Search Results: Chelsea Fregis

By Chelsea Fregis · Published May 22, 2012

At the drop of a hat you may be asked to go somewhere that requires you to get all dolled up. When that time comes, clothes and makeup are easy enough, but hair is a different story. If you don’t have the time to wash and start over or risk ruining a style to try to create another, simple twisting and pinning is a good way to go from day to night. If executed correctly, you can dramatically up the wow factor of your hair. When you’re, done simply unpin and untwist and you’re ready for the workplace or school the next day.

Claw Clip Updo

To create this hairstyle I used only my fingers and some small claw clips.

1. To begin, I created a pompadour by grabbing a section of hair at the front of my head and twisting it to the side and securing it with a small clip.
2. I then grabbed another section of hair on the side and also twisted it so that it was tight and secure and used a small clip to secure it down.
3. I continued to do this all the way around my head until my hair at the back had been pinned up and my hair was pinned to the side.
4. No good ‘do is complete without a few accessories.

Quick go to hairstyles are a must for every natural curly. Will you be adding this one to your personal hairstyle stash?

By Chelsea Fregis · Published May 15, 2012

After my scissor happy self-inflicted trim which turned into me giving myself a bob, my hair is now much shorter than before. As a result, my ponytails really no longer have much use except for when I use them to tie back a section of hair during styling. So when I crave a different look or want to pull my hair up and out of my face, I have to get creative, and that’s where bantu knots come in. Since I can no longer do a half up-do with my ponytail without having a tiny puff sticking out I decided to try to pull my hair back minus the ponytails.

Half Up, Half Out With Bantu Knots

To achieve this look all you will need is a rat tail comb, small clips, gel and a head scarf.

1. To begin I separated the front of my hair by parting from ear to ear and securing the back of my hair with a hair band.
2. I then used my finger to part my hair on a slant from the front to back to create a small section on one side. I used my fingers so that the parts would not be too clean and would be easier to hide. I also slanted the part so that when all the sections were rolled and knotted they would meet at the center of my head.
3. I pulled the section back rolled it around to forum a spiral then spun the spiral around itself to form a bantu knot and held the base of the knot in place with a small clip.
4. I continued to part, roll and bantu knot all of the hair in the loose section.
5. To hide the parts and smooth my edges, I dampened the front of my head and applied my gel then tied it down with a scarf. I did not use a brush, only my hands. This method not only works but helps to preserve your edges and gives a more naturally smooth look. Keep in mind that the longer you keep the scarf on, the more laid down your edges will be.
6. After removing the scarf, I undid my hair at the back, fluffed it all out and went about my business.

How do you like to modify updo hairstyles for shorter hair?

By Chelsea Fregis · Published May 1, 2012

I purchased these mini clips eons ago while doing my usual accessories shopping and had no real use for them. Then when I did my puff and noticed that it appeared to be caving in on itself in the middle and read the this post about clipping, I got to thinking.

At first I thought about clipping when my hair was wet, but due to uneven shrinking I knew that would be an epic fail. So I decided to do it once my hair dried. Duckbill clips would be too big, so I grabbed my minis, sectioned off a layer of hair and started to apply them in a row and was pleasantly surprised to see the immediate lift.

How I Apply the Clips:

1. Divide hair into sections: After doing my pony puff I use my fingers and two hair bands to separate my hair and isolate a row of hair in the middle leaving me with sectioned off hair at the top and bottom and a row of free hair in the middle.
2. Coil at the base: I then take a small piece from my loose section and spin it around my finger to form a coil at the base, then attach the clip to the base. I proceed to do this with the rest of the hair in the loose section until no more hair remains.
3. Release sections: I then release the top and bottom sectioned off hair and that is how I go from flat to volumised!

Final Thoughts

I believe this method works for me because it gives me volume without excess finger fluffing. When I finger fluff, my hair usually goes back to having that flat look as the only thing holding it up is air and eventually gravity wins. With this method my hair has reinforcements and the clipped sections stick up and out which in turn pushes the top layers up. Also finger fluffing, for me, does not allow for longevity of my styles. I like getting second and third day hair and sometimes I even reach 5 days when the stars align. However, whenever I manipulate my hair too much at the beginning, I get a lot of frizz, a loss of definition and eventually tangles set in and I’m forced to go back to the drawing board and wash my hair.

When my hair is freshly done and very defined (and therefore, quite flat”>, I usually do about two rows of clipped sections and only one row as the days progress and my hair naturally swells. By the time I get to third or fourth day hair, I usually have no need for the clips. Also, I have slept in them and suffered no ill effects. In fact, I don’t even feel them! Lastly, be careful when removing them as they are small and can snag on your hair. When you remove the clips, make sure your hands aren’t slippery.

Do you have any questions about this method? Do you do something similar or have your own method for increasing volume? Feel free to share it below, as I am always on the hunt for big hair.

As always remember to have love, peace and curly haired bliss.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published April 12, 2012

I’m just going to come out and say it: I’m a straight haired natural!

And now I’m patiently awaiting the mob with pitch forks and fire. But, there it is, I finally said it and I know that I’m not the only one.

Why did it take me so long to come out of the straight haired closet, you may ask? Perhaps it’s all the adversity.

It seems a woman can’t open her mouth to ask about straightening without being labeled a “curl hater.” The reason for all the hateration is probably due to the misconceptions about the women who straighten regularly. In an attempt to mend what seems like a semi-broken, or at least separated, part of the natural hair community, I’m going to address them.

We Are Not Self-Loathers

We do not hate our curls nor ourselves. I love the natural hair movement, but at times I feel that it has gone so far left, made a U-turn and became the enemy it once fought against.

Remember those days when a natural haired woman had to endure nasty comments? Now that we have grown in number, it seems that some of us have turned around and became the tormentors. Some of us even have advanced “psych degrees” because we often comment on the psychological state of someone who relaxes and give our “expert medical opinion” that they indeed have low self-esteem.

However, women who choose to wear their hair differently than the way it grows out of their head are not necessarily self-loathers. You might want to sit down for this part because it’s going to come as a complete shock. See, the reason they straighten could just be because they want straight hair.

People like what they like. It doesn’t have to be the media, low self-esteem, wanting to please others, or whatever other excuse there is out there. It could just be because at this point in their lives, they want it straight.

Seriously, there isn’t any rhyme or reason behind it more than that, and they shouldn’t feel the need to justify themselves.

It’s Easier to Care For

I can already hear the groans of people who disagree with me, but let’s be real — curly hair is work. When I compare my relaxed routine to my curly haired one, I had to admit that I spend way more time on my curly hair.

