A few of my favorite things! for Naturals and Transitioners

In the spirit of the holidays just thought I would share a few of my favorite products and product lines for naturals and transitioners. As I said everything doesn't work for everybody, but here are SOME things that have given me good results.

CUSH COSMETICS www.cushcosmetics.com
Who am I kidding I haven't tried anything from this line that didn't work in my hair but here are a few of my top picks that I keep in rotation in my regimen.

• Mango Pomade to lock in moisture and tame the mane
• Extreme Protein Leave in to help decrease shedding and breakage. I love this because it is a leave in product and it works pretty much instantly. My hair responds really well to it.
• Moisturize Me Leave in Conditioner great for detangling helps me to keep my hair hydrated and curls looking crisp and fresh
• Creme de Palm Moisturizing Cream smells delish, makes hair feel especially soft and manageable and moisturized, does not weigh my hair down AT ALL

KOMAZA CARE www.komazahaircare.com
Another great line that has done nothing but great things in my hair. Need to place an order now

• Coconut Curl Hair Lotion/ Shea Butter Hair Lotion Both smell amazing and keep my hair hydrated and curls defined ridiculously. I use the shea butter hair lotion mainly when I am naturally straight to aid in keeping my hair moisturized while it is straight and in preventing head damage.
• Olive Moisture Mask- great hydrating deep conditioning treatment
• Komaza Scalp Conditioner- feels like heaven on my scalp lots of yummy ingredients to encourage growth and prevent dry scalp
• Honey Comb Hair Rejuvenator- to worked great to slow shedding/ breakage and encourage strengthening the hair shaft

DEVA CURL www.mydevacurl.com (sold at Ulta and in several salons)

• numero uno The Curly Girl Handbook, the name says it all
• Deva No Poo my sulfate free cleanser of choice.
• Deva One Condition one of my two ultimate favorite conditioners. I also leave a little in as a leave in conditioner. Leave hair soft and manageable and makes my curls pop!
• Set it Free refreshing spray, refreshes and rehydrates my curls
• B'Leavin Leave in Conditioner- for great curl definition and to maintain moisture in my hair

HUETIFUL www.behuetiful.com

• Huetiful Hair Steamer cannot live without it
• Huetiful Hydrating Hair Masque- does exactly what it says and you can feel it stimulating your scalp while you steam

JANE CARTER SOLUTION www.janecartersolution.com (sold at Target, Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreens)

• Jane Carter Wrap & Roll my secret for great roller sets and rod sets
• Jane Carter Revitalizing Hair Mist another fabulous refreshing spray
• Jane Carter Nourish & Shine love this for when I do twists/ twist outs

KINKY CURLY (sold at Target & Walgreens and online)

• Knot Today great detangler

CURLS www.curls.biz also sold at Target and Sallys
this line works really well in my daughters hair

• Creme Brule great moisturizing lotion
• Souffle hair cream. My hair loves this as a styling creme

MISS JESSIES (sold at Target, in most beauty supply stores and online)

• Quick Curls great for hold and curl definition

CURL JUNKIE www.curljunkie.com
another great line with great conditioning and deep conditioning products

• Repair Me!- Reconstructive Hair Treatment great protein treatment
• Hibbiscus & Banana Deep Fix- smells delish and restores moisture fabulously
• Curl Rehab- definitely one of my favorite deep conditioners

AUBREY ORGANICS (sold online and in Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods...)

• Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner the other one of my favorite contioners that I also sometimes leave in

CAMILLE ROSE www.camillerosenatural.com
another great line I want to try more of

• Algae Deep Conditioner smells like cake and definitely another favorite in the way of deep conditioners
• Almond Jai Twisting Butter great for twist sets

JAMAICAN BLACK  (sold at most beauty supply stores)

• Jamaican Black Castor Oil, great for nourishing the hair, apply to hair and scalp to promote growth and thickness

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• promotes a healthy scalp and strenthens hair shaft

Virgin Coconut Oil

• moisturizes hair shaft, great for detangling

In Living Color-Healthy Color Treated Natural Hair new regimine

• Cleansing

cut down co washing to twice/ week, although color treated hair needs moisture I also recognize that the more I wash/ cleanse my hair the quicker my color will fade. In addition to fewer washes, I use cooler water which will 1. decrease the fading of my color and 2. lock the moisture from the conditioner in better. Because I know the conditioning effects I am locked into using Deva Care One Condition and Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose conditioner as they are safe for color treated hair

