When Things Just Don't Go Your Way

...Rock out with a bun. An easy go-to hair style!

The Swoop Up-Do

This up-do was done on an old frizzy braid out. I simply parted my hair into a U-Shape, did an old school french roll in the back, and "swooped" the front part that was left out to the side and pinned it up. Fairly simple. I was having an "arrrgghhhh" hair day and found this style to be my saving grace!

Autumn Head Scarves and Animal Print

(thought I was putting the timer on my camera for 10 seconds. Somehow the camera ended up snapping 10 pictures back to back. Goofiness galore. Anywho, this was my frizzy hair before before the scarf up-do.)

The weather today did not agree with my braidout at all. Tossed it up into a messy bun, left the front section out, tied a scarf around my head into a bow, and I was out the door!

Maybe I will do my second YouTube video on this quick and easy style. Until next time, Later ladies!

Flat Twists

A great go-to style of mine when I'm home is this flat twist style. I try to choose protective styles when I'm home on the weekends with no plans of going out. This style is very laid back and even approrpriate in case I have to run to the grocery store or if I have to come to the door to pay the delivery guy. Don't want to scare anyone with my protective styling game. 

To achieve this style I do the following:

Cowash my hair with any cheapie condish.

Part my hair down the center.

Distribute a leave in product (I'm currently using Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In)

Lightly distribute another moisturizing product (Cantu Shea Butter Daily Oil Moisturizer)

Flat Twist my hair 

Wrap the ends around my finger (for the curly effect)

Seal ends with Castor Oil

Up-Do Time

This up-do was inspired by LoveIslandBeauty's hairstyle (her's is actually inspired by Janelle Monae).  I don't think mine is as fly as hers but I gave it a try!

Twisted

As a new fan of twist outs, I have been thinking about the idea of wearing twists in my hair. I have seen other naturalistas rocking twists and have always wanted to try them on my hair.

Two summers ago I tried twists. They lasted for about an hour before I unraveled them and moved on.

On Tuesday I tried twists again. I made them smaller. Didn't worry about parting my hair to make the parts neat (the only part that I worried about was my side part...). I love the results. I've been playing with a couple of hairstyles as well.

How I did I achieve this look?

• Started with freshly co-washed and finger detangled hair.
• Applied Lacio Lacio leave in to my hair in sections.
• Applied Shea Moisture Curl and Style Conditioning Milk and African Pride Oil to each section
• Twisted my hair and sealed my ends with Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine

I'm currently on day four. I might be redoing the front of my hair because it's getting a bit frizzy. But this works as a great protective style!

Day 1

Tucked into a bun

Day 3

Side Swept

Half up, Half down

Any other twisters out there have any great styling tips to share for the two strand twists?

Happy twisting everyone!

Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine Review

Haven't been doing much with my hair lately. Really really trying to stick to my protective styles. I've been rocking two weeks of buns. Trying to remix the buns a little on the weekend with a pompadour or hair accessories.

All this protective styling, deep conditioning, moisturizing, sealing, baggying, etc. better pay off!

Oh...onto the review!

Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine Review:

Now I know that I mentioned this product in my previous post. I want to mention that I am not using the product as a moisturizer, as I previously stated. In doing my research, I realized that "butters" (such as Nourish & Shine which includes Mango Butter and Shea Butter) are generally not use as moisturizers. Moisturizers are generally products that are water-based. There are some people that prefer to use Butters as a moisturizer, but I find that my hair moisturizes better with water based products.

Currently, I am using the product as a sealer. I am using QP Mango Butter as my moisturizer and using the nourish and shine as my sealer. I love using these products together because they may my hair feel extremely soft. After not washing my hair for a week and wearing it in buns, I kept delaying washing my hair because I LOVED how soft my hair felt.

Product Grade: A (would've gotten an A+ if it wasn't for the smell...bleh!)

Below is a picture of my hair in a braidout done two weeks ago using the Nourish and Shine....

Later Chicas!

In My Bag

Referring to my ends of course! I have been feeling like my growth has become stagnant....feels like I have been stuck at the same length for far too long. The reality is that retention helps with hair growth and I believe retention is my problem.  I have decided to become more determined than ever on my hair journey. I'm stepping up my 'hair game' a notch.

This includes:

More Deep Conditioning!
More Protective Styling!
Bare Minimum Amounts of Heat!
annnnnnnd
'Baggying' my ends at least 5x a week!

