HARD WATER!!! :(

So I think I fiiiiiiinaaaaally figured out why my hair is hard after washing, co-washing or DC'ing.  I'm not talking after it dries...my hair is soft most of the time.  It's immediately after the water hits my hair and more when I step out the shower that I feel the stiffness in my hair.  I've watched numerous YouTube videos on air drying and their hair doesn't seem to have that stiffness, theirs actually moves when wet. This would explain a lot...from what I've read so far on hard water, it can lead to mineral build up on the hair, prevent moisturizing agents from actually penetrating the hair, increase tangles and cause drying in both the hair and skin lol.  Wow!  The skin thing really has me wondering...I was diagnosed with eyzma after arriving to Japan (started in Korea), my skin on my elbows gets really dry and itchy but I couldn't figure out why.  Now I'm wondering...hmmmmm is hard water the culprit?  Either way, since the creams don't work and my hair seems to not like the water in Asia I decided to purchase a water filter for the shower.  I can't wait till it gets here, my elbows are killing me and nothing the doctor prescribed seems to work.  In the meanwhile I'll be switching up my routine a little...I'll be clarifying once a week and doing a final rinse with bottled water.  LMAO!!!! That's just what I'll have to do for healthier hair!  Shouldn't take but a week, maybe a week and half to get my filter.  If after rinsing with bottled water my hair retains the slip and moisturizer, I'll KNOW that water was hard lol.  Wish me luck!!!! :)

Switch Up - Wave Nouveau Moisturizing Finishing Lotion

I decided to try and use some of the products in my stash that didn't quite work with my hair before. Wave Nouveau was the very first moisturizer I tried and I didn't like it.  It was probably because I used too much lol, actually I'm quite sure I did.  I've been using it now for a couple days and my hair seems to like it now.  My hair feels a lot more moisturized but I'm finding that I need to moisturize twice a day because my hair SUCKS up whatever moisturizer I put in my hair...severe damage :(.  I plan on using the rest of the bottle and wait for the results.  If I see a lot of progress on my next length check then I'll order more.  

Last night I added aloe vera juice to my DC and steamed.  My hair is responding well to detangling before air drying and applying my leave-in in sections insteading of slopping it on where I can :) who would've thought? lol. I noticed that when Ido that my hair takes A LOT longer to dry...I think that's a good thing? 

Besides that, I haven't changed anything, I'm still DC'ing 3x a week and sticking with the JBCO every other day.  I'm hoping to see some really positive results in a couple weeks.  If I make it to December (my next relaxer) and don't wanna cut my hair all off I think I'ma stretch another month...and another :) Tryna push this relaxer as long as I can. 

Next clarifying shampoo: 23 Nov 13

Next heavy protein treatment: 23 Nov 13

Could't Stop Myself

So I couldn't stop myself from co-washing again smh.  My hair just felt so brittle and my new growth was impossible to comb thru even though I applied JBCO and my moisturizing spritz.  I ended up co-washing with Neutrogena Triple Moisture Conditioner.  I also decided to detangle on damp hair and apply my leave-in in sections.  Let me say...it was a lot easier to detangle than I thought it would be.  I just grabbed sections of my hair and sprayed Elasta QP H-2 leave-in on the roots and Cantu Shea Butter leave-In Conditioning Cream on the rest of my hair...and my detangling comb slid thru it like butter baby :).  There was only two strands of shedded hair :) and nooooooo breakage, which amazed me.

After detangling and applying leave-in

Wash Day

After a long day volunteering at the Kadena Special Olympics (it was fun tho!) I prepoo'd as usual but since I was sooooo tired I left it in while I slept.  I ended up waking back up at 1 AM and decided to finish up.  I'm officially out of KeraCare :( hopefully my order comes in before my next wash day Saturday.  I washed with Elasta QP Creme Conditioning and did a light protein treatment with Aphogee 2-Min.  This time I rinsed my hair with luke warm water...and it made ALL the difference :)!!!! My hair wasn't hard or stiff after rinsing.  Also, I didn't see but maybe 3-5 strands of shedded hair while washing and rinsing lol usually I'm pulling it out my crack LMAO TMI I know!  This is major progress for me.  When I asked my momz what my natural hair texture was like she said it was thick.  Unfortunately I've never seen my hair thick.  Hopefully with the proper regimen I'll be able to see it for myself :).  

