Naturally Obsessed

Product Description: Dramatically improve the moisture balance of your hair with the natural and organic nutrients in our new Daily Conditioner "Bee Lovely." With the soft & creamy consistency of Cupuacu Butter, offers exceptional daily moisture for the hair also provides some protection against UV-A and UV-B rays. Enjoy hair that feels soft and smooth all day after just a single use without weighing it down. With daily use, even dry, brittle and damaged hair can see noticeable improvement in softness, smoothness and manageability.

Ingredients: Distilled Water, Chamomile Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Castor Oil and Stearalkonium Chloride, Cupuacu Butter, Organic Coconut Oil, BTMS (mild emulsifier), Organic Raw Honey, Liquid Germall Plus (paraben free), Fragrance (phthalate free).

Cost: 8 oz bottle/$12.97 @ BeeMineProducts.com (use promo code KKQ02 for 10% off purchases of $15 or more)

My Thoughts: After my Anita Grant Rhassoul treatment, I decided to try out another new addition to my stash, BM's Daily Conditioner. Now, even thought it is a conditioner and can be used for co-washing, you can also use it as a leave-in. So on wet hair I applied it in two sections. The consistency is very thick and creamy which made the application a breeze. The scent is coconut cream and it smells sooo yummy, like dessert lol! Since I had plans for the week I decided to layer it with Bee Mine Curly Butter to ensure that my braidout would last throughout the week. And for my ends, I sealed with castor oil to protect it from this ever changing weather. I then covered with a satin scarf and air dried overnight....so I thought lol!



My hair was so well conditioned and moisturized from the AG Rhassoul treatment and then the Bee Mine goodies pampering my kinks even more, my hair was not dry in the morning. So I  pinned my hair up and threw on a beanie, ran my errands and unraveled the braids that evening. Here's the end result...

About me...I'm an introvert with a hearty laugh, I enjoy flats because it is likely I will fall over in heels, and anything related to cupcakes has my full attention. My name is Donica (pronounced Dawn-ee-ka), and I'm just months away from my Masters in Transpersonal Psychology: Art Therapy (whoot!). It was destiny arriving on a path as a helping professional where I get to include art, yoga, the law of attraction, play, and discussions of social constructs. Perfect!


Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?
I live in Denver, CO. My community is my roommate! I'm sadly not connected which is why I began finding curlies online. When I do run into another, it is nothing but love and compliments.

When and why did you decide to go natural?
My mother always kept my hair in braids, so I finally asked for a relaxer in 8th grade to get away from that. In 2003 when I left for college, I could no longer afford the upkeep. I let my hair grow out and met my natural texture for the first time - then quickly hid it in a tight ponytail! Not until 2006 did I start to become curious about my hair.


Were your friends and family supportive of your decision? If so, how were you able to move forward?
My family made jokes about how birds-nesty my hair looked, but no one questioned it. The people I dated in undergrad had a problem with it, so I wore my hair straight often. *sigh* I wish I would have realized sooner those people were not worth dating.

Describe your hair routine.
I was a loyal user of Mixed Chicks, but now that my hair is longer, the product weighs it down. My philosophy is the taller, the bigger ....the better.

1. Wash with tiny amount of Organix Shampoo
2. Detangle with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration
3. Condition with "Yes to Carrots" and Olive Oil. Sometimes I'll let it sit.
4. Apply Jane Carter Solutions: Leave in Conditioner and Condition & Sculpt
5. Diffuse.
6. Fluff with Cantu Shea Butter and coconut oil. Continue daily after morning shower.
7. Wear in a high ponytail, unless fancy outing calls for a wild child.

Some of my fav products are...Avalon Organics Lemon Clarifying Shampoo and Coconut Oil. My hair always smells like lemon coconut cookies with this combo.

Do you have any hair goals? If so, what steps are you taking to achieve them?
I REALLY love short hair and can't wait to chop this all off! Until then, I do have a hair goal of "get as long as possible!" I am interested in having a Greco-Roman themed wedding, and I see women in this mythological time having incredibly long chocolate curls. I have to remind myself to wear a bonnet when I sleep, and in the summer I need to condition my hair before hopping in the pool. I never wear the bonnet though, so I try to at least pineapple it.


