FOREVER

It has been forever since I've posted anything hair related.

A few weeks ago I had surgery where I had to undergo anesthesia. Recovering from the surgery was fairly easy; however, recovery from anesthesia just about knocks you down a notch or two.

For 3 days I felt sluggish and drugged and was unable to walk to the bathroom without becoming exhausted; that meant I wasn't showering or caring for my hair either. Being sick is more than just hard on the body it's hard on the hair; I've spent the last week trying to revive and bring my curls out of hiding, hehehe.

The rain has helped my cause tremendously and I am thankful for the added moisture in the air. I continue to do co-washes, averaging about 2 times a week, and I wash with the lemonade to get the dirt and grit out of it about once a week. :) If my scalp gets itchy or dry I'll rub a little aloe vera on it and try not to scratch.

Again, I've learned to listen to my hair and care for the curls specific needs at the time. If they're not calling for anything I leave them alone and try to let them hang free as much as I can. It's getting long and I've been fighting the urge to whack it all off. With the summer heat coming I'm just not sure I want thick and curly hair down to the middle of my back...
I will be honest in saying that I can tell that no matter what length I decide on it is definitely time for at least a trim. I may not look scraggly but I feel it. My hope is to get back to Mitchells, in Cincinnati, here soon. Now it's just a matter of finding a weekend to get up there!

Curl: 9
Frizz: 1
Weather: Rainy and chilly
Stress: Low

Day 117: Routine

Since I've pretty much gotten into a routine of hair care I don't believe that I need to blog EVERY day about what I'm doing. I'll pop in every few days to make an update and be sure to record anything new or when I try a fun recipe again.

Unfortunately I didn't get to moisturize as I had hoped this weekend. I was singing at church again and it really does tie up my time, more than I would have thought. I love every minute of it so please don't think I'm complaining.

I did need to do a lemonade wash this weekend. I filled my 3 oz. bottle 75% with my conditioner and the other 25% with pure lemon juice. After a giving it a good shake I hopped in the shower and did a co-wash with the mixture. I was extravagant in my dosage and made sure to really massage my scalp. I plopped the ends and rinsed; while rinsing I gently ran my fingers through my hair to untangle and remove any loose hair. I lost a LOT of hair in the shower and even more once it was dry. With the amount of hair I loose in a given day I'm always amazed that I'm not bald!!!

I blot dried with my t-shirt, gel plopped and let it sit on a shirt until it was completely dry. I pulled the front back and gently pinned it and left the rest alone. It was a curly mess and I loved it! The next day I did a lavender spritz and pinned the front again and it looked even better than it had the day before!

Key tip I've learned about being a curly girl, and I've said this before, LISTEN to what your hair needs and wants. When it wants moisture do a treatment or a heavy co-wash. When it wants cleaned use one of the cleaning recipes (I prefer the lemonade). When it's grooving on it's own do a cold water rinse and leave it alone. Getting it trimmed regularly keeps the curls from getting weighed down; but be sure to find a stylist who understands how to work with curly hair.

Today my drive to work was long and slow and my hair is up in a messy up-do!
If your getting all the snow I am, stay safe and warm!

Curl: 8
Frizz: 2
Weather: 24F, SNOWY, 78% humidity
Stress: surprisingly low :)

Day 113: Breathe

My weekend was a whirl wind of activity. I recently joined the Praise Team at my church and the amount of music we had to learn for this past weekend caused extra rehearsals through out the day on Saturday in preparation for our Saturday night service. I was up early to get to the church by 10 and then headed back at 3. Sunday I was up even earlier to get there by 8 and when I got home after the 9 and 12:PM services I crashed.

Work has not been much better. We found out on Monday that UPS is going to furlough 300 of our pilots and that means that everyone's workload will double to ensure the care for our pilots needs in lue of the devastating news.

Tuesday my office was closed due to weather and I was afflicted with endometriosis. Once I was back on my feet I tackled the driveway and the grocery shopping. All of this lead to no time to blog about my hair let alone do much with it.

Today I did a cold water rinse, blot dry, with a light gel plop and shake. The curls are springy and bouncing with moisture despite the cold wind and weather. I've been making a conscious effort to keep them hydrated as much as possible and can see the payoff.

Curl: 8
Frizz: 1
Weather: 26F, Cloudy and snowy, 62% humidity
Stress: moderate

Day 107: Batten Down the Hatches

*Photo courtesy of Science

I'm not sure how the weather men are viewed in other parts of the US or the world but here where I live people are often skeptical of the forecast. For this weekend the forecast is that of the Apocalypse: freezing rain with a mixture of snow that will cause roads to shut down, people to get stranded, and mass chaos at the grocery stores and gas stations. Milk and bread will be impossible to find, gas stations will run out of gas and people will throw elbows to get a hold of generators; all before the first drop of rain falls from the sky and hits the pavement.

