Weekend Update...

SO...the protective challenge is officially OVER! I lasted about 4 weeks, and that's pretty good for someone with my attention span. I gained at least a half inch, but the thickness is INSANE!!!I followed the same routine every week, twisted and oiled them daily with castor/coconut oil. I think I need to lay off the castor because I can't feel my scalp! The reason the challenge ended was because Kev wanted to see my fro all blown out Angela Davis style. So I did that for him and my curls haven't been right since. There's no definition, frizz galore...a hot tranny mess.

So I henna'ed, indigo'd (never...NEVEEER mix castor oil with this stuff! I still haven't washed all the kibble and bits out!) and DT'd. Of course it shrunk back down to a stinky lil TWA, but that's cool, I know Im gaining length. BTW, there was alot a shedding when I detangled after the twists were out. Maybe because I was only doing it once a week? Whatev, my scalp was uber sore after all that denman love.

So I'm back to my wash and go, and I'm actually on day 2! How does that happen? I slept in a satin scarf as opposed to just laying on the cotton pillowcase. Naked hair is still going strong, and after all this time I find I dont even want to put any gel on my curls. I like having it dry before 3pm, not having to wipe my fingers after I play in my hair and not having to scrunch out the crunch.

Current woes: tangles, shedding and dryness. I think it's because of...I hate to say it...the it's a 10 hair mask. I didn't realize there was alot...ALOT of silicone in it and my hair is extremely silicone sensitive. After at least half a gallon of castille my hair still feels...gloopy. Maybe I'll try baking soda. Last time I did my hair got so matted that I was seriously considering chopping again.

That's all for now, pics of the blown put fro will be up soon! *my phone committed suicide so all my pics are on the digicam.*

This just in!! Product line is up!

Curling Dervish will soon be offering natural, homemade products!

As many of you know, I had my own line a few years back. It was a pretty good business, but at the time finances and time constraints kept me from maintaining my products. But we're back, and we have a new name! The same products are available, classic scent body butter, bath fizzes, classic scent body oil, soaps and lip balms. There will be a few new products to cater to every member of the family!

Product Menu

Soaps
All soaps are handmade, rustic bars that offer a rich lather and awesome cleansing abilities. They are all 100% natural, vegtable based soaps.

Scents available:

Coffee-Oatmeal: This hearty bar is a kitchen staple. With good for you ingredients like oatmeal, it agressively scrubs hands and removes food smells while softening hands.

Sultry: This decadent bar leaves skin delicously scented and irresistible. I dare you to keep your hands off...

Sweet: A lighthearted scent; leaves skin soft with a lingering spring morning scent.

Muscle: This bar is definitely for the HIM in your life! Notes of sandalwood and tonka bean will leave you craving his scent.

Body Butter

Velvet: This classically scented butter will leave your skin smelling faintly of gardenia and citrus.
Child: A whimsical fragrance; slightly lighter formula than the classic velvet.
Jane: An unscented version of the original-Hence the name...Plain...Jane.

Clean Finishes

Face

Rosy cheeks: A cream cleanser for oily or acne prone skin. This dense cream will cleanse, hydrate and tone all in one step. Rinses clean, hypoallergenic.

Moist: A dry oil cleasner for parched complexions.

Body

Buff: This scrub can be used from top to bottom. Wheat germ and bentonite clay remove toxins while sloughing away the wreck of the day.

Belly up to the bar

These soap/shampoo bars can be used all over. Excellent for throughough hair cleasing without over drying. Deeply hydrating, your skin will feel clean refreshed and ready for whatever life tosses your way.

Shea-coco: A bar specifically for dry, winter sensitized skin. Designed to bathe your skin in moisture without leaving your shower floor slippery.

Shampoo bar: With ingredients like henna and castor oil this bar will treat every strand to a bit of moisture. Rinses clean, conditions and strengthens.

