Count Me In!

Curly Nikki and Kim Coles (check out my previous shout out to Ms. Coles) are joining forces to launch a national grow out challenge! 


Source:  eringopaint


Beginning tomorrow February 1st thru July 31st, it is on!  I am so excited!  My daughter and I were just discussing this very thing.  The challenge is very simple.  It consist of things we should be following anyway to maintain natural hair health:

1. Drink at least 64 oz of water each day (or half your body weight in ounces)
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
3. Take a multi vitamin and other beneficial supplements
4. Handle hair gently at all times
5. Minimal (direct) heat usage
6. Deep treatment at every wash session
7. Develop and follow a consistent hair routine, tailored to your specific needs and desired goals
8. Document your progress, observations, and frustrations on your personal blog
9. Encourage your fellow curlies by sharing tips, advice, and chiming in on their blogs
10.Have fun and enjoy the journey!

For all the details, see CurlyNikki.com!  Happy Growing!

Curly Chic

All Tangled Up, The Detangling Series

“The longer my hair gets, the more tangles and knots I get, the more trimming must be done.  It’s a never ending cycle!  How is my hair supposed to grow?! “

Source

This is not me yet, however, I feel myself slowly approaching this state of mind!  I recently posted a length check and my hair is really made some great strides.  With that being said, we all know - more hair more problems.  What to do?  What to do?  Am I sacrificing length to eliminate knots?  How do I get rid of the knots and still have long hair?  Can I do both?  Here are my thoughts:

I did a semi self trim a few weeks ago and I can see a difference.   It wasn’t thorough and I haven’t had a real trim since October so it is time to get one.  Long on knots, short on time!  I need at least 45 minutes to detangle my hair at its current length!  What?  45 minutes?  Where am I supposed to get those minutes from?  Take it out of time with my son?  Sleep less?  Skip a meal?  Bottom line is this - detangling is non negotiable so I must make the time to do it properly.  This leads me to my post and latest poll (PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!) about proper detangling.  Yesterday I deep conditioned and washed my hair.  I was summonsed to lend a friendly ear to my girlfriend over dinner so I was in a dilemma!  Either skip dinner or quickly detangle and style my hair.  I only had 4 hours to cook dinner for my household, prepare my son for his nap, and do my hair.  Not a lot of time!  I used the wide tooth comb in the shower with loads of Trader Joe’s conditioner.  I then detangled more thoroughly out of the shower with Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave In-Detangler.  The front was not as difficult but I’m dealing with some unruly strands in the back – particularly in the nape area.  It’s as if I fell asleep with gum in my mouth and woke up the next day to find my hair wrapped in it.  I must figure out where these extra tangles are coming from and more importantly, the best plan of attack.  Here’s what advice NaturalHairGrows.com has to offer regarding tangles and knots!

I have been wearing my hair out (braid outs) alot because I’ve really been feelin’ the BIGNESS!  However, I made a promise to do more protective styles and I know this will help with all of these tangles.  Back to my bun tomorrow!  I think my hair rubbing up against coats and scarves is also contributing to the knots.

How do you deal with those pesky tangles and knots?

Detangling Methods, The Detangling Series

Have you determined the best detangling tool to use for your hair?  I haven't!  I started out with a typical wide tooth comb, then tried the $30 Ouidad double detangler, denman brush with the wide tooth comb, my fingers.  I'm still not sure what works the best. 

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I have placed a poll to the right to get some help from you guys!  Please vote and then share detail in the comments!  (your curl pattern, conditioner you use, how often you detangle. etc.)

Post on detangling to come!!!!

Thanks!  Have a Super Saturday!

Team Lightskin vs Team Darkskin – Here We Go Again!

A Little He Say She Say

“I am a dark chocolate woman.   My light skinned friend called to tell me about an experience she had while shopping with her light skinned husband.  Yes it is necessary to immediately use those adjectives identifying the shade of their skin – you will see why as you read on.   So she calls me very irate and bothered by a situation that occurred at the mall.  She says they were looking around in the store and the salesperson followed them the entire time.  She noticed a gentleman (white) behind the counter, who appeared to be the manager, call the sales lady (white), on the floor over and whisper something almost as soon as they entered the store.  The young lady was constantly offering assistance, announcing the current sales, making them aware of the dressing room location.  Sounds like typical customer service at first.  She went on to say that every time they looked up, the sales lady was not far behind.  There were several white customers in the store at the same time but she only focused on her and her husband.  To shorten the story a bit, she and her husband did not make a purchase from this store and have vowed to never return.  As I listened to her story, I was equally bothered because it did sound like there was some racial stuff going on.  Who knows.  She wraps up her story but stating “and we are light skinned!  Can you believe that?!”  As a chocolate woman, I was more offended my friend’s comment than by what the people in the store had done!  I say to her “what does that mean?”  She immediately sees that she has put her foot in her mouth and tries to clean it up.  Do I think she meant to offend me?  No.  Do I think she meant what she said?  Yes.”