• Conditioning

In addition to my cleansing conditioners (above) I am also committed to a weekly deep conditioning is an absolute MUST no question as is a balance of protein and moisture to prevent breakage- I am rotating between Curl Junkie Curl Rehab and Camille Rose Algae Deep Conditioner. On order right now so I am also doing some recipes including egg treatments and avocado hair masks including my moisturizing conditioners and  oils. I will definitely be continuing with my Extreme Protein Leave In from Cush Cosmetics

• Moisturizing

I am currently trying with much success using Cush Cosmetics Creme de Palm moisturizing cream and Komaza Care Shea Butter Lotion to apply moisture to my hair during this time. The both last pretty well in my natural hair and Cush Cosmetics Mango Pomade to lock it in

• Revitalizing Moisture

Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Hair mist all day!

• Oils

Sticking with my favorites.... Jamaican black castor oil on the scalp and ends daily, prepoo with EVOO, conditioner with Coconut Oil and Honey Added.

other plans for my curly hair especially now while its cold outside and my hair is adapting
- weekly steam treatments for Deep Condtioning
- low manipulation styling twist sets, rollersets, silk wraps

excited about my new color and continuing maintain healthy growing hair!

Tips on Transitioning WITHOUT a Big Chop

so in my inbox this morning I had messages from 3 different people asking me about transitioning... tips and products.... so I figured it best if I address them all at once.

Let me start with this disclaimer, when I transitioned NONE of these products were on the market and there was no such thing as transitioning, so there was no method to my madness. It just was what it was.

How I Did It
The first year of my 'transition' I was expecting and nursing a newborn, hence the reason for my deciding not to do any chemicals. During that time I mostly did rollersets and rod sets pretty much weekly. I drank alot of water and NO sodas. My diet overall was pretty good during that time because as I said I was pregnant and being very conscious of those things. After that I just continued with rollersets and flat ironing. I kept my ends trimmed regularly, eventually all the relaxed ends were gone and I never gave it a second thought. Now I am not trying to make it sound simple at all but the key is to find the right style for you that allows for low manipulation. The less you have to deal with your hair the easier transitioning is to deal with.

Low Manipulation/ Protective Styling
One thisng is that you definitely have to learn to love and appreciate natural hair, you never know what lies beneath so start experiementing with natural hair styles and looks. Manipulate your relaxed hair to make it look 'natural' Try rod sets, straw sets, buns, updos, braid outs, twist outs, sew ins and braided extensions are also an option, but don't overdo it you don't want to put too much strain on your hair, which can lead to breakage. Flat twists are always great for keeping the new growth down and tamed.

Products/ Moisturizing your Hair

• One main reason for breakage and not retaining length is due to a lack of moisture. However if you are experiencing excess breakage and shedding I highly recommend you seek a consultation with a licensed cosmetologist expereienced in healthy, natural hair. I say this because not everyone is comfortable dealing with natural hair or transitioning so do your research. You get what you pay for.
• Pre-poo. Pre-pooing is the process of moisturizing your hair before you shampoo. This strengthens your hair and helps prevent breakage. This can be done with an oil (like a hot oil treatment) One of the best ones to use is extra virgin olive oil EVOO. You can put on a plastic cap and hot towel, hood or hair dryer or just sit under a steamer to allow the oil to penetrate your scalp and hair. Then use your fingers to detangle the hair before cleansing.
• Cut back on Washing/ Shampooing your hair. Cut back on shampooing your hair with harsh shampoos choose cleansers with NO sulfates. I have been successfull cowashing regularly with a clarifying conditioner and shampooing every 4-6 weeks as well to prevent build up. (cowashing as an alternative to shampooing is where you wash your hair using a conditioner instead of a shampoo)
• Deep Condition. At least once a month (now every week since I have color) I deep condition my hair as well. This helps to keep my hair soft and manageable and helps to control the shedding and breakage.
• MOISTURIZE I know I have already said this but its really important so I am saying it again! Start with water, product and then seal the moisture with a natural/ essential oil.
• Experiment with products. I can and will share some of my favorite products but be mindful that everything doesn't work for everyone, so get recommendations from other naturals but don't be discouraged if you don't get the same results. The only way to determine what works for you is to experiment. I recommend joining and participating in local meetups and natural hair events, product swaps, get samples to determine what your hair best responds with. Distribute the product from root to end

