Milder weather will be upon us soon, and now is usually the time we look for inspiration for fresh new hairstyles for Springtime . This past weekend, the biggest Black Girl Hair News to break the internet was the unveiling of actress Gabrielle Union's big chop haircut at the 91st Annual Academy Awards: introducing the 46 year old star with a fresh, spiky, cropped pixie that paired perfectly against her facial shape, skin, and chosen formal wear for the evening.
Both modern and chic, the key to a great pixie for black women is in the cut, hair care product choice, and a good (mini) flat iron. Whether you're a Naturalista or Perm Princess, wrapping your hair at night in a silk (or silk-like) scarf is the key to preserve straightness and protect against split ends: women of color tend to endure damage while sleeping no thanks to the friction between our hair and the texture of our bedding textiles. Wrapping your hair before sleeping not only preserves straightness for the next day, but also guards the damage to the hair shaft.
Using hair products that contain silk also help preserve straight hairstyles- as the protein in the silk coats and infuses the hair to promote strength, anti-frizzing, and anti-breakage. Our favorite silk products at the moment? Check out our NUY 40+ product edit below:
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| A shampoo infused with herbs,botanical extracts and silk proteins that gently cleanses hair and removes build-up with leaving it shiny and healthy. BIOSILK SILK THERAPY SHAMPOO (€7,50) available from notino.de |
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| For a cost-efficient solution to hair repair with silk to infuse you hair with protein, and promote a straightened, glossier look. SCHWARZKOPH GLISS KUR LIQUID SILK conditioner (€3,95) , available at Bundi, Rossmann, and DM. |
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| A serum to help reduce drying time after shampooing your hair- which also deeply penetrates the hair shaft to provide moisture, promote smoothness, and control frizz. PAUL MITCHELL SMOOTHING SUPER SKINNY SERUM (€28,50), from bellaffair.de |
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| A staple brand in the black American community, now found in most Afro shops across Europe: MIZANI THERMASMOOTH SHINE EXTEND SPRAY, (€27), also available a beautyplaza.de |
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| An absolute must before a flat iron ever touches a single hair on your head: add extra shine and protect your hair against heat damage from hot irons and combs with L'OREAL PARIS HOT & CURL THERMO-LOCKEN-SPRAY (€4,95), available at DOUGLAS |
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| A light, non-greasy straightening cream to smooth and condition your hair, while protecting it against heat & humidity. KIEHL'S HEAT PROTECTIVE SILK STRAIGHTENING CREAM (€21), available at parfumdreams.de |
