Protective styling: Faux bun!!

Hello!
So for the past week and a half, my hair has been in a protective style. I've been rocking a faux bun!!!!! Here in lovely Cleveland Ohio, it's been so cold out! So, I decided to take a small break from the mini twists and throw in my trusty faux bun. This is not my hair on top, it's actually dreadlock hair from my local beauty supply store. I bought 2 packs, each were $1.99. When making the bun, I only use about 1/3 of the hair from one pack. I like my buns to be full, but not to much hair, because to me to much hair is unrealistic looking. I could use my own hair for the bun, but I want to keep my hair protected as best as I can. I spray my hair with water daily, and wrap it up each night to keep my edges smooth. This style is perfect for all seasons, and a great way to protect your ends from manipulation and damage.
To slick my hair back and up I sprayed with water and used As I Am smoothing gel, along with creme of nature argan oil edge control. I brushed lightly, used 2 goody headbands and pulled into a bun style. Then proceeded to wrap the dreadlock hair around my real hair.
Let me know if you have questions! Peace and love
-Dani

Product review :-( *new* Shea moisture curl & shine conditioner

Greetings everyone!
After searching high and low, I have finally found a couple of the NEW Shea moisture products that recently hit target stores. These and a couple other new products hit target stores about 3-4 months ago. New products were added to the coconut hibiscus line (bottles with the pink label) and products were added to the raw Shea butter line (products with the golden/yellow label). I picked up the curl & shine conditioner and the frizz free curl mousse.
Let me just start out by saying that my hair is very protein sensitive. Protein sensitive simply means that my hair can't take a lot of product with protein in it. Protein makes my hair very dry and hard, sometimes brittle. My hair strands are very strong and coily to begin with, & proteins gives hair (mostly damaged hair) what it needs to maintain a strong and healthy look.
I decided to co wash my hair, with the curl and shine conditioner first. I immediately noticed a difference in the moisture levels of my hair when I applied this product to my hair in the shower. My hair was not feeling as moisturized as it did before I entered the shower and put it on my hair. Then it dawned on me....These products contain PROTEIN!!!! I completely forgot why I stopped using the Shea moisture coconut & hibiscus line. That was the reason why. After applying the product I tried to save my hair by adding my trusty tressemme naturals conditioner. It helped some, but not a lot :-( I got out the shower, moisturized with a leave in conditioner and sealed with a cream/oil. My hair was still a bit dry, even after I moisturized and sealed :-( next time I wash I will be using ACV (apple cider vinegar) to rinse and clarify my hair.

So, guys this product is a no go for me. Mainly because it is apart of the coconut and hibiscus line of the Shea moisture products. All of those products contains protein which is a no go for my hair :-( if you guys find them and try them out; let me know how you like them?

-Dani

Guest feature: Meet gorgeous natural Dawn!!!!

1. Please introduce yourself!

Hi Curlies! My name is Dawn Velez, I have been natural almost 2yrs. I chose to transition for one year before cutting the last of my straight ends off in August of 2012 instead of BC to take my journey.

2. Why did you decide to go natural/ become chemical free?

I decided to try going natural so that I could work out without having to worry about my hair sweating out, I had no idea what the journey would lead to. At the time I wasn't a big relaxer user anyway but I was addicted to the Dominican shop and relaxed my hair twice a year.

3. How would you describe your natural hair texture?

Katherine (my hair) has at least three different textures - Should have named her Sybil, For the most part its curly/wavy. I must admit I was disappointed at first, I wanted kinkier hair because there were many styles I pictured myself wearing as a natural. It wasn't until months after I fully transitioned that I was able to love and except my hair for what she is #bipolar :)

4. Describe your most recent style regimen within the last month.

This last month I have been playing with Wash and Go's I live in a warm climate so I have been able to experiment with what will keep my curls the entire day for me. I spray my hair with Water, Aloe Vera Juice and Sunflower Oil mix. Once its saturated or close to it I seal with oil and conditioner and smooth my edges with gel.

5. What's your go to hairstyle(s)

My go to style is the Afro or The Puff, both are very easy ways for me to correct a twist out or Bantu know Out that in my eyes was no bueno

6. Do you have a specific wash regimen?

Yes, Every week I have fun with my hair I call it Wash It Work It Wednesday, This is the day when I will try a new way to DC or just give my hair extra TLC.I prefer to co wash so I only use shampoo on my hair if I notice product build up which is about every three months.

7. What are some of your favorite hair products?

I only have a few products that I keep in steady rotation: Tresemme Naturals, V05 Moisture Milks, iC Fantasia Gel,Aloe Vera Gel, Aloe Vera Juice, Glycerin, Honey, Avocado, Greek Yogurt, Black Tea, ACV, Sunflower Oil, Grape Seed Oil, EVOO, Coconut Oil and of course WATER.

8. So you have any natural hair goals?

Yes, My primary goal is to have healthy hair, when I was relaxed I could brush or comb my hair and see my sink vanity with lots of hair strands and strands on the floor from breakage, this was the norm for me. I didn't know I had excessive heat damage.

9. Do you have any advice for other new naturals or those aspiring to be natural?

Yes, I know this may sound cliche but for new naturals patience is the key to you having a successful journey. I never took care of my hair before becoming natural if it wasn't the beautician doing it then it pretty much didn't get done. I had to learn to take care of & style my hair. This comes with a lot of trial and error. You may feel frustrated at times but its worth it to stay on your journey. If you are considering making the change to natural, do your research. Decide if you want to BC or Transition and become well versed on the pros and cons of either route. Once you have made your choice stick to it and keep an open mind, understand that just as when you were relaxed and had bad hair days and good hair days the natural journey is no different.
One last thing I would like to Add: Natural is for everybody which is the reason we are not born with tubs of relaxer attached to us.

