Search Results: Tasha Swearingen
We’ve all had an itch that takes a while to go away, and our scalps are no different. After noticing your fingers constantly making their way to your head, your mother, an aunt, or grandmother may have commented, “Oh, that means your hair is growing!”
Well, it’s true that your hair was growing, but an itchy scalp is not a sign of hair growth. Itchiness can actually signify that your scalp is not at its healthiest, which can negatively impact hair growth. Whether it lasts days or weeks, the cause of an itchy scalp can usually be tracked down. You have to put on your detective hat to figure it out.
Causes of an itchy scalp
A common cause of itchy scalp is seborrheic dermatitis, aka, dandruff, says Kathryn Schwarzenberger, MD, professor of dermatology at Oregon Health and Science University.
“Often, people complain that their scalp is dry when in reality, it is actually inflamed,” Schwarzenberger says.
Other culprits for itchy scalp include psoriasis, allergy to hair dyes or products, fungal infections, and even head lice.
“Scalp itch can also be a cause of an underlying condition, including diabetes mellitus, liver and kidney disease, as well as some types of cancer,” Schwarzenberger adds.
The first line of defense
If you don’t already have a skin condition diagnosed by a dermatologist or trichologist, trying different hair products and natural remedies is a good starting point.
One of the most effective initial treatments for an itchy scalp is a thorough shampoo scrub to remove loose and scaly skin, says Dr. Josh Axe, D.N.M., C.N.S., D.C, founder of Ancient Nutrition. After trying that, a popular natural remedy to try is tea tree oil.
“What’s great about tea tree oil is that it provides antioxidant benefits and is antimicrobial, which means it has the ability to fight bacteria, viruses, and fungus,” Axe says.
As with all essential oils, make sure to dilute the tea tree oil by either adding it to your shampoo or mixing it with carrier oil.
Here are five more natural ways to combat itchiness and dandruff.
When the itch doesn’t go away
If experimenting with different products and natural remedies doesn’t solve the issue, you can try an over-the-counter medicated shampoo.
“There are many good products available, with active ingredients that include selenium sulfide, zinc pyrithione, and ketoconazole,” Schwarzenberger says. “Tar shampoos may treat seborrheic dermatitis and scalp psoriasis, but some dislike the smell. But people with white hair should avoid using tar shampoos, as it can cause hair to yellow.”
It may be allergies
If you’ve found that allergy is the problem, particularly if there is an associated rash around the neck and or face, Schwarzenberger says to try fragrance-free or “low allergen” hair products. Topical steroids are also an option but require a prescription.
“You should see your dermatologist if your scalp does not improve with the use of medication shampoo or if it is associated with hair loss or skin lesions in the scalp or surrounding skin,” Schwarzenberger says.
Interested in more ideas for alleviating an itchy scalp? Check out this list of detergents that might cause a dry, itchy scalp.
If you’ve been hanging out at NaturallyCurly for any amount of time, you know that we love our natural curls and have no intention of doing away with them! For some of our curly readers, amazing curls with no frizz is still a dream they’ve not yet realized. They can admire our curls, but they can’t seem to get past the frizz themselves.
For those of you still stuck on the frizz boat, the skip curl method may be just what you need!
What Is the Skip Curl Method?
The skip curl method is a technique of handling curly, wavy and coily hair while it is still wet that allows you to control your hair, define your curls and prevent frizz. The technique works best with type 3 curlies, but type 4s can also use it to control particularly coarse sections of their hair. Additionally, type 2s may find that the technique gives their waves some added spiral action.
Jonathan Torch of Curly Hair Solutions and the inventor of this method, says that the best way to overcome frizz is to prepare the hair before letting it dry naturally. Torch says that the key is to remove any tangles and loose hairs prior to letting the hair dry; otherwise, those tangles stay trapped in your hair and result in frizz when the hair dries.
How to Do the Skip Curl Method
The skip curl method takes time and a little bit of practice, but the results last for at least a couple of days, depending on your hair type. Torch suggests using Curly Hair Solutions’ Curl Keeper, his own low-pH product that provides slip for your curls while detangling your wet hair. This product gets rave reviews by our very own curly reviewers, and consistently holds a 4 out of 5 star rating across the board for all hair types.
Curl Keeper Alternatives
- Jessicurl Rockin’ Ringlets
- Ouidad Climate Control Gel
- Tigi Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier
- Curl Junkie Curls in a Bottle
Step 1. Apply Styler
Apply Curl Keeper (or a maximum hold gel”> to wet hair and then finger comb it through your hair to remove all tangles. Choose a small section of the hair to begin, comb it through one last time to be sure it’s 100 percent tangle-free.
Step 2. Twist Around Your Finger
Begin twisting the hair around your finger from root to end. It’s important to twist in the direction that your curls naturally twist; otherwise, you’ll be working “against the grain,” which can result in frizz and defeat the purpose.
Step 3. Skip Rope
Gently slide your finger out of the twist, hold on to the end, and literally “skip” the hair around a little, sort of like you’re swinging a jump rope. Then, just drop the curl and start on another section. Once you’ve done this to a few sections, you can scrunch those sections together to intensify the curl.
Toss your hair upside down when you’re finished, shake and sit back upright. This will help add some volume to your hair. You can then just let your hair air dry – no dryer or diffuser necessary!
You can watch curl expert and the inventor of this technique, Jonathan Torch, practice this technique himself in this video – it’s an oldie but a goodie.
So you’ve applied this product that’s supposed to help control your curls and tame your frizzies. You read the label and followed the directions explicitly – or so you thought.
Either way, the results weren’t quite what you were expecting. Could this be a bad product for your hair type? Or could the solution be as simple as making sure your hair was wet enough or wasn’t too wet for the product to work?
The Dilemma
Almost all of us have experienced this at one point or another. On our quest to get the perfect curls without midday frump or frizz, we apply a product on our hair that promises to keep our curls in check. The bottle said apply to wet hair, but did that mean soaking wet or towel-dried/damp hair?
