

How I Hydrate, Detangle & Retwist My Natural Hair
So, let's get real about quarantine hair. For many of us, most days have NOT been pretty. Between dealing with job uncertainties, making sure you're "staying safe" and not catching the Rona, or dealing with the 24-hour news cycle of horror: taking care of one's hair is typically last on the list of things to worry about during a pandemic. However, when dealing with black women's hair (especially natural hair), quarantine or no quarantine, our hair requires serious maintenance. Otherwise, cue the matting, tangling and looking a hot MESS!
Before
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And if you had hair length goals, kiss that goodbye because dry, unkept, breaking-all-the-time hair is NOT growing. Period. Thankfully, I've found that the upkeep of my hair is a form of self-care and that has allowed me to feel some sense of normalcy. Plus, if you stay ready, you don't ever have to get ready.
After
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Here is the easiest way to take care of your natural hair:
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
First things first, get your entire arsenal of hair products from shampoos to masques, and gels to serums because if you've gone days or weeks without doing anything under your bonnet or scarf, buckle up. It's gonna be a long middle of the night (for those of us that have no sense of time currently).
All of the products I use are water-based which means it's going to provide the extra hydration I need after neglecting my hair for the first weeks of self-quarantining. Find what works for you and stick with it. Buying new products right now isn't necessary unless you're in dire need and thankfully most, if not all, hair companies are still thriving because they know WE NEED OUR HAIR TO LOOK RIGHT and we will pay to do so (some are even risking their lives)!
During a time like this, twists (a twist out) are the best style for natural hair that I've found. Twists are protective, low-maintenance and versatile. From mini twists to chunky twists to even marley twists, they are easy on the hands and even though they take some time to install, they can last for weeks or even months. In order to achieve this style, first you must pre-poo, wash, deep condition and then, detangle and style.
After letting my hair sit for weeks, detangling required a little more patience so here are the steps to easily detangle and twist:
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
- Section off damp hair, starting from the back, and rewet hair with water bottle.
- Spray hair with leave-in conditioner, apply an anti-breakage serum and then apply your styler (cream or gel). Tip: I personally used a cream so that when I'm ready to take my twists down, it's more pliable.
- Next, use a denman or detangle brush to thoroughly detangle section and prep for twists.
- Twist hair into 1- or 2-inch sections. Twist your hair all the way down and finger curl at the ends.
- Once all of your hair is twisted, sit under the hair dryer to decrease shrinkage.
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
After your twists are thoroughly dry (do not play yourself with damp twists, sis) and apply your favorite edge control, style your hair however you see fit. I typically wear my twists in a bun (or two space buns) with a few hanging in the front. Remember, the smaller the twists, the longer they last, and medium twists are perfect for a twist out after a few weeks. Again, we are looking for versatility, folks!
For additional styling, I'll leave the front out and throw on a cute scarf and leave it as is which can usually last up to two weeks. It's low-maintenance, zero commitment, versatile and still cute enough for any Zoom meeting or virtual "girls' night". It's also practical if you have to go out for essentials; just throw your mask on and leave your hair out or throw a wig on or hat to protect it if you're out in public.
Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
For daily maintenance. just spray with a conditioning hair refresher spray, seal with a light oil and touch up your edges from time to time...that's it. Right now, it is all about convenience and leaving your hair ALONE. That's the best way to keep your hair from looking crazy and taking care of it at the same time, plus it makes length retention even easier if that's your goal.
Bottom line, as we move into a more digital world, we still have to face ourselves and others, so I'd rather do it without the hassle of "doing my hair" everyday. Because in the words of Sweet Brown, ain't nobody got time for that!
Do you have a beauty, wellness or self-care find that you've tried recently and want to share your experience? Join the xoTribe members community to connect with other beauty lovers and share your wins with the tribe.
Featured image by Annisa LiMara/xoNecole
How Content Creators Hey Fran Hey And Shameless Maya Embraced The Pivot
This article is in partnership with Meta Elevate.
