5 Ways To Use Olive Oil In Your Hair

Some of the best treatments for your hair are found at the grocery store. I've recently fallen in love with olive oil. Unlike synthetic oil blends, olive oil penetrates your hair providing the nourishment and conditioning that our hair craves.  It also can improve the elasticity and strength of your hair---especially important to chemically treated chicas like me! Here's 5 ways to include olive oil in your hair care regimen:

Scalp Massage
How: Use your fingers to massage olive oil into your scalp in circluar motions for a few minutes. 
Why: Extra virgin olive oil contains antioxidant vitamin E, vitamin A and helps alleviate dry scalp. Scalp massages are also believed to increase blood flow to your hair follicles and stimulate hair growth.

Detangler
How: Apply olive oil to your dry hair before your wash as a pre-shampoo treatment. 
Why: Pre-shampoo detangling is a must for me. I'm certainly sure that I wouldn't have made it to 8+ months post without it. My tangles can be monstrous but the slip from warmed olive oil melts them like butter.

Oil Rinse
How: Apply an excessive amount of warmed olive oil to your hair. Rinse immediately.
Why: There are times when I apply olive hair to my hair to aid in detangling, rinse in the shower, and my hair feels amazing. Like, I don't feel like deep conditioning amazing. Like, this is easier than co-washing amazing. If your hair just needs a mid week moisture pick me up, try rinsing with plain old olive oil.

Extreme Deep Conditioner
How: Apply your deep conditioner then a light layer of olive oil to seal it in.
Why: I first picked up on this brilliant deep conditioning technique via Carol's Daughter's Olive Oil Infusion. My Extreme Deep Condition layers an oil over your conditioner sealing in all that moisturizing goodness. To help the conditioner penetrate, I add heat via a heat cap for at least an hour. My hair usually feels like silk afterwards.

Sealant
How: Moisturize your hair then seal it in with an olive oil based product.
Why: Whilst, I don't mind using olive up straight from the bottle to seal my hair---it's just heavier and a little greasier than coconut oil or grapeseed oil. However, I absolutely love it in my DIY hair butter---the best sealant in the world. Well, for now. Ha-ha!

Are you an olive oil kinda girl?

Besitos!
KLP




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Mini Wash Day

Mini washing is simply a glorified co-wash. I usually rinse my hair with oil or just water, skip the shampooing, and go straight into my deep conditioning routine. No jumping in and out of the shower 20 million times to get my hair adequately clean and re-hydrated. Here's what I used to wash my hair this week:

1. Detangled- with my fingers and a ton of extra virgin coconut oil and applied JBCO to my scalp. 
2. Extreme deep condition- Next, I hopped into the shower for 5 minutes to rinse the oil completely. Then I applied Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm to my roots and Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Mask the length of my hair. Next, I massaged extra virgin coconut oil throughout, covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap for 2 hours and left it in overnight.
3. Camomile Aloe Tea Rinse- After rinsing the conditioner, I applied 1 part steeped camomile tea and 1 part aloe vera gel, using a narrow tip applicator to my strands--focusing on the roots. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed.
4. Smoothing Treatment- I rinsed the conditioner then let a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution marinate on my hair for about 5 minutes. 
5. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
6. Leave ins- Applying the LOC(B) method, to seal in the moisture (L) into my strands, I used extra virgin coconut oil (O), then Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner (C), and my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter (B)as my leave ins I "faux" banded my hair to stretch roots. 

The Results:
I used Aloe Vera Gel instead of Aloe Vera Juice this week in my tea rinse because...well...I was out. Ha-ha! You gotta make due with what you have. I really enjoyed this switch though. The hot steeped camomile tea "melted" the gel after I shook everything together, but as the mixture cooled, it created this really neat gel-like consistency that was super easy to apply to my roots. Plus instead of dripping all over the place, my tea rinse stayed put. 

For the first time in what seems like forever, I pulled my hair into a high bun thanks to a little Chi Twisted Fabric. I don't know how I feel about this product---I definitely think that it would be better suited for straightened hair, but it worked relatively well. 

How was your wash day? Using something new? Share with us below!

Besitos!

