It's My Hair: The Braided Beauty Edition

  

I finally did it. I got box braids. I haven't had braids since at least summer of 2004. I've been wanting them for a minute. Finally took that plunge. And, I couldn't be happier about it. They are e-very-thing!!! They are super long too. Box braids down to my butt are what summers are for. I feel so bad ass with them. They have inspired a newness to my attitude. I love the versatility of them. I also really enjoy NOT having to do my natural hair for a minute. This was a great move getting this protective styling. I've had them for about a month. I have really gotten used to them. They are heavy though. I can handle the weight though because I'm a Queen & heavy is the head that wears the crown 👑 

If you know anything about me then you know I live for a photo opp. It's gotten even worse since I've gotten these braids. I don't think that there's been a day in the last month that I haven't at least snapped one selfie. I'm obsessed with my box braids. They make me look younger but I'm more than ok with that. My favorite style to wear them in has to be the high bun. It's like I'm wearing a crown and I love it. I think I will keep them in for a few more weeks. As much as I love them, I do miss Isabella (my hair). But, I'm not rushing this process. I am enjoying the freeness that these braids have inspired. Get into me & my box braids 😍😍😍 

 

It's My Hair: So Far In 2015

I have been a very bad naturalista so far in 2015. I've spent more days with my hair in a bun than anything else. I am currently in a rut hairwise. I don't really know what to do with it. But, I am happy to report that my natural hair is healthy, happy, and growing. It's longer and thicker today than it was 3 months ago. My hair dye from last summer has grown out. I think I will try another, lighter shade this summer. I might even cut my hair. I haven't decided how short though. Change is good. Change is necessary. 

Braid outs, buns, and puffs have been staples in my natural hair journey this year. All are easy to maintain. I usually go from a 4/5 day braid out into either a high or low puff. From there, it will be a bun. I am so glad that it is finally Spring time. The winter has been harsh on my hair. I have had moisture retention issue. But, that's all over now thankfully. I am looking forward to playing around with more styles with my hair. This summer will bring a change in hue and maybe length. I am excited about it. I actually cannot wait to do more with my hair. It's been almost 4 years since my last relaxer. I still cannot believe that. But, I couldn't be happier about it. It's my hair and I happen to love it more today that I did 4 years ago. Yay me!

It's My Hair: A Year In Review

The year is almost coming to a close. It has been a fabulous hair year for me. Going into my 3rd natural year, I decided to experiment a little bit more this year. I watched my hair grow longer which is a plus. But, since returning to my natural state, I've been moved by the volume (or bigness) of my hair as opposed to length. I am all about big hair these days. There is something to be said about the extra boost of confidence that I've gained since I changed my hair. I do not miss those days of getting a relaxer. But, I cannot lie, I miss the days of sitting in the hair salon and my old hair stylist. Haven't been to a shop in almost 4 years now. It has been the most interesting journey with me learning how to do my natural hair. It has gotten easier once I was fully natural. The transitioning stage was tough.

This year has been the easiest ons so far. I attribute it to the fact that I've gotten use to my hair now. I know what works for the most part and what doesn't. I dyed my hair this year for the first time in years. It came out great. I will be redoing it soon. I have had the most fun learning to love the hair that grows out of my head naturally. I have only had two moments when I contemplated returning to the relaxed life. They were both after failed twist outs. They were also very fleeting moments. I really just love the way my hair feels and looks. This has been the defining year for me and my hair. As you can tell by all the pictures, I've really enjoyed my hair. I've mastered the braid out, the wash n go, the bantu knot out and the blow out. In the following year, I will make it my business to master the two strand and three strand twists. I am looking forward to more growth, healthier hair and lots of width in my hair. Big hair or nothing in 2015. Hope every other naturalista has had a great 2014 hairwise as well.  Get into my hair 😇 🎉

It's My Hair: 3 Years & Counting!

This past week I reached a major milestone. I've been natural for 3 years now. It's been three long years since I last had a relaxer. I am more than amazed with myself. My hair has grown so much in the last year. In the beginning, there were detractors, people who didn't support my journey. I persevered. I made a choice for me and any future daughter I would have. I wanted to know what my hair felt like in its natural state. I wanted to see if I could wean myself off of my dependency to relaxers. I was able to do all of that. I won. For the last three years, I've been winning. My natural hair journey has been exciting for me. I've learned so much about my personal skill set and my very kinky, very coily natural hair. I am so proud of myself for conquering this huge deal. My hair has grown to bra strap length. I am aiming for waist length hair in the next year or two. Once I reach that level, I do not know what I will do. I've included my favorite hair shots from this year. There have been so many different styles. I like diversity and change. My natural hair works for me. 

