Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care

Hola Chicas!

My hubby's really been dishing out the complements lately! From what I can surmise, he likes my hair in any style, but he's really feeling the Bantu Knot-Out. It's a bit bigger today, and quite a bit frizzier, but I'm feeling it too.

Before bed last night, I applied Oyin's Whipped Shea to the crown and ends of my hair. I went to sleep with it out on my satin pillow case (I usually sleep on my right side, and lay the hair on that side over the top of the pillow). I honestly don't think it'll make it to day 4, but I don't have a choice- I'm henna'ing on Thursday night and don't plan to re-do it before then. So, I'll pretty much look like a bucket o' frizz come Thursday morn, but I'll get over it :-)

I know I'll see each and every one of you at the World Natural Hair Show in ATL this weekend...right?!

Well, even if I don't see you there, I KNOW I'll see you at the After Party!!!! I'll have a booth at the Hair Show, and will most certainly be in attendance on Saturday night.

If you have bantu knot-out pics please send them to nikki@curlynikki.com to be shared with the CN.com community!

Now ya'll know I can be slow sometimes, right? Well, what was supposed to have been a 30 minute hair style (according to the Youtubers) took me an hour and a half! I didn't get the hang of the knots until I got to the second side of my head. The actual process of starting the knot is much harder than they make it look on YouTube. I actually did two-strand twists like Jenius J, and I learned to wind them tight until they began to knot themselves, or corkscrew like she put it. However, I didn't learn this until 30 minutes in...I was completely frustrated and close to reaching for my rollers!

Here's what I did:

• Co-washed, Detangled, Rinsed
• Applied DevaCare One to the 4 sections (2 on the right, 2 on the left). FYI, I did 5 or 6 knots per section (20ish in total)
  
• Started with the back, left section. Two-strand twisted, applied Set it Free to the ends, and knotted. Initially I used clips to hold the knots, but I quickly learned that it was an unnecessary step...they hold themselves
• Again, to make the knot, after twisting, begin to roll it really tight at the root, then wind it a bit...the tightly wound hair will make a corkscrew. Use that as a base to wind the rest of the hair around it, with each loop below the next one. The end should be tucked under the last row
• Completed all sections
• Dried over night, or so I thought :)
• Woke up this morning to hair that was 95% dry...everything but my roots were dry. Some knots were completely dry, but others (the fatter ones) weren't even close.
  
• Take down, carefully and slowly
  
• Apply Shea Butter to the ends
• Separate gently, and fluff

I just finished applying shea butter to my ends, and as I type, I'm sitting under my soft bonnet dryer....drove. I hate sitting under the dryer. Plus, I'm supposed to be making my breakfast and lunch, and out the door in the next 30 minutes ;) Not gonna happen.

So was it worth it? Not sure yet. The knots were a bit painful. I was careful how I slept, until I learned that I could lay directly on them without causing them to unravel. I'm sure the actual styling time will decrease once I become an old hat. The results are definitely soft, springy, Shirley Temple curls. I'm curious to see how this will fluff up!



I need to go, but I'll post the results when I get in today.

Later Gators,
Nik

p.s. We have a Giveaway closing in the next 24 hours!

Jenius J: I used this style to transition without doing the BC. I do double-strand twists, then roll into the knots, and fix with bobby pins. I have a big head so I do AT LEAST 20 knots...I typically twist one day, air dry overnight, then wear for a week. The twists come out really tight, and loosen up and get bigger over the course of the week. I will send you pics!

I have used many different products over the years for styling, but am currently using conditioner (Lush-H'Suan wen hua) that I dilute with water before applying to my hair. I typically try to let the hair dry most of the way, then apply enough conditioner solution just to make sure the section is damp throughout.

I think the hardest part is making sure your ends are completely inside the twist and that it doesn't unravel when you are setting with the bobby pins...GL and I LOVE your blog!!!






CN: Wow! Gorgeous!! Have you ever done it w/out 2 stranding? If so. What was the result?
How do you sleep on it?

