Category: coconut oil

Celebrating 5 Years with Natural Hair!

Posted on by Michelle
Happy to be Natural
Five years strong!

This past weekend marked the fifth anniversary since I went natural back in 2009.  I did my big chop on the third day in May after a nine month transition.  Recently I looked back on my natural hair journey and thought about how I would have done things differently.  It took a lot of trial and error to get to where I am today but I finally figured some things out.

In some of my more recent posts I discussed the different uses for hair oils.  I spent a very long time thinking that I was sealing in moisture with coconut and olive oils.  In actuality, grapeseed oil was the true winner when it came to this because it was heavy enough to lock in the moisture.  Now I know that coconut and olive oils are to be used to help moisturize and condition the hair; not to seal.

My Current Hair Length
Another new discovery is that hair gel is not the enemy.  I had so many failed attempts at styling my hair that I often blamed my beloved Eco Styler gel for the outcome.  I learned that if used in the right way it could enhance my styles and make them last longer.  Now I use the grapeseed oil to seal in moisture and apply the gel as a holding agent with no issues.

Watch my Youtube video for more on what I learned over the past five years with Natural Hair
MITCHELLZEE’S 5 YEARS NATURAL VIDEO
MYTHS AND TRUTHS ABOUT NATURAL HAIR

Straight Natural Hair: Prepping My Hair for Heat

Posted on by Michelle
curlyincolorado.com Straight Natural Hair
“Platform” Flat Iron with 1″ plates
by FHI 

I am proud to say that I’m finally coming to the end of my four month No Heat Challenge.  The challenge started on October 1st of 2013 and ends on February 1st, 2014.  I was able to get through the holiday season without using heat to style my hair.  This is a first for me because I’m known for wearing my hair straight for special occasions.   This challenge taught me that there are plenty of other styles for when I want something more exciting.

In my no heat challenge video I explained that I would be straightening my hair and doing a length check in February.  Then I will see if giving my hair a break from the heat resulted in more length retention.  Now that the day is fast approaching, I’ve been thinking of ways to fortify my hair so that it will be ready for the heat.  My first thought was to use the Aphogee 2 Step protein treatment because it is known for it’s ability to strengthen the hair.  I’ve been experiencing some breakage though so I thought maybe I would address that issue first before doing such a strong treatment.

curlyincolorado.com Straight Natural Hair
Aphogee 2 Step Protein Treatment for
extra protection against heat and breakage

That led me to thinking about some of the things I did in the beginning of my journey when I had fewer problems with my hair.  Back then, I used a whipped shea butter mix that I made myself.  I was also a huge fan of olive and coconut oils for deep treatments.  Another thing I did were deep conditioning treatments one time per week, without fail.  Well, my regimen has gotten a little simpler but I think that some of these things were working for me so I’m bringing a few of them back.

Whenever I had dryness or breakage before, I always did moisturizing deep treatments twice a week until the issue was resolved.  After that, I would go back to once per week.  In that fashion, I deep conditioned last week using Tresemme Naturals Conditioner, for moisture, under a hooded dryer for about 30 minutes.  A few days later, I co-washed and  then used the new Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Strong version.  I would consider this conditioner a light protein treatment.  I wanted to alternate the moisture and protein treatments for balance.  Thankfully the Aussie conditioner also gave excellent slip so detangling was a breeze.

This week I still may do the Aphogee 2 step treatment but then, the day before straightening, I plan on doing nothing but moisture.  For this, I revisited an old video by Patchouli85 where she explains how to deep condition with coconut oil for moisture and honey for shine.  It’s a pre-poo treatment so you end up washing it out before using the heat.  The last time I did it my hair was so shiny and soft.  That’s exactly what my hair needs.

It’s so funny how right now the best thing for my hair is what I started doing at the beginning of my hair journey.  I’m just glad that I’m finally getting back on the right track.

The Benefits of Using Coconut Oil as a Pre-Poo Treatment

Posted on by Michelle
curlyincolorado.com coconut oil pre poo on natural hair
Getting ready to Pre-Poo with
Coconut Oil

After recently purchasing extra virgin coconut oil for the first time in ages, I have been on the huntpatchouli85 on Youtube.  Fast forward to this month where my hair is longer but in need of repair.  I have already been experiencing dryness and breakage so I can’t afford to make any more mistakes.
for more information on how to use it.  Years ago, I used the oil to combat frizz when my straight natural hair started to revert.  Later, I was inspired to try it in a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment mix demonstrated in a video by

I knew that there were a lot of benefits to using coconut oil but wasn’t exactly sure how to work the product into my weekly routine.  While looking at some Youtube videos on the subject I found out how great coconut oil is for pre-pooing.  Again, this is when you apply something to the hair, oils or conditioner, prior to using shampoo.  This helps the hair to retain moisture during the washing process.  Coconut oil has a molecular structure small enough for it to penetrate the hair strand.  When using it to pre-poo, you are helping the hair to hold onto it’s moisture.  In addition, the oil has the ability to prevent hygral fatigue.   This is when the strands swell and de-swell from constantly going from wet to dry.  This stretching and contracting can be damaging and even lead to protein loss.  Lately I have been wetting my hair and cleansing it often so, without this added protection, my hair is vulnerable.

