Evelyn Ngugi

Group photo!

This is actually only a small fraction of the attendees, we were overwhelmed by the turnout!

Starstruck

Patrice (Afrobella), Franchesca (Chescaleigh), and Luvvie (Awesomely Luvvie) in the building! 

Beautiful hair

There were so many hairstyles, cuts and colors in attendance.

Lovely Locs

Puff!

We’re fans of Naturally Supreme‘s (left) awesome t-shirts, pictured with Priscilla, one of our graphic designers!

Fros

Color

Love the pop of color in the front of her hair. Now that Spring has arrived it feels like the right time to have fun with color. Filing this away as inspiration!

Connecting

Franchesca’s meetup was a great place for people to connect and become friends.

Beautiful ladies attending Franchesca’s meetup.

Fro envy

Look at that fro!

All smiles

Curled locs

She curled her locs and we thought it looked so cute.

Style

We loved her hair and personal style!

TWA

In addition to all of the fun we had, we learned a few hair tips too. Like adding a deep side part to switch up your look!

Man locs

Men are fans of Franchesca too! This gentleman learned this style from one of Franchesca’s tutorials on her Chescalocs Youtube channel!

Thank you!

Thank you to all of the lovely readers and subscribers who attended the event!

The dancefloor

Ended the night doing the wobble! TIGI swag bags in hand.

Sugar Plum Ballerina Series

by Whoopie Goldberg

These are short chapter books appropriate for those around a first grade reading level or higher. Alex moves to a new city and her mom makes her take ballet. The books have age appropriate scenarios like adjusting to a new city or school, learning to make friends and be a good person to others. I chose this book because the girls in the illustrations have fabulous curly hair tucked neatly into cute ballerina buns!

$4.99; Amazon

What I Like About Me

by Allia Zobel Nolan

Great book to teach our little ones that unique characteristics make us beautiful! The story includes different quirks and traits, like braces, big feet, and different types of hair. Ask your child to say what he likes about himself, and point out that even though we may look different, we’re all pretty great!

$6.29; Barnes and Noble

There Was a Little Girl,
She Had a Little Curl

by Harriet Ziefert

Have you ever walked into a room only to find that your son or daughter is chopping away at their precious hair with a pair of scissors? Kids will test boundaries and express their independence — sometimes with hilarious consequences. In this book, Isabel finds some scissors and cuts her curls off! Read the book to find out how Isabel fixed her haircut.

$11.80; Barnes and Noble

Daisy’s Perfect Word

by Sanda Feder

Daisy loves words and wants to give her favorite teacher (who’s moving away) the gift of the perfect word. What will she choose? I chose this book because it’s another positive representation of curly hair. The book does not focus on hair, but it’s always good to see ourselves in positive illustrations, isn’t it?

$10.91; Amazon

Curly Like Me

by Teri Laflesh

This is more of an instructional book that the whole family can appreciate! Teri Laflesh is the creator of the “tightly curly method”, in which you leave your favorite conditioner in your hair for awesome shine, bounce and definition. Keep this as a reference for your curly kids, and teach them how to build the perfect curly hair regimen for themselves. As they become more independent and don’t need you to wash and style their hair, they can refer to this book for encouragement!

$11.53; Amazon

Annie’s Curly Hair

by Rosie Muñoz

Red haired Annie looks in the mirror and wonders why her hair curls up. She wants long, flowy hair like her friend! It’s not fair! When she gets rid of her curls, she finally has straight hair but doesn’t know what to do with it — it still doesn’t look quite right. That’s because your curls are made especially for you, her mailman friend explains!

$19.99; Barnes and Noble

Wanda and the Wild Hair

by Barbara Azore

Wanda adores her curly hair! Too bad everyone else doesn’t. Her mom thinks curly hair means unkempt hair (false!), her dad jokes that he’ll take her to a poodle parlor for a trim (rude!) and her teacher threatens to make her cut it (can you spell l-a-w-s-u-i-t?) Wanda just can’t be bothered because she loves how bouncy and soft her hair feels. Does Wanda have to get a hair cut? Will she miss her curls? Read to find out!

