Search Results: Camille Wilson
Your child’s curly hair may have a different hair texture than yours, and if you’re a parent or care-taker with straight hair, you may have never even considered the critical role that curly hair products can have on your hair care routine. Here to save the day are kids’ curly hair care products formulated specifically with sensitive kids’ curls in mind to handle your worst tangles, as well as keeping your kids’ hair clean and moisturized.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the vast range of curl products on the market, we’ve narrowed it down to 10 gentle, kid-friendly product lines to keep your little one’s hair in top shape and put the fun back into detangling, washing, and styling. Keep an eye out for our tips on which hair types these products are best for – because the needs of Type 2 wavy hair can be very different from Type 4 coily hair!
1. SheaMoisture Kids
As a staple and OG in the world of curly hair, you can count on the SheaMoisture brand to bring hydration and healthy, organic ingredients to you and your children. The Coconut & Hibiscus Kids line will nourish delicate curls with coconut oil’s vitamins and antioxidants, while the hibiscus extract adds shine. Cleanse with the Coconut & Hibiscus Kids 2-In-1 Shampoo & Conditioner ($9.99) to remove buildup while replenishing lost oils without any of the harsh chemicals. To get rid of any pesky tangles, follow up with the Coconut & Hibiscus Kids Extra-Moisturizing Detangler ($9.99) with slippery elm extract for the perfect amount of “slip” to loosen knots. To top it off, try the Coconut & Hibiscus Kids Curling Butter Cream ($9.99) for styling, giving intense moisturization and a soft hold for definition.
The Coconut & Hibiscus line works wonders on curl patterns Type 3 and Type 4 and is a gentle kid-friendly product line your family will love.
Not sure what your curly kiddo’s hair type is? Take our quiz!
2. Kinder Curls by Curl Keeper
Kinder Curls is making a big comeback as a fan favorite that won the NaturallyCurly Best of the Best Awards for Curly Hair Products For Kids in 2020, and again in 2023 for Type 2 Wavy Hair. These products are gentle and designed to detangle, define, and soften curly hair. Whether you are ready to travel, swim, or camp, these products are water-based and will help control the most unruly, frizzy hair.
Try this line on gentle, kid-friendly product line with curl patterns Types 2 and Type 3.
3. Camille Rose Naturals Kids
Camille Rose Naturals has proved to have a standout kid’s line that works with all textures and curl types for your tiny tot. As the winner of two of our kid’s categories, this line shows that it stands out and is truly a must-have for your home. The kid’s line features an array of styling products like a Mandarin hair balm, a leave-in conditioner, and buttercream full of rich nutrients to moisturize and condition even the most delicate strands. You can purchase each product individually or in a set for easy and seamless styling on the go that will leave you feeling at ease with your little one. It won the Best of the Best Award for Best Products for Kids with Type 3 Curly Hair.
Use Johnson’s on any curly/textured hair type.
4. SoCozy Kids
SoCozy was designed with the intention to create salon-quality hair care products just for kids, with no harmful ingredients, and has your kid’s wash day completely covered–from leave-in conditioner to volumizing foam. Start wash-day off on the right foot with the Curl Shampoo Ultra Hydrating Cleanser’s ($9.98) restorative formula to reduce breakage and promote elasticity. The ingredients keratin, plum seed oil, and olive oil encourage strong, moisturized hair with sealed cuticles. For an even gentler clean on damaged curls, give the Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner ($9.99) a go. Pair that with the Curl Conditioner ($7.39), distributing evenly and rinsing, or even leaving a small amount in for added moisture. Finish off with the Curl Spray ($7.99) for added moisture and to avoid snags.
Use these products on Type 3 to Type 4A curls.
5. CURLS It’s a Curl!
When it comes to your baby, you want the absolute best. If you’ve used CURLS products before and loved them, guess what–they have a baby line. Peek-a-Boo Tearless Shampoo ($12) cleans baby’s hair and scalp with organic ingredients and botanicals for super sensitive skin. Add the organic aloe-infused Patty Cake Conditioner ($13) to clean hair to soothe an irritated scalp and penetrate the hair shaft to moisturize with organic jojoba oil. To finish up, apply the Ring Around The Curls Leave-In ($14) to enhance, defrizz, and style. In between washes, use the Itsy Bitsy Spirals Moisturizer ($13) daily to take care of that adorable fuzzy bed-head look.
The It’s a Curl line is perfect for all curly/textured hair types.
6. Taliah Waajid Kinky, Wavy & Natural for Children
Let’s give a big drumroll for the Best Kids Line for Type 4 Coily Hair for 2023, which comes courtesy of Taliah Waajid! This kid’s line is great for tighter curl patterns to help with styling and improving the overall shine and texture. This product contains only quality ingredients and herbal extracts, so it’s free of harsh chemicals. This gentle formula softens the curl pattern while making hair manageable.
What are the current must-have products in your curly kid’s routine? If you’ve used any products from these collections, tell us about your experience in the comments.
7. Mixed Chicks Kids
Some curls require extra moisture but are prone to build-up, and Mixed Chicks Kids aims to fill in that gap. Starting off with the Kids Shampoo ($11), you can count on a gentle cleanse, but Mixed Chicks recommends not washing your kiddie’s curls more than twice a week. Instead, use the Conditioning Cleansing Co-Wash ($13) in place of shampoo if needed. When it comes to the Conditioner for Kids ($13), due to parents’ wishes—there are no color additives or fragrances. This gem of a conditioner with safflower and jojoba oil will help you comb through curls like a boss with less breakage and more healthy-looking growth. Add the Leave-In Conditioner for Kids ($12) as the icing on top (also colorless and fragrance-free) for a soft finish. Does your cutie have bedhead the next day? Try the Kid’s Tangle-Tamer ($13) as a refresher.
These products are great on Type 3 to Type 4A hair and is a gentle kid-friendly product line for your family!
8. Fairy Tales Curly-Q
If you and your family are vegan, look no further. Fairy Tales Hair Care prides itself on catering to all curly hair types, and the Curly-Q line is 100% vegan. Their Kids Shampoo for Curly Hair ($9.95) will leave your young one’s curls looking great with ingredients like quinoa and avocado butters, and smelling like pear basil. Tangles won’t stand a chance with the Kids Conditioner for Curly Hair ($9.95), and the Kids Styling Spray Gel for Curly Hair ($9.95) will help to define, shape, or scrunch curls into place.
Check out: How to Properly Care For Curly Hair For Kids
9. FroBabies Hair
FroBabies is all about building natural hair and curl confidence in kids by promoting healthy hair, starting at 12 months and older. And their line of super-effective products does just that. The delightful Honey Bubbles Moisturizing Shampoo ($13.21) smells just as sweet as it sounds with its honey and avocado ingredients for ensured moisture. Its partner is the So Super Soft After Shampoo Conditioner ($14.22), which you can leave on your baby’s hair for up to 15 minutes for a super deep conditioning treatment. When ready to style, pick up the Detangle Me Baby Leave-In Conditioner ($12.53) to detangle with your fingers or favorite tool, and use it daily as needed. For styles that require hold, you’ll also want the Curls-A Poppin Soufflé ($12.08) and the Puffy Hold Me Down Baby Gelle ($11.76).
Super ideal for parents who do braids, twists, and other protective styles on Type 3 and 4 hair.
10. Eden Bodyworks Kids
The EDEN Kids collection’s easy-to-use packaging makes wash-day simple and easy enough that your curly kid might be able to do it themselves. Cleanse with the COCO Shea Berry Detangling Shampoo ($9.25) to soften strands for easier detangling without drying them.
Great for all curly/coily kids.
What are the current gentle, kid-friendly must-have products in your curly kid’s routine? If you’ve used any products from these collections, tell us about your experience in the comments.
Read next: Jenell Stewart’s 5-Minute Daily Moisture Routine for Toddlers With Natural Hair
Browse through the trendiest summer beach braids to inspire your next trip to the beach.
I hope you’ve booked an appointment with your braid stylist, because this summer is going to be a HOT one and beach braids are the perfect protective style to keep you cool and frizz-free.
From beachy island braids to intricate fulani braids, we’ve got you covered with five protective style beach braids that you need to try. Make sure to save this page for the next time you need beach braid inspiration before a summer trip, spring break or any vacation.
Half-back Cornrow Braids aka Island Braids
Every summer growing up, especially before a sports camp or trip to visit family, my mom would braid my hair into half cornrows to ease the burden of caring for it. I always loved the freedom of not having to think about my hair, and now that I’m grown (apparently) I’ve kept the same mentality before vacations. Cornrows braided half way back are perfect for the beach because they keep your hair out of your face but still leave enough hair out to try various styles.
Here is some inspiration to get you started.
Fulani Braids
Fulani braids are having a major moment right now, and to be honest I get it. They are the perfect style for vacations or the beach because they help keep your hair out of your face (the main character), and still feel like a switch up from traditional box braids. Add beads or shells at the bottoms for added beachy flair.
