Simple Hairstyles

Simple Warm Weather  Hair Styles

With the warm weather, BBQ's and pool parties, you may be searching for your next  hairstyle that can stand up to the heat and humidity. Here are a few fool proof Do’s that will keep you looking polished, as the temps rise. These styles can go from day to evening by mixing and matching accessories. 

Up Do  |  Show stopping beauty

I went natural, Now What

I went natural, Now What

So you did it! You did the big chop, or you canceled your next relaxer, indefinitely. Congratulations!

So Now What?

Expect some looks. If you wore your hair long and straight all your life, it is only natural for those around you to react to your big chop. Some will be shocked. Some will be pleased, others will be confused. The only thing that matters, is

HOW TO | CO-Wash Natural Hair

Depending on the state of your hair, you can choose different ways to tackle wash day. The condition of your curly hair can range from a Tangled mess, to Protective style recovery, just plain dirty. Follow theses fool proof techniques to tame, and hydrate your curls. You can create your own conditioner, or use a store brought conditioner to clean your curls.

Tangled Mess
Hair is shrunken, matted, tangled, with lent, but still has good moisture balance and normal shedding.

Kinky hair is known for shrinkage, constant tangles, and knots. If this sounds like your hair, follow theses tips for a easy breezy wash day with limited shedding.

Hair is weakest when wet. Tightly coiled hair can easily become tangled. This combination can spell disaster for kinky natural hair.

HOW LONG SHOULD YOU USE A PRODUCT BEFORE YOU REALIZE ITS GREAT OR BAD FOR YOUR HAIR

HOW LONG DO YOU USE A PRODUCT BEFORE YOU REALIZE ITS 

GREAT OR BAD 

FOR YOUR Natural HAIR

Countless times I have sworn off a hair product, only to revisit it later. This has happened so many times, I no longer toss the products I don't like. Because of this, I am saving money, and expanding my hair horizons. If a styling creme didn't hold my twistout, perhaps its good enough to perfect my puff?  Here are more tips &  Finding alternative uses, and easy fixes for a lack luster product.

Before You Toss it, Give it Another Try.  

 Before you give a thumbs down,  set aside 2 to 3 weeks of consistent use, making sure the application of the products are correct. 

Give it another try. So many things can have an effect on how a product acts in your hair. Weather, Your hair cut, other products, and your hairs health, can all have an effect on final results when using product. Some products do not mix well together. Are you getting flakes? Hair too gooey? Hair became sticky? If you used a product and your were unhappy with the results, give it another try, and layer it with an alternative product. If you are still unhappy revisit the product when the weather is different. Hated it in the summer? You may Love it in the winter!

Mix it with.... I cannot count how many times I have ran out to buy a conditioner that others have raved about,  only to be disappointed. Not enough slip, hated the smell, not heavy enough? When I am presented with theses problems, I mix until satisfied. If  more slip is needed, add Grapeseed oil. If the conditioner is not thick enough,  add JBCO to the bottle and enjoy. Some products do not mix well can can result in flakes, adding oil, water, or swapping for  an alternative product  may cut out any flakes.

Moist Curls 101

Sealing Natural Hair 

The act of locking moisture in the hair, specifically the ends. For sealing to be effective, you must First use a water-based moisturizer. You can use plain water,  a leave in conditioner, or a cream that has water as its first ingredient. Sealing your hair is the 1# step to maintaining healthy hair in between wash days. 

Low Manipulation Hairstyles

 Low Manipulation Hairstyles

 These Cute styles allow you to limit manipulation damage to your curls. A good Low Manipulation hairstyles must do 3 things:

• These styles tuck your ends away, thus increasing length retention
• These simple styles can limit the amount of hand to hair contact, thus decreasing manipulation damage
• Limit Tangles because the hair is either stretched, or gathered together

 Let’s face it,  with super soft hair,  it can be  hard to keep your hands away. Each time you touch your hair, you can cause a little damage.  The daily rigors of detangling, and styling can leave your strands in need of a break. Check out our top Low Manipulation styles for type 4 curls! 

