Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care

Hola chicas!

It's that time again! The images below are of CN readers at their flyyest...at work, on the town, and with the fam. Showing us all that natural hair is not a fad, it's a way of life...an extension of our beauty! Click on the images to enlarge them:

Miz B
Hello CN-Love your blog! I was out on the town with my girls at a Lounge and they had this interesting wall paper so my friend took a pic of me! I was rockin' your Twist n Curl and I used either Deva Curl Set It Free or Eco Styler, as those are the two I rotate. My curls were super defined! One of my best Twist n Curls!!

Shanda
After a wedding in St. Thomas VI. Hairstyle is a braidout using my shea butter mix and ecostyler gel on my edges, I did a pompadour and used side combs on both sides.

Abeni
This is a picture of me before I went out the door for work. I love big hair and my twist outs... this was definitely a good hair day. I twisted my hair the night before with Shea Moisture Organics Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie (for moisture) and Jessicurl Confident Coils (for hold). My results were awesome!


Takiyah
I just did the "BC" the day before! I had thought about going natural for a year but being the spontaneous young lady I am...I went for it. No transition (I was fresh off of a relaxer). Jane Carter Shampoo/Conditioner and Miss Jessies Curly Pudding was my regimen of choice.
I was meeting up with friends... OWNING IT!


Arletha
My First style after the BC in Oct.08.This photo was taken in Dec. '08. I was about to leave for a night out with my girlfriends.

cjanaew

http://www.youtube.com/cjanaew

In this picture, I was headed to a community service project. It was actually a Saturday, but I wore it like this on Friday too! It was done on an old twist out and I only used my own shea butter/ coconut oil mixture.

HotScorpio
On my way to my college graduation at East Carolina University...Go Pirates!!! The style is a twist out done on damp hair and dried overnight. Products used were coconut oil, Shea Yogurt (made by YouTuber "BlackOnyx77"), and Eco Styler Olive Oil gel.


Geri
I was headed to the Atlanta Natural Hair Show. The night before, I co-washed with the Giovanni line-- the Deep Moisture Conditioner & used Direct Leave-in. I moisturized with my homemade shea butter mix, then I put my hair in two-strand twists and the day of the show, I separated them and did finger coils. As a finishing spray, I used Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries.


Treneka
This is a picture of me and my sister. I am on the left and my sister is on the right. It is Christmas day at our house and we took a momment to snap a pic of the two of us! I have been natural for over a year now and in this picture my sis had recently began transitioning. I am wearing a curly fro. All I did was wash and condition my hair using Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo and Conditioner and then I used a blow dryer on cool to stretch it. Finally, I applied a bit of shea butter prior to twisting it up for my curly fro!


Nansa Jo
This is my new asymmetrical natural cut. I used Catwalk curl amplifier and coconut oil.



**If you don't see yourself today, rest assured that you'll be up in the coming weeks! I post in the order I receive them!**

**To submit**:

Send in your favorite picture with a caption detailing where you were (or where you were headed to), along with a brief description of your hairstyle, to nikki@curlynikki.com. I'll post several each Friday. Be sure to use 'Fierce Friday' as the subject line!
We need more for next week!

Later Gators!
Nik

Hola Chicas!

I'm two hours away from hopping on a plane to St. Louis! My baby shower is Saturday and I'm arriving early to spend some QT with the fam. So excited :-D

Before I get out of here, I wanted to share a product experiment with you. Long story short, my PJ lost it's mind and wandered into Aveda the other day while at the mall shopping for a shirt for the baby shower. The sales lady fed me lots of gourmet chocolates (with yummy raspberry fillings!) and I felt obligated to purchase something, lol! I ended up buying Light Elements Defining Whip-- a medium hold styling cream. This was Saturday afternoon... by Saturday night, I came to my senses and had it bagged up with the receipt by the door. It was 20 friggin' dollars and I felt guilty about purchasing it without doing any research beforehand. By Monday, it was still sitting there and curiosity got the best of me. I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did!

I did a henna gloss (which I'll discuss later... I actually provided my recipe on the forum), rinsed, applied a DT for 3 hours, and then styled as usual. Instead of Deva Set it Free, I used the Defining Whip for hold... about a pea sized amount for each twist (10 twists total). It is very slippery (due to the marshmallow root), easy to distribute, and was quickly absorbed by my hair. The fragrance I could do without... it's a bit strong, but fortunately does not linger!

This morning, I took the twists down to reveal perfectly defined, shiny, soft ringlets! I have minimal frizz and the best part is that my hair feels light and productless! I'm in love, but wonder if the smoothing came from the henna gloss. I'll report back after styling again later this week!

