Showing posts with label Wash and Go. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wash and Go. Show all posts

Friday, July 01, 2016

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



Wednesday, June 22, 2016

[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


 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

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

Wednesday, June 08, 2016

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?


Wednesday, June 01, 2016

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?




Tuesday, May 31, 2016

How I Maintained My Wash and Go for 5 Days

I never thought that I could actually get any style to last. Especially not for 5 days. Especially not a wash and go. And especially when I've never even had a presentable wash and go to begin with. But my wash and go from last week was pure magical. Not only was it beautiful on day 1---it was still gorgeous on day 5!




And I practially did NOTHING to maintain it. Legit y'all. No moisturizing or sealing. No reapplication of gel. No nada. Here's what I did:



BANDING

Every night, I banded my hair. Banding is a super simple concept and even easier to do. First, divided my hair into about 5-9 sections (the more sections you have the more stretch you'll be able to achieve), then used an extra wide hair tie to secure the section at the base. Next, I wrapped the the rest of the pony along the length my hair. I don't band the very ends of my hair to keep the curls in tact.

Banding elongates my curls without destroying the curl pattern. It also counteracts the ridiculous amount of shrinkage that I have. The best part about banding is that it's heat free, doesn't cause breakage, and it's incredibly gentle on my strands.

Related: How To Band Natural Hair 

Day 1
 

EXERCISING

I workout every morning---and night. During my morning workouts, I keep my hair banded and covered with a satin scarf. At night, I throw my hair up into a high puff.

Related: What I used for this wash and go!

Day 2 Wash and go

MORNING ROUTINE

On the mornings when I started the day with cardio---I noticed that my roots were a little damp. So I sat under my hooded dryer---on cool---for about 10 minutes until my roots were dry. Then I removed the bands, shook my hair, fluffed it a little with my fingers for some volume, then went about my business.

Day 3 Wash and go

NIGHTLY ROUTINE

After my night workout, I banded my hair into those same 5 sections. I didn't moisturize. I didn't seal. I didn't really do much of anything besides band my hair and cover with a scarf.

Day 4 Wash and Go


I'm not really used to one wash day a week anymore. I was afraid that my hair was going to be a dry frizz ball. But believe it or not, my hair felt amazing. I had a little frizz in the front---most likely from my time on the treadmill with covering my hair. *hangs head* So on day 5, I pulled it up into a high puff. I washed my hair the next day but I feel like I could have pushed it one more day in another high puff if I needed to.

Day 5 Wash and go


I'm feeling really optimistic about the future of my wash and gos!

Are you a wash and go girl? How do you maintain your curls?

Besitos!
KLP

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Wash and Go Magic! | The #WashDayExperience

Every time that I wash my hair---I fall in love with my curl pattern a little more. Aren't my curls just the tiniest coiliest kinkiest curls that you ever did see? Okay, maybe I'm bias. But for as much as I love a good stretched curl former set, high puff, or updo---I love my curls 3 million times more. Which is why I'm more determined than ever to get this wash and go thing right.



Plus in honor of this week's #washdayexperience: "Next Day Hair." I used an old technique in a new way to give my wash and go a little stretch without heat.



Here's what I used:

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


RELATED: My Minimalist Natural Hair Regimen

First, I spritzed the ends of my hair with my DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here). Then I slathered my hair in warmed Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner (review here) as I detangled. I love this conditioner because it helps makes breakage disappear, defines my curls and it has a TON of slip. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes.

RELATED: Tips for making your deep conditioner more effective 

Day 1 hair

After rinsing the conditioner in the shower, my hair felt amazing. Soft but strong and the curl definition/elongation was on point. Yay for protein treatments! 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 to seal in the conditioner. I covered with a plastic cap and left it in overnight.

RELATED: Why I Deep Condition Overnight

The next morning, I rinsed the conditioner, t-shirt dried for a couple of minutes then applied Jamaican Black Castor oil (shop it)+ Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here) as my leave ins.

Day 1 hair

My Wash and Go Technique #2


I put my hair into 5 sections then secured each with a hair clip. 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. 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. Then I let my hair air dry for the rest of the day (approx 5 hours)

My hair was a bit damp at the roots, but I didn't want to use heat and potentially disturb my curl pattern. So I banded my hair using some extra wide hair ties. Then let my hair dry overnight.

Banding to stretch my curls


The banding actually helped break the gel cast and stretched my curls without destroying them (like I did the first time...smh) I noticed that the front of my hair is where I have the worse gel cast. Does this happen to anyone else?



