Are you A Curl Mixologist?

A Curl Mixologist is a curly girl who has mastered the art of using several products (gels, conditioners and creams) to achieve the perfect curl.

Chemistry has told us that in order to cleanse, fight frizz, retain moisture, and achieve definition we must use several products (one after the other). To back up this fact, most product lines offer a range of products tailored to solve each problem.

The Curl Mixologist has her mixture down to a science. After her concoction has been created, this formula can cure all curly girl's frizz and dryness. You've seen her before. The girl who tells you which products she uses to make her curls POP and twists DEFINED. She has a devoted following on YouTube who have coined her the NATURAL HAIR GURU. In pursuit of perfect curls, you have purchased her recommended products to no avail---and your hair does not look like hers. 

What does she know that you do not?

Curl mixologist's know the secrets to maximizing techniques on THEIR hair. They understand their hair texture and how certain products work with their strands (Did you happen to see how many times I've used the word "their" in those two sentences--3).

1) QUALITY Products = Quality Ingredients: Read labels. Products that are filled with synthetic ingredients are usually substitutes for the real thing. Look for ingredients that are found in nature: Banana, Aloe Vera, Shea Butter, Orange, Coconut, Hibiscus... there is no substitute for the real thing. The real thing always yields the best results and are better for your hair. Why buy a knock off when you can buy the real thing.

2) Base Products/ FOUNDATION:

Successful curls start with a base set of products.

--- Shampoo:

Every curly girl needs two types of shampoos in their arsenal: A Moisturizing Shampoo and a Clarifying Shampoo. With quality shampoos a little goes a long way. Before shampooing, you should fully wet hair so that the product can be easily distributed. With quality shampoos, you should only need to use about two dime size squirts per wash. Moisturizing shampoos like the name implies, adds moisture to the hair while cleansing. These types of shampoos can be used weekly or bi-weekly. Clarifying shampoos are used to rid the hair and scalp of excess product build up. These types of shampoos should only be used once a month or less because they are drying.

---Deep Treatment:

Deep TREATments are treats for the hair. Treats make you happy and you just can't get enough--- so do deep TREATments on the hair. The more you treat your hair the more it will love you back.
A Rule of Thumb: Treat your hair after every single wash.

---Leave In Conditioner:

Curly hair tends to be dry and unmanageable. Using a good leave-in conditioner will allow you to easily detangle your hair while adding moisture. Since leave-in conditioners are designed to stay in the hair, it is important to go light on the application. Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, start with at least two quarter size drops of product. Work product through strands. When your hair starts to get slippery and easy to detangle then you know that you have used enough product (adding oil to the detangling process helps too). You have used too much product if you can see white product build up. The perfect medium occurs at the point where the hair is slippery but their is no buildup. Using too much leave-in can be problematic if you will use a styler after.

----Stylers: Curl Creme & Gel

Stylers should only be applied to sections of the hair. Never apply stylers to the entire head of hair at one time. Neatly section the hair (whether it is a wash no go, twist out, bantu knot, etc) and apply styler section by section. Depending on the length or thickness of the section, use only a 1/2 a dime size of the styling product. Work the product from root (not scalp) to tip and style. You do not need to use a lot of  product because the leave-in conditioner is already in your hair and too much product will cause buildup--> eventually flakes. If you can see white product build up after you have styled the section, this means that too much product was used. Take a micro fiber cloth and gently squeeze the section to remove excess product. Remember with quality products less is more (so you do not need to pile it on).

---Oils

Oils are essential for a good hair care regimen because they act as a sealant, shine enhance, deep treatment and detangling agent.  In between wash days, oils can be used to freshen up a style. Personally, I re-twist my hair between wash days by only using water and oil because the richness of Kurlee Belle's products have a lasting effect. Too much oil can result in the hair being weighed down and in some cases oil can leave the hair looking wet and drip on to clothes and skin days after application. The best measure of the amount of oil to use would be to dip your index finger in the jar, rub in hands then apply to hair. Five or six dips of a heavy oil like coconut or castor oil should suffice. For best results, lightly spray the hair with water before applying for sealing moisture.

3)  PRICE: Do not let price be a deterrent when it comes to your hair. Remember hair is dead so we must show it as much LOVE as possible. Of course, some products are ridiculously priced and out of our budget. A quality product (with quality ingredients) will last a long time because you will not need to use a lot of product. Quality ingredients = rich chemistry = longevity. Spending $5 for a shampoo and using the entire bottle after 2 or 3 washes is wasted money. Spend the extra cash and keep the products longer is a WIN-WIN.

4) TIME: Spend time on learning your hair and what ingredients work best for it. Some people swear by castor oil and others cannot live without coconut oil. How do they know what works best for them? Through experimentation or trial and error/TIME. Be patient with your hair and take a close look at what your issues are then try to solve them. If you do not have the time or energy, consult a natural hair stylist or #askKurleeBelle.

What Are Your Mixing Secrets?