Wash N' Go My @$$!!!!

I know it the title sounds a bit harsh but hear me out. This isn't a criticism of anyone's styling choices, just a realization I came to as I thought of my own struggle to "define" my curls and rock a so-called "wash and go" style.

When I hear the phrase "wash and go" I immediately think of a two-step process: washing my hair (which includes conditioning) and going out the door. The reality of the wash and go style for most kinky haired naturals is that there is a huge step in the middle that can be divided into multiple sub-steps.

After the hair is washed and conditioned there is sectioning, detangling, applying leave in conditioner, sometimes applying an additional cream product, applying a gel product, raking or brushing the product through, constantly spritzing the hair to keep it soaking wet throughout the process, awkwardly avoiding touching the done sections of hair as you move on.

This process can take up to 2 hours, especially if your hair is long, thick and more kinky than curly!!!!!! And you're not even guaranteed satisfactory results. Umm... what happened to the two simple steps of washing and going?

To address this misnomer, I want to redefine the "wash and go" style. My true wash and go styles are pigtails or two large cornrows (if my hair was washed loose) and bantu knots (if my hair was washed in twists).

If you had to limit your wash and go to a truly simple routine, what would you choose?

When spending a week on the beach, who wants more than wash and go hair? I lived in these cornrows!