Wash-N-Go (Stick to the Plan)

This past week had been so crazy that I had no time to wash and prep my hair for the upcoming week. I knew I couldn't go another day with dirty, dry hair, so I did a wash and go style. Although this is relatively quick and easy (as easy as it gets for kinky hair)  I don't like dealing with the aftermath of dry compacted hair.


In the past, after washing and conditioning, I would apply my curl activator to small sections of loose hair then brush that section until it smoothed out and curled into a ringlet. After my entire head was done I would go back over it, taking individual curls and adding setting lotion to them. I did that to "freeze" the curl to avoid too much shrinkage and the compacted Afro. 

Sept 2010
Second day wash and go of the past. Not the business!

This time around my wash and go was unbelievable! I loved it. It was perfectly curly (for me). I wore it in a side pony and my damp hair was hanging to the base of my neck. By the end of the day it dried into a oh-so-soft curly poof. On the second day it was still super soft and light. Today is the third day, but my ends are starting to dry out.


Here's the thing, I have a goal in mind. I'm not going to change my strategy because I had success with this wash and go. Yes, this style took half the time it normally takes to wash and prep my hair. Yes, it was a nice change from the same old thing, but now is not the time to do something new. Sticking to proven methods (for me, braided styles or twists) will keep me on track to the hair I want. So, with that, I'm glad I took a picture, because I might not see that Wash-N-Go for a while. 

My wash method and how I did the Wash-N-Go

My hair is usually already twisted when I go to wash. If it's in some other style I'll put it back into chunky twists.

• My hair looks like this before and after I get out of the shower.  When I prep for wash I add shampoo the sections and  use a wide tooth comb to detangle and pre-wash, then twist.

• When I get into the shower the first thing I do is wash my hair. I shampoo 2-3 times. On the last shampoo I do not rinse right away. I add conditioner to my hair with the shampoo still in it. 

• First I turn off the the water. Then I take each twist, untwist it, add conditioner, finger comb and re twist. I use clips to keep them separated. When that is done, I'll put on a plastic cap. 

• Now it's time to get to the actual showering. I save things like shaving, and using my body scrub for wash days so that my conditioner can have time to work. When all is done I rinse my hair thoroughly with cool water to seal the conditioner in. I don't do cold water, I just can't take it.

• After towel drying, I'll spray oil on my scalp. I take a section, untwist it and apply my Motions Clear hairdressing cream to the roots and down the hair midway. Going to the ends, I'll add the ECO styler gel, smoothing the tips until they curl then work my way up. I use a wide comb if I need to, but I usually finger comb and do a lot of stretching and smoothing. I'm always careful to remove shedding hair, carefully untangling, and cutting knots. 

(Note: I only cut in the middle of the knot to release the hair vs. ripping the hair, breaking it or letting it snap off in the comb. I also do everything I can to get the knot as small as possible before cutting it.)

Out of habit, I always re twist my sections after adding product. On Sunday this entire process took me about 1hr and 15min.

This was at the end of Sunday. My hair was super soft and moisturized. It shrunk up, but not nearly as much as it has in the past. When I took the poof out I still had curl definition in the middle.

This is today, the third day. It isn't bad, but it's starting to dry out. Time to twist it up.