Just Say NO To Heat
stay away from direct heat on your natural hair. This will lead to breakage and damage to your natural hair. Your hair could be heat trained and unable to hold your curl and worse heat damaged and ultimately dead hair. I experienced this first had from flat ironing my hair to the point where when I decided I wanted to try to embrace my naturally curly hair texture I had over 4 inches of heat damaged ends that had to be cut off. So put down the flat irons and blow dryers. There is a better way.

Trim your hair regularly.
Trim your hair every 2 weeks- 1 month trim off  a little maybe a 1/2 inch. Your hair is growing because you are practicing healthy hair techniques so eventually all your relaxed hair will be gone and you won't even know the difference.

Curly girl goodness- Avocado Hair Mask Recipe

So in this never ending quest for healthy hair I am making sure to be extra careful in treating my hair these days with the harsh coldness of winter weather and the added strain of my desire for color. I was grocery shopping and saw avocados on sale and decided I'd go home and make some fresh guacamole and picked up an extra avocado so I could finally try an avocado hair mask. I have hear so many good things about avocados for hair and had beeing dying to try.

Here is what I used:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• rosemary essential oil
• tbsp raw honey
• 2 tbsp real mayonaise

mash avocados and mix. After finger detangling, I applied the mixture to my hair from root to end, massaging it into my hair and scalp. Once I had saturated my hair in the mixture I sat under my steamer for about 20 minutes. You could also use a plastic cap/ hair dryer, steam from the shower, whatever works for you. Then I got in the shower rinsed my hair good and shampoo'd and appied a moisturizing deep conditioner immediately to replenish moisture to my hair. Left it in for about an hour with a plastic cap on while I tuned into Scandal. Afterwards I rinsed and proceeded to style :)

Results: I feel like my hair has alot of shineand body. I didn't notice alot of shedding or breakage when I detangled and styled which was good. I will absolutely be repeating this mask. I am thinking of rotating between this and an egg mask. One or the other each month.

from www.avocado.com
Avocado contain many essential nutrients, proteins, vitamins A, D, E and K, B vitamins, magnesium, copper, iron, folic acid, potassium and amino acids. These ingredients help to repair and replenish dry and damaged hair.
The proteins, vitamins B and E found in avocados can also increase the strength and elasticity of hair, giving it a healthy shine and texture.

Naturtint- review

Happy Thanksgiving curlies. I finally got my something new! Red it is after lots of research and conversations with Kelly J of NGR and celebrity stylist Felicia Leatherwood, they both recommended Naturtint to me.

I purchased Naturtint from the vitamin shoppe for about $16/ box. The colors are mixable so I chose a red and a blonde. The blonde to lift my hair enough to take the the red. The process took approximately 30 minutes Afterwards I deep conditioned my hair under my steamer to restore moisture I know that breakage from hair coloring comes primarily from dryness so it is going to be very important to keep my hair properly moisturized. Overall I felt like the color took pretty well and best of all, NO BLEACH:)  I'll wait a month or so and go one more time since my hair is lighter now, the color should take a little better.

Naturtint^® Permanent Hair Color
Natural plant-based ingredients nourish and protect your hair while providing vibrant, long lasting color.
• Specially formulated for people who want a healthier way to color their hair.
• Free of harsh chemicals that
can damage hair and leave it dull,
dry and brittle.
• Includes botanical extracts
that revitalize hair.
• Pleasant smelling -- no ammonia,
no parabens, no resorcinol.
• Covers gray in one application.
• 29 mixable shades, so there's
a color just right for you.

Natural lightening result

The difference is very subtle. I think these are probably better to use in the summer when u can spend the day in the sun.

