Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care

p.s. While at Trader Joe's I purchased Fage Low Fat Plain Yogurt (I'm a follower of the gorgeous Suburbanbushabe..can you tell), and edamame beans. About once every few months I get on a health kick. We'll see how long this one lasts.

Question- how the hell do you eat, and enjoy plain yogurt?!

I'm definitely impressed by the edamame beans! Health nuts chime in- are soy products good for you? I'd like to incorporate this legume into my diet, but not at the risk of my health. I've heard that soy prevents cancer, but I've also heard that it may promote it...

I did cornrows in the front and twists in the back.

Eva
www.NaturalHairGrows.com

Happy Friday!!!!!!

We're almost there, but not quite.... still waiting on that 15th person to join CurlyNikki :D

Thanks to all of you that have joined, and as always, thanks for reading!!!

I'm off to re-up my supplement and Deva One stash.

Later Gators,
Nik

p.s. Share your hair plans for this weekend in the comments section.

CN: What is the one thing you'd tell a newbie to help her on her journey?
S: Own it!! Rock it!! Natural hair is beautiful no matter the texture, length or color. And cut off those nasty straight ends because they ain't cute and they're doing lot more harm than good!

CN: How do you maintain length?
S: Actually, this is the 1st year I've decided to actively work on maintaining length. I'm normally very scissor happy, but my goal this year is to not constantly clip my ends and let my hair do it's thing. I keep my ends moisturized by sealing with a butter and I don't manipulate my hair much. (Well, other than my severe case of Hand In Fro Disease.) I have about 80% shrinkage but that doesn't bother me (my hair is actually just shy of APL). I LOVE the way it looks and feels, so the length isn't a big deal to me.

CN: How do you protect your style at night?
S: Most nights I sleep in a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase. Occasionally, I'll go unprotected, but I try not to do that too often.

CN: What's the best thing about being naturally glamorous?!
S: Natural hair is hott! It's soooo much easier than messing with relaxed hair. Curling irons, blow dryers and all that jazz are for the birds.

Hola Chicas,

One of my fabulous readers found an image of the bonnet I wear to sleep at night. However, since I published the post about 'second day hair sans bonnet', I haven't worn it! If you're interested check it out HERE.

I told you it was the opposite of sexy :P

The 15th person to join the CurlyNikki Member's Section today, will receive a free Betty Daine bonnet in the mail from yours truly! I probably won't be able to offer a color selection- my Sally's only carries beige ones. After you join, shoot me an email to let me know:nikki@curlynikki.com.


Later Gators,
Nik

Hi Ladies!

On the last Wednesday of each month, the lovely Wes of HoneyBrownSugar.com will be standing in for me- sort of like a Substitute Teacher! We hope that this endeavor will diversify both sites, and provide readers with a variety of reliable and reader-friendly articles. Besides being gorgeous, this curly icon has been providing much needed hair product reviews, advice, and styling techniques since February of last year. Not only is she a hair guru, she branches out and helps you maintain your sexy from head to toe! Her kind spirit shines through in her writing style, and her recurring posts such as Friday's Dessert, and Tuesday's Trouble, illustrates her creativity! Thanks Wes for all you do! Now, onto today's lesson:

Straight Hair Can Be Healthy Too!!

Written for Curly Nikki by Wes of Honeybrownsugar.com

If you’re familiar with my blog, Honey Brown Sugar, then you know that I’ve been doing a LOT with my hair lately. From new products to new styles, I needed a break. A much NEEDED break. I know I said I wasn’t going to straighten my hair as often as I used to, but this is the only way I can give my hair a break (for about two weeks).

Although I had pledged to stay far away from my beloved flat iron, I reneged on that promise. My initial thought was to roller set my hair but I was heading out for the night and time was of the essence. So, with little time and plenty of knowledge I decided to flat iron my hair in the most healthiest way possible.

1. I washed with Mizani’s Thermasmooth shampoo, then detangled and conditioned with Elasta QP’s DPR-11 Remoisturizing conditioner (I think this may have been a little to heavy for my straight hair. Works best when my hair is in its naturally curly state).

2. After rinsing, I then applied just a dime-sized amount of Mizani’s Thermastrength Style serum and blow dried in small sections (using Mizani’s Thermasmooth Smooth Guard Smoothing serum, about a pea sized amount for each section), starting at the back.

