Search Results: Shellie Reneé

By Shellie Reneé · Updated April 14, 2021

PICTURED: @ASHLYDANIELAAA

When you’re on the quest to grow and maintain a head full of healthy hair, there may be no larger culprit than split ends. The ends of your hair are the oldest part of the strand, and split ends happen when they become so dry and brittle that they fray into separate parts. As a result, your hair ends up looking frizzy and becomes unmanageable. That’s why it’s always a good idea to do all that you can to prevent split ends from wreaking havoc in your hair routine.

Today, we’ll be tackling healthy hair practices that you can do to keep split ends from occurring. For starters, I think it’s important to know that there are multiple ways that your ends can actually, well, split. So, what are some practical things that you can do to keep all of the split end varieties from messing with your mane? Here are seven tips that have totally helped me out.

Trim your ends regularly

When you’re in the process of trying to gain some real inches, the last thing you want to do is get a haircut. But the reality is that your ends are the oldest part of your hair and they are most likely to rub against your clothes and pillow, so we simply cannot avoid a trim forever. What’s worse is, if you leave them alone, the split could run up the shaft of your hair and result in all kinds of frizz and overall unhealthiness. Plus, no matter how much hair commercials try and say otherwise, you can’t really mend a split end. Once they are there, they’re there to stay. That’s why, it’s really important to trim them. How often? While a lot of stylists say every 4-6 weeks, depending on how well you take care of your hair, that may not be necessary. Just make sure that, each wash day, you look to see if your ends are frayed. If so, it’s time for a trim—or at least for you to dust your ends. While trimming your ends won’t speed up the growth process, what it will do is make sure that your hair remains in good condition so that you can grow (and keep”> strong hair from root to tip.

Read more: 5 Signs to Know Your Curly Hair Needs a Trim

Deep condition your hair

I’ve said before on this platform that it’s hard to do any type of hair care article and leave the importance of deep conditioning out of it. Deep conditioning is one of the best ways to “baby your ends” because it helps to keep them moisturized which protects them from all of the wear and tear that comes from daily styling and maintenance. In fact, make sure that when you do deep condition your hair that you’re intentional about deeply saturating your ends with your deep conditioner of choice and that you leave the product on for no less than 30 minutes in order to get the most optimal results. If you do this faithfully, you should notice less split ends, every time you wash (and condition”> your hair.

Seal your ends

After you moisturize your hair, it’s really important to seal that moisture in too. Sealing is simply about locking in the moisture that your hair has already obtained with an oil like Jamaican black castor oil or a butter like shea butter. Just make sure that once you’ve applied your “sealant”, that you leave your ends completely alone until your hair has totally dried. Otherwise, some of the product could rub off on your hands and your ends could miss out on the extra moisture that you were trying to give it. While some people only seal their ends on wash day, I sometimes do it once or twice again in between; just to make sure my ends get the extra protection that they need.

Lay off of the heat

While on the quest for length retention, I’m actually someone who has seen better results when I blow dry my hair on wash days than when I don’t. I think it’s because the extra “stretch” makes my hair easier to manage while helping to prevent fairy knots in the process. At the same time, I have to be really delicate when it comes to how I handle my hair during the blow-drying process. I make sure to let my hair air dry at least 50-60 percent first to significantly reduces the chances of it “frying” from the dryer. I definitely make sure to apply a cream-based thermal protectant (cream is thicker”>. I’m also intentional about not going above medium heat. While going hotter might make your hair straighter, what it also does is zap the moisture out of your hair which then makes it so much more vulnerable to becoming super brittle and ultimately fraying. The moral of the story is that with any heating tool, proceed with caution and use as little as possible. The reality is that any time you apply heat, you are subjecting yourself to potential damage. Split ends included.

Keep your ends off of your clothes

One major cause of split ends that I believe doesn’t get enough attention, is that we like to wear our hair out (or down, depending on the length”>. While it’s cute and all, the constant rubbing against the fabric of our clothing can lead to split ends and/or fairy knots (especially when you’re wearing a more “rugged” fabric like wool”>. Aside from the fact that protective styling is a great way to keep your hands out of your hair (more on that in a sec”> and protect your tresses from harsh weather elements (more on this in a sec too”>, it’s also really great at keeping your ends from incurring a lot of friction. So when possible try to keep your hair up off of your shoulders, especially when you’re wearing a fabric that is prone to drying your ends out. A pineapple like @ashlydanielaaa’s above is one cute option to keep your ends tucked up and away. 

Keep your hands out of your hair

There once was a time when I couldn’t stop fairy knots from occurring, and it used to drive me absolutely up the wall. Then I noticed something—whenever my hair was up in box braids, I hardly ever had any. That is because constantly touching and messing with our hair can cause split ends – and let’s be real, we do that more than we should. I don’t know if it’s a stress releaser or we subconsciously think that the more we touch our hair, the faster we’ll feel growth results. But one of the best things that you can do to keep split ends from occurring, is to keep your hands totally out other than when you’re styling your locks. Even then, make sure to use combs and brushes that won’t snag your ends (by the way, if a lot of snagging is happening, that’s another sign that it’s time to trim your ends”>. So opt for a stress ball rather than tugging on your hair if you want to keep your ends intact for as long as possible and avoid the shears. 

Watch the weather

There’s no way around the fact that the weather can lead to split ends too. The summer sun can dry out your hair and there is typically less humidity during the winter which means that your tresses can dry out then as well. So, when you know that you’re going to be outdoors in the sun for a long period of time, consider covering up your hair with a hat. During the winter season, consider sleeping on a satin pillowcase and turning a humidifier on so that moisture won’t get zapped from your hair and your precious ends will remain strong and healthy.

By Shellie Reneé · Published September 22, 2020

Image Source: @jewejewebee

A YouTube channel that I actually enjoy is nappyheadedjojoba. There are dozens of reasons why, but the reason why I’m bringing the channel up today is because the host of it has a gorgeous head of hair. At the same time, something that she admittedly accepts is her edges are not as full as the rest of her locks are. Sometimes this happens due to genetics (which is what I think she said is the case with her”>. Other times, it’s because we’re not treating our edges and nape (of our neck”> like we should; like they are the most fragile parts of our hair.

If you know that fall into Column B and you’re ready to be more proactive in helping those areas of your head to flourish, I’ve got some tips that, I believe, will totally help you out.

1. Be careful with your protecting styling.

When I’ve got box braids in my hair, you honestly can’t tell me nothin’. I know I’m cute, so just move outta my way. And, while I actually do have a really great braider who is gentle with my ends (which is key”>, I do try and give my hair a break after I’ve worn my braids for 6-8 weeks. While, on one hand, protective styles like braids and twists (and even wigs”> will give your hair a break when it comes to daily styling and manipulation, there’s kind of no way around the fact that they also can add extra tension on the most fragile parts of your hair—your edges and your nape. So, just make sure that when you’re wearing a protective styling that your edges aren’t “snatched” so far back that you look like you’ve gotten a facelift. Even though your edges (and nape”> will look nice for a while, it could result in your hair follicles becoming really weak and you ending up with bald spots. I’m pretty sure you don’t want that.

2. Be careful with “laying your edges” too.

Laid edges. It’s a right of passage for so many of us, but it’s also something that can wear our edges out. Between the pressure that comes from the incessant brushing and the alcohol that is in the edge control product that a lot of us tend to use (and the clogging of the pores that edge control can sometimes cause”>—it’s just not worth it to have your edges totally slicked down 24/7. Styling your edges that way on special occasions or a couple of times a week (preferably not back to back”> is fine. Other than that, be OK with your edges looking…shoot, normal. Baby hairs are called that for a reason. You’re a grown woman now. It’s totally fine for your edges to not be gelled to death. Literally.

3. Oil your edges and nape.

While some naturalistas frown at oiling your scalp (which is where the hair from your edges and nape grow out of, right?”>, I’m a huge fan of it! Not only does oiling (and massaging“> your scalp help it to maintain the natural sebum that is produced from it, but it can also serve as a protective layer when it comes to debris and inclement weather issues (like extreme heat or wintertime snow”> that might try to damage your hair follicles. Just make sure that you go with an oil that doesn’t clog your hair follicles. Some that top the list include jojoba (it soothes an inflamed scalp”>; sweet almond (it moisturizes your scalp”>; clary sage (it stimulates your scalp”>; virgin olive (it nourishes your scalp”>, and grapeseed oil (it relieves an itchy scalp”>.

4. Get regular protein treatments.

Your hair is made up of protein, so it would make sense that you should get protein treatments from time to time, right? This is especially the case when it comes to your edges and nape because they both need protein on a consistent basis. So, how can you know, without question, that your hair could use some extra protein in it? If it feels extra dry, if there’s a lack of elasticity and/or you’re noticing more breakage or shedding than usual. For the record, waiting until these signs pop up isn’t the best approach. You can be proactive about keeping your hair protein-balanced by giving yourself a treatment every six weeks or so. Just make sure to not overdo it. That can also make your hair super dry and literally cause your ends to snap off like twigs.

5. Take a multivitamin.

Did you know that around 31 percent of Americans are deficient when it comes to at least one vitamin that their system regularly needs? That’s problematic, on a few levels. When it comes to your hair specifically, when you’re not getting the nutrients that it needs, not only can it hinder hair retention, it can also cause your edges and the nape of your hair to weaken over time. As far as the vitamins that your hair definitely needs in order to thrive, the list includes vitamins A, B, C, D and E, along with iron (something that a lot of Black women are particularly deficient in”>, calcium, magnesium and zinc. While it’s important to be intentional about eating foods that are high in all of these things, something that can serve as a “back up” is taking a multivitamin. If you need a little help selecting the best one, Prevention has a list that can help you out here.

6. Move your hats and scarves around.

I adore me some scarves and hats. So much, in fact that, other than on a couple of days a week, you’re probably gonna see me with one or the other on my head. I must admit that too much of a good thing can do a real number on your edges and nape, though. For instance, when it came to my scarves, having a knot tied in the same place resulted in some breakage that I didn’t see coming because the knot was putting pressure in the same place, day after day. As far as hats go, the tension from those can rub your edges and nape to death, if you’re not careful too. That’s why, it’s a good idea to take off your scarves, turbans and hats as soon as you get home and, that you try and not position them to be in the exact same spot every time you wear them. The less stress your edges and nape receive from your hair accessories, the better.

7. Wrap your hair up at night.

Friction isn’t our hair’s friend and I doubt there’s a time when our hair experiences more friction than when we’re tossing and turning all night. That’s why it’s so important to “baby” your edges and nape with a little of that oil we already talked about and then to wrap your hair up with a satin scarf at night. Just try and make sure that you don’t tie it on too tight (so that there isn’t too much pressure on your hair follicles”> and that you sleep on a satin pillowcase in case your scarf falls off. If you do all of these things, you should see fuller results with your edges and nape over the course of six weeks or so. Good luck!

How do you protect your edges? Share with us in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published September 22, 2020

Image:@briciaemilyn

Just like it’s important to make certain adjustments to our skincare regimen, each and every time that the seasons change, we actually need to do the same thing when it comes to how we take care of our hair. Now that we are fully into fall, I wanted to take a moment to share with you some of the grave mistakes that I’ve made in the past when it comes to my naturally curly tresses, just so that you don’t have to repeat them.

You’ve probably heard before that we each grow anywhere between ¼” and ½” each month. If you want to make sure that you get to retain all of your length during autumn, here are eight mistakes that you should definitely avoid at ALL costs.

Not being hydrated enough.

You would think with all of the inclement weather that the fall and winter seasons tend to bring that our hair wouldn’t lack for moisture. Well, that’s partially true. Sure, rain can lead to humidity, but as temperatures drop, cooler air can pull water from the air. Plus, since it is significantly colder outdoors during this time, a lot of us prefer to remain inside. Without a humidifier or switching over to an iconic blow dryer to dry our hair, our locks can end up dry and brittle. One way to get a leg up on this is to stay hydrated. Yes, this should include drinking more water, but during autumn time, there’s also nothing like a cup of warm herbal tea too. As far as the kinds of teas that are perfect for maintaining hair health, check out our article “7 Herbal Teas That Your Hair Will Absolutely Love!”

