My hair is semi-porous

Today, I found that my hair is 'semi' porous. Porous hair is not GOOD HAIR because it does not absorb any of the food you feed your hair. Its like pouring products which money in the sink (conditioners, oils, leave-ins and moisturizers). Kai!!!!!


To test porosity: put a strand or few of your hair in a bowl of water. If it floats, then your hair is fine. If it sinks then you're in porous-ville.


Mine sunk midway. In fact, I did the test multiple times. My hair is indeed not close to being perfect. Tscheww!


I'm off to Sally's to buy Roux Porosity Shampoo, will alternate using it with my Organix Coconut shampoo. Rinsing with Apple Cider Vinegar (mixed with water) also helps with porosity.


More porous news: http://www.hairliciousinc.com/2008/03/porous-hair-anyone.html


Ladi

My New Product list

This weekend, I went to Target and decided it would be best for my hair to stick to one or two or three product lines as opposed to the six-seven I had for one regimen.

For the next few months, I will be using Organix shampoo, it is coconut, has protein, and no sulphate. I got the silk infusion leave-in product (CHI is too expensive) and I decided to just get the conditioner as well. I'll start this line once I get to Nigeria in a few weeks. My sister uses Organix so I'm familiar with the brand. It boasts repair for chemically treated hair (us relaxed guys) and I've been looking to incorporating a mild protein product into my regimen. 

I also bought Neutrogena's Triple Mpisture Leave-in conditioner like I said I would. I will get the deep conditioner too.

I will use this with my Strength of Nature moisturizer/ Herbal Essences Split end repair/ Wave Nouveau and castor oil on scalp. So my product junkiness is reducing. I have to be faithful to just a few product lines.

Until then, I'm trying to use up by bottles of shampoo and conditioner and transfer my oils into smaller bottles for easy transportation across the Atlantic.

I'm moving to 9ja in a few weeks!

http://westafricanhair.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-products-list-mostly-cheap-and.html

Best Drugstore Conditioners

Since many of us are on a budget. Here's a list of the best drustore conditioners (aka Walmart, Walgreens, CVS conditioners):
http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/p-best-drugstore-conditioners/

I'll definitely or most like try the following:

No. 4: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner, $4.99 

I love love Neutrogena Triple Moisture's other Deep Conditioner.

No. 6: Pantene Relaxed & Natural Intensive Moisturizing Conditioner, $5.99

I used to use this though it was when I was in Nigeria and since I quit the shampoo (for containing sulphate), I quit the twin too for no reason but maybe I can repent and go back.

No. 11: Suave Professionals Humectant Conditioner, $3.29

I almost bought this but in my upgraded mind, I could not touch Suave products for being cheap. But this is good so will probably try it mixed with some natural oils and honey to make a deep conditioner or a pre-poo concoction.

TGIF, I'm going shopping tomorrow to stock up on new hair products.

Weekend hair regimen

This is my typical Saturday night/ Sunday morning regimen. You'd find a similar regimen on every other hair blog but this I modified to fit my laziness level.


1. pre-poo with coconut oil and cover with plastic or heating cap and then towel (will steam in the future) and run errands: vacuuming/ sweeping, laundry and cooking or just go to sleep, the longer the better. Coconut oil, like olive and avocado get easily absorbed into hair shaft more than other natural oils. Sometimes I do a hot oil treatment inplace of pre-poos.


2. shampoo wash  (I co-wash midweek to add moisture), 


3. deep condition under heating cap for an hour and workout or watch tv to kill time (I don't have a hood dryer or steamer here...they're too bulky, but I will deep condition in a salon when I get to Nigeria), 


4. apply leave-in conditioner and detangle with wide tooth comb. 


5. air dry (usually overnight if staying in or blow dry and style), flat iron if necessary (with heat protectant). 


6. moisturize hair strands (and do so every day or two), focusing on the dryer and older ends


7. lightly apply castor oil on scalp, and seal ends with little coconut oil.


8. Pony tail or bun (not with a rubber band which can cause breakage and reduce length)


9. wrap under a satin or silk scarf or bonnet or use a silk pillow to sleep. The friction with cotton drys out hair and causes breakage by absorbing moisture from the hair. I used to wake up with my hair all over my pillow instead of my head.

