19 | November | 2012 | hairscapades

So, this is one of my suuuuper delinquent posts. See, what had happened was … back in August, Eboni of EboniCurls and I got to “chatting” on Facebook. I had come across her Ebonnets a few months earlier during some YouTube perusing. I think it was a review by Jess of MahoganyCurls that first piqued my interest. Then, I found this YouTube video by Eboni herself wherein she explained and demonstrated the difference between the inferior nylon satin bonnets that we find in the beauty supply stores and the premium charmeuse satin ones that she makes.

via EboniCurls

After watching this video and realizing how deficient my 50 zillion Sally’s bonnets are, you know the PJ in me was hyperventilating!! But, when I visited Eboni’s shop to feed my habit, she was out of stock *womp womp*. So, being the AADD-suffering individual that I have become (Adult Attention Deficit Disorder for those of you who don’t know;)) , I forgot about the Ebonnets for a while. But, as luck would have it, I “ran” into Eboni on Facebook shortly thereafter. We began “chatting,” I knew her, she knew me, we were all giddy with excitement and, the next thing I know, Eboni was sending me an Ebonnet of my very own! Not only that, it was one of her newest designs and my very favorite print, LEOPARD!! YEA!!! Oh, and one more thing, we decided to collaborate on a giveaway!

Anywho, I got my bonnet immediately and planned on posting the giveaway in October. To tell you the truth, I don’t know what happened!! I had other giveaways going, I was tired, I was distracted, I was unfocused … AADD you know … and I completely let this one get by me despite the fact that I was wearing my bonnet regularly!

Then, serendipity stepped in!! Last week, CurlyNikki shared an article by NaturallyChelsea, The Real Satin Bonnet – Choosing the Right Scarf. This post does a great job of explaining the difference between a quality satin scarf and the inferior nylon satin scarves sold by beauty supply stores. The comments were even more enlightening as several ladies explained that satin is a weave technique and a finish, not a type of fabric. Who knew?!?! (Well, a few people I guess. ;)) After seeing all of this, I knew that it was perfect timing to resurrect the Ebonnet review and the giveaway!! And, why not throw in a discount code to boot?!?!

So, here we go!!

EBONNET REVIEW

Okay, first Eboni sent me a EboniDreams Ebonnet AND a bonus scrunchie in lovely gift wrapping with a very sweet, personal and handwritten note. It was a pleasure just to receive the package!

Next are the actual EboniDreams bonnet and scrunchie. Wow! These things are so well-made. I was sent a charmeuse satin, double-lined bonnet in Golden Leopard Dreams and a scrunchie in Eco Leopard.

What is charmeuse satin you ask? Well, I’ll let Eboni explain it:

via EboniCurls on Etsy

Charmeuse is a luxury fabric made from silk with a satin finish. It has a floating appearance which drapes very well, especially for formal wear. The fabric is also extremely lightweight, and it has a glossy appearance and extremely soft texture. This fabric should be handled with care, since it is very fragile.

And why is satin superior to cotton?

Cotton may feel warm and cozy, but it is a highly absorbent material that draws moisture from our skin and hair as we sleep. We actually need the oils that are leached by cotton to keep our hair calm and our skin supple. In addition, the weave of a cotton pillowcase acts like an abrasive material, catching individual stands of hair and causing them to tangle and break. That same weave pressed against our faces at night causes our ever-less-elastic skin to crease. And like any other repeated action, those creases can eventually become permanent. A satin pillowcase, on the other hand, allows our face and head to move easily across its surface, avoiding the friction and damage caused by cotton.

So what makes Ebonnets so special?

Ebonnets are handmade with high quality Satin or double lined with Charmeuse Satin, which is made of extremely tightly bound satin threads that provides optimum retention of the hairs natural oils along with providing additional moisture on your hairs delicate strands. Charmeuse allows moisture to stay within the atmosphere of the bonnet which results in soft healthy hair!

