Hair Tip #8 - Holidays in the Sun

Happy holidays beauties!

As the holiday season approaches, many of you will be going on a long awaited (and let's face it long needed) VACATION!! A little holiday in the sun is definitely remedy for the soul! So I thought I would give you guys some advice on how to manage your curly hair in the hot sun.

First things first, hydrating and moisturizing your hair is key. Between the salt water, chlorine and sun, your will go through hell and back, causing some serious dryness. So make sure you have your hair lotion, hair oil and grease handy.

Second thing to remember is to wash your hair with clean water! Before going to Cuba, I learned this amazing trick from a natural hair blog. Rinse your hair with clean water before going to the beach, that way your hair will absorb less salt water when you head to la playa! Also, after a dip in the pool or a swim in the ocean, you should wash your hair with a little conditioner, et voila, your hydrated bouncy curls will be ready for an evening out.

Another important thing to consider is UV protection. Your eyes and skin aren't the only thing you need to protect from the sun. Before my trip down south, I found this amazing little spray from Organix. The Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil: Weightless Healing Dry Oil not only heals split ends and prevent frizz, but it also provides UV protection! The added bonus is that it's neither greasy or heavy. I have heard a lot of good things about the Organix collection. And that product did not disappoint. Look for more Organix product review in the near future! All you have to do is spray the product over your styled locks and you are good to go.

Must Haves Cheat Sheet For Your Trip:

1. Conditioner*
2. Hair Oil and/or hair lotion*
3. Hair grease*
4. Hair U/V protection*
5. Styling curl activator* (if needed) - Or any other styling product (If you want to rock a from, no need for the activator) 

For all of those heading down south, bon voyage!! And be gentle to those locks of yours!

-Stay beautiful xoxo

P.S. I will post a little something about my favorite makeup this weekend! Keep an eye out for that!

*For ideas on product: look at my earlier posts.

Lexuana's corner - New post

Hello beauties,

I've written something new on my other blog, please go check it out. And feel free to comment if you have been through something similar. Writing has always been my way of coping with things, and this is no different. Beats crying about things, that's for sure. Hope you like it, here is the link:

http://lexuanascorner.blogspot.ca/2012/12/what-i-want.html

More hair posts to come this weekend ;)

Stay beautiful,

xoxo

First Vlog Posting at 1,000 views!!

Hi beauties!!!

I decided to do my very first vlog for you guys once I reach 1,000 views on this blog! (I'm currently at over 700!!!!) You ladies (and men) have been so supporting, that I decided to post a video showing how I style my curls :)

At every blog milestones, I will try to do something special to thank you guys!

So keep an eye out for it soon (I hope) and continue viewing, sharing, following and commenting!!

-Stay beautiful xo

Hair Tip #7 - Sleep Time

Hello beauties!

Sorry for the delay on this post. Holiday parties left and right have been keeping me a tad busy. However, I could not leave y'all hanging like that...so here is another hair tip.

I got this idea from a friend who was complaining that her hair lost all its moisture when she woke up in the morning (yes, you know who you are guuurrrlll).

After moisturizing and sealing your hair, it's a shame to be back at square one overnight. Most of us have used stockings, bandanas, or random articles of clothing to wrap our hair. The problem with these materials is that they absorb moisture. When you look at your bandana (or any other wrapping article) the next morning, all we tend to see are oil spots. No wonder your hair is completely dried in the morning!!

To prevent hair dryness, you need a material that will keep the moisture locked in. The best types of caps, bonnets and/or wraps for that purpose is satin and silk. Below are some examples of different sleeping wear options.

Satin Sleeping Cap

Satin Hair Wrap

Silk Hair Cap

From previous experience, these caps tend to range anywhere from $2 to $15.

I personally use a satin cap when my hair is curly, and use a satin wrap and cap when my hair is flat ironed. Using the silk wrap helps keep my hair together.

Hopefully this will help you ladies keep your hair smooth and/or bouncy and fully moisturized!!

Hugs and kisses ladies (and gents),

-Stay beautiful! Xoxo

P.S. Special shoutout to some of my beauties that I've seen last weekend: Bibi and Magalie. Love you guys and thank you for your support it means a lot ;)

Thank you!!!

