Search Results: Stacey Biro

Admittedly, I’m a big fan of the Elucence line. Several of their products are regular staples in my wash day routine. When my hairdresser recommended volumizing foam for my fine, high-porosity curls, I decided to try Elucence Volume Designing Foam. It is a combination styling mousse, and setting foam, with a light, peachy scent. The consistency is thick enough to cling to individual hairs, yet it is light enough to not weigh down curls and waves.

When trialing the product, I opted to use it in two different ways:

• As a replacement for gel on freshly washed hair.
• As a refresher on dry hair that was misted with water.

Trial 1

• I washed my hair with Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo, and then rinsed.
• I conditioned and detangled with SheaMoisture Mongongo & Hemp Seed Oils High Porosity Moisture-Seal Masque, and then rinsed.
• I applied Elucence Moisture Benefits Conditioner from the ends to the mid-shafts of my hair, and then massaged it in section by section. I checked for any remaining tangles with my fingers.
• I flipped my head over and applied several pumps of foam all over my head, and worked it into the ends.
• Using a Denman brush, I combed through my hair, being careful to not disturb any curl clumps after they formed. I also created a side part, allowing my hair to fall in the direction it prefers.
• Using a microfiber towel, I lightly squeezed excess water from each curl clump by putting the towel underneath it, and scrunching it towards my scalp. I also scrunched my roots.

The curl clumps stayed together beautifully as my hair dried. I noticed that my hair dried faster than it usually does. There was no crunch to scrunch my way out of. I was able to easily style my hair by flipping my head over and lightly picking out the roots. I had loads of volume that lasted me throughout the day. The product had just enough hold to keep my curls intact, but it did not dry them out or weigh them down.

Trial 2

• I took my day two hair out of its pineapple. It was dry and frizzy, and most of the curl definition was lost.
• I lightly misted it with water, focusing on the driest and frizziest sections.
• I flipped my head over and applied several pumps of foam all over my head, starting at the nape of my neck.
• I massaged the product into the ends of my hair.
• Using my fingers, I lightly detangled my hair where it was possible to do so. Since I cannot usually remove small knots without a comb, I left them alone.
• I scrunched all my hair one section at a time. I twisted and shingled any straighter pieces of hair.
• I allowed my hair to air dry. This took about 45 minutes.
• I flipped my head over and lightly picked out my roots.

When my hair dried, it had loads of volume and curl definition. My hair still felt soft, and it was not dry or frizzy. The product is a perfect choice to use as a refresher.

What is your favorite mousse or volumizing foam? Let us know in the comments. Read this article to learn more about mousse.

Menopause, and the years following it, can impact hair health in numerous ways. Many women find their hair to be finer and thinner as a result of menopause-related hormonal fluctuations (estrogen levels drop, while androgen levels increase”>. Hair is kept in the growing phase by estrogen. Androgens are male hormones, and when they increase, they can cause thinning in women that is akin to the beginning stages of male-pattern baldness.

Additionally, hair volume decreases, and the frontal hairline recedes slightly. Individual hairs have less volume, and they generally don’t grow to the length they once did. Also, if your majestic silver strands are coming in, you may find they are more porous than other hairs and tend to break easily. If you have experienced hair changes due to menopause, and you want to grow longer, stronger tresses, follow these steps.

• Schedule a checkup. Not all hair changes in our forties, fifties and beyond are due to hormonal shifts. Sometimes other conditions like adrenal imbalances, hypothyroidism, or vitamin deficiencies are to blame.
• Examine your diet. At any age, a healthy diet has a direct impact on the health of your hair. Eat quality protein, and foods rich in omega 3s, vitamins C, A, and E, iron, zinc, selenium, and biotin. Use a cronometer to ensure you are getting what you need.
• Increase the circulation to your scalp. From aerobics to yoga, to alternative treatments like acupuncture, massage and laser therapy, there are many ways to get the blood flowing to your scalp, and thus nourish your precious roots. Just be sure to follow whatever protocol you choose several times a week.
• Consider your cut. We’re often led to believe that crown volume is what makes hair look its best. To achieve this on thinner hair, most stylists resort to highly layered cuts, stacked bobs, or pixies. While these cuts look great initially, growing them out can be difficult, as ends can look straggly and even see-through. A better cut for thinner hair is predominately one length with a few well-placed layers. While we’ve all been taught to fear the triangle (i.e., all the volume is at the bottom of the hair shaft”>, curly hair that is properly cared for can look great at any length.
• Perfect your curly hair routine. Many of the things that curlies are already doing can help with hair health, including using sulfate-, silicone-, and paraben-free products, keeping hair well-hydrated, avoiding heat and harsh styling methods, and protecting hair from damage while sleeping by using a satin bonnet or pillowcase. There are a few additions to this to help aging hair thrive. They include: rinsing with rice water, adding regular protein treatments, and exfoliating your scalp.
• Ditch the dye. Both peroxide-based dye and bleach can wreak havoc on your curl pattern and cause damaged ends to break. Menopause is the perfect time to embrace your natural hair color. If you want to change it up from time to time, use hair extensions, wigs, and temporary hair color.
• Get trims as needed, not every four to six weeks. Healthy, well-maintained hair does not generally need trimming on a predetermined schedule. Instead, trim your hair when the ends start to become dry or fuzzy. When you do, ask the stylist to dust the ends. This will ensure that you won’t lose excess length.

