Search Results: NaturallyCurly
Question: How can I treat dry scalp?
My hair is perfectly fine. It holds moisture. It’s healthy. My problem is my scalp is dry. It’s eczema. It does not itch. It’s just dry. I’ve tried light oils heavy oils and and I’m still struggling with dry scalp. – Arlewis2186, Type 4b
Answer:
According to Dr. Kari Williams, Licensed Trichologist and Natural Hair Expert
Dry scalp is very frustrating. Eczema of the scalp can be treated with a salicylic acid based shampoo. The salicylic acid exfoliates and helps to remove the dry scales from the scalp caused by your eczema. I typically recommend Neutrogena T-Sal to my clients. When using the shampoo, apply it directly to your scalp, allow it to sit 10-15 minutes then rinse it out completely. Now medicated shampoos are drying so make sure you follow up with your moisturizing shampoo and deep conditioner to replenish your strands with much needed moisture. When you complete your shampoo regimen massage coconut oil and jojoba oil into the scalp. If you are not into mixing your own oils try Eden Bodyworks Jojoba Minoi Oil. Incorporate the medicated shampoo into your regimen once a week for one month. If the condition improves use it only when needed.
This week Dr. Kari is answering your questions on Curly Q&A. If you need advice on anything from hair damage to bad haircuts, you can ask her here.
Dr. Kari is one of the leading voices in the natural hair care movement. She is the newly appointed Vice President of the California State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Dr. Kari is also a Board Certified Trichologist, Licensed Natural Hair Care Specialist, Barber, Master Loctician and owner of Mahogany Hair Revolution Salon and Trichology Clinic in Beverly Hills, California.
Curly and coily haired women are notorious for taking matters into their own hands when it comes to their hair. We trim, style and even mix our own treatments. We like to call it Curly Mixology. But if you are new to the world of natural hair then it can be hard, and sometimes overwhelming, to know where to start. So here are two simple curly cocktails that we guarantee anyone can do at home.
DIY CoWash
If you’ve begun to care for your natural hair, you’ve probably heard by now that you need to keep shampooing to a minimum. That’s not to say that you should stop shampooing, but when you do you want to make sure you are not stripping or drying your hair out too much. One of the easiest ways to do that is to mix conditioner into your shampoo.
Recipe:
- 1 part shampoo – such as HAIRepair Invigorating Shampoo
- 3 parts daily conditioner – such as HAIRepair Nourishing Conditioner
The amounts will really vary based on how long, thick and dense your hair is. So rather than telling you one tablespoon we prefer to give it to you in parts. Simply mix this together and shampoo as you normally would. Some curlies like to condition again after they cowash, but you should try this out for yourself and see if you need the extra moisture.
DIY Deep Treatment
It is important for naturals to do a deep treatment about once a week to make sure your hair isn’t losing too much moisture.
Recipe:
- 1 part conditioner – such as HAIRepair Nourishing Conditioner
- 1 part oil – such as HAIRepair Silkening Serum
For this cocktail, simply mix equal parts of your favorite conditioner with your favorite oil. Apply this throughout the hair and leave it on at least 30 minutes to an hour. To open up the cuticle you can wrap the hair or put on a shower cap so that your body heat warms up the treatment.
Watch the Video
To see celebrity stylist Darico Jackson explain these recipes, watch the video!
[prodmod]This post is sponsored by ORS HAIRepair.
Faux bobs are a great look for special events, or just a way to change up your day to day look on longer hair–without a long term commitment. Following these simple steps with Kayley Melissa’s video tutorial, you can create your glam faux bob.
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Make a base with the back part of your hair.
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Tie up the back section of your hair –and twist loosely into small bun. This will help add some volume and shape to the overall faux bob once it’s done.
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Let the rest of your hair down and twist it into looser curls or waves. Spray lightly with a holding mist.
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Separate your remaining hair into 5 sections. (3 in back and 2 at top”>
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Gather the middle/back section of your hair and wrap it around 2-3 fingers, like a donut shape, loosely. Pin that section underneath (where you have the small bun from step 1″> and do the same with the sections on the side.
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Pin your sections underneath.
