Naturally Obsessed

Just a random video to make you laugh...enjoy :)

I saw this beauty in my Twitter time line and was in awe of her GORGEOUS mane! It wasn't until I googled her name and click a few links that I found out that this chica is more than just a fabulous fro lol! She's a dancer who has booked gigs with the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna and Jill Scott. Her talent has graced campaigns for Nike, Reebok and Escada perfume. And on top of all that she can sing! So let's take a minute to get to know Columbia, Maryland born Daisha ♥

Quite an impressive resume, how did you get you start in the entertainment business?
Well, I've been been involved in the arts since the age of four...dancing, theater, piano, school choir, but I studied dance the most intensely at my local studio and in Washington DC. I went to Duke University for a summer program in high school and Alvin Ailey for another summer program. Then I continued to Hofstra University where I majored in dance( concert dance -ballet/modern)...it was in college I discovered hip hop dance. I joined Imani dance ensemble and fell in loooove! My senior year I decided I wanted to really give it a try and so that summer before my senior year I spent 3 intense months taking 3 or 4 classes a day at Broadway dance center. I became involved in choreography showcases, joined Rhapsody the Company and started auditioning. A beautiful well known dancer named Anthony Burrell direct booked me on my first professional gig which was Rihanna's European Tour of "A Girl Like Me"!! It was a great learning experience...been working ever since...and the rest is history :)

You sing, dance and model...Which of the 3 do you enjoy most and why?
I really don't have a favorite...I feel dancing/singing intertwine. I'm allllways moving when I sing :) and when I dance its inspired by the song. I've done some modeling, but I'd like to get into it more :)

What's it like sharing a stage with superstars like Rihanna and Beyonce?
Its so amazing! I love being surrounded by amazing talent and creative energy! I've also shared the stage with Jill Scott and other great talents! Each artist operates differently so I take information and learn to grow from each experience.

Archived Post (July 30, 2009)

Last night, while cruising through cyber space, I stumbled upon this interesting article about black women and their natural hair.  So I thought I would share it with you all to hear your opinion on it.  If you have a reason that you'd like to share put in the comment section.  The article was written by A. Hermitt and was posted on Associated Content.com, make sure you click the link to read what others had to say about the list.

Some do it for the look, some do it for social reasons, and others do it for professional reasons. Here are the reasons black women should wear their hair in its natural state… Kinky.

10. It grows in that way.  If your creator meant for you to have straight hair it would be straight.

9. You can do fun and versatile things with black hair.  Unlike straight hair, black hair (naturally kinky) can stand straight up, and can be braided into complex designs, can be temporarily straighten without chemicals and worn in its natural state again the next day.

8. It is in style.  Natural black hair is more and more acceptable everyday.  It is just another fashion choice; therefore, there is no reason to go thrrough great pains to change it.

7. Straightening chemicals are dangerous.  If not applied correctly it can cause burns, hair damage, and temporary to permanent hair loss.

6. Hair chemicals are really, dangerous. The food and drug administration says, “Hair relaxers and hair dyes are among its top consumer complaint areas. Complaints range from hair breakage to symptoms warranting an emergency room visit.  Also in February 1994, the FDA and the American Cancer Society released an epidemiology study involving 573,000 women.  Researchers found that women who never used permanent hair dyes showed decreased risk of all fatal cancers combined and of urinary system cancers.

5. You never know when it might go wrong.  Just like food, allergies show up over time, so do hair chemical allergies.  What worked fine two years ago, might cause a bald spot in two years.

4. If it went wrong before, it will very likely happen again. If you had a bad reaction to a perm, do not do it again. Nine times out of 10, the chemicals are just as much to blame as the stylist.

3. Pride: Your hair is an identifying symbol of your race. If you are proud of your race, you should also be proud of your hair.

2. The work place cannot discriminate against your hair. There was a time when wearing an Afro, dreadlocks or braids, your job could say you were going against the dress code. This is illegal. Do not tolerate it. 

1. Time savings: Over time, you will learn to shower, wash your hair and get dressed just like people with straight hair. It is just a matter of time until you find a natural style that works well for you.

Thoughts ??!!??

