Word! Be a Smarter Curly

I've promised myself that I'm going to start passing on the good stuff -- so here's Jillipoo's great post today on sites that give the comprehensive skinny on ingredients in products. As Jilli says, rise above the mainstream product junky-ism and be a smarter curly.... read here.

Dluvlylox Reports: Top Hair Lessons of the Week

As usual, I've been more busy learning all I can, reading all my blogs, than I have been posting! But I'm trying to do better.

Here's the plan: a once weekly serial post the Top Hair Lessons of the Week. This is where I share the best of what I've picked up over the week with the rest of the world. Excited? I know I am. Let's get crackin!

TOP LESSONS OF THE WEEK

1. Sample Packs! Wanting to indulge the product junky inside, but lacking the funds and not wanting to order full-sized bottles of stuff only to decide after one application that you don't like? Many natural and organic hair product retailers sell sample packs! These usually include a selection of their most popular products in trial sized packaging and equal the cost of only one of the products. I was over the moon to realize just how many lines offer sample packs. (You do still have to pay shipping). After some deliberation, I ordered the Oyin Handmade sample pack --Look for the review soon! Up next, Karen's Body Beautiful!

2. Raggedy Fingernails! This may seem so intuitive, but it was a revelation in my world. I was reading one of my blogs, and the oh-so-wise sister mentioned that naturals should watch their nails. Unfiled or ragged nails catch on hair and snag, causing a lot of breaks. Considering the emphasis on fingerstyling as a healthy alternative to combing and brushing, this becomes even more important. Since salon manicures are a things of the past for me, I'll have to be extra careful from now on. Word!

3. Spring Flowers! This spring's hair fashion accessory: flower power! I've been seeing an explosion of different flowers in pics, ads, and blogs all over. Not only are sisters pinning flowers behind the ear, but also wearing them attached to barrettes and headbands! Now these are selling for 8-25$, but ya'll know I'm going straight to Michael's!! Watch me work, hey!

Well that's it for now... we'll call this one abbreviated, and shoot for 5 per week in the future. Be on the look out for more reviews coming soon!

First Time Henna Today! 5 out of 5 stars

I did my first henna today! Excitement! Came out great...

My Regimen:
1) Co-wash with Suave tropical coconut +baking soda to clarify.
2) Co-wash with He Hello Hydration to soften to detangle.
3) Detangle with Jilbere Shower Comb.
4) ACV/Cold Water Rinse.
5) Apply 100 g of Jamila Henna mixed with 2 cups green tea + honey (I mixed and let dye release for 7 hours before applying.)
6) Cover with shower cap, white strip around the edges, and headband to seal. I also added a scarf, bonnet, and extra pillowcase to eliminate spillage and dying my pillow doo-doo brown. (I'm a bit paranoid, I know!) Let henna work overnight.
7) Wake up, uncover and rinse in tub under full pressure of spigot.
8) Deep condition with AO Honeysuckle Rose + evoo + honey. Sit under hood dryer for 20 min.
9) Cold water rinse.
10) Apply KC Knot Today leave-in.
11) Finger Coil with KC Curling Custard.

Voila! As I said, it turned out great. The thing I'm most excited about is that I didn't spill or stain anything, although there was a brief panic in the morning when I rinsed out my hair in the tub and the water was really, really brown.

What I've noticed so far: As soon as I began to coil, I noticed some differences in my hair. There was less shrinkage, so there was some curl loosening. I also noticed my hair performing like magic, and there was a dark gleam to it. It was very soft and manageable. Like curlynikki says, the henna color is subtle. It actually makes my hair look dark, but in the light there is a wine-colored red sheen that burnishes the hair. Very classy and expensive looking. All in all, consider me a henna head!

Zulu Hair!

I attended the Zulu Ball this Mardi Gras in New Orleans, a strictly formal event, and spent most of January wigging out about what I would do with my hair. I had a dress all picked out, shoes, purse, and jewelry, but what could I do with my cap of curls that wouldn't be boring or standard?? I found a great solution!

I decided to go with a modified 20's look -- a tight cap of curls with a crystal floral hair piece that I made myself! Brilliant right? :)

To get the look: I performed my first rollerset with the little blue magnetic rollers from Sally Beauty Supply. Since I'd never done it, and didn't know what setting lotion to use or whatever, I went with tried and true: I used Kinky Curly Curling Custard! Besides being a bit gooey and taking a long time to dry (an hour under my beloved hood dryer is not too high a beauty price to pay, right?), it came out wonderfully. I rolled my hair in a "brick laying pattern", back to front, using the roller caps to stretch and hold my hair to the roller. After drying, I coated my fingertips in evoo and pulled the curls apart with my fingers. I also carefully ran my fingers through the roots to erase the parting lines.

