Day After: KCCC November 24, 2009

Would you believe me if I reported:

1. I Applied Kinky Curly Curling Custard yesterday afternoon
2. It is now 24 hrs later and my hair is still damp

If you’ve used this product before, we are practically holding hands right about now, am I right?! Well….okay, maybe not.  But honestly I expected no less when I packed up ‘ol KCCC Saturday morning, in hopes of giving it another try in the more forgiving temps promised by Florida weather.

I ended up Pre-pooing Monday afternoon with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, twisted in sections then followed up with a decent scalp lather using Naked Naturals Shea Smoothing Shampoo.  DC’d this week with KBB’s Deep Conditioner for two hours, cold rinsed than ran through the motions…

…Tip # 1. If you’re planning on using KCCC without a leave-in, you’re already on the wrong track.

…Tip #2. If you’re thinking of using an alternative leave-in to the Kinky Curly Knot Today…you’ve made a wrong turn

…Tip # 3. Patience will not only be your friend, you should also make nice with it’s cousins, ‘Trial & Error.’

I applied the KCKT under the Custard in small sections starting from the back, working my way forward…a complete reverse of how I applied it close to a year ago which was in heaps and globs.  Yes, it has a gel-like consistency, but forewarning…it is anything BUT a traditional gel.  If applied on hair that is not sufficiently wet (practically soaking), the results may leave a visible white residue once dry & or a sticky feeling.  Not a good look.

…Tip #4. If you’re no fan of clarifying your hair, making an exception here might bode well for stellar results.  Applying KCCC to hair loaded with product buildup is an immediate recipe for disaster.  I’d recommend using a non-sulfate poo, or ACV rinse to break up residual buildup from previous product use.

A lot of the times when rinsing out my DC, I don’t have a problem leaving just a small amount, it honestly helps to detangle and my leave-in of choice goes on much smoother, I had to nix on this by thoroughly rinsing the DC before making any strides towards styling. A clean slate of hair will save ample amount of time once hair is ready to dry.

Application took all of 45 minutes, and the Custard did leave my hair elongated and seemingly shiny and frizz free.  The stipulations of these are of course based on time.  24 hours after applying, my hair has experienced shrinkage that even surprised my own MUM, and while there is minimal frizz, the few sections that show signs are where I might’ve neglected to apply the product evenly (*having a water bottle handy sooo helpful! Hair really does need to be WET before applying the leave-in, followed by Custard).

The pic to the left shows a dramatic difference in how my hair initially looked right after application, again…shrinkage.  Something that I don’t mind in the least, yet shrinkage with the Custard leaves the curls a bit stagnant in one place.  I’ve been shaking, trying to free up the fro since this morning, and have little give.  The back portion of the hair is still damp in spots, and at this point I honestly do not care…fudge the frizz.

My biggest concern right now is making the style prolong until…jeesh, I’d say until Thanksgiving and I’ll be more than satisfied.  Tonight I’ll tie it down…or up in two ponies…spread a bit of KBB hair cream to soften up some hardened areas & also to increase the shine for the next morning.  Not really used to my hair looking curly without the benefit of sheen.

Most tips mentioned here & more can be found at Kinky-Curly.com There you’ll also find a product demovid using the Custard.  But in all honesty some of the best results ( I consider my 2nd go still a ‘Trial & Error’), head over to Youtube and peruse your search for Kinky Curly application vids.  TONS to choose & view.  My fav lately is from the already Fab Kimmaytube.  Her latest vid demonstrates the difference between the KCCC and the growing popularity of ECO styler gel, a less expensive alternative for many ladies. At $29.99 you’ll secure a hefty 16oz, while $17 will snag you the cool new 8oz jar.

 

Holiday Bound November 23, 2009

It’s Monday & I’m watching pre-Thanksgiving specials on the Food Network, trying to decide on side dishes for the Holiday, while DC’ing my hair.  A late start to this week’s wash/style due to packing, traveling…complaining about how HOT it is in Florida…but my biggest gripe:

HARD WATER

Last year I learned a very valuable lesson while visiting the fam here in the Sunshine State. Hard Water is not my friend…nor my conditioner’s friend, or my Shampoo’s friend.  There’s an instant inability for any of my poos to work up a decent lather, my conditioner fails to adequately condition, rather leaving my strands feeling stripped…and any styler added leaves a vile case of the frizzies.