*Dawn also sells tees & original designs s for naturals to express themselves while having relaxer free hair. Check out the link : http://www.cafepress.com/fancywear
Dawn also has a Facebook page ( fit & fancy flair natural hair) which gives insight on natural hair and the journey many naturals face. She also talks about how to improve health, not only for hair but for the body as well :-)
Thanks so much Dawn!!!

Min twists up do !

Hello everyone!
I'm sure by now, you can tell how much I love mini twists as a protective style and as an all around go to style in general. I try to wear my hair up and out of the way at least 3-4 days out of the week. This keeps my damaged prone ends from drying out, and keeps me from playing in my hair so much. Healthy ends are a must in regards to length retention, because the ends are the oldest part of our hair. My next hair goal is to get to bra strap length when stretched/flat ironed. I hope to get there by the time I hit 3 years natural in August! Last night I co washed with my new favorite As I am coconut co wash, and deep conditioned with my new conditioning bonnet purchased from Sally's for 10$ ( it was $1 off, so I really got it for $9 and some change). I let the heated bonnet sit on my head for about 30-45 minutes and rinsed out the conditioner. I then proceeded to twist my entire head, using the keracare natural textures leave in conditioner and the butter cream. I covered with my satin bonnet and went to bed. This morning, I pinned my hair up all over, bringing the front twists to the side and towards the back, and bringing the back twists, upwards towards the top of my head. I then used 2 black goody headbands in the front, to give security to front twists to make sure they stay put. I will be wearing these twists for the next 3 days, and may unravel them for the weekend :-) how do you protect your tresses? What are your favorite go to protective styles?

Thrift haul & cute statement muscle shirts <3

Hello everyone!
Coming by to show all the goodies I got from my local thrift store!!! I'm so excited to have found these vintage jewels :-) I got, a couple pairs of earrings and a gold chained belt with multicolored jewels in each chain. I paid about 10$ for all of these things :-) I find myself buying things from the thrift store more so than I do at that mall, because I have found that I find chic, fashion forward pieces!!!! Everything I buy, I make sure to clean thoroughly & dry clean immediately.

I also came across these cute statement shirts! When I seen these I had to get them. One is a shirt that says "Brooklyn we go hard" a line from a classic Notorious BIG song and the city where he's from! Another shirt says "Wu Tang", which is an awesome rap group! The last shirt says "limited edition", which I thought would be cute dressed up or dressed down :-)
I can't wait to wear all of these cute pieces! All of these items were very inexpensive, which for me, is a good thing!!!!!

Later,
Dani

Guest feature: Meet gorgeous natural Aisha!!!

Meet fellow natural & my beautiful cousin, Aisha!!!! She gives her tips and opinions about natural hair, confidence & enjoying what you've got!!!

1. Please introduce yourself!

Hi everyone! My name is Aisha. I’m a Social Worker and co-founder of the female street wear clothing line, TooChic.

2. Why did you decide to go natural/ become chemical free?

I got tired of conforming to fit in. I finally embraced "the real me".

3. How would you describe your natural hair texture?

My natural hair texture is wavy.

4. Describe your most recent style regimen within the last month.

Recently I've been protecting my hair with a sew-in due to the cold weather and working out.

5. What's your go to hairstyle(s)

My go to hairstyle is my afro and my fade, both of these hairstyles are so flexible and easy to manage. However, my box braids are my staple hairstyle, I love box braids because they allow you to be creative and they are a great protective hairstyle in the world of natural hair. Plus, box braids define my personality and style best.

6. Do you have a specific wash regimen?

I use a sulfate free shampoo, because it will not strip your hair of its moisture.
I use a moisturizing conditioner, it helps with detangling my hair and it keeps it soft. I also use a leave in conditioner, it helps restore shine and luster.

7. What are some of your favorite hair products?

I'm always trying something new! But some of my favorite hair products includes: Carol's Daughter products and Oyin Handmade products. I also like Khoret Amen Hair Oil, Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding and Burt’s Bees Hair Repair Deep Conditioner.

8. So you have any natural hair goals?

*To increase my water intake to keep my scalp hydrated.

*To use less heat as possible.
*Continue taking vitamins that aid in hair health.
*To only use products that I know works for my hair.
*By summer of 2014 I am hoping to be bra strap length when stretched.

9. Do you have any advice for other new naturals or those aspiring to be natural?

*Don't be afraid to try new things.
*Use You Tube to find new natural hair styles and products.
*Be patient!

*You can follow Aisha on Instagram @_aishabernice or you can follow her on twitter @shewholives! Feel free to leave any comments or questions you may have*

Final review: As I am smoothing gel..

Good morning loves!
So the here's the word on the smoothing gel by As I am. I loved it!!!!!! Gave my hair hold, but didn't leave it crunchy. I can tell there are oils and ingredients in it that nourish my hair also, and it doesnt leave my hair greasy. It's definitely being added to my list of products, next to my beloved ampro olive oil gel!!!! I will definitely repurchase. It gets a 4/5 for me :-). Pretty soon I will be checking out the rest of the As I am products. Not right away though, because some of the products are a little pricey. Thanks for tuning in! See you guys later.
-Dani <3