How Often Should You REALLY Wash Your Hair?

The great  peruvian virgin hair  wash debate seems to be one women get passionate about: some swear by skipping a few days while others can’t imagine going without a wash every day! We thought it was time to settle the argument once and for all and answer the big question, how often should you REALLY wash your brazilian virgin hair?

A Little Hair History

Believe it or not, women haven’t always washed their brazilian virgin hair daily. In fact, up until recently women only washed their   brazilian virgin hair  once a month! While we all want our hair to feel fresh, clean and smell amazing, washing your hair daily actually strips hair of its natural oils. This can lead to dull, dry strands that easily break. Plus, if you’re washing and drying your hair daily, the heat tools are causing even more damage. So even though you may feel like you are taking care of your hair by washing it daily, you are actually causing more harm than good.

Hair Type Matters

So is there a good rule of thumb for the magic number of days you can go without washing your hair? Really, it depends on your hair type. brazilian virign hair that’s thicker and curlier can go without a wash for longer than hair that is more fine. How processed your hair is will also come into play, too. The reason is, the oils in your scalp don’t travel down the hair shaft as quickly in hair that’s coarse, curly or processed as it does for gals with fine hair.

The Final Verdict

At MOST, try washing your hair every other day. Every two days is even better and if you can make it an entire week, go for it! If your hair gets oily after only a day, try using some hair powder or dry shampoo on your roots to soak up some of that excess oil. There are also tons of products on the market for in-between wash days that will help your hair get some extra lift and smell fresh. After the gym, try spritzing a refreshing mist or do a rinse sans shampoo. If you must wash and shampoo each time after a workout, try a shampoo that’s made for daily cleansing; it’ll contain chemicals which aren’t as harsh on your hair.

10 Hair Mistakes That Make You Look Older And How To Fix Them

We all want to look our youngest and sexiest as long as possible. What we may not realize is hair mistakes we’re currently making – the wrong cut, color, style – can be adding years to our appearance! Check out these top hair mistakes that make you look older and learn how to fix them STAT.

1. NOT COVERING THE GRAY

“Nothing ages a woman faster than silvery roots and wirey hairs popping out from your part or hairline, and it can start as early as the 20s or 30s in some women,” says Wendy Lewis of luvmehair.com

2. DRY, DAMAGED, HAIR DUE TO CHEMICAL OVER-USE

Cut it…period. “Healthy-looking hair gives a youthful appearance,” says Stephanie Scuoppo of The Salon and Spa at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

3. HAIR THAT IS TOO LONG

“The hair should frame the face, graduating from the cheekbone to the chin, and not much longer than shoulder length,” says Scuoppo.

4. HAIR THAT IS CUT TOO SHORT

“A little length in the right places is softer and more forgiving,” says Scuoppo.

5. GOING TOO DARK

Dark brown, reddish tones, and jet black hair can be too harsh for some complexions. Face framing highlights and warm tones add light to the face for a softer overall look.

Clairol Color Director James Corbett advises that mature women shouldn’t just apply a dark black or brown all-over shade to cover their grays! For instance, products likeAge Defy are formulated to cover 100% grays while providing lustrous, radiant color with the right tones and highlights to complement a woman’s skin tone.

6. HIDING BEHIND YOUR HAIR

Women often make the mistake of hiding their insecurities behind their peruvian hair which, in retrospect, does them no justice. “Instead of keeping the hair close to your face and covering your entire forehead with bangs, open your face up and style and cut virgin brazilian hair with simple yet sexy elements that will flatter your entire look rather than trying to hide all your imperfections and barely showing your face,” says Shab Aghajani of theRoy Teeluck Salon.

7. AVOID ASHY TONES THAT CAN LOOK GRAY OR WHITE

As you get older, super short sculpted brazilian hair are very hard to wear and tend to accentuate sagging skin and jowling. “So if you hate your neck, keep your hair at least at chin length or just touching your shoulders for camouflage,” says Lewis.

