Search Results: Shellie Reneé
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Whew. I don’t know about you, but I’m constantly looking for quick, inexpensive and easy ways to maintain my natural hair without it breaking off in the process. Thankfully, through a bit of trial and error, I’ve actually discovered some hacks that my hair, my schedule and wallet absolutely adore. And you know what? I’m thinking that if you give them a shot, you’ll find that styling your hair can become much easier than it used to be. Ready?
Image Source: @jewejewebee
1. Wash your hair with twists in it.
If one of the reasons why you try to push wash day back as far as possible is because detangling your hair is nothing short of a nightmare, how about sectioning your hair and putting it in twists before you shampoo it? If you do that and then focus on washing your scalp as the suds flow down the rest of your hair, that will definitely keep any tangling and potential matting down to a minimum. Then, once you rinse your twists, before using your fingers or a detangling comb to work through your hair, spray a DIY detangling spray on your locks first. All you need to do is put a cup of water, a tablespoon of Aloe Vera gel, a teaspoon of sweet almond oil and a couple of drops of your favorite essential oil (to make it all smell good”> into a spray bottle and spray your hair. It will make detangling a breeze while adding a bit of extra conditioner to your tresses too.
2. Add oil to your conditioners to get more “slip”.
Speaking of conditioners, if you happen to have one that doesn’t provide you with as much slip as you would like, a simple remedy to that is to add some grapeseed, jojoba or even olive oil to your bottle. 1-2 teaspoons are more than enough. Oh, and if you are currently at the bottom of your conditioner bottle and it’s hard to get the conditioner out, cut through it so that you can use whatever is left. In times like these, every economical hack is needed.
3. “Press” conditioner into curls.
Does it seem like, after conditioning your hair, your strands still don’t feel as soft and moisturized as you’d like them to? That could be because you are conditioning your hair the wrong way. What I mean by that is, since our hair is curly, it’s important that our tresses are covered in conditioner from root to tip. Not only that, but we need to allow the cuticles to be fully penetrated. You can do this by not simply putting conditioner on your hair and letting it sit. Instead, when you apply it, make sure to put a lot of focus on the midshaft of your hair, all the way to the ends. Once it’s on, then gently “press” (or squeeze”> the conditioner into your hair. Then slowly detangle your locks in a downward motion. That way, you can be sure that all of your hair has conditioner on it. Not only that, but this technique can help to smooth down your hair’s cuticles as well.
4. Apply product when your hair is almost dry.
While women with straighter or finer textures can seem to apply product to their hair while it is soaking wet with no problem, that’s not so much the case for us curly-haired girls. Just like it’s best to blow dry our hair once it’s about 60 percent dry (so we can avoid sizzling our mane”>, it’s also a good idea to apply products once our hair is almost dry too. It helps the product to last longer while giving our hair more definition in the process.
5. Try mousse, Aloe vera and/or beeswax on your edges.
Who doesn’t want laid edges? If you are nodding your head in total agreement, a YouTuber who goes by happycurlhappygirl has a video on edge control products that tickled me. Check it out here (we’ve also written some articles on the topic like “How to Lay Your Coily Edges” and “How to Lay Your Edges to Protect Your Hairline””>. As far as hacks go, if you want your edges to last all day with as little dryness and flaking as possible, start by applying mousse or Aloe vera to them; it will condition your edges. Then add a bit of beeswax and finally, your favorite edge control. Then use a spoolie (which you can get at virtually any drugstore”> to create a more natural hairline (definitely more than an old toothbrush would”>. Your baby hairs will be so much softer (and softer looking”> which will result in less breakage. And yes, you’ll get crazy hold for hours and hours as a bonus.
6. Use an old seasoning bottle for your bobby pins and ponytail holders.
I can’t remember where I first heard this hack but it’s a great one. OK, so those seasoning bottles that you have in your kitchen cabinet? When you run out of the contents, soak the bottle (to get the label off”> and then rinse the inside of it out. What you’ll then have is a home for your bobby pins on the inside, plus you can scroll up your ponytail holders on the outside of it. That way, none of either will end up getting lost. Another cool ponytail hack is to put a couple of them on your keychain. You never know when you’re gonna need to pull your hair back. This way, you always can.
7. Use old pantyhose as ponytail holders.
One more. If you can never seem to keep up with your ponytail holders (because you didn’t know about the hack that I just mentioned”> or your hair is so think that you can’t seem to find ones that can hold all of your hair in place, look no further than your old ripped-up pantyhose. The band that is on them are super stretchy and have no threat of snagging your hair. Plus, you can wrap them around your locks as many times as you like. They are some of the cheapest and “safest” ponytail holders around. You’ll absolutely love ‘em, so enjoy!
Have a tip of your own to share? Drop it in the comments!
Image Source:@curlyfro_angie
While you might not feel it just yet, the spring season is just a few weeks away. That means warmer weather, blooming flowers, singing birds—and time to create a hair regimen that will keep your tresses as beautiful as ever. Although there are tons of commercial products on the market that will make your curls—pun intended—spring up, there are also some in-season foods during the springtime that you should stock up on. Foods that are delicious, affordable and have a real knack for keeping hair strong and healthy, right into the summer.
1. Strawberries
It’s kind of crazy that, something so sweet, can actually be really good for you. But such is the case with strawberries. This fruit is one that is super high in antioxidants like Vitamin C as well as potassium, folate and manganese. Fiber and protein are in strawberries too. Health-wise, they are the kind of fruit that regulates your blood sugar levels, protects your heart and provides relief from arthritis-related symptoms. Also, the salicylic acid, alpha hydroxy acid and ellagic acid that’s in strawberries can help to prevent hyperpigmentation in your skin, as its anthocyanins and antioxidant properties will keep free radicals at bay. Although magnesium, omega 3 fatty acids and copper are not in super high amounts in this particular fruit, it’s enough to nourish your hair follicles while Vitamin C removes excess sebum from your scalp that could clog your follicles and hinder healthy hair growth.
How to Use Strawberries: If you want to remove excess build-up from your hair without drying it out in the process, all you need to do is mash up five strawberries with two tablespoons of plain yogurt and a teaspoon of honey. Apply the mask to your hair, right after washing it. Let it penetrate your hair shaft for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse and deep condition your tresses.
2. Chayote Squash
Chayote Squash is the kind of squash that is in peak freshness during the spring. It has protein, fiber, vitamins B6, B9, C and K, as well as copper, zinc, magnesium, fiber and manganese in it (for starters”>. As for overall health benefits go, chayote squash contains antioxidants that reduce body inflammation, folate to keep your pregnancy healthy and nutrients to delay the signs of aging. It’s great for your hair because the combination of the nutrients can delay greying, reduce breakage and strengthen your strands.
