Cocoa and Honey Hair Gel

Hello, lovelies! Here's a 3-ingredient recipe for a hair gel that increases volume and shine completely naturally.

Hair Regrowth Journey: My Solution (Minoxidil 5%), Part II

How minoxidil gave me my hair back!!!

Okay, so in my last post I talked about biting the bullet and going for the Minoxidil 5% to try to grow my hair back. It worked. Here's what happened:

First, BE WARNED!
For the first 6 weeks or so, I shed TONS of hair. They say this is normal and even that it's a good sign, because it means that the stuff is having some kind of effect. If you don't lose any hair, it's a sign that the product is not working. So I expected/hoped for this, but o my god, it was very disturbing! I lost clumps of hair daily. I probably lost close to a third of my hair during this period. And I had no hair to start off with! Awful disheartening blah.

Hair Regrowth Journey: My Solution

About a year after having my baby, I noticed, to my extreme SHOCK AND HORROR that my hair was coming out in clumps. Apparently, this is normal for new mothers. Something ELSE they don't mention before you get pregnant (like the fact that a baby is supposed to in there for 10 months, NOT NINE but that's a whole different story). 

I tried just about everything I could think of including salicylic acid (to unclog hair follicles), hemp oil (to make my sebum more fluid and thereby unclog follicles), polysorbate 80 (to kill DHT), and etc. (hair tonics, stem cells, vitamins, sea kelp, etc. etc. etc.).

For your head!

Amy

There is something mesmerizing about a woman in a head scarf or turban. There's an evocation of mystery, secret knowledge, worldliness, exoticism. 

From a practical standpoint, head scarves and turbans are beautiful, usually with eye-catching prints or colors that jazz up an outfit, hide bad hair, frame the face, protect the top of the head (a vulnerable spot!) from the sun, etc. etc. etc. They're pretty awesome.

They're also ubiquitous. Cloth on the head in some form or another is an ancient practice found all over the globe.

Can this be a sharing of textiles? I think often about cultural appropriation, especially as a merchant of traditional fabrics. But can this be thought of as a cultural exchange instead of cultural appropriation?

Product Review: Kerafiber

Okay. I'm going to admit this: sometimes I use that spray-in hair stuff like in those horrible infomercials!!! It has come to this, people.

Baking Soda for Hair is No Good! Word from Kanelstrand!

My friend Sonya Kanelstrand just posted a tell-all about the use of baking soda in lieu of shampoo. This has been a widespread practice of the no-poo movement. I never liked it. And now Sonya doesn't like it!!!

Take a look!

From Sonya's blog.

Results after 1 Month: Polysorbate 80 and Sea Kelp Bioferment

Okay. So I've been doing the polysorbate 80/sea kelp bioferment thing for about 5 weeks now and I freakin LOVE it. My hair is very smooth and shiny and fluffy! I'm getting A LOT less hair fall. With the Salicylic Acid regimen, I was losing over 100 hairs per day, more on wash days. Now I'm losing less than 10, even on wash days. That alone makes this worth it. I'm not sure yet if anything is growing in on the hairline, but my hair looks much thicker now because it's so clean and fluffy. I no longer wear extensions when I wear my hair down.

Sea Kelp Bioferment

Beautiful Nereocystic luetkeana.

People over at the Skincaretalk forum are RAVING about how much it helps with hair growth.  A lot of people are saying that their hairlines filled in soon after starting with this stuff.

Hair Regrowth Journey, Part II: Polysorbate 80 and Sea Kelp Bioferment

Okay, everyone, I'm starting over. The Salicylic Acid regime did not work for me. I am left to conclude that clogged follicles/scalp pores are in fact NOT the issue.

Review: Hemp Hair Tonic from Hempys Company

Twine and kitchen paper and a sweet card

I just received my second package from my new favorite seller: Penny from HempysCompany.

Hair Regrowth Journey: Part 1, Conclusions

Okay, peeps. The conclusion is that this did not work for me. I'm sad and discouraged.

Hair Regrowth Journey: 4 Months In

Hi Beauties! 

I'm editing this post to reflect the results, so no-one is operating under any illusions here. This regime did not end up working for me. I suspect a few things: perhaps the clogged follicles are not actually an issue for me; the salicylic acid may have caused my hair to become brittle and fall out and break easier; the soapnuts shampoo damaged my hair.

Is Henna Good for your Hair?

 

I've been asked this question many times. Honestly, I've heard that henna causes your hair to become more porous over time. I've also heard that it causes your hair to be less porous! What is the deal?

Hair Regrowth Journey: Two Months In

Hi Beauties! 

I'm editing this post to reflect the results, so no-one is operating under any illusions here. This regime did not end up working for me. I suspect a few things: perhaps the clogged follicles are not actually an issue for me; the salicylic acid may have caused my hair to become brittle and fall out and break easier; the soapnuts shampoo damaged my hair.

Hair Regrowth Journey: Results after one month

Hi Beauties! 

I'm editing this post to reflect the results, so no-one is operating under any illusions here. This regime did not end up working for me. I suspect a few things: perhaps the clogged follicles are not actually an issue for me; the salicylic acid may have caused my hair to become brittle and fall out and break easier; the soapnuts shampoo damaged my hair.

Hair Regrowth Journey: Polysorbate 80 Scalp Treatment

While searching the internet for ways to safely remove a hot oil treatment from the hair, It came to my attention that Polysorbate 80 is good for thinning hair. People say to spread a teaspoon of the stuff on your scalp and let it sit 10 or 15 minutes before shampooing. This should be done daily in order to work most efficiently. It's supposed to loosen any buildup on your scalp, remove sebum plugs, and reduce DHT in the dermal papilla.

It was marketed in the 80s as the Helsinki Formula for baldness.

The FDA does not recognize Polysorbate 80 as a cure for hair loss, but permits it to be marketed as a scalp and hair treatment. I have not come across any recent studies supporting claims either way. 

Hemp Hot Oil Treatment for Thinning Hair

Hemp oil is the perfect choice for dry or damaged or thinning hair.

Hello beauties! This morning I did my first hot hemp oil treatment. 

Salicylic Acid Scalp Treatment

Hi Beauties! 

I'm editing this post to reflect the results, so no-one is operating under any illusions here. This regime did not end up working for me. I suspect a few things: perhaps the clogged follicles are not actually an issue for me; the salicylic acid may have caused my hair to become brittle and fall out and break easier; the soapnuts shampoo damaged my hair.

With that caveat, please feel free to read this entire post! This regime may help you if you are indeed suffering from clogged scalp follicles.
 _______________________

Thin hair. Sick of it! My Hair Regrowth Journey

Hi Beauties! 

I'm editing this post to reflect the results, so no-one is operating under any illusions here. This regime did not end up working for me. I suspect a few things: perhaps the clogged follicles are not actually an issue for me; the salicylic acid may have caused my hair to become brittle and fall out and break easier; the soapnuts shampoo damaged my hair.

I'm not sure what it is, but here's a link to the conclusions.

With that caveat, please feel free to read this entire post! This regime may help you if you are indeed suffering from clogged scalp follicles.

Fix Those Extensions!

Beauties!!! My clip-in extensions look like they were scavenged from a dog-brush and scotch-taped to my head. NOT GOOD! 

They were dry, frazzled-looking, and the color was fading out. I only wear them for gigs, so they were getting swished around quite a bit from all that head-banging.

According to the box they came in, you're supposed to wash them after every couple of uses, which of course I never did. I've been using them for about 2 years now. Shameful, I know.

So I decided to treat them to some good diy care and color.