My Faux Locs

 Hey there guys!

I'm coming here today to share with you my new protective style.

These are DIYs which were installed about a week go.
The method I used is Senegalese twists + wrapping said twists.
I used 4 packs of kanekalon for both the twists and the wrapping as they are quite big.

 

It took quite some time to execute this style. I started on Tuesday afternoon and ended on Wednesday afternoon with the obvious breaks for sleeping, eating, a little tv watching etc etc.

 

I had a tough time with it because the wrapping part was not as effortless as it seemed on the net and sealing the loc was no easy feat. I don't know if it's the hair I used or what, but I probably wouldn't do this style again. Plus I did them a little too tight... I'm hoping for the best come takedown time lol

I must say that I was in love with this style on the girls I saw prior to my install and I thought I would love having them, but I'm just like meh...

I like it in a bun and pretty much no other way lol. So that's how I've been rocking it.
I do like that they are low maintenance and not too heavy though.

 

 

As with my other long-term protective styles, I'm aiming for 3 weeks. I think I'll make it.

Ps. One of my inspirations...

  
 
 

Have you ever tried faux locs?

 

 

 

 

How I Prepped my Hair for Braids

Hey girls and gents!

Remember my new hairdo I shared with you a few days ago?
Well, I have the deets on how I prepared my hair for my salon visit.

I'll show you what I did from start to finish to ensure that my hair reaped the benefits of installing a protective style.

This includes shampooing, deep conditioning, stretching my texlaxed hair and styling (well, sort of lol).

Check out the video for the run down.

 

 

 

 

 

What do you do to your mane before a long-term protective style?

 

 



 

My New Hairdo

Hey There!
How are you keeping?

I'm doing a bit of show and tell today with my new protective style.
Keep scrolling for the 411.

I installed these braids on Friday, April 24 and I'm still wearing them today.
I'm hoping to get 2 - 3 weeks wear out of them and so far so good.
Here are the specs:

 

 

 

It is such an easy style to rock.
Maintenance is a breeze and I can easily wear it to the gym or a night on the town (as I have lol).
Easy. Breezy. Beautiful.

The stylist did a pretty good job and I'm in love with both its form and function.

You may (or may not lol) remember my bucket list where I included a pic of a girl wearing chunky cornrows. see below. Well this look is inspired by her.

One style crossed off my list.

Are you liking these chunky braids or nah?

 

 

Show & Tell - Crochet Braids

Hey guys!

 

I'm coming at you with another protective style - crochet braids.

 

 

crochet braids - hair  not styled/ straight out the pack

 

 

I installed this style on my own on the 4th of November. I actually installed crochet braids once before about 3 weeks ago but wasn't too fond of the outcome and consequently, I have no pictures to prove their existence. It looked good with a hat on and that was about it. I left it in for a week because I had somewhere to be and didn't want to wear busted hair. Thankfully, this time around I like them a lot better. However, I still don't think they'll be in for very long because once again I have an event.

 

So anyway, about this style:

The Perfect Hairstyle for Working Out & Maintaining a HHJ

The other day after I got in from the gym, I let my hair out to dry. After it was no longer damp, it was a dehydrated mess. As you may have seen in my last post, sweat leaves our hair dry and creates a milieu for possible breakage. We can't have that now, can we?!

dry post-workout hair

Wash Day - 7/28

Last wash day was a little different from what I'd normally do.

I had a braidout that I wore to my sister's welcome home bash that was old and dry after partying so hard lol.

Styling my Senegalese Twists - Day & Night...

Hey y'all!

 

Today I'm here to show you the 2 styles I've been rocking the most:

 

First up is this Poetic Justice - 90's - 1/2 up, 1/2 down look.

poetic justice look with Senegalese twists

 

Show & Tell - Senegalese Twists

In keeping with my 6 month no heat + protective styling challenge, I have installed my first long-term protective style in the form of Senegalese twists.

 

Senegalese Twists - protective style

6 month no heat/ protective styling challenge

 

 

 

 

Alrrrighty then!

Summer Time Fine!

A big part of most girls' summer, whether on a hair journey or not, is getting a "protective style" to allow them to be a little more carefree during this time. This style usually takes the form of braids or twists incorporating extensions. And for good reason too. There are a great many benefits of a long term braided/ twisted style:

 

• Gives the hair a break
• Promotes length retention
• Saves time
• Ease of styling
• Breaks up the monotony
• Aids with stretching

 

I have been half-way fiending for one of those styles for a few weeks now but can't decide on which one. I have been stalking youtube vids trying to decipher which is actually more beautiful, but your girl is stuck. I have narrowed it down to 2: "Patra", "poetic justice", or large box braids (whichever you like) vs. "Havana" or "Marley" twists. I really am in love with both. And these girls are making it harder to decide:

You Make Me Feel Like I am Young Again - HOTW

This week's style is one that I used to rock the shi* out of when I was in high school. My sister (Heyy Racquel!) used to sit me down and do this to the upper 1/2 of my head and then 2 strand flat twist the back for an awesome braid-out, which would last me a week. Of course at that time I cared nothing about retention, I just wanted to look cute for school. Fast forward a couple of years and here I am using the very same style (minus the braid-out) for a protective style to get ahead on my hair journey.

