Tag: hair mask

BEST HAIR MASKS FOR CURLY, COILY AND KINKY HAIR

Published on by Lee3 Comments

Hair masks are an essential part of any beauty routine, especially if you have curly, coily or kinky hair. They’re a must for every wash day and keep your hair hydrated while also keeping split ends at bay. Moisture is the name of the hair mask game, and it can help with everything from frizz to manageability and lots of hair woes in between. We’ve rounded up the best masks for curly girls ahead, all of which you’ll want to add to cart. 

Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask

A must-have for curly girls, the Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask has monoi oil and hydrolyzed silk to help reverse any current damage and prevent future damage.

Mizani Moisture Fusion Intense Moisturizing Mask

If your hair is in serious need of moisture, try the Mizani Moisture Fusion Intense Moisturizing Mask — an intensely hydrating option that conditions hair without weighing it down. The key ingredients in this mask are cupaçu butter, argan oil and honey, which work together to leave hair manageable, healthy and conditioned.

Ouidad Curl Recovery Melt-Down Extreme Repair Mask

Formulated with a blend of mafura butter and Kalahari melon seed oil, Ouidad Curl Recovery Melt-Down Extreme Repair Mask coats the hair shaft with fatty acids that help to nourish and protect hair. It helps your curls to regain elasticity (read: shrinkage) and offers shine and touchable curls. Use twice a week for best results and watch your hair pop back to life.

Mizani True Textures Moroccan Clay Steam Curl Mask

This is an essential mask for anyone with particularly dry hair — thanks to its star ingredient: Moroccan clay. It hydrates, detangles and defines, leaving your hair ultra-clean and soft. The mask is also formulated with olive oil, marula oil and coconut oil, all of which help give hair a shiny, frizz-free look.

DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask

Formulated with matcha butter, the DevaCurl Melt Into Moisture Matcha Butter Conditioning Mask deeply conditions, nourishes and makes curls super soft. If you don’t get it all out post-wash, don’t worry — it works well as a leave-in, too.

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Winter Haircare Tips

Published on by Lee4 Comments


The winter season is upon us and we all know the cold can be bitter sweet. The winter months can attribute to dryness  can be hard on our hair. Black hair care techniques should change throughout the year, especially during the winter, thanks to the cooler temperatures and drier air.

Winter weather can wreak havoc on black hair if no extra care is taken, since excessive dryness leads to hair breakage and a dry scalp. The key to winterizing your hair care regimen is switching to a routine that causes very little stress on your hair throughout winter while preserving moisture. So how do you do this?

01. Wear A Hat:

Protect your hair from the harsh weather changes, by wearing a hat when outside. Wearing a hat covers your delicate strands from harsh winds which could lead to dryness. No one wants dry stiff hair.  I know many of us hate wearing hats, but what’s worse, not being fashion forward, of suffering from dry hair? I’ll say the last option.

Do not go outside with wet hair. Not only can you get sick, but this bad habit can also cause breakage. Depending on where you live and how cold it gets, your hair could even freeze.

Keep your hair wrapped and protected at night. Try wearing a satin bonnet or a scarf to prevent hair from drying while you sleep.

Wear protective styles (i.e. buns, braids, cornrows, etc). If you’re going to wear your hair in a bun, try to avoid pulling your hair, thus adding stress to your hairline. Wearing protective styles help preserve your hair throughout the winter.

Tame flyaways. Dry air can cause static, making even well-moisturized hair unruly. Carry a few unscented anti-static dryer sheets. Pass one over the top your head to immediately calm flyaways.

Wear a hat or a scarf. Wearing some sort of hat or scarf that’s loose enough to allow scalp circulation will protect your hair against cold winds.

Note that some materials, such as wool, tend to be more harmful to Black hair, but since you really shouldn’t venture out into the cold without head protection, try to wear a hat that has a satin lining – or create your own lining.

