Wash Day | New Protective Style

Hello loves!

As promised I will reveal the new hairstyle that I plan on rocking for the next two weeks. But before I do that, here is how I wore my hair before tucking it away for a bit. As you may remember, semi-mini twists have been my go-to low manipulation style for the past month. It has been a great way to keep my hair protected and also lessens the amount of time I spend styling my hair. After my last wash day, I wore my hair in the twists from Sunday- Thursday and wore a twist out on Friday.

Work selfie on Friday night.

Playing with the my curls Saturday morning

As much as I love my curls and doing my hair, I wanted a little break. So I visited Cher'e at Studio Six Nine Hair Design. It was nice to have someone other than myself style and wash my hair. And per usual, Cher're came up with a cute protective hairstyle that will last me the next two weeks. I plan on moisturizing my hair while wearing this protective style. So, without further adeu, here is my new protective style:

What do you think of the new hairstyle? Have you tried any new hairstyles recently? Don't forget to join the link-up!

Wash Day | Upping My Pre-Poo Game

Hello loves! It's been a little over two weeks since my last post. Since going back to work after hiatus, I've been trying to adjust to my crazy work schedule again. I've still been rocking my semi-mini twists, I even rocked the twists on my birthday, and keeping my regimen the same.

Here I am on my birthday on 1/13/16

On my recent wash day this past Sunday, I decided to add something to my pre-poo step. Here is a recap of my wash day:

Pre-Poo/ Hot Oil Treatment: I bought The Antidote from Tangles and Beyond in the Spring but only used it once or twice. Both times I used it as a deep conditioner but I wanted to see how it would work as a pre-poo. I applied to my hair and scalp first and then added EVCO (after I microwaved it for about 3o seconds) to my scalp/hair . I worked both products into my hair for a couple of minutes and put on my Hot Heads Conditioning Cap for an hour. 

This is definitely a winning combo! My hair felt so soft and moisturized after this step.

Co-Washed with Detangling Co-Wash by Mielle Organics in my usual four sections.

Protein Treatment with GPB Balancing Protein Conditioner by Aubrey Organics for two minutes.

Deep Conditioned with Babassu Oil and Mint Deep Conditioner  under my Hot Head cap for 30 minutes.

Detangled with my Eternally in Amber Detangling Comb

Then I realized I was going to be late for my pole class, so I put my hair in four mini puffs and raced out the door.

           

        

ACV rinse: I rinsed my hair with the rinse twice on this particular wash day.

Leave-ins + Oils  With my hair still in four sections, I applied Mint Almond Oil to my scalp and then did my usual LOC Method- Aloe Vera with Water, Mint Almond Oil, Jia's Caribbean DreamCream followed by the Kera Care Twist and Define Cream to twist my hair in my semi-mini twists.  

I'll only be wearing my semi mini twists until today.  I'll be doing something a little different with my hair for the next two weeks. 

Stay tuned......

Wash Day | First Full Wash Day of 2016

Happy Monday!

Technically this is my first full wash day of the new year even though I did a co-wash last week with my mini twists. The mini twists are a great protective/low maintenance style that allows me to take a mini break from my hair. Keeping the mini twists in for two weeks seems to really work for my hair.

My hair after I took out the mini twists

Here is a recap of Saturday's wash day:

Pre-Poo/ Hot Oil Treatment: I microwaved my EVCO  for about 3o seconds and then apply it very generously to my hair and scalp. I used this time to give myself a mini scalp massage.  After my mini massage, I put my hair in four ponytails using Goody Ouchless hair ties and wore my Hot Heads cap for an hour. 

Co-Washed with Detangling Co-Wash by Mielle Organics in four sections. 

Protein Treatment--I just realized as I'm typing this post that I didn't do a protein treatment! That's never happened to me but I will make sure to get one in next time.

Deep Conditioned with Babassu Oil and Mint Deep Conditioner  under my Hot Head cap for 30 minutes.

Detangled-  As usual I went with my trusted Eternally in Amber Detangling Comb. For the past two or three wash days I do this particular step in the shower.

The amount of hair I shed during the pre-poo and detangling session.

T-shirt dried for about 10-15 minutes. 

Leave-ins + Oils and Styling My hair- Since the LOC method has done wonders for my hair, I've kept that aspect of my wash day the same. My go-to product are: Mint Almond Oil, my spritz mix (Aloe Vera Juice, Water and I added White Peony Ultra Moisturizing Leave-in Conditioner), Jia's Caribbean DreamCream and Kera Care Twist and Define Cream. 

As you may remember I installed mini twists in my hair on my last full wash day. Because I loved my mini twists so much, I decided to do them again. The plan is to wear them for two weeks (like before) and then take them out. I still plan on doing a co-wash in between with the mini twists in my hair. 

So far I've been wearing my mini twists in a ponytail  with some bangs. I got a number of compliments on the style today, which is always nice.

How I wore my hair today for work

View of the back

Side view

                      

 How was your #WashDayExperience? Don't forget to join the link-up. 

Hair Goals for 2016

Happy New Year!!

