Any Questions?

3/13/2011

Any Questions?

Hi, there!
I don't expect everything on here to fall into place immediately, so do ask questions.
I'll try to answer on here as well as making videos grouping the questions and posting them on the blog!

Don't be shy, we're all learning to care for our heads of hair.

Ps: Relaxed and texturized ladies, do pose your questions too as I have 20-odd years of relaxed hair experience and I self-relaxed for a year and a half!

You can also email: info@lolascurls.com

49 Comments

funkystarkitty50

4/5/2011 09:33:45 pm

I have been chemical-free for over a decade and weave/ extension braid--free for over a year. Currently, I am wearing half wigs with the same textured pattern as my own. I have Aloepicia and am in steroid shot treatment. In the mean- time, the half wigs help me to rest my fragile hair. How do you feel about using half-wigs as a long term protective style?? What is "long-term?" A year, 2-years??

LolasCurls link

4/7/2011 09:39:05 am

@funkystarkitty50
Wearing half-wigs are good! I know ladies who swear by it for growing out their hair. It keeps the ends protected. It is only as good as the care you give your own hair underneath, however. So one must keep moisturizing and conditioning the hair. One lady on LHCF (LadyPianolo) grew her hair from TWA to Hip length in 4 years by wearing wigs consistently!

I have a few videos on youtube with me wearing half-wigs because they ARE a great protective style! Hope that helped.

Ashley

6/6/2011 02:33:08 pm

hey i'm about to go natural and i wanted to know if you could help me with hair care, like, what types of shampoos, condtioner, combs the works i should use. i'm new and scared but i want to embrace my natural beauty :) i'm 17 and ready to learn lol

LolasCurls link

6/7/2011 09:06:24 am

@Ashley: I'll do a series on new-naturals/ transitioning to cover these things.
However, the basic message is to keep the hair well-moisturized. So using moisturizing shampoos and adding in deep conditioning is important. Use a protein conditioner (usually it will mention "reconstructor" in the name) every 1 - 2 weeks to keep the line of demarcation (wher relaxed hair meets new growth) strong.
Don't over-comb your hair (once a week is fine) and don't use tight ponytails or styles. Wide-toothed combs are best for black hair (relaxed or not).
Treat the hair like fine silk and baby it. It will love you right back! ♥

Ashley

6/11/2011 11:03:43 am

ahh thanks :) ok , i will try all of this

LolasCurls link

6/12/2011 06:18:27 pm

That's ok, hon! Let me know if you need any further explanation or have any problems.

Ashley

6/19/2011 02:10:42 pm

hey its me again:) i was wondering how long should i wait before i do the big chop, because i only started going natural about one week ago, i assume i should wait longer than a week :), i'm asking you because it seems you have a lot of information on hair :). by the way i'm the girl on youtube called monchichi4 ,( don't know how important that is but oh well )

Ashley

6/19/2011 02:12:35 pm

oh and also how many times should i wash my hair a week, i also take swimming classes and i'm not sure, i really don't want my hair to fall out when i take out the braids lol

LolasCurls link

6/19/2011 03:02:15 pm

Hi Ashley!
I'd advise you to wash your hair at least once a week.
Always use a conditioner after shampooing.
If you swim a couple of times a week, you can use conditioner on the roots to give a quick clean mid-week (co-washing, conditioner only) then rinse.

When to cut your hair is a personal choice. If you hair hasn't been relaxed for a while (at least a month or two) you should be able to see your wavy new growth as you wash and dry your hair. I suggest waiting a while so you get used to the idea. A lot of women feel a bit naked once the length of their hair is gone! You may not though. See how it feels after taking out the braids.

For daily braid care, spray the length of the braids daily or every other day with a braid spray. This will keep your hair moisturised within the braid. Another good tip is to sleep with a satin scarf or bonnet (keeps the hair looking neater and helps stay moisturized!).

Be good and remember, you're already on the first leg of your natural journey! I'm here rooting for you! :)

Adebiyi Lookman

7/25/2011 05:53:02 pm

Which of your recommendation or product is applicable to the guys? How are you doing?

LolasCurls link

7/26/2011 02:15:30 pm

All the products suggestions are applicable to men.
Thanks for checking the site!

Claudia

8/1/2011 11:53:10 pm

Hi Lola, I was wondering where do you get your aloe vera juice from? I've tried looking for some in shops for the last few weeks but so far, no success.

Thanks

LolasCurls link

8/6/2011 04:28:30 pm

Hi, Claudia! I get my aloe vera juice from Holland and Barrett's usually. It can also be found at Whole foods stores.
Most of the time, I wait for H&B to have a sale then I stock up (I loved the penny sale!).
Hope this helps.

