Co-washing

 

Photo courtesy of Loop Salon

 

Co-washing can be a bit of a controversial subject for us naturals. Some naturals swear by it, while others don’t understand it. Do we really know why we are doing it? We asked stylist Codie, from Loop Salon in Atlanta, what she thought about it and how it should be done. We first wanted to explain what it actually is.
What is Co-washing?
Codie: Co-washing is short for conditioning wash. Hair is rinsed thoroughly and then a conditioner is applied to the hair from root to ends, left on for a desired time and then rinsed out.

Why would we Co-Wash?
Codie: Women co-wash to cleanse their hair with out stripping the hair of its natural oil resulting in softer hair.
Typically hair is co washed weekly especially for those that wear twist outs and styles the require refreshing every few days.
Co-washing is like washing your face with lotion. Yes it may feel softer but it’s definitely not clean. Using the skincare analogy, there are things like cold creams that get the skin clean without stripping .There are products strictly used for co-washing that can clean without stripping. Still, every once in awhile you NEED to clarify. Co washing can leave buildup and cause the hair to be limp or dry depending on texture. It can even cause breakage.
All conditioners are not created equal. Some conditioners are loaded with protein while others have acids and/or oils that help lock in moisture. Too much of either of the two without clarifying can cause damage. Some conditioners called instant conditioners have low concentrations of ammonia in them that allow the cuticle to be opened so that the conditioner can penetrate quickly. Imagine that conditioner trying to open a cuticle filled with junk.
If you must co wash. Clarify and steam in between. If you co wash 2x a week, on the following week you need to clarify 1x and co-wash the other.
Here are my product recommendations:
*nourishing cleansing oil by ouidad- can take place of needing to co wash
*Co-wash by Ouidad- a lathering conditioner

Too much of anything can harm your hair. It’s all about moderation as well as product selection. We really enjoyed getting tips from Codie, she is always very informative. Check her out at Loop Salon In midtown! There is always a great atmosphere, friendly faces, and of course skilled stylists!

Do you co-wash? What is your process/product selection? We would love your feedback!!

Want to book a consultation with Codie? You can make an appointment by calling Loop Salon at 404.532.0024. Located at 537 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE Suite B Atlanta, Georgia 30308

Spotted Spirals: Nesha

 

This week, we reached out to, Nesha, one of our curlfriends in Memphis, TN. We love having curlies in different cities who may be able to connect with others in their city within the natural community! We really hope you all enjoy getting to know this sweetheart!

 

 

Give us a little info about your background and what you do?

 I am a recent graduate of the University of Memphis with a Degree in Broadcast Journalism. I currently work as an assistant manager at a retail store.

How long have you been natural/a fan of natural hair culture?

I have been natural since 2009. I have to admit, I did not have an appreciation for natural hair until I got in college. I loved my curls but never took the time to learn how to care for them. I received my first relaxer just beginning high school. Before that, I would get my hair pressed straight, mostly out of habit. My mother and aunt had been pressing or blow drying my hair straight for as long as I could remember.

If you transitioned, what was your reasoning for doing so?  

I had a HORRIBLE experience with extensions my senior year. It was my first time getting any type of extensions and the lady, who was highly recommended, used glue to put them in. She layered the extensions into my hair. I went to another salon to get the hair thinned after a few days because it was too much for me to deal with. The day after my prom, I took the extensions out, unfortunately, a lot of my hair came out as well. It was chopped into different lengths and a tangled, damaged mess! I cried the cried for hours.

My hair had to be cut into a style. I admit, I received a relaxer or two after, in hopes it would help my hair to grow back. That wasn’t the case. I decided, I would leave my hair alone and return it to it’s natural state. For every inch of natural hair that grew, I cut an inch of relaxed hair off. I did a lot of two strand twists, and braid outs.

How would you describe your hair?

  My hair is thick and coarse. It always feels so soft. It has always required to be oiled frequently. I dreaded getting my hair done as a child because my coils are really tight and many (people) didn’t have the patience to detangle it properly. Some of my coils for the “c” pattern; some for a looser “z.”

 My grandmother, who owned her own hair salon for years, would tell me the reason it took so much effort to “tame my mane,” was simply because my “hair was not meant to be straighten silky straight.” It took me about 15 years to actually listen. ( I still straighten it from time to time. Sorry, grandma 😉 )

What do you love most about your hair?

 I love the versatility of my hair! I have had short and medium length hair. My hair looks great in both.

