Search Results: Imani Dawson
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that for people with textured hair, moisture is everything (word to Jane Austen”>. Hydrated hair means the difference between enjoying easy maintenance and battling knots, splits, and tangles during the curly hair torture process known as dry detangling. Dry, tangled, “unmanageable” hair is a serious no-no for everyone, especially lazy naturals in search of the simplest approach to curly hair care. Simple rarely equals cheap though, and quality moisturizers can often cost a grip.
Tired of deferring student loan payments in order to afford luxurious leave-in conditioners? You and your wallet can rest easy, once you check out my fab five list of creamy leave-ins for $10 or less. Whether you’re down with the LOC or LCO methods, or just looking to give your curls an extra hydrating kick, these products will transform your tresses.
Eden BodyWorks Coconut Shea Leave-In Conditioner
With a sweet tropical fragrance and rich consistency, this daily conditioning treatment keeps curls and coils soft, supple, and scented year-round. I love that aloe vera juice and coconut oil are among the top ingredients. Best of all, it’s heavy enough for my 3c/4a curls to use without an additional product to seal.
Remember the days of being excited to go natural because of the money you’d save on hair care? Yep, me neither. Any illusions that naturalistas have about textured hair being more budget friendly than relaxing blow up like an atomic bomb the moment they stroll down the aisles of their local drugstore or beauty supply. Curly girl products generally cost a grip, and if you get weaves or extensions, it’s not inconceivable to spend a thousand dollars or more on the hair, installation, and maintenance. The thought alone is sobering enough to big chop…again. Let’s all take deep cleansing breaths before choosing between keeping our curls tight or paying the electric bill. There’s no doubt that maintaining natural hair can be expensive, but there are ways to achieve big hair on a budget. Here are my three tips for keeping both your wallet and your curls in check.
Stick to the Basics
There are a zillion and one products out there promising a miracle in a bottle. If you’re balling on a budget, steer clear of the hype and opt for essentials: cleanser, deep conditioner, and a moisturizer or economical styler (a moisturizing styler is even better”>. If you shop smart and ruthlessly hunt for sales, you can grab quality hair goodies in each of these categories for under $10. Check out our 10 Products Under $10 article.
Though they may be initially more expensive, all-natural products can save you money because of their versatility, especially when it comes to moisturizers. One of my favorites as a Type 4 girl is SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque, which doubles as a moisturizer and deep conditioner.
Protective Styling
If you don’t have the money for regular trims and lots of product, keep your hair in low manipulation protective styles like two-strand twists or braids. I find that when my hair is in these styles, I tend to use a lot less product, because it doesn’t lose moisture as quickly. I suspect this happens because my hair is an elongated state, even though I can’t conclusively prove this because me and science…not so much. I do know that I’m not using tons of moisturizers and gels to coif my hair into different styles—and avoiding the mats and tangles that come with wearing my natural hair loose on a regular basis. Sidestepping the daily snarls is a definite plus for me. Here’s another added bonus: by not putting the stress of daily handling on my curls and coils, I actually retain more length.
DIY
As a lazy natural, I’m not a big on DIY product concoctions, but even the laziest amongst us (raises hand”> can benefit from a little bit of product doctoring. Bought a product that’s just not doing it for your hair? Try adding a little olive oil, glycerin, or aloe vera juice to it. I’m a big believer in single ingredient solutions. Need more slip in a cheap conditioner? Add your favorite oil and watch what happens. You can also use single ingredients as stand alone saviors. Detangling my hair with aloe vera juice leaves it unbelievably soft, and the tangles magically melt away. I also mix oil and water in rinse out conditioners to create a great detangling leave-in. Don’t be afraid to play around with natural ingredients to bolster or replace your existing product supply.
Great hair on a budget isn’t hard. It does require some diligence and ingenuity, but as women actively seeking a simple, effective approach to hair care, we’ve already got those qualities covered.
What are some of your best cost-cutting natural hair tips? Post them below.
