JBCO Challenge Day 7 & Day 8

Day 7~ I was feeling good and cute today :-} Now, i'm in Texas and the Summer dresses are still out, so I put one of my new ones on. Diva! LOC'd it up, hair clipped two flat pony tails to the top of my head and handled business for my day! Boo Yaaah! Still sick, but i'm makin' it! For bed, I took my clips out and put on my bonnet. Day over.

Day 8, Week 2 KCCM Check In!~ 

I had just barely woken up and got moving when my neighbor's daughter came over extending an invitation for a shopping day,,, "leave in 20 minutes." Somehow the word "shopping" works better than a cup of coffee, because we 'moved'!

Washed, dressed, spritzed my hair and clipped in my pigtails. I don't think I remembered to do my castor oil application, but with what little I do feel in my hair and all the moisture retained, I didn't find it a problem. 

I want to avoid an every other day topical application and get back to the scalp and roots, just to get the cleansing process out of the way and done with.

Now for the Week 2 Check-In, here's how I answered:

1. Where do you live?

Manor, TEXAS!

2. Are other members of your family naturals too? Who? Were they natural before you or vice versa? Do you all support each other?

Yes, my mother. She went natural after I did only because I had gone from relaxing to hotcombing my hair and she had like the results of my hair. I dont know about supporting each other, but do know that we just do what we can for the times.

3. How did you use Castor Oil in your hair last week (week 1)

day 1~ I applied straight to my scalp and twisted hair. 

day2~ I applied to sectioned parts (scalp), edges and eyebrows

day3~ no castor oil application, massaged itchy spots *wish i got warning about cleansing 1st*

day4~ pre-poo w/ my oil mix (itch relief!), ACV rinse & DC/Protein treatment; LOC method with castor oil for my oil

day 5~ no application, but surprised of hair moisture

day 6/7~ repeat of LOC method

4. (optional) Share a pic of the bottle of castor oil you are using. *I did supply my pic*

I am still excited and enjoying this challenge. The first week was hard as far as a regimen and maintenance. But as I mentioned, the education I have learned recently and understanding how I have already been partial in the LOC method practice, has made implementing the challenge a little bit easier. This coming week I hope to focus more on my scalp, getting this castor oil cleansing in progress and on track.

