[Hairstyle] Curly Upsweep for Natural Hair | The #WashDayExperience

I ditched my Curlformers this week to start testing out styles for our upcoming family photo shoot. Ay dios mio, our pics from last year were EVERYTHING and more to me---but I'm kinda thinking that I want to try something different this year. Give me a shout if you have suggestions!

Here's what I used during this #WashDayExperience:

Pre-shampoo/Strengthening Treatment- DIY Moisturizing Mist (tutorial here) + Aubrey Organics GPB 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) + Camille Rose Twisting Butter (shop it)

RELATED: My Minimalist Natural Hair Regimen

And here's how I did it:

This week's #WashDayExperience is all about deep conditioning hacks, so started with one of NEW favorite hacks: warming up the conditioner.

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. This is what my shed hair after detangling looked like:

Hopefully I can continue this breakage-free trend that I have going here! I let the conditioner sit for about 20 minutes before I hopped in the shower, rinsed the conditioner section by section then applied my Clay Rinse with a narrow tip applicator bottle. I'm still on a mission to get the curls in the front of my hair to clump as well as the curls in the back. Fingers crossed that consistency will do the trick!

Next, I deep conditioned with my all time fave conditioner Jessicurl Deep Treatment Conditioner (review here), coated my ends in Extra Virgin Coconut oil to seal in the conditioner (which is another deep conditioning hack!) and plopped under my hooded dryer for about 30 minutes.

Instead of curlformers, this week I attempted a flat twist out. Have you ever started styling your hair and then about half way into it you KNOW that you made a critical error? Yeah...that was me. I knew that my flat twist sections were too small but it was too late for me to turn back. I put a couple of perm rods on the ends and reminded myself that I could always rock a curly puff.

*le sigh*

Anywhos, the next morning, I unraveled my hair.

It wasn't soooooo bad---more texture than I wanted.

Not as voluminous as I was expecting.

Yerp. Up it went into this quick curly upsweep. At least my bangs looked marvelous dah-ling!

I'm definitely going to try again---with bigger sections and I'll probably ditch the perm rods. They had the ends of my curls looking all kinds of cray cray!

How was your #washdayexperience? Share your style this week and your favorite deep conditioning hacks with our healthy hair tribe!

Besitos!

KLP

An InLinkz Link-up

5 Ways To Increase Shine In Natural Hair

The science just isn't on our side. Curly hair isn't naturally shiny. Our curly strands just don't reflect light as easily as straighter hair.

*womp womp*

But that doesn't mean that your curls can't have a gorgeous glowing sheen--it will just take a teeny bit more effort! Here's 5 ways to get glossier hair in every step of your #washdayexperience regimen:

P R E - S H A M P O O   T R E A T M E N T

Before you hop in the shower, try an oil rinse. To apply the rinse to my scalp, I use a narrow tip applicator bottle (Like this one of these) then let it sit for a few minutes and rinse in shower. My favorite oil rinse has been this amazeball DIY Green Tea Infused Hair Oil.

P R E - C O N D I T I O N I N G

After you've cleansed your hair but before your deep conditioning session try a Clay mask. I discovered clay masks about a year ago (my super simple recipe is here) and they've made their way into my weekly routine. Clay masks are amazingness in a jar and the shine that your hair has afterwards is unparalleled. Masks are a little labor intensive so if you're pressed for time, try this Quick & Easy Clay Rinse. You'll still get all of the flossy shine!

D U R I N G   C O N D I T I O N I N G

I've made a habit of sealing my deep conditioner with oil. Simply work the conditioner through your curls, then apply a little oil to your ends. Cover with a plastic cap then sit under your hooded dryer for 20-30 minutes (or Deep Condition Overnight). This technique deeply moisturizes, softens your hair, and once rinsed gives your hair an incredible shine! My oil of choice is usually Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.

D A I L Y

I've found that keeping my hair moisturized on a daily basis is the best way to increase my healthy looking shine. Which is why I'm in lust with my DIY Moisturizer. The recipe's super nourishing ingredients like Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin, and vitamin e oil keep my ends from drying out. My curls don't frizz and they stay well defined.

How do you get your hair glossy?

