What are Silicones?

Silicone is an ingredient found in many conditioners and hair products to coat your hair shaft.

Giving it shine, smoothing frizz and providing a protective barrier from heat (hair dryers, curling and flat irons, etc).

So, why is it bad?

Because silicone forms a barrier on your hair, it actually locks moisture out.

Your thirsty hair is trapped in the silicone barrier, and the only way to wash it out is with sulfate.

Curly hair needs hydration.
Silicone prevents hydration.

I can't stress enough that curlies need to kick silicone to the curb.

Silicone is a substance that coats your hair and protects it from heat styling. It also gives a false impression of healthy, shiny hair. But the hair trapped under the silicone barrier is thirsty and dehydrated. Once you remove the silicone, you can bring hydration back to your hair and optimize your curls.

Avoid ingredients that look like this:
methicone, phenyltrimethicone, dimethicone, cyclomethicone, dimethiconol.... and anything that ends in -cone!

The only way to remove silicone from your hair is with sulfate, which we will learn about in my next post that it's a vicious cycle.

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What is Wet Plopping?

The difference between wet plopping and regular plopping is with wet plopping, you plop your wet hair on top of your head in a shower cap instead of a cotton t-shirt, leggings, or micro fiber towel. Why wet plop? It encourages hair hydration It defines curls It reduces frizz ... and more. How do I do it? After you wash and condition, apply your leave in, curl cream and/or stylers to soaking wet hair with praying hands and rope each clump Squish out excess water with your hands Dip your clumps into a shower cap Wrap a towel around your head and the shower cap to keep water from dripping all over you, OR just keep a towel around your shoulders, OR wrap a headband around the shower cap Plop for 10-20 minutes Remove the shower cap, remove excess moisture by squishing with your hands, a microfiber towel or a cotton tshirt (some prefer to regular plop at this stage) I learned about this method from @powerdomi on Instagram - she is the queen of hydration for wavy hair,

What is Shrinkage?

Ok, get George Costanza in the pool out of your head and bear with me. Shrinkage in the curly community is completely different! An in our case, it's a good thing. Shrinkage means that curls hair appears shorter when it's curly as opposed to when it's wet, or stretched out (like when you straighten it). Natrually curly hair looks shorter than it actually is when it's stretched out. Shrinkage = Healthy Hair When your hair absorbs water and dries, your hair will curl, or shrink, into its natural hair pattern. Wet hair appears stretched, because water weighs down the curls. When the water dries, the hair is lighter and bounces up or "shrinks," resulting in shorter looking hair. What Does it Look Like? Shrinkage can be an issue amongst curlies with kinky and/or coily hair (4A, 4B, 4C curls.) 4C natural hair is the most tightly coiled. Wavy hair can also experience shrinkage, though it is less noticeable. But it is a sure sign that your hair is healthy.

What is a Buff?

I have to admit that... this time, a couple of years ago, I had NO idea what a buff was. I had to Google so much to figure out what those crazy curlies of Instagram were yammering on about. But over time, I learned, so I hope this can be of use to you. Basically, a buff is a tube of cloth. What is a buff used for? You can protect curly hair at night (or when you're out and about) by placing your hair in this tube. Because it's tight and stretchy, a buff usually holds itself into place. Buffs are also popular among bikers and hikers to keep air and dirt out of their faces, or keep their necks warm, or to keep sweat out of their eyes. It really has so many uses and protecting hair at night is only one of them. Where can I buy a buff? Costco Amazon Any outdoor store (ie Mountain Equipment Co-op) The sport and outdoor department of most stores Dollar stores How do I put it on?

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