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[davronatural]

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[imaginarydaughterz]

need to find a solution to dealing with all the bleach in my boyfriend's water system that is RUINING my hair!!!!!

[beautyfineshopparis]

African Pride extra shine braid sheen spray 355ml.

[seelanmarket]

Cantu Avocado Hydrating Cream Shampoo 400ml.

[theoxenfree]

LUCID

sleep paralysis demon x reader | 3k | 18+

you've never known a true, good night of sleep in your entire life. when your doctor and best friend, dr. sujay patel, offers to vouch for you as the perfect candidate for a "last resort" sleep study and medication trial, you don't have high hopes. the first night of the trial, things go sideways very quickly.

warnings; technically somnophilia, dubcon, hair-pulling, restraint, some eerie/unsettling details, breech of patient-doctor boundaries, alcoholism, implied addiction/addictive personality, academic cheating, some culturally sensitive discussion, roughly proofread.

this is the first concept piece for my upcoming sleep paralysis demon x reader story!! to help me shape the story, pls answer feedback questions + reblog!!!

Children at your daycare liked to draw you fanciful pictures of the other lives they lived in their dreams during afternoon nap time. You were shown orange tabby cats with green eyes garbed in full-plates of knight’s armor, brandishing a fish sword against a foe to save the world. Most often, they dreamed of their families and drew bright, brave versions of themselves holding hands with a parent, a sibling, a bipedal family dog with an electric collar. A few of the children never smiled in their self-portraits.

The proportions of everything were always silly: gigantic tree trunks with tiny, green bundles sitting atop of them, three enormous fruits supported by brittle vines and growth in bushes, cats and dogs with ears as tall as their bodies, Mom with purple skin instead of brown, Big Sis looking particularly volatile with a theratrically large snarl. Despite this, the children beamed in pride whenever yesterday's drawings would come down off the wall to be replaced with the new.

For some of these kids, this was their own equivalent of having art hung on a refrigerator; to you, it evoked dull, thready jealousy because they were in possession so simple, so biologically normal to them and everyone else around them that to be incapable of the same thing was, surely, a major defect.

Sleep was already a treasure you were seldom allotted the pleasure of greedily surrendering to, but to dream sounded like a terrifying experience to you altogether. It took work; a stringent routine of warm showers (hot and scalding water was forbidden), with an array of chalky, dissolvable tabs and shower gels and shampoos and moisturizers and essential oil dehumidifiers and soy candles and hot tea and special pillow sleep spray you’d seen in an online ad while thumbing through socials.

It took pajamas that were loose, soft but not silky, it took a satin bonnet and a satin eye covering (the kind with pockets for your eyelashes to move), comforters soused in lavender spray meant to magically work out the tightness in your shoulders and calves without the need of paying for a masseuse’s bony elbow. It took purchasing a battery-operated alarm clock to wake yourself for work so you could shut off your phone and leave it plugged into the wall downstairs.

You'd nearly forgotten—you couldn't have sugar after half past six, you had to stagger your water consumption after that time as well because the urge to piss would keep you awake for hours after the fact. The television needed to be off once you finished putting away dishes after dinner.

If you were lucky, this would work and you'd sleep a total of two or three hours uninterrupted—never fully tipping over the edge of wakefulness into deep sleep, but enough to keep yourself going during the day, grocery shop, wrangle the small children, scrape at a bar, get dicked down into your mattress every now and then, and visit Sujay for your usual appointments.

“How do you feel about trying something different?” he always gestured to one of the modern-looking armchairs upholstered in teal polyester before bringing you a tea of some sort. Today was a floral white tea with a spoonful of honey. “Ah, my friend, I worry for you. We've done so many studies, we've tried so many different things. Does none of it help? At all?”

“Not really.” you admitted after a sip, singing your tongue once and placing aside the cup and saucer pair. “I don't know if I can keep doing this until the day I die, Sujay. What do you recommend next?”

Dr. Sujay Patel was your neurologist, an utterly brilliant man, and a close friend from your early university days. Despite the rest of your friend group falling apart, pulled in separate directions by the strings of fate and temptation of money, you'd managed to stay in contact with Sujay throughout grad school. There'd been an intermission, probably a period of two years, where you'd forgotten he even existed.

You were out making a disaster of your life on sleepless, drunken benders because you hoped enough alcohol would either knock you out or kill you. The normal distractions came with it: your entire family dynamic corroding and combusting, an ex getting too big for their britches, and a roommate suspiciously eager to rally behind that ex.

Sujay came back into the picture following a nasty incident of alcohol poisoning that left you bedridden in the hospital for a week. You had decided then, in that uncomfortable bed with their starchy, crunchy white sheets and the bathroom being too far away to simply get up and walk to, that you'd abstain from alcohol forevermore.

He'd seen you in a state of soul-weary disarray not long after you were discharged and had decided to take you on as a patient.

“Now, you have a choice here, just remember that.” Sujay sat adjacent to you in the exact chair you were in. He wasn't daunted by the heat from his tea and took some time with it, whether to savor the subtle notes of it or to consider his words, you weren't sure. “But, a colleague of mine at a… pharmaceutical company has been working to get an experimental sedative into some studies. Testing periods, I guess you could say.”

You're convinced by his dedication to his tea to pick up yours again. “Does it work?”

“As of now, one-hundred percent of those who have participated have reported high-efficacy, or at least have claimed it to be effective in some manner.” His mustache moved as he sipped. You drank as well. “I think you should submit to the study and if you're accepted into one of the control groups—commit to it. We're running out of options otherwise. I don't want you to start mixing up your own cocktail of things. All it takes is the wrong thing once, y'know?”

The chair groaned while you adjusted your weight in it. You sighed. “Would that once be such a bad thing, though? At least I could sleep.”

“I'm a doctor,” Sujay looked over his square-rimmed glasses at you, forehead wrinkles enormous, whites of his eyes showing more than the hazel of his irises. “Behave yourself.”

“Fine.” Mesmerized by the stray tea leaves that had managed to escape the metal ball steeper, you said, “tell me what I need to do.”

Sujay had sent you away that day with a whole host of follow-up appointments and a glowing review to his colleague in hopes of skipping the line as much as possible. Sometimes, it was beneficial to have friends in high places, especially when that means you get a call two days later for preliminary, formal interviews and an offer to participate in said study once clearances came through and your blood work came back as desired.

A month to the day when Sujay first mentioned the possibility of a magical cure all to your relentless insomnia, you were brought into a minimally furnished room—the standard, bland cookie cutter type that hadn't an ounce of personality—dotted from head-to-toe in stickers for neuromonitoring, heart rhythm, and whatever else they fancied, you supposed.

It was only after you had changed into your soft, but not too soft, pajamas and covered in wires that you were handed a tiny purple pill. The color of it was obviously a dissolvable casing and food coloring, but what amazed you was the fact a drug this small was meant to induce the best sleep of your life.

“Take the pill, drink at least four ounces of water, and lie supine.” The technologists outside your room, speaking into an intercom, elaborated afterward that they wanted you to stay on your back while you slept. You didn't bother to point out that you weren't stupid—just tired. “We understand that not everyone finds this position comfortable, but to receive adequate results and to measure your vitals at all times, we ask that you try your best.”

You weren't going to hassle them about this and did precisely as they instructed. Shoved the pill down the back of your throat, drank the bottled water, and tried to get comfortable on your back.

You closed your eyes.

A part of you wondered why you had assented to Sujay’s suggestion so easily, especially where everything else had failed. He was one hell of a friend, and had always been that way for you, but as a doctor, you wondered if two years of cheating through medical school, so as to not royally piss off his parents and be disowned for failing, was finally catching up with him somewhat.

You recalled being startled when he told you he hadn’t married yet and didn't intend to as some deep-rooted act of spite against his family and the traditions they had held over his head all his life. Traditions that had been weaponized against him, rather than supplement his life as an extension of his history, of the things he loved, of a chance to explore more of himself.

You had listened wordlessly the entire time he spoke about it, still sipping on his tea, the results from your latest brain scan clamped to a clipboard on his lap—

This wasn't working.

This was so stupid.

You opened your eyes and sat up in the stiff bed, carefully maneuvering your fingers around your orbital bone to force away the puffiness and exhaustion still lingering behind them. It was only as you rubbed your eyes that you noticed your face was empty of cold stickers and a thousand wires. You didn't hear distant blips in the machine measuring your heart rate, nor track the voices of anyone outside your door.