How to Use Chayote Squash: Here at Naturally Curly, we’re super fond of squash. So much, in fact, what we wrote an entire feature on winter squash. Check out “Try Winter Squash For Better Length Retention” for a recipe that is equally as interchangeable with chayote squash.
3. Mint
Mint is an herb that is rich in all kinds of nutrients. It contains iron, folate, manganese and Vitamin A, and is able to do everything from improve irritable bowel syndrome and relieve cold symptoms to strengthen your brain function. The reason why you should consider using it on your scalp and hair is because the menthol in mint is great at increasing blood circulation to your hair follicles, plus its antimicrobial and antifungal properties can keep dandruff-causing fungus at bay. Mint is also a great source of carotene and antioxidants; both work together to provide your follicles with the nutrients that they need in order for your hair to stay healthy and strong.
How to Use Mint: Crush 5-10 mint leaves together. Add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and a teaspoon of melted coconut oil. Apply it to your freshly washed scalp. Let it sit for an hour and then rinse thoroughly. It will invigorate your scalp while removing unnecessary fungi and dandruff flakes too.
4. Kiwi
Kiwi might be tiny, but it makes a really big difference. Thanks to vitamins A, C, B6, B12 and E, along with potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium, kiwi has the ability to boost your immune system, regulate your blood pressure, reduce oxidative stress, protect your vision and even help you to sleep soundly. Something else that kiwi has in it is zinc. Our hair needs lots of that in order to prevent dandruff, hair loss and strengthen our tresses. Eating and applying kiwi can only benefit your hair, long-term.
How to Use Kiwi: One way to use kiwi in order to prevent hair premature greying while strengthening your locks in the process is to combine a tablespoon of fresh kiwi pulp with a teaspoon of Vitamin E and a teaspoon of henna. Apply the solution to your hair and scalp. Put on a plastic bag and let it sit for an hour. Then shampoo, condition and style as usual.
5. Mangoes
If there’s one reason to get hype about spring’s return, it’s because mangoes tend to be at their peak of freshness. Not only do they taste amazing, but they are high in vitamins A, B6, C, E as well as fiber, potassium, folate, calcium and zinc. When it comes to this particular fruit’s health benefits, mangoes are able to lower cholesterol, promote eye and gut health, manage diabetes, treat anemia and delay the physical signs of aging. Mangoes are the perfect “hair fruit” because it contains about 83 percent water; that, along with the E and zinc that is in them, makes mangoes a wonderful ingredient for hair conditioners and moisturizers.
How to Use Mangoes: Are you looking for relief from dry brittle hair, we’ve totally got you. Check out our article, “DIY Mango Mask and Butter for Dry Hair” for a recipe that will provide your hair with more moisture than ever.
6. Bee Pollen
When you really stop to think about it, it makes perfect sense that bee pollen would be in season during the spring season since bees are back in abundance during that time of year. Bee pollen is high in protein, amino acids, flavonoids, phosphorus, potassium and selenium. Because of this, it’s able to prevent liver toxicity, strengthen immunity, relieve stress, reduce menopausal symptoms and promote overall healing. Something else that’s awesome about bee pollen is it has L‑Cysteine in it; it’s an amino acid that is full of sulfur which is something that our hair needs in order to grow without breaking. The vitamins A and E that’s in the pollen can keep your hair moisturized too.
How to Use Bee Pollen: If you want an all-natural way to treat hair loss, add a tablespoon of bee pollen to your shampoo. You should see results in as little as a month if you do.
Enjoy these foods—and the spring season that is on its way! And share with us if you try them out as well!
Image: @naptural85
If length retention is one of your current hair goals, you know that means you’ve got to do all that you can in order to avoid hair breakage, right? And what’s the main things that causes it? Poor detangling habits. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to the detangling process, I think my main issue has been thinking that, so long as my wide-tooth comb can get through my hair from roots to ends, that it’s all good. But that’s not entirely true. Even if it doesn’t hurt to detangle your hair or you don’t experience a ton of tangles, you can still be breaking your hair off, simply because you are being too rough. That’s why you might notice that some parts of your head has thinner hair than others (trust me, I’ve been there”>. It very well could be due to breakage; breakage that came from poor detangling methods.
You know what they say—when you know better, you do better. Well, if you know that you could stand to put some when it comes to your own detangling practices, here are some tips that can help you to hold on to your tresses—every little piece of them.
Wash and detangle in sections.
When your hair is on the shorter side, this tip isn’t really all that necessary. But as you start to get some real inches, sectioning off is imperative; especially when it comes to us curly hair girls. Putting your hair in sections on wash day will help to keep your locks from getting all tangled up while detangling it in sections is what will help you to handle your hair with care (especially since it tends to be quite fragile while it is wet”>. If you’re like me, and you tend to be more of a visual learner, you can watch this video to get an idea of how to wash your hair in sections and this video for tips on how to detangle your hair in sections.
Use oil while finger detangling.
I’ll be honest, finger detangling is not something that I have a ton of patience for. Whenever I sigh and then commit to doing it, I usually need to watch a television show or movie to distract me. But the reason why I think that it is a good thing to consider is because it’s like a master class in patience and how to gently handle your tresses. Although, in some ways, hair is extremely strong (well, it is when its healthy”>, it can also be quite fragile too. That’s why, when we’re combing through it, the yanking can result in tearing which ultimately causes breakage. But when we use our fingers, we can feel where the tangles or knots are and apply less pressure to get them out. Something that makes finger detangling even easier is to 1″> put a leave-in conditioner in your hair and 2″> apply a little avocado, grapeseed or jojoba oil to your fingers before your start the detangling process. What this will do is give your hair a “slip” that will make getting the tangles out, pretty much a breeze.
“Dust” off your fairy knots.
While I’m not the person who thinks that everyone should automatically trim their hair every 4-6 weeks (if you take good care of your hair, you can get away with going much longer than that”>, what I will say is a sign that you could use, at least a little dusting, is if you’ve got a ton of fairy knots. Although knots are normally for curly hair—and some of us can tolerate them more than others—too many can also create a tangled up mess (especially if your hair is longer and you don’t braid it up at night”>. So, if while you’re detangling, you feel quite a few knots in your hair, it only takes a sec to cut them (don’t yank them; that can lead to split ends”>. Just make sure you use a sharp pair of shears (dull ones can also tear your hair shaft”> and pay attention to what you’re doing. If you dust your knots properly (which means you are giving them a “cut” that is less than a trim”>, you should barely notice that you did anything at all.
