De-Lurk Friday (We See You!)

We're so happy to see that we've been gaining more followers and more readers to our little blog! From SP and I (Curly Film Chick) we thank you so much! Especially those of you who have been following us for a while. We've been at this for about a year-and-a-half and we appreciate all the comments and feedback we've received.

For those of you who are new, this is a lifestyle blog; natural hair, make-up, recipes, and random thoughts and musings from SP and I about what it means to be young women of color in NYC.  We hope you continue to find our posts at least amusing if not completely informative.

So let us know: what are your weekend plans?

Natural @ Wilhelmina

I don't know if I've yet to, or when was the last time I updated my employment status, but I am no longer working at the Scott J. Aveda salon. My heart was never into the salon environment, especially the fast paced high end salon environment of New York. People working as though it's a hair factory, on 1/2 hour or 45 minute time blocks, depending on the clients length, textures, and desires. In my opinion there are a lot of hair types out there that require more time with  most processes, aside from just the simple task of detangling, which while rushing can lead to a calamity of issues for your tresses, breakage and split ends to name a few. Long story short, I went back to doing editorial full time. I also finally started my own website so click here to check it out. In my latest ventures back into full time editorial and making the choice to be committed to staying a freelance artist, I was offered an opportunity to interview at Wilhelmina ... so yeah... I start tomorrow! I'm so excited and I had to come and share with you all because I have a new challenge:

High Fashion Natural TWA Styles!

I'm exicted to put my creativity to the test when it comes to my hair, to be professional and represent natural hair to the fashion community right! Walking through Wilhelmina to interview I didn't see any noticeably natural heads anywhere in the agency so I was a little nervous. So much so that I even thought of giving myself a weave... but then a comment was made to me that I was hired that way so they probably liked me with my natural hair... TRUE. Why didn't I think of that? Lol 

This will most definitely be a challenge for me but I'm ready and I plan to look Damn Good! lol (Let me calm my sassy pants down) Something tells me to stick to twist outs, so I rinsed my hair blue/black again last night and did my six, side parted two strand flat twists. I let them dry while I slept and wore them all day today with intentions to take them out tomorrow. I want to try something new too... Before I take the twists out, I want to saran wrap them and sit under  the dryer for about 10 minutes and see if it makes the twist out set come out a little smoother or silkier or something...

I'm so excited for these new developments... stay tuned for outfit, makeup and hair posts!

Do you all have any Corporate/Conservative/High Fashion natural TWAstyle ideas for me? Whether it's words, a link, a photo, a video, or a sketch, please send it my way, it will be gladly appreciated!

Allow Us To Re-Introduce

We see you new followers! Thanks for joining the blog, and of course major shout outs to those who have been hanging with us for a bit. Want to know why named our blog Your Africa is Showing! Check the about this blog for the story...

For those who are lurking/new to the blog, we (as in SP Styles and Curly Film Chick) are two natural 20-somethings based in New York City. SP Styles rocks a TWA and is also an actual hair stylist who loves all things hair, fashion, and make-up. She's all over the YAIS youtube channel with her helpful tips for the newly natural folks. Curly Film Chick has lots o' hair and is learning how to style and retain the length of hair. She's been natural her whole life but is just now getting the hang of her tresses and embracing it and is learning to balance her life--health wise--in conjunction with natural hair. For more info on us, click the above tabs with our names.

Expect to see posts not only about natural hair, but on our interests and lifestyles for the 20-something urbanistas. Have any questions/comments/concerns? email us at yais.nyc@gmail.com. Follow us on twitter at YAISnyc!

Feel free to introduce yourselves to us in the comments (especially you lurkers!) and link us up to your blogs/fokti if you have any!

Happy Reading!

*SP Styles & Curly Film Chick*

The Naming of Things

Perhaps you are familiar with the phrase that is the title of this blog. Perhaps not. But the story goes that when I was younger, I would hear girls say, Your Africa is showing! and that meant that the roots were curling and it was time for a touch-up. That's right, time to get that relaxer. I thought it was an interesting phrase because although it was funny, it sounded to me like the girls who said this were saying that their natural hair was bad because it would be a reminder that they were of African descent. To them, it was a bad thing.

Over here, on this space it's not. SP Styles and I (Curly Film Chick) are American by way of Brazil, Haiti, Grenada, The Dominican Republic, Barbados, and the original inhabitants of the United States (read: Native American/Indigenous) and possibly more, but we have different grades of Afro-textured hair. A hair type that may not be embraced by stylists and the high society of beauty, but we have decided to do so.

And for those who feel like we're part of the "natural-hair nazi" crew, we aren't. Being natural and staying natural is a personal decision the both of us have made and we really could care less if someone has decided to be natural or not (grant it, I love natural hair and I admit, I am biased =) ) We're more than happy to give other naturals or hair enthusiast information and inspiration on how to care for hair practically This is for those who are just learning to love their texture or wanting to maintain it better. 

Hope you enjoy!