Curly Hair Care: Myth of the Wash-n-Go

STANDING OVATION!!
STANDING OVATION!!

I know this isn't recent commentary, but after reading this, I think EVERY natural should read and take heed to what is being said. Be YOU...nobody else can do that for you!

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Myth of the Wash-n-Go: by Chai of Back to Curly I’m sure many of us have watched & digested the natural hair video that’s evidently gone viral since the 1st hou...

GIVEAWAY!! Curly Nikki Curly Hair Care: CurlyNikki's Favorite Things- Anniversary Giveaway...

OMGosh y'all, I've never been this excited about a giveaway!! A pair of Christian Louboutin shoes? Seriously...seriously! Stay tuned during the month of October to find out how to enter :)

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: CurlyNikki's Favorite Things- Anniversary Giveaway...: You Get a Car! And You! Everybody Gets a Car! October will mark my 3 year blogging anniversary, and I wanted to do something special for ...

If I Only Knew Then...

This post is going to be about all the things I wish I knew when I first went natural.  First things first, I wish I really grasped the magnitude of going natural at the onset.  For me, and I've said this before, it wasn't a big deal.  It wasn't.  I cut my hair because I was in the mood for a change.  I was in Austin at the time, and there wasn't a big "movement", at least not one I was aware of.  Don't get me wrong, I loved my hair short, but I think that was mostly coming from a convenience standpoint.  All I had done prior to cutting my hair was relax, although I can't remember when I got my first one, but I permed pretty much throughout junior high and high school.  I think I had a texturizer somewhere in there, and I did cut my hair short I think junior year in high school.  That should give you a general idea of how I kept my hair...it was just "okay" hair, I never had any spectacular hair days like I do now ;)

Relaxed hair, circa 2004

When I finally went natural in 2004...and after my hair entered that "awkward" stage I didn't know what to do with it.  Instead of embracing it, I flat ironed it.  First chance I got and then what happens?  HEAT DAMAGE!! UGH!!!  And in my previous post, I told y'all that my friend specifically warned me that it could happen.  It wasn't until this moment that I realized how fragile my hair really was. (Myth #1: Natural hair is STRONGER than relaxed hair false!)  Of course after this tragedy, I had no choice but to flat iron it because it was horrible...and that lead me to my 2nd BC in 2006 :/

I think this is the only picture I have with a full blown fro

um...yea...the heat damage :(

So let's fast forward past 2006 to 2007 I pretty much wore braids to get me through my awkward phase.  This was good and bad.  Good in the sense that it was a protective style, but bad in the sense that I didn't know anything about deep conditioning or taking care of my hair outside of the braids. 

I did not know...I just didn't know, and ignorance is bliss.  When you know better, you do better :)  I bought a bunch of "good" products for my hair, but unbenownst to me, these were not of benefit to my NATURAL hair.  These products would've worked great on my relaxed hair, but again, I didn't know any better!  I continued to go through the process, just about weekly, of blow drying & flat ironing, flat ironing and blow drying.  I dread the process so much that even know that I would love to try and blow out my hair I'm scared.  I guess a little bit of fear is good, hey, it worked growing up didn't it!  I invested in a Chi flat iron, which really did wonders on my hair, as well as an arsenal of blow dryers, attachments, diffusers, brushes & combs.  I really am a product junkie to the core!  These tools kept my hair pretty much under control, but boy let that Houston heat and humidity catch me off guard and my sleek style was so through!  Before my sister's wedding in 2009 I braided my hair (with hair added) and that was the last time I straightened my hair.  HALLELUJAH!

The week leading up to my sister's wedding...hair's a mess!

I finally figured out the key to flat ironing my hair - a CHI!!



All that being said, I wouldn't be where I was today if I didn't go through all that I had been through.  Sometimes I wish I had been able to take a class on being natural...it's hard sometimes learning on your own, but if you don't go through certain things, how will you appreciate the good you actually have?  Myth #2: All natural hair is the same false!  I can tell you all day what works for my hair, but what works for me may not work for you.  I choose to use or not use certain ingredients in my hair...not to say that those ingredients may not work wonders for other Naturals, they're just not for me.  Now what I think I can say with some certainty is that a particular style may work across the board.  Twist outs, braid outs, bantu knots, mini twists...these styles are pretty much universal whether you have 3A or 4C hair.

