Au Naturale by Mz. Sixx

My desire to grow my hair to waist length

2012-01-23T15:18:00.019-05:00

Hello Loves-I'm back!!!!!!!

It has been awhile since I've updated my blog. All or most of you are aware that I've been fighting the autoimmune disease Lupus. I'm starting to "get my life" back as I once knew it and get back into some of the things i love- one of them BLOGGING!

During the last 8 months, my lupus flare up has had an impact on my hair. I've experienced extreme shedding, and my texture has changed in some areas ( especially in the middle of my head). I have lots of single strand knots (ouch!) and my lovely curls have begun to take on a wave pattern (more than a curly pattern). I've never really cared too much about the length of my hair until I started to see it fall down the sink at every washing. Running my fingers through my hair has become a thing of the past ( as handfuls of hair shed daily). I've since decided to challenge my self to reduce (stop) the shedding, and grow my hair to " waist length".

Have you ever seen waist length hair-ITS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!! Some of my favorite You Tubers are waist length ( Kimmy Tube, Urban Bush Babes, Long Hair Don't Care, to name a few). BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

**Below is a chart to show the different hair lengths**

Picture of hair after it was washed, deep conditioned and flat ironed using Crisco ( in the blue can). My goal wasn't to have super straight hair- just straight enough to do a length check. I'm #teamNoHeat- so the mere thought of applying heat to my hair frightens me.

Picture after a trim

I then put in 6-8 flexi rods ( mix of orange and red rods) to achieve a curly look.

Picture after removal of the flexi rods & (finger) styled

I'm introducing a new (simpler) routine to maintain length and (hopefully)continue hair growth

Co-washing- This means only using a conditioner to wash my hair eliminating the shampoo. I've always done this, and it has worked GREAT for me. My co wash regimen is often done on Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Deep Conditioning/Pre Poo- For me this provides an extra boost in moisture, I do not buy fancy deep conditioning products because you guys know I'm the kitchen beautician!!!! My pre poo consist of honey and olive oil warmed, part hair in 4 sections, apply (heavily) to each section of hair 'BEFORE" you shampoo. My deep conditioner (recipe) is 2 jars of stage two banana baby food, 1-2 tablespoons of (raw) honey, 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil or grape seed oil. Part hair into 4 sections, apply to each section ( concentrating on the ends) cover with a conditioning cap minimum of 30 minutes ( I usually go an hour).

Sealing-I had stopped sealing my ends for a while ( just was too lazy) or exhausted. I normally use an even mix of castor oil, coconut oil, and safflower oil ( melted and mixed together in a bottle and apply to my ends nightly). ** I also tuck my ends under a satin scrunchie at night. **

Leave In Conditioner- I apply leave in conditioner EVERYDAY ( with a light hand) to my hair. I mix my own ( distilled water or rose water, aloe vera juice, coconut milk, grape seed oil, and essential oils). I mist my hair "before" i re apply my twist or when I take my hair down in the morning- I will mist it lightly.

Diet-I'm now on a gluten free diet, and transitioning to vegetarian lifestyle. Diet is very important to those that suffer with lupus and I know for overall health and hair growth it start from the inside. ** I'm currently doing the New Moon Detox (fast) for 3 days and upping my water intake to 107 ounces a day ( half my body weight)**

Have you established any hair goals for 2012? If so please share...

Disclaimer: These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Mz. Sixx. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2012 – Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx

E-Salon-Custom Formulated Hair Color

2011-12-05T09:26:00.002-05:00

Breakthrough Hair Color System Your Salon Doesn’t Want You to Know About!They may be a young company in the hair care arena, but eSalon.com is already ruffling the feathers of stylists across the country.

Professional haircolor, customized just for you, delivered to your home eSalon has one mission–to deliver affordable custom haircolor to your door. We’ve built an expert team and state-of-the-art color lab dedicated to making it easy, convenient and inexpensive for you to have the beautiful hair color you desire. Every time.

Customized color by experts based on your hair profile The process starts with our online hair profile. It is a custom built set of questions formulated by our colorists based on their years of expertise working at salons in Beverly Hills, New York and Paris. In just a few minutes, you will complete the online hair profile providing us all the information needed to prepare a formula that is matched to your hair characteristics. Whether you’re looking to completely disguise your roots or go for a new look altogether, eSalon will create the right formulation just for you.

Each order is individually formulated, bottled, and shipped from our Los Angeles color lab within two business days of your order. With eSalon you can achieve your envisioned haircolor at minimal cost and maximum convenience.

Quality product
In addition to being customized for you, eSalon uses the same high quality dyes mixed in high-end salons. This means superior gray coverage and rich, vibrant haircolor. We offer permanent and demi-permanent (ammonia free) haircolor, and our dyes include ingredients such as vitamin E, B5 and aloe vera to help condition your hair. We make sure your hair looks great and stays healthy.

Ease of Use
Unlike the one-size-fits-all instructions included with retail hair dyes, your eSalon package includes individualized instructions specific to your coloring process. In short, we remove any guess work out of coloring your hair at home. Plus, unlike many salons we’re easy to contact if you have any questions.

Convenience Apart from the obvious benefit that you never have to leave your house (not even to purchase the product), we also maintain your profile in our system along with any changes you make along the way so that each time you reorder or alter your previous color, we’ll work with what you already have instead of starting from scratch.

Affordability As low as $19.95 per application, our price is competitive with retail store hair dyes, yet you get a customized coloring formula, industry-grade dye, and the haircoloring expertise found only in salons. Finally, you can get professional quality, customized haircolor without breaking the bank and without the hassle of making appointments at the salon.

Want to learn more?
The best way to understand eSalon’s service is to give it a try. And with their newest offer, eSalon is making it easy for first time customers. New clients can get a complete personal profile and color kit for just $4.95 s&h, plus a full money-back guarantee.

Click here for more information and to get in on this special offer.

The Lupie Chick: Recipe: Blueberry Stuffed French Toast

2011-11-09T10:49:00.000-05:00

The Lupie Chick: Recipe: Blueberry Stuffed French Toast: Blueberry Stuffed French Toast INGREDIENTS 1 loaf Panera Bread Cinnamon Raisin Bread 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese spread, at room...

Roll N Tuck Natural Up-Do Hair Style

2011-11-02T16:12:00.007-04:00

This hairstyle is called the "Roll N Tuck". I've seen similar hairstyle(s) on You Tube, and fell in love with all of them. Like it? Here's how you re-create it!

Tools Needed
*Freshly washed and conditioned hair*
* Few bobby pins*
* hands/fingers* (I would apply a small amount of oil or shea butter to my hands- I never manipulate/style my hair with "dry" hands)

How to create:
*Section off the hair * ( with your fingers-parts or sections do not have to be perfectly even)
*Roll and tuck the hair*
*Secure with bobby pins*
**optional: apply 2-3 flat twist(s), or cornrows on the side(s)**

Note:
You can also achieve this hairstyle if you have (micro) braids, (micro or mini) twists, and Locs.
This hairstyle requires No heat – which is always a great thing. If you’d like your hair to be straighter or more stretched you can just put in a few quick braids the day before.

Disclaimer: I do not own nor do I claim any rights to the photograph in this post. The photograph is merly for illustration purposes of the hair style.

ADMIT IT- HAVE YOU BEEN USING GREASE?

2011-10-28T10:18:00.013-04:00

Ok, beauties admit it NOW or forever hold your peace- have you been using hair grease, Vaseline, petroleum, lanolin, or mineral oil on your hair?? huh? I'll wait... *tapping fingers, and WAITING*

Lately, Ive been coming across blogs where naturals are admitting to using one of the above mentioned products. A few of the hair guru's (i.e. Curly Nikki) admitted that she has greased her hair. She says that she did not use it on her scalp, just the "hair". For her, she states that it was a great sealant, perfect for doing dry twist outs, product washed out easily, and her hair stayed moisturized for 4 days. She's even hinted at a grease giveaway " Now who's ready for a Blue Majic, Dax, and Soul Glo giveaway?!?!?!?"

I grew up with my mother using hair grease, Vaseline ( not the name brand Vaseline-but petroleum jelly..lol..lol..) and water on my hair ( do you remember putting grease/Vaseline & water on your edges to slick them down?). I've always had healthy well maintained hair. My mother's hair routine for me was a bi-weekly wash, condition, grease( hair and scalp) and two plaits ( not braids- PLAITS!). I always slept with a scarf ( it was a cotton scarf-didn't know anything about silk back then). I only got my hair blow dried and straightened for Easter and picture day at school. We never used sponge rollers, my mother would roll my hair with strips of brown paper bag ( old school chicas KNOW what I'm talking about!).

I don't recall ( back in the day) having dry hair, or any hair issues ( breakage, shedding, or damaged hair). Now that I think about it, mommy didn't spend any money on hair products, barrettes, pony tail holders, or anything "fancy". She would'nt buy rollers- we had to use brown paper bags ( she got FREE from the vegetable stand). I was a pro at rolling hair with brown paper bag- and guess what- if you used too much grease.. that brown paper would soak it up :)

Once I learned how to care for my hair naturally it was drilled into my head ( along with yours) to stay away from such products or any products containing mineral oil, lanolin, and petroleum. I became obsessed with reading product labels and ditching everything in sight that contain the "forbidden" ingredients. Think of Joan Crawford and the wire hangers.. that was ME with mineral oil * in my Joan Crawford voice* "NOOOOOOO MINERAL OIL"

Here's what I say- DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU! I don't believe in spending alot of money on over priced products, I don't believe the hype of all these miracle products that will make you hair grow, stop shedding, or breaking.

I do believe in listening to your hair, and knowing what your hair needs to flourish. Everyone is different, what works for me, may or may not be your saving grace. Its my belief that all natural products are best for my hair and mini me. We will Not be greasing in the Dugar household. We are forever #TeamNoGrease and forever fans of shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and canola oil.

Have you been greasing your hair? Do tell ( I wont stone you)

Moisturizing and Sealing Natural Hair

2011-10-21T10:59:00.000-04:00

Moisturizing and sealing natural hair is one area that new naturals often find difficulty in, when they’re initially learning how to care for natural hair. Moisturizing and sealing are two basic steps that can be done in a matter of minutes.

The first thing that you need to know is what should be used to accomplish both parts of the process. Moisturizing should be done with water alone, or water followed by a water based leave in conditioner. Sealing is done with natural oils, to prevent moisture from leaving the hair. Natural oils are not moisturizers because most natural oils will not penetrate the hair shaft.

Below are the steps I take to seal and moisturize my hair:

Step 1
Find A Water Based Leave In Conditioner
You want to be sure to stay away from products that contain petroleum, mineral oil, lanolin oil, and alcohol because these ingredients are notorious for blocking moisture from entering the hair strand which causes hair to eventually break. Look for natural ingredients like glycerin and natural oils, with water being one of the first three ingredients listed. I make my own leave in.

Here's the recipe:

Aloe Vera Juice
Rosemary Essential Oil
Lemongrass Essential Oil
Jojoba Oil
Vegetable Glycerin (optional)
Distilled Water
Spray bottle
Fill up 50% of the bottle with aloe vera juice, leaving space to add the essential oils, jojoba, glycerin, and water. Next add 10 drops of rosemary and lemongrass essential oil and three to five drops of jojoba oil. Add a small amount of vegetable glycerin ( 1-2 cap full). Lastly fill the rest of the bottle with distilled water and shake up

Aloe Vera moisturizes the hair and keeps it soft. It is packed with vitamin B12, vitamin C, amino acids, minerals, and salicylic acid. It has been used for general hair health, hair growth, and also as a hair shampoo and conditioner.

Rosemary Essential Oil stimulates hair follicles, therefore increasing hair strength, hair growth, and for dry and flaky scalps. It has also been used as a remedy for mental fatigue.

Lemongrass Essential Oil stimulates hair follicles and also adds a refreshing citrus fragrance to the leave-in conditioner. It has anti-bacterial properties and is calming and soothing to the body.

Jojoba Oil is the closest oil to skin’s sebum. Therefore, is extremely healing and moisturizing for the hair. It is a non-greasy oil absorbing immediately into the hair. This will help with hair frizz and dryness.

Vegetable Glycerin is known for being a humectant. It is an amazing ingredient to add when air drying hair. It is amazing for curly hair and really dry hair. It should be used very sparingly so that it doesn’t create a sticky film.

Some commercial Leave in conditioners that are worth a try are: Kinky Curly Knot Today and

Giovanni Direct Leave In

Step 2
Choose A Natural Oil
Natural, unrefined, and virgin oils work best. Extra virgin olive oil and unrefined coconut oil not only seal moisture into the hair but it improves the health of hair as well. Jojoba oil is a good sealant for people who are acne prone since it's lighter and less likely to clog pores. ( I use a mix of coconut oil, Amla oil, grapeseed oil, and castor oil)

Step 3
Moisturize Hair

Starting with wet hair, Split hair into 4 sections. take a quarter amount of leave in , spread it between your hands, and distribute throughout your hair ensuring that you saturate all the strands. Use more for longer and thicker hair and less for shorter and thinner. Be sure to pay extra attention to the ends of your hair since they are prone to drying and breaking.

Step 4
Seal In Moisture With Your Oil * optimal on (co)wash day(s)*
working from the same 4 sections. Spread a dime size amount of oil in between hands and distribute to each section. Avoid applying more than a dime size amount of oil to each section or hair may become too oily.

Continue the steps until all sections are completed.

Step 5

Style as normal. When I'm not in a protective style, my styling choices are twist outs, braid outs, and buns.

Removing Lint From Loc's

2011-10-20T13:08:00.009-04:00

Few things look worse in locked hair than lint. What causes lint to build up in locs? It could be a particular product causes your hair to absorb lint like a sponge. Pillow fibers might cling to your locs at night. Your towel lint might be having a party in your hair. Whatever the cause, you want to get rid of it.

Commercial products that remove lint

A good clarifying shampoo might be all your hair needs to remove lint build-up, especially if you don’t have much to contend with. Here are a few products that get locked hair lint-free:

Aubrey Organics Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo ( from website)

This fast-acting clarifying shampoo deep-cleanses with just one application and rinses clean to leave hair shiny, bouncy and full. Herbal extracts deliver beneficial nutrients quickly and reduce drying time for fast and easy styling.

Bo Beam Lemon Drop Oily Hair/Locs Shampoo Bar ( from website)

The Lemon Drop is made with an aloe base and is packed with essential oils geared toward soothing oily hair and scalp - lemongrass, lavender, cedarwood, and aloe. It can be used as a clarifier to get rid of product build-up. It can also be used for teen and mature locs.

Carols Daughter Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo ( from website)

Invigorates and refreshes the scalp with cooling Peppermint Oil
Deeply cleanses and removes product build-up and daily toxins, without stripping away essential moisture
Restores your hair to its original shiny, healthy state.
Has Rosemary Extract to deliver antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits to hair and scalp. Has Moisturizing Marine Extracts (Algae, Carrageenan, Spirulina and Seaweed) to provide hair and scalp with nourishing hydration
Helps to smooth, soften and boost shine.

Natural remedies to get rid of lint

Apple cider vinegar rinse – An apple cider vinegar rinse works as a natural hair cleanser by gently removing build-up. The rinse can produce a shine because apple cider vinegar naturally closes cuticle scales found on the hair shaft’s surface.

Create an apple cider vinegar rinse by combining:
* 1 cup distilled water
* 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

*Optional* add 5 drops of lavender, rosemary, lemon , sage or rose essential oil to the basic vinegar rinse recipe.

Pour the mixture over your hair as a final rinse after you shampoo. You might have to do an apple cider vinegar rinse a couple times before you see results.

Baking Soda – This is a powerful way to remove lint from your locs. Baking soda works as a clarifier, leaving your locs squeaky clean.

Make a baking soda clarifier by combining:
· 1 tablespoon baking soda
· 1 cup water
Pour the mixture over your hair, squeezing it into the hair and focusing on troublesome locs. Massage it into the hair for 1 to 2 minutes and rinse thoroughly.

Bentonite Clay – No, it will not build up in your locs. Just be sure to rinse thoroughly. Bentonite clay pulls chemicals and metals out from our bodies, like a magnet. When applied to locs, bentonite clay pulls dirt, lint and product build-up from our hair. When you apply bentonite clay, be sure your locs are freshly shampooed.

Mix equal parts of the following in a non-metal bowl with a non-metal spoon: (If you use metal, you will activate or de-activate certain properties in the bentonite clay)
· Bentonite clay
· Apple cider vinegar
It is normal for the mixture to sizzle. If you think the mix is too thick for you, use a few drops of lukewarm water. The consistency will be creamy. Place the clay directly on your locs, and leave it there for about 20 to 30 minutes. Rinse your hair thoroughly. The lint will come to the surface and easily be removed.

Tweezers – Use tweezers to perform surgery on your locs. Carefully remove lint from wet locs with the tweezers. (Some prefer using a pin or a straightened paper clip). Make sure you actually have lint to begin with! If the stuff on your locs disappears when wet, you have build-up. If the fuzz remains, it’s lint. Go for the tweezers. Be careful you don’t thin your loc out. If it becomes too weak, you will have to cut or repair the loc(s).

