Things That Suck and Rock About Natural Hair

I think Ms. ShatterProofGlassDolls Tanecia hit the proverbial nail on the head with this article. Very honest. Gotta love it!

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Things That Suck and Rock About Natural Hair: by Taneica of ShatterProofGlassDolls Ok, before y’all attempt to tie me up with silk scarves, draw your afro picks and scalp me, hear me o...

Curly Hair Care: Keeping a Natural Hair Journal

This is something I never did...I guess you can say my blog is my journal now! However, if you're early in your journey you have an opportunity to record all of your successes and failures at the very moment they occur. This not only gives you something to go back and see your progress, but will give you and others encouragement to continue on.

Anyone else keep a journal or document their journey?

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Keeping a Natural Hair Journal: by Tasha Swearingen of NaturallyCurly A natural hair journal is a log of the condition of your hair and scalp. You can log your entries d...

Curly Hair Care: Moisture & Protein- Finding the Right Balance

This is a great article! There's so much science behind curly hair it isn't even funny AT ALL!! This is why I stress taking the time to learn your hair...you'll know when something isn't quite right before anyone else will :)

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Moisture & Protein- Finding the Right Balance: by Shelli of Hairscapades via The Science of Black Hair The unique relationship that exists between the protein and moisture balances wi...

Giving THANKS Giveaway

You have an opportunity to win this DOPE CROCHET original, fabulous, handmade, one of a kind scarf, perfect for any winter wardrobe!! Just follow these simple rules for entry into the giveaway:

- LIKE This Hair of Mine and Dope Crochet pages
- COMMENT on my wall what you are THANKFUL for
- And get an EXTRA entry for tweeting the following
"I just entered the This Hair Of Mine Thanksgiving Giveaway with @BigHairBrwnEyes and @DopeCrochet #naturalhair #crochet"

The giveaway is open for US residents until 11:59pm CST December 3rd, 2011.

Show your support this holiday season...I know you want this scarf for your wardrobe!! Enter today :)

SALE ALERT!!! CURLMART.COM

Curlmart.com is offering 25% OFF until tomorrow!!! They're calling it GRAY FRIDAY!! Enter code GRAY25 to receive your discount and remember, shipping is free for purchases of $60 or over!!

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: CurlMart's Biggest Sale Ever!: For 2 days only CurlMart is offering the BIGGEST DISCOUNT EVER - 25% OFF your entire order. Don't miss out on this exclusive gray friday of...

Curly Hair Care: Warning – 6 Natural Hair Warnings

These are GOOD warnings!! Read on my dear THoM readers, read on :)

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Warning – 6 Natural Hair Warnings: by Tammy Goodson of CurlyChics So you’re ready to go natural. You’ve grown bored with your relaxer and impatient with the current state ...

Houston's Natural Hair Scene is Flourishing!!

If you live in the Houston and surrounding areas you may have noticed an increase in Natural hair events and activities around town.  Not just that, but Natural hair salons and community groups are becoming more and more active as well.  In fact, I see more proud naturals walking around than I think I’ve ever seen before!  With all the city has to offer a curly girl, it’s a great time and place to be natural!

Uncle Funky’s Daughter recently hosted the Do What Comes Naturally workshop created to encourage the natural lifestyle and empower people to pursue their passions.  From the live demonstrations, vision board and art stations, free makeovers and lots of clothing and jewelry vendors, this event brought out hundreds of attendees to celebrate what being natural is truly about.  Tonya & Ray Reed opened the Uncle Funky’s Daughter Salon & Boutique in 2003 and both the salon and the brand have flourished.  They have received numerous national accolades and have most recently been spotted within the pages of Redbook, Juicy Ebony and Essence magazines.  I definitely look forward to more events like this from the Uncle Funky’s Daughter crew. 

Another top salon in the Houston area recently hosted their first of three Naturally Live series on Livestream.  Natural Resources Salon has been a staple in the Houston natural hair scene for the past 10 years, providing healthy hair care and maintenance for new and veteran naturals alike.  The first topics covered during the Livestream included “The Basics of Natural Hair Care & Going Natural in Corporate America”, areas that encouraged lots of dialog amongst the Livestream, Facebook and Twitter followers.  December 13^th will be the next event in the series and will cover “Healthy Product Ingredients to Look for & Holiday Style Ideas”; the session runs from 7:00p-8:30p CST and you can tune in at www.livestream.com/naturalresourcessalon.