I am currently using Jane Carter's Nourish and Shine (review coming soon!) and African Pride's Hair Scalp and Skin Oil on my ends. I'm not going to do any length checks until the end of the summer. Hopefully these interventions will help!

Hair Bows Aren't Just For Little Girls...

Made these simple hair bows using fabric squares from Walmart. They were only $1.00! 

Attached the bows to a hair band, created a pompadour in the front and a messy bun ontop. 

...Branching out and trying something new. Natural Hair definitely allows me to think outside of the box ;-)

Bunning (and insecurities)

Hi, my name is Elle and I hate bunning.

Well I love and drool over other people's buns. But I hate my own buns. Why?

Because I want an obnoxious bun that will block people's views at the movie theatre,
Because my hair doesn't get as sleek as I want it to on the edges,

Because I hate how it accentuates my round face and big forehead...

But this month I've decided to push all my insecurities to the side and bun for at least 14 days during the month. I am already on day 6 (I started on February 1). I felt that my hair needed a little vacation from the rollersetting. No worries, I will be back to rollersetting as soon as I have completed my personal challenge. But for now I'm bunning!

I find that adjusting my buns has helped to ease my insecurities a bit:

I opt for the loose high bun rather than the tight high bun...
I am trying to wear earrings that are eye catching like hoops and ones with colors
I am also trying different styles with the front, like a pompadour or front swoop...something to give the front some *personality* and take the focus away from the shape of my face.

Here are some recent pictures...

All wigged out!

I love protective styles that look pretty and protect my hair. For a while I have been seeking using wigs as a method of protective styling. Years ago I used to wear half wigs...but I wasn't a big fan because many of them have a "hump" that makes it hard to blend with my hair. I started researching using lace fronts as type of half wig. 

Meet: Freetress Angela. 

Her lace is cut along the front and she is placed about an inch or two behind my actual hair. The hair in the front is my own. I brushed my hair over her to cover the beginning part of the wig. I like this idea more than half wigs because the lace fronts lay much flatter, giving a more natural effect. Plus it is very comfortable. This will be my cocktail hour wig.

I'm hoping to find one that matches my natural hair so that I do not have to straighten my hair. The ideal wig would mimic the way my hair looks when it is in a braid out. On my search I go...

You can call me "Elle Kardashian" lol!

Buns, Buns and More Buns!!

I recently dug into my photo archive and pulled these out as motivation for my one month bunning challenge. These are some buns that I have done within the past year.

This is what I would like to call the "flop over bun". This is not an actual bun. But the hair is protected. This is usually what I do when I feel to lazy to create a bun. To achieve this look, I pull the hair through the hairband 3/4 of the way.

This is a bigger more full looking top bun. I have to use about 10 bobby pins to achieve this look. I divide the hair in half and loosely twist one side around while adding bobby pins to secure the hair. Then I do the second side in the opposite direction. 

Low Bun. These are easier to achieve than top buns. I do these on soaking wet hair, literally right after I get out of the shower. This allows for the gel to slick my edges down so that I can get the sleek look you see in this picture. I then create a donut bun with my hair or using a sock.

Sock bun. I love these. They make my hair look extremely full. This was done on an old twist out but it can be done on wet hair as well.

Putting the "UMPH!" in Protective Styling

Yesterday I made a decision.

It is time for me to fully commit myself to protective styling. The phrase alone (protective styling) gives me goose bumps. I just always feel like protective styles look amazing on everyone else besides me. For those that have been living under a rock, protective styles are hairstyles that do not involve wearing your hair "loose". It is generally done to protect the ends of the hair, though some protective styles manage to protect all of your hair. Examples of protective styles include: braids, twists, buns, wigs, weaves, extensions, updo's, hair pieces and the list goes on and on.

The protective style that I am going to "work with" this month is bunning/up-do hairstyles. The tricky part about buns as a protective style is that you can still experience breakage, if you are not bunning the correct way. One of the most important tips to remember when bunning is to make sure that your hair is not too tight in the ponytail. Also, make sure that you are using a ponytail holder that is not damaging to your hair. Goody Ouchless Ponytail Holders are a great example! In addition to this tip, you also want to remember while protecting your hair, don't neglect it...so make sure that you are still moisturizing and sealing your hair and especially those ends!

Lastly, beat the "protective styling blues" by adding accessories to your styles. For buns, head bands (especially those cute ones with the flowers on them), colorful bobby pins, and even earrings can add instant glam to a protective 'do. So whatever protective style you choose, have fun with it and cheers to your continued hair health and growth!