Category Archives: hair

my hair routine

since i cut my hair, i’ve been experimenting with it a lot more. and i feel i have a regimen now that’s good enough to share.

wash day-

I normally wash my hair once a week. My wash day includes a shampoo, rice water treatment and deep conditioning.

  • I wash my hair with the tea tree shampoo from Trader Joe’s. It’s clarifying and helps manage the eczema I had on my scalp. I just do one shampoo.
  • I do a rice water rinse and leave it on for 15 minutes, with a shower cap. I rinse it out after with warm/hot water. here’s the link to my post about rice water.
  • I use the Mane Choice’s Ancient Egyptian Hydrating Hair Mask as a deep conditioner. I lather it through my hair, then i sit under my hooded drier (heat on high) for ten minutes. Deep conditioning is crucial because between the clarifying shampoo and the rice water, my hair is lacking moisture! if i cannot deep condition with heat, i normally put on a clear shower cap then add a bonnet and add my normal shower cap. This will allow a lot of heat to be created but with this method i will leave the conditioner in for about 45 minutes. Before rinsing this out, I finger detangle and then use a wide tooth comb to detangle. I like doing this after the deep conditioner has sat cause it is so much easier.
  • After rinsing our my deep conditioner with warm water, i later my sopping wet hair with conditioner. Lately ive been using Camille Rose’s Jansyn’s Moisture Max Conditioner. My hair will be fully lathered with conditioner as if I was conditioning normally. This leaves my hair ready for the LCO method.

LCO method-

I use cream before oil because i’ve found it reduces frizz and stays more moisturized.

  • I first section my hair into four sections.
  • I spray the first section down with water and use my wide tooth comb to detangle all the way to the root.
  • I use Curls Blueberry Bliss Leave In, about a quarter size amount. To lather this in, I start at the ends first, then go from the roots to end. I make sure all the hair is coated for every step.
  • I use Camille Rose’s Curlaide, about a dime size. Lathering is the same.
  • I use Curls Cremé Brûlée, about a dime size amount.
  • I use organic avocado oil to seal in my products.
  • I will then braid the section and repeat this process on each section.
  • Styling-
  • For styling I normally do either braids or twists. My routine is simple because my hair is already moist and ready. I section each braid or twist, then add water, half a dime of leave in, and about a dime of Camille Rose’s Almond Jai Twisting Butter. To ensure my ends are hydrated, I add half a dime size of Design Essentials Herbal Complex. This really helps the back of my hair, which is growing out stay braided or twisted all the way throughout. Once done with all the braids or twists, I will oil my scalp and tie my scarf. I normally do this at night so in the morning I can pin mostly dry braids/ twists up. I use the curved bobby pins to pin it up so there are no creases in hair.
  • After a few days (or six, depending on how frizz free my hair is), I will take a little oil (mostly the moroccan oil by OGX) and unravel each part. I then use my pik to get rid of the parts.

Preserving-

To preserve my hair I use the banding method or just oil my scalp. While it’s still braided or twisted I will add oil every three days and tie my scarf. But after it’s aloose I use the banding method. I take silk scrunchies and tie them down my hair to increase volume and length. I normally do 4-5 sections for banding, similar to my sections for LCO. While banding I use my bonnet and will still oil every 3 days or as needed (the oil sometimes reduces my frizz if I add a little to the roots).

summer hair care routine-

To meet my goals of shoulder length straight hair, I tried to keep a strict hair routine. I didn’t always follow it (I did about two weeks of wash n go’s) but here it is!

every three days-

  • oil scalp with a mix of doo grow stimulating oil and wild growth
  • refresh hair if necessary with water and conditioner (only before bed)

once a week-

  • wash- 1 shampoo
  • rice water rinse (leave on for 10 minutes)
  • deep condition with heat for at least 45 minutes
  • twist or braid for the week (switch weeks- one week braid, one week twists)

every other week

  • add steam to deep conditioning treatment (adding a hot towel on my head as well as sitting under my drier)
  • do a style with low edges manipulation- small flat twists or smaller braids in the front

When i finished studying abroad at the end of May, I got a trim (June 1st) and I got another one one August 22nd. I try to make sure I’m getting trims every 2-3 months, but it’s noticeable to me when it’s time for another one. Before my trim I had been having more single strand knots and straggly looking curls. This lets me know it’s time because this normally doesn’t happen.

