Curly Clues
You Have The Right To
Remain Curly!™
I get a lot of
questions from curly heads asking about the
best way to carefor their curls. I can
understand why - it can be challenging to
learn howto manage a head full of spirited
curls. :-) Below are my answers to someof
the questions I've received. I hope they
help you create a routinethat works for
your curls. If you have a question,
email
me and I'll do my best to help. :-) --
Jess
Are
Jessicurl products safe for children?
How much Confident
Coils should I use?
Is Jessicurl safe for
color treated hair?
Can you help turn my
waves and frizz into Ringlets?
Could excess protein
be drying out my hair? (2 parts)
Am I overdoing the Oil
Blend?
What's up with alcohol
as an ingredient?
Can Jessicurl relax
biracial curls?
What's wrong with my
routine?
Should I use Confident
Coils with Rockin' Ringlets or alone?
How best to combine
Confident Coils and Rockin' Ringlets for
very fine, wavy hair?
What can I do for 2nd
day hair?
My hair is SO fine -
would just Awe Inspiraling Spray be
enough?
What will bring
definition to my thin, flyaway hair?
Can Jessicurl make my
wavy hair more defined?
What will Jessicurl
do for straight hair?
What do you recommend for
kinky African American hair?
Would the Linen Closet
shampoo be better for me?
What Jessicurl
products do you recommend for fine blond
corkscrews?
What is the shelf life
of Jessicurl products?
Should I use Apple Cider
Vinegar rinse before or after the Deep
Treatment?
What coloring product do
you recommend for my healthy Jessicurl
hair?
What do I do if it
looks like the Hair Cleanser may have
separated?
Hi Jess,
I have read about your products through
naturallycurly.com and makeupalley.com and
I really want to try them, however these
products are for my 5 year old daughter
who, according to the quiz has type 3c
hair. Are your products safe for children?
I am really interested in detanglers since
it is so difficult to comb her hair in the
morning. Thank you for your time, and keep
up the wonderful work.
Jessicurl products are all safe for
children, but I would suggest you use the
No Fragrance Added versions for her, since
fragrance can be an irritant to delicate
skin. Hair Cleansing Cream is very
moisturizing, so it helps soften the hair
during the washing process, making the
detangling process much easier later on.
It’s best to comb tangle-prone hair
when it’s wet and slathered in
conditioner – it makes it much easier
and less likely to break the hair. For this
I would suggest my Too Shea! Extra
Moisturizing Conditioner. It’s very
moisturizing and makes combing out tangles
much easier.
(top)
Hi Jess,
My hair is 3a-3b -- straighter/wavy and
frizz-prone on top layer and curlier
underneath. My hair is about medium
thickness. I think my individual hairs are
fine to medium in thickness, with medium
being predominant. When dry, my length
varies from mid-neck and mid-ear level.
I have been using about 4-5 quarter-size
puddles of the CCSS with RR lately. I
usually put RR on to cover all of my hair
(4-5 quarter size puddles of RR, too), to
the point that it feels smooth when wet.
Perhaps I need to cut back on the CCSS? It
distributes easier than it looks like it
will, so maybe I have been using too
much...?
Yep, it sounds to me like you're using WAY
too much of both RR and CCSS. I would cut
back to 3 puddles of RR and 2 puddles of
CCSS - and even THAT might be too much for
your length - you might only need one
puddle of CCSS. You'll need to try it both
ways and see.
For perspective, here's how much I use. I
make a mixture of CCSS and RR - about 3/4
RR and 1/4 CCSS. I use about 3 puddles of
that in total, plus an additional quarter
sized amount of CCSS. My hair sounds longer
than yours and my hair is also VERY coarse
and VERY thick.
So you have some experimenting to do. ;-)
I'd suggest that tomorrow you try it with 3
puddles of RR and 2 puddles of CCSS. The
next day try 2 puddles of RR and 1 puddle
of CCSS, just to compare the differences.
(top)
Hi Jess,
Are all of your products safe for color
treated hair? Is the Deep Treatment good
for use before coloring? How long should I
wait after coloring to use it?
I have wavy/curly hair which I always
thought was thick but am now finding many
products weigh down the curls. Any
additional suggestions to keep the volume
and curls as I finally after 45 years let
my hair do its own thing! I like volume and
curls!
Yes, all my products are safe for color
treated hair. :) I personally use the DT
the day before I color every time. I feel
like it's an added defense against the
damaging dye. You can use it the same day
after coloring, but don't do it with heat
for about a week or so after - heat opens
up the cuticle (which is what helps the
good DT get in there), but doing so too
soon after coloring can let some of the
color escape.
