Guess Who's Coming to TEDx Port of Spain 2012?!!!!

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The lovely Afrobella that's who!!!! I'm so excited to get the chance to meet this fellow Trini Naturalista Blogger and listen to her live for the very first time. I am also excited to be able to participate in my first TEDx experience, that is if they will have me. You see, you have to apply to be considered to purchase a ticket for the event, I guess because demand is that high. Tickets are $300 but there are bursaries available which you can request if the price is too steep for you. Visit the TEDx Port of Spain site for more details and to get tickets and I hope to see some of you there on 12.12.12 as we explore the theme of "Courage"!! Leave a comment if you will be there and pray for me that I'm selected to get a ticket!

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Deals for my Naturalista Product Junkies

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This Thanksgiving will be the first in a loooooooong time (nearly a decade lol) that I have not celebrated in the US and to be honest, I'm feeling a little nostalgic right about now. :( So to pretend like I am engaging in the festivities I compiled some useful links for those of you looking for holiday shopping deals. Hope you enjoy it and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!!!

• WestNDNbeauty has compiled a comprehensive list, even arranged in alphabetical order, of 2012 Natural Hair Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales Announced thus far. Keep checking the link back as the comments section provides updates to the list from the beautiful West herself as well as her readers.

• Shae of AfroniquelyYou has also compiled an alphabetical list of black friday sales. There are some overlaps with West's list but some newbies as well.

• My fellow Trini Naturalista Ms Afrobella may also compile a list so I'll update with links to that as well later this week if she does. Make sure to check back!

• Curls 24hr BOGO Sale - Buy Curl Ecstasy Hair Tea Conditioner, Get A Free CURLS Styler FREE!

• At Khamit Kinks in Brooklyn New York get 20% off the entire Anu Essentials line as well as discount prices on cuts, color touch ups, Locs, Twists sets, lashes, & make up and more!

• CurlBox Black Friday Warehouse Sale in Atlanta Georgia from 11am - 3pm. Shop reduced prices on Ouidad, Curls, Huetiful, Design Essentials and much much more! $20 per ticket and up to four full sized products in your own handpicked CurlBox!

• For my Trini and Caribbean Naturals, Cher Mere has something for you too with 50% off all products in-store and online for one day only, with certain restrcitions

• If you are in the market for hair sticks and forks, thank Hairscapades for this heads up! Zuki Imports has a 40% off sale through Monday 11/26. Enter the discount code "cybermonday" during checkout to get your 40% off at www.zukiimports.com.

• Ouidad's Friend and Family Sale 25% of any purchase plus 10% off all salon services using checkout code FFCURL for a limited time only 

• Ojon deal: buy any of 3 full size shampoos and get the full size conditioner free. They also have free shipping, free returns and a free sample.

That's it for now but make sure to check back before the shopping madness begins for any updates! Happy Shopping!

UPDATE!!!!!!!

• Another alphabetical shopping list compiled by the lovely ladies at Derby City Naturals

• TheMakeupVixen provides another one

• And ANOTHER ONE from the Natural Review

• Last but not least, check out Ms African Export's status update for some vendors as well.

Happy Shopping!

A Tropical Bantu Knot Out Experiment

I tried an overnight experiment on my 4 week old blow-dried hair. I did 6 two strand bantu knots on my head. I used Fekkai Glossing Cream as a moisturiser and also to eliminate frizz and impart some shine to my hair.  A little really does go a long way, I only used a small pea sized amount for each of the 6 sections. I have the 2 oz tube and I expect that to last me YEARSSSSSSSSS lol. After knotting I wrapped it up with my satin scarf. 

Slept with the knots all wrapped up in a satin scarf overnight

Uncovering the bantu knots

Unrolling the knots

I actually had some errands to run that morning so I decided to save the knot out for later. To preserve the waves I did a big bantu knot in the back with all the twists (essentially a bun), wrapped my hair up and threw on a beanie.

Since I wasn't going to wear the knot out immediately i rolled all the twists into one big bantu knot at the back of my head, tied my hair with a  satin scarf to keep it frizz free and smooth, put a bonnet over it then rocked a beanie to run errands

Later than evening I took down the big bantu knot and unraveled my twists to reveal big sexy hair! My first ever Bantu knot out in Trini lol.

Beautiful big voluminous hair

After a night out, to smooth the hair again I divided the hair into 4 sections, detangled with a wide tooth comb, applied some coconut oil and the Fekkai glossing cream, combed them through, then brushed my hair into one, rolled into a bun and tied with a satin scarf.

back to smooth and straight

Fourth week of straight hair - Dominican Blowout 4: Trini Humidity 0

My work style today. I did two flat rolls on either side of my head and gathered in the back for a pinned bun. I used a headband to keep my flyaways/frizz in check

As you may know, I got a Dominican Blowout almost a month ago. I've been dealing with Trini heat and humidity all that time so it's pretty impressive it has stayed straight ish all this time. I must admit, I wore my hair in a bun or similar style most of the time and didn't try to style my hair at all. That contributed greatly to keeping my hair straight. The few times I tried to rock out styles, I could feel it swelling by the minute lol but with the help of some argan oil, coconut oil and jojoba oil I was able to control the frizzing for the most part and recover with more bunning and tying with a satin scarf. As this is my last weekend, I'll probably style it, do some pin curls or a braid out for some big spectacular hair before the washout. And then on wash day I'll be hoping and praying all my curls and kinks and zigzags come back. Stay Tuned!

See how smooth it looks?

Side view of the roll and bun

Back view. Kind of dark but you get the idea

Letting my bun down

Letting my hair down. lol lots of volume and some shrinkage but for all intents and purposes still straight

side view

Shrunk to about armpit length and texture a little wavy

The Back

The Life and Styles of a Working Girl

So if you are my Facebook friend you know that I relocated back home to Trinidad last December and I am now part of the working population. That has presented many challenges, one of which is actually having to give a damn about my hair. I can no longer rock Ceelie braids like I used to when I was a grad student slaving away in a lab not seeing the light of day lmao. 

Now I meet important folk on a daily basis and I wear a suit everyday so my hair needs to be presentable as well. Here's a few pics of the different styles I've rocked thus far. I'll admit some days are better than others but hey, we all have a few lazy days or days  when disaster strikes or we fell asleep instead of washing our hair right?! lol Thankfully I'm appreciated for my brains and personality and most times they love the uniqueness of my hair compared to everybody else so when I have an off day nobody says nuttin lmao enjoy!

When in doubt rock a braidout! Although I will say these are particularly susceptible to my island's ridiculous heat and humidity lol I swear it has gotten way hotter than I can remember from when I left and pretty much everyone agrees. It feels like what Satan's home must feel like

Nice chunky twist out

Medium sized twists. Usually rock these for about 2 weeks, retwisting the edges as necessary

Mini twist time! Rock these a month at a time, retwisting in between. When they get old, roll them up on some flexi rods and it breathes new life into them lol

I would say the majority of the time my hair is in some sort of bun. High, low, with a pompadour, without. When disaster, over-sleeping or laziness strikes (which is pretty often) we bun it up!

Low effortless bun on a Dominican Blowout. 

Updo on twistout hair. Updos last longer than out styles in this humidity. 

Texture shot! 

This style looked pretty swanky but was actually a result of falling asleep and not washing so my hair is soaking in coconut oil from pre-pooing and these twists are actually my detangled and sectioned hair ready to jump in the shower. oh well lmao

Top/front view

Ok so maybe I DO rock Ceelie braids from time to time. At least it looks fairly neat lol

Undiagnosed Hair ADD

Yup. I think I'm a candidate. So I straightened my hair after attending my bff's wedding and I cut my hair back to bsl. Again. I say 'again' because I have a hair blog so I can go back and see what I have been doing for the last two and a half years and it seems that every year around this time I get antsy and bored and straighten and cut my hair lmao. Granted my hair probably appreciated it this time around because I had a lot of breakage in the nape area and along my edges (at least a lot by my standards). This is probably due to my abuse of bunning of the slick variety and my general neglect of my hair since my return to Trini. So much living to do, so little time lol. 

My wedding bun

I got a Dominican Blowout and I didn't even attempt to prep. I went in there with my dry dirty hair with none of my own products. I asked them for a wash, deep condition, protein treatment and then blowdry, flatiron and cut. I didnt even walk with a heat protectant, although I made sure to ask them to use one. But since they all speaking espanol and I only understand poco right now, let's hope for my sake that when I wash my  hair my curls come back. lol I'll keep you posted. In the meantime enjoy some pics.

My last kind of length check on June 27th 2012

June 27th 2012 we were back to waist length

September 24th 2012 back to bsl

Now that I realized this fall antsy syndrome, I felt like I owe it to myself to grow my hair out again, reach the goal I set for myself (hiplength) and then I can do whatever the hell I feel like. So on that note, I feel a grow out challenge coming. Friend me on facebook to stay posted and join me if you like!