Another myth stems from lack of correct information.  Myth #3: Your hair does not like/need water false! FALSE!!! Your relaxed hair despises water (at least mine did!) but your natural hair NEEDS water.  Most of the people I talk to or meet describe their hair as being dry...I can bet 9 times out of 10 they're not giving their hair enough moisture.  Water is the only true and consistent moisturizer, if your hair doesn't have it then guess what, it's NOT getting enough moisture!  So we as Naturals have to separate our thinking from relaxed to natural...water is your friend!

These were just a few of the things that I wish I knew when I first went natural.  My hair would probably be to my waist by now had I known how to take better care of it.  That's one of the reasons why I wanted to make this blog.  I don't have all the answers, but I think if there were more places spreading good, knowledgeable information about Natural hair care (not that Type F junk on YouTube) then more people would be encouraged to make this lifestyle change. 

What are some things you would do differently if you knew better when you started your natural hair  journey?

Lisa Michelle :)

Curly Hair Care: Sexy Second Day Spirals- Natural Hair Tips

Thursday is "Curly Nikki in Essence" Day!! Whoo hoo!! Make sure you show her some love, she's one of my favorite bloggers and her hair is GORGEOUS :) She gives tips to a new transitioner so this may be right up your alley!

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Sexy Second Day Spirals- Natural Hair Tips: Hola Chicas, It's Thursday which means we've officially taken over Essence for the day! Check out my latest installment, Sexy Second Day...

Naturally Curly Photo Shoot - A Visual Tour

I tried to fit all of the "fun" into a video...well I think I did pretty good to give a virtual walk-through of sorts!  Now this is mostly pictures for the simple fact that I forgot I had my camcorder until it was time for me to head back home :( And I hadn't quite figured out how to add music yet so it's very quiet...I may reupload once I get my skills up in that area lol!  So I previously wrote a novel (lol!) to describe the experience, now you'll get to see what I saw for the most part.  Enjoy!

Oh, and enjoy a peek at the swag bag that we received for participating

THANK YOU NATURALLY CURLY!!

They included so many neat products, and I did swap a couple products so I could try ones I though may work better for my hair.  And I also asked, and was provided, the Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme to try (can't wait!!)  I've never used anything from that product line, and although I was disappointed to read the ingredients (#2 petrolatum (yes that's how it's spelled on the package) and #4 mineral oil) I will give it a shot.

I hope you enjoyed my virtual walkthrough!  Now I've still been wearing the same twistout since the photo shoot...actually I wore my hair like this to work the past couple days

My "Sho-Nuff" style...check out Last Dragon if you don't know ;)

It's not as bad as I thought it would be since all the tousling and fluffing of Sunday.  I "planned" on washing last night but I got distracted (working on this video!) So maybe tonight...

I appreciate you taking the time to watch this video and support my blog.  Please make sure to subscribe to my blog and my YouTube page.  It's free!! Also, check out my Facebook page and Twitter as well...they're free also!!  Help me spread the word about the beauty of Natural hair!  And please leave your comments, feedback, ask question, and give suggestions.  I am listening and will respond :)

Lisa Michelle :)

Naturally Curly Photo Shoot (Play-By Play)

I had the absolute pleasure of participating in the Naturally Curly photo shoot on Sunday, September 25^th.   For those of you who may not know what Naturally Curly is, I suggest you keep reading.  They are the flagship brand of TexturaMedia, Inc and a social media & informative power house for curly girls around the world.  They have the information YOU are seeking, for every curl type and every level of natural from transitioning, to newly natural and veterans alike.  This was the FIRST place I looked to for help upon deciding that I wanted to be a healthy natural.  Recently they celebrated their 13^th year in existence and I’m positive there are curlies worldwide exalting a collaborative “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”

 

 

I digress…back to the PHOTO SHOOT!!