Minimize sun exposure
Your hair needs protection from the sun, just like your skin. UV rays can damage both the internal structure of your precious curls and the outer cuticle layer. While the melanin in your hair acts as an initial barrier, keep those curls tucked away under a scarf or sun hat for the ultimate preservation. Forgot your fabulous headwraps at home? There are products that can protect your hair against the damaging effects of sun exposure. If you want to let your ‘fro fly free, try using a products with UVA/UVB filters such as Ion Sun Protection Spray to your arsenal of hair staples. Too much sun exposure can cause discoloration and brittle hair.
Prep before a swim
What would a vacation be without a dip in the lake, pool, or ocean? To reduce the likelihood of excessive dryness and damage due to salt and chlorine, prep your hair properly for the water. Before securing your hair under a swim cap and diving into the water, saturate your strands with a good, cheap conditioner such as TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner to minimize water absorption. Once you’re done, wash, and detangle your tresses as usual. Another option is to detangle and wear your hair in a bun, you can read more about that process here.
Easy updos
If you’re rocking loose hair on your getaway, a quick and simple updo can mean the difference between working on your tan at the beach or a marathon styling session in the hotel’s bathroom mirror. You can start with freshly washed and detangled tresses or old elongated hair (we prefer old braid outs”>. Make sure your hair is knot, mat, and tangle free. Buns are an easy, breezy option, or try one of these three Tribe Called Curl beach day styles, designed for soaking up the sun and riding the waves in style.
Follow these tips for great hair on vacation and make your curls the least of your worries while you’re away. A relaxing trip doesn’t have to leave your natural hair stressed out. That would defeat the purpose of a vacation!
How do you prepare your hair for travel? What are your styling tips?
This month on Curly Q&A we’re lucky to have a special guest answering your curly questions, Imani Dawson of Tribe Called Curl! Imani has been thoughtfully answering questions from our curly community, like this one from member LoveableAngel.
Question:
“Is baby oil good for your hair?”
Answer:
Baby oil is essentially mineral oil with fragrance. And while I’m personally not a fan of it in my hair, there are a number of curly, coily and kinky girls who swear by products containing mineral oil. Here’s a Naturally Curly article extolling the virtues of mineral oil. My advice would be to experiment with a little as seal once you’ve moisturized your hair, and see how your curls respond. Be sure and wash with a clarifying shampoo afterwards.
If you have your own questions you’d like answered by Imani, our community or any of our editors, post them here.
Know Thy Texture
It took three long years of struggling followed by just three months of guided instruction for me to discover the best approach for my wild tendrils. I look back and grimace at the time I wasted trying to style my hair with limited understanding of curls and coils. As a result of wearing my hair snatched back every day, the coils at my crown were choppy and broken. As soon as I began learning about detangling, moisturizing, and protective styling, my curls started thriving. These days, it’s easier than ever to learn about proper textured hair care and maintenance. Use resources like NaturallyCurly and Tribe Called Curl for information on styling techniques and products. Don’t be afraid to experiment. And whatever you do, don’t attempt to comb your curls dry.
Cut It Out
Ever spot a naturalista with super long curls from far away, but ragged, broken strands up close? Yep, that use to be me. Going years without a trim led to split ends, tangles, and frustration. Like many, I was so fixated on length that the health of my hair wasn’t even a thought. Thankfully, I’ve seen the error of my ways and I now get regular (micro”> trims every three or four months, depending on the condition of my curls. Since then, my hair has never looked better. For the record, I’m a big believer in letting a qualified stylist do the honors, which brings me to my final point.
Don’t Go It Alone
Twelve years of doing my hair alone left me with long, but unremarkable curls and coils. My hair didn’t have any shape and my ends were ragged and split. Then, I stepped into a natural hair salon. In addition to luxuriating in the experience of having someone else do the work, I also got a cut that literally turned heads. There is a great deal of mistrust in the natural hair community when it comes to stylists, and while some of it is understandable, beauticians who specialize in texture have the ability to make good hair great. As a lazy natural, I’ve mastered one or two signature looks, but when I want a special, sophisticated hairstyle, I go to a trusted expert. A trusted stylist in your area can easily be identified by a thorough online search, and of course a personal reference is always a plus. Looking for a stylist who specializes in styling curly and coily hair? Check out the Curl Salons on the site and leave a review!