How has being natural changed you?
It continues to bring out the Leo in me. I am terribly shy, and my hair is a gentle reminder that I've got some prowess and edge to me.... a little bit of free spiritedness.

My top 5 obsessions are...
1. My planner. color coded, post-it noted, write everything in it planner.
2. Sharpie Pens and permanent makers that do not bleed through paper. ugh.
3. Groceries: planning, budgeting, buying & putting them away. I'm pretty obsessed with food.
4. Learning about Relationships - especially the psychology of love and sexual attraction
5. Vampire Diaries. - I can't help it.

Is there anything else you would like to add?
I just want to thank all the Curlies who are documenting their process and sharing the inspiration! Not only is it helpful for me, but it's something I use as a therapist with black women clients exploring their identity. The community helps me give resources and offer tips!

My roommate deserves a shout out because she is actually the one who does all the curly research to relay to me. (@only1misstiff).

I do not document my natural hair, but I do share my art therapy journey! If you are interested in art, therapy, manifestation, yoga, love, silliness, and the Universe from the perspective of a fellow curly... please come find me! It would be a pleasure to meet you. Namaste!

Product Description: Our Rhassoul Deep Condishes contains Unrefined Black Cocoa Butter & natural Soya based Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) which helps to guard scalp & hair from free radical damage. When hot liquid is added to our Rhassoul Deep Condishes, it swells & increases its surface area like a highly porous sponge. Attracting & trapping toxins into these open porous spaces so that when it comes time to rinse the Rhassoul Deep Condish from your hair the toxins are eliminated and you're left with detoxified fluffy soft tresses.


Ingredients: Rhassoul Clay powder (Hectorite/Moroccan Lava Clay), Organic Unrefined Cocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao), Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Olea Europea), 100% Organic Green & Blacks Pure Cocoa Powder (Theobroma Cacao), Organic Unrefined Murumuru Butter (Astrocaryum Murumuru), MSM (Methyl sulfonyl methane), Organic Chilean Honey (Miel), 1000iu of Natural Soya Derived Vitamin E and LOVE!

Cost: For UK curlies - 3 cubes/$10.60(est) or 2lb block/$92.00(est) at www.AnitaGrant.com For US curlies - 3 cubes/$12.50 or 2lb block/$98.00 at www.Hairrogant.com

My Thoughts: Absolutely Luvvvvs It!! When Anita asked if I would try out her deep condish I played it off cool like "Sure...I would love to", but inside I was saying "Hell Yesss Hunni!" They arrived over the weekend and I couldn't wait to get it in my hair. Now you guys already know I'm a fan of Rhassoul Clay. I've used it several times and I like to use my own little mixture, but I really wanted to see if Anita's recipe worked better or just as good.

I began by placing the 3 cubes into a heat resistant bowl and adding 1 cup of boiling hot water. You can use water, coconut milk or flaxseed liquid for your mixture, but I chose water to make it a fair comparison to my rhassoul recipe. I then placed the bowl on top of the pot and allowed the heat to melt the cubes down quicker. After it was all melted, I noticed that I may have put in too much water. So to thicken the mixture I added a teeny tiny drop of Bee Mine's Deep Conditioner and it took on a yogurt like consistency, which I prefer. While the mixture cooled down I hopped in the shower and shampooed with Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo....it's an old favorite of my that I found stashed in my cabinet. Once out of the shower I divided my hair in to four sections and began applying the clay to my hair. At first I thought that it wouldn't be enough to cover all my hair, but in the end my hair was evenly saturated. I covered with a plastic bag and left it in for the rest of the day and overnight. This is what it looked like in the morning before rinsing it out....

