Natural Nina

Moving......

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 14:29:24 PDT

This blog is in the process of being moved from to WordPress, as part of my new site, TheNinaNetwork.com. Please be patient me ladies, as I'm a one woman team over here ;0) The new site will be up and running in a few days.

Thanks for your cooperation and continued support.
Nina

Naturally Straight Ends?

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:31:01 PDT

Going natural really gives one the opportunity to learn different things about her hair. One of the things that I've learned about my hair throughout this journey is that in the crown section of my hair, the ends are almost completely straight. Whenever I visit any natural hair salon they ask me, "when was the last time that I texturized my hair?" My answer is always, "somewhere around 1999", and that's no exaggeration. The stylist usually makes a face, and suggests that something has to be in my hair, to make the ends go straight like they do when wet.

The other day, an older women stopped me in the bank and asked me, "what type of curl kit (meaning a Jheri Curl Kit) do I use?" She also gave me a suspect look when I told her that my hair is chemical free, and that I just use a little curl defining product to achieve the curly look.

Now, I don't blame those who assume that my hair is chemically treated because everyone is not well educated in the various textures that natural comes in. You live and you learn, I'm just glad that I could be one to enlighten a fellow potential naturalista in need.

My major concern is how I can get my straight ends to cooperate with the rest of the curls and coils in my hair? I tend to miss out on many of the cute twist-out and flat twist styles because I end up with straight hair. I also end up with knots on the ends of my hair if I attempt to keep two strand twists in for longer than over night. I can honestly say that I have given up on twist-out styles for the most part, only wearing twists at night for bed.

I often wonder if my hair would hold any type of twist-out style if it were longer? I guess I will find that out when I get there. In the meantime, I'll just keep working my straight ends into wash-n-goes, and accept the reality that my hairstyles are only going to be a one day deal. At the end of the the day, it is what it is. I accept my straight, wavy, curly, coily hair the way it is.

Do any of you ladies have an issue with straights ends on your natural curls?

Trial and Error: The Nappy-Laxer

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Thu, 26 May 2011 17:18:01 PDT

Many of you have seen my review of The Nappy-Laxer on Natural Nina TV, and you got my opinion on how well product worked on my hair. In the video, my hair was freshly blown out and straightened with a flat iron. I loved the way my hair turned out with The Nappy-Laxer treatment, and I had to try it again on a day where I wore my hair curly.

I didn't get the chance to video tape my treatment with The Nappy-Laxer the second time, but I was able to snap a few pics after the treatment was freshly washed out of my hair. The most important thing that I noticed, was no change in the texture of my hair. My hair was just softer and more manageable.

As you all can see from the photo, my hair looks the same as it is any other time that I wash and deep condition my hair. The Nappy-Laxer did not make my hair straight, and as I mentioned in the video above, the ingredients are all natural. My hair was super soft, and after rinsing I added a little of curl enhancing smoothie, and the Re Coil Curl Activating Cream from AG Cosmetics.Once my curls dried naturally, I rubbed a light layer of the Natural Oil Blendz from Sherita's Hair Temple in my hair. You can see the defined shiny curls in the picture below.

For more information on The Nappy-Laxer and other products from Sherita's Hair Temple, checkout her website: http://sheritashairtemple.webs.com/.

Sweat and Natural Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Wed, 25 May 2011 09:20:18 PDT

How do you deal with perspiration and your natural hair? I ask this question because as a natural who works out 4-5 times a week, I find myself having to wet my hair fully everyday, and co-washing more frequently. I tend to perspire a lot in the summer time, causing me to take several showers a day. I hate to feel sweaty at any time that I am not working out, and I hate for my hair to smell sweaty as well. I'm not going to give up working out for hairstyle preservation, and I can't stop chasing my kids around, so how can I work this out?

My other concern is retaining moisture, I know that water is the best ingredient for natural hair, but to much sealing with oils can be bad for my protein sensitive hair. My hair doesn't like oils much, they can weigh my hair down, and make it feel hard at times. That's why I only moisture and seal three times a week now. Once after my deep conditioner, and twice with accompanied scalp massages. Other than that I try to keep the oil usage down to only when necessary.

My questions for other natural beauties are, how do you manage your natural hair as it grows when it comes to perspiration? Do you just co-wash daily and keep it moving? What if you like to straighten your curls sometimes? How to you preserve a twist out, or updo? Is it possible to use too much water, or seal your hair too often?

Welcome to Curly Season

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Tue, 24 May 2011 13:17:26 PDT

It's my favorite time a year again natural beauties. Welcome to curly season! The time of year when wash-n-goes are my friend, and my hair thrives the most. Last year, I enjoyed my curls so much by co-washing, daily spritzing with my custom moisture mix, and using Knot Today and KCCC for my curls. The results gave me a head full of healthy curls, so I intend to follow the same plan this summer.

I have a few curly products to try out this year, before I invest in my usual Knot Today and KCCC blend. I have a sample of the AG Cosmetics Re Coil Curl Activating Line from Naturallycurly.com that I'll be trying out, along with a few others. I'll have to see what product line will give me the same type of curl definition that I get from Kinky Curly Products.

If all else fails, I know that I can go back to what I'm used to using and all, but I would like to try some of the other naturalpreneurs out. I take a few things into consideration when I choose a product line. One of them is time, with KCCC and Knot Today, I can get the curls I want in less than 10 minutes (5-7). I'm not interested in any product that I have to manipulate for a half hour, just to get the desired curl definition. Especially, when a few sections of my hair are already curly, with a natural frizz to it. I like to keep it simple all the way around.

The other important characteristic that I seek out in a curl definition product is a nice hold, with out the flakes and crunchyness that makes my hair look and feel a mess. Those are two no-no's for me. If my hair feels crunchy, the first thing that I think about is dryness. I'm not looking for anything that will make my hair dryer than it is naturally.

I'll let you all know which products that I found gave me the best curl definition, and which ones could have stayed on the shelf. Look out for updates on here, and on NNTV.

Are there any curly product lines that any of you natural beauties like? Please feel free to share.

Trial and Error: Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil for Hair Treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Mon, 16 May 2011 13:43:01 PDT

Many of us in the natural hair community are familiar with Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil, but have you had the chance to try the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil for Hair Treatment? If you haven't, You should!!! This is the best coconut oil that I have used on my hair, since I became a free natural. I used to think that all virgin coconut oils were created equal, until I tried the coconut treatment for hair. This smooth creamy coconut oil bathes may hair in goodness, and let's not talk about how smooth and soft it makes my skin.

Now, I've tried the regular coconut oil from Tropical Traditions, and I use their green label coconut oil for cooking, but I never tried the coconut oil for hair. I'm so glad that I did. According to the Tropical Traditions website, the coconut oil for hair treatment had a higher concentration of protein than any of their other coconut oils, and it's been used as a hair treatment in the Philippines and India for years.

What I initially noticed about the coconut oil for hair, is the "suggested uses" that are listed on the back of the jar.

Here's how Tropical Traditions recommends using the product:

For dry scalp: Rub into hair and scalp at least 30 minutes before showering, or before bed at night. Wear a shower cap or towel to protect bedding.

As a hair conditioner: Rub into the ends of your hair after washing, while the hair is still wet. Apply as needed, working towards the scalp. It can also be used as a pre-wash hair treatment applying just before showering.

I know that my hair is protein sensitive, so I use the coconut oil for hair as a pre-poo. Sometimes I pre-poo with it for a half hour before I shampoo my hair, and other times I massage my scalp with coconut oil for hair at night, and shampoo my hair the next morning. I have yet to try it in one of my homemade conditioning treatments because I've been busy reviewing product lines for other naturalpreneurs, but I'm sure that I'll get around to it.

I also use the coconut oil for hair to seal in moisture. I moisturize and seal my hair three times a week, twice with JBCO (Jamaican Black Castor Oil), and once a week with the coconut oil for hair.

My skin loves this oil as well, especially the heals of my feet. I use this oil daily when I hop out the shower to give my skin a nice healthy glow, while making it soft to the touch.

After using the coconut oil for hair treatment for about 6 weeks on my hair and skin, I am completely satisfied with my purchase, and I've found my staple coconut oil. As I mentioned above, all coconut oils are not created equal.

Happy Mother's Day Ladies!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sat, 07 May 2011 19:24:28 PDT

Happy Mother's Day Natural Beauties!!!

I don't usually post music videos, but I think this song describes us all perfectly!!!

Special thanks to Dead Prez for showing us some love!!!!

Win the No-Frizz Battle with Ten Tips and Free Products Every Day of May from NaturallyCurly.com

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:21:27 PDT

FRIZZ FACTOR

Win the No-Frizz Battle with Ten Tips and Free Products
Every Day of May from NaturallyCurly.com

AUSTIN, TX – The weather is changing and frizz season is creeping up on us. Whether you wear your hair curly or straight, frizz control is always a priority!

In its quest to help curly girls find solutions, NaturallyCurly is launching 31 Days to Fight Frizz during the month of May—prime frizz weather. Each day, readers can enter to win products from some of the top frizz-fighting brands, including Ouidad, Ojon, John Frieda, Curly Hair Solutions, Carol’s Daughter and CURLS. One grand-prize winner will also receive a $1,000 gift card.

“April showers may bring May flowers, but they also bring frizzy hair!” says Michelle Breyer, president and co-founder of NaturallyCurly.com. “Frizz is the curly girl’s arch nemesis, and here at NaturallyCurly.com we want to keep curlies looking good.”

Frizz control starts with how you care for your curls. Frizzy hair doesn’t discriminate, so NaturallyCurly.com has complied a list of ten hair healthy tips for sensational, no-frizz summer curls.

Get a good haircut to reduce split ends and breakage, a major cause of frizz.
Cleanse your hair every 2 to 3 days to keep some natural oils on your scalp to reduce frizz
Never skip conditioner, and deep condition at least once a week.
Always detangle your hair with a wide-toothed comb when it’s wet and slick with conditioner.
Rinse with cold water because cold water helps smooth down the cuticle, diminishing frizz and fluffy flyaway tendencies.
Avoid terrycloth towels. Use microfiber instead because it does not disturb the cuticle— instead it smoothes the cuticle down, reducing frizz.
Choose a styling product best suited for your hair type because each hair type responds differently to weather conditions.
Air-dry or use a diffuser for the least amount of disruption and frizz.
Carry a pomade or frizz-fighting serum at all times to control frizz and repel humidity
Lastly, NEVER use a brush and try not to touch your curls! Brushing while wet will break your hair, and brushing while dry is a curly hair sin.

About the Contest

Readers are encouraged to take part in our frizz fighter giveaway of various hair products and styling tools from our 15 sponsors: Curly Hair Solutions, Syntonics, Design Essentials, Hair Rules, Blended Beauty, Carol’s Daughter, Alikay Naturals, Original Moxie, Keralyze, Ouidad, Twisted Sista, John Frieda, Ojon, Use Me and CURLS. In addition to the fabulous giveaways, each entrant will qualify for a chance to win $1000 to complete a frizz-free look!

