#these stylistic biases can affect anyone first of all

[britneyshakespeare]

this is sooooo silly but i keep thinking about it. disgraced would-be-debut author cait corrain (a youtube video about that if you aren't aware of what i'm talking about). i can't remember where it was shown right now that they were talking to a biracial artist they were commissioning to draw a black character for them. for some reason they just kept wanting to like overexplain why they are going to an artist of color and how they would do a better job (why not just tell that particular artist how you appreciate their particular skills?). bc they were like well a white person probably wouldn't do as good a job on it. this might not seem like the most important thing to point out, but you don't need a reason to commission artists of color. you can just do that. there's nothing inherent to the art of drawing that would make white people less able to drawing people of color, or any person less able to draw anyone else with different features than them. especially if what you're seeking is a realistic piece; an experienced realistic artist shouldn't have trouble drawing ethnic features that they don't personally possess.

it felt like cait corrain was just very much overspeaking on troubles with racial representation in popular art. and they don't really know what those problems are or how they arise. when white artists are bad at drawing people of color, it's usually not that they just have some sort of difficulty of perceiving accurate shapes or forms. it's that their stylistic preference has a bias towards lighter skin, eurocentric features, that sort of thing. you don't have to tell an artist "i think you'd be better at drawing this character because you're non-white." like that's just so weird.

oh wait super important edit im making immediately bc i meant to say this in the original post: U CAN HIRE ARTISTS OF COLOR TO DRAW THINGS OTHER THAN PPL OF COLOR. HIRE ARTISTS OF COLOR FOR ANYTHING U WANT COMMISSIONED. U DONT NEED A VIRTUE-SIGNALLING REASON TO DO IT. u could even have them draw one of your white characters (gasp)

[c-atm]

Fighting Flirty: 

Character Select PT4 (Act3.2)

  “Oh, Wanda. You're here."

Alex and Wanda turned to the hybrid, still in his incompleted Shinji Ikari cosplay. The upper armor  in his right hand held over his shoulder like a backpack. 

"Yes, I was able to finish my business; I am at your disposal." The wardrobe stylist tipped her witches hat as she bowed from her waist. She gave him a once over smirking. "Teenage angst looks good on you."

Alex scoffed out a laugh at the cheeky joke and the surprising look on Steven's face.

"You know you're the second one who said that today, or on the same lines of that anyway."He sighed a bit of a blush on his face. He turned to Alex spreading his arms out. "Well?"

Alex waved her hand. "I'm sorry, I hate that character. My answer's completely biased." 

"I'm asking you though and if it's bias, I know it's not me but character. Not gonna get offended, promised."

Alex side-eyed Steven, her mouth left corner turned up slightly disbelieving his words. Last thing she wants to do is insult a customer in front of her boss, but she didn't want to disappoint said customer.

"'I've already been told I make depressing sexy, and teen angst look good. Don't think there's you could confuse me more with an underhand compliment."

"You wear uselessness well."

Steven only started at the quick and blunt reply, ignoring Wanda's giggling behind him. 

"You know.." He chuckled. "I agree with you on him being useless."

"But you wear him well...Seriously, that costume fits you like a glove." Alex stated as she looked him over. 

“Taking pride in your work, Alex?” 

Alex gave her boss a grin. “Not my work, Boss. This is a labor of love,”She pressed her index to her lip turning the grin to Steven. “or should I say friendship?”

“I see..” Wanda jested. “Well, it makes sense to know what would look good on your partner.”

“Really? Isn’t it bad business to tease your customers?” The hybrid retorted with a half- hearted pout.

“Yeah, but who else’s gonna give you top of the line costumes like us.”Alex half smirked as she moved close to his ear “Isn't it bad practice to consummate in a public dressing room?”

Steven's face burned with embarrassment as he turned towards the receptionist. He took a look at Wanda who wore a knowing grin. 

“It’s not like we have any written rules against such acts and you did rent out the studio, so you’re not bothering anyone.” The stylist assured patting his shoulder.”Just be mindful that our rooms aren’t sound proof and please respect the merchandise.”

He rubbed his eyes, sighing as he did. “It’s not what you think.I swear.” He lazily held his right hand as if he was being sworn in. “All I did was fulfill a promise.”

The two women looked at one another for a quick glance.

