Wash And Go, To Grow And To Dazzle 2020 Challenge

[Theresamonet]

It can be rough learning curve LOL!! There are multiple elements that can get you the perfect look you want or have you out here looking crazy . Getting product combos is so important, but those combos are effected by what you washed your hair with before, what you detangled with (fingers, denman, comb, etc), and how you dried your hair . I feel like that's not talked about as a whole, but each piece is talked about individually. When you stumble across the right everything, wash n'gos are so easy and bomb!! LOL

I'm in my feelings right now because my hair has come out 3 different ways the 3 times I've washed it!! I have a list of things that do not work LOL! But Imma need my hair to get in line

Yep. There are soooo many variables involved. I didn’t like the look of my WnGs for a long time. I thought my hair was just too poofy and frizzy to get a good WnG. The main thing I found was I needed to drop the Denman brush. It works well for some, but I couldn’t get root to tip curl definition. It would fluff out my hair and then make a curl at the end of random clumps. This is my WnG from early in my natural hair journey (circa 2012), when I used the Denman:



It wasn’t until I found the MHM that I discovered that I could get root to tip definition with the right products and techniques. The two main things being bentonite clay and finger detangling/smoothing vs using a brush.

 

[ckisland]

@Theresamonet Your hair looks completely different!! The denman does the same thing to my hair!! It destroys any definition I have in my 4a sections. Turns it into straight up poodle poof, but it smooths the heck out of my 3c section into perfect curls. Curls on top poodle in the back is not a look anyone should rock

 

[GettingKinky]

When I dry my hair in ponytails I get less poufy roots. I’m trying that again today.

My main goals are less shrinkage and hair that moves. I’ve done it a few times, but I can’t get those results reliably.

I wonder if I should get a blow dryer for good day 1 hair.

 

[FoxxyLocs]

This week's wng came out really poofy with more shrinkage than usual. I used Eco styler bc I was out of Wetline. I also used less product than usual. I need to go to the store tomorrow and stock up. I'm running low on everything.

 

[ckisland]

@GettingKinky I also suffer from puff, tight roots. I found that plopping with a t-shirt, where I'm twisting all of my hair into a knot towards the front of my head, helps my roots dry with less shrinkage. This gives me a lot more movement in my wash n'go. If you're not opposed to lightly using heat, diffusing is excellent! My first few attempts were awful, until I stopped trying to diffuse like I had 3a hair LOL!

 

[GettingKinky]

@GettingKinky I also suffer from puff, tight roots. I found that plopping with a t-shirt, where I'm twisting all of my hair into a knot towards the front of my head, helps my roots dry with less shrinkage. This gives me a lot more movement in my wash n'go. If you're not opposed to lightly using heat, diffusing is excellent! My first few attempts were awful, until I stopped trying to diffuse like I had 3a hair LOL!

Do you plop before or after you add products? What’s the right way to diffuse?

 

[FoxxyLocs]

What’s the right way to diffuse?

I always see people hanging their heads almost upside down and diffusing in all different directions. I normally just keep my head upright and diffuse from the top with my hair hanging down. I never tried the other way.

 

[ckisland]

What’s the right way to diffuse?

What I do is put the diffuser against the side of my hair, and gently press it towards my head and downward. To get to the underside of my hair, I nestle it into that area and use my other hand to gently pull the length of the hair downwards. If I want more stretch, I will sandwich a section of hair between the diffuser and my hand. I use the diffuser the way people use the concentrator nozzle to stretch their hair after it dries. I do not cup my hair into the barrel of the diffuser, or diffuse with my head down.

 

[Theresamonet]

How long does it take y’all to dry your hair with the diffuser?

 

[GettingKinky]

Today’s result is much better than a few days ago. Air drying with my hair stretched and using a lot more product really helps. And pinning my hair in the front helps with reducing the volume.

 

[uofmpanther]

Here are my lil WnG pics. I did this on Christmas Day using tgin super moist leave-in and Wetline gel. I set under my mom’s Pibbs to dry. No flakes.

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And my terrible length checks. Lol. I need to get my length back because I feel strange wearing WnGs when my hair doesn’t even touch my shoulders.

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Looks great!

