still working on a hair routine

I LOVE her huge hair

Hello there lovely people,

As we get so close to the start of 2011 I am diligently working on improving the health of my hair.  As mentioned in my post about my new year hair resolutions I really want to do things this upcoming year that will improve the overall health/quality of my hair.  I believe the first step to having healthy hair is having a good hair routine.  Of course this is something that I have been working on since I started this blog back in July 2010, but I think that I'm getting closer to having a good working hair routine.  I have started using oils a lot more in my hair routine, and cutting out shampoo (for the most part).  Currently, the biggest focus/challenge for me with creating the best hair routine is a healthy happy scalp, and well moisturized healthy ends.  So, I'm going to give a synposis of what I've been doing and what I think I'll keep or tweek for the upcoming year.  I will make changes with the routine as I see fit, and be sure to keep you wonderful people updated. 

1. Cleansing-I have not used shampoo in my hair in months and I have to say, my hair is softer than I ever remember it being.  I'm not sure if this is solely due to no shampoo, but I think that that has played a large role in the softness of my hair.  I have recently started using Jojoba oil as a cleanser for my scalp once per week.  I also use conditioner to cleanse the scalp on top of the oil.  Unfortunately,  within the past few weeks I have been experiencing a lot of itchiness, which is not okay.  I think that the itchy scalp has more to do with the cold weather drying my scalp out than my scalp not being clean; however, I am keeping a dirty scalp as a possibility while I rectify this problem.  So, in an attempt to resolve this problem I will oil my scalp with Jojoba Oil probably about four times per week and see if this helps; if this does help I will cut back on how often I oil until I figure out the least number of days oiling is necessary per week.  Usually I am hesitant about putting oil on my scalp because I don't want to clog the pores, but Jojoba oil is similar to the natural oil produced by your scalp (sebum), and doesn't clog pores.  To cleanse my hair I have been pre-"pooing" with Jojoba oil, and using conditioner.  I don't use a lot of product on my hair and feel like I don't need to do anymore than this to keep it clean.   
• So, for cleansing my scalp, I will use Jojoba oil and conditioner once every week-I may cut out the conditioner for a week or two and see if this helps with the itch.  To cleanse my hair I will use Jojoba oil and conditioner (deep conditioner) at least once a week.  Also, I think that when I get my hair straightened (about once every three months) I will allow the stylist to shampoo so this will aid in cleansing the scalp and hair. 
2. Conditioning- I have been deep conditioning my hair once per week, and doing a rinse out conditioning about once a week.  I have been doing a good job keeping up with my weekly deep conditioning regimen, and I will keep this the same.  I have been deep conditioning with the conditioner I have available (my favorite is Herbal Essences Color Me Happy) mixed with equal parts of oil.  I have been using Olive oil, but am now trying Amla Oil.  Amla Oil (which I purchased from an Indian grocery store for super cheap) is supposed to be a great conditioner for hair, and good for hair growth, and strength.  I have only used it once so I will report on how I like it after a few more uses.
• So, for conditioning, I will deep condition with rinse out conditioner and Oil once per week, and do a rinse out conditioning as I see fit in between deep conditioning
3. Moisturizing- Lately for moisturizing I have been using Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Jojoba Oil on deep conditioning days, and just conditioner on co-wash days.  I like the Smoothie for protective styles and will keep using that.  I also like conditioner, provided I don't use too much or my hair will be crunchy, as a moisturizer.  I have been putting Jojoba oil on my hair about every other day or so, and I like that as a moisturizer too.  Jojoba oil is light and non-greasy; this is one of the very few oils that doesn't just sit on my hair (this may be because the molecules of this oil are very small, technically this oil is a wax, not sure why it's called oil :-/).  And while my hair is pretty well moisturized, I would like another lite moisturizer (right now I'm thinking creamy, but a spray may be okay if I'm refreshing a wash and go) that I can use daily.  The shea moisture smoothie is too thick and wet to use on my dry hair.  I want something that I can put on dry hair that will be absorbed and provide nice moisture and shine while not making my hair damp and frizzy. So I'm still searching for that, and open to suggestions.  
• So, for moisturizing I will continue to use Shea Moisture on wet hair to be styled in a protective style, Jojoba oil, and conditioner for co-wash days.  I am however, still looking for a daily moisturizer that will be good on dry hair .
4. Styling- For about the past month or more I have been wearing pretty much all flat twist outs.  With the cold weather here I am trying to avoid leaving the house with wet hair, and style-outs are a good option for this.  Usually I put my style out into a high bun to protect the ends, but I do on occassion wear it out.  At night I either tie my hair down, braid it, or twist it.  I haven't been too creative with the styling lately, but I will try to do better in the upcoming year.  
• So, for styling, I will continue with mostly style-outs and protective styles throughout the winter, and maybe go back to more wash and gos as it starts getting warmer
5. Detangling- I have been detangling whenever I do a deep condition and on occassion when I do a co-wash (so detangle at least once a week).  I use a Denman brush, and I will keep this regimen up
• So, I will detangle my hair at least once a week (more if I feel it necessary), and I will do this with conditioner on my hair and using a Denman brush.
6. Trimming- I have not been getting regular trims, but I will start getting my hair trimmed once every three months at least, and less if I don't need it that often.

That's all I have for my hair routine as of right now, to recap:

• Cleanse hair and scalp once per week with Jojoba Oil and Conditioner
• Deep condition hair once per week with conditioner and Oil (HE color me happy and Amla for now), and co-wash as I feel necessary
• Moisturize with Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie for protective styles, conditioner for co-wash and Jojoba Oil about every other day.  I will also moisturize my scalp regularly with Jojoba Oil
• Wear more protective styles than wash and gos during the cold weather months
• Detangle my hair at least once a week using the Denman brush
• Trim my hair at least once every three months for now

So, as you can see, I am on my way to making a hair regimen, but definitely have room for improvement and holes to be filled in so please do let me know what your hair regimen is, and/or any changes to your hair routine that you plan to make in the new year!!!

