Summer 16″

Ok, Queens well officially begin Summer, and I know you ladies are looking for ways to maintain your coils, kinks, and curls. Looking for protective styles, just plain ole ways to take better care of our crown of curls.

Let’s get started. Here in Baltimore, Maryland the weather is starting to heat up and at night, it becomes sticky and Let’s face it ladies “These curls ain’t loyal”!! Here are a few *Tips* to use to help your hair from becoming fluffy.

Picture courtesy of Google Images

 

Add Eco Styler Gel/ or any clear gel with a hair cream or butter to help with the hold when styling Twist-outs, braid-outs, rods, etc. Hair creams or butters will moisturize your hair, and when the moisture in your hair meets the muggy, humid air, it may become a *BIG* Bush. Not saying I don’t like the Big Bush because you guys know I do. However, if that’s not the look you are going for you may want to add a gel.

It’s best to mix the two products together on your hand first before apply on your hair. If the two products create a white residue on your hand, it will do the same in your hair.

 

courtesy of google images

 

Heat Protectant Serum, spray, or cream. Yes, that’s right. I love the Cream of Nature and Tresemme’ Heat protection and Serum. I know you would normally add to your hair when using heated styling tools, however, these products can help to control fly-aways as well as to hold a good curl pattern for wash and go’s and twist-outs. Plus, it’s perfect for protecting your hair from chlorine in the pool or salt water at the beach. I love big hair (Defined curls), and Heat Protectant helps to keep your hair softer, shinier and helps your hair from frizzing and drying out on those hot summer days.

This is my favorite say it with me now! ***EDGE CONTROL*** Nothing screams summer is here more than melting edge control or edge control that only got your back for the first 5 to 10 mins of life. Quite frankly It’s disrespectful to put all that work and money in a good ( slick down ) just for the edge control to abort the mission. I know ladies it’s hard to find a good edge control that’s not flaky, sticky, leaves the white residue, or just don’t well control the edges. Well, these are a few I love. Yes, I tried each item and loved them all.  These edge controls give me the best slick down of all the slick downs.

The next thing is my Second favorite.  When your hair just refuses to be your friend I mean refuse to give you any act right. Well, it’s time to try an Updo, Flat twist, crown braids, etc. These kind of styles are convenient, easy to do and just plain cute to style.

Picture from Pinterest Flat twist w/2 strand twist

Crown Braid  (Picture from Pinterest)

 

 

Two strand twist(photo from Pinterest)

Single two strand Twist (Picture from Pinterest)

 

Or you may want or miss your curls. You can always unravel your locks (twists and braids) and let’em flow. And Did I mention you can’t go wrong with a High Puff, Rods and crochet braids? These styles seem to be the trendiest styles for summer 2016. 

This is a picture of my beautiful 14 y/o babygirl. (rocking crochet braids)

 

 

 

Red hair don’t care. I just love rods during the summer months. They will start off tightly curled and loosen up by the end of the week.

 

Well, Queens, that’s all for now. If you would like to see any other summer style to help maintain your natural hair. Please feel free to let me know by emailing me ourkinksrcurls@gmail.com or contacting me on my social media pages.

Happy Summer 2016 Queens

Be kind to yourself, Remember to NEVER give up on your hair.

Love Peace and Hair cream.

Blogged By: Tanya

courtesy of google images 

 

WashDay (video)

Hello Queens and Happy Sunday,

It was wash day for me Yesterday, and I decided to snap chat my Steps.

Check out the video and Pics.

 

The Finished look. This look lasted me all day (and it’s been raining in Baltimore, Maryland for more than 14 days)

 

Perm Rods.

These are the Products I used this weekend.

Listed you see the products I used for this weekend wash day.

*Renpure Biotin & Collagen for my C0-Wash.

*Perm Rods (Peach and Orange) Sorry Not good with knowing the correct size

*JBCO (This brand smells soo good, I promise you. I use this oil for my sealant after I apply my Leave-in from the Dove line. NOT PICTURED.

*Honey ( added for shine and softness)

*Carols Daughter, Marguerite’s Magic Hairdress Cream( uses this as a moisturizer in the rodding process)

*Eco Styler Gel( The Holy Grail in the natural hair community) I also use this as in my hair rodding process to give my hair a better hold and define the curl.

*Denman Brush( the best brush I ever used) To help detangle

*Lotta body edge control

Until next time Queens, Please be good to yourselves

 

Love Peace and Hair Cream

Blogged By Tanya K.

Edge Control on the Go.

Seriously, someone thought of me when this was thought of. 

Lettuce Pray Naturalistas,

Cream of Nature has blessed us with edge control in a lip balm like a tube. Not sure how you ladies feel about this but I’m super excited. Ok, here’s the brief story.