Many of us know what it’s like when SWB (Shopping While Black).  The salesperson seems to pay you a little more attention than normal, make assumptions about your purchasing intentions, quickly advise you of the return policy, etc.  I love the scene in one of my favorite movies, Boomerang, when Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence and David Alan Grier are in a suit shop.  Check it out for a quick laugh but please remember this is Eddie and Martin so there is some explicit language.  If you are offended by certain language, please do not click but continue to read. J  It is not my intent to offend, only to illustrate a point.  They do a great job of bringing comedy to a sad but true reality.

Here’s the thing, unfortunately I have come to expect certain things from certain people.  I didn’t say “accept”, I said “expect”.  This means that when it happens, I am not really shocked.  What does continue to shock me is the off handed comments and treatment from within our race. 

Have you experienced offensive racial comments from members of your own race (whatever your race)?

Other Related Matters:

Source:  Mixed Chics.net

The Mixed Chics Owners comment on twitter.  Has everyone heard or read about this?
Check out this Alice in Nappyland excerpt regarding the issue.

Will this make you not purchase their product?  I don't know that it will influence my decision or not.  Something to think about.

Biotin - Does It Make Your Hair Grow?

Uh no – I don’t think so.  Honestly, I’m not a scientist and there is no direct research that shows it does or doesn’t.  I do take a Biotin supplement daily.  My multivitamin also contains 25mcgs of biotin, as do some of the hair products I use and foods I eat.  Have I experienced hair growth?  Yes.  Is it a direct result of the consumption of biotin alone?  Could be but I think it's more likely a combination of factors that have contributed to my hair growth.  What it does do is prevent dryness and brittleness in hair, skin and nails…or I should say, if you are deficient in biotin, the result will be dry, brittle hair, skin and nails.  All of which, prevent hair from flourishing and growing at a normal rate.  I believe you can do things to promote healthy hair, (moisturize, steer clear of certain chemicals, etc.) but I’m not sure if simply taking a pill will do it.

What do you think?  Do you take Biotin or another supplement?

Chemical Relaxers 2

Other products with the same ingredients as relaxers:

Sodium Hydroxide is used in many industries, mostly as a strong chemical base in the manufacture of pulp and paper, textiles, drinking water, soaps and detergents and as a drain cleaner.

• Oven cleaner
• Carpet cleaner
• Laundry detergent

Woo Woo Woo

Another Celeb Natural - Kim Coles!
Check out her blog!

Source

P.S.  Don't forget to check her out on My Black Is Beautiful on BET and Thank you TV One for Living Single syndication!

Hair Intervention

Do you guys watch the A&E show Intervention?  I love it and try not to miss it!  The stories are so riveting and I cry on almost every episode.  The people are in such distress, they put their drug of choice before anything and everyone.

If your friends did an Intervention to aid you in your addiction to hair products and threatened to cut you off unless you met this one condition:

Get rid of all of your hair products today, with the exception of one item. 


What product would you hold on to?

This is hard for me - as of late, I would have to say my olive oil!  The benefits of olive oil will allow me to replace many of the items and I am being forced to throw out.  Why Olive Oil? 

A few reasons:

• Naturally conditions (replace the conditioners)
• Adds shine and makes your hair soft (replace the serums)
• It is a penetration oil that is said to help prevent and cure hair loss
• Promotes overall scalp health

**upcoming post on Olive Oil!

PSA:  If you or someone you know is struggling with Product Junkism, know that you are not alone and there is help for you.  Please call us 1-800-IAMAPJ or visit or site:  www.Iamaproductjunkie.com

That Girl They Call Barbie

Ruth Handler invented the infamous Barbie Doll in 1959.  Every little girl wanted one!  The image?  Pretty little girl next door, blonde hair, hour glass figure.  Over the years, she had it all – cars, townhomes and great friends!  It wasn’t until 1981 that we would see a black girl enter her circle of friends!  Her name?  Christie!  I had many barbies and accessories when I was little but I was so excited when I got my Christie head doll.  You could roll her hair and doll her up. 

