Wash And Go, To Grow And To Dazzle 2020 Challenge

[Shadow_Lace]

Welcome back @Shadow_Lace I’m sorry to hear about your issues with breakage and tangling.

Thanks, so much!

But yeah it's an ongoing struggle. I really need to just buckle down, & stick to my own hair/scalp limitations. Comparison doesn't help me at all. I just wish my issues were easier to solve. I can offer help and some useful solutions to others, but it seems much harder for myself?

Today's a perfect example of just delaying the inevitable.
I know it'll be worse to put if off, but I'd rather not deal with my hair every day. Or even every other day.
People who can just wash and wear their hair however they wish long-term, are so lucky!

I will say I do officially like my day 2 hair!
& not just with a strong/firm hold gels/jellies, but with actual cremes/creams as well.
So that's a long-over due accomplishment.

As it's said, "Slow and steady wins the race".


So how's things been going with you & your hair?
I hope all's been well.

Sorry I'm still making my way slowly back over here, a lot of catching up to do!

 

[GettingKinky]

Thanks, so much!

But yeah it's an ongoing struggle. I really need to just buckle down, & stick to my own hair/scalp limitations. Comparison doesn't help me at all. I just wish my issues were easier to solve. I can offer help and some useful solutions to others, but it seems much harder for myself?

Today's a perfect example of just delaying the inevitable.
I know it'll be worse to put if off, but I'd rather not deal with my hair every day. Or even every other day.
People who can just wash and wear their hair however they wish long-term, are so lucky!

I will say I do officially like my day 2 hair!
& not just with a strong/firm hold gels/jellies, but with actual cremes/creams as well.
So that's a long-over due accomplishment.

As it's said, "Slow and steady wins the race".


So how's things been going with you & your hair?
I hope all's been well.

Sorry I'm still making my way slowly back over here, a lot of catching up to do!

Yay Day 2 hair!! What are you using to detangle your hair? I really like the Felicia leatherwood brush. It gets our way more shed hair than I used to remove with a wide tooth comb.

Me and my hair have been doing pretty well. I’m down to 3 combos I use
- kinky curly (leave in + custard)
- KCKT + ICH
- UFD + ICH

I can get ~4 days before I need to put my hair in a puff due to frizz.

 

[GettingKinky]

My one month digital salon membership expired!

I feel like I learned a ton in that short amount of time, but there’s always more to learn.

The only reason I’m hesitant to sign up again is the new push to pair with a stylist. I had an appointment with a stylist made before I ever joined, and will continue to see a stylist on a quarterly basis.

I’m just worried they will share less information and every answer will be “see a stylist.”

So far they are still sharing/helping just as much as before. They just stopped doing the weekly live Q&A. My impression has always been that most of the help comes from Cassandra. The As never give answers as helpful or as thorough as hers.

 

[toaster]

So far they are still sharing/helping just as much as before. They just stopped doing the weekly live Q&A. My impression has always been that most of the help comes from Cassandra. The As never give answers as helpful or as thorough as hers.

Cool! I’ll probably join again when they release the new videos they’ve been working on. I learned so much from the videos, but didn’t feel the need to rewatch.

I also bought (with a discount) their book! It’s a great resource with everything in one place, but I don’t think it works very well as a standalone. I’d be very confused if I hadn’t watched all the digital salon videos. Now that I have, everything in the book makes sense/repeats what I learned in the videos.

 

[naturalagain2]

Wishing you faster than normal growth!

Thank you!!

 

[naturalagain2]

Hi All, I have a question - what method do y'all use to refresh wash n go's?

My hair smashes under my bonnet. I just use a mister spray. Lightly mist. Use a light oil (Mane Choice Heavenly Halo Herbal Serum Mist) just one or two sprays into my hand and scrunch my hair back into shape. The gel cast and oil keeps it from looking frizzy doing this daily. Or on days I have an early morning workout session I let the my shower steam plump it back into place.

 

[Shadow_Lace]

Ok, this feels a tad more solid. Always subject to change, tho.

Newer, more concrete pre-wash/cleanse routine.

I sprayed As I Am JBCO Water all over my hair, concentrating on specific areas for the scalp/problem spot treatment.
Next, I massaged the iQ Natural JBCO Lavender Scent Oil onto those areas, making sure to be extra gentle.
I sprayed more of the As I Am JBCO Water over those areas as well as the rest of my hair.
I split my hair down the middle, & sectioned off 1 side.