Not sealing your ends.

When it comes to length retention, one of the biggest mistakes that I used to make was not taking good care of my ends. If your hair seems to be plateauing as it relates to hair growth, this very well could be why. One way to “baby your ends” is to seal them on wash day. But another thing that I also do is oil the ends of my hair before turning in every night. One of my personal favorite products is Jamaican Mango & Lime Black Castor Oil in Rosemary. It’s light enough to where my hair doesn’t feel heavy. Plus, rosemary relieves dry scalp, stimulates hair follicles and increases shine too.

Sleeping in flannel.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely adore cuddling up in my bed with a good book or movie on a cool fall day (or night”>. Although I like how flannel sheets or pajamas feel on my body, they are something that can zap all of the moisture out of my hair. If you’ve got some flannel in your linen and PJ collections, my advice would be to wear flannel bottoms but a different kind of top. And, as far as your bedding goes, keep the sheets but make sure you lay your head down on a satin pillowcase or that you wrap your hair up in a silk or satin scarf. This will give you the best of both worlds. Literally.

Using too much protein.

When you’re on the journey to grow strong and healthy natural hair, one of the toughest things to do is find a balance between how much moisture and how much protein your hair needs. As far as protein is concerned, signs that you need more of it, is if your hair feels “gummy” (you know, mushy”>, if it has lost some of its elasticity, if you naturallly have high porosity hair or if you happen to color-treat your hair a lot. All of these are indications that you need to protein-treat your hair about every 4-6 weeks. That said, if you are thinking that all of the extra styling that you’re doing warrants extra protein, avoid the temptation to over-treat. That can result in your hair receiving too much and feeling super-dry and brittle as a direct result.

Not deep DEEP conditioning.

Again, since you tend to be indoors more often during this time of year, and there is usually “dry heat” that’s inside, although it’s important to deep condition your hair year-round, it is absolutely imperative that you do it during the fall (and the winter”>. I’m not talking about that run-some-conditioner-through-your-hair-for-five-minutes-and-rinse type of conditioning either. I’m talking about setting aside at least 30 minutes to let your favorite kind of deep conditioner penetrate your hair shaft and then adding a leave-in conditioner once your rinse it out. If you do this every wash day, you’ll be amazed by how soft and manageable your hair will be, no matter what is going on indoors—or out.

Forgetting to remove all of that extra build-up.

You’ve probably got all kinds of extra-special functions that are coming up. With that, there will probably be more gels, mousses, edge controls and other styling products in your hair than ever. If you don’t make sure to clarify your hair (which basically means to get rid of product build-up”>, not only could the build-up weigh your hair down and leave flakes, it can also cause bacteria to multiply, it could irritate your scalp, and it could also clog up your hair follicles too. So definitely make sure that on your wash days, you give your hair a clarifying rinse by either applying some apple cider vinegar or giving your natural curls some extra definition by applying a mixture of bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar. You can learn more about the clay/vinegar combo by watching this video.

Eating too much sugar.

As you start to ease into the holiday season, you’re gonna have access to even more sugary foods and drinks. While I’m certainly not one to discourage you from indulging in some hot chocolate or a slice of your auntie’s sweet potato pie, make sure to remember that moderation is key. Overdoing it, as far as sugar is concerned, will not only cause you to pack on the pounds and do a real number when it comes to your energy levels and metabolism, it can wreak havoc on your hair too. How? Well, the long short of it is, when we eat a lot of sugar, it causes our blood sugar levels to increase. Not only does that damage our hair follicles over time, it can lead to moderate hair loss as well. So, enjoy your goodies. Just keep everything in balance, OK? Your hair will certainly thank you for doing so.

Not being careful with scarves and hats.

Hats and scarves are cute in the fall. They can also wear your hair out. Between the drying that comes from the materials, the tension that comes from how they sit on your head, and wearing them so much that your hair doesn’t get a chance to rest and breathe—just make sure that your scarves are made out of silk or satin and that your hats are lined with satin too. Also, make sure that at least sometimes you put your hair into a protective style like braids or twists, just so that your ends won’t dry out or snag on your wool hats or the collars of your wool clothing. That way, come springtime, you’ll have a couple of inches to show for all of the fall hair care that you invest into your locks now. Happy Fall, y’all!

By Shellie Reneé · Published September 21, 2020

Image Source: @himenatural

If one of the hair goals that you currently have is that you want it to become considerably longer over the next several months, then I definitely wrote this with you in mind. While companies literally spend millions of dollars, trying to convince us that what we put on our hair is the key to health and length, the reality is if wour diet sucks, the products we use aren’t going to matter all that much.

That’s why I thought I would take out a couple of minutes to share with you some of the foods that can actually help to play a pivotal role in how strong and long your hair gets. Are you ready to see what to add to your grocery list? Let’s do it.

1. Eggs

Since our hair is made up of somewhere between 80-90 percent protein (the specific kind is keratin”>, that’s why I thought it would be a good idea to start this off with a food that is loaded with protein—eggs. On the overall health tip, eggs are good for you because they are a good source of most Vitamin Bs, selenium and choline. Eggs are also able to raise your good cholesterol levels; can reduce your risk of heart disease; contains the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin that will keep your vision strong, and it is loaded with amino acids too.

When it comes to your hair, eggs are great because the protein that’s in it will help to support healthy hair growth. Plus, the nutrients in eggs will help to improve your hair’s elasticity, improve the texture of your hair, and also help to repair the weakened spots in your hair’s cuticle by supplying it with more protein.

2. Dark Leafy Greens

There honestly aren’t too many things that are healthier for you than dark leafy greens. They’re basically like eating a multivitamin rather than taking a capsule or pill. Kale is loaded with vitamins A, C and K. Collards are an awesome source of calcium and folate. Spinach is also packed with Vitamin K and folate. Romaine is a good source of vitamins A and K. Arugula’s got carotenoids, and turnips are filled with manganese, calcium and folate—not to mention all of these greens have a good amount of iron in them.

Since a lot of Black women are low in iron, and iron plays a real role in hair growth and overall hair health, I’m sure you can see why enjoying a big bowl of greens, at least a couple of times a week, is something that your hair will truly love you for.

3. Sweet Potatoes

C’mon. Is there anything better than a fresh batch of homemade sweet potato fries? Something that consistently tops the list of being a superfood are sweet potatoes because they’ve got plenty of Vitamin A (per serving”> in them, along with vitamins C, manganese and potassium. Sweet potatoes also contain a good amount of copper (which can help to slow down premature greying, by the way”> and antioxidants that help to fight off free radicals. If you’re looking for a food that will keep your gut (where 80 percent of your immunity is”> in good shape, sweet potatoes can do that. Want to maintain your vision? Sweet potatoes can assist with that as well. Also, the anthocyanins (a type of antioxidant”> in sweet potatoes will help to improve your cognitive health, as the beta-carotene in sweet potatoes will work to strengthen your immunity.

Since beta-carotene is also great for cell renewal, consuming sweet potatoes is a wonderfully delicious way to keep your hair healthy while reducing the chances for thinning and breakage in the process.

Image Source: @fris.ee

4. Oatmeal

Did you know that oatmeal is one of the healthiest grains around? A part of the reason why that’s the case is because it’s filled with fiber to keep you regular. Adding to that, oatmeal’s got an unbelievable amount of manganese in it, along with phosphorus, copper, magnesium, iron, thiamin and zinc. The antioxidants in it, known as avenanthramides, will help to keep your blood pressure low. And, as an added bonus, oatmeal can help to control your blood sugar levels.

Due to all of the nutrients in oatmeal, it can help to keep your hair soft and manageable. The lipids and proteins in oatmeal can keep dandruff and other scalp irritants at bay. Plus, thanks to the Vitamin B that oatmeal has, if excessively dry hair is something that you struggle with, eating more oatmeal can reduce moisture loss which can ultimately reduce breakage potential in the long run.

5. Blueberries

If you like to snack on blueberries, good for you. They’re also considered to be a superfood, thanks to them being a good source of vitamins C and K, and manganese, antioxidants and fiber. Blueberries are actually so powerful that they can fight off free radicals; reduce the chances of cancer cells developing; fight DNA cellular damage; protect the cholesterol levels in your blood from being damaged; lower your blood pressure, and help to prevent heart disease.

The reason why you should add them to your diet, as far as your hair is concerned, is because blueberries are also able to improve the oxygenation of your blood so that blood circulation is increased to your scalp. The more blood that flows to your hair follicles, the more nutrients they are able to receive and the stronger your hair will become over time.

6. Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are great snacks, for a few reasons. For starters, they are both really high in vitamins B and E, along with protein, potassium, calcium, copper, plant iron and zinc. Some other cool things about nuts and seeds is they’re able to help your body to burn energy, they can protect you from getting heart disease and they are super rich in phytochemicals which are a form of antioxidants.

Because many nuts and seeds also contain the amino acid arginine and it is what helps to keep blood vessels in good condition, nuts and seeds are great at increasing blood circulation to your scalp. Also, the zinc in them is essential when it comes to hair tissue repair and growth—which is paramount for gaining inches. So, what nuts and seeds are the healthiest? As far as nuts go, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans and Brazil nuts are right on up there. On the seeds tip, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and sunflower seeds are awesome.

Image Source: @wavycurly

7. Red Bell Peppers

Do you like to add red bell peppers to your dishes? If so, whether you realize it or not, this is just one more way that you’re being proactive about your overall health and well-being. Although red peppers consist of 92 percent water, believe it or not, they contain a considerable amount of nutrients too. Red bell peppers have loads of vitamins A, C, B6, E, K, folate and potassium in them. They’ve also got plant compounds which all work together to prevent anemia, improve the condition of your eyes and, thanks to the capsaicin (another plant component”> that’s in red bell peppers, eating them can increase your metabolism as well.

How can red bell peppers help with length retention? The high amount of Vitamin C can produce collagen to support your hair and prevent it from drying out. The Vitamin E can keep your locks moisturized and, there are properties in red bell peppers that can also help to protect you from experiencing hair loss. How cool is that?

8. Fish

If nothing makes you happier than some grilled salmon, good for you because fish is another food that is great for you. It’s definitely high in protein and Vitamin D and is also a potent source of omega-3 fatty acids. Because of this, the benefits that come from eating fish are numerous. Fish helps to boost brain health. The fatty acids in fish can help to curb depression-related symptoms. Fish can help to reduce your risk of being diagnosed with any autoimmune diseases too. Fish can also help to reduce bodily inflammation and, thanks to the Vitamin D that is in it, it’s been known to improve sleep quality too.

Why it also makes the list of foods that are great for hair growth and retention to become fatty acids lower inflammation of your scalp so that your hair follicles are able to open up and your hair can grow more fully and freely. Plus, since omega-3 is a healthy fat, it can help to keep your scalp from feeling dry, itchy or irritated. So, the next time you go to the grocery store, at the very least, get the ingredients to make a salmon salad. Your taste buds, your hair and every other part of you will be truly grateful if you do.

Know of any foods we might have missed? Share with us in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published August 24, 2020

Image Source: @joybeforeher

If there’s one thing that our hair naturally does, on a daily basis, it’s shed hair; it’s when you lose strands of hair from the root (if you look closely, you should actually see a tiny bulb from where your hair came out of its hair follicle”>. When it comes to what’s “normal”, most health professionals would say that 50-100 strands of hair would fall into that category.

There are two times when there’s an exception to this, though. One is if you’ve had your hair up in a protective style like braids. That’s because, if you haven’t been able to comb or brush your hair, it hasn’t been able to properly shed. As a result, taking your hair down will mean that you will see more hair shed/loss than usual. The other is when you are going through something that has the medical term of telogen effluvium. It’s basically the term for excessive shedding and, as you’re about to see in just a couple of seconds, there are several things that can cause it.