I was yet again in Walmart, ( I work like walking distance from Walmart so please judge) Yes, I said go ahead and judge. Lol, *cough* back to the review. While on my daily stroll through Walmart, I almost always go to the Natural hair section, and it’s a big part of a huge Natural Hair selection. (pic is currently up on this site)  Suddenly, I looked down where the travel size hair care items were and seen this lovely thing. It cost less than $3, and it comes in handy. I keep it in my tiny makeup bag of hair and make-up goodies.

So, No more carrying an entire jar of edge control that may be very well as we speak taking up space in your handbag, book bag, etc. With this easy to carry (lip balm like a tube), you can take along this fantastic small tube for that major quick fix. Let me mention since the summer is among us, we all could use this as a carry on in our purse and for less than $3, it’s worth the try.

Click link for the Product:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/creme-of-nature-argan-oil-perfect-edges-on-the-go/ID=prod6304398-product

Be Kind to yourself, Love yourself, Queen.

Until next time Love, Peace & Hair Cream

Blogged By: Tanya K.

Dove Leave-In Detangler

I was in Walmart on my lunch break. I was just walking through the aisle not looking to buy anything. I saw this *NEW* product from the Dove Quench Absolute line it was less than $5, so I brought it. I had to try it on my next #WASHDAY.

I tried it on my hair and my five-year-old hair, and It works amazingly well. My daughter’s hair tangles easily, and no matter what detangler I use, nothing works well. I spray this product on hair while dry first just to see if it would work a little and it did. So, after cleansing my daughter hair and my own. I parted our hair in 4 parts, and going through each section I sprayed our hair with the product and used a Shower comb first to break through the detangling process. Then I switched to the Denman styling brush for an easier grip.

Queens, this product helps with the after wash process. My baby girl usually cries throughout the detangling process she, and I hate when her wash day comes. Lol (like most little girls with super thick and curly hair). This product eased the process, of course, I bump here & there to some stubborn knots, but the focus was not running into as many as usual.

I will be posting a video of this week’s wash day when I use this product again. I will be buying this product on a regular basis, and it has become a part my hair regimen.

Ladies, I totally understand, that buying hair products can be stressful, addictive and confusing especially when you are not sure what to use for your hair type. There’s nothing wrong with exploring. I know the expensive products may be eye-catching and have great reviews. However, let’s think of “ballin on a budget.” That’s the best way to learn what products works well with your hair. This Dove line for course and Thick hair works great on my 3c/4a curly kinks and my daughter 4ab kinks.

here is the link to Dove Quench. Check it out

http://www.dove.us/Products/Hair/Advanced-Hair-Series/Quench-Absolute.aspx

On blog. 5/21/2016 “What kind of products to use while “Ballin on a budget”

Until next time “Be good to yourself first”

Be Kind and Share

Blogged By: Tanya K

 

3rd year Anniversary Big Chop(part 2)

So, I left off with me posting my

The first time I pressed and trimmed my hair

After, My year anniversary of my big chop I pressed my hair and got a trim. Yes, This was all my hair post big chop. Yes, I waited one year for a trim. I went without heat for the entire year. I had almost NO split ends and No damage from the color. I left my hair straight for two weeks and as most naturals I follow who get their hair pressed for trimming reasons I missed my curls and could not wait until washed day.

15 months post Big Chop and for me, it was getting easier to maintain my health hair. Of course “Wash Day” would be for 2-3 hours a week and I build some serious muscles when I do my twist and braid out. But, I had no reason to complain I was growing thick, healthy hair that I was proud of at the moment.

 

The picture were taken in Feb 2015. This length was the longest my hair has been since I was a child. During my relaxed days. My hair would always need a major trim due to dryness and breakage, so my hair length was limited.

 

This press and trim were in Feb of 2015 I received at Hair Cuttery in Essex, Maryland only $60 and very professional. (See blog named Hair Cuttery review) For my full salon experienced. The hardest thing about maintaining this style was wrapping my hair up at night. (lol) Yes, Queens I forgot how to wrap my hair around my head. (there I said it) I guess it’s true what they say, If you don’t use it, you lose it.

See, It wasn’t long that I was missing my curls, and I couldn’t wait until the end of my two weeks to wash my hair. Now this picture, (half &half) style was right before I decided to cut my hair again. Yes, I cut my hair five months ago, and we will soon get into that.  The summer of 2015, and I wanted something different, so I visited Pinterest for ideas. The half up &half down was my favorite to go hair style until the humidity said otherwise.

