Kinky Curly Nikki

Natural Hair Poetry

2011-09-13T10:08:00.001-07:00

Styling Options

2011-09-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

Great styling options...

It's Just Hair

2011-08-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Another horrible picture of me but we only care about the hair.

Kink of the Day (KOTD)

2011-08-23T07:13:00.001-07:00

It's been a long time since i did "Kink of the Day" I look at hot mess and was not posing for a picture but it give you an idea of how humidity can make a mess of what started out as a cute style...not that its horrible but y'all know what I mean.
And when its really hot and humid a puff is my go to style option.

Checking In

2011-07-31T15:07:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...I know I've been MIA but it's summer what can I say, plus I seem to be getting my hair fix from my monthly natural hair Meetup group; Kinky and Curly in the Twin Cities.Not much to report, it appears my hair is in a slow growth cycle right now and when i say "hair" I mean all of my hair (head, armpits, brows, legs)which is how i know I'm in a slow grow cycle in general. I will be wearing protective styles again for most of the winter, so hopefully the growth cycle picks up and I retain the length by wearing low manipulation styles over the winter.

'Can I touch it?' The fascination with natural, African-American hair

2011-07-25T11:07:00.001-07:00

(CNN) -- Tamara Winfrey Harris tells a story of being in a chain restaurant with her husband when their names were called for a table.

Just as the couple rose to go, a middle-aged white woman standing nearby reached out swiftly to touch Winfrey Harris's hair which at the time was styled in natural twists.

"She missed by mere seconds, she was actually going to grab my hair as I walked past her," recalled Winfrey Harris who runs the blog What Tami Said. "I turned around and she said, 'Oh, your hair is neat.' It just floored me because who does that, just reaches out and touches strangers?"

It's a common tale shared by women of color whose natural hair can attract stares, curiosity, comments and the occasional stranger who desires to reach out and touch.

The reaction to such fondling can range from amusement to outrage over the invasion of personal space.

Tamara Winfrey Harris says she had a total stranger reach for her hair in a restaurant.The discussion surrounding it is often rooted in race relations.

Blogger Los Angelista explained her response to a woman's incredulous "Are you serious, I can't touch your hair?" by writing that no she couldn't, "Because my black ancestors may have been your ancestors' property, and had to smile while they got touched in ways they didn't want to, but I am not YOUR property and never will be so you'd best move your hand away from me."

"Natural hair" for black women is, by definition, hair that is not processed and not chemically altered. Straightened hair is oftened viewed as easier to care for and more attractive.

Rather than use chemical straighteners known as relaxers (also sometimes called "creamy crack" for both the damage it can do to black hair as well as the inability of some women to live without it) some women wear their hair in its natural state.

Natural hair can be described as curly, kinky, wavy, or -- the sometimes dreaded and considered by some to be an offensive word -- nappy.

Black hair fuels a more than billion-dollar industry which includes products, weaves, and wigs that can enable African-American women to change up their styles at a whim. Tons of websites, blogs, books and videos about natural hair exist to educate those desiring to "go natural."

The style has been embraced for reasons of fashion, politics and simply by those unwilling to spend the time and money to maintain their chemically processed hair.

So why the continuing fascination with natural hair, given that so many women of color are now rocking the style and have been for years?

Keneesha Hudson said that despite the growing number of women embracing their natural hair texture, it's still considered unique.

Hudson is the owner/founder of Urbanbella, a company in Atlanta that specializes in helping women embrace their natural hair texture. She first went natural in 2002 when she did the "big chop" (cutting all of her processed hair off) so she could have the freedom to swim, she said, and today she sports a thick mane of natural curls.

"For the longest time we black women have been wearing our hair chemically straightened to a point where most of us really don't know what our natural hair looks like," Hudson said. "There's a generation of us who have never even seen our hair in any form but straight except for baby pictures."

Visitors to her salon will sometimes ask to touch her hair to establish that it is actually all hers and not a wig or a weave, she said, while still others are strangers who "sneak and touch it."

"We love to go to the football games, and there's a group of guys that sit behind us," Hudson said. "One week, towards the end of the season, one of the guys in cheering just kind of laid his hands on my head like 'Yeah!' I said 'That has nothing to do with cheering for the game,' but I just find those little moments happen a lot."

In 2008, Renee Martin wrote "Can I Touch Your Hair? Black Women and The Petting Zoo" for her blog Womanist Musings and said she continues to get e-mails from women thanking her for her post and relaying their personal experiences about their hair being touched.

Some white women who responded, Martin said, shared their stories of their own hair being touched in countries populated by people of color. They chalked it up to natural curiosity and accused Martin of being too sensitive, she said.

But she says she doesn't think the crux of the issue has to do with curiosity.

"I think it's the idea that they have the right to possess black women and they will take any excuse they can to jump over the border, whether it's policing our behavior or policing our hair," Martin said. "I think it's about ownership of black bodies more than it has to actually do with hair."

Actress Issa Rae, star/creator of the web series "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl," said she has been natural all of her life. She had cut her hair and worked the short afro into the character, who was heartbroken and starting over.

Rae has endured the comments of "Eww, why is your hair like that? Why are you trying to go back to slavery?" from other African-Americans and says that, growing up, she had requests to touch her hair from both blacks and whites.

The touching doesn't bother her as much as "when they ask stupid questions to make me feel like my hair is alien hair."

"I had someone ask me if I wear my hair like this to honor my ancestors, and that was funny to me," she said. "This is not for Kunta [Kinte]."

Rae notes that in the 1970s, there was an afro movement for a while, but it died down in the 1980s. There are quite a few layers when it comes to discussions about black hair, from length to texture, and hair is very much tied to the culture, she said.

"Hair is just a huge component of blackness, so it's not going to go away," she said.

Tia Mosley, 29, went natural at the age of 12 when she refused to get her hair relaxed anymore. The inquisitiveness about her 'do is as natural as the hair on her head, she said.

"People want to touch my hair all the time and I have no problem with it," she said. "I have a problem with the touching and the attempt to touch without asking."

Mosley said that when she used to work at a predominantly white theater company in northern Georgia, her hair was viewed as exotic and stirred up a great deal of interest.

"They thought I was from the islands and they had lots of questions about my hair," she said laughing. "I would say 'No, I'm from the island of Houston, Texas."

Checking In

2011-05-29T17:48:00.000-07:00

Y'all I have been lazy with my hair. Basically I've been wearing twist a lot. The weather has sucked and I haven't been "moved" to set my FRO free...lol I never really did a length check post winter hair care challenge so here ya go.

I LOVE this AD!!!!

2011-05-09T10:34:00.001-07:00

Shed Hair from Finger Detangling

2011-05-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

This is the amount of shed hair I have when using the finger detangling method I mentioned in previous a post.

Do the Afrodance y'all!

2011-05-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

Les Nubians - Afrodance from Nice Dissolve on Vimeo.

Finger Detangling

2011-04-29T08:37:00.000-07:00

My new found love is finger detangling. I find that when I finger detangle I have a lot less shed hair...I mean a lot! The only draw back is that you must be patient when finger detangling. If you ain't in the mood to be mess'in with your head DO NOT...I repeat DO NOT attempt to finger detangle your hair...either put detangling off another day or use a wide tooth comb.

How do you do it?
Finger detangling is really quite easy and all you need are your fingers. When you are ready to detangle your hair, separate your hair in parts and detangle each section separately. When you are ready to detangle a particular section, only take part of that section and start from there; do not attempt to do the whole section at once! To begin the process, gently run your fingers through your strands in a vertical manner as if your fingers are the teeth of a comb. When you encounter a knot, or tangle, stop and take time to untangle that particular section. Once you are done, run your fingers through your strands again and continue this process until you can freely run your fingers through (without stopping to work through a tangle).

When do you do it?
It depends on your hair routine. Use the finger detangling method whenever you are ready to detangle your hair.

What should you avoid doing?
- Avoid pulling your hair and/or running your fingers through it rapidly

- Avoid working with a lot of hair at a time : The truth of the matter is, the smaller the number of strands you work with at a time, the faster it is and the better the results and let's not forget the less chances you have of causing any damage.

- Avoid broken nails : if you have a broken nail, avoid detangling before cutting it off because strands can attach to the broken nail and you can pull these strands out while working through your hair without even knowing it

- Avoid using anything else in your hair but conditioner while finger detangling
:this means, the only thing you should have in your hair is a good conditioner. This is because, the conditioner coats your hair and makes detangling easier, while keeping your hair from any damage, in fact, a conditioner is a sort of shock absorber to our hair during our detangling sessions. Do not try finger detangling under the shower because the water will wash the conditioner away and do not do it on your hair alone, no matter how wet your hair is.
:I add a mixture of conditioner and water to a spray bottle and mist my entire head first. Then I work in small sections and mist those individual sections again and add a nickel size amount of conditioner to the section if needed.