In a Froth

Bath fizz/melts

Lavender: Relax after a long day. Life gives you lemons? Make lemon drops.
Triage: Eucalytpus and peppermint will clear a stuffy head, relieve headache and ease the aches and pains of cold season.
Velvet: Coordinates with velvet body butter and soap bars.
Child: Coordinates with child body butter and soap bars.

Questions, orders and requests can be forwarded to: glamazon0518@tmail.com

twist out-day 1

SO...maybe? It wasn't a good idea to pick it out. The headband is hidden, there's not much definition, but hopefully it'll last through the week. By the by...it feels SO FLIPPIN SOFT!!!! I'm officially a cassia girl. All the squiggles that didn't get picked out are fuzzy because I keep playing in it! And telling other people to play in it! lol SO>>>yea, maybe I'll spritz it a little and all will be right with the world.

Wrapping it up, turning it in. My chest hurts from coughing my lung up. I put it in my office, next to my candy jar and the goldfish crackers. Or was that my chicken sammich? Either way, my office smells like a stinky deli. Someone empty my trash please...please?

Parking wars is back on, that's my cue!!

-glamazon

Fresh twist out!

I did it last night! The henna was muuuch easier to rinse out for some
reason. Maybe because of all the rinsing and brushing I did? I just kept
adding condish and wetting and brushing like a maniac! I am LOVING the
its a 10 miracle hair mask! It rinsed really clean, and my hair felt so
soft I almost didn't want to twist it! It took about an hour fifteen,
not too bad! I did the twists a little too small I think. There's a
patch in the middle of my head that never curls, just waves, so once I
take the twists out it just looks frizzy and strange. I cover that with
a cute headband. I wish there was more moisture in the air. I like it
once my twist out swells a little and looks more like comb coils. Once
I spray it with my moisture maniac/vatika/water mix it'll be fiiine.

On more funner news...heh...Kev and I are having a date night! Woohoo! I
haven't seen my honey in a looooong time. With this cold leaning on my
shoulders I haven't been much fun. But we're going to dinner and a
movie, get all dressed up and act like grown ups...yea right, you can
dress us up, but you can't make us act right! We're still big kids!!
I need to find something to wear with the new fishnets I got! Woot woot!
Target clearance is the bestest!

Starting on Christmas gifts soon. Everyone is getting some homemade
soap or personal care product. If I start now the soap
should...*should*...be cured by December. Im gonna shop for supplies
next time Im off.

Oh yea, forgot to say...im starting my home business up again. All
natural lipbalms, soaps, creams for faces, feet and everything in
between. It'll be available through my blog.questions will be answered,
spotlights on gorgeous curlies and laxies alike, tutorials,
transitioning tips...all kinds of fun stuff will be coming up! Im gonna
need a lil help with keeping up with everything. Im aiming for at least
1 blog a week, maybe 2. Daily? That's somewhere in the distant future!

This just in!!! I got bored waiting for my stooped phone to pick up a
signal and picked out my hair! It probably won't last as long as if I
hadn't, but we all know when I get bored...
--glamazon0518

Chris Rock...political...are you serious?!

Some people goin be mad bout this jawn...

Im like soooo waiting for the lady from the V8 commercial to come bop
someone on the head!

Now, I love...LOVE hair. Period. Relaxed, natural, pressed, real
fake...hair. So yes, Im chomping at the bit to see the movie Good Hair.
I wanna set up a field trip at work! But am I going to leave the theater
and immediately blog about the lack of EDUCATION and his BIASED opinions
on relaxers vs natural hair??

Yea...it aint that serious.
Any chance to see a bronner bros hair show is a good day for me. As a
creative and open minded person, I know art can be created using any
medium. If a dude can paint with his genitals, how is it any less
creative to make a dress and matching head piece out of hair?? Coonery
you say? But its alright for Tyler Perry to dress up like an overweight
black woman, smoke, curse and blaspheme? You'll go gatcha hair did to
see some TP! SMH...

