Search Results: Nikki Walton

Are you seeking longer healthier hair? When I first went natural I will admit I wanted my hair to grow super long like the girls I saw on YouTube. As I got farther into my journey I realized what I really wanted was healthy hair. I like my hair long, but it’s nothing if it’s not healthy. Over the years I have developed a healthy hair regimen and began sticking to it religiously. I have compiled a list of some practices that I use to achieve healthy long hair.

Patience

No matter how many times I say it, this is the #1 key to my natural hair journey. Please know that your hair wont grow overnight, if its damaged it wont repair overnight. It all takes time. In order to achieve healthy hair you will need to have patience and take care of your hair. Create a regimen, find the products that work best for your hair and stick with it!

Get Regular Trims

For me this is 2-3 times a year. My advice is to consult with your hair stylist. Don’t over do it with the trimming if you want to retain length (unless your hair is severely damaged and your ends need to be trimmed more often than most”>.

Deep Condition Regularly

By this I mean deep condition every time you wash your hair. I didn’t start off doing this, but I have seen major growth and strength in my hair by being consistent with deep conditioning. You also want to avoid putting conditioner on your scalp as it will cause buildup and flakes. I always use heat when deep conditioning. You will get the most out of your deep conditioner by doing so and it will help the conditioner penetrate your hair.

Use a T-Shirt when Drying Your hair

Using a cotton T- shirt or microfiber towel will help with breakage. You want to have less breakage as possible. I have learned that towels are not my friend when it comes to drying my hair. 

Sleep With A Satin Bonnet/Pillowcase

I say this all the time… NO COTTON pillowcases come in contact with my strands! Even my 1-year-old sleeps with satin bonnet! I’m not playing no games over here LOL! No seriously a satin bonnet or pillowcase is key to maintaining healthy hair. Cotton pillowcases causes friction and breakage while you sleep. I know it may not be the cutest, but hey its all for the health of your hair :”> 

Use Less Heat Tools

By heat tools, I mean blow drying and flat ironing. I know this can be hard but avoid this as much as you can. If you want stretched styles try the banding method or braids to stretch your hair.

Take A Multivitamin

I never was a huge vitamin taker. Over the years I have learned that it’s not only healthy for my body but for my hair as well. I make sure I incorporate a vitamin in my diet to help my health from within for my body as well as my hair.

Drink Water

Yeah, I am not the biggest water drinker, in fact I hate the way water tastes. But I will tell you this, water is good for your health and the health of your hair. When I drink more water I notice a major difference in the health of my hair. Its more moisturized and it looks and feels better. I always say water on and water in!

What are your practices for long healthy hair?

This article was written by Michelle Thames of HappilyEverNatural.com and published on CurlyNikki.

Protective styling is a great way to grow your natural hair and reduce chances of breakage from daily manipulation. When removing styles such as braids, twists or most extensions, there can be a lot of breakage. When the hair has been up for a period of time, there can be clumps of buildup and even matting. Here are my tips to minimize causing unnecessary hair loss on your post protective style wash day.

Lightly Detangle 

After removing your braids, sew-in or any type of long term style, always use a detangling pre-conditioning treatment. This is a key step to avoid excessive hair loss. Here are some simple options.

Flaxseed Detangling Gel

This is a very simple recipe. Takes minutes to do and only requires 2 ingridents– flaxseeds and water. Need to know how to make it?

Tools

• wooden spoon
• 1 plastic or glass bowl
• 2 cups of distilled water
• 1 cup of whole flaxseeds
• fine strainer 

Steps

1. Add the seeds to the water.
2. Then turn the stove on to a medium setting. Let it boil and stir constantly. 
3. Allow it to thicken. When you notice white frothiness that resembles egg whites it’s done.
4. Strain the gel from the seeds.
5. Pour into an airtight container. 
6. Let it cool completely without closing the container.
7. Pour the gel into a dye applicator bottle for easy use. Only pour the amount that will be used for the current detangling session.

*For future use: I pour the remaining flaxseed gel into ice cube trays.  The night before I plan to wash my hair, I put a few cubes in a bowl to thaw. It is melted, room temp and ready to use by morning. 

Use

Pour your gel into a dye applicator bottle and apply it directly to the hair. Rub it in with a smoothing motion. It has tons of slip making it easy to remove any build up, tangles and shed hairs.

Cheap Condish & Oil Prepoo

Blend 1 cup of any inexpensive yet very slippery conditioner of your choice with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Apply the mix very liberally. Work it through each section individually. Be sure to remove any matting, build up and loose hairs with your fingers.

Thoroughly Detangle & Cleanse 

Use a very wide tooth comb to more thoroughly detangle the hair. Always start from the ends and work your way up to the root. Rinse the prepoo from your hair and shampoo as normal. 

Deep Condition

Now it’s time to deep condition. Always show your hair some extra love when deep conditioning after any protective style. It doesn’t need to be an all day process. Check out my fav moisturizing diy deep conditioning recipe below. It can be done in 30 mins or less.

Moisture Reviving Deep Conditioning Mask

Ingredients:2 tablespoons of raw honey or agave nectar (vegan option”>

-1 tablespoon of budding butter treat or any butter of choice* -1 jar of banana baby food -1/2 – 1 cup of a moisturizing rinse out conditioner**

*Use a very emollient butter such as avocado, mango, shea or soy. They have wonderful conditioning properties.

**Adjust the amounts used according to the length and density of your hair. 

Steps

1. Blend the ingredients together until well incorporated.

2. Apply to the hair, cover with a disposable cap and wrap with hair turban.

3. Leave the mask in for 15-30 mins.

4. Rinse out very well with cool water.

5. The mask ingredients with ingredients that will leave your hair feeling soft, smooth and revitalized.

*Tip: If any of the mask is left over it can be stored in the freezer for use on your next wash day. It will spoil in the refrigerator.

Give these tips a try and share your results!

This article was written by by Emilia Obiekea of Adorebotanicals.com  and published on CurlyNikki.

Looking for methods to help moisturize your natural hair? Winter got your hair crying the dry hair blues? I’ll be honest, this Chicago weather is not being nice to my hair. I have been consistent with my regimen, and focusing on the health of my hair to make sure I am keeping it properly moisturized. I have implemented some practices and techniques that have helped me. Since I started being consistent with my healthy hair regimen, I have noticed a tremendous difference in the moisture of my hair. Here are a few tips to help you moisturize your natural hair.

Pre-Poo

This pre-shampoo treatment, is done by adding oil to your hair before washing. It helps to protect and nourish the hair and also helps the detangling process. I like to use grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil.

Baggy Method

To do this method, you simply apply a water based leave in conditioner and place a plastic cap on for 10-15 minutes. This method helps to trap the moisture in your hair. Check out my post on the baggy method here.

Deep Condition Regularly

How many times have you heard about deep conditioning? Well there is a good reason you keep hearing about consistent deep conditioning. Deep conditioning is used to help moisture and nutrients penetrate the hair strand. Make sure that you are not putting the conditioner on your scalp. This can be a reason that you notice build up after a few days. To get the most out of your deep conditioning session, use a plastic cap and sit under a hooded dryer or steamer. Which brings me to my next method–

Use Heat or Steam

Steaming helps add moisture back into your hair. I absolutely love steaming!  I also use heat when deep conditioning to help the conditioner penetrate my strands. Check out a post on steaming natural hair here.

