It's My Hair: Product Review and New Style

It's that time again: hair talk. I am sure that anyone reading this blog can tell how excited I still am about my natural hair journey. It's been quite interesting. The other day I won some natural hair products via Natty Coco. I could not wait to use the hair and Scalp oil, Leave in herbal mist, and whipped shea butter. I used all three after cowashing my hair. I used them with my braid out. My results, as seen above, were amazing!!! Loved my hair after using the Natty Coco products. The whipped butter has to be my favorite amongst the three. I t smells so good and feels even better. I can already tell that these products will be added to my hair regimen asaptually. Great products from a great company. You guys should get into it. 

 

Then, I decided to try something totally out of the blue for me. Since I began researching natural hair styles and techniques, I've avoided one thing: wash and go's. I just assumed that wash and go's were for the 3a-c ladies. I just didn't think it was meant for us 4a-c ladies. So, while cowashing my hair, I decided to step out on faith. I already had leave in conditioner in my hair. So, I added a little Curls Unleashed Mousse and Curling Jelly to my hair. That was it. I was done. I liked the definition of my curls and the overall look of my hair. I left to run errands. My hair was great the entire time I was out. BUT (there has to be a but right) I wasn't as happy with it once my hair completely dried. I was left with more of an afro than I would have liked. So, in theory, this was a dope idea. In actuality, not so much. I ended up bantu knotting my hair the next day. It was a great experiment and experience though. Anyway, I will continue to try new things with my hair. I mean, why not? It's fun and my hair is so important to me. I love being natural :) Until next time, keep it kinky, naturalistas!!!

It's My Hair: 2 Years Strong!!

Started from the bottom, now I'm here. A year ago, I was excited to reach this milestone. A year later, I couldn't be happier with my hair's progression. It's been two interesting years on this natural hair journey. I started with just a thought, an inkling of an idea. I did not know what my hair would appear or the texture of it. In the beginning, I was just interested in stretching my relaxers. I was so used to that 6 - 8 week trek to the hair shop for the creamy crack. My hair wasn't unhealthy or breaking off prior to the change. I just wanted something different. I have always had a head full of thick hair. It's the gift and the curse. But, it's all mine and I love it. My natural hair journey has been relatively stress free. Except for earlier this year, I experienced some hair loss due to stress. 

So, for my two year natural hair anniversary, I wanted to try a new look. I was going for Naptural85's Seductive Tousled look. You can watch her tutorial video on her YouTube channel. I started with flat ironed hair from a prior blowout. I separated my hair into six sections. I sprayed each section with my water/glycerin mix lightly. I rubbed my shea butter/oils mix into my hair. I then twisted each section from the roots to the tips. Finally I wrapped the twists into bantu knots. I secured each knot a bobby pin. Very simple and easy to do. I lightly misted the water over my hair again. And, finally I sprayed my hair with some oil sheen and tied it down with my silk scarf. The next morning, I put a little grapeseed oil on my fingers and untwisted my hair. I shook my head and fluffed my hair with my fingers. I was ready for my day. I really liked my hair. The style lasted a few days. I retwisted and re-Bantu knotted my hair nightly. Great style for any natural hair woman. Two years went by with the blink of an eye. I am so excited to see what happens next for me and my hair.

It's My Hair: Products Review

The natural hair movement is a huge deal. There are literally thousands of products being offered to us naturalistas. It is so easy to get confused & frustrated to figure out what works & what's crap. I want to discuss 3 products I've recently tried & how they worked for my hair. First is Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I learned pretty quickly that less is more here. It worked wonders for me. It's thick & provides great coverage. It smells good enough to eat. It gave my hair a more defined look to my curls, which is a great thing. I couldn't be happier with this product. I'm going to try other products by Shea Moisture.

Before I began my natural hair journey, I spent a ridiculous amount of time researching. I read all the popular hair blogs and watched all the youtube videos. I was well informed. One product that was mentioned a lot was Eco Styler's Olive Oil Gel. It seemed to be a stable. It was a product I've avoided. I am not a fan of gel. It has never been a product I've liked. So when I received an email from Sally's that the ESOOG was on sale, I decided to give it a try. The 32 oz is on sale all month for $3.49. That was a price I couldn't pass up. I do not know why I avoided it for so long. I am a fan. It works so well. It does not get hard or flaky which I was afraid of. I love the fragrance of it as well. It's a great product for me to use when I wear my hair in a bun which is usually once or twice a week.

