Moni's Awesome Braidout!

Hi Kcurly,

First, I want to say that I love your blog!  It’s definitely one of my favorites.  Now that the weather is warmer, I’m wearing my hair out in my signature braidout (picture attached).  Do you have any suggestions for a good daily moisturizer?  I’d like something light, either a lotion or cream, to use on my hair when I rebraid it in large braids at night.  I’m looking for something close to a hair milk, definitely not a spray.  Thanks for your help!

Cheers,

Moni

Moni, first of all your braidout is on fiyah! Just off the top of my head here are several suggestions for a light cream/lotion you might like for the warmer weather.

Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root

KBB Hair Nectar or KBB Hair Milk (Most people say the Nectar is lighter, though I’m the odd man out on that one)

Coconut Oil (Used sparsely of course)

Kinky Curly Knot Today

Maybe some of the ladies here can give you more recommendations. Thanks for reading!

So I’m still doing the straight thing. Getting tired of it quick and will probably do a wash n go sometime this weekend. Today I’m rocking a big old messy bun made with two satin scrunchies. (TIP: Satin scrunchies can be found at a lot of BSS and are great for making pony tails and buns if you experience breakage from hair bands. They don’t get the hair as tight as the elastics, but are much more gentle).

I am going to try and do a bun tutorial. Ya’ll please be patient with me, I know I said I was going to do another puff tutorial, but it just hasn’t happened yet. But it will!

So here is my workout hair for this week. I’ve had some reversion near the nape and at the roots a bit, but it’s still ok considering I’ve been sweating like a pig. I did the high ponytail and then banded the rest of my hair.

I also have my trusty headband firmly in place to soak up the sweat.

If you’d like to try this but your hair is too short to get into one ponytail, do 4 or 5, however many you need. Make sure the roots are pulled taunt for when you start sweating.

Hello Kcurly,
In September 2009, I decided I wanted to be chemical free and start wearing my naturally curly hair. I have a really dry/coarse grade of hair so I knew it would be a challenge. So I informed my step mom and she gave me information about a Keratin Treatment that may make the transition a little easier (she swears by this stuff).

Needless to say, I tried and IT failed. The skin around my edges started to peel and I began to shed a lot more than normal. I told her about this and she suggested I should keep moisturizing it, and said the flat iron may have been too hot. I thought it was an allergic reaction or it was done wrong. During the next month and a half, I became a proud owner of three new bald spots!!! I then realized my hair could not be saved and I went to have it all chopped off. That was the most emotional moment for me. I wanted to try the transition gradually, and be more comfortable with the thought of being a “bald” woman; so let’s just say, this is what caused my big-cut-decision.

About a week after the BC I decided “hey let’s try a texturizer.” Granted, that made me a little more accepting of the cut because it didn’t look so dry and I had some curl definition, but I didn’t want to have to rely on chemicals anymore. I only wore my hair out in public ONE time after that. I didn’t like the cream that was suggested by the manufacturer because it left a nasty film on my hair. Another one I tried, within their line, left my hair crunchy. I have no idea what to use or try. After all of the disappointment I decided not to put another texturizer in my hair, and continue with my original plan.

Well, now it’s January and I’ve been covering up this “mess” with hats and head wraps. Last week I decided to go to the barber shop and have it cut again. As of right now, I have no more chemically treated hair on my head. BUT, I’m back to covering it up because I don’t know how to moisturize it, and keep it looking nice and healthy. Also, he cut it a lot shorter than it was when I first started.

I read a few of the product reviews and suggestions you posted, and I have no idea where to start. You gave so many great options I got a little overwhelmed. Do you, and fellow readers, have any suggestions for beginners? I currently wash and condition my hair with Silk Elements product line, and I have been using Mostions moisturizer on my hair. I realized the moisturizer isn’t doing much because a) my hair eats it all up and it doesn’t even last at least two hours, b) I have to put almost the whole bottle in at one time, and c) my hair is still very brittle. If I scratch my head the wrong way I have hair falling from my head. Help me guys!!!

Thanks,
Tiara

Tiara, you have been through it, girl! I hope your experiences show other newly naturals the road of chemical alteration is fraught with peril. (Think you want a texture softener? Read this post!)

Now on to your questions. This post and this post have suggestions for keeping moisture in your hair (or rather, this is what’s worked for me).