Type 2s tend to have thinner hair that holds in moisture a lot longer than our coily type 4 counterparts. So the question then becomes, at what point can we apply these products that are meant for a wet application? Should we do it as soon as we get out of the shower, or after our hair has had a chance to dry some?
The Solution
If you’re adding a leave-in conditioner or curl cream to your hair, scrunching it into soaking wet hair and then patting any excess drips with a microfiber towel can actually have amazing results!
However, wavechaser, one of our CurlTalk users, recently shared the results of her experiment, which was to see if the amount of water in her hair made a difference. In her own words, “Who knew scrunching into damp hair would help so much!” For type 2 wavies, applying product to damp hair can be much more beneficial than applying product to completely wet hair.
Overall, it depends on how porous and coarse your hair is. The more porous it is, the drier your hair can be when your apply product. The less porous it is, the better products will work when applied to wet hair. The opposite is true for how coarse your hair is. If your curls are very coarse, apply products to wet hair. If your hair is fine, apply products to damp hair.
And, always remember wavies, DO YOU!
Kinky coils tend to break or split when you run a brush through them. You know you need to get through the tangles, but it can be a challenge when almost any brush results in puffball frizz.
In fact, if you’re a kinky, you’re probably in the habit of finger-combing your hair and avoiding the brush altogether. Thanks to Denman brushes, however, you can rest your fingers and pick up a brush again, confident that this brush was made with your hair in mind!
What’s So Great About Them?
Some of our CurlTalk users say that with most brushes, they end up with a poofy mess. For this reason, they’ve sworn off brushes completely. If they do have one that they can trust, it can take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes to get through their coils.
With a Denman brush, however, CurlTalkers brag that styling time has gone down to as little as 20 minutes for type 4 hair, and that the brushes leave hair with clearly defined curls, a shiny luster – partly due to the brush’s distributing abilities – and no tangles! The bottom line is that these brushes are amazing for type 4s, and we’re not just reading that on the package label; we’re hearing it from coily ladies who have bought and used one!
Additionally, type 4s tend to experience a lot of shedding. Denman brushes are excellent at getting all of that shedding OUT of your hair.
https://diana-cdn.naturallycurly.com/general/2PLhv2MASFYv1527017693.jpgVarieties
If you’re thinking about buying a Denman, you might be overwhelmed when you see the varieties available in your local beauty supply store. We’ve done the homework for you on the styling brushes and can explain the different types and why you’d choose one over another.
The Classic Styling Brush
The Classic Styling brushes like the popular D3 are the most commonly used brushes for styling. Bristles are nylon and are set in a “pin” style, which means they have some space between them. The bristles sit on a half-rubber shaped pad, which is great for smoothing the hair. This style comes in small, medium, large, and heavyweight.
The Freeflow Volumizing Brush
The Freeflow Volumizing brush is very similar to the classic brushes, only they are skinnier and much lighter. Also, the nylon pins are more spread out than in the Classic brushes.
The Freeflow Vent Brush
The Freeflow Vent brushes are similar to the Volumizing brushes, except they do not contain rubber padding. Instead, the area underneath the pins is hollow, allowing heat to flow through if you need a quick dry or are diffusing.
The rest of the Denman brushes include the Thermoceramic, Bristle Radial, and the Squargonimic brushes. For specific styling, they also have the Headhugger Hot Curl, Grooming, and Curling brushes, as well as large paddle brushes. However, these brushes probably won’t work well for type 4s as they are likely to cause frizz in coily hair.
Cost
As with anything, you have to pay for quality. The Deman styling brushes are a bit more expensive than generic brushes, ranging in price from about $13 to $19. However, CurlTalkers swear that the investment is well worth it. In addition to being amazing for kinks, these brushes reportedly last a long time.
Have you used a Denman brush? How did it work for your hair?
This article was originally published in 2013, the photos and links have since been updated.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which gives us the opportunity to celebrate some of the bravest women in our lives. Oftentimes when someone goes through a tough time, all we want to do is help them and ease the pain. With cancer, this is particularly difficult because the right words are so hard to find. So let us do for you what we do best with some advice on one of the beautiful and complicated effects of battling cancer: chemo curls.
It’s common for those undergoing cancer treatments to experience chemo hair loss throughout the course of their treatment. Near the end or after finishing treatment, patients usually start re-growing their hair, oftentimes in a completely new texture. Some straighties even start to grow back curly hair due to the damage done to their hair shaft from the chemo. Finishing chemo is a joyous time for both patients and their family members. Don’t let a new hair texture get you down! Instead, stay flexible and adjust your hair care routine to accommodate your re-growth.
What Are “Chemo Curls”?
When women start growing in a mass of curls following chemo, they start referring to their new hair as “chemo curls.” Chemo curls can be new and exciting if you’ve always wanted curly hair. They can also be a big pain if you’ve never had curls, never wanted curls, and are fighting the urge to press your hair between the plates of a flat iron.
So what causes you to start growing curly hair following chemo?
When chemotherapy enters the body, its intention is to attack the cancer cells. However, it also attacks the cells responsible for hair growth. Since chemo damages the hair shaft, most chemo patients lose hair quickly. Due to the amount of chemo that remains in the body when one finishes treatment, it takes a while for hair to grow back. When it does grow back, it’s usually quite different from the hair you once had because of the damage that’s done to the cells that determine hair texture. Many patients do find that hair eventually returns to its pre-chemo state or close to it. So if you’re dealing with a completely different hair texture, know that it’s possible that they may not permanent.
How to care for chemo curls
If you’re a new curly, we have some tips for you! Even though your curls may only be temporary, they can be very enjoyable if you know how to care for them properly.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
One thing you may not realize after a life with straight hair is the need to keep your curly locks thoroughly moisturized. This involves practices such as deep conditioning, using leave-in conditioners and occasional oil treatments or hair masks.
If you’re new to the task of shopping for curly products, this list of our favorites, as chosen by the NaturallyCurly editors, is a great place to start.
