6 Cornrow Hairstyles That’ll Make Your Mouth Drop :)

If you don’t yet know, I’m currently obsessed with cornrows and have been rocking them throughout the Spring and early Summer months.

I just love waking up and not having to worry about styling my hair.

Call me lazy but I just love the freedom that comes with it.

Furthermore, they’re a lot lighter than box braids and they’re easier to maintain during the warm weather months.

Now, if all of that doesn’t convince you that cornrows are God’s gift to naturalistas, check out these six sizzling cornrow styles that’ll leave your mouth on the floor.

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They’re simply sizzzzling!

PS. If you liked these styles, leave a comment below sharing which one is your fave.

Don’t forget to share this post on social – it’ll make our day!

With love,

Vicky x

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk

How to Wash Your Cornrows or Ghana Braids (Especially After Working Out)

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Right now, I’m positively obsessed with cornrows and it seems the natural hair world is too.

Long, short… it doesn’t matter- I just adore them!

In fact, I’ve created an entire hair calendar around cornrow styles that I want to rock in 2017 (the obsession is real!)

However, one of the down-sides to cornrows is that they can be a pain to wash especially if you’re like me and you love keeping your hair clean.

There’s nothing more annoying to me than having an itchy scalp that’s covered in icky dirt and build-up; ewww!

I personally have found that build-up and itching is much worse after a workout, especially after any form of cardio.

So, how do you keep your hair clean when it’s in a cornrowed or braided style?

Here is the simple yet effective routine that I recently used and it worked a treat.

  1. Dilute sulphate-free shampoo and water. Ideally poor this mix into a spray bottle and make sure you have twice the amount of water as you do shampoo. A little shampoo goes a long way. Then shake the bottle like there’s no tomorrow.
  2. Spray the mixture onto the parted sections of your cornrows (e.g. your scalp). Don’t apply it to the braided parts of your hair.
  3. Rinse your scalp and then repeat the process but with a conditioner/water combo.
  4. Rinse your scalp again, let it dry a little and then apply a light natural carrier oil like jojoba to your scalp.

If you really want to soothe your scalp and keep it clean, try adding a drop of peppermint or tea tree oil to the carrier oil as both ingredients have anti-bacterial properties and will keep your scalp moisturised and clean.

They’ll also make your scalp feel COOL and tingly, getting rid of any itchiness in the process.

So there you have it, my quick yet super effective method for getting rid of build-up when your hair is braided or cornrowed.

If you liked this post, put a smile on my face by sharing it on social and use the hashtag #mycurlsuk so we can find you and retweet you too!

With love,

Vicky x

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk

Nappy Hair is Strong Hair: Tasha Smith

I recently spotted this wonderful video of actress Tasha Smith discussing black hair  and I absolutely love it!

One of the takeaway quotes for me was when she said:

“Nappy hair is strong hair.”

I love that!

For so long, many of us have deemed our kinky hair as being weak, broken, fragile but in actuality our kinks are strong.

I’ve heard many people (women and men equally) describe kinky hair as “tough” in a derogatory way but we need to swap that word with strong.

Tough gives the implication that our hair is hard to manage, hard to deal with but it’s not.

As us naturally curly girls know, with the right management and tools our hair is really quite easy to handle.

It’s far from being “tough.”

So, the next time someone says you have hard to manage hair, look them in the eye and tell them:

My hair is strong!

Check out the video below and leave a comment sharing your thoughts.

HAIR TALES_TASHA SMITH from MADFREEtv on Vimeo.

Victoria xo

4 Hairstyles That Will Make You Ditch Your Bonet

There’s a lot of controversy about whether hair bonets are a YAY or NAY for curly girls.

Although they’re great for protecting curls, many men and women feel as if they’re not exactly the cutest of choices when it comes to helping you look great at night time.

So, what’s a girl to do when she wants to look cute for bed but always wants to make sure her tresses are protected?

It’s simple.

She simply needs to check out these gorgeous hairstyle options that will make sure you can protect your curls whilst still looking smoking hot in the bedroom.

What I love about these styles are that they enable you to look great at night and then wake up with perfect hair.

If you like these styles, please share them with a friend. It could just help her to feel and look amazing during the day and at night.

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4 FroHawks That Will Make Your Mouth Drop

I just love a frohawk!

Why?

Well, it’s easy to do, looks am-a-zing and is perfect for the slightly colder months and the humid months where it’s easy to get frizzed up.

Here are 4 gorgeous frohawks that will leave you in awe.

Check them out below and if you like them, leave a comment below sharing what your favourite hairstyle is.

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We’re celebrating in the biggest way ever!

This year has been incredibly busy and the fact that it’s drawing to a close has forced me to reflect on some of the things I could have done better.

Clearly, the new year has the ability to give most of us the push that we need to make changes and it’s certainly done that for me.

my curlsOne thing that I was yearning to do, but never found the time, was change the website and make it more up-to-date and pretty (because who doesn’t love pretty things, right?)

So, I finally did it and am pleased to say that My Curls now has a gorgeous, newly developed site that’s far easier to use but still contains all of our signature products.

I’ve now vowed to make a few more changes in 2017. For instance, updating the blog way more often and answering your burning hair questions at least once a month.

I’m also going to be more active on social media. We have well over 40,000 engaged Twitter and Instagram followers and they’re yearning for more hair inspiration so I’m making a commitment to post more frequently and share some of the great things that we’re doing at My Curls.

Finally, to celebrate all of these new goals and achievements, I’m holding our biggest ever sale and it’s open to all customers no matter where in the world you live. Yes, we now ship internationally which means that our American and Canadian sisters can try out our products with ease.

Click here to view our new website and grab the 30% discount (no coupon code needed!).

Now, it’s over to you.

What changes are you making in 2017?

What do you think you could have done better?

What would you like to see change in the year to come?

Share your thoughts and ideas below. I can’t wait to read what you have to say.

With love,

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk.

 

L’Oréal goes hard for hair & beauty in Africa — AFROBLUSH

L’Oréal, home of renowned brands such as Garnier, Lancôme, Maybelline, Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren – has recently launched another research and innovation centre in South Africa. It’s the Group’s… Read More The post L’Oréal goes hard for hair & beauty in Africa appeared first on AFROBLUSH.

via L’Oréal goes hard for hair & beauty in Africa — AFROBLUSH

How to Prevent and Reduce Heat Damage

flat-iron

Most naturalistas have suffered with it at some point. After all, the obsession with turning your tight coils into slick straight tresses is one that most of us have or have had at some point in our lives.

Yes, slick straight hair looks great but there’s a price to pay when you obsess over having it.

Nonetheless, there are ways to prevent and reduce the damaging effects of heat on the hair.

  1. Lower the heat setting.Rather than straightening your hair at 200 degrees celsius, reduce the heat down by 50 degrees to lessen the chances of any excessive damage.
  2. Prep your hair before you even begin straightening it. For instance, a good deep conditioning treatment before applying heat can make a huge difference in reducing the amount of damage that heat causes. Also, apply heat protectants so that your hair doesn’t suffer from the burn of a flat iron.
  3. Opt for wigs as a quick and easy alternative to straighteners. Wigs are awesome if you feel like changing your hair for a few days or want a snazzy style for a special occasion. Rather than ruining your natural curls, try rocking a high quality wig instead.
  4. Trim off excessively damaged hair the minute you spot it. If you see a kink that’s become limp, snip it off! You’ll save yourself from further damage in the process.

Now it’s your turn. Do you have any hair-saving tips to share? Leave a comment below.

If you liked this post, tweet it and tag us on social media @mycurlsuk.

Till next time x

 

Nigerian Hairstyles Through The Years

As a young Nigerian girl, hair care and hairstyling were a fundamental part of my childhood.

There wasn’t a day that passed where hair care wasn’t mentioned.

Whether it was “your hair needs fixing” or “it’s time to re-do your hair,” hair was always a topic of conversation and once my aunts started talking about hair, they couldn’t stop.

Memories of having my hair plaited, relaxed and comb flooded through my body as I watched this brilliant video on Nigerian hairstyles through the years.

Some of the styles might seem a bit crazy looking to a non-West African person but they are a part of our culture and history.

One of the styles that I cherish most (but haven’t managed to muster up the bravery to rock it) is threading.

Threading simply involves a piece of wiry thready being wrapped around a small section of hair.

It might not look like the most stylish of hairdos but it sure does make your hair grow!

I swear threading was like the old-school equivalent of the inversion method. It worked a treat.

Take a look at the video below and if you’ve tried one of these hairstyles, leave a comment below.

Here’s to your hair’s happiness,

Victoria xo

 

 

6 Drop Dead Gorgeous Curly Hairstyles For Spring

With the sun shining and the weather heating up, it’s the perfect time to throw away some of the not-so-fun winter protective styles and opt for far more fun natural hairstyles!

I’ve been wearing my hair in braids all winter and now I’m ready to throw them out and rock my curls!

Can I get an Amen in the comments if you’re feeling the same?

The problem with wearing braids, weaves or other protective styles that don’t involve your real hair is that you get so used to them that it becomes difficult to remember how to style and care for your real hair.

I’ve gone through this so many times which is why I’ve been resistant to wearing my hair in braids for long periods.

In fact, this is the first year in a very long time where I’ve worn braids the whole of winter. I never want to be one of those people who is so obsessed with fake hair that I have no idea how to handle my real curls.

So what do you do when you’ve had your hair in braids, weaves etc and can’t remember how to style your natural hair?

You head over to THIS blog and read a blog post like this 🙂

To give you a sprinkle of hairspiration, we’re sharing 6 of the most drop dead gorgeous curly hairstyles for spring.

