Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Preventing Single Strand Knots

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Preventing Single Strand Knots: Check out BrwnBarbie's hilarious tutorial on preventing single strand knots:

Picture of the Day: Sick Cornrowed Spider Design for Halloween!

Picture of the Day: Sick Cornrowed Spider Design for Halloween!

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: 5 Homemade TREATments for Natural Hair

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: 5 Homemade TREATments for Natural Hair: By Dr. Phoenyx Austin via DrPhoenyx.com Today I wanted to put you on to a few hair “TREAT”ments for fuller and healthier hair. When it co...

Product Review: Queen Helene Cholesterol w/Ginseng Complex = $3.49

                Ingredients: Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Mineral Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Ginseng Extract, Panthenol, Lanolin, Myristamidopropyl Dimethylamin Phosphate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Keratin Amino Acids, Phenoxyethanol. Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Yellow #5

                Lustrasilk is my usual deep conditioner but I decided to try something different after hearing some good things about Queen Helene. I preformed my usual monthly regimen and then applied the conditioner liberally to my oiled dry hair. Allowing it to sit for an hour on my hair with a plastic cap and then rinsed with lukewarm water, sealed in the moisture with my Shea butter/castor oil mix.        

If you aren’t the type that is scared away by ingredients you can’t pronounce, then I would recommend this product as a deep conditioner and/or a co wash. Lastly, the results are very similar, so I would use the Queen Helene Cholesterol conditioner again but I wouldn’t replace my Lustrasilk.

FINAL SCORE: 10

Natural Hair Stylist: Rules and Regulations

The regulations on natural hair vary from state to state, in Florida it is only required that you take a 16 hour theory course and demonstrate the ability to braid natural hair. Upon completion of the course students are qualified to be employed in beauty and specialty salons. According to Orange Park Beauty Academy’s website the cost of tuition is $190, license $30 and enrollment is $100 for a total of $350.00 to become a licensed natural hair stylist.

                Now, we all know women that braid hair in their homes without such a license, now with the current state of the global economy many more are looking for a side hustle to make ends meet. And although you’ll be registered to work in the state of Florida you aren’t being trained on the latest styles. So, what do you do? GOOGLE! There are blogs, websites, DVD training and YouTube videos available that will provide that knowledge for basically the cost of your internet/cable bill. Braids by Breslin is a company that offers a wide variety of DVD training videos, from learning to do a simple cornrow to making lace front wigs. A’Kiyia Kelly has a YouTube channel and several sites that offers braid training on many of the latest styles for a very affordable price. Locally, while searching craigslist for natural hair courses I found a braid camp that offered a list of 10 styles including weaving for $249.99, which also includes certification as an option. I called spoke with a Pamela Waters from Chocolate City Salon & Spa. Ms. Waters informed me that the braid camp was over but the salon still offered the training on an hourly basis at $25 per hour to an individual or a group with very flexible scheduling.  

                There are other schools in Jacksonville and the state of Florida that offer the hair braiding course, also other sites and salons, so please do your OWN research. Good Luck Ladies!

Product Review: Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Authentic JBCO is dark brown in color and has the traditional burnt smell. JBCO is a natural remedy for hair loss, thinning, dry hair and scalp, hair breakage, split ends and to maintain healthy growing hair. Many curlies use this multipurpose oil to moisturize, thicken, strengthen and increase hair growth. It can also be used on ALL HAIR TYPES.

I first used this oil after my usual weekday wash to seal and to twist my damp hair. First, the smell is loud and it can linger long enough for others to smell it. I had two coworkers ask me what I had on. LOL! I also received compliments about how much fuller my hair looked after the first time using JBCO. Personally, I’ve noticed how soft my hair feels immediately after application. My twist out’s last longer, usually I can wear a twist out for 1-2 days because I wasn’t sleeping with  a satin bonnet or a pillowcase during this trial…but now with the JBCO I’ve gone as long as 3 days! So, imagine how long it would last if I used the bonnet or pillowcase, I think I could pull a full week. I’ve also noticed that my hair doesn’t become crunchy as fast; it seems to have bounced back, volume or body. My second trial was done on dry hair that needed to be washed…EWWWW! I was being lazy that day but I was also tired of having bed hair. I didn’t part my hair into any sections or anything; I just used my fingers to make medium sized twists and applied the JBCO to my scalp and hair, then used it to seal my ends. After I finished twisting my whole head I then spritzed it with my peppermint oil and water daily moisturizing spray.

Rather it’s dry or damp hair I love the way the Jamaican Black Castor Oil makes my hair look and feel. This is a definite keeper!!!

Final Score = 10

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: The 'Hair Band' Tutorial!- Natural Hair Style

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: The 'Hair Band' Tutorial!- Natural Hair Style: brOnzeqt of Youtube teaches us how to spice up our boring twist-outs and wash-n-gos!