Search Results: NaturallyCurly

“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.

Do you wish that your hair was different?

Do you often look at images or videos of women with natural hair different from your own and feel envious of their hair?

When you wear your natural hair for the first time, your initial experiences can be frustrating, because learning how to care for and style your natural hair can be overwhelming in the beginning.

It is at this point, when you see women with hair “different” from your own, that you imagine that their hair care must be easier and you wish that you can have their hair. At first this thought process starts as simple hair crushes, but then sometimes they can turn into hair anxiety where you begin to dislike your own hair because you feel it does not love you back.

You start to tell yourself that your hair is not defined enough.

Your hair is not shiny enough.

Your hair shrinks way too much.

As a result you seek out products and methods to get your hair to look like all those hair crushes you lust after, but become upset when these products and methods do not fulfill their promise. But by doing this you are going against the original reason you have curly hair in the first place – you wanted to wear “your” natural hair. I am here to tell you that your hair is not “less than”, and while your hair may seem that it is not loving you back now – it will get to a point where your hair thrives.

When you find yourself spending time envious of other peoples hair it is like sipping a green eyed cocktail, the more and more your drink the bigger the headache will be the next day. Once you let go of all the angst you have about your hair you will begin to feel a weight lift off of you, and that is when your hair will flourish.

Now let’s put down the green eyed cocktail and look at six steps that will help you begin to accept your hair. Some of these actions will require you to step out of your comfort zone but they will leave you, and your hair, feeling more empowered.

• Find your hair community: Whether it be on Facebook or in the forums of Naturally Curly, seek out a community of women with similar length and texture as your own.
• Search for new hair crushes: Take the Naturally Curly Texture Typing Quiz for hair types and using your hair type as a search term, Google women with that texture.
• Show off your beautiful hair: Take a selfie of your hair every day for a week or a month and post them to your favorite social media platform.
• Try simple hairstyles: If styling your hair is the reason for disliking your hair search on Youtube for simple styles to save yourself time (Check out 3 simple styles we teach at Curly Hair School”>
• Beat Dry Hair: Many women say that frequently dry hair is the reason for their hair woes so try understanding your hair’s porosity or taking Curly Hair School’s Dry Hair Remedies Course to learn how to get moisturized hair
• Write a love letter to your hair: Write down 5 reasons why you love your hair and share it with the world.

As soon as you accept your hair for how beautiful it is you will begin to see how beautiful your hair really is as well. In the comments, share one of the five things that you love about your hair and if you are willing to share your story or thoughts on hair acceptance, we would love to hear it.

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Kimika Hudson is the founder of curlyhairschool, a platform that helps women with kinky curly hair find the right tools and methods for their individual hair needs through online hair courses.

We all know that part of a healthy hair regimen for waves and curls means keeping it well nourished and moisturized. If you’re experiencing frizz and dryness then your curls may be begging for a deep conditioning treatment. And if you are one of the many curlies who feels their hair just won’t curl anymore, then you may have experienced heat damage and a deep conditioning treatment can help revive your curls with the moisture it needs.

Regular deep conditioning treatments will contribute to happy, healthy, bouncy waves and curls.

Deep conditioning doesn’t have to take all day, here’s a simple, drama-free routine.

Step 1

Find the deep conditioner that works for you.

Every curl type varies. The right deep conditioner will be rich, thick and just enough nourishment to leave your hair healthy, and not greasy. I like Ojon Rare Blend or Miss Jessie’s Sweetback Treatment.

If you prefer to make your own with household ingredients, try this homemade mayonnaise DC or a banana and egg mask.

Step 2

Apply conditioner to soaking wet hair.

Lay it on! Make sure  you cover every strand with the conditioner. If you can’t see your own hair color any more, you’ve done a great job!

Step 3

Cover up with a shower cap.

Cover up your coated head with a shower cap or wrap your hair in plastic wrap or a warm, damp, towel. Most conditioners will give you a time to keep it on – but usually 15-20 mins works for most types.

