Winterizing Curls: Tips for Curls that Won't Behave in the Cold

Well, it's winter, and though I don't mind the cold, my curls don't like it at all. Gone are the days of doing the same old regimen, the same products and getting fantastic results. Struggling? You aren't alone. Snow is a beautiful thing, in fact one of my favorite things to do on a cold day is watch the flakes fall. There's something about the silence and the crisp beauty of snow that makes me smile. The bottom line:

Cold Temps Make for THIRSTY Curls.

When the temperature drops, gone is the humidity from summer. Though most curlies have a love/hate relationship with the "H" word, the truth is, we need moisture, and we need it badly. Too much moisture can cause lifeless, sticky, weighed-down curls, but not enough creates a delightful frizz halo that will only grow as the hair is deprived of moisture. Therefore, if you're committed to the curl lifestyle, you will likely need to add moisture to your regimen to keep your curls happy. My recommendation is to add products one at a time to see if you like your results, and if you don't, it's easy to pinpoint WHY. Here are some tips for adding moisture to your winter regimen:

1) Replace your regular rinse-out with a heavy-duty conditioner.

In the summer, I love my DevaCurl One Condition, but in the winter, it just doesn't give me enough moisture. My next go-to is SheaMoisture Curl and Shine conditioner, but sometimes even THAT is not enough. My dried out 2C curls are currently enjoying a boost from SheaMoisture 10 in 1 Renewal System Conditioner, which utilizes Marula Oil and Biotin to add moisture to the hair. It may take some trial and error, so be sure to purchase from places that allow for returns.

SheaMoisture Superfruit Complex 10 in 1 Renewal System Conditioner

2) Add a leave-in conditioner if you aren't using one already.

Personally, I use a leave-in all the time, but I often use a spray-on water-based leave-in, such as Not Your Mother's Knotty to Nice Conditioning Detangler, but in the winter I need a little bit more. Kinky Curly Knot Today utilizes marshmallow root and aloe to give hair a thicker layer of moisture and provides excellent slip.

Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In Treatment

3. Layer Styling Products to Give Curls Better Hold.

Usually, I apply a less-is-more approach to my hair styling routine, but in the winter, I need to change things up. If you're only using a gel, add a mousse, or vice versa. I prefer Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee as my base and Tigi Catwalk Strong Hold Mousse on top. It sounds like a lot, but even with BOTH products, my curls can fall flat throughout the day. Take one away and I look like I just rolled out of bed. You may even need to add an "apply to dry hair" styler for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th day hair as well. Depends on your curl pattern. 

 Biosilk Rock Hard Gelee

Tigi Catwalk Strong Hold Mousse

All curls are not created equal. Cold temperatures and lowered dew points create very real and frustrating problems for those with curly hair. Resolve to NOT pick up the flat iron or heat-style to avoid fixing the problem. Rocking year-round natural hair is a beautiful thing. 

Salon Review: Ambushed Salon, Columbus, OH

I'll admit that I've been going to the same stylist for 18 years now. She is one of my favorite people in the whole world. I look forward to seeing her every few months when I go for my quarterly cut and color. That said, there's been a buzz in my ear ever since fully committing to the curly girl life about a salon in Columbus called Ambushed. Unlike pretty much every salon on the block, this place eats, breathes, sleeps and LIVES curly hair. The brainchild of the adorable and highly sought after Amy Bush, it is a salon made for those who embrace their natural beauty. In other words, if flat irons are your friend, this ain't the place for you. After having two good friends recommend a visit, I decided to take the plunge.

Ambushed, 16 W. Poplar Ave, Columbus Ohio 

Amy Bush, Founder and Curl Specialist 

The salon is located in one of my favorite places in downtown Columbus called The Short North. Upon driving up, I realized I've literally walked or driven past this place dozens of times and never paid attention to what I was missing. Silly me!

When I entered, I was immediately drawn to the vintage decor and open, high ceilings. The stylist chairs are scattered throughout the salon in an asymmetrical way that fits perfectly with the architecture of the building. I was greeted upon entering and sat on a cute little vintage couch for a few moments until my stylist was ready to see me.

Mandi Gage, curl specialist

When Mandi greeted me, I could tell immediately I was going to like her. She already had two solid referrals in her favor, but her personality was excellent. As we approached the chair, she asked me what I was wanting from today's cut.

I decided before walking through the door that if I was going to have the Ambushed experience, I was going to have it all the way. I'm a control freak who doesn't like to leave the fate of my precious hair to another person, much less a person I just met, but I didn't drive down here to take control, I drove here to give the control to an expert, and so.... here we were.

After a thorough inspection of my hair, Mandi told me that a) I'm using products that are too heavy for my hair and b) if I wanted more curl, I was going to need some more layers. She then asked me the question every control freak LOVES to hear....."How much am I allowed to take off?"

