Search Results: NaturallyCurly
Rodney Cutler
Many women with curls and kinks view their texture as the enemy—a hindrance to achieving the hairstyles they want.
But armed with an understanding of your curl type, the right cut as well as the latest styling technologies, you can learn to love your hair’s natural texture rather than fighting it.
“Curly hair can look beautiful in so many varying ways,” says Redken Expert Rodney Cutler, a celebrity stylist who has curls himself. “It’s all about finding that comfort level. Having the right tools can help you embrace your curls and get your hair to look the best it can look.”
It’s crucial to get an understanding of your hair’s texture. Is it loose or tight, coarse or fine? Or is it a combination of textures? The texture of your hair will help you and your stylist determine what styles would work best for you.
“Figuring out your texture will determine the right length as well as how many layers you put in,” Cutler says.
Then it’s about using the right products to work with your cut, texture and the weather. Redken this month has unveiled several new styling products for curly hair, including Soft Spin 05 Curl-Enhancing Gel, new and improved Ringlet 07 Curl Perfecting Lotion and Curl Wise 14 Curl Defining Cream. Rounding out Redken’s curl lineup is Curl Force 17 Texturizing Spray-Gel.
For fine, wavier hair, Cutler suggests using Redken Fresh Curls shampoo and conditioner, then style with Redken soft spin 05 curl-enhancing gel.
For thicker, curlier locks, he likes Redken Fresh Curls Shampoo and Conditioner and styling with Redken ringlet 07 curl perfecting lotion.
And for tight, kinky hair, he suggests shampooing with Redken Fresh Curls Shampoo and conditioning with Redken Fresh Curls Curl Recovery intense rinse-out mask. To style, layer Redken Fresh Curls Curl Refiner leave-in anti-frizz detangler and Redken curl wise 14 curl defining cream for the perfect level of control.
Cutler also suggests cocktailing, or layering, products to get the results you want, whether your hair needs more moisture or more support. This may change depending on the hairstyle and the humidity level.
“The good thing about Redken’s new products is that they are so easily layered—whether your hair needs moisture or support,” says Cutler.
Your Redken hairstylist can help you customize your Redken cocktail.
Cutler says the modern technology available in products like Redken have conditioning as well as styling agents to keep curls looking shiny, healthy and defined.
Redken’s new styling products are enriched with natural ingredients such as avocado oil, sunflower oil and mango butter—nourishing ingredients that create healthy, bouncy waves and curls.
“We’ve gone to a whole new level,” Cutler says. “We’re getting better end results and we’re getting rid of damaging ingredients. We’ve gone through the next generation plus.”
What makes curly hair curly? Scientists in Australia have identified a single gene that strongly influences whether you have curly or straight hair, according to PhysOrg.com.
The study looked for genetic variations in people of European descent to identify any genes associated with curly and straight hair. People of European descent have 45% straight hair, 40% wavy, and 15% naturally curly hair. Professor Martin and colleague Dr. Sarah Medland have previously found there is up to a 90% chance of inheriting the curly hair trait.
The scientists, from the Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR”> in Brisbane, identified the TCHH gene (trichohyalin”> on chromosome one as the major gene controlling the curliness of hair. TCHH has been known for over 20 years to play a role in the development of hair follicles. It is expressed in the inner root sheath of developing hair follicles.
Curlies have long been told that it is follicle shape that determines curliness, so presumably this gene affects the follicle shape.
Leader of the team Professor Nick Martin said that variations in the gene determine how straight or curly the hair is, but more work is needed to determine the exact variant that influences curliness. Professor Martin said a variation that causes a change in an amino acid is the most likely contender.
Hair morphology has been studied extensively in Asian populations, and research carried out in Japan last year determined the genetic basis for the straight, thick hair common in East Asian populations. The differences in the FGFR2 and EDAR genes found in Asia are thought to have originated after East Asian and European populations diverged. Much less is known about the genetic basis of straight and curly hair in Europeans.
The study analyzed data collected from a 30-year study of 5000 twins of European ancestry. The twins were asked whether their hair was curly, wavy or straight, and the researchers then tried to match the hair type against the data on the genomes of the twins.
The paper was published on November 5 in the online edition of the American Journal of Human Genetics. The research is likely to have applications in the cosmetics industry and in forensics, where the knowledge may help in identifications.
