Ladies, you really have to forgive me for this one. I said I was going to share more about my hair journey here, but I only share relaxer updates. Now it's time for all of that to change! Though this was a bit spur of the moment, I thought I would begin to share more about goals and practices starting today. Since yesterday was wash day, I'll start with that.
The Cleanse
As my first cleanse of the month, I clarified with shampoo instead of co-washing. I used my staple clarifying shampoo, ORS Creamy Aloe Shampoo. I then conditioned with Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor in a cap while in the shower. After rinsing the conditioner, I applied Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner (infused with peppermint oil) to my hair and let it sit for about ten minutes. This was an attempt to add a little moisture back into my hair and stimulate the scalp a bit.
After cleansing and conditioning my hair, I noticed it felt stronger, but not as moisturized as I would have liked it to be. I generously sprayed my Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Reconstructurizer all over my hair as a leave-in conditioner. I moisturized and sealed with African Pride Olive Miracle Maximum Strengthening Moisturizing Lotion and Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (EVCO). Then I wrapped it in my knotted head scarf and let it air dry for most of the day.
The Aftermath
Last night, I got the bright idea of trying bantu-knots again. When I tried doing them the first time, I did them on wet hair and woke up the next morning to something like a bird's nest. It was a mess! This time I decided to do them on dry hair to see if I would get better results. Since my hair was already 80% dry, I added a drop of Silk Remedy to my hair and blow-dried the rest. Then I proceeded to bantu-knot my hair all over.
The Bantu Knot Process
To style my dry, relaxed hair, I used this method here, adding a bit of African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizing Lotion and Grapeseed Oil to each section. After completing about 12 or 13 knots all over, I put on my bonnet and went to sleep.
This morning, I woke up and took down each of my knots carefully. They felt so soft and moisturized! And they were each (almost) perfectly coiled! I was beyond excited as I took them down. I continued to separate them and shake them out until I achieved a fuller, more desired look. These are my results:
They're not perfect, but they work for me! I'm happy that I've finally tried another protective/low manipulation hairstyle and it looks decent. Next time I try them, I'll make sure to take a picture of what they looked like before I took them down.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED BANTU-KNOTS BEFORE?
