Inspiration: "How I got into the world of hair modeling."

A few posts ago, I shared a press release where Pantene was holding a casting call for hair models at the Essence Festival. I got a few questions from a couple of you who were interested in getting into the world of hair modeling. Your inquiries reminded of a conversation I had with a real life hair model I met while attending the Curly Nikki meet up event. Just as I was leaving the venue, I asked this beautiful curly haired woman with perfect skin if I could take a picture of her. We chatted a little bit and she shared, during our conversation, that she was a hair model.

My ears perked up when she mentioned hair modeling so I decided to ask her to share a little bit of her story with us in a brief interview:

How did you get interested in Hair Modeling?

Ironically, I didn’t seek out to do hair modeling. I was very fortunate in having the art of hair modeling find me. I was online entering a hair photo contest for Black Hair Media (BHM). A few months later I received a telephone call from the owner stating that I had won the contest and they wanted to take additional photos of me. Members of BHM took a trip from Atlanta to where I reside in Florida for a full fledged photo shoot consisting of approximately 7,000 photos. It was a lot of hard work, especially for an outside shoot during the heat of the day in Florida, But it was lots of fun!

Do you have any previous experience?

I had no prior modeling experience.

Where have your pictures been featured?

My photos have been featured on my personal blog, Knotty Tresses, Black Hair Media & Curly Nikki. More to come in the very near future ....

Do you have any other projects coming up?

Yes, I have something big upcoming in the next month or so. Look out for details on my personal website at knottytresses.com, which is still under construction.

Do you plan on following this new career path? If so, how?

This is not a career path I intend to pursue full time. I am a careered woman with a regular 9-5 that I enjoy very, very much. I perform hair photo shoots sporadically. While I do take it seriously and enjoy every minute of it, it’s something fun to do on the side.

What advice would you give to someone who would like to become a hair model?

Once you’ve become established, try to practice good hair days as much as you can because you never know who you’re going to run into! I have had a few occasions where people have recognized me from my photos, but didn’t know my name. I felt awkward and even somewhat embarrassed when my hair wasn’t looking my absolute best. (Nadege says: "this is excellent advice that I need to follow more often.")

I also recommend you take professional photos and pay the extra cost for editing if needed. Your portfolio is your license to exposure!

You have fabulous skin, can you share your skincare routine?

Funny you should mention that. The photographers and directors seem to appreciate the smoothness of my skin because it requires very little photo editing. Sometimes they use my photos for a quick event that may only last 24 hours or so. To put hours of editorial work into photos that are only going to be utilized for a short timeframe can be costly. Taking care of your skin is just as important as taking care of your hair. I use the following three skin products:

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser

Ambi Fade Cream for Normal Skin

Neutrogena’s Visibly Even Daily Moisture

Do you eat healthy or drink lots of water or take supplements?

Yes, I eat very healthy foods. I absolutely love dark green leafy vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spinach and especially broccoli. I’ve recently added fruit to my daily diet regime. My favorite spot to eat is Panera Bread. They’ve got all my money! :-) I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I’ve drunk soda. Don’t like it at all! Not the taste, nor the acidic effects it adds to your skin which can sometimes be seen through your pores. I take a very basic over the counter supplement (but not as often as I should). Unfortunately, I have a strong weakness for sweets, which is where I get into trouble! :-/

Your hair is gorgeous, what is your regimen?

In the beginning, I was somewhat of a product junkie--purchasing almost every cutely labeled or good-smelling product on the shelves. Now that I’ve found a hair recipe that works for me, I tend to stay away from over-purchasing products and sticking to what I know works best for me. That said, I use Giovanni Smooth as Silk Conditioner, which also works as a great detangler. I comb/detangle my hair once per week. The other 6 days of the week I just get up and go, or wash ‘n go. I also like Curl & Style Milk and Curl Enhancing Smoothie by Shea Moisture. All the mentioned products are organic and sold at Target.

Thank you Najah, for sharing your experience with us. I'm sure, if lots of us could have our wish, we too would be showing off our gorgeous hair to the world (and get compensated for it). I learned from you that it's important to keep our hair on point 'cause you never know..... I also looked at your list of skin care products and decided to add a few skin tone evening products to my skin care regimen. I also was encouraged by your healthy diet which contributes to that gorgeous glow. Thanks for inspiring us!

Spotlight on healthy hair: Beautiful Flower!

I've been drooling over this woman's hair for the longest so I finally reached out to her to find out more about what creates her healthy hair. Check out my interview with Beautiful Flower!

You shared on your blog that you were inspired by some of the greats on LHCF including Syvler77, what were some of the tips you learned that really helped you in your journey?

