Natural Hair. Straight Hair. Natural Hair.

Hello! I hope that you guys had an amazing holiday! I ended up cooking Christmas dinner which was [insert flame emojis here]. I relaxed, went back to work and have been on the go since lol. I recently straightened my hair as well. No, I do not have many pictures, and yes, I've missed my hair. <3

How does one go from kinky-curly, to straight? How do they go from straight to kinky-curly??? There are many ways and methods. I will tell you mine, which seems to work for me. 

Kinky-Curly to Straight: 

• Do not straighten your hair often!!!!
• Yes, long hair allows you to STUNT on folk lol. However, you can lose your curl definition over time with continuous straightening. I've also noticed that the ones who straighten their natural hair excessively, EVENTUALLY cut it off due to damage. Save yourself the trouble. Find a great wig. And if you must, straighten every once in a blue moon. Fun fact: Before this time, I didn't straighten my hair for 3-4 years.
• If you can, get a professional 
• Less headache, your scalp gets massaged, and you just have to sit there and look cute. Plus, they have better quality of hair tools needed to get the job done. 
• Take your time
• If you are a DIY aficionado, please take your time. You may damage your hair in the process. 
• If you want your straight hair to last, water is NOT your friend
• Oils can be your friend
• I like argan, castor, and almond oils. A little bit goes a loooonnngggg way! 
• Trim your ends!!!
• This helps the health of your hair soooo much! Let the dead ends go beloved. Let. Them. Go. 

Straight to Kinky-Curly:

• WATER IS OFFICALLY YOUR FRIEND
• Pre-condition hair with conditioner (whatever you use is fine)
• Co-Wash hair (using conditioner to "wash" you hair)
• Hair treatment!
• This is the one step that I will not miss! I use Aphogee's Curlrific Protein Treatment. It helps lessen breakage (if I have any)

Well those are my tips! I do not straighten my hair often. I like different styles and love the feel of my natural hair <3 

Let me know what you guys do in the comments below! 

Talk to you soon. 

Brie. 

Cute! 

Pre-Christmas Dinner Preparations :)

Humectants!

Hello!!

I hope that everything is going well for you. Me? Oh ya know...work, striving to be better on my health journey...all of that fun stuff lol 

This blog will be about....HUMECTANTS!!! Humectants are an ingredient found in hair products that attract moisture from the environment. This ultimately moisturizes your hair. When I first became natural, humectants were my saving grace during the winter time. I would experiment with different styling products and applications, realizing how buttery soft my hair became (no lie, ask my momma). I did not understand what the heck a humectant was until after researching the ingredients of my hair products. 

Natural hair is already fragile. However, during the winter months, natural hair can be as fragile as Derrick Rose's joints (yes, I am from Chicago. I still said what I said). Winter is when one really has to be extremely vigilant with hair care. This is where humectants come in: they provide some assistance in circumventing hair breakage with their moisture-attracting qualities. There are two categories of humectants: synthetic and natural humectants. 

Synthetic:

• Butylene glycol
• Glycerin
• Urea
• Tremella extract
• Sorbitol
• Dicyanamide
• Sodium PCA
• Sodium lactate

Natural:

• Hyaluronic acid
• Aloe
• Alpha hydroxy acid
• Honey
• Seaweed, algae, and other marine extracts 

  

Ideally, natural humectants are recommended. However, synthetics work just as well (please keep in mind that synthetic humectants have the potential to dry your hair out over a period of time).

Be sure to check your products and see if some of the ingredients are a humectant. You will definitely be one step closer to moisturized hair in the winter time :). 

I hope that this helps! 

Talk to you soon. 

Brie. 

K.I.S.S. Naturals: Natural Hair Resources

Good afternoon!

I hope that you guys are having a great week! We are getting closer to the weekend, thank goodness!