Well, I’d have to agree. You can immediately SEE and FEEL the difference between this satin bonnet and your run-of-the-mill BSS variety one. The fabric is opaque, silky smooth and substantive. And, the double-lining is an added bonus! I don’t see any moisture/oils escaping through the Ebonnet to soil my pillowcase while I’m wearing this!

However, after learning that satin is a finish and not a fabric, I did have to ask Eboni:

What type of fabric do you use for your products?

All of my material is Charmeuse satin. Silk is natural and made from worms. I do not use silk. The Charmeuse satin that I use is man made of polyester fibers. … I’ve found that the higher the polyester count, the better it retains moisture. And I say that charmeuse satin acts like silk in what it does for our hair and that it is more durable than silk.

Makes sense to me and the proof is in the pudding! This bonnet is densely woven, silky smooth and durable. And, although I can be a night sweater (ewwww, I know :(), I didn’t find that this bonnet made me hot or sweaty, even though I wore it towards the end of August. So, though it seals in the moisture, it also seems to allow airflow so that my head can “breathe.”

Finally, the Ebonnet is massive and manages to accommodate my big, huge buns when I feel like leaving them in for bedtime. The rope drawstring enables one to “customize” the opening to fit different head sizes. The one thing is that I do have a pea-size head (who would have guessed with this eighthead, right?). So, if I have my hair pulled back in a low bun, it tends to move around and slip forward and cover my fore … I mean eight … head. I guess this is because the drawstring closure doesn’t cling the same way as elastic.

So, to wrap this long review up, the Ebonnet is a keeper and the quality justifies the cost, IMO. Oh, and the satin scrunchie was a nice bonus! It has some serious elastic and is roomy too!

Now the moment that you’ve all been waiting for …

EBONNET GIVEAWAY*

Want your chance to win a Golden Leopard Dreams double-lined Ebonnet just like mine? Well, it couldn’t be more simple!! Just tell us how you do bedtime hair in the comments below! That’s it!!

The deadline for entry is Friday, November 30th.

And last, but not least …

EBONNET BLACK FRIDAY 20% DISCOUNT CODE

On black Friday, from 8 am to 2 pm and while supplies last, Eboni Curls’ EboniDreams Etsy shop will re-open and you can get 20% off all Zebra print items!!!! Just enter coupon code BLACKZEBRA at checkout (excludes S&H and non-zebra print items).

For up-to-the-minute news on restocking dates, new designs and prints, Like EboniCurls on Facebook!!

Now how’s that for making up for my procrastination!!!

*No purchase necessary. A winner will be selected at random the week following the close of the giveaway. In accepting the prize, the winner acknowledges that Hairscapades.com may not be held liable for any loss, damages or injury associated with accepting or using this prize. This contest is subject to all federal, provincial and municipal laws. Contest open to Continental U.S. residents only. One entry per person. Claiming of prizes requires an e-mail response to hairscapades@gmail.com from the winner within 5 days of being notified of winning. Failure to respond shall mean that the winner forfeits the prize and an alternate winner will be selected.

Hair
Ok, so we when we left off last folks, the summer was just beginning and school was ending. Our routines were all over the place; this was mainly due to activities that the camp did (water play!) and going swimming. Chloe’s hair was in braids or twists most of the summer. Earlier this year, I bought a large HE HH SHAMPOO, thinking it was CONDISH and it’s been sitting in my shower not being used. So, I began diluting it in a dye bottle and washing Chloe’s scalp in between braiding or re-twisting sessions and I LOVE IT!! Don’t get me wrong, the TMW is “DaBomb.com,” but it’s not as easy peasy to apply and wash out like the diluted HEHH poo and the SMELL of HE HH is wonderful!

I’d follow the scalp wash with the AO Honeysuckle condish, wring dry with a white tee, and apply KBB Sweet Ambrosia Leave-In and voila…DONE! One major event this summer was Chloe got ANOTHER cut, first one was in March of this year and she lost about 2 inches. And then Tameeka, the Curl Whisperer, cut an average 1.5-2 inches all around and shaped her curls (see the results in the slide show here). Now her curls fall better and look more balanced. Tameeka confirmed Chloe has more bulk on one side so it looks like its growing unevenly-HAIR is cray!!!! Anywhoooo, I haven’t let her wear it out since the cut, just because the braids and twists would last 2 weeks and that meant only 2 styling sessions a month. Just for the end of the GOC, I’m going to wash and let her wear it out for pics for you guys.