Pre photo shoot hair 9/24/11

They posted on their Facebook page about the upcoming photo shoot and that they were looking for curly haired folks to be part of a photo shoot for the website.  I promptly submitted several photos of my hair in random styles and low and behold they picked me…THEY PICKED ME!! Oh the joy I felt, the elation, the excitement…needless to say I was overwhelmed.  Although I did not know what to expect, I was ready to get involved.  I spread the word to some of my friends, and Ms. Ericka of Dope Crochet was also selected to be in the photo shoot as well!  Seems like the week leading up to the photo shoot everything went sideways – I washed part of my hair before the water went out for the rest of the day (IKR!?!) Then I couldn’t find anything to wear so I had to run out and buy something (yes, I have clothes in my closet but wasn’t feeling anything) I stayed out Friday til late, had to work on Saturday and STILL had to drive to Austin.  Luckily the twist style I tried (thanks Naptural85!!) worked like a charm to create a separated, well defined twist out with minimal frizz.  I popped some perm rods in the ends Friday night and had a haute, soft, luscious modified Curly Nikki twist & curl...  Hair was on point!!

 

 

Saturday night when I got to Austin I hung out with my family til almost 10, knowing what I had to do the next day.  Don’t act like I’m the only one who does this…I can’t help it sometimes *shrug* Sunday morning comes and I’m frantic…shouldn’t have been but it’s what I do best (procrastination) I needed to polish my nails, run to Walmart, take my twists down, iron…etc, y’all get the idea.  I managed to get everything together and make it to the shoot on time (HALLELUJAH!) BOY, I was not expecting everything that was awaiting me.  There were hair stylists and makeup artists, and staffers, and models abound.  Not to mention the salon was fantastic!!

Let me take a moment to describe the salon…opulent, spacious and inviting.  The ambiance was so on point, I don’t think I’ve ever been into a salon that nice.  You could really tell that Ron King took his time to make every single aspect of his salon as perfect as it could be.  The stylists’ stations were spacious with great lighting and comfortable chairs.  The details at every turn were super cool, from the blue chandelier that greeted you upon entry, to the wall that looked like glass flowers, and the sink and faucet in bathroom? Amazing is NOT the word. 

 

The Ron King Salon...simply beautiful!

WHAT ABOUT THE SHOOT LISA!!!

Post hair (Kira) & makeup (Nisa)

I know, I know, I have to set y’all up for the moment!!  First I had my makeup done by the wonderful Nisa. She really gave me a natural look, and enhanced what I already had. She fixed me up effortlessly, gave me some shimmer with gold eye shadow (totally my style!).  Next I landed in the chair of the fabulous Kira of The Hair Clinic.  She was so pretty!! And she totally handled my hair with the utmost of care.  Y’all know it’s been close to 5 years since the last time I left my hair in a stylists hands…I would definitely let her in my head.  And on a side note, she said I did a good job with my ends *shimmy* My hair was pretty well defined, and I’m not quite sure what she added but after getting out of her chair my hair was a more sleek.  She did suggest a product that I’m probably going to try, Nairobi foam wrap. I looked it up online, the reviews are great, and she said it would work well for twists/twisting out because it leaves the hair soft but with hold.  After she hooked me up I went to Rudy to take some headshots and 360 of my hair.  Now that was kinda neat, he was great at giving direction, then they did a “curl” picture at the end by snapping a picture of a great curl to show the pattern.  The only thing I didn’t get to do was a “stretch” picture to show the length of my hair…it is pretty deceptive lol!

Pre-shoot mimosa (yes, I did get some on my shirt!)

