It's long, but if you have hair troubles - you will WANT TO READ every word!!! You might think this is a silly post, but I cannot tell you just how grateful I am right now.
Well I suppose, I'm going to TRY to tell you - hence, the post.
Hair is kind of a big deal for women.
If you were born with curly hair, you would die for straight. If you were born with straight hair, you would sell your birthright for a few waves. For some reason, most women (not all) are doomed to a life of "I wish I had her hair".
I am no exception to that rule.
I have mixed girls' hair, which means until you can find the "secret" to unlocking it (pun intended), you will most likely struggle with taming it.
It has been a LIFETIME of struggles, but I've kinda sorta managed. Without going into the boring details - about 5 years ago I got very sick, and this severely affected my hair. Two years ago - it got pretty scary for a bit, and once again - my hair told the tale.
It just started falling out everywhere. EVERYWHERE.
So much hair.
When you start to guesstimate how much hair you're losing - and then start to research how much hair people actually have, and then start calculating how soon it will be until you literally... have... no... hair - it's just a sad thing.
Now, believe me - I know. It's just hair.
It could be a limb. It could be organ failure. I realize that this is not life or death.
It's just a thorn in my side, and I learned to take a deep breath each time I had to manipulate my hair. Showering would pull out the most. I cried and cried. I tried so many things, but my hair would just keep falling out. Breaking off AND falling out at the root.
PONIES
I used to be able to put my hair in a pony tail and use 2-3 twists of the band. I lost so much hair, I couldn't keep the band in unless I twisted it 4 times, and then 5. That saddest part was I just didn't know how to stop it, so I just gave up. I learned to be thankful for the hair that was still there, and held very lightly to the ones that would most likely jump to their death soon.
THE GOOD PART.
She told me about this company called Viori that partnered up with the women of the Red Yao, who are known for not only their fabulously silky, strong hair - but also known for how their hair resists turning grey! Viori uses their Longsheng rice in their shampoo and conditioner. Now - I love partnerships like this, so I was already halfway sold! LOL
PLUS - I didn't have the hassle of figuring out if my rice water was "potent" enough? Yeah... love that.
PLUS!!! If you make your own home-made rice water - and you ferment it a BIT too long without adding the citrus peels.... your hair will smell like vomit for days. Ask me how I know. SO YEAH! I wanted to try these shampoo/conditioner bars!!!
The first time I used it.
My hair still had loose hairs from the past few days, so of course, during the shampoo, lots of hair came out. I totally expected this so I did my usual deep sigh, and continued my shower.
The shampoo bar was a little unusual. I'm used to liquid. But once I got it sudsing, it was just like normal shampoo. Rinsing it out?
Um... wow. My hair feels really really .... CLEAN. No residue. and... it kinda feels stronger? Is that really possible? Or am I just imagining it?? I have no idea!!!
Let's condition
Conditioning with a bar was more unusual than the shampoo. It didn't get sudsy, obviously. So I was trying to make it feel like my "normal conditioning". It never really did get "gloopy" like normal conditioner, but it DID condition. And - it was strangely... pleasant- to have just what you needed and not excess? When I rinsed it out - I was like... hmmmm this is very interesting. My hair feels conditioned, but not "slippery" as usual. It actually feels the way your hair SHOULD feel when its conditioned. Just - HEALTHY. balanced. and seriously...
Is it freaking stronger?? It feels stronger. what the heck!
Ok - now. the big big test.
Brushing wet hair.
Everyone knows this is when your hair is most delicate and fragile. This is when my brush is normally FILLED with hair. You guys. There was NO hair in my brush. I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH. For the last 2 years, I have had about 50 strands of hair in my brush after a shower.
what. the. hell.
OK FINAL TEST?
I dont' know what made me do this. Probably the fact that no hair was in my brush??? But I ALWAYS put a little product in my hair to make drying it easier, and less likely to tug out. But I thought - I want to do the ULTIMATE test. NO PRODUCT. Just dry my hair. Normally my hair is ALL OVER the sink, floor, counter - after blow drying.
WHAT MAGIC IS THIS?!?!?!?!?!?!
I finished my drying, and I did a double take in the mirror. My hair had like - gloss. Like - shiny? I wanted to slap someone. I don't know why. I wanted to shake someone and say, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN HIDING THIS ANCIENT RED YAO SECRET?!?!?!?!?!
I wasn't gonna flat iron my hair - it was night, and I was about to get in bed. So I just pulled it into a pony tail, got my pajamas on, and sat in bed with my computer. I do not know what I did, but at some point I leaned over to grab something and it felt like a piece of satin ran over my arm. I sat up LIGHTNING FAST with my face like....
My hand went to my pony tail faster than I could blink - and it was silk. SILK! Normally, when I run my hand through my hair, 10-15 hairs just fall right out into my hand.
Not today, my friends. NOTHING but silky strong hair.
And the ends??? I normally have to flat iron the ends to make them totally smooth. They tend to be a bit fragile, frizzy, dead-ish.
Did this stuff seriously seal my ends? I don't even think they ADVERTISED that. HONESTLY. Am I dreaming? How can ONE USE of shampoo/conditioner do this? HOW, DAMN IT?!?! This is like those fake informercials. Am I living in an informercial?!?!?!?!!?
I immediately got on whatsapp with Snook.
I was like WHAT IS THIS STUFF!!!! Her response - RIGHT?!?!?!?! wait til your next shampoo.
I was thinking... NO WAY- it cannot get better.
I shampooed again last night. It got better.
For 2 years I have dreaded shampooing my hair because of the amount that would fall out in the shower.
I think I saw 3? 4? hairs come out. That's like NORMAL people.
I want to cry.
For the first time in years, I believe my hair is going to be restored. My ONLY worry is that sometimes your hair gets "used to" products and then stops responding to it. I hope hope hope and pray that never happens.
I have told SO MANY PEOPLE. hahaha - and every single one has bought IMMEDIATELY. (even one of my GUY friends bought it! hahahaha) They literally have over 30k 4 and 5 star reviews - I have a feeling they're going to be out of stock soon! LOL
After the second time using it, I went back on their site and got their 8 pack sampler LOL - I do NOT want to run out anytime soon!!! And... just as I suspected, they only had 14 left when I bought, and 10 minutes later - 12 left when my mom bought one too hehehe.
Side note - their packaging is EXQUISITE, the scent is HEAVENLY, and yes - if you want 25% this is SUPPOSED to be linked to my "account" but I never created an account. LOL I just bought as a guest account - so I have NO IDEA if I get money too? Cuz how will they even connect it to me? hahahaha but YOU DEFINITELY can use it for 25% off, regardless! Here is the coupon code! COUPON CODE FOR 25% OFF (and YES they ship internationally- SO INEXPENSIVE!!!)
If you are having hair troubles like me... I seriously hope that you use this and cry tears of joy like I did! hehehe I really really hope it helps! ❤️ I would love to invite @itsostylish to this challenge (though I think she's already in the community! hehe)
Images by: Maxim Potkin, Sherise VD, Taisiia Stupak, Audrey Fretz, H.F.E & Co Studio, Valeriia Kogan, amirgraphy_, Pietra Schwarzler, Nikola Topić, Joshua Oyebanji. Yoann Boyer