We Aim To Slay

Since going natural in 2017 I’ve had one steadfast rule – to limit heat styling! And since then, I kept myself to only using heat twice a year. But after years of nothing but the same look, I decided it was time to make a change! You may have noticed, but from Thanksgiving 2025 until March 2026 I wore my hair pin straight!

After months of being tamed, my curls are back and bolder than ever!

Let’s Set the Scene!

I am by no means a stranger to straight hair – it was my default look from 2005 to 2017! But one of the reasons I avoided heat styling as an adult was, historically, the damage it  did to my hair. Exhibit A: my mom graciously trimmed my ends for me last week because they were gnarly!

Once I made the decision to wear my natural curls, I started a years-long journey to properly care for my hair to ensure strength and growth. And let me tell you, I got results!

Ironically, the summer of 2025 was the longest and healthiest my hair had ever been. And as if I was in a fever dream, I attempted to give myself a much needed trim – something I’ve been doing for myself for years – when I ended up chopping a huge section in the back.

Of course I hacked into the section with the tightest curl formation, which meant that the damage was visible at all times, and led to three months of sleek straight strands. Fast forward to the return of warm and humid days, and I knew it was time for the curls to come back!

The Hair Care Heroes

In a recent article I discussed the products I’ve been relying on to regrow my hair, but with most things in life it comes down to one important detail – taking care of yourself from the inside out. Please remember that I am not a medical expert, but there are a few vitamins and minerals that I always rely on for hair care and growth. The first, which many of you might be familiar with, is biotin also known as Vitamin B7.

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, this vitamin “plays a vital role in assisting enzymes to break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in food,” as well as helping to “regulate signals sent by cells and the activity of genes.” The A.I. (adequate intake) level for the average person at least 19 years old is 30 micrograms daily. And while this source goes on to explain that there’s no scientific evidence that proves a correlation between taking a biotin supplement and hair growth, the main three symptoms of a B7 deficiency are “thinning hair; scaly skin rashes around the eyes, nose, and mouth; and brittle nails.”

Other notable vitamins and minerals include: Vitamin D, to help create new hair follicles and its effects on the growth cycle; Vitamin C, for iron absorption and collagen production; Iron, to carry oxygen to the hair follicles; Folic Acid (also known as Vitamin B9), which regulates keratin products; and many more!

The most efficient way, for me, to ensure I’m getting all of these important nutrients is by taking a supplement. For the last three months I’ve been supplementing my diet with Nutrafol – a hair growth supplement, with specific formulations to address the “bio-specific needs during various life stages and lifestyles.” 

While it’s advertised as being a hair growth supplement, I’ve seen the biggest change in my nails! They have grown much stronger and longer in the last few months, and they’re growing faster than they ever have before!

If Nutrafol is outside of your budget, you can find supplements such as straight Biotin, multi-vitamins called “Hair, Skin & Nails” or even a prenatal vitamin! If you are considering adding a supplement into your routine, make sure to consult your medical professionals first!

The Products

Throughout my curly hair journey I’ve tested a lot of products! And in the last few years I’ve found several that have truly protected my hair, so I decided to put my faith in my products and let my hair do its thing!

As I explained above, I’ve been wearing my hair straight for several months, and to be clear when I first straightened my hair in November, it was in order to test the Ceremonia Guava Rescue Spray – reviewed in “Hot Like Mexico” – which ended up becoming the backbone of this experiment!

In the past, I put very little stock in a heat protectant. Historically, it was a spray bottle filled with a watery blend of chemicals – reactivating my curls faster than I could fry them into oblivion. Ceremonia’s protectant (which I won during a giveaway) is a product I will absolutely buy again! It really made a difference not only in protecting my hair, but in perfecting my styling and prolonging how I could go between reapplying heat.

Because I was also prolonging the time between wash days, it was extra important that each wash day was as productive as possible. This meant paying extra attention to my scalp health because “What happens in the root determines the fruit”: the way we use vitamins to support the hair follicles from the inside, we can use targeted products and tools to support them from the outside!

