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Loving our hair can look different for everyone, especially as you are trying to discover products that work for your hair. Some may find navigating a good definition of healthy hair confusing depending on the moisture needed according to your hair texture and porosity. If you aim to keep your curls from never missing your love, then you have come to the right spot.
Stress can affect everyone in multiple ways, and it is one of the leading causes of hair breakage and temporary hair loss. Due to behavioral patterns and self-expression traits, this guide will provide each zodiac with a product to assist your hair in being healthy and moisturized.
Taurus: TPH Never Salty Hair Scrub
Taurus are known for their extra TLC, and one of their best traits is their ability to pay attention to the small details. This product will have you giving Taraji P Henson all your money towards her new hair care line. Its ozzy and creamy mixture of Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar, and Peppermint allows all hair types to get a detailed scalp exfoliant that will remove buildup, leaving your hair cleansed and promoting your hair growth.
Pisces: SheaMoisture Intensive Honey Masque
Pisces are the 12th zodiac sign, which causes them to embody almost every piece of the other 11 zodiac signs. Pisces can be sweet and gives their 100% love to anyone that crosses their path. SheaMoisture Intensive Honey Masque is one of the best products to buy if you consider an excellent deep-condition routine. Its thick and creamy masque formula instantly gives your hair the moisture it needs with its Fig Extract and Mafura Oil combination. This product will have your curls silky smooth and not to mention its sweet smell of honey.
Sagittarius: As I AM GroWash Passionfruit and Pomegranate
Sagittarius is one of the most resourceful signs in the zodiac due to its ability to adapt to any environment and thrive to success. This product is no exception to the testament, as their co-wash conditioner will be the best thing that will ever touch your head. Their cleansing creme conditioner contains biotin and a sweet hint of fruit that will clear your hair from impurities and keep the moisture at the same time.
Cancer: Mielle Organic Rice Water Clay
Cancers are multifaceted and are determined to go after what they want. Once they decide what they want – nothing or no one will stand in their way, and they always get their way. This holy-grail product gives the curls what they need. Mielle Organic Rice Water Clay promotes hair growth with its rice water ingredient as it also detoxifies the impurities that may build up in your hair.
Leo: Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey
Leo’s might be known as the lions of the zodiac, but deep down, they are big softies and can be as sweet as honey. This product will become your best friend and the best companion that you have ever had. The formula of this hair pomade feels lightweight on the hair and gives it that luminous finish. Its honey and rosemary oil blend is perfect for those that struggle with dry and brittle hair.
Gemini: Pattern Ultimate Hydration Bundle
Geminis will forever be known as the treacherous little twin sign. Their versatile approach to life allows them to blend in with many different crowds and create a new innovative version of themselves. If a price tag does not matter, dive into Tracee Ellis Ross’s Ultimate Hydration Bundle- treatment mask, scalp serum, wide tooth comb, intensive conditioner, and jojoba oil blend self-heat packs. This deluxe product set gives you everything your hair needs to keep your hair cleansed, moisturized, and detoxed as you use your wide-tooth comb to keep hair breakage to a minimum.
Scorpio: Camilla Rose Sweet Ginger Rinse
Scorpios tend to bring the light towards any dark situation and are masters of making the best out of a bad situation. Our hair needs a good cleansing rinse to ensure optimum hair and scalp health. This cleanses buildup without stripping your hair follicles from moisture. Its sweet lemon fragrance and castor oil will ensure that your hair walks lemony- fresh with a hint of ginger.
Capricorn: OGX Tea Tree Shampoo
Capricorns are often associated with being the goat, and heavy is the head that wears the crown. OGX Tea Tree Shampoo awakens and stimulates the hair follicles to remove buildup while rejuvenating your scalp for the ultimate cleansing experience. With its lightweight formula, you only need a minimum amount of product for the perfect deep cleanse, as its tea tree oil retains the moisture needed to acquire healthy hair.
Virgo: Dabur AMLA Gold Hair Oil
Virgos are innovative and can obtain the spotlight by being themselves. This hair oil will transcend your beautiful hair journey with minimal effort. If you are considering an excellent pre-shampoo hair oil treatment, Dabur’s AMLA Gold Hair Oil is the hair oil treatment that will give your hair the red carpet treatment it deserves. Its’ Indian Gooseberry, along with its other nourishing vitamins, gives you the maximum hair support towards a healthy scalp and hair follicles.