Tonight, i'm just going to put my bonnet on and call it a night. Ponder whether to twist my hair up sometime tomorrow while deciding where to put my Christmas tree.

~~~~~~~  ~~~~~~~

These little thoughts of mine help to understand why I have to do things the way I do them. It may be a bit OCD, but educating, teaching, and learning the how to the why of it makes easier to implement.. Since we gals like to 'share', I like to know what i'm talking about and not steer wrong. ;-p

Thank you for viewing and Take Back Your Mane Control! ~ 

Miss EM

I'm Ready for a Challenge!!!!

Hey!! Im Back!! Ive been a bit discouraged since my last post. I know. I had fallen back into that "its too much work" mode. And a lot has to do with my personal life recently being an emotional roller coaster as of late. 
It always seems that nothing is going right or you are always in the wrong, making it very difficult to divulge your focus elsewhere, where it is truly needed. At my last Ladies Bible Study, we kinda touched on this subject in our discussion. As women, we naturally are brought up to multitask, assist, advise and make amends in almost everything we do in work, family, and home. Naturally, we have a tendency to focus or pinpoint what is not quite right until we figure out what is odd about it in the first place. Men, sometimes I wish I had their focus, naturally see the problem and immediately tend to fixing it, asking questions later, lol! 
Well, that's life! And just about anything and sometimes everything else takes a back simmer. In my case, its beauty and regime. Many friends tell me I got it or its potential "if you do this...". I never had the need to see it in myself, but always noticed when someone would point out my hair and either like or scrutinize it. 
Over 30 and a single mom, I still have my crush moments and want to be recognized and all ideas end at the pinnacle of my head. But I learned a long time ago outward appearance does not count for much if your inward appearance (and intellect) is not sought after, too. Therefore, the love I put into my head is for me and myself first and only. Its my pride and joy. I also find that my love for my hair reflects how I see respect for myself, hold the last vestige of innocence, and value what makes me me.

So, On With IT!! I've registered for KinkyCurlyCoilyMe (KCCM) Castor Oil Winter Hair Challenge!!!

Im so excited and today is the first check-in day of the challenge! I just wanted to share with you the questions and my answers to this check-in:

1. How long have you been natural? Did you Big Chop or Transition? Why did you choose this method? If you are not natural, do you think it is something you would consider in your future, why/why not?

2. Is this your first time participating in the Castor Oil Challenge?

3. What is motivating you to participate in this challenge?

1. I have been natural, ive calculated, a little over 13yrs. My hair had been relaxed since i was a child, so i think when i finally BC, i was tired of all the breakage and maintenance and bleached and dyed the ends of my TWA a bright electric blue. :-D it wasnt really a choice, i just did it. Wasnt really into fashion or styles, so it didnt matter to me cuz i wasnt all routine with taking care of my hair.

2. Yes, this will be my first time participating in the and any hair challenge. ive tried on my own and knew only to oil my head. didnt work cuz i thought it too much work.

3. i like this challenge cuz i will be held accountable by others. plus, my hair has been short all my life, even with relaxer. I've only experienced it long, to my shoulders, once in my life. I would like that experience again and then some. I want to know that i can achieve diversity with my hair beyond what i currently can.

Today is the first day i am applying the castor oil to my hair and scalp! Yay! So excited!! I started my own blog when i decided to start caring for my natural hair. Its "Mane Control" at:http://exewoods.blogspot.com/
Ive been discouraged, so i hope i can document my check-ins and routine there as well. Id appreciate the help in accountability, ladies!!

Here is an updated pic, before I start applying the Jamaican Black Castor Oil~

Beginning/Before/Start

Anyone who has been keeping up with my posts or checking in or wanting some help in some way, this is a great way to start at the basics of scalp and hair health and maintenance. Come, try it along with me, start where ever you can and work your way out.

Thank you for viewing and Take Back Your Mane Control!

In the Beginning....

  
  Here is a little history on my mane adventure.  Now, I contribute many things of my body to stress and my head is no exception. I've had (enough of) my fair share of odd growth and breakage. My hair has ALWAYS grown fast and long from my crown up and below to nape. I have noticed the bulk-age of my stress breakage has always been a thin middle, from temple to temple, like a bad mullet, fro. The occasional scratch with a finger always makes me feel great when strands of hair are tangled on my finger. Blaming stress, never found it severe enough to see a doctor. Still don't, but not quite there to rule it out.

Happy "Leap" Day!

I started this blog with the intention, I would begin regular hair experiences, weekly. But as I mentioned before, i'm not very high maintenance and am quickly discovering that my hair is. So after some research and distracting activities I realize that "we" have to come to a mutual agreement on necessity, needs, and requirements.