I've been wanting to do this for sooo long and with some much needed encouragement from my Twitter folk, I chopped my bangs! No I didn't cut a lot, but what I did cut made a great difference to me. My hair has a better shape and it created a nice frame around my face...it simply adds something else to my hair and I can't quite figure out what, but I loving my natural hair even more!!

During my recent junkie binge at LuckyVitamin.com, I ordered three conditioners from the Desert Essence product line.  I ordered a bunch of other stuff too, but I don't need ya'll judging me for not fighting off my inner "PJ"....LOL!!  Anyhoo, I've never seen these products in any of my local stores, but I've read some great reviews and at $5.12 each I had to give them a try.

Italian Red Grape: "Enriched with Antioxidant UV filters to protect the hair from environmental stressors such as the sun." After my last Cassia treatment I decided to give this one a try and use as a deep treatment.  If you have used Cassia or even Henna, you know it doesn't leave your hair with the most pleasant smell.  This conditioner knocked the funk right out.  The scent is sooo yummy...like grape Jolly Ranchers!!  But its not like other conditioners that smell really nice, but do very little.  After rinsing and detangling my hair was very soft and moisturized.  Luvs It!!  Some of the key ingredients are: Organic Grape Extract, Reveratrol (which is said to help with hair loss), Red Wine Extract, Organic Grape Seed Oil, Pure Vitamin E and B5.  For the complete list of ingredients click here.

Green Apple Ginger: "Contains vitamins and antioxidants to correct everyday damage and make hair strands look fuller." Whatever you do don't wash your hair on an empty stomach because, this stuff smells so GOOD!!...You might bite your hand off...lol!  It's thick and creamy just how I like it and it gives me great slip.  But this conditioner is not as moisturizing as the Italian Red Grape or the Coconut formulas.  However, if you crave more thickness and volume in your hair this would be perfect for you.  It doesn't weigh the hair down which allows the hair to move more freely.  Some of the key ingredients are:  Organic Extracts of Apple, Ginger, Milk Thistle, Olive, Organic Sunflower Oil, Pure vitamin E and B5.  For the complete list of ingredients click here.

Coconut: "Infused with organic coconut oil to provide intense moisture, smooth frizzes and restore hair's natural luster." Hands down my favorite of all three!!  It smells awesome, gave tons of slip and it did exactly what it said it would do.  My hair was smooth, soft and dare I say..silky!  And usually when styling my hair for a braid out by the time I finished braiding the back the front starts to dry.  Not this time, there was no need to re wet my hair, the moisture stayed in and I was able to get done my hair faster.  The next time I use this I'll leave it on overnight and maybe even mix in a bit of coconut oil for even more moisture.  Some of the key ingredients are: Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Sunflower Oil and Hemp Seed Oil.  For the complete ingredients list click here.

**These products are 100% vegan, wheat and gluten free. NO parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfates, pthalates, artificial colors, silicones, EDTA, glycol, or petroleum-based ingredients.

Have you tried Desert Essence yet?!?  Share your thoughts!

FYI: The previous layout, with the polka dots, was acting a little strange and ever since I put that one up my adsense has disappeared! I can't figure out what the problem is so for now the old layout is back :(

OHHH SNAPP! I almost forgot...I'm offically 3 years natural this week!!! I chopped my relaxed ends off December 2007 and I don't have an exact date, but I know for sure it was within the last week of that month lol :) Yeah Me!!

Does anyone else have a "Naptural B-Day" coming up or one that just passed??

Reader Help: I've been thinking...I get a lot of tweet messages and emails about what my hair look like in various stages of my hair journey. And even though I tell people over and over to visit my fotki account ---> http://www.fotki.com/kinkykurlyqueen <--- they still ask. Soooo would you guys like if I did a "Flashback" feature, where I'll post a pic weekly and explain what my hair was like at that stage in my journey?? It would serve as inspiration and a reality check for those who think my hair just grew over night lol!

Tell me what you think...

Article found at NaturallyCurly.com and written by Evelyn Ngugi

For those new to the natural scene as well as old time curlies who just haven’t gotten the hang of it, there’s nothing more overwhelming (and time consuming) than figuring out a hair regimen! Returning to your natural texture is usually a time of education and experimentation, but to avoid wasting products, money and energy, here is a starting point for creating and KEEPING your naturally curly hair regimen.

