henna much?: HG & About Me

HG (holy grail) products & my hair story.

I reserve the right to change this list as I see fit :)

HG products are those that work without fail, to be brought to a theoretical desert island, a place we will all have to go some day equipped with our top five products?

I don't really have any HG products anymore other than KCCC and coconut oil, but here's the stuff I'm currently using (2025).

Read more to find out!

1. Shower time!
Shampoo: I find that a lot of the stuff from Sephora, especially the vegan or "natural" brands, irritate my scalp. I mostly just use whatever I have on hand, since I shampoo infrequently (maybe once a week). Pretty much everything out there is sulfate free now, and ingredients in a rinse-off cleanser seldom impact your hair.

I have been co-washing with Nioxin System 2 Conditioner, and I like it a lot.

Conditioner: Same as shampoo, I don't have strong feelings anymore. I sometimes use the Curlsmith Bond Salve, even though it's supposed to be a pre-shampoo. I think pre-shampoo treatments are a rip-off.

Leave in: Currently trying K-18. I always seal with coconut oil.

2. Straightening products:
- Living Proof Triple Bond in the teal container. I don't know if it does anything.

- Dream Coat Anti Frizz Spray (original, not extra strength).

I sometimes use Living Proof Smooth Styling Serum and Heat Styling Spray, but I don't know if they do anything either.

3. Curl elongating products:
- Kinky Curly Curling Custard

- Melanin Twist-Elongating Style Cream

I haven't found anything that beats KCCC. Ever.

4. Wave-making (for post-BKT):

- Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energizing & Refreshing Spray. This is actually a great curl refresher for any curl type. I'm not a fan of the brand, but I like this.

- Bumble & Bumble Seaweed Air Dry Styler. This creates texture on my now limp legit-BKT-ed hair. I don't know what use it would provide on my normal 3C curls.

My Hair Story (based on a true story)

Growing up, I didn't have friends with hair like me. My hair is very curly (3c-4a), thin, porous, dry, and very easily damaged. My hair resource is the internet. My mother, who has always sported an afro, never encouraged me to grow my hair. She also never went to a salon. Subsequently, I never went to a salon or had my hair cut by anyone but her. I learned how to straighten my hair in high school, thanks to a friend. It took a very long time, and when finished, I looked like I had no hair. I didn't like that either. At age 18, I discovered thermal reconditioning, otherwise known as Japanese straightening:

Here's me at age 19, after my first TR (so yes, my hair was significantly curlier before this photo - this was supposed to make my hair pin straight):

I did "at home" TR for 7 years.

here's me at age 25 or 26, after a particularly bad TR:

At 26, I discovered BKT. I quit TR. For more TR/BKT info, go to the TR/BKT tab.

Here is a photo after a few BKTs (during that 3 day waiting period when you wear your hair straight) I was 27 in this photo. This is also a good photo as far as my natural hair color.