Jumbo Box Braids
The ease and longwear of box braids make them the perfect candidates for longer trips and vacations, but if you need a quick style for a beach getaway, try getting them jumbo sized. Jumbo box braids are generally less expensive and a lot quicker to install than other styles, while still giving you more freedom to enjoy your vacation (rather than worry about styling your hair).
Goddess Braids
Goddess braids are the perfect mix between a sew-in and traditional feed-in braids. Plus, they look amazing in a half-up, half-down style. Opt for using real human hair for the parts of hair left out of you want this style to last longer.
Braided Bantu Knots
Closing out with braided bantu knots, the best style if you truly want to turn heads this Summer. This style is playful, quicker to install than traditional braided styles, and allows for so much creativity while still making styling easy while on vacation.
No matter which beach braids style you choose, make sure to keep your hair moisturized and protected from the sun. Pro- tip, bring a scarf and mousse to refresh your scalp and keep the scalp looking neat and freshly braided. Tag us in your summer styles on Instagram @NaturallyCurly for a chance to be featured.
Read next: How to Maintain Your Braids this Summer
For anyone who enjoys a good recharging vacation during the spring and summer months, now is the time to be thinking about outfits and hair. Vacation braids are a common natural hair go-to because, in addition to looking incredible, they save so much time when you’re out trying to enjoy a new place, experience, or activity. You may have to carve out six hours to get them installed, but no one would do it if it wasn’t worth it.
We thought we’d round up a few vacation braids styling ideas that might catch your eye as you plan your next excursion, big or small. Ahead you’ll find 13 variations of box braids, cornrows, and some in-between styles that you can peruse to your heart’s content. Hopefully, it’ll make planning for that vacation just a little easier!
Fulani-Inspired
Source: @melissa_nerovique
These braids are Fulani-inspired, but the style certainly has its unique flavor! First of all, we love a two-toned look on braids, and the blonde pops out here. And the claw clip is very current and super functional for keeping braids out of the way when necessary.
Waterfall Ponytail
Source: @sbm_beauty_
These half-up half-down braids look eye-catching with loose, curly ends. Loosely secure the front half of your hair with a hair tie to get good height on the ponytail and create the “waterfall” effect that almost looks like one super long ponytail.
Classic Straight Backs with Design
Source: @harmonicurls
Break up the simplicity of straight-back cornrows by throwing a design or two in there. Mairaly (pictured above) did her braids that turned out fabulously, but if you let your braider know you’re interested in designs, you’re sure to walk out of the salon with something amazing.
Half Feed-in Half Sew-in
Source: @braidbarlbn
The age of the sew-in is returning, and we’re not mad at it. If you’re into straight hair at the moment, but not so into straightening your hair, there’s always a good ol’ sew-in. The overall look is fairly simple, but so very clean and sleek.
Beach Wave Braids
Source: @caeliya.a
If your destination of choice is somewhere tropical with a beach, consider this wavy look. Leaving the ends loose and wavy is like having the best of both worlds if you don’t want to be fully committed to loose or braided hair–it works so well together.
Raindrop Braids
Source: @amencis.mb
The creativity of this one is on another level. Who made the rule that we can only wear braids on the ends of our hair? We could have been wearing them like little “raindrops” all along.
Long Braided Pony
Source:@yaaskhalifa
That whip-action on a braided ponytail never gets old. With a bundle of synthetic hair (or real, if you’d prefer) you can have a sleek result with minimum effort.
Beaded Fulani-Inspired
Source: @dhatgirlbecca
This style is also Fulani-inspired but with a bit of a zig-zag pattern and some accent beads. There’s a tutorial on this exact look-over on Beauty and Curls on YouTube.
Bantu Knot Crown and Beads
Source: @myfashionbreak
Now that we’ve reclaimed bantu knots in Black hair culture, we’re never letting them go. They’re so versatile. And the braid work here is incredible–unless you’ve got top-notch skills, you’ll want to book an appointment for this one.
Small Knotless Braids
Source: @curly.strands
Have you ever wanted your knotless braids to look more natural and lay down close to the roots while still adding a lot of lengths? Natasha Robinson shows her followers the trick to achieving that look at home and saving a few hundred dollars.
Braided Ponytail Piece
Source: @pearlthestylist
Did you know you can buy braided bundles now? Try a 22-inch straight braided pony or a 30-inch curly braided pony from @naturalhairrocks for those quick on-the-go moments. The install takes less than 30 seconds and they come with convenient combs to keep everything in place all day.
Waves on Straight Braids
Source: @freshlengths
Got a fresh install of straight braids but are suddenly feeling more of a wavy look? Heat up some water and braid the braids into chunky sections. Dip the ends in the piping hot water, and voilà. Insta-waves.
Elevated Omarion Braids
Source: @tatayshasha
Does anyone in the older Gen Z or Millennial crowd remember Omarion’s braids from his B2K days? The cornrowed front with individual braids in the back was a look that identified the singer in the early 2000s, and today we’re still rocking similar styles with a modern take. Having individual braids in the back also allows for styles like buns and ponytails, rather than committing to a pattern with cornrows.
Comment below which of these you’re most likely to wear on your next vacation.
Prom nights are meant to be a night for showing off your individual sense of style, and what better way to demonstrate individuality than to show off your unique texture? Save these prom hairstyles for natural hair if you’re ready to celebrate your natural hair instead of wearing the same straightened updo (no offense to straightened updos–we love a good blow-out now and again!). Thankfully, the high school seniors and juniors of this generation no longer have to settle for straightening their curly hair to oblivion in an effort to look more “formal” and “presentable.”
Ahead you’ll find a bunch of prom hairstyle ideas for natural textured and curly hair that you just might want to save for your upcoming prom (and all the after parties).
Fluffy Low-Pony Hairstyle
If your hair happens to be particularly frizzy in the hours before you leave for prom, our advice is: just go with it. This low pony is intentionally fluffy and frizzy, and you can always style your edges to your liking. You’ll have your classmates convinced you just stepped off the runway straight into the school gym.
Bubble Braids
We love the incredible shapes natural hair can make. If you’re into the bubble pony, try out this bubble braids style–you can see the tutorial here.
Pixie Curls
Contrary to what you might think, pixies can do a lot! You can mold your hair into different swirls and shapes with your favorite mousse or gel and immediately look prom-ready.
Faux Bob for Locs
We couldn’t leave locs out of this roundup. You can easily create a bob effect without cutting a single loc. Wrap the ends up to your desired length for an elegant and face-framing “cut.” You can even get creative and make it slightly asymmetrical.
Half-Up Half-Down With Palm Tree Pony
Curlies with more hair to work with can pull off this “Coming to America” inspired style. Use hair ties to create as much height as you like on the ponytail (more hair ties = more height) and fluff out the hair to get as much volume as possible. Frizz is your friend for this look.
Elegant Claw-Clip
When we look back at our favorite styles of 2023 next year, there’s no way the claw-clip styles aren’t making the top of that list. These styles are usually considered casual, but the height this claw-clip gives here is gorgeous–and totally formal-appropriate. Include decorative clips and pins to bring the look full circle.
Braids Galore
If you’re looking to incorporate braids into your final look, but you don’t quite have time for box braids and cornrows, take a look at this braided ponytail. Section your hair off with rubber bands as shown here, braid the front of your hair to frame the face, and add a faux braided ponytail to finish it off.
Half-Bun on Gentle Waves
@leesondra_
For all the wavy girls out there, or anyone looking for subtle texture–we see you too. Try this slightly wavy half-bun style.
Stacked Bun
@naturally.nish
This updo looks regal and takes minimal effort. It can work beautifully with all hair textures, but especially for type 4. Take a peek at the tutorial for this here.
Minimalist Middle Part
Hair stylist Amanda Guido says that when styling curly hair, the curls are the style. And we couldn’t agree more. For the girls who like to just keep things simple and let their natural curls do the work, try this simple style to frame the face.
Twisted Double Puffs
This style is a bit more fun and playful–but still super eye-catching. And if you’d prefer not to braid, flat twists like these may be a better option. Another benefit of this style is that it can be done on short curls, as shown here.
Bantu Knot Crown
@nikethegawdess
If you already have braids installed, half the styling battle is already over. You can try styles like this bantu knot crown for formal occasions like prom–and can we also take time to just appreciate this vibrant blond color?
Twisted Stitch Bun
@melissa_nerovique
You’ve seen stitch braids, but what about stitch flat twists? Gather the twists at the nape of the neck for the classic low bun effect, with a bit more flavor.
If you’ve got a bridal shower coming up on the calendar (or if you’re the bride) we’ve got a little round up of bridal shower hairstyles that might pique your interest no matter the aesthetic you’re going for. And if you’re short on time or don’t have the motivation to sit through hours of styling, there are a few styles here that you can surely pull off without a professional stylist in enough time to meet your friends and join in on the festivities.
