My *GREAT* Shampoo Bar Experience..

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Check out the post on the new website, "OyinHandmade Shampoo Bar Product Review". 

Good Read! Thank God I'm Natural

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I recently stumbled onto a book that sounds really interesting..'Thank God I'm Natural' by Chris-Tia Donaldson. The book provides hair care tips and advice, a Natural Haircare Salon Directory, and a lot more! Once I pick it up and read it, I will provide a review..but in the meantime check out Chris-Tia's website: http://thankgodimnatural.com and follow the author on twitter: http://twitter.com/TGINatural.

Styling... wet or dry?

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So today I washed and conditioned my hair, then let my fro air-dry for a while. Then I used EVOO and Oyin Handmade's Burnt Sugar Pomade to put 2-strand twists in my hair. The result...AMAZING! I love how there is hardly any shrinkage and my twists are neat and moisturized!

I think I have now discovered that my hair texture is styled better (in 2-strand twists at least) when it is dry vs when I do it completely wet. Great Discovery! =)

What to do if your hair is itchy...ACV Rinse!

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Check out the post on the new website, "How to Naturally Relieve Itchy Scalp". 

Outshine the Fro: Natural Hair & Interviewing

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Check out the post on the new website, "Wearing an Afro to a Job Interview". 

My Very First Puff!!

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I am so excited! I am almost 9 months natural and today I was able to achieve my very first puff, without my hair escaping the hair tie! I didn't use any products, I just pulled my wet fro up with a silk ribbon and

 Voila!

My Favorite (Store Bought) Products

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In my brief 8 months of being natural, I want to share with you my favorite products for my hair, thus far...

• Clarifying Shampoo: Pretty Natural LLC - Healthy Roots Mositurizing Shampoo
• Normal Conditioner: Taliah Waajid's Black Earth Products – Enhancing Herbal Conditioner
• Deep Conditioner: Aubrey Organics - Moisturizing Conditioner
• Leave-In Conditioner: Karen’s Body Beautiful - Hair Milk
• Daily Moisturizer: Oyin Handmade - "Frank Juice" and/or Coconut Oil sealed with Oyin Handmade "Whipped Shea Butter"
• Styling Product: Oyin Handmade - Burnt Sugar Pomade

Also, check out my video on why these products are my favorites:

Snip..Snip.. My First Trimming Experience

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Check out the post on the new website, "First Trim at a Natural Hair Salon". 

My Hair Update at 8 Months

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A quick video about what's going on with my hair, and also I discuss what I did when my hair was shedding really bad...

My First Twist Updo!

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I used my Oyin Handmade Products today and created my first twist updo! I used the Burnt Sugar Pomade (now my favorite for twisting) and of course the Frank Juice (mixed with Coconut Oil) for my Leave-In Conditioner! Do you like ?

Am I Naive About Hair ??

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Check out the post on the new website, "Am I Naive About Going Natural". 

Confessions of a Product Junkie...09/23/09

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My OyinHandmade Products Have Arrived!

I received my Oyin Handmade hair products today!! I am so excited!!! They have met, and exceeded my every expectation! I ordered the Grand Poo Bar, Honey Hemp Conditioner, Frank Juice Leave-In Conditioner, Whipped Shea Butter (Rich Almond flavor), and Burnt Sugar Pomade. The smell of each one of these products is phenomenal and delicious! Product reviews for each product coming soon...

Fall / Winter Hair Routine?

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Check out the post on the new website, "Cold Weather Hair Recommendations". 

What "Natural Hair" Means To Me...

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I did I brief video today on a topic that I feel is very important, my opinion on the meaning of "Natural Hair". Please watch and provide any comments, reviews, feedback about the video or your view of what "natural hair" means to you!

What? Why? How?... The BC (Big Chop) for Transitioners

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Check out the post on the new website, "The Big Chop: Everything You Need to Know!".

Finger Coils / Gel Twist Tutorial !!

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Check out this post on the new website, "Comb Coils / Gel Twists Tutorial".

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My Weekly Hair Regimen

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It's My 7-Month Nappiversary !!

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Wow! I can't believe its really been 7-months!! I feel like my hair journey just started yesterday! I have learned so much and hopefully I can share all of what I've learned with all my family, friends, natural divas, and everyone I've yet to meet!

I wish everyone else embarking on their journey the best, and those thinking of taking your own hair journey I would definitely recommend it!!

Don't forget to view my hair journey on Fotki!

The CurlyNuGrowth Logo!!

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I finally designed my logo, and I LOVE it !! Pictured in the center is a 'duafe', which is West-African for "wooden comb" and is symbolic of beauty and cleanliness; feminine qualities. I chose this symbol because I believe your hair is beautiful no matter the shade, texture, or length and us woman should embrace, understand and love our hair!

Deep Conditioner of the Week:"Avocado Blend"

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I decided to do an avocado based deep-conditioner this week because I keep reading about all the benefits of avocados (*TBP)! There are many ways, or should I say additions, that can be added to an avaocado mix to be used a deep conditioner, so use what's best for your hair or experiment until you find the right combination!

