Over the years, I’ve had my fair share of bad haircuts and trims that left me full of regret. And although I have learned from my mistakes, I still trim my own hair every now and then. During lockdown I trimmed my own hair at home for a couple of reasons:

Some important things to note should you follow these instructions: This is guide to trimming straight hair that is one length. Should you wear your hair curly and have a curly cut, this is not for you. I do wear my hair both curly and straight, and prefer my hair one length.

To trim your own hair you will need the following:

• A hair scissors
• Hair elastics
• A comb
• Some hair clips or hair ties

Step 1: Prep your hair for the trim

This cut is performed on dry, straight hair. Make sure your hair is pin straight. To achieve this, apply some heat protectant to your hair before going in with any hot tools. First blow dry your hair with a blow-dry brush, then afterwards, flat iron your hair to get rid of any kinks that may have been left behind. I recommend cutting hair on day 2 or day 3 hair, this ensures that my hair isn’t super smooth which can cause my hair to move around quite a bit.

Step 2: Dividing your hair into sections

Using a comb, divide your hair into two equal sections down the middle. Then find the apex of your head (the highest point of your head). Once you have found the apex, further divide your hair into another two equal sections on either side of your head, just along the sides of your ears. If your hair is very thick, you may have to divide your hair into more sections. Be sure to tie off each section with a hair tie or hair clips as you go along so that the sections don’t get mixed up.

Step 3: Comb your hair

Comb each section of hair to make sure they are free from any knots.

Step 4: Deciding on the length

You may need someone to help you with this step. Decide on how much hair you want to take off, in my case I wanted a trim, so I only cut off about 2cm of hair. Hold your body at a relaxed tension, while standing up straight. Grab one section of hair and keep your body still. For the front sections of your hair, direct your hair towards your shoulder, not forwards. For the back sections of your hair, your hair will just be tied straight down the back. Using your hair elastic, tie off your hair where you want your hair length to be.

Tip: Rather tie the elastic higher up, as you can always drag it down to a lower point once it’s been tied, in case you change your mind and want to cut off less hair. Repeat this step for all the sections of your hair. When you have tied off your hair and let it hang, it should fall as it would naturally without having any bumps in it (See picture above for reference). Once you have tied off all the sections of your hair, all the elastic bands in your hair should line up to the same point.

 Step 5: Trim the hair              

To trim your hair, use the point-cut method. Point cutting is when you cut your hair using the scissors in an upward angle. This helps the hair blend better and creates more of a feathered look, compared to a horizontal cut which can make the hair look like it was cut blunt. The hair that is to be trimmed will be below the elastic band. Carefully start trimming your hair by taking off small sections at a time using a hair scissors. Repeat this on all the sections of your hair.

Step 6: Finishing it off

Once you have finished trimming each section of the hair, take all the elastic bands out of your hair. All of your hair should be at the same length if all the previous steps were followed correctly. If there are a few pieces of hair that are slightly longer than the others, you can always carefully eye-ball it and make it even.

And that’s how you trim your hair at home, let me know what you think in the comment section below!

The post How to trim you own hair at home appeared first on The Hair Diaries.

By using a diffusing attachment on your blow-dryer, it changes the airflow from a direct stream of hair to one that is dispersed, aka “diffused” circle of air. The hot air from the blow-dryer isn’t aimed directly at the hair, making diffusing great for people with curly hair. Diffusing also cuts down drying time by hours, minimizes frizz, and provides your hair with extra volume!

So how do we diffuse our hair? well first, you’re going to need a diffuser attachment for your blow-dryer. These come with your blow-dryer.

If yours didn’t come with one already, not to worry, you can also purchase a universal diffuser attachment that fits most hair dryers. I bought mine from Clicks. These also come in super handy for those who travel, this universal diffuser from Toni&Guy can be folded up to fit in your luggage bag.

Before you diffuse your hair, add in all the hair products you would normally add in. Now let’s start diffusing: For best results, I like to diffuse my hair on a low heat setting on a low to medium speed. To reduce frizz, I first “blow-dry” my hair gently from a distance with the diffuser attachment on. Once I’m satisfied with how damp my hair is, I then cup my hair into the diffuser attachment and bring hair up to the roots slowly to maintain my curl pattern, then switch the hair dryer on.

If you first put the blow-dryer on, your hair will blow all over and this can cause frizz which is not the look we’re going for. I flip my head side to side as I dry my hair to get every corner dry.

I don’t diffuse my hair on one spot for too long, as the cold air can also set my hair in place while another section dries.  To get that extra volume, diffuse your hair while flipping your hair upside down.

Once your hair is dry, scrunch and fluff to your liking. Lastly, I like to take some hair serum and scrunch it into my hair for that extra shine.

What are your thoughts on diffusing? Share in the comments below!

