I Started A Youtube Channel!

I have decided to bring my blogging to video and I filmed my first video today and I am proud of the results. I did a review of JD Glow Cosmetics which have some of the most amazing products. If you love glitter and glam, you might really want to check out this video. This is something that I am just getting into so I am trying to spread the word about it and see how it all goes. I hope you enjoy. Please like, share, and subscribe.

Faux Locks Protective Style

For all of those that know me, you know that I like to change my hair style quite frequently. But this time around since I did cut my hair, I am trying to focus on maintaining a style for at least 4 weeks minimum. I had my HerGivenHair in before this style but decided to change it up a little before my weave reinstall. So I decided to do something fun and edgy and thought of faux locks. I installed this by crochet braiding them and the style took under 2 hours. Here are some pics:

My mother actually did my install and the hair cost me $7 a pack. I paid about $45 total. Share what you think of my new look :)

I was finally able to get my hands on this bad boy after refusing to go through another wash day without it. Ladies & gentlemen tonight I am going to introduce you to the brand Aquis. The product that I own from this company is called Lisse Luxe Hair Towel which is a microfiber hair towel which dries hair in such a short amount of time. I swear to you I had this towel wrapped around my hair for no more than 10 minutes and after my hair was only damp. I am sure if I would have kept it on longer my hair would of been dry completely but due to the fact that I was in a rush 10 minutes was all I had. But that was enough time for me to actually see if the product worked or not and please let me tell you it does. There is even a waffle luxe hair towel for more course hair (I probably should definitely own this one). The description specifically says African hair or Asian hair. You can click here to see all the products from the brand which feature body towels and more!

Yes everyone, I went there. After coming back from the salon (check old post) I noticed that my ends were still split. It got to a point of irritation and me realizing that my ends were fried (the whole bleached part). I actually just wanted to chop my hair off days after getting my silk press but decided against it and said that I would just grow my hair out. But the more I looked at my hair the more irritated and impatient I became so I finally decided to take another trip to the salon and this time I went to Carol's Daughter Mirror salon. My experience there was way different than with the place I went to 3 weeks ago. My stylist seemed to really care about her work and seemed extremely knowledgeable about what she was doing. I just told her I wanted healthy hair and to chop off how much she had to and she cut my hair in a rounded cut. I left the shop feeling much different but refreshed. I actually really like the short hair although I do plan on protective styling for the rest of the Winter. But I love it to the point where I feel like there is a chance when I do go back to visit my stylist I might get a styled cut but we will see... But photoed below is the outcome.

I also recorded my before and after experience so I'll post the videos here
Why I Big Chopped Again

After Getting My Big Chop

Do Women With Natural Hair Need a Salon?

Hello all and happy new year! Today I went to a salon here in Harlem because I saw that for the past 3 months I was not retaining length and I was at a complete lost on what the issue was. I thought that maybe it was my ends but I really just wanted to confirm as well as know the status of my hair. I was right about my ends being the issue and I learned a couple of things while visiting the salon. First I must say that my stylist did an amazing job on my hair. I got a silk press, a deep condition and a trim. I swear I did not even know my hair could get this straight and the shine is amazing. My hair has never looked so good natural. But an interesting thing my stylist told me after I asked him was it okay if I used coconut oil to moisturize my hair while it was straight was that the scalp produces natural oils that will moisturize the hair on its own. Also he told me that although the natural hair community is scared of heat, heat is good for the hair. So I will definitely be going back to the salon in the future but not for his suggested 2 weeks. I will wash my hair when it needs to be washed and go to the salon maybe every month or so because it is not cheap lol Here are the results of my salon visit today

A Few Hair Changes

I have been natural for maybe 5 plus years but yet my hair is barely armpit length. I did make some changes in the summer of 2014 & saw improvement quickly and growth. I then cut my hair while so call giving my self a trim and took off maybe 2 inches most. Made the same mistake the following summer (when will I learn?) lol But I think I am at the point now where I was the summer I saw improvement some time back. But the great thing about this natural hair journey is that that is exactly what it is - a journey. So throughout this year I did make some mistakes and cut my hair way more than I should have but lets not forget that it is just hair so it will grow back thankfully. But my usual regimen is me washing it every week (either cowash or shampoo, depends on which one I feel like using) and moisturizing with water as well as my moisturizer of choice a the moment. For the winter I am choosing to protective style and my usual choice is a wig being that I can get to my hair whenever I like but I have decided that I would like to choose something long term because I feel like washing my hair weekly is just too much & I would really love to embrace my natural hair oils. So for this experiment I will be using:

Used this for the first time today & this felt amazing! I was cleaning my room & my scalp got uncomfortably hot so I just added a few pumps of this to it & felt immediate relief.

This here is dry shampoo & whenever I am itching for a wash I will just use this. I have use it before & I feel like it is a pretty decent and convenient product. (Also I will actually shampoo my hair every 2 weeks. No more co washing for the winter.)

This is Eden BodyWork's Peppermint Tea Tree Hair Milk. This product softens hair as well as moisturizes it which is why I purchased it. You can also put this in before you style your hair and it can be used as a detangler (Fun facts). I also purchased the jojoba & monoi one but I will use that one once I finish this bottle.
But this is seriously all I plan on using this winter. I try to keep my products to a minimum & please believe I will be keeping you guys updated with results. Hopefully I see some growth come spring time. Aiming for 10 inches (cross your fingers for me :).
Enjoy your holidays everyone!

The Power of Coconut Oil

This post is strictly dedicated to coconut oil. I fell inlove with it maybe a year or 2 ago and I have decided to share its benefits with you guys.
1. Obviously you can cook with it lol
2. You can use it to moisturize your body. I personally like to use it for my face in the winter when the cold weather dries my skin out.
3. It also moisturizes hair. I use this for my hair but not too often simply because I feel like oils are too heavy on my hair but it is one of the few oils that actually does moisturize hair.
4. Make up remover! This is my favorite thing to use coconut oil. It takes make up off so effortlessly and works well as a make up remover all by its self. A little goes a long way. (Please try this at home.)

Pre Poo 101

As I currently sit here with a plastic bag over my head and a bunch of oils and coconut milk in my hair I have decided to share with you guys a little of my hair care secrets. First I will say that I have naturally curly hair, a cross between 4b and 4c.
Okay so I do wash from as little as 4 days a part and sometimes a full week apart. It all depends on my schedule and if I feel like washing my hair or not. One step that I NEVER skip is prepooing. There are many ways to do it but here is how I do it.
I use a mix of natural oils; peppermint oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, and ylang ylang oil. They all have their own benefits but you can research oils and what they do can do for you to make the decision on which ones to purchase. Lastly, I mix all of these oils with coconut oil. Most of my applicator bottle consist of coconut oil and maybe 3 or 4 drops of the other oils.
I tend to add these oils to my scalp via the applicator bottle and just kind of rub my hair around so it gets on my hair too.
Next I detangle using DNA detangler (this also works as a leave in conditioner. Your choice on if you would like to use it for that as well.) During this time i simply just find part my hair, tie up the rest with a scrunchie, spray the detangler on my hair and then work its through using my fingers to detangle.
When all is done, I add a bag to my head and leave it on there for about 45 minutes. After that comes the wash.
Hope you all enjoyed :)
Also, I have decided to add coconut milk to my preproo routine so I will be letting you guys know how that goes.