Luscious Healthy Ends Challenge 2018

GGsKin

Well-Known Member
Tonight I rinsed my hair with plain water and applied APB Creamy Hair Pudding to my ends and length. Then I smoothed my Shea buttercreme mix focusing on my ends but also slathered down the rest of my length. Topped with diluted gel, root to tip.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
The contrast between your story and mine stopped me. Your ends were feeling a little rough and you trimmed them and gel would have brought the worst out of them. The ends of my twa have been feeling very rough compared to the length, and the other day the whole thing was very frizzy. I put a generous amount of olaplex number 3 on it, covered it with sunflower oil and added gel then raked and scrunched et voila! My ends were totally transformed, and have been soft and behaving ever since. I don't any more feel a need to trim them. It's crazy how different types of hair respond in totally different ways to the exact same thing!
:lol: Yes it is amazing. Hair is not hair but it would be nice if it was true. You just have to find your thing and stick to it.

Speaking of different types of hair reminds me of my mom.I would 2 strand twist my hair and on one side I might twist right over left. On the other I might do left over right. It would just depend on hand position. My mom watched me and said, "I can only twist my hair in one direction. If I twist my hair in the other direction it unravels. " I looked at her funny because that makes no sense. I'm fairly good at twisting. I have been twisting my hair for years. So I decide to twist her hair for her. Well, I had to apologize to her for doubting her. When I twisted her hair in one direction it stayed fine. When I tried to twist it in the other direction it immediately unraveled. I tried roping the twist first, doing it tighter, looser. I tried different products. I tried different sections of her hair. :perplexed:

I knew then that hair is not hair and what works for one doesn't work for others even in the same family.
 

Alma Petra

Well-Known Member
:lol: Yes it is amazing. Hair is not hair but it would be nice if it was true. You just have to find your thing and stick to it.

Speaking of different types of hair reminds me of my mom.I would 2 strand twist my hair and on one side I might twist right over left. On the other I might do left over right. It would just depend on hand position. My mom watched me and said, "I can only twist my hair in one direction. If I twist my hair in the other direction it unravels. " I looked at her funny because that makes no sense. I'm fairly good at twisting. I have been twisting my hair for years. So I decide to twist her hair for her. Well, I had to apologize to her for doubting her. When I twisted her hair in one direction it stayed fine. When I tried to twist it in the other direction it immediately unraveled. I tried roping the twist first, doing it tighter, looser. I tried different products. I tried different sections of her hair. :perplexed:

I knew then that hair is not hair and what works for one doesn't work for others even in the same family.

:laugh:
It's baffling isn't it?

This reminds me of the time I tried to use my wash and go method on my sister's hair using the same products. Turns out her hair is at least x10 less porous than mine. The style came out as a CAKE of white product thickly caked all over her hair. Stupidly I'd been waiting for it to dry clear like it would on mine. We laughed so much. She just had to run to the bathroom and wash it all out.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
:lol: Yes it is amazing. [...] When I twisted her hair in one direction it stayed fine. When I tried to twist it in the other direction it immediately unraveled. I tried roping the twist first, doing it tighter, looser. I tried different products. I tried different sections of her hair. :perplexed:

I knew then that hair is not hair and what works for one doesn't work for others even in the same family.

Interesting. Very, very interesting.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
Tonight I rinsed my hair with plain water and applied APB Creamy Hair Pudding to my ends and length. Then I smoothed my Shea buttercreme mix focusing on my ends but also slathered down the rest of my length. Topped with diluted gel, root to tip.

What is your process to dilute your gel, please?
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
The contrast between your story and mine stopped me. Your ends were feeling a little rough and you trimmed them and gel would have brought the worst out of them. The ends of my twa have been feeling very rough compared to the length, and the other day the whole thing was very frizzy. I put a generous amount of olaplex number 3 on it, covered it with sunflower oil and added gel then raked and scrunched et voila! My ends were totally transformed, and have been soft and behaving ever since. I don't any more feel a need to trim them. It's crazy how different types of hair respond in totally different ways to the exact same thing!

Alma Petra, did you use olaplaex number 1 and 2 in the past? Or, do you only use olaplaex #3?
 

GGsKin

Well-Known Member
What is your process to dilute your gel, please?

@Chicoro
I pour about 2 or 3 spoons worth of gel into another container. I add about the same amount of water and stir until it thickens up. Then I add about 1tsp or less of steeped hibiscus, or a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar and stir again. This makes about 1/4 or 1/5 of a 16oz container, for one time use for my wng.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
@Chicoro
I pour about 2 or 3 spoons worth of gel into another container. I add about the same amount of water and stir until it thickens up. Then I add about 1tsp or less of steeped hibiscus, or a couple of drops of apple cider vinegar and stir again. This makes about 1/4 or 1/5 of a 16oz container, for one time use for my wng.

Thank you for responding. What is the purpose of the hibiscus and the apple cider vinegar?
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
You're welcome:). It brings the pH of the gel down to 4/4.5- my hair has less/ no frizz and longer lasting results, compared to when I mix just gel and water (I no longer test the pH for my hair every time).

Yes, both hibiscus and vinegar are antiseptic and make organic tissue contract due to their less than 7, or acidic pH. Great process! Thank you for taking the time to answer in detail and for responding so quickly. I appreciate it.
 