If you’ve been on the internet at all within the past decade, chances are the names Hey Fran Hey and Shameless Maya (aka Maya Washington) have come across your screen. These content creators have touched every platform on the web, spreading joy to help women everywhere live their best lives. From Fran’s healing natural remedies to Maya’s words of wisdom, both of these content creators have built a loyal following by sharing honest, useful, and vulnerable content. But in search of a life that lends to more creativity, freedom, and space, these digital mavens have moved from their bustling big cities (New York City and Los Angeles respectively) to more remote locations, taking their popular digital brands with them.
Content Creators Hey Fran Hey and Maya Washington Talk "Embracing The Pivot"www.youtube.com
In partnership with Meta Elevate — an online learning platform that provides Black, Hispanic, and Latinx-owned businesses access to 1:1 mentoring, digital skills training, and community — xoNecole teamed up with Franscheska Medina and Maya Washington on IG live recently for a candid conversation about how they’ve embraced the pivot by changing their surroundings to ultimately bring out the best in themselves and their work. Fran, a New York City native, moved from the Big Apple to Portland, Oregon a year ago. Feeling overstimulated by the hustle and bustle of city life, Fran headed to the Pacific Northwest in search of a more easeful life.
Her cross-country move is the backdrop for her new campaign with Meta Elevate— a perfectly-timed commercial that shows how you can level up from wherever you land with the support of free resources like Meta Elevate. Similarly, Maya packed up her life in Los Angeles and moved to Sweden, where she now resides with her husband and adorable daughter. Maya’s life is much more rural and farm-like than it had been in California, but she is thriving in this peaceful new setting while finding her groove as a new mom.
While Maya is steadily building and growing her digital brand as a self-proclaimed “mom coming out of early retirement,” Fran is redefining her own professional grind. “It’s been a year since I moved from New York City to Portland, Oregon,” says Fran. “I think the season I’m in is figuring out how to stay successful while also slowing down.” A slower-paced life has unlocked so many creative possibilities and opportunities for these ladies, and our conversation with them is a well-needed reminder that your success is not tied to your location…especially with the internet at your fingertips. Tapping into a community like Meta Elevate can help Black, Hispanic, and Latinx entrepreneurs and content creators stay connected to like minds and educated on new digital skills and tools that can help scale their businesses.
During a beautiful moment in the conversation, Fran gives Maya her flowers for being an innovator in the digital space. Back when “influencing” was in its infancy and creators were just trying to find their way, Fran says Maya was way ahead of her time. “I give Maya credit for being one of the pioneers in the digital space,” Fran said. “Maya is a one-person machine, and I always tell her she really changed the game on what ads, campaigns, and videos, in general, should look like.”
When asked what advice she’d give content creators, Maya says the key is having faith even when you don’t see the results just yet. “It’s so easy to look at what is, despite you pouring your heart into this thing that may not be giving you the returns that you thought,” she says. “Still operate from a place of love and authenticity. Have faith and do the work. A lot of people are positive thinkers, but that’s the thinking part. You also have to put your faith into work and do the work.”
Fran ultimately encourages content creators and budding entrepreneurs to take full advantage of Meta Elevate’s vast offerings to educate themselves on how to build and grow their businesses online. “It took me ten years to get to the point where I’m making ads at this level,” she says. “I didn’t have those resources in 2010. I love the partnership with Meta Elevate because they’re providing these resources for free. I just think of the people that wouldn’t be able to afford that education and information otherwise. So to amplify a company like this just feels right.”
Watch the full conversation with the link above, and join the Meta Elevate community to connect with fellow businesses and creatives that are #OnTheRiseTogether.
Featured image courtesy of Shameless Maya and Hey Fran Hey
This Couple Got A Second Chance At Love After A Six-Year Break & 10 Months Later, They Got Married
Have you ever wondered if real love is like a romance novel? For Kai, 50, and Hicham, 46, Bouhmad, it is. Kai, who is an adventurer at heart, meets a stranger who believes she would be a great match for his friend, who happens to be Hicham. They connected on Facebook and, after a few exchanges, decided to meet, and while they had a great first date and continued dating shortly after, adventure was calling, and Kai decided to break it off.
However, six years later, another stranger would bring them together, and they reconnected. We can agree that at this point, they were meant to be, and in ten short months, they got married on Valentine’s Day.
Sounds like something out of a novel, right? xoNecole had the opportunity to chat with the lovely couple about their wedding, reconnecting, and having a second chance at love.
