Curl Love

Heatless Styles: Curlformers Vs. Flexirods

2014-01-07T10:35:00.000-06:00

My favorite quick, go-to hairstyle has always been the wash-and-go. However, I have been looking for different ways to wear my hair. Being able to switch it up when I have time is always nice. Also, I really wanted to find heatless ways to stretch my hair. I started noticing that the longer my hair got the more it shrunk and the more tangles I would experience. More tangles means more slit ends and more trims to get rid of the split ends. I want to retain more length. My only solution is to stretch my hair enough to keep my hair from knotting on the ends. My research brought me to curl formers and flexirods. I tried both to decide which one was best for me. For each I used the usual technique cowash, deep condition, hot oil treatment, and Tresseme Naturals with one addition As I Am Curling Jelly for extra hold. Because I used the curling jelly, I used a lot less Tresseme Naturals. It was used more as a light leave-in than a styler.

Curl formers

I found some off-brand, less expensive curl formers on sale from on Amazon. The real curl formers were about $70. These were only about $14, so I gave them a try. Once I got them, I had to watch a few videos to make sure I had the right technique. After a couple of practice sections, I was ready to do my entire head. I used small sections because I didn't want my hair to take forever to air dry. It was just as easy as it looks in the videos. I had to redo about three in the beginning. All in all, it took me about 30 minutes. They are made of a mesh material which allows air to circulate through them, so my hair was dry by morning. The only pitfall was going to bed in them. Sleeping in them was not comfortable at all! Plus, as my hair dried, they actually got tighter and more uncomfortable. For this reason, I would not do them every week. Truthfully, I really have to be in the mood to have my sleep disrupted! Other than that, I loved them. It was a nice change. I had a lot fewer tangles with the curl formers and the curls lasted about four days. I got lots of compliments and people asking what I had done to my hair. It was worth it and I will surely do them again.

Flexirods

I actually didn't have to buy these. I borrowed a few that my mother had on hand. I already knew how to use these so there were no instructional videos needed. The first thing I noticed was that they didn't pull my roots as tight as the curl formers. At first, I thought that would be a good thing because the curl formers were uncomfortable for sleeping. I couldn't use more than about 25 of them because the have a tendency to get too crowded, which caused me to use bigger sections than the curl formers. Also, in order to keep them in place, I had to roll my hair so that it was more compacted on the rod, which made me concerned about whether my hair would be dry by morning. To my surprise, sleeping was actually more uncomfortable than the curl formers. I didn't realize that in my attempts to make them snug to my head, I also made them super uncomfortable. I had to get out of bed at least four times to fix them so I could sleep. I was annoyed to say the least! However, I was determined to see it through. By morning, I checked them to see if they were dry. As I expected, since they were more compact air was not able to circulate and they were only about half way dry. I had someplace to go, so I had to get under a hooded dryer for about 45 minutes to dry my hair the rest of the way. The curls were about the same as the curl formers. However, my roots were not as straight and neat as the curl formers. I ended up having to separate them a lot in order to hide the frizzy spots. They lasted about four days just like the curl formers and my hair was less tangled on the ends.

All in all, I would say that the curl formers are my favorite. I will be giving back the flexirods and never borrowing them again. I am so happy I purchased the curl formers. They will be a great addition to my heatless styles!

Sisterlocks: One Year and Eight Months

2014-01-02T11:42:00.003-06:00

About three years ago, my mother decided to start her sisterlock hair journey. The first step was to grow out her chemical texturizer. A style that she had relied on for many years. The eleven months before that very first appointment were filled with feelings of excitement as she saw pictures of people who had sisterlocks for many years. She was in awe of how beautiful they were and she couldn't wait to get her own. At times, she was also worried if she was making the right decision. By April 2012, she anxiously made her very first sisterlock appointment.

The first month or two, the sisterlocks really looked nothing like what you would expect any locks to look, but she hung in there. One of the first things that she noticed was that her hair began to shrink on itself. Basically, instead of seeing much growth for the first 6 months, her hair seemed to not grow much at all. Her hair was actually growing and shrinking on itself to create the look that locks have. She followed all the recommended steps and about 3 months later they began to look more and more like sisterlocks. An added bonus was that her hair started to thicken in all the areas where the texturizer had cause her hair to thin. Instantly, she was hooked!

Summer 2012 about 4 months after the initial appointment

One year later

Now one year and eight months later, my mom"s sisterlocks are absolutely beautiful. She has jazzed them up a bit with a color and all the texturized ends have been completely removed. Now her hair is a no brainer! It's so easy, I don't think she ever go back to a texturizer!

One year and eight months later

Happy Holidays!

2013-12-26T16:43:00.000-06:00

If you haven't already noticed I've been on a bit of a hiatus for some time now. Life has taken me on some interesting twists and turns. From vacations and get-togethers to sicknesses and work stress, I can surely say that this has been an exciting year. Through all the ups and downs, writing has taken the back burner for a while. That certainly doesn't mean that I have neglected my hair. For about 5 months or so, I went from strictly twist-outs back to wash-and-go's and buns simply because they are easy and they take very little time to complete. When you are stressed, your hair is the last thing you want to worry about. However, I still used the same technique co-wash, deep condition and a hot oil treatment, but when it comes to styling wash-n-go's are still super easy.

