the wash day files: lazy wash day + meet the curls

10:46 Naija girl next door 4 Comments

Hi people :) Forgive me for the dark picture.
   I haven't been feeling up to doing a lot with my hair lately. I bunned throughout the week from my last wash day and skipped my mid-week co-wash. I have been a good girl with my moisturising and sealing though, did it nightly. Yay me.
I shampooed on my last wash day and haven't put anything besides water and a few drops of oil in my hair since; so a co-wash was the plan.
   I really didn't feel like jumping in and out of the shower so I did something I haven't done in a while- deep conditioned on dry hair.
Deep condition: ORS replenishing conditioner + 2 capfuls palm kernel oil (PKO) + 2 capfuls coconut oiI. I spritzed my hair with water and applied the mixture in 4 sections then covered with 2 shower caps and wrapped with a towel for an hour.
Co-wash: Used my vo5 conditioner (of course). I do this in two sections. I find that four sections work for me with deep conditioning and detangling, but two is so much easier when I wash.
I used warm water.
   I had some buildup from the deep conditioning that wasn't too easy to work out without shampoo, but I kept going with the warm water till I got it out. Did a final cold water rinse to close the cuticles and trap moisture and i was done.
Drying and detangling: PKO worked its magic again and I had soft, soft hair :D
T-shirt dried for 20 minutes, sealed with a mix of EVOO and coconut oil then detangled with my fingers followed by a wide tooth comb.
Detangling was hassle-free. Only one knot caused by shed hairs tried to mess with me but I said no no no!
I put my hair in a ponytail, massaged my shea butter mix into my edges and tied down with my satin scarf. Wash day was done (curtsies).
It is SO hard taking a picture of the back of one's head

   If you noticed, I don't use a leave-in conditioner. I tried some; store bought and homemade. I won't say any was bad, they did what they were supposed to do: eased detangling, added moisture (I think. I don't know if it was any different from my normal moisture levels).
However, I didn't like the side effects- product buildup, residue on my hands, stickiness from some, oiliness - I like when the amount of oil in my hair is measured and deliberate- from conditioning and sealing only. I hate oily hair.
  I'm not on the hunt for the ideal leave-in, my regimen works just great for moisture retention and I like the simplicity of fewer products and steps. But if there's one I absolutely have to try, please go ahead and suggest, don't be shy :)

Meanwhile, I took pictures of my new growth last wash day:
Looser curls at the back half of my head, finer strands at the nape-

Tighter curls at the front half, thickest at the crown:

Drop me a line :)


  1. Hey Sandra, have you ever tried Cantu shea butter leave in? I use it on my relaxed hair and my nieces natural hair and it works wonders. It's not greasy at all. It doesn't play nicely with any other products though apart from oil for sealing. It's also easily absorbed. If it doesn't work out as a leave in, I've come across a blog(I think the kink and I maybe) where she used it as a dc.. Try and see.

    1. Hi Noelle! Your comment reminded me I used this leave in way back when I knew little about hair. I had forgotten. It was a long time ago but you're right, I do remember it wasn't greasy. I'll try it again and see how it goes. Thanks!

  2. Seeing ur hair makes me wonder why I keep defaulting. *tears* Heaven I need help. Kudos Sandy for not relenting.

    1. Thank you:*
      Just set a goal this month and see if that helps. It might be easier having to look forward to evaluating your hair in 4 weeks. Also take pictures to compare. Nothing motivates like seeing your own progress