If you happen to be someone who is losing more hair than normal, before freaking out, take a moment to see why it could be the case. That way, you can know what to do to get your tresses back on track again.

1. You’re stressed out.

Although all of us have moments when we’re more stressed out than normal, when the cortisol (the stress hormone that is naturally produced in our body”> is peaking, it can definitely cause our hair to shed more than it usually does. For example, although giving birth to a child is one of the greatest moments in a woman’s life, it can also be one of the most stress-filled; this explains why a lot of new moms end up losing a significant amount of hair for the several months following going into labor. If you know that you’ve been feeling more worried, anxious and/or you’ve been getting a lot less sleep than you usually do, oftentimes all you need to do is alter your lifestyle a bit. Get into an exercise routine. Strive for no less than 6-8 hours of sleep. Set some boundaries if the cause of your stress is a particular person or environment. Sometimes, very simple modifications can be all that you need to feel better and to see your hair return back to normal.

2. Your hormones are all over the place.

Something else that stress can do is cause your hormones to go on a major emotional roller coaster ride that can also affect how much your hair sheds. But so can going through normal life transitions like perimenopause and menopause due to the shifts in estrogen that your system will experience. A natural thing that you can do to level out your hormones a bit is to eat more foods like avocados, flaxseeds, broccoli, meat (to get more protein”> and healthy fats like coconut oil and palm oil—all of these are proven to bring a balance back to hormone levels that may be a little out of wack. If after a few weeks, you don’t notice any signs of improvement, you might want to make an appointment with your doctor so that they can do some extensive testing to see if there is a hormonal issue that may require medication or if an alternative form of therapy is required to resolve the matter.

3. You could stand to eat better.

When you really let it sink in that food is the fuel that our bodies need to get throughout the day, and that food also plays a significant role in our overall health and well-being, it makes perfect sense that a poor diet can also lead to excessive hair shedding. In fact, there are many studies to support that if you’re not getting enough zinc, vitamins A, B12, C and D and also copper and biotin, you could end up within a noticeably weak head of hair. That’s why it’s important to lighten up on any junk food that you might be consuming and to also up your intake of oatmeal (zinc”>, orange and yellow veggies (Vitamin A”>, salmon (Vitamin B12″>, citrus fruits and berries (Vitamin C”>, Greek yogurt (Vitamin D”>, dark chocolate (copper”> and sweet potatoes and spinach (biotin”>. Make sure to drink lots of water too; the more moisturized your hair follicles are, the better the health of your hair will be overall.

4. Your thyroid is a little off.

A lot of us are fully aware of the fact that we’ve got a thyroid, but if you’ve ever wondered exactly what your thyroid is, it’s a butterfly-shaped gland that is located underneath your Adam’s apple. Basically, your thyroid releases hormones that play a significant role in determining your metabolism, development and even your body temperature. When your thyroid isn’t functioning as well as it should be, it could result in you experiencing extreme levels of fatigue, muscle aches and cramps (that isn’t related to things like exercise or dehydration”>, noticeable weight loss and gain (that tends to go up and down a lot”>, intolerance to cold and yes, hair shedding. If you’ve had a combination of these things going on for more than a few weeks, definitely reach out to your physician. A thyroid issue is typically something that you need a professional to assist you with.

5. Your iron levels are low.

Did you know that roughly 25 percent of the world’s population struggles with some level of anemia? Anemia is when your iron levels are dangerously low. Some symptoms of anemia include weakness, fatigue, dizziness, chest pains, brittle nails, an inflamed tongue and excessive hair shedding. If you are borderline anemic, oftentimes adding more iron to your diet can get you back on track. Foods high in iron include baked potatoes, dark leafy greens, whole grains, molasses, cashews, red meat, legumes, quinoa, pumpkin seeds and 100 pure red grape juice. However, it should go on record that if you’ve got a combination of the symptoms that I mentioned, this is another reason to see your doctor sooner than later. While they might recommend something as simple as you taking an iron supplement, they also might need to put you on an antibiotic, give you some form of oxygen therapy or, in extreme cases, you might even need a blood transfusion.

6. You’ve got a health issue (that you may be unaware of”>.

Let’s wrap this up with another, very important, reason why you might be shedding hair more than usual—an underlying health concern. What you might not realize is everything from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS”> and diabetes to lupus and liver disease, to even skin/scalp conditions like dermatitis and psoriasis, can all play a role in you shedding large amounts of hair. So, if after making some of the health adjustments that I recommended in this article, you don’t notice any major changes when it comes to your hair (when it comes to experiencing less shedding”>, please see your doctor as soon as you possibly can. Excessive hair shedding rarely happens “just because”.

Get the peace of mind that you need to figure out why it’s happening to you by speaking with a medical professional, OK? Cool.

By Shellie Reneé · Published July 30, 2020

Image Source: @chelleee_b

I don’t know about y’all, but I personally don’t know one woman who hasn’t had a moment (if not a series of moments”> when they haven’t struggled with their natural hair texture. More times than not, it’s not because they don’t like the hair that they came out of the womb with; it’s just that, because they grew up with a relaxer or pressing comb, they never really got “to know” their own hair or, figuring out how to bring out the best in their natural hair has been no easy feat.

If you just read that and can totally relate, on a myriad of levels, while the topic of getting (and staying”> comfortable with natural hair is a docu-series of its own, my hope is that the following seven tips can help you to be more at peace with your hair and yourself. Because, trust and believe, there is something that is powerful and beautiful about a woman who knows what her natural hair texture is and doesn’t hide it.

1. Study the texture of your hair like you were getting a degree in it.

If you don’t get anything else from this article, please retain this first point. Whether you’re currently considering going all-natural, you are in the transitioning process or, it’s been a minute since you’ve been natural but, in all honesty, you’re hating every minute of it—please take a moment to consider that you might be struggling because you don’t know what your hair texture is. If your hair is chemically-treated and it’s been that way for a while, you might not know what your actual hair is like until you start to let your roots grow out. But if you are in the transition phase or your hair is already totally natural, it will benefit you, big time, to study your hair, so you can figure out what type you’ve got. That way, you’ll be better equipped when it comes to what products to use, how to approach the amount of shrinkage you have and what approach you need to take in order to maintain length retention. If you’d like some tips on where to begin this part of your natural hair journey, if you don’t know your hair type, take our texture quiz, here to read up on different hair types (there’s 2, 3 and 4 and then a breakdown of A, B and C”>, and here to look at different curl patterns and to learn more about things like porosity and density.

2. Find YouTube naturalistas who have a similar texture.

Once you’re pretty clear on what your hair type and texture is, set aside an hour or two to look up some YouTube naturalistas who have a similar one to yours. I know from personal experience that there is a bevy of women who can help you to learn how to protect and style your hair. Plus, each naturalista has her own personality, so you can also find someone who feels super relatable to you. There are way too many naturalistas on the YT site to even start naming names. What I will say is, if you go to the site and put “natural hair” and then your type (an example would be “natural hair” and “4c””>, you’ll be immediately shown different channels of women with that hair type. Then all you’ve got to do is subscribe to their channel and you’re good to go.

3. Create a vision board of your long-term hair goals.

You know what they say—when we fail to plan, we plan to fail. While I’m pretty sure that you are familiar with what a vision board is, have you ever considered creating one specifically for your hair? One that includes pictures of where you’d like your hair to be a year, then two, then five years from now, along with diet plans, hair regimens, styling tools and other things that can help to make your hair journey a lot easier? I know that when I first got intentional about growing out my natural hair, I had collected so many hair reference links that it got to be super overwhelming. Putting some of those things into a vision board helped me to see, much clearer, what I wanted to do. If you’ve never made any type of vision board before, go here for some intro instructions. Oh, and if you’d prefer the convenience of having an electronic vision board (so you can download it on your phone at any time, click here for some apps that can help you out”>.

4. Remember that you can always blow-out or flat iron.

Just because you’ve made the decision to go all-natural, that doesn’t mean that your hair has to be curly all of the time. As a Black woman, one thing that I absolutely adore about my hair, is that it’s versatile as all get out. If you’ve got 3c-4c type hair, there is no way around the fact that you’re going to have a significant amount of shrinkage. But, if you want to rock straight locks or you want to see how much your hair has progressed, you can always pull out your hair dryer and wear a blow-out or you can flat iron your tresses too. Just make sure to keep in mind that while natural hair may look really strong, in many ways, it can be quite fragile. As far as maintenance tips for a blow-out, check out our article, “How To Maintain a Blowout on Natural Hair”. And when it comes to flat ironing, always remember that it’s best to take the “less is more” approach. For tips on how to safely flat iron your hair, you can check out these videos here, here and here. (Oh, also remember that you can always color your hair too. A rinse or using some hair paint is a safer option than permanent color. You can also be more “safely creative” with those options too.”>

5. Don’t forget about braids, wigs, wraps and other cover-ups.

I won’t lie to you, when you’re first getting to know your natural hair in a very up close and personal way, there are going to be days when you’re straight-up frustrated. Between the bad hair days that everyone has, figuring out how to get your tresses to adapt to the weather (humid days can be the absolute worst”>, and deciding which products work vs. which ones don’t, sometimes you’re going to really want to either reach out for a container of relaxer or just take some clippers to your hair altogether. On those days, don’t forget that there are all sorts of options that will still have you out here looking beautiful without you having to worry too much about your locks in the process. You can braid (or twist“> your hair. Some of the wigs that are out here? They will totally blow your mind! Also, something that has been my favorite hair cover-up accessory are hair wraps and turbans (if you go to Etsy and put “turbans” in the search field, you’ll find a ton of ‘em”>. What I like about all of these options is, not only will they have you out here lookin’ as fly as you wanna be, but they are a great way to protect your natural hair as you’re trying to gain some extra inches along the way.

6. Pamper your hair—and yourself.

When it comes to my own natural hair journey, something that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed is learning how to pamper my hair and also making sure to reward myself for choosing to let my natural soul glow. I give myself scalp massages. I deep condition my locks with Chebe power (which is some of the best stuff ever!”>. I add great-smelling essential oils to my shampoos, conditioners and my Jamaican black castor oil. When I’ve gone another month without any hair damage, I also treat myself to a new scarf, turban or I even toast myself with some bubbly. Something that going—and staying—all natural has done is helped me to celebrate the core of who I am in every way—and doing that has made me live more authentically, from head to toe. That’s always a good thing.

7. Remember that all hair is GOOD.

You don’t have the time and I don’t have the typing space to get into how deeply it both irks and grieves me to hear Black women talk about what “good hair” is. Whether folks realize it or not, that comes from the PTSD of slavery and the whitewashing of Black culture. Bottom line, there is no such thing as bad hair—just different textures. And honestly, the more comfortable I’ve become with my (mostly”> 4a/4b hair, the more I adore it because of the range of styling that I’m able to do. Yeah, I truly do believe that if a lot of women who struggle with either going or staying natural were really honest with themselves, a big part of the issue has been that they don’t see their own hair as just being just as amazing and wonderful as anyone else’s. But the moment that light bulb goes off, trust me, while the ultimate goal should be to get your hair into its healthiest state, beyond that, you won’t want anything other than what you were blessed with. That’s because, you’ll see that your hair is better than “good”; it’s dopeness infinity! Regardless of what type and texture you’ve got, never—EVER—forget that.

What are some tips that you have or use to understand and embrace your natural texture? Let us know in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published July 23, 2020

Image Source: @protectivestyles

Listen, I will be the first to say that I am a card-carrying member of the box braid fan club. Whenever I get to a point and place where I don’t feel like doing anything to my hair and/or I want some extra length and/or I would like to keep my own hands out of my natural hair (which can be hard for me to do, at times”>, medium-sized box braids are my immediate go-to. However, I must admit that there have been times when, after taking my braids down, my hair wasn’t as healthy as it should’ve been. That’s because I didn’t take some preventative measures before getting my braids; it’s also because I wasn’t diligent in caring for my hair while I had my braids either.