This is very different from my old regimen which consisted of washing with sulphate-filled shampoo, maybe cheap conditioning for 5mins, blow drying without heat protectant, and applying hair grease or pink oil (mineral oils and petrolatum are evil, take note!). BAD BAD BAD!!!!

This what what most naija hairdressers do esp in N200 salons (yea, now you know who messed up your hair), so educate yourself. Cheap comes with an expensive price tag.

I relaxed my hair last weekend so this weekend, I conditioned with Aphogee two-step which is protein packed and helps to strenghten the hair after weakening by the creamy crack.


I air dried on while watching tv, and styled on Monday morning with no heat (reducing my flat ironing to twice a month instead of every week).

On tuesday night, my scalp was so dry and dandruffy so I washed my haired with shampoo again and deep conditioned with ORS Hair Mayo mixed with castor and coconut oil, left under a heating cap ($3 foil looking shower cap at Sallys, nothing fancy) and covered with my towel. I rinsed two hours later and did the usual. Its now in a bun.

Payday is here so will shop over the weekend for a few more hair products to experiment with.

Basic Ingredients I avoid in products:

This is a really basic 101 list. For starters here's what you should avoid:


Sulphate in shampoo (because it strips hair of moisture), unless of course your conditioner is a super hero and can replace all the lost mositure. If you cannot trash you sulphate carrying shampoo, I suggest a goo pre-poo before the wash.


Mineral Oil/ paraffinum and Petrolatum (aka Vaseline-ish) in deep conditioners and moisturisers because this just creates an illusion of moistuised hair but it blocks and coats and adds nothing positive to the hair.

...-Paraben (s), this one is last on my list, I try to avoid it but can't always. Apparently its like MSG for hair. Google it!

Most organic and natural hair products (Burt bees, Giovanni, Carol's Daughter etc) have non of these ingredients but its always good to check to make sure you hair isn't getting crap.

Best Leave-In Conditioners (8)

This list of 8 leave-ins is from Totalbeauty which I love for reviews on beauty products, hair, body, and makeup etc. Leave-in conditioners are vital for infusing moisture into hair after washing and rinsing hair. They also help detangling (during which often hair breaks) and make hair very soft. I never used Leave-in until a few months ago, and sinners better repent and buy them some leave-in conditioner.


http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-leave-in-conditioner
Out of this list I will most likely try (according to rank on the list). You can also click on them to get more reviews from users on Total beauty's website:

No. 1: Redken Smooth Down Detangling Cream Leave-In Smoother, $13.60

This was no. 1 so I'll try this when the paycheck gets here cuz $13.6 is 'wayyyy' above my leave-in budget. This chic (click the link) uses a Redken Smoothdown product so hmmmm...

No. 3: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-In Cream, $6.99 

I have used the deep conditioner from Neutrogena's Triple Moisture line and it was awesome so I'm convinced the leave-in will be as good. Plus it is within budget.

No. 6: Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner, $7.99

Well, Its organic and full of natural stuff, I loved Giovanni's conditioner (not the shampoo though). I've seen this product on a lot of black hair websites so I might give it a try on day. Its within the budget too :)


And I will update my blog with reviews after trying any of these products.


The leave-in conditioners that I used in the past include Garnier (its alright but too thick and I tended to apply too much which dried and flaked off) and Sexy Hair Organics (which was awesome, organic without 'bad' chemicals and mad my hair soft and easy to detangle).

My products list: Mostly cheap and affordable stuff

shampoo: Creme of nature organic moisturising shampoo (will switch to maybe Carol's daughter once the bottle finishes cuz this has sulphate in it)

conditioners: 
Herbal Essences Long term relationship which is awesome for co-washes (I'm looking to switch to back to pricier Giovanni Smooth as Silk which smells fruity, grapey, and has very light protein which is good for my weak hair)

Aphogee 2-step- I use this a week after relaxing and then every six weeks. This is super heavy protein and should not be used often if not, your hair will harden and break. Plus is smells eggy and application is messy. Google it!


deep conditioner: 
Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayo (light to medium protein based)- I always add at least 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and one of olive oil to it for extra oomph. I leave this in for at least one or two hours in a heating cap (not under a steamer or dryer because I don't have the money or space for one). I usually deep condition after a shampoo-wash.

