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While some of us are born with beautiful curls, others come into their new texture by means of less fortunate paths. For many cancer patients, especially women, the process of losing your hair to chemotherapy can be an upsetting part of the journey. When that new hair starts to grow in, you are excited for things to get back to normal. Imagine the shock many women face when they now have a completely different texture than the hair they lost during treatment! If you are a woman experiencing what are called “chemo curls”, the struggle to find the right care solutions for your new texture can seem overwhelming. When it comes to finding the best products for chemo curls, here are a few suggestions to keep in mind.
Mielle Organics Babassu Conditioning Shampoo
One of the biggest changes when your hair grows back is the difference in moisture needed. Curly hair naturally requires more moisture to stay healthy. While you may have used shampoos with harsh chemicals before, it is best to switch to something gentler and more nourishing for your new texture. This formula is loaded up with all the hydration you need without sulfates. Sulfates strip your natural moisture and can be irritating to the scalp. This product also helps with elasticity, manageability, and overall strength.
Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner
Aside from washing and conditioning with a leave-in, your curls will most likely need a weekly deep conditioning treatment to stay healthy. This product penetrates the follicle to supply hair with deep hydration where it needs it most. With natural and organic ingredients like honey, sage, and babassu oil, this deep conditioning treatment keeps hair hydrated, healthy, and adds a bit of gloss.
Oyin Handmade Hair Dew
Speaking of moisture, if you had straight hair, you may not be aware of how much work and time goes into maintaining healthy curls. A leave-in conditioner is an absolute must to keep your curls healthy and happy. This option is one of the best products for chemo curls thanks to the gentle formula and super hydrating properties. It is a leave-in conditioner that is light enough for everyday use without weighing down your curls. It uses castor oil, olive oil, and other natural ingredients to help fight frizz and keep hair hydrated all day.
Alikay Naturals Essential 17 Hair Growth Oil
If you are looking to encourage your hair to grow after treatment, this is one of the best products for chemo curls. It is packed with 17 of nature’s finest ingredients, including elements such as emu oil, tea tree oil, horsetail powder, and more, for a formula that helps stimulate scalp health to ensure proper growth. It is anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial to give your scalp the best chance at generating new growth.
Jessicurl Spiralicious Styling Gel – No Fragrance
Of course, styling your hair will also be different now that you are working with curls. Finding the right styling gel can be the difference between bouncy, defined curls and a crunchy, stiff mess. This product offers the best of frizz control while adding definition to your pattern and helping with hold. While it starts off with a slight crunch, it can be easily scrunched out to reveal soft, touchable strands that hold their shape all day. Best of all, it is fragrance free for those with a sensitivity to excessive perfumes.
Have a story on how you grew your back after chemo? We would love to know in the comments.
Photo source: Amazon.com
There are lots of products on the market to help you achieve your best curls. One of the more innovative options for styling natural hair is a curl sponge. This tool is a sponge brush that helps give men and women more curl definition and styling options, especially short natural hair. Wondering how do you find the best hair sponges on the market? Here’s all you need to know about a curl sponge, how to find the right one for your hair and how to use it.
Hole Sizing
When looking for the best hair sponges, the hole sizing is one of the most important factors. The size of the holes will create the outcome. For example, smaller hole sizes make a tighter curl or coil whereas bigger holes create a looser curl. The length of your hair will also help you decide which hole sizing is right for your needs. Smaller holes are better for shorter hair. Larger holes are better for longer hair.
Sponge Size
The size of the sponge itself matters for a few reasons. If you have a lot of hair, you will want a larger size. For shorter hair, a smaller sponge should suffice. You also want to consider the size of your hands. If you have small hands, a large sponge may be too much to grip and maneuver with ease. You should also look at the shape of the sponge. While some are rounded, there are some that are in an 8 shape. A rounded sponge will give you a tool you can work with quickly through your hair. An 8 shape gives you a better grip and is usually on the larger size.
Durability
Another factor when finding the best hair sponges is the matter of durability. You don’t want to spend money on a sponge that will only last for a few uses before it starts deteriorating. The key to finding a durable sponge is to give it a squeeze. If a sponge is super soft and springy, it will not last as long as a sponge that has a little more firmness and slower spring to it. When curl sponges are too soft, they come apart easily and can even leave behind pieces of sponge in your curls. Another good way to test the sponge is to put it on a flat surface and press into the center of the sponge. If the sponge gives more than an inch, it is too soft. This is not to say a soft sponge won’t get you the curls you seek, it simply means the sponge won’t last as long as a firmer option.