After spraying a bit more of the JBCO Water onto my hair.
I carefully ran my hands/fingers gently over my strands to remove any looser shed hair.
& to note some particularly difficult knots/tangles/matting.
I added some regular water to my hair as well.
A few pumps of the Not Your Mother's Sicilian Blood Orange & Black Currant conditioner smoothed onto my hair; meanwhile, adding more water as needed.
I used the conditioner as main detangling product.
Repeated adding in more conditioner & water for more slip where necessary...
& Slowly, carefully, but surely removed shed hair, knots/tangles and I gently separated the matted roots.
After feeling more satisfied with the section, I braided three separate sections into 1 braid.
Repeated the same on the other side.
Covered my hair with a plastic conditioning cap.

I try not to leave this on, for too long, due to avoid any possible scalp irritation.
Through trial & error...
I've learned the best way to utilize oils &/or scalp treatments is on wash day.
Specifically, prior to washing/cleansing my hair.

On wards!


I cleansed with Not Your Mother's Sicilian Blood Orange & Black Currant Shampoo.
I wash mainly by pre-detangled sections for now.
For a strengthening treatment, I used Giovanni NutraFix Hair Reconstructor.


(On soaking wet hair, section by section) I smoothed on Nature's Little Secret Banana Leave-In conditioner.

(On re-wet hair, section by section) I raked, then smoothed Nature's Little Secret Strawberry Styling Smoothie onto my hair.

I'm currently air-drying my hair.


Whew, it's seems like a lot.
Tbqh, this is vastly downsized in comparison to my wash days 6-7 years ago.
Now that was some work!

 

[oneastrocurlie]

I really should stick to kcnt + kccc and UFD curly magic + mousse for styling. No other combos work as well for moisture and definition. I'm out here playing games trying to use just gel.

 

[Britt]

Vent ahead:

I know botanical gels are healthy for the hair, and I really love UFD, but I am really itching for a more affordable topper that won't dehydrate my hair. I don't even want to ask this in the digital salon b/c I know they are only interested in Innersense gel mostly. I have the smaller bottle of ICH and I can't say that I love it as yet. I can say that I love Trepadora gel and have purchased numerous times. It's just burning me that the topper gel is so pricey. Have any of you tried Giovanni's strong hold gel? I was thinking of trying that also.

When I sorta voiced my opinion on the cost of the gels it was met with exactly what I expected... you only need a small amount, you're paying for quality, blah blah blah. First off, I need to use a fair amount of gel. A quarter size is not gonna work for me. I go through sections with a pump or two of gel.

Second, I'm not asking for something on the level of Eco. But geez, could I get a topper that I can get on ground or better yet doesn't cost damn near $70+ for a large bottle? I just wish there were more options that were a bit more affordable. I easily blow through my Trepardora gels. I don't use it just on the canopy when I'm finished, I use it after UFD on my sections.

 

[Britt]

@Britt I like that idea of KCCC under ICH. KCCC and UFD have very similar ingredients and the KC smells much better.

I don’t think KC is going out of business I think they are just having supply chain issues.

How long did it take you to notice dryness with ICH? So far I haven’t noticed any.

I feel the dryness every time I've used it so far. I've used it about 5 times now? About that. It will look nice and feel good the same day and maybe the next day, but after that my hair has frizzed out faster and feels different than when I use UFD and Trepadora. Now, idk if this is b/c my hair needs more hydration or what. I just haven't found a sweet spot yet with ICH. I LOVED how my hair looked and felt when I used it with KCC underneath.. but a few days later I ended up washing again and using UFD and Trepadora.

I have two jars of KCCC that I would like to use but now sure. I know I need something heavy on top of it to give my hair more weight. I'll probably just continue to use the KCC along with ICH.

 

[Britt]

My one month digital salon membership expired!

I feel like I learned a ton in that short amount of time, but there’s always more to learn.

The only reason I’m hesitant to sign up again is the new push to pair with a stylist. I had an appointment with a stylist made before I ever joined, and will continue to see a stylist on a quarterly basis.

I’m just worried they will share less information and every answer will be “see a stylist.”

