Natural Hair: Using Spin Pins for a Bun

This is a video of me demonstrating how to use Spin Pins. I purchased them from Walgreens. Some other stores that you may find them include Walmart and Dollar General.
Basically they are a neat way to pin your hair up. They are like a substitute for bobbie pins. I heard that one spin pin is equivalent to 20 bobbie pins. I really like them.

Do you have curl definition envy?

Dealing with dry natural hair in the winter

My hair tends to get dry in the winter. Last year, my hair was very dry and this year I am looking for ways to combat dry hair. Below is a video of me discussing ways I plan to tackle the issue.

Tips for those transitioning from relaxed hair to their naturally curly do

This is a video for those transitioning. I offer tips for transitioners.

Does Natural Hair Maintenance Really Add Up?

Does Natural Hair Maintenance Really Add Up? There is an article that a writer wrote for Essence.com about natural hair costing a fortune. The article is entitled Real Talk: Is Your Natural Hair Costing You A Fortune?

My answer in short is no. Now for me I do not use that many products for my hair. It has not always been this way.

Initially, when I first went I spent a great deal on products and get my hair done. Would en my hair was shorter, I would go to the hair and get two strand twists. That was because I did not like how they looked when I did them myself on my short hair.

Eventually, I started doing my own hair. Subsequently the money I spent decreased. I still purchased products that I think is pricey like $20 conditioners and $30 curl creams. Now, I have a simplistic hair regimen that consist of oils, extracts and butters. So, I am not a product junkie. I try to get cheap or inexpensive products for my natural hair.

The article states that relaxer sales have decreased by 12 percent over the last two years. That is because more women are opting to go natural.
When I was relaxed I did go to a salon sometimes and it would cost $65 for a relaxer and a style. Now that adds up when you factor in touch ups.

The good thing about natural hair  you can make your own concoctions and recipes.
Check out the video below where I talk about the expenses of relaxed hair vs. natural hair and the article.

What are your thoughts?

Natural Hair: Mini Twists

I recently did my hair in mini twists. It took hours to do. I would estimate that it took me seven hours. This is the first time I put my hair in mini twists. I used coconut oil to do the twists. I did not want to use gel because I did not want flakes in my hair since I plan to keep them in for at least four weeks. I plan to post a video of my mini twists.
So, have you ever put mini twists in your hair? What did you use to twist your hair?

Revisiting Kinky Curly--Another Review?

Let's talk about Kinky Curly. I first heard of the Kinky Curly product line by hearing vloggers on Youtube talking about the product line. So I went to the Kinky-Curly.com website. I found that Shelley Davis was the owner.
I also found that the products do not contain drying alcohol, no silicones, no proteins, or mineral oil. So I thought, the Kinky Curly products were good. So I purchased the kinky curly custard through Amazon.com.
I used the custard only for a twist out.

I did not like how sticky the application process was but overall I thought it is a good product. I think I will try it again using it with the knot today?
Have you used Kinky Curly products before? If so how did you like them?

Review: Original Moxie Shape Shifter

I really like this product. Check out this video of me using this product for a braid out.

Should I use the Original Moxie Shape Shifter Reforming Cream for a Wash and Go or Braid Out

Earlier I attempted to use Original Moxie Shape Shifter for a Wash and Go. I applied the product to dripping wet hair and then shingled the product through my hair. So I was thinking it was going to really define by curls because of the flax seed extract. Plus it can be used as a curl definer. However, it only defined my hair a little and it was more defined in other spots.
So I decided to use the product for a braid out. I will post about the results later.
The product has an interesting smell to it. I just can't pin point what. It kinda smells like elmer's glue and herbs.
The ingredients include Distilled Water; Flax Seed Extract; Jojoba Esters; Cupuaçu Butter; Jasmine Wax; Tuberose Wax; Behentrimonium methosulfate (and) Cetearyl alcohol; Organic Aloe Vera; Fractionated Coconut Oil; Castor Oil Triglyceride; Acacia Gum; Sorbitol; Polyquaternium-10; Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (Paraben & Formeldahyde-Free Preservative); Essential Oils of Clary Sage, Jasmine, Sandalwood (3% 

Dilution), Vanilla (3% Dilution), & Ylang Ylang.

Original Moxie Hair Bling Review

When it says bling, they mean it. I love how it gave my hair sheen and shine.
The full ingredients consists of jojoba oil, jojoba esters, mango butter, tucuma butter, beeswax, stearic acid, vitamin E, essential oils of bergatene-free bergamot, clary sage, grapefruit, lavender, tangerine and vanilla.

I really like this on a scale of 1 to 5, I will give it a 4.

Check out this video below where I talk about the product.