For a while now I've been craving a wash and go, my usual styles are braidouts/twistouts  and I've been missing my tight coils. So Friday afternoon I gave it a go. I co-washed with Hair Rules Quench condish...I've been obsessed with this stuff lately lol! To style my hair I decided to try out the CHS (curly hair solutions) Extenzz styling cream, which I have reviewed in the past, with the CHS Slip as a leave in. The Slip felt good going on but when I put the Extenzz on top of it things began to go left. It kinda just sat on top of my hair and did nothing! My hair just kept growing in size as if I had nothing on it at all! The first time I tried Extenzz, my hair came out great. It didn't eliminate my shrinkage like the label claimed, but my hair had hold and it felt moisturized. Not this time though :( Was it the Slip leave in or was my first trial with Extenzz just a fluke.....I'm so not sure. You can watch my 1st Extenzz review HERE!

In an effort to not have to jump in the shower and wash my hair all over again, I decided to throw in some big chunky twists....12 in all. I sat under my soft bonnet dryer for a little bit while fooling with the internet, then I threw my scarf on and allowed it to dry overnight.


All products or tools reviewed on this blog are always 100% honest and fair to maintain the integrity of Naturally Obsessed. This product was sent to me courtesy of NaturallyCurly.com. I was not paid for this review. For more info please review the Disclosure Policy at the top of the page. Thx -kkq.

About Me...Well, I am a laid back person who loves to express herself creatively. I think of myself as the typical Aquarian spirit: chill to the point of sometimes being aloof; talented in many ways that force me to be a Jack-of-Multiple-Trades and a Master-of-Few; and shy and outgoing at the same time. I make acquaintances easily, but call very few people true friends. I can be the life-of-the-party or a total wallflower, depending on what day you catch me. All of this is demonstrated in my natural hair styles, because some days it's creative and stylish and other days, it's honestly a hot mess.

Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?
I am currently living in Tuskegee, Alabama, a historically and culturally famous city for many reasons. The natural hair community is broken up the way the city is: the college side (Tuskegee University) versus the town side. On campus (where I interact a lot), people (particularly students) are very accepting and loving towards natural hair -- various individuals are always complementing me on my natural hair's texture regardless of style and there have even been forums and meet-and-greets for the student body's natural hair community. On the town side though, there are a lot of individuals (particularly older people) who are very old-fashioned and who have what I think of as the Jim Crow Mentality: there are a lot of issues and prejudices still in peoples' heads regarding natural hair and what it means -- I've been told to my face that my hair is unattractive and have even had people "lovingly" suggest that I straighten my hair if I want to catch a husband one day. It doesn't upset me though because I feel that it comes back to how people were treated when they were growing up: darker skinned women were deemed unattractive in their time, along with anyone who looked too "black." Natural hair was something people did in the past for political or radical reasons. I think that psychology is still ingrained in a lot of people's heads.

When and why did you decide to natural?
This is my third time going natural, so I guess I will explain why I went natural each time. First Time: When I was in high school, I became active in an after-school group that targeted young black youth and was focused on encouraging black activism, positivity, and pride. I was surrounded by women who had afros and locks and became influenced by not only their way of thinking, but their style as well. Naturally, I decided to cut off my permed hair because I wanted to be more authentic and real, the way they seemed to be. Second Time: When I first went natural, all I knew about styling was to wear an afro and pick my hair when it was wet. So in college, I ended up getting a perm again because I was tired of the same old afro-style. But after a few months of trying to put in retouches myself or paying others to do so, I was over the newness and ended up doing a big chop -- I section my hair into four ponytails, cut them off and went to a barber to have him trim it more professionally. Third Time: After several years of yet again wearing nothing but afros, I got curious about how my hair would look straightened, so I had my sisters perm it. They ended up having to use to boxes of perm because my hair had gotten so long. By the time it was finished, it hung to beneath my shoulder blades. I honestly loved the way it looked for quite some time and was consistent with getting it retouched, either professionally or by relatives. But then it started breaking off, even though I was wrapping it, conditioning it, etc. So I started feeling the itch and frustration to go natural. This time, the decision to Big Chop was much more traumatic because it was not accepted the way it had been in the past, by family and some friends.