Step 4

Add heat or steam.

It’s important to open the cuticle of the hair and allow the conditioner to work into your hair shaft and scalp. You can use a bonnet/hooded dryer or just sit in your bathroom under a steamy shower. Try adding 5-10 mins of heat to your treatment.

Step 5

Rinse and let your hair air dry.

If you don’t have time in the day to deep condition without air drying, sleep on it. Rinsing the conditioner with lukewarm water is usually best. Be sure to finger comb your hair under the shower and wash all of the product out. However, for thinner and finer hair, this may not be the best option.

How often should you deep condition?

Deep condition 1-2 times per week, depending on the needs of your hair. If you are growing your hair out or it has chemical damage, more treatments may be necessary. If your hair is healthy, then maintaining a once a week treatment for your hair should be simple. Weather and seasons will also play a factor (intense heat, chlorine water, etc.”> so be sure to treat your hair accordingly.

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

Trying to speed up your hair growth— check out cucumbers! Technically a fruit, cucumbers give you many benefits from head to toe, inside and out. Juicing them is one of the best ways to benefit from their magical hair growth powers. Below is a simple cucumber juice recipe–just two ingredients. It doesn’t get any easier than this!

Cucumber Juice Recipe

• 1 Cucumber
• ½ inch piece of ginger

Cucumbers are ideal for juicing because of the high water content thus giving you a lot juice. Cucumbers are high in silicon, sulphur sodium, phosphorus and calcium, some the nutrients most needed for hair growth. As you may already know sulphur is one of the main ingredients in the popular hair vitamins.

For this very reason, cucumbers are the base for many of my hair growth juicing recipes in my e-guide JuiceMyFro.

How to buy a cucumber

Buy organic produce whenever possible. Doing this will allow you to juice with the skins on, and the skins contains valuable nutrients. If you’re not able to buy organic, then you will need to peel the cucumber. Cucumbers oxidize quickly, so it’s best to consume a cucumber within 20 minutes of cutting or juicing. If you’re juicing them every day, don’t buy more than five days worth at time. Organic cucumbers spoil especially quickly.

Other benefits of cucumbers include strong nails, healthy skin and weight loss.

Other ways to use cucumber

Cut cucumbers and put them on your skin to lighten dark spots and on your eyes to take away puffiness and bags under your eyes. Having problems with constipation, whip up a juice with cucumber; they act as a natural laxative. Juiced with the right veggies, the power of cucumber for hair growth doubles.

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Writer CaSaundra Johnson is the author of the 30-day juicing for hair growth e-guide JuiceMyFro.

We often hear from readers who like a certain product, but wish it had more of certain butter or didn’t have certain oil. They are frustrated mixtresses who wish they could create their ideal product. That’s why Mala Rhodes opened the 1-year-old Gourmet Hair Café in Los Angeles Rhodes, owner and CEO of the AfroVeda line of haircare products, wanted to create a place that would make it easy for people to concoct their ideal product. The Gourmet Hair Cafe is the first of its kind, blending and customizing conditioners on the spot just for you and your hair and scalp needs!

Being product junkies at NaturallyCurly, we couldn’t wait to ask her more about the Gourmet Hair Café.

NC: How did you come up with the idea for the Café?

Mala: The Gourmet Hair Cafe™ opened last year as part of AfroVeda’s retail boutique in Grand Prairie, Texas, and is a brand new concept in hair care.

We had been customizing hair conditioners for ourselves and staff members for a few years simply because we could. Then, with our customer base becoming more conscious about the ingredients in their hair products, and our own promotion of conscious hair care, we decided to take it to the next level and offer it to walk-in customers only. It was a huge success and our customers enjoyed the whole experience. We knew we had just ventured into something great!”

Now located in Los Angeles, we currently operate at pop-up shops throughout the greater Los Angeles area while we prepare our permanent location.

NC: How does it work when a custom comes in?