I too have curls that I prefer to be
voluminous, and for this reason I don't try
to "do" my hair the same day I DT - it's so
moisturizing that it does weigh down my
hair that day. I just rinse it out and put
it in a ponytail the rest of the day. The
next day I wash and condition as usual and
I'm back to having the big curls that I
like. :)
(top)
Hi Jessicurl,
I have hair that is down to just about 3
inches past neck. It is not quite full
fledge curly, but more intensely wavy.
However, the second there is any moisture
in the air, then my hair becomes super
frizz! Not to mention the extreme spirals
that appear at my nape of neck and edges of
face... Ringlets galore! These are what I
wish would be all over my entire head-soft
ringlets that spiral all the way down with
bounce. Right now, it is more like a curl
here and there. Right now I use drugstore
shampoo every other day for color treated
hair and conditioner. I use an anti frizz
cream from the drugstore and then blow dry.
I don’t have the diffuser though.
Sometimes I air dry. I found your site and
wish to begin a regime with your products
but don't know what to buy! Help?!
I think part of your frizz is due to your
shampoo, and part is due to not using a
diffuser on the end of your hair dryer.
It's imperative for any type of wavy/curly
hair, ESPECIALLY if you're trying to
enhance the curl. So get yourself a
diffuser. :-) I love the sock one that we
sell, and it works great and fits on the
end of any hair dryer. Also,
using my Hair Cleansing Cream instead of
the shampoo you are currently using would
also be a good switch to make. Check
HERE to read how traditional shampoos
can be too harsh and cause frizz. I also
suggest watching my Product Demo
Videos. They’re very detailed
and will show you some really helpful tips
for styling your hair.
(top)
Hello Jessicurl,
I have 3c corkscrew type of thick dry fine
hair. My problem is that some parts,
especially in the nape are just straw like,
no curls just mass of frizzy hair all the
time, not matter what I use on them. I'm
lucky because the other nicely defined soft
curls are covering those bad areas so they
don't really show from under the outer
layers, but I 'm just afraid my hair will
change and be all like the nape area. I
don't know why I have this difference, are
they damaged parts that will grow out and
be replaced with nicer ones?, or is it
because I've been washing my hair almost
everyday? (of course using either your Hair
Cleanser or with conditioner no shampoo) I
don't believe it is like this, naturally.
I'm newly converted to leaving my hair
curly. Before that I either press and curl
it with hot iron (last one done was 6
months ago) or tie it in a boring ponytail
all the time. I love my new look but the
horrible difference in texture really bugs
me. I deep condition with hooded dryer on
low heat every weak, and I stopped coloring
it 8 months ago. Last relaxer was done 3
years ago. I wish I can grow it longer - it
is shoulder length so far, but will cut it,
if the bad areas will grow out and be
replaced. Please help, I trust you.
Another question about your great products,
I know they don't have any of the drying
alcohol but what about Silicone? Especially
in your new products Confident Coils? If
not I will be faithful to all of your line
eternally.
First off, there are no silicones in any of
my products and never will be. :-) I hate
them too. :-)
From what you wrote, it sounds like the
underneath part of your hair may still be
recovering from the hot iron. That type of
heat styling is very damaging and does not
recover just because you stop doing it.
Hair grows about a half inch per month, so
if you stopped doing it 6 months ago, then
only the 3 inches closest to your scalp
would be new growth. Is that part frizzy
and straw like too?
Have you ever tried twirling that part of
your hair when you’re styling it, to
try to get it to curl better? If you take
some Confident Coils Styling Solution (or
other creamy styling product that has some
hold to it) in your fingers and twirl
individual tendrils of hair while it’s
wet it can really help that area stay
better defined once it dries.
Your deep conditioning routine sounds great
– keep that up. One question though
– what are you using for your deep
treatments? If it’s a conditioner high
in protein, that could be contributing to
your problem, as excess protein is known to
cause dryness. Switching to a protein free
deep treatment will help.
Dear Jess,
Thanks very much for your customized
message. I did not expect that. I expected
an automated already formatted reply from
your customer service. You are really a
trustful person. Thanks again.
I'm confused about my new growth, they feel
softer than the ends but still fizzy and
look straw like.
As for my weekly deep conditioning, you are
most probably right about the use of
protein. I alternate using 3 different deep
treatments very high in protein . In
general it is very hard to find deep
treatments that require heat. I heard that
if they are not instructed to use heat,
they are useless and the ingredients are
not strong enough and simply they go down
the drain. What do you think and what do
you recommend as a deep conditioning
protein free?
