Search Results: Claire Aviles

By Claire Aviles · Published August 31, 2012

We know it’s tempting, but don’t touch your waves! Touching your hair before the curls are formed and dry is just as damaging as brushing your hair and can cause friction and separate your natural curl pattern. If you spend too much time manipulating your style and touching your hair, you will end up with frizz, perhaps the most dreaded curly hair problem.

The key is to style and touch your waves in the right way and at the right time.

1. Use a shower comb. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, the shower comb is my favorite tool! If you use a shower comb when you’re applying conditioner, you won’t need to comb once you’re out of the shower. The less you use the comb, the less you will disperse your waves.
2. Be gentle when towel drying your hair. Don’t rub your hair dry or twist it up in a turban — this creates breakage and frizz. Instead, pat your hair dry. For even better results, try using a microfiber towel. It will reduce frizz and speed up drying time, which is great if you usually air-dry.
3. Apply styling products to soaking wet hair. Don’t make the mistake of combing your styling product through your hair, even if you’re just using your fingers! Instead, “scrunch” from the ends of your hair and work up to your roots, to give your waves better definition and extra lift.
4. Use a diffuser or air-dry your hair. This is the hardest part — don’t touch your waves while they’re drying. If you don’t have the time to air-dry, be sure that you use a diffuser to preserve definition.
5. Need a touch up? Lately I’ve been using Curly Hair Solutions Tweek to refresh my style. I work it through my dry hair, from roots to ends. If you have longer waves and you find your hair losing volume throughout the day, bend over and work the product through your roots that way. When you stand up straight again, your hair should have some extra lift.

So stop twirling your locks, ladies! You will notice less breakage and less frizz if you just keep your hands off your hair.

By Claire Aviles · Published August 20, 2012

Satin pillowcases are a godsend for both straight and curly hair. They reduce friction and maintain the moisture in your hair, helping to both preserve your style and keep it frizz-free. Satin pillowcases can also reduce the stress to your skin so you won’t wake up with “morning creases” anymore! You will also find that your skin, like your hair, retains more moisture with a satin pillowcase.

But could satin pillowcases they also be linked to acne? Recently on the CurlTalk forum, one member said that she had noticed fresh breakouts after sleeping on her satin pillowcase.

The good news is that it’s probably not the satin, although your pillowcase is acting as the “middleman.” Many curly hair products include heavy creams, which can make you more prone to breakouts. Satin is great for your hair and skin because it doesn’t absorb moisture, but if you have any thick product in your hair when you sleep, the oils from your hair that sit on the surface of your pillowcase will transfer to your face. However, this can also happen with cotton or silk pillowcases — especially if you don’t change your pillowcase often.

Before you ditch the satin pillowcase altogether, try these tips and see if your acne clears up!

1. Wash your face last. Whether you shower in the morning or at night, you should wash your face after shampooing and conditioning your hair. Washing your face last will help ensure that you remove any oils or moisturizers that may dripped or otherwise gotten onto your face while you were doing your hair.
2. Switch out your pillowcase. Regardless of the material, you should try to change your pillowcase every 2-3 days. This will help you to avoid laying your face on a pillowcase with several days worth of oil soaked into it or pooled on the surface.
3. Pineapple your hair. Pineappling, developed by you, our fantastic community, is the magic way to get second-day hair. It is also great for keeping your hair away from your face when you sleep. For even better results, sleep on your back if you can. This way, any oils that are absorbed into the pillowcase won’t be transferred to your skin.
4. Cover your hair. Need another way to keep those oils off of your face? Loosely cover your hair with a scarf . Don’t wrap your curls too tightly, or you may become prone to sweating and breakouts.
5. Hands off! When we said don’t touch your coils, curls or waves, we meant it! Touching your hair adds to the frizz-factor, and even worse, it will transfer oils from the hair products in your hair onto your skin when you touch your face.

Take these tips to heart so you can keep your curls and your clear skin!

What do you do to prevent breakouts caused by your favorite curly hair products? 

By Claire Aviles · Published August 6, 2012

At NaturallyCurly, we know that conditioning is one of the most important steps in your hair care process. Conditioning adds moisture to hair, which is important to your hair’s health and helps to fight frizz. Here are the dos and don’ts of conditioning your wavy hair this summer.

1. DON’T weigh down your waves. If you aren’t getting the results you want, reevaluate your conditioner. Most wavies only need a light conditioner; I personally love Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner. If I need something a little heavier to refresh my hair, I use Paul Mitchell The Cream as a leave-in conditioner.
2. DO try a sulfate-free product, or at least a product with milder sulfates. Sulfates can be harsh on wavy and curly hair, which tend to be more fragile than other hair types. After experimenting with a few sulfate-free conditioners, including Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner, I have noticed that my hair retains more moisture and is less frizzy.
3. DON’T condition your roots. A lot of people make the mistake of applying conditioner in the same way that they apply shampoo. This isn’t necessary, as your roots produce their own oils. You only need to use conditioner on the length of your hair.
4. DO use a wide-tooth shower comb. Using a shower comb ensures that the conditioner gets all the way through the ends of your hair, where it is really needed to prevent dry, split ends. It also helps with detangling!
5. DON’T rinse with warm water. Warm water is good for rinsing out shampoo because it opens up your hair cuticles, preparing them to absorb conditioner. But after you apply conditioner, you should rinse with cold water. This closes the cuticle, sealing in moisture and leaving your hair smooth and shiny.
6. DO be patient. When you’re conditioning, leave the product in your hair for 2-3 minutes. This allows the hair cuticles to fully absorb the benefits of your conditioner.

