Search Results: Whitney Garcia-Devers
Most of us are online, constantly looking at our favorite personalities and their amazing hair selfies.
Are you at a point in your personal hair journey in which you feel comfortable embracing your curly natural hair to the public? Do you want to encourage others or document it for your own use? To get started, you’ll need a little more than just a smartphone.
Many natural hair bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers use professional photography lights and other expensive gear to make their curls really pop online. However, in this article I would like to share how you can do this on relatively low budget. Here are my top tips for helping you accomplish the greatest hair selfies, ever.
Here is what you need
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Your smartphone
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Selfie stick (optional”>
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Instagram (sharing and editing your pictures”>
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A great mood
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Self-confidence
1. Self-confidence and mood
The base of all your pictures is self-confidence.
If you feel insecure, this will often be clearly visible on your pictures. Either you are smiling uncomfortably or your face will seem tense to the audience.
Your mood is also clearly visible on the pictures you post. People are usually more attractive when they are happy people rather than moody people. When you are happy you also reflect more energy on your pictures than any other mood. Positivity makes you more vibrant on pictures and the effect will be that you are literally shining. Highlighter move over!
2. Afro pick
Prior to taking your picture, pick your hair to create more volume.
If you look at the pictures of online personalities you will notice that their hair is huge and popping. Next to applying hair products that match the needs of your hair, you should create more volume to create an element, which is the center of attention: your hair. A great way to achieve this volume is using the afro pick.
3. The right angle
Taking a good selfie is all about knowing your best angle. Yes, everyone has their own perfect angle.
Take notes from my picture above. Not smiling also makes the picture less vibrant, in my opinion.
” src=”https://diana-cdn.naturallycurly.com/Articles/My_pjimage-39.jpg”>4. Editing the picture with Instagram
Instagram is a great tool for editing selfies on your phone.
I do not really use the filters. Instead, most of the time I adjust the lux, contrast, brightness and vignette individually. Again, refer to my before and after above.
5. Use natural light
Daylight is the best.
If you don’t want to go outside, take a selfie facing an open window. Some bloggers swear that it is even better than the ring-light. It might look weird when people are passing by and see you, but well…most of them you will not see again.
What’s your best selfie piece of advice?
Read how Instagrammer Actually Ashly responds to online trolls here.
For more selfie inspiration, follow us on Instagram, @NaturallyCurly.
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Grab a cup of tea and receive these tips for longer lashes and fuller brows.
Most of us see a woman who has long lashes and thick eyebrows and think, she’s blessed.
I have naturally thin eyebrows, but since starting my new vegetarian lifestyle, I am happy to see that my lashes are growing longer and my brows are thicker than ever. You too, can achieve these results – without the eyebrow pencil and lash extensions.
1. Replace your pro-growth mascara
While many of us pay close attention to our hair products, some of us have no clue what is actually in our mascara. We tend to want to buy expensive cosmetics because they convince us that they can get the job done, but do not let marketing claims fool you. Replace your growth serums with 100% pure castor oil. To apply the castor oil, soak a cotton swab in the oil and apply it to a freshly cleansed face. You may also dip a clean mascara brush into the castor oil and apply it to your lashes and brows that way. The next morning, remove the oil with a makeup remover, wash your face and apply makeup as usual.
2. Eat your fruits and vegetables
Ever since I became vegetarian, I noticed my lashes growing fuller, my brows becoming thicker and my hair gaining more shine and growth. This is because I am eating larger quantities of raw vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, these days some fruits and vegetables do not contain as many natural vitamins as they once did because most farmers are harvesting produce more quickly so that they look good on supermarket shelves. It is important to purchase local fruits and vegetables from or take supplements to ensure you are reaching your daily nutrition.
3. Try onion juice
Yes, onions smell terrible and make us cry. But did you know that they are amazingly beneficial in supporting the growth of brows and hair? Onion juice contains catalase, which can work to reduce the buildup of hydrogen peroxide in our hair. Hydrogen peroxide can cause hair loss as well as graying. Throw one onion into your blender until it becomes a fine juice consistency and use a cotton ball to apply the juice onto your brows every night before bed. Note: do not apply onion juice it to your lashes as this can result in a burning sensation in your eyes.
4. Just let the eyebrows grow
Getting your eyebrows threaded too much damages the hair follicles over time. Therefore, it makes it more difficult for us to increase the volume of our eyebrows. This is why I did not really experience much growth on my brows. Use a makeup remover every night to completely get rid of any leftover residue after washing your face. This will ensure the follicles in your brow area are not clogged, improving room for growth.
Which lash and brow remedies have you tried before? Share with the NC community on Twitter.
Make your own DIY cooling shaving oil (it’s perfect for summertime!”>
Oil sheens are hair sprays that awaken the natural shininess of your hair.
Oil sheen bottles are often mistaken for olive oil cooking spray–you might have come across the viral memes and giggled a bit. But these products are actually intended to achieve a natural shine by restoring the health of each strand it reaches. The spray can be applied to either dry or wet hair. Personally, I prefer to use it on my dry hair. Nevertheless, not just any hair type should use an oil sheen.
