Hair Inspiration

I love this picture of Nicole Ari Parker.  I hope my hair will look in a few months.  She's one of my natural hair inspirations.  Her makeup is flawless here too.  Our textures are different, but I can achieve this style with a bantu knot out.

First Day Hair

I loved my hair all last week while I did bantu knot outs.  I re-twisted every night and each day my hair looked better.  Sunday night I did not twist it because I got home late from a wedding.  Monday, my hair still looked good!

I decided to wash on Monday night - I know, what was I thinking?!  I pre-poo'd with coconut oil and sat under the steamer for about 20 minutes. Then I washed once with As I Am Co-Wash and deep conditioned with Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque for 20 minutes under the dryer.  I plopped with a t-shirt and blow dried my hair on low/medium to stretch it out a little.  I twisted with my moisturizing spray, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie, Argan oil, and Ecostyler gel with Olive Oil.

My hair was a little damp this morning, but I loosened the bantu knots and did some things around the house for about 15 minutes.  It was dry by the time I picked it out. I like my hair, but it's not great.  I'm just glad it's moisturized.  It's a little frizzy, but I also know that first day hair isn't the best. I'm looking forward to the rest of the week!

I'm not yet sold on the As I Am Co-Wash.  My hair felt clean, but I had some white residue on my scalp. I think I need to shampoo my scalp once a week.

Not sold on the Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque as a deep conditioner either.  The consistency was too thick, my hair had no slip, and my hair didn't feel any more moisturized when I washed it out.  I may try this as a curling cream, but no more as a deep conditioner.

Kinky with a Side of Heat Damage

After 2 rounds of getting my hair pressed, I decided to work with my natural texture for a while.  My son had a pool party this past weekend, and I got in the pool with him and got my hair wet.  I was extremely self-conscious about my hair while playing in the pool, but my friends said they really liked it curly!  When I got home I examined my hair before I washed it, and what do you know- I had heat damage in a couple of places!  It's not too bad, but there are two areas (in the back and on the side) where a small part of my hair is straight.  I knew this was the risk I took by getting my hair straightened- and my stylist really straightened it.  I'm going to take a break from getting it pressed.

The night before the pool party, I did a bantu knot out on my straightened hair with As I Am Curling Jelly and a pinch of gel on the ends:

I liked it, but the ends were a little too straight and there wasn't much hold, so it wouldn't have lasted more than a day even if I hadn't gone swimming.  I didn't like how sticky the As I Am Curling Jelly felt on my fingers, but it didn't make my hair sticky, so I won't give up on it just yet.

On Monday, I tried to rock a stretched out bun.  It was a misty, humid day, so it was a frizzy FAIL. I didn't even take a picture.

Monday night, I did a bantu knot out using a spray bottle of water/leave-in/oil, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and a little gel on the ends:

I loved how moist it was, but I still want a little more curl definition. I also need to work at shaping and styling my fro!  I keep my afro pick close by.

Last night, I did another bantu knot out using the same products as the night before, but I put a little more gel on the length of my hair:

I like today's 'fro the best out of the three.  My hair feel so soft and moist and I had a little more curl definition.  Also, my hair stretches more each day, so I like the length.  I think the key to maintaining moisture is my spray bottle of water, leave-in and oil, as well as blow drying my hair a little after I wash it.  I wish I could be totally heat free, but for now, this is what is working.  It's not exactly how I want it, and maybe it never will be, but I'm still going to keep trying.