Blowout Twistout

These are some results from an after Christmas twistout.  I really like the way it turned out, I didn't do anything special, just blow dried my hair & did some chunky twists with some DevaCurl Set It Free to help set it.

In Twists for 2 Weeks

I am off work for the next two weeks, YEA!  I decided to have care-free hair and do some twists.  I wore them up in a bun most of the time. 

And I finally rocked my beret!

My Holiday Party Updo

My job had a dress-up holiday party this year Yea!  I had initally intended to straighten my hair, as I have been promising to straighten my hair since my July.  Well, it didn't happen; the day just got away fron me and before I knew it, it was 90 minutes before the time I had planned to leave with no solid outfit & no hair do!

I had been wearing a twistout all week and I wanted something a little more festive and glam.  My hair finally decided to cooperate with a high bun LOL!  I heavily misted with rosewater, put some avocado butter on for shine & smoothed it up into a bun.  I put a scarf on to smooth it out a bit while I figured out what to put on.
When I took the scarf off, it was cute....but not the look I had envisioned.  It needed more....more volume!  I pulled out some 4a/4b hair tracks from my hair stash for the solution.  I undid my bun and placed some in the middle of my hair for a filler & redid my bun, so that my hair was on the outside of the bun.  I sprinkled a few sparkle hair pins around and it looked much better. 

I would have liked to smoothed it back down, but it was time to fly! What do you think ladies?

Twistout results - Devacurl Set It Free

Devacurl Set It Free is winning me over.  I really like my twistout texture when I use it, it has sheen, it holds the pattern longer....& I like the smell. 
This week, after deep conditioning, I sealed with castor oil and I blowdried my hair in sections to about 75% dry.  I spritzed Set It Free on each section & twisted.  I did about 16 or so twists for my entire head.

Even with my hair almost dry before twisting, with these cool temperatures my hair hasn't been dry by morning so I decided to sit under the dryer for 30 minutes.  Yea! My hair was dry by morning.  I took down the twists and seperated the sections a bit.  Here are my results:

Protective Styling aka the Half Cap!

Ladies, adjusting to this Chicago cold weather really takes some getting used to when it first shows up!  I finally had my hair routine down, always washing on Sundays.  This was working out fine for the warmer months as my hair would be dry for work Monday morning.  Not now though :(    My hair is still damp in the mornings, I even tried doing it Sunday mornings instead, it was still damp. 
As my chunky twists intended for a twistout are really not acceptable for wearing to work; wearing a fab cap is not acceptable for the work dress code....my options are to take my twists down with some dampness & have horrible frizzing OR style a half cap.
So I have been wearing favorite half cap Nia Girl for the past two weeks to work.  She is just my fav, and yes some may say it is big....BUT I LOVE ME SOME BIG HAIR ANYWAYS!!!  I have a #2 & a #1B/30.  Sometimes I throw a headband or scarf with it, sometimes I just pin the front down in place in 4 places and go.
Half caps are MY protective styling lol...
Photo from: http://snghair.com/FreeTress_Drawstring.aspx

Twistout results later in the week

I decided I needed to retwist on Wednesday to help keep my hair together; I also had a Saturday night outing and didn't want to have to start over with a wash & restyle.  I just misted my hair with rose water & put a touch of castor oil on the length of the twist.  This worked out great & my hair lasted thru to Sunday :)

I even found a hat big enough for my big head & big twistout hair!! Yea!!

Twists on Blowdried Hair with Devacurl Set It Free

This week I blowdried my hair & did chunky twists for twistouts. 

• Sealed with Castor oil & applied Giovanni Straightening Gel
• I completed each section before moving to next section, I did 16 sections/twists.
• Blowdried section to 80% dry, applied Devacurl Set It Free, & twisted.

Here are the next day results:

Fall also = Cognac Martini

In addition to using pumpkin in everything I can think of in the fall, I am like a darker beverage to sip on, some brandy, cognac, Jack or Myers.  I pulled out my cognac & decided to make myself a nice chilled warming martini.  This is a serious drink, you will taste the alcohol.

Yak Martini
2 1/2 oz cognac (I like De Marsy XO)
1 oz limoncello ( I love Caravella)
1 oz Cointreau ( I used Controy, purchased in Mexico)
1/2 oz simple syrup (always have a batch in the fridge)
juice of half a lime (sadly I didn't have fresh which is the best)

Fill your shaker 1/2 full with ice, add all above ingredients.  Shake it like a Polaroid picture.  Pour into chilled martini glass & use a maraschino cherry for decoration.  Gaze at the ice crystals floating on the top!  ENJOY!

