How I Apply Conditioner

Hi friends!

This is how I apply reconstructor and conditioner to my hair. In the interest of time, I mix the two products together and deep condition under my hair steamer.

It is important to condition your hair after each wash.  If your hair is relaxed, then make the time to deep condition with heat at least twice a month.  I understand that we have busy lifestyles, but you will see improvement in your hair, if you make the time to deep condition with heat.

As an alternative to using a hair steamer, you can use a shower cap and sit under your dryer, or use a heat cap to deep condition for at least 15 minutes.    

How I Shampoo My Hair

Hi friends!

Shampooing your hair may seem like a simple and thoughtless process.  But, for those of us who get tangles when we wash our hair, shampooing can be a source of frustration.  If you are frustrated when you wash your hair, then you are more likely to cause damage to your hair.

Here are two videos demonstrating how I shampoo my hair, and what products I use.  This process helps me to reduce tangling and saves time on wash day.

I hope this is helpful.

MsKibibi

The Search for the "Perfect" Wig

Hi friends!

Please excuse the short pause between posts.  I hurt my leg in ballet class, when a very limber 17-year-old assumed that I was a fellow limber 17-year-old.  I'm not as flexible as I was at 17, but I'm getting there.  My leg is doing better and I will be back in ballet class next week.

Let's play a game of Good news/ Bad news:

Good news - I recorded a video of my winter wash day routine!  WooHoo! I was excited and nervous and I'm sure the video will show both emotions.

Bad news - My camcorder's program decided it is no longer compatible with my laptop.  So I got a Mac.  The learning curve is fierce, but I expect to post my first video this weekend.

Now onto the subject of this post.

I have delved into the world of lace wigs and let me tell you, it is a world of its own.  I will share what I've learned with you, so we can learn together.  After the untimely demise of my last wig, I needed to get a replacement wig.  Instead of getting another synthetic lace front wig, I decided to invest in a human hair lace wig.  This purchase is an investment because as I learned, these things don't run cheap.

A good quality, human hair, lace wig can cost anywhere from $200 to $400+. The price depends on the hair type, density, lace type, length, and construction.  Here is a list of my requirements and my rationale:

1. Durability - If I'm going to spend hundreds of dollars on a piece of hair, it needs to last for YEARS.  Do I have high hopes? Perhaps. But I expect that with proper care, this wig will last for at least 3 winters.  
2. Length - I want a wig that is the same length or a bit shorter than my real hair.  This way I can switch from my hair to the wig, without getting questions about whether I cut my hair. 
3. Texture - I love textured hair, which is why I texlax my own hair rather than relax it bone straight.  Since I plan to wear the lace front as a half wig, I need my real hair to blend seamlessly with the wig.  
4. Maintenance - I need a wig that only requires shampoo, conditioner, and moisturizer.  Anything more and I might as well be doing my own hair. 
5. Style - I need a wig that can be styled with heat, so I have the option and flexibility to change the hairstyle.  I plan to have fun with the wig - beach waves, spiral curls, braid outs, etc. 

Now that you know my requirements, next I will share what I learned about getting each one met.

To be continued...

Winter Protective Style Regimen

Here is my winter protective style regimen. This post supplements the video above, so please watch the video in addition to reading this post.

Wash Schedule:

• Frequency - I wash my hair every two weeks (or once a week if my scalp gets itchy).

• Cornrow Removal - I unbraid each cornrow and thoroughly comb out all of the shedded hair. If you do not remove the shedded hair before you wash, your hair will get tangled and matted.

• Shampoo - I shampoo three times. First, with diluted clarifying shampoo. Then twice with diluted moisturizing shampoo.

• Deep Condition - To save time, I mix my reconstructor and deep conditioner together. I apply and comb the mix through my hair, then deep condition under my hair steamer for 40 minutes.

• Leave-in Conditioner - I use a liquid and creamy leave-in and comb them through my hair.

• Drying Technique - I let my hair air dry hanging down, with a silk scarf wrapped around my neck.

• Edges - I apply a heat protectant and flat iron the hair I leave out. Although I have a lace front wig, I use it like an instant weave. For me, this looks more natural than having the wig sit on my forehead.

Daily Care:

• I remove the wig at night and spray the cornrows with braid spray mixed with Infusium 23 leave-in. I seal with either coconut oil or castor oil.

• I comb the wig daily to remove tangles. I do not apply any product to the wig. 

I have a different regimen for the Spring/Summer seasons and will update my regimen when the time comes. 

Please let me know if you have any questions in the Comments section.