Aquarius: Pura d’Or Advanced Therapy Set
Aquarius are excellent meditators, and their ability to find peace within hectic situations allows them to push themselves to the finish line. This all-in-one shampoo and conditioner set is needed to battle heavy stress or extreme hair dryness. Its highly advanced formula – consisting of 17 key ingredients will tackle any of your hair’s worst fears and guide it back to health.
Libra: Tea Tree Special Conditioner
It is no mistake that Libras can be the most committed to making a significant impact and thinking outside the box. Paul Mitchell’s Tea Tree Special Conditioner can be considered one of the pillars of healthy hair products. If you have not heard of Paul Mitchell, you have lived under a rock due to their multiple accolades in the hair care industry. Its thick formula moisturizes while detangling your hair, thus giving you the perfect conditioner experience.
Aries: Sesa Ayurvedic Hair Oil
Aries love to rebel against any traditional paths and thrive when they are put in new environments that force them outside their comfort zone. This 5000-year-old hair recipe has been passed to the hair expert that invented Sesa Ayurvedic Oil. This formula contains 18 herbs, five oils, and milk, providing you with the supreme pre-shampoo treatment that reduces hair fallout and supports hair growth.
Everyone’s hair journey can be exciting and fulfilling as we unravel our identity. One of the few things to consider in your hair care routine is to have a great wash day routine that detoxes your scalp and moisturizes hair. Whether you need a new scalp scrub or hair serum, the most important thing is that you are giving yourself what you need.
This article was written by Amber Little and originally published by Girls United.
Amber Little is a writer, astrologist, and digital content creator. Bred in East Atlanta, she has used her Journalism degree from Georgia State University to educate others on the spiritual aspect of Astrology. Her overall goal is to show others that we are all connected through spirituality and that we are individually made special.
These hairstyles made waves this year!
2022 hair moments gave glamour galore, with this era allowing Black girls to tap into simplicity. There’s no better feeling than walking out of the salon; this year represented the time for new beginnings and styles. So what are the most trending hairstyles this year? There have been various hairstyles this year that Black women have gone viral for being stylish, sensible, comfortable, and chic.
Below, stylists weigh in on the most trendy hairstyles in 2022.
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Knotless Braids
No matter what the occasion, whether it’s a vacation, a wedding, a birthday, or just because the trend of knotless braids has become extremely popular due to the versatility and low maintenance the hairstyle provides.
“Small Knotless are flat and lightweight,” said Malinda Reed, Chicago braider. “The knotless method makes the braids easy to manipulate and offers many different styling options on the same day. A bun, ponytail, half up, half down, you name it! You can have it all with this style.”
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Flip Over Quick Weaves/ Sew-Ins
With this new hair trend taking over TikTok, the flip-over quick weaves and sew-ins have worked well for the girls on the go who want a less time-consuming style but still gives that sleek fresh-out-the-salon look.
“In 2022, the natural sew-ins have come back in style. Even though people love lace, the natural styles are back,” said entrepreneur Sededra Arthur. “You can do a ponytail, and you can [also] flip it to the left or right.”
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Roller Set
Yes, you read it correctly, roller sets have made a remarkable comeback with haircare because it gets the job done for those with natural hair who don’t want to worry about putting a tremendous amount of heat on their hair.
“Tension rollers, in particular, break down the natural curls [and] it stretches it out for me, adds shine to the hair, adds volume to the hair, and it’s less direct heat on the hair,” said Eden Bogale, natural hair specialist in Atlanta. “The health of the hair does better with the roller set than what you’ll get with a blow dryer.”
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Ponytails
Who doesn’t love a sleek and protective ponytail? Whether a frontal ponytail or the classic silky ponytail, it creates a protective style that nourishes the hair and keeps it low maintenance.
“It looks simple, but when you put it together [and] depending on what you get, whether it’s a braided, wavy, big, or long ponytail and how you shape their face, their beauty comes out,” Bogale said. “People love that simplicity, and it lasts long too.”
