Amsterdam 2010

Rebraided before bed (6 braids in total):

What was in the bag?

Yes, I finally tried Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie! I know it was a tad risky to take a product that I never tried before all the way overseas, but since this got so many great reviews, I couldn't resist (plus it was marked for only $5.99).

I washed and conditioned my hair the Sunday before I left. Then I applied Shea Moisture to four sections (a little goes a long way). It felt very velvety going on -- my hair felt so moisturized! Then I did 4 braids per section (4 sections), unbraided and fluffed when completely dried. I rebraided each night alternating between Vatika Oil or Shea Moisture.

I really like Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie so far. It is a great alternate to Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner, which I usually use as a leave-in.

Also, I notice that braid outs give me more length in comparison to twist out styles; it really stretches and elongates my curls to the maximum without using heat. I think, also, because I was rebraiding my hair each night, my hair was super stretched :-)

This is how I wore my hair for most of the trip. However, sometimes throughout the day, I would lazily put it back in a low bun, with an elastic that I kept handy around my wrist.

** The weather, both in Paris and in Amsterdam, was extremely damp and cold (as usual). It's the kind of cold that penetrates to your bones. In any case, my hair got a little frizzy because of the humidity, but nothing too horrible.

-Sophia