bougieone

[bougieone]

MY RELAXED HAIR

This blog post has been a long time coming. I initially did not want to discuss hair in this space because I feel there is already a lot of content surrounding hair care out there, and it just wasn’t my intention to talk about something that has been discussed exhaustively.  But, since I began regularly posting content on Instagram, I've gotten a surprising amount of questions about my hair and hair care routine.

Below I'll discuss my hair history, routine and tips that have helped me keep my relaxed hair relatively healthy.  I want to preface this with stating that I am not at all a licensed professional and the products I use may not work for you.  I’m simply sharing what I have learned on the internet and what has worked for me, personally.  A Little History

I got my very first relaxer at the age of 7 and continued to do so throughout my entire life.  I would get regular relaxers about every 6-8 weeks, sometimes at home and sometimes in the salon.  Around the age of 11, I began going to a Dominican salon, where they would do a typical shampoo, conditioner, rollerset, blow out and wrap. During this time, my hair was approximately chin to shoulder length. My hair would grow, but never really went past my shoulders and I would often need my ends trimmed because they just looked scraggly. 

I continued going to the Dominicans up until about 2009, which is when I started wearing weaves.  I would keep my weave in for about 8-10 weeks, and my stylist would take down my weave and braids, detangle, relax and condition my hair.  I allowed my stylist to care for my hair up until I had one bad experience with another person working in the salon.  The woman pitched in to help my stylist take down my weave, but she did a terrible job detangling; there was pulling, tugging and a lot of breakage. I had my stylist cut the majority of my hair off and there was about 4-5 inches of hair left on my head. 

After that bad experience, I started taking down my weave and doing my own hair at home, before going into the salon to reinstall my weave.  I researched everything; proper detangling methods, conditioning, moisture/protein balance, EVERYTHING. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos; mainly the GlamTwinz, and later on, UloveMegz.  It took me roughly 2 years after implementing this new routine to reach mid back length. 

About 6 years ago is when I decided to stop regularly wearing weaves.  At this point my hair was slightly longer than mid-back length and I felt I knew enough to take care of it myself. I’ve had some setbacks since then; breakage, too much protein, dryness, but I just cut it off and start over because I knew I could grow it back.  I’ve also learned a lot about what my hair likes, but most importantly, what it doesn’t like. 

The point of all this is for you to understand that this is a journey and you will not see results overnight. Patience and consistency are your best friends in any journey. 

I’ve spent thousands of dollars and have tried hundreds of products but the below are my tried and true. 

Relaxer Day Routine 

Preparation - I thoroughly oil my hair from my roots to my ends and I carefully detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb.  You can use any type of oil to do this; right now I’m using Oil Tycoon NCT Heavy Blend Hair Oil.  I also sometimes apply heat via a conditioning cap to deeply infuse the oil into my hair. 

Relaxer - Phyto Specific: Phytorelaxer Index 1 for Delicate and Fine Hair. This is a “non-chemical” sodium hydroxide free relaxer, made with egg, soy and shitake mushrooms. I’ve been using this relaxer for about 5 years (every 8-10 weeks) and I absolutely love it; I have not had any bad experiences with it thus far. I part my hair into 4 sections and apply the relaxer to my new growth as per the instructions; after fully applied, I go back and smooth down the new growth with my fingers.  I wash my hair with the included neutralizing shampoo 3 times.

Aphogee Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor. I apply this protein conditioner to my entire head paying special attention to my edges, nape, crown and ends. It leaves my hair feeling very moisturized but strong.

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Treatment Masque. I apply this deep conditioner to my entire head, sit under a conditioning cap for about an hour and leave the conditioner in my hair overnight.

Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner, Mielle Organics White Peony Leave-In Conditioner & Kenra Platinum Blow-Dry Spray. I apply all three of these leave-in conditioners to my hair in the following order: 1st - Jane Carter (all over my head), 2nd - Mielle Organics (to my ends and edges only) and 3rd - Kenra (all over my head).  I then detangle my hair from the ends to the top, using a wide tooth comb and let my hair air dry.  When air drying, I just let my hair hang. 

IC Hair Polisher Heat Protector Straightening Spray, BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium 1" Ultra-Thin Straightening Iron & a Beard/Wave Brush. After my hair is completely dry, I part it into 4 sections and spray the IC heat protectant all over, but more focused on my ends. I then flat iron my hair, starting in the rear of my head, with the Babyliss flat iron (heat setting 35) and beard brush using the “chase” method.

Wash Day Routine

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Deep-Conditioning Treatment. I pre-poo my hair using the Philip Kinglsey Elasticizer Treatment. I simply wet and saturate my hair with this conditioner and leave it in for a few hours.  If my hair feels really dry, I’ll leave it in a bit longer and apply heat via a conditioning cap.

Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Shampoo. I wash my hair one time using this shampoo and a scalp massager/shampoo brush, then I follow steps 3 through 6 above. 

Tips-n-Tricks

I wrap my hair each night with a wide tooth comb after moisturizing and sealing my ends (as needed) with the Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner and the OUAI Hair Oil. I smooth my wrap with my beard/wave brush and tie on a silk scarf.