LOC Method

I use the LOC method every time I wash my hair. This method helps your hair stay moisturized by sealing in the moisture. The L- is for leave-in (I usually use a liquid based leave-in”>, O- is for Oil, and C- is for Cream.

This article was written by Michelle Thames of HappilyEverNatural.com and published on CurlyNikki.

What methods do you use to moisturize your natural hair?

So we all know that infant hair snaps right off if the wind blows too hard, but what about toddler hair. Do you feel like your toddler’s hair is breaking or balding? I know my toddler was and that is why I had to really sit down and see what was causing her hair to snap off instead of grow out long like I thought it should be.

After thinking through our routines and looking at our habits I finally figured out 5 reasons that my baby girl’s hair was more prone to breakage. I definitely wanted to share them because I know I couldn’t be the only mom dealing with toddler hair breakage.

Reason #1

Tying a head scarf on a toddler before bed and expecting it to stay on is like tying floss around a boat and expecting it to stay docked at the harbor. It just doesn’t work. So to get around this nonsense, I have opted for child size hair bonnets and I also use satin pillow cases on Mackenzie’s pillows now. So even if she somehow slips out of her bonnet which usually happens, she will still be laying her curls on a satin pillow case so we’re all good there.

When she was sleeping on cotton pillow cases, I noticed that her hair at her nape was very dry in the mornings and roughed up. Now it’s much the same as when she went to bed.

Reason #2

Your toddler may need more protective styling. I used to go for the two huge puff balls because hey let’s be honest, they are easy to do in the mornings when I am rushing. Those huge puffs were leaving the back portion of her hair so vulnerable though. So when she laid down at daycare, she was creating friction on the hair at her nape and then the puffs were also easily becoming tangled, so it was basically a mess. 

Now I style Mackenzie’s hair on Sundays. I install small two strand twists in the back of her head and then do three ponytails in the front and twist that hair up as well. 

Reason #3

I had to finally take a look at products. So when I was doing those puffs on Kenzie’s hair, I was using a few spritz of leave in on her edges just so I could smooth her hair up into the puffs. It was definitely not doing her hair any justice. Now when I twist her hair up for the week. I thoroughly cleanse, condition and moisturize her hair and then throughout the week, I mist her twists with a good leave in to make sure they are still moist and not drying out.

I am really focusing on a low manipulation healthier care routine for her hair now and I am anxious to see the results of this change. Taking a moment to really think all aspects of her hair situation over allowed me to really take stock of the various factors that were hindering her hair growth or causing breakage so now I think we are well on our way to Rapunzel style hair.

This article was written by Christian Byshe on www.chicandcoily.com and published on CurlyNikki.

Weigh in with your tips!

One of the complaints I hear all the time is “my hair is so dry!” A few days ago, while in CVS two young ladies walked up to me and said, “what do you put in your hair? It looks so healthy and soft. Mine is so dry”. Right there in the hair care aisle, we chatted about natural hair and dryness.

Today I’m sharing some of the things we talked about. Here are 5 reasons why your natural hair may be dry.

You’re doing it wrong…

Depending on your hair’s porosity, some of us will need to moisturize more often than others. If your hair is colored, you will also need to moisturize more often.

No matter how often you moisturize, if you’re not doing it properly you will still have dry hair. There are a various layering methods that are used, the most popular of which are the LOC method (created by BlackOnyx77“> or the LCO method. I’ve even heard of the LOCS method, which finishes up with a sealant.

Despite the method you choose, always remember the basics. Water based products (the ones providing the moisture”> should always be followed by oil/butter based products which seal in or prevent the moisture from escaping quickly. Remember to pay extra attention to your ends.

You forgot to deep treat…

Deep conditioning is a step that I never skip in my hair routine. I can safely say that my hair’s ability to retain moisture partly comes from deep conditioning. When you deep condition, you replenish your hair’s moisture and you improve its elasticity and overall health. 

The frequency and type of deep conditioner you use is ultimately up to you. I try to deep condition at least every 10 days or whenever I wash my hair. If deep conditioning is not part of your regimen and you’re having issues with dryness, you should add this step immediately.

You have build-up (from products and co-washing”>

So you’re deep conditioning regularly but you still experience dryness. What gives!?

Well, it is highly possible that you may have product build up on your hair and scalp. As naturals, we often use products rich in oils and butters in an effort keep our hair moisturized. These very products can build up on your hair, and over time affect its ability to take in moisture.  What can you do about it? You will need to clarify/detox your hair.  I detox my hair about every 6 weeks or so using either Bentonite Clay, Rhassoul Clay or a Bobeam Shampoo Bar. Clarifying basically strips your hair of any and all product and gives you a clean slate to work with.

You need a trim

We all know that the ends are the oldest part of our hair and consequently the driest. If your ends are dry, it could mean that you aren’t moisturizing enough (or properly”>, but it could also mean that it’s time for a trim. I can always tell when I need a trim, my hair doesn’t retain moisture as well, my styles don’t look as great and my hair just generally isn’t at its best.

Please do not hold on to old, dry ends for the sake of length. Please believe me when I tell that a proper trim will breathe new life into your hair. Not only will your hair retain moisture better, your hair will look better.

Since my hair cut at the beginning of the year, I have committed to getting scheduled trims every 3 months, partly because I like to keep my hair shaped. The frequency of your trim depends on the state of your ends, but if you’re struggling with dry hair and you haven’t had a trim in a minute, this may be the solution to your problems.

Your weather conditions

Here in Dallas, we experience some extremely hot temperatures during the summer months. Even if it’s officially fall, we are still experiencing warm weather (I’m not mad about that”>. I have personally experienced my hair being “fried” because of the heat. Similarly, as the winter weather approaches, the colder temperatures can cause your hair to be extremely dry.

Moisturizing your hair properly, deep conditioning as well as tucking/protecting your ends can make a huge difference in how dry your hair gets. In the fall/winter, protective styling is particularly popular among naturals because it’s a great way keeps your hair tucked away.

BONUS: Another environmental factor that can cause dryness is hard water. If you have hard water installing a shower filter is a quick, easy, effective fix.

This article was written by by Vashti Patrick-Joseph of Veepeejay.com  and published on CurlyNikki.

How do you prevent dry natural hair? How do you keep your situation moist?

Hey folks! I’ve decided to use a full sew-in weave as a protective style for a while. I am very happy with my decision to do this, but I thought I should go into serious detail regarding the maintenance of my hair underneath. Out of sight, out of mind does NOT apply when it comes to your hair. Let me state that this is how I CHOOSE TO TAKE CARE OF MY HAIR during the weave process. Take what you will from it and tweak what you need to. Let’s get started…

Before You Install the Weave:

1. Wash and deep condition the hair with your choice of gentle and quality products.
2. Moisturize the length of the hair using the L.O.C. Method.
3. Air dry
4. Take the weave that you are going to install and wash it. I clarify and deep condition the hair the same way I would my own hair. Go in the same direction as the cuticle and don’t tangle the hair. I may or may not use heat during the conditioning process. ( It’s crazy how much hair dye comes out of the weave when you wash it.”> If you are using virgin hair, this process may or may not be necessary.
5. Be sure to wash the weave in warm water and rinse the conditioner out in cold water. This will help the weave to be very soft when it dries.
6. Let the weave air dry.