Last but certainly not least, Houston will be home to the largest natural hair expo in Texas!  The Nzuri Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Showcase will take over Reliant center on December 10^th & 11^th and will prove to be an event you do NOT want to miss.  How can you go wrong with Miss Jessie’s leading the way as the key sponsor, world record holder for the largest Afro Aevin Dugas emceeing, numerous workshops and discussions including the awesome Bloggersphere panel, the Little Miss Happy Headed pageant for the young girls, two fashion shows sponsored by Macys, and lots and lots of vendors to get your shop on.  Still need another reason to make sure you are in the building?  Well how about tickets start at only $10 a day with kids 12 & under completely FREE!  What a way to round out the year!  You can find more information at www.naturalhairshowcase.com and you can purchase tickets directly through the This Hair of Mine link.

2011 is going out with a serious bang, and I hope we can keep this momentum going through 2012.  Natural Resources Salon will start it off strong by hosting their last Livestream series covering the topics of “The Big Chop & Fresh Natural Cuts and Shapes for the New Year” on January 17, 2012. I have a feeling 2012 will continue to be strong for the natural hair community in Houston.

Naturally Live!!

Last night I took part in the first of three Livestream series put on by Tameka, co-owner of Natural Resources Salon.  Y'all know I already LOVE what they do at the salon.  I had the pleasure of visiting them with the Nappy Love Houston meetup group last month and I was beyond impressed.  Since I've been natural I've been nervous about the idea of even entering a salon for fear that they wouldn't know what to do with my hair but trust me, Natural Resources will be my salon when I get to chance to make my appointment.  It's something about the open, honest and caring atmosphere they exude...they really do care about the HEALTH of your hair, not the length and they're not out to just get your money like I've seen other salons do. 

I digress lol!!  The Livestream started kinda shaky, there was an echo and we had a hard time hearing Tameka and the ladies.  The chat side was cutting up...that was actually fun interacting with people from across the states that tuned in.  Once the audio was fixed (I don't think it took more than 5 minutes) we were in business.  Tameka and the panel tackled the basics of natural hair care, going natural in corporate America, did several style demonstrations, and answered questions from the livestream attendees.  Sounds like a lot, but it was all done in a little more than an hour.  The ladies on the panel offered pretty candid answers to each topic which was refreshing to hear.  When it came to the topic of wearing your natural hair in the corporate world the Livestreamers really lit up at the question.  Many ladies felt they shouldn't have to change their for work, others mentioned they would wear their hair flat ironed for the interview then show up with the fro on the first day...they cracked me up!! Shout out to Misha, MarciaD, GPink26, Simplylici, Tiff, Plutofigaro, ARS, Kiapharm, Kdw4jc, Breanna and the other ladies that kept the Livestream so interesting!  And thanks to the all the ladies that kept it interactive by asking good questions, and thanks Tameka for answering them!!

What really struck me was when they played MY VIDEO from the Nappy Love Houston meet up...Tameka demonstrated several quick and easy styles, all taking well under 5 minutes to construct! If you missed it, I'll post it again for your viewing pleasure :)  Talk about proud mama...I was glad I had captured those moments at the salon and that they really were super easy to recreate.  I've actually done several of the styles myself and with great success!  Thanks Tameka for expanding my hairstyle arsenal!  All in all, I can't wait for the next session.  Was it perfect?  Not quite but it got better as the stream went on!  Was it genuine?  Absolutely!!  For those who chose to cut out before the end I'm almost positive I'll see y'all back on Dec 13th...try to give it a chance next time, you might pick up something worthwhile!  To Tameka, Natural Resources Salon, and the media crew I love the concept of the Livestream to connect and interact across the US.  My suggestions for the next time are pretty simple (I think) turn the mics off on the laptop when someone is typing (because we could hear EVERYTHING in the salon) if using a camcorder mount it on a tripod with a swivel (it was kinda crazy with the video swinging from person to person...I think it was a laptop webcam?) I don't know how feasible it would be to have mics, but sometimes it was hard to hear the panel while speaking, maybe allotting a bit more time at the end for questions would be helpful and maybe have a wider range of lengths represented on the panel (it was refreshing to see Naturals with longer hair, but a lot of ladies were new to being natural or had recently done their BC, and wanted to know more of the basics and styling for TWAs).

All in all I think it was a great experience...thanks Natural Resources, can't wait til the next one!!

