SssBRING it on!

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Curly Q&A

I hope that everyone (who lives in a four-season climate) made it through the winter relatively unscathed, both physically and emotionally. Days are getting longer, weather is getting warmer, and the sunshine is invigorating our bodies one day at a time. Ah yes, spring brings many things, among which is the reminder of our bodily hair existence. Perhaps you’ve begun waxing, threading, or even shaving again after a bit of a hiatus. Maybe your curly hair has been uncovered by a hat or scarf long enough for you to notice that you need a cut, trim, oil treatment or drastic makeover. Whether you have needs large or small, below is a little manual of next steps to help you feel your freshest and springiest. Enjoy and have fun!

Lookin’ Fine: Good for you, you made it through winter and your hair is still on top of its game. Maybe you kept up a routine of oil treatments throughout the winter, and likely keeping hair covered with a hat protected it from sun and wind damage. Even if it looks amazing, exposure to harsh heating systems and clothing fibers rubbing against our hair means that we can always benefit from an oil treatment or hair mask every week or two. I am always surprised to see how much better my hair looks after one of these treatments. Here are Pro, Low, and On-the-Go options to regenerate those silky locks.

Mild Damage: This is to be expected as spring starts rolling in. Curly hair naturally benefits from added moisture in the air that comes with spring and summer, and the healthier and more natural your curly hair is, the more you will likely notice that you love your hair in humid weather. Follow the tips above to maintain a healthy conditioning regimen. If you’re interested in learning how to give yourself trims, next time you get your hair cut pay attention to how your stylist does it, and chances are he or she will be happy to show you how to do minor mainenance on your ends yourself. Make an appointment with your hairdresser and indulge in a healthy trim!

I’m Feeling Lucky: It is definitely possible to trim and cut your own curly hair. I do this all year long and generally go in for a professional cut once a year when it starts looking too shaggy. Being blessed with curly hair, we can get away with uneven cuts, and cutting dry is a way to ensure that you are styling the hair the way it is meant to be styled. Our curls are not all the same, so cutting hair wet like stylists do with straight hair can be detrimental to our curls’ expression. Try watching a video and start with a little trim, and don’t expect final results in one session. I normally look at it for days and trim here and there as I see fit before I feel fully satisfied. You should also invest in a good pair of shears to avoid split ends. You’ll soon see how liberating and easy cutting your own hair can be!

Serious Makeover Needed: Perhaps you’ve considered all of the above and you need something a bit stronger. Book an appointment with your hairdresser, or ask women or men around you who does their hair if you particuarly like their curly style. Then spend some time researching hair cuts that appeal to you, and have photos with you when you go to your appointment. Explain to your stylist what your day is like, your realistic mainenance level, and ask any other questions you may have. They are usually happy to answer! Everything I know about curly hair I have learned from hairdressers and blogs.

The Oil Treatment to End All

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Curly Q&A

Hey folks! Well, we are in the final countdown to my much-anticipated wedding. It’s this Sunday and I will have a full report for you, along with pics of my hair style. I’m heading over to Arté Salon today to practice the style one more time with Amy, and then I’m on my own. She doesn’t do wedding hair, but has been practicing with me so that I can feel more confident doing it myself up in the mountains on the big day. I was reassured recently that I’m doing the right thing by styling my own hair at the wedding — no one has ever given me a fancy hairstyle that I like. Gotta take it into my own hands!

Image courtesy of NaturallyCurly.com

Before we get to all that, of course I have also been prepping my hair for the grand occasion. This includes split end trims (done in my bathroom at home, of course) and lots of conditioning, but most importantly, I’ve been going to Bliss Spa (Soho, NYC) for face and body treatments and I always add my favorite indulgence — Hair Dew. It is by far the very best hair treatment that I’ve ever had. The good news is, I’ve slowly broken down my treatment specialists and I HAVE THE RECIPE! It’s not expensive to get it done at Bliss, it’s about $35, so I highly recommend it if you ever go because they do a nice head massage. However, you can only get it as an add-on to other (more expensive) services.

