Sumthin' New

I just posted this pic on Twitter and had to share it with you all too. 

After wearing my hair straight for a whopping 5 days (shame) I'm back to curly with a little something extra.

 

Freetress.

Celtic Girl.

Color 2.

Video coming soon.

Hana Elite Flat Iron

I received the Hana Elite Flat Iron from Misikko.com the other day and used it to straighten my hair. Misikko.com is an online which sales top quality professional flat irons, blow dryers, and many other things. I have never tried to high quality flat iron before but I can see a difference between this flat iron and the other cheap ones that I have tried in the past. To start this flat iron has 100%  1 inch ceramic plates and goes all the way up to 450 degrees. It has an on and off switch, which lights up when it's fully heated (it only took about 15 secs to heat up) and it has a very long swivel cord.

I really LOVE this flat iron because I could get away with just one pass but I chose to do about 2 passes for an even straighter look and I used the comb chase method while I flat ironed. I set the temperature between 250-302 degrees which was hot enough to get my hair straighter than the other flat irons I have. 

Overall, I would recommended this flat iron to naturals or anyone else who wants to straighten or even curl their hair. Oh and by the way you can this flat iron on sale $118 now (normally $204) with free shipping.

Pros:

-heats up fast

-100% ceramic plates

-it's pink =)

-long cord

-definitely worth the price

Cons:

-none =)

Ceramic Flat Irons:

http://www.misikko.com/flat-irons.html

Professional Blow Dryer:

http://www.misikko.com/professional-hair-dryers.html

Best Flat Irons:

http://www.misikko.com/best-flat-iron.html

Braidout

Soorryy for the late post but here are the results of the braidout. I wasn't too happy with the results so I ended up wearing my hair pulled back into a ponytail for the week. As I look at these pictures I kinda like the results.

Lesson learned: I think next time I do a braidout I'm going to roll the ends with perm rods or flexi rods/rollers. 

Thanks Mother Nature.

After wearing my hair straight FOR ONE WEEK...so disappointed =( I decided to go back to curly today. In the past two days it has been raining here but all that didn't bother my hair until I put my shea butter mixture in my hair yesterday. The problem with that mixture (and I knew what it would happen) is that it has glycerin in it. I wish would taken a picture of my hair yesterday but I was sooooo embarrassed. After being outside for less than 5 minutes my hair poooofed up so big that it looked like I just blow dried my hair and didn't style it. But I love that mixture with my straight  hair because it moisturizes and adds shine. So today I just decided to wash it since I would probably only be wearing it pulled back in a ponytail for the rest of the week. But all that doesn't matter now since my hair REVERTED BACK....YAY!!! 

After wearing my hair pulled back into a bun my hair calmed down...a lot.

This picture was taken today before washing.

So I'm going to try to rock a braidout this week...wish me luck =)

Just Random

As you can tell from the pictures...I straightened my hair AGAIN (totally had no plans on doing it). Last Thursday night I washed my hair, did the 2 Minute Reconstructor by Aphogee, detangled, and was left wondering what I was gonna do with my hair. I've been wanting to do a braidout lately while also trying to stick with the styling options from the last post but by the time I finished washing I was too tired....I literally went to sleep right after doing all that. But I woke up at 5:00 am with this random urge to straighten my hair...so I did lol. Last time I straightened my hair I made a video and many suggested that I use a hot comb. Well I tried and let's just say that would have taken me forrrreverrrrr to finish....I only had 3 or so hours to do my hair. So I just used the flat iron.... comb chase method. Oh by the way this time went by soooo much faster because 1. my hair was already somewhat dry. 2. and because it was dry I was able to blow dry it better.

Products used:
-Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Fortifying Shampoo
-Aphogee 2 minute re-constructor
-Tresemme conditioner
-SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

- Chi Silk Infusion

- Flat iron: Vi Sasson 

- Some other heat protectant that I can't think of the name

Will it Work?

Every time I have good hair days with twistouts or wash n gos (defined curls) I always tell myself that I'm gonna start wearing my hair like that more often...of course that usually doesn't last long. But in the last few months I have to say have been rockin' some successful twist n curls and wash n gos (defined curls) and I've wondered if I could really keep my hair healthy and in those styles. I have found that those styles are kinda like my protective style because I'll wear them for like a week. In addition there's less manipulation involved,it's versatile because I can always pull it back into a ponytail or something, and it's good for my edges because I don't have to brush them a lot.

Old Twist n Curl

Old Wash n Go

So what do you all think??? Will it work...I'm going to see and keep you all updated. 

Look I what I got!!!

As I type this post I am extremely excited and overjoyed. I bought the Ez Combs today...and they actually work. At least the little style that I did worked. I finally decided to get them because 1. they are really cheap at Ross and Marshall's and 2. they seem like you can do a lot of styles with them in a few minutes. Since it has only been like 30 minutes since I got in the house and popped one of them in my hair I can't do a full review (plus I didn't want to mess up my hair) but please believe once I get some time with these bad boys I will definitely let ya'll know how they work. Oh and the price was $ 2.99 at Ross and $ 3.99 at Marshall's.