2015 taught me a lot about my natural hair. I learned a lot about my regimen, products that work for my hair and experienced a lot of growth. I'm looking forward to learning a lot more this year. With that being said, here are my hair goals for 2016:

1. Curb my product junkie tendencies. With the amount of growth I experienced in 2015, I found myself experimenting with products. So, my goal is to limit myself to trying 1 or 2 new products this year (if any at all).

2. Stick to a regimen for at least 4-6 months. I feel like I’ve finally hit a groove with my hair the last few months and I think it’s because of consistency + products I am using. So, unless my products suddenly stops working (which is doubtful), I want to keep my regimen the same until at least June.

3. Say no to heat- as much as possible- I’ve done a good job of keeping my hair heat free since I big chopped in April of 2014. I did get a light blowout in August for my trim but I would like to stay heat free as much as possible this year.

4. Try a few new hairstyles. I usually find a hairstyle that I like and stick with it. In the new year, I hope to try at least 3 new hairstyles.

5. Get my hair trimmed, as needed. I got my first trim back in August since my big chop. I won’t set a time limit on when I need a trim but I will be paying attention to my ends. I will definitely get one maybe two trims in 2016. In between trims, I will also do a search and destroy method.

6. Retain as much length as possible. While healthy hair is my main goal, I also have a length goal as well. This year I will be working towards healthy hair and hopefully retaining length along the way. I will continue to evaluate my regimen and hair style choices throughout the year and adjust if needed. I also realize that obsessing about length is unhealthy, so I will only do one or two length checks this year.

What are your hair goals for 2016? I would love them! Please share your goals in the comments below.

Best of 2015: Hits & Misses

Happy New Year's Eve everyone! Before I ring in the new year with the hubby, I thought I would share some of the hits and misses of my hair journey this year.

Some of the hairstyles I wore in 2015

Hit: Incorporating the LOC method + Oils in my regimen

Up until a couple of months ago, I was still trying to get a handle on moisture retention for my hair. My hair is naturally dry and it seemed like no matter what I did, I couldn't figure out how to fix the problem. Then after doing some research I decided to try the LOC method again but this time I incorporated some oils as well (thanks to a tip from HealthyHairJourney72). The results have been amazing! My hair is no longer dry and looks healthy.

Hit: Using Social Media to find out about new hair products and tools

If you follow the blog, you know I've been experimenting with products this year. In the past I heard about products through word-of-mouth recommendations, which led to some successes and failures. But, this year social media helped me discovery the majority of the products and accessories in my current regimen. When I first started using Instagram last year, I had no idea it would be my #1 way to find out about products for my hair.

Just a sample of products I found on Instagram

Hit: Finding my staple products and building a regimen

When I first started my natural hair journey I was overwhelmed with all of the products and information out there. I thought I would never find the right products for my hair. But with some time, patience and a lot of trial & error, I finally have a regimen that works for me. Finding the right products and tools for my hair has made the last few months easier and more enjoyable

Mielle Organics and Tangles and Beyond Products have helped me achieve healthy hair. I look forward to seeing my hair health continue in the new year.


Hit: Incorporating hair vitamins into my regimen

If you asked me a year ago if I would take hair vitamins, my answer would have been a firm "no". After reading reviews and watching countless YouTube videos about bad reactions from some of the big hair vitamin companies out there I was scared. I went so far as to buy hair vitamins but then I changed my mind.

Then in August, I came across Mielle Organics (on Instagram) and researched their vitamins. The reviews were great and I didn't have a problem with the ingredients. So, I took a chance and bought the vitamins. It has been a little more than three months since I started taking the vitamins and it has been great.

Hit: Getting my first successful trim on my natural hair

Some of you may remember the disaster trim I got back in 2014 . So you can understand why I was afraid of finding a new stylist in a brand new city. It took several months but I found a hair stylist that I trusted. It ended up being a great experience and I visit her once in awhile when I want a break from doing my hair.

Miss: Perm Rod Set

After watching some YouTube videos, I felt like I was ready to do a perm rod set on my hair. Well, I was wrong. Lol. I swear I followed all the steps I saw on a YouTube tutorial but my hair did not look the same way. I'm not sure if it was the products I used or my technique but I won't be trying it again anytime soon. Hahaha.

 

Miss: Not becoming a product junkie

I promised myself over and over again that I would never become a product junkie. Unfortunately somewhere between experimenting with products and building a regimen, I became a product junkie. But, knowing that I have a problem is half the battle. I also set a plan that included donating some of my unused hair products to charity and only buying the essentials. Now that I have products that work on my hair, I don't plan on introducing new products for awhile.

What were some of your hair hits and misses from 2015? Please comment below and don't forget to join the link-up!

 I hope you all have a fun and safe New Year's Eve! Here's to fabulous 2016!