The post Diffusing curly hair- tips and tricks appeared first on The Hair Diaries.

Tip 1: Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase

Regular pillowcases can be harsh on your hair, causing friction, hair snags and breakage. With a satin pillowcase, your hair glides over the pillow as you toss and turn, resulting in less hair breakage. Not only is sleeping on a satin pillow case good for your hair, but it’s good for your skin too! It prevents wrinkles and are better for acne prone skin. Not to mention how luxurious it feels to sleep on. I use this method in conjunction with a few others mentioned below.  Satin pillowcases may be a bit more pricey for a standard sized pillow case compared to the regular cotton kind, but this is very much a worthy investment.

If you are trying to choose between a silk or satin pillow case, I would recommend using a satin one. Not only is satin cheaper, but ethically it is better for the environment as silk is produced from the cocoons of silk worms.

You can find these pillowcases at Cotton On, Takealot and Superbalist

Bonus tip!

If you really cannot afford to invest in a satin pillowcase, or having a hard time finding one in stores (from personal experience years ago before online shopping was a thing), try using a satin scarf as a pillowcase instead. Just tie the scarf around your pillow like a cover and voila, a satin pillow case ready to be slept on. You could also try making your own as it requires very minimal sewing skills and satin is inexpensive and can be purchased from all fabric stores.

Tip 2: Using a satin bonnet

Satin bonnets can protect your hair from friction which can cause frizz and breakage. These caps maintain your curl shape without causing kinks and bumps and they keep your hair hydrated and smooth, allowing you to extend your wash schedule by a few days. And a bonus? If you apply products to your hair before bed, like coconut oil, the bonnet will ensure that you don’t ruin your new linen sheets.The downside, is that satin bonnets can unintentionally come off during the night, and can cause a headache if its sitting too tightly around your head.

Tip 3: Sleeping in a loose braid

This tip is especially for my ladies with longer, straighter tresses. I love sleeping with my hair loose, but the longer it got the more I realized that I was lying on my hair, which caused some hair stands to get pulled out. To prevent this unnecessary loss of hair, I would keep my hair in a loose braid. It also prevents less tangles and knots from occurring. Tight braids can be uncomfortable, and can cause hair to break when pulled tightly, and in my personal experience cause headaches.

Tip 4: Sleep with your hair in a pineapple

This one is for my curly ladies. If you don’t already know what a pineapple is, it’s when you gather your curls to the very top of your head and secure it with a hair tie. By keeping your hair in a pineapple, your hair is now at the top of your head instead of down towards your back. This means that you’re not lying on your curls while you sleep, which can flatten your curls, cause frizz, decrease volume and ruin your curl pattern. This hairstyle helps keep your curls looking fresh and helps minimize the amount of hair refreshing and restyling needed. For sleeping, I would recommend using a satin scrunchie, and not tying your hair too tightly, just tight enough for it not to shift too much. I found that by doing this, it doesn’t leave that dent in your hair from sleeping with a hair tie.

Tip 5: Brushing your hair before bed

I recommend this simple tip if your hair leans more towards the straight end of the hair spectrum. Brushing your hair the night before makes your hair so much easier to style the next morning. I find that by doing this, I have less knots, less tangles and my hair requires less touch ups from heat styling tools.

Do you have any tips on how to sleep with your hair? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

The post 5 tips to protect your hair while you sleep appeared first on The Hair Diaries.

I don’t know about other women, but I love trying out new curly-friendly shampoos and conditioner every time I run out. Today I’m reviewing the Not Your Mothers Naturals Tahitian Gardenia Flower & Mango Butter Curl Defining shampoo and conditioner. There is also a detangling spray, hair masque and combing crème in this collection, but I will not be reviewing these today. You can find the entire Not Your Mothers Naturals range at selected Dischem pharmacies.

The ingredients

The Not Your Mothers range of products are free from sulphates, silicones, gluten, parebens and dye. When I saw the ingredients “Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate” and “Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine” it set of a red flag, but rest assured, its actually plant derived making it safe for your hair. Another plus, is that the products from the Not Your Mother’s range are NOT tested on animals. I love a good cruelty free company, don’t you?

The packaging

The bright pink bottle reminds me of something out of a teenage movie, it definitely caught my eye in the shampoo aisle. The pump bottle makes it easy to control the amount of shampoo/conditioner needed for your hair. The pump on the shampoo and conditioner bottle are black and white respectively. I’m not sure if that was done intentionally, but it really helps me differentiate between the two products. There have been times where I accidentally poured out conditioner when I wanted to use shampoo instead, so this small little design change helps me avoid that mistake. the generous 473ml bottle really does last a long time, making the price of the product very worth it.