Have you grown out your hair after menopause? Share your tips for others in the comments. Check out this article to learn about other rinses for healthy hair.

From highlights to ombres, neons to pastels, and every hue in between, color can turn our hair into our best accessory. Unfortunately, it can also relax our curl pattern, particularly when bleach is involved. This lightening step is generally the prerequisite for those bold fashion colors that are all over Instagram right now. While temporary color has been around for ages in many forms, it is often messy at best, and often too subtle to be worth the effort on hair that has not been pre-lightened. That is why I was intrigued by Mofajang Hair Color Wax, a product that promised to deliver intense color in an easy-to-use, water-soluble form. I decided to try it out, and judge it on the following variables:

• First impressions
• Ease of application
• Messiness
• Color quality
• Curl impact
• Ease of removal

Mofajang Hair Color Wax comes in six colors: purple, silver, white, gold, red, blue, and green. I chose purple. Upon opening the jar, I was surprised at the vibrancy of the color, which is a deep, bright purple. The scent is clean and slightly earthy. The texture is less like wax, and more like a thin putty.

For my trial, I started with freshly washed and conditioned hair that was about 80 percent dry. I just used my fingertips at first to paint random curls. Wanting more color, I scrunched the product into the sections of hair that framed my face. I immediately knew this was a mistake as some of my curls became stretched and lost their definition. I rinsed those sections of hair, and then allowed them to dry.

For my second attempt at application, I dipped the first two fingers of each hand into the wax, and then pressed individual curls between those fingertips (kind of like a pared-down praying hands method”>. I was careful not to disturb any curls. I applied the product to the ends of my hair and to a few face-framing curls, as I planned to pick out the roots of my hair when the product dried. I lightly and carefully blotted excess product with a paper towel.

Overall, the application wasn’t messy. The product was thick enough to prevent streaking. It did not rub off on my clothing, or stain my skin. I was able to wash it off my hands with water alone. I did get a bit on my cell phone, but it was easily removed. Wanting to test whether the product would stay on overnight, I put my purple curls in a pineapple. When I awoke, the color was on my hair and not on my pillowcase as I expected.

The color quality is phenomenal. It’s bright, and deeply pigmented. The more you use, the more it shows up on your hair, allowing you to create subtle highlights or bold all-over color. With some scrunching, I was able to also mute the color to create a wine shade on my brown hair.

Perhaps the most surprising aspect of this product is its curl impact, which is five stars. It helped me retain curl definition throughout the day and overnight. It had the holding power of a pudding or custard and was not sticky or overly stiff when it dried. It did not make my hair frizzy. After three days of my fun purple hair experiment, I rinsed out the product with water, and then co-washed. I was instantly back to brown and considering what color to try next.

Have you tried Mofajang Haircolor Wax? Share your stories in the comments. For the hottest colors of 2018, click here.

Uncle Funky’s Daughter Curly Magic Curl Stimulator is a holy grail for many naturalistas in the know. It’s touted as an all-in-one leave-in and styler that defines curls, and makes them soft and shiny. Most of the product reviews I’ve watched or read come from reviewers with tight curls and coils. Enticed by the promise of one product that does it all, I was curious to see if it would work on my looser curl pattern. Specifically, I hoped it would provide me good hold, without drying my hair out.

Before I try any product, I flip over the bottle to see what it’s made of. Curly Magic is full of ingredients that my high-porosity hair loves, like aloe, marshmallow, chamomile, and nettle. I knew from other reviews that the product has a gel consistency. Even though I’d read that a leave-in was not needed with Curly Magic, I worried that skipping this step would leave my curls parched and frizzy. For my trial, I washed my hair with a gentle shampoo, conditioned and detangled with my favorite masque, applied a leave-in, distributed it with a Denman brush, and then applied Curly Magic. I scrunched with a t-shirt, and my curls were instantly defined, and locked into place. When my hair fully dried, it was in crunchy ringlets. I tried to scrunch out the crunch, but my curls still looked like they were in a gel cast. I instantly regretted using the product with a leave-in.

The next day, I decided to try again. In the shower, I saturated my hair and was happy to see that the product rinsed clean without shampoo. I co-washed, just to add a little moisture to my hair, and then applied more Curly Magic in sections, again using the Denman brush. I scrunched my hair with a t-shirt as I had done the previous day. My curls, while still locking in place, were not crunchy this time. After my hair dried, I flipped my head over and picked out the roots. I had lots of volume and definition. While I was expecting some curl elongation, I did not experience it. I had a bit of shrinkage, but that was largely due to applying the product with the Denman brush. My curls held up all day without falling flat.

Since initially trialing the product, I have used it in various ways, including:

• As a spot-styler for rebellious curls that refuse to clump.
• For providing a boost to the bottom layer of my hair, which is slightly longer than the rest.
• As a gel for the skip curl method.

I recommend it for looser curl patterns, like mine. For all-over styling, it works best as a stand-alone product. If you usually need to use a leave-in conditioner because you have dry or high-porosity hair, it is best to co-wash your hair before styling with Curly Magic.

What is your favorite Uncle Funky’s Daughter product? Let us know in the comments. To read an interview with Renee of Uncle Funky’s Daughter click here.

Nothing will bring on the frizz like a rain shower. Many curlies can predict the weather before the clouds roll in, thanks to an increase in the amount of moisture in the air.

Image by iStock

To understand why those raindrops can ruin your best-tressed day, there are four things to take into consideration:

1. The dew point 2. Hair porosity 3. Products 4. Styling

The dew point is the maximum amount of water in its gaseous form that the air can hold. Beyond this point, rain—helped along by the vertical movement of the wind—will occur. Moist air contains high levels of hydrogen, which hair is extremely sensitive to (as water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen”>. Each strand is comprised of several layers, but it’s the middle layer, which is made up of bundles of keratin protein, that is affected. The keratin bundles are secured by chemical bonds of sulfur or hydrogen atoms. Unlike the sulfur atoms, which are permanent, hydrogen atoms are temporary. Hydrogen atoms give hair its shape by reforming bonds with other hydrogen atoms on nearby keratin protein stands. These bonds hold until hair is wet again (that is why healthy curly hair that has been blown straight re-coils in the shower”>.

Both curly and damaged tresses can be the most susceptible to moisture in the air. They can absorb it like a sponge, causing strands to swell, which leads to frizzy, poofy hair that lacks shine and definition. The more porous your hair (regardless of the cause”>, the more you will need to take precautions to minimize frizz. Follow the tips below to look fabulous even as the rain falls.

Check the Frizz Forecast at NaturallyCurly. Syncing your wash day with a rainy day will allow you to adequately moisturize your hair, sealing it off from hydrogen gases. Not only will the Frizz Forecast help you to predict how easy or difficult it will be to manage your tresses based on the humidity, it also provides you with product-type recommendations.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. If you wake up to rain and frizzy hair, starting fresh with a wash and go (if time allows”> might be your best bet. Avoid clarifying, though. Instead, use a gentle co-wash, or the Condition-Cleanse-Condition method. Rinse, and then apply a rich moisturizing conditioner, thoroughly massaging it into the ends of your hair. After rinsing your hair, apply a leave-in conditioner, and the styler of your choice, or seal your hair with the LOC method. If you’re using gel, skip the scrunch out the crunch step. The humidity will break the gel cast, and you’ll find that your curls stay well-defined.

If you are working with second-day or beyond hair, or want to refresh those parched strands, spritz with a mixture of water and leave-in conditioner, and then scrunch and pin curl your hair back to pre-frizz perfection.

