As a “curly girl” — my hair is a “type 4 something” for the hair experts out there 🙂 –there are few things that compare to a good hair care product staple. This year, I have been fortunate to find many that have made my daily and weekly hair maintenance routine a breeze.

TOOLS:

• Satin Pillowcase: for years I resisted the urge to buy one of these, opting instead for the scarf method. Then after noticing some thinning in my hairline (no matter where I tied the knot), I decided to finally give the satin pillowcase a try. And I am so glad I did! This thing is like a dream. Just apply your styling products in the a.m. instead of at night, and you are good to go. I feel like a child again being able to just lay my head on the pillow at the end of the day.

  Oh, and it is suppose to be good for your skin as well (fewer wrinkles since your face slides across the pillow…but that’s just what I read online somewhere.)

• Flour Sack: If you are looking for the perfect thing to wrap around your hair after you wash it, this is it. People normally use these to dry their dinner glasses and fine china, because they don’t leave lint. This feature is PERFECT for your hair, especially for you curly girls out there. No lint means no object for your hair to wrap itself around to create tangles.

  Just pile your hair on top of your head, fold the flour sack to fit, and tie it. My hair is a little past APL (armpit length) and I style my hair when it is damp, so I leave the flour sack on for about 15 minutes. For longer styles, you can sew a couple of these together.

  You can find these at Target.com:
  Sizes and prices will vary. Just remember, to get the Flour Sack Towel, not the microfiber one.

• Tangle® Teezer: This is quite simply one of the best detangling hairbrushes around. It was created by Shaun P to “gently ease out tangles as well as smooth…the cuticle, …brushing in a high shine.” Although it will sound like you are ripping your hair out, it is only the sound…it is actually very gentle and soothing.

  It comes with an instructional pamphlet. It is also good for those with extensions and weaves, since it will glide over them without ripping them out.

PRODUCTS:

• Hair One (Hair Cleanser and Conditioner): Like many of you I had been watching that WEN infomercial, and Chaz’s appearances on QVC, debating whether I would take the plunge. And just when I was about to, I found Hair One at Sally’s. Since I haven’t tried WEN yet (I am planning on buying the introductory kit after I finish my bottle of Hair One), I cannot offer you a comparison yet. However, you can find plenty of them on YouTube.

  I have been co-washing (conditioner washing) for several years now, and my hair and scalp are really good at releasing product buildup without clarifying, and I still noticed an improvement using this product. I bought the one “For Curly Hair” with Argan Oil.

• ApHogee® Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor: I am relatively new to the ApHogee® brand. I think I first heard about it on Ateeya’s YouTube Channel and recommended it to my niece, who also has permed hair. Soon after, I noticed that my natural hair was not as curly as it used to be so I began searching for a light protein product. I was not brave enough to try the two-step protein treatment (if you do, watch Richeau’s instructional video first…good info!) but I liked what I read about the Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor.

  When I first began using it, I applied it according to the instructions because I was a tad bit nervous after reading and watching the horror stories on the two-step treatment gone bad (again, watch Richeau’s video if you decide to do it, she makes it so simple). Now — and this is not recommended — I keep it on my hair overnight. For example, Saturday is my wash day, so Friday evening I apply the Keratin 2 Minute Reconstuctor to dry hair, cover with a plastic cap, and rinse it out the next day. Again, and I cannot stress this enough, this is the two minute NOT the two-step.

• Kinky-Curly® Knot Today (KCKT): in two words…LOVE IT!! I had heard about KCKT for a while before I actually bought it. I was watching Kim (Kimmaytube on YouTube)’s video on her leave-in recipe and decided to buy it.  I have tried KCKT alone and in the leave-in and it is great both ways.

  Back before I started washing my hair using Kim’s technique I did get two large knots in my hair and this was a BIG HELP in getting them out, without cutting my hair and without too much breakage.

  It has some really good ingredients and a pleasant smell. I bought the 8 oz. bottle.

  You can get yours for $11.99 at select Target stores and Target.com:
  

These are just a few of my favorites. I will be back to update the list before the end of the year to round it out to my Top 10 favorite hair care finds of 2011.

Enjoy and happy hair growing!

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