I dyed my hair this year. It's been 4 years since I last did this. I am loving my new color. My hair is so healthy and thick and long. I am not used to keeping my hair long. In my former life, I was a scissor happy hair person. But, I decided to see how long I could go without cutting my hair. So far, so good. In the next year, I am just focused on width as well as length in regards to my hair. I want it to stay healthy and keep it's thickness. My hair is truly an extension of me. It's my statement to the world. I love that I've stuck to my natural journey. I know that my vitamin intake has helped with my growth. I have only straighten my hair twice this year. I prefer my hair in its kinky, curly natural state. I am happy with my hair developments. Cannot wait to see what comes next. Healthy hair makes for a happy Kenda. Happy 3rd anniversary to me!!

It's My Hair: Dye Job

I love color. Always have. Dying my hair has been my thing since I was 14. But, I haven't dyed my hair in four years. FOUR! So, to say I was apprehensive is an understatement. I got some great advice from my dope friend Reese. I purchased L'Oreal Technique Excellence HiColor (Browns For Dark Hair Only) in Light Auburn. I got three boxes because I have thick, coarse hair. I also picked up one bottle of L'Oreal 30 Oreo Developer. I parted my hair into four sections. I mixed them in a plastic applicator bottle. I then applied it to my hair starting at the back left fourth. It took a while to apply all of the dye to my entire head. I did not let it sit for long. I rinsed it out with warm water. Then I shampooed and conditioned my hair. Below are my results which I am now ecstatic about. I wasn't that happy about it the day after. But, this weekend, a braidout made me realize how deep my new shade was. In the pics, my hair looks purple but it really isn't. I know that next time, I will leave the dye on longer to get a lighter shade. I am happy with my results. Happy Kenda is happy. Get into my color, honey!

Before:

After:

It's My Hair: Length Check

This is what boredom looks like in my world. Today, I wanted to see how long my hair was. I know how thick it is because I deal with it everyday. But, I hardly ever use heat on my hair anymore. This is only the second time I've flat ironed my hair in the last year or so. All week my hair has been in in a bantu knot out. I keep it well oiled and moisturized daily. So, today I didn't have to do much. I started by hand combing my hair in sections. I then sprayed my hair with Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Flat Iron Perfector Straightening Mist. It's a heat protectant and I love it. It works wonders and it smells like heaven. I only used my flat iron on a medium heat and went to work.

Finally after an hour and 15 minutes, I was done. I could not have been happier with my results. My hair was straight and shiny. Next up was checking my length. My hair has grown so much since last year. I did not realize how much until today. I'm almost at BSL (bra strap length) and that makes me happy. I have never been big on hair length. I prefer width because big hair is dope and I love it. I couldn't stop running my fingers through my head. Of course, I had to throw on my new favorite gold double braided headband and a little makeup and take pictures. I'm overly excited about my hair journey and my hair growth. I doubt that I'll flat iron my hair again this year but it was good to see my progress. Yay for happy, healthy long natural hair. 

Get Into It: Eyebrow Kits

In my world, eyebrows are very important. I love mine. Getting my eyebrows threaded make me feel like a new woman. I remember the first time I got them arched as a teen. I felt like it made my face brighter. Since then, I have had my brows tweezed, waxed and now threaded. I prefer threading. I have the best brow lady in my city. I like the clean look of threading. I also love that getting my eyebrows threaded lasts longer than waxing. I can go almost at least 6-8 weeks in between appointments. Recently, I have discovered brow kits. These kits include wax (either colored or clear), powder and a brush. Some come with tweezers as well. I have tried two to very different results.



The first brow kit I tried was the e.l.f. Studio Eyebrow Kit in medium. It retails for $3 which is super affordable. I purchased it from Target. The packaging is gorgeous, sleek and black. I love that the kit has a mirror for on the go brow upkeep. This kit includes wax, powder and a two sided brush. I loved that the wax was brown because so are my natural brows. I am not that fond of the powder though. It made my brows look great and very natural. I loved the ease of the brush. In the end, I wasn't overly impressed with the results. So, I went in search of another brow kit. 

This led me to the NYC Browser Brush On Brow Kit in Brunette. It retails for $3.99 at Target. It contains brow grooming wax,brow powder, brush and a tiny pair of tweezers for grooming. Those tweezers are a win for me. The packaging isn't as great as compared to the e.l.f. kit. There is no cute and useful mirror. But, that is the only thing that is lacking. I love the color of the wax and the powder. The powder makes my brows look much more natural. The brush is functional and practical.Everything about this kit is a win. I loved it so much that I have gone through two of these and I still have the e.l.f. one. It is my new favorite makeup product. I use it daily. I may not do a full face of makeup daily but I will always make sure my brows are on point. My daily eye makeup includes: brow powder, eye liner, eye shadow and mascara. For that reason, I would recommend the NYC brow kit. It's affordable, readily and widely available. Great product at a great price. Get into it!

