I ordered a hair analysis from Live Curly Live Free several weeks ago and just received my profile. My results:
Texture: coarse
Porosity: normal
Elasticity: low
Shocked the heck out of me. I had my hair properties all wrong. I thought my texture was normal, my porosity was a little higher than normal, and my elasticity was normal to high. Most of the recommendations fit with what I've been doing based on the way my hair responds, but I will be changing a few things.
Since I have coarse hair, I'm supposed to avoid protein. Guess what? I thought my hair liked protein, and I've been doing protein treatments once a month or so! I haven't noticed a drastic difference afterward (good or bad), but my hair does tend to be very dry in general. I haven't experienced that straw-like feeling protein-sensitive curlies talk about, so I'm wondering how much of an issue it really is for me.
After taking inventory of the products I use, it turns out more than half of them are protein-free, and almost all of the ones I use most often are. Unfortunately, a few of my favorites are not, like the Gudonya shampoo and conditioner. At least my most beloved Shea Moisture products (Raw Shea Shampoo and Conditioner, and Curl Enhancing Smoothie) can stay in the rotation. Sadly, I now have two buckets of Eco Styler that are verboten. At least they were cheap.
Most of the results made sense to me: while my hair doesn't seem to conform to all the properties of coarse hair (not being able to hold a style or wet set - my hair holds an artificially-induced curl like nobody's business), most of the descriptions were spot-on.
My hair is dry (but not brittle), very thick and strong, and is somewhat resistant to coloring. I always have marathon salon appointments because it takes longer than usual for color to process, and because my hair is really dense it requires two batches of color to cover it all.
The elasticity thing is more mysterious to me. My hair isn't especially brittle as far as I can tell. I don't experience a lot of breakage, but I treat it gently. Looking at it, it seemed to me like it stretched pretty far before breaking, but I really don't have anything to compare it to. However, it does explain why my hair doesn't always hold its natural curl. I always thought it was strange, because my curls mostly vary between thumb and pencil diameter. You'd think it would hold, wouldn't you? Not so much.
According to the analysis, low elasticity is caused by over-processing and/or excessive heat styling. I color my hair, but I've never thought of it as "over-processed" since it doesn't look damaged. I have a lot of grey, which I'm not ready to embrace, so I have it dyed to match my natural color, which is very dark. I do have a few highlights (like 12). I've straightened my hair maybe five times in my entire life, but I do diffuse it every few days. I guess that and the color must cause more damage than I thought.
I'm definitely glad I ordered the analysis. While it won't cause any drastic changes in my routine, it does give me some explanations for certain things - like why I need to remoisturize between washes and why it's difficult to get my curls to boing. I will make some minor adjustments, like focusing more on emollients and avoiding protein. I'll be interested to see if I notice any changes.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Nail polish digression
I love nail polish. Another side effect of my love of color. I go through phases where I stop doing my nails (usually when I'm too busy or doing a lot of jewelry/metalsmithing - hell on a manicure). But I always come back to it. I have a vast (read: ridiculously large) collection in almost every color of the rainbow. And I'm not choosy: I have polishes that cost anywhere from $.99 to $18 a bottle. Yes, you read it right. In various moments of sheer madness, I purchased some Rescue Beauty Lounge shades (I'm not sorry - No More War is the most perfect swampy olive green ever).
This post was prompted by a couple of ladies on NC.com asking about base coats, top coats, nail treatments, etc. So rather than cluttering up the thread with a long response, I thought I'd write a blog post instead. I've tried a lot of products, but these are the ones I use regularly and go back to again and again.
Basecoats
Cuticle Care
This post was prompted by a couple of ladies on NC.com asking about base coats, top coats, nail treatments, etc. So rather than cluttering up the thread with a long response, I thought I'd write a blog post instead. I've tried a lot of products, but these are the ones I use regularly and go back to again and again.
Basecoats
- Qtica Nail Growth Stimulator (HG status): My nails are brittle and have a tendency to peel and break. Treatment base coats have become a necessity, and I tried many before stumbling across this one. I don't use it to promote growth, because my nails grow fast anyway. For me it's more about strengthening. It's expensive ($20 for a half ounce bottle), but for me it's worth every penny. When I use it regularly, I have no peeling or breakage.
