I wanna grow locs!

Yea, I know. I'm always coming up with something new. I've always wanted to grow locks, but there were always other styles that I wanted to do now. I still have a few other styles that I would like to try, but I think locking my hair now is pretty good timing, right?

I found a few pics of locs that i love...I'm not certain the exact thickness/thinness I'm going to go for. but I want it to be dope. Plus i can color the hair and everything. AND i'm starting my locks on my hair whatever length it is.

And then, check this blog out for even thicker styles: I found the following blog and won't you believe the blog looks similar to mind, so I was excited about that. Please follow locswithstyle: http://locswithstyle.blogspot.com/

Fell free to follow me at @livlyhood on Twitter & @lofanaturalista on Instagram

MuAh & CiAo!

Hair Essentials - Twists Pin-Up

FINALLY! I was able to sit down and put twists in my hair to create a twist out style over the weekend. Meanwhile, I rocked my protective style as long as I could. I didn't think it could last as long as it did even after kickball practice and falling over another player. I got bruises to prove this too! My team is going hard in the paint! At any rate, I love it that we're ALL natural (by default) and we rock so many different do's....hmmm, I just got an idea. Maybe I can feature my kickball team in a future post. That'll be cool.

Here's a quick video I did to show how I refreshed my last quick professional do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uYsnM-Q8L4

 and then here is a current pic of my do. I just took this. Natural hair is professional. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

Very awkward looking pic, but just wanted you to get the idea.

 

Live on purpose. Our Natural is Beautiful 2013. MuAh & CiAo!

Hair Essentials - Natural Hair Updo (4c)

So, I braided and styled my bff's hair. She usually combs and styles her own hair. I can probably count the number of times I've done her hair on my one hand. Anyhoo, here goes:

Prep Time: 1 hr   (includes consulting)
Style time: 2 hrs (includes consulting while styling and catching up on each other's lives)

YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES! lol

**I also completed her natural hair profile and natural hair goal plan which added an add'l 45 mins to the prep time**

1. She washed and sectioned off her hair in about 10 twists (5 on each side). I took over from there.
2. I untwisted each section and combed each section as I went along.
3. Next, I used Carol's Daughter heat protectant moisturizer and rubbed it into her sectioned hair from root to tip and blow dried each section and re-twist.
4. I repeated steps 2 & 3 until all the twists were completed.
5. Then I moisturized with JCS moisturizer and sealed with jojoba oil
6. Then I sectioned hair into 4 big sections, re-twisting 3 of them and started braids from the untwisted 4th section.
7. With each part, I further moisturized and seal with JCS nourish and shine product (GREAT FOR BRAIDING HAIR)
8. Then repeat step 7 for all other sections, leaving some hair out in the front (as much hair as desired)
9. With loose hair in the front, I moisturized with JCS nourish and shine product and loosely twisted it and rolled the twist under and secured with a pin.
10. I repeated step 10 until it was all twisted and pinned down the way I wanted it to be.

Here are the results:

 

 

 

Two important things! PLEASE COMB AND SECTION HAIR OUT FROM ROOT TO TIP. Do not take any shortcuts, it creates more breakage and tangling when attempting to comb out for styling later. Also, it doesn't allow for product to get to the root properly. And properly combing hair out especially when having type 4c is imperative to maintaining a healthy head of hair.

** Also Important - brush hair on either side of the section parted to braided all the way through so that the parts are more defined. Some hair is more stubborn to braiding and does not seem to hold a defined part. With more training, hair will work just fine **

This was a nice style, no additional hair was used and I think my bff looks gorg!

Our natural is beautiful. MuAh & CiAo! :-)

Hair Essentials - Nia's Updo

FINALLY!!!! I posted picsof the do I created. I rocked this thing for two week.s I finally took it out last night. My hair was begging to be washed, especially with all the working out I've been doing. These pics were taken this past weekend. I took the style out last night, washed, put in a conditioning treatment and twisted into big twists with the replenishing treatment mist and styling creme both by Wen  and of course, JCO.