Take a look at the pictures below and leave a comment sharing which style you love the most.

curly hairstyles for spring

 

Wishing you a wonderful Easter,

Victoria x

Here’s why we’re giving away free hair products

As the owner of a small, boot-strapped business, I pretty much do everything myself.why we're giving away free hair products

PR, marketing, social media and writing blog posts are just a few of the things that keep me on my toes every day! It can be a lot of work sometimes but it is so much fun and I love the fact that I have a personal connection to my customers. I answer every email they send, share tons of hair advice and answer their hair care questions.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about ways to spread the word about My Curls UK without having to wear so many hats and so, I came up with an idea which will enable our customers and social media fans to receive rewards for helping spread the word.

I wanted to keep things as simple as possible so that almost anyone can take part.

The idea is that everyone who wants to can become part of the My Curls UK family by simply sharing the link to our website with their friends, contacts and family.

For every friend who purchases a product, you’ll receive a free product of your choice.

You’ll therefore not only save money but will help a small business to grow. How cool is that?

Here are a few pointers to get you started:

When sharing on social media, use the hashtag #mycurlsuk so that we can find you.

When recommending our website to a friend through email, text or any other means, tell your friend to let us know that you recommended our products to them so that we can reward you for your referral.

Get started by sharing the link to our site: http://www.mycurls.co.uk with those you know and love today.

PS. If you’ve ever found it difficult to find a professional natural hair stylist, check out a new service called Afrocks who are transforming the way natural-haired women find stylists who actually understand our hair. Take a quick minute to sign up to their website registration list which is free for a limited time only.

Wishing you a great week,

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk

 

‘Froing To Extreme Lengths: 4 Crazy Things You Could Do To Grow Longer Hair In 2016

'froing to the extreme: hair growth methods for natural afro hair

For some women their hair is too short.

For others it’s too thin.

And for others it’s too thick.

Truth be told that most women (especially women of colour) have a desire to grow longer hair in some shape or form.

The difference however is that most women aren’t willing to go to extreme lengths to grow their hair and would instead prefer a magic pill or potion that could do it for them.

You see, growing longer hair is a bit like being on a diet. You could take diet pills in the hope that they’d magically burn fat 24/7 or you could work out and eat more mindfully.

The second option just sounds like way too much work for most people but at the back of their minds they know that it really is the best way to get lean.

It’s the same thing with hair care. Magic pills sound great but they aren’t the safest or most reliable way of growing longer hair.

So what can you do instead?

And what can you do if you want to grow your hair ridiculously long in under 12 months?

Here are a few extreme hair growth strategies that have worked for some women.

Please note that we are not recommending that you do them and we certainly recommend that you do thorough research before opting for any of these hair growth methods.

Crazy Thing 1. Extreme Bunning.

Bunning simply refers to the process of wearing your hair in a bun for days, weeks or even months on end. Most extreme bunners have a method that works well for them and it consists of something along the lines of comb/brush hair, moisturise heavily, add oils and then place hair in a bun for 3-7 days.

Pros? It works really well for some people. I’ve tried it at various points and it certainly helped with reducing excess breakage and retaining length.

Cons? Wearing your hair in a bun can cause your edges to be pulled tightly which can lead to breakage around the hair line.

It can also be very boring to wear your hair in pretty much the same style every day just for the purpose of growing it to extreme lengths.

Crazy Thing 2: Baggying.

What?

Yeah, I said the same thing when I first came across this method several years ago.

The simplified explanation of baggying is that it involves covering your hair in a plastic wrapping over night. The heat and steam from the bag helps to lock in moisture.

Pros? It can help to keep your hair very soft and moisturised which in turn can lead to hair growth.

Cons? It’s potentially dangerous especially if used improperly. This is something to be very cautious about doing.

Crazy Thing 3: Wigs.

Wigs can be incredible. They allow you to switch up your hairstyle quickly and easily without causing damage to your real hair.

In many ways they are a potential godsend.

They can help with hair growth because they allow you to cornrow your hair and leave it alone for weeks or even months on end which in turn reduces breakage.

Pros? They’re a great option for women who want to protect their hair whilst rocking fun hairstyles.

Cons? Some women develop the habit of becoming so obsessed with making their wigs look great that they forget to care for their real hair (which should always be the focus).

Crazy Thing 4: Pills.

There are hundreds of companies who claim that their pill will stimulate hair follicles, promote growth and increase your hair’s shine. Whilst some of these products might genuinely work, it can be difficult to gage how effective they are.

Pros? It’s an easy method to stick to- take a pill and wait for growth.

Cons? Your hairs rate of growth depends on a variety of factors including genetics, your diet, hair regimen and much more. It’s therefore unwise to solely rely on pills for fast hair growth.

All of the above methods have their advantages and disadvantages and what works for one person might not work for another so it’s important to iterate a little and figure out which method or product works best for you.

I hope you enjoyed this article and as always, leave a comment below sharing which hair growth strategy is your fave.

Victoria xo

Jourdan Dunn Slays The Cover of Vogue Brasil

A few years ago it was a rarity to see women of colour gracing the covers of international fashion magazines and when they did, they sported straight hair that ran down their backs.

It’s great to see that things have changed so much and it’s now becoming increasingly common for black actresses, supermodels and musicians to rock their natural kinks, coils and curls on the front pages of acclaimed publications.

Recently, the beautiful Jourdan Dunn graced the February 2016 cover of Vogue Brasil and looked stunning with her short TWA (teeny weeny afro).

jourdan dunn afro vogue february 2016

Although I love a big ‘fro just as much as the next girl, it’s refreshing to see Jourdan wear a short, soft afro. It suits her well and just goes to show that natural hair is as classy and beautiful as you make it.

I also love the fact that her afro is perfectly shaped which gives her a halo-like appearance.

What do you think of Jourdan’s look? Do you think it’s a good thing that more celebrities are going natural? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Victoria xo

 

The Final Word On Leave-In Conditioner

If you’ve been reading about maintaining your natural hair for any length of time, you will have surely come across the innumerable articles and mentions devoted to a simple, yet unavoidable, accessory – leave-in conditioner.

natural hair

To the uninitiated, the dizzying array of jargon and marketing lingo can be at best baffling and at worst wholly off-putting.

Read on below as we attempt to separate the kinks from the kooks and decode the mystery of leave-in conditioner once and for all.

1. What good is it, anyway?
Leave-in conditioner was created in order to reinforce the hair’s natural oils with strength and / or moisture – providing increased ease of styling and assisting in detangling along the way without the usual downsides of weighing down the hair and creating a visibly unappealing buildup on the scalp.

Of course, these aren’t goals singular to the leave-in brand of conditioner: nearly every other natural hair product you’ll see on the shelves of your local Boots will promise the same, often in as many words.

The difference with leave-in conditioner is that the concoctions are manufactured to be lighter as well as conducive to frequent, daily usage – without the unwanted side effects so irrevocably linked with daily hair care.

It’s best used as a third step in your routine, as a means of rinsing out the deeper and more chemical-heavy conditioners that can only be applied during the washing process itself.
What’s in it?
There are five main ingredients in any leave-in conditioner worth its salt.
1. First and foremost on the list is water – as the most efficient hydration agent found in nature, it should come as no surprise that aqua tops the list. Water typically makes up in excess of 60% of the final formula of the conditioner, and for good reason: your hair simply can’t get enough of it!
2. Jojoba oil is about as pure as a natural oil can get; a quality made clear by your hair’s ready acceptance of it upon application. As well as being hassle-free, this nutrient-rich wonder ingredient has been reported to solve a whole host of problems – dandruff, dry scalp problems, thinning hair and hygral fatigue chief among them.
3. Olive oil may seem like a counter-intuitive choice, as its history of use in the preparation of food leads us to imagine our hair becoming greasier than the Italian takeaway down the road.

Fear not, however: by penetrating the hair shaft and retaining moisture, olive oil adds softness and strengthens the hair follicles themselves. We recommend starting out with a tablespoon or two until your hair grows used to this interesting addition to your haircare toolkit.
4. Castor oil is the be-all and end-all when it comes to maximizing your natural hair’s volume. Owing to its high levels of Omega 6 and 9 fatty acids (the beneficial kind!) as well as an exceptionally healthy ricinoleic acid ratio, castor oil is a must-have for anyone who wants to take their natural ‘do to the next level.
Whew! Pretty tiring, right? All those chemicals can get to a gal – and that’s before we’ve even put anything into our hair! While it’s important to understand what it is that makes up the product you’re massaging into your scalp every day, it’s as crucial to try not to be put off by all the scientific jargon.

We encourage your own research into the brand of your choice, as well as consultation with your physician if any extraneous problems rear their ugly head. If you begin to feel daunted, however, do your best to remember leave-in conditioner cannot be that chemically heavy, purely by virtue of its needing to be light and airy in order to effectively cleanse your scalp of the chemicals you just washed it with.
Leave-in conditioner can be a powerful weapon in your haircare arsenal – don’t let the “wall of noise” phenomenon that can arise from too much information put you off and make you miss out on something that could be a potential game-changer for you and your hair.
Do you have any experiences with leave-in conditioner you’d like to share?

Let us know in the comments below!

3 Stunning Natural Beauty Queens Who Are Rocking The Professional World

Here at mycurls.co.uk, we pride ourselves on being open-minded and tolerant. We like to look at arguments from both sides of the fence; we think compassion is an all-too-rarefied commodity in today’s cut-throat environment.

There are limits, however – and nothing gets our goat quite like that being told that our natural hair is “unprofessional” or “unsuitable for the workplace”.

Excuse me, what?

It’s true: it happens, it’s damaging (and plays no small part in the growing number of women with natural hair who suffer from self-esteem issues), and it needs to stop.

