By Request - My Hair, My Regimen

In previous posts, I have listed some of the hair products I love and use.  Since I have been requested to list my full hair regimen, I am now going to list all of my HG (holy grail) products from start to finish.

First off, my hair:

I do not know what "grade" my hair is (4a, 4b, 4c, etc.).  I used to know when I was subscribed to a hair forum, but I have long since forgotten.  I can say this: my hair does NOT curl up all nice and shiny and soft when it rains; it kinks.  LOL.  And I'm fine with that.  I would say that my hair is the same texture as Oprah's - thick and somewhat coarse, but retains a shine in its natural state.  Also, like Oprah, I have a perm, which means my hair is chemically straightened.  I was a "natural" for years, but switched to perms for convenience (it would take me HOURS to do my natural hair).  I refuse to get caught up in the politics of black hair because for me, natural or chemically treated, I think it's all BEAUTIFUL.

Oh, and I do not wear a weave - not that there's anything wrong with that!  All the hair you see is home grown right out of my own scalp.

Okay, now that we've gotten that out the way, here is my regimen:

I wash my hair once a week.  If I feel that my hair is limp from a build up of products and dirt, I will wash my hair with the three shampoos listed above.  If not, then I will just use the two: Fresh Soy Shampoo and Keracare Hydrating shampoo. 

• Nature's Gate Herbal poo gently rids your hair and scalp of product build up without stripping

• Fresh Soy poo leaves my hair shiny and clean

• Keracare Hydrating poo gives my hair the "slip" it needs in order for me to detangle it, especially when I am weeks post relaxer and have new growth.  I cannot tell you how this product has changed the way my hair acts and feels.  I will NOT go without this!  EVER!

Next up, I condition my hair with Fresh Pomegranate conditioner.  I squeeze out about a quarter sized dollop, work it through, then put on a shower cap for about 3-5mins., shower then rinse it out.  I then squeeze out about a dime size of Lacio Lacio, a Dominican leave-in conditioner, and work that through my hair.  I like Lacio Lacio because, again, it leaves my hair shiny and soft. 

I do NOT towel dry my hair at all.  Instead, I leave it wet and add WrapNTap setting lotion, just a drizzle.  This helps with styling and promotes shine as well.  Then I blow dry with a rubber, NOT bristled, brush and a regular blow dryer until it is straight.  At this point, I look a lot like Chaka Khan.  My hair, anyway.

My next step is to flat iron.  I only flat iron once a week.  I use a ceramic iron with manual heat settings and use Paul Mitchell's Skinny Serum as a heat protectant.  I like PM's serum because it is very light, does not weigh hair down and gets my hair straight.

After I have flat ironed my hair, I put another light serum on it - Bain de Terre's Recovery Complex.  This serum imparts shine as well as protects from humidity.  I recently stumbled upon Biolage's Shine Endure Spritz, which I'm really digging.  It's both a shine and hold spray in one.  I spray this on my hands to avoid using too much product, and then work my fingers through my hair.

My last step is to spray Nexxus' Comb Thru hairspray.  I spray both sides and the back of my hair and that's it.  I like this spray because it doesn't make my hair crunchy or hard.  Good stuff.

Outside of that, I perm my hair and trim it about every 6 to 8 weeks.  Trimming is VERY important.  Split ends sabotage growth and steal you hair of its overall health.  Can't stress that enough...

It took me a little while to find the perfect hair combo, but now that I have I am completely satisfied with the results. If you're still on the look out for your HG products, I hope this helped some.  And don't be afraid to try new items.  I, personally, think that's part of the fun.  At the end of the day, it's your hair; pay attention to it, listen to it and do what works for you.