Photo by John Silliman on Unsplash

The instant that you recognize the Unseen, you are free.

Ep 216 Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki

Go(o)d Morning, beautiful!

Take a while to listen to today’s 12-minute-long check-in and reset from “Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki”!

Join our free community of Go(o)d Friends to deep dive into today’s practice with us!

Today we give our attention to the Unseen, the Unchanging, the Invisible, Indivisible, Silent- Love that we are.  Learning to recognize and identify as This during our quiet moments together, we’ll never lose our Self in the world, again.  We practice hearing the Unseen using mantra, and seeing and feeling It using the Headless Way Method.

Today’s Quotes:

“The instant that you recognize the Unchanging, you are free.”
-Mooji

“My daughter, there is a great realm, the realm of the unseen, where you shall more and more function. There you shall find your strength, your fullness of life, your work. This does not mean that you shall not also function on the side of the visible, but that first everything shall take place for you on that other, unseen, side. Your actions shall be directed from this unseen side. Such beauties, such love, such utter sweetness shall then fill your days that you will feel transported to a heavenly glory even while performing ing the humblest tasks. This realm is only found by the practicing of My Presence, and day by day, it shall grow more and more accessible to you.”
-Eva Bell Werber, Quiet Talks with the Master

“Love said to me, there is nothing that is not me. Be silent.”
– Rumi

“Wisdom presents itself to us during periods of silence, in the forms of ideas, insights, and clarity.  If you constantly avoid silence by looking at your phone, watching TV, and listening to music, you miss out on receiving the profound wisdom that could change your life.”
-Hal Elrod

“Everyone sees the unseen in proportion to the clarity of his heart, and that depends upon how much he has polished it.  Whoever has polished it more see more– more unseen forms become manifest to him.”
-Rumi

“The eyes of a saint are always concentrated on the supreme self. The minute he is aware of himself, sainthood is lost.”
-Maharajji

Spoiler Alert: The seen and the unseen are actually ONE. Only Love is here, manifest and un-manifest.

I Love you and I’m with you,
Nik
nikki@curlynikki.com

If you want to help me out, please subscribe, review and share with someone that needs it! Let’s start a new morning routine, a dope self-care ritual, together, TODAY, and everyday weekday morning at 7 am ET!

With you in and AS Love,
@curlynikki

**10% of revenue generated from this podcast will be donated to “Showering Love” a non-profit organization that restores good mornings, dignity, hope, and health to people experiencing homelessness by providing showers and other supportive services.

DMTBeautySpot

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Photo by Andi Rieger on Unsplash

10 Really Cool Tips for Your Winter Natural Hair Care Routine

By Jacqueline Samaroo

Ugh! Cold, moisture-sucking wind and air can really do a number on your scalp and strands during winter. Thankfully, there’s plenty you can do to beef up your winter natural hair care routine. From choosing the right winter hair care products to adding more hair-loving vitamins and minerals to your diet, we’ll outline ten ways to help your hair survive the frosty weather.

TLDR? Here are those tips in a nutshell for how to help naturally curly hair thrive in winter. Click to jump to each one for more info.

1. Deep condition your hair more often.
2. Avoid drying hair ingredients.
3. Lock in moisture with oils and butters.
4. Cut back on heat styling.
5. But, add hair steaming for extra moisture.
6. Protect your hair with silk.
7. Embrace protective styling, too.
8. Remember to use sunscreen – yes, even in winter!
9. Hydrate your hair and scalp from the inside.
10. Practice healthy eating for the sake of your hair.

Winter natural hair care routine – 10 tips

As you will see, winter hair care for natural Black hair is really about cutting back on some of the things you normally do as part of your hair care routine and stepping up some of the others.

1. Deep condition your hair more often.

Deep conditioners are a wonderful way to boost hydration in your scalp and strands. Monthly deep conditioning is often all healthy hair needs. But, upping this to twice per month or even weekly during the winter months is something to consider. It will definitely help if you are looking into how to care your hair naturally in the winter.  BACK TO TOP

2. Avoid drying hair ingredients.

You should be wary year-round of the potentially drying ingredients in your hair care products. But, it’s important to be extra vigilant during winter when the environment and weather are working against your hair.