The room was still the same—the outdated, bulky dresser with claw feet, a few gray chairs you could buy on display in a window somewhere, a low oval table, a bedside table for your glass of water and a crisp, neatly folded change of clothes for the next day.

It was only unusual that you were bare of the technologist’s monitoring equipment and sitting amid an unfaltering, deep silence that amplified the sounds of your very existence. Your slow breaths with a quickening heartbeat, blood pumping in your ears, and the coarse rustle of bedsheets as you shifted around the mattress to bring some sense to what was going on.

Would the technologists have come into the room and removed everything from your body without waking you? More miraculously, without you rousing and throwing your hands on them for touching you first?

“Maybe the drug worked?” you had to consider the possibility, even though it still felt as far-fetched as the holistic medicine practitioners online telling you that an herbal cleansing juice could regenerate organs entirely. “Did I actually sleep? I don't remember dreaming, though. Aren't I supposed to dream?”

You looked to the one, single-paned window across the bedroom to spy how far along the morning had progressed, but found yourself sucking in and holding in a breath instead.

There, standing in your view of the outside, was the silhouette of a tall man. Everything about him was indistinguishable aside from the depth of darkness that made him up. Within the confines of the dim room, alight by a single lamp with an amber bulb that seemed to weaken by the second, this man stood apart from the shadows as something deeper, blacker, but corporeal.

He was every bit a part of the dark as much as he wasn't. And you couldn't tell if he was fading you or turned to look out the window at the parking lot two stories below.

“Hi—hello. Are—are you one of the techs?” you had finally let out that breath, now focusing on gauging the guy’s level of sociability, and by extension, his friendliness and the likelihood of him lunging at you. “I, uh, just would've really appreciated it if someone had woken me up before taking off the stickers.”

You were able to see out the window from the gaps around his body, taking note that it was still dark. Very dark. Beyond that, nothing else was discernible from where you sat and what he blocked.

The study wouldn't have finished yet.

Those techs would've taken precaution to wake you up if something had happened.

“Am I asleep?” you asked the wordlese man. “Am I dreaming now? Are you a dream? Is that what it's like?

You never imagined that there could be so much lucidity within a dream, a level of consciousness so similar to a state of wakefulness. When you thought about moving, you could perfectly flex your fingers, curl your toes into the high-pile carpet underfoot, touch the airy fabric covering your body and feel it touching you in turn.

How normal was this really, though? No one had ever told you about dreams like this. Theirs were always fragmented and discombobulated, just like the kids in daycare who drew pictures of pig astronauts and flame extinguishing spatulas. You knew of a rare few in the population capable of controlling their dreams, steering the outcome in the direction they pleased, but even those people were overrode by their own brains.

This was something completely different.

You became especially convinced of this when you thought the stifled air suddenly shifted with a light breeze, a soft whoosh in your ear. A chill erupted over you, making your skin burst with goose flesh, your brain chasing a shiver down your spine as if cold fingers stroked you all the way down the length of it. Those same fingers stayed low, hovering across your lower back before pushing into you, arching you down onto the mattress.

That freedom you thought you had only moments ago was gone, stolen by this invisible hand on your body that was rounding to you and reaching for your chest. Until now, you thought this had simply been a part of the dream—something you had believed to be in control in when the reality was much different—but, as the buttons on your sleep shirt unfastened before your eyes, the thin layers opening you to the cold, inky air, you weren't sure what to think, to do.

Another hand joined the first with long, heavy fingers to knead at your body and take your pants off of your hips until you were fully exposed to the darkness and the thing still dwelling within the room. It hadn't moved an inch since you'd noticed it a while ago; it never became any clearer, any more defined in the clothes or wore, and trying to look upon its face only filled you with puzzlement and dread.

The large hands were so cold despite all their movement on your hot skin, all of the work they did to start riling you up and making you moan. One of them groped your chest, felt your throat, squeezed your jaw as though to force your gaze at one point in particular (the ceiling), pushed apart your lips to dip into your mouth and wet its fingers on your tongue.

You did so as it was the only thing you could do freely right now.

Those fingers, covered in your spit, caressed you between your legs, stroking you in motions neither gentle or harsh. The muscles in your thighs flinched, stomach tightening, your throat vibrating to produce a moan smothered by the second hand circling your throat, gripping firmly enough where you could breathe, but just barely.

The thing couldn’t stop your thoughts, as much as it seemed to try, so it took to interrupting them—distracting you but squeezing your neck, yanking your head back into the pillow by your hair, adjusting itself to thrust multiple fingers into your body, burying them to the knuckle.

You tried to win this war of willpower by thinking about Sujay and his mustache and his stupid glasses. They were green, sometimes blue; seldom did he like the tortoiseshell look.

The thing lunged at your neck again, this time taking you underside the jaw and forced your head back into the pillow while it fucked you deeper on three fingers.

You wanted to make a sound; a moan, a scream, a torturous whimper or pleasure for the way your body was rocked on the bed, creaking with the weight of a pair combined and not just how it appeared. Your nostrils flared, heart rate at an uneasy high, breaths stuck in the column of your throat behind the hand holding it.

The pressure continued to stack higher and higher, building to such a point where you knew you were about to lose it, unravel, praying that this thing would grant you the kindness of fucking you out of your orgasm.

Your abdomen was wound tight, your groin ached terribly, and your thighs started to shake. Behind your eyes, the kaleidoscopic wheels of color intermingled with the darkness and it all slowly burned to white.

And then—

“Good morning!” you were being shaken awake by one of the technologists, a middle-aged woman with blue eyeliner. she didn't expect for you to jolt upright, stick straight, and launch the covers off of your body. “Oh—hey, honey, you alright? We’re done until tonight. How do you feel?”

You were slow to respond to her, occupied by the morning light filtering in through the window across the bedroom. She gave you some time to gather your bearings and took her time removing the stickers and wires from your skin, suggesting you spend some time really scrubbing in the shower later to get off all the adhesive.

“How about now, honey?” she pulled the last sticker and wire combination off of your shoulder. “You with us?”

You didn't know how to answer that, especially not with how damp you felt inside your thighs.

a/n; thank you for reading and choosing to help me shape the story further!! this is all inspired by the fact that I have frequent bouts of sleep paralysis myself and on three consecutive occasions, after taking some questionable drops from an ex-friend, I saw something. I want to make this very clear that this story is intended to be pretty extreme psychological horror. anyway, here are the questions

sujay will be a major supporting character in the story, so what would you be interested in seeing more: 1) sujay and mc further blurring that boundary and possibly becoming a pair, but their "relationship" becomes thwarted by SPD 2) sujay, possibly, ends up with more yandere tendencies as the story progresses and with the development of the plot, could result in a terrible ending for him—but interesting 3) sujay and mc are inherently a toxic duo, but he tries his best to support mc (platonically or one-sided romantically) as they spiral out of control?

in terms of SPD's appearance, what idea do you like better: 1) him, eventually, having a definitive, solid form and features across the span of the story 2) he remains like a "black silhouette" with the invisible hands, but he has the sort of voice that's lulls and lures and manipulates 3) he takes on features that mc (you) find attractive, but they're all wrong and progressively becomes more monstrous 4) he has a physical appearance that's "all wrong", but you can never figure why or what he actually looks like despite SEEING him. if you want to choose multiple, you need to get VERY specific.

I intend for this story to be incredibly dark in terms of sexual content bc SPD is a demon/monster. he is not good. he is not loving. when you think of "dark" for smut, what would you want to see??

[janitorhutcherson]

Sacred Self Care (Mike Schmidt)

i'm 100% supposed to be cleaning my room up for family but i may go insane if i do not write RIGHT NOW!! so, this is something i've had in my mind for so long. i PROMISE after thanksgiving i'll give yall peeta and finnick content and get to more asks. i could not hold back on this one any longer though, so sit back, and enjoy!

summary: mike discovers self care, but what happens when his ritual becomes a little too intricate and he ends up in a silly predicament?

warnings: mentions of nudity, one or two innuendos

word count: 2,288

---------------

Mike Schmidt did not have time to take care of himself. This was a fact that was all too noticeable. His dry curls practically begged to be lathered in moisture, or at least in something that wasn’t a bar of soap that was also used on his face and body. His nails were dirty whenever he was busiest, the only time they were well groomed being when he was prepared to be knuckles deep inside of you. His eyebags were sunken in and his facial hair grew in patches, untrimmed. Mike did not care, nor did he think wasting time on such a meticulous thing would be beneficial to him. There were better things to do than to primp himself when he could be doing something more productive, such as getting to the bottom of his brother’s disappearance… thirteen years later. When he wasn’t obsessing over every minute detail in his dream that could lead him to the solution or fathering Abby in his own backwards but still productive way, he was admiring you and your glory.

