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Photos by Mario Testino for Vogue
Serena Williams graces the latest cover of Vogue with co-star, 4-month-old daughter, Alexis
We have been here for Serena Williams every time she lived and breathed black girl magic long before it was a hashtag on Twitter. We grinned from ear to ear once we heard that she had found her soulmate, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, Sr. As if twerking in a Beyoncé video wasn’t enough, Williams’ engagement and later marriage and pregnancy announcement had us shook. So, we swooned some more.
Shortly after giving birth to Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., we were completely touched by Williams’ open letter to her mother, Oracene Price, in which the world champion Olympic tennis player admitted and professed, “I am trying, though, and God is not done with me yet. I have a LONG way to go, but thank you.” This morning our hearts lit up after seeing Serena and child grace the cover of the [latest issue of Vogue](https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-vogue-cover-interview-february-2018″>.
Maintaining good health while practicing new motherhood and making a career comeback: it’s all a balancing act. And as expected, tennis world champion and newlywed, Serena Williams, seems to have everything under total control.
And we mean everything. The 23-time Grand Slam Singles champion and winner of several Olympic gold medals has had quite the journey to stardom and fortune, as the article points out. From the murder of her sister Yetunda Price in 2003 to a freak accident which led to a health scare involving pulmonary embolisms that caused her to sit out of her sport for an entire year, Serena Williams is no stranger to defeat. Season after season, year after year, and time after time, Williams continues to wow the world as she proves that she is a winner, indeed. Motherhood to Olympia, or Junior as her husband puts it, just added another trophy to shine and put away in the case. “We’re not spending a day apart until she’s 18,” Williams jokingly said of her baby girl whom she shared the celebratory cover with. “Now that I’m 36 and I look at my baby, I remember that this was also one of my goals when I was little, before tennis took over, when I was still kind of a normal girl who played with dolls. Oh, my God, I loved my dolls.”
One might believe that life after motherhood at any age or level of success might put them at risk for slowing down in their career. This hasn’t shown to be true for Serena Williams whatsoever.
The star athlete’s vulnerabilty and willingness to let us, the outside world, peek into her seemingly glamorous and extravagant life has given more reality checks than what we had originally expected. Through social media, Serena has bared her true feelings and insecurities more just in the past year alone than she had done in decades of being in the limelight. “I’ve broken down I don’t know how many times. Or I’ll get angry about the crying, then sad about being angry, and then guilty, like, Why do I feel so sad when I have a beautiful baby? The emotions are insane.”
Still, in the world of ‘celebrity’ or elsewhere, the star and her husband are choosing to give their daughter as “normal” of a life as possible.
“She’s obviously going to have a very special life,” Serena says, “but there are enough cautionary tales about kids who grow up in the spotlight. How do you make your kid live in reality when your own reality is so… unreal? This kid is going to have more Instagram followers than me in about three weeks.”
Read 4 Ways Zendaya is Using Her Celebrity Status in a Positive Way
Real talk, this No Sugar Challenge is driving me a little bit nuts.
I swear this was an accident.
No seriously, when was the last time you were on your knees ugly-crying in a produce aisle? I honestly hope the answer to that is ‘Oh my GOD, April, NEVER’, for y’all’s sake, but my answer as of writing is “Five days ago”. In my defense, I was hungry, and also HOW do you run out of CILANTRO.
Still though, despite the frustrations, recurring dreams, and the “brown rice noodles” that have WHITE RICE LISTED AS THE SECOND INGREDIENT, I intend to persevere! And there are other ways for me to get my sweet fix, especially in my hair and skin care! There are products loaded with the sugars, juices, and starches that we’re not allowed to consume internally on this challenge, but our curls have no such restrictions!
Go on and give this list a look!
Pretty sweet, right? But what do things on our ‘No’ list actually do for you externally?
Sugar:
As mommy always says, “Sugar is not your friend”. That definitely goes for eating it in excess, but there are actually quite a few ways it helps your hair and skin! For one thing, the same sticky qualities sugary drinks have when you spill can translate into both hold and volume when used in hair products. Similarly, the way wet sugar coats and surrounds everything it lands on means it’s a great help in heat protection! And who can deny the results of a good sugar scrub down when you’re getting all that dry winter skin off in the shower? Exactly.
Honey:
Where do you even begin with honey? It’s a natural antiseptic that can literally last hundreds of years without spoiling, and its humectant properties means that it actively draws moisture into your hair and skin to keep things supple. Throw in its anti-inflammatory and penetrating emollient powers, and you’ve got a bona fide perfect ingredient for all your beauty needs. I’m going to be skipping my me-day masques with honey for the time being (why tempt fate”>, but as long as it’s combined with other less edible ingredients, you’re good to go!
Fruit Juice:
I was actually pretty steamed that we couldn’t have even ‘no sugar added’ fruit juice on this challenge, but let’s face it, the concentration of sugar in all-natural juice is still high, and won’t include those trace things like silica and fiber that you get with the whole fruit. However, because you can’t erase anti-oxidants through pulping, topical applications of fruit juices and extracts can still aid hair growth and skin brightness even if you have to put down the straw for now.
Does that sound good? Of course it does! Head on over to our specially curated Sweet Curl Shop and get your hands on these guilt-free goodies.
And if you’re handling the No Sugar Challenge better than I am, shout out how you’re coping in the comments!
Want to join our No Sugar Challenge? Sign up here (if you dare”>.
I don’t have a sweet tooth, y’all.
I have a whole sweet MOUTH. I have sweet molars, canines, mandible, maxilla, hard and soft palate, the works. Sugar is not my friend, it is my lover. And by the time this article hits the internet, we’ll be through the first weekend of our two week challenge and I assume I’ll be well on my way to insanity.
April B/ Cassandra JK
…okay, FURTHER insanity.
But assuming I’ve been properly sticking to my sugar-free guns, the sweetest thing I’ll have had in my arena will be my Blissful Lengths vitamin and my daily calls to mommy, and I already know it’s going to be a little rough. There’s a silver lining though! I’m growing my hair out, I want it butt-length by age 40, and from what I’ve read, reducing added processed sugars in one’s diet is a great way to get those inches.
Before I keep going, I want to point out that while food industries are VERY interested in keeping up the added sugars in E V E R Y T H I N G, and it’s far from ideal; our bodies still need sugars in our diets. The issue is that even SPICES like lemon pepper, can contain sugars we don’t know are there. And there are lots of “healthy” brands that like to hide the sugar in their products with names like ‘organic cane juice’ ‘molasses’ or ‘anhydrous dextrose’, despite the fact that your body will process it all the exact same way. However, there’s a difference in being informed and being paranoid. If you find yourself scrutinizing your body or your calorie intake without prior consultation with a health professional, please find someone you trust to discuss the matter with. Change has to come from loving yourself, not from hate.
Willpower to stick with a healthier lifestyle is one thing, working yourself into an eating disorder is another.
So. How does sugar reduction translate into longer stronger hair?
It’s supposed to be a holistic deal. The idea is: when your body is busy fighting tooth decay, blood sugar spikes, and self loathing, it’s not functioning optimally in other regards like building muscle, keeping your mood on an even keel, and growing out your curls. And that makes sense on the surface. However, just like I know people that smoke without the premature wrinkles D.A.R.E. warned me about, I’ve certainly been growing my hair successfully without a consistently healthful way of eating. True, I don’t have any hard data regarding my growth rates related to what I eat, but in spite of Oreo breakfasts and months of going without eating full meals at all, my hair HAS grown.
