My Hair Length Progress So Far....

Hi guys, I didn't take a length check picture persay after my last texlax touch-up. This is because I'm waiting till December before straightening my hair. However, I've been doing "measurement length checks" and recording in my hair diary. I stretch out my hair in sections, record with a tape measure and record.

u

Check out the trend!

I retained roughly 2 inches from my 16-week stretch. I had less than in some sections though. Unfortunately, I lost a lot 0f the retained length because I didn't like the way my ends looked. My hair tends to grow into a "V" shape but I prefer U shape. I might just keep trimming my hair to maintaong it's current length. Nothing is set in stone yet though... fingers-crossed.

2 weeks before touch-up

Post-trim Hair

That's all for now guys. How is your hair doing? Catch y'all soon


xx,
Bee

Texlax/Relaxer Update #3

I texlaxed on Monday, 30/08/16 at 17 weeks and 3 days post. I prepared my hair the usual way, using aphogee two step protein treatment. See here, to read how I prepare my hair for texlax touch-up.

For the first time on my hhj, someone else did my texlax for me!!! I had my texlax touch done at HairvolutionbyBee Lounge by one of our stylists. And she did a very good job following all my prompts and instructions. Felt good really. Finally, a texlax day without the stress and arm-ache.

Steps followed:                                  

• My hair was parted into 4 and detangled.
• Petroleum jelly was applied to my previously relaxed hair to prevent over-processing from relaxer runoff during wash. Petroleum jelly was also applied to my hairline and top of my ears
• About one-third of the jar of ORS lye relaxer was mixed with two tablespoons oof vegetable oil. Lol? yea, you read that right. I was out of olive oil which use normally. So i used good ol' vegetable oil from my kitchen.
• The diluted relaxed was applied to my hair. Application and smoothing time (fingers only) was 12 minutes. I left it on for another 4 minutes. Making a total of 16 minutes.
• The relaxer was rinsed out, and shampooed thrice with Vitale Olive Oil Neutralising Shampoo. The shampoo was left on for 4 minutes the third time before rinsing out.     
• Deep conditioned for 15 minutes with heat, with a mix of ORS Replenishing Conditioner, Roux Porosity Control, and Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner.
• Megagrowth Profectiv Daily Leave-in Strengthener was applied and sealed with HairvolutionbyBee Whipped Shea Butter.

My hair was then rolled with large rollers, I sat under the hooded dryer for a while but I didn't have the patience to sit till my hairgot dry. I simply combed out the curls and I was left with fairly straight hair.

This texlax was a very successful one, the vegetable oil was a good call after all. I love the texture I was left with.

Post-trim Hair

However, I observed I'm having an unusual amount of breakage. I'm trying not to freak out. I noticed about two weeks before my texlax touch-up but I believed the Aphogee two step protein treatment would keep it in check. Alas! I was wrong. I ended up trimming so much, I trimmed twice on texlax day, and once the following day. My plan is to give my hair some TLC and do a henna treatment which is long overdue.

I don't think I retained much length this stretch due to the thin ends which I had to trim (1.5 - 2 inches). I didn't really do a length check or comparison pictures because I didn't flat iron. However, I measured for my hair diary before trimming. I will do an update on that in another post.

xx,
Bee

Big Announcement: HairvolutionbyBee Lounge Opening Soon

I'm so excited to let you all know that HairvolutionbyBee Lounge will be officially open for business on Monday, 29/08/2016. Since the start of healthy hair journey ( 2 years plus), I have been to a salon just once and it was not a fun experience. I did not like the way my hair was handled. Anyone on a hair journey around here would agree with me that most salons don't have much knowledge of healthy hair dos and don'ts. Most of them are only all about the lovely, gorgeous hair styles. Thankfully, great salons are springing up especially natural hair salons. Sadly, only ladies in cities like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt are enjoying this "luxury".

I started considering owning a healthy haircare salon about a year ago, because there wasn't any around me. I mentioned it briefly as one of my goals for this year, bit I was not super sure then. I finally took the plunge around March and got a place. Six months after, we are good to go and set for business. It has not exactly been an easy feat. Infact I have been super busy, more busy than I expected. And, that is why I haven't been posting so much. Apologies and I promise to catch up on that. It's been quite a journey and I've learnt a lot. There were times I wanted to quit, but my passion for healthy hair kept me going, I'm also not a quitter. Family and friends that believe in my cause also provided a great support system.

MEET HAIRVOLUTIONBYBEE LOUNGE
HairvolutionbyBee Lounge is a Hair/Beauty salon specialised in healthy hair care, styling and products for both natural and relaxed hair.

Mission: To help everyone achieve their goals of having thick, long and healthy hair and scalp by nuturing damaged hair to health and maintaining healthy hair, while also giving necessary advice and guidance.

Vision: To be one of the leading healthy hair care providers in Nigeria.

Our stylists that have been tutored on healthy hair care practices in addition to their professional skills.

