Hair Update | Diary of a Transitioner... 7 months post relaxer

It's been a while since I've discussed my hair in its transitioned state, but following a comment I received at one of the recent Hair events I attended, I just had to give folks an update!
'Your transition is a breeze, you make it look so easy'
Haha if only money grew on trees and all men were as hot as Lance G! To call this transition a breeze would be the biggest lie I ever told to date! That is not to say however that I'm ripping my hair out like a damsel in distress dreaming about my wonderful days with the creamy crack! 
If there's one strength I have that has made my transition go smoothly [touch wood], it has got to be hands down some good ol' patience. [Ok and forever deep conditioning too!]. Now that my hair is clearly two textures detangling, combing and washing are all done with extreme care, even if it takes that extra 20 mins.
My regime and the products/staples I use are pretty much the same as when I relaxed my hair, however with regards to changes with my hair, unlike a few months ago my hair appears to be much dryer, and my once loved wash day Anita Grant shampoo bar now only works as a clarifying/deep cleansing shampoo. As a weekly shampoo I now find it all too drying. I have also noticed that this shampoo brings my curls out every time I use it. I never ever get the texture I have in this picture unless I use an Anita Grant bar! Now that's a discovery I'll be looking further into!
Anyway here are a few pics I've taken this month! Can you believe how much shrinkage I have in the photo below! Cray cray or what?! 
Side note: I'm looking forward to my 7 month length check and trim next week... can't believe I've held out so long! Plus I'll be back on the YouTube grind too! It's been a while ^_^

My bad boy curl courtesy of simply washing my face... God knows I'm hoping my whole head of hair will be the same!

Just a few pics of my hair 5 months post or more

Any Stretchers/Transitioners with tips to get me through the next 15 ish months are most welcome!!!
P.s. I'll be uploading an album unto the LYT Facebook Page with transitioning pics tonight so that you can check out my previous pics and transitioning journey there too!
Avec amour...Fiona

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Diary of a Tress Lover: Kimberly hits BSL

I decided to revisit the Diary of a Tress Lover series a few weeks back because I realised that there are so many heads of hair that can inspire those of us on or embarking on a Healthy 

Hair Journey, and of course because I wanted to kick the 'black hair can't grow' pessimists to the curb!

Check out Kim's story for your Tuesday dose of Hairspiration!

- Hair type and length -

I have medium/fine type 4 hair that is medium in density, I’m relaxed and my last length check in December had me at BSL. I’m hoping to be Midback length/closing in on Waist Length by the end of this year.

Before trim

After trim

- Haircare regime -

Over the 2+ years that I’ve been on this journey my hair products have changed but what has been consistent for me is I always shampoo, deep condition, add a leave-in treatment and protective style. Every couple of weeks I’ll do a protein treatment and I’ll moisturize and seal as needed.

The products that are currently in my product stash:

Shampoo

GVP Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo or Nexxus Therappe Shampoo

Deep Conditioner

GVP Biolage Conditioning Balm or Nexxus Humectress Conditioners

Protein Treatment

Aphogee 2 minute Keratin Reconstructor

Leave-in

GVP Paul Mitchell The Conditioner, GVP Sebastian Potion 9 or Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer

Moisturizer

Water or Hawaiian Silky 14 n 1 Miracle Worker

Sealant

Vatika Oil

Heat Protectant/Serum(when flat ironing)

Chi Silk Infusion and Proclaim Spray On Glosser.

- Top hair tips/lessons learned -

1.  Protective styling has been instrumental in retaining length. I protective style five to seven days each week. I’m almost always wearing buns.

2. Limiting/eliminating flat iron/blow dryers has helped to minimize split ends and breakage. Before I started my hair journey, I use to leave a trail of broken hairs everywhere I went. Limiting direct heat (and Deep Conditioning) has virtually eliminated breakage for me.   I’ve gone many months without using heat during this hair journey and I honestly believe that why my hair maintained/increased in thickness.

3.  Always Deep Condition: even if I’m in a rush I still apply deep conditioner for at least 5 minutes, although I prefer to keep it in for at least 30 minutes. It’s improved my hair’s flexibility, manageability and overall appeal.

- Biggest challenges faced since being on your HHJ? -

Stretching my relaxers has, by far, been the most difficult part of this hair journey. After 8 weeks post relaxer, limiting breakage at the line of demarcation, keeping my new growth moisturized and styling my hair with inches of new growth can be a struggle to put it mildly.  When I first started I just went along looking a hot furry mess, but I’ve since learned how to better handle and maintain my new growth during my stretch. I can now safely stretch my relaxers between 12 and 16 weeks and these things that have helped stretching be a benefit as opposed to a detriment to my hair journey: (1) Rollersetting - helps to keep the new growth detangled; (2) flat ironing the new growth; (3) moisturizing the new growth they way that you would apply relaxer; (4) being gentle with new growth in between wash days – I treat it like fine china (and I don’t comb through the new growth while dry); and (5) deep conditioning.

