Moving in a Different Direction.....

I sit here thinking and wondering if people still even read blogs anymore. It seems as though blogging is a lost art, and has been replaced with vlogging. Anyway I decided to possibly start back blogging not because I was seeking an audience, but because I have a lot on my mind that I would share and keep a note of. This blog started out as me chronicling my relaxed hair journey as well as some beauty reviews. Now I still do plan to talk about hair and chronicle my new Sisterlocks journey, but I also want to talk about my self love journey and coming into my own person. So to who ever is reading this I hope you grab a seat and journey along with me on this ride!


~Stay Tuned New Chapter Beginning~

5 Months Into Transition!!

Well on the 22nd of this month I will be 5 months into my transition. I'm not experiencing any complications as yet really. Except for last wash, I had been sick for two weeks and unable to do my hair so it was really tangled. I clarified with Giovanni Tea Tree and Shampooed with Shea Moisture Moisture Rentention Shampoo. I deep conditioned with One n' Only Argan Oil in the tub, this was blah! It had no slip and didn't really moisturize my hair at all will not be using this again. This wash I decided to flat iron my hair because it is a little easier to manage the two textures in my hair. I'm still trying to decide a regimen to use while I transition and will keep you all posted! HHG

Deciding to Transition!!

So I got my touch up on the 22nd of October, and wasn't all that too happy with the results nor have I been too happy with my hair for awhile. I have played around with transitioning in the past but always ended up relaxing at some point. This time I seriously want to transition, and have been looking at women or are transitioning right now or have already gone natural. I am a little apprehensive about a few things because once my new growth gets beyond the manageable stage braidouts and other hairstyles don't look as good. Another thing I am apprehensive about is that when I was natural in the past I didn't know how to handle my hair, but this was before I got all the plethora of information I have received  from hair care forums that I feel can be applied to both natural and relaxed hair as well. I am plan on doing a long term transition, so for every inch of hair I grow that's how many inches of relaxed hair I will be getting cut off. Wish me luck everyone!!

Ok I Am Back... Regimen Under Construction!!!

I know it has been awhile since I have updated my blog, I have just been super busy with life!! Anyway I haven't been consistently following my regimen and have just let my hair be for awhile. I went from straightening my hair just during touch ups to wearing it straight once a month to get to enjoy it. Well now I am trying to accomplish a new goal of getting my hair to tailbone length, and need to get back f ledge into a more consistent regimen. My new regimen is going to be much simpler compared to my older regimens, and will be trying to add some Ayurveda hair care products. I am in the Ayuverda Hair Challenge on Hairlista, but I don't really plan on getting too much into the powders that a lot of women use it seems too time consuming and complicated. So far I have a Shikakai soap bar, Vatika Oil, and Amla Oil that's it! I wont being writing a review on these products or regimen until I have tried it for at least three months or unless I start to see adverse affects on my hair. I know for a fact I will be going back to just getting flat irons on touch up days which is coming up next month. And I will be staying far far away from bantu knots as those do nothing but tangle my hair up. But I will be back to talk about my progress... Talk to all soon!! HHG =]

Sallys Hair Haul Got Some New Goodies

Well today I got bored sitting at home and decided to go to Sallys to look around. I admit I have been trying to stay consistent with the products I use, but eh... Using the same products over and over though beneficial does get old after awhile. But I must say I haven't been going off the mark with the new products I am trying. Most of them are the same equivalents of products I have used before. So what did I get? Well here goes:

Soft and Beautiful Just for Me Oil Moisturizing Lotion

I am going to say this product is an equivalent to the Silken Child Moisturizer, just with not as good ingredients. But then again, the reformulated version of Silken Child doesn't have as good of ingredients as the original. This product does have Mineral Oil and Petroleum in it... Wooo Hahaha (evil laugh). I just moisturized with it a few hours ago and put my hair in two plaits, I did like the sheen it gave my hair. Tomorrow when I take my hair down I will see how it works, last time I used a hair product that had petroleum in it my hair was hard crunchy mess. Hopefully this time it wont be the case.

Lustrasilk Moisture Max Mega Moist Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion

I am going to say the equivalent to a product I used in the past would be Elasta Qp Oil Recovery minus all the extracts and oils it had. This product too has Mineral Oil and Petroleum in it, so I am guessing now you notice I am not a biggie on ingredients. I feel if it works it works no matter what kind of ingredients there are in it. I am not sure when I will be using this product as to now I am getting a feel for Just for Me or why I even picked this particular product up. Other than the fact I wanted to give it a try awhile ago but forgot to. So once I do I will back with a review, and if I like both moisturizers I am not sure what I will do because I still like my Jheri Juice products. And if I like one of the products it will be in rotation with my Jheri Juice product.