$7.95; Amazon

1. The store cashier thinks your sister is your daughter, but you’re only five years apart. 

Your hair is aging you! Maybe your hair color is washing out your youthful features. Visit a colorist in your area to assess how light or dark you should go. Sometimes you just have to accept that a deep red looks a lot better against your skin than jet black. If you’re in absolute love with your hair color, maybe a new hairstyle is in order. It can be as simple as parting your hair down the middle instead of to the right. Are your curls too long? A shorter, layered cut can make your curls seem more light and bouncy.

MORE: 6 Hair Tips to Make You Look Younger

2. Your coworker assumes you’re going to be an 80s hair band rocker for the company Halloween party.

A modern haircut is in order! Gone are the days of insane frizz, teased crowns and bangs, and side ponytails. A layered haircut will add dimension and natural shape to your curls. Maybe you need to thin your curls out a little to tone down the volume. Visit a stylist you trust who knows how curly hair grows and frames the face. To bring your frizz down to 21st century levels, make sure your curls are properly deep conditioned – dry hair means frizzy hair!

MORE: Are Curly 80s Hair Styles Now Retro?

3. People always ask if you’re headed to the gym.

Ditch the messy buns, thick headbands, and big, cotton scrunchies. Those are for the gym, not the workplace. Embrace your curls and wear them loud and proud! Don’t believe the myth that curly hair is unprofessional. Rock a wash & go using your favorite gel or try twists and braids to alter your curl pattern into loose waves or tight curls over night without heat. You can also pull them back into a sleek, fashionable bun, but use more discreet hair accessories this time.

MORE: 5 Tips for Exercising With Natural Hair

4. People always ask if you’re feeling well, but haven’t even sneezed and you have no tissues in hand.

Hair color can change how warm or cool our skin looks. If your hair is too dark, it can wash out your features and make you look very tired and pale. If your hair is colored too light, it can make you look like an ice queen, a la Tilda Swinton. Visit your stylist and ask for some warmth and dimension through highlights and lowlights.

Make sure your hair color matches your skin undertones. Those with cool undertones can go as deep as bluish black. Warmer undertones need deep browns and golds. It’s also on trend to change your hair color with each major change in season. By Thanksgiving, switch out your sun-kissed highlights for a deeper, richer color.

MORE: 8 Foods for Healthy Skin

5. During conversations, people stare just above your face. My eyes are down here, fellas! 

Time to touch up those roots! Seems like the contrast between your natural color and your dye job is distracting. If you know how to DIY it, go for it! If not, make a hair appointment ASAP. Darker roots on a lighter dye job can make your hair look greasy, while your blonde roots with a brunette ponytail just looks wonky!

MORE: How to Hide Oily Roots

6. Your mother keeps posting sticky notes with the address to her favorite salon on your fridge when she comes over.

Ugh, mom is trying to send a message, isn’t she? Maybe it’s time for a new color to bring in the changing season, or maybe your curls look a bit droopy and a slightly layered cut is in order. Maybe your hair just has a bad case of the dry frizzies. Treat yourself to a moisturizing deep conditioner to bring the moisture and definition back to your hair. If it’s humid outside, more moisture won’t tame those fuzzies. Try a humidity serum or gel to smooth down those flyaways.

MORE: 5 Bad Curly Hair Habits to Break

Nebula Wade

Let me show my age (or lack thereof) with this piece about a Disney channel TV movie! I was an impressionable 10-year-old when this movie came out in 1999, and although Kirsten Storms was the lead role, I loved her adorable friend Nebula Wade, played by Raven-Symoné.

Raven practically grew up on camera – she was Olivia in the later seasons of “The Cosby Show,” Nicole on “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper” and Charisse in “Dr. Dolittle.” Before we knew it, she was a young teenager on “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century.”

Quick recap: the movie is about Zenon, a girl who lives in an orbiting space station community in the year 2049. She’s a rambunctious kid, and is sent to live with her aunt on Earth as a punishment. Culture shock and teen angst ensue; all while she has to stop an evil plot to crash the computers on her space station. Totally believable, right? But note: in the movie, they had iPad-like gadgets. Explain yourself, Apple!

