Search Results: NaturallyCurly

Tons of health food and organic stores are starting to carry all-natural shampoo bars. They’re a great environmentally friendly hair care option. 

After switching to a shampoo bar from a liquid sulfate shampoo, you’ll notice shinier hair, more curl definition, and vibrant color.

Here’s an all-natural, cold press shampoo bar recipe for the DIYer in you.

You’ll find most of these ingredients at your local Whole Foods Market. (You’ll be using lye, so be careful. Use this lye calculator for precision.”>

Ingredients

• 4 ounces sunflower oil
• 2 ounces jojoba oil
• 4 ounces castor oil
• 3 ounces palm oil
• 1 ounce cocoa butter
• 8 ounces coconut oil
• 8 ounces distilled water
• 3 ounces lye
• 1 ounce essential oil (your choice”>

Directions

For Blonde hair

Follow the same recipe but instead of water steep half cup of chamomile tea in 12 ounces of boiling water and strain well. Measure out 8 ounces and use this for the water instead. Add 1 ounce of lemon essential oil.

For Red, Brunette or Black hair

Follow the basic recipe and substitute water by steeping 1/2 cup of chopped rosemary in 12 ounces of boiling water, strain well. Measure out 8 ounces and use this instead of water. Add mint and/or rosemary essential oils.

1. Fill a glass bowl with the water then add the lye and stir (never do this in reverse”>.
2. Allow to sit and cool down (it will create it’s own heat when combined”>.
3. Weigh out and melt the oils in a stainless steel pot using stove on medium.
4. Stir the lye solution into the pot with oils to create the mixture (use goggles or glasses in the case that the lye splashes”>.
5. Mix thoroughly for 10-15 minutes then add essential oil(s”>.
6. Pour soap into a mold (you can use a Rubbermaid container or heavy cardboard box lined with parchment paper”>.
7. Allow the soap to set and dry for 4-6 days then cut into bars.

If you’d like to share your own DIY curly concoctions, you can submit them here for the curly community to try!

For years it has been rumored that “No tears” baby shampoos intended for babies contain novocaine as an anesthetic.

This theory is FALSE. Here are three reasons why:

1. If these shampoos contained a numbing agent like nov0caine, then parents would feel a tingling or numbing sensation in their fingertips as they applied it to their child’s hair.
2. This would actually burn the child’s skin and eyes during the washing process.
3. This would put both babies and adults at extremely high risk for illness and even death due to the toxin exposure.

So what exactly is in our “no-tear” shampoos?

As you probably know, most shampoos contain sulfates in order to aid in the cleansing process. They’re known to irritate skin and eyes. Over just the past few years, many companies have reformulated shampoos and products to be free of sulfates, but baby shampoos use long-chain surfactants (less emulsifying for cleansing the hair”> or ionic polymers. These help prevent a stinging sensation for whenever the soap gets into child’s eyes. This is why many shampoos marketed for infants and toddlers are labeled as “no-tear” shampoos.

In 2009 the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics researched the content of a number of baby shampoos and cosmetic products and found formaldehyde and 1,4 dioxane in Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo (as they had done since 1953″>. J&J was forced to reformulate their products and by May 2013 the company announced that all formaldehyde, parabens, triclosan and phthalates had been eliminated from all of their baby products.

Still uncertain about what to wash your little one’s hair with?

Here’s a safe, gentle shampoo recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 oz liquid castile soap (unscented”>
• 4 oz filtered water
• 3 drops lavender oil
• 3 drops orange or lemon oil

Directions

Combine the ingredients into a foaming dispenser and use as needed. Your baby’s hair will be left with clean, soft, and with a pleasing fresh scent.

Ginelle and Chelsea have completely different curl patterns, so it’s no surprise they have different methods of achieving Glam Waves for the summer. Both women were looking for waves that were full of shine but not weighed down by product, here’s how they achieved the look.

Look 1: Low Heat, High Style

What You’ll Need:

• Anti-Breakage Anti-Frizz Smoothing Serum
• Marguerite’s Magic Restorative Cream

Bobby pins

Directions:

1. Start with clean hair, and apply the Anti-Breakage Anti-Frizz Styling Cream
2. Blow dry hair using the tension method
3. Divide hair into 5 sections
4. Apply Marguerite’s Magic Restorative Cream evenly and flat twist each section
5. Bantu knot each section and secure with a bobby pin
6. Allow hair to air dry completely
7. Apply the  Anti-Breakage Anti-Frizz Smoothing Serum as you untwist all of the sections
8. Separate and fluff all of the twists

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Watch the Video

Look 2: Tousled Waves

What You’ll Need:

Directions:

