Moving!

Hello Beauty Junkies!

 

I wanted to let you all know that I am moving my blog to Wordpress.

 

Come visit me from now on at

 

AmeliaAtSalon7.wordpress.com

Love Your Natural Curls!

     Hello Beauty Junkies! Last post I said I was going to talk about embracing your naturally curly hair, so here it is!

 

     I have fine curly hair and I have a lot of it! My hair is to the middle of my back and while it is curly, it's more towards the wavy side rather than the spiral side. Growing up my hair was never that curly and all of a sudden at age 15 it decided it was going to the curly side! I was actually excited because before my hair was curly, it was this strange in between. Not quite curly, not quite straight and I would heat style EVVVERY day. Blow dry, curl, straighten, over and over and over. My hair became increasingly fuzzy over time and I got tired of having to spend an hour on my hair. Once it became naturally curly, I jumped for joy and swore off regular heat styling. I am going to give you several steps to embracing your curls and achieving the curly look you've always dreamed of while getting your hair to a healthy state!

 

Step #1: Find a hair stylist that knows how to work with curly hair!

 

     I cannot express this enough! Curly hair can be a little tricky because it shrinks up when it dries. If someone cuts your hair or your bangs too short, you could end up with a poodle-like poof!  Communicate with your stylist and always let them know what you are trying to achieve. If you are going the natural route and are ending years of heat styling, opt for a deep conditioning treatment to get your strands back to a healthy start. If you still want to straighten your hair once in awhile, let them know so they can give you a cut that looks good straight and curly.

Step #2: Good a good shampoo/conditioner that nourishes and replenishes and is aimed towards curly hair
    
     Finding the right shampoo for curly hair was always disappointing for me. While they always made my hair feel clean, they never delivered the defined curls they always promised. Until now! I had the pleasure of recieving a sample of Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls curling creme in my Birchbox (I will talk more about Pillow Soft below) and loved it so much I decided to explore more of Miss Jessie's products. I ended up purchasing the Super Slip Sudsy shampoo and the Creme De La Creme conditioner. I LOVE THEM! My hair is super fine and gets very tangled when wet. I have to coat it with conditioner, let it sit and then comb it out with a wide tooth comb while rinsing. This shampoo/conditioner combo starts untangling with the shampoo! I lose less hair because my hair is less tangled and that is awesome! If you have any type of curly hair, I highly suggest Miss Jessie's products! Go to www.MissJessies.com, right now they are having a free sample promo!


Step #3: Find a styling product that works for your curly hair type

     Not all curly hair types are created the same! I have fine curly hair while I have friends with thick, course curly hair. Some have more wavy hair then curly, others have curls that are kinky instead of a spiral. Many use gel to cut down the frizz, but end up with crispy, wet looking curls with no life. Others use oil or a serum to cut down their frizz, but the final result is stringy, limp, lifeless strands that look like they need to be washed. I find a combination of a light application of Moroccan Argan oil and a curling creme work the best to define and defrizz my curls while leaving them bouncy and soft. Here I go plugging Miss Jessie's again, but seriously folks Miss Jessie's offers a styling product for EVERY kind of curly hair! I apply argan oil to damp hair, comb it out with a wide toothed comb, scrunch with a towel a few times and apply a small amount of Pillow Soft Curls. If I need my hair up, I wear it in a messy bun so later when I take it out, it compliments my natural waves. If I'm wearing it down, I will blow dry my hair with a diffuser on the lowest settings and finish with a curly light hold hairspray.

P.S. They even have hair product for curly kids!

Step #4: Find a good deep conditioner and use it while relaxing once a week

     If you are opting for a natural route after years of heat styling, you need to replenish the moisture in your hair. Damage causes breakage and breakage causes frizz so you want to avoid damage to your hair as much as possible. Treat yourself once a week to a face mask and a deep conditioner while taking a bubble bath while you unwind. Your skin, hair and mind will thank you! Stress is no good for your skin or hair so RELAX, drink a yummy drink and enjoy yourself. When I ordered my last shipment of Miss Jessie's product, I purchased a small jar of their Super Sweetback Treatment made for those wanting to grow out their hair. It smells like banana Laffy Taffy (which I LOVE!) and is thick and creamy so you don't have to worry about it dripping while you leave it on for 30 minutes. Just like their styling products, Miss Jessie's also has a deep conditioner for every curly hair type!

Step #5: Be good to yourself

     Remember that healthy hair and skin start with a healthy body. Get your nutrients, drink lots of water and keep smoking and drinking to a minimum if you must do them at all. Reduce your stress by treating yourself to an evening of relaxing and doing things that make you feel pretty. If you have the funds, treat yourself to a facial with an extended facial massage by an esthetician (like me!) dedicated to helping her clients relax. Stress is hell on skin, especially around the jaw so relax and chill out. Your hair and skin will thank you.

    I know this will be the fifth or whatever time I mention Miss Jessie's, but I cannot get over how completely awesome their products are! They are more expensive than drug store products, but your hair will look so amazing you'll never go back! My product always lasts a decent amount of time and I can purchase the shampoo, conditioner and curling creme through Birchbox and get points and discounts. I do suggest checking out Miss Jessie's website before ordering through Birchbox because www.MissJessies.com does some pretty awesome promotions like buy one get one free on every product you order. Stock up and get free shipping! I've read on their website that Target and CVS carry Miss Jessie's products, however none in my area carry them. Check the map on www.MissJessies.com to see if a store near you carries their products. Right now they are running a free sample with free shipping promo so you can try their products for free to see if you like them. They also offer small sizes of several products for under $10 which is great for trial before shelling out more cash.

So remember curly haired chicks:

1. Awesome Stylist
2. Awesome Shampoo/Conditioner
3. Awesome Styling Product
4. Awesome Deep Conditioner
5. Treating The Awesome You!


Keep posted for my next entry on the make up palette every make up artist and Junkie needs!