Freezing Follicles??

I haven't posted since November, so bear with me.  I've been so uber busy with the holidays and such, that I didn't get a chance to do too much for myself.  I mean besides picking up a few things for myself when buying for others, but I digress.  Now back to the matter at hand.  When the winter wind blows does your hair stand at attention, or does it sway from side to side?  No sashaying or swaying you say?  Then your follicles are frozen!  Winter weather dries out everything, because the only moisture in the air outside is frozen moisture, and the moisture in the inside is dry heat.  This is including drying out your tresses and scalp if you don't take the necessary precautions to keep this from happening.  Here are a few pointers:

• Wash your hair at least once every 1-2 weeks, depending on what your scalp needs.  If it is dry as the sahara desert, and itching like crazy, then you may have to wash it often, but also deep condition or use a hot oil treatment.

• Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.  Wait, did I say moisturize?  Moisture is your friend during this season, and I'm not saying that you have to break out the pink lotion and slick it down (which btw is not a good look) but you need to take a few drops of oil (preferably organic) and run it through your hair when you need it.

• Cover that head up!!  Besides the benefits of keeping 70% of your body heat in, keeping your head covered can cut down on how much you hair is exposed to the elements.  Do make sure that your hat isn't too tight, or you may wind up "rubbing" your precious tresses away.  

Hope this helps!!

Put your hair on a SCHEDULE!!

Some people may say that I'm a little nutty when it comes to the well-being of my hair.  A few of them may be right.  AnyWho, I believe in having my hair on a schedule because its like a child; It does right when it acts right, and it acts right when its disciplined.  No I won't punish it by wearing a weave if it doesn't cooperate.  No it won't be on "time out" if it sheds a little.  But yes it will get a little more TLC if it starts to show out.  Because that's what we all crave, LOVE!!  *Hops off soap box*  Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...
Oh wait, I forgot to tell you my regimen...
I wash on Sundays and Wednesdays, but sometimes if I go out or if I've sweated a little too much, I'll make an exception.  I usually DC at least once a week, and I clarify each time I wash.  I also use my ACV rinse every time I wash, which helps with my dry scalp.  Keeping it on a schedule helps me control what goes in it, on it, and around it.  And if something doesn't work, then I know what to do or not to do.  This will also help you see how much its grown, and how healthy its become.  Have a Happy Hair Day!!

New color for the fall...

In the past I was known for dying my hair whenever the moment hit me.  Some took bets to see if my hair would fall out of my head (Ha, I showed them, lol).  I now dye my hair twice a year, lighter in the spring, and darker in the fall (because the urge to dye never really goes away). And I usually just rinse my hair in the fall to keep from adding more bleach (usually Bigen, or this time i used Adore).  I almost dyed it this time, though. (I really really did).  I saw a beautiful Loreal color and I wanted to try it, but I chickened out, maybe because I didn't want to look like a pimped out Rainbow Brite.  And I know that don't have the patience to dye it from one color to another if I don't like it (with hints of green, inbetween).  Now, the only thing about using Bigen is because it dries your hair out if it is used excessively, or it may make it a little dull.  But the upside is that it colors your hair wonderfully.  The Adore is great because its a semi-permanent that washes out as time goes on, so you can kinda color your hair as much as you want without any recourse.  Sit under the dryer with a little cap on, and wallahhh, a beauuuuutiful fall color! Subtle but effective!!

Ode to the ACV Rinse...

Apple.  Cider.  Vinegar.  Is the bizness.  Period.  Yes it smells to high heaven, but the benefits far outweigh the short stint that you have to smell the stuff.  It removes any buildup in your hair and scalp and it seals the cuticle so that your hair shines through.  Here's what I do:  I put a capful of the vinegar into about a 12 ounce applicator bottle.  I usually use room temp or directly out the cap water.  After DCing my hair, I rinse the conditioner out and then pour in the solution, making sure i get my scalp (you can do this either in the sink, or in the shower, but be careful not to get it in your eyes), and massaging it in.  I then rinse with lukewarm water and wala!!  The hair is still extra soft from the dc, but now it also extra shiny because there isn't any leftover residue in it.  See what you can find in your cabinet.  Maybe I'll use honey this weekend and show you those results.. hmmmmm...

Oh My Gawd, Becky Feel My Hair!!

This stuff right here, this stuff right here girls, is the holy grail of deep conditioner!!  *Cue holy angels singing*This is the best $8.99 that I have ever spent on conditioner.  First it smells awesome, which is a plus, but I put it in my hair and I immediately felt the softness.  After leaving it in for almost an hour, I rinsed and it still felt like buttah.  Next I will be trying the shampoo, and see what kind of awesomeness comes out of that bottle!!!  (BTW I know trying the conditioner before the shampoo is weird, but I am far from normal!) Happy DCing!!

Black Tea Rinse = No More Shedding

I know that some of us have an excess of tea bags in the cabinet that will probably never see the light of day past their expiration date.  But that is when I learned that they could be used for other things, like a black tea rinse.  My hair sheds when the seasons change (i swear its like a tree), and I want to hang onto as much of my tresses as I can.  So I heard about this from the ladies at LHCF, and I decided to try.  I shampooed and DC'd first, then used 3-4 huge black tea bags and let them steep for several hours.  Then I took the mixture and poured into an applicator bottle so that it would be easier for me to apply it to my hair.  I applied it, over my deep conditioner (which I had had in for a couple hours) and let it sit for maybe another two hours.  Rinsed it out and whala!  No loose strands!!  The caffeine in the tea also stimulates the scalp, which promotes hair growth.  Two gold stickers for me!  Deep conditioning is a must because the tea acts as a protein treatment and may leave your hair a little hard, and if your colored, it may darken it slightly because of the potency of the tea.  Another thing is that you can make a big batch, using more tea bags, and store it in the fridge to use at a later time.  How cool is that?  And directly from your cabinet!!

Product Review: Organix Moroccan Argan Oil

"It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you, without a dope beat to step to!  It has been hectic the last few months, but my current goal is to at least post once a week.  Minimum.  My hair is constantly on my mind (pun intended) so why isn't my blog?  Ok, back to the matter at hand.  Organix.  *Le Sigh*  I really don't like to discredit a whole line or even a partial line of products but as wonderful as they say it makes your hair, but it comes up a little short in my book.   I purchased the shampoo, conditioner, and the weightless healing dry oil.  Bottom line:  It made my hair hard as a rock.  As in combing it was not an option, and I had to put additional products in it just to make it work.  Some of the ladies at the LHCF swear by this stuff, but it wasn't for me.  It's even sulfate free!  I won't return it because I got such a great deal on it (buy one get one half off at Ulta), but I may mix it with something to make it work for me.