Coconut Oil & Supermodel waves

I have long hair, and I am getting sick of my long hair.  I can't wait to get it cut.  I am shedding like a cat everywhere especially since I am still experiencing some post-partum hair loss. Unfortunately I can't afford the stylist that I want so until my husband decides he wants to put up the cash (Love you Honey!) or the Hair Fairy leaves a check under my pillow one night, I am going to have learn to coexist with my long not-so-luscious locks.  In the meantime, I have decided to try a few hair tips and styles I came across in my subscriptions, just to liven things up a bit.

One tip that I found and have been using for a while is smoothing, softening, and shining hair with coconut oil.  You can find it at health food stores.  I found mine at The Vitamin Shoppe; $10 for 15 oz.  I know that seems a little expensive but it lasts a looong time.

First you need a hot, dry towel so throw one in the dryer. While the towel is heating, apply coconut oil on your hair from root to tip, distributing evenly throughout. (I usually give my hair a good once over with a paddle brush after application to ensure that I got it in there good. Doing this also leaves a little oil on the brush so next time I use it, I get a little extra smoothness and shine from the left behind oil.)  Next take your towel from the dryer, wrap around your hair, and leave on for 15 minutes. The heat from the towel will help the oil penetrate your hair.  When your 15 min. are up, wash and condition as usual.  

I don't like to put unnecessary heat on my hair, so I never blowdry.  I wash my hair at night then wake up in the morning to style.  This always ensure me smooth shininess.

As a bonus, I wanted to test the style that promised me "Gisele Bundchen style waves!" "Waves that a Victoria's Secret model would envy !"  First of all, I am sitting there thinking, "Ok, hmmm, isn't Gisele Bundchen a Victoria's Secret model?  So does that mean she envies her own hair if her hair is the hair I am trying to achieve?"  I'm just saying......

Anyway, back to the coif testing.  After doing the coconut oil routine and fending off my husband cause apparently the smell of coconut is a huge turn-on for men, I find my instructions and begin:

First, mist wave-enhancing spray onto damp hair.  Divide hair into 4 braids and secure.  Wait for hair to dry (I slept in mine and let them dry overnight) then run a flat iron over the braids to set the look.  Allow hair to cool, then release the braids for waves.

Well, I got waves all right.  It wasn't quite what I was expecting seeing as how my hair came out a little kinkier than I wanted.  After a while it calmed down a bit and I actually began to kinda sorta like it.  And I was a bit worried that the wave-enhancing product would dull my oil treatment, but it didn't!  So, along with my kinky, yet kinda cute, waves, I got the soft shiny locks that I really wanted in the first place.

So, if you want a little something different for your hair and you don't want a drastic cut or the fuss muss of trying a difficult style, then give the braid waves a shot.  It's was fun to see the results and I do plan on doing it again before I chop it all off.  (p.s. I did learn that the smaller the braids the kinkier the hair, so go for big braiding unless you want to look like a 1980s flashback)

I do highly recommend the coconut oil.  I have normally straight hair that gets a little frizzy in damp weather and it really helps calm, soften, and shine.  I don't know what it would do for curls, but if any curly-haired gals out there tries it, let me know and I will post your results.