Check ingredients listings for:

• Sulfates – They strip sebum (a natural oily/waxy substance) from your hair and scalp.
• Silicones – Their coating builds up over time and prevents your hair from absorbing moisture.
• Alcohols – Some of them can be quite drying with frequent use. Examples include isopropyl alcohol, propanol, propyl alcohol, and SD alcohol 40.
• Fragrances – Generally speaking, the strength of a hair care product’s fragrance is a good indicator of how drying it is. Avoid strongly scented winter hair care products when possible.   BACK TO TOP

3. Lock in moisture with oils and butters.

Oils and butters are good ways to pull moisture into your hair and stop cold air and wind from drawing it back out again. Use them on their own or look out for products that contain them. Examples of good moisturizers are aloe, argan, coconut, shea, almond, avocado, murumuru, and mango.    BACK TO TOP

4. Cut back on heat styling.

Help your strands retain their moisture by cutting back on how often you use heat styling tools. And, when you do use them, remember to turn the heat down and ALWAYS use a heat protectant.    BACK TO TOP

5. But, add hair steaming for extra moisture.

Yes, steaming your hair uses heat but it’s moist heat that helps to hydrate your hair. Check out our two recent hair steaming posts for facts and tips about steaming your hair, as well as some suggestions for hair steaming products and hair steamers to try.

• Should You Be Steaming Your Hair? Helpful Answers to 12 FAQs About Hair Steaming
• The Best Hair Steamers for Natural Hair – Top 10                    BACK TO TOP

6. Protect your hair with silk.

No doubt, you’ll be bundling up to keep warm. As you do, keep in mind that knitted fabrics will tend to tug on your strands and suck moisture from your hair. Opt for silk-lined caps, hats, and beanies or silk scarves and headbands. They are super smooth, gentle on your hair, won’t cause friction by rubbing, and won’t pull moisture from your strands and scalp.

For silk winter hair care products you wear, read

• 10 Pretty Satin and Silk Head Scarves Natural Hair Divas Will Love!
• 10 Best Silk Hair Scrunchies for Curly Hair
• What’s the Best Silk Bonnet for Sleeping? Meet Our Top 15 Contenders!

For a more in-depth look at the benefits of silk for your curls, read

• Do The Best Silk Pillowcases for Hair and Skin Really Work? Top 3 Benefits

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7. Embrace protective styling, too.

Protective styling has the benefit of tucking away your ends. This helps to stop them from drying out, becoming brittle, and prone to breakage. Plus, protective styling such as twists, braids, wigs, and Bantu knots have the added benefit of either grouping your strands together or covering them completely, thus minimizing moisture loss.    BACK TO TOP

8. Remember to use sunscreen – yes, even in winter!

We tend to forget that UV rays can still be harmful to our hair and scalp in the dead of winter. Using products with sun protection can be quite beneficial for preventing and reversing the damage these rays can cause.

See 5 Great Reasons You Need Sun Protection for Hair and Scalp Care for more on sun protection for your curls.      BACK TO TOP

9. Hydrate your hair and scalp from the inside.

So, we’ve been stressing hydrating your hair and scalp and keeping them hydrated as the way to ensure your winter natural hair care routine actually works. One of the best ways to do that is by drinking sufficient water and water-containing foods, like juicy fruits and veggies. Check out this list from WebMD.    BACK TO TOP

10. Practice healthy eating for the sake of your hair.

We like to emphasize nourishing your hair from the inside-out, well… because it’s the best way to do it! Make nutrient-dense foods your comfort foods this winter for the sake of your hair. Vitamin D is a good one to highlight since we get even less of it in the winter by spending more time indoors and having to be all covered up when we do go out.

For some good recipe options with vitamin D, read 8 Yummy Recipes with Vitamin D Foods for Hair Growth.    BACK TO TOP

Do you have any other natural Black hair care tips for winter? Share!

DMTBeautySpot

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Photo provided by Victoria Uwumarogie

Black Women and the Great Resignation: Why Victoria Quit – You’re Not Finna Kill Me

After a decade working as an editor at MadameNoire.com, Victoria Uwumarogie left the site due to burnout and the feeling of betrayal. Read what she had to say about her decision to walk away from the brand she helped build.

I’d been dissatisfied since 2014/2015. We had all this success and folks still weren’t happy. There wasn’t an acknowledgment. It was all about the next goal. ‘What have you done for me lately?’ type of energy. But I loved the site. I loved the stories we were telling and the opportunities that were created being an editor and helping to share a different voice. So I told myself, ‘It’s okay. I’m not in a huge rush to leave.’

But after a while, I started applying for things here and there, wondering if other people would be open to taking me out of this. I didn’t hate it. But I wondered if there was better.

As time went on, I felt stuck. I was trying to justify it, like maybe this is where God wants me to be. Eventually, I stopped applying for things. I was wondering why isn’t anybody else seeing how hard I work and wanting to take me from this? So I stayed.

