Pincurls: Preserving My Flatironed Natural Hair

That's right! This is probably going to be the last video of this week but here's for you all! Videos from me to you! I hope you all enjoy these videos and they are in some or any way helpful :) 

Love you followers! 

Natural Year 2: Blow out, Flat Iron, Length Check & Reflections

 I broke the videos down into 3 parts so it wouldn't be one super long video, but I guess I'll let the videos (or me) do all the talking for themselves :) ... but wait? Why is Debbie in the background tryna steal my shine? lol
 #pleaseexcusemycreepyoldcosmetologyschoolmannequinhead

Bashing Justin Timberlake's Curls?

The Article:

Justin's Gone Straight

"Justin Timberlake always had smooth moves, but smooth hair? Not so much. James Feng, stylist at NYC's Cutler/Redken Salon, believes he recently got a Keratin treatment, turning his "unruly and coarse" coif into a "softer, more managable" one. Aha!"

Now of course I had to post this... (this article came out earlier this year, I know i'm late and I dont care!) lol

We are not alone. 

I'm always fascinated by an amazing head of curls, but I'm definitely more fascinated walking by a white person with hair that looks like mine. I assume they go through a lot of the same issues I go through, aside from the fact that they're not looked at as "colored" people. It makes me wonder what walks of life they came from, their outlooks on life, and how their hair makes them view themselves. 

I wonder how JT feels about his hair?

It's possible Justin had just had his hair straightened out for a movie role, or SNL segment, or maybe he did straighten it just for a change... but who's to say he doesn't love his curly hair? 

Personally :::though nobody asked me::: I think JT looks hot with any type of hair, especially with it buzzed down!

Over the years we've seen Justin Timberlake from the Mickey Mouse Club, to N'SYNC, to becoming a Solo artist to becoming an actor, and it seems to me like he's been enjoying, or at least embracing his curly hair. Not to mention, like most curlies, he seems to be well aware of all the hair options he has with his fyne self! lol

I don't know where the stylist, and writer of the article get off using such negative terms to describe JT's hair. The article says "James Feng... believes he got a Keratin treatment," which means he himself did not do JT's hair... how would he know if JT's hair was coarse and unruly? Or how could the writer say his hair isn't smooth? His curls looked pretty smooth, and might I add frizz free to me... Who's to say JT doesn't have soft, silky curls?

I'm sure when JT saw this article, he was like "Really? James F*&%?! How's that for coarse and unruly?!" LMFAO

I'm sure we've all dealt with people just looking at our hair and making negative assumptions without truly having any idea... 

What do you all think of the negative statements made about Justin Timberlake's hair?

Stacked Buns & Pompadour Fun!

My New Fave Style! Stacked Buns!!! About a week ago I posted about trying out some buns and up-do's after roller setting my hair, so naturally, I washed and rollerset my hair again the other night, and decided to again try wearing some buns.

My second set with the Eco styler gel came out even better and straighter, so this will definitely be a staple for rollersetting and straightening my hair. I did do two things differently this time:

I used a little Care Free Curl Instant Moisturizer with my Lacio Lacio Leave- In, and I silk wrapped my hair for about 10 mins after rollersetting, then went to sleep (I took off the Saran wrap and used my silk scarf to sleep of course).

My hair came out what I'd like to call semi-straight, and was nice and easy to pull back into a bun. The silk wrapping helped to straighten out my roots a little more too, so I wore my hair side parted for the day to Vote for my President! Yay Obama!!!

I was supposed to meet up with some friends after voting to watch the verdict so I quickly changed my look into this pompadour and stacked bun updo!  I didn't end up making it (figures, when I'm having a good hair night) but I still made sure to snap some cute flicks for you all ... I was obviously feeling myself a little... lol

Stay tuned for a video on this look and how to easily achieve stacked buns!

How was your election day hair?

Protective Style Fail: A Straight Weave

 I was really loving the look of this weave, but unfortunately it didn't last for me with all of the humidity that's been in NYC thanks to Hurricane Sandy.

I used to use this weave when my hair was relaxed and it matched my hair perfectly... it still does now if my hair is bone straight, but I've learned that I definitely need a weave that will plump up a little when my hair plumps up!

I did not want to have to keep adding heat to my hair so out it came, which is what led to the roller set I posted about yesterday (backwards, I know). I don't think I'll be straightening my hair again until the holidays or maybe even the New Year... until then, I think roller sets and twist outs pulled up into cute updo's is going to be the way to go for me. I'm looking to get another little job so I'm trying to make sure I have a  few go-to looks, which will definitely be including my banana clip!

I also found a YouTuber who's protective styling videos I've fallen in love with! She like me has low density, fine hair so a lot of her styles are very simple and elegant, focusing on making sure to not add too much tension to the hair, and creating styles that help create or give the illusion of fullness. I will definitely be posting and trying a few of her style videos, having to do minor tweaks because my hair is shorter, but I'm sure you all will love the styles!

I'm trying to protective style but i'm not winning here... maybe it really isn't for me... but I won't give up yet! Has protective styling failed for you in the past? What/who helped you?

