I wore my hair pressed monthly from around May or June through the end of the year. I did straighten it once monthly for around the past 7 months
Until the end of the month. Last month I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do to my hair so I threw on a wig with weekly washes.
My straight regimen is
- Clarify my hair(Rusk clarifying & detoxifying rosemary shampoo)
- Sometimes I follow up with a second shampoo but I can skip that step without negative impact.
- Deep condition Shu Uemura Ultimate Remedy is my all time favorite product but discontinued the original formula. I just have several jars stocked up still. I used nature's gate deep conditioner mask my last wash month and liked it. I alternate between new deep conditioner and my adored Ultimate Remedy so I can try to find a new staple replacement. I have found good I just haven't found anyting that can parallel to my Ultimate Remedy yet.
- When I apply my deep conditioner, I twirl my hair into 4 bantu knots(hair parted ear to ear and nap to forehead). I keep whatever deep conditioner I am using in my head for one hair steamer cycle.
- When my steam finishes I put on a shower cap and let my hair cool
- Rinse out deep conditioner
- Detangle damp hair with a seamless comb or detangle brush right before I blow dry(so it's detangle section dry it then detangle next section and blow dry section-by-section until done)
- If I blow dry the traditional way, I apply heat protectant to damp hair then proceed
- If I Revair, I Reviar damp hair without product then after that and apply product protectant to dried and stretched hair
- I do not use moisturizers on straighten days. I use a good deep conditioner for moisture instead.
- Right now my leave-in combination of choice is Aveda Brilliant topped with Chi Silk Infusion.
- Flat iron hair straight one pass.
- Sometimes I California press my roots with the hot comb and flat iron my length but I don't have to do it that way. The flat iron will do the job, I am just old school and like to stay sharp with my hot comb/marcels.
- If I want want a hair style that is not straight I will do another pass on my hair with a waver, crimper or curling tool of choice on a lower temp.
- I pineapple my hair nightly for curls
- wrap nightly for straight.
- My hair withstands southern humidity, fog and light drizzle without reversion until wash day. I withstands working out too as I don't really sweat in my scalp.
- I wash my hair 3-5 weeks and restyle when my hair is straight. Most of the time it is once a month but I let my hair let me know when it's time for a wash day. When starting to feel dry, I have new growth that can be pinched between my thumb and pointer finger, or noticeable shedding(not because my hair is breaking or anything but because hair with natural oil from worn hair hair doesn't sleep out unnoticeable like fresh done hair, it it released with the bulb when raked through), it's time to wash.
My natural regimen is
- Part hair in 4 bantu knots
- Wash each section(I only wash once a month unless I notice weird buildup then I will wash more frequently)
- Apply Conditioner(I usually use regular condition on natural hair but if I am natural back to back I will throw in a deep conditioner once a month)
- Steam
- Rinse out conditioner
- Apply activator on damp hair + layer that with safflower oil, grapeseed oil or shea butter(whichever one I see first)
- Twist and air dry
I trim my hair once a season on straight hair only. If my hair is natural on a day I would normally trim(usually the first week of the season) I just skip the trim until the next season.
I tend to use salon grade (Shu Uemura/Dudleys, Tigi, Alterna etc) or at least Sally's(Silk elements/Ion) grade products on straightening wash days. I tend to use natural heavier products(Oyin handmade, Jane carter solutions, butters, oils) on natural wash days. However I am not stringent about that. If a natural product works well on a press or a salon product is a good moisturizer I will use it as it works.
Since I alternate staples with using up my stash if I run into a wash session where my hair is not supple and soft and smooth on a day I prepared to straighten I will just wear my hair natural or stretched until the next wash day. I don't force a press of my hair feels "off".
If my hair starts shedding from something like post partum or getting off birth control I use alter ego cren drops 1-2 times a week.
Sometimes I wash my hair braid it up and put on a wig. I will usually keep my conditioner in my hair all week without issues when I do that. However I still wash my hair once a week under my wig when I do that and let my hair air dry gradually.
Right now, this is the second week that my hair has been braided in the front with the back Revaired. I planned on some butter fly loc crochets. They looked good when I installed them but I took them down the same day because I didn't like the synthetic hair once installed. It had some signs it could mat to my real hair and I didn't want to risk it. so I took down some of the braids and just wore the front like a style from my teenage years.
If I left something out you were looking for but I mentioned in a different thread, let me know. I will elaborate.