My hair hasn't been totally boring. I've tried a few new techniques, products and styles. Some of these have become my favorites, while others were a big mistake. My plan is to share all of these experiences with you in the near future :-). I am still on this journey and loving every minute of the highs and lows.

Until next time....Curl Love forever!

Twist and Curl

2013-03-04T12:03:00.001-06:00

I have been getting really bored with my hair lately. Mixing it up between the wash and go and twist-out has not been cutting it. So, I had to try something new. I've been really curious about how my hair would turn out with a twist and curl style. I've tried this style years ago when I was transitioning, but it always seemed to come out very dry with a weird shape. Back then, I didn't know anything about the Curly Girl method. I've come to realize that it may not have been my hair that was the problem. It may have been the products I used. I used to use Pantene shampoo and conditioner faithfully and I styled it with mousse as needed. Those products seemed to work well when it came to my relaxed hair but I rarely got the results I wanted for my natural hair. I could never understand why.

Now years later, I thought it was worth giving it another a try as long as I didn't have anywhere to go. Just in case it was another epic fail. This time around I used the same exact method I normally use for my twist-out (click here to get the details on my twist-out regimen). The only difference is that I put perm rods on the end of each twist, which turned out to be about 30 in all. I made sure to strategically roll each rod to a place that would give me a desired shape. I was going for a curl that cascaded downward from front to back. The last professional trim I had over a year ago was a layered cut, so that also helped me get the shape I wanted. I decided not to sit under the dryer because I have found that it really dries out my hair. So, for this to work, I needed to have enough time for it to air dry.

I did the style early on a Sunday and let it air dry while I cooked and cleaned. I have to say the perm rods were slightly annoying to wear all day. Of course my kids thought they were funny looking. My husband wasn't a fan of my chosen look for the day. Regardless, I was determined not to sit under the drier. I had put too much time and effort into this just to have it fail again.

When I got up this morning I took my hair down. I thought it was a success. The weight from the rods on the ends stretched my hair just enough to give me more length without losing too much volume. I also like the big fluffy curl I got with the rods as opposed to the tiny straw like curls I naturally have. I think I will try the pineapple for bed tonight. The Tresseme Naturals gave me a very light hold so I will be interested to see how long it lasts. Overall, I really liked it and it was super easy. I will definitely try it again.

Also, Curl Love is now on Instagram under the name curl_love. Be sure to follow me! See you there!

Until next time.....Curl Love Forever ;-)

Curling Sisterlocks

2013-02-10T15:18:00.002-06:00

The first few months of my mom's hair journey, she was braiding or curling her sisterlocks over night to create a style for the next day. It worked for a while, but it became very uncomfortable to sleep in rollers or braids. It was actually giving her headaches at night. Then, she tried using a curling iron on a small lock of her hair. Mistake!! It actually singed and burned out the lock! So, that was a real quick lesson. Absolutely, DO NOT use any sort of high heat on sisterlocks.

One morning back in November, I stopped by my mom's house. She was wearing hair curlers. I thought she had gone back to sleeping in rollers. I should have known this wouldn't be that case. My mom is a hair stylist, so she's always trying something new on her hair. Instead of using regular rollers, these were warm curlers. Once they are placed in the plastic case (pictured above), they would become warm. When you see the ready signal, you can put the curlers in your hair and leave them in for about twenty minutes. Your curl should last all day. I actually remember using something like this on my relaxed hair some years back. They were wonderful for giving me a light curl without damaging my hair. So why not try them on sisterlocks? I thought is was a great idea.

Of course I asked her to send me a few pictures of the outcome. She sent me these pictures in December. I know what you are thinking. That was a while ago! I know it took me forever to post these pictures. Better late than never...right? I just had to share this one because there may be someone out there that has the same issue. I've seen similar types of curlers at lots of stores. So they should be pretty easy to find. This is a quick solution and it's a very clever way to get the style without having to deal with sleeping uncomfortably. It turned out cute! Her locks have really filled in and become full. This was the reason she decided to get sisterlocks in the first place! Goal accomplished. Now, she's looking forward to more length.

Stay tuned! I will have another interview and length check posted soon!

Until then...Curl Love forever! ;-)

10 Twist-Out Tips

2013-01-21T17:10:00.003-06:00

I first tried doing my own twist-outs about seven months ago. From the very first day, I really fell in love with the look and the ease of maintenance. Since then, I've been practicing them on my hair practically every week. I've had a lot of trial and error. Here are a few of my own personal twist out lessons.

My first set of twists
End of June 2012

1. Dampen your hair and pull out every curl before washing. I especially start with this step if I am starting with an old twist-out because my curls tend to wrap around each other by day six or seven. Once the water runs through my hair, any section that is the tiniest bit tangled will be very tangled by the end of cowashing. This step takes a little time and my hair ends up in a huge afro when I'm finish. However, it cuts down on detangling later. I found that when I start with this step, I get less than half of the shedding I was normally getting.

June 2012

2. Deep conditioning makes a difference. Deep conditioning adds much needed moisture to my hair and it lasts for days. There were some weeks that I didn't feel like going through the trouble to deep condition my hair. Boy did I pay for it! My hair wasn't soft or shiny. Also, I didn't have the same level of definition. Lesson learned! Always deep condition!