“We won’t pry.” They said simultaneously before Alex moved from him a small smile on her face.

“I appreciate that, really. Also I apologize if we caused you-”

“Save those for when you really offended this place.” Wanda interjected. “ I told you to have fun and it sounds like you are,so no harm no foul; as far as i’m concerned.”

“Yeah, ok.” Steven nodded, not pushing the issue further. “So with that out of the way,” with a smirk he held the armor up “can I get some assistance with this?”

“Ah,  let me guess, thought it was a slip on, huh?” Alex joked as she took the ABS accessory and reached inside unclipping the latches in the right, opening it up not unlike a book revealing it’s black hollow inside. “There you go, slip it on to your shoulder and have Connie just close the latch to secure it..”

“Actually Connie’s freshening up, so maybe you can help, Alex? Also,” he turned to Wanda “you wouldn’t have those costumes ready, would you?”

Wanda scoffed at the question. “Of course I have them ready.” She grinned cockily. “What do you take me for, huh? That’s an insult, apologize.” 

Alex slipped the armor up his left shoulder, shaking her head as she did. “You better Steven, Boss here does not take underestimation well.” 

“Reminds me of a certain someone. “ Steven chuckled in response to Alex’s teasing. Holding his neck up and right arm out as Alex lined up the armor .“I’m sorry Ms. Wanda,I meant no insult.”

Wanad rolled her eyes at his overdramatic voice. “Yeah yeah,” she gave him a side smirk “ watch when I roll the costumes out and we get you ‘friend’ in hers. You’re really going to be singing my praises..” She folded her arms under her chest, her eyes burning in challenge. 

“I can’t wait.” Steven said excitedly as Alex closed the latch, securing it on his chest.

“So, how ya feeling? Not too tight or anything?” Alex asked

Steven moved the top half of his torso getting a feel of the complete costume.” It’s not bad, it’s huggy..but not as bad as I thought it would be.” 

“Go to the display stage, so you can see the whole picture.”

“Alex,” Wanda sighed “it's not a display stage.”

“Revolving stage with multiple full body mirrors along the perimeter of said stage, that sounds very ‘display’, Boss.” The younger girl argued.

“It kinda does.” Steven agreed.

“It's the main stage, and I won't accept any other name for it, understood?" 

Her gentle smile didn't match her steel eyes, nonetheless the two nodded in agreement, if a bit out of fear. Regardless, Wanda nodded, pleased at her victory.

"Alex please go to the back and get those four special orders and bring them to their dressing rooms."

"Aye, aye capi'tan." Alex saluted playfully before leaving the two.

"So should we get you to the main stage?" 

Steven shook his head. "Not yet, still gotta get a couple of outfits for me and my...compliment."

"Your compliment…" Wanda snickered. " Now that's an interesting pet name."

Steven shrugged before walking along the costume aisles, observing the costumes, pausing every few seconds.. "I guess...It's not like we're actually exclusive or even in an official relationship."

"Are you trying to change that?"

Steven didn't say anything as he lifted up a couple of costumes from a popular JRPG that they played a few years back. 

"I'm not or at least not forcing the change."

"But you wouldn't mind if it changed?"

"Wouldn't matter much."

Wanda watched him as he continued his search. Watching as his eyes lingered on a particular  piece.

It was a white leotard with an elegant detachable PVC fauld around the waist that reached the ankles. The upper bust, back and neck had a cross-stitch design, the shoulders were a bit puffed and resembled guards and the sleeves resembled long point gloves. It was accessorized with a PVC broadsword, a wildflower crown connected to a transparent veil, two garter leather belts, and a beautiful plastic bouquet.

"This is quite the wedding cosplay." 

Wanda noticed the adoringly tone in his voice. "Why thank you, it's an original piece. Went for a knightly bride aesthetic."

"You nailed it very well, it looks like something a strong maiden would wear. Especially like the lion faced pellets on the fauld."

"If only I had a model, I could probably make it a bestseller."

Steven looked at the stylist from his left peripheral, her tone was suggestive. 

"It's not like you weren't imagining her in it as well." 

Steven sighed. "Maybe I was." He scratched the back of his head a slight blush. "Though, she wouldn't be comfortable being in the center of attention."

"She wouldn't be alone though. I do have a groom outfit to go with it."

