[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

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

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

Hits: Protective Styling

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

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

Hits: Trimming

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

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

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

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

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

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

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Twist Out With Perm Rods | The #WashDayExperience

I would have really enjoyed with my wash-and-go last week, if it wasn't for the yucky gobs of white fuzz that was left on my curls. I scrunched them once it dried completely---a tip that usually gets rid of the cast from gel but that still didn't really get rid of the flakes.

On the bright side, my hair was crazy moisturized and I really like the way that my curls were defined. The style (flakes and all) lasted about 3 days before I co-washed and threw my hair up into a puff. I'm obviously addicted to that puff life. (Hmmm...that sounded less weird in my head...Ha-ha!)

This week, I went for a twist out with a few perm rods on the ends. Here's what I used:

Deep Condition: Jessicurl Deep Treatment
Leave-Ins: Almond Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Hair Butter + My DIY Whipped Butter + Shea Moisture Curl Enchancing Smoothie

And here's how I did it:

I skipped shampooing because my scalp felt pretty clean and went straight into deep conditioning on my dry unwashed hair. I detangled in about 6 sections, applied the conditioner then the oil, and twisted the hair to keep each section separated. Then I covered with a plastic cap + scarf and let it sit (without heat) for about an hour,

As I started to rinse the conditioner + oil mix from my hair in the shower, my curls felt AHHH-MMMAAZZZIIINNNGGGG. Since I chopped, I feel like my hair is much better moisturized than it was when it was relaxed. I'm not sure if my products are working better or if the moisture is a result of me washing more frequently. Either way---I'm loving it!

I let my hair dry wrapped in a t-shirt for about 20 minutes before adding my Almond Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + My DIY Whipped Butter + Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie cocktail and two strand twisting my hair. I wrapped the ends around a pink (5/16") perm rods. I let them dry overnight.

The results:

Oh gosh, I love me some BIG HAIR! I removed the perm rods then unraveled the twists. Next, I took each twist and separated it into two more sections to give my hair more volume. I wanted it to be bigger and a little softer so next time I'll probably stretch my hair first then twist it. I added a couple of hair pins at my roots to give my fro some shape and viola All done!

I wish that I could tell you that I rocked this fro for days. But I didn't---by that afternoon it went up into a puff so that I could go jogging. I gotta save these good hair days for when I really have something important to do. Ha-ha!

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Fierce Frohawk | The #WashDayExperience

My hair has been screaming bloody murder for a good protein treatment and clay mask but I've been too lazy preoccupied crazy busy to do it. Then, I had the audacity to go to the beach and let my hair loose. My hair revolted! 

Needless to say, I HAD to get my act together and gave my hair the deep treatment that it needed. Here's what I used:

Pre-shampoo: Redken Extreme Builder Plus
Shampoo: Jessicurl Cleansing Cream
Clay Mask: Aztec Healing Bentonite Clay (+ Apple Cider Vinegar + Aloe Vera Juice + Glycerin)
Deep Condition: Jessicurl Deep Treatment
Leave-Ins: Almond Oil + Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Hair Butter + Camille Rose Curl Maker

And here's how I did it:

First, I started by detangling in sections with the help of a little Redken Extreme Builder Plus. I totally owe you guys a review on this product. But in a nutshell:

1. I'm totally repurchasing
2. This stuff is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious amazing! 
3. My curls practically sang after I apply it...

After detangling and letting the Redken conditioner sit for about 30 minutes (without heat and uncovered), I hopped in the shower and rinsed thoroughly. Thanks to my minions turning me into a sand mermaid, I still had a ton of sand in my hair so I shampooed twice with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream. What I love about this shampoo is that no matter how many times that I rinse-lather-repeat my curls still feel uber springy and moisturized. 

I gently t-shirt dried my hair then applied my Bentonite clay mask. When I apply the mask, I like to sort of smooth it in from root to tip add a dab more on the ends then twirl the section around my fingers. I noticed that when I use this technique---as opposed to just rubbing it in---my hair is crazy smooth and my curls better elongated. I covered my hair with a plastic cap and a scarf then let the treatment sink in for about an hour. 

My full wash day process is sorta tedious at times but totally worth it. Especially when I went to rinse out the clay treatment! Oh, sweet baby Jesus I couldn't take my hands out of my coils. Honestly, I could have stopped in my tracks right there and when on about my day. My hair was crazy moisturized, not a tangle in sight, and gorgeously elongated. But I knew that after several weeks of neglect, I really needed a deep conditioner. So I grabbed my Jessicurl Deep Treatment conditioner, smoothed it through my curls and sealed it with a little almond oil. BEST.THING.EVER.

