What to Do When You're Stuck in a (Hair) Rut

There are times in every journey when one may get bored of the normal, everyday, monotonous routine. On your HHJ, you may get tired of going through the pre-poo, shampoo, condition and style, hamster-on-a-wheel-type cycle, particularly if the end result is always the same - a braid-out, top-knot, twist-out or wig. But there are several things we can do to break out of this rut:

• 1. Give your hair some oomph with some color. A new look in the form of color may be just what you need to get excited again. If you are natural, then feel free to experiment with semi-permanent and permanent color. My relaxed ladies however, should be more cautious, opting instead for rinses, henna dyes or hair chalk.

• 2. Get a trim or even a chop. Seeing your hair at its healthiest by getting even, blunt ends may inspire you to show it off more, and all the compliments and double-takes will leave you feeling happier about your hair. A chop may take things a step further as it is more noticeable and a better way to shake things up.

• 3. Change up your style. If you're curly, go straight and vice versa. When you're tired of your go-to style, the answer is obvious - go the opposite route. If you're the braid-out babe, break out the flat-iron (but don't forget your heat protectant!) and if you have to have heat, give some heatless styles a whirl. Or perhaps go natural? hmmm

• 4. Are you a DIYer? A no-brainer is to book yourself a salon appointment. Nothing says relaxation and rejuvenation like a head massage at your favorite salon. And what's more, you routine is completely taken care of by someone else (in a fraction of the time it takes you) and you'll end up with a fab new do as well. Win win win! (Do your research though! There are plenty of salon horror stories out there!)

• 5. Try a fun protective style. When the rut is so deep that you just can't be bothered to do anything at all, get a cute, fun protective style. Not only will this change up your look, but it will give you time and space away from your tresses, allowing you to miss your hair, making the reunion that much sweeter.

 

What do you do to get out of this phase? 

 

 

Twist & Curl - Total Fail

Hey there!
Happy Monday.
 
I took down my faux locs at exactly the 3-week mark and had a wash day, during which I decided to try my hand at a twist & curl. Here's how the styling process went:
 
 

The prep

 

 

I detangled and sectioned my hair into 5: 4 around the perimeter and 1 in the middle. So far so good.

 
 

The install
 



injured me in the middle

 
 
I moisturized and sealed  did the LOC method: the L being my damp hair, O - my oil mix & C - Ettenio's 24-7. I then parted off 1/3 of my first section and flat-twisted the hair. I two-strand twisted about 1/2 way down and then twined the rest of the hair (as if about to do a bantu knot), and put my perm rod on. Here's where things started to go left: on the 2nd twist the perm rod tried to injure me lol. I should've seen the signs but I kept it pushing.



The finished install

 
 I didn't have enough perm rods, so I stuck about 3 flexi rods in there.



The take down




Not a happy camper

I used Ettenio's seal and shine to reduce frizz. Little did I know that was the least of my problems lol. The rod curls stayed, but not as tight as I'd like. There were a few damp elongated ones due to my shower. And the ends were a bit tangled. I should've continued the 2-strand twist all the way to the ends.
 
 
The save

Needless to say, I had to rally back on an up-do. The headband tuck was the style of choice.


I guess twist-outs are just not my thing. I'm definitely on the braid-out side of life.

As my mom would say "stick to the evil dat u know" lol.

Enjoy your week dolls!

 

 

 

Refreshing our Minds on Relaxer Stretching + Video

Hey there!

I am currently just about six months post and I got to thinking about the whole process of going without a relaxer for long periods and so I made a video compiling my thoughts.

How about a refresher on relaxer stretching? Yes?

Check out this video on what I deem the pros and cons of stretching.

I also included some tips on how to have a successful stretch.

 

How many weeks post are you??