How to Enter

Participants must enter 31 Days To Fight Frizz Giveaway by registering at www.naturallycurly.com/fight-frizz to be eligible. The giveaway begins May 1, 2011, at 12:00 a.m. CST and ends May 31, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. CST. Only online entries will be accepted. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

Learn how to fight, reduce and eliminate frizz for your natural hair with frizz tips, articles, styling tips, product reviews, salons and more by visiting www.naturallycurly.com.

The Story Behind "The Not so Big Chop Story"

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:47:12 PDT

My not so big chop story was inspired by two other natural beauties @Laqutia33 and @Taren916. Both of these ladies are rocking some fresh new cuts for the summer, and that gave me the bravery that I needed to let go of the unnecessary damaged hair.

My hair broke so bad from a combination of stress and a henna treatment that I did a few months ago. At first, I wasn't sure what was causing it. I went to the doctor and had my thyroid checked out, and I also had him check to see if I was Anemic. The good news is that my thyroid is fine, but I was slightly Anemic. I started taking iron pills again right away, but I was still a little confused about my hair. Then I started to reflect back on what I've been doing to my hair. I realized that my hair didn't start breaking again, until after I started using henna. I've done three henna treatments to my hair in the past 7-8 months. Two out of three left me with breakage.

The first time, I loved my hair after the treatment, only to find my hair dry and hard after a few days, and it eventually broke off on the sides. The second time, same result except the breakage was in the back. The third time didn't result in dryness and breakage, but I still had a bad taste in my mouth because my hair was growing in so nicely prior to me using henna.

I still stick by my word that the recipe from L of the Natural Review was the best henna treatment for my hair, but as of right now I don't see myself trying henna again anytime soon.

In the meantime, let me know what you all think of my haircut. I'll be wearing it like this all summer (mostly curly though), and maintaining the shape with trims. In the fall, I'll grow it back out again.

Featured Natural Beauties: Introducing Lush Coils

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 09:21:07 PDT

How long have you been a beauty with natural hair?

From birth, this technically my 3rd and FINAL round natural... 1yr and 8months.

Who or What inspired you to embrace your natural hair and your overall
natural beauty?

First, I must say that I loved my relaxed hair. My hair was always healthy and full with a relaxer. I was truly inspired to go natural in one split moment and I was excited to feel the freedom that came along with being natural.

1yr and 8mo ago I was at Summer Stage in central park and I saw a beauty with a full head of natural hair. I was in awe of the health and of the fullness of her hair - she also had that energy of freedom that I aspired for (someone knows what I'm talking about). In that moment, I made up my mind to go natural

The next day I cut off all of my relaxed hair.

Did you transition from a relaxer, or did you do the big chop?

Big chop baby!!

Then I later began to wear wigs.

What is your current haircare routine?

It changes as do more research but my goal is to always keep it simple!

I Co-wash weekly especially after workouts.
I constantly keep my ends moisturized in the morning and especially before bed I will wet my hair with peppermint or rosemary water then follow up with an oil or shea
At the end of the week I may deep condition, henna, or clarify( once every 2-3 months)

My schedule can be often crazy so my go-to protective style are wigs. I mostly make my own wigs and wear them during most of the week. I love my wigs, they are a lifesaver because they save me time + they keep me from playing in my hair all day. I LOVE playing in my natural hair! Its a serious problem!

Name three products that your natural tress could not thrive without.

That's an unfair question! There are a few more products/ingredients that work well for my hair but if I only had a choice of three for the rest of my life, water, Shea butter and Amla oil is all I need.

What protective hairstyles do you wear to protect you ends from being damaged?

I wig it up mostly but when I do wear my hair out a twisted updo and french braids do the trick. I think for right now twists don't do it for me. Maybe when my hair gets longer.

Do you use heat styling tools on your natural hair? If so, what
products do you use to protect your hair from heat damage?

No heat so far....I abused my hair with heat in the second round and it wasn't pretty!

I know how to use heat in a smart way this time around but I'm not ready....I'm a CURLY girl at heat and I keeping it that way for now.

Has your perspective of beauty changed, since you've made the choice
to wear your hair natural? How so?

No, not at all. For me, when looking at beauty, it consists of the overall character of a person in combination with the physical.

Yes, natural hair, naturally curly is beautiful but whether your relaxed, processed, dreaded, bald, colored electric blue, Wave Nuevo , Jerry curl, bone straight, kinky, etc is all beautiful to me

Drones are boring...
I come from the school of "Do you boo!"

What advice would you give to other women who may be considering the
natural journey?

Do your research!
Try, try, try & try again!

Get to know your hair. If you have the knowledge then practice trial&error, then caring for you hair becomes so much easier. I always say, if I had the tools the second time around, I would not have given up.

Every ones hair is different! What works for me won't necessarily work for you but these are some simple rules may help:

+ water is your friend. Spray your hair daily when styling or to lock in moisture daily

+ try to avoid dry styling

+ find a protective style that works best for you

+ handle your ends like fine lace

+cover hair with a silk/satin scarf

Finish this sentence: I love my natural hair because..........

.....its fabulously ALL mine!

For more information on the lovely Lush Coils, check out blog!

BLOG: www.LushCoils.com
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/LushCoils
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/LushCoils

MissShe and Jerusalem House

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:10:24 PDT

Hey natural beauties! I know that school has been keeping me from updating on the regular, but I wanted to take a moment and share something important with you all. You know how I'm always about giving back to the community, and over the weekend I received an email from Sheila of MissShe, who is one of my biggest supporters. In the email, Sheila informed me about a great cause that she is sponsoring in Atlanta. Check out the email, then I'll tell you how you can help.