Agreed...
I don't know how long I will keep my membership.

 

[toaster]

Vent ahead:

I know botanical gels are healthy for the hair, and I really love UFD, but I am really itching for a more affordable topper that won't dehydrate my hair. I don't even want to ask this in the digital salon b/c I know they are only interested in Innersense gel mostly. I have the smaller bottle of ICH and I can't say that I love it as yet. I can say that I love Trepadora gel and have purchased numerous times. It's just burning me that the topper gel is so pricey. Have any of you tried Giovanni's strong hold gel? I was thinking of trying that also.

When I sorta voiced my opinion on the cost of the gels it was met with exactly what I expected... you only need a small amount, you're paying for quality, blah blah blah. First off, I need to use a fair amount of gel. A quarter size is not gonna work for me. I go through sections with a pump or two of gel.

Second, I'm not asking for something on the level of Eco. But geez, could I get a topper that I can get on ground or better yet doesn't cost damn near $70+ for a large bottle? I just wish there were more options that were a bit more affordable. I easily blow through my Trepardora gels. I don't use it just on the canopy when I'm finished, I use it after UFD on my sections.

Have you tried mousse or foam as a topper? I love the Doux mousse on top of UFD and when I got my hair done my stylist used Sebastian Twisted Curl Foam on my hair and I got very similar results. Each bottle is around $12-$14 and I think my bottle of mousse will last me... 8 weeks of twice weekly wash and go’s?

 

[Britt]

So far they are still sharing/helping just as much as before. They just stopped doing the weekly live Q&A. My impression has always been that most of the help comes from Cassandra. The As never give answers as helpful or as thorough as hers.

AGREED!
I thought about joining the DS for so long b/c I gleaned so much insight from their information. I guess my expectations were too high when I joined the DS.

 

[Britt]

Have you tried mousse or foam as a topper? I love the Doux mousse on top of UFD and when I got my hair done my stylist used Sebastian Twisted Curl Foam on my hair and I got very similar results. Each bottle is around $12-$14 and I think my bottle of mousse will last me... 8 weeks of twice weekly wash and go’s?

I think I need a heavier foam on top of UFD. That's what I was thinking about also, a foam as a topper. But I'm thinking I need something heavier on top of my base. I don't mind paying for UFD at all. I do have TGIN foam and I tried some over a small section of UFD but I could tell it wasn't gonna be heavy enough, it's a light airy foam. I could try the Doux or the Sebastian foam. Is the Sebastian a heavy/concentrated foam?

 

[toaster]

I think I need a heavier foam on top of UFD. That's what I was thinking about also, a foam as a topper. But I'm thinking I need something heavier on top of my base. I don't mind paying for UFD at all. I do have TGIN foam and I tried some over a small section of UFD but I could tell it wasn't gonna be heavy enough, it's a light airy foam. I could try the Doux or the Sebastian foam. Is the Sebastian a heavy/concentrated foam?

I have never used the Sebastian foam on myself so I can’t say if it’s heavy or concentrated. My hair was definitely heavy feeling and super defined after it was used on top of UFD.

When I use mousse def I section my hair into three big sections. Apply 12 pumps of UFD. Add more water. Apply 3 more pumps of UFD. Add more water. Then I apply 1.5 pumps of mousse def on each of six sections, within that 1/3 section of my hair. So I use... 27 pumps of mousse on top of 45 pumps of UFD for my entire head. I think the mousse really helps my hair with definition and hold.

I’ve never tried ICH on top of UFD so I can’t say if it’s an entirely different result.

 

[GettingKinky]

Vent ahead:

I know botanical gels are healthy for the hair, and I really love UFD, but I am really itching for a more affordable topper that won't dehydrate my hair. I don't even want to ask this in the digital salon b/c I know they are only interested in Innersense gel mostly. I have the smaller bottle of ICH and I can't say that I love it as yet. I can say that I love Trepadora gel and have purchased numerous times. It's just burning me that the topper gel is so pricey. Have any of you tried Giovanni's strong hold gel? I was thinking of trying that also.

When I sorta voiced my opinion on the cost of the gels it was met with exactly what I expected... you only need a small amount, you're paying for quality, blah blah blah. First off, I need to use a fair amount of gel. A quarter size is not gonna work for me. I go through sections with a pump or two of gel.