3. After blow drying each section, I checked for even-ness and clipped some ends. My recent trip to Devachan had my ends a little uneven (their procedure involves trimming the ends of each and every curl, one at a time)- I did a little clean up there and then grabbed my trusty Megastar flat iron (thanks to the great people at Misikko!).

4. I flat iron in the same manner as blow drying; I begin at the back and proceed upwards, working in small sections. I usually use the highest heat setting but this time I opted for 350 degrees (instead of 420).

I usually use the entire Thermasmooth system from Mizani but I just decided to do things a little differently this time. I know that times are tough right now (Mizani products are a little on the pricey side)- if you’re looking for a substitute I highly recommend FHI’s Heat Hot Sauce. The most important part of flat ironing/straightening your hair is to always use a heat protectant! A deep conditioner isn’t always necessary however, it should be done on a consistent basis if you’re a repeat flat iron-er.

Hope this helps curlies!!

JC, our resident chemist's special report on water:


Shower filters are mainly used to remove chlorine from water but can also be used to remove heavy metals and the salts that cause hard water. So why remove chlorine? It has been linked to changing protein structures (such as hair) and stripping oil (from skin and hair). Chlorine is the gold standard disinfectant and without which, we would more than likely have water with all kinds of bacteria and parasites.

As a guide, pick a brand that lists it claims with testing (for example 99% chlorine removal tested by xyz). Also pick a brand that gives you a guide as to how long you can use the filter effectively (9 -12 months usually).

There are many reports of people stating that their hair and skin conditioned improved instantaneously after using a shower filter. I don't however think that shower filters are the answer to instantly moisturised skin and hair. If your skin and hair was dry before using a shower filter and is still dry afterwards, then you need to look to other answers.

These can include at the first level diet and exercise and then at the next level daily care. Try changing your conditioner, porosity treatments and moisturising oils. I would also let you know that having long hot showers is not recommended for your skin or hair. Hot water opens up the hair cuticle allowing moisture in but if the cuticle is not closed back down then this same moisture is driven back out (dry hair!). Ideally with washing your hair, you should use tepid water (just warm to the touch). Also consider if your hair needs frequent protein conditioning. With natural hair, if you are not colouring or heat treating, you could reduce the frequency of protein conditioning. If you feel your hair is quite hard after washing, it could be excess protein.

As for the rotten eggs smell (hydrogen sulphide) it is most likely caused by a blocked or partially blocked pipe (Does the water take some time to drain?). This could happen if you have hair trapped in the pipes causing everything else that you try to drain down to get caught. If you don't already have one, get a filter to catch your hair and avoid it getting down the drain. You can also try some home solutions to fix the problem like bleach or buy a drain unblocker. I feel that I should add a disclaimer that I'm not a plumber so you may want to get one to look at it for proper advise!

This site compares 3 popular brands, side by side: http://www.discountjuicers.com/showercompare.html

Repost...for those of you that missed it! This is the last week.

When Leslie strutted her fly self into that restaurant on Saturday night, my draw dropped! When I think of protective styles, I think of the same boring old buns, rolls, or twists. Her twist-out updo is fabulous! I think another curly at dinner called it 'classic' or 'timeless'. Leslie was sweet enough to provide us with instructions so we can be like her:

So here is what I did for my twist-out updo hairstyle:

1. First I parted my hair down the middle from forehead to crown. I two strand twisted my whole head when wet using Miss Jessie's Stretch Silkening cream. I sat under my hooded dryer for about an hour.
2. After it was dry I untwisted my hair, only separating the twists into twos.
3. I took the hair from the right side (my right) of my part in the front and stretched it over the hair on the left side of my part. I took the hair on the left side and overlapped it over the hair from the right side and pinned it using a bobby pin.
4. I took all the hair from the left side (from the top left front to my ear) and rolled it on itself (away from my ear and towards the center of my head) then pinned it from the inside of the roll to my roots near my scalp.
5. I took the right section (not below my ear) and rolled it on itself and pinned it with a bobby pin.
6. I took the bottom left section (from below my ear to the the nape of my neck) and rolled it on itself. I tried to pin it so it covered where I pinned the upper section.
7. I pinned the bottom left section in the same way as the bottom right.
8. I tried to pin down any loose ends that were sticking out by tucking them into pieces that were already pinned down. Any section that looked too poofy I just tucked in a bobby pin.

