Hi Nikki, I just did my big chop and am sooo excited!
My last relaxer was 10-31-2007. I took a break from doing my own relaxers and decided to go to a beauty parlor to get it professionally done as a treat to myself. At that time, I had bra strap length hair. I had been getting relaxers for the past 20+ years yet always longed for natural hair. I always said I would love to go natural but felt like my hair was too long to just cut off and start over. But I knew that if anything ever happened to my hair where I had to get it cut, I would not get another relaxer. When I went to the salon at the end of October of 07, I left out with a beautiful head of flowing hair. About a week later and every time thereafter, whenever I would shampoo and condition my hair, it would knarl and tangle up to the point where I couldn't get a comb through it. My hair would shed in huge hunks and balls. This happened for the next couple of months. My hair shed and shed each time I shampooed it. Finally I found another beautician and told her my problem. She shampooed and deep, deep conditioned it and had the same problems with tangles and knots and shedding. It took her about 3 different sessions of this before it finally stopped shedding and tangling. By then, I was left with long but very thin hair. I told her that I was not getting anymore relaxers. Although this beautician was not a natural hair specialist, she was very understanding and supportive. I then started my journey.
I initially didn't know the first thing about taking care of natural hair. For the first year, I continued to go to the same girl and she would either gel my hair and put it up in an updo, or she would flat iron it. It looked cute. As of 11-2008, I began to desire to wear my hair in it's completely natural state. I decided to go completely natural and stopped going to the beauty parlor, I also stopped using heat all together and really began to search and learn about how to care for my natural hair. It wasn't until 04-16-2009 that I did my big chop and I am completely in love with my hair.
During my transition , I mainly wore twist outs. I would co-wash about 2-3 times per week using Suave Naturals conditioner, or HH Hello Hydration. I would use Pantene R & N Moisturizing conditioner or Lustrasilk Cholestorol for a leave in. When I did my weekly deep treatments I used either Pantene R & N hair mask or Jessicurl WDT. And for moisture, I use pure shea butter, and Carol's Daughter hair milk or hair butter. The first pic is my hair during the transition time period when I was blow frying and flat ironing my hair. Notice how thin the ends are. I hated it. By this time I had already had about 4 inches trimmed off. The 2nd pic is my last time going to the beautician and getting a half up half flat ironed hair do. 3rd pic is my early days of doing the twist and curl. Loving it. 4th pic is the day after my big chop with a knot out, last pic is wash n go the day after. Still experimenting. 
Vidette- A Story of Transition
The Curl Whisperer on Summerized Curls
I don't know if you or Tiffany can even answer this for me, but I thought I'd shoot it your way anyway. I've come across products here and there that says contains sunscreen or protects from sun damage. I'm a light haired curly natural, redhead to be exact, and I've always thought this California sun has done a number on my hair whether its been a change in my color or just drying it out. So my Question is...Is there any truth to the products? Is there an actual "sunscreen" for hair? If so, what is the ingredient and is it good for curls?
- T.
Tiffany:
While virtually everyone is familiar with the damage sun can do to skin, few are aware of its effects on hair.
Sunlight comes in different wavelengths, with the most familiar being the ultraviolet rays UVA and UVB (there is actually a UVC ray as well, which is the strongest ultraviolet ray and can actually be fatal, but it is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not actually reach the earth's surface). Both UVA and UVB rays can cause damage to the hair and scalp if adequate protection is not taken.
UVA - aka, the "aging" ray. The UVA ray remains at the same strength all year round, regardless of the season; other than the UVC, this is the strongest ray and can penetrate deeply into the cortex. UVA rays can burn the cuticle of the hair, leading to porosity issues, and can damage melanin, the color pigment in our cortex responsible for our natural hair color. UVA rays can also sunburn the scalp and damage the hair follicles, leading to the risk of permanent hair loss over time.
UVB - aka, the "burning" ray. The UVB ray is the weakest strength ray and will have different strengths at different times of the year, depending on your location's proximity to the sun. This ray can still do some substantial damage to your hair, however; in addition to drying hair out, it can cause fadage in color-treated hair without protection.
So, if you live in an area where the sun's rays are strong, it is definitely not a bad idea to make sure your hair care products include a sunscreen or UV filter. The product ingredients you should look for on the label include:
- Benzophenone-2, ( or 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- Benzyl salicylate
- Benzylidene camphor sulfonic acid
- Bornelone
- Ethyl cinnamate
- Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (octyl methoxycinnamate)
- Octoxynol-40, -20
- Octyl methoxycinnamate
- Octyl Salicylate
- Oxybenzone
- Phenyl ketone
- PEG-25 PABA
- Polyacrylamidomethyl benzylidene camphor
And, if all else fails, there is always a hat!
For more of the lovely Tiffany, check out her website, HERE.
Summer is coming! I love it, but my hair seems to think otherwise. I don’t know about you but my hair takes on a mind of it’s own during these hot and humid days of summer. I’ll style my hair one way but after being outside (all day) at a barbecue, I’ll be rocking a totally different look. This can sometimes be good; most times it’s not. That’s exactly what humidity is- a tricky situation.
Let’s examine what hairstyles are safe and those that are not so safe for humid conditions.
SAFE: Buns, braids- any kind of up-do that doesn’t include “loose” hair. If your hair is tied up in a bun, you have more control over how YOU want to look (not how “humidity” wants you to look ;-)
Weddings, graduations and parties are all occasions where you want to have control over your hair. No time for guesswork.
(Click the link for more info)
NOT SO SAFE: Straight hairstyles! Please don’t spend hours on end in a salon or in your own home blow styling or flat ironing. No matter which products you use, nothing is 100% reversion resistant. Twist outs, braid outs, knot outs, etc. can be risky as well (depending on your hair type).