I adore everything about Jessicurl Deep Treatment. I mean, it literally revives my curls. I only had one petty hair product junky issue with it: the packaging. Okay---check it---this stuff is crazy thick, which I LOVE but being in a narrow bottle with a itty bitty opening drove me insane on wash day. 

For my Seinfield lovers. C'mon man---you know that you've done this to your favorite conditioner before. Don't turn your nose up at me. LOL.

Me trying to get the last bit of conditioner out of the bottle

After rinsing in the shower, I let a cotton t-shirt absorb the excess water then applied my leave ins and about 25 purple (magenta), white, and tan perm rods. I left the perm rods in overnight to dry. It was a fitful night of sleep but honey my curls where worth it!

To style, I used about a billion hair pins to pull my hair into a frohawk! 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.

So what do you think? Can I pull off this look or should I stick to my usual pin ups, buns, and braids?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Fluffy Curls Using Perm Rods | #WashDayExperience

I loved the long bob that I was left with after my initial big chop at the end of 2014. But it left me with about 2-3 inches of texlaxed hair on my bangs. My curl pattern in the front of my hair is much looser than the back, so in the beginning it was nearly possible to see the difference between the processed hair and my roots.

Then last week, I'm getting ready to rinse out my Joico K-Pak pre-shampoo and I just grab my shears (you know the ones that I said that I was gonna hide...but I didn't!) and start snipping at my bangs. Now I have a curly fro!

Here's how the rest of my #washdayexperience went: 

Pre-Shampoo: Joico K-Pak
Shampoo: Jessicurl Cleansing Cream
Clay Mask: Aztec Healing Clay (+ Apple Cider Vinegar & Aloe Vera Juice)
Deep Condition: Jessicurl Deep Treatment
Leave ins: Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner + DIY Hair Butter

The Results:

I've used Aztec Healing Clay (Bentonite Clay) in my facial regimen for about a year. After reading a million and one bloggers rave about hair clay masks, I figured that I would give it a try. Using an applicator bottle, I added approximately 3oz of bentonite clay + 4oz aloe vera juice + 1 oz of apple cider vinegar. I gave it a good long shake to  mix it well then applied it to my hair after shampooing with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream. The mix has the viscosity of a conditioner so as I applied it in sections, I detangled my hair paying close attention to my ends.I covered with a plastic cap and let it sit for about 20 minutes.

As I washed the clay out---I literally felt like a had a head of new hair! Curls galore y'all! I was so impressed by the definition that my curls were left with. I had no problem seeing where I need to trim a little more and it actually elongated my tight curls. This mask has definitely made it into my new regimen! I deep conditioned afterwards with Jessicurl Deep Treatment and used my usual leave-ins before banding my hair to stretch it.

We had our family pictures scheduled for that weekend and I really wanted a special look. I grabbed two packs of tan perm rods (orange rods are too big for my short hair now) and installed them in my hair using a touch of Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie on the ends. I let the curls air dry for about 5 hours.

Talk about fantastic fluffy curls?!? Honestly---I wasn't expecting my hair to turn out so nice! The humidity killed the curl definition in some parts and I want to experiment with this curly fro look using different sized perm rods. You can expect to see this style again and again this summer!

This will probably be our only family portrait in 2015 since my hubby is deployed now so I'm tremendously grateful for how wonderful these pictures turned out!

I can't wait to share more about my mini chop with you guys! Oh---and I really hid my shears this time y'all. I think I'm done cutting for a while!

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Curly Upsweep (Perm Rods) | #WashDayExperience

My natural regimen and my stretching-turned-transitioning regimen hasn't been all that different. Plus so far all of my favorite products since work like a charm! Thank ya Jesus! Here's how my #washdayexperience went:

1. Extreme Deep Condition- As I detangled my hair in sections, I applied Jessicurl Deep Treatment from root to tip then massaged in a little extra virgin coconut oil to seal the conditioner in. I covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap again for about an hour. 
2. Air dry- After rinsing the deep conditioner, I blotted my hair with a cotton t-shirt, applied a little extra virgin coconut oil in sections then wrapped it in the t-shirt to dry a bit more.  
3. Leave-ins- My hair was about 80% dry when I applied a mist of Nexxus Humctress Luxe Leave In, Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner and a dab of my hair butter then I set my hair on a mix of purple and white perm rods. I let them dry overnight. 