I plan to do more braided styles with the summer coming and all. I may even put it into braided extension, but I can't imagine not being able to put any treatment in my hair for months on end and not being able to wash my hair after my workouts. My hair doesn't look bad, just feels hot and moist if I do any "bumped-looking" styles as is shown above with this Ledisi type do.

I loved being able to get up and go, so this style was pretty nice AND it transitioned into a nice style I could wear to a wedding. Anyhoo, I did a couple new hairstyles this week, so 'll post those next week. Stay tuned! MuAh & CiAo! Live on Purpose. :-)

Valentine's Day in Style - Hair Essentials

Say good-bye to the regular way of spending Valentine's Day and dealing with all the ordinary things. Dinner at some fancy hoity, toity restaurant where you pay over $100 and still leave there starving. No WAY! That blows. Speaking of that blowing, I wore my hair is a cute blow out style and dressed in my cute blue blazer with a pair of jeans for a night on the town with boo to celebrate Valentine's Day. We had such a wonderful time AND I went home with a doggy bag of food to eat the next day at a very good rate. I used this new product from Carol's Daughter. I got a ssample of it, so I'm not certain of the name, but when I go back to purchase the bottle, I will let you know.

I got plenty of compliments and many people thought I used that creamy crack. My hair is STILL pressed and I haven't put my hair under the flat iron anymore. I've been wrapping it at night with little to not oil and then combing down and going. One day, I didn't even come it down. I just kept it wrapped with my bonnet and put my beanie over it! HA! The things I get away with most days. Of course I wore a beanie to work AND was still upbeat. Plus, I glossed my lips with vaseline, lol. I got a big ole $1 jar. It has helped with easing my cracked and dry lips. My lips were so cracked I couldn't sing. I was licking my lips to retain moisture, when in fact doing that dried them out. SMH. Not to mention I wasn't drinking the bottles of water I shuold have been drinking. With back to back meetings, I thought I shouldn't drink because it will limit my bathroom visits, however, my lips got cracked, my skin started breaking out, it was just alot going on. Granted, the only person who commented on it was beau seeing as though he's all in my face, but it wasn't anything too terrible. AND i refused to cover it up with make-up. So, vaseline, bottled water, my corioliss pink flat iron, that product from Carol's daughter, and the usual products I use after I twist my hair after a cowash has helped in making me a better me. Here are some pics of the process to flat ironing my hair:

Started with a twists that were moisturized and sealed with oil 1 day ago

Apply Carol's Daughter sample & Blow dry each individual twist.

Flat iron each individual twist that has been blown out fully. No need to apply ANYTHING ELSE!

I wrapped my hair after pressing all my hair and this was the result!

Think I'm going to do an updo natural style on my hair next week. Cross your fingers. I'll try to make a video of it. I'm thinking of putting my still pressed hair in curling rods to add a fresh look to it for the week to come. :-) Stay tuned for what I do next. It's growing too, so i'm excited about that. I did clip some ends off too...some ends that were beginning to split or started catching on clothing I wore.

Anyhoo, Live on Purpose. Get excited!. MuAh & CiAo!

Hair Essentials - Natural Hair/ Braided Do

I did this look about 2 evenings ago. It's a very simple style again and can be used for anyone going to work and want something off their back and neck. As fr me and my hair, it is finally the 28th day and I cannot WAIT to wash my hair! It's been sucha  long time coming. I may do a rinse of the Aloe Vera Juice to help with my dry scalp and then I'd do the conditioning treatment after I wash my hair. Switching things up a bit. I'm still uncertain of how I'm going to style my hair for this wedding on Sunday, but I'm going to work it out, whatever it may be. Enjoy the pics!

Live on Purpose, MuAh & CiAo!