 
Right now I can tell you all that it felt very comfortable and secure on my hair and removing it wasn't bad at all. Stay tuned =)

Do the DO.

Here's another variation of one of my favorite hairstyles. 

How it's done:
----Either stretch your hair or wet it up so that you can flat twist. (NOTE: if you don't know how to flat twist you can do the tuck and roll)
-----Then part your hair down the middle.
-----Next start to flat twist your hair going down on one side your hair until you reach the nape of your neck and STOP. Don't twist all the hair. 
-----Repeat the same steps on the other side.
-----Next grab the two twists and the loose hair left out in the middle and put into a ponytail.
-----Then start to roll the the ponytail upwards into a bun. Hold the bun in place and pin that sucka down :)

And there you have a quick and super cute protective style.

Ravishing Red!!!

Thursday night I colored my hair a FIRE red color....not really :\ I put a rinse in my hair because I'm too chicken to put permanent color in my natural  hair...because of past experiences with coloring. 

EX #1: When I was in high school I decided to highlight own hair. The outcome=EPIC FAIL. Due to the embarrassment I felt after months of wearing the highlights, I decided to go to a professional and get my hair colored JET BLACK w/bangs. 

Of course since it's a rinse you're really not gonna be able to see much of the color in the pictures (you can see a little. But you can definitely see the color in certain light. I've used this brand before but with a dark brown color but this time I have to say I absolutely love the color and my next little color experiment will be henna. 

How to get waves....

Hopefully I can make a video showing you guys how I get my waves in more detail.  It's pretty easy. 

I always start start with dripping wet hair.
Then I apply a leave-in/moisturizer followed by oil.
Then I brush my hair back a little before applying the gel with a soft bristle brush.
Next I apply a generous amount of gel (I love using the clear Eco Styler for a more wavier  look).
Then I brush the hair back.
Next I put my scarf on for a few minutes. 
And that's pretty much it !!




Be sure to look out for a quick tutorial on this =)

Givin my hair the best....

For those of you who are subscribe to my youtube channel, you probably know that I have buying a bunch natural hair products. So you can imagine how excited and anxious I was to try a couple of  them out. The other day I tried the Giovanni 50:50 conditioner, Giovanni hair reconstructor, and the Yes to Cucumbers leave-in, all of which I am EXTREMELY happy I bought. So here's a quick review of each:

Giovanni 50:50 Balanced Hydrating Calming Conditioner (they always have the longest names for their products.lol):
       I have to say that I absolutely love this product!!! The consistency is thick and creamy. The scent is light and kinda fresh. The price is descent for a natural product. If I had to compare it to another conditioner it would have to be the Yes to Carrots conditioner that I RAVED about in this video. It's moisturizing and I love it!!!

Giovanni Nutrafix Hair Reconstructor:
       This was my first time using a protein treatment product, so I was very nervous and careful when I was applying the product to my hair (totally not necessary, it's just like applying conditioner).  The consistency is very thick and creamy. A quick tip for applying it to your hair, kinda warm it up in your hands a little, it spreads a lot better in your hair. The scent is light. The price is very good for a deep conditioner. Don't be scared of the amount in the container, I found that if you section you hair off properly you won't go through so much product.

Yes to Cucumbers Leave-In Conditioner:
        I've been dying to try this product out ever since I tried the Yes to Carrots conditioner months ago but the only problem was the availability. I never could find it in stores and I didn't want to pay for shipping online. Now that it's in my possession I can finally sleep.jk. The consistency is like your typical conditioner. The scent is light, not as fragrant as Yes to Carrots conditioner. The price is pricey. 12 whole bucks! I used this product  to braid my hair for a twistout, there was no hold what so ever.NONE (not there's supposed to be). This product would probably work great on mini twists or just moisturizing a protective style. 


Oh and by the way if you're wondering I used the regimen mentioned in the previous post with Bed Head Self Absorbed conditioner to detangle and Giovanni Smooth as Silk shampoo. I'll update ya'll if I see a change in these products.

New Wash Regimen

Since I've been natural I have gone through soooo many wash day regimens. So I come to y'all with a new and hopefully final wash day regimen. Okay so you guys who have seen my recent videos on Youtube, click here if you haven't, you know I've been in Myrtle Beach for the past week. And if there's one thing that I've learned this summer, is that my hair doesn't particularly like the ocean water if it's not twisted up (even though it gives amazing curl definition, out of this world). Halfway through the week, I had become sooo frustrated with my hair being tangled at the ends that I just decided to detangle my hair while I was there (which I NEVER do while vacationing ANYWHERE). So that helped a little but obviously not a lot, when I got back home I decided to try something different. Usually when I wash my hair it tangles up a lot more than when I first start but this time I decided to detangle FIRST with conditioner, then rinse that out a little, then I apply shampoo and rinse that out COMPLETELY, then co-wash. When I was done with everything my hair was not tangled AT ALL. It was amazing!!! So I'll give it another try and update y'all if it works out the same. 