 

Staying within my olive oil category, I picked up the Olive Oil Moisturizing Sheen Spray. It was on sale as well. It's new to me because I have not used it before. I haven't really used oil sheen in about a year. I dyed my hair recently and needed some shine. This was a good choice. It smells wonderful and gives me the shine that I was looking for. It is also really light. It does not make my hair feel heavy or weighed down. That is always a great thing. These are the three new things I've started to use on my natural hair. My hair is stronger and thicker now. I love that. I'm still learning what works for me and my hair. That is the journey itself. I just want to share my finds with any other natural hair ladies. 

It's My Hair: Simplifying My Routine

 I've read too many blog posts and magazine articles about natural hair. Some women use a ridiculous amount of products in their hair. And, that may be fine for them. I have learned that less is more for my hair. I don't need a lot of products coexisting in my hair. It makes it to heavy and unmanageable. I like simple and easy. My hair regimen has gotten considerably smaller. There has been a lot of trial and error. I have used things that didn't work. And, found products that I love and still use. I did not become a product junkie like most naturalistas I know. That makes me happy. And, it keeps my money in my pocket. That is always a great thing. The above picture is me last weekend. I am 17 months post relaxer. This is one of my go to styles. IT's my version of a braid out/twist out. It lasts for about 5 days. I love it. 

I have gotten my routine down to the bare minimums. I co-wash with Suave Humectant Conditioner for Dry Hair. I love the thickness of the conditioner as well as the coverage it gives me. The smell is awesome. And, the price is easy on the pockets. I just purchased 2 28oz bottles for $5.00 @ Target. That's a hell of a deal in my book. I follow that with Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-in Conditioner. For the size, it can be a bit pricey but it's worth it. I use Cantu's Shea Butter Leave in Conditioning Repair Cream. I have blogged about my love of this product before. It's still a staple for me. Kera Care's Essential Oils is another daily product for me. The oils give me shine and moisture. 

I also have started to use a mixture of butters and oils as a daily moisturizer. I made it myself which makes me love it even more. I combined a bunch of butters (shea, coca, kokum, almond, mango, avocado) with a few essential oils (coconut, sweet almond, and grapeseed) into a mix. I love the way it smells and feels on my hair. It is helping my hair grow. The only other products I use are my spray bottle filled with water and glycerin. My hair thanks me. It is healthy and strong and natural. I still hate how long it takes me to air dry my hair. But, I have no other complaints. My natural hair journey is becoming easier. I'm still excited about it. 

Get Into It: My Hair, My Products, My Review

On a recent Sally's Beauty Salon, I discovered a product by the name of One 'n Only Argan Oil. I purchased a curling iron by the same company. Since purchasing the products, I had honestly forgot about them. Before washing my hair today, I decided that today would be my experimentation day. For better or worse, I was all in. I would be using the curling iron, Argan Oil that accompanied it, and the moisture reconstructive conditioner as well. I wasn't expecting much because new hair products make me apprehensive. I was however totally wrong about this one.

After washing my hair with KeraCare shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair, I used about half of the packet of Argan oil moisture reconstructive conditioner. I left it in for 5 minutes and then I rinsed it out. Then, I used a very small amount of Argan Oil in my hair. I proceeded to blow dry my hair. Today, my blow drying time was much shorter than usual. After I was done, I could not stop running my fingers through my hair. It was so soft and completely dry. I have to conclude that the Argan Oil products are solely responsible for this change. I could not wait to style my hair!! I was so excited. I flat ironed and hot curled my hair. The results were amazing. Very soft and full of body.I am a fan of Argan Oil now. I will definitely be investing in more Argan Oil products.

The description of this product was also very promising. It reads "One 'n Only Argan Oil is a premium finishing, smoothing and conditioning product. This non-greasy, alcohol-free formula instantly absorbed into the hair, creating brilliant shine without leaving an oily residue. Smoothes cuticle for the silky, conditioned and healthy looking hair. This precious oil eliminates frizz and leaves hair more manageable while helping to protect against damage caused by the environment, chemicals or excessive heat from styling irons and dryers. Provides UV protection and long-term conditioning while reducing split ends and breakage
Ideal for all hair types, One 'n Only Argan Oil reduces drying time and speeds up styling time producing consistently silky smooth results."

This all comes at a curious time. I have been battling internally about getting back to my natural hair state. I am also looking for new products. I have been using KeraCare and Mizani products for years now. I needed a change. Argan Oil has just moved to the top of my list. My hair seems shinier as well. That is just an added plus. A chance trip to Sally's has ended with great results. I love when my hair looks good. It makes me feel better. Silly but very true. I am very happy about my results. I just wanted to share this with you guys.