Search Results: Erika Owens

Round, square, long, oval, heart—these are all different face shapes, which one are you? If you are looking for a new style there are certain haircuts and parts that compliment different face shapes. Not to say that if you have a longer face you cannot ever wear a side part, there are just certain parts and haircut shapes that will help to bring out your beauty even more. If you enjoy wearing your hair loose, then switching up your part could make all the difference. Not sure how you want to shape your curls, coils, and waves? Consider these suggestions as a guide when you head to your next DevaCut appointment. Ready to start? Let’s begin!

Round

As far as haircuts go, the best ones according to your face shape are cuts that will help to elongate the look of your face. That being said, longer layers around the face rather than a short cut will look best. If your hair is short and curly, a flattering look would be to allow your hair to fall below the chin and try to avoid cutting too short. Middle parts and deep side parts work great because they elongate your face.

Square

Curly hair tends to soften this angular face shape, so your curls, coils, and waves are only enhancing your beauty! With this shape side parts work well, especially soft side swept bangs.

Long

Short hair works well with long faces because well, your face is long. If you have long hair then I suggest giving your hair more volume and keeping it off of your face and more to the sides. I have a longer face shape and this works great for me. Middle parts or no part at all looks are great on this face shape.

Oval

Any haircut or part will work for your face shape. Middle part, side part, long, short, asymmetrical, or layered, anything goes with this face shape. This face shape is often coveted, so make sure you experiment with different parts, haircuts, and styles.

Heart

Because your face is a heart shape, you should play up the upper parts of your face, namely your eyes and cheekbones. To do this, layers work well. A side part looks good on heart shaped faces because it is a good juxtaposition to your pointy chin.

So there you have it! Those are the best haircuts and parts for your face shape, but do remember, these are not the be-all end-all. They are just suggestions you can use to enhance your beauty. If you want to go against the grain, then by all means do it! You may already abide by some of these suggestions and not even know it—I know I did.  If you ever noticed certain hairstyles you do look better than others, it is probably because you are subconsciously following these very simple guidelines.

How do you part your hair?

I have gotten so many compliments when wearing my curls in this style with little product in it. Normally, a wash and go involves some sort of curling pudding, cream, or gel in order to achieve defined curls. What I have found is, even though this is great and looks fantastic; many curly girls tend to like their second or third day hair a lot better. This is generally because second and third day hair often has more volume because it has time to fall and loosen up, leaving you with voluptuous, soft, fluffy curls with just a touch of frizz. This is especially true for those with tighter curl patterns.

Women fine, low density curls, coils, and waves have a harder time getting the volume they desire. Their hair is really defined with styling products that weighed down the hair and leave little room for that fluffy goodness unless of course, it is second and third day hair—but who wants to wait that long when you can get this hair on the first day.

I accidentally discovered this hairstyle while in the process of doing another style and letting my hair air-dry. I noticed that with no product in my hair it was really light, fluffy, and curly with more of a fro-like texture that was ultra soft and not weighed down, it was almost magical. With some very specific techniques I was able to turn that accidental style into a fast wash and go.

Step one

To begin, start with clean deep conditioned hair. My deep conditioner consists of Aussie Moist Conditioner, honey, and olive oil-all of which I eyeball for the consistency I choose. For this particular style, I like to use a lot of olive oil so that it gives me as much moisture as possible since I am not using any curling product after I rinse it out. I sit with this mixture in my wet, detangled hair (and a shower cap”> under a heat cap for at least 20 min.

Step two

In this step, I hop in the shower and rinse this mixture out thoroughly. Next, I put a bit more Aussie Moist in my hair as a leave-in conditioner and wet my hair once more. It is important for the conditioner to be present but not thick, otherwise it will weigh your hair down once dry. You want a more of watery lotion consistency instead of thick in creamy in your hair.