OHhhhhhhhhh sweet lawd and hallelujah, I wanted to say "Nothing! Just a trim!" But I didn't. I said, "How about a couple of inches?" knowing full well she was going to take more, but whatever. I'm letting go.

After a co-wash with some delicious-smelling product and a head massage that I really, really could use EVERY morning before work (I swear, not one single kid I teach would annoy me all day if I had one of these massages daily) she started to cut. And cut SHE DID. In what I can only describe from my lack of knowledge as "slicing," she cut away quite a bit of my hair and added some layers that allowed my waves to start really CURLING. She even managed to get my awkward bangs (that I'm trying to grow in) to cooperate. The results? FABULOUS!

Me, post-cut, minus a few inches, plus a LOT of extra curl and body.

I am so glad I went in with an open mind and let the magic happen. My experience at Ambushed was absolutely a positive one and I'm sporting one of the best cuts I've ever had.

The question is, will I be back? Already scheduled my next appointment, thank you very much. As for my regular stylist? She will continue to do my color, of which I am in desperate need, and I will be getting next weekend.

BOTTOM LINE: If you're committed to the curl lifestyle, and you have access to a place full of curl experts, seek someone out and give them a try. I'm so glad I finally gave Ambushed a try and I hope to make them my new home. 

OH! And products... 

Eufora Style Formation Whipped Styling Solution, $24.50

Far Cojoba Styling Gel, $22.50

I picked up both of these aloe-based all-natural products at the salon, but they are tough to find anywhere online. I linked their sites so that you can look for a local place to purchase. 

Live in the Columbus area? Check out the Ambushed website and get info on scheduling an appointment.

Why Labels Matter: A Curly Girls Guide to Hair Oils

I will admit, hair oils are new territory for me. I haven't struggled with a particularly dry scalp and my hair responds well to regular conditioning and deep conditioning, but I have thrown myself into all aspects of the Curly Girl method and for many people oils are necessary. Dry hair and scalp mean unhealthy curls, and many of us need and extra boost every now and again.

Several hair products are touting treatment oils for hair and some of them are actually quite pricey. Although I don't doubt the effectiveness of these oils, I found recently that they are often marketed with silicone added, and unless you read the label, you'd think you were getting something pure.

If you are not committed to the CG method, then added silicones in products is not an issue for you. If you HAVE committed to the no sulfate/silicone lifestyle, and are deliberately trying to avoid things that will cause a build-up on your hair, you need to be careful when choosing a hair oil. For example, here are the ingredient lists for two VERY popular and HIGHLY advertised hair oils:

Macadamia Natural Oil, $32+

This oil looks like and is marketed as "natural," but Dimethicone is the FIRST INGREDIENT. Curly Girls, steer clear of this stuff if you're co-washing. Low-poos with wash out these ingredients, but co-washes will NOT.

Moroccan Oil Treatment, $50+

Once again, a very expensive oil that looks to be "pure," but has added Dimethicone. Again, not a good idea for those of us going CG.

There are many silicones out there, but Dimethicone is the most common and least expensive silicone. It's great for conditioning and adding shine, but can be difficult to remove. Additionally, this heavy coating can make hair feel heavy. 

If your hair is feeling dry and you want to turn to oils, there are many excellent choices out there, but READ THE LABELS because THIS is the kind of label you want to see on the back of a "pure" oil:

Coconut Oil: Contains oil, fragrance, and a few other things, none of which end in CONE.

Like I've said, if you're still using sulfate-based shampoo, you can get away with silicones, but if you've eliminated sulfates, these oils will sit on your hair, build up, kill your curls and make your hair waxy and heavy. Chances are, if your hair is NOT responding to the CG method, it's because there are silicones hidden in something you're using. Find out where the problem lies, do a good wash WITH a sulfate shampoo and start over.

Pure oils are excellent for hair. You can even make your own with coconut oil and add essential oils (like lavender, peppermint, etc.) to get the fragrance you want. Next time you're at the beauty supply, make sure you read exactly what's in the hair oil you're purchasing. No matter how pretty the packaging, it's what's in the fine print on the back of the bottle that matters.

Do you use oils? How often? What are your favorites?

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Product Review : DevaCurl SuperCream Coconut Curl Styler

Hello, readers!

I apologize for the lack of posts this month, I'm a school teacher by trade and we started back this week. It's been exhausting and time-consuming getting ready, but I'm one of those lucky folks who loves my job so it never really feels like "work" to me!

Back to curly business...

If you are a DevaCurl follower, you know that for about the past month they have been pumping up the release of their new styler, SUPERCREAM. This styler is marketed towards those with course, dry curls who need extra moisture to amp up their curl pattern. I'll admit that when I first heard about SuperCream I thought it wasn't going to be for me, it seemed more for those with type 4 curls or dry, transitioning ethnic hair. Still, my curiosity was piqued. 