Jenius J: Thanks!! So, I have done it without 2-stranding before, And I found that I preferred two stranding because then you don't have to do as much separating, aside from the twists themselves. Whereas when I just did single strands, I would have to separate the section once it dried, and risk creating more frizz and losing definition from it not splitting cleanly. But If I am retouching certain sections throughout the week, which I do sometimes depending on how they turn out, if it is a very small section, I probably would not double strand it when re-twisting.

So in terms of sleeping on it, I just kinda cross my fingers lol But I have definitely found that the tighter the curl, the better it keeps, whereas when it is looser, and wavier, it is more likely to straighten or flatten out when slept on.

Hola Chicas!

After looking at the gorgeous hair in this fotki, and seeing Empressri's short vid, I've decided that it's time to try a Bantu Knot-out! So, I'm commissioning you gorgeous gals for advice:

1. Do you two-strand twist prior to wrapping the hair around itself, or single strand?

2. How many do you do?

3. Product line up?

4. What does the drying time look like? Can I do this overnight?

As it stands now, I plan to use the usual suspects (DevaCare One, SIF, Shea Butter), one-strand twists, and maybe 15-20 knots. Should be interesting...
If you're a Bantu Knot Out veteran, and would like to share your results with your fellow CN.com readers, send pics and quick how-to, to nikki@curlynikki.com.

CN: Were you a long term and short term transitioner? Why?
T: Umm I was a short term transitioner. Personally, I wanted to cut my hair all off and style it in a low boy fade, but my mother refused to take me to a hair salon or do it herself. I ended up transitioning for six months (at least I think so) and I was too excited to cut if off when the time finally came. LOL!

CN: When was your BC? What was your initial reaction to your hair?
T: I did my BC in September of 2008. I had mixed emotions about it, I would leave the house full to the brim of confidence that I gained from giving myself pep talks, and then falter when I saw someone's reaction to my hair. Eventually I learned to love it, and thought of it in the sense that people don't like most hair styles. It's like seeing someone with a bad weave who think they look so hot.

CN: What was your transition routine? Staple Hair Styles?
T: I really don't remember all that much, but I remember that I did bantu knots a lot to hide the two textures. I didn't really care about the relaxed ends actually but I did all I could to make sure that they didn't split all the way up to the natural hair.

CN: How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
T: I stopped using shampoos because they stripped my hair of all the moisture. I deep conditioned every week and used copious amounts of leave-in conditioner, I used carrot oil to keep my ends hydrated and sprayed water in it every morning before school. Then I got my shea butter and I fell madly in love with it. I think it's awesome, but I know some people don't like it.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural? Are you happy with your decision?
T: I went natural because I hated my hair, I really did hate it. I hated the fact that my ends would always break off, I hated how dry and brittle it felt, I hated how limp and flat it looked, I hated how I looked with it and I hated the fact that my hair would not grow past my neckline. I also despised looking a hot mess, I mean I don't have to look all that, but I like to look put together and my hair was not doing it for me. So while just entering my senior year, I decided that I was actually going to go through with it and cut it off before I had the chance to change my mind and get a perm. Even though I had my doubts at first, now I love my hair, it has grown so much in seven months. Seeing my thick healthy hair grow like a vine boosted my self confidence to extreme heights. Going natural has been the best decision I have made so far in my life and I am extremely happy with it.

Shear Genius Season 3: Hair Model Casting

Do you think your hair has what it takes to be on TV?! Well, here's your big chance...
Shear Genius 3 is looking for hair models to sit in those salon chairs and let the magic happen. Be a part of finding the next hottest hairstylist! We're looking for pretty faces, hair that needs fixin', and a great personality. MOST IMPORTANTLY, you must be willing to let our stylists have the freedom to create their vision with your hair.

To qualify, you must have hair at or below your shoulders, preferably a "blank canvas." You must also be willing and capable to take off from your normal day's activities to participate in our filming with only a day or two’s prior notice.

PLEASE DON'T APPLY IF YOU'RE SIMPLY LOOKING FOR A TRIM AND NO COLOR

To apply, please click on the link and follow the directions to sign up: www.thecastingduo.com/hairmodels

Applications will be accepted until May 8th, 2009*.

