…but can’t really, because i *kinda know* i still need it. kinda know as in, i have to clarify my hair because i will NOT deal with buildup.

i don’t like to wash my hair. there i said it. got that off my chest. whew! and it feels so much better!

since going natural, washing my hair is hades – but only when i use shampoo. since i co-wash with conditioner every other week to every week (depending on my workout schedule) i only use shampoo once a month to two months to clarify my hair.

i dread it each time. and though i use sulfate free products, i just don’t like the strippy feeling i’m left with in addition to the tangle – slight, but still tangles. i’m sure many of you can agree or at least relate to that.

if i was not colored, i would have given it up a long time ago, but color safe and protecting shampoos are good for your hair when you have color. now, granted, my color is over a year old now, but i treat it as colored hair – because it is – despite my deep, brown roots.

i like many different products, but i recently realized that what i like, more often than not, are my conditioning and finishing products. i don’t really “like” shampoo – no matter the brand.

i can’t say i 100% DISlike shampoo, but i don’t care for it. it’s so low on the bottom of my “i really care about…” list that it’s almost non-existent!

but i want to care about it. i want it to be kinda important. notice i said kinda. see, shampoo is one of those things in a healthy hair routine that is not as important as conditioner, etc. shampoo serves one purpose – to cleanse without being too harsh. that’s it.

but we all know we can also “cleanse” our hair with apple cider vinegar and baking soda (an old fave i would be using if i was not colored – as baking soda is a natural hair dye). but i digress.

i’d like to get my hands on something that really does not leave my hair feeling like i just washed it with shampoo. because even my sulfate free and organic products can’t even do that. are they better because they contain no sulfates? – yes, they are. does my hair feel stripped? – i’d say less stripped. a lot less. but i still don’t really like shampoo.

ugh, shampoo, shampoo.

in my fantasy world, my shampoo would MELT into my hair! it would be like butter and leave my hair so supple and moisturized that i didn’t even have to use condish afterward.

say what now?! sounds like heaven!

so helpe me out ladies, what products do you use to wash (when you need to clarify) your hair with that absolutely DOES NOT leave it feeling a bit stripped? put me on to somethings (100% COLOR FRIENDLY) please!

share and enjoy!

Honey is effective in treating damaged hair thanks to the humectants it contains. It also smells nice, and will leave hair with a sweet after-scent.

Mix 1/3 cup of honey with 2 tbsp. of olive or almond oil. Carefully apply the mixture through hair, and wrap hair in a shower cap. Leave on for 30 minutes, then rinse.

see more in the homemade mixologist group!

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every kinky girl knows how important a diffuser* is! and now you can have one for FREE!

Sunbeam Euro Air Universal Diffuser
Diffuser Attachment will diffuse airflow for soft, gentle styling without blowing out the style. Vented fingers on unit allow you to add volume without taking your style away.

Sunbeam Euro Air Universal Diffuser Attachment Features:

• Fits most standard hair dryers
• Dries curly & permed hairstyles without blowing out the style
• Diffuses airflow for soft, gentle styling
• Styling  fingers lift & separate hair
• Styles hair gently without blowing-out the style

One lucky bella will win!

To enter:

1. Reply at the forum and tell us how you keep your hair healthy when using heat. (You can also reply below for more entries, but you must also reply at the forum)
2. Make sure you have an updated member profile before the close of the contest.**
3. Follow kisforkinky.com on and and tweet the following message:@kurlybella: RT to win a free diffuser! http://bit.ly/cHQs1y.

**Contest ends March 31 at 11:59 PM PST and the winner will be announced April 1.

*not sure what a diffuser does and why you need one? see dictionary for definition.

OFFICIAL RULES

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it’s giveaway time!!!

Continuous Release
Skin’s own L-Carnitine

• Concentrated, targeted treatment

The latest innovation from scientists of Nivea laboratories:  New Nivea® body Good-bye Cellulite Patches with continuous release of L-Carnitine.

New Nivea body Good-bye Cellulite, formulated with skin’s own L-Carnitine, is a fast acting, concentrated treatment specifically developed to fight the appearance of cellulite in problem areas.

What is L-Carnitine?
L-Carnitine is found naturally in the skin and supports the conversion of fat into energy.  New Nivea body Good-bye Cellulite Patches contain this skin’s-own
substance and provide a continuous release of L-Carnitine to the skin.

What does it mean for your skin?
The skin’s texture is improved and the appearance of cellulite is reduced.  Applied at least 2-3 times a week, Nivea body Good-bye Cellulite
Patches get to work fast on the targeted body areas — thighs, buttocks
and stomach.

Proven concentrated target treatment:
After three applications the skin is noticeably toned and smoother.  After 4 weeks the signs of cellulite on the skin are visibly reduced.

