[Hairystyle] Heatless Blowout on Natural Hair + Length Check!

I walked into 2015 knowing that the likelihood of me retaining length would be slim to none. I loved my long bob cut---but after the first wash---I realized that I still had a few inches of texlaxed hair on the ends.

Thus, I began Operation Curl! I dusted every wash day for the first month, conditioned like crazy, and tried protein treatments. It really helped me to be able to distinguish between my texlaxed ends and the rest of my unprocessed hair.

So in April, I just went in for the kill. BUH-BYE straighter ends.

Instantly---I was obsessed with my curls! I twilled my fingers in them. I picked and pulled at them.

And 4 months later---I had frayed, split, dry, didn't really wanna curl, ends as a result.

Ugh.

It was time to get my life together for reals y'all.

I got a fresh trim. Throw in some clip in extensions. And rocked it all Autumn.

And now I'm back with my final length check of the year!

I actually didn't wash my hair today. It was still super moisturized from my Curlformer set a few days before, so I went for a Heatless Blowout!

Here's what I used:

• My DIY Moisturizing Mist (Recipe here)
• Camille Rose Whipped Butter (Or make your own using this tutorial)
• Denman Brush (with 3 rows of teeth removed. Those extra teeth are the devil)
• A handful of hair clips
• (Optional) Seamless Comb (Like this one)

And here's how I did it:

1. Start with stretched hair. (I stretched my hair using Curlformers a few days before)
2. Divide your hair into 8 sections. I made 4 sections in the back and two on each side of my hair. Secure each section with a hair clip.
3. Beginning with a small section of hair from the back, very very lightly mist the section with water. You'll want a good misting bottle for this. I use this cool gem from the Vitamin Shoppe. One spritz could do the trick.
4. Next, start to gently finger detangle from our ends up to the roots.  
5. Apply a little oil or hair butter to seal your ends. I'm using Camille Rose Whipped Butter in the pictorial. 
6. Then to achieve a more stretched look, further detanlge gently using a modified Denman Brush.
7. Secure the detanlged section with a hair clip then move on to the next section. 
8. Repeat until all of your hair is "blown out"
9. (Optional) Fluff hair using a wide tooth comb

Once I was done with my faux blow out, I trimmed my ends, and did a length check for you guys!

My bangs area is still the shortest at 8 1/2" (it was 7 3/4" at the end of September). Which didn't come to me as a surprise. because I know that my bangs grow slower than the rest of my hair. The left and right sides of my hair are 10" each (previously 9"). While, my left and right nape is 10" (previously 8" and 9" respectively)

December 2015 Length Check

Considering that the average hair growth rate is 1/2" per month + the fact that I trimmed about 1/4- 1/2" off each section---I think that I'm right on track. I'm not gonna make any promises but I do hope to do another length check in a few months. I can't promise to do heatless blowouts often either, as it is a TON of manipulation, I do really love this big fluffy hair!

September Length 2015 Check

How was your #washdayexperience? When was the last time that you did a length check? Share it below!

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The Best of 2015: My Hair's Hits & Misses

2015 was a really great year for my hair. I wasn't concerned with length, I didn't use heat, and I lived for deep conditioning. I still made a TON of mistakes along the way. Here's a recap of the best things (and the worse things) that happened to my hair.

Hits: Protective Styling

If you haven't read about my LOVE AFFAIR with Kurly Klips---then---idk where you've been chile! It's all that I talked about for the last 6 months! So here's your chance to catch up on why I think that

KURLY KLIPS ARE THE WORLD'S MOST VERSATILE PROTECTIVE STYLE EVER!!!!

Hits: Trimming

I've trimmed and dusted my hair several times this year (Like here, here, here, and here). Way more than I ever have in my healthy hair journey. And while frequent trimming would have been a miss for me in past years---this year it was a hit. My hair is as healthy as it's ever been. My curls look fantastic when wet and my ends are perfectly blunt---and y'all know that I LIVE for healthy blunt ends!

Hits: Curlformers, Perm Rods, and Twist Outs
When my hair wasn't in a protective style---I styled using (most recently) curlformers, perm rods and twist outs. I can't say that I've masted any one of them, but I can say that y'all will definitely see more of them next year.

Hits: My New Staple Products Bentonite Clay Hair Mask Treatment
When I first chopped my hair, I cut it whilst it was straight---which was a total mistake because I was still left with some bits of straight hair on my bangs. It was nearly impossible to tell the difference between my texlaxed hair and my natural curl so I turned to Bentonite Clay! It's amazingness in a jar. It's moisturizing, detoxifying, a shine enhancer, frizz eliminator----just curl defining goodness. Here's how I mix it up and get my curls poppin!