Adorable styles like a Bun:

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How To | Take down your Protective styles

Protective styles allow your curls to go weeks without manipulation damage. Even if you have a good moisture routine,  manipulation damage can limit length retention.  For particularly fragile hair types you may  will want to keep your hair in protective and low manipulation hairstyles 70% -80% of the time to allow your hair to recover, and retain length. Instead of detangling with combs or brushes you may want to try finger combing before reachign for a comb.  When installing your protective style,  you have to be gentle with your hair. Take your time, and use your fingers, unless you are sectioning your hair.  The more you comb, style, or touch your hair you are causing damage to it. If you have particularly fragile hair, like 4b or 4c hair, this type of damage is easy to come by  when  your installing your hair style. 

When enoying a portective style, you must make sure to care for the curls underneath the style.   Here are my top tips for having a successful protective style, with minimal sheding. Too often I hear of people complain that a protective style ruined their hair. Follow these tips to save your strands, grow that hair, and give yourself a break from daily styling.

Tip 1 | Give Your Curls Good Vibes

Moisturize                                                Before  | During | After

For curly girls, moisture equals soft healthy hair. Be sure to moisturize your hair prior to styling. Use Hot Oils, or a thick moisturizing condiioner before installing your next style. Before I twist or braid my hair I deep condition, and seal with heavy creams and butters.  I also continue to hydrate my curls, spraying my ends, and/or oiling my scalp every 2-3 days while my hair is protected. In a spray bottle, I mix a leave in conditioner, water, and my preferred oil. Protective styling only gives you a break from styling. You must  still continue a moisture routine with your protective style. Moisture is also the key to a successful low shedding take down. I use my water based homemade mist to moisturize my strand as I take down the style. I also use the mist to loosen and remove any lint tangled in my hair.  Since using water based moisturizer, while taking down my styles I notice less shedding, and easier detangling after wearing protective styles for weeks.

Moisture Boost

Top Ways to Moisturize Curly 4c Hair

An amazing moisturizer will provide you with a few things: 

Shine - The sun rays should bounce off of your curls

Nourishment - Vitamins, Minerals, the good stuff for your hair's health

Slip - To prevent tangles, knots, and make styling, and detangling a breeze

Moisture - If you moisturized, and moments later your hair is dry or brittle, you are missing something. That moisturizer may need to be paired with other products for the best effect.


Here Are A few Recommended Moisturizers

Water

The #1 Moisturizer for all hair types

Rose Water
is the hydrosol portion of the distillate of rose petals, a by-product of the production of rose oil for use in perfume. 

5 Ways to incorporate JBCO in your regimine

5 ways to Use JBCO

Indigenous Curls Counts Down the Tops ways to use JBCO on curly hair

60 Day Protective style Challenge | Struggle Post

With 14 Days remiaing in this 60 Day protective style challenge, I am struggling. Each day, I peek under my protective style, in an effort to gage just how much growth is going on under there. I am currently expirencing classic signs of curl withdrawl.

What a struggle! The only thing saving this challenge, was my ability to change hairstyles every 10 days. If I had to rely on a salon to install my protective styles, I don't think I would have survived this challenge.  I began this challenge with a partial weave. My curls could not blend with the silky weave for more than a week. I refused to apply heat, and using the banding method was not getting silky results.

Beer Rinse to Bounce Your Curls Back!

Beer Rinse for Kinky Curls

As I shared last week, I am embarking on a 60day Hair challenge. For the next 2 months, my hair will be in protective styles. This challenge will allow my strands to flourish without manipulation damage. Currently, I have in a straight weave and about a 2 by 2 inch leave out in the front. 

Day 3
Starting to Revert

Almost Immediately I regretted leaving so much of my curly hair out. Blending the textures is becoming more and more difficult with each day. I originally pressed my hair, taking extra time to seal in moisture, but with each day that passes, my hair reverts a bit more. I have tried wrapping my hair, and setting the small leave out in a large roller to keep it stretched. Nothing, short of applying more heat seems to work. After week 1, my leave out is starting to return to its 4c kink, leaving me in an awkward position


Damn that Damage | Grow That Hair!