- Orly Bonder: My polish chips quickly, which drives me batty. I'm lucky if I can go three days without chipping, in spite of being careful, wearing gloves when I do dishes, etc. You can't wear gloves in the shower, and that's what usually does them in. Top coats don't seem to make a difference. Bonder does. I've tried other sticky base coats, and this is the only one that works. My nails don't stay perfect, but it does minimize the chipping.
- Seche Vite: I'm a hurry-up, don't-have-time-to-sit-around-waiting-for-my-nails-to-dry kind of girl, so quick-drying top coats are mandatory. Seche is thick, which bothers some people. I'm not one of them. It's also self-leveling, which is great. It dries fast and gives a really glossy finish.
- Poshe Super-Fast Drying Top Coat: This is thinner than Seche Vite and has a smaller brush. My nails are wide, so it's more work to apply. Like Seche, it gives a nice, glossy finish, but since it isn't as thick two or more coats are required over glitter polish.
- Qtica Half Time Polish Drying Accelerator (HG): I won't do a manicure without it. After applying my topcoat (Seche or Poshe), I put a drop of this on each nail. It coats the nail and feels like a light oil. It's another layer of (temporary) protection against dings, and it makes quick-dry top coats dry even faster.
Cuticle Care
- Poshe AHA Cuticle Care (HG status): My cuticles have always been a problem area. They are always dry, regardless of how much hand lotion I use, and I have excessive cuticle growth. I am the hangnail queen, which is both annoying and unattractive. Not to mention painful. I use the Poshe AHA cream every night, and the problem has disappeared. This stuff has changed my life. No kidding. Someone actually admired my cuticles a couple of months ago.
- Qtica Intense Cuticle Repair Balm (another HG): This is the strangest cuticle cream I've ever used. It's thick and sort of sticky, and smells kind of odd. Not bad, just odd. It's pricey ($16 for a .5 oz jar), but it lasts me forever. It's the only thing that makes any difference in the moisture level of my cuticles. Bonus: it sticks like nobody's business. One application lasts me through several hand washings. Love this stuff.
- CND Solaroil: Cheap, easy to apply, and available in tiny little bottles I can stash all over my home, in my bag, in the car. It's mostly sweet almond oil, so it isn't greasy. It soaks in pretty quickly, and I use it whenever I can remember. It doesn't do a lot for me on its own - it's more of a maintenance product, and great when I don't need (or have time to apply) the Qtica balm.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Testing, testing....
I want get some new hair products. Since I can't afford to blow $100 on something I hate, I ordered a bunch of samples so I can try out some of the things I'm interested in:
I used the Miracurls Curling Jelly on Friday. It was Stash's birthday, and we were going out. I lo-poo'd and conditioned, then sectioned my hair and added Biotera leave-in, which I'm really starting to like. When I squeezed some product out of the sample bottle, I was surprised; it's much thicker than what I think of as a jelly consistency - more like a cream. And it has strange dark red specks in it, almost like seeds. Since the jelly itself is a red color, it doesn't look as alarming as it sounds. The smell was interesting: sort of coconut and something else.
I applied Miracurls to each section, then made the mistake of experimenting with combing it through with a fine-tooth comb (which someone on NC.com had recommended). Um, no. So I tried the Denman. No again. By now my hair is losing moisture, and scrunching is not producing curl. Bad sign. I'm getting a little nervous now; we don't go out that often, and I like to look good when we do. I'm also running out of time. So I misted it heavily with water to loosen it up and undo what the comb and Denman had done. When I scrunched with my flour sack, the curls reappeared. Disaster averted.
I diffused as usual (placing my hair in the "bowl" and "accordioning" upward towards my scalp). Halfway through I started thinking I had used way too much product (I do tend to be heavy-handed). My hair was crunchy and looked a little greasy. Not to mention that something strange was happening. When I released it to move on to the next section, the ends were wonky. The jelly was making them hard enough to hold the weird position they were in during the "accordion". I've used hard-hold gels, and never had this problem. Not cool.
