Donna's Blog

Yes hun, we see you in your fresh Faux Locs, Box Braids and even your Butterfly Locs. And wait, you even have your baby hair laid! You go girl!  Now I know you may be thinking, “I am not messing my braids up so, I am going to hold out as long as I can before washing it”. News Flash! Skipping and holding out washing your braids can reverse the benefits of you having braids in the first place. We tend to get braids due to the seasons, convenience, versatility, low maintenance and of course to protect our natural hair. Keep in mind your goal is to give your hair a break and allow it to experience growth. Washing your hair in a protective style should not be a chore but a cherished moment. If you dread washing your braids, keep these tips in mind. Remember, it is all about the scalp. Your scalp health is everything! Just because your hair is braided does not give you license to skip washday.  There is no better time to take care of your scalp than when it is in a protective style. Why? Because your scalp is exposed, unlike when you do not have braids, you have direct access to your scalp and hair follicles. Wash your braids every two to three weeks. Waiting longer can cause a stressed scalp, which can lead to build-up of products, sweat, dirt, dandruff, dead skin cells, and bacteria that clogs your pores causing pimples on your scalp. (Are you heading to the shower to wash your hair?) In addition, when we have buildup on the scalp, it also leads to itchiness. Moreover, where there is an itch…we scratch or pat. Doing so also leads to a stressed scalp causing it to become inflamed and painful. Keep in mind when you wash your braids, you do not have to use expensive products. More than likely your brains are synthetic. Concentrate on using your more expensive hair products on your scalp where it is needed. If you find your braids are dull, dusty or look damaged, using an inexpensive “all in one” shampoo and conditioner will do just fine.   The best product to use while your hair is in its protective style, is “Water”. We all know that warm water on your scalp will make your toes curl. Every now and then, while in the shower let the warm water hit your scalp. Gently message your scalp and rub your braids. This will rinse away the daily dust and dirt. Keep your scalp healthy by using Donna’s Recipe Hair Oil daily especially in between wash and rinse days. Even with proper care, most people tend to keep this style for about six to eight weeks. To keep your protective style last awhile make sure to cleanse, care for, and dry your braids regularly. So on your self-care days while you are exhaling allow your scalp to breathe and exhale too.

Air-drying and diffusing are the two main hair drying techniques for people with naturally textured hair. Another drying approach you may have also heard rumors about, or even experimented with, is plopping. What is plopping you may ask? Plopping is a heatless and simple way of drying wavy, curly, and naturally textured hair hair and can be used by anyone who may have thick, fine, long, or short hair.  What is Plopping?  Plopping is a great method to dry your hair as it helps encourage definition and prevents frizz. Plopping also reduces the need or urge to touch your hair while it dries since they are wrapped up in a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt. Another benefit is that it can also cut down on drying time, especially for those with long or thick hair that tend to retain more moisture because of their length and density. Plopping can also benefit those who have finer or looser textures to create more definition since their hair is being scrunched up and creates lift at the root while they dry. How to Plop Wavy, Curly and Textured Hair If you were unaware, terry cloth towels are not ideal for anyone who has naturally textured hair because the rough material can cause frizz. Therefore, it’s highly recommended plopping with a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt. These materials will be gentle on your hair and will help absorb excess moisture. Step 1: Once your hair is freshly cleansed, conditioned, and styled, squeeze out any excess water so your strands are damp but not soaking wet anymore.  Step 2: Lay the microfiber towel or t-shirt flat out on your counter or bed. Lay it down on your preferred surface with the tail of the towel or end of the shirt facing down. Step 3: Bending at your waist, flip your hair forward and place your hair at the center of the microfiber towel. Step 4: While your head is still facing downward, grab the piece of the towel that is behind your head and pull it up and over your head so it lands at the nape of your neck. Wrap and tie the extra fabric of your microfiber towel behind your head. Your hair should fall in a mound at the top of your head. Step 5: And Voila! Finish drying your hair while plopping! You can even go to sleep while you plop so when you wake up the next day your hair will be dry, defined and frizz free! Step 6: Once you take the plop down, add some of Donna’s Recipe’s Hair Strength Oil into your palms. Scrunch your hair to break any remaining gel cast and fluff your hair at the root.  Are you new to plopping or have you tried it before? Let us know below!