How you can prevent lint from getting trapped in your locs
· Wear a scarf at night, when cleaning or doing other chores that might get your hair into close contact with cling-happy fabrics.

· Use dark-colored towels when drying your locs. Light colored towels can shed lint into your locs.

· Avoid products with petroleum in them, hair butters and creamy conditioners because these substances attract lint and other unwanted residue on your locs.

· Stay away from hats and scarves that shed, like angora or wool.

· Check your locs from time to time for lint. It is easier to remove lint off the surface of your locs, rather than having to remove embedded lint.

Product Junkies- Clutch ya Wallets!!!!!!!!

2011-10-19T11:15:00.009-04:00

Are there products out there you've wanted to try, but you cant bring yourself to pay the high price tag? Do you have "stuff" cluttering up your cabinet? Are you a product junkie, that will try anything-at least once? If so, you need to check out Lolas Green Hair - #1 spot for purchasing or selling gently used hair care products. This INGENIOUS online listing service is a one-stop shop to purchase new, nearly new and gently used hair care products, at a fraction of the cost. There is no haggling or bidding, and details such as shipping costs and how much of the product is left are clearly stated in the description. I saw a jar of Miss Jessie's buttercreme for $4.50 ( 75% of a 2oz jar- THAT'S A DEAL!!!!!)

Here's how it works

Sellers of new, nearly new, or gently used products register on the site, and then list the product, pictures, and the price. You will be notified of potential buyers via email, you then request payment, and ship product(s). Use the social media icons to Tweet, post to Facebook, and use other channels to spread the word about what you’re selling!

Buyers click on ad your interested in, complete the form to contact the seller, and submit payment through Paypal to complete purchase, then await your product(s) to arrive in the mail.

LolasGreenHair.com saves some green, and keeps our environment a bit greener to boot.”Go check it out, you may find some goodies you've wanting to try. Or maybe this is your opportunity to clear out that shelf of products that aren't being used.

Today is my Birthday- I'm Fierce, Fabalous, and FORTY!!!!

2011-10-14T09:15:00.000-04:00

Today I turned the big 4-0- yep- I'm 40 years old today. I must say that I'm proud of who I'am and my accomplishments. As with alot of people life and situations crept in and took me on a different path than the one I had set out for myself. I've been told a hundred times, your path and destiny has been pre determined-EVERYTHING that has happen in my life WAS SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN! ( including having Lupus).

I have 3 beautiful children, a beautiful grandson, husband and family that love me FAULTS AND ALL ( praise and testimony moment). I have a loving mother that blessed me with life and made many sacrifices to bring me to where I'am today.

The days leading up to my birthday I had time to reflect. I've noticed that I've become a "creature if habit". Which is neccessary in some suitations, but not every suitation.

I had several conversations about some of the things I'd dreamt of doing. My homeboy ( Malik) told me " you're never too old to live out your dreams". The only thing or person stopping you from living out your dreams are Y-O-U! I knew that, but hearing that, at that moment hit home. It was my " ah-ha" moment.

Ya'll know I posses alot of talent and sometimes my plate runneth over because I'm always doing something..lol..lol.. After giving it much thought- I realize that I had ALOT of things I wanted to do. Some simple, others more complex. Here is what I came up with, in no particular order of importance:

1. Bring awareness to Lupus
2. Launch my lupus foundation
3. Sponsor a awareness walk for Lupus
4. Make a family recipe book
5. Write more personal letters and create personalized cards
6. Establish a holiday tradition (Thanksgiving, Christmas, 4th of July) with my grandson

7. Learn to crochet
8. Learn a foreign language ( specifically Spanish)
9. Wear more skirts and dresses
10. Take a cruise
11. Take a once in a lifetime trip. (Africa, Italy, Spain, Rome, or Greece)
12. Grow a veggie garden (those who know me will attest that this will be a very big challenge. I have black thumbs).
13. Have 12 hours of good sleep.
14. Read a whole book – one a month for a year.
15. Go to a cooking class with the hubby
16. Eat vegetarian for a week.
17. Tell the people who mean the most to me that I love them more often.
18. Renew my wedding vows in a destination ceremony
19. Find the perfect little black dress
20. Get back to a healthier weight (under 200 lbs) and fitness level (strength building).
21. Wear a bikini – and look fantabulous in it!
22. Have a “true” emergency fund.
23. Declutter and live a simpler lifestyle.

24. Bi-Monthly massages and facials ( more pamper me days)
25. Take my multivitamins every single day without missing (at least for a month).

26. Run (rather, walk/jog) a (5K) marathon
27. Start using coupons more
28. Have a thriving side hustle that will move me towards my goal of financial independence.
29. Go to New York City and be a complete tourist
30. Get a Mac (computer)
31. Take more walks
32. Learn to bake
33. Watch less TV
34. Attend Essence Music Festival
35. Pay off my car(s) ( and don’t buy another one)
36. Sing a karaoke song ( alone)
37. Get a bikini wax
38. Go on a no soda challenge for a month
39. Learn how to calm down
40. Visit a new east coast state
41. Attend a runway fashion show at Fashion Week
42. Try something new at my favorite restaurant
43. Go fishing ( catch, cook, and eat the fish)
44. Go to a concert ( the one and only concert I ever attend was New Edition – I was 13 yrs old)
45. Wardrobe haul ( only keep clothing and shoes that I actually wear)
46. Take a pole dance class
47. Learn how to mediate
48. Do a burlesque photo shoot
49. Trace my family roots ( ancestry)
50. Reconnect with my faith (attend church regularly)

“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”

I considered while writing my list is that each task/goal should be SMART. You've probably heard that acronym before - it stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timed.

Specific is what it is - you must be able to say exactly what you want to do. For instance, with #8, I didn't just say that I want to learn a foreign language; I specifically said that I want to learn Spanish

Measurable means that the goal must be something that can be quantified or tracked. Some of my goals are rather vague - for example #50 - I said that I want to go to church "regularly". What is regularly? That won't mean the same thing to everyone. However, I couldn't go much further with that. I didn't want to say every Sunday or every Wednesday because I don't know when I will go.

If something is attainable, that means that it's possible. All of the things I've listed here are within reach. I may have to work hard to make them happen, but they are all within reach.

Relevancy is subjective. What's relevant to me may not be relevant to you. However, all of my goals are VERY relevant to me.

Timed goals are set into a time box of sorts. All of these goals, I want to achieve by the age of 45. There's my time box.

I am looking at turning 40 as my new lease on life. I'm a little bit older, a whole lot wiser and most definitely, sexier!!! Does this mean that I am officially a "grown-up?" LOL!!!

Life Really Does Begin at 40!

So, what's on your list? How are you holding yourself accountable?

Eat This... For Healthy Hair

2011-10-11T13:13:00.007-04:00

It's one of the maddening ironies of aging: Hair gets thinner where we want it -- on our heads -- and starts sprouting up in places we don't.

Good trimmers and tweezers are all you need for the latter. But for the former? Try these healthy hair foods from Drs. Roizen and Oz (see below) -- they can help make your locks look more like they did in your 20s.

Healthy-Hair Diet

Eat more salmon. Omega-3 rich foods like salmon and sardines help seal in shine. Distilled fish oils or DHA supplements will work, too. Need something new to do with salmon? Try this quick and easy Blackened Salmon Sandwich from EatingWell.

Be a bran lover. Bran is rich in vitamin B, which may slow hair loss and promote hair growth. Other B-rich victuals include beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower, soybeans, nuts, and eggs. Make bran-infused pancakes a snap with this Healthy Pancake Mix.

Say yes to avocados. Avocados and avocado oil may prevent some funky stuff that kills hair follicles -- dihydrotestosterone (DHT) -- from getting where it needs to go. Watch this video for shortcuts on cutting, peeling, and seeding an avocado.

Say no to animal fat -- and red meat -- if you're losing hair. They can lead to more DHT production and hair-follicle damage. Make meat-free gravy for your mashers with this delicious Portobello Gravy recipe.

Stock up on green tea. Brew a strong pot, cool it, then give your head a rinse to help kill off dandruff-causing fungus. Incidentally, if you drink green tea, the caffeine in it may help slow balding, too. Try this simple Green Tea-Fruit Smoothie for breakfast -- another fabulous EatingWell recipe.

Article courtesy of Real Age

Disclaimer: The information included on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.

Loc it up Thursday

2011-10-06T15:10:00.009-04:00

Hairstyles are courtesy of

Twist & Curves
Distinctive Afrocentric Braids, Locs, Twists, & Natural Hair Designs
For The Man/Woman Who Dares to be Different!
Hartford, CT
860-523-4844

Twist & Curves

Hairstyles are courtesy of Twists and Curves
Join them on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/twistandcurves

These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Mz. Sixx or Twist & Curves. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2011 – Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx.

FREE copy of the Hair Growth Survival Guide

2011-10-04T08:21:00.003-04:00

Get your copy of the Hair Growth Survival Guide – The Do’s and Don’ts of Growing Healthy Hair

It can really be a challenge growing your hair especially with all the elements we have to deal with. In the winter you have to deal with the hot, dry indoor air that sometimes makes your hair dry and brittle...

Then there are the hot summer months that dry out your hair, weigh your hair down with the humid air that adds moisture and extra frizz.

Then comes your styling products. Sometimes you don't use the right products that are right for your hair type.

What about your diet? Are you eating the right foods?

Did you know that almonds, raisons and oranges are super foods that can help you grow longer hair? Simply add these simple snack foods to your diet on a regular basis for longer hair. But these aren't the only foods that will help grow your hair.

THERE ARE MORE! ...

If you want to know:
What foods will grow your hair longer
Shampoos you should never use
The food in your diet that could affect your hair growth
Essential ingredients for your hair
The #1 Moisturizer that's all-natural!
... + so much more! You'll be amazed!
This book is completely FREE of charge!

Your free e-book is ready for download. Grab it now!

http://www.curlyhairsalon.com/support-files/hairgrowthsurvivalguide.pdf.

This E-book is courtesy of Curly Hair Salon

[CLOSED]Karite Hair Product Review and GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!

2011-10-03T10:33:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all of you that entereded into the Karite Hair Product give away.The winners were chosen at random on Spetember 29, 2011. The winners of the Nourshing shampoo and reconstructiuve conditioner set are:

1. All Things Cute & Girly
2. Elizabeth @ Different Kinds of Curls
3. Pamela H
4. Amy V
5. Precious @ Precious Curls

Stay tuned for future giveaways and product reviews!

I received the Nourishing Shampoo, Reconstructive Conditioner, & Leave-In Conditioner 8 weeks ago. This review has taken a little time to complete because I typically wash my hair every 6 weeks ( co wash in between ). For this review I used the shampoo to wash my hair 3x's, the conditioner 8 times ( co wash), the leave in multiple times per week. I wanted to be as objective as possible and have a couple of washing before providing my review. I love these products! Immediately after washing my hair ( I did not pre poo like I normally would when using commerical shampoo's), my hair was left soft ( not stripped or dry like it normally feels after using commerical shampoo's). I noticed less frizz (with my wash n go's); my scalp didn't feel tight or itchy( another issue I have when I used commerical shampoo's). The conditioner provided the right amount of slip to make detangling a breeze, and it was easy to coat the strands (a little goes a long way!).

Picture-3 strand Twist Out

The light fragrance was a plus and the conditioner + leave in during my co wash sessions left my curls feeling moisturized, very manageable and bouncy. Using this product when I did 3 strand twist outs left my hair with body and assisted with that "Cotton Candy Hair" look. Read the ingredient label(s) if you are particular about the bad stuff ( silicone's, mineral oil, etc), these products may not be for you. My hair loved the products and i will keep a supply on hand. You can purchase the products at walgreens, walgreens.com, or at nuNATT.com

Disclosure: Complimentary products was provided for this review, however, all opinion(s) expressed are my own. I was not compensated in any other way.

5 lucky followers

Will win a Karite Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner Prize Pack!!!!

1. This giveaway is open until October 1, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST to U.S residents, 18 years old or older.

2. Only ONE comment per follower (comments will appear after I approve them)

3. “follow” this blog (on the sidebar to your right)* or via Network blogs

4. leave a comment on this blog post answering the following question: " What do you love most about being natural?"

5. Include how you’d like to be contacted if you win (leave your e-mail, twitter ID, etc)

Optional
* You will get an extra 2 entries if you are a subscriber of my YouTube channel (leave your username; I will check subscriptions before putting in another entry)

* You will get 2 extra entries if you follow me on Twitter @AuNaturaleDC

For your convenience, here is a guide for an entry: If it’s easier, you may copy/paste this as your comment and fill in the blanks.

1) I'm a resident of the U.S.
2) I followed this blog; I used ____ name to follow
3) What I love most about being natural is?/ I love being natural because_______
4) If I win, please contact me via ____

Optional:
please include 2 extra entries for me b/c I subscribe to your YT channel. My user name on YouTube is ______

Please include 2 extra entries for me b/c I follow you on Twitter. My Twitter name ______

The winner will be picked randomly on October 2, 2011. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!

Click Here to Read the Prize/Giveaway Disclaimer

Chic- Fil- A: Present Daddy Daughter Date Night

2011-09-28T11:58:00.007-04:00

This story comes to us from Hannah Wagner

The 48 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the D.C. Area will host a “Date Night” for fathers and daughters on Monday, Oct. 10 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. During this special evening, fathers and daughters are encouraged to spend time together while they enjoy dinner, great conversation and several special activities.

Seats are filling fast and you must register to enjoy that special evening with your daughter. There are 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 reservations available with 30 or more slots at each time.

To reserve your table, please fill out the registration form here. The event is free to sign up but you must hurry before the seats are gone!

Customers can also visit http://www.daddydaughterdate.com/ to make a reservation. ** Those living in Howard County, Anne Arundel County-MD- click Baltimore tab for your locations)**

Each restaurant will celebrate the evening its own way, with some providing a red carpet arrival, table service, live music, photography and carriage rides.

Every Daddy-Daughter pair will also receive a tray liner with questions and topics to get the conversation started, and a take-home booklet called “Continuing the Conversation” that provides ideas for future dates and questions that both dads and daughters can ask each other.

“One of Chick-fil-A’s goals is to promote community connections and enrich the lives of everyone we come in contact with,” said Bryan Ritter, Chick-fil-A franchise Operator . “We understand the importance of father-daughter relationships and want to encourage dads to take a break from busy schedules, enjoy their daughter’s company over a meal and have fun!”

I AM TROY DAVIS!

2011-09-21T10:03:00.005-04:00

Despite widespread doubt, the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles upheld the decision to execute Troy Davis this Wednesday.Still, Troy has refused to have a "last meal." He has faith his life will be spared.In the past, his tremendous faith has been rewarded. The last time Troy faced execution, in 2008, the warden brought in what was to be his last meal. But Troy refused to eat. Looking the prison staff in their eyes, he explained this meal would not be his last. He was vindicated when he received a last minute stay.

Guards still remember this as a haunting moment, one rooted in Troy's deep faith. Still, there is every sign the state of Georgia intends to execute Troy this time--despite calls for them to stop by everyone from the former head of the FBI, William Sessions, to former US President Jimmy Carter. Troy has prepared himself, and to the extent anyone can, his family, for either outcome. As he has said many times "They can take my body but not my spirit, because I have given my spirit to God."Thus, even as we continue to call on the Board of Pardons and Parole and Savannah District Attorney Larry Chisolm to reconsider, we must be prepared for either outcome too.

Please stand with Troy and his family. Join NAACP activists around the country in an evening of solidarity, prayer, and fasting on Wednesday, September 21st.Ask friends to meet up. Ask your family to fast Wednesday evening in solidarity with Troy's family and use the dinner hour to talk.
Ask your faith community, if they already have a Wednesday night fellowship planned, to make time for conversation about Troy's scheduled execution. However you do it, please mark the 7 o'clock hour on that evening--the time of Troy's scheduled execution--as a moment to reflect on Troy's experience, to offer prayers for his family and that of Officer MacPhail, and to talk about what we can each do to ensure our nation never does this again.

This is a moment to rededicate ourselves to the struggle to end the death penalty and otherwise fix our nation's broken justice system.To honor Troy's courage, and rededicate ourselves to the cause of justice in America, NAACP activists are asked to fast Wednesday evening. While moments like this test the limits of our understanding, we do know the world will remember Troy's name, and the movement against the death penalty will grow. People who thought they supported capital punishment yesterday will realize they cannot today. Because people who thought they could stand on the sidelines will realize they no longer can.

As the scorn of the world grows and the doubts within our nation grow as well, we will increasingly realize this barbarous tradition--practiced by virtually no other western nation--is inconsistent with our self image as a fair and freedom-loving society. should the execution actually occur this time, Troy's life and the fight to save it will not have been in vain - we will move forward with more allies and an even wider consensus about the urgency of our cause. Please join your fellow activists Wednesday for an evening of prayers, fasting, reflection, and recommitment to the struggle for justice.With prayers and determination,Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO, NAACP. Click here to read more about Troy Davis.

