Curl Junkie - Natural Hair Care for all types of Curly Hair!

Using Curl Junkie in Low Dew Points!

2010-12-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

I have been receiving a lot of questions on this topic and thought it would be a good idea to blog a bit on it. For those who don't know what their dew points are, you can check out: http://www.dpcalc.org/ and weather.com for an easy way to find out and see the relationship between temperature, relative humidity, and dew points.

In low dew points, for hair types that are sensitive to this, the best Curl Junkie products to check out are:

1)Daily Fix
2)Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix - this works best for me in low dews!
3)Curl Rehab
4)Smoothing Conditioner
5)Beauticurls Leave-in Conditioner
6)CoffeeCoco Curl Creme - this works great in low dews to seal in moisture!
7)Hibiscus & Banana Honey Butta
8)Curls in a Bottle!
9)Curl Queen
10)Strengthening Conditioner - edit *** just wanted to say that I have been using this product in the past week on my friends after cuts and colors and I love the way it leaves their hair glossy and smooth! This is performing really well even in low dews as a rinse out! No frizz and easy detangling (both have past bra-strap length wavy-curly hair (one fine, one coarse)). I am really loving this conditioner!

For a Protein Treatment try:
1)Repair Me!
2)Curl Fix

A customer just recommended a combo that actually works really well! Try:
1)Daily Fix - to cleanse
2)Strengthening Conditioner - as a rinse out conditioner
3)Beauticurls Leave-in - as your leave-in
4)CoffeeCoco Curl Creme - as your curl creme
5)Curls in a Bottle! - for hold and shine

The CoffeeCoco and Curls in a Bottle! combo actually provided a med-firm hold and good moisture levels...I liked this combo a bunch!

If you have any low dew combos that have worked well for you, please post 'em! :-)

New Repair Me! Reconstructive Hair Treatment

2010-11-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

I just thought I'd write a brief post to update everyone on the release of the new Repair Me! Treatment, its uses and when to reach for it!

This treatment was actually requested by several different people in different parts of the US around the same time. One in particular has chemically lightened, very fine, slightly wavy hair and needed a stronger dose of protein than our Curl Fix product. I love a challenge and so began formulating a stronger protein treatment. This treatment uses Keratin Protein which is regarded as one of the stronger proteins in that is creates a stronger film on the hair and should also therefore last longer. The trick while formulating, was to find a good balance between strength and moisture. This is one of the hardest things to do as many who use protein treatments will tell you. I only promised to release this treatment if all of my testers reported back that they LOVED the treatment...no LIKES...since I did not want to release yet another product (which costs more $$$$ I barely had since releasing the other 4 products a few weeks ago). A part of me was secretly hoping at least someone would not like it. :-) Nope! The tester with the most damaged hair was the most vocal. "I want a gallon of this stuff once you release it!" she said. Well that did it for me and so here it is!

So who needs it? If your hair is damaged either due to chemicals or physical damage (from say blow-drying or flat-irons), you need it. If your hair is normal-fine, you might want to use it once a week or every 2 weeks just to give your hair extra support and body. All hair types can benefit from a once a month or so treatment just to keep the hair looking healthy and feeling good! This treatment is also good for those who don't like or are sensitive to other types of protein (like say, the wheat protein in Curl Fix), but still want a protein treatment.

Hope this helps! If you have any questions feel free to comment below! :-)

Using the Newly Released Curl Junkie Products!

2010-10-11T08:41:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Now that the products have been out for almost 2 weeks I figured this would be a good time to post some hints about using the new products based on feedback that I've received from customers as well as my own experiences with them.

1)Aloe Fix Lite - This is best for three distinct hair types for different reasons. One is wavy-curly hair that is normal-coarse and is looking for definition and hold. Another is wavy-curly hair that is normal - fine and looking for volume (it will not give you frizz control per say as that is part of the volumizing effect on this hair type). I think that for these hair types, the product works best alone with no Leave-in product underneath. This would produce the most hold in this product. The last hair type is very curly-coily normal-fine hair that is looking for definition and frizz control. To aid with the frizz control, try using the CoffeeCoco Curl Creme-Lite(for more hold) or BeautiCurls Leave-in (for more moisture) under the Aloe Fix Lite as they seem to really have a great synergy and work well together. If you are in a dry climate (low dew points), you can try topping with Curls in a Bottle! to add extra protection against dryness and frizz.

2)Curl Queen Gel - This gel is best for wavy-curly, normal-fine hair types looking to smooth frizz, add shine and humidity protection to their hair. Again, I think this gel works best alone, but also has a nice synergy with the new Smoothing Lotion Leave-in Conditioner. This glycerin-free gel is great for use in high and low dew point (very humid or dry areas) conditions.

3)Curl Assurance Smoothing Lotion - This Leave-in conditioner has a lot of slip and is great for detangling. It can be used as a rinse-out as well, although it is best suited towards use as a leave-in. Only a small amount is needed so don't overdo it! You can also use this conditioner on dry hair to add moisture and smooth frizz.