The object of a hair regimen (in our case) is to maintain healthy, curly hair. The regimen will change depending on the qualities of your own hair (thick/thin, fine/course, curly/kinky, long/short just to name a few!) but we ALL need to achieve certain things with hair maintenance and hygiene.

Below is a good foundation for a regimen:

•Cleanse

•Condition - Detangle

•Moisturize

•Seal

•Deep Treat and Repair

Now, based on the qualities of your hair, the products you use for each category will accomplish these steps in different ways.

Cleanse:

Shampoo is meant to lift the hair cuticle, break up oil and dirt, and suspend it so it can be rinsed away. The goal is to remove environmental debris, product buildup, and production of sebum – the oil our skin naturally secretes. Our straight-haired counterparts probably can’t go one day without cleansing the hair because it is very easy for oil to travel down a straight strand. But in our case, oil has a harder time traveling down a loose wave, a tight curl, or a fro that sticks up & out! This is why the more textured your hair is, the dryer it feels. Our scalps are creating oil normally – it just cannot reach our hair!

So when we use shampoo, the focus should be on our scalps, since that’s where the dirt’s at. Apply the product to your roots and scalp, scrub with the fingertips, and the lather will make its way down your hair. Don’t toussle or scrunch the hair when shampooing. That could result in tangles! When you slather shampoo all over your HAIR instead of the scalp, you can expect a rough, “squeaky clean” feeling. Use shampoos that don’t contain sodium laurel—or laureth—sulfate. These ingredients are much too harsh for hair that isn’t that dirty, and have been known to cause irritation.

Condition - Detangle:

These two tasks are together because one helps the other out. Conditioning the hair closes the cuticle, making it smooth, slippery and easier to comb through. Conditioner is supposed to coat the hair.

Remember! Conditioner can also be used to gently cleanse the hair! Often times, conditioners have enough cleaning agents to remove dirt, especially if there’s little build up in the hair. If you exercise every day, for example, use a conditioner to wash your hair. Note that if you use conditioners with silicones in them, eventually you will have to use a clarifying shampoo to remove the buildup from your hair. If you don’t, the hair will be dull and lose body.

Moisturize:

Like described in the first step, naturally curly hair has a tendency to be dry. Fitting a moisturizer into your regimen is as simple as a morning spritz or mid-day pick me up! First and foremost, nothing will replace water. That IS moisture itself. Not all curlies have to completely soak their hair every morning – thick curls or a fro will take forever to air dry! You can simply put the water in a spray bottle and dampen the hair. When searching for a moisturizing product, water must be pretty high up in the ingredients list. Many moisturizers also contain vitamins and oils that can be soaked into the hair and scalp.

To read the full article please click HERE!

About Me....My name is Nickki and I am a natural hair lover, make-up nerd and a fashion addict!

Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?

I live in NYC, the Bronx actually! There is a HUGE natural hair community here and you will see people of all ages rockin' their natural hair. New York really is an eclectic city so its easier for a person to push the limits on any view they have.....good or bad.

When and why did you decide to go natural?

I decided to go natural in March 2009. I went natural because I was tired to dealing with the burns, chemicals and the damaging effects that came with it. I basically had to mentally prepare for getting a relaxer and for at least 2-3 days after being careful of not getting my hair wet. It is a huge takeover in my life. So I transitioned for six months. I also decided at that time to document my natural journey on YouTube(nbuddington085 or NickkiBCurly723) and starting a blog (nickkibcurly.blogspot.com). Sooo many natural ladies are on twitter that helped me out...(Oh yeah! I am on twitter too--> @NickkiBCurly). I BC'ed on September 23rd 2009 and Ive been natural ever since!!

Were your friends and family supportive of your natural hair?

They were very supportive. I really did not get any opposition, because people that really know me knew that my style is always changing..so does my hair.. but no relaxer is going near my head!!

What is your current hair routine?

Everything I do to my hair is LOW maintenance. Either I do a wash and go or I will do a chunky twist out/braid out. Nothing complicated. My hair does not like anything too fancy at all. I was low maintenance when I had a relaxer so that attitude did not really change.. I think this my why my hair has grown soo fast..

