Getting your curls to *pop* is on the top of every natural girls list. We’ve all drooled over instagram posts of our favourite hair crush and prayed that we too could achieve those #hairgoals. I’ve finally discovered the key to it all – patience.
It took me all of 2 years and 4 months to finally achieve my perfect wash & go. After my last post (and being featured on My Hair Crush. Thank you, thank you *bows*), I received quite a few questions about how I accomplished said wash & go. I know it took a minute to answer but here it is – keep it moisturized while adding your product. Make sense? Let me explain in detail:
I always prepoo my hair with oils before wash day. Coconut oil is great for detangling your hair, so it is a favourite. (fun fact: Coconut oil is one of the few oils that penetrates the hair shaft). I like to add some conditioner to give this step some slip. After detangling and massaging my hair, I separate hair into 4 sections, twist, slip on shower cap,silk bonnet or scarf and head to bed.
The next morning I jump into a shower and shampoo each section separately, making sure to hold the bottom down firmly so that it doesn’t get tangled up (quick tip, use hair ties to keep sections separate). After each section is shampooed, I then start the conditioning treatment. At this point I would wash the rest of my body, giving the conditioner enough time to work it’s magic.
After rinsing, I set my hair free from all hair ties, add oil to lock in that moisture, leave in conditioner and/or some homemade flaxseed gel (optional). This is basically the LOC method with a twist, I use the leave in conditioner as a cream. It’s very important that the hair is still soaking wet when adding the leave in and/or gel. You want to prevent your hair from frizzing and the gel making your hair hard. (You can also use shea butter or your favourite hair cream for this step).
Once out of the shower I wrap a cotton t-shirt around my hair, making sure not to disturb any curls. This soaks up the excess water and prevents your hair from frizzing. I know it seems weird that I plop after adding product but trust me, it works!
After about 15 minutes of walking around with a t-shirt on my head (the things we do), I use my hairdryer to stretch out the roots of my hair. Make sure to switch between hot and cold while doing this step. Your hair will start taking shape and you will be left with moisturized curly curls such as these –
For my drama queen look, simply grab your hair pic and start picking at your roots to create volume as I did in the photo below (make sure to pull the pic only halfway down your hair. Don’t disturb those curls) :
And that’s it! As for products I use, I think it’s very important to stick with what works for you. At the moment I am testing a few different products which includes Garnier, ORS and Palmolive Naturals. Will keep you posted. In the meantime…
Stay Gold,
Mandy
, I’m Amanda.