02. Deep Condition:

Deep Conditioning is one of the most crucial steps in having healthy hair in general. It doesn’t have to be the winter time, however winter is when hair is the driest especially if you live in a cold climate. If you don’t have enough time to leave your conditioner in sit in your hair for 30 minutes, consider using the one minute hair mask treatment from Garnier that I reviewed earlier this week.  I’d also recommend adding an oil, (I love olive oil) to your conditioner for an extra dose of moisture.

Shampoo your hair once a week. Remember that it’s not necessary to shampoo your hair every day, since washing Black hair too often can strip it of much needed natural oils, especially in during winter months, when the hair and scalp are already drier than usual.

Also, remember to use cooler water when wetting your your hair, and to be extra-gentle with wet locks. Try spraying your hair with a leave-in conditioner, using a wide-tooth comb, and blotting with a soft towel (as opposed to vigorously rubbing it, which can lead to even more breakage).

03. Don’t Be Afraid Of A Trim:

I hate getting my hair trimmed, however, it’s so necessary. Removing dead ends helps promote healthy hair growth. I have to tell myself a million times, it’s better to lose some hair to a trim than all hair to split ends; maybe that statement is a bit extreme, but nothing is worse than having long hair that is damaged from root to tip.

04. Minimize The Heat

The quickest way to cause breakage is by using excessive heat. Minimize the use of heating tools to prevent breakage.

Prepare Your Hair. If you decide to use a heating tool, use a hair product to protect your hair from heat. In addition, you can also use a leave-in conditioner accompanied by a heat protecting hair serum to replenish moisture.

Air Dry. Try letting your hair air dry instead of using a blow dryer.

Limit Combing. If you choose to comb your hair while it’s dry, try finger combing instead of using a comb. This will reduce breakage. If you do use a comb, be sure to use a wide tooth shower comb.

Use A Cooler Setting. When using a blow dryer, try using a cooler temperature setting. Your hair may take longer to dry, but it will minimize heat damage.

05. Add An Oil:

Oils are a the best hair care gift the earth could give us. I know I mentioned this above, however if you have dry ends (especially for the curly girls) you can coat the ends in a bit of oil to moisturize the hair without rinsing it out. What most don’t realize is, the ends are the oldest part of the hair and need more attention than the hair towards the scalp. Three great oils that are great for moisturizing the hair (from experience) are:

  1. Argan Oil
  2. Coconut Oil
  3. Olive Oil

To combat winter dryness, this is a crucial step. Moisturizing is extremely important during winter. Also, deep conditioners and hot oil treatments help restore and replenish moisture to your hair.

Use a moisturizer daily or leave-in conditioner. A leave in conditioner can do great things for dry and brittle hair.

Try to use leave-in conditioners with natural ingredients. Some ingredients such as sodium laurel sulfate, mineral oil, and petrolatum cause more dryness, so avoid using products with these ingredients.

Pamper your hair naturally at least once a week. Natural, intensive moisturizers like aloe, shea butter, jojoba or avocado oils can hydrate and revitalize the driest hair.

Deep condition. If your hair becomes persistently dry during the winter, use a deep conditioner or a hot oil treatment.

These products tend to be ultra moisturizing and great for black hair (you can even use a homemade deep conditioner with mayo or avocado). Hot oil treatments are great for replenishing moisture, as well. You can use a variety of different oils for great results, but the best oil to use is jojoba oil, because it is considered to be most like the natural hair oil, called sebum, which is produced from the sebaceous glands in the scalp. Ask your stylist for suggestions regarding the particular products you should use.

06. Eat Right & Consider Vitamins:

The strength of your hair is not only determined by what you put directly on it, but what you put into your body. Simply drink more water and add more fruits and vegetables and you are bound to see improvements in the overall appearance of your hair. If you want to amp it up a bit, consider biotin. Biotin, often known as the “beauty vitamin” can help grow strong hair, promote nail growth and help heal problematic skin.

Retain Moisture. The most important key to combating dryness during the winter is to protect your hair by retaining moisture. Add water to your diet and regimen by drinking at least 8 glasses of water and day and enjoying water-rich fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries and peaches.