Do you have any hair goals? If so, how will you achieve them?

I just want my hair to be bra strap length...Many natural girls I know want mermaid length hair or waist length hair. I don't need all that, that's too much for me. I just gonna let my hair grow to the length I an comfy with. I would like it mid shoulder blade length when my hair is in a wash and go state...bra strap length when straightened.  I finally found a hair products that my hair loves in its 3 states...

•Wash-N-Go's-Hair Rules Curly Line, Coconut Oil/Olive Oil and Eco-Styler gel w/ Olive Oil or KCCC
•Twist Outs/Braid Outs-Bee Mine Curly Butter, Coconut Oil/Olive Oil and Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar
•Straightened-Hair Rules-Blow Out Your Curls/Kinks/Waves and Coconut Oil/Olive Oil

Those are my staple products!

Describe your favorite go to hair style....

I have fallen in love with the chunky braid out. I co-wash my hair...deep condition and separate my hair in 12-16 sections..then braid my hair and secure the ends with foam rollers. Go under a bonnet dryer for 15 minutes and let it dry overnight. Take  foam rollers out, apply oil to my hair/scalp and unravel the braids...tease the roots of my hair and then I am done..

Curly girls have more fun because....our curls brings us confidence!!

These pics were snapped last Friday, a few hours before I actually took them down. My hair was a hot dirty mess, especially at the roots so a simple bun was my only way to disguise the mess lol!

Note: This is the last time I'll be wearing my twists for longer than 4 weeks. My hair was sooo dry at the 6th week compared to previous sets of twists. Going forward I'll keep my twists in for 4 or 4.5 weeks and I'll try my best to not slack on keep them moisturized....lesson learned for me!

These pics were actually taken at 4 weeks old, but I still rocking the look and just thought I'd share it.. Yesterday they passed the 5 week mark and the still look good but my hair is definitely in need of a good washing lol! I'm thinking next weekend I'll start the dreaded take down process...wish me luck :)




Also I did record a tutorial of this style and a review of the products used, I'll be posting it soon ♥

Hello NaturallyObsessed readers!!

I know it has been a while but I am back with another “Food For Thought” that I think you all will love. Food of the week (drum roll please lol) COCONUT MILK! I know we have all heard of coconut milk being used in hair treatments whether it be a deep conditioner, pre-poo, or as a substitute for traditional
conditioners. Here, I plan to unveil the secrets behind this frequently used hair elixir and why it is so helpful in our health and beauty regimes.

During my research, I discovered the ingredients in coconut milk not only benefit our hair but give great support to our overall well being. According to www.Hubpages.com, coconut milk contains a unique blend of natural fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals that have the ability to strengthen and fortify cells, and this includes hair cells. Because coconut milk contains lauric acid, which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal, it is also great for our immune systems (ehow.com). This information reinforces the fact that what and how we eat plays a major role in the health of our hair, skin, and nails. Hair is something we definitely have to address from the inside out.

There are so many great recipes on how to incorporate coconut milk into our hair regimes but, of course, I chose to include here only those that are curly girl friendly:)

•From www.MyWomenStuff.com I found this really simple technique for applying coconut milk to your hair:

-Lean your head over a sink

-Slowly poor a can of coconut milk (or more if necessary) over the length of your hair

-Let the excess milk run off

-Put a shower cap over your head

-Wrap your head in a towel for 15-30 min

-Shampoo, condition, and style as normal

•From www.ehow.com I found this coconut milk recipe that helps prevent hair loss:

-1 cup fresh coconut, grated

-1 cup water -1/4 cup coconut milk

-3 tsp. camphor lotion

-1 cup plain yogurt

-Amla oil

-1/4 tsp. powdered fenugreek

-1/8 tsp. black pepper

•My personal favorite:

-1 can of coconut milk

-2tsp honey

-1 ripe avocado

-3 tsp of melted coconut oil

After using these recipes, you should a notice more shine, strength, and less tangles in your coils. The protein and fats in coconut milk are what give us these wonderful results. Click here for a cool article on 100 uses of coconut. Who knew it could be used as a floor polisher?!

