conditioner Archives - Page 3 of 3

DIY Eco Styler Gel Custard Recipe

Posted on by Michelle

After many months of searching for an alternative to Eco Styler Gel, I finally resigned to the fact that it’s the only gel that gives the hold and definition my curls crave. Still, I always got the dreaded dry, crunchy feeling everytime I used it. I usually apply a leave-in to my wet hair and seal the moisture in with an oil underneath the gel. No matter what, I kept getting the same result. After reading through the book, Curly Girl, by Lorraine Massey, I found out that the crunch or “cast” the gel leaves behind is actually a good thing. This is when you know your curls have been set into place. I found this to be true because after air drying, I’m usually able to fluff and style my hair without worrying about losing my curl definition. The book suggests that you scrunch the hair to remove the crunch but I sometimes kept getting a dry feeling after this step.

I figured out that the combination of an oil and a mositurizer underneath the gel gave me much softer hair. This however led to applying lots of products one by one. By the time I reached the front sections of my hair it was dry and not as manageable. I wanted a way to apply the products quicker so I decided to just whip them all together and came up with a nice custard consistency. I’m realizing that this is a much easier way to apply my products and my curls love it!

Here’s the recipe I came up with

Eco Styler Gel Custard

6 oz. Argan Oil Eco Styler Gel (or fill a 12 oz container half way)

2 Tblsp. Hollywood Beauty Olive Creme Hairdress for Dry Hair*

1 Tblsp. Castor/Coconut Oil Mix**

Place ingredients in a small container. Whip together until all ingredients are combined. The mixture will have a pudding like consistency.

*You can substitute another moisturizer; one that pairs well with Eco Gel

**I use a 50/50 Castor/Coconut oil mix to seal my hair. For this recipe I just used 1 Tblsp of my pre-mixed oil.

The Application

After cleansing and conditioning, I apply my leave-in conditioner (currently Paul Mitchell’s The Conditioner) to my hair while it’s still wet. Next I section my hair into four sections to keep my hair up while I’m styling. Within each section I make small parts and apply my Eco Gel Custard. I use a smoothing and raking motion to help give the curls definition. I’ve also started sealing the hair with oil after applying the gel custard for an even softer hold but this is optional. Then, I let it airdry for about an hour or so before I use a blow dryer on the roots. You can also plop the hair with a T-Shirt to help with the drying time or just continue to air dry.

Final Thoughts

I’m finding that the mixture also works on my edges when I wear my hair up. I haven’t done a braid-out or twist-out with it yet but it looks like it may give good results. I’m going to continue to play with the recipe but this version seems to work well on my hair which is a 4a/4b texture. I’ve also started using it on my son’s curly 3b/3c/4a hair and it is also responding well. The only thing I noticed is that I’m getting a lot more shrinkage because my curls just love the moisture. To get more hang time I usually just stretch it by pulling it back at night.

My new Pre-Poo Method

Posted on by Michelle

My shiny, supple hair
after using a
Moisturizing Pre-Poo with honey,
olive oil and conditioner

I always do a moisturizing deep conditioning treatment on my hair prior to straightening it with my flat iron. This usually means either using a conditioner that doesn’t contain any protein like Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose or making up my own concoction using a cheapie conditioner as my base. I like to add oils but this is too heavy right before I use heat on my hair.

A few months ago I rediscovered a video by Patchouli85 on YouTube that explained how to use a moisture rich deep treatment before using direct heat on the hair. The only difference was she suggests that it be done prior to washing the hair with shampoo. This would make it a Pre-Poo and means that it goes on dry hair instead of damp hair like I was doing before. Her recipe was pretty simple and I improvised with what I had at home. I think that the ingredient that made the biggest difference was the honey. I have been deep conditioning my hair at least one time each week ever since my transition days. Using her method was the first time I noticed a huge difference in the way my hair felt as I was rinsing it out. My hair was a lot easier to detangle and I also had a much easier time with blowdrying.

You would think that since you wash the treatment out with shampoo, you wouldn’t get the full benefit. I’m guessing that since I’m applying it to dry hair and then using heat to open up the cuticles, my hair is absorbing the treatment so much better than before when I did it on wet hair. When I straightened my hair after that first treatment, I could not believe the shine and how supple my hair felt. It’s been so effective that it is something I have since decided to incorporate into my weekly regimen.

My Pre-Poo Recipe

Conditioner (I use Suave Naturals Coconut)

1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tblsp Honey

1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (I use Vatika Oil for this part)

**You can also add 3 Tblsp of Mayo or Cholesterol conditioner depending on what your hair needs

I combine the above ingredients in a small plastic bowl until well combined. I use as much conditioner as I think that it will take to make sure all of my dry hair is completely saturated. Then I separate my hair into 4 sections and apply it while it is still dry, starting at the ends. If there is any left, I go back and coat my hair again making sure to use up all of the mixture. I put on a plastic cap and then sit under the dryer for 30 minutes. Then I co-wash or shampoo it out depending on what style I’m wearing next.

