curlBox Photo Inspirations, Part I

I follow curlBox on Instagram and recently I have been screen snapping all of the photos that continue to inspire my natural hair journey. Please enjoy them...

My Super Chunky Twist Out

I've always had much appreciation for the natural hair twist out but I never quite "loved" it until I tried 'Mae's Super Chunky Twist Out' on my my own natural hair. To achieve the look, it is necessary to blow dry your hair straight and start with mostly dry, straight hair. For my best look using Mae's technique, I don't apply any leave-in conditioners or styling products prior to drying my hair.

To begin, you will need the following products or your favorite similar products. Note: I've tried this style with one of my absolute favorite products, Cantu Shea Butter, but I found that it didn't work as well as a creamy gel/pudding like Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding.

Step  1:
Blow dry your hair using a comb attachment nozzle from its naturally wet state until it is mostly dry. I use my Yellow Bird dryer that came highly recommended by stylists at my local Beauty Supply store.

Step 2:
Part your hair where you normally wear it and section it into large sections that will be your chunky twists.

Step 3:
Apply the Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding to each section, root to end, prior to twisting and then twist and if needed, secure your twist at the end w/ a Goody rubber band. Some people won't need to do this but my hair never stays twisted in the front without first securing the ends.

Step 4:
Work your way around your entire head, twisting the large sections and securing them as necessary. Apply your scarf and remove after several hours, usually overnight.

That's all folks! Four simple steps for an amazing style that gave me three full days of wear before I repeated the process. Hope it works for you! As always, leave you questions and comments below.

May 2012 Birchbox

I received my very first Birchbox in the mail over a week ago so this post is a bit late, sorry! I was super excited to become a Birchbox subscriber and even more excited to open my first box. So without further ado, let’s get started…

The first item I tried was the FusionBeauty Lip Fusion Lip Balm Conditioning Stick which smells great and goes on amazingly smooth. I tried this product before reading up on it and couldn’t believe how nourished and hydrated my normally dry, cracked lips were after one use. I used the product a few more times over the next three days before finally deciding to Google it. I found it online where it normally retails for $22.00 which is pretty steep for a lip balm. It claims to increase the water content of the skin by 6000% in four weeks with daily use. Despite how much I love this product, I can’t say for sure that I’d purchase a $22.00 lip balm without at least a 20% discount. I’d love to try the pink tinted butterscotch flavor choice they make!

The second item I tried and can’t help but use everyday since is the Arquiste Flor y Canto perfume which is the best perfume I have ever smelled. Prior to trying this perfume last week, I wore Gucci Guilty on every weekday and anytime I went out. I don’t know much about scents and undertones but I know what I like and Flor y Canto has everything I like.

Besides making love to my senses, this perfume speaks to the history buff in me because it is a unique “concept scent” developed by Rodrigo Flores-Roux and Carlos Huber that is said to evoke the scent of an Aztec summer festival in Tenochtitlan circa 1400. The fact that this perfume gently stays with me over the course of an entire day is a huge selling factor for me as usually my scents wear off in a matter of hours. This perfume retails for $165.00 and can be purchased through Birchbox, online at http://arquiste.com/shop/online.html and also at Barney’s. Having premiered this year it is likely to become more widely available in the summer and fall. I look forward to purchasing this perfume in the future.

The final two items in this month’s Birchbox were a hand cream and hair conditioner. I’ve been using the Caudalie Hand and Nail cream and threw it in purse for on the go purposes. To me it’s your standard run of the mill hand cream and didn’t particularly stand out. I liked that it had a light fragrance that doesn’t claim or overpower anything else you might be wearing when you use it. The Ojon Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner will be put to the test on my vacation next week. When there’s sand, salt and chlorine all working on my hair, I’m sure I’ll need a good conditioner and since I’m not checking my luggage the sample size will be perfect for traveling. Check back for that review soon.

New Shampoo & Conditioner Staple Products

It doesn’t get any better than Creme of Nature’s Argan Oil hair product line. I don’t have the words to describe how amazing my experience with their Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment and Sulfate-Free Moisture & Shine Shampoo was when I used them for the first time last night. I have never, ever had a shampoo leave my hair feeling as though it’d been deep conditioned for hours. I thought the Curls Line shampoo was the holy grail of sulfate-free poos until my sister bought these products for me yesterday.

The shampoo moisturizes, detangles and promotes shine. I couldn’t believe how well the product detangled nor how soft it left my hair feeling before adding a single drop of conditioner. I washed my hair exactly as the label instructed me to and got better results than with the products that cost three times as much. The shampoo retails for about $5.99 for a 12 oz. bottle and the same goes for the conditioner. My sister purchased both for $10.00 at the salon she goes to which specializes in natural and transitioning hair. They recommended the Creme of Nature Argan Oil line to her as it is their featured product of the month. It also happens to be what they use on their natural hair clients.The conditioner worked well with the shampoo and being that my hair was already detangled by the shampoo, the conditioner added to my hair’s moisture and in my opinion, helped to lock it in.