Mala: A consultation with an AfroVeda professional will help determine the exact needs of your specific hair/scalp, not just what your hair type is, but what YOU need for your specific hair/scalp and for your preferences. Then your product will be made “on-the-spot” and given to you to take home. Only those ingredients that YOU select and want will be used. The customers can choose from such botanicals as:

• Licorice Root for combatting chronic dry scalp issues
• Amla and Marshmallow Root for hair conditioning
• Sea plant extracts for conditioning and moisture
• Hydrolyzed proteins for strength
• Ancient Ayurvedic herbs that help promote hair/scalp health, as well as combat hair thinning & hair loss
• Curry Leaf and Bhringaraj for hair growth

NC: What is the benefit of a custom blended product?

Mala: Studies show that custom-blended skin/hair care products may be up to 400% more effective than traditional off-the-shelf products. That’s because they’re blended on the spot and never sit on the shelf, losing their potency. Off-the-shelf products can sometimes be months – and even years – before you finally buy them. That means the custom-blended product will contain the highest level of active ingredients and the lowest practical level of preservatives. Also, since it’s made only for you, it will contain only those ingredients you need and only those that will benefit you.

NC: Has the Café helped the AfroVeda brand?

Mala: Creating these custom conditioners has been an incredible asset to our business. Customers love the idea of choosing their own ingredients with the knowledge of what each ingredient will specifically do for their hair and scalp. And then they get to watch me make it for them while they enjoy a cup of tea or just browse the store for other hair products. It’s a great way to make lasting connections with customers and build relationships, and I personally love the chat time!”

NC: When can we expect to see a Café near us?

Mala: AfroVeda plans to expand the Gourmet Hair Cafe™ to a few major markets in Los Angeles, New York, Texas and Georgia in the next five years.

This post is sponsored by AfroVeda.

For many women, those little gray hair strands seem to creep up out of nowhere.

While color appointments and boxes of color may be one option, next time… try onions! They have actually proven to help increase hair growth and reverse the grays when applied to the scalp. High in sulfur, onion juice helps to regenerate follicles and helps to prevent hair loss as well.

Researchers from Bradford University in the UK, show that the build-up of hydrogen peroxide, in hair, causes grays and hair loss. The natural antioxidant , catalase, is decreased when more hydrogen peroxide enters hair follicles. However, catalase is found in onion juice, and helps to reduce the buildup of hydrogen peroxide.

Onion Juice Recipe

• It’s best to start with fresh onions (even though you can buy onion juice in the store”>.
• Peel and cut an onion (white or yellow”> into quarters and put it in the juicer or food processor
• Strain the mixture for the juice
• Store the remainder juice in small quantities in the fridge

How to Apply

1. Test one small area, or water down the mixture with just a small amount of water.
2. Apply the juice lightly to the scalp daily and lightly massage it in.
3. Leave the juice on your scalp for 30-45 mins. (And yes, the smell may be quite strong- when it’s time to rinse, use your favorite nourishing shampoo or conditioner to wash it out”>
4. For best results, wait 4-6 weeks to see results, depending on how much gray you have and the concentration that you use. However, with consistent use you will notice stronger hair follicles and fewer grays.

For centuries, chamomile has been recognized for it’s medicinal and beauty benefits. The chamomile flower has a distinct and strong perfume and almost every part of it’s flower is beneficial to humans. Among its numerous medicinal remedies are aide with intestinal disorders, anxiety, influenza, depression, insomnia, and ulcers. Find out where chamomile falls in place with each remedy.

The air we breathe, the skin products we use and the food we eat are just some examples of how toxins enter our body.

Detoxing is the process of ridding your body of unhealthy toxins that we come in contact with during our daily life.

Juicing fruits and vegetables is one of many ways to incorporate a detoxing process into your lifestyle. Juicing to detox does not always mean a “juice fast.” There are two approaches you can take when using juicing to detox: either doing a juicing fast or incorporating juiced veggies and fruits into your daily diet.