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!

Bantu Knot Out on Straightened SL Hair

 My straight hair was really doing nothing for me, and since I trimmed my hair I figured, why not try styling it? So I decided to take my second stab at bantu knots, first try on my straightened hair, and I really loved the outcome! Beautiful way to get heat free waves! This also kind of gave me the wavy bob look I was supposed to be going for with a weave.



I only used a little Jojoba oil and grapeseed oil to do the bantu knots and secured them with tiny rubber bands. I 'd say i wrapped them pretty tightly, doing my best to make sure the ends were wrapped around as well. I'm really loving the shape of my hair and I am starting to feel a little more patient about the growth process since I have a little more length to play with now... just a little, lol. I still can't wait for my hair to get longer, especially the front.

I had planned my halloween costume around that weave so now I need to figure out what I'm going to do about that... but I also know I want to go into another protective style some time soon.
After all the breakage I was experiencing, it has me really wanting to hide and protect my hair, helping me to trim less and retain more length for a little while too.

I can't afford the weave I really want right now (a long straight weave) and I'm scared of extension braids. They were kind of breaking my hair last time and my edges are so fine and fragile, that I'm afraid of putting anymore major tension on them.... hmm... Sets and Updo's then maybe?
Either way, loving this bantu knot out until further notice...

Have you done a bantu knot out on your straightened hair? Do you like it better on straightened hair or natural/curly hair?

Moon Phase Trimming & The Farmers Almanac

Ever since I could remember, I always remember my mother saying she was trimming with the full or new moon. No, I never knew what difference it made or even thought it made any sense, but I know my mother has always had a head full of long healthy hair, so she must know a little something. As I got older, I really realized how much connection we have with our beautiful world and universe, and like my mother, started to become more interested in astrology, which is where trimming with the moon comes in.

As a natural who enjoys her hair regularly, I also need to keep a regular trimming regimen to keep any splits from daily styling from progressing up the strand. With my quest for fuller, longer hair, I'd basically do anything (nothing too crazy, lol) so I decided to start trying out the trimming with the moon for myself. Now unfortunately, I can not give any results on this trimming cycle method just yet, but I will update you all on what I think as I continue to trim my hair with the moon.... I  have been doing it for the past few months.

I have been using the Farmer's Almanac to keep up with a list of best days for trimming, as the days are different for fullness, growth, and retarding growth. Im actually a little scared cuz I accidentally chopped off my braid on a day for retarding growth, so I hope it doesn't stunt the growth of the hair in that area. Here is an paragraph I found on the Farmer's Almanac website, explaining things a little better than I can...

"Best Days Explained...

According to Farmers' Almanac tradition, when the moon is in the appropriate phase and place in the zodiac, it's widely believed that activities will be more fruitful or lead to improved results. The period between the new and full moon (first and second quarters) is considered as the best time to perform tasks that require strength, fertility and growth. The period between the full and new moon (third and fourth quarters) is best for harvesting, retarding growth, etc. Consideration is also given to the relationship the moon has with the 12 ruling signs of the zodiac."

Today is one of the days for trimming to increase growth, so with my hair being out, I decided not to wait to trim my hair because my ends were really bad. I waited until after midnight last night to make sure it was the 16th (we just entered a new moon) and got to trimming. I took about an inch off in the back, and dusted about a quarter inch everywhere else.

Goodbye little bit - o - length in the back
(you can see one of the accidentally cut pieces sticking out)

Snip! Snip! Snip!

My hair after trimming the back

My hair before trimming the back

I didn't trim my hair quite as short as the pieces I accidentally cut, but it's a lot closer to being even now than before. I'm actually really happy with the hair in the back having a good trim, as it gave the appearance of being a fuller, more blunt bob! yay! My ends and I are both happy, and growing :)

Yet Another Tragedy Has Befallen My Head!!!

But thank goodness it wasn't that bad!!!
Uhg... another story... here goes...

So ever since the end of last week, the weave hair I had decided it didn't like me anymore... one of the reasons I resorted to a high bun the other day. The sad part is, I was actually loving this weave and was uber excited about the prospect of wearing this weave for at least a month and I was going to too! Everything was working in the beginning, I didn't need to add any heat, my hair was blending so easily and beautifully, my hair I left out all around worked for a ponytail/bun and was still flourishing... no reason to take it out except for the dreadlocks it started to form.

I usually never buy pack hair for reasons like this, but with it working so well for my cousin I really wanted to try it. She bought the 8" which was a little different, and didn't have any issues. I watched two reviews for this hair on YouTube, two on the opposite extreme of good and bad, so with the good review and the raves from my cousin, the good outweighed the bad so I purchased it, until the bad outweighed the good when I wore it. All in all it was beautiful and easy hair while it lasted, and I still plan to try the 8" when I have a chance...

On to the real tragedy:

Upon the take down of my weave, I accidentally cut off the last 2 inches of my braid!!!! WAAAA!!!!!!

