Last week I received an email and in the subject line it read, “PLEASE HELP ME!”:

Hi Jen,

I really need some help and I was wondering if you could help me out. I have really REALLY thick curly hair. It’s longer than shoulder length (about half way down my chest). I am so sick of looking at my hair this way. I was never taught how to manage my hair properly because my mother has the exact opposite of what I have (so I blame my father for my torture. haha.) I’m so sick of looking at it that I want to cut….I want it all done. I want to do a short hair style but is there one that you would recommend? (pictures would be helpful so I can take it to a salon) Thanks so much for your time. - S

My first reaction is empathy, deep, sincere empathy.

Dear “S” you are not alone,

I just got your message and would love to help you.  Have you spent any time on the naturallycurly.com website?  If not, if you could go to the http://www.naturallycurly.com/hair-types page and tell me what kind of specific hair type you have.

I am a 3A, and it sounds like you might be a 3C or possibly a 4A.  There are a lot of wonderful techniques and products that I would love you to try.   If you can, visit your library and check out the book, “Curly Girl,” by Lorraine Massey, the curly girls BIBLE! (more…)

Here are some new promotions just announced at my favorite naturally curly hair line, Jessicurl.  Because one of the curly hair commandments is to avoid blow-drying, her microfiber towels help speed up your air-drying and help style your hair as well (via plunking and scrunching).   For great curly hair styling tips be sure to watch Jess’ demonstration videos at the Jessicurl website!

• $3 off liters, all products and all scents
• $3 off the “towel combo,” a small microfiber towel for scrunching and a larger one for plunking (be sure to watch Jess’ demonstration videos if you don’t know what that means or if you just want to learn the best techniques for using Jessicurl products)
• 10% off full size collections (Rich, Light, and Try It All), and all body care products too!!

With each purchase, Jessicurl includes a very fun Jessicurl bumper sticker stating, “You have the right to remain curly!”  So Jess is asking her customers (like you Tracy) to participate by sending her a photo of your Jessicurl bumper sticker on your car, your school locker, or any other (legal!) place and in return she will send you back a discount code for 10% off a future order!   Not only that but in the next few weeks the Jessicurl site will unveil a new photo gallery page to show these pictures off.   She asks us to please only send pictures that you would be OK having publicly posted (and they will blur or black out license plate numbers).  Send your photo to customerservice@jessicurl.com with “Bumper Sticker Photo” in the subject line.

You do have the right to remain curly!

Today is not only the first official day of the fall season; today is International Curly Day!
[You Tube]

Watch this International Curly Day video and head on over to the Naturally Curly website for great ways to celebrate our curls today and everyday!

One nice way to celebrate is by getting 10% off CurlMart purchases now through September 25th! Use coupon code ICD08.

See how celebrities like Madonna, Leighton Meester, Hilary Duff and Jennifer Lopez make curls the year’s hottest trend. 

As more and more celebrities embrace curls on the red carpet, it’s become clear that this look is not just a passing trend. Whether long or short, naturally straight or not, everyone seems to be reaching for hot rollers and curling irons. Get inspiration to go curly by checking out these gorgeous celebrity photos.

See curls

To use a highly abused political term, I’ve been flip-flopping on my curly hair products lately.   I am a big fan of the DevaCare line and just had a curly cut a few weeks ago.   But the other day, I noticed that my hair just wasn’t performing well and I decided to revert back to my good ol’ Jessicurl line.  In response to some Rockin’ Ringlets and Confident Coils Styling Solution, my hair behaved beautifully yesterday.  My waves felt soft, not weighed down and without frizz, even on a windy September afternoon.  Oh Jessicurl, how I love thee!

FYI, Jess released some new specials today on the Jessicurl site:

10% off on both products when purchasing 8oz, Liters, or Gallons of Gentle Lather Shampoo and Aloeba Daily Conditioner together here.  You don’t even have to get the same size or scent for both products, just a few extra clicks in the shopping cart “configurator” to pick the details and make your combo.

For the big spenders, $5 flat rate shipping for orders of $100 or more or free shipping for orders of $200 or more.  Discount applies to product purchase amount only, and excludes tax and shipping.

Trial Collections, Rich and Light, both still 10% off. Each pack contains six trial size products, a great gift for the curlies in your life, and also a great way to travel with your favorite Jessicurl products.

