Photo by Mor Shani on Unsplash

Your Entire Life is a Virtual Reality

Ep 223 Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki

Go(o)d Morning, beautiful!

Take a while to listen to today’s 8-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!

Let’s play a game where we pretend that you’ve had on a VR headset for DECADES and forgot, but today, you’re remembering.  You’re remembering what you are beyond this VR body and its senses, which are all, including your sense of smell, taste, and touch, even your thoughts and emotions, a part of the virtual reality.  The device you’re reading this is on is VR. The little voice reading these words in your head… VR. The head itself… VR

Today, we’ll feel into the space beyond the VR and be That.  We’ll wake up from the belief in being that ‘Avatar’ to being what’s beyond it.  And from that Loving space, aware of and AS the Formless, we’ll watch the form, the ‘Avatar’ live up to its true definition of ‘the one who descends’.

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

“Life is this simple: we are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and the divine is shining through it all the time. This is not just a nice story or fable, it is true.”
-Thomas Merton

“Your entire life is a Virtual Reality, because you are seeing it only the way it happens in your mind.”
-Sadhguru

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.

Your Entire Life is a Virtual Reality

Go(o)d Mornings with CurlyNikki

DMTBeautySpot

via https://dmtbeautyspot.com

Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Photo by Hillshire Farm on Unsplash

8 Spicy (and Easy!) Recipes with Turmeric for Hair Growth

By Jacqueline Samaroo

There’s no shortage of recipes with turmeric and we think that’s just great! Turmeric has so many benefits not just for healthy hair growth but also for your general health and well-being. It’s a spicy spice with bold color that’s sure to stand out in whichever dish you use it.

If you are a lover of golden milk or turmeric latte recipes, then we’ve got a yummy one in store for you. Plus, our selection includes three variations of smoothie recipes with turmeric. We’ve also got a delicious example of the chicken with turmeric recipes that abound on the internet, as well as a couple of recipes with turmeric and ginger that definitely bring the heat!

Healthy eating is a part of any successful natural hair journey. You need to feed your hair with the vitamins and minerals it needs from the inside and out.

Here’s a list of the 8 turmeric recipes we’ve rounded up for you.

Turmeric is a popular ingredient that’s often used sparingly to add spicy flavor and vibrant color to many-a dish. However, the recipes using turmeric that we have lined up for you feature more than just a pinch of turmeric. They are rich in this hair-healthy ingredient! CLICK TO JUMP TO EACH ONE

1. How to Make Turmeric Powder at Home
2. Turmeric Cauliflower Steaks
3. Roasted Radishes and Carrots with Turmeric
4. Sweet Lemon-Pepper Turmeric Salmon
5. Turmeric Rice
6. Turmeric Chicken Flatbread
7. Golden Milk Turmeric Tea
8. Turmeric Smoothie Recipes (Vegan and No Sugar Added)

Check out our two recent articles for some natural hair care inspo! 

• My Natural Hair Journey: Patty John’s Story – Learning to Love My Natural Hair
• Black-Owned Businesses: CURLē Beauty Launches Love Your Roots Campaign!

And, you’ll also want to read The Terrific Benefits of Turmeric for Hair Growth – Curly Hair Ingredients 101.

1. How to Make Turmeric Powder at Home

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Additional Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

DIYing your ingredients gives you a sense of control over what you put inside your body. It’s also a good way to ensure you get the best out of your turmeric for hair growth. This super easy method for making your own turmeric powder helps you to do that!

You simply bake cleaned and sliced turmeric for a couple of hours then use your food processor or grinder to turn the slices into powder. The recipe even includes how to dry your turmeric slices in a dehydrator (if you have one) or in a well-ventilated area (takes about 2 weeks).

Once it’s done you have your very own, homemade ingredient for any recipes using turmeric powder!

Click here to see the full recipe.                   BACK TO TOP

2. Turmeric Cauliflower Steaks

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

We expect recipes with turmeric to hit our taste buds with a burst of flavor. This dish is a really good way to add some real zing to your cauliflower!