I’ve had the best results with wash & go’s in humidity. Although, when it is extremely humid, I end up looking like a chia pet (frizz galore!)
Ever heard the saying, “…if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?” Humid weather and frizz go hand in hand. Instead of trying to “beat the heat” or “fight the frizz”, work with it instead. Try getting your hair cut in layers so that when the humidity swells it you’ll have a cute afro instead of a lopsided mess. Use headbands and other cute accessories. Don’t forget to include the use of protective styles (as listed above).
You’ve officially been “Summerized”! With these tips, you’re bound to be looking your best each and every single sweltering day ;-)
On the Therapist's Couch with Claudia
I AM my hair.
I was born in Bogota, Colombia in 1987, the third child of a mother without a husband, without the sufficient means to take care of another baby. My mother made a wise decision and put me up for adoption. She had me in a motherhouse, where she was taken care of until she had recovered from the delivery. She left me there and it was a mere three months until my new father came all the way from The Netherlands, Europe to get me.
I was adopted by the two most loving parents any child can wish for, but my parents had one negative point about them: they were white, and I was most certainly not.
I am a zamba woman, a woman of mixed African and Amerindian ancestry. This meant my hair was likewise ethnic, thick, black, and unruly.
Looking back on my childhood, my hair was a big pit of frustration for me and my mother. Unlike nowadays, where adoptive parents can go online and find all the information they need to take care of their afro haired children, my mother had no resources at all. She tried everything, every shampoo, every conditioner, but every single week, on washday, I would stand up in the bathtub, covered in a thick towel, shaking with the futile effort of trying not to cry as my mom, as careful as she could, worked out the tangles. We used to spend an hour of pure horror, crying together in that bathroom. I will never forget that.
I had a fro until I was eight and refused to get anymore haircuts. I wanted long hair. I longed for it. I don’t remember when I started doing my own hair, or at least wash it myself. It made an end to the pain of having my mom do it, but it didn’t end the ordeal. I had absolutely no idea what to do with my hair, I knew NOTHING about black hair, or what it was and what it meant.
I grew up in a predominantly white, upper middle class environment. My adoption has never been an issue to anyone, but I had no real conception of what it meant to be black, nor what that meant in terms of skin and hair. I grew up without racial issues. I never felt different, but that also meant I ignored the clear difference my hair showed compared to other girls long, sleek locks. I grew my hair long, but that was all there was to it. It was poofy, and I pretty much wore it in a low bun all the time, pinning back any flyaways. The few occasions I did wear it out, I got so many compliments from older friends and my family, but all I wanted was straight hair. I could not see how healthy and gorgeous my natural curls were, I was focused on getting it straight, like everybody else’s.
At eleven, I got my first relaxer, going to a self-proclaimed black hair stylist. I can tell you, he was not. My hair got ruined, it looked like a doll’s hair. It was then that the breakage started. I had to cut if off to ear length. I continued my search for a good stylist and finally, at thirteen, found one. My mom took me there and when I sat down in the chair, he asked me what I wanted. I demanded he give me straight hair, like the picture of Alicia Keys I brought.
He nodded, said that could be done. He talked to my mom about the former stylist and assured her he would do no such thing. He then cut off the damaged ends and gave me a texturizer with a rollerset. He flatironed the roots and then allowed me to check out the end result.
My mom and I cried of happiness. My hair was long, silky and bone-straight.
The truth was, I really still didn’t know anything about black hair. All I knew is what my stylist told me, that I needed leave-in conditioners and needed to stop washing my hair four times a week. Most, I know now, made perfect sense. The texturizer helped me manage my hair, it was easier to comb through, which was the main reason I had it done anyway. Some, however, did not. I know now my stylist practiced Dominican Blowouts, blowdrying my rollerset superstraight, on a way too hot setting. That must have given me heatdamage.
I sort of managed my hair for years, only getting two texturizers a year. I realize now I was a stretcher, but I did it only because these services where expensive and I had to spend an entire day at the salon, which I did not always feel like. I also still did not know any other girls with my hairtype, had nothing to compare it with.
When I hit puberty, my life went out of control. The adoption had left its marks on my psyche and I ended up in therapy. Refusing to accept that my problems had anything to do with being adopted, I wore my hair straight a lot in that time, almost like I was trying to prove a point. The hair was my lifeline, except for my skin, which I could not change, I ditched my curls to look more like my parents. I needed to reassure myself that I was their child, that I belonged with them. The desperation of it is evident to me now. Back then, I had no idea.
I had that straight hair the night I met my boyfriend of five years. He loved the look on me, but also accepted me for who I was, problems and all. He never shied away from the mess that was me, back then.
As I got better, I gradually started to dislike my sleek locks more and more. I simply stopped going to the salon for inbetween blowouts, only having straight hair about two weeks a year, a week after every texturizer. My hair looked okay-ish when curly, but the unawareness of the necessity of moisturizing and six months of dead ends everytime I went for a trim, kept my hair on shoulder length. It wasn’t until I discovered healthytextures.com only in june of ’08 that I truly started realizing what it was that I did to my hair and what my hair really was about. I became a PJ to the max, realizing my supply of good products in the Netherlands was very, very limited. I became obsessed with my hair, trying new styles, new products, realizing I had a breakage problem, trying to fix that.
When the site needed to be payed for, I found others, CurlyNikky being one of the most valuable. I got my last texturizer in August ’08, and decided not to get it redone in November. I was tired, so tired of the breaking hair. I was tired of trying to submit my hair to something it did not mean to do. I was tired of claiming to be a self-assured, assertive, strong woman, and not accepting myself for who I was. I had been in therapy from the age of 15 to 18. I had fought my way back from the edge, reacquainting myself with my place in the world.