Curly Hair Care: Castor Oil for Healthy Natural Hair Growth

I'm giving you guys the word on Castor Oil straight from CurlyNikki.com! I love me some JBCO...it's thick, works as a great sealer, and helps keep my ends fresh.

Do you use castor oil in your regimen?

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Castor Oil for Healthy Natural Hair Growth: By Dr. Phoenyx Austin of DrPhoenyx.com Ok ladies- last week we chatted a bit about one of my favorite essential oils- peppermint oil. Now ...

I made it to CurlyNikki.com!!!

Hey THoM family! I wanted to share with you my story that is currently on CurlyNikki.com as part of the 15 Days of Giving Thanks! I am SO happy right now, and I know I'm blessed!! Sometimes you just have to take the time to say "Thank You" to those who may know it, but haven't heard it in a while

I've been fortunate to not only have a supportive mother, father, brother and sister, but my extended family has been awesome too. We're rallying around my 87 year old grandmother at her time of need and while it's a sad time for all, it's also a time to thank God for all he has provided us with. 87 years of life, 13 living children and a whole crew of grand (and beyond) kids is a blessing indeed!

As my blog goes, words cannot express how thankful I am to have such wonderful readers! I may be new and small in numbers, but the spirit of THoM cannot be contained! Big things have come, are coming, and will continue to come. I am thankful and grateful for your continued support!

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: 15 Days of Giving Thanks- Lisa: Lisa writes: It may sound like something so trivial to some, but I am thankful every single day for my supportive family. I know quite a...

Are You Livestreaming?

Tonight starting at 7pm CST Natural Resources Salon will be hosting the first of three livestream series to "educate women on natural hair."  For those who don't know, I was a visitor and soon to be client at Natural Resources Salon, where they truly have your best interest at heart.  Tamika Fletcher is an awesome ambassador to the natural hair community and Natural Resources Salon is the perfect place to have your hair taken care of, whether it needs to be nurtured back to health or just pampered by the ultimate salon experience. 

The focus for tonight will be The Basics of Natural Hair Care & Going Natural in Corporate America. You do not want to miss this awesome series, especially if you are fresh on your natural hair journey or just want a professional's expertise.  You can click the picture below to take you to their livestream site so you can be part of this event.  There will be 2 more topics to be discussed in future events on December 13th and January 17th, 2012.  RSVP today HERE!  I will do a rundown in case you missed it, but I hope you can tune in.  Support our natural hair salons and small businesses, they truly mean a lot to our community!

Lisa Michelle

Happy 11:11:11:11

I hope you all had a great 11/11/11 at 11:11pm (since I missed 11:11am!)

I'm posting a TON of good stuff on my Facebook page so please make sure you join there as well.  I haven't made a video in a while but I figure I'll start with the ones I still need to edit lol!!

I'm really trying to get the word out about the Nzuri Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Showcase coming to Houston on December 10th & 11th!! I will be one of a handful of bloggers taking part in the first Nzuri Blogosphere :) GO THIS HAIR OF MINE!!! It's going to be so much fun, I can't even put it into words right now.  None other than BeautifulBrwnBabyDol herself is coordinating this fantastic experience so even if there weren't anything else, the chance to meet her is enough for me!  Please buy your tickets from my link, I appreciate your support!!

Buy your tickets HERE!!

As always, I so appreciate all of the support you've shown me through This Hair of Mine!! I love hearing the stories of triumph and success, trial and error, love and joy!  Natural hair is a beautiful thing :)

I'll leave you with a pic of my first attempt at a logo, hope you enjoy!

Lisa Michelle

Do What Comes Naturally!!

I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Do What Comes Naturally workshop held on November 6^th in Houston, Texas.  This event was coordinated by none other than Uncle Funky’s Daughter, one of the premier natural hair salons in the Houston area.  Established in 2003, they are a sustainable and chemical free salon, offering services to cultivate and pamper your curls.  This event, done in an ever so Funky fashion, aimed to “empower women to free themselves, embrace their natural beauty and follow their passion.”  I’d say they accomplished their mission!

