2009 January | A PJ On A Budget

The 17 Minute Miracle – Joico K-pak Repair System

January 29th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

In my quest to attain that utopia of the perfect moisture protein balance in my hair I came upon some reviews of the The 17 Minute Miracle kit by Joico. I have been in love with Joico for some time so it didn’t take too much arm twisting to get me to take the plunge although with a $50 price tag I had to breathe a little. I didn’t get the kit together, usually the cheapest route, but since I had a 20% off Ulta coupon and some of the reconstructor already, I bought the products separately. I saw a really good deal ($35.99) on eBay yesterday that I wish I had seen when I got mine. In short, it was great, I love this set of products and will probably try to incorporate this treat into my regimen once every 4-6 weeks. Since my hair can be protein sensitive at times I wouldn’t do it more often than that. For you relaxed or color-treated girlies this will be an even better find and your hair will love for you to use it more often. So let’s break it down shall we ….

There’s the Chelating Shampoo, its not to harsh and it really gets the job done. After a lot of silicone products or all my buildup of butters, co-wash conditioners, and Megatek, this gets me back to where I started and helps make my conditioners work like the first time again. I get a little tingle and the bottle says it can go even deeper if I leave it on longer. This is the First Step in the process.

Next up is the Cuticle Sealer, I think this is probably when things start getting a little miraculous, because this product tightens up you hair cuticle so it lays down smooth and doesn’t look so dull and frizzy. This is especially great for overly porous hair that just cant get moisturized because your strands just let all of your goodness right back out. Since relaxed hair usually needs something acidic to seal the cuticle this is definitely a must get. It was a little harder to find than the other elements in the kit by itself but I found a good deal on the internet. Step Two down.

Okay now here is the part you’ve probably heard about, the K-pak Deep Constructor. For relaxed and color-treated hair the deep reconstructor is a no-brainer. It restores strength to weekend bonds which allows hair to get to longer and stronger lengths. On natural heads like myself we get that too, plus the curl definition this gives me is like no other. Can we say curls poppin like popcorn! Its not too harsh, and it really gets the job done. The added bonus is it will make using heat on your hair a little less dangerous. Step 3 down, now for moisture.

The final step is the Intense Hydrator. After a protein treatment moisture is essential, and Joico adds this product in to put the softness back. The bottle says to leave it in for like 5 minutes but I definitely left it in a lot longer than that. I didn’t want to use it with heat since I just went through the trouble of sealing my cuticle, but I did want to make sure my hair wasn’t too stiff. I like this conditioner, but I’m not jumping for joy over it. I’m sure its good enough for relaxed heads, but I think I have to have heat with this one to get the good results. The first time was okay, but the second time I added a little Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa to get that uber soft feeling I’ve come to know and love.

Smooth, shiny, defined…check, check, check. It’s not McDonald’s but I’m lovin it! For me, this is essential in my protein moisture balance quest and I’m glad I have it in my arsenal. The kit is available at salons or you can always get it on eBay. I’ll try and post links I find on Amazon if you like to buy stuff separate.

Joico – K-pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor 5.1 oz
Joico – K-Pak Chelating Shampoo 10.1oz
Joico – K-Pak Professional Cuticle Sealer 33oz
Joico K-Pak Moisture Intense Hydrator Treatment for Dry, Damaged Hair 8.5 oz

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Posted in Conditioner, Product Reviews, Shampoo, protein treatment

She got that ‘Good Hair’….

