Glam Swagger

Mini Twists Are Back!

2012-01-17T17:42:00.000-05:00

I've had them in for a week now, and the break is much appreciated. I plan to keep them in for at least another week and I may re-install them after that. I didn't do them as small as I usually do so it only took about 5 hours compared to the usual 15. My arms thanked me.
Here are a few styles I did this week!

I call this style the "Roll & Rock" tutorial coming soon!

Simple bun

My favorite style this week! Hanging flat twist w/ side bun

This is what I've been using to moisturize my twists. It's hands down the best curl refresher I've tried!

A full review on the 30 second curl spray and a few other Twisted Sista products is coming soon.

Also, look out for the tutorial on the "Roll & Rock" style! That should be up later this week :)

MyGlam Bag (January)

2012-01-13T17:04:00.001-05:00

Have you guys heard about MyGlam? I've talked about it on my YouTube channel, but I just had to write a post about it as well.
It's a monthly beauty bag started by YouTube beauty guru Michelle Phan.
The $10/month price lured me in. Shipping is free and you get 4-5 deluxe or full sized products in each bag. Oh and and all the products come in a cute little makeup bag every month.
This month's bag included a nail polish, cucumber face mask, Wen almond mint conditioner and a concealer duo.
All are full sized except for the Wen which is more than enough conditioner to use more than once.

I can't wait to try them out! Actually, in sitting here with the face mask on right now. It feels all tingly and cool :) Did I mention it just peels right off? Awesomeness!
Peep my vids on MyGlam or check out the website to sign up!

What Happens Between Washes

2012-01-08T11:21:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! You can definitely see my color here.

Swagged Out Bun

Twist out Day 1 and 2

Twist out Day 3. Definitely time for a wash & trim. I think I'm in the mood for mini-twists. A little styling break would be nice for Thickums and I.

Stylist Spotlight: Nadia Vassell

2012-01-01T18:57:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I recently interviewed NYC based hair stylist and salon owner Nadia Vassell about caring for natural hair.
Her work can be seen on numerous celebrities an in major publications including Essence, Black Sophisticate, and Uptown Magazine among others.

GlamSwagger: A lot of naturals take the DIY approach to hair care, what services do you recommend heading to the salon for?

Nadia: Natural hair is the new trend from major product companies formulating products the combat the concerns of the naturalistas. The services I recommend for naturalistas when visiting the salon are haircuts/trims and hair color services.
GlamSwagger Reader Submitted Question: "I want to color my hair, but I'm afraid of damaging my virgin strands, any advice on keeping hair healthy after it's been color treated?"
Nadia: One of the concerns of many is maintaining healthy hair after it has been colored. Natural hair tends to get dry and brittle, especially when you add a chemical service to the mix. Moisturize and condition the hair regularly. Follow the recommendations of your hairstylist. The less processed your hair, the healthier it is. Below are some of my favorite products for achieving and maintaining healthy hair:

Mizani Moisturefuse

Pantene Daily Oil Cream Moisturizer (From the Relaxed and Natural line)

Karen’s Body Beautiful- Complete Hair Conditioner and Hair Nectar leave-in conditioner.

GlamSwagger: Any tips on protecting the hair during the cold winter months?
Nadia: Try a dry shampoo, wear hats that are the right size, use cool or warm water when shampooing hair. Use a daily moisturizer and each time you shampoo, and apply leave-in conditioner.

GlamSwagger: How often do you recommend trimming the hair?
Nadia: Depending on the condition of your hair I recommend trimming the hair every 4-8 weeks.

For more information, feel free to check out her website!

Week In Review

2011-12-17T08:25:00.000-05:00

These photos pretty much sum up my week. Super busy and draining...but I try to stay glam despite the stress. Oh...about the Karite Special line giveaway! Hana aka 'Hitgirl' is the winner! Yay! Thanks to all who entered, more giveaways coming soon.

Quick Updo Tutorial

2011-12-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

Hope you all enjoy. Try it out and add your own swag to it!

*Oh and if you haven't entered to win a full set of hair products yet...do it!!*
Check this post for the details :)

Whoa!

2011-12-10T13:09:00.001-05:00

Twist out day 1...

Anyone else's hair do this?

Literally 2 days later and it's like tripled in size. I didn't retwist i put it into a high pony at night. Now I don't mind it being so big but why? How? Lol!

The Curls are Back In Town!

2011-12-04T07:49:00.001-05:00

I missed my hair so much! That break was much needed though. So was this change...
I chopped my bangs!! Those long floppy things had to go! I filmed a video
during the process and I'm not gonna lie, I freaked out for a little bit. But, I love the end result!
I also colored my hair. *Gasp* I probably should have went to a salon, but I just couldn't wait. I neeeeded it. The color is a deep auburn. You can really see it indoors but it's pretty bright in the sun. Perfecto!
Love love love it!