While Mike may not have been someone for self-care, you most definitely were. You were constantly looking up new ways to better yourself, new hair masks to try and new ways to make your skin as smooth as butter. The water bill also certainly showed your love for self-care. Some nights, you’d prance into the bedroom after an intricate shower, throwing your leg up on the bed as you demanded for Mike’s rough hands to feel, every centimeter of hair gone, the smell of cocoa butter sifting in the air. He was amused when he’d walk in to you sitting on the couch, some new green goop slathered on your face, or some strange piece of paper stuck to your nose. On occasion, you’d convince Mike to join you and Abby, his desperation to spend more quality time with the two of you trumping his disdain for fifteen minutes of clay on his face. He’d peel away at chunks as they flaked into his lap, you and Abby giggling every few seconds as the pile would grow amusingly larger before Mike would give up, running to the bathroom to scrub his face clean before the timer went off.

He wasn’t sure when it clicked. Perhaps it was when Abby told him he’d looked rough lately (he attempted to take this with a grain of salt, as she was his little sister, scolding her and telling her that was not very nice) or perhaps it was when one morning after work, he’d noticed new wrinkles covering his forehead and increasingly pale skin with purple dips underneath his eyes. One day, he found himself in the shampoo aisle at Target. It started with something simple. He bought real shampoo and conditioner, specifically designed for curly dry hair. He enjoyed the scent it radiated as he lathered it through his locks in the warm shower, the aftermath amazing. He’d never seen his hair so fluffy as it dried, his once brittle strands now feeling smooth as he ran his fingertips through it. Then, there was skincare. Somehow, he ended up getting a free sample in the mail from one of those makeup subscription companies you subscribed to, the company accidentally sending you a made-for-men miniature face wash and eye cream set. You eagerly tossed it his way with a giggle, assuming he tossed it in the trash the moment he got it. Instead, that very night, Mike added it to his shower along with his brand-new hair products, patting the eye cream underneath his eyes once he got out. The next morning, the once deep reddish purple was now only tinted a light color. Before he knew it, underneath the cabinet tucked away in a corner were different hair oils, beard creams, moisturizers, and lotions. He’d gotten into different kinds of cologne, opting for scented deodorants as well.

Mike had to admit, he enjoyed this new routine of his. As it progressed, it became almost ritualistic. He’d get home from work at exactly 6:15, about 45 minutes before you’d wake up. He would hop into the shower, taking in the feeling of his fingertips massaging his scalp, his body feeling the tension flooding down as the water from the shower flooded down the drain. Then, the aromatic smell of musky body wash would fill his nose, cleansing his senses of the smell of ancient dusts from working at the pizzeria. He’d step out of the shower, his skin tinted pink from the hot water, his face freshly washed. He’d apply lotion, shape his beard and add his creams, he’d even gotten into grooming his nails every night, ensuring they were crisply clean and applying a protective clear coat on top.

He couldn’t quite figure out why he was so embarrassed by his ritual. Perhaps it was the way it made him feel less masculine, knowing damn well deep down that it didn’t make him any less of a man and it was just his years’ worth of built-up toxic masculinity that you were so desperately trying to get him to break down. Maybe it was the way he was splurging on things he simply didn’t feel he needed until now, until it suddenly felt like a necessity, something he’d go insane without. Most of all and the most likely of all the scenarios, it was admitting that he was wrong, that something you and Abby had so desperately attempted to beg him to get into was exactly what the two of you had explained to him. It was majestic and comforting. At least 45 minutes a day were dedicated to him and only himself, his whole body feeling renewed each time he stepped out of the shower. He felt rebirthed, imagining this was what religious people felt when they were deemed ‘saved’ at confessional. Even with that being said, he couldn’t let you and Abby in on his little ritual. No, he couldn’t possibly admit to it. It wasn’t because he wanted to hide something from you two but instead because his embarrassment seeped deep down into his skull every time he thought about revealing it. Instead, he would slowly creep himself into bed, wrapping his arms around you as he pressed a kiss to your forehead, pretending to sleepily open his eyes as your alarm went off.

You’d suspected he was hiding something, and you were worried. The new signature scents, the freshly groomed look, the way he seemed to care more about his clothing and the wrinkles that were shown. Your first thought was that there was somebody else, someone he had needed to impress, much like he once felt the need to impress you every time he was around you, suppressing his comfortable and more Mike-like fashion choices. In the mornings, you’d sense the lack of his presence after hearing the door creak open, feeling the bed dip right before your alarm went off, sirens ringing in your head each time as if to warn you something wasn’t right. You would spend some nights he was away at work after Abby was in bed evaluating who it could possibly be. There was Vanessa, the blonde police officer who would make occasional appearances in conversation. There was the waitress at the diner who’d taken a liking to Mike, but you weren’t sure who else it could be. Of course, women ogled over Mike all the time in public. There was something about a man with a slightly off putting aura and messy tussled hair. But regardless, you had always trusted him, and besides, Mike didn’t really talk to many people as is.

It wasn’t until Mike added in a peel off face mask into the mix that the jig was up. One week, he’d managed to get the entire week off, ensuring the pizzeria was boarded closed and begging Vanessa to keep an eye on things. You’d felt slightly better having him around more and at normal hours. He was very much still head over heels for you, following you around like a lost puppy, the two of you showering together, cooking together, and of course, having as much ‘alone time’ as you could possibly fit in when Abby was asleep or away at a friends. Even with that, in the back of your mind, you couldn’t shake the feeling. You were passed out on the couch after a movie night and it was late. Mike had crept away from the living room, tucking your sleeping body under a blanket, slipping into the shower. He followed his typical ritual, something he’d had to put off for a while in fear of getting caught, still unsure of what made him so anxious. After his shower, he applied his peel off mask, attempting to avoid his facial hair, but without thinking, he’d applied a layer over his entire chin. What would soon become a panic inducing issue in a short sum of ten minutes hadn’t occurred to him quite yet.

As the timer on his phone went off, he began slowly peeling the mask off, starting at his forehead before he froze, realizing more of his face was covered than usual. He brushed it off, continuing to peel before he noticed that not only was the thin, purple layer coming off, but multiple specks of hair were attached as well. Oh fuck, he thought to himself, unsure of how to proceed. No, he couldn’t just rip it off. He was attached to his facial hair. It made his baby face look mature and manly. No, of course it didn’t occur to him to just add water, simply wiping it away. There was only one option, and that was to waltz into the living room with his bright purple face and to wake you up, puppy dog eyes pleading for you to help him with his predicament.

You stirred away as you felt a hand shake your shoulder, your eyes widening as you sat up with a confused expression.

“Well, hello there,” you croaked out, your voice laced with gravel from exhaustion. He looked at you with embarrassment laced over his face, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Help, please. I…” he trailed off, gesturing his hands towards his face. “I just need it off,” he grumbled lowly, his fingertips holding the piece holding his facial hair tenderly, ensuring he didn’t rip anything else off.

You couldn’t help but let out a loud giggle, amused by the man standing in front of you. You grabbed his hand, leading him into the bathroom. You both sat on the ledge of the tub as you tenderly wiped his face clean with a warm washcloth, his reddened cheeks from both the mask being on too long and the embarrassment becoming more apparent by the second.

“Facial hair is saved,” you said triumphantly, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I do have to ask though, why the sudden liking to all of this? And why not just.. tell me?” you hummed curiously, shaking your head.

“I just.. I don’t know. I think I didn’t want to admit I was wrong or that I was spending so much money on such worthless stuff. It started out so small and then became so big, I just couldn’t,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I am really sorry for keeping it from you,” he hummed before he went into a further explanation, explaining the way it made him feel.

You let out a sigh of relief along with a content giggle, shaking your head. “I knew something was up, but I wasn’t sure what,” you said, cocking an eyebrow as you placed a hand on his knee, your cheeks now warming up.