January 26th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

From the Movie Good Hair

So I ran across an article covering some of the new independent films that are being shown at the Sundance Film Festival this year and I saw that Chris Rock was one of the producers. And before you ask, no this is not Pootie Tang 2, he’s presenting a movie called Good Hair. From the interviews I’ve seen, he basically got the idea when his daughter Lola asked him “why don’t I have good hair”? I believe she was five years old at the time, and it motivated him to make the documentary exploring the subject. Harmful chemicals, creative packaging, and straight-up lying gets African American women to shell out some of their last dollars. He also gets into the hair weave industry and the evolution of human hair being a top product of India. Check out the short interview to see clips of bald Eastern Indian Men and Women walking the streets! I know its human hair I have in my weave stash, and I know it comes from India but those images were startling. Hopefully the whole movie will become available at a later date because I want to see more, I‘ve been combing the internet but all I get are snippets. Of course you know probably more than Chris Rock did at the time, that the hair care industry is pretty massive, and there are a lot of dollars involved, hello product junkie in the house! Why, for what, and exactly what is good hair anyway? We all know that traditionally this is the silky straight or loose curls that most European women possess, but am I just kidding myself into thinking that’s changing. I’m not saying anything is wrong with getting your hair relaxed, I did it for over 20 years and I can’t say I would never do it again, but I like my tight kinky curls too. I had chemicals in my hair by the time I graduated kindergarten so I never knew what I was working with until my Big Chop, but I know several people who would only go natural if they had that ‘good hair’. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had hair envy a time or two, but I love what I’ve got and I believe everyone has good hair. Some hair types and textures take a little more work than others, but the rewards are usually greater in my opinion. I can get my hair really straight, put it in twists, and rock a Big A$$ Afro all in the same weekend, – everybody cant say that, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have good hair either. What do you think about ‘good hair’ and its meaning?

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Posted in Uncategorized

By George I Think I’ve Got It – Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner

January 22nd, 2009 by Apjonabudget

Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Conditioner

So as I said before its cold, and the air is dry and brutal to my naps. They are beyond parched and I don’t want to suffer another setback, my heart cant take one. I went to Trader Joe’s the other day to go grocery shopping since I’m trying to actually stick to my going green policy and I came upon the hair care section. Of course I had to at least look, lol. I saw the infamous Nourish Spa Conditioner and I couldn’t believe the price – $2.49. I mean at this price if it doesn’t work I haven’t broke the bank so why not. I couldn’t wait to hop in the shower to try it out and I was not disappointed. I LOVE this stuff! It was instantly moisturizing and it made detangling a breeze. The ingredients look great and I felt a slight, very subtle, tingle. It a creamy conditioner that actually smells kind of nice to me, and its not overpowering. Did I mention its only $2.49, I cant believe I waited this long to try this conditioner. This will be my co-wash conditioner of choice, I think I may have found a true staple product; an unheard of for a product junkie like me. Also, this conditioner had my curls popping all over the place, I had curls defined in places I didn’t know I had them, Cute little defined pen springs boinging all over the place! I cant wait for the summer time, I might actually have a successful wash-n-go after all. Since it’s a Trader Joes product, they only sell it there, although you can find anything on eBay ( for a $2 markup of course). Here’s a link to the location finder to Trader Joe’s. For those of you who don’t buy jack without looking at the ingredients, here ya go! NO Animal Testing

Ingredients – Purified water, organic rosemary oil, organic valencia orange citrus, organic mango, organic lemongrass, organic ginko biloba, organic echinacea, organic willow bark, organic sea kelp, organic chamomile flower, organic textured soy protein, organic lavender, organic grapefruit citrus, Tocopherol (Vit E), Acetamide MEA, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, propylparaben, botanical fragrance

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Posted in Conditioner, Product Reviews