The products that you’re using…I’m not familiar with the Silk Elements line, but the Motions moisturizer is garbage, to be quite frank. Get away from the stuff with mineral oil or petroleum in it. That’s why it’s just sitting on your hair. Stuff like that is ok on top of something moisturizing, as with the Chicoro method (she uses vaseline to seal in after using conditioner) but to rely on it by itself makes my hair into a hot mess.

Now, once you’ve tried everything else, you may want to try eliminating silicones. That is not for everyone, but they do cause some people to have buildup and dry hair.

You have a TWA so keep it simple. I first suggest you do a shampoo to start with a clean slate. Do a good DC (check the ingredients, if you are short on money Lustrasilk has an awesome DC), and go from there.  Conditioner wash when you need to, sleep with a satin scarf/pillowcase, deep condition, moisturize as needed, try to limit the shampooing, oil your scalp as need.

Most importantly, read, read, read and educate yourself. Good luck!

Maybe some readers will have some more suggestions for you!

An excerpt of an email from Denise:
Hello Kcurly!

Have been enjoying your site for almost a year. Thanks!!!

I’ve a couple of questions…

can you speak to the dangers of hair accessories. which are safe? how can the consumer use them wisely? ( head bands in particular)

I have crazy thin temples…I’m thinking that my use of headbands are the culbrit? should I use more oil in these spots…like coconut oil or something?

Denise, thanks so much for the email and I apologize for me taking so long to get back to you.

Headbands can be the culprit of thinning edges and nape. The traction of a tightly applied headband and the fabric of the headband itself are both a danger.  I know newly natural ladies rely heavily on headbands…Goodness knows I did, but caution must be taken.

• Satin or silk headbands are the best  choices for headbands if possible.
• When using the Goody ouchless headbands, make sure to soak them an oil or conditioner before putting them on your head. Also stretch them out before you use them. I wrap them around my bedpost tightly for a few days before I use them.
• Apply extra oil or moisturizer to your edges and nape before putting on the headband or scarf does help. These also need to not be too tight.
• Take a break from them. Try other styles that you’d feel more comfortable wearing without a headband

Buns can be pretty boring to some people. I grew up wearing them a lot, so I like them, but you can always jazz them up a bit. Here’s a bun I wore recently with my twist out.

Getting the bun started. I gathered my hair up loosely with an ouchless band soaked in oil.

Spread the hair out and secure with another ouchless band, tucking in the ends. Ta-da: There's my bun.

First I added a thin ribbon headband. This is a fun ribbon I had in my scarpbooking supply. I felt like I would never use it in a scrapbook. It's got an interesting design to it.

I then placed another smaller piece of the ribbon around my bun loosely.

Finished product

Just a note: I don't brush my edges at all when putting the twist out into a bun. Brushes and twist outs don't go together. The "messy" bun is in right now, so take advantage!

Here’s a quick and cheap hair accessory that you may not have thought to use: Ribbon! I would occasionally tie a piece of ribbon on my ponytail when I was relaxed and recently saw someone’s siggie on a hairboard with a ribbon as a headband.

Now before you click the X to get out of this post, I’m not talking about the old school pigtails with yarn ribbon around each one. There are so many different types of ribbon out there. I’m a scrapbooker so I have a variety of ribbon. You can find wide and thin, plain or jazzy, and all different types of textures. Here are a few of my ribbon uses.

Huge wide brown ribbon with a fro. I don't really do the big bow thing too often but if I feel like it, I will. You can try this and make a tiny bow to the side or however you want it.

A thinner ribbon with stripes

I found this one at Walmart. You can find all types of designs.

Though you can find them at Walmart, also be sure to check out craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michael’s. If you find them drying to your hair, you can also find satin ribbon like this one:

Satin Ribbon

I’ll post another picture of using ribbon on a bun tommorrow. Don’t forget to get your entries in to the Curls giveaway by tonight!

I got a few questions about how I do twists. So here are a few tips. Hopefully, one day I can get around to making a video tutorial or at least a pictorial. The following are techniques that helped my twists to look better compared to what they used to be. These are just for dry twists, check out my video section for wet twists.