So make yourself comfortable, and dish!

One of the missions of CurlyNikki.com is to provide a platform for YOU, the reader, to be able to share your natural hair stories and experiences. It's essentially an online hair therapy session- - a safe place to vent, and express your concerns and frustrations with going natural. We're all here to motivate, educate, and inspire one another! Plus, you'll get to show off your fabulous hair and share you knowledge with thousands of women-- CurlyNikki.com receives nearly four million views a month!

I'm doing an all call for the following:

• Guest Bloggers- CurlyNikki.com is now taking articles from guest bloggers. Please be sure to first submit a proposal of what you plan to write about. If it's a re-post from your blog (which I gladly welcome!), send along the article, a link to your blog, and a pic of yourself. Upon posting, you should experience a pretty good flow of new traffic! Thought and discussion provoking topics are most wanted.
  

• On The Therapist's Couch- Tell us your hair story as it relates to your image, and self-esteem. What have you learned? What would you share with someone just starting out? Read, My Story, for an example. Pics are welcome!!!***
  

• Journey to Natural Stories

• Curl to Curl- Submit a question you want answered by the CN.com community!
  

• TWA Stories
  

• 4a/4b Textured Beauties

• Style Ideas- Submit pictures of your signature style, complete with instructions for the rest of us!
  

• Show & Tell Fridays- Throughout the week, send in pictures of your hair looking its best, or your 'total package' photos from head to toe. I'll post ten each Friday for your viewing pleasure. Send submissions to nikki@curlynikki.com, and use "Show&Tell" as the subject line. Be sure to include a brief description!

• Natural Brides
  

• Product Reviews (complete with pictures and your personal experience)

• Video Tutorials
  

• Work/Corporate Hair Style Ideas (How-to and Pics)

• Nominations for Naturally Glam Natural Hair Idols (if you think your hair is fab, send pics and your contact info to nikki@curlynikki.com)

• Walking Down Memory Lane (A pictorial of where you've been, and where you are now)

Send your submissions to nikki@curlynikki.com, using the specific category your submission falls in as the subject line.

Later Gators,
Nik


**I don't post nakey pics, lol, or pics of ladies with texturized or relaxed hair that aren't planning on transitioning. All healthy hair is gorgeous, but this site is purely for the naturally glam divas!

***Submit your story today! You never know who you'll inspire :)

CN: How long have you been natural?
GN: My last relaxer was December 2005 and my self-BC was November 17, 2006.

CN: What is your regimen?
GN: My regimen is amazingly simple. I cowash, currently with HE Hydralicious, every few days and detangle with a wide tooth comb or a Denman Brush. Lately I've been trying other leave in's besides just the conditioner such as Fantasia IC Gel, Carol's Daughter Hair Milk, and Curlz Souffle.

CN: What is the one thing you'd tell a newbie to help her on her journey?
GN: To transitioners..Don't use heat and don't trim for as long possible after a BC. Your hair will grow SUPER fast and you will have virtually no split ends. For everyone, keep it simple. Look at all the ladies with long hair most have very simple regimens.

CN: How do you maintain length?
GN: I maintain length by not trimming, cowashing, and protecting my ends (buns and ponytails).

CN: What's the best thing about being naturally glamorous?!
GN: I get so many more compliments on my hair when it's curly. When my hair is straight, I just hear women say, "wow, your hair is long." When my hair is curly I hear more in depth comments from men AND women, about the curls, texture, color, thickness. I never blend in when in a crowd. I feel like natural hair even makes my outfits look better.

Happy Almost Friday!!!!

This is my hair today...Later, I'll explain what went wrong with my Twist-n-Curl, and why I had to turn it into a bun. It worked out quite nice actually...I may be depending on this style in the future. By the way, I used absolutely NO tools to gather my hair, and it's secured with a black satin scrunchie and 3 pins. Very low manipulation. I added the flower for good measure.




For other ways to salvage an old Twist-n-Curl, click below:

http://www.curlynikki.com/2008/10/what-i-do-on-bad-hair-day.html
http://www.curlynikki.com/2008/12/another-way-to-salvage-old-twist-n-curl.html

Tightly curled hair really does have its own share of challenges. Because the spirals and bends of the hair shaft are so tightly wound, it's no surprise this type of hair is very dry by nature since the sebum produced on the scalp has little to no chance of traveling down the strand.

