Headstart: Using Water as a Natural Detangler

Pictured above is Frizzy human hair.

When soaking wet, the human hair detangles as bonds are temporary broken.

I learned some things from my clients this week about natural hair.  Keeping a water bottle on hand is the best way to keep naturally resistant hair manageable and free of tangles.  Whether you are rolling it, braiding it, or even blow drying it, every small slice or small section at a time has to stay fully saturated with water in order to maintain control over it.

I always wondered why a blow dry service on resistant hair seemed like it grew more and more difficult as I advanced through the full head.  Literally, it seems crazy and contradictory to keep a water bottle on standby for a blow dry service but if you are blow drying resistant hair, you will have to keep re-wetting each section as you get to it while trying not to re-wet the section of the hair that you have already blown dry.

I will also re-emphasize "towel blotting" enough to keep the floor dry. However, you want a "soaking wet" head as the basis for your natural hair service.  I was amazed at the simplicity of water versus all the other leave-in conditioners on the market.

Product Review: Pureology Colour Fanatic Spray

The Pureology Colour Fanatic Multi-tasking Hair Beautifier Leave-in Spray has been bittersweet for me.  Initially, I loved it, and then after my extended use with various clientele, I found the spray could cause some dryness on relaxed hair.

So What I liked about the Colour Fanatic Spray is

1. It smelled like a sweet perfume which reminds one of something "expensive."
2. It detangles relaxed hair very well.
3. I can feel the strength in my clients' hair after completing their blow-dry service. 

So What I DO NOT like about the Colour Fanatic Spray is

1. It has sodium hydroxide listed in the ingredients list mid-way through.  Sodium hydroxide is lye, and long-term, all hair products with this ingredient can have diminishing returns over the long haul.
2. The strength that it leaves in my client's hair can also be drying to the hair.  If you have an oily scalp naturally or you keep your hair moisturized, then this potential drying effect may not be a huge deal breaker. However, if you are a mininimalist, then this multi-tasking spray may be more than you bargained for.

For the right person and the right service, it is a great spray.  I can see using this spray for the following services:

1. Pre-protection on the hair ends before relaxing the new growth if the hair is already tangled from a curly style.
2. Used as a cutting lotion for over-porous hair.
3. Used as a leave-in conditioner along with a soft setting agent to wet set the hair.

I will continue to evaluate this Pureology Colour Fanatic Spray for different purposes.  I think that I will finish up the bottle, but unless I nail a definite reason to keep it in my rotation.  I will not be purchasing it again.

Leave-in Solutions for dry Extension hair

On wet or dry extension hair, hands down, these two leave-in styling aids are a new "must" have.
1) Paul Mitchell's Awapuhi Wild Ginger Styling Treatment oil and
2) HairUWear All Day Softness Leave-in Conditioner and Detangler

Of course, the Paul Mitchell Treatment oil is my "go to" serum for my regular "non-extension" blow-outs because the Pureology Smoothing Elixir seems to be discontinued.

You will love the smell of both of these products as well as how they assist with keeping your extension hair maneageable all day long.

Product Review: Mizani Cutting Solution

Do you remember the "brilliance" of hair when the flat irons and all the moroccan oils were "the new hot trend?"  The hair had "crazy shine" and bounce.  Then diminishing returns started happening.  The silicones started drying out the hair, and the flat irons started frying out the hair.

Now, what if I told you that this Mizani Cutting Solution when used as a leave-in conditioner delivered that "exceptional" hair finish?  Well, I added this spray into my blow-dry services without any hair cutting because of the almond glycerides and  its moisture retention properties.  The final finish on everyone's hair no matter what the texture was absolutely awesome.  I am talking exceptional hair.  I was completely blown away.  It took my work to the next level of fabulous!

This cutting solution is a part of the Master's line.  I believe that they may be discontinuing it.  If they are discontinuing it, then it may be because of poor sales???  Honestly, most of us do not dream about "what our next cutting spray is going to be."  Rewetting the hair with water has always worked.  So I can imagine that no one wants to pay a lot of money for a cutting spray, but this one has a high concentration of glycerin and no propylene glycol.  I am in love with this spray as a leave-in moisturizer.

If it starts to have diminishing returns, then I will let you know, but for right now, this spray is the best thing since "sliced bread."

Wet wrap Regimen for short relaxed hair

Lately, I have been very successful with styling short cuts by using the combination of products pictured.

1) Spray Joico Leave-in Detangler through out hair and comb through. 2) I have been using the "Freddie J" inspired molding pattern. Please see separate blog article on hair artist Freddie J "Breaking the mold Dvd." 3)I would then use two palm full of Paul Mitchell Sculpting lotion distributed. 4) Next apply Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam distributed making sure that the hair is molded flat. 5) Use the "wrap styling strips" to hold hair down around the perimeter. I believe Freddie J's dvd that I mentioned in step 2 above has a professional way of using two styling strips for a secure placement. 6) Upon drying completely, you can use Bee Mine Products "Hair and scalp moisturizer" and a large paddle brush to loosen up the hold. (I may experiment with a few more other lightweight oils in the future just to have other options.) 7)Also, distributing some Kayvel Curl Wave sparingly helps with your marcel iron curling. Remember to brush the mold to loosen it up! It will be soft when you release the "temporary" product hold.