Were your friends and family supportive of your decision? If not, how were you able to move forward?
The first two times I went natural, the reaction was one of either ambivalence or nonacceptance, depending on who I encountered. The first time, my mother was accepting but non-excited, but the rest of my family was either displeased or disgusted. I had one sister who was so disgusted, she started telling people at school I was her cousin and not her sister. I didn't take it seriously though, perhaps because I was in a more militant state of mind and viewed the lack of acceptance as ignorance of some kind. The second time, there wasn't really a lot of space for reaction, because I was in college and no one was around to see me when I cut my hair, they just kinda figured it out once I went home...by then it was too late to object. The third time I went natural, the decision to beforehand was controversial and inflammatory to many people around me. I think the issue this time was that my hair had gotten so long and straight that me deciding to cut it all off was just deemed almost sacrilegious. In the black community I was in by that point, no one could understand why a black girl who's own hair had grown so long would willingly let it go. I remember the worst experience was members of my family staging an "intervention" to convince me not to cut my hair off and go natural. To get results, one family member in particular went below the belt, saying things like "When you were natural all those other times, you just weren't pretty" or asking questions like "Don't you want to get married one day? Well, you won't if you don't look attractive." She even said that my white friends only like my hair natural because it kept me looking more black and unattractive, the way white people like. I went natural anyway and they accepted it with time. In fact, all of the women in my immediate family are now naturals, so all's well that ends well.

What is your current hair routine?
Right now, my routine is very laid back. Some weeks I co-wash every day in the shower, squeeze it dry with a t-shirt, coat it with Olive Oil or Hot Six Oil, then pull it back into a puff without picking it or combing it (I love my curls better that way, instead of the frizzed out look I get from picking it). Other weeks, I do a wash/detangle/deep condition session over the weekend, then try various styles for the rest of the week, such as a twist out, braid out, or puff. Each time I change my style during the week, I co-wash it and oil it. Right now, I am co-washing with a conditioner I got from the Dollar Tree (for a dollar of course) called Silkience. I like it mainly because it provides good slip, is cheap, and defines my curls. I almost dislike it sometimes though because it makes my hair very silky...for some strange reason, I sometimes prefer my hair to look more 4b and the Silkience sometimes creates a 3b affect for me.

Do you have any hair goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
My main hair goal is to achieve health in my hair and scalp, facilitate growth to the full potential, and become proficient at trying new and attractive styles. To make this a dream come true, I am doing the following things: keeping my hair strong by conditioning it as much as possible, using only plant (and non-mineral) oils to moisturize it, combing it as little as possible (using my fingers instead to detangle and separate it), and taking advantage of Internet resources for hair style ideas.

What is your fav go-to style for your natural hair?
My ultimate, most typical go-to style is the puff. All I do is co-wash it, oil it, then pull it backwards by stying an elastic scarf around the hairline and continuously pulling the ends as the scarf slides backwards, which smooths the hair into a ponytail. Once the hair is as far as I want it to go, I just keep wrapping the scarf around the ponytail until it is tucked away and hidden and looks like an elastic band instead of a scarf.

Curly girls have more fun because...they take full advantage of the heath and vitality that their hair's natural state and texture allows, giving them the chance to be true to themselves, diverse with their style options, and all-natural divas.

While looking over the new chosen vloggers on NaturallyCurly.com, I came across this article. I have dealt with acne since I was a teen so I know how frustrating this issue can be...especially as an adult! Currently muy skin is under control, but who knows how long that will last lol! This article breaks down how the things we use in our hair to make it all pretty and nice can actually be triggering some of those breakouts.


Want beautiful hair and blemish-free skin? Then you need to become a detective—actually a cosmetic ingredient detective.

The truth is that some ingredients may cause problems for you and not for other people. At the end of this article, we've included a list of ingredients that have been shown to cause acne. Or you can purchase a book on cosmetic ingredients for future research.

Try to Keep it Simple

If you have acne, do not use products that add any oil to your skin or hair. Ingredients labels don’t underline the acne-causing ingredients. When looking at products and acne treatments, always look for “non-acne” or “non-comedogenic.” Not oil-free, because it may still contain ingredients that cause breakouts. Stay away from isopropyl myristate, oils, and silicone, petrolatum, PVP, CVP and copolymer ingredients. Also sodium lauryl sulfate and ammonium lauryl sulfate are ingredients to avoid.