Tips
- I have noticed that, when I wear protective styles in between washes, finger detangling becomes a breeze. This is easy to understand though, because protective styles such as twists help stretch the hair and stretching the hair minimizes tangles. If wearing twists or any other protective styles is not an active part of your hair regimen then do no worry, you can braid/twist your hair in large sections before going to bed on the night before wash day to stretch your hair a bit.

- Being gentle is key. Even if you are not using a comb, finger detangling can still be harsh when done without enough care. Be gentle and patient and you'll reap the results.

- Take time. Do not try rushing through a detangling process because you might end up causing more damage than good and later find out, while styling, that your hair has some terrible knots you might not be able to undo.

Natural Hair Music Video

2011-04-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

A little something for the "naturals" to groove to!

Dead Prez "The Beauty Within" from kinetikcinematix on Vimeo.

Swimming and Natural Hair

2011-04-22T06:03:00.000-07:00

So this twist out is the result of the two strand twist in the post below. I rocked the two strand twist in various styles for a week, which included going swimming twice this week. each time I went swimming I rinsed my hair out with a mixture of olive oil and VO5's Kiwi clarifying conditioner. On Thursday I unraveled the twist and this is what I got...not bad and my hair felt nice and moisturised.
Notice how my ends arent frizzy...I'm really happy with the results.

Something New....

2011-04-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

I think I'm going to try something a little different..at least for the next 2 months. I'm going to try and keep my hair in protected style during the week, and set if free on the weekend. Plus I'm adding swimming to my exercise routine 2 times a week and we know that chlorine can kill a FRO! this is how I'm currently rock'in my hair...two stand twist rolled around my head..lol You get the idea ;)

Wedding Hair

2011-04-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

Was at a friends wedding on Saturday and it was the first time I've worn my hair out since beginning my winter hair care challenge and wearing protective styles since November 2010. I was feeling my kinks and curls and decided to share a few pictures with you even though I look at hot mess in one of them. CONGRATS Donna & Hank...the wedding was a blast.

10 Things They Don't Tell You About Natural Hair

2011-04-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

Going natural. If you’ve made the journey yourself read these revelations and see if you agree, if you’re thinking about it, heed these warnings and if you love your bone straight tresses read what your fellow sisters are going through out here.
People will judge you, based on your hairWhether it’s your grandmother who’s practically disowned you because she thinks you don’t get your “hair did” anymore, or an associate eyeing with a look of sympathy, it will take time for the people in your life to accept your hair. Not only them, people you don’t even know will prejudge you based on what they think your hair is saying. A few months after I had undergone the “big chop,” I started my freshman year of college. A girl, a black girl I might add, who later became one of my good friends, told me that she thought I was mean when she first saw me. When I asked her why, she said because of your hair. Even though she couldn’t pinpoint why my hair made her think I was mean it influenced her opinion about me before we ever had a discussion.

It’s not easier than having a relaxer
Remember those days, pre relaxer when you had to sit in between your mother’s (or father’s) legs while they combed your hair? For some of us, this time was torture. There was squirming, yelping, and crying on those special occasion days. That’s what I liken the maintenance of natural hair to. Taking care of your natural hair can be like styling a thick haired, tender headed little girl the night before Easter Sunday. And you’re not the child anymore, your hair is. It kicks, screams and rebels against what you want it to do. When I first started wearing my twist-out afro, people would say, “ooh so you just wake up and go?” Uhhh…no. Not that natural hair is harder to manage than relaxed hair, it just presents its own challenges.

You’ll hear from different men on the streetLike it or not, for a lot of us what we do with our hair is a least influenced partially by what we think a man, whether he’s our father, husband, boyfriend or stranger, is going to say about it. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve heard women say “I want to go natural, but I’m scared he won’t like it.” That opinion is potentially important; but that’s not my point. What I’m saying is while some men prefer the silky, straight don’t-care-why-it’s-long type of hair, you’d be surprised at the number of men who have a preference for natural hair and will go out of their way to compliment you on it.

Your hair is not going to act like hers (No, not even your momma’s)
One of the biggest shocks in the natural transition can be the fact that your hair won’t do what someone else’s will. It’s a tough concept to grasp as we have hair inspirations. (You know you’ve gone into a salon requesting to rock Halle’s pixie.) We would like our hair to do and look a certain way, but you’ll soon realize that your hair has a mind of its own and while you may be able to ask it (nicely) what you would like it to do, it will tell you what time it is. You’ll just have to adjust to its patterns.

You might go through an ‘am I still cute?’ phase
Whether it happens when the beautician spins you around to the mirror for the first time, when you wake up to a matted mess or when you’re just having an off day, you might wonder if your new natural do has affected your attractiveness. You’ll wonder if you’ve made the right decision and may find yourself wandering the black hair care section of Wal-Mart longing for a perm. Sure your transition has affected your look and sometimes certain hairstyles look better on certain facial structures etc. Some women can’t handle this phase. Some feel the solution is waiting until it grows out, others revert back to the relaxer and others, experiment with other, more flattering styles. Either way it’s about accepting the new way you look or doing something to put you at peace with your appearance.

It will take you a while to get used to the way your hair looks in the sink
Unless your hair is naturally straight, you’ll notice the little curly ques that come out of your head and how much they resemble some hair elsewhere on your body. You know, the hair down there. It’s not so much you; you know that hair came from your head, you just don’t want house guests or non-natural folks to think you just let your pubes run loose like that.

You might find yourself saddling your natural high horse; but get down, quick!
Once you get your hair looking right, you’ve found a style that works, you’re receiving compliments and your mane makes you feel powerful, you’ll want your other sisters to have this same feeling. And that’s great and really admirable of you. But in your quest to empower other black women don’t forget that some women simply don’t want or don’t like natural hair! And it doesn’t mean they don’t love themselves either. It’s a preference. I’ve seen women so ready to convert a “straight hair” they don’t realize that they’re being offensive and counterproductive. If your intent is to empower another woman, attacking her based on the way she wears her hair, especially a black woman, is not the way to go about it.

It might not be as healthy as you thought it would
Ooo don’t let these online tutorials fool you, if you don’t take care of your hair, relaxed or natural, it will look a hot mess. I’m a witness. There’s this assumption that your hair will immediately take on lioness power once you do away with the perm. Not so. Your hair might even become weaker in some ways. It will require more moisture, will tangle easily etc.

You won’t hate relaxed hair
When a family member, friend or associate would go natural and then two weeks later go back to perming their hair, I’d be appalled. It took me a minute to learn that it doesn’t have to be and isn’t an “either-or” for some people. For some people it’s a “both-and.” I know sisters who are technically natural but will wear a weave/wig in a minute to switch the style up. It doesn’t mean she’s conflicted in her soul; it means, she likes variety.

You’ll want somebody to touch it, just the right somebody
We have a thing about people touching our hair. Definitely no strangers and even our most intimates don’t get the privilege under the right circumstances. But this might change along with the texture of your hair. As I said, you’ll take pride in your hair. And maybe, just maybe you’ll want to share it with others. So if that means letting a genuinely curious person explore the jungle that is your hair and scalp then so be it. And if it’s a lover, then let him experience first hand how magnificent it is in there.
-Courtsey of Madame Noire

Questions/Reactions Every Natural Haired Girl Gets

2011-04-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Those of us who choose to go sans hair-straightening chemicals (no shade to the relaxed homies) get some very interesting questions and reactions about our hair. The most comical questions usually come from those who are completely unfamiliar with the nuances of black hair outside of Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” and that one black girl in their dorm in college.
Here are just a few of the situations every natural haired black girl will encounter at one time or another.

Can I touch it?Le sigh. The knee-jerk response is to say “No,” but it kinda depends on who’s asking. If it’s some wide-eyed individual looking like she’s on a zoological expedition, then absolutely not. You can even be kinda mean about it if you want! Just give her “the look” and keep it movin’. If it’s a woman next to you in the beauty supply aisle, maybe. It’s good to help a sista out. If it’s some sexy brotha on that “I love women with natural hair” tip– probably not. That’s a little intimate to be running your hands through a stranger’s hair, right?

Is it real?I have a big glamorous afro (yep, glamorous) and over the past year or so, an interesting thing has started to happen. So many people are wearing “natural hair” wigs, that people think my big ebony cloud of cotton candy is fake too. The killer part is when they get really close hoping to spy some glue or something. No glue here, buddy. Best response to such tomfoolery? Bat your eyelashes, smile, say “Yes, it’s all mine” and don’t break your stride. #gottaloveit

How does it do that?When you have the type of hair that loves you so much it tries to be as close to you as possible (it’s tightly coiled), any hair straightening leads to very dramatic results. I go from hair that is a foot wide on either side to hair down my back when I get fancy with the flat iron. Co-workers are always most interested in this transformation. Sometimes even other black women are shocked by the results. How to respond to the “how does your hair do that” question? Smile (always smile) and be honest about however you achieved your look. Any further interrogating need not be answered.