Photo courtesy of Kai and Hicham Bouhmad
Kai and Hicham on Meeting for the First Time
Kai and Hicham got married on February 14, 2023, in Honolulu, Hawaii in an intimate ceremony, and plan on having a reception in Morocco, Hicham’s home country, later on. One of their wedding guests was the person responsible for their union, Hicham’s friend Kareem. Kai reflected on that day when they met.
“I was at a party, and a guy walked in and was like, what’s going on in here? And I was like, well, this is a salon party for the salon that just opened, and they had free food and stuff, and I was like do you want some food?” Kai shares.
When they began talking, Kareem brought up Hicham. “He was like, 'I have a friend that I want to introduce you to if you’re single,' and I said, ‘Yeah, that sounds cool.’ So, he was like, 'Well, I’m gonna send you his Facebook information. If you guys can talk on Facebook and see how you guys like each other.' So, that was six years ago, and we talked, and we got along pretty well, and then we started dating.”
Kai and Hicham Describe Their First Date
Because both of them are into the arts, they decided to go to the movies on their first date. At that time, Loving was in theaters, and according to Kai, she knew when she saw him that she wanted to marry him. “I just had that feeling,” she reveals.
Hicham also recalls their “wonderful” date that extended after the movies at a nearby restaurant. “It was a wonderful moment when we made eye contact,” he says.
Photo courtesy of Kai and Hicham Bouhmad
Their Breakup and Reconnection
While Kai saw Hicham as her husband, she wasn’t ready to settle down, but Hicham was. So, they decided to go their separate ways, and Kai began traveling the world. But little did she know that six years later, she would see him again. This time, Kai was visiting an art gallery that had just opened up and began talking to the art gallery owner.
“She [art gallery owner] said, ‘I’m having an art opening, the studio just opened, and we’re having a party next week, and you should come, and my boyfriend has a lot of friends, maybe I’ll introduce you to some of his friends,’ and I was like ‘Oh, okay,’ Kai recalls.
“And at this time, I had already booked my ticket to go to Morocco to explore by myself, solo travel. So I said, 'Oh yeah, this will be fun.' This was in April, and my trip to Morocco was just in August. So, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll come to your little party, I’m there.’ I’m talking, and then she said 'Oh, my boyfriend is here, and here’s one of his friends.' One of his friends was Hicham.”
This happened on April 23, 2022, and they have been together ever since.
The Engagement
When Hicham reappeared in her life, Kai knew she was now ready to settle down. “I honestly got tired of doing stuff by myself. I was tired, everything I have to do by myself, and I just got tired of that,” Kai explains. “I just felt like I really wanted a partner who’s really supportive and generous and kind, and I really wanted a partner that was by my side.
One of the ways that Hicham convinced Kai to give him another shot was when he wore a cactus shirt to her house, which showed the journalist how much he paid attention to her. “I love cactuses ‘cause it reminds me of the desert. It’s bohemian, I love desert cactuses. When he showed up with a cactus shirt on, I just could not resist,” she says. “That sounds cheesy and cliche and might sound silly, but it just symbolized that he knows me deeply and what I love and paid attention to stuff I care about even though it was silly. That meant a lot.”
Not long after, Hicham knew it was time to pop the question. “Kai gave me [an] indication that she was ready, and so that’s how that all happened.” He continues, “dropping hints, and she was pretty much ready, and I proposed to her.”
Kai admits that they planned their engagement together, including ring shopping, engagement photos, etc.
Photo courtesy of Kai and Hicham Bouhmad
Advice on Finding Love Again
This is both Kai’s and Hicham’s second marriages, and they gave advice on finding love the second time around. They both share the same sentiment about being open and optimistic. Both come from different cultural backgrounds and while that alone could have held them back from pursuing one another, they were open to love.
“Get out of your comfort zone and don’t limit yourself and don’t fear to fail because from failure you learn to build yourself up,” Hicham says.
And at the end of the day, it’s important to establish a friendship first. “Another [piece of] advice, just make sure you like the person,” Kai says, “and that’s really important because you have to make sure even if you have a disagreement or arguments, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, do I like this person? And just make sure you really like them.”
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Feature image courtesy of Kai and Hicham Bouhmad