My Curls Are Poppin'!!!

So, the picture to the left, shows my curls poppin' with some conditioner in my hair. I made it a point to take a picture of this area of my hair to show the drastically different textures that are right next to each other... this is only in one little segment of my hair mind you.

I definitely haven't been wearing wash and go's because of this little fact of having extremely drastically different textures everywhere, but i missed my curls, so i prepared for a day of crazy, curly hair! I oil treated my hair overnight with wheat germ and neem oil, a little Trader Joe's Nourish Condish, and baggied to sleep.

After Cowashing, I realized I had never tried the whole T-shirt wrapped on the head thing, but decided to give it a try and OMG! Love this technique! My hair was still damp but not soaking wet, and my curl pattern wasn't disturbed or made frizzy.

Four products (Lacio Lacio Leave-in, Care Free Curl Instant Moisturizer, Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing smoothie, and something new to review later!!!) and a little smoothing and shaking later, pow! Curls! I had to leave my house soon and my hair was still a little damp so I used the diffuser to do a little blow drying, and then switched to my nozzle attachment to stretch my roots out a little.

  By the end of the day, a little shrinkage had ensued, but frizz was still kept to a minimum and my curls were still poppin'!


I got lots of compliments and mini convo's that day, a whole lot more stares, and even more hands in hair syndrome. And though I'm not looking forward to the detangling, I really missed my curls so I'm enjoying this wash do too much and go, lol. I pineappled to sleep, and woke up to amazing second, and today even makes third day hair (banded last night though).

After wearing my hair in roller sets and blowouts for like the last 2 months, always up in a bun or semi-protective style, it was a great change to rock my curls for a few days. 

How have you been rocking your natural? 

My 2nd Braid & Twist Out

 Before I blew my hair out, my last rollerset had gotten pretty stale and my hair needed to be washed, but I had very minimal time.

I co-washed while in the shower with the plethora of conditioners I have been using to keep my over processed hair feeling as good as possible (will make a  post about that soon) and was so ready for bed!

I knew I needed to do something with this hair of mine, and my West Indian side kicked in and said "tro it in some plaits gyal" and that's exactly what I did. I plaited my hair until about 2 inches were left, and turned the rest into a two strand twist, much like when I did my Braid & Twist out the 1st time. I prefer the curls on the ends from twist outs, but like the wavy texture with braid outs.

On my damp hair, I applied Lacio Lacio, Elasta QP's Olive Oil and Mango Butter, JBCO to seal and 8 plaits later I'm in bed. Unraveled in the morning with Vatika oil, fluffed, separated and go! I was super busy and tired last week, so this was optimal for quick styling.
I think I will forever be a twist out girl but I look forward to enjoying more braid outs as my hair gets longer.

Which Do You like Better, Braid Outs, Twist Outs, or a Braid/Twist combo?

Curl Preference - Poll Results

It looks like our Sunday Question about Curl Preference has some interesting results:

64% prefer to have defined curls
5% prefer undefined curls
29% will wear defined or undefined curls depending on their mood

No one has shared their reasoning for their curl preference and we're really curious about it, especially the 29% of you that voted who will wear either or. What occasions call for defined curls or undefined ones? Is it a simple difference on whether you're heading to work/class or going out with friends? Let us know in the comment section below! 

Protective Styles: Braided Up-do's

My hair has finally gotten a little longer, and is finally in a category of hair styling that I'm more comfortable with. While having my hair straightened, it's very fine and fragile, and with trying to avoid breakage, I figured I'd try wearing some protective styles.

I've never been able to french braid but the other night I figured I'd try my hand at it again, and was actually successful! A little thought and a few moments later, I came up with this:

I liked the style, but didn't love it, especially with my braid looking so skinny. I really loved the idea though, so I figured I'd try again the next day... A few hairstyles, parts, braids, and brushes later, I came up with this style:

I believe this was a much better version of what I was going for, and I think it's an absolutely beautiful style, even to be worn in a corporate setting or formal occasion. I wasn't going anywhere special but I put on some earrings and lipstick so you all get the gist. I made a little pincurl braid in the back where the braids end, which is also the perfect place to add a little hair accessory, or even a phony pony or bun of sorts!

