Guess Who's a Briogeo Brand Ambassador?!

On Friday, I received some wonderful news from Nancy T., the founder of Briogeo, about an opportunity to partner with the brand to become an ambassador.

I'm extremely excited about this opportunity and I just wanted to share this news with you all.  I will have a link on my blog where you will be directed to the Briogeo site to learn about the brand and make purchases. ;)

Briogeo products are some of my favorites because of the natural ingredients and the results!  Not to mention, they smell wonderful. :)

You can check out my review of Briogeo products here.

Let me know if you have any questions about the brand. I'd be happy to help if I can!

Xo,

Ashley.

Do you have any questions for me about Briogeo?  Comment below!

Spotlight Monday: Qubilah

Tell us about yourself.

> My name is Qubilah, but I like to go by Lady/Sister Shabazz.  I am a recent graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill, and I am currently interning with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in Washington, D.C.  In the meantime, I’m looking for employment in the non-profit or public service sector.

Spotlight Monday: Nisha

Tell us about yourself.

> My name is Nisha and I am a third-year graduate student, currently studying Criminology and Justice Specialization. I am 23 years old and I love all natural everything!

Check Me Out On NaturallyFromMe.WordPress.Com!

Hey lovelies!

This is a quick post to tell you all about my feature on naturallyfromme.wordpress.com.  I was lucky enough to get in touch with Sarie, the creator of Naturally From Me, through twitter for a chance to feature on her blog.  It's was a nice change to be in the spotlight. :)

You can check out my feature here, but also check out the other stories and information that Naturally From Me has to offer.

You can also check Sarie out on Twitter.

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Head to naturallyfromme.wordpress.com to get in touch with Sarie.  If you have any questions for me about the post, feel free to comment below OR send me an email at curlsfothegirls@gmail.com!

In the Style Seat with #StyledByReece

Before & After, #StyledByReece, May 2014

I'm quite sure you all have seen photos reposted on the #curlsfothegirls Instagram of work done by my friend, Reecie; she is a student at the Carsten Institute of Cosmetology.

A Transitioner's Point of View: Niaya

Tell us about yourself.
> Hi Guys :), My name is Niaya.  I was born and raised in NYC.  I am a currently a first year graduate student, and I love, live, and breathe all things fashion.

Spotlight Monday: Shanelle

Tell us about yourself.
> My name is Shanelle and I am a first-year graduate student at Syracuse University. I am currently pursuing my masters in Engineering Management!  One of my many hobbies is reconstructing denim shorts for young ladies.  I’ve managed to make a little business, Eat My Shorts Vintage, out of that which is pretty dope.  I was born and raised in Jamaica.  If I could find one word to describe my personality it would be cooky-- I’m just all over the place!

How long have you been natural? What is your hair type?  Describe your curls!
> I have been natural since my junior year of college, which would be about 3 years.  I actually don’t know what my hair type is.  I don’t like the hair typing system because it doesn’t really tell us anything about how our hair reacts to different products, or more importantly the physical make-up of our hair.  My hair has about 3 textures, which is why I can’t say I’m 3c, 4a, or 4b.  My crown is very loose (almost no curls at all-- so frustrating), while the rest is more of an “S” curl pattern (I love that portion of my hair).  My hair is very easy to manage for the most part.

Did you transition or big chop?  Why did you take that route?
> I actually big chopped while I was in China living it up for the semester in 2011.  I transitioned for 9 months prior to the chop so I don’t know how big of a chop it was.

On big chopping-- how did you feel?
> UGH!!!  OMG-- I was with my roommates Dominique and Jaleesa when I big chopped.  I had just taken out those long overdue braids I had in for about 2 months.  My hair was unruly; I couldn’t deal with the two textures for much longer and I didn’t have the right products.  There was only one thing to do... CUT IT ALL!  As I saw the straight, processed, unhealthy pieces fall to the floor, my body tensed up and anxiety kicked in.  When it was all over, my head felt so much lighter.  My hair felt soft; I liked the feel of it until I looked in the mirror.  I was bald!  Even though I had grown my hair out for nine months, I still felt like a little boy.  I didn’t really get that "I feel free" feeling.  I was very insecure; I didn’t feel beautiful anymore.