Who should use an oil sheen?
One of the common characteristics of curly hair is that it looks dry and dull. Any hair type that is highly porous gets this lackluster appearance as well. This is due to cuticles that are open from chemical or environmental factors and do not have a flat surface. Consequently, the hair will be less successful in reflecting light. Sometimes, applying an oil directly to the hair simply does not work with textured hair–in some cases, sealing with an oil only results in more frizz. The key is to pay close attention to how your hair reacts to certain ingredients, like oils.
These oil sheens have done the trick for years.
- Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Sheen Spray: During my transitioning process, I used this oil sheen a lot. My hair was very dry and the spray made it look somewhat healthier in between washes. Some transitioning curlies still use this spray for of its effectiveness in touching up sleek updos. It has a light, airy fragrance, too.
- Crème of Nature Argan Oil Replenishing Spray: This product delivers the benefits of Argan oil: it recovers the hair cuticles and restores the shine. This is an excellent alternative main ingredient to olive oil, which tends to be too heavy for less dense and lower porosity hair types.
- Mizani Shyne Bodifying Sheen Spray: Made with a special high-quality oil-free technology, this brand’s sheen promises to work well on relaxed hair and protective styles like braids. However, because of this, Mizani is more expensive than the previously mentioned brands.
- Motions Oil Sheen & Conditioning Spray: Unilever-owned brand Motions also has an oil sheen on the market. The price range is similar to ORS version. My friend regularly used the product and is very satisfied; she mentioned that the smell is great and that she walks around with very shiny curls (something I can see as well”>.
- SheaMoisture Reconstructive Finishing Elixir: Although this is one of my favorite brands, to be honest, I do not really enjoy the fragrance of the yellow line. This oil sheen works well for naturally dry hair in its luster restoration.
On a date, someone asked me why I didn’t have 3a curls like another woman we knew. Consequently, I grew insecure.
Only recently I returned to my natural hair. When I started embracing my natural hair I got some insecurities when it came to dating. During my transitioning process, I had many bad hair days. The insecurity only worsened when one guy asked whether I “would have” 3a curls like my other women have. Consequently, I dealt with insecurities when it came to my love life. I am sharing some thoughts I used to have.
“How will he react when he sees me with my satin bonnet on?”
This is just a thought that pops up when I look into the mirror while putting my satin scarf on. Should we worry about him seeing this? I say no, not at all. A potential boo should accept you for who you are, not for what you wear before going to bed in the comfort of your own home. Although on some occasions, it’s a nice treat to dress up for him *wink*, do what makes you feel good.
“If I skipped a wash day, what will he think of my frizzy hair?”
Frizz is part of curly hair: we cannot change it, but we can embrace it. Washing your hair daily will solely result in you stripping your hair. This increases the frizz. But why would you adjust something what is simply part of your appearance for someone else? Frizz is beautiful; you should rock your big hair!
“Does he like my curl pattern?”
In the past, we have learned that straight hair is beautiful and curly kinky hair is not. Many of us have developed the perception that our kinky hair isn’t beautiful. The ignorance of others only worsens this perception. We shouldn’t worry too much about what makes us different from someone else. Our hair is unique and we should embrace it.
“I should probably straighten my hair before our first date.”
Whatever you do, do not straighten your hair for the first date. You are a goddess rocking her marvellous curls and coils. You shouldn’t hide your uniqueness, especially on the first date.
My point is…
That, as naturals, many of us worry about what our potential significant other thinks of our natural hair. As a consequence, we decide to hide our gorgeous curls by pulling them into a bun or even heat straightening. I say, don’t be nervous. Your hair is only one beautiful feature of your appearance. Bring your smile and just enjoy your date!
Photography by Shauntelle Sposto, follow her on Instagram
Girl what do you do with your hair? It’s all moisturized and bouncy!” Well, let me tell you how it’s done.
Next to carefully detangling my hair and purchasing the right deep-conditioner, I also mix ingredients wisely. Some curlies worry about using products with silicones and sulphates. For a good, clean scalp and hydrated strands, there are plenty of benefits from replacing harmful chemicals with certain vegetable oils, herbs and fruit extracts. The following cocktails attribute to me maintaining healthy, bouncy curls.
The problem: Thinning spots and slow growth
Cocktail:
- Amla-oil
- Castor oil
- Rosemary-Mint essential oil
This is a lot of oil for my low porosity hair, but my curls love it.
Prior to wash day, I apply the oil to my scalp and ends. Amla oil is known to promote hair growth, while castor oil gives the feeling of thicker and fuller hair. Rosemary-Mint oil promotes both the hair growth and increase of volume of the hair. After a hairdresser left my curls thinned out, I started using this cocktail and within three months, my hair regained volume. Since then, I’ve used the whole bottle of this stuff.
The problem: Dryness and slow growth
Cocktail:
- Coconut oil
- Mayonnaise
- Avocado
- SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo
My sister and I love this cocktail.
