Uneven Skin? What You Can Do About It...

I've received requests to address the problem of uneven skin/complexion - what causes it and how can it be fixed? Now, let me start by saying I am not yet an expert on this, but I have some experience with it firsthand and have learned quite a bit about it in the last few months. I know this is an issue many women and men, alike, deal with.

I'm Straight!

Anyone who knows me knows that I hardly straighten my hair. But when I went home for Christmas, I had my sis blow dry and flat iron it because she needed to trim my ends. She used a heat protectant (I don't know which one this time but I'm starting to feel the brand isn't important. I've used 2 others prior and my hair was fine) to blowdry and then she flat ironed. Since my hair is not used to being straight - I've only worn it straight 3xs in 3 yrs - it started to revert back after the 2nd day. (Click the jump for more & pics...)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Holiday Season!! Spend it with people who love you and enjoy your time with friends and family. I'd like to thank everyone for the support of my blog and for what I do :) God bless!!!

KeetaRay <3

P.S. In the next week I'll be posting more and including beauty/skin care tips, so let me know what you want to learn about! I'll be posting blogs and vlogs :)

Newfound Inspiration...

It's amazing how God leads you to a person, who leads you to another, and so on. Somehow, I ended up on a young woman's blog and Twitter page and the words on both gave me the help and encouragement I needed at exactly the right time. Her name is Heather Lindsey, and she, along with her husband, Cornelius Lindsey, are great examples of what having a real relationship with God is all about. Don't just take my word for it, though. Check out their website here to get more information and to hear archived messages/sermons/teachings -- whether you're married or single -- about Christian dating and living for God. While you're at it, check out Heather Lindsey's personal blog here. :)

I'm making so many changes in my life and having positive examples means everything. I've never met them, but I thank Cornelius and Heather, for all that they do!

Back to Basics

After going back to an interview (natural hair website feature) I had done back in February 2009, I decided to go back to basics with my hair care routine. For the last 1-2 years I've been experimenting with all types of hair products - from conditioners to leave-ins to stylers... I'm such a product junkie when it comes to hair products, beauty products, makeup... Sigh. And my close friends don't help. Lol! ;-) Anyway - You can see the online interview here on Motown Girl's website. Her site is one of the FIRST sites I would go to when I was transitioning to natural and right after I did my BC (big chop).

Here is what I did to achieve this look below:

-Co-washed with Trader Joe's Nourish Conditioner, detangling in sections
-Applied Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In to sections, then a dime-sized amount of raw, unrefined shea butter and organic extra-virgin coconut oil to the hair, then two-strand twisted.
-After my hair was all twisted up, I let it air dry overnight. (I had 10 twists total when done)
-This morning I unraveled the twists and separated with my fingers. For this style I just pulled a Goody "Stay Put" headband toward the back of my head for this low puff.
EASY PEESY!! Lol

**To maintain: I'll retwist tonight (dry, won't re-wet my hair). I probably won't use any products because my hair feels moisturized, but if I do it will be a SMALL amount of coconut oil on my ends.

I noticed the most growth and length retention when I kept my routine and products simple, so I'm back to the basics with my hair!

*Note: All the products listed in the post were purchased from: Trader Joe's, The Vitamin Shoppe, and Target (the latter for the KC Knot Today).

Natural Hair Documentary: Vid

Twist Out on Kid's Hair

Below is a pic of my little cousin. Her mom gave her a twistout and look how cute it turned out! I'll have to ask again what she used and update this post, but I had to post the pic for now :)

"Feeling Moody" :)

Wearing my new knit scarf from Feeling_Moody! Check out her site, she has some GREAT stuff. You can follow Feeling Moody on Twitter here.

Courtesy of ESSENCE magazine - a free cosmetic bag with SAMPLES from Target

Check out what I received yesterday in the mail! Too cute :)

New Protective Style: Twisted Puff/Bun

I have to give credit to my friend Alex of The Good Hair Blog for this protective style idea. She told me about this before when she did it the last time, but on me it came out terrible. Today, I had to call her and get the details. It looks more complicated than it is but there is definitely a technique to achieving it.