Not Feeling this Leaveout
Day 10

I have made it a point not to press my hair as it reverts, to avoid damage. As I search for a better solution,

Challenge Time! | Protective styles till spring

To prevent me from obsessing over my long term goals, I often set set short term challenges, and goals, to distract myself.

I am doing a protective style challenge for the next 2 months. I'm hoping to see 1 inch of growth by the end of this challenge.

I put a weave in, using human hair. I will be sure to maintain healthy curls underneath. Check out this article that gives step by step instructions to maintain healthy curls under your long term protective styles. Protective styles can be a double edge sword, when it comes to hair health. On one hand, your curls are saved from manipulation damage.

Work Out & Save Your Hairstyle!

Curly Girls Guide to Sweat / Swim Proof Hair

Just because your hair is on point, doesn't mean your work out routine has to suffer. Weather your rocking a fluffy fro, a twistout, braidout, or press.  Keep Reading for tips to keep your hair intact while working out.

TWA’s

Be sure to moisturize the hair well. Dry hair tends to suck in moisture. The better moisturized your strands the less sweat your hair will take in. Co- wash when necessary to remove any buildup.

Braidouts/Twistouts/Bantu Knots/ Curly Fro's

Pull your hair into a high, taught pineapple. If you have more length, pull you hair into a double bun, to maintain your stretched style. This allow you to avoid bunching your ends into 1 large bun. Another option is a twisted bun. Wrap a breathable scarf around the style & hit the gym with no worries.

Stretched/Pressed hair:

Wrap your hair as tight as you can around your head. Take your time, and make sure the hair is securely wrapped before putting on a silk scarf. Make sure the scarf is snugly. Use Nourishing oils (not moisturizers)  as you  unwrap your hair post workout.  Make sure the hair is completely dry, and cool before removing the scarf.

Flat Twist

Spray your flat twists with a water based moisturizer, and wrap the style in a breathable silk scarf.

Swimmers

For many curly girls, fitting your crowning glory into a swing cap is a tall order. I highly recommend swimming caps. If a swimming cap is not an option follow these easy steps

       1. Corn Braid hair using ample amounts of a  thick leave in conditioner

       2. Completely Soak your braids with water  BEFORE hitting the pool or beach

This prevents your strands from absorbing the chlorine

The most important tips:

Do Not Remove the silk scarf until you are completely cooled. Do not remove the scarf until your hair is completely dry. Do not remove the braids after swimming until they are completely dry, be sure to follow any swimming with a 30min deep conditioner, and a ACV rinse to close the cuticle & remove any build up on your strands. Follow these easy tips and you’ll be looking great and feeling great from head to toe!

Oil Rinse for strength & shine

What is an Oil Rinse?

An Oil rinse (Pre Poo)  is yet another way to help your strands retain moisture. Users rave about the frizz busing qualities, and shiny results. Here’s how you do it:

1-Wash your hair with shampoo. If you are only co-washing, rinse your hair ensuring it’s completely wet.

2- Part hair into four sections (or more depending on hair’s thickness and length).

3- Saturate hair and scalp with the oil of your choice. Don’t be fooled by fancy products and packaging, take it back to basics with natural products from the pantry like jojoba oil, meadow foam seed oil, avocado oil, amla oil, argan oil, and coconut oil, which are all great mixed together or used singularly. (You can use a bottle if you mix multiple oils together.)

4- Using the tips of your fingers gently massage the oil from root-to-tip stroking in a downward motion.

5-Cover hair with a plastic cap and leave the oil on hair for a minimum of 45 minutes to an hour (You can decide on a longer length of time at your own discretion.)

6- Detangle hair using a wide-tooth comb, your fingers,  or a Denman brush and rinse the oil with warm water

7- Follow-up with your regular conditioner. Rinse out with cool water to remove oil, and lock in shine.

Here are a list of oils you can use. Many of these oils can be found in local beauty supply, grocery , and health food stores.

