Sunday, February 26, 2012
Greenhouse Effect
No this is not about that glass covered building where plants are allowed to grow, but it does have a similar effect.
Just as with a greenhouse, this effect uses the heat created from your body to help stimulate your scalp. You start by putting a oil on your scalp (castor oil with a couple drops of rosemary is said to be stimulating). Then you put water and leave in conditioner on your hair, avoiding your roots. While I'm doing that I usually two strand twist my hair, because I don't want just wet matted hair after the fact. Then you top it with a natural butter or oil that isn't too heavy (I've been using jojoba oil and/oil castor oil). Next is the fun stuff.
There are two ways to create this greenhouse effect with your hair. Both of them require layers.
First way:
--Wrap your head with seran wrap.
--Place a plastic cap over the seran wrap.
--Place a beanie or woolen cap over the bag.
--Place a bonnet over the cap/beanie.
Second way:
--Has the exact same steps as the first way, just add a foil layer between the seran wrap and the plastic cap.
This can be either done overnight or during the day for a couple hours (I usually do it for a couple hours after I get home from school, because if I do it overnight, it results in wet hair the next day).
This is fairly similar to baggying (where you just put a plastic cap over your head), but the target is different. But below is a website that compares and contrasts the two techniques.
Baggying vs. Greenhouse Effect
Either way. I think I like the greenhouse effect and what it does to my hair. My twists have been coming out really defined and my hair has been extremely moisturized, so I think I'm going to continue to do it. And to see results I have to keep it up.
Pictures to come in the next post.
<3
Just as with a greenhouse, this effect uses the heat created from your body to help stimulate your scalp. You start by putting a oil on your scalp (castor oil with a couple drops of rosemary is said to be stimulating). Then you put water and leave in conditioner on your hair, avoiding your roots. While I'm doing that I usually two strand twist my hair, because I don't want just wet matted hair after the fact. Then you top it with a natural butter or oil that isn't too heavy (I've been using jojoba oil and/oil castor oil). Next is the fun stuff.
There are two ways to create this greenhouse effect with your hair. Both of them require layers.
First way:
--Wrap your head with seran wrap.
--Place a plastic cap over the seran wrap.
--Place a beanie or woolen cap over the bag.
--Place a bonnet over the cap/beanie.
Second way:
--Has the exact same steps as the first way, just add a foil layer between the seran wrap and the plastic cap.
This can be either done overnight or during the day for a couple hours (I usually do it for a couple hours after I get home from school, because if I do it overnight, it results in wet hair the next day).
This is fairly similar to baggying (where you just put a plastic cap over your head), but the target is different. But below is a website that compares and contrasts the two techniques.
Baggying vs. Greenhouse Effect
Either way. I think I like the greenhouse effect and what it does to my hair. My twists have been coming out really defined and my hair has been extremely moisturized, so I think I'm going to continue to do it. And to see results I have to keep it up.
Pictures to come in the next post.
<3
Monday, February 13, 2012
Dare To Be Different
So I took out my Senegalese twists on Friday, washed my hair on Saturday and wore it covered on Sunday. Today was my first day wearing it out and i felt like I was starting this journey all over again. I got the twists so that my hair would be protected during the coldest months of the year. But when I looked in the mirror today, I felt like they were a source of protection and I was hiding behind them. They gave me a confidence boost that I didn't expect to have, and now without them I feel lost and unprotected. But still I dare to be different and reclaim my beauty. <3
 | ||
| Today. |
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
New Year
It's been a while since I've blogged, but I'll do a quick check in.
Even though it was a complete struggle the day I got my Senegalese Twists I got them and have had them for a little over a month now. I'll probably take them out around Mardi Gras time and run wild and free again. But I've been extremely happy with them. I've washed them once, about 3 weeks in and each day I moisturize with Carol's Daughter Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner and top with Aphogee Keratin Protein Treatment. I'll probably wash again next weekend when I get back to LA. It still looks really fresh but you can see my new growth. Pictures are below :)
Saying good bye to my sands, Nadia.