As things got a little more like ‘ugh’ I had a baby coming. You feel like you have to do what you have to do and make the money you make because of bills. So there were a lot of things that felt like they were holding me in that place.

Why isn’t anybody else seeing how hard I work?

For me to not be moving, I was trying to be a person of faith and be encouraged. I just felt like I’m really good at what I do. I write well. I’m high-performing. I don’t want to say I was comparing my life to other people but I would see that people were moving so fast, from one job to the other.

And there were times people would ask, ‘You still at MadameNoire?’ I wouldn’t know how to respond to that. Yeah, I’m proud to be in the position I’m in, doing the work that I’m doing but it was like a pinch.

The Pandemic

The pandemic definitely inspired me to look around, call around, do a lot more so that I could find something better.

I had a son in the pandemic. People really underestimate how hard it was to take care of a baby during that time. In this age of the pandemic, things are opening up. There’s a vaccine. But in the beginning, it was nothing. I had nobody in my family. I had nobody I could really lean on. It was so hard to find balance. I had a baby here, who I need to keep an eye on and teach things because I can’t put him in daycare like I planned.

There was too much time spent staying up late, trying to pick up slack to make sure that when we had meetings people could say, ‘MadameNoire had a great week.’ And you would do all that shit and sometimes they wouldn’t even say that. And there I was staying up until four in the morning and then the baby wakes up at six. It was too hard. I just wanted to find a position where I could find some balance because it wasn’t sustainable.

I didn’t feel like folk cared. That made it absolutely necessary to leave. I’d rather be giving this energy to my child.

I didn’t feel like folk cared.

The Final Push

I asked for help and I didn’t get it. It’s a different thing when you’re vulnerable with people and in return you get dust. It feels like a slap in the face. I think I just expect too much from people sometimes. My boss was a woman and seemed nice, like she was coming to be a breath of fresh air. When I told her I needed help, it wasn’t just because I wanted to have help. I needed help. I knew you were getting ready to go on maternity leave. I needed somebody like me.

The first time, I said, ‘What are we going to do about getting a new editor? Because we have fewer hands on this site than ever before.’ I was just asking for her to replace what’s been lost. She gave me this spiel like she was going to look into it. You’re thinking things are going to get better. And they don’t.

I asked again two months later. Energy has been expended, time has been lost. Then you find out it’s bullshit. (Victoria’s boss ultimately hired someone part-time whose work was split between two sites.)

That’s when I was done. I couldn’t carry so much. So many meetings, sponsored posts, editing, in addition to writing my own stories. I was taking on full-blown tentpoles by myself.

I’m like no, you’re not finna kill me.

There was an expectation that because I didn’t want to see MadameNoire fail, I wouldn’t leave. Then at a certain point, I felt like she was calling my bluff. She would say, ‘I don’t know what you want. Every time I talk to you, you tell me you’re unhappy.’ She was giving me less and less respect.

She acted like me being unhappy was me being a bitch. Instead of trying to find ways to fix that. She came in as one thing–like she was going to juke the system, but perpetuated the same behaviors and mentalities. I felt betrayed by her. So I needed to get the fuck out. And when I felt that way, that’s when doors started to open.

God was saying, ‘No, I didn’t say I wanted you to stay here. I wanted you to be patient.’

You’re not finna kill me.

People were trying to make positions for me. I was very grateful for that. I felt very blessed. It was very, very weird because it went from being so dry to so many things at once. It could only be God. It was like He was saying, ‘People can see your talent. I always knew your talent and other people can see that too. Just because it was quiet, doesn’t mean nobody was interested.’

That really brought me a lot of peace. It was confirmation that by stepping out and deciding that I wanted better for myself, God was like, ‘Well, I got you. If you’re going to take the first step, I’ll help you take the second step.’

I left that situation and I was able to get more for less.

Black Women and the Great Resignation

Advice for the next Black woman

Get prepared. You don’t necessarily have to jump out of the window today. You can slowly step out of the door. Work on your resume, start talking to people, send little messages like, ‘If you need help…’ ‘If you hear anything, let me know…’

If you’re really unhappy, don’t give up on it. Once you know you’re unhappy, you’ll take the steps to get the hell out of dodge.

We’re conditioned to feel like busyness and being overwhelmed is you working hard like you should as opposed to recognizing this is a tad unhealthy and really unfair.

Trying to burn yourself out for these people is not it. You could die tomorrow and they’ll replace you like nothing happened.

If people don’t care about you, they’ll never care. And when you work super hard and to be so important to your brand and company–for them to not care is a dangerous thing.

