The Jolie Hair Chronicles

Shea Moisture Products

2011-08-04T21:23:00.000-04:00

I have fallen in love.......not that type of love lol. But I have definitely taken to a new product line and I don't do that very often. I have recently started using Shea Moisture products; Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Hold & Shine Moisture Mist. And, so far so good.

I used the Curl Enhancing Smoothie on freshly washed hair with my favorite leave-in conditioner (Silk Elements Mixed Silk Leave-In) brushed through beforehand for some lovely large twists. I didn't take any pictures and I shoulda have. I'm sorry. I really am. I'll do better next time I promise.

But in the mean time.....The Curl Enhancing Smoothie smells absolutely delicious and leaves my hair extra soft!! And the Moisture Mist smells equally yummy and does the trick if your hair is feeling parched. Both can be purchased at your local Target or Walgreens for $9.99 ea. A little birdie told me they are currently on sale for 2/$16.99 :-) not sure how long that lasts so don't shoot the messenger lol.

Toodles!

Its Been A Long Time....I Shouldn'ta Left You ;)

2011-07-11T19:50:00.004-04:00

Hello World!!!! I have arrived....again....lol. Well, I'm finally back from a years long hiatus. I didn't intend to stay away that long, and for that my dear friends I apologize. My life went into overdrive when I moved to Florida for my Disney College Program season (Shoutouts to my fellow Fall 2010 Alumni! Dream it, do it, Disney yall haha ;) I meant to give weekly updates on how my hair was fairing in a new climate with all that humidity n whatnot, and what styles I was rockin. It so didn't happen....sorry lol.

Like a fool, I flat-ironed my hair not realizing the humidity would tear up my steamed 'do (my maxi glide has a steam feature). Day 1 I was fine, but the next morning at registration was a whole new story lol. My poor little housing ID picture. I couldn't wear my white headband I had on b/c it would clash with the background and stuff so they made me take it off. My hair expanded like crazy and looked a mess without my headband :-/ Long story short, my styles only consisted of flat-ironed sleekness with headbands (the humidity and other things kept me from wearing my usual middle part), wash-n-go ponytails, and wash-n-go curliness. I did try new products while I was gone though, so a product review of the Kinky Curly products I used will be coming soon!

This year is a new year, and a new me. I have so much to update its not even funny. You ladies (and gents if you're out there) get to look forward to hearing about my last three henna applications, my new favorite conditioner, length retention, and my go-to twisted style!

Be back soon, with pics and more :)

Review-Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter Conditioner

2010-07-15T14:14:00.005-04:00

I've been MIA for a while but that doesn't mean I stop taking care of my hair ;)

Ok.....so maybe this time that was the case, but I promise to pieces it won't happen again. I got really lazy yall. And that should not have happened. What am I talking about you ask? Well once I twisted my hair this last time (this would have been week 4 but I took them out), I kept it that way. I only washed and styled once and ironically it was the day of my surprise grad party (thank you bae!). Considering that I hennaed before a twist set, I should have taken greater caution with my hair; especially since its been hot as all hell lately. The last few days of this twist-set were dry-like, which prompted me to wash and condish immediately.

While I was out shopping for items for my upcoming venture to Disney, I happened upon a 2 for $4 sale of different hair care items such as the titular Suave conditioner. I was intrigued because it has shea butter and almond in it. And its specifically a moisturizing conditioner. For the most part it has nothing but lovely ingredients in it and I was amazed at how much better my hair felt after using it.

This is what I did:

I co-washed with Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut conditioner to let whatever twists I couldnt manage to find and undo, become undone easier. This also helped me detangle my dry twist-out.

Next, (after rinsing the condish out of course) I washed my hair with Neutrogena T-Gel shampoo; per instruction of my dermatologist for my sebhorreic dermatitis & acne issues (no more acne yall!!) and proceeded to use my newfound friend.

I applied the Suave Professionals like I would any other conditioner, making sure to cover every spot possible. I have thick hair...and lots of it.... so this took a good minute. Once it was on, I just at for 10 min (it was hot in my house so I didnt need a cap for this one lol) and rinsed. I was amazed at how moisturized my hair felt. I was soooo relieved to find that my hair could be salvaged. Just imagine what my hair would have felt like if I used an even more extravagant method of deep conditioning!

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba), Aloe (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera), Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Oil (Lemongrass), Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil (Rosemary), Chamomilla Recutita Flower/Leaf Extract (Matricaria), Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract (Lavender), Dimethiconol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Lactic Acid, Disodium EDTA, TEA Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate, PEG 150 Distearate, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone

For now, my hair is in a very messy puff. Terrible I know but I am too lazy to even be bothered with twisting it right now. Besides, they would have to come out sooner than 3-4 weeks b/c I may be taking grad portraits (my hair looked so fly straightened in my other professional grad pics (fresh off the stage pics.....coming to the site soon!) I wanna do it again! lol) and I may just keep it like that until orientation and stuff is over for Disney (if it keeps up in that hot A Florida weather, sheesh!)

