Positive Words to Describe Your Natural Hair

One thing embracing my natural curls and coils taught me was self-confidence. I realized that I felt ugly and out of place when I didn't think my hair was done. But that was just part of a larger self-esteem issue I had.

We're all about loving ourselves over here using hair as a jump off. Before I would describe my hair as unruly and unmanagable. Today, I would describe my hair as healthy, shiny and fun.

What about you hair enthusiasts? Chime in with words on positive ways you would describe your hair!

Re-post: Would you try this?

So i came across this information while browsing through another blog i frequent called "Her Best Hair" , in her Avocado Update: Deep Condition post. Here is also the link to the blog she found it on: coconut oil blog.

(Please click on the links within the paragraph for more info)

What do you think about this method of "natural relaxing?"

I'm not a hair typer but i just wonder, for those who have hair in the 4 something category and want to stay natural, would they ever consider doing something like this to their hair?

I think i might try it... yay or nay people? Help me decide!

Fall 2010 = New TWA Color!!!

I decided to go Beef and Broccoli for the fall... lol. 

I wanted to rinse my hair a darker color since my roots were getting huge and Autumn has arrived here in New York. I decided i didn't want to dye my hair anymore because it's too damaging so i used a rinse, Jazzing's  Black Cherry. In order to do the green, knowing that my hair was blondish before, i used a bit of Manic Panic in After Midnight Blue. Blue and yellow makes green and im loving it! It's very dark so unless i am in the light, most people just think it's black which i think is a kind of cool effect.

Everyone is loving the Burgundy and Green! I am too, what do you think? Might add just a smidge more green and make it brighter =)

And i almost forgot to mention, these are my curls smoothed and shingled with Shea Moisture's  Curl and Hold Smoothie! Soft, shiny, bouncy, detangled, fragrant, moisturized hair! Loving it!

IC Fantasia Hair Polisher Styling Gel

Product description: Gives great body, manageability, volume and shine
*Enhanced with sparkle lite conditioners, aloe, wheat protein & vitamin E
*With hair protective sunscreen
*Alcohol free
*Non-flaking
*Perfect for blow styling, rollet sets, molding, sculpting, lifting and other styling techniques
*Smoothes curly hair for a more natural, hair styling look
*Defies gravity, conditions and holds hair styles all day
*Not tested on animals
*For professional use

My Experience: I should admit I was very hesitant to use this product and researched the hell out of it before I spent my precious 4 bucks. I had read reviews that ranged from it being better than the more expensive Kinky Curly Custard, to it was drying and terrible. I took a deep breath and picked it off the shelf at Duane Reade. (After all, it has aloe vera in it, which my hair loves!) I decided I needed to try this because I'm indifferent about the Jane Carter Wrap & Roll I was using and as you can read from the description, it's recommended for rollersetting, a technique I am desparately trying to master. Recall that this was my result from my curlformer set using this gel....

I read a tip about using it over a leave-in conditioner so that it's not drying and I opted to use the Knot Today conditioner and the combo was perfect. My hair isn't feeling dry or flaking, it feels great. I did take pics of how it defined my curls, although I do not plan on doing a wash and go anytime soon, I had an idea on how my hair would react...

It clumps my curls really well, without much coaxing. And the shine factor is a big plus. Definitely keeping this around, at least for the rollersets!

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua) , Glycerin , Carbomer , Triethanolamine , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice , Dimethicone Copolyol , Tocopheryl Acetate , Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein , Polysorbate-20 , Benzophenone-4 , Methylchloroisothiazolinone , Methylisothiazolinone , Disodium EDTA , Fragrance (Parfum)

My Roller Set Attempts

Another curlformer attempt. I used Jane Carter Wrap and Roll. Still not where I wanted it to be...

Trying a rollerset with my magnetic rollers, FAIL lol. This is when I decided to just clip my ends instead...Still used the Wrap and Roll...

Curlformer set using IC Fantasia Gel. This was the new product I tried and liked it for the set. I realized though that in some parts, I didn't put enough gel. I'm so use to Kinky Curling Custard where you a little goes a long way so I was way stingy with the product. So I actually decided to try again the next day, except....

I opted to not only use curlformers, but flexi rods to compare the results between the two. results...

So, I was really happy with these results! This is my set from yesterday. Finally getting somewhere! The truth is, the flexi rods and curlformers don't seem to give me a huge difference in results, especially when I separated and fluffed out. You can't tell which ones I used. Now my issue is perserving these curls. I used a bonnet to sleep with and they kinda fell flat =( not sure what to do about that one....

SheaMoisture Review & TWA Twist Out

So as i think with all naturals, we know how necessary Shea Butter can be. After hearing and reading much rave about the Shea Moisture line, i was finally lucky enough to have some time to go to Target and pick some up myself (we don't have too many Target's here in the city). Click on Shea Moisture to read more info on the product.

I decided i wanted to twist my hair up because it was starting to feel dry from wearing my afro so much... bittersweet naturalness...

I washed my hair with Yes! To Carrots C Daily Pampering Shampoo mixed ,with a little Roux Porosity Shampoo, then deep conditioned with Giovanni Deeper Moisture Smooth as Silk Conditioner.

*These twists were done on clean, damp hair.

I decided to use my Shea Moisture Curl and Hold Smoothie for hold, shine, and moisture in case i planned on doing a twist out. If you look at the hair left out you will notice that on the right side, as compared to the left, the hair is shiner and the curls are defined. Since i was working in sections, i applied the Curl and Hold Smoothie in each section, and detangled with a large tooth comb before twisting. The hair on the right side was detangled with the Curl and Hold Smoothie, while left side was still undone.

I had planned to wear these twists for a week, but unfortunately i slept a bit wild and they became fuzzy, so my twist out came early. I used my pick to lift the roots and smoothed my edges back with my fingers using with Kinky Curly Curling Custard. I left a little hump on top cuz i loved the way the texture looked and i wanted it to show. I think it came out really nice! The Shea Moisture Curl and Hold Smoothie left my hair really smelling and feeling great and moisturized.
*One thing's for sure, make sure to follow the directions. It says to use it on damp or dry hair. I tried it on soaking wet hair once and had to wash it out and start over.

Tackling My Hair

So.

I mentioned previously that I was experimenting with my hair and then due to lack of interwebs at the new place, I was unable to upload pics. But now I can. And I can explain what I've been doing. For the past couple of weeks I noticed that I had had enough of single strand knots and splits in my hair...

iCan't.

And so as I practiced with a rollerset, I decided that while my hair was stretched out and feeling kinda rough on the ends, to just do the search and destroy method, by sections with my hair scissors and then twist each section that I was done with...

Then I realized that once most of the SSK were out, I still had pretty rough ends which I saw were some splits. So while my hair was wet and my curls were defined, I saw each split in indivudual curls and snipped them off. Altogether, I think I took off half and inch of my strands. Which is fine with me, because my hair feels soooo much better! Although I'm certain my hair will be uneven and lopsided, I can deal with that later!

Happier hair, happier me!