Elasta QP Design Foam

Well as you know I have been on a mission to create a great roller set. Along the way I have picked up a few items that would help me achieve the look I want. Well today was my first stab at using a new product and I must say I was happy with the results. Now, I am sure you know I am trying to find all natural products to use on my hair. You may also know that it was very hard to find a great all natural product let alone an all natural styling aid, and while I have found one (e.g. Giovanni Natural Mousse) at my local health food store, but after reading some reviews I decided against it. At this stage of my journey, given all of the drama I had last week with my roller sets I really just want to work on perfecting my roller set before venturing in "all natural" territory. I feel I need a starting base so that I have something to compare it to. Once I have "mastered" my roller set, then I will begin to incorporate Giovanni Natural Mousse and abandon the Elasta QP.

With that said, I did find something that came very close to being natural, at least more so than the other products I have seen.

Here are the ingredients: Botanical Extracts of Rosemary, Nettle, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Horse Chestnut, Coltsfoot Leaf, Horsetail in Purified Water, Vinyl-pyrrilidone/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Panthenol, Benzophenone-4, Methylparaben, Octoxynol-13, Citric Acid and Fragrance.

Promise: Elasta QP Design Foam is a lightweight styling foam for use with wrap styles, roller set, or blow dry styles. Conditions, detangles, and adds shine to hair as it styles.

Results: For the most part I was impressed with this product. It gave me good hold that was flexible (moved with out stiffness). It was a little crispy (I used 6 pumps for the whole head--perhaps too much), but once I combed my hair out it ease out nicely. My only concern was that I saw some hair strains in my wide tooth comb as I was combing it out. When I went out and ran a few errands, my style held up against the wind, but moved easily ( a little too easy for my liking). For these reasons I've given this design foam a .

Stylista's rating:

- = not worth the money, don't waste your time.

- = neither hit or miss; just okay

- = good product; really worth trying.

= amazing product!

In the next two weeks I will be trying a setting lotion to see if I get better results. Watch out for that review! next!

JBCO Challenge: Week Nine and Finale

I wanted to give a quick update regarding the JBCO challenge, especially since I did not initially feel I had committed enough the challenge to see a difference in my hair. Well I must say, although the growth was minimal (due to poor diet, lack of sleep and a much needed "trim"--LOL), the difference in the thickness of my hair was significant though (comparison below). With that being said, clearly JBCO can have an impact on your hair--or at least mine, in terms of the thickness; length/growth is a completely different story. Diet, sleep, adequate exercise all play much bigger roles in you reaching your maximum potential growth (e.g. 1/4-1/2 inch/month)  than any "growth aid".



So there you have it, thicker, but no real growth. Even my hairdresser commented on the change in the fullness of my hair. All pics were taken right after my relaxer, and you know how flat and lifeless your hair can look right after a relaxer. My hair was also styled the same way with the same products in all of the pics as well (e.g. blown dry and flat ironed).

In light of these great results I want to emphasize the fact that no product can permanently thicken up the strains that have already sprouted out of your head, it can only help enhance the new growth you will achieve, which can make the overall hair look thicker. With time, as you continue to use the product you will begin to have thicker strains as the hair continues to grow in thicker. For this reason alone I think I will continue with JBCO as I am finally a believer (in its ability to thicken hair) and I have given it a because I definitely think its worth using, just don't expect wonders*.

*some women have reported significant thickness and growth.

Stylista's rating:

- = not worth the money, don't waste your time.

- = neither hit or miss; just okay

- = good product; really worth trying.

= amazing product!

Mini Hair Goals (Quick Review)

It's been a while since I've reviewed my hair goals, which I think I will begin to do after each relaxer to help me stay focused. Over the last 4 months or so I've been trying to do too much, which has left me overwhelmed, tired, frustrated and resulted in some horrible setbacks. 

Despite the few set backs I have had, I have manage to maintain some length, which is nothing to be too sad about. I think I could have accomplished more in certain areas (e.g. the sides of my head), so maybe if I remain focused on the prize I will do better this relaxer cycle.

Here is where I am with things:

1. Eliminate (or at least seriously reduce) dry/itchy scalp (doing much better since May)
2. Reduce breakage 
3. Obtain and maintain strength/moisture balance (definitely getting better)
4. Reduce shedding 
5. Increase thickness 
   
6. Increase growth and even out hair length (SL by Summer 2010) 
7.  Low manipulation style 95% of the time
8. Daily 1 min scalp massages (need to be consistent)

Here is my status on my overall health goals:

1. Drink more H2O (minimum 2 litres/day)
   
2. Eat 6 small well balanced meals everyday (esp. breakfast!)
   
3. Take a good quality multivitamin (3x/day) as well as regular Iron, Calcium and B-vitamin complex (getting better)
4. Get adequate sleep
5. De-stress with regular exercise/fun activity (I've been doing well here)

So it appears I've been sleeping on my overall health mini goals, so I will need to put more effort there, but as for my hair it seems like I am doing my thing. Let's see if I can keep it going.

Relaxer Day

Well it's relaxer time again! A bit early, but necessary because I have a wedding coming up and I want to avoid the drama of getting my hair done days before the big event. As well, my hair is very limp and lifeless after a fresh relaxer, and giving it a few washes seems to plump it up---don't know why, but it does.

I must say I was pleasantly surprise by the fullness of my hair. Even my hairdresser noticed and said he sees an improvement in the health of of my hair (I have posted pic below). I specifically asked my hairdresser to style my hair exactly the same so I could really see the difference. It looks thicker to me. In terms of growth, nothing to brag about, but it could have been much worse (e.g. breakage, shedding). I had to get a light trim (1/4-1/2 inch) because my ends were a little ragged, I also notice that one side of my head (at the back) grows significantly faster that the other side. I think at this stage of my hair journey I am beginning to see the importance of achieving and maintaining the health of my hair oppose to just trying to achieve length.

So it appears that I will not achieve my goal of full SL by July because my sides are just ridiculous in terms of growth--they DON'T!!!! My sides have not budged at all since my last relaxer. I don't understand it. So I will be adding that to my list of hair goals. I am happy to see that the back of my head is progressing well though.

JBCO Challenge: Week Eight

This week has been the same as the past three weeks...Unfortunately, I have really been sleeping on the whole scalp application/massage procedure. I am planning to relax my hair this weekend and I'm not sure what to expect. I am a little disappointed in myself. I think over the last three months I just tried to do way too much. You know the saying, "Jack of all trades, Master of none". I've been driving myself crazy trying to prepare for this special event and really I just made myself sick in the process. Literally and figuratively. So, there you have it, I have "mastered" (or accomplished) very little in the process in terms of growth, thickness over the last two and a half months. The unfortunate thing about it all is that at the end of this challenge I won't be able to say I achieve or didn't achieve results because I wasn't very committed to the process. For example, this week alone I didn't apply any JBCO to my scalp at all! I know...what have I been doing? I mean I truly don't believe growth aids exists anyway, while others swear by it. I will say I love how my new growth feels. It is very soft, my curls are very defined, my scalp feels good--when I use it--so no complaints. Has it helped in terms of growth and thickness, the jury is still out.

Now for the moment I've been waiting for October. Will I reach my first goal of full SL? I can say without a doubt, I will not reached "full" SL by July. For me "full SL" is sides and back all touches my shoulders--not necessarily a blunt cut/style--but similar in nature. Oh well, it will come. I had some setbacks, made some mistakes trying to do too much, but it's all good. I've learned more about my hair in the process. As long as I learned from my mistakes and just let things flow I will get there.