As with any new product release, there is often a lack of supply with demand, so I was not expecting to get my hands on this stuff for at least another month, but to my surprise my ULTA store had some on hand, so I swooped in and picked up some.

DevaCurl SuperCream Coconut Curl Styler, $28 

Although I generally try to stay with drugstore products and prices as much as possible, there are some things that are just plain WORTH the money. With the way this product was marketed and my genuine love of all things Deva, I thought I should at least try it once and see if it was worth repurchasing.

Before applying the SuperCream to my hair, I did my routine as normal: my weekly low-poo (DevaCurl Low Poo), rinse out conditioner (SheaMoisture Curl and Shine) and leave-in (Kinky Curly Knot Today). I then applied about 5 total pumps of SuperCream to my entire head (using one pump for each section and one last pump to flip my head over and scrunch). 

I am used to using gel, and have had excellent luck with gels, so I am used to the hard hold I get from a gel. I knew I would not be getting that with this product, but it claims to give moisture, definition and hold so I didn't layer anything else with it.

I plopped into my Jac-o-Net as usual and sat under my hooded dryer for about 15 minutes as I usually do. I then took the net out and sat under the dryer to let my curls start to dry completely.

Within about 10 minutes, with my hair still half-damp I could tell that this was not going to be good enough as as stand-alone product. My curls had some frizz and were not being held in place the way they were with gel, so I got up and scrunched a couple of handfuls of DevaCurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam into my half-wet hair. This was just enough to give me a little more hold, so I went back under the dryer.

Devacurl Frizz-Free Volumizing Foam

Once my hair was fully dry, I saw a marked reduction in the frizz and dryness I've been fighting against lately. But... how will my hair look on day 2? That was the question.

I "Pineappled" my hair that night and woke up the next morning. To my surprise, my curls were defined, soft and still full of body. 

This is my Day 2 hair after using SuperCream with Volumizing Foam. I am definitely happy with these results!

Will I repurchase this cream? Maybe. Like I said, $28 is steep for a styling product. I'm not sure how long it will last, which is a big factor for me. If your'e on the fence, it is WORTH TRYING, without question. After I've used up the whole bottle, I'll let you know if I still love it.

Have you gotten your hands on this stuff? What do you think?

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When Your Curls LIKE 'Cones: How To Use Silicones and Still Have Great Hair

Hello,  curly friends!  My job here at Jen's Curly Mess is to pull from the hundreds of thousands of resources about curly hair and bring the most useful and pertinent information to you as I can. If the Internet is your newspaper,  I'm your highlight reel,  so to speak.

Many of you know that for well over a decade I flat ironed my hair almost exclusively.  Many of my closest friends didn't even know I HAD curly hair underneath my perfectly flattened tresses.

When I discovered the CG method a few years ago,  I went all in: No sulfates,  No silicones,  No poo,  the works. I used only Devacurl products. My hair started looking really good.

I've thrown myself into figuring out my own curls and so much of the information I've found is because of great folks willing to share their knowledge and experiences. Through countless hours of research (you cannot imagine how many hours I spend reading about hair,  it's ridiculous, my husband will vouch for the absurdity of it, but I can't help it!)  I have realized that there is an entire world out there filled with great products for curly hair. However,  for those of us trying to live the CG lifestyle, navigating the do's and don'ts of the method can be exhausting and frustrating.

I come to you today because I inadvertently purchased a styling product a couple of weeks ago that I read the ingredient list of at least 4 times in the store,  only to find out AFTER I put it in my hair that it contains a dreaded 'cone called Cyclopentasiloxane. Even worse?  I'm in love with this product. The Curly Girl,  Lorraine Massey-loving part of me immediately started to panic:

How am I gonna get this stuff out?

I don't want to  use sulfate shampoo,  gosh darn it. What have I done?

Am I going to have to stop Cowashing if I use this again?

WILL MY HAIR BECOME THE GIANT PUFFBALL IT WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN??

Dear Lord,  no.... NOOOO! *shakes fists at the heavens*

*grabs paper bag and starts breathing heavily *

You laugh,  but I swear this is the stuff that was running through my mind. So,  I did what I do: started researching. I read article after article after forum thread after forum thread.

Folks,  what I'm about to share with you is going to make your ingredient-reading, silicone-fearing brains explode.

A very well-respected curl chemist has this to say about Cyclopentasiloxane (a derivative of Cyclomethicone, which is found in a ton of curl products we have sworn off because of the CG method):

"Cyclomethicone IS cyclopentasiloxane, and also cyclotetrasiloxane (just a smaller molecule). It's just another name for the same thing! Neither will build up on your hair, although they are not water soluble. The reason for this is that they evaporate. They do not remain on your hair. You need nothing to remove them because they do not remain on your hair. I know I have addressed this in an article, but it is still a huge point of confusion for folks.

