WHYYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I am not truly a product junky. Yes, I have a ton of samples floating around my house, but I don't run out and buy the latest and greatest thing (Not anymore at least). I have 3 staples.
- Belle Butters - Premium whipped Shea Butter
- Nothing But Curl Wake Up Spray
- Kyah Alexandria Hydra Moist Leave in Conditioner
You will noticed that third one is not hyperlinked.
Leave in conditioner lasts me a really long time. I don't need a whole lot of it. I plop a little bit on right out of the shower, and then use my Belle Butters to take me the rest of the way.
KYAH ALEXANDRIA DONE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS YALL!!!! *SOBS*
I am nearly out of it after two years (told you it lasts me a while), and I went to the website to purchase more. Every time I clicked the link to the product, it would give me an error. So I tried other links on the page. Dead as well. I went over to her Facebook page and found this:
"Hi all. After much deliberation and careful consideration we've made the decision to close down kyah Alexandra. I've had a few deaths among family and friends this year. Soon we'll have a new baby and will be attending graduate school. So as you can see a lot is going on and will be going on in the upcoming year. I will still make myself available for those who have questions about their natural journey. Therefore I will keep the Kyah Alexandria Facebook page active as well as the YouTube channel. Most importantly, I would like to thank you for all your support and business."
WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?!
I have a backup leave in conditioner that I use (Shea Moisture), but I don't really like it. It is watery and doesn't give me the moisture I need like Kyah.
Do you have any suggestions on a great leave in? Have you had a product you love discontinued? What did you do?
A change is gonna come.
As I sit here with fried looking hair, looking rode hard and put away wet, I have decided I need a change.
I googled ‘Fried Dyed and Laid to the Side’ This is what I got *Snort*
I work 40 hours a week. I come home and I work more. School work and housework never ends. It isn’t just me though. If I am working 40 hours, my husband is currently putting in 60 to 70 hours a week. A couple of days ago He didn’t get home from work until 9pm.
It is not just that though. Ever since I lost weight, I haven’t shopped for clothes I enjoy. I have work outfits that I have purchased for the sole purpose of work. They are okay looking, but they make me feel staid and just, ugh.
I am stuck in a rut. I don’t take care of myself like I should. I don’t do anything for me and my husband. We work, we come home, we pick up dinner, and we stare blankly at the TV for an hour or two before we get started on our bedroom rituals.
I’m frustrated and tired guys. I’m stuck in a rut. I was doing laundry this evening and realized I was stuck in a clothing rut as well. Let me give you the primary example I have. For about 10 years now I have bought one type of jean. I purchase the Lane Bryant Right Fit Jeans. You know the ones I am talking about. The ones that are folded up in the store. (Size 6 blue circle!). The quality has gone downhill over the years. I am not entirely sure they are real denim anymore. Plus they smell funny, no matter how many times you wash them.
Tomorrow I am making time for myself. Jeff is out of town for the weekend for work (boo), but I am going to make the most of it. I plan on doing a hot oil treatment on my hair, painting my nails, and just beautifying myself. I also plan on buying a pair of nice new jeans. I need to step out of the jean comfort zone. I still have homework and I still have housework, but I need to focus on myself for just a little bit.
My questions to you: Have you pampered yourself recently? If not, why? Is it something you struggle with?
Bun-ba-bunnn-bunnn…..
Hi guys! Long time no talk!
I miss you so much, but I am working hard. When I get done with school (which is either in May or August, hopefully; cross your fingers) I will have more time, but until then, it is what it is.
How are you guys doing on your natural hair journey? I am doing great. After I discovered a routine for myself, things seem to be good. You haven't seen pics for a while have you? Let me show you...
Me at my new job.. Got to have the obligatory bathroom shot.
Before I got my current job, I worked a temp job for a couple of weeks at my university. I had to park a considerable distance away and take a shuttle to my building. This is me waiting on my shuttle.
Not one of my favorite shots. But, you know...
I know, it's a lot of makeup. But I still felt cute. I was irritated because I was so concerned with getting that shot, that I forgot to put on earrings!
A really bad pic of me and the hubs. Awww.
So as you can see, my hair has been growing nicely. The next thing that I want to try is a bun. However, I have no clue where to start. So my questions to you are:
Do you ever put a bun in your hair? How did you learn? Do you recommend anyone's technique from YouTube?
I have yet to see anyone on YouTube with my hair length or kinkiness/curliness. Any thoughts and ideas you guys have are appreciated!