This year, after touching down and retrieving my luggage I essentially had one goal in mind: Find a water filter. I arrived in Florida early Sunday morning (1am ish), woke up close to 12 noon and made my rounds through the strip malls.  With my parents chastising me on the lengths I would actually go to in order to do my hair, I found a decent candidate at a Bed Bath & Beyond store.  At $47….Ehhh…Expensive, I know!

Swiftly moving on, & Monday morning patrolled a few internet sights, and found another possible candidate at a local Walgreens!! Lucky me, there seems to be a Walgreens every other block in Southern Florida, so didn’t have to travel far. Came away with a filter attachment for the faucet, NOT the shower…more pocket friendly this route.

I’m also thinking…why not try KCCC!? Random, but I’ve got ample time to kill, and I’m going to need it while it dries on my head. This won’t be the first time using the KCCC, but this will be my first time using it post-heat damage.  I’ll update with results & pics, and Process details after all this is done;-)

Welcome Back, Corinne November 18, 2009

Corinne Bailey Rae

 

Aside from the infamous gorgeous head of hair, Lady Bailey always seems to exude a remarkably beautiful spirit.  I bought her first album back in 2007 after seeing the breathtaking video for  “Put Your Records On,” instantly fell in love! Her new album ‘The Sea’ drops in early 2010 (my ears tell me early February!). You can watch some of that spirit captured in the video below.

 

 

 

 

Happy Endings November 16, 2009

Back to the tried and true this week. I was admittedly happier than usual because of the new cut, anxious to see how it’d turn out once all was washed/styled & done. Re-introduced back into my routine, courtesy of freshly trimmed ends, was my Denman brush! Detangling hasn’t really been too much of a bother using other tools in the interim, although it was at times a bit tedious, taking care not to rip the knots out of my hair which soon formed at the ends. No more snip snipping for a while though…here’s hoping!

Nothing fancy this week—>prepoo’d with Vo5’s Moisture Milks condish, applied Naked Naturals Shea Butter & Avocado Smoothing Shampoo, DC’d to finish off JessiCurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioner. I did manage a good three servings from the jar (which I believe is 8oz). Granted, I’m one of the heavy handed conditioner appliers.  Frankly, my hair does better when applying a good coating of condish, particularly if it’s on the thicker side. With a thinner condish…(thinner for me would be Oyin’s Honey Hemp) it’s much easier to use more sparingly. When using AOHR, the end result is a white coating well throughout my hair…the same went for the Jessicurl. Made sure to apply a good coating throughout the hair, twisted to about 15 or so twists. DC’d for two hours this week (an hr. of that was under a heating cap).

After cold rinsing, dug up the remainder of my lasting KCKT and Donna Marie’s Lock & Load Twist Pudding.

*edit- Honestly, skeptical about using the Donna Marie’s Pudding this week. Whaaaa!! Purchased during the last haul a couple wks back, and realized a few things: the color was different, smell changed & the consistency was not as I remembered.  Skeptical…and curious because my enduring love for this product was in jeopardy.  Read about the lurv here. Here goes—>

Applied KCKT under the Lock & Twist Pudding, air dried and topped off with KBB’s Hair Cream for added shine and to seal ends.  Change of nightime routine! Before donning the satin bonnet, placed a conditioning cap over the dry twists to seal in moisture overnight.  Been doing this for the past month or so and have noticed  a HUGE differnce in how the hair retains moisture. It’s a baggying of sorts, but less so because I do not apply a leave-in or spritz. My goal is to help retain the moisture already in the hair, hopefully to last until mid-week before it’s time to remoisturize. After, donned the satin bonnet as usual, woke up the next morning and fluffed out the twists.

Thankfully, results from the *new Pudding produced no noticeable difference from the last batch tried several months ago.  A bit of frizz from over manipulating first day hair, but other than my own over anxious fingers, hair was singing all the way to work! My ends are looking better than they’ve been for some time, and the layers from last week’s cut are letting the undone twists fall better into place.  This coming week will be a return to protective styling.  Visiting the folks for the holidays, and I’m a no fuss gal whenever I visit the fam…a.k.a, I sit on the sofa and watch Food Network all day;-)!

