Quick Co-wash & my new (diy) Crochet Wig!

Hey peeps!

So I did a quick cowash about an hour before doing this post and I must say it was well needed. I have been moisturising daily with my little spritz and sealing with Shea Butter but sometimes you need a little extra moisture.. Hence the quick cowash. Here's how my #WashDayExperience went:

Conditioner: a little Tressemme Naturals conditioner I had left + Hello Hydration conditioner + warm water. I currently have my hair in half canerows (what some call cornrows) and half mini twists (I attempted to do my full head but got lazy half-way).

Leave ins: my diy moisturising spritz  + sealed with Shea Butter.

Now on to this crochet wig I made. Here are some pictures #excitement:

And it was easy to do! 

All I needed was 3 packs of marley hair, a mesh weaving cap, crochet/latch hook needle, wig clips (optional) and a mannequin head (or someone else's lol). It took me a little while to do because (1) I bought 2 packs and had to go back to the store some days after to get another pack,  (2) I took a couple breaks whilst making the wig and (3) I don't even remember why it took me a while lol. All you have to do is crochet the holes of the mesh weave cap! Genius!  

In any case, it turned out great and I don't think I'll ever do another set of crochet braids for now! Crochet braids can sometimes put stress on the edges so this is a GREAT alternative. With this wig, I take it off, I moisturise and wash my hair when I need to.. it's awesome! 

Guys, you will not be disappointed if you try this style. I feel like a hairstylist and I'm telling everybody (even those who didn't ask) that I did it ☺. 

I hope you guys get to try this style because it's soo good. 

Be well peeps

Gibbie. 

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Protective Style Challenge? Yes Please!

Since I really suck at styling/taking care of my hair while it's at this length like I had anything longer than shoulder length hair and, every time I look at my hair nowadays it highlights my failure at protecting my hair from breakage etc., I'm sooo up for a protective style challenge.

..Which is why I signed up for Relaxed Thairapy's 30 Days of Protective Styling Challenge (see details Here). So here are my plans:

I'm keeping this really simple, because the likelihood of me heading out into some bush about the island is high.. and I'm lazy.

So here goes:

Protective Style: Crochet Braids w/ kinky "Marley" hair

Protective Styling Wash Regimen

Seeing as most of Jamaica is currently undergoing chronic drought conditions, I won't be washing my hair every week. I intend to do (1) a conditioner + water mix wash about every 2-3 weeks. I'll then (2) moisturise thereafter with a mix of aloe water, water, castor oil & VO5 conditioner. Dassit.

Protective Styling Weekly Regimen

I'll be spritzing my hair nightly with said moisturizer. I usually don't apply a sealant to my braids since my hair is covered by..hair lol.

My hair is currently in unraveled chiney bumps (a.k.a bantu-knot out) but I intend to put the abovementioned protective style in on or before the coming weekend.

So..I'm on it. I'll post some updates on how goes it..while I'm going through it.

Be well,
Gibbie

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Wash Day Prep: Crochet Havana Twists

Hi guys!

I took down my last protective style - which felt very moisturized on the take-down by the way - the crochet braids with afro kinky hair.. Only to install another one! Lol. This time, I installed a crochet braids "Havana Twists" version! All these exclamation marks are because the install turned out well lol! Anyhoo, more of that later. Here's how my #WashDayExperience went:

[1] Applied a 10:1 ratio ACV rinse to my scalp and massaged it in for a bit.

[2] Applied the remaining VO5 Tea Therapy Clarifying Conditioner I had left and some Tresseme Naturals conditioner to further clarify my scalp.

[3] Deep Conditioned with a mixture of Tresseme Naturals conditioner, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration conditioner and Castor oil. After ensuring the mixture was saturated throughout my strands, I put my trusty shiny steam cap on and let it sit for about 35 minutes.

[4] Air dried my hair for about 20 minutes.

[5] Applied my DIY Leave-in, Castor oil and Shea Butter mix. Then, I put my hair in hair ties/bands so it would stretch in preparation for my protective style.

Eventually, it took too long to dry so I took the hair ties out and let it air dry.

Then I went on to my install.

