Curls and Pearls: Summer Tips for Great Hair!

Good Morning World!
Today, let's just have a little girl chit chat! It's the start of July, and if you're like me, this month holds
dread for your head! Humidity, sweat, heat and more heat...all combined can be disastrous for those tresses! What's a girl to do??? (Yikes!)

Although scripture encourages us not to put too much emphasis on the exterior (1 Samuel 16:7; 1 Peter 3:3) there's nothing wrong with the maintenance and up keeping of our bodies and the routine beautification of our appearance. God took a lot of time, care and effort to mold us, sculpt us, shape us and form us! He counts every single hair on our heads... The least we can do is comb it!!! Lol.
So here are some hair healthy tips and helpful blog sites that we've come across to help us all out in this dire time of need! In addition, some of our Pretty Pearls also offer their suggestions on how they maintain their manes, using their favorite hair products and regimen. So read up and enjoy... you're hair will be so happy you did! :)


3 Tips for Summer Hair:
1) Hydrate: YES!!!!! This is so imparitive, but many of us over look it. Just like the rest of your body needs water, so does your hair. Staying hydrated is essential in the summertime for tresses and is so necessary for healthy hair, in general. Soda is cool and lemonade is fine, but girl, water is the body's miracle worker! Us southern girls love our sweet tea, I know! But try to substitute a cool glass of H2O instead. If water is a challenge issue for you due to taste (or lack there of), try squirting some lime juice in it, or add some fresh fruit, like raspberries or cucumbers for a fun taste enhancer! The goal is to drink at least eight to ten glasses of water a day and even more if you’re active outside during this time of year.


2) Protect: This is a fun tip and has been trending since forever!!! Find clever ways to cover your hair from the harsh UV Rays of our favorite star! The Sun is super brutal on the hair and the darker and courser your locks, the greater potential there is for damage! Did you know your hair could get sunburned? Every year, I personally deal with this issue! We can all protect our locks by wearing a scarf, hat or cap when out in the sun for a long period of time. This can serve three purposes: protection, shade and fashion statements! Viola!

3) Use Less Heat: Let's face it, sleek looks are always classic and familiar, but every now and then, especially in the
summer, it's a good rule of thumb to give your good 'ole Chi a rest! Try to blow-dry your hair as little as possible and wind that cord around your flat iron to prevent temptation! Due to the Earth's position in the universe, your hair Is already exposed to a significant amount of heat on a daily basis in the summer, so you don't want to add any more than necessary. Use this time to explore and create more natural looks or beachy styles! It's safer, healthier and sometimes easier! Who knows, you may find out that your natural look is more becoming!

*Pearls Spill...
BB: Loose Curls

I really just go with the flow. I get routine treatments at the salon and I'm sure to keep my scalp clean. That's most important. I'm natural, but I like to experiment with different types of color so I use rinses pretty often. I change from red, to blonde to black and chestnut brown. It's fun and creative and it keeps me looking fresh! Right now, I'm rocking a short style and I switch between wearing it curly and straightening it whenever I feel the need. A head band is also cute, too. I'm all about whatever is simple!

Katrina: Coarse Ringlets

My hair is coily and super dry, all year around, so in the summer, I rely on heavy oils and constant conditioning! I don't shampoo very often, but I use intense moisturization. My staple oils are Jamaican Black Castor Oil because it is rich in vitamins and combats dandruff and works as a natural cleanser. It smells awful though, so if you try it, be sure to cover it with your fav hair creme! In addition, coconut oil and macadamia nut oils are also a favorite! I use both in a homemade deep conditioner. Just mix a tablespoon of your choice of oil, 1/4 cup of honey, a ripe banana and about 1/4 cup of coconut milk in a bowl. Squeeze a glob of conditioner in there, stir and apply to damp hair, cover with a shower cap and warm towel and leave on for 20-30 minutes. I'm telling you, my curls liven up every time and it smells great!

Angela: Wavy with Color

My hair is wavy and as of recently, I've noticed that it gets greasy at times. A week ago, I decided to try a pastel look and all the Pearls love it! The color is Rose Gold. I had to bleach my hair 3 times to get it light enough, so it's no longer greasy! lol. Since it's now bleached, its all about putting moisture and protein back into it. Pastels fade very fast, so for shampoo and conditioner you always want to use a color protectant. I'm currently using Redken color extend magnetics. Because of the Bleach, I'm also doing more conditioners, too, like Redken Extreme Cat, which is a protein reconstructing treatment, and Joico K-PAK deep-penetrating reconstructor. While my hair is wet, I use Redken Extreme Anti-Snap which provides heat protection and prevents breakage and split ends. To help eliminate fade from sudsing shampoos, I like to use a dry shampoo from Redken called Pillow Proof Blow Dry Two Day Extender. This works wonders for me! Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum keeps my hair smooth and conditions. I love hair products! Sometimes I will straighten it, but right now I enjoy wearing it curly, using my curling wand and heat protection.

