Dynamic Duo: Moisture and Sealing


My new saving grace: Cohiloe!
As I mentioned in a previous post, I am on a Dynamic Duo kick right now. This post was born out of my desire to take my moisture and sealing/styling products to the next level. After an abysmal experience with Miss Jessie (Fresh Feature in progress), and a so-so ride with Curls Unleashed (coming soon, I promise), I just knew there had to be something out there that was better for my hair. Instead of grabbing my keys and heading to Sally's or Target, I started rummaging through my hair drawer, and thinking.

I came across my beloved Shea Moisture Coconut Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie, and immediately remembered my pros and cons. I love this stuff, the ingredients are awesome, and it's great for my highly textured natural new growth. However, it's a tad heavy for my much less textured, borderline or completely straight heat damaged hair. How could I make both parts of my hair happy, without making my wallet sad? Diluting it with water didn't appeal to me, because I'd just be making a milk/lotion, or another leave-in. Then it clicked -- I had been using Aloe Vera gel with much success as a really light sealant. Yes, yes... I would mix the two together and see what happened.

Cohiloe closeup.

What I wound up with was a container of awesomeness. I scooped out a little Curl Enhancing Smoothie, poured in Aloe Vera Gel, a 1:2 ratio (twice as much Aloe Vera Gel as Curl Enhancing Smoothie), and mixed vigorously. Admittedly, the concoction looks a little...er... odd. But the results I got on my hair were nothing short of awesome. I had successfully managed to moisturize (of course, I always start with a good spritzing of H2O) and seal all my hair. My new growth was moisturized, but not greasy. My heat damage was moisturized, but not stringy or weighed down.

I have been using my "Cohiloe" (Coconut Hibiscus Aloe) mixture for about two weeks now, and it has been great. I only re-apply it every 4 or 5 days, which totally beats out my moisturizing and re-sealing every other day with other products I've used, or the necessity to use one product on half of my hair, and another product on the other half. I strongly encourage everyone to start mixing more! A few words/advice for anyone who's inspired to start playing with products:

1. Always start with understanding what your hair needs. Do you find that it is always too dry? It may be time to mix in a heavier product. Is your hair too oily? You might need something lighter. If you have both problems, meet somewhere in the middle.

2. Only mix up as much as you'll need on the spot, or for a couple of days (a week MAX). Many products have natural or chemically-derived preservatives in them, to ward off the growth of bacteria/fungus, prevent undesired chemical changes, and extend the product's shelf life. Generally, these are precise amounts in a given container of product and by mixing, we throw off the ratios. So you're not setting yourself up for biological warfare, it is always best to mix only as much as you'll need immediately. If your product mix permits (i.e. something that doesn't congeal or separate easily), you can ward off microorganisms by storing it in the fridge for up to a week.

3. In the same vein as #2, it is also important to minimize the use of hands/fingers to make product mixes. Generally, most products contain enough antimicrobials/preservative to maintain the quality of the intended product through the duration of its use by the consumer. That means it is generally safe for you to scoop out product with your hands/fingers on a regular basis -- product manufacturers account for regular use in their formulas. However, when we start playing mad scientist, there is the possibility that we can alter the consistency of the additives. Therefore, it's not the best idea to mix using hands/fingers -- especially if you plan to store it for up to a week. I suggest plastic utensils.

4. Keep track of your mixes and play with ratios, depending upon how your hair responds. I arrived at the 2:1 Aloe-Curl Enhancing Smoothie ratio by playing with 1:1 and then adjusting up according to my hair's needs. I'm a big fan of writing things down/keeping notes in my tablet about what works for me and what doesn't. My memory sucks, and this totally helps me when it's time to mix again. Plus, I mix so much now, it's hard to remember what's what (lol).

Happy mixing!!!

2 Comments

  1. Hi Tina, after you finished your mixing, you applied it to wet hair and then did you style as usual or did you have to air dry? I'm just wondering how to put it on my hair after I mixed it. My hair is going through some thangs! LOL! 8 months post relaxer, good couple of inches of new growth, then couple of inches of relaxed oh and let's not forget the heat damage! UGH! I love ur blog!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the love. I usually put my mix on right after a co-wash and deep condition. My hair is damp, but not super drippy (don't want to induce hydral fatigue). I put the mix on, braid up each section, and let it air dry. I hope this helps! I find the mix really works for my new hair and the heat damage :-)

    ReplyDelete