Wild Growth Light Oil Moisturizer

For awhile I have used the Wild Growth Oil that came in the white bottle all the while ignoring the yellow one. I do notice the yellow one sells out more at Sallys and I always thought the yellow one had better looking ingredients. But for whatever reason I kept purchasing the white one, well today I used this to seal in the Just for Me Moisturizer and I must say this one gives a better sheen. It might be due to the fact it has Jojoba and Coconut Oil in it, and though the smell isn't as potent as the one in the white bottle the smell of this one isn't a walk in a field of flowers either. But with continued use of this I will tell you what I think of this product. I also picked up some more sectiong clips for my hair. All reviews for these products will come soon.. HHJ =]

African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion... Classic Case of Wanting Something to Work and it Just Doesn't

I really wanted to like this product, really I did. After all they "Hey have you tried this hair moisturizer it's great!" from all the hairboards I was willing for it to work. Maybe that is why I gave it so many chances to begin with and had an excuse for why it didn't work each time. First time I tried it was in January prior to my relaxer day. I moisturized and sealed it in with Coconut Oil and the next day when I took my hair down some parts were soft but the rest of my hair felt like an oily mess! I blamed it on the fact that maybe it was my new growth and relaxed hair rebelling due to being so many weeks post. So a few weeks after getting my hair relaxed I tried it again, this time sealing with WGO. The next day when I took my hair down it was just as oily if not more oily than before. I was tempted to lay on a cloth pillow case just to soak up the greasy mess, matter of fact I think I do lay on a cotton pillow case for that reason!! Yesterday night was my last time trying this product.I said "Hmmmm maybe this time if I use less and don't use any oil to seal it in, since it already has an oil to it." Boy was I wrong this morning when I took my hair down it was oily, and then when I went out to do some errands it felt dry!! So, ummmm... I believe I am going to chuck this one up as a loss. This product is going to go in the product graveyard it was a no go. For some reason I don't know why I bothered with this product from the get go, my hair isn't a fan of Olive Oil and Soybean type moisturizers anyway so I should have known better. But eh... I guess you win some and you lose some.. HHJ =]

Battle of the Skin Care Regimens: St. Ives VS. Neutrogena

Let the battling begin!!!

Ok so I am going to be honest and say that I have used the St. Ives skin care regimen a while longer than I have used the Neutrogena line. I've used St. Ives for a month and this is my first week using the Neutrogena line, but I will give the rundown of the differences I have seen thus far.

St. Ives VS. Neutrogena... Facial Washes

St. Ives Apricot Blemish & Blackhead Control Facial Wash: I really liked this facial wash, I would use it morning and night. It isn't one of those soapy kind of facial washes but more so a creamy like facial wash that rubs into the skin. After each wash my face would feel soft and look clear. I got a lot of compliments from people about my skin. The downside to this facial wash is that where I live it is hard to come by. I have only seen it sold at two stores: Walmart and Meijers. The upside is that for people who want a more "natural" facial wash this one is as about as natural a mainstream facial wash you can get. That is until Neutrogena came out with their natural line.

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash: This wash is more of a soapy variety, which I read in a few articles, that soapy and clear facial washes are better for people with oily skin(that fits me). I don't suffer from acne but do get an occasional bump here and there. I feel this wash would help with that. I like that it actually lathers on my face and is soapy, because I feel like I have cleaned all the dirt and everything off my face. Sometimes with the St. Ives I didn't feel that way. If you wash your face off with a wash cloth you will have to keep wiping that area as it doesn't give a clean wipe off. If you are a person that splashes your face with water to wash it off then you should be fine. This wash also comes in Pink Grapefruit and Soothing Green Tea.

If I Had to Choose Between the Two: I would have to go with Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash it seems like it is really clearing up the bumps on my face already. And I still get compliments on how nice my skin looks. I truely feel like my skin is clean with this stuff.

St. Ives VS Neutrogena... Facial Scrubs

St. Ives Naturally Clear Blemish and Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub: I am going to start off by saying this scrub is really abrasive and rough. I would use it three times a week, every other day. I do feel like it helped with face and did even out my skin tone. It's just that it was rough and would leave some of the exfoliants on my face.

Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Foaming Scrub: My first time using it was tonight, and one thing I noticed was that it wasn't as abrasive and harsh on my face like the St. Ives. I loved the smell of it (Pink Grapefruit) and how the beads worked on my skin. Can't wait to try it a few times, I like that it's a scrub without it feeling like it is going to scrub my skin off.

If I Had to Choose Between the Two: I am not really sure, I have used the St. Ives longer so it wouldn't feel fair to say. Also I feel like the Neutrogena would be great for nightly scrubs whereas the St. Ives would be great for a monthly deep down exfoliant. So I feel they both serve two different purposes.

Other Things St. Ives Has That I Like

I really like using St. Ives Makeup Remover & Facial Cleanser, I haven't tried the Neutrogena equivalent to this, but I like using this for days I wear makeup which isn't too often, but often enough.

Other Things Neutrogena Has That I Like

I like Neutrogena's Oil Free Moisture For Sensitive Skin, it really makes the skin on my face soft. I haven't seen a St. Ives equivalent to this, but prior to using this moisturizer I was using Clean and Clear's Dual Facial Moisturizer. I might start wearing the Clean and Clear underneath since the Clean and Clear helps with Acne and bumps as well.

So there you have it ladies and gents my battle show down, and I guess it is safe to say that I am starting to like the Neutrogena line better for my skin care and type: Combination/Oily, whereas St. Ives might be better for someone with dry skin. I will give a more detailed description of my skin care regimen soon!!