The hair was pre-twisted before the install so, after doing a "two-braids-meet-one" braid pattern, I crocheted the twists in. Here are some pictures of the result:

I think it turned out well. I plan to wear this style for 4 weeks.. But we'll see how that goes. How was your wash day? Let's hear it! 

 

 

In the mean time,

Be well. 

Gibbie 

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Quickies: Marley Twists - Redux

Hi there.

Remember this post about how my Marley Twists were a Protective Style fail? My natural hair was stickng out all over the place and it was just not neat enough to keep in. I was seriously thinking of taking them out when I did a "last look" on YouTube to see if there was anything I could do to salvage the hairstyle.

And it so happened there was.

After looking at a few videos, I started to unravel the twists and re-did them - this time using half (or less) of my natural hair per twist and more of the Marley hair to do the twist. I did this process one twist at a time. Eventually I used two (2) packs of hair (Yah Man brand) to re-do my whole head. Here are the results:

Yay! (in my Rotaract shirt #GoRotary)

I'm glad it turned out well! I feel so accomplished! Lol. So now I have installed (in my whole head) Marley Twists and Crochet Braids! Styles with my own natural hair are next! Woot Woot!

Be well,
Gibbie

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Hits & Misses: Vixen Crochet Braids

Hello there,

After 5 weeks of having my last protective style in, I took them out and installed another set of crochet braids in - this time using a vixen crochet braid technique. I learned this style from Mary K on YouTube (click here for the technique), where the hair is parted in four sections and canerowed/cornrowed into a beehive style. The hair is then crocheted and can be worn in a series of styles and which makes it more natural looking when parted and styled. Here's a picture of how it looks:

(Source: Goog;e images)

In the link above, Mary K uses Kanekalon "braid" hair, crochets the hair in, blow dries and flat irons the hair, then flat irons her leave out (the section that meets in the middle in the diagram), and everything blends flawlessly. 

So anything nice and simple, mi inna it.

And I attempted it.

Didn't work out so well.

Gibbie wasn't going to flat iron her natural hair . She also cannot canerow/cornrow well. so she asked a friend to do the braid pattern and used a Kanekalon braid hair that has a more natural look to it called "Nappy Annie". 

The results? HORRIBLE.

The leave out was too much.

The hair had too much sheen, would not blend with my natural hair, barely curled and would not maintain that curl.

It was no bueno. It had to go.

I did the style that date mainly because I had an outing to go to and now it didn't turn out well. After panicking and trying every possible way to make the style work, I finally came up with this:

I'm grateful no one did a close up lol.

On Monday, I cut the hair out, bought regular kanekalon hair, crocheted it in, braided the hair into about 6 sections and dipped it in hot water.

By Monday evening, it looked something like this:

and on Friday:

I was unable to fix the middle how I wanted it, but it was fairly decent.

Call me the fixer lol.

I think I've figured out my mistake with this install (my natural hair is not long enough/shrinks too much for a vixen crochet style) so next time around I'll be doing a partial leave out (just the front). 

All in all, I'll be taking this style out shortly. It was originally installed last week but I doubt it will be in for long. It was still good to try something new and I'll be doing another (adjusted) crochet braid style soon.

UPDATE: Today I was feeling a little better about this style. This morning I wore the style out after hot-watering 4 braids and twisting the leave out (my natural hair). I took this picture 5 minutes ago:

Not looking too shabby and the blending of both hair types looks good to me! Lol. I'm redoing this style (with some tweaks here and there) soon and I'm adjusting my previous comment as to how long I'll keep this style in - it's going to be around a little longer than I initially thought. I don't mind it that much anymore! Cheers and have a good one! 

Be well,

Gibbie

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Protective Styling It: Crochet Braids

Fresh off a nine-week-long protective style run and my birthday coming up in the following week, I installed Crotchet Braids in my hair. I chose this style because it seemed like one of the better protective styles to do that wouldn't cause additional stress on my strands (because it didn't much of a break between styles). I wanted low manipulation. Matter of fact, I wanted no manipulation. So here goes it:

Details

Hair: Bijoux Realistic Marley Braid

Price: $570-$600 JMD per pack

Colour: No. 1

Duration: About 3 hours

Number of packs used: 3 (all cut in half)

Installed by: Meeee!! (with cornrows/canerows done by my friend Trudy)

I was a little intimidated to install it myself but hearing the cheapest price to install crotchet braids was $4,000 JMD, I said NERP wid a quickniss!, ventured on to YouTube to reinforce the technique, then  got to work.