Step three

Since the goal here is fluffy semi-undefined hair, I squeeze the water out from root to tip with my hands, seal with oil—right in the shower—and flip my hair to wrap it into a microfiber towel. I leave this towel on my head for as long as I can while I am getting ready and partially after, 20 min will suffice to soak up the water in your hair though. Another use for the towel is stretching out the curls to minimize the definition for a fluffier aesthetic—which is the look we are going for.

Modifications: If you want your curls more define, comb your hair with a wide tooth comb or Denman right before squeezing out the excess water to restore some of the definition you lost after rinsing the deep conditioner. For less defined curls and more of a fro-like texture, forgo the comb and Denman after it’s initially detangling and let it dry in the microfiber towel a bit longer

Step four

Air-dry! This is the fastest drying hairstyle I have ever had. I can get dressed and not worry that my hair will get my clothes wet either. As it dries it will fluff up on it’s own, leaving you with soft, fluffy semi-defined curls that are loose and not weighed down with product. Once it is nearly dry, you can shake, shape, and fluff it to get your desired look.

Play around with this technique and see what works for you, I think you might like it.

[prodmod]

Some days you want really defined curls and others, stretched a fluffy fits the bill. For the latter, I like to do the semi-dry twist out. I also like to do this hairstyle if I have to refresh my style because it enables me to have a dry and set twist out by morning without the annoying wet hair at night—really, who likes to sleep with wet hair? I envy the women who can wet set their hair and have dry, set curls morning. I am not one of them, so this is why this semi-dry twist out technique comes in handy for me.

Tools and Products

• Microfiber towel
• Clips
• As I Am Twist Defining Cream or another styling product
• Perm rods
• Oil

[prodmod]

Directions

*Start with deep conditioned hair with a little conditioner left in.

1. Wrap your hair in a microfiber towel in order to soak up the excess water and stretch the hair a bit. 
2. Air-dry until hair is 80% dry. Make sure it is not completely dry, otherwise it wont set as sleek. 
3. Separate your hair into four sections and apply As I Am Twist Defining Cream or a little bit of conditioner in each section. 
4. Twists eight sections in the back. 
5. Flat twist four sections in the front (two on each side”>. It is difficult for me to get decent twist outs when flat twisting the back sections of my hair because it is very thick so that is why opt to twist instead of flat twist the back.
6. Wrap a perm rod at the end to keep each twist as tight as possible.
7. Sleep with twists in place overnight on satin pillowcase or wrap a silk scarf around my head.
8. Lightly oil each twist in the morning and gently undo. 
9. Fluff, shake, and finger comb for your ideal look. 

Another option

If your flat twists come out great, you can flat twist the back sections on your hair in 4-6 sections. This would create more goddess-like, wavy curls.

So, there you have it! One of my quick overnight styles, perfect for the working woman who wants to come home after a long day, set, sleep, and wake up with beautiful hair.

Do you prefer wet, dry, or damp twist outs? 

Shampoo contains detergents that strip your hair of its natural oils and many curlies do not like that, and rightly so. Who wants their natural oils to be stripped? The main reason I see that some curly and coily-haired women forgo shampoo is to retain as much moisture in their hair as possible. Nothing wrong with that, right? I do not think so, but just like finger combing, just because it works for some, does not mean it will work for all.

There is this notion that shampoo=clean and using anything other than that leaves some people insecure as to whether or not their hair will be clean. I am in the latter situation. I do not feel that my hair is very happy when I do not use shampoo—the life dissipates from it. 

Shampoo is essential for me. As a curly-haired woman, I use my fair share of product, and that product likes to sit on top of my low porosity hair. Sure, I have tried alternative methods, but find that my hair does not feel or act the same if I do not use shampoo followed by a deep conditioner. No-poo methods I have tried: baking soda, Dr. Bronner’s soap (diluted”>, conditioner only, co-washing conditioners, and acv rinsing in place of a shampoo. These methods can work well enough for me in between shampooing to remove some buildup, but they do not stand very well on their own if I wanted to forgo the shampoo.

