ORS Lock & Twist Gel for Two-Strand Twists

Every so often, I like to switch up my products and routine.  I have been craving a product that would leave my twists defined but not crunchy and this has been my quest for the summer!  I remembered that I had a container of ORS (Organic Root Stimulator Lock) and Twist Gel, that I had used only once before and blogged about it.  When I used it, my hair was a lot shorter, so wet sets weren't my friend at the time.  But 2 weeks ago, I decided to revisit it.  Before I shared the results with you all, I had to make sure they weren't a fluke and I used it again this weekend.  Let me tell you....

 +  = defined, soft, moisturized twists

These two products may have become my go to for my wet twist outs (at least for a little while).  My curls are defined but not crunchy, soft, and moisturized.  Here's the kicker... my hair looked great for an entire week.  Simply retwisting and refreshing with some Moroccan Oil resulted in some beautiful styles throughout the week!

 

So the million dollar question is, what are the ingredients in the ORS Lock & Twist Gel?  Well let me tell you, for the most part, I was pleasantly surprised: Water, Coconut Milk, Soybean Oil, PVP, Polyquarternium 37, Propyl Paraben, Methyl Paraben, DMDM Hydantoin, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Sucrose.  For more info on some of the ingredients, I went to my new favorite website.

• PVP - You many want to stay away from this ingredient IF in shampoos and conditioners as it may cause build-up.  But in gels, it is okay.
• Polyquarternium-37 - You many want to stay away from this ingredient IF in shampoos and conditioners as it may cause build-up.  But in gels, it is okay.
• Propyl & Methyl Paraben - Some studies (in animals) show that parabens can lead to breast cancer.  Some feel very strongly about parabens, so please make sure you are fully educated before making a decision about this product or any other product containing parabens.

I have also figured out a way to combat the shrinkage I experience from wet twisting.  After I finish twisting my hair and before I sit under the dryer for a few minutes (I sit under the dryer just long enough to take the wetness out of my twists and I let my twists air dry the rest of the way), I pull my twists taunt, and pin them.  This way, they dry while they are stretched out.

YouTube Chanel: HappyAndNappyElisa

So I decided to start a YouTube channel.  Sometimes I'm in the mood to chat rather than write an actual post.  As some of you may know, this isn't my first YouTube appearance (google my name and my videos some come up in the search).  Enjoy!

Post Weave Routine

So first off let me say that my hair was sooooo tangled and I don't think that I managed to get all of the tangles out -- such a nightmare.  I think my Alopecia is under control for the most part.  I'm still taking my antibiotics.  As far as I can tell, no hair is growing back.  So below is what I did yesterday after I took my weave out.

1. Washed with Suave Rosemary + Mint shampoo (shout out to my summer employer).
2. Quick conditioned with Suave Rosemary + Mint conditioner and started to detangle.  I tried to divide my hair into sections and comb out all of the dead hair.  It was hard and like I said above, I don't think that I got all of the tangles out.
3. Mixed my favorite deep conditioner, Redken Butter Treat conditioner, with extra-virgin coconut oil.  I let this marinate on my hair for about 5 minutes.  I probably should have sat under the dryer, but I didn't have time.
4. While my hair was still damp, I put a few drops of Moroccan Oil through my hair.  This stuff smells AMAZING.  Moroccan Oil has been on my wish list for a while now, so I purchased the very small bottle at my local beauty supply store for about $12 and I am not disappointed at all!
5. I used what little bit that I had left of the Kinky Curly Knot Today to try to finish detangling my hair.  
6. Using no additional product, I did very big 2-strand twists, sealed the ends with more Moroccan Oil, and let my hair air dry.

I'm just amazed at how long my hair is now.  I'm sure that I need a good trim.  I'm thinking of attempting to do this myself, little by little, as I continue to do my hair each week.  It shouldn't be too hard to clip my ends when my hair is twisted.  More to come!