3. Don't split your hair into four sections to do the twists. I have seen many tutorials on twist-outs or braid-outs. Many times they will say split your hair into four parts. It seems like it really worked for them. I quickly learned that it wasn't for me. Since my hair isn't as thick as others, the part straight down the middle doesn't go away after I untwist my hair. It sticks out like a sore thumb and it really looks strange. I have tried shaking my hair, pulling it out a little at the root and separating the curls to camouflage the area. Every time it was an epic failure. My solution was to stagger my parts so that they camouflage each other as soon as I take out the twists. By starting with staggered parts, I don't have to touch my hair too much once I take down the twists.

My hair after I unraveled the twist.
June 2012

4. Lots of styling cream equals a longer dry time. My styling cream (Tresemme Naturals) helps to set my hair in the twists and hold in the moisture. However, too much could result in a longer dry time. It's alright when I don't really have any place special to go, but there are times that I need to have my hair completely dry in the morning. I use a t-shirt to help squeeze out the water and excess product. If I still have wet hair in the morning, I sit under a cool drier.

5. Don't twist all the way to the ends. I have often heard people say this. However, I made this mistake on a few occasions on some of my own twists. Needless to say, I was sorry I did. My hair became tangled on the ends. I had to add water and conditioner to the tangled sections to help them slip apart, which worked for the most part. Other areas had to be clipped off. Really, you should stop about an inch from the ends and twirl the rest around your finger to help set a nice coil on the ends.

Jan. 2013

6. Moisturize and pineapple at night. I never really worried about moisturizing and pineappling at night when I was wearing wash-and-go styles. Twist-outs stretch my hair, so my hair rubs against my clothes a lot more than it does with a wash-and go. Also, in the winter, my hair tends to dry out easily. I use oil and/or conditioner to keep my hair moisturized before I do my night time pineapple.

7. Spray a mist of water to refresh your curls in the morning. Just like with a wash-and-go, water can refresh your twist-outs in the morning. However, only spray a very light mist of water, like 1-2 sprays. Too much water could result in frizz.

8. Lubricate your fingers with the natural oil of your choice before unraveling. I actually mentioned this in another post, but I thought I would mention it again because it works so well for unraveling twists. They slip apart with ease. It just makes the process go a lot faster,.

9. Don't touch! I say this often, but I have to admit I have a very hard time following this rule. I find myself playing in my hair without even realizing. It leads dryness, frizz and split ends. I have cut down on touching, but I still make this mistake every so often.

Jan. 2013

10. If you get any frizzy spots re-twist them. I wet my fingers with water and smooth it on the section that I want to re-twist. Then, I add a little more styling cream and re-twist the section. It will be dry in a very short time as long as you don't use too much water and product. It won't look like the first day however it will give you a few more days out of your style.

These are just a few of the most important lessons that I have learned about my twist-outs. I probably could have named a few more and there are definitely more lessons to learn. However, these few changes have helped me really love twist-outs.

What would you add to this list?

The Top Knot : High Bun

2013-01-17T17:00:00.000-06:00

I've been checking out the newest trends in hairstyles and it seems like the high bun is the next big thing. It's been called by a number of names So-Ho Bun, Top Knot, High Bun, Royal Bun, Messy High Bun and so on. I think you get the picture. I have been doing high buns for some time now. The difference with these buns are that they are much higher and fuller than my normal high bun. At first, I thought that I didn't have enough hair for this style. However, I decided to go little out my comfort zone and give it a try anyway. Whenever I try something new, I like to try it on strangers like when I'm running errands or something like that. Just to see how it holds up and if I really like it after a few hours. Also, I like to see if I get any strange looks or compliments because usually that determines the reactions I might get at my work place.

This particular day was perfect for some experimentation because it was a Saturday and I had a few errands to run. I used a five day old twist-out because by that time my hair is really full and to the point where it's too frizzy to wear down. I used water, olive oil and Eco Styler Gel on my edges. I smoothed my edges with my hands. Then I used brush for the front and the nape of my neck before putting it into a high ponytail. Instead of packing my hair tightly into the bun like I usually do, I used bobby pins to spread the bun out as much as wanted. Finally, I tied down my edges for about 20 minutes to make sure to set my hair in place. That was it!

It was a pretty fast updo. I did have a little trouble at first because I had to get used to having taller hair than normal. I hit my bun getting in and out of the car a few times. It didn't hurt but it was really funny!

I think that the high bun is really great for keeping your ends protected and getting a few more days out of your twist-outs. I definitely recommend using a nylon ponytail holder without any metal on it and not pulling you hair too tightly into the ponytail. Dress it up and add the accessory of your choosing. I loved it and I will surely be trying this style again.

Have you tried the Top Knot? What was your experience?

Experimenting with Flax Seed Gel for a Wash-and-Go

2013-01-08T19:38:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season. Mine has been super busy. I am really glad that things have slowed down and I'm back to my regular schedule. Since I was so busy, I had no spare time to twist my hair at night. I pretty much did wash-and-go styles for the entire month of December. I decided to try flax seed gel because I heard lots of reviews about its awesome hold. I thought I could use it to replace my Herbal Essences Gel because now that my hair is a but longer, it doesn't have much hold at all.