In a recent post on CurlTalk, SicilyCurl offered these insightful observations:
In terms of the curly hair topic, this is what I’ve been thinking lately –
Without mentioning names specifically, I think that certain organizations, businesses, and people need to do more than just profit off of the confusion and desperation of many curly-haired people and actually do something to lobby on our behalf. Curly hair is extremely complex and you really need hands on, on-site help with it, instead of spending hundreds of dollars on products, playing guessing games, and communicating with people hundreds of miles away who can’t even see you. Do you know what would be truly helpful?
- Lobby the heck out of the beauty schools and persuade them to churn out more curly hair experts.
- Help set up curly hair institutes in all major cities that carry an array of products for an array of curly hair types. People cannot guide you on your hair from afar because they can’t see and feel your texture and know the climate that you live in. You need hands on, on-site assistance from someone who can guide you every step of the way. I don’t mean to sound patronizing because I know some curly heads figure their hair out on their own, but many do not and they spend loads of cash and shed tears trying to figure it out.
- Work with consumer rights and environmental organizations to get hair care companies to stop putting industrial chemicals in their products that are damaging to our environment, our bodies and to the health of our hair.
- Monitor reviews (on all Web sites”> that seem to be covertly placed by hair care companies. I’m sure some companies pay people to say positive things about their products, and place negative comments about competitors’ products. When someone raves “I combined FKG with some EETK, raked and scrunched, plopped, and spread some NUJKL on the canopy, and dolloped some TNMIL over the fortress. Voila! My curls where rockin’!,” how do you know that person isn’t actually some 70 year-old bald guy who was paid by the companies to plant that on a site? I’m a smart and educated person, but when I get extremely frustrated with my curly hair, even I buy into the propaganda.
I do not think we curly heads are gullible and that we need someone to hold our hand, but curly hair can be extremely complex and majorly frustrating and I think there can be a better way to figure it out. We shouldn’t be bankrupted into blindly figuring out what our hair likes or needs. We need more trained hairstylists who can help us get it right the first or second time with the right products. We need certain organizations, businesses and people to lobby to make that happen.
Yes, I do care about far more serious problems in the world, but this is a site about curly hair and I just wanted to express my opinion on the topic. Feel free to respond or not.
We like your comments, SicilyCurl, and couldn’t agree more. We at NaturallyCurly commit to do all that we can to facilitate many of your thoughts. Our recent launch of CurlStylist was very much an attempt to educate stylists about curlies’ real-life needs and to provide them with training and education to help us rock our curls.
Additionally, we are in contact with various beauty schools, and in fact helped bring in an Austin curl expert to a local school to give the students some curl-specific knowledge. You can read about it here!
We encourage other curly-friendly organizations and businesses to join NaturallyCurly in this endeavor to spread the curly word!
Paula Patton
At the recent Ninth Annual Avon Foundation for Women Awards Gala, Paula Patton added to the celebration of this monumental cause with this fun-upbeat look:
Ursula Stephen, Motions Celebrity Stylist, created Paula Patton’s sweet look for less than $15. Follow these easy steps to create this versatile style:
- Apply Motions Light Styling Foam, focusing on the roots
- Blow dry hair in an upwards motion to add volume
- Spray Motions Light Hold Working Spritz throughout hair. Using a medium-sized barrel iron, curl small sections of hair, securing curls with hair pins. After hair has cooled, remove pins and comb through with a wide-toothed comb
- Using fingers, gently sweep hair behind ears and create a soft side part, teasing the crown if necessary
- Finish with Motions Oil Sheen & Conditioning Spray for a long-lasting look
Jesse Reese, Grand Prize Winner of the DevaCurl Challenge, was treated to an all-expenses-paid weekend trip to New York City in September.
With her curly mom, Maryann, in tow, both lovely ladies spent the day at the Devachan Salon and Spa on Broome Street while the Curly Girl herself, Lorraine Massey, tended to their tresses. Lorraine Massey had little to do to condition Reese’s curls because they were “Deva Healthy. “
Reese has been a DevaCurl lover for as long as she can remember and a true crusader for curly girls. She told the Deva staff story after story about how she constantly had to defy the norm as people all around her encouraged her to straighten her hair. The worst culprit was a college professor who told her that her curls were messy and unkempt looking and that if she wanted to get a job after college and be taken seriously, she should straighten her hair. Well, not Reese! Instead she continued to embrace her curls every step of the way and is a strong, smart, beautiful curly girl!
