Hair Diary || From "Stunted" to Growth

For a long period of time (August 2010 through February 2012), my front hair was stunted.  It appeared as if it wasn't growing (though we all know hair is growing) or as if it had reached its terminal length. I just assumed that my years of relaxing had done a number on my follicles in that region.  After all, my front hair hardly ever grew past 6 inches while wearing a relaxer (except in my childhood years).

Note how my front hair did not retain length from February 2011 to February 2012.
(It actually had not retained length since August 2010, which is not pictured here.)
Note the length retention in February 2013 after cutting ~1-2 inches several months before to create bangs.

So, annoyed by my seemingly stunted growth, I decided to cut some bangs and forget about my growth in that region.  Then during my wash-n-go experiment a few weeks ago, as I was finger detangling in the shower, I noticed how far my bangs stretched.  No more "stunted", they had finally retained some length in the past year!  It made a lot of sense 1) considering Jc's article on "Trimming for Longer Hair" on The Natural Haven combined with me 2) practicing gentler detangling in that area. (I'm usually impatient by the time I get to the front of my hair for detangling.) So those two methods helped my bangs retain some length.  Do check out Jc's article for a thorough explanation of how trimming helps!  I think I might do another cut (about 1 inch) of the bangs.

Now for some random hair shots:

One week after flat iron.  Wore the straight hair for ~3 weeks.
Majority of the time, it was in jumbo twists and bunned.

February length check. ~3 weeks after flat iron.
For the next ~3 weeks I will wear wash-n-gos using Cyntriarf's method again.

Mixology || Recipe for Possible Regrowth of Edges

Are you trying to re-grow your edges?  The following mixture proved effective in a study of alopecia areata.  Though the conclusion of that study does not automatically translate into regrowth of edges that suffered via other means (e.g., traction alopecia), it may not hurt to see if this mixture works for you.

DISCLAIMER: Essential oils are very potent. Please consult your doctor before using them, especially if you are pregnant, breast feeding, or have a medical condition. 

Ingredients (and portions from the journal):
3 mL of jojoba oil
20 mL of grapeseed oil
2 drops of thyme essential oil
3 drops of lavender essential oil
3 drops of rosemary essential oil
2 drops of cedarwood essential oil

Instructions:
Mix all the essential oils into your carrier oils (jojoba and grapeseed) and store in a container.  Use mixture to massage your edges for 2 minutes before going to bed.  Then wrap your edges with a warm towel to aid in the absorption of the oils. Do this nightly for several months.

"Soul" Food Mondays ... Er, A Day Late || Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.  It turns what we have into enough, and more.  It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity.  It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.  Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." ~ MELODY BEATTIE

Move throughout each day with gratitude.

Protective Style Lookbook || Three Crowns One Queen

By popular demand, this is a series showcasing various protective hair styles.  Protective styling does not have to be boring. :o)

Model: Laila

Style description: Three different head wrap looks. 

Difficulty level: 3/5

Health 101: Cellulite

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

One of the most asked questions I get from clients that are older females is…”How do I get rid of my cellulite!?!?”…

…The answer…. You Can’t…

Yes, that is right ladies; you are stuck with the curse of having lumps in your legs (and other possible areas). To be honest…EVERYONE has it! It may be just a little…or it may be a whole lot more. Some women express it way more than others….and some you cannot see it at all…but it is there!

Cellulite is fat that is trapped right under the skin surface. The fat clumps up in some areas and that causes the “dimples” you see in your thighs or hips. Some women (and yes men get it as well) are genetically prone to getting more than others.

With healthy eating and exercise, it will help you REDUCE the appearance of cellulite. It will not fully go away! But it will not look as bad or as visible with a consistent strength training and cardio routine. 

So yes, that means save your money on the dimple creams and laser surgeries. They have been proven to help reduce the sight of cellulite TEMPORARILY! But, guess what….yes it will come back! For the best results….and the long lasting results….start working out! And of course adopt a healthy diet! Once you start to lose that extra body fat, the muscle under the skin and fat will start to tighten and sculpt your body.

This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my blog for more health and fitness related topics!

Natural Remedy || Lemon Juice for Constipation and Diarrhea

NOTE:  This may NOT work for constipation or diarrhea caused by anything other than over-eating fast food and junk food.  Please consult your doctor in cases outside of these.

Once in a while, I will indulge in a greasy burger and fries or some junk food, and because my body is not used to these meals, constipation and (sometimes) diarrhea will be right around the corner.  (Sorry if this is TMI.) 

Many of you may already know about the following concoction, but I will share my experience with it anyway.  When it comes to constipation and diarrhea, drinking lemon juice mixed with warm water works like a charm for me!  Though I couldn't find any medical explanation on the internet, there are tons of people who also swear by this natural remedy.  If I had to take an educated guess, I would assume that the acidity of the lemon helps with digestion. I really don't know as I am not a doctor, but here is the simple recipe I use:

Ingredients:
1 part lemon juice (from a fresh lemon)
1 part warm water

Instructions:
Mix the ingredients and drink once to three times a day.  If your constipation does not go away (or decrease) in two days, then please consult your doctor.

This works for me.  Hopefully it will work for you! 

(Also, increase your water and fiber intake to help further combat constipation.)

Hair Diary || Final Thoughts on Wash-n-Go Experience

So a few weeks ago, I decided to experiment with Cynthiarf's method and wear my first wash-n-go in years!  Well, after having done it for about two weeks, I can finally share my thoughts on the experience:

How did it go?  I loved it and plan to incorporate it more regularly into my regimen this year.  The key to minimizing knots and tangles while wearing the wash-n-go is to finger comb and remove the shed hair daily and thoroughly.  I was able to go one to two days between wash-n-gos probably because I used a lot of gel for definition and hold.  Otherwise, I think I would've been asking for trouble by stretching the look.  

Did I notice increased knots and tangling?  To my surprise, not really except for "back there".  My back hair did tangle a little because, unlike the rest of my hair, it is very fine.  (Hence, if you have long, fine Type 4 strands, I personally would recommend that you be cautious when trying this method.)  Also, it is very important to use a conditioner to wash as opposed to a shampoo, which will contribute to tangling and matting of the loose hair.  However, since I believe in shampoos for cleansing, I did use one weekly followed by conditioner.  Lastly, over time my hair became easier to finger comb and softer.  I believe Cynthiarf alludes to why (as well as why this method works for our hair in general) in this comment to her youtube video.

For those who are interested in trying her method, here is the link to her video tutorial.  Also, feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section below!  Now for a few more wash-n-go photos. :o)

Wet.  No gel.  Day one.

Wet. Gel. Week two.

Dry.  Gel.  Week one.