10 Cute Vacation Hairstyles For Natural Hair

Summer brings out the best in my curls. The volume and my fluffy kinks give me all kinds of LIFE. But...it also brings out the worse in my hair. Think frizz and a mind boggling amount of SHRINKAGE. And when I'm on vacation, I just got no time for my hair's unpredictability. So on those days when my hair just won't act right, I toss it up into one of these uber cute fun in the sun vacation hairstyles:

1/ KURLY KLIPS [Clip in Extensions] (tutorial)

What I love about Kurly Klips is that they are quick, easy, and you can keep all of your hair hidden while still rocking big bad hair.

RELATED: How I Protect My Hair Under Kurly Klips

2/ TOP KNOT (tutorial)

The top knot will always be in season. Especially when it's hot, hazy, and humid. Adding a flirty flower accessory gives this style a fun vacation feel.

3/ DOUBLE DUTCH BRAID + BRAID (tutorial)

Two braids pulled into a low bun. Simple. Easy. Quick. Uber cute! I loved this style whilst I relaxed my hair but it's even better now that my hair is curly! 

4/ TUCK & ROLL (tutorial)

I literally tuck, roll, and pin my curls up into this style. It takes no effort at all, keeps my hair tamed, and looks like I spent more than 5 minutes getting myself together. Win Win!

5/ HEADBAND + CURLS (tutorial)

Just like adding a head band---the second easiest way to jazz up your vacation look is with a flirty fun headband. Head bands work double duty for me. It's a way to smooth my edges and give my messy updos an intentional look.

6/ LOW BUN (tutorial)

I love this low bun because it's voluminous, doesn't snatch my edges, and super comfortable. I don't have to use weave or one of those cute mesh donut thingamajigs either. The best part of this updo is that it doesn't ruin my curls. At night, I take all the pins out, shake my hair out then band it. (here are the dets on how I band my hair) When I release the bands the next morning, all I have to do is fluff and go! This is how I wore my hair the next day!

7/ TURBAN + PUFF (tutorial)

The high puff is my go to style when the heat and humidity makes me feel like I'm going to spontaneously combust. Adding a turban gives the style an extra oomph and va va voom.

8/ SIDE SWEPT WASH & GO (tutorial)

Wash and go's are perfect the summer. Here's a cute way to jazz it up: pull all your curls over to the side then add a few hair pins and maybe a decorative head band to give the style even more pizazz. This style works well for any curl set; especially perm rods!

9/ HEADWRAP (tutorial)

The absolutely easiest, chicest, sassiest, solution to your vacation hair problems. Just throw a colorful patterned headscarf on, add some hoop earrings, then call it done! With so many ways to tie a headscarf and their affordability, how can you say no?

10/ FISHTAIL BRAIDS (tutorial)

Goddess braids are super versatile. They're perfect for pool side lounging and vogue enough for a night out. The key to a thick braid is to gently tuck on each side of the braid to fluff it out.

What's your favorite vacation style? Link it up below!

Besitos!
KLP

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6 Ways To Style A Wash and Go

Letting your curls fly wild and free is always fun and perfect for summer---but what do you do when the dynamic devilish duo of frizz and shrinkage attack your wash and go? Luckily I've got 6 ways that you can style your wash and go without ruining your curls, combat shrinkage, and give your frizz that "I woke up like this" slayage:

1/ SIDE SWEPT (tutorial)

I am in LOVE with this style. It's effortless, sophisticated, and super easy. Pull all your curls over to the side then add a few hair pins and maybe a decorative head band to give the style even more pizazz. This style works well for any curl set; especially perm rods!

2/ HIGH PUFF (tutorial)

Of course this list wouldn't be complete without my high puff. I usually love my high puff voluminous and fluffy---which usually leads to tangles and dehydrated curls. But not when my hair is in a wash and go! My wash and go technique ensures that my curls are tangle free and uber moisturized.

RELATED: How To Maintain Your Wash and Go for 5 Days!!

 

3/ FROHAWK (tutorial)

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.