I got up this morning and turned on the news expecting to hear about numerous accidents that would cause me to have to leave for work 20 minutes earlier than normal. Where I live, even a little rain makes people go crazy. I don't care if frogs fall from the sky, if they change the condition of the pavement SLOW DOWN!

When I heard that traffic was normal I spritzed my hair with lavender spray standing upright instead of bending over. I blot dried what moisture was dripping and did a gel plop. I also did a light brush over of gel to keep the frizz down. This is where I have a small amount of gel on my fingers and lightly run it over the top of my hair, working from the scalp down to the tips. I let it sit on a towel, enjoyed the news and listened to the ghastly weather report for the weekend.

When I got to work I plopped again to add volume and shook out my curls from underneath. I've left it alone and yet again it is driving me nuts. The rain has added frizz and made the under curls CrAZy so I will attempt leave it down as long as I can stand it.
You better believe that when I get home from work it WILL be put in a pony tail or pulled out of my face and off my neck in some way shape or fashion!

Curl: 8
Frizz: 3-4
Weather: 38F, Rainy, 89% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 106: Much Better Curl

After nothing more than a cold rinse this morning I am much happier with the Fruit Smoothie results. I'm beginning to think that the day of the treatment adds so much moisture it actually weighs my curls down a little. Today the curls are soft and bouncy and seem very happy with the added moisture; so much so they are driving me nuts curling around my ears and all over my neck. I have resolved to NOT pull them back in any way but instead learn to accept the mass of curls that have assailed me.

I was very gentle with my hair as I blot dried and plopped. I normally bend over to plop; however, this morning I kept upright and gently plopped each section twice. I let the curls sit and dry and once dry I plopped again to get a little volume. I'll have to shake the curls a little through out the day to get them away from my scalp and neck but less plopping was my attempt to not over work the curls and create less frizz.

Happy Curls today mean Happy Erin! Ü

Curl: 8
Frizz: 2
Weather: 33F, Cloudy, 75% humidty
Stress: Low

Day 104: Fruit Smoothie

Today I made myself a fruit smoothie. No, I didn't drink it I put it on my hair.

3 very ripe bananas, 1/2 cup of carrot juice, and 1 teaspoon of almond oil were mixed together in my blender and worked into my hair, scalp, and curls. It was a messy job and caused a slight clog in our bathtub drain but I feel it was well worth the effort. It was simple to make, easy to apply, and it smelled heavenly. I am a huge fan of fruit, any and all kinds, so this recipe had been on my list of must tries for a while.

Once I had thoroughly coated my hair in the smoothie I wrapped it in a damp towel and let it sit for 1/2 hour. I then rinsed it thoroughly in warm, not hot, water. I blot dried with a t-shirt, did a light gel plop and anxiously waited for my hair to dry to see the result. Although I see how the smoothie helped add moisture it didn't quite have the curling effect I was hoping for; give it time I guess. It took longer to dry than normal and when all was said and done it was already in an up-do. I'm home sick today due to a meneire's spell so although my hair is less dry and somewhat bouncy I think I was just tired of messing with it. :)

Curl: 6
Frizz: 1
Weather: 35F, Cloudy
Stress: Moderate

Day 103: Why Can't My Curls Get Along

It's Monday and I'm in desperate need of some moisture. I did a lavender spritz and was happy with the result but I can tell that a deeper treatment is in order. I won't have time tonight and I'm not sure about the rest of the week but I'm going to have to come up with something soon. The curl started out good but is feeling slightly crunchy. My scalp is not itchy but somewhat flaky. I dabbed some aloe where the flakes seemed the worst and left my hair to do it's own thing.

The under curls were insane and driving me crazy, tickling my neck. The top curls were more of waves and don't really seem to want to do much of anything. This constant struggle with two types of curl and hair is really what drives me nuts. I don't know how to get my curls in sync with each other and the more I try the worse I make it. In lue of that, I think I may have overworked the top portion of my hair today and caused more frizz than necessary which frustrated me even more. *sigh* It's just going to be one of those weeks...

Curl: 8/3
Frizz: 6
Weather: 34F, Sunny
Stress: High

Day 101: Messy Buns

Its Saturday and I know that I have a VERY busy week planned next week: Life Group on Monday, Women's Bible Study on Tuesday, Praise Team Rehearsal on Thursday and 3 Performances through out the weekend, and a Memory Keepers meeting on Friday. In lue of that today will be a day of nothing. My husband and I plan to sit on the couch, veg, and have a Big Bang Theory Marathon with some Leverage and Millionaire Matchmaker thrown in. I don't want to clean, I don't want to cook, I don't want to do anything but rock in the lazyboy and watch TV while cuddling with Tiko.

