LOVE YOURSELF - LOVE YOUR NATURAL HAIR - LOVE YOUR STYLE

Friday, July 31, 2009

Product Review - Totally Twisted Curl Mousse

For those of us who are transitioning from relaxer to natural without doing a big chop, trying to get curls without the use of some type of roller is usually hard because for me, the root is very curly and the ends stay straight. But at last I have found a great mousse that helped me achieve great curls without rollers. It is Herbal Essence Totally Twisted Curl Mousse and it is fabulous. I used it along with the Herbal Essence Totally Twisted Conditioner. I co-washed with the conditioner and left it in as a leave-in, then I twisted my hair into about 30 twist all over my head and secured them with pin-curls to form a circle with each twist. I let it air dry overnight. The next morning I untwisted and separated each twist, applied some Carol's Daughter Tui Oil to my scalp and ends, finger styled and out the door I went. The curls had mad definition and a great hold. Usually, my hair is so soft, it does not hold the big look long, but with this product, I had a lasting hold all day. Below are pics after 1 week. I found this cute headband at Forever 21 for $3.










Do you like it?

I will periodically see something either fashionable or not.
I would love to hear your comments because what may seem fashionable to me may not be fashionable to you and vice versa.
Let me know your thoughts.



Is This Fashionable?

Personally, I don't like it.
The dress is o.k, but I am not feeling the chunky bootie at all.
It looks like a Herman Monster shoe.

Military Time!!!!!





























Great Looks!!!!!

Happy Fashion!












I'm Feeling........Fall Fashion

I am definitely a summer person, but I can't avoid the inevitable - fall is around the corner.

Since I love fashion, I start accepting the transition by eyeing my must have fashions for fall. Right now I am definitely feeling the military jacket style. Even though this style hit the runway last season, I am the type of person who likes to rock a style while it is not as popular to avoid looking like everyone else. This jacket is available at www.ae.com and it is only $69. That is not bad for a stylish, heavyweight piece. And if you are wondering what use you can get out of it let me give you some ideas:

  1. Rock it with some knee length boots in either black or tan and some skinny jeans or leggings(black leggings only - please) tucked in for a great day or night look.
  2. Pull it on with a white tee (keep the jacket open) and some black leggings and a black ankle bootie.
  3. Dress up a pair of fitted sweatpants and sneakers.

And for the thrifty sistas, there are even less expensive versions available if the jacket is your taste, but the price is not. There are two versions sold in Target and they are only $19-$24.

Whatever you decide to do, this is a great change up for any fashionable fall/winter wardrobe. I believe it is always wise to add pieces to your wardrobe that are funky and fun.

I don't like cold weather, but I love cold fashion!

Happy Fashion!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

QUESTION OF THE DAY!



Can my sistas help me out! I am looking high and low for some really cute headbands with really cute decorations on them. I have tried many, but they always hurt my head after a while (I have a big head). Can anyone tell me where to find some great bands that not only look good, but feel good, and are not too expensive?
Headbands are a great way to extend the life of your hairstyle, rock your fro for the office, smooth frizzy edges, and add pizazz to any outfit.
Let me know your thoughts and any other ideas you have for decorating your hair.
Happy Hair!

Product Review!


Aveda has a product called Dry Remedy and it is great! It is a moisturizing treatment masque and it really pours moisture into my hair. I paired it with Carol's Daughter Tui Hair Smoothie and left it in my hair for 3 hours while I cleaned the house. I put on a plastic cap and wrapped a towel around my head turban style (for heat). When I rinsed it out, my hair and curls popped. Normally, my hair is really tight and shows straight strands that still have relaxer on them. After using these two products, my hair was moist and curly all over. Try it and tell me what you think. I have tried them each alone and together and I like them either way. The main reason I add the Tui Hair Smoothie is because it smells so good.
Happy hair!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Let's Talk........

