As I mentioned in a previous post, I am trying out a couple techniques this summer because I really want to retain length. I know that my hair grows, but it seems to stay the same length because of improper maintenance.
Cowashing & Castor Oil
When my cousin first called me about cowashing back in the winter, I seriously thought she had been "smoking that stuff," as we often say in joking. I am quite particular about cleanliness, and in my mind, there was no way washing my hair with conditioner was going to get it clean the way shampoo did. Well, after cowashing these past few weeks, I must say I am HOOKED! My hair is so much more manageable, softer, and moisturized. And, all of the concerns I had about cleanliness have faded away.
Not only are my hair & scalp really dry, but there are a few spots that itch A LOT! I have been oiling my scalp with a combination I made out of castor & tea tree oils. The castor oil is great for the dryness & the tea tree oil soothes my itchy scalp.
Protective Styling
Again, to retain length, this summer I am trying to focus on styles that don’t require a lot of heat (from blow drying) & constant pulling, recombing/restyling, etc.
To achieve this week’s look, I did 3 two-strand flat twists on both sides of my head, plaiting the ends. Then I horizontally two-strand flat twisted a section in the front so that I could have a wavy pompadour. Finally, I divided the back of my head into 3 sections, and put 3-5 plaits in each section. All of this was done while the hair was wet & I let it dry overnight. In the morning, I took out all the plaits, brushed the hair back into a bun and made the pompadour in the front.
“Give us, us free!”
No, that’s not the sound of my 7th & 8th graders anxiously awaiting summer vacation. It was the sound of my scalp, hair & follicles crying out after being in braids for 2 months! My plan was to make it from Spring Break (beg. of Apr.) to the end of the school year (middle of June), but I simply couldn’t take it anymore. Plus after a couple braids that were on my temples suddenly appeared on my floor, I knew that my head just couldn’t handle it anymore. So, Memorial Day weekend, I spent many hours carefully shedding those braids!
Now that my hair is back to usual, I have 3 things I want to discuss...and they all start with the letter C!
Color: Back in December I went to the salon and got my hair colored. I went to Faye at Faye’s Beauty Salon in the New Center area, and was very pleased with the consultation and service. I really liked how Faye LOVED working with my hair in its natural state. Anyway, my hair has grown some since then, and the color is now in the middle/ends of my hair, which I think looks super neat. I had contemplated getting a touch up of color, but I’m kind of digging the middle/end bursting with color thing.
Cowashing: I have heard lots about cowashing, but have been leery to try it. My goal this summer is to dabble in cowashing. I figure, if it goes wrong, at least I won’t have to go in to work the next day! I bought some more conditioner at the beauty supply (I don’t want to use the my Joico on weekly cowashes...just for deep conditioning) and can’t wait to get started.
Castor Oil: So, at the last hair-meetup, someone mentioned Jamaican Black Castor Oil for the scalp. I couldn’t find that in any store, so I settled for some generic castor oil. I must say, I really like using it! I have a really dry scalp, and most oils don’t do anything for me. I had been using Isoplus Natural Collection: Braids, Locks, & Twists Scalp Moisturizer because it truly moisturizes my scalp the way I need. However, I was looking for something else because I get nervous about putting substances on my skin that are man made (ie. Propylene Glycol, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Diazolidinyl Urea!?!?!?!?!). I will try this for awhile and see how it goes.
To achieve this week’s look, I did 3 two-strand flat twists on both sides of my head, plaiting the ends. Then I horizontally two-strand flat twisted a section in the front so that I could have a wavy pompadour. Finally, I divided the back of my head into 3 sections, and put 3-5 plaits in each section. All of this was done while the hair was wet & I let it dry overnight. In the morning, I took out all the plaits, brushed the hair back into a bun and made the pompadour in the front.
