wash day | straight comb chaser

well, friends...

... my 2-month stint with the water only method came to an end with my last wash day.
the humidity absolutely demolished my product-free hair. not only did it get super frizzy, but it felt horrendous, and i looked a HAM. my hair looked like a lunch lady's net. no, not the hair UNDER the net. like the actual net.

so, i decided to go in the total opposite direction for some straight sleekness. contrary to the beginning of my journey, my hair has done exceptionally well being straight in warmer temperatures and humidity for the past 2-3 years -- maybe texas trained it? otherwise, i have no idea why that is.
it was in the mid-70s and i thought to myself: "my product-free regimen is not working in this heat and humidity. let's go for straight and smooth!"
and literally the next morning, the temperature was well below freezing.

le sigh.
only in southwest virginia.
#global
warming















i will keep this hair straight for as long as humanly possible because it has gotten longer (the tip of my V is nearly waist-length) and straightening took much longer. i still can't believe i committed to keep growing for the next 2.5 years. i'm going to look like cousin it's black baby.

i will absolutely be going back to the method when it gets colder, so i will be a 6-month product user (march - august) and 6-month water only child (september - february). i am thinking of trying out a modified version of sistawithrealhair's regimen during my product phase but i haven't yet decided.

the deets:
washed with tresemme nourishing moisture shampoo (um... no one told me this stuff was amazing!)
conditioned with tresemme 7-day smooth conditioner (also amazing!)
blow dried and flat ironed using the comb chase method with tresemme 7-day smooth treatment (again, amazing!)
*** no, i am not a spokesperson for/affiliated with tresemme, but i'm used to spending nothing on hair products, so i went the cheap route. i have to say that i forgot how effective tresemme products are! i'm very pleased.
i smoothed in a little argan oil and set my hair on 8 teal perm rods overnight

i would be perfectly happy with using only these 3 products during my 6-month phase. my hair feels absolutely fantastic -- this cheapo stuff is LEGIT. i may or may not try to find a deep conditioner. my hair doesn't seem to behave much differently with a DC versus a regular con since 'the change.'

how was your wash day?

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

linking up with klp, nicole, and amanda

wash day | rhassoul clay aka “When the BB Brush Just Ain’t Cuttin’ It Anymore”

y’all… i have some really interesting hair updates since China (by the way, i will be sharing lots as promised soon. i will pretty much be writing about China until this blog self-destructs or until i adopt my first child and transition into the incredibly scary world of organic butt wipes and paleo baby foodisms of mommy blogging).

back to the point: my sebum production has been straight up disrespectful lately.

pros of sebum-covered hair: my hair is incredibly easy to detangle, it has some weight so shrinkage is a bit less (except for WNGs… shrinkage is worse for mine now!), and it feels really protected.

cons of OVERproduction of sebum: my hair literally looks like a gray piece of broccoli.

i had a couple of broccoli-esque moments while in China, when my waxy sebum consumed my entire being. i took my hair out of a bun and it literally stood straight up with my coils (aka florets) at the very top. my hair had an immovable gray coating that made it stiff, sticky, and impossible.

so, i picked up a nice jar of rhassoul clay for “washing” when i need deeper clarifying. i read that i  would probably need some herbs or clays for clarifying every now and then, but i really didn't think it would apply to me so quickly. i was definitely wrong, and the boar bristle brush wasn't cutting it.

for my last wash day, i made a mask using clay, about a teaspoon of acv, and lots of water. i applied it on dry hair, let it marinate for about 30 minutes, and then i rinsed. hair felt amazingly clean and soft, scalp stopped itching, and no more excess sebum! 
i then stretched with a banded ponytail overnight, trimmed my ends according to the lunar chart, and set on caruso rollers for about 30 minutes.

another set done last week:

success!

*note: since writing this post, i have begun using a little coconut oil on my ends as suggested by many other water-only ladies so that my roller sets are sleeker and to extend the time between rinses. i think the semi-hard water here has started to take a toll (none of the filters i've tried have fit on my shower head), as my hair isn't retaining moisture as much as it used to. i also prefer the reduced manipulation of rolling once or twice per week as opposed to daily rinsing.

how was your wash day?