When used together, coconut oil and avocado intensely moisturize dry, parched hair. Dullness and dryness happen from of the combination of hair dye and heat (my sister uses the flat iron quite often”>, we had to create this deep conditioner. Before applying the deep conditioner, we remove the build-up from our hair by washing with a good shampoo, such as the Coconut & Hibiscus Shampoo. We leave the deep conditioner in our hair for at least an hour. The result? Moisturized and shiny hair.
The problem: Breakage
Cocktail:
- Raw honey
- Olive oil
- Banana
This deep conditioner smells yummy, moisturizes curly hair and diminishes breakage.
Sometimes, breakage can be caused by continuous tension on the edges. It can also be due to improper or infrequent detangling. Banana is a miracle fruit–not just for smoothies for hair, too. Bananas are rich of vitamins, proteins and antioxidants. When your hair lacks protein, it frizzes up quickly and can be difficult to handle. Raw honey pulls moisture into your beautiful curls while it softens your hair. This is the miracle ingredient that solves the problem of chronically dry hair. Olive oil improves the manageability of your while softening it at the same time.
Prior to applying this product I remove the build up from my hair by washing it with shampoo. I leave the deep-conditioner for approximately an hour into my hair before rinsing.
What are your go-to cocktails for curly hair?
I hope you will love these cocktails as much as I do! Let us know how they work out for your curls.
A couple of months ago, I had a reality check and decided to change my lifestyle completely.
Being the animal lover I am, I recently decided to stop consuming meat. Stomach problems also contributed to my decision. I could share the results of my research about the meat industry with you, but that would be a very long list. Speak to any vegetarian and you will hear stories of how beneficial the lifestyle is, particularly for improving skin and hair health. In my case, that is partly true.
What going vegetarian did to my hair & skin
When I became a vegetarian, I had an outbreak of pimples (when I normally only have pimples around the time of my period”>. My curls lost their shine and became unmanageable every time after shampooing. It didn’t matter what conditioner I applied in order to detangle my hair, it was still very brittle. At one point, I even considered cutting all my hair off.
It was not until I developed eczema on my hand that I realized that my body was lacking essential vitamins. Meat consists of proteins, vitamin B1, B6 and B12. Consuming proteins does not only contribute to great health of your hair. As soon as I realized this, I started balancing my food. I also started taking special supplements for vegans and vegetarians.
What I’ve noticed three months later
Three months into my vegetarianism, I started noticing an increase in hair growth. Besides, the shine in my hair returned and my curls have been more manageable. I was able to finger detangle my hair without making those ugly pain-induced facial expressions. My curls are also much more moisturized–but I tend to also link this my consumption of water throughout the day.
I am often asked: Would you recommend becoming a vegetarian?
This is a question that is difficult to answer. Some people are recommended by a specialist to change their diet because of certain intestinal and stomach diseases. I can confirm that my stomach problems have almost completely disappeared. If you want to switch to veganism or vegetarianism purely for the purposes of appearance, it might be difficult to carry on with the new changes. I recommend anyone to do fair research prior to making the switch. Nothing is impossible and as soon as you find your balance, being a vegan or vegetarian is not a choice, but part of your life.
Have you considered going vegetarian or vegan?
Let me know what your experience has been like and follow me @WhitneyFromTheBlog.
A little more than a year ago, I joined several Facebook groups in order to share my natural hair experiences with others. I was mostly interested in tips and experiences of others because here in the Netherlands, approximately 59% of the population has curly hair. Yet, it is normal for us to be treated as the minority and receive negative comments about our precious curls. Sometimes, the comments are not meant to insult someone, people simply do not realize that they are being ignorant and offensive. When individuals call someone ignorant, they often relate it to racism or discrimination. But do these terms actually go hand in hand? That’s up to your perception of the meaning.
At first, I was offended by the comments and it actually made my transitioning process even harder–I would ask myself whether my natural hair was the right fit for me or not. But then I concluded with, God does not make mistakes. But why was I still receiving these comments?
When individuals call someone ignorant, they often relate it to racism or discrimination. But do these terms actually go hand in hand?
Even though it is a constant challenge, I have found the best way to respond to an ignorant comment is by educating the individual who says it; responding with anger or insults will only increase our differences. We should aim to make the world a better place and I personally believe that education is the best way to start. I take these five steps to respond to negative comments about my curly hair.
1. Give them the benefit of the doubt.
Is it the first time that the person made the comment? Then you might want to give them the benefit of the doubt: maybe the comment was not meant to be offensive. However, if the person repeats the statement then you should definitely read below points.
2. Ask them to repeat their comment.
Was the comment meant to be offensive? You never know until you ask. “What do you mean by that?” is often a good way to pop the question. Often the reader will understand that you did not like the comment after you posed the question.
3. Provide insightful feedback.
“I think that straight hair looks better on you…”
I respond with, “How would you feel if I say that a part of your natural appearance does not look good on you?”
