A Better Conditioning Hair Experience?

Yes! It's possible.  Instead of applying your condtioner on your hair while it's wet (directly out of the shower) instead try applying your conditioner on your hair while it's dry.  This allows the conditioner to seap into your hair strand with better results because your hair will not be occupied by filling water molecules.  When our hair is wet it fills up our hair strand, this disallows other products from getting into our hair and working.  So I have applying my hair conditioners on my hair before I get into the shower to wash my hair.  My hair feels so soft and moisturized.  So my washing routine pretty much consists of...

• Applying conditioner to my hair while it is dry.
• Rinsing the conditioner out, then wash my hair with a moisturizing shampoo.
• Then I apply more conditioner to my hair and with the water running down my hair I then begin to detangle. 
• The last and final step consist of applying another amount of conditioner to my hair then rinsing half of that out, I never rinse all of my conditioner out.
• Then I follow up with a leave-in and air dry.

Thats all I do!

Here's more info on my hair washing technique




Here's more info on applying conditioner on dry hair

Top 5 Hair Ingredients to Run From!

I am going to be very direct on each ingredient, so here we go:

1. Sulfates- Normally found in cleaning agents like shampoo. Sulfates are used for cleaning the hair and removing dirt and oil from the scalp. HOWEVER, sulfates have the tendency to remove too much of our natural oils from our scalp leaving our hair dry, stripped, and thirsty! Instead try different shampoos that are on the market like organic shampoos, Hair One (found at Sally's), or the old Cream of Nature shampoos (not the orange bottels).  If you still feel the need to use sulfate shampoos then just make sure you are moisturizing your hair so that it won't get too dry.

2. Mineral Oil- Found in hair lotions, conditioners, and leave-ins.  This product prevents moisture from entering your hair shaft and does not moisturize your hair, it does nothing, but dry your hair out. Instead look for moisturizers, conditioners, or leave-ins with water, coconut oil, olive oil, honey, shea butter, cetyl alcohol, or anything natural.  Moisture is key to healthy hair.

3. Patroletum- Also found in hair lotions and leave-ins.  Patroletum just sits on the hair and does not moisturize, just like mineral oil.  This ingredient if quite similar to putting Vaseline on your hair.  YUCK!

4. Dimethecone- Mostly found in hair lotions and conditioners, this is not as bad as mineral oil, but using too much can weigh your hair down and cause build up.  I personally don't mind a little dimethecone, one of my favorite conditioners contain dimethecone in the second ingredient so a little is not so bad, but too much will make it hard for moisture or any product to enter your hair strand.

5.  Isopropyl Alcohol- Also found in conditioners and probaly some hair lotions, this alcohol is too strong for our hair.  This is like putting witch hazel in our hair..not good.  This can also be another drying agent to our hair.  Stay awayyy!

So I really hope this was informative to you and I hope it will allow you to be more mindful to what you are putting into your hair, if you are already on your hair journey and are looking out for bad ingredients kudos to you!!! I posted a video on youtube dicussing the same info here is the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndLAo0fh5yY  Have an awesome day ^-^

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

Self Relaxers: Here are some tips

So I made a video on some tips for self relaxers and I wanted to put those tips here..so here we go

Before Relaxing:

-Avoid scratching your scalp as much as possible.  If you scratch your scalp within a week of relaxing your hair especially if you use a lye relaxer (Mizani, Affirm, etc.) it will burn a lot if you get any relaxer on the scalp, so avoid scratching!!
-Do a few protein treatments before relaxing because it will keep your hairs strength up, therfore when you relax your hair won't be weak when you are done.  Remember: protein is very important in the structure of your hair so skipping this step will result to poor structure especially after relaxing.
-Detangle your hair for a better relaxing experience.  Besides if you don't detangle your hair before relaxing you will most likely be underprocess (not relax).

During the Relaxing Process:

-If you decide to use a lye relaxer make sure you base your scalp with vaseline, oil, any type of protecting agent to prevent scalp burns from the relaxer and as usual apply vasaline around your head and nape to avoid skin irritation.
-Oil your already relaxer hair without getting any oil on your new growth.  Applying oil to your already relaxed hair will prevent overprocessing and damage to the already relaxed hair.
-After applying your relaxer use your fingers or the back of a comb to smooth out the relaxer this results to a much straighter and smoother relaxing results.
-The half and half method is a God send for me! I love this method, it takes a lot of time, but I love it.  So basically all you are doing is relaxing half your head preferbaly the front half first then when you are done applying the relaxer to the half of your hair, rinse the relaxer out.  When you are done relaxing do the other half of the hair, rinse the relaxer off, then proceed to do whatever you normally do.
-Last but not least, the most important part of relaxing your hair is what you do after you rinse the relaxer out of your hair.  Normally what I do is first rinse the relaxer out of my hair without using any shampoo, then I apply a protein treatment, then I neutralize for about 5-6 washes, then I apply a special porosity conditioner to lower the pH of my hair to about 4-4.5, then I deep condition using a lot of moisturizing conditioners under a dryer. 

So yeah I believe those are the most important tips that I can give you to have a great relaxing experience. Hope you enjoyed, here is the video of me talking about it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvFdFYxHBGk

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

So Many Topics! So Little Time!

So I have new vids up as I always do around the weekend, and I  realize that I haven't done a video on hair in a some time now or post so that really needs to change asap.  I have brought a few hair products that are simply amazing and I can't wait to post about that and its wonderful goodness :).  I have talked about some of the new domincan products that I recently brought, but never really done a full review on them..so look out for those!  As i'm typing this right now I totally forgot that I have a pizza in the oven and now its burnt!..o well..anywayzz! More to come..so look out for it and FOLLOW MEA! peace :)

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/sharmaine369

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

How I Wrap My Hair Up at Night, Moisturize and Seal Video

Hello again! I just posted another video on how I wrap my hair at night and I am also showing how I moisturize and seal my hair.  This video shows a very important step in achieving healthy growing hair.  Always make sure your hair is protected when your sleeping by wearing silk or satin scarves, bonnets, or laying your pretty head on satin or silk pillow cases.  This prevents dryness and breakage, regular pillow cases made of cotton or polyester will suck all the moisture from your hair and will break your precious hair strands. Baby your hair ladies and gents!

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

*Here's the link to the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Zi2T4mPB8 or you can watch it below just make sure to pause the music if you want...life is nice having choices ^-^ ...♥

Tips of Growing Healthy Hair Video

Helloo! So just a quick update I just posted a video on some tips for growing healthy hair, hope you like!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qc6abooppMk

Here are the steps that I discuss:

• Moisturizing and Sealing Your Hair
• Resisting Temptation (Heat)
• Be Positive and have Patience

-Compliment of Sharmaine369 ♥

My Hair Six Months No Relaxer Results!

Ok so in recent post I stated that I was stretching my relaxer for six months, well the six months are up and I have relaxed my hair. I self-relaxed with Mizani Butter Blends-Normal and I really love the results, I am so excited about my growth.  Here is my hair journey and my hair now!

April 2009

August 2009

January 2010

So yes :) I am excited as you can see you there is visible growth and I am loving my results.  I also made a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCPwFdhujh4 . Check it out!! :)

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

Hair Products That I Love

So recently I uploaded a video on youtube discussing the different hair products that I love and just my take on them.  You can check the video out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO8d99IJ5AE. Thanks guys!

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

Ojon Ultra Hydrating Conditioner

Okay so Ojon Ultra Hydrating Conditioner is simple awesome!! My hair is thick and is prone to dryness, this is like the perfect deep conditioner for thick hair and any types of hair, it's just that good.  I have nothing bad to say about this product...it is so good. Okay so it has a lot of great stuff in it like shea butter, almond oil, olive oil, macademia oil, and other very essential oils that are norishing to the hair. I applied this conditioner on dry hair, because when you apply conditioner on dry hair the conditioner absorbs more into the hair strand resulting into a better conditioning experience.  Next I rinse it out in the shower and my hair felt like BUTTER no lie, I love it and I might make this a keeper.  The only downside about this product is the price which normally reaches to about $22..yes $22, so it can be pricey, but look at all the high quality ingredients your getting.  So yeah Ojon Ultra Hydrating Conditioner is my new fav and I lovvve it!! I can not wait to wash my hair this weekend so I can use it again.  Hope you all get a chance to try it out, there is a sample bottle on the Sephora website for about $9, so if your afraid to take the plunge and by the regular size bottle then I suggest buying the smaller bottle.  Hope you enjoyed!!