What I did was pull my hair up with a stretchy headband (I used Goody headbands here) as if I were doing a puff (this was done on a 3-4 day old twist out). With the hair that was left out, I started two-strand twisting them around the perimeter of the puff. Once all my hair was twisted (I did bigger twists so it didn't take long at all - about 10 min.) I used hair pins to secure them toward the middle of the puff/bun. This gave the "bun" look/effect. I then used another headband to double up and put in the front of my hair (I just always like to do that but totally unnecessary for you to get this look). I plan to leave it like this until the end of the week.

What is your favorite protective style?

Product Review: Safi Haircare's Pumpkin Puddin'

I had the pleasure of trying out a new hair butter from Safi Haircare over the weekend. It's a new seasonal product called Pumpkin Puddin'. Below is the product description and ingredients, which are also listed on Safi's Website.

This yummy Pumpkin Puddin' is right on time for the holidays! It's light, airy, fluffy and smells like Grandma's pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving day. It has the scent of delicious pumpkin and the perfect mix of spices with top notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin and rum. Mid notes of apples, muguet, peach and ginger, paired with nutty vanilla base.
The great thing about Pumpkin Puddin' is that it can be used on your hair and body. The dash of cinnamon that's in this product will keep your strands nice and strong.


Ingredients: Pumpkin Seed Butter, Shea Butter, Aloe Vera Gel, Castor Oil, Argan Oil, Coconut Oil,Tucuma Butter, Cupuacu Butter, Red Palm Oil, Water, Xantham Gum(Thickener), Emulsifying wax, Ground Cinnamon, Sodium Lactate

Thought for the Day

I absolutely LOVE receiving emails/messages that make me think or put something in perspective. I wanted to share this email I received today via Napoleon Hill's email distro list that I get every Monday through Friday. It really resonated with me.

You never know who your real friends are until adversity overtakes you and you need cooperation.

Everybody loves a winner, it has been said, but nobody knows you when you’re down and out. One of the often unappreciated benefits of adversity is that it accelerates the process of identifying your true friends. Most of us have many acquaintances and associates, but we are indeed fortunate if we have a handful of real friends. You will very quickly identify yours when you ask them for help. The wise individual is the one who, when asked for assistance, recognizes that he may one day find himself in the same situation.

If you'd like to receive similar messages in your own email Inbox, please click this link to sign up: Napoleon Hill Foundation

Natural Hair Pin-up style

Yesterday I tried a new style and I really like it. Below is how I achieved this result:

I had been wearing my hair out most of last week and it got really dry. In addition to wearing it out (I wore it in a bun most of the summer), I hadn't been deep conditioning or washing as often :-o I know, I know. So yesterday, since they let me off work a little early, I decided to give my hair some TLC.

Washed hair with Kinky Curly Come Clean shampoo twice. I didn't section off to shampoo. Thoroughly massaged my scalp (using the pads of my fingers, never my nails), rinsed, and repeated.
Then I went and put my hair into 4 sections (2 in the back, 2 in the front) and applied conditioner to each section (Herbal Essence Totally Twisted). After I applied conditioner to a section, thoroughly saturating my hair with it, I then applied about a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the conditioner and combed through using my wide tooth comb. Then I twisted the section and pinned it away with a bobby pin. After all sections were done, I put on a plastic cap and sat under my hooded dryer for 30 min.
I rinsed my hair section by section, retwisting each section when done (just 4 big twists). This kept my hair from tangling.
I then applied Kinky Curly Knot Today (my leave-in) and started my small twists, leaving the front section out for the pompadour later. I twisted my hair while wet/damp. Shrinkage wasn't a concern since I'd be pinning them up anyhow. To twist I applied Carol's Daughter Marguerite's Magic to the hair to be twisted, twirling the ends of each twist. After my hair was twisted (not including the section in the front), I gathered all the twists toward the middle of my head pinning them in place w/bobby pins. 
For the front section, I made 4 larger twists. Sat under my dryer for 45 minutes, then unraveled for the 4 twists in the front. I pulled my hair forward and tucked under w/hair pins for the pompadour look. That's it. I plan to keep it this way for about a week.

Total time to finish (including shampoo and DC): approximately 3-4 hours.

