B00AFU6252 EBOK by Jessica Alba Page B

Experiment and figure out what works for you . . . and don’t worry if it’s not the beauty gospel you’ve read in fashion magazines or whatever! For more tips on how to ditch the suds, search “curly hair” on www.nomoredirtylooks.com ; cofounder Alexandra Spunt has amazing curls and she hasn’t shampooed her hair in I don’t know how long.

CONDITIONER
    Conditioner is so important for keeping your hair soft and shiny. But remember that less is often more here. If you use gobs of product, you’ll run out faster (which gets expensive!), and it can also weigh your hair down so it looks flat and dull. I like to comb conditioner through my ends in the shower but keep it off my scalp to prevent buildup. As usual, avoid lots of added fragrances and opt for plant-based moisturizing ingredients where you can.
STYLING—CURLS
    As much as I enjoy a sleek blowout, I also love that curls—and embracing your natural wave!—are big again. This is especially helpful if you live in a humid climate; it’s like, why fight it? Let your hair be free. So what’s the key to happy (not fuzzy) curls? Making sure your hair is properly hydrated. Frizz is just your hair follicle’s way of trying to suck up more moisture from the air—that’s why it gets so much worse when it rains. A good, hydrating curl cream can combat this problem. Look for a lightweight, water-based formula and steer clear of gels containing alcohol, which can be super drying.
STYLING—STRAIGHT/NO FRIZZ
    After the Brazilian blowout made headlines a couple of years ago because it was found to release formaldehyde, I got a lot more careful about the kinds of products I use when I want sleek, straight hair. When it’s not too humid, I find that a little dab of argan oil or another natural leave-in on my ends is enough to keep everything shiny and smooth. When you need something more hard core, you might want to steer clear of keratin-containing products—we’re still trying to figure out which brands are safe and which are problematic. You’re better off using a lightweight silicone gel (although, I know, the results won’t last as long—such a bummer!). Divide damp hair into sections and blow it out a piece at a time using a big round brush. Then smooth everything over with a flat iron. All this heat can be tough on your hair, so I’d advise against making this your everyday style . . .  but it will give you that sleek look without the toxicity.
    Since my hair is put through the ringer when I’m working, I like to give it a chance to detox.

CARING FOR KIDS’ HAIR
    Honor has such fine, curly hair—it tangles easily and can become such a battle! I’ve learned that detangler (like Honest Conditioning Mist) is key. And so is gently combing out her hair with a wide-tooth comb while it’s still wet—the snarls slide right out. If we’re doing braids, I’ll do those wet, too—they hold much better, and we make hair time fun by letting her choose clips or ribbons. I love my little girl’s curls!

Pure & Simple: Babies
    A ND THIS IS what it’s really all about: how to find safe, healthy stuff that you can slather all over your little ones. Of course, I firmly believe that while we need higher safety standards for children’s products, in a perfect world, we’d use those same standards for everyone. After all, Haven spends a fair amount of time snuggled up to my skin . . . and now that Honor is a bit older, she’s all about stealing Mommy’s beauty products to use on herself. But there’s no question that what you put directly on their skin needs to be the purest of all. Remember to check ingredient labels for all of the “Dishonest Ingredients” listed in this chapter (parabens, phthalates, and sodium lauryl sulfate are the top ones to avoid no matter what!) and always buy fragrance free unless the company tells you they only use plant-based fragrance ingredients (and they list what those are).
No-Crying Cleansing
    M Y HONEST TEAM and I