Wash Day Recap | First Wash Day of 2017

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with family and that your new year is off to a great start! I had a very relaxing break with the hubby and my dogs, which is just what I needed. I decided to start my year off right my doing my first wash day on New Year's Day. Here's how that wash day went:


Pre-pooed- I'm really loving my Antidote, Coconut Oil and Warm Water routine so I'm going to continue to do that this year. Once I've applied all three things, I use my fingers to lightly detangle my hair and get rid of any shed hairs along the way. After that I use one of my Eternally In Amber combs to get out any remaining tangles or knots.

Shampooed with Be Kekoa's Be Clair Sulfate Free Clarifying Shampoo- I try to make it a point of clarifying my hair once a month. I usually co-wash 3 weeks in a row and then the 4th week I clarify. I decided to use this sample I scored from Black Friday. This bottle may be little but it is powerful! I paired this shampoo with my scalp invigorator, which left my hair and scalp feeling clean. My hair didn't feel dry or stripped which usually happens when I use shampoo, so I know this one is a winner. I plan on buying the full sized bottle soon,

Protein Treatment: Instead of going with my usual treatment, I opted for Tangles and Beyond's Strawberry Monthly Protein Treatment. I didn't add heat but I left the treatment on for about 20 minutes while I did some cleaning around the house.

Deep Conditioned with TGIN's Honey Miracle Hair Mask - I know that this is only like my second or third time using this but I love it! It might not fall in the Curly Girl's list of products but my hair loves it. So for now, this will stay in my go-to product list.

Tea Rinse: Yes, I'm bringing back tea rinses this year. This was an essential part of my wash day routine in my early natural days. At some point I got lazy and stopped doing them but I plan on bringing them back. Anything that will help me retain length and reduce the amount of shed hair on wash day is a bonus in my book.

Found both of these teas at the Dollar Tree.

For this particular wash day I went with a black and green tea mixture. I boiled water and then poured it over my four tea bags (2 green and 2 black). I let it sit for about two hours before I used it. I applied the tea rinse using an applicator bottle and left it in my hair for about 5 minutes before rinsing it out. Check out Nappy Fu's video for other tips on tea rinses.


      

Styling my hair: Once my hair is about 90% dry- I prefer to air dry my hair using an old t-shirt to soak up the water- I apply my leave-in, oil and cream. Since I'm out of my Mielle Organics White Peony Leave-in, I used my TGIN Green Tea Super Moist Leave-In Conditioner along with my Mint Almond Oil, TGIN'S Daily Moisturizing Cream and Twist & Define Cream. While I should experiment with more styles in 2017, my hair loves being in twist. Plus when I wear my hair in twists it's easier for me to keep my hair moisturized.

Day 6 Hair 

                             How was your first wash day of 2017?

5 of My Favorite Products from 2016

Usually at the end of the year I do a run do a "hits" and "misses" from the year. But since I'm running out of time and I didn't post as often once I moved in August, I'm going to do a brief run down of my favorite products from this year.

1. The Chocolate Antidote by Tangles & Beyond 

Hands down the best product to pre poo your hair. I know that people use this as a styling cream but for me, it works best at rejuventating my dry, tangled hair. Once this is on my strands, the knots don't stand a chance. If you're interested in more of Ashley's products, check out her website: www.tanglesandbeyond.com .

2. Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil 

Hands down one of my favorite oils to seal my hair or to add to my spritz bottle to refresh my hair. This lightweight oil is good for the scalp and hair. Plus it smells great, which is always a plus!

3.  Mielle Organics Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner

Finding a good deep conditioner can be hard but once you find one, you  never want to stray. At least that's how I feel about this conditioner. It gives my hair so much life and I can attribute the healthy state of my hair in part to this conditioner.

4. KeraCare Twist and Define Cream

I always loved the definition that I got when I visited my hairstylist in Portland. Then she shared her secret with me-- this cream. Once I added this product to my twist routine my twist outs were defined and moisturized. A little goes a long way, which I had this one jar for several months. Now the only problem is finding it here in Los Angeles. I've tried a couple of Sally's Beauty Stores with no luck :( . If you know where I can find it, please let me know!

5.  Scalp Invigorator 

In my quest for healthy, long hair I look for products and accessories that can improve the health of my hair. The scalp invigorator is a great way to loosen up buildup before you co-wash or shampoo. It can also be used to simply massage your scalp to stimulate growth. 

What are some of your favorite products from 2016?

Wash Day Recap | Last Wash Day of 2016

I told you I had a lot to share with you before the new year! Lol. So here is a recap of the my last wash day or 2016.


Prior to this wash day (which was last Sunday), I let my hair go without washing it for two weeks. This was new to me because I usually wash my hair once a week. Luckily, I had my hair in two strand twists so my hair was protected. I decided to rock a twist out for Christmas Eve and I ended up wearing the style for a week.