Interestingly, when my hair was dry the crunch and greasy look disappeared, and my hair was soft. However, the curl formation was pretty random. I had some tight ones, some loose ones, barely wavy bits, and pieces that were downright straight. The back of my head (always my problem area) had nothing going on. A little wave, maybe. I know from experience that the way my hair looks just after diffusing and the way it will look by the time I'm ready to leave the house are often two different things - it needs time to settle in - so I wasn't all that bothered. Still, it was clear it wasn't going to be a great hair day.
It got a little better, but not much. It was pretty straight when I woke up Saturday; on the bright side, it was really soft and didn't feel dry at all. I spritzed it with my curl reviver spray and scrunched. Meh. I also started to get crunch. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the fault of the DM jelly. I think I put too much agave in the spray this time. The perils of not measuring.
Since my hair really wasn't happening, I decided to take a flyer and scrunch in some of the Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly. Things improved. I diffused, and it was somewhat better. I definitely had more curl in the back than I did on Friday. But I can't say I was happy with my hair, so I pulled the front back with a claw clip and ignored it.
I really wanted to love the Donna Marie Curling Jelly. But I didn't. I don't think it's a terrible product, just not for me. Over all, not impressed. I doubt I will be trying her other products.
The Spiral Solutions, on the other hand, has definite possibilities. That's next on the agenda.
- Donna Marie Miracurls Curling Jelly
- Kinky Curly Curling Custard
- Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly
- A bunch of Curl Junkie stuff - Curl Assurance Smoothing Lotion, Curl Queen, and Curls in a Bottle
I used the Miracurls Curling Jelly on Friday. It was Stash's birthday, and we were going out. I lo-poo'd and conditioned, then sectioned my hair and added Biotera leave-in, which I'm really starting to like. When I squeezed some product out of the sample bottle, I was surprised; it's much thicker than what I think of as a jelly consistency - more like a cream. And it has strange dark red specks in it, almost like seeds. Since the jelly itself is a red color, it doesn't look as alarming as it sounds. The smell was interesting: sort of coconut and something else.
I applied Miracurls to each section, then made the mistake of experimenting with combing it through with a fine-tooth comb (which someone on NC.com had recommended). Um, no. So I tried the Denman. No again. By now my hair is losing moisture, and scrunching is not producing curl. Bad sign. I'm getting a little nervous now; we don't go out that often, and I like to look good when we do. I'm also running out of time. So I misted it heavily with water to loosen it up and undo what the comb and Denman had done. When I scrunched with my flour sack, the curls reappeared. Disaster averted.
I diffused as usual (placing my hair in the "bowl" and "accordioning" upward towards my scalp). Halfway through I started thinking I had used way too much product (I do tend to be heavy-handed). My hair was crunchy and looked a little greasy. Not to mention that something strange was happening. When I released it to move on to the next section, the ends were wonky. The jelly was making them hard enough to hold the weird position they were in during the "accordion". I've used hard-hold gels, and never had this problem. Not cool.
Interestingly, when my hair was dry the crunch and greasy look disappeared, and my hair was soft. However, the curl formation was pretty random. I had some tight ones, some loose ones, barely wavy bits, and pieces that were downright straight. The back of my head (always my problem area) had nothing going on. A little wave, maybe. I know from experience that the way my hair looks just after diffusing and the way it will look by the time I'm ready to leave the house are often two different things - it needs time to settle in - so I wasn't all that bothered. Still, it was clear it wasn't going to be a great hair day.
It got a little better, but not much. It was pretty straight when I woke up Saturday; on the bright side, it was really soft and didn't feel dry at all. I spritzed it with my curl reviver spray and scrunched. Meh. I also started to get crunch. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the fault of the DM jelly. I think I put too much agave in the spray this time. The perils of not measuring.
Since my hair really wasn't happening, I decided to take a flyer and scrunch in some of the Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly. Things improved. I diffused, and it was somewhat better. I definitely had more curl in the back than I did on Friday. But I can't say I was happy with my hair, so I pulled the front back with a claw clip and ignored it.
I really wanted to love the Donna Marie Curling Jelly. But I didn't. I don't think it's a terrible product, just not for me. Over all, not impressed. I doubt I will be trying her other products.