Steven narrowed his sight at Wanda. "You planned this?"

"You gave me weeks in advance. I took my shot and made preparations." The stylist shrugged, a lofty smirk on her face. "You can say no..but I'm willing to remove the cost of your visit, if you two did model my creations."

Steven's eyebrows rose in consideration. "We'll still have to pay for the costumes though?"

"We gotta make some money, but If you model the bride and groom, they're yours."

"Sheesh, sounds like you made these for us."

Wanad turned her head away and raised her hand to halt him. "I admit, the measurements were altered to fit you two, but I had no certainty when it came to having you wear it.." She looked at him, her eyes far-reaching. "Not until I met you two in the park." 

Steven watched her grin at him, her eyes both admirable and a bit amused.

"You two are quite taken with each other and you show your affection easily.”

“Never really gave notice to that,” Steven answered with a smile. “it’s become a natural form of communication for us.”

“Can I ask, how long have you known each other?”

“You’re quite curious.”

“Investigative.” Wanada corrected, seriously. “As a stylist, I feel knowing my subjects  helps me dress them better.”

“Is that why you were so grabby on Connie?”

She chuckled at the slight bass in his voice. “Now mr. Universe, I assure you it really was just a routine check. No need to be jealous over your best friend.”The stylist grinned. “I would never get in between a couple of eternal honeymooners.”

Steven snickered.“Eternal honeymooners huh?.You should meet Ruby and Sapphire.” He sighed, scratching his head. “Seven years.” 

“Preteen friends and you're still together.” Wanda crossed her arms impressed. “Most would’ve grown apart after the first few years.”

“Not many lived our adolescent or teenage years.” Steven retorted with a smile. “I’d wouldn't be who I am without her.”

“Hard childhood?”

“Yeah...Very much so. We’ve gone through things together. Things most people would have ran from.”

“She didn’t.”

Steven laughedt. “Nope, she decided to face it all with me, my little berry knight. Help carried my burdens, protected me from danger, guided me when I was lost, saved my life multiple times.” 

Wanda could only watch as his smile grew. “She’s really amazing, huh?”

Steven nodded. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have her, and that is not flowery talk.”

"You love her, don't you."

"Not exactly hiding the fact, now am I?"

Wanda eyes widen at the conviction in his voice. “I believe you…Though it's hard to think of you two as 'just' best-friends. Not after all that."

Steven shrugged, looking smug. "You're not the first who said that, but that's the base of our relationship."

"Meaning you're something else."

"Of course." Steven stated with a snicker, before he took the bride and tossed it over his shoulder leaving Wanada even more curious as he made his way to the dressing rooms. 

When he walked in closing the door behind him, he was greeted with the sight of Connie sitting on the bench next to her Asuka costume legs crossed, hands next to her hips. She was looking annoyed while  tapping on his phone.

[vapormaison]

Best of 2019 Vaporwave Release 3/4: Sensual Loops SPECIAL EDITION by Cyber Club

As vaporwave matures and enters the mainstream, I often find myself having discussions with vapor heads on reddit about the iconography of the genre. I realize that this is a bad idea, but cannot help myself. More often than not, they are pointlessly terse, and tend to be tediously teleological — the type of argumentation featuring enough loops of logic to cause a medieval Byzantine monk’s head to spin.

A recurring topic that baits me every single time is when a poster attempts to criticize the album art of a record, dismissing the entire work on the based on “anime” aesthetics. While this might seem like an argument so off-center and reductive that it’s parody— I’d encourage you to go on r/VaporVinyl and take a look at some of the posts replying to threads about Cyber Club’s Sensual Loops LP series. It’s not pretty, and representative where some of the fanbase is at the moment. Adding to my shock was when one of the self-appointed critics outed themselves as twenty three years old. At that moment, I was forced to confront my own bias. I had mistakenly assumed that the puritan was an out-of-touch Gen Xer or a Baby Boomer. Aesthetic intolerance is not exclusive — and plenty of Zoomers are members of this trash clique as well.

