Dove Curl Expert and celebrity hairstylist, Cynthia Alvarez met with seven hair bloggers to address their natural hair journeys. Here, they reveal their hair issues, successes and why their hair has more personality than themselves!
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Evelyn (EvCurlGirl)
What do you love most about your hair?
The versatility and it’s body. My curls flow with the personality!
What are your top 3 hair challenges?
Frizz, tangles easily and dryness.
How do you overcome your challenges?
I MUST wash my hair every other day to combat frizz, no exception! That way I detangle in the shower as well. For dryness, I do a weekly deep treatment with a heat cap. Weeks when I get lazy and skip treatment, it shows!
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Courtney (Curls and Couture)
What do you love most about your hair?
It’s very dense, which can be frustrating sometimes because it takes a while for me to do my hair, but it gets really big. The bigger the hair the better!
What are your top 3 hair challenges?
My top challenges are dryness in my nape and single strand knots. I have been able to manage the dryness that results from my color but at times it can be challenging.
How do you overcome your challenges?
Moisture! Moisture! Moisture! My curls are much tighter at the nape of my neck, so when I deep condition and moisture I pay extra attention to that area. The hair that is colored is only challenging during the colder months. But, I do treatments (hot oil, moisture, protein) and moisturize more often during this time. Single strand knots are horrible because the only remedy is to cut them. It avoid them as much as possible I detangle thoroughly and trim regularly. I also try to limit my wash and go’s and wear more stretched styles like twist outs and perm rods.
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Christina (Love Brown Sugar)
What do you love most about your hair?
I love that I can wear it in different ways and never have to worry about texture—it’s already textured!
What are your top three hair challenges?
Moisture retention, curl definition and dry scalp.
How do you overcome your challenges?
I overcome my hair challenges by using products that address each one. For moisture retention I like to use different leave-in hair cremes and serums. I also deep condition weekly and moisturize my hair daily with a leave-in. For curl definition, I work with stylers that suit my pattern whether I’m wearing my natural curls or extensions. And for dry scalp, I just try to make sure to wash my hair regularly and use scalp oils to help keep it moisturized.
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Fatima (Sewing Stardom)
What do you love most about your hair?
I love the versatility of my curls and the minimal styling time that is required. The tapered cut that Cynthia gave me really suits my face shape and personal style. Also, styling my hair take less time and requires less product which is a plus!
What are your top 3 hair challenges?
Managing different curl textures throughout my hair, finding new products that work for my new short hair style, and not being able to achieve a wash and go look.
How do you overcome your challenges?
I’ve learned that it’s best to stick with what works. I’ve accepted that with a new cut things that I did and products I used in the past may not give me the same results. I’ve gotten more creative incorporating turbans and stretched styles like twists outs and perm rods into my routine. The best thing I’ve learned is to go with the flow.
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Jennifer (Akushika Gone Natural)
What do you love most about your hair?
I love that my hair can be anything I want it to be. I can manipulate it to suit my mood—it’s my MUSE.
What are your top 3 hair challenges?
Being of 4C Hair Type, moisture retention is a constant struggle, learning to master the technique of product application is key in retaining moisture for long periods of time. The LOC Method (Liquid, Oil, Cream) has been very vital in keeping my strands moisturized.
Also, a lack of an adequate and balanced diet including fresh leafy greens, omega 3’s lead to high levels of shedding and breakage, which is another problem for me. But, incorporating black tea rinses and a reduction in over manipulation have resulted in a dramatic difference in my instances of shedding and breakage.
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Monet (Curls and Mo)
What do you love most about your hair?
versatility! I easily can go from straight to curly.
What are your top 3 hair challenges?
Single strand knots, dryness and a long wash and styling process.
How do you overcome your challenges?
I keep my hair sectioned and stretched as often as possible. This helps keep the wash day process short and helps to reduce knots and tangles. I also try to deep condition my hair every few weeks so that it maintains its moisture and I often use the L.O.C. Method.
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Ty (Gorgeous In Grey)
What do you love most about your hair?
I’ve always loved my grey hair. It’s been my signature since I was a teen. As an adult, it’s helped shape how I tell my own personal beauty story to the world.
What are your top 3 hair challenges?
Because of the grey, my hair can be wiry and dry so I need to deep condition a lot. I love a good press out, but that can leave residue on my grey hair, so I have to make sure I’m using a clarifying shampoo and conditioner.
How do you overcome your challenges?
Easy! I am constantly reminding myself that these curls are uniquely mine. I love them and gladly except and conquer the challenges that it brings.