what’s your bedtime reggie?
Question for J from Chandra:
Hello Jenteel,
Thank you thank you thank you for your blog I must say first and foremost. I really can’t thank you enough for all of the great information and inspiration. I am a singer songwriter currently living in Germany but from Florida. I have struggled with my hair and decisions as regards what to do with it nearly my entire life. After relaxing as an early teenager (I think my mother was just a bit fed up with it) and then of course same story having severe breakage, I then stayed in line with the black girl hair story and opted for weaves, usually always micros which went well. Spent one year in Nashville and before I left home I took all of my braids out and hadn’t had my hair relaxed in almost 5 years. My hair was gorgeous. Of course I didn’t know it then and immediately put a store bought relaxer in it (stupid stupid stupid) and got a sew in before my big move. But after about 6 months of constant straightening and the occasional kid relaxer, most of my hair in the front completely broke off.
I put the braids back in for my next journey to Europe which would allow me some versatility and then see what was happening in about 6 months. So I’ve been here in Berlin for exactly 3 months now and just couldn’t stand it any longer. I felt like my hair was still suffering in the braids because it wasn’t being washed adequately or deep conditioned ever ( because the micros would’ve come out). So after visiting your website several times, I was inspired to began the labor of love that so many smart and beautiful women of color have already embarked upon. I took all the micros out and looked at myself in the mirror, a bit uncomfortable with what I saw but decided I would deal with and love me (regardless of what my hair was doing..lol).
Are there any tips you would recommend as far as a daily night time routine? I just have no clue what to do with my hair at night..A good friend of mine braids it every night and then takes the braids out in the morning for curly fullness but I didn’t know if that’s what most natural girls do.
J’s response:
Hi Chandra! Thank you for following BGLH. I’m glad you’ve been inspired to stick with the decision to go natural! I am honored to be 1/3 of this movement that is BGLH! How cool that you moved to Germany to make your dreams come true! All the best to you!
Now to your question! Most of you already know I’m a proponent of low manipulation so I don’t braid or twist my hair every night. I try to do protective styles that last throughout the week refreshing at night only if necessary. Here’s what I do before bed:
1) spritz my ends and scalp (a nice scalp massage on occasion)
2) add moisturizer to ends (refresh braids/twists if necessary)
3) seal ends with castor oil
4) put on my satin cap then it’s beddie-bye time!
I like to call my nightly ritual “SMSP“: Spritz Moisturize Seal Protect!
(you like that right-lol)
Spritz
The spritz is important because it hydrates the hair. For this I like to use floral waters, chamomile or sandalwood. I use floral waters so I don’t have to worry about contaminants and chlorine in tap water (you can use filtered water if you wish). I keep the floral waters refrigerated and add to a spray bottle as needed. Besides smelling wonderful, my scalp feels so refreshed afterward! It’s my daily aromatherapy 
Sometimes I mix the waters with panthenol (an idea suggested by Chicoro). If my hair is craving protein, I use my Aphogee Pro-Vitamin Leave-In Conditioner. You can use protein to help revitalize the hair, but unfortunately damaged hair must eventually be cut out. Click here for some ideas for a daily spritz ideas previously featured on BGLH!
Moisturize
Next is the moisturizer. I like to use a creamy water-based moisturizer (dr. bronner’s magic organic lotion). I love how it seeps into my thick hair. It also softens the hair and makes it easier to detangle. When refreshing twists or braids, you can use a wide-tooth comb or detangle with your fingers.
Seal
For the sealant, your options aren’t limited to just castor oil. Many naturals love coconut oil or hair butters like shea for sealing, especially for the shine that they impart not to mention the nutrient content.
Protect
Pin the hair up and sleep on a satin pillowcase or use a satin cap.
As you can see, my nightly routine is really simple making it easy to follow. Thanks for your submission Chandra! I thought your “before and after” pictures were especially great in light of the recent “then and now” posts (one of my favorite here at BGLH by the way – great submissions ladies!). Cute cute cute!
chandra then
chandra now!
So now it’s your turn! Natural ladies give up the goods!
What’s your nightly regimen?
~j~
Congrats on taking the plunge. It's so worth it. I have fine hair and I do manipulate my hair every night, but very gently. I try to never comb my hair when it's bone dry. I spritz (very lightly) with a concoction of water and Organic Root Stimulator Elastic-I-Tea leave in conditioner. Then I twist and apply shea butter at the ends. I either roll the twists on rollers or into bantu knots. Put on my satin cap and off to bed. In the morning, I take out the twists and I'm good to go. I've never had much issues with split ends, so this works for me.
Yep…I also don't manipulate a lot. No nightly twisting/detangling. Okay, my bedtime ritual:
I sometimes spritz with my Herb N Life Headsprung, or another water-based product. Sometimes I mist lightly, with just…plain water.
I add my Afroveda Shea Amla Buttercream, or Donna Marie's Cocoa Hemp Buttermilk on top.
I add some oil to my ends and tie my hair up in a silk scarf.
If I'm wearing a braid-out, twist-out, or whatever-out type of style, I just seal my ends at night with either oil (its a mixture of a few different oils), shea butter, or my shea butter and coconut oil mixture. If I'm wearing a puff I'll take the puff down at night, spritz the length of my hair with a mixture of conditioner and water, and then seal the ends as mentioned above. After that I'll put my hair in like 6 huge twists and cover it with a silk scarf or bonnet.
Hey welcome abroad! For my nightly regimen, I spritz with water, use shea butter, and use a creamy moisturizer. I heard this is the order to correctly seal in the moisture in your hair from youtube. My ends tend to get dry faster than the rest of my hair, I think that is linked to still transtioning (18 months and counting). Then I sleep with my satin scarf.
i thought shea butter moisturizes??
since I'm rocking a bantu knot out for the week (that I set on Sunday) at night I spray my hair with a leave in conditioner from Carol's Daughter, then divide my hair into four sections, put coconut oil on each section, braid those sections and seal the ends with castor oil. In the morning I take out my braids, fluff and then go. It leaves my hair real soft and the curl pattern from my knot out is nice!
It looks fantastic! And it’s easier to leave comments! YAY!
You Guys!! This is beautiful! congrats;-)
Thanks i have this question to, as what to do with my hair at night. i live with my boyfriend and he is not fond of me wearing a cap or bonnet at night so I put my hair in a very high ponytail. it gives it bounce in the morning.
i definitely need to moisturize though.
some times i feel bad for my hubby, he gets to sleep with me in my ganster du-rag bonnet every night. Its nice that you take your boyfriends thoughts into consideration. me… not so much.
i spritz my hair with a mixture of water/ sweet almond oil and some conditioner.
do either 5 large corn rows or a few large twists sealed with cator oil.
put on my ganster bonnet
sleep
wake up, fluff and go