So...that's it! It's pretty simple, just roll and pin! I think I used 13 bobby pins in all, sometimes I use more and sometimes I use less. It never comes out the same way twice so it is by no means perfected. But it's a great protective style and usually looks pretty nice. I have worn it to work and to church and have gotten tons of compliments both times. If anyone has questions they can email me.

For more of Leslie, check out her blog at http://www.naturallyleslie.blogspot.com/

Later,
Nik

is with accurate information from a reliable source! There's been gossip circling the rumor mill about Kinky-Curly going out of business. So, I contacted Kinky-Curly directly, and as I suspected, the rumor on the hair boards simply isn't true. Here is what she said:

As long as customers keep buying Kinky-Curly, we will keep making it. No, we are not going out of business. The reason the Curling Custard is out of stock is because of a manufacturing error on the last batch. I am very particular about my products and if my lab does not make my product the way I want it, then they have to do it over again. All of our products should be back in stock next week. I apologize for not being more clear and posting something on the website.

It would be in poor taste for me to discuss details about the legal matter between Hair Rules and Kinky-Curly. This legal matter has nothing to do whatsoever with my products being out of stock or for a store owner starting a bad rumor that we were going out of business. If there are differences between two companies certain steps have to be taken and there are times when legal paperwork must be filed. Anthony Dickey is very funny, down to earth and most of all very passionate about curly hair. He and Kristy Engels have been nothing but professional as we've worked this out.

Thank you for all the love. With all the frustration of lost packages, out of stock ingredients and label misprints to know that I have customers that like my products truly makes it all worth it.

-Shelley Davis

Off topic, here is clear evidence of my Hand in Hair Syndrome:

At any given time, I'm pulling at, finger curling, twirling, or picking at my curls. I've also been known to check my ends for splits while in meetings and other intimate settings. I know...completely inappropriate, but I can't help it! It's a sickness. It was so bad last year that I actually carried a pair of hair scissors in my purse...for emergencies, lol. Sad.

Moving on...

Below you will find pictures of my second day hair. The pictures from the Saturday Night Triangle Meet-up, are the result of a Thursday night henna treatment, and a Friday afternoon Twist-n-Curl. I used my 'old faithful' routine:

• Co-wash with Hello Hydration (I used HH on one half, and Aussie Moist on the other)
• Used DevaCare One Condition + Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment as leave-ins
• Spritzed ends with DevaCurl Set it Free (moisture locking spray)
• Sealed with Shea Butter
• Set ends on 2 diff. size rollers
  

Last night, I slept with my hair out, on a satin pillow case. Much to my surprise, when I woke up this morning, my hair looked exactly the same. It wasn't smooshed or fizzy...in fact it was a bit fuller. I lay on my right side, so what I did was lift that hair up and over the pillow to avoid flattening it. Viola! Awesome hair, without the bonnet...at least for today. I'm going to play with this some more and see how it works out. Needless to say, hubby was happy...he detests my bonnet.

We had soooo much fun last night...while looking fly of course! Our table got a lot of attention, to say the least :-)

Nik,

I really want to share with you how much I enjoy your blog. Pretty cool, and you know your stuff... This is really funny because I've been natural for about 3 years now, but before now I had no idea how to manage my natural texture... I just knew I didn't want to perm again. You should know how relieving it was to read your story, and know that I wasn't alone. I actually thought about perming again prior to finding your site (uuugh you have NO idea)! It was tremendously encouraging to read your stories of patience and frustration. As a matter of fact, I've bookmarked your site just for those "OMG" hair days! Funny... your page is like 911!

My hair has grown so much, and I truly have only you to thank. In November (when I first visited your page) my hair was shoulder length, very dry, and super frizzy with ridiculous shrinkage. It's currently around the middle of my back, and girl my hair has NEVER been this long. I can't believe how fast and thick it has been growing. Nikki, my hair has NEVER been thick! LOL! True story! On another note... I guess you have also helped me to discover my inner Pj because I have a life supply of henna (which I adore), bentonite (which I LOVE), and Hello Hydration (uuugh, don't get me started). LOL! I buy them in bulk! Funny right? I'm capable of going through a large bottle of HH in about 2 weeks easy.

Either way I just want to thank you you for your wealth of knowledge, and let you know how much I appreciate your honesty and sincerity, especially when you don't have the personal experience with a particular method, or product. I admit that I've been secretly promoting your site, and a few of my friends are transitioning because of my own sweet results. Now they're hooked! I've also referred a few of my already naturally glam gals, and you consistently pull rave reviews. I'm impressed! I wish you all the success in the world, and keep doing what you do girl!

