Yo, my hair is going under cover y’all cause there’s this mad crazy woman by the name of Mo who’s trying to kill it……….

I am not interested in my curls right now nor do I have time to look after them any more. I moved house recently- straight out of London into Kent. I’m still working in London but driving in everyday. The commute is not bad but work is so busy right now and I’m working longer hours. By the time I get home in the evenings all I want to do is eat and sleep. In the mornings, its still dark and I have about half an hour to get ready for work. Hair care has been relegated to the weekends, if I’m not working. Right now – I’m just Mo, forget the hair.

I have been experimenting with keeping my hair straight by using flat irons once a week. I’ve been wearing ponytails and buns to work as these take 5 mins to do in the mornings. I’ve really enjoyed the full length of my hair and the ease of styling but I can’t help but wonder if the regular use of heat is a ticking time bomb. I am only willing to “thermalax” my texture to a certain extent. I have flat ironed my hair more times in the last month than in the prior 3 years of my hair journey. I told you: Mo is crazy!

I have decided to put my hair away – in braids – with extensions. I haven’t done these in close to 2 years. I am still thinking about the style and technique I want to try so I’ll write about that as soon as I’ve decided.

I got this straightener over three months ago as part of my quest to re-create the Joico K-Pak ReconstrRx VaporIron. I’ve been meaning to do a review for a while but got a bit bogged down by other things….sorry. Well I’ve finally done it and as an added bonus, MoHair, who also has the straightener has added her two pence worth too!

Hype: Even thick and coarse hair can be made shiny and sophisticated with Pro 230 Radiance Sleek. This fantastic and powerful straightener has been proven in independent tests to give hair longer-lasting straightness than other leading brands. If you want beautifully sleek, smooth hair all day – and night – long, Pro 230 Radiance Sleek is for you.

Specifications:

• Breakthrough Cera-Heat™ technology uses a supercharged heating system to give longer-lasting salon straightness
• Retractable detangling fins give a professional combing effect for extra-effective straightening
• Three settings for different hair types (high, low and off)
• Ionic steam enhances condition and zaps frizz for a high-shine finish
• Ten temperature settings
• Heats up to 230°C
• 1’’ ceramic-titanium plates for ultimate smoothness
• 3m salon length swivel cord
• Luxury storage pouch and heat protection mat
• Five-year guarantee

Price: Depends on the retailer, I bought mine for £35 whilst MoHair got hers for £40 (on sale!).

Tola’s Reality: I bought this straightener fully intending to use the steam function; in fact I also bought the Joico Vapor fuel specifically for this reason. The reality however is that I have only used the steam function once. This was when I was 16 weeks post relaxer and the steam made my roots puffy. I decided to leave off the steam until after I relaxed. Well that didn’t happen for another eight weeks and in the mean time, I learned to love the straightener steam free.

When I use this straightener I never go past the 4th heat setting which is about 190°C. This is ENOUGH to get my hair sleek and straight but retain thickness and bounce. It wasn’t until I used this straightener that I realised just how much my Ghds were killing my hair. They were just too hot and relaxed hair really doesn’t need that much heat applied to get it straight…that’s why we relax in the first place! When I had a lot of new growth, I used the retractable fins which acted as a guiding comb and kept my hair stretched as I straightened. This was really useful and meant I didn’t have to fiddle about with a small tooth comb.

The shine I get from this straightener is ridiculous and the straightness lasts as long as I want it to. Also, it may sound like a small thing but the 3m length swivel cord has gotten me out of a couple of jams where the distance between the mirror and socket was far. Did I also mention that the luxury pouch and heat protection matt are super cute and useful? In fact I’ve used the pouch as a purse before, it’s that pretty.

I finally used the Steam function three weeks ago and it didn’t in any way enhance the process or results. If anything, I think it might have made my hair a little frizzy. Though I really like this Straightener, the steam function is a big part of it’s draw and I wasn’t impressed, thus BaByliss 2034U Pro 230 Radiance Straightener gets 4 out of 5 fros.

MoHair’s Reality: Same here! I only used the steam function once, in fact I think I’ve lost the water chamber thingy. Steam is not really helpful if you’re natural and you are trying to get straight hair with heat. I too have been using the 4th heat setting, the highest I’ve gone is number 6. I get light, shiny, relaxed looking hair with minimal damage to my curls and coils.

I was attracted to this flat iron because of the rave reviews it got and the fact that it has titanium coated plates. Ceramic is apparently old technology; now they are making irons that are totally titanium and I need to get me one of those!

This is the first iron I have used as a natural and the only other iron I can compare it to are Ghds which are just too hot to handle. So I give this iron 4 out of 5 fros.

So I’m 4 months post relaxer, or as I like to say, 4 months into my transition and styling my hair has becoming VERY interesting. My hair despises braid-outs, twist-outs etc and I’ve literally been living in a slicked back bun for the last 3 weeks. Well on Saturday I finally had enough and after washing my hair decided to give my trusty roller set and wrap a try…with some modification. I don’t tend to use this method beyond the first 2-3 months of a fresh relaxer but I was desperate. I needed something that would tame my new growth with minimum heat. I swapped out the cling film for a net scarf instead and spent less than 30 mins under the hooded dryer in total and it actually worked quite well. The result was still very puffy but I could wear my hair down that day and it makes managing my hair for the rest of this week much easier. The pictures definitely speak louder than words so here you go

I made an interesting discovery about a brush I never thought I’d have a reason to use. I was sent The Big Brush Paddle Brush a few months back and it’s been languishing in my reject pile since. I looked at it and immediately thought Caucasian hair. I wouldn’t use it to brush my hair and I certainly couldn’t imagine using to blow dry my hair…that’s what my pik attachment is for. Well the Arosci Treatment really opened my eyes, I was flabbergasted when Andree Marie whipped out a paddle brush to smooth my hair and roots when she was blow drying it. It instantly reminded me that I had one at home and I now knew how to use it!

So during my first wash after the treatment, I dug out the brush from its hiding place…it was still in it’s box which shows how much interest I had in it! The blurb for the brush says that it ‘incorporates the following advanced technology benefits’:

• Nano-Silver – delivers incredible shine & helps eliminate bacteria….erm ok?
• Re-enforced bristles – stone re-enforced heat-resistant bristles, giving greater longevity…stone…seriously?
• Anti-static – helps prevent loose flyaway, unmanageable hair
• Ionic – reduces drying time and frizz
• Ceramic – produced smooth, fast drying hair

So after drying my hair first in sections with the pik attachment, I then went back over it with the paddle brush on a medium heat setting with the high fan. The brush is quite broad and is a lovely silver colour. It has a fantastically long handle which makes doing the back of your head so much easier. It also more importantly worked really well. It helps smooth out my roots and get them even straighter than the pik attachment which is hard given I don’t use the high heat setting. In short I liked it and it has been rescued from the product no-no bin and now has pride of place in my styling tools drawer.

I have always had a distinctive curl pattern, even with a TWA, a curly pattern was clear and visible to all. This is why I classified myself as a 4a. The hair at my nape is even looser – more like 3c stuff. Regardless of how controversial this hair typing system is to some, other people find it useful, I’m one of them. I don’t buy into the drama of being born with “good hair” versus “bad hair”. I do however believe that as with everything God has given us, some people strive to be good stewards, others don’t.

I started using heat to straighten my hair 2 years into my journey (2010). I liked the results so much that I decided to research the best methods for straightening my hair so I could do so myself safely every now and again. It was then that I came across the concept of “heat training” or “thermal relaxing”/”thermalaxing”. I would define heat training as the deliberate process of weakening the bonds that make hair curly or kinky using heat. Others define heat training as damaging hair with heat but I think this definition is too simplistic. Almost everything we do to our hair causes damage – wetting, drying, combing, brushing, styling, colouring etc. All of these acts alter the structure and shape of hair. Some do so temporarily, others more permanently. Should we therefore stop and do nothing to prevent any damage? In reality we all choose the level of damage we are comfortable with. Either way, its hair – it grows back.

I decided to experiment with heat training in Dec 2010 for one reason and one reason only: To loosen my curl pattern. Curly/kinky hair tangles – FACT. I was and am still convinced that the only way to reduce tangles and fairy knots is to keep my hair as stretched as possible. I am hoping that gravity will eventually aid me (instead of heat) in this quest as my hair gets longer. BUT I want to reach a certain length of hair before it all turns grey so time is of the essence for me. A looser curl pattern will significantly help to reduce breakage for now.

I am not someone who despises my naturally kinky hair or has difficulty embracing my heritage or ethnicity. Heat training to me is simply a style choice. I am not advocating it or recommending it for anyone, when you play with heat, you are playing with fire – literally. I just feel that right now: I know what I am doing, I’m not overdoing it, I can cope with the risks I’m taking and the changes (no matter how minuscule) will be worth it.

As you can see below, I have only loosened my curl pattern a little since I started heat training.

For best results use the Radial Brush to blow dry and follow with the Ionic Paddle brush to brush to successfully smooth away any unwanted fly-away hairs to leave you with a pristine, salon sleek finish. Lastly but by no means least the kit also includes two sectioning clips that allow you to style your hair in easily manageable sections.

For details of your nearest stockist for the Big Brush Smoothing Kit contact The Big Brush Company on 0203 356 9759 or visit http://www.thebigbrushco.com

Well at least that’s the word on the street. A friend sent me this ARTICLE with the comment “thought this may interest you”. I did find it interesting but more interesting was the underlying question of “what the heck am I doing using Brazilian Blowouts on my own hair?” I bet the rest of you are wondering the same thing too now! Well read on and all will be explained.

Since Brazilian treatments came onto the market a few years ago, there has been a lot of controversy over the safety of them. This is mainly due to the fact that the early treatments contained Formaldehyde or its derivatives in fairly high quantities. I remember when the Brazilian Keratin Treatment (BKT) first came out and a lot of women jumped on it like it was Denzel Washington. For some it worked and for others not so much. One of the most worrying trends that kept cropping up though were stories of allergic reactions, respiratory difficulties etc. Look, anything that requires me to wear a mask whilst using it does not inspire great confidence in its safety. So I side eyed the BKT and bided my time.

Very shortly after came the Brazilian Blow out and Blow dry which promised to be aldehyde free and safe to use; no masks or extra ventilation required. I still hesitated as my need wasn’t yet great and I wanted to see how things played out. When I did finally decided to take the plunge, I did my research which at the end of the day is all anyone can do when it comes to trying new things out.

I decided to go with the Arosci Restructuring System for the following reasons:

1. Arosci is a very well-known and pre-existing black hair care brand

2. The Treatment is certified 100% Aldehyde free (which means I can sue them if this should turn out to be false)

3. The Treatment doesn’t straighten hair like a relaxer. It smooths out the texture, elongates the curl pattern and adds strength. More importantly it’s not permanent and wears off after 2-3 months.

The Arosci system can’t truly be called a keratin treatment as it’s a protein based smoothing treatment which uses Amino Acid technology. See HERE for a more detailed explanation of how this works. Here is the ingredients list for the Arosci Intensive Restructuring Foam:

Water, oxoacetamide carbocystene/oxoacetamide Amino acids, glycerine, Coco glucoside, avocado extract, sweet Marjoram extract, sunflower extract, lemon grass extract, green tea extract, anise extract, comfrey extract, jasmine extract, polysorbate 20 fragrance, methylchloroisothiazolinone.

Even as I was sitting in the salon chair waiting for the treatment to be applied, I was busy reading the ingredients on all the products scheduled to be applied to my hair. Believe me, if I’d seen anything that rang alarm bells, I’d have been out of that chair and out the door so fast with only skid marks to prove I was ever there. Andree Marie didn’t need to wear a mask when applying it; neither did I and I felt fine after the treatment was applied. I’ve had no adverse reactions since and last time I checked I’m still breathing.

Now this is not to say that I won’t find out in 10 years’ time that Arosci are big fat liars. However I’ve entrusted my well-being to a higher power and He gets to decide when and how I shuffle off this mortal coil. This in short is why I’m not particularly worried about using the Arosci Intensive Restructuring Treatment. Lets face it, previously I was putting Sodium Hydroxide in my hair quite happily. Now if you’re reading this and have decided to try it or indeed any other such treatment, then DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. Go have a conversation which whichever God, Stylist, Doctor or Insurance company you trust in. Do your own safety checks and be sure you are happy with the risk level. Remember MLHJ journey takes no responsibility only the glory for any successes you have !

Check out the new monthly webisodes Drab to Fab with stylist to the stars Damien Carney. In conjunction with Joico, this new web series puts you up close and personal with his masterful cutting techniques, secret tricks for gorgeous styling, and makeovers that are guaranteed to knock you over! Tune in for the transformations and much, much more…

I recently had the opportunity of seeing the Design Essentials Strengthening Therapy System being carried out in real time on a model of my choosing. The Strengthening Therapy System is a protein based thermal reconditioning treatment and those familiar with the blog will know I used a similar system whilst transitioning. It was an interesting experience being on the other side of the styling chair and getting to see rather than experience the process.

I was pretty impressed with the treatment as it did a great job of achieving the results both models wanted and the feedback from them 2-3 weeks later has been incredibly positive. If you are looking for a treatment that will strengthen, de-frizz and help keep your hair straight longer without ruining your curl pattern then the Design Essentials Strengthening System may just be the ticket. I would definitely advise using an approved salon and speaking extensively with your stylist as the system has 3 different levels of product which do very different things. We used the Elongation Mousse which is more about reducing frizz and reversion than straightening so I can’t speak in much detail about the other two levels.

Check out the video below to see the system in action.

…not permanently, so y’all can relax. Mohair and I recently had the opportunity to experience the Design Essentials Strengthening Therapy treatment when be served as hair models at the DE Chic to Chic show earlier this month. Design Essential’s Master Educator, Kimberly K Anderson came in all the way from Memphis, Tennessee to style the models and present the show. Mohair and I were pretty open and had already decided we’d like to try the STS treatment and we both had similar reasons for doing so:

1. Strength and Smoothing – Mohair wears her hair straight a lot of the time and was beginning to experience heat damage. Her hope was that the treatment would strengthen her weakened hair and also make straightening in future easier. I wanted to strengthen my colour treated hair and see how much length I’d attained since my big cut. I finally felt ready to straighten and begin heat styling my hair but I’m a head sweater and reversion is a big issue for me. I don’t want to spend hours straightening my hair only for it to kink up again almost immediately.

2. A big old trim - My hair has not been properly trimmed since I big cut last year and was VERY uneven. This was a great opportunity to even up my hair once and for all and get rid of any splits. MoHair was also keen to remove split ends, we both value health over length every time.

We both went with the Elongation Mousse as it would give us the results we were looking for without permanently changing the texture of our hair. Check out the results below.

Tola

Tola texture pre treatment with Elongation Mousse

Treatment has been Air-formed

Sealing in the treatment

Look how much hair Tola lost!

Hair post trim

The final look

But look, I get to go back to my curls!!

I’m loving the versatility

MoHair

Mohair texture before treatment

Elongation Mousse application

Mohair with DE Master Educator Kimberly K. Anderson

Air-forming the treatment

Treatment has been sealed in

Mohair post trim

Mohair loving her trim

Mohair texture post treatment

Mohair texture post treatment

Mohair’s straw set

I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve used heat on my hair since my big chop in Sept 2012. The most memorable being when I had the Design Essentials Strengthening Therapy System applied to my hair in April 2012. Since then though, I have not straightened or even blow dried my hair. I was a prolific heat user when I was relaxed and through my one year transition but since going natural I’ve turned into a veritable heat nun. I’ve had to take a closer look at the reasons why my heat habits have changed so drastically especially as I don’t have an ideological problem with using heat. I’ve managed to narrow it down to four main reasons.

Laziness

I’d love to say the main reason for my heat reticence is due to health concerns but I’d be lying. It’s pure laziness on my part. I find straightening my hair to be a very LONG and arduous process. In addition, I’m a head sweater, and nothing drives me crazier than watching my hair pouff back up right after I’ve straightened it.

Styling

I’m not a stylistically adventurous person so I’m very happy to live in wash n gos and at a push twist/braid outs. Thus, stretching my hair is rarely necessary in order for me to style it. Although, saying that, it would be nice to have the length to be able to ponytail and go occasionally.

Damage

I think my transition traumatised me a little bit. I used so much heat and suffered so much heat damage that when I eventually big chopped I only retained about 50% of the hair I’d grown in the transition period. Since then, I’ve been VERY shy around my straighteners. In addition, the few times I have used heat, the curls at the back of my head have never quite fully recovered.

Curl love

I admit it, I LOVE my curls! I spent so many years battling to eradicate them only to realise how awesome they are. It is a rare moment that I look at my kinks and curls and think “ooh I need to straighten you.”

Do you use heat? If not, why?

If you do, what do you do to prevent damage?