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

drastically reducing my carbon footprint

linking up with klp, nicole, and amanda

wash day | the water-only twist-n-curl

i dusted off my old perm rods for the first time in a long time to do this super easy style.

i started by finger detangling my dry hair followed by twisting it into 12 sections.
i did everything else while in the shower, which took about 20 minutes.
i took down each twist to saturate in water, scritch my scalp, preen my sebum down the length of my hair, and brush detangle.
i then re-twisted, leaving about 1.5"-2"of the ends free to secure on orange perm rods.
once out of the shower, i pinned my twists down with large bobby pins and let my hair dry overnight.

i TRIED to unravel pretty gently, though i am used to using some sort of oil to do so. i initially produced some frizz (mostly at the front, of course) until i remembered that i could collect sebum on my finger pads to make them a lot smoother. once i massaged my scalp to cover them, fluffing and pulling apart produced much less frizz.

this was a really simple way to stretch my hair, so i will continue to do it on rinse days, which i am now planning to reduce to saturday and wednesday nights.
on non-rinse days (as needed), i will continue to use my fingers or brushes to distribute the sebum. i have also enjoyed baggying on these days, and will continue to do that often.

i am still experimenting with quick and easy ways to set my hair post-brushing, like this style below that i'm just going to call the "thread-n-curl"...

...but i have a lot of other ideas pinned that i also want to try!

i love the water only method! what are your thoughts?

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

drastically reducing my carbon footprint

linking up with klp, nicole, and amanda

wash day | the water only method explained

i've been considering the water only method for a really long time - when i first went natural in 2010, again a couple of years ago, and most recently a couple of months ago.
when i found myself placing my 10th order of new products to try to "fix" this new hair i have, i decided that enough was enough. i was tired of trying any and everything to make my hair act "normally." what is normal?

i did a bit more research into the method (helpful links here, here, here, and here), gave away all of my products, and took the plunge on january 28.

so far, i am really surprised by how much i like it!
i knew i had soft hair before this, but i am truly amazed by the softness even without products. i absolutely love my natural texture that's been hiding under gels, oils, and other products. i also discovered some golden hairs that i guess had been darkened by whatever i was using in my hair, which is pretty cool.
and a little scary.

my sebum is finally coming in and the first inch or so of my hair is shiny and feels incredibly soft and smooth! i can't wait until it covers all of my hair (it seems like 3-6 months is the reported transition period).
in the interim, i have begun using some tea rinses/spritzes on my uncovered length and ends. i use fenugreek tea for moisture and black tea for strength.

my method:
i water rinse, which includes scalp massaging and scritching, every 2-3 nights. i detangle with a modified denman brush during rinsing as needed (usually twice/week). i then finish with a tea rinse on the length and ends of my hair. i don't rinse out the tea.

on my off nights, i brush my scalp and hair with a baby denman brush to distribute the sebum. i do this on hair that has been lightly spritzed and finger detangled with water or fenugreek tea.
     note: if my scalp feels really oily or my hair has buildup, i use the morocco method boar bristle brush to remove excess sebum.

after rinsing or brushing, i style (mostly wild child style - aka no style - and sometimes chunky twists or twist-outs, buns, rods, etc).
     bonus: this method = dry hair in 3-4 hours even in chunky sections! pre-WOM, my hair took well over 24 hours to dry in large sections.

i love how i can use this method to condition my hair naturally and reduce my carbon footprint. i am all about treating the earth and my hair well!

would you ever try this method?

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

drastically reducing my carbon footprint

linking up with klp, nicole, and amanda

wash day | wild child aka the water only method

three weeks ago, i reclaimed my true natural beauty for the first time.

i wiped the slate clean of 27 years of wanting to be perfect, to be polished, to be good enough.
i let the water wash it all away, and i was left naked without this cloak of manufactured acceptance.

i dropped using my hair as the bandage for my poor self-esteem, and i dropped what was left of my subconscious desires to fit into a mold and into a mindset to which i can no longer ascribe.

i decided that i was enough. every part of my body is fearfully and wonderfully and brilliantly made, and everything within the universe is within its confines.

