Cheapies but goodies....Suave Conditioner

There are few cheap things that are any good, especially when it comes to hair products. There is one product that I think is worth more than it cost, and that's suave conditioner.

I don't have enough money at this point in my life to spend $25 and $50 on a bottle of conditioner. My hair is fairly thick and getting longer, so therefore my conditioner goes fast and having a good conditioner that cost less than $10 is a life saver.

Suave cost about $2 so I can buy five bottles for $10!!!

Suave isn't thick but it's not as thin as vo5. My favorites are the coconut and green apple scents. I think those give my hair the most slip! If you're on a budget (like me) suave may not be much of a let down like other cheapies.

Getting twisted!

I washed, de-tangled and deep conditioned my hair on Monday. It was a horrible wash session, especially since I didn't de-tangle my hair for more than a week. There was shed hair and breakage (because of when I straightened my hair) all tangled up in my curls! It was truly a mess!

That's when I decided that it was time to give my hair a break.
So, I styled it after normally after I washed it (Braid and curl) to stretch my hair and the next day I started twisting. It took about 7 to 8 hours! That's mostly because I kept stopping to eat though :)

The twist are really small, I think this is the smallest I've done them, I was actually worrying about if I'll be able to take them out without getting mad and reaching for the scissors. The last time I put twist in my hair was mid to late September.
I'm hoping to keep them in longer than a week this time, because that's always my problem..I'm so used to big curls, that the body-less twist are usually boring.

I am trying to find some styles so I don't get bored and decide to take them out within a couple of days. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know :)

One week later!

It's been a week since I did my braid and curl, and my hair has gotten so much bigger! I completly love it! The only thing that I dont like about going this long without re-doing my hair, is the dryness and tangles. If that wasn't the case, I would keep it like this until it got too messy.

It still doesn't look that bad for a week old hair style. I did have to redo the very back, (because like I said before it tangles and knots really quickly) and I also re-did the the very front.

Knots!

One thing about having natural hair, is having to deal with all the knots.

And my hair for one loves to knot. I find myself constantly cutting a strand of hair every so often because it knotted up on itself.

Doing styles such as twist and curl and braid and curl doesn't prevent knots but it does decrease them.

I styled my hair last week and the back (where some of the tighter curls are) have already started getting tangled and knotted.

That's the main reason why I have to detangle my hair every couple of days...to prevent knots.

"Is that your real hair?"

I'm pretty sure that a lot of natural girls and relaxed girls as well, who have long healthy hair, often hear this question. I personally don't blame the individuals, I blame society.

It's been etched into our minds that black girls can't grow long, healthy hair and therefore if it's long (or even short for that matter), shiny and looks healthy, then it's fake!

As much as I hate this, I can only inform as many individuals as I can, that black (African descendant) women can grow their hair as healthy and long as any other race. I do belive however, that we have to put more effort and time into caring for our hair because of the tighter curl/coil pattern and the courser texture.

A lot of women are even turned away from natural hair because of the hard work that it demands. I believe that a couple years of dedicated hair care, yeilds a beautiful head of hair. I especially love to see when tightly coiled hair is grown out. Mostly because I know how much work it must have taken to grow it out, and so it looks twice as good.

Braid and curl!

I styled my hair last night. I braided it then curled the ends with rollers. Here are the pictures:

They're back....My curls, that is.

I washed and deep conditioned my hair yesterday! I washed with Dr.Miracles tingling shampoo and conditioner. I like how it feels on my scalp. I put it on my fingertips and directly unto my scalp. I deep conditioned with yogurt (yes yogurt, I wanted full fat, but there was only low fat in the fridge.) The yogurt contained 50 grams of protien, which is what my hair needed. I also added olive oil and melted shea butter to the yogurt.

It feels good to have curls again. Straight hair is cute and all but, curly hair is beautiful! I don't feel like myself with straight hair, one of my friends even told me that with straight hair I look like every other girl walking around, but with big curly hair, I look like me!

These are some pictures of my hair fresh out of the shower :)

I styled with a braid and curl, I'll post pics of that as well!

Ready to get my kinks and curls back!

Tomorrow will make a month since I've straightened my hair and I'm ready to have my curls back.

My hair has gotten bigger, because I'm been twisting, braiding and putting it in bantu knots to get a 'curly' look. It didnt look to good because my straight hair can't hold a curl for nothing.

It's Still Straight

It's been 10 days and about two weeks and my hair's still straight. I'm trying to keep it straight as long as possible, because I won't straighten again until May.

I've been covering it up alot this week because it's been raining a lot the past couple of days in New York.

Every time that I see someone with big, curly hair I miss my curls. I'll be a big girl and suck it up though.
For the past couple of days I've realized that it's easier having my hair straight. I just wrap it up at night and unwrap it in the morning. Whereas, my curls are always getting tangled at night, (even with it up in a pineapple pony tail) and I have to worry about untangling it before it gets to the point where I have to trim it off.

Nevertheless, I will never trade in my curls for permanent straight locks.
I was telling my friend how boring straight hair gets after a while. when I first straightened I was so happy, swinging it around and then a couple days later I was missing my curls. My straight hair just lays there lol.

When I wash and style my curls I'll post pics!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Another year, another Thanksgiving! Hope Everyone enjoy today with family and friends.
Love, Laugh and give thanks!

Comparative pictures of straightened hair

This is the length of my straightened hair on August 2008. It reaches down a little past my collarbone. That's me in the too-big bridesmaid dress :)

August 2008

This is the length May 2009. It wasn't super straight because I wanted to be gentle with the heat. It's about armpit- length.

May 2009

And this is the current length November 2009. This is what i would consider to be bra-strap length, because my longest layer reaches down to my bra-strap in the back.

November 2009

The next time I straighten shouldn't be until May 2010, for my birthday. By then I'm hoping it's waist length, which should be under my breast in the front. When it grows out to a lenght I'm comfortable with, I'll grow it a little longer then cut the layers out. But anyway, I'm taking it one day at a time, it's a journey :)

It's straight!

I finally straightened my hair on Monday night, the 16th. It took me approx. 3 hours!!! But it was worth it.

I deep conditioned with melted shea butter and kept it in. I then sprayed some heat protectant, I used Tresemme heat tamer spray, and I blowdryed. Then I straightened on the highest heat setting (not good, I know) with my flatiron.

This is after deep conditioning and before blow drying.

This is after flat ironing. My mini camera has horrible picture quality, but you can see the full length. It has grown a lot and im happy that all the TLC, time and money I put into my hair paid off.

The stretch...

This is my stretched length earlier this year; around late spring, early summer.



And these are pictures of my current stretched lenght.

I'll post comparative pictures of my straighted hair...when i straighten it.

Shea butter and straightening

The last time i've straightened my hair was in May for my birthday, and i'm getting that itch to straighten again. I was going to wait until christmas, but i think i'd want to wear my hair in a curly style for chirstmas.

I will not straighten my hair with out having shea butter. I use some melted shea butter to deep condition my hair before and after straightneining and i use it while my hair is straightened to 'put back' and keep some moisture in it.

I'm thinking about straightening my hair this weekend. If i get some more shea butter and some time i'll post pictures.

My hair

These pictures are of my hair tangled and dryed out. It's in desperate need of a good deep condition.

Grow me curly

My 'hair adventures' is something I've always wanted to record and this blog is my chance. I'll try to post pics, product reviews and all thing hair related as often as possible. :)