  

Thanks to my new friend Marie for taking pics during my session :)

 

Next I changed into my dress and I was the hair model for the TWIST OUT VIDEO!!! How freaking awesome was that?!?  I had no idea it could get any better than it already was.  I would’ve been content with some headshots lol!  This was so exciting and nerve wrecking, and I know it was for Kira…she was having to speak about how to evolve a twist out, to make it last longer, and to get the most out of the hairstyle.  I know all about that since it’s my staple style.  I rock my twists for close to a week sometimes, then a twist out for another 4 or 5 and depending on if I’m feeling lazy or not, the front gets pinned back and I can get a full 2 weeks out of my style.  The video was actually pretty neat and I’m kicking myself that A) I didn’t have anyone taking pictures of me during, and B) that I completely forgot I had my little camcorder until AFTER we left the shoot.  Anywho, Kira worked a couple of hot styles out of my hair and I was like “What what!!” I was genuinely impressed!  The first ‘do was the front pinned back (and yes, I went out and bought some hair pins so I can TRY to recreate the look…can’t wait til the video comes out so I can actually see what she did!)  and the second look was the back pulled up with the front left out…sexy!!  And I am so glad I had a few products in my stash…we didn’t actually use anything, just giving a narrative of how to achieve each look and a general idea of what kind of product can be used.  I just so happened to have my Karen’s Body Beautiful Sweet Ambrosia and my Darcy’s Botanicals Coconut & Hibiscus Conditioning Oil on hand so I managed to get those in the video (hopefully they stay!)  That was too fun!! Can’t wait to see it all finished and edited!

 

Fluffed up :)

Next were the editorial shots…uh huh!! They actually wanted my hair bigger…and when I mean big there were ladies walking around with hair to their shoulders and beyond!  Mine ended up being a higher, more 70s glam kinda fro, a bit piecy with my hair in my face.  Very hot!  It took a little bit of time to get to Amber Vickery (she’s SO awesome and SO cool and SO much fun!) so I enjoyed lunch, another mimosa, and some chit chat time with Michelle, the co-founder and president of Naturally Curly.  I wish I would’ve been more prepared but I’ll share what she said from my brief impromptu interview lol!

 

Me and Michelle, President & Co-Founder of Naturally Curly

 

 

When I finally got to Amber I think I was beyond excited, if I had on pants I would’ve burst the seams!  It was crazy windy outside, and I think we were close to 104 degrees (yea I know, what a combination…only in Texas!) but somehow I didn’t feel much of any of that once we started shooting.  I had an umbrella and a floppy sun hat as props, and the gorgeous downtown Austin as a backdrop.  The umbrella was fighting me but I think I ended up kicking its butt!!  Then…the floppy hat…oh my goodness! My hair, in all its glory did NOT want it, but I made it work.  The wind tried to knock it off but I held it strong and ended up getting some great shots!  I’ve never done a professional photo shoot before, but I tell you that Amber was great to work with, she made me feel really comfortable when I was trying not to laugh at the wind’s attempt to steal the goods…she’s truly a professional and great at her job!

 A few available photos, taken by the talented Amber Vickery

 

I couldn’t tell you how long we were outside, maybe 15-20 minutes or so, but it felt so quick…they say time flies when you’re having fun!  Once we got back inside the salon we actually got to take more photos with Rudy!! It just kept getting better and better…I got to cheer some of my new friends on with their shoots then it was my turn again.  This time I got to be a techno gal, posing with my Evo, and iPad, and a Mac book (cool right?!?) I got a crack at the umbrella again and that was really cool to work with since there weren’t gale force winds contend with lol!  AND they brought out the “diva” wind…aka the fan…talk about feeling like a real model.  We got to dance and take some pretty candid photos, so what better way to round out the photo shoot.  At the end of the event, we were given "swag" goodies bags filled with some of the best products for natural and/or curly haired gals.

 

Posing with the iPad

 

The after-the-shoot party took place at Taco Cabana/Tiff’s Treat...yummy!  I couldn’t have asked for a better first ever photo shoot.  The entire Naturally Curly staff made this into a once-in-a-lifetime experience, maybe I’ll get to do something like this again in the future, but it’s going to be extremely hard to top this.  I’m sorry if I carried on, but I just want to try and convey the excitement of the day.  I’ll put the rest of the pictures in a slide show so I don’t take up too much more room lol!