KLP

[Review] Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution

Price: #15.99 per liter

Purchased at: Ulta (During Liter Sale)

Ingredients: 
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Amodimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Fragrance, Isopropyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Trideceth 6, Limonene, Chlorhexidine Dihydrochloride, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citric Acid, Coumarin, Linalool, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Juice, Bisabolol

Promises: 
Dry hair goes through a dehydration cycle. It absorbs moisture easily but releases it too quickly. If not treated, it can become more fragile and drier over time. Biolage Hydratherapie, nourishing anti-dry care with aloe and passion fruit, continuously moisturizes* hair to help stop this cycle. Detangling Solution gives normal to dry hair light moisture nourishment to condition, detangle and help control static for natural softness and shine

How I Use It: 
In shower detangler after cowashing or deep conditioning.

My Thoughts:
I'm a rebel (in my head). I rarely follow the instructions written on my hair care items. I bought this detangler with the intentions of using it for a moisturizing detangling leave in because of all of the awesome ingredients: Glycerin and Aloe Vera--yum! But...it was a Bad. Idea. It's just not moisturizing enough by itself for my hair. It does, however do exactly what it promises, melt my tangles in the shower. After using, my hair feels lightly moisturized and relatively tangle free. It's slip + my concentrated water pressure shower head gets my hair detangled in minutes without me having to manually manipulate my fragile wet hair. I especially love it after my tea rinses. It rids my hair of that stiff feeling and has completely replaced the Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Treatment that I used to smooth/detangle my roots. I totally recommend this to anyone that experiences tons of tangling during wash day. It's made this 7 month stretch a lot easier than I expected. I read a review before I purchased this written by a relaxed chica who used this as a deep conditioner. I've never tried it that way; I seriously doubt that it would be nourishing enough but I definitely believe that her hair was silky and knot free afterward!

Sound off below if you've tired Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution

Besitos!
KLP

Mini Wash Day

I love mini washing because I don't have to jump in and out of the shower 100 times to get my hair adequately clean and re-hydrated. Whilst, I loved the scents of the Pura Natural's collection from my last wash day, my hair didn't respond well to it. Just hours after my wash, my hair had a rough, dry feel to it. Almost as if I hadn't done anything at all. I'm super disappointed however, I do plan on using the line again---perhaps in the warmer months when my hair isn't begging for as much moisture. I co-washed twice to get some kind of moisture into my hair during the week. No bueno.

1. Detangled- with my fingers and a ton of extra virgin coconut oil. 
2. Extreme deep condition- Next, I hopped into the shower for 5 minutes to rinse the oil completely. Then I applied  JBCO on my scalp and Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm on the length of my hair. Next, I massaged  extra virgin coconut oil into my ends, covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap for 2 hours and left it in overnight.
3. Smoothing Treatment- I rinsed the conditioner then let a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution marinate on my hair for about 5 minutes. 
4. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
5. Leave ins- Applying the LOC method, I used extra virgin coconut oil, then Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner, and  my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter as my leave ins I "faux" banded my hair to stretch roots. I had a few unruly tangles, so I coated that section in Chi Silk Infusion and picked apart the knots.

The Results- 
Matrix Biolage Ultra Hydrating Balm to the rescue! It makes my hair feel so soft and manageable. Aside from 4-5 knots, my hair was extremely easy to detangle and stretch my roots. Jessicurl Too Shea never ceases to amaze me. The slip is awesome, it absorbs easily into my strands and the moisture that I'm able to retain for days makes me pray that its never discontinued. My kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter never fails me. I really don't know how I survived without it all these years.

Y'all know that braid outs hate me, but I was kinda feeling my hair so I attempted another one. After faux banding, I double strand twisted each section and added a satin pillow roller to the ends. I let my hair set for a few hours and unraveled. I really liked the results, but they didn't last. One--I didn't use a holding product and two---I unraveled before all of the twists were dry. The two biggest #fails for braid outs. <shrugs> I guess that practice makes perfect.<shrugs>

How was your wash day? Anyone else over this winter's ridiculously cold temps?

Besitos!
KLP

Mini Wash Day

During mini washes, I skip shampoo to head straight into deep conditioning. I've had a few Pura Body Naturals products sitting in my stash since Christmas so I decided to give them a test drive this wash day. Every single product smells like heaven. Divine in every single way, which is a big deal to me because my nose is very particular. 

1. Detangled- with my fingers and extra virgin coconut oil. 
2. Pre-Poo- with JBCO on my scalp.
3. Extreme deep condition- Next, I hopped into the shower for 5 minutes to rinse the oils completely. Then I applied Pura Body Naturals Chocolate Hair Smoothie, massaged my stands with extra virgin coconut oil, covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap for 2 hours and left it in overnight.
4. Rosemary Chamomile Aloe Hair Rinse- After rinsing the conditioner, I applied 1 part steeped chamomile tea + 1 part aloe vera juice + 2 springs of rosemary, using a narrow tip applicator to my strands--focusing on the roots. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed.
5. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
6. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
7. Leave ins- I used Pura Body Naturals MuruMuru Moisture Milk, Pura Body Naturals Cupuacu Hair Butter and then "faux" banded my hair to stretch roots while it dried.