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Use a curling wand for the front section of your hair. Curl hair away from your face.
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Loosen the curl with your fingers.
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Take one section, wrap around 2-3 fingers, in a donut shape again, and roll up and pin underneath. Do the same for the other top section.
At night, add a sparkly hair clip. If any pieces come undone, be sure to have a few extra hair pins with you to fix them.
Watch the tutorial
Whether you are going to school or heading to a wedding, this simple updo is versatile and most importantly, easy to do. It is an everyday wearable style that your little girl will love.
You will need the following:
- rat tail comb
- ponytail holders
- smoothing gel
- bobby pins
- barrettes
Step 1
Use a rat tail comb to create a horizontal part from ear to ear and secure the back section in a ponytail. Create another part from the crown to the front and secure the left and right sections with two ponytail holders.
Step 2
Add smoothing gel to the edges and braid each section.
Step 3
Pull the two braids toward the back, crossing one another, and wrap around the rear braid. Pin the ends in place with bobby pins. Next, wrap rear braid around the others and pin into a bun shape.
Step 4
Finish with a soft gel to smooth fly-aways and add a flower or hair bow for a girly look.
This cute three braids and a bun is so easy to do. You can add that chic and sophisticated look by just adding a flower. This is a great look for a little sassy girl.
Follow Arielle here:
In 2008 I became very ill. I lost my hair as if I had been given chemotherapy, had severe headaches, my body ached to a point where I knew I was dying. I found out I had Celiac Disease (meaning I can’t eat wheat”> which had caused my intestinal lining to tear which caused everything I ate to spill into my bloodstream and then my body started attacking itself (an autoimmune condition”>. I removed the wheat, eliminated all toxic processed foods from my diet and made my health a priority. I have recovered and my hair is growing back nicely. I realize how much I took my hair for granted after I lost it. I had a beautiful head of hair but never worried much about treating it with the respect it deserved. I used whatever cheap products I could find, applied heat, relaxed it with chemicals, etc. To heal my “sick hair” (as I call it”> I started to research the best practices including using healthy natural ingredients vs. chemically based ingredients so sites like Naturally Curly have been a godsend in the last couple of years. A friend of mine who has natural hair told me to use a tshirt and ditch the terry cloth towel for hair drying. I adopted this practice immediately and saw a huge difference in just the first week. Six months later the idea for The Original Curly Tee Towel popped in my head and it has taken off from there.
When making the Curly Tee Towels, I saw quite a bit of left over material. I often wear a wig as a protective style but noticed how dry my hair would be using those synthetic wig caps. I knew how wonderful cotton was to dry the hair and thought that a wig cap made out of the same material could help with that. I searched online and found one company that sold a basic wig cap made of cotton primarily to women who had chemo. I asked my seamstress at the time to make one similar to that to try. She did and I was amazed at how my hair retained its moisture and condition under my wig. I now won’t use anything else. I also eliminated the fake satin bonnets (which also dry the hair/strip natural oils”> by replacing them with a sleep bonnet made out of cotton (also one of our products”>.
Why cotton is better than (fake”> satin
Real satin is made from silk. Fake satin is manufactured from nylon or polyester and these fabrics just don’t absorb and contain moisture well. A prime example of this is when trying to clean up a liquid spill with a polyester cloth, the liquid either runs right through the fabric or it just moves the liquid around. 100% Cotton will absorb and contain the liquid and does the same thing with moisturizing products on the hair.
The Curly Tee Wig Caps are so soft and nourishing to the scalp. Just like we don’t want to use a terry cloth towel to dry our hair, when we use other man-made fibers or something rough on the scalp where new hair is trying to come back, we want to make absolutely certain we are not irritating the hair follicle or the new hair growth. The caps just add a safe layer of protection between the hats, scarves and wigs.
How to grow hair after chemotherapy
What You Eat
The most important tip for regrowth after chemo or other health issues is to pay attention to what you eat. After a compromised immune system, I didn’t have the luxury to eat a lot of the same junk foods that I had eaten previously before my illness. Since I had become sick from something I ate, I researched and found out the exorbitant amount of chemicals, pesticides, etc. that is in our food supply, so the last thing I wanted to do was add additional toxins to my body, so I now chose to consume fresh “organic” vegetables and fruits, I gave up entirely my meat, fish and poultry intake (if you can’t quit try to reduce”> and I went easy on my digestive system, meaning I ate small meals more often during the day and left ample time to digest what I ate.
