You live, you learn then you get loves! lol

Well by now y'all know me and y'all know how I love to take pics of my hair but until I get a better camera the pics are on hold... sort of. So far my bangs reach the top of my bottom lip, I can pull a side strand of my hair clear around to the middle of my face (tip of my nose) and the back of my hair is collar bone length meaning if I lay it on my shoulder in the front it will reach just below my collar bone. I don't really do length checks often, I used to do them once a month and now it's just whenever I feel like it. I almost feel like that diaper commercial, "you live you learn then you get loves" lol, but seriously, you Big Chop, you co-wash, you learn the lingo, try every product and protective style known to man, watch every YouTube blog about natural hair, follow every natural hair page on fb and the net in general, then finally you learn what works for you, you embrace Your hair from it's pattern to it's length, then you learn to love your bad hair days and even how to turn them into good ones... and that's where I'm at, I've learned what works for me and what doesn't. I've discovered that cheap doesn't always mean "not as good as the expensive stuff", in fact I've found budget items that work just as good, if not better than the pricey items found online. 
One thing that hasn't changed is I'm still diligent about moisture and I still drool over the fab flat twist, kinky twist, and braided updo's that I have not mastered yet. 
Also I thought I'd throw in there that this will not be just my hair page anymore, it will be my life page meaning I will probably rant on a bad day (usually only if I don't pray first), gush about new developments in my love life, and blab about boredom in the small town life that is currently mine. I want to be transparent and so I will, from my weight loss journey to the struggle to get my health under control and start a family you'll hear it all... but don't worry I won't get TMI on you. I kind of feel like ppl have gotten so used to clicking like that no one even bothers to comment or start a conversation anymore... feel free to speak up.

Semi-update and photos

Update and Pics Pics and more Pics! New name for my fb page which means new link! New life also, and new hair! My hair has grown, my curl pattern has changed and so has my routine and my staples of which I have very few now. I am now MARRIED! YAY! I dedicated my life to Christ, and I have a way better understanding of my hair and products! Also I am on a weight loss journey. Follow along and comment whenever on whatever post speaks to you. Thanks to all of my loyal friends, fans, followers of my blog seeing how I haven't posted in quite some time it takes patience to still tag along, so thanks to all of you who do ;-) Below will be some pics and later on today or tomorrow I will post a long blog of updates! I still have the same youtube channel BUT I haven't used it in a while and will be using a different one once I get a worthy camera. First one is me and my husband when we first new we were going to get married, second one is of the first time I flat ironed my hair, the third one is the same day once the shrinkage started to wear off, and the fourth one is the oldest of the four, it's a pic of my and my husband when we were just friends, starting to become best friends.

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Product Review for KBN (Koils by Nature) Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner

Recently I purchased Koils by Nature Moisturizing Shaeloe leave-in conditioner and the results were... well bad for lack of better words. However they happen to send me a sample of their CocoAloe Deep Conditioner and I FELL IN LOVE! There were 3 reasons I loved this product instantly. 1. This product did right what the previous two did wrong. 2. There was SLIP for days! 3. It moisturized my hair so well that I didn't need to re-condition at all after my henna treatment which on a normal basis I need to condition over night and then some after an herbal treatment, this time there was no need for that. If you didn't know before you know now that I am a Slip-a-holic! If it has slip then I want it! I have very coily, curly, springy hair and the ends get tangled very easily; also I'm not big on protective styling, I like my fro "Wild and Free" just like me! I can't say I loved the ingredients because the sample sized bottle they sent me didn't have the ingredients listed on it and I didn't rush on over to the website to find out what they were. My philosophy is if it works use it and if I haven't tried it then it's new to me. I didn't take any pics as it was pretty late in the evening when this happened but I do have a video where you can clearly see my surprise when coming through my hair with the CocoAloe Deep Conditioner. This video is all over the place as in unorganized and is random but I had fun making it anyway and I hope you enjoy watching it.

Two days after using the sample sized deep conditioner I ordered the full size bottle for $18.00 from the KBN website. To purchase go to Koils by Nature Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner

This deep conditioner is now a STAPLE so if we were playing a game of Love it or Leave it, I would definitely have to say LOVE IT!

My initial reaction to KBN Ultra-Moisturizing CocoAloe Deep Conditioner

AfroVeda Sweet Roots Collection Product Review

I recently received/purchased the Sweet Roots collection from AfroVeda as I am into Ayurveda and was attempting to find a good Moisturizer. 