Wintertime Wash n’ Go

Posted on by Michelle

This time of year is always very harsh on my hair and skin due to the dry climate here in Colorado. I decided to start doing deep conditioning treatments twice a week for added moisture during the winter months. The wash n’ go style is perfect for this because I’m usually done with the style after two or three days. Plus, I’ve been reading and watching how other naturals noticed significant growth while wearing the wash n’ go because of the more frequent washing. I tend to believe that a clean healthy scalp is one contributing factor to this but also the introduction of moisture multiple times per week. Thing is, it’s winter in Colorado! Leaving the house with wet hair is not happenin’ right now.

Instead of waiting until the spring to rock my curly fro, I looked at a few videos by one of my favorite naturals, anaturalbeauty3. She’s been natural for 2 years and is currently residing in Cali. Her video on her night time routine illustrates how she puts her curly hair up at night to stretch it out. I sent her a message asking how she went about reviving the style in the morning. She replied back that she scrunches her hair with Shea Moistures’ Curl Enhancing Smoothie to wake up the curls. This was a light bulb moment! Once I realized that there wasn’t any need to leave the house with a dripping wet head I was on it.

The Curl Enhancing Smoothie product is not available locally so I decided to try my Palmers Coconut Oil Replinishing Hair Milk. I thought it would work because of it’s creamy, but wet texture. I know it plays well with Eco Styler Gel so it was worth a try.

After a few attempts, I was able to come up with a routine. The trick is to apply my usual products for my wash n’ go in the evening. Once it has air dried for a couple of hours, I use the diffuser to get my hair completely dry. This sets my curls before I wrap it up. Then, just like in the video, I pull my hair back and secure it with a hair tie. Any short strands can be pinned down. I then wrap it with a satin scarf and put on my satin bonnet. In the morning I just take my hair down, scrunch in some product and that’s it. I’m so glad to have found this method because it has resulted in hair that is soft, moisturized and easy to style.

CLICK HERE To See how I do my wash n’ go

Review: Tresemme Naturals Conditioner w/ Aloe Vera and Avocado

Posted on by Michelle

Tresemme Naturals Conditioner
in Aloe and Avocado

I’m constantly on the look out for good conditioners that are budget friendly. Since I co-wash, deep condition and detangle my hair on a weekly basis, I end up going through a lot of conditoner. Thing is, it also has to be something that my husband feels comfortable using as well. Let’s face it, his hair is way longer than mine and he is just as concerned about his tresses as I am (well maybe not that much). This rules out anything that will leave him smelling like pina colada when he leaves the house. We’re also picky about the ingredients so, no silicones.

I was glad to find that Tresemme has a new Naturals line where the conditioners are silicone free. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not afraid to use silicones. I just prefer to co-wash with something that is silicone free for a nice clean rinse that doesn’t leave anything behind. I picked up a 25 oz. bottle of the Tresemme Naturals Aloe Vera and Avocado conditioner for just under $5 USD. I was surprised to see that it had a thick and creamy texture; not watery. This has proven to work really well as creamy base for my moisturizing deep conditioning treatments. It has a mellow citrus scent that doesn’t offend (I’m sensitive to scents that are overpowering). Co-washing with it is similar to using a VO5 Moisture Milks in that I can feel it defining my curls while adding slip to each strand. I would say that detangling with it is about what you would expect from any conditioner in this price range (i.e. Aussie Moist, Sauve Naturals etc.)

Overall, I consider this an excellent value for the amount of product you get. The fact that it doesn’t have a bad reaction when I use it as a leave-in under Eco Styler gel has put this on my staples list. The Naturals line can be found at Target, Walgreens and Walmart. We are currently workin’ on our second bottle of the Aloe and Avocado conditioner. It’s a winner in my opinion and is definitely worth a try.

Countdown to Thanksgiving

Posted on by Michelle

I’m making my list and checking it twice. We’re having a few family members over on Thanksgiving which means that I have a lot on my to-do list this week. I can’t forget about my hair though. In the past I have done curly styles for special occasions like roller sets and twist-outs. For this Thanksgiving I’m gonna go ahead and wear it straight. I’ve been participating in a couple of Growth Challenges with the ladies at K.I.S.S. and can finally take this opportunity to check my progress.

This month I also started doing deep conditioning treatments twice a week. This is another challenge that was started last year or the year before. Someone on K.I.S.S. decided to get it going again. Basically, I’m doing it for the extra moisture my hair needs during the winter months. This week though, since I’m going to use heat on my hair, I’m probably going to make sure and do something with protein. I have the Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor which works good but the ingredients include Mineral oil and silicones. While I’m out buying my turkey and veggies for Thursday, I may just pick up the GPB conditioner by Aubrey Organics. I have always liked their Honeysuckle Rose conditioner for when I need moisture so I’m pretty confident that this one will work for me as well. Either way, I always like to prepare my hair with a deep treatment so that I won’t end up damaging my curls when using heat. Hopefully I can find the time for all the cooking and cleaning and still get dinner done on time. Wish me luck!