You would look so fine with straight hair.Dudes are straight clueless sometimes. Some men really and truly can not find beauty in any hair that is not long and bone straight. If you’re a gal who embraces her naturally voluptuous, hell-raising curls, you will catch shade from some of these men from time to time. If it’s a stranger, just give him the stink-eye, suck your teeth and keep it movin’. If it’s a man you’re dating, just bounce, girl. It’s not that hair is soooo important, but it’s just some stupid ish to say and who needs that? If it’s not serious, just move on to the next one. You want a straight haired chick, get you one, sucka!

Your hair looks amazing.Awwwww, our favorite type of reaction! So nice to know that you’re not the only one who likes your hair as it grows out your head. A genuine smile and a “thank you” are definitely in order.

Stank faceGenerally, it’s all love for the natural hair mesdames, but every once in a while, you’ll get the stank face from a woman who feels some type of way about seeing nappy hair in her midst. Ignore this woman. She is not worth your breath, energy or even a thought really.

Look of sheer horrorThat is the description of the receptionist’s face at one of those super white hair salons that don’t know jack about black hair. If you have a big fro or locs or any hairstyle that is really really black, you MUST at some point go into this type of salon and ask for service. The facial expressions and terror are priceless. You can just giggle and walk away afterwards. No need to prolong the torture and for goodness sake, don’t actually let them touch your head!

What have been some of your more interesting encounters as a natural haired madame?
-Courtsey of Madame Noire

Winter Hair Challenge...the Final Streach

2011-04-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

The take down is complete! I just twisted my own hair and will rock it like this for most of the month of April...come May I will be busting this FRO OUT!! For the record my hair feels GREAT! There are no fairy knots/single strands knots on the ends of my hair and it is thick from root to tip. I'll do my final length check complete with a full winter hair care challenge roundup the next time I wash but so far it looks like I gained about 1 and 1/2 inches of growth of the winter. FYI, I actually did a light trim in late January in between protective styles. Overall I have to say I'm pleased!

Time for the Take Down

2011-03-29T08:27:00.000-07:00

This picture says it all and I'm feeling old boys pain...I HATE taking braids out, but the time has come and my braids MUST come out!! Last night when I was driving home a random twist fell onto the steering wheel...LMAO Since my original plan was to wear protective styles from November through April, I'm going to have to alter things a bit. My plan now is to just twist my hair myself and wear twist off and on through the end of April before I unleash my FRO in all its glory for the summer ;)

Pondering the Take Down

2011-03-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love the ease of protective styles and braids. A bag of synthetic hair can be a girls best friend when she is NOT in the mood to do her hair for long stretches, but I am officially tired of these Senegalese twist in my hair, and just to damn lazy to take them out..LMAO

My Winter hair challenge comes to an end officially April 30, but I'm not sure if I will make it that long. Trust me I am to damn lazy to take these bad boys out but the real reason for perhaps only making it to April 1 is because I am not sure the style itself will hold up much longer. Due to sheer laziness I will leave them in as long as I can but I am sick of "the look."

I guess I could take them out and put cornrows or something in for the last 30 days but like I said I do not have the mindset to take these out and the next few weekends will be busy one. Ho Hum.

To Tango With the Tangle Teezer??

2011-03-07T11:42:00.000-08:00

Do I dare jump on the bandwagon of the newest craze amongst the natural hair community?!?!? Never mind I told myself that I am on product ban for 2011, but do I take the plunge and tango with the infamous tangle teezer???

Do I already have tools to detangle my hair? YES
Am I on a no buy in 2011 ban that includes anything NOT need? YES
Do I need a tangle teezer? NO
DO I have unusual "problems" with my current detangling method? NO

If I look at all of the question I have just asked and answered for myself the answer would be...NOOOOOOOOO I do no need a tangle teezer! It is product junkie lust that has me clamouring to get my hands on one of these babies. Truth be told most of the reviews on the tangle teezer are fabulous but the bad reviews seem to suggest that the tool may result in splits ends for some that use it. For now I'm sticking to my guns and not buying the tool for myself, plus the risk of shredding my ends is not one I'm willing to risk, when I can stick with the trusty shred proof tools I have in my shower.

But I must say, they have introduced a tangle teezer just for the little ones and it is CUTE, its got my daughters name written all over it. Check this out. Her birthday is coming up and I may get one for her. She has 3a hair type so the shredding of ends that could occur on my 4a/b hair is not very likely, and who knows I could always give her tangle teezer a try if I'm still jonesing to give it a twirl.

Last Protective Style of Winter 2010

2011-02-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

No, I didn't punk out...lol I got my second protective style as planned but just haven't had a chance to snap any pictures. As it is these pictures are only of my hair cuz as my mama would say, I look like a "bugga bear" My goal is to keep these in until the end of April or as close as I can get to it. I'm not sure this particular style will last that long before it starts looking ragged.

Winter Hair Challenge...Protective Style #2

2011-02-10T19:23:00.000-08:00

I'm putting my wig back in a protective style tomorrow, which I plan on leaving in until the end of April...just in time for "free froing" season...SUMMER!! For those of you that follow splinta24 on youtube, I am gonna bite my girls style this time around and get Senegalese-Twist . I've had these kind of twist in the past, but Splinta has her braider braid the front a bit differently which allows for more versatile styling. Check the pictures below of Ms. Splinta

I'll post pictures of my take on Splinta24's twist soon. Hopefully they turn out well!

Winter Hair Challenge Length Check

2011-02-08T08:48:00.000-08:00

You can check out my original length check at the beginning of this challenge here.

The kinky twist take down

2011-02-04T07:16:00.000-08:00

This is the hair lost after all twist were taken down. I had the twist in for about 2 1/2 months.

Beware of Tight Braids

2011-01-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

OK...I'm sorry but these braids look to damn tight. My edges would be screaming for dear life. Look closely Curlies at the cornrows around her hair line..OUCH!

Running While Natural

2011-01-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

I guess you could call me a runner...sounds funny when I say it, but yours truly laces up her kicks and runs half marathons (13.1 miles) for shits and giggles...LMAO Below is a blog post I did for Black Girls Run.
Since it's the start of a new year, why not take advantage of all he benefits of being natural...especialy exercise. Check out the post below...Running While Natural.
“Girl I do NOT want to sweat out my hair!!” You will hear this same mantra repeated by many women of color whether their hair is relaxed or natural! Many of us don’t take to kindly to sweating out a $50 deep condition, blow dry and style, and the same applies to natural ladies who have spent a few hours putting two strand twist in their hair in hopes of achieving the perfect twist out. Burning serious calories equals sweating and there is nothing quite like the sweat produced when pounding the pavement and running.

Whether you want to call it highly textured hair, natural hair, kinky hair, curly hair or nappy hair, the result is the same after a long run…a scalp filled with salt and sweat which is a lethal combination for your tresses. The salt that sweat produces dries out your scalp and can leave your hair looking dull, brittle and lifeless if you don’t care for your hair properly.

So how do you care for your locks and still get your fitness on???? The answer is water…good old fashioned H2O. This is what works for me and several other ladies I know who “run while natural.” Each of us will have to find what works for our specific hair, but I think my routine is as good place as any to start with.

I will not allow sweat and salt to sit on my scalp for more than 2 days without rinsing my scalp with plain old water. This means if I run two days in a row, on the second day after my run I will rinse my scalp and hair with water while in the shower. I do not use shampoo or conditioner since my hair really isn’t dirty, my scalp simply needs to be cleansed. On the day that I do my long run (for me 7 miles or more) I co-wash my hair in the shower after the run. Co-washing means to wash your hair using only conditioner. I rinse my hair with water and then saturate it with my favorite moisturizing conditioner and let it sit on my hair while I handle the rest of my showering business and then simply rinse out the conditioner in the shower. It’s important to use a moisturizing conditioner because textured hair craves moisture whether your hair is relaxed or natural.

I wash my hair once a week using a sulfate free shampoo and follow up the shampoo with a deep conditioning treatment. Anytime I rinse, co-wash or wash my hair I always follow up with a good leave-in conditioner! Maintaining well moisturized, soft kinks and curls is very important to achieving and maintaining healthy hair. You have to get the salt and dirt off your scalp in order to do that. No one wants their hair feeling like a brillo pad and if you leave sweat and salt sitting on your scalp for to long, that is exactly what you will end up with…a birllo puff…not cute ☹

UPDATE...Curls Products at Target

2011-01-05T05:14:00.000-08:00

You may recall that I found some of the Curls products on clearance at my local Target store and scooped them up. Well I returned the unused products for 2 reasons.

First I need more hair care products like i need a hole in my head and have vowed NOT to buy any hair products in 2011.

