Update: 5.30.13: The above picture of my natural hair growth from when I started the challenge until Jan 13, 2013. Read more about my growth update here.

Although I think I finally have found my staple products for my hair that are actually working, I decided to also do a natural hair challenge.  But I plan to modify it a little bit by using the conditioner that I already own.  I love the conditioner that I have and I don’t want to spend any more money than necessary.

The ingredients you will need for the challenge are as follows:

 

Natural Hair Recipe

I purchased all of these items from Vitacost.

Now you don’t have to buy everything at once.  Fortunately for me, I had the majority of the ingredients already. To start, you will need the Castor Oil, Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Honey, Essential Oils, Liquid Vitamins and Aubrey GPB Balancing Conditioner.  These are the ingredients for the protein conditioner recipe which will start you off in the challenge.

The hair challenge begins with you clarifying your hair. But the night before you clarify, spray your hair down (avoid spraying scalp) with 1/2 water 1/2 vegetable glycerin using a spray bottle. Use olive oil on the ends of your hair. Cover with a plastic cap (aka baggy method).  Secure plastic cap with bonnet or scarf and leave on overnight.

The next day shampoo hair with a clarifying shampoo or a regular store bought shampoo. I know you are probably thinking shampoos are bad. But I justified using a clarifying shampoo because I haven’t clarified in a year.  I figured it wouldn’t hurt.  I used Nexxus Aloe Rid to clarify my hair. (I think it may have been discontinued).

After you clarify, you will need to use the deep conditioning recipe (see below). If you have a steamer, use it with the deep conditioner. (I have a steamer, but I covered my hair with a plastic cap and left it on over night instead.) Then style as usual.

Natural Hair Conditioner Recipe

Protein Conditioner Recipe

 

Natural Hair Conditioner Recipe 1

I ended up cutting the recipe in half and still had enough for 2 applications.  So I put the rest in a container to use later.

I purchased the conditioner, essential oils, oils and liquid vitamins from Vitacost, but you can get them from Amazon as well.  The shipping was free and fast. Both sites are economical. If you sign up for Vitacost, you will be emailed a coupon for $10 off! Great deal.

Co-wash at least twice that week. Do the baggy method the night before you co-wash. Massage your scalp at least 3 times that week, just rub a little jojoba oil in your hands while massaging scalp.

Will you be joining me in the challenge?

Update 4.23.12: I rinsed the homemade conditioner out this morning.  I wasn’t sure what to do next.  So I co-washed and detangled with conditioner.  I will say that I didn’t have a lot of shed hair or breakage on my comb.  I usually have palm full of hair when I’m done. Courtney recommends using a wide tooth comb first to detangle and then go back over with the Denman brush to remove shed hairs.  I haven’t used my Denman in forever because folks said that it breaks your hair off and I believed the hype.  I was happy to see that I didn’t have a lot of breakage using the brush.  I haven’t done a protein treatment in ages and I think my hair really needed this.

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