Un-boxing the Dekem Divas January Box*

Hey guys
  I wanted to share with you my very first naturals box that I received from Dekem Divas. I would like to Thank them for giving me the privilege to blog about there very first box. (To subscribe click on highlighted link)

  Dekem Dekem, Inc. is a hair product subscription service offering a variety of hair care products on a monthly basis. They realize just how challenging it is to find the right products for each curly hair type. So they provided all that plus more in a monthly subscription to test new products. I know your thinking 'not another subscription box!' But I truly believe this will be a box you do not want to sleep on, especially if your a product junkie like me that loves to try new things to help in my Hair Journey. It was packed with goodies and products I've been wanting to try but have had the funs too!!!


  In the box I received 6 products and booklet. The box is a gorgeous pink color with a gold label. In the booklet it tells you how to create a twist out using the contents in the package. Also it gives you short description of each item given in the book.
In the box I received:

Hydratherma Naturals: SLS Free Moisture Plus Hair Cleanser, Moisture Boosting Deep Conditioning Treatment, and their Hair Growth oil w/ Ceramides & Emu oil. All Hydratherma Naturals products were thoughtfully developed using natural-based ingredients with a unique and perfectly

IEnvy Eyelashes: Great for every day use, this collection of wispy lashes is designed to blend with the curl of your natural lashes. The Lash hair graduates in length from short to long, creating a natural column effect.

Dr. Miracles Follicle Healer Deep Conditioning Treatment: The energizing system is fortified with tea tree oil, aloe Vera gel, soy protein, and vitamins E, B3 and C, which boosts follicle and scalp health leading to beautiful, soft, shiny hair.

Scarf: Use as a hair accessory!

  I haven't tried everything yet just the dr. miracle that I would definitely try again. I well be using the Hydratherma Naturals this weekend and will give a review on my wash day post. Overall I was very happy with this box and will definitely consider being a subscriber.

Flat Ironed Hair for Hubby's Birthday

   So I wanted to flat iron my hair for hubby's birthday on the 26th and I came up with a new process for what I think is the best thing do for my hair. I haven't flat iron my hair since before my last perm which was last year. YEAH TO ME!!! I was going to do if for my birthday, but I wanted to treat him, so I decided to do a sew-in protective style for my birthday instead. When I finished he absolutely loved it. I'm also 21 Weeks post.

   So I wanted to tell you all my process of how I flat ironed my hair yesterday.

• Hot oil treatment with my Simply Organic Black Castor Oil w/ Rosemary including vitamin e to diluting the castor oil so it wouldn't be so thick. Then after about 2 hrs I added a layer of NTM daily deep conditioner and left this in for a overnight pampering. Rinsed

• Shampooed 2x with NTM cream later shampoo. Rinsed

• Did a tea rinse with green
tea and then lather on my tressemé smooth & silky conditioner to lock the tea in for a minute or two. Rinsed

• Applied Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment that I left on for about 4 minutes. Rinsed.

• Then I deep condition with a newbie, that I received in my Dekem Divas January box, I haven't tried before call (Mini Review) Dr. Miracles Follicle Healer Deep Conditioning Treatment: The Energizing System is to fortified with tea tree oil, aloe vera gel, soy protein and  vitamin E, B3, and C, which boosts follicle and scalp health leading to beautiful, soft, shiny hair.

How to use: Apply entire content of follicle healer nourishing treatment from roots to ends and massage into your scalp. Use a plastic cap and sit under a warm dryer for 5-10 minutes or use a plastic cap with no heat for 30-45 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry, style aa usual.

My Assessment: The smell was okay, the consistency was in between thick and water, and the aftermath left my hair a tad bit dry but not harsh. My head felt like my pores were opening up, but not to the point where I was getting a headache. Overall I would like to use it again before I give a rating on the product.

Rinsed. Soak up extra water with my T-shirt.

• On damp hair applied my tressemé split end protector leave-in, my Dark & Lovely 6-week anti reversion cream, and last my tressemé heat tamer.

   I don't have a expensive flat iron but I have a faithful one that I got from Marshall some years back that does to job. It's pink that's the main reason why I keep it. But I'm going to do some research to find the right flat iron for me to invest in for future dates. But right now she will do.