“What, did you think I was getting all fancy schmancy for another girl?” he teased, bumping his elbow against your shoulder. Your eyes widened as your mouth opened and closed as you went to say something, his expression dropping into something more serious.

“Oh my god, Y/N, honey, no, I’d never,” he said, placing his warm hand on your exposed shoulder. “Baby, no,” he chuckled, happy he could reassure you but somewhat upset that you had to sit through that alone. “No, I love you very much, I promise you, there is no other woman... just, your silly grumpy man being too embarrassed to admit I like girly things,” he teased, leaning in to press a warm kiss to your lips. The kiss was all you needed for electrical sparks to be sent through your body, your brain buzzing as the anxious thoughts began to disappear.

For the rest of the night, Mike walked you through his entire routine, both for fun and for transparency. You two joked back and forth, you occasionally poking at him, telling him he should become an influencer. Afterwards, you both did a face mask together, this time ensuring the product did not cover his chin.

Yes, you and Mike most definitely had your own things to work on, but at the end of the day, you were happiest with him. Your heart felt warm. He had finally found a way to take care of himself, a way to feel more content in his own skin, and even though he had an odd way of going about it, you were pleased, happy he was also finally willing to share this with you. From now on, Mike would wait for his routine in the mornings until you woke up, instead crawling into bed and cradling you in his arms, thinking about how lucky he was to have such a sweet, loving, and accepting partner like you to share his life with, even if it was just skincare and Vaseline kisses.

[piratecaptainscaptainpirates]

Primer on writing Ed's hair care!

I love writing about Ed's hair! He has lots of beautiful hair, and it's obviously very well taken-care-of. I love reading fics that include Ed's hair care routines, too, but I know that a lot of white authors might not be confident about writing a man of color caring for his hair.

So, I wanted to put out a quick cheat sheet to help! This isn't an in-depth guide, but I hope it's a good primer so you can confidently include scenes touching on Ed's hair care. I really recommend checking out some natural hair subreddits if you want to go more in-depth so you can get ideas for the everyday frustrations and styles Ed might have.

Common misconceptions:

Ed will not need to wash his hair as often as you might assume he should. Natural hair textures tend to get very dry and brittle when washed too frequently because over-washing removes protective oils from our scalp and hair and dries it out. Ed probably only needs to wash his hair a couple times a week at most (he'll have figured out what works for him and his hair). This doesn't mean he's dirty or unclean, and it doesn't mean he won't shower or clean himself - he'll just probably put his hair up in a shower cap to keep it dry when he showers on days that aren't wash days.

Ed's hair care will look different than Stede's, and if he wants to let Stede help him care for his hair, he'll probably need to teach him how. Ed might have different brushes for detangling and styling his hair, and they'll definitely look different from Stede's. He also won't be able to use the same products as Stede does, or he might damage or over-dry his hair because many hair products meant for white/straight hair will over-strip the oils from natural hair.

A few things to avoid: Ed's hair is always depicted in the show as clean, well-styled, and perfectly presentable. It is not wild, untamed, or unmanageable just because it's got some texture.

Everyday care!

On the daily, Ed will probably rely on a few products to help him keep his hair looking beautiful. Coconut/castor oil is a go-to for locking in moisture (he can also use moisturizing creams or sprays in a modern AU), twisting creams and butters will help him style his hair into twists and braids, detangling sprays and/or creams help with bad hair days, and a curl-defining spray will help him get his hair looking great in the mornings.

On wash days, Ed will want to use a hydrating shampoo and a nourishing conditioner. Between wash days, leave-in conditioners will help him keep his hair moisturized and control frizz (leave-in conditioners don't get rinsed out, and he'll typically apply them after lightly wetting his hair).

Ed will likely want to put his hair into a protective style before bed so it doesn't get tangled and frizzy during the night. Putting his hair up in a sleep bonnet can help protect his hair while he sleeps, but as a fellow guy with longer hair, I can guess he won't like how he'll wake up with a bunch of his hair looking and feeling flat from sleeping on it. Putting his hair up in braids or twists are great ways to protect it while he sleeps so he wakes up with defined, happy hair! Pro-tip: he probably knows that wetting his hair before putting it into protective styles will help define his curls.

Around the water!

In canon settings or in AUs where Ed lives on or visits the beach, hair care is especially important! Salt air and swimming in the ocean can be very hard on natural hair, and Ed will want to be diligent about moisturizing to help control frizz and keep his hair from drying out.

Before swimming, if he can, there are a few things Ed can do to keep his hair happy. Natural hair really absorbs water, so wetting it before a swim can limit the amount of saltwater (or, in a pool, chlorine) his hair is able to soak up. It's also a good idea to put his hair in a protective style like braids before swimming.

After being in the water, again, Ed will want to wet his hair! After a swim in salt water, rinsing his hair with cool fresh water will keep his hair much happier.

If he's going to be swimming a lot, Ed will want to be very intentional with keeping his hair moisturized! Leave-in conditioners will be his best friend.

Why does this matter?

For people of color, our hair really matters. Our hair is an important way we express ourselves and feel connected to our culture. And controlling natural hair is one way that colonized societies continue to oppress and marginalize people of color. We're often policed and exoticized for our hair - like how the rich assholes on the party boat in s1e5 tried to touch Ed's beard without his permission. Taking care with how we depict Ed's hair isn't just fun and interesting, it helps make this fandom a more welcoming, inclusive space for fans of color.

[theeternalwombtarot]

Black women, I have reason to believe that our practice with leaving our hair in protective styles for long periods of time in between washes or even partial washes is a neglectful practice that we shouldn’t continue. On top of that I believe that oils and greases work and there’s a reason why we’ve carried them with us through generations but it’s how you use them that matters. I make a hair oil of my own with various different herbs and carrier oils and I only oil my hair in the form of a hot oil treatment by way of something like a double boiler method, I’ll set the glass bottle of oil into a heat safe container of hot water, heated by a kettle. Before I oil my scalp I moisturize with shea butter melted down (please be careful it can get hot wait until you can put your hand comfortably in it without burning your hand) and after i oil I grease my scalp generously and wrap my hair up. If you’re worried about your natural hair oils and about drying your hair out and breakage due to washing, invest in moisturizing shampoos and conditioners that don’t strip the hair and scalp, the use of clarifying shampoos are necessary in cases where we don’t feel our hair and scalp are clean after long periods spent without shampooing or due to the use of heavy products like butters and oils but if you wash more frequently it’s less likely to become built up and hard to remove. I’ve had bald spots on the side of my head and in the back of my head in my “kitchen” area practically all my life and could not get my hair to grow back no matter what I did, I believe that it was a mixture of eczema that affected my scalp and traction alopecia from my hair being pulled out when I was very young. I’ve gotten these spots on my head to grow up generously, especially the back where a few of my cornrows did not go down to the nape of my neck but they do now as there wasn’t really hair there before.

I would advise you to look up what the recommended hair washing frequency is for your hair type and pay attention to the way your scalp feels and at which point your scalp starts feeling itchy or starts bothering you. I do understand that to some extent hair care for black women is kind of time consuming and you have to accurately plan wash days and hair care accurately as well as wear your hair in ways that fit your lifestyle so by all means do what’s right for you. I’ve also noticed that the practice of protective styles for longer than necessary may aid in the hair being brittle or splitting at a higher rate for some reason. I feel that I experienced more breakage when I kept my hair in protective styles for several weeks or longer.

[cutercurls]

Silicones

When you hear the word "silicone", one of two things comes to mind: The rubbery substance that popsicle molds are made out of, or the 14th element of the periodic table.

The Curly Girl Method focuses on the silicones that are found in hair products. Some types of silicones that you may find in your hair products are dimethicone, dimethiconol, and methicone. Basically, anything that ends in -cone is likely a form of silicon. These can be found in almost any hair product, from shampoos to conditioners to hair masks.

Now, if you're anything like me when I first started my curly hair journey, you might be frantically grabbing products off of your shelf and tossing them into the bin. In my personal experience, whilst silicones can be extremely harmful to your hair, they don't have the same level of urgency as sulfates. In fact, many members of the curly hair community opt to continue to use products with silicones due to the synthetic shine it gives your hair. This can be sustainable in the short term, but for healthier curls, it's best to part ways with some of your favorite products the next time you visit the store.

