Shea Growth And Retention Regimen 2019

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

@ElevatedEnergy can you leave the coffee in the oil for as long as you want or is there a safe time limit to the infusion process (by the way I'm not using heat)?

 

[ElevatedEnergy]

@ElevatedEnergy can you leave the coffee in the oil for as long as you want or is there a safe time limit to the infusion process (by the way I'm not using heat)?

I usually leave mine for months at a time, but according to this article, 2 to 3 weeks is sufficient.

https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/making-herbal-infused-oils

 

[fluffyforever]

I am greased up and braided up for the week.

I will say that my wash day yesterday was one of the easiest in term of detangling. The combo of braids and shea keep my hair virtually tangle free.

 

[Chicoro]

View attachment 442065 View attachment 442067 An update :

My hair seems to be elbow length, so past waist length for the first time ever. I relaxed in December after a 5 month stretch but under processed some parts of my hair.
I spray netwurks excel on my scalp, scurl + Shea butter on my hair every three days.

Congratulations, @lalla!

 

[Chicoro]

I am greased up and braided up for the week.

I will say that my wash day yesterday was one of the easiest in term of detangling. The combo of braids and shea keep my hair virtually tangle free.

Congratulations, @fluffyforever !

 

[Chicoro]

Whether it's slow and steady

Or fast and hard

Just keep on going! Shea butter will take you there. Just one catch though, you got to use it! It being Shea butter, of course! Let's continue to break through those barriers!

 

[caribeandiva]

I am back from getting my blow out and light trim. Went out in to the rain and my hair started to revert a bit. Here are some pics I just took this morning. I’ve had super fine hair my entire life and now add to that being 44 years old and what that sometimes do to the hair.‍ Hopefully shea butter can help me out a bit. I hope these pics show I forgot how to add them here.

For some reason I’m getting errors trying to upload my pics.

View attachment 441663

Pretty lady with pretty hair!

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

I usually leave mine for months at a time, but according to this article, 2 to 3 weeks is sufficient.

https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/making-herbal-infused-oils

Great!!!! That's why I asked... Most articles don't say if you can leave the herbs/coffee in the oil which is what i wanted to do. They just say how long it takes to infuse. If you can leave yours in for months at a time than it;s all good.

BTW I bought your herb mix and am going to make an oil infusion with that as well. Super excited!!!!!!

 

[MizzBFly]

Clay ACV wash over the weekend condish w/ Texture ID (1st impression has slip)
D/C over night plus 1/2 a day w/ SM High Porosity slathered with Olive Oil
Washed scalp with Kinky Curly come clean (1st impression too drying)
Washed scalp with Quantum cheleating/clarifying *better than Kinky Curly come clean*
Rinsed with Macadamia deep repair mask

Layered with
Kinky Curly Leave in or SM Jamaican black castor
Whipped Shea w/ apricot oil (next time apply more close to roots)
Olive Oil
Made 4 Bantu knots over night to dry
Hair felt great! Blow dry on cool- hair still felt great which typically is not the response
*shea came through for the blow dry win

Toothpaste on mirror pics included

 

[water_n_oil]

@MizzBFly Omgoodness, your twists are perfection! I've been contemplating clay washes again.

 

[Chicoro]

Clay ACV wash over the weekend condish w/ Texture ID (1st impression has slip)
D/C over night plus 1/2 a day w/ SM High Porosity slathered with Olive Oil
Washed scalp with Kinky Curly come clean (1st impression too drying)
Washed scalp with Quantum cheleating/clarifying *better than Kinky Curly come clean*
Rinsed with Macadamia deep repair mask

Layered with
Kinky Curly Leave in or SM
Whipped Shea w/ apricot oil (next time apply more close to roots)
Olive Oil
Made 4 Bantu knots over night to dry
Hair felt great! Blow dry on cool- hair still felt great which typically is not the response
*shea come through for the blow dry win

Toothpaste on mirror pics included View attachment 442085View attachment 442087View attachment 442089

@MizzBFly Omgoodness, your twists are perfection! I've been contemplating clay washes again.

