going natural Archives - Page 3 of 5

My new Pre-Poo Method

Posted on by Michelle

My shiny, supple hair
after using a
Moisturizing Pre-Poo with honey,
olive oil and conditioner

I always do a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment on my hair prior to straightening it with my flat iron. This usually means either using a conditioner that doesn’t contain any protein like Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose or making up my own concoction using a cheapie conditioner as my base. I like to add oils but this is too heavy right before I use heat on my hair.

A few months ago I rediscovered a video by Patchouli85 on YouTube that explained how to use a moisture rich deep treatment before using direct heat on the hair. The only difference was she suggests that it be done prior to washing the hair with shampoo. This would make it a Pre-Poo and means that it goes on dry hair instead of damp hair like I was doing before. Her recipe was pretty simple and I improvised with what I had at home. I think that the ingredient that made the biggest difference was the honey. I have been deep conditioning my hair at least one time each week ever since my transition days. Using her method was the first time I noticed a huge difference in the way my hair felt as I was rinsing it out. My hair was a lot easier to detangle and I also had a much easier time with blowdrying.

You would think that since you wash the treatment out with shampoo, you wouldn’t get the full benefit. I’m guessing that since I’m applying it to dry hair and then using heat to open up the cuticles, my hair is absorbing the treatment so much better than before when I did it on wet hair. When I straightened my hair after that first treatment, I could not believe the shine and how supple my hair felt. It’s been so effective that it is something I have since decided to incorporate into my weekly regimen.

My Pre-Poo Recipe

Conditioner (I use Suave Naturals Coconut)

1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tblsp Honey

1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (I use Vatika Oil for this part)

**You can also add 3 Tblsp of Mayo or Cholesterol conditioner depending on what your hair needs

I combine the above ingredients in a small plastic bowl until well combined. I use as much conditioner as I think that it will take to make sure all of my dry hair is completely saturated. Then I separate my hair into 4 sections and apply it while it is still dry, starting at the ends. If there is any left, I go back and coat my hair again making sure to use up all of the mixture. I put on a plastic cap and then sit under the dryer for 30 minutes. Then I co-wash or shampoo it out depending on what style I’m wearing next.

Length Check-February 2011

Posted on by Michelle

Since I’m on a hair growth journey, I can get antsy sometimes because I don’t always get to see my hair’s true length under all this shrinkage. Last month I decided to straighten my hair out to see where it’s at right now lengthwise.

Since I have layers and bangs, the longest part is in the back which is why I take pictures so I can see where it falls. At first I didn’t really think that it looked like much because I still have a ways to go before I reach my current goal of APL. However, when I compared it to a picture that I took last year I actually saw how far I’ve come. The other thing I noticed is that my hair isn’t as short as I thought it was since my cut in January. I was scared that maybe I cut a little too much since I did it on slightly stretched hair. Am I going to make it to APL by May…my 2 year Nappiversary? For me, it’s still hard to say. Either way, I can see that I am making progress.

YouTube Inspiration: Trimming Natural Hair

Posted on by Michelle

This is the video that inspired me to trim my hair in January. Normally I just wait to do trims when my hair is straight. This showed me that I can still get a nice even cut without using heat first to stretch my hair out. When I straightened my hair out recently I checked to see if there were any long pieces that I missed but was surprised to find that my hair was pretty even. This method definitely works so I thought I would share.

Video by YAISnyc

Henna Gloss How To

Posted on by Michelle

I like to use Henna to blend in my grays and strengthen my hair but I don’t always have time to do a full Henna application. I read up on Henna glosses sometime last year and now I’ll do that when I’m short on time or just want to stretch my Henna stash. It’s like doing a deep conditioning treatment with Henna added. This way you get some of the benefits of Henna without the long, messy process.

Henna Gloss using
Henna, Conditioner and Natural Oils

Basically, instead of using enough Henna powder to cover all of your hair, you only need a couple of tablespoons. You still mix it with water, green tea or lemon juice which will start the dye release process. I add enough to make it into a pudding like consistency. Then, when I’m ready to apply it, I add lots of my Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner for a creamy base and then whatever natural oils I chose for deep conditioning. Recently I even added plain yogurt to the mix and was really surprised by the results. My hair felt so lush afterwards it wasn’t even funny!

I like to dampen my hair before applying the Henna gloss because it seems to go on a bit easier that way. After it’s all in I sometimes sit under the dryer with a plastic baggie for maybe thirty minutes and then leave it on for awhile after that. Rinsing it out is waaay easier than rinsing out a full henna treatment. The conditioner gives a lot of slip so it comes right out. Then I like to co-wash to make sure that I got it all. It’s easier but still helps to blend my gray strands…can’t beat that.

Back to Basics: The Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Posted on by Michelle

I was never really a big fan of doing Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses when I started out on my natural journey. I kept reading how it worked as a clarifier. I even watched (and understood) KimmayTube’s videos on pH Balance and knew how it worked to close the hair cuticle. Still, no matter how many times I tried, it just didn’t seem to do anything for my hair. Then I found out about the Organic Apple Cider Vinegar by Bragg’s. I thought maybe that would make a difference but it still seemed like nothing was happening.

My hair after an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
(detangled with the Denman Brush)

Recently, I decided to get “back to basics” and start washing my hair more often. I don’t want to use shampoo everytime so I sometimes co-wash and then follow that with a vinegar rinse. At first, I kept getting the same blah response. Finally, by accident I think, I poured more vinegar into the container than usual. Then, I filled it the rest of the way with water from the shower head like I always do. I could tell right away that something was different. I could feel the conditioner slipping down my strands. It was actually removing all of the extra and giving me a clean feeling without leaving my hair stripped. I left it in for a few minutes before doing a lukewarm rinse. When I got out, I noticed how soft and fluffy my hair felt.

I honestly couldn’t believe how good my hair looked. I didn’t even want to put anything else in it because I was afraid to mess it up. Now, whenever I do an Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse, I always make sure that I’m using enough vinegar. I always eyeball it but I would say it’s at least a 1/4 cup (at the bottom of a tall water bottle) and then I fill it to the top with regular water. I’m so glad I decided to try it again. It definitely works for me…finally.