Kinks Curls & Coils Meet 'n' Greet

Hello beautiful naturalistas,

It’s been a while up here but I trust you all doing great and loving yourself as you are.

Well this post is basically about the last Kinks Curls & Coils meet n greet held at Paloma last Friday, December 05, 2014. 

First of all I would like to thank each and every one of you who was there. I hope you all had fun and learnt a lot. It was amazing seeing both young and old coming to learn about how to keep their natural hair healthy.

Hmmmmm……I don’t know if I can really give much information here because as an organizer you can’t really watch out for everything that went on. I was just out and about making sure things are rightly in place. But let me try…..

Right from the start, vendors trooped in to set up their stands and participants also trooped in to register and get their seats. The event was supposed to have started at 10am, but even before registration started at 9:30am, participants had already started coming in…. as the crowd got larger, I started asking myself questions…. I will not share them but I think your guess may be right…but all the same I was glad to see it all happen.

Feedback…..

With every event you organize, you expect a lot of good response from participants but trust me feedback without the negatives means you did not have good and honest participants so you should also expect the negatives and make sure you learn from them.

Good

People were soooo excited about the information given to them, they kept asking all the questions and they got all the answers they needed. They were even happier about the giveaways. There were lots of products to buy too...what more can you ask from us? I was happy that we promised and we made it happen but I can’t take all the credit for it. First I thank God and also to my lovely panelist and sponsors who made the giveaways wonderful.  

Janice(Jay Kinks & Koils)

Okailey(guest blogger of Ghanaian Naturalistas)

Giveaway

Nisaf klodin

Urban Makes

Afrocomb Natural hair salon(Dzorwulu)

TAMA Cosmetics

Moringa oils

All Pure Nature

 (These are just some of the vendors)

Bad ( not too bad though)

The participants were more than the venue, which was a good sign but like God said, “open your mouth wide and I will fill it” so lesson learnt, God willing next year we will have a bigger venue to contain all our participants.

We still thank God for everything…. It was a successful event and I pray for more wisdom and also that God takes us to higher heights in providing good service on natural hair care to all Ghanaians and  the whole of Africa….

God bless you all and like I always say, keep loving yourself and do what will make you happy but know that God comes first in all we do…….. See you all at the next KCC meet n greet... but hey hey hey till then just watch out for AFROTASTIC 2015 coming soon!!!!!!

Natural hair just got better!!!

Dark n Lovely Braids and Weaves- Part 2

Hi beautiful people,

I hope you enjoyed reading my first post of the Dark n Lovely new product line. If you did, then am grateful and like I told you I am back with more.

Just a recap of the list of products: Scalp wash
                                                        Scalp soother
                                                        Hair refresher
                                                        SOS Hairline
 I am done with that of the scalp wash so my next is about the scalp soother.

Anti-itch Scalp Basing Soother

this product as explained on the container is an anti-itch, fresh control and daily used product. It's also stated that it instantly relieves the scalp from tightness and itchiness due to braiding and also helps with manageability of the hair when braiding.
Well, for the aspect of of tightness I can't say much because my hair was about a week or more old when I got the product but with the rest I would agree with it fully because it really helped with itchiness on my scalp and to add to that, it also kept my scalp moisturized as well as my new growth. It had this nice smell that made me love it the more because I love it when I pass by someone and the person asks me "what did you put in your hair? It smells good" I even love it more when other people hear those words about my hair....hahahahaha.... Anyway the truth is this product smells so good and I even used it after taking out my braids and had my own hair twisted. I just put a little on a particular spot and then rub it in well so it can reach to other parts of the scalp.

 I also like the thickness, its not too thick and its not too light. just ok and easily spreads when you massage it in.
When I went through the ingredients, there was something that drew my attention and which is what I always look out for in every new product I get. The first two ingredients listed were water and glycerine. With these, I knew even before usage that this product would be good and I was right.
In fact when I read through Annette's review I was asking my self so many questions.... like Is she really telling us the truth or its just a thing to get people to buy the products but then I said to myself there's no harm in trying. I got them and here am I talking plenty too...lol. I could go on and on but I don't want to be selfish so let me leave it here and watch out for other people to attest to these facts.


Hair Refresher

The spray has an inscription on its container that it's anti-odour. This explains itself but the truth is there is more to it than just taking away odour from one's hair.
 This is a moisturizing spray which is enriched with natural oils like jojoba and peppermint. It refreshes, moisturizes, smells great with this minty feeling and also adds shine to the hair.