It does sound like you’ve overdosed on
protein. Since you don’t color your
hair or relax it anymore, and it’s
been 6 months since your last hot iron,
weekly protein treatments are not
necessary, and could end up drying out your
hair. This is what I think is the main
problem with the underneath areas of your
hair.
I make a product called Weekly Deep
Conditioning Treatment that is
protein-free. It’s pure moisture that
does work best with heat. (the instructions
on the jar say to use with heat for 30
minutes once a week) I think that saying
“unless it requires heat it’s a
waste” is a bit of an exaggeration
– all conditioners will work better
with heat, since the heat opens up the
cuticle of the hair and allows the
conditioner to penetrate better. This can
backfire, however, if the conditioner is
high in protein and is used too frequently.
So I think you’r problems have
actually been confounded by using the heat
with the high-protein treatments.
My suggestion would be to only use a
protein treatment once a month, and do my
protein-free Deep Treatment once a week
with heat. This way you can still get some
of the benefits that proteins have, but not
to the point that you’re over-doing it
and drying out your hair. If after 2 months
or so you still have the straw-like
problem, I’d say cut out the protein
all together and only use the non-protein
Deep Treatment.
This issue of protein also goes for your
daily conditioner and styling products as
well. This is the reason why I don’t
use any proteins in any of my products.
While there are some benefits, it is too
quickly over done, leaving people with
drier hair than before. That is not my
mission! :-) If you find that the products
you use every day all have proteins in
them, you may want to re-evaluate what
you’re using.
(top)
Dear Jess,
I have been using the Confident Coils with
the Oil Blend For Softer Hair and maybe
some Gelebration with good results. Good
curls and very little if any frizz and halo
frizz. I have been doing this successfully
for about a week and half. But now all of a
sudden my hair is looking greasy and the
curls just look droopy to me. Can you
please tell what I am doing wrong? Here is
what my routine has been:
Weekly
1. Condition wash with a non-Jessicurl
conditioner
2. Rinse hair then do an Apple Cider
Vinegar rinse
3. Then do a deep treatment with your
Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment or do
a deep treatment with a non-Jessicurl
conditioner for about 30 minutes
4. Rinse then air dry
Daily
1. Wet hair and condition/detangle with a
non-Jessicurl conditioner
2. Take about 3-5 drops of your oil blend
and smooth it over my hair
3. Bend over and take another 3-5 drops
of your oil blend and rake through hair
4. Take a quarter size of CCSS and smooth
it over my hair
5. Bend over and take another quarter
size of CCSS and rake through hair
6. Bend from side to side and rake under
the hair another quarter size of CCSS
7. Bend over one last time and scrunch
with my microfiber towel
8. Air dry once hair is about 85-90 % dry
then I put it in a ponytail using a
scrunchie
Thanks for all of your help.
It sounds like you’re REALLY over
doing the Oil Blend. 10 drops a day is WAY
too much – try cutting down to 5 drops
every OTHER day and see if that makes a
difference. If it’s still greasy, then
I’d say the Oil Blend is best used on
your hair as a once a week thing. Since
you’re not washing your hair but
conditioning every day, you’re never
really washing the Oil Blend out of your
hair, so it’s no surprise that
it’s now getting greasy and weighed
after a week and a half. If you want to
keep using the Oil Blend daily, I’d
say you need to be using something that
will actually wash it out – my Hair
Cleansing Cream would do that since it does
have gentle cleansing agents in it.
Otherwise it will continue to build up and
weigh your hair down.
(top)
Dear Jess,
I have read over and over that alcohols are
bad for curly hair. If this is true, why do
your conditioners and Confident Coils have
alcohols in them? Will they dry my hair
out?
I need to clear up a common misconception
regarding alcohols. Not ALL alcohols are
bad. The ones I use in Jessicurl
conditioners are actually moisturizing -
they're called fatty alcohols and they are
what make conditioners creamy and
detangling. (This is why it's virtually
impossible to find conditioners without
these types of alcohols - because they're
so good!) The good ones are Lauryl alcohol,
Cetyl alcohol, Myristyl alcohol, Stearyl
alcohol, Cetearyl alcohol and Behenyl
alcohol. The bad ones are SD alcohol, SD
alcohol 40, Alcohol denat, Propanol, Propyl
alcohol and Isopropyl alcohol. You will
never find any of the bad ones in any of my
products and are better off avoiding them
all together, as you're right - they're
HORRIBLE for curly hair. NaturallyCurly.com
did a great feature article on alcohols in
hair products. Read it
HERE.
