A Ladi's Tresses: Back To A Relaxer

I made the big reveal on instagram a couple of weeks ago that I went back to the "creamy crack." Honestly, I've wanted to get a relaxer for a while (maybe a year?)...but I didn't want to feel like a failure, or as if I was doing it out of self-hate. Eventually, I reminded myself that it was only hair, an accessory that I can style anyway that I please.  

Celebrity Style: Blonde Bob-Shells

Tumblr, Marie Claire, Getty Images

Warm weather has sparked more than a few haircuts in my past, so it does not surprise me that many celebrities have traded in their usual long manes for shoulder length and above bobs. Nicki Minaj sported a platinum blonde graduated bob on the August 2013 cover of Marie Claire magazine. Around the same time, Ciara was spotted rocking a chin length style, seen above in tousled waves.  Earlier this month, Beyonce' shocked the world as she did a "big chop" and revealed a pixie cut, then quickly made the switch to the chic bob she has been wearing ever since.  Lastly, Roc Nation (aka Jay-Z's) artist Rita Ora appeared this past Sunday at the MTV VMAs looking ever so lovely (and a tad like Beyonce'!) in her own chin length 'do.

What do you think of these blonde bob-shells? Would you wear one of these cute bobs?

My Little Secrets "Soul" Lacefront Wig Review

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I ordered a second wig from My Little Secrets Online and would be posting a review.  I apologize for the delay; at first I was hesitant about how much I wanted to share about this experience but I realized that it is my duty as a blogger to keep it all the way real...so here we go!

The Buying Experience

Marley Twists

Last week I took a trip to the beauty supply store with the intention of doing something different with my hair. I planned to just try some new products or buy some temporary hair dye for a summer color change for the summer, but somehow I walked out with 3 packs of Marley hair with the idea of doing my own Marley Twists.  

Source

My Little Secrets Lace Front Update

This lace front wig is still going strong! I wore it nonstop for the first month after I got it and then alternated wearing a week of my natural hair and a week of the wig.  Today I wanted to give you all an update on how I'm caring for and styling the wig.

#Team Twistout, #Team Braidout...or #Team Both?

It is no secret that I love a good twistout--specifically, a flat twist out. Twisting is quick and easy (for me) to do, and while it may come out looking different every time, the results are almost always great.

Twistouts

On the other hand, braidouts work better for stretching my hair to give my style length and also produce a pretty crinkly texture.

My Little Secrets Lace Front Wig: Initial Review

Another day, another protective style! 

I recently decided to try something new and purchase my first lacefront wig.  I was very nervous and hesitant to start using lace fronts...we have all seen some horrible ones on MediaTakeout and even on some celebrities and if people who have millions of dollars can't get it right, how can little old me get one without looking crazy?  I bit the bullet and bought one after realizing that the price would be comparable to what I would pay for a sew-in weave (hair + paying for the install) and, even if I didn't love the wig, it could still be my "work wig" to give my natural hair a rest during the week (and give me a few extra minutes of sleep in the mornings!)

After some YouTube research, I found an affordable wig vendor that had natural looking wigs.  My Little Secrets offers lace front and full lace wigs in both curly and straight styles (I'm currently lusting over their curly hair options!).  Their wigs-unlike some other brands I saw--look good on the mannequins,  so I had high hopes for how they would look on my head.  I purchased "Diamond", a 10-12 inch 100% Human Indian Remy lace front wig in color 1B and selected their Yaki texture.  Here is a pic from the website: 

My Little Secrets "Diamond" (source)

My Little Secrets also offers add on services such as adding combs, coloring services, knot bleaching (which apparently makes the lace hairline and parts look more natural), and  adding hair to increase the length or density of their stock wigs.  I chose to get the knots semi-bleached to make the wig look as realistic as possible. Because this is technically a coloring service to the "roots" of the hair, the website does mention that this process can compromise the hair, especially if you are ordering a wig that has already been dyed.  