Three years after saying goodbye to my psychiatrist, I cut off the texturized ends on April 16th, ’09. While washing my now short, natural hair in the shower afterwards, I cried and cried and cried. I felt that with cutting of the hair I wore throughout my therapy process, I had truly ended that period of my life. It was over, I had come out the other end a scarred, but healed woman.
I realize now that I AM in fact, my hair. My relationship with it goes deeper than most. It signifies self-acceptance on a level I can hardly explain. It defines my state of mind, it truly is my crown and glory.
In some way, I feel I deserve being natural. I am where I should be to begin with, and I will never be elsewhere.
Hola Chicas!
I got the urge to play in my hair last night...find the results below:
What can I say...I missed my big hair :)
I did the trusty ole' Twist-n-Curl, and used DevaCare One Condition, and Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment to style. I applied Shea butter to my dry ends this morning prior to taking down the twists.
I'm going home to STL next week to attend my lil' sister's college graduation, so I'm putting my hair back up until then.
Later Gators,
Nik
Shaking Things Up
Shake of NaturallyCurly.com, and one of our Naturally Glam Hair Idols, has changed her wash-n-go routine and would like to pass on a few pearls of wisdom.
____________________________________
Shake: So I've been doing wash and go's a lot lately. I'm staying with a very simple routine and have gotten very very nice results. I came home for the weekend to see my fam and I realized that I left my aloe gel and was mortified! I proceeded to do my wash and go anyway b/c I didn't want to bun and was curious to see how my hair would hold up with out the gel....anyways it went as follows:
-co-wash: suave humecant. detangle with wide tooth comb
-smooth: herbal essence hydralicious rehydrating condish and my denman-like brush in about 6 sections
-reinforcement/moisture: shea butter on each section. (normally I'd put on the aloe gel after this step and then put on my turbie twist but since I was out I had to skip the gel)
-tied up with turbie twist. finished showering and got out and finished after shower type stuff (elapsed time with turbie twist on about 15 min)
-hold (this was completely to feed my psychological need to put something else on my hair since I didn't have my gel. not sure if it was actually necessary): herbal essence hello hydration in about 6 sections
-seal: coconut oil in about 6 sections
-tied up with a satin scarf and slept sweetly. I awoke to find beautimus locks drenched in goodness and love. lol. for real, I have some really juicy, shiny, DEFINED, clumpy curls today!
The moral of the story is next time you run out of that thing you THINK is vital to your routine skip it one time and see if you can do without before you spend money and time to go out and restock it...you'll end up saving money and simplifying your routine just a bit more!
For more of Shake, check out her Fotki. 
Hello Nikki! Here are the pics you requested along with the Henna/Indigo mix I used and step by step instructions.
I used:
- 50 grams of Jamilla 2008 Crop
- 50 grams of Amla powder (to prevent my curl pattern from loosening) mixed with a tea made from Distilled Water infused with Chamomile Leaf, Nettles, Horsetail, and Marshmallow.
Then, I mixed Indigo powder with warm water and a teaspoon of salt and applied it to my hair. I wrapped my hair with plastic wrap and then a towel and let that sit for an hour. I rinsed the Indigo with warm water (which took forever!) and deep conditioned with Aubrey Organics White Camilla Conditioner and Kokum butter. I then rinsed the conditioner out with an herbal rinse made from distilled water infused with Rosemary, Irish Moss, Nettles, Hibiscus, and Horsetail. Then followed that up with an ACV rinse.
I moisturize with my own herbal spritz mixed with aloe vera juice, glycerin, and panthenol. Add some whipped shea (or whatever butter I have whipped) and seal with Jojoba oil. I love the dark color from the Indigo. I almost gave up on Henna but after I contacted Catherine she suggested using Henna and Amla in a 50:50 mix because I had alot of curls loosening on prior Henna treatments. I love jet black hair but refused to use chemical dye. Overall, Im happy with the results!
Thanks!
MochaTai
Happy Monday!
I counted...this is the beginning of week 5 of my bunning adventure :-) I'm growing a bit tired of the same old style, but let me tell ya...this has been one of the easiest routines in the world! I've received a few emails asking how I achieve my high bun on dry hair. I explained it in a previous post, but here it is again:
-After conditioning and detangling, set the hair in twists or knots
-Dry overnight
-Take the twists down and apply Shea Butter to the ends of hair
-Pull dry hair up into a high ponytail using your hands only- a comb or brush will create frizz.
-Secure the ponytail with a satin scrunchie
-Optional- add 1 more scrunchie to the ponytail for extra volume
-Fan the hair in the ponytail out and around the scrunchies and secure the hair with a goodie ouchless band
-Pull the hair through (but not all the way) to create a bigger, fuller bun
That's it! I'm no longer taking it down to moisturize the ends. I just make sure to saturate my hair really well on day 1 and leave it alone for the next 6 days- the less manipuation the better. When I conditioned on Friday, my ends looked absolutely wonderful.
I wear my satin scarf whenever I'm in the house to keep my edges laying down. The good thing about this style is that your edges aren't pulled tight, since the act of 'slicking' never takes place (no brush, or gel used). The inital set pretty much keeps my edges in check and gives my bun a lot of character. I don't see frizz until day 5 or 6 and that's when I add a bit of shea butter to tame the halo.
Happy bunning if you choose to do so! I may wear my hair out this weekend coming up. If I do, I'll definitely take pics :)
In other news, I owe you gals a crap load of product reviews. Over the next few days, I'll be reviewing Hair Rules Shampoo (blah), Zizyphus Shampoo Bar (nice), DevaCurl Angell Gel (aiight), and Punjabi Prime Henna (sweet!).