Henna- My experience
Editors Note: I really tried to finish this yesterday. I was doing the editing of this blog while I was in class. But there was some interesting topics being presented, so I abandoned finishing this up until today. Enjoy!
So I finally got around to doing a henna treatment. I apologize in advance for the spotty filming 
Yeah
What I Would Do Differently:
1. We have two bathrooms in our house. The main/guest bathroom is tiled. Our master bathroom is set up weird. The sink is outside the bathroom, and doesn’t have a door or anything. The toilet and the shower are within the bedroom, but are separate from the sink. The area where the toilet and shower is has a door, and is tiled. The area where the sink is does not have a door and is carpeted. I laid down an old sheet, and did my henna treatment in there. I think next time I will just use the main/guest bathroom.
2. While I did do some searching on ingredients and products and stuff, I think I will be more thorough in my reading up on products
3. I will actually go out and purchase plain old green tea. I don’t know if it made a difference that I used honey lemon and pomegranate green tea.
My Final Thoughts:
Henna did not make a huge difference for me. Yeah, my hair was softer afterwards, but not any other softer as if I would have done a deep condition. My curl pattern is the same, and there is no change really to anything. The persistent drying that I was dealing with has seemed to clear up a little, but that might have been the same if I would have just done a deep conditioning. I have no color change. Though last night, I had a dream that my curls looked like MsDena610 from YouTube with blondish tips. Ask me about my dreams sometime, I dream crazy!
Anyway, I will probably try this again, taking into consideration the things that I want to do different. If I don’t notice anything spectacular the second time around (Because I do have half a bag of henna left), I probably won’t do it again.
Do you have any treatments that you have been wanting to try? What has been stopping you?
The next thing I want to try is Rassul Clay.
From the bottom of my heart.
I wanted to thank each and every one of you that took my survey last month. You gave me a lot of great insight that I will be able to use to make this blog greater, as well as craft it into an independent study project. I am one of the smaller natural hair blogs on the web, but I am growing with all of your help. I appreciate every single one of you that stops by to read. I am truly humbled by the response that I received.
*group hug!*
Natural Hair, Naturally Healthy?
When I first started going natural, it didn't seem to me like a lifestyle change. Yeah, no more relaxers, but that was pretty much about it for me. However, it has kind of turned into a new world of opportunities. I learned how to fix my hair, on my own. I can't really do anything fancy to it, but I can go out and be proud of what I did to it. When I was relaxed, that just wasn't happening. It would be wrapped and stay wrapped until I was ready to go somewhere. Three quick comb-throughs later and VOILA! Ready to go. Now? I am learning how to do two strand flat twists, I know how to do twist outs and braid outs and style them. I actually know how to care for my hair!
Some people take this journey and take it a step further. They revamp their whole life. They take care to what they put in their body. They start to ask hard and serious questions about things in their life. Their whole outlook on food, hair, body, self turns to a whole "natural" mindset.
Some people go what I like to call "Bat Shit Cray Cray" They eschew ANYTHING that isn't natural and attempt to shame people into doing the same. They carry a holier than thou attitude towards life, and put holier than thou church people to shame. They hiss at people who flat iron their hair and "dare" (insert sarcasm) to call themselves natural. The people make me want to blink and eat a Big Mac in front of them. They are the natural world's version of a hipster.
Natural Hipster Kitty
No matter who you are, why you went natural, and how you have taken on this definition, we all share one thing. We saw something we didn't like, and we made a change. In making this change, a lot of times, you make discoveries about yourself. This is what natural hair has taught me.
As I get older, I realize more and more, that I live a fairly unhealthy lifestyle. I love junk food. LOVE IT. A few years ago I had a slight addiction to McDonald's. The addiction is pretty much gone, however I do go their once in a while. I just like loads of unhealthy things. I don't smoke, but I do have the occasional cocktail. Very occasional. Like maybe once a year. Not much of a drinker.
I want to have kids eventually, and I want to teach them to love, care, and respect every aspect of their life. How can I do that when I am not doing the same? I am working on it though. I am planing veggies that I intend on using in recipes, I am losing weight, and my gym membership to the YMCA reinstates in May.
Maybe it is just a step at a time for some of us. For me the first step was natural hair. Maybe this is my second, tentative step.
With all of that seriousness out the way, here is your music recommendation for today. I had a meeting at school yesterday to discuss an independent study class that I want to do. After I left, I grabbed some lunch and while driving home this song came on. Loving it!
I saw her on Glee at one point, and I didn't really know who she was. I still really don't. I think she got her start on YouTube. Here is a vid with the lyrics of the song!