4)BeautiCurls Strengthening Conditioner - This lightweight rinse out conditioner provides a healthy dose of Keratin Amino Acids to help support fine, fragile hair without weighing them down. This conditioner has a lot of slip/detangling and is light on moisture so is best for normal-oily hair types looking to perk up curls and cut frizz. All hair types can use this when looking to help revive curls and generally maintain hair strength.

If you have any new combos or suggestions for using the new products, feel free to post/comment and I'll add them below. Thanks to everyone for their support and I hope you enjoy the new products! :-)

Oh, and BTW-when I was redoing the website, I came across a pic of my hair length from Dec. 2008(see pics below). The last time I cut my hair that short was Feb. 2009 and then I decided to start growing out my hair and see how long I could get it. So now a little over a year and a half later, look at the difference! I can't wait to see it in another year! :-)

How to Prevent Your Curls from Drying Out?

2010-09-26T07:24:00.000-07:00

This was the number one question on the Curl Junkie Page on Facebook (if you haven't done so already, I invite you to "like" the CJ Page on Facebook) for the next topic to discuss on this blog. OK, so let's get started...

As with most things, there is not an easy answer for this since there are many variables. Things like the following will affect the answer for you personally:

1)Dew Points : I found a pretty good dew point calculator here, so you can find out what your dew points are at any given time and help you determine what products to use, but we will touch more on this later...

2)Hair texture, porosity, density - all of these will help you choose the best product to use for any given day.

3)Curl/Coil diameter/shape - in general, the tighter the curl/coil, the drier the hair tends to be so the more moisture/product you may need. That is to say, when the cuticle lies flatter (as in wavier, straight types of hair), there is less of a tendency for water to evaporate from within the shaft. When the hair bends more as with curlier types, then it is easier for any openings in the cuticle to let water escape (think of it like putting little pieces of tape on a slinky versus on a ruler. It is more likely that as the slinky moves the pieces of tape may raise up rather than when you move a ruler with the same pieces of tape.)...leading to more dryness.

4)Humidity levels where you will be spending most of your time - office space, the gym, outside in a wind storm, the steam room, etc. :-)

5)Damage to the hair - the more damaged your hair is then the more protein you will need in your products. The drier your hair is (in terms of feel), the more moisture/emollients you will need...

OK, so these are the more important things to consider in my opinion to start.

For me, what I have found is it all begins with the wash...be it a gentle shampoo or a conditioner wash (a method where conditioners are used as "shampoos") or co-wash. Try not to use anything that will rough up the hair shaft too much (some products people use as co-washes can do that I have found and lead the way to dry hair-usually because the product they are using was not meant to be used like this and are not specifically formulated to be used in that way). The next part is conditioning. I have found that if I am using good rich conditioners (as my hair tends to lean towards the dry side) on a daily (if not every other day) basis, my hair will stay moisturized throughout the day. My favorites from the Curl Junkie line are Curl Rehab & Beauticurls Daily Conditioner in normal-high dew points and Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix & Curl Assurance Smoothing Conditioner for Normal-Low dew points. For where I live in the North East, this basically translates to Spring-Summer for normal-high dews and Fall-Winter for normal-low dew points (although this is not set in stone). Depending on where you live you could have higher dews most of the time (say in Florida or Texas) or more moderate dew points (say in California) or low dew points (like Arizona), so check out the dew point calculator to see how factors such as temperature and relative humidity relate to dew points. (This may seem a bit complicated for some but folks asked so I'm tellin'!)

Finally, you have to follow this with the right styling product and/or leave-in conditioner. For me, in the Fall/Winter time (low dews), my favorite styling products are things like the CoffeeCoco Curl Creme or Honey Butta. In the Spring/Summer, I prefer gels like Aloe Fix topped with a little Curls in a Bottle!, sometimes alone and other times over a little bit of leave-in like Beauticurls Leave-in Conditioner. In other words, in low dews I need more emollients (like butters and oils) in my styling products to help seal in moisture (and prevent frizz). The product can have humectants in them, just not a lot. In higher dews, I love a lot of humectants (like glycerin) along with something to seal in the moisture and add weight (which gel products do for me with or without crunch).

If I follow this routine with products I know work for me (like mine :-P), then my curls don't frizz out or feel dry and parched by the end of a day. If I want to try for second day hair (in other words, to refresh my dry hair when I get ready in the morning), I can usually use a spray like Curl Fuel in the higher dews and CoffeeCoco Lite in lower dews.

Again, this is what I have found in general and variations will occur. This is why you will have to experiment with my products and with other brands.

Lastly, I have also found that you do need to wash and condition your hair more often (every 1-3 days) for best results as far as moisture retention and the look of the hair. If you are doing styles like 2 strand twists/braids, then maybe you can go for a few days, but no more than a week is best in my opinion between wash/conditions.