MissShe is organizing spa parties for underprivileged girls at Jerusalem House which is a provider of permanent, supportive housing designated for homeless and low-income individuals here in Atlanta. Jerusalem House is home to several smart, bright and impressionable girls that have no one to encourage them to continue on a positive track. Helping girls with their self-esteem and self worth is my passion. I have been able to get nail techs, an esthetician and a massage therapist to volunteer their time and expertise.

We are hosting a party for 10 girls ages 8-12 and one for ages 13-18. The party will consist of “A Day at the Spa” with facials, manicures, pedicures and massages with MissShe products. We will share with them how to take care of their skin and just be a lady. They will make their own body spray to take home and we will have a girlfriend discussion session. With the older girls we will have a makeup artist to teach them how to wear age appropriate makeup. We also have the author of "A Road to Success: The College Preparatory & Planning Guide” on board to speak with the older girls. I will be soliciting some of my AKA sorors from Clark Atlanta University to speak with them about the college experience just to give them incentives to continue on the right path.

We will give each girl gift bags with bath and body products from MissShe and would like to include some makeup items and nail polish, etc. If you think this is something that any cosmetic business that you know of would like to donate to, we would appreciate it if you would let us know, as this is something that I would like to continue and expand.

If your a naturalpreneur and you would like to contribute hair products, makeup, skincare products, or nail products to this wonderful cause, please contact Sheila of MissShe via Facebook or email by clicking the links below.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MissSheBodyCocktails?ref=ts

Email: spdriver01@comcast.net

The event will be taking place on June 11, 2011, and Sheila needs all donated products by Saturday, June 4, 2011.

How do you deal with "Natural Hair Frustration?"

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 21:35:38 PDT

Hey natural beauties! I did this video the other day, when I was experiencing a bit of natural hair frustration. I wasn't going to share this video on the blog at all, but I changed my mind when I saw the response from other naturals on Youtube. When I saw that there were others who have experienced what I was going through, I felt compelled to share this with you all, and get your opinion on the topic.

Have you experienced "Natural Hair Frustration?" If so, how do you deal with it?

The Stylish Blogger Award

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 07:32:10 PDT

Special thanks to L of the Natural Review for giving me the "Stylish Blogger Award!" When you get a chance, stop by her blog. She has some great articles and wonderful DIY natural hair recipes.

To accept the award, you must follow these rules:

Thank and link back to the person that awarded you this award
Share 7 things about yourself
Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

7 things about me:

I'm a Communications student
I've spent the last 15 years of my life as a licensed Cosmetologist
I'm a Leo
I'm in my early 30's
I'm a mother, and I'm almost married again (planning stages)
I've been a natural hair blogger for a little over a year
My dream career is in Public Relations

I'm presenting this award to some of my favorite natural hair bloggers:

Healthy Weight Loss 365 Inspiration: Jordin Sparks

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 08:27:25 PDT

Recently Jordin Sparks of American Idol fame, dropped a noticeable amount of weight. I'm not sure exactly how much she lost, but she looks great (not that she didn't before). I've taken notice to the number of young and older ladies in the entertainment industry that are dropping the extra pounds lately. One thing that I like about Jordin in her after photo, she doesn't look too skinny. She just looks like she has a healthy weight and body image.

This brings me to my own weight loss goals. I'm not looking to be skinny, but I am looking to be healthy, and have a healthy body image. I'm down 14 lbs. since the New Year and I can't wait to see what that number will be at the end of the year. I must be honest and admit that I wish I could lose the weight much faster, but then I'm sure that it would be too easy for me to gain it right back. I figured a slower pace is better because the chances of me keeping it off are much better. Right now, I'm just proud of myself for not allowing my elliptical to become a clothing rack.

I've been keeping of with my weekly workouts of at least 4 days a week. I'm proud of myself for reaching my goal for the month of March, by increasing the number of calories burned in an hour to 600 or above. For April, I think I'm going to change my normal workout program that I'm doing on the elliptical to program #4. For March I did program #3 that consists of a stair climbing type of routine. Program # 4 seems to be drastic up and downs.

The workout that you see above is from Program #1 on the elliptical, I was still doing this program for the first week of March.

By the second week of March, I switched to Program #3 pictured above. This workout was much better for me because I was able to increase the amount of calories burned right away. This workout helped my get past the 600 calories in an hour mark. I also saw better toning in my thighs, after doing this workout for three weeks.

This month, my goal is to increase my calories burned to 700 calories an hour on the elliptical. My original weight was 245, and I'm now down to 231. I'm still loosing about a pound a week which is right on track with how fast I want to loose the weight.

Look out for a few new pics, and videos of my healthy changes, coming soon!

Photo Source: http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jordin-sparks/news/286851

Go Natural and Organic for True African American Skin Care by Guest Blogger Julliette

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 07:00:21 PDT

You’re taught that you’re an organic being, made from organic material, so why would you use or accept anything other than a product with natural and/or organic ingredients for your beautiful black skin?

Those over-the-counter skin preparations (I can’t bring myself to call them skin “care” products) are chemically based, have little to no natural ingredients and contain the same chemical components that are used in brake fluids and embalming fluids.

It would take all day for me to describe how they come up with the artificial fragrances and dyes that are found in these products, not to mention the irritation to your skin and eyes. You might “smell“ nice but are they worth your health?

