Naturally Leslie

40+ Naturals: Meet Michel!

2011-09-20T06:00:00.003-04:00

NL: When did you decide to go natural and what went into that decision?

I decided to stop relaxing my hair last year. I have been a curly head all of my life and have often gone long stretches without relaxing but last year, I just decided no more. My last relaxer was in October of 2010.

NL: Did you transition over time or do a big chop?

At At this point I am not going to do a big chop. My hair is almost top of armpit length. When straightened and I have about 5 inches of new growth. I plan to keep growing it out and trimming out the straightened parts gradually.

NL: What are some of your favorite products and styles?

I have a lot of favorite products. When doing research on the internet and youtube, I came across people who were using castor oil, rosemary shampoo and organic coconut oil for growth. I regularly shampoo my hair with Rosemary shampoo and condition with Matrix Biolage with rosemary and Suave Humectant conditioner. I also use Garnier Fructis leave in Conditioner along with Hawaiian Silky. Other favorites that I use are Sally’s Silk leave in, Ojon Restorative conditioner and Eco Styler with Argan oil.

NL: Describe your expectations and feelings before you made the leap to natural. How did you feel post-transition?

My expectations before going curly was that it would be more difficult to style and take care of hair. While it has not been the same and I have to put in more work into my hair, I feel it is much healthier. I can see a big difference between the diameter of my hair shaft before and after relaxing. The relaxed hair diameter is much smaller than the new growth. I feel my curly hair growing in is much stronger than the relaxed portion.

NL: What have been the reactions of family, friends, etc to the newly natural you?

The reactions that I have gotten have been pretty positive. The best one was last week when my 20 year old daughter touched my hair and said, “Mommy I love your curls.”

NL: Describe what it was like to return to work after going natural.

The reaction I have received have been fine. I substitute teach at different schools and wear my hair both curly and straight.

NL: Overall, what has been your greatest discovery about being natural?

My greatest discovery about going natural is that, I love my hair, and it’s versatility and it has the ability to grow long when taken care of properly.

NL: What advice would you give to another 40+ woman who is considering going natural?

My advice to women who are over 40 and want to go natural is to “Go For It”! It’s a great journey of discovery and love. You learn to love and accept yourself for who God created you to be-Unique and wonderful. Curly heads have the benefit of wearing their hair in so many styles and can switch up whenever they want too. It’s a great journey!

Thanks Michel!

Natural Hair: Natural Recipes

2011-09-19T12:00:00.001-04:00

Tips for Pampering your Natural Hair !

Healthy Scalp, Healthy Locs

Nyesha Samuel, Publisher/Master Loctician

http://healthylocsblog.com

These 3 products are the perfect combination to keep your hair healthy and moisturized this season.

There are few things that will pamper African American hair like butters that include Shea butter. Shea butter is smooth and luxurious for your hair, and it will help your hair maintain a smooth and hydrated look. These are non-guilty pleasures, such as you might experience when you get a massage, a pedicure or a manicure.

Shea Butter Body

When you think about creamy hair butters, one of the first types that comes to your mind will be Shea butter. Some creams will all rehydrate your hair to some degree, but Shea butter is one of the most lavish ways to keep your hair healthy.

Shea butter helps to rehydrate your hair, and it forms a protective coating that aids in preventing loss of moisture in the winter months or in dry climates. When you add Shea butter to other ingredients that nourish your hair, they will help keep it radiant and healthy.

Hair butters are luxuriously hydrating, due to the nut and seed oils that form the basis of the blends. The oils in Shea butter creams are made by pressing the kernels or seeds of the nuts from which they are derived, and cooking the mixture that remains until the oils and fat are released.

Clarifying Shampoo

You probably have days when it seems that your hair is heavy and in a mood to misbehave. African American hair may react to exposure to pool chemicals and other outside influences, and it will be harder to comb. That's how you will know it's time to use a good clarifying shampoo.

Your hair develops a build-up of many different kinds of hair care products. Gels, mousses and hair spray, as well as mineral and hard water deposits can cause a build-up on your hair over a period of time. Even some conditioners and shampoos can make your hair feel limp, greasy and dull. Using a clarifying shampoo can help get rid of those deposits, and will make your hair shinier, and give it a new start.

As a rule of thumb, you can use clarifying shampoo once or twice a week, to help your hair rebound from everything you put it through. If you swim often, the chemicals in pool water will cause your hair to become dull and lifeless. Even if you only use small amounts of product in your hair, it can still need clarifying once a month or once every other month.

Here’s an Herbal Shampoo recipe that you can try at home;

Organic Herbal Shampoo Recipe

Two cups of distilled water
1 1/2 tsp. Soapwort root
*30 drops of essential oil
Decorative bottle

Directions for Organic Herbal Shampoo

Bring water to a boil
Add soapwort root, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool for an hour.
Add oil and stir thoroughly
Bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

If you don't grow your own soapwort, you can find soapwort root (dried) online or at your neighborhood health food store.

*You can use a number of different essential oils, either alone or in combination to create a signature fragrance: lavender, rosemary, geranium, rose, and sandalwood are only a few.

Rosemary Hair Oil

You can create a lavish lavender and rosemary hair oil to treat your hair and bring back its lustrous look. Rosemary harbors antioxidants that will help to nourish and strengthen African American hair. Avoid buying products over the counter, because these may have synthetic ingredients rather than the natural ones that will help your hair recover from the rigors of work and play.

The best way to purchase rosemary hair oil is in a bottle with tinted coloring, because excess light can cause a breakdown in the ingredients that could result in the oil losing its effectiveness. Lavender is sometimes blended with the rosemary oil, to make an essential oil mixture that will treat your hair gently and naturally.

Below is a great Hair Oil recipe you can make at home;

*1/2 cup of dried rosemary leaves

*1/2 cup olive oil

Combine ingredients then heat up until warm. Strain. Coat the entire scalp and ends of hair with the oil mixture. Wrap hair in a plastic bag or shower cap. After that you can wrap a towel around your hair over the plastic or you can sit under a hood dryer with just the plastic wrap and no towel to aid the oil in penetrating your scalp and hair. Do either method for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash hair twice to remove the oil. Use the treatment twice a month or when your hair needs a deep conditioning.

Natural Hair: Braided Mohawk Style

2011-09-17T21:01:00.002-04:00

Check out this style from Dominique-Alexis of Natural-hair-care-info.com.

Braided Mohawk

Skill level: Advanced

Turning heads and receiving compliments from all, a braided Mohawk is a hairstyle only for the daring! The key to mastering this style is using the most unique braids imaginable leading up to the curly/wavy/straight hair.

For further instructions, click here!

There are two basic ways to do this hairstyle: with extensions and without. Keep in mind that the longer the hair, the more extreme the style seems.

For this style, you need:

Rat Tail Comb
Hair Moisturizer
Wide tooth comb
Rubber bands
Hair Clips
Extensions (optional)

You get bonus points if you use curly extensions or a color different than your own in the back! Or do flat twists instead of cornrows!

Natural Curly Braided Mohawk

For natural hair …part your hair in three sections, all parts going straight back. The thickness of the parts is up to you, but remember that the middle one is the one that makes up the actual Mohawk part of the hairstyle.

Click here for a curly frohawk and additional instructions!

Pin the middle section up. Start braiding your cornrows up towards the middle of your hair, secure with a rubber band when you run out of hair to add to the cornrow.

Wanna see more braid hairstyles? Click here!

Keep cornrowing and repeat on the other side for a look that is absolutely incredible! I made her hair curly by doing two-strand twists the night before, then taking them out the following morning, but this is opional.

And One with Extensions Added!

For hair with extensions added …since you’re adding so much hair, part hair straight down the middle. Select the most difficult style that you can handle and start cornrowing the extensions up towards your part.

When you run out of hair which will allow your cornrows to stick to the head, tie with a rubber band and fluff the ends up. Continue until finished and repeat on other side. Now, you’re ready to rock the streets and dominate the dance floor!

YouTubetorial: Getting a Clean Scalp

2011-08-25T21:09:00.003-04:00

I saw the title of this video by You Tube's PrettyDimples01 and immediately wanted to share with all of you. If you're like me and struggle with some scalp issues, you probably enjoy learning as much as you can and trying new ways to keep the scalp healthy. I especially liked this video because I also wear twists a lot and do not always want to remove them to cleanse my scalp.

The original goal for the video was to be able to wash the scalp without getting the rest of her hair wet. As you'll see later on, things did not go exactly as planned however the resulting style was still beautiful. It gets pretty funny a few minutes in when you see what method she attempts to keep her twists dry while she cleanses!

Click to watch:

After all is said and done, the takeaway for me was the fact that she accomplished getting her scalp nice and clean using an easy, thorough method and simple products. Even though she ended up having to wet her hair, she was able to extend the life of her twists and achieving a new look.

Have you ever tried this method to get your scalp clean? If so, what were your results? Also what, if any, wacky methods have you tried when it comes to your hair?

Natural Hair: The US Surgeon General Explains Why Health Should Trump Hair

2011-08-23T20:09:00.004-04:00

{Photo Credit}

If you do a google search for Black women, hair and exercise, 12.5 million results pop up. There are seemingly endless blog posts, articles, and videos dedicated to the dilemma so many black women face regarding their health and hairstyles. The ability to exercise freely without the worry of ruining or sweating out a style is one of the main reasons some Black women decide to ditch the chemicals and embrace their natural texture.

I know that in this forum I am preaching to the choir and this is not new news. But, in case you are unaware of the issue, this excerpt sums up the sentiment:

According to the American Journal of Public Health, less than 30% of minority women in the united states get the right amount of exercise, one of the reasons being "The hassle of keeping their hair looking good".

"They don't want to mess it that style up once they leave that salon, because it's like look what I just did, I just sweated this out, and now I have to go back and curl it the exact way she did it," says Hair Dresser, Kendra Johnson. {excerpt credit}

It may seem like a trivial concern to people with loosely textured tresses. I can see how straighter-haired women may not understand why their kinkier-haired counterparts would sacrifice their health and fitness levels for beauty. However, for those of us with kinky and curly locs, we understand the pressures that come with attempting to be deemed socially acceptable, especially in the workplace. Even with all the advances in the natural hair movement, many women (and men for that matter) continue to face discrimination and unfair treatment due to rocking their naturally kinky, coily and curly hair.

Well according to the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, this issue is serious and not just limited to African Americans. In a recent interview with CNN Health, Dr. Benjamin explains:

"Other ethnic groups would come up and say the same thing. I’ve heard it from Hispanics. I’ve heard it from a couple of my older white patients that I have at home. They’re saying I get my hair done every weekend- I don’t want to be exercising after I get my hair done." {excerpt}

According to Dr. Benjamin, it is as much about money as it is about looks.

"If you go out and spend $40-50 to get your hair done, you don’t want to go out and get it all sweaty and wet that afternoon before you got to show it off." {excerpt}

(Click here to read the interview in its entirety.)

While I did not get into regularly working out until a few years ago, well after going natural, I can totally relate to not wanting to mess up a fresh style. As most of us know, in addition to being expensive, often times a trip to the salon is time consuming. Time and money are precious commodities to most people I know and it is logical to not want to waste either. Now I have much more freedom with natural hair so workouts no longer phase me. (Ahem, when I am on my workout game. Currently my "game" consists of broken sleep and mommy time, lol. But I digress...)

After reading all of Dr. Benjamin's interview, I was interested in what others had to say in response and I scrolled through the comments. Uuuuugggh. Why did I do that? Sometimes I forget just how ignorant, uninformed, and down right racist people can be outside of my natural hair blogiverse. I guess one good thing always comes from it, though. Just when I think we are over-saturated with info about natural hair, my stuff included, I see we have oh so far to go to reach the masses. So many people still just don't understand Black hair and all its complexities.

Anyway, what are you thoughts on the interview? If you are relaxed/transitioning, how do you fit in both health and hair? If you're natural, have your workouts increased or stayed the same?

