Experiment 002: Variations on a Afro Puff

The stylish and speedy style of choice for me for my current hair length is the afro puff. All you need for a basic afro puff is an elastic hair tie. Other products and tools can help you create different looks.

Products Used:

Any leave-in Conditioner

Tools Used:

Pick/Comb

Large elastic hair tie

Brush (optional)

This simple afro puff can be done right after washing or pretty much anytime.

First, comb through with your favorite leave in conditioner. Right now I use olive oil hair lotion, an affordable product that is available at Target, CVS, etc. Make sure you comb the front and sides back as if you were making a ponytail.

Next, put on your elastic hair tie, wrapping it around your head twice if need be. For the look to work, it needs to be tight. (but not so tight it cuts off your circulation!)

After that, push the hair tie back on your head until you have a puff of your desired size and location.

You can use a brush to smooth out the front if you want to but I didn’t in this picture.

Another Variation:

Another Wash and go Puff

I did this puff as a wash and go style. After washing, I styled as described above, also using Hot Six Oil after towel trying my hair to seal in moisture. Next, with my hair still wet I did large twists all over my fro, then took them out. The twists are much softer than they will be for a twistout, but I still liked how it turned out.

Next time: Variations on a Twistout!

Experiment 001: Making Wash and Go Work

I usually don’t have time to do a complicated style in the morning, so what can I use to make my hair soft and easy to style, right after washing it?

Original State:

Just out of braids

Products Used:

African Royal Hot Six Oil

Burt’s Bees More Moisture Raspberry & Brazil Nut Shampoo

Garnier Fructis Length & Strength Cream Conditioner

Garnier Fructis Soft Curl Cream

Garnier Fructis Curl Shaper Spray Gel

Tools Used:

A good old fashioned pick

Wide toothed comb

Fresh out of kinky twists, I’m trying to see what products leave my hair soft after washing my hair, ready for a simple “wash and go” style. I’d read about “pre-poo” techniques (treating your hair with conditioner before washing), a friend had also told me about leaving some conditioner in after washing for ringlets when the hair dries. I ended up trying both. I know you’re only supposed to change one variable at a time for an experiment, but after being in braids for 3+ months (don’t do that!) my hair needed all the treatment it could get.

After detangling and combing my hair out, I used the Hot Six Oil as a “pre-poo” treatment. I left it in my hair for about 10 minutes then headed to the shower to shampoo.

I used my favorite Burt’s Bees shampoo, then the Garnier conditioner, not rinsing it completely out so it served as a leave-in.

Afterward, I noticed that my hair was softer than it usually was and easier to work with. After combing it out, I used Garnier’s Soft Curl Cream and Curl Shaper Spray Gel to style and this was the result:

Style Experment 001

close up on detail:

detailed

The texture is pretty good, nice ringlets, and the Soft Curl Cream actually had curls to work with! Usually I have to wear a twist-out to get the style to look like this. I’m pretty sure it’s the oil treatment that helped achieve this result, because I’ve done the leave-in conditioner thing before.

Bottom Line: Using the Hot Six oil as a pre-treatment did help make my hair softer, but I still had to work with it (using the Garnier styling products) to get the look I wanted.