MickeyB

9/14/2011 05:08:23 pm

Its been five months since my last relaxer. Im ready to get rid of my relaxed ends and start fresh with my natural hair but im not to sure what to use and how to take care of it. im terrified that If I cut off all the permed hair it will stay that length forever becuz I wouldnt hav the right hair care to take care of it. I dont want to spend alot of money in the shops what kind of products can I use on my hair at a regular beauty supply store. By the way love your videos they are inspiring.

LolasCurls link

9/14/2011 05:39:44 pm

@MickeyB
Hi, hon! Congrats on reaching 5 months post and being ready for the all natural step!
As you have already been taking care of your hair whilst transitioning, I will assure you quickly that the natural hair will feel much easier! Why?
You only have one texture of hair to look after (from root to tip) and your hair is thicker, fuller and more versatile!
I recommend investing in good cheap conditioners for co-washing (V05, Suave and Herbal Essences are great choices).
Next, a good leave-in conditioner or moisurizer is needed. Best way is to start with water and watered down instant conditioner. Then always buy products with water as the first ingredient.
Finally, seal in your moisture with a nice natural oil: so many to choose from. I love coconut oil, but jojoba, rapeseed, grapeseed, olive oil and avocado are others.
For styling, you can try out ORS styling products and the Ecostyler gels for wash-n-gos or twist/braid outs.
Enjoy your hair. You can start with twists or braids and undo after a few days for a big "out" style!
Hope this helps! I'll be happy to answer any more questions, hon!

Claudia

9/16/2011 04:11:45 pm

Hi Lola,

This is claudia again and I have another question! I was wondering how do you make a moisturising spray? I have kinky twists at the moment and my braid spray finished so I thought I would make my own but my hair becomes very dry very quickly afterwards. Can you give some tips on how to make the moisture last all day rather than 20 mins? Thank you. Oh by the way, I mixed water, aloe vera juice and a little coconut oil in my spray.

Thank you.

LolasCurls link

9/16/2011 04:56:45 pm

Hi Claudia,

I have varied my moisturizing sprays according to what i wanted. For kinky twists, I diluted aloe vera juice in water and added some Infusium 23 (for protein boost). I usually spray my hair twice a day (just before bed is the 2nd time) and that keeps me going.

To make it last, I would seal it in with an oil sheen spray in the mornings and wore my kinky twists in buns or other updos. This would keep the length nice and moist at the end of the day. The oil sheen went on easily and was a quicker move.

Last winter, I started baggying the buns (spray the hair, then bun and cover this with a shower cap overnight). This meant I would only need to spray my edges in the morning.

Hope this helped, Claudia!

fatima

9/26/2011 05:51:58 am

okay, i promise i'm not a crazy stalker chick sending you the same message like 100 times. I just haven't eaten or slept in 24hrs and it's obviously to be taking its toll on me! this is the message i shudda sent, please delete all the others.
Hey, i'm two yrs post bc and i'm doin good, my hair is apl now but the one thing i struggle with is my egdes. they are fine as long as i don't braid with extns cos tht add stress by weighing and pulling the small hairs till they break. i love braiding my hair and i'm not ready to give tht up just yet. Do you have any ideas as to how i can go about this without putting so much stress on my edges. oh and i forgot to add, its not my hair dressers fault cos the braids are not tight at all, i c to tht personally but tht doesn't seem to help.

LolasCurls link

9/27/2011 03:56:26 pm

Hi Fatima,

I find that with the edges TLC is a good move. By this I mean spritzing or just moisturizing twice daily and not using brushes on them for a while.
I also found that wearing some satin bonnets can put too much stress on the edges, so I wear my scarf underneath and place the bonnet high on my head (away from my edges).

The next thing is to leave them out when braiding the hair and just slick them back with gel or a hair cream (under a satin scarf for 10 mins). For some people, even a very gentle braid will pull out the edges.

You can also ensure you do a protein deep condition before and after each braiding session to strengthen the hair.

Finally, I started avoiding too many pulled back styles. For instance, my hair is in two-strand twists but my hair line is flat-twisted forwards so that the hair line is not under strain. I swoop the hair gently to the side in a pinned bang.
Hope that helps, hon!

fatima

9/28/2011 12:09:08 am

Thx a lot lola, i will try out ur suggestions and let you know how i fair.

JMS

10/3/2011 02:52:29 am

Hi Lola,i do enjoy your site it is very helpful.I wanted to know where did you purchase your hair length top? As i would like to track my progess accurately.

LolasCurls link

10/5/2011 02:10:32 pm

@JMS:
I got my length check t-shirt from Hairlista.com's sales site! If you go to the homepage, you will find a link on the right hand panel of the site!
Hope that helped and happy hair journey!