Invest in a great detangling tool.
When it comes to successfully detangling your hair, it’s not just how you do it but what you do it with. Some people love using a Denman brush. Others are fine going with nothing more than a wide-tooth comb. Something that’s been getting a lot of praise lately is the EZ Detangler. So has the Michel Mercier Detangling Brush. Whatever you decide to go with, just be sure to keep in mind that your hair is not supposed to “catch” on your detangling tool. It’s also not supposed to make you apply a lot of pressure. A good detangling tool will slide pretty easily through your hair; especially if you detangle it when it’s wet/damp (which is what you should be doing anyway”>.
DIY a hair butter.
Something that has brought my hair, so much joy, is hair butter. What I really like about hair butter’s texture is, it’s a wonderful way to keep my hair moisturized, both when it’s damp and when its dry. Another cool thing about it is it’s ideal for detangling my tresses because it’s another item that can give my hair some extra slip. As a bonus, I don’t have to spend a mint on commercial brands; I can make my own. If you’ve never made your own hair butter before, a simple ingredient consists of ½ of shea butter, ¼ cup of pure Aloe Vera gel, two teaspoons of sweet almond oil and a half teaspoon of honey. Mix everything together and apply. If you want to venture out and get more sophisticated with your butter blends, you can find some other great hair butter recipes here, here, here, here and here.
Clean your detangling tool after every use.
Sometimes, it’s the most obvious things that need to be mentioned because they are so often ignored. Cleaning your detangling tool after every use is not only hygienic, it’s another way to keep the tangles down. I’m not just talking about removing the hair that might be in your tool; I mean you should actually wash the tool in order to get the grime and residue that might be left from the dirt that was in your hair or the hair product that might be on it. In order for a detangling tool to work effectively, it needs to be as clean as possible, so set aside an extra five minutes to use a gentle shampoo and old toothbrush to cleanse your tool. It’s a simple step that can make a really big difference in making sure your detangling process is as easy, painless and “hair protective” as possible.
Image: @maryamjhampton
For the past year or so, something that I have become a huge fan of is Chebe powder. If you’re not familiar with what that is, basically it’s a powder that is made by the women from the African Republic of Chad. It consists of ingredients like cherry seeds, cloves, lavender crotons, stone scent and reisin tree sap and has a great reputation for increasing hair thickness, retaining moisture and ultimately promoting long locks—get this—especially when it comes to women with type 4 hair (more on that in a sec”>! And when I say, “long locks”, I don’t mean chin-length. I mean, there are many Black women, who are regular users of the powder who have been able to grow their hair, well past their shoulders and beyond (you can check out some YouTubers who have done it here, here and here“>.
So, if you’ve been looking for a way to retain your inches—because remember, our hair is always growing; we get length my reducing shedding and breakage—check out some of my personal-experience reasons why investing in some Chebe powder could be the solution that you’ve been looking for. (By the way, I purchase mine on Etsy but it’s also available on Amazon.”>
It can balance the pH of your scalp.
Since your scalp is the foundation of your hair, it’s important to keep it as healthy as possible. One way to do that is to do all that you can to keep it at the right pH level which is somewhere between 4.5-5.0. When its pH level is off, that can lead to all sorts of problems. For instance, if your scalp is itchy and dry or you notice you’ve got dandruff or eczema patches, chances are, its pH level is somewhere above 7.0. Something that can neutralize a highly alkaline scalp (a scalp that’s between 7.0-14.0″> or keep a healthy one balanced is using Chebe powder. That’s due to the alkaloids that are in it. You can simply apply some of it to freshly washed hair, gently massage your scalp with the powder, let it sit for about 20 minutes and then rinse clean.
It contains potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Something else that’s pretty cool about Chebe powder is it contains anti-inflammatory properties. How can you know for sure that you’re dealing with scalp inflammation? If your scalp is tender, if it’s red or if your scalp seems particularly dry, these are indicators. Something else to keep in mind is if you tend to use a lot of product and you don’t wash it out often (at least on a bi-weekly basis”>, the build-up can also lead to inflammation overtime. The powerful yet soothing ingredients in Chebe powder will wash the build-up away while also healing your scalp so that your hair follicles can remain strong and your hair can grow as a direct result.
It’s one of the best deep conditioner ingredients.
Most of us know that deep conditioning is one of the keys to growing and maintaining long and healthy hair. Well, something that I do to make my hair feel super soft, is I add a tablespoon of Chebe powder to my hair conditioner. I mix the two things together and then apply it, right after shampooing my hair. Then I let it sit for at least four hours (sometimes, I even leave it on overnight”>. That gives the powder time to totally penetrate my hair shaft. After rinsing the conditioner out, it’s amazing, just how soft and strong my hair feels. I honestly haven’t found another deep conditioner that has been able to compare to this particular combo and its benefits yet.
It’s a great way to keep your hair moisturized in between washes.
Are you someone who, after about three days of deep conditioning your hair, it’s back to feeling dry; brittle even? I wouldn’t be shocked in the least if Chebe powder ends that dilemma for you. But, if you feel like your hair needs a little reinforcement in between wash days, especially when it comes to protecting the ends of your hair, applying some homemade Chebe butter is a great solution. I like it because it’s moisturizing without being super greasy. I will give the heads up that sometimes purchasing Chebe butter can be a little on the pricey side. So, if you’d like to keep some money in your pocket and make your own instead, there’s a cool DIY recipe video here.
It’s able to provide length retention results for type 4 hair.
Remember how I mentioned at the beginning that Chebe is great for type 4 hair? As someone with (mostly”> type A hair, that is what makes me such a big endorser of it. While it has been a long time belief that women with hair like mine cannot grow long hair, that actually couldn’t be further from the truth. Every type grows hair. The key is figuring out what helps you to maintain what you are growing and Chebe is able to do that. Since using it, I’ve encountered a lot less breakage. The less breakage there is, the more length retention that occurs and the longer your hair becomes. So yeah—do yourself a favor and treat your hair to a little Chebe powder. I’d be absolutely floored if you don’t become an immediate fan. Just like I am!
Image: @efikzara
The Universe works in some pretty remarkable ways, boy. When I decided in 2019 that 2020 was gonna be the year when I gained more inches than ever, I actually smiled to myself when a YouTuber by the name of EfikZara popped up in my suggestions. First of all, this Nigerian naturalista is absolutely stunning. Secondly, look at her hair. All of that beautiful, healthy, type 4 hair! Geeze. And third, guess what she heavily attributes to getting her locks that way. Are you ready? It’s hair grease. I’m dead serious. Two of her videos that especially caught my attention was The TRUTH About GREASE + How I Use It to GROW Low Porosity 4c/4b/4a Hair and 5 BIG LIES The Natural Hair Community LIED About GREASE!!. I must admit that both videos brought up some pretty valid points (more on that in a sec”>.
