I'm Baaaack!!! (Again)

Wow, it's been awhile since I've posted on this blog. I've been busy. Alot going on. I'll try to do better from now on. O_o

Updates. Well, let's see. My hair has grown quite a bit since I last blogged. It was well past shoulder length (stretched) up until about 1 month ago. I had a little bout with SSKs (single strand knots) and nightmar-ish detangling so I had to trim my ends about a month ago. I think I trimmed a good 1 1/2 - 2 inches. So, no my hair is back to just past shoulder length, but, it's growing. I have TONS of products that I need to give away or use up, but I'm only feeling a few right now. I'm also currently engaged in the "Curly Girl" method, co-washing weekly and clarifying with a mild sulfate shampoo maybe once a month. I like the results so far. My hair stays moisturized, for the most part, and detangling has become almost a breeze after co-washing.

Right now I pre-poo with extra virgin olive oil and Aussie Moist condish. I know Aussie Moist has "cones" in it and the true Curly Girl method avoids cones, but, it works best for my hair and I do shampoo once a month to clarify so my hair is doing quite well. I follow up my co-wash with Kinky Curly Knot Today leave-in (still my staple leave-in), I detangle with this, in sections, of course, then add some shea butter to seal and finally just plain old Aloe Vera gel as a styler. This combo of products is WONDERFUL. I usually twist my hair up into medium/chunky sections and then style my hair in an updo for a couple of days to a week or longer until I get ready to wash again. I'm really feeling keeping my hair in twists. I also spritz it lightly every morning with Jamaican Mango & Lime No More Itch Gro Spray. I love this stuff. Great daily moisturizer, as it's main ingredient is water. I seal that with a light spray of ORS Olive Oil Sheen Spray. A couple of days before I wash, I might take my twists down and wear an AWESOME big twistout. I seem to have gotten my twistouts to look great just about everytime now. Really feeling good about my hair these days :)

Thinking about revamping my blog and Youtube channel or starting a new one. I think I want to focus more, now, on presenting info and pics and tips for just the average natural curly - as opposed to the "super-gurus". I love the natural hair icons and their beautiful heads of hair, but I know for me it really helps to see average, everyday curlies with hair like mine, styling and working their hair. Does that make sense?

Well, Above are a few recent pics. Also, check out my Youtube channel for more pics and videos!

http://www.youtube.com/user/pstaver1?feature=mhee

Ciao for Now!!
Pam

Mature Curlies: "5 Top Tips for Thinning Hair"

This is a very informative article that I found on "naturallycurly.com"


You’ve finally learned to love your curls . . . and now you’ve noticed those once-lustrous locks are thinning. Oh, the injustice! Don’t despair—we’ve compiled five tips to keep you and your curls looking chic and stylish at any age.

1. Rule out a medical issue.
While everyone’s hair thins a bit with age and thinning hair can be genetic, it can also be a sign of a medical issue like anemia or thyroid problems. Debra Jaliman, MD, a New York City-based dermatologist, recommends asking an endocrinologist or dermatologist to rule out these issues. “Most medical doctors are not the ones to rule out medical issues. A dermatologist or endocrinologist would be the best medical experts to go and see,” she explains. A poor diet may also contribute. Fortunately, “if you lack iron and start eating red meats then the hair will regrow once your diet is appropriately balanced,” says Jaliman.

2. Consider Biotin supplements.
According to Jaliman, biotin supplements (also called vitamin H for “Haar and Haut,” which mean “hair and skin” in German) can help thicken hair and strengthen nails. Though biotin occurs naturally in some foods, few food sources are rich in the vitamin, so during the 1940s, Swiss scientists developed a synthetic process to replicate it. Biotin supplements are now available over the counter, and Jaliman says they are extremely effective.

3. Keep it short.
A short, multi-layered haircut can help create the illusion of fullness. “When we are younger, we let our curly hair grow longer, because the ‘weight’ straightens it a little when we blow-dry it straight,” explains Sandy Dumont, a Virginia-based image consultant and founder of The Image Architect. “However, it isn’t wise to keep hair at a longer length when it is thinning, because it will look droopy. A ‘stacked’ haircut gives the appearance of more volume, so that’s a great style.”

