Hair Update - August 2009

My visit last week to the Dominican salon has left me impressed with the condition of my hair. On my last hair update, I was really disappointed that I had been experimenting with many products, styling techniques, etc. And I hadn't felt like there was a huge improvement in the condition of my hair.

Well, I was wrong. My hair is now reaching my neck. Not yet shoulder length but definitely growing. At my visit in May, I had a dusting (light trim). My hair was chin length. So I can honestly say that I've had about 2-3 inches in 3 months. Now, the important part is... why?

First off, I want to say that although I do welcome the length, I am more than happy to have the thickness and health. I don't have a fading hairline. So everyday I look in the mirror and wish that I had gave up relaxers years ago.

Ok, so what happened in the 3 months?

-- I stopped manipulating my hair. I only comb my hair in the shower with lots of conditioner. Then just style and go to work. At work, I added a bit of water and fluffed with fingers throughout the day. At night, I just put on a silk scarf to keep my hair from getting tangled while sleeping. Other than that I don't touch my hair anymore.

-- Daily use of conditioner. I jump in the shower and add conditioner. I leave the conditioner in. I think the water and conditioner added moisture to my hair. Because of this, I've had a less itchy scalp and had to shampoo less.

-- NO Heat. I didn't use any blow dryers or flat irons in the past 3 months. As a matter of fact, I was really bothered with all the heat at the salon - about 20 minutes under the hooded dryer and 15 after removing the rollers.

Now about the daily co-washing, I do get tired of this routine. It does add extra time in the morning but I cannot seem to get 2 or 3 day hair. So this is kind of how I stumbled into my daily routine. Also, with my new growth getting thicker by the day, I cannot comb or style my hair without water and conditioner. I also LOVE Hello Hydration and the smell keeps me going.

I am blessed to have a job where no one cares what my hair looks like. It takes me 5 minutes to get to work. When my hair is drippy at work, I just drape my sweater around me.

What is a concern is what am I going to do when it gets cold? But my husband will probably give me a ride to work so I can still get away with drippy hair.

Also, I think I am moving away from being a hair product junkie. My key products are olive oil which I use sparingly for my scalp and shine. Hello Hydration for a leave-in conditioner. For styling I use gel and I am experimenting with anything I can get in the store. I will have some reviews up shortly about this and other products. For shampoo, I have been using Everpure. I color my hair when I want to experiment with color and when my gray is really coming in heavy. I only use semi or temporary color. And since I have been staying away from the shampoo, my color has been lasting a long time.

I have promised myself that I will not buy another hair product until I get rid of what is in my basket. And I even have replacements already in my basket. When I am done with the olive oil (which stays in the kitchen, actually) I will use the coconut oil. When I use up the Hello Hydration I will try another Herbal Essence conditioner and gel. I actually like their products. I have other products I see online that I would like to try out by my finances are telling me to just experiment with making low end purchases.

And yes, my basket. I went from tossing everything under the sink to using a small basket to moving onto a big basket. My bathroom is less junky looking and my family can now navigate a bit better with my stuff in one area.

So my advice for anyone with a hair dilemma, try cutting back on the heat. It seemed to work for me.