I hope this helps and of course, if you have any questions, please feel free to post them! :-)

New Curl Junkie Sample Pouch Sets!

2010-02-26T04:35:00.000-08:00

We finally have sample pouch sets available for purchase from our site! We have 2 sets of pouches:1)Cleansing/Conditioning (containing all of our cleansers and conditioners) and 2)Styling Products (containing all of our styling products except the Curl Fuel which we couldn't fit in the pouches! :-) ). Unfortunately, we do not have individual pouches available for purchase, only the sets, and we cannot customize them at this time.

I do understand that these may be too small for some to get a thorough assessment of the product, but they are really meant for folks to get an actual physical feel of the product and to check out the smell, moisture, hold, etc., in the most cost effective way possible. Unfortunately, larger sizes require much more money once you start using a manufacturer and that would not be possible at this time. I do hope this will be helpful for some! :-)

The Cleansing/Conditioning set contains single use, .5oz pouches of:
1)Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner
2)Gentle Cleansing Shampoo
3)Smoothing Conditioner
4)Beauticurls Daily Conditioner
5)Beauticurls Leave-in Conditioner
6)Curl Rehab - Strawberry
7)H&B Deep Fix
8)Curl Fix

The Styling Set contains single use, .5oz pouches of:
1)Daily Fix Cleansing Conditioner
1)CoffeeCoco Curl Creme
2)CoffeeCoco Curl Creme-Lite
3)H&B Honey Butta
4)Smoothing Gellie
5)Curls in a Bottle!
6)Aloe Fix

Click here for more info!

My 2 cents on Protein/Texture/Porosity/Moisture Balance! :-)

2010-02-19T13:45:00.000-08:00

So, I've gotten a lot of questions recently about Proteins, Hair porosity, Hair Texture, & Moisture which is great because it makes you think even more about the relationships that exist between things. This also ties into the quest for the "Holy Grail" product and why what works for you one day, doesn't work the next.

First let me say that we all have to remember that there are many factors that go into determining whether or not a product works for you. Here are just some things to consider (assuming you haven't found your perfect combos yet):

1)Outside Weather - including Dew points, temperature, relative humidity, wind, rain, snow, etc...
2)How you treat your hair - Do you use heat regularly? Do you color your hair? Do you sleep on a cotton pillowcase vs. satin vs. whatever... Is it damaged or generally healthy?
3)Inside Environment - Humidity - is it relatively dry or most in your home or office?
4)Hair Texture - Fine through normal through Coarse (For the sake of this article, on a 1-10 scale, I'll say that the very finest of hair is a 1 and the coarsest of hair is a 10). I find that most people who think they have really coarse hair don't. This is mainly due to frame of reference. You'd need to feel truly coarse hair (which is typically given as Asian/Native American, although I have felt variations there as well and have seen the coarsest hair in my life on a Caucasian head...2 actually...and they were both red-heads...humm...). This isn't to say that you aren't right, but it is likely that your hair is in the 6-9 range. Just as with fine hair, you'll be in the 2-4 range. It turns out, when I compare my hair strands with other folks hair, that I fall in the normal to fine range (about a 4)...that was a surprise to me!
5)Hair Porosity - Low-normal-high (which most people will not have unless their hair is damaged/bleached/etc). For the sake of this article, low porosity hair will feel smooth moving your fingers up and down the shaft and also has problems absorbing water/product/chemicals (you may see water beading up on the hair). High porosity hair will feel bumpy or a little rough (due to the cuticle layer not laying very flatly) and absorbs almost too much of everything (and will release it easily too, including moisture!).
6)Hair Density - Do you have a lot of hair on your head or very little (so you see your scalp easily)?
7)Wave/Curl Pattern - I think this a factor, although not the major one. For example, generally speaking, I think that if you have a weaker wave/curl pattern with fine-normal hair you may want to use a hard holding gel with your products to support your pattern.
8)Products you use on your hair - again, the quality, gentleness or harshness of the products you use regularly on your hair. Sometimes you can do damage with a harsh shampoo, sulfate or sulfate-free. Sometimes you need some protein and sometimes not. Sometimes you need a particular type of protein (like say the protein in an ingredient like Lecithin which even coarse heads seem to be OK with...).
9)How many times per week do you wash/condition/style your hair?
10)The temperature of the water you use to wash your hair...think about it, if you shower in hot water (like I do), then you create a great moisture rich environment for your hair to soak up moisture...you almost turn your conditioners into Deep Treatments! I find that even folks who normally avoid say glycerin in products, could use it in this environment and rinse it out (making sure not to use glycerin in their stylers). The glycerin helps to soak up the moisture in the shower air (this is not scientific, just what I've found! :-P)

I'm sure I'm forgetting other factors, but as I remember them I will come back and update the list (or leave a comment with some other factors). All of these things can come into play when selecting what products to use. For me, each day is different. Worse yet, I test products it seems all the time and have been known to shampoo and condition my hair at least twice a day most days, so my hair can take a beating! Every morning I put my hands in my head and just feel it...then I see what the weather is like and make a choice. Most times I choose well, but not always!