It’s like a bad relationship. You have to let people know I can do better. Bet on yourself. You can pick up and leave and things will be fine.

God was like, ‘Well, I got you.’

Veronica Wells-Puoane is the creator of the website NoSugarNoCreamMag. She is the author of “Bettah Days” and You’ll Be All Write, a question and answer journal for Black women. She is also the culture editor at MadameNoire.com.

Find more of her articles by Veronica on Curlynikki.com, HERE!

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

7 Amazing Hair Hacks for Natural Long Hair Growth by Zara

Zara is back on CurlyNikki! She’s a fabulous naturalista who shares her natural hair journey with her followers. That includes more than 168K subscribers on her EfikZara YouTube channel!

This week she’s revealing the seven hair hacks that have led to her impressive natural long hair growth and length retention. And yes, as Zara explains, what she eats is a BIG part of it. In fact, Eating Properly is her number one tip. Find out what food she loves and what her suggestions are. JUMP TO VIDEO

We won’t spoil the fun by sharing all of Zara’s hair hacks here – you’ll have to watch the video to find out! What we will tell you, however, is that there is one in there that will probably have you going “No way! That’s the opposite of what I want. Why would I do that?!”

But, hear her out as she takes the time to explain why each part of her long hair growth strategy works. Just take a look at the results she achieved for her Type 4 hair!

For CurlyNikki’s look at vitamins for hair growth plus easy recipes for preparing hair-loving meals, check these out:

• 4 Amazing Benefits of Vitamin C for Hair Growth
• Want Vitamin C for Hair Growth? Get It with These 9 Delicious Recipes!
• Curly Haircare: Vitamin E for Hair Growth – 6 Wonderful Benefits
• Enjoy The Best Sources of Vitamin E for Hair Growth – 8 Tasty Recipes

Apart from giving your hair what it needs on the inside, Zara also stresses nourishing your hair and scalp from the outside too. Find out what she has to say about this hair hack for long hair as she shares her favorite natural haircare ingredients with you.

Get more wonderful information and advice on hair oils and hair butters to nourish your hair and scalp on the outside!

BTW: Yes, Zara does her own makeup, too!

If you’re thinking her makeup is simply awesome, you might be surprised to find out that Zara is her own makeup artist. She also does makeup tutorials on her channel, along with tricks she uses to achieve that flawless look.

Now, let’s get to that hair growth video!

7 Amazing Hair Hacks for Natural Long Hair Growth by Zara

A young woman of many talents, Zara (popularly known as EfikZara) is a professional violinist and composer. Aside from her primary career, Zara is a cinematographer with more than 17 years of experience. She is also a passionate healthy hair advocate with over 12 years of experience caring for her natural hair and the natural hair of her loved ones.

Get more hair and beauty tips from Zara on CurlyNikki, HERE!

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Protective Natural Hairstyles: 21 Exquisite IG Loc Hairstyle Pics

By Jacqueline Samaroo

We all know Black hair is totally awesome! From its range of textures to the myriad ways in which we style it, Black hair’s versatility can be truly mind-boggling at times. And, we’re here to prove it! In this post, we’ve curated 21 truly beautiful examples of loc hairstyles that show off the versatility of our hair and the protective natural hairstyles we love to use. Enjoy!

Are you looking to change up your style or your approach to how you care for and feel about your natural hair? These two recent posts can help!

• Need A Natural Haircare New Year’s Resolution? Here Are 17 Suggestions!
• How to Embrace Your Natural Hair: 26 Famous Quotes About Black Hair

1. You can see why we wear our locs with pride!

2. They bring out those true goddess vibes.

We often use protective hairstyles for hair growth and as a way to promote length retention. And, while some naturalistas tend to stay away from protective styling, it is still a pretty popular option. Get some ideas on protective styling best practices from our recent post – Protective Styles for Natural Hair Growth – 7 Great Points to Keep in Mind.

Find more beautiful natural hairstyles for curly hair in our other recent posts:

• 27 Really Gorgeous No-Heat Natural Hair Styles
• 12 Simply Beautiful Halo Braids /  Crown Braids Pics and 8 How-To Videos
• IG Natural Hairstyles: 21 High Bun / Top Knot Styles to Rock on Any Occasion
  

3. Locs can do so much! From playful updos…

4. To cozy wraps…

5. To the allure of being loc’d and shaved…

6. Which is simply eye-catchingly beautiful…

7. And, often, a true work of art!

Many of our favorite Black hair styling options come from protective styling. Protective natural hairstyles help to prevent daily manipulation of our hair. That’s really great since coily, kinky, and curly hair tends to be more fragile and in need of greater care than other hair types.