Results: 

Lost Hair- L:Shower|R: Detangling

The Good- 
I love love love love (did I say LOVE?) the Tahitian Vanilla scent! I could just sit and sniff this stuff alllllll day. Yes, I'm weird. But we in a #nojudgementzone right? Ha-ha! It's no secret that I think many natural products smell awful. My beloved Jessicurl Too Shea was no different. Pura Naturals on the other hand---I'm totally a fan of the scent! I had very little lost hair during this wash day, and very minimal breakage. Detangling was a little more challenging, but I didn't mind it.

The Indifferent- 
MuruMuru Moisture is light and creamy; It reminds me of marshmallow fluff. I really enjoy the way that it sinks into my hair, but this feeling doesn't very long. Used it as my nightly moisturizer for a week prior to this wash day and every night, my hair felt dry; as if I hadn't moisturized at all the day before. I'm not impressed but it's not awful either. For now, I'll blame it's none wow factor on the miserably cold weather that my part of the world can't seem to shake.

Texture Shot

The Bad-

Chocolate for your hair? Meh---whilst it smells divine; this conditioner just sat on top of my hair. I expected it to be completely absorbed after deep conditioning and it wasn't. I was pretty disappointed but I think that I'll give it another try or two before forming an opinion. 

Have you tried Pura Body Naturals? What do you think?

Besitos!
KLP

Wash Day

Since I started using a medium protein conditioner on my ends almost every wash day, I've skipped my monthly protein treatments. But my hair felt kinda off all week, so I decided to protein power this wash day. 

1. Detangled- with my fingers and extra virgin coconut oil. 
2. Pre-Poo- with JBCO on my scalp.
3. Moisturizing Shampoo- with diluted Matrix Biolage Hydratherapie Hydrating Shampoo applied with an applicator bottle.
4. Protein Treatment- with Nexxus Emergencee; the world's easiest to apply protein treatment. I let it air dry for an hour or so while I did chores.

Wash Day

You'd think that 25 week post hair would be a nightmare, but it hasn't. I'm not sure what I'm doing right, but I don't intend on changing much of anything until it stops working. 

1. Detangled- with my fingers and a very generous slathering of extra virgin coconut oil. 
2. Pre-Poo- with JBCO on my scalp.
3. Cleansing Cream (Shampoo)- I applied Curlicious Curls Cleansing Cream with an applicator bottle and let it sit for 3-4 minutes then rinsed.
4. Extreme Deep Condition- with Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm on my roots, Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque on my ends, then massaged extra virgin coconut oil into my strands from root to tip. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 3 hours.
5. Rosemary Green Aloe Hair Rinse- After rinsing the conditioner, I applied 1 part steeped green tea + 1 part aloe vera juice + 2 springs of rosemary, using a narrow tip applicator to my strands--focusing on the roots. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed.
6. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
7. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
8. Leave-Ins- I used Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner and Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum to detangle, then tension blow dried by roots on cool to smooth then faux banded and stretch my roots.

Results:

I love the sleek results that I get from tension blow drying my roots. Its not direct heat, because I use my blower on the cool setting. Plus, my hair feels a little easier to manage and the Organix Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum definitely makes my hair smoother. To style, I divided by hair in half, then threw in a few twists. I pinned them up into a halo/milkmaid style and went about my way. Super easy and super simple. I'll probably wear this style into the new year!

How was your last wash day?

Besitos?
KLP


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Wash Day {KLP}

6 months post relaxer? Say what? I'm not sure if I should be mad at myself for rebelling against my goal of NOT stretching beyond 20 weeks or if I should rejoice for a relatively #strugglefree stretch. I have no desire to (read: I'm swamped with real work) relax before we say adios to 2013, so I guess that its quite possible that I'll see 7 months+ post relaxer soon. I can't remember if I've ever stretched this long intentionally since I started my healthy hair journey and I'm wishing everyday that I don't regret it. Eek! Here's how my last wash day went:

1. Detangled- with my fingers and a very generous slathering of extra virgin coconut oil. 
2. Pre-Poo- with Philip Kingsley Flaky Itchy Scalp Toner followed by JBCO on my scalp. I caught up on some cleaning around the house for a few hours.
3. Cleansing Cream (Shampoo)- I applied a generous amount of my DIY Co-cleansing cream to my tresses concentrating on the roots. I let it sit for 3-4 minutes then rinsed.
4. Extreme Deep Condition- with Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm to my strands (root to tip), then massaged my strands in extra virgin coconut oil. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours, then left it in overnight.
5. Aloe Black Tea Rinse- After rinsing the conditioner, I applied 1 part steeped black tea + 1 part aloe vera juice, using a narrow tip applicator to my strands--focusing on the roots. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed.
6. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
7. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt. 
8. Leave-Ins- Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner and Chi Silk Infusion. 

Results: 

Hello cleaning cream! Clean hair? Check. Not stripped? Check. Minimum tangles? Check. Have I found a way to use up all of my sub par bottles of shampoo? You betcha! This technique is here to stay. Whilst, I hate having to jump in and out of the shower, if my hair will benefit, then I could think of worst sacrifices to make.

Today's wash was a reminder of why oh why I love Matrix Ultra Hydrating Balm. My hair was so fluffy and moisturized. I feel like they made this one just for me and my 6 month post uber curly roots. Because my hair felt so soft, I opted for a black tea rinse and Chi Silk Infusion as a little protein breakage protection. I hear that over-moisturizing is real. Kinda like unicorns and leprechauns. I haven't seen it yet but I'm definitely not trying to either. Ha-ha! I faux banded my hair to stretch my roots. I'm back in the gym training for my next 5k so fluffy air dried buns are back!

Have you ever experienced over-moisturized hair? 

Besitos! 
KLP

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Wash Day {KLP}

This week I did another hybrid protein/moisture deep condition. I'm totally looking forward to straighting in a few weeks to see if this protein layering technique is as awesome as I think it is. 

Products

1. Detangled- with my fingers and a bit of my Tangerine Scented Aloe Vera Juice.
2. Cleansing Cream (Shampoo)- I applied a generous amount of my DIY Co-cleansing cream to my tresses concentrating on the roots. I let it sit for 3-4 minutes then rinsed.
3. Extreme Deep Condition- with Jessicurl Deep Treatment on my roots, Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque on my ends, then massaged extra virgin coconut oil into my strands from root to tip. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours, then left it in overnight.
4. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
5. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt. 
6. Leave-Ins- Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth Split End Protector and my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter.

Results: 

Shed Hair

Wet Texlaxed Hair

Less than a pea sized total amount of loss hair. I really can't believe it. All of my long term stretches have been plagued with breakage, tangles, and general hair disrespect. But not this one. My roots are soft, my ends are strong, and I'm living on to stretch another week. *throws confetti* I don't know what the confetti is for, but I feel like a G right now. To style, of course I bantu knotted my hair (without holding product) and whipped it up into a cute updo for my company Holiday party.

Anyone else deep in a stretch? How are you surviving?

Besitos!
KLP

Mini Wash {KLP}

I promised myself that I wouldn't stretch past 16 weeks this year yet here I am at 22 weeks post and in love. Deep conditioning over night is really where it's at. I haven't had to cowash my hair in about 3 weeks. My roots are soft and with the addition of protein layering, I think that my ends are in decent shape. 

Wash day products

1. Detangled- with my fingers and a bit of extra virgin coconut oil.
2. Extreme Deep Conditon- with Halka Baba de Caracol on my roots, Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Masque on my ends, then massaged extra virgin coconut oil into my strands from root to tip. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours, then left it in overnight.
3. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
4. Leave-Ins- I air dried to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt. Then applied Herbal Essences Touchably Smooth Split End Protector and my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter.
5. Low Blow Dry- I pulled my roots gently but taut and blow dried on low to speed up the drying process. 

Results: 
Easy, breezy detangling? Check. Smooth strands? Check. Moisturized roots and strong ends? Check. I didn't want to blow dry my hair, but I needed to get out of the house and to my errands. It was miserably cold and I don't want pneumonia! I forgot to tea rinse but I'm so happy that I remembered my smoothing/detangling treatment using Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution. After I dried, I bantu knotted my hair for about 30 minutes, through it up in a messy 4 braid updo and went about my business. 

How do you speed up your wash day?

