No matter how we try to fight the urge, at some point, most of us will get the itch to straighten our beautiful natural tresses in lieu of a "length check" or a special occasion. Inevitably, we will regret it for months or even years to come as we are forced to cut heat damaged areas or be forever subjected to using perm rods in hopes of achieving a curl pattern that somehow blends with our natural textures.
After two years of avoiding what was deemed the arch nemesis of my crowning glory, I fell weak to the desire for sleek hair that only a flat iron could give me. But this time, I was determined to do everything in my power to minimize the fall out of this decision.
As such, I headed over to YouTube and Google in hopes of finding products that would save me from future heartache. Lo and behold, I ran across the trusted advice of stylists like @moknowshair and @shassitystyles and decided to implement their recommendations for preventing heat damage along with suggestions from the kind folks at my local beauty supply store. Here's a quick breakdown of my experience:
Step One:
Intent on a successful outcome, I started by applying KeraCare Thermal Wonder Pre-Poo Conditioner to dry hair. Next, I covered my hair with a plastic cap and left it on overnight. I was skeptical that one package would properly coat all of my hair so I bought about three packs. To my surprise, one was more than enough.
Step Two:
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The next day, I drove to my hair appointment with the Pre-Poo conditioner in my hair. Upon my arrival at the salon, my beautician rinsed out the conditioner washing my hair as normal. After detangling my hair, I requested that she apply Aphogee Keratin & Green Tea Restructurizer for added protein and strength.
Using a wide tooth comb, we ensured that the product was evenly applied to my hair.
Step Three:
Next, we misted my entire head using KeraCare Thermal Wonder 6 in 1 Thermal Protector. This thermal protector not only minimizes heat damage but makes the straightening process easier. After blow drying my hair on medium-high heat, the stylist followed up with the thermal protector on each section of hair before straightening. The end result was beautifully flowing hair.
After
The real test would come over the next few days. My usual practice was to attempt maintaining the bone straight salon look by flat ironing my hair each morning. This time, I held off on the heat. Instead, I twisted my hair into a bedtime bun at the top of my head, which I secured with a few bobby pins. The next day, my curls were still there. As time went on, curls turned to waves, which was perfectly fine by me.
After nearly two weeks of wear, it was time to see if my hair had survived the heat. I started dancing in the shower as it almost immediately sprung back into curls with no heat damage in sight. Finally! The key to avoiding heat damage was unlocked, and I for one am glad about it.
Featured image by Getty Images.
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While an evolution is a natural progression that happens as businesses grow, a rebrand is a total change. Lola tells xoNecole, "A total rebrand is necessary when a business’s current reputation/what it’s known for is at odds with the business’s vision or direction.
"For example, if you’ve fundamentally changed what your product is and does, it’s likely that your brand is out of alignment with the business. Or, if you find your company is developing a reputation that doesn’t serve it, it might be time to pump the brakes and figure out what needs to change.
She continues, "Sometimes you’ll see companies (especially startups) announce a name change that comes with updated messaging, visuals, etc. That usually means their vision has changed or expanded, and their previous branding was too narrow/couldn’t encompass everything they planned to do."
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The Brand Doula was born in 2019, and its focus is on putting "the experiences, goals, and needs of women of color founders first," as well as brands with "culture-shifting missions."
According to Lola, culture-shifting is "the act of influencing dominant behavior, beliefs, or experiences in a community or group (ideally, for the better)."
"At The Brand Doula, we work with companies and leaders that set out to challenge the status quo in their industries and communities. They’re here to make an impact that sends ripples across the market," she says.
"We help the problem solvers of the world — the ones who aren't satisfied with 'this is how it's always been' and instead ask 'how could this be better?' Our clients build for impact, reimagining tools, systems, and ways of living to move cultures forward."
The Brand Doula has worked with many brands, including Too Collective, to assist with their collaboration with Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Balanced Black Girl for a "refresh," aka rebrand. For businesses looking to rebrand, Lola shares four essential steps.
1. Do an audit of your current brand experience — what’s still relevant and what needs to change? Reflect on why you’re doing the rebrand in the first place and what success would look like after relaunching.
2. Tackle the overall strategy first — before you start redesigning logos and websites, align on a new vision for your brand. How do you want your company to be positioned moving forward? Has your audience changed at all? Will your company have a fresh personality and voice?
3. Bring your audience along the journey — there’s no need to move in secret. Inviting your current audience into the journey can actually help them feel more connected to and invested in your story, enough to stick around as changes are being made.
4. Keep business moving — one of my biggest pet peeves is when companies take down their websites as soon as they have the idea to rebrand, then have a Coming Soon page up for months! You lose a lot of momentum and interest by doing that. If you’re still in business and generating income, continue to operate while you work on your rebrand behind the scenes. You don’t want to cut existing customers off out of the blue, and you also don’t want so much downtime that folks forget your business exists or start looking for other solutions.
While determining whether the rebrand was successful may take a few months, Lola says a clear sign that it is unsuccessful is negative feedback from your target audience. "Customers are typically more vocal about what they don’t like more than what they do like," she says.
But some good signs to look out for are improvements in engagement with your marketing, positive reviews, press and increase in retention, and overall feeling aligned with the new branding.
For more information about Lola and The Brand Doula, visit her website, thebranddoula.com.
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