‘If you want to spice up the look of your locs, adding some colour will give you that extra oomph. Here are some looks to inspire your colourful transformation:
Putting a Pop of Colour In Your Locs
You can add a little pop of colour to your locs, whether it’s using an ombre effect or some highlights.
It might seem difficult to add colour to your locs, but the process is much easier than you would expect.
Bleaching and Colouring Locs
If you want a long-term change for your locs, bleaching and colouring your hair is the best option. Nurse Poizon Ivy has a great tutorial on how to do this yourself:
Colouring Locs With Hair Wax
For a less permanent solution, hair wax is a great solution. The most important thing to remember when using hair wax is that you should ensure that it is thoroughly dried before you’ve moved on.
It can be quite tough to remove from your locs, and you don’t want any residue left in your hair, so you should make sure that you thoroughly wash the wax out. It may take a couple of washes, and an apple cider vinegar rinse should get rid of any residual wax.
Hair chalk is another useful non-permanent solution. While you don’t see many people using it as much as hair wax to colour their locs, hair chalk may result in a bit less residue being left in after you’ve washed it out.
Zuri FX does a good job of showing how easy the process is:
So, this week, I changed up my hair from a horrible cut and colour to some sleek black extensions. I used a crochet braiding technique but I didn’t have any cornrows in my hair, so this is how I did it:
I waffled on A LOT in this video (very new to this!), so here are the main takeaways from the tutorial:
Clearly section your hair when making the little ponytails that you’re crocheting into. If there are any strays, this will make it really difficult to remove the rubber bands and the crocheted hair will get all tangled up.
The hair you put into small ponytails shouldn’t be bigger than half of the diametre of a standard pencil.
Towards the bottom of your hair, closet to your neck, do a full layer of crochet hair. Here, it’s best not to leave any leave-out, as there will be a really obvious divide between your own hair and the extensions.
I did six along the bottom and six through the middle. Another two were towards the top to get any extra bits that looked choppy.
The top row of crochets is just before the top of your temples. This will stop them from showing through.
If you’re struggling to blend, you can use heat. I just go over each side one with my hair straightener set to 150 degrees celCelciuscius (because heat up to 200 degrees can be used on this hair).
I don’t think I’m going to wash my hair with the crochet braids in. It’s a pretty quick process after silk pressing my hair, so I’ll just take them out before washing and putting them back in. The hair I used is £6.50 from the local shop, so I’m happy to do this once a month or every 6 weeks.
Dionne Smith, hairdresser to the stars, has launched a new training doll that will make waves in the hairstyling industry. Ebony is one of the first-ever hair dressing training dolls to feature 4C type hair, and will help educate hairstylists on how to maintain and style natural black hair.
When Dionne started her career in hairstyle, she encountered an issue in her training: the only training dolls available had straight hair. Even 20 years later, she notes that black celebrities continue to be faced with a lack of knowledge when it comes to having their hair styled.
“Throughout my career I’ve been asked to train others on Afro textured hair, but sometimes we’ve either struggled to find an available model at short notice, or the trainee may perhaps feel nervous about making mistakes”
The new Ebony hairdressing training doll won’t just help hairdressers. Dionne hopes that she will come in handy for parents who want to practice styling their children’s hair, and even hair influencers keen on learning something new.
Training dolls with afro-textured hair aren’t entirely a brand new concept, but Smith’s official launch of her own product brings attention to the gap in the market. If you do a Google search for an afro hair training doll, you’ll come up with a few options – but none of the sources seem particularly reputable.
The new Ebony doll has been designed by a professional in the industry with a wealth of experience. Dionne has worked with big names like Regina King, Amber Rose Gill, Mel B and Michaela Coel, and has her own line of hair extensions and styling tools.
The new Ebony hairdresser training doll will be back in stock in summer 2021, as her If you pre-order the doll from Dionne Smith’s website, you can get £50 off the full price of £150.