Besitos!
KLP

Quick and Easy Bentonite Clay Hair Rinse For Natural Hair

I won't lie, bentonite clay mask treatments are a labor of love. All that pouring and mixing plus the time it takes to apply and dry can be just too much work to do every wash day. So I started "clay rinsing." It's basically the same exact recipe as my Bentonite Clay Mask Treatment---but its consistency is thinner and can be done in one step in the shower. Which is perfect when you're pressed for time but still want your curls to pop! Here's what I used:

Related: DIY Bentonite Clay Mask Treatment

Ingredients:

2 oz Bentonite Clay (I use Aztec Healing Clay)
4 oz Aloe Vera Juice (I like this one)
1 oz Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg is the best!)
2 tbsp Glycerin (These are good choices)
Plastic bottle with a lid (Applicator bottles like this one are awesome)

 
And here's how I mix it:

1. I add the clay to my applicator bottle using a funnel. I like to use an applicator bottle with a cap so that it's easier to mix.
2. Next add the apple cider vinegar. It will bubble and foam up---Don't be alarmed!
3. Add your aloe vera juice and glycerin. Secure the lid of your applicator bottle and shake it gently! Your mix should be thin, but not runny. If it's too thick, add more liquid and shake. If it's too thin, add more clay and shake again

I like to clay rinse after a pre-shampoo treatment but before I deep condition (or co-wash if I'm being really lazy pressed for time) because while the clay will cleanse your scalp and give you AHA-mazing curl definition, but it can also make your curls feel a little stiff. Running a little conditioner through your hair after the clay rinse handles that situation! I did a clay rinse this week and I'll share all the dets in tomorrow's #washdayexperience.

Are you clay/mud rinsing? What's your favorite recipe?

Besitos!
KLP

Green Tea Infused Oil Rinse for Natural Hair

My love affair with green tea rinses began when my hair was relaxed, I was suffering with  postpartum shedding, and I just wanted a way to slow down the shedding. You can read about my many adventures with green tea rinses here, here, and here.

RELATED: Herbal Tea Rinses to Combat Shedding

I don't shed like crazy anymore, but in honor of tomorrow's #WashDayExperience themes, I decided to experiment with tea again. This time---for a Green Tea Infused Oil Rinse!

How I made it:

1. Place 3 green tea bags in a glass mason jar. (I used Celestial Seasonings Green Tea)
2. Cover with 1 cup of warmed extra virgin coconut oil (or other carrier oil of your choice).
3. Bring a pot with 2-3 inches of water to the brink of boiling. Turn off heat. Place the jar in the the water for 15-20 minutes. 
4. Carefully remove jar from hot water. Cover with lid and steep overnight. 

And here are semi-scientific reasons green tea oil rinses rock:

• Tannins- is an astringent compound that binds to and precipitates proteins in plants. The tannins in tea can attached to the hair shaft making the hair appear fuller. Tannins have antibacterial properties that can help soothe itchy/flaky scalp issues that would increase shedding. The tannins also tighten pores, which better protects your scalp from excessive oil and dirt while strengthening your strands to prevent damage.
• Caffeine- Green tea has 35mg of caffeine. Caffeine is known in the hair world for stimulating the scalp, increasing blood flow, and thus allowing your scalp to get more oxygen and more "food."
• Pantheol, Vitamin C and Vitamin E- Pantheol, which is found in tons of hair products, acts as a humectant, drawing moisture into the hair and helps prevent split ends while conditioning. Vitamin C is known as an antioxidant thought to help heal the scalp. Vitamin E also acts as an antioxidant that aids effective circulation in the scalp due to increased oxygen uptake in blood.
• Extra Virgin Coconut Oil- Coconut oil has been shown in studies to be the only oil that prevents protein loss while helping hair retain moisture. It reduces hair porosity making it spectacular for chemically relaxed hair which is typically higher porosity. Washing your hair can cause hygral fatigue, which is a fancy way of saying damage caused by frequent swelling (absorbing moisture) and shrinking (losing moisture) of hair fiber.

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

To apply the rinse to my scalp, I used a narrow tip applicator bottle (Like this one of these) in the shower after conditioning. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed. My hair felt crazy moisturized strong but soft. (Don't worry, I'll give you all the details in tomorrow's #WashDayExperience!}

Have you ever tried a green tea rinse for you hair? What's your favorite recipe?

Besitos!
KLP