Start off by frying up some cauliflower steaks in extra virgin olive oil. Next, lightly coat them with a mix of olive oil and turmeric powder. Now roast your cauliflower in a pre-heated oven until done. You’re done!

All that’s left is to sprinkle some fried curry leaves and red chilies (thinly sliced) on top. Serve and enjoy!

Click here to see the full recipe.            BACK TO TOP

3. Roasted Radishes and Carrots with Turmeric

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Begin by tossing your radishes and carrots in a little oil and lemon juice. (It’s suggested that you use grapeseed oil or coconut oil.) Add a mix of ground turmeric, salt, ground black pepper, and parsley flakes then toss some more.

Bake your seasoned veggies until tender and serve while they are still warm. And, expect that you’ll be making this easy yet tasty dish time and time again!

Click here to see the full recipe.

Want to learn more about how grapeseed oil contributes to healthy hair? Read Ingredients 101: The Benefits of Grapeseed Oil for Hair Growth.

For articles that look at the benefits of coconut oil, check out:

• Best Treatment for Dry Scalp – 5 DIY Remedies
• 10 Popular Ingredients for Homemade Conditioner for Frizzy Hair
• Homemade Conditioner for Frizzy Hair – 3 Super Easy Recipes         BACK TO TOP

4. Sweet Lemon-Pepper Turmeric Salmon

Prep. Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes

This is a dish that suits any palate but you’ll definitely want to try it if you are looking for yummy gluten-free foods or you are on the paleo diet.

Set your salmon in the fridge to marinate in a mix of lemon juice, ground turmeric, ground black pepper, and honey. Next, place the salmon (covered with some of the marinade) in a pre-heated oven. Flip the salmon halfway through baking then add even more flavor with extra turmeric, pepper, lemon slices, and honey. Yum and it’s done!

Click here to see the full recipe.            BACK TO TOP

5. Turmeric Rice

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

You’ll love serving this golden dish – it looks as vibrant as it tastes!

Start off by cooking diced onions and carrots in coconut oil. Add brown rice plus minced garlic, ground turmeric, salt, dried thyme, and ground cumin. Let it cook for a few seconds before pouring in some vegetable broth. Allow your rice to simmer and cook until almost tender before stirring in peas and chopped fresh parsley.

Once the rice is tender, you can serve it up with a sprinkle of parsley and a healthy dose of glowing pride!

Click here to see the full recipe.

Did you know garlic is a very helpful hair ingredient? Find out how! Curly Hair Ingredients 101: The Amazing (And Surprising) Benefits of Garlic for Hair Growth.

Have you ever heard of using onion juice in your hair? YouTuber EfikZara includes it in her latest video which we featured, here: How to Grow Natural Hair Fast Without Oils or Butters by Zara! (Part 1). 

BACK TO TOP

6. Turmeric Chicken Flatbread

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Don’t be daunted by the lengthy ingredients list that comes with this recipe. The dish is actually quite easy to make and well worth the effort of gathering and putting together its impressive list of tasty, flavorful ingredients. Especially if you are a fan of chicken with turmeric recipes – dive right in!

Begin by covering thinly sliced jalapenos in a mix of vinegar, honey, and a bit of salt. Let it sit for the flavors to come together. In the meantime, toss thinly sliced chicken thighs in pumpkin pie spice, ground turmeric, olive oil, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook them until somewhat crispy.

Your next steps are frying up some baby spinach and grated garlic for just a couple of minutes, and toasting your naan in the oven until crispy.

Almost done! All you have to do now is top the naan with the prepared spinach and jalapenos, along with some fresh cilantro leaves. Add a generous drizzle of a sauce made of yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Serve it warm and say “HELLO!” to your new favorite comfort food!

Click here to see the full recipe.             BACK TO TOP

7. Golden Milk Turmeric Tea

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Whether you call it golden milk or turmeric latte, this hot drink is an awesome choice for cozying up to and for warming you up on chilly nights!

Do you love how ginger pairs so very well with turmeric? There are countless turmeric latte recipes with turmeric and ginger among their ingredients. The one featured here gets its added flavors from a cinnamon stick, honey, virgin coconut oil, unsweetened coconut milk, and whole black peppercorns.

