Where Organic Meets Beauty

The Curly Girl Method – A How-to-Guide

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The Curly Girl Method or CGM has become increasingly popular given that it is the holy grail of hair care routines for beautiful, perfect, fresh out of the salon curls! Every curly girl has had to experience frizz, uneven texture, damage, and even a loss of curl over time. While properly treated and styled curly hair looks stunning, you must know that in order to achieve that, you need to give your hair the time, love, and attention it needs and the CGM is exactly that!

Give this hair care routine a try and we promise that not only will your curls thank you forever, but your hair care routine will become easier and your curls will ALWAYS look effortlessly perfect. Isn’t that every curly girl’s dream? Well, let’s dive in step-by-step into the Curly Girl Method.

STEP 1: Clarifying Wash OR “Final Wash”

This first wash will prep your hair to start the CGM. You want to use a clarifying shampoo to thoroughly cleanse your hair before conditioning. Make sure you wash your scalp really well to remove any product build-up. Once you rinse out the shampoo, you are ready for conditioner. Make sure you only use your fingers to detangle your hair, do not use a comb or a brush since that will only stretch out your curls even more. This process is done once or twice a month.

STEP 2: Co-Wash

Once you have completed your Clarifying wash, you are ready for the Co-Wash. This is how you will wash your hair from this point forward until it’s time for a “Reset Wash” with clarifying shampoo again. Co-washing is basically washing your hair with a clarifying conditioner instead of shampoo. Simply massage the conditioner throughout your scalp just like you would shampoo using your fingertips.

STEP 3: Conditioning (If needed)

After Co-Wash, if you feel that your hair needs additional moisture, you can condition your hair with a thicker and richer conditioner than the one you used for Co-Wash. Yup, that means you need two different conditioners. Use this step to moisturize your hair and detangle your hair using your fingers. Rinse out the conditioner and you are ready to move on to the styling step!

Step 4: Styling Your Curly Hair

Begin your hairstyling in the shower! Applying your curling products with soaking wet hair will yield the best results. It sounds crazy, but we promise it makes all the difference. At the salon, we use a variety of products prescribed for your specific curly needs. If you have more questions about curly girl recommended products, we have a whole blog about that too, simply Click Here.

Step 5: Drying

Once you have applied your hair styling products use a microfiber towel or a cotton t-shirt and squeeze the excess water out of your hair and wrap your hair.  Then, you can air dry or use a diffuser to dry your hair. Do not play with your curls! We get it, they look so pretty it’s hard not to want to touch them but leave them alone.

Refreshing Your Hair

You may be wondering how to keep your curls looking beautiful for more than one day.  It’s pretty simple, use a refreshing product to avoid rewetting your curl. It’s all about refresh, not rewet and we have a variety of next day curl refreshing products available at the salon.

Continue Co-Washing your hair until you feel it is time for a “Reset Wash” and simply repeat Step 1. For wavy hair, you will probably need to cleanse about twice a month, while for coily hair it will be strictly when you really must (maybe once a month).

Like any new routine, give your hair time to adapt! It might be a little weird at first since the thought of ditching shampoo can be a little scary.  Trust the process and we promise the results are life-changing!

Let us know if you gave this a try!  Tag us on social media @salonnirvana954. We would love to follow your curly girl journey J Remember we are always available for a complimentary consultation.

Have Fabulous Hair Even While Traveling

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Women who travel a lot get it. Traveling can take a toll on your hair, especially if you have curls, colored hair, or hair extensions. The goal of this blog is to share some tips I’ve learned throughout my years of traveling. If you have any other tips you’d like to share, let us know on Instagram! 

4 fabulous hair care tips for your next vacation! 

Airplanes have a way of draining you and worst of all, making you look exhausted and messy. It’s important to feel great when you’re traveling, and this includes making sure you always look fabulous – even after flying!  

There are a few simple things you can do to make sure you won’t have to worry about your hair. All it takes is a little prep before taking off and a few seconds throughout the day.

Check the weather before flying. Really you do need to check it!

Avoid frizzy, dry, or unmanageable hair by packing the right products. You know your hair best. You know how your hair reacts to dry, humid, hot, or cold weather. But what you may not know is where to find the products to manage your hair’s different personalities. Pack them beforehand by knowing what the weather will be like. At home, you may already have the needed products, so all you have to do is toss them in a travel-sized container or come and see us for your travel-sized products!  

Ponytails and Buns are your best friend on the plane. 

These hairstyles help keep your hair manageable and free from static. They also keep your hair from having that always unwanted flyaway, which always seems to find its way out.  

Use a hydrating product. Great for the plane and dry or cold weather. 

Going somewhere chilly? Cold air tends to be dry, and that is not ideal for keeping moisture. The air in airplanes is also dry, so you need to give your hair some help so it can stay hydrated. Just like you moisturize your skin and lips, you also need to make sure your hair is moisturized. The right shampoo and conditioner helps, but don’t overlook the benefits of a hydrating product. Hydrating products like serums, sprays, or leave-in conditioners are also great for keeping your hair looking fabulous and keeping it manageable.

Hydrate. Then Hydrate some more.

Most of us don’t drink enough water throughout the day. Traveling takes a toll on our body, hair, skin, and nails, so it becomes even more important to stay hydrated. Reach for that glass or bottle of water to make sure you drink enough and stay hydrated. Your skin, hair, and nails will thank you. Staying hydrated keeps you looking your best and helps prevent premature aging. 

I hope you enjoyed these tips and remember to share any of your tips with us! We’d love to hear what they are! If you need any suggestions for a hydrating product, let us know!  

Wedding Hairstyle Tips

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Prepping for the big day? Yay! Your wedding day is all about you, and we have a few, simple tips to make you look even more glamorous than you thought possible.

Here are a few wedding day hair tips to keep you looking fabulous!

Do not wash your hair on the day of your wedding!

It’s not gross. In fact by washing your hair the day of your wedding you are making it too soft to keep the hairstyle in place. Washing your hair the night before is recommended.

Do everything with enough time, including getting your hair done. Do not rush your hairstylist.

You don’t want to have every second accounted for. Give yourself time to fix any mishaps that can come up. This also empowers you to be in control, so when the time comes to say “I do” you look gorgeous and not stressed. The same thing goes with your hairstylist. Don’t rush them. Give them time to style your hair so you can walk away knowing with 100% confidence your hairstyle won’t be undone. Nothing is worse for your hairstyle than out of place strands!

Plan for touch-ups.

Take extra products to touch-up any mishaps that can happen or for the reception.

Last-minute haircuts and color changes are usually not a good idea.

Have a plan beforehand in regards to your hair, because the last thing you want is to have wedding day pictures you’ll be looking at for decades that you’re not happy with. This is your day. Do not leave everything for the last minute. Book an appointment with your hairstylist and show them examples of the style you want. With enough time you can totally try each style out and see what they look like!

Have a second look for the reception

When it’s time for the reception, you can show up with an entirely new look! Most brides change their dress for the reception, so why not do the same for your hairstyle?

A trial run is always a must

You have this image of what you’re going to look like once your hair is done and your veil is on. A trial run puts it all out there so you can see it live and in person! Also, please don’t forget to consider your veil! See what’s involved with putting on and taking it off. Make sure to know exactly what your hair looks like with it on and how to properly take it off.

 

Extend the life of your sew-in hair extensions

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What girl doesn’t want gorgeous hair in minutes? Now, what if a few minutes today could give you gorgeous hair for two months or more? That’s precisely what sew-in hair extensions do! A little time today goes a long way towards saving you a ton of time later on. Plus you’ll look and feel like a million bucks.

Quality hair extensions (like the ones we use at Salon Nirvana 954) are made from real human hair, which means they’ll look, feel, move and be styled as if they were your own hair. Just like your real hair, you need to keep your hair extensions properly maintained, so they last longer and look great the entire time you’re wearing them.

The number one tip we always tell people regarding hair extension maintenance is always use the right products. Just like overusing chemicals can dry out your real hair, the same is true for hair extensions. The difference is since hair extensions are not being supplied nutrients from your scalp, you need to do what you can to keep them looking healthy for as long as possible, and that begins with the products you use.

Here are four products we recommend for maintaining your hair extensions.

Product 1
From our organic line moisturizing conditioner
Product 2
From our organic line moisturizing shampoo
Product 3
From our organic line moisturizing de-tangler
Product 4
Dry conditioner

If you have any questions regarding these products or if you’re using something else and want to know what we think about it, let us know!

