Enter for a chance to win some fabulous natural hair products on Naturally Curly's website. Everyday features a different set of products for giveaway. You may enter EVERY single day. So what are you waiting for??? visit their website now to be a part of this great offer:

http://www.naturallycurly.com/

Monica Calhoun showcased her TWA at the Best Man Holiday Premiere recently. This look is really radiant on her and I love how she wears it with pride. This is another reminder that short hair doesn't equal ugly hair. You can still look beautiful and classy whether your hair is as short as a stub or waist length. Beauty is within and if you are able to embrace the beauty that is within you, then you will be able to appreciate yourself for who you are and not how you look. Confidence is Priceless!!!

 #monicacalhoun #bestmanholiday #naturalcelebrities #twa #bigchop

 A Naturalista's Must Haves

Natural hair care is a lifestyle, and one that requires much attention, nurturing and commitment. It involves several processes and practices that need to be executed routinely in order to achieve optimal results in our hair care journey. Accomplishing set hair goals can be challenging if the proper tools, accessories and styling aids are not utilized. The following are items that every natural should have at all times to ensure that they are properly equipped for a smooth ride along their natural hair journey.

1. Satin Bonnet/Scarf

To provide protection and retain moisture during those long hours while you are asleep, it is imperative that you wear a satin bonnet or scarf. The key to achieving and maintaining healthy natural hair lies in your ability to keep your hair, especially the ends, protected and moisture-rich. A satin scarf or bonnet serves to accomplish a state of protectiveness and at the same time guard against moisture deprivation. The exposure of your uncovered hair to damage caused by friction with most bedding fabric, poses a threat to the health of your hair. The rough, cotton-like texture of most sheets or pillow cases can cause your hair to break off if not protected under a softer, silkier, more delicate covering. An alternative to wearing these protective coverings may be to sleep on a satin pillow case. But of course there is the possibility that you can end up slipping off your pillow at some point during your sleep thus making your hair exposed to whatever other fabric your sheet is made of. Whilst sleeping on a satin pillowcase may suffice, there is also the threat of your hair being more likely to dry out due to exposure to the air. The frequency with which you decide to use your satin bonnet or scarf is totally up to you. But one thing is for sure, it is a very important must have for any natural.

2. Wide Tooth Comb

Untamed tangles can tear your hair out in a very bad way. The importance of detangling for a natural cannot be stressed enough. Having to contend with knots can be a nightmare. It is possible to keep them to a minimum but, in most cases, they cannot be totally avoided. Knowing the best approach to combat tangles and knots will determine the effectiveness in removing them. Not only is the technique important but the tool is, as well. A seamless, wide tooth comb is the highly recommended tool of choice. This glides easily through your hair, and minimizes the likelihood of the teeth snagging on and pulling out strands of your hair. These combs are suitable for hair of all different textures and length and are effective for tackling the task of detangling both wet and dry hair. Wide tooth combs can be used on wash day for detangling, on regular days for interim detangling and also for styling. A Naturalista's stash of tools would not be complete without this very important piece. Brands may vary but they typically offer the same benefits. The selection process is not a huge deal.

3. Spray Bottle 

The lifeblood of natural hair is moisture. Finding a quick, easy and convenient way to introduce moisture to your hair is top priority. Daily moisture is essential for the prevention of dry, brittle hair. Usually water is the best source of moisture for natural hair. This can be used as a base for adding leave-in conditioner and carrier oils of choice. Daily moisturizing spritz can be tailored to suit your need or liking. Having a spray bottle in your possession at all times is a must if you wish to have a safe and drama-free application process. Spray bottles are pretty inexpensive and are available in various shapes, colors and sizes. With life being so fast paced and complicated at times, it is a welcomed treat to embrace ways to simplify it.

4. Bobbi Pins

A Naturalista's key to easy, quick and effortless hairstyling lies with a very small but vital tool.....the Bobby Pin. It is able to create almost any hairdo for any occasion and in situations where you may be experiencing a bad hair day, the bobby pin may be your saving grace. This styling tool allows for the creation and recreation of some of the most amazing natural hairstyles. Mohawks, buns, and French rolls are but a few of the many hairstyles that are afforded with the use of bobby pins. Without this amazing tool in your stash of natural hair must haves, hairstyling could prove to be a challenge. Bobby pins are available in different sizes, lengths and colors. It is advised that you acquire a good variety which will enable you to readily explore the versatility of natural hair. As a tip, use a pouch or caddy exclusively for the purpose of holding your bobby pins as they can sometimes be very elusive and can never be found when you need them most. If your hair is natural and you do not have this essential item, add it to your shopping list today, it will be sure to improve your hairstyling experience. 