As it turns out we needed milk and had to make a quick trip to Wal-Mart. :-P
I threw on some jeans and t-shirt and grabbed a hair band. Today is a day that I don't care about my hair and I don't want to. It was pulled back into a messy bun and taken down to be messy and free when we got home. If/ when it gets on my nerves or is tickling my neck I'll just pull it up again.

Day 100: WOW

100 days of Curly Girl, WOW!

After 100 days of Curly Girl I am a true believer in the No-Poo methodology.

I've pretty much come into a routine of co-washing once, maybe twice, a week and a moisturizing treatment once a week or once every other week. I LOVE the lavender spritz and am working on getting a hold of some veggie glycerin to try that recipe as well. My conditioner is cheap and my one average sized bottle cost me $2 and lasts almost 3 months! I'm been fairly good about keeping myself from over working or touching the curls and am trying to leave them down and free as often as I can.

My curls (most days) are hydrated, springy, and happy and that makes me happy!

Day 99: Dry With No Time

For the past 2 days I have woken up and had in my head that it was Friday; staying home from work has really thrown me off. Yet again, it is NOT Friday and I could not be more disappointed. I dressed down this morning, thinking it was Friday, only to get to work and realize that it's Thursday and I have 2 meetings to go into. One of which is mine, where I have to make a presentation. :-P Although I was wearing a jacket, I would have prefered my suit to slacks and a cordinating jacket.

To make matter worse, I woke up late and had time to do very little with my hair. In the shower I did a quick cold water rinse and blotted it dry with my t-shirt; that was all. I plopped a little when I got to work but I feared frizzing it to really do a good job or pay attention. It was just not a good hair day for me. I'm frizzing and messy, I don't feel put together, and I have an important meeting. :-P I should have grabbed some pins to put my hair up as well, or at least something to pull it back; I look like a lion with a mane.

Curl: 4
Frizz: 4
Weather: cold
Stress: High

Day 98: Cold As Ice

My day yesterday lasted WAY too long and my only hope of getting out the house, women's bible study, was cancelled. It made for a VERY long day and evening; my hubby came home to a very energetic and talkative wife who was in serious need of some socialization. hehehe.

The roads were perfectly clear this morning so I was able to get back to work and get back to the grindstone. My scalp was itchy when I got up so I vigorously massaged my scalp with the pads of my fingers and did a scalp co-wash with out touching the ends. A cold water rinse, blot dry, and gel plop came next and completed my hair care this morning. For a bit of style I pinned the front top portion back and left the rest alone to hang free. After seeing the end result I feel I should have done a co-wash on my ends, they are a bit dry.

I hope my weekend will be slow enough that I will have the motivation to do a fruit smoothie moisturizing treatment; I'm due for one.

Curl: 6
Frizz: 3
Weather: 28F, cloudy, 83% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 97: Home

For those that don't know my husband he is a very level headed, logical, and patient man. So when he called me this morning to tell me that he didn't want me to drive to work I was shocked and knew he meant business. He didn't tell me not to go to work but stated that he would prefer that I stay home and not make the 30 mile drive. I took him at his word and did as he requested; the house is clean and I have nothing to do... it's going to be a LONG day!

I was fully showered, dressed, ready and walking out the door when Brandon called. I did a cold water rinse, blot dried, and did a light gel plop; however, since I'm home and will be laying about I'm sure the curl will be smooshed by the end of the day! :)

Curl: 7
Frizz: 2
Weather: COLD and ICY
Stress: Low

DAY 96: Sun or Snow?

The sun was finally peaking out this morning after weeks of not seeing a single stream. Sadly, the snow clouds were rolling in right behind it and very quickly the sun was covered, yet again. The forecast for most of the week is cloudy, snowy, and dreary and I'm beginning to tire of it. I don't mind the cold; however, I'm feel antsy for some sunshine and Vitamin D.

I spritzed with some Lavender Spray this morning and gently padded down my frizz with a light coat of gel. I plopped once and let it sit. When I got to work I plopped again and have yet to touch it since. I must have been in serious need of a trim because I have gotten so many compliments on my hair this morning, each exclaiming that they've never seen it so curly. Who knew dead ends could kill your curl that much; I guess with mine being so long the dead ends weight it down, who knows.This is what my trimmed looks like; nothing new just less dead ends. :)

Curl: 9
Frizz: 1
Weather: 35 F, Sunny/Cloudy/ Snowy/ it can't decide, 78% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 95: Loving It

With such a good experience at the hair dresser yesterday I was worried the euphoria would wear off this morning. I did nothing more than a cold rinse and a light gel plop and let my curls show me what they wanted to do. It wanted to CURL! I am happy to say I still love my hair dresser; the curls are alive and full of bounce and I'm ok with that.