Avoid brushes
Straight hair, after being windblown, can usually tolerate a quick brush-through. Curly hair, on the other hand, despises brushing! Once your hair has been washed, apply a leave-in and a styler, then air-dry and leave it alone. Many curlies opt to use a gel following leave-in conditioner. Choose a lightweight gel that will give you the control you need throughout the day, but won’t weigh it down. Here are a few of our favorite gels for curly hair.
Detangle
This is something you’ll probably carry over from caring for your straight hair. However, detangling is very important in curly hair. Failing to do so can lead to immediate frizz (that culminates in a huge rat’s nest”> and breakage that will ultimately damage your hair’s newfound curl pattern. Many curlies detangle in the shower with a wide tooth comb when their hair is fully saturated with conditioner, this provides your hair with enough “slip” to comb or run your fingers through your hair without snagging on knots.
Curly Support
Congratulations on your new curly locks! To get started on caring properly for your gorgeous hair, start off with determining your curl type. NaturallyCurly is overflowing with type-specific content that will help you navigate this new time of your life. If you have specific questions for the NaturallyCurly community, head on over to CurlTalk, where you now have the largest haircare community at your fingertips. Enjoy!
We want to hear from you! What are some ways you’ve learned to cope with curls that didn’t turn up until after chemotherapy?
Want More?
If you’re ready for more curly hair tips, head on over to the Beginner’s Guide to Wearing Your Hair Curly.
Read about curly hair icon Ouidad’s fight against breast cancer.
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This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated for grammar and clarity.
Mustard seed oil has a rich, tangy taste that is used by chefs to boost many dishes — especially Indian-inspired dishes. This invigorating oil not only accents foods, but you can also use mustard oil for hair growth.
Mustard oil & hair growth
The method of massaging the scalp with mustard oil dates back as far as 4,000 years ago with the practice of Indian scalp massages. Massaging the scalp can help firm the skin and strengthen muscles in the head. This practice started in ancient India as a method for keeping long hair healthy. In the 1970s, this practice became well-known in the UK and has since spread to other parts of the world.
Read more: How to Give a Scalp Massage
What’s in it?
Mustard seed oil is loaded with vitamins and minerals such as zinc, selenium, and beta carotene. Beta carotene converts to vitamin A, which is excellent in stimulating hair growth. The oil also has a lot of fatty acides, iron, calcium, and some magnesium. Thus, it conditions and helps encourage hair growth in all hair types.
2 ways to use it
You can find mustard oil in Indian grocery stores or on Amazon. Once you have it, it is very easy to incorporate into your regimen.
DIY deep treatment
On dry hair, massage mustard oil into your hair and scalp, then cover it with a shower cap. You’ll want to leave this on for around three hours, so make sure you have plenty of time at home. After three hours, shampoo the mixture out, then condition as usual. Some CurlyNikki forum users leave it on overnight, then shampoo and do a deep condition (leaving it on for an hour”> the following day.
Mustard oil pre-poo
If you don’t have that kind of time, you can also just leave it on for about 10 minutes, using a blow dryer to generate heat and help the hair absorb the oils, then shampoo and condition your hair as usual. Do this at least once a week, but as much as three to four times a week if you’re suffering from hair loss issues.
Yes, it does smell like mustard, but for both of these treatments using shampoo and conditioning afterward will get rid of any odor.
Have you used mustard oil for hair growth, and does it work?
If your hair is growing dryer as the weather turns cooler, then it is time to boost your moisture with a deep conditioning treatment. If you cannot get enough of all things pumpkin spice right now, then you will be happy to know that pumpkin has amazing benefits for your hair too!
Pumpkin is rich in vitamins A, C and potassium. Vitamin A is an antioxidant and is excellent for the scalp. Vitamin C helps for overall hair health and growth. In addition, potassium can promote re-growth of hair.
“Pumpkin hair masks are good for all hair types,” says Mo from Modern Rosies and creator of Madd Science Cosmetics. “But they are especially helpful for dry or damaged hair.” Mo also suggests adding about 1/8 cup of apple cider vinegar if you’re concerned about over-moisturizing your hair.
These measurements will vary depending on your hair length and density, if you have very long hair or very dense hair you may want to increase these amounts. Just be sure to stick to the same general ratios.
What you’ll need:
- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree – or raw pumpkin, if you prefer
- 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil – it is one of the few oils that truly soaks into your hair
- 2 tablespoons honey – it is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts water or moisture to your hair
There is little to no significant difference between using raw pumpkin and canned pumpkin for this. If you prefer to use raw pumpkin (or have a spare that you want to put to good use”>, follow these steps to prepare your pumpkin:
- Cut a medium-sized pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Chop the pumpkin into smaller chunks and place the chunks in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Spray the pumpkin chunks with cooking oil, cover, and heat on high for approximately 15 minutes.
- Measure 1/4 cup of your freshly cooked pumpkin and use it in the recipe in place of canned pumpkin.
Directions
- Mix all three of the ingredients together in a bowl until fully incorporated
- Apply the mixture throughout your detangled, cleansed hair
- Cover with a shower cap, and let the mixture sit on your hair for 15 minutes
- Rinse with cool water and style as usual
Watch the Video
Quick Tips
- A few drops of peppermint oil will create a sensational fragrance for your hair as well as a soothing feel on your scalp.
- If you have any allergies to pumpkin or other squash foods, do a test run on a small section of your hair before applying the homemade hair mask to your entire head.
- Vegans may substitute agave nectar or vegetable glycerin for the honey
To see more of our videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel The Twist!
We curlies put a lot of time and effort into achieving that perfect balance between looking good and keeping our hair healthy. Over time, however, products can cause unhealthy, growth-stunting build-up. In addition, you have undoubtedly experienced breakage at some point–a common problem for those with naturally dry hair. If you have trepidation about adding something else to your hair while trying to remove product build-up or prevent breakage, consider making your own hair rinse. This way you will know exactly what’s in it.
Why Rinse?
The fact is, rinsing your hair with more than just water can have many benefits! For one thing, rinsing your hair with a light, acidic product, such as apple cider vinegar, can help balance your hair’s pH after washing to remove product build-up. Additionally, it will cut down on the amount of shedding you’ll experience. This is especially true during the drier winter or summer months. There are varieties of hair rinse recipes. Start researching which natural ingredients will combat your specific hair problems, and go from there.
