Longing 4 Length

Side-Swept Vintage 'Do + Rollersetters, where are ya?!

2012-02-23T05:36:00.000-08:00

Yooo-hooo, are you ladies losing steam with the rollersetting challenge? It seems like I've seen a decline in the posts for setting. Now, that could be you just not posting about wash days, it could be my lack of blog reading & commenting lately (sorry about that), or it could be the fact that February is shorter than January. Not sure but I just don't want you to lose your motivation and momentum. I have seen my hair make great strides since starting the challenge and I know rollersetting is going to be key in helping me retain my newly acquired thick ends.

Well, for the past two weeks I've washed and airdried my hair and used my hot rollers to create lovely curls. Remember this month's mini-challenge is the best roller or rod set updo. You may submit pictures of a set you did last month if you have a cute updo that you already did during the challenge. Please submit your pictures to me by email by Saturday, March 3. I am quite behind in answering my emails but I always read them as soon as they are received, so keep 'em coming! I sublimely enjoy getting reader mail, makes my day! Feel sorry that getting email is the highlight of my day? You should...I need a life! lol.

Today's do isn't quite a full updo, more side-swept than anything but I think its super cute nevertheless.

For those interested in seeing how this look was created, I did a video (semi-tutorial):

I have some very cute and quite unique looks planned for the upcoming weeks, I can't wait to do and share them with you! I have been motivated to grow back better, stronger, thicker, fuller, healthier, prettier and longer than ever. Watch me work!

ECP's Back!!!

2012-02-22T13:13:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for all of your kind, encouraging words! Right after I wrote my last post, I felt better...it was like a purging of sorts. Then, you wonderful ladies gave me the support I needed to completely overcome the negativity I was feeling. I am so grateful to everyone who commented, you didn't treat me as if I were overreacting yet you helped me to realize that I can and will recover better than ever. Even Traycee (from KISS) stopped by to share a few positive words and of course I can always count on my "hair girls"! *cyber hugs* right back to all of you, thank you thank you thank you! I will be replying to each of your comments individually within the next week because some of you had some great thoughts and I appreciate your candor! :-)

That being said, I had the hemline evened out so its a for real blunt cut, which did not change the overall length actually and received a refund. I wasn't rude and didn't "go off" on anybody but I shared that I was extremely dissatisfied and explained why (with picture evidence of course) and they apologized and refunded my money. For me it was less about the money and more about the principle, you need to understand that a half inch means just that. If you are incapable - refuse to do the service. Just that simple.

So...I am not going to talk about the "trim" anymore. It happened, its done and I'm moving on! Positive thinking yields positive results so with prayer (yes, I do actually pray about my hair...see the top of the blog!) and consistency my hair WILL be bra strap length by December. A tall feat but ECP has had a fire lit under her now ya'll! While talking to my mother about it, all of a sudden I said, I'm tired of this. I can and will grow it back in 6 months. That's it and that's all. My mom said "Well, its as good as done because I know when you get determined like this, you do it." And that is SO true! Getting into med school (not a story I plan to share, but a true testimony), losing weight (which I am also GOING to do), growing my hair...whatever it is, when I put my mind to it, it happens!

So in the words of the hilarious Tamar Braxton...its-about-to-be-on.com! BOOM!

Post "trim" rant & response

2012-02-20T17:56:00.001-08:00

I'm still reeling over recent events with my hair. I have to be completely honest and tell you that I am extremely unhappy with my hair. It feels so short to me right now, my sides are barely shoulder length. Its so disheartening to have setback after setback because of a STYLIST! To answer a few comments:

- I absolutely do NOT think 2-3" needed to be taken off. This is ridiculous.
- I don't think it looks good at all, but thank you for trying to encourage me. Its choppy and uneven and stupid looking.
- Yes I do believe in lead hairs. Which is why I only asked for a HALF inch to be taken off.
- Yes, I do think this could have been avoided.
- No, I am not a person who has an eternal quest for "perfect" ends. This is completely at the hands of the stylist. I understand what you are saying that person after person seems to do big trims saying "oh, its a setback" but honestly the health of my hair is amazing right now. My ends had maybe another inch that needed to go...which would have over the course of the year. But taking off as much as she did to give me a cut that will STILL need to be evened up eventually is infuriating.

I'm feeling very negative right now, and even had thoughts of just big chopping I was so frustrated. Which is a very extreme reaction, I know. I think if at the end of the day I thought it looked GOOD, I could tolerate it much better...but this is like a year's worth of progress gone for me. And it looks crazy! The uneven areas...WHAT THE EFF. So, pardon me if I'm not feeling super upbeat. I had finally gotten to "happy" with my hair and even had a post already written discussing this with you. I was going to say that while I am still on my length quest, I was so satisfied with every single thing about my hair that this journey had finally become "just for fun" for me. Which was an amazing place to be in! But here I am three years later (almost) feeling like I have to start over. Whatever. It will grow back, but in the meantime I am left being unhappy. Smh. I'm just being completely real with ya'll. I. hate. it.

So...I am going to finish out the rollersetting challenge. But pardon me if my hair posts decline greatly. In the meantime, I am going to focus on my weight loss journey. Because I really can't stand being this upset about my hair. No, I didn't cry...but I'm just so freakin discouraged! Again, just being honest. Your supportive responses have helped but when YOU are unhappy with your own hair, it really doesn't matter what other people say, you know? I feel like I am back to last year obsessing about growing it back and I just...ugh. Whatever.

What I can say is that unless I am in NJ sitting in my home stylist's chair, no one else will touch my hair ever again. I'm out. I'm done. I'm over it. I'm tired of having setback after setback because of SOMEONE ELSE. I'm sooooooooooooo done.

2 inch "trim"

2012-02-18T20:24:00.002-08:00

Well...I went into Master Cuts on Saturday evening. Asked for a TRIM. The stylist sat me in the chair and asked "How much do you want taken off?" I answered "Only about a half inch, not much at all. And only around the perimeter do not go into the hair and do anything with the layers." She said okay and pulled my hair down to begin. Right away I got a little nervous. I didn't do my normal "put the fear of God into this lady so she doesn't cut more than necessary" routine. But I relaxed because my ends were in great shape despite having the last remnants of thinness from last year's setback. To refresh your memory in case you didn't watch the relaxer update video, here is a still pic of my airdried hair last week:

So if it had been straight, I have a sneaky suspicion I would have been very close to this year's aspiration of being BSL. As you know I'm attempting NOT to length check until June, so I don't have an official length update for this month. Although my ends look even and they are definitely not what I would call scraggley, there is clearly an area of thinness on them. It wasn't a huge deal but I did want to trim it away GRADUALLY over the course of the year.