Unlike official wedding days and after parties, bridal showers can be just as formal as the main event, a bit more laid back, or a combination of the two. Depending on how ceremonious the bride wants the occasion to be, you could wear some jeans and throw your hair in a quick ponytail and proceed to the event; or you might want to choose something a bit more eye-catching paired with a hairstyle that fits that vibe. Continue on to see 13 casual and formal styles for curls and textured hair.
“Lazy Girl” Boho Braids
We’ll call this a “lazy girl” style because it doesn’t take as long to execute as typical boho braids, but the end result doesn’t look lazy at all. With this half-up half-down style you can fake the popular boho braid style on natural hair by only adding the braids in the most important places–pretty genius if you ask us.
V-Part Wig
Photo: @tierechristyan
You love your natural hair, but you also love a good wig–it makes complete sense. If you still want your hair to be seen to some degree to keep the hairline and middle part looking natural, try a v-part wig. This v-part wig install is so seamless it looks completely natural.
Jumbo Braid Twist
Photo: @adannamadueke
Protective, but so cute. This style will keep your hair from tangling or snagging on clothing, and you’ll want to keep it in long after the bridal shower ends.
Check out: 25 Easy-to-Do Updos for Naturally Curly Hair
Easy Curly Updo
This curly updo looks red carpet-ready but will take less than 10 mins. Get yourself a hair tie, a few bobby pins, and your straightener ready and pull your hair into a simple and elegant style. The straightened side swoop and strategically placed bobby pins really elevate the look–it looks even better on frizzy curls.
Read next: 14 Bridal Hairstyles for Natural Hair
Defined Curls and Side Swoop
When you want to show off defined curls, go with a simple style like this. Separate the hair for the swooped bang first, then go in with your favorite defining gel and styling tool, if you use one. This one could also be a two-in-one with a claw clip.
Headband and Boho Braids
Photo: @caeliya.a
If you’ve already got goddess/boho braids (or any other kind of braids) installed, why not just accentuate the style with a headband? Braids are always going to look amazing unstyled, and the headband creates a fresh-faced look by keeping the braids away from the eyes.
Romantic Blow-Out
For the more formal gatherings, consider taking your blowout to the next level with a little rolled pin up moment. If you’re someone who’s into a retro aesthetic you’ll feel right at home with this style. Make sure to include a jeweled clip to finish it off.
Simple Boho Braid Styles
This clip has four different styles to choose from for curlies who currently have boho braids installed. The style is already perfect as-is but if you want to go the extra mile and style the braids in a bridal shower hairstyle, here are some quick go-tos.
Pinned Short Cut
Photo: @powerfluffgirl
For all the curlies with short hair but still enough hair to style, grab some bobby pins. You can pin your curls into a desired shape and swoop the side with a decorative pin.
Decorated Pony
The braided pony never fails us on any occasion, and for a celebratory occasion it never hurts to do a bit more with it. Add hair if need be to create a thicker and longer ponytail, and add jewels and gems to the style until satisfied. Style your edges in a way that doesn’t look exactly perfect or symmetrical–feel free to get creative.
TWA Waves
The TWA girlies know there’s not a ton of styling options with less than an inch of hair. But there are still some options! With a good old fashioned durag and some holding gel you’ll have waves in no time.
Sleek Middle Part
Photo: @miaa.ashantii
A simple middle part with accent braids to spice up a wash-and-go. A tip for this one is to use a diffuser for better results, especially for better definition.
Double Braided Pony
Photo: @a1liyah
This braided ponytail is twice as much fun, with a simple twist on the classic popular style. Simply split your natural ponytail in two if long enough, or add braiding hair to enhance the length and thickness of the style.
Do you have plans to attend a bridal shower soon? What bridal shower hairstyles are you considering for the event?
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, a new animated series from Marvel now streaming on Disney+, follows the adventures of a 13-year-old genius superhero and her accidental dinosaur sidekick in Lower East Side, New York. Here’s what the natural hair discussion on Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur gets so right.
What people love about Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
As a younger millennial I’m always curious to see how new-age cartoons approach inclusivity as the world of media becomes more mindful of all human experiences, and from my perspective–not many shows do it as well as this one. It manages to portray genuine Black experiences without feeling gimmicky, which I appreciate as a Black woman myself. And according to most reviews, everyone else is loving it, too. More specifically, the internet has been buzzing about episode 5 of the series where the main character Lunella is made to feel insecure about her natural hair.
Natural hair on Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
In this episode, titled “Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow,” we see Lunella’s mother Adria scold her for neglecting her hair. Later when Lunella is venting about her mom’s comments in school, a White classmate mentions that it makes no sense for her mom to be upset because her hair “always looks messy like that,” is “frizzy” and “stands on end.” And then, as if that wasn’t enough of a passive aggressive display, the classmate follows up with a smug, “but that’s the look you’re going for, right?” (I swear it feels like I could have had this exact conversation several times over in real life.) Take a look at this scene from the episode below.
Even after her friend Casey tries to reassure her that her natural hair is perfect as-is, Lunella decides to create her own superpowered hair-straightening concoction that ultimately takes her hair out. That fallen hair becomes a sentient being named Mane that goes haywire and threatens to create a sentient hair army with the hair-straightening concoction. Of course with Lunella being the superhero that she is, she stops Mane from world domination, but also finally acknowledges that she took her hair for granted. She realizes that she actually misses her natural hair and only straightened it because she felt ashamed. In response, Mane returns to her head just in time for picture day at school.
The Black childhood experience in cartoons
The show (and this episode in-particular) is so refreshingly direct with this subject matter. Where other cartoons tend to make certain experiences more subdued, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur very confidently delves into the Black childhood experience of wanting to make textured hair “pretty” and “acceptable” by chemically straightening it, a topic that is usually relegated to non-mainstream media.
Kibby @SashaWHater2 on Twitter said: “The way this is such a common experience for black girls to go through.. I’m so glad it’s confidently addressed on the show. Ik many of us have had a classmate/teacher make us feel insecure [about] our natural hair then proceed to compliment us the minute we get it straightened.”
A commenter under the post replied: “Just watched the ep not too long ago, and still can’t get over how relatable this whole episode is. Because I remember growing up thinking there was something wrong with my natural hair so I’m glad to see this sort of issue actually being represented.”
Another reason why this show is amazing: this episode on hair is only a fraction of Lunella’s adventures. She is an intentionally Black character, but most of the show is focused on using her intelligence to save the world from some eccentric villain, or her and her best friend’s journeys through adolescence. It’s a shining example of how Black characters can exist in a multidimensional space, especially in cartoons.
Our final consensus is that everyone should run, not walk to watch this show regardless of age, gender, or hair texture. Based on reviews, it’ll be a quick family favorite.
Are you watching Disney’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur?
Read next: How To Build Self Esteem In Young Girls Of Color, According To An 8-Year Old
Photo: Jena Ardell | Getty Images
While styling your hair as usual, you realize there are some sparse areas and short hairs around your edges that definitely weren’t there before–a telltale sign of breakage. Not only are the little bits of hair annoying to look at, but styling becomes more of a challenge when you have to blend damaged edges into the rest of your hair–which usually causes even more damage. Whether you slick them back for a simple and clean look, create edge art FKA Twigs-style, or just wear them au naturale, edges are important in most curlies’ hair journeys. And although breakage around the edges of the hair is a common issue among naturals, the whole situation can be downright stressful. The good news is even if your edges have abandoned you, if you take the right steps to provide a healthy environment for them to grow, they’ll most likely come back looking better than ever. Keep scrolling for some tips on how to return your edges to their formerly-laid glory.1. Be gentle with styling (we want baby hairs–not breakage).
This is probably the most straightforward and pertinent advice for nursing your edges back to life–just be gentle. The hair around the hairline is typically some of the most fragile hair, and if you have dry or fine hair, that risk of breakage is even more present. Laying your edges can really add the finishing touches on a sleek hairstyle, but taking a toothbrush and edge control to your edges on a daily basis can do more harm than good on already-fragile hairs. And if you’re currently experiencing breakage at extreme levels, try stepping away from the edge control altogether.2. Change up your everyday styles occasionally to avoid constant tension on your edges.
We all have those go-to styles that we depend on to get us through the hustle and bustle of everyday. They’re usually cute, easy, and functional. Whether your favorite is the beloved “pineapple” or a more protective style, it pays to switch up your hairstyle occasionally to prevent constant stress in the same areas. In this case, if you’re a fan of sky-high ponytails or tight braids, it may be beneficial to alternate between tight and relaxed styles.3. Don’t skimp on moisturizing/caring for your edges–in fact, give them even more love.
Your edges need just as much (if not more”> care than the rest of your hair, and hair breakage is usually a sign of dryness. When it’s time for your moisturizing routine, don’t be afraid to show your edges some extra love! If you typically do the LCO or LOC method make sure to seal with the oil of your choice to lock in the moisture properly. Jamaican black castor oil is a popular choice for extremely dry and fragile edges.4. Deep condition regularly.
