My Hair Journey - 2013

I have a new obsession.  My hair.

 

While I was pregnant, I stopped getting relaxers.  I expected to go completely crazy trying to get my hair under control.  However, I came to a whole new discovery.  My discovery was that I have really nice natural hair.  Not the 'white' or 'slave mentality' definition of nice hair, but what I consider nice. Thick and healthy and tightly curled......like really curly hair.

 

Anyway, during this time, I started researching ways to control and take care of my natural hair.....thus my obsession began.  Apparently, there is a whole community of African-American hair aficionados out there that have mastered natural, relaxed and texlaxed hair care.  They often do a big hair chop and then go on what they call a 'hair journey.'  Two years later, they have hair down there backs and in some cases it's down to their waist....and it's thick and healthy.

 

So, knowing that I have these preconceived 'age laws' that I have about hair that includes not wearing long hair past the age of 40 and not allowing your gray to show until you turn 50, I have decided that I only have a few years left to go on a hair growth journey.  Of course, I will always want healthy hair at any age, but once I'm 40, I really don't think it will be appropriate for me to have hair past my shoulders.  So......I really need to get a move on it.

 

First, I have decided to stop getting bone straight relaxers and begin under processing my hair into a texlax stage.  This will, over time, allow me to wear my hair straight when I want and also be able to wear it curly when the mood hits me.  It will also allow my hair to be healthier, thicker and stronger, as well as making it easier for my hair to take color.  Since little grays are sprouting up in various places in my hair, color will be very important for the next decade and a half.  I am also going to stretch my relaxers to no more than 4 times per year.....so basically, I will only be getting a relaxer once a quarter.  I used to get relaxers every 6-8 weeks.  I leave for Jamaica next Wednesday, so will be getting a texlax (or mild relaxer) tomorrow.  My hair's in pretty good condition, so I don't think I need to do a big chop, but if a trim is needed, I will get it.

 

Thus, tomorrow begins my hair journey.  :-D

 

My hair regimen will be as follows for the remainder of 2013.  I will evaluate and modify it at the end of the year, if necessary.

 

Daily

- moisturize and seal nightly

- wear protective and/or low manipulation styles on hair

- wear a silk or satin scarf/bonnet on hair or sleep on a silk or satin pillow case

 

Weekly/Bi-weekly 

- oil and massage scalp

- pre-poo hair

- Wash hair with a moisturizing shampoo

- Deep condition hair with a moisturizing conditioner

- apply leave-in conditioner

- air-dry hair (using scarf method or natural styles) or roller-set hair (using heat protectant and only blowing the roots)

 

Monthly

- direct heat will only be used on my hair once a month and/or on special occasions/events

 

Quarterly

- protein treatment 2 weeks before texlax

- light or mild relaxer (texlax)

- clip damaged ends and dust ends, where needed

- protein treatment 2 weeks after texlax

 

Semi-Annually

- Get ends trimmed

 

Annually

- reevaluate hair regimen

 

 

* A texlax can be performed in a variety of ways.

  - quickly put a normal relaxer in hair and rinse out within half the time recommended

  - add natural oils into your relaxer to slow down the relaxing process

  - add protective oils/gel directly to your new growth and remaining hair to slow down relaxing process

  - use a mild relaxer (assuming you have coarse hair)