So, do you need protein or moisture and which ones? Ok, so if you use my number scale above (based on hair texture in this case), let's make some generalizations (so exceptions will exist, this is just some advice):

Assuming you have "healthy", undamaged, normal porosity hair:
1)If you range from 1-3, you will want to regularly use products with protein in your hair to help give it body, strength and support. This means your conditioners and stylers and basically, you are free to experiment with them. I have found in general for all the hair textures, if you have normal-high porosity, you can also use products that have oils/butters in them (just not too heavy).
2)If you are in the 4-6 range, you will want to alternate using products with protein and those without protein.
3)If you are in the 7-8 range, you may want to use a conditioner with protein in it about 1 time a week. You can occasionally use stylers with protein in them, but should alternate with protein free options. Also Amino acids are a good choice for proteins since they tend to wash away easily and are less likely to build up on your hair.
4)If you are in the 9-10 range, unless your hair is damaged, use protein free products where possible. You might find you need a protein treatment once in a blue moon, but likely not.

(The hair on the left (mine) is about a 4, the one in the middle is about a 6 and the one on the right is about a 7-8. These are approximations based on my own crazy system and are estimates. As you can see, the differences between the hair strands are really small, but if you could see them live and feel the hair strands, it would be easier to see the real differences in texture. These hairs are also stretched out from their original tightly coiled (mine), curly (center), and wavy(right) patterns for the purposes of this demonstration. I hope this helps with your own comparisons! Not the best pics I know, but I'll keep adding as I get more! :-) )
As promised, above are some more fine hair strands. The one on the left is about a 1, the one in the middle is about a 2 and the one on the right is my hair strand which is about a 4.

Again, these are generalizations and the other factors may contribute to a product working for you or not...

Hope this helps and be sure to visit Curl Junkie to check out some product options! :-)

Using the new Curl Junkie Products!

2010-01-20T07:57:00.000-08:00

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! :-)

End of the Year recap with Curl Junkie!

2009-12-16T13:23:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone!

As we are nearing the end of the year, I thought now would be a good time to tell you what is going on and what is in the works!

As most of you know, I just released 5 new products in the line. What prompted this? The truth is, I love to work on new products. If someone has a hair challenge, I'll usually take it on and see if I can solve the problem. I love working on new things. So, I'd be
working on new products anyway. But, what sealed the deal was the following. I had found a manufacturer about 2 years ago that I teamed up with to make the Curl Assurance Leave-in and Daily Conditioners. I had stopped working with them by the time the product was made and moved on to my current (and much, much better!!) manufacturer. This 1st manufacturer went out of business without notifying their customers, taking our formulas for these 2 products with them.

I have learned not to work jointly with anyone else again to develop a new product, so we won't have to worry about this happening again. That being said, I still have a good inventory of these 2 products and they are currently on 50% off sale. The other products that are being discontinued (Curl Theory, Hair Styling Water and smaller sizes of the CoffeeCoco Curl Creme and Curl Fuel (the 4oz sizes only, not the product!) were strictly due to poor sales. I need to make room for the new products. Once you start to use a manufacturer, it is very expensive to produce each "run" of product/sku.

The new products should, hopefully, round out the line and provide viable options for all hair types. I'll also be making sample pouch sets that will be available for purchase. My hope is that they will be available around the first of the year.

In addition, I'll be introducing the CoffeeCoco Curl Creme-Lite and a cleansing conditioner (for those who have asked for a co-wash product) in mid-January. The CCCC-Lite will be perfect for those who found the original too heavy. The feedback has been fabulous from all hair types (particularly the normal-fine, wavy-curly groups) and it seems to work equally well on dry or wet hair. I am very excited to release these two new products!

Thank you to everyone for reading the post and if you have any questions, feel free to leave them below and I will answer as best I can. :-)

Tips on using Curl Junkie Smoothing Gellie

2009-08-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I have been getting some questions lately on how to best use the Smoothing Gellie so I thought I'd address that here in this blog. Firstly, the Smoothing Gellie is more like a mix of a light curl creme and a light gel and when I originally made it, it jiggled more like a Jelly of sorts and hence the name. Now that the manufacturer makes it, it has a little more solid structure, but the performance is the same. It is the Broccoli seed oil that makes it cloudy, but the chemical make up of the product is that of a light gel.

