Hair Carnival: Breast Cancer Awareness...

Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the bloggers participating in the Hair Carnival decided we would go with this cause since it is sooooo important. For Des and I, we decided to do two styles, both are fairly simple but look totally different.

The first style we used an actual BCA scarf that we found at Target and incorporated it into her hairstyle. For this style we did an upside down french braid up to a high ponytail worn on her right side. We tied the scarf into a big bow and she wore her curls out. She loved it and received numerous compliments on the style.

For the second style we attempted to put the actual Breast Cancer Ribbon Logo into her hairstyle. I had a difficult time getting the ribbon to stay in place while I did a flat twist but after a couple of attempts I decided to be happy with what we had. Des was a champ through it. For the rest of her hair we decide to braid her hair with ribbon. The ribbon is actually wrapped around the hair so you don't actually see the hair. I saw something very similar on You Can Do It Too's blog post, she called it a Mummy Braid.  We did a very elongated flat braid across the front of her hair as well.

We had a blast doing this. Hope you enjoyed our styles. Until the next time... Stay Blessed.

Keep Me Curly!: Shades of Us - GIVEAWAY!!!

This is one of the blogs that I love to read because they have so many different types of hair that they showcase. I love all that product reviews I have read or watched on YT for products I would not have heard of otherwise. I also enjoy watching all the children and how they have grown up. Please go by and check this blog out, in fact right now is ideal cause they are holding a giveaway for some really great hair accessories from a new company.

Keep Me Curly!: Shades of Us - GIVEAWAY!!!: Giveaway time! Three lucky winners will win ANY hair accessory of their choosing from Shades of Us! Have you gone over to the Shades o...

Diva Locks (Diva Do's & Everything In Between): 111 Follower Giveaway!!!!!

Go by and Check out the Giveaway going on at Diva Locks...

Diva Locks (Diva Do's & Everything In Between): 111 Follower Giveaway!!!!!: Hello!!! I had said that once I reached 111 followers I would hold a giveaway well I have surpassed my goal thanks to the Rafflecopter Rou...

My NaturallyCurly.com Photo Shoot Experience... by Des (picture heavy)

Hi, it's Des... sorry it has been so long since I have written but I have been busy with school.

I wanted to stop by and tell everyone about an experience I had this past Sunday. My mom saw something about a photo shoot for NaturallyCurly.com taking place where we live. So my mom asked me if I it was something I wanted to do and I said sure. Well she sent some pictures of me in to the place and they told her they would like me to come.

Well on Saturday night we washed my hair and detangled it then put some moisturizer in it. My mom put it in a pineapple and off to bed I went. The next morning, I got dressed in my casual outfit and mom took my pineapple down, my hair looked good so we just added a little more moisturizer to it. We made sure we had all our stuff and off the the park we went.

In the car.

Before the shoot, taken by mom

During shoot, when photographer was busy

My mom was really early to the park so we sat in the car and talked. She took pictures of me, she always does that. We started to see a few other curly haired children roaming about so we got out since it was almost time to start. There were only a few of us there; a set of twin sisters, a set of sisters, another little girl and me. The photographer and another lady for NaturallyCurly.com showed up and told us what they wanted to do. All the kids took pictures on the swings and in other parts of the park. We were running, jumping, holding hands, and walking around. We took pictures together in a group and by ourselves. Once we were done at the park we headed over to the hair salon called Ron King Salon.

At the Ron King Salon, there were a lot of adults there for the photo shoot. People had different kinds of curly hair everywhere you looked. People were getting haircuts, styles, and makeup. They decided they wanted me to get a hair style done. While I was getting my hair done, a photographer from Amber Vickery Photography took step by step pictures to show people how to do it themselves. The stylist did three rolling twists into bantu knots on the right side of my head with a puff in the front. After that I did 360 head shots, a detail shot of my curl pattern, and a stretch shot to show the length of my hair pulled straight (gotta love shrinkage).

Three rolling twist with Bantu knots, puff in front (top of head)

Another angle

While we were waiting we were offered finger sandwiches, beverages, fruit, chips, bagels, and pickles. I really enjoyed meeting everyone. I think the hardest thing part of the shoot was the heat when we were outside and smiling for long periods of time. I hope I can share the pictures taken by the photographer soon. I had a great time and hope that I can do it again some day.

Sincerely,
Des

Note from Michelle (Mom): The pictures in the above post are ones I took myself with my cell phone and my own camera. I would like to thank the staff of NaturallyCurly.com, Amber Vickery Photography and Ron King Beauty for making this such a wonderful experience. All the men and women who took part were wonderful.

Nutty for Macadamia Nut Oil (Picture Heavy)

So a while back while research oils in general I ran across some information about Macadamia Nut Oil that intrigued me. I learned that it was very rich in Essential Fatty Acids and distinctively resembles Sebum. Macadamia Nut Oil is an ideal enriching and replenishing agent that allows for it to be rapidly absorbed.

Some of the benefits of Macadamia Nut Oil are that it is intensely nourishing. It provides a smooth and long lasting tangle free, frizz free finish on hair with incredible shine. Hair and skin instantly absorbs the lightweight oil. It also provides natural UV protection and is said to extend the life of color treatments while reducing dryness by 40% to 50%.

Well with all that being said I really wanted to try it but I had a hard time finding it. I found it at Natural Grocers, 16 oz. for $12.99 made by NOW Healthy Foods.