Sidebar: Lipstick is by MAC - Potent Fig Mattene Lipstick, my new fave :)

It's a Photoshoot!

I had the honor and pleasure of working with my friend/sis, Alex, for her new jewelry line this past weekend. It was her first photoshoot showcasing her work and she asked me to do the makeup for the models. I was so happy to do it and we had so much fun. Check out the 30 sec video clip below for a Behind-the-Scenes Sneak Peek. :)


ALS BTS from Teck Films on Vimeo.

"No Reply Necessary"

It's been awhile since my last post. Life has been great but super busy. But I HAD to share this with you all today. Every M - F I have Joel Osteen's devotionals sent to my email, and I share them with people who have asked to be added to my daily list. Today, I really needed this one. I hope that it empowers you the way it has me :)

via Joel Osteen:
I’ve learned that you can’t waste your time engaging in conflicts that don’t matter. There will always be critics. There will always be naysayers, but we have to follow the example of Jesus. When He was falsely accused, He didn’t try to defend Himself. He gave no reply to the charges against Him.

Remember, the critics cannot keep you from your destiny. They don’t define who you are. They don’t determine your worth and value. You are a child of the Most High God. The Creator of the universe breathed life into you. As a believer in Jesus, you are crowned with favor. Turn away from accusing voices so you can focus on the destiny God has prepared for you! (Refer to Matthew 27:12–14, NIV)

Forgiveness

I read a quote about forgiveness online and it really resonated with me. People I thought I had forgiven for things that they had done to me... I really hadn't. And they were taking up space in my mind, making me angry, sad, resentful... among other things. This morning I realized what the unforgiveness was doing to me. And I prayed. And I'm officially and consciously working on it. I'm focusing on being the change I want to see and being a loving person, and praying for those who have hurt me.
Here is the quote:
"Funny how when you don't forgive someone who has wronged you, they seem to occupy your mind and your emotions the most. Until you forgive, you will be chained to their memory and experience. Forgive them by bringing love, kindness, and gentleness back to YOUR spirit and letting go of the anger, hate, and resentment. It's not always easy but with God all things are possible. Do it for you and for the return of love in your life." ~William White

If you struggle in this area, I hope this helped you today :)

Twisted Pin-Up

I was watching a video on YouTube from HealthyHairJourney (look her up, her hair is GORGEOUS), and she did a style where she pin-curled her mini-twists for a cute updo. Well... I don't feel like doing my hair this week so I took an hour and a half out of my schedule to make this happen. In turn, I won't be doing my hair again until the weekend. Lmao

I washed and conditioned my hair, then used my Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In. I twisted (while damp) with Bee Mine's Curly Butter and used coconut oil on my ends. After all my twists were in, I grabbed 2 twists at a time, pincurling every two and holding with bobby pins. I focused on keeping the pins more in my hair than close to the scalp for comfort. Here are pics. I just sleep with a satin bonnet and spray with my mix of water and tea tree oil the next day. When I take them out, I'll wear the twist out. Pics to follow.

My Nails This Week...

I purchased quite a few new nail colors over the weekend (didn't I say I was on "strike" from buying anymore? How soon I forget... but I got a good hook-up. Lol). I did my nails yesterday and this is the final look.

Nail colors used: OPI "Stranger Tides" from Pirates of the Caribbean line, and OPI "White Shatter" on my ring finger. On my index finger I just used a white nail polish I had lying around.

DMV Meetup with Glamswagger & CurlyNuGrowth

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending a Natural Hair Meetup in DC with none other than Glamswagger and CurlyNuGrowth! If you are on Twitter and have natural hair, chances are you follow them and know who these 2 lovely ladies are :) It's nice to meet people you talk to online, finally. And I met many other naturals, too!! We had a great time at Vapiano's (where the meet up was held) -- eating, laughing, sharing stories, trading haircare secrets and swapping products, and some people won some things, too!
Click the link for pics!