Want more pics of shaved natural hairstyles? We’ve got you covered! Read Natural Hair Styles: 27 Stunning Tapers and Fades.

8. Plus, you can do your locs in an overflowing half-up-half-down style.

9. Or, how about plump and pretty purple locs?

Adding color is a great way to mix up your loc hairstyle. However, it is very important to remember that if you choose to dye your natural hair, you should do so with care. Use brands that make a point of staying away from harmful ingredients and including nourishing ones in their formulas instead. Also, get your hair professionally done whenever possible so you can take advantage of your stylist’s expertise and experience with coloring hair.

10. A neat two-toned updo.

11. Or, this coily locstyle take on afro puffs – we love it!

Protective styles are low-maintenance, reducing the amount of time you spend on styling your hair. That can be a wonderful advantage if you enjoy exercising, running, going to the gym, or are just too busy with everything else in life to focus daily on your hair.

Opting to use a wig as a protective style is another brilliant low-maintenance move. Find out about the benefits of wearing wigs and get tips on caring for your wig, here: Thinking of Using a Wig as A Protective Style? Here Are 7 Awesome Reasons to Go for It!

Plus, be sure to read  Natural Hair and an Active Lifestyle Can Coexist – Here’s How!

12. Locs in a pineapple – with bangs. Super cute!

The pineapple hairstyle is a great no-cutting, no-commitment trick for wearing your hair with bangs. For more great ideas on wearing bangs, read How to Get Perfect Bangs Hairstyles with Curly Hair – 7 Tips and Tricks.

13. Go ahead and accessorize your locs with a bold wrap…

14. But, know your lovely locs will still be the center of attention.

Protective styles and wraps are wonderful styling options when transitioning your hair from chemically processed to natural. Get some really good hair transitioning advice, here: Transitioning Hair: Its Stages and 12 Helpful Natural Hair Journey Tips.

Also, see our selection of wraps and scarves, here: 10 Pretty Satin and Silk Head Scarves Natural Hair Divas Will Love!

15. Bask in the confidence that a headful of beautiful locs brings…

16. Knowing everyone else can see it, too!

If you like the idea of adding color to your natural hair but would rather avoid commercial hair dyes, there are many safe, natural ways to color your hair. We covered some of them in this post – 6 Natural Ways to Color Natural Hair.

17. Speaking of colorful locs…

18. Check out the fiery red of this loc updo.

19. And, the mesmerizing color transition on these free-flowing golden locs.

Taking care of your hair no matter the color or style it is in is vitally important for the health and growth of your hair. If you opt to use color on your curls, read Caring for Your Natural Hair Before and After a Dye Job – 11 Tips.

And, be sure to check out our box dye roundup: 10 of the Best Box Dyes for Natural Hair – Want Rich and Vibrant Color?

20. The classic style of long locs in a bun is one of our faves!

21. But, locs look totally fabulous on short natural hair, too!

One of the really good things about locs is that they work very well with hair of any length. So, while we love admiring long, flowing locks, it is also one of the best natural protective hairstyles for short hair.

Locs look really great, no matter your natural hair type. To get helpful tips and inspiration for caring for your particular hair type – read 12 Natural Hair Influencers to Follow (According to Hair Type).

Of course, no protective style, long or short, should be done so tightly that it causes you pain. That pain is an indication that your scalp and strands are experiencing too much tension. If you’re dealing with pain from a protective style install, read: Natural Hair Styles: 12 Easy Ways to Get Relief from Too-Tight Braids.

If wearing your natural hair loose is more your style, and you love rocking a totally fresh wash-and-go ‘fro, be sure to see: Natural Hair Styles: 18 Simply Beautiful Afros for Your Inspiration.

What are your favorite protective hairstyles for curly hair? Let us know!

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina on Unsplash

“By reciting His name, everything is achieved. EVERYTHING.” | Mantra 101 – Ep 202 Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki

“By reciting His name, everything is achieved. EVERYTHING.” | Mantra 101

Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki

Go(o)d Morning, beautiful!

Take a while to listen to today’s 21-minute-long check-in and reset from “Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki”!

Join our free community of Go(o)d Friends to deep dive into today’s practice with us!

