Search Results: NaturallyCurly

5 Conditioners that Instantly Melt My Tangles Away

By NaturallyCurly · Published January 2, 2022

About a year and half ago, I decided to start detangling on damp hair instead of soaking wet hair. When our strands are saturated in water, the hair shaft swells, making it weak and vulnerable to breakage. Since my 4a coils are fine in width, I know that even though wet detangling in the shower was easier, it is not the best approach to prevent breakage.

After parting my hair in six sections before removing tangles and shed hair at the sink, I reach for one of these five conditioners (daily conditioners and leave-in conditioners”> with slip that eliminate all friction between my strands for smooth application.

1. Brown Butter Beauty Sweet Milk Hair Detangling Leave in Conditioner

When in need of a leave-in detangler with strengthening properties, I reach for the Brown Butter Beauty Sweet Milk Detangling Leave in Conditioner. It has hydrolyzed wheat protein to help make the weak points along the hair shaft stronger for less breakage, and is also great for those who do not like overpowering fragrances. It spreads easily without excessive application.

2. Soultanicals Knot Sauce

Love dessert fragrances? Then the Soultanicals Knot Sauce is for you. This coil detangler is nourishing and packed with oils, marshmallow root and slippery elm for slip, and aloe juice for its humectant properties. The flaxseed gel provides curl definition with light hold, making it a great primer for your styling product.

3. Trader’s Joes Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner

If you love essential oils, then check out the Trader Joe’s Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner. It is chock-full of oils, like tea tree oil, peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, nettle oil, thyme oil, birch leaf oil, chamomile oil, yarrow oil, and horsetail oil. Although full of them, this conditioner is far from oily; it smells and feels great, and is capable of detangling a head full of tangled curls. This conditioner is a great alternative to the Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Conditioner, if you prefer silicone-free products.

4. Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Leave-in Treatment

The Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Leave-in Treatment not only provides great slip, but it also adds moisture. The surfactant behentrimonium methosulfate makes my tangles disappear, and the castor oil and shea butter leave my strands soft, without the need to refresh before my next wash day. It spreads easily, and a little goes a long way. This leave-in conditioner also pairs great with any styler, like the Camille Rose Naturals Coconut Water Set Styler and TreLuxe Curl Supreme.

5. SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Conditioner

The SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Conditioner has been my go-to detangler for the past year, and I am still on the same 13 oz. bottle, using 2-3 pumps per section. With coconut oil as the third ingredient, I feel confident about preventing hygral fatigue, and the stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, behentrimonium chloride give me endless slip with little product application necessary.

What are your favorite detanglers? Share them with us in the comments below!

This article was originally published in 2016 and has been updated.

2022 Hair Goals You Can Really Get Behind

By NaturallyCurly · Published December 23, 2021

@bergittexworld curly cut by @curliqueyaraabdeen

While you probably make resolutions in other areas of your life, such as career or fitness, your hair might be one of those sections that gets overlooked at this time of year. But just like the other parts of your life, your curls deserve a dedicated list of goals to kick things into high gear.

These are the top ten Curly New Year’s resolutions to add to your ultimate plan.

1. Give up on “perfect hair”

While this may seem counterintuitive to making a list of hair goals, it’s actually the first step in the right direction. Too many naturalistas stress about their curls and how to make them better. While this is a great way to keep your tresses lovely, it can also lead to overly high and mostly unattainable expectations. Don’t let the chase for “perfect hair” derail your hair journey this year! The most important thing is to accept your hair for what it is and make it the best it can be in terms of health.

2. Schedule your trims in advance

Trims are a necessary evil. While they may seem like just one more pesky thing on your already full to-do list, they shouldn’t be swept to the side for more important tasks. Your hair is important, too! If you know you will need a trim about every three months, schedule those appointments in advance so you make them a priority and have one less thing to worry about on your to-do list.

3. Buy that one big hair care purchase you’ve been putting off

There are lots of products we tell ourselves we will buy eventually and keep putting it off until later. Maybe you want a better blow dryer or a flat iron with more settings. Maybe your old steamer broke and you’ve been putting off buying that replacement you know your curls deserve. Whatever that bigger ticket purchase is, just go ahead and get it out of the way at the beginning of the year.

4. Take the Big Chop

If you have been contemplating going natural for a while and the idea of the Big Chop makes you nervous, you are not alone. It can be a scary step, but it is a step in the right direction, and lots of naturals end up adjusting to the Big Chop eventually. Be bold and take that big leap this year!

5. Add one new accessory a month

A lot of curlies are intimidated by the idea of hair accessories. From head wraps and headbands to more elaborate additions such as beads in your braids, accessories can certainly dress up your strands with a little something extra. A good way to get over the fear of trying something new is to add one new piece a month to your collection and make that the look of the month. This is also just a lot of fun as a way to learn what options work best for you overall.

6. Coily? Embrace the ‘Fro

Some people are intimidated by the ‘fro. These people are misinformed! Maybe you think it’s too much work, or damaging in some way, or worse, you may even worry about the social reactions to this beautiful natural look. However, embracing your afro is a great way to gain not only a new sense of confidence in your texture, but also a new go-to style you might love!

And we need to make 2022 all about LOVE, wouldn’t you agree?

iStockphoto

7. Discover your curl type

Knowing you have curly hair means nothing without knowing where you fall on the curl spectrum. For instance, a naturalist with type 3a curls needs different care routines and products than a type 4c. The more you know about your curl pattern, texture, and the overall needs of your type, the easier it is to get gorgeous, healthy curls! We even have a quiz to help you out with this, so if nothing else, you can say you aced this resolution in under 10 minutes. Impressive!

8. Get a sleep routine in place

If you aren’t wrapping your curls at night, make this a top priority for the New Year. You should be applying your favorite oil to your hair and wrapping it in a silk scarf or bonnet overnight. This will cut down on friction, lock in moisture, and reduce tangles.

9. Connect with your fellow naturals

Trying to figure out your hair needs on your own can be a little lonely and confusing. When you connect with other naturals, you widen your scope of knowledge and make some new friends in the process! Whether this means joining a forum discussion, catching up with your favorite YouTuber, or simply starting the conversation with your neighbor about natural hair, it is great to have lots of channels (pun intended”> for information in your natural hair journey.

10. Make healthier choices for healthier hair

Finally, make sure you choose healthy New Year’s resolutions overall because the health of your body dictates a lot of what goes on with your strands. For example, if you are dehydrated, your curls are dehydrated. Whether you want to set a goal for daily water intake, consuming less sugar, or eating more lean protein, just remember that healthy hair starts on the inside.

What’s your New Year’s resolution this year?

Best of the Best Awards 2021: YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year

By NaturallyCurly · Published December 10, 2021

You voted and the results are in: the NaturallyCurly community has named the Best of the Best award winners of 2021! Every year we wait with bated breath to learn which curl products are really working for your curls, coils and waves. Which cleansers cleansed (but not too much”>? Which gels had *just* the right hold? Which detangling tools could you not live without? Which brand is giving you the most bang for your buck? The NaturallyCurly community has opinions, and we love you for it.

Where else can you ask thousands of knowledgable curlfriends what their favorite curl products are?

Scroll on to find out which products won the 2021 Best of the Best awards for every type of product and every type of curl. And if you don’t know your curl type yet, take our Texture Type quiz to learn more about your curl pattern, porosity, density and width.