So, how to use it best? What hair types is it best for? I would say that it works best on fine to normal (texture and density), 3b (curly) and 3c (very curly) hair types, although folks on outside that range from very wavy (2c) to tightly coiled (4a), have used the product successfully as well but these hair types would be better served with say the Aloe Fix or CoffeeCoco Curl Creme. This product is really great at getting your hair to "clump" together, be more defined, and smooth out frizzies if you use it correctly. I have 3c/4a normal (texture/density) hair and have been using this product lately with great success. Here's how I'd recommend using it:

1)Apply to very wet hair (after rinsing conditioner-you can use a leave-in conditioner like our Curl Assurance leave-in or Styling water if you have dry hair, but this is not necessary) by smoothing a generous amount over the hair (like you were pulling your hair into a ponytail) and then adding more product by smoothing it through the inner sections, making sure all of your hair is covered.

2)If you are in the shower, quickly run the water over your hair to help "activate" and distribute product. Squish/scrunch the product through your hair.

3)Now, take a brush (like a Denman) or a wide tooth comb and brush through hair in this dripping wet stage. This is when you should see the hair start clumping together and getting more defined.

4)At this point, you can leave the hair as is or you can top it (by scrunching it in) with a hard hold gel (such as Biosilk Rock Hard Gellee or LaBella Lots of Curls gel-this one works really nicely with the Smoothing Gellie) if it's humid out or you just want extra security.

5)I usually just blot my hair with a towel (without movement-to soak up extra water) and let my hair air-dry.

So if you have been having problems using this product, try the above to see if it will work for you!

2009-06-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

Tips on using Curl Junkie Aloe Fix Hair Styling Gel

Hi Guys! I just thought I'd do a quick post here since I've been getting a lot of questions on how to use the Aloe Fix gel and thought this would be a good place to offer suggestions! These recommendations are inspired by things I've tried, as well as by the way some of my customers are using it (and I have also tried out). I'm sure there are many other combos out there that I haven't tried (and so please feel free to send me comments with your suggestions to post for those who are looking...), but these are the ones that stood out to me...

For the sake of making this as easy as possible, I'll just stick with the 2, 3, 4, a, b, c system which most of my customers are familiar with:

1)2a-b, (basically wavy hair types of all textures): The Aloe Fix gel seems to work best with a small amount of a lightweight leave-in applied/smoothed through and then the gel scrunched into the hair. This helps to create volume in the hair.

2)2c, 3a (very wavy hair and those with bigger, looser curls): The gel seems to work best when applied/scrunched (if you want volume) over the Curl Assurance Leave-in (or similar leave-in of your choice) or the CoffeeCoco Curl Creme (use only a small amount) and followed with a touch of a harder holding gel of your choice if desired.

3)3b (Botticelli curls) and 3c (tighter curls of fine-normal density): This hair type can try out the suggestions above for the 2c, 3a or the following (which I just tested out this morning)...not to plug another product, but it seems to work so well with the CoffeeCoco and Aloe Fix for this hair type that I have to say it...Try using Curl Rehab or Lustrasilk as a leave-in, followed by smoothing in (or brushing in, with a Denman-type brush) the CoffeeCoco and then the Aloe Fix (if you want extra hold and definition...this is optional). This is an awesome combo! I don't know if I'd recommend doing this everyday as you may end up overconditioned using the Lustrasilk everyday with this combo (in which case you could alternate with the Curl Assurance Leave-in or other lightweight leave-in or nothing at all!)...I should also say that I'd only recommend this for folks with dry hair since it may be product overkill otherwise. So if your hair tends to be oily or is very fine, stick with the recs for 2c, 3a hair...I'm sure folks will chime in on this combo...

4)3c (very tight curls, normal-coarse density) and 4a (very tight curls/coils): If you are looking for curl definition and to stretch out your curl pattern, I'd recommend that you apply this directly to the hair without using any other product underneath. You can either smooth it in section by section with your hands or brush it in. Use generous amounts of product and make sure to cover all sections of hair. You can air dry, diffuse or sit under a hooded dryer.

5)4b (z pattern hair): This gel would be best for this type when slicking/pulling back the hair into a ponytail or with a headband. Apply to wet hair and smooth with hands or a brush into the desired style.

BTW-if you cannot find a combo that works for you on wet hair, this product is fabulous to use on dry hair (if I do say so myself :-P ). On dry hair, it smooths surface frizzies and helps to define curls!

Hope this helps!! :-)

2009-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Do I need a gel??

This is just a short post to talk about a topic I've been asked about and have been reading a lot of questions about...

So recently, I have been noticing a lot of people getting confused on this topic or wondering why cremes may not be enough for their hair. I've been thinking about this question and I've noticed that there are certain categories of hair that do better with gel. Now, you have to take this with a grain of salt, because again, it depends what your ultimate hair goals are...do you like definition and don't mind some crunch (from the hard hold gel) or do you just want softness and volume?

Let's take a product like our CoffeeCoco Curl Creme...If your hair is in the 2's (wavy) or 3a (loose curls) or 3b (classic curly hair with smaller curls), then you may want to pair up using a little of the Curl Creme with a gel on top (like our Aloe Fix Gel or a hard holding gel of your choice). This will help give you the benefits or enhanced curl definition with the "durability" and hold factor of the gel.