So, you’ve decided to make the leap from relaxed to natural hair. You’ve got a long journey ahead but it doesn’t have to be a difficult one. Most ladies making the transition are reluctant to go for “the big chop”, which is understandable – you’ve spent a long time growing that hair! Fortunately, it’s not always necessary to cut up inches upon inches of hair.
Braids and Twists are the Go-To
What encourages most of us to commit to The Big Chop is the line of demarcation between your relaxed hair and your natural hair. It can be quite obvious and also being the point at which your hair breaks off – but braids and twists and camouflage it.
If you’re using a method that isn’t particularly hard on your hair, this is a great way to protect it while transitioning. Jumbo twists, faux locs and box braids allow you to keep (and add) length while you wait for your hair to grow out. And, the don’t require lots of manipulation that could damage your hair while styling.
Low Manipulation Styles Are Ideal
If you’re not going for a protective style that will last you a few weeks or months, it’s important that you’re not touching your hair too much and too often. So, you should aim for a style that doesn’t need touching up every day. These are some of your best options:
Roller Sets
High Puffs
Faux Hawks
Braid outs
Corn rows
If you’re going to have your own hair out while transitioning, make sure you wrap it up every night in a silk/sating scarf to protect it and use a light moisturising daily (a spray is best).
Don’t Use Heat or Chemicals
You can choose one: avoiding the big chop or using heat and chemicals. These cause lots of damage to your hair and they can set back lots of your progress.
This means no dyeing your hair. If you want to switch up your hair colour, hair paint is a safe alternative to dye and there’s no penetration.
It also means no flat ironing. If you want a sleek look sometimes, a lace front may be an expensive investment but it’s worth it if you’re going to be wearing your hair straight often.
Trim Monthly
When you’re opting not to go for the big chop, it’s a good idea to trim your hair gradually. It’s best to do this once a month if you’re wearing your hair naturally or using a protective style. You should plan to get your braids, locs or twists tightened or redone every few weeks so that you have the opportunity to gradually trim off the most damaged bits.
Deep Condition Weekly
This is an essential step, and you should not miss it out. Write it down in your agenda or set an alarm – whatever it takes to remember your weekly deep conditioning.
Even if you have a protective style in, it is possible to deep condition your hair. Nappyheadedjojoba has one of the best tutorials on how to deep condition without ruining your protective style:
Be Patient
Transitioning is always going to be a difficult journey but just remember that you’ve got this! If you’re struggling with the process, you can always opt for another hairstyle, just as long as you remember to take the necessary steps to protect your hair.
For years, I’ve been working on a strategy for getting the perfect silk press. I’ve tried all sorts of products and it’s only recently that I’ve come up with a method that actually gives me the same kind of silky finish that I get when I go to a hairdresser.
Before, it was fine – but nothing special. Still frizzy and I’d be annoyed if I’d paid someone else to do it. After, it’s much shinier and silkier.
So, here’s how I changed up my routine to get the best silk press possible at home:
Cleanse with Clarifying Shampoo
I’ve been using clarifying shampoo for years now. For me, it doesn’t actually matter what brand I use. Right now, it’s Tresemme’s clarifying shampoo because it was on sale – but I’ve also used Dove, Head & Shoulders and OGX and they all do the same thing for me.
What really changed up my silk press game was adding a hydrating shampoo into the mix. I always shampoo my hair twice so, I subbed in a different product for the second go around. The best ones I’ve used are Carol’s Daughter Black Vanilla and OGX Tea Tree shampoos.
Deep Condition
For a really long time, I avoided products with silicones. I totally understand that they are damaging in the long term – but, when you really want a silky finish, no-cone conditioners just don’t do the trick. So, I’ve splashed out for some good deep conditioning treatments. Briogeo and SheaMoisture make the best deep conditioning masks for my hair.
Use a Product with “Silk” in the Name
I know it sounds pretty cheesy, but this is something that I think actually makes a difference – scrap whatever you’re using right now and opt for something with “silk” in the name. I don’t know the exact science or if it’s just a marketing ploy but it’s made my silk presses that much silkier.
