Spiced Honey

My Play-doh Creation

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:21:00 +0000

During one of our meetings at work, it was said that using your hands helps to activate creativity... Sooo we were given Play-doh! Here's what I came up with...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:33:00 +0000

My "break" isn't quite over yet but I miss you guys! My job had a Halloween party today and I'm in the spirit so...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Break Time...

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Honeys, I'm not gonna lie- I've grown slightly bored with this blog (aka my baby). These past 2 weeks have been a struggle for me and I haven't been inspired, it shows. My job keeps me pretty occupied (I don't usually get home till 9) and by the time I get settled in, it's almost 11. At that hour I don't want to do anything but CHILL out for a few minutes before heading to bed.

Now I'm not ready to give up HBS by any means! However, I think I'm going to need some time to re-think things and "freshen up". Sugar will make 2 years in February and since day 1, I've been consistently posting- rarely (if ever) missing a weekday.

With that said, I'll be back on Monday, November 9.

*As always* If you've got any ideas to share, stories to submit, etc., please feel free to drop me a line at hbsbabe@ymail.com.

See ya in 2 weeks!

Quick Question of the day: Transitioning & Braids

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:23:00 +0000

No "troubles" today, so I'll pose the following question instead...

While transitioning to natural hair, do you think it's a good idea to wear braided extensions (rather than BC'ing)? Why or why not?

Natural Hair... Mainstream?

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I just received the newest copy of Essence in my mailbox last Friday. I hardly ever read magazines anymore but as I thumbed through it, I couldn't help but notice the section dedicated to natural hair and a guide towards going "natural".

What I noticed:

MOST of the African-American models throughout the magazine (adult women and children) had curly hair of some sort (including weaves)
pg. 42 includes their "Go-Natural Cheat Sheet", products recommended include Hair Rules Daily Cleansing Cream, Jane Carter Nourishing Cream, Carita Revitalising Scrub and Miss Jessie's Rapid Recovery Treatment. They also list the top 10 brands for natural hair.
pg. 45 lists the "5 Commandments for Going Natural"

My question to you is, do you feel like they (mainstream mass) are "tardy for the party"? Where were they 5 years ago when I couldn't find ANY information on going natural?

However, this blog and the many other great ones like it probably wouldn't be around if there hadn't been that strong need...

Thoughts?

Feeling it or OVER it? Rihanna

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:51:00 +0000

Rih-rih is back with an "update" to her current look... Are you feeling it or are you OVER it?

Friday's Dessert 10/16/09

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:43:00 +0000

Better late than never, right? I know I'm late posting my weekly inspirational/motivational quote so here it goes...

"If we say it long enough eventually we're going to reap a harvest. We're going to get exactly what we're saying." -Joel Osteen

Have a great weekend! Hopefully it'll get warmer in NYC!

Re-Post: The Finished Product

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Check the video to see what happens once the hair is completely dry...

Few things to note:

* I usually have a frizzy patch at the back, once the hair is dried I'll take a little conditioner and apply to the frizzed strands only.

*At night I pile my hair up high on my head in a very loose ponytail. In the morning I pretty much do the same flip and fluff routine.

*My wash & go routine is the same one Teri does (tightlycurly.com), this process works extremely well in humid weather.

*When hair is still wet: If you're worried about the little globs of conditioner on your strands, simply wet your hands and scrunch. The conditioner will squeeze itself off onto your fingers. However, once your hair dries you won't be able to see those globs anyways.

Re-Post: HBS "Wash & Go" Vid

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

For those who may have missed it the first time... Enjoy!

HBS: Congratulations on the completion of your first "how-to" video! So tell us, how'd you do it?

Wes: Well, it wasn't hard at all. After much prodding by my wonderful/incredible readers I decided to give the people what they want; a quick tutorial on my usual "Wash & Go" routine. I've come to understand that no matter how many times I describe something, there's nothing like having a good ol' visual.

**Ok yeah, that was a brief interview with mySELF. Anyways, without any further ado below is the first HBS video EVER! (It's amazing what a little unemployment can do for a girl ;-)

Was this helpful? Do you think I should do more? Tell me!

My Hair Now: Current Mainstays

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I realized I haven't spoken on products in quite some time. If you've been following this blog, then you're familiar with me and my ever-changing ways. Now that summer has passed and winter is pretty much staring us in the face here in the Big Apple, I've changed up my hair routine. I've recently been doing the following:

1. Wash & Go! (well not really, I dry my hair for about 30 minutes underneath my bonnet dryer before "going")

I wash my hair about every 4 days now (during the summertime, I noticed I shampoo'd my hair MUCH more often, too often) using a gentle sulfate-free shampoo (I like Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Herbal Shampoo). I clarify about once per month using Neutrogena's anti-residue formula.
I condition using Aussie's Moist Conditioner OR Aussie's 3-Minute Deep Treatment.
I still style the same way as demonstrated in my video- However, I went back to using Garnier Fructis' Leave-in Treatment Cream.
After hair is dry, I usually apply shea butter or Miss Jessie's Buttercreme for shine.

