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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Let's Talk about Hair

I've gotten lots and lots of emails about my hair and a few people have asked that I share my hair update/routine with a blog post. I've held off for a while because to be honest, I don't really do anything special but since I've been asked I might as well be kind and do this anyway.

It was on January 1st 2011 that I decided that I was going to transition to my natural hair. I wrote a post about it that you can read here. I was so excited but it came with a lot of trial and error. Working with two different hair textures was rough and my hair looked awkward (read awful) ALL.THE.TIME! But I was determined to trim my relaxed ends until I had only my natural hair left. See this post, this post, and this post for some reference.

January 1st 2012, I got rid of any remaining relaxed hair and shared that in this post. And that's basically where it ends. I did not talk about my hair again. A little strange that I did that now that I think of it.

OK, where to begin. First, the decision to go natural was the best decision I've made for my hair to date. For those of you who do not know a hair relaxer is a chemical used to permanently straighten hair. Granted, relaxing my hair did not result in broken hair for me but I can tell that my hair is so much healthier now. I mean, I'm not placing a chemical on my hair and head every 6 weeks so that really shouldn't be a surprise to me. Yes, it shrinks like nobodies business but it's healthy. I haven't used heat on my hair since I decided to go natural so that's almost 3 years without heat. I would say I'm doing it for the health of my hair but really it's because I'm very lazy low maintenance when it comes to my hair. I hardly style it and often it looks that way. I just let it do whatever it wants for the most part which is why I am surprised regarding the questions and nice comments about my hair.

After a wash (co-wash) I twist my hair and leave it like that for a week or two. The only time I really have my hair out is on the weekends but sometimes I leave my hair in their twists over the weekend as well. It really depends on my mood or if I feel that having my hair out would complete my look or something.

{Here are two pictures of the way you'll see my hair during the week in their twists}

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In a protective style that is no hassle at all. The only thing I do is spritz with water and extra virgin olive oil in the morning and at night and I'm set.

On the weekend, I take out my twists (with castor oil on my fingers) and will rock a twist out which you can see in the pictures below.

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My hair has grown (and is thicker & fuller) in the last year but one couldn't really tell with my hair's shrinkage abilities. The pictures below are better examples of what my hair looks like now since the pictures above were taken several months ago.

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I am not what one would call a product junkie either. If it works for me then I stick to it.

I don't use shampoo at all anymore. I know, I know. But like I said, it is what is working for my hair. Actually I take that back. If I can tell that my hair needs a good wash I'll use shampoo but I haven't used it in over 3 months and I think it is because I don't really use too much product on my hair which helps me avoid the massive product build up. Shampoo was definitely stripping my already dry hair's oil so in order to avoid that I made the decision to not use shampoo often at all. Instead I co-wash (conditioner wash) every week or every other week. I use Clear Total Care for my conditioner and deep conditioner. I love the way this works on my hair. It leaves it very soft, silky, moisturized and manageable. It was actually a fluke that I got this conditioner because it was a deal that I got a bottle free at CVS. I was so hesitant to use it but I ran out of conditioner one day and had no choice. Well, wouldn't you know it? My hair LOVES this stuff.

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I use Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque for a deep conditioner. I use this about once every four weeks. I don't use it weekly because I don't feel my hair needs it as often when I'm using the Clear Total Care as a deep conditioner as well. But I use it just for something different and because it's a great product for my hair.

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I use Cantu Shea Butter for my leave in conditioner and I've tried to use a few things but this one works the best for my hair so I'm sticking to it. Unless I can try a sample of something else and my mind be changed.

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I use Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie for my moisturizer. Again, my hair loves this stuff. I've tried others but my hair responds the best with this one. After I co-wash I take out a section to twist, first I put some Cantu Shea Butter on the section and then I put the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie. I detangle the section (very carefully) if it needs it and then I proceed with twisting.

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I use Castor Oil to take out my twists. It helps me take them out easier and ensures that I do not tangle or create knots when I rock a twist out.
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I just use what works and refuse to try products after products. I guess it's money that I'll rather see in my closet.

Like I mentioned earlier, I spritz my hair with water and EVOO every morning and night to keep my hair moisturized.

And that's it. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll get back to you. Also know that if you are a no-reply commenter I'll answer your question but you'll never get my response so try to fix that or email me directly at midnyteblue13@hotmail.com. Alright, I hope this has helped those of you who have asked or wondered about my hair.

