Wet Styling- Mini Pineapples

Hola Chicas!

It's been a while since my last post...crazy how time has flown. I was in the process of moving this month, so things have been really hectic trying to get my furniture out of storage, etc. Some really weird things happened that I just won't even go into b/c I am hoping that it was a one time occurrence, and I don't have a creepy neighbor to look out for.

But since I have been gone, I haven't had time to try much of anything new with my 'do. The only thing that I am doing differently now is allowing my hair to dry in mini-pineapples. I first read about this on CurlyNikki, and the blogger was showing us how to preserve dry styles on short hair with this method. People with longer hair can pull their hair up into one high pony (hence the pineapple name) but other's with shorter hair or tighter curl patterns have to make smaller sections.

To do this, I follow my same co-wash routine and apply leave-in conditioner mixed with olive oil to damp hair. I finger detangle each section, pulling the oil mix through to the ends, and loosely band with an ouch-less band. By loosely, I mean no more than twice around. You don't want them to be too tight, and leave a huge bend in your hair once dry. Sleep with the puffs out on silk pillow case. Your hair should be mostly dry by morning.

The next morning, remove each band slowly so you don't get tangles. Wet your hands and fluff each section, hiding the parts (which really aren't parts, since I part with my fingers...easier to cover them that way). To define my edges, I smooth them with a little EcoStlyer gel and use bobby pins to make my hair fall to either side, framing my face.

The end result is hair that is dry for the colder weather, fuller, with more curl definition/elongated curls. I've tried to make this last with the dry mini-pineapples, and that works for the first night. By day three it's pretty much shot to the curb.

Hope you ladies have a wonderful Holiday Season and get to spend it with the ones you love most.

Smooches!

Natasha

Type 4 Wash n' Go

My hair snapped right back from my press out...no qualms there, thank goodness!! As if I had to wonder. Day three of the press, and I was lazy in tying my hair back one morning. I went to wash my face and a huge wad of hair landed directly on my soaking wet face resulting in this...

I was never able to get it fully straight after that....LOL! Then a combination of being sick and rainy weather led me to co-wash after wearing it straight for only 5 days.

I co-washed with Giovanni 50/50. Then I applied a mixture of Herbal Essences "Come Clean" and EVOO as a leave in. To apply, I mix the two in my hands and pat it in gently, focusing on the ends and hairline.

Then I pretend like I'm a Labrador Retriever and shake my hair wildly back and forth and from side to side. Seriously....not playing about that even though it sounds crazy. Doing so achieves two critical things for me: removing excess water and curl separation/definition. Once that's over I let it air dry completely during the day and rock it au naturale. To preserve the curls at night I sleep on a silk pillowcase and mist with H2O to refresh in the mornings. I may gel the edges and pin it back from day 2 forward.

Twist Out at 2 Years Natural

So I decided to try a standard twist out on my hair about a week ago since I've gotten some length in the last two years. I typically don't prefer them because all of the parts leave too much exposed scalp and I feel somewhat bald-headed with all of them showing. Fluffing ruins the twist pattern (for me anyways) and I've had better luck with flat twist outs.

I co-washed with Giovanni 50/50, left a little in, and twisted with Eco-Styler gel on damp (not soaking wet) hair. Next time, I need to be a little more strategic with my parts. I had some huge, gaping parts for a few days since I refused to fluff. I was able to get 5 full days out of this set by sleeping on a silk pillowcase and misting with my water bottle in the mornings. I did use a little more of the gel on my edges each day and pinned them back from day 2 forward.

I was pleased with the results (surprisingly) and will be perfecting this over the winter months as a protective style.

Egg Protein Deep Conditioning

Step One: Crack and beat two raw eggs in a small bowl or measuring cup with a pouring spout. Pour the eggs into an applicator bottle.



Step Two: Part your hair into four sections and apply the egg mix directly to your hair and scalps. I apply at the scalp and pull it through to the ends; this keeps me from using too much on one section and running out too soon :)

Step Three: Make sure you have towels on hand to catch the drippies...there WILL be drippies...tons of them. This is normal but very annoying. You can sit under heat or let your hair air dry. As it dries, your hair will harden. Don't pull or mess with it in this state as this can lead to breakage.

Step Four: Rinse using cool water so that the egg will not cook in your hair. It's normal to have some egg-white flecks left behind, but I can usually pick them right out. Follow up with a moisturizing conditioning session, rinse, detangle, and you are good to go! Your hair should feel immediately stronger and your curls should have more spring to them. I do this immediately before and after straightening my hair to preserve my curl pattern from heat damage.