HOTW - Young Again

Upside-down, Inside-out - HOTW

I feel like I do these posts every other day based on how quickly the weeks go, but hey, no complaints here, gallop away.

I love web-surfing hair info. There is just so much out there to see and learn. Last week I got some inspiration from Dessy and decided it would be my next HOTW style. It's a very simple and fun style that takes about 10 minutes to execute. The only issue is, you have to be inverted to braid the hair going from nape upwards. This is my first time doing this kind of braid and when I returned to upright position, I realized the braid was inside-out (It was late and I was upside-down..don't judge me lol). I decided to let it remain that way, (as I wanted to get to bed and had no desire to start all over) and topped it off with a bun.

So for this week's style, I was literally upside-down while executing it and the cornrow ended up being inside-out. Take a look-see:

HOTW - Upside-down, inside-out cornrow & bun

Steps:

Two the Hard Way (braid n bun) - HOTW

I love the styles KLP chooses for her pinspired link-up and this one is no different. I thought it'd be a good style for my HOTW stint, so I got to recreating it after my last wash. I thought it was going to be pretty easy but my 10-weeks-post hair just did not want to cooperate. I usually prefer styles that allow me to work in smaller sections when stretching, so this style was a little bit of a challenge. Anyway, I got it done and I am enjoying the finished product. Check it out:

HOTW - braid & a bun

Lazy Days - HOTW

So this HOTW post is not really a HOTW style at all...well kinda. You see, I washed my hair on Friday and I removed my single braids on Saturday night for an event and wore a braid-out. Before bedtime at around 5am Sunday morning, I barely managed to LOC and put my hair up in two braids at either side of my head. I couldn't be bothered to style my hair on Sunday evening so I have been rocking this style since then. And you know what, it's serving it's purpose so I aint tripping lol.

Lazy Days - HOTW

Singles Mingle - HOTW

Hey hey hey! I'm back with another 'hair of the week' post. This week I tried something a little different. I was inspired by Rachel to give single braids a try. I had not done this style in YEARS, since I was a child with natural hair. But I think this style will be perfect for what I'm about to embark on this week, but that's a whole 'notha post. Check it out:

Single Braids - HOTW {Protective style}

A Trio - Hair of the Week (HOTW)

Another week is upon us and another protective style upon my head. This one is also pretty simple and is reminiscent of the single cornrow. Take a look-see:

Protective style - HOTW - A trio

How To:

My Go-To Products & Techniques While Short-term Protective Styling

Am I ODing with the protective styling posts yet? I know, once I'm into something I'm all in! Plus, there's just so much to discuss re PSing. So today we delve once again into my product stash, and find out what I've been reaching for during the last month of weekly protective styling, as well as a few techniques which I use regularly. Let's start on wash day, shall we?

Products

All Night Week Long - How to Make Your Protective Style Last

Naturals have been doing it since forever. Many of them set their style on wash day and maintain it until the next wash rolls around. It is bomb for length retention since it allows you to both protective style and reduce manipulation.

protective styles

I love long-term protective styling! I really do. It's a great way to take care of your hair with ease and it's awesome when you just need a break. But I decided to forego the wig as a means of protective styling and there is no way for me to get braids (with extensions) or a weave installed in these parts, so my next best is to utilize styles that last in the mid-range time frame, i.e. 1-2 weeks at a time.

You may have already encountered my HOTW posts. This is where I create a style at the beginning of the week and wear it throughout. There is no restyling and especially NO combing. Therefore, these styles are great for both increasing protection and reducing manipulation, result? super duper length retention! Below the Waist length here I come lol

I admit, finding a decent style that will hold up through a week's worth of...life, may not be the easiest. So, here are a few tips to help you accomplish this task:

Flowers? For me?! - Hair of the Week (HOTW)

I am continuing with my weekly protective styling plan. This week's style was a lot of fun to do. It features flat twists and two-strand twists shaped into flowers.

HOTW - Flower Power

Put a Sock in it! - DIY sock donut

In line with my current protective styling stint, I am featuring a gadget that may just take your PSing to the next level! It's no question that the bun is one of, if not THE most popular protective style. It is versatile, easy and can be done on hair in a variety of states. There are elegant low buns, fun top buns, messy buns, big buns, small ones...the list goes on and on.

But what if my hair alone just doesn't get me the results I desire when bunning?

Well, that's why we're here grasshopper! There is a gadget on the market that is designed to give you full beautiful buns every time. Enter the "Soft 'N Style Hair Donut ". You simply make a ponytail, then add the donut to your hair and have it sit on the ponytail holder. That is, the ponytail is pulled through the donut.

That's a great idea, but the Soft 'N Style Hair Donut doesn't look so soft to me, it may very well snag my hair. Are there any alternatives?

Ahh grasshopper, you ask all the right questions. Let me show you how to create a donut by using only a pair of socks and scissors.