Wash and condition your hair before you wash the rest of your body. Do this to wash off any residue that hair products may leave on your skin. (Just think how hard it is to get grease off of dishes, you normally need to wash it several times to be grease-free.) It’s the same with hair products—they will leave a residue that can cause breakouts IF YOU ARE PRONE TO ACNE. Really clean the skin well to rid it of any product residue.

To prevent pimples, consider a few changes to your hair routine:

1.Style your hair before you apply your makeup. Wash hands thoroughly to remove all hair products before you touch your skin. Some of these products really stick and you will need to wash your hands twice.

2.Cover your face before you use hair spray. Check out beauty supply stores for a plastic face shield you can cover your face with before spraying hair spray.

3.Do not touch your hair and then your face as you will transfer hair product to your skin.

4.Try to keep your hair away from your face. Choose a hairstyle to minimize contact with your forehead or cheek area.

5.At bedtime, cover your hair if you have product in it that is prone to causing breakouts. Avoid tight head covering as this will only make you sweat and cause breakouts on your scalp.

6.Wash your hair before you go to bed to remove hair product that causes acne.

7.Pull hair away from your face when you sleep—try a ponytail or bun.

8.Trade out your pillowcase frequently; avoid sleeping on dirty pillowcases.

9.Exercise without wearing foundation and use a headband to keep sweat from running down your face. Always wash your face immediately after exercising.

10.Do avoid getting hair products directly on the skin. If you do, rinse your skin well.

To read the full article click HERE! There you'll also find a list of common hair product ingredients that are known to cause acne.

Thoughts?? 

You guys already know I'm a big fan of this brand...especially the Curly Butter and Deep Conditioner! Since I was running out of both I decided to restock my stash and try out some of the new goodies that have been added to the shop. I ordered the Curly Butter and Deep Conditioner of course and the Deja's Hair Milk for Niecey Poo....her hair loves this stuff! The new products I got are the Bee Lovely Daily Conditioner (coconut cream scent), Rhassoul Clay Purifying Poo Bar and the Juicy Moisturizing Spritz (island mango scent). I also grabbed the Hair Growth Serum. I have tried the serum before, but it was the formula made with sulfur and my scalp did not approve of it.You can read that review here! This time I went with the no sulfur version and I'll keep you guys updated on any unusual growth lol!

About me…I am a 25 year old taking steps to better my situation, my career, and achieving my goals in life! I will say I have accomplished things that some may never be able to say… I LOVE who I am, who I am becoming, the color of my skin, and of course, MY HAIR. Those things have been a struggle for me to overcome, but I can finally and honestly say that…I LOVE ME!

 Where do you live? How is the natural hair community there?
I live in Laurel, MD (basically the District, Maryland, Virginia). The natural hair community here is becoming more evident, but I still feel like it’s not as big as it SHOULD be. I do see A LOT of dreads (male/female), a few sprinkles of twists and sister locks here and there, and when I do see braid outs and twist outs I have to do a double-take, because 9 times out of 10 it’s a weave or a wig. But I will say there are a lot of women who are natural UNDER their wigs and weaves, so you have to ask questions in order to REALLY know the natural hair community.

When and why did you decide to go natural?
I went natural officially (BC’d) the summer before my senior year of college, so in June 2006. I had wanted to go natural years before, but was too self-conscious. I transitioned for about a year, before I decided to chop the relaxed ends. I decided to go natural because when I used to get relaxers 1. I thought it was too expensive and I RARELY came out fully satisfied with the service. 2. Stylists had too many comments about my hair, “Ooooooh girl you have some THICK hair, when’s the last time you had a relaxer?”(In my head: I’m sorry ma’am that I was born with thick hair and you obviously don’t like to WORK for your money, and I get relaxers the recommended every 6-8 weeks) 3. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the model/actress Tomiko Fraser’s hair! I would see how beautiful her natural curls were, how thick and full her hair was, and the texture and just be in awe. And 4. I love volume, I was probably the only girl in high school who would use rollers in her hair instead of the popular wrapping technique, because I just loved my hair full!