- Three hair products you would take if stranded on a desert island -

If I could only use three products and had no heat appliances, I’d take:

GVP Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo

GVP Biolage Conditioning Balm

Aphogee Green Tea Keratin Restructurizer

- How can we keep in touch? -

My name is Kim and you can always find me:

blogging on fancyflairlady.blogspot.com

tumbling on fancyflairlady.tumblr.com

or tweeting @fancyflairlady

Starting length 2008

2009-2010

Kim 2012

Avec amour...

Fiona & Kimberly ❥

Wednesday's words... Self-Relaxers [the case of the scissor happy stylist]

The self relaxer story usually follows the same suit, your mum or go to hair stylist has been doing your hair for years now and you love it! Then one day they decide it's about time you had a trim, and though you're really not feeling the idea you're not about to kick up a fuss in the salon so you give in thinking that there's some element of truth in what they are saying, then KA-BOOM the chopping begins, that's right chopping NOT trimming. The stylist may as well be chewing on gum and facing the opposite direction because as far as you know he/she simply can't see the chunks of hair falling by your feet. Anyway if it's not the trimming incident then you've been burned and the scabs were enough to keep you as far away from any salons or hairdressers as possible.


Before Nov 2011 I had successfully relaxed my own hair for almost 5 years because I couldn't stand scissor happy stylists, but just last year it all went wrong and my hair just didn't relax properly! After stretching for 8 months before hand, I clearly didn't process all of my new growth or relax it for long enough which left me with curly and straight bits all over the place. Fair enough I could have done a corrective treatment afterwards [had my hair relaxed as if it were a virgin relaxer all over again], but I decided to transition anyway so that was no longer an issue.


There are pro's and con's of self relaxing without a doubt, but i'll throw myself to the lions and say that a great stylist [God willing you have one] will always win hands down. Truth is however, finding a great stylist who will show you the half an inch she will cut [like Felicia Leatherwood] is like looking for sugar in salt, so if you are a member of the self relaxing crew then it's best you crack on and just remember your at home self-relaxer essentials.


So you have your relaxer kit ready, here are a few other essentials that may not not be in your relaxer kit... 

1| Extra Virgin Coconut Oil - you can use oils to protect your hairline and nape area from relaxer and also to coat hair that you don't intend on relaxing e.g hair that you do not want to overprocess. Oils create an extra barrier for the relaxer to penetrate through.

2| An abundance of towels - you'll need towels to protect your neck, back and any other area of skin that the relaxer can fall onto. Of course to protect your clothes and floor too!

3| Latex gloves - you should not apply relaxer with your bare hands. Plus if you have any open wounds and use your bare hands you'll be ouching all the way through the application process.

4| Combs - relaxer can be applied using the back of a tail comb or a hair dyeing brush. The tail of the tail comb works well to part hair sections for further application. You can then use a wider toothed comb to comb through the hair and ensure full coverage.

5| Be time conscious - leaving relaxer on for too long can burn your scalp whilst if not left on for long enough can result in under processed hair.

Finally be sure to follow the directions on your relaxer kit for optimum results!


Are you a self-relaxer why/why not? What tips can you share on how to improve your salon experience or how to achieve a successful self-relaxer experience at home?

Avec amour...
edF ❥

Hair Tutorial | Doughnut bun a.k.a Cinnabon

Just finished exams and essay submissions! It's so nice to be back to blogging- though I didn't really take much of a break! Anyway here's the first of four video tutorials from the LYT 30 days 30 Hairstyles challenge! I love this look! It's so simple, quick to do and chic... what do you think? 

Check out the video!

Avec amour...

edF ❥

30 Hairstyles : 30 day challenge - Day 27

This has got to be one of my faves!!! 

#Go teams curls!

Avec amour...

edF ❥

New haircut - length check t -shirt

 Before

After

Avec amour...

edF ❥

My Big Chop / Cut

If you've watched my 2 year hair journey video you'd have guessed by now that I've cut my hair!!!!

I personally didn't feel I could be a loyal and honest blogger, and claim long hair with such thin ends so I took the plunge and went for the first major cut I've had since I was 15!

In all honesty my biggest fear was that people would lose interest in the blog and my hair journey,  because long hair often overrides hair length in the stereotypical hairsphere. That aside I no longer care! I've taken the biggest and best step in my journey now and wish I was wise enough to have done so this time 2 years ago! I hope you're all as excited as I am and can still use my hair journey as encouragement... trust me I'm about to claim some serious lengths with thicker, healthier hair, bring on 2012!!!