And many good hair wishes to you!

Since adopting the naturally curly hair care method I have avoided using a hairdryer.  It has been over a year since I have used a blow dryer to straighten or flat iron my hair.  I have discovered more curl in my hair than I ever knew I had, and the qualities of my hair have vastly improved.  These changes include having less hair breakage and overall heat damage, hair that feels much softer, shinier, and has hardly any frizz. 

Julyne Derrick, a beauty writer at About.com recently wrote a post called, “Beauty Mistakes We’ve All Made.”  Number 4 on her list? 

We leave the house with dripping wet hair. Yes, curls should airdry. Yes, that can take forever. So do it the night before, or wake up early. Or use a diffuser on your hair dryer or roll your wet hair into a bun. But please do not go out into public with a dripping wet head. 

Is wearing your hair wet in public offensive?  After many divided comments at that post, she elaborated her complaints further in a second post titled, “Drip, Drip, Drip: Should One Go Out in Public With a Wet Head?”  Julyne writes, ”So I have a beauty pet peeve.  I don’t like it when women with long, wet, curly hair ride the subway.  If the subway jolts, I can’t help but imagine a bunch of wet hair slapping me across the face.”  The comments on both sides have been fascinating.  Clearly there is need to educate and clear the air.

Does it offend you when someone at work or around town has wet hair?  I am not talking soaking wet, straight-out-of-the-shower wet hair; I mean clean, damp, neatly styled wet hair.  Does having it cut short or long matter?   I am also referring to this hair being “first thing out the door morning hair,” not on your way to a formal evening event, or to a professional business meeting.

If you would have seen me today, this is what I would have looked like dropping off my daughter for kindergarten.  Would I have offended you?  I really would like to know.

Here is another fabulous Jessicurl product to add to your must have list: Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment. You don’t have to have curly hair to benefit from this product either.

Summer is particularly harsh on hair. My kids and I have been spending a ton of time at the pool, and between exposing our hair to the chlorinated water and intense sun, our hair is feeling dry and damaged. In the craziness of summer activity I have been forgetting to give my hair a weekly deep conditioning treatment! After wondering why my hair wasn’t looking so great, I decided I better use some of my Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment and feed my hair.

Just follow these deep conditioning directions at the post: Deep Conditioning: How to Feed Your Hair.

You will be blown away how healthy and soft your hair will feel after using this deep conditioner. I also used Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioner on two of my daughters because of how dry and tangled their hair had become. Before using it I couldn’t get a comb through their hair without yelps of pain from them. Little Sarah and Naomi loved how soft and tangle free their hair became after using this conditioner. Naomi even requested to use some a few days ago, “Put the stuff that makes my hair so silky soft again Mom.”

Here is a little blurb from Jess about her Weekly Deep Conditioner:

I’m a big fan of weekly deep treatments with heat. They really moisturize and strengthen the hair, and they’re just plain fun to do. This treatment works best with a plastic cap left on for 20 minutes. This thick conditioner uses Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter to add some serious moisture to your hair. For an even more intense treatment, use it with our Micro Heat Cap.

In the summer months, you simply apply your conditioner and a plastic cap and sit out in the sunshine as your heat source for 20 minutes. The heat from the sun works great and really helps the conditioner fully penetrate the hair shaft. After the 20 minutes let your hair cool off for 5-10 minutes, and rinse and style as usual.

So, if your hair is feeling a bit on the crunchy side, it might be time to feed that hair!

You can purchase Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment at the Jessicurl website for $12.00.

I just discovered a terrific shaving cream for my legs this morning and had to share.

Jessicurl’s Hair Cleansing Cream!   I was using this product as my shampoo, and then today it suddenly dawned on me that I should try this shampoo as a shaving cream.   Just a small amount added a wonderful slip on my skin for shaving, and left my legs feeling silky, not irritated, no cuts or nicks either.  You have to love that this product is all natural as well.  I always have hated the store brand shaving creams, with their strong scents and mile long chemical ingredient list.

“Use Jessicurl Hair Cleansing Cream to wash your hair gently without leaving it stripped and straw-like. The super moisturizing formula will make your hair soft, silky and wonderfully clean. Safe for color treated hair.”

