Your motto: moisture,
moisture, and more freaking
moisture.SULFATE-FREE
SHAMPOO
Your hair needs a shampoo
that doesn’t strip out
natural oils. This one gently
lifts away dirt and leaves
curls moisturized and
bouncy, thanks to quinoa
and chufa milk.
DevaCurl No-Poo Decadence
Zero Lather Ultra Moisturizing
Milk Cleanser, $46DEEP CONDITIONER
Packed with nourishing
argan oil, this will make your
curls so smooth that you
literally won’t be able to
stop touching them.
Pantene Pro-V Gold Series
Moisture Boost Conditioner, $6MOISTURE MASK
Gently massage this coconut-
oil-infused mask into your hair
and scalp, wait five minutes,
and then rinse it out.
You’ll be looking at softer,
stronger, more hydrated curls.
Head & Shoulders Royal Oils
Deep Moisture Masque, $7HAIR OIL
Before you dry your hair, add
one last layer of moisture
to make sure your curls stay
poppin’. Manketti oil is the
MVP of this formula—it is
lightweight (read: won’t leave
you with limp curls) and adds
shine without grease.
Charlotte Mensah
Manketti Hair Oil, $55Steal these power moves (just like I did!) from my
three favorite natural-hair influencers.1
Less is more. “Don’t
use a billion products
on your hair to figure
out what works for
you,” says Carmen
Graham (@Lynnettes
Silhouettes). “I made
this mistake at the
beginning and was
left with dull, sad
curls. It was when
I decided to Marie
Kondo my routine
that my hair started
to look its best.”
2
Play around with
protective styles.
Twists, weaves,
braids, wigs—they’re
all styles that’ll shield
your hair from the
elements (as in heat,
the environment,
possibly your ex).
“You don’t have to
style it every day,”
says Ebony Bradley
(@EBsCurlyTV), “so
there’s way less
damage. Plus, when
your hair is tucked
away, it’s less likely
to lose the moisture it
needs to grow.”
3
Try low-
manipulation looks.
If you don’t want to
keep your natural
texture hidden
under braids and
weaves, try low-
manipulation styles
instead. “Braid-outs,
twist-outs, and flexi-
rod sets are simple
and heat-free andextra tangled here.
Treat it super gently
and with lots of
conditioning TLC.7
Oils are your
friends. “Massage
them into your scalp
to help keep it happy
and hydrated and to
stimulate growth,”
says Graham.8
Ditch the hot tools.
It sounds obvious,
but just...stay
away. Excessive
heat can ruin your
curl pattern.9
Be ready to commit.
“It’s trendy to go
natural right now,
but don’t do it for
anyone else but
you,” says Bradley.
“Starting the
process with one
foot in and one foot
out the door can be
traumatizing for you
and your hair.”10
Practice (extreme)
patience. Buckle
up, because this is
gonna take a while.
Your hair grows
about half an inch
per month, meaning:
It’ll be more than
a year before you’re
rocking a head full
of natural curls.for making the
transition 10,000
times easier
136
Cosmopolitan October 2019will help you dis-
guise your straight
ends, making your
two textures look
like twins,” says
Aisha Johnson
(@AishaBeau). Impt
though: To prevent
frizz and make your
style hold, your hair
needs to be 100
percent dry before
taking out your flexi
rods or twists.4
Deep-conditioning
is a must. Seriously,
a must. Do it with
an oil- or protein-
based mask twice a
week, says Graham.
Does this sound high
maintenance? Yes.
But it’ll strengthen
your curls and help
them grow.5
Keep your color
natural. “Skip the
dye or bleach while
transitioning—no
matter how many
influencers you see
with pink hair,”
says Graham. It’ll
do nothing but
(more) damage.6
Beware of the line
of demarcation.
It’s the spot where
your new curls meet
your relaxed ends.
Because of the
texture difference,
your hair can get10
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PAGE143 FORSHOPPING^ INFORMATION.