MORE: Curly Fairies & Nymphs for Halloween

Back to Raven

Raven was Zenon’s best friend. Fun-loving yet more cautious than Zenon, she often worried about the shenanigans Zenon got into. She helped sneak Zenon back into the space station to prevent the computer hacking plot and did it all without a curl falling out of place.

Her springy coils were always in two high pigtails held up by fashionably futuristic coils or Slinkys. I don’t know if I’d want metal coils holding up my curly hair, but it is the year 2049, so they probably figured out how to prevent tangles through technology!

Want to recreate the look? It’s perfect for young girls or even young adults like me who want to be a throwback Disney channel movie for Halloween (don’t forget your blonde bff to make this costume work!).

MORE: Top 10 Curly Hair Halloween Costumes

Get the Look

If your natural hair length and curl pattern already resembles Nebula Wade’s, then all you have to do is create a center part from the front of your head to the nape of your neck, pull up into two pigtails and secure with a hair tie. To simulate the futuristic coils Nebula rocked, you can band the base of the pigtail with several silver or grey hair ties. When you loop the hair tie back around, don’t lay it on top of the first band, secure it half an inch up. Repeat until you have several bands at the base of the pigtail to simulate a coil.

You can also do a twist out on blow-dried hair to stretch your curls to the length of Nebula’s. Use light gels and twisting products to ensure your curls will be just as bouncy as hers. Throw on some neon spandex and silver boots, and you’re well on your way to being a Supernova Girl!

MORE: No-Costume Curly Hairstyles for Halloween

Pumpkin Pie Butter

Belle Butters

Keeping in the pumpkin theme, Belle Butters has created a delectable pumpkin pie butter suitable for hair and skin. And because it’s made from cocoa butter and avocado butter, a little goes a very long way. By the end of the day, the spicy pumpkin smell fades into a light, vanilla aroma.

Pumpkin Pie Butter, $13; Belle Butters

MORE: Add Pumpkin to Your Beauty Routine

Sweet Cocoa Bean Curl Smoothing Cream

Darcy’s Botanicals

I first tried this product in the spring as part of my CurlBox, and I couldn’t get enough of the smell! I know some people don’t like chocolate fragrances in the hotter months (picture a melting chocolate bar mess!) so now is the perfect time to give this product a try. I use it as a leave-in conditioner and moisturizer, and it plumps up my dry twists instantly!

Darcy’s Botanicals Sweet Cocoa Bean Curl Smoothing Cream, $12; CurlMart

MORE: 7 Days To Healthier Hair

Whipped Pudding

Oyin Handmade

Speaking of chocolate…here’s a natural hair classic! Oyin’s Whipped Pudding is so decadent there should be a suggested serving size! Like the Pumpkin Pie Butter by Belle Butters, this is great for the hair and skin.

Pair it with the Darcy’s Botanicals smoothing cream for a chocolate power punch, or layer it with the Pumpkin Seed Moisturizing Conditioner for a multifaceted scent. Since it’s so thick, it’s perfect for long-term and protective styling. It may be too heavy for those of us with fine hair, so use a very small amount if it’s your first time trying this dense slice of heaven.

Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding, $12; CurlMart

MORE: How to Beat the Winter Skin Blues

Burnt Sugar Pomade

Oyin Handmade

I’ve been using Burnt Sugar Pomade for years! It’s a healthy hair grease made of castor, olive, soybean and coconut oils, plus other amazing ingredients to nourish and seal your coils. The smell: warm, caramelized sugar. It’s so enticing I’ve had to talk myself out of eating it a couple times! It’s not edible, but it is nutritious for our hair and smells delicious!

Burnt Sugar Pomade, $13; CurlMart

MORE: 7 Books for Curly Kids

Hair Dew

Oyin Handmade

Oyin’s Hair Dew has the same delicious scent as their Burnt Sugar Pomade, but has a different function. Hair Dew is a creamy leave-in and moisturizer, great on my freshly washed hair or on thirsty mid-week hair. Warning: the warm vanilla and caramel scent might cause the strong desire to frolic outside during the cool evenings, but at least your hair will be moisturized throughout your autumn adventures. If you like your hair products to smell the same, layer the Burnt Sugar Pomade on top of the Hair Dew for long-lasting moisture and scent.