I washed my hair with Dr. Hoting's Thickening Solutions Cell-U-Plex Revitalizing Shampoo to clarify it. I wanted my hair free of all other oils and products before trying a new product.

 I towel blotted my hair to absorb some of the water and while it was still damp I applied the Licorice and Marshmallow Leave-In Moisturizer to my entire head and combed through as instructed.

 Price: $21 for the sample set of 3 products

Product:AfroVeda Sweet Roots Leave-In Moisturizer

Product Claims: Stops breakage and dry frizzy hair. 
Actual Performance: You all know that it takes a lot to impress me with hair care, but even doing what the product says it will do goes a long way in my book. With this product I was disappointed... The texture was like cheap lotion. It didn't leave my hair dry but it didn't deliver enough moisture to actually last beyond the point of application. My hair was frizzy and looked as if I had blown it out. My curls in the front were non-existent once the product dried.

Scent: I'm a huge fan of smell as long as it smells good. This product smells very strange and medicinal. I didn't like the scent at all, as a matter of fact I found myself wanting to apply something else to cover the smell but I chose not to.

Product: Sweet Roots Licorice and Marshmallow Hair Control Style & Control Hair Sculpting Wax

Claims: This product makes no special claims so I expected it to live up to it's name (sculpting wax)

Performance: It didn't perform as a wax would at all. I applied it to my edges to lay them down and to the front of my hair to lay it down and it did nothing special. My edges ignored the product as if I'd never put it on. The product looked like it would have some kind of hold to it but once I applied a little pressure to the surface of it my finger sank into it like a tub of butter. The texture was very soft and yielding. This product did not live up to my expectations in the least, but it wasn't horrible. Much like the moisturizer it smelled strange and almost unpleasant.

Product Sweet Roots Licorice and Marshmallow Liquid Curling Spray

Claims: Molds, Sculpts and Shapes Curls and Waves, making it the perfect styling tool for enhancing texturized styles. Will not leave hair crisp or flaky and will nourish the scalp for healthy, hydrated hair.

Performance & How I Used the Product: I spritzed the spray onto my hair as a finishing spray and at first I was impressed but when my hair was dry the curl pattern was non-existent in most of my head and the few curls that remained were not molded, shaped or hydrated. The smell of this product was similar to the other two but a little more tolerable. I tried using it as a curl refresher spray the next morning and was a little surprised when it actually added a little shine to my strands, but the buck stopped there.

Overall Personal Opinion: I don't like the products enough to ever purchase them again but I don't dislike them enough to sell them or give them away. I will use the product but once it's gone that will be the end of the sweet roots legacy in my regimen.

NOTE: I did not list the ingredients as they can be found on the website for those of you interested. This review is just my PERSONAL experience and opinion of the product and is not intended to dictate what your experience may or may not be like should you choose to try the products listed for yourself.

Product Review for... (Drum Roll Please)

Lets Jam! Styling Custard

Today I purchased Lets Jam! Styling Custard to see what all of the youtube fuss was about. I'm not a bandwagon person but curiosity got the best of me. Everyone should know that when trying out a new product hair should be clean of any other products so before trying this product I washed my hair with my usual clarifying shampoo by Dr. Hoting's Thickening Solutions Cell-U-Plex Revitalizing Shampoo with pure plant extracts.

Price: The price was okay, I purchased a 10 oz. jar for only 4 bucks ($4) at my job (Family Dollar), all in all it was a pretty decent amount for the price.
Scent: The smell wasn't anything spectacular or new, the only way to describe it is to say that it smelled like most Lets Jam! products.
Consistency: It had a lot of slip which I hear is good... j/k slip is good but not always. It was creamy, slick and went on easily and absorbed pretty well.
Results: My hair didn't gain or lose any curl definition and there was enough frizz going on that I was slightly disappointed. However once it started to dry, the frizz diminished (just a little) and the curls gained shrinkage which amounted to a little bit of extra definition. 
Overall Opinion: I'm not impressed. I don't love it, I don't hate it. I like it enough to use the rest of it (rather than sell it on Lola's Green Hair but not enough to purchase it again. result photos follow this post and are of my hair when wet with the styling custard freshly applied, they do not include pics of the dried results.