I am a firm believer in keeping an ultra clean scalp to maintain optimum hair health and to help promote hair growth. I minimize my shampooing to just one time per week and deep condition right after to put moisture back into my hair. I also co-wash in between shampoos if I need to redo my hair or it will start to look a little dry for my liking. If I feel I need a more thorough cleaning after already shampooing that week, I like to use As I Am Coconut CoWash. After that, I am back to using my shampoo in order to get my hair back to square one.

Shampooing works best for me. My hair feels lighter, cleaner, and looks healthier, but I do realize for some, it could have the opposite effect. So, to shampoo or not to shampoo, that is the question. In the curly hair world, it is best to try everything you can to see what works best for you. Do not start or discontinue using shampoo just because someone else does.

Do you shampoo your curls? How often?

Surfing the internet for natural hair pictures, products, and ideas is so good, but oh so bad. How many times have you come across some idea, style, or product and wanted to try it immediately? Okay, well maybe just me…but when I recognize a really good thing, I almost always have to give it a go. Which was the case when it came using mousse in my natural hair. Throughout my journey, I have not seen too many naturals using mousse so my interest was peeked when I saw a photo of a fellow curly girl with hair very similar to mine using mousse.

I always thought mousse was for people with straight or wavy hair. No way that this would work on my thick, curly hair right? Wrong. It worked and it worked well. I decided to try this out with a wash and go and put some SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Souffle in my hair to define my curls followed by the Crème of Nature Argan Oil Styling Mousse. Here are my thoughts on this product:

Consistency 

As expected, the consistency was light, airy, and very smooth. 

Smell 

The scent is subtle and smells like a mixture floral scents with a hint of coconut. 

Use

This product can be used for defined wash n go’s and defined twist outs. It is definitely a mousse aimed at the kinky/curly hair community, but it can also be used to wrap straight hair. 

Slip 

The slip was actually quite good, better than I expected. Then again, I did not know what to expect, as I have never used this before. This mousse was very silky and smooth while being applied to the hair.

Price

It retails for $4.99.

Application

1. Apply this product in my hair in four sections with about 3-4 pumps per section.
2. Smooth it in over the SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Souffle and a leave-in from root to tip
3. Use a Denman brush for more definition.

[prodmod]

Results 

My objective in using this product was to get the added moisture from the argan oil and to get a little extra hold throughout the week. Not only did it do all of the above, but my hair was not stiff and it added quite a bit of shine.

Cons  

Because this product is so light, when I plopped there was a bit of frizz but after drying it was no big deal. It still looked great. Just note, this product is so light you really shouldn’t touch your hair much at all until it is completely dry.

Final verdict 

I was able to wear my wash and go all week and had a little more body—more of a light and airy feeling—and my curls were pillow soft, shiny, and moisturized. It was just lovely.

I believe that using natural, homemade ingredients are the most beneficial things you can put in your hair. I liken it to eating processed food versus raw fruits and vegetables. Of course, there are quality products out there, but sometimes it is nice to give your hair a treat by using homemade products. Here is a basic flaxseed gel, modified to be a custard. The custard aspect of it makes the gel a little creamier, which is something my hair loves.

What You’ll Need

• ¼ cup flaxseed gel 
• 1 tbsp aloe vera gel 
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO”>
• ½ tbsp shea butter 
• ½ tbsp coconut oil 

Tools

• Pot
• Strainer
• Mixing bowl
• Hand mixer
• Storage container

Directions

1. Boil the flaxseeds in 1 cup of water for 3-5 min and immediately strain.
2. Pour flaxseed gel into a mixing bowl and add aloe vera gel, honey, EVOO, shea butter, and coconut oil to the flaxseed gel.
3. Blend with a mixer on high speed. It will become a thick, custard-like consistency.
4. Store in the refrigerator overnight.