(top)
My daughter is biracial and
has curly hair. I like your products
on her hair. I need a styling aid to
relax her curls. When I use Rockin'
Ringlets, Gelebration or Awe Inspiraling
Spray they define her curls and make
them shorter. She has plenty of curl
definition and perfect spiral when wet.
I need a product that will keep her
curls relaxed when her hair dries. Do
you have any recommendations?
Rockin' Ringlets is quite curl enhancing
and I can see how it would make her hair
shorter. While I don't have any products
with will "relax" curly hair, my new
product Confident Coils Styling Solution is
thicker than Rockin' Ringlets and not
nearly as curl enhancing. It defines curls
really well without creating too much
shrinkage in curlier hair, and is also very
moisturizing as well. I would also suggest
using a heavy conditioner, such as my Too
Shea, to help add weight to the curls. You
can use it both as a rinse out or as a
leave in depending on how much moisture she
needs.
(top)
Hi Jess,
I desperately need help, and you seem like
a kind and patient person. Firstly, let me
say I love your hair on your website! It's
so pretty.
I hope you can help me as it seems every
time I try new products etc. nothing works
for me (I know, it's probably me!). Anyway,
my hair is fine, but there's lots of it. It
is shoulder length with a few layers about
chin length or slightly longer. Every time
I wash my hair it's such an ordeal and I
get so totally frustrated with the whole
process because it looks awful! It just
ends up frizzy with lots of fly-aways, flat
on top and at the back. Most days I tie it
back as I can't bear to look at myself with
such unruly hair. I honestly have no idea
what curl type I am.
How long does it take for your hair to dry?
Mine seems to take forever. When I first
get out of the shower, I put my hair up in
a claw clip just for a few minutes so that
I can apply body lotion on my back and
shoulders. Then I apply product while my
hair is still very wet and I leave my hair
alone for about 20 minutes while I do my
makeup. Once my face is done, I diffuse my
hair, but after 20 minutes it's still wet
underneath. That's when I get frustrated
and just blow air on it so it dries! Also,
how do you get volume on top? Can you help
me, please?
You say you don't know your curl type -
many people don't. Is your curl patter
tighter than mine, or more loose? (I
consider my curl pattern to put me in the
3A category. You can read more about the
curl typing system at
NaturallyCurly.com) When your hair
is dry, if you wrap your thumb and
forefinger around it like you're making a
ponytail, how big is the circle your
fingers create? (quarter sized diameter,
nickel, or dime?) If it is the size of a
dime, your hair is probably fine. If
it’s the size of a nickel, your hair
is probably average thickness, and if
it’s the size of a quarter or larger,
you have thick hair.
I think you might have better results if
you put the products in RIGHT after your
shower (when your hair is still VERY wet)
and then put it up. Waiting even a few
minutes to apply products can contribute to
frizz. I also wonder if you might have
better results from diffusing sooner - once
the hair has dried for 20 minutes, you can
be creating frizz by diffusing at that
point. You want to let the curls clump
together when their as wet as possible -
waiting that long means they can start to
de-clump, and all frizz really is is
de-clumping to the extreme. :-)
Here's what I suggest: Apply styling
products right out of the shower while your
hair is still soaking wet and then scrunch
upside down with a microfiber towel to
encourage curl. Then, if you must, put it
up in your clip. (I think that could reduce
curl formation though, but understand that
it's part of your routine and you might not
want to change it.)
After removing the clip, diffuse right away
rather than waiting 20 minutes. The longer
the water stays in your hair, the more it
has the potential to weigh down your hair,
reducing both volume AND curl formation.
Also, the more dry your hair is when you
diffuse, the more likely you are to get
frizz. Diffusing upside down gives me
wonderful volume and has the added bonus of
getting the underneath dry faster. Check
out the
product demo videos on my website
to see how I do it. (I switch from upside
down, left and right throughout my
diffusing time) Whatever you do, don't take
that diffuser off - it's the only way to
keep the dryer from blowing your hair all
around and creating frizz.
I hope that helps some, but please let me
know if you have any further questions.
Have a curly day! :-)
(top)
Hi Jess,
I have purchased your Rockin' Ringlets and
love it, but needed more hold and actually
a bit more volume (my hair is fine). My
hair is wavy/loose curly and I need the
curl formation I get from the Rockin'
Ringlets. Will the new Confident Coils give
me the curl formation and hold or do you
thing I will need the Rockin' Ringlets to
go with it. What will the Confident Coils
do if used alone?
