Detangling Curly Hair

One step of curly hair care that is often overlooked is detangling. Tangles and knots get in the way of creating perfect ringlets and frizz free curly hair. Because healthy hair loses an average of one hundred hairs each day, combing through and detangling will not only give you better results with styling, but also get rid of all those loose hairs.

The winter season is the time of year when curly heads notice extra tangles at the back of their head where curls rub against the collar of a winter jacket. The constant rubbing on the collar of the jacket against curly hair inevitably causes knots and tangles. These are the most stubborn and painful, but are also the most important tangles to remove to prevent extreme matting. To easily remove and instantly detangle these knots use Slip™ Detangler. Slip™ will close the open hair cuticles, resulting in easier and less painful detangling without depositing a film on your hair. Use a generous amount of Slip™ and for 10 to 20 seconds allow the product to properly balance the pH of your hair. When you are detangling, try to be relaxed and work from roots to ends to give each knot time to untangle. Avoid frantically trying to pull and tug at the tangles as this will cause more pain and cause damage to the hair. After removing tangles, styling curly hair is effortless as the products can now effectively penetrate the hair for ease of style management.

Having the right tool for detangling is just as important in removing knots and tangles. The Bone Comb has both large and small teeth to combat all types of knots. Start by using the large teeth for the worst knots and tangles and comb through slowly to eliminate tangles. Then use the small teeth on the comb to achieve a tangle-free head of curly hair. When looked after properly, a Bone Comb can last a hairstylist for their entire career.

The Importance of Cutting Curly Hair

Curly hair care involves getting the perfect haircut for your curl type and knowing how to style and manage your hair to achieve its maximum potential. Hair cutting techniques for curly hair are very different from cutting techniques for straight hair. Cutting straight hair requires an accuracy and tension that predict where the hair will fall. When used on curly hair, the ‘S’ formation of the curl is overlooked. Traditional layering techniques cause the unwanted ledge – a mistake that could take years to grow out. Many curly hairstyles cut curly hair too short not allowing for shrinkage. The results are a drastic loss of blend and hair length which we call ‘cutting shock’.

Cutting curly hair is the most complicated of all hairstyling procedures. The creative concept of cutting curly hair is all about understanding the correct distribution of bulk, where to eliminate the excess bulk to add volume movement and bounce, where to help enhance facial features or cover-up others and create easy to maintain fashionable hairstyles for all curly hair types. Before changing your long or short curly hairstyle try to examine the shape of your face. Take note of where the widest parts of your hair are, as these are the areas where you need the most volume control. Understanding the shape of your face, bone structure and profile will guide you to the right curly hairstyle.

We all know it’s a challenge to find a great hairstylist, especially a ‘curly-savvy’ stylist. Start by booking a consultation with a recommended salon. It’s important to have a consultation with a hairstylist before deciding on any drastic changes to your curly hair, this will determine if your cut is a success or a failure. Having a consultation will allow you to ask the stylist about his/her cutting techniques and the stylists will get a sense of your ability to style and manage your own curls. Collect photos of people with similar curl types and identify what you like and dislike about their hairstyle. Pictures are a great way to help your hairstylist get a better understanding on the look you want to achieve and will help bridge the gap in communication during the consultation.

Win A Year Supply of Curl Keeper™ Facebook Contest

 Back by popular demand, Win a Year Supply of Curl Keeper™ Facebook Contest will return starting January 2012.  Over the past year Curly Hair Solutions™ has spoken to many of our fans on one-on-one bases and listened to all of our consumers informative responses and have truly seen the benefit of social media.

If you haven’t already, please “Like” our Facebook group Curly Hair Solutions™ and become a fan!  Be a part of our Curly Hair Solutions™ Facebook Community and ask curly hair questions, learn styling curly hair tips, post comments, browse our product line-up, find what type of products to use for your curly hair type, become a curly hair club member, win free prizes, enter CHS contests, and be informed about our new and exciting deals every month!

How to enter into the Win a Year Supply of Curl Keeper™ Facebook Contest

To enter the contest ‘Like’ us on Facebook for a chance to Win A Year Supply of Curl Keeper™!

It`s that easy! So quickly, “Like” us on Facebook today and get CHS Facebook status reminders and contest hints of when CHS is giving away the year supply of Curl Keeper™!

Between January 5th and February 5th Curly Hair Solutions™ will choose a day the contest will open and the 30th person to tag themselves in a picture modeling their gorgeous naturally curly locks, will win A Year Supply of Curl Keeper™.

If you “Like” us in Facebook already don’t worry you can still enter the contest. Just stay locked to our Facebook page everyday for hints and updates on when to post your gorgeous curly photos.

The Winner will receive a 1 Year supply of Curl Keeper™.

1 Year = 12 Curl Keeper 33.8oz/1000ml

Contest Rules: One picture per person. Inappropriate photos will be deleted from the Facebook Curly Hair Solutions™ fan page and the contestant will be eliminated from the contest. This contest is only open to North American consumers. Skill testing question (2 × 4) + (10 × 3) =

Cold Water Rinsing

There are millions of people that practice all kinds of beauty folklore theories and fables that get passed down through generations. Some of them are common sense and some simply are not true.

