Daily Archives: January 26, 2012

Jan26

Sooner or Later, They All Come Around

Posted on by
Standard

So, I’m on my way to work today, and I get a text from my girl Beck. She’s like, “Can I have a bobby pin for my hair when u get in?” See, she knows I keep my little Altoids Hair Emergency Kit in my purse;)!


These pic are from May; it has a set of Goody Spin Pins and big dooby pins in it now too!

So, I get to work and shoot her an e-mail to let her know that I’m in my office. She comes up and … what the what?!?!

I was like …. “Oooooh Beck!!! That’s my style!! Were you on the site?!?!” And she grinned and was like, ‘Yeah.” Beck has a lot of long, thick wavy hair that she often puts up with a clip. So, this was different for her and she said, “It took me, like, 2 minutes!” I was like, exactly! That’s what I do, Simple and Quick Protective Styles! Of course I was tickled pink and she let me take pics to share on the site:)! First buns, next it’ll be henna … don’t get it twisted, I got Beck and my other non-Black friend asking about henna last summer!! I’m thinking I’m gonna have to get her to read my post on Color Options with BAQ Henna … get her to try cassia … maybe mix it with a little henna and indigo for a reddish brown effect ;)!!

Bwahahahaha!!!

(That’s my evil laugh as I contemplate how I’m going to take over the world!! Where’s Pinky when you need him? ;))

Advertisement
Jan26

What’s in Your Cabinets? Tiffany’s Stash

Posted on by
Standard

by Tiffany M. (Second Wave)

I’ve been straight since the major hair crisis I had on Black Friday back in November. Well, this weekend was my henna time. I was gathering up my supplies and I was looking at my “hair and other things” closet. Like, damn, this is a mess!

I was wondering how other hair follower’s closets look (i.e., all of you product junkies ;)). I don’t have half the stock you have Shelli, I could only imagine what my closet would look like if I did.

It’s time to clean house!

************************************************************************************************************************

Yeah, I think that you’re right Tiffany, you’re not at my PJ level yet;). But, you’ve got quite a stash there. What we need from you now is mini reviews of the products in your closet! What worked and what didn’t? Oh yeah, and in true PJ fashion, what do you still want to try?!

Jan26

Hair Crush: Wonder Curl’s HairStory!

Posted on by
Standard

Okay, y’all know that I love me some Wonder Curl Butter than Love for a great TnC set. Well, I finally got the gorgeous Wonder Curl herself, Scarlett, to dish on her HairStory:)! Enjoy!

************************************************************************************************************************

Describe yourself in 100 words or less.
I am the creator of Wonder Curl LLC, amazing hair care products that give curlies unbelievably beautiful hair. I’m a bona fide Jersey Girl who adores big (curly) hair who was born in Haiti and is a lover of sparkly things.

How long have you been natural and why did you chose to go natural?
I’ve been completely natural (no chemicals or heat) since June 2006, however I’ve been on my ‘journey’ since 1998. I decided to stop relaxing my hair after reading an article in Essence magazine about a woman who went natural. This was my lightbulb moment and I haven’t looked back since.

texturized and pressed

Did you transition or big chop?
Big Chop! There is something so liberating about cutting off all of your hair. Not only is it easier in the morning, but whenever I see a woman with short hair, I equate her with confidence.

What is/was your biggest hair challenge/obstacle? How did you overcome it or what are you doing now to try to address the problem?
I have come to the understanding that my hair is high maintenance, no matter what. It takes me 2 ½ to 3 hours to wash and style. This has always been the case, whether relaxed or curly. Finding the cut and products that work best is key. That’s why I started my own hair care line of products. I wasn’t in love with anything on the market, nor was my hair. Now, I can style my hair and it can last up to one week and I haven’t had a bad hair day ever since.

What do you love most about your natural hair and/or about being natural?
I love the attention that my hair gets me. I get more compliments on my curly hair than I ever did when it was straight. And it’s great speaking with other curlies, helping them along their journey.

What is your current regimen? Has it changed in any major way since you first went natural?
Wash-n-gos work for me. Using my products and the ‘raking’ method gives me better results than a twist out. Depending on the products I use can dictate how loose or curly my hair can be.

What are your Holy Grail and staple products?
I use all of the Wonder Curl products. In the summer, I use Get Set Hair Jelly and Get Slick Hair Smoothie for frizz-free, defined curls and, in the winter, I mix Butter than Love Hair Pudding, Hair Whipped (on the ends) and Get Set Hair Jelly for super moisture and definition. The Pudding and Whipped also lets me wear my hair looser.

What is your “go to” style? Do you wear protective and/or low manipulation styles?
My ‘signature’ style is parted down the middle and worn loose and my protective style is a bun.

How often do you cut/trim your hair? How do you cut it (salon, DIY, straight, curly, in twists)? If you go to a salon, would you recommend it?
I go to Tameeka of JadedTresses.com (NYC) for everything hair. She is one of the few stylists who shares our passion for curly hair to the degree that she is an expert and offers seminars to other stylists looking to break into the natural hair industry. She is also one of the few who cut hair wet. The time to get a trim is when my ends are full of single-strand knots and I have to use more hair products than usual to style my hair.