My relaxed routine consisted of washing weekly, moisturizing and bunning. With curly hair, washing in and of itself can be a whole day affair. Moisturizing takes longer with denser hair, and styling is more involved. Curly hair is work and not for the faint of heart, so if someone takes the path of least resistance and decides to just straighten so they can rock ponytails on the daily, then I won’t judge them.

I don’t know their schedule. and I’m not about to volunteer to do their hair for them.

It Still Grows

When people think of flat ironed hair, most get an image in their head of short, thinning hair with split ends and frizz. But this can’t be further from the truth. Just like natural hair, if flat ironed hair is not cared for properly, the hair will become damaged. If done correctly, it can be healthy and you can revert back to curls whenever you want and still grow long, natural hair.

Final Thoughts

I get that NaturallyCurly is all about embracing curls, but it’s also about achieving healthy hair using the wealth of information on the site. Is it also about togetherness and sisterhood. So why is it that we have become so divisive by creating degrees of naturalness?

There seems to be a constant war between those who use all-natural products versus the silicone users, or the chronic flat ironers versus those who rock their curls, or those who want more or less curl versus those who embrace theirs in their entirety. The two-sided natural hair war list is never ending.

But I didn’t simply write this article to complain. Instead, I wanted it to be more of a plea for curlies to just let each other live. For those who flat iron regularly, say it without fear, and for those who don’t think these women are natural enough, let’s try not to judge, because when it comes down to it, its just hair.

Do YOU, my natural hair friends. Always, do you. 

By Chelsea Fregis · Published April 11, 2012

Wash-and-gos have been around since naturaldom and have probably been attempted by all curlies at least once. For some, wash-n-gos are super easy and simply involves raking product through their hair. For others, wash-and-gos involve a bit more work and will require the curly to not only rake, but do the accordion method and smooth as well.

But for a small few, wash-and-gos are even more complicated because of uneven curl patterns, frizz and those patches that refuse to curl. If this sounds like your hair at all, then finger coiling may be the answer for you.

Finger coiling helps smooth out your curls, reducing frizz, defining curls in your frizzy areas, and evening out your curl pattern by forming uniform curls.

How to Master Finger Coiling

1. To begin, start off with freshly cleansed, dripping wet hair that is separated into small sections. Apply your product to one section ensuring that you apply a nice gel or thick styling cream on top of your moisturizer or leave-in. The gel or cream will allow you to mold your curls for this style and give more hold than a moisturizer or leave-in alone.
2. After applying your product rake it through your hair with your fingers to distribute it evenly and encourage your curls to clump. This step is optional, but to really get smooth curls and major clumping I often run a Denman brush through that section. Once done, hold the section in one hand and use the fingers of your other hand to separate a small piece. Then with your free hand use your index finger to wrap the small piece of hair around it whilst moving your finger down the hair shaft- this is called finger coiling. The technique may take some getting used to but once you have it down it will be easy to get through the rest of your hair.
3. Continue to separate more small pieces from your section to finger coil until all the hair in that section has been defined. Once done with that section move on to the next repeating the steps above.
4. Remember to re-wet a section using a spray bottle filled with water before applying product to it if it is dry.

To vary your styles, you can finger coil smaller or bigger sections to change the diameter of your curls. Also, to decrease your hair’s volume, try finger coiling larger sections and to achieve big hair, use smaller sections.

Read More: Teri LaFlesh – All About Doodling

This may seem like a lot to do for one hairstyle, but for women out there with hair that does not fare well with the traditional wash-and-go method but who still want to rock a wash-and-go this summer, this method may be a godsend. Also, keep in mind that, as you become better at it, the time it takes will lessen. If this still seems like a lot for an everyday style, then save it for special occasions instead.

If you have tried this method, then let me know down below how you do it and what your results were like. And as always, remember to have love, peace and curly haired bliss! 

By Chelsea Fregis · Published April 9, 2012

I hated relaxer day! While many women looked forward to fixing their roots and having swinging’ hair, I hated my freshly done hair.

Why you ask? Because it had no life. It was long, jet black and perfectly straight, but it was thin. If placed in a ponytail, it looked bald from afar, and dropping it and having it fall lifelessly around my face was never an option. Add to the mix my disastrous encounter with a certain product line which won’t be named that broke and thinned out my hair some more, let’s just say that what the doctor prescribed was not the miracle for my hair. I was so fed up that I decided to go natural and have the thick gorgeous hair of which I had always dreamed.

I wanted disrespectfully big hair that blocked people in movie theaters and required people to walk around it on the sidewalk. I wanted to rock twists and big, yet defined, twist and braid outs. I wanted feel the wind blowing through my hair, not on my scalp.

Fast forward two years and I’m still waiting for the thickness, but tomorrow I’ll look like Chaka.

The truth is, not every natural has thick hair. More specifically, not every natural in the 4 category has thick hair. Because of my coils and waves when I wear my hair loose, it appears to be denser than it really is, but the moment I twist or braid my hair it becomes very apparent that I just wasn’t blessed with a lot of hair. If you are a fine haired natural, you can probably relate to a lot of my issues.

I know it’s wrong to be jealous, but I have to admit that I’m envious of thick haired people and all their hair. I know, I know, thick hair people want finer hair too. The grass is greener on the other side I guess. Either way, I have good reasons for wanting your thick mane!

Scalp-y Twists

When I was newly natural, I wanted to speed up my growth and thought I’d take a stab at some protective styling. After three plus hours I looked at the front of my hair and thought, “Not bad for my first try.”

I then left my house and thought I looked good, but once arriving home and looking at the back I was dismayed to find that I showed more scalp than twist. Unlike my thick or medium haired sisters, I simply don’t have enough hair to rock juicy twists, and I hate that. But I have found a few ways around this issue:

1. Blow drying my hair first then twisting it prevents shrinkage and “scalpiness.”
2. Doing smaller plaits, as small plaits equal thicker looking hair while bigger plaits show off my scalp more.
3. Parting the hair diagonally or in a brick like pattern.

Over Fluffing

By Chelsea Fregis · Published April 5, 2012

As a low porosity natural, product application can be a very long and arduous task. The foaming of products, the little white balls of product and literally having the product slide off of your hair and into the sink can quickly get annoying and layering is something one can only dream of.

There isn’t a lot you can do to change the porosity of your hair, but, as always, you can accept it and learn to work with it. If you have low porosity hair, then try these simple tips to help your products absorb better.