5. Plastic/Shower Cap

Whether your hair is natural or chemically treated, the preservation of a hairstyle is highly dependent on the use of a shower cap. Shower caps as the name suggests, were designed to cover the hair while taking a shower. As we know, adding water to your hair, regardless of its state, changes the whole dynamic of it. Natural hair that was nicely styled and defined can become an instant shrunken poof ball if water is introduced to it. The shower cap was created to prevent this drama and is an undoubted must have for all naturals. 

The shower cap plays a dual role in that it not only prevents the destruction of hairdos but it is often used as the magic behind a deep condition or deep treatment. A plastic or shower cap, when used to cover conditioned hair, helps create heat that causes the conditioner to be easily absorbed and penetrated into the hair. This item should be stocked in multiples at all times as you can go through them very quickly. Keep a mental inventory of your caps as running out of them can spell disaster for your hair. 

6. Ouchless Goody Bands

Ouchless goody bands are seamless, metal-free hair bands that are used to gather your hair. If you are natural, you may have already heard that natural hair is very fragile, brittle and weak and, as such, has to be handled with care. In the past, most hair bands or clips were made using metal to join the two ends. This proved very problematic and damaging as hair would easily get snagged in the metal portion. The introduction of seamless bands was genius. It provides a safe way to create a ponytail or to just pull the hair out of the way to cleanse your face etc. This is a very important item to have. It is safe, convenient and can be useful on a daily basis. 

 

7. Sulfate Free Shampoo

Using shampoos can be very harsh and drying to the hair. Find a shampoo that is free of sulfate and other harsh chemicals. A moisture retention shampoo is best as it will not leave your hair feeling stripped of its natural oils. For a lot of naturals shampooing has been replaced with co washing or conditioner washing but from time to time your hair will require a good cleansing with a mild shampoo to get rid of excess build up. Always have a sulfate free shampoo in your medicine cabinet for this purpose.

8. Conditioners and Deep Conditioners

Having soft, moisturized hair is among the top priority for naturals. Keeping an abundant supply of rich, highly moisturizing conditioner and deep conditioner is of paramount importance. With many naturals doing co washes instead of shampoos, it is even more important to ensure that you have this very vital hair care product handy at all times. 

There is a very long list of natural needs which may vary from one hair type to another, one hair length to another or simply from one preference to another. The items listed above are just a few of these needs and are not listed in any particular order of importance. Everyone's stash will not be identical but there are certainly some items that are definite must haves in order to enjoy a smooth, pleasant natural hair journey.

Original article written by me on http://www.newdmagazine.com/apps/articles/web/articleid/78459/columnid/5466/default.asp

My Protein Overdose

My Protein Damage Experience

About a year ago I entered and won a giveaway for a natural hair product line. I was excited, it was my first ever win and I mean EVER!!!!!Being a YouTube natural hair vlogger, it was only natural for me to review these products in order to share the experience with my wonderful YouTube family. Off I went, prepping, lights, camera, action!!! I proceeded my wash day routine using all four products from the line. I began by applying the shampoo which I loved so much as it had great slip on my hair and was very moisturizing. I then went on to condition my hair and like I do many times, left the conditioner on for hours on end while I did my chores around the house. I cant say exactly how long I had it on my hair for but lets just say I started washing my hair at 10 am and at the end the rod setting process it was a little after midnight....SIGH!!!!!!!
OK so when I finally decided to wash the people's conditioner out of my hair I followed up with the leave in conditioner and immediately piled on the gel-like styling product on each tiny section before installing the perm rods. During that process I was horrified by how my hair felt. It was very crusty and dry and had no form of moisture. I tried adding other moisturizing products and proceeded to finish up my setting. The next morning my hair turned out very cute although it was very hard and crunchy to the touch. I rocked out the style and thought everything was A-OK.
It was not until my next wash day that I realized that I was faced with an unidentified monster at the time. After I washed all the product from my hair with my regular shampoo and used a generous amount  my regular conditioner, I was smacked right in the face by Mr. Crusty. My hair was still feeling very very dry and weird in texture. Wash day after wash day I would plaster my hair with the most moisturizing conditioners under the sun, to no avail. The dryness just wouldn't let up and I noticed it was especially noticeable at the ends of my hair.
A few months later my attention was drawn to the subject of Protein Damage and I started to examine the symptoms of it and realized that I was experiencing some of those symptoms on my natural hair. A light bulb soon went off in my head and decided to check if per chance, any of the products that I had won had protein in them. To my amazement, protein was present in all four products from the line. It was my OMG moment....I was a victim, and an unsuspecting one. I learned so may lessons from that experience, the primary being that I should ALWAYS read my labels and adhere to the time recommendations specified. Had I not kept all that protein on my hair for hours on end I would not have faced that natural hair dilemma. This blog is just to share my experience and to sensitize my fellow naturals about this potential killer called protein overload.
Despite many attempts I unable to regain my texture and was forced to gradually cut off the damaged ends and make way for the healthy, soft new growth that would follow. I in no wise blame the product for the outcome and it may sound surprising but I would use the products again following proper directions. Just popping in to share that update with you and as usual, its my pleasure to take it to you......NATURALLY!!!!
Peace.