Kreativ Side November 12, 2009

So I’m starting to think my new cut is bringing about some sweet luck!  The lovely CallaLily of BreaKINK New Ground nominated Back To Curly for the Kreativ Blogger Award!

#1. I NEVER win anything

#2. I’m so thankful & flattered, thanks girl!

#3. I have to pass this sweet award to 7 other fab blogs, but if you’re  a regular reader…you might know I suffer from slight agita over picking randomness relative to just about anything! So…off the top of my head here are just a few lovely blogs run by some inspiring groups of ladies;-)!

 

Leave In The Kinks

MAKEUP FIEND

The Soap Seduction

Naturally Obsessed

Black Girls Run

 

Stay Blessed Everyone;-)

*update, so silly! Forgot to mention…rules to accepting are:

Copy and paste award onto your blog/post, nominate 7 other Fab kreativ blogs and do make sure they hear the news by stopping by their blog;-)

Scissor Friendly November 10, 2009

So yesterday was finally the day to reassess the situation.  It’d been weeks since I started rambling and complaining about my ends needing to be trimmed.  Just last week I wrestled with so many snarls and knots, I was forced to reach for a pair of scissors, turn a blind eye and snip! It really did feel like the worst kind of defeat, knowing the state of my hair was of my own doing. Shame.on.Me.

Thankfully, with the help of a good friend and a pair of sheers I was able to claim some hair sanity by shedding several inches of damaged colored/fried ends. This had been my dirty little secret for some time…my nicely camouflaged damaged ends.  Each week I’d treat them to EXTRA TLC by sealing and twisting until all was smooth and tucked away.  But with winter, there really is no fooling the harsh winds and the inevitable hat hair, so…what started out as a ‘trim’ transformed into a surprisingly nice hair cut! Ends are now smooth, and the ‘cut’ is layered and happily asymmetrical;-)!

After the cut, the hair was styled with a bit of Afroveda Shea-Amla Whipped Creme and I went about my way.  The twists were medium sized & this morning were undone to rock a short twist out.  NYC’s Indian Summer weather over the past few has been the best blessing in terms of retaining moisture, perfect to let the hair loose for this week without the worry of re-moisturizing each night.

Turns out I’m secretly excited to be sporting a bit of a shorter do.  I lost some length but gained hair health, and the trade off is beyond worth it. My heat damaged fiasco is a mere figment of my imagination these days, and even though I’m still growing out the rest of my hair color from over a year ago, I’m happy to be experiencing a change in my hair routine.  It’d been a while since I did anything beyond washing/conditioning/styling in twists and the week to week Process was resembling a farce. I didn’t want to color my hair, not yet interested in committing to the idea of kinky twists, henna etc., and in my case the happy medium was attained  two-fold by getting rid of the damaged ends & shaping up.

Below are before and afters. The first pic is of last week’s twistout, and the second is my new cut!

Next week I style my new bouffant, and my PJ hands cannot wait!

The Who’s Who in Hair Care November 7, 2009

Grab a pen and take note. The wonderful CallaLily has put together just a wonderful video serving up the who’s who in the African American hair care industry right now. You know why I LOVE this? Because it’s necessary. Press play, and pass on the link;-)!!

 

Do check out her blog along with some crazy good hair recipes over at BreaKINK New Ground. Thanks CallaLily;-)!

Oyin’s Burnt Sugar Pomade November 5, 2009

Time to divulge some truth.  I do not like pomades. Yessir. I do not adhere to the wonders of the grease as I once did when these strands were  once relaxed.  Now though, when I say ‘grease‘ you have to understand something, maybe even take a short trip back with me to a time when we were all little brown girls getting our hair parted, braided & laced up with bows for kindergarten to KNOW of what I speak. My visual may be different from yours, my two french braids may have even been a bit more crooked, but I hint and point to that fanciful pic on the left…you’ll hopefully understand where it all began.