Check out this Barbie – Magic Curl Barbie from 1981.  I don’t remember her from when I was little!  She came in vanilla and chocolate and her hair starts out curly, then you could straighten it! 

Look at what a difference 50 years makes!

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Natural Hair Battles - Is It A Movement?

So I go to check out YouTube this morning, as I do most mornings and wow - I just posted something similar to this yesterday so I had to share this video with you!

70s follow up

In my previous post, I shared with everyone about my upcoming trip to Philadelphia for one of my bestest friend’s  40^th birthday!  I promised a few photos so here they are!  We had such a good time and I love how big my hair was!



Groovy! 







You've seen these girls before! 





NaturalViews with Kia

Meet Kia

When did your natural journey begin? 

The seeds were planted September 26, 2008!  I was getting ready to get on the road with a friend of mine – Jewelee - to go to Nashville, but she wanted to get her hair done right before the trip, so we made a little detour to Synergi Salon.  She told me that she started going to see Karen Gary a few months earlier and she also shared Karen’s philosophy about encouraging her customers to wear their hair natural, but it just didn’t interest me.  It’s not like I was in love with my relaxed hair or anything – it’s just what I knew (Plus, I was super loyal to my current stylist; I’d been going to her since I was 12!).  While at Synergi, Karen talked to me a little bit about my hair – I had just had a touch up a few days earlier – but there was no sales pitch or pressure; just a conversation.  When we got to Nashville, we stayed with a friend of mine and I pumped her for information about the city because I have a serious desire to move there.  Of course the subject of hair came up and she said that she was so glad that she found someone who could really knew how to do her hair, “…because, you know, I don’t wear a relaxer.”  Well, no!  I didn’t know that!  It actually turns out that in all the years I’d known her, she’d never worn a relaxer.  I have no idea why that blew my mind, but it did; I mean, it’s not like I’d always worn a relaxer either.  We were all 5^th graders at one point J  Her offhanded comment stuck with me through the Nashville trip, through the rest of the fall and into the winter.  Jewelee told me that Karen was going to hold a workshop to show you how to maintain your hair while working out some time in the near future, but I had already quietly made my decision to go natural.  I mean, why not, right?  I got my last relaxer December 30, 2008 and I can honestly say that I’ve never thought about returning.

What/Who inspired you to go the natural route?

My mom has always been natural, so I’ve had that example around for all of my life.  When I went to Karen’s workshop, I was encouraged by the 365 hair journey that she talked about, but after having to meticulously flat iron my hair for months to make the new growth blend in with the relaxed hair, I was so done.  I am lower than no maintenance; I’m no maintenance!  I shared my frustrations with a friend of mine who was also attempting to go natural using the 365 hair journey and to my surprise, she told me that she cut all of the relaxed hair out a few weeks earlier.  What?!  You can do that?!  When I followed in her footsteps and did the big chop, I feel like that’s when I was officially inspired to be natural.  I work backwards sometimes ;-)

How do you rock your natural?  (Curly, straight, locked, etc.) 

Curly.  I think I’ve worn my hair straight 4 times in the last year and a half.  In fact, I kind of hate wearing it straight because you get the inevitable “Oh, your hair is so pretty like that” or “You should wear it like that more often.”  As if the way I wear my hair normally isn’t already pretty!  Boo.  I like big, curly, in your face hair.  I think that it’s beyond amazing.  No one else has hair like we do and I want to flaunt it.  Style idols = Esperanza Spalding and Autumn (aka CurlyChronicles) on YouTube!

2011 Hair Resolutions

Remember those goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year?  – Those are resolutions. 

January has almost come to an end and I’m wondering, how many people are sticking to those goals? 

 

What New Year’s Hair Resolution did you make and not keep?  What promise did you make to your hair and have already ditched it before the month of January is even over?   Mine is I promised to deep condition once a week.  I have been lucky to get it in every other week!    

How to get yourself back on track:

“Do you think you are better than me because you are natural”?

Spike Lee brought it home in School Daze with his account of the “good and bad hair”.  It reminds me of the sad but continuing battle of light skin – dark skin, now its natural vs. chemically relaxed.  I am a 2^nd time natural (1^st time in 2002, 2^nd time in 2004) who did not truly embrace her curls until about 3 years ago.  My typical routine was to wear my hair straight during the winter and reserve the curls for the summer months.  I was a seasonal curly!  J  I now intend to wear my hair curly all year round.  Nothing against the straight, it’s just that curly has been my preference as of late.  My goal is to limit the heat exposure, not eliminate it.  Because I do wear color (usually bleach), I find that my hair is hit hard when I chose to use the flat iron and make my hair do something other than what it naturally wants to do – curl up.  The consequences are too great for me. 