It is my sincere hope that you have found this information helpful. My ultimate goal here is to discover more organic ways to nurture our hair and skin and I think the use of natures gifts can be great for this. I am learning so much doing the research behind that brings these posts to life. Heartfelt thanks to KKQ and all of you.

See ya in the next post! HeartfeltHoney ♥

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My twists officially became 4 weeks old on Saturday (12/04) and they are still looking good. This is usually around the time that I begin to miss my loose hair and can't wait to get the twists out, but suprisingly I still enjoying them. My regime has been simple...Spritz my ends with water and seal the ends with Shea Butter or Bee Mine's Curly Butter every few days. Sometimes, not often, I oil and massage my scalp with a little Vatika Oil. This past weekend I went in on some pesky single strand knots that were bugging me and to keep it fresh looking I re-twisted some at the top and along the sides. Tonight I plan on setting my twists on perm rods, for a cute curly look...I'll be sure to take pics :)




What do you guys think of the new layout??

I'm just seeing this video for the first time today and I had to share it with you guys. News anchor Rochelle Ritchie allows cameras inside her struggle with relaxers and weaves. Discussing how she felt that having straight hair would further her career as a reporter and how relaxers damaged her hair over the years. In the end she decides to go natural and she even takes the cameras along for her Big Chop! The most touching part of the report for me is when a mother has the task of teaching her young daughter to love her hair texture by being an example for her. It's a great story guys take a look below!

About Me...

I was born in Haiti, I am a student with finance major, a naturalist, a sister, aunt, daughter and a great friend. I AM OBSESSED with natural hair! I'm from San Diego, California natural community isn’t that big but I see that as an advantage, I always stand out so this helps me stand out more.

When and why did you decide to go natural?

I was tired of constantly being broke with fly weaves, yea my hair always looked good but I could never afford to go out and flaunt it since all my money would be spent on getting my hair done. I needed to do that because I was spending $350 every other month having someone else do my hair?!! When my hair was not in a weave it was relaxed and I started to notice it getting thinner. Enough was enough it was time for me to take my life back, I was tired of the when my hair was not done,  pretending and hoping the weave on my head was really mine, and envying those with real hair that looked like my weave. I wanted to stop buying hair and grow my own.

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

Friends didn’t believe me at first but when I did it I inspired a lot to go natural as well. Family were shocked and didn’t understand what I was doing (although I explained over and over) but were supportive.

Describe your current routine....Currently I am doing a 2 years braid challenge; I wash weekly and try to co wash 2x weekly but since its colder I try to co wash weekly.

What are your hair goals?

My hair goal is to achieve waist length, HEALTHY hair (stretched) with no split ends by 8.23.13 this will be my 4 year nappiversay. Steps I am taking to achieve this is; lots of protective styles, healthy diet, exercise and keeping my scalp clear of product buildup.

My fav go-to hair style...When hair is out I enjoy experimenting with different styles, I do a lot of updos on stretched hair. But when all fails I love braid outs. I use shea butter to weight hair down, braid hair to desired size leave in for 12hours then unbraid and style.

Curly girls have more fun because....we rock our hair proudly and don’t care what other people think of it.

To see more from Durelene please click the links!

www.natural-free-fierce-dee.blogspot.com www.youtube.com/transnaturel0709

Hey Guys! I came across this article on www.About.com and thought I'd share with you all...Enjoy~

Article written by Del Sandeen

Question: Why Is My Hair Breaking Off?

Dry Ends: If you notice a lot of breakage on the ends of your hair, they could be excessively dry. This can be due to too much heat styling. If you flat iron or hot curl your hair too frequently, this can explain why your ends "pop" every time you comb them.

Another reason your ends may be extremely dry is lack of conditioning. Do you condition your hair after every shampoo? Do you deep condition on a regular basis as well as use a leave-in conditioner? Black hair needs moisture to thrive. Also, are you using a comb with widely spaced teeth? If your comb has teeth that are too close together, they may be pulling on your tangled ends and causing breakage.

Solutions for dry, breaking ends include regular deep conditioning, daily conditioning with moisturizing treatments, using a comb with teeth wide enough to work through your hair (particularly natural hair) and easing up on heat styling.