Second, after further research I discovered why I wasn't able to find the products I purchased at Target listed on the Curls site. The Curls products sold at Target have specifically been made for Target stores...basically this means that in order to mass produce products for a large retailer the and to remain cost effective, ingredients used in the Target store products are different than those used in Curls products sold online. So yeah I took that stuff back. The ingredients were not bad but bottom line is I DON'T NEED any more products even if they are on clearance...LMAO

Product Junkies Anonymous

2011-01-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

Hello My Name is Nikki and I'm a Product Junkie...

I came across this great article at the Coil Review for PJA (Product Junkie Anonymous). I plan on following the five-step program because I truly do have an addiction to products of all types! I will NOT be buying any new hair products in 2011...I repeat, no new hair products for me in 20-11. I am positive that I have enough in my stash to get me through the next 365 days. Check out the article below to put an end to or at least curb your inner product junkie.

Welcome to Product Junkies Anonymous (PJA), a safe space for men and women to discuss and recover from their common addiction: Product Junkism (PJ). Here at PJA, we have designed 5-step programs to help you recover from various forms of PJ. Today we’ll focus on one of the more common forms—Newly Natural Product Junkism (NNPJ).

1) Admit you have a problem
By clicking this link you’ve probably completed Step One. For those who are hesitant to admit they struggle with NNPJ, go find all of your hair products and line them up on your bathroom counter. How many do you have, and how does this number compare to the amount of products you use regularly? How many have you bought in the past month? If you’ve bought over 5 products in the past month that you really didn’t need, you may have a problem.

Hello, I’m a product junkie. It all started when I decided to go natural. I began searching online for different hairstyles to transition, but then I would see so many recommendations to try various products and I started buying products for different styles I wanted to try. Once I BC’d, I had to experiment with products in order to find my staples. I’d buy products I saw most people using, then products for people with my hair texture, then products people with my hair length recommended. I bought so many products that I found myself with products I had only used once.

2) No Buy Phase
You are not to buy any products for a month or more depending on the severity of your addiction. In order to prevent future purchases, you may not stroll through the hair care aisle at beauty supply stores, drugstores, or department stores alone. You may not go to online vendors to browse. You may not open emails from online vendors advertising sales. Caution should be exercised on hair boards, fotkis, and blogs because these can send you hunting for your wallet.

3) Housekeeping
Gather your products and divide them into three categories: what you love, what you like, and what you hate. Check the ingredients of your hated products. Do they have anything in common? If so, avoid that ingredient in all future products. Throw out or give away all products that fall into the third category. For the products you like, try to find additional uses for them—add oils to a thinner conditioner to make it more moisturizing, or mix two conditioners to create a deep conditioner. Finally, as with the products you hate, try to find the common ingredients in the products you love.

4) Focusing on Health
Hair health problems like breakage and dryness are the most common triggers for NNPJ. Tackling these specific problems will solve most natural hair complaints—too dry, too frizzy, won’t grow, etc. Basic questions, "have you been regularly trimming?--"do you deep condition or seal?", will help you figure out your health problem and how to address it quickly and efficiently.

5) Reinstatement
By completing steps 1-4, you’ve identified what your hair needs, wants, and likes, which will help you determine what works best for your hair. This knowledge will help you avoid the purchase of products that you already know won’t work on your hair. You are now welcome back into the natural hair loop of product discussions, styling methods and hair care

Workout Friendly Hair Styles

2010-12-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

Much To Do About Hair

2010-12-22T09:07:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting article about hair straightening, culture and race written in the Miami Herald from 2007. Here are a few quotes from the article:

"Nearly all Dominican women straighten their hair, which experts say is a direct result of a historical learned rejection of all things black."

"I always associated black with ugly. I was too dark and didn't have nice hair," said Catherine de la Rosa, a dark-skinned Dominican-American college student spending a semester here. "With time passing, I see I'm not black. I'm Latina."

"A walk down city streets shows a country where blacks and dark-skinned people vastly outnumber whites, and most estimates say that 90 percent of Dominicans are black or of mixed race. Yet census figures say only 11 percent of the country's nine million people are black. To many Dominicans, to be black is to be Haitian. So dark-skinned Dominicans tend to describe themselves as any of the dozen or so racial categories that date back hundreds of years -- Indian, burned Indian, dirty Indian, washed Indian, dark Indian, cinnamon, moreno or mulatto, but rarely negro."

Read the entire Black Denial article here

Braid Down!!!

2010-12-20T09:39:00.000-08:00

I lost one of my kinky twist today..lol My husband was like "what is that on the floor?" Luckily I knew exactly which twist it was because the extension had pulled away from the base of my scalp. Y'all know I moisturized the hair, threw the extension in the garbage and twisted that hair right back up...LMAO Luckily it's in a spot that camouflages well. I'm not taking these bad boys out for another 3 weeks, so I gotta keep it moving ;)

The Perfect Winter Headgear for Naturals

2010-12-17T09:33:00.000-08:00

For curly girls looking to protect their tresses from the harsh winter weather, headgear is essential, but wool and acrylic hats can dry out your hair and pull and snag on your ends causing breakage. The answer to protecting your kinky curls is stylish silk and satined lined hats which can be found at HATSOME. I just picked up these two stylish and practical hats to get me through the brutal Minnesota winter.

I will let everyone know about the quality of the hat once they arrive.

Got Locks? From Natural to Locks

2010-12-15T09:21:00.000-08:00

Are you thinking about locking your hair? Check out how starter locks are done and the techniques used.

Check out the finished look

Curls Products on Clearance at Target

2010-12-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

I was just at Target and found several of the Curls products on clearance. I poked around and didn't see any of the other "Curly Girl" products Target has been carrying recently. Not sure if they are getting rid of the "Curly Girl" products all together or if it was just this location getting rid of the products due to poor performance. Regardless, I snagged the coconut curladda conditioner, the lavish curls moisturizer, and the goddes curls. Interestingly enough these specific products do not appear on the Curls website. What I mean is, the specific names mentioned above do not appear on the Curls site. Products with "similar" names appear but not the products I purchased at Target specifically. Feels a little suspect, but I got all 3 products for around $16 and read the ingredients list before purchasing and they are all free of parabens, mineral oil and petroleum. I'll give a product review once I have used the products which make take awhile since I'm keeping my hair in protective styles during the winter months.

A Natural Hair Music Spoof

2010-12-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Transisitoning Tips

2010-12-08T09:13:00.000-08:00

Diane Decosta author of Texture Tresses talks transitioning from relaxed to natural. She provided a very "PC" answer when asked about hair texturizers.

Essence.com Tips for Flat Ironing Natural Hair

2010-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

For you curlies who like to mix up your hair game and rock a straight style from time to time, here are a few tips. I have to admit I find it a bit suspect that ol'boy didn't say a word about using a heat protectant or the dangers of heat damage when flat ironing natural hair.

The process..start to finish.

Time to Wash My Extensions (kinky twist)

2010-12-01T13:09:00.001-08:00

Time to wash my twist. Though I miss wearing my hair "out" I'm sticking to the winter hair challenge...1 month down, 5 more to go...YIKES!! Here's a helpful video on washing your hair while it's in a braided style.

Natural Hair Hits The News

2010-11-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

Interesting way for the news station to introduce the "new look" of their reporter.

I Miss My FRO

2010-11-13T19:04:00.000-08:00

For the record I have to say that I miss my Free-FROing hair :( I've had kinky twist in for exactly 2 weeks now and I miss wearing my hair "out!" No worries though, I will stick with my winter hair care challenge. I'll be hitting the ski slopes in about a month and a chocolate bunny shooting down the slopes with her fro blowing in the wind (though I would look fierce)would end up with nothing but knots and tangles.
I never thought keep this 'wig" protected for a few short months would be hard, but i was mistaken. I actually miss my hair, but I know if i stick to this challenge that I will love the end reslut more than I miss my hair right now...and I will glistening in the sun with a head full of healthy, longer kinky curls.

Winter Hair Challenge-Pre Challenge Stats

2010-11-07T04:36:00.000-08:00

As promised here is a pre length check before putting my hair into a protective style for the winter,

I'm Twisted-up and Protected!

2010-11-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

The winter hair care challenge has begun! Protective style #1 a set of kinky twist. Hopefully keeping my hair in braided styles from November 1-April 30 will result in the retention of length, growth and healthy hair for summer 2011. I should mention that in between protective styles, I will give my hair a "break" wearing it out by either twisting my own hair and rocking those twist or a twist out for at least a week before heading back to my braider.

Let the Winter Hair Games Begin!!

2010-10-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

It's time to protect my FRO. True to plan, I am moving forward with my "Winter Hair Challenge." On Friday, October 29 I will be heading to my braider to get my first of several protective styles this winter. I am thinking I will start off with a set of fluffy/kinky twist. Here'sa picture of the look I will be going for.