Even my hubby noticed how nice it looked and made a point to mention how beautifully curly my hair was; coming from a man who likes it straight that IS a compliment. :)

Curl: 8
Frizz: 3
Weather: 45F, RAINY, 93% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 94: Trim

For weeks I have been in desperate need of a trim. I debated waiting till Monday and going to JCPenny after work but it's Saturday and I had time so I did some research of salons in town and found one that had potential.

Panache in downtown LaGrange caught my eye and had a really nice website. I called and made a 12:PM appointment with high hopes that it wasn't going to be a hole in the wall and that the people would be nice. It's a cute little place that used to be a dance studio that has been converted to a hair salon. There are only 2 people but both were super friendly and were completely understanding to the fact that I had brought my own conditioner and requested they not use shampoo.

The guy listened to what I wanted and got started; he did a co-wash with my conditioner and then added a "good" leave in conditioner before starting to trim it. We chatted and laughed the whole time and it was a very enjoyable experience. I left completely at ease and in LOVE with my hair. Even though I only got a trim the guy did an AWESOME job; my curls are luscious and springy and it looks great! I am definitely going back and will remain loyal them as long as I live in LaGrange.

My attempt to get a picture didn't turn out to good but here's an idea:

Day 93: Sleep Anyone

For one reason or another my body decided to wake up at 3:AM. I don't mean when you wake up, roll over, and go back to sleep I mean I was wide awake at 3:AM. I was not hungry, my blood sugar felt normal, and I didn't need to use the restroom it was as if my body was done sleeping so it woke up; I was fully alert, fully functional, and ready to get out of bed and get moving. I tossed and turned for the next 3 hours trying to get back to sleep, around 6:AM I finally managed to work in another REM cycle. My husband's alarm went off at 6:15, he kissed me goodbye at 6:30, my alarm went off at 6:51, and I hit the snooze until 7:36. It was then that I panicked and spent yet another morning running around the house like a mad women trying to get ready for work.

The dog must think I'm nuts!

Despite my rushed demeanor I was able to give my curls a lavender spritz, I did only a light t-shirt blot and a light gel plop due to time. My hair didn't get much time to dry and was not blotted all that much so most of the drying was spent sitting on my corduroy coat in the car. I plopped when I got to work and could feel the curls teasing my neck. Around 2:30 I was tired of brushing my hair out of my face and off my neck and pulled two barrettes out of my purse to pin the front back. It's been that way every since and will stay that way until I go to bed. :)

Curl: 7
Frizz: 4
Weather: 44F, Rainy, 93% humidity
Stress: Moderate

Day 92: Back to the Grind

I had to wake up earlier than normal this morning with plans to go to a dental appointment before work. Does everyone hate the dentist as much as I do? I have large ears and they can be quite sensitive to noise, making a dental appointment excruciating. The picking and prodding at my teeth and gums with a sharp pick doesn't help... After a little bleeding and a lot of pain I was told I have gingivitis and inflamed gums; nothing a little mouth wash and flossing can't fix. No cavities and nothing to be overly worried about, WHOOHOO!!!

This morning I hopped in the shower and did a co-wash, lemonade wash mix. I did a co-wash massage on my scalp and a lemonade wash on the ends. I did this for two reasons: 1. I ran out of conditioner before I got to the ends and had to use whatever I had laying around, 2. The lemonade adds shine and I really like the way it makes my hair smell and feel. hehehe.

I blot dried, gel plopped, and let my hair sit on the t-shirt while I got ready for work. I didn't over work the plopping this morning since it's raining and plopping can sometimes add frizz. My hair dried nicely and was looking AWESOME. Unfortunately, I had to lay in a dental chair for an hour, crushing and frizzing my curls. BOOO!

I did my best to perk up the back with some water but I can't tell how much good it did since I don't have a mirror at work to look at it. The front still looks nice and I can tell that my curls really like the rain. :)

Curl: 7
Frizz: 5
Weather: 43F, Rainy, 93% humidity
Stress: Moderate

Day 91: A Break Now and Then

I'm home today with out a care in the world and a serious sinus headache. I'll be spending my day cleaning, it relaxes me, and running a few errands and my night talking to my best friend. I'm feeling a bit lazy so I doubt I'll do anything with my hair other than throw it up in yet another pony tail or messy bun.

