Cornrows and Twists

In this video, I decided to give the puff a rest for a week or so. I cornrowed my hair and twisted the front, middle, and ends of the cornrows. I LOVED this style on me and I will definitely continue doing this style especially to see how it looks as my hair continues to grow!!!

What do you think? 

Twists: Flat and Two Strand

Once Again I am twisting my hair as a protective style for the week. I cannot say much about this style because I really wasn't feeling it. I thought I looked like a boy with my hair braiding back like that. I won't do this exact style again, but I will try different variations- of course. I just love playing in my hair!!!!

My hair is growing so much and I am happy that I can do different styles with my hair other than the Puff- Don't get me wrong, I love being able to puff my hair, as you will see in more posts/videos, but I feel that my hair dries out faster and tangles a lot when it is in a puff.

Thanks

~Danie~

Flat Twist and a Puff

 

Hello All, Sorry for the late posts- To keep up with me, check out my Youtube page or my Instagram Page (both @dsmileybface) for more frequent uploads/posts.

I have been so excited since doing my first puff that I cannot seem to stop doing them. In this video, I decided to do a puff with the back half of my hair and I did flat twists in the front part of my hair....I wore this style for a week and enjoyed it. Due to my hair texture, my hair dried out really quickly and I did not like how my hair was feeling, which is why the style only lasted a week. I am still working on the right products for me and my hair.

Check out the video below to see my hair style....What do you think. Yay or Nay?

Two Strand Twist n Curl Puff

At Seven Month's post, I tried to twist my hair using perm rods....The results were not exactly what I expected and I ended up putting my hair in a puff so that I could go out to the movies! Check out the video below and let me know what you think about my results.

~Danie~

Six Months Natural- Photo Collage!

On October 7, 2012 I did the Big Chop (BC) and had my relaxed ends cut off to become 100% natural. I washed my hair and was surprised that my hair did not have a curl to it- lol.

After my BC

Next Morning- After the barber shaped me up. 

I loved rubbing my hands through my hair and would feel little coils in my head:

Twenty Day's after becoming natural, I revealed my new hair-do to my family- Not that I was avoiding them, but I did not see them until this event. Initially shocked by my new look, they liked the style on me. My mother said I remind her of my baby picture.

Me with my Brother

I would wash my hair either with shampoo or just conditioner (co-wash) every other day as an attempt to add moisture to my hair because my hair felt very dry. I would deep condition with my steamer for about 20 minutes with each wash.

Deep Conditioning with Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Mask Early November 2012

When deep conditioning, I would notice that my hair would be longer. I noticed that my hair was growing...however, no one else noticed, because once my hair was dry, it would shrink alot.

One Month Post BC

At six weeks post BC, I decided to see if I can twist my hair. I tried to flat twist it.

My flat twists were an EPIC FAIL. They started off nice, but as I started getting to the top of my head, my hair was not long enough to twist. I was a bit sad, because I wanted to wear a style for Thanksgiving which was approaching. Although these twists were a fail, in the middle of December, I was able to twist my whole head...it wasn't perfect, put it was a mini goal that I accomplished!

Although I was able to twist my hair, I was free forming them and was not comfortable going to work like this, so I tied my hair up with a head scarf and two days later, I took the twists out- another fail, but they come with successes right!

   
 While watching youtube videos of girls whose hair texture I felt best matched mine, I came across youtuber BlakIzBeautyful videos and came across her blog: KinkyCurlyCoilyMe. From the blog, I ended up joining the Winter Castor Oil Challenge which was from December 1, 2012 to March 1, 2013. I had read about and seen many reviews on Castor Oil and while relaxed, I purchased a bottle of Jamaican Black Castor Oil to stimulate my hair growth and to help my mother grow in her edges. So when I came across the Castor Oil Challenge, I jumped at the opportunity to use castor oil based on the benefits of it regenerating new hair growth, thickening the hair, and keeping the hair soft. For this challenge I was applying JBCO to my scalp three times a week.

By two month's post BC,  I was getting tired of wearing my hair in a TWA (teenie weenie afro). I was also tired of picking out my hair several times a day so that my hair would look decent and I noticed that my hair was breaking off...YIKES

So After Christmas, I had the grand idea of trying to braid my hair with synthetic Box Braids extensions. It took me a week to do, but I was able to do it- on my TWA!!

After about five weeks with my braids, I took them down. I was eager to see what my hair growth was like.

 I was also doing length checks on a monthly basis and my hair was growing at a steady rate of 1/2 an inch a month. In the middle of February, I did my next protective style of Cornrows and Kinky Twists (sorry no pictures only this video).

This style lasted for a month. I wished it would have lasted longer, but my cornrows were getting fuzzy. I joined the KinkyCurlyCoilyMe castor oil challenge for the Spring which began March 1st and ends June 1st. My hair was growing so well that I decided to twist it up one more time:

 This time it was NOT A FAIL and I was proud to where this style for a week to work! WHOO HOO...I cannot wait until my hair grows longer and I can twist up my hair.

Below is my last photo comparison from mid February to the end of March.

This was my first time blowing out my hair since my big chop. I blew it out so that I can get my hair braided at my local African Hair Braiding shop.

My hair continues to be in box braids which I will take out over memorial day weekend.

I am so excited for my hair to continue to grow. I have taken a whole lot of photos of styles I cannot wait to try. I already completed my mini goal of two strand twists, and my major goal of a two strand twist out puff (sorry no photo- only video)

So readers, continue to follow me on my Healthy Hair Journey as I continue to blog about my natural hair!

Thanks for reading

~Danie~

Protective Style Box Braids

I decided to get my hair braided on a protective style mainly because I was traveling to London to attend my cousins wedding in addition to vacationing. I did not want to have my hair out for fear that I would not have been able to style my natural hair for the wedding.

