Flyy Beauty

My Regimen...

2010-11-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

Twists for 1-2 weeks, Take down and rock twist out for another week or deep condition right away. If twists out is worn, deep condition at the end of that week. After deep conditioning and applying leave in I wear 6 big twists and let air dry. This helps to let my hair stretch before doing small or mini twists. Simple, yet it works!

Peace,
Naturally Flyy

Sesame Oil For Hair +My Video On My Oil Blend

2010-11-04T09:16:00.000-07:00

Sesame oil is another great oil for the health of your hair. Not only does it nourish the hair but it has healing properties and is in the Ayruvedic category.
-It adds lustre to dark hair (which most sistas have)
-massaging into scalp controls dryness and flakes thus preventing hair loss.
-warm oil massage will increase circulation to scalp increasing growth
-oil penetrates damaged over processed hair and heals from within
-since it is known as a healing oil it will control fungal scalp infections
-strengthens hair shaft and roots
-promotes new hair growth
-rough hair can be softened
-stress causes hair loss. massaging sesame oil into scalp neck and shoulders alleviates stress
-its known for its darkening qualities so its great for gray hair
-protects hair from damaging UV rays
**SESAME OIL DOES HAVE A STRONG SMELL SO IT IS BEST TO CUT W/ A CARRIER OIL LIKE ALMOND OR COCONUT TO LESSEN IT. IN MY OPINION THE SMELL ISNT THAT BAD BUT IT DOES HAVE A STRONG NUTTY SMELL.
Here's the video on my oil blend:

My Quick and Easy Shea Butter/ Oil Mix

2010-11-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

I started making this when I moved around a lot during the year and didn't have the necessary tools to make my original mix. So Just used the following ingredients minus the water I usually add:

Shea butter
virgin coconut oil
jojoba oil
sesame seed oil
extra virgin olive oil
vitamin e
grapefruit essence oil

I melted all the ingredients in a pot and then let it cool off before putting in a container b/c it melts the container otherwise. After it cools it solidifies again and voila! At first it looks grainy but if you rub the shea mix in your palms it melts and is fine to use. OF COURSE YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN CHOICE OF OILS!!

Latest Natural Hair Style: Mini Twists

2010-11-04T08:43:00.001-07:00

Now these aren't the MICRO twists I did before (if you visit my youtube channel) but they are pretty close! lol. Took me about a day to complete (with the interruptions of my dollz). I did them on air dried hair (in big twists)after deep conditioning. I only used my shea butter mix of oils. And voila! I hope to keep in for at least 3 weeks. It's already been 1 week. So Far So Good!

Latest NYX Lippies Haul

2010-11-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

I love these colors and of course there are some great fall colors in the mix to wear!!

Natural Hair Challenge!!!

2010-11-04T08:16:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard the buzz, I started a Hair Challenge. Actually it started back on October 1st but you can still join and extend the end of the challenge (originally March 30th 2011) by one month. Happy Hair Growing!! (HHG)

MIA But Back in the City

2010-11-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Hey Loves! Pardon my absence but I'm bacccckkk! I Moved from SC and am now residing in Philadephia. More posts to come. But to see what's been up lately please check out my vlog at Youtube.com/innovativethinkin.

Natural Model: Meet Ms. Ashley Steele!

2010-06-28T15:50:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be great to show that natural hair is considered beautiful even in a tough industry like modeling. That's when I linked up with Ashley Steele to do this blog. Enjoy the interview questions and spread the word on Ashley representing Ohio!!!

1) how long have you been natural? If you haven't always been natural what inspired you to go natural?

I have been natural since 2005. I made the switch when I went off to college. I never did the big chop, I slowly phased the relaxer out of my hair getting trims every now and then; it didn't take too long!

2) what is your favorite thing about your natural hair?

The fact that I don't have to do much with it to make it look good. I don't have to sit in a hot salon for hours on a Saturday, or risk burning my scalp with chemicals. Just keeping it clean and moisturized works. I also like how BIG my hair is! I think it frames my face very well and emphasizes my prominent African features.

3) what is your favorite natural hair style?

Either a simple twist out, or when I pin it up into a mohawk…Natural chic. (: I need to find some new styles to try...

4) would you consider yourself a product junkie or do you keep it simple?

I'm always trying to try the newest thing out, or something someone just wrote a rave review about. I wouldn't say I have a set routine because of this so yes, product junkie! (: I'm currently using Carol's Daughter products (almost the whole line lol).

5) What are your thoughts on this "new natural hair movement"? Do you think it's a fad or a trend that's here to stay?

Its a movement I'm glad to see! Natural beauty is the best kind! Some ladies use lace front wigs and tracks and lets just say it's not always a good look. I'm not afraid to be who I am! It's beautiful! (: I think it is definitely here to stay. I get compliments on my hair all the time, and lots of women tell me they are also considering going natural. Women I know who have been natural for years I'm sure have embraced it for life.

Questions concerning modeling w/ natural hair:

6) I'm pretty sure most naturals can agree that we can see more and more Black women going natural. This is also being reflected on t.v. And in some magazines. Working in the modeling industry, are you seeing more Black models embracing their natural hair?

Sadly I'm not. In the industry it is all about your look, natural or not you have to present yourself better than the next. So if it includes fake lashes, tracks, or implants some women will do it. I'll go as far as fake lashes lol. At a casting call, I'm usually the only natural. I can recall 1 occasion where there was one other than myself.

7) do you find it more difficult to book photo shoots because of your natural hair? When you do get a call backs for jobs do they want to straighten your hair or add straight weave for a more European look?

Actually no! People prefer to work with me in my natural state, telling me it makes me unique and really enhances my facial features. I do however want to get a few photos in my portfolio with my hair straight. It helps to be versatile and be able to wear different looks.

8) has anyone ever tried to convince you that relaxing your curls would be better for your career? If so what did you tell them?

Nope! I think they know better (: I'm stubborn!

9) if you found it too difficult to find work because of your natural hair would you consider chemicals again?

No, it's not worth it. And I don't think I'll be presented with that problem. However, if I am, I hope the stylist has the time and patience to wash, blow dry, deep condition, comb, twist, blow-dry and then straighten! No more chemicals for me!

10) what advice would you give other aspiring natural hair models trying to break into the industry?

Don't be intimidated by the fake. Embrace your natural look, your natural essence and natural beauty. Your confidence can help your shine brighter than the competition! (:

I LOVE all of Ms. Steele's answers to my questions! Love her look too! Definitely someone to put into your "natural hair inspiration" folder! lol

You can check more of Ashley Steele out at www.AshleySteele.com or on Twitter. Her screen name is MsAshleyS
BTW, LOVE THE LOOK IN THE SECOND PIC! TO CHECK OUT THE T-SHIRT AND SOME MORE CUTE URBAN WEAR GOT TO ILOVETHEHYPE.COM

The Perfect Red Lip: Find The Shade Thats Right For You

2010-06-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on twitter you will know that I love, Love, LOVE a classic red lip. A lot of sistas say that they wish they could wear a red lip but don't really know which shade is the right shade of red for their skin tone. Well this is what this post is all about.
First I want to talk about lip size. If you have skinny lips I would definitely recommend that you stay away from dark toned reds. This will only make your lips look smaller.
Next, let's discuss your teeth color. Yes, we know that some of us do not have pearly whites, including me. When choosing a lipstick you have to be careful that the color doesn't accentuate your discolored teeth. If you do have yellow teeth I would suggest picking a red that has a blue undertone and stay away from reds that have a yellow undertone. Try MAC's Russian Red or Ruby Woo.
Now for the skin tones. If you are a fair skinned to brown skinned sista, try a true red like the one in my video demonstration (or try MAC's Lady Danger). If you are a darker skinned sista try a deep red that has a burgundy/wine hue to it. Try MAC's Underworld. Follow these simple rules and I'm sure you'll achieve the perfect red lip! Enjoy the video!

Geseen Natural Beauty: Facial-Care Line Review

2010-06-04T21:23:00.000-07:00

I absolutely loved this line! I am having terrible skin problems since being pregnant this time around and I haven't really been taking care of my skin or rather changing up my normal routine because I just figured that the bad skin is inevitable during this time. Well, one of my youtube subscribers noticed my plight and sent me some help! lol She owns a company along with her husband called Geseen Natural Beauty (the g is pronounced like 'girl'). She sent me some samples from her complete facial care line including:
fresh-face African black soap
invigorating detox mask
refreshing sweet and sour scrub
smooth and subtle body oil
So far, so good! I am getting less and less breakouts after each use and my skin has not been softer! Check out the video:

Geseennaturalbeauty.com
and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/index.php?lh=c4424ef8b6c831a282892ffd652a47d2&#!/pages/Geseen-Natural-Beauty/119627804739686?ref=mf

Pink Lips: Get 3 different looks from the same lip stick

2010-05-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know some of y'all are thinking...'Pink lips for brown skin/dark skin woman?!' And I'm here to tell you YES! Yes we can! (lol) Let me say that I have found that some of the most beautiful and brightest lip colors actually look better on women of color because it compliments our skin tone well. Our skin tone is meant to carry bright colors. Here, I have 3 pictures using the same lipstick- Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Celeb:

1)In the first pick I have Celeb on by itself (with lip balm underneath of course). It's just a nice plain pink lip reminiscent of the pale lip '60s makeup style.
2)In this pick I have the same lipstick but with a dark berry lip liner underneath. The lip liner I used was Wet n Wild creme lip liner in plumberry. I first lined my lips and then filled my lips in with the liner. I then patted on the lipstick as to not apply too much pink because I wanted it to work with the liner. This created a lavender-ish pink color. I am telling y'all this pic does not do the color justice. It is a very unique look. The next pic is just showing the lipstick and the liner up close.
3)In this last picture I actually was able to soften Celeb by adding a light nude pink-ish lip gloss over the lip stick. The lip gloss I used was by E.L.F. Hypershine lip gloss in candle light. I again patted on the lip stick first to my conditioned lips and then topped it off w/ the lip gloss. The end result was as nice peachy pink lip.