1. Start with clean, wet hair and apply the Anti-Breakage Anti-Frizz Styling Cream
2. Comb through with a wide tooth comb and blow dry. Apply Smoothing Serum as needed for extra shine.
3. Take a one-inch sections of hair and wrap around curling wand (without using the curling iron’s clip”>
4. Let the hair cool and then separate the waves using your fingers
5. Apply Marguerite’s Magic Restorative Cream evenly to the waves, running your fingers softly through them 

Watch the Video

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

There’s poignant lyric on Jill Scott’s debut album, Who is Jill Scott?, in which she says, “You love me from my hair follicle to my toenails.” The lyrics to the song, “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat”>,” are so enchanting that many young women like myself love to sing those words along with Jill, and swoon over the idea of “Lyzel” and the possibility of full acceptance. I believe that a full-acceptance type of self-love is exactly what our young girls need in order to brave the elements of a society that questions their self-worth and capabilities.

Growing up black in America is a uniquely challenging experience, and growing up black and female is an even greater challenge. To really thrive in society we have to learn very early on how to be the keepers of our joy, name, value, and of our life’s possibilities.

Many of us will never forget the day Don Imus used his radio platform to call a group of young black female college students “nappy headed hoes,” and it has been a matter of months since a young girl faced expulsion from school for donning her natural hair. And, most unfortunately, many women can relate to how deflating it feels to have their intelligence questioned in the workplace or in a school setting because of both their gender and racial identities. Yet, these are just a few of the difficult realities our young girls must be prepared to tackle.

I have made it my mission to help young women combat these forces by designing and implementing self-esteem building workshops for teenage girls. My job as facilitator is to provide a space where teens can speak openly and honestly about their feelings and experiences, and to create a dynamic educational environment that provides them with the knowledge and foresight to mitigate the effects of negative messaging on their psyches. During the workshops we first learn the story of Saartjie Baartman, a black woman who was exhibited as a freak show in 19th-century Europe. We immediately follow this by listening to explicit versions of popular songs to examine how misogynistic messages, often promoted by their favorite artists, impact their lives.

Some argue that messages in music and pop culture in general have no real influence on our young people. However, if that were true then popular figures would never land huge endorsement deals, teenage girls would not constitute the demographic of women investing in fake behinds, and I would not have teenage girls in my workshops who believe that expensive designer digs determine their value.

While the workshops are a great benefit to teenagers, I still believe we must work harder to empower our girls at an even earlier age. In an effort to do just that, I recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help complete a children’s book I wrote called I Know I Can! It’s the story of a little girl name Faith with big dreams. The goal of the book is to empower little girls to think and dream big, and to have the courage to take action.

If you would like to take action and help build the self-esteem of little girls in your life, here are a few things you can do:

1. Verbally acknowledge, validate, and help them hone their strengths.

Does the little girl in your life like to put puzzles together and solve problems? If so, continue to support that interest. You never know—you could be raising an engineer.

2. Encourage them to challenge themselves. Provide guidance. Do whatever must be done, but don’t let them give up!

Once a person (even a little person”> overcomes one challenge, when presented with another they will have the confidence to confront it. This practice will serve them in every aspect of their life.

3. Tell them they are wonderful, intelligent, fabulous, brilliant, loving, caring, gorgeous, kind, sweet, generous . . .

I’m the type of person who is quick to compliment someone if there is something that stands out about them. They could give off great energy, be a great leader, have awesome shoes, hair, jewelry, makeup, or just an awesome smile. Whatever my compliment may be, it’s always genuine, well-received, and a day-maker. I’m sure there are many adjectives you could use to compliment your little one. Compliment her today! She will love you (and herself”> all the more.

4. Support I Know I Can! on Kickstarter! :”>

I know that if we begin or continue to do all these things and more, the little girls in your life will certainly have self-esteem that extends from their hair follicles to their toenails, with some leftover love to share!

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This article was written by author Veronica N. Chapman. If you’d like to help support her project on Kickstarter, click here. 

We all know it’s super important to ensure our shampoo doesn’t have any sulfates inside.  We understand that sulfates are synthetic cleansing agents that are really good and getting rid of dirt, styling product and sweat, but with that they also take away natural oils, moisture, and can make your hair strand rough. No good, right?

What most of us don’t know is that making it sulfate-free isn’t enough. Many sulfate-free shampoos can actually do more harm than good. They can leave hair extra dry, strip hair of its strength, leave it tangled and even increase the amount of frizz!  And here’s why…

When we started asking beauty companies to stop using harsh sulfates and find something better, they simply switched out one synthetic ingredient for another.

In many cases, the alternative was more harsh, not more gentle.  So, while a shampoo might read sulfate-free on the front, it actually means it’s still just as hard on your hair (and in some cases even worse”> as its full-of-sulfates big sister.

What you need to find is a product that uses something naturally-derived that can both get hair all squeaky clean, but also helps condition and replenish hair.  Sound too good to be true?  It’s not.  Promise.

