UPDATE: The Edge of No Return

Ok, so every weekend I try to give random updates about my hair growth journey. I'm a very impatient person so...if I don't focus on little challenges along the way and chart my growth, I get frustrated and say...OH WELL, real quick-like. Lol.

Anyway, with that being said, I wanted to talk about my edges or what's left of them. I've been inconsiderate to my hairline for years and years--getting micro after micro and so many too-tight ponytails. I think it's about time I step back, evaluate my mistakes, and give my edges some good ole TLC! This could very well be the best time for me to focus on them since the rest of my hair is still in a protective style. I have been using a new product from Profectiv called Growth Renew Root Recovery Temple Stimulant. I can't say for certain if it is working, but I've been consistant this week, and hopefully, i'll keep it up AND see some progress. From what I see so far, it is keeping my hairline VERY moisturized so i'm hopeful!

While I'm weaved up, hopefully my edges will get the break they need! I'll be sure to update because this is a BIG goal for me this year. I always forget about this challenge, but my goal for 2010 is to get my edges grown in...lol!

Happy Hair Growing and Reading,

Mane.Attraction

Product Review: Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo/Conditioner

Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo and Conditioner Rating:
I give it FIVE WIDE TOOTH COMBS!!!!!



Hair Condition before:
DESERT DRY! I’m almost ashamed to say such things about my hair, but my upkeep was horrible up until now! I’ve turned over a new leaf…AND A NEW SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER COMBO as well!

My Experience:
I was excited to try this shampoo because I heard a lot of good reviews from ladies that used it before, and feel free to add me to the list! My hair loved this shampoo and conditioner. I even bought the Moisture Treatment Balm from this line as well. If the scent of this shampoo and conditioner were any indication of how well it was going to work, then hands down—it’s the best! The smell was heavenly.

After shampooing, rinsing, and repeating, my hair felt like silk. My hair never feels that soft after a wash—maybe after a deep condition, but not after shampooing my strands. It only got better when I conditioned my hair. Afterwards, it was so easy to detangle my hair with a wide-tooth comb. I didn’t even feel like I was 8 weeks post relaxer. My hair and scalp felt clean and full of moisture. I will definitely continue to use this line in the future. It’s well worth a try! Trust me…your tresses will thank you! You might even get a standing ovation!!!!

What Joico Says:
“Moisture Recovery features an exclusive Hydramine Sea Complex: a blend of moisture-loving ingredients from the sea that quenches overly dry hair attributed to the environment, chemical services or genetics.”

Ingredients:
 Joico Moisture Recovery Shampoo Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau,Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Mehtyl Cocyl Taurate, Cocamide Mea, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Hydrolyzed Algin, Sea Water/Maris Aqua/Eau De Mer, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Hair Keratin, Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin, Silicone Quaternium-16, PEG-150, Pentaerythrityl Tetrastearate, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glcerides, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Butyloctanol, Undeceth-11, Undeceth-5, Arginin, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimmonium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sorbitol, Stearyl Dihydroxylpropyldimonium Oligosaccharides, Methylparaben, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, DMD Hydantoin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance/Parfum, EXT. Violet 2 (CI 60730), Blue 1( CI 42090), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).

Joico Moisture Recovery Conditioner Ingredients: Deionized Water - Aqua , Isopentyldiol , Sorbitol , Dimethicone , Behentrimonium Chloride , Stearyl Alcohol , Behenyl Alcohol , Ethylhexyl Palmitate , Jojoba Seed Oil - Simmondsia Chinensis , Hydrolyzed Algin , Chlorella Vulgaris Extract , Sea Water - Hydramine Sea Complex , Hydrolyzed Human Hair Keratin - Quadramine Complex , Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Human Hair K , Aminopropyl Dimethicone , Citric Acid , PEG-6 Methyl Ether Dimethicone , PEG-90M , Propylene Glycol , Sodium Citrate , Steartrimonium Chloride , Stearyl Dihydroxypropyldimonium Oligosaccharides , Fragrance - Parfum , Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate , DMDM Hydantoin , Blue 1 - CI 42090 , Ext Violet 2 - CI 60730 , Yellow 5 - CI 19140

Tip of the Week: Build a Hair Care Regimen

When trying to grow your hair long and strong, you have to start off on the right foot. In other words, start off with the right tools to get the job done. Natural hair divas everywhere need to find out what works for their textured tresses and build a regimen fit for their crown of glory. All hair products are not created equal and clearly, there is no one-size-fit-all regimen neatly bundled together in a store somewhere just waiting to be purchased. It takes time and some trial and error to develop a regimen for all of your hair needs, but most regimens have a few of the following:
• A Moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
• A Deep Conditioning Protein Treatment
• A Deep Conditioning Moisture Treatment
• A Moisturizing Leave-in Conditioner
• A light oil to seal in moisture
• A heat protectant when direct heat is used

I know all of these products are important, but I really want to keep my hair regimen as simple as possible. I have been searching high and low for natural hair care products and a few that spark my interest are Hydra Thermals as well as Hairveda. I have been looking at lots of natural fotki users trying to get ideas for my new hair care regimen, and I stumbled onto Reniece’s page. OMG…really? Three years! All that in three years.

As of right now, I am using Nexxus’s new line of Shampoo for Color treated hair, but I’m not too excited about it so the search is still on for the first part of my regimen—a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner.

My regimen is a work in progress. I have to figure out what works for me, but I am open to any and all suggestions. Until I finalize my regimen, my PJ attacks will occur sporadically, and I will definitely write hair product reviews along the way!

Happy Hair Reading,

Mane.Attraction

In a Perfect Style: Ms. Keri Baby!

