Mission Accomplished!

Happy Friday loves! I hope you’re doing amazingly well! Today, I am VERY proud of myself! Remember in my successful/failed flat twist out post how I could wear it out? Well, I came through on my promise! Today, Friday May 30th, I wore my curly fro to work! Of course, there were tons of comments, but I was expecting that. I was actually pretty nervous to wear it out, but I decided I better get used to it. Honestly, the fro is just going to grow and get bigger.
I achieved this look with a flat twist out and six gray flexis (the biggest ones). I made a middle part and three large sections on each side. I twisted those up and added a flexi after each twist was done. Here’s what I woke up to the next day.

Happy Friday loveys! Have a good weekend!

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Natural Hair & Curly Girl Talk

Hi Everyone! I’m not sure if you noticed but there are many different terms you might come across being a curly girl. When I was first beginning my journey I had No Clue what all these abbreviations, terms, and codes were. I would watch countless videos of these women with gorgeous hair, but I would sometimes get lost within their hair lingo. Thank God for common sense because some are easy to figure out, others no so much. So I found a helpful list of terms on http://www.afroniquelyyou.com and http://luvyourmane.blogspot.com/. I hope this is helpful! – Irene

A

• ACV: Apple cider vinegar, used to clarify the hair and level acidity
• APL: Arm Pit Length

B

• Baggy Method: Applying conditioner to the hair then wrapping it with saran wrap or covering it with a plastic/shower cap for an extended period of time
• BC: Big Chop, cutting off all the relaxed and or chemically processed hair
• BSB: Below Shoulder Blade
• BSL: Bra-Strap Length
• BSS: Beauty Supply Store

C

• CC: “Creamy Crack” also known as a relaxer
• Cones: Are ‘silicones’, or ingredients found in hair care products that are not water soluble. Which make it difficult for hair to absorb moisture.
• Clarifying: When you wash your hair to remove product build up, dirt or anything clogging the follicles.
• Co-Wash: Conditioner wash; washing hair with conditioner instead of shampoo

D

• DC: Deep condition/Deep conditioner by leaving conditioner on the hair for 30 mins or more
• DIY: Do It Yourself

E

• EVOO: Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• EVCO: Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• EO: Essential Oil

H,J,L,M

• HG: Holy Grail (Products you just can’t do without)
• JBCO: Jamaican Black Castor Oil
• Leave-in: this is a conditioner or mix that stays in your hair. After it’s applied, it is not rinsed/washed out.
• MBL: Mid back length

N

• Natural Hair: to be completely free of chemical processing in the hair
• NG: New growth
• NL: Neck Length

P

• Pineappleing– A sleeping technique that curlies with long hair use to preserve/protect curls overnight. You gather all of your hair in a high, but loose pony tail at the top of your head, and go to sleep on a satin pillowcase. In the morning you take it down and shake it out gently and
  all of your curls will have been preserved.
• Product Junkie: One who likes to buy hair products or any products. Always searching for the next best thing
• Pre-Poo: A treatment applied prior to shampooing. It usually consists of oils and/or conditioners applied the night before the shampoo or immediately prior, with a heat source to help penetrate. This is usually performed to help the hair maintain necessary moisture during the drying shampoo process.

S

• SL: Shoulder Length
• Slip: Used to describe how slippery a product is (usually a conditioner or detangler). The more slip, the more effectively it will coat the hair to aid in detangling

T,W

• TWA: Teeny weeny afro
• WSL: waist length hair

#’s

• 3A texture: Loose curls
• 3B texture: Tight curls
• 4A texture: Loose kinks/coils
• 4B texture: Tight kinks/coils

Successful Flat Twist Out?!

Guyssssssssss!!!!

I bet you want to know why I’m giving my hair the side eye right now.
*sigh*

This was one of those styles where I wish my stringy, dead, relaxed ends could just *poof* BEGONE! Look at my roots! They look so good! And then you get to my ends and it’s like WHOMP WHOMP!
I could tell that this would have been a very successful flat twist out. I did this style on dirty hair. All I did was spritz with water, add my Cantu Shea Butter, and seal it with a little olive oil. I then parted my hair deep on the left side, then began to flat twist. I made about 10. I did add flexi rods, but I took them out after a couple hours. I let them set for a couple hours, and this was my result.

It literally pained my heart to see the success that could have been, LOL, but such is the transitioning life.

So I had to redirect the style, and quickly. Here’s what I came up with.

Ginormous side buns for the win!!! 🙂

Until next time,
Mandisa ❤

Advice From A Natural: Tea Rinses

Happy Friday, loves! We’ve made it through another week! We’ll be starting up another series on the blog regarding guest posts. Allow me to introduce our first guest blogger, Tina!

Tina’s been natural since birth, and came to drop a little knowledge on us.
​Hello Ladies! I’ve been a natural since birth, due to a mother who did NOT budge on not letting me get a relaxer. This past week my mother passed on a tip she’s been holding back for YEARS. Tea Rinses.
​Look in your cupboard and see if you have a couple of the tea’s I’ll list below and the amazing benefits they’ll do for your hair.

Numero 1: BLACK TEA.​(do a once a month treatment)
​This is my answer by and by when it comes to tea rinses. The Black Tea rinse reduces shedding due to the caffeine within the tea. It also helps thicken your hair. So let’s do a little math.
​Reduce shedding +thick= growing hair.