leaving it all behind - the years of shame, of seeking perfection, of wanting to be who i am not - i looked in the mirror and i smiled knowing that no mistakes were made in my creation.

i let the water cleanse and renew me everyday and it reminds me.
i am full. wild. free.

linking up with klp and amanda

wash day & product reviews 1.0 | oyin handmade & bulk apothecary

whoo hooooo! wash day!
i did some research into techniques low porosity ladies utilize, and went on a product junkie binge (haven't done this in a LOOOONG time) to try to identify a line i wanted to use.

what i was looking for:
an all-inclusive product line to reduce number of shipments/waste (on ground = bonus!)
run by a natural-haired small business-owner
impeccable customer service

step 1: steamy hot oil treatment and finger detangle session

bulk apothecary 100% argan oil
1 lb for $28 | arrived in 4 days from ohio | not sure about the owner's info (update: i have located a natural-haired business owner that i will use after this oil has run out)

this argan oil is amazing! i expected it to be of a lesser quality than the organic argan oil i had been buying from amazon but i was mistaken. i applied a little less than 2 oz over my hair and used my q-redew (aka my savior) to open up my cuticles. the steam let it sink right in and i was able to finger detangle very, very easily. just like with my other argan oil, my hair was extremely soft and smooth. when i rinsed, my hair felt like it had transformed - it actually felt like "normal!"

step 2: wash, condition, and plop

oyin handmade honey wash and honey hemp conditioner
$4 each for 2oz mini | arrived in 2 days from baltimore | cool natural family!

the honey wash felt like liquid velvet. i LOVED the texture and it left my hair nice and clean and still very soft. i did feel like i had to use a lot though, because it didn't spread as easily as i thought it would considering the thin consistency.
honey hemp smelled like a mix between an orange creamsicle and bubble gum. i used almost the whole bottle to condition because i usually use quite a bit of conditioner, but i don't think i needed to. it sunk right in and left but didn't leave my hair as hydrated as i would've liked. i will have to look into more effective conditioning for lo-po ladies!
i plopped with a T-shirt for an hour.

step 3: leave-in and style

oyin handmade juices & berries, boing, and burnt sugar pomade
j&b - $14 for 8.4oz | boing - $5 for 1oz mini | burnt sugar pomade - $4 for 1oz mini

after plopping, i moisturized with j&b, sealed with the pomade, and tried to style with boing.

although all of these smelled good, i could take or leave them. juices & berries was pretty good, but the pomade was hard to spread, and boing basically gave me -1000 hold. i will admit that i didn't use it as instructed, but i definitely need a styler i can apply to air-dried hair so it won't take 400 years to dry. it ended up in a sad little bun that i eventually cowashed and defined with another product (more on that later!).

i am definitely a super fan of the argan oil steam and pre-poo and will continue that for every wash day. and though oyin handmade definitely makes quality products, this will not be my all-inclusive line.
back to the drawing board next week!

upcoming length check: december 26

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

wash day 12.11 | serious changes

i totally underestimated the beating my body would take by the brutal winter weather in appalachia. i don't know if it's because my last 2 "winters" were in houston, or because it got cold a lot earlier this year, or because this winter has been particularly dry here, but i am on the struggle bus.
my lips are cracked, dried, and split. my skin has been flaking like crazy, even right after adding lotion and oils. unfortunately, it has also affected my hair. and it showed on my wash day.

my hair was extremely dry despite the fact that i had been moisturizing my scalp and hair every night and leaving it alone in its twists (and even under a beanie some days!).
my cuticles seem to be locked down shut and need so much coaxing to open them in order to moisturize my hair. and since i cannot adequately seem to moisturize my hair while in twists (mine now unravel during cowashing/excessive moisturizing), i've had to shift gears.
i never planned to go back to this, but the only way my hair has stayed moist for at least 2 days has been with cowashing and bunning.
so that's exactly what i've been doing since friday.

i steamed with the q-redew, cowashed, deep conditioned, and air dried in 3 large twists (which took FOREVER - still damp at some spots when i woke up. i am sooooo not used to this!). i then bunned it up the next morning, and i repeated this process again on sunday night.

