Showing posts with label styling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label styling. Show all posts

How the Goody Simple Styles Modern Up Do saved the day!

So I wanted to introduce you to my newest hair friend. This accessory just joined my healthy hair family yesterday after catching my eye during a recent trip to Target. I was actaully standing in the hair accessory aisle looking for another packet of the Evolution hair bands I love so much. All of the sudden I caught a glimpse of the Goody Simple Styles modern updo (thingy).
In my best attempt to describe it, this thing is essentially on large, sturdy hair pin that makes creating updo's so much easier than using conventional hair pins.




Just this past week, I made two trips to the beauty supply store to replenish my hair pin supply. First I went to Sally's to pick up the Tangle Teaser and some hair pins. I have to return those pins because when I use them on my thick hair, they open up which causes them to lose their original form, which essentially makes them useless for holding my hair in place. After that disappointment, I proceeded to my main beauty supply store for some heavy duty hair pins. Although these hair pins do their job, I was kinda over the whole hair pin thing. Every few months I'm making a trip to the store to replace hair pins that are either lost or useless because they've lost their plastic tips, or the black coating. Another disadvantage of using hair pins for me was that a simple up do or bun required several pins to keep my hair in place. I can't tell you the number of times some good Samaritan would politely let me know that I've had a hair rouge hair pin making it's way out of my bun and most likely on to the floor.



So now this Modern Updo "mega-pin" has come into my life and I'm elated. I was wearing an updo at the time of purchase and took the very first opportunity to put that thing to work. The moment I was in my car, at the Target parking lot, I began the work of removing half a dozen or so hair pins from my coif. I felt an amazing sense of relief as I removed one hair pin specifically which had been piercing my scalp for several hours. I rubbed my scalp for a few moments then moved on to the next step. In one simple motion, I was able to recreate the same hairstyle that took a handful of hair pins with just this one tool.



Best of all, it felt really comfortable in my hair. No painful stabbing. It also stayed in place really well. No slipping out once I secured it in. A thought popped into my mind as I finished recreating my up do. "Could it be possible this new toy could help reduce manipulation breakage long-term?" Think about it, when I use 50-11 hair pins to put my hair up, I'm creating multiple contact points between the piece of metal and my hair. Although hair pins are pretty safe for the most part, sometimes, depending on how careful I am at the moment, I experience a casualty, or two, as I'm removing the pins from my hair. With this new tool, there will only be a couple of contact points between my hair and the accessory. Another feature I like is the design of The Modern Updo which is more curvaceous than regular hair pins making them much more gentle on the hair overall.

In my quest for healthier ends and increased length, I realize there has to be some sort of compromise around how frequently I wear my hair up. This tool is perfect for me. Simple to use and highly functional. I hope to experiment much more in the upcoming weeks but in the meantime, I wanted to share in case anyone else there could use a break from hair pins.

Can your flat iron actaully create healthier hair?

Part of my regimen weekly regimen involves washing and rollersetting. Because I tend to have new growth more often then not, I usually finish up my routine by blowing out my roots with my Super Solano dryer and a round brush. Even though I haven't experienced much noticeable damage by consistently following this practice, I really felt that this method was a healthier alternative to flat ironing the roots. That is until I heard of this......



This, my friends, is the Sedu professional tourmaline flat iron from Revlon. It's one of those fancy shmancy flat irons with a hefty price tag. As of late, these irons have been gaining more and more popularity. I paid around $139 for my Sedu. My only saving grace in affecting the price was my opportunity to use the 20% off my total order coupon from Ulta Beauty. I purchased this product after reading multiple pages of reviews on folica.com. Not only were these ladies loving the results they were seeing, they were so happy that they were willing to post pages upon pages of before and after pictures depicting how amazing this flat iron works.

Before I talk about why I bought this iron, let me first say that I hate normally using a flat iron. What I hated most was the look and feel of having limp hair which felt like it the life taken out of it. I'm not talking about how straight the hair is, I'm talking about how unhealthy the hair feels afterwards.

So why did I buy this iron?

The Sedu people claim this iron to be a "healthier" alternative to it's counterparts. They claim that the key to a better flat ironing process lays in the superior nature of their tourmaline heating plates. Here is some information I gathered from seduflatironsonline.com:

Sedu flat irons are the only irons with plates constructed of solid tourmaline and ceramic. These naturally moist substances infuse moisture and shine deep into the hair strand. Tourmaline is a precious stone that has the ability to release negative ions when heated. These negative ions are beneficial because they prevent damage to the hair cuticle, but simultaneously infuse moisture and shine into the hair shaft during straightening. As this "Infra-red heat technology" infusion of negative ions seals in moisture, hair gains lustre. Hair maintains that healthy, shiny sheen that is oh so difficult to keep when frequently straightened. The result is that coveted, glossy smooth finish that Sedu Flat Iron users achieve.

Other 'ceramic" flat irons are merely coated with a thin plate of the material. Some of these other flat irons will eventually straighten hair, but only at your hair's own expense! They dry out hair and cause extensive damage to the hair shaft. The plates heat unevenly and scorch the hair cuticle in some places while leaving it rough and untreated in other spots. In addition, the strength and moisture in your hair is depleted. Over time, hair becomes brittle, weak and even more difficult to manage. Because its plates are made of solid ceramic and tourmaline, the Sedu releases up to five to six times the amount of negative ions and healthy energy as any other flat iron, cutting your hair straightening time in half. Even though the styling time is shorter, the Sedu still offers more protection for your hair than any other flat iron.

The Sedu ceramic flat iron plates are engineered to be micro smooth. Hair strands glide smoothly through the silky, ultra smooth plate surfaces.This ensures that you can maintain a smooth, steady straightening motion as you style your hair. The uniquely smooth plates eliminate any pulling, snagging and breakage that occurs with conventional metal-plated flat irons.


All that information sounds absolutely beautiful but I still went into the purchase knowing that I was buying a hot iron to straighten my chemically treated hair. No amount of "healthier hair" talk would convince me to believe that a flat iron would actually be good for the hair. I bought the Sedu, not because I felt like I was being given a license to straighten recklessly. On the contrary, I went into this decision by first assessing my level of discipline regarding the use of this product. I made a promise to myself that no matter how amazing this iron was, I would still use it sparingly and with great caution.

So there I was with the Sedu box sitting in front of me. I carefully opened the package finally made it to the 1 inch iron. This thing is absolutely beautiful. I plug it in and turn on. Seconds later the iron reached it's pre-set temperature. This iron is very different from my $30 straightener I normally use. One of my favorite features of the Sedu is the temperature controls. I like the fact that I can set the temp on the lowest setting possible that will still straighten. I don't have to settle for just high or low. So when I first used this thing, I had a good inch of tightly coiled new growth. I took the smallest portion of hair possible and quickly ran the iron across my new growth. My rollerset took care of straightening the length. Let me just say that this iron is extremely effective. My new growth was no match for the straightening power of the Sedu. I even did a test where I ironed a section from root to tip just to test the claims of smoother, healthier feeling hair.