Jess also added:

“This is my personal favorite product, as traditional shampoos had become such a nightmare for me. (For more on my views of traditional shampoo, visit our About Us section) The cleansing agents in this cleanser are two of the most gentle available ensuring that it won’t dry out your hair. If it’s been a few days since you last washed your hair, you might not experience a huge amount of lather on your first application of Hair Cleansing Cream. This does NOT mean that your hair isn’t clean. If you desire a more robust lather, washing a second time through should satisfy your needs. For an even more in depth cleaning, leave the lathered Hair Cleansing Cream on your hair for a few minutes before rinsing it out. This cleanser is gentle enough to be used every day, and is perfectly safe for color treated hair. I also like using it as body wash with a bath poof it leaves my skin SO much softer than soap.”

So Jess knew it all along, I just didn’t read the fine print!   I love finding out that a product I already have and love can be used for multiple applications.  Yay, Jessicurl’s Hair Cleansing (and Shaving) Cream!

While embracing my naturally curly hair, I have come across some extraordinary haircare product lines.  One of my favorite lines is Jessicurl.  To learn more about Jess McGuinty and how her company started you can visit my interview with her from a few months back:

Jessicurl: Hair with Heart and Soul. An Interview with Jess McGuinty

In developing a beauty blog, one of my main objectives is to find products that I strongly believe are worth your pursuit and money.  Nothing is more frustrating than purchasing something and finding out later that it isn’t doesn’t fulfill your need for it.  I first tried the Jessicurl hair care line a year ago and was delighted with the quality, the natural ingredients, and the way my curly hair responded to it.  I also loved the natural scents of the products, not overwhelmingly perfume-y!  I have a very sensitive nose, and a lot of cosmetics and haircare products can leave me feeling whoozy while using them.

I have recommended the Jessicurl hair care line and her demonstration videos many times, and if you have become a fan of the Jessicurl line you might be interested in the CHIRP (the Curly Hair Incentive Referral Program).  Basically the CHIRP program at Jessicurl is an affiliate program to help you build store credit in return for your mentions on your website.

If you feel the desire to sing the praises of the Jessicurl hair care line and would like to join the CHIRP affiliate program at Jessicurl, you can register at:  Jessicurl Partners Zone.

Right now I am trying to save up for some silk pillowcases and some more Jessicurl Too Shea Conditioner!

In the past year, I have devoted a great deal of time and energy toward learning and obeying the rules of the naturally curly method.  Lorraine Massey, the author of, “Curly Girl” created her own hair salon, Devachan, and a several popular naturally curly product lines:  DevaCurl, DevaColor, and DevaCare.

Below is a quick 411 introduction video of Devachan and the Curly Girl Method:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/HtnLEHCQ8iA&hl=en]

Devachan is also responsible for the creation of the DevaSun Dryer DevaFuser.  The DevaSun Dryer DevaFuser was uniquely made to suit the unique needs of curly hair.  Sheer brilliance!   Most hair dryers would merely blow your hair to galactic frizz heights.  The DevaSun Dryer DevaFuser is ionically charged to dry your hair without damaging it.   The DevaFuser distributes the current gently and lifts your hair through its hand-shaped diffuser. 

This morning after my regular conditioner washing hair routine, I added a leave-on conditioner and styling gel, twisted a few areas around my crown, and reached for the DevaSun Dryer Deva Fuser.  I am telling you honestly, this ain’t your mother’s hair dryer!

DevaSun Dryer
-ion generating technology.
-6 times more negative ion delivery.
-3 temperature settings specifically designed for curly and wavy hair.
-2 motor speeds.
-2 concentrator nozzles included.
-Unique ergonomic design.

DevaFuser
-The first diffuser innovation in over 60 years.
-360 degree diffused air flow.
-Unique ergonomic design.
-Light weight and quick drying.
-Eliminates frizz forever.

I went from wet, dripping hair, to beautiful tame waves in less than 10 minutes.  This dryer is not cheap (retails for $185); however, this is a high quality, intelligently designed hair dryer.  If you have naturally curly thick hair this money will be well spent.  The DevaSun Dryer and DevaFuser will drastically cut down your drying time, and assist you in achieving a gorgeous head of curls.  My only complaint, the DevaFuser attachment doesn’t always stay attached to the dryer, which can be annoying.

But don’t just take my word for it…

Dandelion Mama (Tracy) observations on the DevaSun Dryer DevaFuser:

  “..it looks like a strange chicken hat on top of a rocket- but it’s not.”