Back in April, I checked myself into product junkie rehab after a much-needed butt whoopin' and candid conversation with Brandie Kekoa. If it wasn't for Brandie and her straight up honesty, I would probably still be spinning my wheels, wondering why I'm trying all these amazing products and my hair looks like basura.🚮

Fast forward three months, and I'm well on my way to having my best head of curls yet. Yes, even better than the 2014 and 2016 curls I've been chasing for so long. I can honestly say that I've fallen in love with my hair all over again, and all it took was for me to renounce my product junkie ways.

As it turns out, I love healthy, thriving hair more than I love chasing down new products. 🤷🏽‍♀️ Who'da thunk it?

Reflecting on my experience these past three months, I've noticed four key ways that my hair has taken a turn for the better. Since incorporating (and sticking to!) a dedicated regimen of fixed products, I've enjoyed:

More Visible Hair Growth
Y'all know the drama with natural hair. Half the time, we can't tell whether it's growing or not because shrinkage has a tendency to be totally disrespectful. Even with my shrinkage in full on lets-make-you-feel-bald mode, I began to see visible signs of growth and length retention. My first big clue-in was the rude and unruly grey hair that's decided to sprout up smack dab in the middle of my front section. The ends of them were red (hi, henna), but as the challenge wore on, the new grey hair roots grew longer, and longer, and longer. As I type, they've made their reappearance with at least an inch of new growth since my last henna session at the end of May.


Another major way I've been able to tell my hair has grown is by how I wear it. I have a tendency to wear my hair pulled in front and over my shoulders to create a more face-framing effect. But after my cut, the back layers were too short to stay put — they would graze across the top of my shoulders and move right back to where they were. And that's even after stretching. 😭 Now, I don't even stretch my back layers and they stay put.

I can't exactly put a number of inches to two much my hair has grown, I just know that it has. And I haven't been taking any hair growth vitamins, either.


My Hair Got Healthier
As I scrolled down my Instagram timeline pre-cut, I realized two things: one, I posted a lot of throwback pics to healthier hair days. Two, I posted a lot of half-up, pushed back, side angled, and other damage-camouflaging hair pics. See here, here, here, and here for reference. I'm honestly surprised nobody caught on. 😂 In truth, I was just covering up how totally wrecked my curls were. Especially in the front/center area.


Since getting a good cut and sticking to a dedicated regimen, my curls have been on the road to recovery in ways I could never imagine. Naturally, I have more shrinkage because my curls area healthier. My split ends have reduced drastically, and I haven't had much need to pick up the scissors and trim. I do experience a liiiiiitle bit of tapering in areas where my damage wasn't completely cut away (to give my curls some semblance of shape and balance), but it pales in comparison to what I was dealing with before. The tgin Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor has been instrumental in keeping my curls strong and maintaining elasticity, while fortifying (and even putting a lil' bounce back into) my damaged areas.

This is all my shedding after not washing for TWELVE days. TWELVE.

My hair sheds less (even though I go longer periods of time between washes), and I really do believe Be Kekoa's Be Clean and Be Clair as well as Soultanicals' 'Fro Despair have been instrumental to reducing hair fall in my regimen. Be Clean and Be Clair are excellent at cleaning the hair and scalp while minimizing friction between strands — resulting in less hair being 'pulled out' during cleansing and detangling. 'Fro Despair, with its stellar list of nutrient-dense green ingredients, helps strengthen hair from the roots, contributing to decreased shedding.


I Got P R E D I C T A B L E + Long-Lasting Results
Recently, a few memes have been circulating, lamenting about the unpredictability of natural hair. A few months ago, I would've been like, girl yes. But these days, my vibe is more, "eh, can't relate." Using the same products in the same combinations tends to have that sort of impact. No surprises. Less frustration. More good hair days. This too helped with growth and length retention. Predictable results + knowing how long my hair will last = less wash days, less manipulation and more length retention.

For example, I know that:

• With Be Clean on my soaking wet hair, I can detangle my entire head in 15 minutes or less.
• tgin Green Tea Leave-In + WetLine Xtreme Gel + Be Kekoa Mana Butter = 7 consecutive days of defined, hydrated hair with no need to refresh
• Soultanicals' 'Fro Despair is a major key to keeping my scalp psoriasis in check

With my predictable, effective regimen, I can easily get 7-10 days out of my wash and go. Two of those days may involve a bun or puff; but this is more than I've been able to get out of my hair in a loooong time. Especially because of my battles with scalp psoriasis. Speaking of which...


My Scalp Psoriasis Improved
You guys know that I've been battling with psoriasis since high school. All my blogging life, I've had to wash my hair twice a week out of necessity. This may be TMI, but psoriasis plaques are the result of skin cell overproduction — and my scalp has looked like it has dandruff on steroids for a looooong time. That is, until this challenge.

Because I'm using the same products on my hair and scalp, I've minimized the number of products that can contribute to scalp inflammation. The other two keys, I'm saving for a bigger blog post on kicking psoriasis to the curb, but just know this — it involves applying Soultanicals 'Fro Despair directly to my scalp on wash day. More details to come — but just know that consistency and intentional treatment go a LONG way in battling against scalp drama!

Now that I've done the challenge and I know all these wonderful things came about as a result of my consistency in using the same products over time, what's next? Will I still do product reviews? Will I still be a product junkie? Are you gonna talk about Soultanicals, tgin, and Be Kekoa every month? Is this the end of The Mane Objective as we know it?

Yes. No. Probably. Absolutely not. Let me explain.

Yes, I'll still be doing reviews — but how frequent, and the type they are will change. Of course, I'll always be game for products from Soultanicals, tgin, and Be Kekoa. I trust the owners and how they formulate their products. Barring an extreme situation, I don't see myself doing total product "line" reviews. That involves too many products, too many opportunities to interrupt what I've worked so hard to achieve, and most importantly, the majority of you guys aren't going to run out to purchase an entire line.