My only issue with the ordering process for the wig is the shipping. Most wigs ship within 5-6 business days, with an addition 4-8 business days added for the add on services (knot bleaching adds 8 days).  On top of that, the vendor's business week is from Wednesday to Saturday instead of the standard Monday to Friday. I ordered my wig on February 28th...and it did not ship until March 20th. Thankfully, it was shipped through priority mail so I got it 3 days after it was shipped.  

Now...for some pics: 

Side view

lace front portion of wig

The wig comes with combs on both sides and in the rear. There is lace from ear to ear, with about a 3inx3in area of lace at the front that allows you to create a center or a side part.

I took a few pictures of the wig fresh out of the box, with the lace still attached.   My Little Secrets does have an exchange program if you are not happy with your wig, but the wig must not be altered and the lace must not be cut so I wanted to make sure it was to my liking before cutting the lace.  There were no defects, the wig actually came pre-curled/styled, and I was impressed with how natural the part and hairline looked--even with the lace still attached!  The hair was really soft and had a natural, low-shine look.  I noticed no shedding at all with running my hands through it and combing it with a wide tooth comb. 

Final product, minimal styling

After cutting the lace, I curled the hair a little just to see how it would respond to heat styling. The hair curled easily and held the curls for 4 days of continuous wear. At night, I store the wig on a styrofoam wig head and in the morning I don't have to do anything to it.  As for my real hair...I twisted it back into 4 large flat twists, pinned the ends up in the back, and hid my hair under a wig cap.

So far, I am loving this wig! It feels so good to literally spend less than 1 minute styling my hair, and I cannot believe how the part looks like my own scalp!  I have to mention that if there is really strong wind the sides of the wig where the lace is may lift up if you don't glue it down (I do NOT use glue), but with combs on the side of the wig it is very secure (read: will not fly off!) and if you are worried about it you can use a couple of bobby pins by your ear. 

What do you all think? Have you ever tried a lace front? 

Spiral Curlers Review

I ordered a package of spiral curlers from Amazon that are similar to the brand Curl Formers. For $27, I received a pack 40 curlers (about 20in long) and 1 application hook.  These were about the same size as the Curl Formers Extra Long & Wide option. 

After freshly washing my hair, I applied a moisturizer (homemade mix of shea butter, aloe vera gel, and grapeseed oil), a litle bit of grapeseed oil, and a bit of EcoStyler olive oil gel to my hair.  I applied the curlers in a little over an hour (actually 1hr and 5min--I timed myself lol) and ended up using 39 of the curlers.  I watched a youtube video to see how to apply these curlers, but honestly it was really quick and easy. The only trouble I had was that sometimes the application hook would latch on to the top band of the curlers as I began to pull my hair through, however as long as I held the top band slightly open as I started pulling the hook through the curler, the hook would slide through with ease. 

When I finished setting my hair, I got a little anxious to see how it would turn out so I pulled out the first curler I had applied and was surprised to see that after only an hour (and with no heat applied), a nice ringlet had already formed!

Seeing that I didn't really need alot of heat to get a good curl, I only sat under the dryer for about 15min just to make sure my roots were dry to minimize frizz, as I was planning to sleep with the curlers in my hair. I do NOT recommend sleeping in these if you can avoid it, b/c it was so uncomfortable and I really had a hard time figuring out how to hold my head so I could actually fall asleep, and everytime I turned over I had to go through the process all over again. 

Despite my restless night, the results the next morning were well worth it--Perfect spiral ringlets! I was concerned about the possibility of breakage from pulling my hair through the curlers and pulling the curlers off my hair to remove them, but I did not see any pieces of hair caught in the curlers and felt no hair pulling from my roots as I removed the curlers. Also, my hair in the front did not look completely smooth on a few of the curlers while they were in my hair, but after removing them all the curls looked sleek so you don't really need to worry about about everything being perfect while setting, as long as all of your hair is in the roller and is given enough time to dry.

Separated Curls:

Overall, I am very happy with the curlers & they will definitely be a regular tool in my styling regimen!