The alternative is to buy the expensive ingredients and do it at home yourself as you wish. I’ll leave that decision up to you. But suffice it to say, this is the best oil treatment I’ve ever had! It has a balancing oil for your scalp (extra helpful if you tend to have a dry or itchy scalp) and amazing botanicals for the hair. This is A+ stuff, baby. So without further ado…

Ingredients:

Phyto Botanical Scalp Treatment

Phytocitrus Color Protect Radiance Mask

Phytosesame Hydrating Cream for Dry Hair

Procedure:

Start with dry hair, and it doesn’t matter how clean or greasy it is. First apply the Scalp Treatment. This comes with a pipette which is used to apply the stuff directly to your scalp. Use one full pipette per treatment. Place tip directly on scalp at varied locations and squeeze some out in each spot. My experience has been 7-8 sites on the scalp works best. Next, apply the Radiance Mask throughout hair. Lastly, apply the Hydrating Cream to the ends. Experiment with how much you use, based on hair length and thickness, but err on the less-is-more side since this stuff is $$$.

Once all has been applied, rub your scalp and give yourself a nice massage. If your hair is long or not staying put with all that cream in it, tie it up with an elastic band (alternatively — a less harsh tie that works well is the ends of sleeves on old t-shirts. Just cut them off in inch-thick strips and you have a round elasticy-but-soft hair tie.) Put on a shower cap or tie a plastic bag over your hair if you’re on a budg or like to upcycle. If you’re super attentive, put a heated cap or hot towel over your hair to open pores for better absorption. Let this whole thing sit for 20-30 minutes. You may also decide to sleep with the treatment on, which is what I do. Up to you! Take the heated cap or towel off before sleeping and tie a bandana or old scarf over your shower cap to keep it on straight and avoid staining sheets and pillows.

Wash out the whole mixture with 4 tablespoons lemon juice and equal parts conditioner, massaging into scalp. I’d suggest your least expensive conditioner for this step since it’s not in your hair for long, and its main purpose is to tone down the acidity in the lemon juice. Note: This will not make your hair blonde because you will thoroughly wash it out immediately after applying. Think of it as a shampoo. Do not leave it on for more than a few minutes.

Enjoy!

Voila! Your hair will be silky and amazing. I do this maybe a few times a year since it’s so expensive and is a lot of work. I’d suggest doing it a few days before any big event. Your hair has never been so shiny, believe me! One final note: Do not shy away from products that are for color-treated or very damaged hair even if yours is not. These just have more concentrated amounts of the good stuff and your hair will absorb it just as much as damaged strands. If you are ever choosing between two similar conditioning products and one is for damaged hair while one is for normal/dry, go for damaged.

Visit NaturallyCurly.com for more hair oil ideas!

In the name of treatments and laughs, a tribute to one of America’s sweethearts. Thanks for everything you’ve contributed, Mr. Williams. You will be always be remembered. Who could forget the pie treatment mask?

Product Review: CURLS’ Gel-Serum Hybrid

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Curly Q&A

Howdy friends! It’s been a while, but I made a promise never to post nonsensical traffic-driving blog fodder. I’m also SUPER busy planning my wedding (less than a month to go!) and will not forget to let y’all know about my upcoming appointment with my fabulous hair stylist Amy. You may recall that I’m doing my wedding hair myself, but I wanted to see if she could help me brainstorm and test styling techniques. I am not finding pictures of exactly what I want anywhere online, so I’m inventing it!

Wedding chatter aside, I have been waiting to update you on my most recent product purchase until I’ve given it a good thorough testing. The reason is because it’s very expensive, and I didn’t want to give advice either way before being totally sure. Let’s get into it.

CURLS’ Curl Gel-les’c, besides being really hard to type out, is a cutely-named, nice smelling, interesting styling elixir. Not a serum nor a gel, it embodies positive aspects of both: the conditioning qualities of a serum, but not the heaviness that usually drags finer curls down. It also has the control of a light gel. The love-child of these two styling products is a thin, syrupy mixture that can be used in very small amounts — and thank God because the bottle is super small and $25!