I based my regimen over the years by mixing and matching the techniques of my relaxed legends. I think some of the main tips I have learned are:
- Air drying doesn’t always look pretty but it will keep the hair on your head
- Make braidouts and buns your default
- Stretch relaxers at least 3 months at a time
- Moisture is your friend
- Low to no heat but sometimes a little heat can make your hair feel a lot better

Your hair is super thick, are you doing long term stretches? When you relax, are you using a milder formula to texlax? How do you maintain your thickness

My only and last long term stretch was before this past relaxer and it lasted from November to May (24 weeks). I usually do 3 months at a time. I think I will do another 24 week stretch.
I have always had thick, dense hair but it has increased in thickness since starting my hair journey. Air drying, stretching, moisturizing, detangling properly, and heat reduction makes a difference in hair density. I suggest going for a blunt cut then adding layaers after you’ve reached your hair goal to add dimension for those with thinner hair. Also your ends will get thin over time so I dust with every relaxer and do a good self-trim once a year. If you can find a stylist you trust to trim you, I recommend going to that person. They can see what you cannot.
I do relax with a regular strength lye relaxer always. I do not consider myself texlax’d. Why? I relax my hair in a way to keep the hair stronger by not killing all my protein bonds. I also fear burning my scalp so I prefer to smooth and rinse as quickly as possible. I don’t relax to keep it thick but it does help maintain volume. If you’ll like at a strand of my hair it’s not straight nor does it have any particular wave/curl pattern. I don’t know if that makes sense. LOL.

Based on the photos from you blog, you don't seem like a consistent protective styler. How do you wear your hair day to day?

I don’t. LOL! But my defaults are braidouts (pinned up, straight-down, half-n-half), buns (all kinds), and ponytails. I do more braidouts now than anything. When I was Mid-back and shorter, I did mostly buns. I do ponytails on old straighten hair or old braidout hair. I have been rollersetting a lot lately so I rock ponytails then morph to braidouts like today. I also LOVE Ez-combs so I wear these alot now. I have 6 and they are super cute and easy to use.

If you're stranded on a desert island. What three products do you take with you?

It would be a good shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in. Currently that would be:
-Crème of Nature Detangling Shampoo
-Queen Helene Cholesterol Conditioner
-Silicon Mix Intensive Leave-in Conditioner (this stuff is AMAZING)
If I could add three tools: a medium tooth comb, scarf, and perm rods.

What's has worked for you to help retain length? Have you dealt with excessive breakage?

I have not dealt with excessive breakage since I started my journey. Regular Breakage? Yes…everyday. I manage it with maintaining my protein-moisture balance. I do that by doing moisture during the week with leave-in and co-washing, a deep condition overnight once a week, and one protein infused conditioner on the weekend. This typically keeps me in check.
I also retain length with low to no heat styles. I may blow dry once a month and flat iron once every 2 to 3 months. DETANGLING PROPERLY and GENTLY. This cannot be stressed enough. This will help or break (literally) your hair progress. Use a proper comb, a lot of leave-in, work from bottom to top, work in sections, and be patient. And I use leave-in of some sort EVERYDAY. If I flat iron, I use a serum EVERYDAY.

Do you support healthy hair nutritionally? If so, how?

I do but it’s not intentionally. I work out 4 days a week and have been doing this off and on the last 6 years. Protein drinks really help nails and hair. I also do not eat a lot of junk but I don’t deny myself either. I practice moderation. I do not take vitamins and I don’t drink as much water as I should. I’m getting better though.

How do you maintain moisture on such a thick head of hair?

I moisturize EVERYDAY and I pay attention the ends. And a lot of times, if my hair feels dry, I just hop in the shower and wet my hair. I love water on my scalp.

Any setbacks?

Twice. It was more like ripped out hair in sections. I tried Curlformers once and never again. My hair was too thick and too many textures for that. Another time I shampoo’d my hair after coming out of a 2 month weave without detangling. BIG NO NO. My hair knotted and matted like nothing before. It took 2 days and a lot of conditioner to remove all the shed and knotted hair. I lost a lot of hair (good and shed hair) but because of patience, conditioner, and a rat tooth comb, I keep a lot of hair too.

Before your recent trim, you were a member of the waist length club, was it like everything you imagined it would be?

Yes and no. Waist length is long to most everyone that sees you and you can play with the length but hip length is yummy. It felt nice to have the hair grazing the bottom of my back after a wash. My air dried hair hung a lot lower and my braid-outs looked crazy long. I am shooting for hip length again. I hope to be there again by the end of this year or early next year and I’ll be maintaining that length.

What are the three pieces of advice for someone just starting in or struggling with their hair journey?

- RESEARCH. I spent hours and days and months researching about hair, hair science, moisture, protein, products, and techniques. Research the regimens of people that have the length you want. Try it out. If it works, keep it. If it doesn’t, dispose of it. Ultimately, you’re making your own regimen. It will take time and your regimen will be ever changing but you’ll find what works if you don’t give up.
- Products only make your hair manageable; they do not grow your hair. Find products that make your hair feel soft, light, strong and smell good.
- Patience. The progress is coming. If it’s not, look at the regimen of some one that has your goal and see what you may be missing. Give your regimen 6 months at least to decide your process isn’t working.

Check out beautifulflower's blog for more about her beautiful hair.

How It's a 10 Miracle w/Keratin & Biolage Strengthening Masque combined together to create hair perfection!