This article courtesy of BSN ( Black Star News)

“The struggle for justice doesn’t end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davises who came before me and all the ones who will come after me.

I’m in good spirits and I’m prayerful and at peace.

But I will not stop fighting until I’ve taken my last breath.”

Troy Davis

Mini Me: Natural Hair Model-H Street Festival

2011-09-18T20:33:00.023-04:00

My mini me was a model in the H Street Festival Day held Sat in Washington DC. She was representing Coco Lea Crochet Designs ( Designer, Annette Williams) and Sophizticated Ladyz Hair Salon ( Celebrity Stylist, Charlene Brown 1010 H Street, NE-2nd Level, Washington DC). The H Street Festival is an annual street festival designed to showcase the unique qualities of this vibrant Washington, DC community. The event is a part of the revitalization strategy to bring attention to the developing arts and entertainment district at the eastern end of the H Street NE corridor. This year’s festival includes more than 30 musical and dance performances, an art car exhibit, two live performance stages that are produced by the Rock & Roll Hotel, a fashion show preview of DC Fashion Week, face painting, rock climbing, basketball games, carnival games, free popcorn, cotton candy, and dog tag making, a fully-loaded Hummer display, luxury car displays, free health screenings, crafts, and international foods.

The night before I co wash mini Me's hair with conditioner, coconut milk, and honey. After co washing and moisturizing I completed a "faux hauk" look by using Butter N' Jelly styling aid and applied 3 pony puffs along the center of the head with a 3 strand twist out in the front.

Charlene accented the faux hawk with a braid that wrapped through out the head-still spot lighting the natural hair style.

Milaki Conner applied the makeup ( the lighting wasn't good in these pictures, however the make up was FLAWLESS and age appropriate).

Next up was the show!!!!! Mini Me ROCKED!!!!!! It had begun to rain, the runway was wet. She adjusted, kept the beat when the music changed mid walk, and gave the photographer what they wanted at the end of that runway. She RIPPED THAT RUNWAY!!!!!! I was very proud of her and was gleaming from ear to ear.. She almost made me wanna adorn my stilettos and rock out for old time sake ( lol..lol).

Mini Me met Paul Wharton ( model coach and member of the Dc Housewives Cast). He gave me lots of advice, advised me to keep mini me in the modeling game because she is a natural. He also said he could feel her confidence and she was a natural beauty ( yeah!).

We also had a opportunity to network with April Watts ( a multi-talented performer best known to audiences for her work hosting television and radio programs in the Washington, DC metropolitan market including her current gig on Magic 95.9 (radio) and WHW Rock ( indie talent showcase Produced and Hosted by April Watts)

I didn't get an opportunity to capture additional photos. Along with being the mom-anger I was also assisting behind the scenes. There were some fierce models rippin the runway- BUT Mini Me was the ONLY CHILD/TEEN NATURAL!!!!! I love the fact that despite all the straight hair, weaves, and wigs she didn't feel pressured to "look" like them. She said to me "Mommy, can you do my hair and make it big? " I admire my munchkin for staying true to herself and rocking HER WAY! I love...love...love.. that my mini me looks up to me and I 'm her role model. She is so much like me ( her smile, her personality, her confidence) - everyone that meet her in person always say " she really is a mini you!"

Mini me brought along a friend for moral support ( I ended up putting her to work..lol..lol..). After the show we walked up and down H street looking at all the vendors, and the food that was available for purchase. Despite the rain and the cool weather it was a great day!!!!

S/N: With the festival being held in DC I was expecting to hear Go-Go the entire day-that wasn't the case- there was a DJ there ROCKING HOUSE ( my 1st love).. WHEW it was giving me FEVER!!!!! Almost made me think I was 21 again partying at Nell's.

Disclaimer: These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Mz. Sixx. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2011 – Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx.

I've been blogged-check out my feature

2011-09-15T09:18:00.007-04:00

I'm excited to announce that I'm the featured natural on Curly Nu Growth's Blog. today. Below is a sneak peak at the interview.

How long have you been natural/ transitioning?

I have been natural off and on for 15 years. I’ve rocked everything from a bald head to locs, to loose natural hair.

What or who inspired you to go natural?

I was going through a bad breakup with my ex. I had shoulder length relaxed hair and I had a waiting to exhale moment in the salon. Instead of getting a ”touch up” i opted for the jada pinkett cut ( natural) and dyed my hair honey blond. It was a hairstyle to me (at that time), people were amazed that I would cut my hair that short. I needed to be reborn, a new look, a new attitude, and a new ”me”. I must admit that when I originally got that cut, I felt a little sassy or spicy! I was so confident and my twa was CUTE!

What advice would you give to someone considering going natural?
Research, and understand that you have styling options. You don't have to big chop, and you’re not limited to the ”afro”. Natural is confidence, its sexy, its empowering!

What products are you currently using in your hair?

I use products from my product line (Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx), water, and aloe vera gel. I’m very picky and snobby as to what I will allow to touch my hair. The only time I indulge in commercial products are when I’m conducting a product review for my blog. Otherwise, its my products or items available to me from my kitchen. Click Here to finish reading the article...
Thank you Curly Nu Growth for featuring me, I enjoyed doing the feature and I enjoy your blog.

Click Here to subscribe to Curly Nu Growth's Blog.

Milk of Magnesia As A Face Primer... It Works!!

2011-09-08T09:29:00.003-04:00

Countless people struggle with the inconvenience of oily skin on an everyday basis. Makeup is nearly impossible to apply and maintain for any desired length of time, expensive cleansers and exfoliators are often required to eliminate extra oil, and embarrassing pimples and other skin complications regularly crop up without warning.

With all this being said, there don't seem to be any benefits for those with this skin type. However, one little known advantage is the fact there are homemade remedies and economical solutions many people have not even thought to discover. While many oil-prone folks are blowing their bank account on infomercial products and prescription-required ointments, the best solution of all may be found at your local grocery or drug store.

Use Milk of Magnesia to treat oily skin by first washing your skin as usual. Pat your skin completely dry. Always use care and be gentle when you wash your face. It's not necessary to scrub hard, even if your skin is extra-oily. Scrubbing too hard can damage sensitive facial skin.

Apply Milk of Magnesia to your face, nose and forehead by using a cotton ball. Saturate the cotton ball with the Milk of Magnesia and dab it lightly onto your skin. Cover all oily areas well. It's best to treat oily skin with Milk of Magnesia immediately after washing your face. Allow the Milk of Magnesia to dry completely on your skin.

Put your make-up on directly on top of the Milk of Magnesia once it has completely dried. It makes a great foundation for make-up. The dried Milk of Magnesia forms a base that causes make-up products to stick to your skin. It causes your make-up to last much longer on your skin.

Click Here To Read more: How to Treat Oily Skin With Milk of Magnesia

Below is a youtube video that "show" how to apply the MOM as a face primer

Its official-verified and STAMPED- IT WORKS!!!!!!!

I'm a member of the grease gang..lol..lol.. My skin is super oily and shine ALL DAY. I've been searching long and hard for something that would eliminate my grease. I've tried the MOM application a couple of times, and still got shine except for yesterday ( I wasnt applying enough).....

Yesterday I did the following:

start with a clean face

applied my toner ( rose water) with a cotton ball, pat dry

pour a quarter size amount of the MOM into your hands

"blot" it all over your face

rub it all in- all over the face

allow it to dry ( 1-2 minutes)

you may see chalky/white residue ( which was fine for me)

complete your makeup application ( foundation, concealer, eyeshadow, etc)

finish with powder ( I used a translucent powder)

It was great not having to blot or powder my face multiple times through the day. When I came home, I was still oil and shine free. This will remain a staple!!!!!!!

Note:

I poured the MOM into a squeeze/squirt bottle ( to control the pour)

I poured the MOM directly in the palm of my hands ( other use cotton or sponges)

Disclaimer: These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Mz. Sixx. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2011 – Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx.

Mini Me Updo for Picture Day

2011-09-07T10:31:00.012-04:00

Today is school picture day for mini me.. She has in 2 week old twist (she's been swimming in these twist over the holiday weekend-hense the fuzzies).

She styled her hair herself by applying a lil shea butter creme, leave in conditioner, a few dabs of aloe vera gel on her egdes,and a couple of bobby pins. She grabbed a few sections, twisted them to one side-secured with a boby pin, and fluffed the lose twist.

Yesterday it rain cats and dogs.. Her friends were running because some of them had just gotten a relaxer.. She was " strolling" along and loaned her hooded jacket to a friend. the friend said: " You don't need it? " Her response: " Naw, I'm natural.. my hair loves the rain" Get it mini me!!!!!

These images may not be reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without the written permission of Mz. Sixx. Use of any image as the basis for another photographic concept or illustration (digital, artist rendering or alike) is a violation of the United States and International Copyright laws. All images are copyrighted © 2011 – Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx.

Mini Me First Day of School -2011

2011-08-31T09:41:00.012-04:00

Wow, where did the summer go? School finally re opened for mini me after Hurricane Irene. Every year since she entered kindergarten, I always took mini me to school on the first day. We would go to Starbucks, have our coffee beverage and a pastry and talk about the importance on staying true to yourself and not getting mixed in with the wrong crowd-aka- Mean Girls. I was super excited about our yearly tradition *squeals*, mini me had alternate plans {insert gas face}. She politely informed me that she was riding the bus on the 1st day { gasp}! The Bus!!!! what about our Starbucks date? What about tradition? Her response- we can do it tomorrow-followed by ' Moooooooom- I want to go with my friends on the bus" {insert face crack}.

She is a few months away from officially becoming a "teenager" she is ready to say "I'm 13". Is this what I had to look forward too- my mini me dissing me to hang with her friends {sad face}. I tried to act like my feeling wasn't hurt, and I managed to capture a few pic's.

She is coming into her own style and has discovered MAKEUP! {screech}. Now she is asking for her own make up and brushes, double ear piercings, and teenager earrings ( the larger style hoops- I told her only teenagers and adults wear them- well she is banking on a pair for her 13th b'day)

whew, she is JUST LIKE ME- and I'M NOT READY!!!!!!! I wish I could turn back the hands of time- when she was 5 or 6 years old and she pranced around in my heels, my jewelry, and tried her best at imitating me. NOW she wants to WEAR my heels, and jewelry to school!!!!!{ locks the drawer on everything!}. I think she is trying to give me a run for my money on her perfected model walk {she has a show coming up September 17th} she can rip that runway- Just Like Her Mama {lol...lol..}

Natural Hair Looks

Mini Me Hair- Mini Twist - sides pulled up, "hump" in the front

Mz. Sixx- 2 french braids in the front, 3 strand twist-out in the back ( 3rd day hair)

The Winner is: KANDY LAND KURLS!!!!!!!!!

2011-08-30T10:31:00.003-04:00

Congratulations Kandy, I will contact you wo obtain the mailing address for the Twisted Sista Products. Please provide a review of the products and attach a few pictures :)

Thank you to all the participants, and Twisted Sista...
Stay tuned for the next giveaway!!!!!!!!!!

Diary of a Hair Princess: Your Little Princess!

2011-08-24T13:53:00.000-04:00

My mini me was featured in Diary of a Hair Princess: Your Little Princess! blog.. Check it out and comment...

Twisted Sista Hair Product GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!! CLOSED

2011-08-22T10:00:00.006-04:00

Twisted Sista from Urban Therapy is a new hair care line for girl’s on-the-go! If you want amazing locks, without the hassle of spending hours primping — these products are for you. De-Frizz shampoo, De-Frizz conditioner, and curl activator are just a few items from the line and the best part is that each product is under $5!

What are the products?

Different Strokes Serum – For tough tangles and overall smoothing, this serum eliminates frizz and adds shine to define curls and keep straight hair touchable and smooth with a boost of antioxidant support.

Relaxing Straightening Crème – Blow dryers or straightening irons can fry hair! Protect and moisturize your strands from thermal damage with this pre-styling cream, which adds control and relaxes hair while it moisturizes and straightens.

Curl Activator – Add volume, bounce and curl definition with this rich cream moisturizer. An added bonus – it adds UV protection while it activates curls and eliminates frizz.

30 Second Curls Spray – Keep in your bag to refresh hair throughout the day – it’ll only take 30 seconds! Made with vitamin E and naturally derived emollients, this spray boosts curl definition in virtually no time.

De-Frizz Shampoo – For thirsty hair, this shampoo features ingredients derived from coconut oil and fruit sugar to gently cleanse, boost moisture, reduce breakage and frizz, and improve manageability and resilience.

De-Frizz Conditioner – Made with hair-strengthening panthenol to nourish and strengthen, this conditioner also features UV filters to protect hair from harmful rays. The formula helps give body to damaged hair while it moisturizes and improves shine.

The wonderful reps at Urban Therapy have partnered with me to offer

one (1) lucky follower an opportunity to try 3 of their products.

See below for giveaway entry rules...

Prize(s)

(1) Twisted Sista Curl Activator (3.38 fl.oz)

(1) Twisted Sista Blow Drying Creme (3.38fl.oz)

(1) Twisted Sista Different Strokes Serum (1.01)

**GIVEAWAY RULES**

(must follow all rules or entry will be void)

1. Resident of the U.S.

2. Only ONE comment per follower (comments will appear after I approve them)

3. “follow” this blog (on the sidebar to your right)*

4. leave a comment on this blog post stating why you’d like to win this contest

5. Include how you’d like to be contacted if you win (leave your e-mail, twitter ID, etc)

* You will get an extra 2 entries if you are a subscriber of my YouTube channel (leave your username; I will check subscriptions before putting in another entry)

For your convenience, here is a guide for an entry:If it’s easier, you may copy/paste this as your comment and fill in the blanks.

1) I'm a resident of the U.S.

2) I followed this blog; I used ____ name to follow

3) I’d like to win because ____ / The product I want the most from this giveaway is

4) If I win, please contact me via ____

Optional: please include 2 extra entries for me b/c I subscribe to your YT channel. My user name on YouTube is ______

The winner will be picked randomly on August 29, 2011. Good Luck!!!!!!!!!

Natural Hairlista: Meet Kristi

2011-08-16T09:04:00.000-04:00

What's your name and where are you from? Kristi ( EnjoyingTheJourneys), I’m from Fayetteville, NC but live in Maryland

What is your hair type? 4a/4b

Have you always been natural? No, If not, what inspired you to go natural? In the summer of 2008,after years of wasting money on expensive relaxers and noticing how incredibly thin my hair was looking, I decided to go natural. I cut off all of my chemically treated hair and rocked a tiny afro. Around the same time, my youngest daughter who didn’t grow a head full of hair until around her 2nd birthday had really soft fine hair, I didn’t want to relax it, and so it was all the more reason for me to learn how to
take care of our natural hair.

Did you transition? If so, for how long? 4 months.

How do you detangle your hair? I detangle my hair using cheapie conditioners like Suave or V05, I completely saturate it and part it in sections ( 4), then split those in half. I use my fingers to grab any shed hairs and pull those gently out. I follow that with a wide tooth comb. After the wide tooth comb glides through my hair. I go over it again with my denman brush.

What styles do you love to wear the most and why? I love braid outs and twist outs.

How do you go about achieving this style? I usually braid my hair up after its been washed and conditioned. When I go out, I let them out and have nice fluffy hair.

List the products that you use and how you use them. What is your current hair regimen? Share what works for you! I use Giovanni triple treat shampoo, kinky curly knot today as a leave in, and other products like shea butter, or shea moisture line of products for styling.

What do you love most about being natural? I love that my hair is healthy. I love that it is versatile. I can rock so many styles and looks.

Do you have any advice for other naturals? Have Patience with the process!! And embrace YOUR hair. Not everyone will have the same texture but all natural hair is beautiful.

Where on the web can we find more about you and your styles?
Blog: EnjoyingTheJourneys.com

Youtube: Youtube.com/EnjoyingTheJourneys

My Name is Mz. Sixx and I have Lupus

2011-08-12T10:02:00.012-04:00

Where do I start…

My Name is Mz. Sixx and I have Lupus

that was very hard for me to say :(

Face Fully Made Up w/ Dermablend

Some of you are familiar with my skin troubles that I’d been experiencing for over a year. I would try different things, some worked for a while, and some never worked at all. Growing more and more frustrated and embarrassed by my skin, I went to get my prescription re filled for a facial cream my dermatologist had prescribed to me. Hoping that would be my saving grace.

Partial Makeup

As I began any normal day, I went to CVS hoping to come out with a tube of some magical cream that would clear up my adult acne (the diagnose I’d previously been given). The pharmacist informed me that my prescription required authorization. When he called to get authorization- the dr. instructed him not to fill it and have me come in his office. I thought to my self- “great, he gonna give me the sho nuff good stuff to clear this up”. I made an appointment to see the doctor the next day- never mentioning it to my husband or friends- I wasn’t the least bit concerned. I went to work late so that I could see the doctor and drop my prescription off as soon as possible.