Tea Rinse
Try a tea rinse–it is both simple and economical. It’s great for itchy, inflamed scalps and can help maintain hair color, too. Some people use tea rinses for alopecia and other hair related complications from chronic illness. Simply make tea as usual and then let it cool down before pouring over your hair. After the rinse, put on a shower cap and then wrap your head with a towel for at least an hour. Try one of these easy DIY tea recipes:
Beer Rinse
Yes, beer! Surprisingly, rinsing your hair with a flat beer about once a month can give your hair some added body, bring out your hair’s natural shine, and enhance elasticity in your curls. Hops contain oils that pair well to combat weak, damaged curly hair. Watch this DIY beer rinse and see just how easy it is to do one at home.
Coffee Rinse
Coffee beans provide extra shine to darker hues (specifically brunette, redheads, and black hair”> and also promotes hair growth by stimulating the scalp. Read this simple DIY “latte” rinse with coffee for healthier, stronger curls that bounce. For this rinse, focus on coating your roots, massage it in, let sit, and then rinse out and follow up with your favorite co-wash and moisturizer.
Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse
To soften your curls and blast product build-up from your scalp, rinse your hair with a ACV and distilled water mix. After doing your usual shampoo and conditioning regimen, pour the ACV into your hair and let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much your scalp needs to be clarified. Rinse with cool water and scrub well to get the vinegar scent out.
Vodka Rinse
If you have frizzy hair, vodka will be your new best friend. It has a low pH level and is naturally acidic. When added to conditioner vodka can help maintain and lower a high pH level found in the hair. Try it for yourself with this DIY recipe. It also works for certain skin issues and can prevent hair loss, too.
Have you tried other recipes for homemade hair rinses?
This article was originally published in July 2012 and has been updated for grammar and clarity.
You find someone online who identifies as the same curl pattern as you–so why won’t your hair do the same thing theirs does? Why does your hair seem to have no definite curl pattern? Maybe your hair does have a curl pattern, or three patterns that are just all over your head. You may even have hair that’s straight at the roots and only curls somewhere from the middle on downward. Is there anything you can do about this?
Why me?
Before addressing what you can do to get more defined curls, it will help to explore some of the things that may be causing this lack of curl definition.
- Transitioning: If you are transitioning after years of relaxers and have not done a big chop yet, most of your hair is still post-relaxer hair. The ends may be chemically straightened while your natural texture may show up at the roots. This usually leads to hair with two or three curl patterns.
- Hair Length: Long hair weighs more than short hair. Therefore, it makes sense that the sheer length of your hair is what’s pulling it and causing it to be straighter near the roots. This is even more likely if you have thick and fine hair.
- Nature: If you have never received a relaxer, or chopped off all of the damaged hair and your hair is on the short side, yet you still have hair with different curl patterns throughout, that could just be the way your hair grows naturally. Many people have multiple curl patterns and porosities throughout their head naturally.
Your hair crushes’ secrets
Once you have figured out the reason your hair seems to have multiple curl patterns, you can decide what you want to do about it. You may just need to adapt to styling the different textures of your naturally diverse curls, but if not one of these methods might work for you.
- Braiding or Twisting: You may not be able to get maximum definition and “clumping” without braiding, twisting or doing bantu knots. Add your favorite leave-in or twisting product and divide hair into smaller sections all over your head, two-strand twisting, braiding or twisting into a bantu knot for each section. Leave it in overnight or until it is completely dry, then take it out and carefully separate each section for great curl definition!
- Clipping: Clipping is simple and you may even be able to do it as part of a wash-and-go technique if your hair is not super porous. Clipping will help lift your hair at the roots and can create an artificial “curl,” which will give your hair more volume.
- Plopping: You may tie a t-shirt around your head like a turban; this is fine to do while finishing your morning routine.
- Scrunching: When you scrunch, you gather a chunk of your hair in your hands and hold it and then you release it. With scrunching, you literally squeeze those handfuls of hair several times before releasing it.
Curls are about as unique as the individuals sporting them! Even though we can categorize most curl patterns, nobody’s hair is a textbook hair type.
Pictured: Vic Styles. This article was originally published in October 2012 has been edited for clarity.
If you’ve been diligently measuring and monitoring your hair growth since going natural, you may be discouraged by each strand you see collect on your comb when you detangle. Many women are distressed by the amount of hair they shed in the shower daily. But, are you losing your hair or are you experiencing hair breakage?
What’s the difference between hair loss and hair breakage? Understanding this difference can be the key to solving the problem.
What is hair loss?
When your hair naturally falls from the root, you are experiencing hair loss. Some amount of hair loss normal and to be expected.
In fact, while you may not be aware of it, you’re likely losing up to 100 strands each day. The “100 strands” theory is based on the assumption that we have approximately 100, 000 hairs on our scalp and lose around 1% of them daily.
Additionally, the rate at which you’re losing hair can vary based on gender, diet and genetics.
What is hair breakage?
Curly hair is especially prone to breakage. You may experience breakage when combing, detangling, or styling your curls. Breakage is most noticeable when brushing or combing your hair, removing a hair band, or in the shower.
Which do you have?
If you look closely at a strand of your hair, hair that has been lost through the natural process of shedding will still have the root attached. Hairs that have suffered from breakage will be in shorter sections, and will not include the root.
How to prevent both
One way to decrease both hair loss and breakage is to take extra care in the detangling process. Be gentle with your curls, use a wide toothed comb, and determine the method which works best for you. For some this will involve coating your strands with a high slippage conditioner and combing in the shower, for others this may be finger detangling after your shower.
Alternatively, focusing on the overall health of your hair can prevent excessive breakage. Give your hair weekly deep conditioning treatments to help strengthen your strands.
3 ways to treat them
1. If you missed the boat on prevention, there are several techniques that can help remedy the situation.You can start by using a conditioning shampoo that works to moisturize the scalp as well as cleanse. We recommend Kinky Curly’s Come Clean, which gets amazing reviews from curlies of all hair types. You’d use this in addition to your regular conditioning routine.
