Chunky Twisted Bun

So, I've been rocking this chunky twisted bun all week. I looove it! So much so I am considering going for it It's made this week with my hair so easy. Tie it up with my silk scarf at night, take it off and go in the morning. It was also easy to moisturize and refresh throughout the week. Best of all, it was really easy to do! Let's get to the details of that, shall we?



I decided I didn't want to do my hair this week so I turned to YouTube for some inspiration. The first video I found, which I'll include at the bottom of this post, seemed quick and cute so I went for it. I divided my hair into 6 uneven sections, 3 in the back & 3 in the front. Then started two-strand twisting section by section. I used the Shea Moisture products I've raved about in previous posts: Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Curling Souffle. I didn't part my hair within the sections to create the twists, I just grabbed enough hair for a medium sized twist and twisted until I got about an inch or so away from the end, finishing with a braid to ensure the twist would stay. 

After my whole head was twisted up, I pulled it all up into a ponytail at the top of my head. Here's where I kinda put my own spin on it. In the video, she uses braiding hair to create twists for her fly bun. This is also a great option for ladies who may have enough hair to get up in a pony, but not enough to make a bun. I, however, didn't have any braiding hair just laying around and do have enough hair to make a bun. 

I wanted the effect of putting a donut on to make my bun without using my huge donut. Since I did have a little Marley hair, I wrapped that around my ponytail like a donut and then formed and pinned my bun around it. It really was that simple. Took about 40 minutes and I think that was just because I was watching tv at the same time. 

That's it! Let me know if any of you lovely ladies try it out! Here's the video I used:

2 comments protective styles, Shea Moisture, twisted updo

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L4L Proctective Styling 2nd Update

The second month of this protective styling challenge has come and gone, and I am still going strong! However, I definitely don't have as exciting of an update as I did the last time. Because I have been crazy busy, I've just been sticking to what I know works for my hair. Everything that worked the first month of the challenge, worked this past month of the challenge as well. Buns, twisted & tucked styles, along with my u-part wig, have been my best friends.

Last month, my biggest problem was keeping my hair, especially my new growth, moisturized. I am happy to report that I seemed to have solved that issue! When I created this twisted updo, I used a couple of my mother's Shea Moisture hair products: the Curling Souffle and Curl Enhancing Smoothie. My hair stayed soft for daysssss after I used that stuff!! I couldn't believe it. So, I continued using the Curl Enhancing Smoothie even after I took that style down and it did not disappoint. My new growth was so soft and manageable that I wasn't even concerned about relaxing until I was about 11 weeks post. I had my mom check out my new growth and even she was impressed, saying "Wow! It's so soft!". Inevitably, I will be buying some of my own soon so I can stop using hers up. 

I think after two months of protective styling, it has become my normal. I'm used to it and not in a bad way either. Of course, I totally miss wearing my hair out and CANNOT wait to see how much progress I've made, but I also think I've done a pretty good job keeping my hair styled in non-boring ways. It makes me think a little differently about protective styling and want to continue experimenting with hair that I didn't grow out of my own head. I've had fun with my piece and even finally wore it all out to work. Everyone thought it was allll mine, almost fooled myself. Ha! So, if Ebony decides to have a "Hiding My Hair" challenge, I will most likely jump on board. I've already made a second (beautiful!) one for my cousin, and am planning to make another for myself, too.

one of the days I wore my u-part out

That's pretty much it for me and February. I haven't had any down days or used any heat yet. Since I've made it this far without them, my goal is to finish that way. I relaxed my hair this past weekend at 12 weeks post. Woohoo! New accomplishment for me. I've also learned that my life is not likely to slow down any time soon. Just like I've learned how to make time to keep my hair healthy, I am also going to have to learn how to make time to keep my blog updated. It's important! Being busy can no longer be an excuse :)

 
Oh, I'm currently rocking this chunky twisted bun. Just tried it out last night for the first time. I'm really pleased with the results! Posting about it soon.

4 comments hair challenge, longing4length protective styling challenge, protective styles

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Surprisingly 11 Weeks Post Relaxer

So, last week during my wash day, I felt like my hair was thicker than ever! As it was air-drying and I was applied my leave-ins, I had to take a moment to figure out how long it had been since my last relaxer. 11 WEEKS!! I cannot believe I went 11 weeks and didn't even realize it. To me, this is exciting for a couple different reasons.

The first reason is that my goal time of stretching between relaxers is to reach 12 weeks. Personally, I think that's the perfect amount of time for my hair. It limits me to about four relaxers a year and ensures I have a nice amount of new growth to prevent me from over processing my previously relaxed length. I have no desire to go any longer than that. My stretches will stay between 10-12 weeks. My stylist (who I miss dearly!) got me into stretching the time between my relaxers. That was about two years ago, when I was pretty much barely making it to 8 weeks between relaxers. 

The other reason is that I made it to 11 weeks without noticing. I didn't feel like my hair was becoming such a hassle that I needed to figure out when my next relaxer until it was pretty much time for the next one. This is a really big deal to me because one of my biggest struggles has been taming the beast that is my new growth. Seriously, that stuff has a whole attitude of its own. It can be downright disrespectful at times. I've officially learned to deal with it! It has been sooo soft. I can get my fingers through my hair and I'm not dealing with a bunch of breakage at the line of demarcation (the line where my new growth and my previously relaxed hair meet). #SCORE!! 

Needless to say, today will be relaxer day! Since realizing it had been so long, I have had trouble with my hair. Ha! Its probably totally a mind game. It was tucked away or in a bun all week, as I anticipated being able to get my hair to relax some :) 

For anyone that is currently trying to stretch out the time between their relaxers, be patient with yourself. (Do you hate when people give you that line for advice as much as I do??) Clearly, it took me about two years to add 4 weeks to my time between relaxers. I would just add one week at a time and not add another until I felt I was dealing well with my hair at that step. I was stuck at 10 weeks for a long time. Hope that makes sense. Stretching can be really beneficial when you take your time and listen to your hair. If your hair is getting dried out, breaking and/or shedding more, it is better to just relax, in my opinion, than to let your hair get damaged for the sake of reaching a stretching goal. 

4 comments 11 weeks post, 12 weeks post, air-drying, relaxer stretching

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