AGHHHHH! Ingredients...

Frustration. Pure frustration. Why? I thought I found the best shampoo/conditioner for me. Sigh, I suppose I was wrong. Herbal Essences contains a few if-y ingredients. It has a few silicone's in it and I'm scared its going to ruin my hair! I know silicone's are bad, but I love the way this shampoo makes my hair feel. Now I'm beginning to wonder if it's just crap in a bottle. I'm not sure. Both the shampoo and conditioner contains high amounts dimethicone. (A silicone derivative. Adds luster and sheen.) I also looked up a couple of other ingredients and a lot of them were linked to causing CANCER! (but then again, isn't pretty much everything a link to cancer?) I used to think that as long as mineral oil and petroleum weren't in the product then it was good, now I'm scared to buy anything. I hope what ever ingredients they did put in there are to help my hair become healthy and are not temporary fixes that only make my hair look good for now.

I found a deep conditioner I want to try called 'Kenra Moisturizing Conditioner.' Not many people on the hair forums use them, but Sunshyne (the creator of Hairlista.com) used it and she liked it, also after reading a lot of reviews, a lot of other people love it and swear by it. I'll get it tomorrow while I'm shopping and it should cost around $10-$14. (almost five times the amount the HE costs me, but that's okay because hopefully it'll be a quality product and worth it.)

NOTES:

-I know I said I was interested in the MoroccanOil for a DC, but I read the ingredients and they said NOTHING about Moroccan oil. I know just because the brand is called Moroccan oil doesn't mean they have to put Moroccan oil in it, but it's HIGHLY assumed.  

-I might start doing what Megan from 'ulovemegz' on YouTube does- instead of having a rinse-out conditioner and a separate DC, she just leaves the rinse-out on her hair for a long time and considers that her DC.
-Silicone: Some will say that silicones bond to the hair and do not allow moisture into the hair shaft. Supposedly once the silicone is on the hair it acts as a barrier between your hair and prevents moisture from penetrating your hair shaft.

First Co-Wash Experience!

Today I co-washed for the first time. (well not the first time I've co-washed in the past when needed, not regularly) It went well, I co-washed with V05 moisture milks. It did make my hair soft like everybody said it would.

Then I DC'd with Africa's Best Rinse-Out and Leave-in Deep Conditioner mixed with one n' only argan oil and castor oil. The consistency of it was really runny, but it did make my hair really soft and it feels moisturized. (a lot more moisturized than the Lustrasilk) Best part about it was it was only $4.

new regimen

WEEKLY:
-shampoo wash 1x
-co-wash 1x
-DC 2x


DAILY:
-oil w/ Castor oil
-M&S

PROTECTIVE/LOW MANIPULATION STYLES:
-braid outs
-bantu knot outs
-rollerset saran wrap


Shampoo- HE Hydraliscious Reconditioning Shampoo, Aphogee shampoo for damaged hair (only used when using heat)
Conditioner- HE Hydraliscious Reconditioning Conditioner, Aphogee 2 minute reconstructer (only used with heat or before relaxer), HE long term relationship
Deep Conditioners- Lustrasilk shea butter and mango, silk elements olive oil moisturizing treatment, oils, ORS replenishing pak
Leave ins- Aphogee green tea and keratin (only when using heat), fantasia frizz buster, Garnier Fructis leave i conditioning cream, HE Long Term Relationship, GF anti frizz serum, GF smoothing milk
Moisturizers- Garnier Fructis leave-in conditioning cream, HE long term relationship
Heat Protectant- Tresseme thermal creations
Pre-poo- ? (i'll figure it out)
Oils- Sweet almond oil, castor, olive, one n' only argan oil, eucalyptus, rosemary, Africa's best herbal oil, coconut oil
Co-wash- suave almond and shea butter


AS NEEDED:
Protein Treatment-egg, Aphogee wash (instead of herbal essences)


Relaxer Every 10 weeks (at least)


Misc: apple cider vinegar rinse


Notes:
-no more Pantene products (might have caused dandruff)
-AVOID MINERAL OIL (threw away some products because of mineral oil)


Wish List:
HE reconditioning shampoo
GF anti frizz serum
GF smoothing milk
Suave almond and shea butter

super late hair update pic...oops. :)

11/08/10

So i took this picture on 12/9/10. it doesn't look like much growth from the last picture I took but when I brush it to the front it looks a lot longer than it did before. I think some of it had to do with the relaxer getting rid of my shrinkage. I believe I will definitely be full shoulder length by February 2011. I went to the salon to get my relaxer but this time I don't know what kind of relaxer she used. All I know is that it was in a white bottle with pink writing. I really liked the relaxer because it didn't burn and it made my NG lay down extra flat.

Friday I washed my hair:
Pre-pooed for 30 minutes with Pantene curly hair series DC. I really liked it.
Aphogee shampoo- 1 wash
Aphogee 2 min recon. (i used it as a regular rinse-out conditioner and didn't leave it in for two minutes or put on a plastic cap)
lustrasilk shea butter and mango- 2-3 minutes
Then I DC'd for about 2 hours:
lustrasilk mango butter
Silk elements mega silk olive oil moisturizing treatment (NEW)
SE intense conditioning mayo
fantasia frizz buster
Eucalyptus oil
coconut oil
When I DC I put saran wrap around my hair then put on a plastic cap. Then I sit under the dryer for the last 20 minutes.

The newest thing that i have bought for my hair is One n Only argan oil. I've been wanting to try argan/morrocan oil on my hair since omgitsvictoriaXD (youtube) said she used it on her hair and liked it. I used it last night as a sealant and liked it, but i want to try it more before I give a full review on it.