Nappturally Caramel

Multiple Styles

2011-12-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

Inspiration For The Men

2011-11-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that you enjoy your time with your family and friends! I wish you all good food and good fellowship.

Renee Mittelstaedt

2011-11-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

Ayo

2011-11-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Havana Twists

2011-10-16T23:31:00.001-07:00

I love these! I might actually be able to do something like this on my own. I might try, we'll see.

Chapped Lips

2011-10-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

My lips have been chapped for the longest time. Its a problem that I've struggled with for as long as I can remember. Usually its only my bottom lip that gets chapped. My top lip has always been cooperative. But lately, both my lips have been hopelessly chapped. So, I'm on the hunt for something to make my lips soft and pretty. I've never had a lip care regimen before but maybe its time to start one.

My current plan is to make a lip scrub that I will use a couple of times a week. I also need to come up with a lip moisturizer. I think I've tried every chapstick under the sun and nothing works. Frankly, I think they just make things worse. So I need to figure out how to make my own.

Any suggestions?

Cautionary Tale

2011-09-23T09:01:00.000-07:00

After taking time to thoroughly analyze my hair and my recent hair related habits, I think I finally figured out what things were causing my hair to be such a freaking nightmare.

1. Letting my hair air dry. This whole thing started after I washed my hair and was too tired to diffuse my hair. I kept doing that for the next few washes. I didn't realize it but diffusing keeps my curls looser. My hair was 3 or 4 inches shorter when I let it air dry. We all know that tighter curls tangle much easier. So, from here on out I will be diffusing my hair after every wash.

2. Not properly moisturizing my hair after sleeping on a cotton pillowcase. I've been spending more time sleeping at friends' houses. This of course means no satin pillowcase. Afterwards, I would moisturize my hair normally not realizing that my hair needed extra moisture because it had all been sucked out by the pillowcase. Its funny. My mom bought me a satin pillowcase when I was a kid for that very reason and I thought she was doing too much. Anyways, I'm either going to come up with a travel kit that I can keep with me or I'm going to just cowash when I get back home. Maybe both.

3. Possibly not completely detangling my roots. Since I started finger combing, I've found it harder to really get my roots. Maybe its my method, maybe its just the nature of finger combing, I don't know. The roots in the back of my head are especially hard for me to get. The best way to fix that is just to be extra careful and take the extra time to make sure they are completely detangled. I'm also considering reintroducing a comb back into my life. If I do, I would only use it during the conditioning part of my wash routine, after the rest of my hair is fully detangled.

So there you have it. Just when I thought I had my hair figured out, it throws me a curve ball. But, I think I finally have a handle on it again. We'll see how it works.

Oh, this is completely off topic but I have to mention it. My hair is ridiculously heavy when its wet! If I keep growing it out, I'm gonna need to get a stronger neck!

Formal Style

2011-09-11T09:01:00.000-07:00

This is sooo beautiful! I'd like to try it someday.

The Rats Nest

2011-09-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

My hair has been a freakin' nightmare lately! It has been getting tangled so easily for some reason. I usually can detangle once every other week and be fine. Right now I have to detangle every couple of days because my hair keeps turning into one giant matted tangled mess. And I'm not talking about normal detangling sessions. I'm talking about 4 hour detangling sessions every couple of days. I don't know what the heck is going on!

I have actually been entertaining the thought of cutting my hair, it's so bad. I won't do it but the thought has definitely crossed my mind. I don't have a clue how to fix it though because I can't figure out what is causing it.

When I was little, my mom would detangle my hair everyday because it would get so tangled. Maybe she had the right idea. Maybe because my hair is longer I just have to alter the way I care for it.

First thing's first though. I have to figure out what is tangling my hair so that I can stop it. I haven't been sleeping well so maybe I'm tossing and turning more than normal. I'm going to buy a new pillowcase. Hopefully my hair will slip around on a brand new case better. I'm also going to experiment with pineappling. I usually have my hair in a ponytail at night but maybe it would be better to have my hair on top of my head.

I don't know. I just want to rip it all out right now.

Input Needed

2011-09-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

Ok everyone, it's time to be frank with you. I have been natural for 2 1/2 years now and I must admit that my hair is now routine. This is what is supposed to happen but it's not really a good thing when you are a natural hair blogger. I would love to put my hair in braids or kinky twists and talk about taking care of them but that won't be happening anytime soon. I don't know anyone who does them, I can't afford to get them done at a salon, and the thought of doing them myself makes my head spin. I would love to dye my hair in some way and talk about that but once again I can't afford it and I'm not going to do it myself. I'm also not really into doing a bunch of different styles either. I like my hair out and free.

So, I'm turning to you guys for suggestions. Are the inspirational pictures and occasional posts about me enough for you? Are you sick of hearing about my journey and interested in me opening up this blog to guest posts? I've thought about guest posts but I can't figure out how to make them different from other blogs. Some other bloggers talk about their fashion preferences. Do you want me to start talking about things like that? Let me know what kinds of things you would like to see on this blog.

Turban Updo

2011-09-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

I think my hair is too long to easily do this style but I love it.

Regimen Check-In

2011-08-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a really long time since I talked about my regimen. You can see my last post about it here. So I wanted to check in and let you know that I'm still using the same regimen and it's working out great for me.

You'll notice I was questioning using the ACV rinse. In the past I only used ACV rinses to clarify. Now that I decided to use it in place of deep conditioning I wasn't sure how it would work. Well, it definitely works. I get lazy sometimes and don't do the ACV rinse and I can really notice a difference. My hair is so much softer and stays moisturized longer when I use it. I say if you are going to try my regimen then definitely do the ACV rinse.