I let out my usual area at the back of my nape, twisted it, got the cornrows in and did the install. I separated each "clumped" piece of hair that came in the pack and further separated the hair into more pieces as I got to the front for a more "cleaner" look. After it was done, I didn't comb/brush the hair and wore it as is. When it was done, the hair was Diana Ross big and I absolutely LOVED it! I felt so accomplished! lol. A couple of days later, here are some pictures:

Roll, Tuck & Pin yesterday

Birthday..night (first picture I had since the install - forgive me for the repeat lol)

The (now) usual hair at the nape that I left out, twisted.

There has been no discomfort, nor do I feel any tightness or stress on the scalp. The plan is to moisturize the braids and leave out at least than once a week and moisturize my edges almost everyday, mainly because that's the area that is out and tends to be dry. I intend to do a wash once every 2 weeks and overall I'd like to keep this style in for about 4-6 weeks. When majority of the curls have gone, I'll comb or brush the hair out and do a perm rod set so they'll hold over to 4 or 6 weeks until take-down. I'm very proud of doing this hair style and, among other things, my thrifty cheapskate self is grinning, having saved myself some $$$.

In a few days I'l be doing a wash/semi-wash day and I'll document that to see how goes it. Hope your hair journey is going well in your neck of the woods, as is mine.

Be well (and hair happy!)

Gibbie

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Yarn Locs Wash Day (Without the heavy head!)

So this is the second time I've washed my Yarn Locs since they've been installed and tomorrow will make it 4 weeks since they've been in. The first time I washed these locs I was already vowing I would never wash them again and would wear them until it was time to take them out because they are SO HEAVY WHEN WET. But, since then, I've come up with a way to wash the locs without it feeling like the world was literally on my shoulders. And that is..banding.

Yep, BANDING.

It's the same technique used by many a naturalista to stretch their hair without heat and is done by putting scrunchies/ouchless bands/elastic (if they are being put on extensions) at even intervals which elongates the hair. I used the Banding Technique to elongate the hair so only my scalp and where my hair ends in the yarn locs end are cleansed and moisturised, and as such lessened the probability of the entire length of the locs getting wet. Because, Wet Locs = Heavy Locs. I banded the locs at even intervals and left space so I could get to my scalp and individual locs with relative ease. Here's a picture of how I did it:

Now on to my #washdayexperience:

[1] Lifted buildup from my scalp using ACV + Water mix (1:4).

[2] Co-washed (only to the point where my natural hair ends in the Locs) with Alberto VO5 Herbal Escapes Clarifying Conditioner + Warm Water mix and let it sit while I showered.

[3] Rinsed with cold water.

[4] Air dried and T-shirt dried for about 15 minutes.

[5] Put in my DIY Leave-in (again, only to where I thought my natural hair ended).

[6] Wrapped Locs with scarf and kept it on until the next morning.

It still takes a while to dry but majority of the locs weren't wet and as such was not heavy on the head. To avoid that gross feeling of damp extensions on your shoulder or body, just wrap with a scarf and secure it. Ta-da! Wash Day over!

Dassit!

Be well,

Gibbie

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Yarn Locs: Tips During and After Install & Hair Care (Part 2)

Continuing from Part 1, this post looks at my hair care regimen while my hair is in this Yarn Loc style. I was actually waiting on my first wash day to come around before publishing this post. 

Wash Routine

(Sidenote: If your hair is anything like mine, Co-washing alone will not help - I tried). 

• Shampoo with any diluted cheapie shampoo OR use ACV + Water mix to lift buildup from scalp.

• Co-wash with Tressemme Moisture & Water Alberto VO5 Clarifying Conditioner (60% conditioner/40% warm water mix)
• Rinse with Cold Water. 
• T-Shirt Dry. I try to wring out the excess water out of the locs because they are heavy when wet. No joke.

Moisture Routine

• DIY Leave in mix once or twice a week. I fully saturate the Yarn Locs to where I think my hair ends so the mix reaches to my natural hair underneath.