This is a list of products I’ve used that didn’t really give me that silky finish:
Fantasia IC heat protectant spray
L’Oreal Extraordinary Oil
Aveda Smooth Infusion Naturally Straight
CHI Silk Infusion (which, according to its name, should have, right?)
While they are all great products and gave me nice, straight hair, the result wasn’t super silky. So, I made the switch and it made a huge difference. These products have worked the best for me:
Kiehl’s Silk Creme
Keracare Silken Shield
Biosilk Serum
Use A Hair Straightener with Titanium Plates
This was the clincher – using a hair straightener with titanium plates gave me an ultra gorgeous and silky finish. It was something that every Youtuber mentioned in their silk press videos so I thought, I have to do it!
It was reluctant to replace my GHD straightener. I’d had it for 8 years and it was hella expensive, but it turns out I didn’t even have to spend very much on a new one. You don’t have to shell out much money to get a decent-quality titanium straightener. I spent £25 on one from a brand called Kipozi and it does the trick.
The key is to straighten in very small sections. You don’t want to go over the same section lots of times to keep from damaging your hair, and it means the straightener touches more hair to get it all nice and silky.
Important tip: get a heat mat or put your straightener on a surface that won’t burn. The titanium plates get suuuuuper hot and I’ve damaged plenty of duvet covers and table surfaces.
That’s it! This method has made such a big difference in how my at home silk presses look. This specific combination of products has given me the finish I’ve been trying to get for years. I hope it helps you, too!
Type 4 Hair is characterized by tight coils in various shapes. It is very dense and can become quite dry, so conditioning hair and maintaining that moisture are very important in caring for 4A, 4B and 4C hair patterns.
If you’re unsure of exactly what kind of type 4 hair you have, this is an easy way to tell the three variants apart:
4A Hair: these are dense, springy curls that form more of an S shape.
4B Hair: this type of hair bends in a sharp angle to form a Z shape.
4C Hair: when you have 4C hair, your coils are so tight they don’t have as much definition as 4A of 4B curls.
Type 4A, 4B and 4C hair has to be cared for in a specific way that allows it to stay moist with a beautiful texture. This guide will help you care for your type 4 hair to keep it looking stunning day-in, day-out:
Pre-Poo Your Hair
Many Type 4s find the doing a pre-poo before shampooing provides additional moisture and helps to detangle the hair. Using oil or conditioner, saturate the hair and then leave it for 30 minutes before washing. Some common products are:
Avocado Oil
Coconut Oil
Almond Oil
Argan Oil
Aloe Vera
Mango Butter
Focus on Scalp While Shampooing
Whether you have 4A, 4B or 4C hair, you want to focus on the scalp. 4A hair gets tangled easily while 4C hair is quite fragile – so don’t do the typical thing of piling your hair on top of your head and scrunching the shampoo in.
Wet your hair by letting the water run over it, and make sure it’s fully saturated. Just apply whatever product you’re using onto your fingertips and put them under your hair so you’re going straight for the scalp. When rinsing – again – don’t get your ends involved. Some of the best shampoos for Type 4 hair are:
The Wild Curl Gentle Cleansing Curly Shampoo
Mixed Chicks Sulfate Free Shampoo
Cantu Sulfate Free Cream Shampoo
Alikay Naturals Moisturising Black Soap Shampoo
Briogeo Scalp Revival Microexfoliating Shampoo
Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Defrezzing Shampoo
SheaMoisture Strengthen, Grow and Restore Shampoo
Only shampoo once, and then use conditioner to get rid of the rest of the dirt and residue. Apply it to your scalp and down through to your ends. Then, rinse it like you would a shampoo.
Condition and Detangle
When you condition and detangle, you can also use this step to gently wash your hair. So, if you need to wash your hair more than once a week, then simply use your conditioner to clean it. Be sure to avoid using conditioners with silicones; eventually, you’ll have to use a clarifying shampoo at some point to get rid of the build-up – so, it’s best to just avoid ‘cones altogether. Some of the best conditioners for type 4 hair are:
DevaCurl One Conditioner
Aveda Rosemary Mint Conditioner
EDEN Bodyworks Jojoba Monoi Deep Conditioner
Curly Coily Tresses Nourish Treatment
Ouidad Curl Immersion Deep Condition
Air Dry Whenever Possible
Avoid using heat when it comes to drying 4A, 4B or 4C hair. This will only dry it out and stop your texture from shining for as long as it usually would.