Application

1. Separate hair in four sections.
2. Take a small sections of hair from the back starting from the bottom.
3. Apply the gel from root to tip, working your way from the bottom of the section to the crown. Be sure to saturate your hair with the gel custard as you smooth out each small section. Continue to the other back section.
4. Decide how to part your hair prior to shingling the front section.
5. Let your hair air-dry and do not to touch it or make any sudden moves that would cause frizzy.

Benefits

Shea butter – seals moisture into your hair, lubricates the scalp without clogging pores, and restores moisture from chemical and heat damage.

Aloe vera gel – promotes hair growth, a natural conditioner.

Honey – provides great shine and holds in moisture.

Coconut oil – penetrates hair to reduce the loss of protein, restores moisture, and adds shine.

Olive oil – great for nurturing ends, adding softness, and treating dandruff.

Overnight styling can be a saving grace for professional, working naturals. Everyone wants to look great for work, but the time is not always there in the morning. Not only that, leaving the house with dripping wet hair is not how most of us would like to start our mornings. Here are some styles for those of you who like to think ahead which you can do before bed to wake up and go with no fuss. 

No drip wash and go

The wash and go is my go-to hairstyle and sometimes it needs to be redone midweek. In the past, I did not have a lot of time to do a wash and go in the morning and I do not like getting water and wet product on my clothes. That being said, I discovered a technique for doing a wash and go before bed without having to sleep or wake up with dripping hair. After I style my wash and go, I plop with a large, dry t-shirt. Plopping is a technique that allows the excess water in your hair to be soaked up—and it works. 

Overnight plopping

If you do not move in your sleep, leave the plopping t-shirt on your head and wrap it up in scarf so that it does not come off at night; this will ensure your pillow and neck do not get too wet overnight. You can even replace the first t-shirt and re-plop with another t-shirt so your neck will not be so wet. 

Bun

1. Co-wash at night
2. Plop until the water stops dripping
3. Pull your hair back into a sleek, loose bun
4. Cover with a satin scarf
5. Tighten the bun in the morning

Wash and go (light air-dry”>

1. Remove the t-shirt
2. Let your hair set for at least 30 min
3. Place your hair in a low bun
4. Cover it with a shower cap and then a scarf
5. In the morning, gently release the bun and your curls will be intact

Braid and bun

The alternative to doing a wet bun overnight is to do a side braid and bun it. When you wake up you are styled and ready to go.

Freshly washed ponytail

To do a cute, wet ponytail overnight, you’ll have to define your wet curls with the product of your choice, plop, and then create a high, loose bun. Secure the style with a satin or silk scarf to prevent frizz as you sleep. In the morning take the bun down and put your hair in a ponytail. It should not take more than five minutes in the morning and will become curlier and fluffier throughout the day.

Those are my overnight styling techniques for fresh hair and quick styling. These styles really come in handy when you know you have to look good the next day but do not want to wake up at the crack of dawn.

What overnight styles do you do?

When I initially browsed the internet for hair puddings and crèmes I ignored this Creme of Nature Pudding Perfection Curling Cream because there are so many new curly hair products on the market—many of which contain mineral oil and other questionable ingredients, and I was certain that this was probably one of them. I kept seeing this product and decided to take a closer look, then I discovered the label that said it contained no sulfates, parabens, mineral oil, and petrolatum—the deadly four. I also learned that it contained argan oil, glycerin, shea butter, and water as the first ingredient, so I thought It would be worth a try and here’s the review:

Consistency

The consistency is that of store-bought pudding, does not run or drip and is the right amount of thickness. 

Smell

The scent is quite strong. It smells of a strong floral perfume. I do not particularly love the scent but it is bearable. 

Use

This is a curl enhancing crème, which can be used for doing twist outs, updo’s, coiling TWA’s, and wash and go’s.

Slip

The slip is good, the crème is on the thicker side, but it easily smoothes into the strands and defines your curls as it is applied to the hair. 

Price

It retails in the $8 range.

