A 4-Step Process That Actually Prevents Heat Damage
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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Kandice Guice is a lifestyle and beauty writer who doubles as an attorney and entrepreneur. She prides herself on helping multidimensional women discover personal and professional fulfillment by encouraging them to live with ambition, sass, and a whole lot of pizzazz. When Kandice isn't closing corporate transactions or writing blog posts, she is usually cheering on her husband as a football coach or looking for new travel adventures with friends and family. Check her out at kandiceguice.com and follow her on all things social @kandiceguice.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Sheila Rashid's Androgynous Approach To Unisex Clothing Is A Lesson In Embracing Individuality
The ItGirl 100 List is a celebration of 100 Black women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table.
For Sheila Rashid, it all started with some free-hand drawings and a few strokes of paint.
The Chicago-based clothing designer and creative director of Sheila Rashid Brand recalls using her spare time in high school to hand paint designs on t-shirts and distressed hoodies, distributing them to classmates as walking billboards for her art.
Rashid sought to pursue fashion design at Columbia College in Chicago but eventually took the self-taught route to build upon her knack for crafting one-of-a-kind, androgynous pieces.
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Thanks to the mentorship of local designers taking her under their wings, Rashid was able to gain valuable experience in putting together collections and creating patterns; equipping her with them with the necessary skills to pursue her own collections.
After two years of living in New York, Rashid returned home to the Chi and uncovered the unique flair she could offer the city. “I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world,” she tells xoNecole. “That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
For the Midwest native, inspiration comes from her time around creative peers and the city’s notorious winters — known to be a main character in many Chicagoans stories. “It's a different perspective and mindset when I'm making stuff because of the weather here,” she explains. “When we get summer, it’s ‘Summertime Chi’ — it's amazing. It's beautiful. Still, I find myself always making clothes that cater to the winter.”
"I moved to New York after that because I wanted to be in the fashion capital world. That's when I really got a leg up. I found myself when I moved back to Chicago after moving to New York.”
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Many designers have a signature aesthetic or theme in their creations. In Rashid’s design story, dancing between the lines of femininity and masculinity is how she’s been able to distinguish herself within the industry. Her androgynous clothing has garnered the eye of celebrities like Zendaya, Chance the Rapper, WNBA star Sydney Colson, and more — showing her range and approach to designs with inclusivity in mind.
“I think I do reflect my own style,” she says. “When I do make pieces, I'm very tomboyish, androgynous. My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes.” From denim to overalls, and color-drenched outerwear, Rashid has mastered the structure of statement pieces that tell a story.
“Each collection, I never know what's going to be the thing I'm going to focus on. I try to reflect my own style and have fun with the storytelling,” she shares. “I look at it more like it's my art in this small way of expressing myself, so it's not that calculated.”
"My work is unisex because I feel like everybody can wear it. I cater to everybody and that's how I try to approach my clothes."
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Still, if you were able to add up all the moments within Rashid’s 20-year career in design, one theme that has multiplied her into becoming an “ItGirl” is her confidence to take up space within the fashion industry as a queer, Black woman. “Being an ItGirl is about being yourself, loving what you do, finding your niche, and mastering that,” she says.
No matter where you are on your ItGirl journey, Rashid says to always remain persistent and never hesitate to share your art with the world. “Don’t give up. Even if it's something small, finish it and don't be afraid to put it out,” she says, “It's about tackling your own fear of feeling like you have to please everybody, but just please yourself, and that's good enough.”
To learn more about the ItGirl 100 List, view the full list here.
Featured image Courtesy