There are several other products in the Creme of Nature Argan Oil line that I’m now dying to try like the Argan Oil Perfect Edges :) Stay tuned for that review! Remember to post comments on your experiences on Creme of Nature’s new Argan Oil line.

DYI: Gradient Polish Design

I am loving the gradient polish design that is all the rage! Tonight, I decided to try it on myself and I got great results. To attempt this design, you'll need the following items: two contrasting nail polish colors, a base coat (I recommend Seche), and a makeup sponge (the disposable kind is fine).

Step 1: Apply your base coat and two coats of your primary color; let dry.

Step 2: Paint a strip of your secondary color onto the edge of your makeup sponge and dab onto the very tip of your nails.

Step 3: Dab side to side and work your way upwards to the center of your nail bed. Always dab from the bottom up so that the tips are the darkest. This is what creates the gradient effect.

Step 4: Repeat on all nails, let dry and use a cotton swab to clean up around your nail beds. Apply top coat and admire your DYI Gradient Design at home manicure.

Tip: This is also a cool way to accent your big toe for a funky and unique pedicure design.

I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail color in White On as my primary shade and Orly's Mirror Mirror color as my secondary gradient color. I completed the look with Orly's high gloss top coat.

Post comments on how this look worked for you. What are some of your favorite colors when wearing the gradient design?

Enjoy the photos that inspired me!

What is Birchbox?

Birchbox is a high-end, invitation only beauty and lifestyle product sample membership club. Birchbox is an internet based company that charges a very low, $10.00 monthly membership fee to receive a monthly box of beauty and lifestyle goodies. Birchbox now features women and men’s boxes! The boxes come loaded with a variety of moderate to high-end products in the full sized or large sample sized version of the products. Birchbox is perfect for those of us who love to try new products ranging from skincare to makeup and body products to hair care, including some non-beauty lifestyle products. The samples included in each box vary and are from both well-known and emerging brands.

I was recently invited to join Birchbox after maybe a two week waiting period. Once invited, you have 96 hours to complete your membership registration and then you sit back and await your first box. After your first box, boxes are shipped on the 10th of each month and your membership automatically renews until you cancel.

Birchbox is a wonderful gifting idea as it lets you gift subscriptions in three, six or one year intervals. It’s a wonderful idea for your bridesmaids or friends. If you have a special man in your life who might enjoy sampling men’s products why not gift a subscription? Father’s Day is next month! For more information or to request an invitation, please visit, www.birchbox.com

Stay tuned for my review of the products included in next month’s Birchbox!

Devachan Salon Review

Out of five possible stars, I give the Devachan Salon (425 Broome St., NYC) ten stars. Yes, they were that good. Everything about Devachan is professional and on point. After seeing and reading a million other blog/vlog reviews, I decided to schedule an appointment. I booked my appointment online where you specify three different dates and six time slots (two for each day) that work for you. They email you back confirming your appointment date and time. Your confirmation email requires that you fill out a credit card authorization form to guarantee your appointment. Fancy stuff. I sent it back and they called one or two days prior to remind me of my appointment.

My appointment was w/ Keith, a senior stylist for a cut and style appointment. I arrived early to my appointment where I checked my coat in exchange for a satin robe. I was offered my choice of beverages but before I could take a seat, Keith was out to get me and take me back. He consulted w/ me for about five minutes, during which I explained my “hair history” in a nutshell. He’d heard it before and knew exactly what I wanted, to be completely natural w/o shaving my head. He sympathized w/ my painful nine month transitioning period and reminded me that chemicals had straightened my hair over and over again for *gasps* thirteen years! Going natural w/o shaving my head wasn’t something that would happen overnight. Although I knew this, it helped to hear it again.

The cutting began. Keith cut each curly chunk one by one which looked odd while he was doing it bc he was moving place to place in no particular order. When we both thought he’d cut enough, I was walked to the (dare I say it) shampoo area where Ashley Devapoo’d my hair w/ the No Poo. It was the consistency of lotion and didn’t sud up. If it weren’t for the yummy minty scent and tingling on my scalp, I wouldn’t have thought my hair or scalp was clean at all. While at the sink, Ashley gave me a mirror so I could watch her wash my hair. I wasn’t actually interested in watching (or talking) but she was a talker and insisted that I watch her work. It was there that she explained how important CLEANSING the scalp really is. She said that healthy hair grows from a healthy scalp and compared a healthy scalp to a healthy face. I totally understood that your scalp is an extension of your face and should be treated just as gently, even in terms of the products you use. She used the Deva One Condition conditioner and she left A LOT in my hair before returning me to Keith’s chair. Both Ashley and Keith commented on how good my scalp felt and moisturized my hair was (I walked in w/ a three day old twist out) and bc my hair is healthy and moisture-rich, they did not try to sell me a single product, which a lot of other girls claim was one of the negative aspects of visiting the salon.