Sometimes, depending on the company I am in, I feel as if my chemically relaxed sistas are uncomfortable or judgmental around me.  It’s always a huge topic of discussion.  “How did you get your hair like that?” or “Oh, you got that good hair” or “Where’d you get that hair from?” or “I like your hair better straight”.  The chatter goes on and on.  I promise you, I get the same look from some black women that I get from some white women who are less familiar with ethnic hair.  I don’t understand it.  Don’t get me wrong, I know as black women, hair is major.  We are always made to feel as if our hair isn’t good enough, isn’t straight or silky enough.  It is only recently that I’ve started to hear “my hair isn’t kinky or curly enough”.   I don’t have the answers and don’t claim to be this Super Confident woman.  I am definitely not always comfortable in my own skin.  I am hopeful that the blogging community can help address these issues.

Chemical Relaxers

So I feel like I want to spend a few days talking about relaxers.  Today I just want to talk about a few basics.

A little cosmo101

Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH), also known as lye and caustic soda, is a caustic metallic base.  Basically it softens the hair fibers and causes the hair to swell while penetrating the cortex and breaking cross-bonds (sulfur and hydrogen).  It has an extremely high alkaline content…there’s more to it dealing with ph, etc…but I’m not a chemist and I don’t want to bore you but you get the picture.

The effects of relaxers are permanent – damage can be minimized but not be reversed.  The only way to redeem your hair is to cut it all off and start fresh!  Remember – this is why I don’t relax – this is a very personal decision.  I’m just sharing my experiences and my point of view – I can do that.  This is my blog! J

Natural Hair Celebs - Tamara Tunie

Ok so the Steelers won last night – BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  I am not a Steelers fan, however, one of my fave celeb naturals, Tamara Tunie, is from the Pittsburgh area, and she is, of course, a Steelers fan!  That’s about as close as I will get to cheering on this team.  I remember loving her hair as a little girl watching her on As The World Turns.  Now she stars as the Medical Examiner, Dr. Melinda Warner, on one of my favorite shows, Law & Order, SVU.  Her hair is simply gorgeous!

Are you familiar?  Don't you love her curls?

Natural Belle's Hit List

This post is from one of my fave bloggers/vloggers, NaturalBelle. Her content is unique and I love it....not only does this UK beauty delve into natural hair tips but she incorporates fashion trends and personal style.  Her outfit of the day posts have to be my favorite!  She is full of helpful tips and info! Check out this post regarding product ingredients. I did a post last month on product selection and this falls in line with that.

Natural BelleThe Hit List: "A few ingrediants we should try to avoid were possible silicone dimethicone and anything ending in cone: you'll find this in conditioner..."

#thatisall

Happy Monday !!!

Hope everyone had an awesome weekend!  I absolutely did... it was freezing cold so I did not leave the house!  I did the usual - cleaned the house, prepared meals, changed diapers - you know the routine.  I did manage to fit in deep conditioning so I'm happy about that!  Monday came too soon as usual - back to the grind!  My girlfriend sent me a pic of my hair over the holidays of me wearing my puff so I'd thought I'd share.  The flower was courtesty of my girlfriend, Angie, who made it for me!  Isn't it cute???!!  Thanks Ang!

Smooches!!!

Curly Chic

Natural Hair Styles & Curly Hair Care: For the Transitioners via Curly Nikki

Transitioners are usually hungry for more info on how to get through the process and how to stay natural!  I found this old article on Curly Nikki and thought I'd repost!

Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: For the Transitioners!: "Naturally Leslie's back, and this time she's looking out for the transitioning divas! Well... not just the transitioners. But the reaso..."

5 Tips on Choosing A Stylist

Is there a salon you would like to give a shout out to?  You know the saying, "good help is hard to find".  Well this rings true when it comes to finding a good stylist, especially when you are dealing with natural hair.  It takes an understanding, supportive, patient, and knowledgeable stylist to keep you and your natural fly and healthy!  Once you've found this special person, you want to hold onto them.  Not only is the stylist important but the salon facility itself. 

photo credit - opendemocracy.net

1.  Salon Environment
What is the overall mood of the salon?  I want the salon to be an oasis.  It should be inviting, warm, friendly and of course, clean.  I am not big on your boy, Lenny coming in with a full stock of jewelry, fish dinners and DVDs inside his coat.  Don't forget the pound cake for desert he has stashed in his trunk.  Don't get me wrong - never knock the hustle, however, there is a time and place for everything and FOR ME, I do not want to shop and eat while I am getting my hair done. 