So ladies, if you're not against conditioners that don't have 100% all natural ingredients or you wanna feed into your PJism, go ahead and buy this heavenly conditioner.

Hop over to your nearest Kmart to indulge in the 2/$4 deal :)

Later days~~

Jamila Henna Results

2010-06-20T12:17:00.007-04:00

I tried out my Jamila Henna Friday night. If I didn't know any better, I would swear that there is more than 100g in each of those packages lol. I mixed 200g (2 boxes) and it seemed like waaaay too much. I almost feel like what I had left over and stored in the freezer is 100g mix. Idk.....

But anywho, I love love love my results :) The color is more noticeable indoors....at least in my bathroom; when I hold up my table mirror to look into the bathroom cabinet mirror, I feel like I'm looking at two different people lol. The red color is sooo pretty. I can't wait for people to notice it in the sunlight. But then again, it might look very different the next time I'm around people. Henna coloring oxidizes over a few days after the initial application so Idk what my hair will look like tomorrow, and the next day, etc.

For all my 4a/b ladies out there, henna at your own risk if you have not yet fully come to terms with caring for extremely kinky coils. If you have a thick head of hair, henna will not make it change textures (i.e jumping from 4b to 4a or 4b to 3b, etc). It DOES increase thickness...at least from my experiences and others that I have read on natural hair forums. Although still thick, it doesn't kill me when I try to comb through on dry hair (at least yesterday and today that wasnt the case lol). I guess you would only be able to know what I'm talking about if you've hennaed more than twice and know the feeling of thick and kinky but still comb-able (is that a word?? lol)

My only problem is that with this increased thickness I haven't got the slightest clue as to what to do with this mane of mine now. I think I am going to twist again b/c wash-n-go pony's are a pain for me to do. Always have been. Besides....I wanna be cute for my fireworks venture tomorrow and whatever else comes up this week.

Happy Hennaing and Styling!!

Oh yes, and Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there :)

My Henna Mix:

200g Jamila Henna Summer Crop 09 (from Butters N Bars)

Lemon juice (estimated 1/3)

Orange Juice (estimated 2/3)

I just dumped the powder into a medium sized plastic bowl and added the last potion of lemon juice that was left; it was a very small fraction of the bottle I used last time (see older henna post....I cant remember at the moment the bottle size). I used that corner of lemon juice and made up for the rest of the moisture for the mix by using orange juice. I didn't use official measurements; I just kept ading until everything was moist and made sure to mix between add-ins. When I was done mixing it had the consistency of mashed potatoes or really thick lumpy oatmeal. I let my mix sit for almost 19-20 hours because my schedule changed that Friday; I didn't get home until maybe 6pm so thats when I washed my hair and then applied my henna.

My mix was obviously darker than the night before (indicator of dye release) and still as lumpy as ever....maybe even a little more. I applied a tiny bit more orange juice to make it less lumpy and proceeded to wash. Some naturals clarify with a clarifying shampoo of some sort or skip actual shampoo and just co-wash or something. Since I have sebhorreic dermatitis I have to wash with T-Gel shampoo---might as well be a clarifyer, its that cleansing lol. After I washed, I conditioned (dont remember if I did that during my last two henna sessions, but I felt it was necessary this time b/c T-Gel shampoo makes my hair feel weird and dry-like afterwards. I was scared the henna directly after shampooing would do horrendous things to my hair i.e fall out or break off ) with a couple of Suave Naturals conditioners that I've had for a while but never finished using (making good use of my (and my mom's...RIP honey) product junkyism lol). I believe it was the Sea Breeze one with algae and vitamin E and the Mango Peach. After rinsing my condish, I sectioned my hair off and went to work.

Applying henna is tiring as heck, especially when its late at night. I will NEVA do that again, unless I plan on sleeping in that ish. Wheeew! I was done applying by 7:30 but given the day I had, I was tired. I didnt even want to let it sit in my hair for 4 hours but I did it anyway to see the color deposit (although thats not why I henna...its just a fun bonus lol).

And presto! Henna session number 3 for me:

Obvious auburn/red tint in certain lighting.

Jamila Henna

2010-06-17T12:08:00.002-04:00

SO....my new stash of henna has just arrived fresh in the mail and I cannot wait to try it! I haven't done a henna treatment in months (about 4 or 5, eeek!) so you can imagine my excitement lol. The BAQ henna that I used before was from Yemen and was supposed to have a very superior dye quality. Idk what would have happened if I kept using that instead of switching to the Jamila Crop; would the orangey-reddy color have gotten deeper orange or red? The world may never know....lol But I have heard great things about the Jamila brand and have seen some amazing results from it.

Like I said in my last post, I am going to make the most of my time at home before I head down to Florida. I'm sure my tresses will thank me for treating and protecting them prior to 5 more months of heat (90 degree weather, here we come! lol).

Well, I have a few more things to do today (shopping for Disney! :) then I will be able to mix it up and enjoy my henna.