For healthy hydrated wavy hair incorporate these tips into your regular hair routine and look out for more tips on how to maintain healthy, happy hair this month!

By Claire Aviles · Published July 23, 2012

Are harsh chemicals wreaking havoc on your skin? Usually my skin is fine with over-the-counter skincare products, but lately it’s been looking a little dull. So I decided to try out a few natural, exfoliating recipes to restore my skin’s shine.

Brown sugar is a great exfoliator because of its grainy texture. It’s gentler than white sugar, so it can even be used on sensitive skin. It’s also a great moisturizer, especially when combined with ingredients like honey and olive oil.

Treat yourself to some TLC with these simple brown sugar scrubs. Your skin will thank you!

Brown Sugar Face Scrub

The original recipe found on Makeup and Beauty Blog calls for:

• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• Fresh-squeezed lemon (from about 1/4 of a lemon”>

After you carefully scrub your entire face, leave the scrub on for a few minutes. This allows your skin to absorb all the benefits of the scrub.

When I made this scrub, I found that this was a little too liquidy. In the future, I will use less honey. As is, the recipe makes enough for 4-5 uses.

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

This recipe, which I found on CollegeFashion, left my skin feeling incredible. It was super soft and three days later, I can still see a difference. It uses all the ingredients from the face scrub above with the addition of olive oil, which is a great moisturizer.

You will need:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil; I used extra-virgin olive oil, as it is the purest form of olive oil and low in acidity
• Fresh-squeezed lemon (again, from about 1/4 of a lemon”>

This scrub can be used on your whole body. Be sure to use it in the shower to avoid a big mess, and don’t forget to moisturize after using it!

Final Thoughts

While exfoliating is great for your skin, it’s important that you don’t overdo it. These recipes are made with natural ingredients, so they are less harsh than many over-the-counter products, but exfoliating too frequently can still irritate your skin and do more harm than good. Only exfoliate about every four days.

By Claire Aviles · Published July 6, 2012

As a college student, I am always looking for inexpensive ways to take care of my skin, especially in the summer months. Our skin tends to produce extra oils in the heat and humidity and if we don’t find a way to cleanse properly, the oil buildup can quickly lead to congested pores and acne.

I found that cleansing and regularly using an exfoliating scrub was not enough for my skin. There was still extra buildup and my skin wasn’t as soft anymore. After searching the web for natural skincare remedies, I settled on the following process. I have done it twice and I am already noticing a huge difference in my skin.

The Process

The process involves three major components: steaming, exfoliating, and moisturizing. I would recommend trying it at night. The lavender oil is a great relaxant and it will work best with a heavier, nighttime moisturizer.

You will need:

• 2 cups of water
• A handful of fresh or dried basil (antioxidant and antibacterial”>
• 5 drops of lavender oil (antioxidant and anti-inflammatory; muscle relaxer”>
• Baking soda (as an exfoliator”>
• Scrub
• Toner
• Moisturizer

1. Combine the water, basil and lavender on the stovetop. Boil for five minutes.
2. Remove the mixture from the stove and pour it into a wide, shallow bowl. Let it sit for a minute before beginning the steam—if it’s too hot, you could burn your skin.
3. Position your face over the bowl and let the steam hit your face. Wrap a light dishtowel over your head and the bowl to keep the steam from escaping. Steam for 8-10 minutes.
4. When you are finished with the steam, combine baking soda and water to make a paste. Lightly scrub your skin with the paste. When it is evenly applied, let it dry. This may sting, if you have sensitive skin. Redness is normal.
5. Once the baking soda past dries, wash it off with cold water. Follow up with a scrub—try to find something gentle and nonabrasive. I use Origins Never A Dull Moment.
6. Finally, use a toner and seal with moisturizer. I use Origins A Perfect World and Neutrogena Ageless Essentials Continuous Hydration: Night.

Final Thoughts

For the best results, try this steam once a week. You will definitely notice a difference after the first time, but if you are consistent with the process, you will notice major improvements to your skin.  It will be cleaner and softer and over time, your pores will begin to diminish.

Do you have any homemade skincare treatments?

By Claire Aviles · Published June 20, 2012

A widow’s peak — a distinct point in the hairline — can be frustrating, especially when you have naturally curly hair. For most of my life, I hated my widow’s peak. I cut it off at age five and tried to hide it with not-so-flattering bangs when I was twelve.

Eventually, I learned to accept my widow’s peak as part of my natural beauty at around the same time that I accepted my natural curls. Over the years, I have collected several tips and tricks to enhance my curls without exaggerating my widow’s peak. Here are the most important:

1. Avoid a center part. A widow’s peak is situated around the center of the forehead, so center parts only exaggerate the V. If you have a shallow widow’s peak you might be able to pull it off but if you’re sporting a deep V, you’ll want to sweep your hair to the side or smooth it back.
2. Pin it up. If you air-dry your curls, you’ll want to pin up the top section of your hair. This keeps your hair from flopping on either side of the widow’s peak, drawing more attention to the V shape.
3. Hairspray is your friend. After a few hours, the curls around my widow’s peak tend to wither. To keep them looking fresh, I pin up the top section of my hair and add a little bit of light hairspray.
4. Try a new haircut. If you have a true heart-shaped face, a widow’s peak, a wider forehead or a prominent chin, try a haircut with volume around the chin. Soft layers that fall by your cheeks and your chin are stunning and they will draw attention away your forehead.
5. Be you. Stunners Marilyn Monroe, Milla Jovovich, Vanessa Williams and many others have rocked the widow’s peak. Why shouldn’t you? Your widow’s peak is uniquely you. Embrace it!

How do you rock your curly widows’ peak?