Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Using the new Curl Junkie Products!

As most people know, I've released a few new products over the past 2 months and since I just released 2 new ones, I figured that now would be a good time to go over how to use them! Please keep in mind that everyone's hair is different and the following are just suggestions to help you get the most out of the products based on my experience. The following is based on my experience as well as based on client feedback.

Coffee-Coco Curl Creme-Lite - This is a lightweight version of the original formula and is perfect for wavy-curly hair for use on wet or dry hair. When I first developed this one, I made it for use on wet hair. Then, my manufacturer and her chemist tried it by chance on their wavy (& colored) dry hair and swore by it. I recently had the chance to visit them and tried it out on their hair. I was amazed! It added a little sheen, moisture, definition, and bounce to their hair! So when I returned home, I tried it on my hair dry and it worked like a charm. Now, this was not developed for my hair type (3c/4a), so it is too light for me to use on wet hair, but on dry hair, for refreshing and killing frizz...excellent! For 2a-3b hair types, feel free to try it both ways and you will probably not need a leave-in when using this as it is very conditioning. For 3c-4a types, I think it works best on dry hair for reviving curls/coils, but that is how it works out on my hair.

Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner - This is perfect for people who follow a CG routine (conditioner wash routine) or need a gentle conditioning cleanser. I normally do not follow this routine (I like to shampoo-mainly with the Gentle Cleansing Shampoo), but since I had been killing my hair testing products, even a gentle shampoo can be a bit much when you have to wash your hair 5 times in a row! This conditioner saved my hair's life. It has a lot of slip and moisture, yet lightly cleanses the hair without stripping it. At worst, after using this I just need a little bit of conditioner mainly on the ends of my hair since my hair is dry. If you have normal-oily hair and/or fine-normal hair, this may be the only product you need for your cleansing/conditioning routine. It has a light mint/citrus/cucumber scent and is very creamy. Make sure to wet your hair thoroughly and add small amounts to hair. Smooth it through and then add a little water. At this point you can start the scrubbing/shampooing motion and you should see a few bubbles start to form (add more product as you feel is necessary). Once you are satisfied with the level of cleansing, rinse and style. This is not a leave-in product so do be sure to rinse it all out. Love this stuff!

Curls in a Bottle!
- This can be used as your only styling product depending on your hair type. I have found that this product works the best for me when I use the Beauticurls Daily Conditioner first. I think that in this dry, cold weather, the glycerin in the conditioner works wonderfully in the shower to give my hair the moisture it needs and won't get outside of the shower. Then I rinse thoroughly and apply the Curls in a Bottle! straight. I apply a good amount (about 4 half-dollar sizes for my almost shoulder length normal-thick 3c/4a hair) to my hair and scrunch/squish it through my hair before towel blotting. If my hair is feeling on the dry side, then I might add Curl Rehab or Curl Fix as a leave-in under the product. It should be noted that this is not a curl enhancing product (or wasn't developed to be), so if you have wavy hair and are looking to boost curl, you may have to mix this with a hard hold gel to help encourage curl. This product helps to smooth out and define waves and curls.

Beauticurls Daily Conditioner - This is great for adding a shot of moisture and detangling. I've also heard reports from people who have been using it successfully as a leave-in as well. I use it as an instant detangler that I rinse out after 1-3 minutes and I get hydrated, soft hair.

Beauticurls Leave-in Conditioner
- This is a lightweight option for adding a little moisture to the hair. It is very conditioning so it may not the best choice to use under the Curls in a Bottle! since the 2 together can be over conditioning and cause frizz (or use a very small amount). I find it's best to use this one by itself or topped with a hard hold gel. It also smells fantastic-which is a plus!

Curl Fix - This is perfect for when you need a dose of protein or if you have fine hair that likes protein in conditioners. There is not so much to make your hair hard, but especially when used with heat, this helps you to add strength and smoothness to your fragile hair. I like to use this as a leave-in under the Curls in a Bottle! when I feel like my hair could use a little protein/strengthening.

Curl Assurance Smoothing Daily Hair Conditioner
- I look at this as the lightweight daily version of Curl Rehab or I should say that is how it performs on my hair. Once this penetrates the hair after 2-3 minutes, you can feel it smoothing out frizzies (or I can :-) )-hence the name...I alternate this with the Beauticurls Daily Conditioner and once a week I choose a deep conditioner from either the Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix, Curl Fix, or Curl Rehab.

I hope this helps give some insight into how to use the products. If you have any questions about using them, feel free to post below and I'll do my best to answer! :-)