Scalp Care
I incorporated a scalp care regimen which included nightly scalp massages and various herbal tea scalp rinses. Two of my favorites to this day are nettles and rosemary that I still use today. One of the more radical things that I added was inversions. I had seen several youtube videos on inversions for hair growth so I bought an inversion table and hang upside down two times a day now. This has accelerated my hair growth tremendously.
Give Thanks
A huge thing for me during my regrowth stage up until now is to maintain a positive attitude. In the beginning it was devastating to look in the mirror and see my hair gone. What helped me get through was gratitude. I would journal 5 – 10 things daily that I was grateful for. Sure my hair was gone but I was still breathing with great family and friends who were happy to see me get better. I stopped taking life for granted and it seems that once I took my focus off what I didn’t like when I looked in the mirror, my hair said, “Okay, it’s time to grow back now”…In 2011 I chopped off all of what I called my “sick hair” and it’s been growing great ever since. I still haven’t reached the thickness I desire because I had so many bald spots, my hair is catching up. So I trim when needed and continue my protective styling.
Giveaway
Have you or has someone you know lost their hair to illness or treatment of an illness?
We are giving away 10 Curly Tee Wig Caps, just leave a comment below and we will randomly select 10 winners on Tuesday, November 11.
This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, as per our Terms and Conditions.
*Please make sure you have liked us on Facebook, so that when we reply to your winning comment you receive a notification.
This article was written by Jaie Benson, the creator of Curly Tee Towels. Thank you Jaie for sharing your story and donating your Wig Caps to our community!
We love Christina Caradona of the blog Trop Rouge and her menswear-inspired style. We may be biased, but we feel her curly hair adds a big dose of attitude to anything she wears. So we were thrilled when she joined us along with Ouidad in our fight against breast cancer.
This post was written by Trop Rouge for the Curls for a Cure Campaign.
Thinking of changing up your hair color subtly? Yearning for something newer and drastic? Find out how common hues are considered, first.
There’s no judging a book by it’s cover, but unfortunately there are those who make some big pre judgments on others simply by the way they dress and their hair color.
The Scandinavian Journal of Psychology found that men believe brunettes to be more approachable and blondes to be more needy. They also found that men considered redheads haughty and daring. Of course these ideas are unfair and without reason, but they remain prevalent.
[quote cite=”Men considered redheads haughty and daring. Of course these ideas are unfair and without reason, but they remain prevalent.” align=”aligncenter”][/quote]
Blonde
Blondes can be golden, platinum or add ombre… Whichever you choose blondes can live up to being fun, flirty and are often paired with outgoing personalities.
Fact: Only 10% of the world is naturally blonde. This color needs care and attention, and when we find things to be rare–like true blondes–they usually need more TLC. If you want to go more blonde, or try out being blonde (for a few weeks”>, ask your stylist which color blonde suits you best. At home colors are best for those with naturally blonde tones already set in.
Brunette
Brunettes are often viewed as great judges of character, strong and smart. While natural born brunettes are more common, tuning in their best hair tones and highlights can be a challenge. It’s easy to go too dark when playing with brunette’s color – ask your colorist or stylist which tones suit you and your hair color and type best. Try for something that is richer and more tonal.
Going richer and deeper may make you appear more mysterious and creative, but those are a few traits that we can probably live with.
Red
Natural redheads are tough to come by –only 2-6% of the US population can actually lay claim to being a true red head according to Divine Caroline. While red is rare, it’s also seen as adventurous, outgoing and risky.
If you’re looking to play up the natural red in your hair, do so with care. Reds can easily fade so it’s best to use a color that’s very close to your own true color. Cutting back on frequent shampoos is also a good idea when going red, or adding to your color. Red can also go to copper or orange, easily. If you’re looking for something lighter, then copper is your color, just be sure it works with your current hair color and tone.