Besitos!
KLP 

Wash Day

I was so spoiled by deep conditioning over night two weeks ago, that I tried it again with today's wash. Winter is a harsh mistress and my hair just hasn't been its moisturized self. I'm considering adding weekly overnight deep conditions to my regimen to combat the dryness that's been plaguing my hair, skin, and nails:

Wash Day Products

1. Detangle- with my fingers.
2. Pre-poo- with extra virgin coconut oil.
3. Shampoo- one lather with Macadamia Natural Oil Rejuvenating Shampoo.
4. Protein Treatment- I applied Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque to only my texlaxed ends then covered with a plastic cap and sat under my heat cap for 15 minutes.
5. Extreme Deep Condition- I applied Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm to my strands (root to tip), then massaged my strands in extra virgin coconut oil. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours, then left it in overnight.
6. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
7. Leave-Ins- Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner and my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter.

Results: 

Bantu Knots

The Rookies: This was my first time using Macadamia shampoo and conditioner together. My hair still hates shampoo. After rinsing my pre-poo, my hair felt really good. My strands weren't tangled and or clumped. After rinsing the shampoo, my hair felt stripped, matted, and just a hot mess. I don't see myself using shampoo more than once a month. After all, if it ain't broke then don't fix it right? Adding the protein treatment on top of that tangled mess wasn't the best idea that I've had in a while, but I'm committed to fighting breakage and strengthening my ends (to increase my length retention) so it was a necessary evil. I don't have much to say about the Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque except that it claims to strenghten hair---and that claim is definitely true. My hair definitely felt stronger, but I'd never not follow this protein packed conditioner with an ultra-moisturizing treatment. 

The Sophomores- I introduced Tea Rinsing and a smoothing treatment into my regimen earlier this year. With this wash, I skipped Tea Rinsing; not so bad. I also skipped my Smoothing/Detangling treatment using Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution. *Le sigh* I've been on the fence for months now about this detangler but now that I've experienced a wash day without it---I will never go back! The slip and detangling abilities that this product has on my 21 week post hair is ridiculous! Now I see why I've been able to manage my roots so well with it. 

The Seniors- Extreme deep conditioning has been a must for me for a long time. But Overnight deep conditioning kicks things up a notch and it's exactly what my hair needs this winter. Moist soft but strong ends+ elastic springy roots= a happy me! Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm always does my hair good. Detangling was tedious and my lost hair was a bit more than I'm used to, but it wasn't extreme. I've made a mental note not to skip tea rinsing or smoothing treatments any more! 

After I air dried, I bantu knotted my hair (without holding product) for about 2 hours, unravelled and went with the hubby to see The Best Man Holiday. If you haven't seen it. Go! 

How was your latest wash day? 

Besitos!
KLP

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[Hairstyle] Messy Side French Roll | Mini Wash

How I wore my hair last week

Deep conditioning overnight might not be an every wash day event, but let me tell you this chicas, it's my new must do after a protein treatment now. My hair felt so amazing after my wash last week. Think soft, cottony, and springy. My roots were happy. The texlaxed length was happy. KLP was happy! I skipped my mid-week co-washing session and even thought for a second to delay my wash day because my hair felt so good. But, I figured that I wasn't so smart and went with a light protein conditioner to keep my tresses balanced.

1. Detangled- with my fingers.
2. Extreme deep condition- with JBCO on my scalp, a mix of Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor and Organix Repairing Awapuhi Ginger Instant Recovery Mask on the length of my hair and sealed the conditioner with coconut oil. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours.
3. Green Tea Rinse- After rinsing the conditioner, I applied steeped green tea, using a narrow tip applicator to my strands--focusing on the roots. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed.
4. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
5. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
6. Leave-Ins- Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner and my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter.

   

   Wash Day Products

Results:

30 Second Ol' Faithful Style

After applying my leave-ins, I wanted to do something different with my hair and decided to attempt a braid out. Bad. Idea. Very. Bad. Idea. I double strand twisted my hair into 8 sections and secured the ends with a satin roller. In the morning, I unraveled to a bloody mess. Oh gosh, It was a fail on sooo many levels. The bird's nest in my front yard looks better.The definition was wonky, I had neck length shrinkage, and my ends looked ever so pitiful. Never have I been more thankful for the Bun Effect. I pulled my hair into my all time favorite 30 second updo (here's a how to tutorial) and went to church. The good news was that my hair still felt soft with a renewed strength and my shedding/breakage was low. Woot for happy endings. 

What styles do you use to save failed twists outs, bantu knots, or curls? 

