Search Results: Nikki Walton

By Nikki Walton · Published May 12, 2015

Deep conditioning with coconut milk, honey, olive and rosemary oils has helped my hair to maintain moisture until the next wash day. Now, for some reason, I’m unable to use coconut oil as a deep conditioner or pre-poo because it dries my hair out something fierce. Coconut milk is another story, and it contains iron, fatty acids, and proteins to help reduce breakage and strengthen hair. So if you’re having issues with thinning and breakage, coconut milk can help with this.  

I like mixing:

• 1 tablespoon of honey (a natural humectant”>
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• a few drops of Rosemary essential oil
• half a mason jar of coconut milk – I prefer using Thai brand of coconut milk.

This can be used as a pre-poo while detangling hair. You really can’t go wrong. Either way, you’ll have nice, pliable, soft hair. Just remember to add honey/and or oil. Coconut milk contains protein and can be drying to the hair, this is why I use honey and olive oil.

Now, I don’t deep condition with heat. Violet doesn’t like that (found that out during the winter”>.  My preferred method is steaming in the shower or with a hair steamer. By the end of the day even in this humidity my hair is still soft and manageable. I usually use this mixture once or twice a month. Remember, moisture and protein balance is key to the overall health of your hair!

I freeze my leftovers until I’m ready to use it again. Give it a try, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

What’s your go-to pre-poo or deep treatment?

This article was originally posted on CurlyNikki from blackdymondsnatural.

By Nikki Walton · Published May 1, 2015

1. The natural hair movement exploded all over the internets and there were tons of excellent, objective reviews available via Youtube and various blogs.
2. It’s hard to get motivated to try new things when you know that using Holy Grail ProductX will yield mostly predictable results.
3. I stopped accepting boxes of product from brands because paid reviews aren’t a part of my business model and I haven’t been impressed in a long, long time.   

So I went to Target and spent about 30 min. in the aisle reading label claims and comparing ingredients.  I peeped all the usual suspects (most of which I’ve tried”> and some newbies (which I want to try!”> but found myself eying Taliah Waajid’s Crinkles and Curls and her Protective Mist Bodifier. It was on the bottom shelf and while I’ve seen the brand before (at nearly every beauty supply since nineteen hundred and ninety-five”>, I’ve never been swayed to purchase.  I jumped on Amazon (one of the only places I can get an honest review these days”> and saw that both had great reviews… the price was right too. #Boom

I’ve used it 4 times now with the same results– shiny, defined, moisturized, full-looking hair.  It doesn’t build-up (at least it hasn’t yet”> and it has some of the same active ingredients as Ouidad’s Hydrafusion at a fraction of the price! #Winning

On dry hair (an old, dry Twist-n-Curl”>, I created 11 two strand twists (flat-twisted the roots”> and rolled the ends (up to my chin”> on gray perm rods.  I used the Bass brush to gently detangle each section after applying a little Mist Bodifier (no water, just product”> and then twisted with the Crinkles and Curls.  I allowed it dry (which was quick as hell– much quicker than with Oyin or Giovanni”> overnight and then released the twists and fluffed with my scalp massager.  Next up, I’ll be trying the products out on a wet set and on Boogie!

The Mist Bodifier looks like a liquid leave-in, but it isn’t.  It reminds me of Giovanni Direct, just a little thinner and with more moisture.  The Crinkles and Curls looks just like any other foaming setting lotion, but it’s magic, though  (unlike Jane Carter’s Twist-Out Foam and Creme of Nature’s Argan Oil Style and Shine Foam which left me crunchy, dry and confused”>.  

This article was originally posted on CurlyNikki.

What say you?  Have you tried these products?

By Nikki Walton · Published April 30, 2015

Not only is this style fairly easy to execute (depending on your routine”> but it showcases the beauty of your natural curl pattern and can be modified into other styles as well. When wearing wash and go’s as an easy style for busy routines and active lifestyles, it can be helpful to know how to keep this style up for 5-7 days until wash day comes around again. Here are some tips to help guide you:

1. Moisture is key

When wearing a wash and go, it’s important to moisturize your hair daily. This step will be different for every head of hair, but spritzing with water and applying a leave-in conditioner or oil such as coconut oil will certainly add and keep moisture in your hair. If you want to have more elongated curls, try not to over-wet the hair during this step, as this will lead to reversion.

2. Have a consistent night routine

For this step, many naturals employ the use of the “Pineapple” method for this step (throwing the hair up into a loose pony at the top of your head in order to provide stretch”>, just as The London Curls does in the following video.You can also do a “modified” Pineapple method by doing a loose low pony or even two or three ponytails: switch up the method however you need in order to fit your hair texture/length. You can also band the hair in order to stretch it. Just remember to utilize your satin scarf and/or pillowcase to keep your curls from drying out or frizzing.

3. Activate those curls!

When you take your hair down in the morning, it may be a little stubborn. Using a curl activator such as Cantu For Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream like Hair Mary does in the video below will help activate your curls by defining them and adding moisture and shine.

4. Don’t disturb the curl

Throughout the day, it will be tempting to play with your curls but if you want your style to last all week, do your best to refrain! Playing in your hair too much will definitely cause the curls to frizz up.

5. Implement another style

If push comes to shove, you can always extend the life of your wash and go up by adding an accessory, doing an updo, or another hairstyle. Here are five hairstyles from Mo Knows Hair to help you do just that:

How do you maintain your wash and go?

This article was written by Kanisha Parks of BlackNaps for CurlyNikki.

By Nikki Walton · Published April 29, 2015

Question: Is No Poo a good way to clean hair?

Allie asks…What’s the deal with this “no poo” craze? Does the hair get more healthy because of the natural oils you use? I’ve seen on Pinterest people talking about using baking soda as a cleanser and apple cider vinegar as a conditioner.

To answer Allie’s question we review several alternate ways to wash your hair, and whether or not they work. 

The Ultimate No Poo

This means you don’t clean your hair AT ALL. Not even rinse it with water.

Does it work? Sure. You don’t actually have to shampoo your hair. It will be less damaged and probably look more shiny. However, it may also look and feel greasy, smell funny, and be difficult to style in any way except laying flat on your head. 

Shampoo free poo

This is rinsing your hair with water.