Day 1 of my twist out

Day 4 of my twist out

Pre-pooed Naturally when I finally decided to wash my hair I had some knots and tangles because I wore my hair out for a week.  In order to get a handle on the tangles and knots, I applied a generous amount of warm water, coconut oil and The Antidote. I worked the product in with my fingers paying attention to the ends before using a comb to detangle. After detangling each section I twisted the sections so that my hair stayed knot free.

Co-washed with Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner from Be Kekoa. This stuff is amazing!

Protein Treatment- Used Aubrey Organics and let it sit in my hair for about 2 minutes before washing it out.

Deep Conditioned with TGIN's Honey Miracle Mask-  With my hair still in twists, I applied the mask to each section and made sure to really work into the ends of my hair. I put on a cap and did a 30 minute workout while I deep conditioned.  Once the mask was completely rinsed out I could already tell the difference in my hair. It was moisturized, soft and smelled great!

I'm out of my ACV rinse so I made sure to give my strands another big rinse to make sure I removed all the products.

Then I applied the TGIN's Daily Moisturizing Cream, Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil and TGIN's Twist & Define Cream. Because our show is currently on holiday hiatus I decided to skip the twists and went for something simple: two big braids. After braiding each side I create a halo look by connecting the two braids using bobby pins.

                                           What styles are you rocking this holiday season?

Black Friday 2016 Haul

It's never too late to share Black Friday deals, right? Yes, I know Black Friday was over a month ago but I still want to share the good deals I snagged. Unlike previous Black Fridays, I was determined to stick to a budget and not buy things I would never use. In order to prep for the sales I referenced The Mane Objective's comprehensive list. So without further delay, here is my Black Friday Haul for 2016:

                                                       Thank God It's Natural

I've heard so many great things about this natural hair product line but could never find it at Sally's in Portland. But once I saw their Black Friday sale, I knew this could be my chance to finally try their products. All of their products were on sale for $9.99, so I went with three of their most popular products: Honey Miracle Hair Mask, Twist & Define Cream and the Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer

Curls 

A few months ago Jenell B. Stewart (a.k.a. BlakIzBeautyful) posted about a new liquid vitamin from Curls. I made a mental note to try the vitamin at some point in the future. Prior to the Black Friday Sale I purchased one bottle to try it out. But then I saw their Black Friday Sale and knew I had to buy more. This particular sale was buy 1 get one free! So I got two bottles of the vitamins for $30 ($5 for shipping). Since this would be my first time taking the vitamin, I didn't buy a lot just in case I didn't like the vitamin.

Be Kekoa

Now if you follow the blog (although my posts have been a little scarce in the past few months) you know I had a chance to visit the Be Kekoa salon. At the time I only purchased the Tamanu Oil, I know silly me. Because I love Brandie and her products, I purchased the travel sample pack for $20. In addition to the products I also got this cute little bag with the salon's logo. The sample sizes are great for trying out products but I plan on stocking up the next time I visit her in Temecula. 

Summer + Fall 2016 Empties

Happy New Year's Eve!  There is so much content I want to share before the new year so expect a number of blog posts today. In this first post, I want to share some of the empties from the summer and fall.

1. Mielle Organics Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner 

This has been one of my go-to deep conditioners for the past year. I love how soft and moisturized feels after using it.

2. Mielle Organics White Peony Leave-in

If you're looking for a lightweight leave-in that moisturizes your hair without weighing it down, this might be the product for you. I like to use this as part of my LOC method and also in my spritz bottle with oils. 

3.  Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Juice

I didn't get hip to the awesomeness of Aloe Vera juice until the middle of 2016. I found that Aloe Vera Juice comes in handy during my pre-poo session and I like to use it my spritz bottle when I need to add moisture to my strands.

4. Be Kekoa Tamanu Oil 

Another great thing about my visit to Be Kekoa is that I got to experience her amazing products. I decided to try this oil to seal in moisture. I loved the consistency of this oil and also that it did what I  wanted: sealed in the moisture.

5. The Chocolate Antidote 

I don't need to tell you how much I love this product because you already know. This has become an essential part of the pre poo process and it literally melts away my tangles. 

6.    Rapunzel Hair Multivitamin (x2) 

                                                           

In my quest for natural hair I have experimented with hair vitamins. While I'm longing for length,  I won't compromise the health of my skin to gain that length. Prior to taking the Rapunzel vitamin I took Mielle Organics' vitamin for several months. Before switching to Rapunzel I did my research regarding side effects. I will post a review telling you about my experience with the vitamin.   

7. Mielle Organics Detangling Co-wash 

One of my favorite co-washes. I just wish it came in a bigger bottle!

8. Curls Blissful Lengths Liquid Hair Growth Vitamin 

My third hair vitamin that I am trying out. What's great about this is that is in liquid form. This is the first bottle that I  completed. I'm going to take this vitamin for 3 months (6 bottles total) and share my results.


