Search Results: Nikki Walton
Dear CurlyNikki:
When fluffing the hair after doing a braid/twist-out, what is the best technique to use in order to not over-fluff the hair style (comb, fingers, hair pick, etc..”>?
Dear Catrise:
I’ve slowly come to the realization that allowing my hair to ‘just be’, allows it to fluff up naturally with minimal frizz. The day after my styling session (usually a Twist-n-Curl”>, I remove the curlers and gently unravel the twists. Since the twists are so chunky, I sometimes break them apart to help it look more natural, but that’s all I do . . . no finger combing, picking or massaging the roots. This no-fluffing routine gets me to four-day hair, which I greatly appreciate.
The problem is that my hair is fine, and walking around for a day with a flat Twist-n-Curl drives me insane—it’s scalpy, and overly defined. However, come day two, it’s twice as big, still chunky, defined and frizz free!
There are times when I need it to be the three F’s (funky, fabulous, and fly”> on Day One, so I do the following:
- Remove the curlers
- Unravel the twists
- Break twisted sections apart (turning one crinkle into two and so on”>
- Spread my fingers and use them as a pick/comb to gently break up the roots
- Sometimes I’ll flip my head over, still using my fingers as a pick . . . running them from my roots to 1/4 down the strands
- Massage the roots at the crown to help hide any parts
- I never use combs or any other tools to fluff . . . just my fingers
- Finally, for easier fluffing and bigger hair, remember to use less product— preferably no styler and only a silver-dollar-sized amount of your ‘styling conditioner’
What about you? How do you fluff?! Tell me in the comments area below!
Two of my favorite curly friends, HeatherNicole, and Naturally Leslie, gave Aussie Moist a rave review, and told me to check it out. So, me being the raging PJ I am, purchased a bottle yesterday…despite the fact that I already own 4 family sized bottles of Hello Hydration! The ingredients resemble my beloved Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, even down to the modified cone. In a previous article I discussed what sets amodimethicone and other similar molecules, such as bis-aminopropyl dimethicone, and trimethyl silylamodimethicone, apart from other cones. According to CurlChemist Tonya McKay:
“Amodimethicone and other similarly modified silicone polymers are considered to be among the best high-performance conditioning polymers currently available to the hair-care product formulator. They provide many unique benefits, including the following:
- Provide deep conditioning
- Provide targeted conditioning to areas of particularly damaged hair
- Protect from thermal damage
- Increase color retention
- Resist build up
- Impart gloss and shine
These modified silicones seem to be of particular benefit for those of us with damaged hair, permanently colored hair or those concerned about the buildup of conditioning agent.”
When using Aussie Moist, or Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, you will need to shampoo to completely remove the cone. Luckily, you won’t have to resort to the dreaded lauryl sulfates- shampoos with cocamidopropyl betaine will suffice. Remember, I use Giovanni 50/50 or Tea Tree shampoo from Target or Whole Foods. I shampoo bi-weekly, sometimes less if I’ve used Bentonite.
I put Aussie to the test the same way I’ve done previous ones. I loaded up one side of my head with Hello Hydration, and the other half with Aussie Moist. I let it sit while I handled my shower-time duties, then proceeded to detangle. Both sides felt identical! Aussie Moist, like Hello Hydration, made detangling a breeze. It was super slippery, creamy (a bit creamier/heavier than Hello Hydration”>, and smelled heavenly. I give it two thumbs up and definitely recommend it. I’ve never used Hello Hydration as a leave-in due to it’s nuclear blue color…I don’t know…its just weird to me. The clean white color of Aussie Moist may lead to some leave-in experimentation in the near future. I’ll keep you gals posted.
Bottom Line: If you’re a Hello Hydration girl, this one is worth a try. It smells great, has excellent slip, and is very moisturizing. It’s slightly thicker than Hello Hydration, so I added a bit of water post application to thin it out a bit. All in all, it’s a great, cheap conditioner. A curly can NEVER have too many detangling conditioners.
Ingredients: water, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, glutamic acid, fragrance, bis-aminopropyl dimethicone, benzyl alcohol, edta, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, ecklonia radiata (australian sea kelp”> extract, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba”> seed oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice extract.
Price: $3.69/13.5oz bottle
Dear Nikki: How do you sleep with all those curlers in your hair??!!! I did a Twist N Curl once, and while I favored the results, the curlers gave me a headache in the morning!! Please dish how you keep your head from hurting but your curls ever-so-tight!
A: LOL! It can definitely be uncomfortable at times, but I’m a “beauty hurts” person, so I deal with it. I usually make sure to roll the magnetic or rod rollers to my chin, or just below. That way, when I lay down on my side, I can flip the twists and rollers over the pillow so that I lay flat and comfortably. During the night, if any of the clips (at the roots”> begin to hurt or dig into my scalp, I yank them out and throw them on the floor!
Dear Nikki: Whenever I do a Twist-n-Curl, the twists look great, but they look so dry. I am using the exact same products you use (Pantene R & N for the deep treatment, DevaCare One & Jessicurl WDT to set the twists.”> Is there something else I am missing to make it look shiny (like yours! :”>
A: Maybe she’s born with it…maybe it’s HENNA! My hair is naturally sheeny, and the henna has definitely enhanced this (along with rich conditioners”>. You’re already using moisture-rich products, so you’ve got that covered, but sometimes, less is more. Every now and then, when I’m heavy-handed with products, I get a dull cast over my hair. Maybe your hair would fare better if you use DevaCare One (quarter-size amount for each half”>, and simply seal the ends with Shea? See how that treats you and report back!