First time using Original Moxie Hair Bling

Here is a video about my first impressions of the Original Moxie Hair Bling.

Spiral Solutions Decadent Moisturizing Treatment

Spiral Solutions Decadent Moisturizing Treatment is a good deep conditioner in my opinion. Here is a video about the consistency of the product and ingredients.

My Hair Type and Texture: Coarse Coily Hair

This is a video of me talking about my thick hair and texture.

Coconut Oil for Natural Hair

Coconut oil is great for sealing in moisture. I use it and it makes my hair soft.
I use pure coconut oil for my natural hair especially the ends. It helps keep my hair moisturized, reduces tangles  and frizz.
What do you use to seal in moisture? Do you find that it is helpful?

Original Moxie Hair Products: Shape Shifter

Hey everyone,
I will be doing a video review of the Original Moxie Shape Shifter. The shape shifter works like a curl definer. To me, this product smells like herbs.

The product includes natural products. The ingredients are as follows:
Distilled Water, Flax Seed Extract, Jojoba Esters, Cupuacu Butter, Jasmine Wax, Tuberose Wax, Behentrimonium methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Organic Aloe Vera, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Castor Oil Triglyceride, Acacia Gum, Sorbitol, Polyquatermium-10, Phenoxyethanol (and ) Caprylyl Glycol, Essential Oils of Clary Sage, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Vanilla and Zing Zang.

Original Moxie made their online debut in 2010. The company sells a variety of natural hair products from shampoos to stylers.

I will keep you updated on my thoughts of the shape shifter once I use it.
Check you chicas out later:)

Jane Carter Curl Defining Cream

The following video is a review of the Jane Carter Curl Defining Cream. This is my first impressions of the product.

Kinky Curly Curling Custard used for a twist out

Kinky Curly Curling Custard is usually used for a wash and go. The product is typically used as a curl definer.
I recently used it for a twist out style.
See video below.

Have you ever used Kinky Curly Curling Custard other than for a wash and go?

Check out the article below for more information.

http://www.squidoo.com/kinky-curly-curling-custard-review

Also check information about other products. Check out the link below with information and pictures.


http://www.squidoo.com/4c-hair-type-kinky-coarse

For information on transitioning and going natural, see article below.
http://www.squidoo.com/going-natural-transitioning-from-relaxed-hair

Natural Hair Length Check

Jane Carter Solution Nourish and Shine Review

Check out the article below for more information.
http://www.squidoo.com/jane-carter

Ion gel styling mist

I was looking for something to replace the clear Ecostyler gel that I have. I do not care for the clear Ecostyler gel because it not only flakes but it also makes my hair dry and gives it that crunchy.

So I stumbled across the Ion gel styling mist at Sally's. The particular gel comes in a spray bottle. It is a vegan product. The product includes a number of natural ingredients.

Ingredients: water, vp/va copolymer, glycerin, propylene glycol, PPG-26-Buthreth-26, panthenol, PEG-40/tydrogenated castor oil, carbomer, triethanolamine, fragrance, citric acid, iodopropynl butylcarbamate, methylisothiazolinone, butylene gylcol, aloe barbensis leaf juice, hedychium coranarium root extract, rosemary leaf E, chamomilla recutia (matricaria) flower, salvia officinalis (sage) leaf extract, urtica dioica (nettle) extract, butyphenyl methylpropional

It gives a light hold.
It did nothing for my hair. There was almost no hold at all.

I have since discovered that the pink Ecostyler gel with a hold of 7 works well.  But this is not a review about Ecostyler gel. It is a review on the Ion gel styling mist.

This gel is generally used to give a natural hold and claims to control frizz. This gel was way too light for me.  I did not care for this gel especially on my hair.  I will not be repurchasing it.

Tangle Teezer Review

The Tangle Teezer is nothing but the truth! I love this brush. It made detangling my hair so much easier and faster.
When I went into Sally's the other day, I was so anxious to grab the Tangle Teezer because I had heard so many good things about it. At first I walked around the store trying to find one and could not find where they kept them. I saw the regular handle brushes but not the Tangle Teezer. I thought to myself "Oh no..they do not have them." I then asked one of the employees there, did they have the Tangle Teazer. To my delight, she said that they did and showed me where they were. At the time there were only three left.

The cashier told me when they first got them in they sold out the first week. I can understand why they sold out so quickly. I noticed on the packaging that it says that the Tangle Teezer has won awards and is used in salons.

I applied Giovanni Deep Moisture Conditioner before using the Tangle Teezer to my hair.
This brush has two bristle sizes to ensure to get out knots and tangles. It glides through the hair smoothly. I followed it up with a shower comb to make sure all the tangles out of my hair. It works so well.