The color if my hair is a little bit brighter. But the more you repeat the procedure the better your results. Not sure I really have the patience for this right now i want a big change but I will definitely revisit this in the summer when the sun is plentiful. I will keep repeating for now though to make the coloring process easier

Curly girl experiments

So in my quest for something new I will be trying some new things with my hair. I have been researching natural hair lightened and have come across quite a few lightened that you can find in your home.

-hydrogen peroxide (in the sun or with a blow dryer
-lemon juice  (works best in the sun)
-olive oil
-honey                        
-cinnamon

Bored with my hair

Cut or color. I've been itching to do something new with my hair. I really don't want to cut it but I need a new look so I am contemplating a color change it will be blonde or red hot. My biggest concern is that I don't want to damage it. I work hard to keep it healthy. I definitely don't want to have to start over so stay tuned :)

GROWTH! Castor Oil Challenge update

Check out my Current Wash n Go and the one right at the beginning of the challenge I am so excited about my growth from this challenge!!! Worst side effect of the challenge has been the itching at the beginning but once that went away all was well. My hair has been very hydrated and obviously, growing :)



current Wash n Go 10/21

Wash n Go 9/2012

Natural Girls really do rock!

This weekend I hosted the second annual Carolina Natural Hair Expo, Taylor and I had our hair styled for the hair show :) We had a pretty good turn out in spite of competing that day with a big football homecoming and the state fair. Overall it turned out really well

Castor Oil Challenge pics

wash n go beginning of the challenge



Week 1 mini twists

another hair challenge...

So in efforts to learn what works best for my hair and to meet my hair goals I have decided to participate in yet another hair challenge. This one is the Fall Castor Oil Challenge hosted by Kinky Kurly Coily Me. Stay tuned for updates pics and results

Cruisin with the Curly Girls!!!! All Aboard

Hi Curlies!!!! I am so excited that this Spring I'll be going on my FIRST ever cruise!!!!!! Even more excited that will be with fellow curly girls! I'll be a guest blogger on the The Curly Cruise. The Curly Cruise Sets sail April 25-29, 2013 from Miami, FL and visits the Western Caribbean with stops in Key West, FL and Cozumel, Mexico. Hope to see you there!!!!

UrsulaSKelly.com presents The Curly Cruise: An annual cruise geared towards individuals and groups who have natural hair and a natural way of life. It’s a celebration of freedom, beauty and moxieThe Curly Cruise is sponsored by Curls.
On board The Curly Cruise, participants will take part in workshops given by top notch professionals from across the country, be entertained by a hair show and other curlvents, win door prizes, be able to shop in our very own Vendor’s Fair and most of all mix and mingle with other naturals from all over.

In addition to uniting naturals, the mission of The Curly Cruise is to highlight and support small businesses. We are providing local vendors with the opportunity to Vend on board the cruise as well as network to expand their businesses. Vendors interested can request a packet from our website at www.thecurlycruise.com.

The Curly Cruise encourages participants to arrive in Miami, FL the night before on April 24, 2013 where they will be invited to our Official Welcome to Miami Reception.

The prices for the cruise are as follows:

Inside Stateroom : $500.44 pp based on double occupancy

Oceanview Stateroom: $540.44 pp based on double occupancy

Balcony Stateroom: $ 640.44 pp based on double occupancy.

Prices include: pre-paid gratuities, all curlvents and workshops, admission to the Vendor’s Fair, all meals, transfer from hotel to ship port and more.

Hurry and book your cruise with a $50 deposit per person at 1-888-202-4136 before August 15, 2012. After that the rates are subject to increase!

30 Day Protective Style Challenge!!!!!

Okay folks. I am placing myself on a 30 day protective style challenge. Anyone of you who would like to join me is invited. 30 days isn't too bad, last year we went the whole Summer! So here we go:
PROTECTIVE STYLES ONLY!!!! Low Manipulation styling does not count (braid outs, twist outs, bantu knot outs, roller sets...) For those of you who know me you know this is definitely a challenge for me especially during the summer time, WnGs are my best friends LOL

So What Is a Protective Style?
from NaturallyCurly.com
Protective styles are ones that don’t consist of most, if not all, of the hair being worn loose. Wearing the hair in a protective style requires that the ends, the oldest and most fragile part of the, are usually tucked away and sealed with some kind of moisturizer. Popular protective styles include but are not limited to braids, twists, bantu knots, and shrunken afros.