The Results:

My hair loves everything about Jessicurl Deep Treatment. It's crazy thick, dreamy creamy, and simply one of the most moisturizing deep conditioners that I've ever used. If they ever changed the formula, I'd cry. No seriously...I'd cry ugly Oprah crocodile tears. That's how much I love this stuff. 

I co-washed a few days before this #washdayexperience so I didn't shampoo. My scalp felt clean and my hair was actually well moisturized. I probably could have waited another day or two to wash but one thing that I've discovered since chopping is that my hair behaves a lot better when I wash every 3-4 days as opposed to washing once a week. I sorta knew this before I chopped but dealing with the tangling between all my textures just didn't make bi-weekly wash sessions it worth it. It seems to be a mortal sin to wash more than once a week around the healthy hair community but whatevs y'all. If it works---it works. If it doesn't---it doesn't. So far---it's working. 

I'm in love with the way that my curls turned out. The mix of purple and white rollers gave my curls dimension and a fullness that orange rods hadn't since I chopped. To style, I pulled all of the curls up and to right side then secured with a bunch of pins. Easy peasy!

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Perm Rods + Tangles | WashDayExperience

 
I learned a lot about my beautiful multi-textured hair this week. 1. It's defiantly stubborn. 2. It's a bit bi-polar and 3. Without a good stretch on wash day---the rest of the week is miserable. I refused to repeat my mistakes from last week, so I broke out some old faithfuls from Jessicurl and dusted off my perm rods. Here's how my #washdayexperience went:

1. Pre-Shampoo- I slathered my hair in extra virgin coconut oil whilst I detangled. I put my hair in about 6 bantu knots to keep my hair sectioned.
2. Shampoo- with Jessicurl Cleansing Cream applied to each section.
3. Extreme deep condition- I deep conditioned with Jessicurl Deep Treatment on the length of my hair. Then I massaged my stands with extra virgin coconut oil, covered with a plastic cap and left it for a few hours.
4. Tea Rinse- using 1 black tea bag and 1 green tea bag steeped in 2 cups of water + 2 tbsp of glycerin.
5. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
6. Air Dried- I applied a bit of Chi Silk Infusion to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
7. Leave ins-I used Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner to moisturize and the teensiest amount of Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter to seal then set my hair on about 35 orange perm rods and left in overnight

It wasn't pretty for a while y'all. I had to cut out 3-4 knots. My nape was a tangled nightmare and suffered the worse of it all. Pre-wash detangling took about an hour vs my usual 15-20 minutes. I'm nervous that whenever I get around to straightening, I'm gonna have a janky hemline. *shudders* I'm still kicking myself in the butt.

There were a few tears shed and there might have been a few fudge bombs dropped. But, it all changed once I slathered my hair in Jessicurl Deep Treatment. Omgosh, this stuff is amazing. My hair simply soaked it up. I didn't use heat---I just let it sit for a few hours. And when I went to rinse---Ladies----we were back in business!

I still suck at installing my perm rods. Maybe I'm too meticulous---or maybe my fingers are still getting the hang of it all, but I feel like 1.5 hr installation time is ridiculous! I'm off to YouTube to find a quicker way! In the meantime---LOOK AT ALL THIS STUPID SHRINKAGE! Yes---I'm still amazed at how I go from MBL to barely even chin length overnight. Shrinkage is the devil!

It's pouring rain in my part of the world, so in a high bun all those curls went and I was on my way! Take a look at my roots---no gel, jam, or edge control. Glory be to perm rods for what they do to smooth my roots! And check out that silly straight end that never wants to act right! There's always one right?

I hope you had an amazing #washdayexperience chica!

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Perm Rods | #WashDayExperience

I was simply obsessed with my perm rod curls last week. #1 My roots were smooth. Chile, like I just got a relaxer smooth. I was actually able to see my scalp through my roots! I know that this might not be a big deal to you, but when you haven't seen your scalp in months because it's hidden under several ends of curly roots---you get pumped. #2 My hair was uber moisturized. I only moisturized and sealed twice in 7 days. Now before you call the hhj-police on me, I want you to know that I didn't moisturize because my hair didn't feel dry at all. #3 Old perm rod curls make THE BEST curly #iwokeuplikethis buns ever! Nonetheless, I went for the three-peat this week. Same style, Pretty much the same products. But lots o pictures. Here's how my #washdayexperience went:

1. Pre-Shampoo- I slathered my hair in extra virgin coconut oil whilst I detangled. I put my hair in about 6 bantu knots to keep my hair sectioned.
2. Cleanse- I haven't shampooed in a few weeks, so I diluted a little Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Shampoo with water and applied to my roots only using a narrow tip applicator bottle on each section.
3. Protein Treatment- Next, I applied Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe from root to tip. 
4. Deep condition- After I rinsed the protein treatment, I applied Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner from root to tip, then I massaged my stands with extra virgin coconut oil, covered with a plastic cap and let sit for a few hours.
5. Air Dried- I applied a bit of Chi Silk Infusion to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
6. Leave ins-I used Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner to moisturize, extra virgin coconut oil to seal and Good Hair Is Resilient Styling foam for a soft hold, then set my hair on about 35 orange perm rods and left in overnight

The results:

Whilst, I used the same products this week, my technique was a little different. It's been a million years since my last shampoo (okay---I'm just kidding it's been like 4-5 weeks) and I knew that it was time to give my scalp and hair a fresh start. Matrix Hydrasource has got to be the gentlest shampoo that I've ever used. Even diluted, it has a good lather and definitely doesn't strip my hair. I was also overdue for a hard protein treatment. And of course, I'm all out of Nexxus Emergencee. So I settled for Joico K-Pak and followed it all up with a deep conditioning with Matrix Hydrasource conditioner. K-Pak left my hair feeling strong and Hydrasource gave me the softness.

  
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this in the past but, on wash day, I do everything in sections. EVERYTHING. From the beginning, as I detangle, I pull my hair into large bantu knots and work section by section applying product, rinsing, and even styling. 

L: Before with conditioner R: After rinsing

I actually took some shots of my disgusting wet dog looking hair. Nothing about my wet mop appeals to me. I mean, look at the shrinkage! (I had to stretch it a bit so that you could see the texture) Look at how crummy my ends look when wet! *hangs head* I feel totally vulnerable and naked now that I've shown you. I guess that I'm a big girl now. The only good news is that once I stretch my hair---It all looks decent again.

Back to the results...It's official. I'm in love with perm rods. The orange rods give me the perfect sized curl, the tension smooths my roots (I mean, can you even tell that I'm 66 weeks post relaxer?), and the way that my hair holds on to moisture after the fact is extraordinary. I still suck at installing them. It still takes me well over an hour. But to only have to fiddle with my hair once a week? Meh...I think that I'm #winning. 

Are you participating in 30 days without heat? 





I am! Shoutie to Jeni, Jay, and Tiki for this amazeball challenge!
 
Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Perm Rods | #WashDayExperience

My curls last week lasted all of 3 hours. THREE. Like one-two-three. The reason: It was pouring rain and I totally forgot to use a holding product. #fail #fail #fail. I was super disappointed. The highlight was how soft, smooth, and stretched my hair was for the rest of the week...in a high bun. Ha-ha! After much debate, I went for another perm rod set this week. Same exact products BUT i remembered my Good Hair Is Resilient Styling foam this time!

1. Extreme deep condition- I fully detangled my hair then applied Matrix Biolage Hydrasource Conditioner to my roots and Joico K-Pak Revitaluxe to my ends. Then I massaged my stands with extra virgin coconut oil, covered with a plastic cap and let sit for a few hours.
2. Tea Rinse- using 2 green tea bags steeped in 2 cups of water + 2 tbsp of glycerin.
3. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
4. Air Dried- I applied a bit of Chi Silk Infusion to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
5. Leave ins-I used Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner to moisturize, extra virgin coconut oil to seal and Good Hair Is Resilient Styling foam for a soft hold, then set my hair on about 35 orange perm rods and left in overnight

 

The Results:

Omgosh. Omgosh. Omgosh. Hello great hair day! I had a couple of wonky uncurled pieces---but girlllll I was still whipping my hair back and forth this morning! Too bad that I don't have anywhere important to be today. Why do good hair days always happen when I have nothing to do. #conspiracytheory

The last time that I used a styling/setting foam was way back in 2009 when I started following Ateeya (y'all remember her?!?) and using KeraCare Wrap Foam. I really didn't understand how to use it. I couldn't wet wrap my hair to save my life. My hair never dried with any bounce or shine. It was a total fail! But this setting foam from GoodHairIs? Oh yeah---this one I know that I'll empty!

I've gotten several requests to see my wet hair. I gotta warn y'all now. It ain't pretty. Although I'm MBL, my wet hair shrinks up to chin/shoulder length. It's super dense and curly at the roots and straighter at the ends. I took a couple of pics of some shed hair that I think explains my dilemma. More on that soon. 

I think that I wanna straighten my hair soon to get a trim...or maybe a cut...or something like that. I really obsess worry about my ends. Is it really possible to make 65 weeks without major breakage? Meh...the jury is still out. 

How was your #washdayexperience?

Besitos!

KLP

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