Haircuts???? Scouts honor!

So, we (the Curlz) talk every day! And I mean EVERY DAY...lol! We stay in the iPhone chat group and talk about everything from hair (of course!), our jobs, men, our families, workouts, and no day is complete without a ratchet jam being mentioned. Hahahaha! Right now we live for Ball by TI ft. Lil' Wayne and listen to it every day and jam together via text.  Needless to say there is never a dull moment!  

So last Friday I was on Instagram and came across this pic and reposted it.

I instantly fell in love with these tapered cuts and had to share it with the Curlz! So my play play cousin, Bran (lol) immediately agreed that she loved these cuts as well.  So right then and there we decided that we would be getting haircuts.  We shook on it *via iPhone emoticon* and said scouts honor, although the closest either of us has come to being a girl scout is ordering those delicious cookies! Lol! So we both searched for a stylist in our respective cities and we were both able to get hair appointments...YAY!  We had to move quickly before we both lost our nerve and punked out...hahaha!  But my two year naturalversary was May 7th and Bran's is on the 20th so we decided why not???  LET'S TURN UP!

So without further adieu, here are our new 'dos!!! What ya think?????

Tasha's Before

 

After

                                             Brandi's Before                                                

After



Managing & Styling Short Natural Hair

via Transitioning Movement

Taking care of your hair while it’s short can be quick, easy, and hassle-free. While styling options may feel limited due to the length, there are many ways to switch up short hairstyles that will keep things fresh and fun!

Washing/Shampooing

It is very easy to wash short hair! Since the hair is short, it won’t tangle as easily as it could if it were longer. Still, it is good to take precautions so that when your hair does grow longer, the maintenance does not become much more difficult.

Pre-poo the hair by applying your favorite oil or conditioner about half an hour before you shampoo. Rinse the oil or conditioner out before shampooing. Pre-pooing the hair helps to soften it, making the washing part a breeze. It also helps keep the shampoo from drying your hair out too much after rinsing. Pre-pooing is optional, but it is definitely a good step to take if you experience dryness upon rinsing shampoo out.  Next, detangle the hair using a comb or a brush similar to the Denman. Even short hair can get some tangles and mats, and you want to make sure that they are removed from your hair before shampooing, since shampoo can cause tangles to mat together.

Then, simply wash and rinse your hair, focusing the shampoo mostly on your scalp.

 

Conditioning

Apply your favorite conditioner to your freshly washed hair. Depending on the type of conditioner and the instructions on the bottle, you can either rinse the conditioner out after the specified time, or leave it in your hair.

Moisturizing

Moisturize the hair daily, every other day, or as often as needed to keep your hair soft and manageable. You do not need to apply too much product – a quarter or half-dollar amount should do.

Styling

There are many styling options for shorter hair!

Twists – twists look great on short hair! Be sure you part neatly, as the part lines are not as easy to cover up as they are with longer hair.

Coils – coils also look great on short hair! Coils can usually be rocked for weeks at a time depending on how quickly the style becomes frizzy.

Twist outs/braid outs - these look beautiful on short hair to give it a textured, curled look. Simply twist or braid several sections of the hair using your favorite styling product, then when it dries, take them out and fluff out the curls.

Half up/half down – cornrows or flat twists at the front of your hair and leaving the rest free is a cute alternative as well!

Faux puff – using a stretchy headband, double it around your neck and push it up and back toward the center of your head to create the illusion of a large puff.

Flat twist/cornrow bang – if your hair is long enough, you can try flat twisting or braiding it across the front of your hair for a bang look! 

Headband – wear your favorite headband while rocking any of the above styles!

Scarf – vintage pin-up scarf styles are trending right now, and they look super cute with short hair. Try tying the scarf while leaving some out in the front to create a “bang”!

Hair accessories – cute hair accessories like hair flowers, bows, and clips can easily give some spice to a boring updo.

Be sure you protect your hair at night by covering it with a satin scarf or bonnet, or by sleeping on a satin pillowcase. Cotton pillowcases can suck moisture out of your hair.

Keeping it simple with short natural hair will keep it healthy and growing. Be sure to wash the scalp often enough to keep it healthy and unclogged. Moisturize when it is needed, and rock your hair fiercely!