♥Lola♥

JMS

10/6/2011 11:12:07 am

Thank you Lola, i appreaciate your response and wishing you a happy hair journey too! :D

Vanessa

12/1/2011 08:47:36 am

Hi Lola!
Hope you are doing fine. I a few things i'd like to ask you. Well, i've recently seen your Rhassoul clay video and i was wondering how have you introduced it in your regimen and your opinion on what i have in mind.
I am 16 months post relaxer. I am in a personal challenge of braiding/twisting my hair with extentions, keep the style for 4 to 6 weeks and then take them out and allow my hair to rest for a period of 2 weeks. So, what i do is the following: during the two weeks my hair is out i will clarify and henna (indigo if necessary) adding 1 egg to it for my one and only protein treatment. Then i will deep condition with the clay (this is for the first week). The second week i will co-wash and deep condition (still looking for a great moisturising deep conditioner). The third week i am ready to braid. While on braids/twists i will moisturise and seal every other day and only cleanse my scalp once a week with the ORS dry shampoo... I have been doing this for the last 4 months and my plan is to continue till next summer when i will hopefully be 2 years post relaxer and bc by the Grace of God.
What do you think about this?
Any additional advice.
Thank you and Lord Bless.

LolasCurls link

12/1/2011 04:42:08 pm

@Vanessa

Hi, hon! Yep, I have integrated Rhassoul clay into my regimen. I'm planning on using it once a month to clarify and condition my hair.

Your proposed regimen seems sound. I know I went for up to 2 months with twist in before letting my hair down in between during the last winter. The good thing about your regimen is that it is simple.
Braids/twists then condition and strengthen for 2 weeks.

I find most ladies, myself included, just add oils to our instant conditioners and leave it on for longer with heat or under a shower cap to do a moisturizing DC. Also after each henna, ensure you do a moisturizing DC right after.

I would say, try sticking to the regimen but also have a book handy where you can jot what you want to keep or change in the routine. For instance, you might want to try a different conditioner or want to ditch one that doesn't seem to help.

The important thing is to always listen to you hair. Hope that helped!

Remi

12/17/2011 02:39:57 pm

You mentioned using a Denman brush. I visted the Denman website and there are several models. Which one do you prefer for detangling hair?

Thanks!

LolasCurls link

12/17/2011 03:40:41 pm

@Remi

Hi, hon! I bought the Denman D31 brush and tried that a few times on my hair. It seemed the most widely spaced one!
Unfortunately, Denman brushes and my hair were not meant to be. I use the Tangle teezer now and again for a proper detangle and that also smooths my hair.
Denman may work for you...let me know how it goes, hon! ♥

prettyconfusednatural

6/11/2012 08:25:22 am

Peace I was wondering about a good staple regimen to use for someone with dry highlighted fine hair. I see a lot of great things but they are for thick hair. I am currently seeing a lot of shredding in my hair right now. its shoulder length and trying to save it and grow it out. I did a protein treatment from naptural 85 youtuber which is greek yogurt,apple cider vinegar, and lavender oil. Then used a deep condition mix paul mitchell's detangler,tea tree oil special conditioner and honey,jojoba oil and sweet almond oil. Then braided up with sheer butter. It feels soft i need a regimen Im not sure what to do. Oh I'll been transitioning for like a year but I'm shredding and breaking.

LolasCurls link

6/16/2012 04:04:21 pm

@prettyconfusednatural
Hi, hon! A pretty fail-safe regime is one that focuses first on moisture and secondly on a bit of protein. I find keeping it simple is the best way to go! First, wash and condition your hair once a week. This will be the time you re-infuse moisture into your strands. Choose a moisturizing shampoo and a moisturizing conditioner.
Every 2 weeks, you can alternate with a light protein conditioner. This will give your demarcation line (where the relaxed ends and the natural begins) the extra strength it needs.
Finally, moisturize your hair with a spritz daily (water and glycerin or aloe vera juice is a good start). Lightly spray the ends in the morning (and or evening). Don't forget a satin scarf for bedtime (8 hours of hair rubbing on cotton is not good).

I hope this helps. After this simple routine, you can add in a conditioner-only wash mid-week once in a while to ramp up the moisture.

Let me know how it goes, hon!
Oh, and the Length check T-shirt is from Hairlista.com's shopping site.

prettyconfusednatural

6/11/2012 08:26:45 am

oh by the way where do you get the hair length check shirts from?