For some YouTube inspiration, check out this video from BeautifulBrwnBabyDol's channel. In case you don't know, she works out a lot and has many cute styles that stand up to her sweat sessions.Love her!

Natural Hair: Erykah Badu to Host Natural Hair Parade

2011-08-18T12:14:00.003-04:00

{Image from essence.com}

The buzz around the net is that Erykah Badu will be sponsoring and hosting a natural hair parade in Dallas, Texas over the Labor Day weekend! This is a free event to celebrate natural hair and share knowledge in the process.

{Event Facebook Page}

Some more info about the parade:

Isis Brantley, also known as the "guru of natural hair care," is celebrating 31 years of natural hair prowess and, being a spokeswoman for black ancestral culture, is throwing the "Nation's First World Natural Hair Parade And Festival" in Dallas, Texas. Read the rest here.

Do you live in the Dallas area? Would you attend a natural hair parade? If you go, send pics!

Natural Hair: Shelli's Hair Journey

2011-08-16T11:08:00.004-04:00

Shelli from hairscapades.com sent me her hair story to share. She has gorgeous hair so check out her journey. Thanks Shelli!

Q: How long have you been natural?
A: I’ve been natural for about 11 years.

Q: Were you a long term or short term transitioner, and why?

A: I guess I was a relatively short term transitioner, if you could even call it transitioning. I BC’d at 6 months post relaxer. Those terms and the idea of “transitioning” didn’t exist in my world or vocabulary at the time. I got my first relaxer and hair cut at 13 at a salon. From then on, either my mom or I relaxed my hair once every 6 months with a home perm. I could probably count on my 2 hands (maybe even 1) the number of times I got my hair professionally relaxed. I was too cheap for that. Anywho, at about 26, I had a bad experience with a relaxer that a “stylist” insisted she must put on my hair for a doobie at a Dominican blow out spot. I hadn’t had a relaxer in 6 months; my norm. The stylist (if you could even call them that, because it was like a huge factory assembly line in this spot) decided to pull that junk through almost the entire length of my hair and not just the new growth!!! My hair started to break off badly after that. So, that was it for me. Plus, I wore my hair curly even with a relaxer because I worked out 5-6 days a week and sweat like a race horse. I very rarely even wore my hair straight for that reason, because it would have meant putting heat on my salty hair on a daily basis. I knew that was a no-no. So, I relaxed my hair, but then I would use products to scrunch in the curls (my hair was never bone straight anyway). So, the decision to go natural was easy and practical for me. I didn’t wear my hair straight anyway and I was experiencing breakage, so at the point when I would have usually gotten another relaxer, I did the BC.

Q: What is your current regimen?
A: See my Regimen post.

Q: How do you maintain Length? Moisture?

A: I never struggled with maintaining length, but I’ve achieved my longest hair in the last year, which is about an inch past BSL. In February, I requested a “trim” that turned into a cut and it looks like I’ve lost a couple of inches=/. I have learned over the years that there are probably four things that stimulate my hair’s growth and allow me to maintain a healthy, moisturized head of hair. Those things are deep conditioning every time I wash my hair (once a week or every two weeks), applying a leave-in conditioner and combing through my hair before styling (learned from a Ouidad stylist – makes detangling a breeze the next wash session and keeps my hair moisturized), using a hair butter or oil to seal moisture into my ends and staying away from protein heavy products (conditioners, stylers and gels – thanks Nik;-). Oh, and there is one more thing that I think has been very important, but has not been in my regimen as of late. If I am wearing a WnG, I never re-wet/re-fresh with water. If I re-wet/re-fresh it is with a leave-in conditioner (like Infusium 23) or a regular conditioner diluted with water.

Q: Night time routine?
A: I sleep on a satin pillowcase and wear either a satin scarf, bonnet or both. I sometimes pineapple if wearing a TnC, but it’s still not the best solution for me. My nape hair is almost completely straight and I have to work to make it blend in with the rest of my hair. The pineapple can stretch that hair and ruin my blending efforts. However, given that I’ve been wearing a lot of protective styles lately, I haven’t had to worry about securing loose hairstyles.

Q: What would you tell a new natural, or transitioning diva?
A: You know, the most important thing for me to tell a new natural or transitioning diva is to love their own head of hair. I think we all have moments of curl envy as we see all the gorgeous heads of hair out there. You may think that someone has the most fabulous head of hair ever and that they couldn’t want anything else, but you’d probably be completely wrong. I drool over hair of all different shapes, lengths, curliness, kinkiness, thickness, etc. and wish for thicker hair, curlier hair, hair with more shrinkage, longer hair etc. But, at the end of the day, I’m good with my head of hair=). I enjoy it immensely. So, I think it’s important to look at these blogs and youtube videos with a healthy appreciation for all the variety out there, but a healthy appreciation for your own head of hair too. There’s nothing I hate more (well, that may be a fib … but, I’m trying to prove a point;-), then someone saying “you have ‘good’ hair” or that, if they had my grade of hair, they would have been natural years ago. It’s nothing against the person who says it, but I get annoyed that our world that has “taught” people this lie. I just want them to know that no matter the texture or length of their hair, it is and can be beautiful if they take the time and have the patience to learn how to treat their hair well.

Q: What’s the best thing about being natural?
A: For me, the best thing is inspiring others to go natural! My sister and mom both went natural shortly after I did. My mom rocked a short, tapered cut with a Jerri Curl for a couple of decades!! Long before I decided to stop getting relaxers, my sisters and I would constantly tell her she should stop getting Jheri Curls because the “new growth” at her shaved nape was full of gorgeous curls! So, it was very rewarding when my youngest sister, then my mom, went natural within a few years of my BC (though my sister recently told me that I didn’t inspire her, that she was already contemplating doing it and that my mom was inspired by her. Go ahead Shana, I know you want to say it. *LOL*). All of our textures are different and I constantly want to get my hands in their curlier heads to experiment with all of the styles that I’ve learned over the last year=)! Also, a few people at my job went natural after I did, and I think my natural hair may have played a little role in that (or maybe not). So, it is really rewarding to see others let go of the “chemical dependency” and embrace healthier hair.

_______________________________________________________________________

Natural Hair: New Site for Coupons and Online Deals

2011-08-09T07:48:00.005-04:00

{photo}

I received this email in my inbox and wanted to pass it along. I am not affiliated with this site or company in any way, simply wanted to share in case it interests you. Let me know how it works if you end up using it.

Naturally Me! Media, LLC announces the launch of the first and only website that features coupon codes and offers from curly hair product and natural hair product brands on NaturalHairProductDeals.com.

Due to the increasing amount of women going natural and purchasing natural hair care products online,Naturally Me! Media realized the need for an one-stop website that offers women a simple and organized way to share and use these codes for their purchases. NaturalHairProductDeals.com allows their users to submit coupon codes and offers that they may receive on a daily basis from their favorite hair care companies to save money on their favorite products.

"In these uncertain economic times people have to prioritize their purchases. NaturalHairProductDeals.com allows women the access to get their hair care and styling products at a discount instead of completely cutting them out of their budget. The purpose is to create a community of sharing in order to pass the savings along to their fellow curlfriends.", Tarin Boone, CEO of Naturally Me! Media, explained.

The main features of NaturalHairProductDeals.com are:

database of current hair care product sales, online coupon codes, printable coupons, and free shipping offers.
easy user friendly interface to submit coupons in 5 minutes or less.
coupons categorized for natural hair products, dreadlocks products, and children's products.
ability for users to review coupons and sales.
new coupons and offers added daily
natural hair and curly hair product makers to submit their sales and promotions to an extended network for free.

The combination of the user friendliness, customer savings, and the power of sharing will surely makeNaturalHairProductDeals.com the first choice for naturalistas to search and find their best bargain natural hair product coupon codes and deals.

Natural Hair: Homemade Mix & A Cornrow Twistout Style

2011-08-04T10:24:00.016-04:00

A few days ago I decided to combine some of my favorite oils together with some shea butter. In the past I've combined coconut oil with shea butter and used that to seal my ends. This time, I added a few other oils to the mix.

Here's what I did and what you'll need if you want to try:

Ingredients:

Shea Butter (5+ tablespoons)

Vatika Coconut Oil (2 tablespoons)

Grapeseed Oil ( 1 tablespoon)

Castor Oil (2 tablespoons)

Vitamin E Oil (1 tablespoon)

Steps:

1. Heat shea butter so it is slightly, but not totally, melted.

2. Warm the Vatika oil (or any coconut oil) if it is solid. Measure 2 tablespoons and add to the shea butter.

3. Measure 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil and add to the shea butter.

4. Measure 2 tablespoons of castor oil and add to the shea.

5. Add 1 tablespoon of vitamin E oil to the shea.

6. Blend the oils and shea butter together with a hand-held mixer, whipping until everything is evenly combined.

7. Cover and place into the refrigerator for about a half hour or until the mix has cooled and stiffened.

I like this mix because it melts easily into the skin and the hair. It also made my hair super shiny, defined, not weighed down, and it sealed my ends beautifully. The shots below are from a twistout that I just did two days ago on dry, stretched hair. I left the twists in until I unravelled this morning.

For this style I parted my hair horizontally from ear to ear. I twisted the back using water and the shea-oil mix. I tested my braiding skills and cornrowed the front. It is tough to braid your own hair but I think I did ok. I did not braid tightly and I parted in a way that accommodated for my recovering edges. We'll see how long they last before they get frizzy!

The humidity is out of control right now so I will probably have to re-twist at night to maintain definition. To do that, I will simply re-mist with water and twist, adding more of the shea-oil mix only if needed.

And voila, there you have it! What new mixes have you tried lately?

Tracee on Top!

2011-08-04T09:41:00.004-04:00

{Photo Source}

I don't know why but I love glossy magazine covers. Especially when beautiful ladies like Tracee Ellis Ross grace the front page. In the September edition of Essence mag, she will be discussing her new BET sitcom, Reed Between the Lines. I like her as an actress and she seems like a really down to earth person. I remember seeing her on one of the last episodes of Oprah and she had such a nice energy. Of course her style is amazing and her hair is simply gorgeous! Will you check out her new show?

{Photo Source}

Reed Between the Lines, starring Tracee Ellis Ross (Girlfriends) and Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show), pictured above. The show follows Alex, an English professor, and Carla, a psychologist, as they navigate life’s ups and downs with wit and humor. (Excerpt from bet.com)

Culture & Society: The New Spider-Man habla Español?

2011-08-03T12:12:00.009-04:00

{Photo Source}

According to Latina.com, Marvel Comics is gearing up to debut a new character, replacing Peter Parker as Spider-Man. Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino teen, is helmed to take over in the role of the arachnid super hero as part of the Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man series September relaunch.

Marvel’s Editor-in-Chief Alex Alonso shared insight on the New York City teen hero in a broader context. “What you have is a Spider-Man for the 21st century who's reflective of our culture and diversity,” he said. “We think that readers will fall in love with Miles Morales the same way they fell in love with Peter Parker.” (excerpt from Latina.com)

I am not a comic fan, never really read them growing up and was only marginally entertained by the Hollywood renditions on the big screen. But this is still an interesting choice, especially considering race relations in the comic world. So what do you all think? Are you excited to see this new character? Do you agree that it reflects diversity in our culture or is it a gimmick?

Back At It...Albeit a Few Hairs Short!

2011-07-25T21:40:00.004-04:00

Hi everyone! I have to say thank you for your patience in my absence. I had no idea how long I intended to be away but I sincerely appreciate all of you for hanging around! Being a mom is amazing and a LOT of hard work! So many new things to learn and I am finally starting to feel confident in my abilities. I love my baby boy and it is true what they say, EVERYTHING changes once you have a kid. Finally, welcome to all the new folks who have joined the site! I never dreamed when I started that anyone besides my mom would care to read what I had to say, let alone 1000+ followers, and I am humbled and flattered. Thank you all!