6.What is your favorite aspect of natural hair/natural hair culture?

  My favorite aspect of natural hair culture is also the versatility. Because no two heads (of hair) are the same, everyone is given the opportunity to make styles their own. What’s better than having something customized for you? Your natural hair is a custom piece that you were born with.

What are your goto styles?

When my hair is short, I am a “wash and go” type of girl. It’s so convenient! As the lengths change, I usually opt for a halo twist, braids, or pull it back into a “puff.” I’m allowing my hair to grow out, without applying color to it, for the first time since 2010, so right now, it’s sew-ins and braids until I get through the “awkward length.”

What is your current regimen and what are your staple products?

I love shea moisture products. I’ve recently become a fan of the Mixed hair products. My regimen changes with the length and color of my hair. Of course, color can effect the texture of your hair, so I prefer color safe shampoos and conditioners to keep it looking vibrant. I used a leave-in/water mixture every day with protective style because the extensions can absorb the natural oils from your hair, leaving it dry.

What are your favorite natural hair resources? (Blogs, YouTube etc..)

   CurlyNikki was the first blog I found that was really helpful with my transition so I make sure to check it for tips. Pinterest is my go-to guide for styling ideas.

What are some things readers should know about you and where can they learn more about you? (IG, Twitter, FB, etc?)

My instagram handle is dreams2catch_

Spotted Spirals: Raquel

Hey homecurls!! We were feeling a bit nostalgic on this flashback froday. So, we decided to reach out to one of our high school curlfriends just to catch up and get a little peak at how she’s doing with her cute curls! We hope you guys enjoy catching up with this lovely lady as much as we did!

Give us a little info about your background and what you do?

Well my name is Raquel Williams, and at the moment I’m a stay at home honey. Formerly a quality technician for Nissan. Deciding what my next move should be in life. Now that I have all the time in the world 🙂 I want to finish my Sociology and Nursing degree.

How long have you been natural/a fan of natural hair culture?

I big chopped a month after my birthday July 27 of 2013. Honestly I wasn’t a fan of natural hair until I educated myself about it 3 years ago. It’s not that I didn’t like it I was just completely blind on how to manage my hair without a perm.

If you transitioned, what was your reasoning for doing so?

As I became older I started to wonder why I would always hear women of color make comments such as; oh I can’t do natural, her hair is nappy, that’s a mess, etc…. I would become uncomfortable with the comments, because I would wonder when did our hair become an issue? At that moment I was like YES, I’m going to love every nook and cranny of myself.  That was the day I decided to transition.

How would you describe your hair?

I would definitely describe my hair as bipolar hahahaha… She does what she wants to literally… Depending on location my hair can go from extra kinky to soft curls. I’ve learned though the more time, attention, and patience I give her the more she is manageable and loving back. Now living in Alaska she does become dryer due to the colder temperarures.  If neglected my hair goes into an Afro state. So I use the LOC method daily to make sure I’m retaining moisture. Whereas, in Tennessee my hair was softer and easier to manage. The temperature there was perfect for her.

What do you love most about your hair?

I would definitely go with versatility!!! My hair looks different almost everyday. Sometimes I get infatuated with it hahaha. And the fact that I don’t have to use brushes, combs or anything to manipulate it majority of the time.

What is your favorite aspect of natural hair/natural hair culture?

Would have to be learning things about myself I had no knowledge of. It’s just not about being natural. It’s a state of living. It made me reconsider/conscience on how I treat myself and my body.  It inspired me and it’s liberating!!! Once I got a taste of what works for me naturally it opened a whole new world. The culture/aspect of it as a whole makes me feel a certain Essence.

What are your goto styles?

As of right now I would have to say my puff ball ^_^ . I will use the loc method at night then take it down in the morning, and pull it up into a puff. Depending on how much volume I want that day will determine how I pick it out. For warmer temperature I LOVE and LIVE for wash n goes!!!

What is your current regimen and what are your staple products?

My current regimen would be my LOC method (liquid, oil, cream). Currently using water/aussie moist as my liquid, a mix of my favorite oils mixed with raw Shea butter (even though I use this as my oil it’s very creamy), and curl control by beautiful textures as my cream. Staple products- Eco Styler gel as well as Ic gel, Aussie 3min moist are my three MUST haves!!! I also love lush organics!!! They have stores across America as well as online. They have great organic products!!! Very informative !!!