I do prefer to add something to pink lip stick just to make it work for me. I am still searching for that perfect pink lipstick that I can just apply by itself and walk out the door. I am thinking that a trip to MAC might be in order just like with my nude lip! (lol) But until then, these products are very affordable and can be found at almost any drug store. I really hope this helps someone to venture out of the "browns and berries" realm of lip color and to embrace a brighter smile!

Nude Lip For A Black Girl: My Favorite Nude Lipstick

2010-05-09T10:59:00.000-07:00

Ever look at a guru on youtube and see them wear a nude lip, then say well, they're not my complexion or they're not of African decent so this color wouldn't look right on me. Or ever just feel like black women can not rock a nude lip? Well....WRONG!!! lol We fabulous ladies can rock a nude lip! I searched and searched in the drug stores for an affordable nude lipstick (cuz y'all know I'm cheap lol) and I never found it. I also bought a few from NYX cosmetics but it's kinda hard when I didn't know if the lipstick was sheer or glittery (eww!) and it ended up being a fail. I finally loosened up on my pockets and sprung for MAC cosmetics. I don't have a MAC store or counter in my nearest vicinity so I had to take a gamble on their website. The MAC website makes it easy to look for colors because they go into great detail about how the colors look. I finally decided on a lustre called Fresh Brew (in pic at the top). this is a nice creamy beige color. It reminds me of how I take my coffee, lots of cream lol. I saw a couple of youtube videos of women of color buying nude lipsticks and the ones I've seen used warm nudes and I'm clearly a cool toned woman. I loved it! It's my favorite lip color and I usually wear it when I don't have anything else to wear. My only complaint is that the tube is so small compared to drug store brands. I'm greedy I know, but when you pay 14 dollars for something you tend to want to get your money's worth. lol Anyways, it looks great by itself or paired with a lip gloss which i used NYX mega shine lip gloss in taupe. Go out there and find your perfect nude lip!

Store Shelf Products vs. Al Natural: My Take

2010-04-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

A while ago there was a deep debate on my twitter timeline (which is mostly women of the natural hair twitter community) and the debate was whether you can still achieve healthy natural and long hair using store shelf products that typically contain "not so great" ingredients. I remember my point was that I know the relaxer was a very big no no because it, for a fact causes breakage (which i noticed along my hairline) but what about the same products that we all grew up on and momma swore by? I personally always had long hair. I didn't have a problem with breakage until I was 15 years old and decided it would be fun to experiment with color. That's when the real breakage came. But what about that good ol' Blue Magic hair grease? In my opinion it really does the same thing that shea and the oils do. Gives the hair moisture. Yes of course it contains mineral oil/petroleum which can stunt hair growth but what if you just apply it to the hair shaft and not your scalp? The hair is dead but not the follicle. I never liked greasing my scalp anyways. But What if you aren't as financially able/inclined to spend the amount of money that these natural hair companies are asking for? What are you going to do? Go to the nearest beauty supply store and buy what you can. Of course my analogy would be like comparing the use of store shelf products to alcohol consumption. Don't over do it and you'll be fine! lol Going out to drink every now and then is okay. Have a few drinks party with friends but don't over do it. If you do you start to see some serious side effects like a beer belly (bleh!). Same with hair products. Try to keep at least one or two natural products around. Like shea butter! Shea butter can be found anywhere and if not locally the internet is the best place. Also try your hands at homemade conditioners and even oils that you would normally use in the kitchen (i.e. EVOO). Mix it up, use what you can and go to the store for the other stuff.

Gel and Shea Butter: My New Favorite Combo

2010-04-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Ever find that perfect combo of products for a style that you just want to use again, and again......and again some more? (lol) Well that has been me recently with my twists. I always just used my shea butter mix, which is fire by itself, but my twists never seemed to last more than 2 days with out getting frizzy! And then if I just stuck to my guns and left them in anyways my twist outs were never super defined. Well, I absolutely love using ic fantasia polisher gel for my puffs and wash and go's and it never makes my hair super crunchy. So I decided to try adding it with the shea butter mix on my twists. I just moisturize each section with my whipped shea butter and then add a light coating of the gel. Now this isn't some new found technique. I'm pretty sure there are people who have actually tried this combo before. Matter of fact, I've talked to some of them on twitter (follow me! twitter.com/naturally_flyy). However, I LOVE this combo. As you can see in the pics my twists are tight and my twist outs are defined like no other. Try it! you'll like it!

NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss: New Formula or "Second Chance Luck"?

2010-04-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

When I first decided to purchase an NYX makeup haul I knew i wanted to get some lip gloss but was sort of skeptical because of my past experiences with other NYX lip glosses. Of course buying makeup of the internet is a very big win or lose situation especially when purchasing from a retailer instead of the manufacturer. Also my last time purchasing their lip gloss I would have considered myself an inexperienced makeup user. So I bought sheer not thinking that there would be no color and I also purchased from a "tween" lip gloss line which just gave me that greasy lip look. I did purchase from the Mega Shine line (a pinkish-peach) but the color I got gave me a tint of color and that again plays into the fact that I was inexperienced and didn't know what colors would play best with my skin tone. Well this time I was prepared and more educated. I purchased five colors:
nutmeg
African queen(bottom pic)
taupe
sunrise
sugar pie (top pic)
FTW!!! I so lucked out! These colors were so pigmented and creamy! Even the light colors showed up on my brown lips. Taupe of course is true to it's name, sugar pie is a lighter nude color w/ a hint of pink, nutmeg is a nice brownish red color, sunrise is like the red of a chili pepper, and African queen (my fave) is a nice fuchsia.
So it had me thinking, did the formula change or am I just getting good at the makeup guessing game? Well I know they did change their formula for the eye shadows but I didn't see anything about the formula being changed for the lip gloss lines. Well I guess I'm getting good! lol

Lace wigs: What exactly are they?

2010-03-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

Well, growing up I always thought old women who were balding wore wigs and not young people. Young women wore weaving and phony pony's if they wanted some extra length added to their tresses. Well, when I was transitioning I opted to look into the possibility of wearing them when I didn't feel like doing my hair. I was still shy about it but when I went into my local beauty supply store (BSS) there were numerous styles available. Not just those short curly wigs my grandmother wears. In fact most of the styles were reminiscent of Beyonce, Ciara and Ms. Keyshia. So I bought a couple...or five. (lol) Still was uncomfortable so I didn't really wear them too much during my transition. When i BC'd I still didn't decide to hide under them because I love my natural hair. Well after months of the same wash n gos, twists, braids, I got bored with my hair. Absolutely bored! Me, still being scared to add heat decided to maybe try the wigs again, but something was wrong. They were just too...wiggy. You would think I either had a wig on or at least as full sew in or quick weave, which is just a homemade wig. i soon was surfing the web and searching on youtube and discovered lace front wigs. I wanted one so bad! But the ones that kept popping up on Google were full lace wigs costing anywhere from $300 to thousands of dollars. full lace wigs are usually made of human hair: Remy (virgin) Indian or Malaysian hair. The lace goes around the perimeter of the head and usually has to be glued or taped down. The lace is either french or swiss which is soft, durable and flexible. It can come in a variety of skin colors to match your needs. In the middle is comprised of a stretch lace in which the hair is threaded into it strand by strand. Because of this lace wigs have to be hand made and therefore are more costly because of labor. I am not rich and having two kids so I was not ready to spend that much on fake hair. So I then looked into lace front wigs. Lace front wigs have lace usually stretching from one ear to the other and the lace parting goes back from 1 inch to maybe the middle of the head depending on the make and cost. The hair on lace fronts are usually synthetic. These can range anywhere from $30 to $100 dollars. I would definitely not spend anymore than that on a synthetic lace front wig. Even though most lace fronts are synthetic there are some that offer human hair lace fronts like Misswigs.com. The famous YouTube wig guru muffinsismylovers aka April just did a review on a human hair lace front. Lace fronts usually contain combs and adjustable straps so that there is no need for gluing or taping them down. However, for extra security a little tape is okay! Since I have a small head my favorite brand is Sensationnel because it has a tight fit. Another brand that has great style is Freetress Equal, however, the fit isn't that great and I do have to use tape with this particular brand. All in all I have had the best experiences with lace fronts. I haven't had the pleasure to try out full lace wigs but I hope to soon. If you have any other questions please comment and ask and I will do a part two post.

More Than Just Natural Hair

2010-03-23T08:11:00.001-07:00

Ok, I know that I haven't been posting lately and that is because I have not as much to discuss about natural hair as I use to. This first year of being natural has been my most informative and as time goes by I'm starting to realize that natural hair is just that...hair. Yes curly hair has to be taken care of differently than straight or relaxed but all in all the same rules apply. But I will go further into that in another post.