Second, I'm not asking for something on the level of Eco. But geez, could I get a topper that I can get on ground or better yet doesn't cost damn near $70+ for a large bottle? I just wish there were more options that were a bit more affordable. I easily blow through my Trepardora gels. I don't use it just on the canopy when I'm finished, I use it after UFD on my sections.

They used to stress that the products they recommend are high quality so you don’t need to use a lot. But lately they have been telling people to make sure you use enough. I feel like I use just as much Innersense conditioner as I used SM conditioner. And I use a LOT of styling product. Aeleise was always the one saying you don’t need that much product, but I don’t think that’s true at all.

 

[Britt]

I have never used the Sebastian foam on myself so I can’t say if it’s heavy or concentrated. My hair was definitely heavy feeling and super defined after it was used on top of UFD.

When I use mousse def I section my hair into three big sections. Apply 12 pumps of UFD. Add more water. Apply 3 more pumps of UFD. Add more water. Then I apply 1.5 pumps of mousse def on each of six sections, within that 1/3 section of my hair. So I use... 27 pumps of mousse on top of 45 pumps of UFD for my entire head. I think the mousse really helps my hair with definition and hold.

I’ve never tried ICH on top of UFD so I can’t say if it’s an entirely different result.

thank you for this breakdown
I love how your wash and go's look.

 

[Britt]

They used to stress that the products they recommend are high quality so you don’t need to use a lot. But lately they have been telling people to make sure you use enough. I feel like I use just as much Innersense conditioner as I used SM conditioner. And I use a LOT of styling product. Aeleise was always the one saying you don’t need that much product, but I don’t think that’s true at all.

Agreed, agreed...
I still need enough gel for coverage and my hair is on the shorter side.

 

[faithVA]

Vent ahead:

I know botanical gels are healthy for the hair, and I really love UFD, but I am really itching for a more affordable topper that won't dehydrate my hair. I don't even want to ask this in the digital salon b/c I know they are only interested in Innersense gel mostly. I have the smaller bottle of ICH and I can't say that I love it as yet. I can say that I love Trepadora gel and have purchased numerous times. It's just burning me that the topper gel is so pricey. Have any of you tried Giovanni's strong hold gel? I was thinking of trying that also.

When I sorta voiced my opinion on the cost of the gels it was met with exactly what I expected... you only need a small amount, you're paying for quality, blah blah blah. First off, I need to use a fair amount of gel. A quarter size is not gonna work for me. I go through sections with a pump or two of gel.

Second, I'm not asking for something on the level of Eco. But geez, could I get a topper that I can get on ground or better yet doesn't cost damn near $70+ for a large bottle? I just wish there were more options that were a bit more affordable. I easily blow through my Trepardora gels. I don't use it just on the canopy when I'm finished, I use it after UFD on my sections.

You can try TGINs gel as a topper. It isn't very expensive and is worth a try. You can always return it to Sally's if it doesn't work out. It has been a bit hard to find because it seemed to be popular for a while. But you may be able to find it now.

 

[faithVA]

I feel the dryness every time I've used it so far. I've used it about 5 times now? About that. It will look nice and feel good the same day and maybe the next day, but after that my hair has frizzed out faster and feels different than when I use UFD and Trepadora. Now, idk if this is b/c my hair needs more hydration or what. I just haven't found a sweet spot yet with ICH. I LOVED how my hair looked and felt when I used it with KCC underneath.. but a few days later I ended up washing again and using UFD and Trepadora.

I have two jars of KCCC that I would like to use but now sure. I know I need something heavy on top of it to give my hair more weight. I'll probably just continue to use the KCC along with ICH.

When I first started rehydrating my hair the ICH didn't work for me. I didn't use it for 2 months while I reset my hair every 2 days. But after I let my hair rehydrate it worked better. So it definitely needs more hydration to hold the hair.

 

[toaster]

It’s a simple concept, but hydrating your hair with water really blew my mind. Now I sit under the water for so long before I even shampoo. Even longer before I add conditioner. And my hair is so wet it’s practically straight before I apply my gel. The idea of using a mousse on my hair was laughable before. I thought I needed super heavy products to weigh my hair down to get curl definition.

