I know, I know...WHAT HAPPENED TO 2011? lol

Sorry I've been MIA...I've been kinda lazy and let the fotki subscription lapse. I also had problems when trying to renew...if it comes down again anytime soon just check back in with me the following week. ;)

I think I'm starting to get back some of the length I lost from the cut late last year...what do you guys think? I recently posted on LHCF about my pressing method...here's what I wrote:
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After 6 years of being natural, I have finally found a straightening method that gets me the same results that I get in Too Groovy salon, which is where I usually go when I want to press my hair out. I just started doing this, so I can't say that one particular step in the process is the most integral to getting the best results, but rather, that all of these steps together give me straight, shiny, flowy hair.

Here is my process for straightening my hair on wash day:

1. Pre-poo w/avocado and olive oil with a shower cap on for 1 hour. Rinse.

2. Wash with a clarifying shampoo (i.e. Aveda Detoxifier). Rinse.

3. If doing a protein treatment, add in protein next (i.e. Aveda Damage Remedy or Aphogee 2-step). Put hair in 8 twists, slightly detangling with my fingers as I twist each section. Rinse out protein treatment.

4. Apply a deep conditioner to twists (i.e. ORS pack). Steam hair for 20 minutes. (I steam by wetting a towel, microwaving it, wrapping it around my hair, and putting shower cap on. Then sit under a dryer to "keep steam going.")

5. Rinse hair in shower. Detangle hair, one twist at a time (twist each section back up as you're done detangling it). Use Lekair Cholesterol and Denman brush to detangle. Rinse.

6. Apply a nickel-sized amount of leave-in (i.e. Giovanni Direct). Towel dry hair and add nickel-sized amount of heat protectant (i.e. IC Fantasia Serum in pink bottle) to damp hair. Dab a teeny tiny bit of oil (i.e. jojoba or olive or castor-like half a pea-sized amount) on the ends only.

7. Blow dry hair with ceramic/ionic dryer and denman brush, one twist at a time, concentrating on getting the roots as straight as possible.

8. Section hair into 4-5 parts and flat iron using GVP iron, starting at back section. Flat iron in extremely small/thin sections (starting from the root as close to the scalp as possible)-sections are no wider that an inch and like a quarter-of-an-inch thick.

9. When finished, my hair is stick straight. I roll with big rollers and put on a satin cap. Then take out rollers in the morning for big bouncy curls (they usually fall though LOL).

Seems like alot of steps...maybe cuz it is It's just what happens to work for me right now. This is the best I've ever been able to straighten my hair at this point. A few of the things that I think that are integral to getting the results I've been getting:

-Applying tension to the hair when blow-drying. I comb a section of hair, hold it by the end, and run the dryer along the shaft of my hair. Then use my Denman and blow dryer together to straighten it out fully. It's very important to blow the roots straight. I find I can't get my roots straight with the flat iron if the roots aren't already practically straight from using the blow dryer.

-Steaming the hair seems to be a very important step in locking in moisture in my natural hair.

-Hair must be fully detangled during the detangle process to avoid over-combing the hair come time to blow dry it.

-I love the IC Serum....it makes my hair smooth and "silky" Also helps with reversion a little.

-Flat ironing in very small sections (as mentioned above) is soooo important to me. Also, when flat ironing, I start slowly from the root, and then swipe a little faster towards the end....so the ends of my hair aren't getting as much heat as the roots (if that makes sense).

I struggled with breakage throughout the entire year. Besides that, all was good....lol

Last updated 10/17/07. I added a few pics of my puff---after it had been worn out the night before and slept on, lol! Anyways, I wanted to give an idea of how it is looking nowadays. It's getting bigger. For some reason I don't like wearing a puff that much...I feel like it makes my head look too big. It also tends to draw alot of attention, lol.

Anyways, I plan to press my hair again in December to show the length. So for now it's mostly buns for me. It's funny cause I just realized I don't have any bun pics from this year in this folder, and that's really how I wear my hair every day!! I will post a few pics of how the bun is looking nowadays soon....

Anyways, enjoy! :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! I hope that you had a wonderful holiday season and I wish you a happy and prosperous 2008.

Check me out! I've got updates! :D Here are my "end of the year" pics for 2007. I got my hair pressed for Christmas/New Years. Not many pics but you get the idea of the growth. Don't forget to leave a comment!

~HAPPY HAIR GROWING!!~

I don't know if I can offically claim BSL yet or not. I'll let ya'll be the judge of that!! But I am happy with the progress and the look of my hair so far.

Showing a little growth :)

Big chopped Dec 02. Most Pics here are from 03.

My hair was super thick even when it was relaxed so I KNEW it was gonna be thick once I stopped relaxing...

As you can see I am in love with Tracee Ellis Ross's hair!