• Ingredients: Whole Avocado (minus the skin), Coconut Oil, EVOO
• Consistency: Very Runny
• Duration: ~30 minutes
• Pre-Shampoo: Yes
• Pre-Condition: No

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Results: I Like! I Like! After rinsing out, the mix left my hair shiny of course (EVOO), but also it was really soft and felt moisturized! Even after two shampoos (Pretty Natural LLC Shampoo) my hair was still soft and moisturized!! Good Job Avocado!! - I will YouTube the process next time!

How To Do:

1. Cut the Avocado in half, remove the middle and the skin.
2. Pour in about half the can of coconut milk.
3. Pour about ~3 Tbsp of EVOO
4. 4. Mix. I wish I had blended it, but you can use a fork and/or spoon to mash the avocado with the ingredients.
5. 5. Saturate hair.
   **FYI** This is really runny, so use a bottle or have a towel handy.
6. 6. Let sit. Once I put my plastic cap on, I rolled up a few paper towels and put them around the edges so mix wouldn't drip out.

New style.. Flat-Twists & Coils

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I tried to a new style today. Initially, I was going to do coils all over my head, but when I got to the top, I wanted to do flat twists.

After shampooing and deep conditioning, I applied Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Milk to my hair. The mix I used to do the coils contained: Coconut Oil, Aloe Vera Gel, and Shea Butter. I then used a rat-tail comb to coil the back of my hair, and then I flat twisted the front and 2-strand twisted the ends. Approx. Style Time: 3 hrs

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What's your favorite style?!

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If you look at my previous post, reviewing Pretty Natural LLC's Shampoo and Aubrey Organics Conditioner, then you know I just shampooed and conditioned my hair, but I also twisted it back up! I love wearing twists..its so protective!!

I washed my hair with the Pretty Natural shampoo 3 times because I had a lot of build-up from all the shea butter I was using in my twist-out over the past two days and this shampoo definitely cleansed my hair and scalp! Another great thing, was that it left my hair really soft, it was not drying, and my curls were really defined!! I am in LOVE with this shampoo, and can't wait to try the entire system, including the conditioner!!

After the Pretty Nautral, LLC shampoo, I applied a generous amount of Aubrey Organics Conditioner and combed it through my hair with the wide tooth comb. Initially, my hair did not feel super soft, so I applied a small amount of Karen's Body Beautiful Herbal Conditioner as well. I put on a shower cap and let the mix sit for 4 hours (i feel asleep). I then rinsed it out and my hair was soooooooooooo soft!!

I then used my 'Twist Mix' (see older post) to twist my hair into several medium twists! I usually keep these in for 2-3 days and then wear my twist out for a day or two (re-twisting each night)..i think this keeps my hair moisturized and protected!

Confessions of a Product "PJ" Junkie ..08/13/09

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Today at Whole Foods Market, I stumbled upon two GREAT products!

The first product is a shampoo by 'Pretty Natural, LLC' (http://www.prettynatural-inc.com):



The shampoo smells really nice and contains all natural ingredients! After shampooing my hair, it was really clean and their were no signs of drying, my hair was actually really soft and curl defined!

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The second product I discovered is Aubrey Organics: Moisturizing Conditioner:



This conditioner works miracles! I used the Moisturizing Conditioner for Dry hair, because my hair has been shedding a lot lately and I wanted to use a conditioner that "restored moisture" to my hair; I definitely think this did the trick! This conditioner also contained 100% all natural ingredients! After the conditioner, my hair was extremely soft and easily detangled!

What's your story...? The reason I went a la natural...

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Check out the post on the new website, "My Story: The Reason I Went a la Natural". 

30th Annual Black August Weekend & 7th Annual Happily Natural Day!!

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Who is going to ATL this weekend or Richmond,VA the 28th - 29th ?!

The 7th Annual Happily Natural Day & the 30th Annual Black August Weekend are about to be in FULL effect !!

Photo Courtesy of: http://happilynaturalday.com/

Visit http://happilynaturalday.com/ for more info !!

Trial & Amazing... Pre-Condition/Wash/Conditioner

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Today, I tried a new regimen on my hair...and so far I like the results!! I tried the Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) rinse [TUTORIAL HERE] and a honey pre-condition!

**FYI: ACV doesn't smell as bad as I thought it would, and it does NOT linger in your hair! **

Benefits of Ingredients: (accumulated from research on forums and youtube vids):

• Apple Cider Vinegar: The acid is naturally cleansing and is very similar to the natural oils in our hair, so it is very gentle.
• Honey: Helps seal in moisture, and smells nice.
• Carrot Oil: Helps fight breakage and split ends.
• Tea Tree Oil: Cleansing and contains Vitamin E.
• Coconut Oil: Moisturizer, adds sheen to hair.

Here's what I did:

Pre-Condition Products:

• 2 tbsp of Honey
• 4 tbsp of Coconut Oil
• Spray Bottle
• Shower Cap
• Towel

Pre-Condition Application:

1. I mixed the honey and the coconut oil in a small bowl. And put the towel in the dryer on High.
2. I microwaved the mixed ingredients for 30 seconds (I recommend 15-20 seconds max).
3. I then poured the melted contents into a spray bottle. I sprayed throughout my hair and then put on a plastic shower cap. Let it sit for 10 minutes.
4. I then wrapped the, now hot, towel around my head and let it sit for another 15 minutes.