Lisa Price is the founder and is in actual fact, Carol’s daughter. Price named the company after her mother when she began creating recipes that would go on to become the beloved Carol’s Daughter products as we know them in her kitchen over 20 years ago. With the encouragement of her mother Carol, Lisa began selling her homemade goods at flea markets and today you can find them on the shelves of Ulta, HSN and Target.
As devoted Hair Milk users and admirers of Price’s entrepreneurial achievements, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to speak one on one with the woman herself and relay the most asked questions from our community – first and foremost, will the products change? What does this acquisition mean for the future of Carol’s Daughter, and for its long-time customers? And out of curiosity, what have the past few days been like for Lisa?
NaturallyCurly’s Social Media Manager, Evelyn Ngugi, asked all of this and more in her exclusive interview with Lisa Price today. Lisa’s answers were heartfelt and candid, and some may surprise you. She described the road to this acquisition and the role her children and her legacy played in this decision, “it’s not something I did lightly, I mean the company is called Carol’s Daughter, my mother is Carol, and I’m never going to do anything to make her not be proud of me. Even though she isn’t physically here anymore I know she watches everything I do. So when I read that someone feels that I have lost my integrity it’s painful, because I would never do that to my mother, and I would never do that to her memory. So that’s what I think about when I move forward and make decisions, that’s the legacy for me.”
Watch the Interview
Watch the full interview and as always we want to hear from you in the comments below!
Here in the NaturallyCurly offices we’re big fans of the wash and go, but if you prefer to wear your hair in an updo for work then you could probably use some inspiration to spark your creativity. That bun can get, well, boring. In this video NaurallyCurly Editor Amanda whips up a quick updo appropriate for the office. Start off with your favorite stretched style, for Amanda that was a twist out. Follow along with Amanda to recreate the updo, and finish off with a tiny bit of ORS Olive Oil Edge Control to tame the frizzies around your hairline!
Watch the Video
[prodmod]This post is sponsored by ORS.
Instead of asking “Is alcohol bad for my hair?”, it’s probably better to ask “Are alcohols bad for my hair?” Alcohol is not one chemical but a whole family of chemicals with very different properties and very different effects on your hair. You might have heard that alcohol is bad for your hair. As with so many other things, it’s not so simple. It depends on what type of alcohol we are talking about. An alcohol that would be used in a holding spray is probably not going to be great for your hair. However, even these alcohols serve a purpose. Some alcohols are completely the opposite. They are actually “fatty” alcohols that add moisture to the hair by pulling in moisture from the air (they’re called hygroscopic”>. They also help to thicken products are are not harmful to your hair.
Short chain alcohols are generally the ones coily haired women are going to want to avoid. They are generally used in styling/finishing products. The reason they are used is, because of the way they are structured, they evaporate quickly. But, they also tend to wick moisture away from the hair which can leave it dry and frizzy – usually the very thing curly haired women are trying to avoid. Some examples are SD Alcohol 40, Ethanol or Ethyl Alchohol, Propyl Alocohol and Isopropyl. When many people think of alcohol, they think of rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol”>, which we all know evaporates quickly. And, it’s true that using these types of alcohols on the hair over and over and not properly replacing the moisture is going to cause damage.
However, there is a completely different class of alcohols. These are large molecule, long chain alcohols that are as different from the short chain alcohols as night is from day. They tend to be “fatty”, clump together and do not evaporate quickly. They draw moisture into the hair, thicken products and are used in some of the best products available for your hair. Examples include Stearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol and Myristyl alcohol.
So, the next time you see the word alcohol on the label of a product you’re checking out, do some research on the type of alcohol it is. The type of product will give you a good clue. If it’s a product designed to be used on dry hair as a finishing product, it’s probably a short chain alcohol and will be drying to your hair. That doesn’t mean you can’t use the product. Just understand what it’s doing. If you find alcohols in your conditioner, they are most likely long chain alcohols and they’re being used to benefit your hair. Feel comfortable knowing you’re doing something good for your hair by using it. If you prefer to avoid alcohols altogether by using stylers and conditioners that are alcohol-free, try the Treasured Locks Pomade & Gel and the Awaken Emu Oil Conditioner. Both are packed with natural ingredients that you can feel fully confident applying to your curls, such as aloe vera, shea butter, kosher vegetable glycerin and lemongrass.
