Economy of Style
A notebook on evolving trends, fashion sense and cents

My 3-Product Natural Hair Care Routine

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FindYourShea #CollectiveBias

2 years ago on Valentine’s Day, I was debating making a huge hair change. A few weeks later, I went for it, and I cut my hair off. My goal was to achieve beautiful hair that was easy to maintain. And, y’all, it was the best decision ever! Since then, I’ve been honing a go-to haircare routine that keeps my hair looking fresh and photo ready all the time. Many of you’ve been asking, so I’m here to share that routine, including the 3 products (and only 3) I rely on.

Natural Hair Care Routine

No surprise, I’m a huge fan of SheaMoisture products. See more of my favorites here. I love that the products are made with natural, “good for you” ingredients. And, oh my goodness, they smell so amazing and are fragranced with essential oil blends I feel safe using. I like to rotate the products I use from time to time, usually between the seasons. My current favorite line is the SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil line. Click the image below to shop my go-tos.

By the way, if you’re visiting a Walmart store, you can find these products in the multicultural haircare aisle.

My 3-Product Natural Hair Care Routine

Step 1: To maintain my haircut–a fresh fade–I see my barber every 2 weeks. In between that time, I go from workouts to photo shoots to events, and I want my hair to look good. My SheaMoisture products are crucial to helping me achieve the look I want.

Step 2: My fresh style begins with clean hair. Since I work out several times a week, I shampoo often. The SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Oil Shampoo is a favorite because it’s gentle enough to use daily. When I use this shampoo, my hair feels moisturized, and it’s left so shiny. And, the smell? Oh my goodness…so delightful!


Step 3: I follow my shampoo with the SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Rinse-Out Conditioner. From the second I apply this conditioner, my hair feels softer. I can run my fingers through it. And, the best part? My hair feels nourished after rinsing it out.


Step 4: I apply the SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Styling Lotion as a moisturizer and styler. I don’t like to weigh my hair down with a lot of products. So, I love that this styling lotion does it all. If your hair gets dry like mine, this product is for you too.

I simply apply a small amount with my fingers and work it through my kinky curly hair.

I sponge curl quickly. And, in less than 2 minutes, my hair is done.

Hair care routine need a refresh? I highly recommend the SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil line of products. They smell amazing, and the natural ingredients in their formulas leave the hair looking and feeling so healthy.

5 Easy Steps to a Fresh Hair Color

This shop has been compensated by Schwarzkopf. #FashionColorExpert #sponsored

Earlier this year, I did something bold, and I chopped all my hair off. I’ve felt so liberated since doing that. And, my haircare routine has been the easiest its been my entire life. I have a standing appointment with my barber every 2 weeks to keep my fade fresh. I’ve been slightly tweaking my cut every few weeks. This fall, though, I wanted to do something a little bit bolder. My hair color has been looking a tad dull, so I wanted a refresh. Given how quickly my hair grows and hence changes, I wanted a color routine I could easily maintain at home. So, I took 5 easy steps and got my fresh hair color, y’all!

Step 1. I visited the hair color aisle at Walmart and picked up the Schwarzkopf Color Ultime system.

I was drawn to the Schwarzkopf Color Ultime system because of its selection of vibrant, fashion shades. The colors are rich, perfect-for-any-season hues. I love browns and reddish browns, so I debated a few color options (Mahogany Red, Cocoa Red, and Velvet Brown) before deciding on Velvet Brown. Since I wash my hair so often, it was important that I chose a color system that resisted fading. And, the Schwarzkopf Color Ultime system promises to defy fading for up to 9 weeks!

Step 2. Once I purchased my color, the next important step was to closely read the instructions. Of course, I wanted to be safe and to achieve optimal results. And, I’m so here for the simple instructions included, complete with images.

Step 3. Once application day arrived, I put on my gloves (included in the box), and I blended the color cream with the developer lotion. I sound like a pro, don’t I? Actually, the instructions leaflet included in the box makes this entire process so easy. And, everything I needed was included in that box.

Step 4. The next step was to apply the color. As you know, I have dense, coily hair. So, it was crucial that I made sure to apply the color evenly along every strand. Of course, with curly hair that can be a chore, but it’s totally worth it.

Step 5. After waiting 30 minutes for the color to work its magic on my hair, I simply rinsed the color, shampooed, and then applied the Schwarzkopf Color Ultime Conditioning Treatment.

And, that’s it! With 5 easy steps, my dull hair got a color refresh. It’s amazing how simply adding color makes my hair appear so vibrant. With curly hair, it’s hard to see shine, but this fresh hair color has given my hair a beautiful vibrance.

Fresh Hair Color Schwarzkopf Color Ultime system

I wash my hair every day, sometimes more than once a day. Here’s how my hair looked after a few days and several washes . This fresh hair color was still popping.