Thank you all for reading my blog! It means a lot to me!!

Much love to all my beauties!!

Stay beautiful xo

Hair Tip #6 - Untangling your hair

Happy Friday beauties,

Here is another hair tip for you ladies tonight. It's short, but hopefully it will tide you over until my next post!

Let's talk about an important topic: untangling those beautiful locks of yours. As some of you may not know, untangling your hair properly makes a major difference in the growth and quality of your hair. Using the proper tools (i.e. combs and brushes) and using the proper technique makes all the difference, in my opinion.

Here are a few things that have worked for me with both my natural and relaxed hair:

To untangle my hair, I tend to you a wide tooth plastic comb. It's soft on the scalp and soft on the curls. I normally use this type of comb while untangling wet hair to blow drying it.

When my hair is straight, I tend to opt for my handy soft bristle paddle brush. The tips are rounded as to not irritate the scalp, so it feels like heaven (especially when you have an itch, y'all know what I'm talking about). Again, with the bristle being soft, no damage is caused to the hair.

Now, onto the technique. It's always best to untangle the hair from tip to root. I know we were all conditioned to start from the top, but think of it this way: if you have knots in the middle of your  hair and you start untangling from the root, all you are doing is pulling your hair down, ultimately pulling good and knotted hair out. That's when you start seeing clumps of hair on your comb or brush. When you start from the ends, you are working out the knots all the way to your roots. By the time you reach the top of the hair section, no more knots! As simple as that.

Keep in mind that separating your hair in sections (four to eight on average) is always best. It minimizes the risk of creating additional knots.

Hope you enjoyed this short but sweet post!

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my American readers, and to everyone else, enjoy your weekend!

-Stay beautiful xo!

Hair Tip #5 - Hair Products - Styling

Hello beauties!!

Sorry for the delay!! As promised, here is the third part of my hair routine series.

Once I have washed and conditioned my hair, I use curl activators or gel to bring out my curls.

My gel of choice is the EcoStyler Olive Oil Styling Gel extra hold. To prevent flakiness, I tend to mix this gel with some oil (usually my Doo-Gro) or some grease. Also, adding these to the gel keeps my hair from becoming too hard.  I tend to use gel when I want to get a 'wet', just got out of the shower look.

For everyday use, I tend to opt for curl activators. My ABSOLUTE favorite has to be the Softee Aloe Vera Activator Gel: For Extra Dry Hair. The difference between a curl activator and a gel is the softness of your curls after using the product. It also dries a lot quicker, in my opinion. Plus, since it's not a gel, the curls stay really bouncy.

Another curl activator that I have used in the passed is the Blue Magic Curl Activator. In all honesty, it's not my first choice, but if the store is out of Softee and gel, it does the trick. Though it says that there will be no flaking, I tend to find flakes the morning following the application, and I don't need anyone telling me that I have dandruff when I don't. I find that adding some hair lotion, grease or oil to the Blue Magic Curl Activator lowers the risks of flakes.

My method to apply the gel and curl activators is the same:

1. I start by making sure that my hair is still damp (I keep a full spray water bottle near me at all time).

2. I separate my hair in small sections, using professional hair clips.

3. I apply a generous amount of gel/activator on the section I'm working on.

4. I then pull out my curls with my fingers. From root to tip, I pull out the curls, and they will bounce back all defined.

5. Repeat the same thing for the rest of the sections.

When I'm done applying the product, I like to do a little shake and see where the curls fall. You can part your hair down the middle, or leave it messy, it's all up to you.

The next morning, to refresh your curls, you can simply spray your locks with water from your handy dandy water bottle. Just a few squirts and a little pulling of the curls and voila! Ready for day 2 :)

It used to take me 30 minutes to style my hair, now I'm done in less than 15 minutes.

Also, remember the smaller the sections the curlier the hair. So have fun with it!

Hope this helps beauties!!

Stay beautiful! Xo

Hair Update November 2012

Happy Movember beauties!!