Again, box braids are dope. You’ll get no argument from me there. But there’s absolutely no point in getting them if your hair is going to be totally jacked up once you take them down. In order to avoid having that be your testimony, check out the rest of this article.

Deep condition your hair before getting your hair braided.

Again, I’ll say from very personal experience that one of the biggest mistakes you can make when it comes to properly caring for your hair while they are in box braids is not prepping your tresses beforehand. And a big part of this includes deep conditioning your hair. Even though some of your strands will be protected via the extensions that you’ll probably be using with your box braids, some of your hair will be exposed as well (because your real hair is braided in with your faux hair”>. This means that it will be exposed to outside elements and will need to be as moisturized as possible to decrease the chances of breakage. So, within 48 hours of your braiding appointment, make sure to not only shampoo your hair (preferably with a non-sulfate brand unless you’ve got a lot of build-up”> followed by a deep conditioning treatment. Oh, and if you’re someone who color-treats your hair, go with a color rinse rather than something permanent. That will also reduce your chances of brittleness and breakage once your braids are put in.

Don’t worry about trimming your ends; do seal them, though.

While it might sound weird at first, one of the worst things that you can do to your hair, prior to a braid appointment, is trim your ends. When you do that, it can cause your hair to not lay down as smoothly into your extensions as you would probably like. If your ends are horrific, trim them and then wait another 2-3 weeks before getting your hair braided. If they’re not, leave the shears alone. However, what you absolutely should do is seal your ends. Sealing is simply a process that helps your hair to lock in moisture in between wash days. You can learn more about the sealing process by checking out our article, “How to Use Oils to Penetrate, Seal and Grow Your Hair”. You can also check out a video on how to properly seal your ends here.

Know the red flags of a bad braid job.

OK, something that I think needs to be talked about, a lot more than it tends to be, is knowing what the signs of a bad braid job are before you go to see a braider. Your edges shouldn’t be so tight that your skin is pulling an inch back. The hair extension quality shouldn’t be poor (the website Product Blockbuster has a review on great hair for braided styles here“>. If you don’t know the person (and their work”> personally, you shouldn’t go to someone who doesn’t have a site with good reviews and pictures on them. Caring for your own hair consists of getting a good stylist to put your braids in to begin with. Do your do justice on researching at least 2-3 people out beforehand. Go to their place of business to watch how they braid. Then make your decision. It’s the best way to know that you’ll get the kind of results that you’re actually looking for.

Watch those shears.

It’s pretty common that, right after you get your hair braided, some of your natural hair is going to “frizz up” (if your hair is natural”> or stick out (if it’s relaxed”> some. If your braider dips your hair into hot water (in order to seal your extensions”>, that will take care of some of this. However, they will probably also use some shears to do a little trimming. That is fine because, if they know what they are doing (and they should”>, a lot of your natural hair will not be removed. But be very careful about attempting to do the same thing at home. Hopefully, a part of your goal in getting box braids in the first place is you want to again a little length. That’s not going to happen if you’re so busy cutting on your natural hair that you end up removing more than you would like and will have to end up with a full trim—if not an all-out haircut—once your braids are removed. Bottom line, use some water-based hair mousse (like Creme of Nature Style & Shine Foaming Mousse orThe Mane Choice Peach Black Tea & Vitamin Fusion Anti-Shedding & Intense Volume Therapy Mousse“> to lay those fly-aways down more than your hair shears. You’ll be so glad you did once your natural hair is back out.

Pamper your scalp.

Some people like to wash their hair, every couple of weeks, while their braids are in. I don’t because it can make them look kind of messy. Instead, I put a lot of the focus on taking care of my scalp. For instance, if you want to clarify your scalp or you’re someone who struggles with itchiness and/or dandruff, something that you can do is apply an apple cider vinegar rinse to your scalp (learn how to do that here“>. Cantu also has an Apple Cider Vinegar Root Rinse infused with ingredients like peppermint oil, tea tree oil, saw palmetto, burdock, nettle, green tea and Vitamin E, that I’ve used that works really well too (especially since it comes with an easy-to-apply nozzle”>. Also, since your scalp will be more exposed than usual (due to all of the smaller parts that are throughout your entire head”>, make sure to moisturize it. Some oils that work really well include jasmine (due to its antiseptic properties that can help to remove bacteria and build-up”>, Moroccan (that is able to help to relieve dry scalp”> and rosemary oil (that can help to health scalp irritation”>. If you want to clear more about oils that are great for your scalp, check out our article “These are the Best Oils for Scalp Health” such as the Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil  or the Taliah Waajid Protective Styles Healthy Hair Under There Bamboo, Avocado And Peppermint Conditioning & Restoring Serum.

Create a moisturizing spray.

While the extensions for your box braids will protect a lot of your hair from drying out, 6-8 weeks (which is the average amount of times that box braids are able to stay in without damaging your hair”> is a long time. Something else that you might want to do is create a moisturizing spray that you can lightly spritz your hair and scalp with. For tips on how to do just that, watch this video and this video.

Don’t let your braids wear out their welcome.

I don’t care how cute your hair looks in your braided style or even how much money you spent, if after you take them out, you’ve got to cut your hair 2-4 inches due to all of the breakage and damage, you kinda defeated the purpose of having them in your hair in the first place. Box braids are a low-maintenance style, no doubt, but since you won’t be messing with your own hair while they are in, you should be able to see at least an inch or two of growth once you take them out. One way to insure this happens is to not try and keep your braids in for forever and a day. Real talk? Six weeks is a good amount. Eight should be your limit. More than that and the pressure of the braids could cause breakage. Besides, if you try that “I’ll just wrap the new growth around itself” approach, it could result in matting or locking. To me, it’s not worth the risk.

Wait before getting another set.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle once said something along the lines of, “The excess of a virtue is a vice.” Translation? Anything, in the extreme, can prove to be a bad thing. Protective styles included. That’s why, it really is a good idea to give your hair a 2-3 week break in between braiding appointments. That gives your hair time to break, you have the opportunity to trim your ends and give your hair a protein treatment and your edges to get a break from the strain that box braids sometimes provide. If you follow all of these steps though, your natural hair should be in peak condition while it’s in box braids. That’s for sure!

Have any secrets of your own for long-lasting box braids? Share them in the comments! 

By Shellie Reneé · Updated July 15, 2020

Image Source: @curlycandi

Rihanna. Janet Jackson. Yara Shahidi. Jada Pinkett Smith. Marsai Martin. Tracee Ellis Ross. Ciara. Erykah Badu. Lauryn Hill. SZA. These are just a handful of Black celebrities who’ve proudly sported a headful of bantu knots. And you know what? The one thing that all of them had in common is, no matter what their hair texture may be, they all looked absolutely fabulous in them! While I’ll be the first to say that it takes a lot of self-confidence—and a dash of boldness—to pull this particular style off, as you’re about to see in just a moment, there is something that’s truly beautiful—majestic even—about this hip-yet-always-classic hairstyle.

What Are Bantu Knots?

Let’s start with what bantu knots actually are. They are simply knots that are created with your hair and/or the assistance of extensions to create knots all over your hair. Sometimes your hair is simply twisted into a knot and secured with hair bands or bobby pins or sometimes your hair is put into single braids and then twisted up. How many knots you end up with is totally up to you, but if it’s more than two knots, that technically qualifies as a bantu knot hairstyle.

Where Does the Name “Bantu” Come From?

If you’re on the fence about getting bantu knots, this point right here may be all of the confirmation that you need to give bantu knots a try. The reason why I say that is because another name for bantu knots is Zulu knots. Zulu is a tribe in Africa that loosely translates into “from the heavens”. So, you know what that means, right? If you do decide to rock a head full of bantu knots, you are also wearing a hairstyle that is from the heavens. How amazing is that?

How to Make Your Bantu Knots Last

Keep some oil sheen on hand. Your hairstyle is automatically “from the heavens”, right? Make sure your bantu knots keep their glow by having a little oil sheen on tap. Oil sheen is dope because you can get the shine that you want without having to put your hands all up in your head in the process. As a bonus, oil sheen is a great way to soothe the parts in your scalp as well.

Secure them at night with bobby pins and a scarf. I won’t lie to you, figuring out how to sleep comfortably with a head full of bantu knots requires some finessing that’s on a whole ‘nother level (a naturalista totally has your back on how to do it on this video here“>. Two things that can help you to sleep more comfortably, all the while knowing that your knots will remain intact, is if you secure your knots a little more with the help of some bobby pins (or additional bobby pins”>; make sure the tiny balls on the bottom of the pins are secure. Otherwise, you could end up snagging and pulling on your hair which could lead to damage. Also, make sure to tie your hair up on a silk or satin scarf (or that you put on a silk or satin bonnet”>. Then, when you wake up, you can remove the extra pins and use a little hair mousse or edge control gel to lay down the fly-aways. You’ll be all set.

Use extensions as needed. While some people only use their natural hair in order to create their bantu knots, if your tresses are currently on the shorter side or you want to create a more dramatic height effect while also protecting your natural hair and insuring that your knots will last a bit longer, you can always add extensions. The key is to make sure that the hair is quality. A website called My Hair Care Couch has a feature article entitled, “Top 13 Best Hair for Box Braids” that can also be used for bantu knots as well. Check it out when you get a chance.

Refresh knots as needed too. One of my favorite things about bantu knots, hands down, is the fact that the maintenance and upkeep of them tends to be easier than a lot of other hairstyles. For instance, if you happen to notice that one of the knots is frizzy or messier than you would like, you can always take the knot down and redo it. With the help of some gel, pomade or setting lotion, you can smooth down your hair and then create two-strand twists or you can braid your hair and then put it back up into a knot. If you’re more of a visual learner, this video here will show you how to do it (if you’ve got shorter hair, click here“>.

Turn them into a bantu knot-out once they get old.

Once your knots have been in for a week or so and either they’re looking old or you’re ready to do something new, how about turning your knots into a knot-out? That’s basically when you take your hair down so that you can rock out the ringlets that the knots created. When it comes to what a knot-out looks like (and how to maintain it”>, I can show you better than I can tell you. Check out the videos here, here and here for tips on how to smoothly transition out of one gorgeous hairstyle to another with very little drama or even effort on your point.

Here’s to a heavenly hair look, sis. Enjoy, and share your Bantu knot tips and tricks with us in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published June 12, 2020

Image Source: @nayarasantanaofc

You can check out articles like 40 Curly Hairstyle Youtube Channels to Follow & The YouTubers Who Changed the Landscape for #NaturalHair and our very own 12 Natural Hair YouTubers to Subscribe to NOW for proof that, not only are YouTube naturalistas making major waves in the media, but their presence isn’t going away no time soon. That’s the good news. The challenge is, if you’re anything like me, you can find yourself saying that you’re only going to hop onto the app to check out a video or two, only to look up and realize that you’ve easily been on for a couple of hours. Not just one day either; a few days in a row.

If you’re nodding your head up and down in agreement, while I hate to break it to you, this is a telling sign that you very well could be on your way to becoming what I call a YouTube natural hair junkie—the kind of person who watches tons of videos, never really buys any products or applies any tips long-term and finds themselves being so distracted that they don’t get what they need to get done.

If what I said just triggered you a bit, it’s cool. It (potentially”> happens to the best of us. Besides, I’ve got a few suggestions that can help you to enjoy all of the best that naturalistas on the app have to offer without you & overdosing on them in the process.

1. Know your hair type beforehand.

Man, if I only put my own advice into practice, it would’ve spared me a ton of frustration on my natural hair journey! While there are YouTube channels like Tiffany TV, Abby Jahaira, Natasha Camile, Alyssa Marie and Fresh Lengths are some naturalistas who I truly appreciate, they don’t have my hair texture (mine is mostly 4a and 4b”>. So, while they tend to share some products and hacks that might work, because they lean more into the 3c-type lane, I can’t expect to get the same results that they do via that information that they offer. That’s why, it’s so important to know what your own hair type is before you start spending hours watching YouTube natural hair videos. Otherwise, you could end up spending half of your rent money on stuff that your hair will look at like, “Why the heck did you think this was a good idea?” the moment that you put it on.

