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. 

April CurlKit

My April CurlKit 

 $20 Monthly Subscription Service 

available at www.curlkit.com

What was in My April CurlKit

-  Pookka Pure and Simple mango body butter

- Pooka Pure and Simple Hair butter

- Jane Carter Nourish and Shine

- Jane Carter Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner

- Jane Carter Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner

- Jane Carter "Love Your Hair" pin

- Sofn' free Nothing But Cleansing Conditioner

- Sofn' Free Nothing but Curly Pudding

- Optimum Care Deep Conditioner

- Wide tooth Comb infused with Olive Oil

You guys know I love me some products.  I also love to try new products and getting surprises delivered to my door is one of my favorite things.  So when I heard about CurlKit I was very interested to say the least.  I also already get Birchbox, a monthly beauty subscription box ($10 per month www.birchbox.com) So I was familiar with how the subscription would work.  April was my first CurlKit delivery and it is full of things for me to try, it came in a silver box and it was all wrapped in pink tissue paper. Inside were hair items from well known companies like Jane Carter Solutions and Optimum. There were also items from companies I had not heard of like Pooka Pure and Simple.  These items were delivered just a few days before my Spring Break trip to Hawaii so I was very excited because I could take the sample sizes with me on vacation and try them all.  And that is exactly what I did.  I had tried the Jane Carter Solutions Conditioner before but not her other products.  I fell in love with both the leave-in conditioner and the nourish and shine. So much so in fact that when I went to the World Natural Hair Show in Atlanta this past weekend I made sure to buy them in the full sizes. I tried the Sofn' free Nothing But products in my daughter, KK's hair and it worked great.  So when I saw them at the World Natural Hair Show I purchased those items in full size as well. I really enjoy the whole "try before you buy" idea of the various subscription boxes.  I'll be the first to admit that being a product junkie has caused me to buy many products that I ended up not liking and either giving away at a product swap or just to friends.  With CurlKit and other services like it you can try the sample sizes of products and see if you like them before you invest in the full size.  The fees for these services are pretty good as well.  For example CurlKit is only $20 and many times there are also full sized products included in the kit so the value is usually much higher than the price you actually pay.  I was so happy with both my Birchbox subscription and my CurlKit subscription I have since added 3 new subscription services for May (see below for my new subscriptions) . As soon as I get them I will post pictures and reviews.  I am so excited to see all the goodies I get.  

So for May I will be getting 5 subscription boxes!!!

1.  Birchbox - beauty subscription $10per month  www.birchbox.com

2. CurlKit- natural hair subscription $20 per month www.curlkit.com

3.Curlbox- natural hair subscription $20 per month www.curlbox.com

4. My Shade of  Brown- beauty subscription for women of color $10 per month www.myshadeofbrown.com

5. The Look Bag- beauty subscription $10 per month www.thelookstore.com

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 Kinky Curly Product Line Review

My Kinky Curly Stash

They say you never forget your first love. I have to agree. The Kinky

Curly products were the first products I used after I did the big

chop on Aug 2,2011. When I saw and felt how great the products worked

for my hair it was love at first sight. I think it only fitting that my

first product review be done on my first love. Although I do stray from

"my lover" from time to time I always go running right back. I will go

into why I love each product but let me start by saying different

products work on different people's hair in different ways. This review

is how it works on my very very thick 4a curl pattern hair. It is also

important to note that these products can and will enhance your curl

pattern but they will not change your curl pattern. Always follow the

directions printed on the product.

Please visit http://kinky-curly.com to see the list of ingredients or

to order online. You can also purchase these products at some Target

stores and at Whole Foods (I purchase mine at Whole Foods)

Kinky Curly Come Clean Shampoo 8oz $12

The shampoo has a very clean light citrus scent. This is an all natural

sulfate free shampoo that strips the hair of all product build up to

prepare it for the application of the other Kinky Curly products. If

this is your first time using these products please do not skip this

step. While it will get my hair very clean it does not leave my hair

feeling overly stripped. I do always follow up with a rinse out

conditioner. I have lots of different conditioners I use, it really just depends on my mood and what scents I wanna smell for that day.(stay tuned for lots of conditioner reviews)

Kinky Curly Knot Today 8oz $12

This can be used as a rinse out conditioner or a leave in. The scent is

very light and pleasant. The company suggests it as a leave in

conditioner for thick hair. I use this product as a leave in

conditioner. It has amazing slip and makes detangling your hair a

breeze. This product does have to be applied to soaking wet hair. After

I rinse my regular conditioner out I then apply the Knot Today and

shake my head "no" vigorously while still in the shower. (this step

helps define your curls. Trust me it works) . This is hands down my

favorite leave in conditioner.

Kinky Curly Curling Custard 8oz 16.99 16oz $29.99

This is hands down the best curl defining gel I have ever used, if you

saw my product junkie post you know I have tried just about everything.

The consistency is that of well mucus to be honest and the smell is a very light sort of vanilla smell. When I get out of the shower with the Knot Today still in my hair and

my hair still soaking wet I section my hair into 6 sections and secure

each section with a clip. I take my hair down one section at a time and

shake the section and then rake a small amount of Curling Custard in my

hair with my fingers. I shake my head vigorously after each section.

When I have finished applying the product to my entire head I do one

last head shake and then put in my hair accessory of the day (Goody

head bands are my favorite) and I'm done with my hair. All in all from

the time I get out of the shower it takes me about 10 minutes to apply

and shake. I always let my hair air dry. Usually by the time I get to

work my hair is mostly dry. I usually have to do this process every 3

days. This is another plus I have never been able to get 3 day+ hair with any other product.

Kinky Curly Spiral Spritz 8oz $12

This product is perfect for those with a much looser curl pattern or to

refresh second or third day hair. I use it as a refresher. It has a

very nice light lavender spa like smell and a light gel texture. On the

second or third day I wet my hair with water from a spray bottle and

then spray the Spiral Spritz into my hand and scrunch through my hair,

I then seal with a little coconut oil and I'm done. This also makes my

hair feel really soft and controls the frizz for the day.

Kinky Curly Gloss Pomade 2oz $10

This product has a light citrus smell. The pomade is  great to scrunch

out the crunch once you hair is fully dry. A little goes a long way so

I rub a very small amount in the palm of my hands and scrunch in my

hair. This is also great to use on second day hair also. It leaves my hair feel very soft and moisturized. 

Kinky Curly is the only line that I love each and every product in the

line. Anytime a new or aspiring natural wants a product recommendation

I always steer them to Kinky Curly Products. These are absolute no fail

products for me. When I use these products I get countless compliments and questions about what products I use. And that's what Nu today.

My results using the Kinky Curly Line. Hair styled in a puff with bangs using a doubled up Goody Band

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