The Regimen:

           1.  Start with dry hair

           2.  Section the hair off into medium sections and spray with water and apply conditioner

           3.  Smooth the conditioner into the and start to detangle
           4.  Braid the section up (every important: twist will slowly come out while washing)
           5.  Rinse 90% of the conditioner  out
           6.  Apply shampoo
           7.  Rinse out completely
           8.  Co-wash
           9.  Deep condition if you want!

By the end of all that my braided sections were still in.

Donut Anyone???

Here's another simple, professional, quick, versatile, easy, on the go, and everything like that protective hairstyle. giggle.

I have been trying to do one of these buns ever since I was able to get a ponytail but for some reason they always ended up looking odd and not what I wanted. 


I used to do donut buns a lot when I was relaxed with the sock bun. So I'm SUPER EXCITED about my neat little bun. BUT the only issue I have with it is the size. it's too little. I want a bigger, thicker, and a little looser bun. So I'll keep working on it, I'm sure all I have to do is just pin the hair down farther than what I did this time.


Products used:
~Co-washed w/ Bed Head Self Absored Conditioner
~Giovanni Direct Leave-In
~Eco Styler Olive Oil Gel (MY LOVE)


I'm keeping this it in for at least 5 days (as I'm typing this, it is day 3)




Sidenote:
I would also like to add that I think I have finally mastered the art of waves. Like the bun, I have also been trying to master how to get those gorgeous waves that we naturals produce oh so lovely. With a little help from my mother (who by the way is au naturale now!!!) and inspiration from my Big Bro, I get sick sea thinking about how crazy their hair waves up. ok that was a lil lame.lol, I think I got it now =)

Quick Tips for Achieving the Perfect Twists or Twistouts....

These are some tips I've found to help improve the look of my twists or twistouts.

Always keep these 3 tips in mind:

• DON'T GO TO BED WITH WET/DAMP HAIR!!! Very important because your hair will dry the WAY YOU set it
• Wear a satin bonnet for both twists and twistout styles
• Remember: wet=shrinkage dry=stretched out

Twists:

• If you're trying to keep the twists in as a protective style try using some type of twisting gel, ie. Organic Root Stimulator Lock and Twist Gel....loves it =)
• Moisturize your twists in the morning or when you are about to go so that your hair isn't damp when you go to bed
• Twirling you finger around the ends of your twists can help lock them in place so there's no loose hair

Twistouts:

• When taking twists out, apply a little oil to your hands before taking them out. This will cut down on the amount of frizz
• Don't apply a lot of water when trying to style your twistout. This too can cause more FRIZZ
• Once you have found a style that you like KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF YOUR HAIR. Again this can cause your twistout to frizz UP
• If you want to stretch your twistout a little more, at night try pulling it back into a loose ponytail

I did it again...They were getting on my nerves!

Okay so the title is a lil EXTREME!!! I know I said I would try to keep the twists in longer but I just couldn't do it. Today at work I saw a girl with some big ol' hair, which made me miss my loose hair. The good news is that I have been doing more protective styles summer which is more than I did last year =)


I don't really stretch my hair out often to do length checks but when I took the twist out I was AMAZED and EXCITED about the amount of growth I had from the last time I documented my length on my channel. Check it out =)

This video is from February.

Almost bra strap length=)

First Set of Mini Twists

s

After 6-7 hours of twisting my hair, I am EXTREMELY overjoyed!!!!! Lately I have been tired of going through the process of co-washing and then trying to style to my hair, all for it not turn out how I wanted it. So I started watching a lot of videos on Youtube and became really inspired to do my own. I started Sunday night and watched The Wiz and Boomerang and listened to some music then I went to bed at 4 am and woke up early Monday morning to finish the rest. Excuse the first picture, I had just taken out all the big twists and some were still a little wet...but it was okay=)

Products used:

Giovanni Smooth as Silk Shampoo

Tresemme Flawless Curls Conditioner

Chi Silk Infusion

Shea Butter Mixture (shea butter, vegetable glycerin, sweet almond oil, coconut oil)

What I did:

Shampooed

Co-Washed

Detangled with a little bit of conditioner still in the hair/ Twisted hair into big sections

Washed out all the conditioner

Put Silk Infusion on each section

Blow dried all sections on medium/hi heat then twisted each section back up (hair was still a little wet)

Took out all twists and sectioned the hair off into three sections

Started from the back and twisted all night long =)

And I was done!!!

I'm sooo Proud....(tear)

I just finished my first FULL set of flat twist....hand clap!!! Earlier this week I wore a flat twist headband, which gave me the courage to flat twist my whole head. Plus I loved the gorgeous wavy look it gave me =) I think this would be the perfect hair setting thingy for days when you're just bumming around the house not going anywhere. These pictures were taken right after I finished them, so you can still see the product and water.

Products used:

Cantu shea butter

And here are some pictures of that twisted headband =)

Products used:

Afroveda Curl define 

Cantu Shea Butter
Hair was done on twist out