8. Keracare Twist and Define Cream (not pictured)

I have nothing but great things to say about this defining cream. It gives my hair moisture and also helps me achieve the best twist out results.

9. Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar (with the Mother)- not pictured 

My wash day isn't complete without an act rinse. I know some naturals even use this to clarify their hair.

10. Eden BodyWorks All Natural Cleansing Cowash 

I used this when I ran out of my Mielle Organics Detangling Co-Wash and couldn't find it at my local Sally's. Great product and definitely something I can see myself using again.

What are your some of your hair product empties from the summer or fall? 

Wash Day Recap | Mini Hair Update

Man, I've really been slacking on the blog as of late. That's what happens when you're juggling work, writing and spending time with the hubby. Luckily I've still be taking care of my hair through all of it. My wash days have pretty much stayed the same with just a few minor updates. I'm still co-washing and deep conditioning my hair once a week. Since I want to retain length, I mainly wear low manipulation styles like twists or two strand twist halo braid (not sure if that's the proper name).
Here are a few pictures of my hair over the past month and half

This twist out from 10/29/16 was everything!

Smiling because I love my twist out.

My other go-to protective style from 11/6/16

Another view form 11/6/16

Rocking a twist out for Thanksgiving 2016

I've also been experimenting with products as well. Currently I'm using True by Made Beautiful. But since I scored some good deals on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, you will probably see a change in my wash day products :). I didn't go too crazy but I'm excited with my purchases which I'll share soon.

I'm not trying the whole line, just their co-wash, hair masque and leave-in conditioner

Now that my mini hair update is out of the way, here is a recap of Sunday's wash day.

Pre-pooed  I'm still loving my current pre-poo routine which consists of applying water, EVCO and  The Antidote to  sections. Then I detangle my hair using my wide tooth comb from Eternally in Amber. Once the section is detangled, I put the section into twists. 

Shampooed  with Mielle  Organic's Babassu Conditioning Shampoo with my hair in twists.

Protein Treatment- Used Aubrey Organics and let it sit in my hair for about 2 minutes before washing it out.

Deep Conditioned with True Intense Treatment Masque- I applied the masque to my hair (still in twists) and left it on for about 20 minutes under a plastic cap.

ACV Rinse - I did a final rinse on my hair (acv mixed with water).

Styled my hair- As I mention before I've been keep my hair in low manipulation styles. This week I opted for my two strand halo braids. I plan on moisturizing my hair every other day and keep this style until my wash day on Sunday.

                                                   

                                                 How was your recent wash day?

Wash Day Recap | Last Wash Day of September

This post is a little late (by a couple of weeks) but I still wanted to share my last wash day of September. As part of my new regimen/routine going forward, I plan on co-washing my hair three weeks in a row and shampooing on the 4th week. So my first shampoo day happened to fall on my last wash day of September. Here's how my wash day went:


Pre-pooed by spraying my hair with a mixture of aloe vera juice and water. Then I applied EVCO to my strands, focusing on the ends. Lastly, I applied The Antidote and used my fingers to detangle. I then detangled with a wide tooth comb before putting my hair into two strand twists.

Shampooed with Mielle Organic's Babassu Shampoo (with my hair still in twists). I really worked the shampoo in and gently used my Shampoo brush I purchased from Vanity Planet. I made sure to use a downward motion to avoid getting tangles and knots (thanks for the tip NappyFu!)

Protein Treatment- I used my usual treatment, Aubrey Organics and let it sit in my hair for about 2 minutes before rinsing it out.

Deep Conditioned with Eden Body Works Coconut Shea Hair Masque Treatment. Instead of simply using a plastic cap, I decided to use my Q-Redew for the first time! Yes, I know I bought it on a Black Friday, which means I should have used it by now but...I didn't. Anyway, I used applied my hand-held steamer to each twists keeping some distance so I wouldn't burn myself. I learned this lesson early on when I put it a little close to my edges when I started. Luckily I didn't really burn myself and I'll never make that mistake again. After I finished with the steamer, I put a plastic cap on my hair and waited another 15 minutes before rinising out the masque.

ACV Rinse- Before wrapping up my wash day, I did my apple cider vinegar rinse. I like to dilute the acv with water so it's not too potent and then I either spray or pour the solution

Styling my hair- Once I'm finished with the ACV rinse, I let my hair dry using a t-shirt for about 10-15 minutes. Then I do a quick survey of my twists to see which ones need to be re-twisted. Since I used up the last of my Kera Care Twist and Define cream, I picked up Eden Body Works Coconut Shea Curl Defining Cream to twist my hair. After that I applied a little of my water + Aloe Vera Juice mixture, Tamanu Oil and Jia's Carribean Dream Creme to my hair and ends.