Genie Loc Updos

2011-08-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Emerald Lewis

2011-08-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

Cicelys Zelies

2011-08-20T05:13:00.000-07:00

More Frederico Lima

2011-08-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

Tiga D.

2011-08-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

Baby Naturals

2011-08-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

Grace Bol

2011-07-28T19:48:00.000-07:00

Frederico Lima

2011-07-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

Xoan

2011-07-18T15:13:00.000-07:00

Curly Locs

2011-07-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hairgasm

2011-07-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

Confessions Of A Napptural

2011-07-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, since I have been on my natural hair journey for more than two years now, it's time to look back a little and be honest about things that I either ignored or glossed over.

My first confession is that I wasn't really completely comfortable with my hair for most of this journey. Sure I walked and talked with confidence but the reality is that I wasn't comfortable wearing my hair out. In the beginning, I always wore it pulled back with a headband. First it was because it added some femininity and age to my hair. I felt like I looked way too much like I did when I was two. Seriously, I'm pretty sure it was the same cut!

As my hair started growing I continued to pull it back but now it was because I felt like I looked like a mushroom when I left it out. I posted about it here and here. My hair is floppy so I didn't get to really do the big afro. No, I had to do the big mushroom! So, I pulled it back with scarves and Goody headbands.

Then my hair got even longer and I started pulling it back into puffs. I still couldn't get past feeling like I looked like a mushroom. As my hair got longer, it flopped in my face only enhancing that feeling for me. So, I kept pulling it back.

Now finally, 2 years later I wear my hair down and love it. It still flops in my face, which drives me nuts, but a few bobby pins fixes that right up. I like short hair cuts, just on other people. No matter what I tell myself, at the end of the day, I prefer long hair on me.

Betty Davis

2011-06-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

Twistout

2011-06-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Just showing the results of my latest twistout.

What I did
Divided hair into 4 sections
Partially detangled hair with mix of oil and conditioner
Shampoo
Finished detangling with mix of oil and conditioner
Did twists as I was detangling
I decided to just leave the conditioner mix in my hair
Diffused my roots
I left the twists in for a couple of days and I used a little coconut oil to take down the twists

Corinne Bailey Rae

2011-06-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

Giovanni Direct Leave-In

2011-05-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

I have fallen for this leave-in! It's light but moisturizing. Even when I put too much on, my hair still doesn't feel heavy or greasy. The moisture from this lasts for days. I don't even have to seal when I use this. It also has a very nice, light, fresh scent.

Honestly, I don't know what else to say about it. I just love it.

Headwraps

2011-05-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hairgasm

2011-05-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Box Braids

2011-05-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

It's official. I want box braids so bad! I'd make them my summer style if I could find someone to do them for less than a small fortune.

Les Twins

2011-05-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

Look these guys up. They are incredible dancers.

New Regimen Trial

2011-04-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

I'm convinced that it's possible to have a simple regimen and still have healthy hair. It has to be because I am sick of spending hours and hours on wash days. Having wet hair is so annoying when it's cold. So pre-pooing and dcing drives me crazy. So I'm cutting them out until I get a heat cap or am proved wrong. Here's the regimen I'll be trying in detail.

Wet hair
Separate into 8 sections
Detangle in sections with fingers and olive oil
Rinse
Shampoo in same sections
Condition
Comb out any remaining tangles
Rinse
ACV rinse
Towel dry
Moisturize
Seal
Diffuse on high speed low heat focusing on roots

There's reasons for all the changes besides cutting down on time. I decided to do the oil rinse before shampooing because it is so much easier to shampoo thoroughly on detangled hair. It was so so so hard to shampoo on tangled hair. And my hair gets really tangled!

I'm adding the ACV rinse because it closes the cuticle and restores ph balance. I'm hoping this will help my hair hold moisture longer and make up for not DCing regularly.

Lastly, I decided to start diffusing for the sake of my scalp. It takes so long for my roots to air dry and I've noticed that it really irritates my scalp. Skin is not supposed to stay wet for that long. When the weather warms up(if it ever does), I will switch from diffusing to fan drying. When its warm outside, fan drying works surprisingly well.

Coralie Jouhier

2011-04-17T00:32:00.000-07:00

Baby Natural

2011-04-06T17:16:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous Loc Updos

2011-04-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Suave Professionals Rosemary & Mint Conditioner

2011-04-02T01:43:00.000-07:00

I love this conditioner. It smells amazing. I love mint. It makes you feel so fresh and energized. If you were to cowash daily with this you might not need to drink coffee anymore.

This conditioner feels great on my scalp. My scalp really responds to the mix of oils and flower extracts that are in this. The flaking and the itching have really subsided since I started using this. I usually avoid putting conditioner on my scalp. With this I can completely coat my hair and scalp.

It's also very moisturizing. I can use this both as a conditoner and as my spritz. The moisture lasts for a couple of days which is what I like. This is now my new number 1 conditioner.

Second Year Favorites

2011-03-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Since it's been another year, it's time for an updated favorite products post. You might remember the one I did last year. You can check it out here if you would like. Surprisingly, even with all the products I've tried, it hasn't changed that much.

Cleansing
1. Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo
2. Shielo Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo
3. ACV Rinses

Conditioners
1. Suave Professionals Rosemary Mint Conditioner (review coming soon)
2. Vantressa Naturals LemonMint Detangling Conditioner
3. Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner

Leave-In Conditioners
1. Giovanni Direct Leave-In (review coming soon)
2. Alba Botanica Leave-In
3. Herbal Essence None Of Your Frizzness Leave-In

Daily Spritz
1. Suave Professionals Rosemary Mint Conditioner
2. Herbal Essence Long-term Relationship Leave-In
3. Silk Elements Mega Silk Leave-In

Deep Conditioners
1. Garnier Fructis 3-Minute Undo
2. Silk Elements Mega Silk Moisturizing Treatment
3. Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner

2 Years Natural!

2011-03-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I missed my two year nappiversary! As of March 20, 2011 I have been natural for 2 whole years. Hard to believe. It really doesn't feel like it's been that long.