 

Lisa Michelle ;)

Curly Hair Care: How Aevin Grew the World's Largest Afro

If y'all haven't heard, Aevin has the worlds LARGEST afro...check it out on Curly Nikki's site :)

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: How Aevin Grew the World's Largest Afro: via NaturallyCurly.com When the 2012 edition of the Guinness World Records was announced, one category literally stood above all others. ...

Naturally Curly Photo Shoot (preview)

I wish I had more time to fully explain the depth of exhilaration and gratitude I feel after participating in the Naturally Curly photo shoot this past Sunday.  The whole experience was beyond my imagination...I didn't know what to expect but boy, it sure blew my small thoughts out the water!!!  There were so many people there to help make it a success, we did headshots and fun, casual photos with photographer Rudy (yeaaa to Diva Wind aka the fan!), I was a HAIR MODEL (aaahhhh!!!) for a video about how to evolve your twist-out hairstyle and make it last longer, and we also did lifestyle shots with photographer Amber (amazing!!)  Nisa did my make-up (she was so cool!) and Kira with The Hair Clinic  did some magic on my mane, got me all sleek and stuff, and she also did several styles for the video (she left the back down and pulled the front back, and she also did a mostly updo cascading down in the front WHOA! Both were so hot but I got no pics :( since they were videoing it)  The Ron King salon was breathtaking...I have never been into a salon so impeccable and Mr. King was just as impeccable! Michelle, Alicia, Tracey and the other Naturally Curly staff were so warm and friendly! They sure knew how to make a girl happy!  Oh, and I can't forget about the other hair models...I met some wonderful people there and I'm sure we'll be the curly bunch from here on out (hey Marie, Layla, Vicki, Ariel!) and my Dope Crochet friend Ericka was a hair model too!! Her photos with Amber are spectacular!

There isn't enough time to give you all the business, so I'll leave you with a few photos that are already available.  I can't wait to see the rest!

Lisa Michelle :)

Now Reviewing - Anita Grant

So y'all know I was super stoked to receive my Anita Grant package, I almost couldn't contain myself!  In all my excitement it didn't occur to me that it may take me some time to actually use the products...I could not find the immediate time to sample the goods :( I had heard so many wonderful things about her product line, and reading about her story and what lead her to develop such yummy natural hair goodies was truly inspiring.  I have the pleasure of writing today about a few of her top products, the Babassu Amla Shampoo Bar and the Creamy Cafe Latte.  I see why these products have gotten rave reviews that they have...and it was well worth the wait in shipping :)

Babassu Amla Shampoo Bar

Let's start with the Babassu Amla Shampoo Bar.  The shampoo bar is touted to cleanse your tresses and clarifies your scalp without stripping the natural oil from your hair.  This was my first time ever using a shampoo bar, so I wasn't sure how much of a learning curve there would be.  I've seen people on YouTube talk about them, and I re-read the instructions indicated on the website...I figured it couldn't be that hard so I jumped right in!  The instructions are clear, and she also provides a note of advice before using the shampoo bar.  Now how many companies out there will tell you that you will get the best results by doing a step prior to using their product?  None that I know...except for Anita Grant.  She notes: For optimum results please ensure that you rid your hair and scalp of product residue, build up, silicones & other deposits - before - you Babassu.  So I actually did 2 new things with this experience - I did an ACV (apple cider vinegar) wash and used a shampoo bar :) YEA ME!!  So the process went a little something like this HIT IT!

• I started with my hair sectioned in 4, and I kept them braided until it was time to work on that section
• I mixed up a 50/50 mix of ACV and water...now this is probably too much, as most people I saw did anywhere from 50/50 to 33/67 ACV to water.  I use a applicator tip bottle which made application super easy!!  Anywho, I didn't need use very much to saturate my scalp, but a word of caution DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR EYES!! I though I was being careful but boy did that sting!  I also added about 8-10 drops of Lavender & Rosemary essentials oils to mask the smell because it was tart. 
• Once I did the rinse, I proceeded to wet the shampoo bar and apply to my saturated hair.  It was really a breeze...just like using a bar of soap to wash your body.  I went section by section, ran the shampoo bar through 3-4 times and it produced a wonderfully rich lather.  I concentrated on my scalp since the lather would run down my hair and clean the strands.  As I finished a section, I rinsed thoroughly, used my Suave Tropical Coconut to quickly detangle (the shampoo bar did allow me to finger detangle most of my hair, so this step probably couldn've been skipped) rinsed, then applied my Elucence Moisture Balancing conditioner.  I rebraided that section with the conditioner in, pinned it back up and repeated until all sections were washed, detangled, and conditioned.