Later Gators,
Nik
Latoya- Naturally Glam Natural Hair Idol
CN: How long have you been natural?
Five years. I chopped on March 30, 2004 after transitioning for 10 months.
CN: What is your regimen?
I don't really have a set regimen. I co-wash almost nightly, and shampoo at least once a week. I've just added henna to my routine, and I'm starting to use hair butters again.
CN: What is the one thing you'd tell a newbie to help her on her journey?
Learn to love your hair as it is instead of trying to make it look and behave like someone else's. Looking to hair albums for advice, styles, and inspiration is all good, but I've seen people get sad that their hair couldn't do what soandso's hair did or didn't look like whatshername's looks and end up buying all these products for naught. And don't become a PJ! You'll end up broke and with a collection of hair products stashed all over your house. HA! (speaking from experience)
CN: How do you maintain length?
I honestly ask myself the same thing. I think not using heat on my hair has helped tremendously with length retention, and the fact that I'm too lazy and too unskilled to really do anything with my hair means that I'm not losing much to breakage. Co-washing and using conditioner as a leave-in has probably helped too.
CN: How do you preserve your curls at night?
I will usually put my hair into 2-4 big twists or braids before going to bed. In the morning, I take them down and I still have curls.
CN: What's your Mane Pics? (2 fav hair products)
Pantene Relaxed and Natural Breakage Defense Mask as a DC and any of the suave/v05 conditioners as leave-ins
CN: What's the best thing about being naturally glamorous?!
The best thing about being natural is not having to worry about my hair so much. If I wake up, and it looks like I could possibly have a bad hair day, I can put my hair up in a puff or do a wash n go. After spending so many years fighting my hair, it's nice to finally have a chance to see what it does when it's just left alone. 
Herbal Essence Totally Twisted Conditioner
Hola Chicas,
So, at the request of many of you, I decided to give Totally Twisted a go. Boy am I happy I did!
As always, I did a direct comparison with my beloved Hello Hydration. After hopping in the shower and wetting my hair down, I applied Totally Twisted to the left side, and Hello Hydration to the right. I let it marinate for about 10 minutes and then got to work. I'm completely aware that the ingredients are mostly the same, but for some reason, I noticed that the Totally Twisted side felt slipperier (is that a word?!), and definitely smelled better. The tangles (7 days worth)literally melted before my eyes...I was very impressed. Of course, the Hello Hydration side was easy to detangle as well, but I seemed to run into a few more knots. It appears that these conditioners are interchangeable and I will most certainly be partaking in both! By the bye, I only used my fingers to detangle.
Product Description: You'll find the definition of lush, shiny curls right here. just quench your curls and waves with my curls and waves conditioner with high intensity hydration. my replenishing formula fused with french lavender & jade extracts replaces vital moisture, lays frizz down for sleek spirals and keeps them bouncing freely. now that's a definition of a good curl.
Ingredients: Pretty much the same as Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, it just has a different, and more pleasing fragrance.
Bottom Line: 2 thumbs up! If you love HH, you must give TT a try :)
On the Therapist's Couch with Nicole
Hello new friends!
My name is Nicole but my friends and family call me Nikki :)
I was born and raised in Chicago,Illinois where I grew up watching my mom make a living as a master cosmologist. I mean... I lived in the beauty shop, and oh what FUN it WAS!!!!!! I was born in the 70's so just imagine all the different styles I saw come and go! LOL!! Watching my mom do what she loved and seeing her do it very well, provoked a love for hair in me. One of the things that I loved about my mom and her gift in doing hair was her LOVE for making sure her clients hair was healthy. I mean, she would analyze their hair to the fullest.
I moved to Alabama in 97( CAN WE SAY CULTURE SHOCK!!!!! - no offense my alabamiam sisters :) and of course growing up around hair, the first thing I noticed was how different the salons were here (and there philosophy on healthy hair). I live in central Alabama and the freeze curling, Pump it Up spritz, different color hair weave,etc. etc., were all the norm. Anyway, I finally found a stylist, who I love, but I noticed that my hair was not in the best of health. Too much color, too much heat, too many nasty products. By no way am I saying that my stylist did not know what she was doing...( well, I guess I am a little bit) its just that here, the focus is on the hair style and not the health of the hair. As you can see from the pic below, my hair was beautiful!!! ahahahaa
So after years of trying to figure out what to do about the health of my hair, a friend of mine suggested going natural. At first I was like, "no way!!" But then it dawned on me.. I would go 6 months or so without a relaxer and I'll tell you what..my new growth was strong, and very pretty. So it didn't take very long before I took that big step! I am soo glad I did. I didn't do the whole big chop thing, but I did let my hair grow out for a while and then decided to cut the relaxer off.. I wore kinky twists and micros FOR A WHILE!! ( my hubbbie grew soo tired of seeing them) hahahha
I loved my twists and braids but I was ready to learn how to style my own hair and take care of it. After spending so many years watching my mom, I wanted to put into practice all that I learned from her. To add, I also enrolled in cosmetology school for a while. Natural hair care is another story, I was told about CurlyNikki.com by a friend who had a link to the blog on her site. I was very encouraged to meet other women who were doing the whole natural thing and was VERY knowledgeable about it! Thank you Nikki..this blog and other member's posts have helped me to become very comfortable with wearing my fro. :) In the culture we live in today, natural hair is not the way to roll..if you are not a girl with a relaxer then you are looked at as having "nappy" hair..What in the world?! I am so thankful for my husband, he has been very supportive in this. Though at times, when I have been discouraged he has questioned if I should continue, but in it all, he tells me I still look good...