4/ BANGS (tutorial)

Shaping your curls requires either a cut or some strategic fluffing. Because I'm not really ready for that cut life, I choose to band my curls to elongate them. My bangs are completely overgrown so a add a few hair pins to the front to give the illusion of face framing fluffy bang realness. (Say that 10 times fast! LOL)

RELATED: Perfecting Your Wash and Go with Banding

5/ LOW PUFF (tutorial)

My curls in the front of my hair tend to frizz up faster than the ones in the back---but instead of washing--I usually pull my hair back into a low puff. Low puffs are functional (it keeps my hair out of my face) but classic. Adding a little edge control tames my edges and flyaways for a sleek look.

6/ HALF UP

Ever wake up with one side of your curls smushed and flat? (Hope that someone else besides me is raising their hand right now...) There are times when no matter how much fluffing I do---my curls on one side just won't act right--enter my half up style. I just pin up the offending curls, shake the style out a little and boom! The perfect "I meant to do that" style!

What's your favorite style for a wash and go?

Link it up below!

Besitos!
KLP

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[Tutorial] Low Bun For Natural Hair

Y'all know that I love a good updo. I'm still living that wash and go life, but by the end of my hectic the day, my curls are usually in this low bun situation.  I love this low bun because it's voluminous, doesn't snatch my edges, and super comfortable. I don't have to use weave or one of those cute mesh donut thingamajigs either.

Here's how to get this low bun:

1. Moisturize, detangle, and seal your hair. 
2. Create a middle part. (Any part will do. I like the middle part because I struggle to get my bangs pulled back when I do a side part)
3. Apply a product to tame our edges. I used Eco Styler Krystal Gel (buy it here). 
4. Smooth your hair back into a low puff using a hair tie. I used my DIY Ribbon Hair Ties (here's how to make them). The key is not to double the hair tie. 
5. Roll, tuck and pin your hair around the perimeter of the hair tie to form your bun. 
6. Finish with a light mist of hair spray (I used Chi Enviro Flex Hold Hair Spray to keep your curls in place and tame frizzy flyaways.  

The best part of this updo is that it doesn't ruin my curls. At night, I take all the pins out, shake my hair out then band it. (here are the dets on how I band my hair) When I release the bands the next morning, all I have to do is fluff and go! This is how I wore my hair the next day!

How was your #washdayexperience? Anyone else sporting an updo this week?

Besitos!
KLP

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6 Reasons To Try a Wash and Go

If you're reading this, you've probably either attempted a wash and go or are thinking about attempting a wash and go. You might not think that wash and gos work for your hair type. You might not have found your perfect wash and go curling cocktail. But, I'm here to give you a gentle encouraging nudge to give the wash and go life a chance. Here are 6 reasons why you should try a wash and go (again):

Increased Curl Definition 

The wash and go is less about achieving a certain "style" and more about figuring out what technique + product selection encourages your strands to clump, curl and pop. There are tons of methods that you can use to define your curls (I use the rake and shake + praying hands for example). With each wash and go I've seen increased curl poppage and curl memory

Low Maintenance

I literally do nothing to my hair after wash day. No moisturizing and sealing. No detangling. No restyling.To keep my curls shaped, I band it at night using my DIY Ribbon Hair Ties and then cover with a satin cap/scarf. (You can find out more about banding here---just trust me, it's AMAZEBALLS)  My curls stay defined for days.

RELATED: DIY Ribbon Hair Ties For Natural Hair

Quasi-Protective Style

While I can't say that the wash and go is a legit style that will protect your ends. I can say this: Because of my product cocktail, my ends stay uber moisturized between washes. My shrinkage doesn't allow my curls to touch my shoulders, so I don't have to worry about the ends of my hair rubbing and snagging on anything. Then there's the business of the gel cast. The gel cast is almost like a protective curl exoskeleton (say that 10 times fast!). The cast prevents moisture from escaping (as quickly) from your strands and keeps your curls weighed down which prevents tangling.Which leads me to my next point...

Less Tangles

In the past, when I tried wash and gos, my gel application was lousy (I only used gel on my ends instead of the entire strand), my hair wasn't properly moisturized prior to applying the gel, and I didn't band my hair. All of this was a recipe for tangles, knots, and general natural hair mayhem.

