Naturally Obsessed

In no particular order here are my favorite posts of 2009.  Enjoy :-)

It All Starts At Home 3279597

Ethnic Hair Products & Cancer 6363854

10 Reasons Why Women Should Go Natural 3636521

Hair Diary: Tanisha Renee 6199664

Could You Pull This Off? 3116351

Get Liberated With Nikia Phoenix 6275176

8 Tips For Healthy Hair 6129042

America's Next Top Mane 6710904

Overbearing Mother...What To Do? 5387853

Whenever you get a chance to, check the archives and/or use the search button to read through some of my past posts...Lots of good stuff there!!

Bonus Post: Naptural Poetry..Jackie Why? 5311218

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of my Big Chop.  Ok Ok...I don't really remember the exact date, but I know it was the last week of December 2007. That's my story and I'm sticking to it...LOL!  I was so scared when I finally let go of my relaxed ends. I was terrified of what people would think and say.  Heck, I didn't even tell my husband until a month later.  I hid my hair under micros until March 2008, when I was mentally prepared to start my natural journey  After transitioning for a year and a half I was finally ready to let go.  I haven't looked back since!

1. Micros during my transition 2. Deep conditioning my natural hair for the 1st time

Here are a few more pics of the 1st year...

I've come a looonng way since 2008.  My hair grows more and more every month but, I've never been that concerned about hair growth.  In my mind that's what hair is supposed to do when properly cared for.  My number one goal has always been to have healthy hair and to better understand my individual texture.  Some may say that I've already accomplished that, but I say you can never learn enough.  Hair changes all the time, I'm just trying to keep up. 

Here's are a few pics from 2009....

In 2010, I plan to keep my routine pretty much the same.  I'm slowly, but surely giving my product cabinet a more organic , all natural makeover.  As my hair grows and gets thicker it seems to respond better to organic products.  My hair would definitely benefit from less blow drying and more air drying, like I used to do.  And sticking to my routine couldn't hurt either...lol.

I can't wait to see what my hair looks like by December 2010!!!

What hair memories do you have of 2009?!?

A few weeks ago, while playing in my hair, I noticed my ends were a lot drier than usual.  Even after applying a moisturizer they still felt dry.  Unsure of what the cause was, I got my scissors out and got work.  Five or six twists at a time, I spritzed my ends with a conditioner mix (Water, Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose, Bee Mine Balanced Conditioner and EVOO) and gently combed out the ends.  Whatever pieces remained dry and rough were cut off.  I repeated that process throughout my entire head.

As you can see from the picture on the left I didn't cut that much hair, I only cut what needed to be cut.  Nothing more nothing less.  Hanging on to dead hair can only lead to so much more damage.  And yes, I could have waited until I took my twists down, but I really wanted to start 2010 fresh and healthy.  Carrying those dry ends into next year would have been like carrying dead, useless weight.  Besides, I already have proof that black hair can grow, so its no big deal :-)

Here are a couple pics after the trim...

Twists are 3 weeks old today!!

Product Description: This Avocado Shea Hair Butter is a very light and subtle product that can be used on natural hair to style and moisturize.  Ideally this butter can be used to hydrate parched curls and add shine to any style.  It's also a great product to use for twist outs and braid outs.  A little of this handmade hair butter goes a long way.

Ingredients: Pure Avocado Butter, Raw Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Peach Kernel Oil, Coconut Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Sodium Lactate (natural preservative), Fragrance

Cost:  2oz Heart $2.50 or 4oz Jar $10 @ SafiHairCare.etsy.com

My Thoughts: If your looking for a light weight moisturizer that doesn't skimp on moisture, SASB is the product for you.  First things first, when you open the tin you'll immediately fall in love with the scent. In my opinion, it smells like sweet vanilla with a hint of honey.  I liked the smell so much that when I was done applying it to my hair I rubbed the residue on my wrists...lol...Don't judge me.  The butter is very soft and once in your hands it quickly begins to melt, making it easy to smooth on your hair.  Like I said before, SASB is a very light product ,so it won't weigh down your hair and cause a ton of build up. 

I've already used it on my hair to moisturize my ends and to smooth down my edges.  Once I take my twists down I'll let you guys know how good it works for my twist outs and braid outs.

Did you get a SASB sample? If so, how did you like it?

**If you have a hair story you'd like to share or just want to "Show Off" your curls, send a breif story along with 2-3 pictures to kkq1984@yahoo.com.

Showing love and support to my fellow bloggers....Enjoy :-)

Detoxing My Hair: Naturally Kinkerbelle

Pressed Hair Fleeting Glimpse: It's Just Hair

When Long Hair Isn't Good Enough: Mahogany Knots

KPLR Interview: Curly Nikki

Natural Hair Journal: SumKindaWndrful

Deep Conditioning For The Kiddies: Texture Playground 

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.

