Crazy Weather! Hair Switch Up

Is it just me, or is the weather in NYC bonkers? My skin and scalp definitely respond to temperature changes before the weatherman declares anything. Today it's supposed to go up to 80-something degrees which explains why my scalp was on fire yesterday. So when I got home I had to take out my twists =( I put about 8 braids in my hair and washed my scalp with Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Threat shampoo and conditioned with Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut. It feels a lot better now, but I'm still annoyed that I had to take out my twists.

Then on a whim, I decided to try the Tightly Curly Method by Teri. Basically it's a way to define your curls with conditioner only. So I used my Herbal Essence Hello Hydration and worked it into each section of my hair and used my Denman Brush to go over each section. Then I smoothed my strands to lock in the curl. You can see Teri's directions along with a video. She also has a book out where she explains her process in more detail called Curly Like Me. I'm amazed in how well this method worked for my curls. I completely FORGOT to take pictures so I'm going to have to do it again either tonight or tomorrow just so I can show everyone how it worked for me.

Hair For the Week

I washed my hair and did a rollerset yesterday. I then brushed out the curls with a paddle brush and parted my hair in four sections. I flat twisted the front and did single twists in the back. I spritz my Knot Today/water mixture into each section and used Burts Bees Avocado Butter to seal. After I was done with each section I ran coconut oil into each section.

I'm going to be styling these twists in other ways as well so stay tuned...

My Product Stash

While thinking about my cool weather hair regimen, I sifted through my hair products this weekend and realized that I don't really need to buy anything else for a bit. I really should just work with what I have and determine my regimen based on that. Here's what I got:

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Threat Shampoo

This is what I will be continuing to cleanse with. I've had this bottle probably since June so it's been a great 7 bucks for someone who washes their hair once a week. With the weather still being a little up and down I'm still going to wash with this every 7-10 days.

My collection of conditioners

I love moisturizing conditioners and I love trying new ones. I saw that my old favorite Herbal Essence Hello Hydration was on sale at Rite Aid during the week so I had to pick it up so that bottle is full. I only have a little bit of Renpure Organics left. I can probably deep condition with this two more times. The Kinky Curly Knot Today is my favorite leave in, but as you can see there's only a little left, and that's an $11-$12 bottle. What I've been doing actually is putting it in my spray bottle and adding some water to it and spraying it liberally into sections of my hair when I'm styling. It still works great. I also don't have much Sauve Naturals left either, but I've decided that I'm only going to use that for things like rinsing henna out of my hair because the cooler weather for my hair means thicker and more emollient moisturizing conditioners. While Sauve did wonders for me during the summer, not sure it's going to be my best choice in the winter. And then there's my Oyin conditioner which I will use whenever I feel like it to detangle and condition.

Stylers, ect

My collection of stylers is okay I guess. I don't see myself really using the Kinky Curling Custard because I doubt I will be wearing any wash-and-gos anytime soon. I'm pretty much done trying the Jane Carter Wrap and Roll, I'm not crazy about it. The Garnier Fructis Conditioning Creme I can see myself using for braid-outs and twist outs, most likely alternating with Oyin Shine and Define (sitting on top of the jar of coconut oil). The Burt's Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Treatment I *heart* as a pre-shampoo treatment  as well as a styler. I absolutely love this stuff. I used it last winter to act as a heavy butter for my twists as well and I probably will continue. The IC Fantasia Gel will still be used as I continue to practice with rollersetting. And finally, the Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (which will probably last me for another month, purchased in May) will continue to be used as a pre-treatment and to seal my hair. I might try an oil rinse with this as well.

So there you have it. As I mentioned, I won't be buying anything else for at least the rest of this month if not longer. That way I won't feel guilty when I go shopping for new products that I've been eyeing!

Oyin Products

Oyin Handmade products were used heavily in my summer routine, and I just realized that I didn't properly review or introduce them and how they were working on my hair. Here's a portion about them from their website: We are a family-owned company, named after the Yoruba word for ‘honey’ – one of nature’s most versatile beauty products...Many of our products utilize the power and sweetness of honey, and all are made from scratch, by hand, in small batches to ensure freshness. We never use petroleum, silicones, parabens, or non-nourishing fillers – every ingredient in our mixtures has work to do! In our goodies you can find unrefined shea butter, nutritive sea vegetables, pure aloe vera juice, nourishing vitamins, and herbal infusions carefully chosen for their beneficial and healing properties....