Natural Brides- Wedding Style

Last month my Soror, roommate, best friend, AND fellow natural, Essence, got married and I had the privileged to be her Maid of Honor. I also was tasked with styling her hair for the big day...no pressure, right?

Essence (a 3c/4b curlie) knew that she wanted her hair pinned back for the wedding, and after a couple of test runs, the morning of went rather smoothly. Well, other than the fact that she sweated out her press in her sleep the night before...lol..once we got past that, I started curling and pinning and below is the final result.

Through the ceremony and dancing our butts off at the reception, her hair held in place all night. I owe it ALL to one styling product: Tres Two Hairspray by Tressemme. It is, hands down, the BEST hairspray I have ever used- relaxed or natural.

Essence was a stunning bride and I am grateful to have been there for her on her big day!

Here are a few shots of the back of my hair from the blow-out. You can really see the length and the layers that Blade cut in. I asked that he give me a basic trim and leave as much of the length as possible. He did an excellent job and got most of the ratchet fairy knots that I have been staring at for months. Looks like I am just above Arm Pit Length (APL) ..never thought I would type that in a million years! I am not actively trying to grow my hair out, but it is nice to see the progress. My goal still is, and always will be, to maintain proper care for my hair in its natural state.

In the shots below you can see the Mahogany color that I applied about a month ago. I was worried that I might not have even color coverage, but it looks great! As Blade put it, even if it wasn't completely even it would still be rock-able! I love Blade :)

2 Years of Natural Hair Growth

All I can say is WOW!!

I went back to Blade at Upscale's Salon for my blowout and was in complete shock once he finally turned me around to see the end result. My sister went with me for her first mini-chop. She is three months into her transition and I can't wait till she hits the two year mark :)

I will let pics speak for themselves. Anyone that would like to set up an appointment with Blade, his info is below:


Upscale's Salon (Natural Hair and Beauty Tune-up Clinic)
2200 Northlake Pkwy, Tucker, GA, 30084
Phone: 404-484-7136

Do you know what TODAY IS?

....It's my Nappyversary! Nappyversarrrryy!

Well ladies, I'm two years in the game of natural hair. Crazy how time flies! My last relaxer was in October of 2008, just before my birthday. Today is my 4th Annual 25th Birthday, so I chose to celebrate them both at the same time.

Unlike most naturals, I celebrate by taking a trip to the salon to have my hair blown straight and trimmed. I plan do this twice a year on my Nappyversary and the Anniversary of my BC (in Feb.). I'm going back to Blade at Upscale's Salon here in Atlanta because he is a guru at straightening the natural tresses down here. My sister, who has also decided to transition to natural, will be going with me for her first mini-chop! So excited!

Going natural has allowed me a lot more freedom to be just who I am, and weed out the things (and people) in life that had no business being there in the first place. I will tell everyone I know that will listen. Never have I been a Natural Hair Nazi, but I do like to plant the seed whenever I get the chance. Since October of 2008, I have helped or inspired about 8 people to at least TRY rocking their natural hair. That really puts a smile on my face :)

The pic below is from my one year B.C. back in February. I curious to see just how much progress I've made since then.

Catch 22: Suave Professionals Conditioner Review

Let me first say this: What does or doesn't work for me may absolutely work for you! Take this review with a grain of salt and try these products for yourself before you write them off as hopeless. Now, on to the review....

So I thought that I'd found my staple cheapie co-wash conditioner in the Suave Professionals line. They have several conditioners to choose from and at about $3.00 for 30somthing ounces, I almost bought 5 bottles at one time. Over the course of about 3 months I did try out two, the Humectant (compared to Nexxus Humectress) and the Shea and Almond (compared to Aveda). Hands down, the Humectant was WAY better than the Shea and Almond for providing moisture, slip, and having the consistency that I prefer in a co-wash conditioner. I used them both religiously...almost everyday for co-washing, leave-in, baggying....you name it, I was using it!! I really loved what they did for my hair. What I didn't know was that they were simultaneously wreaking havoc elsewhere....Let me back up and explain...

So back in August, I bought my first bottle of the conditioner. August 6th to be exact. About a week later, I saw my sister who immediately stated: "Is everything ok?? You're skin doesn't look as clear as usual..." Hmmmm..I didn't really notice it, but once she said it I couldn't deny it. I looked somewhat like a pre-teen with the breakouts I had going on on both sides of my face and hairline. Initially, I thought it was stress, poor diet, or lack of water causing the adult acne I was experiencing. I kicked up the nutrition (even bought multi-vitamins) and switched back to my college facial system: Clinique. Another sister, who is all medical and stuff, was pushing me to get my thyroid tested. None of us could pin point exactly what was causing the breakouts.

