Playing with Parts

Lately I’ve been playing around with hair parts and I’ve been noticing the dramatically different looks I can achieve just with different angles. My hair has really grown and I’m starting to see the difference and enjoy a few styling options that weren’t there for me before.

Right now I’m enjoying the dramatic diagonal side part and the center part. I'm going to try a zigzag part that I used to kill back when I was relaxed, soon as well.

Note in the images, I just did my regular twist-out, the same products were used on both looks. I have to say that I love both looks and having bangs again are fun and flirty. My husband also loves the bigger hair. 

Are you experimenting with parts, how is it going?

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie

Tween Hair

My step-daughter is a 12 years old and also a little natural. She does not want to ever relax her beautiful hair, which is a blessing. I think part of the reason is that her mother’s hair is loc’d and mine is natural. So in that respect she has great hair role models.

My only problem is that she is in the extension funk. What I mean by this is that sometimes she seems to love her hair more in extensions than when it’s out in her natural state. Don’t get me wrong she does like her hair, but she often thinks it is limited in its styling options. To be honest, I think it’s because she is just learning how to do her own hair and extensions are easier to deal with.

Our hair textures are different, so the products that I use don’t necessarily work on her hair so the styles that I’ve tried on her hair turn out differently. That is until I tried Shea Moisture’s Extra Moisture Detangler (This stuff is the business - a review to come later) and the Coconut & Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie this weekend. I did a twist-out on her hair on the weekend and styled it into a mohawk and we both loved it. I was actually drooling over her hair and told her I was jealous, which she loved and giggled about. It looked amazing and perfect for a stylish tween like her.

My step-daughter rocking her twist-out mohawk. Isn't she gorgeous! :-)

I plan on making it a priority to invest in more hair products for her hair and try to make sure she has access to them at both of her homes. In the mean time I continue to tell her how beautiful she is on the inside and out. 

I’m also asking for your help or suggestions in terms of products and styles for luscious, thick 4b-4c hair. Remember she is 12 and right now does not care for her hair to be cornrowed unless it is crazy cute (not to mention this is not my strong point … hehehe), she wants FREEDOM. We were all there back in the day, so I know you understand.

If you have any ideas feel free to contact me.  

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie 

Product Review - Hair Honey

Over the last few weeks, I’ve revisited a product that I used back in my transitioning days, it is Kynk Naturals, Hair Honey.

I purchased the Hair Honey from Noah’s health food store, but it is also available on their website, http://www.kynk.ca.

How to use (as quoted from Kynk Naturals):
A conditioning treatment that improves you hair’s strength and flexibility. Apply Hair Honey to clean wet hair to help ease tangles when combing. Hair Honey can also be used to reinforce hair ends when styling especially with braids & twists. For the not -so -intense kynks but severe dryness issues, saturate dry hair and wrap head & hair in a (not too) hot towel. Then wash as usual. Use Hair Honey as needed on natural or treated hair.

Ingredients:
Persea Gratissima (Apricot Kernel), Prunus armeniaca (Avocado), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut), Cera alba (Beeswax), Melaleuca Alterfernolia (Tea Tree), d-alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E), Mentha Piperita (Peppermint), Ribes nigrum (Black Currant aroma), Oleoresin Rosmarinus Officinalis (rosemary), Petroselinum sativum (Parsley), Thymus vulgaris (Thyme), & love (Agape).

My thoughts: 

Now that I’m 100% Curlie, I find this Hair Honey works better on my hair. It looks honey and has a mild honey and menthol/peppermint scent. The strength of this product is that it is a great for sealing in moisture. I often used it to apply one top of my moisturized hair. Yet for me, the best use of the Hair Honey was adding it to my deep conditioner. It gave my hair a protective coating and I love that.

I may not use it every day because I’m used to fruity and floral scents in my products, yet since all the ingredients used in Kynk Naturals products are all natural, I will keep the Hair Honey on my rooster. I should also mention that the Hair Honey is also has Clean Care's seal of approval for safer beauty & personal care products in Canada. It’s important to note that their mantra is, “If you can't eat it we don't use it!” In essence it makes my hair feel good.

Have you tried this Hair Honey or any of the other Kynk Natural products? Tell me what you think.

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie

3-strand twistout

I’m not sure if I’m late with discovering the 3-strand twists/twist-outs or maybe I’m just on time. You tell me!

The twisting technique came up in my YouTube search a week or so ago, when I wanted to try something different. I was intrigued, especially since I’m a twist-out addict. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do with my hair, after I’ve tried something new, I always go back to my beloved twist-outs. It’s just a dependable style for me. So I watched a bunch of videos to show me the technique on how to create a 3-strand twist, but best one for me was: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5bTiC0dLhM from JustKellee101. Even though her hair texture is not the same as mine, I found her instructions were very concise and easy to follow.

My thoughts:

First of all, it usually takes me 45 minute to an hour to twist my hair, the 3-strand twist took me almost two hours. Perhaps that was because it was me first time doing it, I’m not sure.