In Between Routine

• Moisturise the first row of locs I took out (at the back - in 3 chiney bumps/bantu knots) at least once a week. I moisturise with my DIY Leave in mix and my shea butter mix. Here's a picture of the leave out:

• ACV + Water mix on scalp to "lift" buildup and relieve itching (my hair itches a lot!)
• Castor Oil or Coconut Oil scalp massages to loosen up any wraps that I might have re-done (for whatever reason - I'm like that). I also use the oil to massage my scalp whenever my hair itches.

DASSIT. 

Be well,

Gibbie

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Yarn Locs: Tips During and After Install & Hair Care (Part 1)

As promised, I've been compiling some information on Yarn Locs (a.k.a Yarn Wraps/Faux Locs) to do a post on the style since I currently have it in. So here goes: 

Tips: During & After the install 

Yarn Locs, as I said in previous post here, are done by braiding or twisting your own hair with yarn and then wrapping that braid or twist around the loc. 

Tip #1: When doing the braid or twist, take the amount of yarn you need (depends on the thickness of the loc/wrap you are trying to achieve, and ensure the braid/twist is the length you want the wrap to be. I advise that the braid be a little more than how you want it to end up (just in case).

Additionally, When wrapping, ensure the pieces of yarn being used to wrap the braid are longer than the braided/twisted yarn itself. I would say a little more than double the length of the braided/twisted yarn. It is much easier to cut then excess yarn left after wrapping than to be repeatedly adding more yarn while wrapping.

Sidenote: In between the braiding and wrapping of your Yarn Locs, remember to moisturise your natural hair with your LOC/Moisturise & Seal method before you've completed your yarn wrap/loc. As I said in my previous post, this style is like the ultimate protective style i.e., your hair is significantly/completely covered. It's best to lock in that moisture before the wrap is done.

Tip #2: You don't have to, but if you're doing the yarn locs for the first time and you're a beginner, I would advise that you use 3 pieces of yarn to wrap your braided or twisted yarn. Why? 3 pieces of yarn have more coverage that 2 pieces, which make it harder for you to not miss any spaces that weren't covered with 2 pieces. 

Tip #3: After wrapping the braid/twist, make about 2 or 3 knots at the end of the wrap. Ensure the knots are made around the wrap and under the wrap to secure it. Also ensure you seal the wrap/loc by burning it with a lighter or match. 

Tip #4: Yarn Locs have to be wrapped taut to prevent unravelling. But that shouldn't be done tight that you'll have headaches for days. Ensure the person doing the style does not braid or twist the style tight or grip the sectioned hair too tight. It is not necessary as the braid/twist will be covered.

Tip #5: Do not start the wrap at your scalp or too close to your scalp. It is advisable to start at the beginning of the braid or twist. You can also start wrapping the loc a little looser at the scalp, then wrap tighter or taut continuing down the length of the wrap. This will prevent stress on the scalp and when the wrap is completed and sealed, the base and scalp will feel a bit looser.

Tip #6:  For a polished look, dip locs in hot water (as you would if you were doing a braided or twisted extension style). This also aids in softening them up a bit. Also note that the slender the loc/wrap, the more flexible it will be overall.

What To Expect After Install?

There will be some discomfort when sleeping and styling for the first couple of days, especially if your hair care professional did the braids tight and/or started wrapping at the scalp tightly. The wraps will feel stiff after the install. The hot water will loosen the locs up but ultimately, if you're feeling pain after a week, I think you should take out the ones hurting the most and re-do them. That's what I did when my hair was done a little too tight.

Additionally, some locs will unravel. If it happens, just cut the end of the loc, re-do it, knot it and burn the ends (and close to the ends) lightly. Don't sweat it.

In Part 2 I'll be detailing my hair care regimen while my hair is in these Yarn Locs. Stay tuned :).

Be well,

Gibbie

Disclaimer: The abovementioned post are just some helpful hints I picked up before my install (on YouTube), after my install (when some braids started unravelling) and info I used to redo them that I picked up via trial and error and YouTube. I am not a licensed hair practitioner/consultant or hair anybody :). Please enjoy the post.

