Stylist Visit for Flat-Ironed Hair

A few days after my matted, tangle-ridden wash day, I decided to pay my stylist a visit to straighten my hair. I felt like I didn't want to risk dealing with any issues that may arise from my new growth too soon after that three hour detangling session. My hair patience had been exhausted. My straight hair is easy to manage and I knew could avoid washing again for a solid two weeks.

I decided after my last salon visit that I would only go to her once my hair was already detangled so that she could just blow-dry and style it however I wanted that day. I figured it would make for a quick and easy appointment. I deep conditioned over night, rinsed, applied my usual leave-ins (Elasta QP Silk H2 and Aphogee Green Tea & Keratin Restructurizer) and detangled. I kept my hair in sections (see pic below) and headed to my appointment. I made sure I went while it was still a little damp, too, knowing she would be blow drying it.

I know some stylists don't like it when they're not in charge of doing everything to your hair, but mine was great about it. She actually sounded excited when I reminded her I just wanted her to blow dry and flat-iron it. She joked about how my hair felt extremely clean, asked what leave-ins I used and got started. About 40 minutes later she was done!

Once again, she used the Babyliss Pro Titanium Flat Iron and I was in love. This will definitely be my next flat iron purchase. It only took one heat pass to get my hair straight. A few times I felt her go for a second, but anything that can take my hair from huge to looking like a fresh relaxer with one pass is a winner in my book. It wasn't frying my hair either (read: not too hot and burning it). My hair felt great, didn't smell burned, wasn't getting snagged... it's hands down the best flat iron that has ever touched my strands. Can you guys tell how much I want it?! LOL!

air-drying in sections

Anyway, I was very happy with how this visit turned out. No somebody-else-is-detangling-my-hair stress and I was in and out in less than an hour. She commented about the great progress I am making with the health of my hair while growing it out, especially that nape, and gave me some welcomed advice. I think I will do my visits this way for awhile. I do not mind washing my own hair, but the blow drying and flat ironing/curling part wears me out! This is a great happy medium for me.

I wanted my hair completely straight so I could assess its state and progress after having box braids. Plus I hadn't straightened it in a couple months so I just wanted to enjoy it. When I say my hair was straight, I mean it was bone straight. People kept asking me if I had just got a relaxer. I thought it looked great, at the same time, it made me realize I'm kinda over my bone straight days now. That's so funny to me because I used to live with my hair super straight like that and I LOVED it. Now I'm like this stuff is too flat... where's the volume?! Oh, and let me just say now I somehow almost completely failed at getting good length check pics during close to 2.5 weeks of straight hair. I have to see if I have at least one good one. Shameful I know. Def got a couple selfies to share tho :) But I think I had some good time to think about my next move as far as my hair is concerned. Now, to relax or not to relax or when to relax, those are the questions!

8 comments 20 weeks post, flat ironing, salon visit, stylist

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Wash Day - 20 Weeks Post

This is the wash day after I took my box braids out (late post!). I was a little anxious to really wash my scalp since I hadn't had a deep clean in six weeks.  So, after awhile of rocking my box braidout, I went for it. My 20 weeks post roots were kind of intimidating, but I'm going to have to get to know them sooner or later. Here's how it went down:

{1} I did a hot oil treatment on my scalp with a homemade garlic-infused mix of grapeseed, olive and coconut oils and put Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose on the length of my hair. I was having issues with shedding before my box braids so I figured it best that I do a treatment in case I was still having issues. I covered my hair with a plastic cap and let it sit for about 30 minutes of so.

{2} This might be where things started going downhill. My scalp was loving Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat while I had braids so I decided to wash with that. Lathered twice and my hair felt gross - dry even though it was soaking wet. So I reached for my CON Argan Oil Moisturizing shampoo and my hair felt better, but it seemed to be tangling so much. I was confused because my technique of washing in sections and only washing my scalp usually prevents that from happening. My scalp might like that shampoo but my hair certainly hates it.

After taking the towel off my hair, the sight of my hair was a wee bit scary. The picture above doesn't really do it justice. It looked almost matted because it was sooooo tangled. Aaaahhh! I had a minor freak out moment as I struggled just get my fingers through it. This never happens!! It was a sad sight, too. That's for sure. It was already late at night, so I had to wake myself up some to come up with a game plan. I quickly figured that, combined with whatever effects the shampoo had on my hair, I had not done a thorough enough job removing my shed hair after I took my braids out. When I washed my hair, the shed hair just tangled up in it creating the worst mess I have ever had the pleasure of detangling.

{3} I took a smaller section of hair and attempted to add conditioner(s) and detangle that way. It worked, but it took a very long time to do that small section. I knew I had to take my time so that I could prevent losing an unnecessary hair, but I couldn't deal with moving that slow for my whole head.

{4} New game plan: let hair air dry before detangling. This is how I always detangle my hair, but I don't think I thought of it initially because I had not even deep conditioned yet. I let my hair air dry, still in sections, to about 80% and sprayed a little bit of each of my leave ins (Aphogee Green Tea & Keratin Restructurizer and Elasta QP H2) to make sure it wasn't dried out for this detangling session.

{5} One by one, I divided each of my four sections into three and went to work! I started working my way up by finger detangling first then using a wide tooth comb. I found a number of knots that were making so much trouble. Fast forward three hours... yes, I said three hours later I was done detangling!!! -_- Good news is pretty much every thing I lost was shed hair. So, I was glad I took my time. I also don't think the amount I lost was that bad considering it had been over 6 weeks since my hair had been combed.

{6} After I detangled each section, I added conditioner and braided it up. I pulled out a number of conditioners initially, but I primarily used Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose and L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm I put on a plastic cap and scarf and went to bed!

{7} The next morning, I rinsed my hair in the braids, let it air dry and added the same leave-ins from Step 4 (at about 80% dry). It was a bun for me that day. I was very over my hair at that point.

I never thought my 20 weeks post relaxer roots would have been the least of my worries on this wash day, but they gave me no trouble. Especially in comparison with that shed hair detangling ordeal! I think my real question after all this is: WHY, I say WHYYY don't I own a real detangler?!?! Maybe because I've never had enough trouble with tangles to buy one over a new conditioner I've been eyeing... yep, lesson learned. I'm positive a good detangler would have shortened the time that took. I'll be buying or making one of my own very soon. That can.never.happen.again.

I am thinking about purchasing It's A 10 Miracle Leave-in and/or making one using marshmallow root. Does anyone have any good detangler recommendations?? 

6 comments 20 weeks post, box braids, protective styles, taking out box braids, wash day

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