Tootles for now 

protective styles are a-okay for straight hair too



Image source

 Hey there everyone,

For the past several days I have been wearing my hair "fake natural"-that is, natural hair heat straightened.  For the first few days I was using my flat iron to curl my hair (and it was cute;-), but I was dissatisfied with all of the heat I was applying to my hair.  So, on about the third night of my recent fake natural life, I braided my hair in about 4 cornrows as I would do if it were "real natural"-that is natural hair worn without any chemicals or heat applied to it.  The results were wavy hair, similar to that of a natural hair braid out except with a bit less definition and not quite as big, but I quite liked it.  So for anyone wearing your hair straight for the winter, or anyone who regularly wears your hair straight (either straightened by heat or chemicals) don't forget that protective style outs (twist outs, flat twist outs, braid outs etc.) are still an option, and a very good one.  Wearing protective styles on straightened hair will be beneficial for multiple reasons: this will give you a different look, give your hair a break from daily wear and tear, and prevent the need for use of heat on your hair.  For those transitioning, this is an especially good option because it will get you used to a more "natural" look.  It is helpful while you are transitioning to get used to seeing your hair not straight (even if you intend to heat straighten) in order to help ease the transition process, and to better prepare you for the days of being completely natural. 

That's all I have to say on that,
Tootles for now

PS-who can believe that it's almost 2011 ?!?!?!

Trimming

Image source

So yesterday I got my hair trimmed for the first time in 4 months, which isn't too shabby since last time it took me a year.  There are so many opinions on how often hair should be trimmed so I thought that I'd jump on that bandwagon, make your life more confusing, and give you my take on trimming.  There is no set amount of time that should be allotted between trimmings.  How long one person can go without having his or her ends trimmed will depend on the state of your hair.  The purpose of trimming is to get rid of split unhealthy ends.  Split ends are likely to become dry and brittle and break off; this makes retaining length much more difficult than if the ends are kept neat.  Also, split ends are more likely to get tangled upon one another; so if your ends are split you will likely have more tangles which can lead to snags, knots and more breakage.  Because the hairs on your ends are the oldest parts of each strand they are the hardest to care for and keep properly moisturized-think keeping 86 year old skin moisturized opposed to 5 year old skin.  Be sure to take extra care with the ends before they split; however, if you do get split ends (and most of us do at some time or another just from daily wear and tear) get rid of them.  I know that for those of us who wear our hair "real natural" sometimes it is harder to decipher if the ends are split.  Personally, I can tell when my hair needs a trim even when it's "real natural," but if you can't or it's hard (and sometimes it is) I suggest straightening your hair occasionally (maybe once every 2-4 months) to see what your ends are looking like.  In addition, I have found it to be much easier to get a clean trim on straightened hair, than curly hair (however, there are professionals who specialize in cutting curly hair).  So, the main point is to trim your hair as often as you need.  The better you care for your hair the less you will need to trim.  If you have not been taking the best care of your hair, and plan to begin now (mhm, join the club), I would suggest checking regularly to be sure you don't need a trim until your hair becomes healthier.  So, if you trim once a month, twice a year or never, make sure that you don't let split ends get out of control, they really slow the growth process.   My last piece of advice would be to get your ends trimmed professionally or to make sure you have a really good pair of sheers to trim with if you decide to tackle this job yourself.  Dull scissors can cause more damage than just leaving the ends split-you can buy good hair cutting scissors from most beauty supply stores such as sally beauty supply.

That's all I have on that
Tootles for now and have a very Merry Christmas, Hanuka, Kwanzaa.....     

New Year hair resolutions

Hey there lovely people,
With the approaching new year, I thought that it may be fun to make some hair resolutions (or goals if you will) for the new year.  And since I'm making these resolutions public, I now charge all of you reading this with the responsibility of keeping me on task :-)  So, here they go

1. Love my hair unconditionally
2. Deep condition my hair at least once per week (which I must admit I've been doing quite good with)
3. Make and maintain an appropriate hair routine (and as you all know I've been working on this for a minute now, but I feel like 2011 is my year ;-)
4. To straighten my hair at least once every three months
5. To trim my hair as needed (which hopefully with the use of a good routine will be not too often)
6. To tend to my hair every night (or close to every night, probably braid it at night)
7. To try at least one new hairstyle each month
8. To use more bold hair accessories
9. To make at least three hair accessories
10. To wear protective styles more often

I think I'll stop there, because I think that this list is enough to keep me on my toes for quite some time.  Let me know what you all have planned for your hair in the new year, what will you change or keep the same? 

Tootles

mini excursion: trip to Charlotte

Hey there,

 So, this weekend I took a mini excursion to the beautiful Queen City, also known as Charlotte, NC.  I drove up on Saturday, and although it rained the whole way (mixed in with a little snow as I got closer to NC) I was super excited the entire way there.  I love Charlotte; I think that it's a great city, and most importantly, I was meeting up with my pareja (Charon) there.  We met there on Saturday afternoon, and began our quick R&R trip.  We started out by going to lunch, which unbeknown to us would turn out to be quite the adventure.  So we used my lady (GPS) to get us there, and of course as usually happens with my lady and me, we got lost, but not too badly.  Finally, we found the place, Zizi's Vegetarian Restaurant.  I was so excited about this place because vegetarian restaurants are non-existent in Columbia, and it's so nice to be able to order anything off of the menu.  We walk in and to our surprise, no tables.  Hmmmm.....sooooo where are we supposed to eat.  After going over our options (car, friend's house, go to a new restaurant) we decided to talk this out with the guy working there (who I presumed to be the co-owner), and he came up with a lovely solution....fine dining at its best.

Our "table" at Zizi's and by "table" I mean a cardboard box with a tablecloth on it, but it worked

 yup, you guessed it, a cardboard box brought out from the back, and he even put a tablecloth on it :-)  So, we ate our lunch on a cardboard box which I have to say worked out rather nicely.  Charon ordered the buffalo chicken cheese philly and fries and I ordered the chicken cheese philly and fries.  Mmmm, I found it to be quite yummy, messy, but yummy (and in my opinion if a sandwich isn't messy it probably isn't that good;-).