Furthermore, in reading more about what happened during a reduced sugar run from participants with no other health conditions that aren’t running a juicing channel, selling a book, or otherwise directly profiting from people in the wellness sphere, the only recurring results have been weight loss, increased energy, and the lack of sugar cravings; as opposed to ‘My skin is glowing, and my hair is long enough to make a Tangled sequel’ type conclusions.
Why should we even be doing this then?
Honestly? It’s a discipline thing. If I can’t throw my hands up and get takeout, slap some instant ramen together, or have Pop Tarts for dinner during this challenge, I have no choice but to cook properly. That means I need to grocery shop, which means I need to have the week’s recipies planned out, a car devoid of street furniture finds to take groceries home in, and ready access to all my pens and notepads for list making. It means I have to meal prep which means I need to stop leaving my Ross hauls on the kitchen counter, sharpen my knives, structure my weekends, keep my nails clean, lid match all my pyrex storage, and not let dishes pile up.
I don’t want y’all to get the impression that my parents raised a totally inept slob, but there’s always room for improvement. And all the improvements around being forced to be more mindful of my environment and nutrition are going to spill off into my hair care!
April B/Cassandra JK
If I’m not tired out from worrying about the kitchen, I can worry about MY kitchen.
Clearing all of the products I need to try off the counters means it’ll be easier to actually use them, to say nothing of how much easier it’d be to break out the trivet and tea lights for any DIY projects. And if I feel good about myself not spending hours hungry before giving in and ordering a pizza, I’ll WANT to take care of myself instead of throwing in the grease-stained towel on doing anything good that day.
I’m excited for what this challenge means for me and everyone in the NaturallyCurly community taking it, because if nothing else, it’s going to make mindfulness regarding cooking and consuming absolutely mandatory. It’s my hope that that translates into a higher level of care in all aspects of our lives—curly hair very much included.
April B/ Cassandra JK
Have you joined our challenge, curlies? Let us know how you’ve been doing in the comments, and if you have any new tasty recipes to share…DO IT.
Photo courtesy: Simplycyn
There are lots of fun styles worth trying for natural hair. One of the most beloved is the timeless beauty of the afro. While many curlies worry this look might be hard to pull off or damaging to their hair, it is actually pretty easy and, with enough moisture, safe for your kinks and coils. Here are 5 afro tutorials to help you rock your crown boldly.
Curly Afro
For a big, voluminous look sure to make others take notice, this style is a must try. Lots of naturals worry about tangles or knots when trying out an afro look. Find out how to avoid this issue and how to achieve this style with this tutorial.
2. Fluffy and Soft Afro
When you want an afro that plays up the fluffy factor, this is the one to try. This style is perfect for special occasions or simply looking great every day! Best of all, it is really easy to do.
3. Afro Puff
This is definitely a favorite of the top 5 afro hairstyles because it is such a classic look. It is one of the easiest styles to pull off and works well with hair of most lengths. The key is to stretch those curls out to get the puff of your dreams.
4. Defined Afro
With an afro style, some women aren’t fans because they feel they lose definition. The defined afro style solves that problem! This style gives you the volume of an afro but lets you keep your defined curls.
5. Pinned Afro
When you want a look that gives the best of an afro with a more slicked back aspect, this is the look to try. This style is great for date night when you want to play up the fun with a dramatic look.
What’s your favorite afro hairstyle? Let us know in the comments below.
So some of y’all think I’m here to hate on another woman’s hair choices, apparently.
That’s very patently not the case, though I suppose I can’t blame anyone for being a little cynical regarding celebrity based op-eds. But whether you read, skimmed, or gave the original piece a pass, the main takeaways of last week’s Beyoncé coverage should have been A: I do believe her awards ceremony hair is her real hair, B: There’s no reason to doubt a black woman’s length or texture just because she wears protective styling almost exclusively in a fast-paced career, and C: I will be making Beyoncé™ money in the future.
“When I start earning Beyoncé Money™, quite honestly, my actual hair will never be seen again…”
But this isn’t about me, it’s about Bey. At least that’s what the co-workers in charge of reigning me in have said.
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And now that both Neal Farinah, her stylist for the event, and Ms. Tina herself have come forward to discuss the discussion, I have to ask…what exactly does it take for us to acknowledge a black woman’s hair as real?
Despite women like Zara and Guinness Record Holder for the biggest Afro, Aevin Dugas, just…being out here EXISTING, there’s still a lot of doubt about larger-than-life lengths with black hair that isn’t in locs, and I don’t understand why.
I mean…I understand why. The darker parts of human nature can push us towards jealousy and disbelief, and in an age of photoshopping assets of both celebrities and the yet-to-be famous online, the incentive to sniff out “fakes” and prove oneself runs high. And while I think a healthy dose of skepticism is an asset in any era, I feel like there’s a limit.
After all, we’re living in an age where grown-ass people with GEDs legitimately think the planet is flat.
In addition to that, I wonder if there’s ever been such speculation about our coily men. Has Mr. Benny Harlem been doubted to such a degree, I wonder? I brought up young Keisha Knight-Pulliam as an example of incredibly long black hair back in the day, but you could apply the same reference and then some to Benny’s daughter Jaxyn. The kid has so much hair it looks like a strong wind could blow her away like a dandelion seed. As she grows into a woman, will the admiringly mock-incredulous ‘Is that all yours?’ questions turn to ‘That ain’t all yours…’ commentary?
“Obviously whatever Beyoncé does with her hair short of deep conditioning with black-market organs is 100% copacetic.”
I suppose that just like men don’t get raked over the coals for suspected “lying” about a naturally perfect complexion because makeup isn’t marketed directly to them, so too do they get a pass on their big hair because weaves aren’t aimed at them. The aspects of mandatory masculinity that prevent this are a whole other article, but the bottom line is that once puberty hits, it seems like everything black women are asked to have, 36″-24″-36″ measurements, long “good” hair, full lips that aren’t TOO big, etc is subject to the assumption that it couldn’t be real, regardless of how negatively or positively someone might feel about whether certain assets were purchased or home-grown.
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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it several more times: I’m a fan of the “It’s mine, because I BOUGHT IT” talking point, whether the direct object in the scenario is hair, breasts, lips, or anything else. And obviously whatever Beyoncé does with her hair short of deep conditioning with black-market organs is 100% copacetic and 100% not my business, even if public figures can be reasonably expected to be the topic of water cooler gossip.
But maybe when someone comes out and explicitly says ‘This length is the result of maintenance and time’, we should believe them.
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“The myth about black women not having hair…y’all think again.”
Do you believe in the black girl magic with the follow-ups from Bey’s stylist AND her mother? Or were you on the ‘It is scalp grown’ train from the start? Sound off below!
Buildup is something we all deal with at some point in our natural hair journey. Whether it be from too much product or just an accumulation of sweat and dirt from working out, clarifying shampoos are the solution to helping re-balance your scalp and achieving the clean slate your curls truly need to look their best. If you’re more of a DIY naturalista then there’s no need to head to the store for an off-the-shelf solution. You probably already have what you need in your pantry.
When you need a quick fix for your strands, having a few DIY clarifying shampoos ready to go can be a curl saver. Here are some of the easiest recipes for DIY clarifying shampoos you can whip up in a hurry.
Apple Cider Vinegar
This is one of the easiest DIY clarifying shampoos because it uses just one ingredient! Apple cider vinegar naturally deep cleans thanks to its acidic nature. To make this concoction, Naptural85 recommends a mix of three parts apple cider vinegar to one part warm water. Shake vigorously to blend. Apply to the scalp, avoiding the length of your hair as much as possible. Definitely make sure you dilute the vinegar. A lot of curlies will use straight apple cider vinegar, but this can lead to dryness and brittleness, as well as the potential for irritation. The scalp is a delicate area so always dilute strongly acidic components. While apple cider vinegar has been found to be an effective cleanser for the scalp, it does have a drying effect on the strands of the hair so be sure to follow up with a moisturizing conditioner and leave-in.