After You Install the Weave:

1. Get a spray bottle or an applicator bottle with the narrow nozzle. Fill it up with your favorite liquid moisturizer. S-curl is awesome to use, but if you don’t have that then you can always dilute your favorite cheapie conditioner with water, add glycerine and natural oils.
2. Lift up each track and spray or squeeze your moisturizer on the braids. This is time consuming, but completely necessary and it feels good.
3. Get another applicator bottle and fill it with your favorite oil to seal the moisturizer in the hair. Be sure to get the oil on your hair and scalp and not the weave.
4. Use the tips of your fingers to massage everything in. It will feel great!
5. Style as usual and cover with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet for bed.  Maintaining extensions is time consuming and requires a lot of patience. Cleansing and washing your hair properly is imperative to maintaining optimal hair health. Next, you’ll find the steps I take to clean my hair with a sew-in weave. 

Be sure to Wash Your Real Hair Underneath and the Weave

1. Start by combing through the hair with a wide tooth comb to remove all tangles. If you are wearing a curly weave, then I would use my fingers to detangle. Start from the ends to the roots.
2. Fill a spray bottle up with diluted shampoo and spray the scalp and hair. Use the method of spraying in between each track to get as close as possible to the scalp. Proceed by spraying the rest of the weave.
3. Rinse the shampoo out of the hair using warm water and a wide tooth comb. Make sure that you rinse the scalp thoroughly and removing all of the soap from the scalp.
4. Apply your favorite conditioner the same way you applied the shampoo, but let the conditioner sit on the hair for a while. * I am crazy about keeping my weave soft and smooth, and one of the ways I do that is with a good conditioner. Your weave will thank you!*
5. Rinse the conditioner out and let your hair air dry. DO NOT APPLY any oils to the hair weave, and do try to limit your use of a heated appliance.
6. Hair should be washed weekly!

Caring for Your Real Hair

I am obsessive about keeping my hair under the weave healthy and strong. There is no point of wearing a protective style if your refuse to care for your hair.

Moisturize – I am obsessive about keeping my hair moisturized underneath a sew-in weave. My go to choice of moisturizer is a braid spray. I will use a braid spray or moisturizer generously on the hair every other day. This takes care of my scalp as well, and it ensures that I won’t have dry/brittle hair when I remove the braids. 

Oiling – My scalp can get very dry under a weave and it isn’t uncommon for me to experience a few flakes. Oiling my scalp nightly is something I try to do faithfully. Purchasing a bottle with a thin nozzle, or a spray bottle and filling it with your favorite oil will do the trick. Apply this this oil liberally to the natural hair only. You don’t want to get your sew-in weave greasy as this will ruin the quality of hair.

Washing – The natural hair and weave hair must be washed weekly no matter what. Healthy hair grows out of a clean and healthy scalp. Being in a weave is no excuse to not wash the hair. I am careful to use a sulfate-free shampoo during this time.

Deep Conditioning – After shampooing the hair and weave, I apply a deep conditioner on both the weave hair and my exposed hair and sit under a hooded dryer for at least 30 minutes. The natural hair and weave love this process, and it also helps to keep the hair moist.

Protect Your Hairline – I protect my hairline by massaging castor oil into it every single night and while styling, if I remember. Weaves and braids can wreak havoc on the hairline if you are not careful. Take the necessary precaution by massaging and applying castor oil as often as possible. Also, during installation, make sure the braids aren’t too taught.

This article was written by Kavuli of Good Hair Diaries and published on CurlyNikki.

Have you used a sew-in weave as a protective style?  How do you care for your hair under the weave?

We’ve been talking much about how protective styles in conjunction with moisturizing and sealing can be most beneficial for your hair this fall. To keep the theme going, I thought I’d run down a few of the oils and butters I like to use to keep my hair in the best shape possible as the temperatures drop.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO”>

This rather heavy oil helps to thicken hair, making it strong from the inside out. It’s been known to increase blood flow to the scalp sending nutrients to hair follicles which, in turn, boosts hair growth. The smell isn’t the greatest so I like to put in a few drops of peppermint and tea tree essential oils. Not only do they help make the scent of the JBCO a little more bearable but they are both great for scalp health.

JBCO, an unrefined form of regular castor oil, can be used directly on the scalp but is also fabulous as a sealant, especially in the cooler months.

Coconut Oil

Penetrates the hair follicle, contains Vitamin E and helps strengthen the hair by building protein. For me, coconut oil has been really effective for finger detangling while pre-pooing and it also gives the hair a great shine. As it gets cooler, depending on where you store it, your coconut oil will begin to solidify. Scoop a little bit out with your finger and rub it between your palms to warm it up for easy application. Virgin coconut oil usually has a pretty long shelf life (over a year”> but, in any case, take note of the expiration date on the jar.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Affectionately known as EVOO in the natural hair world, this natural emollient also penetrates the hair shaft and promotes scalp health, fighting off fungi and bacteria. It’s full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, helps prevent hair loss and retains the moisture in your hair. I like using EVOO alone or mixed with commercial hair masques for deep conditioning. Adding some scalp-stimulating essential oils like rosemary, peppermint or tea tree to your EVOO makes for a good scalp massage oil or hot oil treatment.

Avocado Oil

This one has been known to “heal” dry, brittle strands and easily penetrates the hair and scalp. It’s high in monounsaturated fatty acid and contains high levels of antioxidant Vitamin E, both of which prove to be super beneficial for overall hair and scalp health. Being a bit heavier than grapeseed oil, I like to swap one for the other when it gets cooler, using avocado oil as my heat protectant of choice for blow-outs. You can also mix avocado oil with conditioners to add some more slip.

Shea Butter

Whipped or not, this is probably my favorite of all! A natural fat extracted from the Karite tree of West Africa, shea butter is widely used for its conditioning properties, helping to lock (or seal”> in moisture which fights against breakage and split ends. It protects against harsh weather conditions and is rich in Vitamins A and E which assist in soothing a dry, irritated scalp. I like to use shea butter immediately after applying a leave-in to my freshly washed (and still fairly damp”> hair. My strands are always super soft without being overly greasy.

Well, those are some of the products I’ll be keeping in rotation this season, what about you?! Tell me, what are YOUR favorite oils and butters to use as the weather gets cooler?

Building a regimen does not have to be complicated, but it should address your individual hair care needs. 

Cleanser

Most hairstylist recommend that you cleanse your hair and scalp once a week, but of course this varies based on the person. Variables that affect your frequency include schedule, health, buildup, and personal preference. According to chemist JC from The Natural haven, there are multiple cleansing options: shampoo, diluted castile soap, oat water, bentonite clay, and rhassoul clay. Some curlies use sulfate-free shampoos that are gentle yet effective cleansers. You will notice that most shampoos for curly hair are not formulated with SLS and SLES, which are too harsh on textured hair.  If you prefer the DIY route, then consider using oat water, bentonite clay, or rhassoul clay. There are also shampoos tailored for specific needs like clarifying and for color-treated hair. Since shampoos slightly lift the hair’s cuticle to remove dirt, oil, sebum, and product buildup, you will need something to close the cuticle to maintain moisture.