The ingredients that your hair thrives under will be unique to your individual curls, but no matter what hair type you have it pays to get well acquainted with your product labels.
For more articles like this, check out Treasured Locks.
This post is sponsored by Treasured Locks.
Sometimes it can feel as if it takes an army of curl products to get our hair looking just right. But Jamie has found a way to wash and style her Type 3b curls with just two products. That’s right, we said two. By using a moisturizing co-wash Jamie can cleanse and condition her hair in one step, she doesn’t even use a rinse out conditioner. Then to moisturize and define her curls she applies a leave-in defining cream to wet, freshly washed hair, combing it through her curls starting at the ends. No scrunching required!
You can let your hair air dry at this point, or if you prefer to wear it pulled back Jamie likes to braid her hair and leave a few face-framing curls loose. Watch the video to see how you can do both styles at home.
[prodmod]Watch the Video
What You’ll Need
You can find Briogeo online at CurlMart, and now it’s also available in Sephora!This post is sponsored by Briogeo.
The oregano herb has been used for thousands of years not only to cook with, but as an all-natural medicinal healer. It has been found to work wonders for those with GI and urinary tract disorders, and its anti-inflammatory properties is effective in helping those suffering from osteoporosis, common cold, bloating, muscle pain, allergies and common ear and toothaches.
Oregano’s antibacterial properties also help in ridding of fungus from the scalp and nail bed areas. It works wonders on dandruff and nail fungus.
Nail fungus remover
- Mix 1/2 cup of Epsom salt and 1/4 cup of borax in a basin with tepid water.
- Soak hands or feet for 20-30 minutes. Dry off with towel.
- Rub oregano oil into the infected nail and onto every cuticle.
The oil should be applied three times per day until you notice the fungus going away. Keep your feet dry and allow them to breathe by wearing sandals or open toed shoes.
If you instead, suffer from skin infections or irritated gums, dry skin, you can mix olive oil or coconut oil with 1-2 drops of oregano oil and apply to your infected/itchy area.
Dandruff & dry scalp treatment
- Mix 2-3 drops of oregano oil with any other hair oil of your choice and rub into your scalp, delicately.
- Add a few drops of almond, coconut or olive oil.
- Leave on your scalp for 45 minutes and use a clarifying shampoo to completely rinse it out.
You may also add 2-3 drops of oregano oil to your shampoo and apply it to your hair in the shower. Let it stay on your hair for 3-4 minutes then rinse. Repeat one more time then condition if desired.
Knot detangler
- Mix 1-2 tablespoons of dried oregano with one tablespoon vanilla extract and one cup of water.
- Warm the mixture for 45 seconds on low heat or microwave for 30 seconds then allow to cool.
- Pour the mixtures into a container or spray bottle and keep it in the fridge.
- Use the mixture on your hair after your shower and comb it through evenly.
The mixture can be stored for up to one week.
Danielle Gray, also known to us as The Style and Beauty Doctor, is an inspiring resource for fashion and beauty. But that’s not all she’s passionate about. This month Danielle is joining us in the fight against breast cancer by spreading the word about Curls for a Cure.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time of year that is very near and dear to the heart of all of us and especially for curly hair expert hair brand Ouidad. Brand founder Ouidad herself is a survivor and lost her mother to the disease. She started the Ouidad Curls For A Cure program that benefits The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF”>, matching dollar for dollar donations customers make via the brand’s website (via a direct donation or purchase”>*. This year the brand has a really fun way to bring about awareness and to raise funds with a cool Ouidad Pink Curl Extension and tapped yours truly to help get the word out.
The Ouidad Pink Curl Extension ($10″> is such a great way to raise money and awareness for breast cancer and it’s super simple to use, too. Literally all you have to do is clip it in wherever you want it. If you’re hair isn’t very thick, I suggest teasing or back-combing the area where you want to clip the curl so it has something to hold onto.
