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Introducing the Black n' Curly Challenge! #BlackHistoryMonth
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Black Owned. Curly Girl Friendly. Dope As EVAH. |
(I'm a day late and a dollar short with this message, so bear with me. I had a tragic tech accident involving accidentally deleting photos...and that's AFTER the pup chewed up half my "set design". January ended on a rough note.)
BUT IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH, BABY!
Even though I ascribe to the School of Luvvie and believe that Black History is 365, February always gets a little extra love.
Last year, I issued the #NaturalHairBlackout Challenge, where I invited you guys to rock with me in only supporting Black-owned natural hair products for the month of February.
I'm kicking off this month with a twist - a Curly Girl twist.
Most of my veteran naturalistas know what the Curly Girl Method is. But for my newbies and OGs that need a refresher, the Curly Girl Method (CG) stems from Lorraine Massey's Curly Girl: The Handbook, and exists as a framework for caring for naturally curly hair. In it, Massey espouses that by forgoing heat, shampoo, and a host of controversial ingredients, you'll emerge with healthy, happy, bouncy, shiny curls with minimal frizz.
More specifically, the Curly Girl Method calls for ladies (and gentlemens) with textured tresses to all-out avoid:
• shampoo (drying)
• silicones (moisture-blocking)
• heat appliances (drying and damaging)
• sulfates (drying)
• alcohol (drying)
• parabens (potentially harmful)
While I've written extensively on avoiding sulfates, drying alcohols, and transitioning from heat damage, my curl-philosophical tune differs greatly on the topic of shampoos and silicones.
For the sake of brevity, click here to learn why shampoo is important. And click here to read why I think all the claims about 'cones are bogus.
The CG Method has always been pretty well known, but it comes and goes in waves. Most naturals encounter it the same way I do - searching for answers about damaged hair that won't grow (or is excessively falling out), stumbling across blogs and videos about heat and relaxer damage, transitioning or big chopping, and then arriving at a fully natural state.
And once you're fully natural, you start looking for tips, advice, and products on how to best care for your hair. After some digging, you unearth the potential goldmine that is the Curly Girl Method. Next thing you know, you're on your way to Ulta and Whole Foods, in search of Deva Curl, Giovanni, and Aubrey products.
I don't know about you, but I'll just put this plainly - I'm not at all a fan of Deva Curl products. Their salon work as far as cutting is top notch. I'll always have a special place in my heart for Sergio, who gave me my transition chop to natural, and created a cut that grew out beautifully.
But I'll never recommend a Deva Curl product to another natural. You guys know I'm not one to drag a brand through the mud, but girl...them products are something else. Pricing aside, they just don't cut the mustard. It's as if Deva Curl products weren’t designed for Black hair...
(We both know the answer to this - hence the development of that Decadence line which has pretty much the same ingredients, save for coconut oil but…nevermind)
So here is what Back n’ Curly is all about. I’m curious to see if all the claims about silicones and the like actually hold up in the Court of Christina’s Curls. For what it’s worth, I'm absolutely not avoiding shampoo – it’s an essential part of any regimen. In fact, in the second edition of the Curly Girl Handbook, Massey espouses the use of “sulfate-free cleansers” to cleanse the scalp. Her demonizing of shampoos is strictly in reference to SLS and ALS-based cleansers that are drying and strip the hair…and are basically dish soap.
I agree with her there – but that’s the end of it. Especially since Deva Curl actually sells shampoo (Low Poo, if you're wondering).
That said, I’m willing to take this Curly Girl thing for a spin – but I’m doing it for the culture. Using, buying, and promoting ONLY Black Owned products and brands.
Not just because it’s Black History Month.
Not just because they're Curly Girl-friendly.
But because I’m a firm believer that nobody can take care of our hair like we can.
So for the next 28 days, I’ve partnered with these 10 brands to care for my tresses, Curly Girl style:
• Inahsi Naturals
• Jane Carter Solution
• Koils By Nature
• Kurlee Belle
• Obia Naturals
• Shescentit
• Soultanicals
• tgin
• TRoots Beauty
• Wonder Curl
Why these 10 in particular? Lend me your ear (or eyes, rather), Curlfriend...
Inahsi Naturals
www.inahsi.com
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Inahsi Naturals |
Jane Carter Solution
www.janecartersolution.com
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Jane Carter Solution's NEW Curls to Go! Collection |
Koils By Nature
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Koils By Nature |
Kurlee Belle
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Kurlee Belle |
Obia Naturals
www.obianaturals.com
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Obia Naturals |
Shescentit
www.shescentit.com
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Shescentit |
Soultanicals
www.soultanicals.com
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Soultanicals |
tgin
www.thankgodimnatural.com
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tgin |
TRoots Beauty
www.trootsbeauty.com
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TRoots Beauty |
Wonder Curl
www.wondercurl.com
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Wonder Curl |
If you're diggin' the Black n' Curly Challenge, or just want to share a list of 10 dope Black-owned hair care brands to support in February and 365 - click here to download this graphic and share with your friends, Facebook groups, and heck, even on Lipstick Alley (don't play me lmao).
You can also pin this image below!
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10 Curly Girl Friendly Black Owned Brands |
PS - If you're looking for other Black Owned natural hair care brands to support this month and 365, click here to see all my reviews!
4 comments
I am oooo, here in Douala
ReplyDelete🙌🏽
DeleteThis month I had planned to use Soultanicals....my hair loves her products!
ReplyDeleteYasssssss!!!! So does mine!
Delete