You can rest assured that there is a way to fix any challenge that your skin throws at you, using a natural/organic skin care product. African American women suffer with inflammation and irritation of their skin with eczema and acne. Most of the time this condition can be easily avoided by using a good quality product made specifically for your skin and by eating a nutritious diet. Most natural ingredients work, not only on the surface, but they sink deep into your skin to heal and rejuvenate the very cells that make up your skins molecular structure.

When it comes to scent, there are so many innovative skin care products and regimens that use natural ingredients to make you smell good, that you don’t have to be limited to unscented organic products unless it’s by choice.

The art and science of aromatherapy and the use of essential oils makes scenting your own products a joy and a pleasure. Not only can you use essential oils to create a particular skin care blend for yourself, you can also use this knowledge to make your own perfumes and hot oil treatments for your hair.

You’ll want to read product labels carefully in order to assure that you are selecting natural, organic products used specifically for African American skin care. If you’ve already had an experience with over-the-counter products that have damaged your skin, or left you with acne scars or better yet, sun damage, you’ll want to begin a skin care regimen with concentrated use of antioxidants like green tea. It will calm and soothe the surface of your skin as well as heal and regenerate the new cells coming underneath. Green tea is perfect for other skin irritations such as dryness and flaking and as an added bonus, it will tighten your skin so your face will feel firm and soft again.

So whether it’s green tea or essential oils, using a natural based product is what will enhance the condition of your skin.

Author's Bio

Juliette Samuel is a person who definitely knows beautiful when she sees it. Juliette has had a very eclectic career working in and around the beauty industry. She has worked as an instructor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She has also been a Professional Image Consultant.

Currently Juliette works as a Skin Care Therapist, acting President and Chief Nose for NYRAJU Skin Care. As such she is in charge of product formulation and development of all scents produced for the line.

Juliette is also a member of NAHA-The National Association of Holistic Aromatherapy, The Society of Cosmetic Chemist and is the Fragrance Editor for BellaOnline.

What does that do for you? It keeps Juliette on her toes when it comes to the type of information that she’ll be able to share with you as readers of her blog or articles that she publishes on and off the web.

Trial and Error: JustBlaque Haircare Products

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:46:12 PDT

Over the past few weeks, I had the opportunity to try out some of the haircare products from the JustBlaque line, created and developed by Donillah. You all may have seen the feature that I did on Donillah back in January, where she shared her natural journey with us. While I was doing the feature story on Donillah, I couldn't help but notice her beautiful healthy curls. I soon found out that she was a professional hairstylist that I started her own haircare and skincare line. Donillah offered to send me some free samples, and quickly shipped them out to me. Checkout the video below, to see my personal review of the JustBlaque product line, by Donillah.

As I mentioned in the video, the JustBlaque product line can be custom blended to your specific needs. In regards to the ingredients not being listed on the samples, Donillah informed me that the ingredients are listed on the regular retail sizes for the Rosemary Mint Collection. Donillah says, "that all ingredients for the custom blends are discussed with the individual client, during the consultation/assessment part of the clients purchasing experience." Here are a few pics of a few of Donillah's current clients, along with the JustBlaque products that they are currently using.

K. Harris big chopped her hair Aug of 2010 and 6 months later her hair is growing back in the "Perfect Ringlets" she was using the Curly hair Kit (shampoo, daily co-wash and deep treatment) Now she is using the Grow 11 hair Kit (long hair kit) and she loves the Whipped Shea Cream for an all over skin treatment.

T. Anderson Big chopped October of 2010 and 90 days later she is sporting a lovey little TWA....as you can see her fro is not tight or severely dry...she is currently using the Grow 11 hair Kit (long hair Kit) and growth oil in between her braiding routines.

The beautiful baby girl in the photos above, is all natural...She used the Curly Hair Kit (curly hair shampoo, conditioner with the deep treatment) and the Spoil your Coils twisting cream.

Mrs. D Williams recently celebrated 3 yrs of natural hair. As you can see, she has a lovely even natural coil that flat irons out into a shiny long black, silky smooth tress.

As you can see, the proof is in the products, with the JustBlaque line. After I used the Rosemary Mint Shampoo and deep treatment. I did not have to moisturize my hair again for at least three days, and if you follow this blog, you are aware that I usually have issues with retaining moisture. I would like the to try the Grow 11 kit next, to see if helps me retain the length of hair.

For more information on JustBlaque haircare and skincare products, check out their website @JustBlaque.com.

Trial and Error: Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:28:32 PDT

Several weeks ago, I decided to purchase a juicer to see if it would help me with my daily fruit and veggie intake. I found the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor on Amazon.com for an affordable price, so I made a small investment in my health quest. The decision to buy a juicer was one of the best decisions that I've made in regard to loosing weight.

The first time that I used the juicer, I wasn't sure what to expect. I grabbed a a banana, some strawberries, 2 apples, 2 oranges, and two carrots. The fruit and carrots produced a nice thick juice blend that tasted yummy, and filled me up like a small meal. I must add that the juicer was easy to put together, and easy to clean up. Placing a plastic bag inside the pulp bin, makes for a fast and easy cleanup. The cleaning brush is perfect for removing pulp build up on the stainless steel basket, and all the pieces are dish washer safe. Below is a list of the product features from amazon.com.

Product Features

Juice extractor with on/off toggle switch and 1.1-horsepower motor
Extra-large 3-inch-wide feed chute fits whole produce for faster juicing
Stainless-steel micro-mesh strainer basket; die-cast metal lid-locking latches Juice cup, removable pulp bin, and cleaning brush included; dishwasher-safe parts
Measures approximately 14-1/2 by 10 by 18 inches; 1-year limited warranty

One of the things that I would like to try that was suggested in the user's handbook, is using the pulp for baking breads, cakes, and pies. So I guess a bread maker might be in order soon, but back to the review. I use my juicer several times a week, making enough juice to last for the day. I just grab whatever fruits and veggies that I have on hand. Since I've added juicing to my diet, I have more energy, and I'm less reliant on coffee in the morning. Check out the video below to see one of my many morning juice blends.

