10K+ Views Giveaway Details!

(This giveaway is closed.  A winner will be selected soon!)

It is the moment you all have been waiting for..  I'm extremely sorry for the delay, but I'm pleased to finally announce the 10K+ Views Giveaway! :)

The Details:
I've posted so many different things on Curls Fo' The Girls thus far-- from myself and some feature bloggers-- so I want to hear from you all!  I want all participants to tell me 1 thing they've learned from Curls Fo' The Girls thus far and how it has impacted their skin/beauty/hair regimen, etc.  If you want to stand out a bit more, you can use an Instagram post to showcase what you have learned. ;)

We will be using a rafflecopter to help me keep track of entries/participants.  I do encourage you all to participate and invite your friends to enter as well!  It is also a great way to share with one another. :)

Prizes:
The 1st winner will receive the following bundle that includes some of my favorite items discussed on the blog thus far.  It includes:

• 1 Briogeo "Don't Despair, Repair!" Deep Conditioning Mask ($26)
• 1 Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave-In Detangler ($12)
• 1 Maybelline Volum' Express the Rocket Mascara ($4.97-8.29)
• 1 Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo 24hr Cream Gel Shadow ($4.97-8.29, Winner's choice of 'Painted Purple'or 'Tenacious Teal')

The 2nd Winner will receive 2 mini Briogeo "Don't Despair, Repair!" Deep Conditioning Masks, a Maybelline Mascara or  Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow (same color choices apply).

The giveaway will start tomorrow, March 26th and will end on Wednesday, April 2nd.  Participants must complete all parts of the rafflecopter to be considered.  If you do NOT have a twitter, it is not a problem. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you include an Instagram post, be sure to use the appropriate tags #curlsfothegirls #curlsfothegirlsgiveaway so that your post will be seen!  For those of you that do NOT have a twitter, please leave a comment in the comment section with your name, email address, and Instagram name.  It would be best if all participants also left a comment with their name and email address as well. ;)

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns: curlsfothegirls@gmail.com.

Good luck!
Ashley, xo.

Spotlight Monday: J'Lisa

Tell us about yourself.
> My name is J’Lisa and I am from and currently reside on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.  I have a BS in Health and Exercise Science from Syracuse University and I am currently pursuing my Physician Assistant Certification/Masters in Clinical Medical Science.

How long have you been natural? What is your hair type?  Describe your curls!

> I have been natural for 2 years and 3 months.  I think my hair type is 3c/4a-- somewhere in between there lol.  My hair type is sort of kinky-curly.  They (my curls) have a mind of their own depending on which part of my head they are on!

Did you transition or big chop?  Why did you take that route?
> I big chopped after about 2 months of no relaxer.  I am sort of impulsive and couldn’t wait to transition lol.  It was and still is one of the most liberating things I’ve ever done.

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> I was natural until about 17yo and then relaxed my hair before I went to college.  I actually big chopped as I was finishing up my degree.  It was weird to see my natural hair again because while I was natural for a long time, I had heat damage because I would mainly blow dry my hair.  It was really eye opening to see my natural texture.

What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)
> My top 3 products would have to be the Shea Moisture Curl Enhancer Smoothie, the Shea Moisture Reconstructive conditioner and any leave-in conditioner from Blue Magic.

What are your go-to hairstyles?
> My go to hairstyles would be twist outs or just wake up and go’s lol.

How do you feel about your hair today?

> As of today, I feel really proud of my hair length and strength.  I think back and can’t believe it’s already been 2 years!  Looking back at pictures it was a long road but I am more than happy with my decision and plan to keep it going!

Here are a few more pictures of J'Lisa and her glorious hair:

                            

Until next time,

Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for J'Lisa about her hair?  Comment below!

Spotlight Monday: Natural Hair Junkie, Sie

Tell us about yourself.

> I go by the moniker "A Natural Hair Junky" AKA NHJ, but some call me Sie; I am 23 years old.  I am the mother of one, a full-time student, and a business owner.  I am the ONLY person behind the Natural Hair Junkies brand.  I “aspire to inspire”-- that is why I’m here.  I am super shocked that people have valued my opinion the way they have. It's amazing!