Peace, hair grease and Afro puffs! xoxo gossip girl ;)

32 comments:

  1. Your hair is adorbs! And like you, I don't like the fuss over styling my hair either. I have locks and get asked what I do to them all of the time. NOTHING is my answer. Lol! Anyhow, your hair looks great and I bet your are so happy to be free of the creamy crack. Lol!

    P.S. Love your blog.

    -Myisha

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  2. Your hair always is fabulous yet for some reason I'm not shocked that you don't do a massive amount of intricate things to get it looking so lovely, you just aren't that kind of gal! And you don't need to either!

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  3. I have a friend who was wanting to do her hair natural and is getting frustrated with it. I'll show her this and hopefully it will help her out. Thanks Faith!

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  4. I have been getting the itch to go natural for a while, this post is swaying me towards taking the plunge since your hair looks so darn good! maybe mine can too!

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  5. I saw those shea butter products at my local drugstore the other day and i was wondering to myself if they would work with my hair. but my hair is so damaged that idk! Any who i love your natural hair its gorgeous!!

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  6. i love your hair...i've always wanted curly hair!

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  7. Your hair looks amazing and considering you don't do much to it, I say your hair rocks. I am so glad you did this post, I was one of the curious ones :)

    I love natural hair and all the curls but I also love straight hair. That's probably why I am still relaxed. I also like long hair and I think the shrinkage would kill me

    Funny enough we used 2 of the same products, the cantu shea butter and the castor oil. Clearly relaxed or natural when you take good care of your hair it thrives.

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  8. I adore your twist outs! I adore your twists!

    I wanna try castor oil oh so very badly! Right now I'm using coconut oil and a deep treatment masque (yes it's spelled masque :D) with argon oil and aloe...and some other stuff.

    Thanks for sharing your routine.

    xo

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  9. I love your hair! Glad you shared your regime :) I went natural a few years ago too, and grew out my relaxed hair. I tried to wear my hair natural and have had success with some styles, but honestly I gave up because of the upkeep. I generally wear extensions, or straighten my natural hair and keep it in a wrap and it seems to stay straight pretty fine until the humidity hits... -_- LOL

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  10. Thanks for sharing. I always wondered what your methods were. I don't do too much to my natural hair either in terms of products etc. and I get compliments all the time. We are proofs that "less is more."

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  11. I'm all white and stuff so as far as relaxers, and my hair being dry I have the opposite problem. it does NOT hold a curl no matter what and it's forever oily so I have to dry it out (shampoo it every other day).

    My best buddy Michelle used to have natural hair, and after she had her daughter she decided to relax it again- she felt it was less upkeep. I think her hair looked nice either way (same with yours).

    Dominic on the other hand has super curly hair thanks to his dad, but his hair is my texture. In the winter time it goes flat because there is no moisture and in the summer time when it's humid he tends to have tighter curls. I used to put some all natural butter creame in his hair but I've quit doing that for some time now. I just cut it shorter in dryer months.

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  12. OK, you have inspired me. LOL. I've been without a perm for 16 months, but the whole time I've just kept getting sew ins. I'm pretty much over sew ins and I'm thinking I will just wear my hair out now. Your hair always looks cute! I've become obsessed with YouTube and there are all these cute styles. But really, it's so cool you found a low maintenance style that works for you and looks cute! More money for other stuff. I'm excited to see how my hair looks in twists. (Hopefully cute).

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  13. No heat for 3 years! That's great. Good job on deciding to do that and sticking with it. Your hair always looks very well groomed and put together. What is co-wash? I've heard shampoo drys out hair so I don't use it every time I wash either. You are saving so much money by doing it yourself.

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  14. Your hair has certainly grown and it looks great!
    Thanks for the update post. I am still on the fence as far as going natural. My mom and 3 sisters are all natural and they've been trying to convince me to do the same. But I am lazy. I don't do a lot to my hair. I get it texlaxed every 16 - 18 weeks but it is still a chemical product in my hair.
    Hmmm...decisions decisions...How does Sean feel about you being natural? I think hubby might be a little hesitant because he knows my hair would likely look a hot mess! :-)

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  15. Thank you for the inspiration Faith! I've been "transitioning" to natural since July 2013. This is tough. As of yesterday I came to the point that I was completely in tears prior to work. I work out during the week and my "rod set" looked a HOT MESS the next morning. I will look into braids to wear for about a month. Truthfully I had healthy long hair prior to my first relaxer and I want to get back the healthy hair. Reading your story is encouraging. Would you mind sharing any advise on your weekly maintenance? I seriously don't know how to do hair. I was a standing hair appointment girl since the age of 13 til I moved to Austin. Now I need to learn how to do hair.