8. DO YOUR PART

Hair parted to the side with a long fringe will emphasize cheekbones and even sharpen jawlines, whereas bangs draw attention to the eyes, so keep that in mind if you’re worried around wrinkles around your eyes. “Longer hair is definitely most acceptable for more mature clients these days, so grow it to shoulder length and make sure it’s healthy because shiny, strong, healthy   brazilian hair  makes you look younger,” says Aghajani.

9. WATCH OUT FOR STRAIGHT ACROSS BANGS

These are not always flattering and can be masculinizing and very hard to grow out. “Wispy, longer bangs are prettier, plus much more versatile,” says Lewis.

10. DON’T BE AFRAID OF CHANGE

Cut it, let it grow, change your style altogether — staying young is about feeling young, and that’s about letting your spirit guide you!

How Hair Grease (Yes, Grease!) Can Help Retain Length in Natural Hair

I’m sure many of you remember the days of being a young girl sitting between your mother’s or aunt’s legs to get your hair done. Dax, Blue Magic, Doo Gro, or another peruvian hair weave grease was on the scene to replace that dry look and feel with smoothness and shine. It was a necessity. When there was no more grease left, it felt like the world was coming to an end. Well, it felt that way for me, at least.

Then came the wave of virgin brazilian hair care forums and blogs that seemed unanimous in their decision that “hair grease was bad” for our scalp and hair. If you want to grow your hair long, don’t use grease because it clogs your follicles. If you want moisturized hair, don’t use grease because it works against moisture. Petrolatum and lanolin (both major components in hair grease) became enemies to black women wanting healthy, growing  virgin brazilian hair . Butters like shea and mango as well as oils like jojoba, olive, and coconut became our new friends.

But is hair grease really our enemy? Or can it be used to our benefit. While many naturals continue to refrain from grease, some have found ways to re-incorporate it into their hair care regimen for retention of moisture and length. Let’s see how:

1. Seal the ends for increased moisture retention

Both lanolin and petrolatum (again, major components in hair grease) are able to lock in moisture very well. As a matter of fact, petrolatum is more occlusive than certain oils, including almond and avocado[1]. Meanwhile, lanolin is a natural, waxy substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep in order to protect the skin and wool from the harsh environment – including dryness.

HOW TO: To get the benefits of brazilian hair grease for moisture retention, apply moisture (water) or a water-based moisturizer first, then your oils and/or creams, and then hair grease.

2. Apply to edges and nape to stave off dryness

For some of us, water followed by an oil and/or a butter is a very, very temporary moisturizing solution for our edges and/or nape. After a few hours, those same edges/nape feel dry and crunchy as if they haven’t seen moisture for days. That is when hair grease – good at preventing moisture loss – makes another appearance in the hair care regimen. There is also the added benefit of hold and smoothing of the edges and nape.

HOW TO: To get the benefits of hair grease for staving off dryness, apply moisture (water) or a water-based moisturizer to your edges/nape first, then your oils and/or creams, and then hair grease.

3. Use as an anti-humidity agent to decrease shrinkage, and thus tangles/knots

Petrolatum creates a barrier upon application that prevents internal moisture from escaping while preventing external moisture from penetrating[1]. Because of this barrier, petrolatum-based hair grease can also act as an anti-humidity agent. Why is this important? Well, decreasing shrinkage (especially in coily or kinky high-shrinkage hair) can translate into fewer tangles and knots.

HOW TO: After washing and moisturizing your hair, apply  brazilian hair  grease prior to exposure to humidity. There is no need to repeat this process frequently. Doing so once (or twice) between washes should be sufficient.

4. Removal of long-term twists/braids and to detangle

Hair grease can provide much needed lubrication to ease the undoing of twists/braids as well as the detangling process. It can especially come in handy if you have meshing or a stubborn tangle. With the application of hair grease, a protective film is formed around the hair shaft and allows for a reduction in friction between strands.

