Monday 20 January 2014

My Dry Twist Month

As normally happens around this time of the year, I put in a set of twists. I conditioned with Aubrey's Organics Glycogen Conditioner (a long time candidate on the product wishlist), rinsed it out, followed up with Hello Hydration and then split my hair into sections. I made sure to thoroughly finger detangle each section (so much matting at the roots! Argh!), applied some aloe vera juice and water, and then some Anita Grants's Café Latte leave in to seal. On my ends, when I'd finished, I also added some Organix Coconut Anti Breakage Serum.

It took me about a week to do then, trying to do as much as I could each day when I had time and/or the energy.

But I've promised myself that I've got to change. Somethings got to give. I can't keep doing the same thing and expect different results - that's the very definition of sanity!

I always have a problem taking down my twists with shed hair getting stuck everywhere and matting and meshing and shrinkage. I know what the culprit is - my love of washing my twists.

Sometimes twice a week, sometimes thrice, sometimes daily, I'd stick my head under the shower faucet for some quick moisture. The result? Plump, moisturised, juicy twists - that were a complete and utter nightmare to take down.

So for the next four weeks, I've decided to have no more of that. I'm trying to minimise breakage, which means minimising shrinkage and tangling, which means minimising my exposure to water.

Instead, I'll be moisturising with coconut oil, and finding some new inventive way to clean my scalp. I'm thinking an astringent like apple cider vinegar or witch hazel. I'll let you know how it goes....

Friday 17 January 2014

Random Hair Thoughts

I need to make time for my hair. I have literally been going weeks without doing a cowash or a proper wash in the shower because I don't have the time to do all of that and then style. Or, if I do wash, I don't stretch my hair properly. Hellooo matted roots!

I exasperate myself

Finding time to do my hair is so hard! In between working 8 till 6, and then hanging out with the other half on Saturday and then visiting family, or hosting friends on a Sunday, the 3 hours or whatever I need to make sure my hair is in a decent state for a certain amount of time just never seems to come up.

The Wonder Thing has suggested I stop watching videos of other ladies flicking their waist length hair around if I'm suffering from dissatisfaction with my own situation. I know he's right but...how else will I learn their secrets?

Ehhh....

I'm thinking that a two week routine might work better for me if I manage to keep this job - one week in twists and then a week (or whatever) of twistouts. I'm currently in twists that I hope will hold for four weeks. But then it means I avoid the not-knowing-what-to-do-with-my-hair conundrum and also the having-no-time-to-style-my-hair issues.

Why do I seem unable to do medium sized twists?? Why do they always turn out small?? This must be why I fail at twistouts. Always too big (out of laziness) or too small (out of vanity). Goldilocks, I feel your pain!

I think having your hair in twists makes you look forward to playing with your hair. You watch videos and are excited for the possibilities with your own hair, rather than watching begrudgingly with something that used to be a bun on your head, wondering why your hair doesn't seem to be able to do that.

I was going to do a length check at the end of last year, but I'm assuming it's pretty much the same situation as here. No, wait, it's shorter. And it needs a cut. *Exhales deeply*

I don't know either, Doctor!

I do love messy hair but my main problem with it is that it's not practical for my daily life. Whee! My hair is huge on Sunday! Now...er, what do I do with it Monday till Friday? :/

Having a computer where all the keys work definitely makes blogging waaay easier and more likely to happen.

Just saying.

I've been eyeing up the Camille Rose products since heyfranhey and MissTenesha are such big fans of it. Finally, the products are available in the UK! Yaaay! But only in London! Booo.
Still considering a trip down for some product splurging....maybe later this summer....

Yzma Kitty has already been.

I wonder if living in a hard water area contributes to my shedding? It slowed down when I came back from Paris, but now I'm living in an area that's just as bad as Paris (think, calcified taps if the proper upkeep is not maintained).  I'm slowly transitioning my products back to the kind of things I was using when I was over there. I feel my hair care this year will reek of vinegar.

Every time I do twists, my favourite bit is washing them. But when I take them down, they are meshed and tangled beyond belief. So I'm trying something new and having a dry twist month.