After receiving a lot of questions about my MN mix I decided to make a video showing exactly how I make my MN mix. I now use Sulfur 8 in my mix instead of Cantu Shea Butter. I've discontinued the use of that product completely, especially after the company sent out emails saying the product can in fact HINDER hair growth. I'd rather be safe than sorry. The products my MN mix now consists of is
Sulfur 8 "Grease"
Tea Tree Oil
Monistat 7
ENJOY. If you have any questions feel free to ask. .
This is my review on the Neutrogena Triple Moisture hair care line, it is also commonly referred to on hair boards as NTM. My sister (Kara) began using it as a detangler and it smelled really good, plus I'd been seeing so many people incorporating it in their regimen so I decided to get the entire line. I purchased the Deep Recovery Hair Mask, Daily Deep Conditioner, Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo, and the Silk Touch Leave- in Cream. Each product costs about $8 and can be found out Walgreens, Walmart, Cvs, and Target. As I said the line has a very pleasant smell that lingers and I'm still very much in love with it but that's as far as it goes. I used this line for about a month. In the beginning when I first started having knots, I shook it off and blamed it on my hair being tangly. I detangle before I wash my hair and during the conditioning process as well. I also wash my hair is five sections. My hair never tangled and knotted up like this before but, I didn't think it could be the product so I continued using it. It wasn't until I was up one night until 3am undoing what NTM did with my KINKY CURLY KNOT TODAY that I realized this stuff is horrible for my hair. The shampoo made my hair feel striped. The silk touch leave in, had my hair feeling nice and soft for the first hour, after that it was as if I had put nothing in it. I also found out yesterday that the Silk Touch Leave-in has Sodium Hydroxide in it! For those of you who don't know that's a key ingredient in relaxers! The conditioners, did indeed moisturize but between that and the shampoo it caused my hair to fuse together at matte. I tried the conditioner with another shampoo to see if that would make it better but, it didn't. I haven't used any of it since. This goes to show everyone's hair is different and what works for one person may not work for the next. I honestly believe my body hates Neutrogena products. I cannot use their soap, facial wash , and apparently their hair care products either. Some how I forgot. The only thing Neutrogena I can use is their foundation. This is just my review so don't write this product off because it didn't work for me. It works well for a lot of ladies. Over all I give this product 1 out of 5 stars and that's just because I'm still in love with the smell. This product did NOTHING for my hair.
I'm out of my sew in a lot earlier than I expected, while I had it installed I applied my MN mix every night. I was convinced I hadn't had any growth so out of curiosity I decided to do a length check......and I did........... I was all like .....
**CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE**
My mouth flew open because as I said before, I was almost certain I hadn't received any noticeable amount of growth, guess I was wrong. I surpassed my "September" goal which I'm excited about.
Well, that's all I just wanted to give a brief update and share my progress thus far....thanks for reading.
It's Whip it Wednesday ladies and gents! Here's my HOTD it's a twist out. This is a great hairstyle for transitioners who are trying to blend their new growth and relaxed ends. If you'd like me to make a tutorial video comment below :)
Day 1
Day 1
Morning- Day 2
Night- Day 2
Night - Day 2
Night -Day 2
If you'd like me to make a tutorial video comment below :)
I thought I'd make a navigation/ get started guide for those unfamiliar with the blog and all of it's features. It has many features which allows you to interact and be apart of the site. There's a chatroom/forum, a monthly newletter, and much more.Below is a screen shot each section I will be giving you a "tour" of is numbered.
1.The FOLLOW Button This button allows you to follow our blog. The perks? New posts will be conveniently displayed on your blogger dashboard along with other sites you've "followed". You can follow publicly or privately.
2. The Community Section IMO it's the greatest part of this site. This section allows you to interact with other readers, ask questions, answer questions, start "challenges", give reviews, share your experiences, request tutorials, and much more. It can be used the same way a forum is. You can sign in as a guest with a screen name, or with your facebook and twitter name. You can also remain anonymous. On Wednesdays at 8pm (Eastern Time) we will also have a "full" site chat/ discussion on a topic. If you would like to continue reading the site AND chatting scroll down and on the side bar (picture below) there is a mini chat widget. You can read the blog and still interact.