What really boggled my mind, however, was that the user had picked vaporwave out of all the other possible genres to go on their Nipponophobic soapbox against. A quick look at the aesthetic movement as a whole (sonically, artistically, etc.) establishes it as what I would assert as a primarily millennial genre — less of a statement about its creators and consumers, and more about the broader, overarching cultural milieu in which in developed. It was birthed in the decade that heralded the mass-consumption of Japanese media in the Western marketplace. Many of its early practitioners got their start chopping and screwing anime OSTs and hip hop. Future Funk effectively appeared on the sonic map by the sampling of Japanese city pop. What is even worth arguing here?

But that which bothered me even more was the user’s stubborn refusal to even listen to the album. You can not buy a vinyl because you just have a particular aversion to cover art — that’s fine! Better yet, you can not buy a vinyl just because you’re not a fan of the sound. Those are two perfectly fine reasons not to partake in a release. But then to go on reddit and complain about an album aesthetic for something you haven’t even listened to? Come on, fam. Level up your praxis. It is the whitewashing and the boorishness that is most infuriating. I’ve legitimately never heard of anyone who dismissed an entire album’s music purely on the basis of its vinyl cover art before.

And shame on them, because they are sleeping on one of the best works of 2019.

The limited edition of Sensual Loops 1 & 2 is another LP that I had the luxury of listening to while on my East Asia tour. I brought the album (among others) with me to visit a very good pal of mine, Han, who’s retired to Hong Kong. Much to my relief, he’s in a comparatively spacious apartment over in the Tai Wo area — by no means the stereotypical postage stamp — and has set up a little audiophile pad that I’m most envious of. His setup is devoted to all things B&W, and I got a beautiful listen of the album on a pair of impressive and almost imposing 700-series floor standers. Powered by the Cambridge Audio Edge series Amp/Pre combo, this was far above even my paygrade. But after working as a salaryman for two decades, he was finally able to invest in his endgame system. And what an endgame it is!

Getting the chance to listen Sensual Loops on this system cemented my opinion when I had first heard it’s release digitally: I was listening to an instant contender for the best vaporwave release of 2019.

Sensual Loops 1

Introduction immediately fills your speakers with a wide, warm guitar and horn loops that feature just enough static noise to distinguish itself as a vaporwave track. I always like it when a little minute-thirty track gives the amp a little exercise. It also proves to be a perfect sonic setup for the next track, which is ostensibly what every “intro” track should do, right?

Night carries that guitar riff from Introduction but adds a playful variance with a synth loop, and vocals that I believe are sampled from that Philly Soul classic “Children of the Night” done by the Stylistics and the Jones Girls’, among others. All of the moving parts here do wonders, syncing together in a perfect arrangement. Both Han and I commented on just how bright this played on his JBLs, which is a testament to the mix and mastering work here.

Love & Affection definitely feels the most retro-vapor of all the tracks on Sensual Loops 1, beginning with a series of loops, riffs, and synth chimes that feel as if they were picked from a certain collection of sitcoms of an early nineties vintage. The heavily distorted vocals and hypnotic drum kits pop in after about a minute to give the track an almost deep house feel as it progresses. The “all mine” hook then crescendos into a symphony of drum hits that conclude the track with a real sonic flutter in the air when played with high-end speakers.

Pain accelerates the rather slow pace of the album up to this point. I’m a big fan of the synth arrangement that opens the track, and I schmood even more with the powerfully funky vocal set that carries the track throughout. But with its short length, it does feel more like an interlude or setup for what I consider to be the highlight of the LP.

Memories is our certified slapper. It starts off immediately with an incredibly catchy synth chord arrangement supplemented by a fantastically tweaked vocal sample from the fantastically, alliteratively-named Melba Moore, another funky soul queen who needs a revival in the contemporary lexicography.

Sensual definitely swings the record a bit further away from the future funk and back towards the vapor-funk side of things. Back are cyber club’s usual array of jumpy, tinny synth chords and manipulated vocal micro-samples that still provide a really robust sonic experience on the hi-fi system of your choice. When the vocals make their appearance about ninety seconds in, I was expecting them to sound much less rich in the middle than they did, which was definitely a present surprise on the mastering side!

Alone is a beautiful cacophony of micro-samples with a vocal track manipulated to sound like an 80s ideal of a future robot gf. I’m not sure how else to describe this track except as pure atmosphere. The fluttering synths, muted percussion, electric highs that send tweeters bouncing — it’s difficult to precisely describe how a track like this comes over a hi-fi system like the Edge. It just pulls out every detail from an immensely dense track like this and does it every bit the justice it deserves.

