Soul Sensitive Life: Wash Day: Small Two Strand Twists

Written on 16.01.11

Dearest Ebony:

I decided to wash my hair while in twists on Friday January 14th (installed on my Birthday on the 11th). I had previously been looking to purchase Witch Hazel to cleanse my scalp in between wash day but what is most accessbiblt to me is drug store brands which contail alcohol. I have learned this past year and a half of my healthy hair journey to avoid products containg alcohol such as hair gel. And so, naturally, I tunred my nose up at the Witch Hazel at Savers & Superdrug (UK). Instead, I looked online and will be purchasing a purer brand soon.

I have itchy scalp although I cleanse my scalp weekly, ideally every 3-4 days would be best. To relieve my scalp conditon, I decided to prep the products I needed then hoped into the shower. There are four steps to my hair routine on wash day: 1) Wash; 2) Condition 3) Moisturize 4) Style (unless already in a Protective Style (PS).

Step 1: Washing Hair & Scalp

-Before applying shampoo, stand under the shower and allow the force of the water to rinse and loosen debris from hair and scalp. I do this for 2-3 minutes using warm-hot water and it feels great!, especially for my crown which tends to be the itchiest.

-Make sure you don't burn your self, use the water temperature you were comfortable with. I learned the above technique from Lisa Akbari's ' A Black Woman's Guide to Beautiful Hair. A positive A Positive Approach to Managing Any Hair Type'. Very informative book, great to have in my home- library.

- Dilute shampoo with kettle water using an old hair colour bottler with a spout to make contact with my scalp for easy coverage.

- Massage shampoo in my scalp using finger pads, no scartching with nails or sharp object such as rat tail comb. I always wash my hair in secctions of 4, 6 or more. I washted the twists in 4 sections.

-Smooth shampoo in a downward motion through my strands (wether loose or in plaited sections). I think I will continue washing my hair in sections because it is way too coily to do it loose with clips, though I have tried this method (it doesn't work for all).

-Rinse out shampoo thoroughly from one section at a time and apply conditioner immediately. Before rinsing shampoo, you opt to apply conditoner first. I have tried this method and it is especially good when using a sulfate conditioner.

Step 2: Conditioning in the shower with a cheapie silicone free. I used Tressemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture. It is light and does a good job smoothing down my strands. I have also tried it for detangling and it works fine. I then washed it out of my hair.

-After washing out all traces of conditioner, I obsorb excess water out of my hair using a cotton Tshirt. It doesnt not snag my hair a regular towel or even microfibre one.

I but my hair back into for sections to apply my deep conditioner mixture which consisted of:

-Naked Detox Intensive
- Henna conditioner
-Castor Oil
-Neem Oil (has a very pongiant smell but works wonders to relieve itchies
-Tea Tree Oil (also great for itch releif)

I often just use a thick conditioner and add oils to make it penetrating. I wat to try DPR-11 Deep Penetrarting Remoisturizser.

Moisturizing: I use a waterbased leave in (spritz of kettle water, cream leave in (Giovanni- not loyal to one brand so I use what I have- currently also have a bit of sheamoisture leave in and Care Free Curl Instant moisturiser- I sometimes mix it with water and use as leave in).

-I seal the moisture with an oil blend I made with an Emu oil base (50 ML) and other stimulating oils.

Styling: I skip this step because my hair was in twists while washing/conditioning. But I used 'World of Curls' activator gel. And it made my hair soft however I may use shea butter with it next time.

Update: After having washed the twists,a few unravelled and it looks messy and the individual strands of the twists had formed coils so I undid them- detangled with egg yolk conditioner mix in my hair as a prepoo. Then used a noisturizing condish. My hair felt nice. I will in future use Elasta QP DPR-11 (when I am out of other condish and add egg yolk for protein when my hair requires it).

Stay Blessed this New Year!x