Today’s Quotes:

“We should always be confident that this chanting is not a vibration of this material world.  It is imported from the spiritual world.  It is completely spiritual.”
– Narottama dasa Thakura

“Only God’s name is real.”
-Larry Brilliant

“It’s all illusion except the name of the Lord.”
-The Ramayana

“Rams’ form left this world, Krishna’s form left this world, but the Name stays.  By reciting His Name, everything is achieved. Everything is achieved.”
-Maharajji (Maharajji constantly chanted Ram all of his waking hours)

“Kalau nasty eva nasty eva na-sty eva gatir anyatha”, or, “in this age, there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative than to chant the holy name of the Lord (Hare Krishna).” – Caitanya Mahaprabhu via Srila Prabhupada

“National duties, social duties, and humanitarian duties are obligatory only to those who are bereft of spiritual duties.  As soon as man takes his birth on earth, he has all these obligations to the great sages that left behind vast treasure houses of knowledge to guide him through life, to forefathers, family members, the government, and so forth and so on.  But as soon as one engages himself in the one single obligatory duty- the duty of spiritual perfection- then he automatically liquidates all other obligations without having to make separate efforts.”
-Stephen Knapp

Books:
Polishing the Mirror by Ram Dass
The Mantram Handbook by Ekwath Easwaran

Documentaries:
American Yogi, Hare Krishna, Becoming Nobody, and Windfall of Grace (starring K.K. Sah from Monday’s episode!)

Listen to some of these previous episodes on mantra and my personal practice:
1.How do you do it? Feel sad and still be Love?
2. The Practice the Changed my Life
3. Experience Love’s Presence Instantly
4.Transform  Your Life by Opening Your Heart with This Powerful Mantra

I Love you!
Nik
nikki@curlynikki.com

If you want to help me out, please subscribe, review and share with someone that needs it! Let’s start a new morning routine, a dope self-care ritual, together, TODAY, and everyday weekday morning at 7 am ET!

With you in and AS Love,
@curlynikki

**10% of revenue generated from this podcast will be donated to “Showering Love” a non-profit organization that restores good mornings, dignity, hope, and health to people experiencing homelessness by providing showers and other supportive services.

DMTBeautySpot

via https://dmtbeautyspot.com

Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Photo by Josue Ladoo Pelegrin on Unsplash

The Best Hair Steamers for Natural Hair – Top 10

By Jacqueline Samaroo

Want to give your hair the pampering it deserves – at home? A DIY hair steaming treatment is the perfect way to do it. Hair steaming will hydrate and moisturize your curls while infusing them with nutrients from your favorite deep conditioner. Get ready for healthy-looking, plump, bouncy curls and springy coils!

This article takes a look at 10 of the best hair steamers for natural hair. Our lineup includes a handheld steamer, steamer caps, tabletop hair steamers, and professional hair steamers. Plus, you can skip to the hair steamer buying tips we’ve got for you.

Or, jump right into our top 5 hair steamers for natural hair:

1. Best Handheld Hair Steamer – Q-Redew Hair Steamer
2. Best Hair Steamer Cap – Vicarko Hair Steamer Thermal Heat Cap
3. Best Tabletop Hair Steamer – Kingsteam 2-in-1 Ozone Hair and Facial Steamer
4. Best Cordless Hair Steamer Cap – Tifara Beauty Cordless Deep Conditioning Heat Cap
5. Best Professional Hair Steamer – Artist Hand Professional Hair Steamer

5 Other great hair steamer contenders:

• Red Pro Hair Therapy 2-in-1 Hair Steamer & Facial Steamer
• Luxebell Adjustable Deep Conditioning Heat Cap
• Debecty Microwavable Heat Cap
• Elite Hair Steamer By Skin Act
• KINGDOM CARES Large 2-in-1 Hair and Facial Steamer

Be sure to see our recent post Should You Be Steaming Your Hair? Helpful Answers to 12 FAQs About Hair Steaming. It’s filled with great-to-know information on steaming your hair, including the benefits of hair steaming and easy-to-follow steps for DIY hair steaming. It also has suggestions for hair steaming products, such as deep conditioners and hair oils.

10 Hair Steamers for Natural Hair

Our Top 5 Pick

1. Q-Redew Hair Steamer

Best Handheld Hair Steamer

This natural hair steamer stands head and shoulders above the pack as a multipurpose hairstyling tool. Not only does it give your curls the benefits of a steam treatment but it’s also a wonderful detangling, volumizing, refreshing, and styling tool. Watch how Msnaturally Mary uses it to stretch her natural hair. Totally awesome!

Be sure to check out the handy accessories and bundles the Q-Redew brand offers, too.