Here’s How To Use a Curl Sponge
Have you used a curl sponge before? Let us know in the comments below.
The idea of protective styles seems to encompass all sorts of looks in the natural hair community.
Image: @syeda_bombom
A common misconception is that the two things are the same, or that low manipulation is just a protective style that isn’t super tight, and neither of these is correct. Let’s take a look at protective styles vs. low manipulation styles.
What is a protective style?
A protective style is one where the main goal of the style is to protect the ends of your hair. This can be a bun, braids, or wearing a wig to let your strands get a break from styling. The main component of a protective style is that your ends are tucked away.
Image: @spstyled
What is a low manipulation style?
A low manipulation style is less about the ends and more about creating a style that requires less touching overall. This can be a pineapple updo, braids, wash and go, puffs, and other styles. Any style that doesn’t require you to touch your hair too much is a low manipulation style.
How do you know when to wear protective styles vs. low manipulation styles?
When to wear one over the other is a little less clear-cut. While the main point of both options is to help prevent breakage and damage, as well as helping you retain length, the matter of when to wear protective styles may depend on the state of your ends. If you are looking to protect your ends or they are looking a little frazzled, a protective style is the way to go. If you are looking to just handle your hair less, a low manipulation style is best. When choosing between the two, you should also consider the amount of maintenance for the style. If you are looking for something to last longer, a protective style is usually better than a low manipulation style.
Are you in need of more protective style advice?
Read one of these NaturallyCurly articles.
photo courtesy of Summyr Sheppard
Colder temperatures mean it’s sweater weather and sweater weather means wear and tear on your hair.
Break out your thigh high boots, cute fuzzy hats, and thick plush scarves. Did you know that your cute winter wonderland ensembles may be hazardous to your hair?
According to dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco, “wool [caps] can wick moisture away from hair as well as create friction that can contribute to breakage.” The solution? Fusco recommends “maintaining moisture with a weekly hair mask and placing a piece of satin or silk liner to work as a barrier between the wool and hair.”
Protect your hair from hygroscopic fibres
Merriam Webster defines hygroscopic as “readily taking up and retaining moisture.” Guess which one of your favorite winter clothing items contains this fiber? If your label lists that your garment is made from wool, cashmere, acrylic, polyester, or cotton, prepare for some hair intervention. According to an Interknit specialist on wool material, wool is a hygroscopic fiber that “can absorb twice as much water vapor as cotton and up to thirty times as much as polyester. This makes it perfect for absorbing sweat and body odors while keeping the body dry and fresh.” I say great to the body odors dying, but what about our ends being frazzled?
Well we can’t freeze to death just to save our curls!
So what’s a natural girl suppose to do? Well we can’t freeze to death just to save our curls! Here is a list of some great ways to keep your curls Nutcracker safe (get it nutcracker, we don’t want our hair to crack….”>
Model: Chizi Duru
Oils
Choose the right penetrating and sealing oils for your hair type and hair porosity. Putting a little extra of both will protect the hair from the inside out. Coating those ends can prove to be especially helpful when you are out and about all day with your mane in full bloom. A few of my favorite coating/sealing oils include Shea butter, castor oil and cupuacu butter.
“If the moisturizer is effectively penetrating your hair, it should feel slippery and smooth on the hair and absorb fully by the time your hair is dry.” – Rachel Blistein
Proper moisturizing is important
Moisturizing is a must all year but you need to pull out all the stops and take extra precautions during the winter months. Rachel Blistein, owner and founder of Original Moxie, is all about “moisturization.”
Many curlies are loading their hair with multiple moisturizers in an attempt to add moisture. However, if these products are not the best fit for your hair, they may simply sit on the outside of the hair shaft and actually block moisture with dulling build up.
To correct this problem, start with a thorough but gentle cleansing treatment, like Uncle Funky’s Daughter Rich & Funky Moisturizing Cleanser to open the hair shaft and ensure that it is not coated with product. Follow up with a rinse-out conditioner like The Doux Sucka Free Moisturizing Conditioner to restore any moisture that may have been lost during the cleansing process. Isolate a small section of damp hair, spray to re-wet if needed, and apply enough of your moisturizer to thoroughly coat the strand from scalp to ends. If the moisturizer is effectively penetrating your hair, it should feel slippery and smooth on the hair and absorb fully by the time your hair is dry. You should see enhanced curl definition even before the section is dry. Remember: the tighter the curl pattern and the denser the hair, the smaller the section.
hair by DyeVerCity Salon
Protective styling is key.