I'll share a picture of my own results after I get them done. To get my hair in the best condition possible prior to getting the twist, I plan on doing a pre poo with Vatika Oil, washing with Jessicurls Cleansing Cream, doing a deep conditioning treatment using my hair steamer and Jessicurls Too Shea Extra Moisturizing Conditioner, follwed with a tea rinse and kimmaytubes leave in conditioner.
I'll do a length check after I wash and conditon my hair and post pictures of that so we have something to compare my growth to when spring rolls around and I set my hiar FREE! My goal here is to retain as much length as possible over the winter months and emerge with a lush fabulous healthy fro that's hopefully 3-4 inches longer. Wish me LUCK!

I Love My Hair!

2010-10-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

Loving My FRO!

2010-09-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

I was in Atlanta about a month ago and I was loving the size of my FRO!

Cute Style

2010-08-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this hair style...think I'm going to give it a try the next time I co-wash.
I think I should be able to reproduce this look by simply adding a little part and sweeping a section of "bangs" to the side and laying it down. Sounds simple but y'all know sometime our hair has a mind of its own. Wish me luck!

KOTD

2010-08-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

A Puff....The perfect way to look cool..even when you are melting!

KOTD-Kink of the Day

2010-08-21T05:31:00.000-07:00

Styling my hair as it gets longer can be a challenge. Right now the top is a lot longer than the rest, so I decided to try doing that little "hump" thing in the front..LOL The jury is till out on this look.

Rachel Stewart Jewelry....come to mama!

2010-08-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

I am in LOVE with this necklace...DAMN, it's sold out! Trust me...the minute that it is back in stock I will snatch up one of these lovelies. In the meantime I will order a few of her other pieces of jewelry to curb my Rachel Stewart appetite. Oh and check out the fierceness that is her FRO....gorgeous!

Winter Hair Challenge

2010-08-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

I feel a hair challenge coming on. As summer draws to a close, I have decided that I will wear my hair in protective styles for most of the cold weather months. My goal is to rock a protective style from December 1, 2010 until May 1, 2011...that's 5 months of wearing twist, braids, cornrows or something like that...y'all know what I'm talking about.

Here's my plan....I will not wear a braided style for more than 2 months straight, at which point I will take down my braids and wear my hair out for a week or two (but no more than 2 weeks) before putting it back in a protective style. I'm pretty sure I will end up getting kinky twist for 2 months, rock corn rows for 3-4 weeks, put my own hair in two-strand twist for 2 weeks, and then a final set of kinky twist.

I'll do a length check at the beginning of the challenge and again each time I take my hair down. I'm curious to see how much length I will be able to retain and just how much growth I will be able to achieve. Looking ahead to summer 2011, I will be ready for massive FREE FRO'IN!!

Moisturising in a Arid Climate???

2010-08-13T11:19:00.001-07:00

I'm heading to an arid climate for 5 days in about 2 months...that means hot and dry weather, and I have no idea how my hair will react. My hair thrives in hot humid weather, but hot and dry maybe another story. Any naturals out there with product or styling advice when traveling to places like Las Vegas of Phoenix??

It is what it is...but I'm FIT!

2010-08-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

I LOVE this ad..cuz no matter how much I run my butt ain't going nowhere...LMAO

KOTD-Kink of the Day

2010-08-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

Wasn't the best hair day but I just let it do what it's gonna do

An Observation...

2010-07-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at work typing away and I catch a glimpse of my reflection in a print that sits on my desk. There it is...my fro in all its glory looking back at me in the glass of the print along with part of the skyline of downtown St.Paul. Here I sit, as nappy as I want to be...wearing my hair the way I want with no worries in corporate America with my overpriced JD hanging on the wall behind me...LMAO

Go ahead and look fear in the face and say "I just don't care!!"

This is your hair...and this is your hair on KCCC!

2010-07-25T17:16:00.000-07:00

This is my hair (picture taken 7/24/10)...

I don't have any product in my hair besides Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner. I did a really chunky two-strand twist and took them out to rock this look...that's it.

and this is my hair on Kinky Curly Curling Custard(KCCC)taken 7/23/10!

Let me first say that this is my third time using this product and I just don't think that KCCC and I can be friends. To be fair the first time I used it was when I first big chopped and honestly my hair was simply to short to reap the benefits of KCCC.

The second time i used it was maybe 6 months ago after watching several youtube videos on the correct way to apply the product. My gripe after the second use was how it made my hair feel..it had a tacky feeling to it. I couldn't get past the feeling of my hair to notice the shrinkage that was taking place.

I decided to give KCCC one more try...my hair is longer, and I've watched even more youtube videos on applying the product. While watching those videos I also saw naturals with hair much longer than mine have their hair draw up so bad. I was literally able to watch my hair shrink right in front of my eyes. Were my curls popping...YES!! The product does provide curl definition but hell you could barely see my curl because my fro had done a disappearing act on a sista and shrunk up..lol

No harm no foul..just another example of what works for one persons hair does not work for anther's. The members of Kinky and Curly in the Twin Cities Meetup group will reap the benefits of my misfortune since I will be bringing the product to our next meetup for those who want to try it.

Twin Cities Natural Hair Meetup

2010-07-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

I played host to the first ever natural hair Meetup in the Twin Cities this past weekend. I was so pleased with the turnout or group had and can't wait to plan another event. If you want to start a natural hair Meetup group in your area GO FOR IT!!! Meetup.com made it easy...check 'em out!! Here are a few pictures from the Kinky and Curly in the Twin Cities Meetup Group...say cheese!

Fierce Hair Fierce Dress!

2010-07-05T11:29:00.000-07:00

I just want to say that I LOVE this sundress in the picture below...and oh girls hair ain't to shabby either...lol If anyone knows where I can get this dress let me know...gorgeous!

Kinky & Curly in the Twin Cities

2010-06-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

I’m sorry if it seems that I have been neglecting this blog lately but summer is upon us and I am trying to take advantage of every minute!! When I haven’t been sitting on a rooftop having drinks someplace, I have been organizing a natural hair Meetup group for naturals, aspiring natural and folks who want to learn to take better care of their hair…GO ME!!! I had gone to Meetup.com nearly a year ago in hopes of finding such a group to join in the Twin Cities and nothing ever materialized, so I decided to take matters into my own hands and start the damn group myself…LMAO

The group is called Kinky & Curly in the Twin Cities and our first Meetup is schedule for July 17. I am so excited by the number of folks who have joined the group and are planning to come to the Meetup, and y’all know I will blog about the experience and share the wealth of knowledge including do’s and don’ts that fellow curlies will testify to.

A Few Moore Shots of My Two-Strand Twist

2010-06-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

Rockin a Two-Strand Twist

2010-06-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

Here is a video of my two-strand twist. i will post a picture below of twist I had in my hair about a year ago so you can see the growth.

I know I look a hot MESS in this picture by the way...but lets remember it's about the HAIR...lol

Random Hair Pictures

2010-06-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

A couple of random hair pictures of questionable hair days...lol

Happy to be Nappy...1 Year! Natural!

2010-05-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

I've been natural for an entire year now...WOW! I just realized it sitting here today that a year ago yesterday I chopped of my lovely bob, but I haven't looked back since. Since my nappiversary creeped up on me, I don't have any pictures of my hair presently, but I will be sure to take a few this week so you guys can see the great progress I've had over the past year.

Accessorize Your Fro

2010-05-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

Since going natural nearly a year ago, I have fallen in LOVE with hair accessories. Headbands, flowers, crochet hats, scarves...you name it and I have rocked it in or on my hair. The perfect hair accessory can set off an outfit or kick a look up a notch, and the best thing about hair accessories is that you can get them on the cheap, I'm talking 2 or 3 bucks for headbands and flowers, or splurge and drop 30 to 40 bucks on a beautiful beaded or silk flower. Check out pics of my very own hair accessory stash and the place I shop to dress up my Fro!

My go to spot for cheap hair accessories is FOREVER21. You can load up on everything from barretts, to bows, headbands and flowers. The array of hair accessories at Forever21 is endless and the prices are unbeatable!! You can shop Forever 21 online of hit up the store the next time you are in the mall.
Another mall spot with lovely and unique hair accessories is Banana Republic.
When I want something a little more spendy and ultra unique I head over to Ododo Originals, where the owner makes beautiful handmade beaded flowers. You can even custom order from her and tell exactly what color or color combinations you would like....FABULOUS
Last but not least is Andrea's Beau, their accessories are simply lovely in a classic kind of way.

Coconut Oil...Good For One Thing When It Comes To My Hair

2010-05-17T07:07:00.000-07:00

Me and Coconut oil...I will have to be honest and say that coconut oil is really only good for one thing when it comes to my hair and that's taking down twist for a twist out. Coconut oil is the only thing I will use to unravel my twist. It smooths the hair shaft, provides some moisture, a bit of shine and most importantly it prevents my twist from getting frizzy!! For me coconut oil is a FRIZZ BUSTER.