The whole idea of using a hair spray is to get rid of odor and also dryness but I believe what matters most is the contents of the spray. I have a DIY spritz for my natural hair which has water, oils, glycerine, etc and when I read the ingredients on this product I realized that they were not too different from what I had made myself, except for some of the big big names I saw which didn't really matter to me. My concern is usually with the ingredients listed first. This means that I can always use any of them based on its availability at the needed time.

One last good thing I can say about these products is that they are sooooo affordable so I would urge someone out there to go grab a set and i bet that you will not regret it...

NB: A review on the SOS Hairline will be up soon....... 

Like I always say..... keep being yourself... Be Bold & Beautiful

 

Product Review- Dark & Lovely Braids & Weaves

Hello, Hello, Hello!!!

Hoooooooo!!!!!!! I know right...its been a while but you know I always come back with something very interesting and guess what this is about..... Ok.. you can't guess so just take a seat, relax and enjoy reading this...

Its been over 3 weeks I think since I found something worth having and I couldn't wait say something about it but I had to hold on tight and be sure of what I had in hand.

The dark & lovely braids n weaves line of products is what am talking about. I don't know why it took them so long to bring this out but I think it's better late than never. I have loved Dark and Lovely products since I "came on" (direct twi translation) hahaha and you know I was showing that "mbaso)" by doing some skirmishes to my hair and that was when I met Dark and Lovely...lol..all the same its here and I am personally glad I received these new range of products.

Description of products

The new Dark and Lovely line of products I believe was brought in to encourage the use of natural ingredients for our hair and also to reduce the problems black women face when they install braids and weaves as protective styles.

These products include the scalp wash which helps remove dirt and excess oil and leaving the scalp clean, the scalp soother which basically relieves the scalp of itchiness and that tight feeling you have just after you have a braid or weave installed, the hair refresher which gives your hair and scalp that refreshing feeling after you have cleaned with the scalp wash and lastly the SOS hairline which is to protect the edges or hairline when you braid. All the products also have jojoba oil and peppermint oil in them and these are very good oils for the hair especially natural hair...

For the purpose of this blog post I would only talk about the first three that is the scalp wash, scalp soother and hair refresher. I could not use the SOS hairline because my hair was not freshly installed when I got it and I actually had no issues with my hairline.

Scalp wash

This product as described on the container is waterless meaning you don't need to rinse out after using it, its anti flakes meaning it doesn't leave any flaky substance (like some white or light brownish powdery substance..lol) on your scalp. These are just as stated on the container but what about my own experience.....
Before I go on let me say this... when using products that need to get to your scalp always ensure you use an applicator bottle so it gets directly to your scalp and not the hair itself and this is a plus I will give to Dark and lovely when talking about these products...kudos to you D&L

Now to the main deal.... I am most of the time a bit reluctant when I have to use new products especially when I read the ingredient list and see some names bi like that....lol but trust me this is one product that is a bomb+... now see oooo, at once when I put the first drop of this gel like substance on my scalp, I had this cold and ticklish feeling and I went like "hooooo!!!! this feels cool" I went on and on applying on my scalp as directed and then waited for like a minute or even a bit more then took my cotton wool....hmmmm I wish someone could see the look on my face after I cleaned a portion of my hair... I went like "eeeiiiii what is this"? But I was surprised because my scalp doesn't really get so dirty and so I was wondering what had happened and where all that dirt came from. Well I couldn't explain at that time but it left me really thinking and then I found out what the problem was....you know I had some new growth down there and so you see where the knot is ie where the braid begins, where my new growth meets the extension....I don't know if that makes sense but I hope it does. That was where some of the dirt came from. So I concluded that, not only does this clean your scalp but it also somehow finds its way to that stubborn knot and takes some dirt out of there too. Honestly, I would say this is a good one because I am sometimes not able to wash my hair under the shower due to time constraints considering the drying and all that. It also smells great and my scalp is not itchy after using it so although I don't have dandruff I believe it will do some magic for those who do.... So, this is a must get product if you ask me.

wwoooowww!!!!!! did I just write all that? ok so you know what that means....review on the other products will follow shortly in a new post...

Thanks so much for reading this and just keep your fingers crossed for more on the Dark n Lovely Braids and Weaves line of products in my new post...

Scalp Soother

loading.........

Stay Blessed!!!! Be yourself......Be Bold & Beautiful!!!

African Black Soap with Aloevera (DIY)

Hi lovely naturalistas,

I am here again with something very interesting. Just stay relaxed and enjoy reading this post.