My Current Regimen

My current regimen: Daily I wear a wash 'n go because my hair is so short (sporting a twa) because I recently big chopped. Even though I sport a wash 'n go everyday I don't always wash or co-wash my hair because I don't want to dry my hair out. I co-wash with Pantene Pro-v Frizzy to Smooth Conditioner 3 days a week. On alternate days I just refresh my look by wetting my hair thoroughly with very warm water in the shower, I do a final rinse with cold water to seal the cuticles before exiting the shower and then spray my hair with Nappturalistic Beauty's Super Hair Growth Spritzer and tassel to style. On the days that I do co-wash, after rinsing away the conditioner with cold water I apply Nappturalistic Beauty's Leave In Conditioner and use my shower comb to fluff into a fro then I spray with the spritzer and go.
Once a week I shampoo my hair with Henna Sooq's Cocoveda Shampoo Bar, don't condition or deep condition after using this particular wash method because the bar has so many healthy natural conditioners already in it. After washing my hair apply Nappturalistic Beauty's Whipped Moisturizing Hair and Body Butter to my hair, working through to the scalp thoroughly, I then style with my fingers using Henna Sooq's Sweet Mimosa Butter.  Once a week I deep condition using hot oil (usually EVOO heated in the microwave) and my usual Pantene Frizzy to Smooth conditioner under a shower cap for an hour.  Every night I do a scalp massage with small amounts of Nappturalistic Beauty's Hair Growth Serum Blend, concentrating on the temples where my hair was starting to thin. 
Every 4 weeks I like to use Henna Sooq's Sukesh Ayurveda, for my method of application with this product see the product review. After the application of Sukesh I like to use Shea Moisture's Organic Yucca and Baobab Volumizing Conditioner. I choose this conditioner to follow up with because the Sukesh Ayurveda is a strengthening treatment that promotes growth and hair health, and the Shea Moisture conditioner contains biotin for hair growth along with other ingredients that add to the strength and over all health of hair.
Every night I sleep with a satin bonnet on. I used to use a satin scarf but I was wearing it too tight and when it wasn't too tight it was too lose and would shift or come off at night, both of these situations caused my temples to thin so I switched to a bonnet.

Product Review for Henna Sooq's Cocoveda Shampoo Bar

I recently read about shampoo bars and wanted to try one... well more than one but I thought I'd start with one. If you're into Ayurveda then you know there is a wealth of products out there that will nourish your hair and help maintain the health of every strand but you have to choose wisely because not everything is for everyone. I had to pic and choose my starting products; one of those products was the Cocoveda Shampoo Bar from Henna Sooq. The bar is brown, several colors of brown because it is organic and hand made. The scent took some getting used to. When I first received the bar it had been in the mail truck in the heat long enough that the smell was pretty over powering at first. I refrigerated all of the products until they solidified. After a brief refrigeration the bar's scent was much lighter and the color was a bit darker. The smell was earthy like red dirt with a hint of ginger and coconut.

The ingredients are: Saponified organic high oleic sunflower oil, unrefined cocoa butter, unrefined organic shea butter, organic coconut milk, organic henna (this will not color or change the color of your hair), organic amla, shikakai, bhringraj, bhrami, nagarmotha, ginger essential oil.

I love this product! It takes a while to lather it as it has no sulfates or sud boosters, but once you get it lathered up you will love the feel, the sent, the sensation. It felt wonderful massaging this shampoo into my scalp, I could tell that the ingredients were working on every strand. When I rinsed it out my hair felt a little coated the first time as I had a ton of grease in my hair from greasing my scalp the night before. The second time my hair felt so strong and healthy and thick! My hair was clean but not stripped. My curls had definition and sheen beyond what I'd ever expected from a shampoo bar. This product claims to promote hair health, shine, conditioning, growth and strength and it delivers on the promise every time. This bar is so good for you that it can be used from head to toe (literally) even though I only use it for my hair. I feel that this bar is good enough to be used for both basic washing and co-washing.

The bar is about the size of a regular bar of soap. It is best to cut off a piece of the bar and keep both the piece and the bar away from water and moisture when not in use. The directions say to lather in hands and apply lather to hair and scalp but I like to use the piece directly on my hair to get a better lather.

This is a great shampoo for dry hair and will definitely be in my regimen. I would recommend this to any and everyone looking to try a shampoo bar.