Hello I am back!

Hello all,
Sorry I have been gone for so long! Haven't had the time to do posting in the last few months. Well first I got a job working with Monsanto, it's going great so far. Who says natural hair ain't professional like! lol Anywho, I am coming up on a year post relaxer in Feb!!!!!!! YAY! I am about 31 weeks post BC! I gotta say my hair is growing. I am due for a trim big time, I want it done by a hair stylist. I haven't had the time to go get one because I have to drive out to Chicago (3 hr drive). I will post some pics they are a couple months back.  As you can see there is some growth, my hair is a little longer now I will do another post with new updated pics.

Milwaukee Hair expo/ 3 week post BC and 20 weeks post relaxer

Hello,
Yesterday was the Milwaukee Hair expo. It was my first hair expo event and I loved it! There were ladies and gentlemen with all kinds of hair styles and texture. It was a beautiful site. I felt like I belonged! :) They had vendors for jewelry, clothes, hair and skin care products. Also along with classes teaching about the health of your body and hair. I went to a couple, one for preventing hair loss and one for what's in the products. Both were very informative.

I learned that products contain a lot of chemicals that are unnecessary. I knew about some of the ingredients were a no-no. But I didn't think about all the chemical ingredients were bad. I may try and go natural or just make my own products. Because there are products out there that claim they are natural but still sneak some kind of chemical in to their products. Did you know that certain products or ingredients are banned in most countries but the US does not ban it. That's because other countries knows the damage and harm it can cause to the people. I don't understand why SOME not all companies only care about the quantity instead of the quality! If you want to know what ingredients are banned and harmful just search it on the internet.

On another note, I just passed my 3 weeks post BC!!!!!! I can't believe it 3 weeks already! This weekend will make it a month since BC. My hair is growing pretty good. Still having trouble with moisture. I am trying different things to keep it moisturize. I may make some homemade recipes to help out. So far I've been using this Shea butter mix I made. I mixed it with Jojoba oil, coconut oil, and aloe vera gel and a little bit of glycerin. I see a little difference in my hair using that.
Well until next time! Have a blessed day!

What I learned so far/ 1 week Big chop anniversary

Hello Lovelies,
It's been 1 whole week since I've Big Chopped. It feels like it's been forever lol! In this whole week I've been researching on hair care for natural, and I happened to come across Kimmaytube and wow she has alot of information about hair. She has been natural since 1999 but didn't really start taking care of it until about 2008 since she has grown her hair from low cut to about mid back length.

What I Learned from her so far
I've learned a lot in the past couple of days. First off I learned about the pH in our  hair and what pH levels can do to your hair from different products. Our hair is about a pH of 4.5-5.5 (acid level) water level is a neutral balance of 7.0. (if you want to learn more about pH levels and balance and what pH is go to Kimmaytube here's a link http://youtu.be/yT9axA0A6_Q) Example of what products do to your hair. I am going to use a relaxer ex. Relaxers pH is about 11.0-14 (alkaline) so your hair is raised to alkaline level this is where the hair is broken down and made straight, to neutralize it you use a neutralizing shampoo that brings it back to its regular pH. This blew me away I never went into the science of what we do to our hair. Raising the pH can be damaging to your hair or even lowering the pH. I really suggest that you go to that video and watch the other videos related to it. Whether your relaxed or natural it is very informational and may help you take better care of your hair. Also she suggested some books to read called Grow it by Chicoro and Ultra Black hair Growth part II by Cathy Howse. I plan on getting these books by the end of the summer to read them.
Kimmaytube also has this leave in conditioner recipe that is pH friendly to the hair. I used it last night and I see somewhat of a change to my hair. Mind you that I still have scab hair (hair that was damaged by relaxers that is still growing through my scalp also researched this too!) so it may take awhile until my hair gets used to it.

My 1 week Natural Hair anniversary
LOL I know it's too soon to say anniversary but it feels like I've been natural for awhile now! So fair my hair has gotten better. Been using Shea moisture line (shampoo, conditioner, curl enhancer) and also Kinky Curly Knot today. I will use this for another week to see how my hair takes it. So far it seems like it's liking it. My hair is not as dry as it was the first day I cut it. I plan on buying more products to try when I decide on whether or not I like Shea moisture. I would like to try Beautifulbrownbaby product line (can find her on youtube) and a couple of others but can't remember their names at the moment. I also been buying earrings and hair flowers like crazy lately. And I have gotten alot of comments on them. Yesterday a stranger came up to me and said wow you are pretty! You know that made my day! In all my hair is doing pretty good so far. Can't wait until I get some length so I can do cute styles!