Neutogena triple moisture (moisture-based)- I also add coconut oil to this. It already contains almond and olive oil so I add jara oyel to it. Love this!


home-made deep conditioner- I've only done this once but I blend avocado, mayonnaise, olive oil, and honey together. Its natural and of course its good for you. Honey is a humectant and attracts moisture into your hair.

It is important to alternate between moisturizing and protein based deep conditioners because hair needs both.

leave-in conditioner: 
Garnier fructis (I only got cuz it was the only cheap one available in walmart) but will switch back to Sexy Hair Organics (which used to make my hair very soft and easy to detangle until it finished and I could not find it anywhere near my village univ). Garnier is way too thick so I end up using too much and then it dries and flakes like dandruff. So less is more with this product but I'm switching regardless.

moisturiser: 
Wave Nouveau Finishing Lotion (chei, it makes my hair soft eh). Must buy a year's supply before moving back to Nigeria. It is amazing. A friend suggested keracare so will try that soon.


oil-based moisturizer: 
Mega Growth/ Strength of Nature's Provectiv Lotion (yellow bottle with the weave wearing model). Its a whole bunch of awesome natural oils and has a nice scent/smell. Pretty much a better version of the famous 'pink oil' that is packed with mineral oil that is not great for your hair. This gives moisture, shine and heat protection.

oils:
Extra virgin coconut (Nutiva), Jamaican black castor, and normal cold pressed castor oils, and extra virgin olive oil. I'm not a product junkie so will no invest in too many oils. 3 is enough. Will try shea butter when I'm in Nigeria though.

heat protectant: CHI 44 Iron Guard

relaxer: Motions (the new one) it has nice 'extras' in the kit. But in the past, I used Soft Sheen Carson's Anti-breakage relaxer (the red box one).

Creme of Nature, Herbal Essences, ORS Hair Mayo, and Aphogee step1

Aphogee step2, Garnier, Wave Nouveau, and Profectiv Lotion

I got all of these from Walmart, Sally's Beauty Supply and Amazon (coconut and castor oil). They are all affordable and have been working wonders on my hair so far.



This list will probably change as I run out of one bottle, I'd look for a better product or a more expensive one (as the paycheck comes in).


But once I am back Nigeria and there's no Sally's, Walmart, or convenient Internet shopping, I'd have to find local replacements or just 'import.'


Wish list (based on reviews from West African Hair carriers):
CHI Silk Infusion-expensive$$$*
KERACARE Conditioning Hairdress- medium$$
GIOVANNI Smooth as Silk Conditioner- medium$$
ROUX Porosity Shampoo-cheap$
CAROL'S DAUGHTER shampoo and hair milk- expensive$$$

*based on my intern salary

Hair Regimen terms

Since I adopted these, my hair improved A LOT. Oya, here's the lingo:


Pre-poo (pre-shampoo): Which is what I apply to my hair before shampooing inorder to infuse moisture that might be lost from washing. I use saturate the hair with coconut oil, olive oil or/and a cheap conditioner and leave it overnight or at least some hours before washing my hair.


Co-wash: This is washing the hair with conditioner rather than shampoo. I use basic cheap conditioner for this. Sauve, Herbal Essences, Dove are all good for this.

Leave-in: Duh, A lotion or liquid you apply to hair after rinsing out the conditioner. DO NOT rinse like the name suggests, leave it in. This makes my hair soooo soft and makes detangling easy.


Sealing: This is locking in moisture by applying a natural oil over moisturized strands. I use coconut or/and castor oils to seal. castor oil is a humectant and absorbs moisture from the air into your hair especially in the summer (or so I heard).


Stretching: This is prolonging the time from one relaxer to another. Stretching hair is when you hair is 'due' (like Nigerians say) but you refuse to relax just yet. Its important to keep the new growth moisturised because new natural curly growth and the relaxed lenght are sworn enemies and hair break at that point if not properly moisturized. I stretch for up to 2-3months depending on the undergrowth or till I cannot comb it anymore. The fewer relaxers per year, the better abi?


Dusting: Is DIY trimming that involves trimming less than an inch of the dry ends of hair to prevent spilt ends. It does not dramitically affect the lenght of one's hair. I usually do this when I'm bored with a pair of barbers scissors. DO NOT use paper scissors only scissors made for hair.


Here is a GREAT guide for the major Hair lingo you'll find in most hair blogs: http://www.hairliciousinc.com/2008/08/faq-popular-hair-lingo.html