Some naturals LOVE coconut oil, but it doesn't do much for my hair except in the very specific circumstance mentioned above. Trust me, I will continue to use it to take down twist...no other product compares to it for that purpose.

My Favorite Oils

2010-05-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

Let me start off by saying that my hair prefers light, quick absorbing oils...especially during the summer months. For the most part I only use heavy oils like Castor oil on my ends.

Oil #1...Jojoba Oil. Jojoba oil is great for your skin and hair. It is light weight and penetrates the hair shaft without weighing down your hair and leaving it feeling greasy.

Oil #2...Camellia Oil. Camellia oil is a carrier oil. It provided moisture and elasticity to soften the hair. Again Camellia oil is light and absorbs quickly.

Oil #3...Macadamia Oil. Macadamia oil reduces dryness. It is a natural moisturizer and emollient (emollients attract and trap moisture from the air). Macadamia oil is light and non-greasy so it is easily absorbed into the hair shaft.

I use the above oils by making my own little oil mixture consisting of 2 ounces of Jojoba oil, 1 ounce of Camilla oil, and 1 ounce of Macadamia oil. It's that simple. The 4 ounce brew last me nearly 6 months and provides my hair with much needed moisture without being greasy or weighting my hair down.

Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream

2010-05-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here is another product I love...Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream. I should start by saying that I only use "leave in" conditioners as leave ins in my hair. I know some folks use "regular" conditioner as a leave in, but my hair does not respond well to "regular" conditioner being left in as a leave in. Anyway, back to my review. This stuff is creamy and thick but also light at the same time. It coats my hair well without weighing it down. Most importantly this product moisturizes my hair. I use this product 99% of the time as my leave in of choice and I always use a leave in in my hair. One of the main reason this is one of my go to products is because it mixes well with other products, which is not the case for some other leave ins I have used. I have never gotten little white balls or sticky/tacky hair when layering other products onto my Cantu. I've had my 16oz tub for almost a year and it only cost about $5 bucks.

Here is how the product is descibed on its website:
Cantu Shea Butter
Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream
Cantu shea butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream is made with real shea butter and essential oils to replace vital oil in your hair leaving it stronger and healthier with a natural shine.

Cantu shea butter leave in conditioning repair cream can be used on wet hair as an intensive moisturizing treatment or to tame frizz and fly-aways.

Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream helps…

moisturize dry brittle hair with deep penetrating oil and emollients
soften, detangle and add shine to hair
protect hair against heat and sun styling damage
provide extra protection from split ends and breakage
Directions for:

Daily Styling – Apply to towel dried hair. Work a generous amount of product into hair beginning at the roots to the tips. Comb through for even distribution. Do not rinse. Apply more to longer hair at the ends or problem areas.
Leave In Treatment – Apply as directed for “Daily Styling” just after shampooing. Re-apply and cover with a plastic cap overnight for maximum absorbtion and intensive conditioning.
Frizz Free Hair – Apply daily to split ends or damaged areas. Comb through and let dry naturally.

Karen's Body Beautiful Products

2010-04-30T09:19:00.000-07:00

Since my 1 year nappy anniversary is just around the cornor, I've decide over thenext few weeks to share with everyone some of the products I LOVE. First up is Karen's Body Beautiful (KBB). I can not sing the praises of these products enough. If Miss Karen ever went out of business or god forbid changed her formula I would just die. KBB products are apart of my every day routine, just like brushing my teeth and washing my face, I reach for KBB products.
My first love is the Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Cream. My hair loves this stuff and drinks it up. Here is the product description: Enriched with ingredients that stimulate hair growth and strengthen your hair shaft, Karen’s Hair Cream, moisturizes and adds sheen to dull, dry hair. Excellent for natural, relaxed or pressed hair. Use twice a week on hair and scalp or more as needed. (Works best on dry hair.) A little goes a long way with this product. I tend to add a nickel size amount to my hair every other day. The ingredients are simple: Shea Butter, Rosehip Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Essential and/or Fragrance Oils, Vitamin E & Carrot Seed Oil. The product comes in a 8 oz tub and because you use such a small amount it will last you a really long time which makes it well work the $16 price tag. As with all KBB's products you can choose from a variety of fragrances for your product.

For those of you who prefer hair butters, the Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Butter is second to none! The hair butter is a bit more heavy than the hair cream. Go lightly with this product, if you over do it,it will leave a greasy feeling on your tresses. That greasy feeling will absorb after a day or two, but i live to touch my hair and can't stand it when product residue is left on my hands. Here is the product description: Made only from rich, thick butters and luxurious oils, Karen's Hair Butter conditions, softens and adds sheen to fragile, stressed hair. Great for natural, relaxed or pressed hair. Use twice a week on hair and scalp or more as needed. I personally use this product when my hair is feeling extra parched...maybe once a week, and usually at night so my hair gets a chance to absorb the product. Again this hair butter is filled with good stuff: Shea Butter, Cocoa Butter, Mango Butter, Jojoba Butter, Aloe Butter, Essential and/or Fragrance Oils, Grapefruit Seed Oil & Vitamin E. Again, you will pay $16 for 8 ounces and can choose your own fragrance.

Last up is what Karen's Body Beautiful is widely know for, her Hair Milk. I will be honest, in general I'm not a big fan of hair milks, they just aren't heavy enough to moisturize my hair. What I can tell you is that this hair milk makes a wonderful leave in conditioner for my hair, I also use the hair milk to achieve a killer, well moisturized twist out...a dab on each section leaves hair soft and shiny. 8 ounces of this product will run you $16 and again you can choose your own fragrance and it's filled with great ingredients: Purified Water, Jojoba and Avocado Oils, Vegetable Wax, Vitamin E, Panthenol, Arnica and Calendula Flowers, Echinacea, Nettle and Horsetail Extracts, Vegetable Glycerin, Wheat Germ Oil, Fragrance Oil and Natural Enzymes. The product description is pretty open: You're only a few dabs away from lush radiant and soft hair. Karen's hair milk moisturizes the detangles, defrizzes and defines your curls. Apply a generous amount to hair when damp. Also can be used on dry hair to refresh and moisturize. Can be used several times a week or daily.

FYI...KBB sells atrial size hair sample pack of her products so you don't have to committ to a full size/full price item. I actually saved the trial size containers and fill them with KBB product when I on vacation. BTW, the trail size hair butter and hair cream will last you a long time since you onlyl need to use nickel or dime size amount of the product.

The Best Damn Detangling Conditioner EVER!!

2010-04-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am coming up on my year nappy anniversary, and the one thing I have learned over the past year is what works for my hair. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Conditioner. It is thick, rich, hydrating and only 3 bucks!! This is my favorite conditioner to detangle with, it's so thick, rich and creamy...it just coats my hair which results in great slip.
I've used it a few times for co-washes and it works wonderfully. Slowly but surely my hair product shelf is becoming less cluttered as I hone in my on my staple products, and what a bonus when one of the products is $3 and I can pick it up locally as opposed to ordering it online and paying for shipping :(

Kink of the Day (KOTD)

2010-04-27T07:31:00.001-07:00

A VERY shrunken twist out but it's still FLY!!! LMAO

QuellyRue Design...Lovely Hair Accessories!

2010-04-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love pretty things, especially when they come in cute packages!!! I am always on the lookout for unique and different hair adornments to give my fro a little kick, and QuellyRue Designs have lovely handmade pretty things for your hair.
I bought this lovely crochet hat with a flower adornment. The flower is also removable...can we say versatility!!!! And I couldn't pass up one her her chic and funky headbands.
These are unique and will set any hairstyle off!! Feel free to bite my style and stop by the QuellyRue Esty site, she has everything from hats to headbands to scarves, brooches and MORE!!

Denman Brush...Friend or Foe??

2010-04-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Denman Brush...naturals either love it or hate it. I have to admit the first time I used it I hated it. I felt like it was ripping my hair out and I'm sure it was. I don't think my hair was long enough the first time I used the Denman. In my opinion you need a certain amount of length to allow the brush to glide through and work its detangling magic.

I recently came across this video which shows you how to remove teeth from your Denman or Denman knock-off. Since I removed some of the teeth from my brush I LOVE IT!! If you aren't so sure about your Denman try using it with some of the teeth removed. I love it for detangling now. I should say that I actually only detangle with the Denman 1 or two times a month when i want to do a really thorough job and get all those little hair balls and shed hair out of my head.

Sorry I've Been MIA

2010-04-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

Heres a little summer time hair inspiration for you...my hair loves humidity! It has always grown well in the summer months relaxed or natural.