Day 1
A little crunchy! Lol!

I watched a few YouTube videos on how to make the gel. I think any of the recipes would have worked just fine but the one I really liked was by Hey Fran Hey. In her video, the recipe called for 4 tablespoons of flax seed and 2 cups of water. After removing it from the stove and straining off the seeds, she adds Jamaican Black Castor oil and some other oils. I customized mine by adding a tablespoon of each coconut oil and vitamin E oil. Honestly, I don't think that the kind oils that you add are really important. The oils are supposed to promote the health and shine of your hair, so whatever oils work best for your hair should be used in the gel. Some people say, you should add the oils when the gel is still warm and others say to wait until it is cooled. Personally, I added my oils while the gel was warm because the oils mix with the gel better. After I made the gel I had to be sure to refrigerate it because since it is organic it will spoil if left at room temperature too long. In the fridge it will last for about ten days, so if you are not planning to use a lot, don't make a huge batch.

Day 2

I absolutely loved the flax seed gel! I would definitely stop buying Herbal Essences for this stuff. After I cowashed, deep conditioned and detangled my hair, I added a small amount of Tresemme Naturals as a leave-in conditioner and put my hair in four plats and went to bed. In the morning, I dampened my hair and started to add the flax seed gel. The very first time I used it, I didn't think that I would get that much hold from the gel, so I used a lot of it. A few hours later after my hair dried, it was little on the crunchy side to say the least. So, of course I thought I used too much. I just went with the flow and pineappled my hair as close to the top of my head as I could get. The next day the crunchiness was gone, but the hold was still there. I was utterly impressed! I was able to get several days wearing it down and a few in a puff or bun (approximately 7 days). It was amazing! Of course I tried it again and again and I got the same results.

Day 3

Well, there were some down sides to the gel. My number one issue was the smell. It literally felt like I was putting food on my hair. I really like sesame seeds in my food so it reminded me a lot of them. That part was a little weird, but I'm sure there is an essence oil that I could use for that part. Also, the consistency was like slime. I was expecting this because I saw the videos. However, it didn't stop it from feeling sort of gross. My solution was to put in a travel size squeeze bottle instead of sticking my fingers in the jar. That way, I could squeeze it in the palm of my hand. Plus, I think it's more sanitary if you are not contaminating the jar with your fingers. Lastly, it wasn't enough hold for my edges. They tend to frizz easily. So, I will probably continue using Eco Styler gel on my edges.

Day 4
It's beginning to get fuzzy.

Day 5
Day 6 was another puff and day 7 was a bun.

Overall, it is definitely a keeper. People who see me on regular basis were asking me what I had done differently to my hair. So, it was surely a big difference from Herbal Essences. Why didn't I find this stuff sooner?!

Have you tried flaxseed gel? What are your thoughts and suggestions on how to use it?

My Daughter is Transitioning!

2012-11-29T21:33:00.000-06:00

My fifteen year old daughter has decided to try transitioning to natural hair. Her last relaxer was in the first week of August, which was about four months ago. She has really been going back and forth with the decision to go natural, which is totally understandable because going natural is not an easy decision to make. At first she tried getting a blow dry and flat iron about once a week and every so often she was doing braid-outs. By the end of October, she found that it was getting too hard keep up a blow dry and flat iron with her active schedule. Her week can include anything from dance practices a few times a week, competitions and games. She was struggling to keep her hairstyle looking nice after such a hard workout. The "big chop" would be easy to maintain, but it was not an option for her. That was way too drastic of a change. She wanted to ease her way into it, so she decided to go with a sew-in. It was a protective style that was easy enough for working out and it still allowed her some options for hairstyles for competitions, games and everyday.

I really love this look, I think it can work for anyone who wants an easy, carefree style.

Accessorize Your Hair!

2012-11-23T14:37:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving is a special time to get together with family and friends. Let's face it, some of those family and friends you may only see about two or three times out of the year, so it is important to look your best. Normally, for me that would include a blow dry and flat iron. Honestly, it's been since New Year's Eve of last year when I last straighten my hair. That's almost a year! I've really been sticking to it and I have seen some great differences in my hair. So, I wasn't about to ruin my heat-less goal just for one or two days out of the year. So decided to abandon the flat-iron and do a twist-out and accessorize it with a beautiful clip that I found for only $1.00.

I achieved an ultra defined twist-out with very few products. On Tuesday night, I did my normal co-wash with Suave Naturals, deep conditioned with EverSleek and applied a hot oil treatment with natural oils. Next, I applied Tresemme Naturals conditioner as my styling product. I twisted my hair in medium to small twists. Then, I let my hair dry over night. On Wednesday morning, I could have taken them out, but I planned to wear the twist for at least a day before taking them down. This step allowed additional drying time for my twists just in case they weren't completely dry. Also, I wanted that fresh, ultra defined look achieved when you first unravel twist-outs. On Thursday about an hour before leaving the house, I lubricated my fingers with jojoba oil and very carefully untwisted my hair. I put a small amount of Eco Styler Gel on my edges to slick down any fly-aways. Since the twists were medium to small, I didn't have to separate them any further. I loosely pulled back a small section in the front and used my inexpensive decorative clip. And voila Thanksgiving hair!

