I've gotten a few requests on how I do my wash and gos. After I cut my hair, I usually was not fond of my wash and go results. One reason being that my hair was already super short, and I knew my hair would just shrink up even more! And two, my wash and gos' lifespan was relatively short -- I couldn't wear it more than a day because it would get really dry and tangled. So, this style has always been a struggle, especially with shorter hair.
I rarely let my hair air dry with this style. Instead I use a diffuser on very low heat. Here is a step-by-step guide on what I do:
1)I co-wash my hair with any light conditioner I have on hand -- my favorite is Hello Hydration from Herbal Essences.
2) I use a wide-tooth comb to detangle my hair while it's wet and sopping with conditioner.
3) Rinse out most of the conditioner (I like to leave a little in) and gently ring out excess water.
4) I am currently using Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Nectar as my leave-in, but I also alternate with leaving in conditioner (above). I section my hair in four, smoothing and scrunching each section with product.
5) Now this next step is crucial because it determines the hold and definition of my curls: ECO STYLE GEL! My guilty pleasure. This product has never let me down when it comes to wash and gos. It leaves your curls looking defined and shiny. I apply a glob of this to my entire head concentrating on my roots because that's where I tend to frizz up.
6)My last step is to use a diffuser. I put my blow dryer on a low heat and speed setting (you don't want to fry your hair). A diffuser basically scrunches your hair for you, working from the ends up. Using this method also allows you to gain some length, and it creates volume as well. My hair probably takes about 15 minutes to completely dry.
7) For extra length, I take off the diffuser and stretch my roots using the actual blow dryer nozzle. I concentrate on the front, middle, back and side sections. The blow dryer should still be on a low setting.
*Front section (blow dry in a downward motion at the root)
*Sides (blow dry downward)
*Middle (blow dry in an upward position at the root)
*Back (blow dry in a downward motion)
*I wear wash and gos probably once a week because I don't want my hair to have too much direct contact with heat.
The bottom line is no matter what product you use, the diffuser will give you full, big hair. Because my hair tends to lack volume at times, the diffuser gives my hair that big, wild effect.
So there it is! I hope this helps some of you guys who are having trouble with achieving successful wash and gos. It was definitely a learning process for me and I realized that my hair just responds well to the diffuser (for now). Let me know if you guys decide to try it!
[Hair progression photos coming soon! Stay tuned!]