Charon and me dining like queens :-) 

After we filled our bellies we headed to the mall.  We HAD to walk off our food, right? :-)  So we went to Southpark mall (which I for some reason termed Southland mall :-/) and went forth to let the shopping commence.  Surprisingly, neither of us bought one thing for ourselves!!!  After the mall we went to Art Space Studio, a cozy little pottery and glass place. 

We both opted for making a glass piece.  Charon made a 4" base which I termed the love piece. 

Charon declares that she didn't make a heart on her glass, but that's sure what it looks like to me, hence the term love piece

I made a 6" base which will be fired into a vase.




I didn't really have much of a vision before I started making my piece so I just let loose and let the creative juices flow

 Neither of us had ever made glass pieces before, so this was fun.  I'm super excited to see what it will look like once finished (they'll be fired sometime before Christmas, and shipped to us after the holidays).  By this time we were ready to refuel our bodies, so we headed to dinner.  We ate at Ruby Tuesday, and I must say they were on it with the music, we had us a little party there.  During dinner, with the help of a coin toss, we decided to find a bar downtown to hang out at for a bit after dinner.  Yeah, so that didn't quite happen.  Apparently, Jeremy (our waiter at RT) didn't want us to leave because he took FOREVER to bring us our checks.  So we didn't get back to home base until around 12:30 and by then we were both pooped.  So, we called it a night.
This morning I grabbed a cheese and egg biscuit from McDonald's and did a little shopping at Concord Mills.  This time I didn't leave without getting anything for myself, but I was pretty well behaved.  It's amazing how using cash really slows down your spending.  After a lovely weekend and good times, pareja and I said our tootles and headed in our own directions. 


Ahhh, and now, I'm sitting home, with my baby (Miles spent the night at doggyland aka Camp Bow Wow), ready to begin a few Christmas arts and crafts projects before calling it a night. 


So, that was my weekend in a nutshell.  Feel free to let me know what you all were up to this weekend. 
Tootles for now...

PS-for anyone interested, my hair was a flat twist twist-out.  To do the twist out I deep conditioned with Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner (which I'm not a big fan of) and olive oil and then did the twists with Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and Jojoba Oil.  I left the twists in overnight and took them out in the morning.  Unfortunately, the twists weren't completely dried before I took them out so I was a slight frizz ball, but sometimes that happens...   


Yummy quick pasta

Hello there lovely people,
So I'm going out on a big limb here, and putting up one of my new favorite quickie dishes.  Pasta with sundried tomato basil pesto sauce and artichoke hearts.  To create this yummy and super simple dish this is what you need is:

1. Noodles-I use rotini
2. Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
3. Artichoke Hearts
4. Classico Sundried Tomato Pesto Sauce
5. Parmesan cheese (optional)
6. About 20minutes

 what I do is:

• I boil one serving of rotini noodles (I typically prepare just for myself, so prepare noodle amount according to the number of people to be served)
• While the noodles are boiling I remove 2 artichoke hearts and put them in a bowl (I use the bowl that I am going to eat out of to save on dishes)-I buy the artichoke hearts in the can and I usually get Vetigo (I think that's the name, it's something like that :-) and I just get regular artichoke hearts no seasoning or anything
• I cut the artichoke hearts up into about eight chunks each-this will depend on how chunky you want the artichoke hearts
• After the noodles finish boiling I drain most of the water-I leave just a tad so that the noodles won't fry when I put them back over the heated burner
• I next add to the noodles the chopped artichoke hearts, about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil-this gives a bit of flavor and helps the noodles to not stick together, but isn't necessary- and about 3 tablespoons of sauce (Classico Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce)
• I stir everything together while the pot is over heat (I put the pot on the burner I used to boil the noodles but I turn the burner off so it's still hot, but not boiling)
• I stir until everything is well mixed and heated
• I pour everything into a bowl and top with a little Parmesan cheese and ENJOY :-)

I hope you all try this out and enjoy, and if anything sounds a bit suspicious (ie. artichoke hearts) just give it a shot anyway, trying new things is fun :-) 

That's all on that,
Tootles for now

Mmmm Mmmm good, I topped my dinner off with a good old glass of apple juice, I like to live on the edge :-)

Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner

Image Source

Hello there lovely people,

So I went to Target the other day to replenish my conditioner supply and they didn't have any large bottles of Herbal Essences (HE) Color Me Happy :-0, so then on to Publix, and still nada.  Well, I can adapt, so I instead bought Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner.  I have to say that I have wanted to try this conditioner for a while, but I was not thrilled.  I have used this conditioner twice now as a deep conditioner (the same way I use Color Me Happy), and I have been less than impressed.  My hair has still been very soft even with the use of this conditioner, but the Organix just has nothing on Color Me Happy as far as detangling goes.  I found the Organix to be a lot less creamy than HE, and in addition, Organix costs more than HE.  I think that a major reason that the Organix didn't work well for me is because too much protein doesn't seem to do well with my hair. 

So in summary, I didn't like the Organix Coconut Milk conditioner (which I  used as a deep conditioner, maybe it'd be fine if I didn't use heat or if I used it as a leave in)- it wasn't creamy enough, it didn't help enough with detangling, and it costs more than HE. 

So that's all I have on that
Tootles for now,
Me
 

A new challenge for me

Picture number 1 of my 1 picture a day challenge (December 15, 2010).  I took this pic in my living room.  My hair is a flat twist twist out bun.  I twisted my hair Sunday night, and took them out on Wednesday morning, and then put my hair in a high bun.  I think I like this pic, I like the weird angle. 

