My Summer Regimen Using Coconut Oil

Week one of Hairlista's Coconut Oil Challenge is almost complete! This challenge will run through Saturday, August 23rd so it's not too late to participate.

Here is a recap of the advance level requirements for the challenge...

ADVANCE:

• Apply Coconut oil to your hair and scalp, prior to washing, for 20mins – 1 hour or overnight. Massage it in focusing on damaged areas. Proceed with regular washday routine. Do this 2x/week.
• Apply 1-2 tsp of Coconut Oil to your weekly deep conditioner with heat. Rinse thoroughly.
• Apply Coconut oil to your scalp 2-3x/week. Do not rinse.
• (OPTIONAL) Seal with Coconut oil on wet or dry hair.

If you are not a big fan of using coconut oil on your tresses then maybe the Basic or Intermediate level may work for you. (Check the link below for more info.)

You can also choose a favorite oil of your choice to add to your pre-poos and conditioners for added hair nourishment.

Just a Few Benefits of Coconut Oil:

1. Coconut is easy to find and all natural (Use organic, unrefined coconut oil)

2. Conditions Hair

3. Decreases Shedding

4. Promotes Hair Growth

5. Fights Against Dandruff and Other Scalp Issues

6. Prevents Breakage

7. Prevents Split Ends

When reviewing the benefits of coconut oil, taking part in this challenge for the summer is a win-win! 

In order to comply with the advanced level of the challenge, I have put together the following regimen for this challenge.

My Summer Regimen With Coconut Oil

Tuesday & Saturday

• Apply coconut oil to hair and scalp for 1 hour or longer before washing hair...(include scalp massage)
• Add 2 teaspoons of coconut oil to my moisturizing deep conditioner...sit under heated dryer for 20 minutes

Monday & Wednesday & Friday

• Apply coconut oil lightly to scalp only and massage
• Moisturize hair and seal lightly with coconut oil

I will try this schedule for the month of June and if necessary, do some tweaking. Now of course I have to make sure that this all falls in line with the styles I would like to wear. This may be tough going for three months, but that's why they call it challenge!

What are your thoughts on my current summer regimen? Do you incorporate coconut oil in your hair regimen?

Happy Hair Growing, Love, and Blessings!

~ Candra

Hairlista's Coconut Oil Challenge

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Hairlista's Coconut Oil Challenge

I will be participating in Hairlista's Coconut Oil Challenge! It begins Saturday, May 24th and runs through August 23rd, 2014.

There are three challenge levels, but since I am crazy about coconut oil, I will attempt the "Advanced Level"

ADVANCE:

• Apply Coconut oil to your hair and scalp, prior to washing, for 20mins – 1 hour or overnight. Massage it in focusing on damaged areas. Proceed with regular washday routine. Do this 2x/week.
• Apply 1-2 tsp of Coconut Oil to your weekly deep conditioner with heat. Rinse thoroughly.
• Apply Coconut oil to your scalp 2-3x/week. Do not rinse.
• (OPTIONAL) Seal with Coconut oil on wet or dry hair.

My top hair goals for this challenge are the following:

1. Stimulate Hair Growth
2. Strengthen Hair
3. Prevent Split Ends

There are nearly 1,000 Hairlistas signed up for this challenge and I invite you to join us. I will be revamping my hair regimen over the next three months to incorporate coconut oil and blogging about my challenge experience as the weeks roll along.

For more information on Hairlista's Coconut Oil Challenge, click here!


Stay tuned for my DIY coconut oil hair and skin product recipes! Take a sneak peek in my latest YouTube video, "Coconut Oil Challenge and Giveaway"!





Happy Hair Growing, Love, and Blessings!

~Candra

A Journey For More Than Long Hair

May 19, 2014

After thirteen weeks of stretching, I went to my stylist to get a much needed trim and to have my new growth texlaxed.

Overall, I was only able to retain about an inch of growth in three months. My normal hair growth rate is between 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch per month.

While I am always searching for effective ways to increase my growth rate, I remember that this journey is more than long hair and length checks.

If you are on a journey for long hair, retaining an inch in three months could be a bad thing. I admit that I had hoped to retain more, but I can't help but look at the big picture.

This journey is so much more than long hair...

My hair is not full arm pit length yet, but it looks so much better. It is not dry, breaking, or shedding like a German Shepherd in June. It is much healthier than it was even six months ago.

