It's no secret the hair industry seems to be more crowded than ever. But considering all of us are rocking our unique head of hair (especially in its natural state), we can never have too many natural hair products to finesse and love on our coils.
Just like Rihanna didn't let the makeup industry intimidate her from dropping the record-breaking Fenty Beauty, I'm glad these brands didn't let the seemingly overcrowded hair industry stop them from releasing their versions of the best natural hair care products that we never knew we needed until now.
Whether the new line is backed by a major company that we're all familiar with, or launched by a boss woman who is breaking the ceiling, you certainly need to get into these natural hair care lines that were released this year:
1.Curly World by Lorraine Massey
Naturally Curly
Lorraine Massey had a gem on her hands with this one. Thanks to being the brains behind the DevaCurl product line and serving as co-founder of DevaChan salon in New York City, she was a staple in the natural hair and curly girl industry long before she released her line this year.
The timing was perfect for her Curly World release because it's clearly what the people were craving. I love how 'to the point' this brand is. While there are tons of options out there to care for our hair, Massey ironically aims to get us all back to the basics when it comes to caring for our tresses with her three-step method (shampoo, condition, tone). The line consists of four products: Sham-Free Hair & Scalp Cleanser (a pre-wash), Terms & Conditions (a hydrating conditioner that can double as co-wash), Leave-In Lover conditioner, and With Or Without Hue, a conditioner for those with dyed hair.
2.Miss Jessie’s Honey Curls
roundthewaygirl.com
Miss Jessie's history speaks for itself! So when co-founder Miko Branch dropped new products this year, I knew it would be a win. Miss Jessie's was one of the first lines that showed love to our natural hair, and these new products have proven that the brand isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
It currently features five products: Curls So Fresh, which helps with those days following a wash when our hair refuses to cooperate. Gloss So Good helps those curls pop and shine like they should. Hold Me Down is the edge control that the edges of your hair might have been searching for all along. The Grow Strong MAFURA Hair Oil gives our scalp the treatment that it definitely needs. Last and certainly not least is the Honey Curls product that didn't waste any time gaining popularity as it uses honey to lock in that moisture… Gon head and get'chu some!
3.Maya Smith’s The Doux
The Doux
I can't get enough of Atlanta native Maya Smith's salute to the 90s era with her new hair care line, The Doux. The 90s were LIT, okay? And so is The Doux. For starters, the packaging is blasted with neon colors, which were really big in the beloved decade. But the products definitely live up to the hype too (and come in neon colors as well).
It's no surprise that the products are of quality since the founder has more than 20 years of working as a stylist, including transitioning thousands of clients into the natural hair lifestyle…bless her heart. She has also performed tons of extensive research to have the best products for her consumers. The Doux currently features five products: SUCKA FREE moisturizing shampoo, FRESH RINSE moisturizing conditioner, MOUSSE DEF texture foam, THE LIGHT shine mist, and a customer favorite, BONITA AFRO BALM texture cream. These products certainly stand out as they boost our hair's moisture, texture, hydration, all while canceling out that frizz.
4.Crème Of Nature’s Pure Honey
We all know Crème of Nature has come a long way over the last few years. And this year, it kicked its efforts to keep our natural hair in check up a notch with its Pure Honey line. You've probably already heard of this one but whether you have or haven't, it definitely deserves an honorable mention.
Let me start by saying that each of the items in the Pure Honey line is filled with a mix of honey, coconut oil, and shea butter; but it makes sure not to weigh the hair down and have it looking stiff. As for the specifics, there are five products: Moisturizing Dry Defense shampoo and conditioner, Break UP Breakage Leave-In Conditioner, Knot Away Leave-In Detangler, and an amazing moisturizing hair mask that can help give your hair a fresh reset.
5.FORM Beauty
FORM Beauty has mastered the art of keeping it simple while still making a statement by giving us the basic products we need to keep our hair moisturized, fly, and even selfie-ready. What I love about this brand in particular is that it has a consultation option that provides a hair routine specifically for you. It understands that each of their customers is different, even if they have a similar category of hair, and that no two heads of hair are the same. It also helps that the brand has quite a few products to offer! Besides, we all know the downside of trial-and-error when it comes to being on the hunt for products that will work specifically for us.
Related Stories:
The Lazy Girl's Guide To Natural Hair – Read More
I Tried 4 Vegan Natural Hair Products – Read More
One But Not Equal: Natural Hair Is Not The Same – Read More
6 Protective Styles For Transitioning To Natural When Twist Outs Aren't Enough – Read More
Featured image by Getty Images
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Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
GiphyIf you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
GiphyThere is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
GiphySomething that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
GiphyEven if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
GiphyI saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
____
Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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