Aunt Jackie's

My hair journey is something that means a lot to me. As a child I was always known to have hair so long it reached the middle of my back. Whether my hair was curly, straight, braided or in twists it generated a lot of talk. That’s why when I went natural and lost basically all the length that I somewhat had it was such a shocker. I was natural as a child before I began to get a relaxer at around 3rd grade. It was needed since my mom had just gotten over breast cancer for a second time and my long thick curls were too much for her to take care of. My hair still retained its length, even as I went into middle school but once I hit 9th grade I’d realized something. My length was gone. Now I will say SOOOO many hair mistakes were made when I began doing my own hair in high school. I put too much heat to it, I manipulated it too much, and I didn’t care about my strands enough. I honestly don’t know at what point I realized I wanted to go natural but at the end of my sophomore year I did. My mother who is a very traditional black woman when it comes to hair made it crystal clear there was no way in hell I was getting the big chop I wanted. Because of this I was forced to transition over. I vividly remember the first product I used as a natural being SheaMoisture - Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie this served a good purpose since my number one goal at the time was curl definition. I don’t mind that as much anymore because I have come to terms with the fact that my hair type is NOT loose curls. Since quarantine that goal has changed. My goal I’m March went from “how do I get my hair to curl” to “okay how do I retain length and keep my hair healthy” and I knew my answer. Braids. I’ll be the one to say I absolutely LOVE braids but I HATE getting them professionally done for so many reasons. The main one being when my scalp gets too dirty the braids gotta go. That is a problem when braids cost 100 and I’m over them in a month 🗿. This pushed me to doing my own braids minus the braiding hair. Every two-three weeks I take my braids out, condition my dry dirty hair, wash the conditioner out, wash my hair, deep condition, and prep my hair for braids. Sometimes I blow dry my hair before I braid it (because I want the length😗) and sometimes I just braid my coily hair as is. This has helped keep my hair healthy and grow it all quarantine. These are the products I’ve used: AFRiCAN PRIDE - Olive Miracle Anti-Breakage Leave-in Conditioner AFRiCAN PRIDE - Olive Miracle Anti-Breakage Growth Oil DOO GRO - Mega Thick Hair Oil ECOCO - Eco Style Argan Oil Gel ECOCO - Eco Style Professional Styling Gel Black Castor & Flaxseed Oil cantu - Argan Oil Leave-In Conditioning Repair aussie - Miracle Moist 3 Minute Miracle with Avocado for Dry Hair Repair Maui MOISTURE - Heal & Hydrate + Shea Butter Hair Mask Aunt Jackie's - Don't Shrink Elongating Curling Gel

I started my journey to happy, healthy waves when I started quarantine (mid March). It’s been about seven months, and I’d like to drop some tips for people just starting! Some tips for starting: you do NOT need to break the bank when you’re just starting. A leave in conditioner and curl cream are all you need to get started! there is a transition period, and things will be rough at first. When you transition, your hair may get worse or not change before it gets better. Hair in transition needs moisture and a patient, gentle hand 💗 start with a clarifying shampoo. Buildup from everything you’ve done to and put on your hair will make transitioning and improving your hair 1000x harder don’t get overwhelmed-you don’t need to understand protein/moisture balance, density, what ingredients are good and bad, and also the other intricacies when you’re just starting keep a journal and take progress photos! I can’t even tell you how helpful it is Tips on your hair type: your actual hair TYPE, or how tight/loose your hair is is nearly irrelevant, especially when you start your type may be different throughout your hair, and it will change as you progress what’s more important is hair density, porosity, and damage ^ that’s what will affect how and which products are best for your hair Things I wish I’d known: don’t do everything at once! Add a product, wait and see how your hair reacts you don’t need to follow every curly girl rule! Your hair is unique and some rules will do more harm than good once you get out of your transition stage, experiment! Different types of styling will make a world of difference take photos of your journey! I feel like I’ve missed out on being able to actually SHOW how much my hair has improved because I hardly have any photos from the start Favorite products: PAUL MITCHELL - Clarifying Shampoo Three I have hard water so a weekly clarifying shampoo combined with a deep conditioner is essential to prevent buildup. This shampoo leaves my hair so smooth and light without being harsh! A necessity if you have hard water Aunt Jackie's - Curl Boss Coconut Curling Gelée A cheap, easy to find and super reliable gel. Still my favorite. Makes a nice cast, adds definition, and when scrunched out leaves a voluminous, soft curl that remains consistent until your next wash day aussie - 3 Minute Miracle Moist Deep Conditioner My absolute favorite feel conditioner, perfect for transition and is still my staple seven months in. Cheap and last forEVER! Nice smell, can be washed out immediately for a lighter condition or left 5+ minutes for an extra deep condition I’ll also strongly recommend apple cider vinegar washes-never has my hair been softer, smoother, shinier, and clumped easier then after an acv rinse(definitely will get around to doing a post on this!) Overall, just be patient with and love your hair and it will love you!

I stumbled upon this brand at Marshall’s and was in dire needs for a change up in my hair care routine. My hair tends to get used to products that once were holy grails. So I’m always on the look out for something that brings life back into each curl. So far, aunt Jackie has sparked that life. I love how soft my curls are and clean without feeling stripped (which is one of the main reasons I skip shampoo most weeks). I would recommend more of these products for sure. Aunt Jackie's - Oh So Clean Moisturizing & Softening Shampoo

I honestly thought Aunt Jackie's - In Control Moisturizing & Softening Conditioner was a styler. I didn’t realize it until last night when I saw it on someone’s post what they use in the shower and I was like “Oh I use that same styler! Oh wait...it’s conditioner?!” I know some people use conditioner outside of the shower for some reasons so it’s not outrageous but it was surprising to me that it worked so nicely on my hair as a styler. I really do love the results it leaves on my hair and it think it works a little better than the Aunt Jackie's - Curl La La Defining Curl Custard . Not only does it make my curls look amazing but it has also softened my hair and even my ends feel nice (I’m always worried about my ends bc they aren’t always the best). I might try it as a conditioner now that I know what it really is and my conditioner is running low to compare. That being said I am always on the look for new stuff for my hair so if you have any recommendations lmk 😊

I’m glad to know the existence of leave in conditioners because I remember finding out conditioner from my hair and wishing I didn’t have to as it made my hair feel silkier. Leave in conditioner is a great way to gently detangle hair and keep it hydrated. However, as I have sensitive skin and especially an eczema-prone neck, I gotta be pretty careful with my selection. I gave Aunt Jackie's - Quench Moisture Intensive Leave-In Conditioner a try which seemed like a great idea because it’s “Sulfate-free/Paraben-free” but it’s important to not get caught up in being green washed. Greenwashing is when a product label promotes being a better choice by lacking certain ingredients, while the ingredient list may still contain some hazards. In this case, Parfum, which I think I’m quite sensitive to, is listed as one of the middle ingredients. Not even at the end! But the middle! Huh?! It smells good, but it’s too fragrant and therefore I don’t feel comfortable just leaving it in my hair all willy nilly. So instead I use om - Coconut Milk Hair Mask which is technically meant as a leave in treatment for 10 mins in the shower, but the downfall of clean hair products is that it’s often not strong enough for curly/thick hair. So I apply a bit into my damp hair post wash and then braid it and ta-da, look at them shiny and non-greasy coils! ✨ when I use a leave in conditioner, I can get away with using less oil 👏🏽 #CheriePartner