Wash/Shampoo Products:

• Apple Cider Vinger
• Applicaion Bottle
• Taliah Waajid: Black Earth Shampoo

Wash/Shampoo Application:

1. Poured 3oz. of ACV and 1 oz. of water into Application. Shake.
2. Generously applied ACV Mix and massaged into scalp then rinse. Repeat twice.
3. Shampooed with Taliah Waajid Shampoo, and rinsed.

**For an ACV Rinse Tutorial, watch [HERE]. 

Conditioner Products:

• Taliah Waajid: Enhancing Herbal Conditioner
• Tea Tree Oil
• Carrot Oil
• Wide-tooth Comb

Conditioner Application:

1. Applied the Taliah Waajid Conditioner and combed through my hair.
2. Generously applied Tea Tree Oil and Carrot Oil and massaged into scalp.
3. Let sit at least 15 minutes. (I am letting it sit for an hour or so).

Controversy & Education of Natural Hair...

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I am back from Paris, yay!!! Go here if you'd like to see pictures of the trip on fotki ! But while I was there, with no TV and many sleepless nights, I had a lot of time to think and explore YouTube! And in my exploration I stumbled upon the 'Good Hair vs. Bad Hair' debate on the Tyra Show and checked out many video responses to the show.


I strongly suggest you check it out (if you haven't already) @ YouTube (its broken into 5 segments) !! I may do a video response myself or post some comments because I have A LOT to say (but that's another post) !

Anyway, from those videos and video responses, I found a lot of other natural woman whose video journey's I will be subscribing to (will post later) and also a BOOK that I cannot wait to read!! The book is titled "Hair Story: Untangling the roots of Black hair in America" by Ayana Byrd & Lori Tharps. From the video responses and other book reviews, the book seems to be a GREAT read and highly recommended, so I am picking up my copy today!!

FINALLY !! My Napptural Journey Illustrated (Fotki Album)..

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So I finally completed my Fotki Albums, which illustrate my Napptural Hair Journey thus far! Make sure to check it out: http://public.fotki.com/curlynugrowth/ !!

Create-a-Product ... Twist Gel

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I don't know why, but I have a fascination with mixing and blending my own concoctions. I recently purchased some Aloe Vera Gel because I read a lot about its benefits for hair.

Aloe Vera Gel: Promotes hair growth, very moisturizing, unscented (no irritation)

So I already had some two-strand twist in (done with Karen Body Beautful's - Hair Cream & Organic Coconut Oil) , and I took a few out and twisted them back with Aloe Vera Gel (AVG). Needless to say, but the AVG twists were beautiful !!

This lead me to create a homemade twist mix ! "Soo, what did you put in this mix?" ..I am glad you asked!!
Twist Mix:

• ~ 2 Scoops of 100% Pure Shea Butter (Melted)
• ~2 Tablespoons of Organic Coconut Oil
• 2 oz. Aloe Vera Gel
• ~5 drops of Carrot Oil
• ~5 drops of Tea Tree Oil

The consistency was not what I hoped for (it was a bit too oily, so I stuck it in the fridge for a few hours and **ta-da** ..you have "Twist Mix"!!

Product "PJ" Junkie Discovery...Oyin Handmade

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Photo from: http://oyinhandmade.com/oyin/

So, maybe I'm behind the ball, but where did Oyin Handmade (check them out at http://oyinhandmade.com/ !!) come from?! I just happened to stumble onto their site, and my newly found "PJ" personality went crazy!! I watched a few vids on Youtube about Oyin Handmade and read EVERY hair product description from the website!! I am really excited...especially since they are local...YESSS!!!!

Since I will be in Baltimore tomorrow for 'Happy Nappy Day' I chose not to make the drive out there today, but I will be ordering my products online tonight or tomorrow!! =)

I think I am going to order the:

• Burnt Sugar Hair Pomade
• Greg Juice Herbal Leave-In Conditioner
• Uber Poo Bar
• Honey Hemp Conditioner

Whoo...I can't wait!! =) ..i hope its as GREAT as it sounds & looks!!

Confessions of a Product "PJ" Junkie ..07/10/09

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So today my products from Karen's Body Beautiful (check her out!! at http://www.karensbodybeautiful.com/) came!!

I ordered the Sultry Sandalwood:

• Herbal Shampoo
• Herbal Conditioner
• Hair Milk
• Hair Cream

The smell is really nice, I would describe it as a light, spicy scent...My mom likes it and my 17 yr old sister says it smell "older"..either way I am really excited to try them out!!

SIDENOTE: KBB sent a sample of the "Chamomile Sage"...and that WILL be my next order..its smells soooooo good!!

Happy Nappy Day !!

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Come out and support Happy Nappy Day in Gwynn Oak Park in the Baltimore, MD area !! Visit www.happynappyday.com for more info!!

This is going to be my first time going, but it should be a fun event for all to come out an experience!! I have heard nothing but good reviews from previous years !!!