My stylist says that it feels different now. She has been my stylist for four years, and her hands know my hair very well. It was happiness to my heart for her, who knows the trials my hair has been through, to be so pleased.

She was amazed at how well my scalp is thriving. I have had severe issues with flakes and dryness all of my life. So much to the point that it was recommended over and over again that I see a dermatologist. The health of my scalp today is amazing in comparison.

I have seriously been through the storm with my hair, so hallelujah for the sunshine!

This hair journey is about giving myself the best care inside and out. It is about loving myself and feeling good about who I am.

The video below reveals my length before and after my hair trim. Yes, I had hoped to retain more length, but you will still see me smiling because there has been so much progress on this hair journey. I am very please and I feel so blessed to have come this far.

Love and Blessings!
~Candra

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The Results Of My Pond's Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Two Week Challenge

Today marks the end of my Pond's Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Two Week Challenge! In only two weeks I can see a difference in the lines on the inside of my cheeks.

The lines and sagging are a family trait. As proud as I am of my heritage, the creases are something I can do without. ;)

Notice the circled areas of my before photo. The Pond’s Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle cream helped to reduce those deep lines. 

Before

I have combination oily to dry skin.

After

The Pond’s Rejuveness Cream promises to firm skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines in 2 weeks. In spite of the promise I was skeptical, but Pond's proved me wrong!

There is not yet a dramatic difference in the firmness of my skin, but those wrinkles are definitely lifting!  

I purchased a 1.75 ounce sample size jar at Walmart for $1.47. I was not sure how economical that would be, but after two weeks I have only used about 1/3 of the cream. A little goes a long way for my face and neck. Too much product and my face feels a bit greasy.

The full 7 ounce size runs between $8 to $10.

The cream is dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, and won’t clog pores.

Directions: After cleansing, apply to face and neck twice daily. For delicate skin, apply product 10-15 minutes after cleansing to avoid potential tingling sensation. Water is the number one ingredient on the list, so I expect it to be very moisturizing.

I will continue to use this product as directed and will look into purchasing their BB Cream and Cleanser. 

What products do you recommend for keeping skin firm and rejuvenated?

Love and Blessings!

~Candra 

10 Steps That Helped Me Overcome Hair Breakage and Excessive Hair Shedding

In the spring of 2013 my hair was coming out in huge clumps. It was a four week process, or shall I say nightmare, but I got through it. 

The 10 steps below helped me get my hair back on track. You may need to tweak these steps to do what best fits your life and your hair.

If you are able, I recommend first seeing a professional stylist or even your doctor if you have severe hair loss.

Excessive Shedding

I was told by a professional that excessive shedding is usually the result of sickness, stress, or other physical condition. Also, over processing hair with a chemical treatment (relaxer, perm, color) can cause damage to the hair and scalp.

My excessive shedding was a result of both…sickness and color treating my hair chemically.

Shedding is the loss of whole hair strands. If the hair you’re losing is about the length of your hair and has tiny white bulbs on the end, it is shedding.

Breakage

There are several things that can cause breakage. I will not cover them all in this post but a few major culprits are over processed hair, improper protein and moisture balance, heating tools, etc.

My breakage was caused by protein overload. My hair was dry and stiff because of a lack of moisture and was literally snapping at the ends and mid-shaft.

Here are the 5 steps that helped stop my excessive shedding…

Step 1 – I cried. Yes, I sobbed like a baby but that was what I needed at the time. Give freedom to your emotions, let it all go, then dig deep and move forward. 

Step 2 – Seek the advice of professionals. Searching YouTube is great but if you can afford to pay a consultation fee to have a professional stylist look at your hair up close; that may be a better option to start.

Step 3 – I implemented black tea rinses into my regimen. At the time I did black tea rinses twice a week until the excessive shedding stopped. Now I do them once every other month. A link is posted below on how I do mine, but there are a ton of black tea rinse videos on YouTube.

Step 4 – During that month of hair loss, I did hot garlic oil treatments. I infused minced garlic with heated extra virgin olive oil, applied it to my scalp and hair like a normal hot oil treatment. For some, odorless garlic supplements are preferred...to take internally or mix with oils or conditioners.

Step 5 - I changed my diet and incorporated foods that contribute to hair growth. Now that I am taking better care of my body (exercise and healthy eating), excessive shedding has not been a problem. 

