Checking In!

Where are my manners: Happy New Year! I was on Twitter this evening saying how I really feel bad about how I've abandoned this blog. In all honesty though, I really just ran out of things to say! How much more could I actually say about curls, natural hair and just HAIR in general? I had grown bored with the topic - time became an issue as well though. I'm in a totally different place than I was one year ago today. I'm a new wife with a new career and new responsibilities. However, I've been truly blessed and am thankful everyday.
I'm saying all of this to say that, HBS isn't over! I'm planning a comeback as I write this though I'm just not sure in which capacity yet....

Stay tuned and thanks for all of your support!!

An Awesome Twist-Out: LoveIslandBeauty

I just recently found out about LoveIslandBeauty (on YouTube) from my sister, who is in the process of learning how to do her short, natural hair. At times she gets frustrated because she doesn't quite know how to style her hair and being that she's all the way in Ohio, I'm not able to get my hands on her head (which I'm anxious to do - her curls are much tighter than mine, probably a 4a). However, I came across this video and just LOVED the way LoveIslandBeauty's hair came out and thought I'd share with you all.



You can check out more of her videos on Youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/user/LoveIslandBeauty

Basketball Wives and those EARRINGS!

 Every time I watch this show I get caught up being mesmerized by those super-huge earrings that each girl wears. I'm infatuated!! I am a HUGE lover of over-sized earrings. Evelyn had on a pair of gold hoops last night that I just absolutely adored.

I found some of their styles on Dulce's site (Click here), the prices generally range from $27.50 to $100.

Texturizer?

I'm trying to find the best (and safest) solution to managing a STRAIGHT hairstyle in hot, sticky, humid weather. Some have suggested texturizing my hair but I'm not sure how I feel about that (seems to be too much like a relaxer)... But what do you gals think? Have you ever (or do you currently) used a texturizer?

Tell me about it!

Where to Begin?

I was just in my favorite beauty supply store about an hour ago and realized:
#1 I miss my blog and...
#2 I'm SO out of the loop - Where did all of these new products spring up from?!

However, In my quest to get my hair long again, I've done little with my hair. My busy schedule (5am mornings where I don't get home until after 9pm) has stifled my normal hair routine. The good news is that I've successfully fulfilled my student teaching requirements and will soon be finished with my coursework in mid-August. Amazing how fast time flies.

During this time, I've been wearing cornrows, faux ponytails, twist outs and slicked-back ponytails. I've also been consistently taking Biotin pills (5000mcg) for the past 2 months or so. I rarely use shampoo anymore and have been using Aussie's Moist Conditioner as a co-wash. I still LOVE Shea Moisture's Deep Treatment Masque (which I use as a leave-in for my twist outs).

Cornrows

Faux Ponytail (w/ hair from Lugo's Hair Center)

Any hairstyle I could find with the LEAST amount of maintenance is what helped me get through those rough times...

Shea Moisture's Deep Treatment Masque

 

I know I'm really late with this discovery but I need to say that I just LOVE this stuff!!! I plan on stocking up the next time I'm in Target. I took a chance when I tossed it in my basket about a month ago and since that day, I've never looked back - ESPECIALLY once I began using it as a leave-in with my twist-outs.

Yes - Twist outs! I'm in the process of "summerizing" my hair. When I cut my hair back in December I started wearing it straight... A LOT. Blow drying and flat ironing, at least every week or so. This was the main reason why I decided to try the Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque. I was deep treating my hair every time I washed it since I was frequently blow drying and flat ironing. However, all that has stopped and now I am trying "train" and tame those pieces that have become harder to curl (due to the excessive heat damage) - the back/bottom of my hair has straight ends.

I've been washing with Cantu's Moisturizing Shampoo and conditioning and styling my hair with the Masque. I Love LOVE LOVE this product. It is my main product staple right now. With my hectic schedule it definitely helps.

My twists are usually done in small 1" sections. This allows my curls to look more like my natural pattern:

 

 (Please excuse the school bathroom pics!)

I have to say I'm missing my long hair these days...

What have you been up to?

Happy New Year!

