[Hairstyle] Low Puff | The #WashDayExperience

I LOVE summer. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, family reunions, barbeque...I love them ALL. But omgosh, it's keeping me crazy busy and focused on everything else BUT my hair!

Which kinda works in my favor and gives me time to test out some curl defining/holding products for when I want to wash and go. In a way, I feel like wash and gos are a protective style. I don't have to manipulate my hair (ie: by stretching it) I never wear it loose, so it's not touching my neck, and once it's in a puff---I rarely re-style it until I wash again. Or maybe I'm just being lazy delusional...hahaha!

Here's what I used this week:

Pre-shampoo- Joico K-PAK RevitaLuxe
Shampoo- Jessicurl Cleansing Cream
Deep Condition- Jessicurl Deep Treatment
Leave-ins- Almond Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Whipped Hair Butter + Jessicurl Confident Coils

And here's how I did it:

My hair has a thing for protein. While, I'm not seeing a ton of breakage, I still like to use a protein condition once or twice a month to fortify my ends and prevent breakage. Today, as I detangled my hair, I applied Joico K-PAK RevitaLuxe to my hair focusing on the ends. My hair literally sucks this stuff up like water and I love how thick it is. Since Nexxus has completely re-branded and changed the formula of my beloved Emergencee, I think that K-pak is my new favorite protein conditioner.

Related: Using Protein to Maximize Your length Retention 

I let the protein pre-shampoo sit in my hair uncovered and without heat for about 20 minutes. Then I hopped in the shower, rinsed well, shampooed with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream and rinsed again. After using a cotton tshirt to absorb most of water, I applied Jessicurl Deep Treatment to my hair plus a little almond oil to seal. I covered my hair with a plastic cap and then a scarf and went to bed. Y'all know that I adore over-night deep conditioning. But I especially love it after I've used to protein to ensure that my hair stays balanced. I want my hair to be strong but soft.

Related: Why I Deep Condition Overnight

The next morning, I rinsed my my hair then while I was in the shower, I applied a little almond oil, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner, a dab of DIY Hair Butter to seal and some Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Potion. I used my hands to smooth my hair back into a low curly puff then added a few orchid
flower pins to get fancy because I was going to a wedding.

Related: How To Make Hair Butter

I may or may not have done a happy dance about being about to get my hair into a low puff. Wait---who am I kidding---y'all know that I did the dougie followed with a bachata twirl! Feel free to judge me but I was siced! I'll probably keep my hair pulled back for a few days then do a twist out.

How are you beating the heat this summer?

Feel free to share your #washdayexperience below!

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[Hairstyle] Turban + Curly Puff | The #WashDayExperience

Remember that one time that I told y'all that I wasn't going to wear my hair in a curly puff that often?

Hmm...

Well...

I lied. Remind me never to say that mess again... You see---the puff is just insanely easy. So easy that I'm struggling NOT to do it daily. Call me lazy. I am. Call me bland and boring. I am. It is what it is.

Because I do this style sooooo much, I've been jazzing it up with jeweled clips, headbands, flowers---almost anything so that I actually look like I'm trying. Today, I went with a turban.


Here's what I used to wash my hair:

Extreme Deep Condition- Jessicurl Deep Treatment + Almond Oil
Leave Ins- Almond Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Hair Butter + Jessicurl Curl Confident Coils Styling Solution

And here's how I did it:

First, I started by finger detangling in sections with the aid of Jessicurl Deep Treatment . I love love love deep conditioning on dry hair. Especially with Jessicurl's Deep Treatment. My curls absorb this stuff almost instantly and (I know that I say this EVERY week but...) I swear it revitalizes my hair! Per the usual, I sealed all that moisturizing goodness with a little Almond Oil, covered with a plastic cap, and left it overnight.

I know that there are tons of people who hate deep conditioning overnight---and they have legit reasons why they do. I get it. But look---my hair LOVES IT. My texlaxed hair loved it. My transitioning hair loved it. My natural hair LOVES IT MORE. So my suggestion to you is---don't knock it until you try it!

*steps off soap box*

Umm...back to my #washdayexperience... In the morning, I rinsed my my hair then while I was in the shower, I applied a little almond oil, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner, a dab of DIY Hair Butter to seal and some Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Potion. The styling potion is a {sorta} new addition to the #washdayexperience. I really want a curl defining product for my wash and go puffs that's not a gel but that also elongates my curls. (Girl...don't get me started on the 5 million reasons why I'm not about that gel-life) This is the second time that I've used Jessicurl Confident Coils and I realllllly like it. My hair stays crazy moisturized for days and my curls be POPPIN'!