I was totally flipping out! My original intention upon taking down the matted weave was to blow out my hair and do extension braids, but as soon as this incident happened, I wanted to straighten my hair to see what everything was really looking like.

 I felt a sense of relief that it happened in the very back of my head for sure, but I was also dreading having to cut the whole back of my hair off because it felt like a pretty huge chunk, and it kinda is... but since there's hair all around it, I can kinda camouflage it. It really sucks because my hair was finally getting longer, and with the fine, low density hair I have, I need every strand I can get! So now in about a 2" x 2"box in the back of my head, my hair is 2" to 3" shorter than the rest of my hair... but I'm hoping by some miracle, and a little shaping back there it'll catch up.

The hair that was cut just reaches the top of my shoulder

My hair that wasn't cut is about an inch or 2 past my
shoulder

You can see the difference in the two lengths side by side here

 So I guess these are a bit of an unofficial 2 year mark photos, even though I still have about 2 weeks to go. I do need to trim my ends, so maybe I'll just take an inch off in the back and dust every where else, just to start evening things up a bit and still stay within my goal to get rid of some layers and have a more blunt cut. Once I trim at the end of this month I'll do an official 2 year update with all the comparison pics and all that jazz, lol...until then... buns it is..

Have you gone through a hair crisis? What have you done to combat the issues?

Straight Hair and Another Salon Adventure

If you follow us on Instagram (@yaisnyc) you've probably caught some straight hair pics coming from me. Last Saturday I spent the day at the Asanda Aveda Spa Lounge in Soho with a couple of my friends. We had a 5-hour spa deal from Groupon which included full body massage, facial, mani-pedi, and a blow-out. I was very nervous about getting my hair straightened at a salon (the only other time I've been was to get color at another Aveda salon at the Elmhurst Mall in Queens) but I decided to suck it up and give it a try. I ended up calling the place and asking them if they had any stylist who could work with very curly hair, which I recommend natural-hair folks to do, and they assured me the did. In fact, they called me back within an hour to let me know that there were two stylists that would be in tomorrow to take care of me. One thing I did NOT do is describe my hair as "problematic," "nappy" "unmanageable," when speaking on the phone because I don't want a salon to view my hair in that way.

 So after an amazing facial and massage - two things which I never had before - I had my mani-pedi by a woman who was nice enough to let me know that she was natural under her wig and that they would do a good job with my hair. I expressed that I was a little uneasy about my hair being done and she said that Aveda trains stylist in "ethnic" hair (which I semi-knew already because SP was trained at Aveda schools). I felt even better when my stylist Jessica asked me questions that let me know she was very familiar with my hair type: did I wear my hair natural all the time? How often did I heat straighten? And then assured me that she had a weave in her hair but had hair very similar to mine! So we chatted about how she specializes in curly hair and she shared her salon experiences as a child where her father took her to salons to get her hair straightened and she would always come out with a poofy afro. I even chatted with a stylist who had a TWA and she chimed in about natural haircare, so it became fun. Jessica washed my hair, deep conditioned, blew it out, (mentioning that she would normally do it with a comb attatchment,) de-tangled with a denman-type brush, and said that because I don't use heat often she would get my hair pin-straight with a flatiron. She totally did!

Little TWA Buns on Stretched hair

I've been trying to incorporate more scalp massaging into my regimen to hopefully increase my growth a bit, so I decided the easiest way to do this, would be by wearing my hair in buns. I figured, if I wore a bun I could always take it down at night, moisturize and massage my scalp daily and put my hair right back in my little buns, perfect! I wanted to keep my hair really stretched for this regimen, as I'm always afraid of tangling when it comes to scalp massaging... the thought of rubbing in cirlcles with my hair that tangles ever so easily is so scary to me. lol Last week I rollerset my hair then pulled  it back into a ponytail, and this week I blowdryed and lightly passed the flat iron just once. I've been home nursing my sick puppy, so I haven't been trying to look cute, just wearing the buns braided an tucked up. I wanted to include a photo of my little ponytail/braid hangtime! AAEEOOWW! lol
I had to run to the store really quick so i decided to just roll the braid up and pin, which I think turned out kind of cute, I just definitely wouldn't wear the white scrunchie and blue clip if I had anywhere significant to go (getting in touch with my Haitian roots, lol)

This bun was done on yesterday's lightly flatironed hair, pulled back with a (supposed to be) middle part. I really love middle parts on low ponytails/ buns.

I will be sticking to this regimen for the next week or two, or until I get bored of buns and decide to protective style or rock a few twist/braid outs. I've been slicking my buns back with a brush and a little Jamaican Black Castor oil, trying to kind of follow my mom's regimen.  I realized while in conversation with Curly Film Chic last night, that I really hadn't done much to my hair for the summer, I wore a lot of buns and called it a day, and I've still been retaining length, so I'm hoping the addition of scalp massages and Jamaican Black Castor Oil will be good for something :) Oh! And I almost forgot, CFC is supposed to let me borrow her Curlformers next week so I'll get to try those for the first time, Oh joy! lol

Buns? Borings or Funs?