3. The Navigation Bar
Makes visiting our blog and finding information a BREEZE. (The search bar is also very helpful)Every post is categorized and is under the "related tab". Each tab drops down into multiple sections just put your mouse over the section you wish to visit or expand.If you are new to your hair growth journey the "Educate" tab is a great place to start out. The "Our Hair" tab are posts related to our hair (Kara & Misha's hair) it includes length checks and our regimen.The FAQ tab is where all "Frequently Asked Questions" are posted. We pick one that is sent to us via the chatroom or email (whipmyyhair@gmail.com) and answer it. The Contest tab has information, and updates about any current, upcoming, or past contests and GIVE AWAYS we've had. Check that tab OFTEN. The rest is pretty self explanatory.
I've changed my regimen so I thought I'd fill you in as well as give you an update about my hair in general.I got a full sew in last week for my protective style with a silk base closure. Before I got the install I did a hard protein treatment and deep conditioned over night. This was the first weave I've had since January. I've found since my hair has grown it's harder to keep it off my shoulders. My WNG's hang and I'm always paranoid about retention. The last week before I got my sew in I was wearing gala with my hair braided underneath ( see review Here). I figured I'd wear it like that to cut out the tangling because it was ridiculous. I'm still in search of a good detangler because the knots are kind of outrageous. But, I was practicing low manipulation, only actually "combing" it once a week on wash days the rest of the week finger combing. My regimen has changed and I've updated it ( HERE).I came to a realization that my deep conditioner didn't work and I asked myself why I was still using it, and stopped. I found it was more protein based and it was throwing my balance off. Now I've been using SUAVE professionals almond and shea butter conditioner as my deep conditioner, it's cheap and it does the job surprisingly better than expensive ones MEANT for deep conditioning.
I've currently been using a homemade MN (Miconazole Nitrate) mix which has been working great. Hopefully since I'll be weaved up all summer I'll retain 100% of the growth. My moisturizer of choice has been CANTU SHEA BUTTER LEAVE IN CONDITIONER, I've been sealing with EVOO and castor oil every other night.
Banded and blow dried hair(left) keep in mind the roots aren't straight. My August goal was originally my January goal, looks like I'll be maker it way sooner than January :)
I don't have any updated length shots aside from the ones I took in February and my MN ones because I never really use heat. I did try banding , ( which I really like).I blow dried it last month but these shots aren't really showing length, just thickness because the roots are not straight. I don't plan on getting my hair straightened until the end of August or beginning of September.When this MN mix is gone I'll be switching up using my Sulfur Mix. I like to rotate my growth aides every 3 months. If my calculations are correct I should be grazing BSL by then, that's if I don't let someone (CUT whoops I mean trim my hair, would of been there a long time ago -_-) In February my hair was back to length it was in September before it got "trimmed/ cut". Don't you just hate setbacks? I plan on keeping my sew in for 8 weeks then after that, I'll be letting it rest two weeks and weaving it back up again, I'll take pictures of my hair after the take down though. I'm needing some color in my life I'm thinking of dying my real hair bright red and jet black when the summer is over, hmmm...well, that's it for now HHJ.
MISHA'S HAIR REGIMEN (UPDATED May 2012)
DAILY-
I moisturize every night.
I seal every other night alternating between olive oil and a castor oil mix
I baggy about once a week (when I'm not wearing a weave)
I use my mn mix every other night.
Co-Washing has been eliminated for the time being, it's too much manipulation and tangling, I may resume when it gets warmer.
Bi Weekly-
I detangle with OILS.
I wash my hair with CREME OF NATURE kiwi & citrus moisturizing shampoo.
I condition first with GARLIC conditioner.
DEEP condition with Suave Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner & Olive oil
Detangle with Neutrogena Triple Moisture Mask.
I use Cantu Shea Butter & Chi Keratin Mist as my leave in conditioner.
MONTHLY- Every 6-8 weeks I do a protein treatment using either APOHGEE or one raw egg mixed with conditioner. Since I'm using growth aids I clarify 1-2x a month with ORS creamy aloe neutralizing shampoo.