I do acknowledge that it helps that my hair started at a long length and in good health. I straighten my hair MAYBE once a year and I’ve been on and off this forum since 2008. There are all kinds of wonderful routines. This one appears to be working for me right now.

Here is a picture of my first wash and go on September 3, pre-haircut and digital salon. And another picture of my day 3 hair, today.

 

[GettingKinky]

It’s a simple concept, but hydrating your hair with water really blew my mind. Now I sit under the water for so long before I even shampoo. Even longer before I add conditioner. And my hair is so wet it’s practically straight before I apply my gel. The idea of using a mousse on my hair was laughable before. I thought I needed super heavy products to weigh my hair down to get curl definition.

I do acknowledge that it helps that my hair started at a long length and in good health. I straighten my hair MAYBE once a year and I’ve been on and off this forum since 2008. There are all kinds of wonderful routines. This one appears to be working for me right now.

Here is a picture of my first wash and go on September 3, pre-haircut and digital salon. And another picture of my day 3 hair, today.

View attachment 464123View attachment 464125

That’s a HUGE difference.

 

[toaster]

That’s a HUGE difference.

I know! Different technique, getting my hair cut, using smaller sections, and using a gel all really helped!

But I can’t help and think wow! I got a lot of hair cut off! I’m still going to make an appointment in January, but I do hope my hair grows and hangs down more as time goes on.

 

[Kiaray8]

I used S curl activator & Ecoslay Jello shot for my WnG this week and I love it. Hair always has a slight crunch in the morning which I don’t mind but throughout the day especially if there is any moisture when I am my hair is really soft throughout the day and just hangs nicely. I tried the s curl before for a twist out which didn’t look good at all & I think it needs a hard gel to follow for my frizz.

 

[GettingKinky]

@toaster your hair doesn’t look a lot shorter.

 

[Shadow_Lace]

Same pre-wash routine as the previous post. Except I made smaller & smaller sections, to really make sure I got the worst matting areas at my roots.

I cleansed with Honey's Handmade Pumpkin & Safflower Apple Butter Co-Wash. Next I used Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask as my protein treatment.

I skipped using a leave-in conditioner.

(On re-wet hair) I smoothed on Honey's Handmade Pumpkin Spice & Toffee Curl Nog Custard onto each section.
I'm currently air-drying my hair.

I'm making myself more accustomed to using cremes/custards &/or leave-in creme styling products. Only because I'd rather just use the gel/jellies when I'm out somewhere for quite some time.


As far as the Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask...
It's a good protein treatment!
Won't replace my Holy Grail from Emergencia, tho.
I just know now I can use this instead, & reserve that one for actual emergencies, lol.

Has slip, but it's very thick, easy to distribute throughout my hair.
Kinda old school hair product scent... It's pleasant, and slightly sweet.
Doesn't linger much past rinsing it out.


The Honey's Handmade Pumpkin Spice & Toffee Curl Nog Custard.

Can be used as a leave-in.
Actually that may be it's primary use?

Yeah, so I used this as my only moisturizing styling product.
So far, what I've noticed with both of these Honey's Handmade products.
They're very fragrant!
So if you're sensitive to fragrances, these won't be for you, sorry.


With the HH Curl Custard,
The scent is Pumpkin Spice & Toffee.
However, it really reminds me of a Pumpkin Spice Latte too!

Plenty of slip!
The consistency is more like flaxseed gel based cream, still creamy but can also be very messy.
Easy application on my hair.
I wasn't really checking for hold, so if I notice anything significant I'll try to post it.

 

[GettingKinky]

@Shadow_Lace that pumpkin spice toffee custard sounds yummy! I love products that smell good, but I’m trying hard not to buy anything new and just stick to what I have.

 

[Britt]

When I first started rehydrating my hair the ICH didn't work for me. I didn't use it for 2 months while I reset my hair every 2 days. But after I let my hair rehydrate it worked better. So it definitely needs more hydration to hold the hair.

Thank you! I’m thinking that. I’ll try it again, def gonna finish it.

 

[toaster]

@Shadow_Lace all of your products sound delicious!

 

[GettingKinky]

Today I tried a one product wash n go with mousse def and air drying. So far I love it, and even if it only lasts a few days, it was so quick and easy that I’d be willing to redo it every other day.