Alma Petra

Well-Known Member
Alma Petra, did you use olaplaex number 1 and 2 in the past? Or, do you only use olaplaex #3?
I have used them yes but I haven't really experimented with them often. I believe what the company says that they are all basically the same active ingredient but in different concentrations. And on my hair I think they do what they are said to do: they patch up the hair thus smoothing down the cuticles. End result is they smoothen and soften the roughened ends and help the hair curl and clump better thus aiding with definition and shine. I prefer the creamy formulations ie number 2 and number 3. I know that some people actually use number 3 as a leave-in.

I have seen these results with olaplex but not with protein treatments, but to be honest I still need to experiment with both more to be certain of my verdict.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
:laugh:
It's baffling isn't it?

This reminds me of the time I tried to use my wash and go method on my sister's hair using the same products. Turns out her hair is at least x10 less porous than mine. The style came out as a CAKE of white product thickly caked all over her hair. Stupidly I'd been waiting for it to dry clear like it would on mine. We laughed so much. She just had to run to the bathroom and wash it all out.
I'm glad she had a sense of humor about it. Did you ever figure it out for her hair?
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I have some serums for my ends that I want to use up. I use them mainly on wash day. When I finish using them up I will try the juice with you ladies.

I hate having excess products so I need to use something up first.
 

YvetteWithJoy

On break
For yesterday's wash and go, I sealed my ends with whipped Shea butter before applying gel from root to tip, concentrating gel on my roots.

The Shea butter allowed my KareCo Tangle Buster Brush to glide through my ends.

As I detangled from the bottom up, I believe this spread just a tiny bit of Shea butter up my strands. Maybe that's it!!!: Maybe that's how I can use Shea butter in my wash and go's without the butter interfering with the power, hold, and definition of the gel.

I'll see.

Here's exactly what I did:

I washed out a not-so-great wash and go, wore my hair in a DC-saturated puff all day (RawSugar Hair Mask), and then did a new wash and go.

Steps, products, and technique:
  1. Prepoo and detangle: SM hipo masque and KareCo Tangle Buster Brush
  2. Cleanse: Malibu C Hard Water Shampoo
  3. Condition and define coils: DevaCurl Decadence One Condition
  4. Seal ends: Jakeala Shea Amla Parfait
  5. Thoroughly rewet hair with water from a spray bottle as I went along
  6. Shingle gel from root to tip, concentrating on roots: Bronner Brothers Firm Hold Curling Gel
  7. Shake head
  8. Air dry (still doing)
  9. Tension blow dry to elongate (will do later this morning)
 

Alma Petra

Well-Known Member
I'm glad she had a sense of humor about it. Did you ever figure it out for her hair?
She did. That's why I love my baby sister.
Unfortunately we never got the chance to try again and then I had to leave the country.. But I had a number of ideas to try on her hair. And now I have more devil:
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I put pomade on my ends before I shampooed my hair. It definitely helped. It kept my ends from sticking together when I applied the henna after I shampooed. I will remember to do this each time I shampoo. I may try castor oil and water next time.
 

LushLox

Well-Known Member
My ends are feeling and looking pretty decent. I did a good M&S session last night and I spent a little bit more time working the product in. I feel my ends would be a lot better if I took that sort of care all the time. Got to try and be more consistent...
 

LushLox

Well-Known Member
I finally bought the Mane Choice hair shears. I'm due a trim next month, but my ends look okay right now so it may just need a dust; we'll see.

Back to work tomorrow after Easter, and I'm going back to bunning consistently for the next couple of months at least until my birthday in June. I've bought a whole heap of hair accessories and tools so I don't get too bored. I need to ensure that I M&S my ends very well whilst they are tucked under.
 

YvetteWithJoy

On break
On my most recent wash day, Monday, I applied Jakeala Shea Amla Hair Parfait (contains ayurvedic ingredients) to my ends before apply The Mane Choice Tropical Moringa Pearly Braid Out Glaze to the entire length. Before all of that, I had applied CurlyProverbz DIY Ayurvedic Hair Tea to my entire length. This all was extremely strengthening. My ends felt thicker and stronger.
 

FoxxyLocs

Well-Known Member
Ends are still doing fine even after wearing a wash and go for a week. I had very few tangles and SSKs when I washed my hair today, which was a surprise. Did another wash and go. Planning to wear it for another week, then bun until my next wash day. I seal heavily with a moisturizer and Shea butter before I put my hair in a bun. I also did an oil rinse before shampooing.

I plan to start incorporating clay and ayurvedic powders on my next wash day.
 

Chicoro

5 Year Shea Anniversary: Started Dec 16th, 2016!
Ends are still doing fine even after wearing a wash and go for a week. I had very few tangles and SSKs when I washed my hair today, which was a surprise. Did another wash and go. Planning to wear it for another week, then bun until my next wash day. I seal heavily with a moisturizer and Shea butter before I put my hair in a bun. I also did an oil rinse before shampooing.

I plan to start incorporating clay and ayurvedic powders on my next wash day.



I pop up like Scooby does for a Scooby Snax, every time Shea butter is mentioned.
 

LushLox

Well-Known Member
I took off about half an inch today. I didn't quite make 12 weeks (last trim was 10 weeks ago) but at least I won't need to trim again for a good while now.

Hair feels so good. I hope I don't get into the habit of trimming off all of my growth too often. I may have to keep my scissors at work! :lol::look:
 
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