How long have you been natural? What is your hair type?  Describe your curls!
> I have been completely natural since February 19th, 2013.  This is my third and final attempt at going, and staying, natural, LOL Sad, huh?  I am a type 4 a/b chick (Kinky/Coily me!!).  My curls clump together for the most part and my hair shrinks up 85% of its length. *sigh* lol  So you can't really see my curls when I Wash & Go.  I have really soft, thick hair.  My hair has a high porosity level.  I actually just dyed my hair a 'cool, soft black' so we shall see, lol.

Did you transition or big chop?  Why did you take that route?

> I transitioned for a few months and then decided to big chop in February.  My transition went pretty smooth.  I did a lot of research and developed a lot of patience.  I decided in February, once I had all of my "essentials," to big chop.  I bought a pair of hair shears and some butterfly clips, and spent two hours cutting my hair.

On big chopping-- how did you feel?

> I decided to big chop after a few months of transitioning.  It was about 4 months after quitting the creamy crack.  I was tired of not really seeing my natural hair; dealing with two textures was starting to become more of a hassle.  I chose to free myself from all of the extra work and just go completely natural.  I wanted to see my hair for what it was and finally rep that #TeamNatural, lol.

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> Lawd, when I experienced my natural hair for the first time, I HONESTLY, wanted to fall out... on the ground, LOL.  I couldn't believe that I had done that to myself.  Even though it was freeing, I was shocked; I was just like wow!  My hair was super soft and very healthy, but I felt boyish.  However, it was definitely an experience I do not regret.  If it wasn’t for my big chop, I would have never learned the true value of healthy hair.  That drastic change inspired and motivated me to remain natural.

What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)

> My top three favorites?  This is a hard one, BUT I loveee the honey shea twist and curl cream by www.prettykinkynaturals.bigcartel.com & their co-wash truffles.  I love the www.anunaturals.com Vanilla Capuaçu Daily Hair Lotion & the LCO kit.  And my third choice would have to be the www.mainelementlove.com Herbal Styling balm, and the citrus hair smoothie.  I have never had my edges laid the way this product lays them.  I pick and choose every week from these three products when it comes to doing my hair.  They are always in rotation.

What are your go-to hairstyles?

> My go-to hairstyles would have to be flat twists and puffs.  I love rocking flat twists with a cute start, a full flat twist out, or doing some form of flat twist out with some flat twists left in for style.  My hair is still a tad bit too short to do twist outs, (I don’t have hours to do mini twists, lol) and I haven’t really tried braid outs or “cornrow” outs, lol.  I also do puffs and flat twist combos or just puffs.  That’s my go-to whenever I am having a bad hair day.  I make it cute and keep it moving.  I plan on experimenting now that I have more length.  I am almost at a year without heat.

How do you feel about your hair today? 

>  Every time I look at my hair, and its progress, I start singing, “Started from the bottom now we here.” Cliché, I know, but over the last 10 months, my hair has grown so much.  I can honestly say that I have learned the true meaning of beauty, being unique and what it means to have confidence.  I am very proud of how far I’ve come.  Most importantly, I love my hair more every day.  I am very proud to tell people that I have type 4 hair, and I honestly couldn’t complain.

*Be sure to check this NHJ out on http://www.naturalhairjunkies.com/ & on Instagram at @naturalhairjunkies, #naturalhairjunkies!

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for Sie about her journey?  If so, comment below OR send her an email at naturalhairjunkies@gmail.com!

Spotlight Monday: Milan

Tell us about yourself.

> My name is Milan; I am from the Bronx, and New York City is my home.  I am a Junior at Syracuse University and I am studying Communications and Rhetorical Studies.  I am also an active poet on Syracuse's Campus.

How long have you been natural?  What is your hair type?  Describe your curls!

