Second Day(dream) Hair

I finally did it ya'll! I achieved second day hair that I actually like! And it was cake!

All I did was dampen my hair in the shower, and reapply my products in larger sections (Tresemme Naturals, Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls, and Shea Butter mix ).

It cut my drying time in half. My hair was almost completely dry in about 15 minutes (versus the 45 minutes that it usually takes).

Shhhhh...Some of my favorite secret concoctions

I have a confession to make:

I secretly love mixing and blending up a bowl of hair *magic* in the kitchen! I have been trying to become more skillful with using my hands in the kitchen. In addition to trying new recipes (the food type, not the hair type lol), I have been also mixing together some of my own "juices and berries" mixtures for my hair.

The first one that I will share with you is a deep conditioner blend.

In a bowl I mix together:

2 cups of Tresemme Naturals 

1 cup of a cheapie conditioner (I used V05)

1 tbsp of Olive Oil

1 tbsp of Grape Seed Oil ceramide

1/4 cup of Alma Oil (from the Indian Store)

This batch will last me for at least 2 or three deep conditions.

I love it because it makes my hair incredibly strong and soft. I also love it because I'm using Grape Seed Oil, which is high in ceramide content.

Information about ceramides:

Ceramides perform a "barrier function" and help reduce the hair's overall porosity. Ceramides bind to the hair fiber in damaged, vulnerable areas to help prevent natural moisture and protein loss that occurs when we manipulate our hair. Natural ceramides keep the hair fiber tight, and cuticles flat so that the hair shines and has low porosity.

If you happen to use this mix please let me know how it works out for you. Or feel free to share any mixes of your own in the comments below!

2012 - Elle's Year In Review

As the last hours of 2012 are winding down, I leave you with a final post of the year: Elle's Year In Review.

This year has been a year of struggles and successes when it came to my natural hair. I have stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried new hair styles. Some I liked. Some I absolutely hated and will never try again. Some of the hair styles that I have tried have become staples for me. Some I have perfected and others I am still working on. Hairstyles like buns have become a go-to hair style on my bad hair days. I have gone through trial, error, (error, error...lol) and finally success with my wash n' gos.

I have tried new products and found several that I love! (Tresemme Naturals, Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls, and Shea Butter Miracle Bouncy Curls Pudding.) I have ditched my eco-styler gel (which used to be a staple for me).

I have even started to post Natural Hair videos on YouTube. (Say Whaaat?)

And last but not least: I have finally become more comfortable than ever with my natural hair. I have reached goals that I never thought were possible. And I'm truly and utterly excited about what 2013 will bring!

I want to thank all of my followers and visitors for coming to my blog! You are all truly an inspiration and motivation for me to continue to share my hair journey with you all! I hope that you enjoyed my posts this year and I also hope that you will continue to stick around for my natural hair journey of 2013.

Finally, I leave you with my end of the year length check (Pictures ranging from June 2012-December 2012). I seem to be gaining about 1.5-2 inches of hair every three months. I predict that I will be 12" by the end of January, finally at the bottom of bsl and approaching mid-back-length.

Cheers to the end of 2012 and an even more successful 2013!

Still Holding Strong

My wash n' go that is. It's all trial and error baby!

Natural Hair Survival

You're stranded on a deserted island. What three natural hair products would you need for survival?

Maybe I Should Reconsider...

At one time I thought that Wash N' Gos were a thing of the summer.

But Curly Nikki and Mahogany Curls have me thinking otherwise!

I am reaching true milestones in my wash n' go journey. I have learned a lot this year:
a) How to do a wash n' go without it turning into a wash n' no-no.
b) What product combination works best for my wash n' gos.
c) How to achieve second, third, and forth day wash n go's.

A lot of this has been trial and error. And of course much thanks to the natural hair gods of YouTube!

Now that I am becoming more attached to my wash n' gos rather than to my twist outs...I'm thinking about doing them throughout the winter as a low-manipulation style (along with rollersets!).

I'll explain my pros and cons of the twist out vs. the wash n' go in another post.

(these pictures are from a day three wash n go)