Tag Archives: conditioning

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.

feb 2018 hair care routine

*drumroll* IT’S TIME FOR AN UPDATED HAIR CARE ROUTINE!

Though not much has changed I just want to keep you all updated!

Prepoo-

  • Before I wash my hair I always add a generous amount of oil- normally either shea butter or avocado oil

Washing-

  • Prior to washing, I rinse my hair with warm water to get rid of the excess product and oil
  • I wash my hair once a week using Shea Moisture’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo. I normally wash three times; I could probably do two washes and be fine but I like three.
  • Normally when I wash I try to massage my scalp for at least one of the washes. Scratching your scalp can leave your hair tangled, so I try to limit it.

I always use warm water to wash

Conditioning-

  • I always deep condition after EVERY wash. it’s essential to making my hair easy to maintain. I’m currently using Shea Moisture’s Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment mask, but I also really like Eden Body Work’s Natural Deep Conditioner (they just didn’t have it at target when I needed deep conditioner).
  • I section my hair in four parts. I work one section at a time to add conditioner then comb out that part using my denman brush (which is a lifesaver- it defines your curls and makes detangling easier). Then I normally twist the section that I just added conditioner to or use a ponytail holder to secure it. After all sections are done I go over my hair once more with the denman brush
  • I either sit under the drier for 15 minutes (while wearing a clear shower cap) or use an old target bag over my shower cap for about 30 minutes. I like both methods but the bag is easier if you’re trying to do other things while deep conditioning.
  • I rinse out the deep conditioner with warm water then after it’s all out I use cold water to rinse my hair. It seals in the moisture and reduces frizz.
  • I then take a t-shirt and wrap it around my hair to dry it.

Styling-

protective styling is a must, especially in the winter. it helps you retain moisture plus it’s easier to maintain. I need something that’s going to be easy to maintain. Mostly because I’m a little lazy.

  • pick the right protective style- the two most popular styles are braid outs and twists outs. i used to do braid outs a lot until one of my friends twisted my hair and I saw how much less shedding I had. After that, I pretty much only do twists or twist outs.
  • Once a week I wash, deep condition and style my hair. I do twists of some sort. How I style the twists depends on if I’d like to wear it down or not- I’ll do flat twists if I want to wear it down. I like flat twists because the root is twisted so it’s easier to get through.
  • Normally i leave the flat twist in for a day or so then untwist it. I moisturize my hair every day.

Moisture-

Normally I do the LOC method, but I read that doing the LCO method reduces frizz so I plan on trying that out.

  • Liquid/Leave-In- I use water and peppermint oil first (they’re mixed in my spray bottle; Leave-In- I use Miss Jessie’s Leave In Condish
  • Cream- I use Cantu’s Coconut Creme and Camille Rose’s Curlaide
  • Oil- I use OGX coconut milk, shea butter and avocado oil.

my main tips-

  • wash and deep condition weekly
  • protective style
  • drink lots of water! at least half your body weight
  • use satin ponytail holders and bonnets
  • also use a satin pillow case
  • be gentle while combing your hair

this is the amount of shedding I had after eight days of no combing (i don’t comb my hair when it’s twisted, I had it in a twisted style for two days, then wore a turban for three (i put a bonnet on underneath to keep my hair protected from the turban), and then wore it different ponytail styles for three days.

make sure you’re following my blogging instagram- mayahn24

hair care regimen

Taking care of your hair is really important. It’s just like brushing your teeth, or washing your hands, it just takes a little longer but it’s still important. Today I wanted to talk about the importance of establishing a steady hair care regimen. Life gets busy. But having a schedule that you’re used to sticking with is what’s going to allow your hair to really flourish to its full potential. Below are some important things to consider while creating a regimen!

  • Washing

Clean hair is really important. How often you wash is also important. I typically co-wash my hair (with Shea Moisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Co-Washing Cleanser) about once a week. It really all depends on how my hair is feeling. I use a balancing shampoo (like Shea Moisture’s Jamaican and Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow and Restore Shampoo). Since this shampoo is drying, I only use it about every ten days. I also have a rule of thumb- my hair should never itch. Mostly because if it starts itching I should just wash it. I also always try to oil my hair before washing. I will use olive oil or Jamaican Black Castor Oil, to pre-poo my hair. Before washing, it let my hair rinse under warm water which helps to remove the dirt. 