Lavender Oil: It is a good treatment for dandruff and itching, helpful in controlling hair breakage and improving hair growth. Most widely known to treat alopecia areata, a condition where you lose excessive hair in patches. Daily massage with lavender oil has proven to help significant re-growth and gives you the results in a few months. Lavender oil blends well with many other essential oils including jojoba, rosemary and tea tree oils.

Chamomile Oil:  chamomile is known to  soothe the nerves  and it does the same for your hair and scalp, in fact it is the most soothing of the essential oils for the hair and scalp. Chamomile helps to retract skin cells that have been inflamed from chemical procedures, and harsh weather conditions and helps with itching scaly scalp and dandruff.

Peppermint Oil: helps to stimulate blood flow to the root of the hair. 

Rosemary Oil – The oil is derived from the rosemary plant and is very useful for dandruff problems and flaky itchy scalp. 

Tea Tree Oil: is a great moisturizer for the hair, it helps to keep the scalp free of bacteria and fungal problems. Tea tree oil unblocks the sebaceous glands and encourage the flow of the scalp’s own moisturizing oils while clearing away dead skin cells. 

Lemon Oil:  helps with the treatment for dry scalp.

Myrrh Oil: helps with the treatment for dry scalp, dandruff problems and under-active sebaceous glands. Use instead of lemon oil if your hair is not oily.

Fragrant Oils For Hair

Fragrant Essential Oil Suggestions:

Rosemary,

Lavender,

Sandalwood,

Jasmine.

great for Scalp Massages: Put 3-5 drops on your fingertips and lightly massage into scalp.

Carrier Oils

Another type of oil for hair is called carrier oils. Carrier oils are also known as base oil or vegetable oil they are usually derived from seeds or nuts. Carrier oils are best used as natural and unadulterated as possible 

List of Carrier Oils and Their Benefits To Hair

Jojoba Oil – The debate is whether jojoba is the king of the carrier oils. Jojoba is great for all hair types and has an ability to inhibit excess activity of the sebaceous glands making it the perfect choice for people with oily scalps that still need conditioning. Likewise it can be used for dry hair as it helps to moisturize your hair properly.

Olive Oil – Only olive oil that is labelled “extra virgin” guarantees that the oil has been cold pressed from freshly harvested olives and does not contain chemicals. 

Coconut Oil - Coconut oil consists of more than ninety percent of saturated fats Vitamin-E and Vitamin K and minerals such as Iron. Coconut oil is considered one of the best natural nutrition for hair and is in contention with olive and jojoba oils as the king of the carrier oils..

Castor Oil – is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean. Castor oil is a colorless to very pale yellow liquid with mild or no/low odor or taste..

Vitamin E Oil -  Vitamin E contains valuable antioxidants that help to keep the immune system up and improves circulation to all parts of the body, including the scalp. When added to homemade products it can extend shelf life!

Avocado Oil- is extracted from the king of the ‘hair’ fruits avocado. It is full of vitamins that your hair needs like vitamins A, E, D and potassium. If you want a super deep conditioner treatment without having to buy a commercial preparation, you can add avocado oil to the other carrier oils and you will definitely feel and see the difference. 

Protection From Your Protection?

Protective style Maintenance 

Curly  Micro Braids

Protective styles allow your strands go weeks without manipulation damage.  However naturals must make sure to care for the curls underneath the style.  My 1^st year natural I spent much of that time with my hair in protective styles. Here are my top tip for having a successful protective style.

Too often I hear of people complain that a protective style ruined their hair. Follow these tips to save your strands, grow that hair, and give yourself a break from daily styling.

Tip 1

Moisturize | Before  | During | After

For curly girls, moisture equals soft healthy hair. Be sure to moisturize your hair prior to styling. Before I twist or braid my hair I deep condition, and seal with heavy creams and butters.  I also make sure to keep my curls hydrated, spraying my ends, and/or oiling my scalp every 2-3 days while my hair is protected. Only thing protective styling gives you a break from; is styling. You should still continue a moisture routine with your protective style. Moisture is also the key to a successful low shedding take down. I use my water based homemade mist to moisturize my strand as I take down the style. I also use the mist to loosen and remove any lint tangled in my hair.  Since using water based moisturizer, while taking down my styles I notice less shedding, and easier detangling after wearing protective styles for weeks.

