Hey Hairgineers,

I finally post about product empties yaaay loolz, since the beginning of my journey i have bought loads and loads of hair products, my updated hair product list can be found here in case you need ideas on which products to buy. Some of which i have emptied and thrown away, but here are my latest empty products.



Product Empties:
- Luster S-curl Activator No-Drip Activator and Moisturizer: This has been replaced, in fact i bought the 32oz bottle
-Nuetrogena Triple Moisture Leave-in conditioner: I love this leave-in and it will be bought again in the future as i want to try out other leave-ins.
-Olive oil Replenshing Conditioner: I will be replacing this conditioner, i always use it for my deep conditioning everytime i texlax my hair.
-Herbal Essence Long term Relationship Leave-in Split end protector: I loved this while it lasted but i will not be repurchasing
-Apple Rinse Raven Apple Rinse for Black Hair: This is the apple rinse i use for my hair i will most definitely be repurchasing.
-Elasta QP DPR-11 Deep Penetrating Conditioner: I might be repurchasing later, but i am trying out other deep conditioners now.

So there they are, my product empties.


What are your products empties?
Hairgineer Oyk.

Hey Hairgineers,

During the course of the year, i decided to stock up on hair products, i had enjoyed the Alberto Vo5 conditioners which i use for mid-week co-washing so i bought more, this time including shampoos.

Alberto Vo5 shampoos and conditioners are fortified with 5 Essential Vitamins, that help nourish, moisturize and hydrate hair leaving it looking and feeling thicker, fuller and simply beautiful.

Vo5 has a runny consistency with incredible slip, they smell so nice and are soo cheap. I would say it's benefits to hair out weights the cost.

Products Bought:

- Alberto Vo5 Herbal escapes balancing shampoo with sun kissed Raspberry with Chamomile extract contains; Vitamin E, Vitamin H, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B3. .
- Alberto Vo5 Herbal Tea Therapy vanilla mint tea Clarifying shampoo contains; Vitamin E, Vitamin H, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B3. This is a clarifying shampoo, i will be using this occasionally to remove mineral build up from my hair.

- Alberto Vo5 Extra body Volumizing Conditioner contains; Vitamin E, Vitamin H, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B3. It maximizes body and bounce with Collagen, this gives my hair a fuller feel and makes it fluffy when used.

- Alberto Vo5 Moisture Milk Strawberries & Cream with Soy milk protein Moisturizing Conditioner contains; Vitamin E, Vitamin H, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B3. This was the very first Vo5 I used and i loved it, this is the fourth bottle i am buying (also bought extra, wink).



- Alberto Vo5 Split end anti-breakage conditioner contain panthenol, this is an old Vo5, guess before they started adding vitamins, i have had this for a while, i use it once in a while. This is suppose to strengthen your hair 2x thus, preventing breakage.
Do you use Vo5 shampoos or conditioners, what are your thoughts?

Hairgineer Oyk.

Last week  Don't touch the hair tagged all bloggers on the post which initially generated from Sisi Yemmie and Africanism Cosmopolitan

Below I have my own answers to the questions.

(1) Name of your blog?
Hairgineering

(2) Why did you start blogging?
I started blogging because i wanted to share my hair journey, as well as use it as a medium to educate anyone out there who is interested in healthy hair.

(3) Are you a full-time blogger?
No i am not, i work 8am - 5pm and overtime loolz

(4) What do you know now that you wish you had knew then?
How consistent you need to be with blogging.

(5) Challenges of blogging in Nigeria
Planning can be quite challenging in Nigeria, as there are so many challenges that can spring up. Electricity issues, fuel to power generator, internet plans etc.

(6)How much was your first paid ad/anything?
I haven't done any ad.

(7) How is Nigeria blogsphere?
I am so impressed as to how to blogsphere in Nigeria is, Nigerian bloggers are all so friendly and we support each others.

(8) What's your family's response to you blogging knowing the Nigerian culture with stable jobs?
My husband supports my blogging, he proof reads my post sometimes when he his available. My parents too support me, seeing how much my hair has improved.