Limit humectants. Humectants such as glycerin, propylene glycol, and others draw moisture from the air and into the hair on humid days. While it is usually not necessary to eliminate them completely, you may find that choosing products where humectants are not listed in the top five ingredients (particularly for your stylers and sealers”> will make a big difference in the amount of frizz you experience.

Choose products with ingredients formulated to stand up to moist air. They can keep you well-coiffed, even under the toughest circumstances. These include: polyquats such as PQ-69, butters, oils, and serums.

Finally, if you get caught in the downpour, or if you just want to get up and go on that rainy morning (sans the wash”>, avoid over-manipulation of your hair. While it may be tempting to try to wrestle unruly curls into their best shape, this often leads to more frizz. A carefree style that embraces a little frizz always looks great. Some rainy-day hairstyles include:

Messy bun. It’s always a classic and can take you from work to workout.

Image by iStock/RantaImages

Curly bun with a headband. When your baby hairs won’t cooperate, or when you curly bangs look like a visor, this is the look you need.

Space buns. Not only are space buns super cute, but when you take them down, you’ll have a gorgeous stretched style that lasts.

Image by iStock/izusek

Ponytail. This is the hot look of the season. Slicked back hair with a full pony is chic and works for the cubicle and the club.

Hat. A hat is an accessory that never goes out of style. It’s especially useful for hair that gets puffy in the rain.

Headband. If you have hair that curls well underneath but tends to frizz around the hairline, a headband is a great tool.

Hair pins. Strategically placed hair pins can help secure unruly locks. You can even use them to create waves where you want them. And if you have frizz in the front with curls underneath, this half up/half down style is perfect.

Image by iStock/VladimirFLoyd

Carefree updo. Rejoice in the rain with this style that flaunts those flyaways.

What is your favorite rainy weather tip? Let us know in the comments. For more information on dew points, click here.

Every month more than 1.6 million people visit Reddit.com to give and receive advice, share opinions, and make connections. It’s a great place to find tips for keeping your curls and coils healthy and beautiful. If you are new to Reddit, you will need to create an account by going to Reddit, and then clicking the “Sign Up” button. After creating a profile and verifying your email address you can then subscribe to natural hair communities such as:

– r/naturalhair – r/curlyhair – r/HaircareScience – r/gonenatural

The following are some of the best kept secrets from these forums.

$$AD$$

Chebe powder from Chad

Chebe powder is used by the Basara Arab women of Chad for longer, stronger hair. This powder contains a mix of ingredients including: African shrub, cherry seeds, tree sap, clove, and other herbs to promote hair health.

To use chebe powder:

Mix the powder with enough conditioner to make a paste.

Coat your hair with the paste, and cover with a plastic cap, if desired. Leave the mixture on for 90 minutes. Rinse out.

For optimum hair health, reapply every three to five days.

The Great Detangler by Taliah Waajid

This product is a find. It can be used as a co-wash or a leave-in, has great slip for detangling and can even be applied as a daily moisturizer. Bonus: you can mix it with olive or coconut oil to lock in the moisture, too! Find it here. $$AD$$

The Anthony Dickey method

Famed hairstylist Anthony Dickey has a method for creating moisturized curls and coils using a co-wash and gel. It can be used by all the hair types but is especially beneficial for women with tighter coils. The method’s claim to fame is that it simplifies the wash and go—no twist out or other setting required. He says that tighter curl patterns benefit from doing this method daily.

To do the Anthony Dickey method:

– Thoroughly saturate your hair with water. – Use a generous amount of conditioner to coat your strands, and then detangle with your fingers. – Rinse out the conditioner and then apply a conditioning styling gel. – Shake your head vigorously for a few seconds. Voila! Coils for days.

Wild Growth hair oil

This product contains a blend of oils and herbs that help to promote hair growth. A few drops massaged into the scalp a few times a week is all that’s needed. It can also be used on your brows and lashes.

Tress

Cosmopolitan calls this app the “Instagram for natural hair”. Get ready to be inspired by hairstyles from around the world. When you see a look you like, you can find all the information you need to reproduce it—from salon to products used.

Amla powder

The second powder to make this list, amla, or Indian Gooseberry, is grown in South Asia and parts of Africa. Some of its benefits include helping to reduce male and female pattern baldness and graying hair. If you use colored henna on your hair, it can also help to mute some of the red tones.

$$AD$$

The perfect three-strand twist-out

If you want bouncy, gorgeous curls that last, this twist-out is for you. As its name would imply, three strands are used to create the twists. See a demo and description by Naptural85.