Juice fasting, although intimidating for some, is one the most exhilarating ways to see speedy results from detox and eliminate toxins quickly. They generally range anywhere from 1-7 days. Some results from juice fasting include increased energy, better sleeping habits, weight loss and much more. For best results, do these fasts at least 3 times a year. Research via the internet for a juice fasting regime that fits your needs. There are plenty to choose from.

If a juice fast just seems out of the reach at this point, start by incorporating 1-2 juices per day. If consistent you will overtime see results, such as regular bowel movements, increased energy and get this my fellow naturalistas—hair growth!

As with anything consistency is always the key. Three months of regular juicing to see these results. As mentioned before, juicing is great way to speed up hair growth because of all the vitamins and minerals we get from juicing.

In my e-guide Juice My Fro I explain what juicing is and how to use it to aide hair growth. It encompasses a 30 days of juicing recipes tailored for hair growth. Here is a juice recipe from Day 3: Hair Energizer Juice.

Hair Energizer Juice

• 1 cup of alfalfa sprouts
• 4 red or romaine lettuce leaves
• 1 large lemon
• 1 large carrot
• 1/2 cucumber

This juice will not only wake up your hair follicles but you as well. It contains cucumber, which is great for hair growth because of its high silicon and sulfur content. Sulfur an essential mineral building block of the human body. It is often referred to as the “beauty mineral” because it necessary for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Also included in this juice are alfalfa sprouts, which are rich in calcium, magnesium, folic acid and tons of other good stuff for the hair. Lettuce is considered an effective remedy for hair loss and is great to add to any juice for healthy hair.

With summer right around the corner, it is the perfect time to implement a juice detox regime in your life and grow your natural hair at the same time! Happy Juicing Your Fro!

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For more juice recipes from writer CaSaundra Johnson, check out her e-guide JuiceMyFro.com.

For a curly girl, the process of straightening your hair – and keeping it straight – can be fraught with anxiety. For starters, the act of straightening curly hair has been known to take hours. Then when you’ve spent said hours on your hair, you sometimes walk out into the light of day only to find your hard work thwarted by heat and humidity. But by far the scariest moment is when you wash your hair at the end, and anxiously check to see if your curls have been damaged beyond repair.

They claimed that you could go curly to straight and back to curly.

Jamie was traveling to a beach town for a wedding and she didn’t want to worry about her curl definition or frizz while she was away, so she decided to try an at-home hair straightening kit.

She used the Beautiful Textures Naturally Straight kit and she shared how she applied it, how long it lasted, and most importantly whether or not her 3B curls came back in her full video review.

Watch the Video

For more product reviews and tutorials, check out our YouTube channel The Twist!

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This article is sponsored by Beautiful Textures.

Amidst reports that Carol’s Daughter had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the natural hair community has been discussing the events of this week at length on our Facebook, Twitter and beyond. Lisa Price, Founder of Carol’s Daughter has been an inspiration for so many women in this space and in this letter she shares her feelings surrounding the company’s past, its present and most importantly, its future.

For you,

I know you have read the misleading news that has been circulated around the internet during the past week because I have heard from so many of you. Thank you all for your support and concern.

It is important to set the record straight. Carol’s Daughter is still going strong after twenty-one years and the future has never looked brighter. As part of our increased focus on new retail channels, we have decided to close five of our stores. This was portrayed as if we are having some challenges, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Initially, I felt it was inappropriate to toot my own horn, if you will, in the midst of some of our stores closing and the day-to-day work that must be done to continue to ensure our success. However, in this day and age of information speeding ahead of us and becoming fact before it has been verified, fact checked or vetted I fear that inaccurate perception will become my company’s reality in the minds of those I hold so dear, you. My friends, supporters, cheerleaders, fans and second family.

