A five day old Wash and Go

You would think this hairstyle would be pretty simple but if your natural hair is getting longer it no longer is a 5 minute thing. Though many girls give up the Wash and Go when they start getting length, it still remains one of my favorite hairstyles and the one I wear the most often.  I’ve learned that my hair thrives when I leave it alone and let it do its thing!

My hair has a mixture of textures going on.  The back of my hair has really tight, cotton like curls.  They need the most moisturizing and take the longest to detangle.  The sides of my hair have slightly looser curls and tend to frizz the most.  The top and front of my hair have the loosest curls and can lose their pattern very easily if stretched too far.  Overall my hair is fine and has crazy shrinkage (it goes past my shoulders when blown out)

All right, onto the routine!

The Wash Part

• Before stepping into the shower I divide my hair into four sections. Because my hair is longer and thicker, it makes it easy to wash.  I use ponytail holders to hold each section.  Twists unravel in the shower and braiding it dry gives me too much breakage.
• I shampoo every other week with a co-wash in-between.  Currently I’m using Aussie Moist Shampoo.  For conditioner I use Aussie’s 3 Minute Miracle with a little honey mixed in.  For co-washes I use Hello Hydration from Herbal Essence.
• I detangle each section while it’s loaded up with conditioner and rinse well.
• I use old T-shirts to blot dry to cut down on frizz

The Go Part

• I keep my hair in sections, applying each product in all sections before moving on to the next one.
• The first one I use is Cantu Shea Butter Leave in Repair Cream.  I’ve been using this product since I decided to go natural.
• Next is my styling cream.  My favorites are Shea Moisture’s Curling Cream and Cantu Shea Butter’s Deep Treatment Masque.
• To seal in all that moisture I put into my hair, I use good old fashion Olive Oil. Anything heavier than this will weigh my hair down and make it way too greasy.  While my curls are nice and slick, I comb through each section.
• Now my hair needs some shine and hold while it air dries.  The only product I use is Shea Moisture’s Curling Souflee.  I seriously cannot live without this stuff!
• Give my hair a good shake and now I can go!

On wash days my hair has crazy shrinkage so in the evening I tie my hair up in mini ponytails and sleep with a satin bonnet.  In the morning all I need to do is put a little styling cream in and fluff it out.  Instant big hair! Using this routine, my Wash and Go can last up to a week.

Do you wash and go?  What products do you use?