HOW TO: Apply to ends prior to undoing long-term twists/braids and prior to detangling. Ideally, do both prior to washing.

5. Caveat: Use a good shampoo when washing

Use a good shampoo when washing to really remove the lanolin and petrolatum (i.e., product buildup). A shampoo that is too gentle may not be sufficient.

3 Ways to Dramatically Improve Your Length Retention At Night

If you’re anything like half the naturals in the US, you’ve got some kind of a night time routine that may or may not consist of spraying on some glycerin mix, re-plaiting your hair and wrapping it up in the  polyes- urrr…I mean satin scarf you bought at your local beauty supply store.

There are countless ways to prep your natural  brazilian virgin hair for bed, but not all will yield the most length retention. Some routines can require too much manipulation and compromise the integrity of the oldest sections of your hair; your ends. Other routines are not involved enough, so dryness and breakage ensues.

Through trial and error, I’ve learned the best nighttime routine for my hair helps with both moisture and most of all length retention.  So without further ado, here are 3 nighttime routine tips that will get you to that length goal a little faster:

1. Spritz Don’t Touch

The idea here is to moisturize your hair without handling it too much. While this may not be the best choice for you if you want to keep a defined style for several days, I recommending spritzing afro-textured hair with a water, oil and glycerin mix right before bed. I know some people like to use hair milk every night and lay on strand by strand and I think that works well to keep your  brazilian virgin hair  moisturized, but may contribute to more breakage than necessary. You can follow up with a spray oil if you’d like more help sealing it all in.

2. Pineapple Head

Rather than do plaits or twists every single night, I opt to pineapple my wholesale brazilian hair. Not only will you be able to retain defined styles such as twist outs, you will minimize manipulation, which typically equals less breakage at the ends.

3. Throw On A Scarf

I’m sure you’ve heard this one many times before and I’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but for those who really don’t know- throw on that satin scarf or bonnet before you hit the pillow. If that’s too much, consider a satin pillowcase. You’ll find your hair does an overall better job at staying moisturized which is one of the biggest keys to growing out your  peruvian hair.

How to Lighten Your Hair Naturally at Home

Blonde Highlights

If you want that sun kissed blonde look but don't want to damage your hair or pay big bucks then these Tricks are for you. You can get the same results as you would from bleaching products accept you are using natural ingredients that don't damage your hair as badly. The items in these mixtures can be easily found at a grocery or health store. If you are on a budget then these ideas will be even more of a help to you. All of these ways to lighten your hair are under fifteen dollars.

hair style from : www.luvmehair.com

If Your Hair is a Dark Shade of Blonde or a Light Shade of Brown

These are great ways to get highlights for naturally medium or light shades of hair.

Using Lemon juice

You will need Lemon juice,a spray bottle, water and some sunshine.

• First fill your spray bottle half way with lemon juice.
• Then fill the rest with water. (optional depending on how strong you want your mixture)
• Spritz hair until damp. Do not soak your hair and scalp.
• Go outside and let your   virgin brazilian hair.  dry in the sun.

Try not to over expose your virgin brazilian hair. You should not be in direct sunlight for more than a half and hour. You can leave the lemon juice in your hair overnight or wash it out immediately after your done in the sun its up to you. The lemon juice does bleach your hair and cause some dryness so be sure to condition and moisturize your hair before and after trying this.

Straight hair!

I decided that I would flat iron my peruvian virgin hair again. WHY! This will be my last time flat ironing my hair for a long time. I feel like I look like everyone else when I wear my hair straight. I enjoy my individuality when I'm wearing my curls.  I don't have to worry about my hair at all when its curly. Usually I just wear my hair in a ponytail, braids, and two strand twists.
My hair is a little pass bra strap length that's what I wanted and now I'm just like OK now that I have all this hair now what? So for part of the summer I'm going to wear some box braids and two strand twist.
To achieve this look that you see in the picture above check it out below. 