I work with this type of hair quite often and use the following techniques in my salon to reach optimum levels of hydration:

1) Pick the Right Product Ingredients
A common belief is that very tightly coiled hair that is naturally dry by nature needs to have a ton of very heavy conditioners applied to it. And that's great--IF that tight coil happens to contain hair strands that are coarse in texture. If those hair strands are fine, however, then overloading the hair with heavy moisturizers will lead to further issues.

Fine hair--which is quite common in tightly coiled hair--frequently seems dry when, in fact, it is easily over-moisturized. When I talk with any of my fine-haired clients about this, we inevitably share this "A-ha!" moment as they realize they've been feeding heavy moisturizers into hair that is often already over-moisturized. For any fine-haired girls with curls, regardless of wave pattern, products with a lot of heavy emollients are usually best avoided in favor of those with proteins.

Conversely, coarse hair naturally manufactures an overabundance of protein within the hair shaft on its own, so this is the type of hair that needs those heavy creams and butters and oils and emollients. Stay away from products with proteins, as putting protein on top of your already protein-heavy hair is likely to dry you out into a wicked, straw-like mess.

Picking the right kind of product for your hair type is the MOST important step!

2) Get Wet!
No matter what the curl pattern, products are easier to apply to the hair when it is soaking wet. A basic principle in trichology--the science and study of hair--is that "moisture attracts moisture." A wet substance will always be more attracted to another wet substance than it is to a dry substance, so apply your products to clean, very wet hair for best results.

3) Focus on Small Sections
Use your fingers to distribute generous amounts of product through small sections of your hair, starting at the nape and moving forward from there. Massage the product firmly into the hair shaft, working from scalp to ends, GENTLY finger-combing out any tangles as you go. If you decide to use a comb, try to do so only during the initial conditioning phase and not while putting in your leave-in or styling products, as you will disturb the natural curl pattern that way. Work gently, but quickly, and re-wet the hair if it becomes too dry to easily distribute product.

I find as the hair becomes more hydrated with use of proper products, this entire process will usually become easier over time!

Althea, a certified product junky and incredibly gracious CurlyNikki.com reader, has donated a box full of curly hair delicacies to be given away to YOU!!!!! I (with absolutely no shame) must admit that I did keep one product for my own personal collection... Oyin's Whipped Shea. OMG. That's all I have to say for now :-)

We're going to kick off the 'Althea Giveaway' with 2 DevaCurl products- Heaven in Hair and DevaCurl One Condition. A 45 dollar value!!!

This Giveaway will be quite a bit different...

I need you to recruit new CurlyNikki.com readers. Tell your momma, tell your friends, hell, tell your arch nemesis about the site! Once they've joined the Members Section, have them email me (nikki@curlynikki.com) your screen name. The CN.com member with the most referrals will win the goodies.

This Giveaway will close on April 25, 2009 at 9:00pm Eastern.

Later Gators,
Nik


p.s. THANK YOU ALTHEA!!!

Hola Chicas!

It's almost the beginning of my weekend...thank God!

I'm sure you gorgeous gals enjoyed our beautiful substitute teacher Wes, and her top 10 natural hair tips. I stood in for her today on HoneyBrownSugar.com and posted my 10 tips as well. Check it out here:

http://www.honeybrownsugar.com/2009/03/its-that-time-again-nikki-from.html

p.s. I just watched College Hill for the fist time since the very first season...how absurd! The show is ridic, and I don't plan on tuning in again (as I sneakily set my DVR to record next week's episode)!! I actually only recorded the first 2 episodes because of the natural haired house mate...her hair is AMAZING by the way.
I'm incredibly embarrassed to admit that I'm a consumer of all things reality TV, even the most ridiculous. What can I say...it's a stress reliever. However, in the case of College Hill, Ms. Edmonds needs her butt whooped.

