Simple Henna Experiement

What is in this unholy mix, I hear you ask?

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Wash Day Inspired by 22nd Century Natural Woman and the Ladies of Chad

That is a long arse title but writing this up made me feel like this wash day was a long one. 

I promise it wasn't as long as it apparently appears.

I started off by slathering my head in the last of my fenugreek infused coconut oil.

It shouldn't have been the last but I got fed up and made sure it was.

After about an hour, I jumped into the shower with Mane Choice Easy on the Curls Shampoo, making sure to cleanse. Usually I twist or plait my hair but today I decided to bantu knot instead.

There were a few moments of unraveling but I liked it better - it made my hair easier to access for the different steps and I felt I was manipulating it less.

Then I stroked on a DIY deep conditioner  I'd made earlier inspired by 22nd Century Natural Woman's Deep conditioner. (Her channel is here).

I used:

• a tablespoon of shea butter,
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 generous tablespoon of honey
• about 1/4 cup (60ml) of freshly boiled rosemary tea (rosemary leaves + hot water - DONE)
• 2 teaspoons of guar gum.

Experimenting down to my very bones, I started off by throwing everything except the guar gum and rosemary tea in a bowl and smashing them together with my electric whisk.

No dice.

So I just kept adding guar gum and rosemary tea in turn until it all sort of came together and stopped looking like it was on the verge of separation.

My deep conditioner ended up having an interesting moulding dough texture (too much guar gum?)

 but it slid on my hair smoover than a 90s R'n'B love song.

 Aaaaall my liiiiiife....been waiting for someone like yooooou

Bantu knots were the stretch keeper of the day and they were all covered with a plastic cap and then submerged under with an impromptu head wrap before wandering around for a while.

In public or just in my house? You deciiide...

Came back and uncovered everything. I'd expected the DC to have hardened but it was still liquidy and soft.
I rinsed it out easily with warm water and there was some exceptional slip thanks to the guar gum. I bantu knotted again (SERIOUSLY. WHY HAVE I NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE?!) and smothered my hair in a T-shirt to dry/be less wet.

What to do next? Well, I'd seen this video on facebook...



And I thought to myself, yeah, nah, I don't know where to find chébé seeds (a gluten free brand just comes up - okay, okay so I did try to find it - LOL! 😂) but I found the slathering action of the concoction really soothing and reasoned it was just really well protected with heavy protected then braided. I do that anyway without the heavy product. And when it's the first of July, but the coconut oil looks like this:

Solid as a rock!

Then maybe my hair needs a little bit heavy duty protection.

So I left on Alikays Lemongrass leave in, and then added my butterful delight from Almocado - the Twist and Twirl cream. It's a water based butter cream and I think I may be in love. But more on that later.

I went in with the butter on the ends - as in, no subtlety here please, I want - no, need -  to believe it is buttered.

'Cept even MORE generous!

My hair went from this on the ends:

Bare hair

With Alikay Naturals Lemon Grass Leave In

To this.

Aaand finally, with Almocado Twist and Twirl Buttercream!
I choose this area to show the different squiggles on my head too - although it made a significant difference on the right, I don't think it made any on  the left.

And then I braided it. I did have some obvious residue because I've never used so much before (and a little of this stuff normally goes a loooooong way for me) but, like I said, I was inspired by the women of Chad for some extra protection against our British summertime weather™. I popped a scarf on it then bed.

This morning, some of the plaits still had white stuff but by the end of the day, it was all gone.

I'm hoping that the extra butter layer helps with moisture and keeping my ends feeling nourished. We'll see how that goes.

I mean, I'm just like....I better not wake up tomorrow with some crispy hair.

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1st Wash Day of 2017

...done on the 2nd, posted on the 3rd.
Natch.

After two weeks of 'doing-the-absolute-least-while irresponsibly swimming in-the-sea-whilst-wearing-only-a-bun-for-protection' bidness, I needed to make time for my hair. It was fast showing signs of neglect and rebellion.

 

This is what my wash days normally look like like, unless I need a shampoo which  switch out the cowash for. The leave in will vary, as will the stretching style but the rest is pretty much set in stone. Start as you mean to go on, old boy, and all that, what!