2. Also be sure to trim your split ends at least monthly. Split ends travel right up your hair shaft and if you don’t tackle them at the ends of your hair, they’ll cause your hair to split and break several inches from the tips.
3. Finally, make sure you’re giving your hair a deep condition at least once a month. Your hair will soak up this soothing treatment and will thank you by staying in place!
This article was originally published in April 2013.
Managing your curly hair can be a challenging task in and of itself, what with its individual curl pattern, porosity, width and so on. Add to that formula your face shape and you have a unique set of factors to cater your haircut to.
Round faces present themselves as full on all edges. Cheeks and jaw lines tend to look “puffy” with the wrong hair style. The good news is that even curly girls can achieve a look that is perfect with a round face. You just have to make sure you choose curly hair styles suitable for your unique shape.Short Curly Hair Styles
Some will argue that short curly hair styles are not the best choice for round-shaped faces. Depending on where the hairline ends, short curly hair styles can actually accentuate your round shape and add width to your face—something you are not likely to want to do.
However, if you don’t have the patience to grow your hair long, you can still make your hair style work. Choose a style that keeps the ends of your hair above your jaw line, creating an illusion of a longer face. Keep the emphasis on moving your hair upward, instead of outward (such as an inverted bob”>. In this picture of Halle Berry, the volume is at the top of her hair, specifically near the crown, which adds length to her round face.
Medium Curly Hair Styles
If you have a medium length of hair, there are a couple of curly hair styles that can accentuate the natural beauty of your face without drawing attention to its curved shape. Go for volume—off the scalp and outward somewhat—if you prefer wearing tighter curls. With a little bit of mousse or gel to scrunch your hair after you have combed it out, this hair style is ready-to-go straight out of the shower.
For a softer look, opt for larger curls and let them lay gently on your shoulders. You won’t need as much volume as you would for tighter curls since the larger curls add some length by themselves.
Alternatively, you can create the look of longer hair by wearing your hair in a side-swept ponytail. The off-balance look will definitely work in your favor and give you some of the advantages of longer curly hair.
Long Curly Hair Styles
Long hair gives you the largest choice of curly hair styles for round faces. In addition, long locks will help your round shaped face with what it always does best: keep you looking youthful. Keep the forehead free of bangs (aside from perhaps a few wisps”>, and use a definitive part when styling your hair. Your long locks will instantly add length to your face since the vertical shape of your hair competes with the width from your face—and the hair will dominate every time.
With length on your side, you can even get away with wearing your hair pulled back and down for a more formal look. Another option that works for both formal and casual looks is to add some subtle layers. The layers will help to highlight your naturally curly and beautiful hair, while wearing it down and in front of your shoulders will create the look of a more narrow face.
This article was originally published in July 2011 and has been updated for grammar and clarity.
One of the trademarked tragedies for Curlies (aside from frizz”> is tangled knots. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much to go from shimmery locks to lockdown knots. Thankfully, there are things you can do to get rid of knotty tangles, even the most persistent ones, in your hair.
Your Worst Knots, Detangled!
1. Condition, Condition, Condition
While this may seem somewhat obvious, it’s not always apparent when you’ve reached what you think is the point of no return with your knot(s”>. However, with time and patience, conditioner can be your absolute best friend when it prevents you from cutting out the knot!
On dry hair, gather the knot in your hands and try to pull as much hair away from the knot as possible. Once you’re down to just the knot, begin massaging a very generous amount of conditioner on and into the knot. This is actually a good way to use up your old conditioners (you know, the ones you were using before you discovered our site!”> since you’re going to need a LOT and you don’t want to use up your good stuff. Gradually pull more hairs away from the knot while being careful not to break your hair.
2. Finger-Comb
If you have multiple knots happening, strike brushes and combs from your arsenal. Instead, you should use your fingers, which lets you feel around for those tangles as you’re detangling. It also gives you more control as to just how much hair you’re moving through and how hard you’re tugging.
3. Oil It Up
Much like using conditioner, oiling the knot (especially if it’s matted”> will help smooth the cuticle. This is crucial to enabling the hair strands to slide past each other with ease. Use olive oil, coconut oil, or a hot oil treatment to massage the oil into the knot continuously. Then, gently pull hairs away from the core of the knot until you’re down to a small tangle. Once there, start combing hair from the bottom up to get rid of that last snarl.
4. Avoid Water & Shampoo
Once your hair is already tangled, you should avoid water and shampoo like the plague. These two ingredients (especially when put together”> are a recipe for even more tangles. I have a friend who had a knot in her hair, she tried (without luck”> to detangle it and when she was at her wit’s end, she decided to wash it with shampoo and water. The tangle escalated into the knot to end all knots, and she eventually had to have a professional cut it (and most of her hair”> off that day. Heed this warning, don’t add water or shampoo to the problem!Don’t worry, she has since recovered and grown a full head of natural hair.
6. Bring In Reinforcements
You can use a rat-tail comb to try to work some of the hair away from the knot. This will clear the area and eventually (possibly 30 minutes and two sore arms later”>, you’ll end up with a teeny tiny little knot that is more manageable.
7. Be Patient
Get comfortable because you’re going to be working at this for a while! This process takes time and patience. Based on personal experience with both my own hair and my three curly daughters, this could take 20-30 minutes – per knot. So, don’t get discouraged if you feel like you’ve barely made progress after just 10 minutes.
In the late 19th century, Martha Matilda Harper believed her homemade hair tonic was much better than anything available in stores at the time. Harper, the inventor of reclining shampoo chairs, opened one of the first hair salons in 1888. At the Harper Method Shop, she could market her hair tonic and provide cutting services to her clients. The salon also used Harper’s own floor-length hair as a form of advertisement for her tonic.
Fast-forward about 300 years: today’s salons have multiple stylists who specialize in a vast variety of different services. While many stylists today still offer your standard cutting and styling, in the 21st century we also have salons offering everything from (fake”> bangs, “animal style” hair masques, and gemstone blowouts.
