Is Your Wash & Go "Just Not The Same" Anymore? RESET YOUR COILS!

HOW I REVIVED MY COILS FOR A BETTER WASH N GO

  

Dull, Lackluster Coils Need to Be Reset for Shiny Wash & GO

There are times when I can't just co-wash my way into a wash & go. For some reason, my hair seems to need a total reset. It could be because of product buildup, too much sun exposure, something in the water, or so many other reasons!  If you experience dry, dull looking coils that won't spring into action when attempting your wash & go, maybe you need to hit the "RESET" button.

Maximize Your Coils: Add Hydration to Conditioned Hair, Cleanse & THEN Define

MY COIL "RESET BUTTON"  

1) I use a spray bottle with my favorite conditioner, favorite oil, and some water (milkshake consistency). I spray that throughout (I like to finger detangle at this time) and make sections of two strand twists (about 8 to 10 twists).

 2) Leave those saturated twists for an hour under a cap, or do a steam treatment with my twists piled high atop my head so the ends of my hair get treated.

 3) Rinse out the conditioner mix in the shower, then cleanse scalp and strands with Amla Powder Mix. RINSE THOROUGHLY!  At this point, my coils are "reset" and ready to be defined by my curl definer of choice

4) Don't forget to apply the curl definer effectively. I found that when I applied my curl defining product (conditioner) sparingly, my hair appeared dry, lackluster once it dried fully. I also found that once I was done applying the conditioner, I had to seal with an oil (Shea Moisture Curling Souffle) for added shine, define, control.

Spring/Summer Wash & Go's: The Curly Girl's Pride & Joy!

  

Don't settle for a dull, lifeless Wash & Go! The wash & go is the curly girl's pride & joy hair texture! Play with products and technique until you get the results you're searching for. BUT, just know that once you've figured out the correct products and techniques, occassionally you may need to jump start or "reset" your coils to achieve those results again.

TIPS: Make sure your ends are not broken/split. Curly hair showcases best with clean, healthy hair ends. Make sure to remove all shed hairs during the conditioning phase. Otherwise, during the cleansing, the shed hairs will wrap around other hairs and make knots.

Amla Powder Mix Helps Prep Coily Hair For Define

She Wanted Soft, Bouncy, Moisturized & Lustrous Natural Hair

OH FOR THE LOVE OF SOFT HAIR.........................

 THE SEARCH IS OVER...............

 AFTER YEARS OF FIGHTING WITH HER "DRY HAIR", I HAVE OFFICIALLY FOUND WHAT I WAS DOING TO CAUSE HER TO HAVE DRY HAIR.

 NO MORE DRY, ASHY, DULL LOOKING HAIR.

Soft, Bouncy, Pliable, Moisturized Natural Hair with Sheen

 HER HAIR STAYS SOFT, BOUNCY, MOISTURIZED, PLIABLE, SHINY, AND EASY TO MANIPULATE..........ALL DAY

This Method Holds Definition Well for Braidouts, Twistouts, Knot Outs

I WILL DETAIL HER HAIR CARE ROUTINE IN AN UPCOMING POST (http://angelsringlets.blogspot.com/2012/05/endless-days-of-moisturized-natural.html). AFTER DOING THIS METHOD FOR 3 WEEKS, WE CAN NOW SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU....

Day 7 of the Water & Oil ONLY Braidout: STILL BOUNCY & SOFT!

DAY 7 OF THE WATER & OIL ONLY BRAIDOUT

I could have kept doing this method for another 3 days without experiencing any problems. I would have kept the definition, softness, bounce and move, and length. I won't be doing my braidouts with any products ever again. That sound drastic? No other braidout I've ever done has lasted so long! I've done many braidouts with product(s), and on day 1 and 2, they look great! But dryness usually sets in by day 3. And with the use of product (especially if I have to add additional products), I lose the movement and bounce.



Long Lasting, Soft, Bouncy, Defined Braidout DAY 7



Braidout on the Verge of Chakka Khan Hair LOL!

  

Styling On Coily Hair: Inspired by Hunger Games Movie

Styling Inspired by the Movie "Hunger Games"

Naturally Coily Hair Stretched by Braidout & Styled Hunger Games Inspired

Hey Loves! Dimples is still wearing the braidout texture from the "naked braidout". It's still full of definition, softness, length, and some shine. We opted to put it up and off of her shoulders. Being that the title of this post has something to do with the movie/book "Hunger Games", I should first explain that I neither saw the movie or read the book LOL. I've just been hearing and seeing so much about the hairstyling that was showcased in this movie.

One thing that I kept hearing and seeing on  video tutorials done on a Hunger Games hairstyling is "TEXTURE". Yeah, the thing that Naturally Coily hair already has lots of. Most of the tutorials that I saw were done on straight hair, so they had to mostly start off the tutorials doing some technique or the other in order to add the texture. They referenced this texture creation as "exaggerated Afro texture".