What are your favorite natural hair resources? (Blogs, YouTube etc..)

Absolutely love YouTube hahaha that’s my number one resource, following blogs, shops, and expos  that pin point natural resources/natural hair products.  They retain alot of information.

What are some things readers should know about you and where can they learn more about you? (IG, Twitter, FB, etc?)

I’m all for women seeing the beauty with themselves!!! As well as projecting this beauty to others and the youth. Growing up my mother had no knowledge of hair period. Which is why I was getting perms to “manage” it. Which I didn’t blame her. She cannot instill or teach me something she lacked in her own life. Which is why I’m so fond on wanting to teach young ladies/women that their is NOTHING wrong with their hair. The word nappy makes no sense!!!  To know/learn about me you would definitely have to email me hazel4ya@yahoo.com.  I also have an IG VirginiaSweets… Unfortunately, you won’t learn alot about this onion through social media. I’m old school 🙂

Spotted Spirals: Terri K

Hey home curls!! We had the pleasure of Interviewing this awesome curly girl you all need to know!! Ms. Terri K is a breath of fresh air in the natural hair community, and we have the inside scoop on this lovely lady. She’s our first feature in our new series, “Spotted Spirals” and as the opener, she definitely set the standard for how natural ladies balance their professional lives with the things they love!!

Photo Courtesy of FlyLifeImages

Give us a little info about your background and what you do?

Originally I am from Bermuda. I was born and raised there. I came to Atlanta in 2010 to attend school. I am alumna of both Spelman College (C’2012) and Georgia State University (C’2014). Professionally, I am an IT professional. In my spare time, I blog and create content for my YouTube channel. I also like to DJ when I have “extra” spare time, LOL.

How long have you been natural/a fan of natural hair culture?

I got my last relaxer on May 17, 2012 in preparation for my graduation. I am approximately 2 and a half years into my return to natural journey, now and I’ve loved every moment of it. =DI transitioned for a few months. I really can’t remember the exact dates, but it was no more than 6-months. The reason I transitioned is because I wanted to lead a life that I was in control of. My hair was first relaxed by my Mum and the professional culture in Bermuda is generally conservative, so those are the primary reasons I stayed relaxed for about 17 years. Natural hair is FAR from conservative, in my opinion. It is bold, it is fun, it is versatile, and it is creative. These characteristics I realigned myself after my graduation and truly began to realise that while I was not upset that I had relaxed hair previously, I knew at that moment that I no longer desired to have it.

How would you describe your hair?

My hair is THICK! Jah know star. This head of hair of mines, chiiild, LOL! As far as typing goes, I’m not the biggest fan of it. But I know it is useful for some women who are starting to learn their hair and are looking for women that may have similar ‘type’ of hair to use as resources and inspiration. With that in mind, I consider my hair to be Type 4. The front half of my crown is 4A – 4B and the back is coarser, so I think it is a mixture of 4B – 4C.

What do you love most about your hair?

I love that my hair is so thick! That probably seems odd for someone to say but then again in our community, not really. I absolutely love the volume that I get from my thick hair. It allows me the ability to tame it and make it appear finer than it is but I also have the option of keeping it as is and wearing BIG hair. =D

What is your favorite aspect of natural hair/natural hair culture?

Before 2012, I was not “into” natural hair. It wasn’t a trend to me then and it isn’t a trend to me now. It’s just real, everyday life! What I LOVE about the natural hair community is the sisterhood it has created. Women with textured hair, who for YEARS, believed their hair was not “pretty” or “good” are starting to embrace their hair as it grows from their crown. Personally, the natural hair community has allowed me to embrace the idea that frizzy hair isn’t always a bad thing. For years, I despised the idea of frizzy hair, if it wasn’t laid – I wasn’t having it! LOL.

What are your goto styles?

WASH and GO, all day! I loved a wash and go in the summer this year. Atlanta’s humidity didn’t really get along with my manipulated styles too much. Now that it is getting cooler and I have retained some length, I am going to try more twist-outs and other protective styling.

What is your current regimen and what are your staple products?

Currently, I wash at least once a week. The amount of days in my ‘week’ vary depending on work, exercise and study tasks =D. I try to do a DC at least twice a month, but I’m lucky to get one in monthly. (Lazy natural alert!) Right now I am working with a mixture of products for the month of September and some of the brands include: Clear Hair Care, Lotta Body, Softee, among others (which I cannot remember off the top of my head). During the summer I was using Creme of Nature products, which I did a review on for my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KtGDP2KS6I)

What are your favorite natural hair resources? (Blogs, YouTube etc..)