In my new specs.
Mine are smedium sized. I think the density of your hair determines the size that works best for you.
Anywho, have a lovely day. And enjoy the new year!
Even though it was a complete struggle the day I got my Senegalese Twists I got them and have had them for a little over a month now. I'll probably take them out around Mardi Gras time and run wild and free again. But I've been extremely happy with them. I've washed them once, about 3 weeks in and each day I moisturize with Carol's Daughter Vanilla Leave-In Conditioner and top with Aphogee Keratin Protein Treatment. I'll probably wash again next weekend when I get back to LA. It still looks really fresh but you can see my new growth. Pictures are below :)
Saying good bye to my sands, Nadia.
Mine are smedium sized. I think the density of your hair determines the size that works best for you.
Anywho, have a lovely day. And enjoy the new year!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Senegalese Twists
So I know I said I was done with braids....and I really only meant zillions. I'm excited for my 9:30am appointment to get Senegalese Twists tomorrow. They're basically kinky twists, just using a different texture of hair, and without the coiled ends. I'm not trying to run from caring for my hair. I actually love learning more and more about what makes my hair tick and work. I love my natural curl! But now it's time to prepare for the winter months, and even though it doesn't get as cold in Louisiana as it does in Michigan, I still want to protect my hair more, and keep it as very moisturized. Also, since I'm back in town for a week, I thought, what better time than to get a long lasting, fairly safe (as long as I do my part) protective style. I'm excited but nervous. I'm always that way when I get a new style or go to a new hair dresser, because there's no telling how it's going to actually look on my head. :/
I couldn't find any pictures that I liked, but my favorite youtube vlogger, FusionofCultures, had some and I really liked hers.
But anyway....I'll blog on the flipside. Night night lovelies. <3
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Pictures
These have been sitting in my email/phone for a while now....but here are some pictures of my hair.
They might be a little hard to see, but this is my head. :)
This is the right side of my head, above my ears.
This is the back right side of my head.
This is the top of my head.
This is the back of my head (a long shot).
They might be a little hard to see, but this is my head. :)
This is the right side of my head, above my ears.
This is the left side of my head, above my ears. 
This is the back right side of my head. This is the top of my head.This is the back of my head (a long shot).
And this is a front shot after work one day. 
There's been lots of growth. Now I actually want to do a length check. Maybe within the next couple of weeks. I'm thinking about getting Senegalese twists when I come home for Thanksgiving, so I'll probably check my length right before I put them in.
<3
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Update
I haven't blogged in such a while, but I'm just sitting around looking for something to do today, so why not?!
I love my curls more and more each day. Not only has this been a journey to take control of my hair, it has been a journey to love myself unconditionally and without always having society's acceptance of my outward appearance. I've been going through that struggle forEVER, but before May I was conforming by always and only wearing my hair straightened, among other things.
But anyway, my hair has a really really funny growth patten. So the front of my hair grows the fastest, then the back of my hair (around the nape of my neck) grows a little bit slower than that. There is this strip of hair about an inch above my ear lobes, that stretches from ear to ear that is the slowest part of my hair. I think it's partially because of how rough I am with my hair when I take out my two strand twists, but that can't be it. It also might be due to the fact that I have trouble retaining moisture in my hair. Either way it's the shortest spot and I got sick of the back of my hair being longer than that. So one night this past week I cut the back of my hair. I just took some scissors and snip, snip snipped it away. That had to be the first time in my life I cut my hair with no worries, cares or regrets. Now I know it isn't completely even, but I'm satisfied, even though the front of my hair is still much longer. I think as it grows out, that is just going to give it the opportunity to be more even.
I also started back using SheaMoisture's Curl and Style Milk this week. I don't know why I ever stopped because it helps keep my hair moisturized and soft like no other! When I washed my hair last weekend and put the curl milk on my wet hair and topped it off with shea butter, it held moisture all week. All I had to do was use coconut oil in the mornings to unravel my twists, and then set with a little bit of milk at night and it was good! There were a couple nights that I didn't even reapply the milk and I still woke up the next morning with moisturized curls.