Its a MOVIE. The point of the movie was to entertain, not educate. If
you were enlightened upon leaving the theater, then bully for you. But
the whole thing is about as deep as a puddle: weaves are, and always
have been, hella entertaining. From the days before D L Hughley, Don DC
Curry and the chick on Im Gonna Git you Sucka, being unbeweavable has
sparked many a side splitting session. Who doesn't know, either from
stories or first hand experience, that relaxers will take your hair
OUT?? (Put yo hand down heffa, I see that MC Lyte hair. Its paper thin)
there's a sheet of paper the size of a road map inside each box with
pictures and dos and donts in 27 different languages. The only people I
can understand being educated even partially by this movie are races
other than African Americans and that's only if they don't have any
friends!

Knowing what relaxers can do, and still choosing to say yes is just
that. A CHOICE. If I choose to relax my hair tonight, that's me doing
me. My daughter wanted a relaxer, just because. As her mother and a
licensed stylist, I know full well the dangers that can mean. And as a
licensed stylist and her mother I took EVERY precaution to make sure
that she was safeguarded from any damage that could occur from my
negligence. (Write that word down, NEGLIGENCE. Yall wikipedia that
later)

In closing (because im getting more pissed the more I think about the
militant monas that reviewed the movie), the movie was entertainment. If
you took something valuable from it, cool beans. But no, there will not
be a sequel to shed light on the natural hair movement. You want some
light shed? Check out
www.curlynikki.com
www.honeybrownsugar.com
www.blackgirllonghair.blogspot.com
www.thefeistyhouse.blogspot.com
www.leaveinthekinks.blogspot.com
www.naturallycurly.com
www.curlingdervish.blogspot.com
www.nappturality.com
www.longhaircareforum.com
www.naturalchica.blogspot.com
www.tightlycurled.com
And those are just the sites I check on a daily basis. Don't look to a
man that played a crackhead with a jheri curl to hip you up on pimpin.
Don't fool yourself, he did it for his daughters, but not to help them
with their hair, but with their college fund. If you're looking for
education, google, take a class or just open a book.

PS that's the face I make whenever I see someone with their fist raised
spouting off about the lack of education and bias coonery. That's my
fiancee, Kev. Love you honeeey!!
--glamazon0518

I'm so excited! Protective challenge starts-TODAY!

Remember the twist out i did? Last tuesday??? Remember that? All the pics, with the fun bows and the what-not? It lasted ALLLLLL week! The only reason I'm washing today is because I'm closing tomorrow night and I'm SO not gonna wanna deal with this when I get off!

So my routine tonight (I have a routine! And it actually works! woohoo!):

• Shampoo 2x with CASTILLE (rose)- is there gonna ever be a time that I DONT get it in my eyes? So doesn't feel like sunshine!
• Applied my henna/shikakai/neem mix: 4 tbsp henna, 2 tbsp neem and shikakai, dollop of castor and coconut oil
• Let it sat for about an hour, or until Kev became incoherent on the other end of the phone
• Rinsed, castilled, conditioned with Giovanni tea tree and aubrey organics lavender-brush and wet...BRUSH AND WET!
• smooshed in IT'S A 10 Miracle hair Mask- we sell it at work. I can't very well tell people it works if I don't use it. Besides, the girl at Cosmoprof gave me like 50 sample packs...no really, there's like 45 left.
• BAGGIE!
• Rinse, towel dry (only...ONLY when I'm twisting! Towels are bad...towels are baaaaaad!)
• Grab and twist. I don't part out. Don't wanna see parts. Don't like makin em. Don't like it one bit.

And here I sit, typing this here blog. And watching Wanda Sykes. Funny, this was on the last time I twisted my hair! Must be a sign...

In other news...My hair feels SO FRIGGIN SOFT!!!! I seriously want to make up a cheer about cassia! It makes my hair soooo much happier than the henna did! No loosening of the curl, none of that nonsense. It felt a little rough initially, but I had yet to rinse it out. I guess instantaneous softiture is too much to ask...I seriously want to make up a sonnet about this blasted cassia...