Summa, summa, summatime!!

Well technically now that I am a full-time Trini we don't have no damn summatime, although you would never know from the proliferation of ads for 'summa' parties and other such shenanigans. No summer in these here tropics. Just Hot and Hotter. Or Dry and Rainy. This heat burns hotter than the fires of hell and the humidity is out of this world lol. BUT, I did get a chance to run away to my graduation and other festivities in the USA so here are some of my 'summatime' styles.

Repping for my clique! lol  Rocked a low bun to fit my cap

My Birthday! Rocked a bun and pomp

More bday shenanigans, different city. Rocking a twistout

After the humidity got to my twistout, pulled it in a ponytail and rocked it with a headband fashioned out of my satin scarf lmao

Updated!! Another USA jaunt for a wedding. More styles:

More slick buns

Straight hair don't care

Trini Staples:

High wash and go puff

love me some headwraps!

Juicy Juicy

I recently won a gift hamper from Body Beautiful on D'Avenue and when I went to collect I went gaga when I saw their recent shipment of Naturalista Cosmetics' Juicy Leave in. I have been following Naturalista for a while, ever since their Facebook page was attacked by spammers, and I have really enjoyed seeing the outpouring of support for the brand as well as their astounding growth in such a short period of time. I always wanted to try it so I was beyond ecstatic when Allison of Body Beautiful offered me a small sample to try.

The ingredients list reads as follows:

• Butyrospermum Parkii (Organic Shea Butter), 
• Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, 
• Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil,
• Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, 
• Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil,
• Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, 
• Organic Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, 
• Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Organic Sweet Almond) Oil, 
• Cinnamomum Cassia Leaf Oil, 
• Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, 
• Tocopherol (Vitamin E), 
• Panthenol (Vitamin B), 
• Vegetable Glycerin, 
• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, 
• Raw Organic Honey, 
• Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil,
• Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, 
• Natural preservatives, 
• Fragrance

This first thing I noticed was its light whipped texture, I haven't used a product with this consistency before and I quite like it. The second thing was the smell. OMG can somebody say heavenly!!!! It definitely smells like I should be eating it rather than putting it in my hair. The first thing I did was to massage some between my fingers and into my skin. I was concerned that juicy might mean greasy. Initially it did feel a bit greasy to touch but that feeling soon went away. 

Nice and whipped and delicious smelling

On wash day I tried an experiment. On one side of my head I moisturized with my usual homemade leave-in,  the other I used my 2oz Juicy Leave In sample. And I did use all of it lol. 

Right after application and twisting. Left side - my homemade leave in. Right side - Naturalista Cosmetics' Juicy leave in

I did medium sized twists all over which I planned to rock as is for the work week. My initial impressions as I was applying and twisting was that on the Juicy Leave in side, there was less frizz, a little more shine, somewhat more stretch  and definitely smelled better than my homemade leave-in.

Juicy Leave in side

On my home made leave in side, it defined my curls better, detangled my hair way easier, was much less greasy and felt more moisturized to the touch. The white stuff eventually goes away but I guess its a plus for Juicy that you can twist and immediately leave the house without ppl's minds wandering to the gutter thinking about what is all that creamy stuff in your hair lol.

Home-made leave in side

Three days later I examined my hair for differences again. Both sides were equally frizzy (remember I didn't use any styling aid for hold). The greasy feeling from the Juicy had for the most part gone away and both sides felt about equally moisturized,  although I will say the ends of my hair with the homemade leave in felt better than the Juicy leave in side. This may most likely be due to the acidic ph of my homemade leave in. 

Three days later

 A week later, my hair stayed moisturized about equally on both sides. I ended up retwisting mid-week using Shea Moisture hold and shine moisture mist and it looked about the same on both sides.

One week later after retwisting midweek with Shea Moisture hold and shine moisture mist

Verdict - I like Naturalista's Juicy Leave-in. It definitely leaves your hair juicy and moisturized so if you aren't into mixology it would be a convenient leave in product. While I don't like greasiness, this product does smell divine and the greasiness goes away over time. I think this product would also be good for stretching on dry hair although I haven't tried it like that yet. At US$23 for an 8oz jar it is kind of pricey compared to similar leave-ins. You can check their website for purchase or my trini naturals, you can try it and buy it at Body Beautiful on D'Avenue.