Application

I use this product to do wash and go’s. Therefore my application is as follows: 

1.  Separate my hair into four sections.
2. Take approximately 2-inch sections from the back section and smooth it through my detangled hair. 
3. Define each section with a denman and smooth the product through the sections of clumped curls making sure it is fully distributed and really defined. 
4. Let it air-dry. Surprisingly, even though the product is thick, it dries fairly quickly. Diffusing also seems to work really well with the product also, not leaving it frizzy, which is usually my issue with diffusing. 

Results

This product leaves my hair shiny, very defined and makes great second-day hair as well as subsequent hair days. When used with a leave-in conditioner, I find I retain more moisture longer. However, I am able to keep my wash and go for 4-5 days without restyling and minimal re-moisturizing throughout the week regardless. 

Cons 

I would not mix this product with too many other products, perhaps just a leave-in conditioner. It is very thick on its own so mixing it up with 2-3 other products will probably cause a lot of buildup and possibly flaking.

Final verdict 

I love it! It works really well for me. I am someone that requires a thicker, moisturizing product in order for my hair to stay intact and looking great—this product fits the bill.  [prodmod]

According to Military Times, 12-year U.S. Navy sailor Jessica Sims has been honorably discharged after failing to adhere to Navy grooming standards by keeping her loc hairstyles. She refused to abide by their wishes to cut her locs because it amounted to shaving them off and wearing a wig.

The regulations include the following:

• No portion of the bulk of the hair as measured from the scalp shall exceed approximately 2 inches.
• Hair shall not fall below a horizontal line level with the lower edge of the back of the collar as indicated by line A.  When wearing jumper uniforms, hair can extend a maximum of 1-1/2 inches below the top of the jumper collar.

It appears in her photo and for the past 12 years that her locs were in compliance. According to the U.S. Navy grooming regulations, “widely spaced individual hanging locks, and braids which protrude from the head, are not authorized” Sims says, her locs are closely spaced and worn in a bun, so she is not violating any regulations.

The U.S. Navy also states: “appropriateness of a hairstyle shall also be judged by its appearance when headgear is worn. All headgear shall fit snugly and comfortably around the largest part of the head without distortion or excessive gaps.” Sims told the Navy Times that when it comes to headgear, she ensures that her bun doesn’t protrude more than two inches from her head and she has never had a problem wearing safety helmets or gas masks.

As stated by military officials, it is “important to keep uniformity”, and rightly so. But, as demonstrated in this case, if ones hair is kempt, they can fit the headgear and their hairstyle does not get in the way of their jobs, the conflict at hand becomes irrelevant. The fact that Navy officials updated their regulations as to not seem bias towards African Americans, yet still refuse to abide by those new regulations simply because she acted “unlawfully” to the old, biased rules, is really disheartening. It seems as though some, are more focused on making a point and standing their ground than taking other’s opinions and well-being into account.

What is most evident in this case is that the biased uniformity that is required is more of an indication that you looking different, even if your hair is neat and doesn’t get in the way of your job, makes some feel uncomfortable. Fear is the root to any kind of discrimination but those with natural hair can’t spend their lives trying to make others feel more comfortable. Instead, you can only be you and hope the rest will catch up.

Although trimming is important, I am not a trimming fanatic. What I mean is, I do not consistently scheduled trims throughout the year just to say I did it. I do trim regularly, but only when I feel it is necessary. I usually like to trim once per year when my hair is straight. I choose to straighten my hair because I have layers and I want to be sure to get a thorough trim. Trimming is an opportunity to reshape and redefine my layers which is much easier for me to do when my hair is straightened. I do this type of trim once per year, but that is not all I do. I also like to dust and spot trim as needed throughout the year so my split ends do not get out of control. Overall, the culmination of dusting, the straightened trim, and styling/shaping I probably trim 2-3 inches off of my hair each year.

