Lazy Girl's Wash Day | Natural Hair With Tapered Cut

Happy Wash Day, ladies and gentlemen! It's been a while since I've shared a wash day post, hasn't it? Since it's the start of a new year, I decided it was high time to do so. I did the big chop back in November of 2018 and have been experiencing a lot of trial & error when it comes to finding products that work for my natural hair. Now that I've found a happy medium with what works (and doesn't) for my hair, I thought it would be a great time to reintroduce wash day posts here on the blog. Check out my recent wash day routine for my tapered cut + natural hair below.

Styling My TWA with Suave Pro Naturals from Family Dollar

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FDNewBeauty #CollectiveBias

How do you maintain your "look" when you are constantly on-the-go? This is a question I hear a lot among women these days. Everyone is always so busy. I can admit that I will get caught up in the everyday hustle and struggle of keeping up with family things and life things so much that I find myself crunching time. And while it may seem easy enough to sacrifice personal care for extra time crushing my to-do list, I try not to.

I do believe that looking your personal best does not have to take a lot of time or money. And lately since doing the big chop, I've learned that less is actually more when it comes to maintaining my hair. When searching for the perfect products to style and care for my Type 4 natural hair, I want to use affordable products without sacrificing quality. Since purchasing Suave Professionals for Natural Hair​ with Natural Shea Butter & Pure Coconut Oil products from Family Dollar, I am able to keep my curls looking great in no time and at an affordable price!

What I love about the Suave Professionals for Natural Hair​ line is that each product was formulated specifically for natural hair. These unique formulations were influenced by a community of over 5,000 women with natural hair to deliver the rich moisture and gentle care most needed by women with curly, coily and wavy hair. Keep reading to check out how I style my TWA with Suave Professionals for Natural Hair​ to achieve soft, moisturized curls.

Co-Wash Day: Mommy & Me Edition

This week I decided to do a little something different with my wash day post. Since I didn't get around to cleansing my daughter's hair earlier in the week, I combined our wash days. And boy, two-in-one wash days can be a lot to handle at times! But since we were both only due for a light co-wash and conditioning, I made things as simple as possible. We even use a couple of the same products so I planned for an easy, breezy wash session yesterday afternoon.

My Experience

1. Pre-pooed with extra virgin coconut oil down the length of my hair and applied Hair Trigger to my scalp.

2. Co-washed with Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle. I usually use this as a deep conditioner mixed with other products, but decided to go against the grain with this co-wash.

3. Deep conditioned with Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructurizer with no heat for about an hour while I cleaned house. I needed a little protein in my life, so I decided to use up the last of this baby so I can add it to my shopping list for Friday. You guys know I'm on a strict no-buy and am only repurchasing staple products when I collect two empties.

4. Rinsed the Aphogee thoroughly and did a quick moisturizing condition with OGX (formally Organix) Macadamia Oil Conditioner. 

5. I completely rinsed the conditioner and removed as much excess water as I could. I then applied Elasta QP Leave in Conditioner to the length of my hair and sealed with grapeseed oil. 

6. Air-dried with my hair wrapped in a grey a-shirt for the rest of the day.

Gab's Experience

1. Pre-pooed with extra virgin coconut oil.

2. Rinsed hair and detangled with fingers.

3. Applied As I Am Coconut Cowash generously throughout her hair and let it sit for a few minutes. Then worked my fingers through her scalp and hair to clean.

4. After rinsing the cowash, I applied the rest of the Aussie Moist 2 Minute Reconstructurizer to her hair for a moisturizing deep conditioner. Now I have two empties!!! I put her under the dryer with a plastic cap for about 30 minutes (or until she started complaining).

5. I rinsed out the conditioner  and removed as much excess water as I could with a tee-shirt.

6. Applied a light mist of aloe vera juice to her hair and detangled with my fingers. 

7. Separated her hair into sections, applied Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave In Conditioning Cream throughout her hair, and sealed with extra virgin coconut oil. 

8. Twisted the sections of her hair and put her hair in a scarf + bonnet to dry overnight.

Our Results

My hair felt very soft and moisturized. I love how soft the Aussie Moist left my hair after co-washing with it! I had such great slip for 5 weeks post! I may start using this product exclusively for my co-washes, alternating with my Herbal Essences conditioners from now on. I'll still continue to deep condition Gab's hair with it though, as her hair seems to love it as well. And thanks to the OGX Macadamia Oil conditioner, I love how great my hair still smells today. That stuff made my hair feel like butter after my final rinse! I hope Walgreens still has the OGX products on sale for BOGO this week, as I may get a couple more tomorrow.

Gab's hair loves the As I Am Coconut Cowash. I've been using it since hearing MahoganyCurls rave about it on YouTube and have not been disappointed! It's very cleansing, yet moisturizing to her hair and really helps define her curls. It also smells like a dream! I thought the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave in Conditioning Cream would beat the frizzies and define Gab's curls more so than the Shea Moisture Curl Defining Pudding that I normally use, but it did not. It's another product that I was trying to finish up, but I don't think I'll be repurchasing so soon. Since I have no plans of going far until the weekend, I'm done up with a rolled bang and messy bun inspired by Keyda and Gabs is rocking a bun. Next time, I promise to take better pictures!

 

 How was your most recent wash day?

Natural Hair Talk with MahoganyCurls™

As of this morning, MahoganyCurls™ has 196,309 YouTube subscribers and counting. Her total YouTube channel views are well over 20 million. One can truly say that the worldwide natural hair community loves MahoganyCurls™ and she loves them back. It all began when Macon, GA native Jessica Lewis decided to embrace her natural hair in March 2009. After doing the "big chop," Jessica was inspired to share her natural hair journey with others who were looking to do the same. Jessica took on the moniker MahoganyCurls™ and created what is now a collection of 139 YouTube videos sharing her love for nurturing natural hair to the masses. 