This post is to inform my readers that from now on there will be more post coming. Some will be about natural hair and then there will be new post concerning my latest adventures in wigs (my new fetish) and makeup. If you follow me on twitter you will hear me speak about makeup quite frequently and this is because I am an aspiring makeup artist. After my Bachelor's degree is complete this September I will then put all of my efforts into pursuing a freelance makeup artist career.

So in conclusion, this blog's content will change along with the name..as soon as I can come up with a good one! lol

MIA: Sorry Chicas!

2010-02-15T18:34:00.000-08:00

Hey luvs! I know I've been MIA (missing in action) lately. No posts, One random review on my youtube channel, hardly ever tweeting. I know, I know. Bad Naturally Flyy! lol Things have been so crazy for me! Actually, I've been suffering from SAD (seasonal affective disorder). It happens to me every winter. It's a state of depression that occurs the same time every year. For me it usually begins mid-winter and lasts until spring or when the weather warms up. I don't know why it's happening to me, but I've noticed that it's started happening when i was around 15. I literally have to force myself to do things and I only do what I need to (i.e. taking care of my babies). But I just ask for you all to be patient with me. I will go onto twitter every now and then, and I will also try (I said TRY) to make more videos and blog posts. Just be patient and you will see more of me when spring comes! Love you all, and stay natural!

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-25T09:08:00.001-08:00

Hey bloggers! I am so sorry I haven't been making any posts. It's been crazy with the holidays and also school. But i decided that I owe you all one so here it is! The pic above was taken on a family trip to see my family in NC. I blow dried my hair earlier that week, braided it up in preparation for my protective styling (wigs). I took out the cornrows on Wednesday, combed them out (for the ends to roots of course) and did 6 cornrows (two on the side in the front, and 4 going back) using oyin handmade burnt sugar pomade. I took them out the next day and this is the result! I didn't want to wear my wigs b/c I love my natural hair and wanted to show it off! If you want to see my wig collection visit my youtube channel youtube.com/innovativethinkin.

More blogs to come:
Product List: Cure for the Common Product Junkie Syndrome
Product Review: Uncle Funky's Daughter curl stimulator
Enhancing your Regular Conditioner
Heat Use: Training or Damaging?

Knowledgeable Natural: Shelley Chapman (Naturi Beauty)

2009-11-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

Ok, Barbzzz it's that time again! It's Knowledgeable Natural time. Sorry it took me a while to get this together. I will try to post by Tuesday night every week on this topic. Anywho...

This week's knowledgeable natural is no other than Shelley Chapman, known to the internet world as Naturi Beauty. (Luvzz the logo! ^^^) You can find her on Twitter chatting it up about natural hair or on youtube sharing some healthy vegetarian/vegan recipes. She has a website (naturibeauty.com) that features her blog, her catering service (ATL area) and her natural hair care products. Yes, Barbiezzz, she has natural hair product line called Naturi Tress. She has two products: Naturi Quench and Naturi Curli. Naturi Qeunch is great for moisturizing your mane and Naturi Curli is great for curl definition and eliminating frizz. Her blog features discussions about natural hair, healthy eating and recipes. She even has a recipe for some yummy vegan carrot cake! I will be trying this recipe since I have the biggest sweet tooth. As for her catering line, Barbzzz she prepares all her meals from scratch using natural ingredients. If you are in the ATL Click here for her services and prices. So yes, this natural Barbie is HIGHLY recommended if you want health for your hair AND body. Until next time barbzzz, Peace and blessingzzz!

For her twitter account click here
for her youtube channel click here
for her website click here

Changes to My Avocado Coconut Mix (deep conditioner)

2009-10-29T09:21:00.001-07:00

Everything in life is experiments and lessons learned and that goes for [inspiring] mixtresses too! lol I have changed my recipe of my avocado coconut mix by adding more of the moisturizing agents. Avocado in itself is a great moisturizer due to it being a fatty fruit. However, it is good to give it a boost with more honey, coconut oil and coconut milk! Check out my original recipe here...

well, I noticed that I wasn't getting the moisture boost that I was looking for so I added more honey which also moisturizes the hair. This time I added 3 tbsp instead of 1. Next the coconut oil I added 4 tbsp instead of 2. The coconut milk stayed the same pretty much except I added a tad bit more. maybe 3/4 in stead of 1/2. My hair felt better moisturized afterward. Now, everyone has different needs for their hair so please experiment! If you need a protein boost, add mayo or just an egg. If this recipe does not provide the moisture you need then add more moisturizing factors like shea butter. Do what works for you! Until next time natural Barbz! Peace and Blessings

Food for the Hair: Bananas

2009-10-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Banana is not just for eating. It can be added with other ingredients to make a wonderful conditioner/deep conditioner. What are the benefits of banana exactly? Well, to start off, banana contains potassium which is great for softening the hair shaft. It contains natural oils and carbohydrates, and Vitamins A, B, and C. These are all good in keeping the hair's natural elasticity and preventing spit ends and breakage. Bananas can also create manageability and shine and prevents or controls dandruff. I have also read on some websites that it can also promote growth but I would not put a conformation on that yet. Now for my experience, i did an avocado and banana conditioner a while back when I was transitioning. I can say that my relaxed hair did not like it but my natural roots loved it. The thing I would recommend this time is using baby food bananas instead of whole bananas because the pulp will definitely get stuck in your hair. Now I looked at a couple of recipes and I re-worked it to fit the baby food jars which are about a half of a banana for the stage two jars.

2 stage 2 jars of banana (baby food)
1/4 cup of honey

stir the two together or use a blender/mixer (whatever is your preference). Leave it on for however long you'd like and rinse. Voila!

Now using Avocado:
half of a Haas avocado (this particular kind is small)
and 2 jars of banana baby food (stage 2)

mix together in a blender and apply to hair. I would suggest leaving this one on for a while since it can be used as a hair mask. Maybe 1 hour at the least.
Well, that's it for this post, natural hair Barbz! Love ya. (Peace and blessings).

Hand in Hair Syndrome: Ways To Fight It

2009-10-28T06:46:00.000-07:00

Have you ever caught yourself playing in hair? Taking each coil and twirling and stretching it? What about if you have twists or braids? You tend to "search" your hair for any section that feels funny and untwist and twist again. At the end of the week you have a frizzy mess. Well, I am a victim of Hand in Hair Syndrome. No wonder by the end of the week my twists are a big fuzz ball! It's not just the problem of the upkeep of your hair but pulling on it too much can cause breakage. There are ways to fight this. I call them super protective styles because there is no way to damage your natural hair unless you are seriously yanking on them. Extensions. Yes, braids, genie locs, and kinky twists are a few. Even a sew in weave, but be careful not to get your hair braided too tight. My preferred method for a quick fix is wigs, preferably lace front or full lace wigs because they have a natural hair line. I do not suggest gluing or taping it down because of the damage it could do to your hair line if you have an extended hair line. There are many brands that do no require this so do some shopping around if you are interested. The above pics are of a couple of styles that I recently purchased and thoroughly enjoy. Thanks natural hair Barbies and Peace and Blessings...

Commenting Issues....

2009-10-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

....They have been fixed! The problem was with my background that I got off of another site so be aware! Anyways, feel free to comment on my post now! Peace and blessings.

Join the Challenge My Natural Hair Barbies!!!

2009-10-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am joining a youtuber's natural hair challenge. Her name is Naturalbells on YT and Bellebells on Twitter. I am extending this challenge for my followers of my blog and for my youtube viewers. Here is her video for the rules: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8OZ0yzRBqM

Now, in the video she says to stick to your routine!!! So, here is my routine that I will be sticking to...
First, every other week I will shampoo with black soap and deep condition with my avocado/coconut mix. The other weeks it will be a co-wash. After the wash that will happen every sunday I will spray on some of my coconut oil/veggie glycerin mix for moisture, let that semi-dry, and then twist my hair with my whipped shea butter creme mix. The rest of the week I will rock my twists making sure to moisturize them every day and oil my scalp with my Jamaican black castor oil/coconut oil every other day. When my hair starts to get unbearably frizzy (which usually happens after the 3rd or fourth day) I will wear one of my wigs so that i will suppress my urge to mess in my hair. I do not want to mess in my hair until that Sunday!!! Reason being is that I notice that when my hair gets frizzy those last few days, I'm always taking out the twists instead of waiting. So I basically never stick to my weekly protective style routine. I want to give my hair a chance to rest and grow, reducing the chance of breakage by combing too much or pulling on it too much.
She also mentioned not adding any heat. Well, I'm already reluctant to actually apply heat to my hair. I was talking to this other natural in my area and she had a section of hair that would not return to curly because she straightened it too much. Granted she did do it more than I actually would ( I believe she said every Sunday) but it still shocked me and gave me a new realization of the damages of heat. I did want to straighten my hair, possibly on Valentine's day so we will see...who knows maybe before then. Until next time Barbies! Peace and blessings....

Knowledgeable Natural Divas: Ms. Sade Edwards

2009-10-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

I am going to start doing posts featuring other natural hair females that give great advice concerning hair care and styles for transitioning and natural hair. The first person is my dear friend Sade who has a youtube channel, a blog, and is on twitter answering any questions that you need answered. She transitioned for 10 mos. and has now been natural for 2 mos. She has tons of transitioning tips. She is a flat twisting, cornrowing diva and she comes up with some very cute designs. Maybe if she gets more Youtube viewers she'll start doing more tutorials! lol (hint hint!) She is also very knowledgeable on Locs so any questions ask Ms. Sade!

Click here for her blog
Click here for her Youtube Channel
Click here for her twitter page!

Two More Twists Styles

2009-10-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Hello! Thought I'd share these styles with my blog followers!!! To see more angles of these hair styles visit my fotki album by clicking here. They're on the second and third page. The first style showcased was done recently. I've had the idea in my head for a while now. I'll admit I kind of hesitated because it was different and I was not sure how people would perceive it but in the end it's MY hair. As long as I like it, that's all that matters. Contrary to my previous thoughts many responded positively. Click here for the video.

The second hair style was an idea spin off from a fellow youtuber named naturalbells. I loved this style. The twist out kinda reminds me of a side fro hawk after I pinned it up which you can see in the third pic from the top. You can check out the tutorial by clicking here.
Of course all these styles were twisted using my whipped shea butter creme mix. Peace and Blessings!

Do You Still Have Dry Hair?

2009-10-17T12:37:00.000-07:00

A few naturals have come to me asking me what they can do to combat their dry hair. They have their staple products such as conditioners, deep conditioners, shampoos and moisturizers. They also have a simple hair care routine. There are a few things that some people do not look at to assess whether or not their products are the culprits. As I've stated in my last post some "cones" can actually be drying to the hair for some people. So if you notice that after using the products that contain them your hair gets dryer, even brittle, stop using it. Another thing to look for is protein. Yes Protein is good for your hair...in moderation! If all your products contain protein you may experience a protein overload which can cause the hair to get hard and brittle. Also if you are doing protein treatments make sure to moisturize your hair well to prevent the drying and breaking. There are some other simple things to do such as shampooing less. Some people can shampoo every day, others can't. It depends on what your hair likes. As you should know, shampooing strips your hair of build up...along with your natural oils. If you have a need to shampoo often, do a pre-poo with one of your favorite oils. It will help retain some moisture. I also learned from a youtuber by the name of blackonyx that to seal in moisture follow this order: Add your water based moisturizer, then cream based and last oil based. A simple way that I do this is to use my shea butter creme mix. It contains all of that ! (lol)
So in conclusion, make sure to check out the ingredient list of your products, pre-poo before shampooing and moisturize following the order of water, creme, and oil. Peace and Blessings!

WTF is a Cone?!

2009-10-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

LOL! That was my first thought when I hear about it. Well, enjoy the following facts!

There are two types of cones: water soluble and non water soluble. Water soluble are more preferred of course because they are easy to wash out. Non-soluble are hard to get rid of and can cause build up. Some peoples' hair are okay with 'cones. Some aren't. A way to know if your hair is not okay with them is when you use the products, your hair gets very dry and brittle and starts to break. Some people can use cones, some can use them sparingly and others can not use them at all. There is no one hair type or texture that can or can not use them so you will have to experience it for yourself. I can tell you that my hair is in between. I can not use cones on a daily basis or as leave-ins but it doesn't make my hair feel extra dry, just not moisturized. The following are lists of soluble and non-soluble cones.

Non-soluble:
amodimethicone (not in water by itself)
cetearyl methicone
cetyl dimethicone
cyclomethicone
cyclopentasiloxane
dimethicone (except if it has PEG in the front of it)
stearyl dimethicone
trimethylsilyamodimethicone
Soluble:
dimethicone copolyol
lauryl methicone copolyol
hydrolyzed wheat protien hydropropyl polysiloxane
stearoxy dimethicone (sparingly)
behenoxy dimethicone (sparingly)

Info pulled from: http://beautyandnature.wordpress.com/2008/09/05/attack-of-the-cones/

Winter Hair Care: My Winter Hair Routine

2009-09-18T10:07:00.001-07:00

Okay, lovelies! It's almost that time...Long sleeve sweaters, high heel boots and....dry hair!? In the winter we have to go to extra lengths to protect our kinky curly manes. The air is dryer, colder and the harsh winter wind blows like no other. Here's a video explaining what you will need to do to protect your hair this winter:

Now, what products will I be using and what styles will I be using? for moisturizing my hair I will stay with my whipped shea butter mix and my organic virgin coconut oil. My clarifying shampoo is black soap and I usually use that 1 per week but I'm going to cut back to 2x a month. For conditioner, I have just fallen DEEPLY in love with Giovanni deeper moisture conditioner. Love it! I will be doing a product review so stay tuned. I don't really have a deep conditioner yet, but since the Giovanni line seems to be working for me I will be trying their deep conditioner. As far as protective styles go I don't have a set idea yet but as of right now it will be braids and twists. However, I am thinking of "locking" my hair for the winter. I will be purchasing some extra silk/satin scarves and some rasta (over-sized beanie) hats to protect my hair when I go out. Mind you, I do live in SC and it doesn't really get as cold as most places so I may not be doing this routine until the later months. If things go according to plan I will be moving up north early next year and therefore I will need to start this routine. Stay tuned! Peace and Blessings.

My Miss Jessies Curly Pudding Experience

2009-09-11T07:51:00.000-07:00

As you know I don't really favor curling puddings or gels, but I do these reviews for my viewers/readers. Now, My experience with Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding (MJCP) was far better than my experience with the Kinky Curly Curling Custard (KCCC). Although I was hesitant to use it at first because of the price ($22 for 8 oz) and the ingredients. I heard people say that the ingredients were low quality for the pricing and that it contained mineral oil. The ingredients are as follows:
Water
paraffinum liquidum- aka mineral oil! (ahhh!)
glycerin
fragrance - some fragrances can be skin irritants
triethanolamine- making emulsion with mineral and vegetable oils, paraffin and waxes (to blend the oils, and shea butter)
carbomer-help to distribute or suspend an insoluble solid in a liquid. They are also used to keep emulsions from separating into their oil and liquid components. Carbomers are often used to control the consistency and flow of cosmetics and personal care products.

PEG-12 dimethicone- a very harsh cone; the heaviest; very difficult to wash out; used to condition hair but actually dries it out for some people.
dipropylene glycol- used as solvents and viscosity decreasing agents in cosmetics and personal care products; low-toxicity

silk amino acids- adds softness and repair hair structure; A natural water-soluble source of acid derived from liquid silk
aloe barbadensis leaf extract- aloe vera leaf extract
avocado oil
shea butter
sweet almond oil
jojoba seed oil
macadamia seed oil
oleth-5- helping water to mix with oil and dirt so that they can be rinsed away. These ingredients also help to form emulsions by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified and help ingredients to dissolve in liquids in which they would not normally dissolve.
ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate- protects cosmetics and personal care products from deterioration caused by UV rays. (preservative)
disodium EDTA- helps prevent the deterioration of cosmetics and personal care products. It also helps to maintain clarity, protect fragrance compounds, and prevent rancidity. (preservative)
DMDM hydantoin- prevents or retards microbial growth, thereby protecting cosmetics and personal care products from spoilage. (preservative)

ext. violet 2- coloring (why it's purple)

So as you see, most of the ingredients are synthetic. They disguised the name mineral oil because they know most people are hesitant to buy any products containing it and are most likely not going to look it up. And I'm also wondering why they need 3 preservatives? Anyways I am very disappointed in the ingredients. I expected more from a $22 jar. As far as what it does for my hair, I like it. It didn't make my hair feel hard like the KCCC. It smells pretty good, but that's probably because of all the fragrance in the product. I applied it 3 times, each time differently. The first time I applied it to damp hair. It didn't really do anything. It defined my curls only a little bit and I still experienced frizziness. Next, I applied it to wet hair, applying my shea butter mix first, towel blotted my hair and then applied the Curly Pudding. It came out nice, and I had few problems with shrinkage. I still had some frizziness because I believe the shea butter acted as a barrier to the Pudding. Last I applied it while wet in the shower. First I applied a leave-in cream and then applied the Pudding while my hair was still. My curls were really defined and I had almost no frizz (click here for the video). However, I did experience more shrinkage than I would have liked. All three times my hair was not hard or felt crunchy like KCCC. KCCC is all natural, and MJCP isn't. I wonder if all the synthetic ingredients have something to do w/ that. Anywho, the picture at the top is my second experiment with the MJCP using the shea butter as a base. I also tried this with twists. My twists were completely dry the next day. It wasn't brittle dry but it wasn't moisturized in my opinion. I would not recommend this product to people who are sensitive to cones or over-priced products. Hope this helps someone! Peace and Blessings.

References for the ingredients come from
Wikipedia.org and cosmeticsinfo.org

The Frohawk: 2 Styles

2009-09-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hey my lovely natural hair divas! I'm coming at yall with another natural hair style.
This one is the flat twist frohawk. Two styles can be achieved with it. The first if the hawk in twists giving yourself a stylish protective style. The second is the twists taken out giving you a nice style for a night out on the town.
How I achieved the twist style:

After I sectioned my hawk and the sides I added some of my whipped shea butter creme and did some flat twists on the side. Then after I did each side, I did individual twists on the hawk (middle section). To achieve the twist out style I applied coconut oil to the individual twists as I un-twisted them. Then I secured my flat twists with hair pins before taking the ends our tails of those twists out. In order to get a fuller look I pulled apart some of the twist out pieces/strands in order to get a messy look. For more details click here for my youtube video. Hope you like it and hope this helps someone! Peace and Blessings.