Back 2 MAC Program

Although I've known about MAC Cosmetics' "Back 2 MAC" program, I never have done it. I don't know why, maybe I just kept forgetting to get all my empty containers together. But for those who are unaware, MAC's Back 2 MAC allows you to give 6 (six) empty primary packaging containers (for recycling) to a MAC store/counter, and in turn you get a free lipstick color of your choice. By primary packaging they mean only the actual container that the product came in (like the lipglass tube, lipstick tube, the compact a powder was in, etc.) - That does not include things like the bubble wrap, the boxes, etc. (hey, some people need it spelled out. Lol) You can also send the empty packages in and they will ship the lipstick to you free of charge. Check out MAC's "Back 2 MAC" web link for more details :)

This week I'll be getting my free lipstick. I'll let you know what I chose!

My First Time (Curlformers) - Natural Hair

Last year when I first heard of Curlformers, I didn't see what all the hype was about. I often wondered what was the big deal. Then, I saw some vids of women who used them and thought their curls were pretty, but felt my hair wouldn't react that way. A few days ago I caught a vid on YouTube of NaturalChica (I'm sure many of you are familiar with her fabulous blog and YT channel) using Curlformers. Her hair turned out gorgeous. And although her hair is thicker than mine, the textures are similar so I decided to give it a try since I was so bored w/my hair as of late.
I purchased mine from Sally's Beauty Supply. You can also purchase them directly on Curlformer's website. First, let me tell you these are so fascinating and fun to use! (Small things excite me). I started on freshly washed and conditioned hair. Use your product of choice. To use Curlformers you will need: the Curlformers, of course; a spray bottle with your fave water/conditioner/oil or some type of leave-in spray; a setting lotion or foam (I used Motions); and a wide tooth comb. I also used a fine tooth comb after detangling to smooth my hair out more before putting the curlformers in.

Follow the directions on Curlformers website and you will get  great results. My results are after the jump.

Sephora by OPI

I painted my nails with a new color I got last week. Sephora by OPI in "Caught with My Khakis Down". Lovin' it.

MAC Lips :)

As much as I blog about hair, I love makeup 100xs more! I need to blog about it more often, I could literally talk about it ALL DAY and I do with friends who share the same love.
Anywho... today I am wearing MAC Matte lipstick in Please Me with Chestnut liner, and Plushglass in Ample Pink on top. Click link for pics...

Day Two: Braid-out

It's the 2nd day and my hair held up well. I re-braided it last night in larger braids (about 7-10). What I like is that my hair is bigger than yesterday but still has good definition. I didn't re-wet my hair last night when I braided it, nor did I use a comb. I just sat on the bed while watching TV and randomly grabbed sections, braided it, and put my bonnet on. This morning I didn't add anything to my hair (no spray/oil), it felt well-moisturized already. Results after the jump...

Braid-out...

Last night I set my hair in braids for a braid-out this morning. Anyone who knows me is aware that twists/twist-outs are my staple. I haven't done a braid-out in over a year. I decided to revisit this and see if I can figure out a way to get it to look right ;-)

I washed and conditioned my hair, then applied Kinky Curly Knot Today (KCKT) to sections and Argan Oil to seal, braided (individual braids, not cornrows - because I don't know how Lol), and let them air dry overnight. After all of my hair was braided I had about 13-15 braids total. This morning I used a small amount of Coconut Oil while taking the braids out to prevent frizz. Pics are after the jump...

Question for My Natural Hair Ladies...

Ladies, what do you use to set your hair (twist-outs, braid-outs, roller sets, etc.)? Currently I use my Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In along with an oil to seal AND a product to hold (like ORS Lock and Twist Gel) but I am trying to minimize. Do any of you just use a leave-in and oil sealant ONLY? If so, please share with me what it is that you use :)

Thanks in advance!

REVIEW: ORS Lock & Twist Gel

Although products with glycerin provide moisture, they also cause my hair to frizz beyond belief in the summer. So, during the summer months, I try to eliminate products with that ingredient in it. I have been doing my twist-outs lately using Miss Jessie's Curly Meringue. I've found that the hold is phenomenal and I rarely get frizz.However, Miss Jessie's can be a bit pricey, especially when you use it as frequently as I do (i.e.,  every week). I am not going to stop using it, b/c I get great results from it. But I'm going to start alternating to make it last a bit longer. That being said, after some Google searches yesterday on what to try to twist my hair with for a fab twist-out, I kept coming across Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) Lock & Twist Gel. Being that it's less than $4-5 for the container, I decided to give it a try.
The results after the jump...