My hair was doing ok, but then I went to the Haircut Party and no more random straight pieces. I mean, NOT ONE! Tameeka cut my hair and I was so nervous, because she stood behind me the whole time and was measuring by pulling pieces on either side together, but it worked!!! I lost length, but I gained a head full of curls, I mean ALL curls. It’s crazy because, I BC’d, then I rarely applied heat to my hair, so I don’t think it was heat damage. But, I just took it as par for the course that all curls are different, even ones on ones head (lol). But I know different now!

Moving on, I have “jacked” MahoganyCurls’ WnG routine using Paul Mitchell’s The One and Eco Styler Gel (Protein One), smoothing each row within each of 4 sections. I have been able to achieve 3-day, “lookin’ good hair” and 4-5-day, “ok you pushing it, but still can rock it hair!” Day one is flat but curly and Day 2 is the best hair day (IMO), because it softens up and expands. I LOVE IT!!! Update to that update: Just this past weekend I read CN’s reggie on how she just ‘smooshes’ in her leave-in and styler and rolls with it … and, guess what? It works for me too!!!! Still using the same products, still applying in 4 sections, but the application is less tedious and takes half as long, 15 minutes as opposed to 30 minutes. And, I don’t have day one flat and curly hair!!!! So I’m doing my happy dance!

One other thing that has changed since my cut, I can’t pineapple anymore. I told Shelli it looks more like a peach and it takes away from my curls (straightens them). So now I just sleep on my satin pillow F-R-E-E! On another note, I’m yearning for some color (RED) and have been eyeballing the Garnier Nutrisse Hair Color line with the foam application … would love to hear if any other naturals use it and their thoughts!!

Left: Garnier Nutrisse hair color; Right: Hair Color Crush, Quest for the Perfect Curl

Lessons Learned – Hair
Ok, so although this challenge started out with a length goal, I believe I achieved an even better reward, a head full of healthy curls that are growing. I’ve learned that protective styling isn’t my strong point and I might just be a WnG girl (gotta get my diffusing skills together for the winter). This has weaned my PJism down a lot for my hair to just a leave-in, a gel and a shine serum when needed. Now, for Chloe’s hair, protective styling works and looks good when released. My PJism is still alive and kicking when it comes to products for Chloe’s hair, because of all the styles she wears and different products achieve different look … #dontjudgeme. As for Chloe’s goals, I’ve maintained her healthy hair and hoping the curly cut will help keep her curls balanced as her length comes back. I plan to see Tameeka in February/March of 2013 to have her trim/maintain our cuts.

Health & Fitness
Ok, so I have been keeping up with running with Black Girls Run (BGR). They are SO supportive; I couldn’t do it without them. I’m doing the C25K (Couch 2 5K) and I’m able to run for 2-3 minutes straight. Thank God for the walk interval, but I see progress. I’m running 2-3 times a week, 2.5-4 miles a run, and I look forward to it.

I know I will need to work in some strength training, but one step at a time. I’m working on my pace and endurance and then distance and time. I’m eating a lot better, but not 100% clean. I know that will make all the difference in the world if I could just eat right all the time, but 80% is better than none. I’m drinking more water, not half my body weight, but definitely more than ever and I love Vitamin Water DragonFruit and Tangy Citrus. It’s a lot less calories than my faves Pepsi/Coke.

Lessons Learned – Health & Fitness
Ain’t nothing to it, but to DO IT! Just as with my natural hair process, patience is key. The results come from practicing healthy habits, like eating and exercising, and the results will come. I’ve come from a TWA to BSL, so I can reach my weight goal of being in the 130’s and overall healthy! Good luck to everyone and I can’t wait for the next GOC!