Read more: Dr. Kari Talks ACV, Baking Soda, Dr. Bronner’s, and Shampoo

Deep conditioner

Moisturizing deep conditioners and masques contain emollients and penetrating ingredients that not only condition the cuticle layer but also seep into the cortex. Some are also formulated with ceramides and protein to strengthen the hair but not at high concentrations. These treatments are great to use either weekly or monthly, depending on your hair’s needs.

Read more: Daily Conditioner vs. Deep Conditioner

Protein treatment

Protein treatments strengthen the hair’s cuticle from chemical, mechanical, and thermal damage.  Damage is inevitable and everyone experiences it at different rates. To ensure your cuticle stays strong, consider using a protein treatment periodically or incorporate protein-rich products into your regimen like leave-in conditioners. Remember to check the ingredients list to search for hydrolyzed proteins.

Read more: Does Natural Hair Need Proteins?

Moisturizer

Moisturizers are water-based products used to help retain the moisture already present in the hair. Moisturizers are usually applied after you have deep conditioned. People also this as a primer to styling products and to refresh their hair between wash days, depending on how thick or greasy the product is.

Read more: 10 Best Moisturizers for Dry Hair

Styling products

The styler you choose will depend on what you want to achieve. Curl definers gels and creams are often used for wash and go‘s while butters and pomades are often used for twists. If you love roller sets, there are also foam lotion options that are free of drying alcohols.

If you have the time, you may stumble on a few dual moisturizing stylers that will keep your regimen to four products. If I had to create a bare bones regimen, these four Holy Grail products would be my go-to.

• Alikay Naturals Caribbean Coconut Milk Shampoo
• SheaMoisture Superfruit Complex Masque
• Elucence Extended Moisture Repair Treatment (protein treatment”> 
• Camille Rose Aloe Whipped Butter Gel (dual moisturizer and styler”>

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There has been a long standing myth among the natural hair community that the only way to grow long healthy hair is to use protective hairstyles. For those new to the natural hair community, protective styling involves putting your hair into a style that involves tucking your ends away from the atmosphere to protect them from damage whilst your hair grows. The premise is that if the ends of your hair don’t break and your hair continues to grow, then you will achieve longer hair.

This myth is so deeply entrenched in the natural hair community that women will often do back to back protective styles for upwards of a year to reach their hair goals. Now don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of women who have achieved amazing lengths from protective styling, but there are a few women who never yield results from all their efforts.

Problems caused by too much protective styling:

• Tangling from hair being untouched for long periods of time. This especially occurs in styles that take so long to put in that the mere thought of taking them down after only a few days seems like a waste. Thus, those women decide to leave in those styles for weeks.
• Dryness from hair that is left untouched and uncared for for too long
• Breakage from over manipulating the hair to create elaborate hairstyles

So how do I make my hair grow, then? 

Contrary to popular belief, protective styling is not necessary for speedy hair growth. Instead low manipulation styles are key. 

Low manipulation styles, unlike protective hairstyles, do not require that your hair and ends be tucked away for protection. Instead it works on the premise that if you do simple styles and manipulate your hair as little as possible, then you will not do unnecessary damage to your hair and will retain length.

Benefits of Low Manipulation Styles 

• THEY ARE EASIER TO INSTALL. Styles like wash-and-gos and twist/ braid outs are far less taxing on the hair than installing mini twists, extension braids etc. By manipulating the hair less for styling, you minimize the damage to your hair. Before installing a protective style, think about whether the manipulation to install it will cause more damage to your hair than if you just styled it regularly and if its purpose is defeated.
• IT IS EASIER TO MAINTAIN THE HAIR. The problem with a lot of protective hairstyles is that once installed, women tend to forget that they still have to maintain the hair, especially when it is hidden under wigs or entwined in braids. Also, if the hair is hard to get at, or moisturizing it will ruin the style, many women will opt for style over healthy hair. Low manipulation styles, however, usually do not require that the hair be bound in intricate styles making the hair easier to access.
• THEY ARE MORE FLEXIBLE. The main gripe with protective styles is that the can become boring after a while. Having your hair in a style for weeks at a time can be a major problem for many of us curlies as most of us suffer from serious cases of hand in hair syndrome. Low manipulation styles however, give curlies the opportunity to vary their styles and avoid becoming bored. 

2 Low manipulation styles to try:

Wash-and-gos

This style can be done several ways, but the most basic way to accomplish this style is to wash and condition your hair and detangle it thoroughly before styling. Once done, a moisturizing conditioner or leave-in or moisturizer can be used depending on your preference. A styler or gel can be layered on top for added hold if necessary. To ensure that you keep your hair healthy while it is styled, make sure you moisturize your hair as much as it needs it.

Twist/Braid outs

This style can be done on freshly cleansed hair or dry hair that has been stretched for added length and volume. After moisturizing, apply your styler of choice and separate your hair into sections and twist or braid it. For added interest, you could put the ends of your hair or the entire length itself on rollers. Once your hair is completely dry, or after some time has passed, unravel and separate the twists gently to hide the parts and increase the volume. The best part about these styles is that you do not need to rewet your hair to restyle. To make the hair pliable enough to detangle, you can either spray it with water or add a good detangling product, then add a styler if necessary and restyle. Also, to maintain your hair’s health, make sure you moisturize and seal your hair, especially at the ends.

Don’t be discouraged

I know this information may seem confusing and contradictory, especially since this article seems to suggest that all hairstyles are created equally, but if it’s been said once it’s been said many times: you have to do what’s best for your hair.

This article merely covers suggestions for an alternative way to maintain your hair’s health if traditional protective styling does not work. Also, please note that a hairstyle itself will not guarantee your hair’s health. It must also be done in conjunction with good hair care practices, plenty of moisturizing, a standing appointment for good deep conditioning, reduced usage of combs and brushes and minimizing the number of times you style your hair.

As always, I wish you love, peace and curly haired bliss.

This article was written by NaturallyChelsea and published on CurlyNikki.

What do you think? Are protective styles overrated?

Dry natural hair continues as the top concern for women all through the year but especially during the winter. If you are a resident of Texas like me you know that “winter” is just another word as our weeks can range in temperature from 72 degrees on Monday to 42 degrees on Tuesday. However, if you live in colder climates, as the weather shifts so should your hair care regimen. Many women opt to wear protective styles for this reason including strand twists, wigs and crochet braids, which still require intense moisturizing. But, if you still want to rock your curls all year here are 4 products that can kill your dry hair woes.