What better way to end this onslaught of bigotry than by starting a conversation about the wildly successful women who refuse to abandon their curls for the sake of “professionalism”? Read on to discover the three queens we’ve chosen to profile for this piece.

1.
Julee Wilson‘s first steps in the professional world were as humble as they could be. After being told numerous times that her preference for wearing her Afro hair naturally was “unprofessional”, she finally landed a position an assistant to the Editor-In-Chief of Real Simple Magazine.

julee wilson

Needless to say, her natural hair didn’t hinder her journalistic talent to any degree – a fact made evident by her meteoric rise to the Staff Fashion Editor in two years, becoming the first African-American woman to do so.

Where is she now?

Queen Wilson now plies her trade as the Style & Beauty Editor for the Huffington Post’s Black Voices project, making frequent reference to her roots (pun intended!) through articles and series such as Curly Hair Chronicles, in which she discusses the very problem she had to overcome to get to where she is today.

 


2.
Denise Young Smith: a name you should get used to because you’re going to be hearing it a lot over the next few years. After earning her bachelor’s degree in Communications and a master’s degree in Organisational Management from Grambling State University, she made her first corporate inroads when contributed HR and management consulting to companies such as Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers portfolio companies.

Denise Young Smith

It wasn’t until 1997, when she joined Apple (then still a fledgling, albeit rapidly-expanding, company) that she really started making waves, though. She has since served the company in several key HR roles, not least among them sitting on the team that crafted Apple’s retail organisation – which today welcomes more than one million people every day, and has re-defined what the word retail means to the corporate world.


Where is she now?
Ms. Smith was recently chosen as Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Human Resources – a position whose responsibilities include attracting and retaining talent at Apple, and reports to none other than Tim Cook, the CEO, himself.

3.
Kay Wilson Stallings earned her master’s degree at the University of Illinois, and ever since has been charting an astonishing rise through the ranks of corporate television.

Starting out as a manager at Nickelodeon, within ten years she’d become the Vice President of Production and Development – the first African-American woman to hold the title. She was primarily responsible for the development of such adored television programs as “Yo Gabba Gabba!”, “Lazytown” and “Wonder Pets”, and shows no sign of slowing either her creative juices or her impressive ambition.

Kay Wilson Stallings
Where is she now?
Ms. Stallings currently works her naturally-curled head off as Senior Vice President for Sesame Street, where she has an enormous amount of influence over what our children are exposed to on television’s most-loved children’s program.

There they are: three gloriously natural women sticking it to the Man one curl at a time.

Do YOU have any similar success stories you’d like to share?

Let us know in the comments below!

How Can I Find Out The Texture Of My Hair?

How do I figure out my hair type?

I have no clue what my hair type or texture is, help!

Is my hair 4b, 4c or 4a? I have no idea!

These are just a few questions that many naturalistas ask when it comes to the whole hair type debacle.

We recently came across a brilliant chart by the folks at BuzzFeed that makes finding out your hair type super quick and easy!

Take a look at it below and in the comments tell us what your hair type is based on the chart!

 

hair type chart by buzzfeed

Hair Type Chart by @BuzzFeed

PS. It’s perfectly normal to have several hair types! Mine varies from 3b to 4b which means I have a lot of textures to deal with, understand and manage. It’s not always easy dealing with multiple hair textures but it is a lot of fun 🙂

Here’s to knowing more about your hair and loving every inch of it!

As always, if you have a burning hair care question tweet it to us @mycurlsuk and we’ll answer it in an upcoming blog post.

Victoria xo

24 Hour Flash Sale With Free Shampoo!

free shampoo sale

Just a quick note to let you know that it’s SALE time! Buy a Curl Smoothie and get a free Cleansing Cream shampoo!

No code needed. Simply go to MyCurls.co.uk, order a Curl Smoothie and your Cleansing Cream will be posted to you.

Order 2 Curl Smoothie’s and get 2 Cleansing Cream shampoos.

Offer ends tomorrow at 9pm BST. Grab it before it’s gone!

http://www.mycurls.co.uk

Hair Overwhelm: Has The Natural Hair Movement Has Caused More Harm Than Good?

natural hair overwhelm

As much as I love being a naturalista and I’m incredibly proud of how far the natural hair scene has progressed over the past decade or so, I can’t help but sometimes feel very overwhelmed by the amount of information, advice and trends that constantly crop up. The hardest thing is the fact that much of the advice is contradictory.

Some naturals claim that it’s great to detangle with a wide-toothed comb whilst others say that we should abandon combs all together!

Some say that brushes are best whilst others say that our fingers are the only combs we need. Which is it? What do you do?

To comb or not to comb? That is the question!

Then there are the claims about naturals who’ve achieved rapid hair growth through regimens like the LOC and inversion methods.

If you’ve tried either, you might have found a hair growth panacea that works for you or you might have discovered that too much of any regime simply drives you and your hair nuts!

I’ve been natural for several years now and I’ve been following the natural hair movement for probably around 8 years (yes, it’s been that long). Back in the day there were simply a few forums that catered to women who wanted healthier, longer hair but nowadays, there are thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of blogs, websites, forums, Instagram accounts and Facebook pages that share a plethora of advice on natural hair care.

Whilst it’s great that we have so much more information available, it also has a downside.

Namely, the fact that when there’s too much information, you don’t know where to look or where to start.

It can be difficult.

So this begs the question, how do naturalistas find both balance and clarity in a wold that’s filled with contradictory advice and too many options?

How do we avoid becoming the victims of a choice paradox?

How do we find our own unique path to healthier hair? 

What’s the solution?

Now, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the overload in hair care information?

How do you deal with it?

Leave a comment below sharing how you feel.

PS. This might have been my most honest and open blog post yet but I’ve come to realise that honesty and vulnerability are catalysts for personal growth. I hope that in sharing how I feel, I’ll open up discourse for other women who might be feeling the same way.

Here’s to hair happiness,

Victoria xo.

London Photographer Showcases The Beauty of Black and Mixed Race Redheads

Michelle Marshall is a London-based photographer who is capturing redheaded black and mixed race individuals.

People almost instantaneously think of redheads as being white, however, there are thousands of redheaded black and mixed race individuals who have naturally red tresses.

michelle marshall redhead photography exhibition MCR1

Photography by Michelle Marshall

It is estimated that between one and two percent of the global population is redheaded. Although red coloured hair is most commonly found in Scotland and Ireland, 35% of people within the UK population carry the recessive gene which is responsible for this particular hair colour.

michelle marshall redhead photography exhibition MCR1

Photography by Michelle Marshall

When speaking to the Huffington Post, Michelle said:

“I am currently interested in documenting the incidents of the MC1R gene variant responsible for red hair and freckles, particularly amongst black and mixed raced individuals of all ages,” Marshall wrote in an email to The Huffington Post.

“I want to stir the perception that most of us have of a ‘ginger’ as a white caucasian individual, potentially of Celtic descent … As we struggle with issues of immigration, discrimination and racial prejudice, Mother Nature, meanwhile, follows its own course, embracing society’s plurality and, in the process, shaking up our perceptions about origins, ethnicity and identity.”

Take a look at Michelle’s wonderful photos over on her website http://www.michelle-marshall.com/personal/mc1r

Natural Hair and Cultural Appropriation: Is Amandla Stenberg Right About Kylie Jenner?

If you follow media outlets or blogs, you’ll probably already be aware of the backlash that Kylie Jenner received for posting pictures of her newest hairstyle, cornrows.

Now you might be thinking that there’s nothing wrong with a white girl rocking cornrows, and quite frankly, there isn’t. However, people reacted fairly negatively in large part because Kylie Jenner has created a career out of monetizing and mimicking ‘urban’ fashion and is essentially famous just for it.

The issue that many women of colour have with Kylie is not the fact that she wears cornrows but the fact that when a woman of colour wears them, it’s deemed ‘unattractive’ or ‘unprofessional’ but when a white woman sports the same look, it’s deemed ‘cool.’

Examples of this can be seen when looking at the following images:

cultural appropriation

Even though Amandla’s comments about Kylie’s supposed cultural appropriation were received with mixed responses, she does have a point.

amandla stenberg kylie jenner cultural appropriation

Why is it only cool to look ‘urban’ if you’re white?

Do you agree with Amandla? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this below.

4 Simple Steps To Longer Natural Hair

Before I started my natural hair journey, I found myself often becoming envious of other people’s hair. I remember looking at girls with natural hair and thinking “how did she grow her hair so long?”
how to grow longer natural hairOn top of that, throughout my childhood and early teens I’d constantly been told that “afro hair doesn’t grow,” OR “black girls can’t grow long hair” which led me to believe that growing long hair was simply impossible for a girl like me.
After deciding to go natural, doing the big chop and spending ages digesting everything there is to know about natural hair care, I was able to grow my hair to the longest length it’s ever been.
Now, don’t get me wrong, growing long hair isn’t just about length, it’s about having healthy hair. In my opinion, healthy hair is what all women (regardless of ethnicity or hair texture) should aspire to,
So how can you as a curly haired naturalista grow longer hair?
Here are 4 simple yet highly effective steps.
1. Moisturise
I’m sure you’ve heard it a thousand times before but moisturising your curls is absolutely vital if you want to grow long, healthy natural tresses. When it comes to moisturising, you should opt for products that have a high percentage of water because moisture comes from water. To get the most out of water, mix water, leave-in conditioner and a natural oil like jojoba and pour it into a spray bottle. Spritz your hair with this mixture a few times each day. This will help to keep your curls in top shape throughout the day. It’ll also aid growth because you’ll retain more hair as a result of keeping your hair moisturised.
 2. Dust, don’t trim.
Years back, I heard about ‘dusting.’ I thought it sounded a bit crazy but it works. The idea is simple; rather than trimming or cutting large chunks of hair every 6-9 weeks (as recommended by hair stylists), instead choose to only ‘dust’ or trim off unhealthy ends. Dusting simply involves searching for splits, knots and tangles and cutting them off every time you spot them. The minute you see one strand that’s visibly unhealthy, trim it. This saves thousands of healthy hair strands from being trimmed off and enables you to only get rid of the exact hairs that are damaged or split. It’s a hair saver!
3. Apply heat once or twice a year.
As much as I love the look of my hair when straightened, I have seen incredible results by simply not straightening it more than twice a year. In fact, I avoid applying heat to my hair unless I really, really need to. Whilst heat-based styles can look great for special occasions, they can also wreck havoc on your curls. Instead of using heat, try using your blow dryer on the cool setting, towel drying your hair and rocking gorgeous formal styles using nothing more than your
natural curls and hair accessories (think flowers, hair bands, ribbons etc).
natural hair accessories

Opt for hair accessories like ribbons, scarves and flowers rather than applying heat to your hair.