Gym/Workout Friendly

I work out 5-6 days a week, 30 minutes to an hour. Now I'm not talking yoga---where you don't sweat and look cute. I'm talking 2 mile morning runs + 30 minute cardio kickboxing with a few plyometric and circuit training courses sprinkled in. I sweat like a sinner in church. But my wash and go never shows it! I shared all of the details on how I do it here: How to Maintain Your Wash and go for 5 days!

RELATED: Workout styles for natural hair

Long Lasting

My very first wash and go experience was terrifying to say he least. The style lasted all of 24 hours before I gave up, co-washed then put my hair up in a bun. Luckily, I'm stupid persistent because at almost a year later, I'm alllll about the wash and go. My curls are moisturized, defined, and last for dayssss (so far the longest I've been able to go is 8 days between wash and gos). So even if you've failed time and time again to get the wash and go of your dreams---I encourage you to keep trying. Because your curls were made for this. Literally!

If you've mastered your wash and go, share some of your fave tips below. And if you are still figuring it all out, drop a question in the comment section. We're here to support, encourage, and throw a little positive pixie dust your way!

Besitos!
KLP

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Fro with Bangs | The #WashDayExperience

My wash and go is more of a wash, apply products, wait wait wait wait wait wait, wait some more wait wait wait wait until it air dries, band to stretch the curls a bit, then go. But you know what's weird? I honestly wouldn't have it any other way because this style lasts me for 5-6 days. My hair stays uber moisturized. I've experienced less breakage, less shedding, and more curl popping definition.

I can alternate between a high puff and wearing it out, without ruining my curls. I don't have to moisturize and seal daily. And I'm only washing my hair once a week. Like seriously---I dare not complain because the universe is a jealous fickle beast.

Day 2 of my wash and go from last week

Day 3 of my wash and go from last week

Most wash and go queens report that they have better definition and less frizz when they apply their leave ins in the shower. Well, my wash and go from last week frizzed up sooner than I was expecting (around day 3-4) and when I did that last week. So this week---I went back to applying my leave ins outside of the shower. Proof that what works for gander---might not work for this goose. Ha-ha!

Here is what I used:

Pre-shampoo- DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here) + Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner (review) (buy it)
Shampoo- Jessicurl Cleansing Cream (review)(buy it)
Henna Treatment- How to use Lush Henna on Natural Hair
Deep Condition- Jessicurl Deep Treatment Conditioner (review)(buy it) + Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (buy it)
Clay Rinse- Here's the dets on my recipe
Leave-Ins- Castor Oil (buy it)+ Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (review)(buy it)
Styler- Eco Styler Krystal Gel (buy it)

And here's how I did it:

PRE-SHAMPOO

I love my pre-shampoo sessions because they allow me to detangle/remove shed hair before I get into the shower plus it gives my hair an extra boost of either moisture or protein. I started by spraying my hair with my DIY moisturizing mist. If you haven't tried this recipe yet--WHAT ARE YOU WAITIN FOR?!?! It's not just moisturizing but it's an excellent detangler too! After I sprayed each section, I slathered on a little Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner. This conditioner has some of the best slip of any conditioner that I've ever used and the essential oils make my scalp feel happy.  I covered with a plastic cap and sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes.

RELATED: The Best Moisturizer For Natural Hair EVER!

SHAMPOO

With my hair secured in about 7 sections (4 in the back and 3 in the front), I rinsed the conditioner then shampooed with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream (review here). I expected tangles and a week's worth of shed hair, but surprisingly the process was quick and tangle-free. Now that I'm shampooing more often, I'm thinking about trying out the Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo too. It's stupid cheap (like $4!) and if it's anything like the conditioner---it might be a winner! Have you tried it before?

HENNA TREATMENT

Henna applications double the time that it takes to wash my hair. Ugh. But the results are sooo worth it. I applied my Lush Caca Rouge mixture to my freshly washed hair in sections, covered with cling film and let it sit for about 3 hours (one hour I spent under the dryer). You can read more about my latest excursion with henna here.