**this is my BIG chop picture..remember I allowed much of my natural hair to grow out first before I cut
My hair has never really effected my self-esteem, BUT I must say, it IS a radical thing to go natural in a culture that says "heck no!" That just means you have to be comfortable and confident in who you are as a woman, and not pay any attention to what others think. At the end of the day, one of the most important things I have learned is, "just do you" I have to do me. I have to do what's best for my hair. You have to do what's best for your hair and not try to achieve something that GOD did not give you. My natural hair is so different from my other natural sisters.. I have to be thankful for the lovely locks the good Lord has blessed me with and be comfortable in that. :) I am most thankful for all the healthy hair care knowledge that I am learning or have learned for blogs such as Nikki's and places such as Nappturality. I just want to encourage you ladies not to compare yourself to others. PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THIS BONDAGE! Rejoice with those who rejoice over their hair but never compare. Give yourself room to make mistakes with your hair..you and your hair will recover :) Never be ashamed to ask for help...try new things, if it doesn't give you the same results as others, then just move on with the info you have. I am sure this road of healthier, happier hair is a road we all will travel for a lifetime! Mo hair ladies, Mo hair!!!!!
**Below, my hair is washed with Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner. I used Jamaican Loc and Twist gel to twist ( which I will never use again, gives great hold for twist but too much petroleum and I personally, like how the unrefined Shea butter works better in hair, plus its healthier! :-) )
I'm sure by now, you all know that pure, Body Art Quality Henna is the only way to go. But, just in case you need more proof, check out this article- http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AllergiesNews/Story?id=7401149&page=6. It was submitted by Marie, a CN.com reader.
- Many of you requested to see more of Suzi. Check out her fotki here: http://members.fotki.
com/Suze28/
- Kyla, a beautiful, self-declared 4b created a henna album that she'd like to share with you gorgeous ladies. Check her out: http://public.fotki.com/
imnotmyha1r/my-hair/hair- product-reviews/henna-on-4b-- cnappy-hair/
The Curl Whisperer on the 'Holy Grail'
Many curly girls get obsessed with finding what is known among us as "The Holy Grail" for their curls--that mythical, miraculous, one-of-a-kind, priceless treasure of a product that will give us impeccable, frizz-free, red carpet curls--the kind that always snap back into perfect ringlets even in the worst rain, hail, humidity, sleet and hurricane-force winds known to mankind.
The good Lord knows, I was on an HG quest myself for eons and there are times I still find myself falling into that trap. Even when I find a product combination that makes me look great 99% of the time, I'll catch myself thinking: sure, my curls look great...but what if I stop looking now and that one great product--that one single elixir of magical fairy tales--is just over the hill? And what if I never find it because I was happy with "second best" and I stopped looking too soon? It was enough to drive any curly girl to drink.
It was with a mixture of relief and sadness that I finally came to the conclusion--after doing hundreds and hundreds of curly heads, and studying reams of information on hair type and product ingredients--that, despite our greatest hopes and wishes, that mythical "Holy Grail"
just. doesn't. exist.
Yes, there are products that are great for our hair and will work wonders the vast majority of the time, sometimes even 99% of the time. There are products with ingredients that love our particular hair type--our texture, our porosity, our elasticity--and will make our curls look the absolute best they can possibly be.
For a time.
But ...
Hair type changes over time. Texture changes, porosity changes, elasticity changes. Weather changes. The chemical composition of your water changes. Hormones change. Medical conditions change. If there is one thing we can count on in the crazy world of curly hair, it is change. And that means no product is going to work 100% the best 100% of the time.
The same product might work almost as great, but from the bottom of my heart I do not and will never believe one single product can unfailingly give you what I call "red carpet curls"...the perfect, rockin' kind of curls that make any Hollywood A-lister turn around and think jealously, "I want HER hair." Unless you live in an environment and in a body where absolutely nothing changes, the Holy Grail will have to remain the myth it is.
Incidentally, that's why it is all the more important to understand your hair type and your environment and, subsequently, what product ingredients work the best for your particular situation. There might not be a single Holy Grail...but that doesn't mean there can't be a foundational core of products that act in tandem with each other to give you red carpet curls all the time.
For more of Tiffany the Curl Whisperer, click HERE.
Happy Hump Day!
Can you believe that I'm still wearing the same bun from my 4/17 pics?! I've been incredibly lazy with my hair lately. Luckily, the Bantu Knot-Out Bun lasts a while, and looks pretty cute too :) I plan to henna tomorrow night and style...probably a Twist-n-Curl!
I had some time to kill today and decided to make a trip to ULTA. Dangerous...
I've been meaning to re-up my DevaCare One C stash, plus I've been feeling the urge to try something new. It's been almost a year and a half since I last used gel to style, but I definitely snatched up a 12oz bottle of DevaCurl Angell Gel! A 19 dollar trip quickly became a 38 dollar trip :-( I kept my receipt and will most certainly take it right back if it falls short of my expectations. Check out the NC.com reviews...they vary greatly.
Also, per a review by Vern today, I've decided to try Herbal Essence's Totally Twisted Conditioner in place of my beloved Hello Hydration.
Later Gators,
Nik
p.s. Still waiting on the winner of the CurlyNikki Spotlight Giveaway!
Hey Nikki,
First of all I love your hair, you're such an inspiration to me. I tried the Bantu-knot out yesterday. After washing my hair, I moisturized it with Organics Carrot oil creme, and sealed the moisture in with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil . Then, I let it air-dry for a while- after a few hours, I put my damp hair in about 12 Bantu knots.
I used bands to keep them from unraveling. At night, I covered my hair with my satin scarf and in the morning I took them down. Some of my hair in the back was still a little wet, and since I was in a hurry, it ended up a bit frizzy.