2. Be clear about what you’re looking for.

Something that I recently decided to try is colored hair wax. That had me going from Laurscurls to Slim Reshae to SheRea DelSol to Ambrosia Malbrough to Nne Unfiltered—and on and on and on. And shoot, that was just one topic! I won’t lie—some of what keeps me going on and on is because certain channels are so freakin’ entertaining. Yet time and experience have taught me that, if I want to manage my time wisely, I need to go on YouTube with an end goal in mind. If it’s hair dye tips, look for that. If it’s DIY conditioning recipes, look for that. If it’s how to dust my ends, look for that. To only put “natural hair” in the search field is just begging to spend six hours on YouTube when I know I’ve got a ton of other things on my to-do list (including actually doing my hair!”>.

3. Follow your favorites.

I’m not even going to get into who my favorites are because the list is super long. What I will say is if you want to “get into a groove” of how to find tips that you can feel confident will actually work for you so that you don’t spend a lot of time learning about things that may not, once you find favorite naturalistas, subscribe to their channel. You’ll immediately receive notifications when they load up something; that way, you won’t have to spend precious time searching for someone you really liked but didn’t retain the name or bookmark their channel in your browser.

4. Create a folder for the videos.

And what if there are particular points that a naturalista made that you want to hold onto without necessarily subscribing to their page? Another thing that you can do is create a folder, either on your computer or in one of your emails. For instance, in one of my Gmail accounts, I have an entire folder that says, “Growing Out Tips”. OnlyOneJess’s “How I Grew MY Natural Hair?? | Length RETENTION Tips + Keeping My Bleached Hair Healthy”; happycurlhappygirl’s “MY #1 TIP GROWTH TIP!! | HOW I’M RETAINING LENGTH!”; Craving Curly Kinks’s “9 Tips For Natural Hair Length Retention | Fast Hair Growth By Retaining Length”; Amber Ansah’s “Girl THIS IS HOW I Grew My Hair SO Fast!! ⎜Natural Hair Routine”, and BeautifulBrwnBabyDol’s “6 Tips to GROW Natural Hair LONG, THICK & HEALTHY After BREAKAGE | Moisturizers & Conditioners” are just a few, out of literally dozens of videos that I have in collection. But, since they are all in one folder, when I need a tip or some insight real quick, rather than hunting all through YouTube world, I can just go to my folder and revisit something that I already saved that, for whatever the reason, really stuck with me.

5. Remember that you are an individual.

One of my favorite quotes of all time is, “If two people are just alike, one of them is unnecessary.” This point applies here because, no matter how much you adore a YouTube naturalista or how many tips she offers, it’s important to keep in mind that her hair is not exactly like yours—and that’s OK. It’s a total waste of time to expect that her results are going to be the same on your head. That’s why it’s best to use any YouTube natural hair channel as inspiration, more than anything else. Remember that you—and your hair—are totally one of a kind so, at some point, you will have to get off of YouTube in order to figure out what does—and doesn’t—work best for you. Which is totally fine. Recommended even (wink”>.

Have some tips of your own to share? Drop them in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published June 7, 2020

Image @candicesabiduria

Length retention. If ever there is something that continues to be a constant personal goal of mine, it would be this. While I am thankful that I’m not the kind of woman who has fallen for the complete and total myth that we are not able to grow long hair—lies, lies, LIES—I am someone who, because I didn’t follow some very important practices, ended up experiencing more split ends and breakage than I ever should have.

These days, I know what to do and not do to get my hair, not only to grow longer but to be as healthy as possible along the way. While the lessons that I’ve learned are hard ones, perhaps the silver lining is, I can prevent some of you from experiencing some of the growing pains that I had. If you’re looking to gain some inches, here are five very important things to keep in mind.

What you put into your body is critical.

Although I’m relatively a healthy eater, I didn’t realize the areas where I needed to do some significant “tweaking” until I became more intentional about growing out my hair. For instance, since our tresses are made up of mostly protein (keratin”>, it’s critical that our diet has a significant amount of protein in it. Meat and poultry top this list, but if you’re not a (big”> meat eater, eggs, lentils, cottage cheese, chickpeas, quinoa, Greek yogurt, fish, spinach, peanut butter and oats are foods that can provide you with plenty of protein too. Also, foods with Vitamin A (like fortified cereals, fish, sweet potatoes, grapefruit and broccoli”> help to provide your scalp with the sebum that it needs to keep it healthy. One study revealed that individuals who had hair loss issues noticed an almost 35 percent increase in hair growth by consuming more Vitamin E (some of those foods include almonds, sunflower seeds, mangoes, butternut squash and almond oil”>. Vitamin C foods (like any fruits or veggies that are orange or green in color”> are awesome because they help your body to produce more collagen which will bring more strength and elasticity. And, of course, it’s important to drink plenty of water. Not only does it help your body to support the vitamins and minerals that it’s taking in, but it keeps your system hydrated so that your hair is less dry and brittle as well.

Oil is best in the sealing process.

I don’t knock hair grease. In fact, I wrote an entire article on the site about how it can benefit the hair growth process (check out “The Return of Hair Grease and How it Could be The Secret to Major Hair Growth””>. But if you’re using it—or any other kind of oil—while your hair is dry, you’re not really going to get the kind of benefits that you’re looking for. The reason why oil is awesome overall is because it’s a great sealer for your cuticles, especially when it comes to protecting the ends (which is the oldest part”> of your hair. But, in order for oil to work properly, you need to apply it while your hair is already wet (moisturized”> so that the oil can help to “trap in” the moisture until the next time you wash and condition your hair. That’s not to say that I don’t apply a little shea butter and Jamaican castor oil onto my locks in between wash days. But too much oil—especially grease—when your hair is dry can actually make your hair hard or unmanageable which can lead to breakage which is exactly what you don’t want when you’re trying to gain some inches. So yeah, definitely make sure that you apply oil when it’s wet instead of dry. It will totally help your hair to flourish if you do.

Yes, you can go overboard with protective styling.

I think that my personal favorite protective style are long medium-length box braids. For a while, I adored them so much that I was getting them put in back to back. It was cool in the sense that it was helping me to keep my hands out of my hair. However, the challenge with constant braiding is it can put stress on your hair follicles (especially around your edges”>. Also, if you’re not super gentle when taking them out, that can cause damage too. One of my favorite quotes is by Aristotle. He once said, “An excess of a virtue is a vice.” What that means is, anything that is done in the extreme can work against you, even if it’s good for you. When trying to gain length, protective styling is great. Just make sure that you take breaks from time to time, that you deep condition your hair whenever you take the style down, and that you’re not so dependent on those looks that you never let your hair, in all of its glory, shine through.

Box hair color is r-i-s-k-y.

I am all about hair color. These days, black is more my thing but back in the day, there was literally no telling what shade I was going to rock from month to month (sometimes even week to week”>. Back when my hair was super short (and I wasn’t as knowledgeable about how hair dye can be bad for my health“>, I was doing bottle and box color all of the time. I didn’t really think about—or care—about if it was damaging my hair because it was too short to really notice, one way or the other. Now that I’m trying to grow my hair out though, I’m leaving box hair dye totally alone. I’ve tried it twice in this journey and, no matter how much the labels (which will go unnamed”> claim that they won’t damage my hair (even if they are ammonia-free”>, they did. As a result, I had to cut off some inches because of it which, as you can guess, was totally counterproductive (ugh”>. These days, I’m more in the lane of using semi-permanent or color wax options. The colors are just as vibrant and far less damaging. Sure, I have to apply them more often (for instance, it’s not good to leave color wax in for more than a week because your hair needs moisture”>, but it’s better than having to constant cut my hair because some box dye totally damaged it.

If you’re not taking care of you ends, your work is in vain.

If you didn’t get anything else out of this, please make sure to retain this point. All of us experience somewhere between ¼- ½ inches of hair growth each month. This fact has nothing to do with ethnicity, by the way (I felt the need to say that in order to ever dispel the assumption that Black women’s hair doesn’t grow as long as other women’s hair does. You can see this video, this video and this video that prove otherwise”>. And while the speed of our hair growth does have somewhat to do with genetics, a main reason why a lot of us don’t see the growth that we want is because our ends are breaking off (or we’re cutting them”> at about the same speed that our hair is growing, whether we realize it or not. So it’s imperative that you seal your ends, wrap your hair up with a silk or satin scarf at night and tuck them away in a braids or bun, or that you at least keep them off of your shoulders (where your ends could snag on your clothes”> as much as possible. If you do all of this, I’d be floored if your hair doesn’t make some real progress; that you don’t end up with the long and beautiful locks that you’ve always wanted!

By Shellie Reneé · Published June 3, 2020

Image Source: @styleme.b

I’ll be the first one to say that, if you want to find a way to make your hair texture a little looser and more manageable, a texturizer is the way to go. But, after years of having one and then transitioning out into my full-on natural hair, I’ll also say that I had no idea how much damage texturizing my hair had done to my scalp (more on that in a sec”> or how long it was going to take to get my “actual hair” into a truly healthy state.

I’ll be honest. A part of this is probably because I texturized too often (like once a month”>. But, I think another part of the issue is that I told myself the lie that a lot of people seem to fall for—that a texturizer is “not really a relaxer”. As you’re about to see in a minute, it most certainly is. That’s why it takes some thoughtful, consistent and patient work to go from wearing a texturized look into being au naturel; especially if you want your natural hair to be as healthy as possible (which I’m sure that you do”>. Here’s why I say that.

1. Your scalp is going to need some serious detoxing.

One of the biggest lies that you can tell yourself is that a texturizer isn’t “really a relaxer”. It is; it’s just that it’s basically the equivalent of a kiddie perm. As someone who used one, off and on, for what seems like forever, I’m here to tell you that once I decided to go completely natural, my scalp went through it. Relaxers contain chemicals that can irritate your scalp, burn your scalp or leave sores, scabs and scars that can damage your hair follicles (more on that in a sec”> and take years to repair. So yes, if you’re thinking about letting your texturizer go, it’s a wise move to devote at least a couple of months to detoxing your scalp so that it can fully heal. If you’d like a few tips on how to do it properly, we’ve got you covered right here.

2. Your hair follicles will probably require pampering.

Although it’s been a few years now since I’ve used a texturizer, there is a spot on the right side of my head, right above my ear, that is just now starting to flourish like the rest of the hair on my head. I know that it’s because I used to let the texturizer sit on my sides so much and for so long that I damaged the hair follicles in that area. As a result, I’ve had to “baby them” just a bit. This included doing things like giving myself scalp massages, applying Jamaican castor oil on my weak(er”> spots, not using as much heat (dryers and even hot showers can wreak havoc on hair follicles over time”>, eating foods that would “feed” my follicles (Eat This Not That has a great article on this topic; you can check it out here“> and taking a multi-vitamin. Again, changes didn’t happen overnight but they did happen. So, please make sure to make this a priority too.

3. Over-the-top deep conditioning will be a must.

When I say that you should go “over-the-top”, all I mean is that, when it comes to deep conditioning your hair during this time, you need to be intentional and consistent. The reason why deep conditioning is so crucial is 1″> the softer your hair is, the more manageable it will be and 2″> the less dry your actual hair is, the less breakage you will experience. If you’re not sure which conditioner to use, we’ve got your back. Check out “6 Deep Conditioners for Transitioning Hair”. Just make sure that you also balance conditioning out with applying protein treatments. Otherwise, your hair could end up feeling kind of mushy and gummy—which can also lead to breakage (due to a lack of elasticity”>, if you’re not careful.