Regular conditioning after washing is a must, but deep conditioning takes it a step further. A deep conditioner, especially if accompanied by heat or steam, will penetrate the hair shaft for more thorough hydration. Deep conditioning regularly keeps your hair soft, pliable, and less likely to break when manipulating it. How often you deep condition is dependent on your individual hair needs, but if you find that your hair is becoming limp and weak, you may be getting too much moisture. If your hair is still feeling dry, try doing it more often.5. Try a protein treatment, if needed.
Protein treatments can act as a temporary filler in cracks along the hair shaft. In other words, they fill in the fractures along the hair caused by chemicals, manipulation, and heat that can result in breakage. If you color or bleach your hair, you should consider integrating a protein treatment into your routine.6. If you’re doing any kind of heat styling, have your heat protectant ready.
Heat styling adds a new dimension to hair styling and a lot of curly girls like to mix it up every now and then and wear straight hair. Of course it’s not the best styling method for the health of your hair, but if you enjoy the fun that comes with sporting your hair sleek and straight, keep a heat protectant ready at all times. It’ll provide a much-needed barrier between the heat and your hair. Here are some suggestions for the best heat protectants you can buy.7. Be sure that you’re only dealing with breakage and not a more serious condition.
Breakage occurs when the hair shaft itself breaks–pretty self-explanatory. This is different from shedding, in which the hair loosens from the bulb which you can usually see on the end of the hair. If you’re losing a lot of short hairs with no bulb, rather than full-length hairs, chances are you’re experiencing some kind of breakage. While breakage itself can be caused by health-related issues like iron deficiency, excessive shedding is a different problem entirely and may be related to other health-related issues.8. Try a good old-fashioned massage.
It may seem like a bit of a myth, but many naturals say that routinely massaging your scalp has some real benefits. These include: increasing blood flow to the hair follicles, moving the sebum from the scalp into the hair, and strengthening the roots. And if all of that isn’t a good enough reason to start massaging, it’s guaranteed to be a relaxing experience.9. As tempting as it may be, don’t skip wash day.
To ensure healthy edges, you have to have a healthy scalp. Although you may want to postpone wash day until the end of time when dealing with dry hair, it’s important to get rid of debris from the scalp and buildup from the hair to guarantee that newly applied products will be able to penetrate the hair shaft properly. For curlies that use edge control products frequently, you’re gonna want to wash that regularly out to avoid extreme buildup. Take a look at these 5 ways you might be making your hair dry on wash day.10. Keep in mind: there’s no magical technique to instantly regrow your edges.
If we could all apply a magic product or do a single technique to regrow edges, no one would have to deal with edge breakage much. The main key to growing edges back on top of a solid regimen is a lot of patience. As many products and serums as there are on the market for growing edges, nothing beats taking great care of your edges and your hair. And if all else fails, be sure to consult your doctor or a trichologist for the best solution for you. Have you ever suffered (or are you currently suffering) from breakage around the hairline? We’d love to hear what’s worked for you in the comments.
If you’re not a huge Christmas party person, you’re probably the type to pop out in your finest getup and a glam new hairstyle for the huge New Year’s Eve celebrations. And hey, even if you’re more likely to spend the majority of the holiday season getting cozy in the comfort of your own living room, you might still want to jump on the opportunity to look a little more glamorous than usual.
Photo: @vanessamatsena
If we’re being honest, the “new year, new me” motto may be a little played out at this point, but it’s never a bad time to reinvent your look with a new hairstyle (even if you’re feeling like the same you”>. Coming up, we’ve compiled a handy list of head-turning protective styles, blowouts, creatively-placed Bobby pin designs and more to help you ring in the new year in peak confidence.
Strategically Placed Bobby Pins
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Bobby pins are great because they do two things at once—they are both functional and stylish. You may usually use them to keep flyaways or grown-out bangs from ruining your intended look, but Bobby pins can also be used to create a style all on their own. Try something like this face-framing Bobby pin placement if you need to look cute and put-together but you’re running late to the party.
Asymmetrical Ponytails
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If tradition bores you, you can always try something a little more playful and experimental, even on New Year’s. There’s no need to feel obligated to wear a classic style. This style is gorgeous as-is, but you may want to play around with the placement and number of ponytails to best suit you—make it your own.
Twisted Top Knot
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For the special occasion, you can add some more spice to the typical top knot. Pin and fluff out twists at the crown of your head to capture a regal aesthetic with little effort.
Claw Clip, But Make It Elegant
Photo: @ _falamana
2022 has seen its fair share of claw clips, and we don’t think we’ll see this trend slowing down in 2023. If you’re a claw clip girlie or guy, you can make this work for a formal setting if you want to. You can even smooth on a wax stick like this one to exaggerate the sleekness, and minimize frizz and flyaways.
Accessorize With a Headband
Photo: @tatchee
Something about headbands and the holidays just makes sense together. Whether you choose one that’s dainty and understated, or a prominent statement headband, they have the ability to add variation to any style.
Get Creative With the Braided Ponytail
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We’ve seen all kinds of braided ponytails on social media. They’re fairly simple, they’re protective, and the braided ponytail swing is incredibly satisfying. This one features three braids, a small accent cornrow, and “piercing” accessories.
Perm Rod Set
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If you take your time with putting in perm rods, but still can’t seem to get your perm rod set to come out looking defined and flawless, it’s possible you might be rushing the take down. Tierra shows her followers how to carefully take down perm rods and separate the hair without creating unnecessary frizziness. For the best results, you may want to look at Part 1 of the tutorial here to install the perm rods correctly, too.
Bedazzled Part
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Until seeing this fabulous style, you may not have realized how naked parts can look. Here, Jasmine kept the overall style and part simple, but the small jewels take everything to the next level.
Braided Bun
Photo: @vanessamatsena
Style your braids by securing them on the crown of your head as shown here. And don’t forget the edge control if you’re going for a “no hair out of place” vibe.
Read next: The Most Popular Hairstyles In 2022 For Black Women
We hope you’ve been pacing yourself while shopping for sales this weekend, because there will be even more online deals for curly products coming at you this Monday. You’ll be able to find some of those bargains right here at SHOPNaturallyCurly, where you’ll get 20% off the entire site and free US ground shipping when you use the code CYBER2022 at checkout. That’s 20% off of all wash-day products, styling products, hair oils, tools—you name it.
There’s no better time than now to stock up on old favorites or to finally try that pricey product you’ve had your eye on, for a fraction of the cost. We’ve rounded up a list of potential candidates to end this weekend with the most bang for your buck.
1. Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker Marshmallow and Agave Leaf Extract
List Price: $21.99 With Discount: $17.59 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
This gel really masters the idea of a soft, non-crunchy hold, especially for ringlets and coils. It also manages to seal in the moisture of your favorite leave-in nicely which makes it perfect for wash-and-go’s. And this is made possible with familiar, all-natural ingredients like agave leaf and beet extracts.
2. Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother
List Price: $27.99 With Discount: $22.39 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
Olaplex’s full product line has garnered the adoration of curlies everywhere, best known as a brand that repairs, strengthens, and protects damaged hair.
No. 6 is a leave-in styling cream that hydrates, moisturizes, smoothes cuticles, and eliminates frizz. This highly concentrated formula is also ideal for colored or chemical treated hair. This one is usually a bit on the expensive side, so make sure to take advantage of the sale while you can!
3. Rizos Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray
List Price: $19.99 With Discount: $15.99 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
As referenced in the product name, this cream spray has two jobs: to detangle freshly washed hair, and to re-hydrate between washes.
With ingredients like coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter, and aloe vera, you can use this product to loosen snags and keep your hair looking hydrated and shiny no matter when your last wash day was.
4. The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam
List Price: $14.99 With Discount: $11.99 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
Calling all 4C naturals with tight coils—this defining mousse is for you. Not only does it define tight curls, but it gives a substantial all-day (and flake-less”> hold after drying. There’s no residue or crunch, every curl will be soft and touchable. Bonus: it’s also got great hold and humidity resistance for blow-outs.
5. Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Strengthening Edge Gel
List Price: $6.99 With Discount: $5.59 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
You want your edge control to hold all day long, but not at the expense of damaging the most delicate part of your hair. Mielle’s biotin-infused edge gel aims to nourish your hair and provide the hold you need, with a refreshing minty scent.
6. tgin Honey Miracle Hair Mask
List Price: $17.99 With Discount: $14.39 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
Sometimes your hair is just in need of a reset. For damaged, color treated, or even just naturally dry hair, this deep conditioner infuses curls with jojoba and olive oils, and uses honey to provide that satisfying shine after use.
After shampooing, place a cap over your head with this product on and sit under the dryer for a few minutes, or take a break for up to an hour while this mask works its magic.
7. OGX Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco Extra Penetrating Oil
List Price: $7.99 With Discount: $6.39 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
This oil blend is protective against heat styling and UV damage in addition to smoothing hair. Thanks to its richness in vitamin E and antioxidants, penetrating and moisturizing dry or over processed hair is a breeze.