Let Your Hair "Do what it Do": My New Natural Hair Motto

2009-08-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

We are all guilty of it, especially us "newly naturals". What am I talking about? Piling our hair with gels and puddings, vigorously brushing our mane with the infamous Denman brush. Stretching and parting or curls, and combing out the curls to achieve a certain look. I've done it, spending at least over $100 dollars on curling products. Yes, my hair curls on it's own but I do have some spots of frizziness. But you know what? That's okay, because that's what my hair wants to do. And there in lies my new hair motto: "Let your hair do what it do!" Our hair has a mind of it's own. The way it curls, deciding whether to clump together or not. It's okay and it's beautiful. Stop trying to make your hair do something it doesn't want to. Don't believe me? Go do a quick wash and go, don't add any products. After it's towel dried a bit shake your hair and see where it falls, how it falls, and which strands decide to curl or clump together. See? It's beautiful! Of course doing twist outs, braid outs, coil outs, etc. every now and then is okay. But not every day, not all the time. Let your hair be free to do what it wants! Yes I do protective styles, but you will not see me in a different one more than once a week! Stop trying to make it fall a certain way, let it reach to the heavens if it pleases! Don't break the curls up, they want to be together! Love your hair how it is! Own it and you will be beautiful! Peace and blessings.

Natural hair style: Braid crown style #1

2009-08-29T11:16:00.001-07:00

This is a new braid crown that i tried and was 95% successful in my opinion. As you can see the only problem i have is with the braid in the middle. It seemed to always lean to one side no matter how many times I did it over! lol Some things are just meant to be! I started off sectioning off the front where I wanted the crown to stop. Then I parted off a section down the middle and down the sides in the front. I cornrowed the middle braid down until it got to the side parts then split the braid to go on either side. I connected the hair from the middle and cornrowed it down the perimeter of my face on the left and right. After that was done I sectioned 3 rows going downwards on both sides and cornrowed that. And voila! that's my style. My curls came naturally from a wash and go that dried. ***Note: i did not put anything on the ends of my hair to close them. I did not braid them all the way down though as to let it blend in with the rest of my hair. To see a live tutorial click here. Also for a cornrowing 101 tutorial click here.

Natural Hair update!

2009-08-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

Hey my natural hair divas! I feel like I've been neglecting my bloggers since getting my new webcam! Sorry! But I will update yall! It's still hot where I'm at so I am still doing the protective styling of my fro. I haven't done any new protective styles other than the braids an twists so I'm not going to go into detail about that. I have actually done a live tutorial for my Avocado/Coconut deep conditioner mix so click here to view it. I have done a few new styles though which I will discuss in other posts. I've kind of slacked off on my hair care routine as far as oiling my scalp but other than that I've been keeping up with it. I have switched from using the hair butter to using the hair creme for everything. The next time I will be doing a shea butter mix it will be for a body butter. I trimmed my hair recently. This was my first time trimming my natural hair and it was more difficult than I expected. I did it while it was wet and that allowed for easier smoothing. I ended up doing a dusting instead of a trim because I didn't have any damage since I do not do too many harsh things to may hair such as applying heat. Over all I feel like it turned out well. I used to be a beast at trimming when my hair was straight but now I see it's more difficult to get my ends straight enough to trim with out using heat. Click here for the video. Other than that my hair is still growing beautifully! Please stay tuned to other posts concerning my styles! Peace and blessings

Which Hair Typing System is Better?

2009-08-17T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hey lovelies! If you are transitioning or are already natural nine times out of 10 you already heard about hair types. I remember the first time I heard about it, I immediately looked it up. I felt like well, now instead of labeling hair either good or bad now we have a numbering system! YAY! (hint of sarcasm)....Here is the 1,2,3,4 hair typing system thanks to Curls.biz and Naturallycurly.com

Type 1: Straight hair. It has the most shine. It is also the most resilient and is the hardest to damage. Because the hair is straight, natural hair oils can run down the shaft easily and there for this hair is the oiliest.

Type 2 (wavy): In between straight and curly hair. Has more sheen then curly but less than straight. More prone to frizz
2a- Can alternate between straight and curly
2b and 2c- More resistant to styling
Now this is where it gets more detailed. Type 3 and 4 are what most of us Black naturals have.

Type 3 ( curly): The curl pattern is definite. When it is pulled it has an S curl pattern. It is very climate dependent meaning that the more humid it is the more frizz there is. This hair is also damage prone. If not taken care of properly the curls can appear dull.

3a- Big, loose, shiny curls. The shorter the hair the straighter the hair. Think Julia Roberts big red curls.
3b- Medium sized curls ranging from ringlets to tight corkscrews.
3c- Tight curly corkscrews. Can be curly or kinky; strands tightly packed together. aka big hair.

Sizing:
3b- side walk chalk circumference
3c- pencil or straw circumference

Type 4 (Kinky): Very fine and fragile. Won't have shine but will have sheen. Actually very soft and will feel silky.
4a: Very tightly coiled and has s pattern. Has more moisture than 4b. Coffee stirrer circumference
4b: less defined. Has a Z shape pattern
4c: There wasn't much said about this type but I can imagine that is is less defined than 4b and still carries the Z shape pattern.

Okay, now that we have the traditional hair typing system out of the way, what is different about the LOIS system? In my opinion it doesn't divide us because people who are in the 4 category will have some of the same hair issues as those in the 3 category. It decides what your hair needs by the way your strands curl, the thickness of your hair and your hair texture. Take a look:
L - If the hair has all bends, right angles and folds with little to no curve then you are daughter L.

O - If the strand is rolled up into the shape of one or several zeros like a spiral, then you are daughter O.

I - If the hair lies mostly flat with no distinctive curve or bend you are daughter I.

S - If the strand looks like a wavy line with hills and valleys then you are daughter S.

You may have a combination of the LOIS letters, possibly with one dominant. If you cannot see one letter over the others, then combine the letters. Example: LO or IL or OS..

Find Your Strand size:
A strand of frayed thread is about the thickness of a medium sized strand of human hair. If your strand is larger than this, then your hair is thick. If your strand is smaller than this, hair is thin, or fine..

Find Your Texture:
Shine is a sharp reflection of light while Sheen is a dull reflection of light.

Thready - Hair as a low sheen, with high shine if the hair is held taut (as in a braid), with low frizz. Wets easily but water dries out quickly.

Wiry - Hair has a sparkly sheen, with low shine and low frizz. Water beads up or bounces off the hair strands. Hair never seems to get fully wet.

Cottony - Hair has a low sheen, a high shine if the hair is held taunt and has high frizz. Absorbs water quickly but does not get thoroughly wet very fast.

Spongy - Hair has a high sheen with low shine with a compacted looking frizz. Absorbs water before it gets thoroughly wet.

Silky - Hair has low sheen, a very high shine, with a lot or low frizz. Easily wets in water.

Now take my hair for instance. I have mostly O curl and some S in the back since my curls are looser there. My strand size is smaller than a piece of thread and my texture is cottony. And by the LOIS system I think it is easier to find out which products are better for your hair. For my hair I would buy lightweight products that add shine and define my curls, reduce frizziness and add moisture. Let me know what you all think. Peace and Blessings.

Pescatarian What???: Update #2

2009-08-17T13:53:00.000-07:00

My plan to not eat any meat but fish and other seafood was working well. I even decided that if I did eat fish or seafood I would limit it to once or twice a week. And that was fine...until I was craving chicken this last Friday! I was doing good too. I went 2 straight weeks without eating any poultry, red meat, or pork. Well the pork was not hard since I never ate it anyways besides bacon and neither was red meat since I only had steak maybe 1 time per month and lamb chops maybe twice a month. But chicken I ate at least twice a week...everyday when I lived in walking distance of KFC. I knew it was going to be hard for me to let it go. And Friday proved just that although I did not get it until Saturday night. I mean I thought about it all day...literally. Just thinking about the crispy outside of fried chicken and the juicy meat beneath the fried skin. Hmmm....lol! I reminded myself that this is suppose to be a transition, I did not want to go cold turkey for fear of too many relapses. I consider myself doing very well because I am transitioning and chicken is the only meat I've been craving and eating; very rarely though. I feel like I deserve a big pat on the back! Peace and Blessings.

Latest Protective Style: Mini braids!

2009-08-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

(pics from bottom to top: first day, after one week, and second week)

Hey lovelies! Time for the new style of the week! This week I wanted a style that didn't frizz so easily or got "old looking" so easily. So I opted for mini braids. I knew when I started that it was going to take a while especially with me having to start and stop to tend to my girls. Well I loved them...while I had them! lol I am a newly natural and I love to see my fro and how big it gets! I got the idea from a couple of youtube naturalistas: prettydimples01 and KinkyCurlyQueen. Unfortunately I only kept them in for 2 weeks, which is long for me!

How I did them:

I started on dry hair (i know it's not good for kinky hair) because I didn't want the braids to "slip" loose or shrink. I started in the front and worked my way around the back until I was in the middle and finished. On each braid I did not braid all the way down, maybe left 1/2 inch to an inch of hair loose.

Products used:

I started the braids on dry, clean hair. After I was finished braiding I soaked them with water and then applied Kinky Curly Curling Custard mainly to the ends to create curl definition. At night I would just rub coconut oil to my ends and scalp.

This style would have definitely lasted at LEAST 1 month but I'm so impatient...Hope you liked! Peace and Blessings.