Thanks to improvements in technology, you can now find products that use fruit or vegetable-based cleansing ingredients instead of sulfates. What’s great about these gals is they don’t just make your shampoo all foamy and good at cleaning, they also put some good stuff back into your hair.

For example, some are made from coconut.  Coconut, as we know, is great for helping hair in a lot of ways: adding back moisture, leaving hair feeling softer, helping repair strands, easing detangling, reducing frizz, and boosting natural shine.  Yeah, all that.

Which means, as you shampoo you can get both a thorough cleanse and get a bunch of good stuff at the same time…all without sulfates. So, next time you’re thinking of getting a shampoo, take a look at the bottle and see how it measures up. You want to look for phrases like “naturally-derived cleanser” or “vegetable-derived cleansing agents.”  You might find it right on the front of the bottle in full view, or on the back just above the ingredient list and directions (a spot most of us skip past”>.

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

The sun, the sea, poolside parties… Ah, summertime. As fun as it can be, it can cause damage on your hair that might linger past the sunny days. Like your body, your curls need hydration and moisture, too. You may start to see a change in how they behave with the climatic change of the season. With just a few ingredients, it’s pretty simple to put together just what your hair needs.

And bonus, the ingredients are likely already in your kitchen.

Olive Oil & Honey Hair Mask

Supplies

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions: 

Mix the honey with the olive oil. Heat in microwave oven to melt and apply to hair, then cover head with a plastic cap for 20-30 minutes. Wash out and style as usual.

Essential Oil Hair Mist

Supplies

• 2.5 tablespoons vegetable glycerin
• favorite essential oil
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• distilled water

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in an 8oz. bottle and shake whenever you’re ready to use. It’s a great second and third-day hair refresher.

HOMEPAGE PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDSAY YOUSIF

YouTube beauty guru Evelina Barry was inspired by the Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2014 runway to create this romantic updo. Perfect for a wedding or formal event, this style may look complicated but it is actually surprisingly simple. You just need to know how to French braid (and a really messy French braid will totally suffice”>. 

What You’ll Need

• Glue
• Bobbypins
• Jewels
• Fake flowers

Directions

1. Start by cutting the fake flowers off and gluing them to the ends of your bobby pins
2. Glue your jewels to a hair comb, and allow the glue to dry completely
3. Next, Evelina used a curling wand to curl her hair to create texture and volume in her braid, but if you have naturally curly hair (you lucky thing!”> you can skip this step
4. French braid your hair, it’s ok if this is imperfect. Messy is even better. Secure with a band.
5. Snake the braid around and tuck in the ends, pin this until it feels secure.
6. Add your flower and jeweled pins into your hair.

Watch the Video

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

Our mission at NaturallyCurly has always been to be a platform for women redefining ‘beauty’ on their own terms. That’s why we’re so excited to be partnering with EDEN BodyWorks as they hit the road this summer to help women all over the country define ‘beauty.’ The word is so much more than exterior looks. It encompasses all aspects of who we are from how we feel, how we think and what we put in our bodies.

As women, we have the option to express ourselves through our hair, fashion, career and lifestyle choices. The possibilities are endless.

Kicking off in New Orleans during the July 4th weekend, “Celebrate My Beauty!” events will be hosted by our curlfriend Francheska Medina, natural beauty, nutrition and fitness expert and the voice behind HeyFranHey.com alongside EDEN BodyWorks Founder, Jasmine Lawrence. The brand invites guests to enjoy the “Celebrate My Beauty!” experience and walk away inspired, pampered and renewed.

“Celebrate My Beauty!” stations will feature:

• EDEN BodyWorks Coconut Shea collection hair demonstrations
• Product sampling
• Health/wellness offerings
• Mini-manicures
• Mini-makeovers
• Branded photo & video booth

Written by Fran of HeyFranHey.com

As healthy-haired naturals, there are various things we have to stay on top of: moisture levels, minimizing breakage, protective styling and healthy ends, just to name a few.

While most of these regimens and techniques cater to our new growth, it’s important to take note of the state of our hair health, overall, to avoid continuing any detrimental habits. One of the biggest concerns we face would have to be the thinning of our fragile edges. Unfortunately, there’s no over-the-counter cream or regimen that will repair damage that has already been done. The most we can do is avoid common pitfalls, such as styles that are too tight and stressful on the edges, products loaded with breakage-inducing alcohols and too much heat styling.

