My One Year Natural Anniversary today!!

So today - Feb 1 officially makes my 1 full year of being natural!!! And Im super excited about it and what the next year has in store for me. I would like to go to take my hair on a mini shopping spree later today to get some amazing products that "she" would luv.- I mean it is our anniversary right?lol

Ok- So ladies help!! when my hair is stretched-I feel like it basically hits the length that my hair never grew past when I was relaxed. So q panic mode bc I want to now grow it to lengths that i have never had before. But I still feel like a freakin fish out of water- EVEN with the 1+ year of research natural hair under my belt. Im thinking I am going to try to use most of kimmaytubes method to acheiving her hair goals, but i need to modify it to me. For shampoo im not really sure what I should use other than that curls shampoo she rec. any other suggestions?? And for conditioner, i am almost definite my hair is protein sensitive so i dont think i would be able to use the giovannis conditioner she uses , so any reg conditioner and deep conditioner reccomondations? Also a very interesting thing i noticed is I dont see any videos of her about trimming. Maybe she mentions it in a vid ive just missed it? anyone know how or even if she trims her hair?

Right now my current routine is wash with conditioner and deep condition every week. Then I spray jane caters leave in on we hair and add a she butter/oil mix to 6 sections of my hair that i cornrow back and i add castor oil to the ends. I like this but i kind of feel like my hair is ready for a change and i really want to maximize my hairs potential. I feel like my hair still gets dry and brittle after a couple days and a lot of hair comes out and still kinda dull.

Im really interested in the ph balancing stuff too- does anyone use any ph balanced shampoos and conditioner? recoomendations? And should EVERY liquid product I use be specially ph balanced? meaning shampoo, conditioner AND leave in? Anyone have any experience with ph balanced products? I know i rambled im so coonfused tho - it late lol any feedbacdk will be greatly appreciated. No worries if you cant answer all my ques.-i mean i did ask alot. Thanks ladies!

In between your co-washes, do you spritz your hair with some water+conditioner or water+oils ? Thats helps me a lot. Spray when i wake up and in the middle of the day. You can always reseal it after spraying some type of water product on ur hair. Your hair could also not like some type of oil you are using or some ingrediant in your products.

I found out that my hair hates aloe vera by itself, and tea tree oil dries it out, and it does not like silk proteins, and the condish had silk proteins and i switched conditioners and all was well.

Maybe you should be co-washing more. maybe your hair is telling you that it wants conditioner. Have you tried a scalp massage with some oil before washing? What comb are you using to detangle? I used a detangling comb, and i always shed a lot of hair and i thought it was normal until i bought a denman d3 brush, and i shed almost none, and i cowash ever 2 days.

And I dont know much abt Ph balancing items.

Hey- thanks for responding. I do co wash. I cowash every week follwed by a deep condition. Thats kind of y i wanted to try to maybe revisit shampoo and c what happens bc i feel like maybe im using too much conditioner and my hair might not like that- i started to sprits my hair with just recently. I do notice its softer but i think i do need to add oil or something to it. I detangle with a goody afro pic or like plasitic medium width comb ( i was also going to get a new detangaling comb today-possibly a shower comb). But yea i will def try a scalp massage with oil and i will purchase a denman brush or the goody brand one- so thanks for your input

Im really interested to know if any ladies out there are following the kimmaytube way of maintaining their hair . With like monitering the ph balance in the products they use and if so- have you noticed a difference in the way your hair looks, feels, responds?and how did you modify her method to make it your own? etc ..

I don't think your hair could ever not like too much conditioner. lol. unless its the wrong conditioner. But I think Jessicurls cleansing cream is a nice no-poo and african black soap does wonders.

@Blackdoll83 - I think I remember Kimmaytube mentioning that she doesn't trim just does a light dusting if I'm not mistaken. As for conditioners the Tresemme Naturals conditioner is good also Aussie Moist. The Aussie moist does have dimethicone (not sure if you are avoiding cones). If your hair is still feeling dry and brittle you may need to find a creamy water based leave-in conditioner. To me the Jane Carter spray is light and your hair may need something more creamier as a leave-in. HTH

@Meepmeep- Black soap for my hair is just a little too drying. But i do like it for my skin

@krazy coils- oh ok thats good to know she does a dusting bc i was really curious. Im going to try that for my hair next time i wash it within the next couple days. I am trying to avoid cones now tho bc i dont have a clue what kind of shampoo im going to but yet- and i fear the cone sittin on my hair blocking moisture. and yea i think you are right- i think i do need to find a creamier leave in. So i am going to give the kimmaytube leave in conditioner a shot and see how that works. I mean so many ppl rave about it y not right?
on a hunt for the best sulphate free gentle shampoo
Thanks for the feedback ladies!

I think if your regimen is working for you stick with it. You've reached in 1 year what it took years to grow while you were relaxed. You hair won't magically break off now. Just keep doing what you did during the year and you will continue to retain all that growth and more
Congrats on 1 year!

The ladies here have given you & me some great ideas

Right now I am just using conditioner for a weekly co-wash & doing a deep conditioner as well but like u I still feel like my hair is still dry I have also been spraying my hair nightly w/water, aloe vera juice/gel & essential oil I think that I start cowashin twice weekly I just bought a thick cream condtioner from curls Its pricey $20 but I will try it & see what happens I also purchased the oyin juices & berry to spray on hair during the day because it doesnt leave my hair damp or wet The smell is good as well

Congrats on your anniversary