Sorry I've been MIA, but honestly not much has been going on with my hair. To be honest I have gotten a bit lazy...not neglectful of my tresses, just lazy as far as doing much with it.

I do have an update on the JAZZING color rinse! The results were great and it lasted about 12-15 washes. Keep in mind that this does not equate to 12 weeks because I co-wash my hair 1-2 times a week in addition to a full washing/detangling session weekly. So I would say that the color result lasted a solid month. I will definitely be doing it again since I'm not trying to have gray hair just yet. I know in the future I may want a more permanent solution but for the next year I am content with the JAZZING color rinse.

I also think I will be paying my trust braider a visit and have her two-strand twist my hair. I have never worn twist out before. Though I do twist my hair, I do so for a twist out style and will cover my head up if my hair is in twist. Lets just say if I pay her to twist my hair I will being sporting those bad boys for at least a week. I will keep y'all posted.

I promise to post more frequently. I'll have to share my theory on shedding with everyone and I have a few product reviews to share with everyone.

A Little Color Boost

2010-03-20T18:59:00.000-07:00

I put color in the form of a rinse in my hair yesterday. A rinse is defined as temporary color that can deepen your hair color, add shine or refresh existing but "blah" color. A rinse will NOT lighten your hair and it contains NO ammonia or peroxide. The color from a rinse washes out gradually each time you wash your hair, and usually last 6-10 washes.

I used Jazzing by Clairol in the color ebony. For those that are curious, Jazzing does color gray hair. I picked up a bottle for 6 bucks at Sally's Beauty Supply.

This is what I did:

I washed and detangled my hair and then applied the rinse after blotting my hair dry. I put a plastic bag on my head and left the color on for 15 minutes. I washed it out followed by a light shampoo and then deep conditioned my hair with Babassu Butter Love Deep Conditioner by Brown Butter Beauty. After applying the deep conditioner I sat under my hair steamer for 1 hour.

I am pleased with the results. My goal was to cover the bit of gray that I have and the Jazzing did the trick. In my opinion, a rinse is the best hair coloring option for those of us who don't want to actually "dye" our hair or commit to a specific color. Any type of permanent color has a drying effect on the hair and requires that you are diligent with conditioning. I simply wasn't ready to take the dying plunge this early in my pursuit of nappyness...maybe next year when my hair and I have gotten to know one another better...LOL

Cover-up that Head

2010-03-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

When my hair is a HOT mess or when I have just co-washed and twisted my hair and it's still wet....this is the look I rock. I've got 2 other tam hats like the one I'm wearing. My only concern is what will I do in the summer...these are winter hats?????

Soul Sista Afro Diva

2010-03-12T08:20:00.000-08:00

Look at the goodies that were waiting for me when I got to work this morning...another reason to LOVE Fridays!!!

I picked up this lovely Soul Sista Afro Diva Designer Mirror Compact
from SugarLuxe

Along with this matching 5x7 print...can we say CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Free Fro'in!!!

2010-03-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

I LOVE this picture...hair out and Free Fro'in...I like to wear my hair OUT!!!!!!! I wore a protective style of cornrows once this winter for about 4 weeks and most recently I wore two strand twist for 2 weeks, but damn it I like my fro to be FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Some would say that wearing your hair "out" all the time is not good, especially during the winter months. I think I have had great growth in the 10 months that I've been natural but would I have even more growth if I wore my hair in protective styles more often???that's the question.

As summer approaches in the Twin cities I can't wait to flaunt my kinks in the glistening sun. I think i will pay particular attention to my hairs growth this summer. When I was relaxed my hair grew more in summer months than it did in the winter and I think the same will hold true now that I'm natural.

I plan to keep a close eye on my hairs growth from April to September...who knows I may have to reevaluate the benefits of protective styling this coming winter, but for now I am looking forward to summer and the growth that I hope the heat and humidity bring my hair.

Oh yeah...I plan on doing some kind color in the next few months (April or May) in the form of a rinse. I don't want to deal with the drying effects that come along with permanent color...at least now. I do love me some summer hi-lights so I may have to revisit the issue of permanent hair color next summer.

SMILES

2010-03-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

I just LOVE it when people tell me how much they like my hair....it makes me SMILE!! I love it even more when someone I haven't seen since I went natural sees me and proceeds to tell me how much my hair has grown. I reply yes it has and then inquire how they know since I haven't seen them in such a long time. The response is that they have been "following me" checking out my nappy situation on this blog. SMILES SMILES SMILES!

Happy B-Day Betsy!!

2010-03-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Betsy and I enjoying a drink made in her honor for the evening..."The Betsy"

Spring Approaches...Summer Hair

2010-02-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

My hair has been in two-strand twist all week. I have decided that for the remainder of winter I will keep my hair is twist and only take them out on weekends if need be. For example, next week Friday and Saturday I will be going out with friends, so my plans is to take my twist out on either Thursday night or Friday morning and rock a twist out until Sunday when I will likely co-wash followed with a steam deep conditioning treatment and twist my hair back up. If I ain't going no place special (and work ain't special) my hair will be in two-strand twist for the next few months. Maybe I will even give flat twist a try. It wont be pretty but my hair will thank me when the warm weather breaks and the sun comes out and my Fro is basking in its luxurious rays...lol

Kink of the Day (KOTD)

2010-02-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

A Barbie Just for ME!!!

2010-01-29T08:17:00.000-08:00

Y'all know I'm getting this Barbie!!!

Hair Steamer

2010-01-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

I did it..I fianlly ordered a hair steamer and got a GREAT deal on it too!! After doing my research I found that a lot of folks were getting them for about $140, but I managed to snag one on ebay for $119 and free shipping...GO ME!! I'll give a full report after I have used it a few times.

Here is an article about the benefits of using a hair steamer.

I'm in LOVE!!!

2010-01-18T21:00:00.000-08:00

To date I have not truly fell in love with any particular products. I'm in like with a lot of products but until now I have never been in love. I've mentioned before that I live in Minneapolis and it gets cold as hell here. Cold weather wreaks havoc on anyones hair be it relaxed or natural, so finding a product that truly give my hair a moisture boost was essential. I count myself lucky to have stumbled upon Dacry's Botanicals Avocado & Honey Twisting Cream

Here is the product description:
NEW Avocado & Honey Twisting Cream

Braid & Twist Styling Cream

Our Avocado & Honey Twisting Cream is excellent for braiding, twisting and adding much needed moisture to dry, coarse curls:)

This is a very thick and concentrated cream that is highly moisturizing and softening for type 3-4 coarse hair types.

It is a very thick milky white cream and is scented with Ylang Ylang and Lemon!

Once you try it, you'll be hooked!

Micro Twist Out Update

2010-01-17T15:54:00.000-08:00

Those tiny two-strand twist that I painstakingly put in really paid off...I LOVED the look and rocked it in all its fabulousness while in Atlanta. Not to mention that this style has staying power!! Unfortuately this is the only picture I have of myself rocking the micro twist-out, but the next time I do them I will actually do a tutorial, showing how the look on day 1, 2 , 3 ect. They actully look better as the days progress and your hair gets bigger. Here's a pic of me and my law school buddy and soror Katrina.

Carol's Daughter

2010-01-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

Where do I start...I was recently in Atlanta and paid a visit to Lenox Mall where they have a Carol's Daughter store. Though I am not a fan of Carol's Daughter hair products for my hair, I just had to go into the store because I simply love Lisa Price and the empire that she has created. Can we just say that I loved, loved, loved my visit to the store. The staff were wonderful...all of them young people with natural hair and full of energy and enthusiasm. Though the store is small it is well laid out and let me tell you there were plenty of folks in there buying everything from hair products to bath and body products.
There was natural hair talk in the store between myself and 3 other ladies..lol They asked what Carol's Daughter product I used on my hair. I replied that I don't use Carol's Daughter hair products and the sales associate was open and asked what I used since my hair looked nicely moisturised which followed with one of the women asking if she could touch my hair and professing "yeah it is sooooo soft."
The store was just such a warm, friendly environment that it was enjoyable mixing and mingling with all the folks. Customer service was top notch. If you aren't a fan of Carol's Daughter hair products, I urge you to try some of her other products as this company is truly deserving of your hard earned dollars. I did not leave the store empty handed and was more than happy to drop a few bucks on some lovely scented skin butters.

Twist Out Trial & Error

2010-01-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

So i put these very small two strand twist in my hair on Friday night and I plan on leaving them in until Wednesday and then taking them out and seeing what kind of twist out i get. In the past I simply twist my hair in larger twist and then take them down the next day and rock the style. I've been looking on youtube and everyone says that a twist out looks best if the twist have been left in for at least 4 days and that you should make them small because as we all know, our hair swells. Ill keep u posted on the results. By the way I know I look at hot funky fried chicken mess in the picture..lol

Checkout this video from lovennappiness to achieve a great twist out.