Was your hair loose in the pibbs? I've been afraid to use it to dry because mine pulls loose hair up

 

[Theresamonet]

Looks great!

Was your hair loose in the pibbs? I've been afraid to use it to dry because mine pulls loose hair up

I started drying with my hair loose. Then about halfway I came from under to check the progress, and noticed a few clumps of hair at the crown were being pulled up, so I loosely tied a net on for the rest of the time. My mom dries loose and never uses the net.

You have to use your Pibbs to dry your WnG. They come out with less frizz and more definition.

 

[GettingKinky]

I have a few curls that are really loose and they hang a lot lower the the rest of my hair. I wonder if I should just cut them to make my hair look even.

 

[SmilingElephant]

I am going to join this challenge because my hair grows best when I do my wash n go's on the regular

Please tell us about your hair (texture, pattern, porosity, length, etc)
My hair is a mixture of everything, I have very coarse strands in the front, and then they gradually become fine in the back. In the front, my pattern is 3B, toward the middle it's 3C, and then in the back and on the sides it is 4a. I believe my porosity is low for the most part. My hair currently stretches to WL, but shrinks to Neck Length when dry and curly.

What is your current regimen (frequency, techniques, products, etc)

• Now that I can devote time back into my hair, my regimen is back to:
• Co-washing 2-3 times a week/(including doing my wash n go styling)
• Shampoo & Deep Condition every weekend (I really need to get back to letting my DC sit for an hour)
• Rice Water/Aloe Vera refresher spray for daily use
• I plan to use up all of my cheapie products first which I was using throughout finishing my education, and go back to buying Shea Moisture & Camille Rose products. Those brands really truly helped me grow my hair out before I also like to use Dominican hair products as well , as well as other natural products like African Black soap, ACV, etc.
• My growth oil concoction of EVOO, EVCO, JBCO, Avocado oil
• Frequent Scalp Massages
• Sleeping on Satin
• Wearing my hair in a bun most of the time
• Working on my insides by taking my HSN, Multivitamins and Iron pills, drinking LOTS of water, eating my fruits/veggies , getting lots of rest, and better stress management. Stress and lack of nutrients killed my hair.

What are your length goals from joining this challenge?
I want my hair to get back to Shoulder Length/APL in its curly state by June 30th of 2019. I want my hair to stretch back to Hip Length by the end of 2019, and go back to being huge and fluffy when curly. I will NEVER complain about my hair thickness ever again! My ultimate goal for the longest has been to have hair that stretches to TBL.

What are your styling goals from joining this challenge?
I just want my long curly ponytail back.

Any current struggles or concerns?
I'm not struggling as of now. My hair is already starting to make a turnaround in terms of thickness, I have been taking my HSN (Spring Valley brand) for the past 2-3 months along with iron pills (I discovered my levels were just a tad bit low, not scary low, but low enough), and my hair is definitely improving, I even had a friend of mine notice the difference. Doing that along with applying JBCO on my scalp and letting it sit for a few days, or until the next day I wash it has added to the boost in growth, for me.

Please share a starting photo of your hair (optional but highly recommended)
To Be Continued... (Why is it suddenly harder to upload photos on here?)

 

[SmilingElephant]

I have a few curls that are really loose and they hang a lot lower the the rest of my hair. I wonder if I should just cut them to make my hair look even.

They will more than likely continue to do that, unless it's damaged hair. I have curls that do that, too and I tried cutting them to make my hair look even, and they grew back the exact same way

 

[GettingKinky]

How long did it take you ladies to perfect your wash n go?

 

[OhTall1]

How long did it take you ladies to perfect your wash n go?

I went fully natural and got my first Deva cut the day after Christmas four years ago. I would argue that I still haven't perfected my WNG even though I've been wearing them exclusively all this time.
Sorry!

 

[GettingKinky]

After seeing your results @Theresamonet I may actually try MHM. I bought clay ages ago, but I’ve never used it.

 

[metro_qt]

How long did it take you ladies to perfect your wash n go?

I big chopped sept 2017.
I think i got into a routine of what my hair liked in between months 3 and 6.

Now, a year and a bit later, I'm still experimenting, but I always keep the basics, and my wash n gos look fairly standard.

