Category: braid out

Using Coconut Oil on Natural Hair in Colder Weather

Posted on by Michelle
Coconut Oil for Natural Hair During Winter ww.CurlyinColorado.com
My braid out results using conditioner and coconut oil

I recently picked up one of my favorite hair products, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.  I probably haven’t had any on hand in a little over a year.  This went from being my staple to being something that was just okay.  Somehow I stopped wanting to buy multiple bottles of oils and decided my Grapeseed and Castor oils were all I needed.  Lately though I started to consider the fact that something seemed very different about my hair.  This made me think back to some of the things I did or used at the start of my journey.  That’s when I realized that it had been ages since I used coconut oil on my hair.

Coconut oil can have many benefits for the hair.  The one that I was most concerned about was the oil’s ability to moisturize the hair.  This is because it’s made up of tiny molecules that are small enough to penetrate through the cuticle layer.  I picked some up at my local natural grocery store, Sprouts, without another thought.  It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that, in the past, I tried to stay away from coconut oil during the colder months.  Why?  Well, it was because of the fact that the oil had a tendency to solidify at lower temperatures which could lead to hard hair.  This happened to me the first week I started using it again.  I tried it as a sealant after spritzing my hair with leave-in conditioner diluted with plain water.  I did this for a few days in a row before braiding my hair up into two french braids.  When I took my hair down on wash day I noticed that weird, hard feeling.  My ends felt like straw.

After that I figured maybe I would just use it for deep conditioning or hot oil treatments.  Until one night when I decided to use it with my Aussie Moist conditioner for a braid out.  I applied the conditioner to my freshly washed and conditioned hair and then sealed with the coconut oil.  I then took medium sized sections and spritzed with water before smoothing the hair with my denman brush and braided it into plaits.  Let me tell you, my hair was so soft and defined even I couldn’t believe the results!  Just two products and I ended up with a braid out that was photoshoot worthy.  That’s when I realized that the coconut oil worked for me as long as I used it on wet hair without too much product buildup.   Now my hair is back in love with my old bestie and I plan on keeping up with it during the rest of my No Heat Challenge.  Hopefully this will give me an extra moisture boost during these harsh winter months.  

From Wash n’ Go to Braid Out

Posted on by Michelle

For Memorial Day I decided to wear a wash n’ go because it’s seemed to be the easy thing to do with my hair.  I had a few errands to run but still managed to fix myself up before heading out.  One of the things I tried was stretching my roots with the blowdryer for the look of more length.  My hair was still damp when I was done so it shrunk up a little.  Still, I was pretty happy with the end result.

Later that evening, I wanted to co-wash my hair and re-style the wash n’ go which meant re-applying all of the products and waiting for it to dry.  Instead, I decided to just kick back and watch Youtube while braiding my hair up for a braid out.  I was surprised this morning to see the amount of definition I had.  I was also happy with the look of length I got without having to use any heat this time.

There was already plenty of product in my hair from the wash n’ go so I just spritzed each section with a little water before braiding it into plaits.  I then spritzed a little more water on the ends and twisted with my fingers to get a slight curl.  The product in my hair helped with this step.  I didn’t even have to use a comb or denman brush.  I just stretched my hair with my fingers and detangled a little here and there.  It was almost too easy!


I’m beginning to see a routine forming here.  I can totally see myself wearing my wash n’ go’s for a few days and then turning them into braid outs when they start to get a little fuzzy.  I hope this is the case because I get the feeling my hair needs a more simplified routine and this may be it.  What’s funny is the fact that this is what I used to do during my first year natural.  Now I’m not sure why I

ever stopped.

Wash n’ Go on Memorial Day
Braid out the next day

What Has My Hair Been Up To?

Posted on by Michelle

Whoa!  Blogging for the first time in a loooong time.  I also took a break from my Youtube channel for a little while but I’m feeling motivated so here I am.  This first post back I thought that maybe I would share pictures of some of the styles I’ve been rockin’ while away from the blog.  I pretty much have been going back and forth between curly and straight.  It has really been a learning experience because I have been forced to really pay attention to my hair and watch for damage.  Yes, the dreaded heat damage that I swore I would do my best to avoid!  Oh well, when it comes down to it I just really enjoy variety and my hair is no exception.