Baby Its Cold Outside – Megatek for Hair Growth

January 18th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

I’m running for cover, I don’t know about how the weather is where you are living but if you’re in the DC Metro Area aka the DMV, its cold. Don’t get me wrong, its not those Chicago temperatures I was afraid to turn on the news to see a few weeks ago, but the brrrr factor is rising. Wash-n-go’s and wet bunning are a definite no-no, so I’ve gotta find something else. With my renewed focus on hair growth this year, I need something that will allow me to use my latest stab at growth aids. Megatek Cell Rebuilder. I avoided it a lot longer than I would have guessed, so I guess I can have restraint when I want to, but I’m going to need all the help I can get to achieve my goal of BSL (Bra-Strap Length) by December so I’m hoping this is my miracle in a bottle. Of course I’ll be keeping up with my usual healthy practices , but if it gives me a boost I wont be mad at it, if not I’ve got a new protein conditioner out the deal. For those of you not familiar, the Cell Rebuilder is a equine product ( yep targeted for horses) , but is safe for humans. It has a surprisingly great smell and a creamy consistency. Like most equine hair products, it has a lot of protein, so care has to be made when using it. When I first tried it, I was wearing cornrows and got lazy applying it to the rows of scalp and started getting it on my hair. Since I didn’t want the braids to get fuzzy, I didn’t immediately wash every time I did this, and hair had quite the protein overload. My hair is pretty sensitive to protein anyway since I gave up the relaxers, so this was a nightmare for me. I really had to step up my Deep Conditioning game, but I still had some breakage at the front of my hair. This time I’m not playing games and I’m getting a mix together. In a four oz. bottle I put two tbls castor oil, two tblsp glycerin, a tblsp rosewater and about two oz of Megatek Cell Rebuilder. Shedding has also been a problem for many who use this product frequently, but the addition of garlic supplements, shampoos, or conditioners seem to curtail this problem. I don’t think I’ve experienced the shedding part, but I bought Queen Helen’s Garlic Shampoo just in case, you know I don’t even need an excuse to buy something new so with an excuse there was really no question whether I was going to get one or not. This set the budget back $4 so its not too bad. Since I havent noticed any extra shedding, I guess its doing its job, but I’m not going to use this for every shampoo since it does seem to be a little harsher than I’m used to. I must admit, I really wanted to get the Alter Ego Garlic Conditioner but it’s a tad more expensive and I really don’t need a new conditioner, but people have been raving about that one for years, but I am trying to be strong, at least for now that is. I’m going to try to be a regular user (every other day) of the Megatek (MT) for eight weeks to see what kind of growth I’ll get and keep you posted, cross your fingers! Do you Megatek, if so what are your thoughts so far? Do you use it straight or do you have a tried and true mix going?

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Posted in Hair Challenges, Product Reviews, Tips For Hair Growth

Like Butter Baby….

January 16th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

Everybody knows that pancakes are good with syrup alone, but a pad of butter sets it off! During these cold winter months your hair will love you if you introduce it to a new butter. I’m not talking about your run of the mill Land-o-Lakes or Country Crock, in this case try some good Avocado, Shea, or Mango. Hey, these are not that expensive either, so if you are A PJ On A Budget too, keep reading.

Shea butter

Pic of Refined Shea Butter

This butter has been getting a lot of commercial attention lately, and with good reason because it’s very good in skin and hair products. I’ve even seen commercials about a drop in Kleenex! It’s a fatty extract that comes from the fruit of the Shea tree and is actually edible. Since these trees are grown mostly in Western Africa, I’ve had a lot of luck finding it in African stores for better prices too. Africans have been using it for years; its no new phenomenon to them, they also for eczema and to treat sinus problems. It usually has a yellow or light beige color and the raw versions usually come in containers of the soft clumpy butter. Shea butter is a great moisturizer and has been a god send to my parched kinky curls. I usually whip mine with a good oil like jojoba or sweet almond oil. I usually rub a nice clump in between my hands to let it emulsify and rub it through my hair concentrating at the roots. Its also great as a pre-poo by itself or mixed with a favorite conditioner. I’ve recently tried it with Aloe Vera juice and I loved it; its lighter than the butter by itself and makes it a lot easier to spread and apply. For some reason it took a lot longer for me to whip it together with the aloe juice than it did for my oil mixes, but Shealoe(Shea and Aloe mix) is a winner. I’ll probably try it with Aloe Vera gel next for a moisturizing natural gel to slick down my hair for a neat protective bun. You can find raw Shea butter in the BSS these days, although depending on where you go the prices can be inflated. I’ve found a lot of places online, but the shipping is what makes an online store better for some then others. If you are closer and the cost of the butter plus shipping is less than they have real deals, otherwise try to find a retail location in your area. This can set the budget back $5-$20 starting at 4oz.

Avocado Butter

Picture of Avocado Butter

This butter comes from the flesh of the fruit of an Avocado tree and hydrogenated oils. Its very soft and creamy and it has a light yellow color. Like Shea, it mixes well with oils, but it’s a lot easier to smooth on alone and maybe topped with an oil to seal the goodness in. Its very moisturizing and is also great for pre-poos; in fact, Burt’s Bees has an Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo that gets rave reviews. Avocado butter not only moisturized your hair, but will leave it silkier and shinier. A little goes a long way, and too much can actually be a tad greasy to the touch. In need of some deep conditioning, try 2 oz of Avocado Butter, a few tablespoons of honey, and some coconut milk. You’ll be thanking me for sure! I’ve found it a lot harder to find Avocado Butter in retail stores, but there are plenty of places online or you can just make your own with an Avocado! The prices are similar to shea butter most places.