Every girl needs a break from her hair care every now and again. :)

Curl: 3
Frizz: 3
Weather: 31F, Rainy, 87% humidity
Stress: Moderate

Day 90: Alarming

As I woke leisurely this morning and stretched I nonchalantly wondered what time it was; a quick glance at the clock told me I had over slept. I jumped out of bed and began frantically running around the house trying to get ready for work in the 10 minutes I had. I threw on some clothes, put the dog outside, grabbed my lunch and a hair band and ran out the door.

Needless to say that this morning was not a great one for me or my hair. I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail at a stop sign and just dealt with it. Once my heart rate came down and I was able to think a little more clearly I realized I wasn't sure if I had set my alarm or not. I was able to make it to work on time and had a fairly productive day. With my hair up all day by the time I got home I had a serious headache.

Curl: not sure
Frizz: definitally
Weather: COLD, RAINY
Stress: High

Day 89: Another Manic Monday

Even though I got very little sleep last night I came to work in high spirits and ready to get my week started. All my cheer came to a crashing halt as I had a lovely voicemail waiting for me first thing this morning. I didn't let it ruin my day but it did add a little more stress than I was thinking I would have today.

I felt the dryness of my hair so I did another light co-wash, this time making sure to coat and massage my scalp really well and followed my normal routine: cold water rinse, blot dry, gel plop. The top was a little lacking in the curl so I pulled the front back and secured it with barrettes. This showed of the curl that was happening underneath and kept it all off my face. :)

Curl: 7
Frizz: 5
Weather: 35F, rainy
Stress: High

Day 88: I LOVE SUNDAYS

Sundays are days for relaxing, being lazy, and enjoying your day off. We slept in and got up in just enough time to get ready for church then headed out. I did a light co-wash on just the ends of my hair and lightly massaged my scalp. I did not put any product on my scalp but instead just let it be cleaned by friction and water.

I blot dried, gel plopped, and let it hang free. The curl all over, especially the underneath, was crazy and by the end of the day I was tired of having it stick to my neck and face so I lightly pulled it back in a low ponytail with curls falling around my face.


Curl: 9
Frizz: 6
Weather: 48F, Cloudy/ Foggy, 68% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 87: Parents in Town

The in-laws and parents are in town to celebrate the hubby's brithday so it's going to be a busy day. Cold Water rinse, t-shirt blot dry, gel plop, and let it hang free!

Curl: 8
Frizz: 5
Weather: 48F, Cloudy, 53% Humidity
Stress: Low

Day 86: Birthday Celebration

Today is my hubby's birthday, the big 2-7! He is entering the world of late 20's, almost 30, and getting old!!! HAHAHA.

Due to it being the hubs b-day I made sure to take a little extra time on my hair this morning so that it would look extra special for him. He really likes for me to straighten it; however, it was not something I had time for last night OR this morning. Instead I did a lavender mist, gel plopped and left it to hang free in the wind. The curls were crazy and by the end of the night I'll was ready to pull it all up and out of my face. Anyone else notice that curls seem to have microscopic suction cups that like to suck on your neck?! I've spent a good portion of the morning fluffing my hair.

Fluffing is where I gently rub my fingers up my scalp, starting at the bottom and working my way up, seperating and fluffing the curls. It pulls everything off my neck, seperates the giant spirals into sections, and for a time gives me some alleviation.

Curl: 8
Frizz: 3
Weather: 43 F, Sunny, 65% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 85: Cleanse

As I suspected I was in dire need of some product clean up this morning. The added amount of oil in the avocado recipe caused more build up than I would have wished for and lasted even shorter than I imagined it would. My original plan was to do the wrap and leave my hair untreated until Sunday but that flopped along with everything else; oh well.

I washed with my lemonade and vinegar mixture this morning and followed up with a co-wash for added moisture in the cold weather. I concluded with a cold water rinse, blot dried, and did a light gel plop. I like the lemonade and vinegar mixture but I think I prefer just the lemon juice; the vinegar makes it a stronger cleanser and I feel stripped a little more oil off than I should have since it's been so cold and dry. Even with a little extra cleansing my curls are definitely in action today, especially the under curls, and I have left them to be free all day. Surprisingly as the day has gone on I have yet to pull them back and out of my face; I think that will come later this evening when I'm cleaning the house.

With the warmer weather, a trim, and a regular routine of moisture treatments my hair will be looking fabulous!

Curl: 8
Frizz: 4
Weather: 51F, Sunny, 38% humidity
Stress: Low

Day 84: Being a Woman

Cramps= Ponytail
Should have stayed home sick but my work ethic got in the way...