3c (tight curls) and 4a (tight curls/coils) type hair would most likely only need to use the Curl Creme. This is because this type does not really need something to prevent the curl from falling/coming out of their hair. This type is usually more concerned with moisture, shrinkage and then definition. A small amount of Curl Creme usually will do and adding a gel on top can lead to product overkill and not much added benefit. This hair type also tends to suffer more from white balls or flakes forming when they use a creme/leave-in under a gel. I think in order to combat this, you have to be sure that whatever product used under the gel is almost completely absorbed/dispersed through the hair before adding the gel product. A combo I like for my hair is the Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix Conditioner rinsed out and then followed with the CoffeeCoco curl creme. This usually provides enough moisturization and hold for the day. This is a winning combo for my hair (3c/4a). When I want to combat shrinkage and get definition, then I'll just use the Aloe Fix, rake it through my hair and add more water to disperse the product. Another good combo is the Hibiscus & Banana Honey Butta or Curl Assurance Leave-in Conditioner, followed by our Smoothing Gellie. These combos work very well to provide moisture and definition with a light hold.

Lastly, all hair types should watch out for using too many conditioning products which can lead to frizz and over-conditioning. Using a rinse out conditioner and then a leave-in and then a creme and then a gel and then a pomade, can be a bit much for the hair and using all these products at once can lead to bad interactions as they may not work together chemically. I usually recommend to choose between using a leave-in or a curl creme because using both at the same time can cause frizz.

Is Protein really all that bad?

2009-05-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is a question that I've been getting a lot so I thought I'd address it here...

In my opinion, no, but you have to know when and how to use it! In general, I don't like to use blanket statements for anything when it comes to haircare since there are so many variables. So, when I see people avoid things like the plague because someone else does it, it makes me shutter!

If your hair is damaged from heat, coloring, wind, etc., then you could probably benefit from using a low protein conditioner now and again (not necessarily every time) and alternate with a no protein moisturizing conditioner. If your hair is fine, protein can help to give your hair some body. If your hair is normal and not damaged, then every week or two wouldn't hurt. If your hair is thick/coarse and not damaged, you probably won't need to use a conditioner with protein. However, if it has been damaged, you can still benefit from throwing a low-protein conditioner into the rotation.

For me, (3c/4a normal-width, thick density hair that is has been colored), a little protein is a good thing. Now, that means a little protein in the conditioner (like in Curl Theory Moisturizing Hair Conditioner) where there is enough to make my hair glossy and manageable, but not enough to make it hard or stiff. Those are reconstructing conditioners/protein packs for serious damage and I honestly have never had to use those. I alternate a moisturizing conditioner (like Hibiscus & Banana Deep Fix) with the Curl Theory Conditioner on the 3rd day and I am just fine! Love it!

I find it is true that for "normal" unprocessed hair, if you use a conditioner that has protein every day (and the conditioner has a good amount of protein in it) it can build up on the shaft (especially if you don't use shampoo) and lead to dryness/brittleness (in which case you might try shampooing and following with a moisturizing conditioner). But it is good to use a low protein conditioner when you notice that your curls are not as...well...boingy/springy as they used to be and/or have some frizz. You could be lacking a little protein. Try it out and see how you like it! :-)

Oh No...Frizzies!

2009-04-23T09:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Sorry I've been away so long! The business and motherhood has been crazy (in a good way!) and unpredictable, so I've neglected posting, but I finally have a spare moment so...on to business! I've been getting some interesting general questions from people that I think would make good blog posts, so each post, I'll try to address a question/topic. This week I'm going to try to tackle the topic of frizz/frizziness.

What's causing this? Well, from what I've learned it mostly likely can stem from 3 main things:

1)Differences in your hair's natural texture. You may have tightly coiled, curly and wavy hair all in the same head and sometimes right next to each other and that can cause what looks like frizz.

2)Over conditioning/product buildup - Sometimes we tend to overuse conditioners, leave-ins and stylers which can lead to overconditioning (hair becomes almost too soft, frizzy and lifeless with undefined curls/coils). If you are using a really good moisturizing conditioner already, be careful not to overdo it by adding say, a leave-in and a styler that already has conditioning ingredients. I find that usually less is more, so if you have a creamy, moisturizing styler (like the CoffeeCoco Curl Creme), you probably don't need a leave-in conditioner underneath. If you want more hold, then you can top it with a little gel of choice (say the Aloe Fix or Smoothing Gellie :-), or your preferred gel) and that should do ya! Sometimes adding an extra product like a leave-in to this combo or similar combo can cause frizziness from overconditioning. I usually use a leave-in alone or with a gel product or I use a creamy product by itself so I avoid this problem. If the frizzies have you in their grasp, I find that clarifying (with a shampoo or ACV rinse, etc.), followed by a conditioner with a little protein (like Curl Theory) usually helps smooth out frizzies.

