Oil Rinsing

I'm always looking for ways to moisturize my hair!  I knew about oil rinsing, but was weary since my low porosity hair can be very sensitive to oils.  Most times, an oil pre-poo does nothing positive for my hair.  I read some articles about women with low porosity hair oil rinsing their hair, so I decided to give it a try.

Oil rinsing is when you apply oil to your hair after shampooing but before conditioning.  Some people rinse the oil out before conditioning, others leave it in.  Some even put the oil on top of their conditioner.  The advantages of oil rinsing are retaining moisture (of course), less frizz, more shine, and less tangles and knots.

Here's what I did this weekend:

1. Washed my hair with Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Moisture Retention Shampoo.

2. Applied about a tablespoon of heated grapeseed oil to my hair in sections from root to tip.

3. While the oil penetrated my hair, I put about a tablespoon of Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Conditioner in the microwave for 15 seconds, and then applied it to my hair from root to tip.

4.  Put on a plastic cap. I planned on sitting under the dryer, and then rinsing and styling my hair.  I didn't feel like it, so I put a scarf over my cap and went to bed.  In the morning, I rinsed out the conditioner and oil well in the shower under warm water.

* I heated up my oil and conditioner because I know that heat is my friend.  Heating up my conditioners opens my cuticles to allow moisture in.  I've seen a significant increase in moisture level and shine by doing this.
* I chose grapeseed oil over other penetrating oils like olive or coconut because I wanted to use a lighter oil for my first time oil rinsing.  When I have pre-poo'd with heavier oils, it was very hard for me to get most of the oil out, even after shampooing, and I was left with weighed down hair that felt unclean.

My results:

• Less shed and broken hair - My hair sheds A LOT, and I didn't see as much hair in the shower when I rinsed.
• Easier to detangle - My hair doesn't tangle much, but my shower comb slid through it very easily.
• More hang time!  For real, I thought I had long hair when I got out of the shower, lol.  This was the first time I saw my natural hair hang down.  If the weather was warmer, I might have been bold enough to try a wash and go.  I believe this has to do with what Elle from Quest for the Perfect Curl calls coating.  I've been saying for years that my hair needs more of a natural and good "coating" to make it heavier, but not weighed down to fall right and stay moisturized and protected. She's the only other person I've seen discuss this in a way that speaks to me and my hair needs.   

Since I just did this the other day, I'll see how my hair retains moisture this week.  Today is my first day of my bantu knot out, and usually my first day hair isn't the best- it's usually a little drier than the other days...but not today!  My felt moist and looked shiny when I fluffed my hair.

I plan on oil rinsing for my next few washes and will report back my moisture retention and any increase in thickness.

Product Review: Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Balance Moisturizing Conditioner

Based on so many positive reviews, I bought the Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Balance Moisturizing Conditioner about a year ago for the sole purpose of co-washing.  It is a great product to co-wash with.  Now that I don't co-wash, I decided to try it another way.  I bought this from Trader Joe's for under $5.

Product Description
When your hair is dry, it needs to be nourished. This balanced hair remoisturizer is ideal for replenishing dry, brittle hair. Perfect for use daily, it infuses moisture and exceptional shine, without weighing hair down. Enhanced with organic botanicals, it does not contain laurel/laureth sulfates.

Ingredients
purified water, organic rosemary oil, organic valencia orange citrus, organic mango, organic lemongrass, organic ginko biloba, organic echinacea, organic willow bark, organic sea kelp, organic chamomile flower, organic textured soy protein, organic lavender, organic grapefruit citrus, tocopherol (Vit E), acetamide MEA, cetyl alcohol, citric acid, methylparaben, propylparaben, botanical fragrance

Directions

Apply after Nourish Shampoo, massaging its wealth of moisture into drenched hair. Rinse thoroughly and style.

My Experience

When my hair was very short and I was swimming almost every day, I co-washed almost every day, and this product was great, especially for slip.  As the weather got colder and my hair got longer, I stopped co-washing as often. Now I wash my hair once a week with shampoo, so I don't co-wash at all.  So, I shelved this conditioner, thinking that I needed something thicker to deep condition with.  I've finally realized that my hair doesn't do well with thick conditioners so I decided to pull the Trader Joe's conditioner out and try it again.