When Good Wigs, Go Bad.

As you may already know, I wear a wig in the winter to protect my own hair.  I planned to record a video showing exactly how I did it, but the video will have to wait until I get a replacement wig.

I accidentally left the wig out and suspect that my dog, Wisdom, decided to get into a brawl with it.  The wig lost the fight.  It is synthetic, so my options were limited.  I painstakingly detangled and washed the wig, but I couldn't revive it.  This is how it looked before:

This is how it looks after I combed and washed it:

The fibers tangle very easily now and I can not run my fingers through the hair.  I wore this wig daily for 5 weeks and it started tangling before this incident.  This was my first synthetic wig, and I was disappointed.  So I will stick to buying human hair wigs in the future.  It seems that the synthetic fibers are not as resilient as human hair.  My last human hair instant weave lasted for 4 months without major tangling.  The synthetic wig costs less than a human hair wig.  However, the human hair wig is a better buy, because I plan to wear it for at least 10 weeks.    

Here is a picture for the suspect:

 

I can't even be mad at that cute little face. 

Happy growing.

Throwback Hair Video

Hi ladies,

I just remembered about this video and thought you would enjoy it.  This was taken after my relaxer in May 2008.

Enjoy!

MsKibibi

Retain Length with Weave/wigs

Hi ladies,

Every winter, I give my hair a much needed break and protect it from the harsh cold weather by wearing an instant weave/half wig. I take care of my own hair so that I retain all my length. I will make a video on my winter regimen soon. In the interim, here are some key points in my regimen:

• Cornrow my own hair,
• Moisturize my hair daily, and
• Wash weekly.

In general, people's hair growth slows in the winter time.  So by having a low manipulation regimen during the winter months, I maximize on how much length I retain.

Please let me know if you have any questions/issues you would like me to address in the video. 

Happy growing.

My Natural Texture

Hi ladies,

In this video I show pictures of my natural hair, new growth, and texlaxed texture. The pictures speak for themselves but I'll reiterate that my natural texture is very coarse and thick. I do have some fine strands mixed in, but most people have a blend of strand thickness and softness/coarseness. My hair has very tight curls which I make more manageable by texlaxing, instead of relaxing bone straight. By texlaxing, I keep the texture in my hair and it curls when wet.

It took years to learn what my hair needed and once I did, it thrived. Not knowing how to care for coarse thick strands can be frustrating. But if you take the time to learn what works, your hair will thank you. I now love my texture, rather than see it as a source of frustration.

Happy growing.

Growth and Setbacks 2003-2010

Hi ladies,

I think it will be helpful to know what caused each setback in the video above. Hopefully, I will save someone else from having a setback.

December 2006 - Protein overload.

I used Nexxus Emergence and Nexxus Keraphix at the same time. My hair turned into straw and started breaking instantly. This was the first time I learned that protein overload is a very real thing. Follow up protein with moisture, not more protein.

August 2007 - Henna and Indigo disaster.

I tried to color my hair black using henna and indigo. The problem was a combination of things, but I think the main issue was that I used pectin (product used to make jelly and jam) to thicken up the indigo so it would be less messy. My hair again got hard and started breaking like crazy.

January 2008 - Amla Oil as an overnight oil treatment.

I used amla oil before with no problems, but this time I left it in overnight. When I woke up my hair felt hard. I washed as usual, but it got tangled starting about 3" from my scalp. It took me hours to detangle and I lost a lot of hair.

September 2008 - Rough Stylist.

I went to a new stylist and she broke all my hair rules, and gave me with a setback. Namely, she overlapped the relaxer by 4", rubbed my hair while rinsing (which made it tangled), combed from roots to ends, and she was very rough with my hair. I kept telling her to be careful, and she assured me my hair was fine. I suspect that she assumed that my hair could take the rough handling because of the length. When I got home and saw the damage, I called the salon and met with the manager who refunded my $130.

I hope this helps.

Happy Growing.

Welcome To My Hair Blog!

Hi Ladies!

This is my very first blog post and I am so excited. Here is what you can expect from my blog:

• You Tube videos and tutorials,
  
• Tips on daily care of your hair,
• My wash day routine,
• Styles - including heat free styles and minimal heat styles, and
  
• Details on what I use and how I use it.
  

Please visit my YouTube channel - Coarse Hair Long Hair and subscribe, so you can automatically get updates when I post new videos. Happy growing!

Picture details: Date - September 2009; Get the look - I used 8 large steam rollers and let them set for 20 mins.