Baking Soda
This is another great one-ingredient clarifying shampoo for when you want a quick fix for residue and buildup. Baking soda naturally breaks up residue to help your scalp get back in balance. For this shampoo, simply mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 1 ½ cups of water. Be careful to measure correctly or you will end up with something either too grainy or too watery. It should have a liquid consistency that is easy to spread onto the scalp. Another great thing about baking soda is that you can add it to your existing shampoo for an added boost of intense cleaning. Baking soda has a high pH of 9, which can effectively cleanses the hair but can be harsh. In order to normalize your pH level after using baking soda, follow up with a diluted apple cider vinegar rinse.
Rosemary Rinse
Another great clarifying solution can be found in dried herbs of rosemary. It is naturally detoxing for the scalp without being overly harsh. To create this recipe, simply boil the desired amount of dried rosemary herbs, strain to remove the larger pieces and allow it to cool before applying.
Of course, with any clarifying shampoo, whether at home or a store-bought product, make sure you follow up with a good dose of hydration. You want a clean scalp, but you also want your moisture! Use your typical conditioner after a cleansing shampoo, followed by a leave-in conditioner to get the best results for your curls.
Have you tried any of these diys? Let us know in the comments.
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I hate to say it y’all…I’m addicted to filling in my eyebrows.
Photo by @falieshagomezz
It’s not necessarily a new concept, I know everyone that doesn’t leave the house with nails undone and anything less than full face is looking at this like ‘…AND?’, but it’s something I never used to do! After the ladies of Luxe and Lotus got me in their chair the first time, I became kind of obsessed. I had never before approached my brows with pencils, powders, pommades, or even tweezers, and although there have DEFINITELY been some missteps along the way, now it’s an obsession.
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They got me hooked.
So if you’re anything like the me I was a few short months ago, you’re wondering how to best recreate what only a team of dedicated professionals has done before without actually putting in the years of work or booking any appointments. I still trend towards a more natural look, but this is how I make my expressions stand out like my giant hair and loud af outfits.
April B by Cassandra JK
First passes
The foundation to any good look involves initial grooming. If there’s dead skin in your eyebrows (it’s winter, it happens”>, or the base shape is uneven, you’ve got work to do. Exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate, AND moisturize afterwards to lift all that extra debris out. I prefer home tweezing to home waxing since I’m still just starting out, but using a light touch helps! Brows do take a while to grow back after all. Take your time, and take breaks—coming back to your work later helps show you both what you missed and lets you make sure you’re not overdoing it.
Not harshing your mellow
I go to too many goth nights to pretend that in your face, on MY face type brows don’t have a time and place. But if you’re going for bold, yet not bizarre, not going farther than two shades down from your hair color is a standard rule. Ginger curlies are actually advised to use brow pencils and tints one or two shades LIGHTER than their hair color in order to maintain the bright fullness without any unnatural looking flame. Because my hair is naturally pitch black like literally most people on Earth (and also my soul“> standard black eyeliner works fine for me. However, no matter what you’re using, make sure to stroke in soft ‘feathers’ that follow the shape of your brows instead of solid lines. Follow up with a CLEAN brush and blend the color in. I may or may not have grabbed a brush with teal eye shadow still on it once to…interesting effect.
On the bright side, clean up is easy. I tend to reach for my Albolene, but for anyone that’s not about that mineral oil life, jojoba oil is another great lightweight makeup remover that’s totally natural. Bonus, its anti-microbial properties help fight acne!
Thick vs Thin
AprilB/Cassandra JK
Eyebrow genetics are a blast. I inherited my dad’s brow shape and hair length with my mom’s patchy brow fill-level, which is some sort of low level cosmic hilarity I’m sure. But that means that I get to maintain with a little of column A and column B on this front.
If you have naturally thin brows, and want to go bigger and bolder–the only limit is your pencils and powders! But if you’re a little worried about going overboard, you’ve still got plenty of YouTube tutorials and tools like stencils at your disposal. Just remember, like any hair experiment, you want to leave yourself plenty of time in case of error.
If your brows are naturally thick, or even curly themselves, you’re already living the bold brow life! When you’re opting for more of a traditional ‘Hollywood bold’ though, tweeze after a nice shower or facial steam when your follicles are open, and instead of trying to wax everything OFF, grab some mini-scissors, an eyebrow comb, and a magnifying mirror to CAREFULLY give yourself a little trim. Comb your brows upwards and trim from on top of the comb rather than directly from your brows. Then try shaping your brows with clear gel or clear mascara instead of colored products so that your textured brows aren’t weighed down with excess pigment!
Going for Growth
Do hair growth products also make your eyebrow hair grow? Yes…and no. If you’ve damaged a follicle with a wax burn or if you’re still in the pre-recovery stages of an illness, the hair might not come back the way you’ve hoped. And on a personal level, the genes that say ‘You better stock up on that L’Oreal, girl’ will let my favorite growth vitamin hit my hair literally everywhere else BUT the eyebrows. Still, it never hurts to try! Worst case scenario: your hair is down to your ankles while you’re still penciling in your brows.
April B/Cassandra JK
Of course there’s always the direct approach! Castor oil has been known to help stimulate edge growth, and now some of us are q-tipping it onto our brows to the same effect! Make sure you’re using pure castor oil for this method, rather than a blend though. For one thing, while oil cocktails definitely have their place, castor oil cut with thinner oils isn’t going to stay in place as it’s much runnier. And if there are essential oils involved, your eyebrows are right where they’ve always been—right above your eyes. The skin there is extra sensitive, so be SURE you’re using a less is more approach, and that you skip out on anything scented. Trust me, carrier oil or no, rosemary essence to the eye is…not fun.
Okay, so I’m not Solange yet.
But that doesn’t mean my brows won’t be subject to yet more experimentation. Meanwhile, what’s up with yours, curly world? Let us know what you’re doing with your arches in the comments, and if you’re ever REALLY feeling your face and curls, @naturallycurly is just a tag away.
It’s no surprise that the foods we eat play a big role in the health and appearance of our curls.
And yes, that means even the most time crunched and picky curlistas need to suck it up, step up to the plate, and eat their veggies in order to have their hair live its best life…unless of course they’ve got access to power juice recipies and a good sturdy juicer. How else can you get the benefits your hair needs without disrupting your diet or schedule? With DIY juices, it’s just a blend and slurp away from the comforts of your own kitchen! And we’ve got two great power juices for hair health that will ensure you get the nutrients you need for gorgeous, healthy strands on deck just for you!
One word of caution before we start, curlies—it’s important to note that these juices should not be the only source of nutrition in your diet.
In fact, Philip Kingsley’s salons, following the teachings of the man who coined the phrase “bad hair day” reports, “Your hair cells, as well as the cells throughout your body, need a balance of proteins, complex carbohydrates, iron, vitamins and minerals to function at their best.” Take that advice to heart, and don’t guilt yourself about the need to feed, post-holiday meal bloating notwithstanding.