I was really happy with the way it turned out. I was even more pleased that I didn't succumb to temptation to flat iron my hair.

What is Your Definition of Being Natural?

2012-11-18T20:36:00.000-06:00

I came across this video yesterday called Weaves Versus Natural Hair (Part 2) which was posted a couple of years back. I believe this video was a senior project by Gerreka, the host of the show. In the video, the ladies are discussing the definition of being "natural". They are in a heated debate, but one of the young ladies seems to not have all the facts straight. The look on the other young lady's face is priceless. I thought it was so comical that I just had to post it. Check it out below.

There are a few more parts to the interview. They are all pretty interesting. Be sure to check out all of them on YouTube.

Watching this video really got me thinking. What is the definition of natural hair? For some people, natural means strictly using all natural products such as shea butter and olive oil. Therefore, products like my favorite Tresemme Naturals would be a no no because it has ingredients that you cannot necessarily pronounce. These ingredients would be considered chemicals. For me, natural means being completely relaxer free. Obviously, I don't mind using a few unpronounceable ingredients on my hair because my hair has responded well to them consistently. I do have my limits such as sulfates and silocones because my hair doesn't respond well to them compared to other ingredients. However, I definitely don't think that your personal desision makes one person better or worse than the other. When you find what works for your hair (all natural or not), keep using it and know that it may not work for the next person.

What is your definition of being natural?

Nighttime Routine: The Pineapple

2012-11-17T21:29:00.001-06:00

This is a 4th day twist-out with medium sized twists

If you speak to almost any naturalista, nighttime will most likely consist of a nightly moisturizing and something called a pineapple. Sounds like a yummy bedtime snack...right? Well, not really. Pineappling is a way to preserve your curls for the next day without having to rewash or reset your curls. It basically involves putting your hair in a high, loose ponytail in the top of your head. It prevents you from crushing your curls while you sleeping.

Just because pineappling is common in the natural hair community doesn't mean that everyone does it exactly the same. For my pineapple, I use nylon ponytail holder or a knee high stocking to put my hair in a high ponytail. Then, I tie a silk scarf around my head, making sure to leave out the top so that the ponytail comes through. This is probably where my pineapple is a bit different from others. Once I have secured the scarf, I remove the ponytail holder. By removing the ponytail holder, my curls keep their shape better and I don't end up with an indentation where the ponytail used to be. I also sleep on my satin pillow case just in case the scarf slips off in the middle of the night.

As I said in another post I can only pineapple my hair on a twist-out. My hair shrinks too much to pineapple on a wash-and-go. For a wash-and-go, I do a mid-ponytail and I still remove the ponytail holder. I still tie the scarf around my head and sleep on a satin pillowcase.

I have to admit, I wasn't a believer in the pineapple until I actually tried it. Although pineapples are a yummy snack, this technique is great for getting additional days out of your styles and protecting your hair while you sleep.

A Pony Puff with a Mind of Its Own

2012-11-12T19:03:00.000-06:00

A few days after a wash-and-go, it's pretty routine that I will squeeze a couple more days out of the style with a pony puff. A few months ago it was simple. I would just spray a little water, add gel to the edges and use a stocking to pull it into a pony puff. Now, it's much harder to get nice neat look from my pony puff.

First of all, the stocking rolls up, so the puff will slowly become more and more loose. Also since, my hair has grown the puff has become bigger. Today, I got tired of fighting it. I decided to try letting the stocking roll to the spot where it wanted to stay. Then, I used my head band to at least keep the edges neat. It seemed to work and I didn't have to worry keeping my stocking in place all day. Now that my pony puff has taken on a life of it's own, I have to try to think of creative ways to keep it tame and I'm learning a lot along the way!

Do you have the same problem with your pony puff?

Sisterlocks: Spray-On Hair Color

2012-11-09T18:39:00.001-06:00

Like most salons, Saturdays are pretty busy at the beauty school. So I try to help my mom by working the reception desk on Saturdays. I really love the change from my normal elementary teaching duties during the week. Plus, I get to learn little about hair terminology as I help the customers and dispense the products to the students. All the running around can be exhausting, but I really enjoy it.

Her regular hair color

While working the desk I noticed my mom had a new hair color. I was a bit surprised because I thought she was trying to stay away from chemicals. She surprised me even more because she informed me that it was a spray-on color! My mom loves to to put blond in her hair however it is super damaging. Her alternative was a spray color in her hair. I thought it looked so natural I never would have guessed it was a spray-on. It looked like she had highlights.

The colors were trial bottles from the company in red and blond. The best part is once you are ready to be rid of the color you just wash your hair and it comes right out. It is totally temporary. She didn't have any transfer on her clothes or anything!

Spray-on blond color

I love the creative way she chose to change things up and get a different look from her sisterlocks. If she decides to try the red I will post more pictures. You never know I might even try being a red head for a week or so!

Until next time...

Curl Love Forever! ;-)

As I Am Twist and Define

2012-11-08T20:45:00.001-06:00

Here's another great review on As I Am by the Curly Cam Show. She has even used it on her daughter's twists. Check out the video!

