I have been wearing my hair in its naturally curly state for some years now and I must admit how much fun the journey has been for me. Aside from releasing everything I have ever known about “personal hair care” and relearning a huge part of myself all over again, I have certainly been utilizing this wondrous time to becoming open to expressing my versatility and creativity. Protective styling is definitely one way to do it.
I have been known to rock marley twists, big kanekalon buns, and most recently, havana twists. Admittedly, the “take-down” is always a little scary–since my curls are hidden for so long, I am never sure if my curls will really bounce back.
I have been known to rock marley twists, kanekalon buns, and most recently, havana twists. Admittedly, the “take-down” is always a little scary–since my curls are hidden for so long, I am never sure if my curls will really bounce back. Sometimes a long term protective style can backfire and make your hair feel worse than before. I created a 2-day routine to make sure this never happens to me.
Read: 5 Surprising Things I Learned From Marley Twists
At Night – The Takedown
1. First, I like to untwist with some sweet almond oil (or another light carrier oil”> on my fingertips, just to keep the moisture and prevent any snags or rips in my real hair.
2. With 100% apple cider vinegar (or if your scalp is sensitive, diluted with water”>, I coat my scalp and let it sit for 40 minutes or so.
3. Using the pads of my fingers–not my fingernails–I gently massage the ACV into my scalp. This gently loosens up dirt and product build-up.
4. With warm water, I rinse the ACV rinse out of my hair and add a slippery shampoo like Carmella Marie Alabama Cleanser–its first 3 ingredients are water, castile soap, and avocado oil–a great residue-removing and fortifying combination.5. After thoroughly rinsing out the cleanser, I apply a thick deep conditioner like Eden Bodyworks Jojoba All Natural that will add life back into my curls. Its oil blends, glycerin, and flower/leaf extracts make it favorable for boosting dry, neglected hair. I leave this on for about 30 minutes.
6. Next, I rinse my deep conditioner completely out, then co-wash with a conditioner containing hydrolyzed wheat protein that will strengthen my weakened ends. I like Wen Fig Conditioner because it contains the winning combo of fruit extracts and rosemary oil to refresh both my curls and scalp. After rinsing, I seal my cuticle with one blast of cold water.
7. I apply a light coat of oil onto my scalp for about 30 minutes. (Warm the oil if you want for better penetration”>.
8. I usually create 4 large sections and braid them and bun them up. Before bed, I cover my hair with two satin scarves–you know, just in case the first one falls off during a good night’s sleep.
The Morning After – Wash-N-Go Glory
1. After undoing my braids/twists, I apply a generous amount of leave-in with amino acids–this will further promote strength, endurance, and elasticity back into my curls. I like Briogeo Curl Charisma Leave-In because it does not make my curls limp or crispy.
2. Using the pads of my fingers, I massage my scalp once again for about a minute. This adds volume into my hair without adding a frizz halo on top.
How do you get your curls to bounce back after a long term protective style?
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