YES!! A Successful Braidout!!

This post is just a quick hit but I had to share!


Who would have thought that something so simple could be so difficult to master? I finally got a decent braidout! I had to tweak the products a bit (I used a combination of Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk and ORS Lock & Twist Gel) but I finally got the definition and hold that I wanted. I pretty much did this braidout on dry hair trying to rescue the busted braidout I had before but I cannot wait to try this product combination on damp hair.

Anyway, enough chatter. Check out my results!

Wash Day: February 23, 2013

Happy Tuesday lovelies!

This post is a little late because my Monday was SOOOO busy! Either way, I did do a wash day this week (my last 'wash' day was a co-wash followed by airdrying my hair because during that particular weekend, I was stuck in lab...the entire weekend) and I wanted to report what I did.

I really want to take the next few wash days to get my braid out technique down since I plan on rocking them this spring/summer. As per usual, I washed my hair using Shea Moisture Moisture Retention shampoo and steamed my hair with ORS Hair Repair Nourishing Conditioner. Let me say that my hair felt MAGNIFICENT! It was just what my hair needed. I then applied Qhemet Biologics AOHC to me hair and then air dried for 20 minutes or so- long enough for my hair to go from sopping wet to damp.

I then got to trying out this braid out thing.

This wash day I decided to use Shea Moisture Curling Souffle for the product that would provide 'hold' for my braidout. For some reason, I had a jar of it underneath my sink, so I decided to give it a shot. So, section by section, I applied the curling souffle and plaited my hair until I had 8 Miss Celie braids done. I then put perm rods on my ends (to provide a little curl at the end so my ends aren't bone straight) and sat under the dryer.......for 3 HOURS!!!



So, here's the thing with that curling souffle: the texture is garbage (it's like snot), it's wayyy too sticky (my hands had a layer of sticky on them once I finished), and it takes forever to dry. Even after sitting under the dryer for 1 hour.....2 hours...my plaits still felt damp. After that 3rd hour, I called it a day and went to bed. Thank goodness I had all of Sunday to myself or else I would have been really worried about that braid out.

So Monday morning rolls around and I take my plaits out. I will say that the curling souffle made for some really defined waves...not that the held for very long. My hair frizzed pretty quickly. Le sigh. Yeah if you were thinking of trying the curling souffle...don't.


I plan on doing a wet set/damp set braid out again this week. This time I will try it using what usually works for me for bantu knot outs and the like: Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk w/ a dab of Ecostyler gel.

Birmingham, AL Ladies: A Natural Hair Expo Is Coming Our Way!

So I was watching tv the other day and I saw a commercial for a natural hair and health expo that will be happening here in Birmingham, AL on March 10th.

I just wanted to spread the word because I intend on going (mainly to see what hair products they have! : smile:)


For more info, check out: naturalhairandhealthexpo.com

Elasta QP Glaze Redux: I Still Hate It

Image from: Elasta QP





Happy Thursday lovelies!

I hope you all have had a wonderful week so far. My week has been crazy busy and to say that I am tired would be an understatement. So while the posts have slowed down a bit, I haven't forgotten about you guys.

Anyway, as you guys know, I have quite a few products in my product graveyard. I'm slowing but surely getting rid of the excess products. One product taking up residence in the product graveyard is Elasta QP Glaze. I purchased Elasta QP Glaze when I started wearing wigs so that I could smooth down my edges. Allegedly, this stuff was supposed to be the bee's knees in taming those edges.

Yeah well that's a damn lie.


When I tell you that my hair absorbed that junk like it was water. Lawd. I only had that stuff on for a good 30 minutes before my edges puffed up again. Then the stuff had the nerve to look greasy after my hair soaked up whatever else was in it. And this happened repeatedly. So I stopped using it for months.


Fast forward to January of this year. I had just relaxed my hair and I was looking at that nearly full jar of Elasta QP Glaze, trying to figure out what to do with it it. I thought that maybe I had been unfair to Glaze. I mean after all, I was deep into a relaxer stretch when I used it. Maybe the Glaze will work better for the first few weeks after a relaxer. Let me give Glaze another shot.

That proved to be a waste of my time.

Even with one week post hair, Elasta QP Glaze failed at keeping my edges slicked back. Repeatedly. My first impression about this product was the right one and I don't intend to use it again.

So bottom line is: I hated Elasta QP Glaze before and I hate it now. Ain't no getting around it.

Sunday Chat: Hairstyles You're Dying to Try for Spring/Summer 2013

Happy Sunday lovelies!

This post is coming to you a tad bit late this Sunday. My day has been particularly busy since I had to go into lab and work all day (blah!). So as you can imagine, the first thing I did when I came home today was sleep! Nevertheless, I couldn't go to bed this evening without a post for Sunday Chat.

Anyway....


One thing about me is that I am, for the most part, a planner. I have moments where I try to freestyle things and sometimes it works out. Most of the time it doesn't. So, I just stick to planning. And planning how I'm going to wear my hair for the upcoming warmer months falls into that whole 'Sharday likes to plan things' category. Last spring and summer I wore a lot of top knots and messy buns. And that got boring. Fast. This year I am dying to switch things up a bit and do the following to my hair:

1) Sleek chignon: Something about this style just looks so put together and it is a definite change from all my hair plied on the top of my head. I just love it and I think this would be a great style for early spring. Plus, I plan on wearing a lot of color this spring and the last thing I need is big hair on top of color. I think I would like like a reverse stick of cotton candy. I'm just trying to keep it classic and chic here.