Absurd, you may say, to spend so much on an 8-ounce styling product, but one blogger made a good point by saying that she only trots it out on special occasions. I think that the benefits are probably greater for those with coarse hair types that need lots of conditioning with their styling aid. For me and my fine little mixed-Euro-ancestry curls, it made my hair bouncier, curlier, shinier, and much softer than usual. I used a pea-sized amount on each side of my head. My hair is down to the middle of my back when wet, but very layered. The concoction made my top layers super curly, so if you’re going for an extra-curly day, this is your product.

For me, my overall review is that I probably wouldn’t buy it again, but am glad I have it to use from time to time and it will last me a long time. My favorite recent find is still Curl Junkie’s Curls in a Bottle gel. But if you have a coarse hair type that needs lots of conditioning, or any hair type that gets dry very easily — even with regular use of conditioner (see: co-washing) and gel — I’d recommend giving it a try.

Grease Be Gone!

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Curly Q&A

A dear relative with curly hair reminded me of a problem I’d been having until recently. With the changing climate from season to season our skin must find ways to adapt; scalp oil production varies, causing all kinds of fun things: dandruff, oily scalp, hair breakage, flatness, frizz. You know the deal, why am I telling you?

My number-one method when this happens is to switch up the products I’m using. Most often the culprit is your styling aide; gel, mousse, cream, what have you, and all you have to do is find something that is similar in make-up but not exactly the same. For example, if a light gel like DevaCurl’s Angel works for you on the norm, try switching to Ouidad’s Climate Control gel or Curl Junkies’ Curls in a Bottle. If you’re more of a Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding sort of gal, try Living Proof No Frizz Styling Cream or Ouidad’s Hydrafusion Curl Cream. On the cheaper side, anyone with curls or waves will gain major benefits from the use of edible aloe vera gel. You can buy this at most health food stores or online, and must keep it refrigerated after opening. It doesn’t supply as much hold as the alternatives so you have to be comfortable with a less defined look, but it’s au naturel and makes hair super shiny and frizz-free. It can also serve as a great leave-in conditioner! If your scalp is a bit dry or flakey, rub some into it during your shower and rinse it out at the end.

Remember: If your scalp is getting oily or itchy after its been a dedicated shampoo-free zone for more than a few months, there’s usually some small tweak you can make to fix it. Don’t despair. If the problem seems to be scalp-related, try switching up your conditioners and any other products. As long as you’re water/finger washing your hair with conditioner every week and using a safe ‘poo-alternative every other week or so, you shouldn’t need anything more than a minor regimen shift. Bonus: You can always return to your original products when the newer ones stop doing their job.

Wedding on the Way!

Posted on May 22, 2014 by Curly Q&A

Hi friends! It’s been so long! I wanted to update you with some of my musings, and I stand strong against posting unnecessary nonsense just for the sake of it. This probably is just that, but bear with me because I miss you!

Arte Salon in Soho, NYC

As you may remember from a recent post, I found an amazing new hairdresser, Amy from Arté Salon in Soho and YES that means I’ve ditched Devachan and their lofty(er) prices. Who knows if I’ll return eventually, and I still use and preach their products, but the salon staff and atmosphere are a bit uptight and I forgot what the fun neighborhood vibe can be like in a smaller salon.

ANYWAY — the countdown is seriously under way to my upcoming wedding. It’s going to take place on August 17, 2014 and my beauty regimen has been implemented pretty much since our engagement last year. I’ve included my skincare routine that was dermatologist-recommended and approved below in case you’re interested, voyeur that you are! My skin has never been better.

The cut Amy gave me the first time was monumental. In the words of one co-worker, “the hair cut to end all hair cuts.” However, in order not to thin out the middle too much so I can pull off the mystery hair style I’ll be rocking on the big day (No hints! You’ll see soon enough!) my most recent shaping had to be on the stingier side. Because of this, I’m kind of hating my hair lately. I also haven’t fully solved the oil-clogging-the-shower-drain fiasco and every time I do an oil treatment the bath completely backs up and we have to use Draino — which is so bad for the environment and old pipes, y’all. I will definitely be applying one this weekend and washing it out in the gym showers because it’s way overdue, but it’s just not the same. Sigh, the trials of living in a gorgeous pre-war Brooklyn brownstone!

