It's really funny I look totally different in the last two pictures and they were all taken the same week. Lighting in really misleading!
I am officially on the curly girl method completely. I stopped by my local Indian and African market and picked up some Shea butter, Vatika Coconut oil, Regular coconut oil, almond oil, and some black african soap.
Now, I had no idea that Shea butter smelled the way it did. I honestly thought it was going to smell sweet like cocoa butter. Silly me. My shea butter smells like tree bark and it's loud so I can't wear that in my hair during the day. I've been using it as a moisturizer at night but it's loosening my curl pattern so I stopped. I guess that's why some people like it but I want my curls tight. It also makes my hair look dull. So i was disappointed. I'll use it for my twists and bantu knots when my hair grows out. For now, I'll just use it on my daughter's twists.
My curls are definitely O shaped and are starting to turn into little cork screws. I had little question marks when I first bc'd but now they are changing. I bc'd in May so I'm on my 3rd month.
My hair is growing very well and I'm actually at 2-4 inches when stretched depending on where you measure on my head.
I like the Vatika oil but I don't care for the smell. It's mediciney. For a lack of a better word. I'm putting it in my hair nightly and it's really making it look great in the morning.
My current regime is Co-washing daily with Suave Naturals Coconut conditioner
My smoothing/leaving conditioner that really defines my curls and get them to pop is Vital Plus Herbal Organics Conditioner. I received this tip from ShidaNatural on youtube and for 3.50 for a 41 oz. bottle you can't beat the curl definition this gives the hair. I was shocked!
I used extra virgin olive oil on my hair daily and was upset to open my new coconut oil I bought only to find it's refined coconut oil with no scent! I only bought it for the scent!!! Oh well it was only $3 so i can't really complain.
The label was in arabic so that's what I get for buying something I can't read lol.
I'm still using the glycerin daily. I just like it for the shine. It's also keeping my hair moisturized.
I'm not using gel any longer because my curls are so tight that they are not frizzing. This is a minor miracle considering that we have been having the worse summer in Texas since I can remember.
I also used the almond oil to whip my Shea butter. The almond oil scent didn't cover up the tree bark scent though. Maybe I should try some essential oils next time.
So that's my little mini update on my hair. I'm very pleased with the results. I'm just feeling along, the blind leading itself. lol
My family is really embracing my hair and are loving the little curlies that i'm developing. They are shocked by my hair texture and so am I. I actually have other naturals asking me for advice on how to define their curls. I'm referring them to Shida though because she is super duper awesome.
On a side note. the lighter almond oil is so much better for my daughter's hair. the olive oil seemed a little too heavy. I'm putting the vatika oil and Shea butter on her hair and i can see a difference in just the first week. Her hair has grown in the 3 months that I've been styling it properly and the little bald spot at her crown has filled in completely and is long enough now to put in a tiny pony tail.
I'm still battling her desire to be a gymnast and do head rolls all day on the carpet and tear her hair up. But she's 2 so she's going to roll around on the carpet and play. That's to be expected.
I stopped using rubber bands on her plaits just plastic barrettes but even with them I have to be careful not to snag her hair. This weekend I'm going to twist her hair and put it in a protective style. I hope it will last a full week. We'll see. She's been wearing her little satin bonnet I made her. I call it her nite nite hat and at first she was like, women u crazy! but by the 3rd night she was on board. I still pick her up from the sitter's house with her hair literally all over her head. No matter how neatly I do her hair in the morning by the end of the day she looks like Kizzy!
SO hopefully I can find a protective style that will stay for a full day. Even with the gymnast flips.