Well, I have ended my lovely 2 week vacation and I am back at work. I must say, I actually missed my job while I was off, but it is nice to have some me time with no agenda.
I want to touch on a serious subject for a moment.
I have always thought of myself as a positive sista who has nothing but love for everyone. I feel the need to make sure that everyone understands some things about this site:
  1. This site is here to entertain and provide information that I feel would be helpful to the person who sports natural hair or is on the way to natural, likes fashion, who has a talent they would like for me to showcase, has an issue they want advice on, or someone who just wants to read some good stuff.
  2. This site is in no way a site that promotes negativity.
  3. This site is for fun!

With that being said, I also want to touch on the way to be truly on your game.

Being a diva does not mean breaking the bank to look good. Being a diva means having yourself together. One reader commented on my shoe showcase and I must say, I really enjoyed their comment. It got me to thinking about how many sistas are out there breaking themselves to look good and clearing out their wallets in the name of fashion. This used to be me until I got older and much wiser. Don't get me wrong, I will drop some cash on an item I really want, but now I am conscious of how I spend my money and how I save my money. But what is wrong with that? So many people put a bad rap on materialism when it is really a matter of personal taste. I feel a woman should always look good, feel good, and be good. You should always feel good about yourself an do things that please YOU. I am a firm believer in God and I believe he put us all on earth to live life to the fullest. If you walk around saying you are doing O.K., then you will only do O.K. You have to put positivity out into the universe and it will come back to you. It does not cost to look good or feel good, but if a person has expensive taste, then so be it. That may be that person's way of living life. We just have to be careful how we spend our money and make sure we take care of business first.

So with that being said, I have to make sure I keep my site as positive as possible and breakdown a little knowledge.

How to be a (Real) Diva:

  1. Make sure you are putting away money period. Pay yourself first! A good thing to do would be to have a certain amount of money directly taken out of your paycheck every pay period and put into a savings or moderate money market account. With the economy the way it is, I would stay away from aggressive funds.
  2. Make sure you are contributing to your 401(k). I would say contribute the maximum, but once again, the downed stock market has messed that up. At least try to put in enough to receive your company matching program but if you can put in the maximum an you are close to retirement, then go for it.
  3. Pay your bills on time always and don't max out credit cards! I started a rule last year that I would only use credit for extreme emergencies. If you can do this, it is always better because once you buy the item with cash, there are no surprises coming in the mailbox. Also, you are more apt to really think about how much you spend when you use cash. With a credit card, you have too much wiggle room to get you in over your head.
  4. Keep your credit score high! This is very important because with a high credit score, you can always have what you want! This is especially helpful when buying a home or car. The way to do this is to follow #3 always.
  5. Tithe! This is a personal choice, but one I believe in.
  6. Give back! Give to those in need either monetary or time. Give away gently used clothing or volunteer at a soup kitchen or hospital. My rule is for every item I buy new, I give away an item. Not only does it make someone else smile, but it helps to clean out my closet and keep it neat. I love fashion but I am also a neat freak!
  7. Make sure you make your house a home and you have reliable transportation! This is very important because you will save money if you enjoy being at home (you won't go out as much) and if you don't buy a reliable car, you will always spend money trying to keep it running. Not a good look!
  8. Be conscious of how much you spend on items, but don't buy too cheap. If you can, invest in one good item instead of ten poorly constructed items. The one good item will last much longer and look better with time. Also, after you have bought the ten items, you have probably spent more than you would on the one good item, but you don't have the ten items anymore because they did not last. This usually applies to shoes, purses, and furniture. Always invest in a good, well-fitted suit and proper fitting bras!
  9. Smile! Pretty self explanatory.
  10. Finally, Do You! Take care of yourself inside and out! Be conscious of what you eat and keep up a workout routine. Take time for yourself and love and let love into your life!

A friend once told me the reason they make sure they always have money in the bank, a high credit score and all their bills paid is because they do not want any stress. This made a lot of sense to me. It is much better to live life stress free and if you can make sure to clear out the the things you have control over, then all the better.