10 Things I’ve Learned (Since Becoming Natural)….

By Wes of Honey Brown Sugar

1. Everything isn’t for everybody. No one head of hair is identical and we all have our own special needs. For instance, the LustraSilk cholesterol conditioner did not work well for me but that’s not to say it won’t work well for someone else.

2. Hair should ALWAYS be detangled in the shower with conditioner! I remember when I first started wearing my hair in its natural state- I would never untangle it. Ever. I would simply wash and style. Not once taking the time to detangle!

3. Denman has become my best friend. Although some days I do finger comb, most days I rely on my trusty Denman D4 brush. It is my curls’ best friend. Prior to discovering the Denman brush, I would use a wide tooth comb- which wreaked havoc on my strands.

4. Trims aren’t needed as often. Though some curlies do prefer to clip every 6 to 8 weeks (or when they feel necessary), it isn’t “mandatory” that a curly girl trim her ends so often. My stylist from Devachan recommends once or twice a year as sufficient*.

*Being that you don’t do excessive heat styling and/or don’t deep condition on a steady basis.

5. I don’t like “colored” hair. During my relaxed years, I also experimented with color. I’ve had burgundy hair, brown hair, blonde highlights, red highlights and jet-black hair. It wasn’t until I stopped relaxing AND coloring that I realized how much I love my naturally dark hair.

6. My natural hair has various textures. The front-left differs from the front-right; one side is more tightly curled than the other. The back/bottom is also very tightly curled while the crown literally has its own thing going on (I’m still trying to figure that section out).

7. It’s okay to use conditioner as a leave-in. I would have never thought to do this until one year I was on vacation and didn’t have any hair products outside of some shampoo and conditioner. I decided to use the conditioner as a styling cream and a whole new world opened up to me. Now (for the most part), I only use conditioner to style my hair.

8. It isn’t necessary to wash (shampoo) your hair every other day. In the beginning, I think I would wash (yes: with shampoo!) my hair every two days. During this time, I didn’t deep condition and I used styling products made for NON-people of color. Most of these products contained drying agents.

9. Silicones aren’t really as bad as we make them out to be.

10. Natural hair is a learning process! If you’ve relaxed your hair most of your life, you WILL definitely need to “re-learn” your hair. If you think you knew your strands when you were relaxed, you’ll find out that you didn’t really know much.

While browsing NaturallyCurly.com last night, I ran across some pretty interesting information about one of my favorite products...it may have become one of your favs as well, so I thought I'd share! Check out what Shari had to say about the DevaCurl line:

Hello Everyone,

I'm Shari Harbinger, Director of Education for DevaCurl, and I am here to set the record straight for those of you who have questioned the ingredients and performance of our brand.

DevaCurl was the first company ever to launch a sulfate free brand dedicated to the curly consumer.However, it is not enough to use a product that is sulfate free. That is just the beginning! We were also the first company ever, in spite of industry ridicule, who went above and beyond the call of " Curl" duty and replaced synthetic detergents and synthetic ingredients with botanically derived ingredients that cleanse and moisturize curly hair. It was an expensive endeavor, but somebody had to do it.We did indeed set the new industry standard and you have all benefited from our efforts. The result? Softer, shinier, healthier, frizz free curls. We found a way to clean and condition the curls without disturbing the hair and scalp's natural moisture balance. That is how we have become YOUR PREMIER CURLY HAIR EXPERTS!

Deva removed the detergent, ( SLS) , the plastics, resins and numerous synthetic agents, most of which weigh the hair down and repel moisture rather than recover the hairs own natural moisture level.

I would like to respond to the question surrounding cones. Any trace amount of a cone that was previously in Deva, has been removed. The reason it was there in the first place, was becuase we were unable to find a botanical replacement. However, I am happy to report that as of January 1st, 2009, DevaCurl is silicone free, paraben free, plastic free, resin free, sulfate free, botanically drenched and considered vegan.We have never tested on animals and we will never test on animals.

**Please note that by law, we have permission to finish any unused labels from 2008, but rest assured, any product that was filled in 2009, even with 2008 labels stands by our promise.

I look forward to your feedback and continued discussions! Enjoy your Deva!