Sailing the High C’s
This power juice is a real life saver as far as your curls are concerned since it’s packed with nutrients your hair needs to stay healthy that not all of your other food has. We’re getting down to garden basics with nothing but cucumber and carrot. Cucumbers are loaded with things like potassium, silica, sulfur, and manganese that can help keep hair strong, promote growth, and give your skin a boost, too! Carrots are packed with beta-carotene which is what the body needs to create and absorb vitamin A. With enough vitamin A, you get a healthy scalp and strong hair!To make this concoction, you can either make equal parts carrot to cucumber in the juicer or you can tailor it to taste. If you like it milder and sweeter, use more cucumber than carrot. If you prefer to be more bold and rich, add more carrot! What’s up, curl doc…
Gaia’s Greens
There is no denying that leafy greens have tons of health and beauty benefits. Now you can make your salad even more portable! Kale and spinach are the two leading sources of necessary nutrients in the green food group. Rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, as well as iron and calcium, these leafy powerhouses can give your hair a boost by helping to regulate the production of oils, encourage scalp circulation, and help with hair loss. They’re also both loaded with iron which has a host of health benefits including improving circulation for youthful skin, and encouraging hair growth by ensuring the scalp has plenty of blood flow. To make this drink, you can choose to use either spinach or kale as your base or use a mix of both to get the full benefits. Simply juice about a half a cup of spinach, 3-4 leaves of kale, and a half an apple for added sweetness without too many added calories. If you like it a little sweeter, feel free to add more apple to the mix. They keep the doctors away after all.
Are you new to juicing?
These power juice recipies might seem a little daunting at first glance, but you really can’t beat some good vegetable based hydration. Plus, as you get more advanced with your home blending, you can feel free to throw in variants on these more basic formulas with additions like mint leaves, ginger, garlic, and pineapple! Just be sure to check your fruit based ingredients for any added sugar if you’re getting them packaged or frozen. You want your juice to be good AND good for you after all!
Do you have any favorite juice recipies, curlies? Share your wisdom in the comments! And be sure to stay tuned as our editors take on a sugarless challenge in the new year to test its effects on their own curls and coils!
We all have our Holy Grails as Curlies, Coilies, and Wavies.
But if you’re an animal lover, you care about the way your hair care products are made and tested, and shop cruelty free exclusively! Fortunately, that doesn’t have to mean too much extra effort scouring stores on your part. Try these top products on for size!
SheaMoisture’s Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oils High Porosity Moisture-Seal Shampoo
This product is great for hair that is low moisture or especially dry and damaged. It is ultra-moisturizing and won’t strip your strands. Best of all, it seals your cuticles to lock moisture in even after you’ve rinsed!
DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence Zero Lather Ultra Moisturizing Milk Cleanser
When your curls need cleansing with an added moisture element, this is a great cruelty-free option for curls. It gently cleanses while offering the hydration found in nutrients like quinoa protein, grapeseed oil, and more for hair that’s soft and silky, no bubbles needed!
Dominican Magic Nourishing Shampoo
For a cruelty-free clean your curls will love, this shampoo is all magic, and no tricks! It’s made with powerful avocado oil to strengthen while cleansing and every curly’s favorite succulent, aloe vera to add moisture and shine to strands.
Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner
Handmade with natural elements known to restore moisture to hair, including that most elusive ingredient—love, this silky product offers the humectant properties of honey, hemp oil, aloe vera gel, and more. And not only can you use this as a traditional rinse-out conditioner, it also pulls double-duty as a leave in!
Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment – Strawberry Ice Cream
This fun and fruity hair conditioner smells like a summery strawberry treat, and that’s not even the best thing about it! Curl Junkie’s rehabilitative treatment is packed with heavy moisturizing properties like healing oils and butters, but unlike its namesake, it manages not to be too sticky or too heavy.
Mixed Chicks Deep Conditioner
A popular choice for curlies, this product is great for adding moisture, but it also tackles other tough issues like post-wash tangles, and unusual dullness. Shine and softness in one? We’re down.
DevaCurl Heaven in Hair Intense Moisture Treatment
With extracts of rosemary and cocoa butter, this moisturizer is great for adding hydration to hair in a cruelty-free way that includes real stimulating herbal power. Best of all, it’s truly a product for ALL curl types! Not that that means you have to share or anything…
As I Am Coil Defining Jelly
When you want a cruelty-free option perfect for working with coils, this is the one! It has a gentle formula that won’t leave flakes—perfectly formulated for Wash n’ Gos, and guaranteed to put your coils in high-definition!
Camille Rose Naturals Almond Jai Twisting Butter
This is a great thick product for twisting styles, packed with natural moisturizers like pumpkin and sesame seed extracts, green tea extracts, and more! When you need more hold than a leave in, but less hold than a gel, this deliciously nutty butter is your happy medium!
Jane Carter Solution Nourish & Shine
Do you want a finishing product with shine AND substance? Jane Carter has you covered with natural ingredients like shea butter, mango butter, and grapefruit. It isn’t greasy and or heavy so your curls won’t be weighed down and it is silicone free so you get shine without buildup!
When it comes to hair care you can feel good about, cruelty free products are the best way to go. And NaturallyCurly has an entire curated shop for those of you considering your vegan and fur-buddy loving friends and family this holiday season…hint hint!
Curlies have a love/hate relationship with heat, and no one knows that better than us.
On one hand, excessive heat styling can damage curl patterns and break your hair off entirely! On the other hand, heated deep conditioning can open your hair to absorbing nutrients, emollients, and other growth and elasticity enhancing properties.
And much like there are rules to using heated styling tools properly, there are rules to using heated deep conditioning as well! Even if curly hair care is more art than science, you can have too little or too much of a good thing. Rookie mistakes can pile up in the long run even with something as innocuous-seeming as conditioning! The most common mistakes include:
Not wetting your hair
Even the lowest porosity curls need moisture! But somehow, heated deep conditioning treatments became expected to be sufficient in providing this moisture themselves. Your hair does still need that H2O, both to help with pre-application slip, and to allow the humectants in your deep conditioner to actually have water to draw from and seal in. Your hair doesn’t need to be freshly dripping, but if you’re not sprayed down at the very least, you’re doing your ‘do a disservice!
Getting the timing wrong
Curly hair care takes a while. It’s just the nature of the game! But it is very much possible to compromise your curls both by rushing and by taking your time. Rushing a heated deep conditioning will get your curls only slightly conditioned, and you run the risk of styling, braiding, and wearing your hair as if it’s been protected when it very much hasn’t been. On the other side of the coin, you don’t exactly want to fall asleep under your dryer. Heat damage can still occur if you’re binge-watching your favorite show and your conditioner’s been on for four straight hours. Make sure you’re watching the clock!
Get your hair, not your scalp.
While there are some products that work double time, especially in the oils family like Darshana, most deep conditioners aren’t meant to be used on skin. Don’t forget—that’s exactly what your scalp is! Your scalp needs to stay healthy and clog-free in order to grow healthy hair, and loading it down with unnecessary conditioning products may throw off the balance of your hair’s natural oils. Rule of thumb is to apply a conditioner about one finger’s width away from your scalp, and move from that point to the ends of your hair, not the other way around. You can always moisturize the skin directly when you’re farther along in your wash day.
Keep the heat LOW!
Think that the dryer hood/bonnet, shower cap, and deep conditioner layered over your curls means you could…or SHOULD pump up the heat? Think again, curlfriend. Imagine it like this—if you put a gloved hand in a pot of boiling water for a minute, will you be less burned than if you touched the hot stove for a second? The answer is no (trust us”>, so keep the deep heat on the low!
Deep conditioning is our friend, curlies, but now that you know what NOT to do, you and your hair will be better prepared! Settle in with your deep conditioner of choice, and get things heated up the healthy way.
Who has terrible nail polish upkeep and wears twist outs on a near constant basis?
This gyal.
They’re cute, they’re easy, they’re fun, and I don’t have to do anything more than detangle and twist to get them right, now that I have the BEST HAIR MILKS EVER in my product arsenal. But although my products have varied over the years, to be honest, I don’t experiment very much with different hairstyles. It’s largely because I don’t ummmmmmm… DO drying my hair with a blow dryer anymore.