1. Apply product to damp hair. Just after washing, your hair has absorbed a lot of water and will therefore find it hard to absorb anything else. By allowing your hair to dry and let go of some of the water, it will be able to absorb more product.
2. Use a detangling comb or brush. After applying your product, it is imperative that it is distributed properly throughout your hair to prevent one part from having too much product and just sitting on your hair. After applying your product, grab a detangling comb or brush and run it through your hair gently from tip to root.
3. Squeeze out the excess. If you know that the product you use has a tendency to turn white or if you use too much and it takes forever and a day to dry, then get rid of the excess. This step does not require you washing out the product, but is as simple as grabbing a small section of hair and sandwiching it between your index and middle finger then running your finger down the hair gently to slide the excess product off of your hair. Do this to as many sections as needed until your hair no longer has the white foamy look or until the little white balls of product disappear.
4. Smooth your hair. For heavier, thicker products like butters, where the excess cannot be squeezed out, smooth it in. Grab a small section of your hair and place it between your palms then run your hands down the length of your hair and keep going until the product disappears.

Porosity Check

Your hair’s inability to absorb product and react well to them could be as a result of other things besides low porosity, such as damage and product build up. So to find out if your hair is really low porosity, test it by getting a shed hair from your head, brush or comb right after cleansing and a glass of water. Drop it in the glass of water and observe it. If it takes forever before it sinks, then you are a low porosity natural.

Cherry Lola Treatment

While it is impossible to change the porosity of your hair without damaging it, you can help to lift your cuticles safely and temporarily for better product absorption. Products that are alkaline in nature have the ability to temporarily lift the hair’s cuticle. Baking soda, which is alkaline, can be used for this purpose after cleansing your hair by mixing it with water and applying it to your hair then rinsing. This is called the “cherry lola treatment.”

After the treatment, you can apply product. With your cuticles raised, it will be easier for your hair to absorb product. Once you are done, you will need to reseal your cuticle to prevent frizz, which you can easily do with something acidic like aloe vera gel.

This may seem like a lot of work, but if you are a textured tressed lady whose hair refuses to dry, and who can’t leave the house for hours after styling because of white product-ridden hair, then try the tips above and report back.

If you have other tips that work for you then let me know below. As always, remember to have love, peace and curly haired bliss!

By Chelsea Fregis · Published April 2, 2012

I’m a type 4 natural and I hate hair butters and oils. Now that I’ve said it, all the women who would like to tell me how I’m using them incorrectly or that I used too much listen carefully because I hate repeating myself: I just don’t like them. Deal with it.

It’s been said time and time again that what works for one natural does not work for all, and never has this been truer for me than when I started my natural hair journey. Naturally I entered my hair type and went to my appropriate forum and began asking way too many questions and stalking countless women. I wanted hair like the women whom I admired and thought that if I followed their regimens and used what they did, then my hair would be just like theirs.

Myth: All Type 4s Like Butters

Off I went to hunt down shea butter and oils, which was no easy task in Canada. I then proceeded to mix and whip and create my hair concoctions. Now imagine my dismay when time and time again I was left with dry, greasy, crunchy hair. Oh, and I vividly remember the oil stains from layering my leave-in then my moisturizer then my sealant. Those were not good times. It was always a constant guessing game to figure out how much product was too much or too little and, frankly, I just got fed up.

I finally figured out that my hair’s issues were because of the butters by complete accident when I just went to bed with a liquid leave-in in my hair one night. One can imagine how confused I was to find soft, shiny, moisturized hair the next morning. I continued to experiment with this by adding butters and oils slowly back into my regimen to see if they were the culprit, and now I can say with certainty that I am one of those type 4 naturals who can’t stand the stuff.

Truth: I’m Not The Only One

Since writing my last post where I briefly touched on this issue, it seems that I am not the only one. Thank God. It was getting lonely in this corner. There are probably many more women out there, but they might not figure it out anytime soon since the myth that all type 4s should use heavy products and layer is so deeply entrenched in the natural hair community. Couple that with the fact that most popular brands have this unnatural love affair with shea butter and fill their products with oil, it’s no wonder that many women have not been able to figure it out.

I just want to take this time to ask natural haired companies ever so nicely to pretty, pretty please create more products that are water based and have oils way down on the ingredients list. ‘Tis all I ask.

For the women who are reading this who can relate to having dry, greasy hair, the problem may not be solved by switching to another brand of products with shea as the first ingredient and oils for the rest. This is insanity, people. Just once try conducting this experiment to see if you too can join team #saynotobutter.

Advice: Test It Before Your Buy It

Go shopping for a liquid leave-in that is water based. Rub the product on your hand and allow it to be absorbed. If it leaves behind an oil stain, then quickly and without hesitation put it back on the shelf and move along until you find a product that leaves your hand moisturized without the stain.

Once home cleanse your hair then apply your product and style as usual. If once dry you are left with soft moisturized hair, then you know that you are one of us. If not, then your dryness and oiliness could be because you are using too much product. Remember you should only dip a finger or two into the jar to scoop up product not the whole hand.

And, just in case you were wondering, my favorite mix of all time for my hair is 2 parts liquid moisturizer or leave-in for 1 part aloe vera gel or juice. The moisturizer plus the shine and hold from the aloe vera gave me the best twist outs to date.

It felt good getting that off my chest. I’ve heard confession is good for the soul, so let me know of your hate for butters or your undying love for them.

And as always, remember to have love peace and curly haired bliss.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published March 30, 2012

Every once in a while you get the itch. No, not the one in that weird spot you can’t reach. I’m talking about the itch to flat iron.

It can be just for a different look, to appease the whiners who want to see it straight, to trim or to check on length. Whatever the reason, you might still have some fears about the dreaded heat damage or you may not know how to go about it.

To avoid these common coily issues, follow these simple tips to get your hair looking smooth and sleek one day and back to bouncy and coily the next.

Deep Conditioning

Heat can be a traumatic experience for your hair. I mean, think about the damage that could be done if you ran an iron over your skin. Hair and skin are not the same, but a flat iron can get pretty darn hot, so make sure your hair is ready for it by doing a good protein treatment followed by a moisturizing deep conditioning.

Many women also swear that the key to a good flat iron session is an oil rinse beforehand. All you need to do is apply a light oil to your hair after shampooing, or rinsing for the CG women, allow it to sit then apply your conditioner and rinse it out. Just enough oil will be left over for moisture and dream-like detangling days.

Cleanse

The key to a good flat iron job is having clean hair free from products that could weigh it down. Flat ironing on dirty hair is a major no-no. Not only will it make your hair appear heavy and greasy, but the dirt on your hair will heat up as the flat iron comes into contact with it helping to fry your hair.

So if your follow the CG method, then do a good co-wash beforehand. However, if you are like many women who use a few products that have the ability to build up on the hair over time, then you will need to clarify with a shampoo beforehand.