 

Hair masks and 3 reasons we love them!

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You put masks on your face, so why not on your hair too? Hair masks do what shampoo and conditioner cannot. Just like you have a skincare routine to keep your face healthy and looking younger, you should incorporate hair masks into your routine as well.

Hair masks go in deeper than conditioner.

Hair masks are designed to go in deeper, much deeper than conditioner which keeps the ingredients of the mask in your hair longer to really target any hair related issue you want to get rid of.

Hair trouble? There’s a mask for that!

Hair masks are packed with ingredients to solve whatever problem you have – from dry, damaged, and frizzy hair to thin or flat, limp hair. There’s a mask out there for you. You can find masks that target very specific hair types like curly hair too!

They’re super easy to use.

Just make sure your hair is clean and apply your hair mask. Some masks work better on dry hair while others work best on wet hair. Applying the mask can take a minute or so then you just have to wait and let the mask work hard while you relax. Make sure to comb the mask through your hair and up to the tips. Since your tips are the most fragile part of your hair, you want to make sure to coat them thoroughly.

 

4 Busted Hair Care Myths to Disregard Now

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We asked around and made a list of four common hair care myths and busted them. Next time you hear someone say any of the following myths tell them Salon Nirvana 954 busted it!

Ready? Here are four busted myths (and what you should actually do)

Myth #1 Dry shampoo or regular shampoo there’s no difference except one is wet.

Busted! While dry shampoo can leave you feeling with cleaner hair, it doesn’t actually clean or nourish your scalp. Dry shampoo simply absorbs excess oil while leaving you with a pleasant smell afterward. In no way is dry shampoo a replacement for regular shampoo. Massaging your scalp while shampooing stimulates your hair follicles which has long term benefits towards the health of your hair.

Myth #2 Plucking a gray hair will make two more come out

False! At any given time, regardless of hair color, only one hair strand grows per hair follicle. It’s simply the way hair works. Plucking a hair out will not cause that hair strand to multiply, not now and not ever. In fact, plucking a gray hair can actually damage the hair follicle. Instead of plucking consider color or cutting the hair strand. You can also embrace the gray! Nothing wrong with that 🙂

Myth #3 Washing your hair every day is bad for your hair

Nope. If you are using a proper shampoo that is gentle you can wash your hair every day. Some shampoos are designed to be used daily without harming your hair. These shampoos restore the moisture that is lost throughout the day so your hair can stay hydrated, clean, and healthy!

Myth #4 Avoid hair conditioner if you have greasy hair

Wrong! You should choose a hair conditioner for your hair type. There are hair conditioners that help control excess grease and oil. Conditioning your hair refortifies it to protect it. Not conditioning is definitely something we would not recommend for your hair!

Have any other hair care routines you follow? Let us know on Instagram!

4 Beauty Tips for Men 

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Beauty tips are for everyone, the tips below can be used by anyone, but these were written with men in mind.  So if you know a guy that can benefit from these tips send them the link. 

1. Proper Grooming Is Key

A proper haircut and shave/trim will always make you look crisp and sharp! 

Choose a haircut that compliments your face and style.  If you’re not sure about which haircut is right for you then just ask one of our amazingly talented hairstylists and they’ll help find the right look for you!

Now that we’re talking about hair don’t forget to hide any grey hair you may have to look younger. If you’d like to hide your grey hair, then ask about Grey camouflaging services, this is when color is blended into your hair to create a completely natural look – no one will be able to tell you once had grey hair!  The earlier you start doing this the more natural your hair will look later on and the younger you’ll look now. 

2. Have The Right Skincare Routine

This involves everything from using the right shaver to using sunblock.  It’s important for you to choose a facial cleanser that is right for your skin type as well as a proper moisturizer.  Also, never ever forget to put on sunblock!  Sunblock is key to helping you age gracefully versus having damaged skin at an early age.  

3. Exercise

Nothing beats stress like a solid workout.  Exercising regularly also helps keep the skin toned and the mind sharp.  It’s not about getting big muscles (unless that’s your goal), exercising is about staying healthy inside so you can stay healthy outside. 

4. Stay Hydrated 

Proper hydration is vital for healthy hair, skin, and nails. Staying hydrated helps flush out toxins from the body, helps fight off acne, and it helps prevent premature fine lines and wrinkles.