So far this is the best wash and go that I've been able to produce! Here's an outline of what I did differently: Clay rinse after deep conditioning, applied castor oil instead of coconut oil to my freshly  washed hair, changed from EccoStyler EVOO to EccoStyler Krystal Klear, and I let my hair air dry then banded to elongate the curls. The next day---I banded again and got even BETTER results!



I finally got my curls to look the same when they are wet---as when they are dry! WASH AND GO MAGIC!!!! For my next wash and go, I plan to use regular ol castor oil instead of JBCO. I love the way that the JBCO kept my hair moisturized and really defined my curls, but the scent is just too woodsy for me. Plus, regular old castor oil is definitely more economical. I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to perfecting this wash and go thing!



How was your #washdayexperience? Feel free to share the details with the rest of our healthy hair tribe!

Besitos!
KLP




Wednesday, May 04, 2016

Wash and Go FAIL | The #WashDayExperience

Last spring, I attempted my first wash and go. It was pretty terrible. My hair took hours to dry, my curls were stupid frizzy, and by the time that it dried---my hair felt like straw. I tried a couple more times before I gave up and moved on to curlformers.


www.savingoursrands.com

But the problem is---I LOVE my curl pattern. My curls are tiny and stupid coily and ever so kinky. And when moisturized my curls pop like crazy. Ugh...Do you guys understand how much I just wanna wake up like this? Perfectly moisturized, just the right amount of shrinkage, and curls for ddaaayyyssssss....

www.savingourstrands.com

So I gotta find a technique + product that will help my curls hold this pattern instead of frizzing up completely. (No shade to frizz---I do love a good fuzzy frizzy high puff every now and again...lol)


www.savingourstrands.com)


So I'm determined to figure get this wash and go situation right for the summer. And how perfect is this week's #WashDayExperience theme: Summer Prep!?!

Here's what I used:

www.savingourstrands.com


Deep Condition- DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here) + 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) + EccoStyler Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gel (buy it here)

And here's how I did it:

I started my spritzing the ends of my hair with my DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here). Then I slathered my hair in Jessicurl Deep Treatment (review here). My hair was super dry so I sealed in the conditioner with a little Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (here's the kind that I use $) then left it in overnight.

RELATED: Why I Deep Condition Overnight

The next morning, I rinsed the conditioner, t-shirt dried for a couple of minutes then applied little more Extra Virgin Coconut Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner (why I love this stuff here) as my leave ins.

www.savingourstrands.com

My Wash and Go Technique #1


I put my hair into 5 sections then secured each with a hair clip. 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. 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. Then used a diffuser to dry the ends and the concentration nozzle to stretch the roots.

Everything seemed to be going well. Until I realized two things:

FLAKES and MORE FLAKES


That gel cast is NOT a joke.

I also noticed that I stretched my roots a bit too much which made the top of my hair really flat. It was impossible to get a presentable pic of how bad it really was.

www.savingourstrands.com


So I pulled it up into a high puff and called it a day.

I'm thinking that I'll try a new gel next week, do a clay rinse (to get those curls re-hydrated), and try not to blow-fry my roots again. Do you have any tips on getting your wash and go just right? Dimelo!

Besitos!
KLP


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Is Your Hair Regimen Working? | The #WashDayExperience

 
www.savingourstrands.com
I noticed that my hair has been on its very best behavior over the last 3 weeks. Think super moisturized curls pump, clumped and shiny. So I checked my previous #washdayexperience posts to see what exactly had I been doing.


And to my surprise--I'd used the same exact product lineup and the same exact setting techniques.

So obviously I had to do it again...


Here's what I used:

Pre-shampoo- DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here) + Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner  (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:

I started my spritzing the ends of my hair with my DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here). Then I slathered my hair in Herbal Essence Hello Hydration. I talk about this combo every week so if you're still sleeping on it---shame on you! BUT if you want tangle melting madness You can read my full review here!

www.savingourstrands.com

RELATED: How I got these curls to POP!

I hopped in the shower, rinsed the conditioner section by section then applied my Clay Rinse with a narrow tip applicator bottle. This is my third consecutive clay rinse and I'm still tickled pink with how moisturized and defined my curls are afterwards. 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.

Can I just get a hand clap and dust of pixie dust for these curls?!?

www.savingourstrands.com

I think that my hair regimen is working! Hopefully you won't get bored with m!

How did you style your hair this week? Do you think that your hair regimen is working? Share the dets below!



Tuesday, December 29, 2015

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





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