 Post Shampoo

Detangled, post conditioner

Creamy Cafe Latte

Now on to the Creamy Cafe Latte...YUMMY!! The website proclaims that the Creamy Cafe Latte will:  Stimulate your follicles & caress dry curly hair with our non greasy, velvety rich leave-in.  A tantalizing mix of Brazilian coffee oil, virgin coconut oil & macadamia nut oil plus other natural and organic ingredients that will leave your Afro curly hair huggably soft for days.  I almost didn't order it...but because I needed to get my order to a certain dollar amount I added the Creamy Cafe Latte.  Now I went back and forth between ordering something with a scent or unscented so I ended up going with the unscented version.  Why you ask?  1) it IS scented with the natural ingredients incorporated into the mixture and 2) I normally like sweeter, fruitier scents for my hair products (I'm spoiled off of Karen's Body Beautiful Pomegranate Guava lol!) So it smells pretty much like a latte to me :)  So here's how I used this product:

• My hair air dried in 3 big plaits, one on each side of my face and one in the back.  I sprayed each section with just enough water to rehydrate but not drench.
• I added a bit of Kinky Curly Knot Today as my leave in, about a quarter size for each section
• Once I separated a section, I then added a bit of the Creamy Cafe Latte...just enough to coat my hands when melted.  Maybe a dime size or a little smaller.  The container had been in the fridge so I just kind of scraped some off and melted in my hands, so just enough to coat my hands before twisting.
• I ended up with about 17 medium sized twists total, and I added a bit more Creamy Cafe Latte to the ends to seal.

Twisted using Creamy Cafe Latte #SHINE

VERDICT

My thoughts on these 2 products?  Well deserving of the hype!  The shampoo bar was surprisingly easy to use, lasted through 3 washes (for the small chunk I started with), allowed me to even get a little finger detangling in as well.  The only downside I could see was trying to use the last little corner...it basically disappeared!  But it's soap so what else could you expect lol! Elucence Moisture Benefits shampoo I would place this one a couple notches below, maybe 8 of 10.  This shampoo bar is definitely more convenient than a liter of shampoo, and although moisturizing, it did not allow me to finger detangle as thoroughly as I was able to with the Elucence, nor can it compare to the moisturizing feeling.  The cafe latte? Okay this is GOOD stuff!!  It's nourishing yet not greasy like I was expecting it to be.  It just seeped into my hair (and hands) during twisting and my hair feels very soft, shiny, and smells divine!  I can definitely fit this into my arsenal, especially since it can be used on dry hair.  I can imagine using this to re-twist my hair before I go to bed ;)

I will say that these products did work well with my hair, but this is my hair.  Please keep in mind that what may work for me may not work for you and vice versa.  I did purchase these products with my own money, and I thank Anita Grant for making products worth ordering...even if it's coming all the way from the UK!

Babassu Amla Shampoo Bar runs approximately $10.77US for 3.88oz bar

Creamy Cafe Latte runs approximately $10.16US for 3.5oz
*Prices on the site are reflected in Pound Sterling, so the price may vary with currency exchange rates

Lisa Michelle :)

Good Mornin, Great Twists!

Hey Naturals!! I spend last night twisting up my hair, a la Naptural85's tutorial.  This is not a tutorial, but it's the finished results...twist out to follow tomorrow!  I had a blast staying up late watching the tutorial and working with a new product :)

 

Thank you for checking out my blog!  Please don't forget to subscribe to both my blog and my Facebook page.  Also I just started up my YouTube page as well, so all of my videos will be posted there.  And as always, I appreciate your comments, feedback and questions.  Spread the word for me please!!