I’m a product of the ’80’s, the decade of cultural identity & Carebears.  Rainbowbright & L.A. Gear…all the good stuff.  Hecked if I sound old, yet in those days mothers like my Mum used the powers of DAX to cure everything a hot comb couldn’t.  I promise you, the smell of this stuff still lingers in the child-full colors of my mind…the memories are both good and cringe appropriate. After my first perm relaxer  in the 6th grade, I continued the greasy tradition, using the DAX to store the kitchen hairs that typically escaped my dollar scrunchy.

There really was no reason to cease the grease over the years, but in High School the idea of using Let’s JAM! to obtain that slicked back grown look was much too tempting. But even that only lasted until my hairline and remaining baby hairs screamed at me to stop the crazy and just let my Dominican Hairstylist take the wheel.

Wow, so I say all that to say that I’ve quietly reunited with a lost love in the form of Oyin’s Burnt Sugar Pomade! Wooozah! I’ve kept this love under wraps for a few months because…well it was really that hard for me to get my nose physically out of the jar. If you’ve already sampled this stuff, you might just get it.

Some have compared it to the smell of warm pancakes slathered with maple syrup…oh my.  I won’t disagree with the consensus, but the scent is strong enough to force you into the worst food cravings if you were born with a sweet tooth, or just discovering the joys of comfort food.  It’s sniff worthy to the tenth degree, and I can’t get enough!

As per usual, the gist from the site:

Does your hair love oils? Our “Burnt Sugar” Pomade is a nourishing all-vegetable pomade and styling product named for the uniquely translucent, shimmery quality of warm, homemade caramel.

Similar in texture to an old school ‘hair grease,’ This blend of oils, butters, and veggie waxes acts as a humectant and protectant for hair, increasing shine to a high glossy sheen and locking in moisture. It’s packed with essential fatty acids to nourish scalp, and actually sinks into your hair and skin for a long lasting, non-greasy feeling. It’s great for braids, imparts shine and moisture to loose hair, brushes nicely into the hairline for a glossy finish, and adds luster to locks!

This was an impulse Oyin buy many months ago when I began the search for the now infamous Honey Hemp conditioner. A store in my neighborhood that typically stocked up was out, so I compensated by purchasing the pomade, never really thinking it’d be a gem because…well, my history with pomades runs a bit deep.  The consistency is very similar to a traditional pomade, it might even be a bit more hardened before first use, but  is also quick to emulsify and spreads fairly easily.

A l’il dab will do so very much to impart crazy duty shine, and how I’ve been using it lately to seal my ends when needed after a wash, or even midweek when the twists begin to slightly unravel. The Summer months found me a bit heavy handed with the pomade, using it to slather over the crown of my twist-out fro, and I won’t lie…the best part was leaving a scent trail every which way I turned…forewarning, heads will turn if you dabble more than a l’il.

But what I love best about the pomade is it’s truest claim, NON-GREASY! It instantly sinks into the hair/scalp, letting the hair absorb all the goodness, leaving hair shinny and locking in any existing moisture in the hair.  It’s a natural humectant which scientifically means it draws moisture from the air, pulling in what’s needed to moisturize the hair.  In winter this can signal some trouble if the the air where you live is naturally dry, yet using the pomade while in the run of protective styling helps to avoid this slight, at least for me.

In the vid below, Jamyla and her hubby explain the best ways in which to winterize your current humectant stash if your hair is not adjusting. (Added Oyin Coupon code @ the end of vid!)

If you’re not a scent person, you will not be entertained by this product.  The site description hints to a ’subtly sweet fragrance,’ and my trigger foot is down to say….Ummm…no. On my best days I do not mind smelling like a floating pancake so it suits a purpose in my PJ stash, but if you’ve ever walked by a candle store and gone (WTH!!), abort this mission & wait until the lovely Jamyla introduces a scent free version.  Either way, disappointment is not an option.  A 4oz jar runs $10 while the new larger 8oz size will set you back $16.

No Stress Hair… November 3, 2009

Alright, all systems are a go, my dilly dallying is temporarily on pause until tomorrow night’s Yankee game. Don’t judge;-).

