Products: final choice

Hi there!

Some posts ago, I decided that I no longer wanted to mix and match different ranges to tailor fit my hair needs.
Two brands had my favours:
- Keracare
- Paul Mitchell
The two products ranges did show their effectiveness on my hair. The availability of the range is also a big criteria and I do not mind ordering online.

Keracare Pros
- It is easy access for me (available on pakcosmetics.com).
- Keracare Humecto and hydrating detangling shampoo are in my staple shampoo and conditionners
- Huge package quantity available at a decent price

Keracare cons
- no protein based products tried and liked from this range
- no clarifying shampoo tested and approved
- long DC sessions to see the products work
- have to mix with oils, glycerin to see results

Paul Mitchell Pros 
- Covers every area of my regimen: moisture, protein and clarifying products available
- Huge package quantity available
- My hair LOVE these products
- Versatile products as they can be used for a long or quick DC session and still be effective.
- no mixing with oils, glycerin necessary unless I want to boost the product effects

Paul Mitchell cons
- Big package quantity not easy access anymore, ( until a last minute jewel found)

Until yesterday, I was going toward the Keracare Line because of the last minute difficulties I had to find the Paul Mitchell products. Paul Mitchell products are salon exclusive. Until recently, I was able to buy them to the local pro shop thanks to professionnal hairdresser I knew. This was until he moved, leaving me with this dilemma: how to purchase them. The pro shop still carry them but you must be a pro member which I'm not.
Yesterday, I was able to solve the dilemma while browsing the internet. I could purchase it online on lookfantastic.com. Problem solved!

I can now simplify my product stash, tossing out all products opened for more time than stated on the packaging and the not so effective ones.

Products I still have to use up before turning Paul Mitchell 80%:

• Hairone cleanser
• Redken hair cleansing cream
• Neutrogena silk touch leave in
• Cantu Shea butter leave in
• ORS neutralizing shampoo  (*)
• ORS replenishing conditionner (*)
• Keracare Humecto I still have remaining ( a 100ml from the tub) (*)
• Aphogee 2 minutes (*)
• Kerastase Oleo relax shampoo (*)
• Kerastase Oleo relax slim mask (*)

(*): items that will not be repurchased.
The product junkie in me should fade out with the consistency brought in my product stash.

I'll still use

• my home-made moisturizer as it is working for me winter and summer,
• Aphogee 2 step if needed,
• Affirm 5 in 1 conditionner during my relaxer
• my oils (wheat germ, coconut, hemp seed, lineseed oil, castor oil, olive oil and avocado oil)

For all the rest, I'll be a Paul Mitchell girl!
Ciao Ciao

First wash after relaxer

Hey there! I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the week-end.

Today, I've washed my hair for the first time after my relaxer.

I started with detangling my hair.
Then I prepooed with a mix of wheat germ oil, macadamia oil, hemp seed oil for 30 minutes under the heating cap.
I clarified with ORS chelating shampoo. I always use this shampoo the first time I shampoo after a relaxer. I use no-lye relaxer and this shampoo removes the calcium deposit from my hair for less dry hair. I lathered once with this shampoo. I used Keracare hydrating detangling shampoo for the second lather.
I then applied Affirm 5 in 1 conditionner as a strong protein treatment, leaving it in my hair for 30 minutes with heat.
After rinsing, I deep conditionned with a mix of ORS replenishing conditionner, Keracare Humecto (tub version), glycerin, castor oil, wheat germ oil for 1 hour under heating cap.
I then rinsed and towel dry my hair with patting motions.
I applied Aphogee green tea restructurizer, Cantu Shea butter as my leave-in. I planned to air dry and did not want my hair to frizz up. Therefore I applied Kerastase oleo-relax serum to my hair.

I detangled and then clipped up the end during the air-drying process. My hair dried in a couple of hours as it's very windy today. Sunny but windy.
My hair is now completely dry and frizz free.
I'm considering dusting or trimming the ends. They do not seem bad as I do not see any split end but it's been a while I haven't had one.

Ciao ciao

Relaxer day

Hey there!
As you can read from the title, it's relaxer day! I ended a 15 weeks stretch. This time again, my new growth behaved a lot. I followed the exact same routine with moisturizing my new growth and hair with my homemade moisturizing creme.
My hair texture changed during this stretch: the curls were looser and soft.
I relaxed today with Optimum care salon no-lye relaxer in regular strength. Back to the basics finally!

I based my scalp with coconut oil and covered the relaxed strands with Chi silk infusion. Relaxer application was great as my hair was soft and detangled.
As usual, I did a protein treatment after rinsing the relaxer out and before shampooing with the neutralizing shampoo. I used Affirm 5 in 1 protein treatment.
I then shampooed with the neutralizing shampoo and then DC with a combo of Keracare Humecto and ORS replenishing conditionner. I added in the mixture vegetable glycerin, wheat germ oil. I let it sit for an hour under the heating cap.
I rinsed and toweled dry before styling.

Results are greats as always with this relaxer.
I did not want to overlap with all the previous texlaxed hair, so I still have some of the texture from 2 relaxers ago.

Ciao Ciao

Time for STRENGTH!

Hi Everyone

Today I did my Aphogee 2 step treatment which was long overdue!

I've been scared to death about this product but I learned to use it on my hair now. I might use it once during a 5 month stretch, not more.

I started by clarifying with ORS aloe shampoo and then applied the 2 step treatment.

My hair does not care about the balancing moisturizer.  So after rinsing the hair for 20 minutes, I gently towel blot my hair (well not really as I use the turby twist) to remove the excess of water.

I mixed my DC: Keracare Humecto (the tub version) with glycerin, avocado oil and castor oil.

After applying it to my entire hair, I went under my steamer from where I'm posting now.

More to come on the results.

I'm currently 14 weeks post relaxer.

Ciao Ciao