New Wash-and-Go Regimen

2012-11-06T12:37:00.000-06:00

I am still in love with my wash-and-go. However, I have to admit, wash-and-go (WNG) styles are few and far between for me nowadays. I really only do a WNG if I need a fresh wash, but I don't feel like twisting my hair the night before.  Why such a change?

My first issue with my old WNG regimen was drying time. Now that my hair is a little longer, it takes a really long time to dry.  Secondly, with longer hair and lots of shrinkage, my WNG ends up looking like a huge afro by the second day. I think big hair is nice sometimes, but it really isn't my preferred look. Also, my husband got a new job a few months back, which was a great decision overall. However, I had to be the one to drop off the kids in the morning.  Bummer! Now, I have a lot less time in the morning to mess with my hair, so either I would get up earlier or my morning routine had to change. I am not a morning person, so I chose the latter.

From now on, if I was going to do a WNG, I had to devise a new quicker method. I tried a few methods that were unsuccessful. Either I slept uncomfortably or my my hair was a complete mess in the morning. Finally, I came up with a way that gave me consistently good results.

First I cowash, deep condition and detangle my hair the night before. Then, I add my Tresemme Naturals, braid my hair in four sections, put on a silk scarf and go to bed. In the morning, I take my hair down, I spray it with a little more water to refresh my curls (not too wet) Next, I add more Tresemme Naturals to each section with my fingers making sure to cover any unwanted parts as I go through. Lastly, I add a little Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Gel for more hold. Then, I'm good to go.

Since I get a lot of shrinkage for my WNG, pineappling the following night doesn't work as well as it does for my twist-outs. Instead, I put it in as high of a ponytail as I can, which is really like a mid-ponytail and put on my silk scarf and sleep on my satin pillowcase. My WNG typically last anywhere from 3-4 days.

By washing the night before, I am giving my hair the additional drying time it needs.  Plus, it cuts down on morning routine, so I can sleep a bit longer. Also, a mid-ponytail gives me a bit more stretching, so my second-day hair isn't so big. I have to admit the sleeping part is probably my top priority at 5 am.

It took a lot of trial and error, but this method certainly has worked for me. However, I have scoped out a couple of other YouTube videos on WNG routines that I have as of yet to try. One I hope will give me more hold and a little less shrinkage. Maybe, I'm asking for a miracle. I keep you posted!

Until next time....

Curl Love Forever! ;-)

Length Check: BSL Finally!

2012-11-03T18:33:00.001-05:00

Due to my work responsibilities, I've been away for quite sometime. However, my hair regimen has not changed. I really feel that twist-outs have been the best for maintaining growth and easy enough for my busy lifestyle. So I am very happy to report that my hair has grown to BSL (bra strap length). When I was flat ironing my hair for the first few years I saw an increase in length and thickness. However, my growth slowed down. I did not have any heat damage but I my length just sort of stayed the same. I cut out the heat and the straightening and I'm very excited so say that I have actually retained my length.

May 2012
Wash-and-Go

November 2012
Twist-out

May 2012
I have a lot of shrinkage with my wash-and-go.

November 2012
I get a lot more stretching with my twist-outs

My goal has been shoulder length curly hair. It seems like I am almost there. With the amount of shrinkage I have, shoulder length curly hair might mean waist length hair once it is stretched out. Well, I guess we will have to find out. At this rate, it won't be long!

Curl Love Forever! :-)

Changes in my Natural Hair Regimen

2012-09-29T23:55:00.000-05:00

As a I have stated in several of my last posts I have been experimenting with twists a lot lately. So much so that my natural hair regimen has completely changed from what it used to be three or four months ago. Twist-outs have become a go to style on a weekly basis. Although, I am still ironing out the details, there are a few things that I know for sure. First, I co-wash with Suave Naturals, deep condition with Loreal EverSleek, and do a hot oil treatment (olive oil, coconut oil, and a few drops of rosemary oil). I have found that the combination of the deep conditioner and the hot oil treatment really keeps my hair well moisturized for a number of days. Then, I use Tresemme Naturals to detangle and set my hair in twists. I have also changed the amount of time I wait to cleanse with As I Am Clarifying Shampoo. Before I was waiting up to three months before clarifying. Now, I clarify about once a month. However, I am still doing a protein conditioner about once a month with Giovanni Deep Conditioner. Depending on what I have to do, I will leave the twists in for a couple of days or I will take them out the very next day. My twist-outs will end up lasting any where from 5-6 days.

I have tried a range of hairstyles with my twist-outs from updo's to ponytails or buns. I am still experimenting in this area. However, my go to style on the third day is a high half ponytail. I'm sure it's not that creative, but its quick and easy and I love it. Since I do a hot oil treatment, I will only oil my hair as needed at night before I go to bed with either a heavier oil like olive oil or a lighter oil like jojoba oil.

For my night time regimen a pineapple works perfectly with a silk scarf tied around the edges. Believe it or not I finally broke down and bought a satin pillowcase. It's great!! Why didn't I buy one sooner? Oh yeah... I was being cheap. Well, I was really missing out on a good thing. Now that I have a satin pillowcase, I would not want to go without it again. When I sleep with the satin pillowcase, I seem to worry a lot less about my scarf disappearing off my head at night, which makes for worry-free sleeping. That's definitely worth the money.

