Going Natural

     Sooo I've been kind of going back and forth on whether I should go forth with speaking on this topic and if I did, how should I approach it without offending a whole "community" of women. Well this whole subject is one that I'm kind of iffy about because it's like I get it and it's awesome that women of color have FINALLY decided to break the horrible hair habits that we grew up on and show not only ourselves but other races that, contrary to your beliefs, women of color can  grow our hair down our backs like you all. Yeah it may grow down our back and up and out every which way but we too have beautiful hair!! However, I also feel that we are doing way too much and we put too much emphasis on regimens  and product and protective styling and blah blah blah. When in my opinion it's completely unnecessary. On top of that some of you go on YouTube and you praise these women or "Natural Hair Gurus", when they probably know as much as you do when it comes to hair and hair care.
     Now don't get me wrong this is not intended to slander or degrade anyone at all. I'm just stateing my opinion on it. (p.s. I'm only addressing the things that i feel we put too much emphasis on or not enough and things that I think should be explained more in depth)


Co-wash: When I 1st heard of co-washing I thought it was by far the dumbest thing I had ever heard of. For those who don't know co-washing is basically washing your hair with conditioner. (click here to learn more about co-washing) After talking to a relative of mine who is going natural I decided to do a little more research just to make sure I'm clear on what people think it is. To no surprise it's exactly what I thought. However I don't believe it's the dumbest think I've ever heard of but let's be real for a sec co-washing is nothing more than conditioning your hair. Not washing it. Ok yeah you may put this conditioner in rub it in a little like you would as if you where shampooing your hair. But your not removing any build up or unwanted oils and dirt. Then these women say "Oh yeah co wash every so often but make sure you wash with a regular shampoo to remove all the dirt that co-washing doesn't." So doesn't that ultimately mean your not washing your hair? Yep your just conditioning it. Some people say "yeah I definitely noticed a change in my hair texture after co-washing" or "yeah it was much softer" That may be the case but that's what conditioner does!!

 Product: This is one thing I'm kinda on defense for both sides. Simply because product can really help a style but too much can just cause a build up. All I really have to say about this is less is more. Trial and error products and try not to mix too many together. Try to lean more towards creams rather than gels because most gels dry up and flake and also dry the hair out.

Regimens: I'm a firm believer in hair care regimens or just regimens over all whether it's a skin care regimen daily regimen. You just have to make sure your doing what's best for YOUR hair. Just because it works for the next girl doesn't mean it's whats best for you. Meaning if your natural hair is thin you shouldn't be using a bunch of heavy conditioners or product. Your best bet will be to get a consultation by a licensed hairstylist to find out exactly what your hair needs.

Protective Styling: At the salon I previously worked in we would get a few people asking about protective styles. Now a protective style in general is any style that is protecting your hair from everyday damage. A protective style can be anything from a sew in to box braids to twist outs to up-dos. However, too much protective styling can be causing your hair more harm than help. How? Well manipulating the hair (especially when wet) is one of the most damaging things you can do to your hair. Right under flat ironing, blow drying and curling. Pulling and tugging twisting and tensions can ultimately cause breakage. Your hair is weaker when it's wet therefore doing twist outs too much can also cause the same breakage that a pony tail does. Just try not too do too much styling that involves rough manipulation. Or be as gentle as possible.


Some Natural Hair Myths:
1.Dirty hair grows faster.....FALSE......Dirt and build up actually makes it hard for the products you use to work because it blocks penetration.
2.Greasing the scalp makes the hair grow......FALSE.......No product makes your hair grow. Your hair naturally grows on its own. Unless you have a medical problem or your follicles are damaged or your taking some certain medication then yes your hair is growing. Product only helps protect and keep your hair in good condition.
3.Clipping the ends makes the hair grow......FALSE....As I said before your hair grows on its own. Clipping the ends just makes the hair look better and style better because broken and split ends tangle more easy. Also you cannot repair damaged hair or ends. Yeah some products say that they do but they don't. It's just a way to get you to purchase the product. What i can say is split ends do get worse and the end up just breaking off. Therefore if the ends of your hair keep breaking and splitting you won't see any growth. So if you trim your ends and you don't cause any breakage you will in return see your hair growing.
4.Braids and sew ins make your hair grow......FALSE......This false into the "nothing 'makes' your hair grow" category. The only reason women think braids and sew ins make your hair grow is because while your hair is in the braided style more than likely you leave them in for at least a month. So during this time your hair is getting a rest from all the styling damage you cause which makes you then see the growth in your hair. I do think that braids, when done correctly, are a good way to protect your hair from you. Just remember to always give your hair a resting period in between braids and sew ins.