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Tape-Ins
The wave of tape-ins grew tremendously in 2022. It allowed the everyday girl to have that natural extension without the process of a sew-in or wig. It allows women to do everyday things with their hair, such as washing, styling, etc.
“People didn’t know the versatility of tape-ins,” said Aida Techilo, Owner of Studio Techilo in Atlanta. “On the market now, we’re able to see that tape-ins are lightweight, have no tension, and you can match your extensions with it. We get the flexibility that everybody else gets, and we’re able to enhance our natural length.”
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Stitch Braids
The stitch braid trend became very popular during the summer because it added a new flair to the traditional cornrow style of braids. Because now, with this style, you can get creative and make the style unique.
“It’s such a quick and sleek hairstyle for someone on the go or just needing something low-maintenance for vacation,” Reed said. “You can just get up and go with this hairstyle, and the curls in the bun add a more feminine flare that highlights the side profile.”
Wolf/Shag Cut
According to Curl Centric hair expert Kira Byrd, the shag and wolf cut have become extremely popular this year for the natural hair community.
“They both follow similar designs, softer fringes, choppy layers, and a structure that’s intended to give the hair as much volume as possible,” Byrd said. “It seems that 2022 has seen many clients finally embrace their curls, and they are getting cuts that accentuate the natural beauty of their hair rather than hiding it.”
This article was written by Kenyatta Victoria and originally published on Girls United.
As it approaches back-to-school season for Black girls of all ages, we’re faced with one of the biggest barriers that comes with this time of year: what to do with your hair. Picking out a hairstyle is a task within itself, so we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite hairstyles.
Please note that our completion times and longevity are estimates, based on personal experience. Your times may vary based on your hair type, texture, length, and thickness, if you’re doing it yourself vs. a hairdresser, sizing, and most importantly, how you protect it at night – don’t forget about those silk scarves, bonnets, and pillowcases. Hopefully, you can try one of these styles…or try them all!
Bantu Knots
Time to complete: approximately 1 hour
Length it’ll last: 1-2 weeks + 1 week after take-down
Bantu knots don’t take a super long time and can be dressed up or down. Beginning wet or dry hair, apply your desired hair product and proceed with a two-strand twist, or by simply twisting a section of your hair clockwise or counterclockwise and proceeding to wrap the hair around the base of the twist, it’ll create a knot. Be sure to have hair pins on deck to secure the knot! You can get fancy and add hair jewelry or string, create triangle parts, or do a half up half down look with the knots.
Fulani Braids
Time to complete: approximately 3 hours
Length it’ll last: 1 month
Also known as tribal braids, Fulani Braids originated from the Fulani tribe located in several regions of Africa. These braids can be traditionally cornrowed into a multitude of patterns in the front row; from zig-zagged designs to a single braid down the middle and braids on the left and right. The braids’ back row(s”> can consist of 1-3 additional rows of cornrows or individual knotless braids. Be sure to apply mousse at night before tying your scarf down, to preserve the braids’ neatness and prevent flyaways!
Sew-In Weave
Time to complete: approximately 2 hours
Length it’ll last: 1-2 months
As there are many layers to weave from colors, textures, and brands, we could compile a list on weave alone. Traditionally, weaves are sewn-in or glued in (also known as a quickweave”> or recently gaining traction – taped in – with leave-out, closure, or frontal. Depending on the type of weave you purchase, you can be versatile with weave from wearing it straight, curled, curly, wet, and wavy or kinky straight or kinky curly. For styles for short wear, synthetic or premium (mix of human hair and synthetic”> can be used, but be sure to check the packaging for instructions on using heat. Human hair bundles are best for longer-lasting styles. Most weaves can be refreshed, by being washed while still installed in your head, and re-styled for more longevity.
Faux Locs
Time to complete: approximately 4 hours
Length it’ll last: 1.5-3 months
With the option of getting individual faux locs similar to box braids, or crochet braids for a quicker but still natural look, faux locs will have people thinking you loc’d your hair! After your natural hair is individually parted and braided, faux locs can be hand-wrapped around a braid to create the loc, or crocheted into the braid with a premade loc.