 

How do you care for and rock your short hair?

 

Treat Your Hair Like A Plant: Cultivating Growth

Just like a plant, your hair needs cultivation and a lot of love to grow & prosper. 

Moisture (Water your plant) When it comes to moisture, plants have rain. We have water among other refreshing juices to livening up the tresses. Remember the first or second ingredient in your moisturizer should be water.  Don’t be fooled by products that claim to moisturize your hair, but don’t even have water (or it’s listed as one of the last ingredients.) 

 

 

Gentleness (Nurture) Just like with a plant, you must be gentle when you care for your hair. Be gentle in grooming and styling. Never attempt to do your hair when you are pressed for time. In situations like that you tend to rush and become a little more aggressive with your tresses.

                            

Sometimes what your hair needs is a lot of tender love and care! When it comes to taking care of your scalp, roots, and ends of your hair here are some things to keep in mind…

 

 

Roots (Grassroots work)  We must take care of our hair's roots and scalp in order to promote growth. Use essential oils, scalp scrubs to nourish your scalp. Massage your scalp with the pads of your fingers to stimulate your roots and encourage growth.

Prune (Groom) Regularly cut your hair's split ends and single strand knots. A few methods are twist-n-snip, straighten and snip, or a professional cut.

Shelter (Protect) Guard your hair from cold weather, hot weather, and chlorine. Wear protective styles, scarves, beanies, sunhats or turbans. To protect your hair from the chlorine you can coat the hair with swimming conditioner or regular conditioner before swimming in chlorine water.

                            

Quick Summer Hair Tips & Tricks

via Curly Nikki

Not only are there general dos and don’ts for natural hair but those rules are broken down by season! I know! I know! “ain’t nobody got time for that!”…Ridiculous right? Something about the word “rules” just screams “break me” and automatically incites challenge and resistance. Hence the old adage “rules were made to be broken”. To avoid feeling so combative, I say don’t view them as “rules” and regulations; but more as helpful tips and tricks to exploit and make your hair life easier. Some you’ll put into practice, others you won’t, and it’s that simple. With that being said, here are a few tips and tricks as we approach escalating temperatures and hopefully a season full of good times, good friends and good hair!
 
Put away the heating tools
It’s almost futile to resort to any heat styling during the summer months. Your tresses won’t like it much and furthermore don’t need the added stress that comes with blow drying and heat exposure. However, if you are totally committed to the idea of straightening/blow drying your hair, at the very least opt for a leave in conditioner designed to protect and use the sectioned blow dry method. Before blow drying allow hair to dry at least half way before diving into the process and always be mindful of heat settings. 

Care free is the key
This doesn’t mean you don’t have to maintenance your mane. It means simplify your routine to allow more time with family and friends vs. a five hour hair session. A wash and bun (wash it and put it in a bun) is a simple, yet sophisticated way to stay cool with minimal styling. If your hair is not quite bun length, a low maintenance look surrounded by a decorative headband/head piece will neatly guard your face from fly away hair. A cute side braid is another adorable, stylish look that is easily achieved. Whatever carefree styling works best for you is what you should opt for during the summer. The goal is minimal effort, maximum flyness. 

Check in with your local weather person
It helps to keep an eye on the forecast and plan accordingly. If you know what you’re up against as it relates to the elements, you can be two steps ahead. This will also be a lifesaver when it comes to product selection, i.e. humectant vs. anti-humectant, gel vs. cream, etc.  

Hands off…at least until your hair is completely dry
Constantly coifing and re-coifing the hair while it’s wet will only lead to unwelcome frizz. Settle on a look and then let it be. Textured hair tends to have a life of its own so let it live.

What tried and true quick tips are you arming yourself with this summer?

Drug Store vs. High End Hair Products

via Naturally Curly

Can you achieve healthy curls with drugstore hair products? Here's the scoop. 

Drug store products versus high end products is one of the biggest debates in natural haired history. Ever since companies began creating products geared towards natural hair, women have flocked to them to better care for their tresses. But a resistance arose comprising of women who refused to say goodbye to the tried and true drugstore products that have worked for years. As a curly this can be very confusing because while there are numerous articles (many of which you can find here on NaturallyCurly) speaking out against the evils of lower end products, there are plenty of women advocating for them. So what is a curly to do? We are going to break it down for you to help make your purchase decision an educated one.

