When I was younger I used to feel so frustrated with my hair.  When I say younger I mean when I was like 36 or 37 lol! Most of my life I have been fighting my hair: fighting for definition, fighting the frizz, fighting for hydration, fighting for consistent results. Babes it has been a looooong time coming, but now I feel relieved and supremely happy that I have a set of hair care favorites that give me consistent results use after use.

My hairstylist Shai has educated me on how to care for my curls. I know how to effectively cleanse my hair and how to properly dry my hair and how to apply the products in a way that I am going to get the results that I am looking for. That doesn’t always mean I get those results ALL THE TIME!!! HELL-O, it  turns out the products that you use are a major factor in determining how hydrated your curls will be, how defined your curls will be and how long that wash day is going to last.

I am happy at this point in my life I wake up and I’m not angry at my hair. I’m not frustrated by my hair. I have come to the conclusion that the combination of products that I’m currently  using are doing the damn thing…week after week!!  So without further ado I am so hyped to share with you my routine for long lasting defined hydrated curls.

My Current Hair Care Favorites

I do the following routine 1x per week unless noted otherwise.

Hair Wash Routine

Prose Pre-Mask (deep conditioner) for Tennille

I begin with my Tennille custom formulated Prose pre-mask.  It is a highly-concentrated mask that revitalizes and repairs my curls to restore overall health while providing long-lasting hydration. Traditionally I have always done my hair treatments after I’ve cleansed and conditioned my hair.  With my Prose collection they created a hair treatment that I apply before I do any other steps. So yes, I start with a pre-Treatment mask on damp hair and then leave that on for a minimum 30 minutes.  Yep babes, I’m applying the pre-mask treatment to already kinda-like dirty hair, then I just pop on a shower cap. 

Prose Shampoo for Tennille

I cleanse my hair once a week. After I rinse out the hair treatment I cleanse my scalp with my Prose shampoo. My shampoo is a gentle sulfate-free cleanser to help improve manageability and maintain the balance of my scalp. I really work it into my scalp for at least a minute or two. I focus on my scalp because this is the area that I really want to remove dirt and any product build-up. There’s no need to cleanse the lengths of my hair because as I am washing my scalp the shampoo will naturally cleanse the rest of my hair.  Babes you don’t need to be aggressively cleaning the lengths of your hair. This can and will lead to frizz. To properly cleanse your hair you should be massaging your scalp without water running on it. Then as you begin to rinse, continue to agitate and massage your scalp as the shampoo runs down the lengths of your hair.  

Prose Conditioner for Tennille

My Prose conditioner is rich and creamy, formulated to keep curls nourished and bouncy. I approach conditioning the opposite as I shampoo my hair.  Meaning I apply the conditioner to the lengths of my hair from root to tip. Conditioner is less about the scalp and more about the hair itself.  First thing when I get in the shower I immediately shampoo my hair, then onto the conditioner. As the conditioner is sitting in my hair I proceed with all the other things that I want to do in the shower to allow the conditioner time to marinate anywhere from 5-10mins. I actually bring a shower cap in there too, popping that on while the conditioner is on. I rinse out the conditioner and then I quickly tie it in a little ball and put the shower cap back on immediately. I do not towel dry my hair. I leave as much water in my hair as possible. I want it dripping dripping wet when I move onto applying my styling products.

Styling Routine

Hair Gel

Now every time I get my hair done and I tell them that I apply my gel before my cream styler‘s. They’re always like ‘that can’t possibly be more effective’ but for my hair I have tried it both ways and yes 100% I always apply my gel before I apply my cream-based stylers. It’s what works for me. I’ve tested it and a part of learning your hair is of course testing a process that works for you. This is my process and like I said this is what works for my curls.

So on dripping wet hair I go section by section and apply my Ouidad styling gel. I have been using this gel for years. I have tried many other gels and for my curls nothing holds it better than this gel. I don’t mess around with trying other gels, this product is the X factor in my hair routine. I can swap out conditioners, hair treatments, shampoos, even styling creams, but I cannot swap out this styling gel. It is the only one that I use and I will get really feisty if someone tries to tell me to try another gel!! LOL!!l This is what works for me and I don’t mess with what works!!!!

Curl Creams

When it comes to a curl cream or styling cream I have three styling creams that I kind of rotate through and here they are:

I love Noughty’s Taming Cream!! It is really thick, so a little bit goes a long way. In my opinion it is a better product when I am going to be in humidity. I really enjoy using this through the winter months when the weather is more damp. I feel like it’s a little bit heavier and so it gives my curls a lot more hydrated definition.

I also have curl cream from Prose. This cream is a bit more lightweight so I’ve been enjoying this one more when the weather is warmer or I’m not gonna be in humidity.  It has been my experience that it does not have that much hold as the Noughty Taming Cream.

The final styling cream that I use is from Briogeo called the Curl Charisma Coil Custard.  This is a holy grail product of mine. I love that it has flaxseed oil and shea butter in there that add a little more hydration to my curls. I have to use this one sparingly because oil in my hair really does it work but for some reason this Coil Custard does. It adds shine, definition and hydration to my curls that I really love.

Scalp Treatments

2x per month or every other wash day 

Darlings scalp treatments are essential!! I have two that I LOVE!! If you are not currently using a scalp treatment I highly recommend that you begin using one. As we age our scalps produce less sebum and so it is really important especially as someone of my age (43) with white hair to stimulate and to massage my scalp. Think of this as a detox for your scalp. 

Prose Scalp Mask

My Prose Scalp Mask is again a pre-mask treatment that I do before I shampoo.  It is a micro-exfoliating charcoal mask that instantly hydrates and detoxes the scalp. I apply the mask to dampen hair, pop on a shower cap, leaving it in for about 15mins then follow with shampoo.

Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal Shampoo

I have been using the Allure beauty award winning Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal Shampoo I feel like for two or three years now. Every other wash if I’m not using my Prose scalp mask, I use Briogeo Scalp Revival. It takes the place of my Prose shampoo.  This too is a micro-exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and product build-up from the scalp for a balanced and healthy scalp. What makes this shampoo truly wonderful is the cooling peppermint. I love how refreshing it feels on my scalp. I use it exactly like you would a shampoo focusing on massaging my scalp and really working it in to break down any dirt and buildup.

Hair Growth Serum

Nutrafol Growth Activator 

A new product that you may have seen me use over on my IG page is Nutrafol’s Growth Activator serum. Now this is something that I use daily.  I have been applying the serum to my hairline which is the area I am treating.  It is not oily, leaves zero residue, and feels damn soothing on my scalp. I swear my hairline has gotten thinner over the years, but I am hopeful this new product can help.  So far so good, I will continue to use it and keep you posted. 

That’s a wrap on my current hair care favorites, darlings! Did I leave out any of your favorites you think I should try?

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