Pescatarian...WTH is that?!? And New Foods

2009-07-27T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hey lovelies! This is another blog about my semi-vegetarian diet. I have learned that pescatarian is the scientific term for someone that does not eat meat except for fish and shellfish. It has been debated whether fish is considered a meat but it is. it's fillets are made of protein and it has flesh. This is okay with me because I did not choose to take this journey because of a label. My choice was made because I wanted to eat healthier. Will I ever stop eating seafood? Maybe, but not any time soon!

Lately I've been trying out new foods and things that I usually wouldn't eat on a regular basis. Some of the new foods I've tried are Avocado and morning star veggie burgers and breakfast sausage patties. I thought the avocado would be disgusting but it actually has no taste. It's great if it is paired with things such as a salad with something sweet. For an example I usually make a salad with spinach, apples, carrots, raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers and sometimes cheese. The sweetness from the fruits kinda gives the avocado that "something". Another thing is that the avocado's texture is so creamy, it's weird because you expect creamy things to have a taste! I also made homemade shrimp fettucini Alfredo and I added avocado in it. It complimented the dish so well because of its creaminess. The morning star veggie burgers are so tasty! I was actually surprised! I give them 4 out of 5 stars only b/c tasting bits of veggies kinda freaked me out but I need to get use to it anyways. The sausage patties get 5 out of 5 stars. Even though it wasn't meat is still had kind of a sausage taste. Even my daughter liked it and she's very picky so you know it taste good! Other things that I have eaten before but not that often were green peppers in my salad and spinach. it actually taste better than romaine lettuce to me.

I haven't had any red meat, poultry or pork in the last 3 days! yay! so happy! Maybe this transition won't take as long as I thought. I am going to try to cut down my seafood intake to once a week though. I want most of my diet to be mainly vegetarian but I'll sneak in a fish fillet or two every now and then.

Chunky Braid Out

2009-07-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted that big fro look? Well this is one way to get it without blowdrying and adding heat damage. The first thing I did was make sure my hair was completely dry. Then I parted my hair in big sections (I'd say 2-3 inches thick). Use a product to help moisturize but not "wet" your hair (i.e. hair creme). I used oyin handmade's burnt sugar pomade but you can also use plain shea butter or shea butter mixed with oils. Gently comb curls out of each section (ends to roots) and then braid. After sleeping on them over night (or longer) take them out, fluff and voila!

New Protective style: 3 Strand Twists/twist Out

2009-07-21T06:09:00.000-07:00

Hey Lovelies! If you are following my on twitter you probably know about my latest protective style: 3 strand twists. I first saw a tutorial a while back from a lady on youtube showing different ways to start locs. Recently her channel was deleted so I searched for another video and found one (click here for the video). Unfortunately I need to purchase a new camcorder so I won't be able to post another live tutorial until after my birthday on August 23rd (a long time, I know!). Anywho, 3 strand twists look and sound difficult to do but they are really not. I did mine fairly small (and with all the breaks I took) I'd say it took a combo of 4 hours to finish. Not that bad, micros take longer than that!

Products: I used my shea butter creme to do the twists. Click here for the recipe. And to take them out I rubbed coconut oil on them to give it a shine. I was thinking that the next time I do a protective style I will add jojoba oil to the coconut oil b/c jojoba is good at smoothing the hair cuticle and eleminating frizz.

How long did the twist last? My issue with the twists is that since I'm a wild sleeper I'd wake up and find a few sticking up but I just fixed that by pinning the front in a style. After a 4 days I took them out.

How long did the twist out last( pic in the top right corner)? The twists out surpisingly lasted for a long time. I ended up washing them out after the 3rd day because of my regimen but I know they would have lasted longer. They didn't frizz easily and the curls still had definition. I just put my hair in four loose ponytails and then put a satin bonnet on at night to preserve them.

Conclusion: I like 3 strand twists, its a better way to elongate your fro as still get that twirl that twists outs give your hair. I felt good rocking just the twists because they reminded me of locs. This is definately the method I will choose when I decide to get locs. when I took the twists out I didn't really like it at first because the curls were so defined! It felt fake. But they had a chance to frizz a little the next day and it looked better to me. Hope this helps! Peace and Blessings.

Finally!! My Coco-Veggie Mix Recipe

2009-07-18T06:29:00.000-07:00

Guys, I have found the best thing to "awaken" your hair in the morning. I love it for my hair, it works best on my daughters hair (3 type mainly 3b/3c) and it smells wonderful! It's a spray I use, you already may know about it's roots: Vegetable Glycerin and water. I just added coconut oil b/c I like the benefits of it. So here you go! (To see what the mixture looks like click here for my youtube video)

Ingredients:
coconut oil
vegetable Glycerin
Water
1 spray bottle (oz does not matter)

Directions:
I divided the ingredients into parts because it's easier when you are working with different sized spray bottles. Some could be 6 oz or 8 oz. Okay, fill half of the bottle with water. The oil and glycerin are going to take up the other half so you are going to fourth those ingredients. So fill one fourth of the bottle with the glycerin and the last fourth with coconut oil. Shake bottle before use every time.

**Note: Coconut oil melts at 76 degrees Fahrenheit so if where you store this mixture is colder than that it will start to solidify. This became a problem to me in the winter months. Some tips I got from my subscribers on youtube.com that worked best for me was to sit the bottle in a bowl of hot water or put it in the microwave for a few seconds (maybe 10).
Peace and Blessings

Correction on my Vegetarian Transition Post

2009-07-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, yall know I'm new to this. For some (sad) reason I thought that vegetarians can eat sea food and vegans were the ones that don't. NOT! The only difference between the two is that vegans don't eat any animal products and vegetarians still eat eggs or milk and cheese and butter. If I want to still eat fish and other forms of sea food I would be considered a semi-vegetarian. Which, like the book described, is like being a little pregnant. Either you're not or you are. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Maybe I'll cut out meat all together and only eat fish and other seafood on special occasions, or maybe cut out fish and just eat seafood (called a crusto-vegetarian). I'm not totally sure yet. Heck, maybe I'll stop eating seafood too. Thanks for reading this. Peace and Blessings.

My Love: Coconut oil!

2009-07-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

First I want to say, many people, especially African American women are use to greases, pomades, or hair lotions to moisturize their hair or give it shine but these products make the hair feel greasy and weighed down. In my opinion the best thing to do is to is to find a favorite oil. Use it to oil your scalp or add it with water in a spray bottle for added moisture. My favorite is coconut oil and I make it known! Many people ask about the benefits of coconut oil and here they are:

According to organictfacts.net the human body converts lauric acid into monolaurin which is claimed to help in dealing with viruses and bacteria. It fights viruses such as influenza. This is why it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine system. Coconut oil contains less calories than other oils so it is recommended to athletes or people who are dieting. It helps boost energy endurance and performance of athletes. Coconut oil contains 90% of fat but it is easily converted into energy and does not accumulate to cause negative effects in the heart and arteries.

For the hair: It helps with healthy hair growth and provides shine to the hair. Regular massaging of the scalp prevents dandruff or lice (especially if the kiddies are in school) even if the scalp is dry. It is a great conditioner (coat hair for a pre-poo) and helps re-grow damaged hair.

Stress relief: Massage some coconut oil on your head to remove mental fatigue.

Skin care: Coconut oil has the same effect as mineral oil for the skin but without all the side effects that mineral oil has. It prevents dryness and flaking of the skin and prevents wrinkles and sagging which comes with age. It helps treat skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis.

Dieting: Coconut oil contains short and medium-chain fatty acids which help take off excess weight. It increases metabolism by removing stress from the pancreas therefore burning more energy and helping overweight and obese people reduce their weight. It also promotes healthy functioning of the thyroid and enzymes systems.

Other: promotes healthy digestion, boosts immune system, helps control blood sugar and insulin production for diabetics, and it can speed up the healing process of bruises.

Well, there you go! Some information on the benefits of Coconut oil for your WHOLE body! Peace and Blessings.

Reference web site:

http://www.organicfacts.net/organic-oils/organic-coconut-oil/health-benefits-of-coconut-oil.html

A new Journey, a New Transition

2009-07-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hi again! As you know I've recently have transitioned to and conquered natural hair. Now I feel like it's time for a new journey. I have recently been interested in eating healthier. In studying about that I discovered that most meat found in the supermarkets have pesticides in them and since the animals aren't free to roam and graze they have more saturated fat content than animals that do. Exposure to pesticides can lead to forms of cancer and leukemia. After finding that out I have decided to become a vegetarian. Unlike Vegans who don't eat any type of meat (including fish) or dairy products (eggs, cheese, milk) vegetarians can. I love seafood so I can't stray away from that. And I have two little ones so calcium is vital for their developing bodies. In eating eggs, cheese and milk i will purchase organic. In fact I will try to purchase all my food organic if possible. Most fruits and vegetables contain pesticides also. To avoid that it's best to purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season from local farmers.

One concern i had was that I'm underweight my 10lbs. I've always been underweight and it's hard for me to gain weight. I don't want to lose anymore weight by cutting out meat and I don't want it to hinder my weight gain either. So I joined a vegan and vegetarian group on Cafemom.com (great site if you have kids or are expecting) and I got some great advice from jellyphish. Here's what she wrote:

Welcome! I have been underweight my entire life and gaining weight hasn't been any more of a struggle since I've been vegan. I also did t lose any weight when I transitioned. It's all about maintaining a healthy, balanced diet. Some great foods to help gain weight are carbs, avocados, nut butters, and seed/nut/veggie oils. Cook everything with oils and eat a lot of thicker foods, and make sure your diet is balanced. Remember these two things: gaining weight is all about taking in more calories than you burn, and animal fats and proteins only offer unhealthy weight gain (this includes meat, dairy and eggs).