it's crazy how much this head of hair has changed. i mean, it is absolutely drastic. none of my old products work, but all of the techniques i've been avoided seem to be working.
i can't imagine what caused this 180, but i am back to researching regimens like i did while i was transitioning.
needless to say, my 6-month challenge is off for the time being. i am definitely not going to keep wearing any style that will prevent me from adequately moisturizing!
my next few wash day posts will be more regimen trials.

if you know of any low porosity naturals who have medium strands and live in cold/dry climates like i do, i would be forever indebted to you for sharing!

upcoming length check: december 26

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

linking up with klp

6-month locks and low carb challenge | wash day 11.29

this may come as a surprise given how much i was loving my roller sets, but i am back to twists until at least june 1.
why?
because once i realized i couldn't keep a roller set to my standard for longer than a week due to frizzies, night-time sweating, and root tangling, i was uncomfortable with the amount of manipulation weekly velcro roller sets and maintenance would create, especially for my fragile ends.
moreover, the amount of time it took to set and maintain is just not realistic for my current lifestyle. and this early winter crap we've been experiencing is not helping at all!

so, while i am completing my challenge, i will stay in two-strand twists (with occasional twist-outs) because i know that my hair loves being left alone a lot of the time, and twists are easy enough for a 6-month commitment. i can keep them moisturized constantly without worrying about reversion like i did for my roller sets, and they are somewhat versatile.
i have opted for medium-sized twists this time around because mini twists take too long to install and remove for the amount of time i plan to leave them in.

this is from a set i did earlier in the year, and this time all of my twists are about the size of the larger ones in these pictures.

without further ado... the process:

steamed and pre-pooed with q-redew and covered with a cap overnight
shampooed and conditioned with a reconstructor followed by a moisturizing con
sealed with oil, air-dried in 4 twists for about 30 minutes, and twisted

the twists took me about 1.5 hours to do, as i stopped to snip some split ends along the way.

*note* i did not post product names because they are about to change in my effort to support natural businesswomen. i will reveal these after my next wash day, but the process will still look the same!

i plan to redo this process every two weeks, including the trims if they are needed. i want SUPERB ends, and what i'm trimming isn't really affecting my length much at all.
in the interim, i oil my ends every night before bed and moisturize my hair and scalp as needed.
on wash day (fridays!), i will wear the resulting twist-out (if i want) before starting the process again that night.

anyone else twisting it up for the winter?

upcoming length check: december 26

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

linking up with klp

#fitnessfriday | 6-month locks and low carb challenge

i hope everyone had an AMAAAAAZING thanksgiving! i definitely did. we had a huge gathering of family and friends in atlanta. we cooked, played games, and almost EVERYONE helped clean up! now you know that's a blessing!

as i mentioned in this post, my goal for the next six months is consistency with both my way of eating and my hair regimen! december 1 - june 1 is the timeframe, and i am excited to get this going!
feel free to join in with any kind of challenge you want -- i will happily support you!

hair regimen
consistent wash day regimen (specifics coming next wednesday!)
i will trim my ends at least once per season
i will keep my hair up when i need to wear my coat until i get inside

starting length: around mbl
last time i straightened (on the equinox), my "V" ends were there, but not the bulk.

what i want to remedy:
dry ends
tangles at the nape
dry roots when i extend time between washing

low carb regimen
my goal macros are 5% carbs, 20% protein, and 75% fat
i will weigh-in once per month on the second friday
i will publish a #fitnessfriday post at least twice per month to hold myself accountable
i will focus on working out at least once per week for an hour (no, this isn't a lot, but it's what i absolutely know i can commit to for the next six months without excuses)

starting weight:
- 0 lbs

what i want to remedy:
excess weight (duh)
inflammation and bloating
damaged gut
binge/emotional eating
allergic reactions

i will have lots of progress pictures to share as i go along (including a length check on december 19!).  wish me luck, and feel free to join in! the challenge starts on monday!

