D-I-Y Nappturaliciously: My UPDATED Hair Regimen (Pt. 1)

Happy June, y'all! Can you believe how fast this year has been going? Oy!! As promised, I will be sharing in this post my modified hair routine. This routine is a bit special, because I will be incorporating some new products in the mix, so in addition to talking a bit about what I do to make Ms. Mooch so very Ms. Mooch-y, I will be sharing my first time thoughts on the new additions I tried.

Let me get this first out of the way and say it upfront so that there is no misunderstanding: Since the beginning of the year, I've been washing my hair once a month. Yes. Once. A month. Me. Washes my hair. LOL

It honestly started sometime in January because our apartment was frequently having water issues. We would either have no cold water, no hot water, or no water at all.. depending on the day. Either of these situations aren't really the most optimal for getting in the shower and washing my hair. The familia had to actually buy gallons of water to use for bathing and cooking (and the toilet... just saying!), so I couldn't really use up the water for my hair, so I ended up having to wait until the beginning of February to wash my hair when the water problems were fixed.

And when the blessed moment finally arrived, I noticed I had a lot less hair shed. I wondered if the change in my wash routine had anything to do with it, so as an experiment, I decided to wash my hair again the beginning of March. Again, I noticed my hair had a lot less tangles, a lot less shedding and it looked like it had grown more than usual since the beginning of the year. So I did my homework, and discovered a lot of naturals follow this same regimen. And I figure if this wash schedule works for Amel Larrieux and Cipriana from Urban Bush Babes (And be honest, who doesn't LOVE their hair!?!?), it won't hurt to see if works for me!! And so far, it has! So to get started, I will talk about my wash and condition routine in part one.

Because my wash week occurred after my flat ironing Ms. Mooch, I decided that I would give her some extra special TLC, so I started with a pre-poo using Karen's Body Beautiful Secret Weapon Restorative Hair Treatment for the very first time.

I'm not really a pre-poo kind of girl, to be quite honest. I think I can count on two hands the number of times I've actually done one in the past 6 years. But I received the jar free with my recent purchase, and I was excited about trying it out from reading the ingredients, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

The treatment has an amazing lavender mixed with something (I cannot put my finger on it) scent. I don't know if that's the scent it has, or it was scented to match my other products I ordered... 'cause I love my Vanilla Lavender!

The texture reminded me of the roux I first make when preparing gravy when I put it in my hand, but I must admit I was quite surprised how quickly it thins into an oil. My still semi-straight hair was separated into four bantu knots, so I took down each section and added a liberal amount to my tresses.

Seriously, why did I think it was a good idea to flat iron my hair?!? Poor Ms. Mooch.. she's looks beat up, huh? After it was all up and through my hair, I put on my very sexy plastic conditioning cap and waited to let the treatment work its magic.

I kept the treatment in a lot longer than the recommended 20 minutes (I watched, like, two movies!), but it did say you can leave it in over night so I figured four hours wouldn't hurt. I then hopped in the shower and was ready to wash my hair using Bumble and Bumble's Creme de Coco Shampoo.

I really fell out of love with my Mixed Chicks shampoo months ago, but out of necessity I opted to keep using it until it was finished before trying something new. I have read a lot of rave reviews on Creme de Coco online and because I am a total smell junkie, I decided I would give it a try. I did buy the 2 ounce bottle, just in case! LOL

I have the very strong feeling that I'm going to end up purchasing the bigger bottle next month, because not only does this shampoo smell HEAVENLY... it really did a bang up job in removing a month's worth of product and the Secret Weapon Restorative Treatment from my hair without leaving it feeling stripped and icky. I think I heard Ms. Mooch sigh with relief! Relief turned into excitement, because she knew what was coming up next!

Yes yes, y'all! It's Anita Grant's Rhassoul Deep Condish, which was cooling in the kitchen while I was in the shower. I raked up on this conditioner last Christmas, so I had a ton of hearts (which are all gone now!), plus a big block (which I just broke a piece off of) at my disposal. I stupidly forgot to grab Coconut Milk for my treatment, so for the first time, I was using plain H2O (mixed with a little EVOO) to make the mixture.

I was a bit worried when I noticed that the mixture was a lot thinner than it normally is with coconut milk, but I figured I would give it the old college try!!!