What needed to be taken off...

Alas, the stylist today had other ideas in mind. She trimmed like my hair would just sprout back overnight. And after the very first snip, I knew something was wrong. I stopped her and looked. I was upset when I looked at what she did but then I noticed that she literally got rid of all of the last bit of thin ends. After a short debate in my head, I allowed her to continue. The Result?

What actually got taken off...and its an uneven APL at that!

Mind you this is WET versus AIRDRIED hair. Yeah, so she took at least two inches. *sigh*

I am upset because it is not what I asked for, not what I was expecting, and I have something kinda special to do this weekend. Also, she did not even do a good job on the trim, its all uneven! That is exactly what I get for trying to save money I suppose. Well, thick ends was the overall goal it just happened sooner than I wanted. My plan?

Stick to my regimen, rollerset, hide it, exercise and eat well.

So, at the end of the challenge I'll probably only be back where I was before this trim!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. (that's my angry sound. lol!)

But, my ends will be thick!

Hot Rollers Tutorial

2012-02-18T00:07:00.002-08:00

Finally I recorded myself using my hot roller set! The video is longer than I prefer because I do a bit of rambling, but it shows the size of my rollers, my sectioning and the way in which I roll to achieve this look. To prep, be sure to moisturize and seal your hair well - particularly if your rollers are flocked (fabric-feel) like mine. My hair had been co-washed and airdried before creating this look. Enjoy!

Oh and in the video I reference a study that states that the heat produced from hot rollers (170F) is not high enough to damage the hair even after 50 uses, however the manipulation of winding and unwinding has caused damage. I am not able to link the full article but there is a book available for public viewing (preview can be read here, page 67)

Remember that hot rollers can be used in our 6 Month Rollersetting Challenge - since my hair was airdried it meets the requirement of not using direct heat also!

Does your relationship status dictate your hair choices?

2012-02-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day ladies! A few weeks ago I read an article on MadamNoire entitled 9 Reason to be Happy to be Single or something like that. One of the reasons was that as a single woman (Black woman in particular) you aren't scared to drastically change your hair and that perhaps with that major change you will find yourself attracting a different type of man. So of course that sparked a response within me and is the inspiration behind my most recent guest post on Black Hair Information. To read my thoughts please click here, don't forget to leave a comment so I can hear your opinions! Enjoy.

February 2012 Relaxer Update (pictorial)

2012-02-13T16:35:00.000-08:00

I did not have time this weekend to record a live video. Sure, sure, I could've done it during the Grammys but that is when I edited this video and my requested flexirod updo tutorial! So I was making good use of that spare time, I promise! lol. Anywhooooo, here is a video of pictures explaining my processes and visual support. As you know, I'm on team #nolengthcheck until June 21, the end of our 6 month challenge. Therefore I opted to airdry as opposed to rollerwrap my hair so that I could feel my length but not exactly measure it. Hope that makes sense. I completely am satisfied with the results, my hair feels sooooo soft, smooth, straight, and silky! I definitely think I've perfected my relaxing process. I do plan to do it myself again, but don't have any intentions of never allowing a stylist to do it again. I still prefer to let the professionals do it even with my amazing results. But, since I have so many "special" steps I want done and to save money (which is one of the best parts), I'll be doing it myself for a while. I think. We'll see.

Whelp, enjoy and PLEASE let me know what you think!

Flexirod Updo Tutorial

2012-02-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

I edited this video while watching the Grammy's tonight and tweeting. Man...why ya'll ain't tell me about Twitter sooner?! I swear I felt like I typed and was on my phone all evening! At one point my mother called and I told her I couldn't talk right now and she asked why. I said Mommy, I am watching the Grammy's, tweeting and editing a video all at once and I just don't have the mental capacity to carry a conversation right now! I GOTTA GO! She laughed so hard at me, and she knows how serious I am about watching award shows anyway. I have to admit it was pretty comical how seriously into Twitter I was. I think I may need an intervention! lol.

Anyway, here is the video tutorial of the Flexirod Updo (see original post for details) I posted last week. I honestly don't think its a great tutorial...but at least you can kinda see what I did. Enjoy!

On another note, I don't plan to do too many "celebrity" posts, but I must acknowledge the death of Ms. Whitney Houston. So sad. My heart definitely goes out to her young daughter.

Relaxed at 11 Weeks Post!

2012-02-11T03:14:00.000-08:00

My last relaxer was on 11-25-11. Before that touch-up, I had told you that I was planning to self-relax in this post, but decided to visit my "home stylist" when I went to NJ for Thanksgiving. She did an amazing job both with my relaxer and my trim (as you may remember) but now that I'm back where I currently reside...I was back at square one about whether to go to the salon or do it myself.

Well, if you follow me on Twitter then you already know...I SELF RELAXED! I used Optimum Care No-Lye Relaxer and followed Jeni's method, which became Shika's method of self-relaxing, which involves pre-parting your hair, twisting the sections so they stay separate, basing the scalp and doing one half of your hair at a time (covering one side with shower caps, apply relaxer to other half, neutralize, then do the covered half the same way). I had the best relaxer results ever! I will be doing a vlog about the experience (pray it gets edited & posted soon) because if I were to type it this post would be like a term paper. But let me hit the high points quickly.

Optimum Care: I chose this relaxer because it contains ceramides and ya'll already know how hard I've been on that wagon. To refresh your memory in my original post about ceramides, I explained that relaxed hair benefits from ceramides most and that synthetic ceramides are more potent than natural ones. So, that being said...I decided this relaxer was worth trying, plus I like no-lye, and trust me this relaxer did NOT disappoint. My hair straightened amazingly well (I relax completely straight, not a texlaxer) and it feels super smooth.
I rinsed extremely well, applied the supplied Optimum Care Reconstructor, THEN neutralized. I also chelated with CHI Clean Start because no-lye relaxers are notorious for leaving mineral deposits in the hair causing dryness.
I can tell my hair grew but I resisted the urge to length check. I really don't think I'm BSL yet. So what would be the point? Still stickin' with my goals for 2012!
I plan on trimming ONLY 0.5" tomorrow at a generic chain shop like Supercuts or Great Clips.
Even though this experience yielded amazing results...I still would prefer to visit a salon. I can do it myself, but honestly would love not to have to. But I do think I will be doing it myself for a while.