3)Dry weather (low humidity) - This is where you really want to use a good moisturizing rinse out conditioner followed by a leave-in conditioner with a low amount of humectants and plenty of smoothing emollients (like Curl Assurance leave-in) to seal in moisture. If you use a leave-in with a high level of humectants in this situation, your hair may "reach out" to the air looking for moisture (and then if it doesn't find it, the humectant can pull from the hair itself causing dryness and...frizzies!) which can give the appearance of frizzies!

These are the main causes I have found, although there are sure to be others as everyone's hair is different and we all live in different climates and do different things to our hair (coloring, highlighting, blowdrying, etc.) Hope this helps and feel free to contact me with questions you'd like to see answered in a future post!

To 'poo or not to 'poo

2009-01-09T13:09:00.001-08:00

...that is the question. There is much debate on this topic, so I can only give my opinion on this as a cosmetologist, a haircare products formulator and as someone who has followed the no shampooing method.

Does it work? um...sometimes. OK, does it work for everyone? not really. There are a lot of factors that influence the choice to not shampoo including your own personality. Take me for instance, I'm a little bit of a control freak, so I want to know what my hair will look like most of the time and for me, that means a shampoo, condition, and a styler and or leave-in. I found that when I followed a no-shampoo routine, my hair looked about the same as with a shampoo, if not a little frizzier (probably due to over-conditioning). I also found that psychologically I like to shampoo and it's easier to keep my hair clean. You can get similar results with no using shampoo, but you have to be careful what types of conditioner and styling products you use.

Not into shampooing? Ok, look for lightweight conditioners (like Curl Theory Daily Hair Conditioner) that don't contain too much oil or waxes and ideally, contain surfactants or mild cleansing agents (which also can help with the emulsifying process in the conditioner). Ingredients like Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Behentrimonium Chloride, and Cocamidopropyl Betaine are some good ones to look for in your conditioner for your "conditioner washes". Also, it is very very important that you massage your scalp with as much pressure as you would with your shampoo. This is what helps to loosen and remove dirt and oil on the scalp along with the conditioner. If you are not using the right technique and/or product, you could end up with buildup which can be...not so nice.

OK, you want to use shampoo? Look for a very gentle, clear shampoo, preferably without sulfates (which tend to be harsher) like Curl Assurance Gentle Cleansing Shampoo. Also, try not to shampoo every day and follow with a moisturizing conditioner.

A Little Bit About Ingredients...

2008-12-27T14:15:00.000-08:00

What are some of the common (and confusing) ingredients in curly hair care products you should look out for? There are some different categories to check out. Let's see:
A) Emulsifiers/Emollients-
1)Cetearyl Alcohol is used to thicken and stabilize formulations. Cetearyl Alcohol imparts an emollient feel. This is one of many fatty alcohols and should not be confused with harsh, drying alcohols like SD Alcohol.
2)Cetyl Alcohol is used to give emulsions more stability, body, viscosity. It is also a fatty alcohol.
3)Behentrimonium Methosulfate - is naturally derived from Colza oil and is noted for its exceptional mildness. It is substantive to hair, it imparts excellent body, spring, improving wet comb.

B)Humectants-
1)Vegetable Glycerin – A humectant which draws moisture from the air into the hair shaft, helping to correct dryness and makes for softer hair.
2)Panthenol - said to impart long lasting moisturization and is said to increase the strength and diameter of the hair shaft.

C)Emollients-
1)Jojoba Oil – This oil (which is technically a wax) helps to add softness and shine to hair. Its texture is close to your skin's natural sebum.
2)Cocoa Butter – Rich in antioxidants and believed to be extremely healing, moisturizing and softening.
3)Shea Butter - A very emollient and moisturizing butter derived from the Karite tree in Africa.
4)Amodimethicone - is a type of silicone that provides selective conditioning to the areas most in need of it. While not water-soluble, it is reputed to be one of the silicones least likely to build up on the hair shaft with repeated use.

D)Moisturizers/Conditioners-
1)Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride – This naturally derived substance is very conditioning, helping to detangle hair and leaves hair soft.
2)Hydrolyzed Oat Flour – A natural thickener which draws moisture from the air to help with moisture balance.
3)Lecithin – Derived from Soy, this ingredient is very moisturizing and nourishing containing vitamins and a small amount of protein.

E)Proteins-can provide moisture, increase hair strength, and fill in damaged spots in the hair shaft.
1)Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein - a naturally derived protein that has a unique hydrating complex offering a combination of moisture-balancing and film-forming properties.
2)Oat Protein - retains significantly more moisture no matter what the humidity, and can gain up to 50% more moisture at relative low humidity when extra moisture is most needed.
3)Soy Protein - has been shown to improve gloss and texture, increases moisture retention, and improves manageability and body.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it's a good starting point!