It took me a while to figure out what was going on. I first noticed that my skin would clear up when I was away from home for extended periods of time. So I started washing my pillow cases, and being careful with lotions I used at the house. That didn't help. Clinique didn't help. I was about ready to pull my hair out with frustration. I had a series of weddings and events to look good for and my face was acting a dayum fool! At one point, I looked like I'd been shot in the forehead...it was that bad! LOL!

Then, in October, I bought the two bottles of Giovanni conditioner previously mentioned. It took me a while to notice, but I haven't had a breakout since I've been using them. Everything else in my regimen remained the same, but once the Suave Professionals conditioner left the picture my skin cleared right up. All I can say is that I feel SO relieved. As much as I loved the Suave Professionals line for my hair, I can't sacrifice my sanity for the sake of saving a few bucks on cheap conditioner. Now I am just focused on getting rid of the scarring, and the Clinique system is wonderful at that.

It just goes to show that when switching to a new product, you have to pay attention to EVERYTHING that it does (or doesn't) do for you. Naturals can tend to have issues with breakouts because a lot of the products we use contain oils and other ingredients that can be pore clogging. As soon as you notice a change in your skin, try to tie it back to a recent product addition, then use the process of elimination to find the culprit and get rid of it!

RIP Suave Professionals Conditioner line...I'll pour out some Giovanni for ya... ;)

Practice with Eyebrow Shaping

Practice makes (dayum near) perfect! I was on my way to an all male revue here in Atlanta and thought I would snap this pic to see if my brows looked symmetrical. One always seems to look different and I think it has to do with the fact that I am right handed. I simply use a dark brown eye pencil to fill mine in. Once I perfect that, I might switch to an angled brush and brow powder for a more natural look.

My hair was a straight up wash-n-go and I pinned the front edges back with a little EcoStyler and some bobby pins. Lazzzzzzy...but whatever works! LOL! That's the best part about being natural. It looks like I took the time to style my hair when I spent all of 3 minutes on it...gotta luv it!

Detangling/Styling

This is a shot of my hair freshly co-washed with Giovanni Smooth as Silk with a little left in. I detangled in sections and twisted each section, pinning each twist up with a bobby pin. I released in the morning and my hair was nearly dry. It's been getting colder out so dripping wet hair is becoming less and less an option these days.

Once I'm in the car, I do my make-up, release the twists, and fluff to hide the parts. My hair looks a lot bigger with less definition because of the huge sections, but its something different.

Happy Monday! <---- If that's even possible! LOL!

Giovanni Conditioner: My New Non-Guilty Pleasure!

About a week ago, I let my inner PJ run wild and spent $30 on two bottles of Giovanni conditioner...and it was SO WORTH IT!!

During any given month, I spend between $5 and $6 on conditioner for co-washing and leave-in. This month, being my birthday and Nappyversary month, I decided to treat myself. I started out buying one 33oz bottle of Giovanni's Smooth as Silk Conditioner from TJ Maxx. This huge bottle only cost me $12.99 at the discount retailer. For those of you who are familiar with Giovanni, this same product would run you about $9 for an 8 oz bottle at Whole Foods. Talk about a deal! I bought the Giovanni Tea Tree conditioner a while ago and was pleased with it, so I just knew I was in for a treat...and I was SO right!!

Trying it out the first time, I immediately fell in love with the slip and scent of the Smooth as Silk. My fingers glided through my hair and I was able to detangle in 6 sections (as opposed to the 10 plus usually). I can't describe it...it's just the most amazing conditioner EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!

I liked it so much that I went right out the next day and bought the Giovanni 50:50 (half protein/half moisture)...It's just as amazing. It reminds me a lot of the Trader Joe's Nourish Spa that I loved in my TWA days, and ya'll know I loved me some TJNS!!

So now I'm on a mission to contain my PJism as best I can. I am tempted to buy every bottle I see in TJ Maxx. Send up a prayer for ya girl!

One more week until my 4th Annual 25th Birthday and Nappyversary! There is much to celebrate!

Curl Preservation and Conditioning: The "Baggy" Method

As a natural, two of the hardest things to maintain are our hair's moisture level and curl formation from day to day. For some dry hair is a serious problem that can result in crispity, lifeless curls.



I've found that the best way to stave off a case of the crispies is to invest in one of the cheapest beauty items out there: the disposable plastic shower cap. I originally bought a pack of 20 to use in conjunction with deep treatments, however I more frequently use them to sleep in using the "Baggy Method."



If you haven't heard of baggying before, simply put, it is tucking your hair away under a plastic cap to preserve the moisture as much as possible. The best time to do this in my opinion is overnight when hair is prone to dryness due to cotton pillowcases and scarves, and the friction of rubbing against the fabric. I've found that even when I start with dry hair at night, my hair is damp in the mornings due to condensation (from my body heat). So to take advantage of this, I rub a little olive oil or conditioner over my hair before applying the cap, then tie my silk scarf over the cap. In the morning I just fluff and go!

I've also been practicing filling in my brows. Shapely brows are a great, free accessory for all naturals. Practice makes perfect! Just be sure find a color brow pencil or powder that closely matches your hair color. I'm almost there...thanks to Tdavis for the inspiration :)

Patience is a Virtue..

...That I DON'T HAVE!!

So I guess that last post about the tired, sandy-brown/red hair color threw me over the edge...and I colored my hair once more. I went to my local BSS store and after about an hour of staring at little hair color swatches, I finally settled for a dark brown made by a brand I have never heard of before: DaVinci (color 4M- Mahogany Brown).

Now I've actually had some training in cosmetology so I feel comfortable with coloring my own hair at home. If the terms 'color wheel' and 'creme developer' sound foreign to you, please find a hair color specialist!! (You have officially been warned)

The color turned out to be a very dark brown. Indoors it almost looks black but outdoors you can really see the Mahogany brown. It lightens a bit with each co-wash and I really love it. I think I prefer myself with darker hair, just not fully "black" like I did when I was relaxed.

I can't wait to see the color when it is straightened for my Nappyversary...Oct. 22nd is the date!! Woot woot!

The pics below were taken the morning after the color process, hence the color halo around my hairline...hot mess! But it faded after only a day :)

Countdown to my 2 Year Nappyversary

The countdown is on! I will be 2 years on this natural journey in October and I have learned SO MUCH in the process. The longer my hair has gotten, the more it has taken on its own personality and demonstrated a few "character flaws." LOL!

Most days, I absolutely love my hair and my decision to go natural. Other days...I feel frustrated and a little bored really. The curl pattern of my hair is so unbelievably tight that it's very difficult to make it hold the patterns of twist-outs, etc. 3 hours worth of twisting for my hair to look like a baby fro is not a good look..at all... so I have been rocking wash-n-go's for a few months now.

The color that I have in my hair has grown out considerably, and taken on this funky reddish hue. I love it and hate it at the same time. The lighter color helps define my curls, but the red haze gives me a sandy look that I despise. New color is definitely going down next month...I'm looking for a true brown that looks like a rich milk chocolate. I figure that would look good curly or straight.

I do plan to straighten my hair again in October. I've only had it straighted once since October 2008. I will be going back to Blade...(sigh..I love Blade and he's only done my hair once...) for a good steam treatment, trim, and press. I figure that my hair is somewhere between my shoulder blades stretched out, but we will see.

In the meantime, I am going to up my deep conditioning routine to prepare for this heat. Switching back and forth between protein and moisturizing conditioners. I've used up the last of my Motions CPR and thinking I would like to try Elasta QP's deep treatment. Idk..their little jar is entirely too small for the price...maybe I'll stick with eggs and Mayo for protein.

Things I'm loving right now:

• Suave Professionals Humectant Conditioner for cowashing (LOVE IT!!)
  
  
• Mizani Curl Replenish- Got two small packets from the hair show..considering the investment of a full jar. The pic above, my hair has the Mizani and Cantu Shea left in..

• Essie Nail Polishes- This polish is the bomb! Goes on super smooth and has deep pigments that cover very well...sometimes in one coat. The neutrals don't streak, which is HUGE in my book. I can polish my nails in the car on the way to work (one coat) and they are dry in 10 mins. (Kids...don't try this at home..LOL!)

• Sally Hansen X-treme Wear Topcoat (polish lasts a week before chipping on my NATURAL nails!!)

• The Little Black Brush- I got this freebie from the spa in Miami. Love the way it detangles and I will be looking for a professional version of this ASAP!!

I've Fallin Off...

...Somethin' terrible!

It's been a while since my last post, but with good reason. I have been juggling vacation, bachelorette planning and attending, and my son starting Kindergarten this past Monday.

I've been stretched thin lately and things will only get more hectic until I make it through October. I have a cruise, bridal shower, and two weddings between then and now..yikes!

Here are a few pics of my vacation hair. I opted for low maintenance styles and made the most out of a twist set, a fro-hawk, and several wash-n-gos. My staple sealer is olive oil, but it doesn't travel well, so all of these were accomplished with plain ole conditioner. One thing I've noticed is that the little bottles of hotel conditioner are pretty good, even if the shampoo and shower gel sucks.

Bahamas next weekend! I have to step it up a notch from here...