(9) Messages to Nigeria Brands.
Nigeria brands have come a long way, i am so happy and impressed with Nigeria made products, they stand to compete with world brands. I would like to encourage them to keep it up, as well as work on continual improvement.

(10) Plan for your blog
I plan to upload posts more frequently and provide rich contents, full of information that will be educating and entertaining.

(11) Perks of blogging in Nigeria
It's amazing how bloggers support one another online and on social media also, when events are organized bloggers show-up to support.

(12) Do you think blogging should be a career path?
Blogging can be a career path for anyone who wants to do it full time. It is actually lucrative. loolz

(13) What do you hope for the future of blogging in Nigeria?
I hope Nigeria produces more bloggers.

(14) Have you ever been copy righted/stolen from someone?
I haven't been, yet loolz

(15) Do you feel fulfilled blogging?
Not yet, i will be fulfilled when i have loads of people sending emails and calling saying my blog has helped their hair tremendously.

Like the tag creators and Dont touch the hair who tagged us, i would like to tag all my fellow bloggers/hairgineers.

Ciao.

Hairgineer Oyk.

Hey Hairgineers,

So good to be back, i have been away due to the delivery of my beautiful baby girl (will spare you guys the details, loolz). My last texlax was in January 29th and i had planned on texlaxing my hair in April, but my pregnancy was challenging i could not bear putting any relaxer on my hair. My baby came in July and i have been busy taking care of her, 39weekspostrelaxer (9 months) i finally texlaxed.

I know its such a long time, at some point i was thinking of transition but with a baby to take care of i didn't think i would have time to take care of my hair, natural.


A WEEK BEFORE THE TEXLAX

I gently parted my 39weeksposttelax under growth and then applied Vaseline petroleum jelly to my scalp. I had so much thick under growth i had to gently part and finger detangle to remove any shed hair before combing with my Mebco detangling comb. I sectioned my hair into four parts and applied Roux Porosity Control & Corrector Conditioner to my previously relaxed hair. I twisted and pinned and covered with my silk scarf till the texlax day.

39weekspostrelaxer

TEXLAX DAY

The relaxer application and smoothen took exactly 25 minutes, i had to go for a professional relax because of the amount of the new growth.

Texlax crew

Products Used:
- Relaxer: ORS Lye Relaxer in Normal Strength.
-Conditioner: used Aubrey GPB as my mid-relaxer protein
-Neutralizing Shampoo:  Motion Neutralizing Shampoo
-Deep Conditioner: Shea Moisture Deep conditioning masque+ grapeseed oil + peppermint oil
-Apple Rinse: Raven Apple Rinse for Black Hair.
-Leave-in: Elasta QP Mango Butter Leave-in Conditioner
-Sealant: Grapeseed oil.
-Relaxed End Protector: Roux Porosity Control & Corrector Conditioner

Texture shot

The relaxer application started from the front part of my hair so this was more processed than the back side. I intend to start the relaxer application from the back during my next relaxer application, inorder to balance the texture. I am also looking at trying out the half and half method, (you can find out more about it on just grow already blog page).

HAIR LENGTH CHECK

I went to the salon for a 7 days texlax follow up wash (this is very important), after which i blow dried and flat ironed my hair. I am so glad i was able to retain length and my ends are healthy too. yaaaayy

Length check and comparism

Become my friend, have you texlax recently?

Hairgineer Oyk.

Hey Hairgineers,

So glad to be sharing something with you guys today and that is how documenting your hair journey just got easier.

It is very important to keep track of your hair journey, as you eliminate cracking your brain on what product you used last week or last month or search endlessly for that sheet of paper you jotted your regimen on, or you misplaced your regimen or product booklet.

This is an app that helps you document your hair journey on the go irrespective of your hair style or hair type, and it is called “Hair Journal App”.

Upon opening this application, you are welcomed with a lovely start-up date which leads you to a profile page where you will create a profile for yourself. You can also create profile for your friends or clients who want to track their hair journeys.