Hello there my lovelies,

I hope that everyone is getting into the holiday spirit and enjoying the wonderful feelings of peace, love, and good cheer. 
I was reading a blog the other day (bet you can't guess which one, that's right MTM :-), and I came across a post in which she talked about a challenge she made to take one picture of herself each day for a year.  As soon as I read this it was like a scene from a cartoon when a beam of light shines down and the chorus begins to sing (not really, but if I could make my own special effects in life, that's what would have happened).  Personally, I LOVE new challenges, personal challenges.  So I have decided to take the picture a day challenge, and it began today.  I'm actually super excited about this, not only will this help me to keep track of the changes that my hair goes through over the course of a year, but it will also help me to be more creative and come up with fun ways of taking and posing for pictures.  So, until December 15, 2011 I will take at least one picture of myself (or have it taken by a friend) for a year. 

So, who's up for a good challenge :-)  I'd love some company....

That's all on that,
Tootles for now

Protective Styles-Part 2: braids

Image Source-I love these little girls' braids, I think that they are very pretty

Hello there my lovelies,

As winter nears in (and I don't know about where you all are, but it is already SUPER cold here, that's right COLD in Columbia) it is becomming increasingly important to add extra moisture to your hair and to protect it as much as possible.  Colder weather, for most of us, brings with it dryer hair and skin.  Therefore, it may be necessary to turn up the amount/frequency of daily moisturizer use (for hair and skin) and to play around with more protective styles.  One very good choice for a protective style is braids.  Braids are nice for a number of reasons, one of which is that they can be so versatile.  You can braid your own hair or have extensions added, you can have cornrows or box/loose braids, you can have small, medium or large braids, and while your hair is braided, depending on the type of braids, you can often create various styles with the braids.  In addition, braids often last for a good amount of time, require little maintenance (hence it being a protective style ;-) and gets us back to our roots because you know most of us rocked braids as little girls, I know I sure did.  So, a few things to consider if you do decide to wear braids in your hair

• Do still moisturize your hair and scalp- just because your hair is braided doesn't mean that you van skip on the TLC
• If you want to have extensions added, it may be best to seek a professional to braid your hair
• Do make sure that the braids aren't super tight-now this one is hard for many people, because we feel like if the braids aren't tight they won't last and we want our money back, but they should not be so tight that your scalp is in serious pain a week after you get your braids put in, this will pull your hair out
• Do be careful around the edges.  Many women who often wear braids can attest to the fact that if worn too tight too often braids are a sure fire way to pull the hair around your hairline (edges) out
• Consider what types of braids will be best for you-if you can not sit still long enough to watch a 30 minute sit-com you may not want to opt for small braids
• Avoid micro-braids- often micro braids have a tendancy to pull the hair out
• Don't keep your hair braided for longer than about two months

That's all I have to say about that, let me know what you all are doing to adjust your hair to be winter ready.  For more protective style options check out this post

Tootles for now,
Me

A few terms and abbreviations

source image

Hola peoples,
I thought that it might be helpful to put up some terms/abbreviations that are commonly thrown around in the natural hair world

• TWA-teeny weeny afro: this is an afro that is still considered rather small
• DC-deep conditioner/conditioning: this is typically when the conditioning process involves heat and lasts for about 15-30mins
• BC-big chop: this is when someone cuts off the relaxed ends of the hair at the end of the transitioning process
• CD-Carol's Daughter: this is a brand of natural beauty products created by Lisa Price
• Emollient-a substance that has the ability to soften or relax (not to be confused with the chemical relaxer); this is synonymous with moisturizer
• Moisturizer-this is a substance that adds moisture to your hair.  This does not necessarily mean that the product will add shine or will seal the moisture in
• Humectant-a substance that absorbs or helps another substance retain moisture
• Sealant-a substance that seals in moisture or stops leaks: this is usually some type of oil

If there are any other terms/abbreviations that you all would like defined let me know

Tootles for now

beautiful at every length

Image source



I think that for so long the ultimate image of female beauty has included long flowing hair.  Well I think that it's time we all work toward dispelling this unrealistic image, and enjoy our hair at every length.  One thing that I have learned along this natural journey is that your hair often grows faster than you realize.  You know the old saying, the grass is always greener on the other side.  Well, I'm here to tell you all that the grass is not always greener on the other side.  So often we think that if only my hair were a little longer then...it'd be easier to manage, I could do more with it, it'd be prettier etc.  However, I've learned that hair can be fun at every length.  You may have to change up your hair routine and/or hairstyles depending on the length of your hair, but that's part of the fun.  Experimenting and figuring out what works best for you can be a ton of fun if you let it.  Sometimes by the process of experimentation you stumble upon an awesome new hairstyle and sometimes you end up with some ooohhh girl :-(  days, but how will you know if you don't try.  I've now come to learn how to love my hair at every length, and to enjoy it while it lasts because your hair grows faster than you realize. 

So go forth and enjoy the beauty of your hair, and play with new styles appropriate for you length.  I challenge everyone this week to try a new hair style and report back what you tried and how you liked it :-) 

Tootles for now,
Ms. Lady Shay

Curly Girl-the handbook

Image source-Amazon.com

Hey there my lovelies,

I trust that everyone has voted in the mid-term elections and is now ready for some good old Curly Girl talk :-) So I read this book Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey. Lorraine is a curly girl herself, and she was among the first wave of women to make it a mission to publicly embrace her curls and encourage others to do the same in this straight haired society. Overall, I liked the book. I thought that there were some good helpful hints in the book. Although, I have to admit, as far as "African American" textured hair (I try to avoid blanket statements and categorizations, but work with me on this one) goes the advice is lacking a bit. However, Lorraine did try to include her darker skinned sisters and there is a chapter on "African American" hair and everything in that chapter comes from African American hair stylists. Unfortunately, I disagreed with a lot of what was said by the African Americans; most of them focused on using texturizers. Anyhoo, my favorite thing about this book was that Lorraine included "Confessions of a curly girl" throughout the book; these are stories told by real life women with curly hair-or mothers of curly haired children-and gives them a chance to talk about the downtrodden lives they had to live as curly girls. I found these stories to be quite interesting and eerily similar, not only similar to one another but similar to my story as well as many women of color who I have talked with. These "confessions" really opened my eyes to the fact that women with highly textured hair despite background, culture, skin color, socioeconomic class etc. all share many of the same-or very similar-concerns and problems. Some things that I read in the "confessions" that I could relate to included: I'm still trying to figure my hair out, I love how versatile my curls are, my hair is too frizzy, my parents still don't like me wearing my hair curly. I have to say, while it saddens me that curly girls have had so many negative feelings about their hair for so long, it is nice to be reminded of the fact that as human beings, despite our obvious outward differences we have SO much in common with one another. So I really enjoyed reading the book. I would recommend this book mainly for the "confessions." I wouldn't put this book at the top of the reading list if you're looking for some advice on taking care of your hair. However, I will share with you a few ideas that I liked.