Ok now back to the wonderful hair cut story! I was booked in for an appointment at the CuttingRoomCreative salon in Leeds, I came across CRC via the  Black Hair Magazine when they were  given the 2011 Mizani Afro catwalk award.

It was a beautiful salon, dark lit and very chic... I was seen to and looked after straight away! One of the stylists washed my hair and oh Lord was the head massage she gave me to die for!

Then the fantastic Sam took me under his wing and the magic went on from there! I know most of my readers are London based but if you are from Leeds and want a quality hair salon - who can look after afro hair, then I can't recommend this place enough. They are now afro hair specialists too!

Thank you CRC salon... see you in January from my next treatment!

Here are some pictures and a video of my cut results!

can u spot the Mizani products!

1 hr later... I'm tired, but Sam's been a star!

Want to see my new length in pictures...Stay tuned for the next post!

Avec amour...

edF ❥

My 2 Year Healthy Hair Journey + lyt protective style challenge video

Avec amour...

edF ❥

My 2 Year Healthy Hair Journey pictures + lyt protective style challenge

So here we go with my 2 years in pictures! Time certainly doesn't fly by when your on a hair journey so lets just say I'm happy to have made it!!!

NOV 2009

NOV 2010

NOV 2011

NOV 2009- 2011

LYT 6 MONTH PROTECTIVE STYLE CHALLENGE GROWTH CHECK

orange = start of challenge
lilac = end of challenge (6 months later)
[I have a beauty spot that the camera refused to capture, which is how I am able to accurately do my length checks]

Here are my comparison pictures from last year:

Hair growth calendar

Avec amour...

edF ❥

2 Year hair Journey : lyt protective style challenge finished

I have no idea where to start! Yes today is my 2 year healthy hair journey and of course the end of the LYT 6 month protective style challenge! Aaaahhhh!!!

My hair journey has most definitely been a lot of fun and i have learned a heap load about my hair and how to look after it... one of the lessons i have learned will be the juicy topic of one my next posts which may shock some of you... but i'll get to that later!

The main question I guess, is did i gain 3 inches in 6 months? Well take a look!

line marks where my longest strand ends

Stay tuned for pictures of my LYT 6 month protective style challenge comparison pictures and also my 2 year comparison pictures!

P.s. yes i have been cheeky and added my length check as my day 7 of the 30 day hairstyle challenge! 

Avec amour...

edF ❥

Starting a hair regime part 1/3 : Nutrition

'It all starts from within'

source

Two years ago when first starting my hair journey, the biggest off put was always the blogs that mentioned the importance of a healthy diet in haircare. I mean honestly who has time to drink more water, eat more fruit and go to the gym these days! Watching keeping up with the Kardashians is more than enough for body exhilaration right!

Well folks truth is health really is the first point of call when starting a hair journey. It's quite simple... if you are healthy, your hair is healthy. Several problems can arise from the lack of necessary nutrients and vitamins in our diet. 

 So where to begin ...

Moisture

1-2 litres of H2O everyday

Protein

Hair is dead protein, therefore protein intake is important for healthy hair. 

You can find protein in many everyday foods e.g. fish, prawns, beef and eggs. 

The classic F and V’s 

Fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients 

to our hair e.g iron, silica, which in the long run help support 

healthy hair growth and prevent hair loss.

Broccoli, green leafy vegetables, bean sprouts, beans, papaya, apples, berries, 
melons, citrus fruits, grapes, coconut's are all sources of nutrients fit for queens! 

[You can semi cheat through pure fruit juices and smoothies that make known the a percentage of your daily fruit intake. 
If an apple a day can keep the doctor away, think of the hair benefits it has too!]

Vitamins

Hair loss occurs when our diet is inadequate in vitamin B – especially 
biotin and folic acid. Foods rich in B vitamins include beans, peas, carrots, 
cauliflower, bran, nuts and eggs.

Vitamins such as Vitamin A (cabbage, broccoli and spinach), 
Vitamin E (vegetable oils, dried nuts), are essential vitamins that help
 prevent hair loss and elasticity.

Vitamin C aids in improving scalp circulation. It is important to maintain
 capillaries that carry blood to the follicles. Oranges all the way!

Simple healthy habits

Apart from having a balanced diet, other effective hair loss 
solutions include exercise, adequate sleep and avoiding bad foods. Smoking, 
junk food, fizzy drinks and caffeine in excess can result in negative
 effects on hair.
---------------------

If you're wondering how to make these habits practical, begin by choosing 2 things 

you can change/add, with time you can add other elements and before you know it, 

your skin, hair and body will show you the results!

Avec amour...

edF ❥