1. I washed my virgin brazilian  hair with BWNH Naturals Moisturizing Shampoo. You can purchase it here.
2. I then applied BWNH Naturals Nourishing Conditioner in my hair placed a plastic cap on my head and did some work for about an hour. Then I sat under the dryer for 30 minutes.
3. Then de-tangled my hair with a wide tooth comb and brush.  I then washed the conditioner out of my hair.
4. I started to section my hair and get the hair ready to roller set. While roller setting the hair I applied paper towel around the roller then wrapped my hair around the roller. Making sure my hair is extremely wet,(made sure I had my water bottle in hand). Then I thoroughly de-tangled again each section that was getting rolled using my brush and rat tail comb.
5. I then sat under the hooded dryer for 1 hour.
6. When my hair finished drying I rolled the rollers out of my hair and began to flat iron. Making sure that all my tools were clean especially the flat iron. While flat ironing I also clipped my ends which I do when they start to look a hot mess. Also while flat ironing I would curl the hair then make pin curls and bobby pin them in place so that the next day I don't have to apply heat to my hair.
7. After I flat iron my hair I do not put heat on my  virgin peruvian hair anymore. 

By the way no heat damage and my hair reverted back to the beautiful curls.

Is Your Hair Color Aging You?

We wear clothes, makeup and attitudes to stay looking young for as long as possible — but are we being aged in an area we least expect?

Your hair — its color, that is — may be aging you as you read this!

“Hair color can age women and (men) if tonality is wrong,” shares Gary P. Gemma of Gary Patrick Salon in California. If someone has olive skin, cooler colors will compliment while warm colors will actually age someone. Men should also stay with cooler colors because men do not wear makeup and warm hair color can look artificial. Blonde, red or brunette can work on all age groups. Just because someone is mature does not mean they have to be lighter!

A colorist should always consider a woman’s natural skin tone sans foundation, concealer and bronzers. Color can highlight or weaken one’s appearance.  If an olive-toned woman gets extremely brightened highlights, it can wash her out and create a monotone appearance. If a woman of paler skin with freckles goes too blonde or black, it can make her appear ghastly and aged.  “The key to coloring, is to work with a hue that complements your natural skin tone.  Going to dark or light can result in a dull appearance.  Selecting a shade that is one shade lighter to your natural hair color can soften the look, which results in a youthful appearance,” says Raphael Reboh, master stylist and
founder of Femme Coiffure Hair Spa in Miami Beach.

8 TIPS FOR SHORT, NATURAL HAIR

1. Why so complicated?

Cutting your transitioning hair or doing a big chop is exciting, but don't overdo it on the regimens, treatments, and methods. In the long run, you may cause more harm than good.

2. Learn your hair

Whenever your hair is short, you get to figure out easier what products are working for you.

3. Consistency is key!

If it works for you, do that. Stay consistent. Over time, your hair will start to flourish because of your healthy habits.

4. Moisturize your hair

This is an important part of haircare; you want to prevent as much breakage and hair fall as possible. Seal in all the moisture you get!

5. You're not limited in styling

From time to time, I like to do twist-outs, blow-outs, or put my hair in a puff. As long as you have an inch of hair to work with, you can try these. I also like protective styles. Just remember that they're not harming your scalp and edges, and they are PROTECTING them!

6. Condition, condition, condition!

You need that in your life! When I first BC'd, I conditioned more frequently. To this day, I condition every week for soft, supple natural hair.

7. Protein balance

Every 4-6 weeks I do a protein treatment on my hair. But going back to tip number 2: find out what your hair specifically needs, first.

8. Low-manipulation

You want the thick ends and edges to NOT be see-through. Keep this in mind while styling. Make sure you apply coconut oil whenever you are working with your hair. And make sure your nails are filed and not jagged, as this can add to breakage. Also, sleep on a satin or silk pillow case and use a bonnet! No cotton!