Beyond that, let's keep it a buck — a good number of new lines and collections that come out these days share virtually identical formulations with their predecessors. The base formulas are generally the same, they sprinkle in a few different oils and herbs, and give 'em new label. There's usually only one or two completely unique products, and if I choose, those will be the ones I focus on.


I'll also be doing reviews a lot less frequently. I haven't settled on an exact cadence, but you won't see 3 different deep conditioner reviews from me in the same month. Unless of course, it's something that I've been using in my regimen and haven't had the chance to share yet (like Be Lola and the Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor). Now that I'm seeing my hair's true potential, I want to do my absolute best to prevent heading back in the wrong direction. That means vetting products (and brands), tapping into another level of discernment, and only saying yes to collaborations that make sense.

The Mane Objective will still live on, but I'm re-committing to producing and refreshing more of the content that will educate, inspire, and help your hair thrive. Too much of what happens on social media, YouTube, and blogs is about shoving sponsored products down people's throats, and that's not what I want my contribution to the natural hair community to rest on.

I'm still gonna be the same ol' Christina Patrice, but with a lot less #sponsored #ad #brandpartner action. I know the route I'm pursuing isn't popular, sexy, or one that will drive boatloads of followers my way, but I'm okay with that. My #1 goal is to always be a resource, and cutting through the crap is one of the best ways I know how to do exactly that.

I'm excited for this next leg of the journey, y'all. Thanks for rocking with me, rolling with this series, and supporting the content I create! Stay tuned for the video where I talk about everything in this post a bit more!

Dealing with damage or hair that doesn't quite behave like it used to? Then you've come to the right place. As the Natural Hair 101 series draws to a close, I wanted to provide support for my fellow naturalistas who may be at their wits end with breakage, splits, thinning ends, and straight pieces.

Read on to learn more about how to determine the cause of your damage, and the best course of action for helping your hair get back on track!

Types of Damage
When it comes to hair damage, there are 5 main types (+ one I created). At any point, your hair can suffer from one or a combination of damage types.

Heat Damage
Heat damage (also sometimes referred to as 'heat training') occurs when the hair comes into contact with too-hot styling tools, and is identified by a visible loss in curl definition, ranging from limp/lacking normal elasticity, to virtually straight. Heat damage can happen with just one bad flat iron job, or be the cumulative result of straightening natural hair too frequently. Because heat damage literally melts the cuticle layer, hair will begin to break, thin out, and taper over time.

Fun fact: I lost a LOT of hair to heat damage. Going natural brought me back from the brink. Read more bout my transitioning journey here.

Color Damage
Aka customized damage. Some of your faves may deny it, but we don't dance around the truth on maneobjective.com. Dye changes your hair. PeriodT.  In the process of lifting melanin (what bleaches and ammonia do) from the hair and depositing color, hair cuticles are lifted. This process causes all sorts of issues — from changes in porosity to weakening the structural integrity the hair overall. As a result, curls can go limp, dry out, break, or a combination of all three. Even worse, color treated hair that is improperly cared for will show visible signs of thinning, and a drastic texture difference between un-dyed roots and dyed strands. If you've ever seen someone who's color treated hair is shiny, smooth, and defined while their virgin roots are poofy and frizzy — color damage is the culprit.

Mechanical Damage
Nightly re-twists. Tight daily top knots. Excessive picking for volume. Improper detangling methods. All of these practices (and many more) contribute to mechanical hair damage over time. Every time we touch our hair, we cause a little bit of protein loss and cuticle damage. Over time, mechanical damage shows itself as those split ends, breaking strands, mid-shaft splits, and overall thinning — even without using heat and staying far away from hair dye.

Relaxer & Chemical Damage
Whether it's no-lye, "gentle", a "keratin treatment", texturizer, or texlax, the damage occurs via the same chemical mechanism — the breaking, swelling, and realignment of bonds within the cortex of the hair. In addition to the myriad of health concerns raised by chemically processing the hair, relaxers and other "treatments" permanently damage the strands, rendering them thinner, straighter, weaker, and incredibly prone to breakage.

Environmental Damage
Environmental damage is by far the most common and unavoidable. Hair exposed to hard water, dry air, UV rays, chlorine, salt water, and air pollution is at risk for environmental damage. I know, I know — that's literally everyone, everywhere. Environmental damage can present itself as dry hair, brittleness, frizz, and rough, dull strands. If the canopy of your hair (aka the top layer that everyone can see) tends to be more disrespectful than the layers underneath it, environmental damage is likely the culprit.

Influencer & Product Junkie Syndrome
Yep, I made up a whole new category of damage. Thanks to the proliferation of social media, the #sponsored word about new products spreads like wildfire. This leads to two major things — one, influencers pushing a different "hair routine" in every post, and two, product junkies (like me, but I'm in recovery 😂) who run to purchase and try based on the blitz of videos and reviews. As a result of wild pH swings, inconsistent ingredients, and crazy over-manipulation (aka washing and styling the hair way more than normal), strands begin to suffer visibly over time. Increased breakage and split ends, rough-feeling hair, thinning/tapering, stalled growth, and feeling like hair is more 'uncooperative" than normal are all signs of Influencer & PJ Syndrome.

How Do I Know Which Kind I Have?
Across the spectrum, natural hair damage presents itself with similar symptoms — like breakage, texture changes, thinning, and brittleness. How do you know which one is the culprit of your current hair woes? Here's an easy 3-step process:

Step 1: Eliminate the Obvious
Immediately rule out types of damage totally unrelated to the current state of your hair. If you haven't had a relaxer in 5 years, Just for Me isn't to blame. Once you've narrowed the field of causes that couldn't possibly be related, it's time for step 2.

Step 2: Go Back in Time
One of the reasons I love blogging and social media is that I can put my hair on a semi-concrete timeline based on pictures. If you're able, look back at old photos and try to pinpoint approximately when your hair began to change. Once you've locked in on a timetable, it's time for step 3.