When I comb my hair, I comb through my ends first and work my way up to the top of my head.

I do not use a hard brush when styling my hair, soft bristles work  just fine.

I do not blow dry my hair; I used to when I first started doing my hair, but I quickly learned that my hair did not like it (breakage) and I really did not need it as air drying was sufficient.

I use silk scrunchies when putting my hair in a low bun or ponytail.  If I’m doing a super sleek style and want a more secure hold, I use Goody Ouchless Hair ties and I saturate them with my Oil Tycoon Hair Oil before using them.

Typically when doing a ponytail or bun I use the Jane Carter leave-in conditioner, water and a silk scarf to lay my hair down. This is usually more than enough for me, but sometimes I’ll use Creme of Nature Perfect Edges if I want extra sleekness and hold.

I cut my own hair using styling shears and learned how to do so on YouTube.  I like a blunt cut (no layers) so this is pretty easy for me to do.  I do not trim my ends on any kind of schedule, just when I feel I need it.

I leave my hair alone outside of typical styling.  I do not touch or manipulate my hair a great deal; I just style it once in the morning and leave it alone.  If it starts getting wild, running my fingers through it is sufficient.

I wash my hair every 2 weeks.  My flat iron will last me about a week, but if I want it to last longer I use Morrocan Oil Dry Shampoo (dark) to refresh the style.

Patience is important.  I never rush through styling and always try to leave myself enough time to properly care for my hair.

Consistency is also important. I never skip any of the above steps and I make sure to always use the above tips and tricks. 

That's pretty much it.  If you have any questions or would just like to chat, please feel free to DM me via Instagram; I love receiving messages from you all. Below is a link to my Amazon shop where you can purchase many of the products mentioned above.*   

www.amazon.com/shop/bougieone 

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to purchase something, I may earn a commission. Thank you.

[bougieone]

BEDROOM REFRESH

I, same as every other person in the world, have been spending much more time at home during the coronavirus pandemic.  Wanting to always be as productive as I can, and also wanting to take advantage of being home virtually 24/7, I decided to tackle a few projects around my new condo.  The best way I can describe my interior aesthetic is “modern luxury.” When I come home, I want to feel as if I am living in a luxury hotel suite.  I don’t like a lot of stuff, I like things to be clean and organized, and most importantly, I like things to be beautiful.  I put a lot of thought into the design of my condo - everything including the colors, fabrics, hardware, textures, and fragrance are thoughtfully chosen. 

Although I was happy with the current styling of my bedroom, I thought it was missing a few touches that would elevate it and essentially make it “complete.” I have an enormous appreciation for Restoration Hardware (surprise, surprise), and many of the furniture pieces and all of my current linens in my bedroom are from there.  After spending several months at home I made a list of all the things about my bedroom that I didn’t absolutely love.  I believe its important to spend time in a space and getting a better feeling of how you use it, and wants vs. needs, before you tackle the task of furnishing and decorating it.

First, I wanted to upgrade my bedding to something more sateen from the current cotton sheets I have, because I realized I don’t love the look of a “slept in” bed.  I prefer a silkier texture, and even if I steamed the sheets every morning, I wasn’t able to get the exact look I was going for.  I also decided to change the artwork over my bed since the previous artwork was a bit too garish, the frames were too gold, and although they matched my lamps and other gold accents, I felt that the color was a bit strong. I also wanted art that is abstract, clean and easy on the eyes.  Finally, I wanted to create a reading nook in the empty corner near the window, and add some decor pieces to the long dresser below the television. I’ve included links to everything in my bedroom below.* 

I’m in love with the look of everything and I’m happy that I have at least one complete space in my new home.  What kind of updates are you making to your spaces during quarantine? And what spaces are on your wish list?

Bed, Dresser & Nightstands:

Restoration Hardware - Modena Shelter Non-Tufted Fabric Platform Bed

Restoration Hardware - Strand Mirrored 6-Drawer Dresser 

Restoration Hardware - Strand Mirrored Closed Nightstand 

Ettitude - Bamboo Duvet Cover

Ettitude - Bamboo Sheet Set 

Ballard Designs - Coverlet & Shams

Lamps:

Restoration Hardware - Beam Table Lamps with 13” French Rectangular Linen Shade

Restoration Hardware - Cylindrical Column Accent Lamp with 11” French Drum Linen Shade

Restoration Hardware - Stelo Task Floor Lamp

Chairs:

Wayfair - Kurz Cutaway Swivel Barrel Chair

Restoration Hardware - Emery Curved Back Side Chair

Other Items:

Art.com - Jamie Derringer Artwork

CB2 - Runway White Lacquer Desk

CB2 - Black Flower Marble Tray 

CB2 - Black Agate Tray with Handles

Crate & Barrel - Jasper Black Square Hurricane

Restoration Hardware - 1930s Martini Round Side Table

Rejuvenation - Round Metal Framed Mirror

Arhaus - Eva Round Vase in White

The White Company - For the Love of White Book

Amazon - Helmut Newton Sumo Book

Pottery Barn - Emery Linen Blackout Drapes

Fichman Furniture - Back Bay Radiator Cover w/Windsor Screen

*This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to purchase something, I may earn a commission. Thank you.