So once I rinse the hair mask out, I'm planning to do a leave in with my moisture maniac and water mix as per usual and rub in some of my caster/coconut mix. Then twist as I laugh at crazy Wanda Sykes!

-sidebar: who DIDN'T know she was a lesbian??? How many males was she cast with? In a role as their significant other??? Come on guys...even Queen Latifah played the girlfriend!! Be yourself lady, who gives a rip what people think. Either they're gonna talk about you for doing, talk about you for not doing. Give em something to talk about! By the way...LOVE Wanda's hair!

ETA: This protective challenge thig? We're going to see if we can keep this up for a month. At least until the end of November. Hopefully by that time I won't be so afraid of the hairdo of pain. AND...I won't have to be wetting my head everyday and waiting until the end of time for it to dry.

SO EXCITED!!!

Twist out-day 2

Ok, so maybe it really was worth it! Depending on how long this lasts, I
think I'll try to do it once a week. Protective style challenge? Could
it be time?? I'll do anything to escape the hairdo of pain (braids)!

All I did this morning was spray a little of my moisture
maniac/vatika/amla/water mixture on it. The rain did the rest! It
swelled a little, but I'm cool with that. And Kev said the flower would
be too big...HA!!

Looks like Cam's braid and curl is on its last leg. She's been rocking
it all week, so we'll just slick it back this weekend and sunday I'll
wash and rebraid. Maybe we'll try a twist and curl à la
www.curlynikki.com ...hm...
--glamazon0518

Comparison pics!!

The first one is 3 days after the big chop (BC)- 6/20/09, the second is
2 months later-8/13/09 and the last is 2 months from August-10/12/09.
Its actually growing!!

Sidebar-- I can't sleep when im sick, hence the obnoxious updates. And
my phone is ignorant, so I hit the button once and it loads 13,279
times!
--glamazon0518

ETA: ok, I was wrong. It's actually my 4 MONTH NAPPIVERSARY!!!! I have never made it this long without chopping it all back off! Going strong! Next up: 8 months, 4 inches challenge!

Twistout!!

It only took about an hour. Not bad! No gels, just giovanni SMS and
castor/coconut oil. Done after a henna experiment with rainbow-neutral
henna/cassia. Luff it!!
--glamazon0518

Playin Catch-up!

It's been entirely too long since I last blogged, I know. I've been having issues with my phone. Translation=it sucks. So all my notes, contacts, emails...everything is gone. But we move forward, life goes on.

In other news, I'm 2 days away from my 3 month nappiversary! Wow...it seems like just yesterday I couldn't even pinch it between 2 fingers! Time flies when you're...I dunno, doin stuff. I finally have a routine! I'm so excited, and so is Kev. He may not admit it, but I know he was getting tired of running all over town to find conditioners, going to the Indian market 3 times a week and listening to me cry about looking like John Witherspoon. So my routine is as follows:

• Cowash 3-4 times a week with PM The Detangler ( I may be scrapping this soon, my hair is starting to feel a little straw-like)
• Condition with Tigi Moisture Maniac
• Leave in: Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner and coconut/castor oil (I can't live without these three. I feel like they deserve the Nobel Peace Prize!)

I'm still on my naked hair kick! Going strong for about 2 months now! WOOT WOOT!! I did my very first press and no curl, as well as a twist out. It actually looks pretty cute! I'm hoping the moisture in the air is going to cause it to swell because it's a little too neat for me.

Let's see, what else is going on...OOH! I finally used up all the stinky, cheapie condish I bought! I had hit rock bottom in my pj-ism and bought all the v05 and suave I could fit in my arms before Kev smacked it to the floor. All I have left is a tiny bit of v05. I used it the other night to cowash the henna out.