Sometimes, people need direct feedback to understand your point. However, if you do not feel comfortable with speaking up, do not do so! You might stutter and as a result, your statement might be less powerful to the receiver.
4. Give them a nonverbal “no”.
Look at them, shake your head, while silently mouthing a ‘no’. This will immediately show the speaker that he/she crossed the line.
5. Ignore them.
Is it that colleague again who clearly shows that he or she does not like you personally and tries to annoy the hell out of you with their words? Just ignore them. Research shows that being ignored is one of the greatest mental tortures a human being can experience. Of course, I do not want to torture someone voluntarily. However, I feel that someone who has bad intentions is not worth my time and energy.
Believe me or not, it actually took four years to find a washday routine to accentuate the beauty of my curls!
It wasn’t until October 2015 that my friend shared her Holy Grail with me after hearing me complaining again: do not apply oil during your styling process.
LCO or LOC is recommended by many of my favorite websites and bloggers, but when I was following it, the results of my washday didn’t last as long as I thought they would. My frizz was all over the place. The solution to my beautiful struggle was replacing the oil by a jelly.
Here is what you need:
- Sectioning clips
- Denman Brush or wide tooth comb
- Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo by Organix
- Argan Oil of Morocco Conditioner by Organix
- Keratin 2-Minute Reconstructor by Aphogee
- Grow, Strengthen & Restore Leave-in by SheaMoisture
- Almond & Jai Twisting Butter by Camille Rose Naturals
- Curl Maker by Camille Rose Naturals
Step 1. Shampoo
The first step is removing the build-up I have constructed during the last few days or even weeks. In general we usually prevent washing our curly hair with a shampoo because it strips the hair, so some decide to shampoo twice a month. Lately, I have been using the Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo by Organix–whenever I finish the bottle I will switch to one of the shampoos of SheaMoisture.
Step 2. Condition
The second step is to apply a good conditioner on your hair, which will facilitate the detangling process. Currently, I am using the Argan Oil of Morocco conditioner by Organix. Nevertheless, when I run out of the product I will switch to a silicone-free product. However, I feel that my hair is sensitive to both sulfates and silicones. I also apply some oil to my hair. I do this twice a month and I have noticed that it makes detangling much easier. I prefer using almond oil or coconut oil during this process, because they are light.
Step 3. Deep condition
I have dyed my hair and noticed that my hair needs much more protein to recover from the chemicals. Thus, I deep condition my hair twice a month with Keratin 2-Minute Reconstructor by Aphogee. After rinsing the product out I notice that my hair has much more definition, which for me reflects health.
Step 4. Apply leave-in
First, I apply a leave-in conditioner followed by a cream and I seal my hair with a jelly. When applying this cocktail, I finger detangle my hair to make sure that my the product reaches all strands. I also follow the prayer hands method in order to achieve defined curls.
Step 5. Air dry
I prevent using the diffuser, since it results in a lot of frizz. It takes approximately eight to nine hours for my hair to dry completely. In the evening, I stick my hair up in a pineapple bun and wrap a satin scarf around my hair.
[prodmod]
Have you ever stood in front of the mirror, went ahead and snipped that annoying single strand knot? Don’t feel bad, you just gave yourself dusting.
Did you feel bad about it as well? Do not worry, you were actually dusting your hair, which is normal. This is a technique like a trim to get rid of split ends and single strand (aka fairy”> knots.
Although I do not like going to the hairdresser because of a bad experience that left my hair thinned my out, I don’t like walking around with split ends, either. Therefore, I grab some haircutting scissors and perform a “dusting” when I need to, it’s usually half of an inch, often less but never more than that.
What you need
- A mirror
- Barber hairdressing scissors
- Sectioning clips
- Time and patience (Yes, this technique requires time investment”>
How to dust your hair
It’s optional to do a blowout prior to dusting your hair. However, I prefer not doing so in case I come across any strands that are severally damaged due to me dying my hair…you never know.
1. Divide your hair in 4 sections. This is why you need sectioning clips. These sections will later be divided into smaller sections.
2. Make sure that the smaller sections are detangled. When there are knots in the sections, the ends tend to be inconsistent. This can be explained by sharing that knots are strands, which are tight together into a loop. The ends of these strands are pulled up.
3. Keep the smaller section between your middle and index finger. Keep this section up to natural light in order to clearly see the split ends.
4. Snip the ends and repeat the process.
The advantage of dusting vs. trimming
For me? Not going to the hairdresser! Some people do not like going to the dentist and I just do not like going to the hairdresser because of my past experience. However, this is something personal. With thorough research, you can find a curly hair stylist who specializes in cutting your texture.
Another benefit is that your hair will retain length and it will be easier for you to detangle your hair. Besides, you will not have the tendency to grab the scissors to trim those annoying loose ends. It’s a win-win right?
During 2014 and 2015 I travelled many times to different climates. It was a journey it itself finding out how to protect my low porosity curls, but I want to share with you what I learned along the way.
1. Bring your own product!
Before going to your destination you might want to check whether that area sells curly hair products. Last year I went to Tenerife and the retailers on the island only sold products for type 2 or 3a hair. Luckily, I brought my own.