Reference: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/showthread.php?t=71561


So, what ya think? Good news, right?!

The winners of the Operation Length Retention Giveaway are....drum roll..........

Send your contact info to nikki@curlynikki.com, and I'll get your goodies out to you ASAP!

Chaundra says, "everyone's a winner!" For the rest of you gorgeous gals that entered the giveaway, email her directly (chaundrasmith@gmail.com), and she will give you a 30% off coupon that can be used until the 31st of March! It can be used on anything $9.99 and above. Click HERE for Naturally Me website. She'd also like 'Anonymous' from Germany to shoot her an email directly as well.

Later Gators,

Nik

The next giveaway will be announced very soon....DevaCurls the name of the game :)

ETA: It was brought to my attention that this Giveaway wasn't to close until March 30th. My bad :-) Since we've posted the winners, it's officially closed. I'll announce the next Giveaway soon!

I just received an email from Aliyah, an avid CurlyNikki.com reader, and professional writer. Check it out:

I'm a writer, and I recently did an interview with David Banner for HipHopDX.com that was published today. As I'm sure you've heard, Banner has been under scrutiny for the comments he recently made about Black women and hair. For the first time, he responded to the negative reactions people had about that, and also had some really thought-provoking things to say about other issues within the young African-American community.

http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1323/title.david-banner-outside-the-rhyme

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
* I was a long term transitioner. I transitioned for an entire year, and had my ends cut twice. I transitioned for a year because I just wasn't ready to have short hair. I've always had mid-back length hair, so as I pictured myself with a little Afro, I personally knew I wasn't ready to BC all the way. Yet, once I BC'd my hair was about chin length, and I learned to love and accept my hair regardless of the length.

CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
*I BC'd after I transitioned for a year. Once the beautician started cutting of my permed ends and they began falling on the floor I was a bit sad to see my hair go. I feared that my hair would be too short for me to handle. I will not lie, but I was not pleased when I left the salon with a blown out Afro. But, once I added product and saw how cute and curly my hair was w/o permed straggly looking ends, I was won over.

CN: What was your transition routine? Staple Hair Styles?
*While transitioning I wore a lot of phony ponys (see top pic below), sew-ins, braids, and Dominican blowouts. My routine was to wash and shampoo once a week. Transitioning was hell! The two different textures looked a hot mess. People would say, "Girl, you need a perm." LOL...I just told them wait and see 'til I am 100% natural---then you will be wishing you never got a perm.

CN: How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
*I applied any oil or grease to my hair line both morning and evening. I also made sure not to put my hair in a tight ponytail when wearing a phony pony or natural pony.

CN: Why did you choose to go natural? Are you happy with your decision?
*I chose to go natural because I just didn't want to keep mistreating my hair with harsh chemicals. I always got burnt and spent days healing my scabbed scalp. That just isn't right! Though it is taking time for me to cope with not wearing my long straight hair anymore (all the time) I am beginning to accept my natural hair. I have been 100% natural for five months now. My hair is now APL...I will be straightening it for the first time at either six or eight months. My biggest fear is that my hair will burn or will not revert to its very curly state. Overall, I am happy with my decision...Plus I get to experiment and use tons of products-- I never did this too much when I had a perm.

I've been fielding a lot of questions about detangling naturally curly and kinky hair. Below, you will find an article that I posted last year, complete with amendments.
________________________________________________________
Over these past 3 years of natural hair care, I've had my share of detangling session nightmares. I know I touched a bit on detangling in my routine, but I want to take this time to share my experiences, so that you can hopefully save the blood, sweat and tears-literally.

