Shampoo and non-deep condition wash-- thoughts after two weeks

For the past two weeks, I have washed my hair three times per week. My weekend wash includes a deep condition whereas the washes in the week are simply a shampoo and conditioner wash.

The major change I have seen in my hair is fewer small pieces of broken hairs. Length retention has been a challenge for me for so anything that can help prevent my ends from breaking off is much appreciated. I think my hair appreciates the extra moisture I get from wetting my hair three times a week. If I can keep my length retention on point, then I am going to see changes in length.

I will keep monitoring my hair from week to week to see if I notice any untoward consequences from wetting my hair so frequently. So far, so good, however.

So much for my solution to my skin woes

After a couple of weeks with really good skin days, my period came and basically ruined everything. I ended up with lots of clogged pores which became inflamed and now that they have gone away I am left with hyperpigmentation spots, concentrated in my cheek area and sprinkled across my entire face. It is so embarrassing at this age to struggle with acne. I also tend not to wear heavy foundations, just a light dusting of mineral foundation as most foundations break me out, so my acne and my dark marks are on display for all to see.

I look in the mirror and I can see an attractive person sometimes if I force myself to look at the whole picture, but most times all I can see are the flaws. The dark brown marks dotting my face and the red, inflamed and painful to touch pimples that are scattered along my jawline. It is so frustrating and I just don't understand it. My diet is so healthy; I eat no junk food and lots of fruits and vegetables. I look at the person I share an office with scarfing down snacks loaded with sugar and her skin is among the most flawless I have seen in life. Her skin is what mine was in my teenage years.

Acne has taken a toll on my skin. My pores are now extremely large and I don't think very much can help except laser treatments at this point. I was on birth control for a few years and it gave me amazing skin but left me with spider veins and I developed cellulite for the first time in my life. My acne is not even limited to my facial area as my back is currently broken out and my chest is known to get the occasional spot. The joys.

Acne has also interfered with my life. There have been times I have refused to leave the house because I just don't want anyone to see my skin. I recently met a guy I liked, but for the past couple of weeks I avoided seeing him. Of course he commented on the fact that I keep making excuses. I know he believes I probably was not interested when the reality is I felt like crap about myself and didn't want to be in his company.

I am not asking for the most perfect skin in the world but I would like to just look like a normal human being. I just want to wake up and not worry about how I am going to look that day. I don't want to be skin obsessed. I just want to be normal. I don't even think I am asking for much. I am asking for the experience of any other regular human being.

Anyway, I just needed to vent because I feel super crummy this weekend.

Washing more than once or twice a week

Last Friday, I shampooed and deep conditioned my hair for my weekend wash. My original intention was to wait until Wednesday to do another wash and roller set, however, I went out during the day on Saturday and it was so hot that when I returned home, I found my hair was feeling dry. These days I am doing what my hair is telling me to do so I decided to wash my hair on Sunday. I didn't bother to deep condition, I shampooed and applied conditioner to my hair and left it in for 5 minutes before rinsing. I roller set and went under the dryer. My hair was really happy. It hasn't felt this great in quite some time.

I have decided to no longer have set wash days. I will wash according to the feel of my hair. If my hair so desires I will wash it 3 or 4 times a week. I think I need to start listening to what it is saying. I know these days my hair is asking for more moisture than protein. Last week, I was supposed to have done a protein deep condition and after I did it, I hated how my hair felt, so I went back, shampooed my hair and did a moisturizing DC and my hair was happy. I understand my hair now and I will use protein and moisture DCs according to what my hair is saying and not according to any fixed schedule.

My hair regimen is going to be changing. I will deep condition once a week on weekends, but I will do regular washes during the week as needed. These washes will be a basic shampoo and conditioner wash. Shampooing my hair on a regular basis works for me and I will continue to do this. I will either roller set or air dry depending on time constraints.

Time to have hair that looks and feels like I do take care of it.

I am stretching until my birthday in May. I will be posting pics of my hair when I relax in time for my birthday.

From texlaxed to relaxed

Of late I have been looking at bone straight ladies and wishing my hair looked like that. I was all gung ho about texlaxing my hair in the past but I don't think I like the look anymore. I am in need of a change.

What is a girl to do? Doing a corrective along the entire length of my hair seems like asking for trouble. I have been experiencing problems retaining length as it is so doing that seems a bad idea to me. My other option is to start relaxing bone straight and leave the rest of my hair texlaxed.

To make this change, I will have to find a new relaxer. Much as I love my ORS staple relaxer, my hair can't get very straight with it. I process my hair to the maximum limit and I end up with a 60% straight result. I still have a lot of texture.

I haven't yet decided. I am still weighing my options.

What are your thoughts ladies? Should I continue texlaxing and focus my efforts on retaining length as that has been my struggle or should I start relaxing bone straight while holding on to the texlaxed ends.

Do you know of anyone who was completely texlaxed and decided to become fully relaxed?