Moisturize and Hydrate

Another major key step to flat ironing is moisturizing. Your choice of moisturizer is key for having hair that is shiny and healthy, yet weightless. Skip the heavy butter-based moisturizers and reach for your water-based light leave-in or moisturizer that does double duty as a good detangler and moisturizer post-wash.

Also remember not to use too much as it could weigh your hair down. You want your hair to feel coated and moisturized, but not be so weighed down that you can squeeze the excess out of your hair or that it takes a long time to absorb into your coils.

Heat Protectants

After you moisturize is usually the best time to apply your heat protectant. A good heat protectant will help to protect the hair from the heat of your flat iron and prevent damage. But remember, it is a product that you picked up from the store, it wasn’t heaven sent. Thus, it will not protect your hair from the wrath of a flat iron cranked up to the degree of Hades. Use your flat iron on the lowest heat setting possible, ALWAYS.

Roller Setting

At this point you could blow dry your hair straight, but I find that this step not only dries out the hair, but could cause damage to your ends from using the comb attachment of the blowfryer. Also, by adding one more step of heat to your regimen you could run the risk of getting heat damage. However, should you decide to blow dry then try YouTubing (yes, it’s a word”> the “tension blow dry method” which basically involves pulling your hair taught as you run the blowdryer over it to dry straight instead of curly.

For me, instead of blow drying, I roller set my hair. Once dry, my individual strands are smooth and straight and really only need to be flat ironed to remove the curl. Getting a good roller set regimen took a lot of trial and error, and this is what I discovered:

• Moisturized hair equals shiny bouncy curls, and not enough moisture will yield an afro. Also, the ends need extra moisture as they are the oldest
• The hair needs to be smoothed out before setting it. I like to use my denman, but a comb can also be used.
• Once the hair has been set, it is imperative that it dries 100 percent or else it will frizz out.
• Ensure your curlers are tight and your roots are held taught enough that they straighten as well. However, make sure that you do not pull too tightly as it can cause breakage and pain. If your head begins to hurt or you develop a headache once your rollers are in, then they are too tight.
• Curlformers are easier to install and do not require a bonnet dryer. However magnetic rollers and large flexi rods are also good. Plus, roller setting is a style in and of itself so if you become tired after roller setting or have somewhere to go or something to do, then remove the rollers and enjoy your curls for the day, then flat iron.

Pre-heat your flat iron to no higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit..

How to Flat Iron Coils Effectively

The method by which you flat iron your hair is key to its longevity and your hair’s reversion. If done improperly your hair could end up frizzy, revert quickly or become damaged.

Heating Instructions

To start, pre-heat your flat iron to no higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit. At 300 degrees and under, it’s almost guaranteed that the hair will revert, but anything over that and it’s a guessing game. I know many of you are probably wondering how you’ll get your coils to straighten with such little heat, but it really does work. With this regimen, very little heat is needed. And if you have roller set your hair correctly, it should be pretty much straight anyway.

Also, very little heat is needed as you will flat iron very small sections of hair. By using small sections, you ensure that the heat is distributed to all the strands in between the plates which will help to get your hair perfectly straight and ensure it remains that way right up until you wash it out.

Sectioning and Detangling

Once you’ve sectioned off your small piece and secured the rest of your hair, grab a small toothed comb and gently comb through that section of hair from tip to root to smooth it out. Then, when you go to pass the comb through your hair once more, use your other hand to gently pass the flat iron over the hair on top of the comb so that your flat iron goes over freshly detangled hair. This method is called the “comb-chase method” and should be YouTubed for better understanding. This method smoothes out the hair to ensure that the heat is distributed properly and doesn’t set the hair in a frizzy state, but a smooth one. It also helps to straighten those pesky ends. Lastly, if your hair is really hard to straighten, try using a boar bristle brush to really smooth it out.

Direction Matters

To ensure your hair lays how you want it to, straighten it in a downward direction and not straight out at a 90 degree angle like you may be tempted to.

If you are a fine haired coily girl, an easy trick for more volume is to flat iron the hair at the crown at a 90 degree angle from your scalp to give your roots more lift. Once each section is flat ironed you could mist the roots lightly with a spritz for hold to keep them lifted. Just don’t overdo it with the spritz because you want light volume not a beehive a la Snookie and Amy Winehouse.

Flat Ironing Coils: Dos and Donts

• Moisturize thoroughly before flat ironing.
• Rollerset instead of flat ironing.
• Purchase a good ceramic or tourmaline plated flat iron for good heat distribution and shiny hair because of complicated science stuff.
• DON’T crank up your flat iron to max– we want to straighten not burn to a crisp.
• DON’T flat iron when tired to avoid sloppiness and cranking up the flat iron to max to get it over and done with.
• DON’T skip or be skimpy with the heat protectant.
• DON’T clamp the flat iron down on the hair to avoid snagging. Allow it to glide over your hair.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published March 27, 2012

Summer is coming and that means minimal clothing and sexy bikinis. With this in mind, I’m sure we are all making a mad dash to the gym to turn our flabs to abs and have buns of steel. But while all this sweating is going on, what will you do with your hair?

Straight

If your hair is straight, your number one concern will probably be preventing reversion. To help combat this problem, pull your hair into a high, taught ponytail and tuck your ends away. The “taughtness” of the ponytail will help to keep your hair stretched and tucking your ends away will prevent them from touching your shoulders and becoming drenched in sweat.

It’s important not to loosen your ponytail until your hair is completely dry to ensure it dries in a somewhat stretched state. Protect your hair line with a sports headband to soak up your sweat and prevent the hair at your hairline from doing so.

Should your edges become frizzy, DO NOT RETOUCH THEM as too much heat causes damage. Simply grab your favorite pomade (not gel as it is wet and will cause more reversion”> and a scarf. Apply the pomade to your edges then use your hands or a brush to slick them back. Wrap the scarf around your hairline then leave it on until you’re ready to leave the house (the longer the better”>. Once you remove the scarf, you will be left with smooth edges.

It is important to note that reversion will probably happen if you go hard at the gym or sweat a lot on your head. Instead of fighting against it, why not work with it? You could start off with straight hair then roller set your hair to hide the extra volume at the roots. Then, when reversion becomes more noticeable or the hair at the roots becomes too thick for down and out styles, try rocking ponytails and buns for the remainder of the days until it is wash day.