4. Lighten up.
The more contrast between hair and skin tone, the easier is it to see the scalp. Dumont has blond curls and says that when light hair thins, the effect is subtle. “You rarely see the scalp near the front or at the crown, like you do with dark hair,” she explains. If you have darker hair, Dumont suggests teasing it slightly at the crown to cover the scalp or going a little lighter to soften the contrast. “Streaks will do; it isn’t necessary to lighten the hair all over,” she adds.

5. Focus on the temples.
Even with lighter hues, thinning hair can show up around the temples, where the hair tends to be more fine to begin with. “Make sure that is covered with bangs or a side part with partial bangs,” suggests Dumont. “Curly hair that thins at the temples will make any woman look like ‘granny with a permanent,’ so it’s important to have a stylish hairstyle.” Good advice for all of us!

My First Braid Out and Thoughts on Hair Length

Hi! I'm really enjoying my hair growth and length. It really is growing well. Still trying to eat well, get plenty of water and taking my vitamin supplements as well as handling my hair gently and mixing Olive and Hot Six oils with EVERYTHING! Seriously, though. I mixed oils into my daily water spritz and used it to moisturize my hair when it was seriously dry and knotted up at the ends (I had been wearing it in puffy bun styles). I sectioned the hair off and spritzed each section generously and started detangling first with my fingers and then with my wide-tooth comb and paddle brush and there was hardly any difficulty at all. Very few knots and tangles! I was so excited! No more fighting with a dry tangled mess of hair, and I can detangle my hair dry without loading it up with conditioner (although, that does help ;)

So, I decided to be brave and do a braid out for Easter. I didn't use any rollers at the ends as I've done in the past with my TnCs. It turned out alright, I just have to get used to the ends being straight instead of curly. I need to practice a little more but overall I was pretty pleased. I used shea butter and did 4 big french braids going back. I did a flat twist at the very front going towards my right ear. See the results above pics ;)

I'm also super excited that my hair is long enough now to do this cute little puffy bun look in the back. (See very first pic at the top) I achieve this look best when my hair has been stretched by flat-twisting or braiding the night before.

I'm pretty much completely natural now. No more relaxed ends in the back, on the sides or in the front. Just a little, about 1/2 to 1 inch of relaxed ends left at the crown of my head. I'm trying to hold off until July before I cutthat all off, but, I don't know if I'll make it. We'll see.

I've been thinking a lot lately about hair length. I thought I went on this journey wanting my hair to be crazy long - like a lot of natural you tubers out there. But, now that my hair is growing and becoming more and more healthy, and I'm able to do more styles that I like, I don't know now that my goal is for my hair to be super long. I'm enjoying it as it is right now. I can wear it out, I can "bun" it, I can make a puffy bun look with or without a banana clip in the back. I don't think I'm all that in love with the idea of my hair being terribly long anymore. I'm really liking it for where and what it is right now which is about collar bone length on the side and in the back when stretched. In the front it's about nose-tip length when streteched. I'd like for the front to get a little longer so it'll be even with the rest of my hair but other than that, I don't feel the need for my hair to grow down to my butt, LOL! If it does fine, if it doesn't, I'm o.k. with that too. It's just not my focus anymore. Originally, I wanted my natural hair to grow out to the length that my relaxed hair was when I started this journey. I believe that I've surpassed that goal already so, I'll just continue to treat it well, protect it, etc. do all the things I'm doing now, chop the final relaxed ends off by July, and be happy with how it is in the present instead of focusing on and living for the future and wishing for my hair to grow down past my knees ;)

Check out my video on my thoughts about hair length on my YouTube Channel @ www.youtube.com/user/pstaver1 or view it below.

What are your thoughts? What are your hair goals? Weigh in!!!

Ciao for now :)