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!

5 Tips to Avoid Frizz

There's a time and place for everything-- frizz included.  Sometimes, it's inevitable due to environmental factors, but there are occasions where frizz is preventable.  Here are 5 tips on how you can avoid frizz:

1. Keep your hands out of your hair!

Yes, we have all had "Hand in Hair Syndrome (curlynikki)" where we get the urge to play in our curls-- pull them, twirl them, and whatever else-- but constantly touching your hair can lead to frizz and other damage!  Some naturals have noticed breakage after constant touching, so if you wish to have healthy, frizz-free hair, keep your hands at bay!

2. Skip the towel dry.
Using a towel isn't the best way to dry your hair; a t-shirt is!  (Yes, I said a t-shirt.)  Towels often absorb much of the moisture we need and although they seem soft to us, they're often rough on hair and can raise the cuticle layer which creates frizz!  Using an old old t-shirt to dry your hair is a better alternative as it dries the hair and avoids roughening the outer layer thus reducing frizz.

3. Stay away from humectants in humid weather.
Humectants-- glycerin, propylene glycol, and even honey-- draw moisture from the air.  When products that contain humectants are applied to the hair in humid conditions, it creates the opposite effect and causes frizz!  Using products that contain little to no humectants in humid weather will keep frizz away.  If you have had no issues and/or your hair benefits from humectants in any kind of weather, go for it!

4. Avoid using hot water.
You heard me-- skip the hot water during the wash process!  Although hot water can remove dirt and buildup and it feels great, it causes more harm to the hair than good.  Hot water is drying and raises the cuticle layer of the hair strand creating (you guessed it) frizz.  Hair should be rinsed in very lukewarm to cold water.  If you cannot bear cold water (big baby), I recommend using an ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar) rinse.  Just be sure to dilute the ACV with water!  And no, you will not smell like vinegar; the smell will dissipate after a few minutes leaving you with frizz-free and shiny hair :)

5. Use products with the right amount of hold.
This is for your twist outs, WnGs, etc.  When you do one of these styles, it is imperative that you use a product with the right amount of hold if you wish for the style to last several days.  If you neglect to do so, you may (not necessarily will) experience frizz within a day or so of the style.  I often use gel or some other kind of holding product when I do these styles because I want to create a shiny, defined, and frizz-free style!  After about 3-4 days, I welcome frizz only because it makes the style expand and look that much more bad ass ;)

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any tips on avoiding frizz?  Share them below!

Spotlight Monday: Kimberly

 Tell us about yourself.
> I am a 22-year-old Syracuse alumna with a passion for ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic through education and advocacy!  I am a makeup junkie-- no.. seriously-- (My mint app lets me know that I spend more money on makeup than I do food, LOL!) and a lover of peace and all things beautiful :)

How long have you been natural?  What is your hair type?  Describe your curls!
> My last perm was September 2012, so I have been perm-free for 15 months and I couldn’t be happier!  My hair type is a spunky and fierce mix of 3C and 4A.  In the middle of my head, my curl pattern is a bit curlier; the back of my hair, the sides, and front are a bit more of a loose pattern.  What I love most about my curls is how soft and beautiful they are.

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

> I transitioned for 11 months before I did a big chop.  I didn’t plan on doing a big chop because I was afraid of how I would look after since I was used to having either long hair flowing from my scalp or long hair flowing from my tracks, LOL!  During the summer, I finally decided to experiment with my transitioning hair and do a two strand twist.  I spent HOURS combing and parting and moisturizing and twisting in hopes of having my hair looking as beautiful as I had seen on the natural hair blogs.  The next day, I unraveled the twists and was so disappointed with the finished product.  One half of my hair was nicely curled, and the bottom half of my hair was straight and stringy and didn’t curl at all.  I was so frustrated!  So, I hopped on the 4 train, got off at Nevins, and walked into the Evolution Green Room, on Atlantic Avenue, and chopped the rest of my permed hair off.

On big chopping-- how did you feel?  
> I didn’t tell anyone that I was going to cut my hair off except for my line sister, Simi. After the stylist cut my hair and gave me a nice finger coil style, I looked in the mirror with feelings of excitement and happiness.  I finally did it, and honestly, there was no turning back since I spent all I had on the cut and style LOL.  I was very happy with the way it looked and was pleasantly surprised that a short do fit my face.

What was it like when you experienced your natural hair for the first time?
> It was hard.  I had my first perm at age 7, so for 14 years, I hadn’t seen my natural hair and I didn’t know what to do with it.  I wanted to teach myself how to do my own hair so I spent hours upon hours researching styles for TWAs on YouTube and became comfortable with finger coiling my hair.  It was a pretty time-consuming hairstyle in comparison to my previous hair regimens with perms/weaves/box braids.  I grew discouraged and eventually got box braids.  However, now that I have my hair out again, I am so hyped to see how healthy and how much my hair has grown since August!!!

What are some of your favorite products? (Top 3)
> I love the Jane Carter restore moisture mist!  It makes it so easy to moisturize daily and refresh my hair.  My favorite conditioner is the Organix Biotin and Collagen!  It smells sooo good, and always leaves my hair soft, bouncy and full.  Lastly, I love, LOVE, LOVE the Eco Styler Olive Oil gel.  It is by far the best product that gives my hair the perfect curl definition for my wash and go.  After trying Jane Carter's curl defining cream, Cantu coconut curling cream, and Taliah Waajid curly curl cream, this product gave me the best curl definition without making my hair feel heavy, greasy or flaky.  As a matter of fact, my current “Wash and go” style has been going strong for the last 12 days!

What are your go-to hairstyles?

> Since I am still learning my hair, I’ve only experimented with finger coiling and wash and go styles.  But my favorite of the two is my wash and go with eco styler gel.  It's easy and gives my hair the best curl definition.

How do you feel about your hair today?
> I loveeeeee my natural hair, and I am never turning back to the permed and flat-ironed life I was used to!  It was harder in the beginning because I was adjusting to the change, but my boyfriend definitely made it a lot easier for me to love my hair since he too loved it and preferred it over my weaves!  I am in love with my natural hair, but I can’t lie, I still love a good weave.  I think as my hair grows longer, I will become more and more comfortable with my hair and nothing else.  But, this is all apart of my natural hair journey!

Until next time,
Ashley, xo.

Do you have any questions for Kimberly about her natural hair and/or journey?  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!