July Goals Recap + August Goals!!!

Hello, everyone. Today is the last day of this month, and I am coming to you with the recap.

So, here is July: 

1) castor oil everyday - SUCCESS 

I am so glad that I was able to do this every single day. I can tell where my edges have grown in. I also sealed my moisturizer with the castor oil. So I believe that I did great. 

2) flexi rods with every wash - FAILED

I did them for half the washes of July. I realized that sleeping with flexi rods was pulling and breaking my hair. I decided to end this challenge early. 

I also said that by August 1st, that I would get rid of 6 product bottles. Altogether I got rid of six. It felt good, but my hair stash is s very large and filled with some products that I do not even use. I plan on changing that slowly but it will be changed nonetheless. I have challenged myself to minimize my stash by the 1st of December. This will include me not having any products overflow onto my floor. Everything will have a near place. 

So other than that goal, here is my August goals: 

1) prepoo withgrapeseed and almond oil mixture

2) apply jojoba oil to my hair everyday

3) use one moisturizer consistently

That's going to be about it. 

My Relaxer Update (pix included)

Unfornately I had to relax my hair early due to drying hair. I rather relax it then try to figure out what was wrong after trying for three weeks. I didn't have a great deal of new growth in the front. However I had a ton of new growth in the back. This is the only texture pic I have and I was actually trying to catch a pic of my gray hair rather than texture lol. 

I know it isn't much but it was crunchy and dry. I truly couldn't deal. So I relax a few days shy of 8 weeks. I really agonized over it, but I am very happy that I did. 

I have a typical relaxer prep, but I won't bore you with the details. Instead, I'll show you a few result pix. 

The left pic is from May and the right pic is from July. I think that I am going to officially claim APL. I'm so happy, however, it did take me 4 and a half years to get from SL to this point. I'm thankful. I had to learn about retention, I am just really learning about it this year. Any who I am extremely pleased with the results. 

So what is my plan for my next relaxer stretch? I am planning a 20 week stretch. I am extremely excited and nervous. It will be my longest stretch and my last relaxer of the year. So I am going out with a bang!!! I will also be participating in the nape challenge. I am going to try to grow my hair as close to BSL as I can before the new year! Wish me luck! I can't wait to keep you updated. 

New Relaxer Date!

So, to jump right into it, I had to get an emergency relaxer on July 14, 2013. Granted, that isn't many days ago. Here is my reason:

I have been washing my hair and to no avail, my NG would be dry. I would DC with the best methods I have, but my NG would remain very dry, very hard and very stiff. On top of that, my hair would snap off at the roots. It was a very sad day, but I had to relax a couple of days shy of 8 weeks post.

Thanks to Instagram, I have found myself joining forces with a couple of people in regards to stretching until the end of the year. That is exactly what I am going to do.

As you can see from this Ticker, I have a while until my next relaxer. In other words, I will not receive another relaxer until December 1st!!! I am super nervous, but I am extremely excited. My plan is to use braids, rollersets, maybe a weave and a couple of buns as protective styles.

Please follow me as a begin my long journey in stretching. I will update my blog regularly and my Instagram (@enduring_ego1920).

My relaxer post will be available in a couple of days.

-LEX

My Product Stash (pic heavy)

I promised that I would do a post about my stash. So here I am, back with picture proof that I have overdone it, lol. Maybe it isn't that bad, but I do not have room anymore for it all. 

If you see a lot of black and brown stains, I just recently have had an accident with black tea. Lol. It got on everything. But as you can see, I had to have reinforcement to house my products, and that's not even enough. 

This has been my main shampoo and conditioner. Actually there is an additional bottle of shampoo that is not in this picture that is also this size lol. I am no longer interested in using this product. It smells great, but it isn't quality product, in my opinion. I am on the hunt for a more reliable shampoo. 

These are almost all of my wash out conditioners (DCs are included in this pic). Unfortunately I am nowhere near running out anything here. Sadly enough, seven of the bottles picture above are brand new. SMH. At least I can get through the next few months without buying conditioner. Lol. 

This pic is of another bottle of conditioner, my protein products and three shampoos. Also, my setting lotion is in this pic. 

This pic is strictly leave ins and moisturizers. A few of these moisturizers are not goods (review coming soon). I wanted to throw them away, but I decided to use them when I am bunning. So they have been saved. Lol. 

This is strictly an oil collection pic and heat protectant pic. I am using everything in this pic except the coconut oil. However, I will begin to incorporate it into my regimen when I am further weeks post relaxer. 

Finally, this is my extra pic. I have my oil sheen, extra bottle of oil, aloe Vera for edges, edge control, gel, black tea in the blue bottles shampoo and conditioner in the dark green and light free bottle, moisturizer, jam, mousse, foam lotion, aphogee spray, spritz in the clear bottle and setting lotion in the yellow bottle. 