Also, if henna’s color scares you, check into cassia—you’ll get the shine without the red.
Dear Nikki: When I comb through my wet hair, it is shoulder length but, when it dries, it shrinks to about ear-lobe length. What can I do/use to prevent some shrinkage?
A: Shrinkage comes with the territory of natural hair. Henna can help reduce shrinkage for short periods of time, but this isn’t necessarily the case for every curly. If you’re currently wash and going, try twisting, roller-setting, TnC’ing, or braiding your wet hair. Let it air dry completely, take it down, and fluff. Wet setting greatly reduces shrinkage.
I used to stretch my roots on occasion to achieve a fuller, longer look. This hair tip definitely works, but please use it sparingly. A blow fryer should not become a staple of your arsenal!
After my wash and go was fully dry (this is very important”>, I’d grab chunks of hair and blast the roots (with warm air”> with a diffuser or air concentrator attachment. See step 8 of this Miss Jessie’s Tutorial for a visual. I’d do this until most of the hair was stretched…taking about 5 minutes total. The end result was a bigger, fluffier curly fro that would last until humidity hit it, or it got wet.
Recently, I discovered that pulling your freshly set and dried hair up into a loose pony overnight, yields the same results as the blow dryer trick above…with much less stress and damage of course! This is my new bedtime routine…I either leave it out, or pull it into a high pony.
Dear CurlyNikki:How do you moisturize your hair without ruining your style?
A: This is a toughy, and I must admit that there are days that I choose beauty over moisture, lol. Not good. When I opt for bigger curls (magnetic rollers”>, it’s much easier to apply shea butter or Deva Set it Free to the ends. But, when I want a shorter, fuller curly bob (rod rollers”>, I never want to disturb the little curls, so I usually leave them alone 🙁 The key is to start with properly moisturized hair. Deep treat/condition with a moisturizing conditioner, rinse, and apply your rich leave-in, and be sure to seal the ends. Those steps are crucial, and make moisturizing on day 2, 3, or 4 less important.
When I choose to moisturize my ends, I use a product that clumps the curls (shea or Deva”>, rather than one that would weigh it down or frizz it out (water based moisturizer or oil based moisturizer”>.
Dear CurlyNikki: Do you tell us ALL your hair secrets?
A: Of course! Y’all know about every favorite product, every failed product, every successful styling attempt, every botched styling attempt… even my sex/bedtime routine (which has changed, by the way—no more bonnet!!!”>. I dish all because it’s therapeutic for me, and benefits you gorgeous chicas!
In the cyber world, there are several concoctions and magical serums floating around that promise to swiftly grow your hair to great lengths. I’m not in the position to review any of them…not even Boundless Tresses, which I used intermittently for 2 weeks. I believe that growth happens from the inside out. Obviously, we can’t override our genes, but we can MOST CERTAINLY maximize our growing potential!
The truth is, TLC and patience are the only sure things. However, from my personal experiences, I’ve learned that the following were correlated with faster than average (and/or healthier”> hair growth:
- Physical Exercise – Running or any other moderate/high intensity exercise (yay for Cardio”> increases the blood flow to your scalp. Increased blood flow means that more nutrients are brought to your hair follicle. I purchased a treadmill last year, and used it regularly for 5 months. I’d put in a Deep Treatment (DT”>, don a plastic cap, and walk briskly (I don’t run, lol”> for 30-45 minutes, 3 days a week. Killed two birds with one stone! Between the cardio, and the frequent DTs, my hair flourished!
- Healthy Diet – Hair consists of protein, so it is essential that you consume enough. Incorporate foods from all the groups – especially protein. Nuts, poultry, vegetables, fruits, grains, eggs, etc. All contribute to healthy, growing hair.
- Dietary Supplements – Biotin and MSM are ingredients every hair vitamin should contain. Biotin promotes cell growth, the production of fatty acids, and metabolism of fats. MSM lengthens the hair growth phase (which means that you keep more hair on your head”>. Using a combination of the two is beneficial for healthy hair. This winning combo, plus a quality multivitamin will definitely aid in the hair growing process.
- Henna – If you do a search for ‘henna + hair growth’ on the hennaforhair.com forum, you’ll see that many women truly believe that henna has resulted in increased hair growth. I’m a believer too! My jump from shoulder length to APL last year was directly preceded by my first henna applications. Some ladies think that the actual process of applying henna stimulates the scalp (which we now know, aids in hair growth”>., while others believe that the anti-fungal properties of it actually promote a healthier scalp. One could argue that henna stretches the curl, and gives the illusion of longer hair….whatever the mechanisms are, for me, it produced faster hair growth.
- Scalp Massages – Nightly scalp massages (with castor oil, believed to promote growth as well”> increase blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles. 5 minutes should suffice.
Of course, hair growth is nothing without an understanding of retention. Protective styling, moisturizing and sealing, frequent deep treatments, and delicate handling all aid in retaining the length you’ve worked so hard for!