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
M: I would say I was a “mid term” transitioner. My transition lasted 7 months. I initially went into my transition not planning to do the BC till 18 months had passed. I wanted to do a long one b/c I didn't think I would be cute with a TWA, but after a while, I loathed looking at my relaxed ends, so I grabbed the scissors and chopped them off! I figured I'd find a way to stay fly. LOL.

CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
M: I BC’d around 11pm on 12-08-08. My initial reaction was, I can't believe I really just did it! Then it became, oh snap what do I do now?! And then finally, it was time to put to good use all the information I had been gathering all this time! The more I looked at my face and hair in the mirror, the more I liked it and realized I looked just as good; I liked this kinky-kurly hair more actually. 15 mins after the BC, I was loving it. The very next day, I used some gel to define my kinky-kurls, did my make up and I was out on the town strutting around with my new hair.

CN: What was your transition routine? Staple Hair Styles?
M:

• Months 0 to 3: I air dried in a 2 strand twist that I pinned up and would tie the front down with a scarf. I would spice it up with flower hair accessories and decorated bird claw clips. I co-washed about 2 times a week and DC’d once a week.
  

• Months 4 to 5: I rocked braids. I moisturized daily, washed my braids maybe every other week, and tied a scarf around my head before bed each night.
  

• Months 6 to 7: I rocked half wigs daily. I co-washed once a week and DC’d once a week, air drying and sealing (w/ castor oil) every time. I moisturized and sealed daily. No matter what style I chose, I was always conscious to use a little manipulation as possible. Most times only combing my hair when it was wet and saturated with conditioner or at least damp with my fingers, a wide tooth or detangling comb.

CN: How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
M: When my hair wasn’t in braids, I moisturized daily with a homemade spritz of mine: water, aloe vera juice, & glycerin and sealed with avocado oil. My hair loved this! It stayed very moisturized and soft. Co-washing and DC'ing also kept my hair moisturized well so that breakage was minimal.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural? Are you happy with your decision?
M: I chose to go natural b/c I was over relaxers. No matter how well I took care of my hair, they were thinning my hair out, and why continue to pay for that? Looking at all the beautiful naturals' fotkis and YouTube vids also got my wheels turning. We grew up with the mentality that our hair was "not manageable" and that it needed to be "fixed" but I was looking at these albums and videos of naturals with BEAUTIFUL hair that was long and healthy. They were "managing" things like a boss (!) and their hair was fly. They were sharing their techniques & tips so I felt if they can do it and look great, so can I. Another reason I chose to go natural is b/c I have been working on living a more green lifestyle and being more conscious of what I put onto and into my body. And there is nothing green about mineral oil, sodium hydroxide and whatever else is in relaxers so I knew I had to and wanted to let that go. I was curious to see what my natural hair looked like and rock the frohawks, twist outs, and curly fro's etc.

I am so very happy with my decision to go natural! I won't say never but I don't feel I will go back to relaxers. I know too much about them now and too much of what I can do without them. I do not regret one minute of transitioning or BC’ing when I did. I love it! Thanks!

AGrlCanMAC

My fotki: http://members.fotki.com/vivacious1083
My blog: http://AGrlCanMAC.blogspot.com

CN: How long have you been natural?
HBS: I've been completely natural since 2006

CN: What is your regimen?
HBS: That's a hard question being that I switch up my regimen so often! I've just recently started co-washing (which I do about twice a week). I usually use my Denman to detangle but I've been alternating between the Denman and finger combing.

CN: What are the benefits of using such natural products?
HBS: I've noticed that using natural products have definitely helped my hair become healthier and fuller. I've recently noticed short strands budding (after reading one of your posts!) :-)

CN: What is the one thing you'd tell a newbie to help her on her journey?
HBS: Patience is key! Don't be afraid to trim those ends or BC. A newbie shouldn't be concerned with length in the beginning. Healthy hair is crucial.

CN: How do you maintain length?
HBS: I get trims as necessary. I don't overdo on the trimming- I usually clip every three or four months.

CN: How do you preserve your curls at night?
HBS: What usually works for me is to pile my hair high on top of my head in a loose ponytail. It would be ideal if I slept on a satin pillow case, but I don't :-(

CN: What's the best thing about being naturally glamorous?!
HBS: I always say it's the VERSATILITY! I usually alternate between straight or curly (with straight being the dominant style). However, I made a vow this year to spend more time being "curly" rather than "straight" and so far so good: Haven't straightened my hair since Christmas '08.