Once we’ve gotten those habits out of the way, the next thing to reflect on is diet, of course! A well-balanced meal full of fibers, nutrients and proteins will ensure hair follicles are properly stimulated and vibrant. Don’t forget to fit in some exercising to improve the scalp’s circulation, as well! Also, make sure to check with your doctor in case your hair thinning is due to an underlying illness. Here are three all-natural remedies for thinning edges. Remember, they won’t serve as a quick fix! They will, however, stimulate hair growth and help you take better care of it as it comes in.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

JBCO is the unrefined version of Castor Oil. This means the full health benefits and nutrients were not lost during processing. A daily or weekly (depending on the severity”> deep temple massage will greatly improve circulation and stimulation of the hair follicle. JBCO is scientifically proven to remove toxins and impurities from the scalp. This will allow your natural oils to function properly, creating a healthy environment and nourishment for new growth.

Peppermint Oil & Jojoba Oil

Similarly to Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Peppermint Essential Oil is an antibacterial, known for removing impurities causing growth obstructions. Its cooling effect also relaxes the follicle, promoting healthy hair growth. Since Jojoba is the oil closest to that of our own natural oils, it is the best choice for a carrier oil. A soothing carrier oil is needed with Peppermint Oil because of how potent it can be. I usually add equal parts. Another great all-natural and effective mixture is Basil Oil and Jojoba. Consistent and weekly pre-poo (before cleansing”> scalp massages with either mixture will improve hair growth with major results within the first three months.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera contains more than 20 vitamins and minerals essential for hair growth. It’s almost rare to find a product without it as an ingredient. The anti-bacterial properties of Aloe help you maintain a build-up-free scalp. While unclogging, it also balances and restores the pH, aiding in hair growth, shine and overall health. If you suffer from Alopecia, aloe is commonly suggested as the best natural remedy in preventing further hair loss. Using it as a sealant over your moisturizers and leave-ins or simply including it in your regimen overall will greatly improve your hair’s growth cycle. Focus on your edges (apply more”> during application.

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter. 

From the runway to the streets, blunt bangs and textured waves have been making a major comeback. Bangs can be worn a bit wispy, short or chunky. They add depth and edge to textured hairstyles. Do note, however, that after about 30 days or so, your bangs will need a touch-up. As with most DIY projects, it’s probably safer to seek a professional if you are not comfortable doing this at home yourself. If you are adept with the shears though, you can save money by maintaining your bangs from the comfort of your own home with these 5 steps. 

MORE: Find a local curly stylist here in our Salon Finder

Here’s how to do your own cut your own bangs:

1. Wash and dry your hair

You want to make sure that your hair is dry so you don’t cut off too much and you want it clean so oils and debris don’t weight it down. For tighter curls, blow-out the bangs so you can get a better idea of their length.

2. Gather your bangs between the fingers

Use the fingers of your non-dominant (the hand you won’t be cutting with”>. Make sure that the bang section of your hair is flat and spread out evenly.

3. Slide your fingers to the edge

Gently slide your fingers with the bangs still in between them, closer to the edge of your hair and leave about 1 centimeter of hair sticking out from the ends. You want to begin by trimming in small sections, as you can always go back and trim more later if you want. Repeat the process until you are happy with the length.

4. Add texture

Now slide your fingers down on your bangs, leaving 1-2 inches of hair sticking out from ends of your fingers. Hold your shears in a vertical position and cut up and into the bangs. The closer to the scalp you cut, the more defined your bangs will appear. Although this may take some getting used to, it doesn’t have to be precise.

Once you have snipped along the enter bang-line, brush out the hair that was cut and repeat if you feel it necessary. The more you do this part, the more texture you will add to your bangs.

For this look, we suggest adding texture to fine, limp hair with something like AG Beach Bomb. Smooth your bangs (while keeping in mind to not weigh them down”> with Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Serum. And for overall sheen and moisture, run a palm-sized amount of Design Essentials Daily Moisturizing Lotion through your entire hair.

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Whether you are planning on getting married soon, or will simply be a part of a wedding party this season, girls with curls have lots of options. Most curly brides are embracing elegant styles, and who wouldn’t– it’s YOUR big day. But that doesn’t mean that you need to get out the flat irons or start with keratin treatments today. Embracing your natural curls and waves and enhancing them, showing them off, for your special day, can be a great option.

Where to begin? Look for photos of styles and ideas that you like and come prepared with creative ideas to your stylist. Let him or her know exactly what type of style you’re looking for and that straightening isn’t an option, but enhancing the  natural beauty of your hair is. Ask for some trial runs and ideas and input from their view as well.

While it might take a bit of creativity and practice to find a desired style, there are plenty of options for a natural bride who wants to glam up her everyday look for her wedding day. Keep reading for 3 ways to veil your curly crown.

Floral Headpiece

This year, we’re seeing this floral look everywhere. Decorate a full head of curls with beautiful flowers, metal or a decorative side clip. A bride can style her hair underneath as she does everyday—with twists, or loose curls (formed with Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper and Curly Hair Solutions Extenzz stretched with a root brush, or done completely freeform with some Curl Keeper as a styling product”>.