I must admit, that somehow, the iron was able to make the hair feel healthier after use. The hair was shinier and felt softer. I do consider this iron to be a more effective way to straighten new growth then my old iron. Because it works so well, I only have to leave it on the hair for a few seconds to get the results I want.

So if you are in the market for a new flat iron, may I suggest that you consider using an iron that claims to better protect the hair. It's all about continuous improvement. This iron does definitely seem to be an improvement compared to other irons, both on how the hair looks, and how it's impacted by the heat. Once again, I will remind myself and everyone else that no matter how advanced the technology, a flat iron and should still be used sparingly.

For those of you who are ready to step up your flat ironing experience, welcome to the world of the Sedu.
Revolution Professional Nano Tourmaline Ionic Styling Iron (1 inch)

Revolution Professional Nano Tourmaline Ionic Styling Iron (1 inch)

Braidout Tutorial!

I've posted my latest video tutorial on Youtube. This episode is all about the braid out. I share my technique to working to manage the new growth prior to the actual braiding process. Braidouts are a lifesaver at the end of your stretch. It's one of those styles that works with your new growth, not against it. I know there are a million braidout tutorials out there already but I thought I'd share anyways.

Enjoy.

Bun Hairstyle

Hair Styling Techniques for Women
Bun Hairstyle typically worn by women, where the hair is pulled back from the face, twisted or plaited, and wrapped in a circular coil around itself, typically on the back of the head or neck. They can either be secured with a hairpiece, a hairnet and bobby pins.
Learn how to make a looped bun in this free online instructional video on hairstyles & hair styling techniques.

They may be tightly gathered or slightly messier and more informal. Buns, like ponytails, may cause headaches if worn too tight or up too high on the head.

Heatless Hairstyles Episode 1: The "loose flowy waves"

Time for another relaxedhairhealth video!

In this episode, I attempt to recreate the lovely soft wavy curls that I often see emulated in other youtube vids. But instead of using the all-to-common curling iron, I recreated using my steam curlers.

I attempted this heatless hairstyle as an alternative to resorting to the evil curling iron. I wanted to prove to everyone that yes we can create fabulous styles without compromising our desire to remain (direct)heatless.

So here it is, hope you love it!

A simpler way to rollerset

Today I'm presenting the third installment of my youtube video series. Rollersetting can sometimes be difficult to perfect. You have to worry about perfect parts and flawlessly smooth hair in order to get the look you want.

If you are struggling with trying to perfect your rollerset, try this underhand method and see if you like the results.

Is your stylist using her powers for good or for evil?

It’s been a long time since I’ve visited a salon on a regular basis. I’m not talking about going into the salon for a special occasion, I’m talking about entrusting the health and vitality of your precious tresses to another person. I learned many a lesson in my younger days when I wanted so desperately to experience fabulous hair. In those days, anyone with decent looking hair were the one’s who “got their hair did” on a regular basis. I was extremely impressionable and wanted so badly to have great looking hair. That's when I made the decision to get me a stylist!

To me, a hair stylist has so much power. This person has the ability to transform the look and feel of the hair within just a few short hours. If only these people would use their magical powers for good and not evil. I’ll share with you my story and give you some examples so maybe you too can differentiate if your stylist is you hair’s best friend or it’s enemy.



Evil power #1: Your Stylist stuns your hair’s growth.

I can remember it like yesterday, I walked into a local hair salon for the first time. I think the reason why I selected this place in particular was because of it’s presence in the area. The place was large and prominent. It had been there for years. I figured that people liked what they’re getting if such a large salon could remain open and profitable for so long. That’s why I made a point to visit this place early on a weekday morning so I would receive one on one attention. I was right. I walked in and found one stylist eager to help me. Not knowing what I wanted, she offered up a glossy hair magazine to help me make my decision. Back then I was enamoured with the blunt cut bang so I selected a pic of a model who’s look most closely resembled what I wanted. She then proceeded to relax my hair and work her magic. Hours later I had a blunt cut bang………and a neck length bob. During the styling process, I was deterred from looking into a mirror. Otherwise I would have noticed that my trim had turned into a full blown cut and style.

What happened?!?!

The picture I showed her was far from a bob. In fact, I purposely spent ample time seeking someone with at least hair past her shoulders in an effort to avoid any confusion. I smiled grudgingly when I saw my new hair style and proceeded to pay for something I did not ask for. I left the salon vowing never again to return.

If your stylist makes the decision that you have too much hair on your head, she’s using her powers for evil. Stay away from a stylist who appears to suffer from longhairphobia, its time for you to move on.



Evil Power #2: Your Stylist creates false results

One thing I do love about going to the salon is the flawless look I get almost every time. The feeling of sporting silky, flow-in-the-wind hair is like no other. If only that feeling would last forever…but alas the fresh out of the salon feeling soon fades. I’ve accepted the fact that the just stepped out of a salon look doesn’t last forever, what I can’t cope with is experiencing massive amounts of breakage as a result of all of the crazy practices your stylist uses to create the fresh, fabulous hair look. Is your stylist creating healthier hair or just better looking hair? If your stylist has to trim dead ends every month, chances are your hair isn’t getting any healthier. That’s when you have to decide if your hard earned money is working against you and your lovely hair.



Evil Power #3: Your voice is powerless against your stylist

I visited a salon once at the recommendation of a friend. When I sat in the chair the stylist asked me what I wanted to experience during my visit. Impressed by her level of interest, I decided to proceed with my desire to have a rollerset done after the wash as a setting method. The stylist then proceeded to talk me out of a rollerset stating that my hair would not benefit from this practice. I tried to reiterate my request to no avail. I remember on another occasion I asked a stylist to rollerset my hair in a certain way in order to produce a different result. She responded simply by saying “no” and proceeded to go about her business like I hadn’t even said a word.



Evil Power # 4: Your stylist knows not of healthy hair

I firmly believe that the purpose of visit a salon and paying your hard earned money is to obtain beautiful, healthier hair. Your stylist should have a vested interest in the overall health of your hair. He or she should talk to you about what you’ve been experiencing and what you want to accomplish with regards to your hair. Does your stylist inspect the health of your hair regularly? Does he or she care about how your hair is acting between visits? If your stylist is using her power for good, then your hair should be reaping the wonderful benefits. If you are not reaping the rewards, you are better off cornrowing your hair, buying a wig and using the $50-$75 you spend every other week on full body massages instead. The person doing your hair has (hopefully) spent a countless number of hours training in the art of hair. You should not feel anything less than sheer bliss every time you visit your stylist. If he's using his powers for good, your hair will show it.

I'm not saying that all stylist are evil. In fact, I've come across a few that were very supportive to the health of my hair. I'm here to just make sure that you are selective in who you chose to take your hair to the next level. If your stylist is not taking your hair to new lengths, cut her out of your life.

Tangles No More! A better way of washing your hair.

Once upon a time I struggled with air drying because of the massive amount of tangles I had to endure. I'm one of those people who rarely combs my hair during the week so you can only imagine the number of shed hairs I have to deal with once a week on wash day. Couple the shed hairs with curly new growth and you have the perfect recipe for tangles.

