Hair Revolution: Something's Gotta Give

Confession: My hair takes ten minutes to wash (shampoo and condition) but I prefer to leave the conditioner in until last.  And I use a deep conditioner a few times a week.  And I've been known to pull out the olive oil and some eggs and whip it up and stick it on my head under some saran wrap for a few hours.

Field trip day.  I was so excited/nervous I got up early, plus had 10 extra minutes to get ready since I wasn't dropping off the kiddo at day care.  One of the best hair days I can recall.  Oh the straightness.

I have frizzy, wavy, mostly frizzy hair.  I put on an Aveda straightening lotion most days, trying to help the issue (it doesn't, much, but any help I can get) I blow dry straight in sections.  Four, to be exact.  This takes about 15 minutes (if I'm not too picky about some damp sections).  I can't go out like this.  My hair looks like a giant triangle.  FRIZZZZZ (ironically, that's the noise it makes, I think, every time I whip my hair back after flipping my  head to dry the top section so I have volume).

So after I think it's dry enough, I resection my  hair (the same four sections--bottom layer, middle bottom layer, middle top layer, top layer).  Then I run a thin comb through and straighten each section with my Chi flat iron.  For those who don't know, the Chi's run incredibly hot (and expensive, but when you have hair like mine, you have to have molten-lava hot).  I usually put in some kind of heat protector oil--I have some cheap weird stuff like biosilk.  I have Chi oil.  I also have a Rusk heat activated (some how protective) shine serum spray.  I like the spray because it makes it look like I didn't just cook my hair for breakfast.  Then I start the flat ironing.  The bottom two layers aren't terrible.  The bottom layer of my hair is frizz free, flat, impervious to curl.  Easy to straighten.  The next layer up is wavy.  Not kinky.  It responds like a sullen child.  Except for the back of my head, up by the roots.  This is where it's getting course and kinky.  Just at the roots though, it always seems.

The next layer (mid top) is worst. I have a "kitchen" from what I've read online.  One ugly unruly spot in the back of my head with course, kinky hair that defies all product, heat, and reason.  I spend a long time on this layer.  If you've ever seen the back of my head and noticed a little wave up top, you've seen my "kitchen".  It's peeking through and messing up my flat top layer.  My top layer doesn't take long.  It'd have more curls, but they've all died and turned to frizz or split ends or straw.  I kill that top layer with heat.  And sun.  And blow drying.  And shampoo.  It cries when I reach for the Chi.

This process obviously takes the longest.  And I've sprayed or used whatever I needed to to "save" my hair a little.  So then I brush it, check the back, notice the "kitchen-waves" curse a little, realize I'm running behind, and leave the house.  And run back in and check to make sure I unplugged everything in the bathroom.  Then I leave again.

I can't let my hair air dry.  I will put it up in a messy bun or a roll of some sort partially wet (these are the days I either don't have 40ish minutes to do my hair... or just don't want to take that long to do my hair... or the day before I felt like my hair was burnt to a crisp or something and I somehow think this will give it a nice break).  When my hair air dries naturally, it's about just as bad as the post-blow-dry pre-flat-iron look.  FRIZZZZZ.  And clumps.  And waves.  And straight parts.  Ugly. And sometimes (not sure what caused it) I'd get "hot spots" on my head.  In the back.  Little sores that sometimes itched, but were always sore and wet feeling.  Sometimes I'd think they came from straightening too soon on my hair that didn't get quite dry enough (hot steam burns).  Sometimes I'd swear it was my shampoo and I'd not gotten something out and it caused a reaction. 

Big curl waves--This was achieved by straightening first, then getting out a curling iron.  Think about how long THAT took.

That was my hair history.  Until about two weeks ago.  I decided that something had to give.  I was killing my hair with heat and product and killing myself each morning to make it look right. That's what started my hair revolution.  Can't wait to share with you all I've discovered since I holstered the Chi and started doing some research.  I might never go straight again--and I honestly think I'm okay with that!