Hi people, what's been on?
How was the holidays?
It was a blessing and allowed me to really reset myself to default. Life sometimes can be a hyperactive dog on a flimsy leash and you need to hold on with two hands which means your hands won't be available for the business of hair!
When I get these moments, I switch over my hair routine to a low manipulation one.
For my fine hair, I noticed low manipulation styles with extensions actually break my hair especially if I want to leave them in for longer than 2-3 weeks which is why I rarely braid or weave my hair when I'm trying to grow my hair out for a major trim. I also feel I'm wasting the whole day in the salon to put the extensions in.
This low manipulation routine usually lasts a month and I repeat the cycle every month.
WASH DAY
The day before washday (usually Friday evening), I'll henna my hair overnight and then rinse off, wash and deepcondition the next day.
The deep conditioner helps hydrate my hair to prepare it for days when I won't even be bothered about my hair. I follow up with my oil mix on scalp and strands and finally a leave in conditioner.
Then I put my hair in chunky twists to dry and wrap with a pashmina scarf so it dries faster and just in case I need to go out.
STYLING
Now here's where my sacrifice begins....the 3-4hrs long twisting sessions. I don't really mind because I compare that time to the same time I'll spend in a salon (and let's not add the waiting hours if you didn't have an appointment).
I actually spend less time doing my hair myself in the comfort of my own home with a movie too.
I put my hair in mini or medium twists. The twists are installed in such a way that they should last for two weeks plus.
To make sure they last, I
- Twist on damp to dry hair
- use a twisting butter with some level of hold (I use NappyGirl Pudding). You can also use a small amount of Ecostyler gel to twist too.
- do not wet my hair. I only scrunch in a little leave in conditioner and oil.
- cover my hair at night.
- don't manipulate it.. no pin ups....just pony tails for stretch...nothing to make my frizz prone hair do what it loves.
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After two weeks, I carefully take down the twists for twistouts. I don't fluff, separate or pick out my hair. This helps maintain the definition for the next two weeks. As the days go by, it gets bigger and frizzier but not in a messy way.
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Towards the end of the two week twistout period, I start stretching my hair out stylishly in preparation for washday and to make detangling sessions easier.
I do this by putting my hair in buns and updos.
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I also notice that as long as the source of moisture is a water based leave in conditioner and I apply oil afterwards, my hair is generally tangle free .
The day before washday, I'll apply a slippery conditioner to dry hair, fingerdetangle, apply henna overnight and start the cycle all over again.
On my laziest days, I'll do a modified Aphogee protein treatment on washday instead of the overnight henna.
That's it for my low manipulation, time saving month long routine.
How do you care for your hair during a very busy month????
How was the holidays?
It was a blessing and allowed me to really reset myself to default. Life sometimes can be a hyperactive dog on a flimsy leash and you need to hold on with two hands which means your hands won't be available for the business of hair!
When I get these moments, I switch over my hair routine to a low manipulation one.
For my fine hair, I noticed low manipulation styles with extensions actually break my hair especially if I want to leave them in for longer than 2-3 weeks which is why I rarely braid or weave my hair when I'm trying to grow my hair out for a major trim. I also feel I'm wasting the whole day in the salon to put the extensions in.
This low manipulation routine usually lasts a month and I repeat the cycle every month.
WASH DAY
The day before washday (usually Friday evening), I'll henna my hair overnight and then rinse off, wash and deepcondition the next day.
The deep conditioner helps hydrate my hair to prepare it for days when I won't even be bothered about my hair. I follow up with my oil mix on scalp and strands and finally a leave in conditioner.
Then I put my hair in chunky twists to dry and wrap with a pashmina scarf so it dries faster and just in case I need to go out.
STYLING
Now here's where my sacrifice begins....the 3-4hrs long twisting sessions. I don't really mind because I compare that time to the same time I'll spend in a salon (and let's not add the waiting hours if you didn't have an appointment).
I actually spend less time doing my hair myself in the comfort of my own home with a movie too.
I put my hair in mini or medium twists. The twists are installed in such a way that they should last for two weeks plus.
To make sure they last, I
- Twist on damp to dry hair
- use a twisting butter with some level of hold (I use NappyGirl Pudding). You can also use a small amount of Ecostyler gel to twist too.
- do not wet my hair. I only scrunch in a little leave in conditioner and oil.
- cover my hair at night.
- don't manipulate it.. no pin ups....just pony tails for stretch...nothing to make my frizz prone hair do what it loves.
After two weeks, I carefully take down the twists for twistouts. I don't fluff, separate or pick out my hair. This helps maintain the definition for the next two weeks. As the days go by, it gets bigger and frizzier but not in a messy way.
Towards the end of the two week twistout period, I start stretching my hair out stylishly in preparation for washday and to make detangling sessions easier.
I do this by putting my hair in buns and updos.
I also notice that as long as the source of moisture is a water based leave in conditioner and I apply oil afterwards, my hair is generally tangle free .
The day before washday, I'll apply a slippery conditioner to dry hair, fingerdetangle, apply henna overnight and start the cycle all over again.
On my laziest days, I'll do a modified Aphogee protein treatment on washday instead of the overnight henna.
That's it for my low manipulation, time saving month long routine.
How do you care for your hair during a very busy month????