My world is a whirlwind – I’m always thinking, writing, doing. So whenever I get a chance to leave it all behind, I do. Every weekend I try to indulge in a little me time, to nurture my body and spirit before chugging right back into the work week. Taking my Sunday afternoon to be a period of rejuvenation and indulgence is perfect — after grocery shopping, and before settling into an evening of cooking, laundry, and writing, I give my hair and body the love they deserve. Here’s what I did this last weekend.
I started with the usual pre-poo of pure coconut oil mixed with Ojon restorative hair treatment. I’ve reviewed Ojon before, but I gotta rave some more. I use it very sparingly (because it costs $55 for a tub!) and apply it to the most tangled parts of my roots. I supplement the rest with organic coconut oil, parting my hair and making sure my roots get lots of love. I let that sit for about an hour, maybe two while I enjoy some other beautifying routine — use a steam cap and do my nails, put on a face mask, or just read a book or magazine. It’s my time away from the demands of the computer and the television screen.
When enough time has passed, I enjoy a wonderful long hot shower with one of my favorite body washes. An affordably decadent new fave of mine is Olay Body Wash with Spa Exfoliating ribbons. It doesn’t smell especially girly, so the husband and I can both enjoy the scrubby moisturizing power of Olay — it’s just $6.95 at Drugstore.com right now, and is well worth it.
Then, shampoo. Recently I went back to a not-so-oldie but goody — Hair Rules aloe grapefruit clarifying shampoo. It’s only recommended for kinky hair once a month, so my bottle has lasted and lasted. For $16,50, it’s a worthwhile investment.
This stuff makes my hair feel super clean and smell wonderful. And it manages to remove product buildup and residue without stripping away all of my oils. It’s probably my favorite of the Hair Rules line, that and the Quench Conditioner.
I like to end my Sunday beauty ritual with a scalp sugar scrub or a deep conditioning treatment — this past weekend I used the last little end of my Kiehls Olive Oil Deeply Repairative Hair Pak and combed my tresses through from the ends up to the roots.
That’s the only way I can do it! For those of you who have asked, do I still use the Denman brush? My answer is no – after personally witnessing Lorraine Massey’s horror at the mere suggestion, and also noticing that my hair after was way more frizzy and less perfectly spiralled after I used it, I went right back to the classic wide tooth comb. Works for me, always has.
The post-shower and shampoo styling products I use pretty much depends on how in a hurry I am. I’ve learned over time what my hair responds best to. I reach for a Miss Jessie’s product if I know I have time to let my hair dry thoroughly before I go out somewhere. If I’m in a hurry for work, sometimes I don’t have the time to even shampoo or co-wash my hair, so I just soak it and use some African Pride or Creme of Nature leave-in conditioner before I jet. (I really AM a drugstore diva, for real). When my hair needs nurturing, I use Curls Souffle, and most recently I fell head over heels for a product I was introduced to by Tracy Wilson Mourning, creator of the Honey Shine Mentoring Program. Is her hair not amazing?! She is even more stunning in person. I can’t wait for Tracy to release this product to the public. For now, all I can say is what I’ve already said before – aloe vera is the TRUTH. Right, Honey Brown Sugar?
More on this to come, for sure my bellas!
At the end of my Sunday ritual, I feel relaxed, beautiful, and ready to face the week ahead.
Do you have a weekly hair and beauty ritual? What are your favorite nurturing hair and bath products these days?
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