Others might prefer to pin up coily hair or sweep it to the side. The accessory can then be placed in a desired position for a look of old-school glamour. Leaving some loose tendrils on the forehead or at the temples adds softness and elegance.

We found some super cute ones online by Pretty Little Titch.

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Birdcage Veil

Traditional veils work well with most wedding hair styles, but the trendy birdcage veil seems to go especially well with tight curls, as the netting shows off the texture of the hair. Perch the veil slightly past the crown of the head and let the birdcage netting rest on the forehead. The top of the veil, which usually contains a decorative ornament, adds to the glamour.

Modern-Day Tiara

Use a rhinestone crystal hairpiece to feel like a princess with your natural hair.  Have your stylist create a voluminous half-up, half-down style. Cleanse and condition hair, use a leave-in conditioner paired with a styler to create definition, and pull the hair of the crown through the center of the headpiece.Pin the headpiece in place to create a tiara effect, and allow hair to dry through a combination of heat drying and air-drying, so it can grow fuller and larger.Brides have enough to worry about on their wedding day, and hair styles shouldn’t be a worry, but something to enjoy and have fun with on the big day!

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Tara Lisciandro-Hornich is a Type 2/3 curly mom as well as healthy lifestyle advocate. Read her articles here.

 

Nikki was looking for a fun way to spice up her hair color this summer without damaging her natural curls, so she decided to use a semi-permanent hair color just on her ends.

Semi-permanent means that there is no bleach in the product, so it won’t lighten your hair (which can be very damaging, especially to curly hair”>. Nikki liked the ammonia-free peroxide-free formula of Bigen and went with their Intensive Ruby Red. As you can see the color is fun and vibrant, even without lightening her hair first. Plus, it washes out after 2-3 weeks so it’s a low-commitment way to experiment with color!

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To apply the color Nikki first divided her hair into 4 sections and then braided them, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Using gloves, she applied the color to the ends of her braids and let sit for 25 minutes. When she rinsed her hair out she was left with gorgeous red ends and healthy curls.

Watch the Video

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This post is sponsored by Bigen.

For my entire childhood and into my early adult life, the hair in the center of my head was always drier, thinner, coarser, frizzier, more tender and shorter then the rest of my hair. I would go to hair salons and stylist would immediately comment on the difference of my hair texture in the center of my head but would offer nothing more to help the problem aside from an emergency deep conditioning.

As I became more receptive to natural hair care and healthy hair care practice (which has grown into a full blown obsession”>, I began doing some research into how to treat “problem spots.” After some trial and error, I can honestly say that the center of my head is now healthier than it has ever been in my entire life. It is softer, fuller and longer than it has ever been. Here are some techniques and information about how to handle your own “problem spots” that have helped me on my journey.

The Symptoms

How You Know You Have A Problematic Center (You do not have to suffer from all listed to qualify”>.

1. While the rest of your hair grows and retains length, the middle of your hair remains the same length.
2. The center of your head tends to be more itchy, flakey and tender to the touch and during styling then the rest of your hair.
3. The texture in the center is generally more coarse, drier and holds little to no curl pattern in comparison to the rest of your surrounding hair.
4. It causes you bouts of insecurity, fear to wear your hair down and out, constant product consumption in the attempt to “fix” this issue and inability to wear your hair in certain styles because of the dramatic length difference of your hair.

The Causes

1. The hair in the center of your head is simply a different texture then the rest of your hair therefore demands different hair care practices.
2. You are suffering from heat damage.
3. Your style choices as well as hair care practices are affecting the area negatively.
4. That area is under-nourished and under-moisturized.

Ways to Treat Your Problematic Center

1. Finger Detangle

Come to the realization that the hair in your center is simply a different texture than the rest. Just because it is thinner or more coarse does not make it a death sentence. It requires you treat it more attentively and gently. The troublesome area should become where your attention is focused rather than the bothersome afterthought. A gentle habit to consider is always finger detangling rather than raking a comb through your hair.

2. Moisturize

If you are suffering from extreme dryness make sure your moisturizing regime is solid. Look for a leave in conditioner that is best for your area that is suffering the worst which is the minority rather than focusing on the benefits of the majority of your hair. Remember that moisturizing is a two step process; moisture first and sealing second.

3. Camouflage

Heat damage will always wreck havoc on your hair. The damage will occur on the most vulnerable areas of the hair. For most that is the center and sides of the head. There is very little that can be done once heat damage occurs. Once your hair is damaged – the curl is gone. Your greatest skill to master while waiting for your hair to grow out is camouflage. Twist outs, braid outs, rod sets etc are great. If you are a wash and go kind of girl, I suggest while your hair is wet, two strand twist the “problem area”. Once your surrounding hair is dry, take down the twists making sure not to touch them too much and allow them to dry while still keeping the curly form. They will blend in quite naturally with the rest of your curls.