The Spiral Solutions, on the other hand, has definite possibilities. That's next on the agenda.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Small Victories, Part II
My husbeast hates buns. The kind you put in your hair, I mean. French rolls and Gibson tucks are okay. But not buns. He calls them "librarian buns" and states adamantly that they are "ass-ugly". My hair is a bit below shoulder length and weighs roughly 12 pounds. I also live in a city that was built on a swamp, and we have some hot, hella-humid summers. Having my hair down is like wearing a mohair hood. You see my problem.
Now, while I will take Stash's opinion into account, I'm hardly going to suffer heat stroke to please his odd perceptions of beauty. Last weekend we went to my father-in-law's to help him sort through 30 years' worth of stuff and make some room in his house. I knew it was going to be hot in there, so I put my hair in - gasp! - a messy bun. Guess what? Stash liked it.
It seems I have found the key. Tidy buns are the problem. Mine was far from it. I sprayed some homemade curl refresher on second day hair, diffused a tiny bit, then gathered and twisted it loosely, holding it in place with Goody Spin Pins (love those things). The curls near my face are shorter and fell out. I let a couple hang out and used two or three thin headbands to hold the rest back. Done.
Now, while I will take Stash's opinion into account, I'm hardly going to suffer heat stroke to please his odd perceptions of beauty. Last weekend we went to my father-in-law's to help him sort through 30 years' worth of stuff and make some room in his house. I knew it was going to be hot in there, so I put my hair in - gasp! - a messy bun. Guess what? Stash liked it.
It seems I have found the key. Tidy buns are the problem. Mine was far from it. I sprayed some homemade curl refresher on second day hair, diffused a tiny bit, then gathered and twisted it loosely, holding it in place with Goody Spin Pins (love those things). The curls near my face are shorter and fell out. I let a couple hang out and used two or three thin headbands to hold the rest back. Done.
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| I really dislike this photo, but at least you can see my awesome Marie LaVeau earrings. |
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Small victories, Part I and a mini-review of Ion Effective Care Treatment
I've had a couple of minor victories recently. One was achieving the best hair day I've had in a while. On second thought, that's a pretty big victory!
I had noticed that my hair was becoming less curly. For me, this is practically a crisis, since my goal is to get tighter curls, not looser ones. My usually 3a/3b hair was looking more 2c/3a. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, particularly since we've had incredibly high dew points. Humidity will generally give me more curl (and frizz), not less.
After reading some posts on NC.com, I started to wonder if maybe my hair was over conditioned and/or had product build up. Someone pointed out that my beloved Shea Moisture is loaded with - you guessed it - shea butter, which isn't the easiest thing to remove with just a gentle lo-poo. This had never occurred to me. I guess I'm a little dim.
So, fortified with this new bit of information, I did a baking soda cleanse in place of my lo-poo. I mixed 2 T of baking soda with 6 T of conditioner and worked it into my hair thoroughly. After rinsing with water, I applied a vinegar rinse of about 2 T of vinegar (apple cider or white are both fine) to 2 c of water. A baking soda cleanse must be followed with a vinegar rinse to close the cuticle. I poured the rinse over my head, squished it around a bit, then rinsed. My hair felt almost squeaky clean - not something I usually want, but in this case I was pleased! I followed up with a quick protein treatment, using Ion Effective Care Treatment.
The mini-review: I discovered the Ion treatment through Healthy Curls (one of my favorite blogs - she's almost got me convinced to go Paleo!). I generally mix up my own DTs and PTs, but she had me interested. Then synchronicity struck: I went to Sally's for some stuff and had to renew my Beauty Club card. Lo and behold, my renewal entitled me to a free Ion product! So of course I picked up the Effective Care Treatment, and I like it a lot.It's very thick and coats well, and I like that I can detangle with it, rather than having to use an extra conditioner. It works in 2 - 3 minutes, and I don't need a DT afterward - always a plus. I still make my own treatments when the mood strikes or I want to use something in particular, but the Ion treatment is convenient and effective. I will probably repurchase.
Back to my treatment. I put it in, used it to detangle, then left it on while I did the rest of my shower stuff. My hair felt conditioned after I rinsed it out, so I didn't bother to follow with a rinse-out.