When I saw that, I said....let's use what we already have and do some of this throwback styling (most of the hairstyling done in the Hunger Games is throwback from 1920's, 1940's, Edwardian, and Definitely Mama Africa).

She's cheesing for the camera, she really enjoyed this styling. It was done on the stretched hair, which made it possible (so hard to do this type of styling on coiled hair). I have to mention that NO HEAT was used for this styling. If I would have used heat, it would have been easier to get the braid pulled more taut for a "cleaner" look. But this worked for that day. I will re-do this the next time I blow dry her hair.

For this style, I did the following:

1) Used an existing part (to avoid breakage on braidout textured hair)

2) Pulled out her bang area

3) Took a section from 1 side by the ear, and began the braid

4) Integrated that braid in with the body of the hair, and braided along the neckline (all the while, smoothing the hair from the crown).

5) Once at the opposite side and all the hair has been braided, encircle the braid into a bun and pin down.

6) Accessorize as you like!

Adding a Simple Accessory Can Make Lots of Difference In a Hairstyle

I could have "tightened" this up a bit, but she was running around playing with the dog, and it was a school morning. I will keep practicing this style to perfection. I'm interested to hear about the hairstyling in the Hunger Games movie! I love watching hairstyles while I watch a movie these days!

BowTie Bun: When Your Teenage Daughter Styles Your Hair!

BOWTIE BUN DONE ON FLAT IRONED NATURAL HAIR

 I'm a good sport. You can tell, right? You guys should see the video that goes with this! So I let T style my hair while it was in the flat ironed state (why not? she flat ironed my hair, so...).

Well this is the style she opted to do. She said I looked "cyuuuuteeeee". LOL I think she was trying to set me up to be committed. Hahaha. 

Bowtie Bun Done on Flat Ironed Natural Hair

 But for you teenage girls, T shares a style option for an old flat iron that you may be interested in. If you want to see a tutorial, just leave her a comment request on this post.


It was just fun spending the time with her. She looked quite the professional as she worked her hairstyle magic.

A little bit of gel was used on the edges to smooth down

Work That Bow Girrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl LOL

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE VIDEO!

Coily Hair Review: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Serum

Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Serum REVIEW:

Organix Coconut Milk Serum to Straighten Natural Coily Hair

Organix nourishing coconut milk (anti-breakage serum)
$8.99 – 4fl. Oz

What It Claims:
Weightless Coconut Oils blended with silk and keratin proteins create a silk repair therapy. "Instantly repair dry, damaged, coarse, and chemically treated hair, it helps resurface the hair, repair damaged hair and cuticles, and mend split ends and frizziness. Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum adds strength and elasticity to weak, brittle, and damaged hair, and promotes longer hair by helping reduce everyday damage".

Our Review: I used this light oil substance on blow dried hair to add sheen and protect my ends from breaking or splitting. This product is perfect for flat ironing or applying any kind of heat to hair. It doesn’t cause greasy-ness and keeps away frizz producing longer lasting straightness. It has a great coconut scent that’s not too strong & has natural healthy ingredients. Using this product when straightening hair leaves it feeling silky and smooth. This product can also be used on curly hair, by applying after a wash and go to keep hair from frizzing.

Organix Serum & Avocado Oil Used to Flat Iron Tight Coiled Hair

Tighter coiled hair may opt to use this product in conjunction with an oil like Avocado oil or Grapeseed oil. In our experience, tighter coiled hair will revert quicker, and will call for more heat use if not oiled properly when attempting to straighten the hair. On the flat ironed hair above, both the Organix Coconut Serum and Avocado oils were used to achieve this look.



WILL WE BUY AGAIN? All In all, it's a winner in our book. This is definitely a re-purchase item. It's a bit pricey, but it can last you a while. NOTE: Those of you who are avoiding cones may want to stay away from this item. The first ingredient is Cylomethicone.

Coily Hair Straightened Using Only Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Serum

Avoid Hair Breakage When Re-Braiding Your Braidout

 TIPS & TRICKS TO AVOIDING BREAKAGE WHILE STYLING & MAINTAINING

BRAIDOUT USING ONLY WATER AND OIL (DAY 5)

I am Low Manipulation Obsessed (LMO) --bet you didn't know LMO existed! It didn't, I think I just formed it. But it's been WORKING!! My recent braidouts have been 6-8 plaits, and I've been re-braiding them nightly. At first this irritated me, but I knew I was doing it for a great reason. When doing the oil & water only braidouts, it appears to be necessary to re-braid at night after you spritz water on each braid section. Using water DIRECTLY on the hair strands (without any kind of butters or thick stylers to block the moisture later) ensures that the braid will take form overnight. The water provides the "SET" by breaking the hair bonds temporarily, and drying into the new form (the braidout waves).