A few things that I have completely abandoned is using distilled water in my spray bottle. I think this has been out of my daily routine for about four months now. I thought using it made a difference until I ran out of distilled water and had to use tap water. Honestly, I don't think it ever really made that big of a difference in my hair. Also, since I am doing the hot oil treatment every week, I have no need for an oil spray mix on a regular basis and I don't need to add oil to any of my deep conditioners.

As for the wash-and-go, it is my go to style when I don't have time to twist my hair at all and I just want to clean and moisturize my hair for the time being. My wash-and go regimen has also changed, but I will save those details for another post.

After much experimentation and consideration I think I have found the routine I plan to stick with for a long time. I actually think that I have seen some growth in the last two or three months. However, I want to wait about a month more to do an official length check. In the meantime, I'll keep my fingers crossed and continue to do what is best for my hair.

Until next time...
Curl Love Forever! ;-)

The Versatile Blogger Award 2012

2012-09-21T17:01:00.000-05:00

I'm excited and flattered to accept The Versatile Blogger Award 2012. I'd like to thank Slimwavy for nominating me for this award. Slimwavy has written awesome information on natural hair. Please take a moment to visit her blog.

The rules for this award are as follows:

1. Nominate 15 fellow bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.

2. Add the Versatile Blogger Award

3. Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.

4. Share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.

5. Include this set of rules.

6. Inform each blogger you nominate by posting a comment on their blogs.

My nominations are mostly from blogs that I have subscribed to. A couple of bloggers have already been nominated. However, I had to include them, simply because I really enjoy reading their blogs. So here they are in no particular order:

Curls and Coils

Healthy can be done! Natural Fit Life

Jen Going Natural

Barbara Naturally Speaking

Rock Me Fabulous | Style

MY NATURAL HAIR JOURNEY

Naturali-Chik

Naturally Beautiful Hair

Curious Kinks

Peace, Love and Hair

Fitness and Everything Else

Vetsnatural Hair Blog

Naturally Random

Girly and Curly

A Grl Can Mac

7 random facts about myself:

I secretly love watching cartoons with my kids. (I know... it's pretty lame!)
I'm probably the pickiest eater you will ever meet.
I am addicted to Diner Dash. (For the moment)
I'm pretty quiet and shy most of the time, so public speaking terrifies me. You will probably never see a YouTube video starring me.
I find earrings and shoes irresistible!
My favorite colors are red and pink. (My blog definitely reflects this.)
I have a cute grey cat, who my daughter named Sandy after the dog in the movie Annie.

What a cutie!!
Although, she was a little annoyed that I interrupted
her daily bath in order to take this picture.

The High Bun

2012-09-18T22:18:00.002-05:00

After rockin' my twist outs for a couple of days, it gets a little fuzzy. It's definitely not my best look. However, I have learned that a worn out twist-out is perfect for ponytails and updos. Of course, I have to defend my wash-and-go. I do still really love the wash-and-go look, but it just doesn't seem to give me the look I want for an updo. My third or fourth day wash-and-go has a lot of volume coupled with major shrinkage. The best I can do with a wash-and-go is a pony puff. Whereas, the twist-out stretches my curl pattern a bit more for more versatility. One of my favorite uses for an old twist-out is the high bun. I love it because it is fast and easy and no one ever suspects that it's worn out. I also like to wear it to work because it has that neat and polished look that really fits the work environment.

It's super duper easy! Basically, it's just like doing a regular ponytail. I used a spray water bottle, Eco Styler Gel, a brush, a knee high stocking, and bobby pins. First, I sprayed my edges with water and smoothed my edges with gel. Then, I lightly brushed my edges and put it in a high ponytail using the stocking as a ponytail holder. I've seen some people tuck the tips of the ponytail into the ponytail holder. However, my hair is too short for that. Plus, speaking from experience, it can cause split ends. Instead, I used bobby pins to tuck it under and hold it in place, which also makes my bun a bit bigger. You could use a silk or satin scarf to tie on your hair to make sure the edges are smooth. However, I skipped that step in this picture. I also left the bun curly for that textured look. I could get about two more days out of this twist-out if I really wanted to, but usually I will only wear it in the high bun for a day. It's just that easy! I love this simple, low maintenance style!

What is your favorite twist-out style?

Three Twist-Outs with Three Different Products

2012-09-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

Over the past month, I've been experimenting with twist-outs using different products. My goal is to find the one that will give me the best results. I would really like my hair to be shiny while twisted at least for a couple of days. In addition, I would like my hair to retain its shine and definition when I take the twist down.

If you have been following my blog, you already know that Tresemme Naturals (TN) has been a favorite of mine for my wash-and-go for quite some time now. TN has served me well for my wash-and-go's and it does a pretty decent job on my braid-outs and twist-outs. But, how does it stand up to some other products that were specially made for twist-outs and braid-outs. So I decided to re-experiment with As I Am Twist and Define Cream because it's been about a year since I used it. I also can't find a decent picture of myself when I used As I Am other than the blurry one I posted a few weeks ago. So I felt like a redo was in order. I also tried My DNA Shea Monoi Honey Butter, which is not curly girl friendly because it contains a silocone. However, it is pretty low on the ingredients list which means it doesn't contain a lot of it. So I decided to give it a try anyway. Finally, of course I compared these to my old stand by TN.