I think the best way to celebrate is to show how much my hair has grown in 2 years. So here's my hair on the day of my BC.

And here's my hair today. Sorry it's not the best pic. I was trying to show the length and for some reason my camera was giving me trouble.

Shielo Anti-Aging Complexion Scrub

2011-03-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

I have to start by saying that this scrub has sodium laureth sulfate in it. So if you are someone who completely avoids sulfates then this scrub is not for you. I don't completely avoid sulfates but I do notice that my skin is a bit drier than usual when I use something with a sulfate in it.

Despite the sulfate, I found this scrub to be gentle and effective. Many scrubs have large, coarse granules that irritate the skin. The granules in this scrub are fine and seem smooth, like microbeads. I exfoliate once a week at the most usually but I feel like with this scrub you could probably use it twice a week with no problems.

I don't know how to describe the scent. It's not bad or good, and it smells kind of fresh.

www.shielo.com

Shielo Hydrate Vibrancy Conditioner

2011-03-10T19:31:00.000-08:00

I liked this conditioner. It smells just as good as the shampoo and has a nice creamy consistency. It made my hair feel soft and moisturized.

I used this after oil rinsing just like I normally do. I put the conditioner over the oil to help it rinse off and then I condition again. It worked out nicely, helping the oil rinse off and conditioned my hair.

It didn't work well as a leave-in though. I tried turning it into a spritz but I didn't like it. My hair felt good when it was still damp but that moisturized feeling didn't last long once my hair dried. I prefer spritzes that I can use every couple of days. With this I needed to spritz daily. This definitely works best when used as a regular conditioner.

The price of this conditioner is the same as the shampoo so once again, too high for me unless I could catch it on sale.

http://www.shielo.com

Chaka Khan

2011-03-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

Shielo Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo

2011-02-26T10:48:00.000-08:00

I have to start by saying that this shampoo smells divine. They should make a candle or lotion out of it. The scent lasts too. I could still smell it the next day.

I was pleasantly surprised by this shampoo. It was sent to me by Shielo and they sent a sample size. Usually I don't even bother with sample sizes because I'm lucky if I can get through half my head before I run out. With this I was actually able to lather up twice before I ran out. A little going a long way is a great quality in a product. A full size bottle would probably last quite awhile.

It also worked very well. First, this actually helped detangle my hair. The shed hair and mattes loosened up considerably. My scalp felt clean and my hair wasn't stripped. It actually seemed to add some moisture to my hair.

This is a great product. My only issue with it is the price. $22.49 is too high for me. I know that's a good price compared to lots of products out there but I'm way too cheap. Still, if you are looking for a good shampoo it's worth checking out.

http://www.shielo.com/

Some TWA Inspiration

2011-02-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

Question

2011-02-14T23:12:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one that's annoyed that they keep calling Esperanza Spalding's winning of Best New Artist, an upset?

I'm not upset. I think it's about time that music of substance starts getting recognition. Congrats Esperanza!

Suave Professionals Almond & Shea Butter Conditioners

2011-01-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Every review I've read about this is positive and people seemed to be very impressed so I had to try it. I however, wasn't amazed. It smells lovely, is moisturizing and has good slip. It wasn't as moisturizing as the reviews made it out to be. Certainly it's a good conditioner but I've had better. It's one of those conditioners that I would use when I feel like I need a change but it doesn't make the staple list. I might also use this if I ever start cowashing again.

Something I do love about this conditioner is that it came in a big 32 oz. bottle. My hair is at my shoulders when its dry, and even with the oil rinse I use quite a bit of conditioner. The bigger the bottle the better.

My Dream Hair

2011-01-25T20:11:00.000-08:00

Sasha and Sable Boykin

Solange Knowles Braids

2011-01-19T15:22:00.000-08:00

I haven't had braids like these in years but this is making me want to get some.

Headwraps: My New Obsession

2011-01-16T11:32:00.000-08:00

I am in love with headwraps. I love all kinds: turbans, nefertiti, even tams. I used to wrap my hair a lot when it was relaxed but I haven't been able to make the scarfs I have work on my natural hair. I'm still working on it though. I'd love to have a bunch of different wraps, especially in the summer.

Valerie June

2011-01-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

I used to not like free form locs but Valerie has really changed my mind.

Fabulous Updos

2010-12-28T17:26:00.000-08:00

MsVaughn

I want to try both of these styles. Wish I could find some tutorials.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T08:33:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! Have a wonderful holiday!

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo

2010-12-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

I don't try different shampoos very often. They are all the same to me usually. However, I am so glad I decided to try this one. I love the way this feels on my hair and scalp.

When I shampoo I focus on my scalp. This shampoo leaves my scalp feeling cool and a bit tingly, thanks to the peppermint and tea tree oil. The peppermint makes this shampoo smell yummy by the way. My scalp feels cleaner and more refreshed after using this than with other shampoos. It suds up nicely too. I know suds aren't necessary but they sure are helpful.

I don't directly shampoo my hair. I mostly let the shampoo from my scalp do the work when I'm rinsing. It works out nicely and with this shampoo my hair feels clean without feeling stripped afterwards. As far as I'm concerned, that's the mark of a good shampoo.