4. Hot Oil

If your center is more itchy, flakey and tender to the touch, regularly apply hot oil treatments infused with rosemary and tea tree oil to combat the ach and flake. Massage the area nightly as well to bring blood flow and relieve tension. Lastly, no matter how cute the style, if it hurts your head then you have to stop rockin’ it.

5. Aloe Vera Gel

In my discoveries, I found that aloe vera juice was the best nutrient in helping to bring my deprived center hair back to life. Aloe vera is really moisturizing and helps to seal cuticles that are damaged and frayed. If your hair in the center is dry and brittle and moisture just goes out as quickly as it goes in then go buy yourself some 100% PURE ALOE VERA JUICE. Mix it with your favorite leave in conditioner and apply it directly to your hair. (Don’t forget to seal with an oil!”> After consistent use (2-3 months”> you will see a drastic difference!

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

“It’s the average natural hair meet up taken up a notch,” says Charisse Higgins of the Curly Girl Collective. Like any natural hair organization the Curly Girl Collective fosters acceptance of curly hair – but their specialty is innovative event planning and unique experiences.

“We started in 2011 and even before then we’d noticed that natural hair meet ups tend to be the same. What usually brings people out is a big name blogger and maybe a gift bag, but we do so much more!” Curly Girl Collective’s events have included everything from a panel for men to give their opinions on natural hair, a speed networking event (think speed dating with celebrities and bloggers”>, interactive photo booths and even a “hair wall.” And their next event is going to be their biggest yet.

CurlFest – The Ultimate Summer Picnic

CurlFest – The Ultimate Summer Picnic is going to be held June 22 in the unofficial mecca for natural hair: Brooklyn. The Ultimate Summer Picnic in Prospect Park is going to be a fun event for men and women who love natural hair to come mix and mingle. There’ll be music, games, vendors – what better way to celebrate our favorite season?

Features include music by DJ Hollywood, food trucks courtesy of Gorilla Cheese NYC, Desi Truck and Andy’s Ice, complimentary snacks by Snapea Crisps, The CGC Marketplace, beverages, games and gift bags, to name a few. Confirmed sponsors are EdenBodyWorks, Ouidad, Curls, Vita Coco, Shea Moisture, Miss Jessie’s, Burgeon and media partner NaturallyCurly.

Curlfest is an opportunity to unite the many supporters of the natural hair community, and gain nationwide awareness of the community’s purpose to promote self love, empower curly women and combat societal views that lead to self-hate and low self esteem. Various bloggers, vloggers, tastemakers, community leaders and fashion-forward natural-haired women and the men who love them will gather at the Nethermead section of Prospect Park for the one-day celebration and the official start of summer.

The CGC Marketplace  will feature fashion and beauty vendors : Esther Woo, Afros: A Celebration Of Natural Hair by Michael July, Emilisa Inc., Jewel House Junkies, Jewel’s Vintage Closet, Xpressions by ML, Haus of Swag, Lily &Eve, Pauline  Asmah Designs,  Pearl’s Boutique, Clutches her Pearls, Liligrow Boutique, 2 Lite Creations, Adorn and Nick Knacks.

“We’re very excited to see our vision come to life,” said creative director, Curly Girl Collective Melody Henderson.  “Curlfest is an event for everyone near and far who support this natural hair movement to come together and celebrate hair that many people have been led to believe isn’t beautiful.”

In the past few years, the natural hair community has been on the rise. According to Mintel, “Relaxers represent 21 percent of the black haircare market with expenditures at $152 million, and are down 15 percent since 2011 due to the natural hair trend.” As a result, the need to meet with other local women who choose to wear their hair natural as a way to garner support has become very important to the natural hair community.

Curlfest is an initiative that draws attention to the importance and strength of communities, builds relationships on a grand scale and drives awareness of the love so many people have for natural hair. This announcement further illustrates Curly Girl Collective’s commitment to creating experiences that celebrate women with natural hair. There will be a series of events in 2014 that continue to support this vision.

• When: June 22, 2014 from 1-6pm
• Where: Prospect Park, Brooklyn

 Watch the Video

*Editor’s Note: Demand for this event has been unprecedented and the tickets have already sold out, but if you’d like to be notified of the next Curly Girl Collective event be sure to like them on Facebook to stay in the loop. 

Wash n’ gos are quick and easy styles and a great way to show off your natural texture.

To achieve a wash n’ go simply wash your hair and while it is wet you can either rake a moisturizing product through your hair like Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk or Hair Milk Pudding, or add the product to your hair from root to tip and give it a few shakes and you’re done.

The purpose of putting on a moisturizing product is to first help keep your hair moisturized after it is dry, and second the product helps to hold your curls, elongate them and help reduce frizz. Some mix their moisturizing product with a gel-type product for extra hold.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the result of your wash n’ go depends on how tight or loose your natural curl pattern is when your hair is wet. It’s key to understand that the product you use will not change your natural curl pattern.