Curly

If you wear your hair curly, then here are your gym tips:

1. Pineapple your hair. Just like you would at night, pull your hair into a high “pineapple” ponytail with a scrunchy. It will get your hair out of the way and prevent body sweat from getting to it. Also the scrunchy will allow your hair to effortlessly fall back down when released without leaving an annoying dent.
2. Do your hair at the gym. If you are in the habit of styling your hair at night before bed and working out in the evening, then why not style your hair at the gym? If you’re worried about your hair frizzing up at the gym while you work out, then twist/braid it up right before exercising then pull the twist and braids into a ponytail and go. You don’t have to worry about ruining your style as it is already being set for the next day. Once your home and showered, you can go straight to bed rather than fussing in front of a mirror with sore muscles.
3. Get rid of the sweat. Sweat is sterile when it leaves our pores and only begins to smell when it has been exposed to the air for a while and bacteria grows. If you follow the tip above, then grab a wash towel and warm water. Dip the rag in the warm water and gently run it along your parts and in between the braid/ twist if possible. This will help to get rid of some of the sweat and the smell that comes with it.

Hairstyles to Weather the Sweat Storm

1. Wash and Go: If you sweat a lot then wash and gos are the perfect go-to hairstyle for you. This style will allow you to wash and restyle your hair as often as needed to keep your hairstyle fresh and your hair clean.
2. Wet buns: If you don’t really sweat a lot on your head, then try wet bunning. The wet bun is easy to do and is as simple as cleansing, applying product, then pulling hair into a ponytail and bunning. This style will keep your hair looking cute and stylish so you won’t really have to worry about ruining your style. Also, since your hair is already up, there is no need to fuss with it at the gym. Once you feel the need to wash, you can quickly and easily do so and restyle.
3. Double duty: The gym provides a wonderful opportunity to do double duty by exercising and pampering your hair. While exercising, you can deep condition by applying the product to your hair then donning a shower cap and beanie. This works best for activities that do not involve a lot of movement, like weightlifting. Also utilize your gym’s sauna to steam your hair without investing in an expensive hair steamer.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published March 18, 2012

As a tightly coiled natural, you’re probably all too familiar with the race to do your hair before it dries. Once that conditioner has been rinsed out, you nearly tumble and fall out of your shower and run to your sink to begin the process all while ignoring the fact that over 20,000 slip and fall fatalities occur in North America every year.

While keeping a spray bottle on hand to rewet your hair is convenient, the aim of the game is to be in and out as quickly as possible and avoid being locked in a bathroom, arms in the air, beginning to tug and pull at your hair just to get it over and done with.

If this story sounds familiar, then read on for a short and sweet list of tips on how to moisturize you hair every day.

How to Moisturize Hair

• During the final step of cleansing your hair, ensure that you detangle it thoroughly. By doing this step in the shower, it will lessen the time you spend out of the shower battling knots as your hair dries. 

• Separate your hair into the sections that you intend to style. Let’s say that you want to do a twist or braid out and like to separate your hair into 10 sections. Do it in the shower. Them once you reach the sink, all you need to do is unravel each section one at a time and apply your product without wasting time separating.

• Before even stepping into the shower, make sure that you have your products on hand to use as soon as you get out. Nothing is worse than being dripping wet and looking around in cupboards for the leave-in conditioner at the back you wanted to try or the styler you left back in your bedroom.
• Use liquid products when styling. This does double duty to ensure your hair stays moist and helps to keep your hair tangle-free as you style.

Now that you know the secrets of how to moisturize hair, go forth and style like the pros in a fraction of the time.

As always, curlies, I wish you love, peace and curly haired bliss.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published March 15, 2012

If you are a newbie upon joining the natural hair community, the first thing you probably did was spend hours figuring out what your hair type is. Once that ordeal was over, you promptly headed over to your appropriate forum and began to ask the basics to get on track with most of the questions revolving around moisture and dryness. If you are anywhere in the 4’s then you were probably given this advice:

“You need to moisturize in layers. Start with a slippery leave in to help with the tangles then a thick moisturizer and butter on top to seal it in. Then apply more moisturizer and oil to your ends daily to keep them happy.”

As a newbie, you then retreated from your computer and proceeded to do as instructed to get hair like the avatar picture of the women you were stalking admiring. After a few days or weeks, you began to get fed up and wondered if your hair was supposed to be this crunchy and hard, and if every natural left grease stains everywhere she went. If this story sounds familiar, then read on.

Not All 4s Are the Same

The reason I know this story is because it’s mine. This is why I cannot stress enough that curl pattern is not important in the large scheme of things, because it mislead me and is probably misleading many more women now. Regardless of how tight your curls are, there are simply some type 4 ladies whose coils hate hair butters and oils.

This may seem weird considering that butters, especially shea butter, are in almost every product and loved by many naturals. But for some naturals, the oils and butters are never absorbed by the hair and simply lie on top of it weighing it down and making it hard and crunchy. If you are one of these naturals, here are a few tips for you to get moisturized hair minus all the side effects.

• Ditch the butters and oils. They are simply too heavy for your hair. Instead, remember that liquid products are your friend. When purchasing leave-ins and moisturizers, ensure that water is the first ingredient and that it has a liquid consistency. Avoid products with a high oil content. Before purchasing, behind the store clerks back, rub some of the product onto the back of your hand and wait a while. If it absorbs into your hand easily and leaves it moisturized, then you have the go ahead, but if it leaves an oily residue, then move along.

• If you must purchase a butter, then ensure that it is whipped and very light and fluffy. If it is thick and sticky and is hard to emulsify in your hands, then it will probably be hard for your hair to absorb it.

• Moisturize only when needed. This is very important to avoid build up and prevent leaving grease stains everywhere. I know that many women have a moisturizing routine that involves moisturizing daily or even twice daily, but with hair like yours, it’s key to listen to what it needs and not what others are doing. If your hair is still moisturized at the end of the day, then there’s no need to smother it with products just because. Leave it alone, and when it begins to feel dry, then proceed with caution.

Make Your Own Routine

Now that I’ve told you what not to do, here is a simple regimen that might work for your hair. Also, please remember to tweak it to suit your hair and lifestyle.

• After cleansing, ensure that your hair is dripping wet, then apply your products. Keep a spray bottle on hand if  your hair gets dry and needs to be to rewetted. Applying product to wet hair will help you to distribute the product and avoid using too much.

• Once your liquid products have been applied, you may feel the need to apply something heavier to your ends to protect them. Ensure that you do this to wet hair.

• If you feel the need to moisturize daily, try mixing a liquid moisturizer or leave-in with water in a spray bottle and spritzing it on your hair daily. Scrunching in a moisturizer may ruin the style and butters may make it too heavy, but light spritzing throughout the day will keep your hair moisturized without ruining the style. Just ensure that you do not make a lot of spritz at once as it could spoil if left for a while. Also, remember to lightly mist and not douse your hair to avoid ruining your style.