Ariel: Natural Red Head 

I have thick, coarse, dry Red hair. It's always been really easy for my hair to get matted when wet, so I use Cream of Nature shampoo. I've been using it since I was a child. To help with the dry look and texture of my hair, I use Pink Oil Moisturizer. I currently get relaxers, but want to revert back to natural hair, so I've been experimenting with protective styles, like extensions, wigs and braids to keep my hair strong. I really want to cut my hair and start all over, so protectives styles will be my "go to" procedure, once I make the decision to cut.

Kourtney: Healthy Coils

I always had perms until 3 or so years ago when I did the big chop. It was the best decision for my hair and I really got the chance to learn my hair and explore my natural self. I've gone through lots of different types of hair products like Miss Jessie's and Shea Moisture. I focus on keeping my hair very healthy and taking vitamin supplements for shine and strength. I recently put color in my hair and now I use the whole Influence' product line. One of the things I really like is the hair antiseptic because it cleanses my scalp really well. Alikay Naturals Moisture Rich Hair Parfait is also good for my twisting styles. It's made with Shea Butter and it doesn't require extra wetting of the hair. It keeps my styles very moisturized.


We hope these tips and tricks were helpful! How do you combat the wear and tear of hot weather on your hair? We'd love to hear from you! Share your comments and favorite products with us!
*No matter your style, shade or texture, you are fearfully and wonderfully made- from inside out and toe to crown!
~Pearls

For more hair tips, visit:
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411674,00.html
http://www.curlynikki.com/2013/05/quick-summer-hair-tips-and-tricks.html
http://madamenoire.com/144666/5-great-hair-blogs-for-the-natural-sistahs-who-need-support/

In and Out of Season

The curtains of summer are beginning to draw in closure, as the world makes ready for the crisp and lulling of fall beginnings. The malls have already begun to display autumn fashions and even the Sun is making it's exits a little earlier, as of recently. Yes, the world is preparing for those quiet months of gusty winds and whispered nights; of cool afternoons and the sound of crunched leaves, lingering behind each booted step. I savor the summer months, because I dread the cold, yet in my region of the world, it has been a particularly mild summer. Not at all typical of a North Carolina.
Yesterday afternoon, I noticed that the Sunflowers beside the freeway were drooping and half naked, from fallen off petals. Normally, Sunflowers bloom and last until late September. I figure, the humbling sight must be due to a lack of sunlight, as it has been cloudy as of late. I was disappointed to see how my golden beauties, usually standing proud and tall this time of year, were colorless and stooped over, instead. A part of me felt sad somehow, for one reason or another, and I began to think about how we, as Christians, can sometimes allow the unexpected cloudiness and circumstances of our lives to hinder our growth and display of Christ, amidst our surroundings.

Even in an environment where growth is suppose to be taking place, we can find ourselves feeling as if we are withering away. We can pray, yet have a sense of disconnect; we can worship, yet feel powerless between the spaces of each word we sing; we can read our Bibles and recall scripture, yet feel as if our lives are some how exempt from promises expressed in certain passages. Sometimes, in our Christian lives, there are signs of Autumn or even Winter, in what should be our spiritual Summer.

As of lately, I've felt that way in my prayer life. See, in my opinion, I am in my spiritual Summer: my Bible Study group is growing (in number as well as in confidence), my marriage is a dream (if you overlook the inclusion of the NFL, NBA and the World Cup), our new Church is sincerely feeding us the meat of scripture and my extended family is happy and successful. I feel loved, I'm busy, I'm happy... but I'm also unsatisfied. I'm unsatisfied with believing Him for answers, yet feeling as if I'm talking to the pots and pans that I am scrubbing. I feel like my prayer life is hibernating, when it's clearly Summer time!
Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever experienced so much blessing in one area, yet at the same time, felt a disconnect in another? If so, it's normal. It's life.

Psalm 9: 10 states,
"Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you".

To me, this scripture brings "Summer" back to my heart. There are times when our moods and experiences don't reflect our spiritual state. There are times when our circumstances overshadow what we know to be true. There are even times when Sunflowers droop, even in the middle of summer. But it doesn't change the season. Even if all the flowers died and all the leaves on the trees turned brown in July, it would still be Summer. Even if you feel far away from God, or you feel unproductive in your relationship with Him, you are still His child and His promises are still effective in your life! All He asks us to do is simply trust and seek Him! Don't loose heart. If you feel as if your prayers are disappearing, even as you are uttering them, continue to pray, anyway. If you feel as if your worship is in vain, lift your hands higher and your voice louder. If you feel as if your attempts to live a pleasing life is backfiring, don't quit-keep going! The Lord will not forsake you! He has given us His word! We must believe, and eventually, spiritual summer will come to us in that area, and then in the next one and in the next one.

Let's be faithful, in and out of season!
Trust God!

~Pearls