The doctor enter the room and starred straight at my nose [insert gas face right here].

Naked Face- No Makeup- Its hard to see in the pics, but I also have a red bumpy rash

As soon as I noticed the way he was looking at me, I got scared. He began to “drill” me about what been happening to my face. He then said that my face had gotten worse since my last visit and he was concerned. CONCERNED- did he just say he was CONCERNED??? - I obviously knew my face had gotten worse- what started out as one dark spot on my forehead was now covering my nose and had spread to my checks. He did a biopsy on my nose area and took blood. I’m really anxious and nervous at this point. I’d only known people to need a biopsy when they thought they had cancer. That “c” word scares me to no end. I silently cried many days and nights, anxiously awaiting the results. The nurse called me and asked that I come to the office as soon as possible. My first word was “WHY” what’s the problem?? She wouldn’t say. She only would say that we need to discuss treatment with you- TREATMENT??? TREATMENT FOR WHAT??? Now, I’m shouting and crying at the same time. She still wouldn’t reveal anything to me and advised that I come to the office as soon as possible. I'm sure anyone else would have ran to the office, I didn’t. I did not want to hear that I had cancer. Nope, I was convincing myself and saying Hail Mary as many times as I could over the course of two days. The doctor called me wanting to know why hadn’t I come to the office and when was I coming. (Sigh), I was being a real bitch- I just out right said. LOOK, I'M NOT PAYING YOU A CO PAYMENT FOR YOU TO TELL ME I HAVE CANCER- YOU CAN TELL ME THAT OVER THE PHONE! He said “who told you, you have cancer”? You don’t have cancer- but I need you to come in the office. I’m sure he said more, but I blanked out of the conversation when he said I didn’t have cancer. So I took my lunch break and went by the office. I was calm, cool, and collected- because I thought I had just dodged a death sentence. As soon as he walked in, I began to apologize for being such a baby and bitch at the same time. He accepted my apology, and sat down, and asked me if I was familiar with Lupus. Lupus?? Ummm……..Not really- why, I asked. He hands me a bunch of pamphlets and goes on to explain to me that I have Lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder that can affect virtually any organ of the body. In lupus, the body's immune system, which normally functions to protect against foreign invaders, becomes hyperactive, forming antibodies that attack normal tissues and organs, including the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, heart, lungs, and blood. Lupus is characterized by periods of illness, called flares, and periods of wellness, or remission. I have Discoid lupus erythematosus, which mainly affects the skin. The symptoms of this form of lupus include a rash on the face, scalp, or elsewhere. The rash may last for days or years, and can recur.

I said okkkkkkkkkk, so what I gotta do to get rid of it? He then said, he can treat the symptoms (from flare ups) but there is no cure. WAIT- STOP THE DAMN PRESS- DID YOU SAY NO CURE?? I rose up outta that chair and honestly I was MAD- the kind of mad, where you’re ready to fight. I’m not sure if I was mad at the doctor, myself, or the world, but I was furious, and I felt betrayed! (I know it doesn’t make sense-but that’s how I felt). After 20 minutes of asking multiple questions and answering questions, and FINALLY having a reason for the shortness of breath, the hot flashes, sweating, headaches, fatigue, anemia, gastrointestinal problems, weight gain/lose, insomnia, bouts with depression, and the skin rashes- it was making sense now.

I went home and instantly went to the internet so that I could educate myself on Lupus- 2 days later my brain was fried and I was full of questions. I slowly began to tell my family- starting with my husband, my kids, and my siblings. My niece who is a RN, said to me” I knew it, I was waiting on you to say something”. My sister said, she knew something was wrong because of my skin, but nonetheless I was going to be ok.

I’m a fighter and I don’t quit. I've been debating whether or not I should tell anyone. Honestly- I was embarrassed. I no longer feel embarrassed or ashamed. I HAVE LUPUS DAMNIT! It's not the scarlet letter, and I will not allow it to take over my life! I’m surrounding myself with other people who are living with Lupus, and educating myself as much as I can on the disease.

My blog will now included my battles and victories as Lupus is now a part of life. I’m not going anywhere ya’ll and I’m determined to whip Lupus A$$

Disclaimer: NONE OF YA’LL BETTER NOT START TREATING ME LIKE I'M SICK, OR WE WILL BE BEEFING!!!!!! Love ya much!!!!!

Bun Lovin

2011-08-11T09:25:00.010-04:00

I challenged myself with a 30 protective style. My protective style of choice was mini twist.

After a week or two I was getting "bored". I started watching checking You Tube vid's and came across an interesting tutorial on how to make a sock bun. This was my mother's go to style. She wore her hair in a bun everyday for as long as I could remember.

I made my sock bun, then was anxious to rock it! I'd lusting on this naturalista's bun I met at the reggae wine festival- I decided to try my hand at recreating her look

Another view of the bun

This was me bun lovin at the beach

Overall, I loved rocking the bun. It was quick, easy, and keep me on target with my challenge.

Some Naturals prefer "wet bunning"

Wet bunning is great for protecting the length of your hair and for obtaining your dream ends. However, if done incorrectly it can damage your hair.The most important thing to remember when wet bunning is to listen to your hair! If your hair hates wet bunning, then do not do it! If your hair is breaking, try a protein treatment and if it persist, stop wet bunning, etc.

Again, Just listen to your hair

Here are basic tips on Wet Bunning

1. Keep your hair clean!: You are wetting and putting product on your hair and inevitably your scalp every day. Shampoo or ACV rinse to attack product build up. Make sure your hair and scalp is moisturized with natural products before putting it in a bun.

2. Do not use a rubber band to hold your hair. The elastic can break your hair. Go for the Goody ouchless no metal elastic hair ties, Goody Simple Style Spiral Bun Pin , Goody Simple Styles Hair Pin, or Goody Spin Pins. For added protection, Soak hair bands in natural oil once a week: This prevents hair from coming out where the band holds your hair every day.

3. Reposition the bun frequently: This prevents thinning in the area where the bun is formed. If you frequently switch it up between high, medium, and low buns, then this should not be a problem. If you see breakage, just stop. Your hair has feelings, and may not like it.

4. Give your hair line a break: Too much of anything is not good. If you plan to wet bun for a long time. Try taking it down once in a while and just braid while at home or asleep at night.

5. Keep your hair detangled: I comb my hair daily while wet to smooth before bunning. This also keeps it from getting ratty, matted and drawn up. You can use your fingers to do this as well. DO NOT USE a shower detangling comb unless your hair is wet because they will more than likely rip your hair out when dry. If you are co-washing then finger detangle in the shower.

I may start a 30 day (wet)bunning challenge- whose in with me???

Product Review - Carols Daughter Tui Hair Smoothie

2011-08-10T10:31:00.005-04:00

Manufacturer: Carols Daughter

Type: Tui Hair Smoothie

Size: 8fl.oz

Price: $18.00-$20.00

Rating: 1 out of 5

Attributes: ( from Carols Daughter.com)

Detangles, moisturizes and protects your hair
Tames and detangles
Is rich in fatty acids and creamy butters for intense conditioning
Has Nutrient-rich oils of Olive fruit and and Sunflower Seeds to boost shine.
Has Shea and Cocoa Butters to provide moisture and help protect hair from dryness and brittleness.
Has Rapa Seed Oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids, Omega-6 and Omega-3
Has a fragrance cocktail of Guava, Mango and Passion Fruit
PLUS, it has NO Parabens, Petroleum, Mineral Oil or artificial color

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Amodimethicone, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Mauritia Flexuosa (Buriti) Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium Bourbon) Flower Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Aspartic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Polyquaternium-37, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, PEG-40 Castor Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum)

The Good: (scent) the scent was very "tropical" and lured me in to proceed. Outside of the scent and the fact that I received this product FREE at a product swap my "good" was limited.

The Bad: (consistency) the smoothie was very thin and runny. I could pour it out of the jar. I think the packaging could be better. A product that thin should be in a squeeze tub, not a jar (IMO). I didn't see any "results" but I didn't see any reverse behavior with my hair either ( dryness, brittle, or limp hair that other reviewers have complained about.)

The Ugly: (price) $20.00- TWENTY AMERICAN DOLLARS?? RI-DAM-DICLIOUS!!!- nuff said!!!!

Overall: The only CD product I'd ever tried was the Loc Butter and Marguerites Magic. I was happy with the loc butter ( click her for that review), the Maragruite Magic was so-so ( I purchased that for my daughter when she was relaxed). I was happy to be able try another CD product with out emptying my purse. Thank God for product swaps!!!!!! This product was a huge disappointment- so much so that I wanted to give it back to the person that gave it to me at the product swap ( I will be swapping this at the next meet up- T-R-U-S-T). Had I purchased this product- it would have been returned for a full refund. Maybe if CD market it differently, repackage the product, re price the product- it would do better ( well, I guess- that would make it a "new" product" :o). This one needs to go back into the test kitchen. **Note** I make me own hair smoothie with (1) jar of stage 2 banana baby food (.49), raw honey ($3.99) cream of coconut (milk)(1.99), avocado (.79) ( put it all in a blender, mix well, apply to hair, leave on .30 minutes with a heat cap for deep conditioning treatment)- Similar CONSISTENCY as the CD product, and my hair is left feeling soft, moisturized, and shiny for a fraction of the cost!

Have you tried Carol's Daughter's Tui Hair Smoothie? What did you think?

DMV Natural Hair Meetup- Recap

2011-08-09T12:38:00.001-04:00

Last Saturday I co hosted and attended my 1st natural hair meetup with my sista Kee-Kee All Natural at Jaspers in Largo, MD. I had been wanting to attend a meetup for a while and when I saw her posting about the meetup she was working on- I contacted her and got on board! I wasn't sure what to expect, what was suppose to happen, or what we would "talk" about for 3 hours, but I did know that I was extremely excited.!

When we initially advertivtised the meetup- the RSVP's filled up in a few hours!!!! Alot of my Facebook and Twitter friends had their curls in a knot because all the RSVP's were taken. We established a waiting list advertising that as space became available we would open up additional RSVP's.

Days leading up to the event were stressful for me ( not really, but thats how I operate..lol..lol...). I really wanted all to have a GREAT time. Between working my full time job, family, and mixing products - THIS DIVA WAS TIRED.COM. The night before my daughter and I sorted the product samples from our sponsors and put together the gift bags.

Our sponsors

African Pride
www.african-pride.com

Au’Naturale by Mz. Sixx
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AuNaturalebymzsixx

Bo Beam
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Laquita33

Kee-Kee All Natural * certified natural stylist/braider *
Mobile: 202-315-8479
Email: ChiChiSophistication@comcast.net

Oyin Handmade
http://www.onyinhandmade.com/

Tailored For Naturals
www.tailoredfornaturals.com

Tropical Traditions
www.tropicaltraditions.com

Twisted Sista
www.twistedsista.com

Asaze Natural Hair Salon

Pooka Pure and Simple
www.pookapureandsimple.com

Madam Walker Braidery & School
Mobile: 301-505-5313

Imani Joy Naturals
www.IJNaturalHair.com

Defined Physique-Personal Training Studio
http://www.definedphysique.com/

I arrived at out venue 2 hours early!!!! lol..lol. I wanted to ensure that we had all the requested accommodations and set everything up. Beleive it or not I have a fear of public speaking, so I needed a cocktail of some sort just to introduce myself. Shortly after I arrived- the sky fell wide open and it rained cats and dogs!!!!!!

The control freak that I'am, I created little booklets that would serve as an agenda along as a "keepsake". We'll you know the ONLY thing(s) we did on the agenda was the welcome and introduction..lol..lol.. ( my "strutruced agenda quickly went out the window). lol..lol..

Once we all ordered food and had a couple of cocktails- we chatted about everything from natural hair, to grand children to cupcakes, and mishaps on the metro ( kee-kee- I will never forget that story :) Before I knew it, we were product swapping, drawing numbers for door prizes and give aways, and having some good "curl friends" conversations, sharing tips, and tricks, laughing up a storm!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

I made some new friends, chatted up with some old friends, and over all had a GRAND TIME!!!!!! Much love to all that attended, and Kee-Kee thank you so much for allowing me to be part of such a magnificent event.

Fall Fro Fashion Week 2011

2011-08-08T14:33:00.003-04:00

For more information click here

Product Review: Taliah Waajid Curly Curl Cream

2011-08-05T11:31:00.011-04:00

Manufacturer: Taliah Waajid

Type: Curly Curl Cream

Size: 6 fl.oz

Price: $4.99-$5.99

Rating: 5 out of 5

Attributes: For Curly, Kinky, Wavy and Coily hair textures.

Curly Curl Cream: Non-greasy herbal hair cream that revitalizes curls and eliminates frizz. Conditions and nourishes hair while adding shine and moisturise. Holds hair and styles in place. Easily shampoos out with no build up.

Ingredients: Deionized water (agua), Peg-75 Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii), Sage extract, DMDM Hydantoin, Vegetable Glycerin, Burdoc Protein, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexyl, Trideceth-6 Fragrance (parfum)

The Good: (1) Price- I paid $4.99 which was easy on the pockets, especially since my product junkism had kicked in and it was a spure of the moment purchase. (2)consistency- for my daughters hair (hair type 4b/4c), I prefer the "thicker" creamy/pudding consistency type of products, and this product fits the bill. (3) Scent- this product is lightly fragrant and mixes well with other products (leave-in, finishing product, etc).

The Bad: (1) Size I wish this product came in a larger quantity (8oz - 16oz).

Overall: (1) This product did exactly what it said it would do. I used the curly cream to do 2 strand twist on my daughter's hair. Immediately upon application her curls started to form and the ends of her hair was very curly. A little product goes a long way (don't use too much or you will have "white" spots, but don't worry-it was disappear as the hair dry). Her hair consistently felt moist and soft throughout the twisting process. I twisted the back of her hair at night and finished the front of her head the following morning. In the morning the twist that was already in place were very soft and moisturized.

This style lasted through 5 days of swimming at the beach, 4 x's at the pool, and 100+ degree weather. After rinsing the twist in the shower, I re applied a small amount of curl cream, for added moisture and curl maintenance, her twist immediately came back to life. This product is a HIT!!!

Whats your experience with Curly Curl Cream: Hit or Diss??

My Method of Co- Washing My Hair

2011-07-19T09:20:00.001-04:00

I'm often been asked how do I "wash"my hair? When I tell people I wash my hair with conditioner I oftentimes get a "confused" look. So below I've outlined my routine. There is no WRONG or RIGHT way to this method.

First, find a conditioner that works for your hair type. I'm a 3B/3C. My co-wash mix consist of Hello Hydration conditioner, mixed with VO5 Moisture Milk ( Strawberries and Creme), with Alma oil, Grapeseed oil, or Evoo Oil added. You can use conditioner right out the bottle- I'm a mixologist- so I mix EVERYTHING!

Get to know your ingredients. The long, hard-to-pronounce ingredients on the label can be overwhelming. But with familiarity, you can learn to spot which ingredients you want to keep and which you want to avoid. Ingredients like propylene glycol, cetyl alcohol and panthenol are common. Search online for ingredients lists. One such list can be found at http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/ingredients.html.

Recommended: Alot of naturals co-wash in the shower- I do not. If you choose to co-wash in the shower, purchase an extended shower head/hose. I co-wash my hair in the sink- I don't like the feel of wet hair on my shoulders or back-again this is preference

Rinse the hair with warm water. Avoid water that is too hot (if it initially stings your back, it's too hot). Cleansing results from the action of water plus cleanser (shampoo and/or conditioner) and agitation (hand movements through the hair). Warm water will clean hair well while hot water can be damaging. While rinsing with water, gently comb your hair with your fingers.

Apply your conditioner. This can be done in several ways.

(1) I pour my conditioner mix into a bottle with an applicator tip ( similar to the type of bottle hair dye comes in), I finger part my hair and apply the conditioner ( because of the applicator tip- it come out in a "line" formation". Work the condition from root to the tips, continue until all the hair is covered.

(2) Pour conditioner mix into a large clean spray bottle and mix with water (optional: add a little coconut milk). Shake well and spray liberally onto the hair. This mixture will be more dilute than a direct application. I use this method when I need to mist my hair or to re freshen twist outs/braids outs.

Rinse your hair well, with warm water. Ease your fingers through each section while the water flows through to remove any remaining conditioner. I do not rinse all the conditioner out- this step is optional

Optional: Apply product and comb your hair with a wide-tooth comb with rounded-edge teeth (detangling comb). This step is optional, I only comb my hair once a week during my weekly detangling session. Comb from the TIPS first, ensuring there are no snags then work your way to the roots. I don't always add product- depending on how much conditioner is left on my hair- this step varies for me.

It's time to dry. Just as with the application, there are several ways to dry your hair.