Mango Butter

Picture of Mango Butter

This butter comes from the seed of the Mango fruit and has a light beige color. It comes from sub-tropical regions especially places like India. Its one of the harder butters, but melts at room temperature and can be whipped well like the others. It too is a good moisturizer and good to combat naturally dry hair. I’m sure you have at least seen Elasta Qps Mango Butter Moisturizer which is great for laying down unruly hair, and there are plenty of skin products that use mango to soften the skin. The one thing I love about these natural butters is that they have multiple uses. I’ll take more bang for my buck any day! I’m new to mango butter so I havent had a chance to get really creative… yet., but I’ll keep you posted. Let me know if you have any ideas!

Good online places for butters

Fromnaturewithlove.com – Sampler pack!

Camdengrey.com

Mountainroseherbs.com

Thesage.com

Thechemistrystore.com – $7.95/lb!

eBay.com

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Posted in Leave-In Conditioners, Product Reviews

Getting Wiggy With It – Using Wigs as a Protective Style

January 10th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

I really am dedicated to this healthy hair journey, but sometimes I get bored with the protective styles . I want to switch it up a bit without damaging my real hair while I go through all these changes. The last month or two I’ve been flirting with the idea of trying the whole wig thing. Of course since I’m a PJ, I have one okay a few , but I didn’t really wear them much outside of the house, lol. One of my main hang-ups has been with the quality of the hair in the wigs that I like. I’m not trying to look like a baby doll, and the wigs with the hair I like are soooo expensive. Then I had a thought, I could just make my own. Now I’d never actually attempted to do this before, but I love experimenting on ways to save money . I decided to sew some weave onto a net weave cap and put wig clips on the edges. I went to the BSS and found some cute inexpensive weave, called Outre Duby. Its kind of pre-styled in, well a duby/doobie/roller-wrap look and I got two packs, one in #2 and the other in a #4/30 mix. I got a Styrofoam head, 2 packs of wig clips, a pack of wig t-pins ,a weave needle and thread, the net weave cap, and I was good to go. All my supplies including the weave cost $40. If I make another one, all I would have to re-purchase would be the hair and another cap. I did a couple of searches on you tube to get some visuals, and I was feeling pretty confident on my game plan. So here’s what I did….

1. I flat-twisted my hair to the back, I am the worst a cornrowing. Wrapping your hair would work well too
but since Im natural I would have had to straighten my hair first so I didnt go that route.

2. I opened the net cap and placed it on my head, and adjusted the size and paid attention to how much of the cap my head took up.

3. Next I took the Styrofoam head and placed the net cap on top. I would suggest marking where you hairline is on the net cap if there is a big difference. Using a pen or a marker would work well , but I had a chalk pin from my sewing kit, and secure the cap down with the t-pins.

4. Since this hair looks like a wrap, I decided that it would be easy for me to just sew the hair around the net

In a circle all the way to the top and that’s exactly what I did.

5. Since I bought two colors, I used most of the darker color on the bottom, but I saved some for the top. Then I continued sewing in circles a few times with the two-tone hair, then came back with the remaining solid color hair.

6. When I got to the very top I had a hole the size of maybe a nickel, and here came the slightly tricky part. I had to do what people refer to as close a weave/wig. Luckily I had been warned by one of the you tubers so I rolled a little piece of track up tightly and sew-ed it together. Think of a fruit roll-up before you unravel it.

I placed my little plug of hair in the hole of the net cap and sewed it into the cap. I only got a couple of stitches in since it was kind of thick before I took the pins out and had better luck going through the cap without the Styrofoam head.

7. I pressed the top down and it looked okay, but I was a little bothered by the Dennis the Menace look, so
I put a drop of super glue under the plug and pressed down, perfect!

8. The last step is to slap that baby on and get a feel for how it looks, you like? Now figure out the best place to put the wig clips. I settled on one in the front, one on each side, and then one in the back. Although if youre worried about damaging your edges just bobby-pin it for security or get a net cap with adjustable strabs that you feel secure with. I sewed each clip into the cap through the little holes at the top, make sure they are the right direction though first!