I decided to go with the less-is-more approach and use as few products as possible, and nothing heavy. I put in a little Biotera LI, which is positively watery. Then I added Organic Root Stimulator Lock &Twist Gel (all on soaking we hair). The second ingredient in the L&T gel is coconut milk, so I figured it would give me enough moisture without overdoing it. I sectioned my hair into about six parts and applied it sparingly to each one. Then I scrunched in a little more all over before scrunching out the excess water with a flour sack. I diffused until my hair was about 85 - 90% dry, and I was really pleased with the results. My curls were tighter and bouncier, and I even had curls in the back (it's usually stubborn, and at times downright wavy. Bugs the crap out of me). In spite of the fact that I was outside a fair amount and the dews were in the high 60s, my hair held up well. A little frizzy, but I accept that as part of curly hair in high dew points.
I'll write a little review of ORS Lock & Twist Gel after I've used it a few more times. So far, though, it gets a reserved thumbs up. While I liked the initial results a lot, my second day hair left something to be desired....
I had noticed that my hair was becoming less curly. For me, this is practically a crisis, since my goal is to get tighter curls, not looser ones. My usually 3a/3b hair was looking more 2c/3a. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, particularly since we've had incredibly high dew points. Humidity will generally give me more curl (and frizz), not less.
After reading some posts on NC.com, I started to wonder if maybe my hair was over conditioned and/or had product build up. Someone pointed out that my beloved Shea Moisture is loaded with - you guessed it - shea butter, which isn't the easiest thing to remove with just a gentle lo-poo. This had never occurred to me. I guess I'm a little dim.
So, fortified with this new bit of information, I did a baking soda cleanse in place of my lo-poo. I mixed 2 T of baking soda with 6 T of conditioner and worked it into my hair thoroughly. After rinsing with water, I applied a vinegar rinse of about 2 T of vinegar (apple cider or white are both fine) to 2 c of water. A baking soda cleanse must be followed with a vinegar rinse to close the cuticle. I poured the rinse over my head, squished it around a bit, then rinsed. My hair felt almost squeaky clean - not something I usually want, but in this case I was pleased! I followed up with a quick protein treatment, using Ion Effective Care Treatment.
The mini-review: I discovered the Ion treatment through Healthy Curls (one of my favorite blogs - she's almost got me convinced to go Paleo!). I generally mix up my own DTs and PTs, but she had me interested. Then synchronicity struck: I went to Sally's for some stuff and had to renew my Beauty Club card. Lo and behold, my renewal entitled me to a free Ion product! So of course I picked up the Effective Care Treatment, and I like it a lot.It's very thick and coats well, and I like that I can detangle with it, rather than having to use an extra conditioner. It works in 2 - 3 minutes, and I don't need a DT afterward - always a plus. I still make my own treatments when the mood strikes or I want to use something in particular, but the Ion treatment is convenient and effective. I will probably repurchase.
Back to my treatment. I put it in, used it to detangle, then left it on while I did the rest of my shower stuff. My hair felt conditioned after I rinsed it out, so I didn't bother to follow with a rinse-out.
I decided to go with the less-is-more approach and use as few products as possible, and nothing heavy. I put in a little Biotera LI, which is positively watery. Then I added Organic Root Stimulator Lock &Twist Gel (all on soaking we hair). The second ingredient in the L&T gel is coconut milk, so I figured it would give me enough moisture without overdoing it. I sectioned my hair into about six parts and applied it sparingly to each one. Then I scrunched in a little more all over before scrunching out the excess water with a flour sack. I diffused until my hair was about 85 - 90% dry, and I was really pleased with the results. My curls were tighter and bouncier, and I even had curls in the back (it's usually stubborn, and at times downright wavy. Bugs the crap out of me). In spite of the fact that I was outside a fair amount and the dews were in the high 60s, my hair held up well. A little frizzy, but I accept that as part of curly hair in high dew points.
I'll write a little review of ORS Lock & Twist Gel after I've used it a few more times. So far, though, it gets a reserved thumbs up. While I liked the initial results a lot, my second day hair left something to be desired....
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Rosacea, PSF, and my first Gibson Tuck!
I got my order from Pure Skin Formulations today. Whee! I've got my fingers crossed that the products will work for me. They were highly recommended by a number of very knowledgeable ladies on NC.com, so I have high hopes. But not too high.