Simply add all the ingredients along with some thinly sliced turmeric or dried turmeric to a pot with water. Let it boil then simmer before straining the golden liquid into serving mugs. Top with a bit of ground cinnamon and serve. It’ll flood your mouth with flavor and warm you to your toes!

Click here to see the full recipe.             BACK TO TOP

8. Turmeric Smoothie Recipes (Vegan and No Sugar Added)

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Here are three easy-to-make smoothie recipes using turmeric powder. You can pick your favorite or enjoy them all! They are:

• Spinach Turmeric Smoothie
• Mango Turmeric Smoothie
• Turmeric Ginger Smoothie

Among the deliciously nutritious ingredients you’ll be adding (depending on the smoothie you choose) are flaxseeds, chia seeds, carrots, pineapple, oranges, coconut flakes, and coconut water.

Hey, these smoothies are all the reason you need to invite some friends over for a smoothie party. They are sure to love the colors and flavors of these unique, totally customizable turmeric smoothies!

Click here to see the full recipe.                     BACK TO TOP

Do you have any delicious recipes with turmeric? Share!

DMTBeautySpot

via https://dmtbeautyspot.com

Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

How to Grow Natural Hair Fast Without Oils or Butters by Zara! (Part 1)

Science-Based and 4C-Approved!!

Zara is back on CurlyNikki! She’s a fabulous naturalista who shares her natural hair journey with her followers. That includes more than 170K subscribers (aka ZeeStarz) on her EfikZara YouTube channel!

What’s Zara up to this week? Well… Zara admits she loves using oils and butters as a part of her natural hair care regimen to aid the health, strength, and growth of her hair. In fact, many naturalistas do!  But, she also knows oils and butters are not for everyone, including some of her fans.

JUMP TO THE VIDEO or keep scrolling and reading for a preview of what she covers plus links to related resources on CurlyNikki.

Some persons shy away from hair oils and hair butters either because they just don’t like them or these products just don’t seem to work for their hair. That’s why Zara’s latest video (the first in a 2-part series) is answering the question of how to grow natural hair fast without oils or butters.

How to Grow Natural Hair Fast Without Oils or Butters

In the video, Zara shares six categories of natural hair products she uses. Thankfully, these are all featured in her very thorough Recipe Bible (link in video). She also shares one technique most of us tend to overlook, whether or not we use hair oils or hair butters to assist with the health and growth of our natural hair.

Of course, being Zara, she takes the time to explain the science behind each of her suggestions in easy-to-understand language. She ensures we know how these natural hair ingredients work as well as how they benefit our scalp and strands.

Here’s a summary of Zara’s seven suggestions for anyone who wants to grow natural hair fast while skipping on hair oils or hair butters:

1. Plant gels and juices

Examples Zara gives us include aloe vera, flaxseed, ambunu, and barbary fig (prickly pear).

2. Hair masks

Zara shares the benefits of using Ayurvedic herbs as hair masks. She highlights the use of amla powder for those wanting to grow natural hair fast minus the use of oils and butters.

Using clays as hair masks is also a suggestion she focuses on and explains why they are so hair-healthy.

Want to find out more about amla? Be sure to read 4 Remarkable Benefits of Amla Powder and Amla Oil for Hair.

3. Teas herbal teas, herbal infusions, or tisanes

Find out about how teas help hair growth and why Zara LOVES the rosemary teas in her Recipe Bible.

4. Hair growth serums

Zara explains how hair growth serums, like those made with eucalyptus and rosemary, are formulated and how they balance the scalp environment and boost growth.

5. Hair elixirs

Next up on Zara’s list of how to grow natural hair fast without oils or butters are the concoctions and decoctions we commonly call hair elixirs. Learn about the use of eggs, onion juice, potato juice, and rice water (and LOTS more). Wondering how smelly onions could possibly benefit your hair? Zara explains!

