I Had To Do It!

I had to textlax my edges today. I warmed the relaxer (top left picture) in the microwave for 1 minute (should have done it for 30 seconds - lesson learned). I waited until the mixture cooled, then squirted it on my edges only. I left it on for no more than 3 minutes. I didn't want completely straight edges, but I didn't want the beady beads I had.

I should have taken pictures before, but I wasn't thinking. I did part my hair so you can see the beady beads in the center (and the devastating breakage on the back left side). I refuse to cut my hair. I'm going to let the breakage catch up with the rest of the hair, then when the breakage reaches my shoulders, then cut the older hair the same length. That's my plan. I think I'm going to totally hold off textlaxing the rest of my hair, until I get some significant growth in the breakage areas (I am scheduled to textlax again on Oct 15th, according to my textlax calendar). As long as I keep my edges manageable, I think I can handle the different textures, since I'm not flat ironing my hair. Just water, conditioner, and my oil mixture (to seal)... and to keep doing the Aphogee 2 Step Treatment every six weeks.

"Natural" Hair Progress/Next Knitting Project

I removed the virgin malaysian straight today, and this is what my hair looked like (after washing, conditioning (with a little MegaTek and Shea Butter), drying, and adding some Moroccan Aragan Oil:


I'm so tempted to textlax, but I did it just a month ago (1/6 to be exact). I'm going to try and hold out until April. As long as I can keep it braided up and hidden under my LFs, I can hold out. I'm not going to take 2010 progress pics (for the grid above) until right before I do a new app (the wavy malaysian hybrid) in a couple of days. My malaysian straight is shedding for some odd reason. The knots haven't been bleached either. Hmmm...

I've restarted on the Carrie/Episode 88 sweater. I pulled back what I started, and created a whole new pattern. I'm knitting from the top down. I actually cast on 310 stitches... 310 STITCHES! I think it takes me an hour just to complete a row. I think it's going to be lovely. The holes are the yarn overs in a leaf pattern that will travel down the spine of the sweater. Here's tonight's progress:



I'm thinking bell sleeves. I'm also thinking that this will look like a fancy snuggie. I'll be knitting on this bad boy for a hundred years. I've got the Icy Hot for my knuckles on deck!

Sade is back!!! She is the textbook example of how it's supposed to be done.

The Creamy Crack Is Calling Me!

"My hands are over my ears! I'm not listening! Stop calling me... stop it!"
That's the internal dialogue that's going on with me and the creamy crack (aka Silk Elements MegaSilk Relaxer with Shea Butter). I transferred the creamy crack/olive oil mixture into a clean haircolor applicator (with the spout).
It's calling me...
I really want to stretch until December. It's just 34 days away. I don't have the shakes yet. This is funny, but sad, because I don't have an unruly grade of hair. I love my coils and curls (except for the straight ends on the sides of my head). I'm also now rationalizing the reason for stretching until December. Is it to keep it on a calendar type schedule? January, April, July, October? If I did that, then I should textlax tonight (lol), and I'll be ready again in January. Whoever is reading this, is witnessing my crazy, the fact that I can justify textlaxing. I should be shame, that I can't even stick to my word, but I can't even feel my scalp through my NG (new growth). Let me crawl back into my corner, and continue reading the Hair Growth, Texturizing, and Relaxing threads on the BHM. If I textlax between tonight and Length Check Day (November 1st), it will show up in the pictures!

App removed, hair fascinating!

I just removed my app. I can feel the tingle of the Dr. Miracle's Intense Spot Serum as I type this. Of course, I took lots of pictures. The Walker No Shine Tape is the DEVIL to remove. Still only using oil sheen, 91% alcohol, and Goo Gone Gel, I sprayed my hairline, and waited for it to work. Whew lawd! After all the adhesive residue came up, I washed my hair with the Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo and the Cream of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo. Clearly, I don't know what I'm doing. There's no rhyme or reason to my hair madness. After I washed it, this is what it looked like:
I think it's neat. It kind of looks like sheep wool. Then I put Mane N Tail and the Nexxus Humectress on it, and it looked like this:
peep the Michael Jackson curl that fell (I swear I didn't pull it down!). I don't know what's going on with the straight ends: I haven't put any creamy crack on the ends, just the roots (the 3 times I've done it). I think the weight of the hair or maybe when I cornrow it, is straightening the hair, I think the hair on my sides is just a different type, maybe a 3a and my other areas are 3c. The shrinkage is disheartening. I'm praying that I can stretch (not textlax) until December, maybe do it in the middle of the month. I need some more MegaTek in my life. I'm putting on the Rex Virgin Malaysian Natural Straight probably on Friday morning, before we go to the cabin. I'll wear a cute scarf in the car... I may be daring and not even wear a wig on this trip!

I'm just obsessed with my new growth!

Today was app day, and I just wanted to post pics of my new growth. I'm loving my roots!




I can't wait until December. That's when I'm going to textlax again, if I can hold out that long. Uncombed, I can't even drive a comb through my hair. I only comb my hair twice - when I take my braids down, and right before I braid my hair back up. I have to use Mane N Tail to soften it, then I comb it. I put the MegaTek in my parts after I braided my hair. I can't say whether or not it's different from the MegaTek. The next time I textlax, I'm going to leave it on a little longer than 5-7 minutes. I'm going for hangtime now, and less texture. I want straighter roots with curly ends. As long as my ends are curly, I'm good. I don't want the bushy look. Thank God I can braid it up. If I couldn't, I'd have jacked my hair up by now.