Sunday, December 2, 2012

Hair time...

Today is hair wash day...I should've done it yesterday, but it got late, I got tired, and this is a process.
I have a process when it comes to MIB's hair.  I've done research on other blogs on the best way to do thick, natural, nappy hair (yes I call our hair nappy because it is and I ain't ashamed and won't let her be ashamed...it is what it is) and took tips from so many sites to finally get my own routine down with her hair.

Also, I need to let you know that my hair skills are minimal: I can't french braid, do designs, or that cute stuff.  But that's ok because I like to keep it simple: two strand twists (TST), box braids, puffs, and my latest Ghanaian twists (GTs) (I just learned how to do these a few months ago).  I do the GTs to stretch her hair, not for length or straightness, but to better do her hair.  Since our hair is nappy, it tangles up around itself something terrible...not bad for me but a nightmare for her.  So to keep her pain level to a minimum and our process down to a few hours instead of all day I do the GTs.

This is my process for the day:

First I washed her hair with Hair One cleansing conditioner.  This stuff is like Wen (which I've used before) but so much cheaper; it cost about a third less than Wen. Her hair is already in 12 TST which makes it easier for me to wash and detangle her hair.  I put the Hair One in each twist, massage it in thoroughly to clean it, rinse it completely (detangling as I go), and then retwist it and move on to the next one.
Pre wash and already parted
Post wash






Once I was done with the cleansing her hair, I got my arsenal ready: Disney Jr, my shea butter mix, a bottle of detangler mixed with water, weave thread, scissors, rat tail comb, and my savior, a Tangle Tamer Max brush (more on this in a minute).  I turned Disney Jr. on and get started.

Definition after Tangle Teezer
Products

I sprayed her hair with the water/detangler mix and brushed it out with her Tangle Tamer Max to fully detangle it.  Then I get some of our shea butter mix, applied it to her hair, and brushed it with the Tangle Tamer Max again.  (I just need to tell you that the Tangle Tamer Max works best on her hair and detangling it.  It easily guides through her hair during our detangling session and actually defines her curls when I allow her to wear it loose.  It works for us but might not be the best for you...but dammit I love it lol).

First GT done
Once it's detangled I'll normally use her rat tail come to part her hair (but since it's already in twists I don't need to use it) and I'll start the GTs process.  I can't explain it but you can view this video by Girls Love Your Curls (LOVE HER!) here: 
 


How long I keep the GTs up depends on what I want to do with her hair and what my schedule looks like.  Since MIB has off tomorrow, I'll keep them in tonight, take them down tomorrow and will do EITHER TST or box braids with beads (I'm leaning towards the box braids because I can keep those up for a few weeks).   I try to keep this routine every two weeks...but once a week I take her hair down, dampen it a little with my detangler/water mix, put a little more shea butter mix on it, brush it to remove lint, and retwist it (depending on the size of the twist, last week I was able to do that because she only had 12 TST).  This takes at the most an hour or two episodes of Doc McStuffins.

I have to keep myself committed to this routine because I've gone longer without doing her hair properly and the tears and screams are more than I can handle...she acts like I'm torturing her.  And to her I am.  But since I am keeping this routine, it makes it easier on her, it goes by so much more quickly, and we kind of use this time as bonding time.  Even though I talk to her everyday about what she did at school or what she did with Nani that day, I'd use our hair time to just talk about life in general.  Also, this is a way for me to teach her the best methods for her hair and how to love and appreciate her hair for what it is:beautiful.

What are your hair routines with your MIB YCMs/YCFs?

Remember Thursday's Thoughts...email me here with your questions!

8 comments:

  1. We don't really have a hair routine. I don't like to go more than two weeks without watching my either of my kids' hair. They're very hot natured and it doesn't take much to make them bust a sweat and their head is the first place they start sweating.

    I brush or pick out my son's hair almost everyday otherwise it ends up a matted mess. And my daughter can get hair done once or sometimes a twice a week. It just depends on how rough she sleeps and how hard to she plays.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Girl if I didn't have a hair routine...there will be problems in this house lol. She's super tender headed like I am and I have to take time and be extra gentle with her head.

      Does your daughter wear a satin cap? I put one on MIB's head and secure it with a rubber band or ponytail holder in the front (if I can't find her child sized one).

      KMN

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  2. I do the wash, wear, and run routine when it comes to my hair and my daughter's hair. I am just not coordinated at styling and all those little extras. I admire your ability!!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love wash and wear too...and I can kind of do it now but it's growing to the point where I HAVE to start styling it...it's clippers or locs lol...I'm leaning towards locs.

      And trust me it took me a LONG time to get on top of learning how to style her hair...but I've seen so many children as a teacher that came to school looking any ole kind of way and I vowed if I EVER had a girl...I'd 1- learn how to do it or 2- pay someone to do it for me LMAO!

      KMN

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  3. It was hair washing night over here last night. I should have read this beforehand!

    My routine usually involves her dvr'd programs, lollipops, detangler, several combs and brushes, and some kind hair oil.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Giiiiiirl you are a good one with the lollipops...MIB would be on 1000! LOL...I try to give her some kind of fruit or some pudding...but she's into fruit like that. I can even give her heart shaped cucumber with some ranch and she's good...as long as Doc McStuffins or them damn Tinkerbells are on lol.

      What kind of oil do you use on your little one's hair? I really want to get some coconut oil (it looks so light) but I don't know if that's in my budget right now lol.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      KMN

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  4. KMN,

    I never realized how much work goes into this...wow, I was really impressed. Great blog post, really enjoyed your writing.

    Cindy Huber

    http://www.blogher.com/story-max-dog

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    Replies
    1. Hey Cindy,

      Yes it is a process...I used to have to clear the entire weekend to do her hair because I didn't have a routine down pat and she's terribly tender headed, has thick long hair, and four years old lol. But it's what I have to do because I don't do chemical relaxers or heat processing on her hair. Nothing against someone else who does it but it's not for me and MIB (at least until she turns 18 and then she can do what she wants lol).

      And I'm glad that you enjoyed the post! Thank you! :o)

      KMN

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