1. Find a slippery conditioner! Whenever I mention slip or slippery, I mean that seaweed-y feeling that allows your fingers or comb to glide through like magic, with little hair loss. This is KEY. In many natural hair products, marshmallow root is the slippery agent (Jessicurl WDT is a good example).
2. Let it marinate. If you have the time, let the conditioner sit and start working before you take a comb to that head. When I first hop in the shower, I usually wet my head down for 2 minutes or so. I hold my head back and under the shower stream, letting the water cascade through my hair. I then take A LOT of conditioner and apply it from root to tip...trying not to manipulate it too much, I just smoosh it through. This takes us to the next lifesaver:
3. Add a little H20. After my hair is thoroughly saturated with conditioner, I pass my head under the shower stream again...but just for a second. This simple act is the corner stone of my detangling session. It has turned what use to be a nightmare, into a walk in the park! I don't know why it works, but it does!!!! You can either collect water in your hands and apply it to your conditioner laden hair, or (just for a few seconds) pass your head on the shower stream. Either way, just make sure your hair feels soaking wet, heavy, and very slippery. Something about the water makes the detangling elements of the conditioner kick in to high gear! Causal mechanisms are unknown, lol. I'm sure this would work the same if you diluted your conditioner before using...
   
4. Don a plastic cap. As soon as you've added a bit of water to your hair, throw on a plastic baggy while you handle your shower business. This step is optional, but I feel that it does work better than simply clipping my hair up and out of the way. If your bathroom gets really steamy, this can act as a mini-DT.
   
5. Detangle under the shower stream. This may not work for some, but it has been a God send for me. I use either my fingers, or my wide tooth comb (Jilbere Shower Comb- Sally's Beauty) and start with the right half of my head. By now, you probably know that I always divide my hair into two. I usually start with the front right side, and slowly detangle under the water pressure...ends up, or top down, if you're under the pressured water, it doesn't matter...those tangles are going to melt away. It only takes about 3 minutes per side...if that.
   
6. A chilly final rinse. Although I never use hot water on my hair, it is usually set to luke warm during steps 1-5. But in order to seal those cuticles and smooth the hair, you must do the final rinse under COLD water. Ouch! I know, but it helps, trust me.
   

There you have it ladies. As always, this routine may not be for everyone, but it has saved me lots of time, and lots of hair ;0)
________________________________________________________
Amendments:

I posted the above in Oct. 2008 under Hair Tips. Since then, I've attempted to (1) use the Jilbere Comb solely (no finger detangling), (2), use the denman solely, and (3) comb/brush while NOT under the shower stream. I've come to the conclusion that my hair doesn't like to be combed or brushed wet- although I can detangle my hair much quicker, I lose more of it. When I use my fingers, under the shower stream, the tangles melt away, and I experience little hair shed, and less breakage.
Lately, I've been dividing my hair into 4 sections (2 on each side), as opposed to 2. I'm liking the results and will probably continue to do so.
Everything else in my detangling routine still holds. Another tip: Make sure to keep your hair soaking wet when styling.

Later Gators,
Nik

So, I forgot to take my camera to the Natural Hair Meet-up last night. Tisk, tisk...I know. Our group is continuing to grow, and we had a great time!! I promise to remember to take pics next time :-) If you're interested in joining us next month (April 25th), in Raleigh, NC, shoot me an email at nikki@curlynikki.com.

After leaving the meet-up, I mosied on over to yet another dinner party where two of my friends were celebrating their birthdays. Both of the b-day girls have gorgeous natural hair, but Ms. Tamara was rockin' hers in all it's glory. Below you'll find pics of Tamara sporting her Twist-n-Curl, post henna. Her hair is stunning (amazingly dense), and these pics don't do it justice. In the next few days, I'll be posting pics more pics of hair, as well as her TnC instructions, and henna recipe. Happy B-day girls!

The Winner of the Bedroom Hair Giveaway is......

I henna'ed on Thursday night with 200g of Dulhan. I rinsed for what felt like hours yesterday morning, deep conditioned, and then styled. This morning, I took the rollers and twists down and realized my hair was stiff, a bit hard, and chock full of henna bits. To be honest, I got tired of rinsing, and thought the bits would easily shake out. WRONG. The remnants are deeply enmshed, and the overall feeling of my hair is, 'ewww'...I'm used to soft, touchable hair. Needless to say, I rinsed, and literally just finished styling...again! Since I have plans tonight (Natural Meetup!), I actually have to use my soft bonnet dryer for the first time this year! I hate sitting under the dryer :-( So, my dears, please, please, please rinse your cheapie henna thoroughly. TnCing twice in a 12 hour period is lame.

