller set it, and save flat ironing for my 2 year natural anniversary on the 16th of October.

Just wanted to give you all an update, and let you guys know that y'all were missed! I promise I will be posting a lot more often when these braids are out!

~Naomi

Monday, July 4, 2011

1 Month Hairdrenaline/Potion Update

Hey All!

So I have been using the "Potion" for exactly a month now, and it has been a god send! My hair has thickened up as well as gained a significant amount of growth! I  measured from close to the nape of my head.


So that is going from

Left side
9 1/2 inches-to 11 inches.

Right side
10 inches- close to 12 inches. (A teensy bit over 11 1/2)

Which is amazing results considering I usually grow only a half inch a month. (Which is considered to be average growth)

I have been trying to keep up with my minimum of using the potion 3 times a week, at least two of those times being overnight. Using the GHE method.

(Green House Effect is a natural heating effect caused by using a plastic cap/saran wrap/ or even a plastic bag, and covering that with a bonnet or a scarf. It helps oils penetrate better, and also with moisture.)

Here are the comparison pics

Week 2
1 Month

I did not fill in my spots nor reach my goal of APL by the end of June, but in both cases, my hair is progressing!


Though I am loving the results, I may have to take a hiatus from using the "Potion" for a month or so, because I plan on braiding my hair this weekend coming. I have yet to decide on a style yet, but when I do I will be sharing, and doing a how to, sine I plan on doing them myself.

I hope my results are enough to encourage you all to try using the potion for yourself, whether you are looking for thickness or growth!

~Naomi

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Hairdrenalin- The Potion Regimen

Hey All!



I have an idea for my Regimen for my Homemade "Potion".  I have only used it all of...twice (lol) but once leaving on overnight, and Tuesday night, leaving in for 3 hours or so, and cowashing it out.

I now know that my Homemade "Potion" is super thick, so it takes more than 1 cowash to get the oil and the scent off of my scalp. It smells like baked onion & garlic, not a smell you want to walk around people with!

Besides the scent, the "Potion" does tingle/itch, which I see as a good thing, but even if it does not, that does not exactly mean that it is not working. My batch just does.

I used one of my two favorite cowashing conditioners, VO5 Moisturizing Milks Strawberries & Cream, and it took 3 cowashes, and vigorous rubbing to get smell out. Only a faint amount remained, but with use of my leave in, which I like to call my Creamy Olive Aloe Mix ( Aloe Vera Gel, Olive Oil, Dilluted VO5 Moisturizing Milks Passion Fruit Smoothie), and my castor oil mix ( Home Health Castor Oil,Hollywood Beauty Tea Tree Oil, Olive Oil, Sunny Isle Rosemary JBCO) the scent was non existent.

So I think I will be using my "Potion" 3-4x a week
Overnight on Saturday's leaking into Sunday.

For a few hours on
Tuesday, Thursday, and maybe Friday's.

I hate restyling my hair though, especially since I am a lover of Low Manipulation Styling, but doing it this often will encourage me to bun more often, which is great for protecting my ends and will help with retention (gaining and keeping length).

I am also hoping that this will help speed up the growth on my bald area's so I can really start to experiment with styling!


Just wanted to share!

~Naomi

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