As promised here is another hair update :) Winter can be pretty harsh season on natural hair, which is why I tend to wear braids or weaves (extensions) from September to March. People have different views on using extensions. Some say they promote hair growth, some say they don't. My point of view is that if they are done properly and not too tight, why not? Another thing that I noticed, is that keeping your braids or weave for 6 weeks or less reduces/eliminates breakage. Thankfully, my hairdresser is a natural beauty too, meaning she knows how to manage my locks with tender love and care! If any of you Montreal ladies need a referral  let me know, I would be happy to share her contact info. I will soon post pictures of different braid styles that she has done for me in a later blog. In the meantime, here are some pics of my hair taken yesterday evening :D

1. This picture was taken right after I removed my braids and untangled my hair with a wide tooth comb.

2. This picture was taken after one shampoo, a deep conditioner and two conditioners (some conditioner left over, of course).

3. This is my hair after using my hair gel to activate my curl.

4. This is my hair the day after (forgot to sleep with a cap on, but it still looks good). Keep in mind that my curls were not refreshed with water.

To obtain a lengthier look the following morning, I spray my hair with water and pull my curls down. But I also love my shrunken look :) 

I hope you enjoyed these pictures and they will inspire you on your ongoing hair journey!!

Stay beautiful!! xoxo

Delayed posts

Hello beauties!! Just wanted to let you guys know that I will be posting two new posts by the end of the weekend! I have been a little under the weather and that is the reason for the delay ;) so keep an eye out for my new hair journey post and my styling post :)

Thank you to all of you who are sharing my blog with your friends and family. It means a lot to me. Please continue to share, follow and comment!!

-Stay beautiful xoxo

Hair Tip # 4 - Hair Products - Moisturizing

Moisturizing

Ola beauties!! Welcome to another installment of the 3 part hair care series J!! Today, I will talk about the different products I use to moisturize my natural locks.

The first step to keeping my hair silky, healthy and shiny (after a good conditioner, of course) is a good oil! A few years back, you would have had to pay me an extreme amount of money to oil my scalp or grease my hair. But I quickly learned that spending an extra 5 minutes oiling my scalp and sealing my ends went a hell of a long way.

Oils

In the last two three years, I've discovered two oils that I swear by. I've used them both on my chemically straightened hair and on my natural hair. The first one is the CHI Silk Infusion oil. CHI, for those who know the brand, is not the cheapest of products, but it works. The product is lightweight and doesn't give you that weird greasy feel, especially when your hair is straight. I put a quarter size amount in the middle of my palm, dip my fingers in it and massage my scalp. That's all I needed to do the trick. I do this process daily or every other day, depending on how dry my scalp gets.

Another oil that I absolutely love is my Doo-Gro Mega Thick Growth Oil. Thanks to the pointy tip, I use this oil on a daily basis. I apply the oil moderately to the scalp and use the tips of my fingers to massage thoroughly. Unlike the CHI Silk Infusion, this oil is slightly heavy, so putting too much can give you that greasy look. Keep in mind that this oil is a lot cheaper than the CHI, ranging between $3-$6, depending on the store.

Another oil that I have to mention is the Soft Sheen-Carson Optimum Oil Therapy – Featherlight Hot Oil. The bottle says: ‘Transforms dry damaged hair, Guards against shedding & breakage, Restores softness and elasticity with no greasy build-up’, and they are not lying. I first used this product when I first started my transition. I found it online, and thought I would try it out. Honestly, I wasn't disappointed. Like the name says, this product is extremely light; you barely feel it (which caused me to overdo it from time to time…oops). After two uses, I noticed a difference in how my hair moved and felt. I haven’t been able to find this product in my area, so I purchase it online at www.haircloset.com.

Grease

Moisturizing your hair would be completely ineffective without a good grease to seal the ends. To do so, I use the Doo-Gro Medicated Hair Vitalizer. Compared to other hair grease or pomades, it’s not thick. The best way to describe it would be ‘solid oil’. It has an oily feel as opposed to a gelatin feel like Vaseline. I apply this grease to the ends of my hair after oiling and/or putting some hair lotion. I part my hair in sections and seal the ends section after section.

Lotion

And finally, my hair lotion of choice is the Doo-Gro Mega Thick Anti-Thinning Growth Lotion. I usually apply it after towel drying my hair, before applying oil. It keeps my curls moisturized and bouncy.