Deva teamed up with NaturallyCurly in the spring for the Curly Girl Challenge, which encouraged readers to try the Deva 3-step regimen and and to share their stories.
As the Grand Prize Winner, Reese will appear in Massey’s “Curly Girl 2” — the sequel to her popular curl bible “Curly Girl“.
We love our CurlTalkers! Here’s a fun peek at the threads that got the most posts yesterday, Nov. 5. All threads are from Non-Hair Discussion, except “Hand Dry Hair Glove”, which is on the General Discussion about Hair forum.
Who: For mothers and daughters, and sons too, who have battled with a hair styling regimen that has been difficult and time consuming and has caused negative experiences children are enduring throughout their lives.
What: Learn an easy approach to help children have a positive experience to loving their hair and themselves which, in turn, will help to build self-esteem and increase that bond between parent and child. Dickey and the Hair Rules team will assist you with hands-on styling and finding new ways to style your child’s hair. Light refreshments will be included.
When: Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Where: Hair Rules Salon, 828 9th Avenue, Suite 1, between 54th and 55th streets, NY, NY 10019.
Why: This is the perfect opportunity to bond and spend quality time with your child and help him/her find new ways to style and LOVE their hair.
How: Call (212.315.2929″> or e-mail (amandak@hairrules.com”> us today to reserve your space. $50 per child ($25 goes toward product purchase”>. Limited spaces available.
R.S.V.P no later than Thursday, November 5th, 2009
Ms. Yuko Yamashita
The people who make the Yuko Hair Straightening System offer this information about their product.
Yuko Hair Straightening System smooths curly, dry, unruly hair permanently with a revolutionary straightening system that uses heat to restructure the hair’s protein bond. The result is smooth, sleek, shiny, straight, regenerated (repaired”> hair!
The protein-based professional Yuko System uses a specially-designed, patented heat iron set at over 300 degrees to seal in moisture once the cystine bone in the hair is cut off, allowing hair to be molded into any shape. Heat consolidates the straightening process – repairing and regenerating hair. The shine and softness are evident. Salon professionals and the customer both love the system’s results.
Ms. Yuko, who created the system in 1996 with the intent to create a non-coating, straightening system that uses the heat oxidation process to seal in and rebuild hair from the inside out. One of the Yuko steps includes using shark oil on hair and also using steam instead of direct heat to condition hair.
Both an unconventional idea and a breakthrough in the art of hair straightening, the Yuko Straightening System actually uses the hair’s small amount of “living body electricity” to cut off the hair’s cystine bone, reshaping it to appear straight. This goes against the notion that straightened hair is damaged hair: the result is hair that can breathe from a lack of coating, and a hair shaft that is rejuvenated for the first time. If desired, the Yuko process can be reversed to obtain natural curls again.
Yuko Hair Straightening System FAQ
Q: How many touch-ups do you need and how long does the process take?!
A: Expect to have the process done at least twice a year. Long hair takes four and a half hours to be processed. Short hair is about three hours.
Q: How long does the Yuko straightening last?
A: Once the hair is processed it is permanently straightened. There are NO traditional waxes used, therefore time does not “wear down” the process. The straightening comes from a re-structured protein bond inside the hair shaft.
Q: What if I want to wear my hair in a curly style or what my old curls back?!
A: Your hair will respond to any curling iron. If you want to grow out your hair, the Yuko System can be reprocessed with new solutions to bring back curly hair!
Q: What is the youngest age a person can use the Yuko System?
A: It is safe for a child as young as twelve years old to use the process.
Q: Can senior citizens use the Yuko System?
A: YES! The system is processed the same on aged hair but performs just as beautifully.
Q: Is it safe to use this revolutionary hair straightening system?
A: The system has been tested in three continents: Asia, Europe and the USA. It is safe for children over age 5 and for seniors as well!
In this month of giving thanks, CurlTalkers offer their appreciation for the products that have changed their lives.
