Protective Styling

Along in my natural hair journey, protective styling has played a big role. When I first started protective styling I wore a lot of box braids or crochet braids. When I first got into weaves and wig wearing I had absolutely no clue where to start, what to do, or how to do it. I was walking in the beauty supply one day and seen this pack of hair that came with 4 bundles and a closure, it was the Dominican Blowout Straight by Outré. I grabbed it because it was long and I was feeling like wearing something long. When I got home I had a dome cap and started sewing it all on the cap and made my first wig with it. Now, compared to how I make my wigs look now and back then I can tell I have really progressed but I've always gone back to this hair when I decided that I wanted something long, plus it comes in very cute colors.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Jamaican Black Castor Oil is a miracle in a bottle. When it comes to trying to grow your hair back, this is the oil to use. I usually pare it with any edge controls that I use so the edge control doesn't take out my edges. About a year ago I was new to using edge control so I didn't know which kind to use. I went for the popular brand and applied it to my edges after a week. After a week I noticed that my edges looked like it was thinning, I was so angry. I knew it was the edge control and nothing else because the rest of my hair was still growing like wild fire but I stopped using that edge control and started putting this Jamaican black castor oil on my edges and it made my edges grow back thick in no time. Now I never use edge control without applying an oil first, preferably JBCO!

DIY Lace Closure

I recently made a post about how to make your own lace closure. I'm glad to say that about a week ago I was finally able to put out a video on how to make one. I would say I explain it rather easy in the video and I actually enjoy making closures very much. I love doing anything related to hair but I honestly enjoy doing the little "tedious" things because I feel that's what makes it perfect. I'm not going to go on too much more about how to make a lace closure or how I do it because I show you all of that in the video but I hope this encourages people to try new things no matter how hard it may look in the beginning. You never know because you could be good at it.

Hair Inspiration

Some may wonder what made me want to go natural? Well that's three letter for you, SZA. SZA is a up and coming singer. I've been a big fan of her for years now and there was just one day I was in my room listening to her music on my computer. One of my favorite songs by her name "Babylon" was playing and I was watching the video. All of a sudden I was like man I want hair like this girl. At the time I was into short bob haircuts, I was getting my hair done and cut every 2 weeks but at that moment I knew that was going to stop. That's what made me want to go natural with my hair. If I were to blow my hair out I know my hair is at least half the length of hers by now so I'm making excellent progress to reach my goal, but until then I'll continue making these posts. :)

Cantu or Shea Moisture?

Cantu Shea Butter or Shea Moisture? Personally i'm a fan of both but if I were to choose i'd go for.. Cantu! In the beginning of my natural hair journey I would've said Shea Moisture just because I know it's an all natural product and the legacy behind the name is inspiring. From actually trying out the two I do have to be honest and go with Cantu though. Both products have amazing smells but Cantu leaves me smelling just right, not overpowering or stinky. Cantu also leaves my hair very soft, and helps moisturize and set my curls whenever I do roller sets. Cantu's Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream is like hair crack to me. I just can't get enough of it, Shea Moisture's curl enhancing smoothie however did not do much for my hair when it came to moisturizing. Shea Moisture or Cantu, which team are you?

My story of cornrows

Growing up almost no one in my family knew how to cornrow. They could braid regular but cornrowing was something difficult, only 4 people in my family could do so. 1 of those 4 people was my oldest sister; I always wanted her to teach me but she never did. My cousin was the one who taught my sister so then mom would always get on my sister about teaching me and my other siblings how to braid so we would know too. My sister wasn't too focused on teaching us and I was fed up with sitting for hours while getting my hair braided. I started practicing on my little cousins hair to teach myself how to cornrow, then went on to practicing on my own hair and began to get better and better. Now I ain't tryna honk my own horn but here I am 6 years later and I braid and do hair better than my oldest sister. I say that with pride because everything I can do with hair I taught myself, so I'd consider that one of my skills that I plan to expand onto something bigger later on in life.

Innovative Thinking

So today i'm going to do something different, i'm going to let you guys in on a recent experience I've had. So y'all know I'm all for affordable hair, and cheap cute products right? Right. From my other posts i'm sure you guys all know I love protective styles. Well, when it comes to protective styling I'm really big on lace closures which are used for full sew ins or to make full wigs. Lace closures are very expensive, and when it comes to cheaper alternatives there are not a lot of options out. Over the last few days I have taught myself how to make a hand sewn and tied lace closure from scratch; and when I tell you it is time consuming, believe it! I've always wondered why lace closures are so expensive, well it's because they take a lot of hard work and time to make. You can either choose to make a free parting closure which means you can part the hair in any way or direction, or you can make a parted closure. With making both of them you have to purchase some Swiss lace, silk base lace, doesn't matter it all depends on what you prefer. Now with making a parted closure you cut a reasonable square or rectangle depending on your preference, then start sewing your tracks in a horseshoe pattern. Once you get a narrow enough part you have to individually hook 2-3 strands of the hair into the knots on the lace until it covers both tracks on each side. I told you it was time consuming, but that's the easy way. The hard way is the free part closure. With making this you have to individually hook 2-3 strands of the hair into all of the knots on the lace until it is completely full. I'm sure y'all are thinking ain't no way in hell. Don't get me wrong, yes it's very time consuming but someone has to do it right?

