We will be wrapping up with 2023 in only a few weeks and stepping into 2024. While we look forward to a new year, it is also important not to leave behind important hair care tips that were paramount to helping our hair thrive this year. Here on NaturallyCurly, over the year, we have spoken with leading professional hairstylists who have all freely shared their tested and trusted advice on best practices and recommendations that we can apply in taking good care of our hair.
Whether it’s for trendy hairstyles or maintenance tips, these seasoned stylists have provided insightful hair care knowledge for us to carry on into the new year, and this article will be breaking them down for you.
KEY TIPS TO REDUCING FRIZZ IN YOUR CURLS BY ANTOINETTE HILL AND MARILISA SEARS
IMAGE SOURCE: ANTOINETTE HILL
IMAGE SOURCE: MARILISA SEARS
Whether it’s during spring, summer, autumn, or winter, frizz happening to our hair is what many of us naturals dread. Dryness, puffy roots, rough texture, and an unruly hair appearance are not the best state for our curls, but this is unavoidable when our hair experiences frizz. Thankfully, Celebrity Stylists Antoinette Hill and Marilisa Sears share these practical tips on how to effectively deal with frizz in and out of season:
- Use products that provide moisture and hydration.
- Use these moisturizing products and serums on your curls/waves when wet.
- Allow the hair to dry without disturbing the texture for a beautiful finish.
- Use a satin pillowcase or wear a satin bonnet to bed, as cotton fabrics absorb moisture and oils from your hair and cause tangles.
ROSEMARY OIL TO TREAT HAIR LOSS
When it comes to hair loss, many factors range from medical conditions to extreme stress to hereditary factors. This can be worrisome, but thankfully, hair loss can be treated, and one of the recommended treatments is rosemary oil. CEO Chiara Scuderi of I.C.O.N, Spain’s hair care category, highlights the following benefits of rosemary oil in treating hair loss:
- It smooths down the cuticle, heals, and calms the scalp from irritation and itchiness.
- It (as well as Peppermint oil) stimulates blood circulation, promoting a healthy scalp and encouraging hair growth.
- Rosemary oil is ideal for all hair types, and dry textures can benefit from this oil as it smooths and soothes the cuticles.
- Using this essential oil directly on the scalp may irritate, so you should test a small area first. Mix about three drops of rosemary oil with your shampoo, conditioner, or treatment to receive maximum benefits.
- If applying directly to the scalp, add only a couple of drops, massage to reduce inflammation, nourish the scalp, and use the remaining product from midshaft to ends, working it through with your hands to seal the cuticle.
KEY TIPS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR BOX BRAIDS AND KNOTLESS BRAIDS
IMAGE SOURCE: NJERI REDWAY
Box braids and knotless braids are protective styles belonging to the same braids family group (although they have their distinguishing features). As such, their maintenance routine is quite similar if not the same. When it comes to maintaining box braids, Celebrity Stylist Njeri Radway shares the following tips:
- Start by prepping your hair for box braids by shampooing twice: first, with a clarifying shampoo to remove any product buildup, and the second should be a moisturizing one.
- Follow up with a deep conditioning treatment.
- After that, section it out and detangle it.
- Once that is done, add a little leave-in conditioner and blow-dry your hair.
- Leave your box braids in for up to eight weeks.
When it comes to knotless braids maintenance, Swella’s co-founder Zanbria Asante and its stylists, Gabrielle Wood and Chantelle Clay recommend the following tips:
- Try your best to wear a scarf or bonnet to bed.
- During workout sessions, put your braids in one or two big braids or buns.
- Wear a shower cap to protect your hair when taking a shower.
- Boho knotless braids can be maintained by spraying on a leave-in conditioner, followed by any hair oil of your choice.
- Detangle the curls of the boho knotless braids after applying a generous amount of leave-in conditioner. You can do this twice a day, morning and night. Finger detangling occasionally is also helpful.
- Put your braids in 2-4 twists at night and put on your satin or silk bonnet. The twists won’t prevent tangling but will make your morning detangling much less stressful.
- To curb frizz, spray a mousse or foam wrap on the braids.
TIPS FOR SCALP MAINTENANCE
IMAGE SOURCE: TOKYO STYLEZ
Dryness, itching, dandruff, and tenderness are some of the common scalp problems we may experience and once we do, they should be addressed so they don’t develop into something much worse. When it comes to caring for the scalp, Celebrity Stylist Tokyo Stylez touts the CURLS Hair Under There Collection as one of the best haircare lines, listing the following benefits:
- It keeps the hair highly moisturized and hydrated while soothing and preventing dandruff in between washes.
- CURLS’ herbal tea-infused, sulfate-free shampoo can be used to rid scalp and hair of buildup from weeks of protective styles.
- Lather & massage its Detox Tea Cleanser into the scalp before rinsing.
- Follow up with Strengthening Moisture Mask conditioner.
- The collection’s soothing scalp oil can refresh, calm, reinvigorate, and hydrate irritated, dry, and neglected scalps.
- The scalp oil can also be used after taking the braids out to refresh the scalp before shampooing and conditioning.
- The collection’s cooling hair mask helps to rid the scalp and hair of build-up from weeks of protective styles.
TIPS FOR DYEING YOUR HAIR BLONDE
IMAGE SOURCE: NIA HOPE
IMAGE SOURCE: BRITANY MICHELLE
Regarding hair colors this year, Blonde was on the list of the top trends, with naturals trying out different awesome shades. However, there are a few things to note before choosing to dye your hair by yourself. CEO of Nia Hope & Company, a haircare company, Nia Hope, and licensed cosmetologist and hair stylist Britany Michelle provide these tips:
- First-timers should be prepared for their hair to come out not only in a different color but also in a completely different texture because it responds to the products that have been used.
- To prevent the extreme dryness of the dyeing procedure, use a less volume developer (5 or 10) to mix with your toner since your cuticles are already wide open from using an initial volume plus bleach.
TIPS TO CREATING YOUR BARBIE-INSPIRED LOOK
MAGE SOURCE: JSTAYREADY
Between Barbie dolls and animations being a part of our world and the live-action film becoming one of 2023’s blockbuster movies, it’s not out of place if we choose to channel our inner Barbie occasionally. If you want to create a Barbie-inspired look this Christmas, Celebrity Stylist Jared “JStayReady” Henderson who has styled the hair of celebrities like Karol G who features on the Barbie soundtrack recommends the following:
- Colorful clip-in hair extensions, colorful hair clips, and headbands are all easy accessories that can easily make your look Barbie-inspired.
- Rollers, a big barrel curling iron, and hair ties are great tools for creating Barbie-inspired hairstyles.
- A fun blonde or pink wig that will create the ultimate Barbie fantasy.
- For natural hair girls, a bit of gel and a twist-out (or any other method of defining your natural curls) with a pink headband to accessorize it is perfect.
TIPS TO CARING FOR DIFFERENT HAIR TEXTURES WITH FLAWLESS BY GABRIELLE UNION
IMAGE SOURCE: LARRY SIMS
When it comes to caring for different hair textures, Celebrity Hairstylist and co-founder of Flawless by Gabrielle Union, Larry Sims shares the benefits of the haircare line:
- The stylers can work alone to address specific needs and be cocktails.
- The leave-in provides intense moisture and hydration for dry curls.
- The curl custard helps to seal the cuticle and give definition.
- The scalp tonic soothes the scalp and also gets rid of product build-up.
Which of these tips have you used so far? Which ones will you be applying going forward? Let us know in the comments.