Lastly, remember that if you moisturize well on day one, you will avoid having to remoisturize and play the guessing game of ‘how much moisturizer is too much’ later. Plus, you won’t have to worry about ruining your style midweek to take care of a dry patch.

I hope this helped, and as always, I wish you love, peace and curly haired bliss.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published March 14, 2012

There has been a long standing myth among the natural hair community that the only way to grow long healthy hair is to use protective hairstyles. For those new to the natural hair community, protective styling involves putting your hair into a style that involves tucking your ends away from the atmosphere to protect them from damage whilst your hair grows. The premise is that if the ends of your hair don’t break and your hair continues to grow, then you will achieve longer hair.

This myth is so deeply entrenched in the natural hair community that women will often do back to back protective style for upwards of a year to reach their hair goals. Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of women who have achieved amazing lengths from protective styling, but there are a few women who never yield results from all their efforts. Some of the problems that many women experience are:

• Tangling from hair being untouched for long periods of time. This especially occurs in styles that take so long to put in that the mere thought of taking them down after only a few days seems like a waste. Thus, those women decide to leave in those styles for weeks.

• Dryness from hair that is left untouched and uncared for for too long

• Breakage from over manipulating the hair to create elaborate hairstyles

Confronting the Myth

Contrary to popular belief, protective styling is not necessary for speedy hair growth. Instead low manipulation styles are key.

Low manipulation styles, unlike protective hairstyles, do not require that your hair and ends be tucked away for protection. Instead it works on the premise that if you do simple styles and manipulate your hair as little as possible, then you will not do unnecessary damage to your hair and will retain length. These styles are better because:

• Easier to install. – Styles like wash-and-gos and twist/ braid outs are far less taxing on the hair than installing mini twists, extension braids etc. By manipulating the hair less for styling, you minimize the damage to your hair. Before installing a protective style, think about whether the manipulation to install it will cause more damage to your hair than if you just styled it regularly and if its purpose is defeated. 

• Easier to maintain the hair. – The problem with a lot of protective hairstyles is that once installed, women tend to forget that they still have to maintain the hair, especially when it is hidden under wigs or entwined in braids. Also, if the hair is hard to get at, or moisturizing it will ruin the style, many women will opt for style over healthy hair. Low manipulation styles, however, usually do not require that the hair be bound in intricate styles making the hair easier to access.

• More flexible – The main gripe with protective styles is that the can become boring after a while. Having your hair in a style for weeks at a time can be a major problem for many of us curlies as most of us suffer from serious cases of hand in hair syndrome. Low manipulation styles however, give curlies the opportunity to vary their styles and avoid becoming bored.

Low Manipulation Styles to Try

Instead of focusing on the usual protective hairstyles like twists, weaves and wigs, why not try these following styles to reduce manipulation, make accessing and caring for your hair easy and retain length?

• Wash-and-gos: This style can be done several ways, but the most basic way to accomplish this style is to wash and condition your hair and detangle it thoroughly before styling. Once done, a moisturizing conditioner or leave-in or moisturizer can be used depending on your preference. A styler or gel can be layered on top for added hold if necessary. To ensure that you keep your hair healthy while it is styled, make sure you moisturize your hair as much as it needs it.

• Twist/braid outs: This style can be done on freshly cleansed hair or dry hair that has been stretched for added length and volume. After moisturizing, apply your styler of choice and separate your hair into sections and twist or braid it. For added interest, you could put the ends of your hair or the entire length itself on rollers. Once your hair is completely dry, or after some time has passed, unravel and separate the twists gently to hide the parts and increase the volume. The best part about these styles is that you do not need to rewet your hair to restyle. To make the hair pliable enough to detangle, you can either spray it with water or add a good detangling product, then add a styler if necessary and restyle. Also, to maintain your hair’s health, make sure you moisturize and seal your hair, especially at the ends.

Do You

I know this information may seem confusing and contradictory, especially since this article seems to suggest that all hairstyles are created equally, but if it’s been said once it’s been said many times: you have to do what’s best for your hair.

This article merely covers suggestions for an alternative way to maintain your hair’s health if traditional protective styling does not work. Also, please note that a hairstyle itself will not guarantee your hair’s health. It must also be in conjunction with good hair care practices, plenty of moisturizing, a standing appointment for good deep conditioning, reduced usage of combs and brushes and minimizing the number of times you style your hair.

As always, I wish you love, peace and curly haired bliss.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published March 1, 2012

Kelly Rowland

From the red carpet to Rodeo Drive, celebrities seem to have it together — at least until the next issue of US comes out revealing their latest scandal. Stars with curly, wavy or kinky hair seem to have it even MORE together, especially when it comes down to their defined, frizz free, natural tresses.

We could simply just write those celebrities off. After all, they probably have the country’s best curl stylist, colorist, products and what have you. They just aren’t on our level. But if we did that, we’d never be able to steal their style secrets.

After hearing about a great new curly hair care brand and line of products (you know I’m THAT product junkie”>, we decided to give you a curly celebrity hairstyle how-to using products designed specifically for natural-haired women.

Kelly Rowland’s ROC’ing Curls

Despite my unbridled fear that a curly style I LOVE on the next R&B singer is going to turn out to be a wig, I can’t help but call out Kelly Rowland’s amazing curls at the Roc Nation Pre-Grammy Brunch. Okay, so it’s a weave, but it looks HOT. Now you can get that look without the expensive, all-too-real-looking weave that she shelled out your entire year’s income to buy.

Works best for: Type 3C and Type 4

1. Clean and moisturize your hair leaving it smooth and soft to the touch. Apply U R Curly Soya Shampoo to wet hair and massage gently into a lather. This will help reduce breakage, nourish damaged hair and promote growth. Leave on hair for two minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
2. Moisturize and detangle your hair leaving it shiny and soft to the touch. Apply U R Curly Quinoa Conditioner to wet hair. This will also help to promote the growth you’ll need to rock Kelly’s look. Massage gently, working through hair from scalp to the hair tips. Leave on hair for three to five minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
3. Rejuvenate your curls while defining their shape and controlling the frizz. Detangle your tresses, toweling them with a t-shirt or micro-fiber cloth until damp. Depending on your hair porosity and texture, apply a small to moderate amount of U R Curly Tight Curl Enhancer to your hair, starting at the scalp and smoothing to your ends.
4. Keep your hands out of your hair to keep the frizz at bay and to let the definition shine through. Allow your hair to air dry. If you have 3C or 4A curls, tip your head over once your hair is dry and gently scrunch your curls to add volume.