At this point Ms. Mooch is  in hog heaven because the curls are coming back and she knows she's just been given the good stuff! I left the rhassoul condish in my hair a little over an hour and it was back in the shower I go!

I love it when my curls get clumpy, and nothing makes 'em clumpy like the Rhassoul Deep Condish!

After my getting out of the shower, I don't apply a leave-in to my wet or damp hair. I find it makes my hair really stringy. So I put my hair in four braids.

My hair will stay in these four braids until completely dry. It is then that I apply a leave-in and product to my hair. Part Two will cover what I use and how I maintain my hair every week. Stay tuned!!!

D-I-Y Nappturaliciously: Ms. Mooch Gets Straightened Out!!!

Out of sheer boredom I decided to flat iron Ms. Mooch on Monday. I do not flat iron my hair often, so this was the first time in 2012.

Why did I flat iron my hair when it's been VERY hot and humid (when it's not raining) here in NYC and take walks twice a day with the major purpose of getting hot and sweaty?!?! Simple answer... I'm not very smart! LMAO

By yesterday, my hair showed no signs of ever being flat ironed. So I decided to flat iron it again, because I wanted to blog about it and because I promised to share more Ms. Mooch posts (and I'm a woman of my word!). I also had the opportunity to try out a new product in the process (Yay!), so I will talk a bit about that as well and give it a little bit of a preliminary review!

A WORD OF WARNING: I've never flat ironed my hair twice in one week before, and honestly wouldn't recommend it. But like I said, I promised to do more hair posts. Also, since last year, I have refined my technique a bit, so I thought I would share the process with you. And if my hair becomes horribly damaged I will expect you all to take up a collection to pay for my wig!! Just kidding! ;)

So first, I separated my hair into eight bantu knots. I find that they are perfect for keeping all of Ms. Mooch out of the way while I flat iron.

It's not that big of a secret, but I'm a total theater nerd! I love "Memphis: The Musical!!!!!

Once my flat iron's good and ready, I take down the first knot and apply a bit of Karen's Body Beautiful Creamylicious to the entire section. 

This stuff has edged out Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter as my "go to" hair cream. I love this stuff with a passion and broke my "no buy" policy to get some more when she had her recent sale. Simple and all-natural ingredients, works like a dream, and the fact that I can get in my favorite "Vanilla Lavender" scent?!? Yessss!!!

Once the section of hair is nicely full of the "good stuff", I part my hair and get to flat ironing!!

Usually I end up doing three parts per section, so it doesn't take a ridiculously long time to complete a section.

Once a section is done, I bantu knot it again.Vee of The HodgePodge Files suggested this... Thank you, girl! I seriously just used to let it hang there. Once I bantu knotted the section, I moved on to the next one, repeating these last few steps.

SIDENOTE: These pictures really highlights my weight loss to me. My eyes look bigger, and my double chin is totally less chin-y! LOL It's all about the small things you notice, I'm learning!

It's about this time I start sweating up a storm... which is exactly what you want to have happen when flat ironing your hair! LOL

But (as I do when taking my walks) I say, "Bring it on, Sweat Monster!!! I ain't afraid of you.. I'm from BROOKLYN, son!!!" LOL

Yeah... the Sweat Monster brought it!!! LMAO But I was able to finish the job without major incident. Once I was done, I was very excited to finish the job with Karen's Body Beautiful Beauty Boss 101, which I used for the first time on Monday, instead Carol's Daughter Hair Balm, which was what I used last year. Monday I went OVERBOARD with the stuff, which made poor Ms. Moochie look like the Exxon Valdez crashed on top of her!! This time, I was a lot more conservative with each section.

I applied by undoing each of the now-straightened bantu knots, and working it through each section. That stuff makes my hair feel super soft, and did I mention that you can purchase it scented, too?!? Ms. Mooch and I are both in Lavender-Vanilla scented hair HEAVEN!!! Beauty Boss 101 gets a thumbs up from me so far!!

I wish there was an internet equivalent to "Smell-o-Vision".... Seriously!!! Monday I posted on the Miss Moon's Musings FB page that last year I felt like my straightened hair made me look like an extra in "Jesus Christ: Superstar" (::singing:: What's the buzz? Tell me what's a-happenin'.. LOL). Theater dork!