You guys have a great day. I have some news coming up and a poll for you to take in regards to the news!
Feeling accomplished this morning.
Hey guys.
I hope your weekend was stellar. Mine started out with the intent to pamper myself, but I just didn't get the time. If you follow me on twitter (@mrsckugs) I had pre-pooed my natural hair with coconut oil, and I was going to deep condition, detangle and attempt to style my hair. None of that came to pass really. I was just too busy. I had school work, my dad is coming for a visit, so I had to get the craft room presentable so that he had some where to stay.
In hair news, something kind of exciting is happening in Indianapolis! They are having a natural hair workshop! Here is the link for the information: http://indianapolisnaturalhair.eventbrite.com/
One thing I am not keen on is the price. I will probably go, but 35 dollars seems a bit steep. That is probably just me though. Any of you that have attended these workshops before, please let me know if it is all in my mind. A twitter friend of mine and I were talking about attending together. And we once again grumbled together about the price.
Something that both my husband and I noticed the other day. When I got out the shower, with my dripping wet hair, he gaffawed and told me I am the proud owner of a mullet. Not cool dude.
You can't really see it well, but you get the point.
The longer my hair gets, the more mullited (yeah i made that up) it looks. But it only looks like that after I have gotten out of the shower. Once it has been styled, you can't really tell, but it bothers me just a tiny bit.
In other news, I finally have Gel! I met a friend at Justice to get my crack Girl Scout Cookies and right next door is a Sally's beauty supply. They were having a sale on Eco Styler Gel. So I got the one with Olive oil in it. Now I need to find a cute hair style that I want to do.. and possibly some time in which to do that hair style.
This was the fun part of my day. Now I must go and work on Math, as I have a test tonight, and it is making me want to bang my head against a wall. A WALL PEOPLE!!! I hope you are having a great day and a great hair day!
Some things to do.
So.. School has started back like I said. IT IS KICKING ME IN THE HIND QUARTERS.
I am tired all the time, I have no focus, and I just ran out of clean underwear.
Damnit.
So, while I am working on some things, I have a website for your to check out!
YAY websites!
While i am studying, I am usually on the twitter. Occasionally you can find my witty comments on the #naturalhair hashtag on twitter. While I was there, this woman was advertising her amazing website.
http://www.lolasgreenhair.com/
Are you a product junkie that has partially used bottles of product lying around knowing you arent going to use it?
You can use this site to trade or sell it.
I thought this was pretty cool.
Check it out!
She is also a pretty funny blogger. Read about her and her husband "folding the laundry" here
Happy New Years Everyone!
I hope everyone had a better holiday season than I did. Christmas ended up being okay, as I did not get sick until a day or two after Christmas. I was a hot mess. Eventually that cleared up, and I thought I was okay. Not so much. Right now I am still battling a wicked cold and the weirdest sore throat I have ever had in my life. During the day it is very mild. I keep having to clear my throat, no big right? Well around 5 pm, my right tonsil starts to swell, and it is incredibly painful. i have to pop two ibuprofin and suck on a couple of popsicles. Nuts!
You know how you get sick, and then shortly after taking a shower, you feel as if you can take on the world? That was me yesterday.
Isn't my turbie twist fabulous!? While sick, I found this etsy website by a woman called swarthy daisy. She was taking her business offline, so everything was 25% off. I got a ton of natural hair items, clips, combs, that wonderful turbie twist, and a t-shirt! Let me show you a pic
Darling isn it? I won't look like that on me, as I am *cough* a chubbikin.
She is no longer in business online, but here is a link to her blog.
In other news, I am sure most of you by now have seen this video:
The girl who made it is totally ADORABLE. I just want to pinch her cheeks! She isn't a one trick pony either. She has a page on Facebook called Shrink, Grow, and Learn where she talks about natural hair and showcases her other videos. Check her out!
In another twist, yesterday was Natural Hair day on twitter. I found this on CharyJay's (Shrink Grow and Learn) Facebook page. I thought it was interesting. The girl had a point.
Alright, I have to get dressed, get the dogs out, and get my desk cleaned up. I have one more week before school starts. and I want my desk cleared up so I have some place to actually work. LOL. Oh! So, my natural hair anniversary was some time in November. I had been working on a video, but I needed to set up my camera to capture the last part. I couldn't get the angle right with my little camera. I finally am going to have a working webcam with a mic here soon, so I will be able to finish that up (two months late).
Espionage Cosmetics