Hasta Luego!

It's Henna Time......Yet Again

2010-06-11T23:54:00.004-04:00

Hello world!

In an effort to keep this dear old blog of mine updated, I have decided to embark on a new challenge. This challenge will be tweaked in the coming days but as of now I just know it as my Glow and Grow Challenge. I just ordered 500g of Jamila Summer Crop BAQ Henna; from a different site too :-\ I used to order my henna from mehandi.com but earlier this year I became aware of Butters N Bars through the CurlyNikki network. Well, over at Butters N Bars they have a little sale going on (15% off ayurvedic products) and my trusty Yemeni Henna from mehandi has gone up in price (its like $9 per 100g now....yikes!!!).

With things being the way they are right now I can't afford to treat my tresses to superb burgandy tones and such with more applications of the Yemen henna so I snatched up the deal on Jamila henna :) I should receive my new stash sometime next week so I will def have pics and reviews to the best of my ability (my comp hates when I try to upload pics to blogger....works better from a campus comp smh)

Anywho.....as I said before my new personal challenge for my hair is gonna be called Glow and Grow. I am going to regularly use henna in my hair care regimen to retain length and also see what type of henna glow I can maintain in the process. My hair is already naturally dark but in the sunlight and rare movements of indoor lighting my hair glows a pretty reddish/orangish color. Its so pretty that my sister has asked me to hook her up with henna! I want to henna my hair more than just once every 2-3 months. I am going to see what happens if I henna my hair every other week. Since the effects of henna build up with each use, I should see results fast--being that these next few applications would be my 3rd, 4th, and 5th. Obviously there wouldn't be a dramatic change in length overnight, but I'm sure the added strength from the new applications will have a great effect on my length retention. My hair is about an inch or less away from being APL and just last summer my hair was barely grazing shoulder length.......

2 Henna treatments and many protective styles and such later, I'm at APL.
Let's see what 3 consecutive henna treatments (more may be in the works, depending on funds and such), buns, twists, DC treatments, improved nutrition and exercise regimens, etc have in store for my hair this summer. Who knows, my hair may grow alot more by the end of the summer than what's normal for me lol

Goodnight :)
~Lena

Summer Hair Affair

2010-06-05T23:58:00.004-04:00

Aaahh, it feels good to be back!

My apologies for the unintentional hiatus. Everything just turned into one big whirlwind of events overnight....so it seemed. Ah, maybe it did lol. Between my last post and this post, I have aced more exams, discovered new hairstyles, and graduated from college. Yay me!! lol.

I played with the idea of wearing my hair in a natural/curly style for graduation but unfortunately that didn't materialize. I decided to stick with what I was used to (judge if you want, I really don't care lol) which is my slick straight press. My hair was banging and it lasted a good while through all the heat and anti-heat and everything. Well almost everything; it didn't outlast my sebhorreic dermatitis! Argh!! I had to wash my hair even though I didn't want to (wanted my money's worth of flaunting my length lol).

Flash-forward to today which marks a full month since I graduated (yay!!) and my hair is in twists. Cute twists might I add. I have been slacking on my posts and taking hair shots....and posting them.....but I promise I will make that all up this week. I have soooo many pics to share from graduation and before graduation when I experimented with a style I hold dear to me. I am going to name my hairstyle soon enough but it fits me so well that I may just name it after myself :)

Sooooo many things to come. Pics, pics and more pics!
Stay tuned!

~Lena

Natural Beauty Products: Burt's Hand Creme

2010-04-14T13:30:00.005-04:00

G'day my fellow naturals. Today I've decided to take my site into a new direction. Every so often, I will try to post a review of any natural beauty products that I use. Burt's Bees is currently one of my favorite natural lines, and I am very fond of their lip balms. Since my hands are consistenly in water and harsh detergents and other cleaning agents at work and home, I decided that if I am still going to have fly little hands for my grad pictures (as well as forever!) I need to protect my little beloveds.

burt's shea butter hand repair creme is my new best friend!! A little goes a long way but its so addictive and buttery that I want to use alot, even though that make everything greasy. After I apply it to my oh-so-dry hands, my little digits thank me repeatedly by gracing me with their softness. My hands look good as new every singe time. I encourage everyone to try it but beware, its not cheap! This creme costs $12.99 at the drugstores and online. Another downside: the combination of essential oils and butters makes this heavenly concoction smell like hell. Well...more like noxema (remember that??).

Off to determine my next hairstyle, and study. Finals are coming!!

Later~

--PS...in case you don't want to or can't get to their site, here are the ingredients that are in the creme:

rosa damascena (rose) flower water, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, stearic acid, beeswax, glycerin, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), tocopherol, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, macadamia ternifolia (macadamia) seed oil, glucose, rosa canina (rosehip) seed oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, salix nigra (willow) bark extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, plantago lanceolata (plantain) leaf extract, alchemilla vulgaris (lady’s mantle) extract, rosa damascena (rose) flower oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange/neroli) flower oil, borago officinalis (borage) seed oil, sucrose stearate, retinyl palmitate, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, vegetable oil, beta carotene, xanthan gum, sodium borate, glucose oxidase, lactoperoxidase

Something For The People

2010-04-08T12:54:00.005-04:00

No, I'm not gonna bust out singing that ol school 90s jam "My Love Is The Shhhh!" lol. This little something for the people is just a few pics of me with my second rod set.