In other words, if you have tight small ringlets when your hair is wet, the result of your wash n’ go will be tight small ringlets. If your hair is wavy and curls at the ends when wet, your wash n’ go will be wavy with curls on the ends, and so on.

Therefore your wash n’go results are unique to you – your curl pattern.

So a quick test to get an idea of how your wash n’ go will look is to simply wet your hair and look at your curl pattern. You can even put it in sections and rake product through certain sections to check out the curl pattern. Many naturals, including myself, have several different types of textures so this way you can see what each texture looks while wet.

No matter what you hair texture is you are also going to experience some shrinkage with your wash n’ go. And of course, sleeping on your curls at night will flatten them as well.

Some are able to keep their wash n’ go curls in tact by piling them up on their head and tying a scarf around the perimeter of their head leaving their curls loose at the top. This has been dubbed the “Pineapple Method.”

For those with medium length hair, you can band your hair at night to preserve your curls. Simply section your hair and put the sections into little puffs using metal-free hair bands before putting on your satin scarf or bonnet.

For those with shorter hair, you will have to refresh your wash n’ go with a few sprays of water and use your fingers to plop up your curls. And no matter the length, the way your wash n’ go looked on the first day will most likely look different the next.

If your wash n’ go doesn’t give you the results you desire, then simply put the wash n’ go just isn’t for you. There’s really nothing to get upset about, just take a deep breath, re-wash your hair and move on.

There are tons of more styles you are capable of achieving with your hair that are perfect for your texture/curl pattern. After all, the beauty of natural hair is its versatility and uniqueness.

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

Yasmin Sewell, chief creative consultant for Liberty of London is a thriving fashion maven among London designers whose style and hair has been drawing plenty of attention lately. Yasmine has a great curly bob. It is more graduated with less angle. It allows the shape of her curls and waves to highlight her long, pointed facial features.

With summer in the air, many stylists find Yasmine’s photos popping up on their counters with numerous curly customers requesting a “Yasmin cut.”

Yasmin’s curly cut has been captured by street photographers in London and NYC. Google any of her photos and you will be able to notice that her curls are always natural, fall right into place and have that classic, look to them that doesn’t appear to be trying too hard.

Vogue entitled Sewell’s hairstyle in an online article “Cropped Curls” –a perfect title at that. Yasmin states, “I always want to have the kind of hair that looks like I just got out of bed.” She adds that she has a stylist who understands her hair and texture.

He cuts the curl in a way that kind of thins it out underneath. If you don’t do this, my bob looks like a Christmas Tree and spreads out.

The bob that Sewell maintains is graduated but doesn’t angel towards the front and the length reaches her lips or lower jaw. Allowing this type of cut, you should see something that is more square all around.

Sewell also adds, “My maintenance is not really daily. I wash it and put in a little argan-based oil, it will be fine for three or four days of sleeping on it. Then I get up in the morning and mess it up with my hands a bit.”

If you are thinking of taking on the Yasmin Sewell look, this summer season may be the perfect time. Need something shorter and easier to maintain? Who could complain? Be sure to find a stylist who is willing to work with your hair and communicate with photos and ideas as you work with your stylist.

There are a few different reasons why your scalp may be feeling overly dry and itchy. It can stem from dietary deficiencies: depriving your body of enough water and/or essential nutrients found in healthier foods. Maybe from cleansing too often, using products that are too heavy for your particular hair type or being heavy handed while applying them. Even your stress levels and climate changes are important factors. Regardless of the trouble source, the biggest mistake most naturals make is assuming a dry scalp can only be cured by applying more product for moisture. Reality is, your body has it’s own natural oils that do a great job of coating your scalp, as needed. Our job is to eat the right things and apply the right products that won’t interfere with our body’s natural function. Adding more product to your scalp can cause even more dryness, as the layers become a barrier blocking much-needed nutrients from entering and wastes from being released. It becomes a never-ending cycle because the dryness never really goes away. The next time you feel yourself experiencing a seemingly relentless itchy scalp, try one of these natural remedies before grabbing that jar of product!

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is excellent for helping your scalp restore it’s natural oil levels. Our poor diets and beauty techniques can cause an imbalance, creating either an overproduction or underproduction of oil. Eating a balanced diet that includes rich veggies like asparagus and broccoli, fresh fruit such as mangoes and papayas, nuts like almonds and wheat germ in your smoothies and cold cereals will ensure a healthy dose of the nutrient. My favorite all-natural remedy, using Vitamin E oil directly, is breaking open a few capsules and deep-massaging my scalp for 3-5 minutes. This topical application, once a week, will help neutralize your scalp’s pH levels, will improve overall circulation and heavily reduce dryness.