Check out CurlyNikki’s recent rice water articles:

• Rice Water Rinse for Curly Hair: What Is It, Benefits, and 3 EASY Rice Water Recipes
• Rice Water Shampoo for Natural Hair Care: Check Out These 3 Must-Try Examples!
• 5 Fantastic Fermented Rice Water Products for Curly Haircare

6. Henna

Zara sings the praises of henna as a way to strengthen your strands, help with length retention, and boost growth. BUT, also issues a word of caution about its use. Find out in the video!

7. Scalp exfoliation

This is the final tip Zara shares for how to grow natural hair fast if you’re not using oils or butters. She reveals she prefers chemical exfoliators, such as salicylic acid, over physical exfoliators and explains why.

How to Grow Natural Hair Fast Without Oils or Butters (Part 1) 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!

DMTBeautySpot

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

This is the first in a five-part series featuring real Black women and their thoughts about their natural hair. Join us each Monday (today and throughout the month of February) to celebrate our natural Black hair and ALL that it means in our lives. We hope these stories help you to enjoy a feeling of empowerment about your coily, wavy, or curly hair no matter how you choose to wear it!

My Natural Hair Journey: Patty John’s Story – Learning to Love My Natural Hair

I love my natural hair now. I didn’t always love it and sometimes felt ashamed of it. When I first went natural, I was terrified.

Growing up, I had very long hair and everyone would always compliment my hair. As a darker skin little girl, I internalized that beauty was light skin with long hair.

When I had a perm in my teens, the comments and compliments on my hair continued. People only seemed to notice my long, straight hair.

In my 20s, after years of perming, I noticed my hair was thinning and I followed advice to stop perming it. I got it blow-dried and flat-ironed; the stylist would also trim the permed strands.

Recent CurlyNikki articles on hair damage:

• • • Can Heat Damaged Hair Be Repaired? Here Are 15 Awesome Tips
    • The Top 10 (Fixable) Things That Damage Natural Hair

It bothered me that my hair wasn’t straight enough and it was getting shorter. I started to do my own washes instead of leaving it to the stylist and it was a relief to partially do my own hair again.

And when I would go out in a fresh fro to get my hair done, I would notice people staring and I was uncomfortable. I also tried out different hair stylists to straighten my hair. I had some stylists who would complain about how hard my hair was to straighten and that I should go back to a perm…I was frustrated.

When I first went natural, I was terrified… As a darker skin little girl, I internalized that beauty was light skin with long hair.

I decided to do my own blow drying and flat ironing; it was a great learning process. Still, I noticed that my hair wasn’t healthy and I didn’t know what to do. I got some advice from a few family members and friends to go completely natural. I was scared at the thought, but I did it.

At the time, there were very few women wearing natural hair. When I made the change, I received so many hurtful comments and I would often get stares. It felt weird and painful… this is how my hair grows out of my scalp, yet a lot of people were repulsed by it, especially people of color who were also born with a similar hair texture.

There were also people who said my hair was a “throwback” or happily encouraged me to stay natural. There were people who weren’t Black who wanted to touch my hair or ask questions… this was annoying at times.

I kept with the process and tried different styles like wash and gos. I learned about using the right combs and tools. I listened to advice to try this or that product. Most of it was geared towards making my hair look curlier or laid, but it wasn’t growing back, especially the damaged sections. I just wanted my hair to be healthy like it was when I was a kid.

… this is how my hair grows out of my scalp, yet a lot of people were repulsed by it, especially people of color who were also born with a similar hair texture.

Then I started researching and reading more natural hair articles and watching YouTube videos for my texture. I started to learn about using different oils as well as moisturizing methods, protective styling, and more natural products.

I still received negative commentary about my hair and I pushed back more. I was taking control and simply treating my hair and I wasn’t concerned about people’s opinions.

As my hair grew, I learned how to create low manipulation styles like braid-outs, twist-outs, cornrows, flat twists, mini twists, and low puffs. Already knowing how to braid made it easy to learn.

I then experimented briefly with braided updos, box braids, and Marley twists at natural hair salons. I even learned how to create headwrap styles through online tutorials.

