What Will My Next Half Wig Be?

Happy Sunday lovelies!

Well...I'm starting my 4th (and final) week for wearing Tammy. I have to admit, this final week came just in time because I was starting to get bored with Tammy. She's a great half wig and all but after a month of wearing her (and only her), I'm ready for a change.

I've been contemplating which wig I should wear for the month of October and after much debate, I decided to stick with a curly style. I just figure it will be easier in terms of maintenance/blending and I can save my other wigs (Samara Girl and Monica) for the colder months.

I went to my local BSS about a week or so ago and saw Vanessa La Frisco.

Let me just say...I love the look of this wig (hmmm.....not in that color though)! I can see myself rocking it with a headband and it looks like blending won't be an issue. The plan is to purchase this wig on Friday to start wearing it on the first. Be on the look out for a post that details my La Frisco regimen!!


What do y'all think of it? Yay or Nay?

I Could Not Resist....

So I was sitting around today, just piddling, when I decided to do a super duper small, mini length check.


I went to my bathroom, plugged up my trusty old Sedu (and set it to 280), and unraveled one of my braids. After I ran a comb through said section, I lightly ran my flatiron thru it ( just enough to loosen it up but not straighten it. I also didn't bother to get my roots--believe me when I say that I have some new growth. I'll be 8 weeks post on Thursday).

Lo and behold, my wacktastic flatiron job revealed that my hair is now touching BSL! For the record, it took me 9 months just to touch BSL coming from APL. I'm super excited and I can't wait to see what my hair will look like when I decide to straighten it for real (probably around November or December). Also, let this prove that my line of thinking was correct: my hair likes to be left alone. Yeah, bunning it was cool and the low manipulation styles were great. However, I'm learning that if I braid my hair up and leave it alone, it pretty much does its thing.


Anyway, without further ado, my hair. :)

**Side note: please forgive me and my Miss Celie braids. Like I said, this particular length check was random and haphazard....and I'm still wigging it up so...yeah**




:hits celebratory dougie: I'm so excited y'all!!!!!

My 'Tammy' Half Wig Regimen

Happy Sunday!! Can you believe the end of the weekend is upon us already!?

Anyway, as I mentioned in my last post, since I'm half wigging it up for awhile, I thought it would be a good idea to detail my regimen for each wig I wear. That way, you can see how I'm wearing my hair underneath the wig, how I'm styling the hair that I leave out to blend with the wig, and how I'm caring for the wig when it isn't on my head.

So, let's get to it!

After I'm done washing and DCing my hair, I put my hair into four plaits (leaving out a section of hair for blending). Using bobby pins, I then pin my hair up (as you can see):

I then style the leave out. Since Tammy has a crimped sort of look, I place crimpers on my hair (that's what those red things are). Here's a look of them 'head on':

And another look:

I find the the crimpers give a very nice (heat-less) way of getting crimps.

Anyway, when I put Tammy on, I place my wig cap on my braids and leave the crimped part out. I put the wig on, pull on the edges a bit to bring them up (and to cover the wig cap), and secure with long bobby pins.

Once I do that, I then blend the leave out, making sure to cover the 'seam' where my hair and the wig meet. To do this, I take a bit of the leave out hair to cover the seam and secure with hair pins (Note: Notice that I said hair pins. Bobby pins give too tight of a clamp for this). To finish, I brush the rest of the leave out to the side to make it look like a shorter layer

That's it!! Tammy is really easy to blend though. Also, on days where I don't feel like blending, I just use a headband to cover the seam. Easy as pie!!

When I take off my wig for the day, I use a paddle brush to get rid of any tangles (Note: I love Tammy and all BUT she has a tendency to get tangled around the nape) and spray with a wig conditioning spray ( the kind I use costs around $3 at the BSS). I use a softer brush to distribute the spray throughout the wig. I then cover the wig w/ the hair net it came in and hang it up (usually on the doorknob on my bathroom door. What? I live alone. I can do those sorts of things. #dontjudgeme).

*Roundup of products I use: hair crimper, DeMert Wig Conditioning Spray, long bobby pins, hair pins, and paddle brush*

Whew! I know it was a long post but I really just wanted to show you guys how I work with Tammy. Hopefully it will give you guys some ideas or encourage you to venture into half wig territory (*nudges those who may be on the edge*). I absolutely love Tammy and I always get the most compliments when I'm wearing her. I'll most likely get another Tammy wig soon ( I've had this one since April).

Anyway, what do you think?

Wigging It Up!: Weeks 1 and 2

Happy Saturday lovelies!


I hope you guys are having an awesome weekend! My weekend has been so hectic! So much to do, so little time!

Anyway, I just wanted to drop by and update you on how this wig thing is going with me. As you guys know, I have been wigging it up for the past 2 weeks. I essentially wash/DC my hair, put it into plaits, and wig it up (hmm...I may have to post what my wig regimen is for each wig...complete with photos). So far things have been going well. Well, except for that one thing....


I pretty much found out that I'm absolutely, positively going to have to wash my hair 1 time a week, at LEAST!!! See, I tried to be slick and stretch my washing time to once every 2 weeks (even then, I didn't make it. I wound up washing my hair just 3 days after I was supposed to). However, when I finally washed my hair, I had so much shed hair. OMG. I don't know if you guys have ever had long strands of hair on your body ( I wash my hair in the shower) but that is the CREEPIEST feeling ever! Lawdhammercy. It was just hair, hair, hair, hair, HAIR all over the place. At that point I vowed to stick to my once weekly wash/DC routine. Thick, long hair sheds a lot. Got it.