I really want to retain as much length as possible this year.  I’m finally understanding the negative effects of shampoo (or any cleansing agent) and the toll that it is taking on my hair.  I’m hoping that the coconut oil will help my hair bounce back so I can start retaining more of my length.  I have included a link to a video by  GreenBeautyChannel that further illustrates the benefits of using coconut oil as a pre-poo.  Check it out!

COCONUT OIL VS. CONDITIONER PRE-POO
WHICH ONE IS BETTER AND WHY?

Fighting Hair Breakage with Olive Oil and Coconut Oil

Posted on by Michelle

curlyincolorado.com fight hair breakage olive oil coconut oilIf you follow my Instagram page, @mitchellzee, then you already know that I have been experiencing some breakage lately.  I have already taken steps to help strengthen my hair with protein.  For this I went back to my trusty Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor but I also picked up some Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in.  Both products claim to help strengthen damaged hair so I figured they may be what my hair needs right now.

When I started examining my hair regimen over the past couple of months though I noticed that I had been shampooing more often.  Now, I’m not afraid to cleanse my hair with shampoo because I’ll sometimes use an Apple Cider Vinegar rinse afterwards to help restore my hair’s pH level.  Recently though I was skipping this step altogether.   I also started using a cheapie Suave shampoo with sulfates and silicones instead of my staple, Elasta QP’s Creme Conditioning shampoo.  I like using shampoo once per week because my scalp does not feel as clean with other products.  That’s why I decided I should start using oils to give my hair extra moisture and protection from the drying effects of the shampoo.

First, I used the Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor in the shower for a few minutes after cleansing my hair with Suave’s Almond Shea Butter shampoo.   The Aphogee products are protein based so I used this to help with breakage and split end prevention.  I hadn’t used it in a while but I remembered having the best results on clean hair.  After that I did a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment using coconut oil and Tresemme Naturals conditioner.  I sat under the dryer with a plastic cap for about thirty minutes.  Aftwerwards, my hair felt like buttah!  It was so much easier to detangle than before so this was definitely a winner.  

curlyincolorado.com fight hair breakage olive oil coconut oil
I’m using Olive and Coconut
Oils for moisture and conditioning

The following week I tried a pre-shampoo (pre-poo) treatment with olive oil.  This was just to ensure that my shampoo wouldn’t strip my hair during the washing process.  I also applied the oil to my scalp and massaged it in thouroughly to treat any dryness or flaking.  After using shampoo and conditioner I used the olive oil again with the Cantu Shea Butter leave-in and put my hair into plaits.  The resulting braid out was fab-u-lous!

My hair this week is feeling much more pliable and moisturized than before.  Right now I’m looking for a new shampoo that is not as drying.  Otherwise, I will continue to use the coconut and olive oils consistently over the next few months.   I really want to start retaining more of my length this year.  I can see that the oils will play a big part in helping me achieve my goals.

Using Coconut Oil on Natural Hair in Colder Weather

Posted on by Michelle
Coconut Oil for Natural Hair During Winter ww.CurlyinColorado.com
My braid out results using conditioner and coconut oil

I recently picked up one of my favorite hair products, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.  I probably haven’t had any on hand in a little over a year.  This went from being my staple to being something that was just okay.  Somehow I stopped wanting to buy multiple bottles of oils and decided my Grapeseed and Castor oils were all I needed.  Lately though I started to consider the fact that something seemed very different about my hair.  This made me think back to some of the things I did or used at the start of my journey.  That’s when I realized that it had been ages since I used coconut oil on my hair.

Coconut oil can have many benefits for the hair.  The one that I was most concerned about was the oil’s ability to moisturize the hair.  This is because it’s made up of tiny molecules that are small enough to penetrate through the cuticle layer.  I picked some up at my local natural grocery store, Sprouts, without another thought.  It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that, in the past, I tried to stay away from coconut oil during the colder months.  Why?  Well, it was because of the fact that the oil had a tendency to solidify at lower temperatures which could lead to hard hair.  This happened to me the first week I started using it again.  I tried it as a sealant after spritzing my hair with leave-in conditioner diluted with plain water.  I did this for a few days in a row before braiding my hair up into two french braids.  When I took my hair down on wash day I noticed that weird, hard feeling.  My ends felt like straw.

After that I figured maybe I would just use it for deep conditioning or hot oil treatments.  Until one night when I decided to use it with my Aussie Moist conditioner for a braid out.  I applied the conditioner to my freshly washed and conditioned hair and then sealed with the coconut oil.  I then took medium sized sections and spritzed with water before smoothing the hair with my denman brush and braided it into plaits.  Let me tell you, my hair was so soft and defined even I couldn’t believe the results!  Just two products and I ended up with a braid out that was photoshoot worthy.  That’s when I realized that the coconut oil worked for me as long as I used it on wet hair without too much product buildup.   Now my hair is back in love with my old bestie and I plan on keeping up with it during the rest of my No Heat Challenge.  Hopefully this will give me an extra moisture boost during these harsh winter months.