As I Am Twist and Define Cream

As I Am really elongated my curls.

I liked the shine. However I used too much and my hair was a little too hard for my taste.

By the end of the second day, I couldn't take the hard feel of my hair so I rinsed it and it was a lot better.

My DNA Shea Monoi Honey Butter

My DNA looked perfect while twisted.

However, when I took them down they were a frizzy mess.

I did a half ponytail to make it look more presentable.

Tresemme Naturals

TN definitely didn't elongate my curls.

This was the very next day.
There was a little more shrinkage than the other products but I really don't mind.

For the most part the twist-outs looked the same. I liked that my curls were more stretched with As I Am than with the TN. However, next time I will have to beware of using too much product because with As I Am my hair turn out way too crunchy. A little goes a long way.

My DNA did an excellent job if I was only planning on wearing my hair twisted. It was perfect! However, when I took my hair down it was really fuzzy. Maybe it was the silocone or the way I twisted them. Who Knows? I may try it one more time to check my results again. I will keep you posted on that one.

TN did a pretty good job! Especially when you test it next to the products that were made for twisting. It didn't look the best while twisted, but I really liked the shiny defined look when I took them down. Overall, I didn't see a significant enough difference to stop using my old standby. I think I will keep using TN. Every once and a while I may try something new, but as the saying goes "if it ain't broke....don't fix it". In my case, this is very true.

What is your favorite twisting product?

I'm a Guest Blogger!

2012-08-26T19:31:00.003-05:00

This is just a quick post to let everyone know that I am a guest blogger on Bella Kinks. Bella Kinks is a fabulous site for natural hair, beauty and fashion. So if you haven't checked out the site, click the link below or you can check out my blog roll titled "Blogs I Love" near the bottom of this page.

http://bella-kinks.com/

Until next time...

Curl Love Forever! ;-)

Wash-and-Go's Vs. Twist-outs

2012-08-23T00:30:00.001-05:00

Fall is just around the corner. As I reflect on my favorite hairstyle this summer, the decision to wear a wash-and-go (WNG) or a twist-out (TO) style has been like the ultimate hair battle for me.   Normally, I'm a die hard WNG girl. However, about half way through the summer, I finally got around to trying a TO again. I loved it! Even more surprisingly, I have been wearing more TO's than WNG's since the Fourth of July!

I found the TO's to be just as easy if not easier than a WNG.  I would literally twist my hair and leave it for a couple of days. Then, I would take them out and and wear my chunky twists for a couple more days. If I got a little lazy about rewashing and re-twisting, I would wear a bun, pony puff, or switch to a WNG for a day or so. However, I don't like them when they become fuzzy and undefined, so four days is the max for me. Then, I have to wear something different or re-twist my hair.

For the most part, TO's have been super easy and versatile. My favorite part of the TO's have been the amount of stretching and the shine it gives me compared to the WNG, so my hair actually looks longer and shinier.  The only down side is the amount of time it takes to put my hair in twists, which is about 45 minutes. However, when you think about the fact that you can do them while you are watching TV, the time just flies by. Also, my twists dried a lot faster than the WNG. My twists would be dry in a couple of hours and the WNG would take about 12 hours to completely dry from root to tip. The lengthy dry time for the WNG didn't really bother me until I wanted to wash my hair at night and have it dry by morning. Frankly, that was not happening with a WNG! When I got up, it would be smushed and lopsided, but not completely dry and I would have to redo it anyway. Honestly, I could only guarantee the best rest results with a WNG if I cowashed my hair in the morning and let it air dry for the rest of the day. But, sometimes I knew it was about that time to cowash again and I just didn't feel like cowashing my hair in the morning. That's where TO's really come in handy. Needless to say, I am so happy I gave the TO's one more try. Am I giving up my WNG completely? Hmmm......absolutely not! I'm certainly not bashing and trashing my WNG! I still love it. However, I will say that I have learned to be more versatile this summer, for sure.

Curl Love Forever! ;-)

Six Months of Growth

2012-08-09T16:42:00.000-05:00

I've been a little discouraged lately with my growth. In my opinion, it doesn't seem that my hair has grown barely at all. In an effort to push myself to keep going, I was looking over some older photos of my hair. I was looking for any glimpse that my hair has grown at all. I know that many times we can't see changes until we look back at old photos.

The time date stamp on this photo is actually correct. :-) It reads February 13th of this year. So, this was about six months ago, right before I started this blog.

This was taken mid-April.
It looks like I have had a lot of growth.

This picture was taken today.

It looks like the back is growing faster than the front.

I have seen some growth over the course of about six months. From February to April I can see a huge difference in growth. To my dismay, there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between April and August. Probably because in May, I had a little set back because of stress and a cold. So, unfortunately I had more shedding than usual. However looking back on these pictures I can see some growth. All in all, my search was well worth it.

2012 Olympic Controversy

2012-08-03T23:23:00.001-05:00

This was circulating on Facebook and it really caught my attention. I think this says it all!

If you haven't already heard click below to read the story.
http://shine.yahoo.com/team-mom/defense-gabby-douglas-hair-191700322.html

What do you think about the tweets sent about Gabby's hair?