2.  A Stylist Who Knows Her (or his) Stuff
I want my stylist to be a subject matter expert on hair.  Is he or she familiar with your hair type?  Does he or she recognize when your hair needs a trim or deep conditioning?  He or she may not know everything or be a master in all areas, however, they should be striving to improve.  If they do not know the answers to all of my questions, provide me with another resource.  A professional does their homework.   

3.  Not a "Yes Man"
I want to be able to trust my stylist to do what is best for my hair, even if I don't think its best.  Just because I ask for purple hair, doesn't mean you should do it.  I understand the concept of the customer always being right, however, if your stylist provides you with useful information and educates you about your hair, you are more likely to trust them when they tell you “no” and explain the reasons why. 

3.  Time Management
If you are like me, my time is limited.  I am spread pretty thin with 2 children, a full time job and a home to maintain.  When I make a 4:30 pm appointment at the salon, I would like to be serviced no later than 4:45, 5:00 at the latest.  Some stylists will book 4 people in one 4:30 time slot.  In my opinion, this is asking for trouble.  Unless you have an assistant and are able to work it out, it is setting yourself up for failure.  I understand that things happen which can throw off the schedule, but if this is something that happens consistently, this is not the salon for me.

4.  Product Selection
What if you don't like the products your stylist uses, but you like the way he or she does your hair?  Is the stylist willing to allow you to bring in your own products?  Some salons are "Concept Salons" and therefore, the stylists are only permitted to use certain products.  If you are particular about what products you use in your hair, for example, you don’t use sulfate shampoos, this may be a deal breaker for you.  

5.  Personal Reference
Word of mouth is so powerful!  When you see someone’s hair you admire, ask them who does their hair.  This is the perfect opportunity to find out all of the things I mention above.  This person will already know the ins and outs of the salon and can share their experiences with you. 

*Also consider a consultation with the stylist.  This way you see them in action.

I would like to hear about the salons in your community!  You can be someone’s answer to finding a good one!  Please share and send pics if you have them! 

P.S.  Coming soon - Salon Spotlight on a Chicago area establishment!

Much Love

Homemade Conditioner - Natural Hair

Haven't found that conditioner that loves your hair yet?  Why not try making your own!  Here is a great recipe from Denise.  Try it out!  I plan to!

Measurements will depend on how much conditioner you actually want.  By the time I was through, I had enough for 3 treatments.

Homemade Conditioner  

½ can - Thai Coconut Milk

2-3 tsp  - Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil (found it to be cheaper and in the ethnic aisle)

1 Tbsp – Honey

1 whole – Avocado

I did a lot of research first and found that if the avocado is not blended very well, it can be extremely difficult to rinse the chunks out of your hair.

So to get the avocado very creamy, I first used a small food processor/chopper.

I then added all the ingredients into my blender until reaching the desired consistency.

I apply weekly as a deep conditioner that I use with a cap and leave on anywhere from 1 – 3 hours prior to rinsing in warm water.  My hair is soft, shiny and more manageable.

Store the remaining milk and conditioner in a dated airtight container in the refrigerator. Remember, the perishable ingredients.

I used to be crazy about the Organic Root Stimulator’s products, particularly the Hair Mayonnaise, Replenishing Pak and the Hair Lotion.

After creating my own conditioner and using weekly – earlier this week, out of laziness and not wanting to run to the kitchen to get my ‘conditioner’, I used my old stand-by, the ‘Hair Mayonnaise’.   OH MY Goodness!!! I was so shocked by the results – once rinsed out, my hair was HARD, DRY,BRITTLE and started SHEDDING.  It took me the rest of the week to get my hair re-moisturized and I absolutely cannot wait until Friday so I can do my three hour treatment.

And on another note, she tried the Curls Creme Brule and had this to say:

Also I’m giving the Curls Crème Brule the Thumbs Up!   The first time I used it, I wasn’t very impressed but I did use with another product which most likely altered my desired result (user error) but this morning on day two from my twists, I lightly misted my hair before applying and in addition to the absolutely delectable smell – my hair is gorgeous!