Hair After Pre-Poo, Wash & Protein: As you can see my hair is still thin on one side from my last relaxer :( #NOTdiscouraged

New Growth 03 Nov 13

After M&S

Ok...so I don't think I like Roux Porosity Control in my DC.  My hair felt unusually hard a d very difficult to detangle in the morning.  I even think my shedding increased, still not shedding like it was before but way more than a couple days ago.  This morning when I woke up my hair didn't really feel dry, but it definitely didn't feel wet.  It was a weird feeling.  No more Roux Porosity Control in my DC, I'll stick to using it with after my relaxer.  

I just ordered a KQC flat iron from Flat Iron Experts (flatironexperts.com) and a few other items: 

DC's:

- Elasta QP DPR-11

- Queen Helene Cholesterol Hair Conditioning Cream

- KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioning NEW!

Oils: 

- Wild Growth Oil

- Sunny Isle's JBCO Extra Dark

- La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil NEW!

- Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil NEW!

Heat Protectants: 

- Nioxin Bliss Thermal Protector NEW!

- Organic Root Olive Oil Profesional Thermal Protect & Shine NEW!

Protein:

- Aphogee 2-Step Protein Treatment

- Aphogee Balancing Moisturizer

- Aphogee Intensive 2-Minute Keratin Reconstructor

Moisturizing Additions: 

- Lily of the Desert Certified Organic Aloe Vera Juice

- NOW Solutions Glycerin

Supplements:

- Nature's Bounty Odorless Garlic 

Other:

- Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Gelly NEW!

Hunting for a DC with MORE slip.  Still love DPR but I think I'ma need a little more once I hit 10 weeks post.  Any suggestions???

Checking In

My new regimen is the ISSSSSSSSHHHHH!  Forreal :). My hair is loving DC'ing 3 times a week, the heavy protein every 6 weeks, the light protein every week, the switch to Elasta QP DPR-11 DC abd the switch to Silken Childs moisturizer.  Even the chop, my hair is sooooooo much easier to detangle.  And the protein treatments have significantly slowed down my shedding, I wish I'd discovered this a long time ago, my hair would be alot thicker.  I'm seeing about 8-20 strands daily, it's barely noticeable.  I remember only a couple weeks ago I was shedding so much that I was clogging my shower drain :( and now I'm only seeing a couple strands go down the drain.  It's magic! lol. 

My hair likes Silken Childs waaaaaaaay better than Luster's S-Curl, I feel like my hair stays moisturized way longer and I don't feel like I have to use a lot to get the job done...S-Curl makes my hair feel damp and makes it more fragile. Good thing too...cause the new S-Curl formula sucks booty!  I tried to pawn it off on a friend and she didn't like it either lol.  My DC mix has changed also, instead of using Silk Elements I went back to using KeraCare Humectress but now I mix it with Elasta QP DPR-11, glycerin, honey and essential oils...my hair LOVES it!  Soon as I apply it my hair feels so silky and looks so shiny, the DC glides on like butter, with very minimal shedding.  Two DC's during the week I DC on dry hair BEFORE my co-wash.  My hair seems to like that better.  Right now I'm trying out Suave but I think I might go back to my V05 Moisture Milk since Tressemme changed their Naturals formula.  Istopped wearing my sock bun until I find a silk sock to use as the outer layer, my hair was drying up.  

I'm now wearing a ponytail with the loose hair wrapped around in a circle and secured with a bobby pin.  This style keeps my ends more moisturized, my ends more tame and orderly and makes it way more easy to detangle at night.  

I stopped doing the inversion technique, I don't feel like it's necessary but I'm still doin the castor oil challenge.  I'm way less afraid of my blow dryer, on days when I get off too late to sit under the dryer/steamer I just DC over night, rinse and co-wash in the morning, air dry till my hair is mostly dry then I use my dryer on the cool setting.  I don't do this often but it's definitely a time saver.  I'm maintaining my ends after my chop :).  As bad as I didn't want to let those RAGGEDY ends go, it was definitely necessary and I can tell the difference.  

My edges are growing back, the left side way more than than right but I'm hitting it with JBCO daily (rest of head every other day).  Next time I relax I'm aiming at a texlax and not bone straight.  My new growth is still manageable at this point (almost 2 months post).  When I do relax I'm not relaxing my edges, I'm going to try to hold out for a year (HELP!) so they can grow back strong.  Stay tuned for my next length check, I'm going to get my hair straightened at the salon (no relaxer!).