TWO lucky bellas will win!!

To enter:

1. Reply at the forum and tell us what your favorite body part is and why. (You can also reply here for more entries – but you must also reply at the forum)
2. Make sure you have an updated member profile before the close of the contest.*
3. Follow kisforkinky.com on and and tweet the following message:@kurlybella: I love being a kinky girl! http://bit.ly/cHQs1y.

*Contest ends March 31 at 11:59 PM PST and the winner will be announced April 1.

OFFICIAL RULES

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care routine for winter 2010 – *spring 2010

shampoo: since i only shampoo once or twice every 30-60 days, i use a cheapie shampoo – Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo. this does the clarifying job excellent.

conditioner: Deva Curl One Condition . this is a staple and i’ve been using this since 2009. i also like L’Oreal Everpure Moisture Conditioner for color treated hair and/or Garnier Fortifying Conditioner for dry hair.

i am washing my hair with conditioner to retain moisture (co-washing). additionally, since i’ve been protective styling my hair, i have not been using aveda products that are for color treated hair. i do plan to get my hair colored at aveda again this fall or early winter.

i co-wash my hair once every two weeks.

deep conditioner: Pantene Relaxed and Natural Breakage Defense Mask Deep Conditioner. though i cannot say this is a staple yet, it gets the job done excellent!

sealants (for moisture): unrefined shea butter, extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil.

*i plan on testing out organic lines to replace my shampoo and conditioners (which are almost empty) and will be updating about them once i’ve been able to use the products for a month. if they work well, i’ll be replacing my usual products above with as many organic and natural products as possible.

length

well, i have to say that i’m almost stunned myself. here i was thinking that since fall of last year that i’m STILL arm pit length (on the chart it would be where your hair touches your armpits). i thought this because i’ve been battling single strand knots like a mother! i hate those things. and there aren’t many things in this world that i hate! murderers and single strand knots…yep that’s about it!

single strand knots, also now called “fairy” knots, are little knots that form on individual strands of hair (fairy meaning they are so small only tinkerbell herself or some other fairy could have tied them). i get these when my hair is out in an afro for days in a row, so that’s why i’ve been protective styling my hair since early fall last year. they cause soooo many set backs it’s not even funny! though i know i’ll have to get a chunk of hair chopped at the end of my protective styling challenge, i feel better knowing that i’m closer than originally anticipated.

hair styles:

i’m protective styling my hair until late fall 2010. see my post about it here: winter to summer hair 2010: curly fro then “big chop” to pixie

to care for it, i co-wash my braids every two weeks and seal in my moisture with either coconut oil, evoo or mimosa hair honey from carol’s daughter.

i take down my cornrows, do a super detangle job,  and deep condish my hair once a month with my pantene mask. i normally deep condish overnight and re-braid the next day while my hair is sitll wet. i rarely, if ever, do much manipulation to my hair when it is dry. this has helped TREMENDOUSLY in retaining my length.

during the week, i wet my braids and add evoo or my other oils or the honey to my hair to seal them. i also pay attention to my ends and moisturize them as well and then stick them under (i cornrow my hair back and then make one big plat from the cornrows and then tuck the plat under itself).

tools:

really, just my number one love, my shower comb. i co-wash my hair in 4 sections while detangling with my shower comb:

so, do you have a winter routine established? how is your winter hair coming along? and how is your routine working out for you?

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hey guys! thanks so much for you patience as i re-did the site.

i’m glad that my readers like and respect my blog and that is why i decided it needed a mini face lift – so that your visits here will always be aesthetically pleasing!

this is not the “final” version of the site, but will do a long while as the sketches and ideas keep coming together.

i wanted to let you know what was happening with the site while it was at a “stand still” and what to expect now that it’s back up.

as you can see, there is a new, cleaner layout and updated navigation. you can also see info about my hair products and progress – now easily accessible as well as the new wig series. i’ll take you along with me step-by-step on these diy projects as i protective style my hair until early fall of this year.

additionally, a new feature is being added to the site called “the closet” and i will feature outfits of the day. you asked for it, so i’m happy to deliver. i’m starting in a few weeks (i have to take my computer to apple for a while to be repaired and until then, no pics).

but the most exciting news i have is that we now have a forum! a community side!

it’s finally done!

actually, if it wasn’t for my anxious and a-typeness self, i would have had this finished a week ago, but i’m not one for half way doing anything. i’m uber excited to let you know about the kisforkinky.com community, chock full of hair care articles, beautiful hair photos and street style flicks, a forum and groups where you can get your growth and other challenges on.

you can join, create a profile, upload and share pics, be inspired by the photo galleries, and conversate with other very kinky. very curly. very fly women.

so, please check it out, join, and let me know what you think!

see you on the other side!

share and enjoy!