To learn more about the three-strand twist out, join the discussion by clicking here.

You can also find great convos and lots of tips at NaturallyCurly’s own CurlTalk — register today!

Pictured: @novanovienovs

Make bath time the best time with these family-friendly shampoos. Kids will love their scents, and you will love how gentle they are!

1. Honey Baby Naturals Honeychild Moisture & Scalp Balance Gentle Shampoo

This shampoo comes in an adorable replica of a honey jar. It’s super gentle, and will leave your child’s hair soft and clean, and her scalp flake-free. It contains skin-soothing ingredients like honey and chamomile.

2. EDEN BodyWorks Kids Coco Shea Berry Natural Detangling Shampoo

Kids Coco Shea Berry Natural Detangling Shampoo will leave your little one’s hair smelling fresh and clean. It even removes product build-up without stripping the hair. It contains shea butter and argania spinosa kernel oil, for bouncy, hydrated curls.

3. SheaMoisture Mango & Carrot Kids Extra-Nourishing Shampoo

If you have a kid whose hair hates glycerin, this is the shampoo to use. It contains mango butter for moisture, and carrot oil to nourish and strengthen the hair. Dry, flaky scalps are instantly soothed with orange blossom.

4. Curly Q’s Curlie Cutie Cleansing Cream

Busy babies will appreciate this one-step cream. It cleanses and conditions leaving curls hydrated and springy. It has hair-health promoting ingredients carrot seed oil, horse chestnut, sage leaf and Arnica Montana flower extract. This luxurious cream works on all hair types.

5. It’s a Curl! Peek-a-Boo Tearless Shampoo

Just say no to tears and tangles with this gentle cleansing shampoo. Soothing extracts of lavender, white tea, calendula, and chamomile relieve dry, itchy scalps.

6. Aunt Jackie’s Curls & Coils Girls Heads Up Moisturizing & Softening Shampoo

Perfect for all hair textures, this creamy, moisturizing shampoo will saturate hair with shea butter and coconut and olive oils. This non-drying formula will leave your child’s hair as soft as it is clean.

7. Fairy Tales Curly-Q Hydrating Shampoo

Little princesses and princes will enjoy the pear basil scent of this shampoo. You’ll appreciate how it helps to detangle their tresses and make them more manageable. With quinoa and rice amino acids to help define curls, and murumuru butter to help tame the frizzies, but free of common allergens gluten, nuts, dairy, and soy, Fairy Tales Curly-Q Hydrating Shampoo is a good choice for the whole family

8. Luster’s PCJ Pretty-N-Silky Conditioning Shampoo

For those times that your kid’s hair needs a thorough cleanse, or for that last wash before transitioning to the Curly Girl Method (when you want to remove silicone build-up”>, this conditioning shampoo is the perfect choice. It gets hair super squeaky clean and smelling fresh.

9. Many Ethnicities Kids Gentle Shampoo

This shampoo is the secret for healthy, popping curls. It contains plant-based Acyl Lactylates to leave hair clean but not stripped of moisture.

10. The Mane Choice Juicy Orange Fruit Medley KIDS Shampoo

Make detangling day easier on yourself and your little one with this moisturizing shampoo. Moms love its juicy citrus fragrance and the way this removes buildup without leaving curls stripped. 

11. SheaMoisture Oat Milk & Rice Water Baby Extra Comforting Wash & Shampoo

For a gentle double-duty product that won’t irritate your child’s sensitive skin, this wash and shampoo is the perfect pick. It is hypoallergenic and contains oat milk, rice water and Shea butter for gentle moisture.

12. Taliah Waajid Kinky, Wavy, & Natural for Children Berry Clean 3-in-1 Shampoo

This bottle of chamomile and bilberry bliss will leave those curls and coils soft, defined, and smelling “berry” beautiful. Silk protein will strengthen tresses, helping to make detangling a snap.

13. Mixed Chicks Kids Shampoo

Mixed Chicks Kids shampoo is perfect for all the curl types. It’s gentle cleansing, tear-free formula won’t dry hair out.

