Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care

Renee asks:

Hola Chicas,

Over the years I've tried many detangling methods-- dry, wet, with a paddle brush, using a denman, fingers only, in sections, under the water stream, hell, I've even tried oil rinsing! I've done it all, but with my current length and density, the following works best for me:

• I get in the shower with loose, dry hair (usually an old Twist-n-Curl).
• I wet it down, apply loads of conditioner, and let it marinate.
  
• I then split my hair down the middle, and start with the left side.
  
• I section out the back (pinning the rest of the left side up and out of the way) and detangle with my fingers and Ouidad comb under the shower stream.
  
• I two strand twist that section and repeat with the other two sections on that side (one above my ear, and one by my face).
  
• Repeat with the right side.
  
• I end up with three product free, thoroughly detangled, twisted sections on each side-- 6 total.
  
• I then get out of the shower,and blot dry. I take down one twisted section at a time, and apply my leave-in/styler prior to re-twisting it (I usually turn one twisted section into two twists).
  

This routine allows me to slowly and gently detangle small sections at a time, resulting in fewer hairs loss. Twisting the detangled sections keeps my curls from knotting back up (I used to skip this step, making my efforts futile), and makes for a much quicker styling session.

Hola Chicas,

Yes, the rumors are true. My PJism has reached new heights... I bought a 24 dollar comb. Sad.

In my defense, (1) I've heard great things, (2) it's a comb/brush combo, and (3) if I hate it, I can always return it! So, don't judge ;)

Just as I'm always on the lookout for the next best detangling conditioner, I'm also looking for a new, fast, and less damaging tool to detangle my hair. I'm not a huge fan of wide tooth combs- - they don't get the job done for me and I'm usually left with tangles and shed strands caught in my curls. I love paddle brushes (like the Goody Ouchless one), but sometimes I feel that although my hair comes out smooth and detangled, it pulls out way too much hair. My fingers do an okay job, but sometimes you just don't have an hour, lol. The denman... rips my wet hair from my scalp. I was hoping that the Ouidad Double Detangler would be some sort of detangling miracle that combined the things I love about the different methods. Well, it's not a miracle, but it's not a total bust either.

I bought it on Sunday from Sephora, and finally used it for the first time last night.

Description:

The most challenging aspect of curly hair is detangling it. This next generation tool is designed by Ouidad to slide through your curls without the ripping or tugging.

• Rows of teeth eliminate difficult knots and prevent curls from springing back and re-tangling
• Longer Teeth reach through the most dense curly hair
• Fewer Combing Strokes help curls remain defined and frizz-free
• Spaced teeth are just the right width for detangling knots
• Rounded Tips on teeth are soft on the scalp
• Time Savings since curls are prepped to be styled or washed in half the time
  

My Experience:

First of all, this comb is a whopper. It weighs like a pound (or more), and is friggin' huge! According to Ouidad, the comb is heavy and does the work so you don't have to. Whatever the case, if it fails to detangle efficiently, I can most certainly use it for self-defense.

I hopped in the shower and intended to do another conditioner experiment- - Yes to Cucumbers on the left, Yes to Carrots on the right. It was 6 o'clock, I was tired of standing, and my brain had stopped functioning at around 3, so I ended up using Yes to Cucumbers on both sides, lol. I'll provide a review of this delicious conditioner later... but for now, just know that you need to run out and pick some up! It's silicone free, slippery, and oh so moisturizing :-) Thanks for the recommendations ladies! But I digress...

After the YTC melted into my tangles, I grabbed the right half of my hair and sectioned out a chunk in the back. I pinned the rest up and out of the way. I reached for the double detangler and began combing from the ends up. I immediately noticed that it detangles more like a comb than a brush. It took at least a few strokes to remove my tangles (unlike a paddle brush), but it did so without pulling the hair-- only the shed ones. I was grateful for that. Very gentle!

After I'd finish a section, I'd twist it up, grab a new chunk, and repeat. In the end, I had 3 fat, conditioner laden twists on each side of my head. I then rinsed with my hair still in the twists and got out of the shower. I applied a quarter sized amount of DevaCare One to each side (hair still in twists), and began my Twist-n-Curl process. I'd take down one twist at a time, run my fingers through it, and make two twists. My hair was still detangled and very easy to work with.

Bottom Line:
It by no means cut my detangling time in half. It didn't cook dinner, and it didn't sing to me. It
did, however, do an excellent job of removing shed hair, demolishing tangles, and smoothing. The weight didn't bother me... my arms never got tired- -I actually think they're on to something! There was never any tugging or pulling, and I never heard strands popping. I only lost half the hair I'd usually lose after detangling with my Goody Ouchless Paddle Brush, and it didn't pull my hair straight either. It's a keeper, but I still don't know if it's worth 24 bucks...

Hola Chicas!

I hope you had an excellent Labor Day weekend...I did...very relaxing :-)
So relaxing, that I let my hair go for 11 days! I've gone 5 days...even 7 days without conditioner washing and re-styling, but 11 is EXTREME. Yesterday morning, I looked ominously at the dry, frizzy bun that sat atop my head and dreaded stepping into the shower. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as I thought.

The Bad News: It took 45 minutes, lol
The Good News: I didn't lose as much hair as I anticipated, and I never had to yank, or rip through my curls.