Unique Hair Salons
Gemstone Blowouts
Move over shine serum, our curls get their shine from fine gemstones. Introduced in Chicago by the Sine Qua Non salons, a gemstone blowout takes bits of real pearls, tourmaline, Brazilian green malachite, and sapphire powders to smooth the hair and turn even the most stubborn frizz into long-lasting shine. With all of the stones this blowout infuses into your hair, you’re bound to shimmer, especially in sunlight.
Sine Qua Non operates only in Chicago and is the only salon we know of giving gemstone blowouts at this time, but there are plenty of blowout bars that will give you and your locks special treatment. Check out Mosaic Hair Studios, Fekkai, Blowout Boutique, Fluff* Bar (enjoy cocktails on the side!”>, or WiP Downtown.
Braid Bars
We’ve all seen the gorgeously intricate braids on YouTube and Pinterest, but recreating the looks in our own hair can be a totally different story. You could commit a day to learning the latest braid trend, but if you have a special event to attend (or you’re short on time and patience”> then leave it to the professionals at a braid bar!
John Barrett Salon in Bergdorf Goodman in New York City has a dedicated braid bar, as does the the Nine Zero One salon in West Hollywood. Check out The Braid Bar for more locations. You can browse through books of celebrity braids, or bring in your own Pinspiration.
What will it be, a fishtail, a waterfall, or maybe the ever-popular halo braid?
Organic Masque Bar
Forget whipping up your own organic hair masques in the kitchen, the stylists at The Broot can do all of that for you, and more! The salon prides itself in using raw, organic ingredients like bananas, avocados, eggs, oil, honey, and mayo. While, yes, you could do this at home, the benefit here is that you don’t have to buy ingredients you may not have, mix them up or deal with the mess and cleanup afterward.
We love a good masque, but what really caught our attention about this salon is the special boost it offers. You see, it’s not on the menu, but The Broot can also add in a boost of bull testicle broth for a mere $7 extra. Simply ask for the “animal style” version of any hair masque you’d like, and you’ll have yourself a custom-made concoction. To answer the question of why someone would want this, the protein in these animal parts is supposed to help repair dry, damaged hair, giving it more strength. Who would’ve thought cow testicles would have benefits for our hair?
While we don’t know of anyone else using bull testicles, there are other organic hair salons out there, such as Calissi Organic Hair Salon, HUSH Organic Hair, Le Salon, Wellspring Salon, or Everlastings.
Bang Bar
If you’re eager for some change but just aren’t brave enough for a totally new ‘do, try doing something different with just your bangs! To add to our repertoire of “bars,” Butterfly Studio in NYC offers a bang bar to the city’s hipsters.
Snipping your bangs can actually do something dramatic without touching the rest of your hair, so it’s a comfortable way to do something edgy! Kattia, the salon owner, also offers bang consults before you get near the shears.
Clients who visit the bang bar will meet with a stylist, try on a few different clip-on bang styles and find the one that works for them. They can either have the stylist cut their actual bangs to resemble the chosen clip-on piece or simply purchase the noncommittal bang piece ($30″> and the stylist will style their hair with the bangs clipped in.
Lash Salons
When you think of a hair salon, your thoughts typically go to the hair on top of our heads. But there is a whole slew of salons that dedicate themselves solely to the hair on your eyes! The Lash Lounge, located throughout Texas, offers semi-permanent eyelash extensions (in increments of 45, 60, and 75 lashes at a time”>, permanent makeup, lash and eyebrow tints, and eyebrow threading.
Try one of the other lash salons across the nation, such as The Salon de Lash, LASH, or LASHDIP.
Child-Friendly Salons
Seriously, could there ever be a more kid-friendly salon out there? Snip-its is so jazzed up, you can practically hear it screaming an invite for the loud echoes of kids to come fill the interior. Not only can kids have their hair trimmed here, but they can also host a party with themes like “Glamour Party,” “Rock Star Party,” and “Spa Party.” In addition to offering styling for both boys and girls, this salon sells its own organic lice prevention and treatment products. These products use all-natural ingredients such as rosemary, tea tree oil, cinnamon, peppermint, sage, lemongrass, and more. To see if you’re lucky enough to have one of these snazzy salons near you, check out the locations.
If only we could take a time machine backwards about 20 years!
If you don’t have a Snip-its near you, check out Monkey Dooz (a full-service salon, spa, and party place ONLY for kids!”>, get retro at Groovy Cuts, or bring your diva to Sweet & Sassy!
Dry Bars
Forget the wet bar – dry bars are where the vibe is! Dry Bar is one of the few hair salons out there that DOESN’T do cuts or colors. Instead, their philosophy is to excel in one field, and to be the best in the biz. They focus on blowouts, scalp massages, and shampoos. And if you’d rather not venture out into the weather or can’t be bothered to leave the house, they’ll come to you. Yes, they do in-home appointments! Check out Dry Bar in CA, AZ, GA, NYC, TX, MD, or DC
Ponytail Bar
If you’ve been following hair trends the past several years, you’ve noticed how ponytails have evolved. A few years ago, we started seeing puffy tops/teased hair preceding the pony at the top of the head. Then we started seeing side ponytails make a comeback, only this time they went diagonal and sometimes rested on the shoulder. Today, we’re seeing messier ponytails, side ponytails, and sexy knots on the top, as well as chic updos.
We should have guessed that NYC would be the first to grab on to this ponytail trend and start specializing in it! John Barrett Salon in NYC offers many things traditional salons offer, with one special addition: the ponytail bar.
But the perfect ponytail does not come cheap, the starting price is $50 for a ponytail, and upwards of $100 if you want a shampoo, blow dry, or extensions.
Nolan Vincent and Maxine Salon have ponytail bar offerings as well.
When you buy new furniture, applying Scotch Guard will keep spills and liquid from soaking into it. Having low porosity hair is equivalent to having Scotch Guard on your hair, as low porosity doesn’t absorb moisture the way high porosity hair does.
This makes it difficult to apply products like deep conditioner to low porosity hair. These simple methods will help your hair accept the products and treatments it needs to stay moisturized.