I have discovered that my beautiful curls should not be kept in for longer than a week lol I can't keep them for that long anyway because I have to wash weekly per my dermatologist. Hey, I'd rather have to restyle than go back on that horrid antibiotic/it-will-make-u-crazy pill. I'd rather be fresh and nappy than messy-nappy with acne haha

I tried something a little different for last/this weeks curls. Instead of just relying on the foam wrap lotion, I tried to use my Fantasia IC gel on parts that seemed like they'd need more help and staying power. Well.....it looked good for about a couple of days but after that, any head-scratch started a frizz frenzy. I officially stopped caring about that yesterday lol. But, the jig is up. It's time to wash again.

So.....it is up in the air as to whether I will do another set but use only foam again or if i want to finally invest in some Carol's Daughter products (the Hair Milk is calling my name! And the Elixer! And the Kizzi Pomade!) and try the set using those; or do one of my older styles with the new products.

I'm sure I'll have it all figured out by the end of the day, but in the meantime--here are more pics of the lovely me and my lovely hair :)

My First Rod-Set

2010-03-25T13:15:00.006-04:00

Hola todos!!

Since I've been contemplating on what I should do with my hair for graduation (as well as other everyday options), I decided to go ahead and try my first roller/rod-set. I was confused as all get out on what to do but I took a few notes from a great youtube video that I've seen. I already bought a butt-load of cold wave perm rods last summer (packs of like 12 or so for .50 cent remember!?) so I had some sections of my hair covered. But then I remembered how some sections of my hair are thicker and unrulier than the rest, so I decided to invest in some flexi-rods. Best.....purchase....ever!!!! I had so much fun last night, but because I got a late night start I didn't get to go to bed until a little after midnight.

Now I've heard that wearing rods and stuff to bed is no joke and it makes it hard to sleep, but dang! lol I had to adjust my head a certain way just so that I can squeeze in some sleep (I had classes back to back in the morning waiting on me). I was so scared to see how it would turn out.........

I couldn't take a lot of time to manipulate and hook up my hair since I was pressed for time, so I only took out all of the millions of rollers--I'll have an official count later on--; but as soon as I made it to campus I staked out in front of a mirror to finish it off (I kept my scarf and hood on until I got in b/c those rings were not poppin at all lol).

After I finished, I was a little indifferent about how it looked. I wasn't used to the shrinkage, let alone shrinkage with visible curls. But my new style quickly grew on me.

I love it!!!

I'll have pics of all of the products that I used up later.
Have a great day!!

Graduation Hair

2010-03-24T10:13:00.006-04:00

It's about that time guys!!!!

I'm super excited :) Why? I just picked up my cap and gown today!!!! Yessss! It's been a long time coming but it definitely isn't the last time I will have to do that. But, the first time is definitely more memorable.

Unfortunately, I won't be getting the full effect of our Graduation Expo because I was so unprepared for the whole Commencement portraits deal. They have a mini studio set up at the expo for us to take commencement portraits. It's definitely not free but I didn't even bother to ask for prices. I just asked whether or not there would be other opportunities outside of the expo to take our portraits. Other than the fresh-off-the-stage picture with the American flag background, No! Jammit.....I was hoping this wouldn't be the case.

I read in fine print that we could take portraits at this shindig but I didn' t know it would be packages involved. Looks like I may have to take my grad pics elsewhere :(

My main dilemma with this thing is that my hair is currently in a gelled back pony-puff! I had considered getting my hair done before class Monday or even afterwards yesterday (but i had a paper to do!!); I even considered after class today but who knows if I'll be able to. If I do them, I would have to go get my hair taken care of after class today or right after tomorrow (which is earlier than today's festivities) and just have to go back up to the school.

I'll work it out.....I will. I hope......

Anywho, my bigger dilemma is not having a style to go to. I don't exactly want twists but then again I may have no choice. I would do it myself but that is a big....azz....task. I tried to handle my own hair for my pics in highschool and it was not the best! It was cutesy for my age and well improvised (my mom had been doing my hair until we found out she was sick and her chemo was making her worse; a lot of stuff was done last minute in regards to hair, nails, and wardrobe but I managed). My hair isn't straightened anymore so my quick save for those days don't apply. I want my college grad pics to say something other than I graduated lol I want to look age appropriate (my twists can break that sometimes....makes me look even younger!) but stay within the natural realm and fit under my cap.