Those twists of hers are so perfect, they look like ropes of thick, beautiful yarn.

 

[MizzBFly]

Those twists of hers are so perfect, they look like ropes of thick, beautiful yarn.

Thanks ma’am!
My kids lost my $12 Sally’s shears that I didn’t even take out the bag yet so I’m headed back to Sally’s for a repurchase. I’m excited to snip away these SSK and slather my ends with Shea and Avocado oil

 

[PlanetCybertron]

FINALLY!!!

IT ARRIVED! TWO ORDERS OF CUPUAÇU BUTTER!

 

[PlanetCybertron]

All proceeded by a full wash day. Had my braids in for about 5 days. Scalp needed some tending to, and my ends needed another fresh coat of Collagen.

Wash day was awesome. Did my oh-so-easy pre-poo with Cupuaçu butter, shampooed roots only, conditioned, detangled in six sections, air dried, applied my butter from scalp, to tips. Sectioned in six sections and plaited my braids:

Finished results:

 

[Chicoro]

So...

I was just casually strolling through the aisles of some of the other LHCF posts. It seems that I am starting to cultivate my Shea Senses to another level! What's that mean?

Supposedly, I am able to spot a Shea butter user even when she is an UN-DECLARED user.

You know once somebody mentions they use Shea over on another part of the board, I try to entice them over here with unicorn treats. That's worked really well, thus far. But NOW, I'm sniffing out Shea Sisters that Slather even when they've not stated they were using Shea butter.

I've gotten so good that @long.hair.dont.care confessed she was 'secretly' using Shea butter. I'm going to steal her picture and post it over here and let you see what I'm talking about:



Here's the post where she confessed:
Thread name: Hip Length and Beyond. 2019 Challenge
Post: # 124
https://longhaircareforum.com/threa...nd-2019-challenge.840505/page-5#post-25082077

That long, thick, braid she is pulling...It's not even a braid! It's a small SECTION, as in 1/3 of a braid. Add to that you she has about 400 braids on her hair. And you know what she had the the nerve to say about her hair?

"I believe my hair is more on the "thinner" side..."

If that's thin then I'm BALD!

 

[Chicoro]

Preserving every Bit of Growth and Length Gain from Queen Shea Usage


Yesterday, my ends were 'tangly'. I thought it was karma from my ends. You know I had boldly said, "I tell my ends when to be cut, not the other way I round. I control when I need and want to trim my ends."

I thought my hair was putting me back in my place and letting me know IT was still running things.

But, that was not the case. I think my scraggly hairs have dropped in length again. Hence, due to the new , thinner and longer hairs, those hairs tangle more easily. Once more hair starts to drop in length and thicken up those thinner ends, then, the tangling becomes less of a problem.

I wanted to share with you all what I am doing that is allowing me to retain every single, little hair I grow and retain that length of it, too.

It's my Ends Routine! (I know I've shared it before...but still...)

At night, I wet 1/2 of the lower part of each braid. Then, I slather it with castor oil. Remember now, my braids have already been well saturated in Shea butter. Then, I pull the braids to the top of my head...perhaps I am trying to simulate the look of a unicorn [just playing...sort of.] because it bothers me in the back of my head when I try to sleep with that 'bump' back there.

I just wrap the hair around itself and then using a knee-hi, I secure the bun. Then, I put on that same baggie I was wearing during the day, over the top of the bun. I tie it with the ends of the knee-hi or add another one. It takes me 2 minutes to do it. I put a bonnet over all of this but the bonnet is usually on the floor 95% of the time when I wake up in the morning.

It is NOT SEXY looking! Some of ya'll wake up looking better than Beyonce. I am not one of those women. In fact, I don't even go to sleep at night looking sexy. But, that's okay.


Picture 1: When I wake up, the front of my hair is still nice and neat. I woke up like this!
My braids are moist and kind of gummy, but I like it like that. That's 8 hours of protection.
This is why I think I am able to preserve and save [almost] every amount of growth and gain
that I receive.



