Changes

Updates
I no longer do the whole pH apple cider vinegar and baking soda thing. I have long since stopped that. No negative side effects mind you its just too time consuming all the measuring and pH testing. I did try the Shea Moisture Hair Mask. I don't like it. It smells nice, but it is thick and my hair does not feel moisturized or soft after sitting with it on my hair for thirty minutes under a hot dryer with a plastic cap. I henna'd my hair this weekend and used the Baka Natural Laxer once more. I'll post pictures and details soon about my henna experience. I no longer use Lotta Body (I discovered that it contains carcinogenic agents and chemicals typically used to embalm people. I now use the Kinky Curly Styling Spritz that I mentioned in an earlier post. I got it from Target for $11.99. I used up all of the African Pride moisturizer and I'm almost done with the African Pride Olive Miracle leave-in conditioner will not be purchasing anymore because it contains some of the "bad stuff" (-ates, parabens and more). I haven't had to use the Blue Magic Organics hair oil (mentioned in a previous post) because my scalp hasn't been itchy. However I will say that the last time I used it a day or so later my scalp was really itchy.

Baka Natural Laxer and Curlformers

My hair had just been done in a three strand twist out on Saturday, August 20, 2011. They were very defined and I had a little Afro. I used an olive oil/Castor oil mix to smooth out and detangle my hair. I left it on overnight with a conditioning cap (plastic shower cap). The next morning I sat under the dryer for about 15 minutes for a makeshift hot oil treatment.

The following is the regimen that I used to do my hair:

1st   Hot Oil Treatment Overnight   No pH

2nd Wash with NuGro Shampoo    pH 5                     (rinse)

3rd  Baka NaturalLaxer Mix           pH 7 neutral        

4th  Dryer highheat / 45 minutes                                  (rinse)

5th  Wash with NuGro Shampoo    pH 5                     (rinse)

6th  Baking Soda Mix                     pH 8           DO NOT RINSE

7th Palmer's Deep Conditioner        pH 4    Dryer high heat/conditioning (plastic shower cap / 15 min)  (rinse)

8th Apple Cider Vinegar Mix          pH 3     DO NOT RINSE

9th Allways Leave-in Conditioner/Setting lotion

10th Hair Dryer 1 hour, curlformers

5  + 5 + 8 + 4 + 3 = 25

25 divided by 5 = 5 perfect hair :-D

(total pH of all products used divided by the total number of products used)

Baka Natural Laxer

This link will take you to Treasured Locks which is where I ordered my Baka Natural Laxer. I ordered one mix and one rose water. My order was 19.98 + 5.95 shipping for a total of $25.93. It did not take long for my order to reach me. I only had one complaint. Whoever packed my order did not close the bottle of the rose water tightly so a little leaked out. The whole package has a nice rosy scent.

Baka Natural Laxer Mix

Here is what it looks like, it also came with a directions pamphlet.

 I followed the directions to the letter with the exception of the heat cap. It wasn't hard to mix.

Nice and creamy.

I used a butter knife to mix in the rose water.

The mix was quite fragrant and I loved the way the rose water smelled. I added a little filtered water from my fridge to be sure that the mix was creamy enough because the directions said to mix it to a thin paste.

I applied the mix to my hair with my fingertips starting from the back. I parted it and used hair clips to hold my hair back. It applied easily. I began with the hair closest to my roots smoothing in a downward motion.  When I finished my whole head I still had plenty of mix left over so I applied it to my hair.

The mix does dry as you work with it so it makes sense that the directions say to begin in the back. You cannot comb through this stuff, use your fingertips to apply.

There was a bit of grit from the dried natural laxer on my neck and counter.

I sat under my hooded dryer with high heat for 45 minutes with a plastic (shower) conditioning cap on my head. Afterward I rinsed my hair with lukewarm water. My hair was really soft and the natural laxer rinsed from my hair quite easily. I shampooed with the NuGro Shampoo once more and rinsed with lukewarm water. I applied my baking soda mix to my hair and scalp, then the Palmer's Deep Conditioner.

This stuff smells wonderful and it left my hair feeling silky smooth.

  I sat under the dryer, high heat, 15 minutes with a plastic conditioning (shower cap) and then rinsed it out with lukewarm water. I applied my Apple cider vinegar mix to my hair and rung out the excess gently. I blotted my hair with my towel and applied my Allways leave-in cream conditioner and setting lotion and proceeded to roll my hair with my curlformers. I sat under the dryer for an hour and then removed the curlformers.

I used a lot more rollers this time.

This is how it looked when I first pulled out the rollers.

This is how it looked once I applied my olive/castor oil mix and pulled the curls apart.

Once the process was complete my hair was smooth, my scalp clean and my hair was easy to comb through as I rolled my hair. My hair was more manageable. The hair at my scalp was not straight, but I can get a comb through it now without all the pop, pop. pop. My curls were bouncy, soft and shiny. I give natural laxer two thumbs up and I will be using it again. Click here to check out their site. It is an all natural product and it is not permanent, rather its effects are cumulative. I will be purchasing a heat cap to use for the next application (which I will do once a month while I am transitioning and afterward once I'm completely natural) so that I won't have to sit so long. The time for a hooded dryer is a lot longer than the recommended time for the conditioning cap.