Now I know you are saying this post is absolutely useless without pictures. I say the same thing when folks post about relaxing...but then promise pics later. *hangs head in shame* Sorry about that! BUT the video will be filmed this weekend and you will get more details and pics then! I'll talk about the things that worked well, what I will do differently, my thoughts on the Optimum Care No-Lye Relaxer, my process - all of that good stuff! So stay plugged into L4L!

Random Vlog: I'm Getting Old

2012-02-09T19:49:00.000-08:00

My YouTube subbies requested more "personality" type videos a few months ago; although I definitely feel that I talk plenty about me and my life here on the blog I can understand that request from someone who only watches my videos and doesn't follow L4L. So I decided that once a month I would post a video of random rambling on whatever topic comes to mind. Here is the February edition of "Me Behind the Scenes" and somehow I decided to talk about the fact that I realize I'm getting old! lol. Enjoy.

FYI - I was rolling the Tonsure U-Part wig, this is not my hair.

I can't remember if I posted the results, I don't think I did.

Weight Loss: Best Smoothie I've EVER Made!

2012-02-08T22:40:00.000-08:00

If you followed my weight loss journey via my YouTube channel in 2010, you know I am a huge fan of smoothies. I love them as a dessert, for breakfast, after working out, as a snack...I just think they are so healthy, filling and tasty! An awesome way to get several servings of fruit, some dairy, protein (if you add it) quickly in one sitting. And for weight loss, these benefits are practically worth gold! I do my smoothies all different ways: sometimes with yogurt and fruit, sometimes with protein powder, fruit and milk, and sometimes with ice, fruit and yogurt. It really just depends on what I have on hand.

I use a Magic Bullet blender for my smoothies. I love the ease of cleaning this little personal sized appliance and how convenient drinking out of the same container used to blend. One thing to wash! Since I've been doing smoothies for so long, I don't have a "set" recipe that I follow. This week, I juiced a pineapple and a few apples in my Jack La'Lanne Juicer. Yes, I saved the pulp too! It tastes great, but surprisingly a little too concentrated for my taste buds to drink directly so I decided to use it in my smoothie. Let me tell you it was PERFECTION!!! It was so good I decided to share my experience.

Here is what I did: Filled 1/3 of the Magic Bullet Cup (the large one) with cut strawberries, cut up one small banana, added about 1/4 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt and filled the rest with my pineapple/apple juice. Screwed on the top and blended for about 20 seconds. The smoothie was SO good, sweet but not overwhelmingly, the perfect consistency - not too thick but not too liquidy, it was just perfect! The best part is that I had 3-4 servings of fruit with little calories in one beverage. Freshly juiced fruits are so much healthier than buying fruit juice, even when it is labeled 100%. I know I have a lot of kitchen gadgets - but trust me almost all of them were gifts...my juicer is the newest addition from Christmas 2010. If you can splurge for one, it is worth it. I can't wait to try one with the pulp from this juicing session...will keep you posted.

Lastly - and you probably could guess that I was going to at least mention this - healthy eating does help your hair. The first time I grew my hair from its "perpetual" shoulder length to full APL, I was working out 5-6 days per week and eating a very clean diet. Not only did my hair thrive but my skin cleared, my nails grew, and of course my body looked great! I'm even MORE excited to see my final results from our six month rollersetting challenge. Now that I've finally added exercise and better eating habits...I have a feeling I'm going to shock myself!

Versatile Blogger Award!

2012-02-07T16:42:00.000-08:00

Thanks Ticka (Spoon Full of Sugar) for giving me this award. Ticka is a fashion/hair/makeup blogger who is also a part of the Rollersetting Challenge. My attempt at a curly set with magnetic rollers was inspired partially by her because she rocks them oh-so-well - check her out! The rules are very simple: in order for me to accept this nomination, I must do the following:

1. I must thank the blogger who nominated me for the award and provide a link back to them in my post.
2. I must share 7 random things about myself.
3. I must pass the award along to 15 recently discovered blogs I enjoy reading.
4. I must contact my chosen bloggers via Facebook, twitter, email etc, to let them know about the award.
5. I must add the versatile Blogger award picture on my blog post.

Seven random things that I haven't already shared? Hmmm....

I love infinity scarves! The bigger the better! I'm sure I'll be rocking them long after they go "out."
I hate when a first date with a guy is dinner + movie. Unless its something we really want to see, I think it's lazy planning because that's such a stereotypical date PLUS you can't get to know someone in a movie theater.
Red drinks, which I absolutely love, when ingested in large quantities give me migranes. Sometimes I crave "red" Kool-Aid (yes red, not cherry) so badly that I just pop some Excedrin Migrane ahead of time and suffer the consequences.
I look forward to the days when I will be able to spoil my parents. Trips, shopping, dinner, whatever - on me.
I am an Ashanti fan, although I haven't always admitted it. Not because she can really sing, but because her songs are always really catchy and don't require a lot of vocal ability. I own 3 of her albums, including the Christmas one, and ABSOLUTELY LOVE her new single The Woman You Love. Plus I think she is super pretty with great fashion sense also. So yep...clearly I'm a fan!
Being consistent on my HHJ isn't difficult at all for me. Being consistent with my healthy life journey is the hard part - clean eating and exercise. I'm currently trying to marry the two journeys.
One of my favorite shows is King of Queens. I watch the reruns all the time! Kevin James is hilarious!

Now - awarding 15 new blogs...wow 15?! Hmmm, ok here are a quite a few new ones that I recently found and loveeee! I've never tagged any of the following ladies, and they ALL have awesome hair blogs!

1. Fiend for Beauty

2. Kim - Fancy Flair Lady

3. Dr. Fomsky - Sizzling Mommy

4. On Some Hair Sh*t
5. TracieBLovely - From Wack to Midback
6. Deb - Prettiful Me
7. Blutiful Blaq
8. Simply Into my Hair
9. Guyanesesista
10. Kiki - My Hair Grows Too
11. Tai - Stranded: A Healthy Hair Journey
12. Alicia L. - Shoulder Length & Beyond
13. Rana - Journey to Long Hair
14. CharissaZoe
15. Amateur Dreams

Whew! I follow a LOT of blogs.

Also for those who haven't 'Liked' me on Facebook, I am in the process of uploading ALL my hair journey photos. So for the styles I've worn over the past 3 years, check it out!