7 Tips to Get Your Natural Hair Ready for the Fall Weather

With cooler weather right around the corner, we have to prepare ourselves to make slight changes in our natural hair care routines.  Because the air is cooler and has less humidity, it is more likely that our hair will lose some moisture, so we must focus on keeping our hair moisturized and hydrated.  Here are some tips that will keep your hair moisturized and breakage free:

• Deep conditioners are a necessity for almost every wash  to restore moisture. Using a plastic cap or a hair steamer helps the conditioner penetrate the hair follicle even more, making the conditioning process even more beneficial. Do not skip on your deep conditioners.  In fact, try keeping the conditioner in for an addition 5-10 minutes, just to make sure that moisture is locked in.

• Remember to oil ends daily. A major cause of hair breakage is lack of moisture at the ends of the hair. To retain length and prevent those ends from splitting, simply apply oil to your ends every day. It will help keep them protected from the harsh cold and winds.

• A lot of us wear wool or cotton hats to keep our heads and ears warm.  Try lining the inside of your hats with non-abrasive fabrics to avoid breakage and dryness.  Also, try placing a silky scarf along the top edge of the collar of your wool coats to prevent friction and breakage caused by rubbing.

• Because the weather is cooler during the fall months, many of us may reduce our wash days.  Because water is one of our hair’s main source of moisture, you mind find that you need to moisturize more often between your washes.  Remember to continue to use your essential oils to loc in that much needed moisture.  A great oil to use is coconut oil. Another option for some of us who reduce our wash days is to dry shampoo.  I’m not a fan, but it works for others!

• As we transition into the colder months, trim away the dry and brittle ends that have been damaged by the summer sun.  We have discussed the importance of trimming away damaged and brittle ends.

• Protein has its place in a good natural hair care regimen, but you have to be more careful about using it when it’s cold outside. That’s because protein can fortify the hair’s structure and cause it to be somewhat hard if you do not balance it with adequate moisture. This is less of an issue if you’re 100% natural (no relaxed hair on your head) but if you’re transitioning, you may still be using protein treatments. If so, be sure to immediately follow protein treatments with a deep moisturizing conditioner, leave-in moisturizer and then seal the moisture in with a natural oil. Also, relaxed hair cannot tolerate frequent wetting like natural hair can, so you may need to rely on quality moisturizing products instead of water alone to keep the hair from becoming dry.

• If there is one thing to know about protecting your hair from dryness and breakage in these upcoming cold months, it is protective styles, protective styles, PROTECTIVE STYLES! Protective styling protects your hair from being exposed to the elements by tucking your ends away. Protective styles can be your best friend during the fall/winter while maintaining strong, moisturized, and healthy hair. Some great protective styles include buns, twists, Bantu knots, braids, and any other creative styles that keep those ends protected.

Best Hair Products For Natural African American Hair

Are you searching for some of the best hair  products for Natural African American hair? Well we all know that for some of the women the method of natural highlighting of the hairs is quite a lot daunting because they are not aware from the excellent beauty hair products for the hair care. Some of the women wants to add their hairs with the complete black look and some of them want to simply cover it up with the brown shades or red highlights. In all such choices the choice of making the best use of the hair products is one of the complicated tasks. Sometimes cheap products can lead to the breakage too that give rise to the split ends and rough hairs. You should simply be finding with the hair care products that are enriched with the shea butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, water, rosemaryand they should be all alcohol-free.

1. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie:

This product can be used in favor of the styling. The cost of this product in the market is almost$9.99.

2. Suave Conditioner:

This product can be used in favor of the conditioner. The cost of this product in the market is almost$3-$7.

3. Mop Top Daily Conditioner:

This product can be used in favor of the conditioner. The cost of this product in the market is almost$20.50-39.95.