An InLinkz Link-up

#fitnessfriday | 6-month hair and body goals

can you believe that it is almost december?
2014 is almost over! i can't get over how quickly this year passed by, and i am kicking myself for being almost exactly where i was last year in terms of my weight.

i have noticed that for me, being regimented and consistent are the keys to success in pretty much all areas of my life. i am not one who can do "moderation." i am not one who can "take a break." i plan ahead and my calendar is my lifeline.

the one and only time i was successful and sustained my weight loss was when i ate a ketogenic diet, and the success stopped immediately when i decided i would try to include carbs back in "in moderation" last june - not because i really wanted them (because my sugar tooth and my carb cravings had vanished a long time before and i was happy and satisfied), but because i thought i was doing it wrong by not being "moderate." the subsequent carb cravings led me back to gulping down steroids and antihistamines because once i got back on sugar, i couldn't stay away from wheat, and i have a serious wheat allergy.
and now, i've been rewarded with the side effects - extreme bloating, random and increasingly frequent break-outs, and an overall feeling of a lack of control.

low carb ketogenic diet (march 2014) vs now (november 2014)

it is beyond embarrassing to post this because i see how close i was to goal in march - i had 5-7 pounds to go and for the first time, i felt in control of my body and my relationship with food.
well, i'm not going to do what i'm doing now anymore. i am extremely carb-sensitive, and it only takes a little bit to completely throw me into binge mode, and i'm just done.
i lost a ton of weight successfully, i tried to reincorporate sugar, and now i know for sure what works for me and that i'm just going to be one of those people who needs to stop trying to fix what isn't broken. it wasn't hard and it didn't feel restrictive at all once i got through the first two weeks, and i know that it will be a permanent lifestyle change this time around.

the same is true for my hair.
when i stuck to one regimen consistently during my transition, my hair thrived like crazy. my hair is doing fine, but i really want to improve its health, and it's hard to determine the factors affecting it when i keep changing things.

so, my hair and body goals are simple: be regimented and consistent.
from dec 1, 2014 to june 1, 2015, i will follow a low carb ketogenic diet and follow a consistent roller setting regimen.

i will resist making any changes unless i notice negative effects from my diet or regimen. i will resist joining in on new challenges, trying to crash diet, or anything else that will detract from my plan of action. it is hard for me to stick to things because i am continually researching new methods, products, and techniques, and i want to try them all on myself.
no more.

my goal is to have my hair and diet regimen completely finalized by the next #fitnessfriday so that on december 1, i will be ready to go and get things done. this is not to say that i will stop what i am doing on june 1, but i am challenging myself to stick to both for six months without wavering. i pray that i will be rewarded with a healthier body right on time for summer and healthier hair with lovelier, thicker ends that can withstand summer heat and pool and salt water.

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

adopting a healthy way of eating that will heal my body

An InLinkz Link-up

new regimen trial #2 | 11.15

i went a totally opposite direction in this weekend's wash day from a wash 'n' go to a roller set, and i have to say that i am super stoked about this even though it was a bit more work!

the process
henna glossed with lush caca noir for two hours
washed scalp with lush blousey
cowashed with white rain tropical coconut conditioner to remove all of the henna
treated with mastey super pac reconstructor (AMAZING!!!!)
conditioned with renpure argan oil conditioner (also AMAZING!!!!!)
set on jumbo velcro rollers

i used 18 conair 2.5" velcro rollers, and it only took about 30 minutes to dry on medium heat and speed. since i didn't bring my standing dryer to school, i set my blowdryer up in a drawer and laid under it (resourceful or nah???).
i was in loooooooove with this big hair! it was super smooth and super soft, and the rollers got my roots pretty straight. i could've easily hit a few roots with my iron on low and gone really sleek, but i'm a low density girl with dolly parton dreams.

maintenance
i put my hair in a very loose bantu knot or bun overnight and used just enough coconut oil to lubricate my hands to take it down in the morning.
two nights ago, i set my dry hair on 8 perm rods using shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie on the ends and got a really cute roller wrap look (i will take a picture after the next one!), so i will probably do this every few nights to keep the set fresh.

with a few tweaks, i think this may be my new regimen! and i am ready to have one that i can use CONSISTENTLY!!!!

things i want to include/try:
coconut oil rinses and scalp massages
roller setting with renpure conditioner - this condish is my new holy grail!!!!
q-redew - i just purchased one, and i want to test it out for extra moisture
pomade for my edges - i love my hair but my "baby" hairs are determined to eat my forehead, and i just want them to blend into my hairline

i am going to stretch this set until it's on its last leg to see how long i can go to keep the manipulation of washing, conditioning, combing, and setting low. plus i'd get to save money on products!