In the meantime, I’m making good use of funky buns, sassy braids, and lots of hair accessories. I vow to make it through this trying time (insert sarcastic eye-roll here)!!! I will also update you soon with video footage on ways to cut curly hair to add some life to it between cuts. If you have gorgeous, thick, voluminous hair it may not apply to you as much, but for those of us on the thinner/finer side, you will want to tune in. I also love cutting my own hair when I can because it feels liberating. Coming soon!

In the meantime…CQA Talks: SKIN CARE

PM Instructions

1. Wash face and neck with Ceravé Hydrating Cleanser. I only wash my face once a day because I believe that over washing is bad (have you been reading my blog?!) and the best time to do that is after a day full of facing pollution and pollen outside. To keep extra-clean, wash your pillowcase often.

2. Dry completely, and apply four drops of Tarte Maracuja Oil to palm, then rub it into your face, focusing on wrinkly or dry areas. I do not have dry skin in general and I use this every night and I haven’t had any break outs, scaling, or issues whatsoever over the past year of using it nightly. This was the most severe winter I’ve ever lived through in the city and every other winter I’ve had dry skin issues from the freezing wind, but this year I had none. *Only use it at night* Some people I know use Vitamin C oil and that should have the same effect. I used to have an oily T-zone, but not anymore!

3. Apply a thin coating of Ceravé Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM to face and neck.

AM Instructions

1. Pour a generous amount of Witch Hazel on a cotton swab and wipe off your entire face and neck. Witch Hazel is a time-tested and grandma-approved way to fight redness and remove all excess oils before facing the day.

2. When face is completely dry, apply a coating of Ceravé Day Time Facial Lotion to face and neck. The SPF 30 is crucial to avoid sun spots, wrinkles, and signs of aging.

Bonus:

If any parts of your body are dry, potentially starting to sag (ahem, ladies, this is me trying to be subtle), or even if you have any muscle tension or aches, apply Castor Oil to a piece of wool flannel and let it sit on the affected area for as long as you can. You can also apply oil directly to skin if that’s easier. It works wonders to keep my skin super soft! I wouldn’t recommend using it on your face, it’s too thick. Extra Bonus: Castor Oil also does wonders for your hair!

CQA Interview: Renee

Posted on March 21, 2014 by Curly Q&A

Renee after her curly conversion.

Renee is a friend and was the perfect candidate for curl conversion. A couple of years after following this blog’s suggestions, her hair is looking more gorgeous than even I could have predicted. Let’s hear how she did it!

Curly Q&A: Before you became a dedicated curly girl, what was your hair care routine?

Renee: I would use Tresemmé shampoo and conditioner, a second conditioner of Nexxus and then would use Biolagé as a leave in. Once out of the shower, I would use a detangler with a Sexy Healthy Hair cream to style, and top with hairspray.

CQA: Sounds crunchy! What made you decide to ditch the ‘poo (traditional shampoo)?

R: My hair was starting to get frizzier, impossible to comb, and I had to brush it. I started talking to other curly heads about it.

CQA: How long did it take to feel comfortable shampoo-free?

R: Probably a couple weeks to a month, I didn’t have the itchiness issues but it was just getting out of the old routine.

CQA: If you didn’t have itchiness, your scalp was probably screaming to be left alone and it sounds like you were finally hearing its cries. What is your hair care and styling routine now?

Renee before her curly conversion!

R: I wash it with Deva Curl No Poo once a week if that, and rotate days with using Aussie Moist conditioner and MoroccanOil conditioner. Other days I follow with Biolagé as a leave-in. If the weather is humid, I will use DevaCurl Angel light defining gel in the shower to finish. To style it, I use a mixture of Devacurl styling cream and Redken Curvaceous Ringlet and add Moroccan Oil curl styling cream if it’s humid out. Once a week I will also use a Moroccan oil conditioning treatment.

CQA: Sounds like you’ve really found a formula that works for your hair! It takes a village. What are some of the biggest differences that you’ve noticed in your hair health and appearance?