I plan on keeping my braids in for two months- so by the end of May I will be taking them down.

Check out my video below of the braids.

Afro- 5 Months Post

In preparation of my box braids, I washed, conditioned, deep conditioned, and blow dried my hair. I used Grapeseed oil as my heat protectant and my blow dryer on the low setting. I parted my hair into four sections and made those sections even smaller while drying. I used a wide tooth comb to detangle my hair followed by my denman brush and then the wide tooth comb again used by drying my hair.

After my hair was all dried if formed an Afro. Check out the video below to see my Afro at 5 months post big chop (BC).

TWA Puff Attempt

After having my hair in two strand twists for a week, it was time to take them out. I wanted to try, or at least see what a twist out would look like. It came out fine, but not as I expected. I picked out my hair to stretch it and thought to my self: "I wonder if I can get my hair into a puff". And so went my journey....check out my video below:

My Two Strand Twist Out

I recently took out my protective style of cornrows and kinky twists and I wanted my scalp to breathe.

After taking down my style, I did a hot oil treatment with JBCO, washed my hair with Shea Moisture's Coconut and Hibiscus Shampoo and Tresemme Naturals Conditioner. I deep conditioned my hair with As I Am Hydration Elation and then proceeded to twist my hair while wet using As I Am Twist Defining Cream and As I Am Dougble Butter Cream.

My hair was kept in that style for a week and then I took my twists out because it was time for me to wash my hair and prepare for my next protective style.

The video below shows my hair as a two strand twist out. Enjoy

~Danie~

My hair journey since going natural and my thoughts

On October 7, 2012, to my surprise, I let my boyfriend big chop my hair. I wanted to know what my natural hair looked and felt like. My hair had been chemically processed since I was 5 years old so I was excited to see my hair.

After the Big Chop (BC), my hair did not curl- it did not look like other ladies who had their BC videos up on Youtube. My boyfriend told me this would happen; That my hair would not look like the other ladies because I have thick hair, bla bla bla. But once I seen my natural hair, I knew I had to embrace what I had.

I do not want to get caught up in curl typing- my hair is very tightly coiled in some places, my hair does not clump together and curl, and it shrinks A LOT when wet. I thought it would take forever for my hair to grow and I was growing impatient with my afro from October to December.

I measured my hair length every month from October to present, and my hair has been growing at a steady rate of 1/2 an inch a month. From December to March, I joined the Winter Castor Oil Challenged started by blogger and Youtuber Blakizbeautyful at Kinky Coily Curly Me and I continued with the Spring Castor Oil Challenge which ends in June where I have been applying Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) to my hair three times a week and most recently started using JBCO as my hot oil treatment.

In January, I found my hair to be long enough for me to braid so I did box braids for a month or so, followed by cornrows and kinky twists, and now I am in box braids again until about May.

In March- I was able to two strand twist my hair and I wore it that way for a week. After taking the twists outs, I was able to put my hair in a puff! My first short term goal for my natural hair. I was so excited. Then I blew out my hair and seen how big my afro was. By keeping my hair in protective styles, I was not focused on its growth- A watched pot doesn't boil right! My length checks were just to figure out my growth rate.

Since going natural, I have realized that since my hair is no longer straight/relaxed, I am more willing to try out different styles with my curl texture. I would never have wanted my hair to be so short and I would never have considered leaving my house with it that short either. But now, I live freely and am eager to try new styles!!

I still have not found the hair products that make my hair stand out- I do not even have a stand out hairstyle yet- so my journey continues.

~Danie~

Cornrows and Kinky Twists Style

It was time for me to take down my braids and I wanted to do another protective style, so I chose to do cornrows and Kinky Twists. Check out the video below:

Box Braids Update

Crochet Kinky Twists

I did it again! My mother's crochet kinky twists!

Wash Day: Kinky Curly Products

In this video, I experimented with the Kinky Curly Products- I used the Come Clean Shampoo, the Knot Today Detangler, followed by the Curling Custard- EPIC FAIL- my hair hated the curling custard to the point where I had to wash it out....here is the video anyway

Box Braids- Self Installed

I wanted to box braid my hair to give my afro a break from daily styling. I decided that I would try to braid my own hair with extensions. I braid my mother and sister's hair all of the time and I have even braided my cousins hair, but never my own.

I was off from work for two weeks, so I decided this would be the best time for me to try my hand at braiding my hair. I started my hair on Sunday, December 30th and finished Sunday, January 6th- no lie! It took me a whole week to braid my hair- SMH.... But I love the outcome. Could it have been better, of course. Will I continue to practice to braid my own hair- no doubt!!!

Challenges: Parting the back of my hair- I needed to standing mirrors as opposed to hand held ones. I had to use my family members to hold the hand mirror while I stood in front of the bathroom mirror parting my hair.

Although it took me a week to braid my hair, I was involved in other things and even did Crochet Kinky Twists on my mother's hair (check separate post for video).

These braids are staying in forever!!!

Huetiful Hair Steamer

As an early Christmas present, I received the Huetiful Hair Steamer from my boyfriend!!! YAY!!!!.
I recorded two videos, one of the installation and one of me actually using the steamer.

I have used it a total of three or four times (my sister used it once) and I love it.

Pro: After using the steamer, my hair felt so soft to the touch, I was amazed. I have used the steamer before washing my hair and as a deep conditioning treatment and my hair felt amazing after both uses. The product actually had my hair moisturized-well certain parts.

Cons: I used the steamer on the counter in the my bathroom. Because the steamer is not adjustable, when I sit under it, the nape and sides of my head do not benefit from the steam as much as the top of my head does. I have to find another place to steam my hair so that my whole head fits under the hood of the steamer.