*Natural Hair Care*

So i have officially let out my natural kinky hair (lol). In doing this i have discovered that my hair although fabulous is dry and its not so easy to manage as when i blow dry and go.So i did some research on products, hair care and what, who and the how's of kinky curly hair. Here is some great information and i wanted to share it with you. I'm also positing pictures of all of the hair care products that i use and no i don't use them all at the same time lol. How do you work with your hair? What products do you use? 

*************************************************************************************************How to Care for Your Curly Hair

1. Ditch The Heat. Heat Styling Tools such as Flat Irons And 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.

2. Don't wash your hair every day. You may think that its good for your hair to wash it daily. But when you wash your hair daily, your actually stripping it of its natural oils resulting in it being dry and frizzy. Curly hair requires a lot more moisture than straight hair so its actually quite bad for it to be washed daily, you should only be washing your hair 2-4 times a week. You can condition your hair between washes if you like.

3. Find The Right Shampoo And Conditioner. You may not think it matters much about what shampoo and conditioners you use. Well it actually does. The type of shampoo and conditioner you use has a big impact on your hair. Everyone's hair has different needs, so the type of shampoo and conditioner you use all relies on personal choice and what you feel leaves your hair looking and feeling its best. If you are on a swim team, etc and swim in a chlorinated pool regularly you should be using a clarifying shampoo and conditioner as the chlorine in the pool can be harmful to your hair.

4.When Conditioning your hair, apply the conditioner starting about an inch down from the root all the way down to the tips of your hair, don't apply too much conditioner because this can result in your hair being greasy, just apply enough so that your hair is feeling silky and smooth. Wait about 1-3 minutes before rinsing the conditioner out of your hair, during this time brush your hair with your fingers until most of the knots are out, then use a WIDE TOOTHED COMB working up from the tips to the roots so your hair doesn't get damaged.

5. You should deep condition your hair at least once a week to keep it hydrated.There are many deep conditioning treatments available.

6. Detangle your hair now. 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 brushing your hair when its dry because it will just go POOF ! Use a detangling spray on any knots, and carefully work through them with your fingers or a wide toothed comb, DO NOT USE A NORMAL BRUSH because this will cause breakage to your hair.

7. Avoid Towel Drying The Hair. When you scrub at your strands with the towel, this causes friction which increases the amount of frizz in your hair when its dry. While in the shower, gently wring your hair to get some of the water out of it. To avoid your hair being dripping wet, wrap it up in a towel on top of your head for about 5-10 minutes.

8. If you're in a hurry and have no time to let your hair air dry, use a diffuser (blow-dryer attachment), because we all know that a hairdryer is a curly haired girls worst nightmare, because it simply makes your hair go POOF! While pointing the diffuser in the direction of the curl, hold the curl in your hand and gently squeeze it while drying, however you should not be using a hair blower in your hair too often, and when you do make sure to use a heat protectant.

9. Do not cake on the hair product all at once. As you should know its best to apply products while your hairs still damp, however you should not be putting layer upon layer of different products on your hair, because like us, our curls need to breathe, too many products in your hair will just cause greasiness and frizz, it is recommended you only use about 1-4 products in your hair, and make sure that you wait about 3-5 minutes between applying products so the product you just used has time to set into your hair. A great method of applying product to your hair is by gently scrunching it in, this stops your curls from becoming flat.

10.Use the right products. Curls are prone to frizz, to prevent this frizz you should use an Anti-Frizz serum. Also to add extra shine to your hair and help in the repair process a great product to use is the Organix coconut milk. If you want to add a little more moisture to your hair you can apply a leave in conditioner. You don't necessarily have to buy expensive high end hair treatments to keep your hair looking good, there are some great products available at drugstores and target that work amazingly.

11. Curling Mousse and Gels are great products for giving your curls definition and for creating those scrunched beachy waves. However if too much gel/mousse is used it can give your hair that stiff, crunchy feeling, so make sure to apply the right amount and distribute it evenly by scrunching it through your hair. Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly Line has a great range of styling products such as mousse and gels that work wonders without making your hair crunchy and smelly.

12. Shape the hair by scrunching it some more and twirling pieces around a finger.

13. Love your curls.