2. Use sun protection
The consequence of continuously exposing your hair to the sun is sun damage. Not only can the sun have damaging effects on your skin, it has the same effect on your hair, too. The UV rays penetrate into your hair scalp and scatter melanin; as a consequence the color of your hair might change. Lastly, the sun makes your hair dry which might increase how porous your hair becomes. Cover up with a hat, scarf, or use a hair product with UV protection. You can also use natural UV protectants like avocado oil or almond oil.
3. Ward off humidity
When traveling to a humid and hot country or island, it is worthwhile to invest in leave-in conditioners and moisturizing creams. Don’t forget to also bring a deep conditioner in order to nourish your hair after swimming or wandering outside for a long time.
4. Bring the moisture
Buy or bring products that consist of moisturizing ingredients, such as coconut oil, aloe vera, jojoba oil etcetera. Click here to learn more about moisturizing ingredients. I have written an article about my favorite curly hair care products, these products will also moisturize your hair during your stay at a hot country. Here are my current faves.
5. Protect yourself from cold
The cold temperature causes the outer layer of your cuticle to lift. As soon as you enter a warm building or room, the product that is penetrated into your strands melts and the moisture leaves your hair. Consequently, your hair often looks dry and frizzy during the winter. Thus, it is essential to bring a leave-in conditioner, cream and a jelly (or oil”> to your destination. After applying a leave-in and cream, seal your hair with a jelly or oil in order to prevent the moisture to leave your hair.
6. Avoid tangles from the wind
Wind can also be damaging to the hair because it creates tangles and dirtiness. Prevent this from happening by pulling your hair in a bun when you are walking outside or wearing a hat lined with satin inside. When I went to Tenerife, I loved covering my hair with fancy scarves. When I returned home, I noticed that I did not have any wind or sun damage.
7. Try a protective style
In order to make your holidays even more relaxing you can install a protective style beforehand (box braids, Marley twists, or loc extensions”>. Your hair will be protected against the weather circumstances and you can invest your time in something else other than styling everyday!
[prodmod]Do you have travel tips that work for curly hair? Share them with us!
Do not forget to follow @NaturallyCurly on Instagram! And visit my personal blog, Curls N Lashes.
For most curlies, a leave-in conditioner is one of the most important products in our regimen because it is applied it onto the hair after washing to seal in the moisture from a rinse-out conditioner and water.
In order for my curls to be highly defined and less frizzy, I need to apply a leave-in conditioner and a moisturizing cream to my hair. One of the most important steps is to find out what type of leave-in conditioners will work for you. Before diving into my favourite leave-in conditioners, I would like to highlight some important things about my hair type.
- I have a 3c curl pattern
- I have low porosity
1. Moisturize Me Curl & Style Milk by Lotta Body
This prevents my curls from tangling looking dry. This leave-in conditioner is great for low and medium porosity hair, since it’s not likely to stick on your cuticles. Besides, the product will penetrate easily through the layers of my hair.
2. Eden BodyWorks Coconut & Shea Leave-in
I love this leave-in conditioner–not only because of its fragrance, but also its moisturizing and fatty acid rich ingredient, coconut oil. My curls remain moisturized for approximately three days; in order to increase this duration, I also apply a moisturizing cream afterward.
3. SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk
To me, this brand has successfully created product lines for different hair porosity. This product is perfect for my low porosity curls. My hair gets easily moisturized and remains moisturized. The fragrance is strong, which results in people complimenting my hair and loving the scent that is always lingering.
4. SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen Grow & Restore Leave-in Conditioner
At first I did not really believe that this product would actually meet its marketing claims. After three weeks however, I noticed how strong and long my nails became (since my nails are always in contact with the product while applying it”>. My hair grew longer, too.
[prodmod]Do you prefer a leave-in conditioner or a moisturizer or both? Let us know on our @NaturallyCurly Instagram!
During my entire childhood, I braved the relaxers because I didn’t to people labeling my hair with their hurtful words. In our Dominican culture, curls and coils are often labeled as ‘bad’ or ‘harsh hair’.
I remember telling my mother that I wanted to stop relaxing my hair like it was yesterday.
She was not really thrilled with this decision and asked me to reconsider my choice. During her teenage years, she started relaxing her mother, sisters and her own hair. As soon as she reached mid-thirties she decided to transition because her hair was losing density. This made it more difficult for me to understand why she did not accept my decision. The rest of my family agreed with her. In our Dominican culture, curly and coiled hair is often labeled as ‘bad’ or ‘harsh hair’.
Throughout my entire childhood, I braved the white burning “creamy crack” because I didn’t to people labeling my hair with their hurtful words. However, during my teenage years, I started to develop my own opinion and perspective on social matters. Not to forget, I developed values, which encouraged me to accept the naturally me. I knew that changing the perspective of my family would require much effort, but I did not expect it to be this tough and painful.
My family pushed me to return to relaxing.