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

linking up with klp

new regimen trial #1 | 11.8

though my minimalist "regimen" involving shampoo, oil, and butter worked pretty well, i wanted to see if i could get better results using actual products. i immediately went to lush because i know they are all cruelty-free, and those i have chosen are also vegan and gluten-free.
unfortunately, all of lush's conditioners contain sulfates, so i was somewhat in a bind of what to use. i just picked up r&b because it was something my manager tried to convince me to love when i worked at lush.

this shows the lack of overall definition to which i was referring in this post.

the process
henna glossed for 1 hour with lush caca noir (1 block melted in 6oz water)
shampooed scalp with lush blousey
conditioned and detangled with lush r&b (2.5oz moisturizer + 1.5oz coconut oil + 1oz water)
squeezed out excess water, coated with coconut oil, and raked in some lush dirty hair cream
i also added in a little streak with maybelline's color tattoo in fierce and tangy (i'm getting super duper bored with my color, but i refuse to compromise my hair's health until i'm done growing my hair)

r&b is now phenomenal for my less porous hair, but i'm pretty sure the glycerin dried it out in the cold winter air when i used it alone as a leave-in. i turned it into a "conditioner," and that worked ok, but considering how much it costs, i won't repurchase. i am planning to try renpure argan oil conditioner next.

i loved everything else (even the pain-in-the-ass henna), though i think i can find something that performs just as well as dirty for less money and masculine fragrance. i am planning to try the shea moisture curl enhancing smoothie and kinky-curly curling custard next.

note: i am planning on swimming weekly on fridays so i will have to reverse the order of some things for my second trial this week.

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

linking up with klp

what the-? (aka wash day | 10.25)

i've heard numerous times that you get a new head of hair every 7 years, but considering the fact that 26 is not divisible by 7, i didn't think i would be facing that for another couple of years. i noticed that my hair seemed different a little while ago but didn't pay it much mind. well, my hair must be some sort of overachiever because it's definitely ahead of the game.

observations from a few wash days ago
what's changed:
my hair is no longer porous. it doesn't get drenched immediately or dry quickly anymore.
my hair is no longer fine. my strands used to be like gossamer, but now (with the exception of the very ends) they are definitely much thicker. my hair is still low-medium density, though, which makes me think that maybe i've lost some hair. this makes sense, as my both my mother and maternal grandmother have very thick strands and very low density.
my scalp NEEDS sulfates. ...or it itches relentlessly.
my curls are no longer naturally super defined.
my hair now adores coconut oil.
i have a few gray hairs sprouting.

what this means moving forward:
i've avoided a lot of techniques and products that would over-moisturize my hair like steaming, deep conditioning overnight, and using humectants. looks like those will be making their way into my new regimen.
i have relied very heavily on protein since 2008, but now it seems as though my hair really doesn't like it too much anymore. definitely saying goodbye to daily protein products.
i used to have amazingly defined curls no matter what i did, but now that's not the case without using products. i am hoping they will reawaken some when i up my moisture levels.
i obviously need to re-incorporate sulfates and have been using lots of coconut oil.
i don't plan to do anything about the grays. i think gray hair is gorgeous.

what's still around:
soft hair. though my strands have thickened, they don't seem to have changed all that much in texture. my hair is still soft and easily smoothed.

a new regimen is on the horizon, and it will focus on moisture instead of protein. right now, i've just been rotating three products: white rain tropical coconut shampoo, coconut oil, and argan butter. and i've been bagging when needed. my hair seems to like this so far. i've also looked into the greenhouse effect regimen, and i've been studying the routines of naturals whose hair looks/behaves a lot like mine does now (like quinn, justcoolncurly, and shedel). didn't think i would be starting a whole new natural journey again, but it looks like that's the case.

ps. didn't post hair pics for this week because my hair took uncharacteristically long to dry (not used to this normal porosity!) and it ended up in a bun.

