The All Stars

Next week on August 2 I will be celebrating 1 year of being 100% natural.  As I look back over the last year I can tell you I have learned so much about my hair and about myself.  Like so many others what started out as a journey toward longer healthy hair has turned into a journey of self discovery. I have gained so much more self confidence and pride in who and what I am. I have learned to truly love my hair even on the bad hair days. I could never say that about my relaxed hair. And beyond that gone are the beliefs that I need to look like another race to be beautiful or attractive.  Along this journey I have met some of the most amazing women.  I think that is what has made this journey even more fulfilling are the random conversations I have had with people on blogs, YouTube, at natural hair events or even in the grocery store. It is like when other naturals come into contact with each other that we have a special sisterly bond immediately.  That never happened when I was relaxed. No one came up to me asking what product I used or how I got my hair to do a certain thing. But that happens almost daily as a natural. So after a year I am in reflection mode as you can see.  I wanted to do a post listing my favorite products, companies and websites for ordering. (this is a question I get alllll the time ;D)  enjoy

My Favorite Natural Hair Products (things that are always on my shelf)

The Kinky Curly Line will probably always be my favorite line. As a WnG girl nothing but nothing can do what Kinky Curly does for my hair and that is give me banging hair for 7 days!!!! I just did two videos on my YouTube channel (NurekaD) about the Kinky Curly line check it out.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this hair/body oil. I never use it on my body but I do use it on my hair EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!!  I know I talk about the Darcy's Botanical Plum Kernel Nectar all the time but I am telling you I love it. I use this between my leave-in and gel when I do WnGs and each day their after to refresh my WnG. It is great and smells amazing. They do have other oils on the Darcy's web site but this is my favorite.

Curls Coconut Sublime Conditioner is my favorite go to conditioner. It smells great, has great slip and is a great value. Really what more could you ask for. This was actually one of the first natural hair products I tried when I was transitioning.  I purchase it at www.curls.biz and it is only $30 for 32oz!!!! Plus if you spend over $50 you get free shipping, so I always order 2. I love this stuff and I am never without a bottle of it. 

BASK YAM Nectar is allllll that. I did a full review on a post a couple of months ago. This is by far the best deep conditioner I have ever used hands down. My hair was super soft and stayed de-tangled for days. How is that even possible?  My fingers were gliding through my hair. My only regret is I did not buy more when I was at the Natural Hair Show. Trust me when my no buy is over I will be stocking up on this stuff.

Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade.  I freaking love this stuff. For starters it smells like hot caramel popcorn in the mall, like exactly like that.  Secondly it liquefies in your hands and is more like an oil. My hair loves it so much.  Whenever I pull my hair back in a puff I use this to slick back my hair and it does a great job and does not interfere with any of my stylers including Kinky Curly. This is another product you will always find on my shelf. 

My Favorite Natural Hair Companies

Kinky Curly -

Really do I even need to say why.

Curls-

They have a comprehensive line of natural hair products.  I have loved every single product I have used from this company. I love that they have a salon line ans a retail line so everyone is able to get their products. Great great customer service also.

Darcy's Botanicals-

Everything just smells so dang good from this company.  I love the Plum Kernel Nectar of course and the Pumpkin seed conditioner is off the chain!!!! I love most of the products I have tried from Darcy's.

Oyin Handmade-

Great customer service and super awesome products.  their website is super cute and I have loved everything I have tried. I keep Oyin products in my rotation.

BASK-

I have just within the last few months started to use BASK products but everything I try makes me want to do a huge order with them to buy more. Great ingredients and they sell out all the time so that should tell you something. 

My Favorite Websites to order from

Other than ordering directly from the company I have found the following to be great sites for their deals, customer service and for getting your order to you quickly.

www.iherb.com

this is the best place to buy Kinky Curly because of the price, free shipping and no sales tax, plus if you spend over $80 you get 5% off!!! And you get your order super fast.

www.aveyou.com

They have sales all the time, great deals on shipping and they have a wide range of products

www.curlmart.com

SALES ALLLLLL the time great deals on shipping and free samples with every purchase

www.sagenaturalceuticals.com 

Absolutely awesome customer service. They are very quick to get your order to you and they have a huge variety of products.

www.nounouboutique.com

Very personal customer service and super fast delivery with samples. 

No Buy Challenge!!!!