For years, these three common mistakes kept me from glorious, healthy curls. Don’t let them hold you back. May the (curly”> force be with you.What are some mistakes you have made as a lazy natural?
Any product junkies in the house (raises hand”>? The closets and cabinets of most naturalistas look a lot like a Harry Potter style wizard supply shop, brimming with countless concoctions promising to deliver great curls. I have a storehouse worth of hair products, so when I was asked to come up with just three natural hair essentials, it made me a little nervous. I had previously pared my list down to seven, but three? Initially, it seemed impossible. Of course, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my tribe, so I pushed myself to focus on the bare bones necessities. If I were moving away to a remote location with (gasp”> no access to hair products, here are the three I’d stash away in my suitcase.
1. Conditioner (rinse out/daily conditioner”>
A good rinse out conditioner is an absolute workhorse, doing triple duty as a cleanser, detangler and moisturizer. Look for a brand like SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner that is formulated for dry or damaged hair because it contains emollients, humectants, and oils designed to nourish textured strands.
2. Deep Conditioner (treatment/masque”>
Deep conditioners help restore moisture and elasticity by penetrating the cuticle and hydrating each strand. If your curls feel limp and lifeless, many (not all”> treatments containing protein that can temporarily strengthen your tresses. Would it be cheating, if I brought both kinds along?
MORE: Top 10 Deep Conditioners for Transitioning Hair
3. Coconut Oil
Oils boost the softness, elasticity, and shine (or sheen”> of curls, coils, and waves. Coconut oil is one of a select few oils that also moisturizes by going beyond the cuticle and penetrating the hair shaft. It’s lightweight, versatile, and can be used for hot oil treatments to bolster deep conditioners and to seal in moisture. In fact, coconut oil makes a great head-to-toe moisturizer, particularly for people with dry skin.
As you can see from my list, keeping coily hair moisturized is the key responsibility for those of us with highly textured hair. Everything else (i.e. reducing frizz, defining curls, adding color”> is a bonus. Hydrating textured hair keeps it healthy, supple, and ultimately helps with retaining length. If you’re looking to build a strong and simple healthy hair regimen with quality products, treat moisturizers as your building blocks. Your curls will thank you later.
If you could ONLY choose three, what are your essential natural hair products?
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Doesn’t it seem like our curls, coils, and waves have their own agendas? Sometimes our hair will cooperate and lay exactly the way we envisioned it in our mind: edges laid and perfect defined tendrils cascading exactly the way you want them…those are the good days. Then, there’s every other day; the days when you wake up after not properly tying your hair down or having to deal with a three day old wash and go that feels like you’ve been trekking through the Kalahari Desert. Add the unyielding heat, humidity, and storms of summer to the mix and it becomes a recipe for textured tress trauma.
Don’t go crazy trying to control your curls. If your hair won’t behave, throw it up, throw it up…in an updo that is. With a few strategically placed pins, you can rid yourself of styling stress with a polished updo that’s perfect for work or play. Want an easy go-to style this season? Check out these three simple lazy naturals summer updos from Tribe Called Curl and tame your mane in ten minutes or less.
The Royal Roll-Up
For this one all you need is a headband and a few bobby pins. It’s romantic, looks a little bit fancy, and believe it or not can be completed in under 3 minutes. It would go perfectly with a maxi dress and sandals, and will look like you spent way more time than you actually did.
The Lazy Summer Bun
The “lazy bun” is actually a ponytail, you just secure the ends instead of pulling them all the way through your ponytail. For a pretty accent we twisted the front sections and pinned them back with two bows from Forever21.
The Swept Away
When you want to sweep all of your hair out of your face for extra hot days, this style is perfect. Total style time? Two minutes. That’s gotta be a record!
Watch the Tutorials
What are your favorite lazy natural summer looks?