(1) Dry with a t-shirt, simply dab and pat your hair dry, or grab sections and squeeze excess water into the t-shirt. I t-shirt dry in the colder months

(2) Shake and go. Lay your t-shirt across the back of your shoulders (lengthwise shoulder to shoulder). Grab the bottom corners of the t-shirt and raise it up to your head, almost over your head. Think of Batman's cape raised up as he jumps off a tall building! With the shirt raised, shake your head from side to side (ear to shoulder) and left to right (like saying no), shaking excess water into the towel. This is called the "no touch" method. For me- the less I manipulate my hair- the more my curls pop. You also want to avoid the frizzes. I shake and go in the warmer months

For me, co washing my hair is the way to go! I rarely apply commercial shampoo to my hair. Shampooing is too harsh and it strips my hair of much needed oils and moisture. In place of shampooing I do the ACV rinse ( click here for recipe) & Baking Soda Rinse. If you co- wash- share your method? What conditioners do you use?

Naturalistas & The 2011 Reggae Wine Festival

2011-07-18T12:14:00.012-04:00

This pass Saturday I toured, tasted an assortment of fruit & speciality wines, and had a picnic at Maryland's oldest winery, Berrywine Plantations/Linganore Winecellars at the 2011 Reggae Wine Festival. My social club-Majestic Divas (http://www.majesticdivas.org/ ) sponsored a bus. We picked up passengers in Greenbelt MD & Baltimore, MD. For the ride we enjoyed a continental breakfast and mimosa's. It was truly a day of fellowship, fun, and relaxation. I highly recommend for your safety that anyone that attend the wine festival in the future, have a designated driver or ride one of the excursion motor coaches from a city near you. There is unlimited wine tasting and bottles of wine available for purchase. You can EASILY drink past your *limit*.

What a perfect way to spend a Saturday- listening and dancing to hot Caribbean sounds while enjoying friends and family under the sun. There were 2 great Reggae Bands (Image Band & Stryker Band) that provided us with live entertainment. The Image Band (from Washington, DC) was my favorite (http://www.imageband.com/).

They are one of the largest and best Soca and Reggae bands in the Caribbean community in the DC area. By the time Image Band took to the stage-everyone was in P-A-R-T-Y mode. The guys had taken off there shirts, ladies had their shoes off, and hips were winding everywhere!!!!! I ran into friends, co workers, and folks I'd met at the year previous at the wine festival. It was a very relaxing day, and I enjoyed having a "girls day" with my mini me. Mini Me ran into a few classmates, her 2nd grade teacher and her 6th grade teacher.

As we were sipping wine, munching on the delicious food from our picnic baskets, we came across a caucasian lady that was going from tent to tent with her chair asking to take pictures so that she could send them to her friends in Colorado ( and rub it in about how many friends she had made). She was a sweetie-she worked the entire section and EVERYONE took pictures with her!!!!! It was truly a testament that diversity is is amazing and WE CAN ALL GET ALONG!

I ran into a vendor selling natural hair and skin products. The body cream wash was DIVINE- her products can be found locally at Browns market (Forestville, MD) or online at: http://www.zuresh.com/ . In addition to hair and skin care products she also has jewelry and organic cosmetics. Those items can be purchased at http://www.zureshface.com/

There weren't as many vendors this year as years past. One of my favorite vendors was the almond man, Jimmy. He has the best cinnamon roasted almonds ever. You get them hot out of the mixture. Jimmy also has pecan as well.

The art was beautiful. I've recently gotten "into" art and I'm looking to treat myself to an original painting in the near future. Below is a pic of one of my favorite pieces at the festival.

After chilling under my tent, sipping on the many flavors of red wine, white wine, sweet wine, and dry wine, and ate a few snacks-I decided to walk around and snap a few pictures of the naturals that was there. There were some BEAUTIFUL heads of natural hair of all textures, hues, and styles gracing the winery. I must admit I was very intimidated to walk up to strangers and ask them if I could snap a picture- I was shot down a few times, but most obliged. Fam, I've never seen so much beauty in one place!!!!! My daughter was amazed at how many ladies was rocking natural hair. This was her first experience being surround by so many naturalistas- I felt like I was one among a sea of queens.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

You’ve not attended a wine festival until you attend a Linganore Reggae Wine Festival. This event is one of the BIGGEST of the summer (in addition to Wine in the Woods ( Columbia, MD), and the Caribbean Wine Festival-another festival held annually at Linganore) which drew +15,000 people of from all races, genders and cultures.

I hope to see ya'll at the next festival October 15-16. I will be there celebrating my 40th birthday. For additional information on Linganore Wine Cellers Festival schedule Click Here

All Twisted Up

2011-07-14T10:03:00.004-04:00

Style: Two Strand Twist (Protective Style)

Complete: 2 Hours

Products Used: Grape seed Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, Lemon Souffle ( product of Au'Naturale)

Tools Used: Rat tail comb, duck clips, my fingers

Reason for style: Protective Style for the month of July

How To Achieve style:

Wash and condition hair-allow hair to "air dry" 25%-50%(this step is optional, but it aid with reducing shrinkage)

Take rat tail comb to separate & part hair-Use duck clips to hold sections into place

Section hair into 1 inch (or smaller sections) and twist hair ( apply styling product, & aloe vera gel onto each twist)

Continue this process throughout the remainder of the head

Apply natural oil of choice to the twisted strands & scalp as needed

Finger style, pin up, or pull twists into a ponytail or bun

At night- cover hair with a satin bonnet and/or sleep on a satin pillow case

Check out Kristi's You Tube Video for styling twist- and subscribe to her

you tube channel Enjoying The Journey's Thank Kristi for twist styling options

My Natural Hair Montage

2011-07-12T10:26:00.003-04:00

This is my very first You Tube video.. Take a look at my pictorial of my hair journey-enjoy :)

Wake up your natural with accessories

2011-07-11T09:08:00.005-04:00

I love ...love...love.. hair accessories! I get bored very easily and to keep from doing drastic things to my hair ( such as cut it, shave it, or color it)I normally accessorize. My flower has become my signature look- the bigger the better, the bolder- brighter- the saucier I feel ( lol..lol..)

I typically find pocket friendly accessories at stores such as Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, Craigslist, ETSY.COM, thrift stores, consignment shops, and flea markets. My accessories normally range from .50 -$6 unique items and multi purposed items are my fav finds. Accessories that can double as a brooch, shoe clip, belt, or necklace will always find its way into my collection. Below are a few things that I'm lusting over ( and ya"ll know I'm saucy enough to rock em all).

Hair Combs

Couture Headbands

Flowers

Head Bands and Hair Clips

What do you do to " change" your look? How do you accessorize? Where do you find accessories?

Side Puff Tutorial

2011-07-07T13:39:00.000-04:00

Me Rockin A Side Puff w/ my sistas ( maxx-cee & N'trigue )

DMV Natural Hair Meetup-Register Today!

2011-07-06T12:51:00.008-04:00

Calling all Kinky* Coily* Curly* Twisted*

Naturalista's in the DMV

Join (kee-Kee) of Chi Chi Sophistication Hairstyling and myself for a natural hair meetup for the ladies of the DMV ( DC*MD*VA). This event is open to naturals, loc rockers, transitioners and those curious about going natural. Gather to commune and support one another in your quest for chemical-free hair! Discuss hair care and maintenance, products, product swap, and home styling methods. This will be a fun event filled with giveaways, great food, great company and Lots of natural hair talk!!!!

Mark your calendars

Saturday August 6, 2011 (6pm-9pm)
Jasper's
9640 Lottsford Road Largo MD 20774

**SPACE IS LIMITED**
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY

click here to register

Hope to see ya there!!!!!!!

My New Love Affair with Aloe Vera Gel

2011-06-22T11:13:00.020-04:00

I suffer terribly with adult acne, which in my case causes blackheads & whiteheads. Every time I remove one, I'm left with scarring, bruising, and damaged skin ( irritation, peeling, & redness). I have very sensitive, oily, & acne prone skin. I had sought the advice of a dermatologist 11 months ago, I was prescribed all sorts of topical creams including bleaching creams to fade the dark marks, 10% Benzoyl Peroxide cream ( which cause severe drying, and peeling), Biotin, Prenatal Vitamins, Cetphil Face Wash, Cetphil facial moisturizer-in which none of them worked. Actually- my skin WORSENED *yikes*

The dark mark in the center of my forehead started my affair with products to lighten the dark spot and stop the peeling & dryness.

In recent months,I've become a slave to Dermablend. I inquired on Twitter about concealers and everyone responded to forget concealers- go for the Dermablend. I ran out, purchased the Dermablend and thought I have found the solution to my problems. Well- sorta... I've never been that chick to wake up and apply mounds of make up because of insecurities. My face had broken out so badly that I was embarrassed of my naked face. My nose was RED like Rudolph the red nose reindeer, I have hyper pigmentation all over my nose, and checks, and bottom line- I wasn't happy looking at myself with a bare face. If any of you are familiar with Dermablend- you know that its a full coverage face cream & very HEAVY. For me personally- I cant do Dermablend in this heat- I sweat+ its runs=NotAGoodLook.com

A picture of me in full make up wearing Dermablend

**Note.. When I had loc's I normally wore my hair away from my face- with my fro, hair typically touches my face- will start wearing my hair awayf from my face to aid in clearing up my skin**

I was discussing the situation with a girlfriend yesterday, she had never seen me without makeup and couldn't imagine what I was talking about. So I sent her a pic of my "naked" face. She instantly replied and said it wasn't as bad as I had made it sound and all I needed was aloe vera gel. O_o ( Bubbled Eyed GAS FACE)- Did you just say Aloe Vera Gel? The same stuff that I apply to my hair almost daily??? She said YES- it will soothe your skin and stop the peeling. ummmmmm ... OK, I've tried EVERYTHING else under the sun- WHY NOT..

** pic of nose-most troubled area-no makeup**
**naked face- no make up**

I went to my local CVS and purchased the CVS brand aloe -the brand I always use. When I picked up the bottle the first thing I saw was a quote that said " Cools and soothes minor skin irritations, abrasions and sunburns. Helps restore moisture to damaged skin and helps prevent drying and peeling." SAY WORD!!!!

As I strolled through the aisles I notice this weird looking tool. Its a blackhead/whitehead remover- wait- this is the same tool that the esthetician used on my face when I went to get a facial a few months ago? I sat in the aisle- went to you tube on my phone to see if there were any videos on how to properly use the tool- yep- there were videos with all the necessary instruction- so I purchased the tool as well.

When I got home, I watched additional videos on how to use the tool. In the videos , it was also suggested that you do a gentle scrub- which the dermatologist had instructed me NOT to do. Obviously what she instructed me to do wasn't working so- I went for it..

Step One
I steamed my face to open pores

Applied CVS Apricot Scrub with my finger tips and massaged it into my skin ( for 30-45 seconds)

Rinse face to remove all traces of the scrub

Step Two
I rolled the wire loop of the Blackhead Extractor across my face, applying light pressure ( I started with my nose), be sure to have a tissue or something handy to wipe away the secretions that's clogging your pores or white/black heads. ** this is not for those with a weak stomach- very disgusting**

Step Three
Apply Toner to face ( I use Rosewater and Lemon Juice mix)

Step Four
Apply Aloe Vera Gel generously all over my face. ** I paid special attention to my nose- since that is the area this is peeling, bruised, and red.**

Let me tell you- today is the FIRST day in 11 months that my nose isn't peeling, and my skin isn't feeling greasy or looking like an oil slick!!!!! The Aloe Vera did the TRICK!!!!!! Let me find out that I've spent hundreds of dollars over the past 11 months and all I needed was aloe vera to stop the peeling on my nose. Normally, I wake up to cracked dry patches on my nose, followed by peeling after I wash my face or exit the shower ( just scabs of skin hanging there like a booger-disgusting). This morning, I washed my face with plain water ( no face wash, creams, or cleansers), I then applied a small amount of my rosewater toner all over ( with a cotton pad) and more aloe vera gel ( as a moisturizer). Today, my nose feels smooth-and its not as red. I'm feeling like I have hope and I'm on my way to skin recovery and healing. If Im seeing results like this after 1 application, Im excited to see whats ahead in 2 weeks, 6 months, this time next year!!!!!

DISCLAIMER: I am neither a doctor nor a licensed esthetician. Use at your own risk! Remember that my experience should not take the place of professional advice.

My Deep Conditioner Receipe

2011-06-21T09:34:00.013-04:00

**Picture is after hair was DC and styled twist out**

Most of you know that I use very little commerical product on my hair. 97% of the items I apply to my hair, most of you have in your kitchen. I was making an egg white facial mask and didn't want to discard the yoke ( food is too expensive to disgard stuff). So I thought I would whip up a quick deep conditioner for my hair. The mixologist in me was experimenting and this is what I came up with.

1 egg yoke ( you can use the whole egg if desired)
1 tbsp of Raw Honey
2 tbsp EVOO ( Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 tbsp spoons of your favorite conditioner ( I used Garnier Fructis Haircare Triple Nutrition 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment)

Directions:
Beat (egg)yoke with a fork, add the remaining ingredients, mix until everything is well blended.

Substitutions:
* Feel free to substitute the olive oil for any natural oil of your choice.
* Add more oil for extra dry hair (e.g. 1 tablespoon).
* Add more honey for hair that needs more sheen (e.g. 2 tablespoons).

Instructions for Use:

* Section hair into 4 segments.
* Generously apply evenly to hair, from root to ends concentrating on ends
* Smooth hair into a protective style (e.g. braided ponytail, or bun).
* Put a conditioner cap or heat cap over hair
*let sit for 30-60 minutes
*Rinse, style as desired

Have you experimented with making homemade conditioner(s)?? I'm very curious to hear about your experiments and favorite homemade receipe- Lets talk about it!

Monthly Hit Or Dis(aster)

2011-06-13T09:46:00.012-04:00

Product: GVP ( Generic Value Product) Tea Tree Oil Lavender Shampoo ** Sally Beauty Supply Stores**

Price: On sale 2 for $10 ( reg price $7.49)

Size: 16 Ounces

Hit or Diss: HIT!!!!!!!!

Comparable product: Paul Mitchell Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo

Product Info: Enriched with tea tree oil, Invigorating fragrance, Rich lather

Soothes scalp GVP Tea Tree Oil Lavender Shampoo is a moisture rich shampoo that hydrates dry hair. Enriched with tea tree oil, lavender and mint. Nourishes dry, thirsty hair, while adding body and shine.

I love this product. I accidentally purchased this product at Sally Beauty Supply, once I was home and realized my error, I figured I would try it anyway since it was on sale. I used it as a clarifying shampoo, and it worked wonderfully!!!! I wet my hair, applied a quarter size amount into my hands and worked it into my hair. A rich lather formed and I felt some "tingle" on my scalp. I repeated the process once more and rinsed with cool water. I then followed with my conditioning treatment and style.

Pro's:

SAME ingredients as the Paul Mitchell Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo

My hair was SQUEAKY clean-removing all product buildup

Price: GREAT value ( any 2 generic products for $10), regular price $7.49

Serves double duty as a great cleanser for make up brushes!!!!!

Con's:

If you are sensitive to the smell of Tea Tree Oil, Mint, or Lavender-you may find this item offensive. ( After I rinsed the product from my hair, I didn't notice the smell, but other reviewers complained of the "medicinal smell)

If you are "particular" about the ingredients in your shampoo- this one isn't for you- it contains Sulfates.

** What products or methods have you tried? **

**Where they a hit or a dis(aster)?? Lets Dish**

Wynetta Wright & Jaylin Wright ( Rest in Enternal Peace)

2011-06-10T10:54:00.007-04:00

WYNETTA SHAMONTA WRIGHT
JAYLIN ARIEL WRIGHT

Wynetta is the loving daughter of Wyvette Wright and Everett L. Tucker; beloved mother of Janiya and the late Jaylin Wright. Also survived by brothers, Damont, Michael, Vernon and MarKeith; grandparents, Maddie and Everett Tucker, Cynthia and Samuel Wright; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Jaylin is the loving daughter of the late Wynetta S. Wright and beloved sister of Janiya.

Family will receive friends on Friday, June 10 from 10 a.m. until time of service 11 a.m. at Temple of Praise, 700 Southern Ave. SE. Bishop Glenn A. Staples. Interment Glenwood Cemetery. Services by FREEMAN.

Click Here to share your memories, express your condolences and add photos in the Guest Book for Wynetta S. Wright.
************************************************************************************

Wynetta Wright’s ex-boyfriend, D.C. police officer Richmond Phillips, is charged with murdering her and her daughter, Jaylin. Phillips, 39, is charged with killing 20-year-old Wynetta Wright. He is also facing manslaughter charges in the death of Jaylin Wright. Phillips was ordered held without bond at Monday’s hearing.

Wynetta Wright, who was found dead Thursday, was killed by a shot in the head. Her 1-year-old daughter Jaylin Wright died of heat exposure inside a car, autopsies of the two bodies have revealed.

Phillips, the father of Jaylin, has been a vice detective with the Metropolitan Police Department since 2003. He worked as a narcotics officer.

Phillips is apparently married to another woman and already has a 12-year-old daughter.
Police claim they have video evidence that, before Phillips shot and killed Wynetta Wright and left her baby girl to die in a hot car, the couple spent seven hours talking at a picnic table.
It was the night before a paternity and child support hearing and friends say Phillips had asked Wright to come to a park to talk just before 11 p.m. last Monday.