Hair Dew, $13; CurlMart

MORE: Natural Hair on TV: Rudy Huxtable

Which hair products remind you of autumn? Let us know!

I Love My Hair!

by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

This is the story of Keyana, a little girl who falls in love with her textured hair. She tells us about her nighttime routine and how her mom uses coconut oil (such a good mom, huh?). The author, Natasha Tarpley, dedicated the book to her mom Marlene who made her hair “a house where dreams live and grow.”  How beautiful is that?

$6.99; Amazon.com

Bippity Bop Barbershop

by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

If you want a little somethin’ for your boys, Natasha also wrote this book about the barbershop! Watch Miles as he goes to the shop for his first professional haircut – he’s anxious and squirmy, but his dad is there to ease his nerves.

$6.99; Amazon.com

Bintou’s Braids

by Sylviane Diouf

In this book, we’ll travel to West Africa where a young girl named Bintou wishes for long braids with shells and coins instead of her “short and fuzzy” hair. Her grandmother explains that braids are customarily for older and wiser girls, and Bintou must wait. She redoes Bintou’s small cornrows, adding some special decorations as a treat!

$6.99; Amazon.com

Nappy Hair

by Carolivia Herron

This has been a pretty controversial book. But if you’re down for reclaiming the historically negative word “nappy” (I am!) and can appreciate the written usage of African American Vernacular English (I can!), then this book is A-OK. Brenda is the girl on the cover, and she gets teased by her own family for her sky-high hair. Her grandfather steps in and explains that Brenda was made just the way she was supposed to! And “one nap of her hair is the only perfect circle in nature.” Grandpa, for the win!

$6.99; Amazon.com

I Love My Cotton Candy Hair!

by Nicole Updegraff

Sometimes we might struggle with how to describe naturally curly hair to the kiddies. We want to use positive words and phrases to build high self-esteem. Our afros are soft as pillows and fluffy as clouds or, as this book describes, cotton candy! What child doesn’t love cotton candy? So to relate something so scrumptious and fluffy to our natural hair is a good way to build a curl-positive home! In this book, we meet Charlie, a girl who’s honest about the struggles that come with natural hair, but ultimately asserts her love for it.

$14.99; Amazon.com

Happy To Be Nappy

by bell hooks (her name is lower case on purpose)

Distinguished author, cultural critic and feminist bell hooks made her children’s book debut with Happy To Be Nappy in 1999.  You’ll read about a group of girls with many different styles of hair that’s “soft like cotton, flower petal billowy soft, full of frizz and fuzz.” It’s a book about the joys of getting your hair done and appreciating the many different style we can rock! It’s a story about accepting yourself and others.

$13.73; Amazon.com

The Barber’s Cutting Edge

by Gwendolyn Battle-Levert

Another book for the fellas! Rashaad loves going to the bustling barbershop filled with men and boys of all ages. Mr Bigalow’s barbershop is a fun and safe place to talk, play dominoes, read and get a little extra help with homework. In addition to being the best at what he does, Mr. Bigalow is also a friend, role model and as Rashaad puts it, “one cool dude.”

$14.95; Amazon.com

This isn’t an exhaustive list, so any suggestions are welcome! I’ve been perusing the interwebs for any children’s books that illustrate boys with big fros or long hair. No such luck yet, so if you know of any, let me know!

Looking for a product that will define your natural curl pattern? There are so many gels, custards and curl creams, that it can be confusing and frustrating to find the right one, so we’ve put together a list of our favorite top curl definers. Remember: no two heads of hair are the same, even if they fall in the same curl category. What works for thin 4b hair may not work for thick 4b hair, and what you thought wouldn’t work on your hair texture turns out to be a holy grail!

1. Tigi Catwalk Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier

Tigi’s Curls Rock Amplifier has the texture of a creamy hair lotion. Curlies with different curl patterns love it and agree on one thing: you only need about a pea-sized amount to get defined hair. If you apply too much to each section, expect crunchy curls! Make sure to use your favorite leave-in conditioner underneath so the styler doesn’t dry out your hair.