Does it work? It will certainly refresh your hair but it won’t remove heavy styling residue. (And, as we’ll explain, you’re still damaging your hair even without the shampoo.”>

Cowashing

Also known as conditioner washing or “co-poo” this simply using a conditioner to wash your hair.

Does it work? Yes, because conditioners contain surfactants (although a different kind than the ones used in shampoos.”> Also, they are used at much lower levels so they don’t clean as well and conditioners may have more oily materials which leave your hair feeling dirty. For everyday cleaning you’ll likely be disappointed by using conditioner as your hair cleanser. It can also start to build up on hair and feel heavy. It will also attract a lot more dust, pollen, and dirt from the air. The WEN brand is probably most popular in this regard but you don’t have to spend a lot of money to try this. Look for an inexpensive silicone free conditioner like the traditional VO5 and Suave products.

Reverse shampooing

This involves applying conditioner or an oil to your hair BEFORE you shampoo. The idea is that you’re “using up” some of the detergency of the shampoo on the “fake oils” so less of the “natural oils” are stripped away.

Does it work? Yes, to some extent. We did some experiments and saw some reduction in color fading. But it has the same negatives as cowashing.

Dry shampoo

This is typically an aerosolized powder (for example, starch”> that you spray onto your hair and brush out. (also sprinkle in versions”>

Does it work? Absolutely. The powder absorbs excess oils from your hair and then you brush the powder out. It also is scented so it’ll leave a bit of that fragrance behind. But it doesn’t clean your hair nearly as well as a regular shampooing. It also may leave a white residue and can leave hair feeling gross. However, if you want to skip a shampooing day or two this product is good in a pinch. It’s also good for color treated hair because it will help reduce the amount of color lost. We developed one of the first mass market dry shampoos and saw a secondary benefit which was “second day hair.” Gave hair better texture on the second day so it styled better.

Alternative shampoos

This is washing your hair with something other than shampoo (like baking soda or vinegar.”>

Does it work? It depends on what your shampoo substitute is. Some people think they can use body wash instead of shampoo. And you can…but chemically body wash is almost identical to shampoo so there’s no extra benefit. (In fact if anything it will leave your hair feeling worse.”> What about baking soda and/or vinegar? Baking soda is NOT a good idea. It’s not a good oil absorber so it won’t work like the starch in a dry shampoo. Plus, it has a very high pH which can slow down the restoration of the acid mantle on your scalp. Theoretically the high pH can damage the hair as well by causing additional swelling. Vinegar has a low pH but other than helping to remove mineral buildup, it doesn’t really provide any benefit. The idea that the low pH closes up the cuticle and makes hair shinier is just a myth.

No-Rinse shampoos

Here’s another way to wash your hair without water. The formula is a real shampoo except you don’t rinse it out. The most popular brand is No Rinse Shampoo. The formula is much runnier than a regular shampoo so you don’t need water to make it lather. Just put it on dry hair, work through with your fingers and watch it foam. Then wipe out the foam with a towel for clean hair. 

Does it work? This formula will work better than the dry shampoos. It can clean your hair better than a conditioner. But it won’t be nearly as good as a regular shampoo. But if water is in short supply or you just don’t feel like hopping in a shower, this no-rinse shampoo might be for you. Also, you may find the residual surfactant that’s left on your scalp can be irritating.

Sulfate free shampoo

Honorary mention: Again it’s a matter of personal preference. Sulfates are excellent cleansers and if you have very greasy hair or use a lot of styling products will probably will welcome them. On the other hand if your scalp is easily irritated or if you think you’re prone to dryness you may not like the way they leave your hair and scalp feeling. The sad thing is that most sulfate free products work very similarly to sulfates. There are only a few detergents that have really been proven to be demonstrably milder.

Why not just use shampoo?

This can be drying and damaging for two reasons: the hair fiber swells when saturated with water which causes uplifting of the cuticle. Drying the hair does not reverse all of this cuticle lifting and once the cuticle is lifted it can become loose.

The second reason is that you have to dry your hair. If you’re using a towel to any extent you’re causing a lot of friction by rubbing the hair. If you’re using a blow dryer the high heat can cause damage. Of course if air drying your hair must be perfectly safe, right? Not necessarily.

One study found that air dried hair sustains more damage to the Cell Membrane Complex (CMC”>, the sandwich-y layer of proteins, lipids, and covalently bonded fatty acids that is the “glue” that binds cuticles together. Once the CMC is damaged cuticles can become dislodged more easily which leads to rough damaged hair which may eventually split and break. The authors hypothesize that because air drying takes so much longer than blow drying that some internal components of the CMC are exposed to water for much longer time. This water exposure over time causes a buckling in the CMC layer. Blow drying removes the water more quickly so the CMC doesn’t have a chance to buckle. While this is intriguing discover there are two major caveats: first, this is a single study and one should never completely believe a surprising finding that comes from only one study; more research needs to be done. Second, even though blow drying appears to cause less damage to the CMC, it does cause MORE surface damage. Therefore you’re trading one kind of damage for another by air drying hair.

Is No Poo better for hair’s natural oils?

This is another myth. Let’s talk about how oil (also known as sebum”> gets on your scalp in the first place. Sebum is generated in tiny sebaceous glands beneath the surface of the skin. These glands produce an oily substance that reaches the skin’s surface through hair follicles. Some sebum is a good thing – it’s a natural moisturizer and it keeps your skin and hair soft and supple. (Of course some people are prone to excess sebum production and that can be too much of a good thing.”> The proponents of this myth must think that washing your hair strips away the natural oils so that NOT washing hair leaves more natural oil on your hair. Right? No, not really.

Actually, stripping away oil with a shampoo will make your glands produce more oil. To understand how this works, you have understand how sebum production is regulated – in other words what turns the sebum glands on and off. It turns out that it’s the presence of sebum on the surface of skin that controls sebum production. How is that possible? 