Day 83: Avocado Wrap

My attempt at the Avocado Wrap recipe was a complete mess. The outcome of the experience was what I wanted and needed, moisture, but the process caused me to have to sweep and mop my kitchen floor and try to keep my dog from eating everything.

The recipe calls for 1 avocado peeled and cored mixed in a blender with 3-4 tablespoons of honey and 8-10 drops of your favorite nut oil (I chose almond oil). After coating your hair wrap it all in plastic wrap and leave it on your hair for 20-30 min. [The Green Diva uses yogurt in place of oil and has a similar result of softness, it also sounds like it had a creamer result.] I believe that the ideal consistency of the mixture was suppose to be similar to guacamole although when you have a horrible blender, as I do, it comes out to more of a chunky glob of I don't know what. I doubled the amount of honey and oil to help create a more fluid like consistency but I'm not sure how much it helped.

My attempt to spread this glob in and all over my hair was only some what successful as a lot of it ended up on the floor. I ended up piling as much of my hair as I could onto the top of my head and taking handfuls of it and trying to use it as a paste to hold my hair in place. I coated as much of my hair as I could but got a lot of it on the floor, in the sink, down my bra, and all over my shirt and hands. I also had to fight the dog from eating what was falling onto the floor. I wrapped it as best as I could with plastic wrap and let it sit for the allotted 30 min. before rinsing and washing as normal. The Green Diva and A Girl and Her Curl use shower caps for this; I wish Curly Girl had mentioned that it would have made it SO much easier!When you have small chunks of avocado in your hair the time it takes to rinse it all out can take up to 20 minutes; that's how long it took me to reach the point where I felt it was rinsed thoroughly. After a REALLY good rinse I did a co-wash as I normally would and blot dried with a t-shirt. I wrapped my pillow and t-shirt and went to bed with my hair damp.

When I got up this morning I did a cold water spritz, a very light gel plop and let it be free. The curl is more of a wave but it's a cute, funky wave and I like it. My hair is definitely soft and I don't feel any sort of product build up on my scalp; my scalp looks clean and feels healthy. The outcome was a success and the best part is that it doesn't smell.

Since I added extra oil and honey I'm guessing that I will need to do a lemonade or baking soda wash sooner than normal. When I do this treatment the next time, yes despite the mess there will be a next time, I plan to use a food processor instead of a blender. My hope is that by using a processor I will be able to stick to the actual ingredient guidelines making the mixture easier to work with and the results might last a little longer.

All in all I'm happy with the result and plan to use this recipe again. My tips: mix/blend/process all the ingredients together really well and give yourself plenty of time to rinse it out.

Curl: 4
Frizz: 1
Weather: 25F, snowing, 76% humidity
Stress: Moderate

Day 82: New Look and Recipe

After I blogged last night I got in a fun mood and decided to change things up a bit. I found a cute new look that encompasses me and the cold weather out there this month; I hope you like it.

Another cold morning was on the horizon as I got out of bed at 7:20 AM. The news forecasted a cold day today but a warmer week than it has been since New Years. We are to get more snow, yay, but with the temperature rising they don't foresee it sticking around. I hope the warmer temperatures are kinder to my curls even if the high is only 21. :)

I combined 2 treatments this morning in hopes of revitalizing my curls and moisturizing in a short amount of time. I did a lavender spray with an aloe vera spot treatment. I sprayed my hair, t-shirt blotted, and gel plopped all while tilting my head upside down (Curly Girl recommends that when you gel plop your hair should squish). I find that since my hair is SO long tilting upside down helps me evenly coat the gel and helps me get the underneath portion of my hair. It also keeps me from dripping or squishing all over my clothes while I get ready for work.

Once I was right side up again I waited for an itch and massaged a bit of aloe directly on it with the pads of my fingers. Since I did an entire scalp aloe treatment yesterday a spot treatment today prevents build up on my scalp, saves time, and hits all the hot spots right away. I brought the aloe to work with me to hit any I may have missed. For the second day in a row I have let my hair hang free and although I'm not totally excited about the outcome of my curls I understand they need a little extra TLC today.

Tonight I'm going to do the avocado treatment and see how it helps to moisturize.

Curl: 5
Frizz: 3
Weather: 27F, cloudy, 58% humidity
Stress: Low

*[For the recipe to the lavender spray look at my Day 23 blog.]

Day 81: Feeling Flaky

This morning I woke up to an itchy scalp causing me to believe one of two scenarios as to why: 1. dry and flaking scalp from the cold weather or 2. product build up over time. Upon looking at my scalp I realized it was option number 1, dry and flaky from the cold. I showered as usual but did not do anything to my scalp or hair and tried not to touch it if at all possible. I finished with a cold water rinse, dry blotted my hair with a t-shirt, and did a VERY light gel plop. I put small amounts of pure aloe vera (the kind you buy at a health food store) on the pads of my fingers and gently massaged the part of my hair, starting at the front and working my way to the back. Slowly I moved from the part outward until I felt that I had covered as much of my scalp as I could. I plopped again and let it hang free. I left it alone till about 4:PM and then for the rest of the night it was gently pulled back in a loose ponytail.

