We don't have to tell you how neglected 4C hair is when it comes to the beauty industry. Even though brands routinely hit the market with new launches they say were formulated to work on all hair textures, it often doesn't take long for ladies with tighter textures to refute those claims and head back to the drawing board to replicate the concoctions they've crafted over the years to cleanse, hydrate, and define their curls and coils.
More power to the beauties who have time to put in that amount of work, but we think we speak for everyone when we say 4C ladies want to hit the aisles and pick up products that work for them straight off the shelves like everyone else -- as they should. To make it a bit easier to do that, we've put together a list of the best products for 4C hair so you can take the guessing game out of shopping and ship items perfectly suited for your strands right to your home this holiday season.
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4C Only Too Easy Collection
4C Only
The name says it all when it comes to this new brand dedicated solely to cleansing, conditioning, and styling 4C textures. The Too Easy Collection is a worthwhile collection as it contains a shampoo, deep conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and styling cream designed to cut your wash and style time down to 1-2 hours per week.
Haitian Black Castor Oil Light
Reap all the moisturizing, hair-retaining, growth-promoting benefits of Jamaican Black Castor Oil but in a lighter, silkier, more absorbent form in this Kreyol Essence Black Castor Oil. Beyond the benefits to your hair, you'll also be supporting Black women in the U.S. and Haiti as the founder of Kreyol Essence is a Black woman who employs a 90 percent female staff in her native home.
Cantu Sturdy Double Lift Pick
Cantu Sturdy Double Lift Pick - 1ctEverybody knows a twist out can't pop until you pick it out. Cantu's Sturdy Double Lift Pick helps lift curls without compromising definition. And like the name suggests, it's durable enough to withstand even the thickest hair.
Aunt Jackie's Flaxseed Don't Shrink Curling Gel
Aunt Jackie's
Fight shrinkage with this fan favorite that helps elongate curls while it promotes hair health with flaxseed and wheat protein.
Ampro Pro Style Shine N Jam Magic Fingers For Braiders
Walmart
If you became a pro at doing your own braids and twists during the pandemic, you know how crucial this jam is for controlling frizz without drying out hair or adding buildup.
Morning Glamour Satin Standard Pillowcase
Macys
We don't have to tell you how crucial satin pillowcases are to hair health if you don't wear a bonnet at night. Jump on this holiday sale and score a couple to protect your hair from friction and breakage.
Kurlee Belle Kurl Defining Creme
Kurlee Belle
"Twist Out Queen Approved," this creme is made from Cupuacu, Shea Butter and Argan Oil to "melt" into hair and produce smooth, hydrated defined curls.
Mielle Rosemary Mint Growth Oil
Mielle Organics
Healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp and that's true for all textures. This growth oil helps nourish hair follicles to promote growth and prevent dry scalp while also smoothing split ends with its formula that's a mix of natural ingredients and essential oils to retain length.
Dreadlock Natural Hair Electric Steamer Cap
Dreadlock
A common complaint among loc wearers is that products don't penetrate their hair shaft. If that's your struggle, it's most likely time to take a step back and focus on treatment rather than touching up locs with a water, oil, or gel. This electric steamer cap, which works for all natural-haired ladies, loc'd or not, eliminates a lot of the mess that comes with other steamers while still allowing you to get a salon-level hydration treatment right from the comfort of your home.
Olaplex No.6 Bond Smoother Styling Creme
Olaplex
Color-treated hair requires extra TLC and Olaplex's bond smoother is many natural's go-to for hydrating and protecting hair from the damage chemicals can ravage on strands.
Carol's Daughter Coco Crème Curl Quenching Deep Moisture Mask
Carol's Daughter Coco Crème Curl Quenching Deep Moisture Mask - 12 fl ozCarol's Daughter's Coco Crème collection was created specifically with coarser textures in mind. The Curl Quenching Deep Moisture Mask is formulated with coconut oil, coconut milk, mango butter and murumuru butter to help hydrate extremely dry textures
Featured image by Shutterstock
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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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