Products for Sale: Price Listing and Pics

Here is the product list. Shipping is $3 flat rate. Shipping within the U.S. only. Please send an email with the product(s) you are interested in to: KeetaRay@allthingskeetaray.com.  I will send you a PayPal receipt once I get your email so you can pay that way. Thanks!

Click the Jump for products/prices.

NEWS FLASH: Products for Sale

I have decided I need to get rid of a few hair products that didn't quite work for me, but may work well for someone else. For that reason, I didn't want to toss them in the trash, especially since they have been used only once or twice, if at all. So tomorrow I am going to post the products and discounted prices -- first come, first served. As people claim and pay for products I'll mark them as SOLD on the blog. This is a good way to try products or get your staples without paying full-price. Stay tuned!!!

KeetaRay

Review: Urban Nature Hair Salon (MD)

I just wanted to share my recent experience at a natural hair salon over the weekend. I visited Urban Nature Hair Salon in Silver Spring, MD. I made an appointment about a week and a half prior for a much-needed trim and deep condition. Although I have been natural close to 3 years now, I haven't been to an actual natural hair salon because salons make me nervous. My sister usually trims my hair.

Overall, I liked the salon a lot. The stylists were professional and nice, the atmosphere was calming/relaxing, they took my hair concerns into consideration, and the prices were reasonable (after comparing to some other natural hair salons I visited online to check out). Kim was the stylist I worked with. My wash and deep condition felt great - my hair loved it. She trimmed my hair while wet. Now, I did have to get more than I would have liked cut off (my hair was damaged due to color I got about 2 years ago) BUT I am more concerned with healthy hair than length. Damaged hair looks a mess. Lol My hair looks and feels good and I am happy. MY ONLY SUGGESTION is this: Make sure you know exactly what you want when making your appointment. I say this because when I called I only told them I wanted a trim and DC. And that is all the time they scheduled me for. My appt was at 11am and she was taking her next appt at 12pm. They take their appointments ON TIME so I had to be done by 12. Which means, I couldn't get my hair styled. Lol So when I got home I just did a quick wash and go with Kinky Curly (see pics after the jump).

Some Motivation!

Hi Everyone!

I am big on empowerment and encouraging people to take their lives to the next level. I wanted to share a clip of motivation speaker Les Brown sharing some great advice that we can all learn something from. Take a look and be encouraged to live your BEST life! :)

"Newspaper Nails"

I came across this manicure idea yesterday - I don't even remember how I stumbled upon it. But after seeing the 1st YouTube video, I went to Google to search for "Newspaper Nails" and tons of blog posts and vids came up for this cute little technique. I like to be creative, especially when it seems easy, so I had to give it a try. What I loved is that I didn't have to buy anything new for this so if it was a #Fail, no money lost :)

Click the jump for pics and details!

Life Coaching Opportunity

Good Morning! This is for the ladies. If you don't know, I am BIG on Women's Empowerment and have become a part of a new movement where I am spreading the word on LIFE COACHING. What is life coaching? Life coaching is the process of addressing specific personal projects, business successes, general conditions and transitions in the client's personal life, relationships or profession by examining what is going on right now, discovering what your obstacles or challenges might be, and choosing a course of action to make your life be what you want it to be.

I have been receiving life coaching since last summer and it has helped me tremendously. The company offers coaching in the areas of health/wellness, finances/money, work/career, relationships, and spirituality. YOU choose the area you wish to work. The cost is VERY affordable (when I started I was unemployed). If you'd like more information, please contact me via email at: KeetaRay@allthingskeetaray.com and I'll be happy to send you the details.

Ladies, we can do whatever we set our minds to do!! Let's get it!

~KeetaRay

Twist-Out Using Miss Jessie's

After watching a tutorial on Miss Jessie's website I decided to revisit the product line. I had tried the Curly Pudding and the Silkening Cream but never the Curly Meringue. I headed to Target yesterday to give it a try. I followed the tutorial: co-washed my hair, then sectioned off and applied the Curly Meringue to each section and two-strand twisted. I let them dry overnight (1 hour under the hooded dryer and then let it air dry for the remainder of the night). In the morning I unraveled the twists and used my nozzle attachment on my blow dryer at my roots to give more length. Below is a pic of the result along with the tutorial from Miss Jessie's that I followed. Tonight I'll also do as described in the video.

