3.5 Years Natural Hair Growth

Hola Chicas!! As promised, here are the rest of the pics from my semi-annual blow out in May of 2012. I'm so late in posting these, but better late than never, right? ....RIGHT! :) (Here is my hair immediately prior...basically a wash n go)

(Blown out before the trim....)

(I wanted it bone straight....)

(...But my hair said otherwise. Blade added more curls to stave off reversion..)

I won't straighten again until this fall, but I must say that I did stretch this blow out for about 3 weeks. That has NEVER happened before, and I did it using flexi rods and ponytails to keep the tension on the roots. As Blade would say, keeping natural hair straightened is "all about the tension." He ain't neva lied!! Smooches! Natasha

Just Saying "HI"

Wow! Has it really been that long since my last update?? Time is flying and so much has happened since my last post, mainly in my personal family life. I haven't had much time to even deal with my hair, but I did have my semi-annual blow out done by the always fabulous, BLADE!! Tdavis went with me this time, as we have been rocking this natural journey together :) I'll post more pics later this weekend from my personal computer. Black Friday can't get here soon enough, because I need a new digital camera. iPhone pics are not the biz.... Hope you ladies are amping up your moisture routines for the summer. Please remember that moisture = water. Not oils...use oils to seal in your water based moisturizer. I finally purchased a mini spritz bottle that fits right into my purse, for a fine mist throughout the day. I only put bottled spring water in my spritz bottle (no tap water) so it stays fresh for days. Will post again soon! Smooches Queenofthe4s

Twist n' Knots

I know I say this ALL the time....but I finally think I have found my favorite twist method! LOL!

I call it Twist n' Knots for simplicity, but it's really just flat twists with bantu knots on the end of each twist. I've done this several times on myself and once on a friend of mine. Each time the results were the same. This method works better on hair that has been stretched from either a ponytail or previous twisting session.

The hair is dampened with plain water (dampened, not soaked or your hair won't dry overnight)and prepped with plain shea butter. Your hair should be wet enough to be pliable, and it should twist easily/smoothly. If not, add a tad bit more water.

Then, flat twist downward, all the way to the ends. Create a bantu knot with the tail of each twist. Allow to dry overnight, then gently take down in the morning. Allow the hair to fluff on it's own while you dress to preserve the curl pattern created by the bantu knots. Do cover any patches of exposed scalp by gently separating if needed :)

At night, I preserve by re-twisting in large, single twists with bantu knots. I'll post those pics in another post. I also need to tell you ladies about a new conditioner that I'm trying out. It definitely made a great first impression, but I don't want to say until I've used it at least twice.

Still loving Gel nails...my I've gone from mauve to alpine grey to bubble gum pink...and I love it! (and just in case you are reading this, THANKS BABE!!)

**Smooches**

Natasha

Stretched Twist Out Results

Ladies,

Here are the results from doing a stretched twist out. I finally re-stocked my shea butter supply and used that instead of the Curl Enhancing Smoothie. The shea butter yields a fluffier result = BIGGER HAIR!! YAY!


Side Shot:




I should also add that my gel manicure has yet to chip. I got my nails done at Nail Talk & Tan across from Perimeter Mall in Atlanta. I love that shop!

With spring just around the corner, I'm looking forward to adding to my beauty routine and wardrobe. I love the warmer months because they inspire me to do better for myself... I need to match the lovely weather outside :)

Oh yeah, if any of you hear about a sale on Organix conditioner, please let a sista know! I can't bring myself to pay $7 for that small bottle...but I might have to...

*Smooches*

Queenofthe4s

Quick Update: Twist Stretching and Gel Nails

Ladies!

It has been a while since my last post, so I wanted to drop in to catch up. A lot of changes at work and at home have had me stretched thin lately. There hasn't been much time to experiement with my hair or new products :( I am in deperate need of a color touch up, and my nails were looking beyond tragic.

So last weekend I was basically dragged to the nail salon for a mani/pedi. Apparently my guy likes nails to be presentable, so he footed the bill, and I splurged on a gel manicure. The brand is Perfect Match and I forget the color, but it's like a mauve, I think. Gel polish is cured with the UV light dryer and dries to a perfect finish. The results are supposed to last for 2 weeks without chipping. I was a total skeptic, but it is holding up very well!! I'm almost a week in without a single chip! It kinds reminds me of acrylic tips without the drilling, which is great. As cheap as I am, I may have to keep this up. Here are my nails, 3 days later. Still perfect :)





As for my hair, I took some time to twist over the weekend, so my hair would match my lovely nails. I tried a stretching technique that I learned watching Naptural85 on YouTube. You basically twist damp hair, pull each twist around your head and pin it down. Once dry, you have a lot less shrinkage. This method worked very well, so I suggest you ladies try it out.




At night, leave the crown out to dry...




Here are the results the next morning. My twists are usually half as long with shrinkage...






As for products, here's a list of what's working for me now:

Shampoo: Suave Coconut to clarify
Shampoo: Shea Moisture's Moisture Retention

Co-wash: Aussie Moist Conditioner

Leave-in: Organix Passionfruit Guava Conditioner mixed with EVOO

Twisting: Shea Moisture's Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Edges: EcoStyler Gel w/ Argan Oil



*Smooches*

Queenofthe4's