Wash Day: Pre-Relaxer & Flexirod Updo

2012-02-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

Today's Updo

Seems like its been a while since I posted actively about MY hair! I've been busy and luckily had a few pre-written posts to stay plugged in with you ladies! So anyway, I wore my hair cornrowed under my u-part wig for about 2 weeks. I rollerset my hair prior to braiding which may seem like overkill, but it made braiding a cinch and my hair seemed much less coarse with no tangles after removing the braids. I ❤ rollersetting!

I plan on relaxing next week at 11 weeks post. To prep, after removing my cornrows I rocked a braidout for a couple of days and allowed any trapped shed hair to be removed. I followed my exact pre-relaxer regimen, prepooing with my hair silk oil, Aphogee 2 step protein treatment (mixed the balancing moisturizer with Roux Porosity Control), then the Bee Mine moisturizing conditioner. I've been sticking to my entire regimen to the letter and my hair feels like its thriving...yay!

I set the back of my hair onto 6-7 large 1" green flexirods, pushed the right side back and used grey and purple flexirods for the left front area. If you desire your curls to be big and full rather than spiraling down, alternate between two closely sized rods, which is what I was going for with this look. Once dry, I did an inverted french braid in the back, pushed the right side back, pinned everything into place and separated the curls on the left side. I did try to record the process but I'm not sure how good the footage is since it was actually a struggle to set my hair this week, which I will expound on in my next post.

Although my hair was not very cooperative, I did get it set and the results were well worth the trouble. The mini-challenges of the overall 6 Month RS Challenge are not only for you to win prizes; They are for me as well as those who don't win to stay motivated, to inspire you to try some different looks and keep it interesting. So don't limit yourself to wearing the same type of set for the entire six months, step outside your box and try something new!

I'm set to relax on Saturday morning. I will definitely be getting a trim, even though I know for a fact my ends are making great improvements. I want to keep my ends healthy and get ride of the last few inches of thinness. Honestly, I'm so over avoiding trims for the sake of retaining length faster - a setback of see through ends will do that to you! :-)

I think I'm going to get a curly rollerset so that my full length is "hidden" and I won't be tempted to length check, but even if it is straight I know I won't do anything official to see where my length falls. I'm really proud of how consistent I've been not only with my regimen but with all of the goals I set for myself this year and for the challenge!

Go Team Rollerset!

Reader Q: What are the benefits of doing a clear rinse?

2012-02-04T19:10:00.000-08:00

One of the questions I received last month was in regards to the clear rinse I did on my hair. I mentioned briefly in this wash day update that I used the Jazzing Clear Rinse and subsequently a reader asked what its benefits were. I think it is a great question and recorded a video last week explaining the difference. I have to always remember that not all of my lovely blog followers also subscribe to my YouTube channel and vice versa; I always try to make sure I give out all pertinent information to both parties, but sometimes I miss the boat. So here are are the benefits of clear rinses:

Revitalize your hair color (if you have semi, demi, or permanent hair color). Safe to use on top of color treated hair to give your hair a boost. Also can help prevent fading.
Silkens your hair and therefore reduces the friction co-efficient between the strands which potentially means less damage and breakage
Protects against harsh weather environment (extreme cold, hot or dry)
Corrects your porosity: Temporary clear or colored rinses also contain proteins that bind to and patch up the hair shaft. This is especially helpful if your hair is over porous.
Reduces frizz: because it binds to the hair cuticle, it seals the strand therefore reducing frizz.
Locks in moisture: if your moisture/protein balance is on point, it is helpful to do a clear rinse after a moisturizing deep condition to lock in moisture. Again, because clear rinses seal the cuticle it helps prevent moisture from escaping.

I should mention that not only are there clear rinses, there are also glazes and cellophane treatments. I will be trying a few different brands over the next few months and plan to eventually do a comparison between them.

Hana Titanium Ionic Flat Iron Review

2012-02-02T14:18:00.000-08:00

Warning: Anytime I am sent something to review, I feel obligated to give a very thorough assessment - which in my case usually means long! lol. In an effort to be as detailed as possible this post is a little wordy, extremely lengthy and a bit pic heavy. Hopefully you will appreciate the comprehensive review despite that!

Hana Titanium Ionic 1.5" Flat Iron

The Packaging. I was sent this iron to review from Misikko a couple of weeks ago. First let me just say that if you are a packaging fanatic then Misikko is the place to shop; If you have ever read or seen anyone else's review on the Hana Titanium Ionic Flat Iron then you are already familiar. Misikko sends you not only the iron, but a bunch of goodies - sleep mask, thermal pouch, ELF eyeshadows and lash curler, just to name a few. It is all laid out very prettily in the box. Although I am not a package-fanatic as I've seen some ladies are, the way in which the iron is sent to you is cute and it definitely makes the product seem more special. From my understanding (yes, I asked to be clear for you ladies), every purchased iron arrives the same way...not only those that are given away for reviews. So if you do love cute packaging then this is right up your alley!

The Shipping: The iron was shipped via UPS, Misikko supplied a tracking # and it arrived in 2 days.

The iron. It is made of a pure ceramic heating element, with the top layers being pure titanium. There is no coating on the iron. I called Misikko for clarification because the description is confusing saying 100% Pure Ceramic with Titanium, but also Pure Titanium Plates. They are not being deceptive, its just a little difficult to understand. I've created a diagram to help you visualize exactly what I mean.

The heating element is inside the flat iron while the plates are on top.

While preparing to give this review, I was inspired to learn the difference between ceramic and titanium. For your knowledge, I wrote an article on BHI that explains it very clearly which will be posted later in the month. Briefly, ceramic is known to heat evenly and emit negative ions, so all ceramic and titanium flat irons are in fact ionic. Hair is positively charged due to its water content so coating it with a negative charge neutralizes it and in theory results in smoother, less frizzy, shinier hair. Titanium, however, heats even more evenly and faster than ceramic. Also this iron has tourmaline, which means that tourmaline crystals are infused into the titanium plates emitting a large amount of negative ions (more than ceramic or titanium alone) and therefore will straighten the hair better. Be on the look out for my upcoming article for more detail.

I showed you in my recent haul video where the ceramic coat was chipping on my FHI Platform Iron. I actually was surprised when this happened because I distinctly remember researching flat irons before asking for this one for Christmas and seeing on the FHI website that this iron was PURE ceramic plates, no coating. Now I have discovered that is only true of the more expensive model, the FHI Runway. So you have to be careful when purchasing an iron that you are actually getting what you think you are paying for! The fact that this iron does not have any coating and is comprised of pure ceramic and titanium is a plus for me. Not only does that mean no chipping which can potentially harm your hair, it also means that the plates will heat evenly and the heat will be transferred to your hair diffusely, without any overheated or cold spots. This should give you consistent, smooth results.