CurlyNikki asks:

Hola Chicas,

I'm 6 months preggers today! Time is really moving... it's almost scary.
In random news, during a debilitating DQ Peanut Buster Parfait craving this afternoon, I had the clarity to look up the nutritional info online. O M G. One PBP is 770 calories!!!! Now that is RiGotDamnDiculous... shame on them! So I nixed that idea, and packed it up and headed to the store to purchase some Oreos and skim milk. Still not a healthy snack, but definitely the lesser of two evils.

As promised, I'm laying out the details of my slightly modified routine. It has elicited compliments from friends and strangers alike, and I absolutely love the feel of my hair! Although I'm still doing a Twist-n-Curl, there are two major changes:

• Lighter Products- I'm using Yes to Cucumbers Conditioner to detangle in the shower, and as a moisturizing leave-in afterward. Since it has zero hold, I use a teeny bit of Deva Set it Free (2 squirts per twist) or Aveda's Light Elements Defining Whip (pea sized amount per twist) for staying power. I seal with shea butter on the last 2 inches of hair prior to rolling. The result? Hair that feels naked...product free...fluffy...yet moisturized. It moves! It's a great change from the heaviness of DevaCare One (which weighs my curls down showing more length), and I enjoy the volume it gives me on top. My latest lesson learned is that properly moisturized hair doesn't have to feel product-y or heavy!

• Apply products to damp (not dripping) hair- My inspiration came from waking up to still wet, wet- sets on a regular basis. My hair is a bit thicker now, and I've noticed that even with the ceiling fan, my Twist-n-Curls have not been 100% (or even 80%) dry come morning. Cranking up the bonnet dryer or diffuser really isn't an option... I try to reserve the heat for emergencies. I was recently sent a pair of Hand Dry Hair Gloves to try, and I'm really loving them. After detangling and rinsing clean (hair in 6 twists as always), I gently blot dry each twist until it's just damp. I then apply the YTC and Set it Free to each section prior to twisting. The result? Hair that dries in half the time! I also seem to get more of a consistent curl pattern, and hair that appears to retain the moisture from the conditioner much better! Working with my damp hair used to be such a hassle... keeping it in detangled sections is the key. Also, I'm sure a paper towel or terry towel would work the same.

• Detangle in sections- When I get in the shower, my hair is loose. 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 section near my ear, and 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, blot, and apply my leave-in/stylers to each, prior to twisting.
  

• Flat twist the roots

• Twist Placement- For looser waves, I find that 11 twists suffice. After making a center part, I place four twists near my face (two on either side of the part), one above each ear, four in the back, and one at the crown.

• Preserving the Style- When showering on in-between days, I pull my hair into a low loose pony with a banana clip or satin scrunchy. I secure the crown with a silk scarf and cover it all with a shower cap. At night, I sleep with it out on my satin pillow case, flipped over the pillow so that I won't lay and drool on it. For my daily walk (outside or indoors), I pull it up or down into a loose pony.
  

• Flexi-Rods for Ends- I'm using these instead of magnetic rollers because they are less taxing on the ends and easier to sleep on. I don't know the inch size, but I use the pink (quite small), or blue ones.
  

• Hair Days- I style twice a week, Monday and Thursday, or Sunday and Wednesday. Going any longer than that, results in a dramaful detangling session.
  

Yes to Cucumbers + Aveda's Defining Whip!-- Better hold, more defined curl/wave pattern, and very soft!

• Shampoo- Mehandi Shampoo Bar, or Giovanni Tea Tree
  
• Deep Conditioner- Jessicurl Weekly Deep Treatment or Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose
  
• Conditioners- Depending on how I feel, I use one, or a combo of the following to co-wash, detangle, and leave-in: Herbal Essence's Totally Twisted or Hello Hydration, DevaCare One Condition, Yes to Cucumbers or Yes to Carrots.
• Sealant- Afrikan Republic Unrefined Shea Butter from Butters-n-Bars, or Oyin's Burnt Sugar Pomade.
  
• Henna - Bridal Art Quality Jamila from Mehandi I buy the Jamila in the foil pouch only, not the cellophane. I also purchase henna from Butters-n-Bars.com.

• Twist-n-Curl

• Modified Princess Leia Buns
  

• Chunky Twist-n-Curl (looser waves, and easier to do!)
  

• Messy Side Bun

• High Bun- The same basic steps found in THIS VIDEO, but done on dry, previously twisted hair.

• Braid-n-Curl
  

• I haven't done a Bantu Knot-Out in a while due to the amount of time it takes to dry. I love the look, but hate sitting under the dryer!