Styling Issues: Maybe you notice breakage in the crown area. This may have more to do with styling techniques. Are you wearing tight ponytails or are you using elastics with metal pieces? The wrong type of hair accessories can "catch" and break your hair off. Styles that are too tight can also cause breakage. To solve this, try using ponytail holders with no metal parts or covered elastics. You should also try different styles, especially ones that don't pull too tightly on your hair.

To read more of this article please click HERE!

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Natural hair is the Bomb.com...Go tell a friend lol!!

About Me....

Hello World! My name is Alexis and I became apart of the natural hair community all the way back in April of 2006. I transitioned for about a year before doing a big chop in order to have some length (it was torture!). For me being natural has feels almost like being re-born.. its an amazing feeling. As a cancer researcher I am constantly reminded of the strength that comes from loving yourself and making choices that benefit your well-being. The natural hair movement is apart of that strength and I am dedicated to sharing it with as many as I can. So don't be bashful and feel free to follow/message me on twitter at http://twitter.com/Jonesin4Jonesy.

Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?

I live in New York City (specifically in the Bronx) where there is a wealth of diversity. The natural hair community is huge here and it has defiantly become fashionable to be natural.

When and why did you decide to go natural?

"I'm basically confused and fed-up to a point of no end!  I'm currently transitioning (I think) from relaxed to natural. But I don't want to stop there. I always wanted a dry curly, wavy look, somewhat like what you have. But unlike you I was not blessed with such great quality natural hair. I was thinking of putting in a wave nouveau to try to get that curly look, but have been getting such bad reviews about the product. I was wondering if you could help me or at least advice me on how to get such healthy, long, curly hair such as yours. I am desperate at this point because my hair is in need of some serious help. please keep in mind that I was not born with naturally curly hair, but rather very coarse and hard hair. Thanks in advance". -Tanzz91210

Hi! First things first...there is absolutely no product, besides texturizers or silkners, on the market that can give you someone else's hair texture. It's just not possible. The textures that each and everyone of us has, was not something that we got to choose ourselves, but was already planned for us to have. I can't give you any advice or product recommendations to achieve my look, because it's mine. I think the bigger issue is your acceptance of self or lack thereof. When one decides to go natural and is going through the transitioning phase, she must first be in it for herself. To look like herself. To be herself. To appreciate and love herself the way she is naturally. Beginning your journey and wishing for someone else's texture is not going to do anything for you except make you even more frustrated with your own texture. I don't think my hair is perfect at all, but I work with it. Be creative with your hair and try some new things. In the meantime, you sure to find some inspiration specific to your texture just by searching YouTube. Based on your description of your hair I found this video while I was typing this response lol...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INXVLWkSn5k.

You see it's not so much about what kind of texture a woman has, it's how she rocks it. If you have enough confidence in yourself, than you can rock just about any look and get a way with it!

If any of you have any words of advice please share them below :) 

*sings* "You know what I love...That's right my hair! I really love my haaaiiirrr!!"

For those of you who follow me on Fotki, I'm currently updating my photo albums. I know it's been while, but all the albums from May through November 2010 will be filled. In the meantime here's the link http://www.fotki.com/KinkyKurlyQueen

When and why did you decide to go natural?

I have been natural twice. Once in high school and again my sophomore year of college. I have been completely natural since November 15, 2007.

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

My family members did not really care what I did with my hair. They all know I have always been kind of weird and eclectic lol. They love me no matter what. My friends seem to accept my hair totally. Some of my friends are natural themselves! I'm blessed to have people in my circle who accept me for who I am.

What is your current routine?

I change up my hair routine from summer to winter. Right now, because it's warm, I am doing a loose hair challenge on my youtube channel: TheHeartfeltHoney. I am usually in protective styles but I wanted to test my hair and see if I can retain length and grow my hair while wearing it out. I shampoo and deep condition once a week. I twist or braid with a leave in conditioner and Heartfelt Naturalz Honey Due and leave them in over night. I untwist or braid usually on a Monday morning and wear my hair loose for at least 7 days. I do not re-braid or twist every night. I repeat this cycle every 7 days.