I really liked the results, but it wasn't what I expected...maybe because the back was still wet. I will try this again later this month, allowing for more drying time, and maybe even doing more knots. I will send you some more pictures soon.
Suze from Holland
VintageCurl- A Story of Transition
CN: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?
I was a short term transitioner. I decided to go natural July '07 and BC'ed Nov '07. Once I saw those curls spring through I couldn't wait. I know....Patience is a virtue, but it was worth it. :)
CN: When did you BC? What was your initial reaction to your natural hair?
I BC'd about 1 1/2 years ago. My initial reaction was "What in the world did I just do?" I had worn long relaxed hair most of my life and wasn't sure I would adjust to the cut. That feeling didn't last long. I was proudly sporting the new look in no time.
CN: What was your transition routine (products included)?
I made sure to deep condition my hair once a week during the transition stage. I was using Carol's daughter products at the time because they had enough moisture for my low cut and they smelled soooo good. I also flat ironed my hair with the "Chi". I wore my hair straight during the entire transition process.
CN: What was your staple hair style during the transition?
During my transition, I cut my hair into a tapered bob ( you know the original Rihanna hair cut from "Umbrella..ella..ella) :) I t was the perfect style for me to keep enough length while cutting off most of my relaxed ends.
CN: How did you moisturize your hair to prevent breakage at the new growth line?
Condition...Condition...Condition.... Oh yeah, did I mention Condition?
CN: Why did you choose to go natural?
I started this journey due to much inspiration from other natural sistas. I was one of those girls who thought that relaxing my hair was a right of passage. At age 13 I was so excited to finally have straight hair. For the next 13 years, I watched my once naturally curly hair get more straight and fragile. It no longer curled when wet and stayed the same length for years. I got tired of dying and frying it just to look fierce, especially when God had blessed me with a "naturally fierce" head of hair. So thus the journey began. I got my last relaxer July 18, 2007. I transitioned for 4 months and got the big chop November 9, 2007 and haven't looked back.
Ladies, I met this girl...she is even more beautiful in person...her hair is STUNNING! Check out her fotki: http://members.fotki.com/vintagecurl/about/
Conditioners Containing Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Hola Chicas,
Here's a blurb from an article I posted a couple of weeks ago:
While perusing NaturallyCurly.com, I came across a thread on Behentrimonium Methosulfate (BMS). I first became aware of BMSulfate a couple of years ago when Spiral mentioned that she seeks out conditioners with this ingredient high on the list to effectively condition and detangle her curls. I've found that my hair is a fan too! It's one of the mildest detangling ingredients out there, and is made from non-genetically modified rapeseed oil (you read right...rapeseed).
'This scientifically sophisticated ingredient is renowned for its superior detangling ability, without causing build-up on the hair. Unlike other hair detanglers, which are known for their irritancy, behentrimonium methosulfate is extremely mild, being recommended for use in baby products which are left on the skin. It is superior in effectiveness and mildness to it's commonly used cheaper cousin, behentrimonium chloride. It is not a sulfate.' (http://www.upurea.com/ingredients_a-i/?___store=us)
Many of you asked for a list of conditioners containing BMS. Sorry for the delay, but check out the link below. It's not a comprehensive list by any means, but gives you over 100 options, complete with hazard ratings!
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?ingred06=700658&category=conditioner&ingred06=700658&&showmore=products&atatime=500
My favorite BM conditioners are:
-Generic Paul Mitchell the Detangler
-Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment
-Blended Beauty's Curl Quenching Conditioner
-TIGI Moisture Maniac
My Fav BC conditioners (BM's cheaper cousin)
-DevaCare One Condition
-Herbal Essence Hello Hydration
For those of you that go hard, here's a link to purchase BMS to add to your concoctions! I know nothing about this, so do your research!! They did provide a sample hair conditioner recipe. Good luck mixtresses!
Alrighty ladies...it's that time again!
Date: April 25, 2009
Time: 6pm
Place: Kanki in Crabtree Valley Mall- Raleigh, NC
Please email nikki@curlynikki.com ('meet-up' in the subject line) to RSVP so that I can notify the restaurant.
On the Therapist's Couch with KinkyKeeper
Like many biracial children I grew up in White neighborhoods. I had a White dad and a Black mom who was very laid back and low maintenance and didn’t force any beauty products on me (though I wish she had at least told me about deodorant but that’s another story). So I had to figure out a lot of things on my own. Nobody dragged me into a salon to get a relaxer, nobody gave me traction alopecia by braiding too-tight braids into my hair, nobody was telling me I had bad hair (my dad didn’t even know that phrase and my mom would certainly never use it), nobody forced weave on me. No, nobody did any of that stuff but neither did anybody instill confidence in my hair type, tell me I had good hair so I ended up doing all of these things to myself in the end anyway.
When I was two years old, my well-intentioned father took me to his barbers shop for white males to get my hair cut. I had an unintentional Frohawk too short to pull back into my habitual bunny tail for months afterwards. And that was the last attempt my dad made towards styling my hair. Even my mom was clueless when it came to what to do with my hair. Growing up I was deemed too tender headed to do anything with. Through elementary school my hair was just something to pull back in a hasty puff. Looking back at pictures I can see my hair was ready to blow it was so dry. Thank goodness I didn’t play with matches; I would have taken my whole block with me. I realize now that I had a low level embarrassment towards my hair. It was different. I went to a heavily white school in a white neighborhood. All I knew about my hair were the small comments other people made about it.