Dyer or Fryer?

 Are you a dyer or fryer? We all have been there trying to get that celebrity look, then it turns out nothing like how you wanted. I can understand every now and then wanting to switch it up and have something a little more versatile. But everyday use and dying your hair multiple times in a month or even in just a few months isn't healthy for your hair. As stated in my previous blog, excessive heat to the hair is not a road to go down if you want your hair to remain healthy. Next time just ask yourself if it's worth it to try and look like your favorite superstar because 90% of the time they're wearing a wig.

Nicka K True Matte Liquid Lipstick

We all know how matte lipstick is in, and the brand Nicka K has affordable liquid matte lipsticks for only $2! $2 for lipstick is a great steal! The matte liquid lipstick line comes in 14 different shades, from bright pink to a vamp black. The top 3 popular colors from this brand are name Millbrook, Cocoa Bean, and Turkish Rose. The best thing about this matte lipstick line is it is forever lasting. I ate breakfast, went to class, took a nap, ate dinner, and took a shower with it still being lightly pigmented on my lips. Now in some cases that may be the downfall. It is a bit of a struggle to remove from your lips without applying Vaseline or moisturizer first. With that being the only flaw I could weed out, I absolutely love this lipstick, and for such a low price who wouldn't want to at least try it out.

Why say NO to heat?

Why do I say no to heat? Straightening hair has been around since the beginning of time. Women have always been fascinated with the idea of having sleek long straight hair. Although heat on your hair isn't always a good thing. There's thousands of horror stories about hair damage involving more than just flat irons of course, but straightening hair can play a big role though. I have my own horror stories of heat damage, which took places years ago. My beginning years of high school I didn't care for my hair the way I should've. I wore clip in extensions and use to rock it too but what I didn't know is that the excessive heat on my hair cause my hair to be "heat trained". I wasn't born with naturally smooth and wavy hair, but after heat training my hair for slow long it developed that texture. Every time I would wash it it would look smooth and wavy, which to me at the time was a good thing cause I didn't have to deal with any naps. In the long run about a year later when I finally decided to cut heat out of the picture and do the "big chop" I realized how unhealthy my hair was. I told myself i would never straighten my hair like that again. Becoming natural was the best thing I could ever do for my hair, it has grown and flourished like a rose bush on a sunny day. I love embracing my natural kinks and being able to have versatility, and that's why I say no to heat.

Affordable Hair

Affordable things are a need and want out in today's society. In the hair community, expensive ain't no stranger. Hair styles range from short to long, black to blonde, or fade to fake. There's girls out there that would like weave extensions or braiding hair, the whole nine. We want a choice to be able to switch it up and give it that extra "fab". For awhile the only time you were able to rock something that didn't look like old grandma's wig was if you have hundreds of dollars to purchase hair bundles. But in the recent years, hair has been made affordable to everyone. Depending on what a person would define as affordable in their range, it's known for hair to be as low as $10! Now I know y'all are like.. "What? $10?" Yes, believe it. We can go even lower if you want to buy some braiding hair. With the prices being so low, it makes styling choices much easier. If you don't like the hair you can easily purchase some other affordable brand. If you made a mistake and cut too much of the hair, no problem off to the store you go. Affordable hair is on the rise nowadays because more people opt for that than the expensive brand on the lines. Which route would you take?

The Gift of Olive Oil

Olive Oil works tremendous wonders for my hair. It is a staple product in my book. Some people love coconut oil, some love argan oil. Don't get me wrong these are good oils, but olive oil works the best for me. Olive oil has been the top oil I've use since I've gone natural. It coats my hair well and keeps all the moisture locked in for long periods of time. Although olive oil works wonders for my hair it may not be the best for the next person. Everyone's hair is different so don't quote me on it's the best oil out for your hair, it's just the best oil out for my hair.

Creme of Nature Perfect Edges Edge Control

Creme of Nature Perfect Edges edge control has become a staple product in the number of hair products I use. This edge control is affordable currently costing between $4-$6! For us women out there that be needing something to slick and "slay" them edges down this is what I would recommend going to. For individuals with natural hair, finding a product that can smooth their hair down can be difficult. This product seems to put an end to that problem. One thing about edge controls nowadays, or at least from my experience are they can be very harmful for your hair. You have to be very cautious when choosing hair, face, nail products. The list can go on and on. Paying attention to ingredients is a key factor to pay close attention to.

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter line

The Raw Shea Butter line by Shea Moisture is definitely a staple product for me as a natural. Being
 apart of the natural hair community with a hair texture of 4B/C , these products keeps my hair
 moisturized for extended hours. If you use their shampoo then you have to follow with their condition for best results. These products bring out my curl pattern to the fullest. A downfall to the products is they're not cheap, going at $10 a pop! More or less depending on the store, I try to be not too generous when it comes to using them. Although the price is a bit rich for my blood, it is worth it! These products make my natural hair journey 10x more easier, compared to the average leading brand.