It sounds like you will need RR to
accompany CCSS. RR is the more curl
enhancing of the two. CCSS is awesome for
definition, clumping and hold. My guess is
that if you used CCSS alone, you would have
less enhanced curls (more like waves
judging from what you said about your hair)
that are very well clumped and soft.
I created a handy chart to help people
better understand the different attributes
of all my styling products. Open
the chart and you'll see how all
the styling products compare in terms of
curl enhancement and hold. :-)
(top)
Hi Jess,
I recently ordered Rockin Ringlets and the
new Confident Coils and am having trouble
with the CC. I had been using the RR for
the past couple of months and really like
it but wanted something that would give me
more hold so I ordered the CC. I've been
using them both together for about a week
now and can't seem to get it right. Here's
what I've been doing:
After washing/rinsing my hair I squeeze out
the extra water. Then I rake in the RR. The
first couple of times I was using 2 puddles
but thought that was too much so now only
use 1 puddle (about the size of a quarter).
Then I rake in the CC. Next I scrunch my
hair upside down with a micro fiber towel.
Then I let it air dry for about 10 mins and
use a diffuser to dry the rest (although I
don't blow dry it until it's totally dry -
I leave it a bit damp).
The first couple of times I used a quarter
sized puddle of the CC. Then I used a
nickel sized amount and now am using a dime
sized amount. What happens to my hair is
that it gets really frizzy, stringy and the
curls "deflate" and my hair gets straighter
as the day goes on. When I was just using
RR (before I got the CC) it would give
great curl definition and shine but not
enough hold. Also the RR alone gave me
bigger curls than when I use it with the
CC. Am I doing something wrong or is my
hair just schizo? Do you think I should try
using even less of the CC? My hair type is
wavy- I think it's probably a 2A according
to the naturally curly website. The texture
is fine but there's a lot of it. It's about
an inch or so above my bra strap in length.
The front has a few long layers in it - the
shortest of these layers is about chin
length.
Also, I don't dye or highlight my hair. My
hair can go from being almost straight (but
the frizz is always there) to very wavy to
getting amazing waves and spirals with the
RR. Any help you can give me is really
appreciated. I really want the CC to work
for me so I'm not giving up yet! Thanks
again Jess and I really think you have some
great products!
First off, I'd say you should use the same
amount of RR as you were before using the
CCSS. This way you'll get the good curls
you were getting and the CCSS can serve as
almost a finisher to provide the hold.
I'd also say you should try raking in your
RR WITHOUT squeezing out any water first.
This seems to work for a LOT of people, so
it's worth a shot. It helps to prevent
frizz for this reason - hair clumps best
when it is wet. If you think about it, all
frizz really is is de-clumping in the
extreme. So by getting the product in your
hair when it's at its MOST "clumpable" you
help to prevent frizz later in the day.
Rake your first puddle of RR through the
soaking wet hair and then scrunch with your
hands to encourage the curls to come back
after the raking. Then scrunch upside down
with your Microfiber towel and then SCRUNCH
in the second puddle of RR. Then scrunch in
your dime sized amount of CCSS and begin
diffusing RIGHT away. Waiting even 10
minutes to diffuse can result in less curl
and less volume, as the water has that much
time to stay in your hair and weigh it
down.
Diffusing right away should help with the
"deflating" you mentioned. Diffusing upside
down for the whole time will absolutely
help with volume. I hang my head upside
down, lean to the left and lean to the
right, switching from one to the other
every 30 seconds or so. The farther you
lean over, the better volume you can get,
since you're getting your hair out away
from your head. Blow dry until the curls
seem set, but don't feel exactly damp. I do
it until they feel a bit crunchy, wait an
hour and scrunch out the crunch. This
REALLY helps with hold. If your hair is
still damp to the touch when you stop
diffusing, that extra water has the
potential to weigh it down.
After you're done diffusing, wet your hands
and put a tiny dot of CCSS in them. Rub
them together and gently smooth them over
the top of your hair at your scalp. This
should help prevent frizz.
(top)
Hello Jess!
I bought your try it all pack from
NaturallyCurly.com, and I love it, so far.
I have a question. I do not wash my hair
every day, just once or twice a week, and I
do not wish to make it wet every morning
either. What products do you suggest for me
to use in dry hair? My hair is long and I
have a lot of curls, with thin hairstraws,
but a lot of hair. My problems are to get
the curls defined, and avoid frizzines. I
also like to weigh my hair down because it
is very light, and bounces easily
up.