Speaking of...I found the rainbow henna! At long last. Still no Jamila...so that sweet elusive Jamila... It was ok...just ok. I still dont feel like it's completely rinsed out, because as I was twisting my hair it was janking up in the comb and getting under my nails. but my hair feels uber soft and the curls didn't loosen. I used the neutral. High wattage shine! Woo! I wore the twisties all day yesterday, and for some reason the henna made the top of my head so soft it would NOT hold a twist to save its life!

OK, we gotta speed this along, there's a cricket in the office...BAAAH!

Pics will be up of the twist out in a min, they're on my phone. Next post! Promise!

And it comes to me...like an epiphany...

Hola Chickletts!!

I just wanted to share a quick anecdote. I had a sweet realization the
other day...hence the title.

So we all know imm going through a "naked hair" challenge, eh? Naked
hair? No gel, no curl enhances... ring a bell? So anywho, I've been
doing pretty good for about a month and a half now. Only oil (coconut,
castor, amla or vatika) has touched my head. But this morning in a fit
of laziness, I rinsed my DT from last night (hydralicious, herbal
essence and castor/coconut oil-the castor was TOO sticky!) and worked in
a little HE hello hydration. Rinsed with cold water (brrr!!) with no
manipulation, and BAM!! Curls, coils and waves were a'poppin! My hair is
soft, touchable and not residue-y! Ok, so I was a little heavy handed
with the oils this morn, so there's a slight "soul glo" (oil on your
fingers when you scratch or play in your hair, stains on the seat and
other miscellaneous surfaces, white drippies...ew.), but im cool with
that! So hello hydration will definitely be added to my daily routine! I
had some moisture maniac I've been playing with, adding water and oils,
so maybe I'll give that a go. Ooh, I can't wait to get home so Kev can
feel my hair!

Ok, addendum...its 2:51 pm and im still playing in my hair. No oily
residue! Curls STILL popping, still shiny, still soft!! Ah yea...oil +
diluted condish = good hair days!!

Maven...out!!
--
Signed...La Trabrasera

Raves & Reviews

The PJ in me finally took over. I hate to admit, but im totally weak. In
the past 2 weeks I've purchased:
V05 moisture milks (strawberry and passionfruit)
Dulhan henna (3 boxes)
Parachute coconut oil
Herbal Essence (hello hydration and hydralicious)
Castor Oil (hollywood beauty)
Brahmi
Shikakai
Neem (powder and oil)
Glycerin
Lets Jam
Lime twist and loc gel
Vatika black shine shampoo with black olive conditioner
Mint julep masque
That's all I can remember. And that's just for my hair! I don't even
wanna go into what I got for my face/body...

In other news, I've finally broken Kevin's resolve. He got SO tired of
running all over town to (3) different global markets, one of which
smelled like moth balls and old aquariums...yea, don't wanna talk about
it.

Back to the reviews...so I LOVE the HE Hydralicious!!! I did a DT after
a mint julep mask. Kev thinks I'm crazy...he thought I got it to put on
my face. Who does that??? So the MJM felt reeeeaaaally good on my
stinky lil scalp. Left it on until it was gummy, rinsed and applied the
HE. Left THAT on overnight, after I sealed it with hello hydration.
Before that I poo'd with the vatika black shine, which by the way is
real....REAL good! It didn't dry me out like the PM tea tree, but my
hair and scalp were definitely CLEAN. After I rinsed and cowashed with
HE Hello hydration, cold water rinsed and sprayed aloe vera gel (mixed
with amla and coconut oils) all over. Then held. I didn't touch or
massage anything. I have a terrible case of HandInFro disease. I was
good until about 3pm, when my hand found its way to my head. And
oh...my...gah. SO soft! No crunch! A little frizzy, but its still a work
in progress.

Sidebar--> the other day I told Kev to feel my hair and he started
picking apart my curls. I know girls that have ended relationships over
that! NEVAH disrupt a black woman's curl pattern!!! He thought I twisted
it with my fingers. Awww...