Protective styles can be achieved with just about any hair length. Those with TWAs can wear shrunken fros, or opt for coils if they have enough hair to twirl around the end of a ra-ttail comb. But with more length, there are more options. These include but are not limited to braids, locs, twists, bantu knots, and buns.

I'll give you a free pass if you want for the 4th if you want rock your Fro for the Fourth. The challenge officially begins July 1-31. I am starting a little earlier (tomorrow) Since I already have some plans the weekend of the 28th and want my hair out ;).

Okay, ready, set, go!

Monday Night Blowout... Things I do When I am bored! LOL

I live in Columbia SC average temperature this time of year 98 degrees, on a good day. Not dry heat either, HUMID (yes, thats right all caps!) I got bored last night after finger detangling and decided to blow out my hair. I didn't want to straighten it just wanted to make it a little more manageable for a couple of days so I wouldn't have to do so much.

The problem with this is remember 98 degrees in the shade and HUMID so not sure how long it will last. So I guess we'll see but wanted to share the results and what I did.

my hair was dry so I sprayed it down with my water bottle applied grapeseed oil (a natural heat protectant) I also applied some of my CHI Leave in w/ Keratin (a new buy I only plan to use when I straighten/ blow out), then my CHI Thermostat heat protectant spray. Next I took my paddle brush and blew my hair out with my blow dryer (concentrator attached) on a low heat setting.  2 1/2 hours later...

After I blew it out I divided my hair in like 7 or 8 sections, twisted each section into chunky twists, then wrapped the twists into bantu knots. Went to sleep got up in the morning, dropped the knots untwisted and....

   

CUSH Cosmetics Product Review- Creme De Palm

styled my hair using CUSH Cosmetics Creme de Palm & Moisturize me!
smell- my daughter and i agreed that the Creme de Palm smelled like bubble gum, yum
consistency- thick but not too thick, melted in my hair and had a nice slip to it
result- great curl definition without too much shrinkage lasted well in the humidity

Will definitely be purchasing this product again!

Viviscal Update! #2

Hello Curlies!!!!! So as you know I started using Viviscal back at the end of November. Since then if you have been following I have been updating here, facebook and twitter and even youtube (until the unfortunate death of my camcorder:( ) This month for hair maintenance and retention I have been doing mainly rollersets. so I was able to get a pretty decent measure of my growth since on Viviscal. Also you can check my site www.kurlygirl.com The tracker is at the bottom right hand corner of the page.

So here we go!
1.23.2011       bangs                10 in
                       front side           12 in
                       back                  12 in
                       top                     10 in
12.21.2011     bangs                 9 in
                       front side           12 in
                       back                  11 in
                       top                     10 in
11.21.2011     bangs/ front        8 in
                       side                   11 in
                       back                  10 1/2 in
                       top                     9 in

Winter Hair Care for Natural Hair

Winter weather can be trying on your skin and especially on natural hair. This is a time when you want to give your natural hair some extra TLC. It is most important to keep you natural hair and scalp moisturized and protected.

Breakage is a result of dryness. Here are some tips to help prevent dryness and help you to replenish and maintain moisture in your natural hair….

1.       Hot oil treatments (use EVOO or EVCO, this a great treatment prior to cleansing your hair)

2.       Deep Conditioning Treatments (I recommend once a week)

3.       WASH/ Shampoo less frequently  if you feel the need try a co- wash instead so you don’t  strip the hair

4.     Oil/ Moisturize your ends to prevent breakage

Other tips to winterize your hair care routine…

1.       Wear hats for extra protection. Hiding your hair from the element under a hat can be a great solution but be careful. The fibers from wool can cause some breakage so you may want to wear a silk or satin scarf underneath that hat.

2.       Protective styling and Low manipulation styles are perfect options for winter months. Rollersets, blow outs, buns, braids, twists, twist outs, braid outs, bantu knots, wigs… there are tons of options for protecting your ends against the elements and against the harshness of fabrics.

3.       Avoid the wash and go. The wash and go is my usual go to style but in the winter I try to stay away from it to avoid adverse effects on my health. Leaving the house with a wet head is a recipe for a head cold.