If you want all the details check out this study in which scientists stripped oil off skin and then measured how long it took the skin to re-oil itself. But their bottom line is that the presence of oil on the skin’s surface sends a signal to the sebaceous glands to turn off. This signal is caused by either the pressure of the oil in the follicle or by the creation of a chemical signal that travels back down through the skin. But then why doesn’t shampooing make your scalp oilier and oilier? That’s because the oil production levels off very quickly.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

To sum up the science: Any time you’re wetting and drying your hair you’re damaging the fibers and stripping color. Therefore, any alternative that eliminates water will reduce damage and keep color from fading. But there is certainly no evidence showing that at home solutions like baking soda and vinegar are better for your hair than shampoo. In fact, some alternatives (like using baking soda”> may do more harm than good but other than that it’s really just a matter of personal taste.

This article is  from The Beauty Brains for CurlyNikki.

What’s your method of cleansing? What has your results been?

By Nikki Walton · Published April 27, 2015

PHOTO: GLAM IDOL, LOVELY MALI

This article was written by Minaz Aslam for CurlyNikki. 

By Nikki Walton · Published April 16, 2015

Coined by the ever-so diverse Dominican community, the term “pelo malo,” translates into bad hair, kinky hair, unmanageable hair, or hair that does not resemble Barbie or Ken’s. Ever since I came out of my mother’s womb, I was destined to have pelo malo. When little girls have pelo malo, their hair does not ‘grow fast’. On the contrary, it sprouts gradually resembling a germinating pinto bean. At a young age, I did not fully understand the journey I was going to embark on. As I began to grow; my hair did too.

Back in the day when the mullet was popping and the Aqua Net was spraying, my “mami,” would style my hair using 3 techniques. “La cola,” or the tail was my mami’s favorite style for little me. She would use the hard bristled brush and really grip all the curls with it, so I would have one cola at the top and one cola at the bottom. Each cola or ponytail would have to be perfectly parallel to the the other no matter what or my mom would start over. Sigh, because when I was young having my hair styled was painful; literally.

When my mami, wanted to change-up my top-bottom ponytail style, she would use the classic 80s side ponytail or the super-duper classic style with the 2 pigtails on each side. Each style was finished with a hair accessory that resembled a cake-top centerpiece. You know, like the ones from Dominican weddings and baptisms. I had a hair bow in every color because they always had to match my outfit. My hair was never undone because Dominicans do not believe in having pelo malo. What would people say about you and your mom if your hair was not done? The “bochinche,” or the gossip would flood the entire Dominican occupied apartment building you and your family lived in.

Pelo Malo became part of me when I noticed that my sister and cousins, who are Dominican too, had “good hair,” or “pelo bueno.” In my little Dominican eyes, I perceived pelo bueno as hair that did not tangle when you got out of the shower or hair that did not look like you electrocuted yourself. It was then that I knew that my hair was different. I was 6 years old and I had to toughen up. My mami would always carry her “cepillo,” or brush in her purse to do my hair; in public! This would always embarrass me because it made me feel different. The worst days were picture days at school because they always looked so bad. The little black complimentary comb the photographers gave me never worked because of the obvious. I had nicknames in school and felt ugly because my pelo was malo.

It has been 3 months since I chopped off my heat damaged ends. My hair has not been as full and vivacious since before I had my two children. I am living a heat-free lifestyle, and I am embracing my natural texture for the world to see. At first, I thought about what people at my job would say, but I have been getting really great compliments from colleagues and family members. My confidence has increased substantially. Prior to my natural hair journey, I always worried about my hair and how I was perceived by others. I thought that after having a permanent straightener and occasional flat iron procedures, that my hair would always look dull and sad. Today, I feel alive and beautiful because my hair is full, healthy, and back to where it belongs; curly. Through media outlets, I share my stories, hair routines, and products that have saved my hair. My purpose is to embrace the naturally curly Latina within me, while exposing my experiences as a Dominican-American and the stereotypes that exist within my culture.

By Nikki Walton · Published April 15, 2015

Bantu knots are not for everyone. There is nothing worse than standing hours in front of the mirror installing the knots, enduring a painful restless sleep only to take the knots down to reveal a frizzy, curly mess in the morning. Of course, that’s when you bust out your bobby pins for a chic updo or Mohawk! But you never have to experience failed Bantu knot-outs again. After years of wearing Bantu knot-outs, I’ve learned a few things that guarantee me success each time.

How to get flawless bantu knot-outs

1. Start on stretched dry hair. A blow out will often give you the best bouncy bantu knot out curls but a well-detangled old twist/braid out will work as well. Never set your knots on wet or damp hair because chances are they will not dry and you will be left with big frizzy hair the following morning.
2. Go for non-water based products. My favorite is whipped nut butter such as shea butter. If using a water-based product, be light handed. You will want to reduce the amount of moisture added to the hair while setting the knots to ensure complete dryness the following day. This will minimize any chances of frizz. To the butter you may add a little gel for some added hold. Some gels have water so remember to be light-handed as well. Smooth the product through your hair focusing especially on the ends so that the ends are well moisturized.
3. Start twisting the section of hair for the bantu knot at least an inch away from your roots. This will prevent you from putting too much tension on your scalp, making your bantu knots too tight and painful to sleep on.
4. While most people wrap their bantu knots by winding each revolution underneath the previous one, I find that, that technique makes the knots too tight. I therefore, focus on wrapping only the last couple of revolutions underneath the previous ones to tuck away the ends and secure the bantu knot. If your hair is shorter you may need to use a bobby pin to hold your knots in place. Wrapping in this ways gives the knots more wiggle room, reduces tension and is pain-free to sleep.

By Nikki Walton · Published April 5, 2015

My natural pattern consists of super skinny, piecey ‘s-waves’ with a sprinkling of coils here and there.  While I totally heart my stringy ass defined waves & curls, I sometimes try to smooth a few of them together to achieve a chunkier look.  But no matter how heavy or tacky the styling cream or gel, the manufactured clumps always break up… my waves do what they do… they don’t give a s*** and while I’m usually cool with that, on some real levels, I’d appreciate a few clumps sometimes!

Now generally for me, clumpier wash & gos mean a reduction in volume, but for some reason today, the stars aligned and I got a little bit of the best of both worlds.

What I did:

Like with my successful chunky twist-outs of months past, I applied my products to damp hair rather than in the shower on soaking wet hair.

I applied my products to damp hair rather than in the shower on soaking wet hair. 