I’ve shared my thoughts on products such as scalp exfoliators and tools like a silicone scalp scrubber – their benefits include exfoliation to lift dead skin and product buildup, and stimulating blood flow which in turn helps cell turnover. I’ve been using the Love Ur Curls Scalp Exfoliating Scrub, and I like that it includes ingredients like activated charcoal (the ultimate clogged pore magnet) and peppermint oil, which leaves my skin feeling fresh and zingy!

Once I’ve stripped the scalp and strands, I like to use a deep conditioner in place of a regular conditioner. For years I’ve talked about my love of the Briogeo Don’t Despair…Repair! Deep Conditioning mask – it absorbs quickly enough to be left in your hair and used as a leave-in product and, historically, has been all I’ve needed to quickly bring my curls back after straightening. Recently my Love Ur Curls rep sent me their Deep Condition & Repair product; it’s the deep conditioner I used during this entire period, and it’s the product I’ll continue using because the ingredient list is much cleaner (made evident by the smell alone!) and because Love Ur Curls’ 8oz container costs $25 USD compared to Briogeo’s same size container at $39 USD.

Tools & Styling

And of course, once my curls are cleansed I’ve got to decide on a style! While straight, I basically only wear my hair down or up in either a bun or ponytail but with my curls, the possibilities are endless – as documented in my Creative Hair Styles Part One & Part Two!

Before I can begin manipulating my hair I layer on products designed to lock in moisture, prevent frizz, and hold shape – a leave-in conditioner, some sort of styler, and either a gel or mousse.

Long before I became one of their ambassadors, I swore by the Love Ur Curls All-In-One Styler because that’s exactly what it is – an all in one styling product. Not quite a gel and not quite a cream, it offers weightless hold, moisture and shine. But even superheroes need help from time to time, and in those cases I like to reach for the Mielle honey and pomegranate leave-in conditioner or the Pattern Beauty Hair Milk. Both of these products prioritize deep hydration without weighing down my hair, which allows me to layer additional products on top.

Back when I started my curl journey I desperately wanted to be one of those girls that just scrunched mousse into their curls and went about their days. I am, in fact, the kind of girl who needs the strongest gels possible to maintain my curl formations and reduce frizz. For everyday use, I like a medium weight gel because I don’t want to lose too much volume – I’ll reach for the Love Ur Curls Irish Sea Moss Gel or the Pattern Beauty Curl Gel before any other brand! 

But in the last year (due to the launch of the Love Ur Curls Volumizing Foam) I’ve developed a better understanding of mousse and how to best use it. When my hair is curly I use mousse to refresh my curls on days two or more, especially the curls that frame my face and end up frizzing first. When my hair is straight, I like to use mousse as the styling product before using my heatless curl tool!

And when my hair needs a little extra love, I’ll add a bit of oil to the ends. Traditionally, my hair is very sensitive to oils and picking the wrong one left my hair stringy and limp. About two years ago I was introduced to the Ouai Hair Oil and my straight hair loved it, but I wasn’t impressed with the results on my curls. 

A few months ago I got to try the L.U.C. Elixir Oil, a blend of seven oils and Vitamin E, and it’s truly a game changer! Not only do my curls love this product, but so does my skin! Like I said, it’s a blend of seven natural oils – rosemary oil, moringa oil, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, gooseberry (or alma) oil, black cumin seed, and avocado oil – and Vitamin E, making it one of the cleanest hair and body oils on the market! And I’m not just saying that, this is a product I trust so well I’ve used it on my dog’s paws throughout this winter!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: “What happens in the root determines the fruit.” After taking the time to treat my scalp and the roots of my hair, I don’t want to lose progress when styling! In my experience, the more tension I put on my roots the more frizzy they become and the sooner I need to restyle my hair. When actively trying to reduce tension I prefer to use clips instead of hair ties and satin scarves in place of headbands. 

Many #CurlyGirls swear by their diffusers and while I own one, I always have been and always will be an air drying type of person! It must be user error, but my roots always end up frizzy when I use my diffuser.

What Do You Think?

At the end of the day I am supremely grateful that my hair allows for so much versatility, and grateful to be able to try out and work with some of the innovators of the curl care world! 

Speaking of, I’ll be back tomorrow to discuss the newest product from my all time favorite curly brand – Love Ur Curls! Any guesses on what they’ll be debuting?!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!