Keeping textured hair detangled can be a frustrating, time-consuming task, but it doesn’t have to be. I’m convinced there is a lazy naturals way to tackle all natural hair tasks, which is why nearly all of the videos on my TribeCalledCurl YouTube channel demonstrate the easiest ways approach styling and maintenance. If done correctly, detangling can also be quick and (relatively”> painless for those with sensitive scalps. Some might even call it easy. Ok, maybe easy is pushing it, but it sure doesn’t have to be hard. Here is the lazy naturals way I detangle in under ten minutes flat.
Saturate my situation
Anyone who attempts to comb her hair dry is a glutton for punishment. To avoid both crying and tearing the hair from my scalp, I make sure my hair is completely saturated with water before detangling. My favorite time to detangle is on washday after I’ve slathered on a conditioner or co-wash with lots of slip like Eden BodyWorks Coconut Cleansing CoWash, which helps me zip through tangles, mats, and knots. When detangling in between styles, I saturate my hair with the following conditioning cocktail before combing:
- 92 oz- conditioner like Curls Milkshake
- 2 oz- aloe vera juice
- 4oz- water
- 2 oz- olive oil
Section hair
Textured hair is best combed in parts, and I find that dividing my hair into sections makes detangling easier and faster. I always create at least four sections, but if I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I do six: two in the front (loosest and waviest”>, two at the crown (pen-spring sized coils”>, and two in the back (diameter of a pencil”>.
Start at the ends
Combing from ends to roots helps remove shed hair while minimizing breakage and painful scalp tugging. It’s the only way I comb my hair, wet or dry; that was a trick statement. Actually, I never detangle my hair dry. I hold each section firmly near the ends and rake the comb through, repeating the process as I work my way up the hair shaft. If my curls are especially matted, I’ll finger detangle first.
Once I can run a comb easily through each section, I consider it complete and move on to the next. I repeat the process throughout my entire head, which takes roughly ten minutes, sometimes even less since I had my ends trimmed. I detangle about three times a week, though the need may vary according to your texture. Good luck with your own detangling mission and may the force be with you.
What elements have you added to or subtracted from your detangling session to make it more efficient?
Life is filled with tedious but necessary tasks. As a lazy natural, washday is high on my list. During various points in my natural life, the amount of time to cleanse, detangle, and style my hair has stretched out in front of me like a vast, empty wasteland. I’ve spent as many as eight hours in a stretch on my quest for healthy, full curls and coils. Luckily, those days are long gone. While I haven’t yet figured out how to spend, say zero time on my regimen (if anyone has this covered, please let me know”>, I have streamlined the process to two hours or less from start to finish. Here’s how I keep washday as simple and painless as possible.
1. Scheduling
My elaborate ritual of washing, deep conditioning, detangling, moisturizing, and styling is a monthly affair. I co-wash in between to keep sweat, dirt, and tangles at bay. I make an appointment with myself to get the job done without interruptions or distractions. Dedicating time for your hair is half the battle.2. Detangling
Before beginning my shampoo, I saturate my hair with a sexy cocktail of oil, cheap conditioner (Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner for the win”>, and gently remove any knots, mats, and tangles. I never attempt to detangle without first saturating my strands. As a tender headed American, combing my hair dry has never brought me anything but headaches and tears. After quickly running my fingers through my curls, I divide my hair into four sections to prepare for washing.
3. Cleansing in sections
It might seem like cleansing your hair in multiple sections would add time to a washday regimen, but I’ve found that parting my tresses into four quadrants cuts down on both the time and tangles. After dousing my head with water, I use a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo such as SheaMoisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo. I apply the shampoo to my scalp and work it in with my fingers. I then massage the shampoo down the length of each twist without unraveling, and rinse. This takes approximately 10 minutes. [prodmod]
4. Conditioner detangling (30 minutes”>
I gently smooth my conditioner or deep treatment (try the Karen’s Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Hair Mask“> down the freshly washed twists, then untangle them to get into the nitty-gritty of detangling. If I need more conditioner, I slather it on. I’m definitely not stingy with my conditioner, because it’s the easiest way for me to detangle my hair. I divide each twist into two separate parts and gently work my way backwards, from ends to the roots with a comb.