My two style options are:

Straw Set

And my mini-twists (aka zillion twists)

Idk what to do! I'm feeling the straw set but idk how to do it on my own. If I go to a natural hair place they are def gonna charge me an arm and a leg. So for now (while I do this other paper I have no choice but to do) I am comtemplating whether or not I can pull off a straw/rod set for pics tomorrow.

Have a Magical Day!!

Zillion Twists

2010-03-05T11:36:00.006-05:00

How about it. I'm back just like I promised lol

Well, here are a couple of long overdue pics of my recent twiting venture. I entitled this post Zillion Twists because of how my twists look.....like the zillion braid extentions. Although this was done by fluke, I can absolutely see myself doing this twisting style again.

It's much easier and could possibly be faster--if you don't start late and take day long breaks like I did. The only problem is that the method to get to this look could be damaging. These twists come on the heels of my second venture with my new MaxiGlide steam flat-iron. I love that thing so much! It is a tool that will make you want to take more precautions with heat styling more than you ever would before.

Before twisting, I found that my relapse with heat had lead to the inevitable split end heat damage in various areas (mostly in the back....dunno what I did different from the 1st gliding try!?) I mean....this was that damage you could feel and frizz you could see. The side and front areas had some splits too and some were mad horrible yo! lol I decided then that wearing my hair out like that would cease until either the summer or briefly in the fall. I will be doing the Disney College Program at Disney World in the fall so I may or may not have to flat iron my hair for professional events/classes. I don't think i will though as Disney is open to diversity and I've seen employees with twists before. I need to work on my zillion twists w/o the heat part haha

While my ends are still very much exposed and are not curled up on themselves (I didn't use my rods or water for these!) I need to figure out a way other than search and destroy missions to preserve my ends. I'm going to try my shea butter but we'll see.

I give you my twists:

Chaotic Laziness

2010-03-01T07:37:00.003-05:00

Hello world,

Sorry about being MIA. Everything has been really crazy and I haven't really had any hair things to share lately. I was gonna post at least for Valentines' Day (great day that day, still rocked the MaxiGlide hair lol) and then I was gonna twist my hair again but I saw fit to MaxiGlide again after my next shampoo. That thing is truly addictive; it's so fun you would probably forget that it's just a flat-iron with teeth and a steamer!

Well, I (almost) made good on my going back to twists for protection and growth yesterday but I got a late start. A late start for me now means that I will NOT force myself to finish my hair and stay up all night doing so. Yesterday was a lazy day b/c my dad's birthday was Saturday. I treated him to dinner and the movie he's been dying to see since finding out it was being released (thanx to me! lol I had to tell him)....The Wolfman. He loves the old horror movies, those were big back in his childhood so he was super excited when he finally saw the trailer. Needless to say, there was no question as to what movie we were going to see lol. Back to lazy Sunday......

Sunday was just a laid back kinda day. We were supposed to make a trip to the laundromat but that didn't happen (today, maybe?). So....I made plans on starting my twists on dry, straightened hair from my last MaxiGlide trial. Yea I should probably wash it first but I wanted to be different this time around. Plus I didn't feel like washing and drying and yada yada. It's such a chore for me to wash my hair and I wish my dermatologist new that washing every week for me is overkill for my strands. My ends are showing damage again (the gliding made it worse I think....but I did use heat protection, so don't go there! lol) so I've been doing search and destroy missions like crazy. I want and need my ends to be healthy again. Back to the story lol Well....like I said lazy day led me to take a little nap and watch The Little Mermaid (I've been driving myself Disney crazy since applying for the College Program Internship ) until I decided to try to twist my hair. I thought that since it took me only 2.5-3 hours to twist back in December on dry hair that since my hair was straightened, it wouldn't take all night. Wrong!!! lol I only have a section on each side and a few twists at the top to make my hair look completely twisted when pulled into a ponytail.

I plan on finishing the rest or at least some more of it when I get home later; if not I'll just go with the flow of the week and twist as little or as much as I can.

Pics coming soon!!!

MaxiGlide Results

2010-02-10T12:09:00.007-05:00

Snow Day!!!

Although I should be taking advantage of this wonderful snow day and studying for my next 2 exams (booooh!), I couldn't resist updating with my results.

I hoped that my MaxiGlide would arrive after I got home and I wouldn't have to wait another day.....and it did! I didn't have to wait.....at all...literally lol. As soon as I signed for my package I got that box open and just about leaped for joy. When I opened the Maxiglide box however I was slightly confused though because although everything was in new packaging and seemingly new and unused, my Glider looked weird. The finishing on it suggests that these things are poorly made or I got one of the older XP models. It looks vaguely like the one on the dvd but isn't that how they do us consumers anyway? See one thing, get another.....Now nothing blew up when I tested it and judging from the look of a used plug they must have re-packaged it or they test all of the plugs to make sure they come on and work (willing to bet and trusting it's the second one). I watched the instructional dvd that it came with and as it went along the second time through, I tested a section of my hair.