I am 41 years old and these are things I live by! My motto is you only have one life to live and unfortunately, there are no do-overs. So now is the time to be the best you can be with what you have. And if you aspire to have more, then get creative and go get it! You can have what you want if you put God first and work hard. Never settle and live your lives to the fullest!

These are the attributes of a true diva!

I hope I can be of help to someone and I hope we all continue to have fun chatting!

Happy Life!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Let's Talk Fashion


Enough about hair for now.


Let's talk about my other favorite subject - Fashion! I love everything fashionable from clothing to television shows. Right now I am really feeling a certain shoe, but the price is not feeling me. It is the Christian Louboutin Nitoinimoi (No, I can't pronounce it but I sure could wear the heck out of it). It also comes in a steel grey w/suede straps (which is really the one I want, but I can't cut and paste the picture off the website)
Go to http://www.christianlouboutin.com/ to see the grey bootie and you will know why I am having a Jones fit for it.
These shoes just bring out the sexy!


The price is about $1200 and I can't seriously think about buying them. The price is way too high for me to justify the indulgence. A purse, maybe because I can carry a purse forever if I take care of it. A shoe, I think not because we all know what can happen to a shoe when you wear it (heel stuck in crack - someone steps on shoe in club - shoe gets scratched - etc.)


They have sites that offer knockoffs, but that just isn't my style (anymore). I will definitely be watching Saks to see if they ever go on sale. I would pay no more than $400 for them if that was the lowest they went down to. Tell me what you think and let me know what fashion must-have is tickling your nose and wallet right now but you just won't budge.




ALSO...........


A friend told me about a website that carries all of the hot fashions for much less. If you are a savvy (sometimes) shopper like me, then this is the site to check out. It is http://www.shopstarstyle.com/ and it is fabulous.

It is on the up & up because I purchased a pair of Rock & Republic Jeans and they are great and I had no problems with shipping or quality.





Happy Shopping!


My Stylist - Marie Simone of Shi Salon

I would like to introduce you to my stylist, Marie Simone - Owner/Stylist of Shi Salon www.shisalon.com located in St. Louis, Mo. She has helped me transition from relaxed hair to natural hair and I am so thankful to have found her. I paid her a visit today to get dolled up for the weekend and I have posted pics of my "do". This is called a rod set, but it was done with a flat iron and a small barrel iron. This is my "fro" style until I get all of the relaxer chopped off my ends. We will do the big chop in December and I am so excited.


Me & Marie
Back View

Side View

Front View
Happy Hair!




Topic for the day!

Sew-In Weave (Then)

Now - Natural Hair Rod Set


Hi ladies! Embracing your natural hair texture has become a great thing to do and has been welcomed by many. Once considered a thing of the past, women are now returning to their roots to discover a lifestyle free from harmful chemicals and damaging processes. The many blogs, fotkis, and websites that are specific to the natural hair journey is just one implication that this is not just a phase, a following or a cult, but it has become a liberating experience for many black women and it is a true example of individual self expression and finally a show of self love for our natural black beauty. A guy at the gas station was pumping his gas next to me and he thanked me for having natural beauty. He stated he is so tired of women looking like each other with the fake hair, fake nails and fake eyelashes. He also stated he wish more women would just sport their natural "do" because it is much more sexy and shows total confidence. Now don't get me wrong, I used to be a weave wearer when I first decided to go natural. I thought I needed to "hide" my new growth. My boyfriend hated it and I truly felt self conscious that everyone could tell it was fake. I now love my new growth and I just let it be. When I do the "big chop" I will be even more liberated because I will say "goodbye" to the every week rod set.

Dymesha of Trendy Teez http://www.trendyteez.blogspot.com/ posed a question to me yesterday regarding natural hair. She stated that the majority of her customers are from the south and east coast. Her question was "Do the east coast and southern ladies embrace their natural hair more that the west coast ladies?" This is a very good question. Ladies, please chime in!