Heading into the private art room

Conversing around the art displays

The Rice Hotel provided the perfect backdrop for this cultured event celebrating natural freedom.  Upon entry to the building we were greeted by lovely hostesses and directed up a grand staircase to enjoy all of the activities of the evening.  There was a space set up with art installations from local artists and there were also tasty hors d’oeuvres and beverages being served.  Next, we were welcomed into a vast meeting area where there were numerous tables, activity stations, vendor booths for us to visit.  They had even created a boutique area for us to shop!  You may not know, but Uncle Funky’s Daughter is not only a salon but a chic boutique where it’s easy to find all things fashionable.  We were invited to peruse the many tables and racks stocked with all sorts of clothes and accessories as we conversed among ourselves about how fantastic the fashions were.  I mean, who doesn’t like shopping!  All this and I haven’t even made it to the good stuff yet!

<>    

Attendees browsing in the boutique area

The spacious main gathering area is packed!

Being the host and primary sponsoring brand, Uncle Funky’s Daughter had a major presence throughout the building.  They had a large area set up offering their top products like Curly Magic and their signature tee shirts.  I even picked up a shirt with the theme of the night, “Do What Comes Naturally”.  As I went around the room, I viewed many of the patrons interacting with the vendors.  I bought a pair of handcrafted earrings from ChariT’s Inspirational Creations, the Lamik Beauty team offered free mini makeovers and beauty consultations, Green Seed Vegan kept the green drink shots coming, and I stood in line for a good 20 minutes for my fabulously free Minx manicure by Queen Minx.  I also booked an appointment to have my eyebrows pampered after having a free consultation at the Eyebrow Energy booth.  Many visitors also took the time to create artistic paintings and vision boards at those interactive stations.  We even got to be part of the Supernatural Power Photo shoot, capturing individual personalities with our very own natural signature phrases.  And that’s STILL not all!

Uncle Funky's Daughter!

Lamik Beauty with free mini makeovers

Queen Minx table with free manicures

<>   

Artistic painting class

ChariT's Inspirational Creations

Eyebrow Energy doing free consultations

<>   

Tonya doing a Curly Magic demo

Tonya Reed, co-founder of Uncle Funky’s Daughter, showed us how to use their top products during several product demonstrations on a few different types of hair.  She took the time to answer questions from us in the audience and, believe me, there were many!  Most of the ladies watching the demo primarily wanted to know what types and how much product to use while styling and how to maintain the style.  Tonya was very helpful and informative, and we all appreciated her candor. After the demonstration we were then energized by a few quick Zumba sessions which really got the crowd moving! 

I really enjoyed this event!  All types of naturals were represented, from the newly natural to veterans, from 2c to 4c, short hair, long hair, locs, and all things in between!  I especially loved seeing all the different hair styles and fashions of the attendees.  It was a joy networking and meeting new people, and generally just seeing people enjoy themselves.  If you ever have an opportunity to attend a natural hair or health expo don’t pass it up; it really is an awakening experience.  Events like these encourage people be free, be themselves, be healthy, and to “Do What Comes Naturally”. 

Yes...those are what you think they are!

 Tonya  & Ray Reed, pictured with Nnete of 97.9 on the left and Tonya's lovely mother on the right

Nnete (L) ME!! Tonya Reed (R)

<> 

My quick self portrait on the way out :)

Did you miss the Do What Comes Naturally event?  You still have an opportunity to attend the largest natural hair event in Texas, which is coming to Houston on December 10^th and 11^th, 2011.  The Nzuri Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Showcase, sponsored by Miss Jessie’s, is going to be a phenomenal event to include: workshops featuring some of the top natural hair stylists, fashion shows and competitions for both stylists and attendees, an opportunity to meet the world’s largest afro record holder Aevin Dugas, interact with the Blogosphere featuring several natural hair bloggers (including myself!), and even a Little Miss Happy Headed pageant for young natural girls!   Of course you’ll also have lots and lots of vendors to shop from and did I mention the first 500 attendees will receive a free swag bag?  So mark your calendars and get your tickets early, they’re just $10 for adults and kids 13 & under are FREE!  You can buy your tickets right HERE from This Hair of Mine! Hope to see you there!


Lisa Michelle
<>   <>  

Enjoying my new Uncle Funky shirt!

Step Outside of Your Box

I was watching an episode of Oprah's Life Class last night, and this time the series was focusing on breaking ruts, getting out of your normal routine, and generally stepping outside of your box.  She visited some of her old episodes and found ladies that had lost some of their zest for life and found ways to empower them.  One group of ladies were single mothers who had been living an unfulfilled life - they went skydiving and found their spirits again.  Another lady had always had weight issues, and she ended up shedding all of her clothes (down to her draws!) and pretty much ran through the neighborhood.  Another lady had become a frumpy mom, wearing applique sweaters year round.  She had lost her sexy and wanted to find herself again...so she got a makeover and had been practicing pole dancing to bring the spice back into her marriage.  She has since grew her business to an international company and still maintains a sense of self within herself and for her marriage.