I had heard about them a while ago with great reviews, and finally decided to order their 4-piece sample pack this summer. I should say what I noticed about their samples is that there is a good amount of product to really get a good amount of uses.

Honey Hemp Conditioner: I only used this a couple of times for mid-week co-washing. It has a nice, creamy consistency and added a good boost of moisture and great detangler but I didn't find anything spectacular about it. It does have good ingredients. Would I buy it again? Maybe...
Ingredients: purified water, organic aloe vera gel, behentremonium methosulfate (emulsifier derived from colza oil), honey, virgin hemp oil, , coconut oil, vegetable glycerine, hydrolized silk, citrus essences, fragrance, optiphen (preservative)


Greg Juice: This is a spritz that I really love. I was wearing twists a lot during the summer and would use it twice a day, mostly because I loved the smell of it. Also, when I got my sample pack, the bottle was open and some of it spilled. I contacted Customer Service about it and they sent me another bottle right away. I was pleased. Great moisture boost for protective styles or twist outs and such and yes I will be purchasing this again. Ingredients: purified water infused with horsetail, lavender, nettle, roses, and chamomile; organic flaxseeds; aloe vera juice; vegetable glycerine; essences of lavender, sweet orange, ylang ylang; grapefruit seed extract; citric acid
 
Shine and Define: This is described as a styling serum with some hold. I mostly used this for braid outs and twist outs and it was actually very nice. Besides being wonderfully scented there is light hold and very moisturizing. It's basically like a lotion. It works best for me on damp hair, although the instruction says you can use it on soaken wet strands. Love it and will purchase it again.
Ingredients: purified water, organic flax seeds, organic aloe vera gel, sea vegetable complex, coconut oil, castor oil, unrefined shea butter, raw honey, vegetable glycerine, palm stearic acid, vegetable emulsifying waxes, fruit pectin, xanthan gum, dextrose, optiphen (preservative), citrus essential oils; fragrance.
 
Whipped Pudding: Seriously if your strands like shea butter (or maybe only when it's mixed with other stuff) I don't think you can go wrong with this. I sealed my hair with this every other day and it was pretty awesome. It can also be used on the skin, which I have on ocassion and it works just fine. It's very sweet smelling too, but not overly powerful (I am very sensitve to smells!) I'm definitely grabbing more of this. 
Ingredients:  purified water, shea butter, organic aloe vera gel, cocoa butter, castor oil, coconut oil, sweet almond & olive oils, vegetable emulsifier, beeswax, palm stearic acid, vegetable glycerine, honey, optiphen (preservative), fragrance
 
So that's my two cents on the Oyin. I am interested in trying their other products as well. One thing to note is that because everything is made from scratch, your order may take a while. That is both a downside and an upside. But definitely worth it to me! Has anyone else tried it?

Positive Words to Describe Your Natural Hair

One thing embracing my natural curls and coils taught me was self-confidence. I realized that I felt ugly and out of place when I didn't think my hair was done. But that was just part of a larger self-esteem issue I had.

We're all about loving ourselves over here using hair as a jump off. Before I would describe my hair as unruly and unmanagable. Today, I would describe my hair as healthy, shiny and fun.

What about you hair enthusiasts? Chime in with words on positive ways you would describe your hair!

Re-post: Would you try this?

So i came across this information while browsing through another blog i frequent called "Her Best Hair" , in her Avocado Update: Deep Condition post. Here is also the link to the blog she found it on: coconut oil blog.

(Please click on the links within the paragraph for more info)

What do you think about this method of "natural relaxing?"

I'm not a hair typer but i just wonder, for those who have hair in the 4 something category and want to stay natural, would they ever consider doing something like this to their hair?

I think i might try it... yay or nay people? Help me decide!

Fall 2010 = New TWA Color!!!

I decided to go Beef and Broccoli for the fall... lol. 

I wanted to rinse my hair a darker color since my roots were getting huge and Autumn has arrived here in New York. I decided i didn't want to dye my hair anymore because it's too damaging so i used a rinse, Jazzing's  Black Cherry. In order to do the green, knowing that my hair was blondish before, i used a bit of Manic Panic in After Midnight Blue. Blue and yellow makes green and im loving it! It's very dark so unless i am in the light, most people just think it's black which i think is a kind of cool effect.

Everyone is loving the Burgundy and Green! I am too, what do you think? Might add just a smidge more green and make it brighter =)

And i almost forgot to mention, these are my curls smoothed and shingled with Shea Moisture's  Curl and Hold Smoothie! Soft, shiny, bouncy, detangled, fragrant, moisturized hair! Loving it!