Coconut Oil Pre-Poo Feels Good!

At one point in my natural hair journey, approximately last fall (Sept. 2013) I had a lot of build up and sore spots--like these little bumps that was so irritated on my scalp, and I started a regimen where I washed my hair with Johnson & Johnson baby wash every week for about 6-7 weeks, and co-washed in between shampooing to be sure to remove all product build up from twist-outs, and from using oil to sooth my scalp. But since then (approx. my birthday week), my scalp cleared up, and now I just make sure to wash/clarify my scalp every other week unless my hair needs the process earlier.

I also currently use an oil mixture to massage my scalp for prevention or relief of itchiness throughout the week...lol! I usually use olive oil, wonder 8 oil (which includes jojoba, safflower, etc), castor oil, and vitamin E. 

Thankfully my scalp is doing well at this time, but I had to do research and trial & error to figure out what works for my scalp and hair.

I had to wash my hair with shampoo again; but this time I did a pre-poo first with coconut oil, and my hair felt so good as the oil penetrated my strands, I finger detangled and twisted up each section. Wow, I didn't really realize how much my hair likes coconut oil--yeah, yeah, I know my hair responded well to coconut oil, but it was like my hair was butter. So I put a plastic bag on my head for about an hour, and then I shampooed my hair. I then proceeded to condition my hair with regular conditioner, and rinsed my hair with cold water to shock my cuticles closed. My hair felt so good and soft. 

I added my "African Pride Olive Oil Miracle" leave in conditioner,  used coconut oil to seal, SM Coconut Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and Eco styler (Olive oil formula) gel to my strands; and banded my hair only twisting at the ends. My hair was smelling something delicious; I asked my hubby "that ain't my hair smelling delicious is it?" He was like "yep." Right before I went to sleep it came to my mind--I hope I didn't over do it with the coconut oil. I don't know, I guess I will see tomorrow (I did not take my hair down today.) Now I hope I didn't throw my hair in coconut overload...lol idk?

Since I didn't band my hair in a long while I will make a video, and let you know. What do you think? Did I over do it or not?

Cassandra--

Hair Therapy: Real or Not?

I was feeling kind of “blah” this afternoon after completing my errands. Now don’t get me wrong I maintain my joy always, and I was feeling it, but I was feeling some kind of way—as they say. My hubby was asking did I need him to give me some extra attention, but I wasn’t in the mood for that either. I don’t like to bring others down when I am feeling down. I can’t stand the “misery loves company” mentality. LOL! Plus, I’m think it’s because that “time of the month” is coming up…yeah, I said it…lol!

Anyway, I digress; so as I was just enjoying the sun, and praying to God to take my emotions that is when it came to me. I have been wearing a braid-out for the several days, and I did have a great Spa/wash day—I spent the whole day pampering my hair and myself; it was awesome. Like I said before I have been wearing a braid-out for the last 5 days, and I have some build-up, which is when the question popped into my mind. Why not do a co-wash to get the gunk out.

I tell you guys, as I was putting in the “Naturally Silk Elements-Cleansing COWASH” into my strands; I oddly started to feel lighter, cheerful, and brighter. But, yeah I really like the creamy slip of my strands going through my hand and finger-tips. It was quite refreshing. So I parted my hair into (4) four sections and twisted my hair and then rinsed out each section in the shower. My hair and my emotions were all cleaned up.

Have anyone other than I ever experienced this type of release? I always enjoy my coils, but I don’t recall every get a therapeutic-like feeling as this before. May be its just me; I don’t know, but I wanted to share it with my natural community and readers.

Hair therapy? Real or not? As of today, I definitely say “real.”

Cassandra

Oil Modification/Revisit

So after wearing my hair in braid-outs all last week. I enjoyed a good deep conditioning/wash day. I decided to add (regular) Castor oil back to my oil mixture. I know when I first went natural in 2011, my staple oils were olive oil, tea tree oil, castor oil, sunflower oil, carrot oil, and vitamin E oil. I didn’t break out or have any issues back then, and I really like the thickness of castor oil, and it does add so much shine to my hair. I had tried to use the Jamaican Black Castor oil (JBCO), and then it seem like I was breaking out, so I decided that I would stop with the JBCO, and didn’t use any form of the oil; which now as I think—I really think the break-out was from other issues.

So I was purchasing some items at the store, and decided to get a bottle of the old castor oil I purchased in the past, and added some in my oil bottle I use for sealing my hair and massaging my scalp. I will see how it goes, but I already can tell the difference in shine when I took my hair down.

Do you have some old regimen items that you stopped using, but now thinking or decided to add back?