For 2nd day hair, I would suggest the
following routine: Lightly spray your hair
with Awe Inspiraling Spray. Then put a pea
sized amount of Confident Coils Styling
Solution in the palm of your hand, spray
with some Gelebration Spray, rub your hands
together and scrunch your hair. This will
help to revive your curls and add some
hold. If you find that it’s not enough
hold or that you want your hair more
weighed down, use a dime sized amount of
the CCSS instead of a pea. After two days
of this, however, you may want to totally
wet your hair even if you don’t wash
it, if you find your curls are getting
harder to revive. However, sleeping on a
satin pillow case will help keep the curls
in better shape through the night, so you
might try that to help extend the number of
days between soakings. ;)
(top)
Hi Jess,
I have super-fine wavy hair. I'm on the
prowl for a styling product that won't
weigh my hair down, and yet, won't help my
hair turn into a stringy, tangly mess. My
hair is just beyond my shoulders, so I do
need to be careful of tangle-potential. I
was thinking about the Awe Inspiraling
Spray, since my hair truly needs very light
handling, but on closer inspection of the
information on your site, it seems to just
be a curl refresher, not a styling product?
Rockin' Ringlets and Gelebration Spray both
seemed too heavy, no matter how much I
tried to apply lightly. Any advice for a
fine/wavy girl??
My suggestion is for you to mix Awe
Inspiraling Spray WITH your Gelebration
Spray. They're both very curl enhancing,
but mixing in the AS will keep the GS from
getting too heavy for your fine hair, and
the GS will provide some hold. I'd say a
50/50 mix would be good. You can mix them
in the same bottle - just make sure to
shake well before each use.
(top)
Hi Jess,
I was using mousse for over a year and it
was really working for me.Unfortunately,
they changed the formula and now I just get
poofy hairwithout curl definition.:( I've
tried a few other mousses, but am getting
asimilar result with them all. I'm thinking
that it's time to switch to a geland I'd
like to know which of your products you
would suggest for my hairtype. I think I
have 2B hair. The individual strands are
relatively thin andflyaway. My curls are
loose, but not quite loose enough to be
called wavy Ithink. Which Jessicurl styling
product do you recommend?
From your email it sounds like Gelebration
Spray is the styling product for you. It's
very light so it won't weigh down your
flyaway hair, but it does help to enhance
curls. When you make an order on my site,
however, you get a choice of a free sample,
so it might be a good idea to try Rockin'
Ringlets too, to compare how they both work
in your hair. Gelebration is lighter than
RR, but you may find that RR isn't too
heavy for you and is the more appropriate
choice. Rockin' Ringlets is definitely more
curl enhancing than Gelebration, so I think
it's good for people to try both and
compare how they like the results.
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Hi there!!
I just read about your products on
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com.
I have wavy hair. Would your products
help my waves be more defined??
Wavy hair tends to respond VERY well to my
products. Rockin' Ringlets is quite curl
enhancing, so it will not only define your
waves but boost them closer into the curl
category as well. All of the other products
are also great for wavy hair.
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Hi Jess,
I have recently started using your products
because I was searching for hair care that
didn't contain sulfates and silicones and
your line was recommended to me. I do not
have curly hair. I was wondering if your
styling products could be used on fine
straight hair for added body and hold or
would they be too heavy?
My mom has THE straightest hair in the
WORLD and loves my Gelebration Spray
because she says it gives her more volume.
We actually have quite a few straight
haired customers, so don't let all the
"curl talk" scare you away. :-) For your
hair, it sounds like Gelebration Spray
would be a good match, since it's
specifically for fine haired people. Check
out this
old picture of my parents to see
where my curls come from :-)
(top)
Hi Jess,
3 months ago we adopted an AA girl, 18
months old. Her hair was in a shambles. It
was braided, but not very well, and had not
been kept up. I took her to a salon to
remove her braids and help me restore her
hair. They said it was in really bad shape,
and we decided to cut it into a little
afro. Now I'm trying to figure out what
type of products to use. She is very dark
skinned, and has very kinky hair. I've been
using the same baby wash shampoo, a leave
in conditioner.
I've been told to try your products, but
obviously with adopting 2 kids and trying
to remain a stay at home mom, don't have a
lot of money to toss at hair products. Can
you tell me what type of products you would
recommend?