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

My Candy of Hair Products

Here are some of the products that I really love and have never failed me. I really enjoy coming across products that actually WORK and show RESULTS, there is nothing better than picking up a new conditioner or shampoo that just does exactly what it says and more. So let’s start the review starting from the left.

• Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Leave In- Very moisturizing! I use this product after rinsing conditioner out of my hair while my hair is still damp or towel dried. It provides good slip for detangling, however it claims to mend split ends but I'm not too sure about that because occasionally I do have some split ends (which I suggest cutting immediately). Overall good product and I have and will continue to purchase again.

• Cream of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo- I really do enjoy this shampoo it contains no sulfates which is awesome!! Besides that it really is what it says Ultra Moisturizing or what we normally say in the hair world CON (green), but yes great product. When applying the shampoo to the hair it helps in detangling, moisturizing, and cleaning. However this shampoo has been discontinued so it is disappearing from stores. So if you can get your hands on this stuff good for you because this shampoo is really good!

• GVP Conditioning Balm- This conditioner is a generic version of Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm and proves to have the exact same ingredients as the original. I recently started using this conditioner as a deep conditioner and I like it, it adds moisture and it's an overall good deep conditioner. However I am always looking for a good deep conditioner, so it's kind of hard for me to settle down on just one..maybe I'm a little greedy when it comes to my hair...I don't mind, but my wallet probably does lol

• Aussie Moist Conditioner- This conditioner is lovely. I normally use this conditioner for co-washes, but I heard it is also good as a deep conditioner (blog idea). Normally when I do my co-washes I put this conditioner on my dry hair then when I get in the shower rinse it out then apply it twice more than do a final rinse. Aussie Moist provides a nice scent, creamy texture, and extremely moisturizing.

• Roux Porosity Control Corrector and Conditioner- Okay so normally ladies will mix this with their deep conditioner or apply it after their deep conditioner, I like to apply it afterwards leave it on for 30 seconds then rinse. This conditioner is all about porosity and the ability to let your hair absorb the moisture that you have just put in. Normally people who have hair that is constantly dry normally there is a porosity problem because their hair is not holding in any product within the hair strand, so this conditioner helps with that. I use this once a week and I like the way it makes my hair feel and in the end its helping my hair hold moisture which is desperately needed in ethnic hair.

• Kids Organics Shea Butter Detangling Moisturizing Lotion- I loovee this so much, it really does what it says which is moisturize! My hair is thick and moisture is a definite need and sometimes I find that hard to find in most products, but this product is amazing. The ingredients that stand out the most to me are water, glycerin, and Shea butter. Those three are major sources for moisture that is needed in our hair. A good thing to know about this product is that a little goes a long way so you get what you pay for which happens to be around three or four bucks..maybe less. Overall it’s a winner with my hair and hopefully yours too.

• Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor- Protein based conditioner that builds the hair and makes it stronger inside and out. I use this maybe once a month for a mild protein treatment, my hair normally feels very soft after this treatment and stronger. Just be careful not to use it too often because you don't want to jack your hair up with protein because it is not a pretty thing..breakage + dryness= setbacks!

So I just wanted to share some of the hair products that I adore and will keep in my hair for awhile. I hope you got something from this and I hope you enjoyed it. Thanx!!

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

My Hair History

Hello! So I wanted to write a post on my hair and the little things that I am learning about it. So I am relaxed and have been relaxed since I was young like 10 or 11, can't say I'm too happy about it, but I'm working with it. Before I started studying hairology my hair was dry, not healthy, and just not where it needed to be. I knew nothing about co-washes, pre-poo's, ect. So when I discovered these great tips my hair has been doing a lot better then in the past years. I realized that the number one thing hair needs especially ethnic hair is MOISTURE. Moisturized hair is a major asset in retaining length so your hair can have length, some major moisturizing ingredients that I like to add to my conditioners are aloe vera juice, honey, and other natural humectants that help retain moisture. Below are a few pictures of my hair before my hair care and now. Enjoy!

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥

April 2009

August 2009

After-October  2009

My First Blog Entry!

Hello. Just a little background info. My name is Tonya and online I go by Sharmaine369.  I am a junior in college majoring in Chemistry.  I love reading, dancing, writing, beauty, and now I'm learning to love blogging.  I will blog about product reviews on hair, makeup, etc, and whatever else comes to mind. So enjoy!

-Compliments of Sharmaine369 ♥