Giveaway! nuNAAt Karite Special Line

2011-12-03T19:51:00.000-05:00

Hey ladies! Here's a chance for you to win some swag. I'm giving away a set of products from the nuNaat Karite Special line. It includes a shampoo, conditioner, detangling leave in, a deep conditioning hair mask and an anti-frizz heat protectant.
Interested in trying them out? Just make sure you're subscribed to my YouTube channel and my blog via Google Friend Connect. All you have to do is shoot me an email at glamswagger at gmail dot com with your username for Google and YouTube.
That's it! Good luck to all who enter. I will announce a winner on Tuesday, December 13th.
**This giveaway is for U.S. residents only**

Having Your Weave Called Out...

2011-12-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

Would you be embarrassed if someone called you out on your weave in public? A tv news anchor in Virginia was put on blast recently by her male co-anchor during a joke about the sprinkler system going off. He commented about it ruining her "beautiful weave" and man the look on her face was priceless. She exclaimed "It's not a weave!" LOL clearly it was but I guess that was her first instinct reaction.
Both anchors walked off the set during the awkward exchange. (A tv producers nightmare! Not sure what I would have done.)
The incident went viral on the internet and the pair put together a video a few days later explaining the incident. The embarrassed co-anchor goes into detail about why she wears weaves and even shows off her bodacious fro. Check it out!

Coarse Dame Crochet

2011-11-14T17:19:00.001-05:00

The cold Winter months are quickly approaching :( While I'm not a fan of the frosty temps there are a few things I love about the season.
Scarves, hats, and boots!
My girl CoarseDame has us covered on a least two of those things. She is a crochet artist and handmakes hats, gloves, scarves, earrings and even headbands!! I remember seeing some items she posted on Twitter and thinking "oh how cute!"

I remember this adorable sock monkey hat in particular that she made for her *then* unborn daughter.
After many failed attempts at teaching myself how to crochet, I'm just gonna leave it to the pros for now.
Here are a few items she has available for purchase.

If you see something you like but want a different color, she's able to do that as well with the turn around time being about a week.
Check out the site and if you see anything you like, take 15% off using my promo code: GlamSwagger
There's also a free shipping sale going on Black Friday.
Her prices are very affordable, you can't beat this deal for something one of a kind handmade!

Royal Purple Eyeshadow Tutorial

2011-11-14T09:33:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I just uploaded my first eyeshadow video to YouTube! Check it out if you want to see how I created the look.

***Thanks to all who left comments/tweets of support regarding my protective style struggles :)

Protective Style Struggles

2011-11-12T18:34:00.000-05:00

**Warning** Rant ahead...I miss my curls ya'll!

P.S. If you want to see posts non hair related let me know! I have tons of stuff to share, makeup, fashion, dating :) I'd rather not share if no one is interested though lol

I've Cheated On My Lover

2011-11-04T21:57:00.001-04:00

Ok y'all knew I was using the conditioner, but "what had happened was" lol the shampoo was at Marshall's too so I said why not?!
It's a great value and my hair feels just as great as if I used my Shikai shampoo.
Neither shampoo contains sulfates so my hair doesn't feel stripped.
It smells citrusy just like the conditioner. I looooove that it comes in a large size with a pump. To be honest, large sizes are a necessity for me at this point. I can't play around with these sample sizes most companies are offering, I have a lot of hair!!
*I was not paid for this review, all products purchased with my own moolah and this is my honest review*

Miss Me Much?!

2011-10-29T13:27:00.001-04:00

I am a procrastinator. I think about blogging everyday and I put it off until later and later never happens! I'm on a new shift at work and so I really have to put myself on a schedule now.
Anyway! How have you guys been? I took my sew in out as you can see from the pic above. My hair is at an awkward length right now and needs to be cut/shaped badly! All my styles just look "off."
So I decided to weave it back up again! I needed something super low maintenance so I opted for straight hair.

I'm so happy I don't have to wet/fuss with my hair at 4a.m. anymore (yes you read that correctly! I'm yawning just typing it.) Also, wetting my hair every morning is a no-go. It's 30 degrees and snowing already! So it'll be straight for awhile. I want to try senagalese twists next but my last attempt was a #fail lol I'll figure it out soon.
Oh! I celebrated my birthday this week too. Team Scorpio! I pranced around in sequins and a tutu with polka dot tights. It was awesome. Here are the "Crunkcakes" my friend bought me. So yummy and buzz inducing!

World's Largest Afro Goes To...

2011-10-17T16:13:00.001-04:00

Aevin Dugas holds the Guiness World record for the largest afro! The hair was fierce and she was super sweet :)
I stopped by the Koils by Nature "Natural Hair is Not a Fad" event here in the DC area this weekend and she was one of the attendees.
Shout out to Natural NouNou for the free ticket!
The event was very fun and informative. The ladies from The Damn Salon were in attendance looking fab!
Several workshops were held and a number of vendors also set up displays with their products.