For more of Wes, check out her blog at HoneyBrownSugar.

This is a style I wore for an evening event. My hair was done in medium size twists which I kept in for a few days. I did my twists on damp hair. I took down all of the twists. I used a brush and some gel to slick up the sides into a frohawk. Then I pin the front back. Voila! A new hairstyle

Bob, the co-founder of the World Natural Hair Show says:

"Thanks to all that participated in this Giveaway. Your ideas were incredibly creative and we're working overtime in order to incorporate each and every one. I truly appreciate your participation and hope to see you all in April. God Bless"

Now, on to the Winners:

Naturally Sophia*
Lendise B*
Leslie Beasley
Tori Cohen
Lykia Duncan
Dionne Murphy
Lovelysoul*
Toney Matthews
Brittany Smar
Rhonda Carson

*I need full names sent to nikki@curlynikki.com

Again, you have won a 2 day pass ($30 value!) to the World Natural Hair Show!!! Your name will be on the VIP list at the entrance to the convention. However, I will also be sending you a voucher to print that you'll be able to present to the door attendant...just to be safe :) CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Thanks again for your continued support!

Later gators,
Nik

BekkaPoo, a NaturallyCurly member, shared this story on the General Discussion board:

"KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Other than having a bit of a headache, a Kansas City woman is uninjured after a bullet fired at her ended up tangled in her hair weave."

http://www.ksdk.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=167851&catid=3

Truly unbeweavable! My hair is much healthier than it use to be, but I'm pretty sure that it can't take a bullet. I'm definitely not making light of the actual situation...I'm just saying...

Two of my favorite curly friends, HeatherNicole, and Naturally Leslie, gave Aussie Moist a rave review, and told me to check it out. So, me being the raging PJ I am, purchased a bottle yesterday...despite the fact that I already own 4 family sized bottles of Hello Hydration! The ingredients resemble my beloved Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, even down to the modified cone. In a previous article I discussed what sets amodimethicone and other similar molecules, such as bis-aminopropyl dimethicone, and trimethyl silylamodimethicone, apart from other cones. According to Tonya McKay of NaturallyCurly,

"Amodimethicone and other similarly modified silicone polymers are considered to be among the best high-performance conditioning polymers currently available to the hair-care product formulator. They provide many unique benefits, including the following:

• Provide deep conditioning
• Provide targeted conditioning to areas of particularly damaged hair
• Protect from thermal damage
• Increase color retention
• Resist build up
• Impart gloss and shine
• These modified silicones seem to be of particular benefit for those of us with damaged hair, permanently colored hair or those concerned about the buildup of conditioning agents .

When using Aussie Moist, or Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, you will need to shampoo to completely remove the cone. Luckily, you won't have to resort to the dreaded lauryl sulfates- shampoos with cocamidopropyl betaine will suffice. Remember, I use Giovanni 50/50 or Tea Tree shampoo from Target or Whole Foods. I shampoo bi-weekly, sometimes less if I've used Bentonite.

I put Aussie to the test the same way I've done previous ones. I loaded up one side of my head with Hello Hydration, and the other half with Aussie Moist. I let it sit while I handled my shower-time duties, then proceeded to detangle. Both sides felt identical! Aussie Moist, like Hello Hydration, made detangling a breeze. It was super slippery, creamy (a bit creamier/heavier than Hello Hydration), and smelled heavenly. I give it two thumbs up and definitely recommend it. I've never used Hello Hydration as a leave-in due to it's nuclear blue color...I don't know...its just weird to me. The clean white color of Aussie Moist may lead to some leave-in experimentation in the near future. I'll keep you gals posted.

Bottom Line: If you're a Hello Hydration girl, this one is worth a try. It smells great, has excellent slip, and is very moisturizing. It's slightly thicker than Hello Hydration, so I added a bit of water post application to thin it out a bit. All in all, it's a great, cheap conditioner. A curly can NEVER have too many detangling conditioners.

Ingredients: water, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, stearamidopropyl dimethylamine, glutamic acid, fragrance, bis-aminopropyl dimethicone, benzyl alcohol, edta, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, ecklonia radiata (australian sea kelp) extract, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice extract.

Price: $3.69/13.5oz bottle

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?

Happy Hair Growing