Growing Pains of a Wash Day | Keyda

Braid to side w/ curls 

Hola Chicas!

Long time, yo se!

I have spent much of my summer dealing with moving, working (swim instructor time & school counselor), and just trying to enjoy what I have as a summer! But I am happy to be posting right now :) Through these few weeks,  I had a touch-up right before 4th of July. hah... I am teetering the line of attempting to go post-relaxer over 16 weeks..... yo no se!

Personally, I have a few "growing pains" I realize with my wash days that I have triumphed or is still attempting to overcome. I wanted to share as we begin a new fall! Do you have any?

Growing Pains of a Wash Day:    
                                  

Summer Braid w/ Bow 



1. Tangles & Knots - I think these have gotten worse for me honestly! However, I have learned to just go with the flow. I realize that if the tangle does not come out with my fingers through the pre-poo process, I will wait until I'm under water and detangle while I shampoo or condition! 
2. 30 minutes and Done! - I used to want to keep my DC under heat for at least 40 minutes or longer! However, I honestly was following the "process". Then I realized my hair soaks in the moisture by 30 minutes and it is good! Yummy... So, I do not keep my DC in my hair any more longer then 30 minutes (unless I am cleaning and forget) because any longer it does not change what it has already done for me!  Lesson - do what is best for YOUR hair! :) 
3. Style Experimentation - I admit, I admit! I got lazy over the summer and kept my hair pinned up or braided! I plan on trying more bantu knots, flexi-rods and even, gasp, straightening my hair! Basically, I do not want to only bun it up, I want to stay fun with my hair! :P 
4. Tea Rinses - need I say more!? Keeping it in my regimen 
5. Product Overload - I have begun limiting the amount of products I am placing in my hair. I do not want my hair to be overwhelmed and if it works, then why try something new! I also want to wait until I need something new before buying products. I do not want to be a product hoarder! lol hehe but hey! it is hard..... 

Hope everyone is have a blast as their summer turns into fall! Check out my two of my "decent" haha summer styles!
What have you learned about your wash days!?

xoxo

Keyda 

{Keyda} Wash Day - 5 weeks post

Hola Chicas!!
 
I am in awe of my new growth! I really want a touch-up but I shall try to hold out. As I walked through Safeway, there was a sale on Organix Moroccan Argan Creme Conditioner, and I could not resist! Lol! I love Organix products. They are extremely affordable yet awesome on your hair.

New Fave DC

(1) Detangled my hair with my Magic Rake comb
(2) Prepoo with my OddStrandOut Coffee Oil mix on my scalp and the As I Am: Hydration Elation Intensive Conditioner on the length of my hair. I heated up a wet towel to place over my hair then topped with a plastic cap as well. I really wanted the moisture and oil to absorb into my hair.
(3) Cowash with Moroccan Argan Creme Conditioner. I absolutely loved the smell of this product and my hair felt yummy!
(4) Tea rinse with CC's Naturals Happy Hair Tea. Yummy! :)
(5) Smoothing Treatment- I added Roux Porosity Control Conditioner over the tea in my hair and a cap. Then Faux steamed in the shower.
(6) Leave-ins: Unintentionally, I air dried 100%. #FTWNOHEAT I applied Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer on length of hair, Nexxus Hydralight lift on my roots and Organix Coconut Anti-Breakage Serum on my ends.

Front w/ accent

Back

Results: 
My hair felt very soft yet strong. My scalp looked FABULOUS again! :) woot! I just love a healthy looking scalp. I am really a fan of the new conditioner from Organix...as of now..I would love to try it as a prepoo. I style my hair very simply and plan on going no heat for the entire time till my next wash!


What you think chicas!? 


Muahzz

xoxo
Keyda
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Mini Wash

I'm so happy to be back to mini washing. Jumping in and out of the shower several times in one day is pure torture. This week, I moisturized with my Kitchenista Loco Leave in of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration thinned out with Aloe Vera Juice. Meh---I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. But it wasn't a disaster. Ha-ha. I'm going to try a few more weeks and report back my results.

This week, I pretty much alternated low, high, and side buns. Saturday I attempted a bantu knot out. It was gorgeous while en route to visit my sister-in-law. Then, after about 3 hours, I looked in the mirror. BIG HAIR CENTRAL. I gave in and just pulled it all up into a high bun messy style. Heat and humidity- 1. KLP- 0. Gracias a Dios por buns. Later that day, I got stuck in the rain at a baseball game so I was glad that my hair was already up and tucked away. Rain- 1 KLP- 0. When I got home, I rinsed my hair and applied a little Matrix Biolage Hydratherapie Detangling Solution once my hair was about 90% dry. Omgosh, this stuff has the most amazing slip. Even though the directions said that it was a rinse out detangler. I thought that it would be great as a leave in. And I was right---until my hair was completely dry and completely moisture-less. So, I re-read the ingredients: BOOM Isopropyl alcohol. Wack drying ingredients- 1 KLP- 0 <hangs head>. I'm so not #winning right now. Ha-ha. Luckily, wash day was the next day. Here's how my wash day went:

Wash Day Products

1. Detangled- using my Magic Star Jumbo Rake seamless comb.
2. Extreme Deep Condition- with JBCO and my essential oil blend on my scalp and Halka Baba de Caracol on the length of my hair. Then I massaged coconut oil into my strands, covered with a plastic cap and relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours.
3. Tea Rinse- I rinsed the conditioner then with 2 green tea bags steeped in 2 cups of water. I applied my tea rinse using a narrow tip applicator. I let it sit for a few minutes and rinsed. 
4. Smoothing Treatment- Next, I applied a large dollop of Nexxus Hydralight Weightless Moisture Conditioner, massaged it in from root to tip for a minute or two then rinsed. I love Nexxus products and I was super anxious to try this one, but my hair just isn't feeling the love; I'm forcing myself to use it up so that I can make room in my stash.
5. Air Dried- 90% with silk scarf.
6. Leave-Ins- Bee Mine Bee Lovely Moisturizing Daily Conditioner to moisturize and Almond Oil to seal.

Naked 90% Air dried hair

Results:
#WINNING! My big fluffy soft moisturized hair is back! Baba de Caracol always does the trick y'all! I will never doubt this conditioner. And you can win it in our Dominican Giveaway. There's only one day left to enter!

How was your latest wash day?

Besitos!




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Salon Wash Day

I haven't let a stylist lather up my hair since 2011. Mainly because I enjoy doing my hair myself, but mostly because I just don't trust them! I get tangles easily, I'm tender headed, and I hate it when a stylist thinks that they know the hair on my head better than I do. I'm just too particular! However, when chatting with my sorority sister about the details of her wedding, I realized that there was no way that I would have time to do my own hair in the midst of everything else going on. I was going to need to outsource. *hangs head* 

My sorority sister is heat straightened natural and also quite particular about her hair, so I knew whomever she choose for her hair, would be a-okay for mine. After a lot of research, she settled on June Lankford of Personally Yours Healthy Hair. June is a freelance stylist and she also works in Richmond, Virginia's Allure Salon. Before, June got her hands into my hair, I watched her work magic on my sister's hair the day before. Although, June used more heat than I would have preferred, she did one thing the one thing that every great stylist does: She listened. She listened to my sister's concerns, she allowed my sister to send her tons of pics of the styles that she wanted, and she asked questions. I just knew that June was going to be a winner!

Here's how my wash and style went: 

(0) Detangled. June detangled my hair with a seamless comb similar to the Hercules Sagemann HS1975 Styling Comb. I actually didn't care for this at all. She separated my hair into four sections, but I really prefer and actually offered her my Magic Star Jumbo Rake. She politely declined and said that her comb was doing a great job. She didn't start at the ends like I would have done and she didn't work in smaller sections, as I would have done. Nonetheless, I got a glance at her comb and only saw a few stands in the teeth. Ay...mi culpa...Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. *shrugs---for now* Ha-ha!
(1) Shampoo. June lathered my hair up twice with Influance Hydrating Shampoo. I'd never heard of this product line. She told me that it was the best line that she's used for natural/textured hair. Trust and believe that this chica will be researching this ASAP.
(2) Condition. June used good old KeraCare Humecto to condition my hair. She applied a big dollop then used the same comb to detangle my hair. Meh--I wasn't a fan of this either. I got a glance at the hair in the comb---it was about two times the size of my usual shed hair. I just not a fan of small teethed combs + wet detangling for my hair.

Salon Leave-ins

(3) Blow Dry. I almost never blow dry my hair. But with the wedding just a few hours away, there is no way that I would have let my hair air dry. June blow dried my hair with a decent sized comb attachment. My head hasn't seen a blow dryer with a comb attachment since high school, so I was apprehensive, but June zipped through my hair. She probably asked me 30 times if I was okay. Ha-ha! I'm just glad that she worked fast. 
(4) Flat iron. When June whipped out a BaByliss PRO Nano iron, I almost fainted. How long have I wanted to use one of these irons? Umm...FOREVER! Then with one pass to straighten and one more to curl, not only were my roots ridiculously smooth, but my hair was immaculately shiny. 
(5) Styled. June created a low bun using Influance Glazed Edges to smooth and hold my edges, applied Influance Shine Spray for shine, and a tad of Chi Enviro Flex Hold Hair Spray to finish the look. She then curled my swooped bang. For more details on how she created this look, check out our The Bun Effect: 30 in 30 Day 4 post

My sorority sister loved the look and quite honestly, that's all that mattered. I'd definitely recommend June to anyone looking for a professional, highly qualified stylist in the Southern Virginia area. If I had to do it all over again, I would have moisturized and detangled my hair prior to getting the service. (I completely forgot in the midst of all of my running around for the wedding) I think that would have helped prevent some of the rough detangling that she did. I also would have requested that she use my magic rake. Real talk---small teeth combs are the devil. Ha-ha! I would have also asked her to use a heat protectant. (She might have used something that I missed though) While, I'll probably never again blow dry my hair with an attachment. Her technique allowed her to work though my hair really fast and in my mind I feel that the speed lessened the heat damage. *Eeek* I've totally started a BaByliss PRO Nano savings account and have added it to my wish list (Just in case my hubby is reading this. Thanks in advance boo!) Now---these Influance products, especially that edge cream, I just need to learn more about. June mentioned that these products are sold by distributors only but there might be one in my local area. That edge cream wasn't sniff or greasey. Held like no body's business. And left no residue. I think it's love!

