The Coil Technique

Back.

So it’s been six months since I’ve updated this blog, but there’s been quite a bit going on in my life! I moved back to the midwest a couple of months after graduation, worked on President Obama’s re-election campaign as a community organizer in the suburbs of my state (We won! Whoo!), and then started working in real estate/mortgage lending. It’s been craaazzyy! I’ve been trying my hardest to get my foot in the door as a recent grad and make all of my dreams come true….and it’s certainly been difficult in this economy. However, despite my plans not going exactly how I had hoped, I’m super optimistic about the future and I know there’s nothing a little elbow grease can’t fix :-)

That said, my bloggy-blog endeavor kinda fell by the wayside over the past few months, but I’m baack! Let’s recap what I’ve done with my kinks:

When I worked on the campaign, I LIVED in wash n’ gos. It was super hot in the summer, so I’d co-wash my hair in the mornings with Tresemme Naturals or Suave Shea Butter and Almond, and then apply my Shea Moisture curl smoothie and Eco-Styler gel. I’d get dressed and quickly do my makeup (pshh…I’d be lucky if I had enough time for lipgloss and powder—15+ hour workdays were no joke!) and then pull my hair up into a high kinky-curly pony. This was great for keeping my ends off of my shoulders, but not having the time to do trims regularly led to me recently having to cut off more than an inch all over. Good news? My ends look so much better and my coils are in great shape. 

Lately, I’ve really gotten back into twistouts, and I’ve been experimenting with Cantu’s new line for naturals. The Cantu Coconut Curling Cream received quite a bit of buzz when it was featured in August’s Curlbox, which is a subscription service that allows you to pay $20 each month and receive an assortment of products intended for use by owners of non-chemically-treated and highly-textured hair. I’m not a subscriber to Curlbox, so I hopped on the bandwagon a little late, but better late than never! I was extremely skeptical about the ingredients, but this curling cream is bomb. My ends curl up instantly when the product is applied, so I could probably do a wash n’ go with it….but I’ve been playing it safe and twisting my hair into medium-to-large-sized twists each night. It’s been really cold and I’ve been wearing my hair down everyday for the past 7 days….and it’s managed to stay soft and defined. I’m in love. Of course, for moisture, I apply my Shea Moisture Yucca and Aloe conditioner (it has the consistency of a leave-in conditioner and it’s organic, so you don’t have to rinse it out afterwards) to damp hair and then use the Cantu coconut curling cream. 

I’m big on that little teeny curl that forms on the ends of natural hair, and because my hair stretches out a little more everytime I retwist it, I’ve really gotten into the habit of applying a little bit of Taliah Waajid’s Loc It Up Gel—it’s all-natural, cheap, and even sold at Walgreens! There’s no buildup or flakes, and it’s very moisturizing. Definitely a must for naturals who like to keep their ends defined and in tip-top shape. The picture accompanying this post is a testimony for these products. I’m pretty sure I’ll keep them in rotation throughout the winter.

-A

I’ve been having some awesome hair days lately….check out my next post for details :-)

(Source: 1andonlyashlee)

18-15n-77-30w:

http://18-15n-77-30w.tumblr.com/

hi-imcurrentlyobsessed:

#picstitch Last time I wore MY natural hair out (Taken with instagram)

featheredlocks:

Not all oils are created equal..

(Source: thenaturalcommunity)

18-15n-77-30w:

http://18-15n-77-30w.tumblr.com/

(Source: un4gettablegoldenchild1922)

Oyin Handmade’s Whipped Pudding and Shine and Define: A Delectable Duo

So I ordered my first set of Oyin Handmade products back in March of this year, but I’ve long been a fan of the brand. Jamila Bennu, the creator of Oyin, and her husband (@exittheapple on Twitter) are two down-to-earth, sweet individuals who often host bottling parties at their shop in Maryland, even allowing those who help to take some products home in exchange for their assistance. In addition to this being a great way for potential customers to become exposed to the brand for free, it also demonstrates how much of a homegrown operation Oyin Handmade is. I like that tight-knit community vibe! :-) For good reason, the Bennu couple is well-respected in the #naturalhair circle for their honest and humble approach to haircare, as well as the quality ingredients they use for their products.

But back to my situation…I was on the hunt for an all-natural whipped moisturizer as an alternative to the lotiony leave-in conditioners and hair milks I had been using in the past. I decided to order the Whipped Pudding and Burnt Sugar Pomade from CurlMart during a sale, and I received my products a few days later.

When I tried the Whipped Pudding for the first time, I couldn’t truly appreciate it. It was not as watery as my beloved Shea Moisture Curl-Enhancing Smoothie, so I doubted that it was a true moisturizer. However, the next time I tried it on damp hair, and I twisted my hair into medium-sized twists. I lightly applied the Burnt Sugar Pomade as a sealant and for shine, and woke up to extremely soft hair. I usually judge a product’s moisture factor by how my ends behave, and my ends felt and looked great! My hair also had a ton of movement—I put my hair into a loose ponytail for work, and every time I moved my head, my hair would shake with it! Hello, light and bouncy kinks! Chile, I didn’t even think my hair could do ALLA THAT.  

Recently, I bought Oyin’s Shine and Define because I saw their products in a natural hair beauty supply store here in North Carolina. In my experience, Oyin products on the ground is a pretty rare occurrence. Plus, it was the last jar. I.had.to.have.the.last.jar. I was also in a pretty bummy mood, and I tend to soothe my feelings with products. Typical junkie. 

Anyways, I again used the Whipped Pudding as my moisturizer, and the Shine and Define as a styler for a twist-out. I did the twists on soaking wet hair and without sealing with an oil because I wanted to see how the two products performed. My twistout was once again really soft—and not the coated, product-y soft, but a genuine softness that I only get when my hair is well-conditioned and moisturized. My hair also had a natural shine, which was impressive.

Oyin Handmade has described the hold of the Shine and Define as light, but I’m now on day 5 of a twist out that I’ve only refreshed with water and coconut oil, and It’s still soft, touchable, and super defined. Perhaps they meant that the hair doesn’t feel crunchy from the hold?

My only qualm with my Oyin products so far (not including the Juices and Berries, which I’ve only used sparingly this spring) is that 4 oz is simply not enough. I’m halfway through my jar of Whipped Pudding, and I’ve been reallllllll judicious with my use of it. Like, it’s my ‘good stuff’ for special occasions! lol. At least I know better now-if I’m gonna splurge on the awesome stuff from Oyin (and I say splurge because I get more product from Shea Moisture for the money), then I need to #YOLO it up and cop the 8oz.

A final note: The Whipped Pudding smells mostly like cocoa butter, but with a hint of chocolate to me; the Burnt Sugar is reminiscent of warm maple syrup; and the Shine and Define has an Orange Dreamsicle scent. Pretty delicious if you like your curls, coils, and kinks to smell yummy!

Hope this was helpful!

(Source: ashleifash)

Fierce.

(Source: msdanti)