Has going natural impacted other areas of your life (i.e. health & fitness, style, environmental consciousness, etc.?) If so, how and in what ways has it affected your lifestyle?
I don’t need a shower cap anymore.

Do you have a “hair crush?” If so, who?
Shelli of Hairscapades! Seriously, I love following your tutorials and Aevin Dugas, the world record holder for the largest Afro. We’re FB friends and I stalk her page.

Who do you follow online (i.e. blog/website, Youtube, Fotki, etc.)?
My go-to sites are TheBeautyBrains, SavvyBrown, hairscapades (of course) and TheBudgetSocialite.

Where can we find you online?
www.wondercurl.com
facebook.com/wondercurlcom
youtube.com/wondercurlcom
twitter.com/#wondercurl

What advice would you give someone who is contemplating going natural and/or becoming discouraged with their natural journey?
I believe that nothing will happen until you are ready and explain to those contemplating going natural that it’s a whole new learning process, but it’s totally worth it. Everyone I know who’s gone natural tells me they wish that they had done it sooner.

Anything else that you’d like to add?
It is inspiring that we created an entire industry based on natural hair. We gather to discuss our hair, make products to meet our needs and share our experiences with each other. We didn’t wait for someone to do it for us, and now we are getting noticed for doing something that is the most natural thing…growing the hair that nature gave us and wearing it proudly.

************************************************************************************************************************

Thanks Scarlett!!

Don’t forget our British Curlies/Wonder Curl Giveaway this month! If you are a resident of the UK, you can enter to win a sample kit of all four products in the Wonder Curl line! Click the link for details!

Jan26

Ahhh … That’s More Like It

Posted on by
Standard

LOL! So, as I told you guys yesterday, I set my hair in 9 twists on Tuesday night using a little Wonder Curl Get Set Hair Jelly after I sealed my hair with an EVOO/JBCO mix. That wouldn’t be my typical order of products, but I decided to do the twists after I had already sealed my hair and thought I would try the Jelly to see if it would give me a nice, firm set.

I’ve had a sample size of the WC Get Set Jelly for a while now. But, I’d only used the tiniest amount on my roots for a TnC set. So, I didn’t have a real feeling for it. However, I really liked the consistency for setting my twists. It’s not a wet gel, it’s more firm and … well … jelly-like in consistency. That’s a good indicator for me that it will provide a firm hold that will resist humidity. Eco Styler gel has a similar consistency, but the Get Set Jelly is definitely firmer. My hair had a nice sheen in the twists too … don’t know if that was the kimmaytube leave-in, the oil or the Jelly, but it was all good.

Wednesday morning, I released and fluffed the twists and wore my hair out for the day. This is what it looked like when I got home after work.


As you can see from the first pic, the back looked a lot better than it did after my WnG (see my post from yesterday)! The curl pattern has been evened out and the perimeter appears fuller due to the twist-out. As to the WC Get Set Jelly, I’m definitely going to be experimenting with it a little more! But, for now, the hair has gone into a bun where it will remain for the rest of the week!

On another note, figured I’d show you how I winterized another summer piece a la my post, Wear it in Summer, Wear it in Winter. This time, I layered a thin black tee-shirt turtleneck over a black eyelet skirt and paired it with a suede swing jacket, a wide suede belt, black fishnet stockings and black suede, slouchy knee boots.

Everything in my outfit is a few years old, but here’s a run down in case you are interested! The skirt is from The Loft and part of a matching set (top and skirt). I got it on clearance a few summers ago. The turtleneck is from Kohl’s and was probably less than $10. The suede swing jacket is from Marshall’s and I found it on the clearance rack for $15 (someone at work liked it so much, I picked one up for her too!). The belt is a hand-me-down from an old suit my aunt was giving me. I didn’t want the suit, but I snagged up the awesome belt! The boots are Michael Kors that I picked up from Marshall’s for $69, I think. I bought them for $99, then saw them at another Marshall’s for $69 in the wrong size … did a little switcheroo and got the right size for the lesser price. Score! I LOVE these boots! They are soooo comfortable and can be worn high or low. I wear the heck out of them during fall and winter!

Lata Gatas!!

Jan26

Project Scale Down: Days 22 & 23

Posted on by
Standard

Only got 10 minutes in the last two nights and it’s gotten even later than my prior latest times!!! It was like 1:15 a.m. last night when I did Abs of Steel and I just finished tonight at almost 12:30 a.m.  I was seriously on the verge of going to bed without doing anything. But, I couldn’t! I just couldn’t! My conscious was eating at me! Man, this challenge is really working! LOL!!

Anywho, Monday night, got home and Wei was sick as a dog, so had to hit the stores to get some medicine as I had nothing in the house for him. On Tuesday night, he was feeling better, but we had to head to Best Buy as his less-than-a-year-old notebook crashed. Once I got settled back in both nights, it was about 8 p.m. and I started working on posts. I’ve also been tired from the last two days back and forth to Trenton and a major project at work. I really have to find a better way to do this as the lack of sleep is tacking its toll.

Day 22:

  • 10 minute Abs of Steel routine. √

Day 23:

  • 10 minute Abs of Steel routine. √

Good night friends.