-Douglas Everett

LOL...I know the title is corny, but I was feeling very "model like" in my bathroom one early morning.  The sun was shining through and was hitting my twists in all the right spots.  Shooting without flash let's you see my frizzies and flyaways in all their glory.  Gotta love natural hair!! 

**Note: My twists are 13 days old.

Got some cool hair shots send them in along with a brief story explaining your pics. Pictures can be sent to kkq1984@yahoo.com with "Show Off" in the subject box.

I read an interesting article, written by Paul Arnold, today about the genectics of curly hair.  Here's a small excerpt...

A gene called Trichohyalin is strongly suspected of influencing whether your tresses are twisted or not.  Trichohyalin (TCCH) on chromosome one is a gene that is usually expressed in the inner root sheath and is involved in the development of the hair follicle.  But it also appears to contribute to the physical appearance of hair.  Biologically the curliness of hair is determined by the distribution of proteins called keratins as well as cell types in the hair fibre. As hair becomes curlier the number of mesocortical cells decreases.

To read the ful article please visit BrightHub.com.  Make sure you come back and share your thoughts.

Get like Rih and adds some fur to your wardrobe. All the pieces above are animal friendly and won't put a huge dent in your wallet. According to TheYbf.com, Rihanna's hat can be found at H&M.Pictures: RihannaDaily.com

So I was tagged with the Honest Scrap award by Natural Bells!!!!! Thanks Sis :-)  By accepting this award I'll have to share 10 Honest Things about myself...this ought to be interesting...lol.

10. I don't know everything about natural hair.  I'm learning just like everybody else.  So don't get mad if I can't answer your question, that's why we have Google!!!

9. White people following me on twitter freaks me out.  I always feel like their gonna hack my account or something.  Or even worse they try to send me some Britney Spears porn.

8. I have a crush on Michael Buffer!!  You know the announcer in boxing who says "Let's Get Ready to RUMBLLLLE".  Something about that voice and that perfect shade of gray hair....lol.

7. Sometimes when I cook dinner, I pretend like I'm on a cooking show and explain ingredients and directions to my imaginary studio audience.

6. I don't like to do anyone else's hair but my own and my niecy poo's of course.

5. I love tuna fish. I eat it on toast, crackers, whatever I love it!!

4. I know the theme music to all my niece's favorite shows. ICarly, The Backyardigans, Sponge Bob, Dora, Diego and my favorite the The Fresh Beat Band.....Don't judge me...lol

3. I'm 25 and people still think I'm between 17-20 years old.  It gets on my nerves but, I like it!!!

2. I'm married and celebrated 2yrs of marriage on August 25th.  I love my Mister and the way he loves me.  I'm not the easiest person to get along with sometimes, but he has always been by my side when no one else was around (including my family). I Love U Babe :-)

1. Natural hair is my thing, it's not what defines me as a person. There's a lot more to me than what grows from my scalp, as you can tell from what you've just read...lol.  I love this natural hair community that I'm proudly apart of and I hope to be inspired and to inspire as many women as possible.  Love U Guys :-)

So it is now my duty to tag a few others. My picks are below.

SumKindaWndrful

Luxe Glam

Brown Suga

Here are the rules:
1. Post the award on your blog
2. Present this award to others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you
3. Tell those people they’ve been awarded HONEST SCRAP, inform them of these guidelines
4. Share “Ten Honest Things” about yourself

As most of you already know, the teeny twists are back!!!  I didn't plan on wearing twists for the entire winter, but I'm loving my twists and I don't see myself getting tired of them anytime soon.  They're sooo convenient and easy to maintain.  Before doing my current set I did give my hair a few days rest, to wash and deep condition, but by Dec. 5th I wanted my twist back....lol.  I plan on wearing the current set until early or mid January and twisting my hair again for February.  To moisturize my ends I alternate between Raw Unrefined Shea Butter and Bee Mine Curly Butter.  Every other day I massage my scalp with Bee Mine Growth Serum.  Since the serum tends to be a little drying, I follow up with Wild Growth Oil.

To watch a video of me talking about my twists click here.

To read about my last set of twists click here.

Whether your looking for last minute gift ideas or interested in testing out some new products without commiting to full size prices, gifts sets might be a  solution.  I've been eyeing Ojon hair products for a while now, but their line is a bit too expensive for my budget.  With prices that range from $18 to $69 the temptation to buy quickly fades away.  Most, if not all, of the companies listed below don't offer sample sizes, so why not buy a gift set.  Gift sets allow you to try several different small sized items at the cost of one full size.  Sound like a deal to me!

For more gift set ideas click here.

Get comfy and warm without breaking the bank, in these toasty sweaters.  Rock them with your favorite jeans and boots or layer them with a sexy camisole and heels.  Whatever style you pick, wear it with attitude :-)

I'm digging the Forever 21 Mixed Yarn Sweater...