Hair Essentials - Natural Hair Updo

Some people have better braidable hair than others. Some other people inspire you to find more styles. Here is another braided style done to my girl's hair. Perhaps if we weren't so busy talking and catching up on VH1 reality shows, we'd be finished much sooner than we are. I'll say though that laughing, having a good time and doing hair is a favorite past-time of mine. Here's how it came out.

 All she needs to do now, is tie it up with a satin scarve and it can last for 2 wks or more. She works out often so keeping her hair braided is a good way to having a fancy do last a couple weeks without having your hands in your hair every day AND being able to workout without hair looking messy. It's the best of both worlds. Who said we had to look a hot mess because we work out. If only I could do my own hair more, lol. Anyhoo, that's all for now.

Live on Purpose people! I really mean that. MuAh & CiAo! :-)

Hair Essentials - Braided Wedding Updo

Update on my hair: I'm still rocking these twists in my hair. I'm prob not going to take it out tomorrow or this weekend. Probably next week. I honeslty don't remember when I put them in, but I'm still getting compliments on them. go figure. I'll take a pic of em and post on the blog. I may wear em as a twist out and pin up over the weekend though. We'll see what happens. If the weather is too dry, probably not though. My evening regimen has been working to keep my twist nicely moisturized without being super oily. Loving this!

Well I wrote this blog today to show the pics of my friend's hair I promised. I only put one up, but you couldn't really see the do. Here's a better picture of the do I did to my one girl's hair. I thought this was sooo cute. Hope you likey:

Sweet do, huh! I love it! and she styled it well. Naturalista! Anyhoo, that's all for now. MuAh & CiAo!

Hair Essentials - Progress of Hair Growth

So, my hair has grown, yayyyy!, but I'm wearing it in curls. I also am in need of a trim/cut...and I have found some split ends. I may cut about 1.5-2 inches off, but that's okay because I had about 3-4 inches of growth since my last cut. My hair keeps breaking because of my nightime routine (which I don't really have because I  fall asleep before I can properly cover/wrap/retwist/curl aka "take care" of my hair)

But have no fear, I have a plan. I will cut my hair in particular portions of my hair and I will wear my hair in twist outs until all the cutting is complete. I figure by the time it's all over, my hair would grow back and it would be healthier, plus, I can see what works well for keeping my hair other than having to reset it at night. My hair is really dumb and need lots of maintenance when wearing my hair out.

IDK if it's just me, but my hair keeps longer when it's pressed and my hair grows when I continually keep it pressed. But since I usually do summers heat free, I'll have to pay special attn to my hair. BUT i am ready for the challenge. I got a curling rod set done like a week ago.  My type 3b/3C hair kills me softly.

Live on purpose people. CiAo and MuAh!

Hair Essentials- Curls Galore

So, I'm bursting with new of this event I took pics for and I was waiting until the owner put the pics up first, but I'm gonna blog about it and I'm certain the professional pics will come to pass. (stay tuned for that blog post) Anyhoo, for that photoshoot, I got a wet set done with rollers and went under the dryer.  

 Hrs later I had nice curls, but then I got home and wondered wait a minute, I'm too tired to do anything else to my hair, so I took my time and reset my hair one night after the curls became messy. I mean, I really took my time and reset my hair, but used my curling rods with a little bit of grease on the tips. I'm not heavy handed either, plus grease would not be super heavy on my hair. Without taking a hot curler to it or going under the dryer or applying any kind of heat, I just put in about 20 rollers tops. Then, when it was time for me to hit the streets of DC, I took the curlers out. And took my time separating each curl.

So, now it was time to style the curls that I patiently separated out. All I did was pull the sides back and secured it with a bobby pin on each side. sometimes I may use two pins to secure the hair for added support and pin it in making a cross with the previous hair pin that is already in its place. I liked the look. And my curls were shiny, beautiful and bouncy without having to apply additional heat. Love it!