 4. Exercise.
This is one that many of us miss because we’re so busy. However, exercising regularly not only boosts your body’s health but it also aids hair growth by stimulating the scalp and increasing blood flow to it. Even if you despise working out, try simply walking or doing fun activities that don’t feel like a workout. Zumba, hiking and swimming are some great options and they’ll leave you in top shape as well!
So there you have it, my 4 top tips for growing healthier, longer hair this summer.
If you have any extra tips to share, please let them in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter at www.mycurls.co.uk for more hair tips and a chance to win free products.

How Often Should Curly Hair Be Washed?

Do you sometimes wonder whether you’re washing your hair too rarely or too often?

As a curly or afro haired girl, it’s important to have a regular hair regimen which will make your hair easier to manage.

Keeping a good, healthy hair regimen will also enable you to look after your hair even when you’re super busy and pressed for time.

how often should you wash curly and afro hair?

How often should you wash curly and afro hair?

So, how often should you wash your tresses?

Firstly, it’s important to remember that there are two types of hair washing.

Shampoo washing (simply washing your hair with shampoo and then conditioning it)

AND

Co-washing (washing your hair with conditioner only e.g. no shampoo required)

If your hair is out (not in braids, weave or plaits), you should co-wash it once a week using a silicone-free conditioner.

Typically, you should shampoo curly hair once a month and co-wash in between shampooing.

However, the looser your hair texture is, the more often you need to shampoo it. For example, if you have wavy textured hair, you’ll need to shampoo either once a week or once every 3-4 days.

If however, you have afro textured hair, you’ll only need to shampoo once a month. If your hair is mixed (e.g. contains a mixture of hair textures that vary from wavy to tightly curled or afro) then you’ll need to do a bit of testing to see how your hair responds to being shampooed less often.

You can then adjust your hair regimen to meet your mixed hair’s needs.

As a rule of thumb, you should shampoo once a month and condition once  a week.

Now you might be wondering why shampooing too often is bad. For curly and afro textures, our hair has a tendency to be more dry and vulnerable to breakage. It’s therefore essential that we are cautious with it and handle our hair with care.

When you over-shampoo curly, mixed or afro hair, the hair’s natural oils are depleted which causes dryness, knots, split ends, frizz and tangles! In essence, it’s not good!

In contrast, if you condition your hair regularly, you’ll restore lost moisture whilst also keeping your hair tangle and frizz-free. Conditioning is quite simply one of the best things that you can do to your hair which is why it’s recommended that you condition once per week.

If your hair is in braids, a weave or any other ‘covered’ style then you’ll only need to wash it when it’s out. However, your hair is likely to be dirtier than usual because the dirt in your hair will have built up over time.

How often do you usually wash your hair?

Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.

Victoria x

Protective Styling For Spring: Braids

Whilst most people think that protective styles like braids can only be worn during the colder months, in actuality braids make for great hairstyles all year round.

Check out these gorgeous hairstyles that are not only great for protective styling but are also perfect for the spring.natural hair styles braids

PS. Have you seen our newly updated website? We love it!

my curls

Check it out if you haven’t already.

Wishing you a fab week,

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk

Back To School Hairstyles For Mixed Race and Afro Haired Children

With Easter now officially over (didn’t it just fly by?), children from across the globe are heading back to school.

Unfortunately, as the parent of a child with curly, mixed race or afro textured hair you’re probably struggling to find the time to juggle a million things whilst also trying to figure out how to style and manage your child’s hair. For many mums and dads it can be a bit tricky.

I often hear mums complain that it’s hard to think of suitable hairstyles that work for their child’s hair pattern or texture. However, there are actually tons and tons of incredible hairstyles that you can do on your little one’s hair. Furthermore, they’re not time-consuming. All you need is a comb, spray bottle (filled with water and lots of natural oils like olive oil and jojoba oil) and a wide toothed comb (to get rid of any knots or tangles). You’ll probably also need a bristle brush to help with keeping your child’s edges neat and tidy.

Here are some fabulous back to school hairstyles that don’t take long to do or require hours to create. Enjoy!

 

Pigtails: simply create a large part at the centre of your daughter’s hair and then use hairbands to secure each side of her hair. Accessories with bows, clips or a headband. Super cute and easy to do!

back to school hairstyles for mixed race and afro hair

 

Updo with a front plait or cornrow.

Again, this is a really simple but absolutely adorable hairstyle. If you struggle with creating cornrows, simply plait or twist the front of your daughter’s hair instead.

back to school hairstyles for mixed race and afro hair

 

 

Twist out.

This is one of my personal favourite natural hairstyles. Simply twist your daughter’s hair, leave the twists in for at least 24 hours and then unravel the twists the following day. Her hair will be perfectly defined. You can also accessorise with a flower headband or bow.

back to school hairstyles for mixed race and afro hair

 

The puff.

How cute is this? To create a gorgeous puff, comb the ends of your daughter’s hair so that there are no knots or tangles.

back to school hairstyles for mixed race and afro hair

Source: BoxerMore Photography

 

I hope you enjoyed this blog post. If you’re looking for natural, wholesome products for your child’s hair check out our natural hair products for kids and grown ups.

5 Life-Changing Secrets To Growing Longer Natural hair

life changing secrets to growing longer hair

“My hair could never be that long!”

“My hair’s too tough to comb!”

“Girls like me don’t grow hair to that length!”

These are just some of the many misconceptions that women of African heritage hold about their hair.

If you’ve ever made any of the above statements then this article was written for you in mind.

That fact is that although many of us have felt as if our hair is incapable of growing beyond shoulder length, this is simply untrue.

The actuality is that with proper care and caution, every one of us can significantly improve our hair’s growth and retain far more length.

Here are 5 life-changing secrets that will help you to drastically transform your hair’s length, strength and overall health.

Secret #1

The way you feel about your hair internally has a direct effect on its external progress.

 

 

In essence, this means that the way you feel about your hair, your self-esteem and your hair’s ability to grow has a direct correlation with your hair’s actual chances of growing longer.

Why?

Well, think about this. If you believe that your hair is ugly, impossible to look after and difficult to manage, you’re ultimately going to treat your hair as if it the bane of your existence. If however, you have a positive attitude towards your hair, see it as being beautiful and strive to improve it you’ll naturally feel the compulsion to take better care of it. Ultimately, that will mean that you’ll handle your hair with more caution, you’ll treat it better and in doing so, you’ll reduce the damage caused when handling it. Don’t believe me?

Think back to a time when you visited a salon and had your hair treated by someone who didn’t like or understand naturally curly or afro hair. Their disdain for it was evident and so they yanked your hair with a thin-toothed comb and practically ripped your hair out of your head! The way they felt about your hair had a direct correlation with how they treated it and the same applies for when you manage your own hair. Remember, the way you feel about your hair internally has a direct effect on how you treat it!

Secret #2

This secret is an extension of #1. Longer hair comes from great internal and external care. If you want to see your hair grow, start off by reciting positive affirmations to yourself on a daily basis. Examples include things like:  “my hair is beautiful and I love it,” “my hair is getting stronger and longer every second of every day,” and “I love every kink and curl that God has blessed me with.”

By reciting these affirmations you’ll open up your heart and mind to a world of self-acceptance and personal growth. Furthermore, you’ll feel happier about yourself which is always a great thing.

Secret #3

Create your own unique, custom-made hair regimen. There’s a lot of talk these days about hair regimens and it can sometimes feel as if the advice you receive on how to care for your hair is contradictory. That’s why it’s essential that you get into a habit of not only finding products that work for you but also finding a regime that works specifically for your hair type.

Once you’ve come up with your regime, get into a habit of making it a daily ritual to look after your hair. For instance, you could spend 5 minutes each night moisturising your scalp and 5 minutes in the morning spritzing your curls with a home-made hair spray.

Secret #4

Stick with the fundamentals.

Fundamental hair care practices for curly and afro-textured hair include:

  • Washing your hair with a sulphate free shampoo (about  twice a month)
  • Co-washing your hair (using conditioner to wash your hair rather than shampooing it) on a weekly basis
  • Moisturising your hair every day without fail
  • Trimming off unhealthy ends as you see them (also known as dusting your hair)
  • Deep conditioning your hair once per month.

These 5 things are fundamental practices that natural (and even relaxed) haired girls should follow. Rather than getting distracted by the newest hair care craze, focus on making the above 5 things a part of your hair care schedule so that you keep your hair in great condition.