This is going to be a fairly quick post, mostly composed of links about natural hair. Most of them are blogs, and of course YouTube. Be careful with YouTube: it can be a rabbit hole. You start with one video, and it can turn into a few hours on YouTube LOL

Blogs:

http://www.afrobella.com/ (the OG of natural hair blogging!)
http://simonedigital.com/
https://www.naturallycurly.com/
http://www.4chairchick.com/
http://www.curlynikki.com/
http://blackgirllonghair.com/

YouTube (natural hair bloggers):

BeautifulBrwnBabyDol:  http://www.youtube.com/user/BeautifulBrwnBabyDol
MahoganyCurls : http://www.youtube.com/user/MahoganyCurls
Naptual85: http://www.youtube.com/user/Naptural85
Sporty Afros: http://www.youtube.com/user/SportyAfros
Nappy Headed JoJoba: https://www.youtube.com/user/nappyheadedjojoba
My Natural Sistas: http://www.youtube.com/user/MyNaturalSistas
Nikki Mae: http://www.youtube.com/user/Nikkimae2003
Chime (Hair Crush): http://www.youtube.com/user/HairCrush

For my Loc Sistas: 

Jasmine Rose: https://www.youtube.com/user/JazzyTe007
Keisha Charmaine: https://www.youtube.com/user/OverXposedKC91
Franchesca Ramsey: http://www.youtube.com/user/chescalocs

Of course there are many more people out there in the internet, but these are the people/sites that I check out from time to time. Also, a lot of the natural hair bloggers were starting their careers when I first went natural. It is pretty cool to see their careers and lives evolve. <3

I hope that this helps you start and feel more encouraged to become natural!

Talk to you soon.
Brie.

K.I.S.S. Naturals: Hair Care Products!

Helllooo!!!

How is the week going so far? Mine is great! Work is work, but I now have a friend who is married, and I am praying that the rest of them find their prince charming soon enough! :)

Okay, so you  now have a great idea about what products should work for your newly beautifully cut hair (if you haven't big chopped, what are you WAITING FOR?!?!?!?!). We officially get to the best part of the K.I.S.S. Naturals Series: SHOPPING!!!!!!...well more specifically, shopping for hair products lol. Shopping for hair products should not be stressful! Shopping for jeans, is stressful. Not hair products. :)

This post is going to be a guide on hair products that I like, and have had success with. I also will provide tips for purchasing products.
There is a more in-depth blog post HERE. A lot of my hair products that I use are still the same, with the exception of a few that I am testing out. HERE WE GO!!

• Shampoo/Conditioner-These shampoo/conditioner combos have been moisturizing for my hair. I also would recommend that you stick to the same line when it comes to this combo. This has to do with the combined products being pH formulated to work with your hair. 
• Alba Botanicals Drink it Up Coconut Milk 
• KeraCare Hydrating Detangling Line
• Deep Conditioner/Moisture Treatments
• TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Masque (recently purchased; will update you guys soon!)
• Aphogee Curlrific! Texture Treatment (quick, yields great results, and effective!)
• Oils
• Argan
• It moisturizes your hair DIVINELY. 
• Castor
• Great for coarse, thick hair. A little goes a LONG way
• Jojoba
• Lightweight.  Similar to sebum: An oil that your scalp naturally produces.
• Coconut
• Lightweight. Gives hair incredible shine. Please DO NOT USE if you are allergic to coconuts! 
• Leave In Conditioner
• ElastaQP Olive Oil & Mango Butter
• Aphogee
• Curlrific! Moisture Rich
• Pro-Vitamin
• Jane Carter Revitalizing 
• Oyin Handmade Juices & Berries (honestly, ANY of their leave ins)
• Moisturizing/Styling Creams
• Oyin Handmade 
• Burnt Sugar Pomade (holy guacamole this stuff smells AMAZING)
• Whipped Pudding 
• Shine & Define
• Hair Dew
• Qhemet Biologics 
• Amla & Olive Heavy Cream
• Olive & Honey Hydrating Balm
• Taliah Waajid
• Curly Curl Cream (The #1 product for BUN hairstyles)
• Homemade hair cream
• I am still experimenting, but it looks VERY promising! 
• Styling Gels/Pomades
• Curls Blueberry Bliss Curl Control Paste
• TGIN Curl Bomb 
• Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity (This gel has changed my life. No, seriously.)
• Kinky Curly Curling Custard
• Styling Foams/Mousse (used mostly for bantu knot outs)
• Jane Carter Solution Natural Twist Out Foam
• Big Sexy Hair Mousse

Tips

• If there is a product that you've been eyeing and it is E X P E N S I V E... Shop online! Amazon, BeautyLish, NaturallyCurly, CurlMart, AveYou are popular websites. 
• You can find a coupon code, there may be a promotion, etc. Save money as much as you can! 
• Some hair care companies offer promotions periodically. Follow them on social media or check out their website! 
• Seasonal promotions are clutch if you are looking to save money, especially around the holidays. For example, Miss Jessie's were KNOWN for their 50% off promotions back in the day lol.
• Samples! I cannot stress this enough! Try a sample of a product FIRST! Then invest in the product if you like it. 
• Try looking for products that emphasize moisture and richness: I've noticed that those products typically have better ingredients and work better for curly hair. 