The Pink Curl Extension is synthetic hair so you want to make sure you don’t put any heat tools on it, BUT it’s super versatile. Though it’s a looser curl you can still manipulate the texture to your liking. I remembered a cool hair trick I saw backstage at Tracy Reese where Ouidad stylists created kinkier hair textures on models using a trick with a hair pin and a flat iron so I wanted to duplicate but of course without the flat iron. I wrapped one Ouidad Pink Curl Extension around a large hair pin (starting from the bottom of the pin, I wrapped the hair around in a figure 8 motion and then secured it with a hair pin and left it overnight”> to create a kinkier texture. I probably should have put it in boiling water to really hold the texture, but the texture held up well. I sprayed a little Ouidad Curl LastTM Flexible-Hold Hairspray on it for hold.
You can also braid it or twist it—the choice is yours :”>
I LOVE Cruella De Vil’s streak of grey so I figured I’d emulate her with a much smaller and pink streak…lol. I placed it on my hair on an area near my ear so it would show on the underside and would blend in with the rest of my hair. Such a fun and easy fashion accessory AND it goes toward a great cause.
Details:
Jacket: ASOS | Pants: ASOS | Pumps: Zara | Belt: ASOS
You can buy your Ouidad Pink Curl Extension for $10 at Ouidad.com. 100% of the proceeds will go to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and you’ll have a really cool accessory that goes beyond making fashion statements.
P.S. If you post your Pink Curl Selfie with #CurlsforaCure, Ouidad will donate an additional $1 to BCRF up to a maximum of $10,000!
*Up to $50,000 per year.
When you have a hair question you probably ask a curlfriend, maybe your mom or sister, or you ask on Curly Q&A. But when you’re a man with long, natural hair it may not be quite as straightforward. For Tje Austin, like for many of us curlies, his fro has been a process of trial and error. As an adopted child his parents didn’t know how to care for curly hair, so Tje gathered information from friends and figured out what worked for him. He now uses the Mixed Chicks His Mix products to wash and style his hair. If you’d like to see his wash and go routine from beginning to end, watch this video we filmed!
[prodmod]Watch the Video
What he used:
Mixed Chicks His Mix Clarifying Shampoo, Daily Conditioner, and Leave-In Conditioner
This post is sponsored by Mixed Chicks His Mix.
Hair health is obviously important to us, but curly girls don’t like to feel trapped by their hair care regimen. It is possible to have healthy curls even if you’re coloring them if you prepare your hair beforehand, choose the right dye, and maintain your moisture afterwards. Here’s how you can do that at home.
Deep condition before
Before you alter the natural state of your hair, it’s always a good idea to do a deep conditioning treatment. This gives you the best chance of maintaining your hair health and length. Do your deep conditioning treatment 3 or more days prior to coloring so that the hair is a tad dry and better absorbs the color.
Use your own oil
Clarify less
Are you going lighter?
Double up
What is on your hair?
If you have previous colored or chemically treated your hair this may affect your at-home hair color results. Please be aware that if you have previously used henna it is best to advise a cosmetologist to ask about duration between color treatments and how your current color might respond.
Check your label
Avoid damage
Consider semipermanent color
We are thrilled that Grace Atwood, the voice behind fashion blog Stripes and Sequins is joining us in the fight against breast cancer. Here is how she’s showing her support for Curls for a Cure, our special initiative with Ouidad. Read more to find out how you can too.
As you know if you are a regular reader [of Stripes and Sequins], I’m a huge fan of playing around with my hair color… it’s been blonde for a while but it was red and then brown before that. This time around, I’ve gone pink! But not for good… in today’s post I’m actually wearing Ouidad’s new Pink Curl Extension, launched this month to benefit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation® through its Curls for a Cure®program, dedicated to supporting the organization in its fight to find a cure.
Ouidad is donating 100% of the $10 purchase price of the extension to BCRF – offering women a fun + fashionable way to wear pink + show support for the cause. Of course the extension is a curl (alas, a soft wave which is perfect for my hair”> as Ouidad’s heritage is in products for curly haired gals… but you might not know that Ouidad herself is actually a breast cancer survivor. It clips in easily… even those of us who aren’t the best at doing their hair (hand raised”> can easily handle it.