Many people think that rinsing out conditioner or a hair treatment with cold water keeps the hair cuticle closed resulting in shiny hair. However, a cold-water rinse does not contribute to the closing of the hair cuticle. Controlling the correct pH balance by using a low pH level product will seal the hair cuticles leaving the hair shiny and silky. The pH level is a measurement of acidity or alkalinity in the hair that ranges from being either acidic (0-6.9) or alkaline (7.1-14). PH level is used as a scale to match our environment to our body and is essential when treating all hair conditions including frizzy hair. The pH balance of curly hair is the key to controlling unruly, frizzy dry hair. Healthy curly hair should have a pH balance of 4.5 – 5.5 making it slightly acidic. Therefore, the perfect hair conditioner should have a low pH level between 3.5 and 5 to restore the hair’s ideal balance resulting in healthy shiny curly hair.

The skin, which has blood vessels running throughout, is vulnerable to temperature change. Therefore, cold water rinsing will definitely have an effect on the scalp, but never on curly hair. So go ahead, turn up the temperature and enjoy your showers!

The Three Stages of Curly Hair Wet Styling

You can learn to control all different curl types through wet styling. Using Curl Keeper™ along with our latest styling techniques, you can achieve total frizz-free curl control that will withstand any climate and will give you "Curl Freedom".  Styling curly hair happens in several different stages. Before styling, the effort is all in the preparation which is the first stage. How you apply and use the correct products will give you the perfect foundation to start with. The secret of styling curly hair will depend on the quality of the curly hair products used and the proper instruction.

The second stage is styling the hair and beginning the drying process. During the drying process curls will shrink and you will lose length and volume. As the hair starts to dry the volume starts to expand. Always allow hair to dry on its own with as little movement as possible. If you are in a hurry you may use a diffuser to speed up drying time, but still allow your curls to surface dry before doing so. Once the hair is dry, stage three begins and allows you to create the final look by playing with your curls, giving you fullness. The more you play with your curly hair the bigger the hair will expand. Remember, big hair does not mean frizzy hair.

Quick and Easy Holiday Curly Hair Tips

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and sometimes, the most stressful!

December is filled with holiday celebrations that keep many of us on the go as we try to spend time with family and friends near and far. There’s food to prepare, gifts to purchase and give, religious ceremonies to attend and parties to enjoy.

In the midst of it all, we still want our curly hair to look its best. Here are a few tips to ensure that your hair stays healthy and happy during the holiday season, some of which can also double as gift-generating ideas for those special curlies in your life.

Check the weather forecast before going over the river and through the woods.

If you’re traveling to see family in an area with different weather patterns than what you experience at home, make sure you have the right curly hair products to help tackle those temperatures. What you use to protect your hair on a windy Toronto or Chicago winter morning might be too heavy if you’re spending Christmas at Grandma’s place in sunny Florida. Water conditions in different areas could also wreak havoc on your hair. Pack accordingly for such ventures away from home and don’t be afraid to use more or less of your favorite product depending on location.

Remember those styling tools:

Don’t you hate it when you realize you forgot to pack your wide-toothed comb in your travel bag, dooming you to a few days of inadequate attempts at finger combing conditioner through your tresses? Having an extra comb or another styling tool of choice to put in an overnight bag could be the difference between dazzling holiday tresses or a hair catastrophe. If you’re looking for a stocking stuffer for a curly hair friend (or trying to give others ideas for your own stocking), ask for styling tools.

Read the rest of the Holiday Tips and Stocking Stuffer ideas from our curly hair writer Shannon Shelton.

Winter Hat Hazards

The most frustrating thing that curly heads experience during the winter is that once you put on a toque or hat you end up with a style disaster on your hands. Wearing anything on top of your curly hair will flatten your curls and cause more frizz and flyaways. Unfortunately traditional styling products are not effective for fixing broken curly hairstyles. The most important thing to know is what techniques to use to restyle and bring curls back to life.

For fine hair it is all about rebuilding or tweaking your hairstyle starting at the root area. Curly heads know that the more movement created will result in more volume. Tweek™ is specifically developed to rebuild broken hairstyles for these situations.  Flip your hair over to reach the scalp and using Tweek™ slowly start to create movement in the root area. Once you have dealt with the roots, work Tweek™ into the hair by adding a bit more of Tweek™ through to the ends with your hands to create a fuller look. Thick curly hair usually does not require extra volume therefore, the focus is on smoothing the outer layer by controlling the flyaways. Squeeze a generous amount of Tweek™ through to the ends of the hair, let go and allow it to settle on its own.

Hat Tip: Curly heads have a tendency to stretch their curls out when pulling their hair back. This weakens the curls, especially around the face area. Make sure your hair is completely dry before putting pulling your hair back or putting on a hat. Even though it feels dry the tiny bit of hair moisture will still make the indentation more prominent. Wait a few hours to allow your curls to fully dry before putting on a hat.