Nightly plaits require that I do everything possible to avoid breakage, so I will share with you what I do:

1) When washing for a braidout, section and detangle the hair before using your shampoo or mud wash. The shampoo and mud wash do not have any slip! Matter of fact, they're well known for "ceasing" up the hair and locking it into each other. Since I condition first, and then cleanse with Amla, It is IMPERATIVE that I section and detangle early in the process while I have my conditioner in!


2) While finger detangling, be sure to get as far into the roots as possible. If you find tangles or knots, use a "plucking" method by using your pointer finger and thumb to "pluck" apart the knots (starting at ends and working up to roots). All of this is done only with conditioner on the hair.


3) During Nightly Refresh, some sections will still be separated from the wash day, and some will be mixed together. Try to keep re-braiding the same sections. If you must locate a new section, your ends will probably be the tangle issue. I like to keep handy a little spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of my favorite conditioner with slip, 2 tablespoons of water, and 2 tablespoons of my favorite oil (or however it will come out like a thick milkshake). You will only need a small amount. You will only be spritzing this on the ends. This will ensure that the ends slip apart easily. Slowly pull the tangles apart with your fingers after spritzing a small amount of the mix. **

4) When spritzing the water at night for a re-braid, rub the water with your hands through your hair shaft (from root down to tip). This ensures even distribution and gives the water a minute to saturate. Being that you're just spritzing, you want to be sure that the light amount of water used is truly penetrating. Since it has no heavy product blockage, this shouldn't take long. You will feel that the water is on the section. THEN apply a small amount of your favorite oil (as needed). I don't put oil every night, only when I feel my hair is not separating easily.  And I focus on the ends. Remember, the oil is not like the heavy creams, butters, leave-ins. It will not give INSTANT Slippery slip. But if you apply it right, it will allow your hair to separate without breakage.

**this process also gets your braidout texture ready for styling! The small amount of the mix on the ends gives them some slip, and pliability. You can pretty much do whatever styling you want on this stretched texture.


I believe the use of oil and water for definition will work well on transitioning and relaxed hair alike. Transitioning hair typically curls the relaxed ends with rollers to ensure similar textures throughout.

• Does your braidout feel dry after a few days?

• Do you put extra product to moisturize?

• What products do you use on a dry braidout that is successful at moisturing?

My Prediction Was Right! The Shea Butter Blocked Some Moisture

WHAT'S IN YOUR HAIR? IS IT BLOCKING YOUR MOISTURE?

DAY 5 BRAIDOUT RESULTS WITH HEMPSEED OIL

Day 1 The original product on her hair is the Giovani Max Volume Conditioner (lightly, not saturated). Her hair was put in 4 chunky twists overnight and pulled down in the morning.
RESULT: Defined Coils with Shine and Slight Hold. STYLING: Simple High Ponytail to Highlight her Coils that were poppin!

Day 3: Wednesday Night Was a Braidout on top of the Coils. Shea Butter mix was used. I only did 4 Plaits. NO DETANGLING! RESULT: Soft, Wavy, Defined Braidout

DAY 5: Thursday Night was a re-braid with water refresh and Hemp Seed Oil. Only 4 Plaits done. RESULT: Stretched Coils that picked up the braid crinkle/waves. Hair that was originally at ear/neck length is now down her back. The hair feels a bit hard, and somewhat dry. STYLING:  I placed 2 braids at the hairline, and pulled them back to form a braided band detailing.

 My prediction was correct. The hair didn't accept the water moisturizing as well. Most likely due to the coating of Shea Butter mix from the night before. How I know it didn't get the full benefit that water has to offer our hair is because the hair felt dry and hay like. It got great definition, though.

With this in mind, not everyone's hair will react to the Shea Butter (or Butters) like this, but it's something to watch for. Does your hair feel soft and moisturized a night or two after placing the butters on the shaft for a braidout or twistout?

I previously did an experiment using Shea Butter and reviewing the way water plays with it, and it showed that it will allow the water, but it definitely gave a slight barrier. Not an unstoppable barrier, but still it slowed down water absorption.

Fine, Natural Hair can Expand to Appear Thick With the Right Technique

Don't let fine hair fool you! It can be coaxed to (shall we say) Open up. Here, I used a stretching technique that involved fluffing with my fingers to encourage her hair to separate in a puffy way. I will get more technical about this technique in an alternate post. Meanwhile, Miss Dimples rocked her big fro, while constantly getting stopped by people who asked if she modelled!

                                                                                    ---tia

                                                                          Love the Coils You're In.........

Dry Hair Frustrations? Yet Another Moisture Option for Your Natural Hair!

