My Routine-Fall and Winter 2009

Current Product Rotation:

• Shampoo- Mehandi Shampoo Bar, or Giovanni Tea Tree
  

• Deep Conditioner– Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment or Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose

• Conditioners- Depending on how I feel, I use one, or a combo of the following to co-wash, detangle, and leave-in: Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine, Herbal Essence’s Totally Twisted or Hello Hydration, and DevaCare One Condition.
  

• Sealant– Afrikan Republic Unrefined Shea Butter from Butters-n-Bars.

• Henna – Bridal Art Quality Jamila from Mehndiskinart.com—choose Jamila 2008 or ’09, and use code ‘CN’ at the time of purchase. I buy the Jamila in the foil pouch only, not the cellophane. I also purchase henna from Butters-n-Bars.com.

• Extras– I sometimes use Oyin’s Shine and Define, or Deva’s Set it Free for extra hold, and shine. Deva SIF holds up well in humidity.

Hair Styles (listed in order of how often it is worn):

• Twist-n-Curl

• Chunky Twist-n-Curl (looser waves, and easier to do!)

• Messy Side Bun

• High Bun– The same basic steps found in THIS VIDEO, but done on dry, previously twisted hair.

• Curly Fro

• I haven’t done a Bantu Knot-Out in a while due to the amount of time it takes to dry. I love the look, but hate sitting under the dryer!

To see pictures of my hair in the various styles, browse through My Hair.

Current Routine:

On Sunday afternoon I do the following:

• Thoroughly saturate hair with water in the shower, and divide into two (left and right).

• Apply conditioner of the day to both sides in a smooshing motion (usually Herbal Essence).

• Pass my head back under the shower stream for a second for better distribution and added slip.

• Clip the hair up and out of the way while I complete shower rituals.

• Take down the right side and finger detangle a bit — detangling the rest under the water stream after the big knots are out. Follow up with the left side. If the conditioner is washed away and tangles are left, I add more conditioner, and repeat. The power of the water stream and the slip of the conditioner should make detangling a breeze!

• Once all the tangles are melted away, and the Herbal Essence is rinsed clean, I apply a generous amount of DevaCare to my hair in 4 sections to ensure coverage. I then pass my head back under the shower stream for even distribution and get out of the shower. I use lots of DevaCare One Condition as my leave-in…enough that I see white bits while styling. But don’t worry, it dries clean and shiny!

• Make 10-12 twists- 5 or 6 on each side. Secure the roots with clips.

• Seal the ends with shea or Set it Free.

• Set the ends on rollers (rods, magnetic or flexis).

• Sleep under celing fan for faster drying time. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll sit under my bonnet dryer for 20-30 minutes.

• The next morning, I take the twists down, and choose whether to leave it out, or pull it up into a high bun, or gather it into a low side bun. If I decide on a high bun, I use my hands only to secure the bun (combs and brushes will create frizz). To help the edges lay, I tie on a silk scarf for 30 minutes before leaving the house.

• My hair style lasts until the following Sunday. If I have weekend plans, I’ll often re-style on Thursday or Friday — so at the most, I style twice a week.

Once a month, on Thursday nights, I do the following:

• Shampoo, Condition, Detangle- I shampoo with a Mehandi bar, apply conditioner, detangle, and rinse thoroughly.

• Apply Henna for an overnight treatment (4 hour treatment with heat, if I’m in a rush).

• Deep Condition the next morning, and follow the steps above for styling.

Preserving the Style:

• To preserve my fluffy out-styles, I do THIS, or I sleep with my hair out on a satin pillow case, or up in a high, loose pony secured with a satin scrunchie. All three routines yeild excellent results.

• To preserve my high buns, I don a silk scarf every evening. By day three or four of my bun, I apply Shea Butter to any unruly edges prior to applying the scarf for the evening. Shea is a great pomade.

• To preserve the frizz-less low bun style, I take it out of the bun at night and secure it in a loose, higher bun on top of my head (with a satin scrunchie). I then don a satin scarf (to help the edges lay) and retire. The next morning, I take it down and pull it back down into a low bun