Family * Travel * Food

8 Tips For Fabulous Curls This Winter

Ah, winter. It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the holidays, hot chocolate, cute sweaters, the list goes on! But it can also be a not-so-wonderful time of year for your curls, if they’re not properly taken care of. Whether you’re a longtime curly girl or now embracing your curls, these tips will help you keep your curls happy this winter.


  1. Consider going “no-poo.” Shampoos with sulfates strip our hair of moisture, which is literally the opposite of what we want. I committed to the “no-poo” lifestyle last year, and it was a game changer. It’s weird at first not to feel the typical shampoo lathering, but my hair feels softer, stronger and more moisturized. My favorite is the DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence for super curly hair.
  2. Do. Not. Skimp. On. Deep. Conditioning. During the summer, I could get away with deep conditioning twice a month, but now I have to do it once a week. If your hair craves extra moisture like mine, it will thank you for the deep condition. You can make your own with your favorite oils, or take the easy way out like me and buy it. My favorites are DevaCurl Heaven in Hair, DevaCurl Melt into Moisture and Hask Monoi Coconut Oil. 
  3. Use coconut oil (AKA the lifesaver). I put cold-pressed, unrefined coconut oil on my ends for extra moisture and curl definition. When I tell you it keeps the curls POPPIN’, I’m not lying! A little goes a long way, so use it just on your ends, and not on your scalp. If you use too much, your hair will look super greasy (don’t ask how I know…).
  4. Don’t towel-dry your hair. Drying with a towel creates too much friction, leading to frizz. You can use a microfiber towel, but that old cotton t-shirt you don’t know what to do with will work just as well. I’ve been using t-shirts for about four years and haven’t looked back.
  5. Sleep with a satin cap or pillowcase. This will preserve your curls and prevent them from becoming matted. I use the satin pillowcase because caps always fall off my head in the middle of the night. 
  6. Don’t sleep with your hair down. Sleeping with my hair down (even with a satin pillowcase) is disastrous. My hair looks flat, which is a big no-no for me! I prefer to put my hair in a “pineapple,” which is just a high ponytail and naturally, makes me look like a pineapple. Depending on your hair type, you can pineapple, braid or twist – whatever works for you.
  7. Use a diffuser instead of a blow dryer. I air dry my hair because it doesn’t get so cold in South Carolina. But if you live in colder areas or need to dry your hair quickly, a diffuser will dry your hair without stripping its moisture. Every once in a while, I do diffuse my hair with the Bed Head Curlipops diffuser. 
  8. Get a trim. Trimming your ends regularly is essential for hair growth and health. When you’re a curly girl, it can seem like light years have passed before any growth appears. I recently started using liquid biotin to aid my hair growth, so regular trims won’t seem as daunting.

Here’s to fabulous, happy curls this holiday season!

This guest post was provided by my fabulous daughter, Chardonnay Ismail


SHARE:

Fabulous Fall Beauty Finds For Back-To-School

Today we will be talking about hair care. I have a lot of hair and have to wash/dry/style way more often than I care to. Having such long hair takes so much time to care for and it has become a chore that I wish I could avoid. The part that takes me over the edge is blow drying. It takes approximately 35-40 minutes to get my hair completely dry. Well thankfully I have a solution. I found the BEST blow dryer that has changed everything for me. The Hot Tools® Turbo IONIC® Dryer is perfect for anyone looking for something small, fast, and effective!


This dryer is so powerful and brought my drying time from 35 minutes down to 10 minutes! That is a HUGE time saver and I no longer dread hair wash days. What makes it so great? This modern dryer with a narrow, European nozzle packs an impressive airflow with quiet operation. Its PRO-MOISTURE SYSTEM™ with ION TECHNOLOGY® is supplemented with Tourmaline to deliver a hydrating “spa treatment” for your hair — while fighting frizz and locking in moisture for supremely soft, manageable hair. The contemporary dryer also includes a concentrator with a narrow opening for precise drying. 


I am so impressed with how sleek and straight my hair comes out with no frizz. My younger daughter borrows it and loves how much drying time has been cut out for her. She has biracial hair and noticed how less poufy her hair was after drying. With the super compact design, this dryer is perfect for dorm rooms. I will warn you though, roommates will want to borrow it! You can find the Hot Tools® Turbo IONIC® Dryer at Ulta stores for $70. It is worth every penny if you are looking for professional quality at home.

Not enough time on shampoo days? No problem! Simply wash and go in one easy step with Pert Plus Classic Clean. I know the guys benefit most with this type of product since they don't spend nearly as much time on hair like the ladies do. I absolutely love the clean scent and how soft it makes my hair. You can find Pert Plus at drugstores nationwide for around $3.39 (13.5oz), $5.49 (25.4oz).


For hair that needs a little more help, consider the Infusium23 Moisture Replenisher Collection ($6.99 – $8.99, Target)
Designed for moisture-deprived hair, the Infusium 23 Moisture Replenisher Collection is perfect to replenish your hair as you leave the beach and head back to school (or the carpool line). It is formulated with an exclusive blend of avocado and olive oil to lock in moisture and enhance shine, restoring dry and sun damaged hair in preparation for the fall. A unique i-23 Complex, enriched with provitamins, antioxidants, proteins and amino acids, instantly transforms dry, damaged tresses into soft, healthy-looking, more manageable hair, making it an essential collection to keep in your shower caddy. The collection includes Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-In Treatment.

I received product samples to facilitate an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 
SHARE:

A Low-Cost Flat Iron That Works On Thick Biracial Hair

Hey there! I wanted to share my latest find that I was so impressed with, I had to write a review. My daughters have been using flat irons since the middle school days, and their very first one was a $100 CHI. It was the most amazing straightener ever and made their hair super smooth, silky and of course, straight. It lasted 2 girls with a ton of hair for about 2 years. We thought it was worth the $100 so we purchased a second one. This time it was just okay. It straightened the hair, but the plates seemed like they were not aligned evenly and it made the task harder. That one lasted a couple of years and we bought a CHI once more. For some reason this last one did not straighten very well at all. We decided to switch brands and go with Rusk. I read several Amazon reviews and the thing that made me want to buy it was the fact that many users had very thick biracial hair. I found a $199 version for $90 and decided to order it. This flat iron was hands-down the best one ever! It straightened coarse, curly hair and transformed it into a super smooth, shiny and luxurious look. It was worth the money and they girls really loved it until... Brie went away on a trip to Washington earlier this year and her flat iron never made it back home. She called the hotel twice as well as her roommates and there was no sign of it. It was barely a couple months old and I was NOT spending the money to replace it.

After doing some more research on Amazon, we found another flat iron by Rusk, this time for under $50. I figured since I was going to have Brie buy it with her own money, she may need something less expensive. It had great reviews, so we decided to order it and give it a try.

The shocking result? It worked just as well as its $199 big sister version! See how smooth and straight Brie's hair came out?


I highly recommend the Rusk W8less Professional Str8 Ceramic Flat Iron  if you are looking for a really good, inexpensive flat iron. It really is a great value! We are thinking of ordering another one to keep as a back-up. Let me know if you buy one. This is also a great gift idea!

This post contains affiliate links
SHARE:
Blogger Template Created For Mom Files All Rights Reserved