The Price

When this debate arises it is inevitable that the price of many high end products is discussed as they can sometimes be double or triple the price of what you can get in your local beauty supply or drug store. Whether or not these products are worth their price depends on what you are looking for in a product. For the most part, the more expensive products contain ingredients which tend to be naturally derived as opposed to cheaper products which tend to contain a lot of fillers like petrolatum or lanolin. This is especially important for curlies who follow the Curly Girl Method who can only use natural products on their hair.

However, paying more money does not always guarantee that a product has a superior list of ingredients. As of late, hair care companies have begun to pouring more effort and research into formulating their products which means that we are seeing many drugstore brands with natural ingredients and entire product lines dedicated to curly hair. Now that the drugstore brands have upped their game it is beginning to become difficult to tell the difference between drug store and high end products.

Generic Brands

As a curly girl I know that there is nothing more annoying than getting a product or sample for free, trying it, loving it, then realizing you’ll have to take out a small loan to buy it regularly. But all hope is not lost. For curly women whose hair has expensive taste, you’ll be happy to know that it is possible to get a champagne product on a beer budget. Many of our beloved name brand products have cheaper generic alternatives. These no name products usually contain similar if not the same ingredients as the brand name products and work just as well at a fraction of the cost. Brands like generic Paul Mitchell, Infusium, and Nexxus to name a few all have generic versions which are used and loved by curlies.

It Is Possible

Most important of all you should note that it is possible to get gorgeous healthy natural hair using the cheap stuff. There is no rule that states that the more expensive a product the more effective it is, and there are plenty of curlies whose hair is a testament to that fact. The truth is our hair can’t tell the difference between high end or low end products and will respond to a product regardless of the price tag. So if you’re a curly on a budget and can’t buy every product raved about on CurlTalk or YouTube, then don’t fret because your hair will grow and can be healthy using what you can afford.

Lately even the stars have begun to take note of drugstore brands and have been quoted expressing their love for products that you and I can afford. One such celeb is none other than the gorgeous curly Jordin Sparks who has been photographed purchasing products from the L’Oreal EverCurl line. This has probably come as a shock to many of us who believed her healthy tresses were a result of celebrity stylists and an exclusive hair care line. So for the curlies out there who aspire for celebrity-worthy curls, know that you can now get them without breaking the bank.

Sea Breeze Astringent and Dry Scalp

 By Tenika

At my recent visit to Salon Nevaeh to have my hair straightened, the stylist informed me that I had two dry patches, one on each side of my temples. Dry patches.....come again???? I bout freaked on her. I take good care of my hair! After I calmed down lol I realized that the dry patches (sometimes referred to as dandruff...Yes I said it DANDRUFF) were possible occurring for a number of reasons such as the combination of me working out excessively, and the use of many products.

The scalp can develop flakes, dry spots, sore spots and scabs for a number of reasons. Usually, the condition occurs when the scalp stops producing natural oils. Common causes of excessive dryness of the scalp are weather conditions, unhealthy diet, air conditioners, allergies, and irritants found in styling products and shampoos. Improving the condition involves getting rid of hair products that contain harsh chemicals. A combination of moisturizing, massaging and home remedies may help to restore the natural oils back to the scalp. Dry Scalp can also be from a medical condition such as psoriasis or eczema so seek medical help if the situation does not get better.


The stylist recommended that I incorporate Sea Breeze Astringent as part of my scalp care routine. Yes, scalp care not just skincare! (for other tips on caring for your scalp, check out our Scalp Scrubs Do You Use Them? post or our Dry Itchy Scalp post)

Here are a few tips on how to use the Sea Breeze Astringent:

1. Decide which Sea Breeze astringent product you will use. Sea Breeze Astringent for Skin & Scalp or Sea Breeze Astringent Original Formula are two good choice

2.  Gather a supply of cotton balls.

3. Apply Sea Breeze Astringent before washing/cowashing your hair or just before bedtime. I apply it before bedtime.

4. Soak a cotton ball with a small amount of astringent and wipe the areas on your scalp affected with dry patches.      

   

5. Avoid using Sea Breeze Astringent on areas of your scalp that aren't affected with dandruff.   

6. Limit your use of Sea Breeze Astringent so you don't dry out your scalp, which will cause an overproduction of oil and clog the hair follicle, making your situation even worse. I would try it 3x a week

7. Don't use Sea Breeze Astringent as a long-term solution. If your dry patches clears up, decrease your use. If your dry patches doesn't improve in four weeks, stop using Sea Breeze Astringent and see your doctor.