Could your hair use a color refresh? Grab this Schwarzkopf rebate offer to try the color system for FREE.

My Simple Natural Hair Regimen for My TWA

 

I’ve been rocking my super short haircut for exactly a month now. And, I love it because it’s easy, it fits my lifestyle, and it looks good. As expected, I’ve had to tweak my natural hair regimen to support this new cut. I’ve also eliminated a ton of products and tools that no longer serve a purpose. Today, I thought I’d share what I’ve been using and loving and doing.

Biggest Change in My Natural Hair Regimen

I wash my hair more often (as in daily) now because it’s so easy. I wash to style my hair for the day. I wash after every workout. Sometimes I co-wash. Sometimes I use my dpHue Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse in lieu of shampoo and conditioner. And, sometimes I use shampoo and conditioner.

Natural Hair Regimen

Trying New Natural Hair Products

I’m more open to trying new-to-me products. So, when the Madam C.J. Walker team asked if I wanted to try a few products picked just for me, including the line’s new Coconut & Moringa Curl Whip Styling Soufflé, I said yes. I’m glad I did because the Soufflé is my current go-to styling and moisturizing product. I also received the Dream Come True Wonderful Deep Conditioning Masque, which I use about once a week and the Scent and Shine Coconut Oil that I use daily after styling.

Styling my TWA

After I wash my hair (no matter the method), I use a towel to get rid of the excess water, but leave it damp. I then apply a small amount of the Madam C.J. Walker Coconut & Moringa Curl Whip Styling Soufflé. By the way, this product smells amazing. I, then, use my new favorite tool, the Nudred hair sponge, to add texture to my hair. I finish the look by applying a small out of Scent and Shine Coconut Oil for shine, but also for the delightful smell. In less than 5 minutes, my hair is done.

 

Disclosure: Madam C.J. Walker products were provided for review purposes. As always, all of the opinions, ideas, and images are my own.

Fun, Fear, Freedom, and Fashion

You may have noticed a theme over the past few weeks and months as I’ve openly shared a few of my 2017 goals. I’ve talked about fitness goals, skincare goals, and new beauty habits. I wrote down one overarching goal related to my style: be fearless and bold this year. So, I’m doing just that. Meet the new me!

Fearless fashion

Blazer | Camisole | Pants | Pumps

If you’ve seen my short tapered cuts (see old natural hair posts here and here), you know I’m not shy when it comes to scissors. But, I’ve always wanted to shave my head and resisted due to fear. I was afraid the style wouldn’t suit me. I was afraid I just wouldn’t like it. I was afraid the look would disrupt my blog work.  Fear!

But, it’s 2017. And, I simply can’t let fear guide my decisions. And, well, I knew that I could always throw on a wig if it didn’t work out. Ha!

It also helps that I have a super cool stylist whose vision I trust. She has rocked with me since I went from locs to my fro to my tapered fro to wanting locs again to this new do. I called her up, and with no questions asked, she said come on in. She even recorded the experience (see her Instagram video).

On this blog, I always give thought to how fashion changes how we view the world and how the world views us. This is where my head (pun intended) is now, and I’m excited about the change.

By the way, how fun is this gingham print from Banana Republic? If you like the print, you should know that it’s available on just about every article of clothing at the store (see widget below). Of course, the gingham blazer had me at hello.

Location: Masonic Temple, St. Louis

 

My 2-Step Hair Care Routine When Wearing Braids

I’ve been rocking kinky twists for 4 weeks. And, I’ve fully enjoyed the freedom from having to style my own hair. Wake up and go? Yup, I could do that with this style. My only concern when wearing twists is keeping my hair clean, conditioned, and moisturized. And, a couple products I’ve been using since last Fall simplified all that down to an easy 2-step process.

I’ve been using the dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse as my shampoo and conditioner and the dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Leave-In Hair Therapy as my moisturizer. Both products tap into the well-known power of apple cider vinegar for restoring hair health. What I know for sure is when I apply the hair rinse to my scalp using its convenient bottle tip, my scalp is instantly calmed. I mean instantly. I, then, gently allow the product to work through my hair, rinse and done. Shampooed and conditioned in one step.

Braided Hair Care Routine

After towel drying my twists, I lightly spray the leave-in spritz all over my hair for nourishment and shine. The spritz is perfect for adding moisture in-between washes as well. Overall, using the dpHUE hair rinse and leave-in provided the perfect 2-step process for maintaining my twisted style.

I’ve read a lot about the benefits of ACV, but I’ve avoid using it because I’m not a fan of the smell. Fortunately for me, the dpHUE products use a range of essential oils and extracts, including Macadamia seed oil and lavender, that make the products smell pretty good.

Disclosure: I received the dpHUE products free of charge for review purposes.