If you guys have any products that would be helpful for anyone that is newly natural, sound off in the comments below!  FUN FACT: These products also work for men as well. <3

If you made it to the end of this blog, congratulations! I hope that this helps you! 

Talk to you soon. 

Brie. <3

K.I.S.S. Naturals: Figuring out Which Hair Product to Use with Natural Hair

Hola (Hi)! Are you having a great week? Anything new? :)

I know someone that is currently transitioning into natural hair. She asked me the other day," Brie what do you use in your hair?" I told her some of the products that I used.

However, what may work for MY natural hair, may not work for YOUR natural hair. Please refer to the previous line. Wash, rinse, and repeat (pun intended).

Trying to figure out which products work for your hair is hard, okay? IT IS HARD! If I am to be honest, I am still figuring out the best leave in conditioner (as I type this). The reason why it can be difficult is because there are a lot of hair products that aren't well formulated for black hair. There are a handful of brands, but there aren't as many. Another reason would be that there is a TON  of information and opinions on hair products from social media influencers (usually sponsored by those companies-no shade). This makes it more difficult to sift through the information given and find unbiased, honest reviews. Lastly, the most important reason, is that we all have different hair types! Our hair can be compared to snowflakes: one is not like the other.

Alright. So you FINALLY chopped off your hair! YYYYAAAASSSS!!! ABOUT TIME BELOVED!

You did your research with hair ingredients. Now, what do you do?!

First!

• Try different products!
• Sample sizes are your friend. When I went natural, samples weren't as prevalent, so I had to buy the full jars/bottles. I started off with more affordable products that I saw at my local beauty supply, paid attention to how my hair reacted to those products and expanded/condensed my products from there.                         
• Example products of a 6 MONTH naturalista (10 years ago):

                          

Second!

• Pay attention to how your hair reacts!
• Is it fabulously frizzy? Is it dry? Are your curls popping? Is your hair hydrated and moisturized? Aesthetically, are you happy with how your hair looks? These are important questions when it comes to changing, updating, keeping, or tossing hair products!
• Depending on your hair, you may have to switch products that contain different oils, or have a different ratio of water and oil. Maybe your hair likes silicones, protein, or sulfates....who knows?!

     

Third!

• Do you like the results of your hair from using the products that you've bought?
• Yes? Continue using them! If you feel like you can do better, then try a different product that has similar qualities to the one that you have.
• No? Try using the product in a different way!
• If the product was meant for twistouts, try using it as a moisturizer, or applying it after washing your hair. If it was an oil, try using it as a hot oil treatment before/after your wash day. Find a way to repurpose the product and use it in an unconventional way; you get your money's worth, and once you finish, you don't have to use it again.
• You can always give the product to a family member, use it on your child and see if it works for them.
• You can also dispose of the product if it is THAT terrible.

The message that I really want to convey is that figuring out your collection of hair care products can be a learning curve. However, it can ultimately be achieved through trial and error.

I really hope that this helps!
If you guys have any other tips regarding how to figure out your personal hair product faves, comment below!



Talk to you soon.
Brie.

Natural Hair Misconceptions.

Let me set the record straight on natural hair b: 

•We all don't like [insert any neo-soul artist you can think of] only.

•We all don't lead a holistic lifestyle.

•Many aren't looking for their "Nubian kings". This is not Common's video "The Light" featuring Erykah Badu. STAHP IT! 

•We all don't burn incense in the evening.

•We all don't spend time arguing who has the most "natural" hair. We're "splitting hairs" at that point. Pun intended!

•Majority of us believe in good hygiene, including hair care. 

•Having natural hair takes effort. And time. 

•It doesn't feel like a Brillo pad. 

•Some feel strongly about shaving and not growing additional fros...Ok? 

•We're all not shoving natural hair lifestyle down other people's throats. 

•Men LOVE natural hair. LOVE.

The amazing MahoganyCurls. Check out her YouTube!

•We're not all on YouTube making hair tutorials. 

•We are not the official spokesperson for black hair.

•We don't all play an acoustic guitar.