Lets see, what did I miss...oh yea, I made flax seed gel and mixed in
the glycerin. Some of the crunch was gone, but im working on a gel free
routine. Kev knew I made products, but he was a lil freaked out seeing
me "take stuff that looks like nothing and mix it all together. Say
wha?!" He's funny...

Shikakai and brahma are mixed to clarify before henna, castor oil is
just "ok". Coconut, amla and vatika oil ROCK!!! Im still working on the
application. Seems like everytime I scratch my head my fingers are
really greasy...hm.

Alright chickletts, I've got a stack of papers to sign for my third
grader. They grow up so fast...*sigh*

Henna-Dulhan Edition

You wouldn't even believe how excited I am! So, Kev and I found an
Indian market last week, and I found all sorts of goodies! He actually
got jealous, allegedly I don't get that excited to see him. I do...I
just don't show it! Lol So anywhoo, I got vatika oil, amla gold oil,
brahma, shikakai and neem powders, neem oil (why did no one tell me
about the smell?!), glycerin and rose petal powder. Oh yea, and Medimix
soap. So I went a lil crazy...sue me...

We went back the other day, and I decided I wanted to try out some of
that Dulhan henna that the curly kids keep raving about. The henna I use
came from FNWL, and it's *ok*, but...the texture leaves a lot to be
desired...A LOT. So I mixed a third box of dulhan with neem and brahma.
I didn't want to adulterate the results too much. No oil, no
honey...just powder. I pre-cleansed with shikakai, neem and brahmi
powder for about 20 minutes before I applied the dulhan.

Can I just say...this stuff mixed like BUTTA!!! It literally felt like I
was simply putting in condish! Im attempting to NOT be impatient Pam and
allow it to do what it does...although I did peek, just once. My hair
actually looks darker than it did with the FNWL henna. It made it look a
little sandy brown, mahogany in the sun. Im VERY excited to see what
happens in the morning. I feel like a kid at Christmas! Can't wait to
open my package...by the by, we found another Indian market around the
corner from the one we frequent, so we'll be checking there for
Jamilla...oh, sweet Jamilla. Why do you hide from me?? woot woot!!

The question still remains...with what will I DT?? Updates and pics and
madness to ensue!

Olive-honey experiment--day one

So...the PJ (product junkie) in me couldn't resist! I remembered on my
way to Kev's house (is that bad? Im thinking of hair when Im with my
fiancee...hm.)that I have miscellaneous honey and olive oil in my hair
pantry. I keep my hair food separate because I don't want anyone to
ingest henna by mistake! Anywhoo, I thought id make a mask of the olive
oil and honey. Both are really good for thirsty curls, which I have at
the moment.
Recipe:
16 pumps of Aussie Moist (so lovin this stuff again!)
1 oz olive oil
1 tablespoon of honey
-I mixed it past the weird lumpy phase until it was creamy again. Im
currently resisting the urge to taste it...shut up, don't judge me! :o)

I was going to mix it with bentonite clay, but I seem to be out.
--sidebar, bentonite is REALLY good for curl clumpage!! Phat, juicy
squiggles all ova!--

The comb coil experiment lasted all of a week, which is about how long I
wanted it to last. I so don't have the patience to try and part out the
back of my head.

I just added more honey and olive oil to the mix...it tastes kinda
sweet...like I said...shut it up! Looks like vanilla pudding...mmmm...

So Im thinking of washing with either Pravana color safe shampoo
(sulfate free is great for meee!) or Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special
(looove the tingle!). My PJ'ism is only exacerbated by the fact that im
a licensed stylist and have access to goodies at a discount. I'll also
be trying my new Neutrogena Wave tonight, but that's a different blog
for a different day...be back with an update!

The olive-honey-moist mix went on really easily, no clumps, no lumps. It
took a little mixing...alotta mixing...and we all know im lazy! So here
I lay with a food lion bag on my head and a satin scarf to hold it all
together. Hopefully to crumple crumpl won't keep me up. HOW did people
sleep with Jheri curls?!?!