BUT...

I recently started using Mixed Chicks Hair Silk as a finisher. It's a light serum that provides incredible LIGHTWEIGHT and LASTING shine. One of my coworkers let me to borrow her bottle and do you know I ended up going out and purchasing my own?
Oh! I can't forget to tell you guys about my new night-time procedure: I've been sleeping with my hair totally out- no ponytail, no clips, no satin bonnet, not even a satin pillowcase. I recently met a woman who had the most PERFECT head of natural pencil-width coils. I asked her about her nightly routine, she said she didn't do anything but go to sleep at night and refresh crushed curls with a light moisturizer in the am. I first tried this last week and was able to get 5 days out of my wash & go, which in my book is a record.

Maybe we fuss too much with our hair... What do you think: Have you found that less is best?

Tuesday's Trouble: Bad Hair Habits

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I have a bad habit of twirling my curls in my fingers through out the day! I have my hands in my hair (at the very least) 10 times an hour. It's a really bad habit, because I like finding and pulling out the hairs that have shed.

Another bad hair habit I have is that I'm a little heavy handed when it comes to detangling. I have to remind myself to be GENTLE when I'm running the Denman through my locks.

Today though, I'm going to focus on keeping my hands out of my hair!

Do you have a bad hair habit?

SugarCube: The Definition of Good Hair, Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

As promised, below is the conclusion of HBS contributor Naima Ozier's SugarCube post on "The Definition of Good Hair"- Enjoy!

The Definition of Good Hair, Part 2

After reading all of the responses we got, one response stuck out to me. It came from my roommate's mother, who has a head full of absolutely beautiful curls. She told us "...Good hair is hair that is manageable by that person and that individual is contented with its looks and it's texture." That made me think: If a person is not happy, not pleased, not content with their hair, they would think they have bad hair. That person will deem it NECESSARY to straighten, relax, de-kink, to get away from what comes natural to them. To have the mentality that the kinkier your hair is, the more it "needs" to be FIXED by straightening, is that a form of self-hate?

When I had the first conversation with my friends, I grew angry because it felt like they began to justify the ignorance of saying another hair texture dominated their own. They failed to notice the rich self-loathing that flooded their veins due to years of post-slavery oppression. They didn't see the correlation between the paper bag test and good hair, and how that still divides our people a hundred and fifty years after the abolishment of slavery. They didn't see what I saw.

And all I can do is to hope that one day they can understand that God didn't make a mistake just because I don't pass the brown paper bag test of ignorance, nor when he made my kinky and thick hair, reminding me of my rich ancestry that runs through me like scarlet red blood.

My aim is not to preach everyone should rock a 70's styled 'fro, while wearing Dashikis, and becoming a member of the Nation of Islam. I just want us to love and appreciate the kinky and culry and the wavy and the straight, because its ALL beautiful and not just good, but great.

Written by Naima Ozier for Honey*Brown*Sugar, a 19 year old witty college student.

So, now I've got to ask: What's YOUR take on good hair?

Friday's Dessert 10/9/09

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I came across the following quote this week from Lisa Nichols (thanks to a coworker) and have adopted it as one of my favorites:

"A setback is a set up for a come back"
-Lisa Nichols

I've suffered a few setbacks in terms of getting my novel finished- I've even started working on a new story! I'm tired of dreaming and saying "I should be..." and have taken action: Every night before I go to bed, no matter how late, I'll put in some writing towards my novel. It may be a page, a paragraph, maybe even one word! But it's something and something is always better than nothing. This way, I KNOW it'll get done.

Enjoy your weekend!

Inside the "Product Closet"...

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I recently took inventory of my closet and threw away a lot of crap. However, mixed in with the crap were a few favorites, such as:

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-in cream: I've been using this (again) for my last 2 wash & go's. Still love it.

Elasta QP DPR-11: Absolute FAVORITE conditioner for deep treating.

Miss Jessie's Butter Creme: I've been dipping my hand in this cookie jar for a long time now. For a finishing touch, I use a dab (a "finger full") to help increase shine.

Eco-Styler Styling Gel: My guilty pleasure. A better alternative would be Aloe Vera Gel, however my Eco-Styler is cheaper and has been my right hand man for MANY years now. Still love it- it doesn't flake!

Do you have a "product closet" too?

No New Post Today...

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:28:00 +0000

I'm drawing a blank... Any suggestions?

No Troubles Today...

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:29:00 +0000

I got home late last night and didn't get a chance to post your usual "Tuesday's Trouble" query- I apologize for that!

