Hair Stuff

I get alot of questions about what kind of product I use in my hair.  It's strange for me because I didn't always love my hair but for the past few years I've figured out how to care for it so that it's one of my favorite things about myself . I hope I don't sound too vain.

Q: Where do you get your hair cut?

It's really important to have a hair stylist that understands how to cut curly hair. And they MUST listen to you and work with your desires. I suggest asking around and calling any salon you haven't gone to before to ask them if they have any stylists that are familiar with your hair type.

My friend Lizzie Marion has been cutting my hair for 10 years and has this perfect instinct with my curls. She lives in Canada, so I've decided it's time to let my hair grow. I'm too chicken to let anyone else cut it. :)

excuse me while i get up on my soap box....

okay

If you ever feel like a hair stylist doesn't really know what they are doing (trust me it's pretty obvious from the look of terror on their face when you sit in their chair) get up and leave. Nothing good can come of an inexperienced stylist hacking away at your curls. You'll just get the dreaded poodle or pyramid cut... hair stylists should get the proper training to be able to cut curly hair and there are great stylists out there so ask around before letting someone who doesn't know what they are doing have a go at your head.

Trust me on this one, I have a few bad school pictures to prove it.

Q. Do you relax your hair?

NO! I did a few times in elementary school and it was a HUGE mistake for me. There are many reasons I don't use relaxers, the simplest explanation is that it's very damaging for my hair and actually a lot more of work to keep it looking good. Natural hair is easiest for me. It also took me a very long time to feel good in my natural hair, I'm proud of my ethnicity and one way to feel connected to my roots is to keep my hair natural. I do like to wear a wig on Halloween or for fun though!

Q. What products do you use in your hair?

The more you know about your hair type the better equipped you'll be to get what you want from a hairdresser and you'll also be able to choose the right products for your hair. I really like The Naturally Curly website. You can take the read here to determine what type of curly hair you have. I'm closest to a 4A- you should also know that because I'm bi-racial my hair does have some give to it and it's so tightly curled and isn't as fragile as black hair. But it's also really really thick so I am careful to stay away from products that add body.

My hair care regimen is pretty simple:

* I wash my hair with shampoo about once every 3 weeks with Kinky Curly Come Clean shampoo. I only lather up the roots of my hair, never the middle or ends. I dilute the shampoo with water and make lots of lather in my hands before it ever touches my hair. I always use conditioner after shampooing.
* In between washes I use Bumble and Bumble Creme de Coco Conditioner. I use it liberally on my entire head and finger comb my hair to get out tangles.This is how I brush my hair and I NEVER use a comb or brush. So yes hair does come out in my hands (sorry if this is gross) just like it does in your hairbrush.  I also let the conditioner soak into my hair for at least 5 mins. I really love Bumble and Bumble products!
* I can usually go 2 to 4 days between conditioning my hair- depending on the style I've put it in. I really try to not wet my hair that much because it takes a long time to dry and it strips moisture from my scalp and hair.
* To add shine to my hair I use Bumble and Bumble Shine spray.

Other tips:
* After I get out of the shower my hair goes up in a towel. I get as much water out of my hair then I LEAVE IT ALONE. Trying to style it or put stuff in it makes it frizzy.
* About once a month I leave the conditioner in my hair overnight for extra moisturizing.
* Before conditioning or shampooing I massage my scalp to loosen dry skin and distribute natural oils.
* I like to add a few random braids to switch up the style and texture of my hair, especially now that it's getting longer.
* I have in the past lightened and coloured my hair, in this case I've had to condition my hair almost daily.

So that's it. I really recommend checking out the Naturally Curly website, especially if you are looking to find some new products or connect with others that are curly headed.