P.S.
June 26th I will be going to a Hair Expo in Milwaukee. Tickets are on sale for $15. The theme is Health is wealth! I am so excited to go and see other naturals and what they can do with their hair. There will be muscians, poetry speakers, class, vendors and speakers. It's going to be a fun filled day !
if you want more information go to http://milwaukeenaturalhaircareexpo.com/
Until next time HHJ!

Cellese

June 4th BC'd ( I did it)

So I am 100% natural and LOVE IT!

I bc'd june 4 2011. So here's the story, I was transitioning for about 4 months now. Everything was going good until last week. I had tons of hair coming out and my NG was so dry no matter what I did. I was contemplating on get it cut off, but had to go to Chicago to do it (live in iowa so not to many black stylist here nor natural hair salons). I wasn't so sure, so out of the blue a friend of mine wanted me to pick him up at the chi-airport (this was on friday). Of course I agreed then decided to see if there was an opening that same day I had to pick him up (this was on saturday) I was hoping there wasn't an opening because I wasn't sure about cutting it off yet. (I wasn't sure if i was mentally prepared for it) but turns out she had an opening. So i booked it and never looked back, My friends thought I wasn't going to do it lol. Proved them wrong.

Before Pic:

After Pic:

I love it, I feel beautiful more confident and just fierce! lol I never felt like this even when I had long hair. I guess it's because I had the confidence to cut it off and rock it short.

I have curly hair that are coily and tight, Does anybody know which hair type that is, I kind of assumed 3c/4a/4b texture in my hair. I will post texture shots one day.

Hope you guys enjoy!

More pics to come soon, and may start youtube my journey.

Hope I encourage people!

Love and Peace!

Update

Ok been gone toooo long. So much has happened in the past few months. Like to start of by saying your girl has GRADUATED I'm officially a college grad. Wow can't believe that it's been four years woot woot! Second I am 15 weeks post and I've decide....... To go natural yes I am for sure on my decision I've been wanting to go natural a few years now just never had the guts to do it. I will be transitioning for a few months in kinky twist then I will do the big chop. I've decided to do the big chop so I can learn my hair while it's short, and if I transitioned for a long time I think I would fail and put a relaxer in so doing the big chop gives me no choice but to stay natural.

In my 15 weeks I've seen my hair curl in a way I have never seen my hair do. Mind you I got a relaxer when I was eight and my hair was always pressed before then so I don't know my hair texture. I'm pretty excited to embark on this journey. I've been watching YouTube videos like crazy lol and on hairlista I've been adding natural friends. I'm trying to learn as much as I can before I big chop. I plan on the big chop in July. Well that's all I will be on here more now that I'm out of school. O yea I'm still job hunting and plan on going to grad school next year I pray that I will stay focused on that goal!

Hey!

update on hair, so I did relax 12wks i believe in Feb. It has grown almost touching APL. So on Tuesday I will be getting my hair done just flat ironed, and maybe bangs! I am about ten weeks post! I will be relaxing in the beginning of May before graduation day! I'm so excited yes will be graduating with a BS in Biology. Well more to come, I will try to be on here more!

Dry hair be gone!

Hello ladies,
Welcome to my blog to all my new subscribers! I am here taking you through my hair journey from unhealthy, dry, neck length hair to long beautiful healthy hair! So far I have reached about Shoulder length! yay me :)

Dry hair:4 weeks post
So my hair, well actually just my ends have been really dry. No matter what I did they would not hold moisture for some reason. I've tried trimming the ends, DC for hours, Hot oil treatment everything I could think of. So I decided to seek help from hairlista site, and I found the answer. My hair was porous, I needed to use something with acidity or pH control to help my hair. One of the suggestions was to use Apple cider vinegar (ACV rinse). I cowashed my hair, then ACV rinsed then I DC, with ORS replenishing conditioner with my Aphogee 2 min reconstructor. I did this for about 15 mins under a hair dryer. I rinsed it out and my ends were lovely! They held some moisture. I still need to do this probably one more time to keep my ends moist. I also started bagging my ends after I moisturize and sealed. So far my ends are liking it.

Next week I will be 5 weeks post. I plan on flat ironing my hair for Christmas. This will be the only time I will flat iron my hair this month. I plan on stretching my hair til my Birthday in March! (I'll be 22, man I am getting old lol) I'm trying to go to Florida for spring break so my hair has to be on point! I will be around 16 weeks post.

My goal for 2011 is to have APL (Arm pit length) by my graduation in May! Then to have BSL (bra strap length) by December 2011. We will see how that goes! Hope I reach those goals.

I will do a product haul of what I use on my hair now, either today or some other time. Until then Have a blessed day!