The appearance of the plates are very cool. They look like a perfect mirror, nice and shiny! I must say that although I am not one to be overwhelmed by packaging, the shininess of the cool metal made me giddy with excitement! I demonstrate how I used the iron on my 3/4 wig from Tonsure Hair in the below video if you would like to see it in action:

I also flat ironed my roots following a rollerset to see how it felt on my own hair, not just how it performed on the wig. The pictures do not really show much to be honest, but I have included them to satisfy your curiosity. My roots were not pin-straight but that was my intention. You guys know I don't like very straight hair so I only set the temperature to 300°F.

The Plates: I already said the plates are hi-tech looking and being mirrored, should be easy to clean. I have to say that the plates felt exceptionally smooth on my hair, much more than my FHI iron - which I never had any complaints about, but now feels a little inadequate. This could be because of my excitement over the apparent "upgrade" to a titanium iron, my disappointment over the chipping, or it may actually be true, lol! The plates definitely glided along my roots very easily.

Features: The size is a plus for me also. I was actually thinking about purchasing a larger 2" iron before Misikko contacted me, but I held off because I wasn't sure if I would still be able to curl and flip with that size. 1.5" plates seem like the perfect "in between" size. I was able to straighten my wig very quickly and because of the beveled edges you can add as much or as little curl as you want. I only bent the bottom layer as you can see in the video, but was also able to make more curl on the upper layers.

It heats up extremely quickly, at a 300°F setting it only took about 20 seconds and I timed it for accuracy. The iron has an indicator light that blinks while heating but remains steady when at the requested temperature. The adjustable temperature is a big deal for me too because I find that my hair actually straightens best at temperatures below 400°F, while the weave straightened best at 425°F. On my real hair I always like to use as little heat as possible to get the job done.

It does have a 360° swivel cord BUT the part that connects the cord to the iron is a rectangular rubber piece that is not very flexible. So while the cord does indeed swivel, this design makes it not as easy to navigate as some other 360° cords. Not a huge deal for me, but worth mentioning for the sake of being thorough. Some may actually prefer this extra protection on the cord to ensure that it won't fray over time as many do, because I can say that it feels stronger than most cords.

The only "con" I can say is really missing from this iron is an automatic shut off. I am notorious for forgetting to turn my irons off. ALL irons - clothes, curling, flat...whatever! So I typically look for this feature when buying any of the aforementioned. I actually did forget to turn this off and when I went back into the bathroom to give a final look before leaving home, I realized I hadn't turned it off. I do this with my hair tools more often then I care to admit - in my head I'm always thinking "let me leave it plugged up in case there is something out of place I want to fix before I leave" and then I forget to come back and turn it off.

You, however, may not have that issue!

Overall. Because my previous iron began to chip, I was already considering purchasing a new iron. I had been holding off few a few reasons. One, I don't use direct heat that often. Two, my hair thrives most when not using direct heat very often. For these reasons, I could not justify purchasing an expensive new tool that I wouldn't and shouldn't use regularly. Three, I dreaded doing the research to decide which tool would be the best purchase. However, the Hana Titanium Ionic Iron was definitely in the running because of the review given here. Tanya's results were gorgeous and seeing is believing. Even if you aren't interested in this iron, click on her link to see some amazing hair porn!

After receiving and using this iron, I would recommend it. It straightened my weave and my roots well. I also feel it has less potential to be damaging than many other irons on the market because of the smoothness of the plates and the superior materials (pure plates, Titanium and Tourmaline). The price is $174.99 with free shipping and they usually have promo codes on their site and send via their mailing list.

To see and purchase the flat iron:

http://www.misikko.com/hana-titanium-flat-iron.html

Hana Pro also makes blow dryers and Misikko sells a large selection of high end curling irons as well.

Rollersetter Spotlight: Toy (aka SMHHG)

2012-02-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

This month's spotlight focuses on a natural rollersetter, Toy, who is the owner of Healthy Hair Zone social network, author of See My Healthy Hair Grow blog, and vlogger. I cannot remember when I began following Toy, but I do know it was first through her You Tube channel. She has really beautiful hair, and you ladies should know by now that I appreciate beautiful HEALTHY hair, regardless of whether it is chemically straightened or not. As I watched her videos, around the time I was contemplating doing more sets, Toy began to upload some roller and rod set tutorials and the results were always stunning (I even featured one of her vids on my Rollersetting Tips)! I was amazed at how smooth she seemed to get her hair - and I know that is an area that many unrelaxed ladies struggle with. The L4L Rollersetting Challenge is not only for relaxed ladies, it's for anyone who desires healthy hair! To that end, I asked Toy if should would like to be a feature and she graciously agreed. Enjoy!

What is your hair type and length?

My hair length is just passing APL (armpit length) and approaching BS (bra strap). My hair type is debatable. It's mostly 3c along the hair line and crown but in other areas it's similar to a 4. Overall my hair has a mind of it's own and can be dry and coarse at times.

How often do you roller or flexirod set your hair and how long does it normally last?

Since starting the challenge (evidently Toy is in a rollersetting challenger herself!), I've set my natural hair for three consecutive weeks. The fourth week I blew out my hair and did a braid out. My sets usually last an entire week.

What are your staple setting products?

Lottabody (Magnetic Roller Set)
Lock and Twist Gel ( Flexi Rod Set)
Aphogee Leave-in-Conditioner
Agadir Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner
Olive Oil Replensishing Deep Conditioner

Day 3 Flexirod Set

Did you roller/rod set your hair while transitioning?

Yes, that's basically how I transitioned from relaxed to natural (7 month transition). It was a healthy styling alternative instead of using direct heat. Wet sets also allowed me to blend my new growth with the relaxed ends.

How do you think roller/rod sets benefit your hair?

The benefits of setting my hair are numerous. It allows me to wear my hair in a stretched state which is great for me because my hair knots up pretty easily. Also, I can get smooth hair without direct heat which in turn allows me the opportunity to retain length more easily. I also like the fact that I can have the same low maintenance style for and entire week before having to reset my natural hair.

Since becoming fully natural did you ever think you couldn't set your natural hair successfully without it being a frizzy mess? If so, what changed your mind?

Transitioning Style: Toy's Silk Wrap

I had a lot of practice in my younger years with roller sets. I graduated cosmetology school back in 1998 and you must successfully complete a frizz free set on all types of hair before you're allowed to move onto the next section. Practice really does make perfect and after A LOT of practice, I had the confidence to do roller sets on my own natural hair at home.