So, what exactly do silicones do? The compound forms a layer around the hair follicle. This can give off the illusion of shiny hair but will block moisture from penetrating into your hair strands, leaving your hair dry and brittle in the long term.

[king-minyard]

Hair Care How To

Taking care of your hair is a matter of both aesthetic and hygiene. It can be difficult to determine what can be best for your hair, especially because everyone's hair is different.

I wanted to make a post that goes through the different facets of hair care, from hair type and dryness to the different types of products, effective wash schedules, and brushing each type needs.

Hair Type

First, determine your hair type. Your hair type is not only how it falls, i.e., straight/wavy/curly, but also how oily or dry it is and how well it retains moisture. How you take care of your hair is highly dependent upon your hair type.

Hair care for virgin hair (untreated hair) is also different from hair care for dyed or chemically styled hair, so keep that in mind as you go forward.

(Chart from Black Hair Information)

Oily, dry, or somewhere in between?

Most people fall somewhere in between.

Dry hair can be coarse, rough, or brittle/prone to breakage. You may have an itchy scalp.

Oily hair can look dull or limp, feel greasy, and be more difficult to style without products.

Both people with dry hair and oily hair can experience dandruff.

Hairstyle Camp goes more in depth about hair dryness and what kinds of products are better for each level of dryness.

Hair Care

Products and Wash Schedule

Once you've determined your hair type and needs, you can figure out what products to use and how often to use them. Different hair types need different shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, and even brushes.

When you wash your hair, focus on the scalp. Don't scrub shampoo into the full length of your hair because that can cause breakage.

Temperature: Generally speaking, you'll want to wash your hair with lukewarm or cold water rather than hot water. Hot water lifts the hair follicle more and can cause moisture loss. In the case of colored hair, this can make your color fade faster. How much this matters depends on your individual hair porosity, which affects how much the follicle opens.

If you have dry hair you'll want to look for moisturizing products. You can also wash your hair less often (only people with very oily hair need to wash their hair everyday!) and leave your conditioner in your hair for longer before washing it out.

If you have oily hair, you'll want to look for shampoos targeted towards reducing that. You can also wash your hair more often to reduce oil buildup.

Length is less of a determinant of how often you should wash your hair, but shorter hair needs to be washed more often than longer hair because oil makes its way from the roots to the ends faster than it does in longer hair.

People with straighter hair often have to wash their hair more often (multiple times per week) because oil from the scalp can make its way down the strands far easier than it can in curly hair.

People with curly hair, however, can and should go longer between washes (every week to three weeks depending on individual dryness). Keep in mind, however, that oil may build up on the scalp and it might be necessary to occasionally shampoo only the scalp to avoid that.

There are products specifically designed for curly hair to help curls keep their shape. Many of them are also moisturizing products because curly hair types are often drier in general, but some, for example, gels and hairsprays, simply hold the curls in place.

How often you wash your hair is highly dependent upon your individual hair dryness and type and how well your hair retains moisture.

Don't be afraid to experiment to figure out what works!

Drying

After washing, you need to dry your hair. There are a few different options, for example, air drying, drying with a towel/cloth, or blow drying.

Air drying is simple, easy, and (usually) requires no extra steps. This is the least damaging for your hair, but also the most annoying for some because it takes the longest.

When using a towel or cloth, do not rub your hair to dry it! This causes breakage. Instead, gently wrap your hair in the towel or cloth (here's a video by Courtnee King about the classic "towel hat") to squeeze most of the moisture out, then let it air dry the rest of the way. For some people, towels are too drying, so t-shirts or other natural cloths are also good options to dry your hair with.

Blow drying is something you have to be more careful with. It's fast, but the heat from the blow dryer can damage your hair if you use it too close to the hair or don't take steps to protect your hair. If you plan to blow dry your hair often, look for heat protectants.

When blow drying your hair, start when your hair is damp or nearly dry and use a venting brush or, if you're styling it, a round brush. The nozzle of the blow dryer does not need to touch your hair for it to work - in fact, this can be far more damaging in the long run.

Brushing

Knowing how and when to brush your hair is an important part of hair care. The rules for brushing are a little different for hair types, but they have one thing in common: start from the ends and work your way up to the roots. If you start from the roots and brush down, you're more likely to tighten knots and cause breakage.

Brushes come in many different shapes and sizes. Here's a good video explaining each type and when to use them: The Best Detangling and Styling Tips for Your Hair Type + Brushes Explained from Manes by Mell. If videos aren't your thing, I there's also an article from StylEnrich about it.

Boar bristle brushes are a good all-around option if you're not too sure what to choose. They're pliable and gentle, so they won't catch knots and tug hair too harshly, and they come in many different shapes and sizes.

Be gentle and patient with your hair to avoid breakage. If you can't untangle a knot with the brush, go in with your fingers. There are sprays and serums that make it even easier to detangle knots if you find it difficult.

Avoid over-brushing! The main goal of brushing your hair is to detangle knots, and brushing too much can pull and stress your hair.

If you have straight hair or hair with light waves, brush your hair when it's dry, ideally right before a shower.

If you have curly hair, brushing your hair when it's dry is how you get frizz and tangles, so brush your hair when it's damp (not wet; wet hair catches on the brush more easily) and/or with plenty of conditioner/detanglers.

General Tips:

Regularly trimming split ends (at least every three months - yes, even if you're growing your hair out!) prevents those split ends from becoming a bigger problem by splitting further and causing breakage farther up in the strand.

When styling your hair, avoid keeping it in styles that pull at your scalp for extended periods, for example, high ponytails, cornrows, and tight buns.

If your hair gets messy or tangled in your sleep often, consider wearing a night cap to bed.

Cotton or polyester pillowcases can leech moisture from your hair and contribute to breakage. Silk or satin pillowcases are your friend, and you'll want to wash them weekly (hand wash or gentle cycle).

Try not to touch or mess with your hair too often. The oils from your hands can make your hair more oily.

If your color or chemically treat your hair, it can be drier and break more easily. Adjust your routine accordingly.

Summary:

Hair type affects every aspect of hair care. From what you wash it with and how often you wash it to drying, brushing, and styling your hair, you need to know your hair type to evaluate what is most effective.

I tried to be as comprehensive as possible while still generalizing for different types of hair, so please let me know if you want me to add or change anything!

Sources:

Black Hair Information: Hair Type Chart

This is where I got the hair type chart. I chose this specific one because it showed not only the curl type, but also some real-life examples of how that type of hair looks.

Wikihow: How to Build the Perfect Hair Care Routine

This wikihow article is a very basic step by step guide for hair care.

Reddit: How to do a proper hair care routine?

This reddit post is a very basic step by step guide for hair care.

Reddit: Basic Haircare Guide

This reddit post goes through different product types and what ingredients to look for or avoid for each.

Hairstyle Camp: Dry Hair vs Oily Hair vs Normal Hair

This article from Hairstyle Camp talks about the differences between dry, oily hair, and "normal" hair and what products can be used for each type.

American Academy of Dermatology Association: 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair

This article covers common mistakes that people make when caring for their hair and alternatives to them.

All Things Hair:The Complete Guide To Afro Hair Care and Styling

This article specifically focuses on afro hair, which has tighter, denser curls (often type 3 or 4). It covers everything from care routine to styling.

American Academy of Dermatology Association: Black hair: Tips for everyday care

Although it's short, this article lists a few tips specifically for black hair.

American Academy of Dermatology Association: 6 curly hair care tips from dermatologists

Although it's short, this article is about curly hair tips.

Byrdie: How to Dry Hair Properly

This article goes through different methods of drying hair, their benefits and drawbacks, and how to do each in a way that keeps your hair healthy.

YouTube: Courtknee King's Towel Hat Video

This video shows you how to make a "towel hat".

Wikihow: How to Brush Your Hair

This article is pretty simple but comprehensive and covers when and how to brush your hair.

YouTube: Manes By Mell's Video, The Best Detangling and Styling Tips for Your Hair Type + Brushes Explained

This video covers detangling, styling, and which brushes to use for each. It's a little long, but you can skip between sections.

StylEnrich: Types of Hair Brushes and Their Uses!

This article has a list of a bunch of different types of hair brushes and what they're used for, but it lacks pictures for most of them, unfortunately.

Cosmopolitan: How Often Should You Trim Your Hair? A Hairstylist Explains

This article explains how often you need to cut or trim your hair at each hair length, from short to long, and why.