Later Gators,
Nik

CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner?
E: I am currently in a long term transition. I'm 16 months deep at this point so I may as well go for the gusto. My last relaxer was November 13, 2007.

CN: When will you BC?
E:I don't plan to BC hence the long transition. I have a seriously HUGE dome piece and the short look is just not for me. I am slowly trimming off the tex(re)laxed ends.

CN: What is your transition routine? Staple Hair styles?
E: My transition routine is almost the same as it was when I was relaxing. I was a lengthy stretcher anyway going anywhere from 4-7 months between chemical services so I just follow the same principles I did then; do everything in four sections (wash, cowash, DC, detangle, etc), detangle under running water w/fingers and a large tooth seamless comb, moisturize and seal w/an oil regularly, keep hair detangled at all times. My staple hairstyles are wet buns and updos, braid and twist outs.

CN:How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
E: Cowashing has helped immensely along with regular dc's and using a good leave in or water based moisturizer then sealing with oil. Sometimes I'll use my conditioner as a leave in as well. It has worked wonders! Also, don't be afraid to moisturize more than once a day. If my hair needs the extra kick, hey, who am I to disagree and deprive my tresses?

CN: Why did you choose to go natural? Are you happy with your decision?
E:I made the final decision to transition while doing a cowashing challenge last summer. As I stated earlier, I was already a hard core stretcher (and was actually doing a stretch at the time) but once I saw how easy it was for my new growth to stay soft and detangled with frequent cowashes and great products, I was hooked and said this chemical stuff is for the birds. My hair and I can go it alone and that's what we've been doing ever since. I'll be honest, some days I get very discouraged and feel the temptation to slap some relaxer in this stuff but the feelings always pass when I look at how thick my hair is and how I've managed to retain length and get some good growth even during my transition.

CN: How long have you been natural?
MM: I stopped relaxing in November 2005. I always wanted to go natural but never had the courage to actually do it. I transitioned for 17 loooooonnnnng months and gave myself a few crazy haircuts during that time to get rid of some of the relaxed ends. In April 2007, I was finally 100% natural!

CN: What is your regimen?
MM: I feel like I’m always switching it up depending on how much free time I have. Sometimes I will rock a wash and go for a few weeks and when I know I’m going to be short on time, I’ll twist my hair and rock two-strand twists for a week or two. For the most part, I shampoo with Avalon Organics Clarifying Shampoo once or twice a month and in between my shampoo days, I co-wash with Trader Joes Nourish Spa Conditioner. I style with Knot Today and Kinky-Curly Curling Custard for a wash and go which lasts 3-4 days. If I’m doing twists, I use a leave-in conditioner and a moisturizer (my favorites are Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Milk and Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter Cream). Otherwise, I wear a bun or ponytail.

CN: What is the one thing you'd tell a newbie to help her on her journey?
MM: Expect the unexpected! You may love your hair one day, and hate it the next. Natural hair can be unpredictable (especially in the beginning). Just be patient and experiment with different products until you find what your hair likes. But don’t go overboard and buy tons of products just because someone else said it’s their holy grail. Have an idea of what you are trying to achieve with a particular product first and then make sure it has the type of ingredients that meets those needs. Most importantly, be confident in your decision to go natural and be patient….the length will come!

CN: How do you maintain length?
MM: For me, mixing up the styles have been key. When I was newly natural, I was wearing a wash and go daily because I was still experimenting with products. All of that manipulation led to some seriously knotted ends and I ended up getting a few inches trimmed off. Now, I alternate between wash and go’s, twists, twistouts and buns, and my ends have been thanking me. I also limit the use of heat to minimize breakage.

CN: How do you protect your style at night?
MM: I usually sleep with a silk scarf. If I’m trying to save my wash n go, I put my hair in two loose ponytails and fluff in the morning. It works out well and the style can last about 4 days.

CN: What's the best thing about being naturally glamorous?
MM: I absolutely love the flexibility of natural hair. It’s fun to try different styles…..it keeps things interesting. I also feel like natural hair suits me so much more than straight hair. It was the best decision I ever made!