The Most Popular Curl Products of 2021

Best of the Best Awards 2021 YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year

Best Shampoos

Coily Type 4

Melanin Haircare African Black Soap Shampoo Best of the Best Awards 2021 YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year

Ecoco Eco Styler Argan Oil Gel

Coily Type 4

Ecoco Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel Best of the Best Awards 2021 YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year

Bounce Curl Hair Spray

Coily Type 4

Got2b Glued Blasting Freeze Spray Best of the Best Awards 2021 YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year

Best Heat Protectant

Best for All Curl Types

TRESemmé Thermal Creations Heat Tamer This product swept all Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4 awards for this category! Best of the Best Awards 2021 YOUR Favorite Curly Products of the Year

The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam

Coily Type 4

SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Leave in

Texture Tales: How Mona’s Challenging Biases About "Elegant" Hair

By NaturallyCurly · Published October 20, 2021

Texture Tales How Monas Challenging Biases About Elegant Hair

What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?

As a young girl, I always struggled with wearing my hair naturally. I could never find the right products that would actually work. On top of that, there was always this stigma around natural hair- that it was messy, an everyday look, but never elegant, chic, or classy.

In middle school I promised myself I’d change that and in college, I finally got the opportunity to start the business of my dreams, CURLē. A company that did more than offer haircare, but one that empowered curlies around the world to feel confident and elegant in their natural in ALL contexts with customized hair products for curls and coils.

I took one of my biggest insecurities growing up and decided to try my best to never allow anyone to feel the same insecurity I did- not knowing how to do my hair, and not feeling confident rocking my crown.

What made you decide to embrace your naturally curly hair?

For me, embracing my hair was more than just changing my hairstyle or not wearing braids anymore – it was embracing myself and my roots. In the tenth grade, I decided to transition to wearing my hair natural, teaching myself everything I could through YouTube, and then graduated to textbooks online – I really did read about curls for fun. And then when I started getting good at doing my hair, I started to teach the people around me, slowly becoming the curly hair expert that I am today.

What has been the most empowering moment of your natural hair journey so far?

The most empowering moments of my natural hair journey have been moments when the people around me started to embrace natural hair. My favorite moment was when my little sister asked me to do her hair for the first time. I remember she used to hate curly hair, as a little girl she would always complain about how frizzy and ugly it was, that she wanted straight her, but then one day she asked me to do her hair and she’s been a dedicated curly ever since.

How do you protect your curls at night?

A must-have for my night routine is a silk or satin pillow and a silk or satin scrunchie to pineapple my curls. I like to use the CURLē satin scrunchie because it’s huge! If my hair’s not in a pineapple, I like a good bonnet or silk wrap to keep my curls popping longer

Who is your curl crush?

Elaine Welteroth is my absolute curl crush! She embodies pure elegance and beauty while embracing her curls and I loveeee to see it, especially on TV- represent!

What’s your curly girl essential you can’t live without?

Three things I absolutely cannot live without is a Denman brush, a scalp massager, and a great styling cream!!!

What is your current hair regimen? Any favorite products you’d like to share?

I like to keep my routine pretty simple so I make sure to deep condition once a week to maintain my hair health and then I just use a styling cream for my wash and go. I am absolutely in love with the CURLē deep conditioner and styling cream that I basically haven’t used anything else for the past two years.

What has been the most challenging moment of your natural hair journey so far?

My most challenging moment was overcoming all of the internal biases that were so deeply ingrained into me by society. The thought that I could rock my hair elegantly at a business meeting or wedding or any fashionable event was always so difficult for me to really embrace. Sometimes I catch myself wanting to straighten my hair to get a more elegant look and I always have to check myself to really dig deeper and understand why it is that I used to feel more elegant in sleek hair than my beautiful curls.

Are there any techniques or methods that have made a huge impact on your hair health?

One of the biggest things that I learned when researching hair was that there are so many products on the market, many of which are popular that contain cancer-causing agents. When I realized this, I started to really look into the ingredients of the products that I was using and understanding that not all products are made for my hair type, texture, and porosity and that was a huge game-changer on my hair health.

What’s your advice to women who are still struggling with loving their natural texture?

My biggest advice to women who are struggling with loving their natural texture is to try new things and fantasize about your curls.

The beauty of natural hair is that not a single person on this planet has the same exact texture as you, it’s what makes you unique and beautifully you- embrace that and run with it!

Learn more about your curls and get products that are made for your hair porosity, type, and texture; enjoy the journey and appreciate progress.

GIVEAWAY: Give Your Curls a Refresh!

By NaturallyCurly · Published October 18, 2021

AG, the brand that brought us Holy Grails like Re:Coil and Fast Food, has a new curl line and we’re so excited for you to try it. So much so that we’re actually giving you the chance to try the whole Curl Fresh line today!

What we love about AG Curl Fresh

This plant-based essentials set is made up of 98% plant-based and naturally-derived superfood ingredients, and contains up to 15 botanical extracts to help nourish hair. And if you’re someone who loves the scent of essential oils, then you’re going to be really into the fragrance of these products.

What Bianca Renee thinks of Curl Fresh

One of our biggest long-time curl crushes Bianca Renee has been using the Curl Fresh collection on her curls and the Definer was a departure from her typical strong hold gels and styling products.

After cleansing and conditioning with the Curl Fresh Gentle Ginger Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Curl Fresh Coconut Avocado Conditioner, she raked and scrunched the Curl Fresh Definer Silicone-Free Soft Hold Styling Cream from her roots to her ends and let it air dry. She was expecting the all-in-one Curl Fresh Definer cream styler may not give her the hold she typically gets from her gel products, but after trying it she was “very, very surprised.” “First of all,” she said, “look at the length retention I’m getting. It is keeping my curls stretched, and there’s hold!… I am getting a hold and a cast – and that’s what you need.”

“I’m very, very impressed. I love when a cream can give you gel-like results because you’re getting that moisture from the cream with the hold like a gel.”

After diffusing, Bianca Renee’s curls had even more volume while still feeling soft and shiny – and that is just her Day 1 hair. We know that on Day 2, Day 3 and beyond the volume will grow and she can use the Curl Fresh Definer styling cream to refresh “because it doesn’t get too hard or crunchy to where it’s hard to break the cast.” She is all about using just ONE product in her routine for the low maintenance naturals out there.

Giveaway

If your curls are in need of a refresh this season and you want to try the Curl Fresh collection for yourself, this is your chance! We’re giving away not just one, but five sets of the Curl Fresh collection to our NaturallyCurly community members.

The prize

5 lucky winners will each receive a set with the:

Curl Fresh Shampoo
Curl Fresh Conditioner
Curl Fresh Definer

How to enter

Follow @aghair on Instagram
Comment right here, and tell us why your curls need a refresh.
Be sure to “like” NaturallyCurly on Facebook, so we can contact you if you’ve won!

This giveaway ends October 29 and is open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

This giveaway is sponsored by AG.

How to Stop, Drop, and T-Shirt Plop for More Defined Curls

By NaturallyCurly · Published October 8, 2021

woman plopping curly hair

Sometimes your waves need a little extra help after a wash day.

If your loose curls lose their bounce after you’re done cleansing and conditioning, you’re not alone! But for every curl problem, there’s a curl solution, and this one’s as simple as an old t-shirt.

No, we don’t mean DIYing something cute out of your “vintage” shirts to distract from your deflated hair (although, that’s not the worst idea…”>. We’re talking plopping. Basically, it’s wrapping your freshly cleansed hair in a t-shirt before bed in order to wake up with a head full of clearly defined curls with locked in moisture. It doesn’t have to just be a bedtime routine either. Depending on your texture, you might be able to make this work for drying and defining your hair in just a few hours! This is how you do it.

How to plop curly hair

1. Get the excess out

You want to plop freshly washed and detangled hair. However, you don’t want to plop with sopping wet hair or hair that’s already mostly dry, so find the middle ground. Use a different t-shirt to squeeze out extra water to get the right level of dampness—no dripping, but still wet to the touch. Alternatively, try a product like the Aquis Microfiber Towel to stop those droplets extra fast.

