#12 Quick Time: Straightening Hair

I apologize that this isn't the best-looking video. I was planning on doing a full tutorial but the video ended up being almost ten minutes long, so I decided on this instead. In a couple days I will post a better more helpful video on how to wrap your hair though.
Basically, in this video, I have already gone through the first few steps when it comes to doing/straightening my hair from start to finish.
When I wash my hair I use Garnier Fructis Curl Nourish conditioner and their Triple Nutrition shampoo. Once I have the conditioner in, I use a wide toothed comb and comb my hair while the conditioner is in it. After that, I then take my Doo Gro Oil and apply a good amount to my scalp and massage it in. Then, using a shower cap over my hair, I let it sit for about 15-20 mins.
After waiting, I rinse out the conditioner, get most of the moisture out with a towel, and separate my hair into four parts. I then apply about a pea size amount of Fantasia's Argan Oil to each section and comb them out once again. Next, I  blow dry each section, using a blow dryer with a detachable comb, and straighten my hair one section at a time.
This process can take (at the most) two hours and can last me about 2 weeks.

#11 Podcast W/ My Sister (Loud Warning)

#10 HeadScarf

Having a bad hair day? Don't have time to pull out your straightener, braid your hair, or tame those curls? An easy fix is the old school headscarf, or as it originally was named, the Dhuku. The headscarf (Dhuku) originated sub-Saharan Africa, although it is used the same way for African and African-American women. Throughout slavery in America, the headscarf was worn as a symbol of pride, rebellion, self-definition, and resistance. However, having a scarf or fabric over one's head is not specific to only one culture, or a specific culture. What is culturally specific, however, is how you wear the fabric/scarf.
There are many ways on how to tie the headscarf (Dhuku). The most common way to wrap a headscarf is to (1) wrap the fabric around your head so that both ends are pointing out in front of you, make sure your hair is in a high puff/bun. (2) Then, knot the two ends once in front of your bun. (3) With this step, I personally like to have fun and rearrange the ends how I please, but most people either wrap it around their bun and tuck in the rest or tie it into a bow.

#9 Before Bed

After you have straightened or done your hair that day, don't forget to wrap it back up before you go to sleep. Keeping a satin bonnet or even a do-rag by your bed is a must have. Once you wake up in the morning you will no longer have a tangled mess to deal with and there will definitely be no need to straighten those random curly patches. When I go to bed, I use a do-rag (if my hair is straight) and a satin bonnet (if my hair is curly). Before you go to bed, if your hair is natural, always twist it up or do several different braids, so then there is no hassle once you wake back up in the morning.
However, some of us have a busy schedule and simply don't have time to do that before going to bed. In this situation, I usually just twist it up in bigger, more simple, twist/braid or braids with a tad bit of oil. This process is way faster and will still speed up your routine in the morning.

#8 The LOC Method

To keep those precious curls soft and moisturize, the LOC method is the way to go. LOC stands for Leave-in Conditioner (Or Liquid), Oil and Cream. This is an easy, simple routine you can do daily and it only takes about ten minutes or so (Depending on how much hair you have of course). After you have washed your hair, apply a water-based leave-in conditioner.
 I recommend using Cantu's leave-in conditioner, although, any leave-in that is water based will work great. Some other products for leave-ins also include SheMoisture, Curl Junkie, and Style Milk. The next step is the oil. Now the oil all depends on the style, texture, and porosity of your hair. Porosity is the term used to determine how well your hair can retain moisture. Porosity is measured between low, medium, and high.

Oils for high porosity include Caster oil and Olive oil. For Normal/Medium porosity, use Jojoba oil and Grapeseed oil. For those with a low porosity, I would recommend Camellia, Watermelon seed oil, Avocado oil, and Argan oil.
Last but not least is the cream. For the best results, find butter-based creams to lock in moisture. For this step, you can also use anything that helps your curls stay in place or whatever works best with your hair.
Have fun styling!

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#7 Beware of Salons

Be extremely cautious when going to the salon and make sure you go to one that SPECIFICALLY SPECIALIZES IN YOUR HAIR. All and any hair salons say that all their hairdressers are well trained and able to handle ethnic and kinky hair. This is a giant lie. All throughout my life growing up I went to several different salons, and about 90% have ruined or messed up my hair because my hairdresser didn't know what she was doing. Before you go in, do a little research, and prepare to be sitting in the chair for hours on end. No one wants to go through a bad salon experience, and I am sure that many people have gone through that at least once in their life. Save yourself the trouble and triple check that they know what they are doing. Another great idea is to always check what works best with your hair first. So, if all else fails, and they do mess up your hair somehow, you know exactly how to fix it once you get back home.

#6 Washing Your Curls

Now if you're like me, and you don't have much money to spend on high-quality salon shampoos and conditioners, there are many over the counter products that work just as well and are half the price.  I personally use Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition shampoo and conditioner for dry and damaged hair. They both go for about five bucks and they are definitely worth it. Remember, your beautiful ethnic hair needs oil and moisture, so don't wash your hair every day. Once a week or even every two weeks is fine. Washing your hair every day can strip it of its natural oils and make your hair dry, crunchy, and unhealthy.
When it comes to over the counter shampoo and conditioners, always look for the ones that advertise for moisture and curly hair. When I wash my hair, I usually shampoo it twice, I then Apply a massive amount of conditioner and comb it through. If I have time, I put a shower cap on top of my conditioned hair and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. If I plan on straightening my hair, I rinse out the conditioner and continue my routine as normal, otherwise, I keep it in whenever I am wearing my hair natural. This keeps my hair nice and smooth no matter how I wear it.