In my quest for glorious hair, I've often sat back and thought about the washing process in general. I know that wash day should be the one time of the week were I'm nourishing and replenishing the health back into my hair. But for some reason, I could never become comfortable with loosing a lot of hair in the process. Well not too long ago, I heard about a method of washing the hair in braids section by section. The idea never caught on with me because I figured that because I wasn't scrubbing the hair and over manipulating, there was no need to go the extra step.

This week, however, I bought into the idea that I need to try something different if I want to experience different results. So here's what I did:

-A day or two prior to washing I pre-pooed with one of my fav conditioners. My schedule that day prevented me from washing. Actually, I didn't get to wash until two days later. The morning of the actual wash, I re-applied a bit more conditioner and some Alma oil and proceed to create four large braids.

-Next I stepped into the shower and took one braid loose so I can apply Keracare Dry Itchy Scalp shampoo liberally to my scalp. Then came the Hair One conditioning shampoo down the length of the hair. This product is so moisturizing that I am able to begin detangling with ease. My large tooth comb glided through my hair with the help of the hair one and the flowing water. Afterwards I applied a really moisturizing conditioner to that section and did two strand twist. (If you don't have a moisturizing shampoo, I recommend you start detangling while rinsing out your conditioner)

-I repeated this process (wash,detangle,condition) section by section making sure to keep re-twist each section once I've applied the shampoo and conditioner. By keeping each section separate, I found that I had more control of the entire process. I wasn't dealing with an entire head of hair at once, I could focus on one manageable section at a time.

-Finally, I took the sections individually, rinsed out the moisturizing conditioner, detangled again, and applied a heavier fortifiyng conditioner. I re-twisted once again, put on a plastic cap and went on about my business.

By the time I did my final rinse, you could imagine my glee when I washed the conditioner out of perfectly detangled hair. I rinsed each section separately. I also opted not to retwist after the final rinse. The results were amazing! I normally air dry in a pony tail and end up loosing a ton of hair trying to work the tangles through. This time was a totally different experience. I had no worries once I stepped out of that shower.

This method does take a little bit more time than normal to execute but believe me, the results are well worth it. I can only imagine how easy rollersetting will be going forward. Today I'm going about my day as normal but I've got a bit of a swagger. My confidence is sky high because my hair feels good, looks, good, and will only get better.

Creating an easy to maintain style even at 11 months post relaxer


Ever since I watched my first episode of MTVs Daddy's Girls starting Vanessa and Angela Simmons, I became immediately enamoured with the hairstyle of one of the friends of the Simmons girls, Alycia. I just love the easy, no hassle feel of this look. I'm not so much in love with the length as much as I'm diggin' the soft waves that cascade down ever so effortlessly.










Take a look at this style in living color.


I've spent the last several days trying to figure out how to execute this fabulous style. I asked myself a series of questions like "should I use flexirods or do two strand twists?" How do I maintain the softness and movement that Alycia has? Well I still don't have the answer to how to best recreate this look but, please believe me, I do plan on trying and trying until I've created a suitable replica. Once I do have the answer, I'll share with all of you. In the mean time, I came across a couple of updated youtube videos featuring LHCF all-star, Sylver.

She just posted a two-part video series on how she maintains her 11 month post-relaxer style with braidouts. Kudos to Sylver 'cause I don't know if I could ever possibly handle two texture types for so long. She does a wonderful job of managing all that fabulous hair of hers. Best of all, her finished product looks something like the style that Alycia rocks on the show.

Thanks for sharing Sylver



L'Oreal Hair Fixer update part four

Today marked the fifth installment of my L'Oreal Hair Fixer experiment. This week was a bit different then past wash and sets. This time I decided to air dry instead of my usual rollerset. As part of my commitment to continuous improvement, I chose to tweak my routine. Instead of using a cheap conditioner before the wash I opted to use my regular conditioner as a pre-poo. I figured that since I haven't deep conditioned in so long my hair would really appreciate it if I used a quality product. I was right.

I used my Silicon Mix with Pearl Extract prior to washing. After shampooing, I combed the hair into a ponytail. I leveraged the running water to help me comb the hair back without adding too much stress on hair. Once the hair was detangled, I proceeded to saturate the hair with my leave-in, L'Oreal Hair Fixer, and shea oil. After securing my hair into a nice ponytail, I pulled the loose hair up to the top of my head and secured the hair in place with a bobby pin. That's when I tied my hair down with a silk scarf to dry.


After a few hours when my hair was around 75% dry, I took down my hair and used my Super Salono dryer on a cool setting to speed up the drying process. (I also took a moment to rub some more shea oil in) Once the hair was dry, I combed through with the largest tooth comb I have to remove any remaining tangles. Because I took the time to detangle under running water, I had very little tangles to deal with when my hair was finally dry. Next I decided to flat iron the hair to add some smoothness. I did not use the flat iron to create silky straight hair, I only lightly passed the iron through my hair as quickly as I could. As you can see from the picture below, my hair was not flat ironed to the point where it was bone straight.



I decided to air dry and flat iron today because I wanted to assess the health of my hair. Needless to say that I am extremely pleased with how my hair has evolved while using the Hair Fixer. Before, I was plagued with fly aways and tons of breakage. Today my hair looks and feels smooth and moisturized. I need to reiterate that I have not deep conditioned (other than pre-poo) in nearly six weeks. The amount of breakage I experience is manageable compared to what I was dealing with before my experiment.

This week's wash and set was extremely successful. Before today, I nearly swore off airdrying but now that I am assessing my results, I think that I may once again put my back into faith into air drying now my hair has been given a second chance.

Thanks L'Oreal Hair Fixer!

I am so over airdrying (and Mane & Tail product review)

Alrighty....as part of my winter hair care routine I decided to give air drying another chance. Well I'm here to tell you that I failed miserably. Not because the airdrying process itself was bad, but because there were certain obstacles that I just could not overcome. Over the course of my air drying journey, I was able to defeat the dryness and brittleness that once plagued my airdryed hair. I even felt hopeful once I found my beloved shea oil which kicked up my airdrying results to the next level. But alas, I was not willing to combat the most stubborn of my airdrying enemies- tangles!

Because of my deep seated fear of combing wet hair, I would constantly end up with a mass of stubborn tangles once my hair dried. Add to that the fact that I was nearly three months post my last relaxer. I had an inch or more of curly new growth that basically wrapped itself around other hairs when shed. Not to mention that fact that I was minimizing most of my combing action in an effort to avoid excessive breakage. Long story short, I found myself unknowingly creating dread locks while avoiding excessive manipulation.

Finally, while strolling down the aisle of my local Sally's beauty, I decided to ask for help. You see, I am the do it yourself kinda girl who normally avoids special aids and tools to get the job done. Under a normal frame of mind, I would have easily blocked out an hour or so to undergo the painstaking task of detangling my knots. But this time I was desperate. Before leaving the store , I asked one of the African American female employees for a recommendation on a good detangler. After thinking for a few moments, she used a lifeline and asked her AA female counterpart. I could hear their brains working as they desperately were searching for the answer. Finally, a Hispanic male, who overhead the conversation from the stock room, came to the rescue with his Mane and Tail recommendation.