Simplicity In Twists

This fall, it is taking some transitioning to get re-accustomed to the chill in the air, the mornings being darker, the days being shorter....And a newer experience for me, having to venture outside with still damp hair from twists done the day before.  This same chill that allows me to rock my suede boots, glazed leathers & cashmere scarves is not so nice for damp hair.
My regimen this week:

• Pre-poo overnight with Aubrey
• Shampoo with Giovanni 50/50
• DC with a mix of Na-PCA & Hair Rules Quench Conditioner
• BWC Leave-in Conditioner
• Sealed with Castor Oil & Monoi Tiki Tahiti Oil
• Hair Rules Curly Whip on each section
• Twisted & placed on rollers

I wore my hair in twists all my work week:

I took them down on Saturday & seperated the sections for a wild woman look ;)

Indian Summer Hair Day

So today, the temperature is over 80 degrees!!! In October in Chicago, it is so unbelievable & NICE!!!  Since I figured it is the last day this warm for over 5 months or so, I decided it would be nice to do my hair early today & let it just air dry, hoping it will be dry by this evening. 

1. I started off by shampooing with Giovanni Tea Tree ( still my fav!)
2. DC with a mix of Joico Moisture Recovery & Ojon Tawaka Rejuvenating Conditioner with heat for 30 minutes
3. Rinsed & spritzed with Na-Pca, massaged into hair
4. Rinsed & sectioned hair into quarters
5. Applied BWC leave-in
6. Sealed with Castor oil
7. Applied a dab of Fantasia Frizz Buster Serum to each section before twisting
8. Twisted and allowed to air dry while sitting outside on deck :)

This was probably the last time this year I will be able to go outside with uncovered wet hair.  I miss summer already!

Lazy Daisy, Rockin Twistout For More Than A Week

So, Sunday is supposed to be hair day....BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT!  I know I should, but my hair still is soft & moisturized, I haven't used a bunch of different products on my hair this week, so I was thinking....maybe, just maybe, I can make this work another 4 days for work this week.  To help with definition, I decide to spritz with Aloe Vera gel & re-twist my hair into about 12-15 chunky twists, put rollers on them to keep them stretched out while drying & rock a twistout, if I have to retwist on Wednesday so be it, at least I don't have to spend hours on my hair today. 
Here are my results:

Looks like my 2 or 3 day twistout, which is a-OK with me for the time saved!

Blowdried My Hair

It has been a decided chill in the air, more so at night, which led me to think about blow drying my hair to avoid a wet head all night & probably part of the next day also.  I didn't want it too straight though, so I decided on using my old blow dryer instead of the new one.
I sectioned it into quarters then each quarter into quarters, then using the dryer I got my hair about 75% dry ( focusing on my roots) & let it air dry the rest of the way in a bun.

I wore a bun most of the work week, so I had a pretty low maintenance hair week :)

Fall = Glazed Spelt Pumpkin Scones!

With the drop in temperature, I am feeling like fall already. Foodwise fall equals chili, hot apple cider, slow cooker soups, Sunday morning homemade cinnamon rolls, and pumpkin scones!
This morning, I decided to make a batch of pumpkin scones, I am sort of watching what I am eating, so I decided to make them a bit healthier.  Now spelt flour does give a different texture than regular flour, but it is a whole grain & even has a bit of protein.

Here's my recipe:
2 1/2 cups spelt flour
1/2 cup unbleached flour
9 tbl sugar
1 tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
7-8 oz canned pumpkin( 1/2 of 15 oz can)
1 egg
4 tbl almond milk
6 tbl cold butter
sugar, for sprinkling on top, optional

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbl milk

Combine all dry ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Cut butter into cubes, add to bowl and beat into until the texture of coarse sand.  Add in pumpkin, egg & milk, fold in just until able to form into a ball(you may have to add more flour or milk to be able to do this).  Separate into two sections.  Pat out each section on a floured surface into a 1 inch thick circle.  Cut each circle into 6 wedges & place on a parchment lined baking sheet( I usually sprinkle some sugar & cinnamon on top also) .  Bake in 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes until begin turning a light brown.  Remove & place on cooling sheet. 
While cooling, prepare glaze by mixing all ingredients until smooth.  I like to pour the glaze over scones while still warm so glaze melds into top layer of scone.

Get a mug of Hazelnut or Vanilla Caramel Coffee and try not to eat more than one.....