MORE: The 411 on Hair Porosity
Deep Condition Low Porosity Hair
Hot Oils
Porosity is one element of your hair type, and the products that work for your hair will vary based on your texture as well as the porosity (fine, thick, coarse, etc.”>. For instance, some curlies with medium-textured, low porosity hair find that they need to stay away from deep conditioning treatments that are heavy on the protein. On the other hand, curlies with fine low porosity hair report doing well with hot oil treatments.
Hot oil treatments tend to be loaded with protein and make a great choice for deep conditioning fine hair that is low in porosity. Some good oils for low porosity hair include:
- grapeseed oil
- jojoba oil
- argan oil
Bring on the Heat!
Yes, really! Most of what you’ll read here on NaturallyCurly.com will tell you to stay away from the heat as it can damage your hair. That’s true for flat irons and curling irons, but it’s not the same for the times when you need to deep condition. Heat causes the cuticles of your hair to open up, which allows your deep conditioner to penetrate the cuticles of your hair.
If you have a dryer you can set at low to medium and sit under, you’re at an advantage. Simply apply your deep conditioner, cover your head with a shower cap, and then sit under the dryer for about 25 minutes. You can also cover it with a shower cap and have your curlfriend hold the dryer for you. If your bestie has low porosity hair as well, take turns holding the dryer for each other. If you don’t have a dryer to sit under, don’t despair! All you need to do is apply your deep conditioner, cover it with a shower cap, and then wrap it with a towel to use your body heat.MORE: How to Dry Low and High Porosity Hair
Head Into the Kitchen
If you’ve been at NaturallyCurly.com for more than 10 minutes, you’ve probably figured out by now that we’re big fans of getting double use out of what we have in the kitchen! Deep conditioning low porosity hair is no exception.
If your hair responds well to protein, whip two eggs with 3 tablespoons of coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of honey, and a few pumps of your favorite conditioner. Feel free to add essential oils for a nice fragrance. Apply a generous amount to your wet hair, let it set for about 20-30 minutes, then shampoo out the mixture.
If you don’t have all of these ingredients on hand (or simply don’t feel up to “cooking” for your hair”>, try adding some honey and coconut oil to whatever good conditioner you already have. Cover with a heating cap or shower cap wrapped in a towel (remember, you need heat!”> and leave it on for about 30 minutes before shampooing.
Get Herbal
Herbs and spices aren’t just for cooking! Many ayurvedic hair treatments rely on herbs and powders such as henna, amla, and indigo. Some low porosity girls find that while their hair won’t hold onto conditioners, it will happily accept powders and herbs!
Water it Down
The next time you buy conditioner, make sure it has “water” as the first or second ingredient. Low porosity curlies often find that water-based products, such as Oyin Handmade’s Juice & Berries, work best for deep conditioning (as a bonus benefit, it smells amazing too”>.
If your favorite conditioner doesn’t contain water as the top two ingredients but you love it overall, just dilute it by adding some water to it. Pour excess into a separate container if you need to make room for the water.
By adding the excess to a small container, you can even make a travel bottle of deep conditioner for yourself!
MORE: The 411 on Hair Porosity
According to our market research, the average curly spends over $30 per month on hair products – just imagine what Product Junkies must spend! With all of the money being spent, it is a valid concern to wonder whether these products are working on our hair. Do they make a difference? And how can you measure the effects?
Is Your Product Working
Set Your Goal
Before you can determine whether or not a product is working, you will first need to figure out what you would like to achieve with it. Is your hair in desperate need of protein? Are you hoping to boost your growth? Do you want to decrease breakage? Determining what you need your new products to do is the first step in figuring out if they’re working for you.
Choosing Wisely
Once you’ve decided on a goal, choose your products wisely. This will save you money, time and frustration. If what your products you’re using are effective, then you will feel less compelled to buy every product you come across. Visit the CurlTalk forums, where it is highly likely that someone else has already researched products for the same reason you are.
One of the most useful features on CurlMart is the reviews! We’ve read numerous times from readers that these reviews have helped prevent wasted money. The reviewers include their hairtype along with their review, so find the ones with the same type as you and see what they’re saying!
Measuring Growth
After you’ve chosen your products and have given them a try, it is time to see if they’re helping you reach your goals. If you were hoping to improve your hair growth, measure the length of your hair with a tape measure or by marking a piece of string before you start using your product, to give you a baseline for measurements. Then, measure your growth again every few weeks.
You can also use a hair growth chart to do this. After two to three months, if you are unsatisfied with your progress, it might be time to move onto something else.
MORE: The Curly Mistake You’re Probably Making: Give Products Time
Measure Your Protein
In order to measure whether your hair is getting enough protein, give yourself a strand test. Gently pull on a strand of hair. If it bounces back nicely, your protein levels are likely sufficient. If it breaks off easily, then your hair is lacking protein.
If increasing protein is your goal, conduct this test before and after using a new product regularly.
Trial One New Product
Been online shopping? Did a big box of new products just arrive? It can be tempting to revamp your entire routine at once, but if you truly want to measure the effectiveness of one product, this is not the way. Keep the rest of your regimen consistent and simply compare and contrast your hair with the addition of one new product.Were you shedding a lot of hair before trying your new product? How’s the hair loss going several weeks later? If you were aiming to add some life and bounce to your barely-there curls, how does your hair look several weeks later?
Second Opinion
Sometimes, we don’t see things that others see–or we do see things we want to see that others just aren’t seeing (dreaming, perhaps!”>. Try asking those you see on a daily basis what their opinion is. Even better, ask people you only see every few months if they can tell a difference. You can also take photographs of your hair pre-product and post-product.
” src=”https://www.beautycon.com/curlreading/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/curly-woman-holding-clock-1.jpg”>Don’t Forget
Regardless of how you decide to measure a product’s effectiveness, remember that products take time to produce a noticeable difference. In addition, keep in mind that sometimes it takes a combination of products or regimens to get your desired results. If you’re serious about testing your products, remember to set realistic goals, make smart purchases, and measure your results.