Other than that, I will be rocking my Tammy wig until the end of the month (Yeah, I'm faking like that hair is mine and I don't want to switch up wigs too frequently). In October, I will be wearing a new wig so stay tuned to see what it is!


Also,I'm also still taking my B-Vitamin complex. I've been taking it for a month and I've noticed that my nails are growing in stronger and my skin is clearer. I can't make any assessments about my hair growth....yet. I'm trying to wait until I finish the bottle that I am using before I make any judgments about that. At any rate, so far so good!


That's it for now really. Just wanted to give you an update on this wig wearing thing. I'm not bored yet and trust me when I say that it is so easy to just slap on a wig and head out the door in the morning. I'm really anxious to see what kind of retention I get from this!


Finally.......

Shoutout to the reader who ran into me at my local BSS today (looking at wigs no less!). Definitely made my day and thanks for reading! :)

First Impressions: Kinky Curly Knot Today

I should have titled this post "10th Impression."

I purchased KC Knot Today when I was home to VA at the beginning of August.I was feeling pretty sad because I couldn't purchase a full sized version of Qhemet Biologis AOHC (the store was sold out). So, I go some Kinky Curly products to make myself feel better.

I went to my local Target and purchased Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz ( which I have used previously and adored. It was my staple for flexirod sets. In fact, I purchased it so I could do flexirod sets. However, it is now September and I have yet to do one. Uh...yeah) and decided to try out Kinky Curly Knot Today.

Let's get to the review, shall we?


Price: $11.99+tax for 8 oz at Target/ $12.99+tax Whole Foods

Ingredients: Organic Mango fruit extract, organic slipper elm, organic marshmallow root, organic lemongrass, cetyl alcohol, behentrimonium methosulfate, citric acid, phenoxyethanol and natural fragrance.

Glycerin Free
Organic
Paraben Free
Protein Free
Silicone Free
Sulfate Free

Their Claims (as per the Kinky Curly website): "KNOT TODAY TM is a creamy herbal conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from thick curly textured hair.

After washing hair, apply KNOT TODAY TM generously and work through troubled areas with a wide tooth comb.

Can be used as a regular rinse out conditioner for wavy hair or as a leave-in for thicker curlier hair types. An excellent product to use after removing braids and extensions."


I LOVE the product and I have been using it every wash day. It definitely lasts awhile (for me, anyway). I've had it for a month and I'm at half a bottle. This product has a creamy consistency ( which my hair loves, apparently) and has a slightly tropical scent. I can't place what that scent is but it reminds me lounging on a beach in Hawaii. I have been using this product straight out of the bottle ( no dilutions, no super secret mixes or anything like that) as a leave in. It definitely helps with detangling and make my job easier (since the longer my hair gets, the more my strands want to love on one another). However, once my hair is dry....oh em gee. Knot Today leaves my hair super soft!. It also leaves my hair moisturized, which is always a plus in my book.

Bottom Line: Don't let the name fool you. Kinky Curly Knot Today is an excellent leave in/ detangler for us relaxed girls. If your hair craves moisture like my hair craves moisture, this product will be a hit for you. As we transition from summer to autumn, I will use this as my staple leave in since it is glycerin free (hint hint to you all you ladies looking for a product w/ no glycerin in it for winter). I love it so much that I'm contemplating ordering a bigger size online.

My Fall 2011 Regimen

Happy Sunday lovelies!!

Can you believe that it's September already!?! Now is the time when the weather cools down, leaves change color, and we begin our slow march towards winter. If you're hair obsessed like I am, this time of year marks a change in regimen as well.

During the summer, I have more freedom in the types of products I use simply because it is so humid here that my hair will be ok moisture-wise no matter what I do to it. However, once autumn hits, I really have to be on top of my moisture game.

As per usual, I will continue to wash (w/ my beloved Elasta QP Creme Conditioning Shampoo) and DC once a week. I will DC with Aubrey Organics GPB or with Aubrey Organics White Camellia. Following the wash and DC, I will apply Kinky Curly Knot Today as a leave in (I really need to do a review on that because I really love that product) along with a little Qhemet Biologics AOHC.

See, no major changes right?

WRONG!!

Right now I'm about sick of bunning my hair everyday. It's just too much work ( or maybe I'm just lazy). So, I'm going to be styling my hair in a way that requires minimal effort from me. At first I thought about weaving it up but that is just a lot of money. I mean, I have to drop major bucks just to get the hair (of course I want hair that is of good quality) for the weave, then drop money to get it installed? No sir. Forget that. Then I decided that I can just wear half wigs. And that's exactly what I will be doing.

So following the wash and DC, I will make 4 plaits in my hair (I could make 2 french braids but that requires me to blow dry my hair first and I really don't want to bombard my hair with heat every week) and pin those plaits to my hair. I will leave a little bit of hair out for my half wigs.

The half wigs I have currently are Outre Tammy, Outre Monica, FreeTress Creta Girl, and FreeTress Samara Girl. I plan on also purchasing FreeTress Toronto Girl and any other wig that tickles my fancy. Since I don't want to get too excessive with the switching up w/ the wigs, I will wear one wig for 4 weeks, then switch up. Currently, I'm wearing Tammy. For my leave out, I use these crimpers by Annie (I purchased them for like $2 at my local BSS):

I find that the crimp is similar to the wig and really helps with the blending. If the crimpers look kinda suspect to you, you can always just braid the leave out and mimic the texture that way. As always, I will not sleep in the wig and I do not keep it on if I am not leaving my apartment. In October, I will switch the wigs up for a different look.

That's it for now. Have you ladies begun thinking about your Fall regimen? What changes are you making to your regimen?