During family gatherings I often heard “You probably should relax your hair, it does not look pretty!”, “you really should fix your hair!”, “your hair looks really bad” and “your hair is not healthy, it is extremely dry and the breakage is clearly visible”. At some point, my mother bought a relaxer, which I refused to apply on my hair. Each time I received the suggestion to relax my hair or the comment that my natural hair will not be pretty I felt strongly demotivated.
I decided to teach myself to process opinions of others. Thus, I stopped sticking my hair in a bun and wore my curls down, whatever the circumstances.
Consequently, I felt going through a downward spiral. I decided to teach myself to process opinions of others. This would contribute to my inner peace and self-confidence. I learned that, in order to change someone’s mind, I had to show them while standing my ground. Thus, I stopped sticking my hair in a bun and wore my curls down, whatever the circumstances. At some point I dared to say: “I do not care about your opinion, I care about my happiness”.
In 2014, my mother started purchasing curly hair care products for me!
Around summer 2015 I joked that I would apply a texturizer on my hair and she answered that she would not recommend me doing so. “Your hair is pretty,” she said. My grandparents started admiring the curls and during gatherings often share their positive thoughts about my hair. I do not hear the words ‘bad hair’ anymore.
What was your transitioning journey back to natural like?
Follow my personal blog, Whitney From The Blog!
We all want our curls and coils to look healthy. However, the criterion of healthy hair is often subjective or biased. It is often assumed that shiny hair is healthy hair. But does this apply to all hair porosity? Let’s dig a bit deeper.
Curly hair often looks dry” depending on its hair porosity. NaturallyCurly has an amazing hair typing chart that consists of clear information about porosity. To summarize, hair porosity is the ability of your hair to absorb and retain moisture. The porosity of your hair is dependent on the cuticle, the outer layer of your hair. When the cuticle lies flat, this means you have low porosity. When light shines on low porosity hair, it will be easily reflected. Consequently, you hair looks “shiny”. Low porosity hair has a great ability to retain moisture; thus, your shine will last for days after cleansing or co-washing and moisturizing.
On the other hand, hair that has high porosity may look dry because of its open cuticles.
The open hair cuticles will not be a flat surface, therefore the hair will be less successful in reflecting light. Consequently, the hair looks dull. Not to forget, medium and high porosity natural hair has more difficulty retaining moisture. Those with these types of hair porosity will often experience their wash and go’s being able to last a few days without looking dry, frizzy, and dull.
Indeed, high porosity might be the result of damage. However, this porosity is also heritable.
In order to emphasize these claims, watch this video recently posted by one of our editors, Nikki. She and Devri have the same hair type (3c”>. However, Nikki’s curls are shinier than Devri’s, even though they both have the same curl pattern. They both have different type of porosity, which is due to a number of reasons–Devri has color treated her hair for years, for example. The determining factors don’t always depend on chemical or color damage, though. It can also be due to the environment and genetics. Still, both girls are rocking completely healthy curls.
If you want to measure the health of your hair, you can test the porosity quarterly. For instance, you can do a porosity test at the end of every season. In 2014 my hair porosity was high, but I knew that I had bad habits (Continuously dying my hair and skipping deep conditioning treatments”>. So it was not likely that I inherited this porosity. Two years and a one visit at the hairdresser later the porosity of my hair changed to low porosity.
To conclude, shine is not a direct result of having healthy naturally curly hair.
Curly hair has different hair porosities of which some simply do not have the ability to reflect light and retain moisture. The health of hair can best be accessed by critically reviewing your hair care habits and define whether some of those habits changed the porosity and appearance of your hair over time.
Confession: the transitioning process has been a struggle. A beautiful struggle, nonetheless.
I’ve gotten to know my curls through developing certain techniques to enhance the beauty of my natural hair. While curly hair “rules” are the base of my curly hair routine, I don’t always follow them, due to a busy lifestyle (and laziness”>.
I don’t always sleep on a satin pillowcase.
For some reason I do not really like sleeping on a satin pillowcase. Honestly, the material feels a bit odd. Thus, I wrap a satin scarf around my hair as an alternative.
I don’t always use shampoo.
Sometimes I forget to bring the necessary hair products in the shower with me, especially my shampoo. When my favourite–SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Shampoo–is missing, I don’t think twice to just grab a random one. It’s too cold to get out of the bathroom sometimes!
I don’t always condition, either.
Instead of conditioning my hair I deep condition my hair. Nevertheless, when my hair starts getting very tangled, I grab the Rosemary & Mint conditioner by Petal Fresh in order to facilitate the detangling process.
I never wear protective styles.
I never do protective styling, because my scalp is very sensitive. Besides, I do not have the proficiency to do amazing hairstyles such as box braids and marley braids. Yes, I can go to a hairdresser. However, I often notice that many hairdressers put to much tension on the scalp and I prefer to prevent this. I do “low manipulation styling” instead.
I don’t always refrain from touching my hair.
Hey, I just can’t help it sometimes–especially after I have followed a different routine. I get the strong urge to touch my hair and see if it achieved the expectations I had.