Step 3: Assess, Assess, Assess
Now that you know roughly when your damage began to present itself, you can dig a little into the why. Do your best to remember what you were doing with your hair at the time. Flat ironing a lot? Did you get color? Or perhaps you were like me, and a combination of things caused tons of hair drama.

My Damage Over the Years
Girl, I've had it all. Severe heat damage sent me running into a 19-month transition to natural hair. My curls popped for several months following my Deva Cut, but less than a year later, I caved into my desire for colored curls. Bleach + henna + Olaplex wasn't invented yet = color damage. I eventually got the red colored over with black, and started over with another curly cut in 2017. Once my hair had returned to fairly optimal health and shape, my low porosity sections began acting out — super frizzy, resistant to all my favorite gels, and turning my wash and go's to absolute 🗑.

I was desperate for a solution, because my favorite products were no longer cutting it. I started experimenting — clarifying treatments. Heat every once in a while. Castille soap. Baking soda.

And the award for Most Types of Damage in 6 Years goes to.... me! lol

Like a whole fool,  I added baking soda to everything (without measuring) — co-washes, conditioners and all for months. My once vivacious (and irritating) curls were straight, limp, and still had the nerve to be frizzy. It was most visible in the low porosity sections. Yep, chemical damage. Not to mention LA's notoriously hard water. Catch this fact — in 2017 and 2018 alone, I reviewed, did a compilation with, and tested out 70+ products and collections. And that's a conservative estimate — so let's go'n throw Influencer & PJ Syndrome in the mix, too.

TLDR: From 2012-2019, I've dealt with heat, color, chemical, environmental damage, and Influencer & PJ Syndrome damage. Ya girl has pretty much seen it all.

The Rx for Damage Recovery
It's important to know this hard fact about hair damage: on the whole, it is irreversible. Hair is comprised of dead keratin, and there's no Lazarus treatment for strands that have been fried, dyed, and laid to the side too many times. Don't let this fact discourage you from seeking products to help your hair — because without proper intervention, the prognosis for damaged hair is grim. Here's what products can help, and how they work:


Heat, Color, Relaxer & Chemical Damage Rx
The first step here is to separate yourself from the flat iron, relaxer box, or dye bottle. These types of damage require regular protein treatments due to the incredibly compromised nature of the damaged strands. Additionally, the line of demarcation between new growth/virgin roots and the damaged mid-shaft/ends is especially vulnerable and prone to breakage. Intense protein treatments like tgin Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor use biotin and hydrolyzed wheat protein to temporarily patch damaged cuticles, and avocado oil to improve elasticity and reduce breakage.

Use the Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor weekly per the jar instructions, and follow with a rehydrating deep conditioner like tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask or Be Kekoa Be Lola. You can try a treatment like Olaplex, but the in-salon and at-home costs add up quickly. Olaplex (1, 2, and 3) work to a degree, but you have to continue purchasing the treatments, or else the results will wash out  within a few weeks (literally). Read more about my Olaplex experience here, and click here to learn more about transitioning your damaged hair.

Mechanical Damage
The tricky thing about mechanical damage is that it generally tends to be styling-based — and there's nothing more crushing than learning that your 'signature style' is causing stress to your strands. Whether it's a nightly re-twist or picking your way to big day 1 hair, finding a workaround for the root cause of mechanical damage is necessary. If your issue is style longevity causing too-frequent wash days, experiment with heavier stylers and lean on updos like a puff or loose bun once your curls have run their course. This will help stretch the number of days between washes, while minimizing mechanical stress. Addicted to the afro pick? Use a lighter styler (like mousse) and use your finger pads to vigorously rub your roots for volume.


To get your tresses back on course, invest in a good trim, tweak your styling routine, and show your curls a little extra love on wash day. A strengthening, curl-awakening deep conditioner like Soultanicals 'Fro Despair will help your texture bounce back and support weakened strands. Additionally, you can use a thick oil or butter like Be Kekoa's Mana Butter to seal strands and ends to help ward off split ends.

Environmental Damage Rx
Since we all deal with environmental damage to a degree, the best defense is to incorporate counter-measures into your already existing regimen. If you live in an area with hard water, invest in a water filter for your shower (I have this one). Trust me, it make a difference. Also, equip your regimen with a clarifying shampoo like Be Kekoa's Be Clair to gently lift dirt and debris from the hair and scalp. Regularly incorporate antioxidant-rich, free-radical fighting, and moisture restoring deep conditioners like Be Kekoa's Be Lola and Soultanicals 'Fro Despair to help hair bounce back from environmental stress. During the summer especially, make sure your hair is protected with products that contain natural UV protection and antioxidants. Leave-ins like tgin Green Tea Super Moist and Soultanicals Mango Dip Detangling Slip offer not only offer hydration, they aid in the fight against free-radical and UV damage, and can help prevent your hair from soaking up chlorine and salt water. I especially love Be Kekoa Mana Butter for the summer — it contains the prized tamanu oil that has been proven to naturally inhibit up to 85% of oxidative stress caused by UV rays. Learn more about my love for tamanu here, and how it healed my burned skin here.

Influencer & Product Junkie Syndrome Rx
The best course of action is threefold: cut, clarify, and condense. The road to rehab starts with a solid trim that will rid your ends of some (or all) damage. Next, you'll need to invest in a good clarifying shampoo to remove all manners of dirt, oil, debris, and product build-up. Sometimes, we label our hair as 'uncooperative' when really, it's just dirty. I recommend Be Kekoa Be Clair because it's gentle, yet effective, sulfate-free, and formulated especially for natural and color-treated hair.