> I have been natural for 2 years now; it will be 3 years next summer!  For sometime, I didn’t know I was going natural (officially) until after a small chop of my hair.  I completely decided to stop getting perms.  Within those two years, I didn’t fully embrace my natural hair.  Instead, I would just flat iron it or get it blown out.  When I began to my rock my natural hair, I discovered that I had multiple curl patterns.  To my surprise, I am a 3c, 4a, and 4b, leaving me with three textures all around, providing me with different curls.  Some of my curls are super defined at times, and some of my curls can be loose, but not so much. My hair is thick so the different textures compliment each other.

Did you transition or big chop?  Why did you take that route?
> I began to embrace my natural hair after 2 years when I had some kind of length.  I didn’t big chop; I transitioned by letting my perm grow out through box braid installations.  I took this route because when I used to get perms in high school, the chemicals were too strong for my hair so it started to break after a while.  My mother would treat my hair like it was her prized possession because my hair was long and soft.  I miss it sometimes, but going  natural was a big step for me and I knew it was my time to treat my hair like my prized possession, and I definitely do.

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> It was crazy; it was like those who knew I was natural for that time always wanted me to embrace it.  When I finally wore my hair out in an actual style, it almost felt like “the wait” was over.  However, I was very insecure about it because I didn’t know how I would actually look.

What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)

> My favorite products are Cantu Coconut Oil leave-in conditioner, Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk, and Olive Oil.  I haven’t become a product junkie yet, but I can feel it coming soon.

What are your go-to hairstyles?
> My go-to styles are definitely box braids (when it’s a colder-- you can never go wrong), and my 'fro!  I do two strand twists and wash & gos with JUST conditioner and my curls come out defined!

How do you feel about your hair today?
> Honesty, I love my hair, and I never thought of turning back to the chemicals that once damaged my hair before.  I felt like it was going to be harder to maintain my natural hair, and at the beginning, it was.  I didn’t know what I was doing, and I didn’t have any sort of guidance.  Now this blog happened and, I can connect with some women on here, whether its their hairstyles or different texture types.  When I visit the blog, I see some similar products that I've used, and some that I can use in the future to produce some of the same results as these lovely women have.  I feel like I am apart of this glorious resurgence of natural beauty and embracing it.  It makes me feel like the movement is here to stay.  This is only the beginning of my journey.

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for Milan about her natural hair?  Leave a comment below!

Spotlight Monday: Dominique

Tell us about yourself.

> My name is Dominique Smith; I'm a Bronx, New York native.  I am a senior studying Political Science (Pre-Law) and Communication at Wesleyan College in Georgia.  I am also President of my school's Black Student Alliance.

How long have you been natural?  What is your hair type?  Describe your curls.

> I have been natural for about two years now.  Within those couple of years, I have done a couple of big chops and lots of color.  My curls are small coils, probably the size of a straw.  Because of the thickness and the size of the curls, I have A LOT of shrinkage.  I also have a lot of natural blonde highlights throughout my hair, especially at the tips of my coils.

Did you transition or big chop?  Why did you take that route?

> When I began my natural journey I did the big chop.  I did not do the big chop with the intent of going natural; I did it because I had a point to prove.  I go to a predominately white school in the south.  People often met me with preconceived notions because of the length of my hair, my hair type, and the fairness of my skin.  Once people got a chance to know me they were often taken aback by how pro-black I was, and by the fact that I wasn't mixed.

On big chopping-- how did you feel?
> Chopping my hair off was my way of proving to myself, and others, that I wasn't anyone's pageant princess.  It also helped me prove that my hair did not define my beauty.  It was one of the most fulfilling and liberating things I've ever done!

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> In the beginning, it was beautiful.  I enjoyed every minute of my hair being short.  Once I hit the middle stages it became frustrating.  I got bored a few times and have had it several different colors, which resulted in me cutting it off. 

What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)
> My favorite products are olive oil, coconut oil, and "Curls Unleashed" by Organic Root Simulator.  I've been using these products since I've done the big chop.