I used a stretched to hair tie to pull my hair into this giant puff then accessorized with my fave turban. Like I said before, call me lazy. I am. Call me bland and boring. I am. It is what it is. But with the 10000% humidity and temperatures that top 100 almost daily here at the beach---I'm just trying not to spontateously combust and look cute. Haha!

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Fierce Frohawk | The #WashDayExperience

My hair has been screaming bloody murder for a good protein treatment and clay mask but I've been too lazy preoccupied crazy busy to do it. Then, I had the audacity to go to the beach and let my hair loose. My hair revolted! 

Needless to say, I HAD to get my act together and gave my hair the deep treatment that it needed. Here's what I used:

Pre-shampoo: Redken Extreme Builder Plus
Shampoo: Jessicurl Cleansing Cream
Clay Mask: Aztec Healing Bentonite Clay (+ Apple Cider Vinegar + Aloe Vera Juice + Glycerin)
Deep Condition: Jessicurl Deep Treatment
Leave-Ins: Almond Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Hair Butter + Camille Rose Curl Maker

And here's how I did it:

First, I started by detangling in sections with the help of a little Redken Extreme Builder Plus. I totally owe you guys a review on this product. But in a nutshell:

1. I'm totally repurchasing
2. This stuff is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious amazing! 
3. My curls practically sang after I apply it...

After detangling and letting the Redken conditioner sit for about 30 minutes (without heat and uncovered), I hopped in the shower and rinsed thoroughly. Thanks to my minions turning me into a sand mermaid, I still had a ton of sand in my hair so I shampooed twice with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream. What I love about this shampoo is that no matter how many times that I rinse-lather-repeat my curls still feel uber springy and moisturized. 

I gently t-shirt dried my hair then applied my Bentonite clay mask. When I apply the mask, I like to sort of smooth it in from root to tip add a dab more on the ends then twirl the section around my fingers. I noticed that when I use this technique---as opposed to just rubbing it in---my hair is crazy smooth and my curls better elongated. I covered my hair with a plastic cap and a scarf then let the treatment sink in for about an hour. 

My full wash day process is sorta tedious at times but totally worth it. Especially when I went to rinse out the clay treatment! Oh, sweet baby Jesus I couldn't take my hands out of my coils. Honestly, I could have stopped in my tracks right there and when on about my day. My hair was crazy moisturized, not a tangle in sight, and gorgeously elongated. But I knew that after several weeks of neglect, I really needed a deep conditioner. So I grabbed my Jessicurl Deep Treatment conditioner, smoothed it through my curls and sealed it with a little almond oil. BEST.THING.EVER.

I adore everything about Jessicurl Deep Treatment. I mean, it literally revives my curls. I only had one petty hair product junky issue with it: the packaging. Okay---check it---this stuff is crazy thick, which I LOVE but being in a narrow bottle with a itty bitty opening drove me insane on wash day. 

For my Seinfield lovers. C'mon man---you know that you've done this to your favorite conditioner before. Don't turn your nose up at me. LOL.

Me trying to get the last bit of conditioner out of the bottle

After rinsing in the shower, I let a cotton t-shirt absorb the excess water then applied my leave ins and about 25 purple (magenta), white, and tan perm rods. I left the perm rods in overnight to dry. It was a fitful night of sleep but honey my curls where worth it!

To style, I used about a billion hair pins to pull my hair into a frohawk! Frohawks are fierce, edgy, and fun but I'm not gonna lie---I'm gonna need some time to get used to this one on me because it's not my usual sleek sophisticated (aka mom hair) look. I'm not yet comfortable with really bold styles on my curls but at the same time---I feel really empowered by its carefree wildness.

So what do you think? Can I pull off this look or should I stick to my usual pin ups, buns, and braids?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Two-Strand Twist Updo | The #WashDayExperience

Lately, I've kept things for my hair really simple. I've been sticking to co-washing and two-strand twisting my hair to stretch it. Occasionally, I'll wear my hair in a twist out, but most days it all goes into a giant puff and then I don't bother it until the next wash day.