Fabulosity! My hair had been taken down and combed out/detangled from my pony puffish do. I tested a section on the side and it looked good. I'm not one to heat style on unwashed hair, so I used the maxiessentials maxesse moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and before gliding I applied the beyond straight temporary straightener aka heat-activated protectant gel

It's not pin straight like most would think or hope but I was kinda hoping against pin-pin straight just a little bit. I didn't want to be unrealistic and be disappointed. I love the thickness of my hair and tend to miss it if I have it pin straight from getting it pressed and flat-ironed (I'll post pics of that from Christmas....you would have thought a had a perm! eeeek!!)

I have a hunch that the next time I Glide that if I use a higher setting (I used between 5 and 6 at the most, not really sure how to tell where the number falls b/c there is no arrow.....hmm....) and I go through once like they said (I'm hard headed and I thought the pre-stream part didnt count....or I did it wrong lol) that my hair will be pin straight using this. I've seen it happen on the hsn video but I dunno what the actual thickness of girl's hair is. Looks pretty thick though......

Before

(blown out---look at my henna glow! lol)

After (MaxiGlide)

What do ya think?

MaxiGlide Hair Straightener

2010-02-09T15:27:00.005-05:00

No.....your eyes aren't deceiving you. It says hair straightener. Don't get it twisted *haha* I LOOOOVVVVVEE my natural kinks and curls, but I also love versatility. I wanted to be able to straighten my hair myself without it looking as damaged as I know those hot plates make it (protected or not!). I was going to get an InStyler at first but that price!! And too many cons to name!! In my research I kept reading that it blows up and stuff. The pros didn't outweigh the cons at all for me. When I asked about the InStyler on the CN forums a very helpful chica over there mentioned the MaxiGlide.

I had neeeeeeever ever ever ever heard about a MaxiGlide. I was intrigued. She gave a link to a lady's blog who has beautiful natural hair and uses the glide to straighten her hair from time to time. I saw those pics and was sold :) A steam feature? Perfectly spaced ceramic teeth on one of the plates?? For detangling?? Ooooh yeaaaa lol **Don't be fooled though, you still have to do your own detangling before the little teeth do anything, and don't press hard....glide---so I've read**

I wanted soooo bad to be able to go to a store and get one but HSN.com has bundles for the price of just the straightener by itself. It comes with a miniglide for those roots (ooooh! the possibilites), Maxius shampoo and conditioner, an after-shine product, heat protector, an instructional dvd, and a detangling brush :)

I wasn't home to get my package yesterday so hopefully UPS will try again after I get home so I can use this thing asap.

Reviews and HD pics coming soon....Promise

~Later

New Camera

2010-02-08T10:32:00.005-05:00

So I finally cracked and bought that new Samsung camera with the dual-view feature lol. I've been needing a new camera forever and I definitely don't see the price on this coming down anytime soon. I have sooo many life events that are gonna be coming up (and of course hair pics to take for posting :) and I don't want to have to deal with the battery on the old one not cooperating or the pictures looking all gross and weird (I hate re-do's with a passion! so time consuming and the moment goes bad). My lil silver baby and I had a good 5 years while it lasted; it will make a decent back up camera.......

New pics coming soon, muahhahaha :)

Henna Pics Part 2

2009-12-09T08:29:00.006-05:00

Buenos Dias Chicas!!!

I apologize for the late addition. I know I was supposed to post the rest of my henna pics the day after I posted the first set, but things didn't quite go as planned obviously. Finals are next week (but I have an early one tomorrow....my prof is moving *sad face at both* ) and other things over the weekend kept me from posting.

I wasn't 100% sure that I wanted to do this to myself and put those horrid, messy henna pics up especially with my skin the way it was/is. My skin is improving, but the left-over redness is killing me more than anything right now. That.....and the slow-to-fade dark spots (I read somewhere that those are signs of healing *confused face* isdk.

But anywho, I am going to try to do my next henna session this weekend but seeing as that I may not have enough to do it (100g may not be enough for all of this hair lol)

So.....as promised here are more pics of my 1st henna process.

Hasta Luego!

Henna Pics 1

2009-11-17T16:07:00.006-05:00

Hello,

As promised I have returned with pics of my first henna treatment. Because my camera sucks so (and my skin sucks, and my hairstyles are not happening right now--too busy) I don't have any really good pics of my hair after the application. I have many before's though.

Sooo.....drumroll please....lol

I prepared my mix the night before my application:
200 g BAQ Henna from Mehandi.com--from the Yemen crop, 2 cups ReaLemon Lemon Juice, a washable plastic bowl and a stainless steel spoon for mixing:

I mixed the juice and the henna until it was a consistency of mashed-potatoey yogurt stuff lol Some sites said until mashed potato-like...some said until yogurt-like....I compromised; I covered it to let it sit overnight in the kitchen:

Zzz....Zzzzzzzz....Zzzzzz....ZZzzzzzz (after 12 hours--8 hours sleep, 4 hours chill time)

My henna paste is thick and dark green/brownish---it reminded me of chocolate cake batter and pudding at one point haha
I prepped my supplies for battle:

Tomorrow I will post the rest of the pics from my henna adventure......my hair before, during, and after :)

Auburn Angel

2009-11-09T16:52:00.003-05:00

Hey Hey......

