I BIG CHOPPED.... NOW WHAT?!?!

1. I embraced my texture. I would admire other naturals tresses but I loved and embraced my own. I had to work with what I was blessed with. 2. Detox or clarify your tresses. I did the 7 day detox with the Terressentials Mud Wash. I wasn't using a lot of heavy products but I wanted to make sure my hair was clean and on the right track of being healthy. I also used the TMW once a week/once every other week. 3. Co-wash vs. shampoo. I co-washed for the first month or two and detoxed once a month because the hair can feel extremely dry after the big chop. And it's not that something is wrong with your hair but this is virgin hair. It has to be nurtured in a different way. I chose not to use shampoo's in the beginning of my journey because the times I did try to use it -the shampoo just seemed to make the dryness even worse. The shampoo wasn't the problem. The problem was lack of moisture. So I focused more on deep conditioning and incorporating more ayurvedic treatments into my regimen. 4. Deep Condition: I deep conditioned twice a week with a heat cap for the first month because after the BC like I mentioned before my hair seemed to be so dry; so I knew it needed moisture. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate... 5. I also up'd my hot oil treatments (olive oil, avocado and sweet almond). I tried coconut oil but right now I'm not sure what the problem is but my hair doesn't agree with it. 6. I also learned that the kitchen has the best ingredients for someone first starting out and on a budget. From oils to do hot oil treatments; mayo & honey for deep conditioning; black tea to help with shedding; herbs (parsley, basil, marjoram) to brew and use as a conditioning rinse; ACV (apple cider vinegar) to use as a pre-poo or final rinse; oatmeal and banana baby food to exfoliate the scalp. 7. Journal. I kept a very detailed journal of everything I did to my hair. From the products I used to the technique to how the weather was that day. This helped me learn which products worked and which products didn't. Helped me save money too. 8. After learning which products worked, I learned the ingredients in those products. Learning ingredients helped me make even better choices when it came to products. I would focus on the first five ingredients and the last three (which are usually the preservatives). 9. If you want to go a more natural route, that's great but don't feel that you have to eliminate all commercial based products from your regimen. You have to use what works for you. Don't be afraid to try different products. Seek product lines that offer sample sizes. Try the product on one section of your hair (strand/patch test). If a product causes your hair to feel dry -follow with a hot oil treatment to help soften the hair and make that note in your journal. Hope this helps ~TJ