So Many New Things!

Well, It's been a while since I've blogged and I've learned so many new things and got new pictures to share! (see pics above).

First, I've subscribed to Kimmaytube, a natural Youtube site that provides a lot of informative stuff about natural hair care, growth and maintenance. Without going into a whole lot of long, boring detail, I've begun using Kimmaytube's techniques of protective styling (protecting my ends in styles that keep the ends tucked away like two strand twists, braids and protective updos most of the time) using aloe vera juice to help grow and maintain my hair's health and using half wigs and phony ponys as protective styles. I want my hair to get to it's maximum health and length so I'm going into protective mode for awhile to achieve just that. I recently had surgery and have been home from work for 6 weeks during recovery. I've worn my hair in flat twists and two strand twist styles the entire time, only taking it down to wash and condition weekly. I also have been spritzing my hair daily with a mixture of water (because water is the best moisturizer for hair), various oils - EVOO, EVCO and Aloe Vera Juice, and I've also been using Kimmaytube's leave in conditioner mixture as my leave in instead of regular conditioners alone. This mixture I use is a combination of Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, a leave in conditioner like Kinky Curly's Knot Today or Giovanni's Leave In Conditioner and Aloe Vera juice. The key to this mixture is the PH balance of the ingredients. It's important to have a good ph balance to help hair maintain moisture and to close the cuticle after washing to prevent dryness, knots and breakage. I really like this combo. It makes my hair feel really soft and moisturized. And, Aloe Vera is supposed to be particularly good for hair health and stimulating growth.

The couple of times over the last few weeks, when I did where my hair out, I wore it in a two strand twist out and sometimes added a half curly wig to the back to keep most of my own hair protected. I was a little nervous about wearing the "fake" hair, worried that people might know that it's a half wig, but I guess I blended it so well with my own natural hair that you really couldn't tell the difference. Both of my daughters were very complimentary and didn't know that it wasn't all my own hair until I told them! That made me feel pretty goodl I'm really trying to baby my hair right now and hopefully in the weeks and months to come I'll see the results. My hair has been growing and I've noticed that I'm retaining some length in the back. When stretched, the little twists reach all the way down the base of my neck now --ah...progress!

Well, that's the long and short of it. I'll post more details later about my "mixing" and protective styling later. Hope you enjoy the pics ;) I know I do. Oh, the one's with me and my oldest daughter are from her Dean's List Celebration Ceremony at her college. She made the deans list and I couldn't be more proud of her. Aint she purty??!!

Ciao for now!