I would highly recommend the Tangle Teezer.

Updated Oct. 10, 2011
I no longer use the Tangle Teezer because I felt after several weeks of use it was not working on my hair and I felt like it may have caused some breakage.
I know I raved about this product when I first purchased it but I think I was guilty of  getting on the bandwagon. I have very coily hair and I just do not think it worked on my hair. It may work on someone else's hair though.

Natural Hair: Three year anniversary

This month makes three years since I did my semi big chop. I have learned a lot in the last three years about what to do with my hair.
The last three years have been interesting. I began transitioning in the fall of 2007. During my transition I wore my hair in braids, rod sets and spiral curls. My hair was cut in February 2008 to get rid of the remainder of relaxer in my hair. My last relaxer was in July 2007. My hair was shaved in the back and cut really short in the front. I wore my hair in two strand twists in the front. I also wore my hair in the palm roll (see picture on right).

During the first year after my semi big chop, I wore my hair in two strand twists. The second year I continued to wear my hair in two-strand twists and I also work my hair in press and curl styles.

When I first went natural, I used the Carol's Daughter product line. This year I plan to do more styles and try products I have not tried before. I just recently purchased Jane Carter products. I have heard a lot about these products and would like to try them for myself. I purchased the Jane Carter Nourish and Shine. I heard that this product makes the hair really soft. This product is normally 20 something dollars but I caught it on sale on Amazon.com. I also purchased the Jane Carter Curl Defining Cream. I will be posting a video on my thoughts about the products. I can't wait to use them. Have you tried Jane Carter products? If so, how was your experience?

Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey Review

I have been using Carol's Daughter products for about three years. The products that I like the most is the hair smoothies. Some of the other products do not do much for my hair.  When I first bought the products years ago, I bought several Carol's Daughter products when I went natural in 2008. Among those products was the Mimosa Hair Honey.

On the label, it says that it controls frizz and adds shine.
Ingredients
The ingredients include: corn oil with lavender, rosemary, nettles, red roses, sage, blue malva, marigolds and red clover, beeswax, shea butter, cocoa better, annato seeds and alkanet root for color, essential oil of sweet oramge and fragrance. The product does not contain petroleum, mineral oil, or artificial colors.

The product is yellow and the consistency is thick.
I used to try this product to control frizz. It did not give my hair much shine. This product is o.k. I give it three out of five stars.

Ultimate Organic Therapy EVOO Polishing Styling Gel Review

I purchased this product a week ago. I used it to do two strand twists. I love that it does not flake like it says on the labeling. After doing my twists my hair was soft. I did not get any crunchy feeling that some gels cause after application.  I also like that it gives some luster to the hair.
This gel even gave me really defined curls. While I was two-strand twisting my hair wet, I used I small amount of this product on the section that I was twist. While twisting my hair, I would twirl the ends with my fingers so that it will curl at the end. This product does the trick for definition at the ends of my hair.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine,Carbomer, Olive fruit oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethicone Copolyol, Tocopherol, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance, Tetrasodium EDTA, Diazolidinyl Urea,Hydrolyzed Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Starch, Hydrolyzed Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Protein, Benzophenone-4, Propylparaben, Methylparben, CI 60730(Ext Violet 2).
Plus, it has sunscreen in it.
I bought this product at a local beauty supply store and it was $3 and change. A draw back that some may take issue to is that the product has parabens, which is an artificial preservative.

Curls' Lavish Curls Moisturizer Review

Here is my review of Curls' Lavish Curls Moisturizer:

I bought the Lavish Curl Moisturizer at Target three weeks ago. I have never tried Curls products before so after my purchase I decided to go to the Curls website and check out the company that produces these products. According to the website, the  founder of Curls, Mahisha Delinger, started her own line of ethnic hair products after trying out a lot of products that did not work for her hair. I admire her motivation to do this.

Now on to the product itself. The product does not have any sulfates, silicones, parabens, mineral or petrolatum oils.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Methlheptyl Isostearate, Silk Amino Acids, Certified Organic Anthemis Nobillis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butyrospernum Parkil (Shea Butter), Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba), Seed Oil, Certified Organic Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Guar Hydroxypropy Hrimonium, Chloride, Disodium, EDTA, Potassium, Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl, Glycol, and Fragrance.

The product comes in a spray bottle. I love the smell. You can use it for daily use to moisturize your hair, which I love. On a scale one to 10-I give it a 9.

Natural Chica Hoodie Giveway!!!

Hey,
Mae from Natural Chica is having a custom hoodie giveaway contest. She is running the contest until January 13 at 11:59 p.m. Check out the contest at www.naturalchica.com.