I finally took the plunge!!! lol I did my first henna treatment on Friday and I.....am.....in....love! My hair is super soft and the auburn tint that I see in certain lighting is amazing. I never thought I would see my hair any other color than dark brown/black but after henna, I have :) My hubby has even noticed a difference--he complimented that my hair looks healthier. After one treatment? Amazing isn't it!!

After my disasterous run-in with my beloved Herbal Essences (I know in my heart of hearts it was one of the reasons my skin was breaking out!) I figured I should stop jumping on product bandwagons and stop thinking that my hair and skin were able to handle everything I threw at them. But....I was determined at some point to try henna treatments to strengthen my hair and obtain the strength and length that I long for.

Instead of trying to create my own special henna mix(i.e by adding honey, oils, spices, etc) I decided to keep it simple and add the recommended acidic juice to my powder. For my 200g of BAQ Henna from Yemen, I added about 2 cups of ReaLemon lemon juice. I let it sit overnight and then I washed my hair and applied. Saran wrapped and shower capped for 4.5 hours and rinsed. And rinsed. And rinsed. Until the water ran clear. I should have tried to wash it more ( really "scratch" my scalp) because I soon found out while twisting my hair that there was still some henna left; my hands are now orange until it fades lmao.

I have plenty of pics to share of my process but the only thing I can't show in pics is my auburn tint; it doesn't seem to want to show up for me lol

Pics coming soon......

~Lena

Product Junky Indeed

2009-11-05T16:41:00.002-05:00

So its absolutely no secret that I love to shop lol, therefore you can imagine the almost field-day I coulda had the other night when I was in Family Dollar. I should have known they would have something other than essential household products for cheap.....they had the audacity to have some of my former favorite conditioners for like $1-$2!!! Can you believe it! Well, of course you can but thats not the point lol I was able to get cheapy conditioners for my henna treatment this weekend. The PJ in me is tempted to go back and stock up some more but remember what happened with my beloved Herbal Essences....yea, we don't want that again!

I got a big ol +25% more bottle of Tropical Coconut Suave conditioner and a bottle of V05 Tea Therapy conditioner in chamomile and lavender. Wow.... just thinking about it is making my nostrils tingle with delight. I can't wait til tomorrow when I do my treament. I'm going to mix it up tonight and let it sit overnight so that I can apply it in the morning and chillax with it in my tresses all day.

Idk why I stopped using that stuff but I do remember using it when my hair was longer. They couldn't have been all that bad; I probably just wanted a change and forgot to look back.

Well....I will review which ever one I decide to use and I will def have pics of my henna journey.

~Later

It's Henna Time

2009-10-29T11:23:00.006-04:00

Hello all!

I finally ordered my henna the other day so I am expecting my shipment to be here this weekend. Yay!! I won't be able to do it until next weekend though because I will be away for an anime convention. But.....I cannot wait to try this stuff out :) I really want to maintain my length and strengthen my hair so it will grow to its full potential. I want my hair to be pretty lengthy by the time summer rolls around, and definitely for 2011 when we have our wedding ceremony (aren't you already married, you say? long story....meant for another random post)

Anywho....

I ordered 300mg because I have a ridiculously thick head of hair. I can barely oil my scalp properly so I know I better be prepared to slap on tons of this thick stuff. Hopefully I won't have to use it all and the rest can be frozen. I didn't bother ordering any indigo to make my hair any other assortment of brown or black because I'm interested in finding out what reddish hue my hair will take on with henna on its own. It may not show the first time through but if it does, I will know whether or not I will want to add some indigo to the mix.

I can't wait to see what happens :) After I apply my henna and rinse and condish, etc etc I am going to rock my old faithful twists. I can only do so much with my current length and my styling abilities are limited, so twists will have to do for now.

Later people!

Pic A Style...Any Style

2009-10-17T16:36:00.007-04:00

Hello all, I have returned!

The past few weeks have been chaotic with exams and what not. So, since I have some free-time this weekend I thought I should make good on my promise for pics of my sew-in.

Unfortunately, this gorgeous style didn't last on me. I loved the look and all but that dayum "human" hair was no friend of mine at all. My scalp itched all the time but I was expecting that. But not to the point where it kept me up at all hours of the night and to the point where my scalp couldn't be soothed. I even washed and oiled to soothe it and it only made matters worse. My style got lovelier and lovelier but my scalp got even more irritated. No oils or astringents could make me attempt a 4-week stint.

I only lasted two weeks. $90 down the drain yes, but I was fortunate to be able to walk away with my hair still attached to my scalp. I'm surprised my scalp didn't say screw me and decide to let all of my hair fall out. I would rather lose $90 than my thick head of hair.

I'm back with my pony puff until I twist tonight. But here are some reminders of what was during my birthday weekend and that following week.