Moisturizing Lotions

Moisturizing lotions are a great daily option to use on just about any hair style – perm rods, twists, blowouts etc. As a blogger I’ve tried tons of products (as you can imagine”>. I’ve also seen the good, the bad, and the not so pretty but as soon as I used the Hydratherma Naturals Daily Growth Moisturizing Lotion I was hooked. I originally received this product as a sample in a swag bag after attending a natural hair event. Quickly, I found myself trying to squeeze the last drop out of that sample. This also made me realize how much I enjoyed the lotion Since shea butter is the second ingredient of this product, it enables your hair to retain moisture better than most moisturizing lotions I’ve tried. Although shea butter might seem too heavy for a product labeled as a lotion, the daily moisturizing lotion is still very light weight and was able to keep my hair hydrated all day.

Here are the full ingredients:

Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter”> Fruit, Glycerin, Olea Europaea (Olive”> Oil, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut”> Oil, Emulsifying Wax NF, Emu Oil, Hydrogenated Almond Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut”> Oil, Fragrance, Germall Plus

Deep Conditioning Tools With Mild Heat

To combat your dry hair during the winter (or any other time”> implementing a deep conditioning regimen every week is a must. To further help your deep conditioner of choice work its magic, opt for a mild heat tool such as a hair steamer or microwaveable deep conditioning cap to help you receive maximum moisture. Here are a few options:

•  Huetiful Hooded Hair Steamer
• Q-Redew Handheld Steamer 
• Hair Therapy Wrap Deep Conditioning Cap 

I’ve talked about steaming a few times here on the blog so if you missed those posts click here to read more about the benefits of steaming. If you don’t have the time or money to invest into a full hooded steamer, a microwaveable deep conditioning cap like the Hair Therapy Wrap will allow you to deep condition without restricting you to sit 30 minutes in once spot.

Intensely Moisturizing Deep Conditioners

Continuing the conversation of deep conditioning, if you are battling dry hair opt for an intensely moisturizing deep conditioner without protein to ensure you are maintaining the correct protein-moisture balance. A general rule of thumb I use to keep my balance in line is to rotate between protein and moisturizing deep conditioners every week. Both Koils by Nature Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner and tgin Honey Miracle Mask Deep Conditioner offer some of the best moisturizing ingredients. Specifically, with tgin the second ingredient on the list is raw honey, which is perfect for dry natural hair since honey works as a humectant to draw moisture to your strands.

Refreshing Sprays: Store Bought or DIY

Since naturally curly hair is prone to be drier than other textures, refreshing your hair multiple times a day can actually work in your favor. A simple DIY refresher spray is easy to make on your own. Take a spray bottle and combine water, leave in conditioner (if you want”> and a few drops of your favorite oil to do the trick. As a boost, add some aloe vera juice or rosewater for extra hydration. Aloe vera juice will help to maintain softness for a few days. The goal is not to totally saturate your hair every 4-5 hours but instead give your hair a light mist to continue the hydration throughout the day. This option is also great to use at night before bed. If you aren’t a DIY person, products like the Obia Natural Hair Curl Hydration Spray or the Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave In Conditioner are two of my favorite options.  

This article was written by Charlene Walton of Textured Talk and published on CurlyNikki.

What’s your secret to keeping your dry natural hair moisturized during the winter? Comment and let me know!

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Hair porosity is a huge topic when it comes to natural hair. You may know that it deals with your hair’s ability to absorb moisture, but there’s a lot more to it than that. The science of hair can get deep real quick, so many naturals choose to focus on the look and feel of their hair rather than the nitty-gritty details of such topics as porosity.

But a basic understanding of porosity and natural hair is all you really need in order to determine whether or not it really matters, so let’s break it down:

Before we get into porosity, we must understand the actual hair strand. Each strand of hair consists of an outside layer called the cuticle, and it consists of up to 8 layers. These layers help fortify your hair but must be carefully maintained and protected to avoid damage from heat, coloring, and over-manipulation. Damage to the hair cuticle is irreversible and should therefore be avoided at all costs. You’ve probably seen damaged, see-through hair before when you needed a trim. This is a result of cuticle layers that have been worn down and cannot be reformed.

When a liquid substance comes in contact with your hair, the cuticle opens allowing it to pass through. How porous your hair is determines how much of that substance will go into the hair shaft and how quickly it penetrates. (MoKnowsHair”>.

What is hair porosity?

Porosity is defined as “the hair’s ability or inability to absorb and hold in water or any other penetrating molecules” (Green Beauty Channel”>. There are three levels of hair porosity: low, medium, and high. Healthy hair has multiple cuticle layers and low to medium porosity. Each level of porosity comes with its own advantages and challenges, so knowing them and their characteristics plus your own hair’s porosity will only aid your healthy hair journey.

Low

Low-porosity hair tends to be the driest of the three types. This is because its tightly packed cuticle makes it difficult for liquids to enter or remain in the hair strand. Many Type 4 naturals have low porosity that lacks elasticity.

If you have low porosity hair, here’s what you can do:

• Use shampoos and conditioners that are rich in moisture and emollients
• Always deep condition using heat for 15-30 minutes at least once a week
• Use water-based leave-in conditioners with humectants like vegetable glycerin, honey, and aloe vera juice
• Incorporate coconut and olive oils into your regimen- they are great moisturizers that can penetrate the hair shaft

Medium

Medium-porosity hair is the best level to have. The hair cuticle isn’t densely packed. The hair is healthy, bouncy, and resilient.

To maintain medium-porosity hair, here’s what you can do:

• Use moisturizing shampoos and conditioners
• Use thicker water-based leave-in conditioners
• Moisturize the hair using vegetable glycerin, aloe vera juice, and water
• Incorporate coconut, olive, and jojoba oils into your regimen

High-porosity hair

High porosity hair often has broken or missing cuticle layers and/or holes in cuticle layers that have been broken down by excessive damage. This could be due to the use of heat, color, or over-manipulation.

Here’s how to deal:

• Use a moisturizing shampoo and a moisturizing conditioner that has hydrolyzed protein, which can be absorbed by the hair strand
• Use a protein deep conditioner biweekly. (It will help close up the gaps in your hair’s cuticles”>.
• Use thicker water-based leave-in conditioner & moisturize the hair using vegetable glycerin, aloe vera juice, and water
• Incorporate coconut, olive, and jojoba oils into your regimen

Does porosity really matter?

Knowing your hair’s porosity can only aid your hair journey, not hinder it, however, not knowing your hair’s porosity isn’t necessarily a problem. As I mentioned before, many naturals pay close attention to the health of their hair, avoiding damaging practices and keeping a consistent routine, and get along fine.

For more information about how to maintain your low, medium, or high porosity hair, check out the last video of this super-informative porosity series from Green Beauty Channel:

This article was written by Kanisha of BlackNaps.org and published on CurlyNikki.

Before now using glycerin for natural hair had always been a tricky topic for me. I sort of understood the purpose of the ingredient in hair products but I was still lost on the whole weather, dew point aspect. Like many, I saw other popular bloggers and vloggers using glycerin for natural hair, creating DIY recipes so I figured why not. Glycerin is also listed in about every product I own so I figured the ingredient…couldn’t hurt right? 

The good news is ever since I started blogging I’ve become way more informed about the science behind growing and maintaining healthy natural hair and my research game is on another level. (Yay me!”> Instead of just taking someone else’s word, I now seek out additional information to form my judgement. Now I know everyone doesn’t have time for that, which is why you are here so let’s dive right in! And if you were completely lost after reading the first paragraph then definitely keep reading.

