nappylove

Guess who's allergic to avocado...

I decided to try the avocado/coconut milk condish recipe this past Sunday.  I used a whole avocado, a whole can of coconut milk, some honey and EVOO.  I slathered the light green goo on my hair and within about 2 minutes, my scalp started itching.  I immediately rinsed and washed with regular CON diluted in water.  I think I used Trader Joe's Refresh to condition.  My daughter pointed out, after I sat down to separate my hair into twists, that I had avocado hairs all through my hair.  I guess I missed the straining part of the recipe.  My skin actually started burning from where the little stringy hairs fell from my head to my legs.  After that, I really had to make sure that I didn't have any avocado next to my scalp.  Now I'm a little upset that I wasted a whole can of coconut milk. 

This week I'm trying Nexxus Humectress, Color Ensure and Nexxus Therappe Shampoo.  The Therappe is a sulfate shampoo, but I brought it because I've read some good things about it.  I used it Monday and I didn't really care for it, my hair didn't feel like it does when I use the CON.  So far, I like the Humectress and the Ensure. I plan on using both every day for the rest of this week.  My hair has been feeling very...it feels good when it's wet, but it's hard and crunchy after it dries.  I'm doing another Aphogee treatment and a good trim this weekend.  Hopefully, I'll have a yay or nay on the Nexxus products by then.  If not...

I went to Dillard's today and purchased two sample-sized Aveda Sap Moss conditioners, and one little  Aveda Rosemary Mint conditioner. I'm pretty sure all of them were less than 2 ounces, about $3-4 for each one.  I wanted a sample of the Brilliant conditioner, but they didn't have any in the sample-size.  I didn't know that the Sap Moss condish has cones in it, so...I don't know when I'll use it.  Maybe I'll mix it with Aphogee's moisturizer to use after I do the treatment since that has cones as well. 

I did get my Qhemet Amla & Olive sample.  I don't really want to use it until my hair is behaving again, probably not until after I do the protein treatment and trim my hair.  So I can add the Nexxus and the Aveda to the list of products I need to review!

My new nappy album

I finally put together an album from the pics I took when I was picking my locs out.  I'll probably be making another one soon...Liv finally convinced me to take her locs down.  Her three year loc anniversary is July 27, and that coincides with my last day of class, so I'll start at the beginning of August.  I keep asking her if she's ready for loose naps, I couldn't even tell you the last time that child had a comb in her head.  She says it's what she wants, so...loose naps here we come.

My hair is feeling softer and softer every day.  That Aphogee, I can't praise that stuff enough.  That, castor oil, my homemade spritz (which I will be posting up the recipe for soon), my version of heavy cream and shealoe.  I also recently started using pure shea butter in my hair, that may have contributed to this recent wave of softness.  Whatever it is, I am loving it.

Decisions, decisions...

I was all hyped up to buy all these new hair products, I spent hours researching different products and searching for product reviews on Nappturality.  And then...I got a ticket for running a stop sign.  I called the Clerk's office to find out how much it was, I'm thinking "Well, it won't be so bad.  Can't be more than $80." Ha!  $144.  I said, "Excuse me, you misunderstand.  I didn't hit someone's child, I just ran a stop sign.  How much is the fine for that?"

Totally my fault though, I didn't even acknowledge the stop sign.  I saw it, but I don't even think I paused, much less stopped.  So, needless to say, I'm going to have to curb my inner product junkie once again (It also means I won't be getting those new earrings I was planning to buy).  I decided that I'm still going to purchase ONE hair product, which only left one question...which one?

Since I'm under financial constraints, Miss Jessie's is out.  I kinda think Miss Jessie's is out anyway unless I can get it through a trade or something.  I'd planned to purchase both the Oyin and the Qhemet Biologics sample packs, but both it's probably going to have to come down to one or the other.  I really only want to try Oyin's Honey Hemp Conditioner and Qhemet's Amla & Olive Heavy Cream.  Since I just bought 5 bottles of conditioner from Trader Joe's, and I've been planning to try the infamous avocado/coconut milk condish recipe soon, I'm going to go with the Heavy Cream.  I haven't read even one slightly negative review of the Heavy Cream and Najahface's endorsement sealed the deal.  I'll definitely do a product review after I try it!

Product junkism...

I've been wearing a twist-twist-out combo for the past couple days.  I've been too busy to retwist the twist-out or untwist the twists, but the combo doesn't look bad.  I'm sure folks can't tell anyway.  I think my hair and I are finally coming together, it had not been an easy adjustment from locs to loose naps.  No matter how much or what type of conditioner and shampoo I used, my hair would be incredibly tangled after a wash.  Though I did find that washing it in sections helps tremendously.  I did an ApHOGEE treatment about two weeks ago.  After the treatment, I mixed up the ApHOGEE conditioner and both Trader Joe's Refresh and Nourish conditioners together and let that sit on my hair for five hours. It is amazing how much smoother my hair is now.  It makes sense, I can imagine that my hair cuticles weren't laying down after I picked my locs out.

Anyway, to celebrate my newfound non-tangle-prone naps (and indulge my inner product junky), I've decided to try out some new hair stuff.  Anybody have any suggestions?  I keep hearing about Anita Grant and Qhemet, so I'll probably get something from both of them.  I need a good leave-in conditioner and a good shampoo.  I'd been using both Burt's Bees Raspberry & Brazil Nut Shampoo and Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Shampoo.  Both were supposed to be moisturizing, both worked great on my locs, and both stripped my loose naps to the point of squeaky crunchiness.  Have to save those for my daughters' hair.  My boyfriend's aunt recommended Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme, but...it's just a little bit too expensive.  Oyin sounds good too, maybe some Blended Beauty...let me stop.  I better at least pretend I'm on a budget.