Wash And Go, To Grow And To Dazzle 2020 Challenge

EmmJaii

Well-Known Member
Ugh I’ve missed so much! So many amazing wash n go’s! Y’all are killing it!

I had knotless braids for about 3 weeks, and just couldn’t deal with the weight and not having access to my own hair. Plus they were pulling at my hairline and I was so afraid of it thinning out. I probably overreacted but it is what it is. I just did my WnG and my hair is unhappy. It’s just not as hydrated as it was before I got it braided. My styling came out okay, I’ll rock it for a few days, but I feel like I was just set back 2-3 months. Ugh.
 

Bette Davis Eyes

The "OG" Product Junkie
Ugh I’ve missed so much! So many amazing wash n go’s! Y’all are killing it!

I had knotless braids for about 3 weeks, and just couldn’t deal with the weight and not having access to my own hair. Plus they were pulling at my hairline and I was so afraid of it thinning out. I probably overreacted but it is what it is. I just did my WnG and my hair is unhappy. It’s just not as hydrated as it was before I got it braided. My styling came out okay, I’ll rock it for a few days, but I feel like I was just set back 2-3 months. Ugh.


Whenever you come out of a protective style remember the hair has been stretched and hasnt been watered like it was when it was loose.
You have to have a super deep conditioning session and then wash a little more frequently to rehydrate the hair. Dont get bummed, just up that moisture and your curls will pop back,

Think of it as curl training. I know when I want to start to washngo Im going to have to do a clay wash, followed by a deep conditioning session under my steamer. Then the next few washes after focus on moisture. The boom... curl city. Right now ive been doing braidouts so my hair is used to being stretched

@EmmJaii
 

LavenderMint

Well-Known Member
I didn’t mean to stay away so long but things have been happening because I have to go back to teaching in person next week.

Last week, I went out 3x times. I usually go a couple places during the week but I went new places and it was... interesting.
A random cashier (with tight wavy hair) asked how I get my hair like this. I’ve been asked that before lol “Is that from rods or a straw set?” and when I told her it’s my hair she said Oh, that must be a lot of work. I decided to assume she was speaking out of her own experience with her hair.

I got stopped twice and asked where I got my wig. One lady knew enough to ask if I have type 4 hair & was fascinated that our hair type can indeed be “wash n go” hair. But I had to cut the conversation short & leave her with a list of youtube channels to check out when she said “Oh my gawd, my ninja hair could NEVAH!” I explained that it takes consistency and not being afraid of wetting our hair more often, as well as possibly cutting out heavy butters/oils and had to go. I absolutely hate when we refer to our hair that way & find it very triggering.

Backstory: One of my earliest memories was of an aunt with much looser curly hair telling me “ooh girl, you got ninja hair!!” as she ripped through my hair after a sleepover with my cousin, who also had soft curly hair. I couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5. I didn’t know what it meant, exactly, but I had been taught that “ninja” was definitely a bad word. I remember (with my scalp being so so sore) my little self being agonized and sad that something was wrong with me, because Favorite Auntie said so. I remember crying and crying and asking my mother what was wrong with me and explaining what my aunt had said, asking what it meant and how to fix it because it must be bad. My mother did what damage control she could but it was too late.
What I didn’t find out until later was that that added fuel to some family drama. She was that type of person.


At any rate, this wng journey has made me so much happier with my hair & myself. And it’s contagious. My sister has been super curious about trying wng again and we used to watch the digital salon videos together, so she was getting the same information. But she was a bit more resistant to accepting some of the conclusions. Watching me work my way through this has inspired her to try again. This weekend she did another wng and it looks SO good!! And she’s so much happier with it. I even feel better about my hair & taking car of it now than I did when I had locs. It can take such a shift in thought process and assumptions but it’s so worth it.

Sorry for the kind of heavy brain dump but I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit. I know it’s really “not that deep” and that we’re supposed to be “more than hair” but sometimes it really is deeper than hair. I might delete this later but this is how I’m feeling right now.
 

LavenderMint

Well-Known Member
Last week I didn’t use any hair color gel because I had to go get a new ID for work. As much as I loved the eye-popping blue, I didn’t want it on my work ID :look:
Washed- first with Tresemme 2n1clean & replenish, then with TGIN moisturizing shampoo. The TGIN was so weird. It normally doesn’t feel bad but this go round, it was like it tangled my hair worse than it had been- which wasn’t much.
Conditioned- Crece Pelo, as usual.
Detangled- Tangle Teezer (quicker but still ended up with sore hands/joints)
Styled- UFD & Curl Junkie Aloe Fix. This combo took forever to dry and has super minimal cast. The color gels had more hold than this combo. It looked like day 4 or 5 hair from the start, frizzy and very fluffy. Even by day 3, my hair remained sticky to the touch even though it was completely dry.

But I had made a purchase from Tegen Accessories & they finally arrived! So I was impatient to try my new hair toys. (Any other sites we’re getting pretty hair bobs from, I’m all ears!)
26E71399-537A-4D1A-BB02-3C61AF12BA2C.jpegB22016D3-6A24-4FBC-B324-882B59896C26.jpeg

@GettingKinky I understand the struggle! I’m fairly certain the Aloe Fix is making my forehead break out. I’ve not had this trouble with any of the other combos I’ve tried & my hair likes to flop on my forehead after a couple days.

I need a trim to retain the shape but I don’t want to lose length. My ends are still in good shape, though; I have far fewer ssk and splits than ever before so I have some time.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
Ugh I’ve missed so much! So many amazing wash n go’s! Y’all are killing it!