I must say I am in LOVE with this product and will definitely purchase again. My hair has phenomenal hold without being crunchy. It has body and a nice sheen and my hair did not frizz at all even though it was warm and a little humid here in DC.

How I Styled My Twists Today

Short video from earlier today :)

*NOTES: Twists were done on wet hair after a co-wash so there is major shrinkage. I'm okay with that since I planned on wearing them in updo's anyway to protect my ends.
Feather Earrings were purchased by Candid Art.

You can subscribe to my YouTube Channel here: www.youtube.com/tayah97

And stay tuned... BIG THINGS HAPPENING... New site under construction: www.facesbykeetaray.com

15% off at CurlMart

Now through April 18th, get 15% off of NEW PRODUCTS at CurlMart when you enter code NEW15 at checkout! :)

Some Great Hair Vids!

I want to share a few great vids with you that I've come across during the week.
The first is one of my hair idols, Luka Lomi. She shares how she achieves her FABULOUS updo's on her twist-outs. I'm going to try a similar look when I take my mini-twists out. Below is her video as well as links to her Fotki albums and Twitter page.



LukaLomi's Twitter
LukaLomi's Fotki Page

And here is another great vid I came across. Both of these young women have some gorgeous hair, but I am totally infatuated with the hair of the girl on the left :)

Review: Safi HairCare Citrus SheaCoco Butter

I've had the pleasure of being offered a trial-size of Safi HairCare's newest edition to the line, Citrus SheaCoco Butter. The owner, Alexandra Smith (also now a friend of mine) asked me to try this out, and I was more than happy (excited, actually) to try this out.

Here are the product facts:

- Ingredients: Raw Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Aloe Vera Juice, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Sweet Orange Essence Oil, Lemon Essential Oil, and Vitamin E.

4 oz $13.00

8 oz $16.00

This product is GREAT for twists, twist outs, braids, braid outs...

-How I Used It: I co-washed my hair with Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner. While my hair was wet after washing, I applied Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner (my staple) throughout. I sectioned my hair off and applied a small amount of the Citrus SheaCoco Butter along with a very small amount of gel (Fantasia ic Olive Gel) for additional hold. I twisted each section and did this all over until I was left with about 14-15 twists all over. I let my hair air-dry overnight, then unraveled the twists in the morning and fluffed/separated. 

My hair had a nice sheen, a very pleasant and light scent, and was very moisturized.

Thumbs up!! :) I definitely recommend this product.

Resulting Twist Out

Here is the resulting twist out from last night's product trial. I like it!

Twist Out using Hemp Seed Butter & ic Fantasia Olive Gel

New Earrings!

On this past Wednesday, I attended an event called Shecky's Girls Night Out. For those who are unfamiliar, they hold events in most major cities throughout the year for women, where they have various vendors (imagine clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup, skincare products, a cocktail bar, goodie bags, and fun). I purchased a few items but my fave purchase is my earrings. They're feather earrings, but they don't match. One is just a regular feather earring but the other is a DRAMATIC concoction of feathers. I took a pic of the earrings w/o me wearing them b/c I feel I need the right outfit/hair to set them off. So here is a pic of the earrings... without me. Lol When I do wear them I'll be sure to share a pic with you all!

Feather Earrings by Candid Art

If you are interested in purchasing these or similar items, check out their site here: Candid Art

Camden Grey Order - Review

I purchased a few items from Camden Grey and received my order today :-) They have essential oils and lots of natural products for those of us who like to mix their own. I ordered: Grapeseed Oil, Argan Oil, Hemp Seed Butter, and Rhassoul Clay powder.