Speaking of changes, I am still adjusting to my new schedule, my new body, and my new hairline. Of all the things pregnancy and childbirth did to my physical appearance, hair loss was not one I seriously anticipated. I think we've all heard of post-partum hair shedding but I had no idea I would see clumps of hair literally fall out in my hands! Every time I wash I lose a significant amount of hair and it kinda freaks me out! I have always had so much hair, did not notice any real change during pregnancy, and didn't really expect to lose much after. Around month 3 post-partum, I noticed that things began to change.

I was taking down a set of mini twists that I'd had in for a few weeks. As I got to the ones framing my face, I noticed I was losing clumps of hair. I ran out of the bathroom with my hair in my hands, showing my husband in disbelief. "I'm BALD!", I screamed. Ok, well not really but I do have very short patches where my temples are. It's like a thin layer of peach fuzz is beginning to emerge but still quite see through!

My bday was last Friday and we went out on Saturday with the family to celebrate. Truthfully I had all but forgotten about the hair loss until I saw these pics:

(Pic 1- I got a cookbook! Is that a hint or something???

Pic 2- Blowing out the candle on my cupcake. I still have some pp weight to lose so portion control is my friend, lol)

I don't know if you can see but clearly I am missing some strands. I am not extremely bothered but I do plan on taking special care of these areas so I can increase growth. My plan includes eating healthy and continuing my prenatal vitamin (both are givens due to b'feeding), gentle styling, and massaging castor oil weekly into my scalp.

I perused YouTube to find some inspiration with the castor oil:

Seems like folks are getting good results. Hopefully after a few weeks these patchy parts will fill in! Out are tightly pulled back buns and puffs.

Have any of you ever experienced hair loss due to pregnancy or other causes? If so, what have you done to remedy it?

Taking a Break: UPDATE!

2011-04-25T22:35:00.005-04:00

(photo taken in May; Hair: two strand twists done on blown out hair, lasted for about 5 weeks!)

Dear Naturally Leslie readers,

So after 7 lovely weeks with my baby boy, I returned to work today. It was tough. People tell you it is hard but you can't know until you experience it. Luckily, my son was being cared for by my husband who decided to take two weeks off. That made the transition back not so bad and I only called home a half a dozen times.

In terms of blog postings, I hope to get back in the swing of things at some point soon but I must request your patience as I get into this new routine. I am not one of those super bloggers who can have a baby, breastfeed, pump, take care of the little tot, and continue to post frequently without missing a beat. I need some time to adjust to this new phase and I am going to take it.

In the meantime, feel free to continue to comment as you wish as I will be able to moderate comments daily. Or, you can sit back and do nothing and just wait until I get back to posting! Either way, I appreciate your readership and support and I hope to return quickly. Also, you can email me topics you would like to see discussed here on Naturally Leslie in the future. I would rather do more posts about things than interest you but I need to know what those are! Send me an email to naturallyleslie@gmail.com.

Ok, off to bed. Take care and we'll see each other soon!

Love always,

Leslie

***********************************************************

UPDATE:

Hey there everybody! I apologize for being MIA for so long. Thank you for all your emails and comments in my absence. School just got out for the summer and I hope to get back to posting really soon. If you sent an email and it went unanswered, please accept my apologies and know that I did receive it. I have been somewhat "unplugged" if you will and have not done much related to the blog. Baby is almost 4 months ( on July 4) and I can say I feel pretty adjusted. We're still nursing about every 2-3 hrs around the clock so that is tough and part of the reason I have not braved adding anything else to my plate! I hope you continue to stick around and hopefully I can star posting again really soon. I appreciate all your support!

Hair After Braids...

2011-04-18T16:03:00.011-04:00

So...I took my box braids out a few weeks ago. They did not make it as long as I would have liked for two reasons. One, they were super heavy and I felt like I kept hitting my baby with them! I was constantly swinging them out of my face, so much so that I felt like vintage Cher. Two, the ends were cut very blunt and straight across. To me they looked like the ends of shoe laces when they lose that plastic tip. Not cute, imo. Alas, I spent the better part of two days undoing braids, in between baby feedings, changings, and naps.

After the take down, I washed my hair, conditioned and detangled. Before I got the braids, my regimen would then have me set my hair in two low buns to stretch and dry. But I decided to do two-strand twists on wet hair for a defined twist out instead.

Because I am dying to try some new products, but vowed to use up the old ones I have first, I pulled out my jar of Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding to set my twists.

I did medium twists all over, applying a generous dollop of product to each damp section. I only used my fingers to part but I used my denman to smooth. After twisting all the hair I poured a small amount of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in my hands and smoothed it over all the twists. I sealed each end with a tiny spot of shea butter.

I air-dried the rest of the day and that night. The next day, I took down each twist and voila!

Here I am a few days later with a bun (and the baby!) I retwisted the front few twists to redefine in case I wanted to wear it down again.

(Baby and I both LOOOOOVE our green Moby wrap)

What's Your Opinion: What's Next for Naturals?

2011-04-17T08:56:00.003-04:00

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I have been thinking about this for a long time and wanted to get your opinions. I don't know about you all but it seems to me that natural hair is becoming more mainstream. Granted, there is still a long way to go before natural becomes the "norm", but compared to even just 10 years ago, there is so much information and awareness out there. More than ever, women are coming to embrace their god-given locks with pride.

It also seems that every day there is another natural hair product business, website, forum, you tuber, blog, etc cropping up to support, promote, and educate about kinky and curly hair. Talk about info overload!

So my questions to you all are these: What is next for natural hair? What do you anticipate will be the big issues of the next 5-10 years in this movement? What do you want to see bloggers and You Tubers tackle on their pages and vids? What do you hope to see in the media? Are we at the point where we no longer need to celebrate ever next person who goes natural or are we still just getting started?

Your thoughts....

Black is Beautiful on Latina.com

2011-04-12T20:52:00.007-04:00

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This week at Latina.com, we're celebrating all of our beautiful different skin tones. Be sure to check in every day for a new beauty tip specifically tailored for our Afro-Latina chicas! ~Latina.com

If you're interested in celebrating the unique blended heritage that is both Afro and Latina, check out Latina.com's first ever Afro-Latina Beauty week features. The link above takes you to Monday's beauty tip. Click here for day two.

Suppresing the PJ. Shea Moisture Products...

2011-04-02T21:03:00.005-04:00

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Trying not to indulge my inner PJ, I have been looking-but-not-touching many different products I've seen around lately. One line that I really want to try is the Shea Moisture line. I really like what I have seen so far because the ingredients look good, the packaging is nice (not required but always a plus), and they smell great. My mom came to visit last weekend and she brought one of the products with her so I was able to get a "preview" if you will. Many times over the past week I have driven by Target and I literally had to talk myself out of going in to purchase them. I tell myself that I have a hodgepodge of products I need to finish up before I go out and spend money on more. Once I have done that, I am allowed to purchase the Shea Moisture line but not a moment before. Thank goodness there is no Walgreens around here since apparently they are having a BOGO sale as we speak and I might have broken down! Will power ain't easy!

So, in the meantime, I have been lurking online to check out reviews from other naturals who've tried it. I saw some here, here, and here. Most people seem the really like this line and have nice things to say. Of course we all know that each head is an individual and so I take everything I read with a grain of salt. That being said, the outlook seems promising.

Have you all tried these products? If so, tell me what you think and how you use them. Which of the different "flavors" would you suggest?

What's Your Opinion: Should the United States Be Bilingual?

2011-04-01T06:00:00.002-04:00

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I just read an interesting article over on Latina.com and wanted to get your opinions. Here is an excerpt:

"The latest Census results released last week tell us that 1 in 6 people in the U.S. is Latino, and that Latino kids number just over 17 million, or 23 percent of the 17-and-under U.S. population..."

“I just feel like there’s no excuse to not speak Spanish,” she (Odette Yustman) said. "It’s like Canada — they’ve got English and French — that’s what we need to do.”

"Odette tells us she also plans to pass down Spanish to her kids one day. “It’s important because living in the U.S. it’s so easy for kids to forget the language because you go to school and the kids speak English...“I was so fortunate because I learned Spanish first, so that was my first language....You just gotta carry that on, ya know?" (Click here to read the article in its entirety.)

I love Spanish. I learned to speak Spanish in school. I even majored in Romance Languages concentrating in Spanish as an undergrad. My husband was raised in South America and my son will hopefully be bilingual as well. All that being said, do I think we need to be officially blingual in this country? I don't know. I do know that many people feel the US is English speaking only and always should be.

So, after reading the article, this raises two questions in my mind:

1) Should all Americans learn Spanish, become bilingual and willingly adopt Spanish as our national language (in addition to English)?

and

2) Are you any less latino/a if you don't speak Spanish?

You may think this issue does not apply to you if you are not hispanic/latino(a) but I think A) if you live in the USA you are well aware of the growing Spanish-speaking population and B)whether it be race, gender, sexuality or HAIR, we can all relate to issues of identity and image. For example, question 2 could easily be replaced with "Are you any less Black if you don't wear your hair in its natural state" or some other like phrase.

So what do you all think?

Click here to read an older post about Black-Latino Identity.

You Tubetorial:Twisted Updo

2011-03-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

Today's You Tubetorial is a beautiful updo design by BeautifulBrwnBabyDol. Love her! Just goes to show the amazing styles that can be created with natural hair. I can see this with a sparkly comb or a pretty flower to dress it up for an even more formal look. Or, rock it as is for work or as an effortlessly cool weekend look. Either way, it's a great protective style that looks awesome. I would love to give this a try but so far I've only done flat twists in the front so we'll have to see. If I get up the guts to attempt this style I will post pics :-) If anybody else tries it, I would love to see your results.

Check it out!

Style Inspiration-Chrisette's Natural Weave

2011-03-28T23:54:00.003-04:00

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I will be honest and share that I have never seen a natural weave like this in person. At least I wasn't aware of it if I did! So when I saw this pic of Chrisette Michelle at an Essence event over the weekend, while I am not a fan of the color at all, I decided I really like the shape and look. It reminds me of a few day old twist out or something. What do you all think? Would you get a "natural" weave?

Parenting 101: To Spank or Not to Spank...

2011-03-26T12:12:00.003-04:00

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So this blog is in no way going to become solely a blog about babies or parenting. However, I am a new mom and I know many of you out there are mommies and daddies too! There are so many issues that arise when thinking about raising children and I would love to share them with you to get your input. From time to time I will be submitting topics for you all to weigh in on regarding parenting.

So, for this first Parenting 101 as this series will be called, I want to know how you all feel about spanking. I was spanked as a child by my dad but not by my mom. I think they disagreed on the act and once they divorced, I was never really spanked again. My only memory of being spanked was waaaaaaay back in the day when I was three years old. We were in Target (the old Target before they became cool and hip again, lol) and I was begging my mom to "up me" or pick me up. My dad was not happy with my behavior because apparently I kept begging and begging, going from whining to an all-out temper tantrum. Well, what is the big deal, you may ask. For starters, my mom was about 8 months pregnant with my little brother so "upping me" was not an option. In addition, I guess I was told to stop and I didn't. So my dad spanked me. Right there in Target. With a belt from the belt section! :-(

Of course then there were the times I spent with my paternal grandmother who believed in sending children to get their own switches to "tear up those legs"! She never hurt us, but liked to be able to remind us from time to time about not getting out of line.

On the one hand, I was more careful around those people who I knew would take to my behind if I started feeling myself too hard and I watched my behavior. I knew the limits and I was diligent about not crossing them. However, I might have responded just as well to really structured time out or other non-corporal punishments.

So, my question to you all is, what do you think about spanking? Are you a "spare the rod, spoil the child" kind of person or do you disagree with the practice? What were your experiences with it and do you think it helped you as a child? Is this an appropriate way to manage behavior in children? Weigh in!

***Oh, and as a friendly reminder, topics like this can get heated and we won't all agree so please stay respectful or both this forum and each other. :-)

You Tubetorial: Vintage Hair

2011-03-23T03:14:00.002-04:00

Check out Curlychronicles' vintage do for natural hair:

Update on Baby & Braids

2011-03-18T22:56:00.003-04:00

Baby boy chillin in his favorite position!

So today marks 2 weeks since I gave birth. Time flies for real! My baby is growing really well according to his doctors so I feel very blessed. Breastfeeding did not go as I planned but luckily I am able to pump so he is getting my milk anyway. I am not as exhausted as I thought I would be even though little man eats every 3 hours like clockwork. He has the most delightful temperament, only crying when he's wet or hungry, but otherwise not fussy. He is not colicky at all, thank heavens! When he is not eating or sleeping, he loves looking around at his world and from time to time we lock gazes and it makes me melt! I stare at him all day and thank God for this little miracle.

In other news, the braids are now 3 weeks old. The upside has been that I have not had to worry about my hair in the least! I have only had time to wash it once, hopefully tomorrow will lend me some time for wash number two, and every night I sleep on a satin pillow case. The downside is that I miss my hair! Also, they are starting to get a little fuzzy at the crown because I do not tie them up with any kind of scarf so, while the satin pillowcase minimizes rubbing, there is still some friction while I sleep (read: nap intermittently). I don't know how much longer I will keep them in because they are heavy and are hard to put up. I find that the synthetic hair itches my neck and it takes a lot of work to keep the hair out of my face when they're down. All in all, it was money well spent because it got me through the labor and delivery and allowed me to transition into motherhood without worrying about my hair!

So that is the latest with me. I hope all of you are well! Have a great weekend and we'll see you next week. :-)

Health & Fitness: Finding a Routine

2011-03-18T06:00:00.000-04:00

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I used to be a workout fiend before I got pregnant. I was going to my gym almost every day doing cardio and weight training classes. I loved the feeling of sweating out fat and toxins and I had a decent figure to show for it.

Then came first trimester morning sickness to knock me off my feet and keep me planted horizontally on my couch. Next was second semester exhaustion that made it barely doable to get through the work day. I rarely made it to my gym and when I did, I was not able to do all the exercises I once enjoyed. Instead of walking on the treadmill or making some other kind of reasonable adjustment, I just stopped altogether. I tried to walk around my neighborhood but once it got cold outside and darkness came earlier in the evening, I gave that up too.

So, that left me with a whopping 60 pound weight gain (eek!) during this pregnancy. Now, I am dying for my 6 week post-partum check up so I can begin working out again. Not only do I feel like a foreigner in this much bigger body, I miss the interaction of the classes and the elevated mood I would always feel after. I just want that "healthy" feeling again!

There are so many benefits to working out regularly and one article talks about how starting a good routine in your 20's will have you reaping the benefits of good health and less weight gain for decades to come.

Here's a snippet:

If you think you don't need to work out just because you're slim and trim at 25, think again. A new study shows that people who start a regular fitness regimen in their 20s and stick with it into their 30s and 40s experience less middle age spread.

The study, published in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that starting exercise early in life is especially good for women. Women who maintain a high intensity, regular fitness routine from their 20s onward gain 13 fewer pounds than women who are inactive or who are inconsistent in their exercise routines. (excerpt from aolhealth.com)

Click here to keep reading.

Cool huh? So. My question to all of you is, what types of exercises to you regularly engage in? Do you have a regimen that you see yourself sticking to for the next decades of your life?

Want to know another health benefit of working out? Just click here.

Reader Question: Style Help for Dry Hair, Damaged Hairline

2011-03-17T06:00:00.001-04:00

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I received the email below from one 14 year-old Naturally Leslie reader:

Hi Naturally Leslie,

I am a huge fan of your blog and love reading your
post. I am currently fourteen and have been natural for a long
time,almost all my life. Only recently have I really begun to care for
my hair. It has been difficult lately because my mother is a
hairbraider and aften braids my hair in weave(usually kinky twist) so
I don't really have much time to control my hair. Although I do wash
it and try to moisturize I am having difficulties moisturizing and
finding styling options. My hair is really fine and since I've worn
braids for a long time my hairline is severely damaged. I don't know
how to style it because of my hairline dilema or what products to use
to moisturize. I'm thinking about purchasing aussie moist for my hair
as a conditioner and leave in conditioner would this be a good idea? I
would love it if you could possible help me find some suitable
hairstyles and product.

Thank you very much.

I know so many of you here know a ton about how to have healthy natural hair so please weigh in and leave you advice in the comments section!

To learn more about dealing with the issue of hair thinning, click here.

What's Your Opinion: My Honey Child Products?

2011-03-16T06:00:00.001-04:00

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I received a request via my Facebook page regarding My Honey Child natural hair products. I have never tried this line and therefore have no idea what the products are like. So, I thought I would turn it over to you. Has anyone tried anything from this line? If so, what is your opinion? Would you buy again or recommend to a fellow natural? Help us out!

Natural Recipe {Skin & Hair}: Homemade Scrub & Hair Mask

2011-03-15T06:00:00.003-04:00

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Today natural recipe comes from one Naturally Leslie reader and features two delightful mixes. One is for skin and the second is for hair. If you try them out, shoot me an email (naturallyleslie@gmail.com) and tell me about your experience!

Olive Oil/Sugar Exfoliating Mix
Ingredients Needed:

Sugar, EVOO or other oil

Directions:

1. Mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar with about 1/4 cup of natural extra virgin olive oil or if you prefer another type of natural oil that is fine too.

2. Apply to face or skin and let it stand for 15-20 minutes.

3. Rinse with cool water.

Moisturizing Hair Mask

Ingredients Needed:

Raw Honey, Buttermilk, olive oil

Directions:
1. Mix raw pure natural honey, buttermilk, olive oil.

2. Put it on your hair...let it sit.

3. Rinse

You Tubetorial: Quick Natural Hair Style

2011-03-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

A hair 'refresher' for old twist-outs or braid-outs by blakealexis...

Natural Recipe {Skin}: Homemade Lip Balm

2011-03-10T06:00:00.002-05:00

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Today's natural recipe feature comes from YouTube's DearNaptural85 (click to see her hair channel, Naptural85.) In this video, she is making two flavors of her homemade lip balm.

I chose this video because I really love all the effort she puts in to creating her own all natural products at home. Her recipe vids are super easy to follow and yield amazing stuff without all the chemicals.

Check it out HERE!

Do you make your own lip balms? If you have a recipe and want to share, click the Write for Naturally Leslie tab at the top and submit your recipe using the guidelines provided!

Updates on Motherhood...

2011-03-06T05:34:00.011-05:00

Hello everyone! Over the weekend I officially became a mother! I cannot describe what an amazing journey the last three days have been and I know it will only get better. I am so happy and blessed to have a healthy, beautiful, perfect little boy. He arrived Friday afternoon at 3:48pm, weighing in at 6lbs 10oz, and just at 19 inches long.

I labored from Wednesday night at 7:10pm, making two trips to the hospital over the next day before being admitted on the third trip on Thursday night. I had never heard of prodromal labor before but I was having pretty regular and painful contractions that were not helping me advance through labor. So basically it felt like labor but technically wasn't because it was not helping me dilate. It was not until Thursday night around 11pm that I was considered in actual "real" labor by the doctor. Madness!

Long story short, by the time I was admitted I was exhausted and the pain had increased to a point where I decided to get an epidural. Turned out to be the right decision for me even though I had not originally planned for it. One thing I learned through this whole process was just how quickly the best laid plans can change and you have to adapt to the situation at hand. I don't feel guilty or disappointed at all and I am grateful the option was available. I really think it helped me be present through what turned out to be a somewhat difficult delivery considering baby was turned sunny-side up and endured a bit of stress to his heart.

After the epidural, according to my husband, I became human again! I labored and slept in peace for a few hours until it was time to push. I pushed for about an hour and a half beginning around 2:00pm. Immediately after I began pushing, the doctor commented on all the hair she saw! He had like 3 inches of shiny black hair and it was amazing to see! Unfortunately like I mentioned above, he was in a bit of distress because he was face up and struggling to pass through my pelvis. In the end, I was able to deliver without needing a c-section but I was not able to hold him immediately. Two specialists and a crew of amazing nurses came in and took care of him, watching his heart rate and his head which was squeezed pretty badly. After about fifteen minutes, I was told all was fine with my son. I was able to hold my little bundle and it was the best moment of relief and love. Everybody thinks their kid is perfect and I have proven to be no different!

Hanging with daddy

All the nurses and doctors at my hospital were beyond amazing to me, my husband, and our son. They took such good care of all three of us and helped us adjust to this new life as parents. I left feeling confident and prepared for the next phase and by Saturday evening they told us we could leave the next day when we felt comfortable.

Supplementing with mommy

The ride home!

We got home later the next morning to begin our new lives as a threesome and it has been worth the wait. To all the parents out there, I appreciate your advice so feel free to continue to share. Thank you to all my readers for your continued support and encouragement. I <3>

Baby Is On The Way!

2011-03-03T01:28:00.004-05:00

Me and the belly in quieter, gentler moments...

Hi everybody! Just wanted to drop a quick note to say I am officially in labor, contractions began at around 7:30 and are now 6 minutes apart. I am still at home and doing fine. This is definitely not what I expected but I am actually enjoying the experience, as painful as it has been and will surely be in the hours to come. Thanks for all your support and comments. I don't know when I will post again or get to moderate comments so thank you for your patience!

New Product Alert: Whoop Ash Body Butter Cream

2011-03-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

Created by Will Smith's first wife, Sheree Fletcher, the totally organic cream is chock full of hydrating white honey, mango and shea butter--a luscious combination that keeps dry, flaky skin moisturized from sunup to sundown. ~Essence.com

I saw this over on Essence and had to ask- would you buy this product?

Reading the description, it sounds heavenly with shea butter and honey as two of its main ingredients and it's apparently organic. I just wonder what it smells and feels like. Scent is a huge factor to me when it comes to buying new skin or hair products. The price is also a factor and at $19.95 for an 8oz jar, this would really have to make my skin feel amazing. However, in my opinion, the packaging leaves a bit to be desired. Something about it reminds me of the Let's Jam hair glaze I used to use back in middle school!

So weigh in. What requirements do you have when it comes to purchasing new products for skin and hair. Would you give Whoop Ash a try?

What's Your Opinion: For Ladies Only?

2011-03-01T06:00:00.004-05:00

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I got this comment on one of my older Fresh-Squeezed Fotki Juice posts and wanted your opinions.

"A guy...really, I thought this was about us!" ~Anonymous

This site is not just about natural hair but it is definitely one of the main focal points. I never thought about it being created for one sex, race, age, whatever but I realize there are a lot of people that like online communities for women only, especially when it comes to stuff about beauty.

So I want to know what you all think. Should sites like this be for women only? What do you think about men that want to participate or even be featured?

Braids & Countdown to D-Day!

2011-02-28T06:00:00.005-05:00

Hey guys! I am 2 weeks away from delivery of my little man and I can't wait! Nesting is in full effect and I think we finally got everything in place. Yesterday was unseasonably warm and I enjoyed sitting outside in the sun with the hubby. It's amazing how a little bit of sunshine can brighten your mood and lift your spirits. Spring is definitely on its way!

So on to the hair....

I finally got my hair braided and I am thrilled! Last weekend I remember thinking "I can't do this wash, condition, detangle, twist thing another time!" Luckily, on Saturday I had the pleasure of meeting a really nice young lady who was recommended to me by a co-worker to braid my hair. It took around 12 hours (gasp!) and about 10 pack of hair! I used Kenekelon hair in the color 1B. The price was super reasonable as compared to a braid shop I went to inquiring about prices. One lady took one look at my hair (in a poofy old stretched twist-out) and said "Is that all your hair? Yeah, we're looking at no less than $250." What?!?!?!?!?! Um, no thanks.

So here's how the process went:

Prepping the Hair: I washed and conditioned my hair, applied a creamy leave-in, then put in 10 large twists to dry overnight on Friday. Saturday morning, I got up and took each twist down. I added a little bit of coconut oil and I sprayed a heat protectant. I blew each twisted section out on medium heat. My hair was soft and fluffy and ready to be braided.

Halfway Done: We were about 3 or 4 hours in at this point. The extensions felt super heavy because they hair was really long, like waist-length. It made me think about all the gals out there with waist-length hair goals. I can't imagine having hair that long for real! I think my slightly below BSL is just fine for me!

The final look: So like 12 hours from beginning this was the final product. I was so tired from sitting (although I took many breaks for snacks, bathroom, and stretching). We boiled a pot of water to dip the ends in and that made them super straight and shiny. Now, they can stay loose without unraveling.

I'm not used to having this much hair on my head so I am warming up to the fullness of it. We cut them a few inches so the back is about BSL and the front is a little shorter than that.

I look so tired! But it was worth it :-)

Sleeping, Showering & The Next Day: I pulled the braids low with a large elastic- the regular ones were too small- and I slept on a satin pillow case. It was a little bit uncomfortable but I think it will loosen up over the next few days and sleeping will be easy breezy. Today before I showered, I used one large shower cap and tucked the ponytail under and inside the cap. I had to pull the cap low to cover the bulk of the ponytail so it left the top portion of my hair uncovered. I took a second large plastic cap and put it over the front. So yeah, I double bagged it. Worked just fine!

Sunday, I went to Target to pick up some household items and I grabbed a pack of mini clips in black, brown, and clear. I used a few to pull back the braids away from my face.

Overall, I am very pleased with how they look and feel and the price could not have been beat. I plan to keep them in for about 2 months but we'll see how they look overtime. I purchased two products to use on them in addition to some diluted shampoo for my scalp that I already have. The first product is Elasta QC Feels Like Silk Leave-In H2 Moisture Sealing Conditioner. The second is Fantasia IC Herbal/Vitamin Braid Sheen Spray. I will be using these after I wash weekly or bi-weekly, depending on how my scalp does, as my strengthener and moisturizer.

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So that's it! I'll try to post updates as they age, depending on how much little man let's me sneak away to the Mac!

The Oscars 2011!

2011-02-27T19:02:00.005-05:00

Award season is in full swing and tonight is promising to be a great one! I love everything about the Oscars-the glitz, the glamour, the fashion! Here are some of my favorites from the red carpet so far tonight ....

Halle Berry (OMG I am LOVING this dress. Stunning!)

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Jennifer Hudson

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Mandy Moore

Michelle Williams

Mila Kunis

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Natural Hair Highlights at the Bronner Bros. Show

2011-02-25T06:52:00.002-05:00

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CNN features a story about natural hair at the Bronner Bro.s show in ATL...

Atlanta, Georgia -- There were plenty of Crayola-colored wigs and long, silky extensions displayed at the 64th annual Bronner Bros. International Hair Show, which drew more than 60,000 stylists, hair enthusiasts and exhibitors who work with black hair this past weekend.

Yet against the backdrop of energetic hip-hop music and among the booths stocked with glossy tubs of chemical relaxers, some black women went back to basics: They wore their own natural hair. ( excerpt from www.cnn.com)

To continue reading this story, click here.

You Tubetorial:How To Bantu Knot Out Natural Hair Style

2011-02-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

Check out Naptural85's vid on how she bantu knots her beautiful natural hair.

Fresh-Squeezed Fotki Juice: DimpledCurlyGirlie

2011-02-21T06:00:00.002-05:00

{Fotki Name: DimpledCurlyGirlie}

How long have you been natural?

I am currently a new natural and just recently bc'd on Feb 4, 2011, so that makes me natural for about two weeks (short time, I know lol but I'm soo happy). I transitioned for a year and 4 months so I'm 16 months post relaxer :).

What's your regimen for styling and maintenance?

Well as for now I need to update my regimen; since I've been natural I haven't decided what I should change from my first regimen (transitioning).During my transition I washed my hair weekly followed by deep conditioning, detangling, moisturizing,and sealing with oil. I mostly wore braidouts; I believe it helped keep my hair moisturized and in good shape; also twistouts but I tried lots of styles. I'm considering washing my hair twice a week with sulfate-free shampoo, and once a month with sulfate, followed by deep conditioning, etc. I've been wearing wash-n-go styles so far but plan to do a braidout pretty soon as well as a bantu knot out; I think those will be my staple styles. But so far I love my wash-n-gos.

What products do you use?

Shampoos: Renpure Organics I Love My Hair, Cantu-SheaButter cream shampoo(sulfate)

Conditioner: Herbal Essences Hello Hydration(I actually like this as a leave-in/detangler) and VO5 for co-wash

Leave-in: Kinky Curly Knot Today as well as HEHH

Deep Conditioner: 10 en 1, and Hair Mayo(protein)

Oil: Olive Oil

Stylers: Eco-styler gel, and KCCC

What are your favorite styles and how do you achieve them?

My favorite styles are the classic updo, braid/twist outs, and the signature wash-n-go. For the updo I start out with a braid out then section my hair off in three sections(one in the back,one towards middle/front, and one small section in the front).I then braid the back section going upwards into a french braid then brush up the middle section and connect it with the back section and put it into a bun or finish braid upwards, then lastly put the front section slanted to one side into a big curly poof and pin it (similar to J.Monae). For my braid/twist outs I simply moisturize and detangle my hair and put my hair into about six braids or twists and unravel the next day. I do my wash-n-gos by washing and conditioning then adding oil and eco stlyler and let it air dry. I plan on using my KCCC pretty soon!

Is there anything else you want Naturally Leslie readers to know about your natural hair journey?

I truly enjoyed transitioning and simply love my fully natural hair! I have so much I can do with it that I don't know where to begin. It has been so much fun experiencing with and since I cut my hair it seems like it already grew even more (crazy lol, of course in a good way)! If you really want to experience going natural just go for it; there's nothing to lose. I've received lots of compliments on my hair since my bc and even during my transition; some people even asked if I had any chemicals in my hair to make it the way it is. Sometimes my little sisters joke about my hair, calling it a chia-pet lol remember those (looney tunes were my fav). But I must say I wouldn't change a thing.

Thanks so much Leslie, as well as NaturallyLeslie readers. I love your blog!

Thanks for sharing! To see more of DimpledCurlyGirlie, click here.

If you have an awesome fotki you want to share, click here to read submission guidelines!

Essence Features Natural Hair at NY's Fashion Week 2011

2011-02-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

Check out just some of the lovely natural heads spotted at this years New York Fashion Week. Simply haute! Click here to see more styles from Essence.

All images are from Essence.com

Natural Recipe {Hair}: Shea Coco Mix

2011-02-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

Image Credit

Naturally Leslie reader Trinette sent over this recipe that she loves for her natural hair and I wanted to share with you. Check it out!

Hi-

Here is a recipe that I use on my hair. I like to alternate styling creams and gel.

Sheacoco Mix

You will need:

Shea Butter

Aloe vera gel (liquid)

Coconut Oil

Take shea butter and place in a container (small one is good) heat for 30 seconds to melt the butter(this will make it more soft to stir, not a runny liquid)

Then pour in aloe vera gel (liquid only, I use the aloe vera gel from the website from nature with love), you may find yourself using more aloe than butter. Then pour in (be discreet) coconut oil until a creamy consistency. Then place top on container and let it cool and solidify (this will be very creamy) and apply to hair after shampooing. No need for a leave in condish! The aloe vera, shea butter, coconut oil, is all you need to condish, moisturize, and seal. This left my hair very soft!!! I do not measure I just use my best judgement. For example I may take a regular spoon (use to eat cereal) and scoop out butter, then pour a little of aloe to mix in(like I said you may find yourself using more, because this is your leave in condish!), then add coconut oil.

Mix all together and apply to hair after washing out conditioner. Do twist, braid out, etc.. your hair will be so soft and moisturized. Aloe is a moisturizer for hair. I don't like using this alone, my hair does not like it, but mixed with this recipe my hair loves it!!!

Thanks

Trinette Smith

Thank YOU Trinette!

If you have a homemade recipe for skin or hair that you would like to share with other Naturally Leslie readers, please email me at naturallyleslie@gmail.com and put Natural Recipe in the subject line.

You Tubetorial: Two Strand Twist Style

2011-02-15T06:00:00.002-05:00

A lovely flat twist-two strand twist updo from You Tube's PrettyDimples01.

The 2011 Grammy Awards

2011-02-13T21:31:00.009-05:00

Big Winner: Esperanza Spalding shows off herGrammy for Best New Artistin the press room at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on February 13 in Los Angeles.- Latina.com

Esperanza upsets Bieber!!!!

Rising jazz star Esperanza Spalding was named best new artist at the 53rd Grammy Awards, besting a group of more mainstream and well-known artists. Spalding, who in 2010 released her third album, “Chamber Music Society,” has rapidly become something of a crossover star in the jazz community, having performed at the White House as well as at major pop festivals such as Austin City Limits. Source

My favorite look so far...... The SMITH Family!

Photo Credit

Check Jada's mane! Get it girrrrrrl. ;-)

Photo Credit

Under Construction....

2011-02-10T22:08:00.002-05:00

So....as I near my due date, I'm officially 9 months today, I am getting antsy. As you can see, I've been messing with the blog and I'm not done yet. Please excuse my mess as I tinker around. I hope to find something I'm pleased with soon but don't be surprised if things change here and there. Please keep visiting, reading, commenting. Thanks!

Lovely Natural Bride: Besangie

2011-02-08T21:59:00.014-05:00

NL: Tell us about your wedding day look (attire, decor, hair)

B: The idea for our wedding was fun. We wanted bright vibrant colors that radiated how excited we were to get married. The base color was orange, however everything else was random and beautiful. The mothers chose their own dresses. My mother wore a beautiful pink dress with high collar and belt, and my mother-in-law wore a couture green one-shoulder dress with flowers and side split.

Bride Besangie with her mother

The guys wore gray tuxes with orange ties. The florist knocked it out the park with multi-color gladiolas and roses, and orange and yellow calla lilies at the ceremony and reception. I even had my shoes airbrushed the color of the bridesmaids dresses (with our names and the wedding date on the back!).

I had my dress made in Pittsburgh. I wanted dupioni silk, pockets, and a simple but classic design (that didn't make me look like a sex kitten or cinderella). While in the stores, dupioni silk was extra expensive, I found a seamstress that could buy the fabric and make the dress for a reasonable fee. The woman did an outstanding job for $600, and the shoulder had potato pearls and swarovski crystals. It took about 6 months to make, but worth it.

My hair was a whole 'nother story! I am natural, so I had a ton of options but each had a "worst case scenario". A press was ruled out because I like to dance and when I dance I sweat. A lot. So that just would have been a waste of money. I could have done two strand twists, but I wear those on a regular basis, and wanted something different. Cornrows were out of the question as I didn't think they were formal enough. A nicely sculpted twist-out could have been done, but I wasn't sure I wanted to wear that either as I often rock the twist out. Also, with the sweat, I wasn't sure what my twist-out hair would do and I didn't want any surprises. I have never worn weave, and I didn't want to start then, so that was out too. I finally decided on the flat twists (the single roll, not two strand). I wanted my hair up, so I told my stylist. For my consultation, I brought the hair accessory I found at Clair's for about $5 and the veil I made out of mesh fabric, 2 hair combs and hot glue. It all worked out! The day was beautiful, and we had tons of fun! My dress stayed on, my hair was in place, and I danced til I was sweaty and my feet hurt!

NL: Have you always been natural? Tell me about your hair history.

B: The best way to tell this story is by age...
0-16: Natural
-My mom was natural, and my friends either were natural or had presses so in my mind it wasn't a huge deal to be natural. My mom and I went to the salon together (if she didn't do mine at home), and we had a good time watching movies together and learning about hair.

16-22: Cut it short, permed
-I was ready to do something different and wear it straight and short. So I went to the salon after talking with my mom (who lovingly told me, "its just hair babe, do what you want.") and cut it off. The style was flattering and I sometimes let it grow out to a bob. The maintenance was tough, my scalp got burnt, but I thought it was worth it for the look. Also, during college I didn't really want to transition to natural, as it seemed like a lot of work. I learned that my hair wasn't really strong enough for relaxers so I often had breakage, even though it looked healthy.

22-26: did a big chop, back to natural
-I cut off my relaxed hair my first year of graduate school. I figured I would be there for 5 years, so this was the time to do it. I grew it out for about 3 months, and then went to a salon and had him cut it off. It was a little shocking to see just my head with no hair, so he gave me tiny comb twists for free to make me leave (as I was glued to the chair from shock about what to do next). It grew out and I loved it. I wore two strand twists, cornrows, flat twists, the twist out, presses, and afro-puffs. Then one day I went for a trim, and she cut it too low...

26-28: cut it short, permed
-After the bad trim, I said to myself, "since it is as short as when I first cut it off 4 years ago, I might as well get a relaxer and wear my short style again". I wore the style and loved it again for another 2 years. During that time, I became more aware of the chemical issues of relaxers and how they really were unhealthy. I started reading the labels of products and paying attention to when my hair would break off. I tried to maintain it for as long as I could until it just got to be too much work. I wanted my natural hair back.

28-30: did a big chop, back to natural
-I had recently moved to Pittsburgh and decided it would be a good time to cut my hair off again after being there only 4 months. The stress of moving had caused major breakage to my lovely relaxed quaff, and I was trying to refine my budget. I decided I didn't want to go to the salon every 6 weeks. Not that natural hair doesn't need salon care, but I didn't want to have to be dependent on salon care. I went to my stylist who was caring for my relaxed hair and had her cut it all off. Again. She gave me a cool afro that she left long at the top and shorter on the sides. I have been growing it out natural ever since!

NL: What styles do you typically wear now? What is your routine?

B: I usually wear two-strand twists or twist-outs. I love the soft look that they give and the versatility with the styles. On occasion, I will go and have it two-strand flat twisted as well. My routine is pretty simple: I wash it every 1-2 weeks (usually closer to 2) with Aubrey's Organics shampoo and conditioner (I really like the White Cameillia). While it's still wet, I spray on Talia Waajid Mist Bodifier along with raw unrefined coconut oil, unrefined sweet almond oil, and raw shea butter. Depending on how I feel, I will either twist it, dry it into an afro, or put it in balls so that it can dry and I can style it later. I also use curlformers from time to time, but the look never lasts. Every 3-4 months, I trim my hair by two strand twisting it very small and dusting off the ends. I used to get it pressed to get a trim, but the press would frizz after going to the gym, and even worse, some parts would stay straight even after I washed my hair a few times, making it hard to twist.

NL: What does you hubby think of your hair? How did he feel about the style you chose for your wedding day?

B: When I did the first big chop to being natural, he was a little worried and was rooting for it to grow out. After about 3 months, he could feel how soft it was and see how fast it was growing and he became natural hair's biggest fan. When I returned to permed hair, he liked it because it was very flattering and more of what he saw on other women/the norm, but he agreed it wasn't as soft and healthy. When I did my second big chop, he was all for it! Now he loves my hair, and often says he is going to learn to twist so he can play in it. He is learning more about healthy living and realizing that relaxers are full of harmful chemicals, so he is all the way in with the natural hair.
As for my wedding style, he loved it. It was different than what I normally wear, and I didn't have to mess with it/be in a mirror all the time. He could touch it freely and it was out of my face (which he likes), so it was perfect!!

NL: What is the best thing about being natural?

B: The cost and the freedom! I love being able to do my own hair from start to finish, and not have to worry about whether or not my stylist is available or if I can get to the shop! I know my hair is healthier, and I enjoy changing it up. Also, I love having my mom do my hair again like when I was a kid! She gives the BEST scalp massages.

NL: Is there anything else you would like to share with Naturally Leslie readers?

B: Hmmm...I am feeling inspirational, so here it goes. Give yourself a chance to see yourself. Cut off your hair, wear the two-piece swimsuit, go without make-up. Discover the beauty of your baseline before you decide to cover it up. Everyone is different, so don't compare your hair (or any other) journey with someone elses. Be the lovely person you are. Be physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally healthy so you can be confident in what God gave you, and work it!!

Looks like it was a glorious occasion. Thank you Besangie for sharing your day with us!

For those of you out there planning your own nuptials, check out Besangie's blog Guerilla Brides for cool tips!

A Birth Story: Afrikan Latina

2011-02-07T17:49:00.004-05:00

Image Credit

This image is not from the reader mentioned below. Just a lovely mother-baby bonding moment I found online.

After this post from a few weeks ago, I received the following email and wanted to share with all of you. As I inch near my due date, March 10th, I have been trying to mentally prepare myself for the transformation that lies ahead. I went to the doctor last Friday and I am already 1 centimeter dilated and 60% effaced! So baby boy is well on his way to arrival and I expect him to make his debut within the next few weeks.

In my family there are three kids. It is a tradition that on our birthdays, somewhere after dinner and during the cake and ice cream, my mom tells the birth story. Each year she recounts the day she had us, depending on whose birthday it is. We all know each story by heart but we love hearing it again nonetheless. It is a tradition I hope to pass down to my little one and I hope I capture it as vividly as my mom always does!

This reader's birth story is so beautiful and encourages me as I gear up for the big day. I am so grateful that she shared it with me and has allowed me to share it with all of you. If anybody else has a birth story they would like to share here, please send it to me and I will post. You can also include a pic of your little one if you'd like! Thanks Afrikan Latina!

Enjoy...

Hi Leslie,

I first want to say congratulations on the new baby you and hubby will soon be welcoming into this world.I had a homebirth that was attended by 2 midwives and my husband. There were supposed to be 3 midwives but the 3rd made it right after our son was born. :) Anyway, I am a huge advocate for homebirth, breastfeeding, cloth diapering...lol all that good stuff and love talking about pregnancy (we are currently expecting our 2nd child in May) and birth and all things babies so if there are any questions that you might want to ask please feel free. I'm also seriously thinking about getting certified as a doula. Anyway, here is my birth story. :)

BIRTH STORY

I went to bed on Wednesday not feeling any different than I had felt in previous days. The spotting had stopped and I had reconciled that our little one was on his own time and any superstition that may have applied before went out the window. I woke up at 4:40am with what I thought could’ve just been some cramping but noticed that it was a pain that wasn’t constant. It came and went, came and went, and after a few of these I started to time them. They were about 7 minutes apart. I decide that maybe NOW would be a good time to take a shower because they definitely weren’t cramps and within the next however many hours we would have a baby!! The shower felt heavenly and I figured that I would be able to endure for a while before we needed to call our midwife. After getting out the shower I wake my snoozing hunny and let him know that I am having contractions. He gets up and starts to rub my back which worked wonders. The constant pressure on my lower back was nice. I call my sister and let her know that I am having what I think are contractions because I wanted at least one person in my family to know that our baby would be here soon. My hunny jumped in the shower so he could wash out the tub for me to labor in. Our tub is big enough that I didn’t find it necessary to rent one or buy a pool.

The contractions are still coming and my sister calls back around 6:20am to see how I’m doing. She asked how far apart my contractions were and I tell her 5 minutes. She’s like, “You should probably go ahead and call your midwife.” I hear her husband in the back ground say, “5 minutes!!!!” So my hunny calls one of our midwives who says she’s on the way. While we wait for her to arrive I am laboring both in the bed and on the toilet. That toilet was working wonders!! My babe is rubbing my back constantly. Cortney(one of our midwives) finally arrives and asks me the usual questions. She listens to the babys heartbeat and begins to time several of my contractions to see if they are constant because they began to become irregular going from 7 minutes, to 5 minutes, to 3 minutes. After she timed a few contractions I decided that it was time to get my butt in the water. The contractions instantly felt better after I got in the water. After being in the bathtub for quite some time my hunny comes in with the camcorder and ONLY because the contractions aren’t kicking my butt do I let him film me. So Cortney listens to the babys heartbeat again while I’m in the water and he’s still doing well. She sits on the bathroom floor and times some more contractions. I’ve avoided having her check to see how far dilated I am up until this point because I didn’t want to be disappointed if I was still in the same place an hour later.

After I get out the tub I’m again laboring back and forth between the toilet and our bed. I found that leaning over the side of the bed and having my hunny rub my back felt good. I was starting to feel quite tired and I hadn’t even done much work in the sense that it hadn’t been a hard labor. I wanted to try to lay down in the bed and labor but it didn’t feel comfortable at all. So more time passes and the contractions are getting closer together and more intense. We decide its finally time to check to see how dilated I am. This was pretty damn uncomfortable to say the least and caused the one of the WORST contractions that I had. She says, “You’re 5cm dilated.” I say, “YES!” and raise my hand to the maternal GODDESSES watching over me. I had no way of knowing how fast I would get to 10cm but 5cm sure sounded nice right then.

Within the hour it was time to migrate to the bed in our guest bedroom where all the stuff was setup. Cortney had previously told me to let her know when it felt like I had to poop but couldn’t and I’ll be damned if that’s not exactly what it felt like. I was back in the water when that urge to poop hit me so I lifted my butt up and leaned over the side of the tub. I said, “Baby go tell Cortney I feel like I have to go the bathroom.” She comes in and smiles and tells me I can get out of the tub after the current contraction stops. I get out of the tub and go to our bed where I have another contraction before going to the guest room.

Here is where the magic happens!! Lol I continue to get hit with contractions and still feel like I have to poop. My water has yet to break and I’m pushing. First push, my water bag makes an appearance. Second push, my water bag makes an even bigger appearance and you can see the baby as well. Third push, my water bag bursts (it got on my hunny) and out comes our baby’s head. With one more immediate push my baby is here and his cry was music to my ears. He was born at 11:07 weighing 6lbs 3 oz. and measuring at 19 inches.

I went from 5cm to 10cm within a hour! (Apparently that’s not expected of a first timer) I went through the motions of labor as if I were on my second child according to all 3 of my midwives. The 3rd midwife to arrive who was actually the “main” midwife got to our house as soon as Taj made his appearance. She was in awe. They didn’t expect that I would deliver so quickly. My perineum stayed in tact. YES!! I did have 2 small labia tears but no stitching or anything was necessary. They are healing nicely. Our baby is growing beautifully. Mommy and Daddy are beaming with excitement!!

Tress Tools: Scented Denman Anyone?

2011-02-04T17:18:00.004-05:00

I saw these at urbanoutfitters.com and wondered if anybody has tried them. I have a traditional black and red denman brush and I like it for certain things. I can't imagine using one that smells like coconut or any other fruity "flavor" for that matter. What do you guys think?

Lemon

Grape

Strawberry
Check out familygoingnatural's review below:

Throwback Inspiration: Pam Grier

2011-02-04T06:59:00.003-05:00

Photo Credit

Actress Pam Grier set hearts racing in the ’70s with a string of bosomy blaxploitation flicks like “Foxy Brown” and “Coffy.” At 61, Grier is hotter than ever.~Essence.com

Pam Grier is on Oprah this week. I have not seen the episode yet because I always DVR them since I usually don't arrive home until a bit after it starts. When I hear the name Pam Grier I immediatly think iconic beauty, all the men talk about her (lol), and just BAD!

Here is a stunning older shot that captures why...

Brandy's All American Girl

2011-01-31T20:51:00.007-05:00

"BRANDY NORWOOD BOUGHT HER DAUGHTER A BLACK DOLL FROM THE AMERICAN GIRL STORE . . . BUT WHY THE DOLL'S HAIR LOOK LIKE THAT???"- Actual Media Takeout Headline

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I spotted this pic of Brandy with an American Girl doll in her hands. I thought the doll was cute and I liked the fact that the hair was not bone straight like most dolls. It kinda looks like my hair when I've blown it out a bit. However, to be honest, I really wanted to get a better look to see if Brandy was still rocking her braids so I kept scrolling down. There was only one other pic ( a close-up of the doll) but then I came across the thread of comments left below. It wasn't until then that I actually read the headline. I can't say that I was especially shocked but some of the comments just reeked of ignorance, in my opinion. Here were a few...

"American Girl is supposed to be a HIGH END doll company. They can't be putting out RATCHETNESS for our children . . ."

"Looks like its from Brandy's wig line!! And its a hot mess. Lets just pray Brandy aint DRIVE to the store!"

"MTO...really? Stfu w/ this nonsense. Its a black doll. The texture of the doll's hair is representative of what most of us black women hair is like. At least the doll's hair isn't a nappy fro. Gtfoh. MTO racist as hell with all these race driven stories."

"A lot of those dolls are old fashioned... That's kinda why I like them... But so many black women fry and dye their hair out... This is what our hair would look like if we kept shyt out of it... Long, coarse, and thick..."

"So a doll with the hair texture of black girl is "ratchet"? That's the reason why little black girls grow up hating themselves."

...and so on and so on. Interesting to say the least. Do you all ever see comments like these posted online? Do you ever jump into the conversation or just consider it trashy and stay out?

You Tubetorial: How To Style a Toddler's Natural Hair

2011-01-29T11:57:00.004-05:00

Haha this is so cute from You Tube's Chocolatetresses! I love the serenade at around 3:50. He's singing a throwback!

Whew this takes patience but hopefully it will inspire those of you with little curly fellas out there.

Guest Blogger Piece: What About our Kinky Curly Boys?

2011-01-27T06:00:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! I got the following email from one Naturally Leslie reader who wanted to share her perspective on natural hair for boys. It hit home with me because, as I already shared a short while back, I am expecting a little boy myself! I appreciated reading her piece and was glad to share it with all of you.

by Monica- Hair & Heart

There are a ton of blogs and youtube channels devoted to girls and their curls. How to style them, dress them up, keep them healthy etc. There is almost no information online devoted to young boys with highly textured hair. What about those of us with little princes who don’t want to chuck up the deuces to that beautiful hair and “just get a fade”? Its not often you see a young boy with long hair and if you do they probably have that “good grade” of hair (as my grandmother calls it). Every now and then I may see a prince with locs or cornrows but almost never free flowing a la Jaden Smith. Its frowned upon to have your son rock his curls after learning how to talk, as the old wives tale goes.

My son, Kai, is 2 ½ and I decided that I am not going to cut his hair (again…this will be explained later) to conform to the norms of African American society. My son has a beautiful head of hair. His curls have tightened up a bit since he was born, but they are still gorgeous. He has always been mistaken for a girl since he was born as well. Even while wearing a blue outfit, with airplanes and tiny chuck taylors. I began to think that maybe it was his hair, which I used to keep in box braids. I began to see that most people think that having long hair was more of a feminine aesthetic. My thoughts were confirmed by my BF’s mother when she stressed that he really should get his hair cut. Her reasons were that “he needs to feel like a boy” *side eye on deck*. After much thought, I lopped off a few of his braids. I gave in ya’ll, I cut my baby’s hair . We took him to the barber to complete the job I started and he cut Kai’s hair to this <> long. It was literally 1 ½” long and lop sided. The “barber” cut his hair with industrial scissors so I had to go back and cut even more to get rid of any split ends that may have emerged from the butchering of his tiny head.

I cried….and cried….and cried. For a week straight. I don’t know if it was because his hair was gone or the fact that I gave into pressure and did something I didn’t want to do in the first place. After that I vowed to never cut his hair again. That was about 8 months ago. His hair is almost as long as it was pre-cut. I started my own blog that focused on natural hair kids especially boys to help other mothers in this predicament. What to do with their hair to not appear girly? Does long hair really equal feminine? Doesn’t boy hair require just as much care and attention as a girl’s does? All these questions have been on my mind. His journey is just beginning but I do not want him to feel like he has to look a certain way to fit into the “boy” mold, especially when it comes to his hair.

To see more from Monica (including some ridiculously adorable pics of her little guy Kai, check out her blog here.

A "Long & Kinky Hair" Fotki Feast!

2011-01-26T06:00:00.001-05:00

Image Credit

If you like browsing hair albums as much as I do, you might enjoy carousing your way through this list that I just stumbled onto at Nappturology 101 (one of my favorite blogs btw). This particular list showcases naturals with bra-strap length and beyond hair. Nice collection to get inspired!

Even Our Commander in Chief Has Hair Issues!

2011-01-25T06:00:00.001-05:00

LOL. No disrespect Mr. President. You know what they say about the White House aging folks far ahead of their time. President Obama is a handsome man and I can understand wanting to keep the grays at bay! Take a look at the side-by-side below and decide for yourself.

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Hey, I'm not hating.

DIY Hair Recipe: Abuela's Avocado & Shea Masque

2011-01-24T12:00:00.002-05:00

I saw this recipe over at Latina.com and thought it sounded like a nice treat for curls and kinks.

For the shortened version, keep reading below. To see the entire article, click here. Thanks Abuela!

For this recipe, you’ll need one ripe avocado, two tablespoons of olive oil and a quarter cup of melted shea butter. Then just follow these five easy steps:

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and blend well until you get a smooth, thick mixture.

2. Shampoo your hair as usual. Apply the hair masque from roots to tips.

3. Cover your hair with a shower cap.

4. Leave the hair masque on for about 30 minutes. For even better results, sit under a hooded dryer.

5. Rinse out the mask with lukewarm water and style as usual.

"I Can't Wait"....for Brandy 2011

2011-01-22T18:48:00.007-05:00

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Maybe I've been under a rock or something but I just heard Brandy's latest single I Can't Wait and I really like it! I appreciate the pulsing beat- how it skirts around the techno/dance club vibe that saturated the airways during the latter part of 2010 while not completing succumbing to it. I love how her last few albums have a mature pop sound that cannot be boxed into R & B but retain a sense of soulfulness that can only be attributed to the unique huskiness of her voice. Seems like she's had a good year with her show co-starring alongside brother Ray J and her stint on Dancing with the Stars. I am a fan of her voice and sound (not to mention her latest set of box braids!) and I hope 2011 proves to be a continued success for her.

Had you all heard the song already? If not, take a listen below and tell me what you think.

A Beautiful Side Note

2011-01-19T20:42:00.008-05:00

I found this post about model Miranda Kerr to be so beautiful and I wanted to share...

On the 6th of January I gave birth to our beautiful little son Flynn. He weighed 9lb 12 ounces (a very healthy and big baby boy). I gave birth to him naturally; without any pain medication and it was a long, arduous and difficult labour, but Orlando was with me the whole time supporting and guiding me through it. I could not have done it without him.~Miranda Kerr via her blog: www.koraorganics.com

This process of becoming a mother has been both a whirlwind and a long 8 months at the same time! We just took birthing classes a week or so ago and since then, I have been scouring the internet for information and videos about birthing naturally. Through the classes I realized that childbirth does not have to be the scary, impossible, terrifying process I once thought it would inevitably be, what society always tells us it will be. Yes, pain is a factor and it is, well, labor. But I realize now that this is what our bodies were made to do and we have everything inside of us that we need to do it. It has been amazing to learn about what birth can be and to allow myself to discard the untruths of what it is not.

I realized too far into this pregnancy that I would rather deliver at a birthing center than at a hospital. I would prefer to have a midwife and a doula and I plan to have a water birth if I have another child. Not to knock hospitals, though. I toured mine and I think I will like the experience as well. I just saw some of the most beautiful images of women bringing forth life as they used the water to help soothe the transition and it looked like something I want to experience in my journey through motherhood.

(The following video is one that I found in my search. It seemed very peaceful, yet powerful. If you don't want to see a natural childbirth, don't watch!)

In addition to birth, I can't wait to breastfeed! Well, at least I hope I am able to. I know so many women who struggle and simply are not able. I feel like I have a good foundation of knowledge from the courses I took and I have dreamed about it on several occasions. I'll have to keep my fingers crossed on that one!

Lastly, I know many of you are also mothers. I want to hear your birth experiences, if you care to share. Tell me what it was like for you to bring forth life and to nourish your little one. What were the highs, the lows, the unexpected moments?

Carol's Daughter Sale!

2011-01-19T17:23:00.004-05:00

If you're a CD fan and getting low on any of your fave products, now might be a good time to check out their website. Currently they're running a promotion for 40% off! Don't get me wrong, I don't get paid to push them. I just got an email, won't be using it, and thought I would pass along the news for those of you who love yourselves some Carol's Daughter. Enjoy!

Natural=Expensive? One Natural's Perspective on Products

2011-01-17T06:00:00.001-05:00

If you went natural before the wave of online blogs and sites dedicated to natural hair, you probably bought whatever you saw on the shelves of your local store. If you've gone natural since, you no doubt have heard the endless lists of ingredients to avoid, ingredients to look for, chemicals, preservatives, yada yada yada. Nothing wrong with information right? Maya Angelou did say "when you know better, you do better" and I think she's right. So it is always interesting to me to hear perspectives of natural ladies who have been around before the latest "hype" if you will. I remember when I went natural 11 years ago, there were no forums or blogs, at least not like today. I tried different things and stuck to what worked.

Lately, there have been tons of natural hair lines popping up around the web. It's really cool to see so many women taking control of their own hair and making products that work for them. However, one of the coolest things about going natural to me was having freedom from "needing" certain products to make my hair healthy and look good. If I buy something now it is for fun, not because I feel I have to have something in order for my hair to thrive. How many of us grew up using grease and water and our hair did just fine? Does that mean I will go back to using the thick blue gunk in a jar? Probably not. But I realize that it is less about what I use and more about how I treat my hair.

So what got me thinking about al this was AyannaNaeela's video below. It's a response to another YouTuber's comments about the expense of natural hair products. What do you think? Does natural=expensive for you? Have you found you spend more money now than you did before you went natural? If so, what do you attribute it to?

Did You Catch the Globes?

2011-01-16T23:00:00.003-05:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE awards shows! Maybe it's the dresses, the hair, the jewels, the speeches. Whatever it is, I am totally addicted and watch all of them right up to the Oscars. Well, tonight's show was the Golden Globes and Hollywood was out in full force. Some of my favorite ladies were there looking gorgeous and totally glam. Take a look...

All photos from People.com and Essence.com

Did you watch? If so, what was your favorite moment?

Hairspiration! Pretty Natural Styles

2011-01-11T19:05:00.006-05:00

Essence is featuring some of the hottest hairstyles going on right now. Their gallery features designs on all types of Black hair but my interest was especially piqued with their array of natural coifs. I love all the textures, colors, and designs. Here are a few of my favorites!

All photos are from Essence.com

Great stuff huh? To see the rest, click here. Then, report back and tell me what you think!

Got Game?

2011-01-11T06:37:00.007-05:00

Photo Credit

There are not that many shows out there with a predominantly Black cast. The Game was one of those such shows but was canceled a while back. Now, it's prepped to make its comeback tonight, January 11th at 10pm on BET. So my question to you is, did you watch before and will you be watching this time?

Brandy Back in Braids

2011-01-08T17:04:00.004-05:00

Of all the extensions Brandy tends to wear, braids are my favorite. Sometimes, the fairytale/Pocahontas/Rapunzel look is just too much for my taste when the hair is super shiny and bone straight. While these braids are quite long, I do like the way they frame her face and they are her signature look from years past for sure. They are quite similar to the ones Solange was just spotted wearing from New Year's. As I mentioned before, I want something similar, maybe not so thick and definitely not so long.

So what do you all think? Do you like her "new" look?

Brandy at the BET premier of "The Game"

Photo Credit

Requests for Afro Twists!