What advice would you give others who are attempting to set their natural or transitioning hair for the best results?
The best advice I can give is to have patience. Give yourself time to develop the motor skills needed to roll the hair neatly and quickly. Also try different products to see which one works best for your hair. Once you get your regimen down, it's a snap after that! Best Wishes!

Thank you so much, Toy, for your wonderful responses. It is not often that we come across a certified cosmetologist and healthy hair journeyer! I know we have some transitioning and natural ladies in the challenge, hopefully this serves as inspiration for you in particular. Happy setting!

Curling Wand on Tonsure U-Part Wig

2012-01-31T00:51:00.000-08:00

As much as I dislike Kim Kardashian and her fame for releasing her own sex tape amongst other shenanigans (that's a rant for another day), I must give the girl props - her hair and fashion game are almost always on point! So, like most other u-part wig wearers, I did my own KK-esque inspired look with my Plugged In Clampless Curling Wand. I love the look - another "instant sexy" for me! lol.

This wig looks great straight but I think I prefer the curly/wavy look. Or maybe that's just what I'm into at the moment? I actually made another u-part wig with some old Spanish Wavy hair I had from Adorable Hair and I can't wait to debut it! This time the process was much smoother...I didn't record my process but I will record a 'Tips for 3/4 Wig Making' video soon. I think the things I learned will be a huge help to anyone interested in trying the process themselves.

Overall I'm extremely pleased with this wig and the hair from Tonsure Hair. I feel I am qualified now to give a thorough review which I will do via video soon. It will be in depth and very honest.

Stay tuned, er um...keep reading!

January Roller/Silk Wrap Challenge

2012-01-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

Time for our first mini-challenge of our 6 Month Rollersetting Challenge ! We had lots of ladies do some very fabulous wraps this month! I don't know how you will decide: shine, bounce, smoothness, health? Its gonna be a tough choice regardless! All the ladies that decided to participate are listed below with their picture (name & info where available is below their photo). At the bottom of the post is a poll that will be open for three weeks, please cast your vote! Even you lurkers!

Also, share on your blogs and tweet to your followers. Voting is always more fun when we have more participants! To see my sets from January, go to the official check-in #1.

La QT / Ty
http://www.relaxedlongway2grow.com

Alicia L.
http://shoulderlengthandbeyond.blogspot.com

Blutiful Blaq @Blu_KiZmet
http://blutifulblaqhair.blogspot.com/

Tai @StrandedHHJ
http://strandedhhj.blogspot.com/

Kim @FancyFlairLady
http://fancyflairlady.blogspot.com/

Shika @Shiksarama

[Hair]i.amWorld

Keoisha @ MrsDoingMe2011

http://www.youtube.com/mrsdoingme2011

I know we had a few late comers to our 6 Month Rollersetting Challenge, so for those who are uninformed about the rules please check out the official post and the monthly challenges & prizes to get up to speed.

Everybody did a wonderful job!
Thank you so much for participating this month,
cast your vote via the poll on the left sidebar.

I'm already looking forward to next month's challenge, the best roller/rod set updo!

Hair (and other stuff) Ramble...

2012-01-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

Seems like I'm doing a lot of rambling lately...but what's a blog if you can't share your thoughts, right?!

Ya'll made me blush - forreal - with all of your compliments on the Tonsure Hair Straightened post! I actually did something new with my makeup...and I wonder if it made that much of a difference. I sent those pics to my male suitor (he aint a boo, but more than a friend...lmao) and he was even like WOW, I LIKE! Thanks to all who commented, it made my day(s)!
I have no idea what I'm going to do with my old hooded dryer. I want to sell it - or even give it away just to get it out of my apartment ASAP. But then I say...no wait til my cousin (who visits me at least once a year) comes and send it back with her for her teenage daughter, who is super interested in haircare. Although...I can't get her to follow a regimen to save her life. And I even gave her my Cathy Howse book since she wouldn't sign up for KISS...but I digress.
I'm so inspired by the RS challenge, I swear I want to do a new set like every few days just because I have so many looks I want to try. In keeping with my own rules though, I have only set once a week.
I'm super busy right now and I feel like I'm failing at getting everything done. I have enough time to do it all (professional, spiritual, exercise, hair, blogging) but I realize I rarely am using ALL of my time efficiently anymore. That must change.
I am thinking that after this challenge, I may do a summer protective style challenge. 3 months of hiding with different u-part wigs sounds really good right now, but I'm so bi-polar when it comes to deciding how I want to wear my hair next. *shrugs*
On a completely random note. I hope I don't have to attend not one more wedding alone. With most recent invite I received the bride said "I'll make sure you're sitting with some great people." The wedding is like 10 months away and she just knows I'll be attending by myself. If I can be honest with you...that assumption annoyed the heck outta me! If I don't have a man, can I at least get a steady stand-by?! *sheesh*

Oh, and so this post isn't completely a waste of your time, here's some pics of my Tonsure U-part wig that I (dry) set on purple flexirods overnight. Even my wig is getting in on the rollersetting game! lmao!

Haircare Ain't Easy | Bloopers Tag!

2012-01-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Fiona from LYT for tagging me! Fiona is an awesome relaxed hair blogger, one of the things I like most is that she truly has fun with her hair. Recently she did a 30 in 30 challenge, in which she wore a different hairstyle everyday for 39 days! I need to do something like that.

Anywhooo, here is the tag:

Not speaking up. *sorry for all of those who've heard this story a ba-zillion times* My HHJ began in April of 2009 but was promptly set back in May by a hairdresser who didn't neutralize properly. And she "trimmed" several inches away into an awful shaped cut that I am still trying to recover from. I felt like I was losing a lot of hair...but I thought "she's the professional, I don't want to micromanage her...she knows I'm trying to grow my hair out....let me wait til I see the final product before saying anything...etc." At the end of the day, I walked out with hair that was several inches shorter and a scalp that was still tingling and would later be burnt. SMH. Now, I am very vocal - not rude, just clear - about my haircare, both before and during the service.
Stretching for long periods of time. When I started my journey, I primarily looked to Traycee and other KISS members for inspiration and guidance. They all stretched for long periods of time and attributed part of their success to this technique so I figured I needed to do it also. Out of necessity I stretched for 7 months under wigs...with not a tremendous amount of retention. Then last year, out of convenience and styling choices I stretched for another 7 months with weave and wigs, which led to an eventual setback. Now I relax comfortably between 10-12 weeks, and sometimes even sooner if a life event calls for it. Everybody's journey is different and there is no one size fits all. My hair can tolerate frequent relaxing without negative side effects, provided I don't overlap, overprocess and keep my hair in proper moisture/protein balance.
Semi-Permanent Color. My hairstylist in NJ must've had some color or bleach left on either a comb or towel or SOMETHING because I ended up with a blond spot smack dead in the front of my hair in late 2009. It wasn't very large but it bothered me so I dyed my hair with Clairol's Beautiful Browns (Darkest Brown) to cover it. Dye all over the tub, all over the t-shirt I used to blot, just a messy process! I loved the way my hair looked, but HATED the straw-like feel of my strands. Nope nope nope, double processing is NOT for me (although TopNotch2010 has shown us it can be done!)
Damp Bunning. I saw a couple of people who had amazing retention and thought okay - I'll sacrifice my style for length temporarily to race to my goals faster. I tried it alone and with phony ponytails, but mostly all I got was breakage. My hair doesn't like it, sew-ins work best as my protective style for length retention. I'm going to try to duplicate my results from a sew in with u-part wigs this summer.
Honey. Yep, I know ya'll tout it as a great humectant that makes your hair shiny, soft and moisturized...but for ME, it was messy, sticky, and did nothing miraculous for my hair. Plus, how much does honey cost?! Ummmm, yeah...no thanks!

Luckily I haven't had too many complete epic fails. Usually its just the process of perfecting a technique. Like the first few times I baggied - ohhhhhh my, what a disaster. And it took me 2 years to learn how to do a good bantu knot out set. But a lot of the really "strange" practices, I just sat back and followed others who tried it. Like when it was popular to put bananas in the hair as a DC, people started coming back saying OMG MY HAIR STANK FOR DAYS and PIECES OF BANANA WERE STUCK IN MY HAIR, etc. So, I was glad I never tried it. Following other blogs and joining a few hair boards really saved me from quite a few disasters I'm sure. :-)

Tag You're It!

LaQT (Relaxed >> Long Way to Grow)

Aireen (Affair with Beauty)

On Some Hair Sh*t

FEG (What's Up with My Hair?)

Rana (Journey to Long Hair)

Tonsure U-Part Wig Straightened

2012-01-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

I don't have a lot of time for my normal detail-packed type of post, but I just wanted to show you the Tonsure U-Part Wig Straightened. I do not have any additional clip-ins, this is the regular density 18" Deep Wavy Wig straightened with my new Hana Pro Flat Iron that I am currently reviewing. This is my dream hair. It is a smidge longer than what I envision my final stop to be, but for now, I will say that 18" from root to tip all the way around would be the perfect length on me. Because this wig isn't extremely full like most sew ins (only 5.5 oz of hair versus 8) it is very realistic and natural looking and I can easily envision myself in a few years with hair exactly like this - growing out of my scalp!

More info, FAQs about the wig, and the straightening video to come...next week.

Don't forget to CHECK IN for the RS Challenge!!!

Rollerset Challenge CHECK IN #1

2012-01-24T18:52:00.000-08:00

Its been one month since the official start of the 6 Month Rollersetting Challenge. How are we doing? Thank you to all who updated their blogs, tweeted me their sets or wash day routines, shared a picture via Facebook, and left comments letting me know how you were doing. I hope that you have felt properly encouraged because you certainly are encouraging me! Please be sure to read (or scroll, lol) all the way to the bottom of the post!

My hair loves rollersetting and I've become very efficient with it, which is an accomplishment.

The biggest differences I've noticed since setting my hair weekly are:

Smooth hair. Sometimes when I airdry, although my hair feels soft, it can feel rough and coarse instead of smooth. Not so with rollersetting.
Less breakage. I'm not sure if this is due to the setting alone or the change in my hair regimen, but I see MUCH less breakage with setting weekly than doing a nightly low mani style (braid/twist/bantu knot outs).
Avoidance of using direct heat. Because I can achieve straight hair with lots of body without using heat, I haven't even been tempted to pick up my blow dryer or flat iron. Yay!
Less manipulation. I think this is going to be the biggest key to better retention for me this year.
No length checks. I've taken pictures of my hair, even from the back - but I didn't do it with my bra exposed nor did I worry about getting my roots super straight to see where my hair was.
PRESERVATION OF NICE ENDS (check the last set I did below). I really believe that by the end of 2012, my hair will be a nice, full, thick and healthy bra strap length with well preserved ends. Rollersets for the win!

Onto this month's challenge!!! Your best roller/silk wrap. I did a rollerwrap almost every wash! Here is a recap of my sets starting the week before Christmas:

December 18th:

December 31st:

January 7th:

January 14th:

January 21st:

You can't tell me my ends haven't made some drastic improvements!

I have worn different styles with my rollersets too. I didn't take pictures of all of them, but here are a few pics - for more info on each style do a search via the box on the right margin for:

1) U-Part Wig 2) Braided Bang/Twisted Bun 3) EZ Comb 4) Clip-Ins 5) Clip-Ins

Now, remember this month's challenge was the BEST silk or rollerwrap. If you updated your blog - link me below for the specific pictures you want entered. Those who tweeted me, I have already. I plan on posting by the end of the week, no late entries will be accepted after January 30th. Then the fun part! Lets drool over each other's hair as we vote for the winner!

Even if you are not participating in this month's challenge, please leave your update below!

February's Challenge:

Jazz it Up! The Best Roller/Rodset Updo!

HOTD: Braided Bang & Twisted Bun

2012-01-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

I washed my hair this weekend following my regular regimen, rollerset, flat ironed my roots, then wrapped it up. I was going to wear my hair down today, but I realized I have been wearing it down pretty much since the week before Christmas. And although my ends are well preserved, I was just tired of it! Time to do some creative styles! This isn't an original 'do, YouTube is full of versions of this "Basketball Wives" inspired look. SN: Am I the only one that feels those women are getting way too much credit for fashion? Between the hair and the earrings, I'm like really? Anywhoo, here is my version:

I braided the front bang to the side, braiding all the way to the end of my hair. Then I combed the remaining hair to the side of the braid and two strand twisted it. I then wrapped that twist on itself and pinned it into place. I did the same thing with the braid - wrapped it on itself into something like a circle and pinned it down also.

I love the final result, from the front and the back.

No ponytail holders were used at all which gives it a fuller final look in my opinion.

What DOESN'T my hair like?!