Someone may ask why have I come again with a post on black soap.... Well, I have within a couple of weeks heard a lot of things people thought or experienced with using this black soap.
One of such comments is that using the black soap has a drying effect.

I will not dispute this but however, my question is...what black soap do you buy and where do you buy it?

Let me explain why I ask these questions....

First of all, not all black soap on the market is original and there are different ways people process this black soap.
Secondly, in as much as naturally or locally made products may be the best, it doesn't mean it will work for everyone. I can attest to the fact that they will work for more than 90% of its users and so how do you explain the situation with other users who may react to it. Some people say its really good on their hair but it makes them itch when they use it on their skin. Some also say its really great on their skin but dries their hair. We are all different people with different hair and skin. Some say it clears their acne and so on...\

Now, to my main reason for this post....

I have been using black soap for quite a long time now and trying from different sources, I have noticed not all black soap have the drying effect, not all black soap are soft,not all black soap can help with your acne, not all black soap can give your hair the good feel you expect, not all black soap can leave your hair feeling smooth.
That been said, I will advice that when you want to buy black soap from the market especially those wrapped in the brown papers, you should be careful.
For those packaged, make sure you have read the ingredients before buying them though some may not entirely be true...lol

I will soon give some reviews on the particular brands I use but for now, I want to give you a tip on how to use black soap as your shampoo and especially when you are not certain of its originality.

This is all about adding aloe vera gel to your black soap.....

I found out about the moisturizing benefits of using aloe vera and so I added it to my daily fritz then I also decided to try infusing it into my shampoo(black soap) and see how it works.

To my surprise I got more than I expected. How do I mean? I only wanted to have a more moisturizing effect from the aloe but guess what....my hair was sooo shiny and I had that wow look on my face. Funny enough, I did not condition my hair with the intention of seeing how my hair would become after few days and to my amazement my hair was still same. Sounds strange??? Well its the truth. But I did condition the next time I used it because I wasn't ready for any surprises...lol

Other benefits of Aloe vera???

De-tangling, Deep conditioning (moisturizing), etc

Ok that's it for now....coming back soon with more interesting stuff.....

Just keep it calm and enjoy your fabulous crowns.. and like I always end it.....

BE BOLD & BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!

 

AFRICAN BLACK SOAP!!!

This African black soap has become an increasingly popular choice for natural hair care and this post is to bring to your table the benefits of using this product for your natural hair. I believe once you get to know its advantages you would want to give it a try.

African black soap (also known as Anago or Alata Samina, or Ose Dudu) is an all-natural cleanser originating from some African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria. It includes ingredients such as Shea butter, plantain peels, cocoa pod, palm oil, palm kernel oil. All these are mixed together and stirred for a long period of time and left to set for close to two weeks before packaged.
You can also notice that there are colour variations in the soap which explains the fact that different tribes and communities have their own blend of oils and techniques that they use for the mixture

Plantain skin- it’s main ingredient- is a natural source of vitamin A, vitamin E, and iron, which explains why this soap is so nourishing to skin and hair.

People love this soap because it can be used anywhere on the body from head to toe and is often said to have a healing effect.

- See more at: http://hollistics.com/2012/12/04/black-soap-for-skin-and-hair/#sthash.kUuZS0ND.dpuf    

African black soap can be used to prevent issues such as common breakouts or oily skin, as well as eczema, psoriasis, dandruff and numerous skin conditions, and also has an increased natural UV protection. The plantain skin which is the main ingredient in the mixture is a natural source of vitamin A, vitamin E, and iron, which explains why this soap is so nourishing to the skin and hair.
I really love this soap because it can be used from our head to the toe and is often known to have a healing effect on us.
This soap, needless to say also leaves my hair soooooo soft , with some springy curls and moist. I know some people may wonder about this one but well for my hair it does great on it. The truth is there are some fake ones on the market and one characteristic of a fake black soap is its hard feeling. A good African black soap has a soft feel just like it acts on the hair and skin.

Another great benefit of this soap is that it lathers very well with just a few strokes under water, and so it lasts for quite a long time before it finishes.

So ladies, which of you would refuse a 3 in 1 product????? face, body and hair!!!

well for me its a plus plus plus!!!!!! Now rush for your African black soap and enjoy the great feeling it gives.........

To all my naturalistas out there..... Love yourself and your hair just as they are and Be Bold & Beautiful!!!!!

People love this soap because it can be used anywhere on the body from head to toe and is often said to have a healing effect.

- See more at: http://hollistics.com/2012/12/04/black-soap-for-skin-and-hair/#sthash.kUuZS0ND.dpuf  

Meet Cherry!!!

