The Curly Hair Solutions Line



Curly Hair Solutions is a product line designed and dedicated to styling and maintaining curly hair.
They have a curl kit for every curl pattern according to the tightness of the curl; loose curl, medium curl, and tight curl. The two best things about this product line is that it's silicone free, and it's focused on curl definition.

My curl pattern is considered to be a 3c, so I used the tight curl kit. The following is a summary review of the best products within the tight curl kit.

The Curl Keeper





The Curl Keeper's purpose is to block frizz while keeping your curly style intact. It's very light, and is best used on wet hair. What I like best  about this product is that it rinses clean, which is a major plus! It does exactly as it claims. It's also very light and does not weight the hair down. A great choice for those with thin or fine hair. It's also good for those who are trying to achieve a light, bouncy finish to your curls. It's considered pricey, $9.99  for 3.38oz/100mL, but if you use styling products on a daily basis it's worth the investment.

Pure Silk Protein Moisturizing Deep Treatment





 The Pure Silk Moisturizing Deep Treatment is a deep protein treatment. It's best to use this when your curls have that mushy stringy feeling or it just needs a boost of protein. It's thick texture coats curls, and once it's rinsed out it leaves your hair feeling strong. If your hair is protein sensitive, follow up with a rinse out conditioner that contains moisture.

Silk Leave-In Conditioner



The Silk Leave-In Conditioner is a lightweight leave in that adds softness and shine. It left my curls well defined, shiny, smooth and strong. This is ideal for those whose hair doesn't mind light daily protein.

In conclusion, The Curly Hair Solution Line is a good choice for those who are seeking shine, strength, and curl definition. It's on the higher end of the price bracket, but the products listed here do an exceptional job of maintaining curly hair.

Frizz control: Products & Methods

Upon logging into Twitter, I noticed a substantial amount of ladies expressing frustration about frizz, unwanted big hair, and bad hair days. Look no further, I'm here to help! The following are some products and tips to help you fight against hair trouble!

Tips about fighting frizz:

*When rinsing your hair, rinse your hair with cool water, it may be a bit uncomfortable, but it helps to seal the hair cuticle, for a smoother curl appearance.

* Do not comb or brush your hair when dry, not only is this rough on your hair, it makes your hair "puff" out.

* One you have applied gel, cream, or any hair styling product, use a "hands off" approach to your hair. The more you touch it before the dries, the more your hair will frizz up.

* Consider applying a head scarf or sleep bonnet before going to bed, not only does it deter bed hair, but it will deter tangles and hair trouble the next morning


Products that fight against frizz:

Jane Carter Nourish & Shine

This product not only puts frizz in it's place, it also give great shine! Just rub it in between the palms of your hands, and apply it. Anytime I need my hair to be slicked back, I go to this product first. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly.





Curl Junkie Coffee-CoCo Curl Creme

This product is a leave-in conditioner/hair styling creme, which is great because it's two steps in one container. It's packed with good ingredients such as; blue agave and aloe vera, both which are beneficial for hair. When your hair is fresh out of the shower, apply the creme, comb through, then out whatever you use for hold on top. It gives light hold and shine as well.



Curl Junkie Curls in a Bottle:

This should be used as the finishing touch for your style and curls. It's a very light weight styling solution to define your curls. For those who like light, flowy, natural-looking curls, this is the one for you. If you like light hold, simply apply in sections after applying your leave in. If you use gel, apply this after you have applied the gel. It also smells nice.



Curl Junkie Curl Queen

It's name fits it well because in my opinion, it is the queen of all gels. This is for those who need absolute hold & control! It has a good hold factor without feeling hard or crunchy. Simply scrunch into your curls after applying leave in conditioner.

There you have it, the antidotes to frizzy hair! 













Products worth splurging on



Do you splurge when it comes to your curls? If so, listen up! The following products are a bit on the pricey side, but are worth the investment.

Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo: $7 to $20

This shampoo is designed for dry and chemically treated hair.  It also has a wonderful peachy smell, a great foaming lather, and left my scalp feeling clean and refreshed, without leaving my hair feeling dry and stripped. It's actually quite moisturizing, which is a rare find when it comes to shampoo. This shampoo not only correct dryness, it prevents it as well.

Ingredients:

Prunis Persica (Peach) extract, Pimpenella anisum (Anise) fruit extract, Panax Ginseng root extract, Ginkgo Bilobika extract, cetraria islandica (Irish Moss) extract, saccharomyces cerevisiea (Brewer's Yeast) extract in purified water, sodium myreth solfate (coconut oil-derived). C14-16 olefin sulfonate (mineral-derived_, cocomidopropyl betaine (coconut oil-derived)hydrolyzed wheat protein, tocopherol acetate, Panthenol (provitamin), glycol distearate (fatty acid-derived), polyquaternium-10 (polysaccharide celulose, DMDM Hydantoin, methlyparaben (USP), propylparaben(UPS), benzophenone-4 (UV absorber), fragrance, D&C orange 4CI 15510

DevaCurl No Poo Cleanser: $18 to $32

This is a cleanser, not a shampoo. It's a lather less cleanser that cleans and hydrates dry hair. Infused with menthol and peppermint, it give the scalp a tingling sensation, and leave the hair and scalp feeling fresh and invigorated without dryness. Perfect for moisture retention, it's also sulfate and paraben free.

Ingredients: Water (aqua), cetyl alcohol, glycerin, isopropyl palmitate, behentrimonium chloride, polyquaternium-7, laureth-4,vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil,propylene glycol,cocamidopropyl betaine,mentha piperita (peppermint) oil, triticum aestivum (wheat) peptide, avena sativa (oat) peptide, glycine soja (soy) peptide,melissa officinalis (balm mint) extract, humulus lupulus (hops) extract,cymbopopgon schoenanthus (lemongrass) extract, chamomilla recutita (matricia) extract,rosmarinus officinalis (rosemarie) extract,achillea millefolium (yarrow) extract,menthol,citric acid,diazolidinyl urea, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate,fragrance (parfum).

Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment: $20

This hair treatment fits it's title to the T! It revives, moisturizes, and nourishes dry curls with a long list of great ingredients such as; Aloe, herbs, butters and oils. It moisturizes without making hair feel weighed down. At 8oz. It's a bit small, but you definitely get what you pay for with this treatment.

Ingredients: Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica (Nettle) Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis (Melissa) Leaf Extract, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Yucca Leaf Extract, Rosa Mosqueta (Rosehip) Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Theobroma Grandiflorum (Cupuaçu) Seed Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Vanilla Planifolia oil, Cananga Odorata oil, Lecithin, Fragrance, Citric Acid.



Pureology Essential Repair Instant Repair Leave in Conditioner: $23 to $40

This leave in conditioner is designed for dry and color treated hair. It's like a two for one because it acts as a leave in and a gel giving shine and control to the hair. It's Anti Fade complex protects color treated hair, and contains pure biotin, soy milk, olive oil, and chamomile to protect against breakage. It assists in detangling, and gives hair a softer, silkier feel. Great for those with fine hair.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Polyquaternium 10, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein PG Propyl Silanetriol, Super Oxide Dismutase, Melanin, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cinnamidopropyl Trimonium Chloride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract (Sunflower), Butylene Glycol, Polyamide 2, Amodimethicone, C11 15 Pareth 7, Laureth 9, Trideceth 12, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Wine Extract, Mucor Miehei Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract (Mushroom),

 Jane Carter Solution Nourish and Shine: $22.00

This product is great for dry hair and dry skin. It gives great shine and control, definitely a good substitute for hair gel or hair spray. It's all natural and contains vitamins A, E, & D with butters and essentiall oils as well. Great for defining waves and curls, and slicking down hair for ponytails and up dos. An all natural frizz fighter at it's finest!

Ingredients: Shea butter, Kokum butter, Illippe butter, Mango butter, Vitamins A, D, & E, pear and grapefruit essential oils.

If you have extra cash in you stash, give the products a try. They are well worth every penny!

Hair survival basics

In order for your hair to reach it's maximum potential, there are a few things you'll need to keep your hair well nourished, balanced, and beautiful. The following is a list of what you'll need, and why you need it.

Shampoo: The purpose of shampoo is to keep the hair and scalp fresh and clean. It is not recommended to shampoo everyday, because it can be drying to the hair. Remember, when choosing a shampoo it's best to choose one that says sulfate free. Whenever possible choose on that says the words "hydrating" or "moisturizing" on the bottle.  Such as these:

Shampoo should be used once or twice a week, if you are like me, and need to cleanse your hair more than that, that's when "cowashing" would come into the picture. Cowashing will be mentioned in a later post.
NOTE: When washing your hair apply shampoo TO THE SCALP ONLY!!! DO NOT APPLY TO ALL OF YOUR HAIR! this can make your hair dry and rough. Once you have applied the shampoo to the scalp, let the lather from the shampoo run through the rest of your hair while you rinse.


Deep Conditioner:  Deep conditioning is the most important process of hair care that seems to be over looked. Deep conditioning is key to hair care because it provides much needed nourishment and moisture that hair needs to thrive. Many people suffer from dry, frizzy, and matted hair due to lack of deep conditioning.

1. When applying deep conditioner, apply to the hair only, not the scalp.

2.   Section your hair down the middle, or in four parts to ensure even penetration of the conditioner and less tangles upon combing the hair. It's VERY important to comb the conditioner through your hair!

3. Finally, let the conditioner sit on your hair. You can do this while showering and rinsing your hair last, or your can let it sit on your hair for up to 45 minutes, some people deep condition overnight! It depends on how much time you are willing to invest on your hair. I choose to deep condition with heat for about 30 minutes. There will be a post dedicated to the methods of deep conditioning later.

4. Deep conditioning should be done after every shampoo, at least once a week.

Rinse out Conditioner:

Many people use rinse out conditioning as their only source of conditioning. Alternatively, you can use conditioner between washes. Let me explain using my personal experience: On the days that I don't wash my hair, but my hair feels dry,crunchy, or dull looking  I use conditioner as a substitute to shampoo.

Leave-in Conditioner:  I cannot stress how important leave-in conditioner is! It really helps the overall health and strength of my hair ! Leave-in conditioner is best used right out of the shower, after the hair has been freshly washed, conditioned, or cowashed. Depending on your hair density (thick or thin hair) you can choose a cream or spray leave-in. Your hair will clearly show you which one it prefers. (I prefer cream leave-ins).

Moisturizer: When leave-in conditioner isn't enough from keeping dry hair at bay, is when moisturizer comes into the picture. It is also used on days that I don't was my hair. If you are not washing your hair; section the hair then spritz or spray your hair with water first before applying moisturizer, to ensure penetration.

Oil: Oil can be tricky, if you use too much your hair will be greasy, if you use to little and you will not get the desired effect. You also need to find the right one for you. Depending on your hair, you might need a light oil or a heavy one.

Based on my experience, When I want to use a light oil, I go with Jojoba oil. When I feel I need a heavier oil (usually when my hair feels a bit dry) I use coconut oil.

Oil is usually used to for sealing, which means to seal in moisture into the hair. I concentrate on the ends of the hair, and lightly oil the length of the hair.

Example: for shorter hair, apply oil lightly from the ear length to the ends. For longer hair, from the chin length to the ends. For super long hair, apply oil from the shoulder length to the ends of the hair.

There you have it! The comprehensive guide for what you need, and how to use it!