Quick post to tell you guys that I went to a salon to get a blow-out and flat-iron press yesterday after work! It was a total impulse move. Well, not totally. I researched salons earlier in the week. It was just impulsive, because I didn’t expect to get an appointment the same day I called!
Anywho, here are a few more pics. It’s been 16 months since the last time my hair was straightened. I gotta get out the door, but I’ll be back with more details about the salon experience later! I am pleased with how healthy it feels and looks without any trimming by the stylist (which was a source of discussion while my hair was getting shampooed).
One last note, I wrapped my edges with a silk scarf, pin-curled the length and donned a bonnet for bed last night. I haven’t released it yet, so we’ll see how it holds up! I’m really hoping to get a week out of it, though I expect to have it up for the majority of that time!
hairscapades 
Too cute Rapunzel! Sigh, I wonder if my hair will EVER get that long (dreams…) lol
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It’s gorgeous and very healthy!
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Your blow out looks great! Very smooth and healthy! Maintaining a blow out is always hard for me. Especially when I’m trying to work out too!
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Yes! Maintaining a blow out when you workout is impossible.
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Unless you bun with a huge flexi rod. I’ve maintained a blow out an average of 2-3 weeks. Longest being 4 weeks.
Oh and wrap the edges with the air dry band Shelli mentioned in an earlier post.
Magical I tell you!!!
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I agree!! I put my hair in a ponytail, put a scarf on and work out. I just make sure I don’t take my scarf off until my hair is fully dry and then I wrap it. It takes technique but maintaining straight hair when working out is possible.
Jas
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Jas, that’s what I do, except I then bun the ponytail. Allowing it to dry all the way before removing the scarf is the most important part!! I can’t wrap my hair though. I couldn’t even do it when it was a shorter length. So, I know I couldn’t do it now. But, it’s not really an issue now as I haven’t been working out the last couple of weeks. Need to get it back together. But, probably won’t this week. This is why I stopped relaxing my hair, straight hair is too much work when working out for me. As Michelle said below, I think hair porosity/type plays a part in whether you can keep hair straight successfully and with little work when sweating a lot. I sweat from my head and really heavily around my face, so even the best laid plans sometimes go awry!
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I agree Rece, when I straigtened my hair and worked out, my hair curled right back up. It was a waste.
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oh my goodness! so lush and LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did they use heat or was it a cold blow-out? I’ve been thinking about a silk press for my birthday or after the GOC part deux…lol Love it Shelli!
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Thanks Michelle! They definitely used heat! I’ve never heard of a cold blow-out. You’re gonna have me googling;)! I’ve watched YouTube videos on the silk wrap, but I don’t think it would work for me for two reasons. I’ve never been able to do a decent wrap, it slips and falls and I always end up with a crease in my hair and my ends all pointing in one direction. Add to that, I sweat from my head, I think the plastic wrap under the dryer after the roller set would end up in me sweating it out! LOL!!
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That came out really nice! How did she curl the ends after she blew it out?
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I was wondering that too if it was only a blowout, how are the ends curled? It came out very pretty.
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honey that is gorg, you are making me look forward to my 3 month trim next week – i was about to skip it, ha!
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Looks AMAZING!!!! I saw the pictures on my BB last night. I love how the red looks with the straight hair too.
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Thanks Samantha, I love that henna red too!! LOL!! They gave me a questionnaire and it asked if I was happy with my hair color. I wrote, “YES!” *lol*
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Too cute.
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it looks really good. Straight but not too straight.
I always maintain a blow out when I exercise. I wrap my hair tight and tie it down tight too. I think being able to maintain a blow out is greatly dependent on a person’s hair texture.
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Thanks Michelle, and I agree. Yeah, I asked her to bump the back but curl the front backwards. It had even more body after I pin-curled it last night! I finally figured out that’s how I should describe my hair in that it’s not thick, but it has body, so that’s why it looks full:).
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Your blow out looks so beautiful..!
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Beautiful! Can we say hair crush? Very nice.
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It looks absolutely beautiful! And I’m sure that getting it done in a salon means you could get even longer than a week out of it. Is it just blow dried or is it flat ironed too?
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Tai, Rece and Marsha … when I called, I asked for a blow-out, press and curl. When I got there, she was like, “You just need a blow-out because your hair is soft. You don’t need a press and curl.” I was like, “But how are you going to straighten it?” She was like, with a flat iron and said that a press and curl is when you press it, then curl it with the oven type pressing iron (I guess?). So, just a difference in term that I thought I just didn’t know! LOL! But yes, it was blown-out and then she used a flat iron to curl it.
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Your tresses are so healthy looking, certainly a testament to your care! Great switch up in styles.
Thanks to your recent post, I tried the Aphogee protein this afternoon, (presently doing a DC). Depending on how it turns out, I’ll incorporate it every 8 weeks or so, and maintain with Giovanni Nutrifix.
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Thanks Renee! You are trying the Aphogee Two Step? Let me know how it works out for you!! I definitely felt more confident about letting someone do my blow-out/press because I’d done that treatment last weekend! I felt like my strands were fortified for the heat:).
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I’ll definitely keep you updated. I tried a tension blow-dry tonight (not my original plan) and it came out pretty decent; not too straight, just enough to keep tangles at bay. That’s as much heat as I will allow myself for now.