Another beloved hair lotion is the Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil: Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion. It certainly does the trick when my Doo-Gro is running low.

I hope you will like these products as much as I do! If you have any questions about how to use these products or where I purchased them (especially if you are in the Montreal or Ottawa area) leave a comment or a message and I will gladly help you out.

The next post will be about styling your curls! Definitely the best part! So keep it locked ladies…

Until next time beauties! Xo

Hair Tip #3 - Hair Products - Washing

Time for some hair product talks ladies!!

I've been asked over the last year what I use in my hair on a daily basis. So to make it easier, I will break it down into 3 posts. This first will be 'Washing', the second would be 'Moisturizing' and the third will be 'Styling'.

Shampoo

I've used many shampoos and conditioners in the past year. As mentioned in an earlier post, I'm a big fan of the 'Conditioner Only' washing method. But a good shampoo doesn't hurt once in a while.

One of my favorite hair product brand has to be Doo-Gro, which explains why their shampoo is at the top of my list. One of the reasons is they have many types of regimen, depending on what you are looking for. For my own need, I use the 'Mega Thick' collection.

I use the Doo-Gro Mega Thick Anti-Thinning Shampoo roughly once every three weeks, as well as the first wash after removing braids/weaves.

Compared to shampoos I've used in the past, this one doesn't leave my hair dried out. Keep in mind that I only do one shampoo instead of the suggested two.

Conditioners

Climate Control

Moisture Rich

As for my conditioners  my current obsession is my TRESemmé Climate Control Conditioner! Before my recent trip to Cuba, I went looking for a new, better conditioner than my old Doo-Gro one. Don't get me wrong, the Doo-Gro works well, but my curls were not as bouncy as I wanted them to be. So the clerk recommended I try TRESemmé! I fell head over heels in love ladies. I was in the sun all week long (and we all know what salt water and sun can do to your hair) and I did not have one problem. My hair remained bouncy, soft and silky. And for the price, you have enough for months!


Recently, I went to the store and they were out of the Climate Control :(, so I decided to try the TRESemmé Moisture Rich Conditioner. So far I like it, but I find it lacks the instant softness that I found in the Climate Control. Just like Doo-Gro, TRESemmé has a wide selection of products for various tastes.

Deep Conditioner

Just like many of you, I've tried many deep conditioners in my day. I've tried various mayonnaise, heat therapy deep conditioners, etc. My favorite one so far comes from (SHOCKER) Doo-Gro. Their Mega Thick Intense Repair Rebuilding Thickening Treatment is absolutely amazing! Though the packaging says to leave it for 10 minutes, I leave mine on for approximately 30 minutes. I put a foil cap on and do chores around the house, and 30 minutes later, I wash it out thoroughly and do one more round of conditioner. (Yes, I love my conditioners!) I use the deep conditioner every 3 weeks or so, when I shampoo my hair usually.


Using these products regularly have contributed greatly to my hair growth. They are healthier, stronger, bouncier and shinier than they have ever been. Hopefully these will work for you too.

Keep an eye out for Part 2 where I will be tackling moisturizers!!

-Stay Beautiful xoxo

Hair Tip #2 - Flat Iron and Blow Dryer

Hello beauties!!

As promised, I will be giving you all the information on my flat iron and my blow dryer.

Flat Iron

I've been using my flat iron for about 5 years now and it hasn't failed me or any of my friends yet. Boy could this thing tell you stories!! The brand is Corioliss. I came upon it while on a trip to Boston. I was walking around in a shopping mall as they were testing the iron out on a 'Natural Beauty'. What is good about this piece of equipment is that it doesn't burn the hair. It uses your natural moisture to straighten the hair. I even tried spraying my hair with a little water before ironing and the results were incredible. No burning whatsover! Just smooth, and silky hair.