What are your go-to hairstyles?
> My daily go-to hairstyle is my 'fro.  I haven't had my kick in creativity yet in regards to things I can do with it.  Now that I am trying to grow my hair out, my official go to hairstyle is braids of some sort.  They're very low maintenance and it's a little easier to find things to do with them.

How do you feel about your hair today?
>  I love my hair!  I'm nervous about finally giving it a chance to really grow out.  Sometimes it is frustrating because of the thickness and the fact that my hair grows so fast. But I wouldn't change anything about it.

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for Dominique and her natural hair?  Comment below!

What Are the Ladies of Spotlight Monday Using for Moisture and Definition?

Hey all!

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by a friend, to ask the lovely ladies of Spotlight Monday about their Holy Grail/Staple/Go-To products, and what products give us the kind of definition and moisture we want.  Luckily, most of the lovely ladies answered with more than enough information, so all of you beautiful people get to see what we are using to keep our hair healthy, moisturized and defined!  

I have also included the links for each individual Spotlight Monday post so you can read back and read about the lovely ladies that have featured thus far on Spotlight Monday.  If I am able to get the remaining information from the missing features, I will definitely update this post and let you all know!  So let's get to it:

Me (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/09/spotlight-monday-my-natural-story.html)

• Water*
• Kinky Curly Knot Today Leave-In/Detangler
• SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• Miss Jessie's Jelly Soft Curls/Olive Oil Eco Styler Gel
• EVOO/EVCO/JBCO
• Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Conditioner
• Curl Junkie Curl Rehab Moisturizing Hair Treatment/Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask

Chantell (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/10/spotlight-monday-chantell.html)

• Wen Cleansing Conditioner *(Fig is recommended for 'Ethnic' hair, but I use all of the different scents) for CoWashing
• Carol's Daughter Monoi Shampoo/Conditioner
• Camille Rose Blue Algae Deep Conditioner for protein/strengthening
• Trader Joe's Balance Moisturizing Nourish Spa Conditioner for moisture/slip
• Jane Carter Nourish and Shine (!!!)
• Coconut Oil
• Eco Styler Gel

Alex (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/10/spotlight-monday-alex.html)

• Argan & Avocado Oils with Cantu Shea Butter (they're really light!)
• Use twist outs/perm rods for definition, or does a WnG & finger combs the hair to clump the curls together
• Eco Styler Gel for hold

Reecie (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/10/spotlight-monday-reecie.html)

• L'oreal EverCurl Hydracharge Shampoo
• Aussie Moist Conditioner
• Hair Mayonnaise Deep Conditioner
• Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In
• Coconut & Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Eco Styler Gel

Malanya (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/11/spotlight-monday-malanya.html)

• Dr. Bronner's Castor Oil Soap
• Olive Oil Gel
• Tea Tree Oil or Coconut Oil (occasionally)

Shanelle (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/11/spotlight-monday-shanelle.html)

• Kinky-Curly Curling Custard
• SheaMoisture Hair Milk
• Beautiful Textures Tangle Taming Leave-In Conditioner

Shanna (http://curlsfothegirls.blogspot.com/2013/12/spotlight-monday-shanna.html)

• Ouidad Hydrafusion Curl Quencher
• Ouidad Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel (apply to very wet hair & it'll curl so fast!)
• SheaMoisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• Jane Carter Spray Gel
• Love Me and Leave-Me-In Conditioner (made by natural hair enthusiast/vlogger, Kimmay)
• Conditional Love Conditioner

Please understand that the products mentioned have worked for us.  This post is just to give you an idea of the kinds of products that we use for moisture and definition.  I am, in no way, suggesting that you go out and buy one of everything mentioned, but if you do wish to try some of the products out, I would definitely suggest that you read product reviews and ingredients before using them.  You may find that they contain ingredients that don't necessarily work for you, and that's fine.  Also, take into consideration that everyone cannot use everything and what has worked for one may not work for you!

Trust your hair.  It will always tell you what it likes and what it needs.  Just listen!

Until next time,

Ashley, xo.

If you have any questions for the ladies of Spotlight Monday, please comment below!