Friday, July 31, 2009

Ponytail

Here is a pic of my natural ponytail I wore today. How did I do it?
*Washed hair
*Applied shea butter mixture for moisturizing then applied Infusium 23 Leave In
*Blowdried ( yes blow dried, it's not for everybody) on low heat then applied more shea butter
* Gelled with a little eco styler gel and tied down with a scarf. To hold my ponytail I used my knee hi thingy and added a flower for decoration.

This style does have a purpose, I am going to retwist my hair on tomorrow, I think having my hair blow dried makes easier twisting for me. Next time you see a pic of me I will have a new style. Until later gators.
Voila!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

A hair dyeing experience

What happens when you have too much time on your hands? You dye your hair, that's what I did, well sorta. I say that because I did not get the turn out that I wanted, I wanted a big, noticeable color and what I got was the front sides coming out redder than the rest of my hair, which is somewhat subtle. I did a semi permanent red (scarlet red by Adore, no alcohol, ammonia, or peroxide) because of the darkness of my hair hoping that it would hold good but it really didn't. I even used two bottles the first I left on for 25 minutes and rinsed out, I wasn't satisfied so I applied the other bottle and left it on for 25 more minutes, that did help to lighten my hair some.

What I decided was I would wait a month and then dye it again with the same color in hopes of getting a more reddish color and if that works then I will use every few months. I really want red hair, when I told my husband I wanted to dye my hair he even suggested red, say what, he surely shocked me.

I was working on video but we are under a tornado warning right about now, having some very bad weather, so I will wait until tomorrow and finish it up then post it. Hopefully I can get outside tomorrow and see how the color looks if we have some sun. Until then, later gators.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

My mommy's hair

Here are the pictures of my moms finished hair, she likes it. I did it Saturday and it took only two hours, and she is still wearing it which is a plus because she does not keep a style long, she is loving it. I even told her how to make a spritz for her hair which is working out well.

Good hair day

Three things today:
First: Today was definitely a good hair day, I went to a career fair and wore my hair in the cutest twistout. My husband just saw my hair and was like wow, that looks great. I have to admit it was cute, it was very soft and well moisturized thanks to my shea butter and oils. Check out the pics.














Second: I got a great compliment on my twist out, a fellow church goer saw me in the store and loved my hair, she asked how I did it and what I used . She said she had all the products at home and that she was going home to try it on her grand-daughters hair. I told her next time I saw her in church let me know how it turns out. She seemed so excited, hope it turns out good.

Third: I almost fell ya'll, no not literally. I went by Whole Foods today just to buy some peppermint oil, and OMG what did I see but Curls hair care products, yes the original, starring back at me. I got so excited because I have been wanting to try it. I picked it up and walked around with it for a while. After I floated back to reality I slowly set the jar back on the shelf and walked away. I am so proud of myself, I am going to stick to this regimen if it nothing else, plus I kept looking at that price ($16.99). In the end I left without it but I did ask if it was just a trial or are they planning on keeping it, they will be keeping it so I will try it another time.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Help

Okay ya'll, I need your help. Tomorrow I am going to a career fair, yep my job search is still on, and was wondering if it is alright for me to wear my two strand twists. I don't have a problem with my hair but lets get real, first impressions are everything and I need a new job. I am not the type of person who cares too much of what people think of me but I don't want potential employers to throw me out cause of my hair, maybe my personality will pull me in, I'm a sanguine ya'll. Anyways what should I do with my hair, is it alright to wear the twists, my only other option would be to wear a twist out, plus I am not ready to take them out I have done so good with my protective styling. My sister says wear them, what should I do?

Monday, July 27, 2009

New protective styles

I need a new protective style. I am braiding diva but hate doing them mysel and can't stand the thought of paying somebody else to do them...but I want some. I have been weighting my options cause I just can't see myself twisting my hair all day every two weeks. Don't worry I am going to keep my challenge up, btw I added shea butter to the challenge, but just need a different protective style and need to decide my Friday so I can hook it up by the weekend. Of course cornrows with extensions to the back is an option but I feel like I have a funny shaped head, had those before, another idea flat twists with extensions, my last option...tree braids, now those are the bomb diggy.
Has anyone ever heard of these, they are so simple to do but too expensive to get done, sorry ya'll I am cheap about some stuff. So now I need to decide which style I want to do, cause the two strand twists are out the window. I will be posting pictures of the style I chose, until then check out my work.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

I should be sleep but...

I should be sleep but...I am not sleepy so I just decided to blog and watch House of Payne at the same time.
So, I am proud of myself, I can't believe I made it through one week with my twists, surely I can make it through another. Hold that thought though... I have a job fair to go to on Wednesday, I may go I may not. I need to go. Anywho, if I do decide to go I think I will wear a twist out, surely I can make that look professional definitely not feeling the wash and go lately.

Enough of that, so I found out that my husband has planned a little surprise getaway for the two of us this coming weekend, I am excited because I love surprises. He said I will find out where on Wednesday so I can prepare myself. I think he has been planning this for a minute, it is funny cause I have been seeing him look at hotels but didn't think anything of it, our 8th anniversary is in September so I thought that's what it was for. So since hubby can't hold water he told me we were going somewhere out of the blue while we were at church today. He is a mess, but in a good way.

Usually I would try to find out what he has planned, sometimes I can figure it out, but this time I will let it be a surprise so it gives me something to look forward to. It will surely be nice to go somewhere without the girls for a change and definitely get prepared to go back to work as if I haven't had enough rest these past 8 weeks. I will let you guys know I end up on Saturday, until then. Toodles.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

My mommy

Good morning a bloggers, I am enjoying a nice quiet morning at the house, kids gone, hubby at work, just me and my coffee. Who could ask for anything better, LOL! Anyways, my mommy is here and i am so excited she is so beautiful with her natural hair, I will definitely share pics later on so you guys can see her. She has been natural forever, on a whim of course. I get tickled sometimes thinking how in the world my sister ( who has locs) my mom, and I ended up natural. I will be twisting my moms hair for her today, she may not wear it for long but hey it's for her. Her hair is so soft, her regemin is so simple: wash, condition, shea butter, and hair oils, say what. She loves her some shea butter too, I have to admit I hooked her on the "butta". Post pictures soon.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

House Hunters

Totally not a hair post, but I am so excited. We are officially house hunting. We are growing out of the house we are currently in so it is time for an "Upgrade". Yeah baby, nothing too big though because I am a cleaning freak and don't want to be cleaning up house all day. Right now it takes at least an hour to clean our house, I don't mind adding thirty minutes, with the help of some children. Yes my children clean and they enjoy it, my mom made my sister and I clean when we were small and it did not kill us.

Well, hopefully we will be in a house by January. Our only big decision is whether to build or buy an existing, we have a lot to consider with both. If we build I get to pick out all the amenities that are my style and we have to start now. If we get existing I may have to do some remodeling and we won't feel like we are rushing. I think any choice we make will be fine, I will keep you updated.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

My New Hair Challenge

I am bored with my hair, seriously. I don't know why, my husband and sister think I am crazy. Did any one else feel this way with your TWA?

Well I came up with a Protective Hair Challenge of my own and it will be starting on Monday. .... This time I will follow through.

Drum roll...The Olive, Vitamin E, Coconut Oil and Aloe Vera Gel Challenge if you will.

So school starts back in a few weeks which means I will be going back to work after a nice long summer break, and I will need something done to my hair. Not to mention I want to get my hair healthier and to help it grow, that means leaving it alone. My style of choice, none other than the famous "two strand twists", say what? What did you think I was gonna say? The true challenge is going to be keeping them up for at least two, maybe three weeks, if I can. In between I will be doing a wash and then twisting back up. This routine will hopefully go until December, when we go on Christmas break.

I chose these oils because I love them. I have been using these oils together for the past three months and one day I decided I like them and they are good for your hair, how can I use them for the good of MY hair and this is what I came up with. My mom, who is natural also, can't find these oils in Texas so I sometimes send her some, she even gave some to her coworker.

I am excited to see the results if any. Here is a picture of the starting length.

Benefits:
Vitamin E - Aids in the growth of stronger, longer, healthier hair. Moisturizes dry and tired hair. Improves circulation.
Olive Oil- Makes hair soft and silky. Revitalizes hair. Restores the hair's natural moisture balance, improves elasticity, hydration, and shine.
Coconut Oil - Repairs strength and shine.
Aloe Vera Gel - Moisturizer and hold.


Stay tuned for updates...

Sunday Hair

Ya'll, here is my cute Sunday style I did for church today. Last night I did about six flat twists down the back and did a twist out this morning. Then I did two large flat twists in the front and pinned them down. My sides are thin(always have been) so I smoothed them back with a little gel and tied a scarf around for while to hold it back, after that I was ready to go. Boy did I think I was cute, who would've thought that a TWA could be so cute. Check it out.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A little trim

I got my hair trimmed today! I can definitely tell the difference it made in my hair, I can actually can run my fingers through my hair. If you look at the video you can also see the difference in the shape of my hair. Check out the video and enjoy.


Sunday, July 12, 2009

Another Big Chop

Okay guys, I have been thinking and I think I will be doing another chop, not a big one but definitely another cut, it won't even be an inch. I was looking at my hair the other day and I have noticed that I have alot of split ends, super bushy at the ends. Believe me, I don't want to do it but in the end it will be better for my hair. I know there are lots of stuff out there that says they" mend split ends" but my question is how can you do that. If the hair is splitting surely there is nothing that can help it. Right? I don't want to cut but I am looking at the health of my hair and don't want to have to relax it, I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions.

I already talked to my cousin who has been natural for several years and she is going to cut it for me on Wednesday, I am scared to go to a salon because they get plenty scissor happy and I don't want them wacking my hair off. Hopefully by my one year nappy-versary!! in December my hair will be more healthier and ready for another year of coily growth, that's if I don't back out of it.

I won't, I can't back out, I have to remember it is for the health of my hair, an d believe me I love my hair.

Anywho, I will make sure I update you. Until then check out this article from mynhgc.com

How To Trim Curly Hair

Perfectly shaped Afros and split-free ends have graced the pages of countless magazine pages. Maybe you have thought perfect looking hair is inaccessible on a budget. Flawless beauty without the expensive price is as close as your nearest pair of hair scissors.

Trimming your ends, especially those dry dull tips, will help to keep natural hair looking neat and healthy - especially when you want that nice wash-and-go look. You don’t need a stylist to maintain healthy ends. All you need to do is master the simple technique called ‘dusting’.

Dusting is by far the easiest and fastest way to trim your hair and is ideal for women who want to retain length. It’s called dusting because you snip just a little bit off the ends of the hair and the removed bits look just like a little dust. Here is an easy no-fail guide on how to trim your own hair using the dusting technique

Tools Needed

  1. Large and small teeth combs for detangling.
  2. Sharp, professional cutting scissors. (These can be found at your neighborhood beauty supply store and in some pharmacies.)
  3. Mirror

What To Do

  1. Thoroughly detangle your hair. (Optional - lightly blow-dry your hair for a more precise result)
  2. Put your hair in medium sized plaits/twists. I suggest at least 18 plaits over your head. The more plaits you do the better result you will receive.
  3. Feel for the little bulbs and dry bits of your hair ends and snip them off at angle using a sharp pair of scissors while looking in the mirror.

    Warning Cutting ends too bluntly will make twists and plaits unravel too easily causing your styles to loosen. Always clip at an angle.
  4. Stop. Why? You’re finished!

    Bonus Leave the plaits or twists in overnight and you may just have a fabulous braid-out or twist-out the next day with beautiful healthy ends.

It’s that easy. Now if you did the job right, the hair that you cut off is very minimal and you still have lots of hair left on your head. Trim your hair regularly before major damage is done to your ends and you should be able to avoid an expensive trip to the salon for a big cut to get rid of inches of damaged hair. Happy trimming


Diedre Callam is a freelance writer/designer with master's degree level training in Publications Design and Writing. Her writing interests include environmental, music, education and lifestyle topics. She also does press releases upon request. Visit her at http://dcallam.blogspot.com/ or email dcallam@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .



Friday, July 10, 2009

Last perm anniversary

So, I just realized that yesterday marked the anniversary of my last perm, I was driving in my car today and realized it. I am so amazed at myself that I lasted this long; if I felt a wave at the roots I was running to the Salon. Then after I started transitioning and flat-ironing my hair I realized that I really did not need a perm, my hair is so fine that the heat straightened my hair to the "T".