Besitos!
KLP

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Healthy Hair Insight: My Favorite Detanglers

SOS Approved Detanglers

Every one and their mama has an opinion on when, how, and why you should detangle your tresses. My suggestion: do what works best for your hair in whatever order you prefer. Try out all of the methods and date a few products. Your journey is just that--yours. To help along the way, here are some of the best detanglers that I've tried, when I use them and why they're special to me:

Best Pre-Wash: Mizani D'Tangle
My thirsty roots soak up this milky detangler within seconds of spraying it on. Whilst it's rather thin, it gives awesome slip allowing me to remove shed hairs and tangles with ease. I love using it pre-wash to help the rest of my session roll smoothly. I'd probably never use it post wash because it leaves my hair with this icky coating that I'm not a fan of.

Best During Wash: Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution
I bought this detangler with the intentions of using it for a detangling leave in. Bad. Idea. It's just not moisturizing enough by itself for my hair. It is however, awesome for melting in wash tangles. I especially love it after my tea rinses. It rids my hair of that stiff feeling. It's slip + my high water pressure shower head gets my hair detangled in minutes without me having to manipulate my hair while wet.

Best Post Wash: It's a 10! (without keratin)
Hello slip! Which is why its my go to leave in late in my stretch to help me alleviate tangles and SSKs. If I have a particularly unruly tangle, I just spray one more pump of the leave-in on it then work out the tangle strand by strand. Its not oily and it truly does make you feel like you've added silk to your hair. I love the smoothness and softness it creates whether I air dry or use direct heat. I can't say that its an excellent moisturizer or that it gives me tons of shine---but I love having a product that I know will melt my knots but not weigh my hair down. 

What's your favorite detangler and when do you use it?

Besitos!
KLP

Mini Wash Day

Last week, I began a post titled "Dear hair---you suck." Ugh, my hair just was so disrespectful that I had to co-wash every other day--both after working out---just to coax it into a bun. Luckily, It all worked out because I had travel plans for the weekend. I wanted to rock my curls and bantu knots always their best on recently washed air dried hair. I wore my curls down for two days then in a faux bob and lastly in a big side bun. I'm sure that my protein powered wash and abbreviated deep conditioning session from last week was the culprit for my uncooperative hair---luckily I've got a solution for that: an overnight deep condition. Yes--I know that many discourage it---but when you hair is dry, disrespectful, and dehydrated---it works like wonders: 

Wash Day Products

1. Detangled- with my fingers and Mizani D'Tangle Leave-In Milk.
2. Extreme deep condition- with JBCO on my scalp, Matrix Biolage Ultra-Hydrating Balm, and massaged my strands in extra virgin coconut oil. I covered with a plastic cap, relaxed under my heat cap for about 2 hours, then left it in overnight. 
3. Green Tea Rinse- After rinsing the conditioner, I applied steeped green tea, using a narrow tip applicator to my strands--focusing on the roots. I let it sit for a few minutes then rinsed.
4. Smoothing Treatment- with a large dollop of Matrix Biolage Detangling Solution.
5. Air Dried- to 80-85% wrapped in a cotton t-shirt.
6. Leave-Ins- Jessicurl Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner and my kitchenista Tangerine Vanilla Whipped Hair Butter

Results-

Shed Hair: Prewash | Shower | Postwash

Hello big fluffy, soft, and smooth hair! Oh how I missed thee! Overnight deep conditioning #ftw! I whipped out an old favorite: Mizani D'Tangle this wash to give myself a thorough detangle. I've never cared for this product as a leave in, it gives my hair this icky coated feeling but it's awesome as a pre-wash detangler. 

Air Drying Fluffy Banana Clip Bun

Thanks to that protein powered wash day last week---I had very very little shed hair and breakage. You might have noticed that my beloved Magic Rake comb has been MIA for a few months. I've realized that finger detangling is and will always be far gentler than any other tool that you can buy. I still adore my Magic Rake---I just see tragedy in my minds eye if I used it on these 19 weeks post roots. Finger detangling forces me to work patiently in smaller sections---which is what my hair needs. Because the back half of my hair was much more unprocessed (unintentionally) from my last relaxer--sometimes it feels like at least 1/3 of my length hasn't been relaxed. Fingers crossed that my new protein rich regimen keeps that line of demarcation in tact and breakage at bay. Look ma! No mesh donut! Just in case you were wondering---here's the secret to my big fluffy buns: More Bang for Your Banana Clip.

What technique do you use when your hair is unruly?

Besitos!
KLP