[davronatural]

8 Tips For Styling Curly Hair | Curly Hair Moisturizing Shampoo

1. Embrace the curl!: You know, the grass is always greener on the other side, right? NO! Your grass is really, really green, you just need to know how to take care of it! Embrace your curls, love them and rock them with confidence. They truly are beautiful people pay to have hair like you! If you have a hard time knowing how to tame them, then read on. I’ve got some tips & resources for you!

2. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Curly hair is naturally dry to begin with and is prone to frizz, as you probably know all too well! The key is to stay away from products with alcohol and sulfate in them as they will strip oils from your hair. It’s also a good idea to wash your hair less and take advantage of your natural oils. I’d say that’s a pretty big benefit, if you ask me!

3. Shampoo right: Like #2, you don’t want to dry out your hair, and often shampoo can do that. I mean, it is cleansing your hair, stripping it of its natural oils. Try washing it less and use a product such as a moisturizing shampoo like Davroe’s Curl Co-wash. It’s a shampoo but you lather it throughout your hair, leave it on while you shower (a couple minutes), then rinse & condition. So, it is washing while conditioning and then you also add conditioner after that. I have used it and LOVE it!

4. Condition & then condition some more: After your moisturizing shampoo you should regularly use a heavy conditioner. Davroe has this product called Whipped Curls. It’s fabulous. It’s a conditioner that you can either leave in, for you really curly girls, or rinse out, for girls with hair like mine — kinda a tweener. Then invest in a good deep conditioner to use once a week or week and a half. Remember, you really shouldn’t be washing your hair more than a couple times a week.

5. Fight the Frizz: To truly style hair and achieve the look you’re going for, straight or curly, you need product. You don’t have to go all out and spend 100′s of dollars, but you need some good basic products to have on hand. I’ve used John Frieda’s Anti-Frizz Serum and have been happy with it. Davroe, which is made for curly hair, has a shine glaze serum. I haven’t tried this particular product, but I know curly hair women who swear by Davroe!

6. Lose the towels: Well, the towel might not be the problem, but the way you use it. When you’re drying your hair from just out of the shower don’t rub your hair as it will rough up the cuticles creating more frizz to deal with. Instead squeeze hair dry. You might even want to dry using an old t-shirt to absorb the water, or even some super absorbent paper towels. The bottom line here is not to rub your hair dry. Just try to soak up all the extra water you can.

7. Get the right cut: So much of styling your hair has to do with getting the right cut. You can also try finding a stylist that is either certified or has curly hair themselves so they understand what you need. With the right cut & right products, you’ll be unstoppable!

8. Give it time: Just so you know, you can’t try one or all of these things one time and expect the frizz to be gone and your hair to be totally fantastic. Develop a routine that works for you. Find the products that work best with your type of hair. Then do it consistently. Any beauty regime takes time to work; just stick with it and you will see results! Visit Site For More Information: www.davroe.com

[strwbrrypoundcake]

This is my current routine/rules for keeping myself healthy-ish while having an ed (kind of harm reduction

Tw cals, food mention

I never eat less than 600 cals a day, it leads to binging and depression for me.

I don't do extremely intense workouts. For me, it raises my cortisol levels and leads to feeling weak and binging. I do a mobility exercise video in the morning and then I do a walking workout video in the afternoon. Though if I get a job that will change slightly, but still the same intensity.

I take vitamin d, vitamin e, folic acid, iron, and magnesium + zinc.

I use ogx's coconut miracle oil at least 1 hour before I shower, it protects hair from water fatigue

I use ogx's coconut oil serum, I spray an argon oil leave in conditioner on damp hair then a very small amount of serum.

I eat tuna and/or salmon 3 times a week. You can also take fish oil supplements or eat an omega 3 trail mix but I prefer fish because it has a lot of protein

Speaking of protein, I eat as much as I can. It can be hard because the diet foods I eat don't have a lot. Here's a list of foods I eat that have protein:

Dannon light and fit Greek yogurt (80 cals, 12g protein)

Protein powder in coffee (about 36-38 cals depending on the brand, I use 2 tablespoons and blend it with 4oz almond milk and pour it in my coffee. You can also buy it pre made, super coffee is 80 cals with 10g protein. They also sell creamer with 15 cals 1g protein)

Fish like salmon and tuna

Frozen meals. Healthy choice has power bowls that normally have about 20g of protein or more for 300+ cals. Most frozen meal brands have a protein line

Pb2. I use this when I have a banana so there's protein with it, 60 cals and 6g protein

Protein bars, my favorite is the quest white chocolate raspberry

__________________________________________________

Water, self explanatory. Try to use electrolyte packets, low calorie and very needed. Propel is the brand I prefer

I take naps. When I work I take naps on my days off, must be at least 30 minutes but preferably 90 minutes. Sleep is so important

If you struggle with sleeping too much, add more fruit/cals into your diet. Get a really loud alarm and the first thing you do when you wake up is eat a citrus fruit or a banana. I know bananas are scary but they work great. Cut one in half or get small ones and eat one a day. And of course coffee can help. Drink green tea with lunch, caffeinated.

Using a shampoo and conditioner that work well for my hair. No, drugstore haircare will not ruin your hair. If you have the trademark dry, brittle hair that comes with this, use a sulfate free shampoo, and a conditioner with silicones in it, use pre shampoo oil treatments and limit how much you wash your hair. Use a clarifying shampoo once a week or once a month depending on how dry your hair is. Try to get a satin bonnet to sleep in or spray leave in conditioner and use a hair oil then braid your hair before bed. Trust me, hair oil on your mids and ends can help. Ogx sells mists for fine hair, those work great. If you have thick hair use the coconut serum. Make sure you're using leave in conditioner after showering

Be insanely gentle with your hair, no elastics or tight hairstyles. Comb your hair with your fingers first, gently detangling with your fingers before brushing from the bottom up, very lightly. Use leave in conditioner before you brush. Use a wide tooth comb on wet hair and do not rub your hair with a towel. Gently squeeze until excess water is removed. Try to limit brushing with a hairbrush or comb to once or twice a day.

Use cuticle oil, ideally it has vitamin e in it. I got mine off Amazon. Make sure it's on your cuticles and nails

Use lotion on your body after every shower. I know it's annoying and tiring but it will help combat the dull skin that happens, try to find one with hyaluronic acid

For face skin, use a gentle cleanser or just water unless your skin is oily, then you can get away with more medicated options. Use a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid in it. My top picks are peach slices snail rescue moisturizers (regular for normal to dry skin, oil free for oily skin), vanicream daily facial moisturizer with hyaluronic acid and for very dry skin cerave moisturizing cream in a tub (you can find knockoffs, mine is Walmart brand)

Cleansers I like for when the 3d effects skin is vanicream gentle cleanser, cerave sa cleanser for if you still have oily skin, Cetaphil sensitive skin cleanser and CeraVe cream to foam cleanser (you can find knockoffs for most of these products)

Use a niacinamide serum if you can afford it and your skin can handle it, it will brighten up your face.

I use a body serum but it is not a necessity, but for anyone who wants to try it I use the b.fresh brightening body serum, you could also use their dull to dewy one, its also good

I eat healthy fats, this comes from peanut butter, fish, avocado, eggs, dark chocolate and chia seeds

I have one day a month that I can have a normal portion of food I really want but make me guilty normally (Chinese takeaway, taco bell, Wendy's, McDonald's etc) it cannot be a binge, but it would be more than I normally eat.

This is not intentional but on Friday and Saturday I do eat more because I am with my boyfriend. All normal portions for the most part. I just eat more and things I wouldn't normally have like regular peanut butter honey toast, poptarts, spaghetti, etc.

I try not to weigh myself every day. I don't weigh in on Sunday or Monday because I know I will be bloated from the increase in cals

I use a cavity preventing toothpaste and mouth wash. And I at least floss once a day. I use whitening toothpaste one day a week for both times I brush that day

These things help me stay healthy and sane while I am currently in the midst of my 3d. Not all of them will work, but maybe some may be useful to others.

[beautyfineshopparis]

African Pride extra shine braid sheen spray 355ml.

Braid Sheen Spray is used regularly to help relieve dry, itchy scalp. Not only do the braids last longer, but it leaves them with radiant shine. This spray deeply nourishes adding hydration, and softness, and also helps relieve itching and pain caused by doing braids, locks, or twists on the scalp. This product prevents hair loss and breakage by leaving a pleasant fragrance.