I can't help but notice her dramatic style changes since her album debut, "In a Perfect World." I mean, wouldn't your world be perfect if you had fly hair 24/7? Anywho, she's always had an edgy style, but I must say that I fell in love with her blunt bob she flaunted on red carpets and in the video shoot for her debut single, "Energy." I was slightly turned off with her crop cut for the second single "Turn Me On", though, but she eventually won me over again with her Medicine in Plies' new video. Ms. Keri Baby is definitely a Million Dollar Girl with one-of-a-kind style that all eyes--including mine--seem to catch. ;)

My Textured Tresses

Okay, so...It's been a week since I put my sew-in in, and my hair's doing alright from what I can tell. I'm still undecided on what my mane regimen will be, but I know that I'll be using sew-ins as a protective style to help me transition no matter what. This is actually my first time using curly weave so we'll see how this goes. I wanted to try something different, and hopefully it will last me 8 weeks. I used Brandy's Hair line with Outre Pro10. The style is Bohemian Curl. What do you think? I thought the curly texture would let me blend my new growth better and help me get used to my natural hair at the same time.

Happy Hair Growing and Hair Reading,

Mane.Attraction

Tip of the Week: Go for the Goal!

This tip is mainly for me, but I hope it helps some of my hair sistas, too. I find that I do better with my hair care if I have a goal or if I'm in a challenge. Challenges often give me a support system when I have to check in with other hair growers on a forum.

I feel like you have to know what you're working towards if you're going to be successful. Then it's up to you to set up a plan and go after it.

For instance, here I am sitting here with my new protective hairstyle (pics coming soon) trying to think of what I want this year as far as hair growth and retention, and this is what I came up with:

1. I want to have THICK, HEALTHY Hair!
No need to explain here. What's the point of growing hair if it's
damaged? I heard a hairstylist somewhere say that your hair is the first
thing people hear before you speak, and I sure don't want my hair saying
I'm damaged goods. Do you?

2. I want LENGTH!
I want to retain every millimeter of length that I can this year. By
next February, I want my 6 inches of new growth! I want to be EL when my
hair is in its natural state and NL (going on SL) when it has been
straightened with a flat iron!

3. Last, I want to learn HOW to style my natural hair!
I already know it will take trial and error, but I want my natural curls
to be defined and ready to SHINE!

NOW that my goals are out of the way and I know where I'm headed, all I have to do now is figure out how to get there! Easier said than done, I know, but I'll give it my best shot! Might as well GO HARD or GO HOME, right?! I'll be sure to update you on my transition progress. Feel free to let me know how you're doing as well! TTYL!

Happy Hair Reading and Growing,

Mane.Attraction

Update: Have I crossed the Line?

India.Arie said it best when she sang, “I am not my hair,” but I can’t help but feel frustrated with these follicles from time to time. My hair was healthy and relaxed about four months ago, but I had the audacity to get a cut and some COLOR. Now this may be alright for some people, but my hair was sucked dry and just plain exhausted after this salon session.

I should have known better, though. It took so much maintenance just to keep my hair healthy with a relaxer, and then I went on and threw a Permanent Color—not a rinse—its way. I was asking for trouble. So now—four months and two relaxers later—I’m sitting here staring at a line that I just have to cross—my line of demarcation.

This line separates the old from the new—the chemically processed hair from the virgin hair steadily growing from my scalp…so what do I do now? To transition or not to transition, that is the age old question. I don’t think I have the gumption to just chop my relaxed ends clean off, but it is tempting considering I had cut my hair relatively short and with my new growth, I have the potential to look like a porcupine any day now…lol!

Oh well! I suppose I will transition, but I must be careful when styling my hair. In fact, I think I’m going to wash it tonight and sew in some hair to keep me from manipulating my hair too much. Hopefully during the summer, I will be ready to chop off my relaxed ends.



Happy Hair Reading,

Mane.Attraction

Introducing Mane.Maven.Mondays!

I plan to feature 2 relaxed hair inspirations and 2 Natural Hair inspirations every month. If you have anyone in mind that has had outstanding hair growth that you like to see featured on this blog, feel free to scroll down to my contact box and tell me who it is and where I can find them (i.e. twitter, fotki, BHM, etc.). I will do my best to track them down and get the hair low down by asking these questions:

How long have you been on a healthy hair care journey?

What was your hardest bad hair habit to break? How did you get over it?

What is your current hair length?

What is your ultimate hair goal?

Describe your current hair care regimen.

What is your favorite hair care product?

What is one hair tip that all newbies should know?

What is your favorite protective hairstyle?

Who is your biggest hair inspiration?

If you could have any hair stylist do your hair, who would it be?

Where can we find out more about your hair journey (i.e. fotki, etc.)?


These are some generic questions that I will be asking, but if you have any pressing questions that you are dying to ask them drop me a line in my contact box at the very end of my blog! Thanx!

Spotlight on Black Hair Care!

Hey ladies! I started this site to document my progress on a healthy hair care journey. The longest length I ever reached was shoulder length (or SL to my fellow BHM members out there). This year, however, I have decided to transition back to my natural hair, and I'm pretty sure I will have a lot to learn and a lot to share with you all along the way.

I'm not totally self-absorbed so my blog will feature other things and hopefully, I will get a chance to update it frequently. Since I am new to Natural hair care, I will be seeking advice from women who have been successful on their hair growth journey, and hopefully, they will be willing to share their tips and know-how in an interview with me featured on this site for my readers.

Whether you're relaxed or natural, all heads of hair are welcomed here. Black hair is beautiful, and this blog will review products and share helpful advice to make sure all of us have luxurious locks to run our fingers through! I am so ready to grow my natural hair long and strong the healthy way. Are you?

Happy Hair Reading,

Mane Attraction