Misses: Wash and Gos
I mean---wash and NOsss!  After about a month of experimenting with wash and gos---I realized that my hair behaves better when it's stretched. It's less tangled, it stays moisturized, my end are far less prone to breakage. Maybe one day, I'll revisit wash and gos, but for now---I'm staying far far away from them.

Misses: High Puffs
My staple natural hair style! Omgosh---how I love this style. It's effortless. And that's the problem. It's so effortless that I'll rock this style for days without moisturizing or sealing my hair. My ends dry out and the curls tangle. Whilst, I'm not vowing to never wear a high puff again, I am going to wear them less and make sure that I moisturize my hair better. Plus, my hair is long enough now, that I can rock a high bun instead! Which is far more kind to my ends!

What were the best (and not so wonderful) moments of your #washdayexperience this year? Share the dets below!

Besitos!
KLP

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[Tutorial] Curlformer Side Swept High Bun

I live for a fun side swept updo! All you'll need for this style is a hair tie and a few bobby pins.  First, I used Curlformers to stretch and set my hair. They're a fantastic way to smooth and elongate my curls without heat and with relatively low manipulation. For the products I used to get these crazy bouncy and smooth curls, check out my #washdayexperience here.

1. Create a deep side part on stretched hair.
2. Pull a large section of your bangs to the front of your head.
3. Gently take the rest of your curls and pull them into a very loose high ponytail.  
4. Swoop your bangs to the side (take care not to stretch the curl too far) and secure with a hair pin.
5. Using a few more hair pins, tuck and secure the ends of your ponytail into a bun. 
6. Add height by fluffing your bun and bangs.

Viola! That simple! Let me know if you recreate this look!

Besitos!
KLP

[Hairstyle] Curlformer Side Swept High Bun | The #WashDayExperience

First, I was obessed with Kurly Klips---now I'm TOTALLY in love with Curlformers!

AND

*drum roll please*

I figured out a way to install curlformers, let them dry, and get twice the amount of curls in 2 hours WITHOUT sleeping in them !!!!!!!!!

Let that sink in for a minute...

Install

+

Drying time

+

Double Curls

=

2 hours!!!!!

It's a Christmas miracle!

Here's what I used:
Pre-shampoo- Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner
Shampoo- Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo
Deep Condition- Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner + Almond Oil
Leave-ins- Almond Oil + Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Leave-In Conditioner + EVCO

WIN MY #WASHDAYEXPERIENCE PRODUCTS HERE!

And here's how I did it:
I started by applying a little Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner in sections to detangle my hair. Then I hopped in the shower and lathered up with Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo. I let my hair dry for a few minutes wrapped in a cotton t-shirt, then applied Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner plus a little Almond Oil to seal it all in. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heating cap for 2 hours. Then I kinda fell asleep. LOL. Overnight deep conditioning for the win!

My hair was crazy soft after rising the deep conditioner the next morning! After tshirt drying for a few minutes, I applied my leave ins- Almond Oil + Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Leave-In Conditioner + EVCO and installed all 40 curlformers in my set. It took me about an hour to install them.

I get double the amount of curls because I two strand twist the roots of each section then install the Curlformer! No snagging on the Curlformer plus two curls per rod! WINNING!!

Then I sat under my hooded dryer for an hour while they dried! I was utterly shocked that they only needed an hour to set!!!

This has been my shinest and smoothest curlformer set to date! Y'all better believe that I'm NEVER sleeping in these things again!

To style, I went for this kinda messy---kinda classy Side Swept High Bun. Here's how I did it:

1. Create a deep side part on stretched hair. (I stretched my curls using Curlformers)
2. Pull a large section of your bangs to the front of your head.
3. Gently take the rest of your curls and pull them into a very loose high ponytail.  
4. Swoop your bangs to the side (take care not to stretch the curl too far) and secure with a hair pin
5. Using a few more hair pins, tuck and secure the ends of your ponytail into a bun. 
6. Add height by fluffing your bun and bangs.

Fingers crossed that I can get this cute curly high bun to last until Christmas!

How are you styling your hair for the holidays?

Share the dets below!

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[Tutorial] Easy Crown Braid for Natural Hair | The #WashDayExperience

I moaned and complained about how TERRIBLE Curlformers are to sleep in last week.

And then I did it again.

*Hangs head*

But let me xplain!!!

My hair was crazy easy to manage last week! No tangles! Perfectly stretched! Moisturized like crazy! Did I mention NO TANGLES?!?

My #washdayexperience today was even easier. So easy that all I had to do was deep condition! Here's what I used:

Don't miss your chance to win my #washdayexperience products!

Deep Condition- Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner + Almond Oil
Leave-ins- Almond Oil + Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Leave-In Conditioner + EVCO

And here's how I did it:

After rocking my Lace Braid for a few days, I unraveled and wore it in a bun. On wash day, I pulled my bun down, misted my ends with a little water, and then section by section, gently finger detangled to remove shed hairs. I applied Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner from root to tip and sealed the conditioner in with a little almond oil. Next, I covered my hair with a plastic cap and put on my heating cap for about 30 minutes.