I've been having a lot of trouble with my skin lately. I have rosacea, which is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. My case has been mild for most of the 15 years since I was diagnosed. Unfortunately, it's been moving into the "moderate" category for the past couple of months. In fact, it's worse than it's ever been. After a couple of flare-ups I went to a dermatologist, who turned out to be a butthead. After a bizarre encounter with him ("Nothing topical is going to help you", "You should be using something topical" - what???), I decided to try changing my skin care products, along with using the new topical prescription.
After getting some recommendations, I ordered samples from Diana Yvonne: Wheat Germ Cleanser, Rose Hip Cleanser, Hyaluronic Acid, and Ultra Emu Oil. The cleansers were a bomb out. I have combination skin and can get a pretty good oil slick going on my nose and forehead. The Wheat Germ dried me out so badly after two or three uses that my skin cracked near the corner of my mouth (I put some raw shea butter on it and it healed up almost overnight). The Rose Hip was better, but still left me very dry (to the point of peeling in places), and the HA and Emu Oil weren't enough to counteract it. I ended up putting jojoba oil on over them.
PSF doesn't offer samples; however, they do have a 30 day no-questions-asked money back guarantee, AND they sent me a 25% off code for Memorial Day weekend. How could I not try them? I ordered the Gentle Cleansing Castile, DMAE Gel, HA Serum, Vitamin C Serum, and got a free full-size Bio-Copper Serum! I've heard good things about copper peptides from other rosacea sufferers and I'm really curious to see the results.
This morning I used the cleanser, vitamin C, and DMAE, along with the HA sample and emu oil from DY. So far, so good. Sounds ridiculous to people with normal skin, but it's a small victory not to have developed any immediate irritation. I was particularly worried about the vitamin C, so I only did a patch test (I didn't want my whole face on fire if I reacted badly). No extra redness, bumps, or burning, so that's a good sign!
Will the stuff work in the long run? Who knows. I'm not expecting miracles. What I'm hoping is that, with consistent use, the products will improve the texture of my skin (not so happy with that either) and tone down the redness a little. I don't expect to get rid of it, but I'd like to go back to being pink as opposed to scarlet. I'll post progress reports.
In hair news, I did my first Gibson tuck today. Successfully! My hair was a wreck - it's Saturday, I forgot to wear my sleep bonnet last night, our dews have been in the upper 80's - and I had to run to Walgreen's to pick up a few things. My pony looked nasty, and I didn't feel like putting in a lot of effort just to go to the drugstore. I had run across the Gibson tuck a couple of weeks ago, and it looked easy enough, so I decided to try it.
Excuse the frizz and crazy curls at the nape of my neck - I was only to the drugstore, after all! It took me all of three minutes. Not bad for a first try.
I've been having a lot of trouble with my skin lately. I have rosacea, which is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. My case has been mild for most of the 15 years since I was diagnosed. Unfortunately, it's been moving into the "moderate" category for the past couple of months. In fact, it's worse than it's ever been. After a couple of flare-ups I went to a dermatologist, who turned out to be a butthead. After a bizarre encounter with him ("Nothing topical is going to help you", "You should be using something topical" - what???), I decided to try changing my skin care products, along with using the new topical prescription.
After getting some recommendations, I ordered samples from Diana Yvonne: Wheat Germ Cleanser, Rose Hip Cleanser, Hyaluronic Acid, and Ultra Emu Oil. The cleansers were a bomb out. I have combination skin and can get a pretty good oil slick going on my nose and forehead. The Wheat Germ dried me out so badly after two or three uses that my skin cracked near the corner of my mouth (I put some raw shea butter on it and it healed up almost overnight). The Rose Hip was better, but still left me very dry (to the point of peeling in places), and the HA and Emu Oil weren't enough to counteract it. I ended up putting jojoba oil on over them.
PSF doesn't offer samples; however, they do have a 30 day no-questions-asked money back guarantee, AND they sent me a 25% off code for Memorial Day weekend. How could I not try them? I ordered the Gentle Cleansing Castile, DMAE Gel, HA Serum, Vitamin C Serum, and got a free full-size Bio-Copper Serum! I've heard good things about copper peptides from other rosacea sufferers and I'm really curious to see the results.