What is your name and how long have you been natural?

My name is Cherry. Been natural for close to 9 months. Had my big chop on August 29, 2013.


Why natural?

I went natural for a few reasons but the most important one is that if there's anything I love about hair; it's volume and not length. .oops..yh that's me,and my relaxed hair would grow long but not thick to my liking even though people always said otherwise...NB:I wasn't doing anything to ensure my hair was in good state plus I wasn't soo crazy about hair so hardly took pics.

Did you transition? If yes how long?

Hehehe it wasn't until I joined a group of hair lovers that I heard of that word. .when I first saw it on YouTube...somehow it sounded like some kinda surgery to me lol..so I didn't even bother watching it ...so yh I did it for 3months *the hair surgery*. It was sad seeing my long hair go down but guess what!! the feeling changed after seeing my lovely cute self in the TWA (short natural hair) again. I felt like I had discovered the true me once again..."wink"wink"

What do you think are the benefits of being natural?

There are soo many benefits I can't talk about but it's been worth my while..in that I've come to learn more about my hair than I ever imagined possible and met lovely ladies along the way plus unleashed some hidden talents I had bcos me and salons are No No anymore. My hair speaks louder than anything I say so I'd rock my hair without saying a word but if you insist, I'd say cut your hair and catch the feeling.
The benefits farrr outnumber the natural ladies in the world.(sounds crazy huh!!) ..From holistic living,natural products...unlimited style options and soo many others..don't even know how to list them. 

What is your current regimen and favorite products?
 
Shhh..Regimen...I shampoo my hair once a month.I don't do co-washing (condition washing) cos I felt like my hair plus my scalp was not soo clean after I tried it.smh Ghana is too dusty for co-washing lol. I do hot oil treatments when I feel like it..I deep condition with my homemade "famous" avocado smoothie... 
My all time fav products are.herbal essence hello hydration 2in1,.Alata samina, Tresemme climate control condition. (Slip b what??), cantu shea butter leave in.

What is your favorite protective style? 

I love bantu knots and love it more when I unravel the knots....makes me feel.....mmmmm!!! can't explain.

What has been your greatest challenge so far on this journey?

Uuum...hmm my only challenge now is how to keep my fingers outta my hair and staying away from combs..sounds crazy right...I know but still fighting tho...

What will you say to other beautiful naturalistas out there?

I'd say keep rocking your lovely locs and inspire people along the way. Someone is looking up to you just as much as you have confidence in yourself...love your hair no matter the texture cos no one could rock it better than you which is why it's on your head..be creative n always positive.Don't let stress pull out your strands they are too lovely on your head not when it's stuck in your comb and all over the floor ...love you and keep it simple on your hair..

MY REGIMEN

Current Regimen ( Products added)

Pre-poo: I always do a pre-poo before I shampoo my hair. I use mostly extra virgin olive oil (evoo) mixed with a small amount of sheabutter, or my never to forget coconut oil mixed with sheabutter. I warm it up a little and apply on my hair and scalp. I cover for a minimum of 45 mins or preferably keep it overnight then I wash in the morning.

Shampoo: I shampoo my hair whenever I feel it's dirty. I was formerly using CON Argan oil shampoo and was lovely but since I found the african black soap, locally known as "alata samina”,  hmmm….. I can’t think of going back. They say “old friends are the best” and it’s definitely true with my alata samina. When I have braids on, I shampoo twice in a month ie every two weeks because I keep my braids for minimum one month. Alternatively, I just do an ACV rinse when I feel there is product build up on my scalp. When I have two strand twists, I shampoo weekly  and I am not scared of shampoo effect because my alata samina never leaves my hair dry. I has this soothing and softening feeling anytime I wash my hair with it.

Deep Condition: I do a DC every week because my hair loves it so much. I use the CON Argan oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment. This product makes my hair feel really good and I will get it again and again until I get a product that beats it.

Alternatively, I use the Organic Root Stimulator Olive oil replenishing conditioner or ORS  hair mayonnaise.

I also do monthly/bi-monthly Protein conditioning. For this, I usually prefer the DIY kind of treatment because of the elastic and rich feeling it gives my hair. I do the avocado-honey with olive oil mask or avocado-egg with olive/coconut oil and trust me these DIY treatments are really great and you would love especially if you have 4b/4c kind of hair. But if it doesn't work for you, tou will always get a particular one that would work for your hair. The is one I have not tried yet ie the banana mask. I will try that soon and give a review on it.