Key takeaways:

• Easy to use
• No heat needed
• Uniform spiral curls

A Ladi's Tresses: Bantu Knot Out Attempt

It's a new year, so I decided to try something new with my hair. I've seen many natural hair bloggers/vloggers create cute, curly styles by creating bantu knots.  After watching a handful of YouTube tutorials, I attempted a set.  

I started by lightly spritzing the ends of  hair with a water bottle to make it slightly damp. 

Next, I pulled random sections of hair and applied  Beautiful Textures Curl Control Defining Pudding to each section.

Taking one section in my hand, I began to twirl the hair around itself; as the hair becomes twisted, it starts to curl around itself to begin forming the bantu knot. When I got to the end of my hair, I took the last inch or so and wrapped it around the knot and tucked the end to secure the knot.  Some naturals begin by creating a two-strand twist and then wrapping it around itself to form a knot, but I chose not to because I wanted to see what kind of curl pattern the bantu know would create on it's own.

After completing my whole head section by section, I ended up with 10 knots.

I kept the bantu knots in overnight to set the curls. The next morning, I sprayed my hair with
Shea Moisture Organic Raw Shea Butter Reconstructive Elixir Spray and took aloose each knot.  I was happy with the curl pattern produced by the knots, but as I started separating and fluffing my hair I realize that my sections were too big, and I may have used too much product. At some places, the curl at the root was much looser than at the ends, and the hair at the back of my head  was still damp so the curls hardly set at all. I ended up just smoothing my hair into a curly ponytail.

I will definitely be trying this style again in the future, probably using about 20-25 knots.

What do you think? Have you ever tried a bantu knot out? 

Influenster Holiday Voxbox 2012

I received my Holiday Voxbox from Influenster right after Christmas. Take a look at what was inside:

Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal (Not pictured): I received a cup of the cherry pistachio + flavor. I ended up taking it to work to eat for breakfast before even thinking about snapping a picture of it. I'm not an oatmeal eater--I tried it once as a child and didn't like it--but I really enjoyed this oatmeal because it had real cherry chunks and  pieces of nuts (pistachios and almonds) which added texture and flavor. It was tasty and super easy to make (I added water and put it in the microwave but you could just add hot water to make it without the microwave).

EBOOST Natural Energy Effervescent Powder: I tend to steer clear of energy products so I will give this product to a friend to try and report back with their results.

Sole Society $25 Coupon: This coupon made me happy! I've been a member of Sole Society for months but had not made a purchase yet. They have a huge selection of trendy styles and have a number of shoes and boots made of genuine leather and suede at a reasonable price point. I used my coupon to make my first order and my shoes are on the way! If you are not a member, sign up here. Oh and FYI, they have a winter BOGO free sale going on right now!

Goody Quikstyle Paddle Brush: This brush features microfiber bristles that are supposed to help dry your hair while styling. Since I've been natural, I have retired my brushes in favor or finger detangling and wide tooth combs. With that being said, I can't give a full review of this brush but  I did use it briefly to smooth my freshly washed hair up into a ponytail/puff.  I touched the microfiber bristles afterwards and could feel that they were wet, but because I only used the brush on the perimeter of my head I can't say that it removed a great amount of water from my hair. For natural beauties, I would recommend just using a microfiber towel (or a turbie twist) to remove excess water from your hair before styling instead of taking the risk of brushing wet hair to accomplish the same goal.

NYC New York Color Liquid Lipshine in "Nude York City": I actually already own this gloss and it is one of my everyday go to lip glosses that I keep in my purse. It's a basic pink-ish nude shade that is cheap, works well with my skin tone, and doesn't dry my lips out.

Kiss Nail Dress Nail Strips in BabyDoll:  I love the design of these strips, and they come in over 20 different shades some of which (including the ones I rece'ved) include jewels in the design. I applied these last night, and will post pics and a full review after a couple of days! Here's a sneak peek:

*Disclaimer: I received these products complimentary via Influenster. The opinions expressed in this post are my own, and are in no way influenced by Influenster or the brands mentioned.