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

My hair goal is just to keep it healthy. Everything else will come. I am patient with my hair and I have enjoyed it at  all stages. I have had times when I just didn't know what to do with it lol I've learned so much and I'm grateful for the experiences I've had to get here.

What new styles or tecniques have you learned this year?

This year I have learned the correct moisture balance for my hair. I used to put to much oil in my hair in an effort to keep it from being dry. Now I think I have found away to give it just enough.

What is your definition of "Good Hair"?

Good hair is hair that is not breaking, damaged, dry etc. Good hair is hair that is well groomed and taken care of. Everyone has the potential to have good hair.

Curly girls have more fun because...We have accepted ourselves just as we are!

Carolyn, also known as "The Heartfelt Honey" is a guest blogger here on Naturally Obsessed, please check out posts by clicking this link...enjoy :) http://naturallyobsessed.onsugar.com/tag/food+for+thought

New wife and mother, Alicia Keys flaunts her curls while posing for her hubby Swizz Beatz. She looks gorgeous!! Mr. Beatz (lol! that sounds funny) TwitPic'ed the pic with the following caption...

"THIS IS HANDS DOWN THE BEST CANVAS I EVER PAINTED! ITS MY BEST WORK EVER WOW!!!!!!!! ART IS LIFE & LIFE IS LOVE......."

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I am offically BSL! My hair has been on my my bra strap before, but I only consider it to be true BSL when it sits under the strap....not just grazing the top. Despite this posting, I'm not length obsessed at all, but I know some of my readers enjoy these types of posts and find them helpful...so this is for you guys :) Note: I will be doing a light trim on my hair while twisted so these measurements will change a little.



Here are my current measurements in inches...
Sides: 13.5
Front: 14
Top/Crown: 15
Middle Back: 13
Back/Nape: 12.5 - 13
To see my previous length check click the link! http://naturalsobsessed.blogspot.com/2010/11/length-check-for-november-2010.html

Yesss the twists are back again and I couldn't be happier. I seriously needed this break from my hair! Having thick/tightly coiled hair and a lot of it can have it's ups and downs...especially when it comes to detangling it. I absolutely love my hair, but sometimes the detangling process has me staring at the scissors a bit too long lol! Then I told myself "Hunni you have options", and decided to twist my hair. Here's a brief look at the process.....

Before getting the twists started, I wanted to make sure my hair was properly pampered and in good condition to endure this month long protective styling. So I began with a good wash using Hair Rules Aloe Grapefruit Purifying Shampoo (video review coming soon). Then I applied Curl Harmony's Repair Mask and let it sit overnight. In the morning I steamed for 20 minutes with the Huetiful Hair Steamer, detangled and rinsed. While the hair was still dripping wet I applied Grapeseed Oil throughout and set it in 6 big braids. I got the idea of using Grapeseed Oil as a heat protectant from an older video of Natural Chica's. In her video she points out that GO has a very high tolerance for heat (up to 475○F), making it a great oil to use for thermal protection. I was a bit skeptical at first, thinking it would make my hair very oily and weighed, but it did the exact opposite. After allowing my hair to parially dry I blow dried my hair on low heat. My felt sooo soft and fluffy after blow drying it, not oily at all. From now on when I use heat on my hair I will definitely be using Grapeseed Oil for protection. It's better than all the other heat protectants I've tried in the past...Thx Natural Chica :-)

After that was done I parted a section in the back and began twisting. Now usually I use and prefer Unrefined Shea Butter to do my tiny twists, but was all out of it. So I decided to use Avocado Shea Butter from Safi Hair Care instead. Its a a very light weight butter blend and since it contains oils like coconut oil it made the hair slippery while twisting . I prefer the stickiness of Unrefined Shea Butter when doing tiny twists because it helps bind the hair together and keeps the twists smooth. But the Avocado Shea Butter did a good job in the end. Peep the pics below....

I already ya'll gonna ask how long these twist took to put in...and I'm a bit ashamed of myself lol! I started my hair on Monday night and I didn't finish until Saturday night :-o Yes! I was completely lazy while putting these in, even my hubby was looking like "You ain't done yet...What's taking so long??"

So ladies, what's your hair been up to??