First of, I let the water run through my hair and used the pressure to help me gently separate my hair into sections - four in all.

Then I started up with Eden BodyWorks Coconut Cowash on a section, carefully using its slip to soften and slide out shed hairs from the root, then putting the section under the shower head to help me remove the shed hair completely. Like maaagic *sparklesparkle*.

Then I applied in the Aphogee Reconstructor and left it in while I moved on to the next section to rinse (most literally!) and repeat.

My right side sections were fine, because that's the side that the bun was on and where the hair was most stretched.

But my left sided sections...? Whooo-wee! That was a trial and a doozy and retribution all in one. I could definitely tell that that side had barely been stretched during my two weeks of tomfoolery.

Thank goodness for great products.

I think that took me about...half an hour to an hour?
Which compared to my old dry detangling times of about 3 hours, I'll take it, son.

That meant the reconstructor was in each section for at least 5 minutes, which they all needed, if I'm honest. I rinsed it out, then added the Shea Moisture JBCO Masque. Normally, I leave it in while I clean my surroundings but when I need a little TLC, I pop on a shower cap and pop my head under the heat cap.
And if today wasn't a TLC day. I don't know what is, my friend.
I used the heat cap for about 15 minutes (lost track of time), then rinsed out the sections. As I rinsed out, I softly detangled again with my fingers, then separated each of the sections into two twists. Shower time - done!

Now, styling/stretching time. I'd already decided to go back to an old favourite.
Curlformers.

Unravelling each twist, I clipped up half and then lavished on generous amounts of Eden Bodyworks Pudding Souffle to the other half that was left down.

Mathematician's hat on, I divided each half into about three further sections, taking each section as I went and putting it into a curlformer rod. Some of the halves felt small enough to just go into the rods.

I confused myself by doing this, instead of doing my normal numbers game. Usually I run out of rods before I'm done, but this time I had what seemed like a multitude of rods left.

What in the what - ? Why so many left??

But it had taken me less time than normal to put them in (like 30 - 40 minutes instead of an hour. This is also partly because I foolishly always want to do a Curlformer set after a month of washing and going and the detangling after the wash is nearly enough to finish me off ;_;).

I sat back under the heat cap to dry the curlformer set because I don't have patience to wait the minimum 6 hours for it to air dry...which was a good thing because it turns out my sections were too dang big!

Instead of my normal hour under the heat cap, it took around two ¬.¬
Clearly the time I'd saved putting them in was doubled and then stuck onto the end of my drying time.

The results though...:

Can you hear that? No biggie, just angels singing songs of glory upon my mane.

Light (especially after getting all those rods out), fluffy, bouncy, shiny, delicious...
How my feels and looks after a curlforrmer set never fails to amaze me.

I started playing around to separate the curls and make my hair look fuller...

 

I need to stop now orelse this'll just turn into a vanity collage of me fluffing my hair. 

Luckily this is all photo based (and I don't know how to use a camera), otherwise you'd just have a ten minute video of me shaking my hair in yo' face.

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Wash Day - Return of the Mixtress?

This was the wash and go.

Nearly two weeks later...


Eeeeeeesh. All shrunken and tangled.
By day 6, I knew it needed a wash but by that point, it was too late. So here I am. Guilty as charged of neglect and laziness. There were days with no scarfing, no spritzing, rough ponytail styling....

Look, I'ma try to make it up to my hair, okay???

To help release the tangles, I used my argan oil conditioner on dry hair to start to weigh it down, making it easier to detangle and separate the strands.

 When I jumped in under the shower, it all activated (a la the Avengers when someone yells 'Avengers - assemble!') and made it easier to release the tangles and get rid of the shed hair. I gently separated my hair into six sections as I was going and worked on each one, one at a time., continuing to add conditioner as necessary.
Man, was it necessary.
I ended up finishing the bottle!