Curls Rock Amplifier; $16.95

MORE: Curl Clumping Tutorial

2. Kinky-Curly Curling Custard

Most naturals tell us that Kinky-Curly Curling Custard is a tough product to master. It’s full of nourishing botanicals like agave nectar extract, aloe vera juice and marshmallow, and has a very slippery and goopy texture. A little goes a long way, as it instantly clumps and smoothes your coils. Expect extremely shiny and springy coils. Although it works best on very tight, coarse coils in the “4” category, it might pack too much of a punch for loose curls. Be sure to pair it with a leave in conditioner like Kinky-Curly Knot Today.

Kinky-Curly Curling Custard; $17

MORE: 6 Curly Hair Products for the Cause

3. Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Gel

The Ouidad brand is on many a holy grail list and it’s because their products don’t make you choose between defined and moisturized hair – you can have both! Meadowfoam seed oil helps hydrate and clump, leaving you with juicy curls. Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Gel is great for thick type 3 curls.

Ouidad Curl Quencher Moisturizing Gel; $22

MORE: Using Olive Oil for Hair

4. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

It’s dense, rich, and packed with nourishing ingredients like aloe, vitamin E, and coconut oil. If you don’t like the crunch of gels, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie provides a more natural, touchable look. Since it’s not a gel, it might be difficult to define tighter coils and springs. Those with looser curls can expect soft, shiny, and light curls instead of the wet, heavy look that gels might give.

Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie; $9.99

MORE: Nourish Your Hair Naturally with Shea Moisture

5. AG Re:coil

Re:coil is a creamy, lightweight frizz fighter. Those who’ve had great results gush about bouncy, shiny, carefree curls. Those who had to pass said it wasn’t heavy enough for coarser hair textures. In humid months, use it under your favorite gel to keep the frizzies at bay. As it gets colder, it’s great as a standalone product.

AG Re:coil; $18

MORE: Curly Hair and Exercise: How Fit Women Make it Work

6. Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper

Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper is a water-based styler fights frizz and gently clumps curls, so those with thick, 3b and up hair may want to pair it with a gel for more definition and hold. It’s smooth like a serum, but creates definition like a gel. If you don’t like layering products or it doesn’t take much to define your waves or curls, give Curl Keeper a try. You can reactivate it with water as the week progresses!

Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper; $9.99

MORE: Celebrity Curls & Waves with Curly Hair Solutions

7. Miss Jessie’s Quick Curls

Give Quick Curls a try if you have waves and loose curls or fine, thin curlier hair. It’s a light cream, so it won’t weigh down your hair. If your hair regimen has more scrunching than meticulous raking and finger styling, your hair might love this product.

Miss Jessie’s Quick Curls; $9

MORE: Miss Jessie’s Videos

8. Curl Junkie Coffee-Coco Curl Creme

Curl Junkie Coffee-Coco Curl Creme combines the moisturizing benefits of a leave-in conditioner with the smoothing and holding properties of a gel. It’s lighter than dense creams or stiff gels, and can act as your leave-in and styler in one! Those with 3c-4a hair seem to love this product. Give it a try if you want a light, bouncy wash and go.

Curl Junkie Coffee-Coco Curl Creme; $22

MORE: How to Get Curl Definition

9. Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue

A lot thicker than Quick Curls, Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue is meant for dense, thick heads of highly textured hair! The Miss Jessie’s website says this medium hold styling cream is perfect for “pogo stick oingy boingy curls”. Rake and smooth it onto your hair section by section and watch the curls bounce back!

Miss Jessie’s Curly Meringue; $7

MORE: Natural Know-Hows: No Frizz Twist-Outs

10. Curls Curl Gel-les’C

Curls Curl Gel-les’C is a very lightweight, serum-like gel, perfect for preventing frizz on looser curls and defining fine (as opposed to coarse), tight coils. If you need high hold and staying power, this might be better to use on top of a conventional gel.

Curls Curl Gel-les’C; $25

MORE: Curly Hair Growth Chart