Wash Day: Deep Condition and Black Tea Rinse

We left off with freshly pre-pooed hair, we can now move on to the deep condition and hair rinse faze. I've been playing mixtress for a while trying to get the perfect balance of bentonite clay to water ratio. The first day I mixed  it, it was super lumpy and it just wouldn't spread on my hair, but I added some of my oil blend and I let it sit for a few days sealed in an air tight tupperware bowl.

After sitting and marinating for a few days the mix was smooth, creamy and free of lumps. After successfully mixing my bentonite clay I got the courage to whip up and try my own deep conditioner and I must say it's my favorite not because it's my own mix , but because of the results I received using it.

(Crazy looking I know, but it works)
I mixed together:

• 3 spoonfuls of bentonite clay
• A hefty squirt of Aussie Moist
• A hefty squirt of Herbal Essences "The Sleeker The Butter" 
• 2 hefty spoonfuls of my shea butter mix

When I first mixed it I wasn't sure if it would cling to my hair or if I'd have the slip that I want. I was just mixing and matching until I found a consistency that I liked. 

What I noticed was that it didn't fully hard on my hair like bentonite clay would do on it's own. Adding extra conditioner to the mix gave me extra slip and moisture. When I got in the shower and followed with my black tea rinse my shed hair slipped right out. The deep conditioner smoothed on with ease and I may have been able to detangle with it, but I wasn't taking any chances especially since it was my first time using the mixture. I followed this up with a black tea rinse. 

I let my tea bags steep in room temperature water for about 6 hours and I had enough to refill my  bottle twice. I used an empty Alikay Naturals Essential 17 Hair Growth Oil bottle which is an 8 oz. Most tea rinses are done with green or black tea to reduce your shedding, to stimulate your hair growth, promote shine and enhance your natural highlights. The number of tea bags you use should vary depending on the length of hair you have. I used two tea bags, one I had lying in my cabinet and the other I received in the mail as a sample. 

• Chamomile, has been found to be highly effective in preventing and eliminating dandruff. In addition to soothing an irritated scalp
• Hibiscus,  is rich in alpha hydroxy acids and amino acids and it contains several vitamins including Vitamin C and several minerals.
• Peppermint leaves, are great for soothing the scalp and promoting hair growth as well.
• Spearmint leaves, can be used in a hair rinse to help get rid of dandruff.

• Gotu Kola Nut, improves the flow of blood while strengthening the veins and capillaries.
• Cinnamon Bark, helps with removing impurities from the hair and scalp and also promotes hair growth further.
• Cardamom Seed, helps in strengthening the roots.
• Ginger Root, is an effective remedy for hair loss.

I used the tea rinse after I co-washed my hair  twice with Eden Body Works Coconut Shea Cleansing Cowash. I aimed to get this mainly on my scalp and let it sit on my scalp for a few mintues, I followed up with my V05 conditioner to detangle and remove shed hair. I noticed that the tea rinse helped the shed hair slip out much easier. I'm not sure if that's what the tea rinse intended to do, but I will definitely be incorporating this into my routine regularly. Once I finished all that I oil rinsed and was all done. 

(I completely shaved my head 1 year and 2 mos. ago)

That deep condtion/rinse it the BITNESS! My hair was soft, defined and moisturized. I won't be using it every week because I don't want the bentonite clay to dry out my hair, but I will be using it at least every other week as a "pick me up" for my coils. Try it out and let me know how it works for you.