Trading Spaces

Soooo I've outgrown the room I currently work in, I mean seriously outgrown ... for a whilllle now! 

Well, FINALLY I am moving into a larger work spaceeee! Yay! I can't wait to really get in there and start doing my thing. It's been a little tricky with moving going on and orders still coming in, and on top that I fell ill for a couple of days in between, buuuut the process is moving along fairly well. 

Here's a sneak peak of how things are coming along... 

As soon as everything is all done I will give you all the grand tour =)

UPDATE!
So it's all done! Here's the finished product:

Handy headwraps for bad hair days...

 All hair is good hair, but all 'hair days' aren't always good ones! Head wraps are a fabulous way to get through a "bad hair day" unscathed =) Sometimes I forget how handy headwraps can be:

You're on vacation, and you're more interested in seeing the sites that seeing about your hair? Head wraps don't take up much space in your suitcase but can be a cute accessory and handy time-saving tool! Just pack 2 or 3 head wraps in neutral colours which can go with various outfits...

On the go and your twistout starts to frizz from the humidity? A handy headwrap converts a failed twistout into a cute chunky puff.

A headwrap can take you from this:

to this, and out the door in 5 minutes.

Half-way through braiding/combing your hair and your friends call you to go hang out for a bit? =) 

Head wrap to the rescue!

Headwraps ... the ultimate 'bad hair day' fix!

Building a Hair Regimen

be consistent ... your hair will thank you for it!

Many natural newbies and anyone interested in beginning a healthy hair journey, may often wonder: “Do I NEED to develop a hair regimen? Can I just ‘wing it’ and take things as they go? Will following a regimen be difficult? Will I get bored?” Listen, I firmly believe hair should be fun, not work! So it’s not like I want to take the fun or creativity out of anyone’s hair journey, but I think developing a hair regimen can really make a huge difference in the positive results you can achieve in your quest for healthy hair!

Following a hair regimen may sound like a tedious task, but trust me the more you practise a system; eventually it becomes like second nature and it will just become part of your lifestyle. I’ve found that once I am consistent my hair thrives, from the time things get haphazard I see a change in the health of my hair. Maybe it’s all in my head =) but let's continue. If you’re like me and you tend to get bored easily you can incorporate creativity even in the habitual. For instance, if you perform a particular task routinely you can switch up the products used to achieve that task, especially if you’ve found several things that work for you. So, for example your weekly deep conditioning session can involve greek yogurt, olive oil and honey one week, or store-bought hair mayonnaise the next week, yet another week – half an avocado from your fridge with an egg for protein.

When building a regimen, here are a few things to consider:

Your Personality: Are you a “no fuss” kind of person? Then try to avoid a routine that’s too complicated or elaborate, eventually you may just get frustrated. If you’re a creative type, you may be able to incorporate several different activities into your regimen to peak your interest or several different ways to accomplish the same goal.

Your Skill Level: I know, I know, persistence has its place but let’s be real for one second here: not everyone is good at doing hair! (did I say that? =) yep!) Yes persistence pays off, but there are some people that get things right away and others who will need time to hone certain skills and techniques. So ask yourself: How comfortable do I feel doing my own hair? What techniques can I do well /do I need to work on? Maybe you can do certain aspects of the routine yourself and have someone else help you with styling, OR maybe you’re good at styling but you really tangle your hair when you wash. Evaluate your skills honestly and then decide what you can improve with practice and what you may need assistance with.

Your Lifestyle: What is a typical day/week/weekend like for you? Are you a graduate student with a busy schedule on a tight budget? A mom of toddlers with very little ‘me-time’? An athlete? Keep your regimen practical and relevant to you.

Your Hair Goals: Do you want to retain more length? Are you transitioning? Whether you’re working on your thinning hairline or split ends, or you have breakage, dryness issues, or even want to maintain what you have. Your goals are a great way to help you plan and to inspire you to keep going on your journey.