2012-01-22T11:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the comments and detailed opinions on my 'Let's talk about Sponsorship' post! A few of them really made me think. Jeni (of JustGrowAlready) brought up an excellent point about why she is sometimes hesitant to post reviews, check out part of her comment below:

Honestly, even if I purchase the products with my own funds, I still feel weird posting reviews. I have 5 sitting in my draft box because I always feel hesitant to share a review and wonder when I'm going to get that email that says "what doesn't your hair like?!" because, and this is pure luck, there aren't many products I've tried that I haven't liked. If I'm excited about a product I want to be honest about it my excitement and why I like it and often wonder how others view my reviews because what I view as a small con may be a deal breaker for others.

So this made me ponder - have I ever posted a negative review? Yes I have (Organix shampoo, read this and this) but I had to think long and hard about it. Generally I guess I only want to talk about and share when I feel I've found something GOOD. When a product is just so-so, I don't feel compelled to post on it. Also, I didn't begin my blog until I'd been on my hair journey for two years. So I had already done a lot of the "trial and error" with products and techniques and had found many staple products.

But, still Jeni's comment was a good one. So I figured I'd do a post on what MY hair DOESN'T like. Sit back, grab some popcorn because I have a feeling I'm going to be typing for a while...

Organix Passionfruit Guava Shampoo: I already gave the links to where I talked about this item above, but to reiterate why I don't like this shampoo, my hair felt stripped and tangled after using it. The end.
Jojoba oil: too light to be effective at moisturizing, didn't work well as a hot oil treatment or prepoo. Quite frankly to be such an expensive oil, I haven't found a great use for this item. I guess it gives a good shine...but shoot so do all my other oils. There are other oils that are also lightweight that my hair likes much better.
Sweet almond and Grapeseed oils: work well as prepoo oils when mixed with other oils and also for lightweight sealing in warm months when you don't want your hair weighed down. But I love both of these oils far better on my skin. I haven't used them on my hair in months and I'm just waiting to use them all up - I will only be repurchasing the Grapeseed oil for my skin.
Bee Mine Juicy Spritz: I mentioned this in my review of Bee Mine Moisturizers. I loveeee their products as you know, but this one definitely did not work for me. When I was home over the holidays my mom had a little bit in a sample size, and I tried it again. My hair does NOT like it and I suspect it is the ayurvedic powders - which is why I've never tried henna or cassia.
Wave Noveau spray and lotion/Neutragena Triple Moisture Leave-In: did not do a good job of moisturizing my hair. I didn't think they absorbed well either, I kept using more and more to try to get that "soft hair feeling" and I was just left with wet, overly saturated but unmoisturized hair.
Baggying wet hair. I'm left with wet, mushy hair. What am I supposed to do with that?!
Damp bunning. Didn't see any miraculous retention and in fact I think I got more breakage then anything.
Going to sleep loose. Some people can just go to sleep on satin sheets and pillowcase and wake up to well preserved hair. Nope, not I. I have to have it tied up with a scarf or bonnet. And yes, I am one of the crazies that sleeps with BOTH a satin scarf/bonnet and pillowcase. #dontjudgeme!
Denman Brush. I was tempted by all the natural ladies and the random relaxed girl that would rave about this brush. Definitely wayyyyyy too much for my relaxed hair, it don't need alladat! So, I use it when I need to vigorously brush out my synthetic wigs to breathe life back into them. Perfect for that.
Silk Elements Megasilk Moisturizing Treatment: this was just a so-so conditioner for me. Nothing spectacular but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever bought. Used about half of it then tossed the rest.
Long stretches. By now, you've heard me talk about my feelings on long stretches plus you witnessed the setback I had last year because of losing so much hair during detangling sessions while stretching beyond my hair's comfort zone (10-12 weeks).
Glycerin based moisturizers in the winter. I used S-Curl this summer but as SOON as the humidity levels dropped it did not work well for my hair. I'm going to try it again this summer since I plan to wear my u-parts a lot more, so I will have a chance to see if my hair responds well to it again during the warm weather.

Okay that is long enough I think. So you can see that I did do quite a bit of experimentation at the start of my journey. A lot of things were hot on the hair boards at the time and I jumped on them, just to see how my hair would respond. Really there is no other way to do it, unfortunately. Now, you don't have to go as hard as I did because I'm still trying to get rid of stuff 3 years later, but I think we all go through a phase of trial and error in the beginning to varying degrees. Plus there is a whole 'nother list of things I tried and actually liked but just never repurchased and found other staples.

I hope this was just as useful as when I rave about something my hair loves! Thanks Jeni for the inspiration for this post.

Now, its your turn - what doesn't your hair like?

Fashion: Style & Poise Inspired

2012-01-20T21:59:00.000-08:00

One lovely reader asked why I don't do fashion posts anymore (*insert super flattered face here*). Well...its hard to take good photos solo. It involves a tripod, timer, checkin to see that the whole outfit is in the shot. Lighting has to be much better with outfit photos than hair shots and I rarely am home during daylight hours. Then I misplaced my digital camera so now getting quality photos is impossible (so please forgive these pictures). *le sigh* I have been lookin kinda flyy lately, inspired by many of my favorite fashionista bloggers. Shoutout to Fashion Pad, Jeimy, MajorMustHaves, Eboni - just to name a few. Sorry I haven't been able to share those looks but here is one that was inspired by Style & Poise - another favorite of mine!

I wore this outfit to an NAACP Scholarship Benefit Gala. One thing I have learned about these events is that, although I would love to go all out, the atmosphere is more of a dressy church event than true semi-formal attire. When I saw this look months ago, I knew I would reproduce it and this was the perfect event. I even have a similar curly hair look thanks to my new wig from Tonsure Hair, lol! Thanks for the inspiration, chica because this is not a pairing I would have thought of on my own!

Its actually a blue swing dress from ASOS - not a skirt.

Don't you love versatility in your clothing?!

I'm totally into patterned and textured tights these days.

Sorry you never got a good look at the shoes. Or the super awesome clutch.

Toldja taking outfit pictures alone is tough!

This was after I realized I never got a "good" shoe shot.

Yeah, so...this didn't quite work either. But give me some credit for trying!!!

Don't mind the unblended frizzy hair at the top, it was raining as I walked to the car!

Yes, these photos are AFTER the event. I'm so not a fashion blogger, those ladies put me to shame with their photo quality, poses, awesome lighting...and they include the accessories! lol.

Dress: ASOS

Shirt/Sweater Combo, tights and belt: NY & Company