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What do you think?

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Posted in Protective Styles

You Can Run But You Can’t Hide – AG Fast Food

January 9th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

Leave-In Conditioner

I know I just went on and on about how eating healthy was very important in growing a healthy head of hair, but there is a certain type of fast food that is a keeper for me. Its AG Fast Food, a leave-in conditioner that I’ve recently tried and fell for. When you open the bottle you immediately get a candy smell, mmm I miss candy, anyways it has a creamy consistency that seemed to instantly smooth my hair when I put it on. On the AG’s website, aghaircosmetics.com, this product is said to be for thick/coarse textures. It was recommended to my by someone who said it was great for roller sets so I mostly use it when roller setting is on the agenda. After a lengthy wash day obstacle course, I’m usually a little worn down so the fact that this makes combing through my hair a breeze makes it worth its weight in gold for this natural 4a/b head. Once dry, I could definitely tell my hair was smoother and softer than the last time without this leave-in. I find it good for moisture too, which is definitely a requirement for me and my parched naps. For those of you who are conscious about ph levels, this has a ph 4.5-5.5, which is a good thing for me since I am in an ongoing battle with porosity issues, but more about that later. Most of the people who have given this product rave reviews were relaxed, so I’m proud to say it works on natural hair too. I found it hard to find in the regular Beauty Supply Stores, but I did have luck in some salons or mall BSS. It seems AG is a Canadian company, but plenty of places sell it online including Curl Mart . This set the budget back $14.

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Posted in Leave-In Conditioners, Product Reviews

Going Green in 2009

January 8th, 2009 by Apjonabudget

It’s a new year and like most people I’m taking the plunge and trying to adopt some new year’s resolutions.

Now of course I don’t need a new year resolution to tell me I should spend less money on hair and beauty products, but I am trying to make some feasible changes. I’m going green. Not necessarily in the take care of the earth kind of way, although I do try to remember to take my recyclable bag with me to the grocery store, but I mean in the take care of my body and eat more veggies kind of way. As much as I try to deny it, with all the products I buy and such, what I eat plays a big part in my hair growth journey. In most cases hair loss can be linked to a deficiency of B vitamins. That means B3, B5, B6, B12, and everyone’s favorite Biotin. Vegetarians should especially make sure they are getting enough Zinc, B12, and Lysine. Of course genetics plays a big part in a person’s hair grow rate, meaning the girl who eats McDonald’s every single day could grow hair as fast as weeds and the girl who is a poster child for healthy eating could grow at a snail’s pace, but bad eating habits do play a part. Soda, foods high in sugar, and processed foods are the types that should be avoided, in fact, these are considered Inflammatory foods. Many doctors advise patients to adopt an anti-inflammatory diet which has been proven to be beneficial to hair and skin. Two for one!

Foods that Contain Vitamins for Health Hair

Vitamin A – milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and carrots
Vitamin C – avacados, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, greens peppers, potatoes, and dark green vegetables
Vitamin E- soybeans, nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables
Biotin- brewer’s yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice, and milk
Inositol- whole grains, brewer’s yeast, liver and citrus fruits
Niacin (Vitamin B3)- brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, fish, chicken, and turkey
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)- whole grain cereals, brewers yeast, meats, and egg yolk
Vitamin B6 – Brewers yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, and egg yolk
Vitamin B12 – chicken, fish, eggs, and milkZinc – milk, seeds and nuts, wheat bran
Lysine -meat, cheese, nuts, eggs, and soybeans

Food Ideas for an Anti-Inflammatory

Diet

Candy

French Fries

Processed Meat – Bologna, Sausage, Hot dogs

Soda/Soft-Drinks

Donuts

Foods to Add

Olive Oil

Walnuts

Broccoli

Blueberries

Garlic

Tumeric

Spinach

Green

Apples

Kale

Avocado

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Posted in Tips For Hair Growth

« Previous Entries

The 17 Minute Miracle – Joico K-pak Repair System

She got that ‘Good Hair’….

By George I Think I’ve Got It – Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner

Baby Its Cold Outside – Megatek for Hair Growth

Like Butter Baby….

Getting Wiggy With It – Using Wigs as a Protective Style

You Can Run But You Can’t Hide – AG Fast Food

Going Green in 2009

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