I did a quick co-cleansing session over the weekend (yes, I’m late posting the results). I used HV Amala Cream Rinse to co-cleanse and then followed up with a collection of almost used up products for deep conditioning: HairVeda SitriNillah, Annabelle’s White Chocolate Mousse and Marie Dean Peach. 😛 I added some honey and extra virgin olive oil for a little conditioning boost. I used my typical leave-ins of extra virgin coconut oil, Pura Body MuruMuru and avocado oil. The end result was decent hair.
I am still chasing a desired level of moisture that I keep falling short on achieving. This cold weather has done a number on “Honey B. Fly” — that would be my hair. She’s a Diva so I thought I’d appropriately name her.
I’m due for a touch up next week so this post also serves as my informal length check!
I view my hair as being relatively healthy but it is a long way from being without issue. I’m still nursing my hemline and my edges. On any given week, my hair is filled with oils and butters so it’s kind of hard to get good look at the length without it clumping together. I don’t personally mind the clumping because my hair is tucked away about 100% of the time anyway. I also enjoy heavy sealing which definitely weighs down the hair.
Here’s a flashback on what it looked like on my last TU.
If my next reveal is the same or similar, I’ll take it! I think retention was on point weeks 1-6. Weeks 7-9 have been an absolute struggle. I attribute it to the harsh weather temps, falling off from oiling my scalp and being a slacker for about a week. I know that I must consider cowashing and find a way to actually be successful at it for moisture to be at it’s best. I just find cowashing to be hit or miss with having low porosity hair. More to come on my cowashing efforts…I may give it a honest try next relaxer stretch.
As with every touch up, I’m always debate dust, trim or cut. I always want to cut until I sit in the chair. I clam up like a little scardey cat and take the lesser of the evils — dust and/or trim.
From the pics it may be hard to tell but what annoys me each stretch period is some dry, brittle hairs on the right side of my head. I swear that’s my whack patch. I really believe the right side was victim to over processing, thus those hairs have been of a different texture from quite some time now – coarse, dry and brittle. It also didn’t help that I had to cut a big loc from my hair due to hair matting. That truly was the turning point of my hair’s health. This has been some time ago but it’s amazing how the aftermath lingers for quite a while. *sigh* However, I feel my hair’s health will increase tremendously once that area is gone for good. Problem is, I’d have to lose about 5 inches to remove the area in full. I’m not up for that challenge so I will keep trimming as I go until I rid those whack patch ends.
You’re making great progress! I’ve been battling dryness myself this winter, which I’m so over by the way!
Courtnea recently posted…Wash Day…Indecisive Saturday
TY…dryness leads to breakage for me so I can’t afford to be rocking dry hair.
I think your hair is progressing nicely! I have the same debate regularly about wanting to cut my hair, but then feel like I’d regret it so I continue to hold out. I’m also experimenting with co-washing again to see if it helps combat the winter dryness. I hope you find a remedy!
Melanie recently posted…Wash Day – Henna Gloss Treatment (24 wks post)
I’ve chopped before and my hair grew uneven and experienced the same issues as I’m having now. For that reason, I remain on the fence because I feel I’ll end up here again when its all said and done.
I’m not battling dryness, so much as ridiculous shedding! I usually do shed in the winter but this year it’s been a heavier. I was trying out the whole finger detangling thing and uh, no. I finally put a comb to my head last night and feel like I lost 1 lb of unshed hair. Since I have pretty low density, I’m really surprised that I’m not bald after that.
Britt @ One&20 recently posted…fitness friday #1: a healthy hair and body linkup!
I’m so sorry you experienced that. I cannot finger detangle for nothing. My hair mattes and tangles and I end up losing more hair to breakage in the end than if I just comb daily. I can’t remember if we spoke on this but have you tried tea rinses?http://adaybyjay.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php#comments-form
I debate all the time if I should trim as I go or just go with a “big chop” aka hair cut of at least 4-5 inches. Trimming as I go has won the majority of the time, but I do wonder if getting a real cut would have had me with better retention….
KLP | SavingOurStrands
KLP @ SavingOurStrands recently posted…SOS Mini Wash Day – 8 weeks post {Keyda}
I’ve chopped before…my hair behaved great at first but in the long run, I ended up back with the same hair issues prior to the chop. That alone keeps me from chopping again.