It’s been a while since I’ve shared any news about my hair – and for a good reason. {See last post here} I took this time away to dive in deeper and nail down a regimen, conduct trial & error experiments, and continue my search and destroys {clipping the remaining straight hair damaged from excessive heat and pressing}. To do this successfully, I made it a point to not spotlight anything regarding my hair until I had some history & data collected to really form an opinion and give advice. Plus, I wanted my hair to be at a place I was pleased with.
I like to be as transparent and real as possible about it.
The scoop: I am 7 months without heat and my hair is loving me more everyday for it. My curls are more defined and more noticable than when I started this process to revert back to the curls I damaged. I’m a lot more calm when it comes to my hair now. I don’t freak out if I wake up & my hair looks like I fried it with garbage or I set my hair and it doesn’t come out in the style I envisioned. It’s not that I don’t care, I’m just more confident in my abilities to “get it together” and more confident in my hair, as well.
My hair and I have an affair. {LOL} Some days we love each other; some days, we don’t. We’ve learned to compromise and it’s working out very well. 🙂
The Products: I do not like to spend hours on end in a bathroom mirror doing my hair. Matter of fact: if I could wake up gorgeous, that would be ideal! {giggle} Nevertheless, I’ve tailored my routine to simple steps with certain products to help me maintain my curly coif. Above you will find 13 items that helps me get it moisturized, get it tamed, get it oiled, but mostly…GET IT TOGETHER! I have numbered them to make it very easy for you to relate.
1. Satin Scrunchies: Think of these as less of a fashion statement and more of natural hair’s best friend. I use these when I need to pull my hair back or “pineapple” it before I go to bed.
2. DevaCurl Set It Free: I keep this moisturizer handy in my “Emergency Hair Kit” I keep in my bag. Yes, Ladies. We prepare for all type of “mishaps” throughout the day (chipped nails, runs in stockings, or Mother Nature’s way of showing she hates you that month), so why not be prepared for your hairstyle to go awry?! When my hair feels a little dry, I spray a little of this, shake, fluff, and keep it moving.
3. Bee Mine Curly Butter: This is another gem I keep in my EHK. This stuff is the truth!! I usually shy away from butters, as they tend to be too heavy and thick for my hair. However this has the consistency of yogurt, so it’s very light. I love this stuff!
4. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie: This is a new thing I’m trying (Sue me, I’m late). This stuff is pretty light and definitely does a great job at defining my curls. My only issue has been that it has some type of ingredient in it that does not mix well with my oils, which makes my hair sort of gummy. 😐 However, a little really goes a long way and I think I’ll keep it in rotation for a while.
I use this when I need to re-moisturize my hair to get it defined to my liking. I also use a little of this at night to twist my hair.
5. Duckbill clips: So handy to have when you need to clip your hair while styling.
6. Denman D4: My trusty Denman! I do not go anywhere near this head without my brush. I only use this when I need to detangle and smooth. This brush is used in conjunction with mainly #4 and #10. I also use this to detangle after applying my leave-in conditioner to smooth out the hair shaft.
7. Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner: Another gem to have in your cabinets!! HHC loves my hair, providing enough slip and moisture to make my hair behave like I need to. I use this when I co-wash and as a leave-in.
8. Jojoba Oil: I got this oil from Whole Foods a while back, but let it sit in my cabinet for a while, on account of my hair feeling extremely greasy after I would use it. Fast forward to cooler weather and the holidays and now my hair can’t get enough! I use this pretty much daily when I untwist and to seal moisture after my leave-in.
9. Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries: I’ve heard a lot about this product, so when the weather began warming up here, I decided to give it a try. I just bought this product, but it’s already helpful to have. I use this mostly at night to refresh my hair before I add #’s 4 & 10. Give me some more time. I’m still seeing how I feel about it, but so far, I like it.
10. Miss Jessies Baby Buttercreme: If you’re an avid reader of my blog, you know it’s no secret how much this stuff has become a STAPLE in my regimen. This stuff is light, smells great, and is the absolutely BEST product to seal those ends. The secret to my ends getting as defined as they do is because of this stuff. I adore this product!
11. Rosewater: Rosewater is fantastic for refreshing the skin as well as your hair. I like to mist my hair with this to give it a nice refreshing smell or to prep my hair for my nightly routine of moisturizing and setting.
12. Comb clips: I remember these back in the 80’s; now I use them to help pin my hair up into various styles without having to use 1,745 bobby pins to keep it together.
13. Small, soft bristle brush: I paid 99 cents for this little contraption and it works wonders for slicking my edges. I don’t like using anything hard or course to preserve my edges for greater things in life.
This time has really allowed me to trust my hair and its ability to grow to its full potential. It’s a process that has made me vulnerable and feel exposed at times. My confidence to rock a head of curls wasn’t always the greatest. To be real: I’m just now getting over the fact I made the huge mistake of not taking care of my hair earlier in this process. Nevertheless, I’m grateful for the journey I am on and have come to terms with my mistakes. Now it’s time to move forward.
My insecurities inflated ten-fold throughout this process, but my confidence has the replaced them with love for something God-given. Now I’m in love with my hair with no intention to straighten for a long time.
