4 weeks 4 techniques - Week #1 Braid-out on straight hair

Hello all! It's been a minute and I have lots to share...about my hair!!

I have hit many blahhhh stages in my 4 years of being natural. This is due mostly to my sheer laziness and my preference for an extremely low-maintenance routine. Hey...that's just me!

But with new lengths to my hair, new-found hair blogs (shouts out to curly nikki and moptop maven), and friends who are newly natural... let's just say that my interest in my hair has been renewed!!

I ended 2010 with an obsession with all things henna. That was pretty cool, but nothing I could do on a regular basis. Like I said...I'm low maintenance. 

Then I wondered...why haven't I played around with technique?? Sure I love my spirally coils just as they come out of my head, but why not try something different? My hair is about bra-strap length now. But with my usual wash n go's, it shrinks right back up above my shoulders...sometimes more depending on the products I'm using. I have never had a problem with that shrinkage but I'm getting to the point where I'd like to show some of that length :) 

Shrinkage Deluxe

I started my little experiment on New Years Eve. I wanted to change it up a bit by doing a blow-dry and flat iron (I usually do this maybe 2 or 3 times a year). I figured it was cold outside so I didn't have to worry about sweating or humidity. Well this is Chicago...and it rained :(   

I didn't want to end up with "not on purpose" frizzy hair. So I quickly braided up my hair into 2 braids after applying setting foam and rollers on the ends and applied a scarf to the edges. The set worked out pretty good but not quite as "set" as I would have liked it. But hey, I let it do what it do and went with the flow...

Somewhat wavy/somewhat straight hair on NYE

As the days went on I kept applying my Creme of Nature Argan Oil Foaming Wrap Hair Lotion (which I LOVE because it holds the set without the crunch) with my Vatika oil on top and the waves got BETTER and BETTER!!

Braid-out on straight hair 

What I love about this technique:

• Shows off length 
• I can have the versatility of going straight, but the added texture works with me, not against me 
• Who doesn't love big Diana Ross/Beyonce hair?? lol
• Easy to maintain for days (after the initial straightening process)

What I don't love about this technique: 

• The initial straightening process (extremely time consuming, possible damage to hair from heat) 
• Still have to avoid water and too much humidity to avoid reversion

Stay tuned for Week #2 of my technique experiment...Shingling!