okay, i’ll admit it. i’m a sucker for anything hair related. but not just any sucker. see, i have a very discerning eye and tastes, and just any old thing won’t do.

like many consumers, my eye is first drawn to a package by the way it looks. bright colors really do me in; as are most women. but i’m a well informed consumer and a black woman with kinky hair, so that bottle better be more than just a pretty package and the package had just be more than whipped fancy conditioner with overwhelming, luscious fragrance.

gimme plain ‘ole scentless coconut oil any old day over boo-boo trash  that smells like grapefruit in a glass bottle, thank you.

since i zoom past the superficial quite easily, my spidey sense quickly sniff out the good stuff. i’m like  a drug dog at the airport. what do we have here, shea? nope. coconut? nope. jojoba? nope…macadamia? ding, ding, we have a winner!!

folica has a new – at least to my knowledge -  product label on their shelves. a product which boast the “power” of macadamia nut.

Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque

description:

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque is a revitalizing hair reconstructor for dry, damaged hair. A combination of macadamia oil and argan oil along with tea tree oil, chamomile oil, aloe and algae extracts rejuvenate and rebuild the hair, leaving the hair deeply nourished for improved elasticity and shine with long-lasting conditioning benefits.

usage:

now, i know that many of you are thinking. “ohhh, like those little nuts in the cookies that i eat!” yes, those nuts! the ones that also cause muffin tops, thunder thighs and double chins when mixed with deadly combinations of white chocolate and chewy cookie mix. yes, you are correct!

a little about this “super nut” past it’s tastiness:

the macadamia nut’s oil is nutritious — a great source of calcium, B complex, phosphorus and iron. macadamia nut oil contains the highest amount of palmitoleic acid (an Omega 7 fatty acid) of any plant. palmitoleic acid is plentiful in our skin when we are young, but decreases with aging. this acid is believed to help mature skin retain suppleness. Palmitoleic acid also replaces naturally occurring skin on the lips, allowing the skin to remain younger looking.

macadamia oil reduces wrinkles and dryness. it is a natural moisturizer and emollient (emollients attract and trap moisture from the air). macadamia oil is light and non-greasy so it is easily absorbed into the hair shaft and skin. another gift of macadamia nut oil is that it contains proteins, and its vitamin E contributes skin-care benefits and long shelf life. the high count of mono-unsaturated fatty acids makes the oil mimic the sebum (naturally produced oil on scalp and skin which protects it from damage). all of these qualities contribute to its reputation as a superb hair and skin treat, as well as an elixir for healing scars, sunburn, wounds and irritations.

speaking of skin perfection, macadamia oil is considered one of the best carrier oils available; carrier oils are used along with dilute amounts of essential oils in aromatherapeutic treatments and massage.

no wonder this oil is called “perfection.”

who wouldn’t at least want to try this suff?! that would be me alex for $500, please.

as soon as i can get my hands on a jar, i will let you guys know how it works.

and since amazon has it on sale at $10 down from $28, i’m about to snatch it up!!

buy the Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask at AMAZON.COM

oh, and there is a leave in too!

here is a review on the product. and if you have tried it, please share your results! would you recommend this product and did you like the results of your hair after usage?

OMG! This product is AMAZING!! I have never used a hair mask that left my hair so hydrated! I have dry curly hair, and I bought this in a kit from jade beauty supply, after I used it my hair was completely frizz-free!! And that is a miracle for me, because my hair tends to frizz up after washing it and air drying it. But not any more with these macadami oil products! Yes, they are expensive, But they are worth it! I’ve used so many expensive brands, like redken, joico, paulmitchell, but nothing ever left my hair like these macadamia oil products. It seems that dry hair gets the most benefits from good oil products. Don’t think this will leave hair greasy, NO, it is what is amazing from this, It’s made of macadamia oil and argan oil, but my hair was soft silky SUPER SHINY!! and light after I used the shampoo, the mask and the macadamia healing oiL!! I am so, happy with this purchase! This one is a keeper for life!! I hope the company of macadamia oil products never ever discontinue! If you have very dry hair, that dosen’t shine unless you put lots of serum and gloss on it, I HIGHLY RECOMEND THese MACADAMIA PRODUCTS!

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if you are not yet a reader, you should check it out. her eye is super sharp.

it was love at first sight, i tell ya!

which do you think is the flyest?

which is it ladies? blue or pink?

what say you? are we feeling the platforms? Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.

share and enjoy!

this list will be updated after a poll at the first half of the year.

the list also includes where to find products so that you don’t have to go search for them. most of them you can find in the kisforkinky.com store!

if you are a newbie, you almost can’t go wrong with anything on this list! have a question about the definition of something on this list? check out the dictionary.

be sure to share your experiences with these c♥veted products!