Now it's time to condense — and this is truly the hardest part. Some of us (myself included) are accustomed to wearing our massive product stashes like a badge of honor — sharing pictures of stashes so deep, they look like beauty supply store shelves. But the hard truth is that those stashes are counterproductive. They're expensive, wasteful, and do nothing for our hair in the long-run. Honestly, most of the products we acquire in our product junkie-ing will expire before we can put them to good use. And if we do, we're probably manipulating our hair more often than necessary, for the sake of 'using up' products — which leads to mechanical stress and 'uncooperative' hair that lacks a regimen.

My stash doesn't look like this now!

To effectively condense your stash, I encourage you to do the work of cleaning it up. First, toss expired products. I don't care if the jar is full and you only used it once — if the smell, color, and consistency has changed (or it's molding), toss it. Next, separate the products you have into three categories: absolutely cannot live without, love using but not as often, and just 'nice' or 'okay'. Note: this only works if you're completely honest with yourself. You'll be surprised what products you like, but can live without. Finally, keep the products you can't live without. Then, take a look at the ones you love but use less often, and keep half of those. The other half, plus the ones that are just 'nice' or 'okay' — give them away. To a friend. A family. A shelter. What doesn't work for you may work for someone else!

Now, it's time build your regimen. Click here to go back to that post and get started on your road to recovery!

Dealing with damaged hair can be frustrating and disheartening, especially when you've been vigilant about protecting your hair. Coming from someone who's had nearly every type of damage imaginable, trust me — there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I've grown, transitioned, and cut my hair more times than I care to count. And each time, I've learned something new. The best course to recovery involves assessing what happened, correcting your course, and being patient.

Your new healthy head of hair will thank you.

Want more Natural Hair 101? Click here to check out the series!

Why being a product junkie isn't the best idea
How to find your true hair type
Building a regimen that works
Everything you need to know about deep conditioning

Today, we're gonna talk STYLE! At this point in the game, I've been doing wash and go styles for the better part of 6 years. It's my default style, and something that I'm incredibly well versed in — thanks to lots, and lots, and lots of trial and error. Not to pat myself on the back or anything, but a lot of information about perfecting the wash and go style can be traced back to this here blog in some way, shape, form, or fashion.

That said, today's deep dive is not only dedicated to the style, but to the techniques that I've discovered over the years that bring about the best results. We're going to cover product mixing and selection, application and defining techniques, overnight protection, and styling hacks.

Let's dive right in!

The Foundation

1. C L E A N  hair!
I know, I know. I've seen the videos too. And you could do a wash and go on dirty hair, but don't call me the next day when your curls are dry, rough, dull, and flaking all over the place (the clips that got left out of the YouTube video 🙃)

Because I warned you.

The best, longest-lasting results always come from clean hair. I don't care if you co-wash it, shampoo it, clay it, or wash it in the blood of the Lamb — just make sure your hair and scalp are sufficiently removed of product build-up. Build up causes everything from your deep conditioner to curl definer of choice to be less effective — leaving you frustrated and feeling like you wasted time (and money).

2. Don't skip the deep conditioning session. 
I could go on and on, but deep conditioning is your first line of defense in fighting frizz and dryness while ensuring style longevity. Read here for a deeper dive into the science-backed best practices for deep conditioning natural hair.

3. Choose your products wisely & according to your desired outcome.
Do you want big day 1 hair, or do you care more about the wash & go lasting 4+ days? When it comes to picking your curl definer, that matters. As a general rule, lighter gels and creams will give you more big hair action on day 1, but lend themselves to frizzing quickly (especially if you start manipulating it once it dries). More potent gels and harder curl creams won't start giving you big hair action until day 2 or 3, but then you have 2+ days of yassssss after that. How do you know which result you're going to get? I'm glad you asked:

The Patch Test: Your crystal ball for style results & product pairing
Before I apply any product combination, old or new, I test it on a small section of my hair. I will cleanse and lightly condition a small section of my hair, and then apply my cocktail of products as I intend to use them on my whole head. I tend to do this the night before wash day, and go to bed with that section damp. I wake up in the morning and check the results.


This method is how I selected the products I would use for the duration of this challenge. With the patch test, I knew that tgin's Green Tea Leave-In pairs well with WetLine Xtreme Gel, as does the Soultanicals' Mango Dip Detangling Slip. Even if you only do it once, for the love of sweet baby Jesus, please try the patch test. It will give you the best glimpse into what your hair will look like when all is said and done.

The Method: Defined, Moisturized Curls that Last
I won't mince words — ya girl knows a thing or two about washing and going. Since 2013, I've pretty much seen and done it all. Below are some of my best tips and hacks for maximizing this summer staple style:

4. Wet hair. Wet  hair. WET HAIR.
If you really want your best chance at fighting frizz and style longevity, you MUST work on wet hair. Not damp hair, not hair that has been air drying for 15-20 minutes, but wet hair. Why? In general, frizz is caused by the cuticle of the hair swelling in an attempt to absorb water content from the air. This action is especially noticeable in kinky, curly, and coily hair, because our textures tend to be drier (due to the structure of the hair itself). If the hair is saturated in water, it will not as readily begin the process of trying to swell and absorb from the air around you. This is part of the reason why your hair looks so poppin' and defined when wet. I apply my leave-in, moisturizer, or hair lotion while in the shower, and use the water to help distribute it through my hair. When I don't, my hair acts a whole frizzy fool.

5. Start with sections. A lot of them.
Walk around your house and gather up alllll the clips — because you're going to need them. Before styling, I recommend you split your hair into as many workable sections as you need, while your hair is still wet. I typically divide my hair into 8-9 sections, loosely twist, then clip them up before I start working. Here's why: one, it keeps my hair wetter longer. I don't have to worry about too much in the re-wetting or spraying department when I keep those other sections tucked away. Two, it really helps the products soak into my low porosity sections (bonus points if you put a plastic cap over the sections not being worked). Lastly, it's an easy way to keep tangles to a minimum.

Tip: If you've got super lo-po hair that just won't quit, don't be discouraged. In my low porosity sections, I just re-wet them with warm water, and squish in a little more leave-in to get that sleek, slippery feel all over again. 