Secret #5

Last but not least, set yourself hair goals. For instance, science tells us that the average person (regardless of ethnicity) grows about 6 inches of hair per year. Therefore, you should aim to give yourself a hair growth goal that is in line with this. The main focus however, should be on setting yourself a goal that is realistic and attainable for your hair type. Also, try not to compare your hair’s growth to someone else’s because quite frankly, your hair is not the same as the next person’s and therefore your hair will grow at a different speed.

If you liked these tips, sign up for great free resources by joining our newsletter at mycurls.co.uk.

5 Gorgeous Valentine’s Day Hairstyles For Natural Hair

With Valentine’s Day being just two days away, you might be wondering what on earth you’re going to do with your hair.

Truth be told, it can be a complete pain to come up with a look that works well on your curled tresses and you might also be wondering whether it’s worth straightening it or rocking the biggest afro ever.

Whether you’re heading out to enjoy a night out with the girls, or off on a romantic date with your other half, these 5 hairstyles are sure to make you look and feel sublime.

Take a look and leave a comment below letting us know which of the hairstyles is your fave.

#1 The FrowHawk

Mohawk + kinky, curly hair = the frowhawk.

frowhawk natural hair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#2 The Twistout 

It’s a natural girl’s go-to hairstyle for a reason. Twistouts rock because they’re versatile, easy to do and look amazing.

twist out natural hair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3# Cornrows.

Whilst most of us associate cornrows with having mum plait your hair in Primary School, they can in fact be a great hairstyle for formal and glamorous occasions. Take for instance, Christina Milian who rocked this gorgeous look on the red carpet in November. Just goes to show that they old school hairstyles can be modernised.

cornrows natural hairstyles formal occasions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Getty Images, November 2014.

#4. The Afro.

This picture says it all. The Afro can be a wonderfully glamorous hairstyle if paired with the right makeup

and a chic outfit.

hairstyles formal occasions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#5 The High Bun

The high bun was one of the most worn hairstyles in 2014 for a reason. It’s also brilliant for keeping natural hair protected which means that you get the added benefit of healthier hair alongside a glamorous look.

formal hairstyles natural hair high bun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want free hair tips sent straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free newsletter at www.mycurls.co.uk.

My Curls Founder Is Announced As Virgin Media’s Pioneer Of The Week!

We’re pleased to announced that Vicky has been selected by Virgin Media Pioneers as their Pioneer of the Week!

Virgin Media Pioneer of the week victoria olubi

 

 

 

virgin media pioneer of the week vicky olubivirgin media pioneer of the week victoria olubi

VirginMediaPioneers.com is an incredible online community of enterprising people who use videos and blogging to share their ideas and experiences.

The Virgin Media Pioneers Programme is an initiative of Virgin Media and words closely with Virgin Unite.

You can read the full interview with Vicky here http://www.virginmediapioneers.com/2015/01/pioneer-of-the-week-vicky-olubi-of-my-curls/

 

 

Will dyeing my hair cause it to break?

Sometimes as a naturalista, you might feel as if your hair could do with a bit of a change. For some people change can come in the form of straightening their hair for a few days, adding clip-ins or wearing a weave. However, if you’ve been thinking about dyeing your hair and you’re unsure whether it will cause your hair to break, consider these things.

dyeing afro hair

Hair dye can cause damage to your hair if your hair is already suffering from some form of damage. That includes breakage, excess shedding or scalp dryness.

To reduce the chances of your hair breaking when it has been dyed, it’s best to only dye your hair if it is in optimal condition prior. If you’ve noticed that your hair shows any signs of damage whatsoever, then don’t dye it. Simply wait until it’s in a better condition before going ahead.

Another thing to bear in mind is that semi-permanent dyes (which last for about 5-7 washes) are a better alternative if you’re simply looking to add colour to your hair or you want a quick change of style or a new look. permanent dyes aren’t necessarily damage-free but they are less strenuous on your hair.

Furthermore, if you want to avoid breakage when dyeing your hair, make sure that you keep your hair very well conditioned and moisturised after colouring it. Hair dyes are notorious for causing dryness which in turn leads to thinning and breakage and it’s for this reason that so many women experience signs of damage after dyeing their hair. To keep your newly coloured hair in great condition, deep condition it at least once a month and co-wash (which means washing your hair with conditioner only) on a weekly basis.

Be sure to trim any damaged ends and moisturise your hair like there’s no tomorrow! Seriously, moisturising can literally make or break your hair’s health. I can’t stress the importance of moisturising it.

If you’re unsure about how to moisturise, do the following:

  1. Co-wash your hair once a week
  2. Apply a silicone-free, moisturising hair lotion to it twice a day
  3. Follow with a good, natural oil like jojoba or olive oil
  4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 twice a day. Try moisturising once in the morning and once at night.

Keeping your hair in good condition after it has been coloured isn’t impossible. You just need to be more mindful of your hair’s health and fragility and moisturise on a regular basis.

Breaking down? Overcome heartache with a simple mindset shift

Back in October, I wrote my first article for The Huffington Post.

Writing for Huffington was one of my biggest goals of 2014 and I was so happy when THE Arianna Huffington gave me the opportunity to become a blog contributor.

I wanted my article to be heartfelt because I often find that when I write from the heart, I create my best pieces of work (I guess that’s only natural, right?).

And so, I wrote about a real life situation (which you can read about here) and in the article I share a pearl of wisdom that might just transform how you handle difficult situations and dark times.

Click here to read the article in full and discover what that one simple but highly effective mindset shift is.

PS. If you liked the article, please click the ‘LIKE‘ button beside it and share it on your social media handles. You can also tweet me @mycurlsuk to let me know that you think it’s awesome 🙂

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk

 

Can box braids damage your hair?

Like many naturals, I adore box braids and have kept my hair in braids to protect it from the cold winter weather.

Whilst braids can be a great protective style, they can also cause damage to your hair.

For instance, keeping your hair in braids for several months at a time can cause your hair to become extremely dry, brittle and prone to breakage.box braids natural hair

Here are 3 ways to prevent your hair from suffering from such damage.

1. Keeping braids in for too long.

Braids should be kept in for no more than 6-7 weeks at a time. Furthermore, if your hair is in braids, you should re-do the outer part of your hair (the part that’s closes to your edges) once every 2 weeks so that you can minimise damage. The reason for focusing on the outer part of your hair is that the hairs in this area are more fragile and are more susceptible to traction alopecia and other forms of damage. To keep your hair protected, re-do your braids at least once every 2 weeks and avoid keeping your hair in braids for a period of more than 7 weeks.

2. Not washing your braids.

Just because your hair is in braids, that doesn’t mean that it does not need to be washed. In fact, not washing your hair causes dirt and bacteria to build up which results in build up that’s so severe that it can only be removed by cutting your hair. Most naturals will have noticed that when you take out your braids there’s often white clumps of dirt in your hair- this sort of dirt is difficult to remove and if left in for long, will need to be cut out. It’s therefore of central importance that you wash your braids regularly. You can do this using a sulphate and silicone free shampoo and shampooing your scalp and braids once every 2 weeks (or once a week preferably). If you’re unable to shampoo your hair, you can consider using dry shampoos or simply using a washcloth and some water with a small amount of shampoo to scrub your scalp.

3. Forgetting the fact that your real hair is underneath.

There are tons of braided hairstyles to choose from nowadays and in some ways this is a great thing because it gives naturals more choice. However, some hairstyles (like pick and drop braids) are damaging to naturals who have medium-long hair. When having your braids done, make sure your stylist (or whoever is doing your hair) is clear on your goals. Tell them that you want to keep your real hair protected and that you are not willing to risk the healthy and length of your real hair just for the sake of having your hair braided.

Always remember that your real hair comes first and it should therefore be protected and cared for.

If you’re looking for regular hair inspiration and advice, sign up to our free newsletter by clicking here.

Have a wonderful day,

Victoria.

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk.

 

How to keep your hair protected during the winter

It’s common knowledge that winter weather can wreak havoc on natural hair. It’s therefore crucial that in these very cold months, you keep your hair protected and cared for.natural hair protection

 

As a busy woman who’s preoccupied with your career, life and family, it’s important that you find ways to make protecting your hair as easy and effortless as possible.

So how can you do this?

 

One onatural hair protectionf our favourite ways to care for your hair during the winter months is to simply wrap it up by keeping it as covered as possible.

natural hair protection

 

 

 

You can do this by playing with scarves, head-ties, hats and headbands.

 

What’s great about using accessories to protect your hair is that not only does your hair stay in top notch condition, it also keeps you warm and who doesn’t want to be warm during when it’s freezing outside?

 

natural hair protection

What’s your favourite hair accessory for the winter season?

 

Leave a comment below sharing it with us.

Victoria

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk.

Natural Hair Care: How To Get Amazing Curl Definition

curl definition

How to get great curl definition

How do you get my curls to be really defined?

This is one of the most common questions that I get asked about caring for naturally curly/unrelaxed hair.

Here are 3 ways to get amazing curl definition.

And don’t worry, you won’t need to spend hours on your hair to get really defined curls.

Step 1

Keep your hair clean through conditioning (co-washing) and not through excessive shampooing.

Over shampooing dries out naturally curly hair and therefore it’s best to shampoo your hair approximately once every 2 weeks or once a week at most.

Instead of shampooing all the time, wash your hair with a silicone free conditioner that does not contain parabens or synthetic oils. A great conditioner will transform your hair so it’s therefore best to be selective about which conditioner you use and don’t be afraid to do these two things:

Sometimes people think that the cheapest conditioner is the best but that isn’t always the case. It’s therefore wise to spend more money on a conditioner that is filled with high quality ingredients and is therefore slightly higher in price. I always tell customers that an investment in good hair products is an investment in the health of your hair. Think about it, what’s your hair worth?

Step 2

Play around with twist-outs and braid-outs.