I don’t have a clue as to what products Keith applied before putting the hooded drier over my hair. He had me flip my head upside down and he scrunched it and put product in it. He then used a regular paper towel to scrunch off the excess moisture. I sat under the dryer for 30-40 minutes and my hair was about all the way dry. It looked cute and had a great shape. We both kind of looked at my hair in the mirror knowing that something was still off. I gave Keith permission to get “scissor happy” and he started chopping and hair was flying. I was in love. I do wish that we would have taken more off before the wash and styling portion bc all the tugging he did while cutting the second time around straightened a couple sections out more that I liked but hey, I have a fantastic hair cut to show for it.

Keith recommended that I trim my hair monthly. He stressed the importance of trimming curly hair more often than straight hair bc it opens up the shaft and allows for all these wonderful products we use to travel up the shaft and to the root. The longer you wait between trims, the harder it is for nutrients to reach the scalp and top portions of your hair. He equated it to trimming the stems of freshly cut flowers, the water and nutrients travel up the stem to make the bloom pop – the same goes for curly hair.

As the day wore on and the little bit of remaining damp sections dried, I fell more and more in love w/ my hair. Whatever product they used was bit sticky but that isn’t a complaint as much as it is a simple observation. My appointment ended w/ Keith recommending I return for a cut and style again in 5-6 months. This is a treat I definitely look forward to affording myself two to three times a year from now on. I highly, highly recommend the Devachan Salon.

My One Year Natural Hair Anniversary!

My last relaxer was in May 2011 and I've been transitioning for one year this month! I never thought I'd actually make it, yet here I am! The amount of time, conversation and research I've put into my natural hair is remarkable, even for me. Tonight, I let my mama chop what I am pretty sure are the LAST of my relaxed ends! (I'll know for sure when I wash my hair in the morning...)

For anyone thinking about going natural, it is an amazing journey -- difficult, but amazing! I am an extreme length whore and maintaining the length of my hair is very important to me so over the last year I did two semi-big chops and trimmed my ends about every six to seven weeks. My mama semi-big chopped me the first time which was about six months into my journey. The second big chop was in February at the Devachan Salon & Spa in SoHO, NYC. I will review my Devachan experience in a separate post.

Transitioning for me was time consuming and at times beyond frustrating. I remember getting Senegalese twists for about eight weeks of my journey and crying real tears when I washed and had to detangle my hair after removing them. I remember calling my friends and sobbing that I would be a natural hair failure. Despite the hopelessness I felt, I forged on and made it through the six, seventh and eighth months which were by far the most difficult in terms of matching and managing the two textures. The last three months since I had my second semi-big chop done at Devachan have been a breeze compared to the beginning.

If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't have it any other way. I had a amazing transitioning support system and one of my best friends transitioned with me. Above all else, going natural gave me patience and a sense of appreciation and respect for my hair that I never thought I'd have and I love my hair so much more having gone through this process! I LOVE MY HAIR!

Target Tuesday: Today’s Cosmetics Haul

Today I went into Target with the intent to purchase my everyday foundation and sun tanning oil for my Florida trip at the end of this month. I made my way to the L’Oreal section only to find that they didn’t carry the cream version of the True Match line. Disappointed, I opted instead for the liquid version in my winter color, W6. Look for my application tutorial soon! One aisle over I found the wide array of sun block and tanning lotions. I chose Banana Boat’s deep tanning oil which is a spray-on sun block w/ sun protection factors ranging from 4-15. I won’t embarrass myself by divulging exactly which SPF level I selected. After getting the two products that I went for, I found myself w/ a lot of extra time to browse the cosmetics section, which for me, is never a good thing…

I also purchased what I think will be an uber amazing new sculpting blush duo by L’Oreal, in a shade called Nectar (825). It is called The One Sweep Sculpting Blush Duo and it claims to both color and sculpt in one felt swoop. We’ll see about that! What attracted me most to this product was the pretty shade of subdued tangerine and the fact that I will only need to travel w/ one blush compact and no additional contouring shade. I was sold and I can’t wait to review this sculpting blush duo.

My haul didn’t stop there. My brand loyalty to L’Oreal prompted me to pick up a lip gloss from their new ‘8 hour infallible’ lip gloss line and I bought it in Coral Sands (405). I tried it out in the car and I like it a lot. It is very subdued and perfect for everyday wear as there is nothing about the shade I chose that pops or begs much attention.

Last but not least, my least expensive purchase was a Sinful Colors nail polish in a bright pink color called Timbleberry. It looks pretty in the bottle and because I so badly need a manicure, I’ll be using it this evening. 

That’s all for now folks, stay tuned for my upcoming reviews!