Tried a New Product: Jane Carter Wrap and Roll

At the beginning of the summer, I bought Jane Carter Solutions Wrap and Roll Setting Lotion. I was hesitant because the last product I tried from this line was a conditioner that I couldn't stand. But I'm making it a mission to practice rollersets and wanted to try this. (You may recall when I used it to do my curlformer set) I still have yet to make up my mind about it because the very first time I used it, I didn't like it. But then when I did the curlformer set, it seemed okay. And then I've been doing rollersets for the past couple of weeks and I've gotten mixed results, which I think is a combination of my skills at rollersetting (I'm only now getting better) and maybe how much of it I'm using. My last rollerset I did, my hair felt coated. But the week before it felt fine but not much hold. *Le sigh* Has anyone out the tried it? The jury is still out for moi....

Why Blog About Hair?

I meant to relay this incident a few weeks ago, but I sorta forgot about it.

When I stopped in Albany on the trip I took last month, I was with my boyfriend (aka Mr. Smooth) and his family. He spent part of his childhood up there, and we stopped to visit family and friends. I met a woman with shoulder length locks who inquired about the twists I had. You like your hair in twists I'm sure, she said. I bet they are easy to maintain. I told her that they were. From there, she catapulted into her hair story, about how she always had her hair natural but got the Dominican Blowouts and when she moved she couldn't get them done anymore one so she relaxed. Then her hair broke off but she really didn't know what else to do so she continued. Finally she got locks because she was tired of the breakage.

I just didn't know how else to manage my hair, she said with a shrug. It gave me a feeling that she wasn't really happy with her  locks either but it was the only way she felt she could deal with her hair. I wanted to tell her how versatile natural hair was, but I didn't know her well and as soon as she finished her story she moved on to other things. What bothered me was how she felt about her hair she projected it on to me in some ways. She assumed because my hair was in twists that was proof that it was the only way it can be managed. At that moment I suddenly wished that I had done something else to my hair.

One thing I love about the natural hair community is how it taught me that many things my hair can do. Remember I grew up with the same mentality, that natural hair was only good for braids and twists. I felt bad for her but there was nothing more I could say. Except continue to support the natural community as a whole, and keep up with this blog. It's a challenge for myself to prove the beauty of natural hair. I think it's also safe to say that it's the same mission SP has taken up. I truly realize the importance of this community.

How i was rockin' those braids!

eh... don't feel like typing, just enjoy the pics =D

down, out, and toasty =)

High Pony please

Out and about...

Or  Wild and Styled  

My fro and wash-n-go after my braids!

So i took my braids out after 2 weeks because one had started slipping off and i didn't want to take the chance of it falling off in public! lmfao
I really loved having the braids and i can't wait to get them done again!
When i took my braids out i realized my hair had grown so much in just the little 2 weeks i had the braids in. I definitely think this is going to be a new protective style for me. When i took my hair out, it was the most beautiful it had been in a while. It was fully moisturized, full, healhty, shiny and longer!!!! These pictures were taken directly after taking my 2 week old braids out so if you see any dirt or anything, dont judge, lol. 
Here's a quick little length check thrown in there too. MOre growth!!!! lol Next step, on to get this hair washed


A quick little pre-poo with my Burts Bees Avocado Butter ~ Look @ how huge my roots are!

Shampooed with my Love Yes! To Carrots C Loves Your Hair Daily Pampering Shampoo

Shower Shingle with my Silicon Mix and rinse and shake and Voila! My curls are poppin' more than ever!

Before my braids....

I'm sorry i have been so busy and not posting as much but here are some of the things you've all been missing!
So before i had my braids done, i got bored while waiting for my cousin to come meet up with me. I had bought some small rollers the day before so i decided to use my spare time to go ahead and try them out. First i shower shingled my hair to stretch and thoroughly detangled it, then rinsed and proceeded to section and add my CHI Silk Infusuion, and Motion Foaming Wrap Lotion to each section. I used a clip to tightly wrap up and secure each section ( i would say about 8 sections since my hair is short and tightly curled in some areas).
I sat under my Conair portable hooded dryer and was dry within 30 minutes and ready to snatch these rollers out and see what my hair was looking like! (excuse the face, it was just hot under there! lol)

Al Sharpton Curls! 

Lmfao

 As you can see for the most part it got pretty smooth for the most part. The ends in the most resistant areas were still kinda curly, and in the wavy areas everything was completely straight.

I picked it out because i didn't really have time to style it. I had done a soft fro-hawk after but unforuntaley i didn't take not one picture that night.

I will definitely try roller setting again some time soon.

Unfortunately i didn't get too many pictures of the outcome because my camera had died and i had to do my little cousins hair, as she had arrived by that time but here's what i did get:

Not bad.
I shall definitely be revisiting the rollerset some time soon :)

50th Post Friday!!!! Woo-Hoo!!! Celebrating all things that start with the ffffffffff sound, lol

So if you didn't know, IT'S OUR 50TH POST!!!!! YAY!!! lol
I'm super excited because ever since we started this blog i have really been loving it
I'm so proud to make it 50 posts!!!

