New Hair and Skin Regimen

So, as stated before, I when I got my new cut, I wasn't at all happy with how my skin looked and made plans to promptly fix it. Weeks previous I'd be exfoliating everyday until I looked rather faded and dull, so I receded into doing it a few times a week.  The scars and dark spot faded slightly, but not they did not disappear.  Disappointed, I needed a different way to bleaching them out without breaking the bank and exposing my fairly sensitive skin to harsh, man-made chemicals.  So, that's when I hit Google.

Google, as many people know, is an extremely useful tool that leads you to things you never knew existed or ever thought would work.  For example, I read Chamomile tea, the same tea that's good for a relaxing, sleepy time moment, was a natural, non-acidic approach to skin lightening.  Yet, as with all things in nature, this method takes time; like, 2 months.  Ugh!  Two months is too long and I'm too impatient!  I wanted these spots gone, like, three months ago.  So, I kept searching and found some citrus methods.  Of course, lemon came up in numerous places, yet we had no lemons in the house (lame).  Yet, I read that a lime's acid content, though less, was comparable to that of a lemons and I could also switch out lemons with apple cider vinegar.  Those two, we always had lying around the house. (Mom uses both to wash and disinfect any bacterial residue on meats like chicken and beef.) So, I set to work.
I've made a concoction of both apple cider vinegar and lime juice and applied it to my face after washing it, along with rubbing the lime peel all over my face.  The smell was weird and made me hanker for some salt and vinegar chips (in the same minute made me feel like a washed drumstick).  After 15-20 minutes, I rinsed it off.  I could already see the spots fading slightly, though my beauty marks are little lighter. That I don't want to go away.  So, I'm making it a plan to be a bit more mindful as to the amount and the places I apply it.  As I write this, I am three days into this regimen, and the spots lighten a little bit each time I use it.  Yet, now I'm going to incorporate it into my usual routine of exfoliating, deep cleaning, and normal cleansing.  More on that in another post.

Speaking of concoctions, I've also done a little research on how to keep up with my new 'do.  Though this was done even before going into the big chop.  I wanted to make sure that I was doing it properly at the start and was creating a good foundation as well as forming new habits for whenever I decide to grow my hair long again.  I tend to have really a dry scalp as well as hair and wanted to, first and foremost, figure how to moisturize it properly.  Through meticulous research and hours of back breaking research (and by back breaking, I mean, pointing and clicking), I've found several tips to help keep my developing mane healthy and shiny:

1. Exercise- Yes, exercise.  I know, not along of people want to hear that they have to get of the couch and move just to take care of the strands sitting on your head, but you'd be surprised at the benefits of just one hour of sweating will do for you (Ugh, I know, a whole hour).  I didn't even understand it when I started running, but I noticed that the flakes in my hair began to diminish and my scalp was less itchy.  This was because while I was sweating, my pores were opening and the sweat that I was producing was bringing forth some of the natural oils in my skin, keep my scalp moisturized.  It was like keeping my scalp greased without having to sit in front of the mirror and pass Dax through my head.  Aside from keeping the scalp moist, the sweat is great for the skin as well.
2. Sealing- While it is good to wash and add oils to the hair to get it moisturized, sealing it is what locks the moisture into the hair shaft and keeps it from getting dry and breaking.  Shea butter seems to be the favorite amongst most as well as Coconut oil since it moisturizes too.
3. Mixing Both Oils and Sealant- Saves a lot of time when you're constantly on the go.  You can mix them in a spray bottle, add a little water, shake it up, spray and go.  Easy as that!  This little tidbit I actually heard prior to even thinking about cutting my hair, but it is very good advice.

I'll update this post as I find out more, yet I've already found this stuff beneficial.  While I'm not  fighting for time just yet, I'm still thinking ahead for when I go to boot camp.  I'll be pressed for time to shower and get dressed in the morning, and I can't slow myself trying to take care of my hair (it was one of the reasons I cut my hair in the first place), so mixing sealants and oils was awesome advice.  The exercise thing was a big motivator to keep me running.  Not only am I doing good things in trying to get my weight down and prepping my body for boot camp, but I'm taking care of my hair as well.
For some reason, I'm kind of excited.  I can't wait to see what happens if I continue with what I'm doing.