To create the piece: I went to Michaels. In the bridal decorations section, I found "crystal leaves" pre-mounted on thin silver wire (I've searched the michael's website for a pic of this... in vain). I also bought swarovski crystals. I went home, pulled the leaves apart and re-twisted them in a 3-dimensional flower pattern, and used a hot glue gun to attach the additional crystals for glitter and shine. I used a simple large bobby pin to attach it to above my left ear (where I always wear flowers).

It was a rousing success! I'm sure I don't have to tell you how wonderful all the sisters looked in all their Mardi Gras finery, but I was the ONLY one rocking a hair flower. I got lots of compliments from men and women, and it was one of those rare zen moments where your outside perfectly matches your inside. Selah.

Mixology: Chlorine Buster

Tiffany @ LiveCurlyLiveFree has a great home remedy for chlorine/chlorine damage removal on her lovely site! I just had to share -- Tiff is a guru on Naturallycurly.com and the new weekly contributing blogger @ the CurlyNikki Blog. Thanks Tiffany! Read below or Go here.

Chlorine Buster

It is always a good idea to rinse your hair with plain water prior to entering any swimming pool to prevent chlorine water from penetrating into your hair shaft; however, this remedy will help reverse any chlorine damage to unprotected hair.

Combine:

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup pureed, peeled cucumber

Massage well into hair from scalp to ends, then cover with a plastic processing cap. Process for 30 minutes hour at room temperature, then cleanse hair with a non-sulfate cleanser.

Haven't tried it yet, but will post a review if and when I do. Bring on the summer pools!

Coconut Oil & Other Disasters...

It's been so long since I reviewed products and posted here, that I'm able to compile an immediate list of what hasn't worked with ease. (I figured you'd want to get right to what you might want to think twice about, avoid, or laugh about.)

Disaster #1: Coconut Oil ---- 0 out of 5 stars
I know what you're wondering. What is she talking about? Well if nothing else my coconut oil disaster proves that every head of hair is different and reacts differently to things, even things that are thought widely to work. I had been diligently trying to get coconut oil to work for me for a month and a half before I finally settled my mind to the fact that it absolutely, positively does not work for me. My hair hates it! HATES it! Every time I apply it, whether alone, mixed in a conditioning treatment, sealed on ends, what have you, my hair wigs out! I get a frizzy, crunchy, hard mess. This is horrifying to me, because for the most part my hair is extremely well behaved -- soft, malleable, easily detangled, stays moisturized well. It could hold a style better, but a sista really can't complain like all that. Well, to my horror, coconut oil transforms my hair into a forest of roach legs, torture to touch. I'm not exaggerating (much). I think it's the protein in it, although I have not shown extreme protein sensitivity using other products. I did have some trouble with the Aphogee 2-step treatment the last time I tried it, however. I won't be trying this again. The most maddening part of it all is that I assumed it would be great and bought a huge canister from Walmart since my hair has responded so well to products using coconut milk! I wound up giving the whole can to my moms... not sure it's working for her twa either...

Disaster #2: IC Olive Oil Gel -- 1 out of 5 stars
My hair is absolutely not fooled. It totally knows the difference between IC and Kinky Curly Curling Custard. It does not seem to like IC gel very much at all. So many people exclaim over the results they get using IC gel for wash n go, for twisting, etc. I've tried it for all of those and got weird gummy textures, dullness, and dryness. The best results I ever got were when I mixed it with shea. And there were still some little matzo balls in there where the shea didn't absorb, and which I was not aware of until my mom exclaimed "Eww! What is that?!?!" loudly and marched across the room to dig one out of the back of my fro and show me. Aargh! I'm almost ready to throw in the towel with this stuff.

Disaster #3: Giovanni Direct Leave-in -- 2 out of 5
The jury's actually out on this one, but the sense of frustration cannot be overestimated. Time and time again I've read rave reviews of this product, and I believe those, but I just haven't seen it. I've tried it as a part of different regimens and even alone, but I am not seeing the moisture lock-in and gleam that I expected. My hair does feel soft and slippy when I first put it in, but inevitably what I put on top feels weird. I still hold out hope with this one, and am not ready to post a final result already but the frustrations is adding up.

At this rate, I won't be re-investing in any of these products. Any suggestions or comiserations? Please comment!

You Might Have Thought I'd Died... (an Apology)

But I didn't. There's no excuse for my militaristic silence on this blog lately! Has my hair stopped growing? Have I stopped experimenting, trying new regimens and products? Of course not. I just let life get in the way of recording it.

No more! I'll be getting up to date immediately...