I really love these simplistic up-do's and they work well on my fine hair, and give the illusion of fullness. There are definitely a few more styles I still want to try with my straightened hair before I wash, so stay tuned for that! Since I am trying to protective style with my own hair a little more right now, I will be continuing to try these braided up-do's on my hair in all different textures as well, not just in straightened form.

What do you think of these braided up-do's? Can you believe that I want to protective style?!
If you ladies want any styles that I do to be made into a tutorial, please let me know!

Your TWA, Your Ends, and Styling

People would look at me like I was crazy whenever I told them I needed to trim. They looked at me like it was bogus to trim my hair because I'm trying to grow my hair out... doesn't mean I shouldn't still keep my ends as healthy as possible. 

One thing I definitely have learned while in these 2 years having a TWA, especially one that is styled and worn out regularly, is that keeping your ends fresh and healthy makes a big difference when you're styling.

On longer hair, we are able to see more of the hair strand's length, with the ends being at the bottom of the hair. On our short TWA's, the hair is sticking out from our heads so the first thing we see are the ends. 

Over time, if my ends would look dry and frazzled I would try re-wetting the ends only or twirling them around my finger with a little curling cream to try and make them look better. Once it got a little longer, I would just try to put my hair up somehow or go into a protective style until the next trim, so my horrible ends wouldn't be making my hair look dry and frazzled.

I'm not afraid to trim my hair as needed, and I never do huge trims, just a dusting of hardly even a quarter inch at times, usually anywhere from every 2 - 4 months. Though I may retain an inch or two less a year than other girls, I have healthy ends which makes detangling easier and prevents further splitting, not to mention my ends aren't thin and stringy as I reach my goals. As my hair gets longer and I can wear styles like buns that keep my ends protected, I'm sure I will need to trim my hair less. 

Lesson learned: Keep your ends healthy. Keeping split ends and single strand knots at bay keeps the problem from exacerbating any further, and your styles will also look, and hold better.

Do you feel like having fresh ends makes your TWA styling look better? How often do you trim your TWA?

Take Credit for Those Beautiful Curls

Last week Curly Film Chick and I had a cute little dinner date, forgot to photograph the dish, but as usual we got into our many talks about our lives, and growing up and hair experiences. Which led me to one of mine... never realizing I had curls.

When I was a child, my mother kept my hair in box braids and single strand twists as an easier way for her to deal with my hair, and whenever I wore my hair out, it was generally in afro puffs. I never knew that I had curly hair, and I dont think any one else did either. Not to mention that once I was able to do my own hair I was obsessed with piking it out... I think it had something to do with watching Marsha on the Brady Bunch and thinking you needed to brush your hair 100 times everyday to have the prettiest hair, lol.

I remember I used to love shampooing my hair in the mirror because I would see it get all wavy and thought that was beautiful, but once i took that pik to my head there were waves no more, so I just attributed it to the shampoo making my hair that way...

When I was in Cosmetology school at the Carsten Aveda Institute, I did my first big chop (click to read the crazy story!) because of a crazy chemical process I did in Brazil  gone wrong. My hair died on my head, and after about 2 months of holding on to dead hair, I chopped it off. I would let my friends wash my hair in school for the scalp massages, using Aveda's Be Curly line, adding the curling products, so again, I attributed my curls to the products. 

Had I knew how to manipulate my curls, I would have taken credit for them a long time ago and I would have already had the natural hair I always wanted. Lesson Learned.

What ever your hair type, take credit for it's beauty and love it for what it is, instead of hating it for what it's not. Take credit for your curls because they're yours, not because you're mixed with whatever. Take credit for your curls because you love them.

When did you first realize your hair's true beauty?

Repost: What Being Natural Has Really Taught Me

Up until a couple of years ago, I was that young girl who felt so ugly if my hair wasn't done. My hair was either in box braids or twists, and during the in-between I hid my attempts at wearing my hair loose under a hat or scarf and headed to class. On those days my moods were off and I had to struggle to keep from crying because I thought I was so damn ugly. Whether I was in an exciting production class or taking notes on a lecture, the way my hair looked under my hat or scarf was always taking over a big part of my concentration. I just wanted to have pretty hair and look good, like the actresses and random women my guy friends drooled after.

