Hair care changes for colder weather, and a cute protective style for short type 4 hair.

The weather is changing, and  so is the effect our usual routine has on Li'l Bit's hair. The cold weather seems to make her hair drier, and her coils tighter. I find myself having to constantly re moisturize her hair during the day,  and I am using thicker creams to condition and heavier oils to seal in that  moisture. Actually, I am blaming these changes on the weather, and rightfully so. Cold, windier weather does indeed take its toll on hair. But Li'l Bit is barely 4 years old, and her hair is constantly changing regardless of the season. Up until she was 18 months old, her hair was super thin and barely had a curl in it. Now it is thick and coily, and it keeps getting thicker. I love her hair and the changes it goes through, and I like the challenge of finding the right routines, styles, and products to keep up with those changing needs. Here are some of the changes that I am making to her hair care routine for  the upcoming colder seasons:

• I will be using protective hairstyles as much as possible. I love protective styles like braids and twists anyway because they allow  you to LOAD UP on conditioning products without making the hair look greasy and dirty. I really don't like greasy-looking hair.  I mean, hair that is shiny  because  it is healthy is great, but there is a difference between healthy-shiny hair and hair that looks like someone slathered Crisco all over it.
• I am washing her hair less often, I was washing it once a week before. Now I am planning on once every 2 weeks, as long as it doesn't start getting itchy and having too much product buildup. This should be easier because she is not playing in the dirt (as much), and sand is no longer a threat because the weather is cooler and we are pretty much done with the beach for now. If I can find a protective style that stays neat in her hair for more than a week, I will probably just co-wash with that style in.
• I am using more oils, and heavier conditioners and creams.

Sounds good in theory, right? Well, I washed Li'l Bit's hair, and styled it. I used Shea Moisture's Curl and Style Milk as a leave-in, and put several thick braids in her hair overnight. Today, while styling, I re wet her hair as I parted and styled, and applied more Curl and Style Milk, sprayed with It's Perfectly Natural's Turn Me Loose leave-in conditioner, and applied It's Perfectly Natural's Coil Glaze as  styling product for extra moisture and hold. (By the way, this was the first time  I used this product, and I am VERY pleased. Look for that review soon.)

Then I took this picture:

Needless to say, its is not the best picture. Since it is a beautiful day, we decided to go outside for better pictures. Then Li'l Bit rediscovered the leaf pile we created yesterday, and the fun commenced:

Yep, that is my kid doing somersaults in a leaf pile, getting all that yuckiness in her hair that I was planning on not washing for 2 weeks. (See why I said that idea was good in THEORY?! haha!) But I am not that mom that stops her kids' good time to preserve a hairstyle. I CANNOT , WILL NOT be that mom.

Then daddy came outside to join in the fun. After about 5 minutes of watching me wince every time she threw leaves above her head, he offered me a very simple, (and seemingly obvious) solution. "Why don't you just put a hat on her?" Um? Duh!

So we were able to enjoy our time in the leaves, and I think daddy's tip came in time before any serious damage was done. I guess I will have to wait and see if her head starts getting itchy.

I hope you all enjoyed this post! Comments are always welcome. :)