Kate Bosworth’s Fashion Week Waves

Kate Bosworth

Ever since “Blue Crush,” Kate’s perfect type 2 waves have mesmerized her admirers. Okay, her abs were pretty awesome too. Years later, Kate’s waves are still turning heads the world over. During Burberry’s presentation at London Fashion Week, Kate stepped out with defined, high fashion waves we wish we could have seen ON the runway too! Of course, you don’t need a big event to steal Kate’s look; just your friendly NaturallyCurly editorial team and U R Curly.

Works best for: Type 2 and Type 3

1. Clean and moisturize your hair leaving it smooth and soft to the touch. Apply U R Curly Soya Shampoo to wet hair and massage gently into a lather. Leave on hair for two minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
2. Moisturize and detangle your hair leaving it shiny and soft to the touch. Apply U R Curly Quinoa Conditioner to wet hair. Massage gently, working through hair from scalp to the hair tips. Leave on hair for three to five minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm water.
3. Revive and stimulate your curls and waves while defining their shape and controlling the frizz. Detangle your tresses, toweling them with a t-shirt or micro-fiber cloth until damp. Depending on your hair porosity and texture, apply a small to moderate amount of U R Curly Loose Curl Enhancer to your hair, starting at the scalp and smoothing to your ends.
4. Avoid frizz by keeping your hands out of your hair and your blow dryer in the cabinet. Allow your hair to air dry completely. To steal Kate’s chic look, pull the front layer back and secure it to the back of your hair. Allow the back layer of your hair to remain down. Finally, pull out a couple waves around your face to frame your eyes and cheekbones.

The secret to U R Curly’s curl defining magic is the Abyssinian oil infused into each of their products. All U R Curly products are also alcohol-free, so your curls won’t dry out and frizz will always be the last thing on your mind.

Happy styling, curlies!

By Chelsea Fregis · Published February 15, 2012

As you embark on your journey, it is inevitable that you will encounter that one individual, or a few, who feel the need to tell you exactly what they think of your natural hair. When the comment is positive, it’s all good, but when misconceptions and rudeness are thrown at you, it may be hard for you to come up with the right words to say, as the attack may have taken you by surprise or you may just be a soft spoken individual.

So we here at NaturallyCurly have the perfect 4 step strategy that will stop those individuals in their tracks — without making you look bad!

1. Don’t Preach

Short of the online community, I know no one else who is even remotely interested in the deep racial and social history of natural hair. It just isn’t that important to most people. To you, this is a huge battle that you have overcome, and you may feel that you are forging the way for those who will come after you, but please, for the love of curls, keep all of this to yourself.

If someone tells you they wish you would go back to relaxers or inquires about when you plan to straighten your hair, do not use this as an opportunity to go Martin Luther on them and give them the “I have a dream” speech where you state that relaxers should be abolished. In a room full of people that know nothing about this issue, you are going to look silly fighting for a cause like hair.

2. Concisely Explain

This is by far the most important. For so long, people have come to expect seeing you with straight hair, and now it has changed. It stands to reason that some of them might be confused and will want to know why you aren’t going with the flow anymore. Explain that you did not have a falling out with your stylist, are not changing sexual orientation, religion or anything else drastic. Without going deeply, simply explain your reasoning and goals, be they that you want longer, stronger, healthier, bigger, curlier, or more dramatic hair.

3. Brush it Off

Do not, and I repeat DO NOT, get emotional. I truly believe that there are people in this world who say things to get reactions out of people. They live for the thrill of breaking others down and get truly excited if they can make you cry. So why give them the satisfaction? Even if they comment about your hair type and try to drum it into your head that straight hair is best, learn to display the art of not caring. After you have concisely explained your position, anything that your tormentor says afterward should be met with a blank, nonchalant stare, a shoulder shrug and a “Whatever.”

4. Keep it Moving

Now that you have explained yourself and managed to navigate your way around rude comments, you need to divert the attention away from you. Don’t leave yourself open for more probing and taunting. The longer the convo revolves around you, the more opportunities people will have to think of questions to ask and things to say. By slyly diverting the conversation away from yourself, you minimise the chances of being placed in more awkward situations. Also, it lets your tormentor know that you are through with the conversation.

Final Thoughts

I hope that  following these steps will help you to avoid awkward situations and make transitioning or being a newbie a tad bit easier. Peace, love and happy curling!

By Chelsea Fregis · Published February 14, 2012

I’m sure that this V-day you plan on getting very close with a certain someone. Hugs will be given, necks will be nuzzled and personal bubble space will be thrown out of the window. While you’re cozying up with your babe, it is inevitable that his nose will end up getting a whiff or two of your hair. Make sure that what he smells enhances the mood and wanting to eat you alive (get you mind out of the gutter!”>.

Making Your Hair Perfume

1. Put 1/2 cup distilled water in the perfume or spray bottle.
2. Add 5 to 10 drops Sof essential or fragrance oil. You want the mix to be concentrated for longevity, but not too strong that it becomes overbearing.
3. Close the bottle and shake to mix.

How to Use

Ensure that before each application you shake the bottle to mix the ingredients. Simply spray as lightly or as liberally as you want on freshly washed and styled or old hair. Also, keep it handy in your purse to freshen up your hair throughout the day.

Keep in Mind

If your products are butter based, chances are your hair has a slight nutty smell. To complement that scent use fragrances like vanilla and cinnamon for your hair perfume to give it the smell of rolling around in baked goods.

If you use more gels and other unscented or lightly scented products, then try mixing citrus essential oils for an exotic scent. Also, a curly can never go wrong with mixed berries.

Fragrance and essential oils are different. Fragrance oils will last longer because they are less volatile, but are slightly greasy. Essential oils are non-greasy, but are very volatile, meaning that the scent is not as long lasting. Also, fragrance oils, unlike essential oils, are manmade.

Lastly, cinnamon is said to be an aphrodisiac, and men seem particularly fond of vanilla and lavender.

By Chelsea Fregis · Published February 14, 2012

Valentine’s Day is here, and since it falls on a school day and is not a national holiday, there will be that inevitable day of dressing down. For those happily in love, there will be the color coordinating and cute matching outfits, but for the rest of us out there who are happily single, there is still a way to get in on the fun. Even if you do have your plus one for all the parties, you can still use these hairstyles to add some pizzazz to your usual laid back curly hairstyles.

Braided Ribbon Headband

To do this style you will need a rat tailed comb, thin ribbons and clear elastics.

Section off a 1.5 inch portion of hair at the front by parting it from ear to ear. Split that section into two by parting down the middle of your head. Take a small piece at the beginning of each section near the part and tie a ribbon around that section.