October 2015, This picture was taken the night I went to the barber shop. I miss this hair style and my hair. Handling shorter hair is very hard work when you are not used to it.  I encourage if you want something different and not sure which way to go. Look for a wig stylist that can help you design something for when you feel the need to try something “New.”

October 2015, The Cut. I loved it when I first got it and of course, it was the growing it out and having three different layers that gave me a headache. 

The Cut (a closer look) Sides was completely shaved. I missed those first. Achieving my signature high puff style was hard at this point.

Yes, five months after my 2nd mini Big Chop this picture of April 2016 my sides and back grew back in and still growing at a rapid pace. My high puff is back and bigger than 2015. I dyed my hair a few my times more, and my curl pattern remains the same.

Now, that I’m back on track. I colored my hair every color I could get away with at work. I been everywhere from green, blues, reds and purple as of today. Bottomline, It’s your hair and you are free to do whatever you want and like to do your hair. It can be relaxed or Natural. Natural is the very best thing that I could do for my hair and self. My hair is healthier more than ever, edges are full of life and splits ends are little to none. I do not rely on a hair stylist to manage my crown. Yes, it’s my crown that repersents me well each and every day. I’m not saying returning natural means fire your sylist. Do whatever is best for you. However, for me, it saves me money, and time additionally it taught me patience when it comes to handling my crown full of curls.

Happy 3rd year Natural to me and my Curls.

Love, peace and buttercream queens.

~Tanya

 

Is Natural Unprofessional?

Hello Queens,

While, at work earlier today I was on google and I was in Middle of typing “Natural hair styles, and I came across the title,”Unprofessional hair for work” and this is the pictures that came up with that “supposedly matched” name.

Now, Queens I notice that it’s women of color with natural hair, hair wraps, etc. That did not get me upset in the beginning. Then I begin to search some more for other pictures. There was no women of color with relaxed hair, only some with bright color hair (un-natural colors as my job call it).

Then I searched for “Professional Hair for work” and these pictures was the results

Now, I’m upset. Why? should I be surprised? These pictures touched a nerve and yes it bothered me. I’m known for wearing my high curly puffs and coloring my hair (Unnatural hair colors). I decide to tone down on my hair colors because I would change my colors every few months. I noticed how my co-workers would give me looks and even asked questions and/or say “Rude” comments about my hair.  So, I dyed it a warm color for Fall 2015.

As I were looking to do something different with my hair and even pin it on Pinterest but when I saw these very different pictures of “Professional and Unprofessional” Hair for work. I started thinking this is a serious problem; I have a 14-year-old girl who is at an age that she is trying to find herself, and I’m teaching her to love herself more than ever. With all these options of switching your hair by creating a look to look like everyone around you instead of being you without being labeled as something “negative”.

Natural Hair is NOWHERE near unprofessional. It had taken us years and even decades to learn how to love ourselves and accept who we are. From our skin tones, lips, hips and of course OUR hair. We did everything to your hair to be accepted in a certain community of people, for school, job interviews, etc. Our hair was and will always be one of our biggest challenges that women of color face every day. So, to see these pictures in two different groups of the ethnicity of women marked as Postive and Negative is a setback and give us a mountain of questions in 2016.

1). Is this how we are being perceived?

2). Is this one of the reasons women of color get picked over?

3) Has your job (Boss) questioned your hair?

4) How can I explain to my girls Unprofessional and Professional hair when they are natural and/or has an interview for their first job?

The pictures I googled is not the only problem nor is it just about hair. Our little girls have the internet at their fingertips, and our princesses are always looking for ways to recreate themselves instead of giving positive ways to boost their confidence. The natural hair movement is not only about self-acceptance, it’s about the world accepting women of color without relaxed hair, weaves, wigs or braids.  Our kinks are beautiful curls and are here to stay.

Give us your thoughts.

Wash Day

 

Who doesn’t like Wash Day?

Ok Ladies, it’s wash day.

It’s time to get your mixtures, DYI’s mixes, deep conditioners, natural oils, wide tooth combs, plastic caps, towels, etc.

Let me know what new products you ladies been using or utilized for the first time this week.

Are there any products you want to tell us?

Our co-founder Tanya been using two new goods and she swears by it. They are called Husk and Renpure products. Both products can found at Target, Walgreens, and some CVS stores.

 

The Hask line you see are Deep Conditioners and Coconut Monoi Shampoo and Conditioner, and the other Products are Renpure products. Conditioners and Cleansing Conditioners

I like the line of shampoos, cleansing conditioners, Deep Conditioners, hair oil Treatments, and Conditioners. Both lines of products have made my hair softer and a bit more manageable.

 

My Wash Day ( Curls are popping) 

Other than taking about 3 hours from my day for my #WashDay. The only thing I enjoy about wash day has to be having clean,  and freshly washed hair to do almost anything to.