MORE TALK ABOUT DRY, ASHY NATURAL HAIR

Hey All! I talk about natural hair and dryness so much. Mostly I deal with dry hair whenever I do Dimple's hair for school. Especially if I didn't take the time to moisturize it the night before. You know those nights where every one's running late for homework, dinner, bath time, bed time. 

In this post I want to share with you what I've been doing to combat her dry, ashy looking hair. Previously, I used the tightly curly method on her hair. Basically the tightly curly method encourages use of thick viscosity conditioners without cones (i.e. some cones are: silicone, dimethicone, etc) to coat the hair and leave it on as a styler. This works well for Dimples, but was mostly done last Summer, because as the time grew colder, I didn't want her walking around with a wet head of hair.

The tightly curly method helped keep her hair looking lustrous and shiny. To combat any hard, dry feeling, every morning I would mist her hair with water to re-activate the conditioner/moisture. Simple. Styling was easy, I could still put it in any style I wanted. Mostly I did buns, ponytails (kindergarten styles).

Results Using the Tightly Curly Method. Lustrous, Moisturized, Curls Defined

Recently, I've been doing the curly girl method for my hair (I think LOL). No shampoos used, plenty of co-washing, and low manipulation styling with conditioners without cones (extremely similar to the tightly curly method). That's been working out great, and now I began using that on Dimples. I will cleanse her scalp with Amla powder mix. I will coat her hair with Giovanni 50/50 or most other thick and all natural hair conditioners. Styling can be as usual. I do braidouts on this texture. 

What I did to achieve this texture and moisture level:

1. Co-washed hair on Sunday with Giovani Max Volume Conditioner
2. Used a handful of Giovani Max Volume Conditioner as a leave in to coat the hair
3. Placed hair into 4 chunky twists (that night)
4. Took 4 twists down (in the morning)
5. Styled hair as usual (did a curly ponytail that day)

NOTE: NO DETANGLING DONE WITH TOOLS, ONLY FINGERS

What happens with this technique is that the hair is not stretched, and the coily texture remains. This was a wash n go done the night before, 4 twists done, then taken down in the morning. No walking around with wet hair when you use this technique. Shinkage is not going to be as prominent due to the chunky twists kept in overnight.

The next few days the hair got dry and started looking ashy and frizzy. 

Thursday night, I opted to put some moisture and seal it in. I spritzed her hair with water (the best moisturizer of all times)! Then I put Shea butter mix (Shea butter, mango butter, jojoba oil, avocado oil) to seal in that moisture. I did 4 chunky plaits for a braidout the next day. The result was a defined braidout with sheen and softness. The foundation of this moisture is the Giovani Max Volume Conditioner. The water re-activated the conditioner, and the Shea butter mix sealed it all in. This combination created the perfect combination of moisture.

Braid Out using Water sealed by Shea Butter Mix STYLE: PONYTAILS!!!

 I predict that the Shea butter mix will serve as a slight blocker to any future moisture that I use on her hair, and I will soon have to wash with Amla powder mix to remove the layer of butters. We shall see....we'll keep you up to date!

How To Style Natural Hair Without Breaking The Ends: While Straightened

Natural Hair While Heat Straightened

Fun, Fun, Fun with my Blow Dryer, Flat Iron, and eventually straightened out coils. I enjoyed the two weeks, and tried to keep manipulation to a minimal. Here's a Few Tips on Avoiding Breakage While your hair is Straight:

1) Make sure your ends are moisturized properly. While heat straightened, it's not wise to use water moisturizer, so I used Butter Based moisturizer, mixed with oils. Any time I felt I needed to, I would just add some avocado oil to my ends.

2) Minimize combing, even though it's tempting. Try to smoothe with your hands, fingers. I know the hair can't be wrapped without comb/brush, so that's unavoidable. Just keep it moist if you must wrap.

3) Combing/Brushing hair over a light colored surface will enable you to see if any hair ends are breaking. You'll also get to monitor the amount of shed hair. This is a great way to know if you need to amp up your moisturizing! I used my Vanity Table Top. I saw no breakage (Yayyy)!

4) Do styling that doesn't require combing through the ends. Bantu Knots were great! Just grab a section, moisturize, wind up, knot, then go to sleep. When I took them down in the morning, all I had to do was fluff and go! NO DAMAGE.

Moisture and Healthy Ends Show Well on Coily Hair

In the end, I did everything possible to save my ends, as that's where I will ultimately gain my length. And don't forget, that's how I'll keep my coils looking healthy and moisturized for daily wear! I hope to pick up 3 more inches of healthy hair by August 2012, which will bring me close to mid back length. Meanwhile, I'll just keep having fun thinking up sweet Summer Hairstyles for my coily girl wash n go's! See you then ;o)                   ---tia