• Lavender Mist-1/2 gallon water, 5 drops lavender essential oil-boil water in a large pot to remove impurities, remove from heat, stir in lavender, let steep until cool. This is a good cleansing and revitalizing spray. Obviously this would make a lot, but you can just keep around and use as needed.

• Be cautious when getting your curls cut. If you intend to wear your hair curly you may want to ask to have it cut in its natural state. If your stylist insists on it being straightened before cutting, remind him/her to take into consideration how much shrinkage occurs when your hair is in its natural state, and to be light with the scissors.

• Take a mini spritz bottle with you in your purse. When your hair's looking a little dry or you just get finished trying on clothes and your hair's a little frazzled, pull out your handy dandy spritzer, and set your hair back into place

Well that's all I have about this
Tootles for now,
Me

Detangling: Part 2-the denman brush

Image of a gorgeous woman with a beautiful fro

Hello there lovely people,

So I think that one of the most daunting task that a natural faces is the detangling process.  I gave you all a few tips before about detangling in the post Detangling: part 1, now I wanted to give a few more tips and do a tool review of the Denman brush.  So, first off, my detangling routine:
I typically detangle my hair 1 or 2 times per week.  To detangle I:

1. Separate my hair into 4 sections-I work with one section at a time and then repeat the process until all sections have been detangled
2. I thoroughly wet the section, first I just let the water run through my hair under the shower and then I fluff my hair under the water to make sure that it is good and wet. 
3. I then put conditioner on the section
4. I take a section of the section (I usually end up making three sections within each section-so 12 sections total) and further wet it
5. I put more conditioner on the new sub-section and begin detangling
6. To detangle I use a Denman brush (more on this brush later).  I begin at the ends of my hair and work my way up to my roots.  I hold my hair about an inch above where I am detangling.  Once the area below my fingers can easily be brushed through I move up my hair an inch until I can brush the section from root to tip.  If I encounter a tangle along the way I add more conditioner and slowly brush it out. 
7. Once I have finished detangling a section I twist it and move on to the next section. 
8. After I have detangled the entire hair I usually go back and put a little extra conditioner on the ends of my twists and then typically proceed with deep conditioning. 
9. After I have detangled my hair, I rinse my hair still twisted to minimize re-tangling. 

A few tips that have really helped me with detangling are

• Be patient!!!
• Be gentle with your hair
• Only detangle when your hair is covered in conditioner-you can't put too much conditioner on in my opinion for detangling
• If you have a tangle or knot that you really need to work through, try wetting your hair after you put conditioner on, this will give your hair more slip and help with the process.  If you still have trouble add more conditioner and detangle under running water.  I know it seems like this would only wash all the conditioner out, but it really does help. 

Okay, the Denman brush
So, in my reading of blogs and watching youtube videos and such, I have seen lot of women raving about this Denman brush.  My first instinct was these chicks are nuts.  How can a brush be a good tool to use on curly, kinky, highly textured hair :-/  However, my idol, MTM also raved about this brush, so I decided to give it a try.  I ordered one off of Amazon, and then tried it a few days after it arrived.  OH MY GOODNESS.  This brush is AMAZING.  It's crazy how well it separates your curls while still being gentle.  It is awesome for distributing product (ie. leave-in, moisturizer, conditioner...) through your hair.  Also, it is very good at smoothing the hair.  After I detangle a section I can go through and brush it from root to tip with the Denman brush and it feels like silk all the way down.  I absolutely adore this brush.  I'm trying to explore how else it may be used (ie. for a wash and go).  So, me being me, I ended up ordering the wrong brush and this is actually not the Denman made for detangling and it still does an AWESOME job.  I HIGHLY recommend this bush.  Now you all know I must like it, because I haven't used this many capital letters in a post since I wrote about my freebie :-)  One word of caution, if you do detangle with the denman brush be sure to work in small sections (I'd say about one third of what you usually detangle at once).  Since you will be working with smaller sections you may want to devote more time to detangling and do it out of the shower if your hair is super thick and/or long.  I still detangle in the shower and the process isn't too long to make me not....so just play around with it and see. 

Anyhoo, that's all I have today about that.  Please feel free to post any additional tips for detangling in the comments section.  Also, if anyone in the Columbia area would like to try my Denman before purchase let me know (it is a tad expensive for a brush ~$12, but so worth it!!!)

Tootles for now

Diggin It

So, I was doing my daily (almost daily) perusal of the MopTopMaven's blog, and came across an image which led me to look up the image source.  The site from which MTM took her image is Black Fashion, and since I quite like fashion I started looking at pics on the site.  I came across this young lady and I thought that her shirt was just adorable......

Image source

Now I'm not too big on t-shirts, but is that not the cutest shirt :-)  as a matter of fact, I'm quite diggin the whole outfit (what is shown of it).  I would say that this little chica definitely has her own personal style, and I give it two Shayna thumbs up.  I love seeing people express their personal style.  I also love seeing Barbie with a fro.  Being the former (and occasionally current) barbie fanatic that I am I have owned all kinds of barbies and none of them came with a fro.  Although, I did have one Barbie, she was a little Diva; she came bald and had a set of wigs to accompany her-three wigs if memory serves me correct, you can't be a Diva with just one look :-).  Anyhoo, I just thought that the pic was cute and wanted to share. 