I must admit that I'm embarrassed to see that my last post was dated "November 17"! I hope you all  had a wonderful holiday season and most importantly - Happy New Year!! I celebrated the holidays in St. Lucia while on the hunt for a wedding venue. I start school again next Monday. I'm a little nervous about starting because my schedule will be busier than last semester PLUS I have a wedding to plan for. The good thing is that I purchased the cheapest elliptical machine I could find at Walmart.com (click here) since I won't have time to hit the gym and Lord knows I need to tighten things up for this wedding in September. I also purchased a Shake Weight ;-)

On another note, I admit that I haven't been paying the BEST attention to my hair. While in St. Lucia I depended heavily upon Aussie's Moist Conditioner as my main styling tool. A little went a long way and was really a life-saver. I'm not totally in love with the length of my curls when I wear it naturally but I know it'll grow out soon.

 Now I know this looks like a straw set, but it really isn't! After washing my hair,

I applied about a silver-dollar sized amount of Aussie's Moist Conditioner to my palm and

smoothed throughout my hair. I then brushed it through using my Denman brush. After,

I used my fingers to section and twirl around my finger. After air drying, I separated and fluffed 

each curl individually.

How was your holiday season? I miss you ladies!

What's Working NOW: Cantu & Hair Mayo

 

When my hair took a sudden turn for the worst, I first resorted to using Elasta QP's DPR-11. I don't know if you've noticed but the packaging is different and the formula has been "improved". I don't like it. The new formula didn't work for me. After going through 2 tubs of it I decided to go back to one of my old favs: Hair Mayo.

The brand I picked up was LustraSilk and it's an Olive Oil Hair Mayonnaise (about $3.99 from the beauty supply store). It has a pleasant scent and has given my hair life again. I use it weekly as an intensive deep treatment and its worked heavenly wonders on my mane.

For shampoo, I've been using Cantu Moisturizing Cream Shampoo. This is my first time trying any of the Cantu products and I LOVE this shampoo. After rinsing, my hair is soft and smooth. Prior to trying this shampoo I had been using Organix Cocoa Butter Shampoo. I loved the sweet buttery scent but the shampoo did nothing for me and left my strands hard and rough.

When Great Hair HURTS

I wore this look for one weekend last month to my alma mater's homecoming. The look was achieved using my old-school deep wave iron (I have a ceramic deep wave iron but it doesn't get hot enough to create strong waves). I packed up my iron and brought it with me. Bad idea because I used it a LOT (along with a holding spritz O_o).

I loved the fullness of the waves with this hairstyle, but my ends were very shabby. So shabby that the iron couldn't even form a wave on the ends (without me repeatedly clamping down on them <-- really bad). This was when I first realized I needed to have my ends trimmed. So I had my ends trimmed. Apparently it wasn't enough though because I realized my ends were STILL shabby. After donning plenty of buns and ponytails, I complained to my friends. They suggested I keep wearing the buns and ponytails until my hair gets healthy again. I determined that I needed to chop it off and that's what I did.

I love my deep wave iron though and I realize it can only come out from time to time. I've researched ways to get that same look without using an iron and I came across Ryler Stylers (similar to rollers).

Have you tried these before?

Checking in!!

Hi guys!!! I've missed HBS soooo much - So much to talk about! I've been in a serious HATE relationship with the mess on my head called hair since I last wrote. It's gone through so many changes and so much abuse on my part (lots of heat has been used - deep wave iron, flat iron, curling iron, hair dryer --> you name it). I rarely wear my natural curls these days because of my hectic schedule (getting up at 5am is no joke!). Here's a quick run-down of some of the hairthings I've done:

• Most of the time, I've worn buns and ponytails. After I dyed my hair back to black in August, it began to fade and I noticed my texture changed slightly. My hair was lackluster (no shine whatsoever), frizzy and very dry when worn naturally, and lifeless whenever I did a roller set. About a month ago, I did a rinse (which did absolutely nothing but "rinse" itself out).

• During this time of frustration, I bought a pack of hair and made hair clips. I've only worn them out once. 

My "homemade" hair clips

•  Just recently, I decided I was fed up. I refuse to try another rinse or dye it black again and you all know me, I CAN'T wear buns and ponytails everyday - I just can't. I NEED versatility. Sooooo I went for the gusto and cut my hair. I must say I absolutely LOVE it! It's much easier for me to manage at this length (however, I've been flat ironing a lot - but I deep condition every week now ;-)

• I haven't worn my hair curly with this new haircut, though I'm anxious to see what that's going to look like (I'll keep you posted). I'll have to experiment with that on a weekend.