However, I'd rather tell you about my night on the town- I had a chance to attend the Good Hair screening and after party here in NYC. Talk about a star-studded event! I was trying my best NOT to be star-struck. I shook hands with Chris Rock and Bethann Hardison to name a few. Ashanti was in attendance, Corbin Bleu, Lennie Kravitz, Nia Long, Salt & Pepa (even Spinderella!), Gayle King, Ice-T... Adrian Grenier (Vince Chase from Entourage) walked by a few times- I had just watched the season finale of Entourage the night before- unreal.
The crazy thing is that I had no idea I was attending; I was invited through my job yesterday morning and almost ended up not going. After work, I just wanted to go to the gym and go home- my normal (boring) routine. I'm glad I went though- It was quite the experience.

I walked right behind Chris while he was giving this interview, on the red carpet. They weren't snapping my picture because they don't know me yet, but they will ;-)

For more pics, visit ConcreteLoop.com- They've got the full coverage.

SugarCube: The Definition of Good Hair, Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Many thanks to Naima O! She's back again with another great post for HBS (you may remember her from her first SugarCube post, Crowning Glory). I felt this story was very appropriate, especially with Chris Rock's "Good Hair" hitting theaters soon.

The Definition of Good Hair, Pt. 1

I recently got into a slightly confrontational conversation with a few friends, with their use of the term good hair. They defined good hair as hair that looked less kinky/tightly coily, and much straighter, smoother, and unlike hair textures that were their own.

The conversation left a bad taste in my mouth, and I searched for answers. What the hell is good hair? And if there is a good, there must be an opposite side on the spectrum - bad hair - what is that? Where did this come from?

Of course the answers I'd get would be subjective, but I needed to understand what others saw, I needed to understand what others felt about themselves and others.

So I searched. I asked my mother how she felt, and she was disgusted that a term which suggests such self-hate was still being thrown around so freely. She said it was sad and self-loathing, and about as ignorant as the old school Paper Bag Parties. I, then, asked two of my roommates; one of which wears her natural curls beautifully, and the other with a cute, conservative coiffed bob. They both agreed that good hair doesn't exist, and helped me with my search.

My roommates mother, a hair dresser, explained to me that good hair was natural, chemical free, and healthy hair. My other roommate sent out a mass text, and we received answers of varied responses, from natural queens, relaxed queens, pro-natural guys, and dudes that had a strict preference for a "long haired, thick red-bone." Here are some of the responses we received:

"Good hair is healthy, well-managed hair, it doesn't matter about texture. As long as you take care of your hair, you have good hair"
"Manageable, healthy hair"
"Long, thick, with a natural sheen... Sometimes curls up with the first sign of moisture, but always falls straight with a little work"
"Not nappy, and keeps it presentable"
"HEALTHY hair! Has nothing to do with texture, color, nor length"
"Hair that is shiny and wavy, and can pass through my fingers like silk"
"Good hair is dependent on your relative circumstance. Or what society wants you to believe is good hair"
"Good hair equals hair that is fine, can be washed everyday, and dyed with regular hair dye without falling out. It's the hair ou see flaunted on commercials"
"An expression of self that stays true to natural beauty, with clean tendencies"
"Thick, strong, and healthy; whether it is soft or coarse"
"Curly or straight without adding any grease"
"Soft and easy to manage"

Written by Naima Ozier, a 19 year old witty college student

Stay tuned for part 2 next Monday, 10/12!!

Friday's Dessert 10/2/09

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:08:00 +0000

I decided to snatch DE's favorite quote (Beautylogicblog) that she left in the this Tuesday's Trouble comment box. It's a great one to live by...

"It's never too late to be who you could have been" -DE's favorite quote (Beautylogicblog)

Have a great weekend!

Salon Santa Cruz

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Several of you have asked where did I get my hair cut. I found a great salon, Salon Santa Cruz located on Fifth Avenue, between 28th and 29th streets (NYC). A haircut with a junior stylist runs between $30 - 85, haircuts with a senior stylist cost somewhere between $55 - $165. Not cheap, but very reasonably priced. Santa Cruz, the owner, styled my hair- She's great!

I must say though: they're not really great at styling natural hair, but they've got the cutting part down (I had to go home and re-style my hair). But then again, no one has ever done a great job when it comes to styling my curls- I'm the master at it and that's just that.

Most importantly though: I WILL be going back!

Check out Salon Santa Cruz on the web for more info: www.salonsantacruz.com

The Sub: Curly Nikki's Worst Hair Moment in History!

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

We got it right this month guys! As we usually do on the last Wednesday of every month, Curly Nikki and I are swapping sites... Check her out below, then visit www.curlynikki.com to find out about MY worst hair moment(s)!

