Hair Rules Review (The "Special Offer" has Ended)

Living the Curly (Curly, Curly, Curly)… Liiife requires a certain amount of dedication. One moment of weakness can set you back weeks, months, and sometimes even years. One trip to the salon to “see” how long my hair was when straightened left me with strands that just wouldn’t get curly and right again. One long weekend where I abandoned my nighttime braiding and satin head wrap ritual left me in single strand knot city. A week (or two) without a deep conditioning session and my hair reaches desert level dryness with frizz to match. This year, I made a commitment to my hair: I was going to maximize its care so that it could reach its maximum potential.

My newfound (or re-found if I am being totally accurate) commitment has led me to explore new products, invest time in new processes, and express appreciation for my hair by treating it with my best possible care… While I have stumbled upon some new practices (such as The Pre-Poo) that have left me (and my mane) forever changed… there are some things that just don’t require fixing. My commitment to Hair Rules (yes, Hair like H-A-I-R and Rules like R-U-L-E-S) is one of them.

Have You Pre-Pooed |pre poo ed| Lately?

Pre-Poo |pre po͞o| v. To treat your hair with a mixture of moisturizing conditioner and/or oil prior to shampooing or co-washing.

We all have our tell-tell signs that we need to take a moment away from the hustle and bustle, that is life, and get our ship back in order. For some of us the sign might be the laundry piling up. When someone asks you, “is that shirt new?” and you “hmmm and ahhh” because you don’t want them to know that you have resorted to pulling clean clothes out of the “For Goodwill” bag. For others it’s a stranger writing, “wash me” across the back window of your car because it is way past time for you set a date with the carwash. My “pause for the cause” indicator rests atop my head.

My hair is, at times, reminiscent of a baby in need of a nap. When I’ve pushed my curls to their limit they revolt in extraordinary ways and none of my attempts to band-aid the situation (applying additional product, co-washing, head-banding, twisting-out, or braiding-out) are going to mask the inevitable freak-out my tresses are preparing to unleash on me. In moments like these, my hair won’t hold a curl, twist, crimp, or braid, it tangles at the drop of a dime and shrinks to the teeny-weeniest of afros. When my hair refuses to compromise any further, I know its time for a special session. One of the easiest ways to bring my curls back into alignment is with a good old pre-poo.

Introducing: “The Becky” |THē bek-ee|

Perhaps the most frequently asked question about my hair (other than, “can I touch it?”) is: How do you achieve those perfectly coiled curls? While straw sets, twist outs, braid outs, and finger twists are all methods I have employed at one time or another, my daily go-to is a tried and true wash ‘n’ go… A 6-step style I have affectionately nicknamed “The Becky” (|T͟Hē bek-ee| n. a convenient hair style completed while in the shower. Also known as a "wash 'n' go").

A Vitamin (or 5) A Day… Helps Your Hair Grow Long & Pretty (read: |pritā|)

“Take your vitamins” and “drink lots of water” are words of advice often given to those trying to achieve optimum health, skin, hair, and nails. I have found that my vitamin regimen is at its best the weeks leading up to my annual appointment with my doctor (aka my eat meat, take your vitamins, get on birth control, nope too late you better have a baby now, iron supplement pushing medical professional).

They're Gonna Do What They're Gonna Do, Baby

The BIGGEST lesson of my curly-journey (|kərlē ‘jərnē| n. The course of exploration, awareness, and acceptance one travels through as related to their hair) is realizing that my hair is going to do what it’s going to do. The mantra “let go and let flow” often comes to mind when I am faced with a finished style that leaves me a little underwhelmed (to put it mildly). People often look at my hair and think that I’ve got it made. They say, “It must be nice to just wake up and go” or “your hair must be so easy to do”… Not exactly.

Birth of a Blog...

I cannot count the number of times a random passersby has stopped, chased, touched, over-talked, interrupted, honked at, (did I say touched?), yelled at, questioned, complimented, pointed at, praised, smiled at, stared at, and TOUCHED (yes, again) me JUST to tell me something about my hair.

They like it.

They love it.

They want to know how I do it.

They ask how long I’ve had it.

They wonder what’s in it.

They touch it.

They ask to touch it (some people… sometimes).