Kinky Twists vs Senegalese Twists!!!

I have been talking a great deal to my facebook hair friends about my decision to try Kinky or Senegalese Twists.

Up to this point I have reviewed youtube video after youtube video, read various blogs and how to web sites and I have made many discoveries . So I am going to take the time right now to share with you what I have stumbles upon in my research!!!


First... let me talk a bit about the various types of twists and their respective differences.


Kinky Twists - Also known as Marley Twists, Nubian Twists, Spring Twists and sometimes called Havana Twists. With this hairstyle the definitive identifying quality is the type of hair used to achieve the look. Kinky twists by nature are designed to look and feel as close to our natural hair texture as possible. When attempting to achieve this look, the hairstylist will use marley hair or a marley dredlock hair ( separating the synthetic strands and puffing out the hair before twisting into the desired style of the customer ) Size wise, kinky twists can be installed in small, medium and large. Typically small and medium are the most common size for this style however. The larger the twists, the more hair is needed per twist. There are several companies that make kinky textured hair that can be used for this style, but I have noticed that the length and the color variety seem to be rather sparse. Based on deductive reasoning, I have come to the conclusion that choices are limited based on the idea that this hairstyle is designed to look like your natural hair. And since African American's are not perceived to have / grow authentically natural hair that is also long, the average length for these kinky strands tend to range between 8 - 20 inches. This proves to be one of my biggest challenges to date. Especially after recently doing a length check and discovering that the average length of my hair is between 16 - 18 inches long.

 

 

 

Havana Twists - Sometimes interchangeably called Kinky Twists. The definitive identifying quality used to represent this style is the over all size of the twists. Havana twists by nature are chunkier and require far more hair per twist in comparison to Kinky Twists. Also, there is a particular hair brand called Havana hair that is associated with this look . You have to buy the hair online though @ www.fingercomber.com . Havana hair is also kinky textured synthetic fiber, but the major difference with this brand is that this hair can be used again, whereas marley hair and brands similar to it can only be used once. The fibers used to make Havana hair is supposed to be more durable , hold the texture longer, and keep the hair looking presentable for a longer period of time.

 

 

 

Senegalese Twists -  Unlike Kinky and Havana Twists, you can instantaneously determine the difference with this hairstyle because of the smoother and silkier look and feel these twists have. The reason for the difference rest with the fact that Senegalese twists are made using kanekalon hair or hair that is typically used for braiding. Another major difference the separates this style of twists is the length and color selection. Because a specific type of hair ( i.e. kinky textured hair ) is not required for this look, the hairstylist can select from a wide variety of lengths ranging from 8 - 84 inches long. They can also chose from virtually any color imaginable ( because braiding hair has a fantastic array of subtle & realistic to magically impossible hues to choose from) Size wise, these twists are usually installed in small to medium width, but can also be styled in a larger thicker/ chunkier form as well.

 

 

 

Yarn Twists - Although this is a pretty self explanatory style, I will explain anyway. Yarn twists are made by using yarn instead of the synthetic or human hair. These twists can range from whatever length or color that the person chooses. They can also be styled / made and installed in small , medium or large widths!!!

Now for those of you who are into the whole D.I.Y ( Do It Yourself ) movement like I happen to be, you are not even thinking about paying someone else to put any of the previously talked about hairstyles in your head!!! First of all it is expensive as all hell, and to be honest if you really want to get the maximum out of the hair style you are going to have to get a certain amount of it re-done after a few weeks if you are at all serious about keeping protective styles in your hair without having to switch it up often. Like I stated previously, I have watches youtube video's, blogs and the likes. Naturally I have retrieved enough information to become a professional hair stylist at this point. LOL. But, since we are talking about installing these by ourselves, here are a couple of installing methods that I would like to share:

Braid in Method - Simply put, you braid your hair in with the hair pieces  that you are going to be using to create your hairstyle. First you braid your hair and the extension pieces like you would an ordinary braid approximately an inch or two down. This is to make sure that your hair and the extension hair are secured and will not unravel or become undone as soon as you begin the twisting process. After you have braided your hair and extension hair you then divide your hair into two sections. You evenly distribute your hair into each to the extension pieces, and begin two strand twisting your hair into the extension hair. Continue twisting until you reach the desired length. Depending on which type of hair of fabrics you are using, you may dip the ends in boiling hot water, burn them with a lighter or loop a small knot at the end of the twist to insure that the twist will not unravel.