4. You still might have to “big chop”.

I get that some people are able to transition from relaxed to natural hair without cutting all of their hair off, but that wasn’t the case for me. Because my texturized hair was, yes, a different texture than my natural hair, it was easier to cut all of the texturized part off and start over than it was to do slight trimming as I went along. Since I liked rocking really short styles anyway, it didn’t bother me. If you can’t imagine going with a shorter ‘do, you can try alternatives like putting your hair into a protective style or rocking a weave or wig until your texturizer grows out. But if you’re impatient or not big on doing a lot of upkeep, big chopping is still probably gonna be your best bet.

5. It may take a while for you to see what your actual hair texture is.

THIS. ONE. RIGHT. HERE. Remember, the purpose of a texturizer is to slightly loosen your natural curl pattern. While it’s not supposed to completely straighten your hair (although it can, if you keep applying the product to already processed hair, over and over again”>, it definitely alters what you were born with. So, as you are transitioning out of one, it’s going to take a minute for you to learn what your natural hair texture actually is. In fact, you can be so used to rockin’ the texturizer that you might even forget that it’s a “manipulated version” of your hair; one that required a different upkeep regimen than what your “real hair” needs. This means that a little trial and error, product-wise, will probably be required during the transitioning process. Don’t let this freak you out too much, though. You’ll eventually find your groove. Just be patient until you do.

Have some transitioning tips of your own to share? Leave them in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published May 19, 2020

Image Source:@honeyblondegigi

There are so many myths that surround Black women’s hair. While there’s no time to get into all of them today, if there is one that definitely tops the list, it’s that we can’t grow long hair. Lies, lies, lies. The reality is, if you see hair on your head, your hair is growing. Some people’s tresses grow faster than others (some see a half inch of growth a month while others see bit less”> and genetics certainly do play a part, but there are plenty of Black women who rock super long locks. Some examples are YouTube naturalistas like Naturally High, What Lies Beneath the Weave, NaturalNeiicey, Obaa Yaa Jones and raven.

So, why is it that some of us can’t seem to get past ear or even shoulder-length, no matter how hard we try? A lot of that has little to do with what is coming out of our scalp so much as how we treat it once we see it. In other words, length retention is the biggest challenge that a lot of Black women have. Well, that and the fact that a lot of us forget that, in our hair’s natural state (especially if you have type 4 hair”>, it can shrink up to a whopping 90 percent! This means that unless you stretch your hair, you might not even notice how long it is.

And what if you just read all of this and said, “I hear you, but I feel like I am being super intentional about caring for my hair and I’m still not seeing the best results.” I’ve been there. I’ve totally been there. And, while we are all different, I will share with you the five things that I recognized was hindering my own progress. Could these be what’s keeping you from gaining some serious inches too?

1. You’re not caring for your scalp

How can you know that your scalp needs some extra special attention? If it’s itching, flaking, feels tight, super dry or tender—all of these point to signs that your scalp could stand to be pampered a bit. One way to treat it is to use apply a few drops of oil to your fingertips and massage your scalp for 10 minutes or so daily. Not only does it feel great, but it helps encourage hair growth. Another tip is to give your scalp a hot oil treatment. If you sense that your scalp has a lot of build-up, applying a clarifying treatment with the help of apple cider vinegar (mix two cups of water with three tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, pour it onto your scalp, let it sit for five minutes and rinse”> or baking soda can do the trick. Remember, healthy hair begins with a healthy scalp, so it’s very important that you give your scalp the TLC that it deserves.

2. You have a vitamin deficiency

There have been some studies that suggest an iron deficiency can lead to hair loss, and that low levels of iron contribute to brittle and dry hair (which we know leads to breakage”>. According to the 03342-6/abstract”>Journal of American Academy of Dermatology the jury is still out in regards to this link, but Cleveland Clinic dermatologists Leonid Benjamin Trost, MD; Bergfeld, MD; and Ellen Calogeras, RD, MPH wrote in the Journal that they “believe that treatment for hair loss is enhanced when iron deficiency, with or without anemia, is treated.” George Cotsarelis, director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic also told WebMD that “from our clinic’s experience, it is clear to me that if you replenish hair-loss patients’ iron stores with iron supplements, they are more likely to regrow hair, or at least stop hair shedding.” Iron deficiency is common worldwide, the World Health Organization reports that “one third of all women of reproductive age are anaemic,” so it is worth talking to your doctor about whether you fall into this group.

3. You’re obsessed with evenness

Back when I was in college, I taught myself how to cut hair. So well, in fact, that the stylist that I grew up having would sometimes refer people with natural hair to me. The extra money that I made on the side was great. But something that I still struggle with to this day is being so obsessed with my hair looking perfect that, the side that grows faster (my left”>, I will oftentimes cut it so that it is symmetrical with my right. The reality is that most of us have one side of hair that grows faster than the other, but if you keep cutting that side all of the time, it could keep you from making any real progress. If you’re rocking a shorter do, that’s one thing. But if you’re trying to grow your hair all the way out, sticking to a trim every 2-3 months and just leaving your hair alone otherwise is probably best. If the thought of lopsidedness stresses you out, put your hair into a protective style, wrap it up in a scarf or pull it up into a ponytail. Sometimes, all the shorter/thinner/weaker side of our hair needs is a little time to get stronger. If you put your hair into a style where you don’t really notice the difference between both sides, that can help you to gain a few inches before you know it.

4. Your ends are not properly sealed

Now we all know that hair growth happens at the roots, but it’s worth your energy to pay attention to the ends. Your ends are the oldest parts of your hair; this means they require the most care. Something that you can do to keep your hair from getting split ends or breaking off is to properly seal them (which is basically about locking moisture into your hair’s follicles with the help of a hair oil or butter”>. The article on our site “3 Products to Seal Your Dry, Porous Ends” can provide you with info on how to do it. Or, if you want to learn how to seal your hair from root to tip, I semi-recently wrote an ode to old-fashioned hair grease which is an unsung hero hair sealant—”The Return of Hair Grease and How It Could Be the Secret to Major Hair Growth”. This, along with deep conditioning your hair on each and every wash day, can help your ends to remain just as strong and healthy as your roots.

5. You’re not drinking enough (infused”> water.

No matter what products you place on your hair or scalp, no amount of conditioner can make up for your body’s dehydration. Guess how many Americans are dehydrated? A whopping 75 percent! Matter of fact, a lot of health professionals will tell you that, by the time you are ready to get something to drink, you are already in need of more water in your system than you probably realize. When we don’t have enough water it can lead to headaches, fatigue, muscle cramps, blurry vision, blemished skin—and yes, dry and brittle hair. So yes, definitely make sure to get no less than 8-10 glasses of water—not juice, soda or coffee…water—into your body on a daily basis. If you want to add a bit of taste to it and also get a boost of vitamins and minerals, make yourself some infused water. It’s simply water that has fruit or veggie slices in it. This one tip alone can help your hair to flourish in ways (and lengths”> that you might not have seen thus far. Plus, the rest of your body will thank you too!

Have some tips of your own to share? Drop them in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published May 17, 2020

Image: @joyjah

Not too long ago, a girlfriend of mine and I were having a conversation about why so many women seem to be obsessed with laying down their baby hairs, even once they are full grown adults. My friend brought up two points that made a lot of sense. “I think it’s because, for one thing, it’s something that our mothers did to us, even as little girls. Plus, the media has a lot of influence and we’re always seeing women with them, even now.” She’s right. Whether it’s TLC’s Chili, Steve Harvey’s daughter, Lori Harvey or (what seems like”> 7 out of 10 women on YouTube who do hair tutorials, you’re definitely gonna see women with edges that are beyond laid on pretty much a daily basis.

I can’t front. I’m actually someone who likes to brush down baby hairs from time to time myself. My challenge has been that some products come with so much alcohol in them that they end up doing the health of my hair more harm than good. That’s why I sometimes alternate with a DIY edge control recipe.

If you’re someone who’s been looking for a way to make your own edge control and you’ve got some time on your hands, my first recommendation would be to check out this article, “How to Make Your Own Edge Control”. But if both time and money are tight and you want something that will get the job done without a lot of ingredients, prep drama or anything else, here are some pretty simple edge control recipes that I think you might enjoy making and using.

Hair Conditioner

For this first one, I’ll be straight with you—it’s probably only going to work if you’ve got 2-3 type kind of hair. But because we don’t discriminate when it comes to our curly girls over on this side of cyberspace, yeah, this tip applies. If you check out this video, the YouTuber only needed a toothbrush, some hair conditioner and a little bit of water in order to lay her baby hairs and keep them under control.

Gelatin Edge Control

A quick two-ingredient edge control and hair gel actually consists of nothing more than gelatin and essential oil. Pull out an 8 oz. glass container and pour a cup of hot water into it. Then add 1 ½ teaspoon of grass-fed gelatin. Stir and refrigerate for three hours. Next, add a few drops of your favorite essential oil (for scent”> and it’s ready for use. (You should always store this in the refrigerator, by the way”>.

Shea Butter and Aloe Vera Gel

Believe it or not, some people use Aloe vera gel only in order to lay their edges down (you can check out a video on that here“>. But if you want the kind of edge control that will last for more than a couple of hours, it’s a good idea to add the moisturizing ingredients and natural thick texture that comes from shea butter. Mixing a tablespoon of shea butter along with a teaspoon of Aloe Vera gel should provide you with the consistency that you need. Just mix together and apply. That’s it.

Beeswax and Shea Butter

If you want the kind of edge control that will basically double up as a pomade too, try mixing some beeswax and shea butter together. All you need to do is combine an ounce of beeswax, an ounce of shea butter, an ounce of jojoba oil and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Put the beeswax into a double boiler until it melts. Then add the shea butter and jojoba oil. Once everything is well blended together, pour the mixture into the (glass”> container that you plan to hold your edge control and then add your essential oil. Let it cool and then it will be ready for immediate use.

Mango Butter and Honey

Another butter that is loaded with vitamins is mango butter. To make this particular edge control, all you need to do is put a ½ oz. of mango butter, three Vitamin E capsules and a half teaspoon of honey into a container (if you want a little more of a thick texture, you can add some shea butter to this too”>. Stir everything together, let it sit at room temperature overnight, and it’ll be ready. Your natural and easy-to-make edge control will be totally good to go.

By Shellie Reneé · Published May 7, 2020

Image: @ohleighann

I don’t know about you, but for me wash days can be quite the project. So much, in fact, that I typically have to set aside about three hours if I want to do a really good job. It’s not because my hair is super long or anything (I’m actually still working on that”>. It’s because, whenever I cut corners in any way (especially if I don’t deep condition for an hour or I don’t use a thermal heat protectant”>, I can almost immediately see the fall out that comes from that.

I will say this, though. Once I started using homemade hair sprays more often, not only did that give me about five more days in between washes, it also cut my wash day time by about a half hour or so. That’s because, when you maintain your hair with certain ingredients, they can keep your tresses soft, smooth and healthy to the point where you don’t need to deep condition quite as long as you normally would. You also tend to notice less shedding and breakage too.

If all of this sounds good to you, do yourself a favor and pick up a couple of plastic spray bottles. Make sure to get yourself a gallon of distilled water too (it’s the kind of water that is purified so that it’s softer on your hair”>. Then, check out the following recipes, select one that’s ideal for your curly locks and set aside 15 minutes to make a DIY hair spray. They’re one of the best ways to “love on your hair”. They truly are.

Lavender Texturizing Spray

Lavender oil is awesome for a few reasons. Its antimicrobial properties are great at tackling dandruff and any other scalp issues that you might have. Plus, the properties in this oil not only help to soothe scalp inflammation, but they also help to promote hair growth. Avocado oil is good for natural hair, thanks to its rich in oleic acid and monounsaturated fats that are able to deeply penetrate your hair shaft. A pinch of sea salt is it’s a wonderful scalp exfoliant. Vegetable glycerin is both a humectant and a reliable natural curl pattern definer.

1 cup of distilled water

½ teaspoon of avocado oil

1 teaspoon of sea salt

½ teaspoon of vegetable glycerin

5 drops of lavender essential oil

Put everything into your plastic bottle, each ingredient at a time, gently shake and then apply. Make sure to store in a cool dry place.