Police believe Phillips lured Wright to the woods behind a Hillcrest Heights community center Monday night and killed her. He then left the baby to die strapped in her car seat in 100-degree heat, police believe.

Police say that Wynetta was found lying in Oxon Run Stream Valley Park in the 2300 block of Oxon Run Drive on Thursday. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Shortly thereafter, Jaylin was found abandoned and dead in a vehicle in the 2400 block of Southern Avenue.

“It's a tragic incident obviously. We would hope that no one would have to endure this type of incident and anybody that's guilty of it needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Lt. Col. Gary Cunningham.

She says Wynetta and the child's father were scheduled to attend a custody hearing the next day. Wright's green Saturn SUV was recovered in a parking lot near the intersection of 24th Street SE and Southern Avenue.

Wright had been a member of the Prince George's Sheriff Explorer program and wanted to become a deputy in the department, a sheriff's office spokesperson says. She was planning on applying to the academy.

Portions of this post is courtesy of ABC7 News

North Carolina Natural Hair Expo- June 11th -12th

2011-06-08T10:56:00.005-04:00

What is “1 Loc, 1 Luv” North Carolina Hair Care Expo?

This is an exclusive collaboration of Bornatty Clothing (North Carolina) and Dreadz N’ Headz Natural Hair Center (Baltimore, MD). It is the third stop of the 8 – Statewide Natural Hair Care Expo tour, “The Exodus II”.

This serves as a “tickler” event for the North Carolina attendees in Raleigh – Durham. This Expo is comprised of various LIVE entertainment, artistic flare from surrounding salons, jewelry makers, lecturers who specialize in holistic health, mind, body, and spirit.

“1 Loc, 1 Luv” is an Expo bringing people together, families, and the communities of North Carolina, bringing more “flava”, and product volume to attendees looking to transition their lifestyles, chemically treated hair, and gain more information on the natural beauty that exists in the Black community.

This expo is a journey, and an experience, thus, bringing life into the colorful community and culture of North Carolina, taking responsibility for “our” people’s health, mind, bodies and spirits, on June 11th and 12th. Martone Evans (Owner and Founder of Bornatty Clothing) and Malaika Tamu Cooper (Owner and Founder of Dreadz N’ Headz Natural Hair Care Center) are committed to bringing an event like never before to North Carolina. This is authenticity at it’s best for families!

For additional information please visit the website: http://www.northcarolinanaturalhaircareexpo.com/

Product Review: Target Brand Eye Make Up Remover

2011-06-07T16:09:00.014-04:00

Product: Up & Up (Target Brand) Oil Free Eye Make Up Remover

Price: $3.50

Description:
Effective & gentle
Removes even waterproof mascara
No oily residue

This dual-phase 100% oil-free liquid activates when shaken to gently whisk away even waterproof eye makeup without any tugging, pulling or stinging. Your skin is left feeling clean and fresh with no oily residue. Aloe and cucumber extracts soothe skin.

On a recent shopping trip at Target, I found the Up&Up (Target store brand) Eye Make-Up Remover which said it was comparable to the Neutrogena brand on the label. I checked out the ingredients and it has the same formulation! It works so great its ridiculous! 1-2 swipes with a cotton pad removes everything off my eyes and its gentle enough to rub across my face for any residue my towelettes leave behind! Its also great at removing makeup reside and glue from lashes, allowing you to get multiple usage from 1 pair of lashes. It didn't burn and the skin around my eyes actually felt moisturized.

I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!! This is my first experience using an eye make up remover product. I normally use Vaseline or EVOO ( extra virgin olive oil) to remove my eye make up. I've recently become obsessed with eyeshadow-the brighter the color the more I want to pack on ( lol..lol..) and lashes ( squeals) I love the look natural eye lashes gives me. I just feel so sophicated and flirty. Since suffering from so many skin issues I've become a skin care product junky. My skin is urber sensitive, so I will only try something once, if it start to burn, itch, or cause any other irritation- I'm D-O-N-E. I will defiantly purchase this product again, and include it as a staple in my skin care regime.

Have you tried any eye make up removers? what was your experience? Lets chat!

My Dominican Salon Experience-YIKES!!!!!!!!!

2011-06-07T11:30:00.000-04:00

I was having a moment and decided I was going to pamper myself and go get my hair done. After much thought, I settled on visiting a Dominican Salon. I figured if I was going to go through the motions of straightening my hair, I mine as well get it as straight as possible. Several of my co workers go to Luisa’s on the regular basis, and their hair looks GREAT!

I called to get pricing, I asked what was the price for a wash and blow dry on natural hair. The receptionist (I assumed she was the receptionist), began to yell and say “I’ve already told you ma’ma I have to see your hair, I can’t give you a price over the phone” [insert gas face RIGHT HERE] – I said, “excuse me, you haven’t told me anything because this is my 1st time calling!” The receptionist began to apologize profusely *apparently a lady kept calling demanding price over the phone* once she realized I was a “new” customer, she explained that the price is $45 for relaxed hair, $55 for natural hair (hair that hasn’t had a relaxer in +3 months), $10 additional if they have to flat iron the hair, and $10 additional if the hair was past shoulder length. Ok, I digest all of that and go to the salon as soon as I got off work.

I went to the location in Columbia, MD (7 minutes from the job). The salon is located in an office park across the street from the Columbia Mall. It was rather hot & humid that day, so I was stunned to see that the AC wasn’t on-but they had the front door propped open. As soon as I walked in, the receptionist- said hello, asked me if I wanted a wash & blow dry, I said yes, and she told me to have a seat at the sink. {I was surprised that I didn’t have to wait, everyone around me looked comfortable). The shampoo girl began to wash my hair, it was the BEST hair wash I’d ever had. She wasn’t afraid to get to my roots!!!! While she was washing my hair, she said something in Spanish to the receptionist – the receptionist then asked if I wanted a conditioner, I said yes, a deep conditioner. The lady applied the conditioner, massaged it in, put a cap on my head and took me to a hooded hair dryer. {Thinks to self} these dryers aren’t that bad… I can do this… 15 minutes later, I was back at the sink getting the conditioner washed out.

Then another lady (not sure what all she does, for the purposes of this post Im’a refer to her as the roller lady), escorted me to her station. She whips out a comb a IMMEDIATELY started to rack my hair from ROOTS {I jumped up) and said NO! that hurt!!!!!! She said something in Spanish- I said in English-“ you can do that to my hair!!!!” she tried to take it easy- but honestly I’m tender headed and she was heavy handed, and everything she did HURT!!!!!!! I know it took her 60-90 minutes to detangle my hair, and roll it. I was taken to the dryer, handed some ear muffs { I’m confused, never seen anything like it before, I look at the other girls and they had them over their ear, so I put them on my ear, and the roller lady tied a net thingy around my head. I was under the dryer {literally stuck-COULD NOT MOVE} I guess I had too many rollers in my hair.. Then all of a sudden … I WAS ON FIRE!!!!!! My skin was burning, my scalp was burning, I was trying to get from under the dryer –and I let out a scream { the metal roller pins, was laying on the side of my neck and was burning me!!!!!!} ** the skin actually blistered on my neck!** whew lawd.. That dryer was SO HOT, that when I stuck my hand under the hood to move the pin, it burnt my fingers!!!!! { now, I’m embarrassed-I’m the only one acting a pure fool.. everyone else is calm cool and collected} the roller girl comes over, said something looked at me and SHOVED my head back under the dryer.

My hair dried in 30 mins (a record). I was woozy, skin stinging, and I’m afraid of the heavy handed roller girl. She takes out the rollers.. applied some oil on my hair.. and LAWD-SHE WHIPS OUT THAT ROUND BRUSH AND SHE WAS WHIPPING MY HEAD BACK AND FORTH!!!!!!!! LORDY HELP ME JESUS… The smoke that pillowed out that hand dryer clouded up the salon. THEN.. [hold ya self} some salsa music sound came on.. JESUS.. SHE WAS DOING THE SALSA DANCE TWIRLING AROUND, SINGING AND WHIPPING ME BACK AND FORTH ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!!!!!! She was FINALLY FINISHED-right? NOPE! Now she comes with the flat iron. That wasn’t too bad, but my head is pounding, my scalp and skin is burnt and I’m READY TO GO!!! FINALLY after 3.5 hours of TORTURE- I’m finished!!!!! Get to the register- my bill was a whopping $75!!!!!!! [screech]. I paid it and left. Mid way to my car……. THE SKY OPENED UP AND IT POURED ON MY HEAD!!!!!!! **TEARS** I got soak and wet and bushed up my newly flat ironed hair!!!!!!!! I get in the car- look in the mirror.. and I can see waves forming in the front of my head. Now all I smell is burnt hair!!!!! {yuck}. I just drive home, snap a few pic’s , wrap it up, and went to bed. Needless to say- I wore my hair straight 2 WHOLE DAYS!!!!!!! Yep, 2!!!!!!!

I went to my cousin April Crawford, and had her to trim my hair, cut in layers & bangs, and re flat iron my hair. She did an awesome job and I was very happy with the look after she was finished. ( The pictures was taken after April did her thang). **THANK YOU MZ. APRIL***

The Good: I finally got a MUCH needed trim, and becasue of the layers, my hair falls very pretty into "shape".

The Bad: Luisa’s was NOT gentle enough for me. I hadn’t had my hair blown out in 6 years, and anybody with any experience with natural hair KNOW you start detangling from the ends to root- NOT root to ends. If we are paying extra for having natural hair, we should be given " extra gentle treatment".

THE UGLY: The burns, and extreme heat. That cant be healthy or safe!!!!!! in addition to getting drenched in the rain 3 minutes after leaving the salon- PRICE- $75 was STEEP. I was a regular at the Dominican salon in Jersey ( 15 yrs ago), and the MOST I ever paid was $25. I didn’t expect to pay $25, but I damn sure didn’t expect to pay $75 for a wash, conditioner, blow dry, roller /flat iron.

If I ever have to endure THAT again for straight hair, I will forever remain a CURLY head!!!!!!!!

Monday Look: Me & Mini Me

2011-06-06T11:28:00.007-04:00

Mini Me:
Products: Sally Generic Brand Tree Tea Oil Shampoo
Conditioner: Mz. Sixx Mix w/ Banana Baby Food mixed with EVOO
Styling Aid: Mz. Sixx Lemon Twist Souffle
Style: Puff
Tools: Fingers, Denman Brush, Ouchless Head Band

Mz. Sixx
Products: Mz. Sixx Lemon Twist Souffle
Stayling Aid: Water mix with Rosemary EO, Coconut Oil
Style: Dry Twist Out
Tools: Fingers, Denman Brush
** Ignore the little fly away piece at the top- when I straightened my hair I had bangs cut, not thinking they would be super short when I went back to my curly style, and I pinned them over to the side..**

Why I Write

2011-06-02T14:23:00.012-04:00

Wow, it’s funny how things happen and make you think and realized your true gifts & talents. I had been having a debating with myself about picking up my blog, dusting it off and get back in to it. I hadn’t posted in months, mainly because I’d gotten bored and ran out of things to talk about. There are so many blogs available; I didn’t think 1 more blog with pretty much the same information you can find anywhere/everywhere would be missed. BOY WAS I WRONG! I started my blog to share my experience, journey, joys, and lows with natural hair. I’ve went from TWA, Loc’s, to a full afro during the course of my natural hair journey. I hadn’t really received many comments about my blog postings, so I didn’t think that anyone was interested in what I was blogging about. I began to get emails, DM’s (tweets), and FB questions regarding natural hair do’s and don’ts and product suggestions. I’ve realized that although I may not have gotten a lot of commentary regarding what I was posting, my followers did enjoy my postings and felt I could speak intelligently on the natural hair care subject. Over the past few months, I’ve been contacted by several PR agencies to do product reviews, and offer giveaways, I’d been wrestling with the thought to host a natural meet up in DC (I’ve never attended one nor am I sure how to conduct one), and I wanted to include a segment on my blog about my skin issues and whether or not my hair and or products were the culprit. Then today I was tagged in a post by @coilyEboniqueMe WOOOOOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!-ok, HINT is taken and I’m bringing my blog back to life!!

I’ve always been a writer. My notebook and a blue Bic pen were my best friends when I was young. Growing up the youngest of 6 children, I was often left alone to entertain myself (my siblings are 15-20 years older). I always wrote stories, poetry, and was awarded several awards in high school for my writing abilities. I recall being teased for loving to write L. I allowed the teasing to stop me from growing as a writer, and I feel that over time, I’ve lost my “style”.

As CoilyEboniqueMe has stated on her blog (http://coilyeboniqueme.wordpress.com/) “So when it comes to my natural hair, I write to TEACH people about what I have learned myself during my journey. I RELAY the message that they are not alone in this process, and last but not least I write to COMMUNICATE with others.” My writing is meant to be taken as conversations and lessons between sister- friends.

Three Peals of Wisdom

Don’t be afraid to share your experiences- the Good- the Bad- the Ugly.

Embrace the power of writing and words.

Relax.. Relate.. Release ( whooosah!)

@ CoilyEboniqueMe Thank you for tagging me :-) Ya'll please check her out http://coilyeboniqueme.wordpress.com/and with that I tag @AuNaturalle85, @curly365, @bossygirl1980, @silverlips, @deepqueendiva (tag! you are it!). Ladies please tell us in a post, Why You Write? Please also tag 5 others and offer them 3 pearls of wisdom for other writers/bloggers :-)

Thanks for reading :)

Monthly Hit or Diss

2011-02-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

What products or methods have you tried that were a hit? and which ones was a DIS(aster)????

Hair Type:

Product/Method:

Price:

Hit or Diss:

Pro's / Con's **is there a comparable product/method?

** LET'S DISH DIVAS**

Henna Gloss Tutorial

2011-01-21T13:54:00.000-05:00

Locs, Twist, and Braided Styles

2011-01-13T13:58:00.000-05:00

Night Time Routine to Prevent Shrinkage

2011-01-11T13:41:00.000-05:00

Her routie is similar to what I do EACH evening. I may start doing videos but unil then I'll keep researching vid's for you :)

Tangle Teezer Detangling Brush

2011-01-04T09:37:00.001-05:00

If you have experienced hair breakage or damage from your denman brush- take a look at the tangle teezer. I was put on to this product by a natural sista on Twitter. Check it out the article and let me know what you think..

Tangle Teezer is the first of a new generation of detangling hairbrushes! Upon picking up Tangle Teezer you will notice the teeth aren’t like that of an ordinary brush which is where the hair genius comes in. The unique configuration of specifically designed teeth flex just the right amount to detangle and help smooth the hair’s cuticle which in turn protects the inner cortex from damage.

Using the Tangle Teezer will ensure your hair will appear more lustrous by minimising cuticle damage which in turn will help colour last and reduce the risk of fading. The hair shaft is also better prepared for the onslaught of damaging heat from styling tools. That’s why we like to call it first aid for hair.

SHAUN P SHARES HIS TOP TANGLE TEEZER TIPS

Tangle Teezer can be used for all types of hair and held however you prefer without affecting its high performance. Here I share my tips and advice on getting the absolute best from your Tangle Teezer, helping to put your hair on the road to recovery. As the Tangle Teezer is all about your hair and you, if you have any tips or suggestions for using your Tangle Teezer then please share them and send them to info@tangleteezer.com

HAIR NECESSITIES

• Tangle Teezer is excellent for detangling both wet and dry hair.

• Don’t be tentative! Fantastic, painless detangling is achieved by using a firmer pressure. Remember: it’s like no other brush.

• It’s a workout for your hair. Tangle Teezer gives a blissful, relaxing head massage even for the most sensitive scalps.

• Unlike conventional brushes and combs where you have to try and ease tangles out starting from the ends of the hair and working up towards the roots, Tangle Teezer can be used from roots to ends and mid-length to ends. Tangle Teezer is perfect for those on-the-go with busy lifestyles and fidgety children! Mums have also discovered that Tangle Teezer is a brush sent from hair heaven when it comes to detangling their little darlings’ hair that loves to knot. Hair is calmed in minutes where out go the tears and in come the smiles!

• Detangle hair by using brush strokes from the underneath of the hair with the teeth pointing upwards. Alternatively, brush from the top of the hair pointing the teeth downwards. For those with long hair, turn your head upside down and start detangling from the nape of your neck down to the roots. Ideal for taking conditioner evenly through the hair when wet. Tangle Teezer ensures a light and even distribution of product which adds up to weightless blow-drying. For professional results and to ensure maximum root lift from blow-drying apply conditioner from mid-length to the ends – not from the roots. Tangle Teezer will distribute a fine film of conditioner at the roots which ensures no product overload that leads to flat hair.

HAIR REHAB

• Tangle Teezer is a must-have for hair extension wearers. Tangle Teezer will simply glide though the hair from roots to end, passing painlessly over the bonds without pulling. For those with hair extensions you will find less hair is pulled out and your style will last longer and look better. After three months your hair extensions will continue to look like new rather than pieces of twisted and frayed rope!