Following these simple winter black hair care steps during winter will help prevent some of the winter damage and breakage.

What winter hair care tips do you have?

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I’D SWIPE RIGHT ON THIS $3 HAIR MASK

Published on by Lee2 Comments

Because I love a drugstore beauty product that really WORKS…

I know you’ve heard it a thousand times before; the key to long, strong, healthy hair is to deep condition consistently. However, how many of us can honestly say they have enough time in their day to make deep conditioning a habit? Even if 50% of you all do find the time, how long do you really deep condition for?

I decided to test out the new Garnier 1 minute smoothing hair mask to see if I could really get bomb ass hair in 1 minute, because who doesn’t want to get a necessary task done in one minute?

I’d Swipe Right: Garnier Fructis Smoothing Treat 1-Minute Hair Mask

What caught my attention: I love the idea of a one-minute anything, you know?  I actually love using a hair mask as my regular conditioner and, after talking to the brand reps, they sold me on the fact this drugstore mask is 98% natural and really does reduce frizz. Did I mention it’s also only $3???

What it claims to be: “The Garnier Smoothing Treat 1-Minute Hair Mask + Avocado Extract helps you get soft, smooth hair. In one minute, indulge your hair in a nourishing treat with 98% naturally derived ingredients…”

The Garnier 1 minute smoothing hair mask is marketed to give you manageable hair in, well you guessed it…1 minute. Now, I know, I know. No hair issue can be fixed in one minute and it doesn’t claim to fix all your hair issues; it claims to make your hair soft, shiny and silky without weighing your hair down. However, of course like any product, with consistent, long term use, the 1 minute hair mask can correct, a variety of hair issues, so many issues that the product comes in five different formulas:

  • Damage Repair – Papaya Extract
  • Smoothing – Avocado
  • Nourishing – Coconut
  • Color Vibrancy – Goji
  • Strengthening – Banana

Also the Garnier 1 minute mask gets extra brownie points for being fully vegan with no silicones or parabens, which is great for all hair types.

Stalked info: I decided to research the product a bit more, and apparently the product can be used two different ways, as a deep conditioner or a leave in.

I decided to try the Garnier hair mask as both. My next wash day, I tried the 1 minute hair mask as a deep conditioner and I let the product sit in my hair for a little over an hour. My naturally curly hair was softer, very shiny and way easier to comb through. That was nice, but it wasn’t anything that wowed me so, a I gave it a try as a leave in conditioner… and by far that was the best results for me since the hair stayed soft all day, smelled amazing, and was significantly shinier!

What I thought after our first “date”: The first thing I noticed when I opened the container was the smell; it smells sooooo good. In fact, I’ve recommended it to friends who said they just wanted a drugstore hair mask that actually works. You obviously can’t beat the $3 price tag but this product does not work like a $3 product typically does- it’s way better. My hair is left feeling super soft, hydrated and as frizz-free as she ever gonna get.

The thing is. it did worked well for me as a leave in conditioner, but nothing that would make me leave my current conditioner behind. Garnier website re-routes you to either Amazon or Walmart which means the price then varies between 2-8$ because we all know how Amazon pricing works.

If Walmart is available near you or if you’re willing to wait for Amazon to ship the product, I’d say yes try it out. Overall my hair was left significantly shinier and the price is pretty cheap. Also, I was able to use the conditioner 4 times before the small tube ran out.

Shop Garnier Fructis Smoothing Treat 1-Minute Hair Mask

How To Banish Greasy Hair For Good (In One Wash)

Published on by Lee7 Comments

During a autumn (Fall) vacay, something super embarrassing and frustrating happened to us. Somehow, our hair got this horrible, waxy and greasy buildup, and no matter how much we washed our hair – literally triple shampooed it – the residue didn’t go away. Our hair looked and felt gross and greasy hair is never a good look.

