Weekend Tidbits

• It's been a while. I have a post on diffusers that's been sitting in my mind for a few weeks. I really need to just sit down and write it. Look for that soon!
  
  
• I learned how to make a fishtail braid over the holidays. It led to an updo for Christmas Eve that turned out really cute! I didn't get any pictures of it (but lots of compliments!), so I may have to recreate it for a post. I like the fishtail almost as much as a french braid, which unfortunately I can't do myself.
  
  
• My hair has been good, but a little dry lately. I switched back to V05 Raspberry for my co-wash (had been using Salon Care's Honey & Almond conditioner, which contains protein, since the CJ Daily Fix debacle) and it's starting to improve. Funny how something as simple as a co-wash can do that.
  
  
• Speaking of CJ Daily Fix, I switched my review status to "tentative." Turns out my reaction could have been medication-related (or really, lack of medication). I started using it RIGHT as I started having a reaction, so DF might not have been related at all. I'm on new medicine right now that could take a few months to really kick in, so I'll hold onto DF and re-evaluate in the spring.
  
  
• I was recently chosen to be one of NC's "Curly Insiders," which means testing out new products and possibly straightening my hair on a semi-regular basis. Which I am ok with. If it works out, I may be posting more reviews here.
  
  
• I started using mousse yesterday for second-day hair. It worked really well. I got the frizz control and curl boost I was looking for, without the crunch I get with gel. Fingers crossed that keeps working.
  
  
• I'm on the verge of taking back my bold comments a few posts ago concerning the clips I've been using on my roots. It hasn't been going well lately, even on wash day. However, they were good yesterday with the mousse, so I'm going to try it on wash day.
  
  
• My bottom layer is ridiculously dry right now. You would think the canopy is the most exposed part of the hair, but I think mine is my bottom layer. Since I wash out my rinse-out conditioner upside-down, the bottom layer gets rinsed out the most. I haven't been paying as much attention to it with my leave-in. And since my hair's so long, most of it falls (on its own) to the front of my shoulder, leaving the bottom layer exposed. I'm going to make a point of hitting it with lots of KCKT and maybe even some protein to stop the tangles.
  
  
• I ordered the new Curly Girl book from Barnes and Noble on Thursday. It was supposed to ship Friday, so it should be here soon. The first book was a bit of a letdown for me, but with the self-trimming section, I have a lot more hope for this one.

My Clipping Quest Has Come to an End!

After over two years of looking, I've finally found some clips that get the job done! Not only do they work well for creating volume on top, they also help to achieve second-day hair and work well for putting my hair up on off-days.

I'm not sure what they're called, who makes them, or even how much they cost. I'm pretty sure I got them at Target when I was looking for the circular "Octopus" clips, which they were out of. I grabbed these instead and I'm so glad I did! I've had them for maybe three weeks now, so I've tested them pretty thoroughly.

Here's the main reason I picked these up instead of going somewhere else or waiting until the others were in stock. The bottom is relatively flat, so it's able to get in and really keep the roots lifted. It also expands in the middle, so more hair is able to fit.

I really like that these are long. It's almost like having two clips in one. It only takes one of these to cover my part! I use two total; the other one is on the crown.

I've achieved pretty good second-day hair a few times in the past couple weeks using only one of these clips. Instead of doing a full modified pineapple, I wrap my hair in a bun on the very top of my head and use a clip on the end to keep it up there. It's very secure and protects the curls during the night. And since the clip sits closer to the forehead than the back of my head, there's not even a chance of rolling onto it during the night and causing injury.

Has anyone else used these? What do you think?

Denman Dilemma

Ok, so remember how I raved about the Denman brush a few posts back? I had stopped using it in February and fell in love with it again last month. Well, I remember why I stopped using it. Turns out it gives me MAJOR flat top! For someone who is already clipping-challenged, this is a major problem.

So now I'm stuck. I need to use it because my hair tangles easily these days and not using it would be a disaster (even missing one wash means the next one will include a ten minute detangling session). My hair is also clumping well. But this flat top thing is the worst.

I'm thinking about trying out some new clips. I've read through this thread, and while the octopus clips look interesting, I do need to make an order from Sally's soon to stock up on conditioner. So I might as well order some roller clamps, right? I don't know. I hate to waste money on another kind of clip that might not work. I already have three different kinds as it is. I guess I can always use them for pineappling, right?

Today's Hair

A wavy day. After two shampoos (yes, you read correctly), I guess that's all I can expect. I do wish it would HURRY UP AND GROW, though.