I started out watching YouTube for natural hair tips primarily. On occasion, I browsed NaturallyCurly.com as well. But today, it is a mixture of YouTube, Blogs and Personal Friends. I like variety! I’m one of those who tires of only one source, so I tend to bounce between Blogs and YouTube, but my friends are forever staple sources though. I love my CurlFriends! Xx.

What are some things readers should know about you and where can they learn more about you? (IG, Twitter, FB, etc?)

I am literally just your average Super Girl trying to leave a legacy that is pleasing to Jah. I neglected to mention previously that a major reason I decided to transition back to naturally textured hair was a spiritual one. My spirit was literally tired of being told I wasn’t pretty enough, my hair wasn’t cute enough, etc. I truly believe that being apart of the “Spotted Spirals” feature will be a pivotal moment within that legacy and I am extremely grateful to you for featuring me. On a lighter note, I am a Reggae music lover! While my YouTube channel features primarily hair related content, I like to drop music content in there every now and then and my blog (which is being relaunched in November 2014) is dedicated to that love of Reggae music. Living in America was a culture shock for me in 2010 and I didn’t think it would be, seeing as I visited Atlanta and the United States plenty of times prior. I gravitated back to my Caribbean culture in those early months of 2010 and I realized how important my upbringing meant to me then and how it keeps me grounded today! In a nutshell, I am a pretty cool curl friend to have (in my opinion that is) LOL. So, Hey Curl Hey!

New Curl Friends can connect with me on either of the following social media sites if they want to learn more about me outside of this feature or if they want to just say “Hey Curl Hey” cause I am ALL about spreading love, joy, and positivity one curl at at time!

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/misstkms
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/misstkms
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/misstkms
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+TerriK1989/posts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/misstkms
SoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/misstkms
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/misstkms
Tumblr: http://misstkms.tumblr.com/

#CurlsandCocktailsATL

What an experience! I’m talking beautiful ladies, luscious curls and a laid back atmosphere to boot! Who could ask for more? Well, this event definitely offered much more! A celebratory meet up in recognition of Monica’s, of moknowshair.com, one year bloggerversery boasted a team of hostesses like @halfietruths @charmsie @justkelseyjanae and @moknowshair. This event was guaranteed to be a packed house. One thing about curlies is we loooove to love on each other! I mean, what’s better than being surrounded by beautiful women with beautiful spirits embracing themselves naturally? It’s nothing short of awe inspiring! I was sure to capture some of the beauty that graced this event just to share with you. Also, the attendees were in a group photo as part of the #getwellmeechy video hosted by the Kaye sisters of naturalhairdoescare. Natural hair meet ups are always a worthwhile experience and if you have the opportunity to attend one I suggest taking advantage of it! You will not regret attending one of these lovely events especially if it’s emblazoned Curls and Cocktails!
–Mesha

Curls & cocktails!!

Can’t wait to attend this event hosted by some of our fav curlfriends!! Look forward to meeting new curlies and having a great time!!

WHAT: CURLS & COCKTAILS!
Come mingle with your favv curlfriends👭 WHEN: Saturday, September 13th, 7-9pm

WHERE:
CRU
620 Glen Iris Drive
Atlanta 30308 **We know parking is a pain so CRU is providing valet to preserve our beauty & sanity! Thank you @gracemydreams😘
ATTIRE: Super Cute!

No cover fee🙅
Drink specials🍸🍹🍷💃
Hookah💨
You must be 21🆔

Bronner Bros. Hair Show

On Monday, August 3rd, I had the pleasure of modeling for the 4Naturals line of Bronner Bros. products. I must say, I had an AMAZING time and am very grateful for the opportunity. I met so many wonderful people and was surrounded by such wonderful talent. The time seemed to just fly by! I started my day around 10a.m. and we ended at approximately 7p.m. The day consisted of teaching, styling and lots of networking. Between the awesome music and fab fashion, it hardly felt like I was there to “work”. I enjoyed my experience in the natural hair pavilion and being immersed in the sea of beautiful women and handsome men embracing their natural locs and curls. It felt like one big family. The vibe was both laid-back and exhilarating. If I were faced with such an opportunity to work so closely with this delightful group of people again I’d certainly jump at the chance! Thanks again 4Naturals for having me represent such a reputable brand.  – Mesha