Up next, rinse well, cold shot and shea butter. Im currently trying to
live without my fantasia IC gel. I wish I knew how to quit you!!! I just
feel like you can't go through h-e-double hockey sticks for softer
moisturized hair then gel it up. Besides, I want my natural curls to
come out and play, frizz and all. And ramen noodle head is SO not the
business!!

Whoo! Time to go!! New episode of split ends is on!! SHHHH!!!!
--
Signed...La Trabrasera

Aussie Moist Conditioner

Description
Accented with Australian Aloe it gives thirsty, dry hair a long and quenching drink for silky hair.
So your hair walks into a bar and says I'm parched!
Please give my hair a drink to quench its thirst!
Right away says the tender as he slides the Moist Conditioner accented with Aloe and Jojoba oil.
It's not funny, but it works.
Biodegradable formula.
Contains natural Australian ingredients.
Made in USA of US and/or imported ingredients

This is SO the business! I discovered this the first time I went natural a few years ago. I found it in Target (yes...the Disneyland for Stay at home moms!) and of course HAAAD to pick up the liter size...at least I think it's a liter...it has a pump. I dunno.

I started co-washing with this after my henna debacle. My hair is frizzy and...odd. But the Aussie is bringing it back! Im soft and slinky, and gee my hair smells terrific! Bah, nevermind...blasted kids... At any rate, it feels and smells delicious. It only exacerbates my hand in fro disease, which by the way is contagious. My fiancee can NOT keep his mitts outta my head! I think it's a thing...can't really control it...it just keep callin me!

Somehow I completely went off in another direction...a couple of pumps and a scrub and my hair is shiny, silky and soft. It hasn't been soft since I started growing it out! Well, that's a untruth. It was soft with Pantene but I had that weird film on it...So yea, Aussie is definitely a staple in my shower!

Pros:

easy to rinse, co-wash with

smells awesome

amazing shine

I CAN COMB MY HAIR!!!

Cons:

Fiancee still can't keep his hands out of my fro, so it's always frizzy on the right side

Speaking of him...I wanted to cut my hair but HE (king of the harpies!!) talked me out of it. He says I had to throw that in...so there!

Comin up next...MTG! This stuff stinks like hellfire, but my scalp has NEVAH been so moisturized!!!!

Love how ya love meee!

Thirsty curls love Biolage!!

Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm 33.8 oz

Features:
*16.9-ounce jar
*Replenish dry, stressed hair with a dose of intense moisture
*Algae and aloe vera to help restore hair's moisture balance
*Nourishes hair for superior softness, shine and
manageability
*Rejuvenates dry and damaged hair

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol,
Cetrimonium Chloride, Decyl Oleate, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
Extract, Golden Seal (Hydrastis Canadensis) Extract, Algae Extract,
Chitosan PCA, Quaternium-79 Hydrolyzed Keratin, Methylparaben,
Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Fragrance

Directions: Apply to clean, damp hair. Rinse thoroughly. For more
intense moisturizing, wait 1-3 minutes.

Price point: $16-$22

Can be found: trade secret, beauty express and supercuts-buyer beware!
Do not buy from target/walmart!! Its counterfeit and possibly watered
down!

Pros:
Soft, manageable, COMB-ABLE hair
Smells so good I want to slather it on my mattress and roll around...no,
really
Shiny, defined curls

Cons:
May be too expensive for some (being a licensed stylist has its perks!)
Frizzy curls-hand in fro disease is contagious!!

This balm is definitely the wind beneath my wings! My hair was like taco
meat...no really. Dry, dull, thick and coarse...its still thick and
coarse, but this is the ONLY conditioner that can find it way through
the jungle on my head to my scalp. I could comb my hair, my curls are
more defined and it smells DELISH!!! This is definitely one of my
staples! Its available in 2 sizes: 16.9 oz and 33.8 oz. I stick with
the larger jar because I hate trying to squeeze it out of a tube. Stay
away (far far away) from the generic, knock offs. Its not the same and
you're getting what you pay for. Its not the same consistency, smell or
conditioning benefits.

