She's Back...

The twists are gone and my hair is free to be once again!  I missed it so much.

Even though I washed my hair with the twists know there was definite buildup; she needed some serious TLC.  I washed with Curls for Target Creamy Cleanser, conditioned with Suave Almond and Shea Butter then deep conditioned with Miss Jessie's SST.  She was loving it. I clipped my ends just a little then threw some Design Essentials leave-in and HE Long Term Relationship leave in, twisted it up, sealed with Vatika oil and was good to go.  When I went to bed I really thought my hair was gonna be dry because I didn't apply the leave-in sections like I usually do but when I woke up this morning, it was super soft.  Though because my camera sorta sucks, I doubt you can tell.

Here are some pics of how my hair turned out today.  Now for me to put up day 1 hair is a big deal, because I typically never like my hair on day 1 but I was kinda feeling myself today.

Hopefully I can maintain my hair during the winter but with hats and scarves I'm a little worried.  In fact while I was out running errands, I damn near cried because I felt a strand of hair get caught on my scarf.  Plus the wind... I almost bought a bag of hair again out of fear.

My next goal is start experimenting with different styles: bantu knot outs, braid outs, mini-twists.

Til then.

"...Oxford Comma"

I saw these adorable oxfords on The Fashion Bomb and had to share.  Fashion line, Boxing Kitten, are responsible for them.  If you don't know Boxing Kitten they're the designers of this dress that Solange was sporting a few months back (which I heart):

Here they are,courtesy of the Fashion Bomb:

Now they're not even an option for the winter, I'm thinking way ahead to spring/summer, but what do you think of them?

Sneak Peek

Because I'm ridiculously impatient, I took out 2 twists in the very back of my hair, about 2 weeks into having the kinky twists in.  I told myself I was gonna replace them but I'm a week away from taking them all out and it just hasn't happened.   Here's a sneak peak of what the back of my hair looks like stretched out at 7 months natural.

I was cheesing hard as I took this because it's exciting.

Now if only I could get my hair to start falling instead of sticking straight out...

What's On Your Hair's Hoilday Wish List?

I'm starting to realize that the list of things my hair wants is longer than the list of things I want for myself.  She has a mind of her own I tell you.  Most of this stuff is pretty much useless right now because she's all tucked away in these kinky twists.  Unless I take them out like I'm planning on doing for the holidays.  I really miss her. I'm gonna take the Christmas/New Year holiday to let my hair breathe then send her away again.

Here's my list:

- Yes to Cucumbers

-Oyin Handmade Shine & Define/Whipped Pudding

-Conair paddle brush

-Rhassoul clay

-Huetiful Hair steamer

 

I know these things are pretty cheap (aside from the steamer) but I can't buy them til I finish some of the stuff in my drawer.  FYI taking much longer than I expected!

Just wanted to share a few things on my list; please feel free to leave your list in the comments.  I can always use more ideas for products to try & review!

Holiday Sale: Bath & Body Works

One of my biggest addictions is on sale!

Click here to read up on how much I love Bath & Body Works salt scrub.

If you have a B&BW fave here's your chance to get it.  I got 3 jars of There's the Rub for $40 when one jar retails for $24.  Now I don't have to be a cheapie, I can exfoliate as much as I want.  Finally I can finish the jar I bought back in June.  I was being so stingy it's sad... I even added sea salt from my kitchen to the mix.  FYI bad idea, my legs were on fire after shaving, which has never happened before.

I haven't seen an end date to the sale so I'm sure it will go right up til Christmas.  If it doesn't I'll make sure to alert you.

Guest Post on Protective Styles

My buddy Arnizz (she's gonna hate that I used my nickname for her)  was nice enough to write up a post for me about another alternative to protective styles besides sew-in weaves or braids/extensions... the cap.  So if you're contemplating what to do as a PS this winter, add this to your consideration.

She writes:

I have been natural since 2003 and I can honestly say that I am never going back to a perm, but I’m not going to lie and say that I enjoy every moment being natural. I have no desire to submit into the power of the "creamy crack." Sometimes I just don’t feel like dealing with my natural hair. The hours of deep conditioning, finding a new product for your hair every other week, staying up late and waking up early to tame your mane is not my idea of a good time. In 2008, I got introduced to the idea of putting on caps and I've been hooked ever since. There are times where I see a style that I want to try that might require a perm or to have straight hair. I am not a fan of straightening my hair because I used to do it so much my hair never kinked back to its original state when it got wet. I think caps are safer than getting a sew in weave. Certain sew in styles require that some of your hair to cover the track forcing you to flat iron constantly to ensure that your hair blend in with the weave. Putting on a cap doesn’t require you to expose any of your hair.

My beautician braids my hair down and places two sheets of paper towel over the braids.  Afterwards she places the stocking over the paper towel. The paper towel is placed so that it prevents the glue from making contact with the braids. I choose to have the stocking sewn onto the braid so that I don't have to take the cap off at night. Some people choose to take it off at night. I have put a variety of stocking caps with different styles on my head. I like having the option of putting on a cap and going back to my natural hair. I find that my hair grows faster when my hair is underneath a cap because I am not messing around with it. I usually keep my cap for about 3-4 weeks depending on the style. And then... I throw it away. Some people take it off and wear it at different times. I’m more comfortable wearing a cap than wigs because it’s made on my head so the style fits and frame my face. I feel like it lays flatter than regular wig. I’m all for natural hair but sometimes I need a break. Caps are definitely a stress reliever. Remember you can’t do every style with a cap pick so choose wisely.

Here are a couple of her looks with the cap:

And here's me when I tried it out for NYE 2010:

If you do decide to try it out let me know how it goes for you.

Rihanna for Interview magazine

I dunno if it's the photography or the styling and everything that goes along with it but I'm starting to forgive Rihanna for this red hair.

She looks f*cking gorgeous in this Interview magazine spread.  I wanna get my hand on this magazine because she was interviewed by Kanye West, so when I have a little time I'm gonna head to Barnes & Noble to read it there.  You can read some of it here.  Let's be real... You know you read books and mags there too so you don't have to buy them.

Here's a look:

(courtesy of Ultimate-Rihanna.com)