•Some of us like wearing wigs and weaves! Why? Because it's fun! And convenient sometimes. :)

•Natural hair is VERSATILE VERSATILE VERSATILE!! OMG! From braids to twists, knots, straight, and back to curly again! Your hair COULD NEVAAAA! lol. 

I had to stan for a moment for natural hair. I'm back. 

Now simmer down with the ignorance and chill. Lol. 

Talk to you soon. 

Brie. 

Hair Typing.

Hello folks!

Hope you are having a good week. 

I wanted to discuss hair typing. 

Hair typing natural hair is a double edge sword in my eyes. 

The great part about hair typing is that it serves as a guide for newly naturals who are trying to figure out how to take care of their hair. The newly natural phase is a learning curve that can be overwhelming. Fortunately, hair typing can definitely aid one when it comes to product selection. What works for some may not work for others. It helps a newly natural narrow down product selection ultimately saving money in the long run. To me, if you are a natural newbie (TeenyWeenieAfro or not) check out the hair typing charts as a guide. There are also websites that suggest products that work with specific hair types which is awesome. 

The worst part about hair typing is that it can be divisive between black women. Hair typing which was supposed to help others turns into a "better hair" or "curly vs. nappy" hair debate. To me, those conversations takes us back to the era of the paper bag test, or the field vs. house negroes scenarios. It becomes a hierarchy of "who comes closer to having more Eurocentric hair?". The ones with more "wavy", "more controlled", and "less frizzy" curls are at the top: highly valued, desired and admired. The ones without those characteristics however...will be at the bottom. Not as valued, desired, or admired by the majority. 

For that reason alone I am not too keen on hair typing. What's typically used for good, ends up being destroyed by a majority, and makes the minority feel less than valued. 

If it works for you..continue to use it! Just...make sure it's being used as a guide. Nothing more. 

That is all (in Miranda Priestly's voice).

Talk to you soon! 

Brie. 

Straightened Hair!

Hey guys! I am back again with another hair post! So I recently wanted to try something new with my hair and one thing led to another...which led to me straightening my hair! Surprisingly, the process was simple and easy...just time consuming. What was even more surprising was that I kept the style for over a week. I would've kept it longer but I became bored with my hair. Here's what I do to achieve my straight hair. Now..results may vary depending on your grade of hair and how it reacts to moisture as well as environmental factors so proceed with caution!!

1. Wash Hair: Self Explanatory

2. Blow Dry Hair: Before I blew dried my hair, I applied Argan oil, John Freda Frizz-Ease 3 Days  Straight Semi Permanent Styling Spray (that was a mouthful lol), Ion Straightening Solutions Healing Jojoba Flat Iron Cream and Ion Straightening Solutions Straightener, respectively. I was taking NO chances with reversion of my hair. Lol

3. REST(OPTIONAL): Because blow drying natural hair can take a lot out of a person physically. 

4. Straighten hair: I  used the FHI straightener, a fine tooth comb and Argan oil. Separate the hair into enough sections so that way you straighten your hair effectively. Also when I straightened my hair I combed the section 1st, applied the oil, and used the comb straightener method.

5. Clip split/dead ends: As needed of course. I unfortunately, became scissor happy and ended up with shorter hair than I expected....Y'all pray for me.

My hair was "flickin" low key. The Argan oil helped to make my hair look and feel healthy. I also received compliments on my hair. Some people thought that I went to a salon, which made me feel even better with my DIY straightening technique. 

I had pictures...But they were accidentally deleted! And I was going to use stock photos to compensate for my deleted pictures but they all look WHACK so don't scold me. Lol

**UPDATE**
I found pictures of my straightened hair!

Talk to you soon. 

Brie. 

My Natural Hair Journey.

Enjoy folks! 

And you can share your natural hair journey as well.

Talk to you soon.
Brie.

Bantu Knot-Out!

Hey guys! :) I hope you all are doing well. This blog post will be how I do my bantu knot outs. They're pretty simple, but I have perfected it to where it is afro-porn/crush worthy (YAASS). If you have any different methods, let me know in the comments below! (That rhymed. Ha.)