After I rinsed it out, my hair felt a little dry, which had always been my problem with 'traditional' cowashing using conditioner. So I remedied it with my absolute fave Edens Bodywork Coconut Cowash. I made sure to massage it into my scalp and smooth down my strands, separating the larger parts of entangled hair with my fingers. and then rinsing it out immediately and twisting then repeating on the next section.
It's seasonal shedding time, so by the time I was done, it seemed as though Cousin It had rocked up for a quick visit. It took me an hour in total to detangle and wash my hair - wrinkly fingers galore my friends.
Wrinkly. Fingers.

After this, I applied my homemade Henna Gravy (well, that's what the Wonder Thing calls it).

 I'm working on tweaking the recipe but today it had henna infusion, yoghurt, honey, olive oil, fenugreek infused coconut oil and guar gum (LOVE!) in it and is based on this goat milk recipe from Shelli of Hairscapades. This is definitely a tweaker (agh, cottage cheese lumps!) but it was worth the strange smell. It went on like an absolute DREAM!!

As soon as I applied it, my hair starting lumping together in the sections where there are curls and waves and it slid through my hair SO easily. Shelli was not joking about the slip!


 I left it on for about...20 minutes? As I rinsed, I notice it was a little bit hard to the touch but it rinsed out easily and left my hair feeling completely yummy - strong and not dry, ready for my leave ins.

I followed up with Eden Bodyworks Soufflé. I'm on a using up binge and I realised I've been sleeping on this when I used it in the wash and go that caused this wash day. It feels lovely and creamy but doesn't build up on my hair.


My ends felt a little drier so I sealed with my Aloe Gel with Shea Butter mix. Each twisted section was then transformed into a plait (except for two mega jumbo twists in comparison, which became four plaits).

I have no pictures of this but the soufflé always goes on creamy and white and eventually dries clear. I don't know why but it's helpful in avoiding questions!

When I pull out the butter-y products, as opposed to the gel products, it feels like pulling out the cardigans and tights, ready for autumn layering.
Maybe I am ready for winter.

I reserve my right to take that statement back if I get another morning like this before November...

*sigh*

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Rejects Wash and Go.

It started with two buns.

I had some free time, and still have some excess (summer) products from last year's adventures that I thought I'd better use up.

So here we go.


1. I jumped in the shower and co washed with Eden Body Works Coconut Cowash.
It will take a meteorite of an an event/product to stop me from using this cowash - f'real, f'real. I'm on my third? Fourth? Tub. I LOVE this!

2, I wanted strengthening of my hair's pattern and I didn't want to spend aaages in the shower marinating, so I used Aphogee's 2 minute reconstructor. Am I the only one who has to plan their hairstyle before they wash so they know what products to use? Otherwise, I just end up in a foaming, flustered flap.

3. I jumped out and used my As I am Leave In Conditioner. Lazy Quick Review: Love the citrusy orangey scent, has no slip and feels a bit weird after you've handed it, but works well on wet hair and as an underwear layer on my wash and go because it's light and has little to no build up. The packaging drove me MAD though. The ink is water soluble, so every time I touched the label with wet hands for my wash and go, I'd end up with black specks everywhere. In annoyance, I pulled off the label, but the glue was tougher than the writing ink and now it's like having gentle velcro on the bottle when I handle it.

On top, I layered Eden Body Works Pudding Soufflé, inspired by Christina and her sister. My hair looked like I'd put soufflé in it, but it dries clear.

I'd originally bought it as a moisturiser for dry hair but it does so very much better as a leave in on wet hair.

Then I finished off with Kinky Curly Curling Custard. I like it but it's 2) too expensive and 3) slightly too sticky/tacky to the touch even nearly two weeks later.. It's soft but touchable (kinda...) hold can't be denied and neither can that deee-licious scent. Plus, a little goes a long way. I thought I'd finish it this time around but no. I still have enough for another go it seems.

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Wash Day - Maximum Hydration?

So, yes, I tried it. I jumped onto that Maximum Hydration bandwagon. Kind of.

I modified it - I hate jumping in and out of the shower, so I cut out all the steps that were unnecessary to me and focus on two steps instead - the baking soda cowash and the clay rinse.