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2. Vicarko Hair Steamer Thermal Heat Cap

Best Hair Steamer Cap

This hair steamer features two temperature settings as well as an adjustable strap to help you get the right fit around your head. The Vicarko natural hair steamer cap is sold in seven different print options for you to choose from. You could also opt for the Vicarko bundle that includes the hair steamer cap and a stylish storage tote that’s designed to also double as a knitting bag.

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3. Kingsteam 2-in-1 Ozone Hair and Facial Steamer

Best Tabletop Hair Steamer

The ceramic heating element of the Kingsteam face and hair steamer produces a strong and steady stream of steam. Use this steamer for your regular hair steaming treatments or remove the hood whenever you wish and transform it into a facial steamer. It helps to unclog pores and exfoliate your skin. The Kingsteam comes in either blue or the coffee color option shown here.

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4. Tifara Beauty Cordless Deep Conditioning Heat Cap

Best Cordless Hair Steamer Cap

This steamer cap is great for totally hands-free, untethered hair steaming. Simply heat the cap in the microwave, as instructed, then put it on. It is designed with an elastic rim so you don’t have to worry about adjusting straps or hooks to get the best fit.

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5. Artist Hand Professional Hair Steamer

Best Professional Hair Steamer

This professional hair steamer has a timer that can be set for up to 60 minutes of steaming. It also features HIGH and LOW temperature settings. The height of the Tifara Beauty steamer can also be adjusted to suit different users. The hood of this steamer has adjustable vents for you to control the amount of steam used in the treatment.

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5 More Choices for Best Hair Steamer for Natural Hair

6.      Red Pro Hair Therapy 2-in-1 Hair Steamer & Facial Steamer

This 2-in-1 steamer can be used for hair steaming as well as for facials. While the Red Pro Hair Therapy Steamer does not give you temperature settings, it is designed with vent holes at the top of the hood. You can adjust these to control the amount of steam you are steaming your hair with.

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7.      Luxebell Adjustable Deep Conditioning Heat Cap

The Luxebell has two temperature settings and an adjustable rim as well as an auto-off feature. This hair steamer cap comes in four different print designs. Each one comes with a free gift of two reusable plastic shower caps to use with the steamer.

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8.      Debecty Microwaveable Heat Cap

This microwaveable steamer cap is actually irreversible, making it seem like two caps in one – sort of. Warm it up in increments until you get to the desired temperature, then enjoy cordless hair steaming while you go get other stuff done!

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9.  Elite Hair Steamer By Skin Act

This quiet operation steamer even features a silent timer to ensure your hair steaming session is a peaceful and relaxing as possible. It also has two settings for steam power: Light-Steam and Full-Strength.

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10.  KINGDOM CARES Large 2-in-1 Hair and Facial Steamer

Steaming your hair with the multifunction Kingdom Cares steamer is quite easy. Plus, although it is described as 2-in-1, this hair and facial steamer has a powerful enough stream of steam to be used as a humidifier for your room.

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3 Things to Consider When Buying a Hair Steamer

If you are getting ready to buy your first hair steamer for natural hair or you are looking to replace the one you already have, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

1. Hair steamer types

Hair steamers come in four basic types. The first three we will look at are typical at-home DIY hair steamers. The fourth is the professional hair steamer. It’s the type you are more likely to see in a hair salon but which you can use at home if you wish.

Handheld hair steamers

You get the convenience of directing the steam exactly where you want it, making a handheld steamer great for both detangling and styling.

Hair Steamer caps

The caps are hands-free hair steamers so you could be doing your morning skincare routine or applying your makeup while you get your hair steamed. The cordless designs give you the added advantage of mobility.

Tabletop hair steamers

These hair steaming products give you the feeling of getting a salon treatment at home. Sit back and relax just like you would in the salon. Read a book, catch up on your messages, or play your favorite digital game. Plus, most tabletop hair steamers can also be used as facial steamers.

Professional hair steamers

Get all the features of the hair steamer for natural hair that your hair salon uses. That includes a sturdier design as well as controls for the length of your steaming session and the temperature at which you want your hair to steam.

2. Hair steamer settings

Apart from the different types of hair steamers, there are several hair steamer features you will want to check out before you buy. These will affect how easy your new hair steamer is for you to use and, hence, how likely you are to use it.

Automatic shut off/timer

This convenient feature means you can go into set-it-and-forget-it mode with your hair steamer. No need to keep checking the time to know when your hair steaming treatment is done.

Temperature control

Most hair steamers feature HIGH and LOW temperature settings. They also have a built-in thermostat to automatically turn the power on and off and keep the temperature of the steam within the desired range.