Soon to come will be an updated hair regimen ;-) Mmmm...something to look forward to, hehehe

Tootles for now peoples

Get up and move

Image Source

Hey there lovely people,

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful and safe holiday season thus far!!!

So, I went for a run a couple days ago at a park downtown, and then I went to the gym the next day.  After working out, as usual, I felt wonderful.  However, I was a bit saddened by the fact that I saw so few women of color in both settings :-(  What's up with that?!?!?  As a matter of fact, I saw a lack of women all together at the gym; I was doing weights at the gym, which most women are afraid of.  So I am encouraging all of you to get up and exercise, especially during this time of year when most Americans overeat.  A few facts for you

• On Thanksgiving, the average calorie intake of an American is around 4000 calories
• Lifting weights will not bulk a woman up
• Weight training increases metabolism much more rapidly and for a more prolonged time than a cardio work out
• Between the months of November and January the average American gains about 11 pounds
• Exercising not only makes you look good, but it also makes you feel good, excersice releases "happy" chemicals in your brain (in particular dopamine and endorphins)
• Exercise can reduce your risk of or improve your current condition of many diseases including: diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis and others
• Exercise can improve your memory
• Exercise will help you to eat less and make you crave better for you foods

Now, if you aren't feeling compelled to get out there and work that body out, then think of how good it will make (or keep) you looking and feeling!!!!  So, even if you don't have lots of extra time, a simple 30 minutes a day 4-5 days a week of excersing could make a world of difference. 
A couple of tips I use to stay motivated

• Sign up for a race.  Having a goal to work toward is a great motivator, and a race is a great goal.  The race can be one of any length that is attainable for you, but that will push you at least a little.  This can be a walk, run, swim, biking event etc.
• Get a buddy.  Personally, I like to run by myself, however, it is much easier to back out of a workout when I'm the only one motivating me.  Also, when you have another person with you, that peson may be able to not only encourage you to get out there, but also to move a little harder and/or faster
• Set a clothing goal.  I try not to weigh myself too often, instead I determine if my weight is appropriate by how I feel and how my clothes fit.  So, either grab something that you own and haven't been able to get into for some time, or go buy something nice one or two sizes smaller (depending on your personal goal)
• Keep a journal.  I also recommend this with your hair journey.  One of the greatest motivators is progress.  It is so awesome to see how far you have advanced in your workout, and how much your body is capable of achieving

So, get up and MOVE!!!!! ;-)
Happy Thanksgiving,
Lady Shay

Product Review-Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie

Hey there lovely people,

Long time no write to :-)  Things here have been crazy busy, but in a good way.  Anyhoo, I wanted to put up a review of Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie.  So looking at the ingredients list I really wanted to like this product.  Well.....yeah, that didn't so much happen.  Actually, that didn't so much happen for wash and gos.  It is an awesome product for twists.  When I use this product as a leave in for a wash and go, it does everything except enhance my curls.  With the product, my hair is usually a bit frizzy, but SUPER soft.  Which, by the way I don't get, frizzy yet soft, hmmmm...Anyhoo, so I do like this product a lot when I am doing any style aside from a wash and go.  For wash and go purposes it may be better if I layered it under something like gel or some type of anti-frizz serum.  This product is quite thick and creamy which I like; it feels like I'm putting conditioner in my hair.  Anyhoo, I still have about half a jar left and haven't quite decided if I will purchase again.

Pros

• not too expensive: ~$10 for 12oz
• my hair didn't require much of the product (this is for twists at least, maybe I didn't apply enough for the wash and go)
• it is easily located: I bought it from Target
• it left my hair very soft
• helped bring some shine to my hair
• i like the smell of it

Cons

• didn't help define the curls
• left my hair frizzy (yet soft, still can't figure that one out

Okay, so now that I've made a pros and cons list I feel like I must purchase again, hehehe. We'll see. Let me know if any of you have tried this product, and what are your thoughts on it.



Ingredients:  Deionized water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut Oil), Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Silk Protein, Ammonium Salt, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Sorbitol Esters, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B-5), Caprylyl glycol, Essential Oil Blend, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E)


Tootles for now,
Me

Image source

Let's talk about it-Natural hair snob

picture taken from this site

Hey there my lovelies,

So, I was reading CurlyNiki's blog today, and I came across a post about being a "natural hair snob"-superiority complex.  The summary of the post is that this natural haired lady was told by a friend that she felt as though those who wore their hair natural acted as if they were superior, a natural hair snob of sorts.  This comment got the natural haired beauty thinking and she realized that she may have some snobbish behaviors (she didn't say that, but I think they're "snobbish").  Behaviors like, feeling proud when she sees another natural, or when she sees someone with relaxed hair she wonders what that person would look like with natural hair.  So this post got me to thinking.  Hmmmm...am I a natural hair snob?  And I realized that in a way I suppose I am.  I definitely don't snub or not associate with people just because they choose to relax their hair.  However, I too am proud of people who decide to wear their hair natural.  And while I don't try to convert the "relaxed" population, I do find myself thinking, "if only she'd free herself from that relaxer."  I find myself wanting women who have relaxed hair to start wearing their hair natural and experience the goodness.  I don't feel like wearing my hair natural makes me "more black" or more "real", but I do feel like wearing my hair syas that  I am comfortable with who I am and how I was made. 

So am I a natural hair snob?  Are any of you natural hair snobs?  And for those of you who don't wear your hair natural, do you feel like you get "looked down" upon by women of color with natural hair?  

Have a great weekend,
Tootles for now,
Me

I think I got ripped off, what do you think?

