PSA: Target is a DANGER Zone!!!

I decided to take a trip to Target today to visit the hair aisle of course ^_^ and to my surprise I found (3) "new" brands that Target is now carrying...hence the title "DANGER Zone".  Target is now carrying Oyin Handmade, Carol's Daughter and Alikay Naturals Products...say what?!!  Yes that's the same thing I said, well if you don't believe me here are a few snapshots.  Of course I have tried something from all (3) brands, but the fact that its in my local Target is a BIG DEAL!!!  The shelves are a bit empty but I believe there were stocking up.  What's not to love about Target?

Oyin Handmade

Carol's Daughter

Alikay Naturals

Are these brands carried in your local Target?

Faux Mo-Hawk and Simple Twists (Quick Styles on Children)

Two weekends ago I had to do (3) heads...thats right 3!!  I did my youngest's hair on that Friday and my oldest daughter and niece on Sunday.  We had a birthday dinner to attend on Saturday, so I just threw the oldest girls hair in ponytails since it had to be washed, not to mention they are (9) and (7 soon to be 8) where their hair is a big deal.  Since I had to wash their hair on Sunday night, I opted to do something quick and cute on both.

Here is a picture of "the girls" on Saturday (the night of our outing).  BG "S"  hair was styled in loose two-strand twists that were braided about an 1/2 inch first.  Unfortunately, I don't have any close-up shots of her hair.  The two oldest like I stated before have high ponytails w/ twists and a twist-out.

My Niece: Simple Twists w/ Cornrows

BG "M": Faux Mo-Hawk w/ Twist-Out

Detangling: What Works For Us!

Detangling is the process in which you use a particular product or oil to soften and smooth the hair for manageability.  It can be simple or complicated.  It is one of the most important aspects of a healthy hair journey.

Detangling can be done at various points during your wash regimen.  Some prefer to detangle before shampooing while others detangle after shampooing during conditioning or there are those who detangle after shampooing and conditioning.

There are two methods that can be used to detangle: Wet-Detangling or Dry-Detangling.  Here is a great source for more valuable information on detangling.

How We Detangle

BG "S" (Type 4 Coarse)-  I detangle prior to washing using our detangling cocktail or during deep conditioning if done prior to washing.  I detangle in sections.  I start by misting the hair with my cocktail mix and begin by finger detangling first.  I then proceed to detangle the ends of the hair first with my seamless comb. Next, I gently slide the comb in and out of the hair while sliding down any remaining knots/tangles from the top to the bottom until detangled to my liking, I also complete that section with the Denman 31 to ensure all tangles have been removed. I then twist that section.  I do this throughout the entire head and then proceed with her hair regimen.

BG "M" (Type 4 Fine) - I detangle during the conditioning phase after washing using a wide tooth seamless comb.  After detangling in sections with the conditioner still in her hair, I twist that section to prepare for rinsing and proceed with her hair regimen.

A great visual of how I detangle my girls hair by one of my faves...

Another one of my favorite YT'ers... (How to Detangle Children's Hair)

How do you detangle?

Quick Tip #1

Quick Tip #1

Happy New Year!!!  I want to start off the new year with a series titled "Quick Tip".  These will hopefully be helpful tips that I have found very useful throughout my daughters' hair journey. ;-)

Do you have a sulfate-free shampoo that you love but it makes your hair feel a little too clean?  Well, try adding a top full of Jojoba Oil to the shampoo, it adds a punch a moisture. This works great for us when using Kinky Curly Come Clean (KCCC) to clarify the hair.

It works for us, give it a try it may work for you too! ^_^

The Struggle Part II: Trail & Error

This year has been full of trail & errors while trying different techniques/methods as well as products. My goal has always been healthy hair because I believe with health comes length thus length retention. 

Here are some things I've tried in 2013:

LCO Method vs. LOC Method - I have always used the LCO Method but decided to try the LOC Method for a couple of months.  The LOC Method is okay but LCO works best for us and quite frankly makes more sense to me. Her hair definitely stays more moisturized using this method.

Exclusively Finger Detangling - I know finger detangling is a healthy practice but this method ALONE is just not enough for my daughters' Type 4 hair.  I found that I actually had more knots and tangles b/c her hair wasn't being thoroughly detangled.  Finger detangling is incorporated into her regimen just not exclusively.

Hair Tools - Simply Put.  Away with seamed combs, I am loving the seamless combs by Hercules Sagemann (using since April 2013) which prove to be way more beneficial to the hair in preventing breakage and snagging.  (More to come on a later post)

Re-Visiting Sulfates - Bad Idea!!  Was the hair clean? Absolutely, but after consistent use, her hair became even more tangled and drier!!!  Not good for Type 4 hair...so I'm ditching the sulfates FOREVER!

Products/Ingredients - It is really important to find which ingredients your hair likes and dislikes.  While trying the many many products I mentioned HERE, I've learned what BG "S" hair dislikes which helps when making new purchases.  Being aware of allergens your child have is also important.  Still narrowing down my HG's but we're getting there and I'm in a good place...

Staying Away From Protein Completely - Since learning my daughter's hair is sensitive to certain proteins I made the mistake of eliminating it completely from her regimen with the exception of the natural light protein like the Greek Yogurt DC (which I LOVE BTW).  But I learned I just had to find the RIGHT Protein.  I gave her a protein treatment using the Curl Junkie Repair Me! and OMG, although it made her hair feel stronger it also brought her hair back to life and it was soft!  So I had to remind myself that our hair is made of protein, so I will be more consistent with monthly protein treatments to keep that necessary moisture/protein balance.

Deep Conditioning (Before or After Shampooing) - For those who have been following for a while, you know my preference have always been to DC before shampooing which has worked fine.  But I decided to switch it up a bit and try DC after shampooing.  Well...needless to say the biggest difference for me was the extra conditioning/protection her hair got before shampooing which allowed her hair to stay more moisturized during shampooing and detangling which I like to do before washing. But I would detangle during DC'ing after shampooing which seemed more difficult (this is because I completely omitted detangling as my very first step).  So I'm still trying to determine which method is best for us after using all steps.

Trimming/Dusting - I am very comfortable with the scissors, lol.  I have trimmed and dusted BG "S" hair on several occasions with no regrets.  This really helps with the health of her hair and keeping SSK to a minimum.  I'll continue dusting/trimming when necessary as this aids in the growth retention process but I definitely want to cut back a bit.

Remember to stay positive and keep pressing forward, this journey is really all about learning what works for you and your hair...

What have you tried in 2013? And what if anything will you do differently in 2014 with your hair?

**My Natural Hair is Beautiful**

Let me first start by saying HAPPY HOLIDAYS and follow with an apology for not being as frequent with my posts (life happens ya know)...but posts are on the way! ^_^

We all know this hair thing is truly a JOURNEY!  I have gone through ups and downs with BG "S" hair but we're still pressing forward because after all I LOVE my kids' hair and I want them to do the same! So I wanted to take this opportunity to share this adorable PSA...enjoy!

My Natural Hair is Beautiful

Kids N Curls Event in Maryland

Just sharing:

For additional info, click HERE