LolasCurls link

6/16/2012 04:04:56 pm

See above: hairlista.com!

remrems

6/15/2012 05:40:34 am

Hi Lola, though I have had natural hair for over 2 years, I have hidden them in braids and have done not much in terms of looking after it *bowing her head in shame as she types*. I have as it may labelled as 4b/4c which is extremely dry, even though I have drenched it with olive oil and shea butter, so I am at a loss in terms of what to do. A stupid question, I know, but I wanted to know whether you can deep condition every week or is it something that needs to be done with less frequency?

Thanks!

LolasCurls link

6/16/2012 04:12:25 pm

@remrems
Hiya, hon! I'll admit I giggled a bit when I read the "drenched in olive oil and shea butter" bit. I feel you are on the right track but a few basics are off. Firstly, shea butter and olive oil are not moisturizing in and of themselves. You need something water-based to add the moisture first, then you SEAL in the moisture with either of those two things.

To keep your hair moisturized, I recommend buying a spray bottle and putting in water. You can add 2.5-5mls of glycerin or even 30 mls of aloe vera juice to every 100-200mls of water.
These are very moisturizing and can be used once a day or more often as you feel. Sealing with oil or butters will reduce how often you need to re-spritz.

Water-based leave-in conditioners and moisturizing lotions (first ingredient is water) will also work after washing your hair.

Finally, no, it is not a stupid question about deep conditioning. =)
You can deep condition weekly, twice a week or even more often (though more than 2xs a week is a bit excessive to me...lol).
It gives a moisture-BOOST to your hair each week that your hair sails on for the interim time.

Our kinky-coily hair tends to dryness so it loves every bit of moisture it can get!
Hope that helped, have a lovely weekend!

remrems

6/17/2012 02:19:06 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

remrems

6/17/2012 02:19:18 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

remrems

6/17/2012 02:19:35 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

remrems

6/17/2012 02:19:52 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

remrems

6/17/2012 02:20:05 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

remrems

6/17/2012 02:20:35 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

remrems

6/17/2012 02:20:29 pm

Thanks for the advice :-)

DUPE

7/28/2012 09:21:15 am

Hi Lola,
ok... so i'm natural at the moment and i've been for a few months. i really want to have my hair out but it's still short and the front's just growing back thanks to braids and weave. anyway, what products do you recommend to soften my hair or texturize it cos i really just want to go around with my real hair. thanksss

Chanel

7/28/2012 05:44:57 pm

Hello Lola I was wondering where do you get your rhassoul clay from?

kar

9/23/2012 09:35:03 pm

I just took out my braids and now I have a dry hair what can do to help moisturize it and to define a curl pattern

Benita

4/17/2013 04:34:05 am

Hiya Lola

I met you a month ago at the Calabash Hub workshop where you was giving a presentation on hair care and I have looked over your site and think it is great. I just have a question of what websites do you get your Rhassoul clay from I lost the list you mentioned to use of the day.
Many Thanks

Debbie

12/22/2013 12:28:29 pm

ive had kinky twists for two months. When I take it out I want to grow natural. What should I dp

LolasCurls link

12/25/2013 02:51:34 pm

Hey Debbie! Thanks for asking.
Once your hair is out of the style, you have to decide what styles you want to do to transition and how long you want to grow out your hair before your go fully natural.
First and foremost, deep condition your hair with a conditioner that has some protein in it to strengthen the area between your natural hair and the relaxed hair. Deep condition every week or 2 weeks.
Next, don't get your hair done for too long each time you install a protective style like braids or kinky twists. Maximum is 2 months then undo and deep condition well. You can condition your hair (co-wash) in the protective style every week or 2 weeks.
I've got YouTube videos showing how I transitioned and what styles I did.
Congrats on the decision to go natural!

Adenuga Olamiji

10/29/2014 09:38:17 am

Hi Lola, I listened to you today on Inspiration fm on Titi's programme and I was inspired. My hair is soft and fine when retouched but its not very full. My question is can I still continue to use my relaxer and still care for my hair till it grow longer? Or is it all about the natural hair alone?
Thank you

LolasCurls link

10/29/2014 09:59:52 am

@Adenuga Olamiji
Thank you so much for tuning in, hon. My book is written so you can grow your hair whether relaxed or natural. I started off relaxed and once my hair reached a certain length, I decided to go natural. You definitely can have stronger, longer relaxed hair! The bonus chapter at the end of the book discusses techniques like stretching out retouch treatments. This means waiting more than 8 weeks between retouches. Also you can choose to ensure the relaxer is left on your hair for a shorter time. This prevents over-processing and helps give you thicker hair that is still easy to straighten. I hope that helps?
God bless.
*Lola*

Adenuga Olamiji

11/7/2014 04:27:41 am

Thank you. I always retouch my hair between 11 and 12 weeks.Please, how can I get the book? I live in Lagos, Nigeria.
God bless you.
Olamiji

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