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Natural-K 9/27/09 Update

California

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Natural-K **9/27/09 Update**

My story…

I had my last relaxer in Oct 2000. I didn’t do a big chop. I gradually trimmed off the relaxer over time. I loved being natural but I found at some point my curl pattern had changed. It was in the summer of 2007 that I got fed up with the two different patterns and decided to do the big chop. At the time I had no idea why the change occurred. Now since having been exposed to the wealth of knowledge available on the hair boards I suspect my hair was heat damaged from getting it flat ironed at a shop in June ’04. That was the one and only time I went to a shop and she used a ton of heat and when I washed it out it didn’t revert as easily as it did after my self applied flat irons. Or maybe not?!? ... looking at the pics from July 2007 is that 3 years worth of new grow? :Off to find a hair growth chart:

The summer of ’07 I found naturallycurly.com and I went to a salon that was recommended on that site. It was a unique experience. I don't think the stylist had much experience with ethnic hair. She didn't want to cut all the finer part off and had me walking out of there a mess (see my album, big chop). Also my hair was all one length and she used these scissors that created short sections throughout the middle of my hair. The same day I ended up going to Supercuts and had them take the rest of the finer part off the ends.

I found fotki April of 2008 and immediately setup an account and spent countless hours stalking all your albums :) Soon after I found LHCF and sign up there too. I’ve learn a lot but only a fraction of the info available . I’m a little overwhelmed with everything out there (ie aruyveda, henna, growth aids, pre poos, steam, oil rinses, homemade products, etc) and have decided to keep it simple for now. I already used protective styles regularly (though I didn’t have a name for it) and I moisturized with my favorite ABBA Leave-In but I didn’t seal with oil or have a regular washing and conditioning schedule and almost never deep conditioned. Also, I’ve learned I was using too much Frizz Busters hair serum (pure cones) and rarely clarified which wasn’t good for the amount I cones I was using.

My regi is:
1. Wash and deep conditioner every week. Products: CON poo and Pantene Deep Conditioning Mask
2. Co-wash maybe once a week with Tresseme Moisture Rich
3. Clarify with a clarifying shampoo aprox once a month
4. Low manipulation. Usually detangle with conditioner on wash/co-wash days only
5. Protective styling majority of the week
6. Baggy most nights
7. Moisturize with ABBA Leave-In and seal with EVOO daily
8. I stopped using gel or serums to slick my hair back for ponytails, buns, etc.

Currently I'm full BSL stretched. My near term goal is to make waist length stretched. My ultimate goals are hip length stretched and/or full BSL twist/braid out.

P.S. I added a video when I first joined before I knew you all used the video section for tutorials. LOL. I don’t have any tutorials but my video does show my hair back in 2002.

3/15/09

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