Hello there lovely people,

So, I ordered some more deep conditioner-Lafier Collagen and Placenta-last week. Now, the last time I ordered this I got it on Amazon.com, but this time I tried this site called BlueBeez.com. I've ordered from this BlueBeez deal before, but it was a while back and I don't remember what I got or how the service was. However, I noticed that the price for BlueBeez was better than Amazon and I am trying to be fabulous on a budget, so I did the economical thing. Well, let me tell you. I ordered a 16oz container of conditioner. They sent me two 8oz jars. Okay, cool. So I pull these suckers out of the box and these are the smallest 8oz anythings I have ever seen in my life. I think that I got Hood winked with a capital HOOD. What do you think? :-/


                             The white bottle (right) is the alleged 8oz. jar and the pink one (left) is a 12oz jar
 


Tootles for now,
A distraught Lady Shay out of $19

Mop Top Maven tips for dry hair

Hello there lovely people,

With the onset of Winter rapidly approaching I thought I'd write a post about combating dry hair. The harsh Winter air and wind may cause your hair to be more dry than usual, so I've stolen a few tips from the Mop Top Maven (MTM) to help you in your attempt to keep your beautiful tresses moisturized and happy.

I'm highlighting a few tips below, but I recommend reading her entire posts.

• Clarify your hair about twice per month. Build-up on your hair-from products and/or minerals in your water-may block out moisture and cause hair to be dry. MTM recommends shampooing with a clarifying sulfate-free shampoo. I haven't shampooed for over a month and I don't think that my hair is too dry. I have been clarifying with ACV for now. However, if I start noticing dryness I will start shampooing again.


• Use a good moisturizer on your hair, and use it prior to adding an oil to your hair. The molecules that make up most oils are large and don't penetrate your hair shaft. Therefore, you should add your moisturizer first and oil next. The oil will seal the moisture in your hair by coating the strands.


• Use ACV to clarify hair and be sure that if you choose to shampoo you don't neglect the crown of your head and right above the temples.


• Wear protective styles during the winter. Try to wear your hair in more protective styles such as-twists, twist-outs, braids, weaves, wigs-during the winter months.


• Add a light moisturizer and/or oil to your hair daily.


• Drink LOTS of water. Often we tend to hike up the water intake during the summer when it's hot, but we cut back in the Winter months. It's very important to remember to keep up your water drinking during the Winter months. So drink drink drink up that water.

http://moptopmaven.blogspot.com/2010/10/winterproof-your-hair-weather-is.html

http://moptopmaven.blogspot.com/#uds-search-results

Tootles for now, check out those MTM posts

Lady Shay

Image taken from top-hairstyle.com

The twists that keep on giving

Hello there my lovelies,

So in an attempt to start wearing more protective styles, I twisted my hair recently. I conditioned my hair, and then applied CD Some of Marguerite's Magic and a little Shea Butter. I divided my hair into four sections and secured each with a clip. I worked on one sectin at a time, and went to twisting. Total, I made about 30 or so two strand twists. I don't usually do well with keeping twists in because they usually get frizzy too fast for my liking, but I was determined to keep my twists for a week. Well, that didn't quite happen.... So, here's my story. I twisted my hair on a Saturday night. I then wore it twisted Sunday-Tuesday. Tuesday night I reconditioned my hair. Side Note: So I went to church before my hair was dry which means it was dripping all over the place, and do you know some people behind me had the nerve to talk about me?!? Okay, so I was dripping all over the place, but I was in a hurry. There I was just trying to get my praise on with a little drippage going on and there they were talking away, he he he-end side note. Then Wednesday morning I took the twists out and wore my hair as a twist out, and I kept this through Friday. The twist out didn't come out quite so gorgeous-didn't look quite like Ms. Berry's-but I worked with what I had:-). Wednesday I wore it pulled up into a bun, Thursday I wore it down, and I don't remember what happened Friday :-/ Anyhoo, I think that the point of the post was to say don't be afraid to experiment with protective styles, maybe they'll last maybe they won't. Also, it's cool to have to re-route your hair plans and do something a little different if necessary (ie. turn the twists into a twist out when they start acting up). You know the saying, when life gives you lemons....

That's all for now folks

Tootles

Me :-)

Kinky Curly product review

Hello there beautfiful people,

Ms. T has so graciously shared a product review with me, that I will now share with you. I have not tried any of the Kinky Curly products so the views expressed in this post reflect that only of Ms. T and not of the blogger :-)

Come Clean Shampoo-Not one of the favs. The shampoo didn't provide much moisture and left the hair feeling stripped. This shampoo may be a good choice if you're looking for a clarifying shampoo.

Knot Today Conditioner-LOVE this product. There is good slippage, and it helps define all the beautiful little curlies. Used as a leave in with twists, this was also a good product that left the hair feeling moisturized.

Kinky Curly Curling Custard-At first use, this product was not a favorite. Ms. T felt like she had to use too much product and that it took forever for her hair to dry. However, when this product was used in combo with the other kinky curly products she didn't have to use as much and her hair didn't take as long to dry. When using this product, she has found that refreshing is not necessary. After a week of her hectic life she felt like her hair was still moisturized and that there was minimum shrinkage.

These products just may be the cure for her product addiction. Thought from lady Shay: maybe we should start a group, product junkies anonymous to help us get through this addiction :-)

Tootles fow now,

Me

A transitioning story-Avis

Hey there lovely people

Happy November!!!! Can you all believe that it's already November? Oh my goodness, where has this year gone?

So, one of the reasons I wanted to start this blog was to provide encouragement and support to other women (and men) who were learning or continuing to embrace their natural hair. For this reason, I thought it'd be a good idea to share stories from others with you all. So here goes the first one. Hope you enjoy!!!

Me: How long have you been transitioning?
Avis: My last relaxer was June of this year (2010)

Me: What made you decide to start wearing your hair natural?
Avis: I have dry itchy scalp and getting a relaxer really burns my scalp. I figured that it would be beneficial to my scalp to stop using chemicals. Also, my husband really likes natural hair and has been wanting me to go natural for years.