1. If the ends won’t stay/curl up, dip the end in water (I got that tip from Nonie on LHCF)
2. Concentrate a lot more product on the section of hair than you would with wet twists, it makes the hair more pliable while you are twisting
3. Using a thicker product, such as shea butter, instead of a lotion or liquid. Shea butter usually takes awhile to settle on my hair, so I can see residue after I finish using it. I just wrap my hair up with a scarf and the rest aborbs into my hair, leaving nice shiny twists. This also helped my twists not to stick up all over the place when they were shorter.
4. Stretch the hair out (I used banding) instead of letting it dry in a fro beforehand. You may also try to braid/twist it in big sections, rollerset it, or blow dry it (but be careful with the heat).
5. Use smaller sections of hair
6. I always comb (widetoothed) each section right before I’m going to twist and after I apply the product it to make sure that it’s as smooth as I can get it.
7. Some of you asked about the scalp showing. My hair is really thick and that may aid in why my scalp doesn’t show, but it’s also the way I layer my twists. I use the brick method. So instead of having the twist parts directly on top of each other, you want to make them fall as if they were bricks…that way, the twist will cover the scalp.  Also, I think the smaller you make them, the less likely you are to see scalp.  If you have thinner hair, you may want to do wet twists to encourage plumper twists and hide any scalp spots. Otherwise, if you are still seeing scalp spots, you can try to pin some of the twists back to hide the spots.

Pretend that the brick itself is your twist and the morter in between is your scalp. When the twists fall, they will cover the scalp.

Twists maybe a year ago?

Twists now

Also, I just want to mention that it’s always good to take pictures of your hair when it’s really horrible. Like that above picture. I was afraid to leave the house with that style, but I kept doing it and I’m glad I took pictures because now that I’ve improved I can really appreciate the difference.

Post or email me any more questions and I’ll do my best to answer them

Tired of Frizzy hair?  Mahisha Dellinger, curly-haired expert and creator of the CURLS organic hair collection lists her Frizz Fighting Tips along with ingredients to avoid and an at-home recipe to Fight Frizz Naturally. (www.curls.biz)

While wavy and curly hair tends to be more frizz prone, due to the molecular structure of the hair follicle, all tresses are equally susceptible to tattered, frizzy tresses.  Here are a few great tips for banishing frizz for curly and straight hair alike.
Sweet and sour – honey and vinegar – the key to frizz free hair.

1. Pucker Up – a distilled white vinegar rinse is a great in the shower frizz fighting technique all hair types can add to their regime to banish frizz. The technique is fast and easy and requires 1 common household item.
   1. Rinse hair with warm water to remove product.  Skip shampooing.  Apply vinegar directly to hair and scalp.  I like to use a bottle with spout top for easy distribution.  Gently massage. Rinse.  Condition as usual.  Not only is vinegar great at reducing frizz by sealing the cuticle by restoring it to its natural ph balance, but it also removes build up and adds sheen, leaving tresses feeling soft as a baby’s bum. WORD OF CAUTION;  avoid over indulging in this quick fix, straw like tresses will be the result.  Do so 1x every 2 weeks for the best results.
2. Sweeten the Deal – Honey is also a great natural remedy for combating frizz.  Mixed with a little conditioner (for fine hair) or applied directly to your hair, after shampooing and before conditioning, for medium to densely textured hair; honey

Mahisha’s At-Home Recipe for Fighting Frizz Naturally -Milk & Honey Hair Smoothie
(1 can of pure coconut milk ,1 ripe avocado ,2 tablespoons of pure honey ,2 tablespoons of olive oil)
Directions: Add ingredients to blender.  Mix at high speed until your concoction reaches a smoothie consistency.  Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  You can warm up your hair smoothie in the microwave before next application…just enough do de-chill.

Substitutions:
Feel free to substitute the olive oil for any natural oil of your choice.
Add more oil for extra dry hair, e.g. 1 tablespoon.
Add more honey for hair that needs more sheen, e.g. 2 tablespoons.

Instructions for Use:

Section hair into 4 segments.

Generously apply evenly to hair, from root to ends concentrating on ends…as they are the most prone to frizz.

Smooth hair into a protective style (e.g. braided ponytail, or bun).

Prefer a frizz fighting styler (vs a homemade concoction)?