Use the LOC Method to Style
The LOC Method is used by just about every person with Type 4 hair to retain moisture and have beautifully textured hair. LOC stands for:
Liquid: hydrate your hair with water
Oil: use oil to retain that moisture (coconut oil, olive oil and avocado oil are hair penetrating oils that are best for the LOC Method)
Creme: use cream or a leave-in conditioner to seal the cuticle
Mix It Up If You Have Low Porosity Hair
If you have low porosity hair, then you’ll want to mix up the LOC Method. You can tell the porosity of your head by dropping a strand in water. If it floats, your hair is low porosity; if it sinks, it’s high porosity. So, low porosity hair should switch the last two steps:
Liquid
Creme
Oil
Best Curl Creams for Type 4 Hair
Stick to creams when it comes to styling 4A, 4B or 4C hair. These are the best curl cremes for styling type 4 hair:
Type 3 Hair is characterized by curls that appear in an S shape, and usually has a combination of different textures throughout.If you’re not sure which category your Type 3 Hair falls into, here’s a quick way to tell the difference:
3A Hair: loosely shaped S curls which are usually flatter than 3B or 3C curls
3B Hair: more tightly curled S shape than 3A, and it is more densely packed together
3C Hair: tight spiral curls that can turn into coils
Follow these bloggers for helpful tips that keep your hair looking beautiful, and gorgeous style tutorials.
How to Care for Type 3 Hair
These are some useful tips that will help you care for your Type 3 hair in a way that will keep them looking and feeling healthy.
Shampoo Once a Week
When it comes to washing Type 3 hair, there’s no need to do so more than than once a week. If your hair isn’t feeling dirty, then you can go as long as 2 or 3 weeks. In between washes, you can co-wash your cash or just do a water wash.
It’s best to use a moisturising shampoo that won’t strip the essential nutrients that you hair needs while removing greece and oil to keep your hair clean. Some of the best shampoos for Type 3 hair are:
SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl and Shine Shampoo
DevaCurl Low-Poo Delight
Kinky Curly Come Clean
SheaMoisture Raw Shea Retention Shampoo
As I Am Co-Wash
Carol’s Daughter Monoi Repairing Shampoo
Aunt Jackie’s Oh So Clean Moisturizing and Softening Shampoo
Deep Condition Once a Week or More
Type 3 hair needs lots of moisture, and it’s important that you apply a deep conditioning at least once a week. If you have bleached or heat damaged hair, then 2 or 3 times a week is best. The best types of treatments are those that stay on for 30 minutes or more, and staying under a heater helps seal the moisture in. Some of the top deep conditioners for Type 3 curls are:
Once your hair is all nice and conditioned, it’s time to style your curls. The type of styling products you use will depend on the specific consistency of your type 3 curls. If they are closer to a 4, then you’ll want to opt for a lotion or cream while gels are best for curls that are closer to type 2. These are some style products that type 3s swear by:
Curl Junkie Curl Assurance Smoothing Lotion
Love Beauty & Planet: Lavender & Argan Natural Oils Infusion
Cantu Coconut Curling Cream
Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk
Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
Taliah Waajid Curl Sealer
Mielle Styling Gel
Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls
Kinky Curly Curling Custard
Refreshing Type 3 Curls
In between deep conditioning treatments, you’ll want to keep your hair moisturised on a daily basis. This will ensure that your curls look fresh everyday. A spray bottle will come in handy for this, as you lightly spritz your hair before adding a tiny bit of product throughout your hair. So, your hair will stay moisturised and your curls will looked refreshed. This is my favourite tutorial for keeping curls looking great daily.
Black Hair Magic 