A series of vignettes: A little blonde classmate patting my hair with innocent curiosity “It looks like a sheep”. Wearing a shiny weave ponytail to school one day (just the ponytail mind you, the rest of my hair was left nappy) that I now know must have resulted in a hilariously obvious texture difference. My first grade teacher commenting on how good it looked and me honestly telling her it was weave. Her admonishing me to never tell someone it’s fake. Having one of the teachers at my day care center teaching me how to braid. The point of all these small experiences is that I didn’t know anything about my hair; I saw it only through the eyes of those around me. Of course I now can see in hindsight what these things meant. A hair type different than hers fascinated my classmate, and it was nothing to be hurt by. I know now that I wanted a ponytail like my classmates, so I wore a weave attachment because nobody ever complimented my puff. I know now that my teacher had been taught her whole life that weaves are a woman's (especially those women using it to cover an undesirable texture) little secret and should stay such. She was only trying to be helpful but only ended up making me self-conscious. I know now that my day care teacher was taking pity on me and trying to be subtle about the fact that I came in day after day with the same dry puff and was probably itching to give me a cute style. Unfortunately, that was the last fellow female I would meet for a long time who used their control over my self esteem to empower confidence in my natural hair. Too many of us try to find the self esteem we need by tearing down other's down.
I had reached middle school. It was a new school and I didn’t know anybody. For the first time, I was going to school with plenty of other children my color and I had a whole new set of eyes to see my hair and myself through. But for the first time in my life, I met people who were not curious about my hair. That’s because they already knew everything there was to know about it. Or they thought they did. They were still fascinated with my hair though, but for completely different reasons than those at my previous school. As one classmate with about 3 inches of dry perm herself, in a tone of utter disgust, put it “You have the nappiest hair I have ever seen.” I couldn’t go a week without a Black female schoolmate (most I had never seen before) stopping me in the halls to demand why I didn’t have a perm yet. My hair offended them in way I didn't understand at the time. But I knew I had to do something drastic. These people must see something in my hair that I didn’t. And in true keeping with my lack of self-esteem, I was sure whatever it was they saw was reality. By the 8th grade, I was 13 and I wanted to look pretty so I asked my mom if I could get a relaxer. She didn’t want to but for, better or worse, she let me make my own mistakes. I was so excited to be getting a perm. I couldn’t wait to have hair that swayed in the winds and swept my shoulders and made people finally look at my hair, not with disgust or a fascination that should be reserved for zoo animals, but something resembling appreciation. Of course I didn’t know that last part then. Even my hairstylist asking a nearby coworker how to apply a virgin perm (as she was applying mine) couldn’t dim my delight. I was very pleased with the results. I found a better hairstylist and she took me under her wing.
From that day forward for 7 years, my hair was touched-up and styled every 6-8 weeks like clockwork. But even as my satisfaction with my hair and how it shined and swayed grew so did my alienation to it and it’s care. I, at the time, would have been utterly shocked to learn the chemicals in the relaxers going on my head and even that certain products were used for certain reasons. I didn’t even realize I was getting deep conditioning and protein treatments or what this would have meant had I known. I sat where I was told to sit and read a magazine while I went through the process that would make me beautiful and acceptable to others. I was kept completely in the dark. I did tentatively ask my hairstylist once how she got my hair looking so good so that I could replicate it in between visits but some hairstylists feel they need to keep secrets to keep clients and she was one of them. It’s not their job to empower their clients and I can’t blame them. They have to make a living too. And so for the next years everything bumped along fine while I sat content in the passenger seat and my hair grew, and I finally got the appreciation I wanted. Everyone exclaimed over my long hair (well past shoulder length which is long for relaxed hair sadly). But then the worst happened and I could no longer afford to hand over the reins without a care. In my junior year of high school my hair began shedding and it didn’t stop. It got bad; everywhere I went I left massive hairballs behind. I hid what I could in socks, pants pockets, under desks. I tried to ignore it for as long as I could, pretending I believed my hairstylist’s assurances that my hair was fine. Nobody wanted to believe I was losing my hair. “Look at how long it’s growing!” They would say. But who cares about long hair when it’s pathetically thin? I watched my hair go from lustrous and thick to stringy and dull. I got blood tests to check for iron or vitamin deficiencies and went to several doctors but nobody could tell me why it was happening. It was completely out of my control, but this was nothing new. It was only the first time I had cared. In the meantime, my friends were left with the piles of hair to clean up after I would visit their houses. And I contemplated just cutting it all off so I didn’t have to feel my heart break in small doses. During this time I heard “I Am Not My hair” and I kind of absorbed the message and it helped but I wasn’t quite done letting others decide what was best for me. I succumbed to peer pressure, nobody wanted me to cut off my “long beautiful hair” (which at this point was far from beautiful). I was the only one without blinders on but I went along with what they thought best. But I couldn’t look at the pitiful mess for one more day so I compromised and got weave. It was a culmination of what I had been leading up to my whole life- complete alienation from my hair. If you like weave and it’s your choice, that’s cool. But getting one was the worst choice I could have made because I made it for all the wrong reasons.
I felt trapped and it was 1st grade all over again, ashamed that someone could detect I was a fraud. I had gone from hiding my real hair texture to hiding my hair loss to hiding weave tracks, always for other people. I was imprisoned by weave for 2 whole years. Going to my hairdressers became a grim, painful task where I would endure hours of that process to turn me beautiful. Except it took a lot more now to make me acceptable (both in time and dollar signs). We had to relax, then corn row and then sew the pretty hair in on top and after all that, I had lost even the little thrill I would once get after it was all done and I saw “myself” in the mirror. During those years, the weave might as well have been a rodent that had found it’s way onto my head and died there for all the connection I felt to it. It was a means to an end. I never even saw my own hair in between weaves; I didn't want to. I got out of one only to put another on immediately. The weave was both my mask and my prison. There were a few good things about all the weaves and one is that it opened my eyes to my pattern of valuing other’s opinion over my own. They liked my hair. I hated it. Who would win? It was a long battle but I finally did. I took out the last weave on my own, cutting the strings sewn in, unbraided my cornrows and it felt like a great weight fell off my shoulders. I could finally feel my scalp. My hair was still thin, my poor abused scalp had developed severe dandruff from two years of about 10 weaves in a row and 2 years of inattention, I had several inches of new growth and I was missing chunks of hair at my temples from traction alopecia that are currently growing back quite nicely. But I felt free and I decided why not go completely natural and do my own hair? I didn’t know if I could stand sitting down complacently in a stylist chair ever again anyway.