Aloe Vera Moisturizing Hair Mist

You can’t really go wrong by using Aloe vera on your hair. Due to its 75 potentially active constituents (including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and even sugars”>, not only does it hydrate your hair shaft, it also supports your scalp with maintaining its natural pH balance, repairs your hair follicles, nourishes your scalp, and combats frizz. The vitamins B, C, E, copper and zinc that are found in jojoba oil will strengthen your hair follicles while your favorite hair conditioner can offer an additional boost of moisture.

½ cup of distilled water

¼ cup of pure Aloe vera juice

1 teaspoon of jojoba oil

1 teaspoon of hair conditioner

Extra step: Add a few drops of any essential oil scent you’d like

For this, it’s important that you use Aloe vera juice and not Aloe vera gel. Also, avoid adding more than a teaspoon of hair conditioner. Otherwise, your mist could end up becoming too thick and hard to come through your spray’s nozzle. Store in a cool dry place.

Sweet Cuticle-Smoothing Hair Spray

We’ve already touched on what Aloe vera is able to do. Honey is a hair favorite because it’s a humectant (it pulls moisture from the air into your hair”> and an emollient (which means it smooths out your hair’s cuticles while keeping your hair nice and soft in the process”>. Also, honey contains enzymatic and also antioxidant properties that will help to keep your scalp and hair follicles healthy and strong. Sugar is added to this recipe because it is able to prevent dead skin cells and even product build-up. Vitamins A, C and E, along with the fatty acids in apricot oil gives your hair nutrients while providing sheen to it as well. Cedarwood oil is a smart hair spray addition because, not only does it have antifungal and antibacterial properties in it, it also balances the hair glands on your scalp so that you’re able to maintain length and strong beautiful curls.

½ cup of distilled water

3 tablespoons of Aloe vera gel

2 tablespoons of honey

½ teaspoon of granulated sugar

½ teaspoon of apricot oil

5 drops of cedarwood oil

Just so that all of your ingredients can easily dissolve into your spray bottle, make sure the distilled water is warm and that you warm up the honey too. Once everything is mixed together, shake the bottle and it will be ready for use. Just make sure to shake before each use so that the gel and sugar do not settle at the bottom of the bottle.

Olive Oil Shine Spray

If you’re looking for the kind of oil that will “feed your scalp” as it increases blood flow to your hair follicles, olive oil is exactly what you’re looking for. Thanks to all of the antioxidants that it contains, it’s also an oil that works to prevent hair damage at the cellular level while nourishing your hair strands. Sweet almond oil is a great ingredient if you’re looking to add more shine to your hair because its Vitamin E content provides hair with a natural glistening effect as the vitamins B1 and B6 will strengthen your hair’s cuticles.

½ cup of distilled water

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of Aloe vera gel

1 tablespoon of sweet almond oil

After mixing everything together, store in a dry place. Also, if you want to “downplay” the mild scent of olive oil, add a few drops of your favorite smelling essential oil. Store in a cool dry place.

Witch Hazel Hair Smoothing Mist

We’re huge fans of rosewater at Naturally Curly (check out “4 Ways to Use Rose Water for Damaged Hair””>. One of the reasons why is because it’s able to maintain your hair’s natural porosity levels which can make your strands appear soft and smooth. Witch hazel helps to increase blood circulation to your scalp while reducing hair shedding and breakage. Jamaican black castor oil nourishes your hair follicles as it coats, moisturizes and thickens your hair strands. As far as vanilla essential oil goes, not only does it smell sweet and delightful, it also helps to seal your ends so that you can avoid having split ones.

½ cup of rosewater

2 tablespoons of non-alcohol witch hazel

1 teaspoon of Aloe vera juice

1 teaspoon of Jamaican black castor oil

3-5 drops of vanilla oil

The main thing to remember here is to make sure that you use the kind of witch hazel that doesn’t have any alcohol in it. Alcohol dries hair out and can lead to brittleness and breakage over time. Once this mist is made, store in a cool dry place.

Rosemary Hair Growth Spray

By far, one of my favorite oils for my hair is rosemary. It’s an “herb oil” that has an impressive reputation when it comes to reducing scalp inflammation, increasing blood circulation to the scalp and even promoting nerve growth. A few other things that rosemary oil does is fight dandruff, relieve an itchy scalp and even help to stop premature greying in its tracks. The many antioxidants in Vitamin C fights off free radicals and builds the collagen needed to reduce hair breakage. Since a lack of iron is one of the main culprits in hindering hair growth (especially in Black women”>, you can see why it is a part of the recipe. And finally, Vitamin E not only assists with preventing tissue corrosion, but it aids in building the tissue that’s required for healthy hair too.

½ cup of distilled water

10 drops of rosemary essential oil

1 teaspoon of Mango & Lime rosemary essential oil

½ teaspoon of liquid Vitamin C

½ teaspoon of liquid iron

2 Vitamin E capsules

You will get the most out of this particular hairspray if you use it to lock in moisture on your wash day (after you shampoo and condition it”> and then refresh your hair every 2-3 days. That way, it will remain soft without becoming greasy and your curls can be shiny, bouncy and super soft to the touch.

Enjoy!

By Shellie Reneé · Updated May 1, 2020

Image Source: @theesperanzamaria

Here’s something that just might blow your mind. Did you know that, by 2021, we are projected to spend close to $1.5 trillion dollars on natural hair care? While that’s great when it comes to supporting CEOS in the Black hair care community, it can be a bit of a sobering thought when you bring that reality closer to home. What I mean by that is, just think about it. If you spend $125 each salon visit, and you go to the salon once a month, you are easily spending $1,500 on an annual basis. That’s not chump change. Not by a long shot.

If you go to a professional to do things that you can’t on your own (like give your hair a thorough cut and color”>, to pamper yourself or both, I am in full support of that. Stylists are professionals (and licensed”> for a reason. But if you are blowing your budget by going all of the time, simply because you feel like it would be a full-on disaster to attempt to do certain things from the comfort, convenience and more inexpensive rooms of your own home, I’ve got a few hacks that very well could help to boost your confidence in that area.

1. Use bobby pins and hairspray—differently.

For so many reasons and, in so many ways, bobby pins can be our saving grace. They are inexpensive. They come in different hues which makes them virtually invisible. And, when used correctly, they are so comfortable that we barely even notice that they are in our hair. When it comes to that last point, if you want to put your hair up into a style with complete confidence that it will remain that way, flip your bobby pins over. What I mean by that is, most of us put bobby pins into our hair so that the “wavy side” faces upward. But actually, if you want them to have more of a tighter grip, the wavy side needs to face your scalp. Also, if you are looking for even more security back-up, make sure to spray your pins with hairspray before putting them into your hair; that will hold your ‘do even more. Speaking of bobby pins, three other hacks to keep in mind is 1″> you can secure your free-flowing braids so that they don’t unravel by inserting a bobby pin into the bottom of each one; 2″> if you position 2-4 bobby pins into your ponytail holder and then use your hair to cover them up, that will make your ponytail stand taller on its own, and 3″> if you’ve just used a curling iron, by “rolling your curls up” into a bobby pin for a couple of minutes (so that your hair can cool off”>, that will help your curls to last so much longer.

2. Alternate with some hand lotion.

If you just love the conditioner that your stylist uses but you also know that the price tag on it is higher than you’d like to pay, a money-saving hack is to go with some hand lotion that you already have in your house. Quiet as its kept, hand lotion and hair conditioner are basically “hair first cousins” because they tend to share many of the same ingredients. Just make sure, should you decide to go this route, that you add a few drops of avocado, sweet almond or jojoba oil to your lotion bottle. The reason why is because some lotions contain alcohol which could dry your hair out over time. (Or, you can always make your own super-hydrating lotion. If you’d like to do that instead, there’s a great recipe here.”>

3. Go with more than one styling tool.

Back when I used to go to a professional stylist on a consistent basis, it was rare that I didn’t see her use at least half a dozen different styling tools on my hair. That’s because different ones are able to accomplish different things. That said, if you don’t get anything else out of these hair hacks, please retain this particular point. When it comes to fabulous styling results, using one brush and one comb aren’t going to cut it. Please invest in a variety of styling tools. Articles like “12 Time-Saving Tools If You Have Curly Hair” and “17 Must-have Styling Tools For Natural Hair Success!” can help to get you started on which ones to invest in.

4. Thicken your tresses with gelatin.

Do you want your curls to have more volume? Something that can definitely help is to add some gelatin to your shampoo. Since it’s the kind of product that is derived from collagen (that also contains amino acids”>, it has a great way to make your hair appear thicker than it might naturally be. Speaking of making your hair look fuller, another quick trick is to part your hair on the opposite side that you normally do. With time, we are able to train our hair. So, when we keep parting it the same way, that can make our hair appear limper than we’d like it to. Going the opposite direction sometimes can add a bit of “umph”.

5. Put essential oils on your combs and brushes.

Have you been looking for a way to make your hair smell unbelievably good in between salon appointments? No problem. Simply spray some of your favorite perfume or cologne onto your hairbrush or comb every morning before styling your hair. Personally, I think that essential oils are the better route to go, though. They (typically”> don’t have alcohol in them, they’ve got loads of health benefits and, to me, oils tend to last much longer (scent-wise”> too.

6. Cleanse with distilled water.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that can make a really big difference. Don’t think that your stylist doesn’t take into consideration the fact that hard water can wreak pure havoc on your hair. In fact, that might be a part of the reason why you find yourself wondering why your hair feels different when you’re at the salon vs. when you choose to wash and condition it at home. Something that can make at-home hair care better for you is to wash your locks with distilled water. Because it is the kind of water that has all of the impurities taken out of it, distilled water can actually soften your hair shaft so that it looks and feels healthier and more manageable.

7. Get at-home maintenance tips from your stylist.

A good and reputable stylist is going to help you to maintain your hair, even in between visits. If, for whatever the reason, you are unable to see yours on a regular basis, do not hesitate to give them a call so that you can get tips on how you can properly care for your locks while you’re at home. If you’ve been seeing them consistently, they know enough about your hair’s porosity, texture and even your personality to be able to offer up customized hacks that will keep your hair thriving—until you can get back to sitting in their salon chair.

Have any tips of your own? Share them with us in the comments!

By Shellie Reneé · Published April 29, 2020

 Image: @skmuse_

If there’s one thing that I’ve noticed during this coronavirus quarantine, is that it has “inspired” many women to do to either go completely natural or to do the big chop. As someone who is currently natural and also wore my hair super short for many years, I think that both transformations are dope. At the same time, I also know that sometimes when things seem to feel a bit out of control, it’s easy to make impulsive decisions in order to feel like you’ve got a hold of at least a few things.

For the record, it has nothing to do with being natural. There are so many articles that point to the fact that, if nothing else, keeping chemicals out of your hair is healthier for you (especially if you’re a Black woman”>. No, what I’m talking about is taking shears to your head to cut off all of those inches that you worked so long and hard for. Listen, if you’ve been wanting to go with a shorter ‘do, even before this pandemic, then do you, girl. But if you’re stressed out or worried that it might be for-e-ver before you see your stylist again, before you pull out some scissors or a pair of clippers, please make sure that you pause and ask yourself the following questions just so you can be sure that the big chop is what’s best for you. Right now.

Again, is this an emotional or well thought-out decision?

There are all sorts of articles that warn us to never make choices that are solely based on emotion. For one thing, emotions are subject to change, sometimes, on a whim. And, based on whatever feeling we have at the time, it can result in us regretting our decisions up, later up the road. For instance, a post I once checked out said that being anxious can cloud your judgment, being sad can cause you to settle and being angry to result in you taking (unrealistic”> long shots. Hair is just hair. It’ll grow back. But based on genetics and how well you do (or don’t”> care for your locks, that can determine how long it will take to get your inches back. So yeah, before any of these other questions, it’s really important that you ask yourself if the pandemic and quarantine have you wanting to cut your hair because of how emotional you might be, or if you’re actually doing so after giving it all some real thought.