4. Deva Curl Low-Poo:

This product can be used in favor of the cleansing. The cost of this product in the market is almost$18.95-39.95.

5. Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Set:

This product can be used in favor of the styling, cleansing as well as conditioner.

You can get to know more about all such amazing and best hair care products for Natural African American hair by visiting the fashion websites and visiting the market places. In this way you can get to know that what kind of hair care products can come into view as best and perfect for the hairs. Now if you want to give away the hairs with the best growth and smoothness then don’t forget to make the choice of excellent hair products for your hairs.

Dark Hair with Red Highlights: Color Ideas

Women with dark hair are often interested with hair highlights. Dark hair is versatile meaning that any colors go well with it. If you are a kind of person who seeks a little style drama, consider dark hair with red highlights. Although your color options have been narrowed down to red, still finding the best shade to complement dark hair seems to be overwhelming. Red has many shades. Deciding what reds look best on you is the first step in having this hairstyle. It depends on your natural hair color whether you have intense black or dark brown hair. Also, consider your personal taste. Most women look for lighter spectrum. If you belong to these women, you can try strawberry-style reds. This shade generates clear of saturation while adding warm shimmer. Others may feel challenged to try something bolder. Deep auburn, fiery cinnamon, shimmery copper and other medium shades of red complement any dark hair. Elegant burgundy and rich pure red are the most dramatic shades.
Dark hair with red highlights however is difficult to achieve without bleaching. It is necessary to bleach your natural hair first, then highlight it in red. Bleaching the hair will help emerge the red color. Bleaching, when improperly done, can damage your hair. That is why it is better to go to a salon to have you hair bleached and highlighted. Or, if you insist on doing it yourself, follow the procedures as written in the manual. Ask help from your friend if possible. Even a hairdresser often has an assistant. 
The cut of the hair indeed influence the overall look. If you want to show off your read streaks, layer your hair in choppy cut. In deciding the hair cut, you should consider the type and length of the hair. For example, long hair will look great in a nod to rocket chic red dyed tips. Other haircuts like layered waves and simple bobs work for almost any red hair. Super structured bob is favorable as it accentuates the face frame. Hot red highlights accent bob haircut very well. Now as you have been exposed to different red shades for dark hair, you can choose the one you desire. For more inspiration on dark hair with red highlights, you can visits some sites like hairfinder.com or thehairstyler.com. Such sites reviews and display 2013’s most popular hairstyles. You may find many pictures of beautiful red highlights for dark hair.

How to Prevent Hair Loss

Home remedy to help strengthen and revitalize hair. Promote healthy hair growth and help to reduce hair loss.

What You Need:
1/2 cup Coconut Milk
1 tbsp. Raw Honey
3 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Sea Salt
Essential Oils

Mix Coconut milk, lemon juice, and honey together. add essential oils, and transfer mixture to a spray bottle.

Spray onto damp hair and use a wide tooth comb to evenly distribute mixture through hair.

Massage scalp with fingers for 2 minutes.

Rinse with warm water and shampoo and condition as usual.

Great to help strengthen and revitalize hair follicles and can be done once a week for best results.

Choosing a Hair Product

Every week it seems there are new products on the market for your hair. Fortunately, it seems that many of the companies creating these products are getting smarter. They are making the products easier to select by coding them to specific problems. But what about choosing a product in more general terms? How do you know you need a styling gel as opposed to mousse? When do you use shine enhancers or serums? Let’s look at the product categories, define their usage and learn how to choose hair products.

Shampoos / Hair Cleansers
The thing most people get confused over with regard to shampoo is how often you should change your shampoo – and why. The answer is fairly simple: Shampoos are formulated to be more alkaline than hair and skin; it’s the alkalinity that enables the shampoo to cleanse the hair. Usually, the shampoo also contains other ingredients to condition the hair or smooth the cuticle layer and make the hair softer or shinier.
 