Moisturizer: I moisturize my hair twice a day when I have my hair on or two strand twists. When in my box braids I moisturize 3-4 times in a week depending on how dried up my scalp gets. For a wash day, I moisturize my hair following the LOC method. For L(liquid), I just make sure my hair is very damp (on a wash day I do not clean my hair after washing) then I apply my evoo (easily penetrates and hold on to water molecules) then I top up with my whipped sheabutter (jbco added). This is to seal in the moisture ie the water and oil used earlier on. JBCO is my favorite sealant and I also base my scalp with it and I love how thick my hair feels anytime I use it.

Oki doki....now my hair is all moisturized but  it doesn't end right there. I don't leave my hair just like that. How do I retain all the moisture and how do I relieve my hair from the shrinkage? Well, for retaining moisture, before I go to bed I make sure I have covered my hair with my satin scarf and added my bonnet to it and voila!! off to bed.

For stretching, I go the old time way using thread to plait my hair and it's the best way t stretch your hair.

To conclude I would like to say that, I am really enjoying my journey so far and I love my hair each day and night. I have no regrets whatsoever. Finally, I would say that I have never used heat on my hair since I started this journey but I don't know if I would some time to come. For now, its a NO!!NO!! for me.  

Love you all beautiful naturalistas out there.....keep being natural and.........

 BE BOLD & BEAUTIFUL!!!!

My hair

The New Me!!!

Well I have so far come to realize that God made no mistake when He made me. He gave me some beautiful things that I have become so proud of as I write this. One is MY HAIR!!! The other is MY SKIN COLOUR!!! For the purposes of this blog I want to talk about MY HAIR!

My hair is the typical 4c hair with the very tight coils. This type of hair is one of the kinkiest. When I was transitioning I started to love my natural hair just within the first two months and I couldn't wait to have my big chop. I however waited till it was 7 months then I finally did the bc in December 2013 and since then I feel so much in love with the new me...I didn't really care what people would think because all I wanted was to be ME and no one else.

Now the beginning of my hair journey.......

Now that I could feel the full texture of my natural hair, what was I supposed to do next? Styles, products, etc.....  Well, what could I be bothered about? All I really cared about was that I was now rocking my TWA and I loved it like Jesus loves me everyday of my life and I know am gonna love this more than any other thing. 

How was the growth of hair after my bc? How can I even explain this? Gosh!!!! it was some good good growth and I couldn't believe my eyes at what I saw after two months.

Now, you know why I can't stop loving my hair.... but this is not all...I also love the fullness of it, I can imagine how it will look in some few months to come.....

Now, what next? 

Just stay tuned to this blog as more stuff come your way.....

 Rock Ur Fro!!! Rock Ur Natural Self!!! becoz..........

Natural Hair Truly Rocks!!!!

My Story....how it all started

As usual as it is, when every young lady completes senior high school, there is this thirst and yearn to change looks. The main reason for this is yet untold, but there are a few reasons which can be linked to our backgrounds, beliefs, lifestyles, etc.

Well my story is simple. I added chemicals to my hair some few months after I left school but my hair was so thick that it took a second and a third relaxer to have the bone straight hair. My hair looked very pretty and I always had the wow look on my face. After some time I decided to have a perm cut which also looked so gorgeous on me.

I enjoyed this relaxed hair for so many years until somewhere in 2012 when I started having this severe headache. I could not figure out  what the cause was so I just linked it to tiredness and always relied on pain relievers to make me feel better.

Now, came the realization when I was struck with the idea of focusing on the times this headaches came and what I had done prior to it, then the SURPRISE!!.....I could not believe what I noticed....hmmmm.

How could it be? This was my question to myself and I never had the answers I wanted. Then one day I woke up wanting to know more about how chemical relaxers and driers could give me this bad headache that kept recurring anytime I visited the salon.

Are you surprised? I understand because I was too and the thought of being relaxed for so many years got me even more surprised.

Now what was I supposed to do?

I still went on to ask more questions. Friends, family,etc and the quest to know more is what I am today.

Research....Research....Research!!!

I did extensive research on this problem with relaxers and other harsh chemicals and I found out even more than was happening to me and that was when I had to take the bold decision to return to being natural.

Details of my journey so far will be up in my next post.

Just before I close this, I would like to acknowledge a few people who have supported me and still stand by me throughout this journey...

First of all I thank God for my life, the grace and strength given me. My family for their support and encouragement. My friends in the naturalista world and especially Annette Akye ( Naturalistagh) for giving me the final push of starting this blog.

God bless you all....