My hair is happy to report  though that the pre-poo has made it’s return, thanks to a quick pit stop at CVS this past weekend. Seriously…V05’s Strawberry Milks condish has my heart, and at 99 cents it can afford to love me back.  My hair does well when I apply (liberally I might add because the consistency is watery), and this week was no exception.  My hair was still in twists when I applied the condish in sections, followed up with a new poo by Naked Naturals. Picked this up also while at CVS, and took a chance, hoping it wouldn’t be too stripping.  The formula is the Shea Butter & Avocado Smoothing Shampoo, contains no Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates, and has an added plant protein (Keravis).  Is there anything smoothing about this Shampoo? To be honest, a bit hard to gage on this claim, thought it certainly cleansed my scalp without leaving the hair completely stripped. Automatic thumbs up!

In hindsight, what I would do differently is NOT poo the hair while it’s still in twists. Time over the years has taught me this one thing…there are no short cuts to doing this thing on my head. NONE! So why did I think adding shampoo to tiny twists would affect my weekly routine for the better? Dunno…

Pushed forward though and used Jessi Curl’s Weekly DC again, this time 30-35 min. under a heating cap to ensure effectiveness.  Heat did make a noticeable difference with much added softness and manageability…an upgrade from last week for sure.  Styled this week with Darcy’s Botanical’s Herbal Leave-in Spritz under the Madagascar Vanilla Styling Creme. Twisted the hair while watching the game…which meant Miss Dilly Dallying ended her session after over 4 hrs of arm torture.

Compensation = aweSOME HaIR!! Twists came out lovelier than love, moisturized and easy to pin up, pull back or just hang. Options with twists are limitless in my book, always bringing the promise of good hair days! Monday for work, pulled the twists back with just a few twists swinging on the side.  Last night used a few perm rods to curl a few twists than have stragly straight ends. So Protective Styling lives to see another week, and I am predictably falling into a groove. Niiiiccce!

 

*What I really want to push out by the end of this week are a few PJ reviews.  Been a bit lax on those for some time, and just recently did a winter product haul.  All purchased products include several oldies and a lot of new butters and stylers to add to the mix. Had a lovely visit to the Karen’s Body Beautiful shop this past weekend (finally met the SUPER nice Karen!) to pick up the last of the haul and will share my trip in a future post!

Till then…..goooOOOOO YANKEES!! (it’s almost over y’all;-)!

Kimmaytube Delivers the Basics November 2, 2009

See, what I really should be doing right now is updating this week’s Process….but…the Yankees are up 3 games to 1 and are playing to clinch the Series tonight…Soooooo.

I’m a bit…slightly…just a TAD distracted.  I’ll be working on the post for tomorrow while watching the game, but in the meantime, this video below absolutely BLEW me away in terms of creativity, content and delivery.  To me this lovely youtuber by way of kimmaytube is in myopinion the best of the best on the Tube so check her out!

*embedding might be disabled, click here to view more incredible vids from kimmaytube.

Protective Stylin, Yo! October 20, 2009

I think I’ve finally hit a milestone in my hair this week! Unexpected, but very much welcomed. I’ve been fighting an impending cold over the past few days, took the day off from work just yesterday, and could not muster up the strength to dip my head in water. So while Sunday flew by, & Monday made its appearance, I played it cool and simple by re-twisting my hair last night using a light moisturizing spray.

Last week Thursday, took down the protective twist style, unraveled without separating too much and just let the hair be, probably the best thing I could’ve done. Sunday all day wore my hair up in a pony and tied down, essentially going for the ‘I’m sick don’t care,’ look. Worked great! Monday night found me really with no choice but to re-twist my hair, while I spritzed a bit of Jane Carter’s Revitalizing Leave-In.

That was it! From the time I had my hair up in twists to the takedown, the only moisturizer of choice was surprisingly the Jane Carter spray. My hair was still shinny and relatively frizz free. My biggest concern with skipping my wash day was my scalp. I need that puppy to be prime and cleaned each week to ward off a case of the itchies, but a dab of Afroveda’s Shikakai Oil on the scalp before heading to bed seemed to do the trick. Before donning the bonnet, I did cover the twists with a conditioning cap to seal in the moisture…similar to the baggy method, yet my hair was fully dry.