1. Take hair. 

2. Section hair. 

My hair after a long day. Shrinkage! :)

3. Twist hair. Now for me, I make an individual twist because my hair is very fine and it can be hard to achieve a defined style. I have tried twisting the entire section of my hair, making a bantu knot, and ended up having beach-wavy hair (think Cosmopolitan hair style articles -__-). And yes. Black women can have beach wavy hair without curling wands and weave. FYI.

      a. Also, the product is important too. Use a product that gives your hair definition. I used my homemade           hair cream (my moisturizer) and Organic Root Stimulator (ORS) Smooth-N-Hold Pudding (styling               product)

Twist! :)

                                                                                               

4. Create knot!! Ergo...the Bantu Knot! What you are going to do is wrap the twist around itself. You are going to twist your hair around and it is going to form a small knot. That will be your base. Then, wrap the rest of your hair around that base. It should look similar to this:

Creep Life.

          

5. Leave it alone! :)

Trendy style. Just kidding. 

6. Take it down (no Chris Brown): You are going to unwrap the knot. If you created an individual twist before the knotting, untwist your individual twist (there's a lot of twisting going on here haha). You can use oil to create less frizz. If you don't want to use oil, that's fine too! It's completely up to you! (All these rhymes, I'm coming up with a rap name I swear. lol) 

7. Fluff to your heart's content! Just get rid of the obnoxious parts that may be in your hair, and fluff. I love big hair, so the people can stare. I strive to have Diana Ross/Chaka Khan hair! 

It was a good hair day.

My face during social media antics lol

Alright! Let me know what you do in the comments below! Quit being scurred! 

Also..call me G-Thizzle cause I have officially killed the rap game in this tutorial. 

Look for the mixtape this summer: "Fros on Fleek". 

Talk to you soon. 

Brie. 

Hair Neglect & Giving Your Hair Some Love

Hey! How have you been? I hope all is well! 

Alright. Let's get to the topic!

So..I recently moved to Washington D.C. and I am still getting adjusted to..life and the weather. LOL 

In the midst of this transition, I have been neglecting my hair and throwing it in a bun. Lo and behold, one night, I was playing in my hair, and I frowned. It felt SO DRY. I also didn't like the way it sounded (dry sounds..yes that is a weird description! Let me live beloved!). It sounded like hay rubbing together (I'm also being a bit dramatic). So I had to stop neglecting my hair and show it some love! 

T I R E D bun.

See the ends? The effects of hair neglect. :(

Bantu Knots. Prep for detangle and deep condition.

This picture makes me LAUGH like no other! 

Naked hair. See the curlies? :)

Clean hair. Come on "baby hurr"!

 S H R I N K A G E and lazy twist using homemade hair cream

Products Used: 

• Aphogee Curlific Texture Treatment- I prepooed with this one because my hair was REALLY dry. Follow the directions because the longer it sits, the more your hair can feel dry afterwards (it contains protein).
• TRESemme Luxurious Moisture Shampoo- It is a trial size because I am testing out the product (money saver!!).
• Suave Naturals Tropical Coconut Conditioner- I am trying to use up the rest of this product. 
• Grapeseed Oil- Used for detangling before pre poo. 

If you guys have any methods for reviving neglected hair, let me know and comment below!



Brie.

Hair Essentials.

Hi guys! I hope you all had a great week!

This blog post will be dedicated to hair essentials that I use to maintain my hair.

When I first became natural (I big chopped), I did not have any hair essentials because...I didn't have much hair LOL. When my hair grew, I became better at finding things that was essential, and they turned into my staple tools and products. I am not a product junkie and it takes a LOT for me to try something new (especially if the previous product gave me awesome results). However, conditioner is the main product that I change periodically depending on my mood (shampoo runs a close second).

My Hair Essentials:

• DIY elastic hair ties and headbands
• Curls Passion Fruit Control Paste (Used for controlling edges)*
• Ouidad Climate Control: Heat & Humidity Gel (Used for styling hair and is true to the label)***
• Meta Grip Premium Bobby Pins (300 ct) (Used for styling hair. Highly durable & worth the cost)**
• Homemade Hair Cream (Shea/Mango butter mix)
• Conditioner-I am currently trying Suave Naturals...unfortunately, I don't like it :( *
• A spray water bottle-I reused an old Tresemme bottle. I like the spray nozzle.

*can be found at Walmart, Target and other drugstores
**found at Sally's
***can be found at Ulta and Sephora (However, I recommend shopping online. You're more likely to find a cheaper price.)

If you have any products that you really like let me know! If you look at this post, and try any of the items..let me know!

Talk to you next time.
Brie.