Natural Curls
Time to complete: approximately 1-2 hours
Length it’ll last: 1 week
Natural styles are another category that we can go on about for days! From wash-n-go’s to braid out, bantu knot out, and twist outs, the options are endless. After applying your favorite product, begin to braid, knot, twist, etc. your hair, and blow dry it or style it at night and allow it to air dry overnight You can wear your curls out, put them in a puff or ponytail (high up or slick back”>, half up half down, pinned updo and more! Be sure to ensure your hair is fully dry before taking it out of its style, or your curls won’t be as defined.
Goddess Braids
Time to complete: approximately 4-5 hours
Length it’ll last: 1-2 months
Similar to the traditional individual box or knotless braids, goddess braids typically have curly pieces on the braid’s ends and/or throughout your head. Though braids are long-lasting, be sure to keep your braids moisturized while in this protective style; and don’t forget to mousse your braids and the curly pieces to keep them looking fresh!
Faux Hawk
Time to complete: approximately 20 minutes
Length it’ll last: 3-5 days
Trying to think of creative ways to style your natural curls? Pin both sides inward, to meet in the middle and you’ve got a style that’ll extend the life of the previous week’s curls. Feel free to add gel or edge control to the sides for a slicker look.
Straight Backs
Time to complete: approximately 1.5 hours
Length it’ll last: 2 weeks
Straight backs can be worn with your natural hair, or with braiding hair added in, known as ‘feed-in braids.’ These braids can also be braided into a high or low bun or a ponytail, if you don’t want them to hang down your back. You can get creative with these braids by having small braids in between the larger braids, patterned parts, adding curly ends, or getting them braided extra long.
Finger Waves
Time to complete: approximately 1 hour
Length it’ll last: 1 week
A fitting style for the short-haired girlies, finger waves are a style that’s classic and has been a trendy style for decades. A look usually achieved on natural hair simply with mousse; and on straightened hair with hair spray; and the literal wave of your finger and a comb, it’s harder than it looks, but the turnout is *chef’s kiss.*
Space Buns/Puff Balls
Time to complete: approximately 30 minutes
Length it’ll last: 1 week
One of many little Black girls’ go-to styles has made a return on many of the 90’s and early ‘00s babies into adulthood. Are your natural curls getting old, or didn’t turn out to your satisfaction? Throw it up into two puff balls or buns and you instantly have a new style! Slick your hair up with your favorite gel and/or edge control, and no one will know you were likely freaking out about your hair before you left the house with this cute style.
High or Low Ponytail
Time to complete: approximately 1.5 hours
Length it’ll last: 1-1.5 weeks
You know the one style you can’t go wrong with, is a good ol’ pony. This quick style – though pretty hard to sleep on – is a get-up-and-go! Wear it up or down, straight or curly, and instantly you don’t have to think ‘what am I going to do with my hair tomorrow?’ for at least a week. Just be sure to secure your hair with a silk scarf at night to keep your sleekness!
Written by Kyla L. Wright and originally published on Girls United
What a cutie! Serena Williams’ daughter Olympia wore her mother’s signature hairstyle during an outing at what appears to be Disneyland.
On April 20, a photo of the 4-year-old was posted to her own Instagram account. In the shot, Olympia poses with a hand on her heart in front of Princess Tiana from The Princess and the Frog. The 4-year-old got to meet the real-life version of what appears to be one of her favorite cartoon characters. In fact, Olympia is dressed up as the Disney princess for the occasion.
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Williams’ daughter is wearing loose braids capped off with pastel pink, yellow and blue beads on the ends. The hairstyle is reminiscent of Serena and Venus Williams’ beaded braids worn on tennis courts in the 1990s and 2000s.
The tennis stars were some of the rare Black women to compete at such a high level in tennis competitions. For many, their presence on the court and their signature hairstyle gave much needed representation to Black girls and women around the world.
The hairstyle was so meaningful, it was even included in King Richard, the film which chronicles the Williams sisters’ childhood and on-court dominance. Carla Farmer, the lead hair stylist on set, told Allure that it took over 200 beads to recreate their now iconic look from the tennis court.