After checking out both videos in their totality and thinking back to when I used hair grease as a child and recalling that it was longer back then than it ever has been using all of these popular commercial natural hair products, I decided to do even more digging around. Low and behold, even more YouTubers were singing grease’s—especially Blue Magic Hair Grease—praises (you can check out a few more here, here, here and here“>. So yeah—rather than telling myself to not give grease (another”> try, simply because that’s what the natural hair commercial community has said to do, I took myself to a beauty supply store, picked up a couple of jars of Blue Magic, and applied them on my following wash day. When I tell you that it was one of the best things that I’ve ever done? Words cannot express. Here’s why.
Hair grease is cheap.
Although I’ve had my moments of buying more natural hair products than I would ever need (or be able to use in one lifetime”>, I’m not the biggest product junkie in the world. The main reason is because, while there are some good hair product lines out here, a lot of them are very much so on the pricey side and a sistah is on a budget. And honestly, that is probably the top selling point for why I was willing to try grease again. Even if you’ve never used Blue Magic before, I’m pretty sure you know what a jar of it looks like; it’s big (12 oz, to be exact”> and mine only cost $3.99. Name me one product that is that size, that’s about to do all that I’m about to talk about, that is that cheap. So yeah, the fact that I don’t have to eat Ramen noodles for a month in order to keep my natural hair looking and feeling amazing is definitely a major selling point.
Image: @limitlessbloom
It seals in moisture.
Something that I had to learn the hard way about my hair is that it is high porosity. This means that although it easily absorbs moisture, it also has the tendency to act like I never put any water on it about a day after applying a conditioner, cream or oil of some sort. Dry hair is one of the main causes of hair breakage. But after watching the videos that I listed and applying the tips, my hair has been able to hold moisture, pretty much from wash day to wash day (which is weekly for me”>. I simply wash my hair, deep condition it, apply the hair grease (as my sealant“> and dry it on low heat (my hair does better when it’s dried and stretched than moisturized on a daily basis”>. You might think that it would make my hair feel greasy, but it actually doesn’t. By the time I wake up the following day, it feels amazingly soft—from root to tip. And, it stays feeling that way for days on end. So, why do some people say that grease dries out your hair? It’s because they apply it once their hair is already dry. The problem with that is, since grease not only keeps moisture from getting out of your hair, but it also prevents any from getting in, you must apply it to wet hair. Otherwise, a brittle greasy mess is exactly what you’ll be dealing with.
It (can”> protect your scalp.
Personally, I don’t use grease to oil my scalp; I use Jamaican Black Castor Oil instead. But I do see why ErikZara is a fan. Sometimes we forget that our scalp is made up of skin, just like the skin that covers up the rest of our body. If you’re someone who suffers from dry scalp, applying a little bit of grease (again, while your hair is damp”> can seal in moisture there too so that you end up with less itchy, scaling and flakes.
It’s a great wash ‘n go ingredient.
One way that I haven’t tried grease, but a lot of naturalistas are big fans of, is using it as the “base” for their wash ‘n gos. Basically, what they do is wash and condition their tresses and then apply the grease before braiding their hair up and allowing it to air dry. It really is something how, once they take their braids apart, not only do they end up with hella definition, but their hair also looks super soft and shiny. Listen, if you don’t want to take a chance on hair grease for any other reason, at least consider it as the prime ingredient to get your wash ‘n gos looking on-point. If you’re worried that it will be hard to get the grease out once you put it in, that’s a fair concern. I use a black soap shampoo bar. Others use castile soap as an alternative to another way to easily remove grease—sulfate shampoo.
It helps to retain length.
I’m telling you—if you look at the ladies in the YouTube video links that I provided, you’ll see that, when it comes to at least considering adding hair grease to your hair care routine, the proof is in the pudding. When your hair is soft and manageable, that means less breakage, less fairy knots, less ripping when you’re combing, brushing and styling your hair. And that ultimately means more length retention.
It’s only been a good month or so since I’ve been using hair grease again. But I must admit that I’ve seen much less shedding, my ends feel much smoother, and I haven’t been losing nearly as much moisture. So yeah, despite how many natural hair care professionals may be rolling their eyes while reading this, I’m gonna stick with what had my long hair as a little girl—good ole’ grease. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Yeah, my point exactly.
This is one of those articles that comes from true trial and error. Just when I had figured out just what my hair needed in order for me to grow out the glorious Afro that I’ve been wanting for quite some time now, I allowed my deep desire for jet black hair to consume me. And so, I picked up a box of hair dye and colored my hair. Have mercy.
Before going deeper into all of this, I think that it would be totally irresponsible to not say that we probably need to consider using henna and more natural alternatives more; not just so that our hair will be able to flourish but so that we can avoid become a statistic when it comes to articles like “Hair Dyes and Straighteners May Raise Breast Cancer Risk for Black Women”. Information like this shouldn’t make us fearful, but it is important to be aware of the risk factors that come with color-treating our hair.
With that said, before getting into how dyeing my hair totally jacked me up recently, I also think I should mention that in my 20s through my mid-30s, it was nothing for me to change my hair color, pretty much on a weekly basis. I also wore it super short back then, so issues like breakage was basically a non-factor. But now that I actually want hair that’s well past my shoulders, I have to be more careful. Admittingly so, this last time that I colored my hair, I wasn’t. This means that—le sigh—I eventually had to cut off about three inches (yep, due to breakage”>, “baby” the hair that is left, and remind myself that if I do decide to go the DIY route again, it’s important that I apply the following steps that I’m about to give you. Not some—ALL. Especially if I am going to dye my hair during the harsh winter season.
Image Source: @naturallycurly of @jessicapettway
1. Consider going darker.
Yeah, I know. I just said that I dyed my hair jet black and, I also said that I experienced breakage. I don’t think it has so much to do with the hue as the facts that 1″> I went with a box brand rather than going the developer route, 2″> I didn’t prep my hair well before coloring it and 3″> I didn’t deep condition as intensely as I should have after the color was applied. With those clarifications out of the way, not only is wintertime a great time of year to go with a darker and richer shade of hair but, because dark colors don’t strip your hair of its natural melanin, that’s another reason why it can be less damaging in the long run. After all, hair dyes that lighten locks tend to have a lot of peroxide in them; peroxide that removes eumelanin pigments and can weaken the hair shaft. So, when you factor in that winter weather tends to already make hair dryer, it can be a “double whammy” to go lighter instead of darker during this time of the year.