• Shampoo, Condition, Detangle- I shampoo with a Mehandi bar, apply conditioner, detangle, and rinse thoroughly.

• Apply Henna for an overnight treatment (4 hour treatment with heat, if I'm in a rush).

• Deep Condition the next morning, and follow the steps above for styling.
  

Hola Chicas,

I thought I'd share a few more pics of my hair, because one, I owe you, and two, they motivate me! I'm now five months preggo and the little munchkin is rocking and rolling like a champ. She sleeps all day (from what I can tell), and keeps me up at night... hopefully that's not a sign of things to come! The Riverdancer kicks coupled with my incessant hunger, has pretty much been the name of the game these past few weeks. My number one craving you ask? Cinnamon Crunch Bagels (bread cut and warm with tons and tons of cream cheese) from Paneras. When I'm not sleeping, I'm eating, and when I'm not eating, I'm sleeping. I still somehow manage to sneak in a walk, an article or two, and QT with the hubby here and there.

Anyway... I'm on my way out the door for my daily walk, but I wanted to share what I've done (or not done) to my hair in the past few days.

So, I'm sure you recall the Modified Princess Leia buns I created (and shared) on Sunday. After wearing them into Monday, I decided it was time for a change. So, I took the buns down--


and prepared for a braid-out. I made a side part (living on the wild side!), detangled gently, and made about 8 braids. I then squirted a bit of Deva Set it Free in my hands and rubbed a little into the length of each braid. I set the ends on the blue flexi rods, and called it a night.

In the morning, I had a tame, pretty flat, VERY defined braid out. By evening, after a day in the 90 degree weather, it looked like this--

Sleeping on it was not an option, so I plopped down with my mirror, banana clip, and a wide tooth comb (too lazy and tired to stand anymore) and prepared to re-braid for the evening. After my feeble attempts to detangle one section, I decided that I was NOT in the mood, and hopped in the shower instead.

INTERJECTION

Earlier yesterday, between therapy appointments, I made a (40 minute) pitstop at Ulta Salon and Beauty. Why oh why did I do this?! I was on the hunt for a new moisturizing conditioner to try... and I wanted to re-up my DevaCare One stash. I ended up spending 50 dollars! I bought a bottle of Say Yes to Carrots Conditioner, a bottle of DevaCare One, and a bottle of TIGI Moisture Maniac (a throwback).

INTERJECTION FIN

So, I rinsed my hair, shampooed for the first time in a month or more, and loaded up the right half of my hair with TIGI, and the left side with Say Yes to Carrots. What a difference! The SYTC side was full of slip (a little sudsy?), soft, moisturized, and ready to be detangled within minutes. The TIGI side, while soft and moisturized, took many more applications before it became slippery. I'll provide a full review in the coming days... but in the meantime, check out Say Yes to Carrots! It might be the new inductee in my rotation :)

I quickly detangled, hopped out of the shower, and pulled my hair into the laziest bun (secured with a satin scrunchy).
If you look closely, you can tell I'm still in the bed, and the imprint of my scarf is still very visible on my forehead, lol! So, all of this to say, I'm back in a bun... and probably will be until my little diva makes her appearance in August. I just ain't got the strenf... or the patience!

Alrighty chicas, I need to boogie... I'll catch ya later!

Nik

Hola Chicas!

So as you all know, I've been rocking the same protective style for the past few weeks- - double buns with flat twist accents. Hubby affectionately refers to it as the Princess Leia!


The style is easy to do, lasts for a week, and is great if you workout regularly. Plus, it elicits the occasional compliment. Y'all asked for a video, but I'm doing the next best thing... a pictorial :)

I always start with soaking wet, detangled hair separated into two halves (for easier detangling in the shower, each half ends up in 3 big twists... 6 twists total).

• DevaCare One for styling, smoothing, and moisture
• Ouchless Pony Tail Holders to secure the buns
• Deva Set it Free (optional) for definition and frizz reduction
  
• Goody Ouchless Brush for detangling (optional)
  

Pick a side and get started!

Remove the twists and add a generous amount of Devacare or Devacurl One C (Set it Free is optional)

• Low manipulation (length retention)- - lasts for 7 days or more!
  

• Quick and easy- - great if you're short on time. I'm usually in and out of the bathroom in 30 minutes.

• Chic summer style- - keeps the hair off of your neck, and out out of your face.

• Cute work out hair- - I walk 3 miles every day, and my hair is the last thing on my mind :)

• Easy to jazz up with accessories (i.e. flowers, earrings, other sparkly barrettes).
  

• Part in the middle, or on the side, and create the two flat twists.
• Instead of pulling the hair into two buns, gather all of the loose hair into one low side bun.