THE SECOND CUT IS THE DEEPEST.........My Involuntary Medium Chop.

My memories of my big chop three years ago are not unpleasant ones. It didn't take much coercing, prompting or prodding and as a matter of fact it was not prematurely thought out but was done spontaneously on day after a routine wash. I knew I would eventually have to do it but hadn't planned on doing it until the distant future. I had started by just doing interim trims in between my protective styles and on the day of my big chop I had planned to do just that, when I had a "what the heck" moment and just cut it all off. I fell instantly in love with my very short, easy to manage natural hair and was very enthusiastic about the journey ahead.

I have learnt a great deal along the way and have had many experiences as I progressed along. One not so pleasant experience is my recent involuntary medium chop which I was forced to do because of my overexposure to protein. I discovered that my hair is protein sensitive after using a line of four products which all contained protein. After completing the process of applying all the products, my hair instantly felt nothing short of a brillo pad, it was dry and crusty to say the least. This happened more than six months ago and ever since it happened I have been deep conditioning and using moisturizing products which seemed to correct the problem while the products remained on my hair, but once the moisture left my hair it would revert to feeling very dry and coarse again. I started doing some research as to possible causes and realized that protein
overdose was a probable cause.
Like I said, once I applied moisture my hair felt fine and certainly looked great to the naked eye so although I was bothered by it I still continued to do what I had to do. I also started trimming gradually to get rid of the portions of hair that felt damaged on a gradual basis. Last week I decided to just "cut" my losses and just do a massive chop after I was challenged by my very own article written for Newd Magazine titled "Activate Your Trimming Radar" http://www.newdmagazine.com/apps/articles/web/articleid/78761/columnid//default.asp
The article speaks about identifying signs that you needed a trim, and I knew I needed a little more than just a trim so I took my own advice and decided to do the dreaded act of cutting my hair.
It was not very easy to do. In total I had cut off over 8 months worth of hair growth totaling about four inches....I am sad about it but I know it is hair and it will grow back. Now that I am aware of my hair's protein sensitivity I am able to better chose the products that work best for my hair and I am Looking forward to growing a healthy head of hair....woohoooo!!!!!

The ABCs of Natural Hair

Natural Hair care can become overwhelming if there is lack of or misuse of knowledge. Simple tips can be very helpful and can make a world of difference in the life of a natural. Consider the following alphabetical tips to be be shared daily in increments of three, which will serve as a point of information or in some cases a reminder.



A - Accelerate hair growth by adopting a diet high in fruits and vegetables and drinking lots and lots of water. Vitamin E for example improves circulation to the scalp. When your scalp does not have enough blood circulation, the roots of your hair don't receive enough nutrients  to support the strength and life of your hair follicle. Vitamin deficiencies resulting from an unhealthy diet can cause dry brittle hair, which makes your hair more likely to break and as a result not retain length.




B - Brushing your hair too often is not a good idea. Excessive brushing of your hair can actually pull them out of their follicles. Brushing should be avoided or kept at a bare minimum.If you must brush your natural hair try to do so using a Denman wide bristled brush.



C - Cover your hair at nights or whenever you sleep, with a satin bonnet or scarf. This protects the hair from being exposed to breakage. Direct exposure to the fabric used to make bedding can have a drying effect on your hair and the friction between your hair and the bedding can also cause your hair to break. Covering your hair also helps to maintain moisture.