Some major shopping centres carry the Corioliss brand (in their flat iron stands). However, if you can't find one near around you, I left a link where you (or a loved one - it's almost the holidays after all!) can purchase one online. There are tons of different models and designs for every taste. If you are into bold prints, they carry multiple irons fit that Bold Beauty Queen in you! Keep in mind that it's not the least expensive flat iron on the market, however it's one of the best!!

http://corioliss.com/

Flat Iron Expert - Where you can purchase one of the Corioliss Irons

Corioliss Info as per Flat Iron Expert - All Rights Reserved FlatIronExperts.com

Blow Dryer

As for my blow dryer, I've been using the Vidal Sassoon 1875 Ionic. I purchased it at my local Wal-Mart about 4 years ago for around $30 and it works wonders. It came with the drying comb, which makes it easier to dry without breakage and extensions.

When my hair is natural, I tend to let it air dry. On cold winter days (and nights) however, I use the finger diffuser attachment to create bouncy curls with tons of volume.

Finger diffuser attachment

Soft Wide Tooth Drying Brush - The back is open so hot air just passes through. No burning at all.

This unstoppable duo has helped me go from Frumpy to Glam many times over, with both Relaxed and Natural hair!

Hope it will do wonders for you guys too!! ;)

Stay beautiful xoxo

Hair Update: April-May 2012

Ola beauties!!

Here are more pics of my hair journey. This time, I took my time to flat iron my hair :)

Hair after Curl Activator

Hair Flat Ironed

Another Picture of Hair Flat Ironed

I will be posting pictures and descriptions of my flat iron and blow dryer soon for those of you looking to purchase one.

Hair Tip #1

Hello beautiful sisters!

Have any of you ladies noticed that washing your hair too many times in a week dries out your beautiful locks? Or that after using expensive shampoos, your hair doesn't feel as soft as when they were 'dirty'? Yeah, I've been there!

My curls would often lose their mobility after a wash, it would take days for the bounce to come back. I told a hair stylist about my problem and she recommended that I wash my hair with conditioner. The Conditioner Only system is amazing ladies!! Not only does it wash as thoroughly as shampoo, but your hair feels soft and silky after. Shampoo tends to strip hair of their moisture, while conditioner adds to it.

Another trick I was given is to leave some conditioner in your hair after the wash. Just a little, of course. Here is what I do; I wash my hair with the conditioner, rinse my hair quickly (not thoroughly), then I shake out my curls. Voila! I noticed a difference instantly!!

As for the expensive shampoo you bought, keep it handy. I tend to wash my hair every 3 days (with conditioner only) and shampoo every two to three weeks. I will say that I have seen major hair growth and a renewed fullness to my hair in the last 4 months of me doing this regimen!

Hopefully you guys will get results too!

I will post the exact products I've been using soon :)

-Stay beautiful, naturally ;)

*Here is a link where you can learn more about Conditioner Washing

3 Months After Chop

Here are some pictures 3 months after the cut. The first picture shows my hair combed out after taking out my braids :)

*My first straightening attempt was not the best, I have to admit. :S

**More to come, enjoy!

Hair combed out

   

First attempt at straightening my hair

  

After Curl Activator

Big Chop: August 2011

In August 2011, I had my friend cut my hair! She's an amazing natural hair stylist in Montreal. She was my motivator and 'helper' through this process!

The PonyTail (Ahhh)

Final Cuts

Activating the curls with a little gel (ouuhh la la)

Final Product!

All done :) 

About the Blog

Hello to all my natural beauties!!

Google Images (Straight to Natural hair)

My name is Lexi and I've been natural for a little over a year now. I had my first relaxer when I was 9 years old and, at 22 years old, decided it was enough. I've always been fond of the kinky curls and hated the fact that some people would tell me that my natural hair was not 'proper' or 'conventional' enough. So, I went with my heart and did the big chop! Boy was it liberating! After going natural, I met so many women going through the same things I did, which was absolutely amazing. We all shared the same insecurities, as going natural is not easy, especially due to this unjust stereotype about black hair. If it's not straight and smooth, it's not pretty. Through this journey I've learned that us curly/kinky haired sisters have to stick together. So I thought I would write about my ongoing journey and the troubles of being a 'natural beauty' in my world and maybe help some people out. I will be posting pictures of my big chop and my hair journey, as well as products I have been using. Hopefully all of you will too. 

Thank you for visiting and stay tuned for more :)