It started with just one knot here and there past my month 5 of transitioning. Then it was two knots. Then three knots.

I would just use oil and carefully unraveling the knots and take them out. Then they weren’t easy to untangle anymore, and they just pulled out. Then, they started to breed and multiply and I ended up with like 5 to 8 of those things, especially after washing my hair with conditioner. I had  A LOT OF FAIRY KNOTS!!! EVERYDAY!!!

What I learned? I hadn’t trimmed! DUH!! I had stopped trimming my hair. I was so caught up with all my hours of working and projects that I wasn’t keeping track of time. I still don’t remember when the last time I actually did a trim. So now what? I’ve now had to trim more hair than I would have liked and my hair is now much shorter than I would have liked.

To be honest, I really need not to trim but CUT because I can see the split ends EVERYWHERE! It’s rough at those ends, and I was just thinking I had to keep up with putting the CocoNut Oil on the ends of my hair every night before I put my hair in Flat Twists and they would go away. I could see how dry and frizzy the ends were, but I didn’t think that it was SPLIT ENDS. DUH! I was still in the mindset of my permed hair and not having to cut my ends that much. I remembered the trick that tells you if you need to trim the ends and to see the splits. So I did it, where you just twist the hair (not two-strand twist, just twisting the hair as if tightening it) and look to see if pieces were sticking out.  Well, there was A LOT of pieces sticking out all over the place–half way up to the joint where my natural and permed hair connected. Buuuuttt… I figured I could still get by and do the trim later. And later became later again. And later. I still had time, right?

NOPE.

I waited too late. The “trim” didn’t take. I had to cut the ends one weekend and then had to do some more cutting the next weekend until my hair was just a bit past my ears…when wet. Then I had to cut more, then more, to get the knots out that came every time I washed my hair. 

What I was missing? My Protein Conditioning, which I hadn’t done in over two (2) months. I did it with Mayonnaise and followed that up with a moisturizing conditioner (a leave-in conditioner which I put a bag over and sat for 20 minutes because the Mayonnaise makes my hair hard and the moisturizing conditioning softens it back up). And then had to detangle and cut more knots out of my hair. I had to go back to combing my hair to keep it from tangling up.

I wanted to maintain my length of hair so I could transition easily and I messed up with not trimming my hair. Now, at my 7th Month it’s shorter than ever!

Here is my new do. It’s actually more manageable being shorter, but I missed the length.

I might need to cut more next weekend if the ends can’t deal with what I’ve already cut.

   

Here is my 7th Month Natural growth. Not much difference from 5th month, as I’ve stated before. With the Fairy Knots, it probably cut down on the growth. It should be 3.5 inches now (remember .5 inches of growth every month), but it’s a bit under 3 inches.

Until next time!

The 5th month transition was Hell! All of the measuring and conditioning I was doing with the oils, seemed to no longer work. My hair wasn’t as soft and manageable as before because of my curly naps.

So, I stopped.  It was a good beginning and a good start though. And I missed those days. Things seemed easier then.

I’ve now gone to just using conditioner (co-wash) once a week and only using shampoo if I feel a build up of gunk in my hair.  I put a quarter-coin-size of Almond Oil in my hand and put it all over my hair. Then I do that again. Then I take the JoJoba oil and do the same thing. Just twice per oil, and only the size of a quarter squirt in the hand. Any more than those four squirts and your hair will be really, really oily the next day.

As for deep conditioning and moisturizing, I’ve used the yogurt for the protein, but since I don’t eat yogurt, I only did it a few times. So now I’m going to try mayonnaise and eggs since I’ve got plenty of that stuff in the refrigerator. And I’ll do that at least once a month. As for as following up with a moisturizing conditioner…well, I’ve stopped that. Just didn’t have the time.

I’m still using the spray bottle of the JoJoba Oil and water every night and I still put my hair up in twists every night as well with the Flexi Rods (or RimRods). I live in Houston, Texas, so wearing my hair out all the time…I can do that. 

I’ve stopped using a comb. I simply separate it with my hands and I bought two Tail Combs to make the parts in my hair. I’ve found that I can no longer just use a regular comb to part my hair because it’s just too thick. But the Tail Combs make REALLY straight lines, and I carefully pull the hair apart to reveal the line. I’ve never used one before, and I LIKES IT!

In the 5th month, I found out that the Twist-Outs were no longer working and by my 7th month I was getting Fairy Knots GALLOR!

I’m going to write a separate posting on those issues.