"Of course! Mane and Tail," I thought to myself, they make pretty good quality products so I had no problem giving it a go.
I used this product on dry hair which had not received a thurough detangling in weeks! You could just imagine the pain I went through. The pain wasn't so much physical as it was mental. I kept thinking, about how much hair I would lose during the process. At any moment, I could have easily given up, whipped out the scissors and commenced to proceed with the big chop.

In all my frustration, a glimmer of hope came in the form of the Mane and Tail. That stuff loosened my shed hairs like nobody's business. I was extremely pleased to say the least. This product definitely receives my recommendation. What I appreciate most about this product is that I was able to get the job done with little casualties (breakage) to my hair. For those of you seeking a detangling aid (and I believe that we all should have one) Mane and Tail is for you.

(Muchas gracias Sally's guy!)

My (work in progress) airdrying routine revealed!

In last post, I explained some recent changes to my hair routine including the decision to airdry for the duration of the winter season. I made certain to clarify the fact that I once swore off air drying for the rest of my days.

Why?

Because my hair would always end up looking all crazy....
Because I could never get my ends to look right....
Because the middle of my head would dry days later than the rest of my hair....
Because the middle of my head would tangle into a million knots....
Because I could never really produce any type of decent style as the result of an airdry....
Because I never analyzed the airdrying process and how to perfect the results.

For the longest time, airdrying for me meant having to sport tangled unattractive hair until my next wash. Then came the day I realized that this was not the way to live. I knew in my heart of hearts that airdrying could mean healthier lengths. So I had to find a way. It was an absolute necessity!

Over the past few weeks, I've played out various scenarios in my mind of how I can create a decent result from air drying. Some of the scenarios I've tried have worked well. Some of the others were not as I had envisioned. I'll take you through my thought process. This may take a while so go grab a cup of hot cocoa and make yourself comfortable...


For me, the biggest obstacle to decent results was my inability to tame my ends during the drying process. My method of choice was as follows: After washing and conditioning, I would comb the hair back into a ponytail (while damp). Because of the fragile nature of the hair while wet, I used a (very) large tooth comb. I would then grab the loose ponytail and pull the hair up towards my crown and pin to the back of my head. Then I’d grab a satin or silk scarf and tie it around my head as a means on managing the new growth. After a few hours of drying, I would remove the scarf, take down the ponytail and use the cool blast setting to help dry the middle section of my hair.

This picture is when I airdry with one ponytail. Here I've pulled the hair up towards the front of my scalp and secured it with a bobby pin.


In this pic, I actaully parted my hair down the middle and created pigtails. This is one side, the other side of my hair looks exactly the same. Whenever I chose to airdry in pigtails, I pull the hair up towards the sides instead of straight up the middle. When I do it this way, the center of my hair seems to dry a little quicker. Once the hair is secure, I tie a silk scarf and go on my merry little way.


Both of these pics were taken while my hair was still damp.

This method has some obvious pluses and minuses:
Pluses:
+: My once wild and crazy new growth became as tame as a little lamb.
+: I spent much less time then I would have if I were to rollerset the hair.
+: The hair set in a relatively straight pattern. I didn’t have to flatten the big hair I normally experienced with a rollerset.

Minuses:
-Because I dried the middle section of my hair with a hair dryer, the sleekness I created with the satin scarf was compromised. In other words, the middle (and back section) would poof out depending on how moist it was when I loosen the ponytail.
-The large tooth comb I used did not allow for ample detangling power before tying it down. This meant that I still had to contend with viscous tangles later on in the process.
-I never used any direct heat tool once the hair was completely dry, in most cases, I would end up with straight hair in the front and sides and textured hair in the middle and back sections.

I have since modified my routine in order to increase effectiveness. What I’ve done as of late was to create two pigtails instead on one ponytail. With pigtails, I can detangle the two halves more easily in effectively. Once I’ve created the pigtails, I take the loose hair from one side and pin it to the other side of my head and vise versa. What I aim to do with this step is to have the loose hair pinned neatly to my head so that it has some structure in which to dry. It’s the structure that helps to create straighter hair.

I’ve also included a final step to my airdrying process that helps address the thick hair issue that I experienced in the middle and back of my hair. Caruso steam curlers. Please be warned that if you use the steam curlers on damp hair, you will only end up with damper hair. The hair shaft will continue to swell as the moisture is absorbed and you will experience frizz. If you chose to use any type of steam related curlers, YOU MUST WAIT UNTIL THE HAIR IS COMPLETELY DRY.

If steam curlers are not your thing, you can also choose some of these other setting options:
•Large flexi rods to create large curls or to bump the ends.
•Satin covered sponge rollers (again your hair must be 100% dry or frizz will happen).
•The low setting of your flat iron.
•Large Pocahontas pigtail braids.
•Bantu knots
•You can wrap your hair
•You can place your hair in a bun (before bunning, you want to thoroughly detangle and moisturize; otherwise, you may be causing more issues when your shed hairs and your tangles meet.)

My airdrying routine is still a work in progress but I am confident that I can tweak and adjust the routine to create the results I want. Those of you who have managed to put together a process that works, leave a comment and share!

Four Neato Ways to Incorporate Natural Oils into your Wash Routine

Picture perfect hair is the name of the game and plant oils are a critical factor in helping your hair reach its peak. Ever since I discovered natural oils such as jojoba, avocado, coconut, just to name a few, I've had a blast incorporating them into every facet of my hair routine. No matter how I decide to use these oils, I always get a fantastic result.

Here are some of my favorite ways of incorporating oils and the corresponding result of each method.

The Pre-poo!
The pre-poo is a staple in my hair routine. This method is a simple one of adding a moisturizing conditioner and oil onto dry hair before the hair is washed.

How-to tip for pre-poo:
Make sure that you take the time to section the hair properly so you can saturate the entire head of hair. Don't go using up your fancy $100 bottle of conditioner for this step, any old conditioner you got laying around will work fine.

How it benefits your hair:
This step adds much needed moisture to dry hair right off the bat. By pre-pooing, you avoid stripping natural oils from already dry hair. You're adding a layer of protection before harmful suds of a shampoo can strip your hair.
Another benefit of this step is the freedom of allowing conditioner/oil to treat the hair up to several hours before the actual wash. That's more time for the nourishing qualities of the oil to further penetrate the hair and work its magic.


Oil/Conditioner Mix!
When my hair is in need of a little umph, I mix a little oil with my deep conditioner. After the hair has been washed, I add a few drops of oil to the conditioner and run through my hair.

How-to tip for the Oil/Conditioner Mix:
Select the right oil for this step. Because you aren't shampooing it out (like with the pre-poo), you must gauge how heavy or light of an oil you want to use. Using a thick oil like castor oil, for instance, will give you a different result than if you use coconut oil. You also want to make sure that you use only enough oil to compliment the conditioner but not to overwhelm it. Make sure that you use more cream conditioner than oil in this step.