This morning, I kid not…I walked out the door with what resembled first day hair! Frizz-free, moisturized and shiny from root to tip. I do feel a bit leery about not washing/styling this week, almost as if I’m getting away with something…Yet the results after last week’s hot oil treatment was probably the best thing I could’ve done to kickstart my winter hair routine. It’s been more than a year since I’ve gone longer than 7 or 8 days in between washes, and today marks the 10th day! I’d call it a milestone because I’d long given up on going this long due to my scalp problems.

I won’t lie, my scalp irritations do still exist, but I do believe a happy medium has been found in choosing the right shampoos to cleanse the scalp, the right routine to help eliminate unwanted buildup, and just because I think it’s important to mention…what goes in the body as well. I’ve been carefully monitoring what I eat over the past few months and also hammering down my stress levels…all past contributors to flare ups in/around my scalp.

Essentially though I’m excited! Protective styling is the bizness, and I certainly plan on continuing well into the winter months. Why mess with what works?!

DAWN OKORO October 21, 2009

A while ago I stumbled upon the beautiful work of Dawn Okoro while stalking this Fly site.  Her art is truly some of the more inspiring portraits of women I’ve seen in a long time.  And to my suprising delight, several of her prints are available for purchase at an insanely good price.  Click here to check out the goods, and for drips of creative inspiration. Click here to purchase.

 

Simple Spotlight October 23, 2009

Alright, so lately I’ve been stuck as to what to highlight as a Spotlight over the past few weeks. Haven’t been hunting for the hottest/greatest product for the skin/hair for a while. Mostly just been preoccupied with saving a couple pennies like every other free spending broke spirit these days. Definitely penny pinching, yet still I have to say I’ve found time to snag a goodie product a few weeks back.

It’s been getting colder outside and I’m being forced into the habit of layering up my wardrobe and digging deep into my closet to find those now dusty closed toe shoes. These changes I don’t mind…for the most part. My deal though always seems to be transitioning over to a different skin routine that complies with the change in weather. Frankly, I’m a lazy girl in the winter! I have a harder time getting up in the a.m. and have zero trouble hitting the bed after a long day at work. But what’s usually considered a big beauty don’t, I usually DO. I typically succumb because my eyelids seem to have minds of their own.

I come home from work, rummage to find stuff to cook up for the din din, catch up on the news, hit up some of my favorite blogs/sites, call the folks to say ‘I’m still alive’ and slowly retire to bed only to do it all over again the next day. My night routine is virtually non-existent, on a scale of 1- 10….I’d be kind and place me in the 3’s. To be honest, with a head full of natural hair, time is usually spent on remoisturizing and tying down the hair as opposed to anything else. So rather having to make time to do other things like match my pajamas, wash the dinner dishes or plan out next days outfit, I decided to invest in something that would save time instead.

Now, this is certainly anything but revolutionary, in fact facial wipes have been in women’s beauty routines for a while now. I don’t know, you could call it my paranoid need to read the ingredients in just about every product that goes in my body…or again my laziness, but I never seemed to find the right brand best suited for my sensitive skin. Thankfully, it was when I wasn’t fully searching for something, that Simple Wipes kind of landed in my line of vision. Alcohol free, Fragrance free, Oil free. All essentials if you live in the land of sensitive skin. Without even leaving the comforts of my bed, I’m able to cleanse my face & remove any eye makeup, while the wipes leave my skin…seriously soooo soft and fresh feeling! These have been a must staple in my sub-par routine now for the past several weeks, & at $6 for a pack of 25 it neatly fits into my current budget.

The company’s based out in the UK, but many of their wipes are availble in the U.S. in stores, if you’re in NYC, hit up your local Duane Reade to find, or visit duanereade.com to peruse.

Best in Twists October 27, 2009

Another week, another protective style. Never thought I’d be the one to become gung ho for these challenges, but I’m finding that it suits not only the weather, but a lifestyle if you’re a no fuss type of gal…which I tend to be;-). It’d been two weeks since my last wash, and needless to say my hair/scalp/entire being wanted to go dunking in bucket of water. Didn’t have a case of the itchies, but did manage to get caught in the NYC downpour this past Saturday. Rain coupled with unusual humidity for an afternoon in October…and well, Sunday morning I rose with the sun and commenced.

