IC Olive Styling Gel Quick Review

Hello everyone! Life is super busy lately. Between family life, school, and working out, my hair is what I want to spend the least time on. So I've opted for wash and goes!

I had to go shopping for some new hair products because I was completely out of conditioner and creams. Yes, chile, I am no longer a product junkie! Since I've been opting for wash and goes I needed a product for some hold. So I bought IC Olive styling gel. There were 4 kinds of Eco Styler gel available at the Base Exchange (I live overseas as a military dependent) but none with any added oils. So I decided to try IC. I saw it feature on many blogs and youtube videos, so I was excited to try.

I had great results with this product. Great hold, shine, and not flaky!

First Day Hair

Here are the results from last week! I had 4 great days with NO additional products needed after the first day to retain the style including water!

Second Day Hair!

Third Day Hair!

Today I had to wash my hair early in the morning and go! I washed, added about half a palm full of gel for three sections, shook each section, and finished my morning routine with the children. I couldn't diffuse because we were running behind. However when I came home I was able to diffuse and here are the results! I like this gel. It's slightly more costly (about a dollar) than eco styler, but I prefer the results of this gel the best. I love that there is NO flaking and my hair still feels soft but there is a slight hold that keeps my wash and go nice for a few days- even with my workout routine! It also works amazingly well for my daughter's super soft curls! 




I hope this was helpful!!!!

Food, Hair, and School Update- Mobile Style

HEYYYYY! I've been kinda busy lately. I've been itching to blog about food because I've been trying out some really cool recipes. But I don't have time. Unless you want photos from my camera phone and I post recipes with them? Let me know if you want the recipes or a link to where the recipe can be found and I'll be more than happy to share!

Anyway, I just wanted to share that I am currently FIFTY FIVE credits away from graduation!!!!!! I am not sure how long it will take me, but I am happy to have a concrete number. As far as my classes now, I have a test tonight, and a midterm next week. Why the hell am I here? Because I am sharing an update with you all(procrastinating). You've been very kind and supportive of my journey. I try not to talk about it too much, because talking about any one subject all the time gets tiresome....though I don't know when to shut up about food.

My hair? So far no breakage. I started doing twist outs,  then I put mini(and mean mini) pineapples in at night as they were quicker than twisting and  it stretched my hair way better. Then I just got really busy and I do wash and gos every.single.day. lol. I am def going to need a trim soon!

                                 Ordered this from target! LOVE THEM!

Next Day after using the Keratin Deep Condition

I wash and go every damn day. So shiny and crazy!

OK can't post a blog without photos!

Food from my mobile. I cook breakfast almost everyday. I also prepare dinner earlier in the day so my husband can finish it when he comes home. That way he and the kids have fresh homemade dinners every day. My husband is also eating less carbs so we're trying a variety of new dishes with less carbs.
                                 Avocado Egg Cups

                                 
                                 Mini Frittata

                                 Avocado Egg Cups with Chorizo

                                 Avocado Egg Cups with Chorizo and Homemade Salsa

Cowboy Breakfast for my man, Bison Steaks and Eggs

                                  My little man helping make Almond Flour pancakes

                                 My son's favorite burger- Beef and mushroom burgers

I've made some great waffles but I have to say, Yeast Waffles are the BEST!!!

                                 Yeast pancakes!! Just in case you don't have a waffle iron

                                 Gluten Free Coconut-Blueberry Waffles

                                 Bacon, Egg, Toast cups

                                 Egg, Bacon, (McMom)Muffin

Gluten Free Almond Pancakes! Great but a bit eggy tasting but the family loved them. Will def experiment with this

I just want to thank you all for the support. I rarely lookk at blog stats, and being a wishy washy blogger I always expect to see maybe 10 views maybe even 25 at the most on my post, but it seems like you still kinda care. Thank you! I will try to keep up with any blog. Y'all know you will see at least 10 in a night. 

The Curly Girls and Guys! Part 1

I cut my hair last October in order to wear my natural curls. Some of you are thinking, "Sommer, why would you cut your hair off to do that?" Well, some women are able to transition (grow their hair out with relaxed ends which they cut off after their natural hair grew to the length they wanted) for however long they wanted, but me, I was quite terrible with hair...and well, lazy, so I just cut my hair off.  My hair was super short almost bald. My hair has grown nicely over 9 months with a lot of trial and error hair care. But along the way I learned A LOT and I am still learning. I think my children's hair, especially my daughter's, has benefited from my research. In fact, we are embarking on The Curly Girl Method. I found out about this via youtube from a Vlogger named MahoganyCurls. I am trying hard not to play constantly in my hair and just let it go and I think this will be very beneficial for me since I suck at most of the natural hairstyles. Maybe when my curls grow I can try some new styles, but for now, I just condition wash, do hot oil treatments, seal (use a leave-in conditioner and then seal with an oil) and recently, fell in love with eco-styler gel to define my curls. I also use sulfate-free shampoo after I get home from the pool....I usually do an hot oil treatment first, then shampoo, and deep condition.


My dry hair pulled back with an ouchless band by Goody. Yesterday I did an hot oil treatment, washed it with a sulfate free shampoo, deep conditioned leaving the cap on overnight, I then rinsed added a leave-in and and defined my curls using Eco-Styler Clear gel. It's grown in 9 months, but looks super short because my curls, like most kinky curls, are prone to massive shrinkage....which is neat and frustrating at times.





My husband got this shot of me outside my daughter's room monitoring her as she cleaned lol. Oily forehead is coconut oil I added some to my hair when I was making the grocery list lol.





OK back to the Curly Girl Method. The method is shampoo-free, flat-iron, most heat (except for occasional  use of diffuser (to prevent frizz and damage) to dry when in a hurry. Here is a complete overview of this method I found to be helpful without purchasing the book- yet. This method is great for all curly/wavy hair types. Will show this as I am incorporating this method with my family of curlies. My husband has straight/wavy hair, but it gets very dry so I think this will help him immensely.


Today I gave this a try with my whole family. Check out the photos below. If you have any questions, or suggestions, please feel free to comment below or on FB/twitter and I will be more than happy to answer or thank your for for your help!


Here we go!


I started by washing my daughter's (as well as my sons and husband's) hair with a sulfate-free shampoo as we went swimming the previous day and I wanted all the gunk out. From now on, will use conditioner only.



Found this (the last one) on sale at the PX! Was so happy



Next I conditioned and also detangled starting at the ends on up. I used Organix conditioner with argon oil. I love that conditioner because her tangles literally melted away. I am always ok with that. And it's silicone free.






De-tangling



My son's





Next I rinsed and added some leave-in conditioner to all their hair.



My son combing it through lol



Then my daughter shaking her hair to help air-dry. You can also scrunch which we did. A microfiber towel or t-shirt is recommended, but a regular ol towel is OK for now.




To their semi-wet curls, I added regular clear eco-styler gel. Just a small amount is good!



My eldest



My husband's






My daughter's hair semi-dry



Her hair fully dry!
Less frizzy for sure. I can't wait to see all their hair change over-time!



Will update with day 2 or 3 hair if it makes it to then!!!


Thank your for reading!!! Anyone else doing this? Any product recommendations? I loved seeing the before and afters on NaturallyCurly.com! Check them out here