I love this shampoo. It works, feels good, smells good, and its Giovanni so its organic. I will definitely keep this around.

Who Is This?

2010-12-08T09:01:00.000-08:00

Can someone please tell me who this is? I'm curious because her hair reminds me so much of mine in these pics. I don't get to see hair that reminds me of mine very often.

Bioinfusion Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion

2010-12-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

I didn't use this moisturizer consistently but when I did use it I liked it. The way it worked best for me was to coat my dry hair at night and wrap it with a scarf. When I would wake up in the morning my hair would be soft and moisturized, it also added shine. It would only work when I really piled the product on though.

I like the smell of the lotion. It's a soft fresh scent. It lingers but I didn't mind. The consistency is a bit weird. Its creamy but leaves a watery feeling on your hands.

I definitely liked this lotion but you can only find it at Walgreens. Walgreens is out of my way, I only went there out of curiosity one day. I probably won't buy this again because of that but if it were at stores that I normally go to then this would be part of my product arsenal.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all enjoy the food and time with your families and friends. Have a wonderful holiday.

Jaden And Willow Smith

2010-11-17T04:11:00.000-08:00

Green Tea + Aloe Vera Spritz

2010-11-09T21:16:00.000-08:00

I've changed my spritz again and I think I'll be sticking with this one for awhile. I ran out of rosewater and I wasn't about to go get some more. The only place I know of to get rosewater around here is Whole Foods. Well Whole Foods is not close enough that I would go there for one thing. So while trying to come up with an alternative I remembered reading on some hair network about someone who used green tea in their daily spritz. So I decided to try it and I love it. You might remember that I wanted to boost the moisture in my spritz and green tea did the trick. So here's my new mix.

3/4 cup green tea (I brewed 2 bags in 3/4 hot water and let it cool completely before mixing.)
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
lavender essential oil
rose absolute essential oil
tea tree oil

I keep the spritz in the fridge so that it lasts longer but I still only keep it for a week at the most. When used daily 1 cup doesn't last very long anyways though.

Marsha Hunt

2010-11-05T21:59:00.000-07:00

This woman is fierce.

Heart-Shaped Loc Buns

2010-10-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

I love this. It's like a twist on the sock bun. It would definately be an attention grabber.

Sesame Street Muppet Whips Her Hair

2010-10-17T23:03:00.000-07:00

The blogs are abuzz right now about the Sesame Street clip that has a puppet with big curly hair singing about how much she loves her hair and how versatile it is. A few months back the blogs were abuzz about Willow Smith's new song "Whip My Hair" because she was singing about having fun and not letting anyone tell you how you are supposed to look. Well now I was over on Loc Rocker and saw that someone had done a mashup of the Sesame Street clip and Willow Smith's song. I thought it was so cute and had to share. I can't get it to play on this blog so here's a link.
Willow Smith vs Sesame Street

Janelle Monae

2010-10-06T20:02:00.000-07:00

Every time I see Janelle she is wearing basically the same look. Now don't get me wrong, I love the look and am glad she is doing her thing her way. I just thought it might be fun to find some pics of her in something different.

Aloe Vera Spritz

2010-10-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

I have gone back to my aloe vera and rose water spritz. I am convinced that it has to be possible to have a simple regimen using only natural products. So I'm working on coming up with one. I have some experimenting to do before I come up with a simple regimen and I'm starting with the spritz. I've used this spritz before and stopped because I thought it wasn't heavy enough. That was over a year ago and my ideas have changed so I'm trying it again.

I'm using the Lily of the Desert brand aloe vera gel. It's really watery and mixes really well with the rosewater. I'm still playing with the mixture but here's my current mix.

4 oz. aloe vera gel
4 oz. rosewater
5 drops lavender essential oil
5 drops rose absolute essential oil

I'm going to add tea tree oil to my next batch so that it will last longer. I'd also like to find something to add that will take the moisture up a notch. Right now I have to spritz everyday. Other spritzes I've used I could use every few days and be fine. I'd like to see if I can figure out a way to do the same with this spritz.

I am concerned that this might not work as the weather gets colder. The heater in my house is very drying. It might suck this right out of my hair. I'll be keeping an eye on it to see how it goes.

TWA Inspiration

2010-09-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

Coco-betaine

2010-09-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Coco-betaine, also known as cocamidopropyl betaine, is a surfactant made from coconut oil. Not only is it a medium strength cleanser it is also a skin and hair conditioner. It has been found to have antibiotic properties as well. Because of this, it is used as the cleansing ingredient in soaps and shampoos, particulary those that are meant for sensitive skin. You may also find this in hairsprays because it reduces static.

Based on the research I did it looks like this can be used in place of sulfates to remove the toughest silicones. Dimethicone is the silicone that I've had the most trouble with. Coco-betaine can even be used to remove that. So if you use products with non-water soluable silicones then look for a shampoo with this instead of sulfates to remove the buildup.

Mel B's Hairgasm

2010-09-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Baby Natural

2010-09-02T20:23:00.000-07:00

Silk Elements MegaSilk Moisturizing Treatment

2010-08-30T18:58:00.000-07:00

I have fallen for this deep conditioner. This is officially #2 on my favorites list. My hair feels so moisturized after using this and it continues to feel that way for a couple of days. It's thick and creamy and goes on easily.

I used this just like I use any other deep conditioner. After washing, detangling, and conditioning, I put this on. I put a shower cap over it and left it in for a couple of hours. After rinsing I moisturized and sealed. After this I didn't have to remoisturize for a couple of days. Which is so nice because I've gotten lazy with my hair.