All my Hair Products back in the fall

(I have soooo much more now)

WNHS Product Haul

As you can see from the pictures I have a problem.  I did not set out to own every natural hair product ever made, but..... well I think I do. Much like most additions it did not happen over night.  While I transitioned I gathered products very slowly, then I started attending natural hair events and started winning giveaways and learning of various natural hair companies and wanting to try new things as I experimented with my new all natural texture.  Fast forward a few months and I now have enough hair products to do everyone's hair in Louisville, Ky for at least a year. Ok that might be an exaggeration, but you get the point.  I know my weaknesses are cute packaging, a great smell and a good sale or free item with purchase. If a product falls into these categories I will buy it every time no matter how many products are currently in my stash. I am not the only natural out there with this problem it seems many of us turn into product junkies once become fully natural.  It really is hard not to.  Enter the Naturally Nu No Buy Challenge, in an effort to shrink my current stockpile of products I have decided to embark upon a self imposed no buy. This mean I promise I will not buy any hair products from now until the Black Friday sales the day after Thanksgiving.  Yes that is a LONG Time. But I know I can do it. I have also challenged some of my friends to this No Buy Challenge as well.  My friend and hair twin Haley of www.Derbycitynaturals.com has taken me up on my challenge. Trust me she has even more products than I do. Then there are those like my other bestie, Tanya10312000 on You Tube who refuse to participate but love to tease us about our no buy.  While I know it will be difficult for all of us to pass up great deals and new and interesting products I think it will be great to find creative ways to use the products we do have once our favorites start to run out.  I will be updating my blog with info on the challenge, but you can also follow what is going on with everyone ion the challenge or even join us yourself by adding yourself to my Facebook challenge page: Naturally Nu's No Buy Challenge. See you there

S/N

The current subscription services that I am already signed up for will continue. This does not count as me buying new products. We can also trade products with each other. There has been some of that going on already on the Facebook page.  Sharing is great!!!!!

National Natural Hair Meet Up Day: Presented By Derby City Naturals

May 19,2012

http://www.nnhmd.com

National Natural Hair Meetup Day was a day where beautiful ladies across the country gathered together on the same day to meet, mingle and show each other love all in the name of natural hair.  Locally Haley of Derby City Naturals (check out www.derbycitynaturals.com) organized the Metro Louisville meetup.  There was great food, various vendors, an awesome panel discussion with experts in hair, skincare, modeling and even a nationally known blogger.  There were tons of giveaways (OVER 30!!!) and the best part of all SWAG bags!!!!! There were two levels of swag bags. The was regular admission swag bag that contained numerous samples and 1 full size product and a VIP swag bag that had tons of samples and 2 full sized products. Both bags also had tons of coupon codes for products that were in the bags. Now which level do you think I got... You guessed it VIP!!!!!! Below you can see pics of all my goodies. Haley did a phenomenal job getting sponsors for the swag bags.  She truly went above and beyond to make sure this was an awesome event.  I  am still in awe of all her hard work.  I now have tons of new products to try and review for you guys. Not sure when I will get to all of them but I plan to start experimenting very soon.  So stay tuned between these items and all the stuff from the hair show I should be posting tons of reviews. 

View from the top of the inside of my VIP swag bag

all my samples and full sized products minus the coupon codes

Items I purchased from the vendors at the NNHMD

If you missed out this year no worries, there will another NNHMD next year on May 18, 2013.  Stay tuned to http://www.nnhmd.com for more details.  

GIVEAWAY!!!!!! Pura Body Naturals GIVEAWAY!!!!!

Cupuacu Hair Butter 

 4oz for $14.00

www.purabodynaturals.com

Description from www.purabodynaturals.com
100% Natural
A rich creamy blend of natural butters and oils to combat dry, brittle hair.  Cupuacu is well known for its high fatty acid content which benefits dry, damaged hair while protecting moisture and leaving hair soft and silky.

The greatest benefit is cupuacu promotes long lasting hydration due to its ability to absorb water to help maintain moisture.  Cupuacu hair butter can be applied to natural, relaxed, and transitioning hair.

Ingredients: Cupuacu Butter, Murumuru Butter, Mango Butter, Illipe Butter, Organic Shea Butter, Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Olive Oil, Jojoba Oil, Organic Brazil Nut Oil, Organic Mamey Sapote Oil, Castor Bean Oil, Herbal extract blend (horsetail, nettles, burdock root) and Essential Oil Blend/and or fragrance

IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!!!!!!

This full size jar of Pura Body Naturals Cupuacu Hair Butter in Tahitian Vanilla scent can be all yours!!!!!!
In order to enter the Naturally Nu Pura Body Naturals Giveaway please do the following:

1.  Post a comment to this post telling me why you want this product and how you will use it.
2. Subscribe to the Naturally Nu Blog by entering your email in the "follow by email" in the upper right corner.

Bonus Entry
*** Follow me on Twitter @Naturallynu502

The Contest will run from May 21, 2012- May 30, 2012.  I will announce the winner on May 31, 2012. Get those entries in!!!!!! Good Luck!!!!!

May CurlBox Birthday Edition Reveal

CurlBox $20 per month subscription service

available at http://www.curlbox.com

What I saw when I opened the box

OMG!!!!! Look at all those full sized products!!!!!!

