My Hair Feels Lush! #CoconutOilChallenge Week Two Update!

As I head into the third week of Hairlista's Coconut Oil Challenge, I can already see a change...Hallelujah! :D

I shouldn't be surprised to get such lush and rich results from using a product that is organic and God-given. Over the last week I have received so many compliments regarding the thickness, length, and softness of my hair. 

I give credit to the hair journey in general, but incorporating coconut oil to my regimen the way I have has been the icing on the cake. 

Even after running in 70 and 80 degree temperatures, my hair holds up wonderfully. It retains its moisture and softness. I let down my pony tail and it falls right back into its roller-wrapped style. This never happens!

The advanced level of the challenge calls for two deep conditions with coconut oil each week. This has probably been the most difficult part of the challenge. Usually I am either too busy, too tired, or both. Yet, the sacrifice of an extra deep condition is amazing.

On top of the basic requirements for the challenge, I have also been sealing my hair with coconut oil at least four days a week. I do it lightly, but it still holds in the moisture well.

Here is a quick review of my coconut oil challenge regimen and coconut oil benefits!

Coconut Oil Benefits

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

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

Do you incorporate coconut oil in your hair regimen? 

Happy Hair Growing, 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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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?