6. Get close to the root.
You don't have to slather products on your scalp directly, but do get as close to the root as possible. Otherwise, you'll have puffy, frizzy roots and well-defined length. Also, be sure you've got enough product to take all the way to the ends.

7. Hands off!
While your hair is drying, try your best to avoid hand-in-hair syndrome. Touching the hair before the gel cast has had a chance to set is a sure way to end up with frizz. These days, I'm up under my hooded dryer until my hair reaches about 80-90% dry. I very rarely air dry anymore, as I typically style my hair at night before bed. Also, I'm pretty convinced that the hooded dryer helps my style "set" better.

Exxxxxtra Curl Poppage: My Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush Method
If you've been around these parts for a while, then you know that I used to be all about that rake & shake action. Then I met Felicia Leatherwood and her brush.

And the rest was history.


I love using the Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush to define my curls. It helps remove tangles and snags, while smoothing and evenly distributing product (unlike the Denman IMO). I'm still using the techniques in this blog post and video, so check it out for the full 411 on getting those extra spiralicious curls. There's also this swipe story with the details!



The Finish: Don't Walk Out with the Wet Look 😂

8. Break your cast like a pro!
This section right here, I owe ALL to my girl @thebspotbeauty. She put me on to this method one day at work, and I am forever grateful.

Once your curls are all dry, it's time to break the cast and make them touchably soft — while not causing extra frizz and drama. To make this happen, you need those clips (I hope you didn't put them away yet lol), a blow dryer, and your oil or butter of choice. I've been using Be Kekoa's Mana Butter for this, and it gives my hair great softness and shine, while locking in moisture. Allow me to demonstrate:



Section-by-section, take a tiny bit of butter or oil and run it down individual curls (or a small clump of them) — almost like shingling. Don't do a whole lot of twisting and pulling, but gently stretch as you add your butter or oil. This breaks the gel cast, leaving you with supple, soft curls and extra shine.

Once you've done this throughout your entire head, use your blow dryer to gently stretch at the root for a little elongation. If you prefer not to use heat, grab a lifetime supply of scrunchies and start banding!

9. Protect your curls right overnight.
If your mane is multi-textured like mine, a simple pineapple or bonnet will never do. That's why I have two main ways I wear my hair at night. One is a banding-scarf pineapple combo. The other is simply a big ol' clip and my scarf.

Since my hair shrinks more in the front, I band the front half of my hair, and bring the back half up with a scarf pineapple. My outermost face-framing layers are still bouncing back from damage, so I don't band them. Instead, I just hold them down with a bobby pin. Here's what it looks like:


To avoid too much stress on my strands, I don't band every night. In fact, most nights after I go through my gel cast break and stretch, I just use this gigantic banana clip I got at Ulta forever ago, cover my hair with a scarf, and call it a night.

Yep, same clip. I'm honestly shocked it hasn't broken. It's a little worn down from holding my increasingly thicker year throughout the years, but it ain't snapped on ya girl yet!

In all cases, I sleep on a satin pillowcase. Because when you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready.

Well folks, that about sums it up for all my tips and hacks! We're coming down the other side of the mountain on the Natural Hair 101 series, and I'm going to end with two more posts and a video: one dedicated to preventing and bouncing back from damage, and a final wrap-up about everything I learned, how my hair has progressed, and what I'll be doing going forward regimen-wise.

Stay tuned!

Ready? Let's go!

Deep Conditioning, Defined
Deep conditioning is the act of utilizing a concentrated, heavier conditioner with absorbing (taking in) and adsorbing (sticking to) properties on the hair for a designated length of time. Depending on the label's instructions for use, deep conditioning sessions typically last 10-30 minutes, and can be performed with indirect heat, steam, or by simply covering the hair.

Literally, everything.

Depending upon their formulation, deep conditioners can perform a wide variety of tasks. Deep conditioners are usually broken down into two main categories: moisturizing and strengthening (although some deep conditioners are a little bit of both). Moisturizing deep conditioners are used to restore internal hydration to the hair, provide intense moisture, and leave hair feeling soft. Strengthening deep conditioners do exactly this — make hair stronger and preventing breakage by temporarily patching up areas of damage with proteins, amino acids, and ceramide-rich oils. They can also help reduce or prevent further heat, color, and chemical damage, depending on their formulation. Some deep conditioners fall in the middle, and can be considered the best of both worlds. They help with all of the above to a varying degree.

Here's the bottom line: deep conditioning can cover a multitude of hair sins — but they will not reverse damage that is already done (and please don't let anyone tell you otherwise). There's a small (and I mean small) possibility that a deep conditioner can make damaged hair look a little better, but damaged hair is damaged hair — and you'd have to use that same product every single time to sustain those tiny results (which can add up quickly).


But here's the good news — deep conditioning across the board helps to balance the pH of the hair, restore elasticity, and close the cuticles. That last one is a biggie — closed cuticles enhance shine, smooths the hair, cuts down on frizz, and helps maintain the internal moisture balance of the hair.

How Often Should You Deep Condition?
The honest answer is, as often as your hair needs it.

Some naturalistas deep condition weekly, others every two weeks, some monthly. There are even a select few who deep condition multiple times a week. While I will always advocate that you do you, I must be honest and say that I don't think deep conditioning on either extreme end of the spectrum (several times a week or monthly) is the move.

Deep conditioning three or four times a week is excessive, uses way too much product, and can lead to hygral fatigue (which makes your hair feel mushy and weak, leading to breakage). On the flip side, allowing your hair to come into contact with water-based cleansers and deep conditioners leads to dehydration, breakage, and buildup issues.

To give your hair a fighting chance, I recommend at least every 2 weeks. Even if you only clarify monthly, and co-wash on the weeks between, throw a deep conditioning session in on one of those co-wash days. This rings especially true if you have damaged hair (frequent breakage, splits, or color-treated). Currently, I deep condition weekly, alternating the product of choice based on my hair's needs.

