My 'No Time For Hair' Hairstyle

School is upon me!!! Summer is practically over which means back to the books, studying, projects and exams! And less free time for me things such as proper hair care.

On the curly hair website www.naturallycurly.com one reader asked about hair care during college semesters. Some ladies advised her to set aside a day just for hair (washing, deep conditioning, styling), which I agreed to but also added that she should also come up with 'no time for hair' hairstyle. A hairstyle which will give at least a week without having to De-tangle and re-style.

I think this style could be anything from braids, twists or just a bun, whatever style you like that will "take care of itself" when you can't.

My recently discovered 'no maintenance' style is the famous two-stand twist! Yes, I've fallen in love with this style. Not only for when I need a styling break either! I just enjoy styling it; there's countless ways to wear these mini twist.

I've created neat buns, messy buns, curls and curly ponytails (by adding rollers and letting it set overnight) and my most recent love: the messy bob. Neat 'bun'

Curly Ponytail: Twists curled and pulled up into a ponytail

Curls created by rollers (looked neater in real life)

Messy Bun


Messy bob. I tucked the longer layers of my hair underneath itself
and pinned it with a bobby pin. With the shorter layers
hanging out and a few twists pinned to the side, it made a cute style.

Last Week Of Summer Hair Styling

School officially starts Thursday August 26th. I have a few days off including the weekend, so until things get tough (around mid October), I should have time of care for my hair.
I still haven't been able to get that trim I so desperately need. It's best for my trimmer (Mr. handsome, straight and taken) to trim my hair when it's straightened. It makes it easier for him.
I know that I said a few posts ago, that I would be saying goodbye to summer in two-strand twists, It'd completely slipped my mind until a few days ago. I could wear it twisted for the next few days, since my classes doesn't begin until Friday...but I don't know if it's worth it; eight hours of twisting for three days of wearing?
Right now it's in a pony puff, a beautiful, fluffy braid and curl, expanded and frizzed out due to the weekend's rainy/muggy weather. I may just keep it that way until I'm ready to wash and style for school.
:)

The Amazingly Versatile Hair!

Lately, I've been thinking about how amazingly versatile natural hair is.
There are sooo many style options for people with natural hair. Whether your hair is short or long, fine or thick, tightly coiled or loosely curled and many other combinations, there are so many styles for you to choose from. Some of my favorites include:

1) Braid Out
2) Braid and Curl (adding rollers to the end of the braid)
3) Twist Out
4) Twist and Curl
5) Two Strand Twist
6) Pony Puff
7) Wash and Go
8) Straightened (not frequently)

These are the ones I remember for now. If I get bored/tired with one style I can move on to the other! I love being natural!

Shape Up? I Think Yes!

I'm thinking about cutting the layers out of my hair. For some styles, the layers work to my advantage; making my hair appear bigger and fuller. But it seems that for the majority of the ways I wear my hair, the layers just make it looks...weird and chopped, like I got a terrible hair cut from a scissor-happy 3- year- old.


This is my wet hair right out the shower. As you can see, there's this weird 'gap' between my short front-layer and the long back-layer (I turned to the side, so my hair would fall on my face and you can see what I'm talking about).
Although my hair shrinks up, the back doesn't shrink up enough (looser curls in that area) to even out the length of my hair.

This is a braid and curl I did a while back. I loved the definition, softness and shine but I hated the shape! To me, it resembles the shape of a house...can you see it? The top goes out, stops and then the bottom goes straight down. It creates, in my opinion anyway, a sharp- edged look (at the point where you can see the end of the short layer and the continuation of the longer layer) It just doesn't 'flow', which is what I want.

The same 'house shape' with this one. Although it's not as noticeable because, my hair is stretched (braid and curl on dry hair) and the the layers are closer together; closing the gap a bit.

I think this was a dry braid and curl, combed out. I hate the multiple 'W' shape at my ends; it looks really ragged :(

I don't want a blunt hair cut, because I've heard that can make curls look like a pyramid. But I don't want the layers to be so far from each other, making it possible to create that weird and annoying gap.
I'm hoping to gather up the nerve to be able to cut a couple inches from my longest layer. I think I might do it the next time I straighten.

Defined Pony Puff. Via Suave!?

