Vintage Post: So you want to go natural...

Two weeks ago, I was approached for the first time with questions about transitioning to natural hair!  Coincidentally, it was my sister's friend from high school. I provided some basics and directed her to natural hair sites such as Curly Nikki and BGLH and youtube videos.

Thinking back to my own transition, I remember feeling overwhelmed by all of the information.  I bought products unsure of how they would work on my hair.  And I found myself confused by conflicting ideologies of bloggers and vloggers.  That's when I really started to think.  What is some of the basic information and specific resources you would provide to a transitioner or new natural?  It doesn't have to all inclusive...just a springboard to get them started. 

This is where I need your help. 

If your hair is "natural", are there any specific blog posts or videos that you think would be particularly helpful? If you are a transitioner or new natural, what information would you find helpful?


And here are some pics...

She wanted to be held upright.

Vintage Post: No Lye Anniversary!

In the midst of all the baby hoopla, I forgot to celebrate my one year no lye anniversary.  Last year, on April 26, 2010, I cut my hair into a Rihanna cut. I later decided that I was over relaxers and it was inadvertently was my last.



My new easy breezy hairstyle is to rock twists for a few days and then rock a twist-out.  In the coming weeks, I'll have to do some product reviews and regimen updates. I don't try new products often, but I have tons of products that I have used over an extended period of time.  I can provide some detailed reviews for those products. 

The biggest lesson(s), I've learned over the last year is:

Keep it simple and if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Do you have any specific hair questions you would like me to answer?

Vintage Post: Roll and Tuck Updos

 I'd like to introduce you to my new favorite hairstyle.  I finally came to the realization that my hair is finally long enough to do updos with ease...so I went for it. It was actually quite simple...
 
Step One: Dampen Hair, with particular attention to any section you plan on parting.  (You don't want to hear snap, crackle, pop) 
 
Step Two: Use scrunchies to hold your sections
 
Step Three: Apply styling products. ( I used Margherites' Hair Magic and Eco Styler gel)
 
Step Four: Tuck and roll to your heart's desire
 
Step Five:  Seal with an oil
 
Optional:  * Add Accesories * Lay down edges with a headtie
   

I was bored so I tried a different hairstyle yesterday and I'm wearing again today...

   

What is your new go to hairstyle?



Vintage Post: New Mom Beauty Routine

You're looking at it!

Hair, dry as the sahara desert...check

Pizza face...check

Dreadful eyebrows...check

Spit-up adorned clothes...check

Baby fat...check

At least I can laugh about it. And I promise I put myself together when I go in public.  But honestly, I find pockets of me time whenever I can.  Yesterday, I did a bentonite clay treatment on my face. I exercise at least 20 minutes a day.  When daddy gets home, I'm taking a long shower and washing this hair of mine.  And on Friday, these eyebrows are getting threaded. (Your days are numbered.)

Tomorrow, I'll let you know the results of my fitness assessment. I'm basically fit and recovering well from my pregnancy a.k.a.  I need to get a grip and be patient.   

Now back to baby.  She is suffering from hold me syndrome.  If you have a cure, please let me know.  Le sigh. How do you find time to take care of YOU?

Vintage Post: Mattastic

My hair is Mattastic!

According to the urban dictionary, this word means better than great. But I'm adding a new definition, because I surely haven't felt better than great over the last few weeks. And for the record...if I disappear from the blog, you can guess one of three things. I'm sick. I'm exhausted. I'm in labor (real or "practice").

But enough with the formalities. Back to my mattastic hair....

 Because I've been feeling under the weather, I've been neglecting my hair.  Straight...abuse.  I literally let my hair dry up, mat, knot, and just covered it with a bonnet and/or hat.  I paid dearly for my actions.  Last week, I lost more hair than usual. This week, my detangling session -- which included coconut oil, hair oil, deep conditioning, and lots of patience -- took all day.  I was determined not to lose a lot of hair! `  To avoid the aggravation this week, I roller set my hair and sat under the dryer. (Sorry no pics.)