One of the biggest struggles for us curly and coily heads is figuring out the right protein moisture balance. Conquering this mixture balance is important so that your hair isn’t weighed down or overly fragile. NATURAL HAIR AND PROTEIN MOISTURE BALANCE Curly hair is naturally dry, considering the way it grows from the scalp. The strand automatically curls rather than falling straight. This makes it harder for the natural oils on our scalp to travel down the hair length and keep the hair moisturized. That’s why moisture is absolutely key to healthy, juicy curls.  However, protein cannot be neglected. Our hair is made of 90% protein, which gives it strength and structure. Protein in our hair is broken down on a daily basis, so if we don’t restore what was lost, our hair will become weak and fragile. DOES MY HAIR NEED PROTEIN OR MOISTURE? In order to keep your hair healthy, you consistently need to maintain a balance of both protein and moisture. Make sure you drink plenty of water and eat enough protein-rich foods to create the right foundation for healthy hair growth.  Everyone’s hair is different, so a balanced protein moisture routine will depend on your hair porosity. The more porous and damaged your hair is, the more protein-rich products you should use. IS MY CURRENT ROUTINE BALANCED? Since we all have different needs in terms of protein and moisture, you might be wondering if your current routine is balanced enough or if you are adding too much of one or the other. Well Guess What?? There is an easy test that helps you figure out your hair elasticity, which is a great indicator of protein or moisture overload. Take a strand of clean and dry hair end and gently pull at the sides: If your hair stretches gently and bounces back, you are well balanced. If the hair doesn’t stretch, or even snaps and breaks, you are in protein overload. If the hair keeps stretching without bouncing back, and eventually falls apart, you are in a moisture overload. HOW TO RESTORE A PROTEIN MOISTURE BALANCE Depending on whether you are suffering from protein overload or moisture overload, you will need to use different products. However, a healthy hair journey begins with removing and product build up and resetting the hair. So make sure to balance between a clarifying shampoo and a moisturizing shampoo every other wash.  With fixing a protein overload, you’ll want to focus on protein-free products that will help restore your hair’s moisture. So try using a moisturizing deep conditioner to achieve ultimate hair hydration. Moisture overload requires using protein-rich products that focus on strengthening the hair, so look for conditioners, deep conditioners or masks that include protein ingredients.   

One of the most frustrating things for us with curly and coily hair is when we simply can’t find a hairstylist that knows and understands our hair texture. Who agrees? For us with natural hair, it’s often normal to occasionally want a protective style like braids, twists, locs or wigs. While there are other moments where we want to rock our natural hair bold, proud and well deep conditioned. If you’ve recently gone natural, moved to a new city, or just need a change, trying to find a new natural hair stylist can be quite overwhelming. First, take a moment to breathe, cousin! If you’re not sure where to start, or if you’re feeling stuck, here are a few tips on choosing your natural hair  stylist. Referrals: The oldest trick in the book to find business owners for practically everything. So, ask for your friends, family members, people you follow on social media, or neighbor for a referral. Don’t be shy when you see someone at the grocery store with really nice and neat braids or with big voluminous curls. That’s your opportunity to add someone in your referral book. Social Media: Social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook have been proven worthy multiple times when looking for a specific hair stylist. They’re basically databases for available goods and services. Search tags such as #naturalhairstylist #naturalhaircare #braidscityname #yourcitynaturalhairstylist etc. You might find several options in your area. Be careful, as not all hairstylists are alike. Do your research and make sure that the hair stylist has experience taking care of naturally curly or hair like yours.  Use a Natural Hair Stylist Directory If you hop on Google, and search natural hair stylist directory, it’ll provide a more filtered database in your city. These directories are filled with hair stylists that specialize in natural hair care, protective styles, or healthy options for coloring curly hair. These are helpful ways to help connect people with coily/curly hair with hair stylists in their area.  Schedule a Consultation Before scheduling an appointment, be sure to set up a consultation. Some stylists may offer this service for free while others may charge a small fee or deposit. Either way, a consultation is crucial when finding a natural hair stylist. Use this as an opportunity to discuss your hair’s needs, hair goals, and receive any feedback from the stylist regarding your healthy hair journey. This conversation will help you decide if a stylist fits your needs, budget, and overall confidence.  Talk About Products Figure out what salons and stylists use the same or similar product lines as you. Find out if they have the styling tools that work best for your hair texture. If a particular salon doesn’t have the tools or products that are more centered for natural hair care, then they may not be the right fit for you. Try a Few Stylists Before Committing So you did all your research, booked a consultation, set an appointment and got your hair done. Everything went smooth but you’re still not 100% sold. That’s okay! There’s no rule that says you have to commit to one stylist after the first appointment. Try a few other hair stylists in your area over the year to see who you’re comfortable with and who works with your hair best. Because that’s what’s most important!  If you love how your hair is done the first time, don’t feel the need to shop around. Continue booking with that stylist again and start building that relationship.

