The Flexi-Rod Set

So my hair is really thick at the roots, I decided to do a flexi-rod set.  Surely this would be a style that I could leave alone for at least a week. I watched tons of YouTube videos trying to determine the best products for my hair. I wrote a couple of things down and headed to the store.  I knew I needed a setting lotion, a heat protectant spray and most importantly the flexi-rods. So $30 dollars later I had 2 packs of blue rods and two packs of grey totaling 24 rods. I also bought QP setting foam and heat protectant spray.  I already had a tabletop hood dryer.

Rolling my hair was definitely a lengthy process and it took sometime combing through. I was not getting the hair as straight and smooth as I hoped to get it. I used end papers at the tip to keep the ends together.  Once I finished I sat uncomfortably under the hood dryer (note to self invest in the stand dryer) for 1 1/2 hours. My hair was about 95% dry, but I slept in the roller to ensure my hair would dry all the way. Sleeping in the rods was the worst, the rods were too painful to fully press my head down. I had to prop it up my head on my arm most of the night.

Fast forward to the morning, very tight curls. I expected tight curls, I started pulling them apart.  It was not the look I was would have hoped for but I was going to give it a day.  The QP foam ensured me my curls would be soft, instead they were hard.  Foam has alcohol in it but I didn't expect it to be too hard considering all the other ingredients that promoted shine, bounce and moisture. My front was so thick, I wore a headband to keep it down.

By day 3 I just felt it was a hot mess, the curls didn't fall into cute spirals. My hair was coarse and actually coming out in mini knot balls at the ends. My scalp was so dry, although I used some pure coconut oil (after 3 weeks of use, I realize it is not the oil for my hair or my daughter, it has a nasty build up).  The back of my hair left a little to be desired, I really don't know what was going on back there.

In summary, I would do it again, I think I could achieve the look I want with different products.  I am going to look into Miss Jessie curling pudding.  I haven't been to the salon in almost two months for various reasons and I am shedding. I also loosing loosing my long mane and I am two seconds away from a perm.  The pics below are okay but so not my reality.

New Year

So as I prepare to ring in 2011, I have to wonder will I break down and get a perm?  I was introduced to coconut oil by a friend a couple of weeks ago.  Whenever I get my hair washed, blown dried and curl, it will only last a week.  By the second week my scalp is itching so bad, that I have to wash it.  As you can already tell a hair style not lasting the typical two weeks is a problem.  First it is a waste of money. Second, a lot of time and effort only to have it not look any where near as good as a salon visit.  Well needless to say the coconut oil did cut down on the itching.  The coconut oil doesn't have a smell to it, which is good. I had to put a little effort into using it the oil.  It came in a solid form, therefore I had to heat the bottle to melt it down. I used it generously twice a week, by the second application, I actually put some on my hair for shine.  The coconut oil definitely helped with my second week and now I am ready for a wash.

So as far as the new year is concerned, I am going to stick it out, I am so ready to make my transformation.  I really want to see how my natural hair curls or don't curl.  I am going to start looking at other oils to use on my hair just to experiment.  I also need a hair style for the next two months, snow has just fallen and it's not the weather for a press and curl.

A Blow Out

So I got my first blow out during my natural process. My stylist was able to really comb through and get it straight and it had a lot of bounce. When I blow dry my hair I cannot get it as straight, my roots are still puffy which makes the curling difficult.

A roller set cost me $25 and with this journey my salon visits have gone up. Now I need to get a deep condition every time I go, hand blown dried and then curled....$40. To me that is an significant increase, it is my morning coffee and blimpies sandwiches on Fridays. Since I am still on the never ending quest to loose 10 lbs, this blow out did not last!!!! I was working out at least 4 times a week, trying to do low impact so as not to sweat. A week later minus the coffee and blimpies my hair was itching like crazy and I could no longer get a a comb through.  This is the fork in the road I was desperately trying to avoid...doing my own hair.

So my next purchase is a good flat iron, deep conditioner and a hood dryer.

I am two months in

I am two months into my transition from permed hair to natural hair.  My goal is not to do the "big chop" instead transition with only a little cutting along the way. My hair is getting thick in the middle, however I still have a lot of permed hanging. I can no longer run my fingers through my mane and it itches all the time. I am guessing because it is drier, I have to work on keep it moist to avoid breakage.

A week ago I manage to wash my hair, blow dry it  to a pretty straight look.  However a week of working out in the morning has brought me to puffiness.  I don't know what to do with it at this point.  I need a good flat iron or pressing comb (which I really don't know how to press my hair with a hot comb). I also know that I don't want to keep pressing my hair every time it gets puffy.

I want to mention that I am currently using KeraCare Shampoo and conditioner. I viewed all the blogs, websites and youtube on the best product but I have yet to decide what to use. Everyone says this can be an expensive journey, I am trying to avoid spending tons of money. With enough research I hope to figure out the products I need before purchasing...we will see.