I must say that I am completely satisfied with the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth juicer for two reasons, it's a great inexpensive juicer, and It does exactly what it says it does.

Have you had the chance to try juicing, if so what do you like or dislike about it?

Happy Curlyversary Nina!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 14:54:31 PDT

Two weeks ago, I finally reached my one year Curlyversary as a free flowing natural (I used to wear locs), and I must say that it has been one enlightening experience. Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to learn so much about my hair, and my relationship with my hair. I want to share a few photos of my experiences over the past year with you all, along with the lessons that I've learned about my natural curly/coily/kinks.

The photo above shows what my hair looked after I cut my locs due to breakage, and it was first attempt at growing out a natural afro. My twa looks misshapen in the photo because of how short the hair was that broke off in the crown area.

I eventually got so frustrated with the breakage that I whipped out my professional scissors and clippers, to begin my final big chop. I decided to start from scratch, by cutting my hair down with a number 4 clipper guard (3/4"). Some of the breakage in the crown was actually shorter than a number 4 clipper guard, but I was able to blend it pretty well.

I did not want to see my hair in the sink, but it was something that I had to accept at the time. My hormones were completely out of control, and I was still quite anemic from a pregnancy with twins. I knew that it would grow back, so I eventually got over it.

This is how my hair looked after my big chop. I have to admit that I was a little depressed to see how short it was, but I was excited to see what my hair would look like as it grew out freely.

In this pic, I finally felt like I was getting my swagger back. This was only a couple of weeks after I cut my hair.

I love this photo because it was the first time that I could actually notice a nice amount of growth, a few months after my bc.

I started to notice more definition in my curls as they grew in, even though my twa resembled a Jheri Curl, lol.

I took lots of shots like this over the past year, to help me keep track of how big my twa was getting. One thing that I've always known about my hair. it grows out, before it grows down. My hair has to be pretty long, before it starts to hang. That's why I chose to measure my growth, by taking pictures of the size of my fro. I find it pointless for me to measure by pulling my hair strands down because my hair does not grow at the same pace across my head.

I love this pic, it reminds me of a commercial for a facial product. My hair looks great, with well defined curls, but check out my skin!

This blowout was done to trim my twa, it was my first trim in about for months, and I loved how healthy my hair looked and felt.

This was one of the first attempted twist-outs for my hair. The twists look great, but the twist-out never lasts more than a day, no bueno.

This was the first time that I wore an accessory on my twa because I always feared looking a little crazy with a huge accessory on my head, even though there are so many natural beauties who pulled it off well.

My first henna treatment. My henna mix wasn't thick enough, but I did like it a little, only to find myself battling dry hair and breakage shortly after. I didn't give up on henna, I waited a while and tried again.

This was my first bantu knot-out, and it gave my hair the best curl definition! This is still one of my favorite ways to set my hair. I haven't done one in a while, so maybe I should to give you guys an idea of what it looks like with more length.

Another attempted twist-out...I don't think this one turned out well either.

Coconut cream and molasses conditioning treatment. This was one of the best conditioning recipes that I came up with. I think I need to revisit this recipe, it's been a while.

This was my third attempt at henna, and the recipe was henna and coconut milk. I got the recipe from L of the Natural Review, and it was the best henna treatment that I did. My hair felt well conditioned, and soft afterward. I didn't experience the same dryness and breakage as I did from my previous experiences with henna. I haven't done a henna treatment since then because I'm thinking about coloring my again in the future.

Fresh after henna hair.

This was the first time that I wore my hair curly since the summer time. With all the shrinkage, it doesn't look much longer than it did last summer, even tho it is.

This curly look was from a month ago, I love to wear my hair curly. It really shows the different textures that I have across my head.

About 3 weeks ago, I did a deep conditioning treatment, and you can see the mix of textures, from the tightly coiled, to the lose and wavy strands.

What have I learned about my hair over the past year?

Under the hair typing system, I thought my hair was 4a/4b, when it's closer to a 3c/4a combo, and one section has a curl pattern that is closer to a wave with straight ends.
Two stand twists make for a great protective style, but the twist-out that the natural community rants and raves about, doesn't last in my hair.
My hair responds best to my own homemade conditioning treatments, than it does to any manufactured brand.
My hair loves steaming.
My hair doesn't get along with protein to well.
One side of my hair grows slower, breaks faster, and is thinner because I sleep on that side of my head, and I tend to pick in that side of my hair (a habit that I am desperately trying to break).
My hair grows best with limited manipulation.
My hair loves moisture.
Coconut oil and JBCO are two oils that work best in my hair alone, all other natural oils must be mixed with something else, or my originally soft hair will turn hard.

The first year of my journey as a loose natural has been very enlightening for me. I learned a lot about natural ingredients, making my own hair treatments, and what my hair likes. I look forward to sharing the second year of my journey with you all, as I experiment with new hair styles, and continue to learn about my natural hair.

The Jamaican Black Castor Oil 500 Facebook "Likes" Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 05:42:25 PDT

NaturalNina.com is getting close to 500 "Likes" on Facebook, and in honor of our dedicated fans, we're giving away an 8oz. bottle of Jamaican Black Castor Oil!

This giveaway is closed!!!!!!