Greatcurls: For me, it would be the hard bonnet drier. Before this, no matter what hair product I used, combined with the “no-heat” methods to condition, no product could penetrate my cuticles. Now that I use the hard bonnet drier, as long as the products have the ingredients I know will work for my hair, it will be properly conditioned.
rudeechick: This is impossible to narrow down, but I gotta say my Curl Ease towel is right up there…
Laura Lee: CurlEase changed the way that I look at styling my hair. I went from “Oh no, I need to set aside 2-3 hours to dry my hair!” to “Hooray, it’s been 30 minutes and I’m ready to go!”
sexyspirals: Definitely my CurlEase towel, no doubt about it — as LauraLee said, it changed my outlook on the amount of time it took to let my hair be natural vs. the quicker, longer-lasting solution of flat-ironing. Now I don’t have to set aside an entire six-hour period of waiting with wet hair so it can be curly, and my hair is healthier and prettier when I don’t straighten every other day.
Also, I look at the day I got Kinky-Curly Curling Custard as the day I really fell in love with being a curly — the definition, the bouncy curls, how healthy my hair felt because it wasn’t weighed down by silicones… truly a life-altering product!
IamDonna: Without a doubt it would be: CURL KEEPER!!!! Thank you CHS very much for making it!
RachelRegina: Shea aloe butter and Fantasia IC Gel or Long aid Gel. You wanna talk about curls and coils on steriods…Sent from HEAVEN!
CurliLocks: Usually, we think of stylers, conditioners, and shampoos. But let’s not forget Haircolor!!! Thank you Color by Robert Craig for gently covering my gray and keeping my hair healthy, shiny and happy in the process.
Alexjoujou: Darcy’s Botanical’s Natural Coils Curling Jelly, Curls Gel-les’C, CJ smoothing gellee and KBB Hair milk and then Gel (Abba, BRHG, Artec Textureline Volume, HESMU, etc”>
These are my staples and go to and always give me good hair! They also let me see what my hair is capable of doing which was an eye opener!
For my daughter it is 100% Qhemet Biologics Olive Honey Hydrating Balm and the BEST product ever: Burdock Root Butter Creme. Amazing stuff! If I were to chose only one between the two of us it would be QB BRBC no contest!
redcelticcurls: Aubrey Organics conditioners: And, more importantly, the combo of Knot Today and KCCC. That combo had been my friend for a couple of years.
Use the comments section below to tell us what products/tools you’re giving thanks for this November!
Check out this video: Susie Essman of the HBO hit show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” speculates with Joy Behar as to whether her comedy comes from her curls. Go Susie!
Reality-TV hairstylist from the hit “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” TV show—Dwight Eubanks—recently shared some of his style secrets on a segment of the Ellen DeGeneres Show, which aired on September 9. Inviting Ellen and her audience into his Purple Door Salon in Atlanta, Ga. Dwight highlighted his must-have Design Essentials products to keep his high-profile clientele ready for their close-ups.
Chief among Dwight’s recommendations for products to help obtain camera-ready hair are Design Essentials’ shine boosting selections, including Design Essentials Stimulations Super Moisturizing Conditioner, Reflections Liquid Shine and Formations Styling Spritz to name a few. Design Essentials products help Dwight do everything from restoring his client’s dry and damaged hair to maximizing shine without weighing the hair down. Photos below show the divine, reality-TV sensation in action!
In a recent episode of “Desperate Housewives of Atlanta”, Kim Zolciak confessed that she wears a brand-new hairpiece every day. And her wigs cost $430 each, sometimes more. $13,000 a month? On wigs?
My gosh! The good she could do for others with that money.
Hopefully, the hair pieces she creates for her upcoming wig line won’t cost that much, and hopefully her customers will have the sense to wear the pieces more than once.
John Paul DeJoria
John Paul DeJoria of John Paul Mitchell Systems was honored by the elite salon owners of Intercoiffure America/Canada with their prestigious “Visionary of the Year” Award at the annual Members Trend Luncheon on October 19 in New York City.
Intercoiffure America/Canada (ICA”> established the “Visionary of the Year” Award in 2007 to recognize extraordinary individual achievements in influencing business or creative trends in the beauty industry. “John Paul DeJoria’s ongoing accomplishments in
business and philanthropy are exactly what this award is all about,” says ICA president Lois Christie. “The Board of Directors and I are truly honored to be able to recognize DeJoria’s energy, generosity of spirit and business acumen.”
John Paul DeJoria and partner Paul Mitchell founded John Paul Mitchell Systems (paulmitchell.com”> in 1980. Their goal was to build a company that not only provided hairdressers with the best professional products but also provided business tools to help their professional customers be successful.