   I enjoyed Hubby birthday and I greased my scalp the next day with Simply Organic JamaicanBlack Castor Oil. Moisturize & seal with my spit end protector and argan oil that I'm really like cause its so light.

Anyway that was my experience. Thanks for reading!

The Right Conditioner!

Hey guys I wanted to just give you some basic info about the different types of conditioners. Which include moisturizing, protein that can add volume, detangling or smoothing conditioners, & last deep conditioners that could be a blend of conditioners.

•Moisturizing conditioners add moisture to the hair by replacing the oils from shampooing. Moisturizing ingredients include olive oil, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, or coconut oil.

•Humectants based conditioners are packed with compounds that trap moisture into the hair shaft (castor oil). Humectants also have the ability to draw moisture from the air (glycerin).

•Protein conditioners usually coat the hair shaft with a layer of protein that gives the hair body. Silk amino acids are a moisturizing protein.

•Detangling conditioners usually have a low PH of 2.5-3.5 that enables it to close the cuticle layer of hair and allows the strands to remain separate from each other. Aloe Vera juice/gel helps stimulates the PH levels of other products.

•Thicker conditioners also known as deep conditioners have penetrative benefits that's usually activated by heat generally repairs very dry or damaged hair. Some penetrating oils that can help aid your deep conditioner is coconut, olive, and avocado oil.

Hope this was helpful HHJ!!

Review #2: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Cream Lather Shampoo & Daily Deep Conditioner

Hey guys its review time!!

I've been using these products for over a month now so I'm ready to give my opinion about them. Lets start with the shampoo.

Cream Lather Shampoo

Promises: This revolutionary cream hair cleanser gently dissolves away impurities throughout every hair strand. Salon-approved and scientifically proven to help even severely dry, over-processed hair feel soft, smooth and totally touchable all day, after a single use.

Three naturally derived extracts:
Olive- penetrates to the center
Meadowfoam seed- helps moisturize the middle
Sweet Almond-wraps around the surface.

Ingredients: Water, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Chloride, Cocamide Mea, Meadowfoam (Limnanthes Alba) Seed Oil, Olive (Olea Europaea) Fruit Oil, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Polyquaternium-7, Amodimethicone, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Castor Isostearate Succinate, Dimethiconol, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) oil, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Cetyl Alcohol, Guar (Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba) Gum, Citric Acid, Tea Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Fragrance.

Daily Deep Conditioner

Promises: The restorative power of a deep treatment is captured with the ease and convenience of a one-minute rinse. Salon-approved and scientifically proven to help even severely and manageability improve dramatically with every use.

Ingredients: Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Behenyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohecasiloxane, Dimethicone, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Stearamidoprophy Dimethylamine, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Olive (Olea Europaea) Fruit Oil, Meadowfoam (Limnanthes Alba) Seed Oil, Glycol Stearate, Ceteth-2 Hydroxyethylcellulosr, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Citric Acid, Titanium Dixoxide, Iron Oxide, Mica, Fragrance.

My Review:  What drawn me in about these products was that they had three extracts that penetrates to help moisturize each layer of the hair strand. Okay when I first used the shampoo it was a little drying, but as soon as I added the conditioner that changed. The conditioner left my hair soft and manageable again. The shampoo did its job and cleaned my scalp good so that's a plus. When I shampooed with my mini braids in it did remove all the product that gather where the new growth and relaxed ends meet. But when I had my box braids in I did have to add a little clarifying shampoo to better clean my hair. Did it have slip I say so so, it was better for me to detangle my hair before my whole wash day process. The conditioner work well as a Pre-poo with my oils, it truly left my soft and my hair felt penetrated. Will I be repurchasing it after I finish the bottles, the conditioner maybe, the shampoo no because it has to many ingredients that I can not pronounce, it was drying to my hair by itself, and that are bad for my hair. But on your hair journey you have to go thru trail an error to get to  products that work. I need products that are more earth friendly and hair friendly.

Grades
Shampoo- C-
Conditioner- B-

Wash Day @ 20 Weeks Post

     Hey guys, yesterday seem like it was a off day for me. It seem like I didn't have a clue on what to do. I forgot my wash day process and to do my tea rinse. So I felt all over the place when it came down to washing my pre-poo out. Here's how it went:
1. Pre-poo with my NTM daily deep conditioner, adding my tea tree, vitamin e, and olive/grapeseed oil. I left this on or about an 1hr and 45 mins. Rinsed.
2. Shampooed 2x with my NTM creamy shampoo diluted in my squirt bottle with 2 parts water, Rinsed.
3. Applied my Tressemè silky & smooth conditioner. Rinse. This is the part when I would do my tea rinse and then add my conditioner on top of it to lock it in, but yeah I forgot.
4. Applied my DC mixture which is my Elasta QP Soy, oils, and I added my Tressemè protein treatment. I left this on for the remainder of the day. Washed it out and then applied my PMSSDT. I left this on for about 3 mins.
5. I still have some infusim 23 so I'm going to finish this up cause I hate to throw away money but I will not be repurchasing this product. T-shirt dried for 45 mins. Got to tried to stay up and finish so I fell asleep.
6. Right now I'm taking out my mini braids with my hands. Applying JBCO to my scalp then re-braiding my hair into thicker braids. I'm putting Herbal split end protector on the length of my hair before I braid it. Once I'm finish I will seal with argan on and then put my Cantu on top of that.
Since my protective style was mini braids last week I will keep the braids in. Its easier for me to maintain and if I need to go out I can just throw
on a beanie. Since I'm a SAHM I don't have to keep up my appearance (hairstyle) like I would if I was going to work.
Thanks for reading!!!

Color Me Up

  Hey guys I colored my hair. I know I know, kinda drastic. But I'm prepared to take on the challenge of keeping my hair extra healthy.

  I've always used a rinse that will wash out after a couple of wash day and the whole time that I had my braids in I've been obsessing over the color red. If you follow me on pinterest on my hairstyle board you would know what I mean. So the research begone! I read tons of blog, hair color sites, and YouTube videos to help me prepare. For the 8 Weeks and after I had my braids. I decided to get the Garnier Nutrisse Ultra Intense Red for Dark Hair. I even went to their website for more added assistants. I got this box one cause it's easier on me with the simple one application. I put everything in the applicator bottle, mix it up, part hair and go. Simple!

  The product adds grapeseed oil to the color creme so you can start nourishing while you color. As said on the back of the box. Also it has triple oil (avocado, olive, and shea) conditioner for after you wash out your dye. But I still took extra precautions on how to wash my hair.

  So today on my regular wash day I decided to color my hair and here's how it went:

1. I followed all the directions and applied hair dye. Rinsed in cold water.

2. Shampooed 1x with my NTM creamy shampoo. Even though I dye my hair I still wanted to make sure I removed and product I had left on my hair.

3. Applied the triple nourishment conditioner from the box.

4. Applied my deep conditioner. With this I want it to be balanced with bout moisture and protein. So this is what I added coconut, grapeseed, olive, and tea tree oil. Tresemme protein treatment, NTM Daily conditioner, and Elasta QP Sol Oyl. I left this one on for I believe about 2 and a half hrs. Rinsed.

5. Applied my tea rinse which was a tea bag of green tea and one of black tea. Then coat that with a new conditioner I got for marshalls that was on sale 'The body shop volume conditioner. Rinsed.

6. Applied my Paul Mitchell SSDT and left on for the rest of my shower the rinsed.

7. T-shirt dried my hair for 30 minutes.

8. Greased my scalp withJBCO, for the length of my hair I put Herbal Essence split end protector, then sealed with oil. When my hair is a little more dry then I will apply my Cantu shea leave-in.

  The color is not as bright as a wanted but that what get if you don't bleach your hair with the developer.
  I will post pics...
Thanks for reading!!

Hair Talk

Hey guys this is just a ramble post.