Shocking, but no pre-poo this week. Boo. Shoulda, woulda, coulda, done one, but didn’t have the right condish/oil blend to assist. Instead began sectioning hair into about 7 or 8 large twists and applied Neutrogena’s Triple Moisture directly to scalp to poo. Worked in a decent lather, followed up with a DC, this week with Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Treatment. This was my first time using a product from this line, and thought it best to start with the hefty duty DC. NC.com readers recently voted this as one of the ‘Best of the Best’ in hair conditioners for 2009, and with good reason. A peep at the ingredient list below:

“Water infused with Lemongrass, Nettle, Burdock, Kelp,Marshmallow Root, Horsetail, Basil, Bay Leaf, Oregano, Rosemary, Peppermint,Sage, and Thyme; Behentrimonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter, Avocado Oil, Cocoa Butter, Lecithin, Aloe Vera Powder, Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fragrance”

Ideally you’d want to use this conditioner along with some heat under a conditioning cap for 20-30 minutes as suggested by the owner/creator. But I decided to bypass this step ( do not do this!!) and conditioned sans heat for 30 minutes, rinsed and applied Afroveda’s Hair Oil directly to scalp and my ends. After applying the oil, donned the condish cap yet again, found my heating cap and sat happily for another half hour or so.

Fresh Twists

Still going light on the leave-in while undergoing protective styles, so opted this week for Oyin’s Greg’s Juice, an herbal tonic that can be used for a whole host of different ways. It aids in detangling, moisturizes and refreshes dry hair.

Ingredients: Purified Water Infused with Rosemary, Nettle, Horsetail, Red Sage, Lavender, & Chamomile, Flaxseed Decoction, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Vegetable Glycerin, Essences of Rosemary, Lavender, Sweet Orange & YlangYlang, Grapefruit Seed Extract, Vitamin C.

Took a chance using this under Afroveda’s Shea-Amla Whipped Crème, but was happy with the results. Twisted with this pair into small twists, then air dried for the remainder of the day.  Monday for work, wore the do up and pinned every which way by just grabbing and pinning haphazardly. Today, twists were pulled back again, half up, the rest down & the faux bang swept/pinned to the side.  All in all, good times with the hair this week.  Whether I’ll keep the twists in for another two weeks like before is still

Back View of Twists

TBD.  The rainy/humid weather is playing my hand a bit but I have a few tricks….and pins I can dig up to prolong the do. Not too many drawbacks of wearing a protective style, save for… perhaps the lack in variety.  I adore leaving my hair alone for days at a time, getting up in the a.m. and to simply GO! Can’t really beat it, but Winter is no doubt a long season, and I anticipate some sort of boredom down the line.  In my stash I do have perm rods, flexirods etc. to maybe break up the inevitable monotony, so will try and experiment with a twist-fro sometime before the week’s up, or even next week once the twists are freshly washed so they can set better & last longer;-)

Creative Itch October 29, 2009

Lately I’ve been feeling a bit…lackluster. Happens most around this time of the year.  The light in the day draws shorter, and I tend to hurry home after work to snuggle underneath the warmth of my sheets.  It’s also my time of the year to turn into a bit of a hermit, sort through my library collection, read all those books on my reading list, and organize my wardrobe and living space.  This is ALWAYS my Fall/Winter activity.  In many ways it keeps me sane and helps to avoid the sometimes inevitable winter blues.  This year is really no different…it’s time again to focus on the four walls and reinvent my living situation.  Last year I painted the walls a dark sea mist blue that I’m still really diggin, yet still left somewhat bare.  Haven’t hung too much up…no paintings or screens to accentuate the mood.  Never had the time, or came across anything too inspirational.  UNTIL….these past few weeks.  Take a peek at these adorable prints & decals from some very creative Etsy sellers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How can you choose a favorite? These lovely prints have been floating round the sphere for some time, AphroChic featured them just this past week on her site & I instantly thought it was time to snag a piece before all’s said and done.  All prints can be purchased here at Etsy seller Urban Bazaar.

 

 

 

 

 

This is another favorite of mine by  Etsy seller Ten23 Designs, a personalized Decal shop.  This one is available in two sizes, the larger at $50, while the smaller version will run you an easy $24. Decal is made to order, which means you can custom color to suit your own personal style.