I had knotless braids for about 3 weeks, and just couldn’t deal with the weight and not having access to my own hair. Plus they were pulling at my hairline and I was so afraid of it thinning out. I probably overreacted but it is what it is. I just did my WnG and my hair is unhappy. It’s just not as hydrated as it was before I got it braided. My styling came out okay, I’ll rock it for a few days, but I feel like I was just set back 2-3 months. Ugh.
I feel you on the braids. I can usually make it 2 to 3 weeks and they are out.

I don't think you are set back that much. Reset a little more often if you can and I think you will have your hair rehydrated within the month. If you think about it, people have gone 2 weeks between wash and goes and been OK. That 3rd week isn't enough to do real harm. Just a little loving care and your curls will bounce back in no time.

:bighug:
 

toaster

Well-Known Member
@LavenderMint It’s so fun when people see your evolution with your hair and then they want to join you. It’s less fun when they don’t want to do “all of the work” and then wonder why their hair won’t cooperate.

You’re so right. Wearing a wash and go is much more than a hairstyle. We are really learning to love and accept ourselves as we are.
 

toaster

Well-Known Member
First thing my grandma does when she sees me is pull a curl to make sure I didn’t cut my hair too short :lachen:

Next she told me my hair is cute but her hair won’t curl like this. Bless her. She’s currently unraveling a sickening braid out. Her hair is shiny gray and mid-back length at almost 89.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I watched a Mo Knows Hair video on YouTube and her presentation is so informative and concise, pleasant and not snarky. Now I’ve started following her on IG.
She was always really nice. When she would post here, she was always patient and willing shared what she knew. She had a great thread for a while but I think she got really busy and couldn't keep up.
 

toaster

Well-Known Member
@toaster I just bought the curl charisma conditioner. It smells so good. I can’t wait to try it next week.
I can’t wait for you to try it!!

I’m thinking about experimenting with a once a week wash day. I just want to wash my hair on sundays and be done for the week, but I worry by Thursday/ Friday it won’t look cute for the weekend.
 

GettingKinky

Well-Known Member
I can’t wait for you to try it!!

I’m thinking about experimenting with a once a week wash day. I just want to wash my hair on sundays and be done for the week, but I worry by Thursday/ Friday it won’t look cute for the weekend.
Yeah. Usually when I only wash my hair on Saturday, by Thursday I have to change my style because it’s too frizzy to wear out. But when I used UFD/jello shot it can still look fairly cute on day 6-7.
 

mmeadows1

4b natural, APL
I have figured out the wash n go finally. Here is my story. I have 4b/c hair. I tried wash n go multiple times had crazy shrinkage or hair that is wet for days.

Today I tried some thing different it gave me elongated, shiny, non-sticky, hair that dried in 2-3 hours.
1. Divided hair in 4 sections
1. Washed hair
2.conditioned hair
3. Towel dryer hair with tee shirt
4.on each of the sections, I added:
4A. Pure Aloe Vera gel (bought on Amazon)
4B. Tgin leave in moisturizer
4c. Uncle funky daughter
4d.little bit of moose
5. Raked product through hair with my fingers. Made sure I got it in the middle sections since I was doing big sections. [you should see incredible curls]
6. Loosely twist each section in a loose bun. The goal is to keep the hair stretched. Bobby pin or clip in place

7. When at least 80% dry remove clips.
Here is my end result.

the whole process took like 10-15mins. Best part zero stickiness... aleo Vera is key for me F76D605E-21CA-4F28-9765-D240D7D34D66.jpeg4F3F62B5-3DED-4C6C-AC89-0BE0CE4600EA.jpeg
 
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faithVA

Well-Known Member
I have figured out the wash n go finally. Here is my story. I have 4b/c hair. I tried wash n go multiple times had crazy shrinkage or hair that is wet for days.

Today I tried some thing different it gave me elongated, shiny, non-sticky, hair that dried in 2-3 hours.
1. Divided hair in 4 sections
1. Washed hair
2.conditioned hair
3. Towel dryer hair with tee shirt
4.on each of the sections, I added:
4A. Pure Aloe Vera gel (bought on Amazon)
4B. Tgin leave in moisturizer
4c. Uncle funky daughter
4d.little bit of moose
5. Raked product through hair with my fingers. Made sure I got it in the middle sections since I was doing big sections. [you should see incredible curls]
6. Loosely twist each section in a loose bun. The goal is to keep the hair stretched. Bobby pin or clip in place

7. When at least 80% dry remove clips.
Here is my end result.

the whole process took like 10-15mins. Best part zero stickiness... aleo Vera is key for me View attachment 470913View attachment 470915
Looks good. Something weird happened to your post though. I had to click replay to see the entire thing.
 

faithVA

Well-Known Member
I tried the Deva Curl conditioner. I like it but I want to try it against the decadence to make sure it is the right consistency.

I'm still working on getting my UFD and water ratio right. And I'm wondering if I should leave the Aunt Jackie's alone until I figure it out and just use ICH.

I sat under the dryer for 30 minutes :look: Then I just blow dried it and it looked much better. Blow drying helps my curls to clump.

I'm still feeling bah humbug about my hair :lol:

@toaster, We aren't talking about cutting in April either right?

I talked to the company I bought my color from and they said they made the color thicker last month. Sheesh! So the color just really sat on my hair and that is why it washed off like a semi-permanent. So going to just buy the permanent color from Madison Reed. It should be here in a week or so and I will color it at the end of the month. As you can see from my photo my roots are already gray again :lol:


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