M.I.A. and new hair products

I'm been in-between nothing and 'vacations' so forgive me for my extended absences. I also just got a new laptop (today!) and haven't had access to a working computer for a while. When I have less time to do my hair I will have to do different styles therefore I will not be wearing small twists as much therefore I will post more and have more to post about. My hair is considerably longer, since I ended up basically doing a grow-out challenge through the twists, so I'll be able to try more styles. I'm looking forward to doing bantu knot-outs, twis-n-curls, and I also will be working so I'll be able to let my PJ run wild. I did get A LOT of the products I wanted to try.

My wonderful mother got me (from Target):

• Jane Carter Leave-in conditioner
• Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Shea Butter Wash
• Taliah Waajid Protective Mist Bodifier
• Ten Thousand Villages Cucumber and Jasmine Vegetable Bar Soap

So far I like Jane Carter, Shea Moisture CES, and Taliah Waajid. I'll post more in depth reviews as I have more time to feel out the products. I was painfully neglectful to my twists for the last week and they were dry and felt like straw at the ends (I know, I need to deep condition) and I applied the CES in small amounts to all the twists, and sprayed both JC and TW all over my head. My hair today feels MUCH stronger and more moisturized already. My hair tends to be dryer in the summer and I need to put a moisturizer (leave-ins and oils don't work, I need a cream or something usually) to keep my hair healthy. I also plan on trying Brahmi oil or some products that have the oil in them because my edges are suffering as of now. Just around my temples they have thinned out a lot due to shedding and the twists. It's all grown back VERY fast (about in an inch as of now) but I want to try and prevent it and to correct it.

I have yet to use the to soaps, I will soon though. I like to use soaps with the right ingredients on my hair sometimes. I have been using the South of France Organic Shea Butter bar soap to clarify before hennaing. Speaking of hennaing, I need to do that ASAP. I haven't hennaed since... I don't even remember SAAAAADDDD. I also haven't DC'd in about the same amount of time. I'm been neglecting not only my hair, but myself as well. Something about having summers off because of school throws me off. Anyways, I'll have some pics up in the near future of this last bout of twists (done in 3 days for a concert [Warped Tour]) and my in-between style.

Super small twists vid FINALLY!

This is my process for doing small twists. Of these I had 600ish. I started with the front of my head and then moved from the nape of my neck up. They took 15 hours over 5 days. I started them June 1st and they lasted until July 14th. So about 6 weeks of wear. I was able to swim with them (in the ocean 3 times and in the pool twice) and wash them each time after that. That made it a lot more difficult to take them out though.

Super small twists are my favorite summer style.

Super small twists: the process.

I did them very similarly to the last time this time around. I banded with twice as many scrunchies, and blow dried in sections on warm and then on cool. This was the result:

I wore pigtail puffs for a day before I started. After starting I would pull it back in a ponytail or a bun.

I find it easiest to do it section by section, I usually kept mine to at most a 3"x 3", but I prefer 2" x2" sections. When I wasn't twisting or I was doing another section I would braid the other sections as seen above. I found that easier than using clips or pins to clip off sections and prevent loose strands. I t also kept my hair stretched out so the twists wouldn't start off shrunken. Im my experience the shrinking starts about 3-4 days in and the best way to stretch them back out is to band. They'll never go back to being as straight as when I started, but they will lengthen out a little.

It seems like there's a lot going on in the pics, but really I only deal with one of the components at a time. I prefer to use as many clips as I did to optimize visibility in the back, but I've seen curly vids where they only use 2-3 clips for the whole process. I use at least 6 at all times.

1. the bottom right
2. the bottom left
3. the loose halved side
4. the first side in the front that's done
5. the other side in the front that's done
6. the hair in the part I'm not dealing with
7. the line of twists I'm currently working on

And the end result (drumroll please...)

These were taken today (technically yesterday) about 2 weeks in, and I plan to keep them in for 4-5 more weeks. I wore the twists pinned up (seen above) to an interview earlier today actually. I hope I get the job :D.

Btw, my touch up method for my ends (they get frizzy and dry every 3-4 days) is to just put a dab of Elasta QP Olive Oil & Mango Butter to each end. I do this at night before I go to sleep. It takes about an 1-1.5 hours so I only do once a week. I hate the smell of the stuff, and it's kinda gooky at first, but after I wake up my ends are wonderful (I hope you can see in the pics)

More pictures... lol I have no explanation other than I was bored. These are a week in and before the touch-up I did last last night for the interview.

Random pics done. The video should be done and up in a day or two. Let's see if my computer wants to cooperate...

New Twists finally done!

They are considerably smaller and took much longer as well. Over the course of 6 days and 18 hours from June 1 - 6 I did them. So far they are holding out well, safe about 10-15 loose strands of hair that got pulled out of the twists. The loose strands annoy me and I'm too lazy to fix them soo...

Pics and video later in the day (when my technology is charged)

This past week

This post contains A LOT of pictures. I've had a busy hair week.

I took out my twists after 3 weeks because I was getting restless and bored of them. It was also the first time I did them and I think I can do it better the second time around. I'm banding my hair again, just with more sections (12) and less space between the bands. After the bands are out I'm going to blow dry on warm then cool to straighten my hair out more. I like more length with the twists.

This was the last day of the twists right before I took them out.

The last time I banded I put 5 on each section, but this time each section has 7-8. I have seen a few tutorials where they don't put anything in their hair but EVCO or shea butter for twisting, but I put in most of my moisturizing products that I usually do, just no oils or butters. I'll do that when I twist.

(This is just a rando, after the pool air dryed with a little Sauve Almond & Shea Butter conditioner)

This was my braid-n-curl after the twists, I wasn't too pleased with it, and I went swimming... so ooo the twists are coming back.

This was my hairball after the twists came out. ALOT more shedding than usual. Also since I stopped taking Biotin.

This is my hair drying after the twists and some texture shots.

I'll post pics as I start doing the twists tomorrow.

Twists

I am in week 2 of wearing my twists I did from May 5 - 7. I don't have any pictures from when I first finished or the first week, so excuse the frizziness.

I dont know why I've never done these before. They are the simplest hairstyle to date. I did

twists that weren't too small and it took about 7-8 hours total, but all I do for upkeep is re-twist the most frizzy ones, spray my concoction, and apply Elasta QP Olive oil and Mango Butter to my ends and EVCO to my roots.

To do the style I first co-washed my hair with HEHH+HETT, Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine, and Aussie Moist and rinsed all the conditioner out. I let my hair get damp and put Cantu Shea Butter L-iC, and banded my hair in about 10-11 sections. I slept with my hair banded and about 7-8 hours later it was dry. I started the twists in the sections i created when banding which made it alot easier. I used only EVCO when twisting and put a drop on my finger per twist and started applying at the end and then the root and it got dispersed through the rest of the hair after the twist was done.

Since the twists took 2-3 days I started at the front (a part from ear to ear) and finished that then moved from the nape of my neck up. In between when I had to go out I just had the excess hair in medium sized braids under a hat.

At night for upkeep as I mentioned earlier I apply Elasta QP Olive oil and Mango Butter to my ends (I love the stuff keeps my hair shiny and my ends curled) and spray (the recipe is here) and put on a silk scarf. Because of the length of my hair the end sticks out the back I also sleep on a satin pillow case. I don't cover my ends with a bonnet like I've seen other naturals do because my curls always flatten if I do that.