Ladi Look Back: Year End Review

2012 is soon coming to an end. 2012 was a little rocky, but I can honestly say that I have grown so much as an blogger, aspiring fashionista, and overall as a person.  I have already coined 2013 as the Year of NO Excuses so the seeds I planted in 2012 will blossom in 2013 as I work harder, take risks, and open my life to possibility and change.

My style has definitely improved this year, largely due to me stepping out of my comfort zone and becoming more accepting of my body. Joining the Big Fat Summer Challenge was one of the best decisions I've ever made style wise, and a close second would be planning my look by season (helps soo much with shopping!). 2013 I will continue refine my style and take a few fashion risks (like print mixing, wearing bold accessories, and adding more body con skirts/dresses).  Below are some of my favorite looks of 2012:  

(click to enlarge)

In the beginning of 2012, I set a hair goal to grow and retain 4 inches. I spent a few months wearing protective styles like sew-ins, buns, and wigs (even made my own!). I perfected my twist-out technique, tried to  improve my wash-n-gos, and tested new products to help with growth. I can't do an official length check yet because I'm still wearing a sew-in, but I'm sure that I've achieved some good growth this year! Hoping for Bra Strap Length (or at least fully covering my tattoo) in 2013!  Check out a few of my favorite hair moments from the past year:

(click to enlarge)

Thank you all for reading my little blog and sharing in my journey this past year! I appreciate you all, and hope you all are riding with me for another year!

Ladi Likes: $3 Red Lip

While finishing up my Christmas shopping at Target, I (of course) ended up browsing the beauty aisle. I discovered the E.L.F. matte lipstick/pencil and decided to give the rich red color a try.

I must say, for $3 I am totally impressed with this product. I love the jumbo sized pencil, twist up applicator, and the rich color payoff. Oh and the lip color is also very moisturizing! If you are in the market for a red lippie, consider giving this one a whirl!

Throwback Thursday (#TBT): Relaxed Hair Journey (and decision to transition!)

Sometime during my junior year of college (2008) I got really into haircare. I followed countless blogs, created a regimen, and seriously started focusing on healthy hair practices and growing long, beautiful hair. I was still relaxed back then, but I started stretching my relaxers, switched from direct heat to roller sets, and experimented with protective styles (even though I didn't have a name for them back then!). I was active on a few healthy hair social networks including Hairlista.com.  I kinda forgot about the site after I went natural, but today I got a random email saying that I had a new friend request waiting so I logged on just for kicks...Aah, old memories!

I found my old pics from my relaxed hair journey, and a short blog post I did when I was thinking about transitioning!

Take a look:

It is amazing how far I've come from the nervous girl who was scared to commit to transitioning  to being almost 2.5 years fully natural (almost 3.5 years post- my last relaxer)! The best part is that my hair is now longer than it was when I was relaxed!

Beauty Blogger VoxBox Reviews: Part 1

As I mentioned in my last post, I received an Influenster Beauty Blogger VoxBox. So far I have tried out 3 items with mixed results. As promised, here are my thoughts:

  

NYC IndividualEyes Custom Compact in Dark Shadows - This NYC makeup palette came with four eyeshadows, a primer, and an illuminator. There was a diagram on the back to show you where to apply each color.  This palette was not the best selection color-wise for my complexion. I tend to avoid white and silver eyeshadows and I did not like the way the lighter colors in this palette looked on me.  I did like the darker colors, however I wish the darkest shade would have had a more intense color.  The primer applied really smooth, but after a couple of hours of wear, it didn't stand up to my oily eyelids and the shadow I applied disappeared from my creases. I have used the illuminator along my browbone, the inner corner of my eye, and a little on my cheekbone for a nice glow.