Random Rant.....I often get asked about product recommendations for natural hair and my answer is always the same. "There is no product out that is specifically for natural hair or chemically treated hair or black hair or white hair etc etc etc." Hair is Hair!! You don't treat your hair according to your race or whatever the case may be. You do what's best for your hair. Yeah there are products with black women on them and say they are for women of color but that's just their strategy to get you to purchase their product. Think about it...If there is a bottle of conditioner with a black woman on it and its saying that its a moisturizing conditioner. Just because its suppose to be for black women a white woman can't use it even tho her hair needs moisture? Makes no sense right??

Ladies the best thing for you to do is leave your hair be. A healthy diet, lots of water, vitamins, and proper maintenance is all you need for your hair to grow long and strong :)

Ive been growing my hair back from nearly being bald for the past 7 months. My hair is in good health (although I could use a trim lol) and the only thing I've been doing is wearing weaves. In between weaves I'd wash my hair apply 100% Coconut Oil and a moisturizing leave-in conditioner. I don't even bother with wash out conditioners unless I'm going to be wearing my real hair for a while. That is it and that is all!!


My progess so far:

when i first began growing my hair back 7 months ago

3 months later

2 months ago

after i took down a sew in and after i washed it...my current situtation

As I said before my intentions are not to down play or degrade anyone who is a natural hair advocate or natural hair guru or anyone with natural hair. Let's keep in mind that I am a licensed cosmetologist therefore everything that I have said is from my professional experience and knowledge. At the end of the day do what works for you. If your hair is growing and beautiful and healthy then good for you. Just don't let people who have little to know knowledge of hair brainwash you. And don't be afraid to ask that person Why? If they can't break it down and explain why...keep it moving. lol

Hair Extensions 101

Hi beauties. I know i haven't blogged in a while but you know how life gets.. anyway.. I've been meaning to touch on this subject for a while but i wasn't sure on how to approach it until just recently when i had a client purchase the wrong extensions for the hairstyle she wanted. until then it didn't really hit me that allot of women don't really know much about hair extensions or which ones are right for what hairstyle or even what is the difference in quality.

I am a strong believer in quality over quantity and I try and tell my clients the importance in investing in good hair extensions. I can't count how many people have sat in my chair pulled out their weave and it was the wrong length wrong color just wrong wrong wrong!! Well have no fear I'm here to help!!

Allot of people don't really understand whats the difference in the qualities of the hair..Well here is a breakdown. 

Remy: Some companies have taken the word "Remy" and made it into a brand name. However Remy is a term used to describe the way the that the hair is taken from the donor and preserved to where the cuticle is intact and facing in the same direction. This method is done to ensure the extension have no tangling. 

Suggested Remy company/brands:

Bobby Boss

Sensationnel

Remi Saga

Virgin Hair: Virgin hair has been the talk pretty much everywhere. Especially in the last 1-2 years. Everyone has been on the virgin hair kick but not too many people really understand exactly what they are purchasing. Virgin hair distributors are selling all types of virgin hair including Brazilian, Malaysian, Peruvian, etc etc etc. But lets be honest when you really think about it you really don't know where the hair is originally from. For all we know this virgin hair that everyone is praising is being made in the same place that the cheap 99 cent hair is being made. This is why I'm not big on the names when it comes to virgin hair. I more so choose my hair based off the appearance, feel etc etc etc. Most importantly don't let these Beauty supply store workers fool you!! just because it says "Brazilian" doesn't mean that's what it is and just because it's rolled in a bundle doesn't mean it's virgin hair!! Look at the hair..Feel it..Ask for a sample if you have to!! (side note: I've noticed that these beauty supply stores would take 1 bundle of hair cut it in half and roll it into 2 bundles.Then make you believe your purchasing 2 bundles. DO NOT let these beauty supply stores fool you!!)

Tips on purchasing virgin hair:

1.Never buy online unless you have done your research or have physically seen and examined the hair. I purchased hair online before and not only did the shipping take forever but the hair turned out to not really be of good quality. However there where thousands of people on the company's Instagram that vouched for the product. This is why i say that one person's idea of quality may not be the same as yours.

2.Never purchased hair based off someone else's opinion on it. What that person sees as quality to them may be trash to you so check it out for yourself.

3.Try and steer clear of the virgin hair that is extremely soft. A while back I made the mistake of purchasing this type of hair and  not only did it shed allot, it was so soft that it tangled very easily and it was easily damaged from flat ironing and coloring. 

4.If the price seems too good to be true..more than likely it is. Trust me..if the price is low there is a reason. I've also learned a lesson with that.