I know some of us just don’t like to pin our naturals up. But, hanging loose can cause frayed, or what I like to call paunchy ends. There are a billion cute, sassy, sophisticated pin-up hair styles that can prove to be your hair’s lifesaver in sub-zero weather. When your hair is pinned up it doesn’t rub against your sweater or coat during the day. I do suggest that you continue to oil your scalp or spray an oil-based moisturizer like Obia Curl Hydration Spray nightly before putting your satin scarf on. When synthetic hair is added to your up-do, it does have the tendency to suck the moisture out of your hair.
Winter is here! How are you keeping your ends protected?
Tell us your plan of attack below. We want to help!
For up-do protective style inspiration, check out @DyeVerCity on Instagram.
Photo courtesy of : @curlsfothegirls
Maintaining and styling natural hair isn’t easy, so when you find a styling routine that works, most naturals like to stick to it. While there is certainly nothing wrong with knowing what style suits you and your lifestyle bets, it is important to know if your favorite style could be causing damage to your curls. If your go-to hairstyle is the puff, there are a few things you may want to know. There are 5 major issues with wearing a puff consistently.
1. Tangles
One of the biggest issues with wearing a puff consistently is the matter of tangles. You may be thinking that because your hair is pulled up, it shouldn’t be getting tangled. However, when your strands are left loose for too long in a puff, the curls can easily become intertwined and go unnoticed until you try to detangle.
2. Shrinkage
While some shrinkage is somewhat inevitable for some curlies, wearing that daily go-to puff style can make it worse. Again, this is because of the strands being more exposed to the air as opposed to when they are in a protective style. If you are seeing a lot of shrinkage, it may be time to ditch the puff for a bit.
3. Damaged Edges
Edges, in general, are usually fragile. When you wear your hair in a puff, you are always pulling those fragile strands too tight. This can lead to breakage and damaged edges. If you have ever struggled with growing back your edges, you know this is nothing to play around with.
4. Permanent Puff
When you take your hair out of the puff and it stays in that puff shape instead of falling back into a more relaxed state, you may be wearing a puff too much. You should be able to loosen your hair with your fingers, but if this doesn’t work, it is a definite sign you are too committed to the puff.
5. Rebellion
When talking about hair rebelling, it means hair that simply won’t do what you want it to do. If your hair is in rebellion mode, you need to take a break from the puff style. Wearing hair in braids overnight will help to stretch the hair back out and aid in manageability in the morning.
Do you wear your hair in a puff? Share your experience with us below!
If you’ve found yourself constantly pulling at your hair when it’s time to detangle, you may need to switch things up by using a detangling hairbrush.
While finger detangling is common in our NaturallyCurly community, it doesn’t hurt to get a little help from a tried and true friend that separates curls, from roots to tip, like the Tangle Teezer Thick & Curly Detangling Hairbrush. This hairbrush features two-tiered teeth technology! Meeting the challenge of thick, coarse curly hair, this hairbrush is perfect for those of us that want defined curls that finger detangling simply cannot give us.
No matter your curl pattern, you can reap the amazing detangling benefits.
Got thick hair? The Tangle Teezer’s innovative combination of short and long teeth easily glide through your hair to eliminate knots and tangles while enhancing your curls’ natural sheen. Got coarse hair? Wet those hair strands with water to detangle, prevent breaking your ends, and stave off fairy knots. Got curly hair? Well, of course, you do so you know that detangling curls can cause frizz… Not with the award-winning Tangle Teezer Thick & Curly Hairbrush which should be used on wet hair.
Need proof?
In just a few seconds, you’ll see how amazing this hairbrush is for all curl patterns. Its short teeth smooth hair cuticles and minimizes frizz, and its long teeth detangle and reduce hair breakage! Click the GIF below to take a look at the Tangle Teezer in action:
Curious about how the NaturallyCurly Editors used the Tangle Teezer Thick & Curly Detangling Hairbrush? Here’s what each lady had to say about it!
NaturallyCurly Editor Lauren Murray says:
I have a mix of 3c/4a coils and curls, and my hair is quite dense. If you stick your hand in there, it isn’t coming back out. Hahaha!
I used the Tangle Teezer Thick and Curly hairbrush as a before-wash detangler, meaning I wet my hair with just water before I washed it, and then I detangled. I also split my hair into about 6 sections just to make the detangling process easier and put me at less risk for damage.