Top: without flash. Bottom: with flash

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin - I remember a couple of years ago the blogosphere went crazy with the introduction of the Spin Pin. I never tried it until now, and I think I really missed out! It is so easy to use (spin it in clockwise to put in, spin counterclockwise to take out) and it so comfortable. It doesn't feel like I have anything in my hair, but at the same time it feels very secure. I just twisted my hair up into a messy bun, put in the Spin Pin, and just whipped my hair back and forth (#NoWillow) to test it out and the spin pin did not move one bit! I noticed the Spin Pin comes in different colors to match your light or dark hair, but once I put the pin was in place (I received the Spin Pin for light hair) I couldn't see it so I don't think blending is a big deal. I can't wait to try this tool with a curly hairstyle!

White Barn 3-Wick Candle in Mahogany Teakwood Scent - I love the smell of this candle! It's very masculine and smells like men's cologne which in my opinion is a good thing. I think it is a great scent for Fall and Winter as it gives a sense of warmth and comfort. 

Look out for my next set of VoxBox reviews coming soon! 

Influenster Beauty Bloggers VoxBox 2012

About 6 months ago I signed up to become a member of the Influenster community but I wasn't really active on the site. 

If you are not familiar with Influenster, it is a community where members share their opinions of products and brands using social media outlets and doing tasks on the Influenster site. Several times a year they offer VoxBoxes that are basically themed sample packages and members are selected for boxes that best match their profile and interests. 

Imagine my surprise when I received an email a couple of weeks ago informing me that I had been pre-selected for a Beauty Blogger VoxBox! As I anxiously awaited my VoxBox, I started visiting the site more often and have actually had fun writing reviews, answering questions, and finding new products to try.  Needless to say, I will definitely stay active on the site from now on! 

My VoxBox finally arrived this past Friday. I haven't had the chance to try out everything in the box, but I am really impressed with the variety and the number of items in the box. Here is a peek at what I got in my box: 

My Beauty Blogger VoxBox 2012 Contents:

• NYC IndividualEyes Custom Compact in Dark Shadows
• Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin
• Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Curl Defining Hair Cream
• Kiss Ever Pro Lashes Starter Kit
• Boots No. 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm and Night Creme
• EBOOST Daily Health Booster packet in Orange Flavor
• White Barn 3-Wick Candle in Mahogany Teakwood Scent

As I start trying out products, I will post reviews and more pictures!

Are you a member of Influenster? (If not, request an invite here) What VoxBoxes have you received? 

My First Youtube Video! High Bun Tutorial

When I  got a new camera last month I started playing around with it snapping pics everywhere and making little videos to test it out. Well, today I'm taking the big (and I mean BIG) step of sharing one of my videos with someone other than my fiance. I just posted my very first video on YouTube  It is a short tutorial showing how I create a high bun hairstyle. Check it out on YouTube, or view it here after the jump. Hope you enjoy!

Hair This Week: Two-Strand Twists

Sunday night I spent a couple of hours twisting my hair while catching up on my DVR recordings. I have not twisted my hair in about a year mainly because I don't like spending hours on my hair and because I really like wearing my hair in loose styles, but I really needed a styling break (and a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning before getting ready for work!). Plus I need more time for my scalp to rest from that Jamaican Black Castor Oil reaction before I get another sew-in (I think I may have gotten addicted to long hair!). The good thing about the twists is that my hair retains so much moisture that I could go all week without adding any product my hair and it will still feel moisturized when I take the twists apart. Also, the shrinkage (see pics) makes my hair so short that it doesn't rub against my clothes as much, limiting that friction and possible breakage. I'll probably keep the twists in until Friday night and then wash and flat twist my hair to wear in a twist out for the weekend.

What are your hair plans for the week?

Hair Randoms

 ponytail=growth!

• I've been using Tropic Isle Jamaican Black Caster Oil on my scalp and eyebrows to help with growth. After a month I had to stop because the itching was unbearable!  I read that the itch comes from the oil detoxifying your scalp, but I can't say I buy that explanation (and I am not willing to wait to find out if it stops when my scalp "detoxifies").  I do feel that my eyebrows have gotten a lot darker since I've been using it, and my hair has grown since I've taken out my weave--but I can't say for sure that the growth is due to the castor oil, or the fact that I had a low-manipulation style.