Photo by: @ ashleycurlskc

14. Cantu Care for Kids Tear-Free Nourishing Shampoo

Love your Cantu? Now your baby can love it, too, with this nourishing formula that is tear-free, gentle, and full of moisturizing ingredients like coconut, shea butter, and honey.

15. Shea Moisture Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head-To-Toe Wash & Shampoo

With argan oil, chamomile, and shea butter, even the driest hair and skin is left silky soft and moisturized. This two-in-one shampoo and wash will speed up bath time, leaving you and your little with more time for scrunching—and cuddling.

Which one of these shampoos is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.

Read next: 15 Best Conditioners for Curly Kids.

Low humidity can wreak havoc on looser curls, leaving them limp, lifeless and without definition. After much experimentation, I’ve developed what I call the LESS method to create bouncy, hydrated ringlets that last all day.

This simple routine is comprised of the following:

–

Leave-in

–

Encourage

–

Steam

–

Scrunch

Loredana B., who lives in Southern California, has been using this method for several months and credits it with bringing back her 3a curl pattern. “My hair is so curly and soft, and it feels so much healthier,” she says.

For best results, use products that do not contain glycerin (as — in very dry climates — this humectant can take the moisture from your hair and put it into the air. Glycerin has the opposite effect in humid climates.”>.

–

A gentle cleansing shampoo or co-wash.

–

A moisturizing conditioner. I love Curl Junkie’s Curl Rehab for its great slip and detangling capabilities—and it doesn’t weigh hair down.

–

A rich-and-creamy leave-in conditioner like Beauticurls, another Curl Junkie gem.

–

A facial steamer. Any lightweight, portable model will work.

You will also need a cotton t-shirt or microfiber towel and, if desired, a wide-toothed comb or Denman Brush.

Before beginning the LESS Method, gently wash your hair, concentrating on the roots. Use your fingertips to massage your scalp. Rinse your hair thoroughly, preferably with your head flipped upside down. Apply your hydrating conditioner an inch from your scalp and work it through to the ends of your hair. Use your fingers to detangle, or you can use a wide-toothed comb. If you have thick and/or high-density hair, you may wish to condition in sections, clipping up each section as you complete it. Allow the conditioner to remain on your hair for several minutes, and then carefully rinse it out with tepid water.

The LESS Method

Leave-in

Apply your leave-in conditioner on soaking wet hair, from the roots to the tips. Use a generous amount (for example, I use a palmful for my hair, which skims my shoulders when wet”>. For longer hair, use more. Your hair must be completely coated with the leave-in conditioner. I recommend using a Denman brush to get every strand. Brush the leave-in through each section, smooth with your fingers, and repeat 2-3 times. At this point, your hair will start to clump.

Encourage

In this step, encourage your curls to form using your preferred technique (shingling, twisting, scrunching etc.”>. If you have any straight pieces remaining, moisten them with water, and coax them into curls.

Steam

Ensure that the steamer carafe is filled with fresh water, turn the steamer on, and allow it to heat up until it starts emitting steam. Steam helps the leave-in conditioner to penetrate the hair shaft, imparting moisture to thirsty strands. It also encourages curl formation, and enables your curls hold their shape without the aid of a styler (which can often weigh hair down or make it look crispy in arid air”>.

Scrunch

Steam one area of your hair at a time by re-positioning the steamer or moving your head (do not lift the steamer and place it over your hair”>. Slowly and carefully scrunch the hair that is being steamed, holding each scrunch for six to seven seconds. Do not rub the hair together or break up the curl clumps.

At this point, your hair will have good definition. Using the t-shirt or towel, carefully scrunch out any excess water. If you use hair clips to lift your roots, apply them. You can now diffuse your hair or let it air dry.

Refreshing Second–or Third-Day Hair

You can use a similar approach to refresh your hair.

–

In a spray bottle, combine one-part leave-in conditioner to three parts water. Shake to combine.

–

Turn on the steamer, allow it to heat while you gently mist your hair. Part or arrange your hair as you would normally wear it.

–

Scrunch and twist pieces of your hair while steaming it.

–

Allow your hair to completing dry before fluffing and picking it out.

If you give the LESS method a try, let us know if it works for you! Share your experiences in the comments section below. And if you’d like more tips, check out this article: How to Moisturize Your Hair in a Very Dry Climate.