I don’t always finger detangle.
In my opinion, this process gets pretty time consuming. Especially, when I have many things to do during the course of a day. Luckily, the Denman brush offers me a great solution as long as I detangle my hair from the ends up to the roots.
Do I notice damage for not following the rules above?
I do not ignore these rules frequently. Thus, I do not notice any damage at all. Remember: when ignoring one of these rules you should pamper your hair during the next wash-and-go. Are there any rules that you ignore? Share them with us and many other readers!
The day before my washing routine I prepare my hair for washing. Sometimes I skip this step process because of my busy lifestyle. However, I have faced the consequence of not following this process, unmanageability of my curls.
What I Use
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My fingers or Denman Brush
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Four hair clips or hair ties
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Olive oil
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Black castor oil
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Rosemary oil
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Mint oil
Step 1. Prepare the oil mix
It’s always tricky to estimate how much oil someone will need. In my case, I prepare a mixture which lasts roughly for a month. I use a 10ml bottle to store this mixture. Here are the proportions:
- 2.5 ml black castor oil
- 3 ml olive oil
- 2.5 ml rosemary oil
- 2 ml mint oil
This mixture promotes my hair growth while making my hair feel thicker. Side note: in March 2015, the hairdresser thinned my hair out. Because of this, I regained the thickness (Thank God”>. Besides, your hair will become shiny and strong.
Step 2. Prepare hair for washing
I start the process of preparing your curls for the washing process the night before. First, I section my hair in four sections. Remember to keep the sections separated by tying them up with hair clips/ties, as shown in my picture.
Step 3. Finger detangle my hair
Apply the oil mixture to the hair and finger detangle the hair, starting from the ends all the way up to the roots. If you have many knots in your hair, I suggest using a Denman brush in order to facilitate this process.
After detangling all sections, I pull my hair up in four buns. Now my hair is completely detangled and ready for the washing process.
The Advantages
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Less breakage
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Oil mixture nourishes the hair
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Increased manageability
The Disadvantages
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Time investment required
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Oils might be expensive depending on home country
How do you prepare your curly hair for washing?
Before starting this popular hairstyle, remember that the best results would be achieved on hair that is healthy. No hairstyle tutorial will be successful if you neglect your hair health!
I highly recommend eating enough vegetables and two fruits a day. Not to forget, it is essential to drink enough water. A healthy lifestyle is not the only contributing factor to healthy hair. The right hair care products will enable your hairstyle to last forever, while keeping your hair moisturized. A porosity test and this awesome chart will give you some guidance.
For the my Type 3c twist-out routine you will need the following tools and products.
Is your hair Type 3c?
Type 3c curls typically have the circumference of a pencil or a straw. If you don’t know your curl pattern yet, this quick guide can help. And if you have 3c hair that looks different to mine, don’t worry, this might be why.
Tools & Products
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Spray bottle filled with solely water
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4 hair clips
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Leave-in conditioner – I like Natural Almond & Avocado Detangling Leave-in conditioner by Design Essentials
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Curl defining product – I use CurlForming Custard by Design Essentials
My technique
1. I divide my hair into four sections.
I do not moisturize my hair, because I feel that wetting the hair results in less volume. One section will be divided in a smaller section. Smaller sections result in defined curls, whereas the effect of larger sections is looser curls. I really enjoy having defined curls, so I divide my hair in small to medium sections that you can see in the photos.
2. Grab your spray bottle and dampen the hair section.
3. Apply your preferred leave-in conditioner and brush the section with a Denman Brush.
Remember to start at the ends and carefully brush towards the roots. This will prevent breakage.
4. Apply your favorite curl defining product and brush the section with the Denman Brush.
You will notice that your curls are highly defined when wet, the key will be to keep this definition as it dries.
5. Divide the section in two smaller sections and create two finger coils. Twist the coils and seal the ends with a bit of curl definer.
6. Once the hair is completely dry, separate the twists.
When separating the twist, I carefully pull the twist down until I see two ‘curls’ appearing. I carefully separate these. For more volume, I continue separating the twists until you achieve your desired volume.
Making the style last
Maintaining the hairstyle is easy; in the evening I’ll pull my hair up in a pineapple bun. Sleeping on a satin pillowcase helps prevent frizzy hair. If you do not owe a satin pillowcase, wrap a satin scarf around the area around the pineapple tail. The next morning, I’ll take the hair tie out of the bun and shake my hair and go!
I recently used this twist-out technique on 7th day hair and the results astonished me. The outcome of the twist-out resembled a fresh wash-and-go!
What does your flawless twist-out look like?
Follow me @WhitneyFromTheBlog for more curly hair advice!
When I tell my fellow curlies that my wash and go last for approximately seven days, I immediately notice the disbelief on their faces.
To be honest, I do not do much with my hair and I believe that this is one of the main causes of endless good hair days. In my view, the main asset contributing to elasticity of my curls during the week is my hair care routine.
