3 Tips for Taking Care of Curly Hair

Curly hair can be a real bind if you have it. I longed for straight hair that was easy to brush, wash and style. Every time I went to the hairdressers, I would ask them to make it straight. I had all my hair chopped off, investigated chemical straightening products as well as purchased a catalog of straightening tools in the hope that I could make the frizz smooth and sleek like you see on all the TV adverts.
Nowadays, I've come to terms with my curls and have even embraced the frizz. Well, maybe not that far, but I have learned a few tricks that help tame the wild beast that is my curly hair. Hopefully, these will help a few more 'curlies' embrace their own curls.
Tip 1- Do NOT brush your hair.
Sounds crazy doesn't it! Well it's true. Brushing curls, especially when hair is dry will just separate strands of hair from one another. This is fine for straight hair but for curls it just means that each hair will simply 'be curly' on it's own. The result is a head full of frizz. I remember when I was a young girl, my straight-haired mother would brush my curls with a stiff bristle brush. I would not only cry in pain, but also end up looking like a lion that had just had an electric shock!
Only brush it whilst wet, after washing, and even then, only with a wide-toothed comb. Afro combs work well.
Tip 2 - Do NOT dry your hair
Yes, another crazy idea! If your hair is naturally curly and you're going for a curly style, then do not dry with a hairdryer, even if you have a diffuser fitted. This can blow your hair so much that the strands separate again and you'll end up with frizz. Let your hair dry naturally, so that strands of hair group together and you'll get a proper curl. If you must dry your hair, for instance if your hair is quite thick, then just blow dry the roots and let the rest dry naturally.
The exception is if you are styling your hair straight. Blow dry (no diffusion needed) and then use straightening irons.
Tip 3 - Use curl enhancing products
A lot of shampoos, conditioners and styling products cater for those who want sleek, smooth hair so the products often contains relaxing ingredients to help deters frizz. For us curlies, this will make our hair look limp and dull. Go for products that are specifically formulated to enhance curls. Try KMS California Curl Up Conditioner or Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream.
You'll find that after trying a few different products and combinations, you'll hit on the magic combo that works for you. Once found,

you'll begin to love your curls like I do and never reach for the straightening irons again!

Loren Marie

A Healthy Hair Diet: Foods that Promote Hair Growth

You often hear the old adage," Beauty comes from within". This saying is literally true when applied to growing and maintaining a healthy head of hair. Balanced nutrition is key when it comes to promoting hair growth. By consuming a balanced diet containing plenty of protein, essential fats and oils, and vegetables, you can keep your hair replenished with the vitamins and nutrients necessary for hair growth and maintenance. Let's take a look at the foods in each food category that best promote healthy hair growth:
Lean Meats, Poultry, & Fish
Salmon is king when it comes to finding a high-quality protein source that will give your hair a boost. Salmon comes fully loaded with a hefty supply of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B-12, and iron. Another protein source that can't be beat is eggs. Eggs are full of both biotin and B-12 – essentials for hair growth. Other great sources of protein are lean beef, chicken, turkey, shellfish, and sardines. Consuming enough protein is important to a healthy hair diet because giving your body enough protein prevents hair from becoming dry and brittle and helps hair keep its healthy shine.
Nuts, Seeds, and Legumes
Nuts are a wonderful source of essential fats and minerals that help keep your scalp healthy. Also, nuts are important to a balanced hair diet because they contain zinc. Zinc deficiency is one of the leading known causes of hair loss. The nuts most recommended for hair growth are walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and Brazil nuts. Beans such as lentils, kidney beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, and lima beans are also great way to add protein, calcium, fiber, and essential minerals and vitamins to your healthy hair diet. Pumpkin seeds and flaxseed have also proven to be beneficial to hair growth.
Dairy Products
Surprisingly, low-fat dairy products can also be a great source of protein. In addition to that benefit, dairy products like yogurt, cottage cheese, and skim milk are loaded with the mineral, calcium, which hair needs for growth.
Fruits & Vegetables
The best piece of advice for eating a healthy variety of fruits and vegetables it to "Eat the rainbow." By eating a wide variety of different colored fruits and vegetables you can guarantee that you are getting access to beneficial vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that will promote healthy hair. Some of the stand-outs when looking for fruits and vegetables that best aid in hair growth are avocados, carrots (for their Vitamin A), pineapple, strawberries, kale, Swiss chard, grapefruit, spinach, broccoli, beets, turnip greens, artichoke, peppers, oranges, and brussel sprouts.
Grains
Healthy whole grains like the kind found in whole-grain breads and fortified breakfast cereals are packed with vitamins and minerals essential to hair growth. Check out the nutrition label to see how much zinc, iron, and B vitamins have been added.
Caribbean Hair Grow contains over 23 essential vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to grow long, lush, beautiful hair. Caribbean Hair Grow is formulated to heal and repair all ethnic hair types. Amazing results for dry, damaged, relaxed, color-treated, thinning, or brittle hair.

Laetitia Matthews