Final Results: Soft to touch shiny hair with a firm hold without it being crunchy.

So your hair will not hold curls?

The True Indulgence Relaxer delivered fabulous results again . . . on another client who decided to return back to the relaxer! She and I were very pleased with the beauty of the finish. So the True Indulgence relaxer is still my favorite relaxer so far, but as you know from my last post, I feel that my hair won't hold curls as well now. I had been fighting for a while to get my hair to hold straight without burning up my scalp. Well, my wish has come true! But now, I want my curls to hold better. As you can see from my picture, I figured out how to make them hold! Yeah!!

So the secret to making your curls hold in case you potentially get overrelaxed is: Use a generous amount of Lightweight Curly Leave-in Conditioner to roll/wet set your hair with. (I fully saturated my hair with Mixed Chicks Leave-in conditioner after my shampoo, then rolled my hair.) The results are soft, hydrated, defined curls!

Your brain is churning right? Remember when using curl defining creams and leave-in conditioners, straighter ends will show up as you were trying to enhance your new natural curl pattern? Most people trying to grow their relaxer out to transition into natural would snip those straight ends away. So why not embrace the fact that the curl defining cream or leave in conditioner could be used as a setting cream for those straighter pieces? Now, apply that same principle to a whole head of straight hair that will no longer hold a curl. The curl defining cream absorbs into that straight, wet hair. The hair will feel heavier than foam or lightweight setting lotion, but you wrap the wet, generously saturated hair around the rollers the same as usual. The hair dries in the same amount of time or quicker because it is a leave-in conditioner versus a setting agent.

So how do you select the right leave-in condiitoner or curl defining cream? Because I learned a lot this summer experimenting with my natural hair, I know which creams dry stiff and which creams dry soft. You want the curl creams and leave-in conditioners that absorb easily into the hair, but they dry soft. The Mixed Chicks Leave-in conditioner was my obvious choice because it has a lot of glycerin in it. Kinky-Curly's Knot Today Leave-in is organic and leaves the hair soft as well.

The "cheap" curl creams may not work as well nor be as healthy. Then again, they may do just fine. You choose the cream or leave-in that works for you. This article is to give you the concept of how to make your potentially overrelaxed hair hold curl using a wet set. Enjoy experimenting!

Product Review: Kinky-Curly Knot Today and more

One of my clients that did the big chop told me that the Kinky-Curly line builds on top of itself so you need to use the whole line. I had played with the Curling Custard over a year ago. I could not get the hang of it. However, now that I started using the KeraCare Defining Custard, I realized they are both about the same product consistency. I just purchased the "Knot Today" leave-in conditioner to use with my existing Curling Custard.
Voila! Day one hair with Kinky-Curly leave-in conditioner and Curling Custard. Most Target stores have the leave-in conditioner and the curling custard. The SuperTarget stores with larger ethnic displays carry the whole Kinky-Curly line. I still used my KeraCare cleansing cream first! I will have to buy the Kinky-Curly shampoo soon. On a separate note, the leave-in conditioner is more organic than the Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner. Because the Mixed Chicks Leave-in conditioner does have some silicone in it . . . it is probably a better fit for Type 3 hair as a final step. For those who need one extra final step . . . the Knot Today Leave-in conditioner seems healthier for the Kinkier hair that need a gel finish. I am looking forward to Day 5 hair . . . I will update this post then!

Review: Sedal Obedientes Curls hair products

Sedal Obedient Curls Anti-Frizz hair products are perfect for all curly hair type 2 and 3 curl patterns. It is great for those with permanent waves as well. The shampoo and conditioner perks up the curls for fine and medium textures without weighing them down. The Sedal leave-in conditioner is good for Type 2 curl patterns. The Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner is better for Type 3 curl patterns. Type 3 curl patterns often need the extra frizz control and can support a little more weight.

Where can you buy the Sedal line? Most spanish based stores such as "Compare Foods supermarket" and Mexican convenience stores. Sedal products typically cost around $8 to $11 for the conditioner. This is a very affordable curly hair product line that delivers great curly results!

Mixed Chicks Leave-in Conditioner is being carried in more and more beauty supply stores nationwide. Blooming Beauty Supply and Salon in the Northlake Mall carries the Mixed Chicks line.

"It's a 10" Leave-in Thermal Protectant

"It's a 10" is one of the best leave-in thermal protectants! There are a lot of good ones out there! This one however, has just added a "keratin" version to their line. So if you have a keratin straightener or keratin treatment in your hair, it is designed to assist in prolonging the results of the salon service. I have not tried it. I would caution to be on the lookout for too much keratin. Keratin usually means protein, and too much protein causes hardness in the hair. Then hardness causes breakage.