I think the last time I tried a blowout on a lark, despite my hair feeling GREAT post wash, I ended up with an unsustainable poof, and some unfortunate dryness. But once I got my hands on the Lottabody Texturizing Setting Lotion, I was ready to try the dryer again.
Intangibles
Their Instagram is fiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeee. I need every company, regardless of industry, to see how EASY it is to get people excited by showcasing diversity even in just a FEW aspects, in this case, skin tone and hair type. And anything that inspires the cute reposts that their products do, has to get extra points there.
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Packaging
The first time I grabbed a bottle of this from NC’s “Try me” shelf, it spilled all over my bedroom because the flip cap had opened in my bag. I will say right off the bat, the way you’re meant to use this product is fairly incompatible with the bottle it comes in—in fact, I’d rather have this as a spray. We’re dealing with straight up liquid here, not a cream or lotion-y texture, and as clumsy as I am, this packaging is too conducive to user-error, to say nothing of making sure it got on my hair evenly. But since I’ve got fairly absorbent hair, and lots of it, erring on the side of saturation was a risk I went ahead and took.
Usage
You know I didn’t go into using heat on my hair without some extra prep considering everything I’ve learned. I spritzed up with my spray bottle, moisturized with my, and you’re gonna get really sick of hearing about this product with me, Avocado Hair Milk, and followed up on heat protection with some L’anza Keratin Healing Treatment. Once the preliminaries were done, I finger-combed the Lottabody lotion through and rolled up with my Bouncy Curls Rollers.
Once I was all set, I got under the HairFlair Hood and settled in, but since natural hair care takes a while, I did end up sleeping with my set in to get started the next day. No reason to waste a perfectly good look on just nighttime chores, right?
End Results
Y’all. This stuff delivered. I was promised shine, I got it. I was promised flake-free combability, I got it. I was promised hold, and to my GREAT surprise…I got it!
I was promised shine, I got it. I was promised flake-free combability, I got it. I was promised hold, and to my GREAT surprise…I got it!
I also transported myself back to 2007, and mirror selfies, but the mirror’s clean and that counts for something. Right?
I put this through the patented April ‘Running errands all day’ test, and although the weather was nice and crisp for once, nothing moved. The shine and hold stayed all day, and bear in mind, not only was I sweating and carrying things, I was trying on shirts. This lotion has some staying power…even if I didn’t quite get my ends rolled properly.
Final Verdict
I’m a big big BIG packaging nerd, and the counterintuitive bottling on this really threw me! However. Not only does this stuff not come at a super-premium price, it actually works, so I’m willing to be a little more forgiving and decant what I have into a dedicated spray bottle as needed. That’s definitely the difference between an A+ and an A- though, so I’d encourage the brand to reconsider!
I’m spending the rest of today shaking my heat-stretched curls around, but I’m never too busy for feedback!
Has anyone out there used this to different results? Let us know in the comments, and if you get any good pictures out of your experiments, don’t dare be too afraid to tag @naturallycurly and let us know!
I’ve created a monster.
It’s always a good feeling when someone lets you know you’ve been a good influence their style and pushed them to want to try new things! When Gerilyn let me know that my braids (and also that lipstick, wassup“> were part of her decision to try them for herself, I was super flattered, and I rode that high for quite a while.
And now she can’t stop! In the time since her inaugural box-braiding in late July, G’s had two additional multi-color styles of braids in different sizes and hues, practically back to back and I’m…floored!
Luckily, we got her first braiding session, all 7 hours of it, on film for your viewing pleasure.
Here’s what she had to say about her first braiding session:
G would have used the Shea Moisture Track Tension & Itch Relief serum on her scalp beforehand—never hurts to have a little extra emollient action in there before braiding.
“I feel like if I had used it before, maybe my scalp wouldn’t have been as dry the day of.”
Rookie mistake! Yeah, she’d done her normal wash routine a couple of days beforehand, but girl, you’ve slept since then! And considering I’ve been bugging her to get a satin pillowcase…yeah, all that wash day moisture was GONE.
On her new length:
“It is weird. It has taken me about a week to truly get used to it…I feel beautiful.”
And now she’s moved on from the baby steps to “I love being able to headbang and windmill and be able to SEE it!” It’s even gotten to the point where she’s been advising ME. Apparently the Groganics anti-itch serum and Shea Moisture’s Braid Up Conditioning Gel in that same ucuuba line are pretty great.
The student has surpassed the teacher…
Overall, I’m thrilled that I have someone to share the love with, especially now that we can hair shop together! I’ll be honest, considering my “niche” preferences, I never thought of myself as much of an influence style-wise. And what this has really taught me is how important it is to have positive curl influence in your life, and be that for other people around you as well!
I don’t have to go too far out of my way to surround myself with amazing, talented people, but I do do so with purpose. No one’s saying you’re going to carbon-copy yourself to your friends and co-workers when you like what you like, but osmosis happens!
You start a friendship like this…
A few months later, you’ve absorbed each other, and you’re here!
And no one’s immune!
Lauren’s mer-looks at AfroPunk had me thinking about sister locs for the first time, Alexandra pointed me at trying lashes, even under my specs, and Gerilyn herself has me practicing vocals and expanding my old music habits!
Now if you don’t have influences in your life like that, it can get difficult…but that’s what the internet is for! I won’t downplay the importance of being there in person, but if the circumstances in your life haven’t played out that way, you’ve got folks to follow like @studiomucci, @satansimulation, @jackieaina or whoever might catch your eye with their style to draw from! The next best thing is still pretty good, y’all.
So where do you get most of your ‘gotta try that’ sparks from? Close in-person friends? Admired YouTubers? Us? Me?
Let us know, and be sure to tag appropriately if anyone’s giving you great ideas. We all shine together!
They say everybody has a double somewhere.
Sure, someone may be walking around with our facial features, all humans are related to each other with varying levels of distance. Personally, I was perturbed by the fact that a fizzled romantic prospect’s ex was my EXACT double from the nose bridge up—but at least for now this phenomenon hasn’t ended up with me hopping a flight to Florida to ask Dad what’s going on, or any sort of breakdown.
It’s when my looks AND style are prominently featured on someone else that I get kind of…prickly. And after going natural, I noticed it seemed to be happening more and more.
Now don’t get me wrong, a good deal of this is due to moving to a capital city/college town with a higher concentration of natural women despite the lower concentration of black people overall. But I couldn’t walk out with a twist out or the classic “I’ve got things to do, but this hair is heavy” front of the braids back, rest of the braids out look without either finding another young woman in the same ‘do or getting told I “Looked just like…”
See those faces? Two out of the five people in this picture are about to get read like the Bible, and you know which ones they are.
“But April,” you’re asking, “couldn’t that happen while you were still straightening your hair?”
Fair question!
While there’s no way to go back in time, record all my interactions with people from afar, and analyze them properly (yet”>, I get the feeling that I sense the ‘Curse of the Curl Clone’ more now than I did earlier in life. And that’s because having gone natural was so much WORK.
First I dealt with Big Chopping, TWICE. Then I had to decolonize my mindset and work on accepting my much shorter, much more textured locks as both mine and beautiful to begin with. Then, because The Lion King had way too much of an effect on my sense of aesthetics, I had/have to deal with managing hair growth expectations. THENNNN, I had to learn to regularly maintain my hair, what to wear, how to melt shea butter, cowash, put my hair up on the fun nights I don’t get back until 6AM when all I want to do is crash, deal with shaping the aftermath of doing exactly not that the next day, experimenting with all the different products, sometimes with disastrous results, getting microbraided for hours and hours and hours…
Did I go through all that just to look like someone else?