       When a person has used a particular shampoo for a prolonged period of time, the hair can become saturated with the ingredients of the particular product, reaching something of a “balance” in the level of the product in the hair. The hair may also have its alkalinity shifted to be more like the product being used. This means that the hair seems less affected by continued use of the shampoo. Hair that once felt remarkably soft and silky after using the shampoo may now just feel a bit cleaner.
 
       When you change shampoos out, you introduce a different level of alkalinity, and the new shampoo seems to work much better. In a sense, it does, but this shampoo will eventually reach a “balance” level as well. The thing to remember is that even though your hair does develop a “tolerance” to a given shampoo, there’s no need to set yourself on a schedule of changing shampoos. You should only worry about changing your shampoo when you stop getting the benefit you enjoyed from the shampoo.
 
       In other words, unless the shampoo you selected because it left your hair fuller and more voluminous ceases to do so when you use it, then you have no reason to change shampoos. However, when you feel your shampoo has stopped giving you the benefit for which it was chosen, then you need to look for a different shampoo.
 
       Once you’ve found an alternative, don’t toss your original shampoo, because when your hair becomes tolerant of the new shampoo formula, you can always switch back to the one with which you started.
 
       There’s one other shampoo issue that many people don’t fully understand – the use of a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoos are formulated to be more alkaline than regular shampoos, which enables the shampoo to strip away product build-up and particularly problematic oils and dirt. You don’t need a clarifying shampoo unless you use a lot of styling products – specifically super-hold or extra-strength products or layered products. In other words, if your daily hair routine involves using styling gel, mousse, spritz, and/or hairsprays OR you use any of these products for multiple days in a row between shampoos, you may want to consider using a clarifying shampoo every few shampoos to remove any build-up left behind by your regular shampoo.
 
Conditioners / Detanglers
 
       Some people – no matter how many times they hear it – seem to be unable to grasp the idea that the use of “conditioner” is meant to be a part of the daily hair care routine. In some cases, the hair can be adequately cleaned by the application of conditioner alone.

How to manage curly hair?

People with naturally curly hair often feel like they are unlucky because they usually have to worry about their hair more than others. While curly hair definitely requires some extra attention, you shouldn’t view it as a huge burden that has been put on your shoulders – curly hair is very beautiful and it is not that hard to manage it if you know how to do it correctly. Of course, not all solutions and tips are good for everyone with curly hair type but this article should at least give you a better idea about the best ways how to manage curly hair.

Shampooing curly hair

You should be careful when choosing the best shampoo for your curly hair. A good shampoo for curly hair is usually one which is gentle, moisturizing and clarifying.

Curly hair is usually quite brittle and can be really dry. That’s why most people with this hair type need to choose a shampoo which can renew the hair as well as protect it from drying out. Try to wash your hair with shampoos that won’t take away all the natural moisturizing oils from your scalp or your hair will become dry and unmanageable. If you don’t want to wake up with a huge mess on your head every morning, you have to make sure that your hair is moist enough.

Even if you use a quality shampoo manufactured specifically for your hair type, it would still be suggested not to wash your hair too often. There are some people who actually recommend to avoid using shampoo altogether.

Conditioning curly hair

If shampooing is something that people with curly hair should avoid doing too often, then conditioning is a whole another story. Curly hair needs a daily dose of conditioning in order to stay moist which is extremely important. It is even more important if you have decided to stop using shampoos – you will need to use a conditioner to keep your hair clean. If you feel that you can keep your hair clean enough this way then you should definitely stick to it. You can also use a moisturizing cream or mix hair gel together with a conditioner.

It is always important to thoroughly apply the conditioner to your hair which can be done either by your fingers or by the help of a comb. Spread the conditioner all over your hair and definitely let it sit there for some time before rinsing it out. Usually the hair ends need some extra attention, so if you feel like they are the driest part of your hair then it would be suggested to concentrate most of the conditioner on them.