Also, if you are a natural sista, but you are sporting a weave, please let me know why you won't let it go. I am a Sociology major and I am always curious on why people do what they do. I stated my reasons, now tell me yours.




Happy Hair!

Rod Set Results

Next morning looks after a fun night!




Final Look!




After rods are removed





Products Used


Wet hair w/a dollop of conditioner left in and curly pudding
As you can see, I still have relaxer on the ends. I will cut in December.


Hi ladies! Sorry I am late posting the results, but I had to spend some R&R time with my mate! Well here we go! Sorry, but you have to read them from bottom to top. Remember, I'm new to this. Happy Hair!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Product Showcase - Trendy Teez by DyMesha





















Hi ladies! Here is my first product showcase. I must admit, these tees are great and so fly! I have purchased and received one already and it is great quality, great price and looks so sassy on. I purchased the Afro Diva Tank in black and I just purchased the t-shirt version today.
I have attached pictures of the products and you can check out the site and purhase tees at http://www.trendyteez.blogspot.com/
1st/2nd Pic - King of Pop Tank (Front and Back)
3rd/4th Pic - Afro T-shirt
5th/6th Pic - Afro Tank
7th/8th Pic - Natural Beauty T-Shirt (Black or Brown)

The site owner is such a pleasure to work with and the payment process is safe and secure and the receiving process is quick. I am a customer and I do not endorse anyone on this site I have not tried out myself or personally can vouch for. Try the tees and I guarantee you will like them.
Stay fly my sistas and Happy Hair!

Cute Hairstyle


Ok, I have to admit I am a reality television junkie. My tivo list reads off shows such as Daddy's Little Girls, Run's House, Miami Social, Kimora Life in the Fab Lane, Kendra, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Keyshia Cole. I am looking forward to Kourtney and Khloe in Miami, Frankie & Neffe and The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
I really like the hairstyle of the new housewife, Kandi Burruss formerly of Xscape. Even if you have natural hair, you can definitely rock this style. This is a good one for shorter hair gals!


So cute!

Mojitos Anyone!


I am on vacation this week and I have been staying up really late watching television and sleeping in really late the next day. Today, I did not get up until 1:30pm.
I know I said I would post pics of my rod set procedure, but I will post them tomorrow because I will go to the gym in a few and wash my hair tonight. So check me out tomorrow for those pics.


Does anyone out there have a good Mojito recipe? I had one in Florida a couple of months ago and I can't get them out of my system. I would like to make them myself at home so I can sit out on the deck and sip one while my boyfriend fires up the grill.
So Miami!


Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Oh, I forgot!

Oh, I left out how long I have been transitioning. I received my last relaxer in November 2007. Share with me how long has it been since your last relaxer. Also, feel free to share any wisdom you have with my readers. I am looking forward to this journey with all of you!

My first product review







Well hello natural sistas! I have a product review for today. I purchased a kit from Miss Jessies http://www.missjessies.com/ and I am going to try them all out and give you my personal opinion on the products. This is a great website and a great product for women with natural hair. Not only are the products designed by women with natural hair, they also smell divine and make your hair so manageable. My stylist highly recommends this product and she also uses and sells it in her salon (Marie @ Shi Salon - Myspace/Shi Salon)