My main recommendations for her hair would
be the Hair Cleansing Cream and Too Shea!
conditioner. At her age I hesitate to
suggest styling products, but if you needed
something for after her bath, a small
amount of Rockin' Ringlets would help to
define the curls from a mass of poof into
actual curls. I would suggest you try them
in unscented or Citrus Lavender scent, as
the Island Fantasy might not be good for
her sensitive baby skin. (the Citrus
Lavender uses only natural essential oils,
while the Island Fantasy uses synthetic
fragrance oils)
The Hair Cleansing Cream and Too Shea! are
SO moisturizing, but don't have any mineral
oil or petroleum to clog her hair. (For
some awful reason, products marketed to
African Americans are FULL of these
terrible ingredients, but they are among
the worst things for hair.) I would suggest
you wash her hair with the Hair Cleanser by
gently massaging it into her scalp. Don't
get too crazy with it, or you could tangle
her hair even worse and make it very
difficult to untangle. Massage the lather
into the scalp and finger comb the lather
through the length of her hair. Rinse well
and gently work some Too Shea! through the
hair. Use a wide tooth plastic comb to comb
the conditioner through the hair. This will
really help with detangling as well. Rinse
the Too Shea! out, but try to leave some of
it in the hair. (this will help to keep it
soft after it dries and will help to
prevent it from frizzing and poofing out
after it dries.) Do NOT brush her hair.
Brushing while wet can break the hair,
since it's most vulnerable when it's wet,
and brushing while dry will turn the curls
into a big, poofy, frizzy mass. If it
tangles, gently comb from the bottom up
only while it's saturated with conditioner.
After the washing and conditioning, you
could put about a dime size puddle of
Rockin' Ringlets to help with poof and
frizz. Just finger comb it through the hair
and let it air dry.
(top)
Hi Jess,
My CCSS arrived and I tried it with RR.
Discovered that 1 puddle of RR and a very
small amount (pea size or less) works GREAT
with my hair. I have fluffy, soft curly
hair and I love it. I do have another
question - I have NO luck with 2nd day hair
and have to rewash and apply products daily
. Is your Hair Cleansing Cream ok on a
daily basis? I thought about trying the
Linen Closet "Tropics" brand because I'm
worried about too much moisture over time.
Any thoughts to compare? My main problem is
I can't get any volume with my hair. I have
2b/3a hair with medium density, mid ear to
mid neck length and layered. Also
struggling with thinning hair on top (using
Rogaine) and I really feel like I need to
wash my hair daily. I know it's thinning
but is not noticeable yet to others so
volume building is an important item to
me!! Plain conditioners weigh it down if I
try skipping shampoo. Is the Linen Closet
shampoo more volume building than HCC? OK
for daily use ? Thanks for being so helpful
with your customers. Your customer service
and the product ingredients are winners. I
just need to find the right combo!!
P.S. I used the CCSS and RR on my daughter
who has extremely thick, straight, and long
hair. Using many dollops I was able to give
her pretty wavy hair which lasted all day.
She was thrilled!
The Linen Closet shampoo has less
moisturizing ingredients, so for that
reason it would probably result in greater
volume. It's not volume BUILDING per se,
but if you find that HCC is too
moisturizing for you, then the LC shampoo
would be great. Both are fine for daily
use. The LC shampoo, while it produces more
lather than HCC, still only uses gentle
cleansers and will not strip your hair.
Have you tried diffusing upside down to dry
your hair? This helps a lot of people get
better volume, myself included. Sometimes I
have so much volume I look like a lion! :)
(top)
Hi Jess,
I have very fine blonde 3c hair (tight
corkscrews about pencil diameter). My hair
is four inches below shoulder length when
wet, and dries (curls up!!) to just below
chin length. I want to order your styling
products, and want to know what combination
you would recommend for the least frizz and
the most clumping - and it won't hurt if it
weighed my hair down at all....
I have already tried the Hair Cleansing
Cream and Aloeba Daily Conditioner and LOVE
it.....first cleansing product that
actually detangles my mass of curls, and
leaves my hair nice and soft :))
For your hair, I would suggest Too Shea! as
a daily conditioner, Aloeba as a leave in
and Confident Coils as your styling
solution. The Confident Coils is wonderful
at clumping the curls together. When used
in the right quantity for your hair, it can
also help to weigh down the curls.
(something many of us AVOID, so for some
people less is more - for your hair and
your goals, more would be more. ;)
(top)
Hi Jess,
I have quite the supply of Jessicurl
products (very happy about that!) and I was
just wondering if I needed to worry about
them going bad. My stash (several
bottles/jars of each!) includes Hair
Cleansing Cream, Aloeba, Too Shea!,
Gelebration, Rockin' Ringlets, Weekly DT,
Confident Coils, and Oil Blend for Softer
Hair. :)
Just wondering if there is an overall shelf
life or individual shelf lives depending on
the product. If so, can you please tell me
what those time frames are?
