Washing and conditioning.

Washing and conditioning.




As of late, I have gone back to what I used to do with my TWA (teeny weeny Afro for the new naturals). More cowashing and less shampooing. For those who don't know, cowashing means washing ur natural hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. Shampoos, especially those with sulfates, dry hair out. Completely stripping it of all natural oils. So by washing ur hair with conditioner, u are able to retain the moisture that is already in ur hair as well as add a little more. Now, u may ask, "Well, how is my hair getting clean?" Conditioners have properties that allow for cleansing. Will ur hair be completely clean? No. But ur hair should not be filthy to begin with. Being natural, it is imperative for us to add product to our hair on a daily basis to add moisture back to our naturally dry hair. But it is important that water based products be used. Products that are say petroleum based will cause product build up becuz petroleum is not able to penetrate the hair shaft. It just sits on top of the hair. Altho the hair may feel moisturized, it isn't. But water based products are absorbed by they hair, providing moisture and nutrients to the shaft. Natural oils are also great to use and are absorbed by the hair. Great light oils are coconut, olive, jojoba, safflower, while thicker great oils are castor and we can add shea butter in the mix as well. So using these products on a daily basis, u will incur some build up but not so much that ur hair will be filthy to the point that u HAVE to shampoo ur hair. I wash my hair every week and a half to 2 weeks and cowashing is perfect for me. I section my hair into 4 (2 in the front and 2 in the back) before getting in the shower, and I take my conditioner and my tangle teaser (a great comb/brush for natural hair) with me in the shower. 1 section at a time, I allow the water from the shower head to saturate my strands. I then pass my hands together over the section with my hair between my palms from root to tip to loosen up the section and remove some of the shed hair. Then, I put conditioner in that section, pass my hands over my hair again to work the conditioner into my hair and free the section of more loose hair. The condition sort of melts away the tangles with this method as well, making it easy to detangle later. I then massage my scalp with my fingertips to cleanse my scalp, rinse the section, and repeat the process 1 more time. Once I rinse again, I add more conditioner and then from end to root (this is VERY important! Do NOT do root to tip! U will risk major breakage!) gradually working my way up, I slowly and gently detangle the section with my tangle teezer. I leave the conditioner in and clip that section back up with my butterfly clip. Then move on to the next section. When I am done with my whole head (with conditioner still in each section, I get out of the shower then move onto part 2.

Part 2 is deep conditioning. I stand in front of the mirror and reapply just a little conditioner back to each section. I do this becuz when I put my head back under the shower head to attack a new section, I'm sure water runs over previous sections that I have already done, rinsing out the conditioner that I want to keep in. So I add a little more back in there. This will be my deep conditioner. U can use the same conditioner u used to cowash to deep condition! I am using Ausie Moist today. It is a great product with lots of slip with makes it easy for detangling and it is very moisturizing. And it smells great too. That big bottle only cost me $6 at Target! Now, I'm sure u all are wondering what that is in that small clear bottle. In that is a mixture of castor oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and Rosemary oil (essential oils are great to use for ur hair and scalp. They are moisturizing and help promote hair growth by stimulating blood flow in the scalp. I love to add just a few drops to my oils. The essential oils I love using are Rosemary, peppermint, lavender, tea tree, and orange oils.). I apply a little oil in this bottle to each section. This will be my hot oil treatment. So I am killing 2 birds with 1 stone. A deep conditioner AND a hot oil treatment. Once I'm done applying the conditioner and oil, I put a shower cap on and sit under the hooded dryer for 45 mins-an hour. It is imperative that u deep condition ur hair! Especially in the cold month and if u have colored hair. I make it a point to deep condition my hair every time I wash it. If u do not have the time to sit under the dryer, that is ok! Put on ur shower cap and put on a hat or wrap a cute turban around it and go on about ur day. Having the shower cap on locks in the moisture and having on a hat or turban locks in the natural body heat emitted from ur head acting as a little sauna. Sometimes when I don't have the time, like when I'm in school, I'll wash my hair at night and sleep with the conditioner in my hair over night. Then wake up, rinse and style.

Well, this is how I was and condition my hair. I'll try and make a video but as we all know, washing ur natural hair can be a task in and of itself. So trying to record it will make it ever more difficult, lol. But I'll try. I hope this helps some of u out. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I'll try to answer to the best of my abilities.


-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone