Getting Kinky: A New Natural 'Do

Happy Monday! I have a little surprise for you all today :) If you follow me on InstaGram then you already know that I got a little scissor happy last week and ended up chopping off a good chunk of my fro.

My ability to focus on anything related to school or work was nonexistent and I found myself falling deeper and deeper into natural hair boards on Pinterest and digging through the archives on Merely Marie - who's blog I love and have followed for a while now, and she always has this uncanny ability to convince me to switch up my hair style. Case and point, this day. 

Before I knew what hit me I was in the bathroom, scissors in hand, cutting away. For the record, this is something I highly recommend you do not do, unless you're experienced and very comfortable with cutting your own hair. I sometimes get very impulsive, especially when it comes to my hair, and since I've been itching for a new summer time 'do when the thought to cut it hit, I went for it.

Now granted I was at home all day so I didn't put any effort whatsoever into my hair, and that's my excuse for why it looks totally lopsided, but it had been pretty tangled and knotted lately as I'd been lazy and hadn't properly detangled in quite awhile, in addition to sleeping with it left unprotected (ahh! I know, I'm a horrible natural hair caretaker) my ends were dry, matted, and just plain gross. DCT compared it to having a mushroom around my head (he really knows how to compliment his lady...) So clearly something had to be done....

And then this happened.

I was attempting to go for a tapered fro, and I may have gone a little shorter than I actually intended, especially at the top, but I won't lie, I really like it! It took me a day or two to get used to it, but it's super easy to maintain which is perfect for both being on-the-go for summer and my innate laziness.

So we're back to TWA status, but like I said, I don't mind. I've always liked the way I look with short hair, even when I was getting it relaxed. I feel like it lightens up my face, and I'm even thinking about going a step further and adding some color soon, ya know, just because :)

Do you have any plans for your summertime hair? Let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Two Years Natural!

Hi all! So February is coming to a close and I almost forgot (sometimes my mind likes to go on vacay without me) this month marks my 2-year anniversary of being on #teamnatural!

I can't believe it's been 2-years as I still feel like I've only just begun this journey. Also looking back at pictures, holy crap has my hair grown! Seeing your hair day in and day out you never really notice the difference in growth, at times I've felt it was stuck at the same length, but I'm happy to see that I actually have a pretty thick and fluffy fro going on ;D

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5 Inspiring Natural Hair Celebrities

Wow, it's been forever since my last natural hair post! I had all these plans to show different ways to style Senegalese twists each week, but then the holidays came around and I just stuck to the same styles to get me through the madness and now it's about time I take these bad boys out.

I'm really hoping to find a balance between style and hair posts this year. I'm very much the type of person that when it comes to my hair or makeup, I tend to figure out what works best and just stick with it, not much experimentation is involved as I'd rather spend time dreaming up outfits rather than worrying about what to do with my hair.

But I really want to challenge my creativity when it comes to my hair, maybe even do a couple tutorials via YouTube (Oooo, I'm getting fancy!), we'll see, there's a whole year in front of us full of possibilities.

For now, I wanted to offer some inspiration, for both you and me, for the return of my kinks and share with you 5 natural haired celebrities who have inspired me with their confidence and sass when it comes to their natural locks and (naturally...*ahem*) their personal style.

Daughter of an original natural hair diva, Diana Ross, ask any curly-head who their natural hair muses are and Tracee is bound to top the list, I mean just look at those curls! Past being naturally gorgeous she also has an impeccable sense of style. You can always count on her to bring something fresh and original both for every day and on the red carpet.

Brandy, Brandy, Brandy. Gone are the days of Moesha (M to the, O to the...) and "Sittin Up In My Room", she has grown into one sassy lady and I'm really happy to see her coming back both in music and with her natural locks. She was my idol back in my tween years, and even inspired me to take the plunge in getting braids. I'm hoping we'll see even more of her and those curls this year!

Although Monae consistently rocks her trademark pompadour, for some reason I never tire seeing it. She's able to smartly remix the updo, but yet keep it the same. I don't know what kind of voodoo magic she's got up her sleeve, all I know is I wish she would share with the rest of us. The master of mixing glam with menswear (is there such a thing as dapper-chic?), if you're ever looking for some inspiration for rocking men's apparel, look no further than Ms. Monae.

I've featured Corinne on the blog before and for good reason, she is definitely considered an idol in the natural hair community. Who doesn't dream of having her soft and full curls, even in pictures I just want to dig my fingers in her hair (can you imagine if I ever met her in person, I'd be THAT girl who crossed wayyyy too many personal boundaries). She never ceases to surprise me with her style choices either, very simple and classic, yet it always catches the eye.

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, then you'll know I have both a hair and style love affair with Solange (we're besties in my head!). I love the versatility she has with her hair and how carefree she is with it, one day a twa, the next in a major fro, the next in chunky 'Poetic Justice' braids. I feel I'm very similar in how I approach my hair (and this, of course, is why we'd be besties), I let it do what it wants with little styling outside of a twist-out every now and then. And don't get me started on her personal style -- not afraid of mixing colors, prints, or textures, to me she can practically do no wrong. To spend an hour in her closet would be a true dream come true.

And there we have it! I don't know about you, but I'm so ready to bust out my fro again! Which natural hair celebrities do you find inspiring?

Happy Monday & thanks for reading!

All Photos via Pinterest

Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers For Naturals

Hi there! So, I have a sneaky feeling that December is about to fly by just as fast as November and before we know it Christmas will be here! If you're anything like me and get some weird thrill out of waiting till the absolute last minute to get gifts (I have mastered the art of procrastination, thanks college *wink*), then you're probably still trying to figure out what to get everyone.

Well, while perusing the Internetz for gift ideas I came across Essence Magazine's Ultimate Natural Hair Blogger Gift Guide where they offered tons of ideas for gifts for the naturally-savvy people in your life. Their gift guide inspired me to create my own (with a couple of repeat offenders form the list on Essence), with items that are all the perfect size to stuff into stockings and all under $40!

Here's hoping that this will inspire your gift hunting as it did mine!

iPhone Case by Brandi Q($35): How precious are these iPhone cases? I'm obsessed with the 'Fro Hawk' silhouette, and she has a variety of other prints in her store as well. Definitely check it out!

Hair Spa Candles($10): Essentially a two for one deal, these not only act as candles but also as a moisturizing blend that can be used to do two strand twists, braids, or a scalp massage. "A Mane-icure in a jar that won't do you wrong".

Fro Dangle Earrings by Toni Daley($12.50): These earrings will make any naturalista feel super fly.

Afro Chic Decal: Available in custom sizes, this decal would add sass to any room in your home.

Cricket UltraClean Combs($4): This detangling comb offers a slip resistant finish and clean seam design. The Big Time Comb also comes with a  free travel size comb, tiny enough to fit in even the smallest of bags.

Oyin Handmade Snack Pack($23): A sample pack is a great way to become acquainted with new products without committing to full sized packages. This pack comes with Oyin's Honey Hemp Conditioner, Greg Juice leave-in spray, Shine & Define serum, Hair Dew creamy leave-in, as well as the full-sized 1-oz Mini Burnt Sugar pomade. A great gift for someone and their curls!

Natural Hair Tote by QuellyRue Designs($36): Celebrate and embrace natural hair beauty with this tote bag. She offers a variety bags with different silhouettes and hair styles :)

Target Gift Cards: I know what you're thinking, 'a gift card...from Target?', but hear me out. Target as a retailer has really stepped up their game when it comes to offering hair and beauty products for people with multicultural backgrounds. I feel like every time I make a Target run their natural hair section has grown and they offer some great brands from Miss Jessie's, Mixed Chicks, Kinky-Curly, and my all time favorite Shea Moisture. It's like being a kid in a candy store and it also releases any pressure on you if you pick a product that doesn't work with someone's hair.

Any fun or cool natural hair gifts you've come across that you think should be added? Please share!

Thanks for reading and Happy Wednesday!

Getting Kinky: 3 Easy, Everyday Senegalese Twist Hair Styles

 

 

 

I'm still getting used to having massive amounts of hair, but I am quite enjoying the different look. DCT claims I look like I should be a news presenter for MTV UK and will only listen to me if I talk with a British accent....he's so special, that one :)

These three styles have kind of been my go-to for work when I don't feel (or have the arm strength) like putting it all up in a bun. I've learned that with all the running around I do at work, I have to have my hair out of my face or else I'll just get frustrated and cranky and begin thinking evil thoughts, and really no one likes a frustrated, cranky, and evil Ashlei ;)

I've been doing daily searches on YouTube for different ways to style senegalese twists and have built up quite a supply of styles to try so keep a look out for more in-depth how-to's, especially for the holidays!

Hope you all have a great weekend! Thanksgiving is next week, what?!? Haha! Thanks for reading!

Happy Friday!!!

Getting Kinky: Product Review - Motions Smoothing Conditioner

It's been a long time since I've had a product review and honestly it's because I simply don't venture to new products as much as when I first went natural. I tend to stick with what I know my hair seems to like, plus I get to save money for important things....like shoes, a girl has got to have her priorities, ya know? :]

I'm actually bringing you this review due to a couple of factors:

1. I received the Motions Smoothing Conditioner as a free gift during the Curly Nikki meetup I attended (more on that below!).

2. I conveniently ran out of my other conditioner and have been too lazy/busy/forgetful to pick up some more.

3. I honestly like the product!

A couple of weekends ago Curly Nikki finally made it out to Chicago for a natural hair meetup at Japonais sponsored by Motions Hair Care. As you would expect people came all out for this event! There was literally a line out the door, down the building, and around the corner. There were signature drinks, delicious appetizers, bumpin' tunes, and fluffy, kinky, gorgeous natural hair in every corner of the building.

 

Curly Nikki was front and center, along with celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen (who is famous for creating Rihanna's infamous bob hair style), and both did a short talk about natural hair and the Motions Naturally You hair line products. What I really enjoyed about the meetup was how both Nikki and Ursula intermingled with the crowd and didn't run off and hide in some private back room. This was great because it gave me the opportunity to meet Nikki face-to-face, thank her for my Naturally Glam Hair Idol feature, and even snap a pic together!

All in all a really cool experience!

Now on to this product review! As I said, I honestly like this product and I've been a fan of the brand as I frequently used their products when I had relaxed hair. You'll also remember I did a little post about the release of this new natural hair care line when interviewing one of their Naturally Fabulous Girls, Erica Smith. So it seems only fitting that I try the new line and let you all know what I think! This review is only for their Smoothing Conditioner as I haven't had a chance to try the Deep Conditioning Masque just yet. So finally on to that review!

Before Washing: Popping open the bottle you're hit with a nice floral perfumed scent that is custom to all Motion's products. The product has a thick and creamy texture which is always a good start to a conditioner. One qualm is that there seems to be a lot of added chemicals in the ingredients, which is fine, however I typically go for conditioners that have the majority, if not all, natural ingredients. My rule of thumb is if I can easily read all your ingredients without stumbling over large chemical names (I'm looking at you Isostearamidopropyl Dimethylamine) then you're alright in my book.

During the Wash: As mentioned it has a nice thick and creamy texture and I noticed I didn't have to use as much as my other conditioner, probably about a dollar coin amount. It felt heavy in my hair, but not in a bad way, more like I was getting extra extra moisture. It isn't very slippery so I probably wouldn't advise using it as a de-tangling conditioner.

After Washing: Once I rinsed the conditioner out I could definitely feel a little more smoothness to my curls, it felt nice to run my fingers through. I didn't add any other products and let my hair air dry, and I have to say I'm very impressed on how it made my hair feel once completely dry. It was very soft and luscious, had a little bit of extra shine and my curls were super defined! All of this without adding any other sort of styling product on top.

Overall I think this is a great product! My hair seems to have really taken to it and I can seem myself continuing to use the conditioner and even branching out to try their other products in the natural hair care line. Obviously this isn't going to work for everyone's hair so let me know if you've tried the product and if you got similar or completely different results.

Whew! This was a long post, thanks for sticking through and reading it all! Hope everyone had a great Halloween Weekend!

Getting Kinky: Box Braids

Hi there!

So guys and gals, I have a confession. I've been having second thoughts about my natural 'do. You see I've become a little bored with the same old fro and I'm in dire need of something new to spice things up. I've thought about highlights or all over color, growing dreads (but I don't have the patience), or even chopping it all off and starting new again.

And then, as many of my epiphanies come about, I saw a girl randomly on the street with the best hair ever. And it was in braids. Long, chunky, beautiful braids. And right then and there it was decided that I too shall have braids this winter.

The boho box braid has been one of the trendiest hairstyles of the summer (Thanks Solange Knowles!), which is just more proof that the styles of the 90's are making a come back (I'm looking at you Janet Jackson).

I absolutely love the look and have truly developed an obsession, so much so that I have to have some to call my own. Box braids can make for a really great, low-maintenance, protective style, which is what I'm in the market for. Plus, it'll give my hair a much needed break and hopefully time to really grow.

Photos via: Pinterest / I Love Box Braids / The lovely Tomilola at Style Loveletters

I think I've finally decided on a stylist, so it's just a matter of booking an appointment and 'gitting r done' ;) Have any of you had or have braids, twists, etc? I would really love some tips on hair care and styles, I haven't had braids since high school so the more advice I can get the better. Feel free to share in the comments below and stay tuned for my new 'do!

Thanks for reading!

KATNP is on Curly Nikki!!

Good morning! Good morning! I'm happy to announce that I got featured on Curly Nikki today as a Naturally Glam Hair Idol! Yayyyyyy! Nikki is such a doll, I (obvi) love her site and frequently visit for great hair tips and tricks or just to drool over pictures of other's luscious curls, haha! Click through to check out the full feature and thanks again to Nikki!

Getting Kinky: Tips for Traveling with Natural Hair

It's here! It's here! DCT and I are finally off to Europe tomorrow morning and I couldn't be more excited. I feel like it was forever ago when we first started planning our trip and now we're actually going. I can't wait to see the fam and to show DCT around, it's going to be such a great experience :)

I definitely consider myself a bit of a travel bug (I mean I grew up as an Air Force Brat, can you blame me?), but I have to admit traveling with natural hair is still relatively new to me. The last time I took an extended holiday, my hair was still very short and therefore required little to no maintenance when traveling. Now, I have a pretty decent size fro that will definitely require some TLC, so in true Ashlei fashion I stalked browsed the web to find some tips and tricks for traveling as a natural and now I'm here to share some of those tips with you!