8. SwirlyCurly Brown Afro Puff Scrunchies
List Price: $19.99 With Discount: $15.99 enter code CYBER2022 at SHOPNaturallyCurly
Gone are the days of snapping standard scrunchies or creating makeshift ones out of stockings (y’all remember that?”>. We’re thankful for curly ingenuity. If you’ve got long, thick curls that tend to overwhelm standard scrunchies, these snap scrunchies are what you’ve been waiting for. They’re adjustable to the size you need for your hair and have baby-soft fabric for minimal breakage.
9. Verb Ghost Oil
List Price: $20 With Discount: $14 at verbproducts.com
If you’ve ever questioned the effectiveness of hair oils, this one just might be able to convince you. Like the name would suggest, Verb’s Ghost Oil is incredibly lightweight, but clinically proven to improve shine in hair. Folks with any hair texture can cocktail this oil with their usual styling products to add a finishing look that’s never greasy and destroys frizz.
Verb products are 30% off sitewide until 11/28.
10. Pattern Beauty Leave-in Conditioner
List Price: $25 With Discount: $18.75 at patternbeauty.com
The curly market is overflowing with leave-in options, but this bestseller has been getting a crazy amount of attention—and for good reason. This lightweight leave-in promises to seal in moisture, detangle, and define curls. An overwhelming majority of reviews are singing the praises of this product, noting bouncy and extremely soft curls.
All products are 25% off until 11/29.
11. Adwoa Baomint Moisturizing Curl Defining Cream
List Price: $39 With Discount: $29.25 at adwoabeauty.com
Defeat single strand knots and stimulate your scalp all in the same step. The organic ingredients (including baobab and mint oils”> in this thick and creamy formula were selected to provide maximum moisture and to boost antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Adwoa’s Cyber Monday sale is 25% off sitewide.
12. Evolvh UltraShine Moisture Shampoo
List Price: $26 With Discount: $20.80 at dermstore.com
This award-winning shampoo is popular among fine-haired curlies, those who want to soften gray hairs, and anyone who needs high-powered cleansing. With all natural and mostly organic ingredients, this shampoo strengthens, moisturizes, and encourages elasticity in addition to cleansing.
Get 20% off of participating products at Dermstore until 11/28.
13. RevAir Hair Dryer
List Price: $478 With Discount: $359 at RevAir
You may have come across this dryer on TikTok in the last year or so. Not only does this product dry hair in half the time of a traditional blow dryer, but it uses lower heat settings to minimize the chance of damage. And, because it dries hair downward, frizz is less likely to be a big deal.
14. Briogeo Charcoal + Tea Tree Cooling Hydration Scalp Mask
List Price: $34 With Discount: $23.80 at briogeohair.com
For those with scalp woes, this scalp-focused product might provide some relief. It’s formulated with Binchotan charcoal along with tea tree, peppermint, and spearmint oils to soothe, and cool itchy/flaky scalp. Out of all its ingredients, 98% are naturally-derived, and it leaves out the questionable ones. No silicones, parabens, artificial dyes, phthalates, DEA, or harsh sulfates were included in the making of this product.
Briogeo products are 30% off sitewide until 11/30.
It’s that time again—this weekend will be jam-packed with holiday purchases for ourselves and others, but we want to ensure all brands get some well-deserved attention. If the term “Small Business Saturday” is new to you, think Black Friday, but with an emphasis on raising awareness around small businesses doing incredible work. Every Saturday after the frenzy of Black Friday sales, people across the United States take the opportunity to make a conscious effort to find and support local entrepreneurs and less-familiar brands, both online and in-person.
In the spirit of highlighting splurge-worthy brands you may not be familiar with, ahead we have a list of 10 small curly brands that you’ll want to bookmark for this Saturday and beyond.
1.Young King Hair Care
Cora and Stefan Miller’s products are celebrating the presence of young Black and Brown men in the male-grooming and curly hair care space. They’ve created their own unique product options out of the need for proper representation for their curly son and other young boys like him. All of the products are full of plant-based ingredients, and the hair care line includes all the must-haves: a leave-in conditioner, curling cream, shampoo. The brand even has a full skin care line.
2. Shaz and Kiks
Treat your hair and scalp to some nourishing products that have a history as rich as their ingredient list. Inspired by their grandmother’s homemade beauty products in their childhood, brand founders Shaz and Kika have created scalp and hair product options based on tried and true Indian Ayurvedic practices. The core products are a cleanser, conditioner, refresh spray, and pre-wash—one of their bestsellers with 20+ Ayurvedic herbs, flowers, and oils like morninga, sweet almond, and Bhringraj oil.
3. Pink Root
Because this brand was created to improve the transition from chemically treated and heat damaged hair to natural hair, its products’ ingredients have something for all textures, from wavy to curly to kinks and coils. Mariel Mejia first had the idea to make transition-friendly products when dealing with heat and relaxer damage as a college student in 2015. The formulations focus on fortifying damaged ends while encouraging new growth with nutrient-rich and organic ingredients. The lineup includes a curl enhancing lotion, leave-in, and styling paste—all of which will be 25% off all weekend.
4. Ooli
Ooli is your one stop shop for loc-related needs. In 2018, Jessica Pritchett created products for her locs that catered to the unique hair care process that comes with having them. Fortunately for the rest of the natural community, she decided to share her creations! Ooli products are made with ingredients you can trust. The ingredient lists avoid parabens, petrolatum, and sulfates, and are full of nourishers like aloe vera, baobab seed oil, and amino acids.
Ooli’s current product list includes a cleanser, two hair and scalp oils, and a hair fragrance spray. You’ll also want to keep an eye on the upcoming non-flaking, no build up loc gel.
5. Canviiy
Interested in getting serious about scalp care? After being disappointed with market-standard products, Sherrel Sampson’s solution to soothe her itchy scalp became the basis for Canviiy. Sherrel and her team of experts came up with the Scalp Bliss Collection with an itch-calming serum (now a bestseller”> infused with aloe vera, lavender, witch hazel, manuka honey, jojoba and peppermint oil. In addition to the itch-calming serum, the collection itself features a growth serum, scalp purifying foam treatment, organic-based shampoo and conditioner, scalp balm, and a cleansing bar.
6. NaturAll Club
Sticklers for clean ingredients will feel right at home with this brand.
Naturall Club is committed to elevating clean haircare and beauty standards by offering freshly-made products that don’t compromise you or your hair. Some of them (like the frozen deep conditioners”> are made with such natural ingredients that you’ll have to refrigerate/freeze them to keep them fresh.
After dissatisfaction with her dry, damaged, and dull hair, brand founder Muhga Eltigani did a big chop and started over using only natural ingredients on her hair. For six months, she experimented with foods from her fridge and the grocery store like avocados, olive oil, coconut, baking soda, and even eggs. Having experienced how healthy and moisturized her hair was and seeing a need for fresh products, Mugha decided to share her findings.
NaturAll Club has a whopping 40+ products, including bestsellers like a hydrating leave-in and conditioner, a frozen avocado and kiwi treatment, strengthening growth serum, and much more.
Here are 15 More Curly Brands to Support on Small Business Saturday.
7. Alaffia
In addition to helping you care for your curls, Alaffia’s mission is to alleviate poverty and to advance gender equality in West Africa through fair trade of the ingredients used in their products. Founders Olowoa-N’djo Tchala and Prairie Rose Hyde have created silicone-free, plant-based formulas for all curl patterns.
Each curl pattern has a dedicated set of products. For wavy hair, there’s the curl enhance collection, for curly hair, there’s the curl define collection, and for coily hair, the coil sculpt collection.
8. 4C ONLY
As you can probably infer from the name, this brand is proud to promote and cater specifically to 4C hair, a texture which is often underrepresented in hair care.
The central products in the line are a shampoo, leave-in, styling cream, and deep conditioner that are intended to make caring for coily or kinky hair simple and fuss-free.
9. Boucléme
No matter the curl pattern Boucléme has a comprehensive group of 11-13 product options for each texture, ranging from cleansers to conditioners to gels, and more. Founder Michele Scott-Lynch wants people with textured hair to fall in love with it. As someone who didn’t fully accept the beauty of their natural hair until her thirties when she had children, she started Boucléme to provide the product range she was struggling to find.
The brand prides itself on being powered by plant extracts and essential oils, with amazing scents, and a heart for others. Boucléme plants a tree for each standard size product you purchase, and gives a portion of earnings from each hair oil towards improving the lives of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
10. Verb
Verb is all about genuine, unfiltered healthy hair. Prepared to handle almost any hair concern for all textures, at a price of $20 per product. Yes, you read that correctly, you’ll never pay more than $20 for any single product. Every product is the same price.
You can shop by product or hair concern, and even make your own custom kit to get 20% off, if the other kits aren’t a fit for your hair needs. Among the bestsellers are a curl cream, a curl shampoo, an exfoliating scalp nectar, a purple mask for blonde or grey hair tones, and tons more.
Read next: 10 Favorite Curly Products by Small Businesses
Give your favorite small business a shout out in the comments!