Let’s hear about your wash day ladies? What you do hate the most and what do you love about it. Yes, you must find something nice to say about your wash day.

Until next washday, Love Peace, and Hair cream.

 

 

Looking for a Perfect Gift?

My Aunt is a designer and makes these adorable dolls for any age and any occasion.  Her name is Mary Lee and she these lovely things are her handcrafted dolls. These beautiful comes is all shades of beauty.

Mary Lee is Baltimore, MD base, but willing to ship anywhere.  Please contact ourkinksrcurls.wordpress.com to place an order and have any questions, please email us ourkinksrcurls@gmail.com.

Mary Lee can also make Dresses for all occasions and ages. Have a rip in your pants? She can fix it. Lost weight or Gained some?  Yup Mary Lee can adjust your clothing.  Mary is well known throughout her community because of her gifted hands. Plus, every piece of jewelry  and accessory you can wear including the wings on the gumdrop dolls. Perfect gift for the little princess in your life. 

Here are a few more pictures of Mary Lee dolls.

For information, please contact ourkinksrcurls@gmail.com

Supergirl doll and Gumdrop fairy. Both dolls were hand made and are made to order.

Shea moisture’s breaking the walls

When I first saw this excellent commercial I just kept rewinding it. Why? Because it reminds me of each and every time I visit a store, some stores I have to walk straight to the back of the store in a not so will lit area to shop for natural hair care products.

When I finally get to the area I been looking for I noticed the tags that would hang either high above that would say “beauty” or the little flag that would say “Ethic” that would be attached right to the natural hair section

  
Of course, I would see a group of woman hovered over the seemingly small part of products regardless of natural products or relaxed products. It’s all in one “Ethnic ” area usually an aisle away from the aisle named “Beauty”.

  

Let me say a simple “Thank you ” to Shea Moisture for speaking for us.  For us one. Making us feeling beautiful as one. Our beauty comes all shapes, sizes, and shades. Thank you for breaking down the walls!!

Here’s the video link: check it out

http://bit.ly/BREAKTHEWALLS

Catching up. Came a long way.

Hello, queens.  Hope all of you beauties enjoyed your Spring break and Easter holiday. This picture you see here is an old picture of me dated 5 years old during my 5th anniversary with my job. As you can see from this picture I was a bit on the heavy side and yes, I know what you are thinking. Yes, this was my real hair. I was relaxed and had bleached my hair. This was how and when I began my Natural hair journey. You can’t tell but my roots were thick as cornbread and my bangs had breakage and kinda thin. All though my hair can take coloring very well, it did not take relaxers well at all. Every time I would get a touch-up my day 1, day 2 and day 3 hair was slamming. But by day 4 through 7 my scalp was itching, my hair was flat, I couldn’t hold a curl, and I had to maintain my style for another week until my next appointment and my hair was shedding like crazy. I use to comb my hair to the front of my head to cover my burnt, thin edges. I was miserable trying to maintain 2 different textures of hair. So, I big chopped right after this picture was taken. BEST DECISION EVER!!!

Now, let’s fast forward a bit. Today is my 10th anniversary with my job, I lost all my baby weight and gain just a little back (lol) I moved up 2 more positions since this picture and I am now a little over 3 years natural and may I add again I LOVE IT!! Part of the reason I lost my weight was I did not mind sweating my hair out. Yes, queens you and I both know a few people who hate to sweat out a good relaxer ( I was one of them).  When my edges got damp it was over and I didn’t want any parts of it. (real talk) Once I big chopped I knew I could workout and not worry about my hair. I knew that water and a healthy diet would help with my hair growth and yes contribute to my weight loss as well. See, as momma would say “I’ll killing 2 birds with one stone”. #Nopunintended

Since returning back to natural I learned how eating and living a better lifestyle can help with my weight control and hair growth. I started to save more money by not needing a salon visit every 2 weeks instead every 2 months for a trim or press. I still love to try products but I make smarter choices when I go product shopping. I only buy products that are on sale and I mean a GOOD SALE. I would stock up on my favs and try any newbies that I heard good reviews about. Since the natural hair industry is booming you can catch a good sale at CVS, WALGREENS, TARGET and of course SALLY’s. (BTW) if you do not have club cards for these stores you CAN NOT get the products at the sale price. So, please go to your nearest locations and apply for your keychain cards. Now, as for Sally’s it cost 5 bucks but you get a $5 coupon you can use for your next purchase and the membership last for a year.

So, there you have it queens I wanted to tell you guys what I’m been up to and I’m sorry for not blogging as much as I should. However,I made a commitment to post a blog every Wednesday and Saturday night.