2. Don’t use ammonia either way.
Whether you decide to have blue-black hair or you want to be blonde instead, look for a brand that contains no ammonia. While, on one hand, ammonia has the power to deeply penetrate your hair’s cuticle and deposit brilliant color, it can’t do that without damaging your hair in the process. The damage tends to be irreversible too, so it’s better to take out an extra five minutes or so to see if ammonia is listed on the box of ingredients or to ask a sales agent to recommend an ammonia-free brand for you (they exist, so it shouldn’t be a problem”>.
3. Do some extreme conditioning the week before.
In retrospect, I have to admit that my hair was pretty dry before I actually applied any color to it. I was more focused on making sure that it was product-free than deeply conditioned on color day which is totally my bad. Next time that I decide to take the DIY hair dye plunge, I’m going to make sure that the week before, I do an overnight deep conditioning treatment. I tend to do those every couple of months and my hair feels absolutely amazing every time that I do. For me, it consists of a deep conditioner, mixed with some Chebe powder. I apply the mixture to freshly washed hair, put on a plastic bag, put a scarf on over that and go to bed. The next morning, I rinse and style as usual. The way my hair feels when I do that is unbelievable. I’m pretty sure my tresses would’ve handled the hair dye experience better if I had added this step.
4. Wash less/deep condition more.
There are two reasons why it’s a good idea to wash your hair less whenever you’ve got dye in it. For one thing, washing your hair tends to take out a lot of the moisture that was in it; that’s why it’s so critical to 1″> use a sulfate-free shampoo as much as possible and 2″> to deep condition, each and every wash day. Secondly, whenever you shampoo your hair, you open up your hair’s cuticles, making it possible for some of the hair dye’s pigment to come out. Now, I’m not saying that, in order for your hair not to break, you shouldn’t wash your hair from Christmas through Valentine’s Day. I’m simply saying that if, for instance, without dye, you were shampooing on a weekly basis, you might want to go bi-weekly. And whatever you do, do not ever skip deep conditioning (yep, it really can’t be said enough!”>. Between the hair dye and the winter weather elements, your hair needs to be coddled as much as possible. Deep conditioning your hair is one of the most effective ways to do just that.
5. Ease up on the heat.
Winter weather is already gonna zap your hair of moisture. Then hair dye is going to make your hair even more fragile. So, try and not go overboard when it comes to applying heat. This first means to not wash your hair in hot water. No matter how good it might feel on your scalp, hot water has a tendency to zap your hair of its natural oils. Not only that, but it can also dehydrate your scalp and cause frizzing too. That’s why lukewarm water is, by far, the better temperature to use. Also, make sure to apply a thermal heat protectant (spray is fine for thin hair; cream is best for thicker locks”> and to keep your blow dryer on a low/cool setting. As far as your flat iron, daily usage really should be avoided. Remember, your hair isn’t at its strongest once it’s dyed. You’ve got to give it extra TLC if you don’t want dry brittle ends or to ultimately lose length.
6. Ease up on the retouching too.
Whether it’s a light or dark shade, hair dye manipulates your hair cuticles to some extent. That’s my nice way of saying that it’s going to do, at least a little bit of damage. So, please don’t go overboard when it comes to retouching your roots. It really is best to retouch your color no less than every six weeks or so. One way to prevent your color from fading too fast is to wash and condition your hair with a product that is specifically made for color-treated tresses; then follow that up with applying a leave-in conditioner. As far as covering up “rooted greys”, it’s not like people are going to see all of your roots simultaneously. So, a great “work around” is to consider applying either a temporary root cover-up spray or spraying your hair with some colored dry shampoo. You might be shocked by how well both of these actually work.
7. Protect your ends.
If hair color directly affects your length retention, it’s probably happening from the ends breaking off, not your roots. That’s because your ends are the oldest and most vulnerable parts of your hair. That’s why, it can never hurt to trim your ends before coloring your hair and then sealing them with a cream and butter or even hair grease. Oh, and if like me, you like to rock hats during the winter month, make sure they are lined with satin so that your hair, including your ends don’t dry out or “catch” on the fabric.
Listen, nobody said that you still can’t have beautifully colored hair during the wintertime. Just make sure that you take super extra precautions so that while you’re rocking stunning color, you can keep your length in the process. Real talk.
What are your tips for protecting your hair? Share with us in the comments!
Image: @RawPixel
Onion juice. Make no mistake about it—it tastes strange and doesn’t smell all that great. But here’s the thing—taking a chance on it anyway is something that can do wonders for you from the inside out. As far as your health goes, consuming this juice on a regular basis can do everything from lower your cholesterol and regulate your blood sugar to reduce depression-related symptoms and fight a cold.
That’s not it either. What more people are discovering is onion juice is an awesome all-natural beauty concoction as well. As far as your skin goes, the Vitamin C that’s in the juice will help your body to produce collagen which, in turn, helps your skin to be soft, supple and youthful-looking. And your hair? As you’re about to see in just a moment, if you’re looking for something that will feed your hair follicles, trigger hair growth and also help you to maintain length retention, onion juice is able to do all three things—remarkably well.
Why You Should Give Onion Juice a Try
Thanks to all of the vitamins and minerals that are in onions, that’s what makes them so good for our hair as well as our scalp. Some of those nutrients include—Vitamin C, calcium, iron, folic acid, antioxidants and quercetin (which is a flavonoid that contains antioxidants”> as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Another bonus that comes from onions is, since they are anti-fungal food, they are very effective when it comes to keeping dandruff (which comes from a fungus”> at bay.
But perhaps the best ingredient that onions have to boost our hair quality is sulfur. Since our hair is made up mostly of the protein keratin and a lot of what makes up keratin is sulfur, you can see why using onion juice can be a major plus. Although I have personally not tried onion juice on my hair (yet”>, what I have been taking is a sulfur supplement called MSM powder and I can definitely vouch for the fact that it does wonders for hair strength and length retention.
How? Well, basically our hair experiences three different phases. The anagen phase is when our hair actually grows. The catagen phase is when our hair is dormant (it stops growing”>. The telogen phase is when our hair then sheds. Although our bodies naturally produce a certain amount of sulfur, when we take a sulfur supplement or apply onion juice to our hair, that stimulates even more growth and also extends the anagen phase so that we can gain even more hair length (pretty cool, huh?”>.
As I briefly touched on before, another awesome thing about sulfur is its ability to promote the production of collagen in our system. Collagen helps to create healthy skin cells; so, when it comes to our hair, that means healthy hair follicles and even the regrowth of hair in areas where there is thinning and even balding.