To me, it’s all about the technique and how you’re holding it. I found that when I flipped the tool backward, I had more control over how it detangled my coils.
I loved that it was fairly simple and straight to the point to use. It’s also super compact, perfect for traveling!
NaturallyCurly Editor Cara Logue says:
My hair is all types of wavy—mostly 2B but also some 2A and some 2C. It’s very dense coming out of my scalp, but most of the individual strands are pretty thin to medium width.
I usually detangle my hair when it’s dry; in the video, I detangled it when it was wet. I start by finger-detangling, then use a brush starting with the bottom of my hair downward, working my way up to my scalp, with a lot of putting down the brush and using my fingers to get the more stubborn spots. The Tangle Teezer helps with some of these tricky spots—I think because of the varying lengths in the bristles.
It feels really good on my scalp—kind of like those wire spider head-massager things that you can buy at the airport.
NaturallyCurly Editor Kiana Tipton says:
I have type 3b, bleached, long, high porosity hair. My hair is usually difficult to detangle without conditioning with a regular wide tooth comb, but the Tangle Teezer Thick and Curly hairbrush works more effectively, leaving me with more time to enjoy my morning coffee before heading out for the day!
I used the Tangle Teezer after wetting my hair with a spray bottle, but I have also used it after coming out of the shower. It works well either way. I was able to detangle my hair without any additional products.
However, I usually do condition in the shower beforehand. After detangling my hair, I use my regular leave-in conditioner for extra curl definition. I love how the Tangle Teezer feels on my scalp, when brushing my hair I linger near the top because it feels like a gentle massage. It also detangles my hair without pulling on my tangles or leaving me with breakage.
Tell us: Have you tried the Tangle Teezer?
Do you want to? Visit your nearest ULTA today or buy online at ULTA.com to get this detangling hairbrush that will make your curls fall in love with it!
This post is sponsored by Tangle Teezer.
When it comes to curly hair care, there are certain brands that lead the way. One of the most widely sold curly hair brands on the market today, SheaMoisture has become a go to for women, men, and children with all different textures and types. In fact, they offer over 20 different collections under their name, each one having its own unique set of properties and purposes. So, how do you narrow down such a large selection of choices? This can be a major challenge for beginners, so we recommend first starting with understanding your hair type and its individual needs.
When looking for the best SheaMoisture products for wavy hair, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Here are some basic questions you can ask yourself about your naturally wavy hair.
Do you have damage?
It’s important to understand the overall state of your hair. Damage can be caused by heat styling, color treating, or over-manipulating your hair, and in wavy hair this usually leads to hair that looks straight and frizzy, rather than wavy and defined. If your strands are damaged, dry, brittle, and overtreated to the point that they are unmanageable, you need to take that into consideration in terms of care and the types of products you use. Ultimately you can’t reverse hair damage completely, but you can choose reparative products that strengthen and improve elasticity.
Do you like strong or light hold?
Wavy hair needs help with definition. This hair type has a harder time with layering and keeping definition, so you need products that can help with this issue without further weighing down your hair. If you like your waves to look well defined and frizz-free, you should choose a strong hold styling product like a gel or mousse. If you prefer your waves to be soft and touchable with a less defined look, then go with light hold styling products like cream gels or use a leave-in conditioner for hold.
Is your hair fine, or coarse?
Just because your hair is on the looser end of the curl spectrum, does not mean that it is necessarily fine. Wavy hair can be coarse (meaning the individual strands are thick”> and this is something that you should consider when choosing and applying products. Fine hair can become easily weighed down, flat at the roots, and even prone to breakage when loaded up with the wrong products. Wavies with coarse hair often complain that their hair is “big” or “poofy” and need stronger hold products to make their waves stay defined all day. Take the NaturallyCurly hairtype quiz to find out your exact wave pattern, including how fine or coarse and thick or thin your hair is.
6 best wavy products by SheaMoisture
While this brand offers a ton of great products that can meet the needs of any hair type, these are a few suggestions for the best SheaMoisture products for wavy hair.
SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Oil Omega-3-6-9 Rescue + Repair Clarifying Shampoo
With wavy hair types, the accumulation of oils can lead to flat hair lacking volume. This cleanser is a tough yet gentle solution to this problem. A deep cleanser without sulfates, it will leave the scalp clean and healthy with the use of sacha inchi oil which is rich in healthy omega fatty acid complexes. The naturally moisturizing elements of shea butter, quinoa, and rose of jericho extract also help to prevent stripping away natural moisture from strands for overall hair health.
SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Oil Omega 3-6-9 Rescue + Repair Conditioner
While the job of a shampoo is to cleanse, the job of your conditioner is to replenish moisture. This formula is great for wavy hair because it has fortifying vitamins A and E to give your scalp and strands extra moisture. It is also gentle enough to make detangling a breeze while leaving hair softer and more manageable.
SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Oil Omega-3-6-9 Rescue & Repair Hair Masque
With natural waves, there will be times when your hair is feeling damaged and drier than usual. With this product, you get the same great formulas as the shampoo and conditioner of the same collection, but with the added benefit of protecting hair against breakage. This deep treatment solution also helps support hair elasticity to prevent breakage while deep conditioning to reverse dryness.
SheaMoisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Texture Spray
Since wavy hair tends to fall a little flat and needs help with definition, this texture spray is perfect. It is lightweight so it won’t flatten out your volume while helping to create definition and shape in your natural texture. The coconut water formula works to hydrate and nourish hair for an added bonus.
SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Hydration Intensive Conditioner
Though finer hair can get weighed down if you leave this in too long, it is all about experimenting to see what works best for you. For some wavies with coarse hair (like blogger Diane Mary“>, this one is considered extremely moisturizing and contains protein to repair damage as well.
SheaMoisture Yucca & Plantain Anti-Breakage Strengthening Shampoo
For wavies who finger detangle in the shower after co-washing and need a good cleanser with slip, this one helps as it is runny in consistency. For best results, use it once a week and then on scalp only with a co-wash the other time a week. It leaves looser textures moisturized and cleansed.
Which SheaMoisture product works on your waves?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Shop these products and more wavy picks at SHOPNaturallyCurly.com
No matter which way you cut it, your hair will lose moisture. Period.
Although this is a natural occurrence, one reason your hair is losing moisture is that you are using the wrong product for your texture type! However, there are a few things you can do to prevent drastic moisture loss.
The first step is to determine your curl pattern’s texture type (yes, these are two different things”>. For the sake of getting you off on the right moisturizing foot, we’re going to focus exclusively on porosity.
Porosity is a point of contention for almost every curly woman.
No matter where you live, your diet, or other factors, you will almost always here a curly, a wavy, and a coily talk shop about porosity. And since many of us focus on the right products to help us maintain moisture throughout the year, especially when it’s dry and cool, it’s important to know what you need to put in your hair care maintenance kit this fall and winter.
Curl Pattern Does Not Translate to Porosity
Despite assumptions, your curl pattern has nothing to do with your porosity. That’s right! Some of us with tight coils have super fine hair strands that have medium porosity. Others of us have dense wavy, coarse strands that soak in products upon immediate contact because of high porosity. Every curl is remarkably unique!
So, what can you do about picking the right product? We asking NaturallyCurly community favorite Design Essentials Natural what we can do. First, we all can start by determining our porosity here >> Texture Type Quiz! Then, we can choose the right products for our specific curl concerns. Learn more about this, by porosity type, below!
Grace Hathaway, NaturallyCurly Editor, Video Producer / Brio Photography
High porosity
If your hair strands tend to get weighed down by styling cream, the teensiest drop of oil, or humidity, you’re going to need to steer clear of super heavy products. Try Design Essentials Natural Coconut & Monoi Coconut Water Curl Refresher, a revitalizing spray that works wonders on high porosity hair, waves, and second-day styles.
Nikki Johnson, NaturallyCurly Editor, Video Producer / Brio Photography
Medium Porosity
For hair that needs a gentle moisture treatment, reach for Coconut & Monoi Deep Moisture Milk Soufflé. For setting your curls, you’ll need a reliable hold without all the weighed down, crunchiness that gels tend to give medium porosity hair. So, you’ll need the Almond & Avocado Honey Curl Forming Custard for styling.
Gerilyn M. Hayes, NaturallyCurly Editor, Copywriter / Brio Photographer
Low Porosity
There’s nothing more thrilling for low porosity curlies than moisturizers that truly penetrate the hair strand for luxurious softness. That’s why the Coconut & Monoi Deep Moisture Masque is perfect for hair that tends to repel products. In addition to a deep treatment, reach for Almond & Avocado Twist & Set Setting Lotion to set and style hair! To keep curls moisturized every day, you’ll need to apply Almond & Avocado Daily Moisturizing Lotion.
Now that you have a few curly hair products to choose from based on your porosity, how will you rock those well-loved, moisturized curls?
Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
As ever, stay moisturized!
This post is sponsored by Design Essentials Natural.