Services offered include:

• Hair & Scalp treatments 
• Protective styling (Crochet Braids, Braids, Ghana weaving, faux locs etc)
• Cut/trim
• Chemical services (Relaxer touch-up, colour)
• Blow out, Straightening & Silk press
• Natural hair styling  (Up dos, Two strand twists, Bantu knots, Finger/Comb coils) 
• Ayurveda treatments  (Henna, Amla, Bentonite clay etc)
• Sale of hair care products, tools and accessories

Contact Details
Address: Shop 6, Block 19, Shop 6, New Central Market, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile - Ife. Osun state.
Facebook: HairvolutionbyBee Lounge
Instagram: @hairvolutionbybeelounge
Twitter: @hairvolutionbyB

I believe this is great news for hairlistas inIle-Ife and its environs. Hopefully, the salon will also help a whole lot of people aware tIle-Ife and its environs. Hopefully, the salon will also help make a lot of people aware that, Nigerian hair can also be very long and healthy.

Wish me luck guys and hope to see you soon if you are in Ile-Ife.

xx,
Bee.

Style Post: Unravelled Crochet Havana Twists

After 3 weeks of using my curly wig, I decided it was time for a new look. So my new protective style is unravelled crochet havana twists. I simply re-used the     Xpression Naomi boom twists I used here. I washed the twists with warm water and shampoo and spread them out to dry before installing them.

How I Prepared My Hair:
Prepoo: ORS Replenishing Conditioner + Hairveda Sitrinillah
Shampoo: Creme of Nature Moisture and Shine Shampoo (lathered twice)
Conditioner: Alberto VO5 Sun-kissed Raspberry with Chamomile Balancing Conditioner (Left on for 5 minutes and rinsed out with cold water)
Leave-in Conditioner: Profectiv Megagrowth Daily Leave in Strengthener, sealed with Grapeseed oil.
Air-dried, detangled and applied Cantu  Shea Butter Creamy Lotion for Natural Hair just before braiding up my hair. I also oiled my scalp with my oil mix.

My braid pattern and installation method was just the same as when initially installed the naomi boom twists. The only difference between the hair styles is that I unravelled each twist after installing all.

I looove eeit! I really do. This style is a keeper. I'm following my usual protective style regimen. It is important to take care of one's hair and not abandon it while underneath/in protective styles. I spray my hair with diluted Lusters' S.curl Curl Activator Moisturizer and oil my scalp once in 2 - 3 days.


Who else loves crochet hairstyles the way I do?

xx,
Bee

Recommended Hair Products for HHJ Beginners

This post is majorly for ladies that have just started their hair journey and those planning to start. I have received several messages from ladies asking which hair products they would need in their HHJ. I decided to compile this list and make it a blog post so that anyone interested can go through it. I made the list with my naija ladies in mind, although it can also be useful to everyone, so most of the products are easy to find here. They are also relatively affordable and with good reviews.

However, I have to point out that the success of your HHJ is not about products but about practices. Someone using the most expensive hair products but using heat too often and using fine toothed comb will struggle with making progress with their hair.

Read this post to know how and when to use each category of products in your regimen or how to build your regimen.

Shampoos
Creme of Nature Moisture and Shine Sulphate-free shampoo (sulphate-free; can be used weekly)
ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo (Clarifying/Neutralising; can be used once a month or more)
Alberto V05 Shampoos  (Clarifying;  can be used once a month or more)
African Naturalista Black Moisturising Shampoo (sulphate-free)

Rinse-out Conditioners
Alberto V05 conditioners
Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisturising Conditioner
Suave Conditioners

Moisture Deep Conditioners
Organics by Africa's Best Olive Oil Deep conditioner
Motions Moisture Plus Conditioner
Organics by Africa's Best Tea Trea and Cholesterol Deep Conditioner
Queen Helene Cholesterol Deep Conditioner

Protein Deep Conditioners
ORS Replenishing Conditioner  (Light or Balanced)
ORS Hair Mayonnaise  (Medium)
Organics Hair Mayonnaise  (Medium)
Aphogee Two-step Protein Treatment (Hard)
Aphogee Two Minutes Keratin Reconstructor (Light)
Vitale Olive Oil Hair Mayonnaise (Light)

Leave-in Conditioners
Profectiv Megagrowth daily leave-in strengthener  (Protein)
Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-in Conditioner (Moisture)
African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Moisture Intense Leave-in (Moisture)
Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Conditioning Repair Cream (Protein)

Moisturisers
ORS Olive Oil Incredibly Rich Moisturising Hair Lotion
Cantu Shea Butter Natural Hair Creamy Lotion
Elasta qp Mango Butter Moisturiser
Luster's Scurl Activator Moisturiser

Carrier oils and Butters
Extravirgin Olive oil
Extravirgin Coconut oil
Avocado oil
Shea butter
Cocoa butter

Essential oils (should be used ONLY Diluted)
Eucalyptus oil
Lavender oil
Peppermint oil
Tea tree oil

A good practice before purchasing hair products is to read reviews online.

P.S.: This list is by no means extensive, there are several other great hair products. I will be updating with new products from time to time.


xx,
Bee.