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> When I first experienced my natural hair, I hated it!  I like big hair and I liked my hair long.  I’ve always had long hair and that short cut was so different for me.  I’m not going to lie and say it was a walk through the park, but it definitely took some getting used to.  My family would say, “Shanelle, you should perm your hair” and in my head I’m like, “Hell no, this was a journey!  I’m not putting that crap in my hair.”  I turned to weaves to escape that feeling I got when I big chopped.  Currently, I still wear weaves more than I wear my natural hair out, but not because I’m insecure.  I wear weaves as a protective style.  I find that my hair grows with weaves and it kind of passes the time by.

What are some of your favorite products? (top 3)
> Like any woman who experiences their natural hair for the first time, I wanted to know what products would work for my hair.  I’ve learned that if I have too many products in my hair, it will confuse my hair.  I like to think of my hair as cables or wires.  When you have too many cables, they get tangled and you have to take your time to detangle those wires.  So too many products tangles the crap out of my hair!  However, my favorite products are (I’ll probably say more than 3): WATER, coconut oil, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration shampoo and conditioner (I love the conditioner as a detangler), Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque (My deep conditioner), Kinky-Curly Knot Today as my leave-in, and the Kinky-Curly Curling Custard.

What are your go-to hairstyles?
> My go-to hairstyle is a simple wash and go!  I don’t like twist outs; I don’t like that they tend to look sooo perfect because I don’t like perfect (sorry if that makes absolutely no sense to you just now).  Whenever I do wash and go’s, I make sure my hair is drenched with water.  Then, I use my coconut oil, Kinky-Curly leave-in and gel combination and work it through my hair.  Once it dries, I stretch my curls with a blow dryer.  I should invest in a diffuser; I love big hair! :)

How do you feel about your hair today?
> I am obsessed with my hair honestly, and it's not based off physical appearance, but she is my baby.  This was a journey that I will not allow anyone to ruin.  There are people out there, especially men, who bad mouth women with natural hair (someone called me Michael Jackson one time, that was a funny joke).  I have two words for those types of people.  When I was younger, I wanted a perm so bad.  I guess because it was a trend at the time, but after a while I knew deep down inside that I was supposed to be a little naturalista.  Even when I had a perm I would do twist outs (that was a sign).  I was born to wear my curls; I was born this way.  On a final note, if you are reading this and considering becoming natural, you really and truly have to be committed to it.  There will be that one ignorant being who has everything and anything mean to say about your beautiful curls.  Stay Strong and don’t be discouraged!

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for Shanelle about her natural hair journey? Comment below!

Ouidad Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream Review

So I picked up the Ouidad Curl Cream sample (as seen in the photo) at an International Hair Expo back in May, and just got around to trying it out.  The inner PJ in me was seriously trying to steer clear from trying new products for my pockets' sake.  However, I recently found the sample and decided to try it over the weekend.

I washed my hair on Friday-- followed by a protein treatment (review coming soon) and did the greenhouse method overnight.  In the morning, I removed the plastic caps, and did a moisturizing treatment with Curl Junkie Curl Rehab while I showered.  I added my leave-in using only the KCKT.  Then, I applied the Ouidad Curl Cream...

Results from Ouidad's Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream

Let me just say I. Am. In. Love!  The curl cream gave me incredible curl definition, my hair was soft and it smelled amazing!  Although the sample was small in size, I had more than enough for my shoulder length when wet hair.  I applied the cream in a clapping motion, as I do with all of my products, and was thoroughly impressed by the immediate results.

Now, here's the catch.  A 5 ounce bottle of this stuff sells for a whopping $26.  I loved this product because it gave me well defined and bouncy first day curls.  I misted my hair a bit on Sunday and added some more of the product.  I still had some curl definition, but not as defined as I did on Saturday.  However, it is Monday and my hair feels drier than ever!  I seriously don't understand why especially because I just did my hair on Saturday.  I still have some defined curls, but frizz is starting to develop.  Maybe I didn't moisturize enough before I added the product, but other than that I'm not exactly sure why my hair feels so dry.  But what I will do is find the other sample I had and try it again before I make the decision to buy it, or not (and just to think, I called myself a recovering PJ *shakes head in disgust).

If you are looking for a product that creates super defined and bouncy first day curls, and you have the extra money to spend, go for Ouidad's Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream.  However, if you do not wish to spend the $26, I would recommend trying to find the sample sized product before you make the commitment to spend the money.

Fighting the PJ itch until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Have you tried the Ouidad Curl Quencher Hydrafusion Intense Curl Cream, or any other Ouidad products?  If so, let me know what you think!

Spotlight Monday: Chantell

It's Monday again, and you know what that means-- Spotlight Monday!  Today, we will meet Chantell.  Not only is she my friend, BUT she is one of my favorite naturalistas.