I also tried a new clipping method (the one used by misfitcurls). There was a little lift on the upper sides/crown area, but overall my hair is pretty flat. I'll chalk that up to shampoo too!

It's in a double-modified pineapple right now. I'd take a picture, but somehow I lost all but two of my mini-jaw clips, so it's not pretty. Seriously, my clips only travel between two places: my room and the bathroom. Not sure how they keep disappearing. I think they're running away!

Clipping-Challenged

I have a confession to make: I am clipping-challenged.

That's right. I've been at this for a year and a half now, and I still can't clip well enough to save my life.

I've tried everything. From the square metal clips, to the rounded long clips, to jaw clips, to duckbill clips.


I've tried methods by shellynot, Del, struttswife; you name it, I've failed at it.

Right now I'm using duckbill clips I bought from curlmart. When I finish diffusing, I use two clips on my crown and one on each side in the front. It's sort of a mix between shellynot's and struttswife's methods. If I don't take them out early enough, I end up with weird dents and weird curls.

Oh, and always MAJOR FLAT TOP!

It sucks.

What is your curly downfall?

Navigating Natural Products

I know I said I would update with pictures, but for I can't find the cord for the camera and the computer isn't reading the chip. So hopefully they will be up at some point. I had some really great clumps, which is actually pretty normal for KCCC.

My problem right now is with volume on top. I diffuse upside-down and to the sides until my hair is crunchy. This method is great for getting lots of curl towards the bottom, but the upper-middle is not as curly, and the top is usually completely dry - and flat - by the time I'm done. I then spray some water around my roots and clip with mini jaw clips. I've tried spraying this with Garnier Fructis' spray gel, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. The clips usually fall out and it's just horrible.

Today I decided to try clipping before diffusing. Did not help much. They pretty much fell out (which is what I expected, but I figured I'd try). I think it's the clips. I switched to those about a month ago after trying the longer clips used in the Curlisto video. Last year I tried the square metal clips without much luck - they always fell out. Maybe I'll try the misfitcurls method next, though I need to get those clips.

Plopping doesn't help and wet-pineappling isn't much of an option because when my hair is wet, it needs to be plopped to help with curl formation. Which just gave me the idea of doing a wet plopped pineapple. Maybe I'll try this tomorrow!

Beyond that, I've used Botticelli Botanicals' Smoothie conditioner three or four times now. I have mixed feelings. When I put some in my hands and rub together to apply, it's like my skin absorbs a good amount. Then my hair absorbs the rest - I can't tell that I put anything in. It's not extra-detangling for me like LVPNG was (when I could actually use it...). There have been a few times where I had to use KCKT to help with detangling. I've also started getting bad knots, especially at the nape of my neck. I did an ACV rinse today, so hopefully that will help. However, after I finish detangling, it does have a decent amount of slip. And the scent (orange) is nowhere near as overpowering as the lemongrass scent of my BB FSG. So I don't know. It's pretty light - I actually think it would make a better leave-in conditioner. But it has a little oil in it, and I'm hesitant to leave that in after the recent oil incident. If the knots don't improve, I may switch back to GVP Conditioning Balm and save this for later in the summer when I don't need as much moisture.

I got an order from iherb today, so I finally have everything I need to make my own deodorant and specialized flax seed gel. I just finished making my flax seed gel and am very impressed so far! I hope it works well tomorrow!

I used:
- 2 cups distilled water
- 1/4 cup golden flax seeds
- a little more than 1 tablespoon of agave nectar
- a pinch of citric acid
- a few drops of sweet orange EO (which smells just like the oranges we pick off my grandpa's orange tree in California)

This overfilled my 8oz bottle, which was really surprising to me. With my old FSG, I would use the same amounts of water and brown flax seeds and make just enough to fill a 4oz bottle. Anyway, it seemed a little on the runny side, so hopefully the agave will give me enough hold. I may have to wash twice tomorrow!

I think that's everything. I'll try and update tomorrow with results and pictures.

* Edit *

Here are my results:

As you can see, there wasn't a whole lot of volume. I didn't blot or use a leave-in before applying, so I'm going to experiment with that. I did get some great spirals and clumps, but it was hard to get a picture of it (so I did resort to using the flash!).

I co-washed with Suave Green Apple (which I'm beginning to think I'm allergic too...), GVP Conditioning Balm as a rinse-out, homemade FSG, and Aussie Sculpting gel.