What is glycerin? (the scientific breakdown”>

Glycerin, also known as glycerol, is a thick, odorless clear liquid derived naturally from plant oils such as palm, soy or coconut oil or synthetically from petroleum. Chemically, glycerin is a water-soluble conditioning sugar alcohol with 3 hydrogen bonding properties, making the substance great as a moisturizer in other products besides just hair care. Glycerin is commonly used in the creation of soaps, toiletries, drugs, and some beverages as a sweetener and preservative. Trust me the list goes on and on. 

How does glycerin work?

Without inundating you with too much scientific lingo glycerin at the core is a type of humectant, which means it attracts moisture to itself. The hydrogen bonding properties of humectants attract water from the atmosphere bringing moisture to the hair and ultimately improves moisture retention for the hair. As a result, glycerin and other humectants are widely popular in products that promote ridding yourself of dry, thirsty hair. Glycerin is also used as a thickening agent in many products to create the nice fully texture I absolutely love.

Glycerin, humidity, and your hair

While glycerin has an immense ability to attract moisture to the hair it also has the reverse effect. Everything is about balance. On extremely humid days too much moisture can be attracted to your hair causing the hair to swell and frizz. However, on low humidity days (cold, dry days”> where the surrounding air is more dry than your hair, the opposite occurs. Moisture is drawn from the hair back into the air to balance the moisture in the atmosphere.

Think of it this way…it’s not about you at all but, the balance of moisture in the atmosphere.

Hopefully that makes sense. If not, let’s run it back again. On high humidity days moisture from the air is drawn to other things for balance and on low humidity days moisture is drawn from things back into the air for balance.

How do you know if the humidity is high or low outside? Most weather apps will plain out list the humidity % or the dew point. The higher the dew point, the more moisture is in the air.

So what’s the big deal about glycerin and natural hair?

The big deal is ingredients matter. Your environment matters. And your specific hair needs and texture matter. If you have extremely dry hair glycerin can be your best friend, when used correctly. Too much glycerin if not correctly diluted can leave the hair feeling sticky due to the thick viscosity of the ingredient. Luckily products containing glycerin have already done the hard part for you mixing all the great ingredients together. However, pay special attention to the order of how ingredients are listed. Companies label ingredients based on order of dominance, meaning the first ingredient is more prevalent in the product, then the second and so forth. Depending on what my hair needs, the climate outside, and the style I want to achieve I know whether or not I need to use a product that contains a lot of glycerin or just a little.

For example, last week I twisted my hair with Cantu Coconut Curling Cream where glycerin is the second ingredient listed. Not only did my hair not dry all the way, but the next morning was a rainy, warm spring day filled with lots of humidity. My hair frizzed before I even made it from the parking lot to my office. In retrospect, I should have probably used more of a twisting butter, for example Karen’s Body Beautiful Super Duper Hydrating Cream where vegetable glycerin is the second to last ingredient. Both great products but serve two purposes for me depending on the day.

How to create a DIY glycerin curl refresher spray:

As mentioned above, many women create their own glycerin mix to refresh curls or the hair daily. Here’s a quick recipe I’ve tried before as well mixing in a spray bottle. Feel free to play around with the ingredients to get the right concoction for your texture but just remember to always dilute glycerin with water.

• 1/2 cup of distilled water
• 1/2 cup of rosewater
• 2 teaspoons of vegetable glycerin
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

This article was written by Charlene Walton of Textured Talk and published on CurlyNikki.

One of the most frequently asked questions from women embarking on their natural hair journey has to be “What is my curl type?” but, there are so many things to know about natural hair besides the common letter and number 3c/4a, etc. Aside from wondering why their natural hair is so dry…wanting to know their curl pattern and type is usually the burning question. Unfortunately, this often boxes women into a category and sadly sets the stage for curl discrimination – yes there is such a thing. On the one hand, I strongly believe in identifying a curl type and pattern. This allows you to relate to other hair bloggers and vloggers and draw inspiration for styling as well as get insight on new products to try. However, our curls are more than just a number and letter. Here are 4 things to know about natural hair besides the curl pattern.

Width

Texture describes the width of each individual strand of hair you have. Hair textures are classified 3 ways: Fine, medium or thick. You’ll often find people refer to thick hair as coarse. Because fine textures are delicate this texture is also more prone to breakage. This is especially true if you manipulate often such as constantly twisting, braiding, touching etc. I am an actual victim of this! Thicker textures where the width of your strand is larger is often stronger and can sustain more manipulation without as much damage. Understanding your texture will help in re-evaluating your common hair regimen, better help you understand which products to purchase and also which natural oils work best for your texture.

Density

Density relates to how many individual strands of hair you have in total. An easy way to think of this is how many strands you have per square inch. Extremely dense hair can easily achieve big voluminous styles simply because the hair is more compact per square inch. Ever wonder why that one amazing blogger’s twist-out or wash and go is so popping but your results were just so-so? Here’s the catch….you guys could both have the same hair type number (3c/4b”> however; the density could be dramatically different. As a result, the same style will look differently on both of you. For low-density hair, try fluff your curls more at the root for volume. Also, use lightweight products like serums and gel-like products to define your curls so it doesn’t weigh your hair down.

Porosity

Porosity describes your hair’s ability to absorb moisture. I strongly believe this is one of the most important things to know about your natural hair. The 3 types of porosity levels are low, normal, & high. Low porosity hair is harder for moisture to enter; however once the strands are fully moisturized, the moisture is locked in tight. High porosity hair absorbs moisture quickly but can also lose moisture just as fast. Once you understand the porosity of your hair a whole new world of caring for your natural curls well emerge. Correctly sealing moisture for your porosity level will lead to more moisturized hair over time, length retention and growth. Ask yourself: does my hair need light oils or heavy butters to seal in the moisture?

Elasticity

Elasticity measures the “stretchiness” of your hair. If your hair has a hard time stretching when wet and does not return to its natural state after pulling, your hair more than likely has low elasticity. Low elasticity also will result in increased breakage because the hair is so fragile. Research shows elasticity cannot exist when there is an imbalance of moisture and protein. For low elasticity, hair search key protein ingredients in your hair care products for strengthening. However, if you have a protein overload opt for more moisturizing conditioners to maintain the balance.

Read more: This is Actually More Important Than Your Curl Pattern

This article was written by Charlene Walton and published on CurlyNikki.

What are the key things to know about your natural hair that has helped you along your journey? Comment and let me know!

If you have a head full of natural hair like myself, wash day can be a bit intimidating if your new to the healthy natural hair scene. A bit of water touches your hair and you’re instantly introduced to shrinkage, tangles and knots. Knowing how to wash your natural hair is priceless. I’m going to give you my top tips for getting through wash day with natural hair.