Should You Use Protein, Moisture, or Both?
The answer lies in an assessment of the current state of your hair. Visit this Natural Hair 101 post to get the 411 on determining your hair's elasticity, porosity, and strength. That will give you a better idea of where to start with your deep conditioning rotation (or if one is even necessary). Here's a general breakdown of what a month's worth of deep conditioning looks like:

Healthy Hair
(normal elasticity, generally strong, low* to normal porosity)

Week 1: Moisturizing deep conditioner
Week 2: Hybrid (moisture + strength) deep conditioner
Week 3: Moisturizing deep conditioner
Week 4: Strengthening* deep conditioner

Damaged & High Porosity Hair
(low elasticity, breakage-prone with lots of split ends, high porosity)

Week 1: Strengthening* deep conditioner
Week 2: Hybrid (moisture + strength) deep conditioner
Week 3: Hybrid (moisture + strength) deep conditioner
Week 4: Moisturizing deep conditioner

*Note: For low porosity and protein-sensitive hair, use your favorite protein-free strengthening conditioner.

Since my last curly cut, I've been sticking closely to the "Healthy Hair" deep conditioning regimen, although I'm not rigid. It all depends on the condition of my hair before wash day, and what I've been doing activity-wise in the days leading up to it. The key is to be flexible and responsive to your hair's individual needs, while maintaining consistency in care and product selection.



The "3 Ts" of Deep Conditioning
Now that we've got the foundational knowledge out of the way, let's get to the nuts and bolts of deep conditioning. According to Instagram University, you need to buy a deep conditioner, mix it with avocado, banana baby food, honey from your neighborhood bees, and  then apply the mix, sleep in it, say a prayer, then rinse.

If you need to do all of that, you're using the wrong product.

From a scientific and experiential perspective, effective deep conditioning boils down to 3 Ts: time, temperature, and type. Let's break it down:

Time
One of the hallmarks that sets deep conditioning apart from regular rinse-out conditioning is the amount of time the product spends on the hair. If you read the label of most deep conditioners designed for natural hair, they recommend allowing the product to sit on the strands for 10-30 minutes. Why? Because products are tested before going to market, and instructions are created based on their findings and best practices. Often times, when a label instructs you to follow a certain time frame for use, it's because they've narrowed down how long it takes the ingredients to reach maximum adsorption and effectiveness.

What this means is that although some ingredients (like proteins) stick to the hair immediately, with more time, they are able to patch, cover, and stick to more damaged areas than they would if only a few minutes were given. In this article by Jc of The Natural Haven, she shares that deep conditioning ingredients are able to reach maximum adsorption (sticking to/externally repairing) after 20-30 minutes — 60-100% more than they achieve in the standard 3-5 minute time frame. It is important to note that no further adsorption occurs after 30 minutes. So no, you don't need to deep condition overnight.

The Takeaway: Leave your deep conditioner on for at least 20 minutes for maximum effectiveness. 30 minutes, if you have color-treated or otherwise damaged hair. The exception here is to follow what your product label says. Some intense protein treatments only need a few minutes to work, and that will be stated on the label.

In that same article by Jc linked above, she discusses the impact of temperature on the hair when deep conditioning. Heat helps lift the hair cuticle, and allows for deeper penetration of ingredients. Heat also facilitates increased adsorption of ingredients to the hair. Heat around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) so as to not burn the skin or scalp is found to be most effective. You can achieve this by placing your conditioner in a hot water bath, sitting under a hooded dryer, using a steamer (like mine), or a thermal cap (like these from Pydana Collection). Just remember to set a timer for no more than 30 minutes.

The Takeaway: Your deep conditioner + indirect heat = maximum effectiveness.

Type
Now that we've got the super science out of the way, it's time to talk about my favorite part: products.  The result you desire to achieve with your deep conditioning session will largely depend on the products you choose. Almost all deep conditioners will have a base that consists of water and fatty alcohols (like cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl). What comes after that will determine how a particular deep conditioner will work for you. But in general, you can follow these guidelines to decipher which deep conditioner to pick up:

Mega Moisture:
Look for oils, butters, and humectants (glycerin, aloe vera, panthenol, honey, agave, propylene glycol are all humectants) in the first 5-7 ingredients after water. These ingredients will soften and moisturize the hair, along with the fatty alcohols.

Protein Power:
If your hair is weak, limp, and lacking elasticity, a dose of hydrolyzed proteins will breathe new life into your strands. Within the top 10 ingredients (because protein formulations and strengths can vary wildly), check for hydrolyzed proteins (such as vegetable, quinoa, rice, and keratin),  keravis (aka Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG-Propyl Silanetriol), and/or cetrimonium chloride to give your hair a strengthening boost.

The Balancing Act: If you're looking for elasticity, moisture-protein balance, and pH balancing, your conditioner will likely have a top 10 blend of moisture and protein properties like the ones listed above. In addition, they will also likely contain omega and ceramide rich oils like avocado, wheat germ, sunflower, safflower, flax seed, and hemp. Some may even contain a dose of amino acids (like glycine, alanine, proline, arganine, lycine, and glutamic acid). Others may rely heavily on vitamins and botanicals like biotin, spirulina, horsetail, ginger, wheatgrass, and more.

The Takeaway: Go beyond what the product says it'll do, and don't always take what influencers say at face value. Marketing, gimmicks, and saying nice things because it's #sponsored are real. Turn to the ingredient list — it will give you far more insight into what the deep conditioner can do for your hair.

Feel free to save, repost, and share this swipe story that summarizes the 3 Ts!

My Picks
Of course, I wasn't going to close this thing out without sharing what I'm currently using in my regimen across the board:

Mega Moisture: tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask, Be Kekoa Be Lola Handcrafted Hydrating Mask
Protein Power: tgin Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor
Perfect Balance: Soultanicals Fro' Despair Vitamin Hair Repair (full review here)

Next up, we're going to talk styling — how to layer and apply products, and how to maintain results overnight for maximum moisture between washes.