You’re looking in the mirror and you know something just isn’t right. Where did your lovely curls and your natural curl pattern go?! This is the moment that you realize it's the result of repeated flat ironing, blow-drying, perm after perm, dyeing, and bleaching. Your curls that were once defined, bouncy, and happy are now stringy, limp, and lifeless – almost like they forgot how to curl! Now you’re wondering, “How can I undo all this damage? How can I get my curl pattern back?” Well, the truth is – you can’t jump in a time machine and travel back to its original state of health. What you CAN do is restore its strength and train your new growth coming in. First and foremost, the most important step to embracing your natural curls is to make the decision that you want to commit to loving your curls no matter what. Applaud yourself and give yourself credit for having the courage to do this!   1.  Avoid heat, please! Burnt hair can’t be restored or repaired. The only solution for excessive heat damage is the growth of new hair. So, put the heat-styling tools down, right now! Or simply just throw them away. For drying your hair: Instead of a blow-dryer, use a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt. It will remove excess water from your hair without irritating or drying out your strands.  If possible, try to air-dry your hair after using the microfiber towel. A good air-drying tip is to add leave-in conditioner, styling cream/gel and Donna’s Hair Strength Oil to your damp hair, quickly do your hair in a protective style or wash & go, and let it dry while retaining moisture.   2. Physically train your curls when styling If you're transitioning, more than likely, your ends don't resemble your natural hair texture or curl pattern of your roots. Therefore your ends need to be trained to curl and spring up again. When it's time to style your hair, finger coil and scrunch each loc of hair. Yes, it may be time consuming, but this will subconsciously tell your curls they need to start curling up again. They won't curl back immediately, but they will naturally make it a habit to curl on your own in due time!   3.  If you must use heat – do so wisely. Limit how often you use heat and when you do, use the lowest and coolest setting possible. If you must use a blow-dryer, flat iron, or other heat styling tools, remember to ALWAYS use a heat protectant. A heat protectant forms a protective layer around each of your strands guarding the cuticle from extreme heat. Another helpful tip is to avoid using heat-styling tools on your wet hair. Water molecules can absorb a lot of heat, so frying your strands from the inside will cause all the moisture to evaporate. Make sure your hair is only damp (not soaking wet) before you turn that blow dryer on (if you MUST).  4.  Give your hair a deep conditioning boost. Whether you lost your curl pattern to damage caused by heat or chemical processing, moisturizing your hair is and will always be key. The best way to do that is with weekly deep conditioning. Deep conditioners or hair masks are excellent ways to hydrate and moisturize your strands, scalp, and follicles. They also are nutrient-rich to help boost hair health. To ensure you get all the goodness from your deep conditioner, consider using a clarifying shampoo before deep conditioning. This will help to remove buildup so your deep conditioner can actually get to your scalp and cuticles to work its magic. Damaged hair tends to be dry and brittle, so use a leave-in conditioner to hydrate and moisturize your hair on a daily basis.    5. Lay off the dyes, bleaches, and relaxers for a while. At this point, coloring, highlighting and chemical straightening your hair should take a back seat. Your hair can’t take more manipulation. Dyes and bleaches are notorious for damaging and weakening your hair. Relaxers chemically change the structure of your stands, therefore changing your curl pattern.  If you still choose to color your hair, at least avoid any color that will require you to bleach your hair. Instead, go with a tone that matches your natural color to avoid bleaching.     Finally, transitioning your hair back to its natural curl pattern will take time, patience and LOVE! Use this journey as a way to get to know your hair type and texture better. Take the time to find out which styles and products work best for your hair. Develop a hair care routine that helps you nourish your strands into thicker, healthier hair as you proudly show off your natural curl pattern!    