Alikay Invisible Roots Method  -  My favorite and possibly the more challenging of the two methods is the Alikay invisible root method. Here the objective is to twist your hair from the root directly into the extension hair. This is done by measuring the size of your twist creating a small, medium or large section. Divide the portion of hair that you have selected into two even pieces. Place the extension hair in between the two pieces of your own hair. This should form an "X". Holding one section of your hair and a section of the extension hair, you begin to wrap the piece of your hair around the extension hair clockwise. Do the same thing to the other piece of your hair and the remaining extension piece, except twist your hair around the extension piece counterclockwise. Continue twisting the hair down in both sections individually about 1-2 inches. Then with the two pieces , you begin two strand twists. Make sure that your hair blends into the extension hair so that when your hair stops, it can successfully remain in the twist without altering the look of the hairstyle. When you twist your hair using this method depending on the color you decide upon, the hair looks as if it has grown out of your head and you merely styles it like this.

Alright... so now I have completely spilled the basics and quite possibly more than that to you all!!! LOL. As I mentioned earlier, I have been wrestling with whether to install Kinky twists or go with the Senegalese twists. Although I love the smooth look and the many different colors that I can choose from if I were to install Senegalese twists, I am missing the kinky coarse hair texture that I am craving. Plus from what I have read , it take a considerably longer amount of time to install Senegalese twist in comparison to Kinky Twists. And as the wise ol lady who had escaped from her burning apartment stated " Ain't Nobody Got Time fa Dat!!!" So, I am thinking that I would prefer to install Kinky Twists.... BUT... the hard thing that I am going to have to figure out, is if I can actually find kinky hair that is in fact 20 inches or more so that I do not have to worry about the twists unraveling or not twisting part my real hair. Because the objective is to keep all of my hair tucked away inside the twisted hair. I can't do that if my hair is the same length as the extension hair is!!! Hopefully I can get the second color and install the Kinkies the way I originally planned to do!!! Wish me luck!!! (^_^)

 

So... I am hopeful that I will be able to find kinky hair that is long enough and comes in the colors that I am looking for ( 1b for the front half of my hair and T1b/Burgandy and T1b/ Red )

* The "T" in T1b/Burgundy means that the hair is 1b at the top part of the hair and bleeds into the second color (burgundy in this case ) and the tip is Burgundy. T = Tipped hair


Well... I think I have covered a considerable amount of information in this particular blog!!! So I shall end it here!!! As always thank you for tuning in. Hope to see you soon to check out my next installment!!! Until then...

Đi nhé! (^_^)

Washing my hair with Bentonite Clay & Length Check!!!

Well hello there love bugs!!! It has been a little minute now hasn't it??? BUT... I have managed to check back in before the year was out... better yet before the month was out!!! You gotta be proud of me for that . I know I am!!! LOL

Well, let's see what I have for you today!!! Well... today I took the time to wash my hair with another ayurvedic approach. I used Indian Healing Clay that was mixed as a really REALLY watery batch. The clay itself is called Bentonite clay. Many of you may know what that is ... but just in case you do not ... here is a brief introduction:

What is Bentonite Clay?

“Bentonite, also referred to as Montmorillonite, is one of the most effective and powerful healing clays. Bentonite can be used externally as a clay poultice, mud pack or in the bath and, in skin care recipes. A good quality Bentonite should be a grey/cream color and anything bordering “pure white” is suspect. It has a very fine, velveteen feel and is odorless and non-staining. The type of bentonite offered by Mountain Rose herbs is a Sodium Bentonite.”
Bentonite Clay is composed of aged volcanic ash. The name comes from the largest known deposit of Bentonite Clay located in Fort Benton, Wyoming.

What Does it do?

Bentonite Clay is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when hydrated. Upon contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving it the ability to absorb toxins. Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and remove toxins, heavy meats, impurities and chemicals.
Bentonite clay carries a strong negative charge which bonds to the positive charge in many toxins. When it comes in contact with a toxin, chemical or heavy metal, the clay will absorb the toxin and release it’s minerals for the body to use. Bentonite also helps get oxygen to cells as it pulls excess hydrogen and allows the cells to replace it with oxygen instead.
Bentonite clay is a common ingredient in detox and cleansing products. It has an alkalizing effect on the body and when taken correctly, it can help balance gut bacteria.Most ladies mix their bentonite clay with water to create a paste to apply to the hair and scalp, but some mix the clay with aloe vera juice to lower  its pH down to match hair’s naturally acidic pH.  There are several types of bentonite clay, each named after its respective dominant element, like magnesium, potassium, aluminum, etc.  It has been said NOT to mix the clay with a metal spoon or tool supposedly because the minerals will interact with the metal and decrease its effectiveness.  The most popular bentonite clay for hair seems to be Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay which of course is the clay that I am using!!!

