Where can I find someone to do my braids??

Since the previous post was all about protective styling, I deem it only fair that I give you some contact information on people that can help you get your protective styling on.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and in need of high-quality, yet affordable Box Braids, Kinky Twist, Mini Twist or a Great Weave contact Nikia at nmthomas23@gmail.com

If you are in the Atlanta area and in need of high-quality, yet affordable Box Braids or Genie Locs feel free to contact Jamiee at MeeMahrii@gmail.com for an appointment! For pictures of her work check out this link Box Braids, Genie Locs and More.

If you are in the Laplace, LA area and in need of high-quality, yet affordable Box Braids, Kinky Twist or Genie Locs feel free to contact Tasha at nthomas13@gmail.com for an appointment!

Feature Information

Are you looking for the opportunity to tell your story? Well you’ve come to the right place!  Allow us to tell your story of success with your natural hair, your weight loss journey or both! Please submit the answers to the below questions to curlfriends2011@gmail.com along with some pictures of your progress.  We look forward to hearing from you and sharing your story.

Embracing Your Coils, Kinks or Curls

What’s your name and where are you from?

What was your determining factor in you being ready to accept your coils, kinks or curls?

Did you big chop or transition; dates?

What has helped you in your healthy hair journey? Websites, forums etc

Tell me something about you that may surprise people?

What’s your favorite product/style?

Do you think your natural hair makes people view you in a different light?

How has this journey impacted your perception of yourself? What have you learned.. if anything?

What is your favorite characteristic of your hair?

How can we keep in touch with your progress via social media?

Body Transformation in Progress

What’s your name and where are you from?

What made you decide today is the day I begin to transform my body?

What are your health/weight goals?

Has your perception of yourself change since you’ve loss weight?

Has working out “really” become a part of your lifestyle or will you stop once you reach your goal?

Has your recent weight loss encouraged you to follow other endeavors?

What is your workout/eating regimen?

How do you prefer to workout and why...alone, with a trainer or with a friend?

How did you overcome the dreadful weight loss plateau that everyone talks about? 

How can we keep up with your progress via social media?

Protective Styling

Is retaining length important to you? Do you find yourself wondering what steps you can take to get your hair to grow longer and healthier? Well here’s the answer… PROTECTIVE SYTLING!  I know that you were hoping for some sort of antidote by way of a cream or oil but sorry that’s not the answer.  Protective styling consist of any low manipulation style  or styles that keep your ends tucked away, some examples are braids, pin up styles, mini-twist and wigs.  Even though weaves protect your hair I did not add them to the list because most people do not take care of their hair properly when they have a weave.

I started a protective style challenge with myself for the month of April, if you want to join me feel free. I am going to keep my hair protected at least 5 days a week.  I plan on doing multiple styles this month to give Olivia a break from the wear and tear of everyday life.  Below are two of my youtube wig reviews.

 

A Twist Out on Natural Hair with Heat Damage

1. Wash /Condition- use a pudding or moisturizer to twist. My curls at the end come from small curl rods. I let mine air dry but I'm sure you can sit under a dryer ( not sure of exact results)

 2. Untwist... I make each twist four pull-aparts. (separate the twist 2 parts then separate each one to make 4)

3. Pick the insides for desire volume or separate more to your liking

4.  End result- add "baby hair", slick sides, add head band, front pin up...***you can pick it out more to be bigger***

Benefits of Pre-Pooing and Castor Oil

My last perm was in January 2011, I Big Chopped in April 2011.  After being natural for close to a year, I decided that I wanted to see how long my hair could grow.  So I decided to start a journey in unknown territory. With that being said I began to research what could possibly aid me in retaining my hair growth. Hundreds of blogs and many youTube videos later I decided to begin a Castor Oil Challenge and a Pre-Poo Regimen. 

I incorporated Castor Oil in my natural hair regimen in hopes that it would strengthen my hair, as well as make it grow faster. I began by using Castor Oil as you would a hot oil treatment, then I used it as a pre-poo. For those of you who think I made a typo, pre-poo is applying conditioner, oil or both to dry hair and scalp then bagging your hair prior to washing.  

  Pre-Poo with Coconut Oil & Honey

Pre-pooing my hair gave it a remarkable shine and durably and it also helped to make my scalp  and hair healthy and moisturized... Which in return aided in my hair growth. My new pre-poo mixture of choice is coconut oil and honey mixed. My hair absolutely loves this stuff!

Are you having problems with your hair retaining moisture? Do your ends feel dry and brittle? If so maybe you should try adding pre-poo to your regimen!

21 months10-12 inches

   

  

January 26, 2012         January 11, 2013

Must Haves As a Natural

A list of things that all Naturals should have to help maintain beautiful healthy hair:

1.  Spray Bottle (Water, Oil Mixtures, etc)

2.  Dennman Brush, Tangle Teaser and or Wide Tooth Comb (Detangling)

3.  Assortment of Oils (Moisturizing & Strengthening Hair & Scalp)

4.  Applicator Bottle (Apply Oils and Cleansers to Scalp)

5.  Patience (Maintaining Healthy Hair and Growing Hair takes time)

6.  Love (Accepting your hair is important)

7.  Understanding (Listen to your hair, it will let you know what it needs)

Did I miss anything? What are some of your must haves?

Patience, Love and Understanding

Patience, Love and Understanding not only nourishes a person...it also nourishes your hair. Taking time getting to know your hair and learning to understand and love all of its imperfections, will make the difference between "just hair" and "pretty hair"!
      My Before & After Puff

Hair can be compared to people. "Just hair" lacks love, time and attention, it isn't very noticeable or its noticed for ALL the wrong reasons! Like most things in life, when something or someone isn't getting the attention it needs, it rebels and acts out in hopes of better days... Ex. Breakage, dryness, stunted growth.

Im saying all this to say "Stop being lazy and show your hair some love! I promise the appreciation will be evident! I don't have what people call "good hair", but I do have what they call "pretty hair"! I love my hair, what it's become, what I learned about it and I look forward to reaching my hair goals.

How is your hair journey going? Chime in...