What was in my May CurlBox

-  Elasta QP Mango Moisturizer- FULL SIZE

-  Design Essentials Natural Daily Moisturizing Lotion- FULL SIZE

-  Kynx Softening Cream Cleanser- FULL SIZE

-  Habbi Vanilla& Rose Body Balm (pretty good size)

-  Luster's Renutrients Slick Stick

-  Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Hair Masque packet

-  Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil packet

-  Organic Root Stimulator Hair Repair Anti-Breakage Creme packet

-  Organic Root Stimulator Shea Butter Hair & Scalp Lotion packet

-  Love the Journey Journal <~~~~ Super Cute I cant wait to write in it.

This months CurlBox is unbelievable! I mean look at this picture!!! Ok before I get into what is in the box let me tell you how I came to be a subscriber.  I first heard about CurlBox back around the holidays, December or January.  It sounded pretty cool but I was really on the fence about joining. I was just unsure about getting 5-7 sample sized products for $20 per month. Afterall I have very thick hair and how big would these samples be?  So I decided to hold off and wait to see some reviews of what people got in their first box. I believe the first shipments came out  in February and I was so jealous of what I saw on the video reviews.  I knew I wanted to be a subscriber and I was kicking myself for not subscribing when I had the chance. I tried to sign up but the list was sold out. I was on the mailing list so each month when the list opened up I would try to sign up and I missed it every time. According to the CurlBox twitter memberships were selling out each month within 30-40 minutes.  Fast forward to April.  Myleik, the owner of CurlBox, tweeted that the May CurlBox membership would be opening on the weekend and that it would be the biggest CurlBox yet. I knew I wanted one bad and that not only would I be on vacation when the CurlBox membership opened according to the email I received later but that I would be in a different time zone.  I knew I had to have a strategy to get on the list.  Yes it is that serious people.  The memberships opened up at 11 am EST April 7. I was in Hawaii at the time and they  are 6 hours behind EST.  No problem folks I set two different alarms to get up at 5am. It worked!!!!! I was able to secure a membership and wow just in time for the BIGGEST CURLBOX YET!!!!!!! This is Myleik's birth month so to celebrate she sent out the biggest best curlbox yet complete with gold confetti.  I felt like a little kid at a birthday party going home with the best goodie bag ever!! If there was ever any doubt about the value of subscription services the 3 full sized products alone show that this box is well worth the $20 per month.  I am so happy I finally got my CurlBox membership and I cant wait to try all these products and for all the future boxes that are to come.  You know each month I will post pics and information about the boxes and reviews of the products as I use them. Ok I have to go  play with these products. Stay tuned for other subscription box reviews for May. I still have 2 that I have not received yet : D. But I think this is my favorite. 

8 Month Natural Hair Update

My favorite Hairstyle lately

I call it the Corbin Blue (High School Musical)

On April 2, 2012 I officially hit 8 months post Big Chop and 14 months relaxer free. I am so excited because I can finally see a big difference in the length of my hair. I have come a lonnnng way since my big chop on August 2, 2011. I know alot of people say this but I feel like I have learned so much along the way. I have learned a ridiculous amount of information about hair in general and the many mistakes I used to make with my hair. The biggest thing is reading labels and knowing what to look for in ingredients.  When it comes to your hair you have to read labels in the same way you do when you are trying to eat healthy. I was surprised to know how many "good" and expensive products contain junk. And just because a products calls itself "natural" does not mean it really is. People do your hair a favor and do you HOMEWORK. I will admit I am a product snob. If it has parabens, sulfates, silicone, mineral oil or petroleum in in I'm not gonna use it. Another thing I have learned is to see myself differently.  My hair used to drive me crazy when I was relaxed. It took so much maintenance to keep it looking good that I planned my life around the needs of my hair. For example if I was gonna work out I had to schedule at least an hour and half after my workout just to wash and style my hair. And that was after EVERY workout.  Now after a workout my hair still looks good! I love it, I feel so carefree.  I will be honest with you I did have a hard time getting used to really short hair.  My hair had been well below my shoulders for years so to go to about 3 inches or hair was rough. But as I began to matser the wash and go (WnG) my confidence and love of my hair soon returned.  I can honestly tell you I LOVE MY CURLS, LOVE THEM. I get stopped constantly by people asking how I do my hair, or asking what products I use and giving me compliments on my hair.  And the crazy thing is most of them could have the same look if they just stopped using the creamy crack.  