Let's begin..

How long have you been natural?
> I have been natural for 3.5 years.  It has been a looooong journey.

Did you transition, or big chop?  Why did you take that route?
> I got my last perm in May 2009 (for prom) and then I big chopped in Feb 2010.  In between, I mostly straightened my hair, but I played with braid outs and twist outs to blend the textures.  I thought I wanted to wait to gain some length before I big chopped, but I got sick of sweating out my blowouts/flat irons, and working with thick roots and limp permed ends.

On big chopping-- How did you feel?
> I asked one of my friends to cut it on a huge whim and I tried to make it a really meaningful experience.. side note* we burned the hair and everything.  But when I got home and looked in the mirror I was miserable.  I even skipped a school party because I was so uncomfortable with my hair.  It took a lot of time for me to get used to my new hair. I kept saying I was baldheaded (lmao) and my family didn't help with their jokes either.  My great uncle told me it looked awful.  It's funny now, but it definitely wasn't then.


What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> To be honest, I didn't really embrace my hair until about a year and a half into being natural.  Once I discovered my hair was easily straightened, all I did was wear it straight.  The few times I did wear it natural, it attracted too much attention that I didn't care for. Once the natural hair movement exploded on blogs and YouTube, I began to educate myself on how to take care of my hair.  It became a huge, and expensive, hobby.  I bought damn near every product, but I've finally developed a couple of regimens that work for my hair type, which I consider to be a 3c/4a.

How do you feel about your hair today?
> I LOVE my hair, it's so versatile.  I'm so proud of it, and its one of my favorite things about myself.  When people ask questions about it, I'm happy to respond.  Although I haven't reached my length goal yet, it's as healthy as its ever been, which is the most important part.  Healthy hair is good hair.

For more hair photos, visit Chantell on Instagram @ceeemjay! :)

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any natural hair questions for Chantell?  If so, comment below!

My Current Regimen

1 pump of this.. 3 squeezes here.. shake 4 times to the left.. and voilà!

I wish it was as simple as a pump, a squeeze & a shake, but anywho..

As most of you know, it is extremely important to create a hair regimen.  For those of you that don't know, it is extremely important to create a hair regimen.  By creating a regimen, you are formulating a method to not only see what your hair likes, but to make wash days and hair management easier.  Once you do this, washing (shampooing or cowashing), conditioning, and styling your hair should become a breeze.  

I usually get a lot of questions about my regimen like, "what do I use to do this?!" "how do you get your hair like this?!" or "how did you do that??", so I'm going to break my regimen down so you can all see what I do to get her like this, or that :)

First:  I wash my hair (usually with shampoo).  Yes, I am a shampooer!  I find that I get better results if my hair is clean clean.  I find that cowashing doesn't really do it for me, especially after a couple of days of eco styler gel use.  I have not found a conditioner or cowash cleanser that can remove old, built up eco styler gel, so shampoo it is!  At the moment I am using Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Threat Invigorating Shampoo.  It provides me with the clean feeling that I love. 

Next:  After my hair is thoroughly clean-- free from product and rinsed from the shampoo-- I condition and detangle my hair with a wide tooth comb.  This is one of the most important steps because this is when things get real!  If the right amount of slippery conditioner is not provided, you can end up ripping your hair out.. ouch.  I apply my conditioner all over, either TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner or Suave Naturals Conditioner, I stand under the shower stream for a few seconds to distribute the conditioner, then I grab my wide tooth comb & go to work.  I do not section my hair with twists, only because it doesn't take me a long time to detangle.  When wet, my hair is shoulder length, and extremely wavy; I rarely encounter knots and tangles so detangling is pretty easy.  If I do have a knot, or tangle, that the comb can't fix, I pull it apart with my fingers.  This way, I don't rip it out and cause harm to my hairs.  I usually start with the front left then I move to the back, applying more conditioner as needed.  Then I detangle the right side and finish the back.  I try to remove the shed hairs from the comb and my hands before moving to another section.  I would hate to detangle then mix the shed hairs back into my hair-- that would defeat the purpose of detangling.  After I'm done detangling, I add more conditioner, comb through my hair once more, and place my hair into a clip until I'm done showering.

Then:  After showering, I rinse the conditioner from my hair, squeeze the excess water out, and apply my deep conditioner.  I use Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask (sometimes mixed with coconut and/or olive oils), Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment, or ORS Hair Mayonnaise (usually once a month).  I gather my hair into a processing cap, exit the shower, and sit under my bonnet dryer for 30mins to an hour on medium heat.  After my session, I remove the processing cap and allow the conditioner to cool.  I want to make sure that my hair has absorbed the goodies from the treatment before I rinse my hair.  When I do rinse, I rinse with cold water-- cold water closes the cuticle to lock the goodies in!