Calling All Naturals

Photo Credit - BlackVoices - GettyImages

Hello All!
While I would LOVE to try every single product out there, and believe me, my illness would allow it, I simply cannot!  If anyone would like to share your experience with a product (that you have used more than once), please contact me via email.  I have a detailed form I would like you to complete to help document your findings.  When I receive your email, I will send it out to you ASAP. 

Thanks everyone!
Much Love
CC

NaturalViews with Jewelee

Meet Jewelee

I loved reading Jewelee's story!  She is so sweet and talented too!  Check out my NaturalView with her!

When did your natural journey begin?

My junior year in college I went to Johannesburg, South Africa and wanted to wear my relaxed hair in an easy to manage style, so I asked a friend to put micro braids in my hair. I loved the easiness of having my hair braided so much that after my 6 week trip I got them re-done and even smaller! By the time I took the micro braids out I had about 6 months of new growth. I thought it was GREAT...until I washed my hair and the relaxed texture matted with the new growth thickness! Pretty much, the ONLY solution for fixing my matted mess was chopping it ALL off!
 I thought I would scream and cry but actually remember finding it humorous that my mom and I were in the bathroom with scissors and clippers chopping and buzzing awayJ .

Eventually, my hair grew to my shoulders and started taking such a long time to do. When my hair was shorter I was able to wash it, put gel on, a head band and go! The longer it got the more I had to do to keep it from tangling. My frequent style was to wash it and put small twists in...which took at LEAST 2 hours and lasted about a week. 

Toward the end of my college years I relaxed my hair again in an effort to have manageable hair because it took such a long time to do! I must admit, I HATED getting relaxers! My scalp is VERY sensitive, so putting that harsh chemical on my head was either uncomfortable but tolerable or HORRIBLE and I had to hold the tears back from the burning pain!  It didn’t matter what I did to prepare, I never had a good relaxer experience but loved (most the time) having straight hair...especially when I washed it or was faced against humidity or sweat!

Then I met Tammy J (you are apart of my hair journey, girl!)

6 Protective Styles You Might Like

Protective styles do just that – protect.  Any style that keeps your ends covered and does not require daily manipulation is a protective style.


1.  Weave
Some naturals consider wearing weave as a sign that you are not embracing your own hair or self hatred.  Some have even gone so far as to say that is of slave mentality.  I respect all opinions and as I always say, we all have to make our own decisions.  I, for the most part, have nothing against weave, as long as it is done correctly so as not to harm your own hair.  Adding hair is a way to achieve a different look and also one way to protect your hair. 
Taren916, one of my fave YouTubers does an excellent tutorial on how she does her own.  Click here to check it out!


2.  Two Strand Twists
These can be done on wet or dry hair – depending on the type of look you want. 
(*wet hair will yield more defined and tighter curls, dry hair will yield a looser wave pattern)Some people twist using shea butter and oil, some use twisting gels or creams.  Like most product selection, it will be trial and error.  I prefer to use some type of twisting gel or cream.  (Bee Mine Behold Curly Butter works well – see my previous post) I always use shea butter on the ends as a sealant.

photo credit:  about.com

After sectioning your entire head, I usually do 4 large sections, grab a section of hair.  You can use a comb or your fingers.  Divide the section into 2 even pieces of hair and twist each section of hair around the other.  Do this all the way around the head until complete.


3.  Buns
One of my faves!  I’m wearing one as I type this!  Why do I love it so much????  Well there are a couple of reasons.  One - it is super super easy to do.  It is definitely my lazy, go to in a pinch hairstyle.  I wear it quite often.  Two – I don’t like hair on my face so a smooth but loose bun works well for me.  My previous post with bun pics.  A bun may sound boring but you can do a few things with it.  You can wear it high, wear it low, wear it on the side, with a headband, without a headband, with a decorative scarf of flower.  I typically wear mine up high with a headband.  Be sure to use ouchless ponytail holders to prevent hair loss!  Curly Nikki has a great signature bun that is adorable.   Click here to check it out!  http://www.curlynikki.com/2008/12/curlynikki-bun-pictorial-is-here.html.



4.  Remember my post on Tionne's Protective Style?!
It's a high bun, which is super cute and feminine with a little out in the front to add a little extra.


5.  Braiding
The most common braid styles are the micro braids, with or without extensions, however, I am in love with the braid styles that are not completely braided but the braids are more of an accessory.  These are really cute and different and can be worn for any occasion.

6.  DYOT- Do Your Own Thing!
This allows you to be creative and come up with something that fits you and stands out.  Check out this great style from another of my fave YouTubers, Miss Vaughn.