Prepoo with oil

A “pre-poo” is a treatment, typically with oil or conditioner, applied to hair before shampooing or cleansing. It can help provide your hair with moisture and prep your hair for detangling. If you need to familiarize yourself with the details of prepooing click here. I try to do a prepoo before every single shampoo, especially my clarifying shampoos since the entire process of washing can be very rough on the hair. Applying a natural oil to the hair from root to tip about 30 minutes before a shampoo can be nourishing and give a protective shield to the hair. I recently found out that coconut oil applied to the hair at least 20 minutes before shampooing can reduce stress known as hygral fatigue on the hair. So prepoo with coconut oil before hand to give your hair a fighting chance.

Section and wash

If you have 6 inches or more of natural hair length, washing the whole head of hair loose may not be the best way to do things. Try sectioning your hair into 4 or 6 sections that twisted or braided. Remove one braid or twist at a time and wash that particular section only. Re-twist or braid the section when the section is washed. This process takes a lot longer, but fewer tangles, knots and breakage is totally worth it.

Lather once with a sulfate-free shampoo

To prevent dryness, use a sulfate-free shampoo to cleanse your hair. Shampoo is for cleaning the scalp, and the run off of water and suds work to clean the length of hair. If you get the scalp and hair sufficiently wet, you should be able to get shampoo right to the scalp and work a good lather. Rinse well with lukewarm water and your hair should be clean. If you feel like you need another wash, opt for a conditioner wash (co-wash”> instead.

Follow up with conditioner 

Don’t forget to always follow up your ‘poo with an instant conditioner and if you’re really feeling yourself, hop out and deep treat right quick with a gentle heat source! You will need to replenish the moisture back into your hair, as well as detangle your hair with a moisture rich conditioner. Check out this list of best products with slip.

Dry hair with a microfiber towel or t-shirt

Traditional cotton towels can really tangle and break hair due to the structure. Try using a microfiber towel or plain t-shirt to dry the hair instead. Be sure to squeeze and blot the water out of the hair and avoid rubbing.

Just remember that a little bit of breakage while washing or doing anything to the hair is inevitable, but be sure to keep an eye out for excessive breakage. Give yourself a good protein treatment, balance your hair out with moisture and assess your diet in this case. When all else fails…consult a physician. Doctors (sometimes”> know best!

This article was written by Kavuli of Good Hair Diaries  and published on CurlyNikki.

How do you wash your natural hair? Let us know in the comment section below.

Damage is a barrier that will prevent you from seeing hair growth. Your hair is actually growing all the time, but with damage in the way, your hair is breaking off at the same rate it is growing, which is why there will appear to be no growth progress.

You have to slow down the rate at which you damage your hair. Reduce is the word of choice used because it is impossible to eliminate all damage. Your hair is damaged to some degree every time you wash it, detangle it, and even touch it.We will concern ourselves with the 4 types of damage that can occur and how to prevent these sources of damage altogether:

Manipulation of the hair 

The more you comb, style, or touch your hair you are causing damage to it. If you have particularly fragile hair, like 4b or 4c hair, this type of damage is easy to come by. Even if you are chemical free and you do have a good moisture routine, damage from manipulation will get in your way. To resolve this issue you have to be gentle with your hair. You might be thinking to yourself, well I am gentle! Well, if you are experiencing breakage you are not being gentle enough. As stated before you want to reduce the amount of damage that you experience, because you cannot eliminate it completely. You still have to wash your hair, you still have to style it, and detangle it. The key is to cut down on the manipulation of your hair. How much manipulation is reduced will all vary from person to person. 

For particularly fragile hair types you will want to keep your hair in protective and low manipulation hairstyles 80% -90% of the time and instead of detangling with combs or brushes you may want to try finger combing instead. During the length retention phase where you are trying to gain length, maintaining styles for 2 to 3 weeks at a time will help you to hold on to the hair that would have normally broken off had you worn a style that requires daily styling. However for some naturals this is not practical, wearing styles for 2 to 3 weeks at a time may simply be unnecessary. Only you can determine this.

Nevertheless, even for naturals with looser curls and more resilient strands protective styles help to protect hair from damage.

Hair dryness 

Dryness of the hair will lead to hair breakage and split ends which ultimately prevent hair growth. You have to have a good moisture routine if your goal is to have longer hair. One problem is many people do not know how to effectively moisturize their hair. Let’s first start with defining what a moisturizer actually is! A moisturizer is a water based solution. Which means oils, greases, and butters are not moisturizers, they are sealants, so in other words they help to keep moisture in your hair but they are not moisturizers. So every time you set out to moisturize your hair, you should lightly be misting with water or a water based product first, then sealing in that moisture with an oil and or butter. When you moisturize you should moisturize all of your hair, but you want to pay close attention to the ends of your hair because they get particularly dry and they are the oldest and most delicate part of your hair. This will also help to prevent your split ends from getting too severe. You may need to moisturize each day, every other day, or even once a week. This is all specific to your hair. You will know what works for you by the look and feel of your hair.

Heat damage 

While heat is a useful tool for giving us gorgeous stretched out styles, it is also good for sucking the moisture out of hair. Does this mean you can never use heat? No it does not, but if you want healthy hair you should cut down your usage of heat down to the bare minimum. When you frequently use heat, you will also find that you will have to trim your hair more often, which again results in lack of hair growth progress. You also have to keep in mind that you may not have a consistency in style if you continuously heat style your hair. High heat will cause permanent straightening of hair strands for some naturals. If you are transitioning this is why you should avoid flat irons and hot combs altogether until you are fully natural. You wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between relaxed hair and the hair that has been permanently straightened from heat damage. If you must have heat in your regimen do not use it more than every 2 to 3 weeks. Try to stretch out the time you use heat as long as you can! I encourage you to try going 6 months without using heat styling tools in your hair. You will see a big improvement in your hair’s health. There a other methods for stretching hair such as braids, twists, and banding, if you want stretched out hair.

Chemical damage

Relaxers, texturizers, and hair dyes will all cause some form of damage to the hair, because of the drastic changes that it does to the hair’s structure. If you are a transitioner, you will notice that your relaxer may even be breaking off on it’s own. This is most likely due to the differences in the two hair textures that you have on your head, (the curls and bends represent weak points”> and your ends are weathered from time while also being weakened from the relaxer. During your transitioning stage, you will want to practice all of the above: protective styles, no heat, and moisture. As time goes on you will slowly trim away your relaxed or texturized ends. Hair dye, especially if you are going to a lighter shade is drying to the hair. Which is why if you decide to permanently color your hair you will have to be strict with your moisturizing and conditioning routine. Otherwise, your hair will become dry and ultimately break.

What to Expect 

Remember you have to be consistent with good hair care practices. You cannot use heat daily, constantly manipulate your hair, and then expect for it to grow just because you slapped some moisturizer on your strands. Give your hair a few months or so of using good hair care in order to see significantly healthier hair and growth. Progress will not happen over night.

This article was written by BlackNaps.org and published on CurlyNikki.

Installing perm rods is by far one of my favorite styles for my natural hair. For starters, the style can last up to five days which cuts down on how often you have to manipulate your hair. Secondly, I haven’t met a woman who doesn’t look fabulous with a head full of curls! So how can you achieve a perfect perm rod set on natural hair every single time? Keep reading…there are 9 easy steps you must live by.