Top 7 Tips for Traveling with Natural Hair

7. Pack Your Every Day Styling Tools.

This includes your comb, brush, bobby pins, and hair ties that you use on a daily basis. This way, no matter how you style your hair you'll be familiar with the tools you're using. This is especially important if you're traveling outside your home country as you can't be certain they'll have the same or even similar tools where you're going.

6. Must Have Products Only.

I definitely succumbed to product-junkie tendencies as a new natural and still come across new products that I just have to try, but traveling is not the time to try out that new hair cream. The last thing you want is to be on some fabulous get-away frustrated because you're hair isn't responding to this hot new product like you'd hoped. Therefore you should stick with what you know works for your hair and only bring the essentials, that  way you're not weighed down with tons of different products. Finally, don't forget to grab those travel size containers, they'll take up less space so you'll have more room for other necessities, like your shoes :)

5. Protect Your Curls.

I'm totally that passenger who curls up against the window seat and passes out the minute we take off, and my last couple trips I've fallen victim to the side-slopped fro. You know what I'm talking about, you get to the airport, your fro in the perfect shape, you settle down in your little window seat, take a nap after take off, wake up and....uh oh! That perfect fro is no more! To keep this from happening, try wearing a protective style on the plane ride, either twists or a bun, or if you don't have the time to style it before hitting the airport tie it up in a turban (I have lots of how-to's here!). Also don't forget to bring a satin scarf or bonnet for when it's time to get some shut-eye, you don't want those cotton hotel pillows pulling your hair :)

4. Be Prepared.

Understand that different climates can cause different reactions to your hair, what was once smooth, luscious curls in Chicago can become dry, frizzy knots in Dallas (true story!). So be sure the products you bring with you are able to combat with the different elements. Also, do your research before taking off! If you're heading down South where it's typically hot and humid you may just want to bring a light styling gel while if you're going somewhere in the desert where the climate is typically more dry you may want to pack a heavier styling cream.

3. Always Have a Plan C.

To tie in with being prepared, sometimes your hair won't cooperate no matter what products you put in it so always have a Plan C and bring some accessories. Hats, scarves, headbands, whatever's your favorite to use when your curls just aren't acting right.

2. Keep It Simple.

It's your vacation! Now is not the time to try out that new chunky twisted updo. Let your 'fro fly free! The less you fuss with your hair the more time you'll have to enjoy your experience, which is the reason you went on vacay in the first place.

1. Relax!

Again, this is your vacation not Paris Fashion Week (...unless you are actually going to Paris Fashion Week, then in that case let's chat, cause I'd like to go too ;] ) This is your time to live la bella vita! We all know our curls can have a mind of their own and your vacay is the perfect time to let them just do their thang, Think of it as a vacation for your curls from all the stretching and twisting and pinning we do on a daily basis. They need some R&R too, ya know.

There you have it! Anything you'd like to add from your experience traveling?

'Till Next Time...

All Photos via Pinterest

Getting Kinky: Pin Up

Hi there! I've been playing around with my hair a lot lately, now that I have a little more length it's easier to try different looks. Though I'm still not at the length I'd like to be, I do enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out how to recreate a certain style with my current length. Enter my version of a pin up style....

This was a very quick and simple style, that'll I'll probably be using a lot more often now that I figured out how to create it. All I did was section off the front portion of my hair, and then using an Ouchless stretch headband I wrapped it around the back portion of my hair. Then I smoothed out the back of my hair by pushing the headband up till it just reached the ends of my curls to create the look of my hair being pinned. Afterwards, I simply fluffed to give it a bit more volume, et voila! It literally took me all of 5 minutes and it's so easy to switch it up with different hair accessories.

If y'all are interested in a more detailed step-by-step (with more pictures or even....a video!) tutorial let me know. In the mean time, here are a couple of tutorials I found while browsing YouTube that I would love to try once my hair gets just a little longer. Follow the links below and enjoy, let me know if you try to recreate some of the styles. Hope everyone has a fantastic Tuesday!

Tuto Pin Up - Joyce Harmonie (It's in French, but I think it's still pretty easy to understand how she created the look, also love her nails! Ils sont beux!)

Retro Updo - Backsyncfan (She is so cute! Definitely check out her YouTube channel for more great tutorials)

Easy To Do Hairstyle inspired by Pin Up Girls - The Pinup Noire (She is the natural hair pin up guru, I think this one is simple enough for beginners (like me!), but check out her channel for more advanced styles)

That's all folks! :)

'Till Next Time...