Were your friends and family supportive? If not, how were you able to move forward?
My family was pretty supportive, my mom already had dreads and my brother’s girlfriend (now wife) chopped her hair a couple years before I did. My older brother was the worst, but he just has a straight hair complex. My best friends of course were supportive, but friends in school had their comments (NEVER to my face though). They had this notion that because I was natural I should only wear my hair in an afro, other than that what’s the point of being natural? I didn’t get it either. I would constantly here people on campus singing India Arie’s song, “I Am Not My Hair,” so that was annoying, but I loved India, so I really didn’t care. Honestly, I don’t know how I overcame it then, I think I just internalized it and frankly I didn’t care what people thought of me because I cared so little about myself.

 What is your current hair routine?
This is still in its experimental phase. Recently, I’ve taken my hair regimen seriously and this is what I’ve come up with, once a week, depending on the style of my hair:

Pre-Wash – Unrefined Coconut oil– Plastic cap and towel and I leave on for a few hours (still experimenting with times though)
Cleanse – I tried Curls shampoo that I got from Target, there’s no lather which I just can’t seem to wrap my head around a shampoo that doesn’t lather so I also use Herbal Essence Herbal Hydration (not at the same time).
Condition – Curls conditioner (I like the consistency, but not the smell) so I’m on the hunt for a new one.
Detangling – I have a detangling comb, but I want to try the Tangle Teezer. I detangle with conditioner still in and do about 6-8 twists. Rinse out while twists are still in.
Moisturize – I use a Flax Seed gel I got off of YT (Naptural85). I also use a water, almond oil, and peppermint spray to mist my hair every night.
Seal – My own Shea butter whip

•I am also trying out homemade deep conditioners – once a month since I do the pre-wash
•Moisturizing and Sealing are in combination with styling
•I trim my ends when I see fit, I don’t want to get too scissor happy

Do you have any hair goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
My hair goal is to attain APL hair, I didn’t really set a date to achieve it, I just know I want it!
The steps I am taking to achieve it are:
•Being gentle with my hair (I realized I combed way too much) and to stop playing in it as much
•Using more homemade recipes (My hair loves them and it shows)

What is your fav go-to style for your natural hair? Tell us how you achieve it?
My favorite go to style is two-strand twists…I absolutely love the versatility of them, I use a banana clip, do updos, curl them, and do twist outs or braid outs with them. To achieve the style I section the hair with my fingers. I normally do small twists. I use flax seed gel and Shea butter and begin to twist my hair. I try to be more creative and use YT for styling ideas as well.

Curly girls have more fun because...We don’t let our hair define who we are, we define our hair!

Most of us naturals are familiar with Esperanza and have enjoyed her music and her gorgeous fro for some time now. However, it seems her name is a bit unknown amongst the younger Bieber type crowds lol! Viewers were stunned when her name was called as the winner, beating out big names like Justin Bieber and Drake in the Best New Artist category. Heck, I didn't even know she was nominated for anything lol!! Since her win, the fans of the other nominees (mainly the Bieber fans) have been voicing their anger via twitter and other outlets, basically saying she doesn't deserve the win. Well kids, sometimes it's more about the music and talent than sales...sorry :)



Congrats Esperanza!!!

Updated: Check out this post I did on Esperanza back in 2009. The video is one of my fav songs of hers! http://naturalsobsessed.blogspot.com/2009/05/get-to-know-her-esperanza-spalding.html

Naturally Curly has been giving away hair goodies since the beginning of the month. Well, it's all coming to a close today...but it's not too late for you to enter for today's prize and still be eligible for the grand prize. Read the information below and head over to NaturallyCurly.com right NOW!!!!!


