Del's Spritz & Condition Method

So Del finally got around to creating a thread about this method. I've been using it for about three months now (with the exception of that two-week period where my hair got semi-dry) and I LOVE it. I'm so glad she filled me in on it, because it's made such a difference!

I didn't post anything earlier because it wasn't really my method to be sharing and I wasn't sure if anyone reads this blog regularly.

Here is my version:

1. Spritz hair thoroughly with a water bottle
2. Apply rinse-out conditioner (GVP CB). I tend to concentrate on the lower half of my hair (basically not my roots), where it can get drier
3. Put up in bun, do other things for at least 20 min
4. Step in shower
   - If it's a co-wash day, I'll quickly put my head under the water and then co-wash as normal (like I didn't already have conditioner in my hair)
   - If it's not a co-wash day, I still put my head under the water but go to the next step
   
5. Next I add a little bit of conditioner (skip this if I didn't co-wash) before brushing through with my Denman brush
6. Scrunch upside-down and clip up
7. Later rinse upside-down in cold water while scrunching
8. Turn off water, apply leave-in
9. I still scrunch out water, but I have to be VERY careful not to overdo it. Using this method means absorbing less water, so I have less to scrunch out. It's very easy to take too much water out at this step
10. Scrunch in KCCC and the rest of the routine is the same

I really love this method because it's completely changed my hair. I have very consistent results - my hair stays moisturized and defined for longer periods of time. I've been washing every 2-3 days (so basically I co-wash every time I wash). I always get second day hair and sometimes real third day hair (not just up in a bun or something). It cuts down my drying time by a LOT. As porous curlies know, that is really a feat!

I just started back on this method last week after being off for two or three weeks (mostly due to time; I had forgotten to or didn't have the time to spritz and condition before I had to wash since I do this at night). Remember when my hair got dry? That was really weird to me. I hadn't experienced that since early to mid summer (with the exception of the protein incident, but we all know what caused that).

It's just so effortless. I'm really amazed at how far my hair and routine have come in the last 16 months (has it been that long?). Doing my hair and figuring out what was working and what wasn't used to take up so much time. I barely think about it now. And that's kind of awesome. So big thanks to Del for being a genius!

I Love My Curls

So my hair is in much better condition, made even more awesome by the return of my clumps AND spirals!! It's been almost two months since I've seen them! Guess I figured out the limit of how short I can go.

It makes my heart happy :)

Here is my "regular" routine, for the record:

• Co-wash: V05 Sun Kissed Raspberry Balancing Conditioner (less than $1, Kroger)
• Rinse-out: Generic Value Products Matrix Biolage Conditioning Balm ($5.99, Sally Beauty Supply)
• Brush through GVP CB with Denman D3 ($9.49, Sally Beauty Supply)
• Scrunch upside-down, clip up for a few minutes
• Turn the water as cold as I can stand it, flip upside-down, gently scrunch conditioner out underneath the water, then turn it off
• Leave-in: quarter-sized amount of Kinky Curly Knot Today ($12, NC.com)
• Scrunch out water once on each side - upside-down, left, and right - with a flour sack towel (Bed Bath & Beyond, $9.99)
• Scoop out dime-sized amount of Kinky Curly Curling Custard (now $30, NC.com; also have bought at Ricky's with discounts)and scrunch in upside down using pump-and-scrunch method (I scrunch 8 times); repeat for left and for right
• Plop for 5 min a most in Curl Ease Towel ($19.99)
• Using pump-and-scrunch method (again, 8 scrunches - I'm OCD apparently), apply Aussie Instant Freeze Sculpting Gel ($3.99??, Target). I'm very thorough in applying gel because it's probably the most essential styling product I use. I apply dime- to nickel-sized amounts upside-down, leaning to the left while upside-down, leaning to the right while upside-down, back left while right-side-up, back right while right-side-up, front right, and front left
• Correct part if needed (usually don't, my hair is pretty good about staying parted throughout the washing process)
• Plop for 5-10 min in another flour sack towel
• Diffuse pixie-curl-style until crunchy and mostly dry. I do this very similarly to the way I scrunch in gel. I do four sections while upside down, just to "set" the curls. Then I lean to the left and diffuse in sections - usually top parts, followed by bottom parts. After everything feels mostly dry on that side, I'll flip to the other side in case I missed something
• Flip head right-side-up and shake gently
• Clip roots (though this is probably in vain) using duckbill clips - I use four; two for back, one for each side in the front ($4, NC.com)
• Spray lightly with Garnier Fructis Curl Shaping Spray Gel ($3.49??, Target)

This takes anywhere from 45min to an hour. Most of my time is spent diffusing, but I pass the time reading books or magazines. I mostly shower at night now, so I usually wait an hour before scrunching a little and putting it up in a modified pineapple - of course I usually shower late; if I am proactive and wash earlier, I wouldn't do this until right before I go to bed.

Modifications:

• If I'm washing during the day, I like to use a very small amount (less than a pea-size) of pink boots curl creme (bought on the swapboards) AFTER KCKT and BEFORE scrunching out water

I've had most of my products for a long time. I bought KCCC over a year ago and still have a third of the jar left. I even bought a second jar in May because I thought I'd be running out soon. So I have backup for the next two years and I didn't spend as much as I would now. And it works out to pennies per use!