Other Types of Clays:

Naturally there is more than one clay that you can use for your hair and skin needs. I have listed a few others just to give you a feel for the different varieties. I specifically chose to use Bentonite clay mainly because it was easy to purchase, was readily available, and I believe it is one of the most common or basic forms of clay that most people are familiar with. I believe that once I get more involved in selecting clays for cleansing purposes, I will probably learn more towards the Rhassoul Clay. But for the time being , Bentonite is doing a pretty good job!!! (^_^)

Rhassoul Clay:  Also known as Moroccan Ghassoul Clay, this mineral-rich clay is found in the Atlas mountains from Morocco.  It has the ability to absorb impurities from the hair, unblock pores,  reduce flakiness and dryness of both the scalp and skin and aid in detangling.  While this clay also cleanses, unlike bentonite, it is said to leave the hair very soft so it doubles as a natural cleanser and conditioner.  It is a bit pricier than Bentonite, some of the most popular brands are Kae Natural and Anita Grant Rhassoul Deep Conditioning Cubes and it is most commonly mixed with hot water and applied as a hair mask.

Kaolin Clay: Also called white clay, Kaolin is the most commonly used cosmetic clay.  It is rich in silica and can also detoxify hair along with restoring moisture to dry and brittle hair.

Multani Mitti Clay:  Commonly found in Indian groceries, this clay is a type of kaolin and is the result of decomposed volcanic ash.  It is a very popular facial cleanser and mask but may also be used on hair to naturally cleanse tresses by absorbing oils and detoxifying the scalp.  This is most commonly mixed with rosewater and your favorite oil and applied as a paste to the hair.

The last time I tried the whole powder mixture thing , the paste was so thick my hair started coming out. THIS time I made sure that I liquefied the formula so that it would be easier for me to saturate my hair with it as well as get my scalp coated. I LOOOOVVVEEEEDDDD IT!!! I will certainly be washing my hair with this clay again. I did not try using the boiling hot tea water though. Instead I mixed the clay with alo vera juice, water and a little bit of Apple Cider Vinegar. My curls were so beautiful after I finished applying the mixture all over my head. It was actually a shame to have to rinse it out! Speaking of rinsing it out... remember how I complained that the Kalpi- Tone would not rinse out no matter how hard I tried to get it out of my hair??? Well, I had absolutely no problem at all getting rid of the watered down clay mix. It was sooo refreshing, and my hair feels sooo clean!!! I believe it made it that much easier to detangle and style my hair as well.

As I mentioned earlier, I also managed to check the length of my hair. Yes, I know that I have been writing blogs for over a year and have yet to tell you the length of my hair!!! I know I am fired for this... And you are right!!! What have I been thinking??? Well, first of all I have not had the proper tools to even measure the lengths of my tresses!!! But , I changed all that last night when I purchased a cute little measuring tape specifically for the purposes of measuring the length of my hair. Although I never fully disclosed the official length of my hair before I began the waist length hair journey over a year ago, I can tell you that the most common length that I seemed to have was between 14-15 inches. I might have had one or two patches that stretched out to 16 inches, but by and large for the most part my longer strands were 14 or 15 inches long, and the shorter lengths 12 - 13 inches long. Well early this morning after I took my twists down ( I have been twisting my hair up in about 8-14 large twists , applying products and then wrapping my head with a scarf and keeping my head wrapped. ) and started measuring my hair. The most common length seemed to still be around 14 - 15 inches in length, only this time the longest patches of hair were around 16 - 17 inches long. Mind you , I did these measurements with dry hair that has not been pressed, flat ironed or manipulated in a manner to stretch the tresses to maximum length capacity. So basically , I was not getting a really accurate reading. So, after I finished washing my hair with the clay, I detangled , applied product and then measured my hair in all of the same places once again with my trusty little tape measure. This time, I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Although I am certain that I was still not 100% accurate, I believe that I had more of a truer sense of how long my hair really was after measuring the lengths after washing my hair. So after that discovery, the most common lengths  were between 16 - 17 inches long. With the longest patches of hair reaching 18 inches, and the shortest parts of my hair ( mainly the back part towards the nape ) measured between 14 - 15 inches long. To say that I was stoked is putting it mild. I also thought that I very well could have grown my hair a bit longer still if I had not been trimming it the way I have been. So, As of now, I have decided that I will no longer be trimming my hair at all. I am going to be working on wearing my hair with the least amount of manipulation, and keep it tucked away in some form of protective style majority of the time. So, it looks like I will be installing a set of kinky twists in the very near future!!! (^_^)

Well, that is all I have to share with you all about what has been going on lately. Hopefully I will be able to wrote another blog soon about various foods that I have decided to work into my diet!!!