This post serves three purposes--to warn you about letting your hair go for too long (dry hair leads to tangles, splits, and breakage!), how to fix it when you've let it go for too long, and to reiterate the importance of a solid detangling regimen.

What I Did:

I tested out a new conditioner yesterday (Back to Basics Pom). It was okay...nothing to write home about. I'll save that story for another day.

1. After wetting down my hair, I applied an incredibly generous amount of B2B to the right side of my head, and Herbal Essence Totally Twisted conditioner to the left side. I'm talking A LOT of conditioner.
2. I ran my head back under the shower stream for a few seconds to get it slipperier (lol, is that a word?!), and then applied even more conditioner. I probably did that step once or twice more. My hair felt heavy, and was literally detangling before my eyes.
   
3. I let it marinate while I showered
   
4. I started with the left side, in the back. I clipped the rest of my hair up, and out of the way. I angled myself under the shower stream so that the water hit that section directly on, while I gently finger detangled. Whenever I hit a snag, I'd step out from under the stream and gently work it out. When the whole section felt tangle free, I added more conditioner to it, and moved on to the next section.
5. My 'next' section is usually the chunk of hair above my ear. When my hair is this tangled, I have to detangle in many sections--usually 3 per side (the back, above the ear, and the front). Repeated step 4 for the ear section, and the front.
   
6. Moved to the right side, and repeated steps 4-5 with all three smaller sections (back, ear, front).
   
7. Now, all my hair was detangled and loaded with conditioner. I grabbed my Jilbere, and combed out the entire right side under the shower stream. No knots, no tangles...just a few shed hairs. I repeated the same with the left, and immediately loaded up with my styling conditioners.

Forty-five minutes later, I had a moisturized, tangle-free head of hair, ready for styling. To re-cap, finger detangle with the help of the shower stream first, then comb...viola! It's time consuming, but you don't lose as much hair as you would if you combed first.

One more thing...

Styling Tip:

Now that I only do 10 twists for my Twist-n-Curl and use perm rods for a tighter, shorter look, my ends are usually soaking wet after 12 hours of air drying time. I like to twist on soaking wet, not damp hair, and these three things (rods, sopping wet hair, chunky twists), result in a wet head in the morn. And as you know, taking down any wet set prior to it being completely dry is an absolute waste of your time and effort. I've had to resort to my diffuser, and even the dreaded bonnet dryer a few times.
I got smart yesterday, and after twisting, I dabbed the ends with a paper towel to rid them of excess moisture. I then slicked on some Set it Free, and rolled them up. This morning, my ends are bone dry, shiny, and frizz free :)

Just a thought...


Later Gators,
Nik

Hola Chicas!

Sorry for the late post...I've been running around all day trying to get ready for my upcoming STL trip. Since I'm the Queen of Procrastination, I had to finish paperwork, do the laundry, clean the house, pack, and do my hair -- I leave today...this is totally ri-got-dam-diculous!

While detangling 7 day hair in the shower, I came to the realization that 3-4 days is the longest I should go in between styling sessions. I stood in that shower stall for nearly 40 minutes! My hair was a tangled mess-- mostly due to the shed hairs trapped in the curls. I shed like a dog, and if left unchecked, things get out of hand VERY quickly.

Thinking about the shed hair, and time frames between styling sessions, also led me to think about my detangling tools. There are pros and cons to each of the tools I've used in the past.

Fingers
-Pros: very gentle, fewer split ends, less breakage, great defintion

-Cons: takes forever, lots of shed hairs left behind in the clumps of curls which leads to tangling and knots/matting

Jilbere Shower Comb (wide tooth)
-Pros: gentle, fewer split ends, less breakage, faster detangling

-Cons: less definition than with fingers or brush, lots of shed hairs left behind in the clumps of curls which leads to tangling and knots/matting, can pull or stretch the hair

Denman Brush
-Pros: efficient detangling, great clumping/defintion, shed hairs obliterated, easier styling and detangling next session

-Cons: If you're not careful it can rip, pull, stretch, and/or break the hair, may cause splits in fine haired curlies

My sweet spot is a finger comb/jilbere combo. To save on time and effort, I load up with Herbal Essence Totally Twisted, finger detangle thoroughly, and finally comb through with the Jilbere. When using this combo, I spend less time in the shower and lose less hair. From now on, I will attempt to style mid-week, even if it's just a wet bun. 7 days was wayyyy to long.

Every curly head is different and what works for me, may not work for you, and vice versa.

Submit a picture of your hair, and a quick write up of your successful detangling method. Hopefully, your routine may help another curly with a similar texture. As always, send submissions to nikki@curlynikki.com.

Click HERE for my detangling method.
Click HERE for my routine.
Click HERE for my issues with the Denman 3.

Later Gators,
Nik

While perusing NaturallyCurly.com, I came across a thread on Behentrimonium Methosulfate. 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)

I'm pretty sure this is why my hair fell in love with Blended Beauty's Curl Quenching Conditioner (my wallet made it fall out of love). Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment also contains BMSulfate, but Hello Hydration contains it's cheaper cousin.

Remember that every head is different. If you're having a hard time detangling, try a conditioner that contains this ingredient and see how it treats ya!

Later Gators,
Nik

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)
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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