This didn't seem to have much slip. I don't detangle with my deep conditioners but I know some people do and I think they might have some trouble doing it with this. I also had a problem with the smell. For some reason companies don't seem to make deep conditioners that smell good. At least I haven't found any yet. This didn't smell horrible, it was bearable but in the future I'll probably mix in some EOs.

Oil Rinse With Castor Oil

2010-08-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

I tried using castor oil for oil rinsing and I hated it. It was a very difficult detangling session. I thought that maybe the thicker the oil the better detangler it would be. Looks like I was wrong. Castor oil just doesn't have the same slip that other oils do.

Jasmine Sanders

2010-08-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ledisi

2010-08-17T13:35:00.000-07:00

Her hair is just as beautiful as her music.

VanTRESSa Naturals CocoSheaClean Hair Cleansing Poo

2010-08-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

This shampoo is really liquidy. The first time I used it, I wasted more of it than I got on my head because it would drip right out of my hand. Since then I put it in an applicator bottle and got much better results. Once I started using the applicator bottle I really liked this shampoo. It's liquid consistency makes it easy to get to the scalp. Much easier than other shampoos.

This cleaned my scalp really well. It lifted dirt and oil without stripping my hair. It also didn't tangle my hair like some shampoos do. In fact it helped detangle it. My hair matts up easily and I was able to pull the matts apart while this shampoo was in my hair. It really made detangling with my oil rinse much easier.

This is a great shampoo. It's gentle but effective.

http://www.vantressanaturals.com/index.html

VanTRESSa Naturals LemonMint Creme

2010-08-05T16:06:00.000-07:00

It took me awhile to figure out the best way to use this. It can be used for hair and skin so I tried it a few different ways. I was so-so about until I tried it as a leave-in after a wash. After rinsing out the DC, I squeezed out the excess water. Then I applied this by rubbing a little on my hands and then pressing the hair between my palms and dragging my hands from root to tip. I hope that made sense. I love the way my hair looks when it dries after using this. It adds some weight to my hair giving my a break from the afro and it makes my curls POP like no other.

Since the main ingredient in this is shea butter I started to wonder if my shea butter mix would give me the same result. It didn't. My mix didn't make my curls pop like this did and this is more moisturizing than my mix.

Currently the container this comes in doesn't hold the product if it melts. When I first recieved it, it was a little too hard so I wanted to melt it a little to soften it. Well, it made a mess. I talked to the creator of the line and she is working on getting a different jar. Right now I would recommend putting the product into a different jar right away but it shouldn't be a problem for long.

I do have to mention the scent. In the jar I can smell the lemon mint a little bit but when I put it on my hair it smells like a campfire. It goes away after awhile but I can't be in a hurry to leave the house after using this. Its worth it though for how good my curls look.

http://www.vantressanaturals.com/

VanTRESSa Naturals CocoSheaStrong Protein Shine Conditioner

2010-07-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

I have to be honest and say that this deep conditioner did nothing for me. Its most likely because this conditioner is for extremely damaged hair. My hair isn't in need of protein so it didn't need this treatment. On the plus side, I didn't experience any protein overload from using this even though I already had enough protein. It also has a warm tingling feeling that I really really liked. I'm tempted to use it for a scalp massage.

I wish I had had this conditioner when I first BC'd. My hair was damaged then and probably would've benefitted greatly from this. If you are in need of protein then I would recommend trying this. The ingredients don't get any better and I think damaged hair would really enjoy it.

I did have one problem with this though and that's the smell. I think it smells like cough syrup.

http://www.vantressanaturals.com/index.html

VanTRESSa Naturals LemonMint Detangling Conditioner

2010-07-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

Recently VanTRESSa Naturals reached out to me asking me to try their products. VanTRESSa Naturals is a fairly new business that is dedicated to making natural products for hair. So of course I said yes. I recieved four of their products to try so my next few reviews will be about them. I'll start by reviewing the LemonMint Detangling Conditioner.

This conditioner smells absolutely amazing. I'm usually not a fan of citrus scents, especially lemon, but apparently I love it when mixed with mint. It is very refreshing and uplifting. I felt more energetic after using this. This scent would be great aromatherapy.

I used this conditioner after doing an oil rinse just like I've been doing for awhile. It went on smoothly and my hair soaked it up. The slip is great too. My fingers slipped through my hair so easily and I didn't even have to add water. I detangle during the oil rinse so I didn't actually detangle with this conditioner, but it was very obvious that it would work very well as a detangler. Once it was rinsed, my hair felt soft and moisturized, I almost didn't DC because it felt so good. I think it would make an excellent co-wash conditioner.

Obviously, I really loved this conditioner. It's a really great product. I just wish it came in a larger bottle. I use at least 8 oz. of conditioner everytime I wash. Hopefully, as the company grows they will be able to sell larger bottles.

http://www.vantressanaturals.com/index.html

Temporarily Back

2010-07-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! So sorry I've been gone for so long. My internet randomly stopped working and no one can figure out what is wrong with it. I couldn't find any place that has internet access that didn't require you to buy something to get the password. I don't have extra money for that. I finally have internet access but its only temporary. I'll do my best to catch up on all the posts I've been working on during this week I have internet, especially product reviews.

I Love Red Fros!

2010-07-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

Trenellm

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July everyone! Enjoy the barbeques, the fireworks, the get togethers, and everything else you do to celebrate!

Oil Rinse Update

2010-06-30T19:45:00.001-07:00

I said I was going to try other oils for my oil rinses and I have been so I thought I would do a quick update. So far I have tried 3 oils, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, and olive oil.