R: My hair isn’t as hard to finger comb, it’s softer and lasts longer between cuts. The curls are also much healthier.

CQA: Has it affected other parts of your life at all?

R: It’s made my hair routine so much easier and shorter.

CQA: Was there ever a time in your life when someone made your curls seem unprofessional or inappropriate in a situation?

R: I’ve had a lot of people constantly ask me if this is my natural hair and it made me feel uncomfortable when they’d respond with, “because most white women do not have as curly hair as you do.”

CQA: I just love when people feel totally comfortable remarking on women’s physical appearances in such ignorant and nonsensical ways. Is there anything else you’d like to share with would-be curly converts?

R: If you must straighten your hair, be sure to use a heat protector first as that was one of my biggest mistakes around my wedding; it damaged my hair and took months to get the curls back to normal.

CQA: Thanks so much Renee! You truly are a story of success and I so appreciate your taking the time to tell us about your journey!

Round or Flat? The Age Old Question Rages On

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Curly Q&A

I have mentioned the importance of a proper hair cut on a curly head many times, but I don’t think that the subject can ever be given enough justice. There have been times that I’ve looked like a worn out hag or a wet rat because of my hair, and times that I’ve resembled a movie star strutting down the red carpet of my overactive imagination (major creative liberties being taken here, but you get the jist). Make-up and general face-issues not-withstanding, hair can really make or break a look. It’s based on the curl pattern and frizz factor of the day, but mainly, it’s the cut.

Until now, I have faithfully returned to my beloved Devachan Salon in Soho, NYC. They just get it. They cut curls dry without question, and use my favorite conditioners and gels. For years I’ve tried to cultivate this sort of “Mick Jagger” curly/wavy shag that fits my face shape, and sometimes it’s great, but it grows out really quickly and needs more maintenance than I can afford. Plus, I like the shag because it feels carefree and fun, and you can’t be those things when you’re always worried about your hair.

I have the types of curls that can be really glorious and well-defined, but also tend to either frizz or lie flat. I hate flat. Frizz I can work with, since you can use good hair oils and lots of conditioner and the right gel to keep it in check. But flat, blah!

I saw a great curly hair cut on a woman at the gym, and it was short and super layered. Think Meg Ryan in City of Angels. I had to ask her who does her hair, and it was a woman named Amy at Arté Salon, also in Soho. I was displeased with my last cut from Devachan, where one of the stylists I used to love seemed to rush me and not really listen to what I was saying. They also charge a s&^%load, as anyone who’s been there will know. I decided to go to Amy for my first consultation ever, since it was free and why not. I am in the tricky stage between wanting a hair cut I can love on the daily, but that isn’t too short or sparse to be used in a romantic ‘do for my wedding this August.

Course, thick curls cut in the traditional accordion style.

I loved Amy at first sight! She was so perky and knew exactly what I was talking about. She truly listened, and even more, she explained something that I hadn’t understood before. She has gone to many curly hair cutting classes, and the traditional way to cut curly hair has been to cut curls in a pattern that falls down your head in an accordion style, meaning that each strand is slightly shorter than the ones just below it. The reason for this is that it allows curls to fall on top of each other in a less upward-direction, diminishing the dreaded triangle, but also squelching voluminous roundness. Since curls have only recently become socially acceptable (hissss), there isn’t as much request for afro styles in the majority demographic. But take my word, they’re a-comin,’ and they’re fantastic.

Curls scooped out from underneath, with the shortest layers toward the bottom. This can be done with longer hair cuts, too.

This accordion cutting style works perfectly for people with thick or course textures, since they have enough hair to support some serious shape. But for ladies like me who don’t have as much thick beautiful hair, and top layers that tend to be more wavy than curly when long, Amy says that you have to do the exact opposite. You want to cut hair as if you’re scooping it out from underneath, so that each hair is slightly longer than the ones below it. That way the shorter strands underneath are pushing the top layers up. She even showed me how to do it myself between cuts so that I’m not constantly coming back for a re-shaping. It’ll take some practice, but when I have it figured out I will post a video.