Where are all of your scarves and hats?

Except when I make a run to the grocery store, I’m in the house all day. I live alone so, who the heck is gonna see my hair?! Now, my locks are natural, so if yours is relaxed or if it has dye in it, I get why this time apart from your stylist might be freaking you out a bit. But still, even if the quarantine feels like it’s going to last forever, this too shall pass. That said, are you sure that you just don’t want to deep condition your hair and either let it do its thing or put it up in a scarf and/or hat (when you go out”>? If you’re worried that not touching up the roots could lead to breakage, our article “10 Tips for Transitioning to Natural Hair” can help you to take care of your natural hair while you’re waiting for your hair to be chemically-treated again. In the meantime, all of those cover-ups that you’ve got, why put them to use when they can keep you looking just as fly as your stylist does?

What about wigs?

Whether you’ve got a full collection of wigs or you’ve been on the fence about whether or not to get your first one, another option is to wear a wig. They’re fun. They’re versatile. And, if you properly prep your hair before putting one on, they are a really stylish way to keep you from cutting your hair until you are sure that you’re ready. But again, the key is to make sure that you don’t LIVE constantly in your wig (your scalp and hair definitely need time to breathe”> and that you properly care for the hair that’s underneath them. Click here, here and here for tips on how to do just that.

Are you ready to let go of the easy ponytail?

I’ve got a girlfriend who cut off all of her hair a couple of years ago. We’ve been close for well over a decade and, to this day, that short ‘do is the dopest one I’ve ever seen on her. But last year, she decided to grow her hair back out, mostly because she missed the ease and convenience that comes with simply putting her hair up in a ponytail. There is some real validity to that point. If your hair is currently long enough to put up, you do know that big chopping means that you have to kiss that ability goodbye…right? Are you ready to do that? I ask because my friend and I both can personally vouch for the fact that the growing out period (when it’s too long to be super stylish and too short to put up into anything”> ain’t nothin’ nice.

Are you prepared for the maintenance that comes with shorter hair?

I taught myself how to cut my own hair while I was in college. I think that God gave me a gift to style hair and I’m grateful, but let me just say that, even with the natural ability, cutting hair (especially your own hair”> is not the easiest thing on the planet to do. Also, unless you want to rock a baldie or buzz cut, it can be hard to even create an even fade or to keep the nape of your neck on point (again, especially if you’re doing your own hair”>. These are realities that you have to face if you are considering cutting off all of your hair because it’s interesting—when your hair is on the longer side, it can sometimes feel like it’s taking years for it to grow out. But when your hair is short? You can literally feel like you need to do some form of upkeep on a weekly basis. I’m not kidding. Shorter hair is low-maintenance in between trims, but trims are required a heck of a lot more often. Definitely something to always keep in the forefront of your mind.

Do you have what you need in order to maintain a short ‘do?

Whether you’re planning to go short and relax your hair, texturize your tresses or be completely natural, different hair textures oftentimes call for totally different kinds of styling products. Hey, there’s no point in having short hair if it looks a crazy mess, simply because you had no idea what you needed to put in it. So, take a moment to ask yourself—do you?

Did you run this by your stylist (in order to get a second opinion”> first?

If you do see your stylist on a regular basis, I promise you that you can’t go wrong with running by them what you are thinking. If yours is anything like the one I used to have, they will be super forthcoming on if it’s a good idea or not to “take it all off”. Because a good stylist is oftentimes a voice of reason, and because they already know your hair and (probably”> how you treat it when you’re at home, they can let you know what length will complement your face structure, if they think you will be able to keep it up in between appointments and anything else that I might’ve inadvertently overlooked in this piece.

Again, I wore really short hair for years and years with absolutely no regret. But before you decide to make such a drastic change, just make sure it’s because you want to and not because quarantining has you all stressed out. The first reason you can feel good about. The second? Well, it could lead to anxiety that’s on a whole ‘nother level, if you’re not careful. Just sayin’.

By Shellie Reneé · Published April 27, 2020

Image: @daria.shevtsosa

I’m pretty sure that, out of all of the ways you’re looking to save a dime or two, your shampoo and conditioner aren’t on the very top of the list. But you know what? I think we all have seasons in our life when, if we can find any way possible to keep an extra couple of bucks in our bank account, we’ll do it. And so, in the spirit of being as thrifty as possible, I’ve got a few money-saving shampoo and conditioner hacks that I want to share with you. By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll probably be wondering why you never thought about going this route before! Especially since each tip is super easy and loaded with old-fashioned common sense. You ready?

Transfer product to a pump dispenser.

Is it just me, or does it seem like when your hair is soaking wet, your eyes are closed and you reach over for your bottle of shampoo or conditioner that sometimes at least three times the amount of what you wanted to come out spills all over your hands and into the sink? One way to prevent this from happening is to transfer your shampoo and conditioner to containers that come with a pump. That way, you can control just how much you want to use at a time without wasting any product in the process.

Thin your shampoo out.

Shampoo tends to be pretty concentrated. Something that you can do in order to thin yours out so that it can last a bit longer, is to pull out a clean empty bottle. Then, add two ounces of shampoo per every one teaspoon of baking soda. If you pour five ounces of water to that and then shake well—voila! You’ll have a thinned-out version of your shampoo that is just as effective.

DIY your shampoo and conditioner.

I’m thinking that a pretty obvious way to save money on shampoo and condition is to make some of your own. It’s really not that hard to do. For this particular point, I think the best way to probably break it all down is to point you into the direction of a few YouTubers. Naptural85 has a cool African black soap shampoo recipe. Debbie Williams will walk you through how to make a shampoo out of Aloe vera. If you’re looking for a detoxifying shampoo recipe, check out one from JeanetteJBeauty. Selina Zinchuk’s got a shampoo recipe that treats hair loss. Or, if you want to take a stab at making your own shampoo bars, check out DIY natural’s channel for a step-by-step walkthrough. And what about conditioning your hair? Our site totally has you covered on that tip. All you need to do is check out “DIY Homemade Deep Conditioners” and “DIY Homemade Conditioner Recipes”.

Try a shampoo bar.

I guess it’s been about six months since I’ve stopped using shampoo that comes in a bottle. Instead, I’ve been going the shampoo bar route. Not only is it way easier to use but I like how mine lathers up. I also really like how cost-effective shampoo bars are. How much can it save you? Word in the street is that one bar is equal to a 24 oz. bottle of shampoo. Pretty impressive, if you ask me.

Shampoo less often.

Honestly, there is no solid steadfast rule for how often you should wash your hair. It depends on things like how much product you use, if your scalp is super-sensitive and, if you use a shampoo that contains sulfates or not. But if you happen to have natural hair that is a type 3, once a week is good. If you’ve got type 4, every 3-4 weeks is fine, so long as your scalp isn’t irritated. Whatever your hair texture is, unless your hair is extremely oily, there is definitely no need to shampoo on a daily basis. All that does is strip your hair of its natural oils which can ultimately lead to brittleness and breakage. Plus, it can cause you to use up your shampoo a lot quicker than you wanted (or needed”> to. So yeah, when it comes to how much shampoo you use, applying the “less is more” approach is definitely better—for your hair as well as your wallet.

By Shellie Reneé · Published April 7, 2020

Nothing is ever really right unless it has a strong foundation. Well, when it comes to growing a full and healthy head of hair, that foundation would definitely be our scalps. I especially came to this revelation once I decided to stop wearing texturizers (which is basically just a very low-grade relaxer“> and dyeing my hair on a consistent basis. Once that happened, it took about a good six months for my scalp to even get to a place where I could start to focus on length retention. How do I know? Because it was itching, flaking and super dry. Yep. That’s what tends to happen after years of putting chemicals on your hair.

Image Source: @amaka.ae

Now, as I’m in a pretty consistent hair care routine and I’m starting to see some real progress, I get that, before I focus on my locks, I have to tend to my scalp. A few years in, this is what I’ve come to personally realize that my scalp needs in order for it—and my natural hair—to thrive.

1. Exfoliation.

If you naturally have a dry scalp or you are a self-professed product junkie, it can definitely benefit you to exfoliate your scalp before shampooing your hair on wash day. Not only does it keep your scalp’s sebum in balance, it can remove any build-up that could clog up your hair follicles and hinder hair growth too. A really easy way to exfoliate your scalp is to mix a half-cup of brown sugar (it’s a humectant and its granules are a gentle kind of exfoliant”> with three teaspoons of olive oil (its properties help to prevent scalp infections as it increases blood circulation”>. Dampen your hair, apply the exfoliant and gently massage your scalp for 5-7 minutes. Then rinse, shampoo and condition your hair.

2. Detoxification.

Here’s something to seriously think about. Did you know that your scalp absorbs chemicals at a rate that is four times faster than what you might put on your forearms? Our scalps have pores, just like the rest of our skin. On the heels of that, the thing we need to keep in mind is underneath our scalp is our brain, so yeah—it’s super important that we detox our scalp, at least every six weeks or so. A really easy way to do that is to mix a half cup of bentonite clay (it contains properties that unclogs hair follicles that may contain chemicals and metals”> with one-third cup of apple cider vinegar (it is a clarifier and anti-inflammatory vinegar”>. If you also add two tablespoons of Aloe vera gel, its proteolytic enzymes will help to heal any dead skin cells that your scalp might have. Mix everything together and put it on your damp hair and scalp. Let it sit on your head for 30 minutes and then wash with a clarifying scalp. It’s an easy-yet-powerful way to give your scalp the deep cleansing that it needs.

3. An essential oil to increase scalp circulation.

Remember that your scalp is skin, just like the rest of your body. By applying an essential oil (along with a carrier oil”>, not only will that reduce dryness and flakes, it can pamper your hair follicles as well. One of my favorite oils is cedarwood essential oil. Cedarwood oil soothes itchiness, stimulates your scalp and ultimately promotes healthy hair growth. If you combine it with the carrier oil sweet almond oil, the almond oil will relieve dandruff and penetrate your scalp so that it is well-moisturized too.

4. Vitamin B foods.

Something that your scalp can never get enough of is Vitamin B. Long story short, it’s the kind of vitamin that creates red blood cells so that oxygen and proper nutrients can get your hair follicles so that your follicles can remain healthy and strong. Foods that are high in this particular vitamin include whole grains, seeds and nuts, eggs, red meat, poultry, fish, citrus fruits and dark leafy greens. If you eat them consistently, you should notice less scalp irritation and stronger hair within the month.

Read more: 10 All -Natural Scalp Cleansers You Need to Try

5. Some Aloe Vera and geranium oil.

Two things your scalp will absolutely adore is Aloe vera (which I mentioned earlier”> and geranium oil. Aloe vera, because it helps to keep the pH level of your scalp in balance; it contains enzymes that help to break down dead skin cells; it’s got fatty acids to relieve itchy and, it has vitamins A, B, C, E and amino acids in it. Geranium oil because it boosts blood circulation to your scalp while strengthening and restoring your hair in the process. Mix one-third cup of pure Aloe vera gel with 3-5 drops of geranium oil. Part your scalp, apply the mixture and style your hair like usual.

6. A massage.

While on the surface, a scalp massage may seem like a luxury, don’t get it twisted; when it comes to your scalp’s overall health and well-being, it is most definitely a necessity. Scalp massages trigger the production of the “happy hormone” serotonin so that you have less headaches and are less stressed. Scalp massages also relieve muscle tension so that you can sleep better and yes, they are proven to increase hair growth if done on a weekly basis, in part by increasing blood circulation to your scalp and, ultimately, your hair. If you’d like some tips on how to get the most out of a scalp massage, read our articles “How to Give a Scalp Massage” and “The 5-Minute Self-Care Practice Your Hair Needs”. Or, if you are more of a visual learner, you can check out some DIY scalp massage videos here, here and here. It’s one of the most relaxing ways to care for your scalp and your body overall.

Read more here:Your Guide to Natural Oils for Curly Hair, and share any of your tips for a healthy scalp in the comments!