Ditch the Band and Revitalize Your Hair! If you ask PuffCuff's inventor, Ceata Lash, about her product's origin and ultimate success, she says it all began with a single idea and a unique need. "I invented PuffCuff as a styling tool for naturally curly and thick hair. I wanted it to be easy to use, durable and sanitary. But most of all, it had to be painless, and gentle on the hair! Plus, it needed to be something both men and women could use." After six successful years, it's easy to say Ceata more than reached her goal.

This month "Ditch the Band LIVE- A PuffCuff Experience" Hair Show makes its return for a second year on May 26th at the Riverside EpiCenter in Austell, GA, from 3 to 7 pm EST. In addition to curating a great, worthwhile experience for our attendees and vendor partners, this event is about embracing and caring for your natural tresses and spreading the word about this fantastic styling tool, which continues to transform the way naturally curly hair is styled.

"When I decided to go natural and love my curls, I realized I also was going to have to find a new way to style and protect it. I wanted my hair to match my active lifestyle and my personality—fun, stylish, and free. "Styling tools on the market were just not good for curly, dense hair," says Ceata. "Up to this point, everything I used put too much tension on my scalp and edges and that caused noticeable damage. "Plus, I suffered from migraine headaches. Elastic and rubber bands produced too much tension and, what I call the 'bunny butt effect.' It was time for the PuffCuff to become real."

Instead of waiting for someone else to come up with a solution, Ceata did it herself. In 2014, she began selling the only hair clamp for thick curly or textured hair. "It's very challenging finding flattering hairstyles for my type 3 curly hair," writes columnist Kathryn Desplanque in the online magazine Naturally Curly. "I've mostly worn my hair down and unadorned for the last decade. But recently, I became curious to see if the curly community had come up with any solution to the simple challenges of wearing your hair in a ponytail for type 3hair in particular. I was delighted to discover that a solution existed in the PuffCuff! "Instead of cinching your hair with an elastic band, your curly hair is held in place with the PuffCuff… I can keep my bangs down, keep tendrils down around my ears, and end up with a looser and more romantic ponytail that stays in place all day."

Made from a durable high impact-resistant plastic, the PuffCuff is designed with a contoured fit. Its wide-opening mouth is specially designed to accommodate thick hair without cinching it. This means no tension headaches from a tight band! Instead, PuffCuff's unique teeth are designed to lock curly hair in place naturally. This unisex hair clamp will not cause hair breakage or damage, and it works with all types of thick hair— including locks, twists, and braids. So, don't allow a "band" to hold you down anymore!

End your dependency on damaging hair accessories at Ditch the Band! This spectacle of natural hair edutainment for the entire family will send you home utterly inspired with tips and tricks to make your crown shine while feeling its absolute best!

A few short years ago, PuffCuff founder Ceata Lash realized the hair accessory industry actually had a bias. Most, if not all, the products on the market were designed for straight hair and not for naturally thick or curly hair. 

She also felt that the products for natural hair were really designed to entice you to straighten your hair in order to use the product successfully. After years of using chemicals on her own hair, she was ready to embrace her natural curls; and that, we could say, was the beginning of The PuffCuff story… but not quite. 

The story actually began with Ceata’s 99-year-old grandmother. “I was blessed to have her live with my family during her final years,” says Ceata. “The impact she had on our lives was profound. 

“She had seen so much history and so many changes for the better. She was my heart, and I loved her dearly. In our quiet moments together, I often wondered, ‘Did she pursue all of her dreams? Had she done everything she wanted to do?’” Then the answer came, and it was a confident, “Yes!” 

“After that, I found myself wondering if I lived to be 99, could I say the same thing? This is when I decided I had to try to step out on faith and develop what we have today: The PuffCuff—a nationally known hair product that is gaining new users every day. 

I thought, “If I failed, it wouldn’t be for lack of trying” says Ceata. “But here I am! I took the leap with my husband beside me! And we have never looked back.” 

PuffCuff, LLC launched in November of 2013, and the first PuffCuff was available for purchase in February 2014! Recently, Ceata was named the recipient of the Sally Beauty President’s Innovation Award. 

This amazing story also has another amazing fact: The PuffCuff was developed for all curl types. “This product is bringing people together,” says Ceata, “and that also is a goal I had from the beginning.”

"Order the big plate, take small bites, drink plenty of water and do the best you can.

Don’t give up. Keep running when you’re tired. And don’t stop until the Lord tells you to… and He hasn’t told us to.”

Watch the full documentary on our YouTube page. 

 

Social pressures and beauty standards have long favored straight hair. Deeming curly hair to be wild and unruly. Still, the biggest influences in a young person's life are their parents. Parents are the real gatekeepers of beauty, especially mothers. Studies show that the mother-daughter relationship is the most influential for a young girl’s self-esteem.

In the African American community phrases like “good hair” are commonly used. Easy to manage and a virtually straight hair texture are key factors for having “good hair”. Which implies that kinky and curly hair is bad. Just because something is difficult to manage doesn’t make it bad. But sometimes life happens and you just want to press the “Easy” button. The good news is the PuffCuff helps make it easier.



We’re not oblivious to the struggle of curly hair care, especially when the texture of your child’s hair is different from yours. We’ve spoken with parents about how they deal with that in a previous post. Not all hair products are created equal and even curly hair products can be hit and miss. Finding the right ways to keep hair healthy and hydrated is key. These are the things that drove us to create the PuffCuff. Unlike hair ties, it doesn’t put stress on the hair or cause pain. Both of which can lead to hair loss.



It’s important not to create a dynamic where your child is only hearing about the negative and frustrating aspects of their hair. Because that creates an association that their hair is bad and frustrating. There’s no better feeling than receiving positive encouragement. We especially love feedback from our customers. The people living with our product. The PuffCuff is such a tool that it empowers our younger clients to use it themselves.



Videos like this one from the Today Show prove that moms are having the complicated conversations with their children and beginning to changing the beauty standards. The truth is, it will take some time to change society’s beauty standard. But, the best part is, you can start at home and PuffCuff is here to help. We’ve listened to you and have created one of the best hair products for curly hair. The PuffCuff comes in a variety of sizes and is a tool that will help manage curls of any length or texture.