These hair styles can give you incredible curl definition and they work on almost any hair texture. One thing I like to do is to braid or twist my hair at night and then unravel in the morning. That way, I end up with gorgeous curls almost every day. Plus, creating twist-outs and braid-outs isn’t time consuming. Try it!

Step 3

Keep your hair super moisturised.

Curly and afro hair are the driest hair types and that means that our hair needs to be moisturised a lot. To get gorgeously soft and well-defined hair, moisturise once in the morning and once at night. If your hair is wavy or only slightly curly then only moisturise once in the day. As a rule of thumb: the curlier your hair, the more moisture it needs.

Follow these three steps and your hair should be more defined, softer and shinier.

PS. For more hair tips sign up to my free newsletter at mycurls.co.uk.

Music Inspiration For Curly Girls

Do you ever have those days where you’re feeling down about your height, weight, skin or your natural hair?

We all do. Even the most confident of naturalistas has a day or two where they feel a little less confident or a little less pretty.

I’ll admit that the other day, I had one of those days and I felt awful for it.

But then I heard a song that made me feel a little more beautiful and a whole lot more fierce.

That song was All About The Bass by Meghan Trainor. I am in love with this song and I think that the lyrics are fantastic!

If you haven’t heard it yet, have a listen below.

After hearing Meghan’s song, I realised that it would be great to share some of my favourite confidence boosting songs with you.

Listen to them below and don’t forget to leave a comment telling me what you love most about yourself.

TLC’s Unpretty.

Destiny’s Child’s Bootylicious

The Top Six Hair Tips And Tricks That Actually Work

The Top Six Hair Tips And Tricks That Actually Work

From family friends to hairstylists, you may have heard some advice about your strands that doesn’t seem quite right. Well, now you can try these seven tips and tricks that actually work.

afrohair

 

Don’t Wash Your Hair Every Day

Unless your hair is incredibly oily, you really do not need to wash it every day. In fact, using shampoo on your hair every day can strip it of natural oils. Once you start with this new hair-washing routine, you might start to notice that your hair feels softer. You may wish to consider conditioning your strands each day still. Talk to your stylist about what is best for your locks.

Use Lotion to Tame Frizz

When your strands are filled with frizz, you’ve probably tried numerous ways to bid it adieu. The next time your hair is misbehaving, run some body lotion or hand lotion over your hair. Generally, you want to avoid doing this near your scalp so that your hair doesn’t look greasy, but it can tame frizz elsewhere. Make sure it is already rubbed in your hands so a minimal amount gets on your hair. A little goes a long way with this method.

Low Ponytail to Reduce Frizz

Perhaps you can’t imagine a hairstyle made for sports and quiet nights at home as being one of your biggest styling tools. After you get out of the shower and once your hair is brushed, put it into a low ponytail. This trick can help to get rid of frizz and flyaways so that you have beautiful hair when you take it out.

Don’t Brush Your Hair

As unusual as it sounds, you should try not brushing your hair, particularly if you have curly strands. When you brush curly hair, you are often bringing frizz to the surface and ruining the natural definition of your locks. Use a wide-toothed comb to go through knots and detangle your hair instead.

Go Natural

Wearing your hair as it is might sound like your biggest nightmare, but it can actually turn out to be the best decision that you ever made. There’s nothing wrong with showing off your natural hair color and texture. Throw in a little gel or hair spray if you need to, and you’ll have a sassy style that displays your true personality.

Turn off the Heat

Even if you want to use some products to style your hair and get a certain look, you don’t always need to use heat to do so. Straighteners, curling irons and blowdryers are great for those big nights out, but constantly putting too much heat on your hair can really damage it in the long run.

 

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box a little bit and try some ideas that might have previously sounded strange when it comes to your hair.

This is a guest post written by writing expert Anita Ginsburg.Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO and often writes about fashion, health, beauty and family. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family when she isn’t writing. When it comes to her hair, she personally recommends  remy hair extensions to add length and keep your hair looking healthy.

For hair care tips and the best curly hair products, visit www.mycurls.co.uk.

 

 

Trimming Natural Hair: How To Trim Your Hair With Ease

Trimming or cutting your natural hair can be daunting especially if you’ve typically relied on hairstylists to do it for you.

trimming natural hair

Despite seeming like a nerve-wrecking thing, trimming your curls is actually not that difficult to do if you follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Always trim/cut with a professional hair scissors. Never scrimp by cutting your hair with a household scissors that just happens to be lying around. If you do that, your hair might potentially become more damaged!

2. To get the best results from trimming always hold the tips of your hair towards the light so that you can clearly see split ends and single strand knots. Sometimes, knots and splits have a way of disappearing or seeming difficult to find. By holding your ends up to the light you’ll be able to see damaged hair far more quickly.

3. Get used to ‘dusting.’ What’s that? It refers to the process of only trimming the unhealthy and damaged parts of your hair and not the rest of it. For example, traditionally, stylists and hair professionals have encouraged us mere amateurs to trim our hair in sections. Whilst this is great if you want your hair to be more even in length, it has the unfortunate downside of causing you to lose both your healthy and unhealthy hair. If you’re looking to retain as much length as possible, only trim off the unhealthy ends rather than trimming your hair in sections. This process is called dusting.

Now it’s over to you: do you have a secret or special method for finding dodgy strands and snipping them? Leave a comment below telling us what you do to keep knots and splits at bay.

PS. if you’re looking to get shinier curls this summer, check out our range at MyCurls.co.uk.

Till next time,

Victoria xo

Founder, MyCurls.

How to Create a Night-time Hair Routine for Your Curly Hair

curly hair routine night time
Having a curly hair is normally likely to become dry. Hence, the most significant thing is to always keep your hair moisturized. These days, there are a variety of kinds of curly hair products available on the market in order to make your hair look wonderful even during nighttime or before you sleep. Natural creams that are oil-based and lotions are excellent for ringlets and tresses, which offer the care this demanding kind requires to be shiny and smooth.

 

The primary thing you need to do is to learn what curl types you have. Soft, big waves require different type of treatment contrary to unmanageable, frizzy, kinky curls. Wavy locks have a tendency to be soft and thin, sensitive and fine, hence women need several types of products in order to keep their hair beautiful and beautiful. With utmost care, women will have s-shaped, soft and beautiful waves.
For women who have extremely frizzed, dry ringlets, you possibly require extremely mild shampoo and conditioner.

You need to ensure that you make use of it carefully and only in small amounts.  You need to generously apply the conditioner, comb it gently and leave it for 10 minutes prior to rinsing and before going to bed.
Having a good haircut is one of the important things in having a curly hair. For actually natural, shiny, beautiful styling, you need to invest in alcohol-free, natural moisturizing products. A big, round brush is certainly a must-have in order to get smooth results. Lotions, gels, creams, and mousses are excellent curly hair products as well provided that they are from protective, nutritive and natural ingredients.

Overall, in order to have a silky smooth curly hair prior to going to sleep, you need to ensure that your curly hair products are made from natural ingredients that will not damage your hair!

Natural Hair Rules: 7 Commandments Every Curly Girl Needs To Follow

natural hair rules

Ever catch yourself look at girls with enviable poker straight hair and wonder what a ball of fuzz your curly hair is? Fret not! Hereís a detailed guide on how to unlock those dread locks and transform into a goddess with a curly and bouncy gorgeous mane and ingredients to use to pamper your lustrous locks.

Oiling your hair before washing it has proved to be a great conditioner. Curly hair responds very well to jojoba and olive oil.

Deep conditioning always helps cases of unmanageable frizzy hair. In emergency situations, when you have to head out for a hot date or that fancy evening soiree, the best thing to do to control your curly hair would be deep conditioning. Find a protein conditioner that suits you and apply a dime size dollop into your hands and massage into your scalp. This keeps it soft and shiny for the rest of the day and also adds an extra texture to your mane. Natural conditioners like shea butter are very safe to use.

Most curly haired girls are conscious about their texture and often resort to styling methods to straighten out their hair and hide that uneven curly and wavy texture. These methods involve heating tools such as flat irons and clampers. You might want to ditch them as heating your curly hair will only make it weak from the roots and brittle in texture, thereby making your hair look like a frizzy mess.

In a hot weather, it is best to use mild shampoos and not ones that have strong chemicals that damage your hair. In case of too much humidity, when you sweat and you feel like washing your hair every day after a long day at work, use baby shampoo. The strong chemicals in regular shampoo makes curly hair all the more difficult to maintain stripping it from its natural oils from the scalp and with an extra frizz added to your hair. Using a mild shampoo for everyday use or in cases when you want to wash your hair more than the regular thrice a week regime, will make it soft and moisturized.

Split with the dead ends. Going to a hair salon and getting a short trim and cutting your split ends will enable your curly hair to grow stronger and make it look luscious and bouncy rather than rough and erratic.

Always use a wide toothed comb. This is not the eighties. You do not want an afro on your head and you know you have to detangle your hair ASAP! But how will you, with your hair getting stuck in those tiny bristles of that comb? So unless you want to indulge in an arm wrestle by yanking your brush out of your hair, detangle your hair with your fingers and a wide toothed comb and use this comb every day to brush your hair.

Applying salon products like hair serums and hair mousse while proving to be helpful could be very tricky to use. You do not want your hair dripping with greasiness for someone to be able soak it with a paper towel. Use hair products with great care and always scrunch them into your curls. Do not layer it all over your hair into a greasy lump. Honey with a tea spoon of milk gives a nice bounce just like a hair product would

And last but not the least, love yourself including those curls. Being confident is the best gift you could give your hair and yourself. You are unique and beautiful that way. Stay gorgeous.

