DARK 'N' LOVELY BRAIDS' N WEAVES SYSTEM

A few months back the lovely people at Dark 'n' Lovely (Courtesy Aretha Yorke Sabeng and Annette Akye of NaturalistaGh) contacted me to review products from their Braids' n Weaves line. This line of product is geared towards "keeping your braids or weaves as neat and fresh as the first day!!"

HIBISCUS CONDITIONER MIX

Since i dyed my hair, i have had to re-organize a few things. I have had to condition and deep condition more.
I tried the hibiscus conditioner mix and i must confess that i liked it but when it got to washing it out, it almost drove me crazy.

Now, let me list the benefits of hibiscus for the hair.
Hibiscus has been known for its conditioning properties;

• stimulating hair growth and helping to prevent hair fall.
• It can be mixed with ayuverdic herbs (amla - to thicken the hair and prevent premature grey strands) or henna to achieve a red/burgundy tinge.
• It can also be used as a tea (hair) rinse to help promote hair shine. ( info. from the Sheabutter Cottage)

 Hibiscus powder from the sheabutter cottage

STYLING MY DIFFERENT SHADES OF BLONDE

I love my new colour. Its my babe now because i have to treat and handle it with soo much care.
I loved my natural hair colour and how i styled it but i love my new colour a whole lot more these days.

 A simple bun at the back and a tweaked hump. Basically one large two strand twist, teased and pinned down. No gel.

POP OF COLOURS (THE DYE JOB)

This "insanity" was my third time at taking a box dye to my natural hair. I know some naturals are skeptical about altering the colour and to some extent the texture of their hair. But as i usually say "its just hair" and it will grow back.
I purchased this box dye sometime ago but never got round to actually using it. To commemorate two long back breaking years of an Mphil programme, i decided that it was time for some colour and liberation.

The exact box dye!!! Ginger Blonde

THE MULTIPLE HUMPS

Eeeerm i dont really know the exact name for this hairstyle i rocked to church on Easter sunday, but if anyone knows it please send it my way. Until then i will call it the multiple humps. I watched a youtube video of this style and i liked it so much that i decided to recreate it and i think i must have done something right because i had amazing comments. The best comment was from a guy who seemed so intrigued that natural hair grows long (ladies!!! lets show them paaaaa, lol).

AFRICAN THREADING

Over the weekend i finally succumbed and comb detangled my hair after constant finger detangling for almost 5 months. I was expecting two outcomes. One, either to loose a lot of hair and go crazy or to just comb out the shed hairs. Well, i was surprised nonetheless when i only eliminated just shed hair (yesss!!! i inspected it). Finger detangling can do no wrong as far as i am concerned. I dont even own a rat tail comb. I forgot to take pictures after i took down the threads. Soo sorry about that.

REVIEW OF HAITIAN BLACK CASTOR OIL: 1. DEEP CONDITIONER MIX

My first review of this oil from sheabutter cottage will be how I used it in my deep conditioning process and my results after it. My first thoughts of this oil were

• I love the packaging. The packaging (bottle) is rubber and so dropping it due to conditioner or hair product-slippery fingers is not a problem. You can easily pick it up right away if it falls. The labelling is also on point, easy to read and traceable right back to the manufacturer (sheabutter cottage). It provides a little background into the origin of the oil and instructions on how to use it. The smell of Haitian Black Castor Oil is similar to the regular JBCO (and am sure the same for castor oil in general except the scented ones).

• 

  Oil under review. HAITIAN BLACK CASTOR OIL
  

HAITIAN BLACK CASTOR OIL

If you read some of my posts on Facebook, then you must know by now that I love love Castor oil specifically Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO). It’s simply my liquid gold in a bottle. I use it in several ways.

·         I massage my edges with it

·         I add few drops to my deep conditioner mixes

·         I use it as a hot oil treatment

·         I seal in moisture with this oil

This oil is simply amazing!!!!!!!

Some of the benefits of JBCO (and I tend to think castor oil in general) are

·         It thickens the hair

·         Grows out the edges

·         Softens the hair

Last weekend I was gifted a bottle of HAITIAN BLACK CASTOR OIL (HBCO) from sheabutter cottage (Thank you Mrs. Wood). 

Haitian Black Castor Oil.

The JBCO and HBCO are both castor oils from different countries, the first from JAMAICA and the latter from HAITI. I am not expecting vast differences between the two in terms of consistent and amazing results. I will have a pictorial post of all the various ways in which I plan to utilize this oil.

SHEABUTTER COTTAGES’ SANKOFA DAY MEETUP

Last weekend (5/04/2014) I attended the meet up organized by the founder of sheabutter cottage (Mrs. Akua Wood). If you couldn’t make it, then you missed out greatly. For me it wasn’t just about the products on display that caught my fancy. The highlight of my day was meeting all the lovely ladies (and yes there were a lot of natural haired beauties and some relaxed hair ladies too). I saw amazing products, hairstyles and great personalities. It was a pleasure meeting for the first time some of y’all who follow me on face book. Thank you.

 

Such an amazing view. I dare you to say natural aight beautiful

BANTU KNOTS!!!

I am not a newbie when it comes to bantu knots but over the years what i usually do is bantu knot only the front section of my hair and leave the back sections loose.

I CUT MY HAIR!!!

Well the title of this post is scary. I only cut a few inches off my hair. This year is all about better and a healthy hair journey. I will like to call it a much needed trim.

Just a few inches from my length and my wash days go soo fast. My hair has got a lot of body and character now. Am enjoying my current length.

AU NATURALE for 2014!!!!

Hi everyone,
I am soo late with this post but i will fill you in on all that i have been up to since January with respect to shindigs concerning my hair.
So i decided at the beginning of the year to shake up my hair regime drastically. It was a major shake y'all!!!!. Some of the changes i made are ridiculous but "its just hair, if it falls out i will nurture it back". Lol
Below are the changes i have made and they are all jeered towards a better and healthy hair journey.

1. I have stopped combing or detangling my hair with any combs (wide tooth or small tooth combs). What i do instead is finger detangling. If you dont understand please watch this video below from afroDiva Nally.