• Gives superb results for the daily and on-going maintenance of wigs, wefts, weaves and clip in hair pieces. Tangle Teezer leaves them looking and feeling just like new.

• Excellent results are achieved on even the tightest curls and afro hair.

• Daily brushing refreshes hair for a sleek style and helps to smooth the cuticle for increased shine. While on the go, Tangle Teezer is the ultimate styling tool to give your hair a professional finish all day long.

• To funk up short styles, apply your styling product to the hair and use Tangle Teezer to shape and mould. Great for guys too!

• Tangle Teezer minimises hair breakage, so over a period of time you will notice your hair feels thicker and looks healthier. A results driven brush, the minute you start using Tangle Teezer the sooner you are on the road to beautiful hair. It sounds crazy, but it’s true!

• Three is the magic number! Keep one Tangle Teezer at home, one in the office and one in your gym bag – you never want your hair to be caught without it!

TAKE-OUT SALON TIPS

• When cleansing the hair use a light shampoo along with a gentle massaging action. Remember: you wouldn’t use wire wool to cleanse your face, so why scrub the hair with shampoo? Never pour shampoo straight from the bottle onto the scalp, instead follow the rhythm of: bottle to palm and palm to scalp.

• For mid-length styles avoid aggravating and knotting the hair by gently patting the shampoo through the hair. This will minimise the stress on hair strands.

• Wet hair is more susceptible to snapping, stretching and breaking especially for those with long hair, highlights or with damaged or mistreated hair. For the ultimate conditioning treatment it’s essential to remove excess moisture from the hair. Do this by taking paper towels and scrunching them through mid-length to ends. Pour a deep conditioner onto the palms of the hands and distribute evenly through the hair. Leave on according to product instructions.

• When blow-drying, remember practice makes perfect. To save hair from unwanted and damaging heat practice your style using ‘cool’ tools. Become use to the brush and blow-drying motion of creating your desired styles by putting your dryer on a cool setting. The same with your straightening irons. Use them cold until you feel comfortable you’ve got the technique perfect.

TLC FOR YOUR TANGLE TEEZER

Like your hair, the more you look after your Tangle Teezer the better it will perform. Here I give my TLC tips for looking after your detangler:

• Always place your Tangle Teezer with the pointing teeth up. This way you minimise damage to the teeth.

• Rinse your Tangle Teezer with warm water after using any kind of product.

• Dry at room temperature. Do not be tempted to speed dry by putting on a radiator or drying the teeth with your hair-dryer.

• Clean using a toothbrush by lightly brushing through the teeth with soapy water once a week. Rinse thoroughly.

Monthly Hit or Diss

2011-01-03T12:43:00.000-05:00

What products or methods have you tried that were a hit? and which ones was a DIS(aster)????

Hair Type:

Product/Method:

Price:

Hit or Diss:

Pro's / Con's -is there a comparable product/method?

** LET'S DISH DIVAS**

Happy New Year!!!!

2011-01-01T17:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

2010-11-25T12:14:00.002-05:00

WWW.MAJESTICDIVAS.ORG

My Knotty Truth- No Lye!

2010-11-16T09:59:00.006-05:00

I've been natural since off and on since March 1995. I've rocked everything from a relaxer to loc's and everything in between. Last night as I was responding to a natural beauty on Twitter, it hit me- THIS SHIT IS TIME CONSUMING! There I said it!!!!!! Sometimes its too much! I dont always want to braid, twist my hair before bed- I miss the days of just laying down! Don't get me wrong- I LOVE my natural hair, and I will NEVER- EVER relax again - NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But lets be honest- I've never in my life had to dedicate so much time into hair. I mix everything that I apply to my hair-conditioner, leave-in conditioner, deep conditioner, hair butters, treatment oils, scalp oils, henna, hair moisturizing mask/clays and lets not talk about the ayurvedic treatments. One day the hair is poppin.. looking like a million bucks....the next she feeling herself- just acting up for NO REASON!!!!! I'm tender headed to the 10th power and DETANGLING IS HATEFUL!!!! Saturday I had a Twitter friend educate me on testing the PH balance in my water-and why I should do it -OK-WHAT??? Among checking labels, and having a boat load of ingredients edged into my brain of what not to use- Now, I gotta put my chemist coat on, get the testing strips and test the PH level in my water???? {OK} you know I'ma do it right ( hehehehehe).

I love my natural hair- we fight, we argue, when I really need her to show up and show out- SHE DOES ( whipping my hair back and forth right now). Having natural hair has made me more conscience of what I put on my hair, and surely has given me greater confidence and pride about my culture. Back in the day if you rocked any variation of a natural you was viewed as "earthy" or "Afrocentric" today- we are from all walks of life and we don't have to walk around with the "assumed" impression that we are "earthy" or "defend" our hair choices (BTW: there is nothing wrong w/ being earthy or Afrocentric). There is no greater, stronger bond than the natural ladies who network and bond over "HAIR". The natural movement is growing and getting stronger, and stronger by the day. I love the feeling I get when I sit down, and " do my hair" - when people ask me " who did your hair" I gleam with pride when I say ME! When I go to the grocery store, I have 2 baskets- (1) for my groceries, (1) for my hair crack. I feel a rush when I stumble upon an item in the store that "may " be the answer to any hair woes that I may be having. I've awaken out of my sleep when Ive forgotten to wrap my hair with a silk bonnet- ( lol..lol..) - yes, I m pressed sometimes (lol..lol..) I'm loving how kids (especially my daughter) just marvels at my hair and wanna embrace their coils, kinks, and curls!!! So yes, caring for natural hair is time consuming - it can be hard work, even a little frustrating-BUT I love it and there is nothing else I rather be doing :)

I'm a mixologist......and you can be one too

2010-11-15T14:53:00.004-05:00

Product junkies will agree -- you can spend hundreds of dollars testing out the numerous products available on the market, many of which are supposedly intended for natural hair use. However, breaking the bank is really not necessary for a healthy, strong and shiny natural. You already have key ingredients in your own kitchen and bathroom!

Creating your own hair recipes not only saves money, but allows for a more intimate relationship with your hair -- you can gain a much better insight as to what your hair craves, prefers, or rejects with your at-home experiments.

Get creative! There are a few simple rules to follow to find your perfect concoctions:

Don't mix too many things at once-Start out with simple recipes, say, mixing one main ingredient and adding a small amount of another. It's much easier to determine what worked and what didn't when your ingredients list is limited.

Create two-ingredient mixes and try them until you find a mix that works well on your hair. If it's a "perfect" mix, continue using it! If it's a "pretty good" mix, retry the recipe with the same main ingredient then alter the secondary ingredient until you reach perfection. You may find you need to reverse the amounts used, making the main ingredient the secondary ingredient.

If there is one particular ingredient you find most always works well on your hair, make it a staple for your hair recipes, adding it as a standard part of all your recipes.

Alter the way you apply the mixes to your hair. Try dousing your hair with your Super Yogurt Surprise while your hair is drenching wet in the shower. Does it work well this way? Try another time by making it a bit more liquidy and spritz it on your dried hair with a spray bottle. Perhaps your hair responds better to this application.

For ingredients, a general rule of thumb is if it's ok to ingest, it's probably ok to apply to your hair as well. Pureed fruit, honey, apple cider vinegar and many more items are great additions to homemade hair recipes.

Take note of what works for you and how it worked. Some recipes may be better for clarifying while others make for great deep conditioners.

Search and compare! If you're a little timid about applying egg whites to your hair, make use of resources available to you before doing so. Search the Internet for your particular ingredients. You just may find others who have tried the same type of recipe and enjoyed success or experienced a nightmare.

Go beyond your kitchen! Many cities have well-stocked health food and natural stores with a huge selection of ingredients to boost your hair recipes. Experiment with essential oils (a few drops go a long way!), xanthum gum (a thickener, also known as xanthan), as well as conditioners and leave-ins you won't likely find at department stores and drug stores.

Remember, a recipe failure is a good thing. It lets you know what your hair simply does not respond to well. The worst likely thing that can happen with the use of your homemade products is the need to wash your hair again, so get creative!

Note: Use of homemade mixes for coloring of hair is not recommended.

Article Source: www.ezine.articles.com

How to Lighten Hair With Cinnamon

2010-11-11T11:46:00.005-05:00

In my on going search to find natural methods to lighten my hair, I came across this interesting article on lighting your hair using cinnamon. I've heard about cinnamon being good to help with baldness, but a hair lighter?? I dont know, But I may try this over the weekend- Have any of you ever tried this? If so what were your results? Inquiring minds would like to know :)

Things You'll Need:

Cinnamon powder
Conditioner
Hair clip
Shower cap

Instructions

1. Combine cinnamon powder and hair conditioner in a one to one mixture. The amount you will need depends on the length of your hair; however, you should have enough to evenly coat your locks from root to tip.

2. Wet your hair and wring out the excess water. Comb your hair carefully to release any tangles which may prevent even distribution of the cinnamon and conditioner.

3. Apply the cinnamon and conditioner mixture evenly to your hair, mixing an extra batch if necessary. While you can't use too much, if you use to little your lightening will end up uneven and streaky. You can comb through your hair periodically to help move the cinnamon and conditioner evenly throughout.

4. Gather your hair in a bun and secure it with a hair clip. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave the cinnamon and conditioner in your hair overnight. Rinse the mixture from your hair in the morning, shampooing as normal. If you would like to lighten your hair a bit more, apply the mixture again with no worry about damaging your hair.

Article Courtesy of Ehow.com

Natural Hair Tutorial: Quick & Easy T-Shirt Drying Technique

2010-11-10T14:49:00.001-05:00

How to Winterize your Hair!

2010-11-09T08:46:00.008-05:00

From hat hair to static electricity, split ends to dry frizz, when winter weather hits, a bad hair day can last an entire season. In fact, even if you live in a moderate climate, experts say you're still susceptible to hair-raising changes as the seasons pass. Here are several tips to help you prepare your hair to withstand the harsh winter weather:

Cut down on Wash N Go's & Co-washes (walking outside with a wet head will probably get you sick). Co-washing 1-2x/week should be sufficient. Wash your hair in the evening so that your hair air dries overnight as opposed to when you're outside.

Wear your hair up! Winter calls for thicker clothing, so wearing your hair up will protect your ends from snagging on wool coats, turtle necks, or sweaters you may be wearing.

Add An Extra Dose of Moisture: Your hair will benefit from an extra surge of nourishment in the winter months. Keeping your hair and scalp well conditioned will ensure that your hair stays healthy strong and protected from the cold.

For dry scalp: If your scalp is dry or feels tight, use a lightweight scalp oil to moisturize and soothe, without weighing the hair down. Miss Sixx Peppermint Clove Scalp Oil which uses grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, clove oil, lavender oil, and vitamin E masterfully blended with essential oils to improve scalp condition and promote micro circulation.

For dry hair: Boost hair's resistance to breakage and split ends by restoring moisture balance using a hair moisturizer. Massage Miss Sixx Shea it Isnt So! Moisturizer into hair and scalp for healthy-looking shine.

Bring out the heavier products! For example, Miss Sixx Alma Essence, Miss Sixx Carribean Glam Jam, Cholesterol Conditioners, Pomades, or Butters (Shea, Cocoa, Mango).

Increase and Intensify your Deep Conditioning Sessions: The dry heat inside the house and the cold air outside can pull moisture from the hair. Remember to deep condition with a heat source (steamer, hooded dryer, heat cap) for at least 30mins. Here is an example of a natural deep conditioner that I use to prevent dryness caused by the atmosphere:

Ingredients
2 jars of stage 3 banana baby food
1/4 cup of (raw) honey

1 tablespoon of evoo or oil of choice

To strengthen hair you can add 1 egg or 1/3 cup of mayonnaise

Directions: mix all ingredients together, apply to hair ( I separate my hair into 4 sections for easier application), cover hair with a heating cap for 30-90 minutes, rinse

Seal in your water-based moisturizer or conditioner with heavier oils: For example, Shea Butter, Castor Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Avocado Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil, Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil, or other emollients. This will provide extra protection from the brisk weather.

Try Hot Oil Treatments: You can do them as a pre-shampoo treatment (20mins with heat) or after you shampoo. For an extra kick, mix oils into your deep conditioners for a 2-in-1 treatment. Here is an easy peasy receipe for an all natural hot oil treatment

Ingredients

Olive Oil or Grape seed oil ( or 50/50 mix of each)

2 tablespoons of honey (optional)

Directions: add oils and honey to a clean bottle, insert bottled oil into a cup of hot (not boiling water), allow oil to warm through, shake well, and apply oil to hair. Pour a small amount of oil into the palm of your hand. Rub palms together and gently apply to ends of hair. Once the mixture has been applied, wrap your hair in a warm towel ( or cover with a heating cap) and leave on for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, wash the mixture out of your hair and follow up with a mild shampoo.

Protect Your Hair: Wear scarves or hats to protect your hair from cold temperatures and wind. Add a satin/silk lining into your winter hats, stay away from rough wool hats, which can lead to breakage, and stick with soft, smooth fabrics like silk and soft cottons. Lubricate the ends of your hair with oils, such as: Sweet almond, jojoba, or castor oil will help to prevent the results of friction to your hair.

Don't Over Style: Keep your use of hot styling tools to a minimum. Blow drying and flat ironing can dry out and damage your hair. If you need to use heat, always use a thermal heat protector on your hair before blow-drying or flat ironing and never turn the dial past 400 degrees. Increase protective styling, this will help retain length and lock in moisture. You can try buns, French Twists, Braids, Wigs (Half or Full), Weaves etc.

Divas, get healthy and great looking hair with Au'Naturale By Mz. Sixx Hair Products. All products are enhanced with a lush combination of natural oils and shea butter. This unique combination helps to stimulate hair growth while simultaneously moisturizing and nourishing the hair. For more information, please visit http://www.etsy.com/AuNaturalebymzsixx

A'Yianah-She So Fly!

2010-11-08T13:56:00.002-05:00

Style: Protective Up Do

Complete: 1 Hour

Products Used: Shea it Aint So ( new to product line up) and Peppermint/Clove Scalp Oil (new to product line up)

Tools Used: Rat tail comb, my fingers

Reason for style: Protective Style for the week

How To Achieve style: On freshly washed and conditioned hair, section hair into two parts (1) for the corn rows in the back, (1) for the twist/braid out. Take the back section and corn row upward - make 6-8 cornrows- twirl the ends into bantu knots. The remaining section in the front- apply product and braid as if you were doing a braid out- BUT roll the hair on rollers to the scalp. Allow hair to "air dry" over night. Remove rollers, apply oil of choice or shea butter to your hands and undo each braid. Once all rollers and braids are removed, "finger"style- apply flower to the side or back. Wrap hair with a satin scarf or bonnet at night

Mz Sixx & Mini Me- Just Sharing!

2010-11-02T11:35:00.000-04:00

I got a handle on my twist outs-PART 2

2010-10-27T14:57:00.009-04:00

Hello Divas,

After the blog post " Finally! I got a handle on my twist outs"-I was asked to provide pic's of my hair in twists (for my twist outs). You can read the original posting in its entirely- HERE.

Below are a few shots of the twists - I have permanent parts in my head , so I just "finger " part the twist, apply a little coconut oil ( if any at all) and twist each section (try not to "borrow' hair from the twist-make them as even as possible).

Twist Unraveled & Separated

These pic's are day 2 old twists, finger styled, fluffed, and refreshed with my homemade spritz

Finished Look

My Daughter was a victim of FB cyber-bullying last night

2010-10-27T11:08:00.003-04:00

My heart is heavy with this post. My beautiful daughter A'Yianah( who is 11 yrs old, 6th grader at Murray Hill Middle School) has become a victim of cyber bullying. Last night we was made aware of a FaceBook page dedicated to "going on" the students. There were several posts about random students of the school. Then at 8:21 p.m. the coward posted a random post about my daughter ( it was so trifling and disgusting that the principal couldn't read it in its entirely). She is being teased unmercifully for being skinny- she was accused of having anorexia, told she need to go somewhere and eat a sandwich , and how dumb she look wearing skinny leg jeans( I'm given you the clean verison), and spoken about in ways that no one should ever speak to another human being.

I was (am) angry, very, very, angry- the profile is "private" so at this time I have no way of identifying the coward who owns the page or wrote the post-that may be a blessing in disguise that I don't know who it is. I made a police report last night, and the police also reported the page to FaceBook. This morning, -I went and spoke to the school officials and The Board of Education. Apparently due to the recent suicides, etc FB has a partnership with school officials that will provide them the IP address of the individual(s) that create/post to these type of pages. CYBER BULLYING IS A CRIME- and Howard County school officials is taking this very seriously! I must admit that in the beginning I didn't feel the urgency from them- but I let them know... If I don't have an update by COD today-all the media up/down I-95 will be contacted at 6am tomorrow- my FB friends started providing me with direct media contacts and my boss ( thank you) provided me with media contacts he have on speed dial! The legal team at work was drawing up the cease letter ( for FB) and composing my statement for the media, and a press release. The school has called me 3x's since 9am- they know I'm serious ( I had my poker face on, and my "take your ass to court suit " ). Once I left the building- I sat in my truck and cried. I called one of my besties ( Antinette) and let it go. Its very hurtful. Its really hard being a kid these days, and its harder being a parent. I've instilled in my daughter that looks don't mean a thing- its your character that will get you far in life. Last night and today- I realized that I have a good circle around me. People that I've never met was calling/texting me offering me support. I love ya'll - I know my friends and fam ride for me and i also heard about the bail fund...lol..lol..( I was prepared.. I'd left my debit card with my daughter in our secret place- I was PREPARED to catch a case- still am prepared-truth be told).