I found the sweet almond oil to be too light for my hair. I had to use a lot of it to detangle my hair. The avocado oil was slightly heavier so it worked a little bit better. Olive oil is by far my favorite so far. I have been incredibly lazy with my hair for a couple of weeks so it was very, very tangled and matted. Well, olive oil really melted the tangles away. I was completely blown away by how easy it was to detangle the mess that my hair was. I also didn't have to use nearly as much oil.

I will probably stick with the olive oil for a little while because I know it works and I have other things to experiment with. The only other oils I have easy access to are grapeseed oil and castor oil. One of these days I will try them too. I hate the smell of olive oil and I know I'll only be able to put up with it for so long.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-06-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

It's my birthday!!! I am 24 today! Since it's my golden birthday I thought I'd share a gold cake with everyone. Enjoy! lol

Dakore Egbuson

2010-06-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

Response To Rude Comments

2010-06-22T05:12:00.000-07:00

I recently recieved a rude comment from someone who was apparently offended by the content of my "About Me" section over there ---> and the reason I originally started this blog. This person called me names, declared that I am the only person to have such an experience, and that I was offending women who were darker than me. Now ordinarily I would not even respond to this kind of thing but if someone is genuinely offended by something I have said then that needs to be addressed.

When I decided to stop relaxing I spent a lot of time online researching natural hair because I did not want go into this experience blind. I was struck by the fact that I could not find people who looked like me. I know that I am not the only person who looks like me and to experience the kinds of things I have. In fact, since I've been blogging I've seen this proven true. No matter what your story is there are others with similar stories. So I decided to start this blog for those that where in similar situations.

As time went on I realized that I was separating myself and people like me from the rest of the natural community and that was not my intention. So I made some changes to the blog and to the "About Me" section. Now it specifically says that I understand that was what I was doing and that I want this blog to be for everyone.

I think its important that people know that about me because those kinds of experiences affect how I see things. If you want to understand why people feel a certain way about something then you have to know where they are coming from. My "About Me" section will stay the way it is. If it does offend someone, I'm sorry you feel that way but it is a part of my story and I will be truthful about it.

If you are offended by something I say please let me know but do it in a constructive manner. To the person who left me the comment, the name calling and the insults were juvenile and rude. That kind of negativity doesn't belong on this blog or any other blog designed to help people. In the future I will just delete those kinds of comments and will never think of them again. So if you aren't going to speak your mind in a constructive manner, don't waste your time or mine.

Arlene Hawkins

2010-06-15T01:24:00.001-07:00

Arlene Hawkins- 1968

Gross Out

2010-06-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

So today I had the grossest shampoo day ever! I did my typical banana pre-poo except I didn't use EVCO just EVOO. Then I shampooed. After rinsing the shampoo I went to the mirror to do my oil rinse and saw that there was all kinds of gunk in the ends of my hair. I couldn't rinse it out because it and my hair were tangled around each other and it seemed like it was getting worse every second. I went ahead and did the oil rinse because I figured you know, what better way to get it all detangled. It worked but it took forever, seriously like 2 hours. Once I finally got all that crap out of my hair everything else went smoothly.

I kept trying to figure out what the gunk was but I really don't know. A couple of days ago my hair was feeling really dry so I used some Cantu Shea Butter and ended up ODing. My guess is that and my banana pre-poo reacted to each other creating a nasty mess. That's the only thing I can come up with. So I am going to give the bananas a break. I'm completely sick of the smell but I was tolerating it however this sent me over the edge. So I'm on the hunt for a new pre-poo. I'm also going to avoid the Cantu Shea Butter too. I don't need it reacting with anything else.

Wraps

2010-06-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

I am loving wrapped hair for the summer. I want to do all kinds of wraps once it warms up. I am loving this particular wrap especially. I'd love to learn how to do this. I don't even know how much fabric I would need. Anyone want to give me a tutorial?

Yes To Carrots Hair And Scalp Mud Mask

2010-05-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

I decided to try this because Little Golden Lamb gave it such a great review. I had been thinking about trying this line and it was just the push I needed.

First I have to say I was super impressed by the amount of slip this product has. I never detangle with DCs because they usually don't have much slip but I bet a comb would have gone through my hair easily with this stuff. It was pretty remarkable. My hair felt so slick when I ran my fingers through it, especially when I was rinsing it out.

I also really liked the texture of this mask. It's smooth and thick and is very easy to apply. When I saw the words "mud mask" I expected something closer to soft clay and much more difficult to work with. This was so creamy.

I am so-so about the moisture I got from this. My hair felt great at first but usually I don't have to moisturize again for a couple of days after DCing. This didn't last as long. I was remoisturizing after one day.

There's two things I didn't like about this though. The first is the smell. When I was a kid I would get into my mom's makeup drawer to play with her makeup. The smell of this reminds me of that. So I guess it smells like early 90s makeup and face creams. I'm not a fan. That smell stuck with me for quite awhile and nothing really covered it.

The other thing is the size. I was only able to get two applications out of this. I think for $12 I should get three or four. My 3 Minute Undo is like $5 at the most and I get four or five applications from it.

So all in all this is a good product. It won't be a staple product for me but when I need to change it up this will a product I look too. Plus I want to experiment more. The first time I used it I left it in for 2 hours and the second time I got busy and it ended up being in for about 4 hours. I got better results the first time. I'm thinking maybe this product works best when left in for only a short amount of time. I want to experiment to find out how long is best to leave it in.

First Oil Rinse

2010-05-26T18:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first attempt at oil rinsing and I am loving it so far. Today my hair is really soft. It moves too! Usually when my hair is dry it just stays in one place. Today it moves when I move my head. It's not as big as it usually is but I can handle that.