1. Always start on freshly washed and conditioned hair

Products respond well to clean hair and removing additional buildup will allow you to also achieve bouncy, voluminous curls once you have taken the perm rods out at the end. You can also opt to use a cleansing co-wash product if you do not need a full shampoo session. Starting a perm rod set on natural hair that is soaking wet will also allow you to have a great foundation for the curls to set.

2. Pick styling products wisely

Once your hair is clean and conditioned next up are the styling products. My choice is to use a setting lotion for slight hold, a cream based product for moisture and softness and a little bit of oil to seal the moisture. Each product plays a different role in the process, but it’s totally up to you which products you want to use.

3. Apply products effectively

Work your way through your hair with products section by section. Don’t try to apply the products all over at once. Navigating your hair section by section will allow you to ensure all product are evenly distributed throughout. For this style I’m using all the Creme of Nature for Natural Hair Argan Oil products because they have a leave in hair milk and foaming setting lotion that works well together. In total, I used the Creme of Nature Argan Oil Shine Foaming Mousse, the Creme of Nature Leave-In Butter Milk (actually used this as my leave in conditioner”>, and the Creme of Nature Butterlicious Hydrating Curl Creme. You can easily find these products at your nearest Sally’s. 

4. Take it slow and go small

Use small sections for each perm rod set. Small sections will allow you to twirl your hair around the rod more effectively and help to ensure each section of hair is smooth along the rod. My rule of thumb is about an inch wide for each section. This also will help with your drying time later. For this installation I twisted the hair a few times at the root, then twirled the hair around the rod.

5. Focus on the ends

Use extra products on the end of each perm rod section where your hair stops. The ends are the most important part. You want to make sure the hair doesn’t unravel so an extra pump of foaming lotion or dab of cream right here goes a long way.

6. Allow ample time to dry

I can not stress this enough. Be aware of your schedule before installing perm rods to ensure you have plenty of time to allow your hair to dry. This WILL determine the success of your perm rod set. Hair that is still slightly damp will become frizzy as you unravel and the style will not last as long.

Here are a few drying options…

• Drying overnight: If you choose this option I like to sit under the dryer for at least 30 minutes to set the hair, then sleep in the perm rods overnight to ensure they are dry by the morning
• Hooded dryer: Typical time for my hair to become 100% dry while sitting under the dryer is 2 hours. So cozy up with a good book and get comfortable!

7. Test the waters before you separate and unravel completely

Remove hair from each perm rod first, before separating the curls. After you’ve removed each rod, search for areas where your hair could still be a little damp. If your hair is still a little wet, you can continue to dry while the hair still has the form of the curl for a few more minutes. Once you are 100% dry it’s time to separate. 

8. Separate Strategically

Once the hair is completely dry, separate with a light oil of your choice. If you love big hair, you might choose to separate 3 times for each section. If you want the style to last up to 5 days, I suggest separating 1-2 times and naturally allow the curls to separate further as the days pass.

9. Fluff, style and slay!

Fluff your roots with a pick, style to your liking and slay!

This article was written by Charlene Walton of Textured Talk and published on CurlyNikki.

Soap nuts are a great cleansing fruit. The fruit pulp creates suds that result in gentle, effective cleansing, body and shine!  This is a great cleansing recipe for those with skin sensitivity and scalp issues such as psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema. Check it out!

Supplies

• Mesh strainer 
• A pot 
• 1 muslin bag 
• 1 dye applicator bottle 
• 1-2 ice trays  

Ingredients

• 6 seedless soap nuts 
• 4 cups of distilled water 
• 1 peel of a whole lemon or lime 
• 1 tablespoon of horsetail 
• 2 tablespoons of chamomile 
• 1 tablespoon of coconut nectar *great vegan humectant 

Steps

1. Add the following to a muslin bag: soap nuts, citrus fruit peel, chamomile, horsetail
2. Put the bag in a pot of distilled water. Bring it to a boil. 
3. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for approx 30 minutes. *Do not cover. It can boil over due to bubbles. 
4. Turn off heat, let it cool and strain well.
5. Stir in coconut nectar and it’s ready for use. 

Use

1. Pour 2-4 oz into a dye applicator bottle. 
2. Apply directly to scalp. Massage well for a few minutes. Rinse well.
3. Follow up with a rinse out conditioner and the rest of your regimen. 

Store for next time

1. Pour the remaining sudsy infused water in an ice cube tray. 
2. Freeze and store in freezer bags. 
3. When ready to cleanse your hair just get a few cubes out, let them thaw and use as normal. 

Give it a try and share your experience in the comment section.

Enjoy!  

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Be sure you do not have an allergy to any of the ingredients. It is always suggested to do a test patch prior to full use of any new product. If you have questions or concerns consult a physician.

This article was written by Emilia Obiekea of Adorebotanicals.com and published on CurlyNikki.

I transitioned from 2009-2011. I can say that transitioning was very hard for me. At the time, I had no idea how to do my hair at all. The two textures were like night and day, and I was frustrated with my tresses. While transitioning, I chose to visit my hair stylist every two weeks to have her take care of my hair simply because I didn’t know what to do with it. At that time I wore my hair mostly straight. I continued visit my stylist and she cut the relaxed ends little by little. I continued this until one day I just couldn’t take it anymore and I let her know that I was ready to cut the rest of my relaxed ends. I had become confident enough that my hair was at a length I could work with.

Make sure you are choosing the right styles for your hair

One of the biggest challenges for transitioners is which hairstyles to try. The best hairstyles to try are Twist and Curls, Braid and Curls and rod sets (flexi rod and perm rods”>– they help hide the two textures and are easy to manage. You should try to experiment with different styles that work best for you. There are a TON of YouTube videos on how to do your hair in just about every style you ever thought of.

Set realistic expectations

Don’t expect to have hair like CurlyNikki, MahagonyCurls, or that girl on YouTube. Your hair is yours and differs from those women. Take time to learn your hair and what it likes and doesn’t like. It will take time for your hair to achieve the length and looks you desire. It’s a trial and error process. You will have to play around with different styles in order to figure out what works for your hair. If you don’t have realistic expectations you will be upset every time.

Take your time with your tresses

Good hair care is the best hair care. Make sure that you are moisturizing and deep conditioning your tresses. Don’t be overly rough when detangling your hair. Try to finger detangle most of the time (if you can”>. Pay most attention to the invisible line where your natural hair and relaxed ends meet, because you can have major breakage at this point. Too much heat styling can be bad (just a FYI”>, but the damaged can be minimized if it’s done right.

Be Patient

I know that you are like, ‘ugh my hair is so not growing’, but actually it is. It can be very frustrating to try to deal with two different textures, but you can stick it out.  If you’re really serious about this process of transitioning, some patience will be required. Remember you can always cut the relaxed ends off when you are ready. My advice is to do it on your time. Don’t feel rushed or pressured if you are not ready to say goodbye to your ends. You can also wear your hair in protective styles to help you through your transition (like Marley twists or box braids”>.  

Remember that patience is key, whether you BC or decide to transition, you have to be patient. I know it’s hard, but you can do it. Don’t give up!

Happy Transitioning!

This article was written by Michelle Thames of HappilyEverNatural and published on CurlyNikki.