What NOT to do while stretching...

So.... last week, I thought that I could get creative and co-wash my half-natural, half-relaxed cornrows WITHOUT TAKING THEM DOWN. Let me repeat..... I TRIED TO CO-WASH MY HAIR WHILE IT WAS IN 1 WEEK OLD BRAIDS THAT I HAD WORN UNDER A WIG ALL WEEK. Neglecting all of the following rules of long-term stretching like:

• Detangling the hair before putting water on it


• Making sure not to stress the hair at the line of demarcation


• Keeping the hair clean (but still moisturized) to help ward off tangles in the first daygum place!

You might be wondering how I thought co-washing was going to help. Well I kept hearing this screeching chant in my head saying: "low-manipulation, low-manipulation, low-manipulation", that I let get the best of me so I tried it. Let me just say that by doing so, I managed to:

• Lock in the tangles from the week by adding water to my hair w/o pre-poo or detangling


• Put undue stress at the line of demarcation by trying to "work" the conditioner into and out of the braids (I saw the breakage to prove it when it was all over).


• Not rinse my hair clean because too much condition got caught up in the braids.

In other words...I won't go down that road, ever again. Ladies, do not try this at home (or anywhere else) !

Tonight's wash: January 26, 2011

This past Sunday I did the wash from this blog post: http://gracefulconfidence.blogspot.com/2011/01/reggie-for-second-half-of-my-first-1.html. Since it was moisture-based, I decided to follow up with a mid-week prepoo, D/C co-wash ordeal with Mane 'n Tale and Dove Moisture and Tresumme Vitamin E.

My hair has been in 6 braids (no weave) all week (I used BraidX as a moisturizer under a baggy to moisturize nightly and I wore a head-wrap this week).

- I used Mane n' Tale on dry hair under a low dryer for 15 minutes (I just smushed in the braids)
- Rinsed well and added Dove for 15 minutes under dryer.
- Co-washed then rinsed and spritzed hair with a mix of aloe vera juice and 911 leave-in.
- Moisturized (mid-shaft/ends ONLY) with Tresumme and sealed with olive oil and re-braided anything that came loose during the wash.

That is all!

Coconut Milk?

I have been dancing around the thought of coconut milk for the past 4 months. I have just recently discovered (since looking up from my busy life) that I am 4 months post relaxer!!! I have made up my mind that I will not be relaxing for another two months. I will put in my traditional "start-of-the-spring-semester"semi-individual braids, do that regimen for two months, nurture my hair for the three weeks following, and relax sometime in March.

Back to the coconut milk, so I was browsing various hair care boards and decided that it was time to try the milk. Tonight I plan to put in in a spray bottle and use it to saturate my hair like a pre-poo. Then I will D/C with some Dove Daily moisture and co-wash it out with VO5 kiwi clarifying conditioner. I plan to roller-set with my Aphogee leave-in and Fantasia IC heat protection serum.

RESULTS

Well, I thought that the Coconut oil was going to aid my d/c, but I was wrong. When I sprayed it on the new growth, I immediately noticed that it became silkier and more manageable (as far as detangling is concerned. I saturated my entire head root to tip and only used Dove only on the edges to stop the drip. I added a plastic baggy and wrapped that with a towel for over an 1 hour ( my intentions were 15 minutes but I fell asleep).

SO I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DEEP CONDITION AFTERWARD BUT...I was so wrong!!! My heart said stop when I rinsed each half of my head with luke-warm water. As I let it air-dry in two loose french braids, I realized that my hair felt soft and a little stronger and the new growth was a little looser!. I decided that it was okay to just detangle using my Aphogee leave-in and Fantasia serum.

Loved this experience!!!

NOTE: It is very important to avoid heat and hot water while using the coconut milk or the thicker substance in the milk will curd in your hair.