2. Style

This is where you put yourself to work!

T-shirts do a lot, but they’re not going to style your hair for you. Grab your styler and get to it. While you don’t want to get your hair wet again, or overload it with product, you do want to make sure that you’re giving your hair a good amount of hold. If you need to re-wet your hair during this process, grab a good spray bottle, and fill it with a mixture of water, and a creamy leave-in to get the same ingredient combo you like without the weight!

3. Wrap it up

Take an old cotton t-shirt and lay it flat on the bed or any flat surface with the sleeves at the top. Many curlies have found that long-sleeve shirts work best because you have more material to tie your knot with. Hang your head upside down and gently lower your curls onto the center of the t-shirt. Once all your hair is on the center of the shirt, begin rolling the bottom of it up towards your forehead while bringing the back to the nape of your neck. Tie the two ends at the nape of your neck into a knot to secure the shirt.

If your t-shirt isn’t long enough to secure the ends at the nape of your neck, you can also tuck them in during the next step.

Bring the top of the t-shirt towards your head while making sure your curls are all still at the center. Bring the arms down around the nape of your neck, covering the bottom of the t-shirt with the top of the t-shirt. Stand upright and bring the arms together to tie a knot that will secure the shirt in place, then tuck in any loose corners. From there, it’s just a matter of waiting until your hair is dry to see the high-def results!

So what makes plopping different from other drying methods?

Think of it kind of like making a pot roast on your head—the whole secret is letting your hair cook/dry slooooooooowly. Your hair’s not free to frizz as it pleases when you air dry it, and you’re not using any potentially curl disruptive heat! Bonus: cotton t-shirts are that happy medium between regular terrycloth and silk—absorbent enough to actually get your hair dry, while smooth enough to not cause breakage to damp hair.

Will this tip have you raiding your closet, curlies? Let us see your results!

This article has been updated.

AG Co-Founder Lotte Davis on How One Girl Can Pay it Forward

By NaturallyCurly · Published October 1, 2021

AG Co-Founder Lotte Davis on How One Girl Can Pay it Forward

Our Leaders In Curl interview series aims to highlight the people and brands who are redefining the hair industry. Today we’re speaking about entrepreneurship and change-making with Lotte Davis, the Co-Founder of AG, a brand that many curlies are familiar with thanks to Holy Grail products like Re:Coil and their new plant-based line Curl Fresh. Following the success of AG, Davis founded the charitable organization One Girl Can to fight gender inequality through education and mentorship. NaturallyCurly got an inside look at the unique approach One Girl Can is taking to create sustainable and long-lasting change for girls and women in the communities they serve.

How does the success of AG feed into One Girl Can?

Davis: “It’s really a very symbiotic relationship and has been from the beginning. For the first seven years, One Girl Can couldn’t afford any employees, but the team at AG was very enthusiastic about supporting us off the side of their desks. Marketing designed our logo, our website, and all of the promotional materials we needed to present a professional outward facing image. IT developed the website, finance created and maintained an accounting structure, and eventually our People & Culture helped us when we needed to start building our own team. That’s when AG started to provide us with pro bono office space in perpetuity. AG was also our biggest donor. Initially we developed promotional packages with the students we supported on the boxes, and we donated all of the proceeds to help build schools and provide scholarships. Later this morphed into Every Bottle Counts, where a portion of AG sales went back to the charity.

“All of this created a unique point of difference for One Girl Can. Because of AG’s contributions in cash, administrative support, and free rent, we had low expenses and were able to apply 100% of our donations received directly to the programs in Kenya and Uganda. AG also benefitted in ways we hadn’t anticipated. The decision to use AG profits for the purpose of expediting gender inequality was organic and wholeheartedly adopted and embraced by our internal teams, our distributors, and our salons. The amount of goodwill, brand exposure, employee engagement, and consumer loyalty we received by simply doing what felt good, and made sense to us, was overwhelming and took us completely by surprise.”

Can you tell us about your holistic approach to helping girls and women through One Girl Can?

Davis: “Our model evolved and continues to be informed by the young women we serve in Kenya, with the intention to be personal and provide measurable results for each girl. We visit each partnering school twice a year, and we meet with our scholarship students one on one, monitor their grades, provide mentoring, and conduct customized workshops for students in the school at each grade level. Today, we partner with 11 schools and all students from those schools are eligible to apply for a university scholarship; we offer between 60 to 80 full scholarships a year. Students who are selected will continue to be coached and mentored at an annual conference in Nairobi. We also offer supplemental training for each student to further enhance and ensure she finds work quickly after finishing her degree. This can range from professional courses in IT, e-Commerce, to in-depth entrepreneurial training, as well as internship training and placement. We literally don’t let go of our students from the time we meet them in Grade 9 until they start earning an income in a career of their choosing. That’s pretty unique in our industry and it ensures we don’t just pay for her education, we try to set her up to become a leader, so that one girl can pay-it-forward for other young women in her community.”

That’s pretty unique in our industry and it ensures we don’t just pay for her education, we try to set her up to become a leader, so that one girl can pay-it-forward for other young women in her community.

How does building One Girl Can compare to founding AG back in 1989?

Davis: “It’s uncanny how similar it was for me and continues to be. I was terrified about starting a not-for-profit in Africa – I had no experience in this field whatsoever. But I quickly learned that there’s no difference between this and building a for-profit business. In order for any company to be successful you need to make sure you have a unique model that fills a significant demand in the market. One Girl Can did that in spades. We measure our impact against gender inequality, by the number of bright young women that we’re able to support to become financially independent.

“We developed clear KPI’s and hired the best people to execute on these. And like any entrepreneurial business, we confronted the roadblocks to our success every day and relentlessly applied ourselves to creating solutions.”

As a mother of daughters, a leader in the beauty industry, and the founder of a charitable organization, what legacy are you hoping to leave behind?

Davis: “I want to ensure that One Girl Can lives on and that other women take ownership of something that I merely started, and use their skills and networks to build it into a global entity.

“Many charitable organizations are looking for scale, trying to impact as many people as possible to create change quickly, but I believe our model is far more sustainable and can have a more profound impact on gender inequality. We aren’t just providing a pathway to jobs, we are equipping the individual with skills over the course of many years. We do this by instilling young women with confidence through a framework of personal and structural support. This is what is needed to start changing and balancing the gender gap in business and help bring an end to poverty in disadvantaged countries. One Girl Can’s legacy will be that personal investment each of us makes in one girl until she’s able to stand alone, lead, and begin investing in another girl herself.”

Next week will be International Day of the Girl, how do you plan to celebrate?

Davis: “One Girl Can is launching a proactive social campaign in partnership with Go Goat Sports to commemorate International Day of the Girl on October 11 to bring attention to the urgent gender inequalities that happen globally. Go Goat Sports is a digital podcast company, who advocate for female participation, representation, and parity in sports. Our goal is to urge people to take action, fight for gender equality and human rights, and showcase how they can help to make a real change in their community and beyond.

“In the weeks leading up to October 11, together, we will launch a global call-to-action through an interactive social media campaign, where people are encouraged to share how they are #HereForHerFuture on their social channels. Go Goat Sports will donate $1 for every post using #HereForHerFuture with all funds going directly to supporting university scholarships for girls.

“We have also partnered with local Vancouver brand, Gentle Fawn, who designed a limited edition exclusive Gentle Fawn x One Girl Can Day of the Girl scarf with partial proceeds donated to support scholarships for university students. The scarf is available online beginning October 11.”

This article is sponsored by AG.