The moral of the story: If you’re not happy with your hair, you deserve to be for all that money you’re spending! Ask anyone whose hair style you like where they get it done and book a consultation. If you immediately click with the stylist, great! If not, try to find a way to connect so that he or she understands what you’re asking for. Pictures always help! And remember to be vocal: I had to speak up so that she’d cut my curls dry instead of wet, and told her not to use shampoo on me, with which she was happy to comply. My requests solicited an irritated side glance from a male patron to my right, but then again, his hair was super boring.

CQA Interview: Emily

Posted on August 26, 2013 by Curly Q&A

Curly Q&A: What was the hardest thing about having curly hair when you were young? Any funny or meaningful memories?
Emily: I’d say the hardest thing about having curly hair when you are young is accepting its beauty and rarity. When you are young, you’re more absorbed by being accepted, so you try to look like every other Tom, Dick and Harry. Curly hair is like a relationship — you need know how to work it so that it looks good and maintains its health. When you are younger you are less aware of how to style it, as this comes with time and experience.

The funniest memory was in high school when people tried to stick things in my curls – having big hair back then was like being an extraterrestrial.

CQA: Have you ever felt that having curly hair was a hindrance, either socially or professionally?
E: I like my hair big and frizzy! In today’s finely groomed society, there are times when you think, “Why can’t I look like I’ve walked out of the Golden Globes, rather than a Crufts dog show?” Then you soon realize that these people are all following the media’s dictatorship. At the end of the day, these people are all wearing the same pair of dentures, sporting Brazilian blow outs, skyscraper heels, and Victoria Beckham couture (if they are lucky). There’s not much more to it — which brings me back to my point above about being different.

I believe that you can tell a lot about a person’s personality through the way they style their hair! Boring is out.

CQA: What products do you use?
E: I try to take the best care of my hair as possible in the time I have – which is not a great deal. I recently discovered a fantastic hair balm – Aesop: Violet Leaf Hair Balm! It’s great for the days that your hair needs extra hydration.

CQA: I know that you’ve had curly hair extensions; did you like them?
E: My experience wasn’t great. I bought two more packs of real hair than I should have, and it was weaved into my real hair. It was unmanageable and impossible to tame — it was like brushing out a horse’s mane. I would recommend investing the time to grow your real hair out.

CQA: Do you have any tips or suggestions for someone who is considering curly hair extensions?
E: Be clued up on where you go to get them, what kind of extensions you will be getting, the process, and the type and amount of hair being used.

WEN in Doubt, Try it Out!

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Curly Q&A

UPDATE: The day after I posted this, a trusty friend alerted me that WEN signs you up for repeated monthly refills automatically, unless you can find the hidden way to opt out when placing your order (I never saw that! WEN, you sneaky B). So I emailed customer service immediately to ensure that no further orders were processed and sent to me. They replied within 24 hours as promised (see their response below), and said that no further orders will be sent or charged. My skeptical instincts were right on target! I still highly recommend WEN products, but either find the part in the form to opt out when ordering, or email Guthy-Renker@crm-inet.com immediately after to cancel future orders being sent automatically. You may also buy products individually at Sephora or Amazon!

$29 WEN Hair Basic Kit

Confession: I fell in love with the WEN informercial when I first saw it a couple of years ago. I found myself saying, “Yes, Yes! YES!!” (But not nearly as inappropriately as that Herbal Essences commercial of years past) to every thing that Chaz Dean was saying. “Condition a lot!” “Shampoo and sulfates are bad!” “You only need to cleanse your hair once a week or less!” Etc. He was speaking my language. This kind of advertising may also be part of what’s made it more socially acceptable to nix shampoo and the over-stripping of beneficial scalp oils in recent years. Thank you, Chaz.

However, hard-hitting investigative curl-journalist that I am, I was immediately skeptical. First of all, it was in an infomercial on QVC. Second of all, any capitalist endeavor is going to attempt to sell you as much as possible to keep the income rolling in. This feeds the antithesis to my theory — the one that has served me well for the past decade — you only need three products for great curly hair: A top notch conditioner, a gel or some other styling product, and a cleanser. The cleanser can even be made of household ingredients, such as equal parts water and baking soda, or equal parts lemon juice and conditioner (adjust amount based on hair length). The gel can be as simple as edible Aloe Vera gel from the health food store (try it sometime — makes hair super shiny. Must be refrigerated.) Oil treatments are simply household extra-virgin olive oil and conditioner mixed together.