I rocked my "Out The Box" Style...

This episode had me thinking about how this applies to my natural hair...am I stuck in a box?  In my thinking, strange or otherwise, I haven't relied on a "box" in over 7 years, but does my hair put me into another box?  I wear my staple style pretty frequently and don't usually divert from it, but maybe I should?  I've been doing a lot more experimenting with different styles, shapes, products...doing things I've only seen other naturals do.  I guess I have a fear of doing something SO different, SO outside the box, that it won't be received well.  Maybe I'm scared sometimes....okay I'll say it.  I AM SCARED sometimes to wear my hair in different styles.  But it shouldn't matter...it really shouldn't matter how people are going to receive me.  Guess what, if somebody doesn't like me for my hair then why should I care!  I may not be my hair, but it's an extension of self, and if you can't get with it...well I just can't waste my time worrying about somebody else's feelings when they don't make or break me.  I'm sure somebody else feels me out there...but for now I'm done ranting!!

Basically what I'm trying to say is step outside your box, don't get stuck in the same ole routine.  This can be extended beyond hair and into your everyday life....the only way to make a change is to do it.  You can't expect things to just happen if you don't put forth the effort to make it happen.  Look at me!!  I'm just reaching my 3rd full month of blogging about my hair, but now I can say I've been apart of a professional photo shoot, I've put out over 10 videos on YouTube, I have been able to reach so many people on Facebook, and I'm going to be a blogger for the biggest hair expo coming to Houston in December...I had to step outside the box, quit procrastinating, and speak what I hope for into existence.  God is SO good...when you finally give in and let Him work.  *steps down off preacher stool*

Have a wonderful day THoM family, thank you from the bottom of my heart, and remember it's okay to step outside your box :)

Lisa Michelle ;)

Natural Hair Tips & Myths for Newbies

I'm on NaturallyCurly.com again!!  Please go check my article out...I've giving a bit of insight about some of the important things I've picked up on my journey.  Thanks for your support THoM family :)

Natural Hair Tips & Myths for Newbies

Lisa Michelle

Curly Hair Care: Big, Bold and Beautiful

Check out Curly Nikki on Essence.com!!

Curly Nikki Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care: Big, Bold and Beautiful: Hola Chicas, It's Thursday which means we've officially taken over Essence for the day! Check out my latest installment, Big, Bold and B...

M.I.A.

Hi guys!! I know it looks like I've been M.I.A. from the blog in a week, but trust me, I'm working hard for THoM :)  I've been writing articles like crazy for NaturallyCurly.com, and I've also been honored to be one of 12 bloggers for the Nzuri Natural Hair, Healthy & Beauty Showcase coming December 10th & 11th.  I know, exciting right!!!  So that's where my attention has been lately...

 December 10 & 11, 2011!!! Hope to see you there!

I definitely don't want to short change my blog.  I've still be posting lots of updates and photos on my Facebook page....I can't believe I've almost reached 300 likes!! This truly moves my heart and I'm so glad I can reach so many people being one little ole me :)  As with my blog, I really want both pages to be interactive so don't be shy!  We're all a community to help one another, so ask questions, post pictures, start dialogs and most importantly make friends!!  That is what This Hair Of Mine is here for...we're an open community to celebrate natural hair triumphs (and fails! If something isn't working let us help solve the problem!)

I'm going to start a Q & A post on a regular basis.  Send your issues, questions, or concerns to lisa@thishairofmine.com and let the THoM family weigh in and offer advice, solutions and suggestions.  Also, if you know of any natural hair events coming to your area please feel free to post on the Facebook page or shoot me a quick email.  There's so many things going on over the next few months, and I definitely want our members to be aware of what's coming to an area near them. 

And speaking of events coming to an area near you, HOUSTON, we have an event on Sunday!! The Do What Comes Naturally event hosted by Uncle Funky's Daughter is happening this Sunday, November 6.  The event is from 3p-8p at The Rice Hotel, 909 Texas Ave.  The tickets are $20 but expect to get your money's worth!

Thank you guys again for being patient with me...oh yea, I'm coming up on my 3 MONTH BLOGIVERSARY :)  Yea for THIS HAIR OF MINE!!!

Much love!

Lisa Michelle