Here are the 5 steps that helped stopped my breakage…

Step 1 – I added more moisture rich products to my regimen (conditioners, shampoos, and moisturizers) I also stopped using styling products (gels, serums) that contain protein. Read those ingredients! ;)

Step 2 – My next step was painful…I cried again. I'm such a baby! :) I got my hair cut to get rid of damaged ends, but in layers…to keep some length. I actually loved it!

Step 3 – Moisturizing and sealing my hair daily, or as needed. This includes making sure that my line of demarcation (the point where my texlaxed hair and natural hair meet) is well moisturized.

Step 4 – Balance with protein. Since I am relaxed, I still need it. I do a medium protein treatment right before a relaxer and a hard protein treatment right after. Otherwise I use light protein conditioners to keep my hair strong, once every other week. I also use the Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer as a leave-in, every other week.

Step 5 – Since a color treatment damaged my hair, it was then that my relaxer stretching went into full effect and I will only color my hair using natural products like henna.

I hope these steps give you a good idea of how I managed my excessive shedding and breakage. Again, you may need to tweak these steps to do what best fits your life and your hair. Good research is key.

The most important thing is to relax and know that with time this too shall pass. 

Be patient. Be diligent. Be smart. And you will recover. (And keep smiling…)

Happy Hair Growing and Blessings!

~Candra

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13 Weeks Post Relaxer and Hair Bun

I will be wearing protective styles until the weekend (relaxer day). Since I am a bit style challenged, I decided to go with the easy high bun.

At 13 weeks post relaxer, my new growth is still fairly manageable and I can hardly believe it! Hahaha...

It was not so long ago that my hair would misbehave at 5 weeks post. However, looking back, I can't get mad. I mistreated my tresses something awful!

Since I will be relaxing my hair with a chemical, I have been babying my hair for the last two weeks.

•  More combing and detangling with my fingers...
•  Did an extra moisturizing deep conditioning treatment...
•  Medium protein treatment...
•  No direct heat...
•  Air dry only...
•  Protective styles and low manipulation styles...
•  Applied LOC method...

For my bun I am using a smooth, soft foam bun shaper that I purchased at a local beauty supply store while on a ministry trip in Chicago.

On my hair channel I will post (in one video) a length check right before and right after my relaxer. I am doing the before because I know when I get to the salon, a trim will be in order. 

Stay tuned for the results!

Happy Hair Growing!

~Candra

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To Claim or Not To Claim Arm Pit Length (APL)

I will be getting a trim next week and thought maybe I should take some shots to see if my hair has reached APL (arm pit length). So I took some impromptu shots this morning, pulling my curls down and seeing where I would measure up.

Length has never been something I have obsessed about. Health has always mattered more to me. Still, I like to check my length because it helps me gauge a certain measure of how healthy my hair and scalp are.

I had an inkling last week that possibly I have reached my goal of APL, but I have gone back and forth on whether or not I should claim it.

You see I am not what they call, "full" arm pit length. The back of my hair grows in somewhat of a "U" shape and only the bottom of the "U" reaches APL.

So should I claim APL or wait until my hair is APL straight across the board?

I plan on washing and air drying my hair in the next day or so. I will have my husband take better pics and I will post a video to my channel.

After much thought, I updated my profiles on Hairlista and K.I.S.S. to say that I am APL. Why?

Although I am not full APL, I don't see any reason not to claim and celebrate where I am today!

My hair has never been this long in my entire life and I have struggled something fierce over the last year and a half of my healthy hair journey.

I have had to get two major cuts, more trims than I desired, and had a setback with breakage due to medications and a color treatment back in 2013.

So yes, I am going to claim my APL! For all the late nights I wanted to go straight to bed, but moisturized and sealed my hair first instead. For all the hours of air drying and for all the nights sleeping in flexirods to get heatless curls.... I am claiming it! :)

My next goal length is "FULL" APL and then we'll see where we go from there.

How do you measure the length of your hair? Is length important to you?

Pond's Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Two Week Challenge

To start this challenge it was unfortunately necessary that I take the worst selfie ever! (Smile)

In any case this is my bare face. The only thing I have applied to my face is the Pond’s cream.

Day 1 - Friday, May 2nd

Notice the areas of my face where the circles are. It is sag city and I am hoping that the Pond’s Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle cream will help give my face a lift.

The sagging in my face is hereditary. My father, grandmother, uncles, cousins….we all have that gene that says, “As you get older, gravity will pull your face to the floor.” However, I think I got a double dose of that gene. :D

I am not 100% confident that there is any product on the shelf that can give me a complete face lift, but I will start here for now.

