It’s been a LONG time since I did a formal hair update, so I have plenty to write about! OK, so the last time I updated you was in June… shoot, that’s like six months ago! Good grief! Let’s get started.
A year of twists and flaky scalp issues. I mentioned in June that I was going to get my year of twists going. From June 2011 to June 2012 it was going to be two-strand twists for three weeks, a week of a twist out and then wash. Well, my scalp hasn’t been letting me live up to that arrangement. I think it’s the hormones or something because for about six weeks or so, I had the WORST flaky scalp ever. It was to 2007 levels. I broke out my Morrocco Method shampoo and that helped get things under control. I’m all out of that – it takes quite a bit of shampoo to get this scalp clean. So what am I using, you ask, to wash my dome? My body soap. I know! I know! I reverted back to this a few months ago when my scalp was acting up. It’s pretty much saponified olive oil and cocoa butter. If my body can handle it without breaking out into hives, my scalp can and has been… with good results. My scalp is not 100% (when is it ever?), but it’s certainly better than it was. I’m going to keep working on it.
My new wash routine – excluding conditioner. Yep, I said it! If you read the blog, you’d know that I’ve been searching for a good deep conditioner since I started talking hair back in 2009. Since getting pregnant, I’ve been so tired and fatigued washing my hair is a two-day chore. So, I’ve needed to get rid of steps to get my wash/style time down to something manageable. What I’ve started to do is:
- detangling in the shower in sections
- wash each section separately
- come out of the shower and slather either shea butter or olive oil/castor oil on each section; detangle if necessary
- put a plastic cap and my heat cap on for about 20 minutes
- style with my modified Kimmaytube leave-in
My hair has been the softest and most manageable as it’s ever been! No joke – it is happy hair. And my pocket is happy too. I’m sure that pregnancy hormones have a little something to do with my hair looking like it does. So, I’ll have to see in a couple more months if I’m still singing the praises of my new routine or if I’m searching high and low for a conditioner. So far, the keep it simple is making me very happy.
Haircuts ARE necessary. I had read somewhere that it wasn’t necessary to trim your hair. I liked not having to cut my hair so I didn’t. Sigh. My hair did pay for that. Why? Unnecessary knots, hungry looking ends, hair just not looking right. A couple of weeks ago I tried to straighten my hair (I was bored) and my ends looked atrocious. I whipped out the scissors and gave myself a good trim. If you saw how my hair looked once I washed it! Glorious! Full! Bouncy! It’s so necessary to get rid of those weathered ends to help your hair just look and feel better. Forget about all the serums, creams and conditioners, sometimes you just need a good trim.
That’s about it on the hair update front. What about you guys? Anything interesting to share? New products? New techniques that we can use?
The Accidental Natural 
I’m lucky that I don’t have any hair/scalp issues. My biggest thing is to style or not. Mostly not. I’m a lazy styler. I have now re-committed to going back to daily wash and go’s. My hair love’s the moisture. And I’ve discovered that I much prefer Shea butter to Cator oil. Castor oil tends to stay coated on my hair/doesn’t absorb/feels a bit greasy AND seems to straighten my hair, which I don’t like. Shea butter though, leaves it feeling nice and soft, with curls more intact and no greasy feeling. Yay! I’m hoping to do the wash and go’s for a full year (daily wetting of hair) and document my progress and retention on my youtube channel 😀
You have a Youtube channel? What’s the link, girlie?
Here’s a link to my first vid:
🙂
Awww! Congrats on your pregnancy! Your hormones may definitely have had a role to play on your scalp issues. At this point, whatever works for you is great. I have always had issues myself. I shaved my hair down very short, started to use a mininum of products and still… But making sure my scalp is regularly cleaned has helped. All the best!
I am sure while you are pregnant, your hair is growing at an alarming rate! Enjoy that healthy fullness! As for my coif, I give myself a trim regularly. It does make a difference in the health and appearance of my hair. You have mentioned the Kimmaytube Leave-In more than once, so I will have to try making some and report the results to you. The newest product I am using is the Taliah Waajid Lock It Up Gel whenever I wear an up do. It works wonderfully, isn’t drying, and does not flake.