My hair was a frizzy mass by the time I got home today due to the weather, so I decided to try 2 of the 4 products to retwist my hair to let it set. In a spray bottle, I mixed 80% water, 10% veggie glycerin, and 10% grapeseed oil. Shook it up and wet my hair, in sections. For each section, I applied a small amount of the hemp seed butter for moisture and then a small amount of ic Fantasia Olive Gel for hold. I twisted the section and did this until all my hair was twisted. I plan to let it airdry and take it out in the morning. Overall I have about 14 or 15 twists. I won't know my result until tomorrow but I can say my hair feels good - moisturized and soft. I'll be sure to snap a pic tomorrow of my twist out for you all.A few people has noted they don't care for the smell of hemp seed butter too much but it didn't bother me. However, I'm not the most sensitive to smells as I typically like "earthy/natural" scents. *shrugs* So, it really depends on your preference. To me, the hemp seed butter smelled "clay like" but it isn't strong and to be honest, I can't even smell it on my hair right now.

I will review the Rhassoul Clay powder and Argan Oil when I use it. I am not sure when I plan to use those two so stay tuned. By the way, this is my first time trying any of these products in this order so this is trial and error for me. Just wanted to share :-)

Hemp Seed Butter - 1/4 lb.

Grapeseed Oil - 1 lb.

Rhassoul Clay powder - 1 lb.

Argan Oil - 2 oz.

Curly Nikki and NaturallyCurly have apps!

For all you iPhone and Android users out there that love the natural Hair Forums as much as I do --
There are apps now to make it easier! And... THEY'RE FREE!

You can check your app store by searching "Curly Nikki" and "Curl Talk" for the free apps. Or, go here from your phone and click on the appropriate download link to go straight there: http://tinyurl.com/4qbxpfb and http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalkmobile.


Enjoy!! :)

What Do New Naturals Need to Know?

For awhile now, I've been getting questions from women who were newly natural or in the process of transitioning regarding how they should get started, or what key things they needed to know to get their natural hair to thrive. Answering this question is challenging for me because I always want to tell them EVERYTHING I know and it can be overwhelming. And then there are times when I don't know what is more important to tell them to start with. So my question to you all is, how do you (or would you) attempt to answer that question? What is key for a new natural to know without giving them too much information too soon? My fear is if they get overwhelmed they'll be discouraged.

Thanks for your input!

Review! Sally Hansen Salon Effects

I've been gone for too long!

I want to do something I've never done on this blog before. Post a nail review! :) My close friends know I am very particular about my nails. To the point I am often dissatisfied with getting mani's b/c they just "never do them right". Yes, I am OCD. I love doing my own nails and recently experimented with Sally Hansen's Salon Effects nail appliques! I purchased them from CVS for about $10. Check it out:

Tons of designs. I tried the leopard print ones. What can I say, I am drawn to animal prints :)
Here is a pic of my nails right after I applied them this past Friday:

Super-easy (I feel they were) to apply. Today is Day 4 and they're holding up well:

My nails grow fast as you can see at my cuticle. But the tips are not chipping and I don't have any cracks/chips in the polish. I did apply a clear coat on Day 2. The product instructions don't require this but I did this just off my gut. Lol

Here are the basic application tips -


Application tips:

• Warm the strips with your hands to make them more pliable.
• Bend the strip over your free edge and use the file to remove the excess rather than tearing it off.  Tearing can result in an uneven edge.
• Between sizes?  Size up and use the enclosed cuticle stick to remove the excess off your skin.
• Don’t submerge in water right after applying. I'd say wait about 1-2 hours or you risk the edges lifting a little.

Let me know if you try and what your experience was. I plan to get some more of the other designs.

**Updated March 4, 2011:
It's Day 7 of having these applique's on and they are holding up very well. I'm sorry but regular nail polish would have chipped by now. If you're used to get manicures weekly for about $10, the price of this kit is no biggie. I may do this every other week - Just until I get tired of the designs. :-o Take a look at the pic for Day 7 -

How Could I Forget to Share...?

Well, those who follow me on Twitter and are Facebook friends have seen my new hairstyle. But I forgot to share with my blog followers :-o Silly me. So here are a few pics. It's braided on the left side and around the back, with just the front and right side left in a twist out. It's been this way for about a week now. I hope to leave in another 1-2 weeks. We'll see... I had to wash it 2 days ago, my scalp was itchy even though I've been spraying it with Oyin's Juices 'n Berries. It helped but didn't fully eliminate the itchies. Anyone got any ideas/suggestions? Hopefully, it's something I already have. :)

Makeup CAN Look Natural

For those who are anti-makeup and/or don't want to look "made up", you should know that makeup CAN look natural. In the pic below I am wearing a full face of makeup.