Since my last post, I have been playing with Shea butter. I remembered I had bought some at a past arts and crafts festival, but never had time to just focus on how to use it. I remember being curious and understanding it had useful healing properties for my then "REALLY" dry skin. Of course, I put it away and essentially forgot about it. Since I have been doing more and more research on natural tresses, hair care and products, I've begun a new found love for my little stash and adventure  into other essential oils. 

Ultimately, with all my Shea research, I was led to create my own personal Shea butter creme mix. Using it by itself, just didn't feel right to me, at first. There are many wonderful websites and YouTube videos on just the "perfect" concoction. And all pretty much suggested to use ingredients to you your own liking. So, I did. Here are the ingredients for my Shea butter creme:

• 1 C  Shea butter (unrefined; double boiler melt)
• 1 T  Coconut Oil (virgin)
• 1 T  Olive Oil
• 1 T  Castor Oil
• 1 T  Jojoba Oil

As any good cook I stopped myself at 5 ingredients, because being my first mix, I wasn't sure exactly how much it all made. It was a LOT (fills a 9oz container). I have enough to last me a lifetime and still have plenty extra unrefined Shea butter.

I love how it makes my hair feel so soft! I've applied it to my hair different ways, trying to find my groove and mane agreement. I've applied it as a topical after a shower, sectioned and applied to my scalp wet, damp, and dry like I used to oil my hair. I've even spritzed my hair with a little water and oil mixture and applied the Shea then wrapped my hair with a scarf. I do feel my hair taking to the extra moisture. Also, my curly roots are becoming very bold and can feel the coils extending down the shaft to the damaged dry hair. So something is working.

Of course, me and my habit, I only use the Shea creme about twice a week. And the euphoria of excitement I get goes too and the little word "maintenance" begins its little argument with me. It is such a motivator. So far, I like what I have discovered and will keep as tools of my regimen. Back to researching I will go until that happy median is found for me and my mane.

As promised, I took a pic of where my hair is currently at. My hair has been short most all my life, natural kink for many years, a brief stint of growth when pregnant with baby, then reverted back. Here I am today. My beginning point.

If you have any suggestions or ideas, even how to make this a more positive experience, please comment below. I'm welcoming all recommendations a sporting try.

Thank you for viewing and Take Back Your Mane Control! ~ Miss EM

  My daughter, Alexis, has been blessed with a head FULL of HAIR! Beautiful. And I wanna raise and teach her how to care for here hair and body minus the torment and, eh, torture I grew up with. *Love you mom :)* And so far, its been a pretty good job in combing. What always gets me is the products to keep our hair type moderately healthy looking and feeling. Without a lot of unnecessary chemicals and additives and pretty much nonsense. Someday I hope to get together a list of the products I have tried in the years before and after she was born and give my review of how I liked them.

  But for now, lets begin with, no better place than why I chose to start this blog, my first experience with a scalp scrub. I only made a small amount cause 1. my hair is short and 2. I wasn't sure how I would like it. The result-> a Marvelous easy concoction:

• 1 Tbs  brown sugar
• 1 Tbs  olive oil
•  tea tree oil (3 drops, optional)

  Generally, you would make sure your head is soaking wet to part and apply mixture to scalp. I began this just before getting into shower and used a spray bottle straight at my roots. It helped some. I think it would have been better if my hair was thoroughly wet to ends. This got a bit out of my comfort zone of simple maintenance but once I got started I had no choice but to follow through.  You want to apply scrub to part and begin a brief gentle circular massage into hair. I didn't do that. I parted, applied as if oiling my hair and massaged entire head with finger tips. The brown sugar provides a wonderful abrasive friction. I then did a hot water rinse in shower, shampoo, conditioned, then followed with an Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse (1/3 ACV and 2/3 water) in a squeeze/spray bottle, quick massage, and rinsed again. I think my portions for the ACV rinse are incorrect, but because of the acidity, I stayed away from liberal application and used sparingly.

  The result. I have small tight waves of curly hair at my roots spiraling midway on portions of my long hair and to the very ends of my short length hair! And shiny! I hadn't seen this much action on my head since my big chop of over 10 years! Of my long length of hair where I can see the curls stop, I can recognize where the damage begins. I find this disturbing yet positive and motivational. Plus, my scalp was not itchy!

    What I have learned from this experience is that you cannot take for granted your 'normal' routine for hair maintenance. For proof positive, evaluate yourself. With the scalp scrub I found recommendations for follow up of once or twice a month or, depending on best judgement, about once a week. The same with the ACV, using best judgement. I Googled many sites and YouTube's and found this link to be a fantastic basic recipe jump off:  http://collegecurlies.blogspot.com/2011/09/brown-sugar-scalp-scrub.html 

and got even more recipe ideas from this forum:  http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=40489 .

  Future blogs I hope to have progressive pictures of my Mane Control and perhaps some videos to show and discuss. Your input is greatly appreciated, as well as any tips tricks or recipes you recommend I try.

     Thank you for viewing and Take Back Your Mane Control!