A Pixie Cut Taught this Stylist to Love Her Curls

By NaturallyCurly · Published September 26, 2021

A Pixie Cut Taught this Stylist to Love Her Curls

Nicole Gomez is a curl specialist and the owner of the salon Curls Amoré Studio in Orlando, Florida.

What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?

Growing up in a small town in Florida a lot of my classmates and friends had straight hair. I never really understood what products to use or how to maintain them. I was made fun of for my hair looking too “puffy.”

What made you decide to embrace your naturally curly hair?

Five years into being a hairstylist I remember getting clients with curly hair and having no idea how to cut or style. At the time I wasn’t embracing my curls. I went through a phase where I cut my hair into a pixie cut. As that grew out I started seeing my natural hair again. Mind you I’ve been straightening my hair since middle school because it was easy . As my curls grew out I was more interested in learning about them and teaching my clients as well.

What has been the most empowering moment of your natural hair journey so far?

The most empowering moment was being able to walk around in my most authentic self. Staying true to who you are and embracing what you were given.

What is your curl pattern?

Type 3a

How do you protect your curls at night?

At night my favorite thing to use is a buff. My hair is well protected and makes refreshing days a breeze.

Who is your curl crush?

@faithincurls Jarely.. She has the most beautiful curls and really inspired me to start this journey with my hair.

What’s your curly girl essential you can’t live without?

My hair pick! I love volume! Everywhere I go it comes with me.

What is your current hair regimen? Any favorite products you’d like to share?

Innersence organic has been my go to lately. Quite calm curl control and I create volume.

What has been the most challenging moment of your natural hair journey so far?

All the phases of the big Chop, Learning what products works best for me, and how to get a good technique down. It was constant trial and error.

Are there any techniques or methods that have made a huge impact on your hair health?

Doing more deep conditioning treatments. With having colored hair it makes a differently to keep your hair hydrated as much as possible.

What’s your advice to women who are still struggling with loving their natural texture?

Trust the process and embrace the journey. The best feeling is being 100% yourself.

You can follow Nicole at @curlsamore on Instagram.

Can You Really Wash Natural Hair with Just Water?

By NaturallyCurly · Published September 23, 2021

woman washing hair

Photo by Robert Gomez on Unsplash

More and more naturalistas are saying goodbye to harsh shampoos and adopting no-poo routines. With the use of just their favorite conditioner, they have combined the steps of cleansing and conditioning in one to remove the harsh additives found in most store-bought cleansers. Some people are taking this one step further by omitting all products and simply using water only.

Is less more when it comes to cleansing your natural hair?

Here’s why it could be

The reasoning behind this is that your scalp needs the natural oils, called sebum, it produces for the health of both your scalp and strands. Shampoos strip these natural oils from the scalp. Sebum is actually the scalp’s way of providing all the moisture your hair could ever need. Aside from the sebum, water is the most basic form of hydration for hair. Even store bought moisturizers and conditioners aren’t as effective as your own natural sebum or pure water at restoring the moisture in strands. Between the naturally moisturizing properties of water and the need for more evenly distributed natural oils, the idea of a water only routine makes sense.

Can you wash natural hair with just water?

The simple answer is yes, you can choose the water only routine with any hair texture or hair type. However, all water is not created equal, if you have hard water in the area where you live (water that’s high in mineral content”> then that is going to have an effect on your hair. You can learn more about hard water and your hair here. Even if you do live in an area with hard water coming out of your tap, there are a few great benefits for natural hair that takes on a water only routine.

The benefits of water-only washing

Sebum decreases

Over time, hair becomes more accustomed to a water-only cleanse, so your natural sebum and hair oils will decrease overtime if you are consistent with a water only routine. Meaning your hair will be less greasy in between wash days.

Less drying

Water is also more moisturizing than most shampoos, so that dry brittle feeling you may have experienced after shampooing is less likely to happen with a water only cleanse.

Natural oils travel further

Another benefit is that the natural oils and sebum will be able to travel easily down the shaft of strands, because the shampoo residue will not be there, and that is it’s natural path without interference. This leaves your hair with a nice and natural gloss.

Resist breakage

If you are in an area with softer water, rather than hard water (you can check here”> your hair will able to resist breakage better while combing or detangling, since shampoo will not have stripped the natural oils prior.

Longer gaps between conditioning

You may be able to go longer without conditioning after transitioning to a water only cleansing method, since the natural sebum isn’t being stripped by the ingredients in shampoos.

Will my hair get greasy or oily?

Going to a water only regimen will be a journey. The initial phases of not using any products will feel uncomfortable, but the growing pains will eventually go away.

The sebum will make your hair feel greasy to the point of possible embarrassment after a few days or a week, depending on your production. While you may be tempted to throw in the towel just know that your hair doesn’t look as oily as it may feel to you.

Like any other hair care routine, there are keys to successfully making this one work for you. If you find that adopting a water only habit doesn’t work for your curls, there is certainly no shame in going back to what your hair is used to.

How to decrease oiliness

If the oil production gets to be too much for you, you can always use a natural solution, such as apple cider vinegar, to gently and naturally cleanse away some sebum without over-drying or stripping it completely.

If you do experience oiliness, don’t overdo it with the water. While you may be tempted to rinse hair longer under warm water to try to break up some of the natural oils, you should resist this urge. The goal is to let your scalp do what it does naturally without interfering too much.

Have you tried the “water washing method? If, so how was your transition to a no-poo routine? Share in the comments!

This article has been updated.

What You Need to Know About the Salt in Your Shampoo

By NaturallyCurly · Published September 2, 2021

What You Need to Know About the Salt in Your Shampoo

As a curly girl, you may already be fluent in the language of product labels. Early in our curly journeys we start to learn the scientific names of a whole range of obscure additives, but you may be surprised to learn of this common ingredient: salt.

Otherwise known as sodium chloride, common table salt is actually added to many shampoos as a cost saving thickening agent. To shed some light on this practice we spoke with AG’s Co-Founder John Davis, who leads the brand’s product formulations. When he founded AG as a hair stylist with his wife in 1989, Davis saw firsthand how many bags of salt were being poured into third-party manufactured products, and decided he wanted to experiment and manufacture his own salt-free alternatives.

Davis explained that while we all love the feel of a thick, rich shampoo, it is an expensive texture to produce from a manufacturer’s standpoint. “There is a trick,” says Davis, “you can add salt, or sodium chloride, to a water-thin product and make it nice and thick. This is very common in drugstore shampoos and far more common in other shampoos than you might think.”

How does sodium chloride affect hair, and specifically textured hair?

“Moisture in the hair is important as it helps keep hair healthy and improves tensile strength (the ability of the hair to stretch without breakage”>. Anything that removes or reduces the amount of moisture in the hair is potentially damaging and this is particularly true with curly hair. Sodium chloride can reduce levels of moisture in the hair leaving it feeling dry and brittle, and therefore much more prone to damage through combing, brushing etc. This affects all hair types of course, but particularly curly hair, which may be particularly prone to damage through moisture loss. Hair looks and feels best when it is properly conditioned and moisturized. That’s why all AG shampoos are formulated without added sodium chloride to minimize moisture loss in the hair. Sodium chloride has no benefit other than cost savings to the manufacturer.”

Is sodium chloride typically found in shampoos that have sodium lauryl sulfate (an ingredient curlies often watch out for”>?

“Shampoos containing sodium lauryl and sodium laureth sulfate are more common and more cost effective than sulfate-free shampoos, and they often are thickened with sodium chloride. It’s not a guarantee when purchasing sulfate-free shampoos that it’s not thickened with sodium chloride. We recommend reading the label when purchasing any shampoo to care for your hair.”

You’re launching a new line, Curl Fresh, and in addition to excluding sodium chloride you also chose to leave out other thickening agents like MEA/TEA, and dispersing agents like propylene glycol. What ingredients did AG choose to use instead and why?