The first time we used it was after co washing Des' hair, while it was in box braids, using Yes To Carrots conditioner, love this stuff for Des and I. Since we were going to do Curlformers I just took one box braid down at a time. I detangled and moisturized her hair with Kinky Curly Knot Today and Macadamia Nut Oil mixed together. I then coated each section with Eco Styler and put the Curlformer in. I repeated this process till her whole head was done. With the exception of the one flat twist that I put in across the front of her face.

The next morning we took the Curlformers out and her hair looked great. It was moisturized and the curls were defined and shiny. Des wore her hair like this to church that day and wore it in a pony tail the remainder of school week and we didn't have to reapply any moisturizer to her hair. I did use a small amount to move her ponytail over from the center to the right side of her head.

We decided to rinse her a week after first application with just warm water and detangle her hair again. We were in a rush so we did this fairly quickly with out any issues. Her hair was not tangled except along the nape of her neck where her uniform shirt rubs and even that wasn't hard to detangle. The only thing we used once her hair was rinsed was Macadamia Nut Oil alone. Des' hair was put up in a high ponytail since we were going to Chuck E Cheese for a birthday party. We were there for about 4 hours, she was running around and playing 90% of the time. I was really worried about the frizz especially since the front of her hair was almost dry when I put the MNO in her hair. Well to my pleasant surprise, we had very lil fly aways and her curls were beautifully defined.

Sunday evening, to get ready for school, we sat down and did rolling twists that lead into a ponytail. On Tuesday morning, I put her ponytail in twist for school. On Wednesday morning, I put the twists into a bun.

Wednesday Night we decided to wash her hair with SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Shampoo and conditioned with Yes to Carrots. I put MNO in her hair prior to finger detangling and then using a Denman brush to brush her hair out. I then put in random twists for the night. I did a twist out the next morning but it went into a ponytail at Des' request. They are doing a lot of PE testing in school and it is still hot here. When she got home from school we did take her hair down and separates her from her twist.

I must say we absolutely love Macadamia Nut Oil. It does a wonderful job of keeping her hair moisturized but not greasy feeling. I love how my hands feel when I am done working with Des' hair. We both enjoy the light nutty smell that it has although it does fade pretty quickly so don't worry if that is not your thing. Her hair looks better for longer and feels better as well. I love that I am not constantly needing to apply more moisturizer to her hair throughout the week. I also did not notice any buildup of dirty or oil on her hair since we have started we using it.

Have you ever used Macadamia Nut Oil? If so, what was your experience?

I hope that you enjoy this post. If you decide to give Macadamia Nut Oil please let me know what you think. Until the next time...Stay Blessed.

First Day of School Hair, REALLY Late

I must apologize first off of how late this is. I have been so busy with everything, I completely forgot to post what I did to Des' hair the first day of "summer school." Des' school goes back in for two weeks for partial days to get the kids back into the swing of things and get everyone used to the schedules and such so this was done the beginning of August.

The day before school started we had just returned for a week and a half of traveling. Des' hair had been in box braids with two cornrows across the front of her head. Des had been swimming, playing and not always sleeping with her bonnet so we were in for a treat when it came time to take her hair down.

Vacation hair, night before leaving

Lots of swimming

In order to make the process easier and to help restore some of the moisture in her hair I put a oil blend on her hair/scalp to help the braids loosen up. Des had a few along nape of her neck that were really bad and we hadn't noticed up to that point cause we were going non stop. Thankfully the oil blend coupled with the conditioner in the shower helped tremendously. The braids were left in during the co washing portion and taken down once she got done.

I moisturized her hair and we opted to do something quick since we were tired and it was late. I let Des search the site of my fellow blogging friends and she came across a style she wanted to try on Goldilocks*n*Me's page. Des had chosen to do two slide braids on each side that connected to a 3 strand twist in the back. This style entailed doing some things we have never done before but we gave it a shot and loved it.

Slide braids with 3 strand twist (our first time for both)

Des started her first day of school with a fresh new 'Do and a smile on her face too. She came back to me and reported that people at school loved her hair. We ended up keeping her hair that way for that week and just changing the pony tailed portion from a 3 strand twist to a fish tail braid as the week progressed.

Slide braids into a fish tail braid

I hope that you will go and check out  the blog, Goldilocks*n*Me, I know that you will see some wonderful styles and find some very good information.

Thank you for reading and I hope that you enjoyed this post. Until the next... Stay Blessed.

Diva Locks has Done it again (Review & Giveaway)

I first must say that I have had the pleasure to have been the lucky winner of two different giveaways for some of Tiffany of Diva Locks' creations. The first giveaway was for a turquoise and pink butterfly headband which she crocheted and the second was a red, white and blue star headband she crocheted. Tiffany shipped the headbands when she said she would on both occasions and they arrived within a few days. The first headband we won was Des' favorite colors so she was immediately in love and upon taking it out of it's packaging it was on her head. The second headband was for a July 4th giveaway and was very appropriate. It arrived wrapped in tissue with a snazzy Diva Locks sticker on the tissue as a nice touch.

I love how the headbands are able to be adjusted to fit various size heads which is wonderful for families with more than one girl or for girls to grow into them. I was able to let a friend's daughter wear the star with no issues keeping it on. The headbands are super cute and soft to the touch. We always get compliments on them when we are out cause they are so unique and wonderfully made.

With all that being said Tiffany from Diva Locks which she has generously decided sponsor a giveaway for my readers. Tiffany has made a beautiful Zebra Slouch Hat since we are headed into Fall this week for one of you. Below is the Rafflecopter Entry form for you to use to enter this giveaway. I hope that you all enjoy this opportunity and please keep in mind this is my very first giveaway. I hope that it goes well as I have many other things in the works. Good Luck All!