After a bad experience when someone chopped most of my hair off when they were suppose to be giving me a trim, I trust no one.

I bought my own pair of hair cutting scissors and that is what I use to trim my hair.

How to Trim Your Hair

The technique I use is pretty straightforward:

1. Split your hair in to four even sections, two in the front and two in the back.
2. Smooth your hair out in each section to sure it is even and trim very little at a time, until you feel you have cut enough off.
3. Create deeper layers, since they have usually grown out by then.

There are times when my hair has grown out, the layers seem non-existent, and I do not want to wait until it is straight before I trim. When that occurs, I will reshape and trim my curly hair, when dry in order to get the style that is desired and to do away with scraggly ends. I also do that when I skipped my yearly-straightened routine.

How to Reshape Your Hair

This is the technique I use to reshape my own hair.

1. Separate your hair in four sections, I typically do this on a non-stretched wash and go.
2. Trim each section, being sure to shape the front sections for volume and body.

Overall, I see trimming as a way for me to maintain healthy, sleek hair but I would never do it just because it has been one, two, or three months since I had last done it. These were the ways I trimmed my hair to tailbone length, but do what works best for you. My techniques work for me.

Do you retain more length with self trims or professional trims?

Work with Your Damage

The first challenge I had to overcome with my journey to tailbone length is heat damage. When I first went natural, I had heat damage in the front bang sections of my hair, which is one of the worst places you can have it in my opinion. To overcome this challenge, I had to avoid doing wash and go’s but if I did, I would modify the straight sections by twisting them so they would blend with the rest of my hair. This was probably the biggest challenge I’ve had in my hair journey, but by the time I got use to working around it, it had grown out and I was free to style as I pleased.

Long Hair Has Less Shape

When I first went totally natural and decided to ditch heat styling, my hair was obviously a lot shorter in its curly state and I loved it. It was bouncy and I liked the way it fell, but as my hair grew, how it fell started to change and so did my go-to styles. It was just kind of there…hanging. Whereas when it was shorter, it looked more styled and had more layers, shape, and body.  Eventually, I adjusted to it and cut a few more layers so that I could get that same effect as my shorter curly hair.

Sometimes Curls Disappear (And How to Bring them Back”>

After a while my curls just seemed to have disappeared somehow. There was hardly any definition no matter how much defining I did or how much product I used. After letting it go for a while, I decided to do something I did early in my hair journey, a protein treatment, and it worked. My curls were back and super defined. Many women wonder whether natural hair needs proteins, and the answer is yes, but not as much as chemically-treated hair.

Master the Wash and Go

I know I’m not the only one who had challenges with their wash and go’s at one point or another, and I surely won’t be the last. But in my early days of going natural, I just didn’t know how to maintain my wash and go’s for more than two days. I was extremely picky and thought I was doing something wrong. I decided to go to the holy-grail for natural hair education—YouTube—and learned how other people maintained their wash and go’s. Eventually, I discovered what worked best for me and the rest is history.

Avoid Single Strand Knots

Single strand knots are the bane of my existence and I used to get them a lot. It wasn’t until I learned of the reason they were occurring—lack of moisture—that I was able to remedy the situation.

 What challenges did you overcome to retain length?

On Mon., Aug. 11, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that the U.S. Army has changed the language of the U.S. Military Grooming Standards Policies, which include permitting temporary two-strand twists (which must not hang below the collar in the Navy”>. The previous army grooming regulations described certain hairstyles as “matted and unkempt”, which was indicative to mostly people of color with curly hair, and even more so army personnel with coily or natural hair. 