RELATED: How to use Lush Henna on Natural Hair

Henna Results

DEEP CONDITION + CLAY RINSE

After rinsing the henna for what felt like forever, I t-shirt dried for a few minutes then applied my FAVEEEE deep conditioner Jessicurl Deep Treatment (review here). Next, I layered on a little Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (shop it!) to seal in the conditioner. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under my dryer for about an hour. I wanted to make sure that my hair was moisturized after using the henna because it can make your hair feel a little dry. I rinsed the conditioner in the shower then did my Clay Rinse treatment. Clay rinsing defines my curls like no other treatment that I use. If you only try ONE thing from my regimen---clay rinsing is the one to try. Especially if you are having trouble getting your curls to clump and pop.

RELATED: How I Get My Curls To POP!

LEAVE-IN + STYLER

Out of the shower, I applied my moisturizing leave in, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here) then sectioned off my hair to prep for applying the gel. I used the same exact technique from last week. Starting with the back, I spritzed it with water until it was soaking wet then finger detangled until my hair clumped into curls. Then I smoothed a little gel on the roots--but not on my scalp. Next, I raked a little more gel through all the way until the ends and gently shook out the curls. (aka the rake and shake technique)

FRO WITH {FAUX} BANGS

The application process still takes me about 35-40 minutes to do. And because I didn't want to be waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting, and waiting some more, I decided to sit under my hooded dryer. Believe it or not--my hair was just about completely dry after an hour. Boom pow. No more air drying for this chica! Of course my roots were still a little damp. This just comes with the thicker than thieves hair that I have. I banded my hair using my new DIY Ribbon Elastic Hair Ties (tutorial coming soon!)

Ribbon Elastic Hair ties don't leave nearly has many ceases in my curls when I band, they are super comfortable and very very gentle on my hair. The next morning, all I had to do was remove the bands---which is super easy and doesn't cause breakage---shake my hair out a little then fluff.

I forgot to take pictures of my first and second day hair but this third day hair tho?!?!? I decided to pin my overgrown bangs up a little to get them above my eyes and rock this stretched curly fro.

Fro + Bangs? Shoot...y'all can't tell me NOTHING!

Let me know if y'all want a tutorial on how I pinned my bangs and got all this stupid crazy volume!

How was your #washdayexperience?

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Perfecting My Wash and Go | The #WashDayExperience

I'm still in a little shock that my wash and go from last week actually lasted for 5 days. I didn't have to add any additional product and using banding to maintain my hair was so simple. Because I'm just not customized to only washing my hair once a week. I was really expecting my hair to be dry and my scalp to be itchy. Surprisingly it wasn't.

RELATED: How I Maintained My Wash and Go for 5 Days

I probably could have stretched my wash day one more day---but I decided not to push it. The one thing that I knew for sure was that I'd have to shampoo to remove all of the gel/castor oil/dirt/sweat that was bound to be on my hair and scalp. 

Here's what I used:

Pre-shampoo/Strengthening Treatment- DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here) + Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner (review here)
Shampoo- Jessicurl Cleansing Cream (review here)
Deep Condition- Jessicurl Deep Treatment Conditioner (review here) + Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (shop it!)
Clay Rinse- Here's the dets on my recipe
Leave-Ins- Castor Oil (shop it!)+ Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here)
Styler- Eco Styler Krystal Gel (shop it!)


And here's how I did it:


I usually start my wash day with a pre-shampoo. My pre-shampoo sessions allow me to detangle/remove shed hair before I get into the shower and it gives my hair an extra boost of either moisture or protein. Because I already had a ton of build up on my hair, I wasn't sure that my pre-shampoo session would even be effective. But habits are hard to break. So I started by spraying my hair with my DIY moisturizing mist. This concoction is not just moisturizing---it's also fantastic at detangling my hair. After I sprayed each section, I slathered on a little warmed Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner. After a week of wearing my hair out, I wanted to add a little protein to my hair for strength and to combat breakage. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes.

With my hair secured in about 7 sections (4 in the back and 3 in the front), I rinsed the conditioner then shampooed with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream (review here). I expected tangles and a week's worth of shed hair, but surprisingly the process was quick and tangle-free.