“Cocamide MEA helps provide viscosity (thickness”> to certain shampoos when combined with sodium chloride and TEA is used to adjust the pH of personal care products, while butylene and propylene glycols are generally used as moisturizing agents. In terms of viscosity build in our shampoos, firstly we use less water, so our products are naturally thicker, and we also use a naturally derived xantham gum for additional viscosity and product stability. Depending on the product, we use differing ingredients to achieve moisture, but propanediol is one example among many. While we do not use propylene glycol in AG products we may use butylene glycol, which is considered a safe ingredient in cosmetics, for its moisturizing benefits and has a score of 1 (negligible”> on the EWG (Environmental Working Group”> toxicity scale.”

“Our Plant-Based Essentials line started with our continuing search for improvement looking for naturally sourced ingredients that are milder and gentler on the hair. We started with a shampoo and conditioner, Balance and Boost, which contains over 98% plant-based and naturally-derived ingredients. Based on the success of those two products we expanded the line considerably over the last few years and a move towards plant-based curl products was simply the next step in this collection’s growth. A few years ago we developed one of our best selling products for curly hair, Re:Coil, with feedback and input from the Curlies in NaturallyCurly’s CurlTalk forum, so it is particularly exciting for us to have you be the first to test and try our newest plant-based curl collection and get your honest and important feedback.”

As a NaturallyCurly reader you may be familiar with Re:Coil, because not only was it formulated based on reader input, but it was also the first product ever sold in our e-commerce shop, back when it was called CurlMart and was run out of NaturallyCurly Co-Founder Gretchen Heber’s garage. We know how you feel about Holy Grails Re:Coil and Fast Food, and now we’re excited to hear what you think about the new Curl Fresh line. You can find out more about the Curl Fresh Shampoo, Conditioner, and Definer at aghair.com.

Now that you’re well versed in sodium chloride, take a look at a few of the shampoo labels next time you’re at the drugstore. You may be surprised how often you find salt.

This post is sponsored by AG.

What Social Impact in the Hair Care Industry Can Look Like

By NaturallyCurly · Published July 12, 2021

What Social Impact in the Hair Care Industry Can Look Like

The curly community has always been savvy when it comes to purchase decisions. We know how to read labels, the ingredients to watch out for, and the common and not-so-common names for them. This consumer savvy holds true when it comes to the brands behind our products as well. We want to know who is profiting from our purchases, what their sustainability policies are, and what they’re doing for the communities they serve. Now more than ever, this transparency matters to the NaturallyCurly community.

Our Leaders In Curl interview series aims to highlight the people and brands who are redefining the hair industry. That’s why we are thrilled to be speaking with Lanaia Edwards, the VP of Global Marketing for Alaffia. Alaffia recently launched their Beautiful Curls line and part of the proceeds are funding their Beautiful Arrival maternal care initiative. Social impact has been woven into the Alaffia brand from its inception in 1996, and we got an inside look at how that approach continues to drive the brand today.

Lanaia Edwards, Alaffia’s VP of Global Marketing

More than ever before, our community wants to know who is behind the brands they purchase their curly hair products from. Can you tell us about Alaffia’s founder and who owns Alaffia?

Edwards: “Our Founder & CEO Olowo-n’djo Tchala’s journey is quite extraordinary and inspiring! He grew up in Togo, West Africa, sharing a small room with his mother and seven siblings. After dropping out of school in sixth grade to help support his family through farming and collecting shea nuts, he witnessed the unfair systems that the women around him faced when trading valuable indigenous resources. After completing his GED and college degree stateside, he returned to Togo to put projects in place to create a more sustainable and equitable future for communities throughout the country.

“Olowo-n’djo founded Alaffia with Prairie Rose Hyde in 2003. He met Rose in his home village of Kaboli, Togo in 1996 where she was invited to serve as an environmental volunteer in the Peace Corp. From the beginning, the two shared a desire to positively impact humankind. They returned to the US determined to make a difference in West Africa. In 2004, armed with his understanding of the value of indigenous West African resources and an understanding of sustainable business ideologies, he launched Alaffia’s ﬁrst collective.

“Since the Alaffia cooperative was founded, Olowo-n’djo’s mother, Ina, the inspiration for Alaffia, guided him in how to manage a women-led organization in a traditional setting. Ina helped him understand the importance of our cultural heritage, and it is this heritage that Alaffia preserves with traditional recipes and methods as well as handcrafting indigenous ingredients. She also made sure that the Alaffia Village Cooperative was inclusive to all of Togo’s 42 different ethnic groups. Ina embodied a selfless existence that guides me as we continue our mission to alleviate poverty and gender inequality.”

How does your team measure success at Alaffia? It seems to go far beyond the sales of beauty products.

Edwards: “It’s all about people before profits. When Alaffia was founded 18 years ago, the decision was made to always measure success based on our social impact, not dollars. As time was of the essence, empowerment projects were created that provided immediate impact to help people work, attend school and receive health care. We continue to see the positive impact on the West African people, which has been made possible through the support of our amazing Alaffia community and partners.”

Can you share more about the Maternal Care Empowerment Project?

Edwards: “Supporting motherhood and family is a core value of ours. Unfortunately, there’s a dire need for maternal care for women of color in marginalized communities. If we give more women access to proper prenatal care, fewer children grow up as orphans. Uplifting women is key to alleviating generational poverty. By gaining knowledge the women gain a feeling of self-worth. This lifts up the next generation and gives them a chance to progress beyond those before them. The project assists in all aspects of maternal care services and education, from pre-natal to post-pregnancy care. Since 2006, Alaffia has helped fund safe births in Togo, West Africa, and to date has helped over 6,500 women.”

How does the sale of products like the new Beautiful Curls line impact Alaffia’s Empowerment Projects, specifically Beautiful Arrival?

Edwards: “Our Alaffia Empowerment Projects are what keep us going! These projects are our mission in action, funded by the sale of our products. This allows Togolese communities to provide their skills and knowledge to the rest of the world and rise out of poverty. Our drive is to empower West African women to support themselves and their families in sustainable ways while advancing gender equality. Facilitating access to the global trade market through the fair trade of indigenous resources and community empowerment projects is a successful way of achieving this.

“Our empowerment projects in West Africa have positively impacted the lives of tens of thousands of people through Maternal Health, Eyeglass Distribution, Reforestation, Regenerative Agriculture and Education (including building schools, providing school supplies, bicycles for students”>.

“We expanded our maternal care stateside given the need for access in so many communities. According to the CDC, the maternal death rate in the US for black women is more than double that of white women. For Hispanic women in the US, it is more than 3X. Even in states with the lowest pregnancy mortality rate ratio and among women with higher levels of education, significant differences persist. Factors leading to mortality rates are usually a combination of institutional racism as well as black women’s increased susceptibility to certain health conditions and lack of access.

“5% of Beautiful Curls purchases are donated to Beautiful Arrival, our new project that helps provide maternal care to women in marginalized communities in the U.S. Alaffia and Beautiful Arrival are partnering with SisterSong, an Atlanta-based national organization that works to improve institutional policies and systems that positively impact maternal health care for women of color.”

What are your goals for Beautiful Arrival and your new partnership with SisterSong?

Edwards: “Our goal is ensure that all women receive access to services and support for safe and healthy birth throughout all aspects of her pregnancy and birth. SisterSong’s advocacy and leadership are instrumental in facilitating awareness and resources.”

We love featuring the Leaders in Curl who are shaping the hair care industry! At NaturallyCurly we’ve been working to redefine this space through education and empowerment for women with textured hair. How do you see Alaffia redefining the hair care industry?