I t-shirt plopped clean, naked hair for 5 minutes and then air-dried for 10 minutes.  My hair was probably 70% dry when I smoothed on SheaMoisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie and then Mop Top Light Hold Gel.

Fail. Fail. Fail. Coagulation.  It’s been so long, I forgot the cardinal rule… test the product combo on the back of your hand BEFORE applying it to your hair to make sure they play well together.  Rookie mistake. White boogers everywhere.

Kneeling over the tub, I rinsed that ish out, plopped, air dried a bit and started over.  I tested The Living Proof Full Thickening Cream + SheaMoisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie on the back of my hand… smooth as butter!  So I applied the Living Proof first (about a quarter size amount to each half”> and then smoothed the SM into 4 sections.  I didn’t rake this time, I simply smoothed it on with the palms of both hands in a downward motion from root to tip. Finally, I finger curled and smoothed some of the top pieces and was excited at how easily my usually piecey curls held together (thanks to the tackiness of the SheaMoisture Smoothie on my damp hair”>.  I’ve got quite a bit of shrinkage, but it’s the good kind. Momma said, ‘I LOVE the results, it looks thicker’.  I’ll definitely be experimenting with this product combo and technique a bit more… I’ll report back soon!

Later Gators,

Nik

By Nikki Walton · Published April 2, 2015

I am thrilled to share in this article how my desire to feel authentic and true to myself around my hair, helped me to uncover the subconscious beliefs that were dominating my reality around my beauty.  I’m proud to say that I was able to transform them completely, to the point that I am now a transformational life coach, helping women feel confident in their own skin to create the lifestyle they desire!

I will be completely raw and vulnerable about my beliefs while growing up and what I’ve done to change them… truly expecting that someone benefits from it!

It’s amazing to witness how time changes you. I remember years ago, how I learned about CurlyNikki. I was a teenager and heavily disliked my relaxed hair. I would spend nights crying about it, the process was torturous and I wanted to discover what my natural hair texture was like. I had it relaxed at nine years old, because my teacher at my new school at the time said I had to do it in order to be accepted. Imagine that. Turns out that years later I spoke with the principal and he had no idea that she had mentioned that!  It wasn’t true. But it had a great impact on me growing up, though. I remember thinking there was something wrong with me because even when my parents got my hair relaxed, classmates would touch my hair and say mean things about it. It created a really strong message in my mind that I wasn’t good enough, period. As I grew up, I would go up to four months without relaxing it, despite my parent’s best efforts to convince me, but at the same time, I wasn’t taking care of it either. I was in a depressed state.

In the essence of full disclosure, when I realized my hair was 4C, I internally panicked. I was secretly hoping it would be a looser textured curl, which would imply I would be more accepted if I decided to do a big chop. In that moment, I said to myself that I would never big chop, but here I am today, writing an article for CurlyNikki.

I big chopped a year ago and I’ve never felt happier and more beautiful in my life. I adore my 4C hair! This journey of self discovery, acceptance, releasing old limiting beliefs and building confidence around my beauty, got me to where I am today and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

When I first started to learn about true transformational work, I found out that we get what we focus on. The thoughts and emotions we have stored in our mind, show up in our reality to confirm what we actually think is true.

I remember hearing comments around me from my family and online about how:

• I had bad hair. No man would want me with hard hair.

• I was pretty for a black girl.

• These were my golden years and that I was crazy for wanting to stop relaxing.

• I would never be accepted in a big company with an afro.

• Men would only find me beautiful if I had long hair.

• If I wanted to be natural, it would mean that I wanted to be cheap with my hair.

This stuff was toxic to my emotional and physical health . They turned me in to a cynical person, I always expected the worst about everything . I decided that I didn’t want to be that way anymore, nothing good would come out of it and I deserved to be happy on my own terms.

I started to pay close attention to my thoughts and my expectations of public scrutiny around my hair and the more I embraced a positive expectation, the more I received it.

I worked on my beliefs of feeling not good enough and in the span of months, I was able to see a change of what was showing up in front of me, because I changed my beliefs.

The more critical I was of myself and my hair, the more I’d have people being critical about my hair even when I didn’t ask for an opinion.

The more accepting I was of myself and my hair, the more support and love I’d get on a daily basis.

I decided to focus on the latter and to cultivate positive expectation, and this is what I recommend if you feel identified with what I stated above:

1. Surround yourself with a support group, like this one. Don’t surround yourself with people who bring you down or make you feel in any shape or form inadequate. This goes beyond your hair. Don’t be available to that judging energy.

2. Cultivate positive expectation around rocking out your fro at work. When I was critical around my myself and hair, I saw it reflected in a work environment where I felt judged.

When I was accepting of myself, I was accepted in a global company as a Project Manager. I was not only encouraged to cut my hair there, by the time I left to build my business, they were hiring more women with afros and others were cutting their hair, as well.

Positive expectation is key, we truly get what we focus on. We must focus on the solution, not on the problem to start feeling good about ourselves and create the lifestyle we desire.

3. Cultivate positive expectation around romantic relationships. I remember reading so many posts online about how when you switch to natural hair, men start disappearing. In my case it was the contrary, men wouldn’t approach me when I was relaxed and now that I am natural, I am approached by quality men. It’s because I feel beautiful on the inside and the outside now, and I expect men to see me this way too.

I recommend writing a list of 50 things your ideal man is like, focus on how he makes you feel. Get clear on this and your subconscious mind will aid you in having men who fit this criteria show up immediately. Expect quality men to show up. I’ve had clients manifest their exact desired man, based on the list, show up in the span of a weekend after taking the time to fill out the list.

4. Focus on thoughts of union and not separation. The more I saw myself as different than other women, the more I would separate, focus on thoughts of disadvantage, resentment and bitterness. Making it really difficult for me to change and those around me as well.

I started to celebrate women in every area. I am not playing a blind eye here, I know some people need to be educated and that is why I write articles like this. Most of the people that I’ve had the pleasure to share my experience with, had no idea of the emotional turmoil I went through.

I avoid making defensiveness my primary state of being anymore. I recognize the effect it has on my body, mind and spirit.

This world is changing. It will continue to change with everyone of us claiming what is our birthright, to receive and give love. Ideas of separation are transformed when we model what is possible. That is why it is so important to cultivate thoughts of positive expectation on a daily basis, let that become our new normal. We owe this to ourselves.