Paradise ends up taking a traditional funk and re-engineering it into a sort of quasi-tropical sound similar to some of the early Aloe Island Posse bangers. It’s got a much more lo-fi edge to the track then most future funk takes on a track like this, and creates a really unique and playful experience.

Bliss is almost raw synth pop with a hardened vapor edge to it. Although the original sample is from a very soulful electro R&B outfit — the Loose Ends — we get aggressive drums and synth loops that bring this closer to Paula Abdul than anything that could be traditionally considered rhythm and blues. Just enough manipulation of the vocal sample and some well-timed percussion hits make this more fit for a night out than a baby-making session in, which is both remarkable and a testament to cyber club’s skill.

Sensual Loops 2

Intro captures a little more of than urban-turned-Island soundscape that we caught a glimpse of in Paradise. I’m eternally impressed by this, as it seems like Cyber Club never gets too caught up in the production to bring this too far from its vapor essence while still making this a great lede in its own right.

Sensual was a track I was initially expecting to be a remix or redux of the first Sensual from Sensual Loops 1, but I’m glad to see this piece of bass-heavy vapor exists as its own full-bodied track in its own right. It grabs you immediately with its “I’ll never give up on you” vocal loop spliced in among its synth array, and carries you through with an intriguing arrangement of instrumental loops and micro-samples throughout. The low end can really shine here with the right system.

Hold Her Now is a piece of nostalgic, vintage vaporwave straight out of the Saint Pepsi era. Ostensibly a creative cut-up some New Jack Swing that absolutely slaps with the right electric guitar riff and synthetic percussion hit, it harkens back to when vaporwave was in its “peak aesthetics” phase of production and plunder-phonic glory. Perhaps this reminder of what vaporwave used to be unfairly biases me, but it’s definitely a listen for the nostalgia driven old-heads.

Affair is the type of track that sounds completely different on certain types of stereos. While Han’s stereo brought out the crisp, wide vocal mix — perhaps a testament to Cambridge’s design history, my Harman Kardon/KEF pairing brought the synth flares here to the fore. The testament to this track is that I really enjoyed both profiles, and Affair sounded robust and detailed throughout.

Kiss is one of the tracks that I felt coolest on upon an initial listen, which is perhaps a statement to just how much I enjoyed this album. When presented with the innovative arrangements of tracks like Hold Her Now or Memories, I was left feeling that Kiss doesn’t do enough in its minute thirty second runtime. That being said, it’s fun. And that’s what music can and should be at the end of the day, isn’t it?

Touch heaps on that vapor memory with some creative vocal layering, tinny and distorted high-end flutters, and an electric horn that came out swinging in the Cambridge system, much to my surprise. It’s clear at this point that Cyber Club has created a very particular listening experience here, and I’m oh so fond of it.

Special makes a funky classic fresh and electric again, which is what I’m really starting to vibe with in terms of the Cyber Club oeuvre. It serves as a sort of confirmation, a celebration and an altogether fantastic close to the LP.

Vinyl Physicality & Listening Experience

I like black vinyl. This milquetoast statement has earned for me the ire of some enthusiasts on r/VaporVinyl when I post on my alt-account there. Because vaporwave attracts curators with “experience” in the music industry, I’ve been told by “serious LP collectors [who know] label managers” — the type of folks who spin on $100 Crosley turntables bought at a Kohl’s Black Friday sale — that new black vinyls just doesn’t sell anymore. Not for vaporwave, at least. A release should have a colored vinyl or not release at all!

This was a take from the same twenty-three year old who wouldn’t purchase Sensual Loops because of the hentai on the cover — so take that for what you will.

I’ve always liked the supplier that Sic Records uses — whoever they are. The vinyls always have a bit of mass and heft to them, leading me to guess that they’re probably in the 180g range. But that’s just my finger test. My Jungle2000 vinyl feels just as weighty. I’ve always believed there’s a definite spectrum with black vinyls — from the frail Qrate cheap options to the high end audiophile oriented waxes like the beautifully crafted Victor Japan and Columbia waxes from the late 80s and early 90s that you see most city pop and anime OSTs pressed on.