See? Any purchase that truly is necessary is extremely inexpensive and limited. Of course curly girls are all product enthusiasts at heart, and I finally caved when I received an amazing $29 offer for a slew of products. The thing that I was most interested in was their cleansing conditioner. I expected there to be all kinds of naughty additives, but its ingredient list is pure as Alaskan snow and contains only healthy cleansers and conditioning emollients, such as plant extracts.

So now down to the delivery and product testing time.

[As a side note, if you follow Curly Q&A you will always be notified when new products are added to the Products page, so follow me now please! You may do so with the widget to the left of this text.]

My hair after using the Summer Mango Coconut conditioning cleanser and the Anti-Frizz Styling Cream.

The package came pretty quickly, probably within a week or less. The first thing I noticed was how much product I was getting for $29. The next thing were the little leaflets inside. I LOVE their Quick Start Guide, which details the process of washing and conditioning your hair in the healthiest and most efficient way. I’ve embedded that for you at the bottom of this post.

I also loved that all I had to do was answer a few questions and send a photo of my curls via email to receive a free full-size sample of their pricey Sweet Almond Mint Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatment. I also got two travel size cleansing conditioners; one for my gym bag and one for my travel bag. The main product that I chose, which is seasonal and can only be purchased in limited supply in summer months, smells like heaven on Earth. I opted for the special summer cleansing conditioner in Summer Mango Coconut, and the final leaflet in the package explained that seasonal products are limited and will be replaced with another cleansing conditioner at equal value if supplies run out. The cleansing conditioner really does make my hair and scalp feel clean after I use it. As always, I rotate my conditioners, so I will probably only use this one about once every other week or less, and regular conditioners the rest of the time. I could see it becoming addictive!

[When you’re using a cleanser, always massage it into your scalp as well as raking it through your strands. The hair at the roots need the most cleansing because they’re closest to the scalp oils, and the ends get the least oil, so they need more conditioner than the roots. This is why I recommend leaving some conditioner on your ends after washing. Those with shorter hair may not notice that this is a problem.]

Possibly the best of all, which is saying a lot at this point, was the Sweet Almond Mint Replenishing Treatment Mist. I sprayed it on my hair and it was immediately glossier, easier to run my fingers through, and felt so clean.

So that brings us to the last product of note, the Anti-Frizz Styling Creme. If you’ve read my recent post on Living Proof’s styling creme, you’ll know that I’m a recent devotee to this refined breed of non-sticky products. This one seems to be made more for people who want to straighten their hair with minimal heat damage, and not so much for creating a strong enough cast over curls so that they dry frizz-free. It’s not bad in a pinch, or if you’re just lounging around the house while it dries. If you’ll be out running around in wind and what not, you’ll need something with stronger hold.

I want to stress that it’s much less expensive to buy these products in a package from the WEN web site — I only linked to the products on individual vendor web sites so that you could get closer looks. They are very affordable when sold together. Lastly, referring back to my skepticism of salesmen, the amounts that they recommend you use in the guide below are way off. I use about three-four full pumps of conditioner for my whole head. Experiment with however much it takes for all of your hair to feel like silky seaweed, this will depend on the length, texture, and how much hair you have.

Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments!

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Response from Guthy-Renker canceling future automatic refills:

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Curly Q&A on Facebook

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Curly Q&A

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There are so many things that I want to say on a regular basis, and not everything is worthy of a full blog post. In light of that, Curly Q&A has entered the 21st century and joined Facebook! Please like my page and keep up on everything new that I and my curly friends have tried, seen, smelled, used, learned, visited; all in relation to wonderful curly hair. I’m a busy bee living in the greatest city in the world and I travel a lot and get to meet all kinds of people, so there’s always something new to share. Go ahead, give us a like, you won’t be disappointed!

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