The itching has stopped and the flakes are gone so I feel it helped. I have plans to head to Walmart for an avocado and some plastic wrap tonight for an avocado wrap treatment tomorrow after work. Curly Girls avocado treatment is supposed to be good for really dry and brittle hair but I may end up having to do a heavy cream treatment on my scalp, as well, if it keeps flaking like this.

I read that the cold weather can really do a number on your hair but, yet again, I never imagined this. In previous years I just chalked it up to bad hair days and not the dryness of the air and the cold. I LOVE snow; however, I don't think my hair does!

Curl: 6
Frizz: 4
Weather: COLD and DRY
Stress: Low

Day 80: Getting Dry

It's Saturday and although I originally thought it would be a day that I would be able to get a lot done, a day where I would have time to relax and unwind, I was wrong on all counts. I woke up late and leisurely ate my breakfast while my husband went out for a haircut. Thinking I had plenty of time for a deep moisture treatment I put a load of laundry in and went in search of a CD to listen to. While searching for one of my favorites I glanced at the clock and saw that I had a little over an hour before I had to leave for church. Due to weather all rehearsals for praise team through out the week had been canceled and so rehearsal was scheduled 2 hours early today.

I still had to make lunch and finish the one load of laundry I had put in; that left no time for a moisture treatment. I was bummed because my hair is in desperate need of some moisture. Although it is not straw like yet it is slowly getting there and I fear putting it off allows it to break and treating it is harder than taking care of it. :-P

Since I had to get up in front of church and sing tonight I didn't want to leave it down and pinned it up in my up-do. It turned out fairly well but due to dryness no where near as curly as it normally is. It looked more like a birds nest than a mass of curls; how sad.

Curl: 3
Frizz: 3
Weather: 5F, Sunny, 65% humidity
Stress: moderate

Day 79: SNOW!!!!

Oh the weather outside is frightful and I don't own a fireplace that is delightful, so I guess I'll go to work today. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Unlike yesterday, the roads this morning were plowed and salted and every school in the area is closed so traffic was pretty much non exsistent. It was a pleasent drive to work this morning; even the gushing winds didn't diminish my spirits although I feel it diminished my curls...

I woke up early and did a good co-wash (Reminder: I plop the conditioner into my hair in the shower let it sit for about 5 minutes while I wash my face and body and then rinse). I finshed up with a quick cold rinse and got out. On cold mornings like these I'm always resistent to do the cold water rinse, but I can feel my hair sealing and the frizz retreating so every morning I take a deep breath and plunge in.

I blot dried with a t-shirt, gel plopped, and left it to sit on the towel while I finsihed getting ready. There was one piece of the front that wasn't curling and that kept falling in my face that I ended up taking a bobby pin and pinning to the side and out of my face. Other than that I have left it alone. I did a light plop when I got to work but other than that I have not touched it. I haven't even looked in the mirror to see what it looks like or how it is curling; I fear that if I see it I'll be unhappy and it will end up in a pony tail. Instead I asked a trusted co-worker, Laura, her thoughts... today's ratings are from her. :)

Curl: 7
Frizz: 2
Weather: 10F, snowing, 73% humidity
Stress: High

Day 78: Hormones

At the end of my high school career, like most of my fellow classmates, I had made plans to move away from home and attend college. Despite my excitement, I was a little concerned. For 3 years I dreaded that lovely womanly gift that comes once a month. Each month I was knocked off my feet in pain and left to make friends with the closest toilet. The scariest moment was when I loss consciousness because my body just couldn't take it anymore. Going off to college and not having people around me that understood my plight was a little unnerving and even concerned my parents. My mother whisked me off to the doctor for some tests and low and behold I was diagnosed with endometriosis. The treatment, birth control to stabilize my cycles and hard hitting pain killers for any lingering pain. For 6 years I have taken those lovely little white pills that have made each month bearable. For 6 years I have been able to live with my endometriosis with out it controlling me and my schedule.

3 months ago my husband and I wanted to start trying to have children which required me to stop taking the heavenly white pills and go back to my high school days. Fear and panic set in. The first month was by far the hardest as my body completely freaked out and screamed in agony; asking me what was I thinking?! The second month was smoother but still hard and still very painful. By the third month I knew exactly what to expect and had taken measures to prevent as much as I could with medicine and having the heating pad ready and waiting. One week I called my mom asking her how she ever put up with me in high school, I felt like a complete wreck and was ready to be admitted. No wonder I find high school girls SO annoying!