Readers are encouraged to take part in daily giveaways of various hair products and styling tools from our sponsors: Hair Rules, It’s a 10, Blended Beauty, Kinky-Curly, Miss Jessie’s, Paul Mitchell, Carol’s Daughter, Ouidad, Curly Hair Solutions, Twisted Sista, Amourai Organique, DermStore, AG Cosmetics and Folica. In addition to the fabulous giveaways, each entrant will qualify for a chance to win the Curly Love Grand Prize, a $1000 American Express gift card to use on spa treatments, products or anything their heart desires.


Participants must enter giveaway at naturallycurly.com/curlylove to be eligible. The giveaway begins Feb. 1, 2011, at 12:00 a.m. and ends on Feb. 14, 2011, at 11:59 p.m. Each entry goes towards the curly love grand prize drawing on Feb. 15, 2011. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

When you get bored with your hair or just don't feel like fooling with it...the bun and/or low pony can be your best friend! Last night, after deep conditioning (I used Hair Rules Quench Conditioner) and detangling, I decided to bun it up. My original plan was to throw in some twists, but it was getting late and my arms were already tired from finger combing so a bun was the quickest thing.

In the shower under running water, I began gathering my hair towards the back with my hands and using the edge of my Denman brush to smooth down the top. I then applied a small amount of Cantu Shea Butter Leave In through my hair and the ends...not too much though, Cantu can be a bit heavy so a little goes a long way. I then smoothed Aubrey Organics Mandarin Magic Moisturizing Hair Jelly (which I found collecting dust in my cabinet) to the top and edges. It doesn't give the strongest hold, but it does enough...especially since it was the only gel like thing I had in my stash lol! After a little more smoothing with my Denman and then with a soft bristle brush, I secured it with a hair tie.

I could have left it at that, but it was late and I didn't want my wet pony soaking up my pillow....so a bun was the next option. I divided the pony into halves and created 2 braids, wrapped them around the base of the pony and secured with bobby pins. In the end....a simple and neat bun was made :)

About me....Well, My Name is Myriam (every one call me Mymou) I am 21 years old and I am a French speaking person so please forgive my mistakes. I am an engineer student in Paris where I've been living since 8 years now (I am coming from Cameroon, in Africa). Here in France, us young lady have really been inspired by the African American girls going back natural, and the natural community is growing faster and faster. And I am really proud of being a part of it.

When and why did you decide to go natural?
I cut my hair in April 2007 after 8 months of transitioning. Why?? Actually I have never really liked relaxers! I was doing about 2 every year. Then I discovered "Our Hair" a French website which is kind of like our "Motown Girls" and I was like... "OMG I want the same hair as those girls", "I wanna do those hairstyles" etc.... This made me cut my hair.

Were your family and friends supportive? If not, how were you able to move forward?
My family thought I was Crazy, but my sister (who cut my hair) was really supportive (she finally went natural too). My friends too were supportive, but in a different way. They were thinking something like are you experimenting with a new hairstyle again? None of them thought I was going natural for GOOD! But I was the original one, the one with the different hairstyle and they started to like it and asking me for advice for Hair. This made me open my channel on youtube.

Describe your hair routine.
Actually I am trying ayurvedic products and I am trying to incorporate them into my routine. But what I do usually is washing my hair once a week and conditioning. I spray my hair every night before sleeping and I add a little bit of shea butter. Once a month or sometimes more if I feel like my hair need it I deep condition.

Do you have any hair goals? What steps are you taking to achieve them?
I don't have any hair length goals (since I am a scissors addict), but I want to have healthy hair. So I am doing my best to keep it healthy. I am becoming a challenge addict (right now I am into protective styles contest which will last 3 months and I am also doing the MopTopMaven contest for healthy hair in 2011). Being into a challenge is easier for me since when I am tired I get inspiration from the others doing the same challenge.

Describe your fav natural hair style.
Favorite style ever: TWISTS!!! It reminds me of my childhood, my auntie was always doing them for me in Cameroon. I prefer to do them on wet hair with shea butter!! Great twist out afterwards!!

Curly girls have more fun because...they are free in their minds!!

To see more of Myriam visit these links http://www.living-my-blessedlife.blogspot.com and http://www.youtube.com/mymou . She can also be found on twitter @babybratz1703