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

linking up with klp

meet me on the equinox

i am in love with celebrating the changing of the moons.

it's a chance to reflect upon the shifting of the earth and to set new patterns and goals.
i spent the equinox in my favorite spot in my room -- my mediation area below my window that overlooks the beauty of the changing trees juxtaposed with cool limestone.

i burned incense and candles and took in their warmth and cleansing.
i spent time in meditation and in prayer.
i fasted and dry brushed to detox my body both inside and out.
i cleansed my hair and scalp with bentonite clay, and replenished its strength and sheen with organic amino acids, moisturizing fenugreek and marshmallow root, and healing argan oil. with the onset of the waxing hunter's moon a few days later, i took the early morning to prune my hair of splits to start fresh.

i am looking forward to the beginning of crisp autumn mornings, the leaves on the wind, and the earlier sunsets.

crown & glory | wash day 8.20

can i just say that i am LOVING the fact that i am really treating my hair as well as i can since starting this 30x30?! this wasn't supposed to be a hair blog by any means, but i've been posting every week about this!

after being in a teacher bun rut for 3 years, it feels so liberating to have my hair out in all its magnificence (i'm really not that cocky, but this hair was everything for me last week).

i only got ONE pic, of course... smh. last week was so ridiculously busy - it isn't even funny. but this style definitely will make its way into my rotation!

washed with bentonite clay cleanser
deep conditioned with avocado oil
made 14 twists with argan oil and air-dried the rest of the day
heat stretched via alicia james' method
pin curled in 11 sections overnight
     note: next time i will create 12 - i did one less pincurl on the left side and it looked noticeable to me!
unpinned curls and fluffed with argan oil

i maintained it for a few days with four bantu knots at night, but it got obliterated in all the rain we got in blacksburg last week. i ended up braiding it, thinking i would wear a cute braid-out at trillectro, but then it rained there, too. #salty

ps. i am thinking about going back to mini twists for a while because my hands have been in my hair like crazy but i am only willing to do that if i can really find styles that will make me feel as beautiful as this one did - wearing your crown and glory is all about spreading your light!

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

crown & glory | "wash" day 8.14

i took my busted roller set from last week and transformed it into something halfway decent (praise Him)!
since my hair and scalp were still thoroughly clean from the clay detox, i didn't rewash.

i rolled my dry hair on orange perm rods using jane carter wrap & roll foam.

airdried for three hours and unrolled to reveal shirley temple-esque curls.
          sidebar: did anyone else go to the salon to have these things burned into your hair with a pressing comb and then a curling iron as a kid? i feel like i've been bamboozled... this was so much easier and heat-free!

i shouldn't have but i separated the curls some to loosen them up a bit since nobody was paying shirley temple to sport these things at age 26. for good reason.

i actually liked the separated curls a lot more but still wanted a more natural-looking curl, so i pincurled in large sections (8-10, i believe) overnight.

voila!

pincurling will definitely be my method of choice for set preservation at this point (thanks for the tips, Divachyk and Ebony!), so I am going to try out lots of different pincurl sizes in the near future.

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory

crown & glory: wash day 8.10 [fail]

detoxed hair and scalp with bentonite clay (a few tablespoons of clay and about a cup of water). note: i purchased mine from mom's organic market!

deep conditioned with a mix of coconut and argan oils. note: will switch to avocado oil for the next wash.

used a bit of tresemme naturals nourishing moisture conditioner as a leave-in to band overnight.

after airdrying for around 24 hours, i set my hair on velcro rollers and rolled upwards using jane carter wrap & roll.

after airdrying for around three hours, i unrolled (MUCH, MUCH easier since i rolled upward this time!) and wrapped my hair for bed using argan oil.

in the morning, i was not amused....

i really have to figure out how to maintain these dang roller sets!

in pursuit of:

treating my hair as my crown and glory (less harmful chemicals + no buns even though my hair looked a hot mess...)
reducing my carbon footprint (less time in the shower + no electricity for hair drying + less commercial hair products = less chemicals down the drain)

how was your wash day [hopefully better than mine!]?