In our next post, the topic will be "To 'poo or not to 'poo" - should you use shampoos or not?

Choosing the Right Products for your Curls!

2008-12-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

It's a tricky thing...but the first thing you need to do is understand (or at least come to terms) with your hair and what it can and can't (or won't) do.

I don't claim to be an expert, but after going through my own issues with my curly/coily hair and working for the past few years cutting, coloring and styling curly hair, I've learned a few things. I've also learned a few things while developing the Curl Junkie line of hair products. The developing/testing phase for all of these products has been rough on my hair and others as well since I've been known to test out (and shampoo out) products on the same patches of hair over a dozen times back-to-back. That I still have hair on my head that is in good condition, if proof enough to me that the products work. Then, the validation that comes from my clients and testers gives me further reassurance.

1)Curly hair can be temperamental. You need to understand and accept this because what this means is that it will be most unlikely that you will be able to use the same shampoos, conditioners and stylers every day. As most girls with curls know, you need to have a variety of products so you can change things around depending on the day.

2)The smaller/tighter the curl, the drier your hair tends to be. So if your hair type is like the picture above, you want to use really moisturizing products. Look for products for Dry, Damaged (like Hibiscus and Banana Deep Fix Moisturizing Conditioner), or even Color-treated hair. If your hair is wavy and fine, you might be able to get away with lightweight products for fine, normal or "curly" hair. If your hair is color-treated, then assume it needs more moisture and maybe the occasional bit of protein in your products (not to be confused with Protein treatments which are for really damaged hair).

3)Weather plays a huge part. If it's a humid or rainy day outside, you know that you need to grab the extra moisturizing conditioner and/or use a moisturizing leave-in product (so your hair is saturated with moisture and won't try to "grab" it from the air, causing frizz and expansion) and then use a styling product to help "seal" hair and keep frizzies at bay. If it's dry outside, you want to use a product (especially a leave-in or styler) with more emollients (which help smooth and protect the hair shaft) than humectants (which grab moisture from the air) to help keep moisture in the hair shaft and not have the dry air try to "steal" it, which can cause frizzies as well.

4)Shampooing is not necessarily a bad thing. If you do choose to shampoo, make sure you use an extremely gentle one so that you don't rough up your hair's cuticle layer. Sulfate-free is not necessarily better if it's not formulated well. I've tried more than my share of these shampoos and found them to be harsher and help to strip my color-treated coils. If you find that holy grail shampoo (mine just happens to be my Curl Assurance Gentle Cleansing Shampoo), then you'll find that the products you apply after that perform better and you are less likely to suffer from build-up problems.

5)You may not want to shampoo everyday...maybe every other day, or every 3 days or not at all. You can try a conditioner wash routine, where you use a lightweight conditioner as you would a shampoo. Add to wet hair and scrub really firmly and then rinse. The trick here to preventing buildup is to a)use a lightweight conditioner that actually suds a little when rubbed in the hair and b)massaging the scalp firmly and thoroughly. I cannot stress this part enough as if you are too light with the massage buildup is likely to occur. I have seen this in many a client's scalp and it is not pretty.

6)Over-conditioning happens from time to time, and is especially likely if you follow a no shampoo routine. I believe that you can over-condition most hair types (except maybe for the thickest, tightest curls/kinks). You'll know that your hair is over-conditioned because it a)gets unreasonably frizzy, b)you get flat, limp, undefined curls, c)you have some breakage/shedding (not in all cases, but it can happen). In these cases, I find that I need to a)shampoo my hair and/or b)use a conditioner which contains a small amount of protein (like Curl Theory Moisturizing Hair Conditioner) or contains Amodimethicone (like Curl Assurance Daily Hair Conditioner). I find that this solves that situation and I may only need to use either one every 3-4 days (I do shampoo my hair regularly).

7)I'm a hair control freak so I shampoo my hair almost daily and then apply conditioner and styling products. This is because I feel that have more control over what my hair looks like on a daily basis. After the shampoo, I do a quick check of how my hair feels and what the weather is like and take a guess at what products I'll use. Mistakes do happen though and then I'll just start all over again till it has the right feel and look to it! When I'm not feeling so controlling and I know I'm not going out for the day, I may treat myself to a deep conditioner and leave it in my hair as my leave-in and styler. I don't necessarily get the definition I want, but I love the softness!

8)Lastly, decide what you want. Do you want a) Definition, b) Softness, c) Shine/Sheen, d) Curls/coils that clump together, or e)Looser, separated curls. All these factors play a part in what products you'll use and very few (if any) can give you everything in one product (this is part what causes product junkie-ism-the search for that magical product-which can be fun too, but can be costly!). I go for definition and shine/sheen, so I'm willing to sacrifice softness (although my hair is not dry-I can always scrunch out the crunch later if there is any). Experiment, experiment, experiment!

Next post we'll talk a bit about ingredients in products and how that knowledge can help you choose the right product for you...