Cornrows

2009-12-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Here is just a quick picture of the cornrows that I have in now. I will be taking them down next weekend..the 4 week mark.

Go Jeri Go Curl..the Wonders of Curl Activator!

2009-11-23T10:20:00.000-08:00

Ok y'all don't laugh at me, but I love me some "curl activator" LMAO!! When I first did the big chop I saw lots of people saying how jeri curl activator helps to moisturize their natural hair, so I bought a jar of Long Aid Curl Activator Gel with Aloe Vera for extra dry hair. I used it this summer and was like...YUCK!! I totally hated it, it made my hair feel slimy, so I tossed it under the sink with plans to just trash it at a later date.

The past few weeks my fro has been hard and dry...that dreaded Brillo pad feel many naturals talk about. I figured that the cooler temps are zapping my hair of its much needed moisture. Low and behold, I'm cleaning out the bathroom cabinet and see the curl activator and decided to give it another try. When I tell you my hair drank that activator right up and smiled....no sticky slimy feeling and no residue, and the one application left me moisturized for a few days. When I felt I need more moisture I simply rubbed a bit of the activator in my hand and smoothed it through my hair and presto my hair's thirst was quenched!!

My conclusion is that applying curl activator to my hair in the summer was just to much. It gets very hot and humid in Minnesota (most people don't realize that) and there was no need to use curl activator because of the humidity already in the air and my already adequately moisturized hair. By adding the activator it was just overload and sat on my hair like a slimy mess.

So for those of you struggling with keeping your hair moisturized this winter give regular old curl activator a try...the first ingredient is water and the second is glycerin, so your hair will thank you for it. I use a quarter sized amount and it work great!

It's About Time to Protect the Fro

2009-11-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

Think it's time to give my fro a rest. I will be getting cornrows over the thanksgiving holiday...a style that will last me until Christmas. The goal is to keep my hair in a protectives style until the first of the year...wear it out for a week or two and then braid it back up. It's cold as hell in Minnesota and I would just rather not have to deal with what seems like a loosing battle of moisture in the weather to come.

I use the same braider all the time and she takes great care not to braid to tightly, especially at the edges. Trust me ladies, when brads are put in to tight they will wreak havoc on your edges and you will be highly pissed!

I go with simple styles like this cuz I hate taking down braids..LMAO

Henna/Indigo Update

2009-11-13T12:08:00.000-08:00

Some of you inquired about how long "coverage" last with the henna/indigo treatment. For me (and I can only speak for myself), my few strands of gray remained stained black for about 5 weeks. Since I generally do a henna treatment about once a month this works well for me, but I think I will try doing a rinse after I use up my last batch of indigo to see what those results are like.

For those of you who don't know what a "rinse is, here's a brief description:
A hair color rinse deposits a temporary color on the hair. It can deepen the color, add shine, or refresh existing but "blah" color. It doesn't lighten hair because it contains no peroxide,nor do they contain ammonia. They usually last up to 8 shampoos before you have to reapply.

Rinses are safe because they only deposit color on the hair shaft similar to henna.

We Got Good Hair Y'all!!

2009-11-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

I just love his videos on youtube and this one especially made me smile. It is true..."our hair holds water" And there is nothing like natural hair when it's wet...hell my hair even suprise me sometimes and it's on my damn head.

What Works for 1 Person May NOT Work for Another

2009-11-02T11:34:00.000-08:00

Word of advice....when you try a product and your hair tells you "No...I don't like this mess" do not try it again more than one additional time!! I knew that Miss Jessie's Baby Buttercreme was not for me after two separate applications, but my dumb butt decided to give it one more try...after all Miss Jessie's ain't cheap!!
I twisted my hair applying the Miss Jessie's to each section of hair before I twisted for some much needed moisture during these cooler months. My hair told me no the first and second time I used the products and this time it SCREAMED it. For 2 weeks I gave my hair exactly what it did not want and I paid the price. Upon washing and detangling this week, I had more shed hair than usual and my tresses felt like crap. Miss Jessie's has mineral oil in it, and my hair hates mineral no matter how low it is on the ingredients list.
The plan now is to baby my hair until the end of the month, with weekly deep conditioning, and co-washing as needed during the week. I will also moisturize and twist it each night before bed. Over Thanksgiving I will pay a visit to my braider and get a protective style for a few weeks.
I'm not knocking Miss Jessie's products, they just happen not to be a favorite of mine and my particular hair...but listen to your hair people and discontinue use of products that your hair rebels against no matter how much they cost!

Product Giveaway!!!

2009-10-03T15:13:00.000-07:00

Henna/Indigo...for Jet Black Hair

2009-09-26T17:58:00.001-07:00

Lord help me! First of all henna takes long enough but doing henna then applying indigo if you want jet black hair is a pain in the ass. If you are going to do a henna/indigo treatment, be prepared to devote you whole day to messing with your head and try to get an early start!
So I applied the henna to my hair and let is stay on for 4 hours. I then washed the henna out and whipped up a batch of indigo. (Note: Indigo can NOT be made ahead of time nor can the excess be saved/frozen, as it will go bad after 1 hour.) I put the indigo on and let it stay in my hair for about 2 hours. It's my understanding that indigo really doesn't need to be left in your hair for more than 2 hours since it stops "processing" after about an hour...I just figured I would cover my bases and leave it in for 2 hours.
I will say that the indigo doesn't apply as easy as the henna...it has a tendency to kind of crumble, so you need to take your time applying it for even coverage. I think next time I will add more water to it...perhaps it needed a more yogurt like consistency...my batch was mashed potato consistency.
As for the results...they were GREAT! In the end it was well worth the time, energy and effort! The few gray hairs that I have are no more and are now jet black. Since natural hair tends not to "shine" using the indigo seemed to give it a little boost. I will definitely be doing the henna/indigo combination from now on. And as always the conditioning properties of henna are fantastic! I buy my henna and indigo from Mehandi

Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner

2009-09-15T10:22:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm...where do I start with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner? Lots of people rave about this stuff...what a great deep conditioning treatment it is and how it provides outstanding slip. Let's just say I won't be buying this stuff again.

One thing is for sure..this stuff is thick..I mean really thick. It coats the hair great for that very reason...its thickness, but for me that's about all it does. Depending on a person hair texture, the thickness of the conditioner would make it outstanding for detangling, but if you have a more coily texture it's simply an average conditioner for detangling. And as far as its ability to actually "condition" the hair, I'm not impressed.

The stuff is so thick that yes it coats the hair but I don't feel that it really conditions. I've been using the Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner for co-washes and will continue to do so until the bottle is gone, but I won't be repurchasing. There are superior conditioners out there that provide better slip and conditioning properties that are equal or less in cost.

To Dye or Not to Dye

2009-09-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

I need to color my hair..notice the use of the word "need." Now that I have gone natural, my gray hair is more noticeable. It's not that I have very much at all, but I'm gonna go ahead and be honest and say that I am vain...lol
Next week I will try doing my henna treatment followed up by an indigo treatment and see how well that colors the gray..more importantly how long it stays colored. In the meantime I will be doing some research into hair coloring options. I'm thinking that a rinse would be best as it would not damage my hair, but I don't want to deal with black shit dripping from my hair when i run...just keeping it real.
If you have any hair coloring / dying tips or advice feel free to share!

Hair Gel

2009-08-26T18:29:00.001-07:00

I've been natural now for 3 months and to date I have never put "gel" in my hair and god only knows what possessed me to do so today. I as watching someones video on YouTube and she was laying down her edges with gel and my stupid butt thought "I should try that." No boo boo...don't try that...lol I have never liked how gel felt to the touch and I certainly didn't like it this time either. Once I started applying it, I immediately felt like i was putting ish/gunk in my hair that didn't need to be.
Granted gel may come in handy some day, especially as my hair gets longer but there is no need for me to have that mess in my hair now. For all y'all that love gel I'm not knocking you...it's just not for me at this stage of the game.

Oyin Honey-Hemp Conditioner

2009-08-06T09:28:00.000-07:00

Is it just me...but I don't really like the smell of the Honey-Hemp conditioner. It smells mildewy to me...lol I know it sounds odd, but that is what I think of when I smell it. The funny thing is that people always rave about how much they like the smell, but I'm not digging it.

Aside from the smell, I'm no sure this is the co-wash conditiner for me...it's just not thick enough. Plus, unlike some folks who will apply a cheap conditioner first when they co-wash and then rinse that out and apply "good sutff", I use one product, and this stuff is kind of pricey for the amount you get.

On a positive note, this stuff makes a wonderful leave-in conditioner for my hair and that is how I plan on using it in the future. For the next month I am using it to co-wash (to see how my hair responds to it), but after that I will use it as a leave-in.

Stay tuned for more Oyin product reviews.

Shed Update

2009-07-26T07:04:00.001-07:00

What a difference 4 weeks makes!