I only wear make-up occasionally and that only consist of concealer, foundation, and powder. I am very active, especially in the summer, so I love wearing my natural face. Therefore, it's important to me that my natural skin tone is even, moisturize, glowing, and sag free.

The Pond’s Rejuveness claims to firm skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines in 2 weeks. The lines on my face are a bit deeper than fine, but any improvement will be appreciated.

The Pond’s brand has a great reputation and it is also more affordable than a lot of other skin care lines. I purchased this 1.75 oz jar at Walmart for $1.47. It is just a trial size, but there is more than enough to for this challenge.

Pond's Rejuveness Anti-Wrinkle Cream

The cream is dermatologist tested, hypoallergenic, and won’t clog pores.

Directions: After cleansing, apply to face and neck twice daily. For delicate skin, apply product 10-15 minutes after cleansing to avoid potential tingling sensation. Water is the number one ingredient on the list, so I expect it to be very moisturizing.

My anti-wrinkle/anti-sag challenge will officially end Friday, May 16^th. I will post "after" pictures. Subscribe to see my results!

What products do you recommend for keeping skin firm and rejuvenated?

~Candra

The Benefits of Stretching My Relaxers...Both Physical and Emotional

“Stretching a relaxer” means getting your hair relaxed less frequently.  For example, if you wait beyond the common 6 to 8 week time frame between relaxers, it is considered stretching.

For twenty years I went to the salon to get my hair chemically relaxed every 6 weeks.  As a matter of fact, I thought it was the law if you had relaxed hair.

This averages to about 8 to 9 times a year.  I did not know then that 9 relaxers in a 12 month period was not the healthiest option for my hair. I was told that my hair was genetically thin and would only grow so long without becoming unhealthy...hence the frequent hair cuts.

Because my hair and my brain were both “trained” to adhere to this six week schedule, I would have a difficult time with tangled hair and breakage at only 5 weeks post my last relaxer. So at 6 weeks on the nose, I was in that salon chair on time… if not an hour early.

At the start of my hair journey, in 2012, I started stretching to 9 or 10 weeks. There were a few times when I surrendered at 8 weeks.

At the end of 2013 I was in a position where I could not get to my stylist for 3 months... yes, 12 whole weeks! Now 12 weeks is nothing to the advanced relaxer stretchers out there. Many ladies only get a relaxer once or twice a year without any major hair setbacks.

I am not at that advance level yet, but my first 12 week stretch was a huge success. First, it shows that you would be surprised at what you can do if you have to. Second, stretching for those 3 months gave my hair and how I “feel” about my hair a tremendous uplift.

Physical Benefits of Relaxer Stretching

It allows for recovery. The relaxer is literally changing the structure of the hair shaft. I look at it as major reconstruction because once curly hair is straightened by a relaxer, it cannot return back to its curly state. Therefore, undergoing a chemical treatment is stress to our strands. Stretching from 6 week touch ups to 12 week touch ups, doubles the time I can baby my hair and let it rest.

My ultimate relaxer stretch goal is 6 months!

Emotional Benefits of Relaxer Stretching

Are there emotional benefits? Well if your hair has ever been over processed, thin, and breaking, you know the answer is, yes.

I had a color service done in a salon (also a chemical service) and a few weeks later my hair was breaking like crazy and shedding with every stroke of the comb. Emotionally I was broken inside. I felt insecure and cried every morning when I had to comb my hair into some kind of style for the day.

Going for months without any type of chemical service, gives my heart relief… especially now that I see my hair getting thicker and longer. I cannot recall ever being happy about the health of my hair before.

If I can do it, you can too!

After about 6 weeks, my new hair growth makes its glorious appearance. This leaves me with two different hair textures. I have a straight hair texture that is easy to detangle and moisturize, and I have my naturally curly (4C) hair texture that is dry as a bone and has major shrinkage.

So, it has taken some time to learn how to manage my hair and keep it moisturized and strong between relaxers so I don’t have breakage at the line of demarcation (where the two textures meet).

Still, the time you invest in finding the right products and the right regimen that will allow you to have successful relaxer stretches will be worth it all!

I am shouting and giving God the praise because my hair has not been this thick since I was a little girl and has not been this long….EVER.

Subscribe to the bog today and stay tuned to learn exactly how I take care of my hair beyond the notorious 6 week mark.

Blessings!

~Candra

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