That's Deep!

So many of us experience dry hair at this time of year. Whether it's from a rough transition from winter or because with warm weather comes more headbands, hair ties, and chlorine, we all could benefit from a deep conditioner now and then. Many sit in my chair and say "I never have time!" but I encourage you to take a little time out of your hectic schedule to give your hair some TLC; relax with a good book or movie! It's a great excuse to spend a little time on YOU and you'll be rewarded with great hair!
I find that when I do a deep conditioner, I like to detoxify my hair by either using a gentle-lather, sulfate-free cleanser; or a Malibu Hard Water/Swimmers treatment packet. This way, the hair is prepped and ready to accept the moisture I am trying to give it. These treatments can also "press the reset button" on limp and lifeless curls. Both hard water and chlorine can be so tough on hair; and I will address these specific problems in a future post to give you some ideas on how to deal with them.
For now, choose a silicone-free deep conditioner or an oil of your choice and try both of the following methods of application to see which works best for you.
Your deep conditioner can be applied however you wish, both on wet or dry hair. It is very beneficial to apply it on dry hair because the hair is like a sponge, accepting readily what you put on it first. This method works especially well with hair that tangles easily or is low-porosity,  as you can use this as a pre-cleanse softener. You can also sleep with the deep conditioner in your hair if you simply tie it gently with a ribbon elastic hair tie or wear a shower cap. Just lay a microfiber towel or old tee-shirt over your pillowcase while you sleep. While the exchange here is that you may be using much more product to evenly saturate the hair, you may find that your hair just eats up that moisture like never before!
On the other hand, the benefits to applying deep treatments on wet hair are that you may use less product and achieve a more even application. Another positive is that you are able to use warm water to open the cuticle further, allowing for great penetration of all that beneficial hydration. When applying deep conditioner to wet hair, always squeeze out as much water as possible and you may even want to blot a little with a microfiber. I then recommend applying to the ends first working up to midway through, then using the remainder left on your hands for the top and part-line. Next, exit the shower to give the conditioner some time to work it's magic. You can sit under a hood dryer, or if you don't own one, try the method I show you in the video below! Cold water seals the cuticle back down, so I always recommend this as the final step after any conditioning.

'O' Clipping

I want to talk a little bit about clipping your hair. I have so many clients that come in and tell me that they have tried it in the past and just couldn't get the hang of it. Usually the reasons why are that they are using the wrong type of clip for their hair or that they are attempting to clip at an awkward angle, (either from underneath the curl or because they are crossing their arm in front of their face). I get many complaints that the little hairs around the crown get caught around the top of the clip and cause snagging on removal.

All of these issues can be virtually eliminated by clipping the way I show in this video. Something that we used to talk about in beauty school was wrapping rollers "off base" to create more volume in the hair. Well, here we are using the same idea, allowing the hair to fall off base with your head tilted to gain maximum volume while leaving the clips heads exposed to hasten and simplify removal. One thing I did not mention in the video is how to approach the back, and that is very simple. Just look way up at the ceiling (I almost arch my back) and grab a section, aiming the clip down towards the floor. I never attempt too many at the back of the head because we do not have eyes back there! This portion of your head will have to be done by feeling and you don't want to be fishing clips out back there that got put in sideways or upside down. Less is more until you get the hang of it.
As for the type of clip, the choice is yours. I love Vinyl Single Prong clips by Marianna, but outside of Amazon they can be tricky to find. Heavier hair, however, may weigh these smaller clips down so that they sag which is never good. So for my curly hair friends that have long, heavy, thick or dense hair, you may like the stronger larger style clips a lot better. There are all kinds of clips and it's a personal thing so I encourage you to explore what works best for you!

Plop it Like it's Hot!

Maybe along your curl journey you've heard of a method called "Plopping".  Despite a rather unfortunate name, it can really be an asset to us in our arsenal of curly tricks. Plopping is a method of compressing the curls from ends to scalp using fabric. "What type of fabric?" you may ask. The possibilities are endless and I recommend experimenting to find which fabric is right for your curls. T-shirt material can be great and is easily sourced from home,  just find one that has worn thin and cut the top off right under the arms, then make a vertical cut down the belly. Voila! You have an approximate rectangle long enough to twist on the sides and and tie in back. Jersey is slightly absorbent but not overly so, just be sure not to plop for too long as your gel can make the curls stick to the fabric.
 You may want to try a stretchier material which I find takes out less moisture- in some cases (and depending on your porosity) can be a benefit. I, myself, have plopped my hair using a king- sized jersey pillowcase, a long sleeved T-Shirt, a handkerchief, and even the PinkTag plopping towel which some of my clients have purchased in my shop.
 My current favorite is called the Jac-o-Net nylon veil net, and is a wonderful choice for so MANY reasons! Firstly, the Jac-o-Net Veil Net is made of tulle, meaning that it completely aerates the curls. Why is this so great? Well, if you have long, thick curls that take a long time to dry you can either sit under your hood dryer with the net or you can TAKE OFF YOUR DIFFUSER and use your dryer directly! The veil keeps your hair tightly compressed and unable to frizz, yet still open to the air! Another reason I love this is that you can see through it to tell whether or not you have achieved the proper angle; you can see the curls compressed down like an accordion.  The best part is that your gel will not stick! These nets are triangle in shape and there's plenty of room to wrap the tails around the front.  Just throw these in your delicates bag when washing and they will not tear; or you can simply wash in the sink and hang/ blow dry.
There are many different takes on how you should plop, but I believe you should start with wet hair that already has your products of choice applied and then blot gently with microfiber or jersey before proceeding to plop. I also recommend a maximum of 20-30 minutes depending on thickness and length, but if you can go longer (or even overnight) that is great! Personally I follow what I call the 10-10-10 approach and I will explain that in a future post.

I describe the different fabrics and how to get the correct angle every time in my video here.  Please forgive the awkward ending, I get sad when I have to say goodbye! Happy Plopping!

Me, before and after with the veil net!!

Lovely results at my shop with the veil net!

A Little About Moi!

Hello and welcome to my blog! I am a hair artist specializing in curly hair near Cincinnati, Ohio. I independently own my shop and have been navigating my own journey with naturally curly hair ever since I was a wee little girl. For many years I wore my hair brushed out, frizzed out, short, shaved off, and flat ironed to death. Now that I have an understanding of my hair and what makes it healthy and happy, I want to share!  I want this blog to facilitate open dialogue about natural curls and how to care for them, because it is my passion to teach people about something that has largely been misunderstood for so long!  So if you have questions along the way or want me to feature a specific topic, don't hesitate to ask!