This is how I seem to start every wash day:

1. I didn't pre-poo! I totally forgot! So I started by adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda to about 200ml (3/4 cup) of Garnier Ultra Blend Shea Butter and Avocado Oil Conditioner. I slathered my hair in it, carefully detangling with my fingers.

2. After about 10 - 15 minutes, I rinsed it out and then put on my clay mask.

I used 50g micronized rhassoul clay

1 teaspooon coconut oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 tablespoons of water

I had mixed it all up while I had the baking soda in my hair. It had a very light, mousse-like texture.

I left it in for 30 minutes, making sure to cover my hair in a plastic bag since it was a little drippy.

3. I rinsed it out, then added in some more Garnier Ultra Blend Shea Butter and Avocado Oil and left it on for 5 minutes while I searched furiously for my shower gel. My hair actually seemed to drink up the conditioner a little and I definitely had less splashed all over the walls. I was working in two and a half sections - left, right and my fringe. I'd just made two braids for either side and twisted my fringe up.

4. Then I got to work. Leave in of Kinky Curly Knot Today, and then Curl Enhancing Smoothie and then Kinky Curly Curling Custard. I'd had to add in the Curl Enhancing Smoothie to reduce the frizz and increase clumping in my hair, because my fine hair was not listening without it.

Before product

With product, but no Curl Enhancing Smoothie *unimpressed face*

 At this point, I was fed up. I'd minimised my faffery by cutting out the cherry Lola treatment, since I don't have any liquid aminos, and I didn't really deep conditioning because I never do and it cut the jumping in and out of the shower business, which I am not a fan of.

I'd had to go into the shower twice so far and even after all the hair I'd removed with the baking soda cowash and the mask in my hair, I was losing more hair and I could see from the small length of some of them that it was breakage.

Bearing in mind, I've already shed my mammoth ball of hair by this point.

I was tempted to quit after only the first section but I plodded on.

My wash and go was starting to look exactly like it did in the summer, when I'd done similar steps, minus all this silly fussing and ARGH I'VE JUST BROKEN THE ONLY PLASTIC CLIP I HAVE LEFT!

Furious, I finished my hair and contended that, when it tried, if I hated it, I could just wear a bun.
Then I waited for it to dry and shrink up as per usual.

Um.

Guys, this is my hair 80% dry. It didn't shrink! Like, at all! Apart from the shrinkage necessary to create the curl, of course.
I'm gobsmacked because I was not expecting this in the least.

Also, it turns out I have two other plastic clips, but they were hiding in my drawer.

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Wash Day

1. I mixed together about 1.5 tablespoons of Vatika Oil and third of a cup (80ml) of Aubreys Organics Glycogen Balancing Conditioner in a bowl, having melted the Vatika Oil previously using a roughshod bain marie.

 I applied it to the thicker half of my hair first (rookie mistake) and promptly had to mix up another batch because it wasn't enough.

2. I put on a plastic shower cap and waited it out for an hour while I did some work.

Wonder Thing: *marvelling* All of your hair doesn't even fit under there!
Simple Thing: *stubbornly ignores him*

Before Deep Conditioning/ after deep conditioning

2. Shampoo - 1 tablespoon of honey, teaspoon of Shea Butter's black soap and half a cup of hibiscus tea. I applied it to my scalp only.

3. Then I did an ACV rinse - I always forget/neglect to dilute it, since I reckon I'm rinsing it out anyway and with how hard my water is, a little bit of strength won't hurt, right?

4. I followed that up with Garnier Ultra Blend Shea Butter and Avocado conditioner.

5. I wanted to try a different leave in, so I pulled out the Camille Rose Coconut Water Leave In Treatment. Um, I looked for slip and it was lacking, Cue me quickly jumping ship straight back to Kinky Curly Knot Today to finish off detangling and moisturising the rest of my hair.

6. I tried to use Eco Styler olive oil gel with the Camille Rose Naturals Leave In but when I switched to the Kinky Curly Knot Today, I left it out. If they can't play nice, then they just can't play together at all.

7. I twisted my hair and then left it! I'm kind of hoping that I can leave it for a couple of days (ooh, protective styling!) and then release it for an awesome faux wash and go (ooh, awesome styling!)

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