How to Apply the Juice
Now that you know why you should give a little bit of onion juice a try, you’re probably wondering how you should apply it. Although different people tend to put their own twist on how to use it (you can check out a couple of videos here and here“>, the gist is this. First, start off with red onion; it contains the most sulfur. Peel it, cut it up and put it into a blender. Then put cheesecloth over a bowl, put the blended onion on top of the cloth and push down on the onion with a spoon so that the juice comes out. You can either apply the juice alone or you can mix it with rice water to get “double the effect” (learn more about that here“>. Either way, most people put the juice into a bottle before applying it. You can go with one that you would color your hair with and run it along your scalp, or apply the juice via a spray bottle.
As far as technique goes, you’ll probably see the most results if you first shampoo your hair and rinse. Then apply the onion juice, put a plastic bag onto your head and let the juice penetrate for 30-60 minutes. Follow that up with shampooing and deep conditioning, as normal, making sure to apply this method every other wash.
So, What About the Smell?
I already know. No matter how intrigued you might be, there is probably a part of you that simply can’t justify dealing with the smell that onions bring. I won’t lie to you—you will have to suck it up and deal with that, but one way to make the stench more tolerable is to apply a few drops of your favorite essential oil (or oils”>. If you’re curious about some that are also really great for the health of your hair, check out “8 Essential Oils That Are Great for Curly Hair”. Either way, don’t worry too much about the smell lingering. Most of the smell goes away after the second round of shampooing and definitely within a couple of hours of applying the juice. Besides, once you see the results after three or so months, something tells me that the few moments of smelling like a raw onion will be well worth it.
Yep. It’s that time of the year again. The time when you won’t be able to open up a magazine or go on a website without seeing a list of things that will be trending in the new year whether it’s fashion, make-up or even food. With all of the talking that we do about hair on a daily basis, we couldn’t let this season go by without sharing a forecast of what will be popular, strictly as it relates to natural hair trends in 2020.
Whether you’re simply curious or next year is the year when you want to totally switch your hair look up, these following styles will definitely make you—pun intended—stand heads above the rest. No doubt about it.
Geometric Curly Cuts
King Solomon once said that there is nothing new underneath the sun, so it’s probably not so much that Vanessa was ahead of her time so much as history is repeating itself (because Grace Jones used to blow minds with hers too”>. Either way, geometric Afros make quite the statement and you’ll be seeing a lot more of ‘em in the months to come. One stylist who comes to mind who is known for creating silhouettes and moving shapes with textured hair is Mona Baltazar, master stylist in NYC who creates bolds and voluminous curly cuts for all textures.
Textured Bangs
Traditionally, the straighter and sleeker bangs are, the better, right? That is so not the case in 2020. Now, it’s all about allowing the natural texture of your curls to shine, right where your bangs are. One look I saw that was particularly cute was a woman who had cornrowed her hair to the front and then let her 4c-type bangs naturally flow. It created a striking touch to her face. Plus, since her hair wasn’t straight, something tells me that she didn’t have to cut a set of bangs in order to create the look. That is definitely a “plus” if you want to wear bangs for a day without losing length in order to get them.
Micro Locs
Micro locs are smaller versions of normally pencil-sized dreadlocks and can be started using a number of methods, including braids, interlocking, and twists. Most women opt for this option versus traditional dreadlocks because they are neater, more versatile, and even easier to maintain, plus give you volume and definition.
Embellished Braids
Whenever I wear box braids, I don’t feel complete unless I’ve wrapped them with some metallic yarn or put some silver cuffs on them. And that’s kind of what “embellished braids” are all about—adding hair jewelry to adorn your already beautiful braids in order to give folks a little more insight into your style and personality. From beads, shells, rings and gold cuffs there’s so many ways to accessorize braids to stand out and professional braider, Susan Oludele, who is the mastermind behind Beyonce’s iconic lemonade braids, keeps us inspired with her intricate braided designs and creative styles to pay homage to our culture.
Buzz Cut
When I think of buzz cuts, two women who immediately come to mind are R&B singers Tamar Braxton and Keyshia Cole. As someone who’s spent many years with a pair of clippers being my hair’s BFF, I can totally vouch for how freeing it is to buzz my hair off and not have to give it a second thought until it’s time to edge it up again. It—no pun intended—shaves minutes off of my morning routine and going to bed with a scarf? Forget about it! So long as you’ve got a bold lip color and a big pair of hoops, you’re all set when it comes to this particular hair trend.
“Wet” Wash ‘n Gos
You might have read this one and thought, “Aren’t wash ‘n gos already wet?” They are, but they don’t remain that way. At some point, the combination of the water and whatever product that you decide to use dries. But with a “wet” wash ‘n go, you actually apply a product to your wash ‘n go that makes your hair look wet (like maybe Super Wet Gel“>, even once it completely dries. It might take a little trial and error to find the right gel or silicone to pull this look off, but I’ve seen a few end results and, I must admit that I personally like it.
Adorned Puffs
Afro puffs are adorable all on their own. But I actually do appreciate the fact that next year, we are being encouraged to “dress them up” a bit. Maybe add some sequins to the actual puffs or tie a brightly colored scarf around each one; just use your creativity in order to make your puffs stand out more and you’ll be all good. (By the way, Bantu knots that are turned into little puffs are going to be a big trend as well.”>
Dip-Dyed Ends
For the most part, dip-dyed ends are just like they sound—it’s all about applying hair dye to the ends of your hair and nowhere else. If you want to experiment with hair color in a more unique way, this is the route that you’re gonna wanna take in 2020. The cool thing about this particular hairstyle is you don’t have to use permanent hair dye; you can go with some hair wax, hair chalk or semi-permanent hair coloring as well. If you’re curious about dip-dyeing but you’re wondering how it would actually look, this video and this video can give you a bit of an idea.
Which look is your favorite? Share with us in the comments!
Personally, I am a fan of making as many of my own hair products as possible. Aside from the fact that it can be so much cheaper to go that route, DIY recipes mean that I am in total control of what I am putting onto my hair and, into my system (since our scalp is able to absorb what we put onto it; sometimes, we forget that”>.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t get the convenience that can come from purchasing already-made hair products. Matter of fact, a line that I semi-recently became aware of—and actually like a lot—is Canvas Beauty. One reason why I’m a fan is it’s a Black-owned company. Another reason is because a lot of the ingredients are natural. Not only that, but you’d be hard pressed to find the kind of things in this line that you shouldn’t have in your hair. You know, things like mineral oil, petroleum, sulfates, parabens, isopropyl alcohol, synthetic foaming agents like Diethanolamine (DEA”> and Triethanolamine (TEA”>, or even a ton of artificial colors.