In the shower, I rinsed and detangled in sections. Once I was done with one section, I put it in a chunky twist and moved on to the next section so that I could keep my hair stretched. Out of the shower, I applied my leave ins- Almond Oil + Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Leave-In Conditioner + EVCO and installed all 40 of the curlformers. Then I let the rods dry overnight.

This time, I loosed the rods a little at the base of my scalp to lessen the tension. BEST. IDEA. EVER! I didn't get the world's best sleep, but I did get more sleep this time than last time.

My curls were super super cute. My ends were a little frizzy. But that didn't matter I decided to go with a crown braid! Here's how I did it:

1. Create a side part on stretched hair. (I stretched my curls using Curlformers)
2. Begin your braid at your side part and braid along the perimeter of your hair.
3. Continue this braid until you get to your nape. Then finish braiding the ends
4. Start another braid from the opposite side and repeat
5. Tuck the end of the first braid into the second braid and secure with a hair pin. 
6. Repeat on the second braid.

My {not so} secret to BIG BIG braids? Fluff your braids by plucking apart the sides for a fuller look.

Can I just get a soul clap for the smoothness and shine of this braid?!? Gosh...I think that I'm rolling in deep with these curlformers!

How was your #washdayexperience?

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[Hairstyle] Curvy Lace Braid | The #WashDayExperience

My goal of rocking Kurly Klips until the end of the year sorta fell short. No shade to my darlin' Kurly Klips. They're fantastic. I was the problem. I was just bored! I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my hair. But I did know:

I still wanted to honor my "protective style" pact that I made in August.

and

I needed to stretch my hair because it behaves better--aka  stays moisturized and has less tangles when it's stretched.

So I picked up a package of Curlformers!

My first curlformers experience was interesting. I wouldn't call it a win necessary. Yes, my hair was stretched, smooth, bouncy, and happy. But...

OMG those things are HORRIBLE to sleep in. *le sigh*

Anywhos, here's how my #washdayexperience went:

Pre-shampoo- Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner
Shampoo- Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo
Deep Condition- Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner + Almond Oil
Leave-ins- Almond Oil + Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Leave-In Conditioner + EVCO

And here's how I did it:
I started by applying a little Herbal Essence Hello Hydration Conditioner in sections to detangle my hair. Then I hopped in the shower and lathered up with Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo. I let my hair dry for a few minutes wrapped in a cotton t-shirt, then applied Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner plus a little Almond Oil to seal it all in. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heating cap for 2 hours.

My hair was crazy soft after rising the deep conditioner. Then I applied my leave ins- Almond Oil + Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Leave-In Conditioner + EVCO and installed almost all of the curlformers. Then I let the rods dry overnight.

I loved the curls, but it was a updo that I really wanted. So I went for this Curvy Lace Braid situation! Here's how I did it:

1. Create a deep side part on stretched hair. (I stretched my curls using Curlformers)
2. Begin your lace braid (which means that you only pull hair into the braid from the front of your hair) about an inch above your ear, then start to curve the braid towards the opposite direction across your head. Keep your turn tight so that your edges stay neat.
3. Continue this braid until the end of your hair. Be sure to only pull hair from the front of your hair. This is what creates the "lace" effect.
4. Start another braid from the same side and repeat with your remaining hair.
5. Then roll the braided end of the second braid into a bun. 
6. Tuck the braided end of the first braid into the bun with a hair pin. 

 Optional: Fluff your braids by plucking apart the sides for a fuller look.

I can dress this style up or wear it to the gym which makes it a winner winner in my book!

How was your #washdayexperience?

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Matrix Hydrasource Shampoo & Conditoner Giveaway

It's giveaway time!!! Here's your chance to win a set of my long time favorite products from Matrix! One lucky chica will win the Matrix Hydrasource Shampoo and Conditioner. You can check out my GLOWING reviews of both here:


Matrix Biolage Hydrasource

Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo

Pero, lo siento, this giveaway is only open to my continental US friends.

Enter daily!
Buena Suerte
KLP

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Bored Bored Bored | The #WashDayExperience

I love my Kurly Klips.

Love. LOVE. LOVE them thangs!

It's definitely not a secret.

I mean, these clip ins are the ONLY thing that I've talked about in the last just about 6 months.

But...

There's one teeny tiny problem....

I'm soooo over them.

It's not the clips.

It's totally me.

I just miss my hair.

I can't put it off another day.

So, let's all say goodbye to the Kurly Klips (for now)...

I'm sitting with deep conditioner in my hair now. I have no idea how I'm going to style it, but I'm kinda siced. *bounces in her seat*

Anyone else bored with their hair? How are you changing it up?

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