From the days when some of you rang my doorbell looking for Healthy Hair Butter to the day my website crashed because of my first national TV appearance you have always been there for me and you are who I care about. Because of your dedication over the past twenty-one years, I have been able to do amazing things. The nationwide Target launch this past March is an opportunity that very few companies receive. I am proud of that. I am also proud and blessed to have valuable partners, like HSN, Ulta and Sephora inside JC Penney. These partnerships have enabled me to distribute Carol’s Daughter in over 2,500 stores and on direct TV which is far beyond the reach of my living room in Brooklyn.

I am going to live through this bad headline knowing that our brand is as strong as ever…and right now I have to get back to work.

Love,

Lisa M. Price

Carol’s Daughter

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIGEN

Depending on whom you ask, and how truthful they are, roughly 75% of women have used hair color at some point. All of this hair coloring can be expensive and can potentially damage the hair depending on the type of color product, the quality of the application, and the care taken after the color process.

Color Fading

Most people believe their hair color fades after 3 to 4 weeks. However, clinical results show that hair color fades 5 times faster in the first week after color application. Knowing a little about what happens during the color process, and how to care for color-treated hair, can go a long way toward keeping your color bright and your hair healthy and shiny.

Color & Your Cuticle

Almost all hair color works by opening up the cuticle of the hair to allow colorant to penetrate into the hair. The cuticle is the outer layer on the hair shaft, which is made up of overlapping transparent keratin cells. It works like protective scales, and each cuticle cell is composed of several different layers. It is resistant to chemicals and protects the hair’s cortex from chemical influences.

Because it can be seen and touched, the cuticle defines smoothness and shininess. Hair cuticles may get damaged by chemical processes like coloring, overexposure to sunlight (UV”>, heat from styling irons, abusive brushing and combing, over-chlorinated pool water, etc., causing dull, frizzy, brittle hair.

Healthy hair should have a pH balance of approximately 4.0 – 6.0, making it slightly acidic. Generally, permanent hair color is alkaline; so applying hair color will affect the pH balance of your hair. When your hair is properly pH balanced, the cuticle remains closed; however, a higher pH balance will open the cuticle, causing hair damage and accelerated color fading.

After You Color

After hair coloring, special care must be taken to ensure that the hair is returned to a healthy condition that will not only look and feel good, but will also help to prolong and maintain that beautiful, new color.

• First, it is recommended to rinse hair thoroughly until water runs clear. If hair is not well rinsed after the coloring process, it may actually cause hair damage and promote color fading.
• Next, you should always apply a conditioner made for color-treated hair immediately after coloring. Conditioners designed for color-treated hair will have a pH value of 3 to 4. This will help to return the cuticle to a closed state.
• For a while after coloring, some of your cuticles won’t close as easily as they did before coloring. Continued use of color-safe conditioners will expedite cuticle closure to help prevent hair damage and color fading.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIGEN

Good hair care is recommended on a daily basis, because your hair cannot repair itself without your help. Additionally, coloring results last longer with good hair care habits. Your hair and scalp need to be cleansed, but when wearing color, you may not want to use whatever may be on sale that week.

An excellent choice for color-treated hair is Bigen Protect & Repair Shampoo and Conditioner. Bigen has been manufacturing hair color for over 55 years, and have used that knowledge to produce a color-safe shampoo & conditioner that uses rice water essence(Inositol”> and sunflower oil to repair damaged hair, while it gently cleanses and conditions. These products are specially formulated to work for color-treated hair, repair hair damage and protect the hair from future damage.

The right choice of shampoo & conditioner for your color-treated hair can be one of the best things you can do to after you color. The proper care and maintenance you give to your new color can help you keep your color longer, save you money, and give you healthy, shiny looking hair.

This post is sponsored by Bigen.

We like to take extra special care of our curls, coils and waves – and prom night is no different! Special events can often means straightening irons, curling wands, and generally damaging behavior for our hair, so we tend to feel a little apprehensive of your average updo or formal hairstyle. NaturallyCurly editors Nikki and Cristina are testing out heatless ways to dress up their curls for prom, and in this tutorial they’re using Curlformers.