After the hair is completely detangled, I cover my head with a shower cap and prep for the next steps while I let the deep conditioner penetrate. During the late fall and winter, I sit under my steamer for an extra moisture boost.
5. Cool Water Rinsing (<5 minutes”>
I finish off my wash process by rinsing with cool or cold water, which closes the pores, blocks dirt, and smoothes cuticles. It also seals in all the fabulous moisture from the conditioning treatment. A smoother, flatter cuticle reduces frizz and potential tangles due to friction.6. T-Shirt Drying (<5 minutes”>
Using an old t-shirt to squeeze (not blot”> the excess water from my curls dramatically cuts down my total drying time. Best of all, it keeps my hair smooth and frizz free for styling.7. Moisturizing and Styling (45 minutes”>
I add a leave in (currently loving Camille Rose Naturals Moisture Milk“> while styling, as kind of a two-in-one step. I section my hair into five or six parts, apply the leave-in from root to tip, and then twist or braid as desired. My go-to style is two strand twists, which I braid at the root for more stability.
There it is, a wash day regimen that doesn’t actually take all day. What’s your secret to a fast hair care regimen? Share your secrets below.
Don’t forget to check out Imani’s home at Tribecalledcurl.com
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Over the following three years, thick brown gel became my best friend. It was the nineties, way before textured hair was cool and people swapped tips and techniques online. I don’t think the Internet had even been invented yet. Okay, technically the Internet existed, but only for scientists and the government, and Al Gore, of course. I struggled to tame my cottony curls, and wore my hair in a gelled back, Sade-style braid every day. The middle of my head, filled with pen spring sized coils, became choppy and wild—it was my kinky little secret. My hair wasn’t exactly flourishing, but it was easy to manage and style. Wash days were a breeze with Crème of Nature shampoo, until I discovered it contained sodium hydroxide. My routine was set until I went to college and learned how to care for my hair with the help of a few upperclassmen.
Stepping on campus was like walking into to the set of Spike Lee’s “School Daze.” Although I didn’t attend a HBCU, the African American students had a major presence at my school. There was a whole contingent of women who were natural, rocking curls, coils, braids, and locs, and they took me under their wing. With their guidance, I learned how to properly detangle and moisturize my curls. I also discovered that when I two strand twisted my hair, it grew like dandelions. By junior year, my hair had reached waist length. I cut it because it was too much to handle, and to also rid myself of damaged ends. I experimented a bit with my hair, searching for the easiest and fastest ways to care for it. Through trial and error, I developed my lazy natural philosophy.
The key to my natural hair success is keeping it simple. No elaborate overnight deep conditioning marathons or chemist level understanding of pH balance and hair care. Not trying to master every new natural hairdo under the sun. Here are my hair care principles:
- Become an expert on your hair. There’s no getting around the time and energy needed to master your unique head of hair. Experiment with different products and wash routines. Figure out what make your texture tick. For me, glycerin and coconut oil have been my curly BFs. Products with those two ingredients generally work well for me.
- Master a few key styles. I keep my hair routine pretty basic. I love twists, twist outs, braid outs, puffs, and the occasional wash and go. While I admire trendsetting coifs on other people, I don’t play around much with different styles on my hair. I like having a signature look that I can usually manipulate to my liking.
- Visit a qualified natural hair stylist. Seeing a stylist has meant the difference between good hair and great hair, for me. I’ve occasionally trimmed my own ends on a single strand knot and split-end eliminating frenzy, but that’s never come close to the amazing shape I get when visiting a stylist. If I want something new or trendy, I go see a stylist. If I need surgery, I wouldn’t do it myself, I’d find a qualified doctor. I feel the same way about my curls.
These are my lazy natural rules of the road. They’ve served me well for the past 24 years, and now I’m passing them on to you. Over the course of this column, I’ll be sharing my best and easiest natural hair tips, techniques, and insights, all from my unapologetically lazy point of view. My goal is to add a bit of fun into your natural hair routine, because really, what’s the point if we can’t celebrate our curls? Going natural doesn’t have to mean a life sentence in your bathroom.
Are you a lazy natural? What are the bare necessities of your regimen?
