six month update...healthy hair journey

It is August and not really much has changed. But this is an excellent time to make some notations about the Healthy Hair Journey. We are here. It is the half-way point.

I have learned…

There are multiple textures of hair growing from my scalp that require very specific time-honored retouches.  The finest of them is the nape that does not require a retouch at all but if there was one, annual is the minimum time between retouches. This texture is a fine curly texture around 3b/3a.

The top front and sides are slightly coarser. This texture is 3c/4a. This section is the most delicate. It is cropping new hair since the introduction of Vitamins and better nutrition. It tends to be the weakest but it is gaining strength. This section will not be retouched any more than 2x a year. It presents best with natural texture.

The fiercest section is the crown. It is the densest in appearance but it can be easily broken and damaged due to a lack of protein/moisture balance. This section suffered more than any over the last few years. It is also the section I spend the most time with, giving it a gentler hand when de-tangling.

This texture is 4c. If there was a 5 anything, I am sure it would be scoring in the 5’s at the least.

I notice about 2.5 to 3 inches of new-growth as I approach retouch time for the top/front/sides. I wouldn't say that measurement of growth is at the crown, however the crown was retouched in May and so far it is on a 3-4 month cycle.

Remember I am a tex-laxer. I do show in appearance as a natural textured member with 3a-3c hair because of the tex-laxing. However, I am not a natural. The products that I used as well as the amount of care that I give my hair on this journey have shown promising results.

I expect to continue using the same process for the next 6 months as I reach the 1 year mark. I use what works at the least cost. I do favor Carol’s Daughter Marguerite’s Magic and Mimosa Hair Honey on wash days. My favorite co-wash is Herbal Essences Naked.

Some of the shampoos/conditioners that I use on poo days are Cream of Nature Detangling, Whole Foods Everyday 365 Lavender for normal/dry hair. I tried a sample of Giovanni’s that I found at Whole Foods. My favorite light ‘cheap’ conditioners are still Suave Natural’s Sun-Ripened Strawberry, Aloe/Water Lily (and Everlasting Sunshine if I can find it) brands, as well as the Suave Almond and Shea.

Currently, I alternate wash/co-wash every four days. The wash days are preceded with an oil/conditioning pre-poo treatment and/or follows with a protein treatment. My favorite protein treatment is the Ayurveda/Egg that follows an ACV treatment. My favorite pre-poo is a mix of Coconut/Olive Oil with Hollywood Beauty cholesterol conditioner.

I began using Elasta QP’s Mango Butter moisturizer and its leave-in conditioner products. Both work amazingly well. They are very moisturizing and pleasantly fragrant.

Lastly, my peppermint water spritz and the natural oil mixes (black tea oil, lavender/avocado oil) continue to be a much needed product placement for LOC/LCO method of moisturizing and sealing.

I cut away a lot of my ‘old ends’ and to shorten the distance between the longer hair and the parts I broke a year ago through mishandling. I cannot say the trimming is over. Each session of styling reveals some strands that could aid the blunt look. Essentially, it is a search/destroy effort. This has been very effective.

The goal is healthy hair, not length. The blunt cutting gives it a fuller appearance. Layers are out. They make the hair appear thinner. Realizing that my hair is more normal than thick is an achievement on this journey. Hair needs care to its specific texture.

This six month summation would not be complete without including Lucky Vitamin Hair, Skin & Nails vitamins and Vitamin D3/2000IU. Where nutrition reaches its maximum, the vitamins help to complete the leg. 

My Staple Hair Care Products

My hair is not overly pampered although it may seem that way. It is simply treated with care. “No-Heat” was a must during this first year. All of my styles originate from their naturally air dried state. I wear buns that move all around. My hair is ‘conditioned’ to respond to the products and styles and for the next six months, unless there is shift in the universe they will remain. There is no need to re-invent. The staples have spoken.