(CHECK OUT MY SECOND MN UPDATE HERE)
MN is an abbreviation for Miconazole Nitrate. It is an ingredient commonly used in products such as Neosporin and Monistat. It kills germs and fungus. BUT, in the hair community we use this as an affordable growth aide. No, you did not read it wrong we use MONISTAT 7 the vaginal cream on our hair. It makes your hair grow because it removes fungus and germs on your scalp that is preventing hair from sprouting. It is very cheap if you get the generic brand, it works just as well as the original. I started off with the name brand kind but now I'm using a generic brand, I haven't noticed a difference. Alot of people say they've experienced headaches but if you mix your MN with other ingredients like sulfur 8, or a cream based moisturizer like, pink oil moisturizer and with an oil it should take care of this problem. I started using my mix on February 29th and I ran out after 30 (MARCH 30th) days. I started using it again on April 8th. I was applying it to my scalp every other night. Now, I'm applying it EVERY night. I use a 2% mix but it is also available in 4%.This post is really brief because I plan on doing a video very soon going into further detail, explaning how I apply it , as well as answering questions about the topic. Email me your questions at whipmyyhair@gmail.com or comment below.Here are my results thus far.
It's Whip it Wednesday. Click "read more to see the video". This is just a short and simple easy to follow tutorial I did so you can see how I wrap my hair. I'm natural and wrapping my hair helps me maintain a straight hairstyle without the daily use of heat. Enjoy! Be sure to subscribe :)
A hair regimen is a consistent "routine" you use to care for your hair. Having a hair regimen will make your hair healthier and allow you to retain length. Our hair grows just most of the time it breaks off at the same rate it is growing, making it stay the same length and appear that there is no growth. Let's start off with the BASIC things you need for your regimen. First and foremost you NEED a wide tooth comb! A Shampoo Conditioner Leave-in Conditioner Deep Conditioner (Lots of conditioners right? Moisture, Moisture, Moisture) A water (Aqua) based moisturizer Oil Protein Treatment Growth aid (not mandatory)
Okay now that I've listed the BASICS I'm going to go into detail.
A SHAMPOO that's sulfate free is ideal. However, it will require some "searching". This isn't mandatory my shampoo isn't sulfate free, I wash with shampoo BI-WEEKLY (every 2 weeks). Hair thrives when it is clean, do not believe the myth that dirt makes hair grow.Some brands I've used and recommend are:
Creme of Nature Kiwi & Citrus Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo Infusium 23 Color Defender Sulfate free shampoo Hairtrition Shampoo Moisturizing shampoo
Choose a CONDITIONER that is good for co-washing. I do this multiple times a week. My favorite conditioner is V05 moisture milks, it is cheap but works very well and keeps my hair moisturized. It also has biotin in it which helps thicken up hair. Recommended brands below:
V05 moisture milks Herbal Essence Long Term Relationship John Freda Full Repair Full Body Conditioner
A LEAVE IN conditioner is an extra moisturizer you put in after you wash your hair
Cantu Shea Butter Leave In conditioner (my favorite)
Infuisium 23 Leave in Conditioner (has protein in it keep an eye on your hair)
Hawaiian Silky 14 in 1 miracle worker (has mineral oil in it but this is a new favorite)
Paul Mitchell Leave-in conditioner
Carol's Daughter's Black Vanilla Leave In
A DEEP CONDITIONER is to be used weekly or bi-weekly depending on your hair's needs. I prefer to deep condition weekly. This can be done overnight with a cap, then you can wash it out in the morning. During the day for a few hours or for about 30 minutes under the dryer or steamer.I honestly haven't found a deep conditioner that has met my needs yet but here are a few that have good reviews.
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Hair Mask (on my list to try)Mizani Moisturefuse Creme of Nature Argan Oil Intensive Conditioner
Chose a DAILY MOISTURIZER the first ingredient should be water/aqua. I use my CANTU-SHEA BUTTER LEAVE IN CONDITIONER and my Hawaiian silky moisturizer. What I do to make a cheap moisturizer that WORKS is, first get an empty bottle or spray bottle. Then, fill it half way up with your conditioner of choice, I use V05 Moisture Milks (ofcourse) then I fill it up with water half way. VIOLA.......there's your moisturizer.