Tip 2

Check the Tension, Check the heat, or do your own dirty work.

Your hairstyle should not hurt. If it does, follow these tips when Hair Too Tight? Save yourself a headache, and speak up while the style is being installed. If you are uncomfortable while in the chair, you will be uncomfortable at home.  Many styles require the stylist to straighten or stretch your hair. Be sure the hairdresser is treating your hair with love. Use heat protectants, and cooler settings ALWAYS.  If detangling your hair requires special skills, I suggest you arrive at the salon with the dirty work already done. I confess, detangling my hair is a Job in itself; sometimes I rather pay someone to deal with it.  But I rather save my stands, and gently finger detangle my strands myself.  I don’t use combs or brushes. I have not tried to tell a hairdresser to finger detangle, I may try that as an experiment, and see their reaction…

Tip 3

Don’t overdo it

I know protective styles can be an addiction. There are just so many options! Braids, twists, weaves, wigs, buns, and so on. Be sure to know when it is time to let the style go. Micro braids, when worn too long, can pull the hairline, causing hair loss.  Weaves can block the scalp, preventing you from moisturizing it well, or itch. Some brands of extensions can strip the hair of moisture no matter how much you moisturize.  Be sure to switch up the type of protective style you get. 







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Low Manipulation Hairstyles for Curly Hair

Fall Hair Care

Fall is my favorite season, the temperatures have already started cooling here in NYC. Cooler temperatures signal it’s time to start rethinking my wardrobe as well as my weekly hair regimen. Though the foundation of my regimen always stays the same, (cleanse, condition, moisturize, seal) some of the products and details change with the seasons.

My hair 4c hair is always on the dry side,  keeping my strands moisturized is always a priority no matter what the temperature is outside. However, during the humid summer months,  I find that I can seal my ends less often, and co-wash more. I also seal with lighter oils and fewer layers, using only leave-in conditioner and One of these sealants:  coconut oil or JBCO or Shea Butter.

When cool weather rolls around I find it necessary to make some adjustments in my hair routine.  As my outfits need more layers, so does my hair.  In the coldest months, I’m using a leave-in conditioner and JBCO & Shea Butter on my strands to maximize the moisture. Here are the other changes:

Cold Weather Regimen

Wash Less  - The first change I make is washing less often. During the summer I enjoy the luxury of co-washing up to twice a week, when temps are upwards of 90 degrees. However,  the harsh NY winters, and warm sweaters leave me looking for other options. During winter I cut back considerably, washing my hair an average of every 14 days.

Seal More – I seal my ends year round. But as the weather cools, I make slight adjustments, paying special attention to my ends. Since water equals moisture and colder months leave me cutting back on washing, I seal with heavier oils, and butters  in an attempt to lock in my wash day moisture for longer. Whereas in the summer I only seal with 2 layers, in the winter I seal with leave-in conditioner, coconut oil, JBCO, and Shea butter.  After a week, I refresh my curls with my home made hair mist, then seal again using butters, and oils. When My hair begins to feel dry again (2 weeks later), I  finally cowash.

Protective styles – During summer I wear my  4c wash n go’s, puff styles, and curly fro’s, but during winter I try to cut back on the amount of  Strand exposure. Colder temperatures brings wool jackets, turtle necks, and cashmere scarves that increase friction against my sensitive strands. As often as possible I leave my hair in twists, braids, or up-dos that protect it from the increased potential sources of damage.

Deep Condition – During the winter I increase the frequency of deep conditioning treatments, and hot oil treatments. I steam my hair in the shower, or use the baggy  method overnight. I alternate 30min deep conditioners &  hot oil treatments (pre poo), every time I cowash. I may Shampoo once during the cold season, using a sulfate fee shampoo. 

Do you change your hair regimen with the seasons? What changes do you make for cold weather?