  • Conditioning 

Conditioning just makes your hair flourish. The weather just recently got drier, but conditioning helps. Also, if I happen to co-wash and not deep condition, I just warm up my conditioner. I typically add olive oil to my conditioner too. After I co-wash, I’ll add the conditioner, comb out my hair and leave a shower cap on while I finish showering. I’ve recently started conditioning my hair in sections. My hair has gotten really thick over the last couple months, making it harder to comb through. I find that the sections help me make sure everything is combed all the way through. I also rinse my conditioner out with cold water, because cold water helps seal in moisture. 

  • Deep Conditioning

This is a weekly must do for me. I normally sit under my drier for 15-25 minutes under a medium temp and maybe 5 minutes under cool. Deep conditioning honestly helps your hair grow so much. It gives it the added moisture that you need, especially in the winter when there’s not much moisture in the air. Deep conditioning adds shine, prevents damage, moisturizes and promotes elasticity (which helps with reducing breakage). 

  • Protective styling

Braids to me are a must. Even if it’s just four braids before I go to bed, I always go to bed with my hair braided. Braids retain moisture really well, with helps grow your hair out. Other great protective styles include twists (one of my friends twists her hair very often and it’s so cute on her). Also make sure you’re investing in a good satin bonnet and scarf. I use both every night to make sure that my hair retains its moisture.

  • Other important hair tips 

Water is your hair’s best friend. I spray my hair down with a mix of water, olive oil and a couple drops of peppermint oil. It’s been leaving my hair incredibly soft and smelling great (the peppermint). The water and oil combination is great. If my hair is braided, I oil my hair everyday and use Curlaide by Camille Rose (which is my favorite product ever- it works on straight or curly hair). I then tie my hair down and go to sleep. Some of my favorite oils include Extra Penetrating Argan Oil by OGX, Silk by Design Essentials, and Raw Organic Shea Butter. 

Creating a basic hair care regimen will simplify your life! Plus it will create the structure that so many people (including myself) need to make sure they’re really taking care of their hair well! 

june 3rd

Taking care of your body is taking care of you. Many people overlook their hair. Your hair is a part of you. It should be taken care of just as you take care of other parts of your body. Tonight I did my bi-weekly deep conditioning treatment, which leaves my hair bouncy and soft. It’s important to take care of your hair because one it’s taking care of you and two it greatly affects your confidence. You want to be confident and great looking, well taken care of hair is the way to start. Everyone has different hair types and favorite styles but well moisturized hair is something everyone should have in common. Take some time to take care of your hair. You deserve it! 

LOC

LOC is a hair care method that stands for Liquid/Leave-In, Oil and Creme. I found it about a month ago, and I love it. I wet my hair (mostly after I condition it and rinse it), add leave-in conditioner (either Shea Mousiture: Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner or Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen, Grow & Restore Leave-In Conditioner), oil (Coconut, Olive, Silk (Design Essentials), and Renewing Argon Oil of Morroco (OGX)), and creme (Cantu Coconut Curling Cream). I love these products due to their ability to keep my hair soft and moisturized. As far as conditioner goes, I’ve tried a new cowashing cleanser by Shea Mouisture, Coconut & Hibiscus Co-Wash Conditoning Cleanser, which has worked very well on my hair. It’s important to cowash because it allows your hair to keep its essential oils (which shampoo strips them of), so that it can grow healthily. The goal is healthy hair. Whether you want to grow it out, or cut it into a short style. People tend to forget that short hair is cute too. Short hair takes maintenance, just as longer hair does. You need to make sure that if your hair is short, you do get it cut regularly, and keep it in a style. Your hair doesn’t have to be long to be cute, it just needs to be styled. I’ve been recently trying to find more protective styles, so I’ve been perfecting my halo French braid (the picture below is a side picture from my snapchat (I was very proud)). I wanted to make sure I have a large variety of styles for school, since I’m currently wearing my hair curly. My favorite is French braids though, because they hold mouisture really well.  I actually French braid my hair different than most people, so if you’re interested in learning more, please comment and I’ll post a video later on.