• As you can see from my wedge sneaker post, I straightened my hair for the first time this year! Instead of following my usual straightening routine, I used a sample of Dark and Lovely 6 Week Anti-Reversion Cream Serum. I had reservations about using this product because the advertisements and the packaging states that it was made specifically for relaxed hair (as if a heat styled natural wouldn't need an anti-reversion product) and I felt the claim about results lasting 6-weeks was a little confusing/misleading. In order to last 6-weeks, the product must be used weekly after every shampoo. Maybe I think too much, but I feel if it works as well as it claims to (and I'm using it weekly), then I should be able to use it for months and it would still keep new growth from reverting! Anyhoo, I used the product as instructed and didn't use any other products except a little Aveda Brilliant Anti-Humectant Pomade at the end.  By the time I finished my whole head, the hair on the side I started with already looked poofy so I doubt this product alone would keep my hair straight for an entire week. I did like that the cream/serum didn't feel heavy, and it made my hair feel really soft after blowdrying.  I am on Day 5 and with nightly rolling or wrapping and a little bit of the Aveda pomade in the AM, my hair is still straight!

• This Fall, I'm going to focus more on hair styles where my hair is stretched, such as banding or lightly blowdrying my hair before doing twist-outs and braid-outs. As the temperature gets cooler I want to limit my wet styling and maybe straighten my hair more often since I don't have to worry as much about reversion. 

Kinky Curly Sew-in: All About My Hair

Last week, I got a new sew-in.  For this install, I tried out the Kinky Curly hair from All About My Hair. 

picture from the website

I was a little nervous about how it would blend, but the one good thing about the All About My Hair website is that there is a customer gallery, so there were a ton of pictures of different people rocking the hair at different lengths.  I was going for a natural look, so I ordered a 4 oz bundle of hair in 10" length and a 4 oz bundle in 12" length.   Surprisingly, I was able to achieve exactly the look that I was going for, and the hair blends perfectly!  

 Top L-R: fresh out the pack; wefts while wet. Bottom L-R: fresh install; 2nd day after blending. 

It's still early, but so far I'm in love with this hair! It is the perfect length, it feels so soft and responds well to the products I use on my own hair, and I only need to use a little water and gel on my leave-out hair to blend. I did read that that this hair is a little difficult to manage--which can be expected given that it is curly hair--but it feels as if it is actually easier to manage than my natural hair  because it doesn't get as dry as my hair, and I don't have to be as gentle with it as I am when styling my natural hair. I'll post updates in a few weeks!

Wash-n-Go Maintenance Regimen

When I was packing boxes to prepare for my move, I found a ton of barely-used hair products collecting dust under the sink.  Between deciding what to toss, give away, or keep, I started testing out products and stumbled across a new regimen to maintain my wash-n-gos!  

I love the quickness of a wash-n-go, but not the tangles and single strand knots I get from them. Also, I am rarely able to get "second day hair" without re-wetting my hair or applying a heavy gel that creates crunchy hair (and contributes to even more tangles!)..that is, until now.  After a cute wash-n-go, I follow these steps at night:

  

• Spray hair with a mix of water, glycerin, and Aphogee pro vitamin leave-in conditioner. I realized that my hair must have been lacking protein because  after washing my hair and using the protein-based Aphogee leave-in, my curls do not break/snap as easily.  I added the leave-in to my homemade hair mix to balance moisture and protein of my hair.  
• Apply SheaMoisture curl enhancing smoothie for moisture.
• Smooth IC hair polisher styling gel onto the hair. I love this gel because it smooths my edges, but is also water-based and can be used on my whole head to define and clump my curls with no crunchiness or any residue at all by the end of the day.
• Apply Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss & Shine Polisher as a sealant.  
• Set the hair into 2 large twists to sleep. 
• Fluff and separate curls in the AM.

With this combo of products, my hair stayed moisturized and soft to the touch while maintaining the texture and definition of my original wash-n-go.  I was able to do this same process for a week with the same results and with no visible product build-up!

Second day hair