Getty Images
While we wish protective styles could be a “set it and forget it” situation, there is still some care involved to make your cute new hairstyle actually protective. It’s imperative to keep your scalp clean and balanced, and your hair as moisturized as possible no matter what style you have going on.
Scroll down for 10 product recommendations for styling your edges, moisturizing your hair, and cleansing your scalp when you’re rocking a protective style. These products will help you take care of your hair and your scalp to keep it looking as good as it did on day one.
1. Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Refresh And So Clean Bamboo, Avocado And Peppermint Dry Gel Shampoo, $7.99
A gel shampoo made specifically for protective styles from Taliah Waajid’s protective styles product line. It’s a gentle astringent that can be used daily without being rinsed out, refreshing the scalp and reducing follicle irritation.
2. Taliah Waajid Black Earth Products Protective Mist Bodifier Therapeutic Formula, $7.99
If you experience extreme itchiness or scalp tightness with your protective style, this is the product you’ve been waiting for. It soothes with ingredients like aloe vera, eucalyptus, and olive oil to keep your scalp cool, calm, and collected.
3. Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Style Setter, $15.99
Use this as a moisturizing styler to help keep your protective style in place for as long as possible. It contains a coconut water base, along with tropical butters and oils to provide maximum hydration.
Don’t miss: 7 Things You SHOULD NOT Do While Wearing a Protective Style
4. Briogeo Scalp Revival Charcoal + Tea Tree Scalp Treatment, $32
For a deep scalp cleanse, this pH balancing non-since formula may be just what you need. It soothes itchiness, flakiness, and irritation, and absorbs impurities in the scalp in hair to detoxify.
5. Naked by Essations Laid Edge Control, $11
When you’re styling your edges to perfection, leave them feeling soft, pliable, and grease-free with this edge control.
6. Uncle Funky’s Daughter Shining Star Hair & Scalp Elixir, $16
Sometimes you need to massage your scalp, just to get the blood flowing. Use this oil elixir to moisturize your scalp and promote hair growth.
7. Taliah Waajid Shea-Coco Condition Daily Leave-in Conditioner Spray, $9.99
Chances are you’ll find it difficult to apply your normal leave-in while you’re wearing a protective style. This shea butter and coconut oil infused spray will keep your hair hydrated until takedown.
8. CURLS Blueberry Bliss Twist-N-Shout Cream, $11.99
When installing your protective style, you’ll want a hydrating cream to start your style off on the right foot. The Twist-N-Shout Cream has you covered with moisturizing oils like olive, coconut, jojoba, and sweet almond.
9. SheaMoisture Sacha Inchi Oil Omega 3-6-9 Rescue + Repair Hair & Scalp Tonic, $10.99
Protect your hair from extra tension by massaging the oil tonic into the scalp, as it delivers omega nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles.
10. Aunt Jackie’s Grapeseed Style & Shine Recipes SLICKED! Flexible Styling Glue, $9.99
For your super slick protective styling needs, you’ll need to pull out the big guns. Aunt Jackie’s Styling Glue can be used as an edge control or wherever needed to tame flyaways for a flawless finish.
Read next: 20 Protective Styles That are Great for Any Occasion
What must-ave products are in your protective style care kit? Share your Holy Grail in the comments below!
For all the praise Bantu knots receive, they might still be underrated as far as curly protective styles go. The historic style (originally conceptualized and worn by the Zulu people of South Africa”> manages to be elegant, artistic, edgy—easily fitting into almost any context or occasion, while also being a two in one style. If styled a certain way, taking down Bantu knots after a day or two will usually reveal springy, heat-free curls. And because Bantu knots involve twisting and wrapping the hair onto itself and keeping the ends tucked away, it can truly be considered among the elite of protective styles.
In short, this style deserves its flowers, and then some! If you’ve been thinking about switching to Bantu knots this season—or if we’ve just convinced you—keep reading for 15 style ideas to get your creativity flowing.
1. Curly Bantu Knots
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The main idea for this Bantu knot style is to keep them looking free and curly. Follow along with @themiaamoore to achieve cute, care-free looking knots with the ends left out. Use a product with hold on the ends where necessary to get more defined curls.
2. Jumbo Braided Bantu Knots
Pictured: @milkayemima
Looking for a bit more boldness? Grab some braiding hair and braid the Bantu knots before wrapping and securing them. The more hair added, the bigger the knots.
3. Bantu Knots and Braided Pony
Pictured: @kaykayx__
Add a bit of extra spice to the classic braided ponytail. Style half your hair in Bantu knots and slick the back half into a long braided pony.
4. Bantu Knots and Headband Wig
Pictured: @pie.face8
The wig game has evolved tremendously over the last few years. If you haven’t had the opportunity to try a headband wig, here’s the perfect chance. The 22” Kollistic Headband from @kinkistry is pictured here.
5. Heart-Parted Bantu Knots
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Like @ashley_masse, you should start this one by mapping out your parts—it’ll definitely simplify the process. The heart shape may eat up more time, but it’s totally worth it in the end.
Read next: 15 Cornrow Styles to Show Your Braider For Your Next Look
6. 2 For 1 Bantu Knots and Bantu Knot Out
Pictured: @thenotoriouskia
Show off bouncy ringlets and curls like @thenotoriouskia after taking down the style. The volume of a properly executed Bantu knot-out is unmatched.
7. Bantu Knots and Braids
Pictured: @rahelbrhane_
Two braids at the nape of the neck really add another layer of elegance to this look. Feel free to get creative with baby hair formation.
8. “Messy” Bantu Knots
Pictured: @aixajahara
This is the Bantu knot equivalent of the “messy bun.” No need to perfect each knot. In fact, you can leave out tendrils of hair to add to the whole “I woke up like this” aesthetic.
9. Micro Loc Bantu Knots
Pictured: @keke.j_
There’s no style that you can’t pull off with micro locs. @keke.j_’s Bantu knots look full without any added hair.
10. Artsy Bantu Knots
Pictured: @melissa_nerovique
A futuristic/modern take on the look. Extensions reign supreme with this style, and the two braided knots are accented by strategically placed pieces of hair.
11. Bantu Knots with Accessories
Pictured: @curly.strands
Even the most subtle accessories can elevate a hairstyle. @curly.strands chose some minimal hair pins and clips to match a glam look.
12. Bantu Knots with Extensions
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Stylist @sosheargenius used some individual faux locs to add more texture and volume to each knot. You can get the same ones she uses from @superstarhairandwigs.
13. Bantu Knots with Braided Sides
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Two cornrows running towards the face at the side of the head is a popular accent for protective styles, and are reminiscent of Fulani-style cornrows. Pop some beads on the ends of the braids for added movement and flair.
14. Bantu Knots and Twist-Out
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Beat the boredom of the everyday twist-out by adding a few super chunky Bantu knots at the crown of your head. @_harrisjanae_ has a short tutorial on the look.
15. Bantu Knots on Long Curls
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For those who want to showcase their natural length, keep it simple. Add a few Bantu knots in a crown formation at the top of the head, and fluff them out to the desired thickness. The looser the knot, the bigger it will appear, and vice versa.
Where do Bantu knots rank among your favorite protective styles? Drop a comment about your upcoming protective style plans for the fall and winter months below.
Looking for more inspo? Here are 21 Braided Hairstyles You Need to Try
Young King Hair Care was born from the Miller’s determination to provide unique product options as well as proper visual representation for their son and young boys like him. Created with the best plant-based ingredients, Cora and Stefan’s products are bridging the industry gap by celebrating and promoting young Black and Brown men in the male-grooming and hair care space. The line includes all the curly staples such as a leave-in conditioner, curling cream, shampoo, and even a full skin care line.
We were elated to sit and chat with Cora and Stefan about the creation of Young King Hair Care, including their standard for ingredients and some entrepreneurial tips.
Your son Kade was a huge motivating factor for launching the Young King Hair Care brand. What was your experience with caring for your son’s curly hair prior to Young King Hair Care?
As a first-time mom, I simply wanted to find and provide my son with the best products his amazing curls deserved, while also ensuring that the products we used felt representative of him. I firmly believe you should see yourself in the products that you use, which why I was so surprised to discover that there were no products specifically designed for curly-headed young men. I spent a good amount of time looking for natural hair products that weren’t female scented and designed, and those simply didn’t exist. So that’s why I began working to create products that felt made for any young men with textured hair. Each of our products were created with our young kings in mind – from the ingredients, to the scent and overall packaging design – with the goal of redefining male grooming and self-care for the next generation. We want to inspire parents and encourage Black and Brown young men to celebrate and love their crowns.
Walk us through the process of creating Young King Hair Care—what was that like?