Well…yeah.
My whole purpose in going natural was to embrace the texture my ancestors gave me, and my reason for being with NaturallyCurly, aside from Gerilyn having put me and a writing sample in her trunk and Tokyo Drift-ing me into an interview, was to help celebrate afro-textured hair in a way that helps normalize its appearance. And yes, that means getting it to a point where someone can say “Oh, this mega matcha macaron goes to the lady with the bangin’ twist out and glasses? Okay, WHICH ONE.”
Honestly, if I stay asleep too long and can’t properly apply my Graveyard Grunge Auntie aesthetics before I leave the house (shock, gasp, horror, ewwwwww“> and I’m too easily mistaken for someone else, that’s on me. But the fact that the climate is changing to the point where there are more natural ladies at first glance really is a marvelous thing.
Have you been seeing ‘yourself’ in other places, curlies?
Do you connect with your clone sisters or is it a (MENTAL”> fight to the death over your personal brand? Let us know below!
It’s spook season, curlies!
iStock/4×6/Maxiphoto
And unless I’m reading the calendar wrong (stranger things have happened”> it’s high time you got in gear if you’re not already set for Halloween! Don’t stress though, we’ve got you. The Coconut Restore styling and finishing products can help get you to the next level of transformation quickly, healthfully, and conveniently–no flat iron Here are some low-prep, high-impact looks you can do to keep in costume dress code as you’re out and about with your ghoulfriends this All Hallows Eve.
If you’re a Type 2, try:
Horse
iStock/Kondakov
Ignore the neigh-sayers, you don’t HAVE to go halves on a classic two-person costume if you don’t want to! Try this on for size, check out our sweet Coco-Faux Hawk tutorial, for type 3s, and modify it for your looser waves by using just the ultra-smoothing Curl Control Leave-in Conditioner and a good brush to sleek your hair into the banana clips. If you want extra flair, grab hold of a ponytail extension that matches from any beauty store and clip it to the nape of your neck. Actually grab two–nothing completes the look like a good swishy tail! Experience says you actually can use it to shoo flies whether you’re romping about gathering candy or cocktails!
Snag an oh-so-in harness from Amazon or Claire’s to be your bridle, and saddle up for a great night!
Greaser Gal
iStock/Sanjeri
One of the easiest and quickest costumes there is as long as you have a leather jacket, white tee, and jeans! But that’s no excuse to get sloppy—if you’ve ever watched ‘Grease’, or met a Rockabilly type in person, one thing they capital D DO NOT mess with is that perfectly crisp coif. To help you get that sweet slick pompadour, reach for the Styling and Setting Gelee, use a light touch for the bulk of your hair before setting over a roller (or an old-fashioned Coke can”>, and go a little heavier on the sides to really slick it up. Once you’ve got everything in place, and protected from any overly drying elements, keep it there with your favorite spray, and a good switchblade comb if you have one on hand. Which you should.
Protip: If you don’t feel like getting those sharp ’50s brows with a tweezer, but still want to show your dedication to the holiday, primer, foundation, and a darker eye pencil than you’d normally use can all help with minimal effort! You’ll be Pink Lady approved in no time.
Our Type 3s can take a look at:
Mermaid
iStock/SerrNovik
What do we know for sure about mermaids/Mami Watas/sirens for certain? They’ve all got some sweet hair. It doesn’t matter if it’s long or short, that seaweed and hapless sailor diet is WORKING. Want to get that same shine on dry land for your costume though? Rub some of the Whipped Coconut Oil through your hair to really pump up that wet look before you find a nice starfish clip or some pearl pins to throw into your beach curls. You’ll find the beeswax in the mixture keeps things on your hair where they’re needed, rather than rolling down your face as you swim the night away.
You should still have time to get some of those uber fashionable scale leggings shipped, or barring that, get your Netflix binge on while you make a scale pattern on some bottoms you already have! Just imagine drawing the letter U over and over again, and you’ll be done in no time! And as an easy curl-friendly icebreaker? Tell everyone that your hair type is…3 SEA.
Lion
iStock/Paul Daniel Florea
Big hair, don’t care? Let everyone see and hear you roar with an all tawny ensemble, a good set of filed ‘claws’ and some ears! It’s just as easy as your standard kitty costume, but you get extra edge, courtesy of the king of the jungle. Sure it’s boy lions that have manes mostly, but if anyone gives you lip, make like Scar and toss them off of something. And to make sure you don’t dry out those locks with your hair blown out to the heavens, palm a bit of the Curl Control Leave In Conditioner through your strands to make sure your mane is maintained. This is going to give you the hydration you don’t want to lose, and keep away the frizz you never wanted to gain!
Type 4s can go “4”…
Now this is where me and my fellow coilies tend to falter–how can we pull a costume-worthy transformation out of our ‘fros when we don’t feel like putting them under wigs, straightening them out, or being relegated to ’70s icons only?
I say…don’t! Why feel pressured to change what doesn’t need changing? Of course Halloween is about switching up your look to avoid being spirited away…so maybe think about:
Vampire
iStock/izusek
This is the one time of year that the ‘Every foundation makes me look ashy’ issue works in our favor! Put the Fenty aside for one night, and powder up like one of the undead, making sure to get under your eyes with dark shadow! You’ll want to pull out the stops with your accessories: being alive for centuries means vampires accrue some serious wealth! Get that same impeccable aristocratic luxury in your coils with the Whipped Coconut Oil! And since you just want to look ashy without actually being ashy–rub a little of the whipped goodness on any exposed skin before going over it with your kiss-of-death compact powder! You’ll go “batty” for the way it glows you up from strands to soles.
Decora Style:
iStock/Davor Lavincic
Any fashion geeks in the house? You might be familiar with the Japanese sub-cultural street style called Decora that helps you practice non-discrimination against your many many many hair accessories by having you basically wear every single one you have at once. This cutesy, bubblegum-on-acid look will let you take all your pastels, neons, stickers, and your inner child turned up to 11 as you quite literally brighten everyone’s night!
If you want to look even more like a hi-def cartoon character, try a braid out or Bantu knot out with a little of the Styling and Setting Gelee mixed into your normal hair moisturizer beforehand! Not does this gel give a lot of payoff for a small amount, it also provides the moisturization and protection of the coconut oil it contains! That means there’ll be a lot less shed after you remove the pounds of barrettes and cute clips from your ‘do when you’re done.
Feeling inspired yet?
Curlies, you know we want to see pics! Make sure to tag @naturallycurly and @coconutrestore if you got your nightlife with any of these ideas! This Halloween, never forget to do you…BOO.
This article is sponsored by Coconut Restore.
The answer is in the science!
Natural, textured, and curly hair care product descriptions tend to employ generalized language to imply beneficial results. Across the board, these products do exactly as they say: Moisture boosting botanicals will nourish your hair, causing a silky smooth finish and shine! Even though this common promise is plastered onto a large percentage of the products in your curly cabinet, how can you know which of them is a true moisturizer, hydration treatment, or both? It really it a matter of science and understanding what to look.
In this article, we will explore the key differences between hydrating products and moisturizing products so that you can make more informed product purchasing decisions for your crown.
Moisture: It is exactly how it sounds.
Moisturizers are formulated to smooth your hair cuticle to achieve a softer texture. Moisturizers achieve this by forming a barrier on the hair fiber. This barrier is made up of emollients, or hydrophobic oils that act as anti-humectants or sealers. The beauty of moisturizers are that they work overtime to attract water to your hair. Moisturizers that I recommend for dry curls can be found in stores and online:
- Aunt Jackie’s Soft All Over Multi-Purpose Oil (it smells so good!”>
- Bee Mine Luscious Balanced Cream Moisturizer – Coconut Cream
- Alikay Naturals Essential 17 Hair Growth Oil
Hydration: It too is exactly how it sounds.