I am going to transition because of my living situation, when I cook I have to cook for everyone in the house and since I'm currently staying with family until I move in March 2010 to PA....well lets just say you can't teach an old dog new tricks! I will first try to cut down on my meat intake and add more fruits and vegetables. I will also add in the foods that jellyphish suggested. I will keep everyone posted on my progress! Peace and Blessings.

My Homemade Conditioner: Avocado and Coconut Milk ( and then some!)

2009-07-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

Okay guys! I haven't done a deep conditioner in forever so I decided to make one on Sunday. I used avocado, coconut oil, coconut milk, and honey.

Why I chose these ingredients:

1. Avocado: According to an article written by Dr. Phillip S. Chua its rich in vitamins, fatty acids, and vitamins that will bring back luster and soften hair. ("Avocado for your hair", 2009)

2. Coconut milk: Provides slip for easy combing and strengthens hair.

3. coconut oil: Adds shine and strengthens hair

4. Honey: adds moisture.

Measurements:

1/2 Haas avocado

2tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup of coconut milk

1tbsp of honey

Directions:

Mix everything into a blender. Apply to freshly shampooed hair. After hair is saturated comb through and put on a plastic cap to let hair sit for at least one hour. Wash out and voila!

After results:

My hair felt soft! It wasn't super soft but I did notice a difference. Next time I'm thinking of adding more coconut oil and honey. Check out my video with more pics by clicking here.

Reference:

Dr. Chua, P. "Avocado for your hair"

Retrieved on July 13, 2009 from http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/opinion/view/20090330-197028/Avocado-for-your-hair

First Braidout

2009-07-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

So I was suppose to keep the braids I recently did in for 5 days but they started to get frizzy. I decided to take them out and the pics above are the end results! I love it! I've always done twist outs hoping that it would stretch my hair but it never stretched my hair enough and the braid out did just that.

I believe that the braids got frizzy because I didn't tie down my braids with a scarf at night, instead I just wore a satin cap which didn't protect against rubbing.

The way i maintained my braids and braid out was to go over my scalp and hair w/ coconut oil everyday.

If i could have done anything different I would have tied my braids down at night and also have done them smaller so that the braids would have lasted longer.

Hope this helps everyone!
Peace and Blessings

Trimming...When is it Necessary?

2009-07-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I would consider myself a newly natural since I'm only 6 mos in. i haven't had a pair of scissors to my head since my BC so I was wondering how often should a natural trim their hair? I went on Youtube for my search and found one video where the female said to trim every 3 mos although she did more of a "dusting" than a trimming. Everyone else just showed how they did it. I went looking on the Internet and found something that makes since. One forum where a professional long hair care dresser said if you want to grow long hair why would you cut it so often? She recommended every 6 mos. Now that's for people who don't add heat or chemicals to their hair. Of course the more heat and chemicals you add to your hair the more likely your hair is going to break and split. I made the huge mistake of dying my hair about a month ago. Never again. The fumes that permeated from the coloring were so strong I would not let my daughter in the room for fear that she'd breathe in the harmful chemicals. Anywho, that's another subject all together. Even though this lady recommends every 6mos she also stated that she knows people who never trim their hair ( and I do too).

Another thing I'd like to state is that in having kinky, curly hair you do not have to straighten or blow dry your hair to trim it! just section and trim off the desired length.

In conclusion, I am going to follow this person's advice and trim my hair (meaning 1/2 an inch) every six mos. I will write a post w/ pictures when I do later this month.

My Whipped Shea Butter Mix

2009-07-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

**FIRST PIC IS OF THE SHEA BUTTER CREME (MIXED W/ WATER) AND THE SECOND IS JUST THE SHEA BUTTER MIXED W/ OILS.

Of course I'm not the first person to mix their shea butter with oils to create the perfect styling creme/ butter but I chose my oils according to what I like and my hair likes. First shea butter is a natural moisturizer for the hair and will do what those old school pomades and greases use to but without the damaging ingredients. The oils I chose to use are coconut for the repairing and strengthening properties, olive for the moisturizing properties, jojoba for the smoothing properties, and tea tree oil because it fights dandruff. Of course the peppermint oil is for scent and you can choose whatever scent you like.

Ingredients

at least 1lb of unrefined shea butter (it doesn't have to be exact)

1 tbsp of olive oil

2tbsp of coconut oil

1tsp of jojoba oil

10 drops of tea tree oil

15-25 drops of peppermint oil (or your choice scented essential oil)

Directions

in a mixer using a whipping blade (I used the magic bullet) whip together the shea butter and all the oils. I don't know if it will do this w/ your mixer/food processor but the butter will melt down and it will appear liquid-y...let it sit in the fridge to become a solid again!

***IF YOU WANT TO TURN YOUR BUTTER INTO A CREME, ADD WATER!! What I did was take half of my shea butter mix and put it back in the mixer and slowly added water. No I did not measure. Do it until you get a thickness to your liking. If I guess-stimated I'd say it was 1/2-1/3 cup of water. The creme is great for twists b/c you can feel the hydration coming from the added water.

Okay guys! You won't be disappointed I promise!

Peace and Blessings!

My Take on the new Back to Napptural Movement

2009-07-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

To be honest when I first decided to transition it wasn't because many people were doing it, matter of fact I've never heard or seen a movement going on. I live in the deep south and "different" isn't necessarily popular in my area even if it means being healthy. As you know my first initial reasoning for going natural is that I was tired of getting relaxers. Then after doing research I found out about the harsh chemicals being used in relaxers and the damage it does to your hair. Also I found out about the true disdain most African-American women have for naturally kinky, tightly curly hair. That's when I decided going natural was not just for me but also for my girls to have pride in who they truly are.

I an so proud of my fellow sistas for taking that journey back to "normal". This is who we are and we should be proud about our beautiful manes! Now that I'm natural I notice I hold my head higher, I don't hide behind hair and my facial features are more prominent. My hair just looks...right! To explain more, we are always trying out new hair styles trying to find the one that looks the best on us and me going natural and wearing my fro, I find that it fits me perfectly. And I've noticed that on other naturals too. God gave us strong, bold and beautiful features. Our full lips, broad noses, high cheekbones, either big eyes or sexy slanted ones....we were not meant to hide behind hair...no hair should cover our face.

Another thing that I find interesting is that I felt that I wouldn't be as attractive anymore without my long flowing mane. Honestly that couldn't be any farther from the truth. Men generally do not go for girls that wear weaves. They like females who wear there own hair...whether that be relaxed hair or natural, short or long. Having talked to a few men they actually are liking the fact that women are going back to their natural hair. It's all about confidence.

Everytime I run across another sister growing out their natural hair or a brother growing locs it makes me smile and proud of my choice. Maybe in the next 10-20yrs the majority of black people will be rocking their fros and relaxed hair will not be normal!

Homemade Jojoba Gel!!!!

2009-07-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

This is what every body's been asking for since GypsyCurls took down the video...I will be doing a vid soon but until then here is the recipe. You can find all the ingredients at any local health food store. This gel will define your curls and give a soft hold. Click here for my application video. This is also great for putting hair in a puff.

**WARNING! If you make this mixture too thick you can't go back so be easy on the xanthan gum!

ingredients

1/2 cup of aloe Vera gel

1/4 cup of jojoba oil

1/4 cup of vegetable glycerin

1/2 tsp of xanthan gum

15 drops of your choice essential oil (i use grapefruit) for scent

Directions

In a blender/food processor using a whipping blade or by hand using a whisk mix aloe vera gel, jojoba oil, and veggie glycerin. Next add the Xanthan gum. **I DON'T USE THE WHOLE 1/2 TEASPOON!!! LEAVE ABOUT A PINCH LEFT!** Let the mixture sit for about 15-20 mins to thicken. It shouldn't be runny or as thick as pancake batter (see pic). If it is not thick enough add the last pinch of the Xanthan gum. Last mix in 15 drops of your choice essential oil.

The Best Products for MY Natural Hair

2009-07-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

**Disclaimer: What works for ME may not necessarily work for YOU.

In this post i will talk about what I currently use to maintain my natural hair and why.

1. Black soap: Like I said before I use this as a shampoo. I love it. The smell isn't the best but it doesn't stink. More like a fresh clean smell. The only con about it is that it burns like hell if it gets into your eyes!

2. My Honey Child's Jamaica Island Conditioner: This is a great light weight/rinsing conditioner. I love the smell. It's coconut, pineapple and some other fragrances. I said that if Jamaica had a scent, this conditioner would be it. I also like this b/c of...you know....COCONUT!! I love what it does to your hair. After using this product your hair will feel oh so soft.

3. My shea butter mix. I actually have two mixes. 1st, shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, jojoba oil, tea tree oil, and peppermint oil for fragrance. I use this to maintain my twists and twists outs. The second mixture is the same as the first except I add water. I found this mixture to be very hydrating. Its great when I do my twists especially when parts of my hair start to dry, it doesn't matter because the cream re-hydrates it.