According to TheYBF.com, Disney's Princess & The Frog pulled in $25 million its opening weekend.  Making Disney's 1st African American princess #1 at the box office.  That's HUGE!!  Congratulations to all involved in this project, especially the voice behind the princess Anika Noni Rose.  Below you can check out the latest Princess Tiana inspired swag.  Perfect for the little princess in your life :-)

What's your favorite Disney movie? Mine is The Lion King...lol.

"To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are."

Rapper Drake via Twitter

**If she looks familiar its because she was once a model on Project Runway.  She was designer Michael Knight's favorite girl.

Nationality: Ethiopian

Source: 301Models.com

This post is dedicated to all the Mega-Tek lovers out there.  If Mega-Tek is your product of choice for growing and strengthening your tresses, than you'll love this recipe.

Ingredients You'll Need:

Mega-Tek ( Duh!! )

Raw Cocoa Butter

Vitamin E

Castor Oil

Coconut Oil

For further directions please watch the video below, as Alex breaks down the mixing process.  Enjoy :-)

Alex, who is also the owner of Safi Hair Care, recently launched her very first product and she's super excited to get the word out.  And how else do you get product junkies everywhere excited about your product?  You give out FREE samples, and that's exactly what she's doing.  The first 100 people to follow @Safi_HairCareon Twitter will receive a FREE sample of  Avocado Shea Butter.  As I type she still has 17 more tweeps to go to make it to 100, so you still have a chance.  What are you waiting for!!!!  For more info click the links below.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Safi_HairCare

Esty Shop: SafiHairCare.esty.com

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/iamalex07

**Note: I have not tried this product yet, but I will be in line for a free sample and a review will soon follow :-)

Corrine was spotted at the star packed Vevo launch party Tuesday night in New York City.  Her hair was big and wild, yet her outfit was simple and sexy.  A winning combination in my book.  What do guys think of her new look?

All I can say is great products and AWESOME customer service!!!  If you love 100% Natural and 100% Organic products, this maybe the hair collection for you.  Being able to understand the products and ingredients that we put on our hair, without having to grab a dictionary to understand those big and confusing words, is always a GREAT thing.  Also when a hair company is appreciative of your business and make you feel like you've know them for years, that's a GREAT thing too.  Below you'll find a brief product description, my review of each product that I tried and the links to the ingredients as well.  Enjoy :-)

Peppermint & Tea Tree Nourishing Shampoo:
"Special blend of moisturizing oils, proteins and vitamins give your hair a sensational balance and beautiful appearance".
I put this shampoo to the ultimate test and it passed.  As you all know, during the 4 weeks that I had my teeny weeny twists I never washed or co-washed my hair.  Not once.  So as you could imagine when I took them down my hair was DURTY!  But it was the perfect opportunity to test this shampoo.  It got my scalp and hair very clean, but it still managed to leave my hair feeling moisturized.  And unlike some natural and organic shampoos, this one lathered really well.  The scent is nothing special, but my hair smelled fresh.  And the consistency is like a a thin syrup when you pour it, though once its on the hair it feels just like any other shampoo.  Great Stuff!! For a complete ingredient list click here.

Avocado Cream Balanced Conditioner:
" It will leave your hair silky, soft, bouncy and more manageable".
Just like the product description says, my hair was soft and bouncy after using this conditioner.  My hair felt moisturized without feeling like any residue was left on my hair, just clean and smooth.  The scent again was nothing special, but it left my hair smelling fresh and clean.  Its not a very thick conditioner but it still gave me enough slip to thoroughly detangle my hair.  For best results I suggest letting the conditioner set on the hair for 5 to10 minutes and then detangling.  Good Stuff!!  For a complete ingredient list click here.



Bee Hold Curly Butter:
"Gives a soft touchable hold that will help to defrizz your frizzes and give great definition".
Love, Love, Love this product!!!  The smell is delicious, its thick and creamy and very moisturizing.  Although the directions say to apply it on wet/damp hair, I used it on dry hair to refresh an old braid out.  Like I said its thick and it kind of reminds me of  Cantu Shea Leave In, but this product doesn't leave as much buildup as the Cantu Leave in does.  Awesome product!!!!!  The pics of my braidout are below and the ingredients list can be found here.



Hair Growth Serum in Strawberry Kiwi:
 "A fabulous serum for those that have alopecia, hair loss, balding or thinning".
I've always been a bit skeptical of products that promised "growth".  But after reading so many great reviews on this product I figured I give it a try.  I've had it for a few weeks now, but I have not been using it as often as I should.  Therefore I can't really say that it gave my hair growth or not.  Now that I have my hair in twists again I'll be applying the serum to my hair once a day, concentrating on my edges, and I'll come back in a few weeks to let you guys know if there is a difference or not.  For a complete ingredients list click here.