INTRODUCTION TO MahoganyCurls™ 

Being born into a family of hair care professionals, it seems second nature for Jessica to be passionate about styling and caring for hair. With her vastly growing social media reach and beautifully-spirited personality, MahoganyCurls™ focuses on helping women embrace their crown and glory one update at a time. She exemplifies as well as gives instruction on how to achieve "natural hair with flair" by taking viewers along for the ride as she discusses every aspect of her own natural hair journey. And with each video upload, viewers marvel at her beautifully coiled tresses and her pleasant persona, while taking notes on how to create better hair care practices for themselves.

Whether one is looking for tips on establishing a healthy hair care regimen or perfecting braid-outs, bantu-knot outs, roller-sets, and wash-n-go styles, MahoganyCurls™ has it covered. She updates her YouTube channel and website frequently, keeping her viewers and readers in the know on all things natural hair care. 

I was delighted to be given the opportunity to connect with MahoganyCurls™ to talk about natural hair. She has a wealth of knowledge to share with everyone and I'm thankful to be a part of the sharing process.

NATURAL HAIR TALK WITH MahoganyCurls™

What do you love most about being able to share your passion for natural hair on YouTube? What is the most rewarding aspect?  The thing that I love most about sharing my passion for natural hair on YouTube is the fact that it is helpful to others embarking on their natural hair journey. The most rewarding aspect is when others approach me and explain that I inspired them to go natural or my tutorials and thoughts regarding the natural hair journey has helped them in many ways. I love to teach, and I love explaining to others how to go about caring and embracing their natural hair. I get to share what I have learned during my journey, good or bad.

What does your weekly hair care routine look like?  I like to cowash (conditioner wash) my hair once a week. I also like to deep condition my hair every Sunday. I usually twist my hair for styling. It usually takes about an hour and 30 minutes to complete my hair from start to finish. I love "As I Am Coconut Cowash" for cleansing and Shea Moisture products are my go to stylers.

How did you go about researching for the right regimen/products for your hair? What have been the most helpful tools in your research?  I like to read the ingredients. When I first went natural, I used to use products that would make my hair very dry. At the time, I did not know much about ingredients in certain products. I used to visit other blogs and hair forums that would explain why certain products may cause dryness. Eventually I learned about the "curly girl method" and I follow that method now. It has helped my natural journey a lot. Research is extremely helpful.

Have you ever had a setback? If so, how did you recover from it? If I have a set back I will clarify my hair with "As I Am Coconut Cowash" and deep condition my hair for an hour and a half. After I do this, I will proceed to styling my hair with my favorite products. I would also eliminate the product that caused the setback from my regimen.

What is your favorite way to style your hair? Favorite part of your regimen?  Right now I am a huge fan of twist outs. My favorite part of my regimen is applying my leave in conditioner. I love a rich creamy leave-in. I feel that a great leave-in will make or break your hair style. I look for leave-in conditioners that will provide an ample amount of moisture for my hair. One of my favorites is "The Conditioner" by Paul Mitchell.

Does your regimen differ from the summer to the winter? If so, in what ways?  No, it does not. For the most part, I style my hair the same way. I like to keep my regimen very simple. I feel that low manipulation is very important during your natural hair journey since natural hair can be very fragile.

Tell me one thing you've learned on your journey that you wish you knew when you did the big chop back in 2009.  I wish I knew that natural hair would be extremely dry compared to relaxed hair. It took about a month or so for me to find products that worked for me that would not dry my hair out. Once I figured this out, I feel as if the ball began to roll and my journey took off without too many setbacks.

What advice would you give to my readers who have just started their natural hair journeys and are seeking support and information?  I would suggest that they have patience, research natural hair online, and continue to have confidence. The natural hair community is very supportive. YouTube and hair forums that cater to natural hair will be very helpful in your journey. The last thing I would say is be proud of yourself and be proud of your hair. You are wearing your crown. Show the world how beautiful it is.

We all know that maintaining a healthy hair regimen takes patience, time, and love. What motivates you to continue on your journey?  I am motivated by other naturals. Naturals that are starting their natural hair journey inspire and motivate me. It shows beauty and confidence.

What are your current hair goals?  I would like to reach APL (arm pit length) while my hair is curly, with shrinkage, in a couple of years. I would like to have a few layers cut in the near future also. I think it would jazz up my 'do. 

What do you hope viewers take from engaging with you and subscribing to your YouTube channel?  I hope that they find my channel to be inspiring and educational. I am very passionate about the educational aspect of natural hair and hopefully it will inspire them to start their own channel to document their journey along with helping others.

What can we expect to see more of from MahoganyCurls™ in 2014? Are there any events or projects in the works that you would like to tell us about?  Every Wednesday, from 7:00 - 7:30 pm EST I host a live YouTube streaming show called "MahoganyCurls™ LIVE!" Viewers that tune in during the live taping can ask me questions in real time. I will also be attending several natural hair events, including Natural Hair Bride's "Glitz, Glam & Curlz" event in Chicago, IL (February), the Natural Hair and Health Expo 2014 in Birmingham, AL (March), an event in London, England (May) and several other events. Invites to natural hair events are coming in so quickly and I'm very excited to join and support as many as I am able to!

STAY CONNECTED WITH MahoganyCurls™

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MahoganyCurls
Website: http://mahoganycurlsofficial.com/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mahoganycurls

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mahoganycurlsYT

I thank Jessica for sharing her time and insight with me for this feature. Be sure to check out her YouTube channel and get familiar with her through social media. She's quite interactive with her viewers and readers, so don't be afraid to ask her questions if you have any. And remember to tune in on Wednesday evening for MahoganyCurls™ LIVE!

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