Next:  I squeeze the excess water out-- while doing this, I am careful not to wring my hair because I don't want to disturb the curl pattern.  So I gently squeeze my hair to remove the excess water.  Now I'll apply my leave in conditioners-- TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner, Kinky-Curly Knot Today, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave In Cream, Infusium 23 Repair & Renew, Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream, and/or Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner.  I do not use all of these at once!  I use 1-3 depending on how I'm feeling, or if I need added moisture or protection.  Once I have added my leave in, I seal my hair with olive, sweet almond, coconut, or JBCO oil.  I also apply JBCO to my edges and scalp (I swear by it for hair growth).

wash & go

Finally:  I decide on the style.  If I decide to do a WnG (Wash & Go), I apply my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie.  I use this to not only enhance my curls, but to lock in all the moisture that I can!  Along with this, I'll apply a gel to add shine, bounce, and hold to my WnG.  I use either Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls or Olive Oil Eco Styler Gel.  If I'm pressed for time, I usually diffuse my hair to help it dry quickly.  Other than that, I air dry.

If I do a twist out, I will apply my leave in: TRESemme Natural NM Conditioner, Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream and an oil, etc. and/or my Curly Kinks Twist Whip to twist.  If I use the CKTW, then I use one leave in and twist on damp hair.  I always take down my twists with some kind of oil on my hands.  The oil will add shine and help reduce frizz :)   

side notes:
- My newest/most common leave in combo is the KCKT and Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner
- I've learned that the secret to avoid hard, crunchy curls with Eco Styler Gel is to put an oil underneath ;)
- Yes, that is a cookie monster toothbrush in my drawer (I have to lay my edges down sometimes lol)
- I do refrigerate my TRESemme Naturals Conditioner-- a cold leave in will also help to seal the hair cuticle ;)
- That's only one drawer worth of products LOL
- Most importantly-- Once you create a regimen, and it works for you, stick with it!

The longest part of my regimen is usually the time spent under my bonnet dryer and my styling time, especially if I decide to twist my hair.  Other than that, I find my wash days pretty easy.  I do alter things in my regimen once in a while, such as my deep conditioning treatments (I have used coconut oil & JBCO before), and I pre poo once in a while, but this is what I do more times than a few.  I found that this particular regimen works for me.  I wanted to share my regimen with you all so that you can see what I do to get my hair to look a certain way, but so you all also have an idea of how to create your own regimens.  I hope this helps, but I'm willing to answer questions if you have any!

Xo, Ashley  

Have you created your own hair regimen?  Have you found a system that works for you?  Share it with us; leave a comment below!

My name is Ashley, and I am a recovering Product Junkie.

Hiii Ashley!

I swear I hear this in my head every time I visit a Target, CVS, whatever!  It's like I can't go in any of these stores without taking a stroll down the hair care section.  However, I am managing to recover from my PJ ways, and I have found products that I absolutely love!  Those marked by *asterisks* are my MUST haves.  They include:

• Conditioner/Detangler: TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner*, Suave Naturals Conditioner*

• Deep Treatments: Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask*, Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment*, ORS Hair Mayonnaise*

• Leave ins: TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner*, Kinky-Curly Knot Today*, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Silk Touch Leave-In Cream*, Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner, Infusium 23*, Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream

• Stylers: Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie*, Shea Moisture Curling Gel Souffle, Curly Kinks Twist Whip*

• Oils: Sweet Almond, Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO)***, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)*, Organic/Extra Virgin Coconut Oil* 
• Gels: Olive Oil Eco Styler Gel*, Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls Gel

• Refreshers: Infusium 23 (mixed with water)*, Shea Moisture Hold & Shine Moisture Mist

Unfortunately, I do have all of these products (merp), however, I do NOT use all of my leave ins, stylers, and oils at the same time.  I use different combinations for certain styles, etc.  I will say that I am on the hunt for a really good shampoo.  Cowashing (conditioner washing) does not always work for me, especially if I have used Eco Styler Gel for the last 3 days before wash day!  I would like to be able to cowash, BUT I feel that cowashing only works if I have little to NO product buildup.  So suggestions for really good shampoos are appreciated :)

Until next time.
Xo, Ashley. 

Are you currently a PJ, or recovering?  What is your must have product?