Daily Archives: May 24, 2012

May24

A Dream Deferred

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Curlformers Hook Down!!

Ummmmm … see, what had happened was …

So yeah. I just got home a little while ago and decided that it was time to see if the long & wide Curlformer curlers were long enough to set my hair. I pulled the almost two year old box out from under the bathroom sink, dusted it off and cut open the corner of one of the four sealed bags of curlers to remove one. Then, I grabbed the two pieces of the hook and attempted to assemble the little knitting needle like device. The little bugger wasn’t snapping together, so I pushed the two pieces really hard and … it snapped alright. Snapped right in half.

Frick!!!!!

Not to be denied in my quest to discover the truth … I put the two broken pieces together by inserting them into opposite ends of a curler and confirmed what I had suspected anyway …

Ummmm … yeah … this ain’t gonna work. The curlers are too short for the length of my hair and it’s not even stretched to the full length. Chy’s Curlz shared this post with me a couple of weeks ago, because she had ordered the knock-off Curlformers that only came in short and wide. She figured she could use the technique demonstrated in the post when her hair got longer. The blogger in the post demonstrated how to use two Curlformers to set hair that is longer than one curler. That being said, I doubt that I’d have enough rollers in the kit of 40 long and wide and 6 short and wide to set my entire head, if I had to double up most of them.

That being said … guess there won’t be any Curlformers set this weekend. When I did a length check on my pressed hair in February, my longest lengths ranged from 22-23″. It’s been a few months, so I probably gained about 1 1/2 inches since then, but I’ve also cut about 3″ from the longest lengths. The blogger in the above post indicated that the extra long and wide curlers are good for hair up to 22″ long. Therefore, I think that they should work. I don’t have the receipt for this set anymore, but I’m going to see if I can get a store credit/exchange for the extra long and wide. Hopefully they’ll have pity on me as it’s obvious that the set was never used and the hook broke in the first attempt to assemble it. Guess we’ll see! If they won’t do anything for me … I know what the June giveaway is going to be!! LMBO!!

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May24

April GOC Update: Margaret (#5)

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For the month of April, in working towards my goals, let me start with my hair.

Hair
I discovered that this is a never-ending journey. I have determined that my hair does not like gel, not even flaxseed gel. Glycerin can only be used in deep conditioning products, not in leave-ins or mixed with butters, however I can use honey and castor oil (go figure).

Finger detangling is working well. I am trying to decrease the length of the time it takes. Coconut oil is working beautifully. It leaves my hair shiny and well nourished. I am still using Terressentials LCL Hair Wash weekly, modified co-wash with Giovanni 50/50 and weekly deep condition. I need to seriously trim my ends as I am just dusting right now. With hair in layers, it seems to be easier to trim in sections/braids or twists. Will work on that this month.


My protective styling is improving. Still working on the out styles. I purchased some Curlformers and flexi-rods and hope to work with those soon. I used the monthly Ayurvedic mask as a pre-poo, which helped in regards to time.

Health & Fitness
Dietary improvements … Carlson’s The Very Finest Fish Oil Lemon … LOVE IT!!! Need to work on H2O, which should be easier as it gets warmer here. Fruit and vegetable consumption and exercise are going as planned. No eating after 5pm. Although I must confess, I had some chips and salsa during my daughter’s birthday weekend. Just have to work harder to get it off. 🙂

Spring Cleaning 90 Day Challenge 2012
Still working on Spring Cleaning and decreasing clutter, negativity and toxic people, places and things.

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Missed it the first time around? Check out Margaret’s GOC goals here.

May24

Hair Steamer

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by Nia of Ask Nia B

Dear Nia B,

I recently purchased a steam dryer. I researched it & debated it for months. In the end I concluded it is an investment. But how often should I use it? Can I use it too much? Is it true now that I have the steam dryer, I don’t have to pay a lot of money on my conditioners because the dryer is going to do the work regardless? Should I do a pre poo now that I have the dryer? I think that’s enough questions for now :).

Happy & Natural,
AL
Hi Happy & Natural

Congratulations on your hair steamer purchase! Now let’s get down to business!

How often should you use a hair steamer?
This is a very good question. If your hair is damaged, using a steamer once a week during your conditioning session may be necessary. If your hair is healthy, this level of frequency may not be necessary and twice a month during your conditioning session is sufficient. I’d say start off using your steamer once a week for about a month. The next month, steam twice a month. If you liked the way your hair “behaved” with your once a week steaming, continue with that. If you noticed the same results when you steamed twice a month, then it’s safe to say you’re fine steaming twice a month. You may need to continue to adjust/test the once or twice a month routine until you understand what your hair needs.

Can I use it too much?
I don’t think it would be necessary to use your hair steamer, say, everyday (in which case may be too much!). This question ties into the above one. Say for instance you feel that steaming once a week, twice or even once a month during your conditioning session is beneficial to your hair, then you’re not using the hair steamer too much. When I say beneficial, I mean you notice a positive change in the way your hair looks and feels. But, if you notice your hair is not “right” and seems “off” since you started using the steamer, chances are you’ve used it too much and need to reduce the frequency.

Is it true now that I have the steamer, I don’t have to pay a lot of money on conditioners because the dryer is going to do the work regardless?
Whether you choose to buy cheaper or expensive conditioners is a personal choice. The steamer – along with the conditioner you use, will work together for the benefit of your hair. The warm steam will help open up your hair’s cuticle, which will allow your hair to receive all the beneficial ingredients found in the conditioner. So, in a nutshell, I’d say use a conditioner that will benefit your hair along with the steamer to optimize your results – regardless of cost.

Should I do a pre-poo now that I have the steamer?
Pre-pooing for some people helps to soften the hair and makes detangling the hair a bit easier before shampooing – or whatever cleansing method is used. It also adds an extra layer of oil or moisture to the hair that sometimes gets stripped away during the shampooing process (depending on the product used during this step). So, because the pre-poo step happens before you cleanse your hair and will most likely be rinsed away during the cleansing process, if you’ve been doing a pre-poo, I see no reason to stop. I’d like to add, you have to do what works for your hair. Try doing a pre-poo and steaming; the next time don’t pre-poo and use the steamer. See how your hair responds. If you like the results with pre-pooing, keep doing what you have been. If you don’t notice a big difference, skip the pre-poo and save yourself some time!

Xs and Os
Nia B

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Do you own a hair steamer? If so, how often do you need to use it and when, to get the best results, and maximum benefits?