The only thing changing my wash n go is the length of my hair as it grows.

 

[metro_qt]

@Theresamonet Your hair looks completely different!! The denman does the same thing to my hair!! It destroys any definition I have in my 4a sections. Turns it into straight up poodle poof, but it smooths the heck out of my 3c section into perfect curls. Curls on top poodle in the back is not a look anyone should rock

I think I'm rocking a curls on top/poodle in the back right now.

I will have the final verdict tomorrow when fully dry....and hopefully pics as well

 

[metro_qt]

Here are my wash n go results from last night/ this morning.
I used some new products: Ecostyler Olive Oil Gel... LOOOOOVE!
and Shea Moisture JBCO hair masque for a deep condition, along with the 3 row comb.
I also added hair paint wax in Gold, for some highlights

Before: -still wet


Here are the final 90% dry results this morning

 

[OhTall1]

I also added hair paint wax in Gold, for some highlights

Oooh, so pretty. I've spent the past few days pinning highlight pictures like this but I'm worried about lifting to achieve this color. What product did you use?

 

[ckisland]

@metro_qt Uh Ma'am, You hair came out so pretty!!! You definitely avoided the curly poodle mullet

 

[ckisland]

How long did it take you ladies to perfect your wash n go?

I went natural in 07. I only wore wash n'gos and I played around with a million different products LOL! I knew that my wash n'gos were good when people were asking where I got my wig from . But I perfected my wash n'go in 2013 when I went outside, got caught in the rain, and my hair didn't poof up, didn't frizz and every curl stayed perfectly in place

How long does it take y’all to dry your hair with the diffuser?

It takes me 15 mins (I've timed it), but it seems like a lifetime. I'll sometimes crank the heat up for a little bit when I'm being impatient though

 

[metro_qt]

Oooh, so pretty. I've spent the past few days pinning highlight pictures like this but I'm worried about lifting to achieve this color. What product did you use?

Me too! I wanted to avoid chemicals in my hair, so this hair paint wax is perfect. It's a non permanent wax that coats your hair, and then washes out during your next wash.

Unfortunately for me, this made me decide that I do want permanent highlights, and I will probably go in for a dye job in January


Edited to add: the actual product is called Hairpaint Wax.
They have a website, I found them on instagram. They have tons of colourful inspo pics

 

[metro_qt]

@metro_qt Uh Ma'am, You hair came out so pretty!!! You definitely avoided the curly poodle mullet

Hahahaha but you see it was touch and go in the first pictures....which is when I wrote the post....

I'm just lucky that my shrinkage is very even, and makes me look like a curly poodle without the mullet, lol

 

[Theresamonet]

I went natural in 07. I only wore wash n'gos and I played around with a million different products LOL! I knew that my wash n'gos were good when people were asking where I got my wig from . But I perfected my wash n'go in 2013 when I went outside, got caught in the rain, and my hair didn't poof up, didn't frizz and every curl stayed perfectly in place


It takes me 15 mins (I've timed it), but it seems like a lifetime. I'll sometimes crank the heat up for a little bit when I'm being impatient though

And this is going from wet to dry? Or did you partially air dry... or towel dry first?

I sat under the Pibbs for 1 hour to dry my hair from soaking wet.

 

[Theresamonet]

Tomorrow will be one week since I did my hair, and I know I need to redo it. I can’t let it get too big and fluffy or shrink too much, or I’ll start getting those damn knots. But my sister told me my hair looks even better today, and a client complimented me and tried to get tips... I don’t want to kill her yet.

 

[Theresamonet]

@metro_qt I was getting ready to compliment your dye job, before reading that it is wax. It looks so good! You applied the wax on wet hair? Does the wax transfer on to things (hands, shirt collars, etc)?

 

[Theresamonet]

After seeing your results @Theresamonet I may actually try MHM. I bought clay ages ago, but I’ve never used it.

Definitely try it out! I’ve only done the full regimen, word for word, a handful of times. I’ve modified it to a point that it can’t really be called the MHM anymore. But some of the things I picked up from the regimen have been game changers for my WnGs. Bentonite clay being #1. Along with the smoothing technique she uses to apply every product.