Note: In the mornings it would be best to use a dime size amount of oil ( I use olive oil) to apply to the dry spots to lubricate the area.

Bunning, Baby!

 By Devon

Hey curlz! I wore buns four days straight this week in order to avoid daily manipulation. While I thought it would be easier to maintain, I still had to moisturize daily. Here are a few of the styles I tried in the picture above and in that order: 

*Triple twist bun-I pulled all of my hair up into a pony, smoothed down the edges with As I Am Smoothing Gel, (HG status, yea boi!), spritzed hair with Taliah Waahid Protective Mist Bodifier for added moisture and then sectioned hair off into 3 sections. I twisted each section, then pinned them back and around with bobby pins to secure. Voila, hence the triple twist bun!

*Mushroom bun & bow-This bun is my fav and go to bun style. Super easy and quick! I just gathered all hair up into a pony, rolled hair back to form a mushroom type shape then secured the hair at the bottom of the bun with a hair comb. There may be lose hair, so pull out those trusty pins to secure those hairs. Lastly, add a super cute bow to the back like I did or an accessory of your choice!

*Bow bun-This one is for fun, but yes, I wore it to work lol! It's a bit of a challenge, but it can be done! Same as the others, smooth edges, moisturize the pony and decide where you'd like it positioned. I put mine off to the side as you can see. Take 3 sections, the left and right sections should be of equal amount of hair and the middle a smaller amount. Start by gathering the left section up and simply wrapping it towards the back of your head as if you were making a bow. Pin the ends at the back by the pony and pin the other parts down to secure it. Repeat with right side. Take the middle section roll it back as this part is the tie or middle part of the bow, and pin it down and around to secure. That's it, you now have a cute little quirky style!

Always remember, just because you're bunning doesn't mean you don't have to protect you strands. Always moisturize, especially your ends.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

Guess what????? We've reached 400 Facebook fans which means it's time to giveaway some hair products!! Naturelle Grow has graciously supplied us with some fabulous products to give to one lucky winner!  The lucky curly will receive:

(1) 16oz Coconut Water Cleansing Conditioner

(1) 8oz Moisturizing Hair Cream

(1) 16oz Mango & Coconut Water Infused Deep Conditioner

After you have "liked" our Facebook page go here and "like" Naturelle Grow page to be entered. It's that simple! But hurry, this must be done by midnight tonight (12am EST, May 8, 2013) and the winner will be announced tomorrow!! Good Luck!

For more information about Naturelle Grow and their products, please visit their website www.naturellegrow.com! 

Oil Rinsing for Smooth, Shiny, and Soft Natural Hair

via Curly Nikki

Oil Rinsing... The Answer to Frizz

by Petra Lomax of EmilyCottonTop

I have to start out by saying, frizz was never an issue for me, I figure it comes with the territory so when I find something that virtually eliminates frizz then you have my complete attention. I learned about oil rinsing a couple of weeks ago from my girl Alma, and since then, I have tried the process on three wash days with the same results every time.  Everybody knows that if you have natural hair and you get the same result three or more times then that process is a keeper!

What is Oil Rinsing?

Oil rinsing is an extra step added to your wash regimen where you would add oil to your hair after you shampoo and before you condition. Oil rinsing is different from mixing oils into your deep conditioner because the oil is added to the hair itself, and is considered different from a hot oil treatment because that is done prior to shampoo and oil rinsing is done in the middle.

The advantages of Oil Rinsing include:

- moisture retention
- smooth, soft hair
- reduction/elimination of single strand knots
- easier detangling
- natural shine enhancer

How it's done

There are two ways to do it, the way I have done so far is to shampoo the hair first and after you have thoroughly rinsed, apply a rich oil throughout your strands prior to conditioning. My oil of choice is Castor Oil but feel free to pick any oil that you prefer. I plan on experimenting with coconut oil and olive oil in the future, but for now I am loving Castor oil. Rinse the oil off your hair with warm/hot water (don’t make the water too hot and cause any shower accidents). Once all of the oil is rinsed, add your conditioner and rinse that with cool or cold water.