Picture 2: For me it's so easy and effective. I really think
this is a huge part of me being able to 'see' and notice the length gains
every 2 months, no matter how minuscule those gains are.
Those tiny length gains help keep me inspired and encouraged
on my hair journey. We all know it's not the set-backs that
doom us, it's the giving up and quitting that does.



Everything doesn't work for everybody. I'm sharing this here and perhaps
you can try it as is, modify it to fit your hair, or use it to get an AHA! for how
you can optimize the protection of your hair.

 

[Daina]

Clay ACV wash over the weekend condish w/ Texture ID (1st impression has slip)
D/C over night plus 1/2 a day w/ SM High Porosity slathered with Olive Oil
Washed scalp with Kinky Curly come clean (1st impression too drying)
Washed scalp with Quantum cheleating/clarifying *better than Kinky Curly come clean*
Rinsed with Macadamia deep repair mask

Layered with
Kinky Curly Leave in or SM Jamaican black castor
Whipped Shea w/ apricot oil (next time apply more close to roots)
Olive Oil
Made 4 Bantu knots over night to dry
Hair felt great! Blow dry on cool- hair still felt great which typically is not the response
*shea come through for the blow dry win

Toothpaste on mirror pics included View attachment 442085View attachment 442087View attachment 442089

I love your twists, how many do you have and how long did it take you?

 

[MizzBFly]

I love your twists, how many do you have and how long did it take you?

Thanks @Daina I didn’t count but they’re on the larger side than I usually do. It took 3 hrs since I stretched first. Previous twists w/o blow dry took 5-7. My hair is high porosity & looses moisture quick! easily mattes at the root if not thoroughly detangled and lubricated.
Your experience may be COMPLETELY different. Put on your favorite show or movie and give it a go
I attached another pic of some smaller twists that took too long. My front perimeter is not as dense as the rest of my head

 

[caribeandiva]

At the airport in Mali, you are limited to taking back 3 kilos. If you have a business license that you can show the airport officials, only then will they let you bring out, and bring back more of the Shea butter.

In Mali, no business license: No Shea butter amount over 3 kilos for you!
(I didn't know he said the N word in this meme, until now, so I removed it!
Excuse me, ladies! )


The airport security staff in Mali will drag you if you even try to bring out too much Shea.

But once you get that Commercial Seller's License information...things will
be looking up!

The Airport world will be dancing along with you...or so it seems

But don't get too greedy, though...

And when you get home, the after an especially thick slathering of butter, oh the JOY:

These gifs!!

 

[caribeandiva]

She Didn't Forget to Bring Me My Shea Nuts!!!!!

These are all the Shea nuts from the bag. The shiny brown ones with a smooth
texture are the whole nuts. The roughened, striated, mat textured ones are
the kernels inside the nut.
View attachment 442025


This is a kernel. This is what is used to make Shea butter.
This is cracked, then boiled. From here, the butter is
extracted in the process.
View attachment 442027


Three more of the kernels. Some are more textured than others.
View attachment 442029

Here you can see the size of the kernel in relation to my
hands and fingers.
View attachment 442031

This is not the 'fruit', as I thought because the time for the fruit is
in April. This is the whole nut. The Shea butter kernel is inside.
View attachment 442033

When I shook the Shea nut, I could hear the kernel moving
around, like a secret prize inside of a plastic Easter egg! I was
so surprised that it moves and makes a sound!
View attachment 442035

Here you can see that the Shea nut is not completely round.
View attachment 442037

Here is a view of the Shea nut lying happily in my hand.
It looks like we have been best friends for years. Both
of us are just so comfortable. This outer shell is so pretty
and shiny!
View attachment 442039

Are you gonna plant one?

 

[NJ11]

It's been a busy/weird month and a half so I haven't been on the site in general or this forum in particular much until just recently.

Ma'am @Chicoro , I thought you were not going to do/lead a 2019 thread!!

Well, I think I will jump in officially this year rather than lurking like I did when I discovered it in the last few months of 2018.