One thing I did like was that I did not need to do as many twists. I only do 12 twists, opposed to about 16 twists. My hair is thick and fine, if that makes sense and I do not get big, juicy twists, but with the 3-strand twists I did and I liked them.

The results:

I have to say I wasn’t sure about this set when I took down the twists, because they didn’t seem to have the body I’m used to. Usually, I only fluff my roots on the first day of my twist-out. With this set, I had to fluff and separate to get the look I wanted. So I found it a little bit more labour intensive. The definition is also pretty good, but since I had to disturb the twists more than I usually do, I have a feeling I may have more frizz, but trade it off for bigger hair.

My twistout after a full day.

My verdict:

I will try the 3-strand twist-out method again just to give it another shot. The next time, I might try it on stretched dry hair. I like aspects of the process and the look. By the end of the week, I will let everyone know on Twitter if the bigger hair and frizz was working for me or if it just got on my nerves…we shall see.

Have you tried 3-strand twist-out? Tell me about your experience via Twitter @CanadianCurlie

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie    

Freshening Up

PHOTO: Padre Denny - www.flickr.com

A New Year for Canadian Curlie, will be a fresher style.

I’ve decided that I will continue to post about natural hair with sprinkles of other life experiences and anything beauty related that I’ve discovered.

I want you (my readers) to get to know me a little better. As you all know, life has a way of impacting your thoughts and the way you respond or react to people or things. So instead of having these things happen to me, I will share what I can, instead of giving my blog a hiatus, which I’ve done in the past. This is a New Year’s resolution I have made for this blog.

In regards to the beauty factor, I’ve been dabbling in nail art, I’m not a professional or plan on getting serious about this, but I’m enjoying myself. I’ve also been watching makeup tutorials on You Tube which have been great, since I’m an eye shadow, mascara and lip gloss girl.

Don’t fret, the beauty posts won’t be overwhelming – natural hair is still my focus, but I want to share different episodes with you from time-to-time to keep it you guessing and interested.

Lastly, I want to feature more of your stories this year, so feel free to contact me if you would like to be a Featured Curlie or even just want to have a chat on Twitter, link me at via email at canadiancurlie2010@gmail.com or on Twitter @CanadianCurlie.

All the best to you in 2014!

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie

Christmas Hair Wish

PHOTO: http://santacallsllc.com/

Usually at this time of year, I come out with a product wish list of things I want to try out, this time I wanted to do something a little different.

Among the materialistic things I would love to receive, there is something much more important, I would like for a Hair Wish.

It is for every woman and child with natural afro-textured hair to be proud to rock their curls and love themselves for who they are. 

As of late, I’ve been reading sad stories about young girls who have been tormented at school, not only by kids, but by adults who are supposed to have their best interests at heart:

Seven year old, Lamya Cammon, in Milwaukee had her braid cut and put in the garbage by her teacher, because she was playing with her hair. Why this women thought it was OK to even touch Lamya’s hair at all is beyond me.

Tiana Parker also seven from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was told that her dreadlocks were not acceptable at her school. Her parents, eventually switched her to another school.

Twelve year old, Vanessa VanDyke from Orlando, Florida, was threatened to be expelled from school, if she did not cut or shape her hair. The school seemed to change their mind once, the press got involved.

My point is, this has happened too many times and I think it’s horrible that any of these girls had to go through this. You cannot tell me that these experiences have not done a number on their self-esteems. It is a blessing that all of them have supportive parents that helped them through this discrimination.

We need to embrace and love each other for who we are, especially when thinking about our children. That is my Christmas Hair Wish … What are yours?

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie

Extension Revelation

So as most of you know, I installed Marley Twists a little over a two weeks ago give or take a couple days.

I was totally smitten with them. The lead-up to buying the hair and the actually twisting process was amazing and a labour of love. I was super happy with the results. Yet, over the last few days of having them in I came to realize that I am more in love with my own curls and kinks than I thought.

This was actually the first time since going natural that I had extensions and it’s been different for me. I remember when I was younger not being able to wait to get my box braids in, because I loved the look, but also because I wanted to finally fling my hair, swoop it behind my ear or put it in a long ponytail.

This time around, I did this as a protective style and to give my hands and mind a break from styling, with the thoughts of keeping my Marley twists in for a month. Well at my halfway mark and ready to see and feel my hair again ALREADY.

Let me tell you, there is nothing like the feeling of grabbing a cute coil of hair and having it bounce back into place. I really missed them.

I am not taking anything away from this experience of Marley Twists though, I loved every minute or it. I have just realized that I cannot have a long term commitment to extensions, yes two to three weeks, but that is it. I am also really glad I did this. I still plan on trying Senegalese or kinky twists, but not for a while.

I now see how much I’ve really changed and have come to love my hair in all its 4a-4b glory. It’s just like that old saying, the grass always seems greener on the other side – but the truth is, it never is. 

I removed the twists last Friday and have returned to my twist-out junkie ways...totally in love.

What are your thoughts about extensions, share your story?

All smiles - my twist-out is back. 

Blessings and Curls,

Kim aka B-Curlie