The Hair Journey

I can remember when I first started this blog in 2007 being the only person I physically knew who had natural hair. Afrobella was my inspiration; I would fawn over her site and her product reviews. Back then, there weren't too many natural hair blogs. While reading her blog on a daily basis, I realized that I could do the same thing too and share my own stories and reviews. Fast forward to 2012...

HBS & CurlBlog

Yours truly will be guest blogging on the precious CurlBlog (If you're like me, you just LOOOOOOVE the CurlBox and all of it's wondrous offerings ;-) - Please make sure you take a peek! I'll be providing you with all that's been new with me: Products I'm using, tips & tricks, reviews and hair how-to's.

My most recent post: 5 Ways YOU Can Avoid Frizz (In Humid Weather!), click here!

Optimum Hair Care Miracle Oil Launch Party

Last night I had the opportunity to attend the Optimum Hair Care Miracle Oil launch party where Curly Nikki and Tracee Ellis Ross were the guest hosts. Now, keep in mind - I haven't attended one of these events in quite a while...

Instagram-ing it!!

Though I haven't been updating this site much please feel free to follow me on Instagram @mswesb (it's my newest obsession ;-).

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!

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?

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?

Re-Post: Roller Setting

Several of you asked about my roller setting routine. I don't have a video tutorial but the following is something I wrote up last November which provides a little more detail:

Basic & Simple Roller Set

I mentioned back in August that I wouldn't be straightening my hair for a very long time, and I meant it. Caring for my natural hair, is a lot of work. If you've got textured tresses than you know the work we must put in. With that said, in an effort to achieve easy, carefree hair I decided to a simple roller set.



Steps I followed:

1. Washed and deep conditioned hair.
2. Used Mizani's Thermastrength Style Serum prior to setting
3. After drying hair (underneath a bonnet hair dryer) and removing rollers, I used a small bit of Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter to tame flyaways and maintain sheen.
4. Because the initial result yields fluffy and bouncy curls, I clip my hair up into a loose bun at the top of my head (for about 2 hours, or overnight) to help elongate curls (thus creating waves).
5. Afterwards, shake, use fingers to define curl pattern (if necessary) and go!

*NOTE: Let me just say I SUCK at roller setting. Because I'm a perfectionist, my sets MUST be nothing less than salon quality when done. I have the professional rollers, the clips, the net PLUS ear covers for when I sit underneath the dryer. Because of all the above, it takes me about an hour to set my hair on rollers. I have to keep a spray bottle nearby because by the time I'm done, my hair is about 95% dry :-(
However, the end results yielded BIG fluffy waves. Usually I'd take my flat iron and go over the roots, but I didn't want flat hair. I love the volume.



*UPDATE: I've gotten much better at my roller sets! Practice really makes perfect :-)


Just fyi- I can usually get a good 7 days out of this style (first 3 - 4 days down, remaining 2 or 3 days are ponytail/bun days)

Do you roller set your hair?