This year, the moment I saw the results, I was like, "Ms. Mooch you look like Irene Cara in 'Sparke'!!!!"

::singing:: If you look into your heart... with a positive mind. Take self-inventory... your woman and your glory... but the bad things behind...." LOL

I know my hair is not going to last a while, as the moment I go for walk #1 today, it will be O-VAH! To be honest, the frizz made it presence known hours later! LOL But it was fun in the process, and I love sharing my hair stories with you all!

This weekend I'm planning on giving Ms. Mooch a well deserved treat of deep conditioning with Anita Grant's Rhassoul Deep Condish. I will also be shampooing with Bumble and Bumble's Creme de Coco Shampoo and I will be doing a pre-poo with Karen's Body Beautiful Secret Weapon Restorative Hair Treatment (Yeah, I raked up during that sale!!), both for the first time, so be sure to check out my blog next week to see how Ms. Mooch liked them both!

D-I-Y Nappturaliciously: My Two Favorite Drugstore Hair Finds!

Let's face facts: I am unemployed, and broke!!! While I am grateful as all holy hell for the weekly compensation given to me by the New York State Department of Labor, it really doesn't allow me to go crazy on my hair care products. It's times like these I wish I was a more popular blogger, so I can get scores of freebies! LOL

You can totally send me some, though! Just sayin'.... I mean, look at this punim, doesn't it inspire you to WANT to send products?!?!?

But alas, I'm not... so I have to work with what I got, within my modest budget. I've also put myself on a temporary spending freeze when it comes to purchasing products, which means that I am using up a lot of the more expensive brands I purchased when I had a steady paycheck, in addition to using products I've grabbed on a whim from my local Duane Reade. Two products in particular have worked themselves into my weekly routine, so I thought that it would be a great idea to share them with you because.. that's pretty much what I do, isn't it? LOL

Shea Moisture Restorative Hair Conditioner ($9.99 at most stores). Now, my wet hair is not crazy about this stuff.. like, at all! But when I tried it on my hair when dry, Whooo!!! Magic Happened!! I use this every night before bed, when I put my hair into two (or four) braids before wrapping it. I love how my hair looks when I take the braids down in the morning.

Kuza Coconut Oil Conditioner and Hair Dressing ($3.99 at most stores) I can almost hear the collective gasp in the natural hair universe. "Hair... grease?!?!" Yes, hair grease. My hair L-O-V-E LOVES this stuff!!! I don't apply this to my scalp, because... I'm not crazy, but this is another product that I use once or twice a week to maintain my braid outs. And the smell is AWESOME!!!

I've been using both products since the beginning of the year, and I am very pleased with the results thus far. Do any of you use Drugstore brands for your hair? Leave a comment with your faves!!

Let's Talk Tresses Friday: What's Your "Go-To" Shampoo?!?!

If my relationship with my hair products were comparable to romantic relationships, I guess you would call me a serial monogamist when it comes to the products I use. I fall in love with a product, use it devotedly for years, get bored and want to move on. Thus is the case with my shampoo!!

After consistently using Mixed Chicks Shampoo for almost two years, and blogging its praises all the while, I've come to a bit of a rut in terms of the product. It still gets the job done, but I'm not insanely crazy about the results anymore. And thus I think it's time for this girl to move on!

So I am seeking your advice, y'all! What is the shampoo you always make sure you have on hand? Are you a poo-bar gal? Are you drug store brands all the way or do you prefer designer suds? Share your favorite brand and why you love it... hook a sistah up?!?!

Let's Talk Tresses Friday: What Products are ALL HYPE?!?

The internet is a wonderful place for people with natural hair to discover and learn about new products and techniques that will give you all the results you want for your hair and more!!

I don't want to even THINK about the money I've shelled over for stuff that after repeated use did absolutely nothing for me... and ended up cluttering up my bathroom for months.

What products have you used in the past that just did not work for you, despite the hype! Dish, dish!

Let's Talk Tresses Friday: Is Steam Part of Your #NaturalHair Routine?!?

As I have mentioned earlier, I recently invested in a Hair Steamer. I've used it twice since receiving it, and...to quote Peter Gabriel, "Give me steam...". LOL

Ohmigod, why has it taken me so long to get one and discover first hand how WONDERFUL steaming is for my hair?!?! Since using the steamer to deep condition, my hair has been thriving incredibly in these cold months in NYC when my hair is sometimes prone to be super dry and brittle! I'm hooked!