The first two products are the Curly Pudding & Baby Buttercreme by the Miss Jessies line. I first co-washed my hair with my cheapie conditioner Herbal Essence Hello Hydration (Blue Bottle) (My Favorite). Washing the hair with conditioner versus shampoo is much better for the hair and it helps with detangling. You may wash with a shampoo if you like, but make sure to use one that is sulfite free so it won't strip the hair of its natural oils. I leave a lot of the conditioner in my hair to help with tangles and combed through it with my fingers, then a big toothed comb. Some people use the denman brush to de-tangle, but I found it to pull on my hair way too much. I then take a towel and blot my hair to remove the drips (I can't stand water dripping down my face and neck while I'm styling). I then proceed with styling. If you have wash and wear hair, you can apply a generous amount of this product to your hair, twist in sections, then let it air dry or sit under a dryer. Once dry, untwist and mosturize and you will have a head full of bouncy, shiny, curls that smell god enough to eat. If you are like me and you still have relaxer on the very ends ( I am transitioning from relaxer to natural and I get my relaxed ends trimmed every four months until all of the relaxer is gone. This way I keep length without the bc) then you can apply curly pudding to small sections and roll on rods (the ones used for jerry curls back in the day) throughout the hair. I use the meduim ones in the front and small rods in the back. I have chin length hair (when straightened) and they work well for me and give me a bobbed look. If you would like a more tight curl to do a mohawk look or if you have shorter hair, the small rods (not the tiny ones) will work great for you. Buy a set of them all and use different ones throughout your hair to see which curl pattern you like best. They are really inexpensive and they give a really tight curl. Do not part hair because this will cause parts after you have dried. Once the hair is dry, unroll and apply the curly baby buttercreme for moisture, finger style or pick out and go!
I will wash my hair tomorrow and I will post pictures of each stage to help. I did this style for months during my in-between stage and it really helped me. I usually only used mousse and conditioner as my setting lotion, but I heard this stuff is has a great hold which is what I was missing. This style usually last me a week if I don't work out. If I work out, then it last about 3 days. It's great for humid weather because the more I sweat in my head, the curlier it gets. The only problem is when I work out, I shower at the gym and my hair gets frizzy. I am on a mission to find a product that helps with frizz after your hair is days old. If anyone has any suggestions, please feel free to share. Happy Hair!

First Day

Hello everyone! I am beginning a journey that I never imagined I would embark on. I received my first relaxer at the age of 9 years. My mother felt my hair was too "nappy" and she could not handle it so she enlisted the help of my aunt who was a licensed beautician. She immediately slapped a relaxer on my head and this marked the beginning of my slavery to the straight world. For years I grew up envying women with lovely, curly hair. I always wanted a big, curly, full head of hair, but I thought it was totally out of my reach. One day at the age of 40, I began to notice that my hair was not growing like it use to. I have always had a head full of hair and I would cut it in a short style and it would grow back two weeks later. At 40 I had my stylist cut my hair into a short pixie cut. (I was going through a relationship issue and had to regain my sexy suave) I noticed that after two months, my hair was the same length. This was not good. I also noticed my hair was thinning at the temples. My stylist at the time stated it was because of my age. I immediately told her I was not buying that and I began to seek out another stylist. I had received a card from my boyfriend who visited a stylist in St. Louis with his friend. I keep the card for months before finally calling her to help. This marked my beginning with a love affair with my natural hair. She stated to me my hair was not nappy. She stated I had a tight "s" curl pattern and I did not need to wear relaxers. Since my hair was short, she began by giving me a sew-in weave to allow my hair a rest and to give me some length while at the same time allowing my relaxer to grow out. You see, I did not want to do the bc (Big Chop) because I felt my head was way too big for that. I wore the weave for six months and my hair grew out 3 inches. We then began the natural hair journey. I went through the in-between stage and I hated it. My stylist suggested I go to a site http://www.curlynikki.com/ and take a look.
This was what the doctor ordered. Not only did I receive very helpful information on how to treat my hair, how to manage my tangles, and what products work best, I also realized their were other sistas out there just like me who had the same issues as I did. I finally realized it was not me or may hair that was the problem, but it was my lack of knowledge on the subject. I now embrace my natural head of hair and I will never look back. Not only has my hair grown tremendously over such a short period, it is also much healthier than it has been since I was younger. The curly nikki website also prompted me to start my own blog to discuss issues with other sistas and to share what I learn. I want to take this time to thank everyone who will visit this site and I will try to make it as interesting and informational as possible. Be patient and I will definitely deliver. Happy Hair to Everyone!