Jojoba Oil

If your scalp ailment happens to be an underproduction of oil, and the Vitamin E capsules do not seem to be restoring health, Jojoba Oil is another great all-natural option for moisture. It is said that the molecular structure of Jojoba Oil is closest to that of our scalp’s natural oil (sebum”>. This similarity is why Jojoba is the perfect moisturizer. It replenishes the deficiency without blocking proper circulation. I usually pour a quarter-size amount into the palm of my hands, rub together, then deeply massage my scalp with my finger-tips for 3-5 min. Doing this once a week usually gets the job done!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Product build-up is the most common reason for dry and itchy scalp. A lot of us can be heavy handed during the application process! Not only that, but most of us use more than one product at a time: leave-in, sealant, styler; and all of those layers, in addition to how many days we repeatedly apply them, will add up! Apple Cider Vinegar is an awesome way to naturally clarify your scalp from product build-up. It’s a natural disinfectant, so it will help remove any fungus or bacteria that has been produced. Its detoxifying properties will also help unclog your pores from old product and debris. This works great for your strands, as well! The trick is to fill a spray bottle with the ACV, wet your hair with warm water, spray your scalp and strands until fully saturated, deeply massage scalp for 3-5 minutes and then let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Proceed to rinse out with cold water to close the cuticles. Using this method once every two weeks or once a month will help keep your scalp refreshed and it’s pH levels balanced.

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This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

There’s nothing more confusing than following all of the steps suggested by popular hair bloggers and vloggers and still ending up with frizzy, brittle hair. Especially when you learn the wonders of sealing with an oil or butter for longer lasting hydration, but still wake up with thirsty strands by the next morning. What gives? Well, it may be your hair’s porosity.

What is porosity?

It’s your hair’s ability to absorb water, products and moisture overall. The ranges are broken down into low, normal and high porosity. Here’s a strand test followed by a break down of each range, what it means for your hair regimen and how to repair it.

Porosity Test

Next time you wash your hair, grab a strand and drop it into a glass of water. If the strand immediately sinks to the bottom, then your hair is of high porosity. If it floats somewhere in the middle with ease, then it’s of normal porosity. If it seems to stay at the top, taking forever to sink downward, then your strands are of low porosity.

Low Porosity

Low porosity means your cuticles are tight and pretty resistant to opening up for water and moisture.

This is more than likely due to genetics. Does it usually feel like products you apply are just sitting on top of your hair? Your hair doesn’t readily absorb products; hence its inability to retain the moisture and shine your hair needs. The strand stayed at the top of the glass because water couldn’t get inside of it to make it sink. The tricky part of having low porosity hair is how well it can actually hold moisture once inside, but getting it inside is the key!

Low Porosity Products

Beware of products with a low pH because high acidity works to keep the cuticle closed. In other words, they won’t help your case! Look for products using more alkaline ingredients that will help lift your cuticles. Regular baking soda treatments (Google: Cherry Lola Treatment”> or products containing glycerin may help improve moisture levels. Granted, many naturals have issues with both ingredients so test them out for your particular hair type and see if they help!

Try avoiding products loaded with oils, as oils serve as sealants for the cuticle and may work against your efforts to lift them. Steamers are great tools for aiding with cuticle lifting, as well. And when applying products, make sure your hair is damp, as you’ll need all the moisture you can get!

Normal Porosity

Normal porosity is pretty self-explanatory! It means your strands allow for easy moisture inside the cuticle.

This range tends to take color and perms better than the other two. And will also hold moisture and shine for a longer period of time. It’s essentially considered a very desirable and low maintenance hair type. However, be aware that regular chemical processes, including heat, can change the hair’s porosity over time.

High Porosity Products

Healthier ingredients, regular deep conditioning, moisturizing and little to no heat regimens will help keep normal porosity strands at optimum health.

High Porosity

High porosity means your cuticles have been exposed to a severe amount of damage, either through environmental factors or the overuse of heat and chemical processes.

Does your hair seem to stay wet for a long time? Or do your strands feel as though as quickly as they absorb moisture from your products is as quickly as they lose it? Your strand sank to the bottom of the glass because of the gaps and large openings, allowing for the entrance of more water, all throughout the cuticle.

High Porosity Products

Thicker butters and products with more oils are helpful for this hair type as they will seal the cuticle and even serve as a protective layer. You want to use things with a low pH, which are acidic, and will help tighten the open cuticle. Sealing with pure Aloe Vera after applying your leave-in will be extremely helpful. A regular apple cider vinegar rinse, diluted with 2 cups of water, will also help detoxify any pollution (from being so openly vulnerable to the elements”> and help seal the cuticle. Protein treatments are also recommended to temporarily patch the gaps.

The truth is, there is no repairing overly porous hair. These regimens will help make it more manageable but regular trims, so you can focus on the new growth, and a major halt in the use of heat and chemicals will be key.

This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.