(!!!) = you should at least try this
(O) = may be easier to find online vs. store
(N) = natural / organic
(G) = can be found in local grocery store
(G*) = specialty grocery/health store like whole foods
(S) = sold in salon stores like ulta, or sally, etc.
(H) = use alone or add to homemade moisturizing mix

c♥veted pre-poos

• extra virgin olive oil (N/G/H) !!!
• virgin coconut oil (N/G/H) !!! buy here
• jamaican black castor oil (N/G/H) !!!
• jojoba oil (N/G/H) !!! buy here

c♥veted shampoos

• aubrey organics honey suckle rose (O/N/G*) !!! buy here / or here
• aubrey organics white camillia (O/N/G*) !!! buy here
• deva curl no poo (O/N/S)  buy here / or here
• giovanni 50:50 hydrating clarifying shampoo (O/N/G8*) !!! buy here / or here
• trader joe’s norish spa shampoo (N/G*) !!! buy here
• trader joe’s tea tre tingle with peppermint and eucalyptus (N/G*) buy here
• j/a/s/o/n natural jojoba scalp balancing shampoo (N/G*) buy here
• elasta QP creme conditioning poo (S) buy here
• abba pure moisture shampoo (N/G*) buy here / or here
• kinky curly come clean (N/O/G*) buy here

c♥veted conditioners

• aubrey organics honey suckle rose (O/N/G*) !!! buy here / or here
• aubrey organics white camillia (O/G*) !!! buy here
• giovanni smooth as silk (O/N/G/G*) !!! buy here / or here
• deva care one condition (S) buy here
• nature’s gate moisturizing conditioner buy here / or here
• oyin honey hemp conditioner (O/N) buy here
• alter ego energizing conditioner (O/S)
• trader joe’s nourish spa conditioner (G*) buy here
• aussi moist (G) !!! buy here
• garnier fructics (G)
• herbal essence hello hydration (G) !!! buy here / or here

c♥veted deep conditioners

• pantene relaxed and natural breakage defense mask (O/G) !!! buy here
• organic root stimulator replenishing conditioner !!! buy here
• elasta QP intense fortifying conditioner (S) buy here
• keracare humecto (O/S) buy here
• matrix biolage ultra hydrating balm (S) buy here / or here
• jessicurl weekly deep treatment (O/N) !!! buy here
• garnier fructis fortifying penetrating deep conditioner (G)
• elasta QP DPR 11 (S) buy here

c♥veted treatments

• steam treatments !!! (see hair therapy heat wraps for steaming here)
• overnight conditioning
• baggying

c♥veted rinses

• apple cider vinegar (G) !!!
• baking soda (G) you should not use this if you color
• oil rinse !!!

c♥veted leave-ins

• giovanni direct leave-in (O/N/G/G*) !!! buy here / or here
• aubrey organics honey suckle rose (O/N/G*) !!! buy here/ or here
• aubrey organics white camillia (O/G*) !!! buy here
• kinky curly knot today (O/G*) !!! buy here

c♥veted moisturizers & sealants

• care free curl gold (G/S)
• s curl (G/S)
• honeyquat (O/H)
• glycerin (G/H) buy here
• unrefined shea butter (O/N/G*) !!! buy here
• avocado oil (O/N/H/G*) !!! buy here
• avocado butter (O/N/H/G*) !!!
• extra virgin olive oil (N/G/H) !!!
• virgin coconut oil (N/G/H) !!! buy here
• jamaican black castor oil (N/G/H) !!!
  
• jojoba oil (O/N/G/H) !!! buy here

c♥veted stylers

• kinky curly knot today (N/O/G*) !!! buy here
• kinky curly curling custard (N/O/G*) buy here
• cocoa tree detangling ghee (N/O) !!! buy here
• eco styler gel (S/G) buy here
• cantu shea butter leave-in buy here
• oyin juices and berries (N/O) buy here
• oyin burnt sugar pomade (N/O) buy here
• devacare arc angel (N/O/S) buy here / or here
• deva curl set it free (N/O/S) buy here
• my honey child type 3** cream (N/O) **many type 4’s even prefer the type 3 cream over the type 4 cream buy here

c♥veted styling tools

• jilberie shower comb (O/S) !!! buy here
• satin scarf !!!  which should be a silk pillowcase or scarf buy here
• denman d3 brush (O/S) buy here / or here
• paddle brush buy here / or here
• hairart super rollers (S) buy here / or here
• small/medium/larg perm rods (for twist and curl & braid and curl styles) (S) buy here / or here
• fhi flat iron (O/S) buy here / or here
• sedu flat iron (O/S) buy here / or here
• diffusing attachment (S) !!! buy here
• maxiglide flat iron (O/S)

what products from this list do you covet?

to find out more, join the conversation at the community!

share and enjoy!

listen to “hold on”

share and enjoy!