It's My Hair: Product Review Cantu Coconut

I am very biased when it comes to Cantu products. So, it was a no brainer to try out some of their new products. They were on sale at Walgreen's as a part of their Buy One Get One sale. So, I grabbed the Cantu Shea Butter Coconut Curling Cream and the Shea Butter Coconut Milk Shine and Hold Mist. I shampooed my hair with my Obia Natural Hair Coconut & Shea Shampoo Bar. I dried my hair with a tee shirt. I used a little Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave In. Then I used the Cantu Coconut Curling Cream before starting my braids. After my hair was braided, I sprayed it with the Shea Butter Coconut Milk Shine and Hold Mist before sitting under the hooded dryer for a 1/2 hour.  I put on my silk head scarf and went to sleep.

My first impression of the products were great. The smell was amazing. Which is weird for me because I dislike coconuts. But, apparently, I love the way it smells in this line of products. The next morning, I put some of my own oil mix on my fingers and unbraided my hair. I could tell after only doing one that the results would be amazing. I was right. The products worked well in my hair. I loved the way my hair felt. It was soft and moist. I loved it. I was impressed with the outcome. I also got so many compliments on my hair last weekend. Needles to say, these two products have been added to my natural  hair care regimen. Cantu wins again. I would recommend this to all my fellow naturalistas. Get into it and my hair in the pictures below. 

It's My Hair: Comparisons

 The top pic is from September 2011. I had gotten my last relaxer in July of that year. I was testing a theory at first. I wanted to see how long I could go between relaxers. This was how I started my natural hair journey. The bottom pic is from last month. It's the first time I straighten my natural hair in at least a year. I didn't realize how different my hair was until I saw these two pictures. I will say that my hair was healthy in both. But, clearly it is thicker, fuller in the natural pic. I could not have asked for anything better. I did not have unrealistic expectations going into this. I knew my natural hair would not be like Tracee Ellis Ross. I would not have those loose curls. I just wanted to know what my hair felt like without a relaxer in it. I was scared in the beginning. My only thought was that if it didn't work out in my favor I could always get another relaxer. I haven't had that thought in years now. I love my hair. I was already camera happy. I take way more pictures of my hair now. 

One of the main reasons I decide to return to my natural state is one I haven't said out loud too much. I was in a place mentally and emotionally that I was preparing for my future as a Mom. I did not want to pass on the tradition of thinking the hair that grows out of your head was bad or unmanageable. This is the silent tradition that had been passed down generation after generation. I did not want my future daughters to have bad feelings about their hair. So, I wanted to learn everything I could about my hair in its natural state to pass on to them. Now, I may not get to make that dream come true because I haven't had any children. But, this was an important lesson and journey for myself. I have a few cousins who have returned to their natural states because of me. That makes me feel incredible. I can truly say I love my hair even on the days that my twist out's aren't completely dry or my bantu knots didn't curl the way I wanted them to. It's my hair and my journey and I am so glad that I did this. 

It's My Hair: Straight Hair Don't Care

I've been a very good naturalista for the last few months. I've spent more time on my hair. I deep conditioned often. I gave myself hot oil treatments and clipped my ends regularly. I avoided heat like a former friend who did me wrong. I've had a lot of fun playing with my hair. I am still very partial to a braid out or a bantu knot out. I combat "bad hair days" (aka days when my hair didn't dry all the way or the style didn't come out quite right) with buns. And, then came the day that I got bored with my hair. So, I did something I haven't done in over 6 months. I decided to flat iron my hair. *gasp* I know I was shocked too. This was an adventure to say the least. 

I started by rubbing my whipped shea butter mix throughout my hair. My homemade shea butter mix is shea butter, grapeseed oil, a little vitamin e oil, and glycerin. It is my favorite thing to use in my hair. Then I sprayed my hair with Fructis Flat Iron Heat Protector. I proceeded to spend the next almost 2 hours straightening my kinky, coily tresses. When it was finally straight, I couldn't believe how long it was. I haven't truly seen the length of my hair in at least a year. I also clipped my ends. I then decided to take it one step further and curled my hair. I wanted a full, bouncy look. That is exactly what I ended up with. My hair was so thick and pretty once I was done. I was more than satisfied with my results. It's been two days and I still cannot stop touching my hair. I have been pin-curling it at night to keep my roots straight and my ends curled. I am not sure how long I will keep it this way but I really like it. I probably won't use heat on my hair until the end of the year. This luxurious look is a winner. Get into my tresses, people!! 

Guess Who Is The "Naturally Fierce" Feature?

I was so excited to see my face on the Global Couture IG feed as the "Naturally Fierce" Feature!!! I loved it. The above pic is one of my faves. Loved my braid out, my natural hair. Also, my makeup and eyebrows were on point if I do say so myself. I was extremely happy that day. You can read my feature on Global Couture. I love Patricia's site because it is geared toward natural hair. I love the info I learn there. Get into it. Oh, there is one mistake on it. I received my first relaxer at the age of 8 when I was in the 4th grade. The age was omitted. Anyway, it's a great read about my natural hair journey. Please check it out!!