How your hair will benefit:
This step leaves your hair well conditioned but with a nice feel to it. You hair will feel as if it has an extra layer of protection. The oil will work to help seal in the moisturizing effects of the conditioner at the most opportune time, when the cuticle layer is open. It doesn't get any better my friends!


The HOT Oil Treatment!
This is a simple process which involves warming up an oil blend for use on the hair either just before or after the conditioner.

How-to tip for the Hot Oil Treatment:
Avoid using oil that is too hot. Please respect the fine line that exists between opening the cuticle layer using the right amount of heat and causing unintentional damage from searing your poor tresses with boiling hot oil.

How your hair will benefit:
This method is said to benefit hair which is extremely dry and damaged. The heat allows the oil to penetrate deep. The right kind of oil can help revive hair requiring a little more than a simple pre-poo.


The Oil Rinse!
The technique for the oil rinse is much like the oil/conditioner mix but instead of mixing your oil and conditioner, you are adding oil to the freshly washed hair after the conditioning step. So you wash, condition, then add a small amount of oil to the hair before rinsing the hair with warm water.

Oil Rinse How-to:
Just like the conditioner/oil mix, you should test this step out with various oils until you find the right one. Because you are not washing the oil completely out, you could possibly be left with oily (even weighed down) hair. On the other hand, if you plan on airdrying and need something a little extra to help combat dryness, this rinse may be just what you need.

How this will benefit your hair:
This process is said to have some amazing detangling properties. Not to mention the fact that you probably won't need to finish off your hair with oil in order to style it. As your hair dries, the oil will sink into the hair and help you create the perfect look. I also find that oil helps my hair dry a little straighter when airdrying.


With four separate ways to implement natural oils into your routine, you just can not go wrong. I probably would not use all four steps in one wash session. The most I would probably do is two at the most, the pre-poo and maybe one additional method if needed. You could even alternate methods each wash. Its whatever you fancy.

Remember to have fun finding the right combination for you and keep trying until you're are able to meet the needs of your hair.

Be Blessed!

Come on everyone! Let's all do the upsweep!

I received such great feedback from my last post asking about the specific ways to do the upsweep. I'm happy to say that creating the upsweep is easier than you think. Creating the upsweep takes only minutes. You only need a couple of hair pins and you're on your way to creating a beautiful, no-hassle hair style.

I personally use the upsweep as sort of a "leftover" hairstyle. By leftover, I mean that I put my hair in an upsweep when a few days have passed since my last wash and I don't feel like bunning. Whenever I need to look stylish without putting in much effort, I go for the upsweep.

The reason why I call it the uspweep, is because the hair is not as structured as a prom hair or a bridal updo. The look is loose and casual. If every strand of hair is not perfectly in place, who cares!

So lets get started!

In my opinion, the finished product will look its best when the hair has some sort of curl pattern. How much curl does not matter. Loose curls, tight curls, it all depends on what you prefer.

You can use flexirods, satin-covered sponge rollers, steam curlers, pincurls, whatever.

If you want to be intentional in creating the finished look then you should use the right curling method in the beginning. For instance, if you want to create the look below, you might want to use flexirods for tighter curls before you sweep up the hair. Sometimes I might do a flexirod set, wear the hair loose for a day or two, then freshen up the look (when the curls no longer look as good) by creating an elegant upsweep.

For a look similar to Jessica Alba's you need to create looser, less defined curls. So I'd probably use larger curl creating tools like a Caruso steam setter or large satin sponge rollers.



When creating the upsweep, all you are doing is putting the hair in an updo that allows the curls to be on display. So you pull the hair up and secure the length with hair pins or a banana clip. Once you are done creating your upsweep, you are free to accessories as you please.


The most basic variation of this hairstyle is simply pulling the hair up and securing it in place. If you want to get a bit more purposeful, you can create a sidesweep with your bang or implement the use of a stylish head band. One of my favorite ways to doing this style involves creating a "hump" with the front section of my hair and securing the back. I never go wrong when I attempt this.

The look below is one that I sport regularly. Sometimes I don't even bother to create a curl before styling my hair like this.
I start by creating my bang (if I want one) the loosen up the hair just behind the bang to create the lift you see in the picture. I pull the rest of my hair up and pin it in place. What I don't do is leave the ends loose like you see in the second picture. I usually take the ends (the ones you see stick out), tuck them into the hair and pin them down.
Hair looks good, ends are protected!



Because the upsweep may require a little more manipulation than the simple bun, you want to keep a few things in mind.
*Use hair pins that go in and out of your hair easily without any chance of breakage. I always use these pins.

Another step I use to avoid breakage is finger styling. I rarely use a comb when creating the upsweep because I am not going for perfectly structured hair.
Whenever I am creating this style, I always rub a little coconut oil through my hands before manipulating. This step is crucial because the oil protects the hair and adds shine.

Like I said before, having some sort of curl in the hair helps with the overall look but if you are on a low manipulation hair diet, may I suggest pincurling the hair with your hands the night before as an alternative to curlers, rollers, and such. One thing you definitely want to do is avoid direct heat at all costs (do not even think about breaking out your curling iron for this style). Direct heat is so unnecessary because of the myriad of other ways you can curl your hair. If you want, you can create the style without the curl. It's up to you.

I tried to make a video but I'm technologically deficient and have no idea how to convert the video from my digital camera to a format I can post on this blog. In the mean time, I've linked a couple video tutorials to help provide a visual.

This is a one minute video demonstrating how to pin the hair into an updo.

In the next video, the style is a bit more intricate for those of you who are a little more adventurous.

Best of luck ladies!
Let's share a toast to Fabulous hair!

Tired of sportin' a bun? Try this

We all should know by now that protective styling is a life saver for your hair. Whenever the word protective styling is uttered, bunning is the first thought that pops into our head.

The term "bun" normally has a negative connotation to it. Bunning, for some, is the equivalent of pouring a bucket of cold water onto an open flame, it takes the fun out of having lengthy hair.

May I suggest to you, my friends, an alternative protective style- the upsweep.

Yes, the upsweep!





The upsweep is fun, its simple, and its fabulous!

How so?



With the upsweep, you can still put your luscious locks on display without subjecting your ends to the horrible experience of brushing against your fuzzy sweater.

The upsweep can take only minutes to do, and will last all day!




The upsweep will look good on you if every hair is neatly in place or if you decide you want it messy!




The upsweep always looks like you put in some sort of effort unlike it's lesser admired cousin-the bun.


The upsweep loves to be accessorised with head bands, hair pins, and other glamorous hair toys!











The upsweep can be done on practically any length hair(can you say the same thing bun?)

The upsweep never gets old because of the numerous variations of this wonderful hairdo!






The upsweep, your hair's new best friend.







-This has been a public service announcement brought to you by the caring professionals at relaxed hair health.