I t-shirt dried for a few minutes then applied my FAVEEEE deep conditioner Jessicurl Deep Treatment (review here). Next, I layered on a little Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (shop it!) to seal in the conditioner. I covered with a plastic cap and left it in overnight.


RELATED: Why I Deep Condition Overnight 

Wet hair after deep conditioning + castor oil

The next morning, I rinsed the conditioner then did my Clay Rinse treatment. Clay rinsing defines my curls giving them extra poppage. Made up word but whatevs... After applying the clay rinse in sections, I rinsed then applied some regular old castor oil (I used this one) to my soaking wet hair.
I rinsed my hair again to get my curls to clump up again. Out of the shower, I applied my moisturizing leave in, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here) then sectioned off my hair to prep for applying the gel.


RELATED: How I Get My Curls To POP!

My Wash and Go Technique #2

I used the same exact technique from last week. Starting with the back, I spritzed it with water until it was soaking wet then finger detangled until my hair clumped into curls. Then I smoothed a little gel on the roots--but not on my scalp. Next, I raked a little more gel through all the way until the ends and gently shook out the curls. (aka the rake and shake technique)

The application process took me about 35-40 minutes to do. I let my hair air dry for a couple of hours. (about 3-4 hours) But that wasn't nearly enough time for it to dry, so I sat under my hooded dryer---set on cool--- for about 30 minutes.

My hair was a little damp at the roots, so I banded my hair using some extra wide hair ties. (these are my faves) Then let my hair dry overnight.

The next morning, all I had to do was remove the bands---which is super easy and doesn't cause breakage---shake my hair out a little then fluff.

Surprisingly, my hair actually felt more moisturized after this wash and go than it was after last week's wash and go. I attribute the extra moisture to applying regular old castor oil to my hair while it was soaking wet. I think that this technique helped seal my hair. Regular castor oil has a less pungent scent than JBCO so I'm glad that I switched plus it's soo much cheaper and the packaging makes it easier to use in the shower. Next week, I plan to switch to ribbon ties instead of the regular hair ties that I've been using. The regular hair ties leave dents in my hair--which I don't really mind, but I do worry if ribbon ties will work better. I also plan to apply just a little more gel to my roots. I noticed a little more frizz at the roots on day one than I had last time.

I wonder if I can get another 5 days out of this wash and go too!

Fingers crossed!

How was your #washdayexperience? Is your hair ready for the summer?

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3 Ways To Prepare Your Curls For Summer

I'm so ready for summer! But, I'm not so sure that my hair is. I feel like I've got my minimalist regimen down pact. I know what styles...

*clears throat* Hey Curlformers!!!

...worked for my hair during the cooler months. However, I think that it's time to give my curls a pick me up. Here's how I'm getting my hair ready for summer:

START WITH A TRIM

My last trim was in December and although I'm not one to really trim on a schedule, I do want to start the summer without splits and single strand knots.

RELATED: 6 Ways To Trim Natural Hair

DEEP MOISTURIZING TREATMENT

Y'all know how much I love deep conditioning my hair overnight. I talk about it constantly because iIt's a staple technique in my regimen. Plus I already know what will happen if I don't stick to what works for my hair. Last summer, I lived in my high puff. I didn't moisturize my hair regularly and my ends suffered because of it. In learning from my mistake, I want to be proactive instead of reactive and keep my ends in good shape.

RELATED: Why I deep condition overnight

RE-EVALUATE YOUR HAIR STYLE

My curlformers have been very good to me, but I need to be realistic. I live at the beach and the humidity + heat + 100% chance of rain erryday just won't let me be great. I don't think that I'll turn into a wash and go pro, but I really want to find a styling technique that can work with the elements instead of revolting against them. Until then---I'll be rocking the mess outta these Kurly Klips!

In what ways are you pepping your hair for summer? What's your signature summer style?

Besitos!
KLP

10 Quick and Easy Updos For Natural Hair

I LIVE and DIE for a quick and easy updo. Especially since I stopped relaxing my hair. I just don't have time for crazy complicated hair styles.