Do you use a steamer in your hair regimen? How do you use your steamer? Leave a comment with your tips and experiences!!!

Let's Talk Tresses Friday: What to do when stuck in a rut?!?

I'm pretty much a stickler when it comes to my natural hair routine. That being said... there have been a few occasions when I've been tired of the same ole, same ole and opted to try something new for a spell. These are most often the times when I take my "braid-cations", and opt to wear my hair in braids for a few months to take a break from the routine.

One thing I've learned so far is that when in a rut, it pays to make SUBTLE changes... going overboard may result in a major case of remorse...Need I mention my horrible D-I-Y Dye Job?!?!? LOL

This completely illustrates how I felt after recognizing the mistake I made. So now, instead of completely changing the way I style my hair, or throwing out my tried-and-true products for those new brands on the scene, I make a slight change, which is just enough "new" for me to not feel as bored as I was before. For example, this week I decided that instead of the same old tired center part I rock 24/7, I'd try a side part.

I also experimented with how I section my hair during washing, and tried Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue (which was a part of the gift basket I won from Curl Crush) to braid my hair. I even changed up how I braided my hair, using smaller braids per section. Daring? Not very... but it was a refreshing change of pace for me, and I think the results looked pretty good actually.... it's something I may incorporate for a few weeks, until I miss my usual style.

It's amazing what such a small change can do to inspire you. I made a change that was well within my comfort zone, and I'm loving it!

Have you ever experienced a rut on your natural hair journey? What did you do? Share your stories of the most outlandish or simple changes you made to spice up your hair routine.

DIY Nappturaliciously: Lush Caca Noir Product Review

I've been flirting with the idea of coloring my hair for the past few years now. What has stopped me is the mere fact that my hair starts breaking when I linger in the hair color aisle at my local Duane Reade for too long... it's THAT sensitive. lol

Inspired by the lovely Sophia of Kiffe Coco, I decided to try henna for the first time, and snatched up some of Lush's Caca Noir Mama. Henna and indigo are mixed together for this particular blend, and its the darkest of Lush's four henna colour blocks, leaving hair with a blue/black sheen in time. Bowled over by Sophia's results, I knew I had to try it for myself.

I first separated the blocks to make it easier to chop up. I used three squares in total, which was plenty for my hair.

I've read that its recommended that the bars be shredded using a cheese grater, but I managed chopping them into semi-small pieces.

I filled a pot with water and brought to a boil. I then took some of the water and mixed it with the chopped up henna in a heat safe glass bowl.

I added some Dabur Amla oil to the mixture and placed the bowl over the post with the rest of the boiling water.

This helped the mixture go from this (Ewwww... lol)....

To this!!! Once I took it off the pot to cool, the color went from "baby ca ca" green to a very deep dark brown/black. After I was certain that it was cool, I rushed to my newspaper-lined bathroom to begin applying the henna to my hair.

My hair was divided into four sections, so I just separated and gently detangled (using my Tangle Teezer & water) each section before adding the mud-like mixture.

The bars actually come with these really cute blue "Rocky Horror Picture Show" rubber gloves, but I ended up using these industrial gloves I scored from Duane Reade, the tread on the finger tips made rubbing the henna through my hair a snap!

I covered my hair in a showercap, and set out to let the henna sit in my hair for at least 4 hours... fast forward to the next morning! LOL Yep, I fell asleep!

Rinsing the henna out was actually super easy. My hair was still separated into four sections, so I just rinsed each section until the water ran clear. I followed up the rinsing with a co-wash using Yes To Cucumbers Color Care Conditioner

Once the conditioner was rinsed out, I was astonished by the shine and curl definition. My hair wasn't exactly blue black, but it was slightly darker and the difference was subtle, which I liked.

I braided my hair as usual and went about my chores for the rest of the weekend, not knowing that by the end of the upcoming week, I'd be sick as a dog. I wish the results on my dry hair were a bit more va-va-va-voom, but they were taken upon my release from the hospital, so my hair was a bit of a mess! LOL

All-in-all, I thought the experience was a lot less time-consuming than I anticipated, and can honestly say the results are worth the efforts!

Have you tried Lush's Caca Noir? Please leave a comment with your experience!