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Protective Styling It: Yarn Locs/Faux Locs

I've been wearing my TWA out for a little bit and I decided to start moving further towards my hair goals; a major part of that being low (or no) manipulation and/or protective styling. I still haven't gotten the knack of combing/styling my hair this short and I thought it was best to put it up in a medium - long term style before I started damaging my hair. So here we are.

Yarn Wraps

The Yarn Wrap Style is where you use yarn (usually 100% acrylic yarn) to twist or braid your hair and thereafter wrap more yarn around that twist or braid. It is (I think), the ultimate protective style as the entire strand of your hair is covered, leaving only your scalp from showing. It is pretty easy to do (so easy I can do it :)) and there are countless tutorials on YouTube showing how it is done.

How long it will take depends on the length and size of the braids you want to be done but needless to say, it isn't a "quick style"..it is going to take you some hours to do.

About My Yarn Wraps

Colour: Black

Duration: 12 1/2 Hours 

Length: Shoulder - Collar bone length

Thickness of wraps: Medium

Yarn type: Red Heart 100% Acrylic Yarn & Zola 100% Acrylic Yarn

Price: Red Heart (Super Saver) $1,200 JMD & Zola (3 Small packs) @ $70 JMD per pack 

Where I got the yarn: Woolworth

My Yarn Wraps were done last week by a hair braider who was doing this style for the first time, so we were basically going off of what we saw on YouTube. She got the hang of it quickly. The length of my yarn wraps are about collar bone/shoulder length and it took about 10 hours to do majority of it (we ran out of yarn) and I'd say about 2 1/2 hours to do the rest. I did the remaining pieces and re-did some I thought were too tight. Those are mainly at the right side of my head. Here are some pictures of how it turned out (taken today - a week later):

I think they're holding up well considering I don't "care" extensions well and I haven't slept with a satin bonnet (only a satin 'pillowcase' - satin fabric over my pillow) since I got them done. It has been said that as the roots get more fuzzy, it looks even more natural looking. I'm pretty sure I'm on my way there.

When they are just done, you might feel some discomfort for a couple of days because 1) the wraps/braids will be stiff so sleeping well might be an issue for some and 2) some of the wraps/braids need a couple of days to "loosen" a bit. Scalp massages as well aid in this regard. It is advisable that when getting them done to not start wrapping at the root/scalp but at the beginning of the braid or twist..and even then wrap this section taut, but not tight.

I'm hoping to keep these in for 2 months (since they look like they handle well and they took so long to do) ..but I've never kept in a style that long (itchy scalp), so we'll see.

I'll be doing a post on what to expect after getting Yarn Wraps, tips and a hair care routine I've been doing.

Be well,

Gibbie

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9 Styles for Week-Old Braids *Updated*

I got this #9 style the day before I took out these braids! I couldn't let it go without sharing it with you all. It's now one of my favourites. I hope you enjoy this updated post!

As may know by now, my go to protective styles are braids, be it Senegalese Twists, Crotchet Braids or Box Braids.The maximum amount of time I'll keep them in is 5 weeks, mainly because I can't keep a neat hairstyle for a number of reasons. This time around, My hair was already "roughed up" by 2 weeks because I was sabotaging the style so I could pull the braids out to see and deal with my natural hair. My girlfriend and bf talked me out of it and I've kept the braids in ever since it was done (re-twisting some braids once a week after). 

The styles below are some styles I picked up and are presently doing with my four-week-old what I call my worn out braids. These are great for when the middle or inner top part of the braids start to frizz out. And to top it off, these styles can be done in a matter of minutes! 

Here goes:

1. The Good Ole Braided Bun

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Crotchet Braids! - Hair Update No. III

Hi there!

After slightly stressing and sulking around the setback I had, I have tried to shake the feeling and channel a little more positive energy my way. What's past is past and the damage (literally) has already been done. 

To help with shaking the "bad feels" I did my hair in Crotchet Braids..and I absolutely LOVE it. I'm surprised I don't have a "crick neck" due to how (Jamaican talk lol) I've been whipping and flashing this hair! I love it and I'm so glad I got it done. Cheered me right up!