Learn about protective styling in these recent articles:

• • • Protective Styles for Natural Hair Growth – 7 Great Points to Keep in Mind
    • 7 Tips For Growing Out Your Natural Hair While Rocking a Protective Hair Style

Now, no matter how I choose to wear my hair naturally, I’m proud of it and no one can tell me otherwise. I want other Black women to be confident in wearing their natural hair. The styles that we can create with our own hair are numerous and can be worn anywhere.

We are beautiful and we need to show our society that there’s nothing wrong with Black people’s hair. No one should have to straighten their hair unless it’s a personal choice not based on negative societal pressures or expectations of what’s attractive or professional.

Now, no matter how I choose to wear my hair naturally, I’m proud of it and no one can tell me otherwise. I want other Black women to be confident in wearing their natural hair.

People who aren’t Black do not know about our hair. Some of them have a negative mindset about it because of institutionalized racism and/or they haven’t been accustomed to seeing our hair. The real problem is from our own people and if we remove the stigma that we’ve inherited about our own hair, we will see more change.

And we’re already seeing changes because of the natural hair movement. It’s amazing to see Black women of all ages with natural hair everywhere. It feels like we’re finally loving ourselves as we were created.

It’s also great seeing other women making content, such as articles, videos, and social media posts, to help their fellow sisters. We need to support each other and ask each other questions. I don’t know where I would be without learning what other women have gone through or their process.

There needs to be more content that encourages Black women of all textures. All of our curl patterns are beautiful and we should feel empowered to style our hair in any way.

Find words of encouragement and hair care tips for your natural hair journey:

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

And, be sure to check our recent feature on an up-and-coming Black-owned hair products company:

• • • Black-Owned Businesses: CURLē Beauty Launches Love Your Roots Campaign!

Understanding what our hair needs, having positive vibes about our hair, and developing a healthy process eases the journey. Women who choose to chemically process, straighten, or use texture-changing products should be aware of the long-term effects on their hair, scalp, and overall health.

All of our curl patterns are beautiful and we should feel empowered to style our hair in any way.

It’s okay if you want to experiment with styles to alter your hair, but ask yourself why. Ask yourself if you are doing this to be creative or are you doing it because you can’t deal with your hair, don’t want to learn, or you’re listening to naysayers. Let’s be honest about how we view our hair.

Being natural IS for everyone IF they choose and it doesn’t have to be a complex, lengthy process no matter what your texture is. You just have to know what you’re doing and be committed to the health of your hair…it’s just a self-care routine.

I am proud to wear my hair naturally. I enjoy sharing hair advice and educating those who have or don’t have our type of hair. And I hope that my love for my hair inspires others to love their natural crown.

Patty is a writer and editor from New York City. She is the Founder of Perspectiv.words, a group blog website that discusses current events, motivation, social issues, and other topics. You can read more about her here: www.perspectivwords.com/team/patty-john/

Website: www.perspectivwords.com

Social: https://twitter.com/pattyjohn3

DMTBeautySpot

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

Black-Owned Businesses: CURLē Beauty Launches Love Your Roots Campaign!

By Jacqueline Samaroo

Meet Mona El-Gharby, founder of CURLē Beauty, a small black-owned hair products company that offers custom curly hair products. Mona and CURLē are on a mission to “reframe natural hair as elegant and luxurious in ALL contexts.”

Keep reading to find out about Mona and CURLē as well as CURLē’s Love Your Roots campaign with its focus on:

• Sharing curly hair stories.
• Empowering those who have faced hair discrimination.
• Advocating for the Crown Act.

JUMP TO CAMPAIGN INFO!

Black-Owned Businesses: A bit about Mona

Mona is an Egyptian American raised in Dallas, Texas. She is also a proud graduate of Southern Methodist University (SMU).

Mona’s curl journey actually began while she was still in middle school. She describes her naturally curly hair as “one of my biggest insecurities growing up.” She admits that she was raised to embrace naturally curly hair as beautiful and unique.

This, she soon discovered, was in sharp contrast to the way it was often perceived and represented in the wider society. There, naturally curly hair was side-lined as “exotic” “wild” or “crazy,” rarely being embraced as “elegant” or “sophisticated.”

It was as a teen that her own quest to find the right products and hair care routine for her hair led her to learn about hair and scalp health.