The day before
I pre-poo, mixing the following oils together:
- Jamaican Black Castor oil
- Rosemary oil
- Mint oil
While pre-pooing my hair, I massage my scalp and finger detangle my hair from the ends all the way to the roots.
After this, I pull my hair up into a lose pineapple bun and cover my hair with a scarf (as shown below”>.
That morning: Cleanse, Detangle & Deep Condition, Protein Treatment
I gently wash my scalp with a sulphate-free shampoo; TRESemmé Naturals Shampoo is my favourite. I prefer washing my hair with these types of shampoos, because it does not strip my hair and I preserve my natural oils. I strongly recommend to not apply the shampoo all over your hair, since the ends might weaken.
I rarely use conditioners–I actually skip this phase and start the deep-conditioning process. At this point, I’ll use the following:
- My detangling process is actually the deep-conditioning phase. In order to prevent breakage I divide my hair into four sections. These sections will be divided into smaller sections, which will be detangled with my fingers first.
- Thereafter, I comb my hair with the Denman brush. This results in soft, detangled hair.
- Lastly, I pull my hair up into a pineapple bun and cover it with a plastic bag or cap for roughly one hour. My favourite deep conditioners are: ORS Shealicious Moisture Lock, Dabur Vatika Black Seed Hair Mask and ApHogee Two-Step Protein Treatment.
- I rinse the deep conditioner thoroughly with cold water. This makes my hair shiny. Hot water makes my hair dry; therefore, hot water should be avoided during the washing process. In the last phase of my wash and go routine, this is the crucial part of the process. Products can either have a positive or negative effect on the elasticity of your hair during the week.
The Styling Routine
1. Leave-in- Lottabody Leave-in conditioner
2. Cream- Eden Bodyworks Curl Defining Cream
3. Jelly- Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker
Divide the hair into sections and finger-detangle the hair while applying the products. After applying the jelly, the praying hands method should be executed. This method entails placing the hair between your hands and stroking your hands down.
Hi Whitney, please introduce yourself!
My name is Whitney Rochette García Devers. I was born in Curaçao and raised in a Dominican family. At the age of six I moved with my family to Holland and we immediately settled in Rotterdam. Currently, I am a project manager at Unilever which is actually an internship. I work in the category Oral care. I study International Business and Languages at the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam. From January this year until May this year I lived in Chico, California as part of a mandatory exchange program.
How long have you been writing?
Honestly, writing is my life. Since I was twelve I have been writing stories which I of course never shared with someone, because I was very shy back then. However, last year I really felt the urge to communicate with a group of readers. Thus, I started writing beauty and lifestyle articles for Vrouwen.nl which is a Dutch website focusing on women. Since I was writing monthly I decided to chase another dream: starting a fashion blog. In December 2013 I started Whitneyfromtheblogue and a couple of months ago I started a beauty and health blog, Curlsnlashes.
Texture does not define the beauty of your hair, but its health does.
How long have you worn your hair in its natural state?
In 2011 I stopped relaxing my hair. Nevertheless, I was not used to the texture of my roots. Hence, my mother recommended me to use a texturizer. Unaware of the consequences I used it multiple times…until 2013. My hairdresser did not understand why the relaxer was not going out of my hair, until I told her that I have been using a texturizer. She immediately informed me that a texturizer is the same as a relaxer. So actually I am a year natural now.
What is the naturally curly hair community like where you live?
Year after year, there are more naturals in the Netherlands. A few years ago the supply of curly hair products was very low, until the natural hair movement started. I think that this motivated more girls to stop relaxing their hair and to take profit of the great hair products which are now available in the Dutch market. Lots of people like the beauty of our curls and ask continuously questions related to hair care and products.
What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned when it comes to your hair?
Texture does not define the beauty of your hair, but its health does. At the beginning of my natural hair journey I was getting more and more disappointed when I noticed that my curls became smaller. It was so difficult to let my hair shine, but as time went on I realized that I was not taking care of my hair as I was supposed to. So I started embracing my hair type more, I started doing some research and at the end I started to get to know my hair. So please know, that the transitioning process is not easy you have to invest time as well as money.
Describe your everyday style.
I like both bohemian and edgy style of clothing. Sometimes I have a very colorful outfit and sometimes my clothes are pretty dark and mysterious. My make up style is natural, mainly because I have a nose ring. The piercing already grabs attention. Hence, I only apply some mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss. In the winter I wear somewhat more makeup, but overall I try to keep it calm and dreamy.
My favorite hairstyle is the curly afro or a high bun. The curly afro is the easiest for me to create, since it is the most natural state of my hair.
What are your favorite hair products right now?
At the moment I use the leave-in conditioner of Sheamoisture regularly. I love, love, love the co-wash of Sheamoisture as well, because it does not strip my hair and in cleanses it thoroughly. I love castor oil in order to seal my hair, it makes my hair real soft and shiny.
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Where can we find you online?
If you are interested in fashion, you can follow my fashion blog- Whitney from the blogue. For beauty and health, follow me and my friend at- Curlsnlashes
Blog- WhitneyFromTheBlog