The winner is Elisheia!!! Please email your contact info to info@naturalnina.com!

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is "Like" Natural Nina on Facebook, then come back here and leave a message in the comments section of this post. The giveaway will end on Friday, March 18, 2011, and the winner will be announced on Saturday, March 19, 2011.

Good Luck natural beauties!

Healthy Weight Loss 365 Inspiration:Sherri Shepherd

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:05:29 PST

Hey natural beauties! Our weight loss inspiration for this week is Ms, Sherri Shepherd of The View. As you can see from the Okay Magazine cover pictured above, Sherri lost 41lbs., going from a size 16 to a size 6. She looks great flaunting her new bathing suit body with heels! Go Sherri!

My weight loss endeavors are going great so far, I'm down 11 pounds since the new year, and I've been sticking to my diet and exercise regimen. I have two mobile apps that I'm currently using to track my caloric intake, along with my weekly workout schedule. One of the apps is for a website called my fitness pal, and that's the one that I use most, even thought the Cardio trainer app is great for keeping track of my workouts. I'm still working out 4-5 times a week, and I'm starting to see a difference in the way that my clothes are fitting. I can't wait to reach my health and fitness goals, and I'm happy to be well on my way!

Here's an example of a few changes that I made in my diet since the beginning of the year.

I've replaced regular eggs with egg whites.
I cut out sugary juices, and brought a juicer to make my own healthy juices at home. These healthy juice blends are made of fresh fruits and veggies, and I count them as a snack.
Increased my water intake to 8 glasses a day.
I've also started grilling most of my meats for dinner.

As time goes on, I'll be adding more information on the changes that I've made during this process. I'm just happy to share my experience with you all, as the pounds continue to fall, lol. I hope you are all doing well with your health and wellness goals for 2011.

Photo credit: http://www.okmagazine.com/

Huetiful Hair Steamer and Shea Moisture product haul

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:30:28 PST

Hey natural beauties! It's finally here, the Huetiful Hair Steamer, and I can't wait to use it. After hearing so much positive feedback about this steamer, and knowing the benefits of steaming from professional experience, I had to try the Huetiful hair steamer for myself. I also knew that my curlyversary was coming up in a few days, so my gift to my fro is a steamer. Yesterday, UPS delivered my much anticipated new hair tool. Today is laundry day, but I'm hoping to sneak in a deep conditioning treatment in with the steamer.

Huetiful hair steamer fully assembled

I also had a Shea Moisture product haul courtesy of Targe't.com. I was ordering some items for my home office, when I suddenly got lost in the hair products section of the website (there goes my inner hair product junkie again, lol). I got a few new products that I can't wait to try. I've heard so much positive feedback about the Curl Enhancing Smoothie that I had to try it. I'm already familiar with the Shea Butter leave in, so I wanted to try out some other products in the line. Along with the smoothie, I purchased the Curl and Shine Shampoo, The Curl and Style Milk (my hair likes the milk already), and the Deep Treatment Mask. The Deep Treatment Mask is what I'm going to use for my first steaming session.

Another item that I ordered in my product haul is the Scalp Nourishing Serum from Jane Carter Solution. The product says that it helps dry scalp, which is something that I don't have a problem with, but I do have an itchy scalp at times. Let's see if this helps. I plan on using this as a pre-poo, and as an alternative scalp message oil to my usual favorites (EVCO, JBCO).

As soon as I have a chance to try the steamer and the new products out, I be back with full reviews. In the meantime, it's time for a WSL (workout, shower, and laundry) lol (that's my cornball moment of the day). Later natural beauties!

Bentonite Clay: Now and Then

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:07:19 PST

I'm finally settled into my new place, and I finally had some time this week to get back to my normal hair routine, which includes bentonite clay masks for my hair and skin. I enjoy having these spa days at home, and I love the rejuvenation that my hair and skin gets from each treatment. Since my one year curlyversary is coming up in March, I wanted to show you guys a few pics of a few of my bentonite clay treatments over the past 11 months.

The pictures above are the before and after photos of my very first bentonite clay mask. I remember being so curious about bentonite clay after reading about it on sites like Long Hair Care Forum, and Mane and chic. I was so happy with the soft baby curls that pooped up after my first treatment. It's funny, back then I need a lot less product for my baby curly coils.

The pictures above are from about 4-5 months of growth, and my treatment resulted in the same soft and fluffy curls that I got the first time that I used the clay. I knew that bentonite clay was going to be a staple in my hair routine, as long as I could keep up with the treatments. My schedule get crazy at times, so that didn't always happen. At other times, I didn't document them, for fear of boring my readers with the same content.

These pics are from the treatment that I did the other day, and you can see how much my hair has grown in the past 11 months. I've made bentonite clay my preferred clarifying treatment for my hair and skin because it does not dry out my hair.

Have you tried bentonite clay yet? What did you think of your results?

Healthy Weight Loss 365 Inspiration:Toccara

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:39:40 PST

Hey natural beauties! The first time we saw Toccara on ANTM (America's Next Top Model), she was a beautiful full figured young lady, with dreams of making her mark in the modeling world. After that, we watched her and Harvey the trainer go at it a few times on CFC (Celebrity Fit Club). Well her will and motivation eventually kicked in, and Toccara finally lost the weight that she wanted to. She looks awesome, and most importantly healthy!

