I Whip My Hair Back And Forth

I had red hair for about three years.  I loved it!  I used henna from Henna Hut (best, purest, easiest henna around IMO).  My hair was in the greatest shape it had ever been in.  I highly reccommend henna for dying, if you like the limited color options.  Just make sure to research thoroughly where you get your henna from.

Problem is, I got bored with it.  I decided I wanted to go back to my natural blonde.  This was a very loooong, damaging process.  First I had to let it fade, ugh.  When that started looking awful, I dyed over it with brunette.  (Be careful about dying over henna!  Make sure you have a pure henna with NO METALLIC SALTS, or disasters can happen).  Next, when it had faded enough, I used a color stripper to take the rest out (as much as possible).  Finally, I dyed it a blonde closest to my natural color.

Now, like I said, this was a very damaging process.  I took a long time with it to minimize damage, and did once to twice weekly coconut oil conditioning treatments.  My hair did not come out of the process damage free, however.  Henna is great because it coats the hair shaft, whereas chemical dyes force the color into the hair shaft.  Opening up the hair shaft causes hair to become dry, brittle, and prone to breakage.  So how do I get my hair back in good condition?  Protein treatments.

Your hair is about 91% protein.  When your hair becomes weak and damaged, it might need protein put back into it.  I decided to try two ways of doing this.  A chemical treatment, and an at-home DIY treatment.  I researched protein treatments to death, and decided on ApHogee 2-Step Protein Treatment.

I purchased it at Sally Beauty supply for around $4.00.  I have a Sally Beauty Card that normally costs $10 a year (although I hear they are doing a $5 special right now), but that I get for free because I'm a military dependent.  I read a million reviews and how to's on this product, everyone loves it!  The clerk at checkout even said "This stuff is Amazing!", as I was checking out.  Even with all the praise, I was terrified to use it.  I read all the warnings about not touching your hair once it is in because your hair will break off.  Rinse carefully, because your hair will break.  Don't use a cap, because your hair will break.  You get the idea.  I had it for about two weeks before I finally summoned up the courage to use it.

It's a very simple process.  Put Step 1 into your hair (I used a spray bottle for easy even coverage).  Then apply heat for around 30 min.  Your hair will get hard, and helmet like.  I only have a regular, hand-held, hair dryer, so this was a little much, but not too bad.  (I swear I took pictures of this part, but I can't find them anywhere).  Then you get into the shower, rinse carefully with warm water, then apply Step 2.  Leave in for a few minutes, then rinse.  You're done!  Well... almost.

Adding protein to your hair dries it out, a lot.  The moisture is pulled from your hair to make room for the protein.  I read that you need to immediately follow a protein treatment with a deep conditioning mask.  So that's what I did.  I used the following ingredients:

EVOO, Coconut Oil, My favorite conditioning mask, a wide-toothed comb, and a microfiber hair towel purchased at the dollar store.

I mixed the ingredients together, combed through my hair, and let set for about 5 hours, while I did other things, then shampooed out.

The results?  My hair did feel stronger, but not as much stronger as I was expecting.  The conditioning treatment definitely made my hair crazy soft, but duh, lol.  I think I was so afraid of breaking my hair, that I didn't give it quite the heat it desired.  I would like to try it again, now that I have a better idea of what I'm getting into.

The Second Protein Treatment.

Now, if you read The One Where We Go Au Naturale, you would know, that I love to use natural ingredients, as much as possible.  I am actively trying to eliminate as many chemicals from my home as possible, so I was eager to try the DIY recipe.  I waited six weeks to try the next method, as directed, because adding protein to your hair too often can result in stiff, dry hair that breaks easily.

The recipe for a DIY protein treatment is.... egg yolks.  That's it.  Separate 1-3 egg yolks, depending on your hair length, and thickness, and apply to hair.  Wrap with plastic (I then added my microfiber hair wrap over the top), and allow to set for about 30 minutes.  You can apply heat if you want, I didn't.  Shampoo out in lukewarm water, not too hot, or you'll cook the egg, and be pulling egg out of your hair forever.  Finally, use a deep conditioning mask to replenish moisture.  I used the same one as before.

The results?  Amazing!  As grossed out as I was putting egg yolks into my hair, my hair felt amazing!  It felt stronger, softer, and was seriously shiny.  Again, I can't find what I did with the pictures, don't hate me.

So overall, I would go with the egg yolks.  I can use it every 4 weeks, it doesn't smell as bad as the ApHogee, and I wasn't as terrified of breaking it.  Plus, it's something you almost always have in the house already, and they're really cheap (not that the ApHogee was expensive).  You don't even have to throw away the whites.  Mix them with a little lemon juice, and make a fantastic face mask.  Melanie made one, and loved the results.

Only use egg yolks for a strengthening protein treatment.  If you want a more moisturizing treatment, mix yolks with some coconut oil, or an avocado.  Have fun with your protein treatments, but make sure to follow directions carefully!