Ok...So some results!

I just finished showering, washing, conditioning, etc, etc. I changed the routine a little, when I got ready to deep condition I realized the jar of Pantene was empty! Oh well. Also, I decided on a whim to try the Aphogee2-Step Protein treatment. Because I have been seeing a lot of breakage

I figured I might need to try treating with protein every 2 months or so. I picked up the sample packs at the BSS a few days ago when I was looking for Shea butter (they didn't have it and that's why I went to the Mega BSS today). I read a few threads on Naturally Curly before hand to see what others who have tried it had to say. This thread was particularly helpful. The packets come with a protein treatment on one side and a conditioner on the other. I figured one might not be enough so I bought two. They were around $2.99 I think.

This is what I did:

1. I washed with the Giovanni 50/50 shampoo.
2. I got out of the shower and wrung my hair out and separated it into halves. I used one pack of the protein treatment on each side of my hair. I raked it through with my fingers to make sure it was evenly distributed. -side note, this crap stinks like nothing I have smelled before!
3. I sat under my hooded dryer until I felt my hair was pretty hard all over.
4. For some stubborn drippy parts I used a hand held dryer with a diffuser to finish drying the protein.
5. I got back in the shower to rinse. I rinsed slowly with warm water then I used my hands to make sure I got it all out.
6. I used the Aphogee moisturizing conditioner (step two in this process), one pack for each side. I left it on while showered.

At this point, I was nervous. I did not know what the protein treatment had done. It felt mostly like my hair always does, just not as soft. I followed the instructions completely so I was hoping for some good results.

7. I conditioned my hair with Herbal Essences HH conditioner and detangled with my Goody detangling comb.

***This is where I noticed a difference. I could see in the mirror that my curls had more definition and clumped together better than they usually do. I was able to detangle pretty easily too! I lost a good amount of hair because I haven't detangled in over a week but I spot checked some strands in my comb and they were shed hairs not broken hairs. So far so good!***

8. I made about 6 sections of twists, then rinsed the conditioner. (I do this so my hair resists the urge to re-tangle itself, believe me it would rather be one massive clump of curls than remain detangled!)
9. I got out of the shower. I took down the first section in the back and applied DeveCare One Condition. I then applied the Shea Moisture Leave In. Finally I added raw Shea butter to my ends.
10. I two-strand twisted this section into about 3 twists, coiling the ends around my finger instead of twisting all the way down.
11. Basically just repeated this process all over.

Shea Moisture Leave In: I love this stuff! It is thick but I just rubbed it in my hands a little and it melted beautifully into my hair. It smells pretty good too. I think this product has the right amount of moisture I need while being heavy enough to weigh down my hair before I twist. I will definitely be adding this to my twisting routine. I will try to post a pic tomorrow after I take down my twists. Hopefully the proof will be in the pudding and I will like what I see!

Nubian Heritage Body Butter Lotion: I used this after I got out of the shower before I started twisting. It has a nice smell, orange cream just like the DevaCare One Condition. It was thicker than a traditional lotion but very spreadable. It did not absorb quickly into my skin and took some massaging to disappear. But, once it was in, my skin felt very hydrated and moisturized. I will have to use it some more before I can say if it's a keeper or not but so far I really like it!

Nubian Heritage Raw Shea Butter Body Wash: This I LOVED! It smelled different once I was using it than it did from just sniffing it in the bottle. I only had to use a small amount,about the size of a quarter or so, and it lathered mildly. That little bit went a long way and it felt incredibly soft. It was creamy and smelled fabulous! It was a soft, sweet herbal scent that could be appealing to both men and women. It was not herbal like incense but just a soft, warm scent that stayed on my skin after I got out of the shower. I can't wait to use this one again!

So that's what I got so far! Only time will tell with the Aphogee whether or not my hair is stronger. I will keep using the body products and also see how my hair does after a week.