Me: What are the easiest and hardest things about transitioning?
Avis: I get my hair straightened every two weeks and I'm not used to that. Trying to do my hair in between getting it straightened is really difficult. I don't know which products to use, which are best for my hair texture.

Me: What is your current hair routine?
Avis: When I do my own hair, I either exfoliate my scalp with brown sugar and olive oil or pre shampoo with Jojoba oil, Rosemary, Thyme and Peppermint. I do one or the other once/month in between getting my hair straightened. Then I do a protein treatment with Aphogee Protein Treatment.

Me: What are you most looking forward to about being natural?
Avis: My hair being completely natural. And having the ability to be versatile. When I want to be straight I can, if I want to be curly kinky I can.

Nappier than expected syndrome

Hey there my lovelies,

So I was reading curly Niki's blog and came across this post. I absolutely loved this young ladies story (http://www.curlynikki.com/2010/08/nappier-than-expected-syndrome.html). Point of the story is that after she did the BC she thought that her hair was nappier than expected; she termed this the nappier than expected syndrome. I too have gone through this experience. After I did the BC I loved my hair, but throughout the years I have definitely had my days of feeling my hair is too nappy. I have tried many a products in an attempt to enhance my curl pattern, loosen my curls, make my hair shinier and more silky all to little avail. So, now I know that products don't make your hair great-time, patience, love, and dedication make your hair great. The curl whisperer likes to use the term "naked hair." She states that if you aren't happy with your hair in its naked state-freshly washed and without any product-then you need to work on your hair, not try a million new products. Regardless of what the commercials say, there is no one miracle product out there that will all of a sudden make your hair "perfect." So, love your curls for what they are, uniquely yours!

Have a happy, nappy weekend :-)

Tootles for now,

Me

Image uploaded from http://www.curlynikki.com/2010/08/nappier-than-expected-syndrome.html

Protective styles-Part 1: A twist-out gone right

Protective hairstyles are just what they sound like. A protective style is one that is created to protect your hair-think little girl routine of getting your hair braided for the week on Sunday night, having your hair freed from the braids only to be able to sport a "presentable" look at church and then getting it washed and braided back Sunday night, Mommy had the right idea. Protective styles protect from the environment as well as from you. The less manipulation you do to your hair, the less it will break, split and tangle. There are a variety of protective styles that can be worn, and many can be worn with your own hair or with the addition of hair. Now please don't get me wrong, protective styles aren't meant to be worn indefinitely, with the exception of locs, but it is advantageous to wear a protective style for about one week-two months depending on the style.

Protective styles are especially nice in extreme weather conditions such as summer and winter. Keeping your hair protected will hopefully reduce the damage created by the elements. Some common temporary protective styles include braids, twists, style-outs, weaves, and bantu knots.

In this protective styles post I'm going to focus on the twist-out. A twist out can be either a two strand twist out or a flat-twist twist out. A twist out would be considered a protective style because it cuts down on the amount of handling you have to do with your hair. In addition, hair may be less likely to become tangled-which can cause it to break-if it is in a twist out opposed to a wash and go.

So, below is the description of how Ms. Berry does her twist out.

• Wash with Giovanni Triple Treat followed by Organix Coconut Milk Shampoo
• Deep Condition with Organix Coconut Conditioner, then rinse with cold water
• Lightly dry hair with a t-shirt
• Section hair into four sections
• One section at a time, moisturize scalp with CD (Carol's Daughter) Mimosa Hair Honey
• Rub raw unrefined Shea Butter and CD hair milk throughout the section
• Sectioned hair to be twisted
• Finger comb through Eco-styler Olive Oil gel
• Twist, there were about 7-9 twists per section of four

By doing smaller twists this style lasts for a week. Nighttime maintenance is to tie the edges with a scarf and put on a bonnet. In the morning she mists with Chi Silk Mist and is fabulously ready for a new day.

There are a variety of ways (ie. number of twists), and products that can be used to do a two-strand twist out so experiment with a suggested routine and then personalize it to fit your needs. I'm posting links to Curly Niki's blog (http://www.curlynikki.com/search/label/Products%20I%27m%20Using%20Now) as well as the Mop Top Maven (http://moptopmaven.blogspot.com/2010/01/twist-out-tutorial.html) so that you can also check out how they do a twist-out. I haven't quite mastered the two-strand twist out, but hopefully some of these tips will help you ladies out.

If you have any questions or comments for me or Ms. Berry please leave a quick note :-) Comments are much loved!!!

Tootles for now,

Me

How to Grow Long Locks - Makeup, Skin Care & Hair - Your Look - MSN Lifestyle

How to Grow Long Locks - Makeup, Skin Care & Hair - Your Look - MSN Lifestyle


Hello there my lovelies,

I must have ate my Wheaties this morning because this is post number 2 for the day :-)
So, I came across this article on msn. The "article" is some tips on how to grow your hair long, and it is geared toward African American women. So, my first thought was yeah buddy look at us all over the media. I mean, how many articles are on main stream "news" web pages that are geared toward African American women? Then my second thought was, dag, why does it have to be about something as superficial as growing your hair long? :-/ So then I got to thinking, why is long hair so important to many members of the African American community? Are we somehow associating self worth with hair length? And if so, where is this coming from? Is this a European standard that we have somehow picked up along the way and been conformed to believe is a human standard? We are all different, we all have different genetics, environments etc. so why is it that one hair length, long, is so commonly thought of as beautiful? Maybe hair is associated with femininity and sexuality, and that's where this long hair obsession comes from? Well, idk, but I see women with hair of all lengths and I think that hair can be beautiful even if it's not long. And actually, there are many days when I want to cut my hair, because I miss my cute little curly fro. Just some thoughts that made me go hmmmm.......

Tootles for now,

Me

The image above is taken from the following web page, hopefully I am minimizing my infringement on copy right laws by including this :-)

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-look/makeup-skin-care-hair/staticslideshowessence.aspx?cp-documentid=25797435&GT1=32002