Natural Hair Treatments: 4 Natural Ingredients Afro Hair Loves.

curly hair craves

Do you envy girls who hop out of the shower with silky straight hair while you remain tangled in your curly labyrinths?

Then, youíd be surprised to know that if you have curls like ringlets, you own one of the most enviable crown of heads.

Those girls you envy spend hours to get what you have been naturally gifted. So, instead of fighting those curls, work with them and make them stunning.

If you start adoring your hair and follow four simple tips provided herein, curly hair can make you look like a goddess every day.

Natural Oils
Oils are curly hairís best friend and although itís tempting to ditch the traditional regimen of oiling, nothing soothes your hair more than this session of a few minutes. Sometimes curlies have difficulty finding oils that don’t give their hair the appearance of being dunked in a grease fryer. Certain oils mentioned here would help you combat the havoc:

  • Extra Virgin Coconut Oil – What it does is that it penetrates hair shaft; this is why it provides moisture.
  • Grapeseed Oil – What it does is that it protects your hair temperature. You can also use it to fight dandruff.
  • Sweet Almond Oil seals in moisture and soothes the hair shaft, which is an addition to highly porous hair.
  • Jojoba Oil – It balances the production of scalp’s sebum.

Although olive oil and castor oil are heavy oils that are popular in the naturally curly hair community, these highly beneficial light oils can also be used for healthy hair.
Moisturize and Condition
Curly hair requires regular moisturising so that they do not break or frizz with dryness. The most important requirement is to find the right product that suites your hair. A shampoo that would suite one set of curly hair may not suite the other. Also, conditioning is a must after every shampoo.
Protein
Another significant treatment is to maintain the protein balance of your curls. A protein treatment has different protein properties that attach directly to the hair follicle and harden the cuticle layer. This places a barrier around the follicle, which protects it from further damage. There are four types of protein conditioner treatments: protein packs, re-constructors, deep penetrating treatments, and light protein treatments. The hair’s current condition will decide the type of protein conditioner needed for treatment. Use a re-constructor for severely damaged hair. For moderately damaged hair, use a deep penetrating treatment. For slight damage and routine treatments, use protein packs or light treatments. There are a lot of products in the market but only trustworthy ones should be used.
Heat Free Styling
Heat Styling Tools such as Flat Irons or Curling Irons do nothing but damage your locks and, turn your hair into a dry, brittle, unhealthy mess since you are basically frying your hair when using them. So the first thing you should do is get your split ends cut off, you can get this done at your local hair stylist of even do it yourself if you dare. As a curly haired girl, hopefully you already know that unless it’s Halloween and you’re in need of an afro, you should avoid blow drying or brushing your hair because it will just go Poof! To save the embarrassment, you can use styling products such as serums and gels and work them gently with your fingers.

Love is always reciprocated. When you love your hair and follow the above four simple techniques, they love you back by giving hassle free good and gorgeous hair days.

If your curls are in need of some TLC, head over to our online store to find a product that your tresses will love.

Hair Problems: 4 Everyday Things That Can Wreck Your Hair

hair damage

Hair – a social standing, these days it means so much to people irrespective of their age, ethnicity or gender. Broadly speaking, your hair is a representation of your identity and a reflection of who you are. It’s unfortunate therefore that when you start to unknowingly wreck your hair, your identity also begins to change. And as such hair loss poses to be a serious and depressive problem to all of us. Maintaining locks of thick, shiny and healthy tresses these days, has turned out to be a true challenge and a difficult errand.

Irrespective of your age and sex, hair damage continues to be a persistent problem. And going back to take a look at the causes, they are numerous. As per the medical research, typically, a person sheds 60-120 hairs/ day that are subsequently replaced by the same amount, of the same texture, size and thickness in due course of time thus maintaining the density of hair growth. Medically termed as “alopecia,” listed below are some of the common causes of hair loss:

The food  you eat – Hair problems can be related to lack of proteins, vitamins, and other essential macronutrients. To significantly reduce your chances of experiencing hair loss (of any kind), make sure that you include protein-rich food in your diet . This will not only help with maintain your body’s health but your hair’s as well.

Frequent chemical treatments and regular usage of blow dryers and hair straighteners are  known to damage the hair follicles. You may not realize the effects of these ìartificial therapiesî immediately, but over time youíll start losing hair gradually. So best is, avoid using these appliances, harsh dyes and chemicals, and keep them up the shelves only for those special dates.

Stress – Life without stress and strain is quite unfeasible. And perhaps this is the main culprit leading to such rapid hair problems. Yes! Listed as one of the major factors, stress and tensions play a major role in hair thinning.

Daily use of harsh shampoos and exposure to pollution – Fungal infections in your scalp may as well be listed as another primary causes behind your 0-size hair. Although it is something that is more commonly found in children yet, these days, people are more prone to fungal infections on their scalps courtesy, pollution, harsh shampoos and most importantly the chemical therapies.

To have the healthiest, shiniest and longest hair possible, make sure you eat a high protein and nutrient filled diet, reduce the amount of stress that you’re experiencing, opt for gentle shampoos and avoid both frequent chemical hair treatments and the use of excessive heat.

This is a guest post by hair extensions expert, Suzi Dunn. Suzi is the founder and CEO of Totally Essex Hair Extensions.

Hot Hair Fixes: 4 Quick Ways To Cure Damaged Hair

quick hair fixes

As we nearer further and further into the summer, many of us experience damaged hair. Hair damage can take various forms including split ends, single strand knots, hair thinning, frizz and even traction alopecia.

Hair damage can also be particularly frustrating for those of us with curly, kinky and afro textured hair because our hair is dryer and therefore tends to be more prone to breakage.

However, most types of hair damage can be cured. Here are 4 of the best ways to cure your damaged curls.

Use the best conditioner for your hair type and texture. You know your hair best and you therefore know what products on your hair. In order to find the best conditioner you do have to experiment a little by testing different products on your hair. Once you find a great conditioner that really nourishes your hair, hold onto it and make it your go-to co-washing product.

Focus on protection. If you have split ends, lots of single strand knots or hair breakage then there’s a possibility that you’ve been over-manipulating your hair. To reverse the damage done it’s best to keep your hair protected. That might mean parting with your favourite hairstyles (like braids or weaves) and instead, focus on wearing your hair in simple styles that elevate the hair away from the shoulders. Good options for protective styling are ponytails, high buns and twists. Wear your hair in protective styles until it’s in better condition.

Don’t towel dry your hair.  Towels and curly/afro hair don’t mix. If you need to dry your hair use a cotton t-shirt because it’s softer, reduces frizz levels and won’t cause your hair to rip or tear. Put simply, cotton t-shirts are amazing for drying natural hair.

 Get your hair back to tip top shape. The best way to do this is to make sure you are deep conditioning your hair at least once every 2 weeks until your hair is restored to good health. Make sure you use a good deep conditioning treatment or hair mask that contains natural ingredients, is silicone free and contains good proteins.

If you’d like more advice on caring for your curls join our VIP newsletter list.

Till next time,

Victoria.

Founder, www.mycurls.co.uk

Natural Hair Role Model: Lupita Nyong’o

lupita blog post Within the space of a few months, Lupita Nyong’o has quickly become one of the most admired actresses in Hollywood.

Why?

Well, she’s undeniably stunning, super smart and exceptionally talented.

However, what I admire most about Lupita is despite living in a world that celebrates a very narrow and one-dimensional perception of beauty, Lupita has managed to effortlessly show that beauty is as diverse and fluid as the earth itself.

Beauty is not one colour, one complexion, one hair type or one skin tone.

Beauty is not one-sized or one dimensional. Beauty is not narrow, fragile or fearful.

Beauty is colourful, florescent, natural and graceful.

Beauty is vibrant, energetic, charming and brave.

These are EXACTLY the qualities that Lupita embodies and I am so glad to see that because of her, Hollywood (and the wider world at large) is starting to recognise the range of beauty that exists in the world.

After seeing Lupita grace the red carpet multiple times earlier this year I was stunned. However, when I heard her give this speech (below) my admiration for her grew ten fold.

Watch the video below and leave a comment that shares one thing you learnt from her speech.

If you liked this post and want more hair care inspiration and hair tips, join our curly community (it’s free!).

3 Spring Hairstyle Ideas For 2014 and Beyond

I don’t know about you but here in London the Spring whether it usually pretty glum.

That means that wearing your curls out or sporting a ‘fro isn’t such a great idea and it’s usually best to cover your curls in a hat.

However, it is possible to look chic and glam regardless of how good or bad the weather is.

Here are 3 spring hairstyle ideas that will keep your hair looking fab for weeks to come!

#1 The Milkmaid Braid

milkmaid braid salma  milkmaid braid

Simple, chic and versatile. This hairstyle is bound to get heads turning whilst also allowing you to have low maintenance hair for several days. It’s also a brilliant option if you’re thinking about keeping your hair in a protective style.

#2 The Side Part

side part hairstyles side part hairstyles

Side partings add extra ‘umph’ to your hair without taking much time to create. To make creating side partings easy, simply start with damp hair, apply a coin sized amount of oil to the palm of your hands, massage into your hair and scalp and then take a long tail comb and create the parting. It takes just a few minutes and looks great!

#3 The Low Ponytail

low ponytail natural hair low ponytail natural hair Garcelle+Beauvais+Long+Hairstyles+Ponytail+tKfa05AmdAtl

According to Elle.com, the super sleek low ponytail is back this spring.

What’s great about the low ponytail is that it’s perfect for medium and longer lengthed hair. However, girls with shorter hair can still achieve the look by using hair extensions or a clip-on ponytail.

If you’d like more natural hairstyle ideas don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter where I share advice, tips and hair care treats. Click here to subscribe.