Hydrating formulations are designed to increase the moisture content in hair strands. This is achieved through the use of humectants, the ingredients that withdraw moisture from the air to retain it for your hair. You will know them by their most common presentations: oil and grease. Among the more well-known humectants in the product ingredients listings is glycerin, a powerful hydrator that pulls water into the deepest layers of hair and skin.
I know… glycerin is not necessarily the hero for all us curlies, but it is in highly effective products on the market and I want to ensure you know that it will be everpresent.
But if you are not a fan of glycerin, I recommend these hydrating products for your curls that a glycerin-free:
- Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Style Setter
- Mielle Organics Babassu Oil & Mint Deep Conditioner
- Creme of Nature Straight from Eden Natural Oil-Infused Hydrating Conditioner
NOTE: As with any new product or ingredient, you absolutely must conduct a pre-application allergy test!
BONUS VIDEO FOR YOU:
This video was created by natural hair care tips educator Protective Princess! She is amazing, so follow her YouTube page for more informative videos like the one she created.
Do you know the difference between the hydrating and moisturizing products in your Holy Grail regimen?
Tell me what works for you in the comments section below!
As ever, stay curly!
As much as I like to think of myself as ahead of my time, I’m hardly above not keeping up with a trend or two.
My closet is 85% cold-shoulder tops as we speak.
And when it comes to hair trends, as much as I might prefer a trusty routine, sometimes, the newest clay/oil/pact with an interdimensional entity beyond my puny human understanding is too sweet to pass up, and I just HAVE to see what’s up. Some of these trends though? More like tradition. We curlies have BEEN knowing. And things just keep coming back, which means cyclical purchasing! It’s fine. No matter what the rapidly increasing alerts from my bank tell me it’s fine. I can eat and/or bio-fuel my truck with half this stuff anyway.
For instance:
Serving Tea
China doesn’t get as much credit for tea as it deserves as a nation, honestly. To be fair, ‘Reputation for tea drinking’ is a weird thing to put in the ‘Things the English stole’ category, but it’s not inaccurate. Tea rinses though weren’t as en vogue in the plant’s native land as they became in Victorian England however. That’s one tradition England, and we here in the present, can keep. Though tea rinses are not recommended for curlies who have light colored hair as it maaaaaaay stain your strands, rinsing the scalp with black tea has been said to strengthen hair and reduce shedding! Bonus, if you’ve been out in the sun without proper headgear (because the hat industry is evil and prejudiced against full-figured hair”>, the tannic acids in the tea will help soothe a sunburned scalp.
Tea rinses are nothing new, but if they’re new to you then here are a few you can try:
- Black tea rinse for stronger hair
- Swap your shampoo for these tea rinses
- Anti-itch tea rinse for your scalp
Fattening Things Up
Ancient Egyptians were innovators, hands down, no question. And as far as cosmetics that wouldn’t kill you slowly go, they were really ahead of the game with the scented fat cone deodorant. Lard + resins + sun reflected off of limestone and sand = funk protection! We’re still keeping it going… just not in as geometric a fashion. From super-high in saturated fat coconut oil to that Creamsicle-colored cholesterol from the neighborhood beauty store, we’ve been putting straight up perfumed fat in our hair for ages. It’s a tradition in its own right, adds softness, adds bounce, and anyway, why shouldn’t my scalp get its own cheat day? Sure, we’re not meant to have it running down our necks on purpose like the desert court members of old, but, tell me I’m not the only one who maybe gets a little overzealous with the nozzle applicator and then has a super slippery back for the next week straight. No seriously, please tell me. I can’t be alone in this…
Mineralization
Bentonite clay, Rhassoul, sea salt, sulfur there’s an earthy supplement for every curly purpose under heaven. While we mulled over clay on our faces, ground goodies and hair can go together just as well! The Himba people of Namibia have been on this for a while and still are with their otjize, and what’s more, the crushed ochre and butter mixture that goes in their amazing ‘dos isn’t even a rinse off style mask as much as it is a fabulous earth toned lifestyle. Why dye when you can be this fly?
If you’ve been wanting to try clay for yourself, here’s how you can:
- The Clay Mask Recipe that Will Give You(r Hair”> Life
- 3 Life-Changing Clay Scalp Detox Recipes
- Why So Many Naturals Are Turning to Clay Washing
Otherworldly wigs
This one hits a bit of a sore point for me because the same acquaintances I have to give the over-the-glasses eye to about how they slander wigs and weaves seem to be the same ones that think 18th century France was the height of all culture everywhere… giant ornate hairpieces included. The disconnect is really something—especially considering many of those wigs were A. Made of horse and/or human hair (hello Fantine“> and B. The best way to stop the spread of lice among the upper class before mankind figured out insecticidal shampoo. But you can’t deny they were très fabulous regardless then, and you can’t deny it’s exactly the same situation in the present day.
Also…notice how they’re all CURLED wigs? Point for us. Mark it.
Curls have been around since we as a species were able to determine the difference between all other fur and actual hair—so of course there’s more history that repeats itself.
Can you think of any time-honored trich-traditions you’d like to see us try? Getting to shove things at Evelyn on camera is one of this job’s greatest privileges after all…so let us know in the comments!
Is there anyone out there that still thinks you can’t style a TWA?
Go on, show of hands. We’re not here to embarrass anyone—this is a place of learning.
Shorter hair is often said to be a style in and of itself, in fact, that’s said to be one of the perks of an under 6 inch ‘do—you don’t have to do anything with it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t.
Our Senior Copywriter Gerilyn, whom you’ll all already recognize for her writing, community work, music, AND video spots, has also broken into hair modeling— and she has a look for us that put her fluffy 4C ‘fro into high definition.
Check the technique!
Now that’s how you jazz things up.
This is definitely a ‘do that takes a little time, but when you’ve got few hours, a hood dryer, and a desire for a style that really showcases your texture, you won’t need anything else but the will to be fab…and these Coconut Restore products we used to create G’s coils!
After regular washing and conditioning, we stretched and strengthened Gerilyn’s hair with the Coconut Restore Keratin Intensive Repair Masque.
This protein powerhouse helps to seal ends, strengthen damaged hair and pre-game healthy hair for any upcoming heat treatments. Coconut oil teams up with linseed oil (hello painterly curlies!“> to soften and moisturize your hair, while proteins build up any weak links in your locks—all with a spare 10 minutes and a shower cap!
Little advice? This isn’t your everyday keratin treatment. Too much of a good thing is definitely possible, so as much as it might pain you to be apart from this jar, in particular, make sure you’re not kicking your gentler conditioners to the curb.
Before we brought the heat, we brought out the Revitalizing Whipped Coconut Oil.
We also brought it after the heat! Not only is this oil combo great for post-rinse conditioning thick coils like G’s, it’s also a top-notch shine adding agent for when you want a little extra lens flare effect.
Fun fact: this whipped combo is also perfect for moisturizing your skin! The beeswax helps seal your hair and dermis against losing hydration, and the added coumarin keeps you smelling subtly sweet from head to feet!
The Setting and Styling Gelee kept these coils poppin’!
Is there anything any coily knows more than the style-breaking ‘foof’? Maybe you use a different sound effect, but we all know that moment when our hair decides it won’t be beholden to how we’ve styled it and reverts back to its natural state. That’s a beautiful, place to be, yes. Just not so much when you’ve put in the work to have it be otherwise for a bit. And this is where the gelee comes in! Twirl a small amount into your curls before blow-drying to keep up the hold, and get your style solidified!