Hawaiian Silky 14 in 1 Miracle Worker
Cantu Shea Butter Leave in- Conditioner
Garnier Frutius Silky Secret Daily Moisturizer
After you moisture SEAL in it in with OIL, so you're hair doesn't dry out and moisture doesn't escape. When it comes to oil the best option is to go natural. Why go buy a bottle of "Olive Oil" from the BSS that has a bunch of STUFF in it. Go to the cooking aisle and get some EVOO.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Coconut Oil Jojoba Oil Castor Oil (Regular Pharmacy kind or Jamaican Black) Load up on essential oils as well
Protein treatments are not for weekly use. Keep in mind cheap conditioners like V05 and Suave already contain protein in them. Some products claiming to be deep conditioners are more on the protein side.Typically you should do a hard protein treatment every 6-8 weeks. Protein treatments are good before you get a relaxer or your hair dyed since these chemical processes break down the protein in your hair strands. However, you should pay attention to your hair's needs. I prefer to use a homemade protein treatment but some other ones available are:
ApHogee 2 step protein treatment
Mayo lighter ones:
aPhogee keratin 2 minute reconstructer
ORS Hair Mayo
Mizani Protein Reconstructer
A GROWTH AID is a product used to speed up hair growth. These are optional because with the proper care your hair is going to flourish anyway.Popular growth aids are:
Last, but not least limit the use of heat and whenever you use heat ALWAYS use a heat protectant to avoid damage. Protective styling will also help retain length so you can keep the hair you've worked so hard to grow.
After transitioning for 13 months,in other words a year and one month (I only had about 4 inches of relaxed hair left), February 10th I decided to relax.
WHY?:
1.It took forever to detangle my hair.
2. My hair was growing BUT I couldn't really wear it "out" and enjoy it.
3. I was tired of weaves
4. I wanted to be able to COMB my hair.
5. It was very time consuming TIP: CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.
8 Months Post
11 Months Post
1 Year Post
So, I did my "homework". I also contemplated weather or not this is what I wanted to do. Then, I weighed the pros and cons of a no lye relaxer and a lye one. After finally deciding to go through with the process, I asked my mother to go to the store for me to get me an ORS (Organic Root Stimulator) relaxer. She came back with a SOFT & BEAUTIFUL. I never used this brand before. I have very thick hair so we left it on for about 20 minutes. I didn't want it bone, stuck to my head straight but I wanted it STRAIGHT. So........after it was all said and done it looked a little straighter when it was wet BUT, when it dried I looked in the mirror and was like (OMG!). It laughed at that perm, resisted it ,and was totally under processed (except my "bang"). All it really did was just loosened my texture a bit. It's still THICK, a job to detangle, and comb. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. So just to make it easier on everyone I'm going to consider myself "TEXLAXED" from now on.
AFTER: This is after my so called "relaxer". In that picture it's wet, I find when it's wet it's easier to tame. It's not until it dries does it end up like......
AFTER: This is my hair the same night it was "texlaxed" after it dried.(I took my face out because it was 2AM and I was looking rough! lol)
AFTER: This was taken 2 weeks ago, dry with no product. ( MARCH 2nd)
The next photos are up close texture shots taken 3 days ago.
ARE YOU MAD? No, because at the end of the day this hair journey IS a learning process.
WHAT DO YOU PLAN ON DOING NEXT? To be honest, I have no idea. I don't think I'm going to try and relax my hair again. I plan on leaving it as it for now and protective styling all summer anyways. I think transitioning for such a long period of time was harder than just doing the BC because of the straight ends. Especially when it came to styling. My styling lately has consisted of WNG's (Wash & Go's) and buns,with the exemption of the Dominican blowout I got on Feb. 17th, pretty simple. I'm going to hold divine intervention responsible for this. I guess the relaxer was just not meant to be for me and I'm okay with that. BETTER THAN having DAMAGE I'm pretty used to it now.
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