Worst Hair PHASE In History...

This is a tough one for me... Which is a good thing I supposed. I've never had a chemical disaster, or even a cut gone wrong. I did have, however, what you could call a terrible hair phase.

It was late 2006 and I was just beginning to get interested in the health of my hair. While flat ironing my hair one Sunday evening, I noticed that the ends of the straightened sections were punctuated with white dots (especially the highlighted strands). It was very strange... I finished the job and wrapped it up for the night. The next morning, I combed it down and carefully (and fearfully) examined my ends. What were these white dots?! I was totally freaked out and knew it couldn't mean anything good. I jumped on the internet and soon learned that I was suffering from trichorrhexis nodosa, also known as "bubble hair". It occurs when there is an explosion of the cortex at a single point on the hair strand. It looks like a tiny white bead on the hair, and inevitably results in hair breakage. It is a classic sign of physical and/or chemical over-treatment of the hair. My hair was a mess, and nearly every strand was split or bubbled. I cried and cried on and off for days until I decided that it was time to finally STOP STRAIGHTENING! I gave my Solia flat iron away, hid the blow dryer, and threw myself into a wonderful world of natural hair styling.

For the next two years, my dyed and heat damaged hair continued to break and split no matter what I did-- this was incredibly frustrating and disheartening. Finally in 2008, all of the henna treatments, frequent micro trims, and weekly deep treatments paid off! I was retaining length, and the health of my hair improved significantly. Needless to say, I haven't picked up a flat iron since 2007 (Valentine's Day)... Not that couldn't or wouldn't, I just feel sexier with BIG hair!

What has been your worst hair moment in history?

Tuesday's Trouble: Hungry 4 Fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I'm sure MANY of us twenty- (and thirty) somethings can relate to the following...

Dear HBS,

I am not sure if this is the best forum to seek advice but I thought I'd give it a shot. I am a 28 year old female who currently has no formal education. I have been employed with an insurance company for about 8 years (with benefits- including 401k, pension and health/dental, steady -though low- salary and paid vacation/sick). It is a decent company and many people retire from here.

The dilemma is my heart longs for work within the fashion industry and I am so stuck on how to get from where I currently am to where I want to be. Being a creative person, I have gone back and forth on which degree to pursue and wondered if a dual degree or a bachelors and masters would be the best option. Since I'm no spring chicken at this point in my life school has to move me (financially and creatively) into the heart of where I want to be. Otherwise, it's a waste of time and money I don't have.

I have NO idea what to do. One, financially I really can't afford to quit working to pursue education. Two, in the area I live (NC) there aren't a lot of fashion programs nonetheless programs (in this field) that can be taken at night and three, I wonder if I should pursue an education in communications with a minor in fashion or fashion design degree/textiles and get a masters in communications.

Ultimately, I'd like to be an image consultant/stylist and build a media company. I also sing (very well) and after education want to incorporate music into fashion. I'd like to own several boutique style stores (vintage mostly) throughout the US and possibly in the UK, Canada, Australia and South Africa. I don't really see myself as a designer though I do have some ideas for a plus sized line that may be in some of these stores.

Since I am behind the game (age wise) for this industry any help would be greatly appreciated!

God Bless,
Hungry 4 Fashion

Embracing the Frizz

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I've always told myself as well as others that a good haircut works with frizz. I say that because when your hair gets frizzy, it gets big. If you've got lots and lots of layers, the hair will have shape, frizzy or not. Are you catching my drift?
I've finally embraced the frizz! Not too long ago, I was rockin' my twist out and it was raining here in the Big Apple. Not only was it a wet day but it was also warm and humid. That would normally be the recipe for a horrible hair day. However, throughout that day I kept fluffing my hair up with my hands- the layers fell nicely into a great globular shape.

What the frizz!!
The Front....
*This photo doesn't really show the true essence of the frizz, but trust me it's there!

Parteeee!

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:00:00 +0000

This pic is a little blurry (I sent it from my Blackberry), but I did a simple wet twist out for this party I attended last week... I didn't like it at first but as the night wore on and the more I danced, the BIGGER it got...
Wesley B.
www.honeybrownsugar.com

Friday's Dessert 9/25/09

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I'm not a great big fan of "photo opps". I often love seeing the end results of being in a photograph, but I HATE stopping what I'm doing to pose for what could possibly go upwards of 5 minutes. Whenever I'm out with the girls, photo opps are always arising! But anywho, not to digress...

"At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough." -Toni Morrison

I haven't gotten to that point yet though.

Have a great weekend.

*Happy Birthday, Lela!!*

Love it or Leave it? Rih-Rih

noreply@blogger.com (Wes) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:29:00 +0000

Sorry guys, I couldn't get this up fast enough! Tell me how you feel about this new look Rihanna's rocking...