I went ahead and tried the sweet almond oil. It worked out but I had to use a lot of it. I think its too light of an oil. It works great for oiling my scalp so I'll stick with using it for that. I'm going to use olive oil next time. Olive oil is much thicker and I think it will work better for detangling. Oh by the way, detangling with oil is a dream. It worked out so well. Normally I always manage to pop a few hairs but I didn't pop a single one this time. Ok here's what I did.

•Prepoo with normal prepoo
•Shampoo
•Oil rinse and fingercomb in sections
•Rinse well
•Condition and comb (combing wasn't really needed)
•Then did everything else like my regimen over there says <----

I'm going to try it a few more times before I say that this is going to be a regular part of my regimen but I think it will be. I might try other oils besides olive oil too, we'll see.

Baby Natural

2010-05-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Ranting

2010-05-24T19:24:00.000-07:00

I'm so frustrated! The blog world has been all excited because Target stores are now carrying Jane Carter, Shea Moisture, and Curls products. Which would be so great except... of course the Targets where I live aren't selling any of them! So once again, I can't get the products I want because of the area I live in. If you live in the Pacific Northwest help us all out and contact these companies! We shouldn't have to miss out.

I emailed Shea Moisture because I am dying to try their products. Dying! I asked them if they were planning on expanding to this area anytime soon. The person who emailed me back said they didn't have access to the company's future plans. People who don't know what is going on with the company should not be answering questions.

I haven't talked to the other companies yet. Curls isn't on my list of products to try yet and supposedly Jane Carter products can be found at a nearby Vitamin Shoppe. I haven't had a chance to go there yet to check. So I won't contact them unless I go there and they don't really carry those products.

Ok, enough of that.

Hairgasm

2010-05-21T13:29:00.001-07:00

Oil Rinsing

2010-05-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've decided to try adding oil rinsing to my regimen. I've started to notice a bunch of fairy knots in my hair lately. I'm guessing its happening because my hair is getting longer because I didn't have this problem before. I know that they are part of having curly hair but I figured there has to be a way to help. I came across a post over on Moptop Maven called Keeping Single Strand Knots At Bay. She recommends oil rinses and detangling in sections. Lots of other people rave about them too. I already detangle in sections so I figured I'd add the oil rinsing. I was hesitant to add another step to my shampoo days. They already take forever but oil rinsing seems pretty quick.

So after I shampoo, I'll coat my hair with oil, finger comb, rinse it out, then conditon and do everything else like normal. I haven't decided which oil to use though. Right now it's between sweet almond oil and olive oil. Olive oil is easier for me to get my hands on, for consistency sake, but I've got some sweet almond oil that I'm dying to use. So, I'm not sure what I'm going to choose. Maybe I'm thinking too much.

My Favorite Youtubers

2010-05-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I have never given credit to all the Youtubers that have inspired me on my journey. You can see the bloggers I like. They are posted in the sidebar. Youtube is an important part of many newly naturals' journeys and I am no exception. Its about time I give the Youtubers I've learned from credit.

BlackOnyx77
BlackOnyx77 was one of the first Youtubers that I found. When I found her she had just done a second big chop. Her hair was about the same length as mine so I could draw inspiration from the fact that she was in the same place as me but since it was her second bc I could learn from her experience. She does great creative style tutorials.

PRETTYDIMPLES01
Prettydimples01 is the Youtuber who taught me how to do 2 strand twists. She does lots of style tutorials and some makeup tutorials. Something I like is that she shows styles she tried even if they don't work out. Sometimes you feel like everyone always does styles perfectly except you. Its nice to see that that isn't true.

Taren916
Taren916 is the first light-skinned natural Youtuber that I found. I don't know if many people can understand this but once in a while I feel a little out of place in this online natural community. I'm so light that many people either can't tell or refuse to acknowledge that I'm mixed. I live in Washington in an area where I'm not likely to see another natural. When I have to deal with natural hair ignorance its rare and from white people who have never seen hair like this. So sometimes I feel out of place because I can't really relate to most peoples' stories. So its nice for me to see that at least I'm not the only light-skinned person out there. She also has fabulous hair. I'd love my hair to get to that length and I love her haircut.

Chisellecouture
Chisellecouture is another Youtuber with fabulous hair. She was a long-term transitioner and gives good tips. She is creative with her style tutorials. She does lots of product reviews. She also shows her style and tells you where she gets the things she wears.

Kimmaytube
Kimmaytube has some very informative videos. She gets into the science of hair and ph balance. I've learned a lot from her videos. She also does great style tutorials. She also does fashion videos which are really fun.

Those are my top 5 favorites. If you don't know these Youtubers be sure to check them out. They are great inspiration and have a lot of good information.

Teiko Dornor

2010-05-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

Guest Post- Give Me 5 Minutes and You'll Lower Cholesterol Through Diet

2010-05-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

Recently Deborah Land, a fellow blogger, reached out to me to do a guest post. She wanted to give us all a guide to understanding cholesterol and some tips on how to lower high cholesterol. Of course I jumped at the chance. So enough of me talking, let's get to it.
___________________________________

Give Me 5 Minutes and You'll Lower Cholesterol Through Diet

A. The Myth of Cholesterol - the Bad and the Good
For some people, cholesterol is bad because they do not know there are two types of it. These two types are LDL and HDL - the bad cholesterol is called LDL, while the good one is called HDL. Plaques can form on one’s arteries if you have a lot of LDL in the bloodstream. Eventually, your arteries will get narrow as a result of being clogged up and it will block off blood flow. The truth is, your high cholesterol is not caused by dietary cholesterol but by other things. This is caused by excessive amounts of Tran’s fat and saturated fat. Exercise and eating a lot of fiber and unsaturated fats will do a lot to keep cholesterol down.