We soon discovered that we weren’t the only ones to experience this, and there’s a ton of questions about ‘waxy buildup on scalp won’t wash out’ online. If you’ve had this oily buildup before, it could be down to a number of things, including using hair-care products that are too ‘heavy’ for your hair to over-stripping with harsh products. (If you simply have typically oily hair, this DIY hair mask will also work wonders).

We found that our scalp was itching and sometimes dry which sometimes dandruff would be found. This is often brought on by stress, hormones, and even the weather. So when all shampoos failed us, our DIY beauty skills came into play and we were shocked at how amazing our clarifying hair mask turned out to be.

So, whether you’re experiencing this waxy buildup or you just want to detox your scalp and greasy hair, then you have to try this ultimate DIY clarifying hair mask. The only thing that actually worked to rid our hair of this waxy sebum residue and leave it feeling soft AF!

Clarifying Hair Mask

We already knew that Apple Cider Vinegar was an amazing way to detox hair, but we took it one step further and added some major beauty powerhouses to the mix; bentonite clay and activated charcoal powder. This natural hair mask works to deeply cleanse and re-balance by removing excess oil and toxins that can build up on the scalp. Whether you have product buildup, dandruff, greasy hair that won’t go away or a frustrating case of seborrheic dermatitis, this mask will fix it – tried and tested!!

Clay: Clay is packed with minerals and nutrients and helps draw out toxins and absorb the extra sebum produced by your scalp. The clay also helps to inhibit the growth of fungus that causes dandruff.

aztec indian healing clay

Activated charcoal: This works in a similar way that clay does to detox the scalp. Activated charcoal is adsorbent, which means it has an electrical attraction that pulls molecules, ions, and atoms towards its surface so that they stick to it – essentially sucking up dirt and oil from your scalp.

Apple cider vinegar: One of nature’s most potent creations, it’s full of active ingredients, vitamins, mineral salts, and amino acids, and it’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It also has anti-fungal properties, and helps restore your skin’s natural pH balance and destroy dandruff by killing fungus and cleaning clogged pores and hair follicles.

How to make the clarifying detox hair mask:

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Aztec Healing Indian Clay
1 tbsp Activated Charcoal Powder
6 tbsp of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ tablespoon castor oil
½ tablespoon almond oil
Water
Glass bowl
Wooden spoon

We buy big tubs of these products and use them for all kinds of DIYs, from face masks to hair masks and body scrubs (and we’ve had our pots of activated charcoal powder and Aztec Indian Healing clay for months!). If your hair is just a little bit greasy and you just want to detox, you can also add one teaspoon of honey to nourish your hair.

How to:

Step 1. Combine bentonite clay, coconut oil, castor oil, and almond oil in the bowl (make sure you use wooden or ceramic utensil as activated charcoal reacts with metal); the formula will bubble up and should combine into a runny paste. Add the apple cider vinegar to the bowl and let it froth for 15 seconds before mixing it vigorously. Mix the ingredients slowly. It should form a smooth, yogurt-like consistency. Make sure there are no lumps.

Step 2. Apply the mask to dry hair using a medium-sized brush, working your way in sections across your scalp – like you would if you were dying your roots. Once you’ve covered your scalp with the mask, tie up your hair (apply a shower cap if you like) and leave the mask to work for 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 3. Wash out the mask until the water runs clear, then shampoo your hair thoroughly. You can shampoo twice to ensure no mask remains, then follow with conditioner on your ends.

The result is all traces of oil or any waxy buildup are completely gone. Flakes from dandruff are wiped out, and the scalp feels balanced. It also makes your hair feel super lightweight and soft and gives your hair natural volume. We recommend doing this mask once a month to keep your scalp in top condition.

If your scalp is super flaky or you’ve experienced the waxy buildup on your hair that doesn’t go away with washing, then you should definitely visit a derm to see if you have seborrheic dermatitis. A derm will be able to advise you on the best medicated shampoos, and also prescribe an ointment to improve seborrheic dermatitis. Let us know if you’ve experienced this before!

Did you try the Aztec Secrets Indian Healing Clay Mask for the hair– it works for facial but does it work for your hair type!? Lemme know about your experience….