Combing curly hair

Combing curly hair may be a challenge because doing it the wrong way can damage your curls and cause too much frizz. One thing is for sure – curls don’t like combing, so you have to be really careful and read these following tips:

• Use a wide-toothed comb instead of a brush. Some curly people don’t comb their hair at all, however, if you can’t do that, then at least don’t use a brush to reduce the damage done to your hair.

• Never brush or comb your hair when it is dry. If you comb your curls when they are dry then it will almost always lead to a lot of frizz. Your curls will most likely get too long and wavy if you do that.

• Never brush or comb your hair after washing it. A nice approach is to comb your hair while there is still some conditioner in it. That way you can spread the conditioner and comb your hair at the same time.

Trimming, drying and straightening curly hair

• It is not suggested to use a blow dryer on curly hair and if there are no other options then at leastattach a diffuser to it. You can choose either a sock diffuser or a bowl diffuser just check if it fits on your dryer. Of course, it would still be better to just air-dry your hair instead of blow-drying it.

• If you want to avoid split ends then it is recommended to trim your hair at least once every three months.

• Iron your hair in sections and untangle the curls in each section before ironing them. Use ionic or ceramic straightener, if possible.

Straighten Natural Hair? If so, How?

Being Natural has it benefits. It also has its fair share of obstacles too. Besides, the healthy hair care practices and the ability to create various hair styles, the Natural Curly Hair realm is quite a broad spectrum. Maintaining healthy and lively mane is where the endless work comes into play. When looking to straighten naturally curly hair there are many different options. Choosing which option that best fits your budget, your lifestyle, and your hair’s texture can be a bit of a tedious task.

I conducted a bit of research on this topic. I wanted to see what a few other naturally curly haired folks were doing when it came to them achieving their sleek, straight looks. I received input from Hair Stylist and Naturals from many different areas and backgrounds. I also came across a few home care options to consider for those that choose to style at home. One detail I kept coming across was heat. Heat was the key component of changing curly hair to straight and making sure it doesn’t revert back to its natural form so quickly once exposed to humidity and water. Heat, as we know, used incorrectly can be very damaging to hair.

Straighten Natural Hair

So what is the right option to choose? Below I have listed two of the most popular options and some pointers from different Hair Stylist. There is also a list of a few at home products to consider when maintaining and achieving a naturally straightened look.

Brazilian Blow Out

Kuki Alrawi of AMOY Couture Hair, NYC explains that this procedure is actually something that protects the client’s hair rather than damages it. The concept is simple. The hair is coated with Keratin and Protein in order to allow the heat to do the work of straightening the natural curl pattern and eliminating frizz to create a sleek straight look with every blow dry in less time than a traditional blow-out. With this procedure if you do not like how it comes out you can simply let the process grow/wash out of your hair just after 10-12 weeks of having the procedure done. You are able to maintain your natural curly hair texture but are also able to create smooth, sleek straight hair when desired by simply rewashing and blow drying your hair. The process can be maintained by using any Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner unlike some other Non-Chemical based treatments on the market. This procedure works well with both Natural Hair and Chemically treated hair.

Round Brush/Blow Dry Blow Out

Samantha Snyder of LUVME Hair Co shares that Blow-drying (Blow Outs) are indeed a great option also. This process allows the stylist to add a needed boost of shine and volume to dull hair. By using a Round Brush and or Styling Brush this helps to lay the hair at the roots flat changing texture’s overall appearance. This option has its disadvantages when used on certain textures. Serums and Straightening balms can be applied during the process to help diminish the appearance of frizz, protect hair from heat damage, and help the hair stay straighter longer. The disadvantage is it cannot guarantee a straight look over an extended period of time. Once the hair is washed again or is exposed to water and humidity the hair will return to its natural form and the Blow Out would need to be repeated if look is desired to be achieved again. To help add a sleeker look Flat Irons are used as desired/needed once actually Blow Drying has been finished.