Mona ended up formulating her own products made of premium ingredients to use on her hair. This fuelled her desire to create a Black-owned hair products company with a focus on “the empowerment of natural hair and changing the narrative” about our natural hair.

While at SMU, Mona triple-majored in Biochemistry, Business, and Human Rights – three subjects she is passionate about. She put all that passion and knowledge into founding CURLē and now being its Chief Executive Officer.

Find out more about Mona in her own words:

Black-Owned Businesses: CURLē Beauty

Mona started CURLē Beauty at the end of 2020.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by CURLē | custom curly haircare (@curlebeauty)

CURLē caters to all natural hair textures, be they waves, curls, or coils. Its collection is made up of handmade, organic, and vegan formulations. Along with its NO BS guarantee, CURLē’ also assures you that its products are

• Curly Girl Approved
• Free of harsh chemicals, such as sulfates, parabens, silicones, and phthalates

Check out the CURLē line of styling cream, hair oil, and deep conditioner. And, hey, if you are looking for Black-owned beard products, CURLē’s got you covered too with the CURLē’ Beard Oil. It’s a blend of argan oil, grapeseed oil, and castor seed oil – all skin-loving and hair-loving oils!

Get the facts about the goodness of grapeseed oil  – Ingredients 101: The Benefits of Grapeseed Oil for Hair Growth.

According to its website, CURLē’s products are “customized using artificial intelligence and proven scientific research – specifically for natural hair types.” Be sure to take the CURLē hair quiz for help assessing your hair’s unique needs, then place your order accordingly.

The website also offers chic branded wearables like its midnight-black, oversized satin scrunchie for styling and protecting your curls.

Do you love styling and protecting your hair with twists and twist outs? Great! Read 12 Tips to Keep Twist Outs Looking Awesome Overnight and Longer!

For other protective styling ideas and info:

• Protective Styles for Natural Hair Growth – 7 Great Points to Keep in Mind
• Thinking of Using a Wig as A Protective Style? Here Are 7 Awesome Reasons to Go for It!
• Natural Hair Styles – 25 Badass Bantu Knots Inspiration Pics

The Love Your Roots campaign by CURLē Beauty

(#LoveYourRoots and #MyCurleMyWay)

The mission of Love Your Roots is to embrace curly hair stories and cultural roots while advocating for the CROWN Act. It aims to emphasize the empowering nature of natural hair because, as we all know, natural Black hair is more than hair.

The campaign officially kicks off on 24 January 2022 and will launch primarily through social media channels. It will feature Instagram Reels and TikToks, giving individuals the opportunity to share how their curly hair and cultural background has affected them and their life.

During its Love Your Roots campaign, CURLē Beauty will also host roundtable discussions on hair-based discrimination in the workplace, at school, and in the wider society. Participants will also be sharing the ways in which they show self-love to counter this.

Plus, there are giveaways!!!!

Get a chance to grab free samples of CURLē’s styling cream and deep conditioner on the company’s Instagram page: @curlebeauty.

Heads-up: In order to qualify, you must

• Follow @curlebeauty
• Tag 3 friends in 1 comment for 1 submission (multiple submissions allowed – yay!)
• Submit a video for 2 submissions

What’s more, CURLē’s curl-flaunting ambassadors and influencers will be offering promo codes as part of the countdown to the main event day (code expires on event day and is valid until 2/1 11:59 pm).

About the Crown Act

 “The CROWN Act, which stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair,” is a law that prohibits race-based hair discrimination, which is the denial of employment and educational opportunities because of hair texture or protective hairstyles including braids, locs, twists or bantu knots.”

Starting with California in 2019, more than a dozen states are already on board, signing the Act into law. The founders and leaders of the CROWN Act are dedicated to continuing until the movement achieves its goals of ending hair discrimination, nationwide.

What are your thoughts on Black-owned businesses and Black-owned natural hair care products in particular? Share!

DMTBeautySpot

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Jacqueline Samaroo, DMT.NEWS, DMT BeautySpot,

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.

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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

BACK TO TOP

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!

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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,