Your ‘Hairsonality’: What does your hair like? What works for one person’s hair may not work for yours, so listen to what your hair is ‘saying’, it’s not always about what the latest trend in hair care is. What is your hair type? Now, I don’t necessarily follow the numbering system, but it’s a useful exercise to see if the regimen of persons whose hair looks similar to yours can work for you (or if they wear a similar hairstyle to yours, such as locs). Also based on the type of hair you have you can decide honestly what can be in your regimen. I for one know that I don’t really have ‘wash and go’ hair, I have ‘wash and fro’ hair, #keepinitreal LOL so I would not try to incorporate a “wash and define curls and head out for the day” session into my regimen, it just has never really worked on my hair.

I will do another post soon on my own hair regimen so you can see how I sectioned everything out, but until then, take a few minutes to sit and consider these questions and make some notes and soon you’ll be on your way to developing an iron-clad hair regimen!

(yes there's more! =) in Part 2)

Coo Coo for Afro Puffs!

I LOVE AFRO PUFFS!! There's just something about fluffing my puff, slapping on some big earrings and stepping out for the day, or getting all dressed up for a fancy occasion and having a huge puff that makes you really stand out! If I could, I'd wear puffs everyday, but alas, everyone's hair is different and though some people can wear their hair loose all the time with no problems, my hair just cannot take it! It just thrives better when its put away in protective styles - it can't take the constant manipulation (braiding the hair at night and doing the puff again next day), added to the fact that my edges are naturally a bit thin and easy to break off so I really should go easy on the headbands ... so I have to settle for occasional puffs *insert pout here*

When my hair was shorter it was easy to just comb my hairline upwards slip on the headband and go, but as my hair grew I had to figure out a way to do a puff that minimized the amount of hair that came out while trying to do this style. Here's a step by step tutorial on how I do my perfect afro puff:

1. I start off with hair that is in large plaits. These are just the plaits I slept in overnight.

2. Undo the braids one at a time starting with the middle of your head. Comb out each braid when you undo it. As you unloose each braid secure the combed out hair in a ponytail holder before moving on to another braid.

3. Work your way outward from the middle of your head leaving the braids at the hairline for last. 

4. Comb up complete. By now you hair should be combed out and secured in a ponytail. It sounds like a tedious process combing out and securing each braid one by one but it is worth it because you lose ALOT less hair and the front/sides of your puff lay very smooth. 

5. (Optional Step). Apply Gel right around your edges and then use your hands to smooth your hair. You can do puffs without gel, they are just as cute, but the gel gives it a more polished finish in my view.

6. I use the Goody or Scunci ‘ouchless headbands’. When I buy them, I stretch them out a bit first so they aren't as new and don’t feel as tight. I place the headband around my neck and then double it if necessary.

7. Bring the headband up and set into place.

8. Do any last minute brushing now - If your hair is fuzzy like mine, stuff has already started going on since you smoothed on the gel =)

9. Gently slide the head band up a couple inches but not too far back yet or it will slip off.

10. Undo the ponytail at the back and then continue sliding the headband back. Don't carry it all the way up, leave it as high or low as you think suits you. I usually just carry it up about 1-2 more inches. Leaving the band half way like this makes the puff on top look bigger than a normal ponytail.

11. Shake vigorously =)

12. After a good shaking, use your hands to gently fluff the hair on the top to get a roundish shape. Don’t stress if it is not completely round at first. I usually find that my puff looks really crazy when I just do it but, after a while, especially if my hair is a little bit damp, the shrinkage just makes the puff neaten itself out after I walk around the house a bit.

13. (Optional Step) If you used gel you may want to place a scarf around the edges to set the wave pattern. Ideally, use a scarf made of satin, silk or any other hair friendly material, not a cotton-type scarf. I leave my scarf on for at least 10 minutes while I get ready, but I guess the longer the better. If I'm getting ready to go out I just leave it on while driving there and remove it before I get out of the car.

14. I also mist the puff lightly with my moisturizing spritz. It causes my puff to shrink slightly but it does keep my hair soft all day and makes it easier to comb out when I get home.

So there you have it! You can use this same method to make a ponytail in natural hair (Just do steps 1 - 4). After you do this method a few times it becomes really easy, and you get through it much faster. If you have suggestions or questions don't hesitate to comment below! This is how I do MY afro puff. What method do you use?