For more information about these products and to read more about this company please visit their website www.BeeMineProducts.com.

"Beauty is not defined by the masses, but by the opinion of the individual."

Rune Leknes

When and why did you decide to go natural?

 I'm so new to this!  My last relaxer was February 27, 2009, I transitioned for 6 months and BC'ed in August.  I remember the last day I got a perm,  I was pissed off at my stylist for taking forever to do my hair, thus making me late picking up my besties from the train station.  I remember saying with conviction "This is the last time she'll be seeing me".  I have not been back to that salon since.  Then I tried another stylist who was more professional than the previous one.  However, I didn't leave her chair feeling like I got my money's worth.  After that I decided that I needed to take care of my own hair.

 For years I pondered the idea of going natural.  I actually tried a couple of times, but I was accustomed to styling relaxed hair, not natural hair.  I always reverted back to the infamous "touch up".  This go round I did a lot more research.  i started googling  (key words: transitional hairstyles) like crazy!  Long story short, I found all my answers on YouTube.  Who would have thunk it?!?

Were your friends and family supportive of your decision?  If not, how were you able to move forward?

My friends and family know that when my mind is REALLY made up, there is no way of convincing me otherwise.  My grandmother and mother probably had the hardest time getting used to seeing me with nappy hair.  My grandmother actually thought my decision to go natural was a tactic to grow long hair.  I remember her asking me " So how long are you going to go without a perm? ".  My response "FOREVER".

Nowadays everyone is pretty supportive.  They are often amazed at how much thicker my hair is now, and the different style options I have with my natural hair.  They can't do that with relaxed hair.  My aunt and grandmother are currently transitioning into natural hair.  I'd like to think of myself as a trendsetter :-)

What is current hair routine?

I'm still trying to figure this one out.  I pretty much wash it whenever I feel like it,  mostly co-wash.  I use only natural or mostly natural products (absolutely no alcohol based products).  I don't use a lot of heat, I may flat iron every now and then.  These days I'm finding my natural curls more appealing than straight hair.

Some of my favorite products are olive oil mousse, coconut oil, water and Eco styling gel.

What are your hair goals?  What steps are you taking to achieve them?

 I can't lie and say that I don't care about length.  I CARE ABOUT LENGTH!  I want my hair to be long, curly and healthy.  I've been making sure that my hair is moisturized, clean and trimmed.  I've also lightened up on using heat.  Recently I've been pondering the idea of getting Sisterlocks.  Sisterlocks are not cheap though, I'm currently working hard and saving money to get them.

How do you protect your hair in cold and warm weather?

In the summer, I wore protective styles like kinky twists or cornrows (with hair added).  Now that its cold I'm letting my hair breathe.  I've been wearing puffs and curly fros.

What is your definition of "Good Hair" ?

 Good hair is the hair that naturally grows out of one's head.  Good hair is free.

Blog: http://blog.theindiestry.com/

Website: http://www.theindiestry.com/

Youtube: Ladybaltimore2010

I've been hella busy this week with life, school and family that I haven't had a chance to write up a proper review of Bee Mine hair products. I'm so lucky to have had the chance to try out these products and I'm anxious to share my experience with you guys.  I have a lot to say about these products, especially the customer service, so please be patient and stay tuned!  In the meantime check out their website www.BeeMineProducts.com.

Ouick Hair Update: Yes I'm still twisting my hair..lol. I should have been done a few days ago. Bad, bad girl KKQ :-0

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More Selections On Page 2

A Naturally Obsessed reader asks:

Q: What is the best way to go about detangling my natural hair?

The first thing you want to do is to divide your hair into sections.  However many sections you do will depend on the length, thickness and texture of your hair.  I usually do 4-6 sections because my hair is very thick and highly textured.  Next rinse your hair thoroughly, the conditioner allows more slip when the hair is soaking wet.  The next step is to soften the hair.  If you have tight curls like mine than you know that just loading the hair with conditioner is just not enough sometimes.  Apply your conditioner one section at a time then braid the hair.  The braids will help to stretch the hair and prevent it from getting even more tangled.  Cover the hair with a plastic cap and let it set for a few hours or even overnight.   This will loosen up the curls a bit, making it a lot easier for your wide toothed comb or denman to get through.  When it comes time to detangle you'll do one section at a time.  Unbraid it and begin to comb or brush it slowly from the ends up to the roots.  If you come across a knot, work it out carefully with your fingers.  Repeat, rinse and style!

*If you'd like to share your detangling process please do so below :-)

Agency: Sutherland Models

Soure: ModelWire.com

"Dance like nodody's watching, Dream like you'll live forever, Live like your going to die tomorrow and Love like it's never going to hurt."

Meme Grifters