Welcome screen

Profile Page

HOME-------PROFILE
You create a profile for yourself that includes:
•    your profile name,
•    your hair style; where you choose if you are relaxed, texlaxed, texturized, transitioning or natural
•     your big chop date;  the date you decided to go natural and cut off all your relaxed/texlaxed hair.
•     your hair type;  you choose if your hair type is  amongst Type 1: Straight to Type 4c: Kinky
•     your hair goal; you choose if you just want healthy hair, neck length, shoulder length, Armpit length, Bra strap length, Mid back length or waist length
•     Hair goal date; date you hope to have achieved your hair goal
•    Hair measurements;  the unit which your hair will be measured. This is usually done in inches (in).


DAIRY AND CALENDER
Personal entries can be added to the diary and calendar daily, weekly or monthly. Within that section of the app you also have:
•    Diary Entry: where you input the daily activity on your hair, that is, wash day with these products etc.

•    Hair stats (in); which means that on any given day you can do a length check of the front, back, left and right sides of your hair length and document these inches.

Hair Stat input

•    Hair Photo: pictures of your progress are stored within the App as well as in your regular photo
 album. This helps you track your hair growth in pictures. Length checks at specific times can be stored, the date is stored so you never forget and you have a beautiful visual of your hair progress.

My Journey photos

•    Reminder; you can also set reminders so you do not forget when next your wash day or relaxer day is.

PRODUCTS
This section is beautiful because you can insert the name and picture of the products you are currently using or have used. You rate them according to what worked for you or which product you didn’t like and write the reason why you liked or didn’t like it in the details area. This app comes with four default categories; shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer and others, but you can insert other categories you want as seen in my picture.

Product Categories and Product Information

List of my Shampoos and Conditioners

                                                                                                               
GROWTH TRACKER
 This category pulls all the data you have added about your hair growth in the hair stat region to give you a visual representation of your hair growth or loss whichever the case might be. The graph shows a line moving up by the increase in inches when you retain new growth or moving down by the inches during hair loss.

Growth Tracker Chart

Share
You can share your hair journey information with your friends over twitter, facebook and instagram.


New backup and restore feature
You can back up all your data and restore them on the iOS Device and be rest assured your hair journey information is safely secured, this is currently only available for iOS users, but for Android users the backup feature will be available soon.

I have been using this hair journal app since its purchase early last year and I love it.  It is available for both iphone/ipad users as well as Android users.

For iphone/ipad users:
Free version can be downloaded or you can purchase the full version for 99cents on the iphone platform.

For Android users:
It can be purchased on Google play for $1.03, unfortunately I do not think there is a free version for Android users.

You can get more information on https://www.facebook.com/hairjournal?ref=ts&fref=ts or https://hairjournalapp.wordpress.com/

Would you purchase this application, let me know

Hairgineer Oyk.

Hey Hairgineers,

August 3rd 2014 was my previous texlax update and i had planned that my next texlax was going to be on the 20th December 2015, unfortunately i was not be achieved this. 
At 16 weeks post telax (22nd November 2014) i installed crotchet braids as my protective style for the coming harmattan season, refer to this post for my details on crotchet braids.
Unfortunately few days after installation, i fell ill and was hospitalized for about a month and half. I had religiously followed my hair regimen before this, due to the hospitalization I could not follow my regimen and didn’t wash my hair till I was discharged.
At 22 weeks post texlax (3rd  January 2015), I  shampooed and did a protein conditioning and deep conditioning treatment as my undergrowth was wild and i knew i had to texlax upon removal of the braids.
I removed my braids at 26 weeks post texlax and texlaxed the following week.

DAY BEFORE THE TEXLAX

I gently parted my 27weeks post telax under growth and then applied Vaseline petroleum jelly to my scalp. I finger detangled my hair to further remove any shed hair before combing with my Mebco detangling comb. I sectioned my hair into four parts and applied Roux Porosity Control & Corrector Conditioner to my previously relaxed hair. I twisted and pinned each part and covered with my silk bonnet to bed.