Caring for your own hair is already a job, so when you have a curly kid it’s double the effort and work caring for two heads of hair. Here are a few must have parent tips and tricks when caring for your curly kids hair.     1. Use a Pre-Poo Using a pre-poo like helps to detangle their hair before shampooing to help melt all of the knots and tangles. A Pre-Poo is used before you wash the hair, and it helps to detangle the curls. This saves so much time and is really a game changer when it comes to detangling your little one’s hair.      2. Wash Less Often Believe it or not, you can wash your kid’s hair as little as once a week or every other week! Try to keep your hands out of their hair so often. Make sure you create a wash day routine that works best for you. If you feel the need to wash more often, consider trying a co-wash. In short, co-washing just means that you're replacing your shampoo and conditioner with only one product that can simultaneously cleanse and moisturize your hair without stripping away the natural oils. So look for products that say “Cleansing Conditioner”.            3. Detangle The Hair While Wet! Also always make sure to detangle their hair wet not dry. This will save you tears on both ends! Use either a denman brush, a detangling flexi brush or any silicone brush with nylon bristles. They all work wonders! NEVER, detangle dry hair.        4. Try Protective Styling Mini twists or braids are super cute protective styles for my daughter and son. They last long and both serve as a two part hairstyle! Try to keep the mini twists or braids for about  a week or two, then have them wear as a twist out or braid out for a few days, and then follow with a bun. Keep it simple and keep your hands out of their hair as much as possible.       5. Use The LOC Method Let's face it, curly hair tends to get dry and that is no exception with our curly kids. However, using the LCO method can help keep their hair moisturized. The LCO method is an abbreviation for leave-in conditioner, cream and oil. It is also a way you should apply the products to you and your kids' hair. This specific order of products helps to maximize moisture retention. Especially ending with Donna’s Hair Strength Oil to really help seal in all of the moisture.            6. Always Protect The Hair At Night Keeping your curly kid’s hair protected at night is very important to keep their hair healthy. Make sure that your son or daughter sleeps in a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase. Cotton can dry out the hair, so it’s important to keep the hair covered while sleeping. What are some ways that you care for your curly kids hair? Let us know in the comments what your top tips are for your little ones.

Yes it’s understood that the holiday season can be the most wonderful time of the year. However, it can be one the most stressful times as well. That stress can weigh heavily, not just on our mental and emotional health but our physical well-being; which includes our hair. It would be unfortunate that, once the new year starts you’ve got some excessive shedding, breakage or other issues going on with your own crown. Here's some guidance on how to protect your scalp and hair so that you can walk into 2022 with your hair feeling as amazing as can be!   1. Grab Some Pine Essential Oil Ah yes. What would your home, or your health, be without the fresh smell of pine this holiday season? Pine essential oil can actually do wonders for your hair!  This oil contains antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and detoxifying ingredients. These can help rid your scalp of fungus (like the kind that leads to dandruff),  and it can also help soothe any eczema-related scalp breakouts.  2. Treat Yourself to a Scalp Massage When’s the last time that you actually treated yourself to a scalp massage? The holiday season can definitely be a busy time of the year, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t cut yourself short of relaxation either. Hopefully you’ll get at least a couple of days off, so you can use that time to rest and sneak in a few scalp massages. These massages are great and super essential because they help calm your nerves, increase blood circulation to your hair follicles, and can help to strengthen the roots of your hair. Also, make sure to add in a few drops of Donna’s Hair Strengthening oil before starting your scalp massage, as all the ingredients are curl friendly! 3. Eat Some Foods That Are Currently in Season Taking good care of your hair on the outside is great, but that also means you have to take extra care on the inside. I know holiday foods and treats can be tempting but try not to go overboard with sugar. The reason why is because sugar can cause bodily inflammation which then results in hair damage and possible hair loss.  ​​On the bright side, turkey (the signature holiday meat) is loaded with protein which is something that your curls will love! Other seasonal foods that are healthy for your hair include apples (biotin), collards  (a multivitamin for your hair), cranberries (antioxidants and if you put some pure juice into your shampoo, it can actually help to repair your hair follicles), pumpkin (which has Vitamin A to help your scalp to stay moisturized), pears (feeds nutrients to your hair follicles), sweet potatoes (reduces hair thinning) and mangos (powerful moisturizing ingredients). 4. Keep Your Cuticles Sealed When your cuticles are not sealed, the rest of your hair is extremely vulnerable to weather changes, which results in frizz, dryness, and dandruff. Some steps that you can do to keep your cuticles protected include adding a teaspoon of Donna’s Hair Strength Oil to your deep conditioner, rinsing your hair with cool water on wash days, diffusing your hair on a cooler setting with the nozzle pointing downwards, and clarifying your hair with an apple cider vinegar rinse, every third wash, in order to remove buildup. 5. Dig Into Your Closet Honestly one of the best things about the holiday season is how it’s perfectly normal to cover up your curls from all of the extreme weather changes. So, on the days (or nights) when you’re just not in the mood to style your hair, grab one of your cute hats, head scarfs or scrunchies in your closet. Just make sure that they are lined with satin; otherwise, you could end up irritating your roots.  6. Put It into a Protective Style A protective style helps protect your hair, so that you aren’t manipulating and styling it as much as you usually do. Yes, this means that wigs and weaves fall under this category as long as your real hair is still being maintained. However, if you want to try a new protective style, some include marley twists, faux locs, knotless braids, large box braids and jumbo twists. These styles are amazing and definitely low-maintenance. Which  will keep you less stressed out, so that you can focus on other things this holiday season. Enjoy!  

Hello cousins! I guarantee that the part us curly cousins don’t look forward to is detangling our hair. Am I right? I know it can be time consuming and seeing hair shedding can be scary.  But wait, what if I told you that you can detangle like a pro to reduce breakage and to grow your hair as long as possible? Wet Hair The first thing to do is thoroughly wet hair in the shower. Just drench it! When your hair is wet, bonds naturally break within your hair, and this actually makes your hair more flexible to comb. Just remember wet hair is more prone to being damaged or broken off, because it is now in a more vulnerable state. This is why you must be extremely gentle whenever you’re detangling wet hair. The benefit to detangling wet hair is that it is softer, more flexible, and easier to manage. So you end up getting less breakage, and in the long run...longer hair.  When applying your shampoo, it’s incredibly important to focus on your scalp. Your scalp is where you accumulate the most build up . So apply, work on the scalp, massage your scalp, then rack the remaining shampoo towards your roots.   Section Hair After cleansing and rinsing your hair out, the next step is conditioning. A key factor is to section your hair. Depending on how thick your hair is, section your hair into 2-4 sections. If you have tightly coiled hair or hair that is prone to tangles, this allows you to focus on each section more thoroughly, which also helps reduce breakage.    Keep Hair Wet When applying conditioner to each section, continuously add water so the conditioner can distribute evenly or more smoothly. Conditioners work best on dripping wet hair (your hair should already be dripping wet since you’re in the shower *wink emoji). Don’t allow your hair to start drying up while you're detangling, because it will be A LOT more difficult to detangle when dry.     Finger Detangle  Start to finger detangle from the very ends and work your way towards your roots. I know a lot of people really hate to finger detangle because it can be time consuming. However, if you can continuously add water and conditioner while finger detangling, the process will shorten. Also, the one time you want to be super patient with your hair is during the detangling process. Remember, your hair is at its most vulnerable state when it’s wet, so it needs a lot of TLC. When you finger detangle, you’re actually feeling for the tangles as opposed to possibly ripping them through with a comb or brush.      