Vacation Wash and Go with Aloe Vera Gel

Watch "Wash and Go using 100% Slow Vera Gel" on YouTube

So I am currently on Vacation in Walt Disney World, woooo hoooo party time. I am doing lots of swimming and with a tropical storm brewing getting soaked in the rain. I wanted to take this opportunity to try new products on my hair and do some experimenting. Enter the Aloe Vera Gel. I bought this gel about a year ago and just never used it. If you watch the video you will see me apply the gel from beginning to end and in the process you will also get to see how I do all my wash and gos. So watch and enjoy. The pic I posted here is the finished product about 6 hours later. Oh please comment and subscribe to my YouTube channel.

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.6

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

Product Review: Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding

Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding

Available at select Targets and many online retailers

8 OZ for $22

Has the consistency of well pudding

Smells sweet and fruity <~~~ I liked the smell

Ingredients:

water, parafinium liquidum, glycerin, triethanolamine, fragrance, carbomer, PEG-12 dimethicone, dipropylene glycol, silk amino acids, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, avocado oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil, jojoba seed oil, macademia seed oil, oleth05, ethylhexyl methoxycinnanate, disodium EDTA, DMDM hydantion, ext. violet 2

I got this product at a product swap sponsored by www.derbycitynaturals.com (<~~~~~ my fovorite blogger and a great friend) Now there is a great deal of hype out there about Miss Jessie's products. Their marketing team does an amazing job.  They are everywhere on the internet. If you are into natural hair at all there is no doubt you have heard of them.  Last year at the World Natural Hair Show in Atlanta they had one of the largest booths and even had models walking around handing out free Miss Jessie's t-shirts.  Despite their numerous adds I have been very hesitant to use any of their products because I am a self admitted ingredient snob. I refuse to use petroleum, mineral oil, sulfates or any kind of 'cone (different forms of silicone) in my hair, no exceptions. And the SECOND ingredient is parafinium liquidum, which is the fancy name for mineral oil.  I'm sorry no thank you Miss Jessie. (note I tested it in my daughters hair not mine. I'm so wrong for that) Another problem I have is the expensive price tag. How can a company use cheap crappy ingredients and charge such a hefty price.  Again no thank you Miss. Jessie's. But again I did not pay for this product it was given to me at a product swap so I figured hey I'll try it in KK's hair and we will see how it goes.  

So I washed and conditioned her hair I used both Curls brand shampoo and conditioner (you can find reviews of those on this blog too) I dis not use a leave-in conditioner on her hair as the products instructions say to apply to freshly washed hair.  I used the shingling method and then had her shake her hair vigorously. 

The slip was pretty good so it was very easy to distribute through the hair even without the use of a leave in conditioner. The pics below show how KK's hair looked right after application.   Her curls were very defined and pretty frizz free. I was a little surprised at how good it looked.  I'll be honest with the ingredients I did not have high expectations.  The last picture shows her hair after it had dried completely.  Meh, it was just ok for me. While the curls are still pretty defined her hair felt crispy and very dry. In fact it felt dehydrated again I go back to the ingredients there is not much there that nourishes the hair so I'm surprised.  So you be the judge is it worth the $22? And that's what's Nu today.

The 1st four pics below are right after the Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding was applied. The last pic was about 6 hours after application and hair was completely dry. 

Final Look 

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

Curls Goddess Glaze WnG

So you all know that I love Curls Brand shampoo and conditioner. So I wanted to review some of the styling products for you as well. As much as I love trying new products and giving you all the information my hair said " ummm I don't think so". Not because it does not like these products but because I have experimented with so many different products in the last few weeks. Enter my youngest daughter KK. I usually keep her hair in two strand twists because they last 2 weeks in her hair and she really likes how they look. She does ask me to do WnG's sometimes and since it's been really warm I decided I could let her wear her hair "out" and give you guys a review too. Winning!!! ;D Previous to this I had tried WnG's using KCCC and they looked great on her. So this time I went total Curls Brand on her. Curls has two different lines. Their salon line is available with many online retailers and on their website www.curls.biz. They also have a retail line that has less expensive ingredients and can be purchased at select Target stores and all Sally's Beauty Supply stores.(Sally's is offering $1 off all Curls products for the month of March.) Most of the retail products range from $7-$10. The salon products range from $10-$20

How I did her hair
First I washed her hair with the Curls retail formula of the Curl Cream Cleanser. Next I conditioned her hair with the Curls salon formula Coconut Sublime Conditioner. Next I sprayed her hair with Curls retail formula of Lavish Curls Moisturizer. Lastly I used my fingers to rake quarter sized amounts of Curls salon formula of the Goddess Glaze. Her hair came out really defined and soft. I could not believe how soft her hair was. I kept playing in her hair because it felt so good. Below you will find pics of how the gel looked in my hand, this was the amount I raked through the sections. I sectioned her hair into 4 sections by the way. I actually forgot to take pictures of her hair until the third day!!!! So the pictures below are after three days. Each day she just spayed a little of the Lavish Curls on her hair and shook it a little and was on her way. I really liked the way her hair came out and that she was able to get multiple days out of the style and she is a wild sleeper too. She does wear a 100% silk scarf at night but it comes off most nights. So overall these products get an A+ for a great WnG.