Edwards: “Alaffia is redefining the industry by showing that a social enterprise model works. We’re built on the philosophy of ‘going beyond fair trade’—paying a fair local price or wage, offering equal employment opportunities, engaging in environmentally sustainable practices, providing healthy and safe working conditions, being open to public accountability and reducing the number of middlemen from supplier to consumer.

“We handcraft indigenous raw materials in traditional ways at our Alaffia Village Co-op to preserve culture and assure the efficacy of the ingredients, such as unrefined shea butter, coconut oil, neem extract, baobab oil and African black soap. Products are then finished at our U.S. headquarters in Olympia, WA. Proceeds from the sale of our collections are returned to communities to fund community empowerment and gender equality projects.

“We’re so proud of our Beautiful Curls Collection which is super luxurious and high-performance, without all the synthetic ingredients. It’s formulated to work well for all types of waves, curls and coils from type 2 hair to 4c hair, as well as for all styles. Beautiful Curls products don’t contain sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance and artificial colors. The collection is cruelty-free and plant-based. Each product is formulated with aqueous extracts, which makes even the water efficacious and beneficial to hair and scalp. Using Alaffia’s reverse osmosis water system, purified water is infused with botanicals such as yarrow, comfrey, arnica, calendula and chamomile.”

As a Leader in Curl, do you have any advice for brands and entrepreneurs who are just getting their start who want to build social impact into their business model?

Edwards: “Assess and answer the call on how you can strengthen your community through employment opportunities and programs that ‘prime the pump.’ When you invest back into your community through providing opportunities that help people work and have better access to important resources, you’re lifting up an entire community. You can be the catalyst for great change.”

This post is sponsored by Alaffia.

Celebrity Stylist Allyn Antoine’s Curl Defining Techniques for Every Curl Pattern

By NaturallyCurly · Published July 8, 2021

Celebrity Stylist Allyn Antoines Curl Defining Techniques for Every Curl Pattern

If your curls, coils or waves spent the last year up in a pineapple, you’re not alone. But this summer has us feeling inspired to give our curls the love and attention they deserve. There are new products to test, fun haircuts to try, and bold colors to experiment with! One of the new lines we’re most excited to share with the NaturallyCurly community is Beautiful Curls by Alaffia.

You may already be familiar with Alaffia through their face and body care products, all made from natural, plant-based and fair trade ingredients, and this year Alaffia released a new line specifically formulated for textured hair. There’s a wavy/curly range, a curly/kinky range, and products to bring definition to all curl patterns and porosities. If you’ve been taking a closer look at your ingredient lists, you’ll be happy to know that Beautiful Curls contains no silicones, sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances, artificial coloring or mineral oil—AND it’s cruelty-free! What’s more, many of the ingredients are sourced from Alaffia’s West African women’s cooperatives where they handcraft indigenous ingredients like unrefined shea butter, coconut oil, neem oil and African black soap. All for under $15 each.

Here to share how we can achieve our best definition this summer is Celebrity Hairstylist and Alaffia Brand Ambassador, Allyn Antoine. He’s been working with textured hair for over 20 years in New York City’s top-tier salons and you’ve seen his work on the big screen, TV shows, magazines and more. We brought Antoine some of your top curl concerns from making a twist-out last to the frizz-causing mistakes to avoid, here are the expert tips he had for us.

Do you have any tips for wavies or curlies with fine hair who need moisture but find that moisturizing products can weigh their hair down or make the roots look oily sooner?

Antoine: “Hydration is a curly girl’s best friend, but with thin curls it can easily become their enemy if they apply too much product. I get this question from my clients all the time—usually after a lot of trial and error. I always recommend that those with fine textures start applying product at the mid-shaft to the ends of the hair. This way, you are giving your curls the moisture they need without the risk of weighing them down. Make sure that you apply while the hair is still wet—this allows the product to soak into each strand properly and gives the best result. This is exactly how I like to apply the Beautiful Curls Curl Enhancing Leave-in Conditioner to ensure curls are enhanced and defined every time.”

Do you have any unique finger styling or curl defining techniques that you use on wavy or curly clients for applying the Beautiful Curls Curl Defining Gel?

Antoine: “Get it wet! Just like your leave-in, you definitely want to make sure you are applying the Beautiful Curls Curl Defining Gel to completely wet hair. Take small sections at a time and finger comb while applying the defining gel from roots to ends. This will help to shape and define your curls all over. From there, you can either let your hair air dry or you can use a diffuser for extra volume.”

How do you recommend curlies refresh their second- or third-day curls with Beautiful Curls?

Antoine: “You have to get your hands on the Beautiful Curls Curl Reviving Tonic—it’s a texturizing mist that rehydrates and re-shapes your curls without adding too much product that could weigh them down. I recommend it at the salon all the time because I find it to be an easy way to bring your curls back to life at home. After misting all over, use your fingers to re-curl small sections at a time. This will help to define while removing any excess frizz. I’ll let you in on another secret; on the days you need a little more moisture—mix just a small amount of the Curl Enhancing Leave-in with water in a spray bottle, shake it up and use it as a ‘moisture mist.’ It works well to smooth out frizz, and it’s something I have been doing forever—even when I’m on set for a photoshoot and curls have gotten unruly from all the hot lights, it works wonders every time.”

The Beautiful Curls Curl Activating Leave-In Conditioner can be used to moisturize and detangle, do you have any detangling tips for curlies to achieve curl definition with this product?

Antoine: “The Beautiful Curls Curl Activating Leave-in Conditioner is a fantastic product that can be used in a few different ways. Firstly, you can apply this as a pre-poo to detangle before you wash. Then, it can be used after shampooing—apply the product in sections and comb through to ensure even distribution of the product throughout your hair. Keep in mind that because this product is lightweight for tighter textures, your curl will start expanding shortly after the hair is dry.”

What advice would you give for making a twist-out or braid-out last longer when using the Curl Activating Cream?

Antoine: “My clients ask me this all the time. I always tell them for the best longevity, preparation is key. Make sure to use Beautiful Curls Curl Activating Cream after applying the Curl Activating Leave-in when your hair is wet. Together, these two products give your hair maximum hydration and definition while minimizing frizz. Then, plan to leave your style in for at least a full day before you take it down. The longer you leave the style in, the more defined your curls will be.”

The Curl Activating Cream can be used with a diffuser for volume, do you have tips for curlies who find that diffusing can create frizz?

Antoine: “Diffusing your curls seriously feels like taking a masterclass in patience, but I promise the payoff is worth the time. Time truly is the trick to frizz-free. You want to hold the diffuser in one position for at least 10-20 seconds before moving on to the next section. Moving the diffuser rapidly is what causes the frizz and frustration to happen. Getting into the habit of taking your time is all it takes to make a huge difference while diffusing.”

How often do you recommend people use the Beautiful Curls Shampoos so that they’re removing product buildup, sweat or oil, but retaining their moisture and not drying out their curls, coils or waves?

Antoine: “My rule of thumb is once-per-week or once-per-week-and-a-half, but where you fall in that timeframe is completely personal. Looser curl patterns and waves can be washed more frequently than tighter curls and coils. Beautiful Curls shampoos are sulfate-free, which means they will not strip your hair the way a traditional shampoo would, but you still should look to limit your wash days to every 7 to 10 days for best results.”

What coil defining techniques do you recommend when using the Curl Control Custard for a defined wash-and-go that lasts?

Antoine: “When you are looking to do a wash-and-go, you want to make sure you thoroughly detangle your hair all over before applying your styler. This will make applying the Curl Control Custard much easier and smoother. Always apply product from root to ends in small sections. Once the hair is dry, scrunch for added volume.”