Sadly I had a couple more things that I did not take pictures of. After pulling it all out, I really can see where I need to minimize my area and the products in it. I am hoping to get rid of some of those conditioners and oil. Also, I am ready to be rid of some of those moisturizers. If you haven't read it in earlier posts, I live with my parents, so I am limited space to put my products. Another thing that some of you may not know, I have started a new hobby: extreme couponing lol. So some of these products have not cost me much money, but I am running out of room. 

That was my horrific stash. Lol. I'll see you at the next post. Thanks for reading. 

Moisturizer Hunting

Hello. I just wanted to come by with a quick blog about my hunt for moisturizers. As some of you might as well know, my mother and I are on the elusive hunt of finding the perfect moisturizer for our hair. So far, it has been a difficult road.

I have bought three moisturizers. I must say that I am disappointed already. I have invested about twenty dollars in some duds. Some of these moisturizers leave our hair hard and crunchy. Some leave our hair hard and oily. SIGHS! We are going to continue to search for moisturizers. We refuse to give up. We HAVE to find one that works for us. I can already tell that I am going to have some moisturizers that are going to build up in my stash. I definitely do not want that.

I plan on doing a review on a couple of these moisturizers in less than two weeks. Please be on the look out for that post. I will be purchasing a new moisturizer next week, and I will soon start using the new one.

Please continue to follow me, and thank you to all of the followers. I appreciate the love. Other than the fact that I like journaling my experience, you are the real reason I continue to get on here and displaying my experiences!!!

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

June Goals Recap + July Goals

Hello everyone!!! I am back with a recap on my June goals. June 1st was my birthday, so I started my birthday month out right with a good wash and hot oil treatment. The pix of my hair are not good ones. 

My hair was very flat due to being one week post. It takes a while for my hair to lose that limp. So I suffered with flat hair for a couple of weeks. 

This pic is from two weeks post relaxer. Here, my hair is starting to thicken up. 

Finally at 3 & 1/2 weeks post, my hair starts looking promising. Lol. So it takes while for my hair to look how I want it to look. Back to the goals, I wanted to 1) do hot oil treatments with every wash and 2) use up two large bottle products. 

Here is the recap: 

Hot oil treatments:

I am so proud to say that I successfully use HOT with every single wash. I would mix up my olive oil, castor oil, grape seed oil and a small amount of kemi oyl to make up my mixture. I would baggy with the oil on my hair. In regards to how it worked on my hair, my hair did not have the shine I was looking for afterwards. My hair looked very dull and lack luster. I was disappointed but continued to use the HOTs in case of better results. In the end, I did not see any benefit from using it. However, I am proud of myself of setting a goal and sticking to it. So, I am ok. 

Products:

I tried extremely hard to use up products. I even began to be a little heavy handed. But I was only able to get rid of one funky bottle of moisturizer. I didn't even put a dent in the other products. Lol. But before I admit defeat, I had a young cousin come into town for a visit. She talked to me about how she is about to big chop and begin a natural journey. So, I gave a little insight into naturals and told her that she would enjoy wash and go styling. Also, I gave her 3 brand new bottles of herbal essence conditioner to get her started. I was extremely happy to see three additional bottles go. Even tho I did not use these products, my load has lightened up lol. So, I will say that this goal is a successful one. 

Since trying to get rid of the products, I have only introduced one new product to my stash. I will continue to rid more products. Also, those three bottles will not count for the six I am trying to get rid of. So I have five more products to part ways with before August 1st. 

I am proud of myself for doing a great job in June. July is hours away and I have my  newest goals ready. 

1) flexi rods with every wash

2) castor oil everyday and night

My mother will also be incorporating castor oil this month. We are trying to grow, people!!!!! She will be getting a relaxer in about two to three weeks. I will be doing an extensive post on her journey thus far. It's been a rough one. Lol. I can't wait to share it.  

Thanks for reading, ppl. I will be back this week with a post on my stash. I have been considering doing one and I believe that I am going I do it. I am also going to do a post on my coupon corner. It's going to be a two for one!!! 

I cannot wait to debut that post!!!! See you at the next one! 

Two Moisturizers purchase today!!!

Hello again. I am coming to you with a very short post. Today I went to my local BSS and purchased two moisturizers. Today I grabbed Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango butter and Creme of Nature Argan Oil Oil Moisturizer. I believe that I am about to go 3 weeks trying these moisturizers one by one and I plan to give a review on my experience. I will start off with the Elasta QP and my mother with experience the CON. Look out for that upcoming review. Until next time.