I've also known Curly Film Chick (Had to go back and delete the nickname i usually call her) now for 7 years now so shout outs to that! She is and always has been one of my main natural hair inspirations, especially in the fact that she has never been relaxed. Back when i met her in High School in the 10th grade, she inspired my to go natural and i stayed natural until a year after graduating HS.
Now im back at it again and having her and this blog has really helped me in staying committed to the health of my hair, growing it out, and just having someone to teach me new things and push me through the bumpy parts of twa life, lol...

Lemme give a shout out to my momma, God,  and All of our 15 followers! lmfao

Okay, enough mushy stuff!!!

On to things that start with the fffffff sound!

Happy 50th Post-day to YAIS!!!! (Your Africa is Showing)


Friends!!!!

Hahaha!!! This is obviously more embarrassing for me (double embarrassment considering the way i look in the video in that last post, lol). I had to take pictures of the pictures i had because my Mac all of sudden never met my printer/scanner before in it's life, so please excuse the quality.

This was back in 10th grade when i first met CFC and decided to go natural.... bad timing with those braces, lol. 

Her eyebrows look perf by tha way.

FRO's!

Funny Fro =D Back in 8th Grade                               

   Fugly Face Fro

Don't mind the Fugly face

This was back in 10th grade again, with hair a little longer and dyed.

What was my problem and where were my eyebrows? lol

Fat Baby Face Froey curly baby hurrzz hair thingy... lol

I know this looks nothing like me now, but its me. 

Weird that each picture looks like a different baby though, lol.

Well, there's the hair I started out with, virgin and untouched.

And last but not least, Today's fro!
I took my braids out today as they were loosening up a lot and i needed to wash my hair. I am so proud of her majesty and myself for the way i have been taking care of her. When i took my braids out my hair was moisturized and healthy. She also grew!!! These pictures were directly after taking my braids out and piking out my hair. I had not washed or anything yet and you can see how beautiful, lustrous, and healthy she is = D

I also came up with a name for Curly Film Chick's hair!!! What do you think of


"Lustra. Lustra Silk." lol
I came up with this name because her hair is so curly, lustrous, shiny and silky, it needs a name that really helps you visualize how sexy her curls are. What you think Nemo? ; P

SP and Me: Short Video Project

About a year or so ago, I had an assignment for my documentary class to interview someone. It was a short assignment, had to be no more than 5 minutes I think. The first person I thought of was SP, because she was at the Aveda Institute at the time and had an assignment to do someone's hair for a competition (she won second place by the way!) Although the person in this video doesn't have curly hair, this is SP at work giving her curls and discussing some of the work she does. I shot and edited this in just a couple of days. Check it out!

Hair Lately

So I've realized that there hasn't been any hair pics from me in a while. The truth is I've been so busy that hair has been the last thing on my mind. Ever since I got back from the mountains I've barely had time for myself and for that week after I washed, I really just kept it in ponytails or buns....

And then I managed to find time to do my usual flat-twists in the front and then leaving out the back. But because it was hot and I didn't want hair on my neck, I had it bunned up to. And then I got a call about a job interview and it was scheduled the next day. I didn't know what to do with my hair because I wanted to look cute and professional. And hence came this....

(I took a better pic of the back when I got home)

So, I did this on stretched hair and using bobbypins. I basically just twisted my hair back and up if that makes sense. I may do a video tutorial if anyone is interested. I thought it looked very professional! And the good news is I got the job so I'm happy.

Also, I wanted to point out that SP and I know the stress of looking presentable and professional at outings and important occassions. This is yet another example of how you don't have to straighten your hair to look well put-together, especially for something as important as an interview. Anyway this hairstyle is very versitale and I find it a great way to protect those ends (my own personal challenge.) I will post another way I styled my hair using this style as well.

Natural Hair Memories: Going Natural

A while ago a cousin of mine got a relaxer. She was a teenager, and I vaguely remember her hair being about shoulder length and straight and I believe it was also a blonde color at the time. One day I was heading towards her building to meet up with brother and sister who were around my age and I saw her stick her head out the window. She had no hair! She was sporting a TWA. When I asked my mom why my cousin had no hair she shook her head approvingly and said, that's what happens when women in our family get a perm. Your hair falls out and you gotta cut it all off.

Interestingly enough, when another cousin came to live with us and she had a relaxer my mother and grandmother informed her that she would be growing it out (she was about 10 at the time). My mother transitioned her hair with protective styling, careful not to put beads in hair hair like she did my sister and I because it wasn't strong enough. I watched slowly as she cut off her straight ends because my cousin still wanted long hair.

And finally, there was my phenomenal great-grandmother aka "Big Nana." For as long as I could remember she had really curly hair that she kept short that I now realized was a texturizer. I thought it was her natural texture and even hair color (she was born a red head) but one day I remember her telling my mom that she wanted it all off. So my mom took her clippers one afternoon and gave Big Nana a short TWA. Big Nana not only embraced her soft cotton coils, but she also embraced her white hair. To this day, she sports braids or big buns under summer hats.

A lot of these techniques that have names now (TWA, transitioning, "big chop") were things I witnesssed before blogs and Youtube. I didn't realize that these three people were "going natural" but it must've have been emotional. I remember Big Nana's grin on her face as she turned and asked if we liked her new look. My older cousin now sports long blonde locs. They did this before it was popular (in the mid-late 90s) and I remember them now.

Do you remember anyone going natural in your family, especially before the youtube/blogs? Feel free to share!

Lady Patra

So after leaving the African Braiding Salon, as conceited as i am, i couldn't stop looking at my reflection everywhere! LOL
I was getting so many compliments and loving the new braids swinging everywhere as i walked down the street. I heard so many comments as to who i would look like (of course) so you know i heard Dashiki (Tracey Cherelle Jones) from "Don't Be A Menace to South Central while Drinking Your Juice in the Hood" and Janet Jackson in "Poetic Justice".

They are both beautiful women who looked gorgeous in their braids but i knew that wasn't it if i was to look like someone. I reached back into my 90's memories and it struck me, Lady Patra!

Remember her anyone? I know my West Indians will, I grew up on some Lady Patra!

I'm not gonna lie, she's pretty fly with those braids! I hope i'm doing a good job pulling off Lady Patra<3

African Hair Braiding

MY hair  hasn't been touched by anyone other than myself in 4 years.
Seeing as how i don't trust anybody in my hair, after i lost touch with my hairstylist, i taught myself to cut my own hair.
Also, after suffering trauma to my edges, i hadn't returned to an african hair braiding salon since i was maybe 16, so this was a major thing for me.

1st things first: Those damned "BRAID YOUR HAIR MISS?!" African hustling hair braiding women on 125th street are so annoying!!! I feel some what offended every time they ask me to braid my hair just  because i'm wearing my afro. I'm wearing my afro because i want to, not because i need my hair done.
Why can't a fro just walk down the street in peace?! Anyhoooo...... 
(sorry for the mini rant. If you live in NYC and have gone to Harlem on 125th street, you know what i mean.)

I returned to the same  hair braiding salon i went to in high school and was very happy to find the same woman who used to do my hair because she isn't rough and doesn't rip through your hair like a lot of the other women do. She takes her time with your hair, and  if you tell her it's too tight, she will loosen it up for you. Another thing i would say about her is  that she is very sweet and soft spoken and you wont have to worry about her  talking loudly in your ear the whole time you're getting your hair braided. 

If anyone in NYC is looking for a great hair braider  i will gladly refer you to her =)

I was feeling very 90's and in the mood for something different so i decided to get big box braids.

Everyone was staring at me in the salon and i was wondering if it was looking too outdated = /

I didn't care anyway, i loved the way the braids were looking, and i grew more and more excited as she was finishing the last few braids! Surprisingly, everyone was staring because they loved them. No one really gets braids this size anymore, as everyone is into micros and medium sized braids but i'm loving these and as long as all goes well, they may become a regular "protective style" for me!

Where's SP? @ Dorney park! lol

Sorry i have been gone for soooo long! I guess i kinda took an unexpected hiatus... even Curly Film Chick was looking for me, lol  Let me catch you up on where i've been :)

Last weekend while out with my friends at Dorney Park, I realized something very important. Our natural hair really does look good on us! Our hair really frames and accentuates our  bold features that make us beautiful black women.

So while @ Dorney Park, my 4 girlfriends and I decided to get on a few water rides before heading over to the big rides and I couldn't help but realize how beautiful we were all looking.

There i go, with my little puff! Lol 
My friend Z is transitioning from tex-laxed to natural, SB is tex-laxed, D is fully relaxed but wore the natural look with a natural phony pony, and Kia is transitioning from bone straight relaxed to tex-laxed. (From left to right)

My friend Kia has never worn a natural hairstyle as long as I've known her but seeing her face with her hair being big and puffy after coming out of the water, I loved the way she looked. The big hair complemented her face so well. 

My friend SB i've known since 3rd grade so we go back to the naturaL "beedy beeze" in the back school days,lol.
She has been relaxing her hair about 2 to 3 times a year since the 6th grade. She has always tex-laxed moreso than perming because her hair is really soft, but has always worn her hair straight. This year she started to wear her hair in more curly styles and let the texlaxed texture show and it is looking gorgeous.


Z also has the most beautiful silky 3B curls which is why i am sort of forcing her to transition back to natural. I can't wait to chop those permed ends off!


Look @ how beautiful everyone's faces stand out with the look of natural hair <3

Goodnight from PA!