The reason some find it makes their hair feel bad is that when it evaporates it can make your hair a tad dry and maybe mess with your cuticle layer a bit, just like alcohols that evaporate.

Also, according to all the research I have seen, all of the silicones can be removed just as efficiently by products containing cocamidopropyl betaine or coco betaine as by SLS (Sodium Laurel Sulfate) or SLES."

What does this mean? That Cyclomethicone AND it's derivatives, and pretty much ALL silicones in general, can be washed out with most sulfate-free shampoos on the market. That those products you loved that you had to toss because they were not CG friendly can actually be used again. That an entire world of stuff we used to fear no longer has to be feared. Look for the ingredients cocamidopropyl betaine or cocobetaine on the ingredients list of a sulfate-free shampoo. They are surfactants that are gentle enough not to strip hair but strong enough to get rid of non-water soluble silicones. Here are a few of the best-sellers out there right now:

DevaCurl Low-Poo

Mixed Chicks Sulfate-Free Shampoo

Giovanni Tea Tree Shampoo

What I'm beginning to realize is that,  if Lorraine Massey's Curly Girl handbook is the Constitution of Curly Hair,  there are some pretty cool amendments made that make it possible to have great curls and not sacrifice hair health, curl pattern, OR have a need to use harsh sulfates. Though many of us will still stick to the original CG rules,  know that there is some wiggle room available that you may not have known about before. Every single person reacts differently to different ingredients,  so it's a matter of what works or doesn't for YOU. 

If you'd like to know more about which silicones are which and how to wash them out, click here. This particular article is written by a real curl chemist who knows all the technical stuff about which molecules are which and what sulfate-free chemicals wash out which silicones. It's brilliant.

Now, as for the product in question, the amazing stuff that launched me into this whole maddening game of "DID I JUST KILL MY HAIR?"..... it is the TIGI Curls Rock Amplifier.

If you read my review of TIGI Strong Hold Mousse, you know I'm crazy about the stuff, and it's CG safe. I love its strength, but I wanted just a TEENY bit more definition. I used about a nickel-sized amount of Curls Rock Amplifier on top of the mousse and the results were incredible. My hair has a lot more volume and definition than with any product I've yet tried.

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Top 5 Low-Poos That Won't Strip Hair

Although Co-Washing is ideal for Curly Girls who use the CG method, everyone SHOULD use a Low-Poo at least once a month, if not more. Even water-soluble ingredients can leave build-up after a while, so using a Low-Poo can help start with a clean canvas now and then. Some people Low-Poo exclusively, some every week, some every two weeks. Only YOU know what's right for your hair and how it responds to certain ingredients, so the decision as to how often is completely yours.

The key ingredient Curly Girls try to avoid is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). The alternative is a Low-Poo with Cocomidopropyl Betaine OR Cocobetaine, which are found in many popular brands on the market. These mild surfactants can lift product build-up off the hair shaft without causing the same stripping/drying effect as SLS.

I've tried many winners and losers in this category and here are my top 5 Low-Poos, in no particular order:

1. DEVACURL LOW-POO

This gentle cleanser smells wonderful and contains natural ingredients like Chamomile and Rosemary. One of the pioneers of the Low-Poo movement, this has been around for a long time and has legions of fans.

2. SHEA MOISTURE CURL AND SHINE SHAMPOO

SheaMoisture is one of my all-around favorite brands because they are free of pretty much everything: sulfates, silicones, parabens, etc. AND they are cruelty-free. At a lower price point than the Deva brand, this is a great way to keep healthy hair at a drugstore price.

3. MIXED CHICKS SULFATE-FREE SHAMPOO

With avocado and sweet almond oil as ingredients, you'll be sure to enjoy this natural low-poo. Paired with Mixed Chicks Leave-In Conditioner, your hair will be soft and your curls will be nicely moisturized and defined.

4. CAROL'S DAUGHTER BLACK VANILLA SHAMPOO

Enhanced with lavender and aloe leaf juice, this sulfate-free shampoo smells amazing and leaves curls hydrated without stripping. 

5. SHEA MOISTURE AFRICAN BLACK SOAP SHAMPOO

If you have any sort of dry or itchy scalp issues, this is the low-poo for you. Hair is cleansed gently without aggravating any pre-existing skin conditions.

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A Super Science-Geek Guide to Humectants

The folks at Naturally Curly made this excellent infographic to describe what Humectants and Anti-Humectants do in hair. Tonya McKay is one of my favorite Curl Chemists and writes some pretty awesome stuff. If your hair isn't doing what you want it to do even when you follow all of the Curly Girl rules, you may want to check your ingredients and make sure you have the right balance. Enjoy!
NaturallyCurly