Avoiding Fairy Knots & Splits

New video! This is how I 'cure' my bushy ends. ;) #curlsofinnocence

On another note, have you guys always wondered what to do about fairy knots and bad splits in your natural hair?

 

Yes, this is the best (actually, only) way to combat this. You can't 'repair' them. You can't detangle those tiny little knots and somehow get them out; I have tried! LOL! I have 4A type hair in the front sides of my hair and that's where I get the most breakage and splits for some reason. It knots easier than the rest of my type 3 hair. Occasionally, I'll examine my hair and I'll come across something like what you see above. Yes, you will lose a tad bit of length cutting it off with shears, but it's better than to have it still sitting there, splitting the rest of your hair off and breaking.

Tips to avoid fairy knots:

-Detangle with fingers first before using a wide-toothed comb

-NEVER use a paddle brush until you've at least attempted finger detangling first

-Only detangle when your hair is wet. Not damp, WET, preferably with conditioner or coconut oil

-Keep your hair in a stretched state

-Avoid products that have a lot of chemicals, they tangle and dry your hair more

Hope you enjoyed this post. Peace out till later, curly mamas! ;)

~Epic Realist~

 

Transitioning Styles and Tips (2009-2011)

Hiya, curlies! I wanted to post some pics here of how my hair looked when I was transitioning. I didn't have any natural products then because I couldn't afford them, so I stuck with pink lotion, very cheap leave ins (African Pride Olive Miracle) and Pantene shampoos and conditioners even though I was beginning to realize that those things were bad for my hair. But I used what I could! :-)

 

 
 

I was home most of the time, so I kept my hair twisted up a LOT. I remember how my twist outs looked, mostly stringy at the bottom and nice and fluffy at the top. I transitioned for two years because my relaxed hair was already about 16 or 17 inches long and I didn't want to lose all of my length that quickly. I don't remember getting a lot of breakage with my line of demarcation because I was very gentle with my hair then. Eventually, when I got tired of the two textures (and needed a change in life), I did my own big chop and cut my hair a little past ear length.

See my whole hair journey here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y9UEDQV8D4

I was never very fond of or good at updos; I love having my hair down. That's always been my signature thing. Occasionally, I'd wear a ponytail or two, but nowadays, It's rare that you'll catch me wearing a ponytail or a bun unless it's inside the house. I'm quite sure that I'd still look nice in updos, though, especially since most people say that I look Indian based on the way my head is shaped when you look at me sideways. LOL! (random)

Transitioning Tips:

1. STAY AWAY from combs! Try to do as least combing as possible to avoid breakage at the oh so fragile line of demarcation.

2. Finger detangling is always best. Don't worry; you CAN do it! If you have stubborn type 4 hair, make sure that your hair is wet and saturated with conditioner or a silky leave in before attempting to finger detangle.

3. Deep condition weekly. This was one thing that I couldn't afford to do back then, but I wish that I had been able to. My hair would have been a lot stronger, and I would have probably avoided seeing a ton of hair come out in the shower. :-/

4. Protect the ends! Yes, they are the relaxed, already damaged portion of your hair that'll eventually get whacked off, but trust me, you don't want dry, raggedy looking ends when you're trying to blend your two textures. Been there, done that. Pay more attention to those ends than anything else; seal them like you'd seal your bank account.

That's all for now, folks. Peace out!

~Epic Realist~

Personal blog link: http://epicrealist.blogspot.com/

WARNING: If you are easily offended by religious debates/statements, DO NOT even attempt to read this blog.

How I Use Coconut Oil

Heya, curlies!

I love using coconut oil as a pre-poo for my hair, but mostly during the warmer months. In the colder months, I usually pre-poo with EVOO because it's such a heavy oil for the winter dryness.
Right now, Syriah's hair takes coconut oil better than mine. I think that it's because my hair cannot take lots of protein, so if I constantly use coconut oil as I had been using previously, my hair will be more dry and brittle. So right now, coconut oil is mostly used as a pre-poo for both my daughter's hair instead of mine.
I also like using coconut oil on my face in the morning after I've washed my face. It's silky smooth, smells good, and not heavy at all. It's part of my facial routine. ;-)
Here is Syriah's hair with coconut oil in it. I have these pics in the previous post, I believe. This is on damp, finger de-tangled hair.

 Love the shine and the extra softness that it gives when I wash it out of her hair. It's amazing. Sometimes, I don't even need to use my Herbal Essences conditioner because the oil is so soothing that it's VERY easy to manipulate the hair. The last picture is the end result.
So, that's pretty much how I use my coconut oil during these cold months. Hope you guys enjoyed this post!  Follow me on Facebook for everyday tips and updates. Peace out!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curls-of-Innocence/256662627753918?ref=hl


                    ~Epic Realist~