Five healthy hair boosters for a better Leave-In experience

I thoroughly enjoy the results of a perfectly executed rollerset. In just a few short hours, my hair can go from being a tangled and dry mess to soft, silky, bouncy curls. One of the quintessential aspects of creating your own rollerset masterpiece is utilizing the perfect leave-in product. The perfect leave-in could mean the difference between dull or shiny curls. The right leave-in could also be the deciding factor to whether you love your rollerset results or think the results are just o.k.

So in my quest to help you reach your hair perfection, I put a list together of some fabulous healthy hair boosters you can add to your spray bottle for rollersetting (or for your braid outs, or flexi rod sets, or whatever).

1.


Distilled Water
Hard water is a mofo on relaxed hair. Calcium and mineral build up works against all of your efforts. What you are left with is dry and lifeless tresses that doesn't respond get the optimal benefits of most hair products. If you live in a state which has hard water (like I do) you can't afford to let just sit back and let that evil water have its way with your hair. If you opt to add water to your spray bottle, make sure your water of choice is distilled water. Distilled water is soft water. If you do not have a soft water filter at your disposal, distilled water is the next best thing. When you use distilled water in your spray bottle, you are not spraying on mineral deposits to your hair. Imagine how light and healthy your hair will feel when you use a water that does not have the potential to create build-up.

2. Rosewater


If you haven't done so, you must try some rosewater in your spray bottle. This product is known for its moisture enhancing properties and its faint rose scent. You can use rosewater as a substitute for just plain ole water in your leave-in blend. Mix rosewater with glycerin for an even greater moisturizing effect.



It was said that Cleopatra's bath was heavily laced with rose petals. Creating her rosewater bath was said to keep her skin moisturized and beautiful and helped her to seduce her Roman lover Anthony. Let's create seductive, sexy hair with the help of moisturizing effects of rosewater in our rollerset.



3. Silk Amino Acids(SAA)
Just the sound of that word alone sounds healthy. This product is the perfect friend to your spray bottle. It practically looks just like water and its odorless. The light feel of the product means that you won't have to deal with heavy, unwanted build-up. Not only is the consistency perfect for rollersets, it also contains wonderful properties that make your hair fabulous. Silk Amino Acids have exactly what our hair needs, strength and moisture. Because silk amino acid is technically a protein, it will bond with the fragile areas in our hair shaft working to make it stronger. Not only that, silk amino acids also demonstrate moisture enhancing properties. According to Dermaxime.com, silk amino acids have powerful water binding properties which enhance moisture levels of the hair.

Here is an excerpt taken from jajagroup.com about the wonderful effects of silk amino acids.

"After silk protein on the hair dries, it becomes a transparent crystalline protective film. This film can directly prevent the hair being damaged by alkaline materials in hair products. This protective film can increase the hair elasticity and increase the hair’s natural shine. It has a very special protective function in hair products."

Need I say more?




4. Coconut Oil
If you are looking for something with a little more kick to put in your spray bottle, may I suggest coconut oil? You guys already know how much I rave about this oil. Because coconut oil is so light when melted at room temperature, it make for the perfect spray bottle companion. It's said that coconut oil is able to penetrate the hair shaft unlike other plant oils. Your hair will drink up all the nourishing benefits of this oil while under the dryer. In my opinion, this oil is probably the best choice for creating bouncy shiny hair. Again, its liquidy texture will work well with whatever else you chose to put in your spray bottle. If you hair loves the feel of oil, why not try a little bit next time you rollerset?

You can also experiment with other oils, if you choose, depending on the results you wish to obtain from your rollerset.


5. Your favorite conditioner

Just because you washed your conditioner out in your final rinse doesn't mean that you have to store the bottle away until next week. If you have a moisturizing conditioner that your hair absolutely loves, you may want to try diluting some of it in your spray bottle. I remember rubbing a little bit of Suave's Milk and Honey conditioner in my hair before air drying. The results were amazing! Maybe you haven't found a leave in conditioner that meets your needs. Give your best moisturizing conditioner a chance. It may be just what you were looking for.


There are so many other healthy hair extras you can mix in your spray bottle. I wanted to get your juices flowing to think about the endless possibilities. Remember that nothing is neutral, everything either works for you or against you to create exactly what it is you want. Make sure that whatever you put in your spray bottle words hard to create the head of hair you most desire.

*Edited on 8.15.08 to add:
I washed a rollerset my hair yesterday. I actually incorporated all 5 suggestions into my leave-in. It was a mix of mostly distilled water and some rose water, a few drops of coconut oil, some silk amino acids, and some Biolage Daily Leave-In tonic. The results were amazing. I can't tell you how great my hair feels. Usually when I rollerset, I add some moisturizing oil once the rollers are out just to help finish off the style. This time I didn't need to, my hair felt perfect and did not need any other product to enhance its appearance, moisture levels, etc.

When I wrote the post, I did not mean for all products to be used simultaneously but for me it worked out. You can opt to use any combination of these suggestions to create the perfect forumula that is right for your hair.

Flexirods saved my weekend

This past weekend was kinda busy for me. It all started off with a call from a friend of mine who was a birthday on Sunday. She organized a girls night out on Friday, and because I didn't prepare until the last minute, I had to rely on a quick and easy tool to get my hair ready.

I had no time to conduct a full wash and set routine and I had to think fast. The first thought that popped into my head were of my trusty flexirods. The weather in the city where I live is hovering at around 100% humidity so I knew that I had to employ the use of some type of styling products in order to create loose curls in just a few short hours.

With my trusty Silicon mix intensive leave in at hand, I quickly went to work. I parted my hair in large sections and created a dime-sized mix of Silicon Mix and jojoba oil for each section. I then proceeded to wrap each section around the flexi rod in a spiral curl motion until I completed my entire head of hair. The flexi rods were in my hair about an hour or so before I removed them one-by-one. It wasn't long before the curl-loosening effects of the humidity set in causing my curls to drop.

The end result looked something like this:










The very next day I had to once again create a last minute do it yourself hair style for a wedding I was attending. The person organizing the wedding gave all of us bridemaids only one suggestion, that we wear our hair curly. Again, I went straight for my trusty flexi rods. This time my goal was to create tighter, more defined curls. Because my husband and I spent most of our afternoon exploring the streets of our newly renovated Downtown, I basically had only a couple of hours to create the perfect look for the wedding. The tight timeline forced me to use a product that I haven't touched in probably a year, my Hask Placenta styling mousse.

The wedding hairstyle required much more flexi rods then the style I created the night before. Because I created the look starting with dry hair, I had to use an ample amount of mouse with each section of hair. I was pleasantly surprised at the end result considering the fact that my hair was not freshly washed and the look came together within a couple of hours (at the most).


Here is a pic of the finished look:










The wedding party was quite large. There were probably 20 bridesmaids or so sporting curly do's. Of all the bridesmaids, I was the only person who did not use an ounce of weave.

Here is a pic of a fellow bridesmaid, my husband, and me on the right.














Where would I be without my flexi rods?