Grab a Detangle Brush After you're done finger detangling, use either a denman brush, a detangling flexi brush or any silicone brush with nylon bristles. Please avoid any brushes with little ball pins, as these can cause breakage for curly hair.  Use your detangling brush from the ends towards your roots to catch any smaller detangles or shed hair you may have missed while finger detangling. When you encounter a knot, don’t just rip through it with your fingers or brush. Really isolate that section of hair and try to remove the hairs one by one. This process not only significantly reduces the amount of breakage, but it will also make it a lot less scary to see less hair shedding. Rinse with Cool Water Once your brush is easily able to glide through your hair without any resistance, twist each section up before moving on to the next to prevent any possible new detangling.  Once you’re done with the entire detangling process, untwist each section of your hair, and rinse out 80-90% of your conditioner in COOL WATER! If you rinse your hair in warm or hot water it will detrimentally dry out your hair and cause frizz (and we don’t want that). So colder water will help seal in your moisture and help reduce the amount of frizz.  Once you hop out of the shower, pop in one of Donna’s Recipe Biotin Vitamin Gummies to keep your hair strong after detangling it! Thank you for taking time to read  about my shower process. Now you’re ready! So go ahead and jump in the shower to start detangling like a pro!!

Hey cousins! We’re back with Keeping Up Kurls With Kiana! Even if you are using the exact same styling products, you could  get completely different results based on how you choose to dry your hair. Drying is all about PATIENCE!  First things first. Let’s talk about the products that you’re using. If you’re a no product, water only and splash of coconut oil type of girl, this unfortunately can cause tons of frizz and your curls will only last a day or two. If you want your curls to last longer, have a strong hold and be frizz free, you’ll need to incorporate a styling product, or two, or three (leave in conditioner, cream, or gel...the combinations are endless!). Great tip* You can add 2-3 drops of Donna’s Recipe Strength Hair Oil to your leave in conditioner to add provide moisture & seal in the moisture.  Such ingredients in Donna's Recipe such as avocado, castor and olive oils offers great moisture.  Just a couple drops will be good.   Did you know there’s a thing as diffusing too early? Diffusing too early is like touching your nail polish when it’s still wet. If you diffuse immediately after applying your styling products, this can actually cause frizz throughout your hair. Instead, before you start to diffuse your hair, let your hair AIR DRY until it has that slight caste on it. Let your hair air dry for about 15-30 minutes until you start to feel a hold or crunchy-ness to your curls. This is your curls way of telling you it’s time to start diffusing so they can be frizz free!  Here are the Pros and Cons for Diffusing: PRO: Diffusing dries your hair so much faster compared to air drying. You’re looking at 30 minutes versus 3 hours! Diffusing will automatically break away the caste in your hair, leaving it extremely soft. With diffusing, you’ll get a lot more volume, drama and pizazz! CON: The downside to diffusing is that you will get more shrinkage to your curls, because when placing your curls in your diffuser and diffusing upwards, you’re subconsciously telling your curls to spring and curl upwards.   With gaining more definition, it all depends on your curl pattern. If you have wavy hair or bigger looser curls (2a-3b), and your hair looks straight when it’s wet, using a diffuser will make your curls or waves look more prominent, because diffusing your curls will train them to curl upwards. Here are the Pros and Cons for Air Drying: PRO:  If elongation is your goal, then air drying is the way to go! Definition is more guaranteed Less frizz! CON: When air drying, it will naturally leave in the caste, so you’ll have to crunch out the caste with your hands. Can take HOURS to dry! Maybe even a day or two. If you choose to diffuse your curls, make sure you know how to properly use the diffuser. Even though we want our curls to dry as fast as possible, setting your diffuser to the hottest level at full blast will detrimentally dry out your curls and lose all of its moisture. So make sure to pace between the lowest and middle setting, and between the cool and warm setting. Now let me know what method you use to dry your curls! Are you Team Air Dry or Team Diffuse?!   Order below and enter code: MONDAY (Cyber Monday 40% off)