Wash And Go, To Grow And To Dazzle 2020 Challenge

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Dont tell me that @LavenderMint I have 2 jars of that chunky stuff. I keep staring at it wondering how imma get it to work


In regards to the doux, you probably used too much and when its extra humid its like the hair almost sweats out the gel and gets juicy. You really dont need a lot of gel with big poppa

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

I am back from my salon experience! Overall, I'm very happy. As I suspected, quite a bit had to be cut off. I had major split ends from horrible hair practices in the past - plus not having been in a salon since way before the pandemic. She probably cut off 2.5" all around. More in the back. Despite saying goodbye to a lot of hair, I now have a head full of 100% healthy hair and a defined shape from which I will grow out as I pursue more length.

As soon as the water hit my hair, she says, "Ooooh, you have a lot of shrinkage." Yeah, tell me about it, lol. She shampooed with Matrix Sleek shampoo and followed up with Matrix Moisture Me Rich Conditioner. I sat underneath a steamer for awhile before she rinsed and applied the gels. She used a different combination than I've tried - Kinky Curly Custard plus Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls. I watched in a mirror as she applied all of the gel so that I know what to do at home. After applying the gels, she added a sprinkling of water on top of it all.

I watched closely as she smoothed with a shampoo brush and then raked for definition. I took notes on that part lol. I'm not quite as patient during this process at home. The way she smoothed and raked allowed the individual curls to form so nicely and organically. I will try to mimic this when I wash and set again. My two problem spots that are hard to define and easily frizz into a soft fro - she added a bit more water and product to those areas. They look way better than when I've done my hair myself. I sat under the dryer for an hour, she put the finishing touches on the cut, and I was off!

The end result: My hair is very defined with no frizz. There is a soft hold gel cast. I've already scheduled for a 3 month followup appointment. She said to keep doing what I've been doing. My hair has bounced back from severe dehydration, but there's still room to become more hydrated and get more natural curl definition. Can't wait to see my hair flourish over time. Lastly, here are the pics.

 

[toaster]

Gorgeous @sunshinebeautiful !! Thanks for all the details. What an interesting product combo.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

@sunshinebeautiful it looks great. Glad you had a good experience.

 

[GettingKinky]

It looks great @sunshinebeautiful. The thought of having a head full of damage free hair sounds so nice- you’re going to have a beautiful grow out.

 

[LavenderMint]

Your hair looks great @sunshinebeautiful The shape is very flattering too!

@Bette Davis Eyes thats probably true. I can be quite heavy handed with product.
I was so tired last night & had so much other stuff to do that I did not get around to washing my hair. So I’m at work looking however I’m also curious to find more gels with no glycerin or at least with it further down the ingredients list. UFD &KCCC both are glycerin free. The only other gels I’ve found are the ampro protein gels.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Your hair looks great @sunshinebeautiful The shape is very flattering too!

@Bette Davis Eyes thats probably true. I can be quite heavy handed with product.
I was so tired last night & had so much other stuff to do that I did not get around to washing my hair. So I’m at work looking however I’m also curious to find more gels with no glycerin or at least with it further down the ingredients list. UFD &KCCC both are glycerin free. The only other gels I’ve found are the ampro protein gels.

Make your own. If you have time to play around. @LavenderMint

 

[toaster]

Me: the left side of my hair isn’t growing

The left side of my hair (first pic is late December and 3 day hair. Second pic is yesterday and day 4 hair):



I keep saying I’ll do a trim “next month” but I’m going to wait until my ends feel hard to detangle, and then I’ll trim.

 

[GettingKinky]

@toaster your hair grows sooooo fast.

 

[toaster]

@toaster your hair grows sooooo fast.

I really don’t think it does! It might grow slightly faster than average, but my curl pattern hangs down so much with each inch, it appears much longer. I have a ton of shrinkage when my hair is shorter and lighterweight, but it does hang down with more length/weight.

 

[faithVA]

My day 1 hair is looking better. But my day 2 hair is blah and by day 3 my hair is just a fro. When my hair was shorter my hair shrunk to a nice fro and I didn't have to touch it. At this mid-length it shrinks to something which is not wearable. And I think my trying to reshape it on day 2, reduces the life of it. I think I just have to deal with this until I get more length. But I am experiencing irritation because it is a lot of work for 1 day of a look Anyway. That's all I have this week.

Hoping that the jello shot can at least give me 3 day hair. Fingers crossed.

 

[faithVA]

I am back from my salon experience! Overall, I'm very happy. As I suspected, quite a bit had to be cut off. I had major split ends from horrible hair practices in the past - plus not having been in a salon since way before the pandemic. She probably cut off 2.5" all around. More in the back. Despite saying goodbye to a lot of hair, I now have a head full of 100% healthy hair and a defined shape from which I will grow out as I pursue more length.

As soon as the water hit my hair, she says, "Ooooh, you have a lot of shrinkage." Yeah, tell me about it, lol. She shampooed with Matrix Sleek shampoo and followed up with Matrix Moisture Me Rich Conditioner. I sat underneath a steamer for awhile before she rinsed and applied the gels. She used a different combination than I've tried - Kinky Curly Custard plus Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls. I watched in a mirror as she applied all of the gel so that I know what to do at home. After applying the gels, she added a sprinkling of water on top of it all.

I watched closely as she smoothed with a shampoo brush and then raked for definition. I took notes on that part lol. I'm not quite as patient during this process at home. The way she smoothed and raked allowed the individual curls to form so nicely and organically. I will try to mimic this when I wash and set again. My two problem spots that are hard to define and easily frizz into a soft fro - she added a bit more water and product to those areas. They look way better than when I've done my hair myself. I sat under the dryer for an hour, she put the finishing touches on the cut, and I was off!

The end result: My hair is very defined with no frizz. There is a soft hold gel cast. I've already scheduled for a 3 month followup appointment. She said to keep doing what I've been doing. My hair has bounced back from severe dehydration, but there's still room to become more hydrated and get more natural curl definition. Can't wait to see my hair flourish over time. Lastly, here are the pics.

Looks great. I'm glad you had such a good experience.

 

[faithVA]

Me: the left side of my hair isn’t growing

The left side of my hair (first pic is late December and 3 day hair. Second pic is yesterday and day 4 hair):

View attachment 471757

I keep saying I’ll do a trim “next month” but I’m going to wait until my ends feel hard to detangle, and then I’ll trim.

I had to keep rereading this. I was like what is she talking about. But then I realized you were being sarcastic. Whew! Glad I figured that out.

 

[toaster]

This is excellent, informative and free content:

 

[sunshinebeautiful]

This is excellent, informative and free content:

I saw this earlier and tuned in.

 

[GettingKinky]

@toaster

I really don’t think it does! It might grow slightly faster than average, but my curl pattern hangs down so much with each inch, it appears much longer. I have a ton of shrinkage when my hair is shorter and lighterweight, but it does hang down with more length/weight.

how long is your hair stretched? My hair doesn’t seem to hang more as it grows

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

I don’t know how y’all wash your hair in the shower. My kitchen sink was being worked on last week so I’ve been doing my hair in the shower. Way too much water.

Tonight was the last time. Thankfully it’s fixed so I can go back to my regularly scheduled program.

 

[EmmJaii]

I am back from my salon experience! Overall, I'm very happy. As I suspected, quite a bit had to be cut off. I had major split ends from horrible hair practices in the past - plus not having been in a salon since way before the pandemic. She probably cut off 2.5" all around. More in the back. Despite saying goodbye to a lot of hair, I now have a head full of 100% healthy hair and a defined shape from which I will grow out as I pursue more length.

As soon as the water hit my hair, she says, "Ooooh, you have a lot of shrinkage." Yeah, tell me about it, lol. She shampooed with Matrix Sleek shampoo and followed up with Matrix Moisture Me Rich Conditioner. I sat underneath a steamer for awhile before she rinsed and applied the gels. She used a different combination than I've tried - Kinky Curly Custard plus Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls. I watched in a mirror as she applied all of the gel so that I know what to do at home. After applying the gels, she added a sprinkling of water on top of it all.

I watched closely as she smoothed with a shampoo brush and then raked for definition. I took notes on that part lol. I'm not quite as patient during this process at home. The way she smoothed and raked allowed the individual curls to form so nicely and organically. I will try to mimic this when I wash and set again. My two problem spots that are hard to define and easily frizz into a soft fro - she added a bit more water and product to those areas. They look way better than when I've done my hair myself. I sat under the dryer for an hour, she put the finishing touches on the cut, and I was off!

The end result: My hair is very defined with no frizz. There is a soft hold gel cast. I've already scheduled for a 3 month followup appointment. She said to keep doing what I've been doing. My hair has bounced back from severe dehydration, but there's still room to become more hydrated and get more natural curl definition. Can't wait to see my hair flourish over time. Lastly, here are the pics.

Your hair looks great! And I can’t tell at all that you once suffered from severe dehydration!

 

[EmmJaii]

My day 1 hair is looking better. But my day 2 hair is blah and by day 3 my hair is just a fro. When my hair was shorter my hair shrunk to a nice fro and I didn't have to touch it. At this mid-length it shrinks to something which is not wearable. And I think my trying to reshape it on day 2, reduces the life of it. I think I just have to deal with this until I get more length. But I am experiencing irritation because it is a lot of work for 1 day of a look Anyway. That's all I have this week.

Hoping that the jello shot can at least give me 3 day hair. Fingers crossed.

If anything can give you more longevity, it’s definitely the Jell-O shot!

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

Sat under the dryer for a bit and then went and sat outside. It’s slightly raining so it’s moisture in the air.

 

[EmmJaii]

Day 2 hair with UFD and Jell-O shot (decided to give it another chance since y’all are having so much success with it)

I stretched using my dyson on medium heat and then banded so it wouldn’t shrink back (as I’m typing this I can tell it’s going to shrink up at least a little). Idk whyyyy the left side of my head (right in pic) looks shorter in this photo, I swear it looks normal in real life. Ugh.

 

[toaster]

@toaster

how long is your hair stretched? My hair doesn’t seem to hang more as it grows

Between 14 and 16 inches depending on where I measure.

 

[faithVA]

If anything can give you more longevity, it’s definitely the Jell-O shot!

Thanks for the hope. I need it. I think I'm going into finger coils or 2 strand twist until it arrives.

 

[faithVA]

Day 2 hair with UFD and Jell-O shot (decided to give it another chance since y’all are having so much success with it)

I stretched using my dyson on medium heat and then banded so it wouldn’t shrink back (as I’m typing this I can tell it’s going to shrink up at least a little). Idk whyyyy the left side of my head (right in pic) looks shorter in this photo, I swear it looks normal in real life. Ugh.

It looks good. Maybe you were leaning a little.

 

[GettingKinky]

@EmmJaii your hair is beautiful. How exactly do you use the Dyson to stretch your hair.

 

[EmmJaii]

@EmmJaii your hair is beautiful. How exactly do you use the Dyson to stretch your hair.

Thanks!

I section it into about 6 sections (front left, bang, front right, crown, back left, back right) then I hold the section about 2 inches above the ends, pull it taught (sp?) and run the blow dryer up and down that section for about 10-15 seconds. Then I use the cool shot button, and band with a satin scrunchie. By holding above the ends, I’m not disturbing the curls on the end, and so my hair maintains the illusion of definition. Hope that makes sense!

I really like having volume with my definition and unfortunately it shortens the lifespan of my wash n go, but my hair is getting easier and easier to style so it may not be a real issue. I’ll probably never have a full week of a style, but I can easily get 4 days, maybe 5 if I’m okay with rocking a puff for a little bit.

Do you all do any styling on old wash n goes? I feel like if I knew of other cute styles to turn it into I could make it last longer.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

If i stretch my hair it shortens the longevity of my washngo.

Last night I put two ponytails in before bed and because of that my hair is elongated and stretched. This washngo isnt going to last as long as if I left it alone and let it naturally fall into place over the week.

 

[Bette Davis Eyes]

I didn’t ponytail it tight. Just enough to secure it.

 

[oneastrocurlie]

Stylist is booked solid for all of May and June. No cut before Fall for me. Guess that gives more time for shorter parts of my hair to grow.

 

[LavenderMint]

If i stretch my hair it shortens the longevity of my washngo.

Last night I put two ponytails in before bed and because of that my hair is elongated and stretched. This washngo isnt going to last as long as if I left it alone and let it naturally fall into place over the week.

The bolded is the same for me. I also found that it can cause more tangles so I don’t do it often.

@EmmJaii I most often will put in clips or combs to move my hair off my face since it flips onto my forehead by the end of the week, no matter how it starts. Upside to that is I worry less about what my brows look like but with the craziness of a mega brood of cicadas about to hit, I’m probably going to be starting with a wng & then doing either a bun or something else to hide my hair. Last time they came out, they were everywhere including our hair and clothes but I had locs then.