These are a few samples from my swag bag! The full size products were not included but were gifted to me :) gotta love free-99!

Oh yea, the weave is out! For a limited time only though. My hair is already getting on my nerves. I'll be wearing buns until my next style!

PS Length Check Month 2

2011-10-09T10:00:00.001-04:00

It's time for the October check in! Time is flying with this protective style challenge.
Less than 1 month to go...and I'm seriously starting to miss my hair.
I know I'm only saying that because I'm bored with this weave though lol. I want a different look. I'm planning to continue protective styling after this challenge with the good hair blog. Still debating on between a straight weave or senegalese twists (I've never done them but I plan to teach myself!) lol
Anyway here are the length check pics.

August-October

The 1st two shots from the back are both from August, I didn't take pics of the back last month.

This last pic just shows a little shrinkage. My hair is still wet.

Weave Care Part 2 (Blending)

2011-10-01T11:41:00.001-04:00

Hello ladies! I've posted part 2 of my video series on weave care. This vid shows my blending method as well as some products I've used.

P.S. Peep my "get your freak on" tag video...I must warn you my singing is horrible!

Still Steaming!

2011-09-29T18:04:00.001-04:00

My Huetiful hair steamer is still being put to work ladies! It's part of my regimen to keep MY hair under the weave moisturized.
I do my shampoo and conditioning routine then sit under the steamer for 20 minutes.
Trust me when I say that steam penetrates! Those of you who own a steamer know what I mean.
Besides the moisturizing effects, the creator of the Huetiful says it's helpful for those wearing protective styles.
I had the opportunity to talk with him during a conference call with bloggers a few weeks ago and he explained that the steam and UV from the steamer also helps rid any bacteria that may be left on the scalp. This can become an issue for some can't throughly cleanse the scalp due to braids, weaves, etc.
Remember a healthy scalp = healthy hair!

Natural Hair Meet-up At TGIFridays!

2011-09-27T06:13:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of attending a natural hair meet-up over the weekend. It was the first one where I actually got to enjoy being a participant and not a host!! Alex from The Good Hair Blog and Art from Natural Nou Nou hosted the event along with Jocelyn from Curly Nu Growth.
Great food and natural hair conversation :)
No one left empty handed and I hit up Alex for a couple of her handmade bracelets.

Can't wait until the next one! If you're in the DC/Baltimore area sign up for the meet-up group so you don't miss the next one. I'd love to see you there!

Well Since You Asked...

2011-09-14T12:26:00.001-04:00

I made a vid detailing the steps I take to care for my natural hair under my weave.
I forgot to add that I moisturize everyday with a spritz to saturate my braids!
Peep the vid :)

Hello Growth!

2011-09-07T10:24:00.001-04:00

August 1, 2011

September 7, 2011

This is my check in for The Good Hair Blog's protective style challenge. When I said I wanted an inch this month I was kinda joking! I didn't measure but I'm sure it's over half an inch. The front of my hair grows the slowest so I'm really happy with my progress so far.
Let's keep up the protective styling ladies!

We Have A Winner!

2011-09-01T11:44:00.001-04:00

Simply Nece is the winner of the Definitely Glam earring giveaway! She was chosen by random draw of names. I can't wait to see how the earrings look on. Thanks to all who entered!

Protective Style: ONYC Kinky Curly

2011-08-29T18:52:00.001-04:00

So, I finally installed the hair! I absolutely love it. A video detailing how I installed and an initial review is coming soon. I plan to keep this in until November. I will post details on how I wash and moisturize my hair very soon.
For those who emailed me asking why I would get a weave...it's simple. For me, it's the easiest to manage protective style. I'm not big on braids or twists, especially on my own hair which tends to get fuzzy within days.
I understand weaves aren't for everyone, but I used them to transition to natural hair so using them as a protective style comes "natural" to me :)
For those want to know, the vendor I purchased the hair from (ONYC Hair) is a black woman who works with distributors to produce a realistic 3c/4a curl pattern.
I've tried many types of kinky curly hair and this by far is the best.
Peep the short video I recorded earlier today :)

Definitely Glam Earring Giveaway!

2011-08-23T07:52:00.001-04:00

Okay I feel kinda bad about my last giveaway which I only offered to those attending my meetup. Soooo, I'm having another one! Everyone is being offered the chance to win these cute "Goddess Pink" hoops from Definitely Glam, all you have to do is follow the rules :)
How to Enter:
1. Must be a follower of GlamSwagger via Google Friend Connect.
2. Must be a U.S. resident
3. Leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite item on the Definitely Glam website.

EARN EXTRA ENTRIES:
1. Create a post on your blog about the Earring Giveaway. Include as much information as possible and a link back.
2. Tweet about this giveaway. Say: "I want to win @GlamSwagger's Definitely Glam earring Giveaway!

Contest ends Saturday, August 27 at midnight!
Good luck ladies :)