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

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! 

curl update 

Hello all! So I have to fill you all in on what happened with my last trim. I tried a new stylist, and she trimmed my hair. She ended up trimming it uneven (not noticeable thank goodness). So long story short I’m back going to my old hairstylist and she’s going to trim my hair even soon. I wanted to share a new product I tried! Leave-in Condish by Miss Jessie is literally magical. I started using it as my new leave in and my curls are really becoming softer and more hydrated. I just wanted to share a picture of my curls because I haven’t taken one in a long time and I’m honestly very pleased with the definition. Since my hair type is drier, this additional moisture is great. Also if I wash my hair at night and then braid it (after doing the loc method), I realized my hair is still very moisturized and my ends aren’t as dry. Make sure you’re protecting your hair at night, it makes it so soft! Remember hydrated hair is healthier and the goal is always healthy (doesn’t have to be long) hair. Healthy hair will grow longer! Focus on health not length.

  

  

tip #14

Night time hair care is key to retaining moisture! You have to make sure that you’re protecting your hair at night. This means you need a satin bonnet or pillow case. If your hair is natural you should try to braid it or twist it nightly or use the banding method (it makes for a really full bun). Also if your hair is pressed, rolling or wrapping your hair is good to keep your ends protected. Also castor oil and avocado oil really help!