TEXLAX DAY

I am still too scared to self texlax so I went to the salon for a professional touch up. The relaxer application and smoothen took exactly 17minutes and it was washed immediately.

Products used for Texlax

Products Used:
- Relaxer: ORS Lye Relaxer in Normal Strength.
-Conditioner: used Aphogee 2-min Reconstructor as my mid-relaxer protein
-Neutralizing Shampoo:  Motion Neutralizing Shampoo
-Deep Conditioner: Elasta QP-DPR Deep penetrating  moisture+ ORS Replenishing conditioner + Goya Olive oil + Coconut oil.
-Apple Rinse: Raven Apple Rinse for Black Hair.
-Heat Protector: Tressemme Heat Defense Styling Spray.
-Leave-in: S-curl Activator/Moisturizer.
-Sealant: Jamaica Black Castor Oil (not shown in picture).
-Relaxed End Protector: Roux Porosity Control & Corrector Conditioner

Texlax Result

The result came out very well though the right side was more processed than the left side, this I hope to correct at the next texlax.



Become my friend, would you try texlax?

Hairgineer Oyk.

Happy New year Hairgineers,

I will like to apologize for the long absence and lacks of blog posts uploads, this has been due to the fact that i was ill. I am back now and uploads of blog post will resume in full swing.
I installed crotchet braids last year November 22nd and i had drafted my post but i couldn’t upload due to my illness, so i have decided to combine my taught on crochet braids during installation with my taught on its removal.

I had mentioned in my final thoughts post on protective styling that i was going to try crochet braids as i had heard so much about it and the healthy benefits to the hair.

What is Crochet Braids?
Crochet Braids is basically braiding your extensions/attachments on a cornrows base instead of braiding your extension/ attachments on collective hair strands.
Crochet Braids can be done for all forms of braids; Box braids, Senegalese twists etc

How is this done?
Hair is braided into cornrows base like with a sew-in, style and type of cornrow (straight, circular etc) is dependent on the style in view. The bulk extensions/attachments are passed through the cornrow with a crochet pins or latch hook, and the final result is styled as desired.

It is important that the cornrow is not tight as this could be damaging to the hair, also for any protective styling with extensions/attachments  the hair should be treated to a protein treatment balancing this with a moisturizing treatment, so it can withstand the pull/pressure from the extensions/attachments.
Washing, conditioning/deep conditioning, moisturizing & sealing of  hair during installation period is very vital for any form of protective styling.
I will be taking care of braids as stated in my previous posts 1,2 & 3 on protective styling.

There are so many You-tube videos on crochet braids that can be watched for a visual understanding of the installation.

Moisturized Hair

Cornrows

Inserting Marley Hair into cornrows

Crochet pin used for sliding in Marley Hair

Sliding Marley hair in and out of cornrows

Final twisted result back view.

Final reuslt

2 months of Crochet Braids installation.

Benefits   
1)    Saves times; as this takes shorter time to complete as against spending several hours at the salon while getting your braids installed.
2)    Little or no pressure is imposed on the tender edge and nape hair if installed properly, thus no loss of baby edge or nape hair.

REMOVAL:

I had planned on installing the braids for 6weeks but ended up installing it for 2months/8weeks and i believe to have about 1inch undergrowth. Due to my hospitalization, I couldn’t take care of my braids during its installation  I was only able to shampoo, condition and deep condition my braids after I was discharged.

Upon removal I sprayed my hair with mane-n-tail detangler then loosened the corn rows and  carefully detangling with my fingers to removing shed hair.

The major benefit on its removal.
1)    Hair did not twist and matte excessively from the long time installation like it would have if it were individual braids, I still have my edge and nape hair intact.

Crochet Braids is fairly new in Nigeria so it might be hard to get a hair salon that does this, I had to give a step by step instructions to my friend who helped me with my installation.
Mybeautyhub on Awolowo Street in Lagos Island is the only hair salon i know that offers this service for now.

Become my friend, would u try crochet braids?