Prior to launching, we spent over a year conducting market research, facilitating consumer focus groups, going through multiple iterations of brand design, identifying the right manufacturing company and testing products with parents of boys to ensure that our product formulation aligned with our vision. We wanted our brand and our products to be as unique and dynamic as our target audience. From the ingredients, to the scent to the packaging design, we wanted to be thoughtful on formulating, sourcing and finalizing our initial product offerings in order to uniquely meet the needs of young men with textured hair. The biggest surprises and learnings we’ve experienced throughout this entrepreneurial journey is the realization that you’ll have many more setbacks than successes during the startup phase. It’s a long journey to get from an idea to executing it – which takes many, many, MANY months, to develop and validate your concept with others, find the right people to partner with and trust that they will help execute your vision, and diligently save to invest money into the business without getting into debt. Through it all however, we remained prayerful and focused on our reason and goal, which was uniquely crafting a solution that not only solves a need for our son Kade, but for black and brown young men across the globe. We truly believe our business can be used as a platform to showcase more of what the world needs – shining a positive light on our boys.Young King Hair Care was just launched in 2019 and is already a widely available and successful brand. What do you think makes it so attractive to your customers?
We are uplifting and shining a light on an underrepresented community within the market. We firmly believe that representation is critically important for young men of color, especially given today’s current climate. We all know the problems facing the black community and particularly black boys and men –sadly, more often than not, black males are seen as a threat and are prejudged before they even open their mouths. As the founder of Young King and more importantly, as a mom to a growing black boy, I want to change narrative of how the world sees black boys. We know our young kings are royally crafted, they are our future change makers and they will help make this world a better place. Young King wouldn’t be here today without the thousands of parents who share in this belief and in our vision of ensuring boys feel represented in all facets of their lives, including the products they utilize for themselves. We aspire to play an active role in the industry to ensure black and brown boys are seen and have a “place” on shelves.
Were there any big challenges when launching the brand?
Any time you are startup and developing a new product or brand, you know you will face a few hurdles along the way and Young King was no different. As I look back on our first year, three things stand out to me the most: product development and manufacturing, limited access to external funding, and COVID. Each of these areas presented a unique challenge that forced us to creatively come up with a solution to best meet the needs of our business and those we are serving. From a product development formulation and manufacturing perspective, we struggled to find a partner who could truly deliver on our concepts of creating clean, natural, and plant-based products. We interviewed 5-7 manufacturers, with many unable to deliver or represent our desires for our products. Despite those hurdles, we eventually found a team that believed, embraced and executed on our vision of bringing Young King to life. As with most entrepreneurs, after the idea comes to your mind, the next thing that follows is how can we fund the venture. We read so much about black founders and their lack of access to capital to support their ventures. Despite our 20+ years of corporate experience, we found this to be true when we launched this business. Cora and I were so passionate about the mission and vision of Young King that we invested the majority of our personal savings into the business, but there were times we doubted if this would become a reality. We stayed unwavering in our resolve that we had an active role to play in changing the narrative for black boys and used that long-term vision to keep us grounded in the most difficult of times. As an entrepreneur seeking access to capital, you will hear a lot of “no’s” or “you’re crazy” or “is this even needed?” …but we used each of those “no’s” to strength our resolve and prove people wrong. Also, we all know the impact COVID-19 has had on world and the market – specifically for us, all of our in-person and pop-up sale events were cancelled and we had a ton of manufacturing and production challenges due to component delays. But our sense of hustle and being laser-focused on our goals for Young King have allowed us to navigate through these challenges and pivot accordingly. For instance, instead of doing events, we focused on how we could use digital channels like Facebook and Instagram to spread the word about our brand; we worked with our manufacturing partner to source alternate bottles when there were significant delays in producing our original packaging; and we still pushed through to finalize the formulation of our new shampoo and conditioner to ensure it would launch this fall. Essentially, through it all – product development and manufacturing, limited access to external funding, and COVID – we never lost sight of our vision and our “why.”Young King Hair Care has a full line of products complete with a shampoo, conditioner, moisturizers and stylers—everything a curly boy would need! Are there any products in the line that are your personal favorite?
Oh goodness, I seriously can’t choose! But if I must, I have to take it back to our original (or OG”> products we launched with our Royal Treatment set, which includes our Leave-In Conditioner, Essential Oils and Curling Cream. All three products were crafted with naturally derived ingredients and are plant-based, and not formulate with sulfates, parabens, mineral oil or other harmful ingredients. We source our plant-based ingredients from across the globe, including shea butter, coconut oil and almond oil. One of our star ingredients that we utilize in both our curling cream and leave-in conditioner is grapeseed oil, which is a natural oil to help nourish the scalp and helps promotes hair growth. Plus, it’s super lightweight, so it moisturizes and conditions without weighing the hair down. Grapeseed oil is not commonly utilized in kids hair products, so I was excited that our formulations included this incredible ingredient!What are you looking forward to in the future of the Young King Hair Care brand?
Our mission has always been bigger than the hair care products we sell. We will continue to walk in our purpose of to redefining male grooming and changing the narrative of what self-care means and look like for young men of color. Through our brand and our community work, we seek to celebrate, elevate, and encourage young men to show up with full confidence, present their best selves each and every day, and more importantly, let the world know that they are not a threat. We’re excited to become a leader in this space as we continue to scale and expand the brand across multiple categories.Do you have any tips or advice for other budding entrepreneurs who also want to create a business in an untapped market?
First, remember your “Why.” I know for me, it was critically important from the onset, to build a company and a brand that kept my community at the forefront and top of mind. So, I believe one of the most important realizations you can make when you are conceptualizing your business or mapping out what it could be, is recognizing that your business can be used as vehicle to give back, cultivate community and contribute to the economic well-being of your community. Being intentional to align your purpose to your “why” with each business decision you make and relationship you build. Also, having a strong business plan and validating your concept with others is critically important. You don’t want to invest time and energy into something that potential consumers would not be interested in supporting. Finally, leverage your networks! You’d be surprised how many people in your circle know someone, that knows someone, that knows someone. The power of networking and relationships is key in trying to build and grow your business. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and seek advice and guidance from those that have expertise or experience in the industry you are seeking to enter. Read next: How Entrepreneur Gabby Goodwin is Growing Her Beauty Empire at Age 15
You’ve probably seen several variations of styles featuring particularly thick braids all over your timeline, from celebrities to online influencers and people in your social circle. The look is usually created by incorporating synthetic braiding hair (or none, if you’ve got the gift of high density”> for a simple but slightly edgy effect.
Depending on how involved the style is and just how big you want the braids to be, the install time for these braids can be a lot less than traditional box braids or cornrows, and yet still perfectly fit the bill for a protective style.
If you’re thinking bigger braids could be in your future, look no further than here. We’ve compiled a list of 13 styles featuring adaptations of the chunky braid trend for you to peruse through before you book your next hair appointment.
Read more: THIS Is How Often You Should Be Getting Your Braids Installed
Coi Leray Braids
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You can’t have a compilation of chunky braid styles without mentioning this one. Rapper Coi Leray popularized shoulder-length, aesthetically pleasing box braids parted down the middle with curled ends, and there’s no sign of its popularity waning anytime soon.
Jewel-Studded Braided Ponytail
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The single braided ponytail will always reign supreme, but if there was any way to elevate the look even further, it would be to add jewels into the mix. Add a few onto the braid and dispersed throughout sculpted edges to accentuate places you want the eye to be drawn to for the ultimate nightlife look.
Read next: 8 Protective Styles That Are Gentler Than Box Braids and Passion Twists
Thigh-Length
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Chunkier braids doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the length. Opt for the same length that you would expect with typical box braids and enjoy the added bit of drama.
Basic Ponytail
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Simply securing your chunky braids into a ponytail is handy and practical, but also super cute. The ease of styling definitely contributes to the “clean girl” aesthetic. And who doesn’t love that ponytail swing?
Symmetrical Cornrows
Pictured: @namedafterahat
This style doesn’t call for intricate parting, just straight down the middle and the sides. It was first seen on the likes of rappers like the late Pop Smoke, stylists have since recreated the look in a more feminine way, adding braiding hair for length and defined edges.
Looking for a stylist? These are the Best Braiding Salons in the Country.
Beads
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Never underestimate the power of accessorizing your hair. These natural colored beads work perfectly with @truleytalentedbeauty’s light blue ensemble, but you can switch out the colors to fit your mood or whatever the OOTD is.
Maximum Density
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There’s no limit to the amount of added hair you can add for the thickest braids possible. Watch as @milkayemima finishes up her super chunky protective style on her beautifully dense 4C hair.
Half-Up, Half-Down
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The half-Up, half-down style is a solidified staple in popular hair culture. Perfect to keep hair out of your face, but still showing off length.Throw a statement scrunchy in the mix as a nod to the box braids of the ‘90’s.
Braided Pigtails
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Who knew pigtails could look so good on adults? When you’re running short on time for styling, try using braiding hair to create a more mature take on a classic childhood style. Play with the height and placement of the ponytails to suit your face.
Ponytail With Bang
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Follow along with @andreawiththecurls as she secures her jumbo braids and frames her face by bringing two braids into a swoop in front of her face. Don’t forget to cover the elastic with hair in order to achieve a seamless, clean finish.