B. Cholesterol Numbers and What They Mean
Every adult should have their cholesterol checked at least every 5 years. When you get a cholesterol test, you'll usually get back four different results. Here are the 4 categories and the healthy range you want to be in.
•Total Cholesterol - less than 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L)
•LDL Cholesterol - less than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L)
•HDL Cholesterol - greater than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L)
•Triglycerides - less than 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)
If you are over or under the desired level on any category, it is usually indicative that a diet or exercise change is needed.

C. Heart Protection and Vitamin E
Vitamin E, an important vitamin, is sourced in vegetable oils, nuts and leafy vegetables. Vitamin E can decrease your heart disease risk, but it will not prevent a heart attack.

D. Top 5 Super Foods to Lower Cholesterol
1. Oatmeal and Oat Bran: These contain a high amount of soluble fiber, which can lower LDL.
2. Fish: Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which lowers LDL and raises HDL.
3. Nuts: Not only are nuts high in fiber, but they contain the healthy fats you need to keep LDL in check.
4. Plant Sterols: This is found in foods like margarine, salad dressing, orange juice, and functional cookies. 2 grams per day will lower your LDL by 10-15%.
5. Soy: This popular meat replacement can lower LDL by up to 3%.

E. Benefits Aplenty with Plant Sterols
You can find plant sterols in many foods, such as fat free milk, granola bars, VitaTops Muffin Tops, and Benecol Spread. If you eat enough plant sterols, you can certainly help your heart - but it won't completely cancel out the effects of a diet loaded with saturated fat. If you eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and eat plant sterols; then your cholesterol will be under control in no time.

About the Author - Deborah H. Land writes for the Good Cholesterol Diet blog, her personal hobby website she uses to help people eat healthy to lower bad cholesterol levels.

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Be sure to check out Deborah's blog. It's full of great information.

First Braidout

2010-05-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank everyone who left encouraging comments on my last post. I guess I'm just bored. You can have the most amazing hair in the world but if its on your head you are bound to get bored with it. I decided I need to try more things with my hair. One of my New Year's resolutions was to do more protective styles. I have failed miserably at that one so far. So I hope to push myself to do some. I don't know if a braidout counts as a protective style but its where I started. My results were less than stellar but its one of those things you have to practice. I really don't know how to braid so it was interesting. I can't keep the ends in the front from unraveling though, just like with twists. The hair in the front of my head drives me crazy. Anyways, here are some pics.

Personally, I think it looks just like the last twistout I did, maybe a little more defined. Check it out here. Maybe I'm wrong, you tell me. I'll be on the hunt for ways to keep my ends together. Hopefully rollers aren't my only option.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-09T21:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies and mommies to be out there! Hope you enjoyed your day.

BAA (Big Ass Afro)

2010-05-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

Ok so here is what my hair has been looking like lately.

To be perfectly honest I am so tired of it. My dad told me it reminds him of Angela Davis back in the day. Now don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Angela Davis or her fro. It was fierce. I am just not happy with it on me. Even if I wanted a fro like that I couldn't do it because the hair on top of my head flops instead of standing up. I don't know what to do with it. As big as it is, it is still hard to pull back into a ponytail. I don't have the patience for braids or twists lately, I'm tired of afro puffs and when I wear it out it wears me. I'm not fierce enough for a BAA or something. I'm totally lost at this point. I've even considered wearing it straight for awhile. I don't really know the best way to do that though. Ok, enough of that. Suggestions please! I need some ideas.

Regimen Update

2010-04-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's time to update my regimen again. I've decided that I need to start cowashing more often. I've also decided to cut back on oiling my scalp. For some reason one part of my scalp has decided to start flaking and itching like crazy and cutting back on the castor oil is the only thing that seems to help. I might try oiling my scalp with something different once I do some research but in the meantime I'm only going to oil my scalp on full wash days.

So here's what it's going to look like.

Shampoo Days(once a week):
• Prepoo for 2 hours with mix of banana, coconut oil, and olive oil
• Shampoo with watered down sulfate free shampoo
• Condition and detangle with wide-tooth comb
• DC for 2 or 3 hours
• Scrunch in leave-in
• Oil scalp with mix of castor oil, sweet almond oil, tea tree oil, coconut oil, lavendar oil and rosemary oil
• Seal with coconut oil

ACV Rinse Days(once a month instead of shampooing):
• Rinse with 1 tbs ACV in 1 cup of water
• Condition and detangle with wide-tooth comb
• DC for 2 or 3 hours
• Scrunch in leave-in
• Oil scalp with mix of castor oil, sweet almond oil, tea tree oil, coconut oil, lavendar oil and rosemary oil
• Seal with coconut oil

Cowash Days(twice a week):
• Cowash and fingercomb
• Scrunch in leave-in
• Seal with coconut oil

All Other Days:
• Spritz hair with watered down conditioner or leave-in
• Seal with mix of castor oil, coconut oil and jojoba oil

Silk Elements Mega Cholesterol Conditioning Treatment

2010-04-19T20:14:00.000-07:00

I actually tried this back during the winter and somehow missed doing a review on it. I added this as part of my winter regimen because cholesterol conditioners were recommended for the winter. I don't seem to have much luck with cholesterol conditioners though. This did condition my hair but not as much as I needed. I still haven't found anything that moisturizes as well as GFTN 3-Minute Undo.

I'm not a fan of the smell either. I don't really know how to describe it, but a mix between medicine and baby powder comes to mind. Anyways, it's not pleasant.

I am considering trying this again though. The very last time I used it, I mixed it with an egg and my hair liked that. I am interested in testing how my hair likes it when mixed with other things such as olive oil or a banana.