If you personally are fonder of products than DIY recipes, this article is just for you. So, here’s the thing—if you see a hair product that particularly piques your interest, when you turn it around the skim over the label of ingredients, now that you know what you should avoid, perhaps you are curious about what a product needs to have in it. If so, I’ve got you covered. As you’re reading through all of this, just remember that, the more a beauty product has the following things in it, the better off your hair—and overall health and well-being—will be.
1. Water
Since our bodies are made up of between 60-65 percent water, it would make sense that water needs to be not only an ingredient but hopefully the top ingredient in all of our hair products. Water hydrates. Water moisturizes. Water is also the key component that our hair needs in order to remain healthy, retain length and ultimately thrive. If a product that you’re considering doesn’t list water first, I would pass if I were you.
2. Vitamins
Although the hair that we actually see and style is dead (which is why you can cut it and it doesn’t hurt”>, our hair follicles aren’t. Therefore, they need to be nourished as much as possible. Vitamin A is great for cell growth and renewal. B-vitamins trigger hair growth as they strengthen your strands. Vitamin C contains antioxidants that fight off free radicals. Vitamin D is able to aid in creating new hair follicles. Vitamin E is a wonderful moisturizer and collagen booster. Zinc aids in tissue growth and repair; it can also help to prevent hair loss. Collagen is a protein that can build up your hair strands (since your hair is also a protein; it’s made up of keratin”>. So yes, if you see a product that contains any—or all—of these vitamins, that is a product that is definitely worth investing in.
3. Extracts
Basically, an extract is something that is pulled out from another source. And yes, there are certain extracts that are really good for our hair. Some that you should be on the lookout for include—chamomile (it nourishes your scalp”>; horsetail (it stimulates hair growth”>; marigold (it treats over-processed hair”>; burdock root (it balances out sebum production”>; rosemary (it slows down premature greying”>; Aloe vera (it’s great for moisturizing and adding volume”>; ginseng (it stimulates your hair follicles”>; henna (it softens your locks and helps your hair to keep color without damaging it in the process”>; alma (it softens hair and aids in length retention”>, and nettle (it fights off dandruff”>.
4. Humectants
If you’re always struggling with having dry hair, make sure you get the type of hair products that contain humectants. Humectants are good for you because they are able to pull moisture out of the air and into your hair. As a bonus, humectants are also able to reduce frizzy hair (which is something all of us curly girls want”>. Honey is a humectant. So is vegetable glycerin, coenzyme q10, hydrolyzed collagen, algae extract and mango butter.
5. Certain Oils
Remember how I mentioned that there are two types of oils that you should avoid—mineral oil and petroleum? The reasons why are because mineral oil can lead to scalp irritation and, if used too often, it can actually lead to dryness. As far as petroleum goes, it can clog up your hair follicles. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t some oils that are good for your hair and scalp. Some of those include light and nourishing oils like avocado oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, macadamia oil, argan oil and, if you’re looking for the kind of oil that will really boost your hair growth, a more uncommon oil is baobab oil. (Keep in mind that if a hair product doesn’t have these, you can always purchase the oils separately and then add some of it into the product itself.”>
6. Essential Oils
Essential oils are therapeutic. Essential oils are soothing. Essential oils smell absolutely wonderful. At this point, most of the hair products that I make or own have some jasmine, cinnamon, citrus, patchouli or something in them—if for no other reason than the scents alone. So yeah, if you see on the back of a label that there are some essential oils listed in the ingredients, that is a “perk” that you should definitely take advantage of. If you’re wondering which oils are the most beneficial for your hair and scalp, no worries. Several months back, I penned a piece on that very topic—” 8 Essential Oils That Are Great for Curly Hair”.
Now that you know what is a label ally and what is a label “enemy”, hopefully, you feel more confident about what product to pick up and what to leave on the shelf. Bottom line, if the things I just shared are there, you’re in pretty good hands. Shop on.
What are some other ingredients you like to look for in your products? Share with us in the comments below!
If you’re someone who happens to prefer wash ‘n goes over the more traditional protective styles like braids and twists, I absolutely support that. Aside from the fact that there are super-convenient, just like an article that we published on the site a few years ago states, wash ‘n go hairstyles also offer low manipulation, can improve the strength of your hair and, the gel that you use to set your wash ‘n go can oftentimes serve as a protective cast for your hair. Yep. Wash ‘n go looks are awesome.
The challenge comes in when you want to wear this look but it’s thirty degrees outside. If your grandma saying to you that wet hair will cause you to catch a cold ends up repeating itself in your mind enough, you might talk yourself out of it. First of all, that is a myth; colds are caused by viruses not moisture or cold air. And secondly, while it’s not the best idea to go outside with dripping wet hair (if for no other reasons, it could “freeze” your hair or mess up your clothes”>, you can actually rock a wash ‘n go all year round. The key to pulling it off during the winter season is to apply the following tips.
Image Source: @tierechristyan
1. Wash and clarify your tresses the day before.
One of the best things about rocking a wash ‘n go hairstyle is it has the ability to bring out the best in your natural hair texture without you having to do a ton of work to make it happen. But in order for your curls to look their absolute best, it’s important that you shampoo your hair with a non-sulfate brand (sulfates dry out your hair and that can lead to frizz and breakage”> and to also clarify your locks so that all build-up is removed. In order to achieve an optimal wash ‘n go look, I’d recommend clarifying your tresses with some bentonite clay and apple cider vinegar. I’ve done this a few times and, not only does it make my hair really soft, it also defines my curls in a way that few products have been able to (so far”>. If you’ve never tried this mixture before, you can watch an easy video tutorial here.
2. Deep condition your hair the day before too.
If you’re someone who likes to use a considerable amount of gel in order to make your wash ‘n go curls pop, it’s important that you follow up washing and clarifying your hair with a deep conditioner. Not only will it keep your hair feeling really soft and healthy once your wash ‘n go dries, it will also protect your hair if you happen to use a gel that has an alcohol in it (more on that in a bit”>. If you’d prefer to DIY your deep conditioner, this video will show you how to make a recipe out of yogurt, honey, apple cider vinegar and olive oil. If you’d prefer to go with a few favorite products, our article “Top 18 Deep Conditioners of 2018 for Naturally Curly Hair” features some pretty good recommendations. Whatever you do, just make sure that you leave the conditioner on for no less than 15 minutes; that way, you’ll be able to get all of the benefits that deep conditioning provides.