Two Feed-In Braids
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If you’re ready for a real DIY challenge, see if you can pull off these two feed-in braids without your hands cramping. The feed-in process gives the style a natural look, gradually using braiding hair to increase the braid’s thickness.
Double Ponytails
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With thick, dense hair, the addition of braiding hair isn’t always necessary to achieve a chunky braided style. These super sleek braided pigtails save time without adding hair and are channeling a young, trendy vibe.
Galaxy Colors
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Bold colors are still making the rounds in popular hair trends, but instead of going for a singular color–why not try a color theme? The medium knotless braids depicted here are various shades of blue, purple, and even pink to represent the color palette of a galaxy.
Have you opted for bigger braids recently? Let us know how you’ve been styling chunky braids below.
Read more: 21 Braided Hairstyles You Need to Try Next
If you weren’t able to make it to Brooklyn for this year’s Curlfest 2022, we won’t lie–you missed the kind of street style and festival fun that you won’t get anywhere else. But, of course, we would never leave you hanging. NaturallyCurly was on the scene capturing the inspo-worthy hairstyles to report back to you on must-see natural hair moments and bold looks.
What is Curlfest?
Considering the immense following of this event, it’s hard to believe it was formed less than a decade ago. Curly Girl Collective’s ninth annual celebration of Black women and natural beauty took place this past Saturday at the LeFrak Center in Prospect Park, taking the form of a throwback dance/skate party called Curlfest RollerSet. The nostalgic extravaganza also featured a marketplace selling and giving away beauty-focused goodies, food vendors, and DJ’s. At its core, Curlfest was created to challenge the historical narratives the beauty industry has pushed onto Black and Brown women concerning their natural appearance and culture. Read more on the Curlfest origin story here.
We might not be able to recreate the sense of community felt among festival goers, the amazing DJ’s, or the product giveaways, but we’re more than happy to cure a bit of FOMO with the following photos. Feast your eyes on these joyful festival moments for the first time, or for those who were there in the flesh, scroll on to experience the magic all over again.
Braids
Braids have had us mesmerized all summer long, and Saturday was full of box braids, cornrows, and everything in between.
Free-Flowing Curls
It’s a well-known fact that sometimes, less is more. And at an event celebrating natural beauty, free-flying curls and afros standing tall were incredibly popular style choices.
Locs
There was no shortage of loc love on display. Take a look at some au naturale locs and even a jumbo faux loc moment with pearl accessories.
Curly Cuts
Getting the perfect haircut is one of the most satisfying parts of having textured hair. Festival attendees stepped out sporting their finest short cuts.
And All the Curl Love
Photos taken by Karston Tannis for NaturallyCurly.
The annual ESSENCE Fashion House recently returned during New York Fashion Week to the Walker Hotel in Tribeca, NY, as a location to educate their audience on the industry and to celebrate Black creatives from all backgrounds. Franchelli Rodriguez, aka @chelliscurls, shared her GRWM (Get Ready With Me”> on TikTok featuring a nostalgic curly style before heading out to the Fashion House dinner with NaturallyCurly.
“NaturallyCurly just brings back so many memories to my transitioning days,” Rodriguez says in the clip. “That was like my Google. If it was on NaturallyCurly, then I knew that I was good. Ingredients were good to go. I am so happy to have had resources and inspo to follow.”
The style she created here was everywhere in the ‘90’s and 2000’s. How could we forget—it was the ultimate cool girl look.To reproduce this classic curly hairstyle, Francelli is using Creme of Nature’s Shine and Hold Control Glue and the Dippity-Do Girls With Curls Gel. Follow along as she creates flat twists the front of her hair and diffuses the rest.
@chelliscurls GRWM and come with me to the @essence Fashion house dinner!! It took me years to finally embrace my naturally curly hair and throughout that journey, I am so happy to have had resources and inspo to follow like @naturallycurly. Thanks for inviting me out & all your help throughout my hair journey? I did this super easy and fun hairstyle for tonight’s event, I’m ready to have fun ?? #naturallycurly #essencefashionhouse #curlyhair #curls #grwm #ootd #curvytiktok #nyfashionweek #curlyhairtutorial #curlyhairstyle #fyp #foryou #tutorial ♬ original sound – chelliscurls
Has NaturallyCurly been like your “Google” for all things curly? Fill us in on the details below.
If you live in the New York area, make sure to keep your Saturday weekend plans free. Curly Girl Collective is returning to host this year’s Curlfest RollerSet, a celebration of Black culture and hair featuring a dance/skate party, a Black-owned marketplace, product giveaways, and a lot more.
When is Curlfest 2022?
Curlfest RollerSet is this Saturday, September 17, at Prospect Park’s LeFrak Center in Brooklyn, NYC from 12-8 PM.
What is Curlfest?
As the largest natural beauty festival in the United States since 2014, you can expect to see thousands of attendees skating around showing off their natural textures, and vendors selling assorted beauty-related goodies (including some free samples!”>. And of course, there will be standard festival fare: NYC’s best DJs, food, dancing, and skating. Above all, Curly Girl Collective and Curlfest support and draw attention to the movement of women who are embracing their beauty and who they are, natural texture and all. Take a look at this recap from 2019’s Curlfest to get an idea of what’s to come.
If you haven’t gotten them yet, there’s still time to grab your tickets starting at $40 for general admission, which include access to: the roller rink (skates included while supplies last”>, the main stage and throwback dance party, as well as food and drinks to purchase separately.
We’ll be there snapping photos of the curls and street style to bring the best inspiration to you – whether or not you can be there in person. So throw on your finest summer garb and link up with your best girls, guys, cousins and aunties at the rink for the curl celebration of this year—we’ll meet you there.
Back to school means back to busy mornings filled with quick breakfasts, homework checking, packing lunches and—if you have a curly kid—quick hair styling that will hopefully withstand the school day.
Styling a boy’s hair is usually considered a relatively low maintenance task, but girls shouldn’t have all the fun when it comes to curly hair inspo. While some kids might be perfectly happy with any style, it’s always a treat to send your young one off with a style that’s as unique and effortlessly cool as they are. Read on for a few hairstyle ideas (including some protective styles”> for curly boys that will have them excited to show off their look whether it’s for class, extracurricular activities, or play-time.
1. Braided Ponytails
Image Credit: @bbhulkrj
Low-manipulation styles like these braided pigtails keep things simple for rushed parents, but also keep the ends of long, delicate curly hair protected so there’s less chance for breakage. And as uncomplicated as this style is, there’s no doubt this is one of the coolest looks around.
2. Faded Mohawk
Image Credit: @jessica.salonoriana
Looking for some back-to-school haircut ideas? We’re loving stylist Jessica Oriana’s mohawk transformation on this adorable Spider-Man fan.
3. Braided Bun
Image Credit: @latelier.regent
For kids that might go for something a little more intricate, patterned cornrows are a great option. Styles like this one are protective, long-lasting, and stand out in the crowd.
4. Twisted Ponytails
Image Credit: @tonys_tv
Calling all parents/guardians that don’t quite have braiding down to a science (fear not, you’ll get there, we promise!”>—twists are the next best thing. This style works on various hair lengths and can be altered to fit you and your little one’s needs. For an even more personalized look, switch out the regular black rubber bands for colorful ones.
5. Twisted Locs
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Little boys with locs might be interested in this flat-twisted faded style. This one looks complicated, but you can create something similar to this look by splitting the hair down the middle and flat-twisted each side.
6. Textured High-Top Fade
Image Credit: @billionairesbarberclub
A nod to the high-top fades of the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, the modern high-top includes a lot more texture. This cut shows off beautiful texture and also length with a clean shape up.
7. Natural Curls
Image Credit: @katchingupwithkenzo
With a good detangler, moisturizer and styler, a simple wash-and-go can be your go-to morning style. Make sure to have the right styling products for your kiddo’s texture for the best results.
8. Half-Braided, Half-Twisted
Image Credit: @tahchonmusic
When styling longer curly hair it helps to create as little work as possible. And with this half-braided, half-twisted look you have two styles in one. Remove protective styles like this one, and you’ll have a defined braid/twist-out.
9. Defined Ponytail
Image Credit: @k.liam18
Define your curly kid’s ringlets to the max to achieve a look similar to this. For the best hold, look into getting a really good gel, like these stylist-recommended ones.
10. Bald Mohawk
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If you have a particularly adventurous kid, this bald mohawk may be more his speed. It takes a super confident kid to wear bald sides, but the result is worth it!
11. Rounded High-Top Cut
Image Credit: @beckettandfallon
One thing about curly hair, it can make shapes like no other texture. This cut is higher on the top with a bit of a rounded shape.
12. Two-Strand Twists
Image Credit: @iamshilohamor
If refreshed and taken care of, two-strand twists can last for days and can be styled differently each day. If you’re not in the mood for more styling, you can always accessorize with a hat like Eli, pictured above.
Do you have plans to change up your curly kid’s hair soon? Let us know what ideas you have in mind below.