More like set and never ever forget. And speaking of forgetfulness, don’t forget to check your porosity to determine how much gelee you need! Lower porosity means less product—you want a style, not a gel-shell!
Do you 4C yourself trying this style?
Grab the Coconut Restore suite, grab your best selfies, and be sure to stick an @naturallycurly in every pic you share! Meanwhile, if you’re looking to share the coconutty love with your curlfriends of different types? Point them on over to our wavy and curly inspo with hairtype appropriate product picks from the exact same great line. This is all too good to keep to yourself…the tutorials anyway. Hoard those product jars, and keep up with us for more tutorials!
You know what’s great? Staying inside. Even when I’m outside, I do my best to stay inside.
It’s me and my parasol against the world.
However…I do like doing dramatic, weird stuff with my makeup.
And I can’t bother anyone with my fledgling brush skills if I’m just cooped up in my room all the time. So when word came that NaturallyCurly was coming to Afropunk 2017, my reaction was a mixture of excited screaming and nervous screaming. Excited because I didn’t know what to expect. Nervous because…I didn’t know what to expect!
I’m the kind of chick that practically has to charter a bus for every trip in order to have everything I need, but surprises are unavoidable until the day we step out of this life. And at Afropunk, there were surprises aplenty!
Here’s what caught me off guard—for better and for worse!
Inspiration overload
Who comes to a gathering of artists and creatives to NOT be in awe of what people can do with when thoughts spring forth into the world? “Not I,” said the April.
But what I didn’t expect was that I’d be more drawn to the subversively soft looks on display! I was super feeling the hyper feminine motifs like flowers, velvet, and pearls combined with Afro-centrism, far out body adornment, and…well…some sexiness. A lot of sexiness actually. I wasn’t ready.
These four fine femmes really got me feeling the ways traditionally lady-like staples could be incorporated into looks that I could really feel on myself! Check out their Afropunk presence, and their IG presences!
Pink velvet = feminine. Gold reproductive organs = informed.
(Also, she’s holding the sticker of a pretty great band…”>
Pearl cabochons though? HOW HAVE I NEVER DONE THIS? I see the light!
Antique florals…but in a headwrap! Way to make it your own!
That’s some good stuff right there, now I have to get myself to a Jo’Anns Fabrics…
The babies!
I’m not a parent. I love kids, but I’m good with just being a weird Auntie. I could never inflict living with me on an innocent child, that’s just cruel. I say all that to drive home the point that I’m sure there’s a perspective I don’t quite have on why anyone would bring their child to Afropunk, but it was a shock nonetheless. I’m not saying there was any illegal activity going on, but I will say that I needed to stretch both hands in front of my face to get out of the haze over the Gold Stage safely, okay. Artists and performers were there in all their uncensored glory, both lyrical and physical, the crowds were huge and tightly packed, the food was priced befitting a seller’s market, and um…there were bag size restrictions and a strict no re-entry policy. Yet I saw strollers, little bitty afro-puffed youths, and even a tiny pale bean in one of those Bjorn carriers with giant noise cancellers on its still soft wee head. Definitely didn’t see them coming, but hey, it’s not up to me to judge. Their family’s there for them, and they’re our future! I just hope the future has a cure for early-onset tinnitus…
Cultural Appropriation
Don’t start, it’s actually not even what you think.
I gotta take a hard stance on something here—cultural appropriation of other cultures perpetrated by black people, especially of other POC is straight up odious. It’s no easy thing to stop the prejudices we hold towards each other, and it’s going to be a lot of large and small acts over time to get us all out from under the systems we have to fight against. But that’s no call to just do as you please with others’ regalia. When I see a gathering of black people celebrating our rich culture, what we’re doing today and what we’ll be doing in the future, our art, our activism, et cetera? I expect that ish to just be OUR culture. Seeing a black man in a Plains style war bonnet replica made me cringe hard enough to leave bruises, and there’s good reason. When we get up for festivals it’s about black excellence. Black creativity. Not theft. Not style plagiarism. Not appropriation. And if that gentleman happens to be reading—dude…c’mon now. Course correct, please.
Find this dude and take a good hard look at yourself.
Disclaimer, of course black Native Americans exist. Interracial mingling is a thing. A great thing when there’s love and respect there. But considering the strict circumstances under which these headdresses are bestowed, do y’all really think someone was wearing it with the appropriate reverence in a crowd of sweaty hundreds to see Solange?
Yeah, me either. Don’t do that mess.
The Punk to Soul Ratio
I’ve read the think pieces. Afropunk isn’t punk rock anymore, it’s lost its way, etc. And I got it before? But being there really drove home the point. I WAS pleasantly surprised by the skating and hardcore act I saw at the Pink Stage (was too busy with waiting in line to eat, eating, being trapped, and accidentally napping against a fence to visit properly”>, as well as the great looks I saw bleeding into the Red and Gold areas. But I still really, REALLY didn’t expect the differences to be so…much. I kinda figured that maybe more punks weren’t weird in the ‘acceptable way’ so they weren’t making all the HuffPo slideshows with the brighter, cooler, more art-museum afro-fashion. And to be 100% real, there isn’t a punk dress code by definition. It’s just that when you see sequined jumpsuits or kaftans made out of leather strips, you have a fairly good idea of which stages those folks are gonna gravitate towards, and it’s not the one where all the kids are moshing it out.
As someone that was and still is into subcultures that aren’t mainstream, I don’t buy the whole ‘To be black IS to be punk’ line one bit. It’s not to say that to be black in many places doesn’t include an amount of scorn and other-ation from the mild to the deadly. But if you look me in the face and say that a dude in combat boots, black grease paint, and repurposed bike chains doesn’t get the double-take at MINIMUM from the mainstream black community of all origins…you’re lying. So while we’re in this hypothetical world, at least point me in the direction of that dude to make up for the deceit, he sounds great and we should hang out.
Bonus: Packrat Payoffs!
“Luck favors the prepared”
It’s a statement I live and breathe by! I don’t do improvising very well, and as such, as I’ve said, I tend to take a lot of extra stuff with me. I’m actually proud of myself however—I kept everything down to 2 carryons, laptop included, and one suitcase for the weekend. Still though, I was the only one of the NaturallyCurly crew to have to check a bag. Welp.
This time though? It paid off! Did my curlfriends need some glitter? Check with the sparkles and spirit gum. Some blister bandages? Yo. Extra belt? I had it! As for myself, jamming my fan and parasol into my teensy backpack proved, as always, to be indispensable outdoors.
Did I use most of my non-TSA approved beauty products, both soaps, and so on? …no. But did many of the seemingly superfluous things I had come in handy? They sure did! Besides, I need to work my upper body anyway. Heave-ho!
So what did I get out of all of this?
A lot of good stuff actually. I won’t lie, there were times I got pretty fussy because ‘Waaah, my feet hurt, waaaah, there’s too many people and I have to potty, waaaaah, I can’t hold a third hollowed out fruit full of fruit juice in it because I only have two hands’, and so forth. Festivals aren’t for the weak! I did skim the lineup, but I know if I had checked everyone out properly and was looking forward to some acts in particular, I’d have probably gotten through a little better. As it was, I kind of approached this like going to a mall that was supporting black creatives that just happened to have musical acts present. But seeing the outfits, hearing Little Simz for the first time, eating the best street corn I’ve ever had after a lifetime of living in TEXAS—all that was time well spent. As for my body, well. Maybe it’s time for me to review another bath bomb…
What did you think, curlies? Did I pass by any of you there? You know who to say hey to next year now, but go ahead and tell us how you rocked out!