5.Always remember that good hair is an investment. Good hair can be used for years. I'd rather spend a 1 time $300 on hair and not have to purchase any for a year rather than spending $60-$100 every few months which will eventually add up to the $300.

6.Get a Hairstylist's opinion before purchasing or ask for their recommendation on good hair. Hairstylists come in contact with lots of different weaves and more than likely they've worn lots of different weaves.Which means they have more experience and knowledge on the different hair extensions.

7.Virgin hair doesn't come in colors therefore 9 x out of 10 you'll have to color it to match your hair color.

Picking the right hair for your hairstyle: As I said before I'm big on quality when it comes to hair extensions. However, expensive weave is not necessary for certain hair types.I always tell my clients that no matter what you should always purchase 100% human hair if you plan on doing any styling to the hair. Not human hair blend or whatever other terms these companies use to trick you. The only time it may be ok to not purchase 100% human hair is when your purchasing curly hair. 

Choosing the right extensions:

     1. Bobs: expensive hair is definitely not necessary for bobs unless that's your preference. I wouldn't recommend the packaged hair that is real soft and silky in texture.(i.e. Dream Weaver)  Bobs are more structured hairstyles especially the short ones. The thicker textured extensions (i.e. Milky Way) is what I'd recommend for bobs. 

     2.Sew in: Better quality hair is what I'd recommend for sew ins. Simply because the hair will be kept in for a long period of time therefore it will need to be washed and maintained. Cheaper quality hair will not be able to withstand all the maintenance sew ins need.

     3.Piecing: When adding pieces to hair for length or fullness you pretty much have to purchase the right hair based off the hair style your doing. Ex. Adding fullness to a bang? The cheaper quality hair is perfectly fine for this. Adding a little length? Purchase hair that is closest to your hair texture.

     4. Quick weaves/Pronto: I personally would not purchase expensive hair and glue it in. I think its a complete waist. But that's just my opinion. 

Other things to consider when choosing the right hair extensions:

1. For sew ins if your getting 20 inches + always purchase 3+ bundles/packs of hair. why? because the longer the hair the thinner it tends to be. 

2. Always make sure your extensions match your hair. Feel free to take the extensions and really compare it to your hair color. If you purchase virgin hair make sure you color it to match your hair color.

3. It's better to purchase hair that is closer in texture to your natural hair.

4.Make sure you buy enough hair!!!

Here are some companies/distributors of Virgin hair that I'd reccomend.

I've personally purchased hair from Sexxyhair.com and Kalibeauty.com I absolutely loved the hair that I purchased from these two!!!! 

hair from Sexxyhair.com

hair from Kalibeauty.com

The following are company/disrtributors that I've never personally purchased from but I've researched and got a high perctantage of good feedback from.

Iamminglee.com

Sassymitchell.com

Princesshairshop.com

DiamondVirginHair.com

Everything stated in this post is my personal opinion.

Throwback Thursday

Basketball Jersey

picture courtesy of @Imsuch_A_doll on Instagram

Basketball Jerseys have been making a come back over the last few weeks. More so for women than men. In the men's fashion world  you have to be a very "fashionable" person to pull off wearing a basketball jersey as an outfit. Aside from wearing it to an actual basketball event. As always the Fashion world is more forgiving toward women and this is another one of those situations. These days even wearing a Basketball jersey puts you in the category as "fashion forward".

I myself am loving this trend!! Although the new variations that brands like Adidas have been coming up with are pretty dope. Im more into the classic basketball Jersey. I myself would rather buy an over sized jersey and wear it as a dress rather than buying a jersey that was made to be a dress. But then again that's just how I'd do it. 

You can find a basketball jersey in all different forms these days. From sequin tops to high low dresses to cropped tops even leopard print ones!! <<which i definitely will be searching the internet day and night til i find. And it seems as if Rihanna has been the first to pretty much wear all of the different forms of the updated basketball jersey. Did she resurrect this trend?

I think it's safe to say that basketball jerseys aren't only exclusively for basketball players and fans any more.

What do you think of this trend? 

Here are pics of Rihanna spotted in different forms of the Basketball Jersey:

Designer on the Rise

This was originally going to be a tutorial on how to tie different forms of head ties/turbans but after seeing all the dope turbans this designer makes I decided to make this my first official feature

Marie Janae

 Marie Janae is a designer who is a Detroit Michigan native currently living in NY. I began following her work some odd years ago on Facebook and although I am unsure how I came across her, once I saw her work I instantly fell in love. I'd like to compare her designs to the style of Betsey Johnson.(who btw is one of my favorite designers) So i guess it was only natural for me to admire her work. The two both have that whimsical out of the box way of designing that kind of forces you to have an opinion. Either you like it or you don't. Either way it grabs your attention.