I'm guilty of hitting the snooze button one too many times. I often forget to set my hair the night before. And don't get me started on all of my failed wash and gos. Nonetheless, I refuse to walk out of the house looking a hot mess. So instead of giving you a boring #washdayexperience this week, I decided to share 10 of my favorite super  quick and easy updos: 

1/ SWIRLED CROWN BRAID (tutorial)

The perfect way to elevate a humble dutch braid. The key to this style is gently fluffing the sides of the braid to give it volume and make it look thicker.

2/ KNOTTED UPDO (tutorial)

Not a braid. Not a bun. All protective. Stupid simple. This Knotted Updo is perfect for any length hair. I used a technique called banding to stretch my curls.

RELATED: How to stretch natural (and transitioning) hair without heat! 

3/ TWO STRAND TWIST UPDO (tutorial)

The final chop of my texlaxed ends left my bangs super short which made styles other than a high bun difficult. After a little trial and error, I realized that two strand twisting my bangs first + a few well placed hair pins was all I needed to create a cute "not a boring bun" look. 

4/ FLAT TWIST BUN (tutorial)

I love using curlformers to stretch my hair then pulling the curls up into a protective style. And this Flat twist Bun is the perfect example of that. This style is chic but simple and the longer that you leave it in, the more voluminous it makes your hair look. So if you have hair on the finer side---this style is for you!


RELATED: How to use Curlformers on Natural Hair

5/ FISHTAIL BANANA CLIP (tutorial)

Banana clips are a fun way to put your hair into a quick updo. Then you can pin your ends up to turn the updo into a protective style.

6/ SWIRLED FLAT TWIST BUN (tutorial)

Make one large flat twist then two single twists then BOOM you gotta super cute hairstyle! Again, the length of your hair doesn't matter for this style.

7/ HIGH PUFF (tutorial)

Of course this list wouldn't be complete without my high puff. It's the style that I love to hate. It's the epitome of easy but it makes me soooo lazy with my hair. 

8/ FLUFFY TOP KNOT (tutorial)

As I got deeper in my relaxer stretch turned transition, pulling my hair into a high bun got harder and harder. That is until I worked my hair into this gorgeous fluffy top knot.

9/ HEAD WRAP SCARF BUN (tutorial)

This style has two steps: Bantu knot your bangs then wrap your hair in your favorite printed scarf. Easy peasy!

10/ CURLY UPSWEEP (tutorial)

Necessity is the mother of invention. All I had was a failed twist out, 5 minutes, and a stretched out hair tie; and it was all I needed to create this style. I pulled my hair into a high puff leaving down a large section to give myself a curly bang.

What's your favorite updo? Link it up below!

Besitos!
KLP

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Corkscrew Curlformer + Flat Twist Out on Natural Hair

I had such great success with my Spiral Extra Long and Wide (Pink and orange) Curlformer styling kit that I've really been debating on whether or not I wanted to invest in the Corkscrew Long and Narrow (Blue and Green) kit. These kits aren't cheap and ya girl ain't rich so I put those thoughts on the back burner for a while.

Apparently someone over at HairFlair (the makers of Curlformers) heard about how I'd been screaming singing the praises of these little gems for months and they offered me the opportunity to try the corkscrew curlers for free.

Yep.

That's me.

Happier than a 5 year old on Christmas.

Anxiously, I put these bad boys to the test over the weekend. I used my usual products but I had to change my technique up a little bit.

These curlformers are more narrow and my hair is pretty thick, so I wasn't sure if my set of 40 would be enough for my entire head. I decided to try a flat twist out---with the curlformers at the end.

I did a total of 13 flat twists with 2 curlformers on the ends of each. Then I used the rest of the curlformers at the very top of my head for added volume. I also added a tiny dab of gel to the ends before installing to keep the curls smooth after take down.

Here's what it looked like after take down.

Then I had to fluff it like crazy because the curls were defined---but flat.

I don't hate it---but I'm not sure if I love it either. For the first day, I did a half up/half down high bun. They next day, I pulled all of the curls over for a romantic sideswept look. I have to admit, the curls really held up well. My hair was super moisturized and the addition of that dab of gel on the ends was a game changer.

