Shingling

Shingling is when you take the time to rake product through your hair, in sections, to be sure that every stand is covered. This is also a method used to encourage curl definition or make your curl pattern pop. After watching multiple YouTube videos, I decided to attempt shingling for myself. Here are the steps that I took, including pictures.

First, I co-washed my hair with Palmer's Coconut Oil Instant Conditioner. Next, I parted my hair into 8 sections. One section at a time, I raked in IC Fantasia Hair Polisher Styling Gel. As I went from section to section, if one of my sections began to dry, I just misted some water on that section before applying the gel. I also applied raw shea butter to each section after applying the gel to seal in the moisture from the gel. I learned the hard way not to apply too much shea butter or you will be left with a white residue because it doesn't mix well with the gel. The morning that I shingled my hair, I had plans to go out so I just left my hair to air dry. I have also read that some people use a diffuser to help speed up the drying process without manipulating the curls.

At night, I just put on a Satin Bonnet. In the morning I sprayed Carol's Daughter Tui Leave- In Conditioner to liven up the curls and finger fluffed any flat areas. If some spots became frizzy, I would apply a little more gel to that area and it would spring back to life.

This was shortly after I finished applying all of the products. You can see that there is a little bit of white in my hair from the shea butter because my hair is still wet.

This picture was taken on the first night. The hair is completely dry here with curl clumping...

 This is a side view of the dried curls. I put a satin scarf around my edges with a little more of the gel to make my edges lay down like this, and then applied a stretchy headband.

This is my hair on the third day of wearing this style. It has shrunken since the first day and is even more of a curly fro.