So without further ado, here are some pictures I took of the style yesterday (L) and today (R):

               

I had this installed last Wednesday using Marley hair and did an ACV 1:1 rinse of the hair before putting it in (my hair itches like CRAZY when I put in extensions so this alleviates the itching a bit). I was grateful that the person who put this in for me could actually catch the natural hair parts of which the relaxed ends were broken off and all in all it turned out well. 

Moisturising my Crotchet Braids

To not venture into setback territory, I moisturise with my braid spray every night and try to get the roots as well as the ends of the braids so nowhere is lacking moisture. My braid spray is basically a concoction of what I usually use for my leave-in when I wash my hair. 

Ingredients are: 

- Water

- Tresemme Moisture RIch Conditioner (or any conditioner I have on hand at the time)

- Coconut oil

- Glycerin

- Tea tree oil (if I have it on hand)

I put all of the above in a spray bottle with a small nozzle (so it "mists" the hair and not overload my head with the product), give it a good shake, go through braid by braid and spray the mix on the braid. This hair is too big and WILD for any satin bonnet* I have so I used a yard or so of satin fabric I had (my girlfriend sews) and draped it over my pillows to sleep on. This way, my edges all around and any braid that comes in contact with the pillows while I sleep are taken care of.

My satin fabric *rawr*

* These cheap "satin" bonnets are trash to me as they do nothing for my hair and I'll wake up with coarser hair than I went to bed with. It really is best if you just go to the fabric store, buy a yard of satin fabric and drape it over your pillows. Who knows, you might have left over fabric for a (real) satin scarf!

I'll try to keep this style in for about 3-4 weeks but only my scalp knows the answer to that and the daily moisturising I do are loosening the braids where the breakage occurred plus I haven't washed it yet so hopefully I can go back for those sections to be redone, if possible. But after this is done, I'm putting them right back in..probably with a different hair type. I think this will be my go to hair style for the rest of the year! I love it!

Thanks for stopping by.

Lata!

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Hair Update + Minor stuff: Hair Update No. II

Hey there!

So I've been playing around with blog names because I've decided to create another blog where I blog about any and everything. The name "All Things Gibbie Gibbie" suits that one just fine so I've changed this one to "Le Hair Chronicles" and I'll be using the old name for my new blog. You can check that blog out here. 

As predicted in my Braided Up Post, my hair has been itching and the Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse did little to stop it. I did the rinse, cleansed my scalp with a cotton ball of ACV and water mix and after 5 minutes my hair was driving me up the wall..and I started tapping my head (unconsciously) to relieve the itch. It would appear I have severe itchy scalp and braids only fueled the itching. I took some pictures this morning to show a one week update:

Yep. That's how it is now. I'm sure they could've looked better after a week but the itching has taken over, regardless how often I use an ACV Rinse. I'd love any suggestions on how to stop the itching. Lol I'd appreciate it greatly. In the meantime, I'll be doing either an ACV Rinse, Co-wash or shampoo wash day tomorrow (yes, mid-week) to see if it will help and do another ACV RInse + Cowash wash on the weekend and re-twist braids that look most fuzzy.

I'll try to keep the style in for at least another 2 weeks and thereafter either relax or do another protective style based on how I feel about my hair then.

Again, if there are any suggestions to relieve itching I'd LOVE to hear from you. 

Lata!

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Braided Up! - Hair Update No. I

I've been feeling overwhelmed by my new growth of late (currently 14 weeks post) and didn't want to deal with doing anything with it. I also was not ready to relax my hair..so I got..you guessed it, braids :). I got Senegalese Twists or what we Jamaicans call "rope twists". I did it in big sections and it runs down mid-back. Here are some pictures:

 

When my hair is braided I tend to touch up my edges for a more "clean" look but I'm trying stay strong and move away from that with the help of my trusty Ecostyler gel.

I hope to keep this in for at least 3 weeks but my past experience with braids is by mid-week of it being done, it itches like crazy or starts to look furry. To combat this, I used ACV to remove the alkaline base off the braids and do ACV rinses once per week and tie my hair down with a satin scarf and bonnet. I'll try my best but I have a low-key feeling I'll be unconsciously tapping my head top stop the itching (._. ).

I like it and I LOVE the fact that I won't have to be doing much to my hair while this style is in. I'll do another post on what I'll be using as braid spray to moisturize my hair and wash day challenges (if any) while this style is in.

Lata!

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