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I had to wait 24 hours to get in my chest workout but it is now done and I'm a better man for it. Feeling great, feeling good... How about you? #FROMFATTOFRESHFREDDIE #CHEATWORKOUT #CHEATSET #PHIBETASIGMAFRATERNITYINC #GOMAB #BUILDMUSCLEEVISCERATEFAT #HEYMUSCLEEATME #FITBITNATION #FIGHTINGFORMYLIFE #BLACKFITNESS #JOURNEYOF100DOWN #TYPE2TITANS
I should be at the gym. I'd rather be at the gym but I have to do this first. Responsibility... Want some? #FROMFATTOFRESHFREDDIE #CHEATWORKOUT #CHEATSET #PHIBETASIGMAFRATERNITYINC #GOMAB #BUILDMUSCLEEVISCERATEFAT #HEYMUSCLEEATME #FITBITNATION #FIGHTINGFORMYLIFE #BLACKFITNESS #JOURNEYOF100DOWN
Wash Weekend & Adventures in roller setting with results!
Well, unfortunately my weekend was rather packed with activity and I didn't get to do my wash on my usual day but Sunday was as good a day as any! I started my co-wash day by sectioning off my hair and going section by section doing a hot oil treatment with the following mix of oils:
Coconut Oil
Jojoba Oil
Tea Tree Oil (2 drops)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Hemp Oil
Castor Oil
Africa's Best Ultimate Herbal oil (5-6 drops)
Aphogee's Keratin Green Tea Restructurizer (2 pumps) Why? Because I felt like it.
I've been adding the Green tea Restructurizer to my oil mix for a few weeks now and not really had any issues with it. I do keep the amount added to my mixture pretty low, hence 2 pumps, since Aphogee's products tend to be heavier on the proteins than most. Also, I do tend to lean heavier toward moisture in my co-washes(duh) and my DC's so adding some proteins back into my hair as well helps to keep it well balanced. I use this same mixture when I go to moisturize and seal my hair.
Then I added some Cayenne pepper to the mix, about 1 teaspoon. I've read many articles noting the benefits of cayenne in hair growth and aiding in stimulation of the scalp. I added this mixture to my scalp and gently massaged. Please note, the cayenne pepper method in the article I linked is not my personal method and although the cayenne has not irritated my scalp in a negative way, if you decide to try it and find it bothers you stop the treatment!
After applying the hot oil treatment I quickly followed up by dampening my hair and doing my usual honey pre-poo. I went under my new hooded dryer, medium heat, for about 10 minutes then left the pre-treatment on for another 20 minutes before rinsing.
After about 30 minutes I rinsed the pre-treatment from my hair and started my co-wash using Aussie Moist Conditioner. I was skeptical about this conditioner at first, I'd mostly been using the ORS Replenishing Conditioner or the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner during my co-washes but the Aussie Moist definitely works! Highly recommended if you don't mind that the product isn't made up of 100% natural ingredients. It also smells pretty damn good! There's truly nothing special about my co-washing, 'lather (as much as you can expect a conditioner to lather anyway), rinse, repeat' x3. After my final rinse it was time for my Deep Condition. If you've been following my blog or read my last entry Wash Day and Moisturizing, you will remember that I had been using the Hairtrition Smoothing Conditioner. I did not use that during this wash day, mostly because I forgot. I got to see if that really made a difference though more on that later....
I never really go a week without a DC of some sort. My hair really doesn't care for a protein heavy DC so I pack in moisture and then add bits of protein. I don't use just one product alone for my DC, I make my own mixture of many things. My hair hasn't fallen out so the mix seems good! Hah!
My DC mix usually consists of:
Aussie Moist (majority of the mixture about 15 pumps, enough for my whole head)
Abt 1-2tbsp Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner (contains egg protein)
abt 1-2 tbsp Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner
1 tbsp Shea Moisture Anti-Breakage Masque (trying this out for a month)
1tbsp Honey
Then I add the same oil mix from above to the conditioners minus cayenne pepper.
I apply my Deep Conditioner using the relaxer/smoothing method. Once I've covered my entire head in conditioner any remaining product goes on my ends and edges. I then place a plastic cap over my head, a hot turbie twist and then another plastic cap and head to the dryer for 30 minutes. I do this to try and create a bit of steaming action for my hair since I lack a hair steamer. After my deep conditioner gets it's chance to marinate, I rinse all the conditioner from my hair. After a quick towel dry I add my leave-ins: Shea Moisture's Yucca and Aloe Thickening Growth Milk and a few sprays of the Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructrizer. I set to sectioning off my hair and then gently detangling for the rollerset.
I will admit I went for the cheatset. How can you deny 15 minutes worth of preparation versus the hour or so it would take doing the normal mohawk method?!? Anywho, I sectioned my hair into 4 parts and gathered the sections into a ponytail. I then broke the ponytails into two separate sections and added my rollers ensuring my hair was smoothed then rolled upward and secured the rollers to my hair with metal clips. In all, I had a total of 8 rollers in my hair. I forgot to take photos while my hair was still wet but basically this is what it looked like.
SIDE NOTE! Phew...look at those edges...poof! This was after coming out from underneath the hooded dryer after about 1 1/2 hours of letting my hair dry hoping that the roller set took. In the past, that has been the signal that my hair was ready for a relaxer but since I don't do my own, the stretch continues! Now, I said I'd talk about the Hairtrition Smoothing Conditioner and leaving that out this week. I have to admit I didn't think the smoothing conditioner was doing much of anything but seeing my edges post wash & dry this week without the smoothing conditioner I can definitely tell the difference. I will not be going without it from now on if I can help it! Wooo Lawwwwd! o.O'
So yes, after getting my rollers in place I went back to my dryer and allowed my hair to dry for about 1 1/2 hours on high, normally I would have just done medium heat but it was after midnight and I was ready to go to bed. After drying I decided to take out my rollers and pray...
Success! Curls!
I will admit I'm still learning the tricks of the hair trade. I've never wrapped my hair before and Sunday going into Monday morning was not the day to try to learn. I just ended up lightly brushing my curls back enough to put my hair in a pony then put my hair in a bun and pinned my ends up with a bobby pin. I secured my hair with my silk scarf, hoping to tame those poofy edges, bonnet'ed up and then went to sleep.
All told my entire wash day took about 4 hours, I cut a lot of time by doing things like mixing my DC in advance. I probably would have taken less time if I wasn't nodding off under the dryer during each dryer session! Either way, the time my hair takes will be worth it. That's what I tell myself to keep me going. I think I'm seeing results anyway. I guess I should invest in a length check shirt or work on making my own to really find out...