Let's cut the fluff and get down to the basics of wash day.

Welcome back, naturalistas! This week, we're going to do a lot of heavy lifting — cutting through the crap and zeroing in on the most confusing, challenging, and rewarding part of going natural — building (and sticking to) a regimen that works.

Thanks to the onslaught of DIY recipes, overhyped hair products, and the fact that we somehow equate number of followers to natural hair knowledge, there's a lot of bad information circulating on the internet and social media. My goal with this post is to present you with some concise, useful information that you can practically apply starting today.

Just like a thorough wash day, we're going to attack this bad boy in sections.

The Ideal Wash Day
On average, your wash day should contain four key steps:

✅ Detangle
✅ Cleanse
✅ Deep Condition
✅ Style

Depending on the products you choose and how you establish your regimen, it could be three steps. Every once in a while you may do something special (like henna, a tea/ACV rinse, pure protein, or an Olaplex treatment) that sends you occasionally to five steps. But six, seven, eight, and fifty-leven-step wash days should not be a thing. And if you're regularly executing wash days with extra excessive steps, that's a sure sign that something in your regimen isn't working.

If you're pre-pooing with an oil mix, then have to turn around and detangle with a conditioner, then co-wash or shampoo everything out, only to turn around and deep condition then follow up with a rinse  — there's a strong possibility that your regimen is causing product buildup, is built around ineffective products, involves excessive manipulation (leading to weak hair and unnecessary damage), or all of the above.

At the end of this post, I'll be sharing my current regimen/rotation of products so you can see a true 3-4 step regimen in action. But now, let's get into some key 411 on the firs two steps (steps 3 and 4 will be posts all on their own):

Detangling
Depending on your hair type and texture, detangling can be an easy, breezy step or a pre-wash day marathon in and of itself. Do it the wrong way for your hair, and you risk unnecessary breakage, premature shedding, and stalled length retention (aka no growth). Do it the right way and you'll be setting the foundation for a successful wash day.

Wet, Dry, or Damp?
I'm not going to preach about the wonders and joys of conditioning wet hair over dry. If what you're doing right now is working, keep doing it. If what you're doing is not working, this is your opportunity to try something different — whether it be a method or a product. When it comes to detangling, there are three main ways to get the job done:

• Wet Detangling: yields the most slip, and tends to be "easier" and faster, but requires gentle movements because hair is at its weakest when wet. More elastic, yes — but more susceptible to breakage as well. Best for strands that are mostly smooth with healthy elasticity and strength.
• Dry Detangling: often regarded as the most painstaking and time consuming, but when done correctly, yields less breakage due to the of increased tensile strength of dry hair. Hair is still breakage prone, because dry hair lacks elasticity. Best for coarse strands, raised/ragged cuticles, and incredibly tangle-prone hair.
• Damp Detangling: seemingly the best of both worlds, but requires the same amount (if not more) time than dry detangling. Hair has some slip and some elasticity, but requires patience and careful movements. Best for strands that are somewhat smooth with weaker elasticity and more breakage prone (i.e. heat damaged or color treated).

Some people say finger detangling is trash, others believe combs and brushes are not of God. In a healthy regimen, each one has its place. Personally, the bulk of my wet detangling happens with my fingers. It's how I'm best able to feel for tangles and knots while removing shed hair (and sticking it on the shower wall, naturally). In the rare event that I've neglected my hair beyond the point of finger detangled redemption, I reach for a seamless wide-tooth comb, then follow up with my phalanges. And during my wash and go styling process, you guys already know I'm all about that Felicia Leatherwood Detangling Brush action.


Folks are always on the lookout for the next big thing — and right now, fine-tooth and three-row combs and Tangle Teezers are seemingly the wave. If they work for you (aka detangling isn't leaving you with a bunch of snaps, crackles, pops, and broken hair wisps), then by all means do what you do. I'm personally just not about that action. For my top 3 methods, here are a few tips and hacks to help you along the way:

✅ Finger detanglers: if you have jagged/uneven nails or rock acrylics, wear vinyl gloves.
✅ For wide-tooth (or any) combs, make sure they're seamless to prevent cuticle friction/damage.
✅ Brushes: I highly recommend ditching the Denman and opting for the Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush. It delivers the same poppin' curl results with the added benefit of flexible rows of teeth to prevent snagging and breakage.

Work in Sections
This one absolutely — regardless of whatever products and tools you use — is a must. You can separate your hair in to 2, 4, 5, 6, 32, however many sections you need to successfully navigate through and detangle your hair. Use clips or twists to keep your undetangled hair away from the section you're working on, and then twist/clip it back up when you're done. If you use clips, just be sure your sections are parted fairly clearly. You don't want to risk breakage by detangling a section and accidentally tugging at a hair that's actually clipped into another section.


Cleansing: Shampoo? Co-Wash? Or Both?
At this point in the Year of Our Lord 2019, I sincerely hope you're not running from shampoo. I don't care how many silicones you stay away from, what oils and butters you don't allow to touch your tresses, or how long you've "detoxed" your hair from "chemical products".

Everybody needs shampoo — periodT.

In order to have healthy, growing hair, you need a clean scalp and clean hair. Follicles clogged with dirt, oils, product buildup, and flakes can prevent the hair from growing and even lead to it falling out. Having the hair itself be clean is important too, because hair riddled with build-up is more difficult to hydrate — and dehydrated is weaker, breaks easily, and splits. Does this mean that you have to abandon co-washing? Not particularly. I think co-washing has its place in a regimen right along shampooing — and here's why.