CurlyNikki Says:

THIS!– “We must focus on the solution, not on the problem to start feeling good about ourselves and create the lifestyle we desire.” Be the change you wanna see… Ghandi’s words are even deeper than they appear at face value. LITERALLY change yourself (your vibe, your thoughts, your actions”> and watch the world change around you!

This article was written by Nicole for CurlyNikki.

By Nikki Walton · Published April 1, 2015

Before You Cleanse

Shampoos are great for removing dirt and priming the hair for deep conditioning. They are formulated with surfactants that contain a negative charge to efficiently cleanse the hair. To maintain a balance of removing dirt without depleting moisture, look for cleansers with the ingredient cocamidopropyl betaine (CAB”> like Macadamia Nourishing Moisture Shampoo. According to CurlChemist, “CAB can effectively remove most dirt, oils, and silicones from the surface of the hair. It is gentler and less irritating than surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate.”

If moisture is still an issue with sulfate-free cleansers, then try alternating your cleanser with a cleansing conditioner like Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner. Another option is to do either a pre-poo treatment or add an oil like the Macadamia Nourishing Moisture Oil Spray to your cleanser. This oil has macadamia oil, argan oil, and vitamin E oil in the top five ingredients, which is full of nourishment. When unsure of what kind of oil you want to use, you can never go wrong with a blend. Like jojoba oil, macadamia oil resembles the sebum on your scalp, which is great if heavy oils weigh down your strands.

While You Cleanse

How you cleanse your hair is just as important as what you cleanse with. I know the sexy shampoo commercials are full of straight hair tousled in lather, but that it is not healthy for curly hair and actually no one’s hair for that matter. Stroking your hair in a downward motion while cleansing helps to smooth the hair shaft, impart shine, and lessen damage. You want to go with the grain, not against it. To prevent your hair from shrinking and tangling, hold the ends taut while scrubbing the scalp and smoothing the lather down the length of your strands.

After You Cleanse

Now that your hair is gently and thoroughly cleansed, it is essential to follow up with a deep conditioning treatment. The top three elements that all curlies look for in an effective deep conditioner are premium ingredients, slip, and moisture. Premium ingredients because our curls benefit the most with quality formulations, slip because consumer experience (i.e. ease of detangling”> is just as important as the science, and moisture because if your strands are not rejuvenated after the conditioner is rinsed off then that defeats the core purpose. For nourishment and tangle-free curls, try Macadamia Nourishing Moisture Masque, which is formulated with water (moisture”>, cetearyl alcohol (fatty alcohol“>, glycerin (moisturizer and humectant”>, macadamia oil, and argan oil as the top ingredients. Apply the deep conditioner to freshly washed, wet hair, cover it with a plastic cap, and allow it to sit for 15-20 min. to receive the conditioner’s maximum benefits and combat dryness.

What are your quick fixes for dehydrated curls?

This article is sponsored by Macadamia Professional.

By Nikki Walton · Published March 24, 2015

When I began the search to find the best flat irons for natural hair I thought it would end with one quick trip to the search engine box…Oh was I wrong. I divided the irons into a massive list: ceramic, ionic, tourmaline, titanium, nano, and silver, only to come out with one conclusion. Flat irons all do the same thing, but the results will vary depending on the brand and how you use them. Before we get to the ‘how’ part, make sure your flat iron has the following:

100% Ceramic – Not Nano!

Now be careful here! Even the high-end professional grade flat irons will advertise ceramic plates but unless they say “100% ceramic” the plates are coated with a ceramic layer. Most high-end flat irons (e.g. Chi, FHI, Babyliss, Sedu, etc.”> have a thicker coat unlike cheaper grocery store brands. In addition, most quality flat irons last longer. If you’ve ever purchased a poor quality flat iron, you will notice the ceramic or fake coating on the plates wearing off leaving the metal exposed. Using a flat iron with exposed metal will fry your hair beyond belief. Ceramic and now tourmaline-ceramic plates are great conductors of heat so your hair will turn out silky and smooth.

Hint: Look at the instruction manual that comes with your flat iron. By law, companies must disclose whether or not the flat iron is full ceramic or ceramic coated. 100% ceramic plates are not cheap. The cheapest I found was $239.00! Most people shy away from them because of the initial and long-term cost. Think about how many times you’ve dropped a flat iron or other heat styling tool. If you drop a 100% ceramic flat iron it will break.

Beware of the word nano; it sounds cool, but it’s not! Nano means small, so if your flat iron says “Nano-Ceramic” you are getting a small amount of ceramic. Marketers are so tricky! Remember, price does not always determine quality.

Added Tourmaline or Titanium

When added to a ceramic flat iron or alone, tourmaline or titanium produces more negative ions so your hair turns out shinier, silkier, and smoother.

Small Plates – No More than 1 1/2 inches Wide

Natural hair is thick and requires you to flat iron your hair in small sections for the best results. Plates too large will not smooth out your curly roots.

Ability to Change Temperature Setting

You may ask yourself, “Don’t all flat irons come with a varied temperature setting?” The answer is surprisingly no. I found several high-end flat irons (e.g. Chi original”> with only one temperature setting, on average 400 degrees. You can kiss your healthy curls good-bye if you always flat iron at that temperature! Having a varied temperature setting will allow you to see what temperature works best for you.

Bonus Tip: Let your flat iron heat up. Most women will immediately test their flat iron after turning it on and if it’s not hot they crank up the heat. Wait a few seconds to a minute for your flat iron to reach the proper temperature setting. Think of it as preheating an oven.

Tips for Flat Ironing Natural Hair

1. Wait until your hair is completely dry…never use a flat iron on wet hair.
2. Depending on your hair texture, you may want to blow-dry on the low to cool setting to loosen up your curl pattern. This will help you achieve a straighter look.
3. If possible, use the lowest heat setting on your flat iron to create your desired style.
4. Always use a good heat protector to reduce the risk of heat damage.
5. Flat iron sections of your hair no bigger than 1 inch. Start from the roots and work your way down to the ends. Never go over the same section more than twice. 