I hope you have enjoyed today's post!!! And like always, I look forward to sharing with you all again very soon. Until then...

հրաժեշտ (^_^)

 

 

 



Ayurvedic Powder: My Experience with using Kalpi Tone for the First Time!!!

Hey there ladies and gents,

I am just going to get straight into it!!! Okay, I told you guys that I was going to start using Ayurvedic oils and powders to cleanse my hair right??? Well, last night I decided to try using Kalpi Tone. First of all, I believe I did maybe 5 things that I was not supposed to do.

#1: I had my hair in an old twist out. What that basically means is that my hair was extremely tangled to begin with.

#2: I only had one box of Kalpi Tone that was supposed to be applied to my entire head. Seeing as my hair is exceptionally thick, and has a decent amount of length to it ( from the front my hair stretched reached the middle part of my breasts, from the back it is below bra strap length ) I had to keep adding alo vera juice and water to the mix in order to stretch the content.

#3: I did not use shampoo to get the remains of the Kalpi Tone mud mixture out of my hair and scalp.
 
#4: I did not wear gloves. So I had the mud paste caked all in between and betwixt my finger nails. It took me hours to get that crap from under my nails... there are still some grains stuck between the nooks and crannies.

#5: And the last thing that was a definite no no was the fact that I did not have more than 3 hours to devote to applying the application, sitting with the mixture in the sauna, rinsing the mixture out, having a successful detangling process.


With that said, I will tell you what I experienced first hand.


When I first applied the mud/ clay to my scalp, I was under the impression that it was going to be smooth and easy to manipulate and work into my hair and ends. Boy was I naïve.  I tried to smooth the paste through my hair, and I felt my hair actually snag... multiple times!!! I mean... seriously, I was waaaaaayyyyy out of my element. It was like dragging my hair through a cheese grater. It was just that bad. Granted, I should have detangled my hair first. So, when I decide to tackle this experience again... I will most certainly make sure that my hair is in a more manageable state. Another thing that I will be doing , is making sure that I have enough powder AND that I make the consistency  much thinner than how I first made the paste.

Did I notice a difference in my hair after rinsing out ( attempting  to rinse out ) the mud/ clay mixture??? I might have been able to notice something if I was not so busy trying to detangle my hair from it's locked state!!! But I think my hair was a bit softer. Not sure though. I am going to have to have another go at this entire process in order to have an objective perspective!!! My curls might have been more defined , but I honestly could not tell.

I mixed Apple cider vinegar in the paste just to make sure that my scalp was going to be clean after I rinsed the mixture in my hair. And, to help with healing properties, I also added alo vera juice to cool my scalp. I don't think I mentioned this before, but for the past week or so my scalp has been very sore in different places. This tends to happen I believe once a year or so. Maybe a bit more often, but I have not paid it much attention to know for sure. Well, I had been putting extra dark castor oil on the problem eczema like scabs of what I originally thought was flake like dandruff. I still don't know what it is, but apparently Kalpi Tone I supposed to improve the health of my scalp. So, I am going to try this another time when I have more time.


Now, before I started using the item... naturally I read reviews and read some pretty funny stuff. One customer stated that some of the mixture got in her eye. She said she was shocked by how much more her eye burned by using the product than it had ever been when soap got in her eye. And that burning sensation did not let up until about an hour later. I laughed my butt off... that is until some flyaway hair covered in paste landed in my left eye. It burned so bad!!! I could not believe it!!! The only description I could imagine that would imitate what I was feeling was if someone were to say they experienced having a drop of gasoline drip into their eye. So yeah... you damn near have to wear protective eye glasses while applying this stuff. It's that serious.

Anywho, I do not have any pictures yet... because I do not have a phone yet to take said pictures. But the moment I get another phone, I shall take pictures throughout the paste making process, application, rinse and style.


The next time I do this, you better believe I am going to be far more prepared than I was this first time around. I guarantee you that !!!

Welp, I hope you enjoyed my post today. Hopefully I will have something more exciting to share with you soon. So, Until then...

довиждане  (^_^)