I transitioned for 10 months, did the BC last December though I was a bit apprehensive about how my round face would look with short hair. Looks right to me and that’s all that matters. Now I can make my own decisions about the kind of relationship I want with my hair (which stopped shedding once I went natural and you can't even tell it's thin now that's not straight). I rock twist outs, twist, various braided styles, wash and gos, frizzed out afros, (many of the styles, products and techniques which I only know about thanks to this site and others like it) and anything I can imagine. I plan on getting the biggest Afro possible and once I reach that goal I may try locs. Whatever I decide, I will be confident in my decision. And that comes from a more real kind of self-esteem than the fake self-esteem from a hair style or other people’s acceptance.
2nd picture- A good example of my #1 style growing up, the bunny tail was good for all occasions. Not.
3rd picture- I may be smiling in this picture but my hair is distressingly thing here
4th picture- My dead rodent hair
5th picture- All Natural since 08
The 10th person to submit a CurlyNikki Spotlight will receive their choice of an 8oz bottle of Shea Moisture or a 12oz bottle of DevaCurl One Condition. As always, send submissions to nikki@curlynikki.com
Good luck chicas,
Nik
The Curl Whisperer on Liquid Keratin
This article was originally posted by Tiffany Anderson, our resident Curl Whisperer, on Live Curly, Live Free. Lately, she's been fielding tons of questions about this straightening technique, and thought it'd be important for me to share this info with you gorgeous gals.
__________________________________________________________
Liquid Keratin
The latest round of questions I've been getting is about a treatment called "Liquid Keratin." Many curly girls are asking me if it is as safe and effective a way of straightening at home as the company claims it is.Frankly, based on what I've heard from others and my own training as a cosmetologist, I think Liquid Keratin is a whole lot of bad news and not a whole lot of anything else. I have absolutely no qualms about sitting here and telling you I believe there is a bunch of misleading information in their marketing and they are not being honest with consumers about this product.
First of all, what is Liquid Keratin?
The company says it is a "...revolutionary patented treatment that infuses curly, frizzy, unmanageable hair with keratin protein that it's naturally missing in just 30 minutes...unlike salon treatments, Liquid Keratin DOES NOT contain Formaldehyde or harmful chemical ingredients..[it] is a spray in treatment with amazing results of straighter, smoother, stronger and longer hair instantly!"
From the above, which can be found on the company's web site, I think we can agree consumers are being led to believe this is a safe way to straighten their hair using only a protein infusion treatment. Unfortunately, their marketing is misleading for quite a few reasons, as I have outlined below:
1) Not everyone who has curly hair has keratin protein that is "naturally missing." On the contrary, coarse-haired curlies manufacture an overabundance of protein "naturally" in their hair on their own. If you put more protein--especially with a treatment like this--on top of hair that is already protein-heavy, you will have a dry, straw-like mess on your hands.
2) Hair is permanently straightened or curled by breaking what are called the "disulfide bonds" in your hair--the bonds that are responsible for the shape of your hair strand. The marketing of this product leads consumers to believe the keratin protein infusion is what is responsible for straightening the hair; however, it is absolutely impossible for protein alone to break disulfide bonds to permanently straighten curly hair. That takes chemicals such as sodium hydroxide, ammonium thioglycolate...or, formaldehyde.
And here's where it starts to get really interesting.
3) The company bills the product as formaldahyde-free. They literally scream it at you in caps: "DOES NOT contain Formaldehyde or harmful chemical ingredients." However, if you look at the ingredients on their product label, you will see one near the top called "Biformyl." And another name for biformyl is oxalaldehyde, which happens to belong to the group of organic compounds called aldehydes...a group to which formaldehyde also belongs.
4) There is protein in this treatment; however, the order of the ingredients on the product ingredient label tells me this is simply a formaldehyde-type straightener with a little protein keratin thrown in so they can legally call it a keratin treatment instead of what it really is...a procedure that is banned in many salons because of the risk of sickness from fume inhalation.
5) Quite a few women with lightened or bleached hair who have actually used this product reported it turned their color a horrible, brassy orange color, which they then needed to have redone. Something a pure protein treatment wouldn't do.
So, there you have it. This safe little at-home treatment doesn't seem so safe all of a sudden, does it? And I have to wonder: what do we think might possibly occur if an individual with asthma or other breathing-related health issues is exposed to an aldehyde without their knowledge?
My biggest issue is this: I have a BIG problem with sneaky, unethical marketing. I don't like it when any product manufacturer tries to pull the wool over the customer's eyes just so they can make a buck. And I invite any representative from the Liquid Keratin company to address the points above and tell us why they are not being misleading or dishonest in their advertising of this product.
You can contact the Liquid Keratin company at:
Liquid Keratin, Inc.
101 King High Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
CANADA M3H 3
0001 - (647) 588-5515
pr@liquidkeratin.com
Meet Curly Nikki
Connect with Nikki
Sponsored
Sponsored
Add CN to Your Page!
All A Curly Girl Needs!
Follow Me On Twitter
Topics
Search Curly Nikki
Natural Hair Archives
Popular Posts
Nik on Naturally Curly
Join Us!