Believe it or not that’s it. Using a flat iron is not rocket science, but most forget that regardless of the brand and type of hair you have they all cause damage. The severity of the damage depends on the quality of the flat iron, technique, and more importantly how often you flat iron your hair. 

How often do you flat iron your hair? Are you using a quality flat iron? If so, which brand?

This was written by Bri of Naturally Fierce for CurlyNikki. 

By Nikki Walton · Published March 23, 2015

Stretching natural hair has a variety of benefits: it prepares the hair for other styles, allows you to see your length, and can make for an easier detangling session. One of the quickest and most common ways to stretch hair is by simply blow drying all of your hair, but there are many ways to stretch your hair without resorting to this. Here are a few techniques that can be done on wet or dry hair to get your hair stretched out naturally and easily:

1. Buns

Simply divide your hair into two sections, twist your hair in on itself, and bun it up. Secure with a ponytail holder.

2. Banding

To band your hair, section it off and wrap a ponytail holder around the first section. Continue to place ponytail holders down the hair shaft, spacing them out a bit in order to let the hair “breathe.” Doing this elongates your hair and will result in a bomb faux blowout!

3. Pineapple

Flip your hair up into a high ponytail and secure with a clip or ponytail holder. Doing this stretches out the roots of your hair and is great to do overnight.

4. Set, then separate

Install a style that will stretch your hair such as braids, twists, flexi rods, curlformers, or rollers in your hair. For braids/twists, the amount will depend on your length but typically, anywhere from 2-8 braids is sufficient. If you have tightly curled hair, braids will produce a better stretch than twists will. If you choose to install a roller of some sort and want maximum stretch, wrap your hair after taking them down and wear a scarf overnight.

5. Blow dry your roots

Make sure to do this on a cool setting. Simply pull a section of hair taut and blow dry your roots, using the nozzle end on your blowdryer. This will provide instant stretch if you’re pressed for time. This is called the tension method.

By Nikki Walton · Published March 17, 2015

For the ladies who choose short hair, this article is probably not for you. It’s more for the ladies who want to see their hair grow to longer lengths and are willing to do what it takes to retain as much length as possible. And while, the tips I’m about to share can be helpful to any lady seeking long tresses, I’m specifically addressing my fine hair sisters since I am one of them, lol. I can only share what I notice is working for my hair type – fine and moderately dense.

As we all know, getting your hair to grow to long lengths isn’t always an easy feat. While your hair DOES grow, if you don’t retain most of what has grown (yes, there’s always some breakage”>, you will be wondering if it’s growing at all.

For those of us with fine hair, the quest to obtain long luxurious locks is even more challenging. (So not fair. I know right!”> Natural hair that’s fine has yet another roadblock to growing long. For every twist and groove along our natural hair strand (the curliness”>, there’s an opportunity for breakage. At least our straight, fine hair sisters don’t have that part to worry about.

As a fine haired natural for over 10 years, I believe I’ve picked up some tips along the journey that I’d like to share with fine hair ladies like myself who want long hair. That’s not to say I know it all. I just know what I know…what I discovered works for hair like mine. It took some trial and error but here are the tips I believe will help my fine hair sisters maintain more of their hard earned length.

Wearing Your Hair Out

You CAN wear your hair out. Whaaaat? Yup. You heard me, girl. Your hair growth journey doesn’t have to be about socking your hair away every single day until you get to your desired length. Instead, when you wear your hair out, you need to be diligent about protecting it.

Your twist outs, braid outs, loose curls etc. will be rubbing on your clothing and can certainly cause breakage from the friction. This can be x2 when you are commuting to wherever you are going on a given day. Therefore, consider putting your hair up until you get to your destination. Large claw clips work really well at clipping your hair up and off of your shoulders. Then, when you get to your destination you can release the clip, shake and be fabulous. Keep that claw clip handy for putting it up throughout the day.

Low Manipulation vs Protective Styling

This is nothing new to you I’m sure. You’ve heard about protective styling and low manipulation styling. However, the key I’ve found is you can protective style til the cows come home (I’m a city girl. Not sure where that came from lol”>, but if you have to do a lot of manipulating to get that protective style in place, it will cause your fine hair more breakage than length retention. I learned this the hard way with mini twists.

Mini twists are NOT for everyone. The finer your hair, the more susceptible it will be to breaking when it’s time to take those twists out. Instead, opt for medium sized twists. They are a lot easier to manage and require much less manipulation.

If you are going to do a protective style, opt for shorter term styles. The longer you leave a style in your hair, when it’s time to take it down and out, there’s more of a chance for breakage due to webbing of the new growth that now needs to be detangled. Even if you wear braids, when your new growth starts coming in there is some tangling. Keep your protective style in for 2 weeks max. Fine hair doesn’t like to be bound up much longer than that.

Twist, Don’t Braid Ends

Braids can be a great protective style but depending on how you do them, you may be manipulating your hair way too much. That manipulation is evil! Why? Breakage of course? (isn’t that what we’ve been talking about? lol”>

After a few times wearing my natural hair in braids, I realized that I was causing breakage when it was time to take them out. I was doing too much to unbraid. I would use my fingers to try and unbraid and then had to use my rat tail comb to help. So, now what I do is when I get to about a 1/2 inch of hair down the braid, I twist the remainder of the hair.

When it’s time to remove your braids, you’ll find it much easier and a lot less manipulating to your hair, when you just have to untwist your ends vs. unbraiding them.

Bunning Your Hair

Still thinking of protective styling (and this is my final word on the subject…promise”>. Buns are a fine haired chica’s best friend in the protective styling department. Buns require very little manipulation to do and you don’t even need to thoroughly detangle your hair to bun (save full detangling sessions for wash day”>.

However, bunning can also cause breakage. If you are going to rock your hair in a bun for a length of time, consider changing the placement of the bun every few days. You’ll also want to take down that bun and moisturize your hair daily. That brings me to my next tip. To be continued…

By Nikki Walton · Published March 10, 2015

Anyone who recently embarked on a healthy hair journey– either a relaxed or natural– can attest to the significant improvement in which the consistent use of natural oils has made on their hair. The use of oils is nothing new in the Black hair community, as many of us can remember getting our hair greased after every hairstyle, and as soon as we started to see our scalp flaking.