Adjustable hood or cap

The best hair steamers for natural hair will have this feature, whether they are the cap, tabletop, or free-standing professional variety. It’s a good feature to have as you can ensure the best fit of the steamer for your head and hair. You can also choose to go with either a snug or loose fit of the steamer around your head, to suit your comfort level.

3. Hair steamer price

You can get the benefit of steaming your hair without breaking the bank as there are hair steamers to suit every budget.

As you might expect, the most budget-friendly options are the hair steamer caps. They generally cost below $30. The handheld hair steamer we feature in this post comes in at just under $80 while the tabletop hair steamers are in the $60 – $100 range. A professional hair steamer will cost you closer to $200 for its heavy-duty, heavy-use design.

That wraps up our look at the top hair steamers for natural hair. Remember to check out our other hair steaming article to answer any questions you might have about the hair steaming process and its benefits for your natural hair.

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Do you use a hair steamer? Tell us what you like about it!

DMTBeautySpot

via https://dmtbeautyspot.com

Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Fantastic (and FAST!) Ayurveda Oil for Hair Growth by Zara

Zara is back on CurlyNikki! She’s a composer, violinist, producer, vlogger, AND fabulous naturalista who shares her natural hair journey with her followers. That includes more than 168K subscribers on her EfikZara YouTube channel.

Zara has formulated a DIY hair oil for TRIPLE HAIR GROWTH. It’s an Ayurveda hair oil recipe that her Type 4 hair has been thriving on for more than 4 years.  JUMP TO VIDEO

What is in Zara’s Ayurveda hair growth oil?

This DIY hair oil is made of popular good-for-your-natural-hair ingredients. You probably have some of them on hand already. If you don’t, no worries – Zara shares helpful links so you can easily find the ingredients you need.

• Sweet Almond Oil
• Aloe Vera
• Fenugreek
• Henna
• Bhringraj
• Grapeseed Oil
• Haitian Black Castor Oil
• Lavender Essential Oil
• Peppermint Essential Oil
• Lemon Essential Oil

Plus, this natural haircare expert does more than the ingredients list. She also takes the time to ensure you are aware of how each one benefits hair growth.

Not sure what an essential oil is and how to use essential oils for hair growth? Find out in our recent post The Difference between Essential Oils and Carrier Oils – 4 Really Good Things to Know. 

What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine that has been practiced on the Indian subcontinent for more than 3000 years. In Western countries, it is used as a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAD). It is also used as a form of integrative medicine. This is a holistic approach that combines traditional and modern therapies for general health and wellbeing as well as for the treatment of illnesses.

Ayurveda for hair

There is plenty in the teachings and practices of Ayurveda that have to do with hair growth as well as with the treatment of hair loss. Many of the ingredients found in natural hair care products have their roots (pun totally intended!) in Ayurveda. Zara’s Ayurveda oil for hair growth is packed with them and their hair-healthy goodness.

For more info on some ingredients commonly used in Ayurveda to promote hair growth, read:

• 4 Remarkable Benefits of Amla Powder and Amla Oil for Hair
• The Terrific Benefits of Turmeric for Hair Growth – Curly Hair Ingredients 101
• Ingredients 101: The Benefits of Grapeseed Oil for Hair Growth

Why are hair oils important to Black hair growth?

Our scalp produces sebum – a natural oily/waxy substance. It helps to lubricate, moisturize, and nourish the scalp. Sebum also travels along the strands of hair performing these same functions. However, thanks to those curls, coils, and kinks that we love so very much, sebum has a hard time traveling from root to tip of the strands. The result? Textured hair tends to be on the dry and brittle side. These lead to the breakage that robs us of length retention.

Thankfully, we can use hair oils to carry out the same functions as sebum.

• Hair oils assist with lubrication, adding shine for a healthy glow and slip for easy detangling.
• They moisturize the strands, too, helping to maintain their protein-moisture balance. This is vital for both elasticity and strength of the strands.
• Hair oils provide nutrients that help our hair to thrive.

Want to know more about amazing hair oils? Read: Why Black Hair Needs Hair Oil and 7 of the Best Ones to Use (with Product Examples!)

How to make Zara’s Ayurveda hair growth oil

Gather up the ingredients and simple equipment you need (which Zara gives you a heads-up on, too). Follow along as she takes you through the steps. This is an infusion hair oil so, as Zara explains, you can heat up the oil to assist with the infusion process or let the mixture sit outside in the Sun.

Ready to find out all about it? Here’s how she does it:

Get more hair and beauty tips from Zara on CurlyNikki, HERE!

DMTBeautySpot

via https://dmtbeautyspot.com

Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,