How's my weight loss efforts going? Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is, I'm down 10 lbs. since January 1st. The bad news is, I weighed more than I originally thought. Let me explain, as many of you know I recently moved into a bigger place, so you know I had to buy some new things to decorate my new space. One of those new things was one of those nice digital bathroom scales from Amazon because I knew that my old scale was pretty beat up, and it wasn't digital. When my Kintrex precision bath scale arrived, I was so anxious to see how well it worked, but I was not ready for what I discovered. I found out that my old scale was not leveled at all when I was using it because it was broken, and my correct weight was about 25 lbs. more than I originally thought. Talk about wanting to crawl under a rock somewhere.....yikes!

Once I got over the initial shock, and I stopped beating myself up for a few days. I got over it, and changed my weight loss goals to coincide with my newly found extra 25 lbs. Okay, so how much of an adjustment was it? I originally thought that I weighed about 212-215lbs. When I got the new scale, I found out that my correct weight was 239, after losing 5lbs. Can we say ouch? That means that my original weight was around 245lbs., before I lost the first 5 lbs. this year. As of today, my current weight is 234 lbs., and I still have a long way to go!

The good thing is, I'm not giving up on losing the weight. I'm sticking to my 4-5 times a week work out schedule, and I'm eating healthy everyday, with a cheat day about once every 10 days. I've also noticed that the pounds have been shedding a lot faster, now that I have an elliptical of my own. I use a few different apps on my android phone to track my daily diet, and exercise activities. L of Natural Review started a healthy eating challenge on sparkpeople, and I also signed up for that. I figured it would be a great way to learn and share with other natural beauties, while utilizing the great resources that sparkpeople has to offer.

I need all the support that I can get right now because I have never carried this much extra weight, and I don't want to blame the extra pounds on pregnancy. That is a lame excuse, especially after the child or children are over age one. I'm focused, many of you know that if you follow my tumblr page, The Natural Nina Files. I post my elliptical workouts on that blog, as soon as I get off of the machine. This is a journey, and like my education, I'm in this for the long haul.

Oh, and I have that doctors appointment coming up soon to have my thyroid tested, I'll let you guys know what the results are in a few weeks.

Ciao chicas,

Nina

Photo credit: http://www.madamethejourneyblog.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

E.L.F. Cosmetics "All about the eyes" Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 07:26:46 PST

The winners of the E.L.F. Cosmetics "All about the Eyes" giveaway on NNTV are, LovelyLadyBug, MsLynduh, and Zyramea!!!!

Congratulations ladies!!!!

I will be contacting you all today, for your shipping information. Thanks for participating, and sorry for taking so ling to announce the winners.

Hypothyroidism: A reality that I may have to face

noreply@blogger.com (Natural Nina) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:23:18 PST

If you're a regular reader of Natural Nina, then you are aware of the fact that I share certain aspects of my personal life with my audience. Well, there is something that I need to share with you all about my health that has a major effect on weight loss and hair growth. I may have Hypothyroidism, and I won't know for sure until I see my doctor in a few weeks for testing.

How did I come to this conclusion? As corny as this may sound, the Dr. Oz show. I was watching Dr. Oz a few days ago. and he was talking about taking the time to examine your naked body in front of a mirror. While doing the inspection, there were certain things to look for that are an indication of a health issue that one may have, without knowing it. When Dr. Oz and the other doctor was present spoke about inspecting one's body for dry patches of skin that do not respond to moisture, on the elbows, knees, ankles, and under breast area, they said that those dry patches were an indication of hypothyroidism. Another indication would be brittle hair and nails.

This is where the Dr. Oz show hit home for me because I have had dry patches of skin on my elbows and ankles for months, and I just wrote it off as my usual dry skin responding to the changes in the weather. My nails have been very brittle as of late, in addition to my random dry patch of hair that does not hold moisture, and breaks if you looks at it wrong. Then, I thought about it some more and included my family history into the equation. My mother had hypothyroidism, and this runs in her side of the family. I've been tested before in the past, with negative results each time but my body has changed since giving birth. Before I jumped to a definite conclusion, I took a look at the symptoms of hypothyroidism via Google, to see if I had any other symptoms that I was unaware of. According to the Mayoclinic, the following are symptoms of hypothyroidism. I'll place an asterisk next to the ones that I have experienced, and I'm being completely open and honest.

Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Fatigue* (I never feel like I get enough sleep)
Sluggishness* (I feel like I'm lacking energy quite often)
Increased sensitivity to cold** (Omg! I'm always colder than everyone else)
Constipation
Pale dry skin* (it's not pale, but it is dry and a bit discolored)
Puffy face
Hoarse voice* (My voice is a little raspy at times)
An elevated blood cholesterol level* (My cholesterol was high during my pregnancy)
Unexplained weight gain*** (My weight fluctuates often)
Muscle aches, tenderness, and stiffness
Muscle weakness
Heavier than normal menstrual periods
Pain, stiffness, or swelling in the joints* (I do get a little stiff here and there)
Brittle hair and finger nails**( my nails have been breaking left and right lately, and my one patch of hair is still dry)
Depression* (I have my moments, but nothing severe)

I have more than a few of the symptoms listed above, so I made an appointment with the doctor to find out what the verdict will be. In the meantime, I'm doing a little research to see what type of diet I can eat to help my situation as well as any supplements that will help.

I made the choice to share this part of my life with you all because the information may be helpful to another natural beauty in the same situation. We all want the goal of beautiful healthy hair, but we must take out the time to take care of our health. There are so many women with the same symptoms listed above that are clueless to the fact that they have a health issue that needs immediate attention. As I progress through this health issue, and learn more about it, I will keep you all updated. Information is key!

Photo credit: http://nursingninjas.com/nursingschoolblog/2010/05/medical-surgical-rotation/nursing-student-review-hypothyroidism/