I also have the Nourish Shampoo, and I like it, but I'm trying to stick with one shampoo for a while, so I used a Shea Moisture shampoo before I used this conditioner.  I put some of the conditioner in a bowl and microwaved it for 15 seconds before applying it to my hair.  My hair is low porosity, and I've been making a conscious effort to get more moisture in my hair.  I've realized that heat is actually my hair's friend and heating my conditioners help my hair absorb them better.  I put on a plastic cap and sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes.  When I took the plastic cap off, my hair was so moisturized and shiny that I didn't want to rinse it out!  However, even after I rinsed it out my hair was very moisturized and soft.  My hair was extremely easy to de-tangle, and I even saw some clumped curl definition- which I hardly ever see without twisting! Honestly, I haven't experienced this kind of moisture and soft texture since ORS Replenishing was my staple years ago when I was relaxed.  

I'm definitely going to continue to use this conditioner on a weekly basis.

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.

Hair Comments/Questions From Work People

Whether my hair is relaxed, natural, braided, or just a different style than the day before, I get so many comments from my co-workers (all non-black).  Whenever I go in the day of a new style, I'm like, "okay, here we go..."  Here are some of my favorite comments- some inappropriate and flat out rude:

What did you do to your hair?!

Is it yours?

What is it made of?

How long did it take? (braids/twists)

Can you wash it?

Did you do it yourself?

Who did it?

How do you sleep?

How long will it last?

Is this style easier than the last one?

It really fits your face!

It looks so silky!

How much did it cost?

Did you cut your hair?

Can you comb it?

I wish I could do that with my hair!

You look like Beyonce/Lauryn Hill/Halle Berry/Melissa Harris Perry/some other black celebrity I look nothing like!

I love your weave! (when it's not a weave)

You remind me of my Barbie head I had as a child with all of your hairstyles!

Do you unbraid them at night and re-braid every morning? (braids)

I like this style so much better than the last one.

You can do so much with our hair.

Can I touch it?

I've dealt with these questions and comments for years, so at this point, nothing these mofos say surprise me.  I sometimes make up answers, like "yes, I re-braid them every day," or "it only took an hour for me to put all these braids in."

Am I missing any crazy/funny/rude/stupid comments??

Braids Out

I took my micro braids out last Friday night after having them in for 10 weeks. My goal was 6 weeks, so I'm proud of myself for making it to 10.  It took me about 4 1/2 hours to take my braids out. I tried to take them out using the method here, but it didn't quite work for me.  The video shows how you can soak your hair with water and conditioner and the braids will slide out.  Well, the women who braided my hair were extremely good at their jobs, because my braids did NOT slide out!  They were almost cornrowed at the root, so no amount of conditioner was going to make it easy for the braids to just slide out. I did still wet and load my hair with conditioner. I feel like it made it easier to take the braids out, and I got a good pre-poo conditioning treatment from it.  The water and conditioner also made it so much easier to de-tangle.

The next morning, I went to the salon to get my hair done. I hadn't been to a salon since I did my big chop last June!  I like doing my own hair, but I also like having someone else do it, especially if I trust them and they get me out in a reasonable time. I went to my cousin at a salon near my house.  She did my hair once right before I went natural, and I loved how it came out.  She washed and deep conditioned my hair, then she blow dried it a little and put me under the dryer for it to dry completely.  She then pressed my hair (with the hot comb) and curled it using KeraCare Curling Wax.  She trimmed about an inch off.  My ends were really bad- I trimmed my ends myself a couple of times over the past year, but I'm sure I didn't do the best job!

These pictures were taken 2-3 days later.  It looked so much better the day I left the salon, but I still like it now.  I am really happy with the thickness and length...and moisture!  For the past year, I have been frustrated with how dry my hair felt, and now it's actually holding moisture.  I don't know how much I'm going to wear my hair straight, but it's a nice change, especially now that the weather is not so humid.  

Even thought it's only been about 15 months since I've dealt with straight hair, I feel like I'm learning how to manage it!  I've been wearing twists and braids for the past 4 months, and I could be lazy about not wearing a shower cap in the shower, or not putting a silk scarf on at night.  Not with this style!  The first night, I just wrapped my hair, but it came out too flat.  So now I'm putting a few satin rollers and pin curls in it to give it a little body and curl, which I like.  I've also been applying a few drops of avocado oil in my hair at night to seal in the moisture.  I'm hoping this style will last a couple of weeks, and then I think I want to play with my natural texture again...