    BTW-I also go by JNichole18!

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  16. Your twist out always looks fabulous. You're keeping things simple and it works and your hair is thriving from it.

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  17. Good for you for not using heat on your hair for so long! I try not to use it too often, but I could definitely use it less. It's so damaging. I've used the clear conditioner and I love how it smells. Great post! It's always interesting to see which products bloggers love.

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  18. I'm way to lazy to go natural. But it's funny I already have. I haven't had a relaxer in over 3 years but I wear my hair straight or have weaves(which I love because I run a lot so it helps). I've never had more than 2 relaxers per year on my head since I started getting relaxers. My hair type doesn't require me to relax my hair that often.
    I'm very careful on the shampoos I use because I have color and black people's hair tends to be dry. I keep telling myself one day I will twist my hair etc. But it hasn't happened and I doubt it will...lol!

    Your hair looks cute!

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  19. Uh oh look at you on the verge of becoming an overnight natural hair blogger phenom! Lol just kidding ;) you hair is always on point with or with out the twist. My hair is natural as well but most people don't believe or notice since I always wear it pressed out. I didn't get a relaxer until I was twenty and then it's like that next semester at school everyone decided being natural was the new thing so I was like WTH I relaxed my hair for nothing?!! I grew my hair out again over the last two years and it's back to just pressing or flat ironing every two weeks if needed. I do however want to experiment with some of the twist outs and natural styles. I'm so happy natural is in now. Sadly when I used to wear my hair like that people used to straight up make fun of me and ask why I didn't have a perm. My daddy was antirelaxers so growing up I could only be natural and I couldn't perm it until I moved to Louisiana for college. Man I should've just listened to my daddy and not let other people bother me! You're so adorbs!!!!

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  20. your curls are seriously popping.
    i love Shea moisture.

    http://ezechimereuchenna.blogspot.com/

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  21. Thank you so much for sharing this. though you think is nothing is so much for me to read this because I'm all over the place when it comes to styling my hair and reading this just gave me a good picture of how to take care of my hair.

    You are a doll :)

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  22. Your hair always looks amazing. So nice it is so low maintenance.

    The clear total care is on my list to try!

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  23. What a smile! Very pretty! :D

    xx

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  24. I've always wondered about your hair regime. Thanks for sharing! It always looks so good...heck you always look good!

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  25. i love the shea moisture face products, but have never tried the hair stuff...i might have to!

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  26. Your hair always looks beautiful! I used to get my hair chemically straightened and highlighted but stopped a couple years ago due to the damage, cancer risk, cost and time. My hair is definitely much healthier now.

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  27. You have absolutely BEAUTIFUL hair Faith and I am sure there are so many young women out there that are thankful that you posted this!! Have a wonderful weekend pretty lady xo

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  28. Your hair is lovely and natural! Just the way hair should be. I relaxed my hair for maybe 8 years and one day I just said no more. I'm growing my hair out, painful…but it's healthy. Love the choices you have in butters for your hair. Cantu and Shea is amazing. xx

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  29. This was so fascinating to read, Faith! Having worked the front desk at a salon for four years, I am always very interested to learn about different hair routines!

    You have one gorgeous head of hair!!!

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  30. I've been waiting for this post!!! :) We use a lot of the same products too. I love the Shea Moisture products... and I have the Cantu Leave In & Deep Conditioner which my hair LOVES. I commend you for using no heat for 3+year... gosh. That's good! & so healthy for your hair. Thanks for sharing your secrets!

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  31. FINALLY!!!! Gosh!!!!
    I'm glad you're happy with your natural decision and love that you're not a Product Junkie. That's SOOO refreshing. I love your twistouts and how low maintenance your routine is.

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  32. You have gorgeous hair, I can see why this is a requested post! I also love the shea moisture deep treatment masque!
    Dee
    Ms Dee Kay

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