And so began the natural hair journey, which included learning to be comfortable in my own skin. Sure, I've never been relaxed and I was that girl who "had the Indian in her, with the good hair" but that didn't spare me from comments that it needed fixing. I had too much hair, it was big and poofy, and needed to be tamed somehow. A relaxer was suggested to make me "look prettier" and to "enhance" my so-called exotic (read: non-black) side which was both confusing and irritating for me--it played into my identity issues as kid that I'm still processing. Learning about natural hair connected me to my ethnicities, my culture, and how I started seeing myself as a proud woman of color.

For me bad hair days no longer exist, and it's not because I always know what to do with my hair. It's because I no longer view myself and my hair the same way I used to. Yes, there are days when my hair didn't come out the way I may have wanted but it does not have a heavy impact on my mood like it used to; because now I am satisfied with my looks and embrace what I've got. I no longer measure myself against others because I too am great in my own way. I wear make-up sometimes because I want to, not because I need it. I wear my hair straight, in fluffy, undefined styles, and sometimes in twists and braids and I'm comfortable in all of it.

Whether you've done the "Big Chop" and sporting short hair, transitioning, or just learning how to work with your "crown and glory" know that this journey is FOR YOU and BY YOU. Hair won't make you a better person and instantly prettier if you don't already feel that way. As a young person of color it can be hard but you're not alone and you have support, including (I hope) this blog =)

PS: Listening to TLC's "Unpretty" is what inspired this post. Their video/lyrics are timeless truths of what goes on today.

A Transitioning Story: Influencing My Mom to go Natural

My mother's beloved weave

A little over two years ago I influenced my mother to go natural. She didn't put up much of a fight at the the thought of fuller, longer hair, but definitely was not going for a big chop. I weaved her up for a year straight during the initial part of her transition, but for the rest of it, she either wears buns or straightens her hair. Whenever I can I'll snatch her up and try to give her a curly style with her luxurious curls, like I did the last time I made a little post about my mom, but of course she always reverts back to her die hard buns. lol
One day after washing her hair, she decides its a good idea not to detangle, or condition, throw a hat on her damp hair and walk out the door to run some errands before coming to see me. OY VEY! This lady gets here and the back of her hair is as matted as I dont know what! After about an hour of trying to detangle one small section with loads of oil and HEHH I gave up, and told her to get over it because it was Big choppin' time! (It might sound mean, but  that was a matt to remember and I was OVER it!)

 Because she still wanted to be able to pull her hair back for ponytails and have a bit of length to rock her weaves, we decided that since the front hadn't matted that we wouldn't chop it off as of yet... so I guess you could say she had to get half of a Big Chop.

Since then she hasn't worn any weaves for over a year and has been sticking to her good ol' buns and flatironed hair.

My mom has a super, simple hair regimen that basically consists of washing her hair, blow drying, or air drying in twists, and wearing a bun slicked back with water and JBCO. Sometimes she also braids and/or twists her ponytail before bunning. When she decides to straighten her hair, she generally wears it out and ends up putting it in a loose ponytail so it doesnt get all messy if she's busy and moving around a lot. 

She has told me of a few times when she's wore her hair natural (I still haven't seen her wear her hair out and natural to this day unless I did her hair that day) so she was super excited to show me this shot a friend snapped of her wearing her hair down the other day. 

I know I will be doing her hair again soon because she's due to come see me for a trim soon, and I'll definitely be doing a length check on her also so stay tuned!

 Is your mom also natural? Did you influence her to go natural or did she influence you?!

Anyone have a cool Transitioners Story they'd like to share? We'd love to hear some cool stories from all of you transitioners out there! Send your stories to Yais.nyc@gmail.com

Fashion Week: Cotte D' Armes Presentation

How adorable is her headpiece?! I was so in love with it... like I wanted to snatch and run! lol

Stopping to take a quick flick with the team.

I came across this super cute chica snapping photos and was in love with her mod style...

Turns out she's an awesome style blogger who shot some amazing images of our show! Here are some awesome images from her blog

I love all the snaps she shot of me!

Don't you just want everything from this line?! I love Unisex clothing!

 

And now back to my crappy iPhone pics and on to the after party, lol

Designers Coco & Breezy  & their super cool mohawks (they're both natural)

I was definitely making sure to snap all the most fashionable naturals for you all!