However, the improper use of oils and hair grease led many of us to eliminate it from our regimen as soon as we were old enough to make our own hair decisions. But after exploring many other “non-greasy” hair products, many of us are now starting to explore the benefits in various cooking oils and we are now in love with these oils and adding them to most of our hair concoctions.

So why do we love our oils so much?

1. They soften our hair. Oils, such as castor oil, is very good at making the hair feel soft, smooth and silky. I know this from experience. Hair oils also help to maintain the moisture level in our hair, which in turn will help to keep the hair feeling soft and supple. Jc of Natural Haven explains the importance of sealing the hair in this post.
2. They lubricate our hair, which helps to reduce knots and tangles. To reduce single strand knots (SSKs”>, it is advised to oil the ends of the hair in order to reduce friction and the chances of the ends of our hair from forming annoying knots.
3. They detangle. The lubricative property of oils helps to loosen knots and effectively separate tangles without damaging the hair. Whenever I come across tangles in my hair, I just apply drops of oil to that section of the hair and allow it to slip off. This is a more gentle method, instead of forcefully combing them out.
4. They regulate a healthy sebum production and a clean scalp. Oils such as jojoba oil and avocado oils are known to regulate the natural oils on the scalp to a level which stimulates growth and nourishes the new growth which sprouts out of the scalp.
5. They can help thicken our hair and reduce breakage. Many naturals who took on the castor oil challenge have said that they’ve noticed a thickness in their hair after prolonged and consistent use.
6. They promote growth, restore hair loss and increases length retention. Who needs hair drugs when you can massage your scalp with oils such as jojoba oil or castor oil daily? Many women have been able to revive hair growth along their hairline after consistently applying castor oil on their balded hairline. Many have also seen accelerated hair growth and an increase in length retention after using natural oils for a prolonged period of time.
7. They give our hair a healthy shine. Who doesn’t want hair that stays shiny?!   Penetrating oils such as avocado oil, unrefined coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil gives the hair sheen without leaving it too greasy.
8. They keep our scalp happy, fostering an environment for healthy hair growth. Naturals with itchy and troubled scalp are often advised to add a few drops of scalp soothing essential oils such as peppermint oil, tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil to their scalp oil blends. This oil blend will not only soothe the scalp, it will also unclog the pores, may reduce bacterial or fungal overgrowth and promote blood circulation to the scal.
9. They assist our hair products to do their job well. Bloggers such as Jc of www.naturalhavenbloom.com often recommend adding a few drops of our favorite hair oil to our deep conditioning treatment and even shampoo to give the products more slip.Whitney of Naptural85 made an oil blend out of many hair benefiting oils which she recommends for the hair and skin. This oil blend can be used as a pre-poo treatment, added to a deep conditioning treatment, applied to the scalp and for sealing the hair.
10. They make our hair smell so good! Since many of the oils are derived from the fruit seed or nuts which can smell nutty, you can upgrade the fragrance of your oil by simply adding a few drops of sweet smelling essential oils such as lemon grass, lemon oil, rosemary oil, lavender oil and any essential oils which fancies you.

Do you have a favorite hair oil or set of favorites? What are they and why do you love using them?

This post was written by Adeola Adegbusi of www.coilsandglory.com for CurlyNikki.

By Nikki Walton · Published March 4, 2015

The twist-out is a battle for many but a breeze for some. If your healthy tresses are anything like mine, you’re lucky if you get a full day from a twist-out on your kinky coily curly hair. Isn’t it frustrating? You begin a “real quick” twisting session. Then a few snacks, a couple of bottles of water and several TV shows later, you’re finally finished twisting your natural hair. Now it’s the next day– you untwist your hair to reveal your results which is giving you “I woke up like this” beautiful today. Unfortunately, by the end of the day your hair has completely declared war on you and is puffed out in the worst way. Where they do that at! Lol. Well I might have a solution. I’ve tested this technique out on my hair for a few weeks before sharing with you all. I used different products and I still received the same great results. So my name is Nappyfu and I approve this message. It’s not so much the products you use it’s moreso the technique. Both hold weight towards the success of your twist out.

My hair is type 4c. It’s thick, coily for days and has a high density. Using this twistout and separation method has my twist-outs thriving. Yes! It is clear across the board successful for type 4 natural hair. It gives me awesome results each time I do it. Let’s be real, our kinky hair can have definition when it comes to these styles but it tends not to hold for long. With what I like to call the “Tightly Twist Method” you can have your perfect twistout last. From the installation to the take down, I’ll show you how to do it in order to achieve longer lasting definition without frizz!

Checkout the video and if you like the method, please share it. We want everyone to have an “I woke up like this” twist-out situation. Starting with freshly washed hair, let’s get this twist-out going…”Easy Twist-out Method for Type 4 Hair”

Watch the Video

This article was written by NappyFu for CurlyNikki.

By Nikki Walton · Published February 27, 2015

I used to run from them as a child. I mean, make a beeline for the closest vacancy or excuse to change the subject. As soon as someone tried to s-p-e-l-l the word I would immediately remember the homework I needed to finish or the laundry I just had to do.

Trims, man. I do not have fond memories.

There was never a science to trimming. Or dusting, for that matter. My ends would get lopped off when they were “bad”, as if they were a child who needed discipline or a tree that bore rotten fruit. The few times I landed in a hair stylist’s chair, it was simply assumed that I needed a trim to compliment my freshly relaxed, oil-sheen-slicked-stiff, portabella mushroom doo.

Y’all know the one I’m referring to. Don’t lie.

Because of these perpetual trimming nightmares, I never learned to associate trimming my hair with positive outcomes.

Because of these perpetual trimming nightmares, I never learned to associate trimming my hair with positive outcomes. I never learned to connect the removal of hair to a love for army of 4C coils and a nurturing of their potential. Honestly, when my ends were clipped they stood zero chance of retaining their integrity because I never had a consistent moisturizing, sealing, or deep conditioning routine. So what happens when you stay trimming with no plan after the trim? Child– you have ear length hair for life and then complain that your hair “just doesn’t grow”. Couple the “it don’t grow” narrative with the “I have 4C natural hair and so it will never be long” pity party and well, you’ve got a pretty sinister view of trimming and length retention in general.