As you can see, Nikki and Cristina have totally different curl patterns, lengths, density, and well, pretty much everything. Cristina used the short, tighter Curlformers on her Type 2C hair and Nikki used the extra long, extra wide variety on her Type 3C hair. Watch the video to see how they did it!

Watch the Video

For more tutorials and product reviews, subscribe to our YouTube channel The Twist!

This post is sponsored by Curlformers.

We all get the urge to try a pixie every now and then. But if that’s a fleeting fancy for you then you probably want to hold onto your long locks and opt for a temporary fix instead. This twist out updo creates the look of an asymmetrical pixie cut, and when you wash it out you’ve got your lovely long curls back!

What You’ll Need:

• Bobby pins
• Hair Milk Refresher Spray
• Hair Milk Styling Pudding
• Wide tooth comb
• Pick

Directions

1. Spray Refresher Spray throughout the hair
2. Section the hair, start by parting it at the crown
3. Tie the bottom section into a ponytail
4. Apply Styling Pudding to the top half of hair in sections, comb through with a wide tooth comb.
5. Two strand twist each section, applying extra Styling Pudding to the ends
6.  Untwist all of the hair, then pick and fluff
7. Twist the ponytail up and secure with bobby pins. Pin the rest of the hair to create the shape you like

Watch the Video

This post is sponsored by Carol’s Daughter.

When curly YouTube vlogger Sarah, also known as Waterlily716, announced recently that she got a haircut, the community gasped in unison. We all know the apprehension that a curly girl feels when sitting in the hairstylist’s chair. And that is why it’s so important to find a stylist who is experienced with styling curly hair, and most importantly someone you can trust. Luckily for Sarah she was in the capable hands of DevaCut Trained Stylist Scott Musgrave. If you’re looking for a trustworthy curl friendly services in your area, you’ll want to first have a consultation. Here are Scott’s tips for acing the curly consultation process.  

The consultation is the most essential step to gaining trust with a client. I truly want to know the client’s fears, frustrations, concerns, current routine, and past experiences of working with other stylists and salons. Based off of the client’s experience, I try to identify the source of the frustration whether it is bad-ingredient products that her hair type may not need, styling methods that are not working, or a lack of knowledge. From there I contrast her past experiences with what I do. When visiting a salon I encourage that you keep the following in mind.

 Scott’s Tips

1. All curlies should have a better understanding of ingredients and products used by the stylist and salon.
2. Make sure the stylist cuts hair dry and uses little to no tension as he or she styles and care for your hair.
3. Demand that they do not use any thinning or chunking scissors. You also want to assure that they are not using any method of sliding down the hair with scissors, as this creates a variety of different lengths at the ends, which make it hard to control and manage over time as it grows out with thin wispy ends. 
4. When seeking help for your hair you need to research the stylists in their area. Check out salon reviews on NaturallyCurly Curl Salons, Yelp, or online forums in the stylist’s community to find well trained stylists that not only have training added to their repertoire of services, but are passionate enough to have 80% or more stylists working on curly hair clients and specialize in it more so than just a menu service.  
5. No stylist should scrape, slide, or slice hair with scissors or a razor, as it creates a lot of different lengths and thin wispy ends that are very difficult to manage and more so look bad as the hair grows out. You want a style to last 4-6 months and working with a razor makes the style and ends quickly look bad as the hair grows out. 
6. Sleeping on a satin or breathable silk pillowcase prevents the hair from pulling and losing moisture as it would using a cotton pillowcase.
7.  Use a t-shirt to scrunch the hair instead of using a towel. This will keep the ends healthy much longer. 

All of these tips also apply to shorter hair.

You can follow Scott Musgrave here:

Facebook, Curly Hair Artistry, and Scott Musgrave Hair 

Watch Waterlily716’s New Short Haircut Video below: