It’s gift giving season, y’all.
I inherited my mother’s sense of giving gifts whenever appropriate, but there’s something to be said for that build up to the winter festivities and accompanying presents! And if you’ve got curly friends, you know nothing will go over quite like a well-chosen hair product or five…but it’s not like curl care is one size fits all, right? Right. So I’ve taken it upon myself to organize some of the dominant traits your curlfriends might have in order to make you the best gift-giver out there, not that it’s a contest. You’d win if it was though, check these out!
That was a lot to take in, wasn’t it?
It’s a good thing, but let’s go ahead and break it down friend by friend.
For Your Beginner Friend
iStock/Style-Photographs
Everybody has to start somewhere, but this curlfriend may be a little…lost. This is your opportunity to come down from your curl throne and bestow your wisdom and products onto the next generation! Just because our hair is big doesn’t mean it has to be full of secrets. Start your beloved newbies off with presents like:
The Cricket Ultra Smooth Coconut Pick
True to its name, this keratin and coconut infused plastic pick keeps things extra smooth as it lifts those roots! For every new curly that’s daunted by their new shrinkage, this is the ultimate pick-me-up. Pun intended.
The Curl Revolution
You know one of our cofounders wrote a book, right? No big deal, except it totally is. More importantly though, it has curls of all types featured on people from all walks of life, and includes their various perspectives on their hair, their favorite recipes and routines, and becoming comfortable in your cool curly coiffure! Bonus, it’s got LOTS of cool pictures.
SheaMoisture’s Transitioning Milk
There’s nothing wrong with not doing the Big Chop—I went through two myself, and despite coming to love my coils, it sucked like an industrial-strength vacuum both times, and if I had it to do over again, I definitely wouldn’t. But having two textures of hair, or even a combo of new growth and damaged hair can lead to breakage if it’s not handled carefully! This Milk, featuring every coily girl’s favorite, raw shea butter, is a great product for softening and strengthening all the textures of transitioning hair if you’ve got a scissor-shy homegirl on your hands.
For Your Ashy Friend
iStock/Andrey Popov
Nobody wants to hurt anyone else’s feelings, but sometimes, you just have to speak on a friend’s crustiness. However, you don’t HAVE to do it in a way that offends! There’s a difference between keeping it real and just being mean, y’all. And for those of us that like to be more subtle about helping a sista out (especially those of us that need to learn the meaning of the word”>, you can hand your girls these discreetly moisturizing marvels in a nice gift bag.
SheaMoisture’s Manuka & Mafura Scrub
Dead skin always seems to beget yet more dead skin, but the cycle of ash doesn’t need to perpetuate. Get your friend something seriously luxurious with this scrub that blends African rock fig, mafura oil, and sweet sweet humectant manuka (yaaaaaaaaassss”> honey. You can’t tell me just READING those ingredients doesn’t make you feel halfway glowed up already. And I won’t dictate how y’all live your lives, but maybe buy two just in case you get tempted to Grinch your friends…
Uncle Funky’s Daughter’s Extra Butter
To quote my new cardio favorite, “If you lookin’ all dry girl, this is what you do”. Although this emollient bills itself as a creme stuff is THICK. Not Riri size 6 “thick” either (love her though”>, I mean like Missy thick. You’re literally instructed to break it down in your hands first. If your curlfriend has unconditioned high porosity hair leading to all that dryness, this is going to be the winter hair lotion she needs to be fly not dry!
Jane Carter Solutions’ Scalp Renew
There is literally no good way to give someone something that says ‘For dandruff!’ on the label as a gift, especially if you’re doing presents for coworkers instead of just the fam. Jane Carter’s branding team hits the issue out of the park with their Scalp Renew that allows the head exfoliating job to get done with the feel-good appearance of extra luxury! Head those faux-pas at the pass!
For Your Minimalist Friend
iStock/Julief514
I don’t “do” minimalism because I can hear all the empty space in my house screaming at me. But I guess there are people out there that don’t feel the need to cover every inch of their home in stuff for whatever reason, and for them, these multi-use products are going to be excellent stocking stuffers.
My Honey Child’s Shea Shampoo Body Bar
Black soap is the ish. I don’t know what we as a species did to deserve plantain, but they’re the gift that keeps on giving, and also super deep cleaning. This soap is also full of shea butter though, so you can easily use it from head to toe without immediately drying out! Why give coal when you can give ashes?
Aunt Jackie’s Soft All Over Multipurpose Oil
Flax is another of my favorite internal + external use plants! Pump some flaxseeds into your oats or smoothies, for a nice crunch and nutty taste, blended with the rest of your ingredients, and try out this all-over oil blend for smoothness and shine with about 1/5th the normal counterspace use. Flex that flax.
Uncle Jimmy’s Hair/Beard/Body Wash
Not to stereotype, but it’s been my experience that I have more minimalist guy friends than girl friends. Uncle Jimmy’s triple-threat wash is going to be good for all of his hair and skin without having to take up a whole lot of space. What else they need that shower space FOR, I’ve never gotten a straight answer about, but hey, to each their own, as long as they’re staying uncrusty.
This is a great place to get started for the fellas, but stay tuned for our Guys’ Gift Guide coming soon!
For Your Late Friend
iStock/Nicolas McComber
Call this chick Anastasia, because she’s hella rushin’. Whether it’s because she has multiple kids and only 10 seconds to get herself ready before someone spits up on something or she’s just a sufferer of Constantly Tardy Syndrome, this is your friend that always needs to throw herself together FAST. Here’s how you can help her out this season.
Loza Tam’s Hair Bun
Buns are great because like a good pair of black jeans, you can dress them up or down super easily! No wonder they’re a go-to for the go, go, go set. This bun-maker in particular is extra great because instead of mesh, it’s coated in satin to reduce strand snapage. Who says you can’t have something good, cost-effective, AND fast?
…oh right, me. On several occasions. But this is the exception to the rule!
Cantu’s ACV Dry Co-Wash
Sometimes we just don’t have time for all that “water” nonsense…which means of course we DO have time for gross, strung out looking curls. Doesn’t have to stay that way though—this dry co-wash combines all the astringent cleaning power of apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil with all the sealant properties of shea butter, and none of the residue you might be used to! Flake free is the way to be.
Oyin Handmade’s Greg Juice
We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again, technically speaking oils do NOT moisturize your hair of their own accord, it’s why butters and oils for conditioning are advised for use on damp hair, and why you’re supposed to lotion directly after showering. Greg Juice is an infusion, rather than an oil or butter based serum, meaning the primary ingredient is the water-refresher thirsty curls need, and best of all it smells divine and absorbs QUICKLY. For alternate scents, try the same great detangling, slip-imbuing power in their Frank Juice (a frankincense scented personal favorite”>, and their very fruity Juices and Berries! Your fast and furious friends will feel fresher for sure!
Feeling those Santa vibes yet?
iStock/Ross Helen
I don’t do Christmas myself, y’all, but there’s nothing that warms my little black heart in the wintertime quite like giving and receiving gifts! What curl products would you want under your Christmas tree/ Hanukkah bush/ Happy Honda Days stack of ritual tires? Let us know below, it’s a great way to throw out hints!