Lisa Michelle ;)

Open Letter

Good afternoon Naturals!!  I just wanted to make this an open post asking for your help.  If you can't already tell, I love to tell stories and now that I'm getting some video and editing work under my belt I hope to bring more to my blog.  My intentions for the creation of this blog were to share hair stories, not just of myself, but of those who love their hair as well.  I would like some feedback from those of you who have perused the site on what you would like to see more of.  I'm no expert, but I've lived with my natural hair for the last 7 years...there's not much I haven't experienced.  There are so many blogs that I look at on the regular and I love all the information that's readily available within our community.  So what would make this site more interactive, more informative, more creative?  Would you like me to do more videos? Product reviews? More hair stories (Curly Tales) Tutorials (as best as I can show)?  I will definitely work on a giveaway soon, I know that always gets me excited!  I will share as much of my own hair journey, struggles and triumphs, with you and I hope that you will do the same with me.  This site is here to encourage, motivate, educate and support all those who have traveled this path.  Thank you for accompanying me on this experience...I'm still learning along the way!  Hope you all have a blessed day!!

Lisa Michelle :)

Weekend Wrap-Up: Dope Crochet

One of my good friends whom I've known for a long time has gotten her very own crochet venture going on.  Make sure you check out Dope Crochet for all of her designs!  Austin based, Naturalista, crafter extraordinaire...just a great all around good person!  Support your community :)  And THANK YOU for all of your support and encouragement.  I exceeded 100 likes on my Facebook page today WHOO HOO!! It may not seem like much, but I am just happy to reach anyone I can.  Considering I just started a month ago, it's beyond my imagination ;)  Please spread the word, it's free to subscribe!  So without further adieu, enjoy the video for your viewing pleasure :)

Lisa Michelle :)

Happy Monday!!

This weekend was such a blur! I don't know why it always seems I can't get a quarter of things I needed to get done when I actually have the time...go figure right? I have literally pull everything out of my closet in the hopes of getting organized (#FAIL) and I've also gathered up my ingredients to make attempt to make some hair goodies (I'm thinking a pomade, a whipped butter, and a creamy lotion...ooh and an oil treatment!) and I'm putting in orders for more raw ingredients (as if I didn't have enough already...maybe I'll post a pic one day). I did place my order at Butters-N-Bars so that's one down...a couple more to go lol! I also got to hang out with my girls on Saturday and that's always fun!  

A little pre-party webcam photo shoot

My week old twist out...I retwisted two pieces in the front and have them pinned back so they would be tight for the night ;)

Oh, lets see what else...YEA!!!  I got some FLY ear candy by Dope Crochet's own, my little sister from another mommy Ericka.  I'll post pics once I take my hair down.  AND The Naturally Curly Photo Shoot is coming up on SUNDAY!!  I'm super duper excited, got an email with the details today so now the question is how shall I wear my hair?  I think I'm definitely going to wear it in a twist out, but man I got prep work to do if I want it to look right...I mean I need it to be ON POINT! 

Speaking of hair being on point,  the one thing I did get to do try on Sunday (in-between watching football GO TEXANS!!!) was try the Babassu Amla Shampoo Bar from Anita Grant.  This was my first experience with a shampoo bar and I'm impressed!  The lather was great and I was even able to finger detangle a bit.  It was late last night and I had to be at work super early so I just put it in three big twists and called it a night.  I'll have the video posted tomorrow :)

So I'm getting my YouTube up, LisaMsLisa, I got the Twitter up, BigHairBrwnEyes, I got the Facebook up, This Hair Of Mine.  I certainly appreciate your support, pretty please with sugar on top make sure to subscribe to my blog while you're here, leave feedback, comments or questions.  I really want this to be an interactive place for everybody who comes through.  And spread the word, there's nothing more beautiful than a natural head of hair.  Embrace it!! #MUAH!

Lisa Michelle :)

Ready to hit the streets!  Curls a poppin!