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Beautiful and so healthy……… you have done an Awesome job maintaining Gorgeous hair!!!
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Shelli, I LOVE the blowout. That is all. Dish on your routine and products used to maintain.
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I will Rhonda. I don’t plan on doing much except the night time routine I posted above! I think I have down the two products that I’ll use too. So, will post that early next week;)!
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OOOOOOOoooooooo Laaaa Laaa absolutely Gorgeous!
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Thanks everybody for all the kind words and words of advice. To those with work-out hair advice … it would be great … if I was working out! Dum dum dum!! Yeah, I’ve been horrible since I finished my 28 day challenge. Yet again, I need to get it together. I literally have been up until midnight almost every night and haven’t been able to get it together. I finally hit the sack at 10/10:30 on Friday and Thursday, trying to get my body back on the right sleep schedule.
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Loving how healthy your hair looks. Sorry you didn’t get your trim I know you wanted one
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Actually, I didn’t want her to trim it. I wanted to see how she did with the blow-out first! The convo was about how she would have to “even it out/balance” it and me explaining, “Ummm, no. I don’t wear it straight and am not worried about it being even.” LOL! I didn’t want to say there, but I figured I’d have it straightened so that I can trim it myself. And, I’m glad I did because my ends seem pretty decent! Searching and destroying has worked out well. I told her how I do that every week and she told me I didn’t have to do that. I told her, I just do it when I’m washing it when I see split hairs and knots to make sure they don’t damage other strands. I’m sure she thought I was too much, but I know my hair far better than some one who has only seen me once.
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Your hair is gorgeous. I have wondered what it would look like when fat ironed. Even more stunning than I imagined. Thanks for sharing pics!
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Awwww, thanks Georgiapeach:). I used to know a poet who went by that stage name:).
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That’s *flat-ironed* not fat ironed
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OK– Shelli, gotta post again. I love, love, love the blow out. Your hair looks, full, shiny and healthy. Suggestions, can you post your blow out routine, as well, as do a tut on your 2-step henna process? I am trying to drum up the courage to try indigo.
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Hey Rhonda, do you mean a video of my two-step henna/indigo process? Those are so difficult to do, especially with such a mess! Maybe I’ll try to do a bulleted tutorial with pictures my next application, which should be in a couple of weeks. I mixed up a batch that I’ll be freezing and took photos to help Nikki out with something. So, I’ll have those ready to go too.
As to my blow-out routine, you mean my upkeep? If so, I plan on doing a post about what I’ve done the last two days early in the week, like tomorrow if I finish cleaning my house today!! It’s a frickin’ mess!!
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Love your hair Shelli! From looking at the ends of your hair you did right by not letting the stylist CUT your hair. I’ve been trimming my hair myself and I’m very pleased. I found a salon/stylist that charges $5.00 to trim and she does an excellent job. I wash and roll set my hair myself and let the stylist trim my hair. When my hair is straight I like to speed walk or jog outside (hair loves it).
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While working out, wrapping the hair tightly with a scarf kept my hair straight. Also, I don’t sweat in my head, so I am sure that was also a factor.
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Your hair looks gorgeous as usual! I’ve been going to a really good dominican salon lately for my blowouts! The trick is to ask for your hair a little curly and for someone to just straighten the roots so they won’t drag the blow dryer throughout your entire length. The ladies there taught me how to pin curl and my hair typically lasts 2 weeks or more but I’ve been exercising outside so I haven’t been working up much of a sweat. So far so good!
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Shelli, thanks gurlie. Yep, a bulleted tut of your henna two-step process will do. With the exception of Moptop, I dont know anyone else that has consistently done the 2 step-henna process, and even so, I have not seen any videos of the technique. Lots of ppl I know have interest in achieve black hair without commercial dyes and therefore shy away from henna not understanding that they can use henna and indigo to achieve their look of choice. You would be just what the doctor order especially due to your level of detail. Thanks for considering my suggestion.
To the other request, yes, the technique and products you will do to preserve your blowout was what I have in mind and will anxiously wait until you post. Txs.
And, again, I dont know which look I like more blown out or twist and curled…..Both ROCK!
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Okay, will do and thanks Rhonda. That’s the best thing about natural hair, we can do a variety of looks and don’t have to choose a favorite;)!!
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Fantastic blow out! Loving how your henna highlights are so subtle and pretty. Kudos to holding your ground regarding the trim.
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Ok Shelli are we hair twins or something?! I feel like we often think about the same things around the same time! I started toying with the idea of going to get my hair done at the salon when I straighten it in May…then I read this post! It was the first time I’ve seen your hair straightened, so I flipped out and started squealing with excitement, showed my hubby the pics (why? I have no idea! LOL!). Your hair is gorgeous!
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Thanks Erica! I love the henna red too;)! Ultimately, that’s why I couldn’t give up henna even though it was loosening my curl. I just love the color too much!! I used to use this dye, Xtreme effects, that was this same shade of red. I love being able to get the same color on my greys and with a natural hair color!! Score!!
Lauren, LOL!! Awwww, that’s so sweet:)!! Thank you lady!! I’m enjoying the change of pace, but I’m suffering from serious HIH!! It’s just so different to feel my hair so silky smooth and I want to play around with it to do different styles while it’s still straight!! Danger!! DANGER!!! LOL!!!
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