The Case for the Co-Wash
The premise of co-washing is relatively simple — you load gobs of conditioner (or tiny palmfuls if you're fancy and have restraint) into your hair. Massage it into your scalp and along the hair shaft, and rinse it out, just like you would a shampoo. The only difference being that your co-wash doesn't lather. All conditioners contain incredibly mild surfactants that can remove up to approximately 90% of dirt and oil from the hair — which is pretty darn clean. Don't believe me? Check this microscope test. 

The benefits of co-washing include:

✅ Minimizing the number of products used on wash day (you can detangle, cleanse, and even condition with the same product if you choose to)
✅ Increased moisture retention, hydration, softness, smoothness, and shine in hair (which can aid in length retention efforts)
✅ Less frizz and improved curl definition (if you care about those things)
✅ Generally results in a shorter wash day (see ✅ #1)

But of course, co-washing has its limitations. That remaining 10% of dirt and oil that gets left behind on the hair can lead to buildup, dryness, limp hair, and clogged follicles (which can impede hair growth). That's why I also make...

The Case for Shampoo
I've written before about why your regimen needs shampoo, and how the shampoos of today are not nearly as frightening as those of yesteryear. The store-bought shampoos we used to have to 'make do' with (because the market hadn't yet grown to cater to our needs) were essentially glorified dish soap. Many of the sudsy cleansers on the market today are what I like to call shampoo 2.0 — they do not contain harsh detergents, are loaded with natural extracts, and contain conditioning agents. And most importantly, they're designed to meet the unique needs of our textured hair. These sulfate free-shampoos:

✅ Gently cleanse the hair and scalp while removing product and follicle-clogging build-up
✅ Optimize hair growth by removing oil, dirt, and debris -- thereby allowing follicles to function healthily
✅ Make your deep conditioner work better by allowing your DC (which has a positive charge) to adsorb/stick to your hair (which has a negative charge)

Much like co-washing, shampooing does come with a particular set of drawbacks. For some naturals, even the most gentle of shampoos can be drying to the hair and scalp. Shampoo also happens to give zero cares about your curl pattern (with the exception of a few), and will almost always cause some level of frizzing that you must rely on a deep conditioner to correct. How can you manage a happy, healthy balance that reaps the benefits of both in your regimen?

Hang on to your hats, we'll get there in a second. But first, a few tips for the new naturalistas and transitioners in the room:

Co-Washing How-To & Tips

1.   Thoroughly saturate hair with warm/very warm water for 1-2 minutes to loosen debris and buildup. The constant stream of water also helps loosen shed hairs.
2. Apply conditioner or co-washing product to all hair so it can marinate and soak into the hair as you work on other sections (which will make detangling even easier).
3. One section at a time, massage the co-wash through your hair from root to end, detangling if necessary. Twist or clip back up once done and repeat.
4. To cleanse the scalp and avoid re-tangling, gently pinch your clean twist between your thumb and index finger about an inch away from your scalp. Take your other hand and use the pads of your fingers to vigorously rub your scalp in that section to loosen dirt, debris, oils, and flakes. 
5. One by one, release sections and rinse.

Shampooing How-To & Tips

1. Make sure that your hair is detangled prior to shampooing. Just...trust me on this one.
2. Thoroughly saturate hair with warm/very warm water for 1-2 minutes to loosen debris and buildup. The constant stream of water also helps loosen shed hairs.
3. One section at a time (with your hair still in the twist or braid), apply a tiny dab of shampoo directly to your scalp. Gently pinch your twist between your thumb and index finger about an inch away from your scalp. Take your other hand and use the pads of your fingers to vigorously rub your scalp in that section to loosen dirt, debris, oils, and flakes. 
4. As the shampoo lathers, allow it to travel down the length of your hair. If it doesn't make it all the way, feel free to add a bit more shampoo. 
5.  Rinse and follow up with your deep conditioner of choice.

My Current Regimen
These days, simple, effective, and to the point are my jam. I have a few variations and switch-ups depending on the needs of my hair, but the whole point of this new journey and series was to keep things relatively consistent.

Because I've finally gotten my scalp under control (hallelujah, and yes, a post is coming on that soon), I'm now a part of that washing once a week crew. So in a given month, barring any random issues (like a super sweaty gym session, swimming, or getting sand in my hair), I average about 3 wash days. I follow a 3:1 co-washing-to-shampooing ratio, meaning the first 3 wash days of the month involve co-wash only, and the 4th/last is where I use shampoo to clarify. If my hair is feeling particularly build-uppy, I'll throw in a second clarifying shampoo mid-month. So far, I've only had to do that once (on account of using entirely too much butter to break my gel cast 😭).

Three weeks out of the month, my wash day looks something like this:

✅ Detangle & Cleanse: Be Kekoa Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner
✅ Deep Condition: tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask or Soultanicals 'Fro Despair Vitamin Hair Repair

That last week, typically at the end of the month, I spend a little more time:

✅ Detangle: Be Kekoa Be Clean Cleansing Conditioner
✅ Cleanse: Be Kekoa Be Clair Sulfate-Free Clarifying Shampoo
✅ Deep Condition: tgin Miracle RepaiRx Curl Protein Reconstructor (hair), Soultanicals 'Fro Despair (scalp — more on this and my psoriasis in a post soon, I promise)


This is my current regimen — yours may be an exact replica, or have a slight variation depending on other factors (color maintenance, workout intensity, etc.). Regardless of how you slice it, a healthy hair regimen aimed at a clean scalp, growth, and length retention should strike an ideal balance between co-washing and shampooing.

If you're a fan of shampooing more often, you can oscillate between weekly moisturizing shampoos and mid-week co-washing with clarifying suds at the end/beginning of the month. If you like the idea of co-washing, your wash day routine can mirror mine or even alternate between co-washing and clarifying every week. Feel free to tinker with frequency and rotation until you find the cadence that keeps your hair thriving.


Up next, we're going to cover all things deep conditioning — and I can't wait! 🎉 In the meantime, click here to catch up on the Natural Hair 101 series!