The masters on these records are definitely intriguing for the format. My biggest critique of vaporwave vinyl at this point is that some labels don’t take the requisite care to put out a good vinyl master, and often just end up going all-in with poorly optimized digital release ones. The folks at Sic definitely know what they’re doing — because this ended up playing great on a number of systems and speakers, from my KEFs and H/K setup, to a friends Technics mid-fi rig, to Han’s Cambridge endgame. Each time, we got a wide-but-not-too-wide play without the sound edging towards the bright end of the spectrum too intensely. I think this is important because it respects a lot of the samples used. The mixing work done on a lot of the Philly soul here definitely had a certain muted approach that really brought out the most from the vocals and left instrumental arrangements to a moderately more ambient role. I get that impression of continuity here and love it for that.

In short, you should snap up this release while you can. It’s a great release, and fuck the vaporwave nannies who’d shut down Cyber Club’s best two albums without even a listen. May that /u/ go down with u/hoesmad_ on r/Vaporwave’s wall of shame.

[gethealthy18-blog]

How To Style Curly Hair [Using Natural Products]

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/how-to-style-curly-hair-using-natural-products/

How To Style Curly Hair [Using Natural Products]

Many of you know that it’s been a journey for me in learning to love and embrace my curly hair. We live in a society that values perfectly coiffed hair without a single strand out of place and well…that just isn’t an option with curly hair.

For many years I straightened my hair thinking I looked more beautiful and would be more respected with straight hair. The former could not be more untrue. I feel way more myself and way more beautiful with my curly hair. The latter is still a work in progress. I do think we have a cultural bias towards straight, perfectly manicured hair and part of this is perpetuated by people with curly hair thinking they have to straighten it. I was in that camp for many years.

There are so few role models with curly hair who really embrace what they have and talk about actually loving their curly hair. I realized early on that if I couldn’t find those role models I at least had the opportunity to become one for somebody else. And that’s what the last two years have been for me. “How do you style your curly hair?” is now one of the most common questions I get.

I’ve wanted to write this post for a long time now but I’ve also been trying to learn and absorb as much as I can about curly hair because the answer isn’t so simple. Hair exists on a spectrum from pin straight to kinky curls. No person has the exact same hair as you. You have to account for hair porosity and texture. Curls also have their own designation and what you use for type 2a curls looks different from type 4c. Yes, there are different types of curls.

So today’s post isn’t just about how to style curly hair naturally, it’s also about educating and empowering YOU to understand and embrace the type of hair that you have so you can make the best decisions for it. Of course, I’m biased towards the products I use but I also recognize that what I use may not work for you, and vice versa. I’m also working against our North American preference for ultra-clean, perfectly styled hair and how you feel about that is up to you. In the end, I hope you can learn to be excited about what you have whether it’s curly, wavy, straight or anything in between. Self-love is about loving all of you, even the things you can change. Okay let’s jump in…

TYPES OF CURLY HAIR (TEXTURE)

As I mentioned above, no two curls are alike. Similarly, your curls can and will change throughout your lifetime. Some of this you control like heat and chemical exposure and some of this you don’t, like hormonal changes and pregnancy. Identifying the types of curls or waves you have now is the most important metric for figuring out how to style your curly hair. So what are the different types of curly hair?

Curly hair exists on a spectrum of texture from 2-4 and a-c. Someone with 2a “curls” has loose waves whereas someone with 4c curls has extremely tight coils. I have 3a-3b curls (depending on the day). You can figure out your curl texture HERE. More on how to style for your hair texture below.

WHAT IS HAIR POROSITY + HAIR DENSITY?

Besides texture, there are a few other metrics that help you better understand your curly hair and how to style it. One of the metrics that has had the largest impact for me has been hair porosity. Porosity is defined as your hair’s ability to absorb or retain moisture. Low porosity hair takes a long time to absorb moisture and can take hours to even days for hair to dry. Products tend to sit on hair rather than be absorbed. High porosity hair can easily absorb moisture to a point where you almost can’t use enough oils but because the cuticles are so open it can also easily lose moisture. Curls tend to be frizzier and on the drier side but can also dry quite quickly. You can also have medium porosity hair, which is what I have. None are better or worse than the other, it’s just a matter of knowing what you have and how to work with it. There are several different ways to determine your porosity included HERE.