Another beautiful curly look with curling rods! I used the orange sized ones...the ones I have used in previous postings. Hope it works well in your hair too! I washed my hair the very next day and did another do, natural this time, so I'll post pics of that tomorrow. For now MuAh and Ciao!

Hair Essentials - Half Up/Half down Twist Out

So, I'm still trying to get this hair to last longer. I do need to wash it tonight, but I figured let me try another quick do. so here it is:

I used Kinky curly to moisturzie (just because I'm trying to finish the bottle, i'm washing my hair in less than 2 days and it smells good) Otherwise, Kinky curly tends to leave this whitish film in my hair. Works differently in other people's hair.

1. Moisturize hair with moisturizer of your choice
2. Make a path with your fingers by sweeping the hair towards a ponytail in the center of ur hair starting from the corners of your ears.
3. Use a scrunchie to fasten your hair
4. Spread the hair/ twist outs to make fluffy look
5. Use hair pins to pin down any stray hair by folding the ends of the hair under first then pinning to keep the fluffy look

AnD BoOm! You get this look.

At this point, my twistouts have mad shrinkage, but it's ok. It's working out well and I could go workout later without having hair in my face. Sweet! CiAo and MuAh!

Hair Essentials - Twist out Fro/Banana Clip

Seems like I haven't posted in almost a week. Life has been so great for the past few days, that I haven't been doing anything with my hair really. Just been doing twist outs. Figured that is pretty basic, but what I have noticed is that twist outs dry out quickly. So I find myself needing to moisturize my hair. I use Az I Am to moisturize the hair, Argan oil for the ends of my hair to seal moisture and then some plain ole grease for the hair. When I get pics back from my outing, I will post on the blog of my fresh twist out.

I'm loving my natural hair! Embrace it the natural look people! Hmm, I did brush my hair into a banana clip. Perhaps I can do a quick mobile pic for you. Let me know if you likey :-) Ciao!

See those bags under my eyes, SMH. i did a posting about bags under ur eyes too, but anyhoo, that's another subject in and of itself.

To create that look:

1. Use the remnants of a twist out  look (lol)
2. Moisturize the hair with a moisturizer of your choice, especially the hair at the sides of the head
3. Brush the hair into a loose forming ponytail using a wet brush (I use a scrunchi) Idk what American's call it.
4. Then I put the banana clip in under the loose holding scrunchi.
5. Take the scrunchi out gently to avoid pulling hair out
6. Spread the hair out along the lenght of the bananaclip
7. The hair that remains out on the top, clip with a few hairpins as you desire to create a poof look of your choice.

Take about 10 minutes TOPS to get it all done. Quick style to go when you are working with an overused twist out. IDK how i'm going to style it tomorrow, possibly do the same thing since I need to work out, but i just may do a fro with my overused twistout. Keep ya posted! Live on purpose people, CiAo!!!

Hair Essentials - Freshen Up Your Curls!

I tried my hand at making another video to show you how easy and fast you can freshen up your curls after it's lasted a few days. What's NOT easy and fast is editing this video and getting it on youtube, but anyhoo, I semi-worked it out. Some people's curls will last longer, others not so much. Unfortunately for me, my curls last a few days (mainly because I don't spend A WHOLE lot of time in preparing my hair for bed) I'm working on it though, I have plenty of lazy moments, but the key is to take care of the ends of your hair and don't slip too often. One mistake could lead to a disaster where natural hair is concerned.

Watch the following video to see how to freshen up your curls. After about 3 days of wearing my curls out in a fro-like manner, I decided to pin some up. Here's a pic.

After that, I wanted to freshen up the pin-up style while also securing my ends, so I created a video to show the quick and easy set to the styling of the curls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6Vs6Q-pFgI&feature=youtube_gdata

(Don't judge me, this is my first video, hopefully, the videos will improve with time, ENJOY!)

Prep Time  - 15-20 mins.
Styling Time -10-15 mins.