Loc Build Up Removal

UPDATE:

So days later after my hair has dried I noticed that the lint has not exactly been removed.  What has happened is that the lint traveled from the actual beginning of my lock (closest to the root) and traveled down to about the middle towards the tip of the lock.  Another round of this "solution" should hopefully loosen the lint enough for it to travel to the end and actually off my locks.  I will keep you posted.


Lately, I've been noticing more and more build up around the nape and front edges of my locks, can we say NOT THE BUSINESS!!!  I have not been diligent in really trying to pick it out with tweezers because I find it ineffective.  I just figure when I wash it will eventually come out.  So after basically being quarantined for the last 72 hours I've had some time on my hand. 

I know YouTube has been out there for quite some time, but I have just really gotten into watching videos, tutorials and actually trying the things I see.  Well........let me say I just tried the BOMB loc build up removal. It was cheap, fast, and easy which is right up my alley.  Anywho the ingredients are:

• Baking Soda (3/4 cup)
• ACV (1/4 cup)
• Lemon Juice (2 tsp)
• Sea Salt (1 tbsp)
• Tap Water - enough to fill your bathroom sink

 I wasn't really diligent with the measurements but that's the idea :-).  To start off I cleaned out my sink not with bleach or anything just a good wipe down.  I started the tap water and poured all the other ingredients into the sink and filled my sink about 1/2 way with lukewarm water. 

To begin I started with dry hair and I used an additional 1/4 cup of dry baking soda and sprinkled that on the trouble areas first - the back of my neck, the right side, the left side, and the remainder just on the ends.  After doing so I just dunked my locks into my sink and swished around a bit back and forth.  I found the water a bit cold so I added some warmer water.  I continued to swish around making sure my roots were actually in there I went so far to spin around in the sink so that I was staring at my ceiling.  I was more concerned with back of course so I used a cup to pour the solution onto the back.  When I was facing my sink I just used my hand.  Now I was in this "solution" for probably less than 5 minutes.  If you think about it its all drying products so I didn't want to overdue it.

Here is the color of my sink afterwards - with a disclaimer, I don't really use alot of oils in my hair or products!

The sink afterwards

After I partially dried my hair a bit really just to see if the particles had left. You can totally skip this.  I then jumped in the shower and shampooed with Herbal Essences clarifying shampoo to get anything I may have missed.  **SIDEBAR as I went looking for the link that shampoo is way too old for me to still be using that will be going in the GARBAGE!

I came out and immediately checked the back and seriously the lint is gone - I should have taken a before picture but you all know that lint starts build up and looks terrible!

The back - with a T-shirt on my head to dry :-)

Better view of the back

Side

My hair doesn't feel dry it feels as normal as it did before. But after closer inspection I see a few particles in the front and sides, I just finished a retightening where I may have gone too tight so I'm going to check back in a few days and see if its just from that. Either way this removal tactic will be used in the future when I have any build up.  I do already take a few precautions to avoid build up such as drying with an old t-shirt and not a towel I hope to avoid it all together.  If I can't I will be revisiting this! Try it you will love it!!

Let's Play Catch Up

I have been a delinquent in posting to my blog and there is so much to write about and definitely not enough time in the day for it all. Not enough time especially since the weather has been warmer and I've been spending much more time outdoors so lets get to it.

So about a two weeks ago I tried the ACV rinse.

When I originally purchased the vinegar and put the bottle to my nose I thought, yep smells just like vinegar with a hint of apple. I love red vinegar or balsamic vinegar in my salads the more the merrier so I was quite pleased that the smell was along the same lines. I jumped in the shower put half a bottle of vinegar in my plastic clear bottle filled the other half up with water and started pouring the solution from my front hairline and working backwards. I didn't feel a huge cleanse feeling on my scalp so I left the solution on while I did my shower duties. I diluted another half bottle and mixed with water and then..what a STENCH start to emerge in my entire bathroom. My boyfriend just so happened to walk in and ask "WTH is that smell"..needless to say it was unpleasant. I began to wash out the 2nd ACV rinse and noticed no difference, my scalp didn't feel especially cleansed but my face felt burnt!!! I did a quick conditioner only on the ends of my locks put it in and washed it out. I jumped out the shower and thought nothing else of it.

Now the following day I went to the gym and as usual sweat in my head...WOW that dang stench was back! It was a mixture between someones butt crack and another person's buttcrack ..hehe! I came home and washed my hair. Needless to say I won't be doing another ACV rinse because I certainly didn't feel like my locks felt uber soft afterwards nor did I feel my scalp and locks were extra clean.

Moving on, in a previous post I asked about cutting off processed ends, not permed ends. After the beautiful responses I got I cut the ends of about 5 locks. I checked them out and I liked how they progressed so I got to snipping on the majority of all my locks. I still have ends that need to be cut which I'm doing a little bit each day as I see them. My ends are definitely looking more sealed in the front and middle and my overall appearance looks a bit more clean than undone.

One last thing to catch you all up, I purchased the Taliah Waajid Crinkles and Curls because literally no matter what product I used for my curls they aren't lasting more than 2 days. So many SL wearers have raved about this product so I of course have to give it a try.

Whew...now that we are up to date there is nothing much else going on. This week I've done about 7 flat twist in a somewhat side going back direction and pulled the back up into an 'onytail'...you know the immature ponytail :-)!