Keeping your hair healthy when visiting Dominican Salons


I can not tell you how elated I was when I first heard talk of Dominican salons. These salons were described as a wonderful place for those of us who were disheartened by the not-so-positive experiences of many traditional African American salons. Not only were these salons less expensive and delivered faster service, the stylists also seemed to possess
magical powers that could transform our dull lifeless hair to silky strands unlike anything we have ever known before.

Then reality set in. We soon learned that too many visits to these salons could eventually led to thin, lifeless, and even damaged hair. I have personally experienced damaged hair from doing the Dominican salons the "wrong" way. I also have met some wonderful people who understand the Dominican salon experience and how to do it the "right" way.

I want to share with you the best practices of three ladies I came across at my favorite salon. These ladies served as examples of how to frequent Dominican salons the right way. Lets talk about them and what they did to protect their hair along the way.

**The experiences I am about to share with you are real, names have been changed to protect the innocent.**

Example #1: Nikki
Nikki was already about to receive her blowout when I walked into the salon. She sat in her seat with her rollers neatly in place. The stylist removed the magnetic rollers one by one and began to blow out Nikki's hair. Nikki had extremely thick hair that reached her shoulders. The length and "eveness" of her hair led me to believe that she sported a cute bob not so long ago. I sat amazed at how thick and healthy her hair looked. No thin ends for her.

At the foot of Nikki's styling chair sat a large bag. Bringing a bag to the salon was not unusual. My bag was the place for my books, water, snacks and whatnot. Nikki's bag, on the other hand, had within it her hair product stash. The stash consisted all of the products that worked well with her hair. Nikki even brought her own relaxer with her. Nikki knew what worked well for her hair and made sure that her hair was receiving the same benefits whether she was doing her own hair at home or at the salon.


That, my friend, is the first lesson of doing Dominican Salons the right way. Bring your most effective products with you.


Example #2 Dominique
Dominique was next to me as we sat under our hooded dryers.
I immediately was intrigued by her large jar of garlic conditioner. I opened our conversation by asking her if the product was worth the price. One thing led to another and she began to detail her weekly routine of coming to the salon for a wash,set, and wrap.

No blow out for her, Dominique came in only to receive weekly deep conditioning treatments from her favorite stylist. Week after week of maintaining this ritual allowed Dominique's relaxed hair to regain its strength and length.

The lesson I learned from Dominique was to look at the salon in a new light. The Dominican salon was not just the place to go for blow outs, you can also go visit your local Dominican salon for deep treatments to help bring your damaged hair back to life. When doing so, you should avoid the blow dryer and opt for wraps instead.

Example #3: Anya

Anya walked into the salon and had every one's attention immediately. She had the most beautiful mid-back, thick hair that I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. After seeing her on several other occasions, I just had to ask her how she could come week after week and still maintain the health of her hair. Anya told me that she was unable to do her hair herself and came to the salon every wash day. I became even more intrigued and asked she give up her secrets.

Here they are:
1. Anya only allowed certain individuals to wash her her hair. With her hair being so long, she knew of the likelihood of experiencing tangles. Tangles are the one of the worse culprits of damaged hair at Dominican salons. Most of the stylists run a comb small tooth comb through your hair with little concern about how much hair is lost in the process. She would literally make requests for certain individuals not to wash her hair. She knew who could handle her hair the right way and she made sure that only those individuals could touch her beautiful hair.

2. Anya made special requests to have her only her roots blown out. She admitted to me that her hair would not turn out as straight as others in the salon but she preferred having more body to straight lifeless hair. Anya also required her stylist roll her hair in a different direction than others in the salon. Client after client would have her hair rolled "under." Anya's hair, on the other hand, was rolled in the opposite direction so that her final blow out would result in full fabulous hair.

I remember one visit when Anya and I were finished with our style at around the same (I actually stayed and waited for her to get done so I could see the finished product). Anya's hair was full, healthy looking, and fabulous(think Kimora Lee's hair when its done up). My hair was super straight and limp. I envied Anya and her luscious hair. What's more amazing is that Anya have type 4 hair just like I did. The difference between our visit is that she took the initiative to modify her Dominican salon experience to fit her hair's needs.

The lesson that I learned from Anya is not to just sit in the chair like I am just another client. I need to make special requests (if necessary) to obtain the results I want without sacraficing the health of my hair.

Are Dominican salons the answer to our prayer for silky beautiful hair? Perhaps. But we must make certain to learn from those who have cracked the Dominican salon code. Those lucky few can endure the harsh styling methods and still maintain healthy hair.


Oh, before I go, I want to include some of my tips of how to help protect my hair when I go to the salon.

Tip #1: Pre-poo. We always make sure to pre-poo when we are at home doing our own hair but do we take the same precautions when we get our hair done? Before every appointment, I make sure to saturate my hair with as much conditioner and oil as I can.

Tip #2: Detangle before you go. I have suffered greatly from not taking the time to prepare for my salon visit. When I take the time to comb out the hair that shed the previous week, the person roller setting my hair does not have to battle with a bunch of tangles.

What tips do you have that help protect your hair from damaging blow outs?

Your hair routine. How to make it work for you.


In the early days of my hair journey, I would lovingly gaze upon the hair of some lucky person who had fabulous tresses. The first thing I would think to myself was, "I wonder what her routine is." Once I found out the magical secrets, either by asking the person, or by researching online, I would be somewhat disappointed.
The routine of this person would not reveal any hair growing secrets that I was so desperately longing to hear. Worse yet, her routine would consist of similar steps that what I was doing week after week.

That's when I decided to fine tune my routine instead of constantly seeking salvation in another person's way of styling. Don't get me wrong, I definitely picked up some great ideas along the way. But overall, I can confidently say that I know what she did to achieve such great lengths. She was consistently using a solid routine that she worked long and hard to perfect.

So for those of you who are still experimenting with your routine to see what works best. Here are some ideas on how to make your routine the one that others will want to know about.

Start with an objective
The simple premise of creating a hair routine is to develop a series of steps, you can replicate, that will result in similar (fabulous) results time after time. There should be no guess work in how your hair will turn out. In fact, you should have a visual picture in your mind of how you want the end product to look even before you start your routine. Take a few minutes to visualize your hair if it turned out absolutely perfect. The more clearly you see the picture, the better.
In fact I would even take it a step further and develop an idea of what you want your hair to look like at every step of the process.

Scrutinize every step
Your wash routine should consist of multiple steps. Whenever anyone works on a complex task, there is bound to be room for error. Washing and styling our hair is no different. You should think if the process as one that is of high importance and must be done to precise standards. If anything goes "wrong" along the way, you're stuck with hair that must be bunned to avoid the shame of your shabby styling skills (believe me, I've been there). Noting can be worse than having to walk around with hair that does not meet expectations.

So when I scrutinize each step, it looks something like this:
Prepoo
Objective-"I need to make sure to saturate all sections of my hair with the oil/conditioner before I wash.
End result-"My hair will be evenly be covered with the product. I will also make sure to saturate the ends."
Make certain-"That I don't get lazy and just put the product on the top of my hair and not take the time out to section and saturate each one of the sections completely, including the ends."