Any other frizz fighting tips for the summer?

Antoine: “Cocktails were made for the summertime—and I’m not just talking about happy hour. Cocktailing stylers together can help to give your curls a surge of hydration to minimize frizz and keep them looking their best. I like to pair something super hydrating, like one of our Beautiful Curls Leave-Ins with a styler that helps to retain the moisture and give your curls enough hold, like the Curl Defining Gel or Curl Activating Cream (when you need extra hold”>. And, as always, make sure you are choosing products like Beautiful Curls that are clean—meaning no sulfates, silicones, parabens and phthalates. Your curls will thank you in the long run.”

One major benefit of Beautiful Curls that goes far beyond curl definition, is that by purchasing these products you’re supporting Alaffia’s Empowerment Projects to help fund safe births worldwide. Five percent of Beautiful Curls sales goes towards Alaffia’s Beautiful Arrival project to improve maternal care in the U.S. through a partnership with SisterSong’s Birth Justice Fund. You can learn more about how Alaffia is redefining what social impact can look like in the hair care industry here [will insert link to Article #1].

This post is sponsored by Alaffia.

Texture Tales: @leslie.joanny’s Curly Girl Method Transformation

By NaturallyCurly · Published June 12, 2021

Texture Tales leslie.joannys Curly Girl Method Transformation

What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?

Growing up I found myself, at such a young age, wondering why my hair was different than the girls around me, than the girls in movies, magazines, etc. I grew up desperately wanting my hair to be straight, to be able to just run my fingers through, and to simply just love my hair. In most of my schools (I went to quite a few”>, there weren’t many girls with my kind of hair, if not any at all. I remember wanting straight hair so bad, after I’d wash my hair, I would wear it in a sleek, tight bun before bed so that in the morning my hair would be dry and my curls all stretched out to the point of being straight. Once I hit High School, I started just embracing my curls the way they were, still lacking proper knowledge on how to care for them.

What made you decide to embrace your naturally curly hair?

After I started High School, the desire for straight hair quickly faded. I was more focused on just wearing my hair to where it looked good in my eyes. I would feel uncomfortable in straight hair, feeling like it was frizzy or not straight enough. I didn’t want to deal with that on a daily basis. Although I wore my hair curly throughout my life, I didn’t quite have the proper knowledge on how to care for it. After years of using the wrong ingredients, then pregnancy hormones, and bleaching it at home, I decided no more! I went deep into research on how to restore the health of my curls and I’ve never looked back.

What has been the most empowering moment of your natural hair journey so far?

The most empowering moment in my hair journey had to be when I came across the Curly Girl Method. While, I didn’t/don’t 100% follow the method (I tweaked it to work for me”>, it opened my eyes to so much more, to products I had never even thought to try, to a community I had no idea existed, and to a love for my curls I should have had from the start.

What is your curl pattern?

Type 3b

How do you protect your curls at night?

To protect my curls at night (most nights “>, I have my beloved silk pillow case from LilySilk, as well as a silk bonnet that surprisingly stays on the whole night. I also pineapple my hair whether I wear the bonnet or not.

Who is your curl crush?

To name a few, I’d say Hortencia @stylefeen, Michelle Ana @lovemichelleana, Mel @manesbymel, Rocio @larocioisabel, Merian @herbalmmo and I could go on and on.

What’s your curly girl essential you can’t live without?

My curly girl essential that I can’t live without would have to be Righteous Roots Oils. I use this every single day for scalp massages, to scrunch out the crunch, and to pre poo. This holy grail oil has been a part of my routine since March 2017.

What is your current hair regimen? Any favorite products you’d like to share?

My current routine is quite simple. My wash days consist of a good clarifying shampoo, conditioner/deep conditioner, a leave in or light weight cream, a gel with good hold, the CurlyCo Diffuser and Righteous Roots Oils to scrunch out the cast. I also love a good one and done product for styling. Some of my absolute favorite brands right now are LUS Brands, Rizos Curls, Curlsmith, Flora and Curl, Breahni, Ouidad, TreLuxe, Not Your Mother’s Natural, My Soigne, Aunt Jackie’s, RealSelf Works, to name a few.

What has been the most challenging moment of your natural hair journey so far?

The most challenging moment in my journey has been probably achieving volume while also keeping my length. Wanting a specific type of volume and not accepting my own. Some days I want long hair, other days I want it short. Another frustration I hardly mention is parting my hair. Parting my hair can be such a struggle because my hair tends to part however it wants and it’s usually not how I want.

Are there any techniques or methods that have made a huge impact on your hair health?

I would have to say I had no clue what scrunching out the cast was. It was mind blowing what was hiding underneath my gel cast. All my life, walking around with crunchy hair, who knew right? Another thing was, deep conditioning and scalp massages have made such a huge impact in the health of my hair. And another thing I had no knowledge of was diffusing. Diffusing for me, helps me achieve that volume I strive to achieve.

What’s your advice to women who are still struggling with loving their natural texture?

My advice to those who still struggle to love and accept their natural texture is to never stop finding ways, finding reasons to embrace it. To really sit back and embrace the very beauty of what makes you, YOU. Every texture is unique and learning to see the beauty in it, accepting what you have will not only allow you to feel beautiful inside but will radiate on the outside for others to see.

Texture Tales: How Pamela Embraced Her Silver Curls

By NaturallyCurly · Published June 7, 2021

Texture Tales How Pamela Embraced Her Silver Curls

What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?

I never could figure out my hair! It was always a struggle! It was never straight or curly. Just always fluffy! I’m so happy I finally figured out my hair just a few years ago! What a game changer!

What made you decide to embrace your naturally curly hair?

Once I figured out what my hair wanted it was easy to just embrace the curls and the silver for that matter! I love it!

What has been the most empowering moment of your natural hair journey so far?

Just seeing my hair become so healthy and happy! It’s amazing!

How do you protect your curls at night?

I usually sleep in a buff it’s long enough to hold all my curls and stay on my head all night!

Who is your curl crush?

@mymanecurls (Jackie Johnson-Smith”>

What’s your curly girl essential you can’t live without?

So many things, but if I have to pick one…. I’d say my buff, sleep protection is everything! Without that I would have to wash more often!

What is your current hair regimen? Any favorite products you’d like to share?

I wash about once a week! I love testing out new products! My hair seems to handle a lot and stay happy! It’s so fun, but two of my must have products are Hairdance dry shampoo and Righteous Roots hair oil!! I can not live without these two!! Use them weekly!

What has been the most challenging moment of your natural hair journey so far?

I would say just figuring out everything that my hair wants at the beginning! It was a small challenge but it was well worth it now! I love my natural curls and silver streaks!

Are there any techniques or methods that have made a huge impact on your hair health?

Yes! Brush styling for me changed everything! I’m so happy I figured it out! Now my curls last so much longer! Also scalp scrubs made a big difference for me!

What’s your advice to women who are still struggling with loving their natural texture?

Keep trying! Follow people that inspire you! It’s a little difficult at first but once you get it all figured out it’s so worth it!

Texture Tales: Archana’s Curly Hair Journey in India

By NaturallyCurly · Published June 2, 2021

What country do you live in?

India

What was it like for you growing up with textured hair?

In a country where poker straight hair is considered the standard of beauty, I was often mocked for my hair, which was different from the rest. And I hated my hair then!

What made you decide to embrace your naturally curly hair?

After a point in my life, I realized that I should not try to fit into someone else’s shoes. People knew me by my curly hair, so why not embrace it? Why not be myself?

What has been the most empowering moment of your natural hair journey so far?

The very first day I started following CGM [Curly Girl Method]. It was so liberating.

How do you protect your curls at night?

A silk bonnet or a silk scarf wrapped around my pineappled hair.