On April 28, 2011, it will be one year since my last relaxer.  Throughout my journey, I'm always placed with new challenges. My newest challenge is matting. In fact, my hair is very prone to matting. When I was a kid, my past shoulder length hair shriveled up to a small twa on wash day.  It's just what my hair does.  And as my hair grows back, I'm learning the hard way that I can't be lazy (sigh).  I must keep my hair stretched and detangled. I don't have wash and go hair.  I can't just spritz my hair with water to refresh.  (I can spritz and retwist though.)   Big twists for a twist-outs result in matting [points above].  (Don't be fooled. The top is the only defined part of my hair. The rest is matted.)

LESSON LEARNED: I'm one of those people who if I did nothing to my hair, I would have one large dreadlock on my head...lol.  I'm referencing kimmaytube, btw. Coincidentally, the same day I decided to stop my matt-causing habits...I found this video.

Check it out...



Does anyone else struggle with hair that is prone to matting/tangling/single-strand knots? Any tips?   

Let's Discuss.

Misikko Hana Flat Iron Review (Part 2)

August 2011

As promised in part 1, here is part 2 of my Hana flat iron review. I have to say that I was pretty pleased with the flat iron results. (Please note that I used a creamy leave-in to help with detangling since I was wearing wash 'n gos the week prior so my hair was a bit fluffier than usual.) To sum up the difference

between my old flat iron and the Hana Flat iron, it: (1) had a lot of movement (2) did not make me worry that my hair wouldn't revert. I'm going to have to follow up with results when I use an appropriate leave-in for straightening...but so far so good.

January 2011

February 2011

May 2011

Misikko.com Flat Iron Review (Part 1)

Recently, Brian from http://misikko.com contacted me to ask whether I would like to do a review of the Hana flat iron. For quite some time, I've wanted to replace my current flat iron.  I've been researching both low end and high end flat irons, but uncertainty about whether high end flat irons were worth the money stopped me from making the plunge.  I could barely contain my excitement when I found out that I could try one of these esteemed flat irons. 

So that I can provide a thorough review, I am doing a two part review... just in time for straight hair weather (for those who heat straighten).  I will first cover properties of a good flat iron (part 1) and then I will reveal the results (part 2).

I received the Hana Professional Flat Iron 1", which is on miskko.com's list of best flat irons as recommended by stylists and customers. 

This (points above) is a closeup of the plates of my current flat iron. I've had it for about four years now. Because it is ceramic over metal plates, you can see that the ceramic is scraping away. This allows for uneven heat distribution b.k.a. singed hair.  It obviously needs to be replaced.

My current flat iron is only 1" long and has a velvety fabric on it.  This is not ideal for curling hair. But I made it work.  Also, the dial is a bane to my existence. The heat dial list numbers in 5 point intervals.  I assumed that when my flat iron was at 35, that it was 350 degrees. WRONG!  When I checked the chart on the box at the store, it was actually 425 degrees. 

In my search for a better flat iron, I was specifically on the search for a digital flat iron.  Although the Hana  flat iron has a dial, it has a cover over the dial so that you won't accidentally flick it. It utilizes flash heat, which change the heat settings quickly (with a flash as the heat changes). The heat is consistent.  It also lists the actual degrees on the dial.  Initially, I was disappointed by the dial...but as I used it, I didn't encounter the issues I had with the dial on my flat iron.

The Hana flat iron came in its own case plus tons of goodies.  The most important accessory that was included was a flat iron case. I never thought about it before, but I probably shouldn't have thrown my flat iron under my sink without any protection against nicks and cuts.

I'm not going to totally diss my old flat iron though.  In fact, it's done a pretty good job over the years.  (Although it did singe my hair a couple of times.)  But on sight alone, I could tell that I was in for an upgraded flat iron exprerience with the Hana flat iron.