This is my braid and curl from a couple of days ago with Suave coconut conditioner. I tied it up into a pony puff and the rain and humidity had thier way with it. However the majority of the curls stayed intact; little frizz and still springy! I love it, so I thought I'd share. Suave is suprising me :)

-Sorry for the lack of clarity in the pictures, obvoiusly my phone isn't cutting it anymore.

Oh Target...

I want to go to Target with a wad of money in my pocket...I really do. Here's a list of the things I'd like to pick up:

1. Herbal Essences Hello Hydration: There's a reason this is first on my list; no matter what other products I try...I see my self coming back to my old faithful! And the 23oz bottle is 5 something at the Target!! That's what I normally pay for that regular, skinny bottle.

2. Miss Jessie's: Ever since I first heard about Miss Jessie's, a feeling of curiosity (product junkie-ism) made me want to try it!!! I think it's because it's a 'product for curly heads' or something. If I had a wad of spending money it wouldnt hurt to try it...although I saw their products for around $30 and $40!

3. Instyler (flat Iron): I've wanted to try this flatiron since I saw the commercial sometime last year! I wear my hair straight about 2-3 times a year. I hate the damage it does to my hair, but I do like the straight look every now and again (Can't protect my hair from everything that's bad for it, for example the sun). This flat Iron sells at Target for about $100.

4. SheaMoisture: I saw the SheaMoisture brand at Target also. I haven't heard much about this product, but what I have heard about it was all positive things. This one product caught my eye: their deep treatment. I forgot the exact name of it, but when I opened it (no, It didn't have the protective paper over it), it was this thick , yellow paste...and it looked as though it would make a good deep treatment. It was about $10, which completely surprised me! I was expecting it to be somewhere in the 20's or 30's, but I'm happy. I think that might be on of the first things I grab! :)

Long-Lasting Softness!

My hair is still soft and fluff from my deep treatment last week! That's about a week!
What's most surprising is the fact that I went to the pool and had a whole lot of chlorine soaked into my hair during the Women's Retreat and Conference that I attended with my church, Zion Apostolic, in Pennsylvania from the 5th-7th.
I don't know if it is some kind of coincidence or what...but I love it!

After my 'swim' in the pool (I can't swim, so it was more like walking on the bottom of the pool and waving my hands around), I co-washed with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration and then did a wash and go pony tail with the same conditioner and sealed in that yummy moisture with EV Olive Oil. After my hair dried (about 24 hours later), it felt verrry soft...beyond belief kinda soft.

Last night, I De-tangled and braided with Suave and although I didn't have definition, I still had that same softness. I really love it; my hair thrives on this kind of moisture; that's what keeps it strong and healthy!

Finally, I Deep Conditioned!

I deep conditioned yesterday with a cheap container of Lustrasilk's Shea Butter Cholesterol. I added a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Herbal Essences Hello Hydration(HEHH) and applied the mix to my hair and then sat with my heating cap for about 45 minutes. After I washed it out it felt soft and silky and moisturized!

Then I shampooed with Dr. miracles tingling Shampoo and conditioner and braided (with HEHH)for a braid and curl, which I wore today...mostly in a pony tail because I couldn't find a way to style it that I liked.

*Sorry for the terrible picture quality. I know it's hard to see but the curls are very shiny and defined.

I completely loved it. It is light and fluffy and it is very soft and extremely bouncy.

Shouldn't Curls Make You Smile?

I am in a hair rut. I no longer 'enjoy' styling my hair. Washing, conditioning, styling all seem like such an annoying and tedious process now. Not that wash day was the hightlight of my week, it's just that since my hair isn't in the best shape it could be (yes, I know it's my fault) whatever I do to it just seems to be for nothing. It sheds and breaks and knots and tangles more than I can handle and just today I realized that it's the same length it's been since the beginning of this year.
I still try to care for my hair, but I don't have time as I used to, to deep condition properly and all the works.
I am wating until I can get a good 'ole trim. I want to remove all my split ends and single-strand knots and keep my hair in a eaisly maintained style (perhaps my new found favorite style, the two-strand twist) until I have time, whenever that is, to give it some 'spa time'.

I am also getting bored with styling my curls. I try to switch it up often with braid-outs, braid and curls, twist-out, twist and curl, two-strand twists and even the occasional straightened. But now, I feel like I need a new set of styles.

~Kerri :)