4. Next I use my Coconut oil/ Veggie glycerin mix. Click here for my youtube video. If you're already natural you probably know about the vegetable glycerin mix (just veggie glyc. and water mixed together) helps to add moisture and "awake" your fro. Well I added coconut oil to that mixture to add the helping properties of the oil like strengthening of the hair and damage repair. And it adds shine.

5. Plain coconut oil: I use just the plain oil to rub over my twists before I take them out to add shine and also to oil my scalp. As you know coconut oil prevents dandruff.

6. Gels: I use a homemade jojoba gel to define my curls. Click here for my tutorial video. I also use a styling gel by Fantasia for a more defined style like my puffs. Its the clear kind. It's alcohol free and flake free.

Shampooing...How to

2009-07-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is gonna be a quickie. Most people think when shampooing yout are suppose to lather your scalp and hair but that's not true. Shampooing to much is actually drying for the hair because it strips the hair of its natural oils. Actually shampooing is just to cleanse the hair and scalp of product build up or excessive dirt build up such as after swimming. The proper way is just to shampoo the scalp...that's it...lather on the scalp not the hair. How will the hair shaft get cleansed you ask? When you rinse your scalp the lather will run down the hair shaft taking any dirt with it. Find a nice clarifying shampoo. I use Dudu Osun black soap. It's very cleansing. Co-washing is the key to cleansing the hair. Find a light weight conditioner also known as a rinsing conditioner. I use MyHoneyChild.com's jamaica island conditioner but there are some store brands that you can use. I believe that suave conditioners are light weight.

Also remember not to shampoo too often. If you use a lot of products try 1x week. If you don't, once or twice a month is just fine. I opt to doing it twice a month.

Twist it BABY!

2009-06-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start this new thing...twist my hair up for 5 days and then take it down for 2 days. Wash and deep condition on the 8th day and then twist it up again. Why you ask? Well I got the idea from a twitter friend of mine (YaYaMarie -- check her out). She is doing that. I think it is the best thing to do especially in the summer since the heat can cause breakage and frizziness. Also this is good for me since I have been doing wash and goes everyday and have the urge to always comb which has caused excess breakage. So this is what I'll be doing for the rest of the summer.

The first pic is last weeks style and the pic on the right is this weeks style

The Do's and Dont's of Transitioning to Natural Hair

2009-06-29T14:10:00.001-07:00

Okay first the 'Do's':

1. Do take extra care of your hair! It's different now because you're getting off of the creamy crack and since your hair will be going through withdrawal, it will need that extra care and attention to prevent too much shedding or breakage.

2. Do always moisturize! Moisture is the key for healthy new growth and maintaining the relaxed hair while you have it. I'd say moisturized daily.

3. Do condition. Co- wash regular and deep condition at either 1x per week or 2x per week depending on your hair condition or liking.

4. Do experiment with transitioning styles. For me this prepared me to sort of get used to what's to come. It also is an easy way to blend the two textures.

5. Do have fun with it! Transitioning is a very trying period of however long you decided to transition. Make a blog, Vlog, journal, or a picture journal (like fotki.com). Also join some forums. This way you will have the support of others that are going through the same thing or those who have been there.

The 'Don'ts':

1. Don't use flat ironing as a styling method. I cannot stress this enough. Flat irons are heat and heat is very dangerous for your hair right now especially at the line of demarcation which is the weakest area. If you must I'd say do it 1x during your transition! So pick a special day!

2. Don't put too much stress on your hair. This means no buns that are too tight, no rubber bands, and no combing and brushing! (that's next)

3. Don't comb your hair dry! This can cause unnecessary shedding. It's better to comb your hair in the shower while wet with conditioner. And brushing isn't necessary. I don't even think I owned a brush while transitioning.
4. Don't use products that contain mineral oil or petroleum. They can clog the pores on your scalp actually slowing down growth. So...no blue magic grease.
5. Don't use products using sulfates. They are actually drying for the hair. Many shampoos contain sulfates.
6. Don't rush to do the big chop. Be sure you are ready b/c you don't want to regret it. Also when you feel like your natural hair is getting to long and the two textures are harder to maintain it might be time to BC.

Suggested Products to Use While Transitioning

2009-06-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, I like to use natural product for my hair, but i will suggest some store shelf products.

Shampoo: Black soap. I love this b/c its all natural and it works as a clarifying shampoo. A store shelf brand I would suggest is anything that doesn't contain sulfates because these are very drying for the hair.

Conditioner: I prefer an all natural lightweight conditioner like oyin handmade's honey hemp conditioner or My Honey Child's Jamaica Island Conditioner which is my current favorite. A store shelf brand I would suggest would be Organix coconut milk conditioner or any of Garnier Frutis conditioners.

Deep conditioner: A deep conditioner can be made at home. I suggest a conditioner made with coconut anything b/c it's great for repairing damaged, dry hair. The conditioner I make is made of coconut milk, coconut oil, olive oil, and half an avocado. blend until smooth. I do not recommend store shelf for a deep conditioner b/c you can find these all over your local grocery store.

Moisturizer: If I've said it once, I'll say it again: SHEA BUTTER! lol. I feel that shea butter is the best for transitioning hair b/c it coats and protects the hair. You can mix it with oils to make it whipped or you can mix it with water and oils to make a cream. Store shelf for this I recommend Hollywood's Beauty Carrot Creme. Its great for breakage and it's really inexpensive.

Oils: To me the best oils are EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), coconut oil, and jojoba oil. Store shelf would be Africa's Best Herbal Oil. It has a bunch of great oils and it's inexpensive. Apply to scalp daily to condition natural hair and to hair shaft to prevent breaking and split ends.

Transitioning Styles I Tried and Highly Recommend

2009-06-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

There are 3 styles I attempted (and succeeded) with during my transition. The first was twist outs. I don't have a pic but there is a link to my youtube video.

Another style is bantu knot outs. Bantu knots have about 50% success rate. It works for some, others they don't. For me it worked. Click here for my tutorial, but there are so many other vids in youtube land about bantu knots. Although in the video I used pantene pro v for women of color setting/wrap lotion. I do not recommend this b/c it contains chemicals that are drying for the hair. I was still experimenting w/ products then and didn't know any better. If the knots don't stay on their own, using ouchless hair ties are recommended. It is best to wait until your hair is fully dry before unraveling the knots.

Another style I frequently did was a braid out. This is the picture at the beginning of this post. This style is very good at blending the two textures.

These styles are very quick and easy to do. It is recommended to style when hair is wet after doing a wash and deep conditioning (best for transitioning hair). Always moisturize the hair everyday! Find a favorite moisturizer of your choice and do it everyday.

The purpose of these transitioning styles are to protect the hair from damage and breaking. combing and brushing the hair everyday can cause breakage. Another reason is to blend the two textures (relaxed and natural). And the main reason I suggest others to use these styles is because it prepares you for what is to come (waves, curls, etc.)

Other styles are straw sets, flexirod sets, roller sets, but I choose not to do these because they are very time consuming and I have a very limited schedule but these styles do look nice.

Two styles that I would have liked to try are 2 strand cornrow outs and 3 strand cornrow outs. Same thing as braid outs or twist outs but I feel they are better for longer new growth.

Why I decided to Transition

2009-06-27T12:20:00.000-07:00

After 3 attempts I finally went all the way through with transitioning. My first try was back in high school. One of my friends decided to go through it with me. Needless to say that after 3 mos of new growth we was running to the store for a box perm! LOL! The second time was after I moved to Delaware in '06. My hair was growing out after I had gotten a faux hawk cut and I was getting micros. I got micros back to back for a combo of 6 mos. I noticed my curl pattern and decided to go ahead and not get a perm. Lets just say that didn't last long. The third time was when I got pregnant with my youngest. It was an unexpected pregnancy and since I new I would get that extra hair growth that most pregnant women get I decided it was a good time. But since my husband (now separated) liked girls with longer hair I got another relaxer to please him. Then when I was 5 mos pregnant, I found out my mom was transitioning and she did her big chop in September of that year. So it really motivated me to go all the way since she looked like an African goddess. So after studying this natural hair phenomenon (when I do something I always study it) I found out how bad relaxers were for our hair. I found out that our hair is actually stripped everytime we get one. That's why the instructions say not to place on already relaxed hair (only new growth) eventhough we still do that. And that's one of the reasons why the hair looks thinner at the ends. Another thing that motivated me was that I was reading how a lot of black women have negative views on natural hair eventhough that's who we truely are. And I realized I grew up with the same thinking that natural hair is nappy and bad, but this was because that's what I was taught. I do not want my beautiful daughters feeling the same way. This was my beginning to end the cycle. The last reason was that I was just too damn tired of getting relaxers every 3 mos. I dreaded it every 3 mos. This was something that I felt if I didn't want to do it, then I simply should stop.

Who I Am

2009-06-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

My name is LaTonya and I'm a single mom from Charleston, SC. I recently decided to transition back to my natural hair on August 2008. I transitioned for 7 months and finally did my Big Chop on January 25th 2009. I have gone through a lot since the beginning of my transition. Let's just say when things need to be changed in your life everything else goes along with it too. Hair and makeup along with my children are my hobbies right now. I am also taking classes to get my bachelor's in marketing at AIU online. I have a YouTube channel by the name innovativethinkin where i talk about my natural hair journey, facts about natural hair and natural hair products, product reviews, and I also do makeup tutorials! So feel free to check it out!