Curly Chemistry FAQ
February 21, 2022
Hey Curlfriend!
I wanted to share some frequently asked questions (FAQ) I get often, from hair growth to gray hair you’ll find it here!
-Frequently Asked Questions-
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- What are some products or ingredients I should use to see increased hair growth?
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- Products like Wild Growth Oil, Curls Smith Full Density Hair Elixir, Sulfur 8, and Mielle Organic Rosemary Mint Oil are great options. Ingredients like rosemary, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender are also great essential oils for encouraging hair growth. Always use a carrier oil like jojoba, argan, or avocado when using essential oils. You can find plenty of DIY recipes online.
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- Why has a certain part of my hair stopped growing? I’m having a hard time growing a certain area.
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- This can be due to excessive dryness in that area that is causing that area to break off. Increasing your moisture content in that area should help stop the breakage. It could be hormonal or stress related; in addition it could be based on your styling especially if there is added tension in that particular area.
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- Why am I having a hard time with keeping my hair moisturized? My hair is so dry!
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- I would recommend the PMP method (video below). This technique will walk you through how to obtain moisturized hair with longer retention. Also check out the moisture cycle video below, this topic covers how often you need to moisturize your hair based on your personal hair type.
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- How do I know what porosity I am?
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- Usually low porosity hair takes a long time to dry and the cuticle is smooth. Sandwich two fingers down one strand of your hair, if it’s smooth without any bumps that’s a good indicator that you’re low porosity.
- High porosity hair usually dries rather quickly, this hair type can be frizzy and also appear dull (lack of shine). If you notice multiple bumps when doing the sandwich test (as mentioned above) you may have high porosity hair.
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- What products do you recommend for low or high porosity hair?
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- Below you’ll find my current holy grail products that I highly recommend for both low and high porosity hair types.
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- What should my hair care regimen look like?
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- This will vary based on your hair. However a good starting point is the following:
- On your wash day, pre-poo with coconut, babassu oil, or palm kernel oil for at least 30 min on dry hair then rinse.
- Shampoo hair with a non-cowash shampoo.
- Condition or deep condition your hair and detangle then rinse.
- Apply leave in conditioner and style as usual.
- Moisturize hair daily or as needed followed by a protecting oil (avocado, soybean, castor, etc.) to seal in the moisture.
- Protein and deep condition at least once a month or as needed.
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- Why does my hair seem so weak and brittle?
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- You may need to incorporate a light or medium/heavy protein treatment into your regimen. I usually recommend getting a protein treatment once a month. The products I recommend are Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructerizer (light protein) or Aphogee 2 Step Conditioner (medium/heavy protein).
- Heat Damage
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- How can I overcome heat damage?
- Depending on the severity of the damage, it may be irreversible which will require you to cut the damage or grow it out. I would recommend light to heavy protein treatments once a month for the first three months to help restore the cuticle. Since heat damage can also caused excessive dryness and frizz; I recommend increasing your deep conditioning to once a week to help restore the moisture and overall condition of the hair.
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- How can I best protect my hair and scalp when getting braids, weaves, etc.?
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- Prior to getting the style, be sure to clean your scalp well and follow up with a deep conditioner to prep your hair for the installment. Depending on the style, if you have access to your scalp, definitely oil your scalp with a carrier oil mixed with tea tree oil to ward off any bacteria, dryness, and itchiness. Lastly, do not leave the style in for longer than 6 weeks.
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- Do you have resources where I can learn more about ingredients in hair care products?
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- Yes, I’ve created the Curly Girl’s Guide to Hair Care Ingredients. You can get your digital copy and learn more about what’s inside at the link below.
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- What’s the best way to care for gray hair?
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- TLC! Tender, love, and care is needed for your hair at this stage. Sometimes gray hair can be more brittle, dry, and loses elasticity which can result in increased breakage. My best advice would be to deep condition weekly or at least biweekly and keep up your monthly protein treatments (if needed). On a daily basis you’ll want to moisturize and seal with a protecting oil (jojoba, castor, argan, etc. Hair vitamins like Nutrafol can also help encourage healthier hair during this stage as well.
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- I’ve tried everything! Why is my hair not growing or improving?
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- In this case, I highly recommend seeing a local trichologist or dermatologist to assess what’s going on with your scalp and hair. These professionals are trained to physically evaluate what is going on to provide the best solutions for you.
Sincerely,
Tonya