This morning I used the cleanser, vitamin C, and DMAE, along with the HA sample and emu oil from DY. So far, so good. Sounds ridiculous to people with normal skin, but it's a small victory not to have developed any immediate irritation. I was particularly worried about the vitamin C, so I only did a patch test (I didn't want my whole face on fire if I reacted badly). No extra redness, bumps, or burning, so that's a good sign!
Will the stuff work in the long run? Who knows. I'm not expecting miracles. What I'm hoping is that, with consistent use, the products will improve the texture of my skin (not so happy with that either) and tone down the redness a little. I don't expect to get rid of it, but I'd like to go back to being pink as opposed to scarlet. I'll post progress reports.
In hair news, I did my first Gibson tuck today. Successfully! My hair was a wreck - it's Saturday, I forgot to wear my sleep bonnet last night, our dews have been in the upper 80's - and I had to run to Walgreen's to pick up a few things. My pony looked nasty, and I didn't feel like putting in a lot of effort just to go to the drugstore. I had run across the Gibson tuck a couple of weeks ago, and it looked easy enough, so I decided to try it.
Excuse the frizz and crazy curls at the nape of my neck - I was only to the drugstore, after all! It took me all of three minutes. Not bad for a first try.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Welcome to my journey
My hair has been my hobby lately. I admit it: I'm obsessed with my hair. And my skin - but I'll get to that later.
How did this happen? Well, like most women, I've always focused on it to some degree (greater or lesser, depending on the time period and what else was going on). Having curly hair sort of forces you to pay more attention to it. It needs more care and is harder to figure out than straight hair.
It had been a while since I paid any significant attention to it. There was too much going on in my life for that. Being a wife, working full time, and caring for a terminally ill family member took up all my time, energy, and attention. Two months ago, sadly, the care-taking came to an end. I had more time, but I was grieving and had little interest in my usual creative outlets. I needed a distraction. And suddenly, in an innocent search for a less expensive alternative to a product I'd been using, I noticed my hair again. We had a joyful reunion!
You see, it hadn't been so happy lately - that much I had noticed. While googling various things, I ran across NaturallyCurly.com. Holy crow. How had I missed this? The CurlTalk discussion boards, in particular. I was totally overwhelmed and delighted. I've learned more about my hair in the past two months than the rest of my life combined. This is the first time in my life I've joined a discussion board and done more than lurk. I've always been terribly shy online; for a site to pull me out of the shadows is a powerful thing.
So a big thank you to all the NC.com members. I've learned so much from all of you, and I'm grateful to you for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
I'm starting this blog to document my experiments, talk about products I love (or hate), and generally track my never-ending quest for good hair days. I've been keeping daily notes, anyway, so I figured I might as well put it online and share it with anyone who's interested. I hope you'll stick around and take the journey with me.
How did this happen? Well, like most women, I've always focused on it to some degree (greater or lesser, depending on the time period and what else was going on). Having curly hair sort of forces you to pay more attention to it. It needs more care and is harder to figure out than straight hair.
It had been a while since I paid any significant attention to it. There was too much going on in my life for that. Being a wife, working full time, and caring for a terminally ill family member took up all my time, energy, and attention. Two months ago, sadly, the care-taking came to an end. I had more time, but I was grieving and had little interest in my usual creative outlets. I needed a distraction. And suddenly, in an innocent search for a less expensive alternative to a product I'd been using, I noticed my hair again. We had a joyful reunion!
You see, it hadn't been so happy lately - that much I had noticed. While googling various things, I ran across NaturallyCurly.com. Holy crow. How had I missed this? The CurlTalk discussion boards, in particular. I was totally overwhelmed and delighted. I've learned more about my hair in the past two months than the rest of my life combined. This is the first time in my life I've joined a discussion board and done more than lurk. I've always been terribly shy online; for a site to pull me out of the shadows is a powerful thing.
So a big thank you to all the NC.com members. I've learned so much from all of you, and I'm grateful to you for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
I'm starting this blog to document my experiments, talk about products I love (or hate), and generally track my never-ending quest for good hair days. I've been keeping daily notes, anyway, so I figured I might as well put it online and share it with anyone who's interested. I hope you'll stick around and take the journey with me.
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