I asked June what recommendations she had for me on my hair. Ay dios, I sure cringed when she told me that I needed to keep my roots moisturized to prevent breakage and add ease in detangling. Ugh! I knew that! Every time that I attempt to go to bed before moisturizing and sealing my hair, I'll replay June's words in my head then get my tired self back up to give my hair some love. 

How was your wash day? When was the last time that you went to the salon for a pro-wash?

Un mil besitos!
KLP  

Wash Day

Hola Chicas!

Some Tidbits: I rotated three new products in my regimen (Keeping up with my goals!) to test out and see if they have what it takes to be a "staple"! I also did a overnight airdry due to the time (I was sleepy!) and I realize that my hair does not dry as softly as I like when I just bun it and wrap it up for the night. I think for my hair, it has to air dry completely if I want to really see the softness....uhmmm. I shall be on watch lol

(1) Detangle with my magic comb (5600 Hercules Sagemann)!
(2) Prepoo with JBCO/My Essential Oil mix on my scalp, and Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Moisturizing Treatment on length of my hair. My oil mix has peppermint, rosemary, vitamin E, eucalyptus and EVOO...so it always feels extra tingly! :)
(3) I skipped out on a Tea Rinse this wash... I am looking to buy different teas that are beneficial for my hair so I rotate that into my regimen..Any ideas?
(4) Cowashed with Nexxus Hydra-Light Weightless Moisture Conditioner (NEW!! REVIEW COMING!)...I must say.. is this too good to be true!? I shall be using it again before my official review..but my hair felt soo soft and strong after using it..and the texture itself was light and not super thick..
(5) DC with CHI Deep Brilliance Moisture (New..Review Coming!) and sealed with grapeseed oil (Thanks! KLP!)...then waited............... lol. I am on the fence about this conditioner...I am not a fan of the smell and my hair didn't seem super soft but it did feel strong..idk..I will give it another go before fully reviewing!
(6) Leave-ins were Nexxus Hydra-light Weightless Moisture Root Lift Mist (NEW!! REVIEW COMING!) and sealed it with Chi Silk Infusion..

Hair Reality: My hair was soft and healthy..I am definitely 5 going on 6 weeks post-relaxer lol. I am so tempted to pull out the blow dryer but I shall stay no heat. However, I had no tangles/knots and avg. amount of shedding. My hair was very manageable while wet and as it air dried! I have been experimenting with some cute styles (post them soon!) so my concern is ensuring I have little to no breakage as I manipulate my hair. I want to make sure my products are strengthening my hair while moisturizing it! Oooo aren't we all... lol

This is how I styled my hair afterwards! I had it completely different...but through frustrated..I left it like this lol

Princess Leila-esque! lol

How have you styled your hair after a wash!?

Muahz
Keyda!

Wash Day

Notes: After protective styling all week, my hair felt so soft, supple, and moisturized today. I'm further convinced that moisturizing with Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth then sealing with Argan Oil is my winter winner.

(0) De-tangled- thoroughly with my Magic Star Jumbo Rake
(1) Pre-shampoo- massaged my scalp with JBCO and my essential oil blend plus Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor, then covered with a plastic cap and sat under the hooded dryer for 20 minutes.
(2) Shampoo first with Mizani Botanifying ConditiMizani Botanifying Conditiong Shampoo then with KeraCare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo.
(3) Green Tea Rinse- I've committed to doing a green tea rinse every wash day this winter. Today was no exception. I steeped 2 green tea bags in 2 cups of water. Then applied to my hair and rinsed after 5 minutes.
(4) Smoothing Treatment- Green tea rinses leave my hair a bit stiff. Thanks to Jeni from www.justgrowalready.com, I've learned that massaging Paul Mitchell's Super Skinny into my locks after a rinse revives my strands.
(5) Extreme-deep condition- My hair loves tons of moisture. Extreme deep conditions are definitely the way to go. This wash day I treated my hair to some Halka Baba de Caracol + grape seed oil, then covered with a plastic cap and sat under the hooded dryer for 45 minutes.
(6) Leave-ins- I was too sleepy (lazy) to rinse after being under the dryer so I covered with a turbie twist and went to sleep. The next morning I rinsed thoroughly with cool/cold water, t-shirt dried then applied It's a 10! (without keratin)
(7) Air-Dried- in a big 'ol bun.
(8) Flat-ironed- with my Sedu Comb

Results: Meh; to say the least. My hair felt softer and fluffier before I washed. *le sigh* I hate it when that happens. I'm sure that the culprit was the Mizani Botanifying. My hair was harder to detangle after washing today than it was in my previous 3 washes. But all products are innocent until proven guilty so I'll leave out the Mizani a next wash day to investigate.

How was your wash day?

Un Mil Besitos!

KLP