If you have high porosity hair like me, you know that it can be a challenge to keep it healthy and looking its best. This hair type tends to frizz easily when the humidity is high and become brittle and lifeless when it is low. High porosity strands have a rough and open cuticle structure that allows for easy absorption of moisture into the hair shaft, and release of moisture from it.

High-porosity hair can be:

• determined by genetics,
• caused by cumulative damage from heat, chemicals, and other stressors,
• due to aging, as strands turn silver,
• and found in combination with low and normal porosity hair (for example, in transitioning hair”>.

Regardless of the cause, high-porosity hair is not always synonymous with damaged hair, so keep this in mind as you care for your curls. Below are six things you can’t do if you really want to rock healthy waves, ringlets, and coils.

Photo courtesy of @kopanotheblog

1. You can’t detangle your hair without a pre-poo or conditioner

Dry hair is in its most fragile state and can be easily damaged from detangling.  Therefore, it is important to detangle with care. To do so, make sure to:

1. Apply a pre-poo product or your favorite oil, or saturate your hair with water, and then apply a rich conditioner with good slip.
2. Detangle slowly and carefully, section by section, with your fingers and a wide-toothed comb.
3. Clip each section with a duckbill clip as you complete it.  

2. You can’t use harsh detergents on your hair

Harsh detergents will dry out your hair and make it difficult to detangle. Gentle, moisturizing Curly Girl approved shampoos, cleansing conditioners, and co-washes will cleanse your hair without stripping it like shampoos with harsh detergents will. Even if you are experiencing product build-up, choose a gentle clarifying treatment such as the ones listed here to remove it from your hair.

3. You can’t do without adequate moisture

Adequate moisture is crucial for thirsty curls. Without it, strands become dehydrated and lose their elasticity. Since everyone’s hair is different, know that it may take some experimentation to find the moisture combination that works best for you. At a minimum, there are four moisturizing products that every curly girl and guy need:

• a regular conditioner. Choose Curly Girl approved brands that do not contain silicones. This conditioner should be your holy grail on wash day. It should be easy to emulsify between the palms of your hands yet be rich enough to coat your hair. It should also have enough slip to be used for detangling.
• A deep conditioner or hair masque – Intensive conditioners can be used on an as-needed basis–like when your ends are looking dry and dull– or as part of your regular regimen.  For best results, look for products that contain both protein and moisturizers (more on protein below”>.
• A leave-in conditioner – Choose a product that contains moisturizing properties AND protein A leave-in can be used on freshly washed and conditioned hair or added to water to refresh curls. If a leave-in alone doesn’t give you enough moisture, you might want to use it as the first step in the LOC method. LOC stands for Leave-in-Oil-Cream. It’s a way of applying moisture to hair, and sealing that moisture in.
• A moisturizer – To be used between wash days, to refresh curls and coils, a moisturizer can help to keep hair feeling soft, and it can perk up listless curls.

To moisturize:

1. Spritz dry areas of hair with a curl refresher or water that contains some leave-in or regular conditioner. If your hair requires more moisture, apply a small amount of conditioning milk or cream.
2. Gently massage the moisturizer into the dry sections of your hair.
3. Scrunch or twist areas that have lost definition.

Use the LOC method on freshly shampooed or co-washed hair prior to the application of any styling products.

Photo courtesy of @discocurls

4. You can’t do without extra protein

For healthy hair, you also need protein. For some, a protein treatment or protein-heavy conditioning treatment one or two times a month is a must. For those of us with finer hair, choosing conditioning products that also contain some protein is key. To ensure your favorite conditioner has protein in it, see Ingredients Commonly Used in Hair Care Products: Proteins.

5. You can’t over-manipulate your hair when it is dry

Nothing will ruin your curls and coils like hands in your hair. On wash days, after your hair is completely dry, gently scrunch out the crunch, or flip your head over and lightly pick out your roots. Admire your lovely head of curls, but don’t touch them. Trust me on this. If you are setting your dry hair in a twist out or braids, make sure to use a twisting butter or styling cream to protect it.

6. You can’t expose your hair to heat.

The heat from blow dryers, irons, and even the sun can damage your hair. Many curlies are surprised to find out their curl pattern ends up being completely different from the straighter strands they become accustomed too while using heat. Stay away from hot styling tools, and if you need to use a blow dryer, always do so on the coolest setting, and use a diffuser.

What are your high porosity hair tips? Let us know in the comments!

This article was originally published in 2016 and was updated in 2018 to reflect new recommendations.