Pantene model for a day...

Usually I hate those damn Pantene "Relaxed & Natural" hair models. They smile and run around in floaty white dresses while that God-awful "feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you..." song plays in the background, as their unnaturally shiny, perfect curls bounce to the beat. Some gorgeous, chocolate skinned man always runs his fingers through the model's caramel colored locks as she turns around and beams at him with that blindingly white smile. The model's model friends all have equally beautiful, frizz-free, "natural" hair, and they all dance together at their sunshine-filled picnic until the commercial fades out. Like I said, usually, I hate those Pantene hair models because usually, my natural hair looks nothing like theirs...usually...except for today.

From Perfect Hair day

Today was a most certainly a "best hair ever" day. Since my hair is extremely curly and generally has a penchant for huge, "out-to-there" afro looks, I choose not to fight with it and let it do it's thing. Thus, I've long since mastered braid-outs, twist-outs, flat twists, coils, and any other mechanical means of making my hair (sort of) lay down. These methods, however, almost always require overnight preparation and deep down, I've longed for the day where I could emerge from my morning shower and easily will my curls to hang downward in under 15 minutes. Feeling brave enough to revisit this battle, I did a little research on Google and came across "A Curly Girls Guide to Loving Your Locks" on AOL. It's a ten-part, quick yet effective slide show by Lorriane Massey, co-owner of curly hair company Devachan, on taming curly hair. Now I have to admit, at first I was leery on taking any of this advice because the demonstrations were done on and seemed to be geared towards Caucasian curly hair. Though white men and women may battle ringlets that are just as tightly coiled as African American curls, black hair is still generally more coarse than white hair and I had a hard time believing any hair advice that worked for white women would be as effective on me...that is until I actually tried it.

So, my morning went like this:

1. Instead of washing my hair with shampoo, I did the "no-poo" method (as coined by Lorraine Massey) of rinsing my hair with a light conditioner only. My fav for this purpose is Suave's Tropical Coconut Conditioner (as recommended by fellow blogger Mane & Chic)
2. I got out of the shower with soaking wet hair and DID NOT dry my hair yet. I dried myself off with a towel, but nary a fabric came near my wet curls just yet.
3. To my soaking wet hair I liberally applied 3 products, (1) Cantu Shea Butter Leave-in Conditioner, (2) my homemade leave-in concoction as inspired by the recipe from Motown Girl, and (3) Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk (I am actively looking for a new alternative to this-- it's a bit heavy).
4. To my soaking wet, now product laden hair, I took paper towels (you can use a t-shirt as well) and blotted my hair dry. I would just grab sections of curls by the side (no scrunching) with the paper towel and squeeze the water out. Once my hair was damp, I took random curls and twirled them with my finger to make them more defined.
   
5. To my damp hair, I applied plastic, duck-billed clips the the ends of my curls to weight them down and stretch them as the dry (butterfly clamps work too). Per Lorraine Massey's suggestion, I took another paper towel sheet and sprayed it with my concocted leave-in and sat it on top of my hair so that those pesky frizzies couldn't crop up.
6. Next, I lotioned up, got dressed, did my make-up and all that jazz in order to give my hair some time to airdry. Once there was nothing left to finish but my hair, I gently dried it with my blowdryer and diffuser attachment on low speed/medium heat (the duck-billed clips were still in place).
7. Once dry, I took the clips out, shook my head, finger styled, and left the house to enjoy my perfect hair day!