We didn't sleep much last night, buts she wanted to go to school this morning. I gave her her pep talk, she got ultra "clean" for school today and walked in with her head hung HIGH!!! (that's mini sixx) she had her get it girl swagger and I was proud. She is not a victim- she is a survivor!!!!! I'm not too sure if I could have walked in "like that" and faced everyone after what was posted for all to see. She went up in their like she owned the building [pumps fist!!!] that's my girl.. Stay tuned for the updates.

Finally - I got an handle on my twist outs

2010-10-26T12:08:00.005-04:00

Divas,
Have you ever made something harder than what it actually is? We'll thats what I was doing with my twist outs. I realized that I was making the hair "too wet", using too many products, and just doing too damn much! lol..lol..

I now twist using only coconut/grape seed oil mix and a "small" amount of Eco-Styler gel-I make a total of 12 twist ( 6 on each side). Nightly I make I make a total of 8 twist ( 4 on each side) and cover with a bonnet. THAT's IT! In the morning- I un twist, separate a few of the "larger twist" and finger fluff- That's it!!!

Day 1 Twist Out

I like my twist outs most on day 2-3-no work, no worries, no fuss. Basically on the 2nd-3rd day I spriz the hair "lightly" with my homemade spritz and finger fluff and GO!

Day 2 Twist Out

Day 3 twist Out

As you can see, with each passing day, the hair get bigger and bigger- and BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER :)

Whipping My Hair Back N' Forth- A'Yianah's Way

2010-10-25T09:44:00.007-04:00

Style: Fro-Hawk

Complete: ( 2 days set/drying time- we do not use heat on our hair- therefore her hair air dried over the course of 2 days) 20 mins-styling

Products Used: Pre Poo Treatment ( Olive Oil/Raw Honey), Baking Soda Clarifying Mix, Yes to carrots shampoo, homemade hair spritz ( Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Curl Activator, Distilled Water), and Eco Styler Gel

Tools Used: my fingers, bobby pins

Reason for style: Protective style for the week

Note: A'Yianah is 8 months into her transition. During most of her transition time, she has worn her hair braided, corn rolled, and two strand twisted. We decided to give her hair a "break" and rock an alternate style for a few weeks. Her hair has already begun to thicken up and her edges are growing back beautifully ( thanks to my own concoction).

It was a wonderful sight as a mom to see my daughter rocking her natural so proudly. She was smiling from ear to ear and couldn't wait to get to school to show her version of a fro-hawk. If any of you follow her on Face Book then you saw the pic's that she uploaded this morning. Her out fit today- a black and red punk rocker t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and high top Pastry sneaks.. She was channeling her inner Willow Smith/ Rhianna. Stay tuned for further updates on her transitioning journey.

My most successful twist out!

2010-10-06T10:44:00.004-04:00

Style: Twist Out

Complete: ( 3 days set time) 20 mins-styling

Products Used: Shea Butta Balm ( new to my product line up), Lotta Body setting lotion, Coconut oil

Tools Used: my fingers

Reason for style: Protective Style for the week

Lessons Learned: Ok, I think this is my most successful twist out to date. I applied twist to freshly washed/conditioned hair, spritz lotta body setting lotion ( lightly), applied Shea butter Balm, made 20 twist all over. I left the twist in for 3 days ( recommended by another natural sista). I oiled my hair with coconut oil, then unraveled the twist begging at the roots. It looks nice- I'm not too sure on how to style it, so I kinda just "left" it alone". I also need to figure out how to "style " the twist until I'm ready to take them down. Thank Goodness its casual week at work, and I wore a hat- but on normal days, I cant wear a hat- I looked like I was an old "g" from a gang ( not cute). lol..lol..

Side Bar: My skin is a HAUTE DAMN MESS!!!!!!! Since Ive taken down my loc's I've have SERIOUS acne breakouts!!!!! the area is turning black/dark- I've went to the dermatologist- they gave me 2 creams (1) a fade cream- but it burns/stings and its not working.. I'm back to doing the OCM method.. But any other suggestions?? My skin has betrayed me :(

She So Fly!

2010-09-24T11:40:00.002-04:00

Style: Protective Up Do

Complete: 1 Hour

Products Used: Shea it Aint So ( new to product line up) and Peppermint/Clove Scalp Oil (new to product line up)

Tools Used: Rat tail comb, my fingers

Reason for style: Protective Style for the week

How To Achieve style: On freshly washed and conditioned hair, section hair into two parts (1) for the corn rows in the back, (1) for the twist/braid out. Take the back section and corn row upward - make 6-8 cornrows- twirl the ends into bantu knots. The remaining section in the front- apply product and braid as if you were doing a braid out- BUT roll the hair on rollers to the scalp. Allow hair to "air dry" over night. Remove rollers, apply oil of choice or shea butter to your hands and undo each braid. Once all rollers and braids are removed, "finger"style- apply flower to the side or back. Wrap hair with a satin scarf or bonnet at night

Dreadlocks keep teen off homecoming court

2010-09-23T09:09:00.000-04:00

A Mississippi teen's hairstyle is keeping him off of his homecoming court. A week before Vicksburg High School's homecoming festivities several escorts found out that they would not be participating.

Patrick Richardson said school officials told him that his hair is keeping him from escorting one of the homecoming maids. The 16-year-old is sad that he won't be in the next Vicksburg High School yearbook, pictured escorting his best friend Sa'shia Jones who was chosen junior class maid.

Patrick said after paying to have a tux fitting last Thursday, the principal called him to the auditorium and told him that he could not be a homecoming escort because he wears dread locked hair. The junior was told he would have to cut it to be an escort.

"When I decided to grow my hair that's what I wanted to do. I thought it was acceptable, but from what the principal told me homecoming is of a higher standard and dreads are just not acceptable," said Richardson. Patrick has been growing the dreads since last October and said the hairstyle is not prohibited nor addressed in any way in the school handbook.
The student's mother, Tammi Mason, said she is upset because her son's money was not refunded and that the school is not embracing his cultural expression. "It's actually a form of discrimination to me because if that's the case then everybody who's fat shouldn't be able to be in it on the court. They could say anything. Actually they could say you have to be a size 10 to be one of the maids," said Mason.

Patrick's dreads are about eight inches long and were going to be braided and pulled back for this Friday's homecoming ceremonies.

Another Vicksburg high parent Lynda Jackson said that her son freshman De-Marcus Jackson also wears dreads and was humiliated to find out that his hair would prevent him from escorting the sophomore maid. Vicksburg Schools Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Swinford said there's no written policy, but there is a practice that bans dreadlocks on the homecoming court.
She said students have been made aware of this, and school officials are in the process of looking at creating a written policy. Mason and Lynda Jackson said they are looking into taking legal action, although it may be too late to help their sons' participation in this year's homecoming.

Article Courtesy of http://www.thegio.com/

Click here to read the entire story

What are your thoughts??

You've Been Asking-My Hair Regime

2010-09-16T14:16:00.013-04:00

Hair Type-3C

Natural off/on since 2005

Loc Rocker 2.5 years

Fro Rocker-2 months

Daily

Moisturize
· Homemade Hair spray bottle mix applied to hair daily (coconut milk, aloe juice, Curl Activator or glycerin, & distilled water)
· I use Orange Marmalade Hair Butter, Lemon Soufflé Twisting Butter, or Lemon Cream ( all products that I make)

Weekly

Cleanse-Co-Wash

· No-poo / conditioner wash – *Sun-Wed-Fri*
I use Moisture Milk- Strawberries & Cream by Vo5 or Coconut By Suave
Any “cheaper conditioner” will do

· When using the conditioner, make sure to totally saturate your hair
· Detangle hair with a detangling comb or a Denman Brush I only “comb” my hair on Sun- Wed-Fri while detangling

· Always use a leave-in conditioner after rinsing out the regular conditioner
I use Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In or Long Relationship ( by Herbal Essence)
· Then apply a moisturizer and/or styling product to define your curls

I use Orange Marmalade Hair Butter, Lemon Soufflé Twisting Butter, or Lemon Cream ( all products that I make)

· Seal ends with Castor/Coconut Oil Mix

Pre Poo Hair Treatment
· Hot Oil Treatment- Sunday
Hot Oil Treatment- Olive Oil ( or any other natural oil-coconut, jojoba, sesame, or Canola) + Honey ( make sure is PURE Honey- I prefer Raw Honey)
· 3tbls oil+3tbls honey=Hot Oil Treatment
o Sit bottle into a cup of hot water to warm mixture
o Pour the mixture over “Dry Hair”
o Apply heating cap for 30-60 minutes
o Rinse with cool water, then co wash or shampoo

Protective Styling

· Twist or Braid Hair at least 2-3 days a week (usually on Sun- Wed- Fri)
o Wear Twist Out or Braid Out styles
o Another option is Bantu Knots/French Braid/Corn Rows/2-Strand Twist
o Search You Tube for methods and other styling options

Bi-Weekly
Shampoo
· Shampoo hair with a sulfate free shampoo
o I use the shampoo that I make- If I use commerical brand I use Organix
o If your using shampoo with Sulfates, dilute the shampoo with distilled water and add Olive Oil

Monthly
Deep Condition

I mix either of the 2 recipes below to perform a deep condition once a month. I do not apply heat to my hair- therefore I never sit under the dryer.

Here is a picture of my hair- after applying the bannana mask

Banana Hair Mask (Protein)
Ingredients
· 1-2 jars of stage 2 banana baby food ( or 1 ripe banana pureed)
· 1 tbsp of honey
· 1 tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions
· Mix until smooth and creamyWork the mixture into your hair, paying particular attention to the ends (which tend to be more damaged). You can just use this mixture on your ends, if you prefer, especially if hair tends to be oily.
· Cover head with plastic wrap, and then wrap a warmed damp towel over the plastic wrap. Let the mixture sit on your hair for 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water.

Avocado & Mayo DC (Protein)
Ingredients
· 1 egg
· 1 extremely ripe avocado
· 1 tbsp mayonnaise

Directions
· Blend all ingredients to make a smooth paste. Work the mixture into your hair, from scalp to ends Apply more at roots and ends. Cover your entire hair. Cover head with plastic wrap, and then wrap a warmed damp towel over the plastic wrap. This ensures a better absorption or deeper treatment. Let the mixture sit on your hair for 45-60 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water

Coconut Honey Deep Conditioner (moisturizing)
Ingredients:
· 4 tbls Coconut oil
· 2 tbls Natural honey
Directions
· Place coconut oil and honey in a small plastic bag and place the bag in a hot cup of water for 1 minute to warm. Apply to hair, wrap hair in a towel for 20 minutes. Wash then dry hair

Length Retention
· Clip ends
· Keep hair braided or twisted for at least one out of 4 weeks

** Note**
Will soon be adding Henna and Bentonite Clay to my monthly regimen

Nightly
Pineapple Hair
· (Put up in a high pony tail) and put on a silk or satin bonnet or a silk scarf. In the least, use a satin pillow case. Curls can be very fragile and tangle easily. You want to avoid tangling as much as possible while sleeping.

Notes/Helpful Hints
1. Detangle only when the hair is soaking with conditioner and rinse
2. Spray hair with water daily to hydrate and seal with natural oil if wearing the hair in a natural style.
3. Rotate the conditioners (both moisturizing and protein) every other week so that the hair does not stop responding to them.
4. A hot oil treatment to be applied to hair for 20 minutes before shampooing once a month.
5. Use a strong protein treatment if any out-of-the-ordinary breakage occurs.
6. Keep the hair braided for at least one out of 4 weeks to save on a detangling session and for length retention.
7. Do not braid too close to the edges (small baby hairs) to avoid thinning of the hairline.
8. Clarify the hair once every 6-8 weeks or when a lot of product has been used during the week to get rid of build up. Do not do this often to prevent the hair from feeling 'stripped' and dry.
9. Limited Use-
· Shampoo – Can be drying / stripping; I dilute or add oil to my shampoo and use sparingly
· Silicones – Trying to use fewer products containing these. They coat/build up the hair shaft and cannot be removed by conditioner alone.
· Alcohol – very drying to the hair
10. Track your growth every 3 months with pictures.

** Feel free to alter this regime to suit your hair- these things works best for my hair**

Twist Out- GONE WRONG!!!!!!!!

2010-08-09T10:16:00.007-04:00

Okay, yesterday I washed my hair using the Tightly Curly method on tightlycurly.com. Everything was all good until I decided that I was going to stretch/air dry my (still wet and full of conditioner) hair by separating it into sections, detangling it, and then putting it into two strand twists for a twist out. I applied a little coconut oil to my hair and twisted into 9 twists. My hair twisted beautifully and it felt very soft. After completing the twist, I allowed the twist to air dry. At bed time, I put a satin cap on my head for the rest night, and let it finish drying.

Fast forward- 6am this morning-I rubbed a little shealoe butter on the ends, and began to untwist my hair and it looks A MESS. I followed the advice I received from the twist out queens on Face book and Twitter- and mine don't look anything like theirs!!! I watched Curly Lexi YouTube video 5x's just to make sure I was doing it correctly. I didn't separate allot of the pieces- I was told that would encourage frizz, I made sure my hair was completely dry, and I oiled the ends before I untwisted- WHATS THE FABBERNACKLE PROBLEM??

My hair was defined at the root and middle- but a poof ball at the ends!!! URBER UGLY!!! Too Big- Too frizzy- I DON'T LIKE IT!!!! This was my 4th attempt at this.. I've tried it on dry hair, wet hair, damp hair, flat twist, conditioned hair- WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?

I had to get ready for work so the best I could do was lightly fluff rock out.. UGH.. HELP Divas.. I wanna rock a twist out!!!!!!

Product Review: Cantu Shea Butter Leave - In Conditioner

2010-07-27T08:46:00.006-04:00

Manufacturer: Cantu

Type: Leave-In Conditioner

Size: 16 fl.oz

Price: $4.99-$5.99

Attributes: moisture, shine, frizz control, sulfate-free

Ingredients: Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Propylene Glycol, Polyquaternium 37, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, PPG 1 Trideceth 6, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Stearalkonium Chloride, Trimethylsilylamodimethicone, Panthenol, PPG 1-PPG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Lanolin Oil, Cinnamidopropyl Trimonium Chloride, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Acrylamidopropyltrimonium Chloride/Acrylamide Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Benzophenone 3, BHA, BHT, Zea Mays Oil (Corn), Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, DMDM Hydantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance

The week prior to me taking down my locs I had been eyeing a few products that I may need to add to my line up to assit me with achieving frizz free, detangled, moisturized hair ( all in 1 product) Ok I was reaching- but you know what I mean ( lol..lol..). I'd been stalking a few forums/blogs and a common product that most raved about was the Cantu Shea butter Leave - In Conditioner. My hair type is 3-c and alot of 3-c's raved about it- so I thought I would go for it... I used it this morning for the first time.. And.....

The Good: (1) Affordable- this product was easy on the pockets. I paid $4.99, but saw it at a few outlets for $5.99. (2) This product is readily available everywhere ( Beauty supply stores, CVS, Walgreen, Target, Walmart). (3) the smell was pleasant. (4) the texture was like marshmallow cream, it glided on easy and my hair felt moisturized while it was wet.

The Bad: It didn't mix well with the Orange Marmalade Hair Butter and Aloe Vera Gel, I cant really describe it- but it wasn't giving me what I needed. After applying CSB to the first 2 sections of my hair- I noticed a white residue in/on my hair.. tiny white clumps ( yikes).. As the hair dried the clumps seem to disappear- but I wasn't happy seeing that clumps. I didn't apply it to the back- I stopped after I noticed the clumps in the front.

The Ugly: When the sections dried.. CRUNCH..CRUNCH..CRUNCH.. it left my hair crunchy!!!!! NOT..NOT..NOT... happy!!!!! I became paranoid and feverishly tried to figure out what I did wrong. I re read the instructions and noticed the warning label. The warning label states " Avoid applying any styling or conditioning product directly on new growth" WHAAAAT!!!! WHY IS THAT?? That has left me very concerned and apprehensive.

Overall: I wasn't overjoyed. The clumps and the crunchies didn't make me a happy camper this morning. I will try it once more when I do my next twist out ( I did a wet n' go this morning). After that depending on the results I may be giving this product up at a swap and shop tweetup.

Whats your experience with CSB: Hit or Diss??

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