CURLS offers NEW  CURL Gel-les’c (serum like, gel product) – This botanically based, organic curl styler , banishes frizz, imparts brilliant sheen and holds those twirls in place!  Available at www.curls.biz $25.

Ingredients found in frizz fighting products that you want to avoid.

1. Silicone – Silicone products can smooth down the cuticle, making it appear smoother. However, the negative effects (build up, dryness, brittle hair) of regular use of heavy silicones far outweigh the temporary benefits.  Look for silicone replacements instead (e.g. bean tree and jojoba oil).  Dryness is the culprit of frizz.
2. Drying alcohols – there is a difference in drying and fatty alcohols. You want to avoid the alcohols that are bad for your hair.  Fatty alcohols such as cetyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol     and stearyl alcohol are actually good for the hair.  They are natural and derived from coconut.  Bad alcohols are the stuff in hairsprays like isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol. They basically help the product to dry quickly and also end up drying out hair.
3. Protein – while protein is great for chemically altered hair, especially after a chemical treatment.  Too much protein can cause an adverse affect…dry tresses that frizz out of control.

An email from Paula:

Hi kcurly,
i wanted to ask a question but didn’t know where to ask it on the blog. I see you’ve started doing an ask kcurly type of thing and thought it would be perfect to ask you. (I got your email from the giveaway). How do you store all natural products, such as products by karen’s body beautiful hair milk and butter? (I have almost 6 milks and 3 butters, I’m a big kbb fan). I recently purchased a huge order, because it makes more economical sense to buy in bulk. I also know that natural products tend to have a shorter shelf life, than other products, and being the worrier i am, i’m now worried about whether my products will grow mold before I’m able to use them. Right now I still have my extra’s in the box they came in stored in a cool closet. But I’m not sure how to store my products. Do I put them in a drawer, where every time I open them they’ll be hit by light? will keeping them stored in the box which is dark cause them to grow mold faster?

I’m newly natural and new to the natural products scene. Some storage tips will be greaty appreciate.
Paula

Hey Paula! Thanks for the great question.

I think keeping your products in a dry, cool place with adequate ventilation is more important than the light and dark factor. A lot of natural products come in jars anyway, that wouldn’t be hit by light until you open it. The only time I’ve noticed mold growth is when I’ve allowed water to get inside the container. See this post for more information on that horror.

I’ve also learned that shower condensation can cause growth if the jar is not properly closed and sitting in the room. So tightly close all containers just to be safe. Too much sunlight is also supposed to be harmful to natural products, though I don’t really know why.

Also, taking note of the shelf life is imperative. Most natural hair care lines have a shelf life listed on the website somewhere. For KBB, here is what the site has to say about the shelf life:

The shelf life varies. But since our products are not preserved with chemicals, they’re best used within 6-9 months of purchase.

Another one of my favorites, Hairveda, has this posted on their site:

All of HairVeda’s Butters/Frosting & Oils have a 1 year shelf life from the date you receive your items. No preservatives are used.

Some more European based products have a jar symbol that should be found somewhere on the back of the container. Whatever number is inside the jar, should represent the months of shelf life the product has after opening. If you have some Giovanni products, you can see this symbol on the back to see what I mean:

This is only a requirement with products that are being sold in a country that belongs to the European Union. . This shelf life estimate does not take into consideration how the product is stored beforehand however.

Some other safeguards to take when handling your products are to use a utensil or clean, completely dry hands when scooping it out. You may also choose to refrigerate it if you are really worried about it. I’ve also heard of people adding natural preservatives such as grapeseed extract and vitamin E to help, but I’ve yet to do this. Here is an article on natural preservatives.

Another problem I’ve had with KBB once it reaches the shelf life is that the scent starts to fade. The products work just as well, I just don’t have as much of that yummy smell anymore.

I hope that helps, and maybe others can share their tips and experiences.

So if  I am styling dry hair, my main method of stretching my hair is to band it.  I normally do it with smaller sections, but found myself  short of time once. My hair is now long  enough to band two large sections of hair.

After rinsing out my DC, I moisturized with a homemade  Shea butter and jojoba oil mixture, and then sealed with grapeseed oil. As I’ve said before, I always seal an oil (grapeseed is lighter) when banding because it can be drying.

Doing it this way did not stretch it as much as banding in smaller sections, but it worked in a pinch.It also took much longer to dry.