Later~

In a dressing room at the mall; my bangs weren't cut yet

Waiting on hubby to get dressed for our night out

Happy Birthday To Me!!!!!!!!!! (Late Post)

2009-09-27T10:26:00.008-04:00

Hello blog world!!! I recently celebrated my 22nd birthday and my 2year anniversary with my dear hubby on September 25th. *Go Libras...whooo! lol* Last post, I was indecisive about what exactly I wanted to do with my hair. Well, with the support of my loving honey I decided to get that sew-in I have been wanting all summer! My sweetie is a natural head himself and wanted me to twist my hair...a daunting task I detest when time is a factor....but I didn't have time or really feel like doing my own hair for my b-day--who does?! lol

But, with his approval I went in early for a 2.5 hour hair weaving session the morning of the big day. I was a little disappointed and scared at first because the place I went to--the African braid shop that did my last set of kinky twists and cornrows--doesn't style or cut your hair after they sew it in. Basically....you have to shell out more money in a regular hair salon to achieve your desired look. Or....you can do what I did and have someone in your family help you out!

I called my sister back after I was finished and she told me to come over so she could cut my bangs and help me out. And help out she did (sort of lol....they were a little uneven on one side but I think she was trying to give me an asymmetrical look or something). She also evened out my ends for me. All for free! No extra hair salon charges over here people. That's how ya gotta work it.

My sweetie loves "my" hair and so do all of my friends and family. They are not judgemental like alot of people tend to be when women don't wear their real hair. They already know I have one heck of a mane. I am just choosing to give my hair (ends and all) a break from the stresses of twisting and being exposed to the elements.

Ciao!

**I'm going to edit this later with photos**

D-Day Approaching......Fast

2009-09-17T09:00:00.002-04:00

Or should I say, B-day approaching fast! lol

My 22nd birthday is coming up and I no doubt want to look my best for my day(s) out. The anniversary of my birth is also my 2 year anniversary with my sweetheart (Love ya sweetums ;) so I really have to look great! Not that I don't already but I want that extra umph lol But anywho, my constant personal debate for the past few months has been whether or not I want to keep rockin the natural frock or if I want to go ahead and put these strands into hiding i.e a full weave.

I would love to not have to manipulate and worry about my hair for my birthaversary but my hubby loves my natural hair. Especially when it's all big and fluffy-like. I want my sleek sew-in but I wanna be natural too. I obviously can't rock half straight, half curly.....that would be weird lol So now the battle continues.....

Comb Coils?

Braids with Fro in Back?

Wavy Sew-in?

Straight Sew-in?

We will see.....

Follow Me Like Twitter/My Current Blogging List

2009-09-03T16:13:00.007-04:00

Twitter seems to be all the rage nowadays but the only people and things that I follow are natural hair blogs and a select few other blogs that I find interesting in the blogging realm. If I want an update on what people are doing with their lives, I can go to facebook; that's what status updates are for.....others may feel different about that though. I seem to be following alot of blogs but for some reason I can't get my visitors to commit to following me!! Come on chicas, don't leave me hanging! lol I know you're out there, I've read (and responded to) your comments. Follow me, don't be shy ;) {Just click the link that says follow with google friend connect}

I can read as many blogs as I see fit but only a few have really caught my attention to where I want to follow them. So, maybe that's the case for my blog. People like what they see/read but not enough to follow me.....yet....lol I'm sure you'll get there one day.

Right now, the only blog of interest on my list that doesn't pertain to natural hair is What Would (blank) Do???? . Sure, my husband is a natural head like me but his blog is about something deeper than hair problems or celebrations. His blog touches on issues that people face on a daily basis on a spiritual level that affects other aspects of life. I love listening to what he has to say, so following his blog is only right (that and the fact that he's my love! lol) I am going to interview him about his hair one of these days, and get that conversation piece to you guys out there. His hair is locked, so for all my natural heads out there who have locks or are thinking about locking....stay tuned :)

My favorite natural hair blog out of all of the blogs that I follow so far is Curly Nikki. This girl....yes!!! Lol Idk, during my transitioning stage I ran across her blog and have been hooked ever since. It hasn't been that long but I can tell you a lot of stuff on her site has helped me tons. Henna on my hair wasn't something I had considered or really even known about until I read one of her posts and saw how her hair transformed. After doing my own research on it, I know that henna treatments are on my hair-experiment to-do list. Not only is her site great for hairstyle tips and product recommendation, her blog also highlights issues that people with natural hair face because of their hair in the workplace, with family, friends, etc. If my blog doesn't interest you, I'm positive this one will---if you're not already a fan.

The other blogs that I have on my bloglist are also worth looking into; check them out with the others through the links on the right.

Well guys, I'm off to conjure up a new hairstyle for the next few weeks. Whatever it is will be out in time for me to make my trip back to that natural hair salon I went to before, for my birthday!! lol I know for sure my birthday hairstyle will be between comb-twists and a straw/rod-set.

Hasta Luego ;)