Angela Simmons wearing Marie Janae

As of lately she has been promoting her dope colorful turbans which actually inspired me to write this blog post. Turbans have been a rising trend lately and MarieJanae.bigcartel.com  is pretty much the only place where you can find a large variety of turbans to fit any of your looks. 

To see the entire Turban collection click here.

Last week Marie Janae announced (via Instagram @MarieJanae) that she will be having a new collection launching in October and another during Fashion week 2014. So be on the look out for more work from this rising star. 

Marie Janae is truly an inspiration to young aspiring designers like myself. I believe her work should aspire designers to stay true to yourself and your style.

More designs be Marie Janae: 

picture from @MarieJanae via Instagram

Marie Janae older work:

via mariejanae.tumblr.com

mariejanae.tumblr.com

mariejanae.tumblr.com

photo credit

via Marie-Janae.Blogspot.com

via Marie-Janae.Blogspot.com

via Marie-Janae.Blogspot.com

via Marie-Janae.Blogspot.com

via Marie-Janae.Blogspot.com

All pictures are from MarieJanae.bigcartel.com unless stated otherwise.

Throwback Thursday

Overalls

They're back like they never left and I must say this isn't something that I would have ever been able to predict. But like everyone says.. Fashion always repeats itself. 

Over the past few weeks overalls have been making their way to every street, party, runway, photo shoot etc.While they where first formally reintroduced into the Spring season it seems as if the trend wont be leaving any time soon  Who what have known that the once hideous overall would be considered "fashion forward" many years later.

These days everyone has been catching on to this trend and designers have even taken it a step further for the Fall season by making faux leather overalls!! So you can pretty much fill your wardrobe with different variations of the overall. 

Phillip Lim, Ruffian, Rebecca minkoff, and BCBG spring 2013 runway credit

I absolutely love this new trend. I'm usually not one to follow trends but this is definitely something I'll be adding to my Fall wardrobe. 

Are you feeling this trend? 

Here are some celebs spotted in overalls: 

Hair Talk Humpday

WIGS

Now I know when you hear the word "wig" the first thing that pops in your mind is images of Nicki Minaj, Black Chyna, and K Michelle. Well have no fear. I'm here to replace those images with good ones.

Let me begin by saying a wig can look very natural and fabulous when it's done correctly.  Look at Beyonce for example..

  mmhm I know you didn't think she wears her real hair!

Now there are a variety of different types of wigs. Half wigs, full wig with lace closure, u-part wig, partial wig, lace front wig, etc. It all depends on your personal preference. 

I myself am a fan of wigs because it's a ready made hairstyle. You can wear them if you have long hair and want more fullness. If you have short hair and want to add length. Or if you just want to protect your natural hair from styling damage. 

Wigs seem to have become the latest trend in the hair industry and have become more popular upon regular everyday women. 

I personally began wearing wigs about 5 months ago after i decided to start growing my hair back from a short cut. My hair was too short to get a sew in and i didn't want to glue in the extensions that i paid quit a bit of money for. So i decided to make a wig. Since then I've made 3 wigs and while it was a challenge I eventually got used to them and began to love them!! I never had to worry about the wig falling off or whatever crazy thing your probably thinking because I hand made the wig myself  and glued it to my molded down hair (this I don't recommend). Once my hair grew to a length that i was able to braid I began sewing the wig down. Which is the method I'd recommend. Some days i would remove the wig wash and style it then sew it back down. Some days I'd even just wear my real hair to bed then put the wig back on in the morning.

Here are pics of me wearing the wigs i made  

Now there are some cons to wig wearing. Purchasing cheap extensions, not properly attaching the wig, and doing a poor job of making the wig are just a few. Which is why I would not recommend doing it yourself if you have no experience. Wigs are so popular these days that there are plenty of people becoming experienced in making them. 

I prefer making a wig over purchasing one from a store because there's just nothing better than having something personally made to fit you. Don't get me wrong, I have seen some women with store bought wigs that looked just as natural and fabulous as hand crafted wigs. 

Another good thing about wigs is that if done correctly they can last for years vs. getting a sew in that'll only last a couple months. Then you'll have to pay more money to get another sew in. So you save time and money!!

So if your brave enough go get you a wig made! You may just fall in love!!

More pics of women in wigs: 

picture courtesy of @hairbyselina on Instagram

picture courtesy of @tops_beauty on Instagram

picture courtesy of  @leonarosebeauty on Instagram

picture courtesy of  @crownedbymonet on Instagram