I've been noticing that my ends were a little on the drier side. They are definitely in need of a good clay rinse and protein treatment. Because I started today's #washdayexperience crazy late, I knew that I wouldn't have time to do all that, so I settled on a quick co-wash and a few well placed two strand twists to get me through. Here's what I used:

Pre-shampoo: Almond Oil
Co-wash: Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Conditioner + Almond Oil
Leave ins: Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Hair Butter

The Results:

I used a little Almond oil to help me detangle and remove shed hairs. Then I hopped in the shower, rinsed the oil and applied a whoollleee lottta TRESemme Conditioner. I'm stoked that my natural hair loves it as much as my transitioning hair did.

My favorite co-washing conditioners under $10!

I used a cotton t-shirt to absorb most of the water and applied a few drops of Almond Oil. Then I applied my leave-ins (Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner and my DIY Hair Butter in sections. Next, I stretched my hair by banding and setting into a few large twists.

How To Stretch Your Hair Without Heat- Banding

To style my hair, I took the twists and pulled them into a quick updo. It's a super easy style especially if you're not into braids. This style is basically a version of my mom hair aka 30 second old faithful updo aka gym style aka you can really wear this style for any reason anywhere...I just had to edit it to accommodate my shorter hair.

1. Divide your hair ear to ear then create a side part.  
2. Two strand twist the smaller section above your ear
3. Divide the larger section into 3 or 4 smaller sections then two strand twist it above your other ear.
4. Next, divide the back section in half. Gently pull it towards the front of your air just above your ears, join it will your previous twist by (you guessed it!) twisting it. Pull it all back and secure across your head with hair pins. 
5. Repeat on the opposite side and secure with hair pins.
6. If your hair is short like mine, just take the remaining twists from your bang area and use hair pins to connect it to the other twists. 

Viola! Thank goodness for hair pins huh?!? I hope that made sense! Let me know if y'all want a step by step tutorial!

How was your #washdayexperience? Share the dets with the crew!

Besitos!
KLP

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2 Years Post Relaxer | The #WashDayExperience

So...I ran off to Florida for a few weeks and totally didn't tell you guys! My bad! But I'm back and excited to celebrate 2 years post relaxer!

AND this chica is BEYOND siced!

I guess that I should finally tell you why I big chopped:

You see, I've been natural before---many many times---most of them accidentally natural---but natural nonetheless. My mother only relaxed my hair for special occasions (think twice maybe 3 times a year). When I started college---I completely stopped relaxing my hair when my room mate introduced me to the flat iron! My mind was completely blown because I had no clue that you could straighten your hair WITHOUT a relaxer and I was hooked instantly! Fast forward two years, my relaxed ends completely broke off and my shoulder length natural hair was disgustingly heat damaged. But, girls,  I was oblivious. I never ever ever wore my hair curly. I'd crank my flat iron up as high as it could go slather some blue magic on my scalp and take 20 passes on each section of hair to get it bone straight. Every. Single. Day.

Everyone in my dorm knew when I was straightening my hair. It smelled like burnt hair for days...

*hangs head*

Feel free to judge me. Shoot...I'm judging me! I started relaxing again because even my heat damaged hair wasn't straight enough for me once humidity hit it. I figured that a relaxer + flat iron would keep my hair LAID!

*hangs head lower*

But my perspective on my curls today is totally different.

I'm dangerously in love with these thangs!

Like, I really really really love them. Like, I don't feel like myself without them. My curls are my boos, baes, and cuddle buddies. Y'all just don't understand. I'm utterly flabbergasted at how long it took me to get to this point!

The best part of it all---basically NOTHING has changed in my #washdayexperience, my regimen, or my styling routine. All of my relaxed/texlax fave products still do the trick (honestly---some work better now!) and I can still rock my fave protective styles.

Will I ever relax/texlax my hair again? Probably not.

Do I have anything against relaxed hair? Absolutely not.

Relaxed hair is/was just a hairstyle to me. When I relaxed my hair---my goal was only to be able to straighten my hair easier. But as I learned other ways to stretch my hair without heat and as I stretched my relaxers 4-6 months, I really questioned---what was the point of relaxing my hair to begin with.

My answer came last year on the eve of my big chop:

I was just USED to doing it. There was no purpose anymore. I didn't even like the tedious process. I was simply accustomed to going through the motions.

So there you have it. My boring, uninteresting truth. Ladies chop off their relaxed hair for dozens of intensely powerful sentimental reasons. Reasons that include the love of their children, support for friends, respect of family, bold political statements, or beautiful spiritual revelations.

I'm just not one of them. I kinda wish that there was more to the story. Maybe I should make up something...

*kanye shrug* That's too much work!

I hope that you guys still love me!

Happy #WashDayExperience Wednesday!

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