You finally built up the nerve to do what you’ve known you needed to do for a while: a big chop. You know you’re on the road to healthier hair, but you’re dying to have your hair back! Natural girls know that re-growth can take some time, but that doesn’t stop you from obsessing about the length of your hair–even pulling out the measuring tape to monitor growth. Fortunately, you can do several things to thwart hair loss while simultaneously encouraging growth!
Hair Growth Boosters
Oils
Plenty of hair care products out there contain synthetic oils, such as mineral oil, that seem to help with your hair while doing nothing for growth. That is, they make your hair feel soft by coating the hair follicles, but they don’t actually do anything but sit there–holding in dirt and other toxins. Since they’re not natural, our bodies don’t absorb them and put them to use.
Natural oils, on the other hand, are an excellent way to boost hair growth as our bodies react with the herbal fusion. For instance, rosemary oil can prevent hair loss, strengthen the hair follicles, and even prevent premature grays. Just massage some into your scalp and let your body do the rest!
MORE: 7 Hair Oils You Haven’t Tried Yet
Oils to Try
Coconut oil, a natural antioxidant, is another great booster. Not only does it prevent hair loss; it also slows down premature graying. You can massage coconut oil on your scalp at night and let it work its charm while you get your beauty sleep!
For hundreds of years, Native Americans have benefitted from jojoba oil. Jojoba oil has many benefits for your skin, but it also helps stimulate hair growth. Since it has properties similar to your natural oils, it’s an excellent choice for all curly hair types!
Love Potion #9
Cipriana, of Urban Bush Babes, recommends a mixture she calls “Love Potion #9”–it’s that good.
What you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup jojoba oil
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 drops of rosemary oil
What to do:
Coconut oil is thick (like Crisco”>, but you can melt it so that you can mix in the other oils. Bring 2 to 3 cups of water to boil, then pour all ingredients into a separate glass bowl slightly bigger (in diameter”> than the pot of boiling water. When the water reaches a low boil, put the glass bowl on top of the pot and gently stir until you completely liquefy the mixture. Transfer the mixture into a plastic container with a lid, then freeze it so it will harden. Massage the mixture into your strands and you’ll be amazed at the results!
Foods
Since part of growing your hair involves preventing hair loss, you’ll also want to focus on things you can do to stop shedding so much. If you’re not up to incorporating a new hair care regimen into your life, try eating your way to healthier hair!
Lentils are a budget-friendly source of iron, which gives your hair follicles the oxygen they need. As with any live thing, this increase in oxygen stimulates growth. Tomatoes, rich in antioxidants, help maintain collagen levels in your hair. Maintaining the protein from collagen will support healthy hair growth. If you’re a seaside curly, try some oysters the next time you’re in the mood for seafood. Since oysters are high in zinc–a mineral you need in order to prevent hair loss–they’re a tasty way to keep flaking and shedding in check!
Smoothies
If smoothies are more your style, try this recipe from the book “How I Stopped Growing Bald and Started Growing Hair.” Originally published in the 1970s, this book contains a recipe for a shake that we’re told works wonders for hair growth and luster.
What you’ll need:
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 egg (raw”>
- 1 tbsp raw wheat germ oil
- 2 tbsp raw wheat germ
- fruit of your choice (for added flavor”>
Blend all ingredients in a blender. Drink this mixture daily for breakfast, followed by two hours with nothing else to eat or drink. Once you start seeing results, you can cut your intake down to multiple times a week instead of daily.
What to Avoid
There are also minor things you can do that will have a big impact on the overall health of your hair. Stay away from hair bands that are very tight as these can cause your hair to break easily.
In addition, while some curlies find that detangling while wet and/or saturated with conditioner works well, others find that they end up pulling out more hair this way. Definitely avoid using a brush on wet hair as wet hair is the most vulnerable.
The real key to hair growth is simply TIME, but you can do some things to speed up the process.
Have you found any products that work for you?
You may think that you can only do a braid out on freshly washed hair, but that’s not true! You can actually do it on hair that you haven’t washed in days. So if you’ve been waiting until your next wash to do a braid out, wait no longer — get things together and get ready to do a braid out today!
What to do
Things you’ll need
- Curl Cream
- Water in a spray bottle (since you’ve not washed your hair in days”>
- Misting Spray
- Section your hair into about six sections. Divide it in half, then divide each half into a top, middle and bottom section. Plan to make medium-size braids and section your hair accordingly.
- Lightly spritz one section with water.
- Apply a small amount of curl cream then braid that section.
- Repeat for each section, then wrap your hair in a silk wrap or head cap (or whatever you usually wrap it in when doing braid outs and twist outs”>.
- After a day (or even two”>, remove the cap and begin unbraiding your hair.
- Spritz your hair with the misting spray, gently maneuvering your hands throughout the hair for good coverage.
- Massage your scalp while at the same time lifting your hair at the roots.
If needed, you can also lift your hair with a pick or wide-toothed comb. Wear your hair as is or style as desired (clips, headbands, pins, etc.”>. For more tips and to see how JamieeStarr101 does her braid outs on six day old hair, check out this video!
MORE: Braid Out Hairstyle Gallery
Braid Out on 6 Day Old Hair
Looking for a great way to turn your tight coils into something softer and to give them a different texture and look? A side twist might be just what you need. Watch as vlogger lagomie shows you how to do a side twist updo that will really make your twist out pop!
What You’ll Need
Really, you’ll just need the items you normally use for a twist out. These might include moisturizers, leave-in conditioners, or setting lotions.
In addition, you’ll need several bobby pins so you can “sculpt” the hair around toward the side of your head.
Instructions
Once you have your twist out, begin on one side of your head and start pinning small sections up against your scalp while guiding your hair toward the other side of your head. Start at the bottom and on one side, working from back to front. Continue doing this until you pin down most of your hair, and then start fluffing the rest of the hair that’s free of pins. You can leave some of the top hair out if you’d like.
Finally, if necessary, you can pat down the hair you pinned, applying a small amount of gel to your hands before smoothing it down into place.
How to: Side Twist Out
By: Lagomie
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