During this time I have rediscovered the Aphogee product line that I used in my Transitioning days.  I’ve been experimenting with the Leave-in (a spray) and the 2 Minute Reconstructor.  I credit both for helping me to retain my curly texture after each heat use.  Now normally you wouldn’t think it necessary to use protein based products on natural hair but in my case, it’s essential.  I’ve seen first hand how heat can do major damage to my curls so the protein just helps to strengthen my hair where it needs it.

I haven’t forgotten about my henna though.  I still like to use it for covering my greys but may get back to using it in the form of henna glosses for conditioning.  Overall, I’m pretty happy with where my hair is right now.  I would like to see a little bit more length though so we’ll see where it ends up; no hurry.

By the way, I’m posting videos more often on my channel on Youtube called, Mitchellzee so check that out for updates on my hair journey, tips and reviews.  Ciao!

1/2 WIGGIN’ IT
WASH N’ GO WITH A HUMP
1/2 UP 1/2 DOWN

WASH N’ GO WITH BANGS PINNED BACK
STRAIGHT
STRAIGHTENED AGAIN
WASH N’ GO (WET HAIR)
SLICKED BACK/ BANDED PONYTAIL

DONUT BUN
CURLY BRAID OUT

Braid Out Using Eco Styler Custard

Posted on by Michelle
Corkscrew Braidout using
DIY Eco Styler Custard

When I discovered how well my little recipe for Eco Styler Custard worked for my wash n’ go, I never really thought of using it any other way.  This was until I recently revisited my Corkscrew Braidout method for an easy no heat style.  That’s when I decided it was time to put the custard to the test.

Normally when I do the braidout I start with stretched hair so that I’ll have more length and bounce.  This means pulling my hair back and letting it airdry for one whole day before starting the braids.  I just didn’t want to be bothered with all that this time so I did the style on damp hair right after I washed, conditioned and detangled.

I pretty much followed the same Corkscrew Braidout method I used in the video (link below).  However, this time I decided to use Paul Mitchell’s The Conditioner for my leave-in.  Then I applied the custard to each section of my hair before braiding and curling the ends.  I didn’t worry about sealing my hair with oil because the custard mixture already has castor, coconut and grapeseed oil in it.  I also switched to smaller grey perm rods because they give me more of a spiral effect than the medium size rollers.

Check out my YouTube Video for the 

The back

I was really surprised with the results.  My hair was very soft to the touch and moisturized.  I’ve been wearing the style for three whole days without applying any other products.  I haven’t seen any weird product build-up and it still feels pretty soft.  I re-braided a few sections that started to look a little fuzzy at the end of day two.  This was because I just slept on it as is one night.  Otherwise, I’ve just been pineappling my hair at night to help keep the curls in tact.

Small grey rods to roll the ends vs. the larger pink rods
both from Sally’s

I’m really thinking about wearing my hair like this more often.  I get to have the big, curly hair I love while keeping my hair stretched.  The bonus is that my ends stay smooth which means fewer single strand knots.  It’s a win, win if you ask me.




3 days later still lots of curls and softness

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival 2011

Posted on by Michelle

I remember attending the very first Cherry Creek Arts Festival when I was in High School.  I was a budding artist and the concept was so cool to me.  Basically, it’s a large scale art event situated right in the middle of the Cherry Creek North shopping district.  There is usually a lot of live music, wine & beer gardens, food and even craft stations for the little ones.  Not only is there lots of cool activities, music and artist booths, but visiting the surrounding shops can be fun too.  Now that I’m older, I enjoy heading to the festival but with the family in tow.  My kids all love to draw so I like to think that maybe the art and artists are an inspiration for them now like the festival was for me when I was younger.  It sounded like a great way to spend my birthday this week which is only 3 days after the 4th of July. 

 Here are a few pictures I took at this years’ event.

My Curly Braid out
Lots of good food

Just couldn’t resist the Smoked Turky Leg
Festive 4th of July bikes