Concealer: Mary Kay in Light Bronze
Foundation: The Body Shop's Oil Free Liquid Foundation in #10 (SPF 15)
Brows: Filled in lightly with Milani Brow Kit in #3
Mascara: Maybelline Colossal Lash in Black
Blush: The Body Shop in #07
Lips: Lip Pencil in MAC Chestnut, MAC Fresh Brew Lipstick, MAC C-Thru Lipglass

This is my fave natural/toned-down look. As you can see, I use what works for me. I am not partial to just one brand. :)

Review: Koils by Nature (Sample Pack)

Last night when I got home, my Koils by Nature order had arrived. Perfect timing, since I was planning on washing my hair anyway and trying that oil rinse out. I ordered the sample pack (Soothing Herbal Eucalyptus and Lavender) since this was my first time trying this line of products. The sample pack contained the following:

• 2oz – Moisturizing Shaeloe Leave In Conditioner
• 2oz – Hydrating Shealoe Creamy Conditioner
• 2oz – Nourishing Hair & Body Butter (of your choice)
• 2oz – Soothing Herbal Gel (of your choice)

It comes wrapped in a pretty organza bag. 

After my oil rinse (details in my last post), I applied the Hydrating Shealoe Creamy Conditioner and rinsed out with cool water. I towel blotted my hair and applied the Moisturizing Shealoe Leave-In. Both conditioners left my hair feeling soft, had a light, pleasant scent, and my hair was very manageable.

To style, I used the Nourishing Hair & Body Butter and the Soothing Herbal Gel. I got the Hair & Body Butter in Sweet Almond's Joy and OMG this stuff smells AMAZING! I always do two-strand twists for a twist-out (it reduces shrinkage by stretching my hair, keeps it from getting tangled and also helps prevent single strand knots since it also stretches the ends). For each section that I was about to twist, I applied a small amount of the Hair & Body Butter along with a small amount of the Herbal Gel - a little goes a long way! I actually think I was a bit heavy-handed (it smelled so good I wanted to use more than was needed - Lol), so I will use a little less next time. After twisting, I sat under my hooded dryer for about an hour to let the majority of my hair dry. I let the rest air dry overnight.

This morning, I unraveled  the twists and styled. My hair was so soft, very defined and had a very nice sheen. I will be buying the full-size products very soon!

 

Oil Rinse Review

Ladies! I am SO excited to share this with you all. On Twitter, @KinkyKurlyQueen provided a link for this... and yesterday I spoke with my friend Alex about it. Oil Rinses for natural hair. I thought... What the heck IS an oil rinse? How does it work? Here is what I did following the directions in the link I checked out.

Since I shampooed my hair 2-3 days ago, I didn't shampoo again (you can if you'd like, and that would be the 1st step.)
Whether you shampoo initially or not, on your soaking wet hair you want to apply 1/2 cup of oil to your hair (I used extra virgin olive oil. I've heard you can use castor oil or other oils of your choice, but olive oil is already my fave so I used that). Massage it in. I also massaged into my scalp because it tends to get really dry especially now that it's so cold.
Rinse with very warm (almost hot) water.
Apply your fave conditioner (I used Koils by Nature Hydrating Conditioner). Rinse with cool water.
Style as usual.

I must say, after rinsing out my conditioner my curls were POPPIN'! My hair gets frizzy (from dryness) so when I saw how curly my hair was after washing I was quite surprised and pleased.

Benefits: Intense moisturization, decrease in single strand knots, and ease in detangling. 

Definitely try this! I may do this every other week!! Love it.

Tomorrow I will post a review on Koils by Nature. Today was my first day using the product line and I am in love!

KeetaRay

Review Coming Soon!

Hey, everyone!

I've been reading up on oil rinses and I'm going to try it tonight! I'll take plenty of pics, along with explaining the purpose of it and how my hair feels after.

I'm hoping I like it. My hair NEEDS it! ;)

KeetaRay