In “My Hair Is Curly” Sidney is a four-year-old little girl who enjoys going to school and who loves to learn. She has gray eyes, a beautiful smile and long, curly hair. On her fourth birthday she starts preschool and makes some new friends. One day, Sidney comes home from school and reveals she hates her hair. After listening to a story about wishing, Sidney decides to make a wish and quickly learns all the things that she would miss if she were just like everyone else.
Retired school superintendent Eleanor D. White, Ed.D, says, “ “My Hair is Curly’ is a clever tale that offers young children an opportunity to learn to appreciate who they are, showing once again that being accepted in not guaranteed by looking like everyone else.”
“My Hair is Curly” is a beautiful book with a beautiful message of learning to love one’s specialness. It’s a great tool for parents working with kids who might be struggling with accepting their curly hair.
Return to Beauty: Old-World Recipes for Great Radiant Skin
By Narine Nikogosian
Atria Books ($25″>
Return to Beauty offers regimens made from fresh ingredients that can be found right in your kitchen. With recipes for winter, spring, summer, and fall, you can look beautiful throughout the year. Narine Nikogosian’s natural and inexpensive products can be whipped up in less than ten minutes. Have a jar of honey in your pantry? Mix it with a few crushed walnuts to create a sensual, aromatic scrub for oily skin. Use dabs of cottage cheese to lighten under-eye circles, or almond oil to rehydrate cracked lips. Narine also provides recipes based on astrological signs, such as for Scorpio, a Gracious Grapefruit Mask made of grapefruit, egg yolk, and soothing honey to rejuvenate your skin even after a late night.
There are even a couple of recipes in the back of the book for hair preparations: Shiny Hair Mask and Last Bottle of Beer.
Narine is from a long line of Armenian women who have been harnessing the powers of nature to create everlasting beauty. For the first time, she reveals her secrets so that you can have star-worthy skin.
Curl stylist Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue knows how to transform a head of curls. He shared one of his recent hair makeovers NaturallyCurly.com.
Hair Challenge:
Hair that is dehydrated and lacking the proper hair maintenance. Women who do not know how to properly maintain and style their hair usually have dehydrated, flat and frizzy hair. In addition to unhealthy hair, Marina’s haircut was not customized to her hair texture; her short bags were the biggest challenge.
Solution:
To improve the healthiness of Marina’s hair, I treated her to my Hair Rehab treatment which is an intense moisturizer with sea ingredients that improve the hair from within. After 10 minutes, Marina’s hair was given a jumpstart towards healthy hair that allowed me to perform the right cut with long diagonal layers. I had to frame around the face to bend the cut into the length of her bangs and then texturized the middle section of her hair in order to define her curls. After the cut, I further moisturized Marina’s hair with the Curlisto Deep Therapy Masque treatment.
Styling Products:
- Protein Boost: Light leave-in conditioner
- Mixture of Structura Lotion and Bio-Gel Mousse applied in sections onto wet hair
- Structura Spray and Glow & Shine for finishing products
Results:
Beautiful, bouncy curls that are hydrated and full of life. Remember, your hair is your No. 1 accessory. In order to maintain healthy hair, you have to follow up with moisturizing treatments and regular haircuts. With our help, Mariana now knows how to take care of her hair and can recreate her gorgeous curls at home.
Searching for an inventive Halloween costume that makes the most of your gorgeous curls, kinks or waves? Check out our offbeat ideas! And be sure to suggest your own in the comments area! We can’t wait to see what our members come up with.
1. Angela, from the “Spawn” comic book series
2. Irish dancer
3. Josephine Baker
4. Batman villain Poison Ivy
5. Fortuna, Roman Goddess of luck and fate
6. Violin-playing angel
7. Tiana, from Disney’s “Princess and the Frog”
8. Pandora
9. Queen Elizabeth I
10. Mae Jemison, first African-American woman to fly in space
Sisters Titi and Miko Branch of Miss Jessie’s will be in Los Angeles this Sunday for a special event at Wilshire Beauty, a retail store and salon.
The action-packed day, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature product information, styling demonstrations and customer prescriptions from the Branch sisters and their team of natural hair experts.
Throughout the day, the pair will also raffle collections of their products.
Wilshire Beauty is located at 5401 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. RSVP here or call 323-937-2001.