(June 22nd 2019)

August 22nd 2019, pre trim.

Shows current cut.

Pics from when I cut my hair (Jan 2019)

rice water

so what are the benefits of using rice water? you may have heard that rice water defines your curls. it does! so i’ve started to incorporate rice water into my weekly routine. below i’ll go into why and how i use it

WHY-

i started using rice water because i was reading about the benefits of protein treatments and how the proper moisture protein balance really is what will define your curls. so i wanted to incorporate more protein. rice water is a low grade protein treatment- it’s not heavy like the ones you can purchase. i like that because i don’t have to worry about it making my hair super hard. since using it, i’ve had less frizz and more definition.

HOW-

so normally the day before i want to do my hair i put a mix of rice and water into my mason jar. i leave it sitting out on the counter til i use it- i make sure it sits for at least eight hours. OR i’ll boil rice and add extra water and pour it into a cup. from either method, i pour the water into a cup, making sure that there is little to no rice in it. then once it’s cool (if it was boiled). i shampoo my hair. then i pour it into my hair (like a rinse) and then tie it up with a pony and put a shower cap on. i leave it in for 15 minutes, then i rinse it out. I will either then rinse it out with water or shampoo it out (it depends- if feels like a residue is left, just shampoo it) and then i DEEP CONDITION. this is essential!!! it keeps your hair from getting hard. remember the goal is the moisture protein BALANCE.

I then style as normal- i’ll make an update post on my hair care regimen- it’s changed so much.

protective styles

protective styles help your hair grow because they help you retain moisture and reduce manipulation. the biggest question is: how do i choose the right one? for me, I started with braids because I knew braids worked for my hair. as a little girl, I wore braids all the time and it grew my hair out. I always only used my natural hair, so i didn’t consider adding weave to my hair. while i do think weaves are beneficial, it’s just not for me. so I used to braid my hair often, until one of my friends twisted my hair. I barely shed at all and my hair lasted very well. Since then, twists have been my go to protective style. Here are some examples of how I do my hair!

These two pictures are my current hair style! I did three french braids after washing and deep conditioning. I then pinned them up and made it into a halo braid. I’m currently on day 2, and my hair is looking great!

This was my style last week! I washed, deep conditioned then flat twisted my hair. For work, I pinned the flat twists up, into a halo twist.

These last three are results from a flat twist out as well. I always flat twist to make sure my roots are moisturized and catch the curl.

I’ve found that picking a protective style that looks like your natural curl pattern makes the style last longer! I would say if your pattern is looser, try braids and if it’s tighter do twists!

hair types

There are a variety of different factors that affect how your hair works. Let’s look at the ones I have found most important.

  1. Density- your hair is either fine, combination or coarse. This is literally regarding the size your hairs. For me, my hair is coarse, meaning it’s very thick stranded. Density is not affected by your hair pattern.
  2. Porosity- either low, high or normal. This is how your hair absorbs moisture. You can test your porosity by placing a strand of your hair in water.  Try this link to check out more information!
  3. Curl pattern- determined by the shape of your curls! This is important mostly for protective styling. I have type 3c hair; meaning that my hair resembles a twist. So twists are the best option for me for protective styling! 

 

recent hair care

I just wanted to update you all on the two hair care products that have been giving me a bomb twist out! Before my trip to Atlanta last Wednesday, I washed, deep conditioned and had my hair twisted. To twist, my mother only used herbal complex by design essentials and the twist defining creme by as I am. To keep my hair moisturized, I traveled on the plane with twists in, and then unraveled them on Thursday. After doing it, I have had to barely add product to my hair. Every couple days I’ve added a little shea butter to keep it moisturized. I believe these two products will be great! Try them out! Below I have a couple pictures of how I styled my hair.