How To Look After A TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro)

Whilst there’s a lot of talk in the natural hair community about growing long hair, many women aspire to have beautiful short kinks and curls.

Reasons for choosing a shorter do can vary. Some women love the convenience and versatility that short hair brings whilst others rock a short hairstyle whilst transitioning from relaxed to natural.

Opting for a shorter hairstyle is also ideal for women who are busy, pressed for time or just simply look better with shorter hair.

How do you maintain short natural hair? How do you style it? What do you do to keep your kinks or curls in great condition?

Here are some tips to help you to nurture your gorgeous afro.

#1. Keep it nourished.

Natural afro hair needs moisture- lots of it! And just because your hair is sure that doesn’t mean that you can get away with not moisturising it. To keep it in great condition, apply a natural hair lotion and oil (such as coconut, olive or jojoba oil) to it daily. If you neglect to moisturise it you’ll be faced with super dry hair that is brittle, fragile and will eventually break. Moisturise is a natural girl’s BFF. Don’t forget that.

how to maintain a TWA teeny weeny afro #2. Spritz it.

In a rush to work? Pressed for time? We’ve all been in those situations where our hair was the last thing on our minds because we quite simply had a lot of on our plate.

However, it’s no excuse to not take care of your hair. One way to keep your curls in impeccable condition (even if you’re time short) is to grab a spray bottle, apply a mixture of water, conditioner and your favourite oils and then spray it on your hair each day. Spritzing your hair is a fantastic way to ensure that it looks great and stays in top notch shape.

#3. Accessorise.

From pins to bows to flowers and headbands, there are so many accessories that you can use to add some pizzazz to your hair. What I love most about hair accessories is that they allow you to look girly and dolled up even if you’ve put little to no effort into styling your hair. They give you that ‘quick styled look’ in seconds. How great is that? Accessories are also really affordable and you can find some wonderful items on Amazon, Ebay and Etsy.

#4. Style it up.

Whilst pins, bows and flowers are great, there are other options for styling your TWA. You could add a side-part or have your stylist cut/shape your hair into a particular style. Another way to style your TWA is to play around with hats and scarves which can give you a variety of new looks.

#5. Co-wash your curls. Co-washing (which simply means washing your hair with conditioner rather than with shampoo) should ideally be done once a week or once every two weeks. Co-washing is great because it ensures that your hair is clean without stripping it of it’s natural oils (like shampoo often does). To get the best results, co-wash your hair with a silicone free conditioner that contains ingredients like coconut oil as this will help with adding moisture and will keep your hair is excellent condition.

Finally, remember to be confident with your hair no matter what it’s length, shape or texture. Confidence is beautiful! For more hair care tips, join our curly community. Have a fab day.

Victoria. Founder, My Curls.

7 Protective Hairstyle Ideas For Natural Hair

Hey Curlettes!

Have you ever been stuck for ideas on how to style your hair? I know I have and it’s not fun.

The truth is that styling your curls should be a breeze and it shouldn’t take forever to think of hairstyle ideas that will work for you.

Take a look at the hairstyle ideas below and leave a comment below telling me what your favourite style is.

As always, the best hair advice and information is shared in our newsletter. It’s free and packed with awesome tips and inspiration that you’ll love.

Click here to join.

 

7 protective hairstyle ideas for natural hair

Have a fab day!

Victoria 🙂

Founder, MyCurls.co.uk.

Natural Hair Tips: How To Get Rid of Frizzy Hair

Over the past week or so I’ve been busy in the My Curls kitchen whipping together some sweet-smelling hair recipes. I’ll be sharing a few of the things I’ve come up with in an upcoming newsletter so make sure you’ve signed up so you don’t miss out! Click here to sign up (it’s free!)

Since frizz is one of the hottest topics amongst our Curlettes (that’s the name of our amazing community of curly customers and VIP newsletter subscribers), I thought it would be a great idea to create a cute but highly effective graphic on how to get rid of frizz.

 

How to get rid of frizzy hair

How to get rid of frizzy hair

 

Take a look at the picture and if you learnt something new from it, leave a comment sharing it below.

Do you know anyone who might benefit from this blog post? Click on the social media icons below to share this with your friends.

PS. Go here to become a Curlette!

Have an amazing week!

Victoria x

Hair Food: 3 Delicious Foods Your Hair Will Love

Did you know that our hair loves certain foods just as much as our body does?

Yup, it’s true!

There are 3 particularly delicious goods that are loved not just by the body but by the hair too.

These foods are nutritionally rich and are often high in protein. They’re essentially hair foods.

Hair food #1

Eggs. Hair is on average, composted mostly of keratin protein. Eggs are therefore essential because they replace lost proteins and help rebuild damaged hair. To get the most out of eggs, not only should you include them in your diet but you should also apply eggs to your hair. To get the best results, apply eggs from root to tip to your hair, leave in for 20 minutes and rinse out with cold or warm water. Using hot water could potentially damage your hair and will cause dryness.

Hair food #2

chocolate natural hair

Coconut Milk. I love coconut milk. It’s delicious, smells yummy and has big benefits for your hair. Because coconut milk contains protein, it protects your hair from losing protein and helps prevent damage to your hair. To top it off, coconut milk contains iron which is also important for hair strength and growth.

Hair food #3

Chocolate. Hailing from the cacao plant, chocolate has several benefits for the hair. Firstly, it can   stimulate your scalp, conditions your hair and reduces hair loss. Chocolate with a high cocoa content (of at least 70%) is particularly good because it contains antioxidant and vitamin benefits for your hair. (Source: A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals For The Body & Spirit by Stephanie Rose Bird).

As you can see, foods serve an important role in hair care. Incorporating hair foods into your hair care routine doesn’t need to be complex or difficult, it can be straight forward and even fun. It’s always great to test things out, see what works for your hair and be a little bit experimental. As always, please make sure you check to see if you’re allergic to certain foods before applying them to your hair.

For more hair tips, subscribe to our newsletter at www.mycurls.co.uk.

Get Hot Hair Now! How to make the most of your hair texture

Gorgeous natural hairWhether your hair is straight, wavy, curly or kinky, nothing is more important than hair texture when it comes to choosing your best hairstyle. Good, thick and shiny hair is every woman’s dream and whether your hair’s texture is fine, medium or thick; your hair is indeed your crowning glory and has a direct impact in making your personality stylish and trendy.

The healthier the life you lead, the better your hair will look. Your hair condition is directly dependent on proper nutrition. Eat good food and include a lot of vitamins to grow strong glowing hair. Eating quality foods and minimizing stress go a long way in ensuring that your hair is flawless. If you are not taking in the right amounts of nutrients from foods, then you can take multivitamins and supplements instead. Water is also important as it is transported from the roots of your hair to the tips.  The roots soak up the water inside your skin and hydrates the rest of your hair. The healthier your hair, the faster it will grow.

Washing your hair every day can rob your hair of the essential oils that are necessary to make hair stand out. Daily shampooing can lead to more troubles than it’s worth. Washing your hair less often will also help regain your hair’s natural body and luster. Conditioning is also important, use a natural conditioner once a week to have that bouncy and youthful hair mane. Condition the hair only on the ends so you are not weighing your hair down. Drying of your hair and scalp are not exactly a recipe for great hair days, not to mention that your color will fade faster.

Give natural products a try for your hair care needs. Natural hair products not only improve the health of your hair making it look beautiful, but they enhance your overall health as well. Avoid opting for synthetic based products because chemicals damage your hair in a disastrous way. Products with ingredients like coconut, olive and avocado have greater absorption rates adding shine and bounce to your hair.

To add to your hair’s shine, rub a bit of olive oil after drying it. The olive oil is like a moisturizer that smoothens your hair and gives it a great shine, just a few drops will do the trick so be sure not to overdo it. It has been known to preserve the moisture in the hair and scalp, keeping them from drying out. This creates a good look that is uniquely you. Oils can also be applied as deep conditioners because they penetrate the follicles. Avocado and coconut oils naturally do this.

Do not blindly copy the hair care systems of others; be wise in selecting hair products or you will be disappointed in the end. Gain a strong understanding of which techniques help your hair thrive and put down the straightening creams, flat irons, and blow dryers. Don’t fight the texture but instead embrace it!

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Best Products For Curly Hair | Curly Hair Products 101

Raise your hand if you have curly hair. Me too!

curly hair products

Whilst we all love our curls, picking products that work for them isn’t always the easiest thing to do.

What a lot of curly girls (also known as naturals) fail to realise is that choosing hair products is a very personal thing.

There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration when picking curly hair products for your hair.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the key factors:

Your hair texture- is the product you’re considering, designed to meet the needs of curls?

Are your textures mixed? What I mean by this is- do you (like most curly girls) have more than one hair texture. I know I have. For instance, the front of my hair is sort of wavy-meets-afro whilst the middle is super afro textured. The back is loosely wavy. My hair has three very different textures and I always take that into consideration when making products for my curly-haired customers.

Another factor to consider is what’s in your hair products. This is a big one. So many products are filled with harsh chemicals that strip curly hair of moisture and make it dry, brittle and prone to split ends. Make sure you do your research and pick products with healthy, natural ingredients.

The final factor to consider is how much time you have. We’re all living increasingly busy lives so finding time to mix up your own concoctions can be really time and energy consuming. Many busy women simply want to use products that are easy to use and can be carried any where. That’s why when creating the My Curls range, I deliberately ensured that the products in the line were easy to use, portable and lifestyle friendly.

As a busy bee, you’re probably wanting to learn more about your hair in short bursts of time. I highly recommend signing up to our curly community which is totally free and takes about 2 minutes to do. We send free educational resources straight to your inbox so you don’t have to read through hundreds of articles. Click here to join the list!