Shampoo
Objective-"To cleanse any product, dirt, and buildup from my hair. I also want to treat my dandruff. I may also want to use the opportunity to massage my scalp."
End result-"My hair will be clean and my scalp will be treated. The hair will be ready to receive deep conditioning."
**You then ask yourself which product(s) work best to create this result.**
Make certain-"That I don't tangle my hair in the process. If I do, I will create havoc for myself later on when I try to style."

Condition

Objective-"To provide much needed moisture and strength to my hair for maximum health."
**Again, you want to scrutinize all of your many conditioning products to see which one(s) will create the result you want.**
End result-"My hair will detangle easily. I will also increase the moisture levels of my hair along with adding a light or heavy protein depending on the needs of my hair.
Make certain-"To assess the needs of my hair before I condition. Do I need more strength or moisture?" "If I provide more moisture when it needs more protein, I will still be fighting unnecessary breakage and my objective will not be reached."

Styling
Objective-"To produce healthy shiny looking hair. I also want to wear my hair straight this week so I need a styling method that will allow me to easily achieve that style."
End result-My hair will reflect shine naturally. It also will feel soft and healthy to the touch. I should be experiencing less breakage."
Make certain-"That I take my time when rollersetting. Any wrong moves and my entire rollersetting experience is down the toilet. I need to make certain I dry my hair completely under the dryer and each individual section is properly rolled in a way that will result in a smooth curl (you can even take it a step further and breakdown the rollersetting process step by step).

Notice that I tried to keep the format as generic as possible. The reason for this is because ultimately you have to fine tune your routine to what works best for you. Think about what you want for your hair. Then dissect each step until you achieve it one step at a time. When you break your routine apart into sections, there is also a better likelihood that you can isolate areas of weakness much more efficiently.

For example, lets say you know that you have a hard time with styling your hair. You can break down each incremental step of the process until you isolate the step that is not working for you. Once you find that step, modify it over and over again until you have what you want. The goal is to create a fool proof system that will work for you time and time again to produce magnificent results.

Even if you did implement my weekly routine step by step it probably won't "work" the same way. Your hair is different. It reacts differently. Your job is to develop your personal routine by taking a more systematic approach to entire process. Once you have the system down pact, you won't have to worry about how your hair will turn out for a special event. Your results will be consistent and your hair will flourish. Best of all, wash days will become less of a hassle.

Great luck.

-Here's to the health of your hair.

Taming your tangles, your hair will thank you


There is nothing more frustrating and time consuming then having to deal with a head full of tangled hair. Not only do you have to spend more time on your hair, you're also risking additional breakage as you detangle.

Here are some tips on how you can keep your tangles at bay.

* You need the right tools and supplies. I probably have over 50 combs and brushes in my arsenal. Over the past several years I've been in search of a special comb or brush that I could use daily without the fear of causing more damage to my hair. I have a couple of favorites that I like.

1. Sally's has a bone comb set that I bought a few years ago. It comes with a bunch of various combs in all different sizes and for different functions. There is even a rat tail comb that I use when I rollerset. When I use these combs properly, I have no concerns that unnecessary breakage is happening because of the comb. The beauty of these combs is the smooth surface and seamless construction. I remember the days of old when I would comb my hair and find single broken hairs caught on the seams of the comb. Breakage is frustrating on its own, you don't want your comb getting a piece of the action.

Another helpful piece of advice would be to finger comb your hair before runnning a comb through it. When you use your fingers, you can feel tangles much more easily and work them out with much more care than you would with a comb. Its one thing if your comb causes your hair to break, its a whole different feeling when you experience breakage from your own bare hands.

*You need the right technique. All the fabulous combs in world won't help your hair if you aren't detangling properly. Whenever you are getting ready to detangle, you should begin with a mindset that the activity alone can possibly cause damage. Think of your hair as fragile strands of silk, better yet, think of your hair strands as being as fragile as a spider's web. You are the spider. You must carefully and gracefully navigate through your entire head of hair without disturbing the beautiful essence of it. In other words, don't just run a comb through your hair.

1. Section your hair. If your hair is as thick as mine, it can be overwhelming to detangle your entire head of hair. If you try to take it all on at once, your arms will inevitably become tired and your will take shortcuts just to finish. That's why I recommend sectioning. Sectioning your hair into four pig-tails should be enough but if you want to be even more careful, you can use smaller sections. The smaller the section, the easier it will be for you to locate snags and to carefully work them out of your hair. Sectioning just helps you to put things into perspective. You soon will learn the most difficult parts of your hair prone to matting when you detangle by section. Then you can carefully navigate through your hair without concern. If you tend to go a few days without combing, I recommend smaller sections.

2. Use short strokes. We've all heard that you should begin detangling a section of hair from the bottom up. I like and have used this technique. But for some reason, I have not been able to faithfully use it. If you can, more power to you because it works fabulously. I, on the other hand, have been using a different technique. I take a small section of hair maybe a couple of inches wide. I then take my trusty comb and carefully work it through my roots. Once I have loosened all of the shed hairs, I grab my roots with one hand and begin using very short strokes, with my other hand, to work the shed hairs down the length of my hair. As I move down with the comb, I also move my other hand further down so my hand is only a few inches away from the section I am combing. I never comb a section of hair from root to ends in one stroke. I am not running the comb down my hair, I am working the comb down my hair. There is a huge diffence between the two.

I hope you get the idea of how I detangle. Trying to explain it in writing is a bit difficult. My method is essentially the inverted version of detangling from the ends up. When you do detangle from the bottom up, you use one hand to hold your hair about two inches from the ends then you begin to detangle that small section. Once that section is detangled then you move your hand an inch or two higher until you finally work up to the roots. Please remember that even though I detangle from the root down, I still work on one section at a time (1-2 inches). I NEVER run the comb down the entire length of my hair unless I have already detangled the entire section. The reason why I start from the root down is because my shed hairs tend to remain close to my root. The curly new growth easily winds around other hairs and begins to create a tangle. I found that when I started from the bottom up I would not get to the "root" of the problem until the very end. Whichever way works best for your hair, while causing as little breakage as possible, is the method you should use faithfully.

Other tips for detangling:
*Lubricate-If your hair is dry, it will have a tendency to snap when you manipulate it while detangling. Always start to detangle by using your favorite oil or product on dry hair or leave-in conditioner on wet hair. Tangles are extremely frustrating when rollersetting. Keep a spray bottle of water handy.

* Don't wait too long. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to save the length of my hair by bunning only to loose tons of hair in the detangling process several days later. Loosing up to 100 hairs a day through shedding is not uncommon. Those hairs, if not combed out, will likely end up latching on to other hairs. The longer you go without combing your hair, the bigger the headache later on. Even if you are protective styling, try to see if you can safely detangle your hair every so often.

If you can perfect the way to detangle your hair with as little breakage as humanly possible, you'll be rewarded more length in the long run.

-Here's to the health of your hair.