2) Senegalese twists: Lawd I want these soo bad for the summer! I haven't had my hair braided in AGES and I think these twists would give my hair a break for awhile. I also like them because they seem to be 'long hair friendly' (unlike micros) and they are just cute! The only problem is: I don't think anyone in B'ham does them (I swear B'ham can be so slow on the uptake sometimes) and I may have to drive to ATL to get them. I'm hoping that I can find someone to do my hair, in B'ham, by May.


3) Braidouts: I have waited so long to have long enough hair to get a decent braid out and when I get long hair, I do like 1 braidout lol. That has got to change! I love the summery look of braidouts and I look forward to perfecting my technique.


Have you thought about the styles you would like to try for Spring/Summer 2013? Let me know in the comments below!

The Awkward Stage's 3 Tips to Healthy Relaxed Hair

Happy Wednesday lovelies!

In my day to day comings and goings, my hair is often looked at as an anomaly. Outside of this hair blog/ hair forum world, a lot of AA women look at long, relaxed hair as something that is impossible for most. Something only achieved if you have 'good hair.'

And that makes me sad.

In my experience, growing relaxed hair to great lengths isn't impossible. With a little bit of knowledge and a little bit of care, achieving long hair becomes possible.

In my opinion, meeting that goal is pretty easy, especially if you follow these 3 tips that I tend to follow in my own hair care practices.

1) Relax less frequently. Trust me. You aren't doing your hair any favors relaxing your hair at 4, 5, or 6 weeks post. There is barely enough new growth and if anything, you are merely relaxing already relaxed hair (which can ultimately lead to breakage). So do yourself a favor, don't relax until you're at least 8 weeks post. If you can push it to 10 weeks post-great. And 12 weeks post is even better.

1a) Since we're here, when you do your relaxer touch up, don't do it from root to tip. Again, all you are doing is relaxing previously relaxed hair, which is a recipe for breakage. I don't know who spread this lie that relaxers had to be done this way but it needs to stop. Seriously.

2)Limit the heat. Back in the day, before I knew better, I used high heat every day (via curling iron, flat iron...it didn't matter). EVERY FRIGGIN DAY!! And my hair suffered for it. Since I've started my journey, I have learned (and re-learned) that my hair can only handle 1 type of direct heat, once a week at that. So if you are using heat every day, try and cut back to 3 or 4 days a week and see how much better your hair feels.

3) Moisture is key. And moisture is not grease. Moisture can come in the form of a great moisture based DC ( like ORS Hair Repair Nourishing Conditioner) ,an awesome water based moisturizer (ORS Carrot Oil and Qhemet Biologics AOHC are great ones), a great leave in (Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave In and Kinky Curly Knot Today are my faves), or a combination of all 3. It is key to remember that our hair craves moisture and when you relax, even more so. If you do all you can to keep your hair moisturized properly, your hair will thrive.

Those are the three things that I think contribute to healthy, relaxed hair. When I first started my hair journey, those were the first 3 steps I took. Once I got those down, thing like protective styling were easy to understand and conquer.

What do you think contributes to healthy relaxed hair?

Wash Day: February 10, 2013

Yet another quickie wash day.

Yesterday, I got started on my hair way too late in the day....and the Grammy's came on sooo....yeah.

So of course I did the basics: shampooed with Shea Moisture Moisture Retention Shampoo and DCed with ORS Hair Repair Nourishing Conditioner (man I love that condish!). Then I didn't know what I wanted to do with my hair. I really was not in the mood to go through the regimen for straightening my hair. I just wasn't feeling it. At all. I then considered doing a bantu knot out. However, I didn't want to sit under the dryer for all that time and worry about my hair being dried all the way through by the time morning rolled around.

Then I was inspired.

I was looking at the Grammy Red Carpet and they were interviewing Jennifer Lopez. I don't know if you saw her hair (once you got past her pushing the limits dress) but she had the sleekest looking top knot. I was drooling over that top knot.

And that's how I decided what I would do to my hair.


Once I rinsed my DC out, I put some Qhemet Biologics AOHC in my hair and detangled with my Denman brush. Then, inspired by the ponytail sew-in's I got in high school (yeah....I did that smh), I put some Jane Carter Solution Wrap and Roll in my hair (but not too much, I didn't want my hair to be rock hard) and put my hair into a high ponytail. I placed a scarf around my hair for about 20 minutes (to flatten my hair a bit) and then removed it to sit under the dryer for 30 minutes (long enough to dry the front and nape of my hair). Then I tied my hair up and went to bed. This morning, I formed my ponytail into a knot. Boom. Done. This will probably be my look for the week. Not a bad choice considering that it is rainy here in Birmingham for no daggone reason.


Check it out! Note: I had to tie my hair back down again on my way to work because of one part that didn't want to act right! You've been warned lol.