3. Apply a leave-in conditioner.
There are all kinds of reasons why leave-in conditioners are a great addition to naturally curly hair. They can provide extra moisture. They can create the kind of hair that is a lot more manageable. They can help to prevent knots and tangles. They can make hair feel soft, in spite of what products may be on your hair. They even have the ability to add sheen to color-treated hair. That’s why, I also recommend that you put a leave-in conditioner on your hair, even after deep conditioning it. If you worry that it will be overkill, don’t. So long as you’ve done a protein treatment within the past 6-8 weeks, your hair should be just fine.
4. Use a curl defining product.
Now that you’ve finished prepping your hair for a wash ‘n go, the next thing that you need to do is apply a product that will add extra curl and definition to it—something like a curling cream or curling custard. Many people like Eco Styler gel; for me, it results in a bit too much flaking for my personal liking. Still, whatever you go with, again, make sure it has as little alcohol—and residue—as possible. Once you run the gel through your hair—and maybe add a bit more water for definition and some sweet almond oil or avocado oil for sheen—you should be good to go. Well, after following the last tip which I’ll get to after sharing just one more suggestion.
5. Spray—don’t drench—your hair with water the following day.
If you still want to stick with what grandma told you, then all of the tips that I’ve shared so far should happen the day before you plan on heading out. If that’s the case, it’s important that you tie your hair up with a satin cap or scarf so that your hair has a greater chance of maintaining its definition. Then, the next morning, put some water and maybe a little grapeseed or jojoba oil (along with an essential oil in order to make your hair smell good”> into a spritz bottle and spritz your hair. It will “wake up” your curls without causing your hair to become soak and wet.
6. Wait about an hour before heading out.
I’ve gone out with my hair damp, even in the wintertime, enough to know that it’s not gonna kill you; not even close. But, when it is extra chilly outside, it can never hurt to wait about an hour before going outdoors. That will give the pores on your scalp a little bit of time to close. Plus, it will keep the coolness of the air from making your curls feel crunchy (if you need to speed up the drying process, you can always get under a hooded dryer and diffuse for 20 minutes or so”>.
If you follow these steps to a “t”, you should end up with the kind of wash ‘n go that you will love and onlookers will envy—all winter long!
What are your tips for wash `n gos in colder weather? Share them with us in the comments!
I don’t know about you but, hands down, one of my absolute favorite things about the fall season is all of the cool accessories that I’m able to wear, especially my hats. Brims. Golf caps. Wool beanies. Believe me, I’ve got quite the collection.
Image: @StyleFeen
But I must admit that, in times past, sometimes I didn’t make the direct correlation between my autumn-themed hat wear and my dry hair and split ends. That’s because it wasn’t until I decided to get really serious about length-retention, that I noticed something. Without “prepping my hair” for all of the different things that I was putting on top of it, although I would look cute, my locks would also end up getting pretty damaged in the process. Geeze. No wonder I’d need a major trim come spring.
If you adore hats during this time of year, just about as much as I do, here are some ways to keep your own tresses in great condition while you’re out here being all stylish and beautiful.
Line your hats with satin.
I’ve got some hats that, even I must say, couldn’t be more dope. A lot of them, I actually found either at a thrift store or an antique mall. The problem with several of them is they have no lining though. Not only does that mean that they aren’t the most sanitary hats on the planet, but they are the perfect storm when it comes to drying out my hair and putting unnecessary tension around the band part of them. If when you look inside of your own hats, you notice that there is no satin in them, don’t assume that means they need to remain tucked away in their boxes. Simply set aside a couple of hours one weekend so that you can line them. That way, your hair will remain cleaner, retain moisture and experience less friction whenever your hats are on. If you’d like some tips on how to line your hats like a pro, click here and2 for some step-by-step instructions.
Put your hair in a protective style underneath.
Let’s be honest. Something that is so awesome about hats is we can take the “Hmm, what’s that?” approach to bad hair days. When our locks don’t seem to want to act right—especially during high humid days that happen due to inclement weather—all we’ve got to do is put our hair in a protective style, throw on a hat and call it a day. That style can be braids, twists or even a wig if you want to be “doubly protected”. Whatever it is, the outcome will result in less manipulation of your hair and, less hair that will feel the tension that can sometimes come with wearing a hat.
Keep your ends sealed.
Whether your hats are satin-lined or not, you still run the chance of some part of the hat that isn’t lined running up against your hair. Between the roughness of materials like wool and then your hair also rubbing against your sweaters, blazers, and coats, these things could “rub the dryness” right on out of your hair’s ends should you put a hat on top of long hair or a blowout. One way to protect your ends from drying out is to seal them. For the best results first, do it on your wash days. Then “back that up” by applying a little sweet almond, grapeseed, jojoba or even shea butter on your ends at night and/or the days when you plan on putting a hat on. It’s a great way to “weather-proof” your ends all fall and winter long. (Check out a video on how to seal on wash days by clicking here.”>
Keep your ends trimmed too.
One of the biggest problems I’ve had with my fall hats is trying to take them off without snagging my hair on the fabric they’re made out of. Snagging isn’t good because that’s something else that could cause breakage over time. You know what else? Snagging can also be a bit of a red flag that your ends either have fairy knots or that it’s time for a trim. So yeah, if it’s been three months or more since you’ve trimmed your hair, either schedule an appointment with a professional stylist, or at least dust your ends at home. Not only will your hair remain healthier that way, but it will also be easier to put your hats on, move them around and take them off once you’re ready as well.
Don’t always position your hats in the same way.
One of my favorite fall hats, last year, after wearing it for a week or so, I started to notice a little bit of breakage around the sides of my forehead. When I retraced my steps, I realized that it was 1″> because my hat was wool (and not lined”> and 2″> I had been tilting my brim the exact same way. Between the pressure of the positioning and then scratching my scalp on top of the hat, the wear and tear on my hairline was starting to take its toll. This is just one more reason why lining your hats are so important. This is also a reminder to not always wear your hats the same way; especially if you’re planning to wear a few of them back-to-back.
Don’t wear them all of the time.
“Too much of a good thing” can apply to just about anything in life—including your amazing hat collection. So, no matter how much you may adore your cashmere cloche, your felt beret or your wool fedora, just make sure that it’s not an all day, every single day, part of your style routine. Just like positioning your hat the same way can put too much pressure on your hair over time, so you can constantly wearing your hair under them.
No doubt about it—hats are a great accessory, especially during the cooler months. But there are other accessories that you can—and should—try too. Ones that will be gentler on your hair so that come spring, you’ve got a little more length to show off. Enjoy your hats, yes, but don’t forget to throw some other things into the mix too. Your hair—and outfits—will thank you!