I'm also still on the hunt for a conditioner and deep conditioner that I swear by, so this weekend I went on the hunt. There is this new website, hipapotheca.com, that was recently launched. One of the youtube bloggers that I subscribe to recommended them because of their amazing coconut oils (they are also fragranced), so I checked it out and bought some products so I could get my "free" coconut oil. If you want the opportunity, check out the website and type in the code ADARA with your purchase. Your purchase must be $29 before taxes and they'll send you the free coconut oil. They're a pretty expensive website, so I probably won't be going back. Then I ordered some Giovanni products. I've been looking around town for them and I can't find them in any hair salon or store, so I went to the website. I've heard good things about their deep conditioner, and they had a Tea Tree Conditioner that is supposed to be good for your scalp. So I ordered them, and I'm excited for them to arrive so I can try them out.
My roommate went and got her hair done this week at a shop out here and the lady gave her a deep treatment before her sew in. She raved about it, so I might have to check her out. That would be exciting to find someone out here to consult about my hair because as easy as everyone makes this seem, it is incredibly hard and long and tedious, and I'm ready for some results!!
It's been a minute since I've posted so there was a lot on my mind :)
Thanks for reading!
I love my curls more and more each day. Not only has this been a journey to take control of my hair, it has been a journey to love myself unconditionally and without always having society's acceptance of my outward appearance. I've been going through that struggle forEVER, but before May I was conforming by always and only wearing my hair straightened, among other things.
But anyway, my hair has a really really funny growth patten. So the front of my hair grows the fastest, then the back of my hair (around the nape of my neck) grows a little bit slower than that. There is this strip of hair about an inch above my ear lobes, that stretches from ear to ear that is the slowest part of my hair. I think it's partially because of how rough I am with my hair when I take out my two strand twists, but that can't be it. It also might be due to the fact that I have trouble retaining moisture in my hair. Either way it's the shortest spot and I got sick of the back of my hair being longer than that. So one night this past week I cut the back of my hair. I just took some scissors and snip, snip snipped it away. That had to be the first time in my life I cut my hair with no worries, cares or regrets. Now I know it isn't completely even, but I'm satisfied, even though the front of my hair is still much longer. I think as it grows out, that is just going to give it the opportunity to be more even.
I also started back using SheaMoisture's Curl and Style Milk this week. I don't know why I ever stopped because it helps keep my hair moisturized and soft like no other! When I washed my hair last weekend and put the curl milk on my wet hair and topped it off with shea butter, it held moisture all week. All I had to do was use coconut oil in the mornings to unravel my twists, and then set with a little bit of milk at night and it was good! There were a couple nights that I didn't even reapply the milk and I still woke up the next morning with moisturized curls.
I'm also still on the hunt for a conditioner and deep conditioner that I swear by, so this weekend I went on the hunt. There is this new website, hipapotheca.com, that was recently launched. One of the youtube bloggers that I subscribe to recommended them because of their amazing coconut oils (they are also fragranced), so I checked it out and bought some products so I could get my "free" coconut oil. If you want the opportunity, check out the website and type in the code ADARA with your purchase. Your purchase must be $29 before taxes and they'll send you the free coconut oil. They're a pretty expensive website, so I probably won't be going back. Then I ordered some Giovanni products. I've been looking around town for them and I can't find them in any hair salon or store, so I went to the website. I've heard good things about their deep conditioner, and they had a Tea Tree Conditioner that is supposed to be good for your scalp. So I ordered them, and I'm excited for them to arrive so I can try them out.
My roommate went and got her hair done this week at a shop out here and the lady gave her a deep treatment before her sew in. She raved about it, so I might have to check her out. That would be exciting to find someone out here to consult about my hair because as easy as everyone makes this seem, it is incredibly hard and long and tedious, and I'm ready for some results!!
It's been a minute since I've posted so there was a lot on my mind :)
Thanks for reading!
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