Who is your curl crush?

Laura Smith

What’s your curly girl essential you can’t live without?

A conditioner, I keep experimenting, my current favourite is Love Beauty and Planet.

What is your current hair regimen? Any favorite products you’d like to share?

Prepoo: Jojoba oil
Shampoo: Petal Fresh Tea Tree
Conditioner: Love Beauty and Planet
Leave in: Love Beauty and Planet
Curl cream: Cantu Curl Activator
Gel: Ashba
Plop for 10 min, then air dry

What has been the most challenging moment of your natural hair journey so far?

I haven’t faced any issues so far.

What is your hair type?

Type 3b

Are there any techniques or methods that have made a huge impact on your hair health?

Using the praying hands method and STC [Squish to Condish].

What’s your advice to women who are still struggling with loving their natural texture?

My advice will be not to compare your hair with that of someone else. What works for me might not work for somebody else. You have to carefully find out what suits you best. Find out which products suit you and be patient!

Hall of Shame: AOL bashes J Lo

By NaturallyCurly · Updated May 19, 2021

Appearing on AOL July 2001

Apparently, AOL recently bashed Jennifer Lopez’s curly locks, merely for being curly. We’re not AOL members, so we couldn’t see the page, but thanks to all of you who alerted us!

Leave Kate’s Curls Alone!

By NaturallyCurly · Updated May 19, 2021

Telegraph.com columnist Judith Woods reveals extreme anti-curl bias March 2004 Surly icon

This is just a taste of the column:

‘The actress Kate Beckinsale couldn’t have caused a greater frisson of horror if she had appeared at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles this week wearing Dynasty-style shoulder pads and dangly earrings. For once, it wasn’t a daring decolletage that helped her to hog the limelight, but something much more seditious: her hair.

The Pearl Harbor star, you see, has gone curly. Not just half-an-hour-with-heated-tongs kinky, or can’t-be-bothered-blow-drying wavy; no, she has a magnificent mane of fully fledged Crystal Tipps curls. Worse, tongues are wagging that she might even have had a perm.

In fashion, where flat is chic and everyone uses hair straighteners, going curly is tantamount to anarchy. From Avril Lavigne to Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie to Jennifer Lopez, poker-straight has long been considered the height of glamour.

Being born with curls is considered a relatively harmless affliction, but actually going to a stylist and asking for a perm is one step from shaving one’s hair off and joining the Hari Krishnas.’

Caring for Your Child’s Supercurly Hair

By NaturallyCurly · Updated May 19, 2021

by Mahisha Dellinger

Caring for your angel’s tresses can be a daunting experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Armed with the proper education, the right technique, and, most importantly, the right products – you can master the art of caring for ethnic hair.

For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with hair. Because my hair was easy to manage, I began styling my own hair at an early age. Using my long locks, I taught myself how to French braid and soon became a styling expert (or so I thought”>. As I matured, my interest in healthy black hair peaked. I learned which hair care ingredients were good for my hair type and which ingredients were not. I learned how to shampoo, condition, and properly handle my hair. Most importantly, I learned to love my hair. With the proper care, your child will love his/her hair too!

Over the years I’ve read, seen, and experienced unbelievable acts of ignorance regarding ethnic hair care. It is my attempt to provide a few basic tips and tricks so you will avoid common pitfalls

A Few Things You Should Know…

Black hair is extremely fragile. A gentle touch is required to avoid unnecessary breakage and hair loss. Therefore, always use a wide tooth comb or pick when combing the hair. Avoid fine tooth combs as they snag and pull out curly/kinky hair. Invest in a quality brush; natural boar brushes are the best.
Curly/kinky hair needs moisture, moisture and more moisture! Consider this when purchasing hair care products. Avoid drying products such as hair spray, mousse, holding gels, etc. Opt for moisturizers, leave-in conditioners and styling lotions.
All products are not created equal. Just because a product claims to be created for “curly hair” doesn’t guarantee that it will be suitable for ethnic curly hair. Products created for Nicole Kidman’s curly hair may not work for Angela Bassett’s. Caucasian hair tends to produce more sebum (oily secretion created by the sebaceous gland”> than black, textured hair; therefore, black hair requires more oil. Read — no — scrutinize the ingredient list. Look for natural oils and quality ingredients. Remember, the ingredients are listed in order of volume.

Common Mistakes Made When Caring for Ethnic Hair

Error #1 – Over shampooing – Black hair should not be shampooed every day, or every other day for that matter. Instead, shampoo your child’s hair every 7 days, max! We recommend shampooing 2x a month. I know this may confuse those who shampoo daily; however, you must remember that black hair needs oil, and because it distributes less sebum, frequent shampooing can dry out the hair and scalp. Try our Curly Q’s Hydrating shampoo. It gently cleanses the hair without stripping away essential oils and nutrients.

Tip for getting through ‘shampoo-less’ days: Rinse hair with warm water, apply Quenched conditioner, and rinse well. This will give you a clean start and provide added conditioning and moisture without stripping away protective oils.

Error #2: Under-conditioning – Proper conditioning is one of the most important steps for healthy hair. Unfortunately, most do not take the time to adequately do so. I recommend giving your daughter a deep conditioning (with heat”> once a month, especially during the winter season. Our Quenched conditioner works great…with or without heat.

Error #3: Using the wrong products – We’ve discussed the need for natural oils for black hair. However, you must know that not all oil is good oil.One misconception that plagues African Americans concerning hair care is the use of grease. Grease (thick pomade-like product that usually contains mineral oil and/or petrolatum”> is commonly used to moisturize dry hair and scalp. Do not use products that contain mineral oil or petrolatum. Both of these cheap oils clog pores, rob the hair’s moisture and can retard hair growth. Natural oils are the best bet. Jojoba and coconut oil are great conditioning oils. Shea butter is an excellent moisturizer. Avocado oil is rich in vitamins A, D, and E; potassium, and scalp soothing sulfur. Curls and Curly Q’s products contain all of these!

Error #4: Combing, detangling, and styling faux pas — To avoid pain, tears, and massive hair loss when combing out kinky hair, part the hair into four sections. Get a tight grip on the hair (not to hurt your child”> and start combing at the bottom and work your way up to the top, section by section. If her hair is extremely thick and coarse, secure the combed out section with a pony tail holder to avoid further tangling. You should always use a moisturizer when combing her out hair, doing so will help to soften the hair and ease comb-ability. NEVER USE WATER TO “WET” THE HAIR! Our Moist Curls moisturizer is a great choice!

Girls and ponytails seem to go hand-in-hand. Here are a few tips to avoid pig-tail disaster. Do not use rubber bands to secure her ponytails, instead use elastics and covered bands. Rubber bands can cause undue breakage and damage. Remember to ALWAYS remove the pony tail holders before bed time. Make sure you braid (or twist”> the hair completely…all the way to the ends. Exposing the ends to environmental elements will guarantee split ends. I recommend adding a coat of leave in conditioner to the ends before braiding for extra protection. Remember, the ends are the oldest and most fragile part of the hair. They require extra attention.

What you need

Wide-toothed comb or pick…the wider the better (Goody has a variety of combs available at most grocery stores”>
Natural bristle brush (The Body Shop has a nice selection of brushes”>
Hydrating shampoo (try Curly Q Hydrating Shampoo”>
Moisturizing Conditioner (try Curly Qs Quenched Conditioner”>
A daily moisturizer – this will add needed moisture, and ease comb-ability (Moist Curls is a great daily moisturizer”>
Natural oils to apply to the hair (I recommend Pure avocado oil also available on our website”>
Cream hair dressing for light control of frizzes (Curly Q Styling lotion is a great choice”>
Elastics for securing ponytails