There I was, minding my own business the other day, when I received the following text message:



You could imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to receive such a glowing review so I immediately responded back to find out more. I did what anyone in my position would do....I send her a reply text and requested photographic evidence. Minutes later we were having an actual phone conversation and she proceeded to tell me how excited she was about the loveliness levels of her hair. When she visited the beauty store, she intented to buy Biolage’s Cera Repair after reading my battle post but couldn’t find it (cera repair is sold only online). Instead she picked up the Intensive Strengthening masque which also contains ceramides. She also read my review of It’s a 10 Leave-in and was also on a mission to pick it up but noticed the Keratin version of the same product and opted to upgrade.

I’ve got to preface the rest of my post by mentioning that this individual is not your typical “hair fanatic” like the rest of us. I’m sure she not a member of any of the hair boards and probably doesn’t read any hair blogs. Truth is, she probably only browsed through my blog because we’ve known each other personally for years.

With that said, I tried to be cautious when asking for pictures to share on the blog ‘cause I know that not everyone is comfortable with that kind of thing. Surprisingly she quickly agreed. Not only did she share some pics with us but she also talked a little about what she did to achieve that amazing result.

So without further adieu, here is what she described to me via email:

Hey Nadege,

Round 2...same Great Results! Almost no hair shedding...not only does my hair feel and look incredibly soft and silky, this deep conditioning regimen is also really strengthening my hair, too. I've attached pics, but trust me when I say, my hair looks so much better in person - I just wish I were a better photographer so I could really showcase what these products are doing for my hair. Personally, I think any good conditioning products may do as long as you leave it on your hair for at least 30 mins, but here's an overview of what I used:

While showering I used:
Dove Nutrive Therapy Shampoo - washed and rinsed twice; 3 mins

After showering, I applied:
It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin - lightly sprayed all over hair and massaged through hair and scalp.
Matrix Biolage Intensive Strengthening Masque - massaged all over hair after applying the It's a 10 product. Placed a plastic cap on head and heated hair w/blow dryer for 3-5mins (will skip this step next time to see if results change)
Let the product sit on hair for another 45mins (this is the most important step I think)
Rinsed hair with luke warm water first, then finished rinsing w/cold water
Blow dryed hair, and applied a little Biosilk before using a flat iron to style....
And Voila - the soft and silky feel of my hair was about 90% comparable to when I go to professional salons! Once I master blowing and flat ironing, you guys aren't going to be able to tell me nothin' :o)

Thanks for the ceramide recommendation. Keep up the blog - it's working miracles...I'm living proof!



I’m really excited for her. When we talked on the phone I couldn’t stop smiling as I visualized how amazing her hair looked. I’m so glad she reached out to me because she actually introduced me to two new amazing products. I purchased them last weekend and had a chance to test drive. I won’t say much in this post but I will tell you that I was all smiles. In a later post, I’ll recreate her process with these two products and tell you how it goes.

By the way, I love hearing about success stories so if you have a great story to tell about products you’ve tried from this blog, or even products I haven’t heard about before, feel free to send me an email, leave a comment, or post it on our fan page.

Inspiration: Nine months + Healthy Regimen=Fabulous Progress

I get really excited when I hear from readers of the blog who say that my random hair rantings have helped them out on their journey. So you can imagine my elation when LHCF member Nix08 sent me an email pictures of the incredible progress she made in just 9 short months! I was so inspired by her success that I asked her to share her regimen with me so I can share you! She was gracious enough to talk in detail about how she was able to quickly achieve her results. So without further adieu......

When did you begin your hair journey and what inspired you to get serious about your hair care?

"I began my hair journey June 17 2010. Earlier that year I started following ‘Jenna’s Victoria Beckham blog’ after doing a fashion overhaul. Her blog lead me to ‘The Girl in a Cashmere Daze’ which lead me to your blog, You inspired me to get serious about hair care. For a few months I'd drop by and read the current postings. Then you posted about the girl at the party you went to who's hair you were in amazement with. From that post it dawned on me that you felt that anyone could grow their hair. It wasn't based solely on DNA or being mixed etc – how was I to know any different. I then went back, printed and probably read every one of your posts, with a highlighter! Your blog became my guide. I had recently relaxed my hair so I went and got a journal for my hair and a trim.

Again on your recommendation I picked up a Sedu, Biolage Cera repair, Biolage daily leave in tonic and a satin cap and a few other items I'm sure. After my first Pre poo/DC with the cera repair, blow dry and flat iron with the sedu I went outside and my neighbour commented on my hair! I'm an excitable person as is but I was downright giddy...so much so that I emailed you to say thanks!! You were gracious enough to entertain my madness and gave me further advice...of which I printed off and put in my journal. You said that the key was to focus on the basics (moisture, strength and stimulation). At the time I wasn't about protective styling so you did warn that things would likely go slower as a result...I'm not a very patient person so within days/weeks I started wearing a low manipulation style...front puff with the back up in a claw clip. I joined LHCF and hairlista and continued to read any and everything I could find on hair care, including re-reading your posts now with even more understanding.

Looking back what was the biggest change in your routine from before to now?

The biggest change would be that there was now an actual routine. I would dread wash day!! I now pre poo which I never did, DC which I never did, moisturize and seal and gently handle my hair both of which I never did.

What are you doing daily/weekly to retain length?

Daily - I focus on maintaining moisture with nightly M&S (moisturizing and sealing), also mid day if my hair is out. I keep my hands out of my hair and wear low manipulation styles majority of the time (that won't be the case for too much longer. But I do plan on investing in some silk blouses – is that taking it too far – I think NOT … hehe ). Also taking my multivitamin for health but as you indicated it also benefits hair.

Weekly - I ensure a balance of moisture and protein, stimulate my scalp, maintain a neutral PH level and handle my hair like fine silk

What do you think is the greatest contributor to the health of your hair?

The greatest contributor to the health of my hair would probably be an understanding of the science behind healthy hair. I've read so much and I’ve been so bewildered as to how ignorant I was about hair that now everything that I do to my hair and every product that I use has a reason behind it: moisturize, strengthen or stimulate.

What advice would you give to someone new to their hair journey?

Think of your hair journey as a course - it takes about a semester to understand the science, the what's and why's of it all, to get your products in order and your routine down. Patience is key with a hair journey but knowledge is fundamental. Read, read and read some more. Some things you will have to experience to fully understand, for example; the moisture/protein balance...I had to get moisture overload to understand what 'mushy' felt like, I had to get protein overload to know when I'd used too much... when I finally got the balance I understood the result of a wet strand test. If you pull and your hair breaks that is dryness or too much protein. If you pull and your hair stretches like chewed gum, that's too much moisture. However, if you pull and your hair springs back like a rubber band, that's Balance!
I think educating yourself on the science helps prevent setbacks....anyone starting their journey now has tons of information at their fingertips and lots of testimonials of people that they can learn from to achieve maximum success and to learn from their mistakes so you don’t have to make too many of your own.

Regimen?
I’m often tweaking as I do love product and playing with my hair but I do have the fundamentals down. I think I probably do a lot to my hair and it likely all isn't necessary however, hair care was once a chore and now it brings me an unbelievable calm and joy so like you will hear often regarding hair do what works for you - this works for me, my hair and my mental health

Daily:
Moisturize with Beauty without Cruelty leave in conditioner
Seal with Gleau!!
Scalp massage (I often forget this step nowadays)
Wrap hair with a satin scarf and sleep on a satin pillowcase

(I don't have the time to co wash now so I don't but for a while I did mid week with Elucence moisture Balance Conditioner then condition with Silicon Mix (for ceramides and protein)

Weekly

Detangle – wide tooth/pick like comb

Pre Poo/Dry DC (Again due to time it’s also my dry DC (I don't DC with heat because although I try and use organic/natural products not all of them are and I don't want to open my pores to more chemicals)).

I layer these products in my hair in this order:
Aloe vera juice or gel (stimulates the scalp and helps neutralize the PH levels of the other products)
Reconstructor - mild protein weekly (I don't do any strong protein treatments)
biolage Cera repair (the week after a perm and every couple months) - ceramides are important
Conditioner(s) of choice - moisturizing with some protein
Wheat germ oil, Avocado oil and olive oil ( ceramides, shine, moisture and additonal stimulating benefits of these oils)
I cover with a couple plastic caps and leave on for a minimum of 30 minutes to several hours - never overnight as my hair seems to get more fragile if I do that.

Rinse - keeping my hair hanging down - never piled on top of my head and being careful not to tangle

Wash:
First lather with diluted elucence clarifying shampoo or Giovanni Triple Treat shampoo put in a squeeze bottle and applied to my roots, I part my hair with my hands and use the pads of my fingers to rub my scalp

Rinse

Second lather with elucence moisture shampoo applied to my hair - just smoothing over my hair again keeping my hair down and straight being careful not to tangle.

Rinse
Conditioner – Govanni Triple treat/Elucence Moisture Balance or Silicone Mix

Rinse – using the water to detangle (its usually still pretty detangled from my detangling before the pre poo

Final rinse, diluted Apple Cider Vinegar with cold water (I do not rinse it out)

Leave In - Spritz of water with Silk Amino Acids and Lavendar oil (SAA is a moisturizing protein, Lavender oil is stimulating), Nioxin Bliss, Beauty Without Cruelty leave in conditioner and Gleau!

Airdry with a headband smoothing my hair down as it dries. Next day I may flat iron if I am over 7 weeks post.

Relaxer

I'm still trying to figure out how long to stretch my relaxer I've gone 15 weeks the first to relaxers after starting my journey then 11. I start to get breakage after 7 weeks and if I really leave my hair alone I can stretch longer but as it grows I want to enjoy it more so I think 8-10 weeks will be it for me.

Trims

I’ve had one trim mid journey but I won’t be getting anymore until I reach my secondary goal of BSL or my ends start to show a lot of splits.

My ultimate goal is MBL mid 2012!!

Relaxed Hair Health: A look back at 2010 and goals for next year

With just a few days left in the year, I think it's a perfect time for you and I to reflect on this chapter of our hair journey (2010) so we can discuss some wins and goals for next year. Prior to writing this post, I went back and read my intentions for my hair written at the end of 2009. Last year I had several areas of damage that seemed to creep up on me somehow. The moment they were identified I decided to take immediate action to rectify the situation.

One of the biggest decisions I made last year was to stop frequenting Dominican Salons. Even though nothing else beats the silky tresses created from just a short time under a blow dryer, I knew I had to make the ultimate sacrifice for my hair. This year's ultimate focus was creating a thicker mane overall. In fact, this desire was so great that I paid little attention to length and focused solely on the creating routines that promoted a thicker, fuller head of hair. Well, I'm elated to tell you all that baby girl got her thickness back. I'm just so excited about the progress I made in this area in just this year along. As a recap, here are some of the strategies that worked for me this year:

• Because I was loosing so much hair in the detangling stage of my routine, I decided to really focus on locating tools that would help me in my struggle. You guys could see how excited I was when I came across some wondeful detangling combs. These things were a God send to me. From the day those combs came into my life, I could walk around with a bit more certainty because I knew that I'd reduced the amount of hair lost during manipulation. The amount of broken hairs from combing alone reduced dramatically when I got the proper detangling tools.


• Once I had some detangling combs in my grips, my next improvement came in the form of how I rollerset my hair week after week. Once apon a time, I'd experience an undesireable amount of hair loss from the manipulation occuring from what was supposed to be a healthier option of styling. This year I had to take a step back and analyze every step in the rollersetting process to determine what the cause was of all the hair I lost during the process. The solution that made a huge impact came from the simple act of rearranging the steps I took when I rollerset. I wrote a post on it which I invite you to read.

• Last year was the first time I purposefully introduced ceramides into my regimen. As you may remember, I went ceramide haywire once I knew of their value. This year I'll continue to feed my hungry strands a balanced diet of moisture, strength and ceramides but in 2011, instead of experimenting, I'll focus on my staple ceramide products.

• Another major win for my hair was the purchase and use of my new water softener. It's amazing the difference I felt once I introduced soft water into the mix. I will have to admit that I became somewhat inconsistent in how often I refreshed my shower softener with it's much needed saltwater mix. If I'm not consistent with this thing, I find myself back to where I started, washing my hair with semi-hard water. This year I have to create a more regular schedule so too much time doesn't go by. Maybe I'll select the first of the month as a consistent time to refresh, just to make it easier for me to remember.

• Shedding has been my hair's achilles heel for the longest. Because of my scalp condition, I tend to suffer with extra amounts of shedding, especially during the winter months. My eyes really opened up to the cost of my consistent shedding when I saw up close scalp pictures of people with severe forms of dandruff. The moment I saw how thin the hair patterns were compared to people with healthy a healthy scalp, I knew I had to take immediate action. Since my biggest objective last year was to create thicker hair, I became extremely focused on what I needed to do to fix this issue once and for all. Luckily for me, the solution came in the form of a $2 sprayer and some powerful essential oils. This year (I'm not kidding) has been the very first fall/winter season that I didn't suffer from the usually "I think I'm going bald" shedding that we normally endure each year. I am forever indebted to essential oils for their amazing impact on my hair journey.

• This year I also came to the realization that my daily hair habits created the areas of damage my hair was suffering from. For instance, when I wear my hair down, I like to sweep my hair over the front of my shoulders so I can see my hair (and play with my length). What I soon realized was that after months and months of doing this, the back of my hair became extremely damaged without me even really realizing it. My full attention was paid to the hair on the front and sides of my head because that was what I could see. By the time I realized it, the very back of my hair was not only several inches shorter than the rest of my hair, it was very weak and fragile to the touch. Today, I'm happy to report that much of that damage has been reversed to the point where the back of my hair is nearing the same length as the rest and will match and maybe even surpass the other areas by 2011. I give all the credit to the strand ceremony. This method allowed once dry and neglected areas of my hair to get the same amount of lovin' as the rest. As a result I realized thickness return to both the back of my hair and the left side.

One other thing I should mention was that for the entire year, I consistently repeated a mantra to myself numerous times a day. It went something like this: "I love my full, thick, healthy, hair! "I just love how full, thick, and healthy, my hair is. Each section, each strand is so healthy." But remember that when I first started saying this, my hair was not at all full thick and healthy (at least to me). I had sections thriving and sections suffering dearly. Not to mention how crazy the shedding was. This reminds me of Njoy's words of inspiration about believing for and focusing on the head of hair you want to have, not what you're experiencing at the moment. Looking back at all the successes of 2010, I strongly believe I was fortunate enough to discover those methods, tools, and products because I was so focused (mentally) on creating thickness and fullness.

So those were some of the highlights from 2010. This year, I'll continue to institute what worked well for me in 2010. But as I look ahead, I feel I'm finally ready to seek the length that I so desire. I've got to start this thing off right by first breaking out my vision board image of the head of hair I desire. I love the length shown in the pic below but coupled with the fullness similar to Brooke's hair. Remember her from the interview I did on her regimen?

In 2011, I want to create the fullness all the way down to the tips of my hair. I desire strong full, thick healthy ends that demonstrate how healthy my hair is. I know that's a tall order for someone who doesn't hide their hair for the purpose of thicker ends. The ends are the key to the length I desire so I must find a way. Oh, and by the way, I don't want to "trim my way to healthy ends" just yet. I believe, that like 2010, as long as I enter the year believing it's possible for me, and take necessary action, I'll attract the solutions that will get me what I want! And of course, you guys know that I'll document my actions along the way. My mind is already churning with ideas of how I can make it possible this year.

I'm excited to also hear about your goals for 2011. How was 2010 for you and what will you accomplish this upcoming year?

8 Inches of hair growth in a year! What was her amazing Secret?

Those of you who've read some of my previous posts may have seen messages sprinkled within the posts about using the power of your thoughts to help create the perfect head of hair you want. I really believe it's crucial to focus the attention of the mind on the experience you want, not what you currently see. I was clearly reminded of that message the other day. While browsing the hair forum, I stumbled across a post that immediately grabbed my attention. With a title like "8 inches of growth so far this year," I couldn't help but to click just to see what's going on.

The moment I'm in the thread, my attention was instantly focused on her amazing signature picture which spoke a thousand words.



Immediately I scrolled to see what on earth this woman had done to experience such extraordinary results. I literally had goosebumps when I read her responses about how she manifested her gorgeous head of hair through the power of focus, intention and attraction. My next move was to get in contact with NJOY so I can learn more about her creation process. She graciously agreed to answer my questions so her story can encourage all of us. Without further adieu, here are her detailed responses to my questions. Read, enjoy and be inspired.......

In your entry on the LHCF progress post, you mentioned that you never really took care of your hair prior to January, how did you develop such a firm belief that you could reach waist length without ever having done it before?

Generally speaking, I’m a very confident person. I believe that if it can be done, I can do it. Upon joining LHCF, I spent a great deal of time reading threads, paying particular attention to what was being said by the long-haired ladies. They were already where I wanted to be and spoke nonchalantly about length and maintenance. It seemed to me that growth was to be expected. I never really entertained threads that spoke of the struggles and frustrations that some feel. The idea of growth was planted in the fertile ground of an open mind and a can-do attitude.

And then it happened. I read a thread about a member who claimed to go from sl to almost wl in a year. Well, that’s the way it came across in a thread that was asking about the original thread. I’m not sure of the actual lengths, and judging by the pics she has in her fotki, she was growing longer than a year but, I didn’t notice that right away. All I knew was that she was able to do it so, it could be done.

I joined various challenges, including one called “Get an inch every month 2010”. Well! It seemed others were expecting an inch a month so, I was in! I could do it. I believed it and expected it. After all, I was taking care of my hair and hair is continually growing. Why wouldn’t I reach WL? The distance was less than twelve inches. Lol.


You mentioned visualizing and expecting growth, did you spend a specific amount of time visualizing daily? What exactly did you see in your visualizations? Can you describe the process?

I’m a mother of 5. The only uninterrupted time that I really have to myself is time spent in the bathroom. I take nightly bubble baths to unwind and relax. I thought this would be a wonderful time to visualize my life goals, including my hair goals. I created a vision board and hung it where I could see it while relaxing in my bath. My vision board consists of photos pasted onto a poster board and framed to resist moisture and look nice.

I’m sure most people are familiar with vision boards and choosing photos that represent the end results of what you’re envisioning in the different areas chosen for focus. In every picture that represented me, I made sure the woman had long hair and, when possible, I’d paste my face over hers in the picture. For my hair goal, I created this pic:


In addition to that pic, I also make mini-goal length pics. I print out a decent length shot pic and use a marker to extend my hair to the next goal length (I'm sure it would work better with photoshop or something but, I have no skills with that). And from where I'm sitting in my tub, it looks good enough for visualizing. I sort of see that as spoon-feeding my mind believable bites. It's not too much of a jump for my mind to believe. It's usually just a few inches beyond my current length. So, when I was above apl, my mini-goal visualization pic was bsb length. And my current mini-goal length pic hangs between wl and hl and looks full.

And, I also have written around the pic, the words "LONG", "STRONG", "THICK", "HEALTHY HAIR". So when I'm looking at the pic, I'm convincing myself that what I'm looking at is my current length. It's not too much of a stretch to believe and I get excited and start singing and thanking God for the beautiful mane. And by singing, I mean I made a little sing-songy song out of the words on my pic. "I have long, strong, thick, healthy hair! Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord!" I do that daily and am literally speaking life into my visions. And before I'm done, I spend time focusing on the full goal pic and tell myself how beautiful my hair looks and what a good job I've done taking care of it. And of course, thanking God for my crowning glory. I don’t go into a trance or anything like that. I just view the photos as though it’s already a done deal, and I allow a wave of gratitude to spring forth.

Also, from the beginning of my HJ, when I shower, I throw my head back and swish it around a bit while the water runs over it. The wet hair feels heavier and, in my mind’s eye, it’s longer, so I act that way. It’s fun to flip your long, luxurious hair in the privacy of your own shower. It’s important to have fun and to feel grateful.

How did you keep your thoughts focused on growth for an entire year without become frustrated, distracted or unfocused?

Well, a few things. Taking regular pictures reassured me that my hair was growing. I went a little overboard when I first started but, that was because I was excited to see growth. Eventually, I decided to stop looking at my hair every time I was in front of the bathroom mirror, particularly after spending time visualizing. The last thing that I wanted to do was convince myself that my hair is bsl and get out and find that I’m still apl, for instance. That allowed me to take the feeling of my new length with me into my day. And when in front of the mirror, I’d push my hair behind my back so that I couldn’t see the ends. My front is shorter so, I’d sweep that back and blend it with the rest of my hair.

Also, staying away from the naysayers and plugging into positive support. It is crucial to protect your mind from poisonous thoughts and people. I surround myself with positive and encouraging people and avoid negative people and posts like the plague.

Oh, there were times when I felt anxious and unsure about what to do in different situations but, I’d go to those who have been where I envision myself and ask questions and get support. Speaking of, I have a hair buddy that is a cheerleader out of this world. We message each other regularly and help each other over the bumpy spots. But, let me be clear, when I’m spending time visualizing, I never allow thoughts of any hair concerns to come up. This is because I’m focusing on the end result, and not the process of getting there. I don't know that visualizing and positive thinking alone could cause this sort of manifestation. I believe faith without works is dead. Therefore, it was also my responsibility to practice good hair care techniques, such as keeping my hair moisturized and protecting my ends. I also took supplements to provide good health from the inside out and practiced regular scalp massages with a sulfur and oil mix for increased blood circulation to the scalp. I believe these good works combined with visualizing and faith manifested the growth that I expected

You also stated that you "kept the ideas that my hair grows fast and that it's constantly growing in front of me." Can you elaborate and what that meant in you daily, monthly, etc?

I kept these ideas in front of me by placing my progress pics in my siggy. I’m visually reminded of my growth over and over while on the boards. I always include my start picture along with my most recent pic. And when I look at that, I remind myself that my hair has grown since that last pic. Woohoo!


Have you used the power of attraction to produce other dramatic results in your life beside the gorgeous hair?

Absolutely! There are things on my current vision board that have come into my life with stunning results. For instance, I have a pic of a small group of women with the caption “Good Friends”. One of the ladies, from a distance, resembles me. I used a pen to extend her hair. I’m amazed to find that not only have I made close friendships with women since I posted the pic, but the friends that have come into my life actually resemble the women in the picture. I can associate a friend’s name with each woman in the picture. Now, I NEVER expected that! LOL. Now THAT’S what I call getting what I asked for!

Another awesome example is my Lexus. My screensaver is a slideshow of pics that I created for visualizing. One of the pics is a Lexus. I edited the pic to put my name on the front license plate and thought nothing else of it. At the time, I was driving an SUV because of the size of my family. I longed to be in a car but, it wasn’t really practical. Long story short, my husband called me one day and asked me to meet him to look at a car that he thought that I might like. Keep in mind that I never shared my pic or my desire for a Lexus with him. I didn’t want him to think that I was into some sort of hocus pocus mind thing. Also keep in mind that we were upside-down in our SUV value because the high cost of gas dropped the value of our vehicle. And, to get a LEXUS while upside-down in our SUV was just not supposed to happen. Anyway, the car was perfect! My color, style, interior~ BEAUTIFUL! But surely the numbers would stop us. Nope! I felt like a miracle happened. I didn’t make the connection with the picture until I went out and bought a vanity plate. J

I’m very aware that there is power in the words that I speak and what I believe in my heart. I believe this principle is biblical and is available to us all. God said that whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you will receive. I believe this 100%. And my faith coupled with His grace has produced this expected blessing and MANY others in my life. ~ And I’m thankful.
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Call those things that be not as though they were. -Romans 4:17

I'm thankful to NJOY for sharing with us her amazing experience. I don't know about you but I was once again excited about my ability to create the hair I desire simply by reading her story. If you'd like to know more about NJOY's journey, you can check out her detailed regimen here.

"I love Pantene" contest winner shares her healthy hair secrets!

The other day, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of the lucky winners of the recent "I Love Pantene" contest. The minute I saw Brooke's amazing hair, I just knew I had to talk hair with her. Very rarely do you see a head of relaxed hair as fabulous as Brooke's. Length, thickness, health, her has has it all. You can imagine how excited I was to get a glimpse into her hair routine.



Much to my surprise, Brooke is a non-protective styler like me. In fact, most of the time you'll find her with hair down. So my first question to her after she shared that with me was "how do you keep your hair moist between washes?" Most of the credit for keeping her hair fabulous between washes goes to Pantene's Relaxed and Natural moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. According to Brooke, the products contain enough moisturizer to last her hair pretty much until the next wash. After her washes she allows her hair to air dry loose. Once completely dry, she flat irons with her Maxiglide iron and she's on her way. Brooke attributes the health of her hair to minimizing heat to only on wash days which usually happens every two weeks or so. At night she wraps the hair with a satin scarf to help keep the straightness and bounce. Her moisturizer of choice is Pantene's Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer. Her ends remain full and thick because she trims on a cycle of about every three months.



Believe it or not, Brooke wore her hair in it's natural state until about 10 years ago when she decided to relax and venture into the world of doing her own hair. She's a self relaxer who touches up 2-3 times a year with a mild lye formula. She keeps a very consistent routine of washing with her staple Pantene products, air drying, and using a Maxiglide iron which straightens the hair with the power of nourishing steam. Moisturizing Pantene products, plus airdrying, plus an iron that hydrates while it straightens seem to make up the bulk of her beautiful hair process. Oh, and I have to also mention that Brooke also supports the overall health of her hair by drinking lots of water.

What I learned from speaking with Brooke is how important it is to be consistent throughout. She doesn't struggle much with dryness because she's using moisturizing Pantene products, air drying to help keep in moisture, then finishes it off with a steam flat iron. It's no that wonder her hair's able to retain moisture. Add the fact that she uses a mild relaxer only sporadically and you've got a formula for healthy hair. I'm impressed that someone who has been natural pretty much all of her life has now ventured into the world of chemical relaxers while still maintaining health thickness and vitality. When I asked her about the difference between her natural hair and relaxed, she responded by saying the only difference was that her natural hair would sometimes feel stringy when pressed because of the amount of product used during the process. Now she minimizes the product usage which helps produce fuller looking hair.

My thanks to you Brooke for becoming a hair inspiration for me. I love full, thick hair and you make it look so easy. Thank you Pantene, for creating products that help support beautiful heads of hair like Brooke's. For years I've drooled over the heads of hair I've seen on Pantene commercials. I've used Pantene products years ago and now I find myself eager to re-introduce my hair to Pantene once again. I loved their Relaxed and Natural Mask and currently I'm enjoying the Damage Repair Ampoules (review coming soon).

I'll leave you all with more inspiring pics of Brooke's fabulous mane. Enjoy!




Brooke was one of four winners of the "I love Pantene" contest where Pantene searched for four African-American women through an online casting call and at the New Orleans Essence Music Festival with beautiful, healthy hair who used Pantene products. Brooke submitted her photo online with the encouragement of her friends. Brooke and the other winners will also be featured in magazines nationwide!

It's all fun and games until someone lets their hair down

So I spent Saturday evening at a friend's house re-enacting both fun and challenging games from the popular TV game show "Minute to Win It." Overall, game night was entertaining to say the least. The night, however, took a turn for the better when, midway through the evening, one of the party-goers removed her hair claw clip to reveal this....

From that moment on, I thought quietly to myself on how I would strike up a conversation with her to discuss the particulars of her absolutely fabulous head of hair. So I waited patiently as attendees failed and succeeded at various physical and mental challenges using only common household items. Finally the moment came when people, tired from the nights events, started to depart for home. At this point, I still hadn't figured out a smooth transition from natural conversation to the topic of hair. So I did what I thought made sense.............

We're both beginning to pick up toilet paper pieces, ping pong balls, and other randomness off the hard wood floor when out of nowhere I ask "is your hair natural or relaxed?"
She responds that she relaxes her hair and has done so for years. Next, I dropped the awkward question. "Can I take a picture of it?"

Without even giving it much thought, this person who I literally just met granted me this unusual request of having the back of her head photographed. I'm sure she probably thought the few pictures I took of her would satisfy my curiosity. She had no idea that phase two of my plan would consist of an impromptu interview detailing the steps she takes to care for her lovely tresses.

It turns out her regimen is pretty simple. She just does what works for her hair and it's rewarded her with the wonderful gift of luscious lengths. I wasn't forward enough to ask her to stretch her curls out but I wouldn't be surprised (judging from the pic above) if her hair reached waist length.

So here's the scoop:

• She visits the salon every 3 months or so to receive touchups using a mild relaxer from her stylist. Right now she's in a super long 6 month stretch. This isn't the norm for her. In fact, she states that her stylist will probably not be pleased when he finds out how long she's going without a touch up.
• Between salon visits, she washes weekly and deep conditions with Proclaim or Redken products.
• After washing she allows most of the hair to air dry. She then follows up with a blow dry to remove any remaining moisture, and proceeds to flat iron.
• She applies a Redken Smoothdown serum whenever she uses her iron. Once she's done, she puts the iron away until the following wash. I checked out this product's review on Folica. It looks to be pretty effective. I'm making a mental note to check this product out next time I'm strolling down the aisles of my local Ulta store.
• She helps seal in moisture throughout the week with an oil product from Kera Care.
• I asked if she had ever suffered any set-backs. Surprisingly enough, she said that her set backs came when she wore ponytails on a daily basis. The stress from the additional tension caused extreme breakage at the nape. She lifted the hair do demonstrate and I could see the difference in length between her longest layers and the hair at the nape.
• Her method of making a triumphant comeback from her setback is to wear the hair down or use hair claws in lieu of tight ponytails.
• She also admitted that her current regimen does not cause or contribute to excessive breakage. This means she can continue doing what she's doing knowing that she can easily continue to retain length.
• Finally, she stated that though she has allowed 6 months to pass without a touch up, she plans to continue relaxing for now.

So that's pretty much it. I just wanted to share with you my experience with a real life hair inspiration. I didn't go any deeper into the questioning (although I easily could have) for fear of seeming like a deranged hair lush but I'm glad I at least mustered up the nerve to get the pics.

'till next time.