Though my journey continues and I am sure I will have many more lessons in natural hair I wanted to share with you what I am currently doing to style and maintain my curls.  A few posts back I told you all about my first love, Kinky Curly Products. Nothing has changed as a matter of fact I think we renewed our vows to each other. I did stray and try lots of new products and my hair slapped me for being stupid.  So I went running back. So here is what I have learned over the last two months. My hair loves Kinky Curly! So I have promised my hair it will not be tortured by other stylers anymore.( see my review of Kinky Curly products to see how I apply)  I will continue to try different shampoos, conditioners and deep conditioners. I will also try other finishers but I will continue to use Kinky Curly Products as my styler.  With the other stylers I have used my hair feels awful and the curls are just mediocre and I can only get 1 maybe 2 day hair.  However with Kinky Curly My hair is banging every single time.  And forget about 2 day hair I get up to 6-7 day hair!! Yes yall I only have to apply Kinky Curly once a week!!!! So it may cost a little more than some products but heck fire I only use it once a week so it lasts forever. All I do to my hair on most days is get it wet in the shower by quickly putting my hair under the stream of water  and then I shake it vigorously. When I get out of the shower I rub Darcy's Plum Nectar on my ends and I'm done!! If I am pulling my hair back I will add Oyin Handmade Burnt Sugar Pomade on my slicked down hair and that's it. I do that everyday until its time to reapply. And my curls stay frizz free, hydrated and defined. 

Below are some WnG styles from the past couple of  weeks

4 day Hair puff with bangs

3 day hair Corbin Blue style 

6 Day hair Puff

1st day Hair one side pinned up with KK

Minnie's Transition to Natural Hair

My oldest daughter, Minnie, was born with a head full of thick pretty curls.  As a matter of fact she left the hospital with enough hair to put into ponytails.  I have always loved how thick and pretty her hair is.  At the age of 7 I let my hair dresser talk me into putting a texturizer in her hair.  She reassured me it was not a relaxer and she would retain her most of her curl pattern and this would make it much easier to comb her hair.  Because Minnie was going to be in her Aunts wedding I decided it would be a good time to have it done because her hair would look nice for the big day.  BIG MISTAKE.  Over the course of 3 years I watched my daughters mid back length hair go to a chin length bob.  I still have so much guilt for allowing her hair to be relaxed. I have learned so much more about natural hair in the last year and a half. I wish I had known the tips and techniques then that I know now she would have never had to go through that. Oh well you cant change the past.  But once we as a family decided to go natural in 2011 we have not looked back.  Minnie was the last to cut off her relaxed ends.  So after 13 months of twist outs, braid outs and rollersets on Friday March 16, 2012 I cut off the remaining relaxed ends.  The pics above show her typical twist out look and then her before pics right before I cut her hair.

After her BC was done she was so excited.  Since then she has mastered her own wash and go's.  She is loving playing with hair accessories and trying new products. I am so excited that she has embraced her God given beautiful curls. She told me that most of the girls of color at the elementary school have "fake" hair. I love that she is not afraid to be different. And that's what's Nu today

After her first "texturizer"

After her 2nd "texturizer"

Notice the breakage

With her hair in a Bob and her last "texturizer"

After the BC

WnG with KCCC 

100% Natural Minnie

My Transition to Natural Hair

Like many African American women I wore my hair relaxed the majority if my life. According to my mother she began taking me to the salon to get relaxers when I was about 6 years old. I did not have much choice in the matter. As a result I learned relaxing my hair was as much apart of life as showering or a trip to the dentist. It was just something that had to be done. As I grew older I became increasingly interested in what my true hair texture looked like. In 2002 without much knowledge of natural hair or how to take care of it I walked into a local beauty college and asked them to cut off all the relaxer. The student looked confused, so I reassured her I knew what i wanted. I walked out feeling powerful and courageous with my newly cropped do. The excitement over my 2 inch TWA soon faded as the shock set in that my hair was gone and I had no idea what to do with my tiny curls. After about 8 months and lots of bad hair days I went back to "the creamy crack" as its called. After more years of growth and breakage I knew I needed to do something different. Then I saw Chris Rock's documentary Good Hair and i knew it was just a matter of time before i was rocking my God given curls again. This time i decided I would be smart. Information is the most powerful tool for a successful transition to natural hair. I immersed myself in books, blogs and YouTube videos all geared toward natural hair. February 2,2011 was my last relaxer. In the beginning not much was different. I continued to do roller sets and flat iron my mid back length hair. In April 2011 I got a mini chop of about 5 inches off the back, but my hair was still resting on my shoulders so there was not too much of a change. By June the two textures were making it increasingly difficult to continue to style my hair I'm the same ways and i went straight to YouTube. I wore transitional hair style throughout the summer and took the chance to really learn my hair. In the beginning I set out to be a long transitioner wanting to do my big chop in Summer 2012. LOL As you can see I did not make it. On Aug 2, 2011 I kept my appointment (after backing out the first time) and got my Big Chop done. I am now coming up on 1 year post relaxer and 6 moths post big chop and I have not regretted a single day. This is an awesome journey of self discovery that I would not change for anything.

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