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

Right Brain vs Left Brain

So I was having a discussion with a friend about how I feel I use my left brain as equally as the right side of my brain (which would explain me being a Software Test Engineer but wanting to be a Makeup Artist). For those who don't know, your brain has a right side and a left side (obviously) - but the right side is the more creative side while the left is more analytical. I took a quiz on this website to see which side was more dominant for me, and what do you know -- it was almost the same! I got 16 points for the left side and 15 points for the right!! I feel like being almost equal on the left & right can lead to some confusion - Lol. Maybe that's why I question myself sometimes! Part of me wants to be logical, the other part is so random! (This is evident for those who follow me on Twitter).

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life.  Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (16) Right Brain Dominance: (15) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Take the quiz and find out where you stand! :)

Different Types of (Toxic) Friends

**Disclaimer: This is not targeted at anyone. This is simply something that MANY, if not ALL, people experience at some point in their lives at any age.

As I get older, I am witnessing this more. "This" being toxic friendships, the different kinds, and how to avoid and/or get out of them once you realize what's happening. I read an article on iVillage entitled: 6 Types of Toxic Friends and How You Can Deal with Them. Below, I copied and pasted the two that I've had the most experience with. In reading this, and also in experiencing what I have experienced, in addition to ending such toxic friendships, I also take the opportunity to evaluate myself and make sure I'm behaving in a way that I feel a friend should behave or as a friend I'd want to have. It's always important to take responsibility for our actions and not allow ourselves to be "the victim".

The Self-absorbed
Certainly the Self-absorbed is a tamer type of negative friend than the Risk-taker. Still, especially over the long haul, a friend who does not make the time to listen to you will eat away at your self-esteem. For you to feel good about yourself, and for your friendship to thrive, you have to be more than a sounding board. The Self-absorbed does not care; she listens to you only because she is waiting to speak.

Self-absorbed chatter is a way of covering up an inability to tolerate silence which some, especially those who have intimacy problems, may find excruciating. You may ask your friend to try to become more aware that she is talking non-stop, and about herself, when it's really a nervous habit designed to fill up the time and space. Could your friend learn to relax more? Enjoy silence? Learn how to ask questions so that you don't feel like a dumping ground?

Once again, is this a trait your friend is aware of and choosing to ignore, or is she unaware of it but once aware of it, she will be capable of changing it? If change is not possible, is there enough that is positive about this friendship that you are willing to continue it even if it is decidedly lopsided?

Perhaps, in a gentle and non-offensive way, you could ask the Self-absorbed friend if she seems to notice that the give-and-take is unequal, that she shares more about her life than you get to share about yours.

With the Self-absorbed friend, you might want to plan an activity to share that minimizes this problem, such as playing tennis, going to the movies, or taking a class. You might want to carefully consider sitting next to the Self-Absorbed on a five-hour train ride or having lengthy meals together, just the two of you. As with the One-upper, whose profile revolves around excessive jealousy, involving more friends with the Self-absorbed might help to offset her nervousness as well as create some additional 'air times' that will even out the balance of power.

The Discloser
When you say to this friend, "This is just between us," she nods her head but unfortunately that promise will last only as long as it takes her to get to her phone or e-mail. Although there should be an assumption of confidentiality and trust between friends, this friend can't help herself. Telling this person a secret makes her feel vulnerable and uncomfortable. Like the game "hot potato," she has to pass the hot secret along to someone else in order to relieve the anxiety knowing the secret made her feel. There are also some Disclosers who simply have a big mouth. If someone you know has this personality trait, avoid telling her your innermost secret -- unless you don't mind if it's shared with the world.

This friend quickly gets a reputation for being a gossip. Unfortunately, there may be some secondary gains to having that distinction. Maybe the primary friend is annoyed by the betrayal and the secret sharing, but everyone else, including other friends, may be delighted by the confidential information that is being shared.

You also have to be sure that your friend understands that you consider the information that you are sharing should always be confidential or secret. Spreading the news that you just got a raise or are expecting a child may seem like information that is fair game for retelling. If it is something you do not want retold, or if you want to be the one retelling it, let your friend know before you mislabel her the Discloser.

How do you know if someone will betray your confidence? If you suspect someone has this trait, share an unimportant secret that you could live with her spreading and see how fast or widespread the confidence is shared.

If you suspect that your friend is unaware that he or she discloses secrets, start by bringing this behavior out in the open. Pick a specific instance when your friend revealed a confidence, and see if he or she acknowledges his or her transgression. Does he or she apologize? Does he or she deny doing it? Does he or she ask your forgiveness, explaining that he or she was unaware the information was privileged?

If you suspect your friend is incapable of changing this pattern and you want to maintain the friendship, protect yourself by being more careful about exactly what information you share. You might also want to reconsider the level of intimacy for this friendship; if you want to maintain your relationship, perhaps it should be on a less frequent or less confidential basis.

You can read the article in it's entirety using the link above (1st paragraph). Please feel free to share your thoughts/views. 

Enjoy the rest of your holiday and have a great day!

KeetaRay