The Army Regulation 670-1 from March 31, 2014 states that hairstyles had to comply to the following:

• Cornrows: “When worn, cornrows must be of uniform dimension, small in diameter (approximately 1⁄4 inch”>, show no more than 1/8 inch of scalp between the cornrows and must be tightly rolled or braided to present a neat, professional, well-groomed appearance. Cornrows must start at the front of the head and continue in one direction in a straight line and end at a consistent location of the head. Only one cornrow style (braided or rolled”> may be worn at one time.”
• Twists: “Twists are defined as twisting two distinct strands of hair around one another to create a twisted rope-like appearance. Although some twists may be temporary, and can be easily untwisted, they are unauthorized (except for French twists”>. This includes twists formed against the scalp or worn in a free-hanging style.”
• Afros: The document does not specifically state anything about afros but it does address length, which is undermined if you do not understand the concept of shrinkage or the volume of curly and coily or natural hair. “Short hair may be no longer than 1/4 inch from scalp unless due to a medical conditioner or injury…Medium hair is defined as hair length that does not extend beyond the lower edge of the collar (in uniform”>, and extends more than 1 inch from the scalp…No portion of the bulk of the hair, as measured from the scalp, will exceed 2 inches…Long hair is defined as hair length that extends beyond the lower edge of the collar.”

Due to major outrage and backlash, the policy was reviewed and altered to “increase the size of authorized braids, cornrows and twist; removing the spacing requirement.” Two-strand twists are accepted if they are temporary and must not pass the collar if you are in the Navy. So where does that leave people with locs?

Initially, military officials stated they were going to ban certain hairstyles in order to “maintain uniformity within a military population” and to properly secure equipment, which brings up a good point—and something that most of us know to be true— the “uniformity” that is “acceptable” to many, is straight hair, period.

This very recurring issue comes up in the workplace. Is my curly, coily, or natural hair appropriate for the office? Well, if you go by the previous military policy, it is not. That is the very agenda that they were promoting. This backwards thinking supports the very notion that wearing your natural, textured hair, in which a great proportion includes people of color—and in styles that are uniquely our own—is unacceptable and unprofessional. As if the characteristics people with textured hair and predominately people of color are born with are somehow wrong.  Being as though ethnic hair does not grow out straight, this new policy was clearly discriminatory, and thus reversed and rightly so.

So, what is a girl with a TWA to do? What about the girl that can’t quite get her hair into a slick bun just yet? Or, the one with thick long natural hair that enjoys twists? With the previous policy that didn’t have much of a choice, they were told to wear wigs. One lady refused and was slapped with severe disciplinary actions.

“Matted and unkempt” was the term several branches of the military used to describe braids and locs—a blatant display of disrespect based solely on a persons natural appearance. Here’s a thought: what if military personnel with naturally straight hair were told it was unacceptable? They could only wear braids and twists? The outrage would be astronomical. Yet, that is the same exact issue that confronted people of color in the military. Who decided that straight hair is correct or superior and curly, coily, and natural hair are inferior?

A great question to ask here is: why did this policy ever see the light of day in the first place?

Someone, somewhere, sat in a room with a group of people and decided that ethnic hair needed to be straightened or hidden to be appropriate, and they were sorely wrong. If anything, this situation highlights the kinds of discriminatory laws and policies that could be put into action if not contested. What would happen if no one complained? What other policies would go into effect? No one knows, but the main lesson here is this: if something is discriminatory towards anyone, based on how they look or were born, something needs to be said. Silence dangerous. I give kudos to the military for altering this policy, but the fact that it was even put into action in the first place is disturbing.

If you read articles on NaturallyCurly, other blogs or in forums, you will grow familiar with the techniques and styles that are widely accepted in the curly community. You may find your Holy Grail products, go-to styles, and can’t-live-without techniques this way. But it is also important to acknowledge that these techniques don’t work for everyone. 

If these common techniques did nothing for your curls, don’t despair! It’s not your fault, you’re not doing anything wrong, it just doesn’t work for your individual curls. Here are some common natural hair rules and techniques that in my experience don’t work for me.

” src=”https://diana-cdn.naturallycurly.com/Articles/cm_E_Owens-650×365-1.jpg”>

The longer your hair is, the more time and product it demands for maintenance, so over the years a simplified hair routine has been my biggest ally in keeping it simple. Here is my natural hair routine for my tailbone length hair.