Then take that section, and the ribbon, and proceed to cornrow or flat twist it like normal. Continue to braid or flat twist until the very end, then secure the end with a clear elastic band. Do the same to the other side.

There are several options for your ends:

• Use a thin hair band to secure them together at the back of your head under your hair.
• Use bobby pins to secure the ends under your hair if they are not long enough to join at the back.
• Lift the hair at the crown of the head and then secure the braids together or use bobby pins. Release the hair at the crown to create the effect that the ends are simply being lost in the hair.

Ribbon Ponytail

To create this curly hairstyle, all you need is a seamless hair tie, a medium width ribbon in Valentine’s day colors (red, white or pink”> that is at least 10 inches longer than the normal length of your ponytail, a clear elastic band and some bobby pins.

Using your favorite styling products, secure your hair into a neat ponytail. Tie your ribbon at the base of your ponytail securely. Proceed to braid or twist your hair. Stop braiding or twisting 2 to 3 inches before the end of your hair and use a clear elastic band to prevent your hair from unraveling. You can take the ends of the ribbon and tie it in a cute bow, or you can take the entire braid and wrap it around the base of your ponytail using your bobby pins to create a colorful bun.

Heart Ponytail

To create this curly hairstyle all you will need is a seamless hair tie, a medium width ribbon in valentine’s day colors (red, white or pink”> that is at least 10 inches longer than the normal length of your ponytail, clear elastic band and bobby pins.

Secure your hair into a neat high ponytail. Tie the ribbon around the base of the ponytail and braid or twist the end of the ponytail with the ribbon until the braided section is around 7 inches long. Then secure the end with a clear elastic to prevent the braid or twist from unraveling and tie the loose ends of the ribbon into a bow.

Hold the secured end against your end about four inches from the base of your ponytail and secure it in place using bobby pins. Then take each braided section and arrange them so that they form a heart shape and secure them as you go along using bobby pins.

Ribbon Bun

To do this style you will need at least two hair ties, an old sock (preferably the same color as your hair”>, a thin ribbon and a large, curved plastic needle from an arts and crafts store.

Secure your hair into a neat ponytail and take a sock and wrap it around the base of the ponytail. Fan the hair out around it then take a thin hair band and place it over the hair and sock to create a bun. Rearrange the hair if the sock is still visible. Tuck the loose ends under the bun.

Thread your plastic needle with the thin ribbon and starting at the back of your head thread the needle under the bun and out into the center over the bun and back under the bun. Continue to do this until you go all the way around the bun. Tie the loose ends into a ribbon or tuck them under the bun. You can control how close together the ribbon will be by making the places where the needle enters the underside of the bun closer together or further apart.

For added interest, you can add another ribbon of another color or width. Also, make sure that you are careful not to scratch your scalp.

Final Thoughts

With a little ribbon and patience, you can have hair to die for and get in the spirit of things even without a significant other.  So have a happy V-day and remember its true meaning — endless chocolate and a free pass to pig out on sweets!

By Chelsea Fregis · Published February 13, 2012

There are products and brands that since the dawn of the curly hair movement have been around. There are countless threads on them singing their praises and there isn’t a naturalista who isn’t in love with them. They are our tried and true products, the ones on every newbies wish list and the first we recommend to friends. So for those of you who may not know the brands I speak of, here is a list of curly hair products with a cult following.

Qhemet Biologics

From the moment I entered the naturally curly world, it was made clear to me that Qhemet was the ‘ish,’ and its awesomeness was not  to be questioned. These products contain so many yummy rich ingredients that it is no wonder natural women everywhere are hoarding this stuff and would be willing to demonstrate should Qhemet ever dare shut down its operation.

Oyin Handmade

Like Qhemet Biologics, Oyin Handmade is another brand that has somehow managed to come out with a whole line of products that everyone loves. As I type this, there is not a product in Oyin’s all-star lineup that is really disliked. While everyone may not love every product, every product has its own cult following. But, then again, this is not surprising seeing as love is listed on their ingredients list.

Jane Carter Nourish and Shine

This may be just about the only product from Jane Carter that gets ratings. Most women immensely dislike their curl cream and I have yet to see many reviews on their other products, but Jane Carter Solution’s Nourish and Shine is something people can’t stop talking about. And you know this product has to be well liked if people continue to purchase it at $22 for 4oz, #justsayin.

Kinky Curly Curling Custard + Knot Today

The war waged between Eco Styler and Kinky Curly has been a long and ongoing one, but I think it is safe to say that Kinky Curly is winning the battle. While both work, many will testify that Kinky Curly is just better all around. When looking for a curling product, many women want hold without crunch, elongation, shine and moisture and Kinky Curly has beaten Eco Styler in all of these categories. The only reason why many are hesitant to give Kinky Curly the title for being the best is the price. Comparing $17 versus $2 has many women willing to compromise and settle, but the truth still stands that Kinky-Curly Curling Custard and Knot Today are favorites. Also the detangling and moisturizing properties of Knot Today is well documented in Curltalk.

Jessicurl Deep Conditioning Treatment

A.K.A. Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment

Of all the deep treatments out there in the natural hair community this one is so highly recommended. Don’t believe me? Start a thread and ask women their opinions on DCs, and for every five comments there should be at least one singing the praises of Jessicurl. It’s rumored to have angel dust and unicorn horns in it, which would explain its strengthening and moisturizing properties. Also the fact that it can be used both as a DC and leave-in, helping to secure it a spot as the best all natural DC.

Shea Moisture

This is an interesting case in the sense that I’m not quite sure that everyone loves this brand, but its name seems to be splashed all around the interweb for the simple fact that it is cheap and readily available, unlike most natural products that have to be purchased online and that come with the “all natural price tag.” But for those who have tried Shea Moisture and who do love it, they become hooked. I guess it’s like licorice — you either really love it or hate it. Either way, you simply cannot be indoctrinated into the natural hair cult if you have a Target in your area and you have not tried Shea Moisture.

Karen’s Body Beautiful

From this line, the curly products that get the most shine are the Luscious Locks Hair Mask and the Sweet Ambrosia Leave-In Conditioner. After having tried both of these, all I have to say is, “GUUUUURLLL this is the truth!” They must have put their foot in it because the moment I applied the hair masque, my curls began to pop and tangles were melted immediately with the leave-in. Both products get 5 out of 5 afro puffs. But I am not the only one. Many women are in love with these products. The only gripe is the price tag, but if you can afford it, then go for it.

Final Thoughts

If you haven’t tried any curly hair products on the list, then climb out from the rock you’ve been living under and pull out your credit card, head over to CurlMart and commence shopping in three, two, one…