Taking the mission even further, if you wear your Pink Curl Extension and post a selfie using #CurlsforACure, Ouidad will donate $1 to BCRF. I’ll be wearing mine this month (and showing it off on the ‘GRAM… and encourage you to do the same!”> Fun fact: Since the program’s inception, Ouidad has donated over $475,000 to BCRF, matching customer donations 100%.. dollar for dollar. Learn more about the campaign HERE, and purchase your own pink curl extension HERE!
To see more of Grace, check out her blog Stripes and Sequins.
This week one of our NaturallyCurly contributors, Janelle Sands, is our special guest answering your curly questions on Curly Q&A. Janelle is an artist, teacher, writer, lover of women, and image consultant. She has 12 years experience in hair and beauty, and she shares that with women on her blog Secret Curl Society.
Question:
I have been transitioning for one year and 9 months, and recently my hair has gotten super dry! I have bad dandruff so I have to wash my hair every four/five days. Lately that has been making my hair dry so I decided to try cowashing in between washes and my hair still feels really dry after I wash it. It feels like I’ve used shampoo, my hair gets that stripped feeling. I don’t know what to do. I deep co dition, use a leave in, oil but it doesn’t help much. This has just started happening, when I would wash my hair frequently before it wouldn’t make my hair so dry. The only thing that has changed in my regimen is I have been using flax seed gel as my styler but I doubt that would make my hair feel dry. The products I’m using are vo5, Apple cider vinegar, Eden body works DC/leave in, olive oil and flaxseed gel. What should I do? – Breg123
Answer:
When going natural a lot of changes happen. There is something called the “line of demarcation.” That is the line between your natural hair and your relaxed hair. That line marks a distinctive difference based on the condition of your hair. What might be happening is that your natural hair has different needs than your relaxed hair. So think back to how you cared or your relaxed hair. That is how you will continue to care for it. The relaxed hair needs more protein and the natural hair needs more moisture so be sure to give it what it craves. And now is the to adjust your trim schedule. Trim your hair every 6-8 weeks from here on out. This will keep your hair in better condition and speed up your transition process. Use a sulfate free shampoo or switch to a cleansing conditioner. If you’d like to know more about the difference between cleansing conditioner and regular conditioner you can read here.
Finally after you cleanse and condition, use a leave in conditioner spray and seal with oil ( LOC METHOD”> this should help you along the way. Hope this helps!
If you have a question for Janelle, you can post it on Curly Q&A here.
Before you try a hair balm (pomade”> for the first time, understand what it is and why it will be useful to your own hair. Balms can be a great addition to your regimen if your hair is heat damaged or in need of repair or more moisture from the parching effects of the summer sun. They contain many powerful ingredients which are especially for brittle hair, like Vitamins D & E–for health, growth, and shine. For styling purposes, it is sometimes best to use this paired with some oil or a light moisturizer.
Hair balm can be used in the dead of winter or in the heat of the hot summer sun. As you use it, your hair will show you noticeable sheen, better definition and overall healthier hair.
Use just a bit (dime to nickel sized, depending on hair length”> to rub through your hair.
A good, natural balm, can be used on wet or dry hair. A little goes a long way, so test small amounts as you go to see what works best for your hair.
What you’ll need
You can find most of these ingredients in the natural/organic section of your neighborhood grocery store:
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp glycerin
- 2 tbsp sweet almond oil
- 1 tbsp argan oil
Directions
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Melt coconut oil in a double boiler (sorry, microwaves won’t work for this”>
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Allow some coconut oil to cool for 1/2 hr
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Add a few drops of almond and argan oil (substitute with jojoba if you are allergic”>
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Whisk oils together and put in the fridge for 30 minutes
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Add glycerin once you take it out the fridge
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Add 1/2 cup cool water (from the double boiler”>
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Whip mixture until it becomes fluffy
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Pour into large jar
To make the most of this product, store it at room temperature.
If you’d rather BUY than DIY, try one of these great hair balms found in CurlMart:
- Carol’s Daughter Hair Balm, $13
- Save Your Do Natural Hair Balm, $17.95
- Camille Rose Naturals Growth & Shine Balm, $12
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