The only bad thing I can say about this product is that my fiancee can't
keeps his hands out of my head when I use it!!
All in all, this is as close to an HG as im going to find. Its
absolutely a staple, but because of the price, it will only serve as a
DT. Pick it up!!

Stay fab chicas!!

--
Signed...La Trabrasera

Henna...the aftermath!!

So...not real sure how I feel about it. My tiny fro is REALLY soft, but
my curls are devastatingly frizzy! I was going to sleep in it, but the
smell and the crinkling of the curl bag were killing me. So I shampooed
with Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Special shampoo and splooshed in MTG and
Matrix Biolage conditioning balm. Let it sit overnight, woke up, rinsed
and co-washed with Aussie moist (hello old friend!), shook it like a
salt shaker and applied Fantasia IC gel. Noooot quite sure how I feel.
Its really soft, but still feels...odd. Of course the curls loosened. A
LOT. So next time, I see Amla in my future...

Love how ya love meee!!
--
Signed...La Trabrasera

Getting to know you...or me...or...whatever!

Right now, as you can see, I'm rocking the TWA. I actually shaved my head February 1st, but since then I've done more than I care to admit to my poor hair...it never stood a chance...

June 17th I cut about 2 inches off 4 inch hair. Doing the math correctly ( I do hair, not math...shut up) I have a little over 2 inches right now. There's no real rhyme or reason to my routine if it can be called that.

My Hair:

• 4a with some weird 3c business in the top right corner pocket and 4b around the hair line
• color treated (I feel kinda bad because it's not TRULY natural)

Nightly:

• Co-wash with Pantene ( I know it sucks on ice, but it makes my thick coarse cork-screwy hair feel good...for the moment)
• Shake my MTG ( Mane-Tail-Groom...Shapley's), apply front to back and side to side
• Massage it in, tie up in a scarf and put a bonnet on ( have to preserve my pillowcases!)
• Take 1 MSM 1000mg

Daily:

• Rinse MTG with water that's so hot it should NEVER be used on human skin
• Co-wash with Pantene (listen buddy...I'm almost out, so just hush! lol)
• Cold water rinse, shake my shimmy
• Tiny bit of gel...who are we kidding?? A golf ball size dollop of gel!!
• Drive with the windows down...cheaper than a diffuser!
• Take 1 MSM 1000mg and 2 chewable multi-vits from GNC (can't swallow pills since they stole my tonsils)

I just bought some Aussie and Suave, which as a stylist I know full well that they are NOT the best for your hair. But I'm SO not co-washing with Matrix Biolage Comditioning Balm every morning. I haven't started using it yet, but I'm going to try the aussie tonight with my henna treatment...

Did someone say...henna? Why yes I did dahling! I love...LOVE henna for many reasons. First off, it just makes me feel like sunshine! Secondly, it's the most natural and raw protein pack I can think of. It strengthens the hair shift, making it thicker, shinier and more resistant to breakage. Because it is so fortified, definitely...Definitely do some sort of deep treatment to put the moisture back into your locks. Here's my most recent henna recipe:

no measuring, none of that crap

1 or so cups of boiling water
enough henna to make it pasty, stir stir stir!!!
a nice dollop of honey
enough olive oil to make it shiny on top

I mix all this together and let it sit. I store it in a place that I wont be able to fiddle with it...yes, I'm a fiddler. It's been sitting now for about a day and a half. This helps to release the dye. I'm going to squish it in, and let it sit for however long I can stand the smell and the feeling. then wash, scrub, and deep condish. Probably with the conditioning balm...love this stuff...I want to rub it on my sheets and luxuriate...that's a blog for another day...heh...Pics coming to a screen near you!

Later chickletts!