On Instagram, fans are marveling at Olympia’s cuteness. “Olympia is a princess in her own right. She is so adorable,” commented one person. “She’s like I’m the real princess here ?❤️ so precious,” wrote another. Some fans are celebrating the fact that Olympia can see herself represented through Princess Tiana, Disney’s only Black princess. “Representation Matters ???” commented one person.
This article was written by Kyra Alessandrini for Girls United.
Hair care brand Olaplex is changing the formula of its best-selling product, the Olaplex No 3. Hair Perfector, because of concerns that an ingredient, lilial, may lead to infertility.
What is Olaplex No. 3?
The brand is known for reviving damages, colored and bleached hair. The No 3. Hair Perfector is popular across the board, from hairstylists to at-home users. It is famous for its smoothing, strengthening and conditioning properties.
What is the ingredient in question?
Health officials in the European Union and the United Kingdom have published research tying the ingredient lilial to infertility. Lilial, also referred to as Butylphenyl methylpropional, is a fragrance used in beauty products such as perfumes, shampoos, deodorants, skincare, tanning lotions, and hair styling products. It is found naturally in the essential oil of chamomile and is used synthetically for its Lily of the Valley aroma. It is solely used for fragrance and is not an active substance.
“In September 2020, the EU regulatory authority announced their intent to [have] Butylphenyl methylpropional commonly referred to as “lilial” phased out by March of 2022. At Olaplex, lilial was previously used in small amounts as a fragrance in No. 3 Hair Perfector,” Olaplex wrote on Twitter.
Olaplex’s No 3. Hair Perfector is being reformulated to adhere to the EU’s regulatory standards, which are stricter than in the United States.
Lavinia Popescu, Chief Scientist, VP R&D and Regulatory at Olaplex, addressed the concerns on Instagram. “Since January 2022, Olaplex no longer sold products using lilial in the UK or EU. At Olaplex, lilial was previously used in small amounts as a fragrance in N°.3 Hair Perfector. It is not an active or functional ingredient,” Olaplex captioned an Instagram post. The hair care brand decided to remove lilial from its global formula of the No 3. Hair Perfector. “While this phase-out is limited to the EU and the US permits use of this ingredient, out of an abundance of caution we proactively removed lilial from our N°.3 Hair Perfector globally.”
Written by Kyra Alessandrini
Image credit: Getty Images
Whether you’re walking down the street or scrolling online, you’re bound to see an increasing amount of Black women rocking their natural hair. Some have short locks sprouting out of their scalp. Others are years deep, and have dark, kinky curls swinging around their faces like sun rays. Natural hair care Instagram accounts are being created in droves, as are hair products. To an outsider, it may seem like a fad, or an extension of the self care movement. But to those who are really down, this explosion of natural hair acceptance has been in the works since the 1960s.
Actress Cicely Tyson credits herself with the beginning of the natural hair craze. To give her character more authenticity, Tyson shaved her head for a role in the 1961 off-Broadway play The Blacks. In an interview for Oprah’s Master Class, Tyson revealed that after she was implored to keep her hair cropped and natural for a role in the 60s show East Side/West Side, she began to get scathing letters from beauticians. “I got letters from all over the country, telling me that I was affecting their business because their clients were having their hair cut off,” she said.
Tyson’s braids from the 1972 film Sounder, as well as Bernadette Stanis’ braids in the popular sitcom Good Times, presented mainstream portrayals of cornrows that have been copied for decades since.
Civil rights activists, including Black Panther Party members, politicized the Afro in the 1960s. Kathleen Cleaver spoke about the power of the Afro in a 1968 interview. “The reason for [us wearing our natural hair] you might say is like a new awareness among Black people that their own natural appearance –physical appearance is beautiful and pleasing to them,” she said. Women became increasingly inclined to abandon products and practices that altered the natural state of their hair. This dissimilation, coupled with the ‘Black Is Beautiful’ movement, made for a mass acceptance of natural hair.
I've never changed my hair, never changed my color, always been proud of myself " – Nina Simone #BlackIsBeautiful pic.twitter.com/jwesDDq0
— Yusuf Yuie ✨ (@YouUpYouBlessed”> December 21, 2012
Scholar and activist Angela Davis’ Afro is nothing short of legendary, but in a 1994 essay, “Afro Images: Politics, Fashion and Nostalgia”, she wrote about the dangers of the hairstyle and how images of it were utilized in political warfare.