The texture

The shampoo is a semi-sheer cream that has a thin, almost runny texture. It suds up quite well, I was surprised as most sulphate free shampoos don’t offer me the suds, which I admit, I really like. The conditioner is also quite thin in texture. I appreciate a thicker conditioner, but that’s my personal preference.

The smell

This stuff smells so friggen good! It’s like a tropical explosion of scents on your hair, as if your hair took a trip to the Bahamas. Even after rinsing, the smell still sits in my hair. Only down side is that it’s not that long lasting, by the end of day 2 the smell has disappeared but this isn’t a deal breaker for me.

The wash

This stuff left my hair feeling super clean, which is something I appreciate in curly-hair shampoos. Sometimes these curly shampoos leave my hair feeling greasy with the intention of not stripping the hair from its natural oils so that it doesn’t dry out the hair, but not this one! It reminds me of that feeling I used to get when I used sulfate shampoos, except it doesn’t strip my hair of oils. I use this shampoo when I want to give my hair a thorough clean, but I don’t recommend it for daily use, twice a week at most. If you use it daily, I have a feeling it may dry out your hair which is what we don’t want, right ladies?

The conditioner, despite being thin in texture does moisturize my hair. Because it’s so thin, I even apply a small dime sized amount to my hair one I’m out of the shower as a leave-in crème, and it doesn’t weigh my curls down and doesn’t leave my hair feeling greasy either. Is it moisturizing? I’d say it’s pretty average in that department. Doesn’t make my hair feel very moisturized, but it’s not dry either if you know what I mean.

Did I see a difference in my curl pattern from using the Not Your Mothers Naturals range?…No. But the fact that I know the product is curly-girl safe puts my mind at ease.

The verdict

I rate it this product a 8.5/10, I would definitely buy these products again.

Have you tried any products from the Not Your Mother’s range?? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

The post Not Your Mothers Curl Defining Shampoo and Conditioner Product Review appeared first on The Hair Diaries.

Hair products you will need:

• An old cotton t-shirt
• A microfiber towel
• Water bottle
• A wide-tooth comb or detangling brush
• Hairstyling products of your choice. I’m using conditioner, a curl defining crème, a gel and some coconut oil (but any oil will do)

Method

1. Drying

When I get out of the shower, I wring all excess water out of my hair. Then using a microfiber towel I gently pat-dry my hair, which helps soak up the excess water while still keeping it moist. Think wet, not dripping.

2. Detangle

I then I comb through my hair to make sure it’s free from any knots. I like to use a dime sized amount of conditioner to make the combing process easier. If my hair has started getting a bit dry, I will add small amounts of water to my hair till it is about 90% wet again. This is because your hair needs to be wet for plopping to work.

3. Add in your products

Now add in the hair products of your choice, I use a small amount of curl crème, some hair oil and a tiny dollop of gel. First I rake the conditioner through my hair, then rake in the curl crème, then the oil and lastly the gel. The raking method works well as my hair gets evenly coated with all the products. My ends lack a bit of a curl (as I am transitioning and have not done the big chop yet!) so I ever so gently scrunch my hair, being sure to get the ends to make them more curly.

4. Plop till you drop

 I lay a t-shirt on a flat surface (a bed works best) with the sleeves of the t-shirt facing down.

Tilting my head down towards the bed, I slowly start folding my hair on top of each other in the t-shirt, with the ends of my hair being the first to touch the shirt. Just imagine the t-shirt being some sort of bowl for your hair.

Once the top of my head is touching the t-shirt, I take the end of the t-shirt and fold it over to the nape of my neck.

Then take the sleeves of the t-shirt and tie them to secure the t-shirt in place. All of this is down while my head is still tilted upside down.

You want to make sure that the t-shirt is tightly secured on the crown of your head as this is the region where your curls will form. The more lose the plop, the more lose the curl, girl.

At this point, I will get dressed and do my makeup to give my hair some time to dry. The longer you leave it, the better. Let it sit. You’ll look crazy, but hey, totally worth it, trust me. II usually try to let it sit for at least an hour or two, and longer if I haven’t run out of patience.

Once it has sat long enough, I remove the t-shirt to reveal the most beautiful curls. There are some days where I have to rush and don’t have two hours to spare, so I’ll remove the towel while still slightly wet and go in with a diffuser on the lowest heat and speed setting. This is so that all our hard work doesn’t go to frizz. Lastly, I’ll add some more gel r oil if needed and scrunch and fluff my curls till I’m satisfied.

I have seen many plopping videos on YouTube, and everyone seems to do it in a different way, but I have found this method of doing it to be the best for me. It can be quite tricky flipping and folding the t-shirt at first, but you get used to it after the first or second attempt. It’s really just trial and error till you find your plopping method!

The post Defined Curls: Plopping 101 appeared first on The Hair Diaries.