As I'm sure your wondering what ANY of this has to do with my hair, it has EVERYTHING to do with it. For 6 years I was on artificial hormones and to remove that from your body causes great chemical changes and stress. Since I also suffer from hypoglycemia, I've had to relearn how to care for my blood sugar levels; I feel like I'm starting over again. Insulin is a hormone and now that I have less hormones in my body, due to lack of birth control, it has caused my pancreas to work harder than it did before and has made my hypoglycemia worse.

My emotional stress levels are all over the map, my physical stress is a mess and mentally I'm going insane. To top it all off, I think the chemical changes are killing my curl down to a wave. Studies show that women with straight hair find that it curls when pregnant or visa-versa. Although I'm not pregnant the hormonal changes are still significant enough to make a difference; I just hope I'm not losing my curl. :(

Lack of motivation, time, and effort this morning caused me to pull it up in a pony tail and leave it at that. It's not even 12:PM and I already have a headache; I really need a trim and maybe some thinning.

Curl: 3
Frizz: 2
Weather: 25F, Snowing, 83% humidity
Stress: High

Day 77: Dry and Brittle

The news is forecasting snow tomorrow and until then we have temperatures in the teens with a wind chill in the single digits. From what I understand the cold weather is going to be sticking around for a while. Despite the massive amount of ice we got last year it was still a fairly warm winter, comparatively. This year that will not be the case.

With the weather in mind I was hestitant to do much of anything to my hair. Having it wet while outside would cause breakage and dryness and I didn't have time for a moisturizing treatment. I don't have any bottles of the glcyerin recipe made, which are oil based, so I couldn't use that either. I didn't want to pull it back in a pony tail because it's getting so long that after a while the pony tail causes a headache. What was I to do?

An up do was the only thing I could think of. It doesn't over stretch my curls and disperses the weight of my hair so it, normally, won't cause a headache. As far as the dryness goes, I have plans to do 1/2 my grocery shopping on my lunch and the other 1/2 after dinner tonight. I'm going to stock up on products needed for quick mositure treatments and longer deeper treatments; I have a feeling I'm going to need them.

I don't remember my hair being so dry and brittle last winter but that could be because it was warmer, who knows.

Curl: 5
Frizz: 2
Weather: 19F, Cloudy, 56% Humidity
Stress: Low

Day 76: New Year

So it's 2010 and everyone has set out with their new years resolutions that usually get broken by February. I considered Curly Girl as a resolution but I'm not one for resolutions or new years so I opted against it for fear of losing my motivation. Instead, on New Years Eve I went to bed at 10:PM and got up the next morning at 9:AM. (Granted, I did have a sick husband to take care of) I would consider my new years a great success! ;)

This morning I did a co-wash, a cold water rinse, blot dry, gel plop. I pulled the bang portion back and bobby pinned it. The rest of the curls are hanging free and are somewhat there. My hair is more curling at the ends than through out; again, I think this is due to my need of a trim. Despite all of that the curls have maintained themselves and were not mutilated by my coat this morning. The longer my hair gets the harder it's going to be to keep it healthy in the winter. All the friction with coats, scarves, and dry air is going to be a challenge.

It will be a busy week but I hope to be able to do a moisturizing treatment on Thursday. I already have the recipe I want picked out. For weeks I have been eager to try the fruit smoothie recipe I just need to make sure I put carrot juice on my grocery list. :)

Curl: 5
Frizz: 2
Weather: 19F, Sunny/ Cloudy, 56% humidity
Stress: Moderate

Day 75: Post Holiday

The holidays are over and I'm glad to be getting back to a normal routine not just in my work but in life. We spent a week away from home traveling to see EVERYONE in the family and although it was fun it was also stressful. Currently, I'm home sleeping in my own bed and using my own shower; I'm loving it.

This morning I did a cold water spritz, gel plopped, and pulled the front back with barretts. The curl started out really nice but the cold weather, my scarf and coat quickly caused frizz and breakage to my curls. When I got home from work I pulled it all up in a pony tail and I will probably leave it up for the rest of the night. I know the harsh cold is hard on my hair so I'm thinking I'm going to have be extra careful with my curls in the next few months and do a mositurizing treatement more frequently. :-P

One thing is for sure, a trim is in order. I can tell the ends are starting to get frayed and are dieing. I'm hoping once I get a trim it will help in my battle against cold weather breakage!

Curl: started at a 6, ended in a 3
Frizz: 4
Weather: 18F, Cloudy
Stress: High