Hair density refers to the thickness or coarseness of your hair. It’s basically how many strands you have on your head. Here’s how to test your hair density: part your hair in the center and let the strands fall to either side. Without pushing or forcing your hair, how much of your scalp can you see? If you can’t see any you have high hair density, if you can see a lot of your scalp you have low hair density and if you can see just a little bit, you have medium hair density (which is what I have).

HOW TO PICK CURLY HAIR PRODUCTS THAT WORK FOR YOU

1. Find out your texture

2. Find out your porosity

3. Find our your hair density

I truly believe that when it comes to picking products, knowing your hair porosity and density is more important than knowing your hair texture. Texture is affected more by washing and styling techniques than products themselves. More on techniques for hair texture below so let’s chat about porosity and density first.

Low porosity hair: Because your hair has a hard time being penetrated and retaining moisture, you want products that contain humectants, which attract moisture. Anything with honey or glycerin is a good idea for you. You also want products that add moisture through oils such as jojoba, apricot kernel oil, argan oil etc… Stay away from heavier oils that will just sit on your hair such as coconut or olive oil. Avoid proteins in your haircare products. Proteins in haircare include: hydrolyzed wheat, oat, silk, soy or any type of keratin.

Medium porosity hair: Because your hair is pretty consistent with moisture you should avoid anything with too much protein that may change or affect the porosity of your hair. A bit of protein is okay but not as part of your daily regimen. Anything with moisture is good but find that happy place between too much and too little.

High porosity hair: Because your pores are so open, you don’t want products that attract moisture, but actually seal it in. Too much moisture = damage and frizz. You want anti-humectants (opposite of low porosity hair) which will seal the cuticles rather than just laying one products on top of another, including avocado oil, raw shea butter, coconut and olive oil. Products with proteins in them (listed above) can also help repair dry and damaged hair which high porosity hair has a tendency to be.

Now onto hair density…

Low density hair: You might think of this as “fine hair”. You want to be careful about the weight of your moisturizers. Stick to lighter oils like apricot kernel oil, argan oil, almond oil and neem oil (sometimes coconut, jojoba and olive oil can be okay). You’ll want to style with mousse and anything that adds volume and stay away from creams and thicker gel styling agents.

Medium density hair: like goldilocks, not too much, not too little. You can do a little bit of everything but try not to go overboard with the oils or gels or opt out of them either.

High density hair: Stay away from anything that adds volume and stick to heavier products like creams and gels. You do well with thicker butters like shea and mango.

Tell me below: what kind of hair porosity and density do you have?

CURLY HAIR NO-NOs

Regardless of hair texture, porosity or density, there are some curly hair no-nos that all should avoid. Below I’m sharing some tips and ingredients to stay away from:

DO NOT BRUSH YOUR CURLY HAIR WHEN IT’S DRY. Repeat this 10 times. Most people with curly hair know this, however I find myself having this conversation with parents of curlies who themselves don’t have curly hair. The only time and place to brush curly hair is in the shower, with a comb while the hair is still wet with a ton of conditioner in it. This is why you don’t brush curly hair when it’s dry…

Don’t get your haircut by ANY stylist – if you’re ready to embrace your curls, find someone who knows how to cut curls. Not every hair stylist does so be sure to call and inquire. Also have them cut your curls to be styled curly (this often means dry cutting). People swear by Deva Cuts and while I love the technique, I personally am not the biggest fan of their products – they’re better for curly hair but certainly not natural FYI. So it may be a hard ask but try to find someone who uses cleaner ingredients AND can cut curly hair. I’m still on the lookout too!

Don’t straighten your hair often – I still straighten my hair from time-to-time (about 3-4x a year) and it’s nice to change it up though it will affect your hair so beware. When you heat style your hair you affect the curl pattern and it will take a few washes for it to go back to normal. As you transition back to your natural texture I recommend staying away from your heat tools and letting your curls find their natural pattern.

CURLY HAIR INGREDIENTS TO AVOID

Silicones – silicones are the arch-nemesis for anyone with curly hair. At first they help tame frizz but over time they weigh your hair down and will actually make your hair look limp and lifeless and eventually frizzier than before. Lookout for ingredients that end in “cone” i.e. cyclomethicone or dimethicone

Sulfates – another important one to stay away from with curly hair. Sulfates are what create that lather in most shampoos. It’s something we’ve all gotten used to, however it’s incredibly stripping for the natural oils in your hair and can dry out your hair and/or cause your scalp to produce MORE oil in return i.e. Sodium Laureth, Myreth, or Lauryl Sulfate (commonly referred to as SLS).