Numero 2: GREEN TEA (can be on the regular)
​Green tea’s benefits are out of the ballpark seriously. It stimulates hair growth- and I even looked it up. There was a study in 2007 by Korean scientists proving this.
​Helps with dandruff and psoriasis.
​Green tea contains a lot of the vitamins and ingredients found in: Conditioners.
​So green tea strengthens, softens hair and prevents split ends.
​
Numer 3: PEPPERMINT TEA (mix in agent)
​I like to add in peppermint with my Green tea because Peppermint helps with dandruff also and calms down an itchy scalp. ALSO Peppermint has antibacterial things in it.

OK so HOW do you do a tea rinse?

I normally boil in a big coffee mug as I’m doing my pre-poo deep conditioning before shampooing. Let it seep, I like to cover the tea so that it really brews. At the same time the tea is cooling off finish your pre poo and shampoo rinse your hair with this tea rinse. Focus it on the scalp and let the remainder just slide down the rest of your hair shafts. Let it sit on your hair for 5-10 minutes. Rinse it out. Then DEEP CONDITION after. Your hair will feel so dry if you do not deep condition after a tea rinse. Then continue on with your regular wash.

Tea rinsing is now a staple in my washing routine. Since doing this, I can comb my hair and have no worries about half my hair being stuck in the comb.

Much love,

Tina.

I hope this information is as helpful to you as it is to me. I never did tea rinses before, but now, I’m definitely going to try one in the near future.

Until next time,
Mandisa ❤

Twisted Crown HOTD!

Hi guys, happy Wednesday! Today, I’m coming to you with a quick hair of the day. This was Monday’s hair, styled on that old curly fro from the weekend. I got home late on Sunday night and was too lazy to do my twists. I had to think of something quick, because my hair looked like a bird’s nest. Straight up hot mess.
I didn’t sleep on a bonnet or satin pillowcase on Saturday night. *sigh*
So I did two flat twists going in the UPWARDS direction to the back. Prior to that, I detangled dry *cringe* in three large sections and lost some hair. Cool. -__-

After doing my two flat twists on both sides, there was still a section left. I simply incorporated that section with the others, and WHOMP! THERE IT IS!

Now, I did this style on Sunday night, so I tied it up with a headscarf and put a satin bonnet over it. Then I hit the sack!
Monday morning I woke up, put on a cute headband, and walked out of the house! Simple simple!

Until next time,
Mandisa

Irene’s Wash Day Routine

Just ask Mandisa I really do dread wash day, because it takes sooo longggg! But that’s the price I have to pay to have healthy and strong hair I guess. Besides I’m way to protective to go to the hair salon! Lol

So let’s begin!

Detangling–

So before I dunk  my hair under water I like to detangle first. This obviously helps to reduce the tangles, knots, and excess shedding while washing it. What I’m using is actually a “deep conditioner” that I’ve had for years that I just want to use up. I spray my hair with water because detangling on dry hair is a huge NO NO, and apply this conditioner, and then start detangling using a wide tooth comb. I recommend any cheap conditioner that has good slip. So the comb can easily side through from root to tip.

Once my hair is fully detangled, I twist up my hair in 8 twists (4 on each side) I do this because I wash my hair in sections. Sorry to brake it to you, but I do not wash my hair like those herbal essence models. Who lather all their hair at the top of their heads singing Yesss! Yesss! -_- All that does is cause breakage. Sectioning my hair before washing is beyond helpful. I warn you it does take longer, but it’s totally worth it because my hair isn’t knotting up in one huge clump.

Shampoo & Conditioning –

If you can’t tell already, I’m definitely one of those people who won’t spend more than $10 on shampoo and conditioners! There are really good ones out there for reasonable prices, like this one!

After shampooing my roots in each section twice, I rinse it out and apply my conditioner. While the conditioner sits in my hair,  I comb through it and move on to the next section. Once everything is shampooed and conditioned I rinse! & put on a tee shirt on my head to soak up the dripping water.

Deep Conditioning–

Now it’s time for deep conditioning. No matter how much time I have I always try to get a deep conditioner in. Trust me your hair will love your for it! So I like to switch deep conditioners every week, or just depending on how much time I have. Today I used this Hair Mayo, & sat under the dryer for about 45 minutes. I love this stuff! If you don’t have a hooded dryer, your own body heat will suffice. Or take a shower and the steam works great as well. After the time is up I rinse will COOL water. (https://divinelyrooted.wordpress.com/2012/11/07/totw/) < See Why! 🙂

Leave Ins–

After the detangling and all the conditioning I hardly have any trouble with my hair once the process is over. Thank God. So that’s my wash routine. Of course shampoo and conditioners may change, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be sticking to this process. I just apply a Leave in, Moisturizer, & Sealant afterwards, & Style!

– Irene

Big, Curly, Fluffy Fro! V 2.0!

Hello beautiful ones! Happy Monday! I hope your week is starting out wonderfully! Today I’m coming to you with a cute, curly fro I did over the weekend.
This style was done on freshly washed and conditioned hair. It was then moisturized with my new Cantu Shea Butter that I picked up last week!
I then put my hair in eight flat twists, beginning at the crown of my head and going down. After that, I attached a flexi to each one and let the style set for about eight hours.

After coating my hands and fingers with a little EVOO, I began to unravel my flat twists. To my surprise, they were coming out big and fluffy! Here’s how it looked before separating.

After separating, fluffing, and adding a thick black band:

After messing with it a bit, and not liking what I saw, I began to get discouraged. So discouraged that I ended up just putting it in a ponytail. 😦

I simply do not have the courage to rock my big fro! And that’s where the personal challenge comes in. I need to get the courage to wear this fro, it’s something that I have to do. And with summer coming up, it’s the PERFECT time! So why not?! I’m gonna rock my curly fro out one day in the next month. My hair is gorge, big and fluffy or not!

Until next time,
Mandisa ❤