Shampoo (weekly”>

I shampoo once per week because that is what works for my hair plus, I tend to get a lot of buildup. My go-to shampoo at the moment is the Aussie Moist Shampoo.

Deep Condition (weekly”> 

Deep conditioning is important for any curly or coily, but especially for those with low porosity hair like myself. For me, deep conditioning weekly infuses my hair with ample moisture and adds shine. It is really important for those with low porosity hair because it’s hard for moisture to penetrate the hair strands and prevent dryness.

To deep condition, I start off by shampooing and then applying a rinse out conditioner such as Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner silicone-free formula to soften up my hair. Next, I apply my deep conditioning mixture, which consists of the Aussie Moist 3 Minute Miracle Deep Conditioner mixed with a bit of honey and olive oil. I generously apply this mixture all over my hair from root to tip, detangle, and then sit under a hooded dryer for 15-20 minutes.

Clarify (monthly”>

Clarifying rids the hair of any buildup it has amassed. I like to clarify with raw apple cider vinegar, which also conditions the hair. I use one tablespoon to one cup of cold water after shampooing. After clarifying, I move on to deep conditioning. I clarify to get rid if any product buildup from all hair products, even shampoo. Since I have low porosity hair, the product buildup can make it look dull. Doing a ACV rinse is my way of making sure there is absolutely no buildup. I also use it as a way to naturally condition my hair.

Styling

My go-to hairstyle is the wash and go and I typically do one wash and go per week. My technique is the conditioner only or, tightly curly method. I use Aussie Moist Conditioner for this. Sometimes I like to switch it up, just so my hair doesn’t get too use to the same products. When that happens, my go-to curly hair gel is the As I Am Curling Jelly. This stuff works like magic and my hair loves it, but since I have issues with dryness, the conditioner method is my first choice. After styling I seal with olive or argan oil.  

99% of the time I allow my hair to air dry. When plopping (or plunking”> I get better results, but if it’s cold out or I just don’t feel like being soaking wet for hours, I will diffuse until my hair stops dripping. Now, back to plunking. I discovered this little gem not too long ago and it soaks up all the extra water after my hair is done and simply makes my life easier when I need to finish getting ready. I also love how it lifts my roots so they aren’t so flat when they dry.

Here’s how typically style my hair throughout the week:

Days 1-3: I usually wear a wash and go that can last for up to three days.

Days 4-5: After a few days, my wash and go has got to go, but I usually re-moisturize and transition into a ponytail, high bun, or some other protective style for two days.

Other styles: My other go-to styles include twists, twist outs, and flexi rod sets. I do these styles when I need a break from the wash and go’s or any maintenance. These styles typically last for one week.

[prodmod]

Nighttime routine

My nighttime routine varies and here’s why: when I have a fresh wash and go (day one”>, the pineapple works great. After day one, it just tends to frizz my hair out and disturb my curl pattern. Bonnets stopped working for me a long time ago because they just stretch out, so for most nights I wear a silk scarf that is enclosed at the end. Just think of a classic dew rag that you’d typically see a man wear, and instead the flap hanging in the back it’s enclosed like a little silk bag, that’s where the hair goes and it works great.

Other hair regimens:

Trimming– I trim my hair approximately every six months and generally take off an inch. I may also do some dusting in between then.

Straightening– I hardly ever straighten my hair because I just get bored with that look. When I do, it is once per year or even longer. I strongly feel that my low use of heat has strongly contributed to my length retention.

When it comes to my hair routine, I like to keep it simple by using decent products and listen to my hair. I don’t sway too far left or right, just because I have long hair doesn’t mean that I use only organic, natural products. I try to stick with quality, which helps but I think more than that; keeping my hair routine uncomplicated has allowed me to enjoy my journey instead of being overwhelmed by it, and that plays a key role in my length retention.