Alcohols – in general alcohols are just very drying for curly hair. You should definitely stay away from alcohols if you have high porosity hair that tends to be drier i.e. Isopropyl alcohol, ethanol etc..

Parabens + Phthalates – both of these ingredients are bad for any type of hair (curly or not). Parabens and phthalates are used in skincare/haircare products as an emulsifier and preservative. Both are harmful to our bodies and have potentially been linked to cancer later in life. i.e. synthetic fragrance and and anything that contains “paraben”.

HOW I STYLE MY CURLY HAIR

As I shared above I have 3b curls with medium porosity and density. That means I can get away with using a lot of different products though I do find if I’m in drier conditions I need to amp up the moisture. In the video above I walk you through how I style my hair and why I use the products I use, but for a brief overview I’m sharing some tips below.

1. Minimize shampoo and conditioner – I wash my hair once a week. I will often wet it and sometimes condition it more than once, but I don’t use shampoo more than once a week and sometimes up to 10 days. Your hair needs natural oils to thrive and shampooing it strips it of its natural oils. There is a lot of talk in the curly world of co-washing and the no-poo method. Cowashing involves combining your shampoo and conditioner together to help preserve the moisture as you wash. The “no-poo” method involves giving up shampoo all together and letting your hair do its thing. I personally use a sulfate-free shampoo so it doesn’t strip the oils as much as conventional shampoo. As a result I didn’t notice much of a difference when co-washing vs. using shampoo alone. I’ve also tried the “no-poo” method and had too much product build-up so that’s just my preference.

2. Use a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for your hair – Since I have 3b curls with medium porosity and density I can use just about anything but I tend to reach for things with a bit of protein and heavier oils since my hair can get quite dry. I personally love the Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Shampoo and Conditioner. But if I am straightening my hair (which I do a few times a year), I will use the Evolvh Ultra Shine Shampoo and Conditioner because I need a a shampoo that is more cleansing to remove any product build-up. It contains Disodium Sulfosuccinate which is NOT a sulfate but is a foaming agent to help cleanse the hair. I do get some build-up with the Shea Moisture products but I find these natural oils are good for my hair and actually make my curls look better…it just doesn’t look so good when I straighten it.

3. Seal the cuticles in cold water – because I have medium porosity hair that is somewhat dry, I always do one final rinse in the shower under cold water to seal the cuticles after conditioning. This closes them up and ensures they retain their moisture. Note: if you have low porosity hair, you do not want to do this – make sure you use heat to help oils and moisturizers penetrate your hair.

4. Use a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt – Terrycloth towels can damage your cuticles and make your hair frizzier. Use a microfiber towel (such as this) to scrunch out any water and protect your hair as it dries.

5. Style using the right products for your hair – leave-in-conditioner is my best friend and I’m obsessed with this Smart Curl Leave-In Conditioner from Evolvh. As soon as I’m ready to style I spray is all over my hair. I then use the Evolvh Wonderbalm gel to style my curls by using roughly 3 pumps for each side of my head, lightly spreading over my curls and then scrunching at the bottom.

6. Airdry when possible – I know some people love using their diffuser and drying their curls but after years of straightening, I do my best to stay away from any heat tools. Also I’m lazy and find my hair air dries just fine. It usually takes a few hours for it to dry at which point I try to touch my hair as little as possible to prevent frizz.

7. Protect your curls overnight– some people use a cap but I find a scrunchie or non-kink hair band (not sure what the name is but I use these!) does the trick. I tie it up on the very top of my head so that I look like a pineapple and it stays in place overnight. If I do this my curls usually last for 3-4 days before they start to get dry and frizzy.

story of my life…curly girls – can you relate?!

I realize this post is exceptionally comprehensive, however there is SO much more I could add. Having curly hair is a journey and honestly, that’s what keeps it fun! You never know what you’re going to get and learning to embrace the unpredictability is the only way to enjoy that journey. I so wish that I’d had a role model growing up telling me that my curly hair was beautiful and something to celebrate but if I can be that person for you that is good enough for me.

Open for questions – hit me!

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