Have you ever tried the corkscrew curlformers? Were they winners?

Besitos!
KLP

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How To Get The Perfect High Puff on Natural Hair

In honor of lazy day hair style week, I'm sharing with you guys my laziest boringest style ever:

The high puff.

Yes, yes, I know that I swore off my high puffs in my Worse of 2015 list. But...

I just can't quit it.

This must be what Cookie Monster feels like when he goes on a diet...

The good news is that I figured out a way to rock my worse/best style without damaging my hair (so far).

But first, I had to promise myself was to never NEVER...

Like ever...

Go more than a day without re-moisturizing my curls.

I'm just so prone to laziness...

Anywhos---here are my secrets to the perfect high puff:

1. Start with stretched hair- My hair was previously stretched using curlformers.
2. Moisturize- I lightly mist my hair with my DIY Hair Moisturizer and applied my favorite leave-in conditioner.
3. Seal with a oil or butter- Because I know that my ends dry out fast, I liberally added this hair butter to my ends.The butter also defines my ends so that they don't get tooo frizzy.
4. Lay your edges- I'm not much of an edge control girl, but when I wear a puff, I like my edges neat and laid. Today I used a little Curls Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Paste.
5. Gentle metal free extra wide hair tie- my secret to a giant high puff is to center it at the very top of my head with an extra wide hair tie. The density of my hair keeps the hair tie in place without it being too tight. This is my current fave hair tie.

Viola. My stupid easy uber lazy high puff!

What's your lazy day style? Share the dets in the linkup collection below!

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[Tutorial] Curlformer Side Bun + Double Dutch Braid Bun | The #WashDayExperience

They say that too much of a good thing is bad---and I'm guessing that applies to your hair too.

I co-washed by hair about 3 days after last week's #washdayexperience and afterwards I noticed that I had a couple places in my hair with some yucky build up at the roots.

So I grabbed my fave shampoo this week to give my scalp a thorough scrub.

Here's what I used:

Pre-shampoo- DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here) + Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner  (review here)
Shampoo- Jessicurl Cleansing Shampoo (review here)
Clay Rinse- Here's the dets on my recipe
Deep Condition- Jessicurl Deep Treatment Conditioner (review here)
Leave-Ins- Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (Why EVCO is AMAZING here) + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here) + DIY Hair Butter (tutorial here)

RELATED: My Minimalist Natural Hair Regimen

And here's how I did it:

This week's #WashDayExperience theme is Detangling tips. I always detangle my hair before I hop in the shower. When I don't---my hair hates me. To get started, I spritzed the ends of my hair with my DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here). Then I slathered my hair in Herbal Essence Hello Hydration (my full review here) and detangled my hair in small sections. My detangling process takes about 15-20 minutes. I let the pre-shampoo treatment sit for about 20 minutes before hopping in the shower.

RELATED: My 5 Steps to Detangle FAST!

In the shower, I rinsed the conditioner section by section then applied my Clay Rinse with a narrow tip applicator bottle. This week, I started the application from front to back. My curls in the back are completed defined from root to tip. So I started with the front to give these curls some more love. Fingers crossed that I can get the curls in the front to POP like the ones do in the back!

Next, I deep conditioned with my all time fave conditioner Jessicurl Deep Treatment Conditioner (review here), coated my ends in Extra Virgin Coconut oil (here's the kind that I use $) to seal in the conditioner and plopped under my hooded dryer for about 30 minutes.

RELATED: Why I'm in love with the Coco (Coconut Oil of course!) 

I t-shirt dried for about 10 minutes then installed Curlformers using a little more Extra Virgin Coconut Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here) + DIY Hair Butter (how to make your own Hair Butter here) as my leave ins.

I sat under the dryer for an hour then took down the curlformers and tossed my hair into a side bun.

I thought about doing something more glamorous the next day.

But I just didn't feel like it.

So into my staple Double Dutch Braid Bun the curls went. Aside from a simple ponytail--has been my favorite workout style since my relaxed days. You can check out more of my workout styles here. 

What are your detangling tips and how did you style your hair this week?

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