Directions to use African Pride extra shine Spray:

Spray Braid Sheen on the scalp just after doing braids or other finger hairstyles. Use this African pride extra braid spray daily for the best results.

[walif11]

A Guide to Choosing the Right Shampoo

1. Understand Your Hair Type

The first step in finding the perfect shampoo is to understand your hair type. Knowing whether your hair is oily, dry, normal, curly, or color-treated can narrow down your options and guide you to the best ingredients and formulas.

Oily Hair: If your scalp tends to get greasy quickly, look for shampoos labeled as "clarifying" or "oil control." These formulas usually contain ingredients like tea tree oil, salicylic acid, or lemon extracts to help cleanse excess oil without drying out your scalp.

Dry Hair: For dry hair, opt for moisturizing or hydrating shampoos with ingredients like aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, or glycerin. These will help add moisture and reduce frizz, leaving your hair feeling softer and more manageable.

Curly or Coarse Hair: Curls often need extra moisture to stay bouncy and defined. Shampoos labeled "moisturizing," "nourishing," or "curl-enhancing" often contain ingredients like argan oil, jojoba oil, or proteins to strengthen curls and prevent breakage.

Color-Treated Hair: If you dye your hair, look for shampoos specifically designed for color-treated hair. These formulas are typically sulfate-free and have ingredients that help preserve color, like UV protectants or antioxidants.

Fine or Thin Hair: Lightweight, volumizing shampoos are ideal for fine or thin hair. Ingredients like biotin, rice protein, or keratin help to add volume without weighing down your hair, making it look fuller.

2. Know Your Scalp Needs

Your scalp’s health is just as important as your hair’s condition. Some people experience dandruff, sensitivity, or itchiness, which requires special attention.

Dandruff or Flaky Scalp: For dandruff, look for shampoos with ingredients like zinc pyrithione, salicylic acid, or ketoconazole, which help combat the fungi that cause dandruff. Avoid ingredients like sulfates and alcohols, as these can worsen dryness.

Sensitive Scalp: If you have a sensitive or easily irritated scalp, avoid products with harsh chemicals and fragrances. Choose a gentle, hypoallergenic, or sulfate-free shampoo with soothing ingredients like chamomile, aloe vera, or oat extract.

Itchy or Oily Scalp: If you experience oil buildup with itching, try a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove buildup. Look for ingredients like tea tree oil or peppermint, which have antimicrobial properties and a cooling effect to relieve itchiness.

3. Check the Ingredients List

Certain ingredients in shampoo are best avoided if you want to maintain the health of your hair and scalp. Here’s a quick rundown:

Sulfates: These are cleansing agents that create lather but can strip your hair of natural oils, making it dry and frizzy. Sulfate-free shampoos are milder and ideal for sensitive scalps, dry, curly, or color-treated hair.

Silicones: Although silicones add shine and smoothness, they can build up over time, making hair feel heavy and greasy. Use silicone-free options if you have fine hair or prefer a lighter feel.

Parabens: Parabens are preservatives used to extend shelf life. They have potential health risks, so many people prefer to use paraben-free shampoos.

Fragrances and Dyes: Artificial fragrances and dyes can irritate sensitive scalps and cause allergic reactions. Choose fragrance-free or naturally scented shampoos if you’re sensitive to these additives.

4. Consider Environmental Factors

Your environment can also influence the type of shampoo you need. For instance:

Hard Water: If you live in an area with hard water, look for a shampoo with chelating agents that can help remove mineral buildup. Chelating shampoos can help keep your hair from becoming dull and lifeless.

Humidity and Dry Weather: Humidity can lead to frizz, so look for anti-frizz shampoos with hydrating ingredients if you live in a humid climate. In dry weather, opt for moisturizing shampoos to prevent your hair from becoming too brittle.

5. Read Reviews and Patch Test

When trying a new shampoo, it’s always wise to read reviews from people with similar hair types and concerns. Additionally, do a patch test to check for any allergies or irritations. Apply a small amount of shampoo on the inside of your wrist or behind your ear and wait 24 hours to see if there’s a reaction.

6. Balance Your Routine

Finding the right shampoo is essential, but remember that a healthy hair routine doesn’t stop there. Avoid over-washing your hair, as this can strip it of natural oils. You can also benefit from adding a conditioner, a leave-in treatment, or a hair mask, depending on your hair’s needs.

Conclusion

Choosing the right shampoo involves understanding your hair and scalp type, reading ingredient labels, and balancing your routine with complementary products. A well-selected shampoo can make a significant difference in the health and appearance of your hair, so take the time to find one that’s perfectly tailored to your needs.

[blushcoloreddreams]

Dream hair at home - how to choose and use shampoo

Why are there so many different shampoos? What is the real function of shampoo? How to use it correctly and how choose the shampoo according to your scalp type? Now let's take a very important step for you have perfect hair! You will learn the correct form to use shampoo. Yes, it all starts here, because the way you use this product will have an impact directly to the health of your hair. Well, you may have noticed that there is a huge variety of shampoos on the shelves, right? Shampoo for dry hair, for unruly hair, for oily hair, shampoo for chemically treated hair, brittle, for blond hair, for dyed hair, micellar shampoo… And choosing the right shampoo may be a great difficulty for you. “What is the right shampoo for me?” That's what you ask yourself when you're in front of that crowded shelf. Many people end up choosing better-smelling shampoo, as they really have no knowledge about the selection criteria. And it is to explain what the shampoo is for and make this choice easier for you that I made in this post.

Function

The shampoo was made to clean the scalp.It is designed to clean. It's a type of detergent. And, like all detergents, shampoo is made to dissolve grease and clean the environment. Just to be clear: know the detergent you use in the kitchen? It is also made to dissolve fat and to clean. Body soap, facial soap, hand soap… they all have the function of dissolving fat produced by your skin and remove dirt from the area. Now, think with me: if the shampoo is made to dissolve grease and clean, so it cannot be used to moisturize and leave your hair soft, right? One thing is opposite to the other. Shampoo, being abrasive and corrosive, is not suitable for treat your hair. So far so good, right? Shampoo was made to dissolve grease and remove dirt, not to treat your hair.

How to use shampoo correctly

Here begins a turning point for you: if the shampoo removes hydration and fat, and if what we want is to have hydrated and silky hair, why are you applying shampoo on the hair (on the shaft, that is, on the length of the hair) if the hair lenght does not produce fat?

This thing about rubbing shampoo into your hair damages them. The thread becomes more and more weakened and brittle. Shampoo should only be applied to the scalp, which is where sebum production occurs by the sebaceous glands “But, Júlia, will my hair be clean if I apply shampoo only on the scalp?” Yes, it will be. And I invite you to test it, because that's how you will use the shampoo from now on. The shampoo is designed to be applied to the scalp. And I know right now you're wondering: “Okay, I understand that the hair has no fat and that so I shouldn't use detergent there. But… what about dirt and dust from everyday life? How then will I clean the hair ends? Simple: the foam that runs through your hair in the The moment you rinse the shampoo is more than enough to clean the shaft and the hair. In the moment that you rinse your hair, it becomes completely clean.

So, the correct way to apply the shampoo is by putting a little in one hand, taking small portions with the other hand and applying directly to the scalp. Take it, apply it. Take it, apply it… Apply shampoo all over the scalp. After this, massage the entire scalp well (you can use a scalp brush) and rinse. You can repeat this entire procedure 2 or 3 times, until you feel like your hair is clean. Speaking of rinsing, I also have something important to add here. It is essential that you rinse your hair VERY well. And my instruction is that, from now on, you stay for 4 to 5 minutes leaving the water fall in abundance, at the same time as it opens the hair so that all the foam comes out. And this is very serious!

We think our hair is shampoo-free when, in fact, he is still storing a lot of product there inside. This is very harmful to the health of your hair.

Why are there so many varieties of shampoo?

Another important point is the sensorial sensation that the shampoo provides. In other words, there are shampoos that leave the hair very rigid and are even more difficult to apply, while others bring a greater sensation of softness and ease by massaging the scalp, providing a more pleasant experience. This is because shampoos that are softer when applied contain humectant and conditioning components which improve the sliding of the product during application. However, this does not mean that this type of shampoo is better or provides hydration, even make your hair softer. This factor is related only to the sensory. In fact, this type of shampoo is often harmful to hair, as silicones and conditioning agents can hinder or even prevent conditioner or mask from working properly after washing.