Here’s the thing. Trimming is an essential part of your hair care routine, especially for us gals with 4C hair. Notice that I did not mention a scientific formula for when to time your trims or a well-known beauty salon to where you should get them. Understand that because our strands contain more coils than other hair types, [read: we have the MOST coils] our ends are prone to dryness since the sebum has difficulty travelling from our scalp on down. We must be vigilant with our moisture routine in order to circumvent this. Consistently dry ends will split, break or incur single strand knots, all of which must be trimmed to allow our hair to flourish.

Yes, philosophically loving your coils just the way they sprout from your scalp is wonderful. It really is. But if you are seriously on a journey to retain real length– not those claw looking see through ends– you’re going to have to trim, my friend.

For anyone curious about why I’m talking trimming, I recently did a deep trim of 1.25 inches. Detangling was getting ridiculous and split ends were everywhere. I tried to avoid the session by conducting a “search and destroy”, but when 8 of 10 strands looked cray, I decided to lop them off and give my coils a fresh start. That’s how you have to be. Gangsta with it. Talk yourself through the process if you have to, but get it done. Your coils will thank you.

The result? Less knotting. Less tangling. Less shedding. More fullness. The best part is that within the next 4 months, that hair will grow right back. But this time, it will look lovely.

–Jamillia

By Nikki Walton · Published February 26, 2015

When you decide to transition to natural hair, it’s important to have patience when detangling. Sometimes dealing with two textures can be rather frustrating: there will be times you wish you could just glide the wide tooth comb through your hair quickly and easily. Well, detangling can be made much easier if you have a few tricks up your sleeve, so if you’re having trouble enduring detangling sessions with your transitioning hair, try employing a few of these methods:

1. Free Up Your Time

Two of the worst times to detangle your hair is when you’re in a rush or extremely tired. Of course, there will be times when these circumstances are unavoidable, but it’s important not to allow this to cause you to cut corners and ultimately cause more damage than good. You don’t want to rip through your strands rapidly so that you can hurry up and get it over with. Try your best to prepare for wash day so that you will have time to effectively detangle. And if you’re still on a time crunch, the next few tips will still help you maneuver through your tangles with ease.

You can detangle before or after washing your hair, but make sure your hair is saturated with water and some kind of conditioner. Do not detangle dry hair because it is far more likely that you will cause breakage if you do.

2. Finger Detangle First

It sounds time-consuming and exhausting, but it’s actually a time saver that your hair will certainly thank you for. Finger detangling simply means going through your hair with your fingers and separating any tangles that you feel, starting with the ends and working up to the roots. For added slip, you can use latex gloves: they work with your conditioner to smooth the hair and make for an even easier detangling session. Some transitioners only finger detangle and don’t use combs at all, which is perfectly fine, but to ensure that all of the tangles are out, you can follow up with a wide tooth comb.

3. Use a Seamless Wide Tooth Comb

When you choose a wide tooth comb, make sure to find a seamless comb like this one by Hercules Sagemann. These combs have been widely recognized in the natural hair community as a terrific combs for detangling. A seamless comb won’t snap or snag on your hair and will help you glide through the tangles much more efficiently.

4. Work In Sections

Depending on the length of your hair, you may have a vast amount of territory to cover. If you have medium to long hair, divide it up into 4-8 sections. Doing this will help you seek out every tangle, whereas if you were to try and detangle your entire head at one time, you might miss some. Plus, when you detangle in sections you are able to clip away the parts that have already been detangled; you can twist or braid the section of hair to keep it stretched.

5. When In Doubt, Add More Conditioner

Don’t neglect the importance of conditioner as an agent to get your hair properly detangled. You want to use a creamy conditioner that will soften your strands, making them more pliable and therefore easier to separate from one another. Adding oil also helps with making your hair more manageable for this process. Also, many naturals like to detangle in the shower because the stream of water helps the conditioner slide down the hair shaft and tackle the tangles.

MORE: The Slip Awards: 6 Products with the Best Slip

In this video, long term transitioner Jen of Just Grow Already demonstrates how she detangles her tresses:

This post was written by BlackNaps.org for CurlyNikki.

By Nikki Walton · Published February 24, 2015

FACT: I’ve found that I experience 80% less shed hair when I finger detangle.

Your fingers are your best tools when it comes to detangling, and they’re free! Here is a short list of the tools I use and the steps I follow to minimize my shed hair.

Tools

• A good, slippery wash out conditioner
• An oil (optional”>
• Your 10 digits
• A spray bottle
• PATIENCE
• Time

My Top Detangling Tips

1. Moisturizing shampoos make finger detangling easy because it softens and makes the hair more manageable.
2. Adding coconut or olive oil to dry hair the night before washing can aid in the detangling process. These oils provide lots of slip and make the hair soft.
3. Part hair into small sections. The smaller the section, the easier it is to detangle.
4. Always use a wash out/instant conditioner. Do not be afraid to pile on the conditioner! The more the better.
5. Apply conditioner and let stand for at least 5 minutes, then start detangling. Allowing the conditioner to stand gives the hair time to soften and become more manageable.
6. Detangle hair from tip to root. Hold hair mid way between tip and root while detangling. Move hand closer to scalp as you detangle ends. Try to refrain from detangling from root to tip. I know this is a bad habit we picked up when our hair was relaxed but this is a no no with naturally curly hair. Always detangle hair in a downward to upward motion. Think the strings of an accordion.
7. After rinsing out wash-out conditioner, apply a leave in conditioner for further manageability.
8. Knots are somewhat inevitable with curly hair. If you encounter a knot do not yank it out. I know it’s very tempting to just tear it. DON’T. Gently pull out the strands that are in the knot until it is free. You need a lot of patience for this process, so do not wash or detangle your hair when you are pressed for time.
9. Keeping your hair stretched in between wash days this will help with the detangling process. Styles that stretch the hair: twists and braids.
10. If you can hear your hair tearing, then it means the hair is not wet enough and you are not using enough conditioner. Don’t be afraid to pile on the conditioner because you will rinse it away after the detangling session.
11. The only way to retain length is to maintain your ends. Finger detangling helps reduce the amount of breakage and damage to your strands in essence helping you to retain length.

This article was written by Kurlee Belle for CurlyNikki.