Here are the rest:

• KCKT - 6 months
• GVP CB - 2 months
• V05 Raspberry - 1 month
• Aussie Instant Freeze gel - 1-2 months
• Pink Boots - NO IDEA! I bought it almost a year ago and it doesn't even look like it's been used. Pretty sure it'll last forever

Deep Treatments:

• Coconut Oil (just got it for $13 for a BIG jar at whole foods, but you can find cheaper)- I've had the best luck with this. It's the only oil my hair seems to like. I apply to either plain damp hair or damp hair covered thoroughly with GVP CB, leave on for an hour or two. Mostly used during the colder months, when my hair dries out more easily
  

Hair towels are essential for me. I can definitely tell the difference between using a t-shirt and using a hair towel, just by looking at the frizz factor.

I know a lot of curlies have to switch up their products. For whatever reason, I haven't had to. In fact, when I try this I end up with poor results. I had a lot of trouble figuring out what products to use. It wasn't until I knew my texture (coarse) and porosity (high) that I figured out what ingredients my hair likes, what products to use, and what methods to use. I had KCCC for six months before realizing it worked best when I squeezed some water out. My hair absorbs water like crazy, so I have to be aware of that when applying products.

I follow this routine because it works for me. I get at least 2nd day hair, usually 3rd. I sometimes experiment with new products on the weekends when I have nowhere to be, but generally stick to this product routine (always the methods!).

Results & A Shopping Trip

Well, the results of the protein co-wash are pretty even in terms of being good or bad. I had nice curls and clumpage (my spirals are even starting to come back; haven't seen those since the haircut!) and the grease was gone, but yesterday it started to get itchy and flaky. Not sure if I'll do it again, either now or in the future.

I just got back from Whole Foods. I don't go there a lot because even though it's one city over and not that far (my dad actually works in the building across the street from it), it takes about half an hour to get through all the lights and traffic. I got a sugar pie pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie (yum!) and a jar of raw coconut oil. They didn't have that great of a selection. Almost everything was expeller pressed and/or refined. And they only had glass jars, so it was more expensive than I'm used to.

But it will work! I need to make some more homemade deodorant and I'm planning on experimenting with sealing. It's starting to get cooler here, and my porous hair can get very dry during the winter.

I also got some vegetable glycerin. Mostly for my skin and mineral makeup, but I may try it on my hair if we have any more humid rainy days (which has been a lot lately).

Interesting Protein Experiment

I know I swore off protein a few months ago, but I tried something different tonight.

My hair was leaning towards the greasy side, and I really didn't want to low-poo since GTTT has oils in it.

My solution?

Protein. It's been a while since I've used it, my hair is nowhere near dry (it's been either greasy or abnormally moisturized for a number of weeks now), and using it small amounts every once in a while hasn't done much harm. If protein can dry out my hair, which is currently greasy, could I in fact use it for a mini-clarification?

Apparently I can! I won't know for sure what the results were until tomorrow morning, but so far so good. My scalp feels better AND my curls are back! Win-Win! And all it took was a little Suave Coconut for a co-wash.

Definitely keeping this in mind in the future!

More About Coconut Oil

There is a great new post over at The Natural Haven concerning coconut oil!

It got me thinking about trying this as a prewash treatment to prevent excess water from entering the hair - something I definitely have problems with since my hair is highly porous. I've been using another curly's method for a few months (not sure if I can post about it yet) to help with moisture loss, but this has definitely caught my attention. I'll probably try it as soon as I get my Vatika Frosting (it would be nice if it was back in stock!).

I'm also interested in the sealing discussion going on over at nc.com. Once again, Del is saving my hair. I haven't had time to read it carefully, but I know she's on to something good. Another experiment to add to the list!

So I've totally flaked and haven't washed my hair. It was just as well; I walked outside to crazy fog and highhhh humidity! My hair didn't stand a chance. It was back in a flexi-8. Tomorrow I'm doing a double ponytail (hey, my class is at an elementary school!).

So...

It's been a while? Sorry about that. I haven't been doing much with my hair, and it's hard to update when there's not much to update about.

Things have been CRAZY busy with student-teaching this semester. I've pretty much been washing two days a week. Which is ok for some, but not for my scalp! It's been acting up lately. I've been thinking about low-pooing, but the only low-poo I have has oils in it, and I don't want to go there again.

Speaking of oils, I'm thisclose to ordering some Vatika Frosting from Hairveda, since it's on sale for $5 and my hair loves coconut oil (its only oil love). It is currently out of stock, but should be up in the next few days. Here's to hoping.

Anyway, my hair has also been having issues with inconsistent curlage. I'm not sure whether it's the inconsistent washings, crazy weather (hot and humid one day, freezing and dry the next, followed by cold humidity, which I think is the worst), or washing too late at night to allow it to dry in time for bed. It's kind of sad. I was really liking having short-ish hair because it was super easy to revive in the mornings. Not so much lately. I actually found my best flexi-8 and have been using that. That and a lot of buns. One day last week I actually rolled out of bed with my hair still in a bun from the night before and went to school. Didn't fix it at all. And it was day three hair. Laziness at its finest.

Other than that, not much is going on hair-wise. My hair hasn't been dry much at all, which I'm attributing to not washing as much (remember when you were transitioning at the beginning of CG? It's kind of been like that lately.......). Gross? I don't know. I'm washing tonight to hopefully get back on track. My clumps - from when it was longer - are starting to come back! And it's growing. I was surprised how long it was the other night. My next cut is scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving. We'll see if I keep it.

Ok well I think that's enough of an update. I have tried a new leave-in, but haven't used it enough to review. It's hard when you wash at night, because you don't want your hair to be as soft as you would during the day. That would be a frizz disaster!

P.S. I started a new "life" blog for random thoughts and happenings. I thought I'd keep this one strictly about curls!

http://jbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/