The other method is to shampoo, rinse, add your oil directly to your hair and add your conditioner immediately after. At this point you have the option of adding a plastic cap and deep condition using heat and then rinsing everything out of your hair with cold or cool water.

What I have noticed

When I applied my conditioner after my oil I would use the opportunity to detangle my hair with my fingers and the process is a breeze. I usually braid my hair in sections at the end of wash day to stretch my hair and my hair is so soft and so smooth with absolutely no frizz, I could kick myself for not trying such a simple thing sooner.

What I look forward to the most

Hands down the elimination of single strand knots. I know that I will have to look at my hair over a period of time to see if the knots go away completely but so far so good.

Here is a video demonstration from NappyChronicles:

Anyone ever heard of this before? Have you tried it?

Product Review: Honey Curls

Honey Curls products are a collection of easy to use curly hair solutions, guaranteed to hydrated and enhance your curlie cutie. We've uncovered replacements for every harmful ingredient without compromising the quality and effectiveness of our brand of products. Our curly hair solutions are health conscious and kid-friendly!

Our unmatchable formulas are free of parabens, alcohol and sulfates. Each bottle has been infused with blends of nutrient-rich ingredients such as Honey, Aloe, Coconut Oil, Green Tea, and Olive oil creating a signature hair hydration system to keep curls well-nourished and healthy.

Designed, developed and produced right here in the North America, Honey Curls products range in price from $13 - $20 and are available online, at select Beauty Supply stores and fine salons nationwide.

I had the pleasure of reviewing two products from the Honey Curls line on my 3 year old daughter's hair. The two products I received were the Honey Curls Deep Conditioner and the Honey Curls Hair Honey Oil Blend.  After shampooing my daughter's hair per our normal routine, I applied the deep conditioner to her clean hair.  

The directions say it can be used as a rinse out conditioner or you can leave it on for 20 mins for a deeper treatment.  Because washing her hair is already a task (lol) I opted for the rinse out route.  First impression was that this conditioner smelled AMAZING! Love, love, love the scent, it has a fruity smell to it. Upon application to my daughter's hair, this conditioner had no slip which is a big deal for me because she has a lot of thick hair.  I continued to apply it until her entire head was covered and simply worked it into her hair for about five minutes before I rinsed.  Before I rinsed her hair it did not feel soft but after it was all out, it felt really moisturized.  Even without any product on her hair it felt very soft.  The one thing I disliked about this product was that it came in a bottle with a pump.  It takes quite a few pumps to get enough product out to cover her entire head so it would be better if it just came in a regular bottle with a flip top or a jar.  I would purchase this product to use as a monthly treatment for her.

After that I applied her leave in conditioner and I used the honey oil blend to seal.

The directions for this say to put the bottle in hot water for a few minutes as this helps to "melt" the product. It is slightly thick straight out of the bottle but I allowed it to sit in a cup of hot water while I was washing her hair. So once I was ready to use it, it was easy to apply like most oils.  I normally don't use oils on her hair because her fine strands are weighed down easily and it doesn't take much to make her hair very oily. However, this product did not weigh her hair down and left her with great shine.  While this product was good, I would not purchase this simply because her hair doesn't necessarily need an oil.  It's important to note that per her directions this can also be added to your moisturizer or conditioner which I may try in a couple weeks.

Thank you Honey Curls for allowing me to review your products! 

If you would like more information about Honey Curls, please visit their website www.honeycurls.com. 

Here is my daughter Amaya's hair after I styled it for the week.  She was being really silly in her sunglasses and my glasses.  And I tried to talk her out of wearing the big bow to school but she loved it, so I let her have some fun with her hair :).

 

  

How to Achieve a Big Curly Flat Twist Out

via Confessions of a Blog Vixen

Came across this beauty on Instagram. Her name is Donedo and her pics are like eyecandy for the natural-hair-loving-beauty-junkie! Below she demonstrates how she achieved this big curly afro, which she makes look super simple…if you know how to flat twist lol.

What products and method do you use to achieve your best twist out?