Wash Day Update: My First Curly Cut at Be Kekoa Salon

I finally got my hair trimmed! I mean it's only been a year since the last one (hanging head in disgrace). My last trim was done on textured lightly blown dried hair. Now I know some naturalistas love using direct heat but as for me, I prefer sticking to that #noheat life. So a few months ago I started asking other naturalistas for recommendations on salons that did curly cuts. Although I received many great suggestions, I was ultimately intrigued by Christina (of Mane Objective's ) recommendation to visit Be Kekoa Salon in Temecula. At the time I was still living in Portland and wasn't sure when I could make the trek to Cali.

Fast forward about three months later when I booked my appointment with Brandie at Be Kekoa. Life happened and presented me with an opportunity to be closer to the salon sooner than I expected (more on that in another post). Anyway, I patiently waited the four weeks until my appointment keeping my hair tucked and protected. Yesterday the hubby and I drove from Sherman Oaks to Temecula. And like all of my trips to new salons, I was nervous. I swear all black women, myself included have had horrible experiences with scissor happy stylists. But, from what I saw from the Mane Objective's Instagram feed and other reviews of the salon, I was confident about my decision.

As soon as I walked into the salon, I knew I was in the right place. Brandie and her assistant Audra were so welcoming and lovely. Before the cut, I had a consultation with Brandie. She asked me about my hair care regimen and any concerns/questions I had. Unfortunately single strand knots and matting have been my worst enemy as of late but Brandie assured me that it would be okay.  In addition to a much needed trim, I also asked for a little shaping for the fro.

A peek inside Be Kekoa Salon

Brandie got to work examining my strands and began cutting curl by curl. I've seen YouTube videos of the curly cut technique but it was amazing seeing it up close. Brandie's care and expertise is absolutely amazing. As she worked I asked her questions about my current regimen and how to reduce the occurrence of pesky single strand knots.

Once she finished with the cut, Audra got to work cleansing my hair and scalp. I wish I could have Audra wash my hair all the time! She was gentle and very thorough.  And I realized that I have not been giving my scalp the attention it  needs during my cleansing session.  Going forward I will be giving my scalp more attention and incorporating scalp massages during the cleansing stage. After Audra finished cleansing my hair it was time for my steam hydration treatment. I got the Monoi Orangesicle Protein Smoothie, which was amazing. But the best part of the treatment was the steamer. This was my first experience with a steamer, I know I'm late to the game. I swear this steamer gave my hair life! My hair felt amazing after the treatment and I need to start using the Q-redew I bought on Black Friday. 

I decided to go with two strand twists for my style. So Brandie and Audra twisted my hair while chatting with me and the hubby. Once my twists were done, I sat under the dryer briefly so my hair could soak up the product. Before leaving I made sure to grab buy some Tamanu Oil. I wanted to buy some of the Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner but they were out of the 8fl oz bottle. I know I said I wasn't going to add new products but I will be trying out the Be Kekoa line soon.

I had such an awesome experience and I can't wait to go back! I'm planning on going back in about 3 months to maintain healthy ends.

My before pic

Showing off my curly cut and style

I absolutely loved my experience at Be Kekoa and I will definitely be back! 

Wash Day | Last Wash Day of July

I can't believe it's already the first week of August! This summer is really flying by. July was such a busy month that I didn't have time to blog as much as I wanted to. I still need to share what's been going on with me lately, but for now, here is my last wash day of July.

Pre-pooed with my Aloe Vera Juice mix and The Chocolate Antidote + The Antidote for 30 minutes under my Hot Heads cap. Oh a side note: I finally finished the original antidote!! 

Co-washed with Eden BodyWorks All Natural Coconut Shea CoWash Yup, I'm still using this because I haven't had a chance to order my normal co-wash online. But, like I said in my last wash day post, this co-wash is really good. This will probably be my 2nd go-to Co-Wash.

Before rinsing the co-wash I detangled with my Eternally in Amber comb. This co-wash is great for detangling and makes the whole process a breeze.

Protein Treatment  This week I did my normal protein conditioner treatment using GPB Balancing Protein Conditioner by Aubrey Organics.

Deep Conditioned with Tangles & Beyond's Deep Moisture Conditioner.  I really need to make a Mielle Organics purchase but I'm a fan of these products. Like usual, I used my Hot Heads cap for 30 minutes before rinsing it out.

T-shirt dried my hair for 10-15 minutes. 

Styling my hair- The LOC method really keeps my hair moisturized so I continue to use the same products. If ain't broke, don't fix it! I used a spritz bottle with water and Aloe Vera juice, Mint Almond Oil and a few other oils. I also used  Jia's Caribbean DreamCreme as my leave-in conditioner along with the Kera Care Twist and Define Cream. I might have applied too much because I had oil and such on the back of my neck well into the next day. Better too much than not enough.  

My personal goal for the next four weeks is to keep my ends tuck until my scheduled trim. So this week I decided to revisit the Roll Tuck and Pin. I love this style because it is quick and very easy to master. It took me about 5 minutes or so to complete the look.

How was your wash day? Are you revisiting any old hairstyles? Be sure to join the link up!