Favorite hair products from 2015

2015 was the year of experimenting with various natural hair products to find ones that worked best for my hair. Here is a short list of my favorite hair products from this year:

1. Jia's Caribbean DreamCreme- I gave you all the details about my love for this product in my recent review , so I will spare you my review again. But, I will say this, going into 2016 this will remain one of my staple products. If you want a leave-conditioner that leaves your hair soft and manageable, look no further. Jia is soft on your tresses and is made of natural ingredients.

2. Mielle Organics Mint Almond Oil-  Ok, so by now you know that I am in love with Mielle Organics. And if you didn't know, just take a look at the rest of the products on this list. Anyway, besides being a lightweight oil perfect for the LOC method, it smells amazing! I love that this oil leaves me hair moisturized without making it feel greasy. 

                                                      

                                                 

4.    Honey Dew Berry Detangling Co-Wash by Mielle Organics- Another gentle, natural hair product from Mielle Organics. At first I was a little skeptical because it is lighter than what I have used in the past but, it more than does the job. My scalp and strands feel clean and refreshed after each use. Plus, it really brings out all of my curls and coils. 

5.  Twist & Define Cream by Kera Care - I picked this product up at the suggestion of my hair stylist here in Portland. Before this product, I often wondered why my twists out were not as defined and bouncy like some of my natural hair idols. But this cream solved that problem for me. Every single time I use it my twists are on point. And of course the smell makes it a winner in my book. This has also become one of my staple products and one I plan on using in 2016,

6.  Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner by Mielle Organics - I know, I know yet another product from Mielle Organics. But what can I say? There products are amazing!! Seriously, you need to go get your life and try them out! Lol. This conditioner leaves your scalp and hair moisturized. My hair does okay with protein but if you have issues with it, you might want to consider that before including it in your regimen.

7. Essential oils + Aloe Vera Juice - After watching HealthyHairJourney72's video about her spritz spray, I decided it was time to include essential oils and aloe vera juice in my regimen. While I didn't use all of the oils featured in her spray, my hair has still reaped the benefits. Before using the oils on a daily basis my hair was dull and dry. Now that I do the LOC method consistently and I use oils on a regular basis, my hair is happier and healthier.

     

While there are so many awesome products out there, I narrowed my list down to 7 products that have become essential to my natural hair care routine.

What are you favorite hair products from 2015? Please share your favorites in the comments below!

My favorite natural hair accessories & styling tools from 2015

This past year has been an incredible learning experience. I have learned so much about my hair and the have found some great products. Here are a few of my favorite natural hair accessories and styling tools from 2015. 

 Eternally In Amber Combs

Back in the fall Christina from The Mane Objective raved about Eternally In Amber's combs and I was instantly intrigued. She loved the combs so much that she did a giveaway for readers. Luckily I was one of the two winners and got to test the combs out for myself. 

Wide tooth comb, hair pick and detangling comb.

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I received my giveaway products: the wide tooth comb and hair pick and a note from Amber, the owner. It only took one use for me to become a believer. A couple of weeks later I purchased the detangling comb as well. 

Unlike most combs sold in stores, Eternally In Amber's combs are crafted by hand and made from plant-derived cellulose acetate. The combs are gentle on the hair so you don't have to worry about snags or breakage.  These combs have become an essential part of my regimen and I won't go back to using non-Eternally In Amber combs again. In December, Eternally in Amber announced the Eternally in Amber Box which drops in January. I'm all signed up and ready for my first box :)!

Hot Head Deep Conditioning Heat Cap by ThermalHairCare

Adding heat to the deep conditioning session opens the cuticle and allows the deep conditioner to penetrate the hair shaft. Before I stumbled on the review of this cap by Jen (Just Grow Already), I had a cap that plugged into the wall. Yes, it did the job but it made me stationary, which I hated. It took me about a year to finally breakdown and buy my own. 

And let me tell you, it has been well worth it. Not only is this microwavable cap easy to use but it is environmentally friendly as well. The cap is filled with all natural flax seed which helps generate heat once microwaved. Once heated the cap can produce heat for a 25-45 minute treatment, which allows me to be productive while I deep condition. Oh and my cap is reversible so I can switch between  pink and zebra print, depending on my mood.

Satin Lined Beanies by Caheez

Ok, these beanies have seriously changed my life this fall. In my line of work, I spend a lot of time outside in the cold for 12-14 hours a day and I need to keep myself warm. But, I also want to protect my hair at the same time. Most hats on the market are lined with materials that leave our natural hair dry and cause breakage. I thought I was doomed to have dry hair all fall and winter until I found Caheez on Instagram (I swear it is a gold mine for finding natural hair products and accessories). These hats are personally handmade by Carla and her staff for each customer. Carla offers 4 different sizes for her beanies: 8'', 10'', 12" and 14" in diameter. 

Newsboy Cap --my first cap and my favorite

The Pinwheel Pom Pom

    

 

                                                                   (Seed Stitch)

These hats are my go-to hair accessories for the week. They are comfortable and fit over the hairstyles that I usually wear during the week. I can be fashionable and keep my hair moisturized at the same time. 

Satin lined inside of my Newsboy cap

Which hair accessories and styling tools made your must-have list in 2015? Please comment with your picks in the comments below!