   I just wanted to let you guys know that I can safely say that I have stop experiencing breakage. WOOHOO. Since I started my journey I couldn't do anything without seeing broken pieces of hair all over my clothes and a lot of hair in the sink. All I see now is normal shedding when I'm detangling my hair. So this makes my journey all worth it to get results for continue to give my hair the TLC that it needs. The includes giving up the comb and its bad ways....LOL

  Although I didn't have a complete bad experience with the take down of my braids. I feel they did help alot in retaining length and helping me from keep manipulating my hair which really helped. I have about an inch and a hair of new growth. From the box braid protective style and I will be reinstalling after my birthday. Also what I did different to my regimen while having the braids was doing a black tea rinse. I believe this aided with the stop of my breakage. I will continue the tea rinses but I'm going explore the tea aisle and try different ones.

  Right now I'm soaking my tresses in one of my DC concoctions for my weekly co-wash. I then rinse it out apply my conditioner and then my PMSSDT.

Thanks for reading!!!

Recent Haul

I just want to let you guys know the recent things I purchased for my hair.
Oils
Vitamin E oil
Tea Tree oil
Argan oil
Conditioners
Tresemme Smooth & Silky
Treatments
Tresemme Protein Renewal Crème
Herbal Essence Touchably Smooth Split End Protector
Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment
Since the Paul Mitchell bottle was so big to keep carrying in and out of the shower, so I put it in this travel size container that I purchased at Big Lots. I will be writing reviews on a ok these items once I feel that they did what they was suppose to do.
Thanks for reading!!!

Taken Down My Box Braids

Hey Guys,
  So todays post will be on how I took down my box braids protective style.
  It took me two days to take out my braids with the help of Hubby. I started from the middle and cut my hair about an inch below where my hair stopped.
  After I finished that it seem like everything went terribly wrong. I learned through trail and error on how to detangle my hair, and what to do butter next time. It seem that even though I re-did the majority of my braids. I still had a lot of product build up right were the relaxed and unrelaxed hair meet. I went thru HELL trying to get it out.       
            About 2-3 hrs!!!
I put my Aussie 3 minute miracle and tried.
I put Vo5 conditioner in and it helped a little bit.
I was so upset with that build up I was ready to do a big chop!!! But I calm down and thought of a different way to try to get the dirt out. I then decided to shampoo my hair. I put my NTM creamy shampoo, Giovanni tea tree triple invigorating shampoo, and my Vo5 clarifying shampoo all in my squrit bottle.(1 1/2oz. Shampoo & 4oz. Water) Shampooed 2x and it still didn't help. After, I applied my Tresemme Smooth & Silky that's when I was able to detangle my hair. I sectioned my hair in about 9 braids and then slathered my hair with Elasta QP Soy Oyl DC. Let then sit for about an hour an 45 minutes, rinsed and then applied Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment (will do review later), rinsed. T-shirt dry my hair for about 10 minutes or so, hair was still a little damp. I unraveled each braid greased my scalp with JBCO, applied Herbals Essence split end protector, then sealed with argan oil and then redid them. I let my hair air dry and went to sleep on my new satin pillow.
Thanks for reading!!!

New Year, New Hair

  I want to wish every a very Happy New Years. As we already enter day 1 of the new year I wanted to write a post about my New Hairs Resolution and share it with you guys.

1. Try to retain as much length as possible. So that means I have to get protective style processed in my head because I love to wear my hair out. I'm going to try to do protective styles up until the summer except on my birthday week and on those days do hairstyle of choice.

-So that will consist of finish taking my braids out this week.

-Do braid outs for the next three Weeks. (January 6-February 1)

-Do a sew-in for 7 Weeks. (February 4- March 24)

-For the week of my birthday hairstyle of choice.

-Then I will reinstall my box braids until summer for 8 Weeks. (April 4- May 31)

2. Change up my diet a little more. Although I breastfeed I already try my best to eat the first healthy thing I see in the kitchen. Not really paying attention to how much of what I need to consume, just really eating only one thing which was mostly fruit. I'm going to try to cook more variety of foods.

3. Continue my hair challenges which are no heat and limit my trims.(dusting okay)

4. Last but not least reach my goal of APL!!!

  Also things that I want do to improve overall.

To continue my skincare routine, exercise more(add an extra day), and up my posting on my blog!

Thanks for reading!
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