The preservative I use should keep the
unopened products fresh for about 2 years.
Once opened, it's important to keep the
lids and caps tightly closed when not in
use, and it's also important not to let any
water get into the products once they are
open. Once opened they should last a year,
assuming the above practices are followed.
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Hi Jess,
In your hair routine, you mention using an
apple cider vinegar rinse the day after a
deep treatment . Doesn’t it strip the
DT results? Just wondering because I
normally clarify before using the DT. Use
the DT and then just rinse it out. I then
use HCC/Too Shea! the next day. I’m
thinking of trying the softening oils this
weekend after the DT so just want some
clarification on the ACV rinse. Should I
use it the next morning before
shampooing?
Thanks for writing. When to use the ACV
kind of depends on your hair type and the
condition of your hair at present.
While my hair is coarse and color treated,
it's quite prone to getting over
conditioned since overall it's quite
healthy. Depending on how long it's been
since I last colored (like, how long my
hair has had to recover from the coloring),
my hair can be a bit droopy the day after a
DT. (I use the Weekly Deep Conditioning
Treatment once a week with the heat cap for
about an hour) In this case I'll ACV the
day after so that I'll have the bouncy
curls I prefer. I tend to think of DT'ing
benefits as being somewhat
cumulative...sure, your hair will feel
better after doing it once, but doing it
weekly really1 keeps it healthy over the
long haul.
If I've recently colored, I'll do the ACV
before the DT, then just wash and condition
and style as usual the next day, since I'm
less prone to getting over conditioned
right after coloring.
So it's really up to you, depending on your
hair type and condition. Try it both ways
and see which method works better for you.
;-)
(top)
Hi Jess,
I faithfully use your products and my hair
is now really healthy and soft. My
question is somewhat out of your product
realm but I was wondering if you knew of a
good coloring product that won't damage my
hair. I don't want to undo all the
good things I've done.
I'm so glad my products have improved your
hair so much! :) I love when that
happens. :-)
As for gentle hair color - it depends on
what you want to do. If you're dying your
hair darker than your natural color, then
Robert Craig is THE one to use. It's SO
gentle and NOT damaging, but it's deposit
only color, so you can't go lighter with
it. You can only get this online at
www.RobertCraig.com
The other cool thing about RC is that
you can really customize your color by
mixing different shades. They even have
a Clear that can be added to any of
their other colors to "dilute" them.
Awesome stuff! :) It also doesn't smell
like ANYTHING, which is a far cry from
the toxic waste dump smell of other
brands! :) (I swear I don't work for RC)
If you're looking to lighten, then I
suggest Revlon ColorSilk, which is the
least expensive and most gentle of all
drugstore hair dyes. It's usually less than
$3.00 a box. It can either lighten or
darken your hair depending on what you're
going for, but it's still way more gentle
than the other brands. (I know a little too
much about this! :-) It is somewhat drying,
so for the first few days after using it I
don't try to style my hair curly - I just
use lots of conditioner and keep it in a
pony tail, to kind of pamper it a bit. But
it's not NEARLY as damaging and drying as
some of the other dyes I've used.
These are the only 2 brands I'll use
anymore. I recently dyed my hair with the
Revlon in Strawberry Blonde. But since I've
been driving around with the top down on my
car so much, it's gotten lighter than I
like because of the extra sun exposure.
Pretty soon I'll do it again with something
from Robert Craig, to be less blonde
looking and more on the red side, like
usual. Both of these brands tend to look
really natural and people are often
surprised to know I color my hair. (even my
hairdresser was surprised until she saw my
teeny roots. :) )
(top)
Hi Jess,
I'm really excited to try the Hair
Cleansing Cream but when my order arrivedit
didn't look like anything I'm used to. The
shampoo is mostly clear, but there is a
little bit of white stuff floating at the
top that feels kind of hard to the touch. I
tried shaking it first, but it must have
separated. What do I do?
Please give the Hair Cleanser a vigorous
shake for about 10 seconds. Hold the bottle
in the middle and rotate your wrist back
and forth, rather thanpumping your hand
straight up and down. The ingredients will
re-combine but you will also still see
small white flecks. This is normal and does
not affect how the product performs.
(top)
|
If you color treat your hair
or heat style it regularly, you should do it
once a week, leaving the conditioner in for at
least 30 minutes. Our Weekly Deep Conditioning
Treatment works better with heat, and lots of
curlies have come to swear by
the