Six months to go and I will hit my "All Natural" mark. Yeah, me!!

What is so funny too, that a few of my classmates on my facebook that I haven't seen in a while are also natural, how cool.

I am sooo looking forward to the next few months, no looking back for me.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Amprogel Curle Curl part 2

Hello once again, part 2 of my Ampro Gel Activator review.

This time I added some a little Eco Styler Gel with the Ampro Activator, I deep conditioned real good and while in the shower I raked my mixture through real good with my fingers. Again before doing that I added my Elasta QP Leave in to my hair. This mixture turned out really good. My hair likes these two products, there is no flaking, greasiness, or crunchiness. I am really excited that I found something for my wash n go's, I was getting worried for a minute there...

Anyways check out my videos and pictures.


Sunday, July 5, 2009

My wash and go

I am so excited, this morning I decided to do a wash and go for church today, it was time for a washin. I found a new product yesterday that I did not want to mention until I used it. This morning I co-washed and applied my new product in the shower while my hair was pretty wet, I raked it through with my fingers and let it air dry I also put a few drops of Vitamin E oil on my scalp and massaged it in ever so gently so not to disturb the curl pattern. I sprayed the Elasta QP Leave In Conditioner on top of everything and gently worked it into my hair too.

The results: soft, shiney, subtle curlsNot to mention when my husband saw me at church (cause he has to be there early) he loved my hair, he even complimented on how my color, that I put in four weeks ago, was beautiful. To top it all off, we went to Wal-Mart afterwards and there was another natural diva in front of me, and she also commented on how "Beautiful" my hair was. Of course I told her thank you with a big grin on my face.

Check out the vid on my new wash and go product, by the way I only paid $1.99 for it. I also bought some Eco Style Gel which I did not use, I am going to see if I can figure out a good recipe to use the two together.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Two product reviews

Check it out.

Elasta QP Feels Like Silk Leave In H2, moisture sealing conditionerPrice: $3.99

Product Info: Softens, detangles, moisturizes, and also for natural hair. This product is infused with olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and other organic extracts. I liked this product alot for my hair, mainly because it is not thick. This is something that I can definitely tell a difference when used in my hair.

Would I use again: Definitely!



I also decided to try Elasta QP Deep Conditioner, loooove it! Man I was so impressed. I shampooed and deep conditioned for about thirty minutes and rinsed, when it was time to style I sprayed with my Feels Like Silk and let air dry. The feeling was super nice. These two products are going to be a staple under my sink.

So my hair regimen consists of this:

Shampoo: Elasta QP Conditioning Shampoo, I usually shampoo every 1 or 2 weeks, I was using Aubrey Organics, but for the price QP works just as well.

Conditioner: Elasta QP Intense Conditioner, use as needed which is usually once a week and Organix Shea Butter conditioner for my cowashes.

Deep Conditioner: once again Elasta QP DP11, never been so impressed with a D/C since I have been a natural girl. I always deep condition at least once a week, my hair needs it.

Other hair products consist of my homemade Shea Butter cream, tea tree, vitamin, coconut, and grape seed oil mix that I dab on my scalp and massage in every few days. I really don't have styling products as far as gel and stuff like that, I haven't worn a wash and go since the end of May mainly because it is too hot and humid here in Memphis right now so I have been doing some protective styles, plus the stuff I used in the winter don't work for this summer heat, it has been tried already. When I find something I will let you know.

Oh, and I can't forget my Henna which I use about once a month, I will be using it again on tomorrow, will let you know how it turns out. Toodles.






Happy Fireworks Day

Wishing everyone a Happy Fourth! My family and I enjoyed our local fireworks show last night it was great. The picture below is a little peak at what we saw. We couldn't get too close because my girls are scared to death of the noise. I use to be the same way when I was their age, how funny. They did enjoy it though, and I must say I was like a little child myself, I do love fireworks. Don't know what's up for tonight though I hope my lovely husband does not try to invite people over, I am not in the mood for entertaining even though that would give him a chance to try out his new gas grill that I gave him for Father's Day. Anyways have a great day and be safe with all those fireworks that you know you are not supposed to have but get them anyways. Including me!!! Chow!
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