“Okay, Julia, I understand. But what about micellar shampoo? Is it better or is it a myth?

You see: the micelle occurs when fat droplets are trapped by the detergent. This is called emulsification. This way, all shampoos can be considered micellars, do you agree? If the micelle is the removal of fat and that is exactly the function of shampoo, so all shampoos are micellar. So if you were using a micellar shampoo because you believed it had some other specific function, now you've just learned that it doesn't make sense to pay more for a shampoo just because it has the name “micellar” on the label. At this point, it is important that you know that the label of the shampoo was designed to sell the product. Name strategies and “extra functions” are used there to attract your attention and make you buy it . What is written on the label is not always a benefit real for your hair. Moisturizing shampoo, shampoo detox, reconstructive shampoo, anti-frizz shampoo, shampoo with a pool of amino acids or with a pool of proteins… These are all tempting promises that can pique your interest and make you pay more. But remember: the function of shampoo is to clean. And that's it.

The 3 types of shampoos

What differentiates one shampoo from another is the level of abrasiveness, that is, how corrosive it is or is not. We have 3 types of shampoos: very abrasive (for very oily hair ), with medium abrasiveness (for medium oiliness) and low abrasives (for hair with little oil or dry). Therefore, I advise that, if you notice that the shampoo chosen is more abrasive than necessary for your type of scalp, you apply an amount smaller amount of product or even dilute some of it in a separate bottle at the time of use. This will make the shampoo softer. “What if the shampoo is less abrasive compared to what Does my hair need it?” In this case, you will apply the shampoo 2 to 3 times, always rinsing very well.

The 3 types of scalp “And how will I know if my scalp needs theshampoo level 1, 2 or 3 in relation to abrasiveness?”

This will be defined according to the oiliness that your scalp presents or with the frequency of washing of your hair. Inside your scalp, there are sebaceous glands, responsible for the production of sebum, that fat or oil that protects skin and hair. However, there are people who produce a lot of sebum, there are people who produce sebum at an average (or normal) level and there are people who produce little sebum. And it is from the understanding of your level of production of sebum that you will choose which shampoo is most suitable for your needs. Level 1 scalp is the scalp that produces little oiliness. The person can easily remain 5 to 7 days without washing your hair. Here the indication is use abrasive level 1 shampoo, that is, with lower cleaning power. Level 2 scalp produces oil within the normal. The person can stay calmly for up to 3 days without washing your hair. In this case, shampoo with level 2 abrasiveness must be used, that is, with cleaning medium power. Level 3 scalp is the scalp that produces lots of oil. The person feels the need to wash hair every day or almost every day. It must be abrasive level 3 shampoo was applied, that is, with greater cleaning power, and I'll teach you how to identify that.

Before explaining how you will identify the level of abrasiveness of the shampoo, I need to emphasize that, if you buy shampoo with a higher level of abrasiveness, just dilute a little of this shampoo with water, in a separate container. Or, if it's the opposite and you buy a shampoo with a lower level of abrasiveness, just repeat the hair washing process, washing it for 2 or 3 times.

How to identify the level of abrasiveness of the shampoo? Now you will know how to identify the level of abrasiveness shampoo, but don't worry too much about it, because later on I will make a post here with suggestions for shampoo and all the items we will talk about here in this series to make it easier when choosing your products. Whenever there is the sulfosuccinate item in the composition of the shampoo, the abrasiveness is level 1. Whenever you have the lauryl ether item, the abrasiveness is level two. Whenever you have the lauryl sulfate item, the abrasiveness is level 3.

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The Essential Guide to Black Hair Care Products: Nourish, Protect, and Style

When it comes to hair care, black hair is a world of its own, rich in texture and versatility. Whether you're rocking luscious curls, intricate braids, or a classic fade, the right products can make all the difference in maintaining healthy, vibrant hair. In this guide, we'll explore the best Black hair care products to help you achieve your hair goals while keeping it healthy and stylish.

Understanding Black Hair

Before diving into the products, let’s get a clearer picture of what makes black hair unique.

1. Texture Matters

Black hair can vary greatly in texture—from tightly coiled kinks to loose waves. This diversity affects how your hair behaves, how it responds to products, and how you should care for it.

2. Moisture is Key

One of the most significant challenges with black hair is dryness. The natural oils produced by your scalp have a harder time traveling down the twists and turns of each strand. This is why keeping your hair moisturized is crucial for its health.

3. Vulnerability to Damage

Due to its unique structure, black hair is often more susceptible to breakage and damage. That’s why using the right products and maintaining a proper hair care routine is essential for promoting growth and maintaining overall hair health.

The Must-Have Black Hair Care Products

1. Moisturizing Shampoo

A good shampoo sets the stage for healthy hair. Look for a moisturizing shampoo that's sulfate-free. Sulfates can strip natural oils from your hair, leaving it dry and brittle.

Key Ingredients: Opt for products containing shea butter, coconut oil, or aloe vera, as these ingredients provide hydration and nourishment.

2. Conditioner

After shampooing, a rich conditioner is a non-negotiable step. It helps detangle hair, add moisture, and reduce frizz.

Deep Conditioners: Incorporate a deep conditioner into your routine at least once a week. These products penetrate deeper into the hair shaft for more intensive moisture.

3. Leave-In Conditioner

A leave-in conditioner is like a shield for your hair. It provides extra moisture throughout the day and helps with styling.

How to Use: Apply it to damp hair after washing. It’s perfect for locking in hydration and making detangling a breeze.

4. Hair Oils

Hair oils are game-changers for maintaining shine and softness. They can also help seal in moisture, which is especially crucial for black hair.

Popular Oils: Consider using jojoba oil, argan oil, or castor oil. Each has unique properties that benefit your hair in different ways.

5. Styling Creams and Gels

When it comes to styling, the right cream or gel can help you achieve your desired look without the crunchiness that some products leave behind.

Curl Creams: Ideal for those with natural curls, curl creams define and enhance your curls while keeping them soft and manageable.

Styling Gels: For more hold, consider a gel that doesn’t flake. Look for alcohol-free options to prevent dryness.

6. Hair Masks

Hair masks are your secret weapon for intense hydration. They are typically used once a week or bi-weekly and provide a concentrated dose of nutrients.

DIY Options: You can create your own masks using natural ingredients like avocado, honey, or yogurt, which nourish and moisturize your hair.

7. Heat Protectants

If you use heat styling tools, a heat protectant is essential. This product creates a barrier between your hair and the heat, preventing damage.

Tip: Always apply a heat protectant before using blow dryers, curling irons, or flat irons to keep your hair safe.

8. Scalp Treatments

A healthy scalp is crucial for healthy hair growth. Consider using a scalp treatment or exfoliator to remove buildup and nourish the scalp.

Key Ingredients: Look for products containing tea tree oil or peppermint, which can soothe irritation and promote circulation.

Creating Your Hair Care Routine

Now that you know the must-have products, how do you incorporate them into a routine that works for you?

Step 1: Cleansing

Start with a moisturizing shampoo, followed by a rich conditioner. Remember to rinse thoroughly to avoid product buildup.

Step 2: Deep Conditioning

Once a week, treat your hair to a deep conditioning treatment. This is your chance to give your hair the extra love it deserves.

Step 3: Moisturizing and Styling

After washing, apply a leave-in conditioner followed by a styling product that suits your hair type. This will help define your look while keeping your hair nourished.

Step 4: Weekly Mask and Scalp Treatment

Incorporate a hair mask into your routine weekly. Additionally, consider a scalp treatment every couple of weeks to keep your scalp healthy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the right products, you can still fall into some traps. Here are a few common mistakes to steer clear of:

Over-Washing: Washing your hair too frequently can strip away natural oils. Aim to wash your hair 1-2 times a week.

Neglecting Your Scalp: A healthy scalp equals healthy hair. Don’t forget to care for your scalp as part of your routine.

Ignoring Product Ingredients: Not all products are created equal. Always read labels and avoid harsh chemicals that can damage your hair.

Final Thoughts: Embrace Your Crown

Black hair is not just a style; it's a statement, a culture, and a part of who you are. By using the right products and maintaining a proper care routine, you can embrace the beauty of your natural hair. It’s about more than just looking good; it’s about feeling confident and empowered in your own skin.