Beautiful Twists

I did it you guys!!!!!! lol Last time, I talked about wanting to do more two-strand twists or attempting to do a rod set to achieve a curly look. With my big 'ol head full of thickness, a rod set was NOT going to happen just yet (even though I managed to buy 5 packs (12 in each) of rods for 50 cents at my local beauty supply just in case--good deal for a first time thing, no?). I decided to go with my beloved two-strand twists and they came out absolutely GORGEOUS yall!!!!!!!!! haha. It's so wonderful I almost cried! lol Not really, but I wouldn't have been shocked if I did. Being that you ladies know the journey of trial and error we go through with our natural tresses, you can probably understand my excitement of obtaining perfect twists after trying so hard the first few times they were done. The first few times were super puffy--not what I was going for but I dealt with it---and not small enough (ya know, how the kinky twists/senegalese twists are). But, after much patience and determination I achieved a cute twisted look.

I will be rocking my twists with flower clips that I previously purchased to spruce up my pony puffs--when possible. I may have to make another trip to the beauty supply for more clips b/c I only have 4 colors so far: white, black, pink, and yellow

The Process:

Doing my twists have always taken me a long time and between twisting and taking breaks and being on the phone, I didn't finish until a little after midnight Saturday-after starting around 6:30-7:00 Friday evening.

I washed my hair with my remaining Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine shampoo (just to get rid of it and not let it go to waste; I heard about the lawsuit, no worries the shampoo was bought too long ago--I'll be on my for real natural shampoo/no poo game soon enough) and conditioned with Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Conditioner (I let that sit in for 30 min, covered in a cap to trap heat). I detangled with my wide-toothed comb while shampooing and conditioning.

After rinsing the conditioner out, I blotted but didn't really aggressively dry my hair so I could work with wet hair (plus I hear its better to blot natural hair than wring it dry or anything). I sectioned my hair into five areas/sections; how exactly--Idk, I just know I managed to get a part in the middle and sections on the side and back for easier/supposed to have been faster styling. I had my spray bottle filled with water and a little conditioner(Herbal Essences Hello Hydration) and my Organic Root Stimulator Lock and Twist Gel, my rotating table mirror, my portable dvd player, Push, and Bride Wars, and went to work. My mind was on small twists and that's what I got, small twists. Some of the ones in the front curled up naturally, so for the twists that weren't in sync, I got a chance to use my rods for them and any others that needed a little curl.

The Results:

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful twists!!!!!!!!! I will definitely do this again :)

My sweetheart loves it, and so has everyone that has seen me since I've had them in:

right side
left side
Hello Beautiful!!

Any comments or questions? Post them here and I will be sure to respond

Have a great evening :)

Perfect Pony Puff--How I Got To Where I Am Today

I'm baaack!! lol I couldn't wait until exams were over to post again; it just wasn't gonna happen this time. Remember the last time I tried that? Yea, I was MIA for about a month or so. But anywho, I decided that I wanted to share the ingredients for my perfect pony puff.

My pony puff has been one of my staple styles since going natural (I don't know anything else but that and twists). Before my last relaxer back in July 2007 I was rocking pony puffs in the pursuit of a natural me, but I decided to relax again because I was in a wedding in glamourous Cali. I was sooo corrupted back then. I only knew then that sleek, relaxed/pressed styles were "appropriate" for big events and such. I wish I would have known then what I know now. Natural styles work just as well and sometimes even better :) My puffs back then didn't require much, at least I didn't attempt to do much. I washed and conditioned with my faithful Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine shampoo and condtioner and did a deep condtioning mask of theirs also. To keep some of my faint curliness (actually fake most of the curliness lol) I left in my conditioner. Nowadays, in 2009, its a whole new game!

I decided to go natural last year in 08 after not relaxer for a full year. I wanted to get my length back to my hair but for some reason I just couldn't. My sweetheart kept telling me to get my ends clipped but I kept avoiding it like the plague! Every time I went to someone to get my ends clipped they almost always took my APL length hair to shoulder length or worse---neck length :( Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with short hair and it actually works for about anyone but I was used to long hair and long hair worked for me. I got tired of hearing my dad go on and on and on about letting people cut my hair and how it won't grow back if they keep cutting, etc etc. This time around I was afraid that if I went in for clipped ends I would come out with a TWA that I wasn't ready for.

I never thought about doing a BC. My oldest sister has done enough of those for me (Hi big sis!!) My dad is always talking about how she shouldn't have done it and this and that. OMG!?!?! lol I can't deal with him, so I decided to do a gradual removal of the relaxed ends :) When I finally got around to doing that back in April I was able to go to someone who wasn't just out to chop away my thick hair. She showed me why my ends needed clipping and why there was alot of it instead of getting right to cutting. My hair ended up somewhere at my neck, alot shorter than it was before, but as long as my relaxed ends were gone I was good to go.

Within a month my hair grew back!! Yay! lol I was soooo happy to see my hair healthy and growing. I'm not sure if the clippings can take sole responsibility b/c I started taking biotin supplements before the chop but hey---who knows (I won't know until I get back on track--I stopped when I started multis and omegas). I loved seeing my hair's true length but to see it I had to have it pressed and flat-ironed. Can you say damage, again? I wasn't looking forward to damaging my newly natural tresses with heat all the time so I began more twist-outs. I was using QP Elasta Mango Butter before my lil chop for my twists and figured I would continue. I did twists and twist outs but quickly got bored. Taking summer courses doesn't leave much time for trying something new----if I don't like it and definitely don't want to go out in public with it, I can't just wash and try again. It would take me the whole weekend to get it right lol. So, I decided that until I get a sew-in of some sort I will rock my pony puff.

Rocking the pony puff came after I didn't find the flexi-rollers I wanted to get for a straw/flexi-rod set at my beauty supply. Foiled by my stores lack of inventory, I decided to use the IC gel that was raved about in the hair forums that I came across in my research and use it for a slicked back puff instead of the straw curls. I definitely love the results I get, expecially since my natural curls are blossoming everyday. I have concluded so far that my hair is definitely a mix of 4b with some 3's thrown in there. Only time and more pony puffs will tell for sure :)

Pics of my pony-puff coming soon!