Recalling her 1972 trial, Davis wrote, “[T]he photographs identified vast numbers of my Black female contemporaries who wore naturals (whether light- or dark- skinned”> as targets of repression. This is the hidden historical content that lurks behind the continued assosciation with the afro.”
Black women’s hair is always both personal and political.
Due to the embracing of cornrows, braids as their own hairstyle—and not a foundation for a wig—became popular during the late 1970s and 1980s. Notable Black figures, such as jazz pianist Patrice Rushen, were famous for their talent, as well as their intricate hairstyles. Rushen in particular wore long braids, decorated with colorful beads, feathers and shells. In a 1979 issue of EBONY, it was written that “braids and cornrows until recently were dismissed as hairstyles for children and ‘country folk’.” That anti-Black stereotype disintegrated, though, and cornrows are now being worn by modern trendsetters like Arnell Armon and Rihanna.
Jamaican-American singer Grace Jones wore her hair natural as well. For decades, she donned a short cut, or small flattop that she groomed herself. During a press run for the 1984 film Conan the Destroyer, Jones spoke about shaving her head annually. “It’s almost like a sacred thing. It’s something that one really never does, and so when you do it, it’s so—I feel like a nun,” Jones said. With her flattop, Jones subverted gendered beauty ideas.
The 1990s introduced a variety of Black natural hair care products, like Shea Moisture and Carol’s Daughter. Shea Moisture, founded by Richelieu Dennis in 1991, was based on Dennis’ grandmother’s recipes, which she sold in a village market in Sierra Leone. Though relaxers were on the rise during this time, Shea Moisture encouraged women to learn how to care for their natural hair, long before it was popularized in the 2000s. Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Venus and Serena Williams were also champions of natural styles in the late 90s.
Venus and Serena were young tennis prodigies from Compton, California, when they, along with their braids, became phenomenons. “We were not afraid to wear braids. We weren’t afraid to be Black in tennis. And that was different,” Serena said in an interview with Allure.
In 1999, Venus was punished for her style. During the Australian Open, she was penalized after some of her beads fell out mid-match and she went on to lose the match. The way Williams’ hairstyle and it’s unraveling were discussed during the subsequent press conference disrespected the legacy of braids and beads. Her opponent, Lindsay Davenport, said “Well, you can see [the beads], and you can hear them a little bit…I’m not gonna say it was a distraction, but it was a little annoying.” The Williams sisters did not stop wearing beads, which helped pave the way for singer Kelela, who frequently has her locks adorned with crystals.
The most recent wave of the natural hair movement has been heavily criticized for excluding Type 4 hair. For a 2018 Madame Noire essay, “Why the Natural Hair Movement Has Been A Gift And A Curse To Black Women”, Arah Iloabugichukwu wrote about natural hair brands opting to use lighter-skinned models with loose curl patterns to be the face of their campaigns.
“But the industry quickly exemplified why all natural hair wasn’t created equal,” she wrote. “It was the packaging that told the story, campaigns full of racially ambiguous women with ringlets cascading down their backs took center stage.”
People have long talked about how the modern movement has become nothing more than a megaphone for light-skinned Black women with silky curls. Sadly, that’s not the only issue this iteration of the movement has faced.
In 2009, when Solange Knowles shaved her head, she was blasted by white media outlets. “Beyoncé’s little sister Solange Knowles has shaved her head, as if making some sort of desperate cry for attention,” read one write up.
Knowles fired back with a tweet, writing “i. have. done. this. twice. in. my. life. i. was 16. i was 18. did. not care about your opinion. then. dont. care. now… i. just. wanted. to. be. free. from. the. bondage. that. black. women sometimes. put. on. themselves. with. hair.” Five years later, those same outlets were calling her a “curly-hair[ed] icon.”
These days, women like Ari Lennox and Lena Waithe gracefully glide across red carpets with their natural hair on full display. It’s a reminder of all that Black women have endured and overcome, all because they dared to toss European beauty standards aside.
The history of natural hair is full of politics, ingenuity, and beauty and it is one that we all should be proud of.
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