Let me catch up on what has been happening with the 2019 ladies so far...

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

By sunday i should have all my ingredients to play around with some diy pre poos!!!!!

Things i bought to play with:
Coconut milk powder
yogurt powder
aloe vera gel whole leaf
the henna pack and herb blend from @ElevatedEnergy (gonna infuse the herbs in oil for my shea blend)
honey
and a handheld strainer for avocado and bananas

I blame this thread for doing this to me

 

[Chicoro]

Are you gonna plant one?

Girl, wait. Haven't we been saying all along Shea trees only grow on the continent of Africa, in the Shea belt? I don't want to mess around and have that thing sprout and then be taken off the set for threatening their business. No planting over here! Trying to have somebody turn up missing...yeah, ME!

 

[Chicoro]

It's been a busy/weird month and a half so I haven't been on the site in general or this forum in particular much until just recently.

Ma'am @Chicoro , I thought you were not going to do/lead a 2019 thread!!

Well, I think I will jump in officially this year rather than lurking like I did when I discovered it in the last few months of 2018.

Let me catch up on what has been happening with the 2019 ladies so far...

I wasn't. But peer pressure is a mother. BUT, this gone be the LAST YEAR! And why you got to rub it in, though?

 

[GettingKinky]

@MizzBFly your twists are everything!!

 

[Chicoro]

By sunday i should have all my ingredients to play around with some diy pre poos!!!!!

Things i bought to play with:
Coconut milk powder
yogurt powder
aloe vera gel whole leaf
the henna pack and herb blend from @ElevatedEnergy (gonna infuse the herbs in oil for my shea blend)
honey
and a handheld strainer for avocado and bananas

I blame this thread for doing this to me

Don't blame it on the:

Don't blame it on the:

Blame it on the Boogie!

ie: The Shea Slide!

Chom on!

He's a heat straightened natural! Look at the shine and movement of his hair. Don't think he's a Shea user though. My Shea Senses aren't tingling.

 

[NJ11]

I wasn't. But peer pressure is a mother. BUT, this gone be the LAST YEAR! And why you got to rub it in, though?

 

[VictoriousBrownFlower]

Don't blame it on the:

Don't blame it on the:

Blame it on the Boogie!

ie: The Shea Slide!

Chom on!

He's a heat straightened natural! Look at the shine and movement of his hair. Don't think he's a Shea user though. My Shea Senses aren't tingling.

@Chicoro Yeah all i can do it cheer on the growth that's gonna happen

 

[NJ11]

FYI - this post was directly responsible for getting me to up and spontaneously make some whipped shea. I haven't whipped it up before - not that I remember...I have evidence that I attempted Naptural85's whipped and fluffy shea mixes before but I don't remember how I did it (it was pre- any mixer I have now...) and it was so long ago that I don't remember how it came out. I clearly used it up but that's all I got....

Anyway, I kept it simple - shea and sweet almond oil (I wanted to do jojoba, but didn't have much in the house). I used an immersion blender. Either the 2018 thread or Nap85 (or both) spoke to the differences between whisk/immersion/the beaters in the gif below. I'll have to revisit that comparison...

My mix came out very light and smooth. I didn't measure my ingredients - I used about 1 - 1.5 cups of shea butter and covered it (tall narrow-ish container) with the sweet almond oil - maybe half to 3/4 cup...I doubt it was more than that. We'll see how my hair likes it and I will adjust from there.

I don't have a starting picture - I can take one but I am in deep need of a trim right now so it would be kind of pointless, but I will try to make a point of tracking after I get a trim if not sooner (I may decide to take a pre-trim shot afterall...).

Okay...I'm officially in it now...

No words needed...

 

[caribeandiva]

Girl, wait. Haven't we been saying all along Shea trees only grow on the continent of Africa, in the Shea belt? I don't want to mess around and have that thing sprout and then be taken off the set for threatening their business. No planting over here! Trying to have somebody turn up missing...yeah, ME!

I thought about the fact that they only grow in the Shea belt BUUUUTTT... don’t you wanna know for sure?