2011-01-05T18:04:00.003-05:00

Hi natural ladies and gents! Lately so many folks have been asking me about my afro twists from 2009. Many of you want to know where I had it done and what kind of hair was used. So here ya go! Below is the most current address and phone number I have for the shop.

Falou Natural Hair Care & African Braiding

2806-C Randleman Rd.
Greensboro, NC 27406
(336) 339-2468

I am not endorsing these ladies because I've been paid or anything like that. I simply liked their work and was really pleased with the look. It was an awesome protective style that lasted a long time. Also, I know how hard it is to find something you like so when you do, you just wanna share! If you want to see my first post on the afro twists, click here. If you go to get your hair done and don't mind sharing, I'd love to see pics of your results!

Like I said, it was back in 2009 so if you've been since then and something has changed, please share for the good of the group!

Peace!

Les

Natural Hair in Latina's February Issue

2011-01-04T21:18:00.006-05:00

Image Credit

I wonder what styles Latina has in the pages of it's February issue! According to the cover line, there will be styles for all types of "natural" hair. Interesting...

Plans for 2011: Hair & Beyond...

2011-01-02T19:14:00.009-05:00

Happy New Year wonderful Naturally Leslie readers! I hope you had a super safe and fun holiday season. I tried not to eat too much or spend too much but I must say I definitely indulged with the family when I could. It was so great to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday as well as my first Christmas with the hubby. It was also fun to see snow back in NC and I got to spend a lot of time with mom and some old friends.

I don't know about you all but 2011 promises to be a big year for me! I'll post some pics below to see if you can tell what's in store...

Maybe you can see in the puffy cheeks...

Or the expanding girls (ahem) and gut!!

Noooo it's not too much holdiay food. I am excited to share that the hubby and I are expecting our first little bundle of joy! He'll be making his debut in early March and I can't wait. I feel blessed to have had a great pregnancy thus far including the typical nausea at the beginning and feelings of uber chunkiness here near the end. In the pic above I'm painting letters to hang on the wall behind his crib. (I'd forgotten how much fun arts and crafts can be...not to mention soothing!)

With all the thoughts, fears, worries, anxieties, etc that come with impending motherhood, one thing I don't want to zap my time and energy is my hair! I posted earlier about the changes to my regimen and while they are working wonders for my hair, I can't imagine having a spare moment for my strands immediately following the birth. I would rather be cuddling my little boy than detangling and twisting!

In thinking about what I wanted to do with my hair for the delivery and first months of his life I thought back to my afro twists from 2009. I LOVED them but I also remember they were a bit bulky. That was cool at the time but I think I want to go with something a bit sleeker. When I was in 7th grade, I got box braids a la Janet Jackson from Poetic Justice. I think that is what I'm going to go with, albeit updated for 2011, for the birth and some time beyond.

I'm inspired by these looks:

I loved Jada's braids that she sported back in '09.

Solange recently rocked long braids for New Year's Eve. I love the look but won't go this long:

I plan on using the crown and glory method to take care of my hair while in the extensions. I will post more about that routine along with pics once I get my hair done a few weeks before my due date.

As for posting, I still want to share my trip to the Oyin store in Baltimore as well as my review of the products I purchased while there. Also, I would love to hear what is on your mind! There are so many blogs about hair and beauty nowadays that I would like to know what topics you all interested in. I am open for suggestions and ideas!

Finally, what are your plans for the new year? Did you make any resolutions for hair or beyond? Do share!

Love you guys! ;-)

~Les

A Little "Star" Whips Her Hair on Ice!

2010-12-29T21:10:00.003-05:00

OMG I just saw this and had to share it with you. This is the cutest thing ever! Star Andrews is a 9 year old amateur skater and she did a fantastic routine to a remix of Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair". You can see she channels the singer's unique fashion sense and funky hawk style ponytails. Aside from being extremely cute, this girl is really good! Give her a few years and she will be amazing. Check it out and tell me what you think.

Scalp Exfoliation Step- By-Step

2010-12-29T08:21:00.005-05:00

With all the conditioners, styling aids and other products we slater on our hair, sometimes the scalp can get really dirty with buildup. Of course, if you wash well every few days or so, you should really be fine. But just like the skin on the face and body benefit from a good exfoliation session, so can your scalp. Check out this routine below. You can exfoliate once a week or less depending on your skin's sensitivity.

Remember not to be too rough! Your scalp is delicate and you don't want to irritate it from too much rubbing or scraping with finger nails. I would personally use this step before I do my wash-conditon-oil regimen each week or week and a half.

Overview:

To exfoliate the skin is to remove old, dead skin cells from the surface of the skin to help maintain and rejuvenate the skin. Most people benefit from an occasional exfoliation of the scalp. Besides removing dead skin cells, it relieves scalp itchiness and product build-up, leaving your scalp refreshed. If you use hair products, like mousse, gel and hairspray, exfoliate your scalp once a week.

Step 1

Mix 1 tbsp. of either brown sugar or quinoa with 3 tbsp. of conditioner and a drop or two of your favorite liquid oil. Brown sugar is an inexpensive natural exfoliant and you may already have some.

Step 2

Massage the exfoliant gently into your scalp using a circular motion for about one minute with the pads of your fingers. Make sure to avoid using your nails which can scratch and damage your scalp.

Step 3

Rinse your hair for 10 to 15 minutes while continuing to massage your scalp with lukewarm water. Too hot and you can irritate and dry your scalp!

Step 4

Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar, diluted with 1 cup of water over your hair into a bowl. Pour the vinegar rinse over your hair about 15 more times, using two bowls and switching them. The vinegar removes any remaining build-up or exfoliant. (You can modify this to suit your needs.)

Modified from HERE.

So there you have it! Who out there already implements scalp exfoliation in their regimen? What are your results?

Routine Tweaks!

2010-12-27T23:31:00.006-05:00

For the past few months, I have been trying some new things with my hair routine and thought I'd share. Now, I don't measure my hair but when I last straightened it about a month ago, the back was slightly below my bra strap and the front stretched to about the collar bone. It seems that as my hair gets longer, it gets harder to deal with and I was beginning to dread wash days.

While it was straight, I took the time to cut out some single strand knots. It seemed that for a while, they had become the bane of my existence! I was getting more and more of the little buggers and did not know what to do. On top of that, my scalp was not reacting well to the cold weather. I felt like a hot mess!

So, I decided it was silly to continue doing the same things to my hair and expecting different results. But the last thing I wanted was to devote more time to doing my hair. I abhor sitting under the dryer for long periods of time and the thought of spending my entire Saturday walking around deep conditioning seemed out of the question. (I guess you just get lazy and lose enthusiasm after a decade?) So I decided to try some other tweaks to see if they made a difference.

Here's what I've been trying lately:

1. Wash in two halves. Simple I know. But for some reason I have resisted the wash/condish in sections mantra that seems to be so useful for other naturals. Well, it has made all the difference in the world. When my hair was shorter, washing my whole head with all my hair loose was no big deal. But as my hair gets longer and longer, washing one half at a time really cuts down on the tangling and knotting. This is a must for naturals once hair gets past sholder-length for sure!

2. Detangling in the shower. Well, after I wash each half I apply a slippery conditioner and run a bit of water over the section to make everything even more slippery. I take a wide toothed comb and detangle one half at a time. I used to be obsessed with using my denman or a detangling comb to go over every inch but now as long as I get the big tangles out, the rest I can work through as I twist. My detangling time went from 30 minutes to about 3. And yes, that is without me ripping or breaking a bunch of hairs.

3. Apply oil to my scalp after I apply the conditioner in the shower. Well, once I have detangled and both sections are secured with a ponytail holder, I just take one down, take a bottle of oil (olive, almond, grapeseed, whatever) and apply oil to my scalp. I section off portions of my hair with my fingers to expose the scalp and simply add the oil. Once I have gone through one half of my head, I massage with the pads of my fingers then twist the section up, securing with an elastic. I repeat this on the other side then proceed to finish the showering process. Finally, when I rinse I am left with super conditioned hair as well as a lubricated scalp which eliminates me having to add oil when I get out and style. This step has really helped with my dry scalp issues over time. I read on one site that too much added oil could actually feed the bacteria that cause some scalp problems, resulting in even more flakes. I feared I was excessively oiling my scalp and exacerbating the issue. Now, my scalp is lubricated and flake free without being overly oily.

4. Stretching the hair. Again, when my hair was shorter, this was a step that felt very optional. Now it is required to keep me from losing hair and my sanity. I don't bother anymore with doing small twists while my hair is wet. I do about 12 total, working on one half of my head at a time. Again working in halves has saved my hair and my ends. I lose far less hair and styling is done in about 30 minutes versus the 1-1.5 hrs I spent in the past. I was over detangling and over twisting. Now, once the 12 large twists dry, I can twist in smaller sections if I choose. Also, drying hair in larger sections means less coils to get tangled on each other. Bigger equals looser and that equals retention for me.

5. Shea butter for my ends when wet/damp. I'll admit it. I got lazy with this one step and my ends have screamed at me in protest. They were splitting and knotting like crazy! I kept wondering what the heck was going on and now I know I was not taking the time to seal them after each wash. Now, I make sure I apply a pea sized amount, melted between my fingers, to the end of each big twist as I prepare the stretched style. When my ends dry, they are smooth and less likely to tangle on each other or knot up. I cannot neglect to do this or it's back to splitsville.

So, long story short, these few tweaks have totally changed my hair. Less time spent, less energy wasted, healthier scalp, and better ends and length retention. I feel like I'm back in control of this mane and it no longer controls me....or my weekends!

What if any routine tweaks have you recently made that you can share for the good of the group?

Dry Winter Hair? Fix it with these natural homemade recipes!

2010-12-27T08:32:00.004-05:00

The weather outside is frightful...but no reason your hair can't still look and feel delightful! If you're experiencing dryness due to the cold winter air, take a look around your kitchen and try some of these homemade winter hair recipes to get your hair back to moist!

***Avocado and mayonnaise

It may seem a bit strange to apply mayonnaise to your hair all the way to the hair tips, but it is a really good conditioner!

Ingredients:

1/2 ripe avocado
1 small jar of real mayonnaise

Do this:

Mash the avocado and mix with the mayonnaise. Apply to your clean hair and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. You'll get the best effect if you use a shower cap, plastic wrap or warm towel to add some body heat to the process. Rinse off.

Avocado and coconut milk

If you don't like the idea of using mayonnaise, try mixing the avocado with coconut milk.

Ingredients:

1 avocado
Coconut milk

Do this:

Mash the avocado and mix with enough coconut milk to make the conditioner smooth and the right consistency for a hair treatment. Tip: Add the milk slowly so that the conditioner does not become too loose.)Apply it to your hair and leave for some 20 minutes. Rinse off. (Again, it is good to somehow seal the body heat in by using a shower cap or towel for example.)

Avocado and egg yolk

Finally, avocado and egg yolk is also a great conditioner!

Ingredients:

1 avocado
1 egg yolk

Do this:

Mash the avocado and mix the egg yolk. Apply it to your hair and leave for some 20 minutes. Rinse off.

*** Recipes from HERE

Merry Christmas Eve and Happy 90th Grandma!

2010-12-24T22:04:00.005-05:00

Publish Post
Hey everybody! I am back in NC with my family celebrating my grandmother's 90th birthday as well as Christmas Eve. How exciting to be home with the family! I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope you are safe no matter what your travel plans or traditions. I love all of you and am so grateful for your continued readership and support! Merry Christmas!

You Tube:The Science of Shea Butter

2010-12-22T22:48:00.003-05:00

Ever wanted a more in-depth view of one of the most widely used butters in the natural hair and skincare world? Check out this vid all about Shea!

Totally Off Topic But....

2010-12-15T18:05:00.002-05:00

Totally hillarious! How many people now know the lovely Bed Intruder song by Antoine Dodson? Well...just when you thought you heard it all, Liberty University's acapella choir went and did this! Check it out and I hope you giggle.

http://perezhilton.com/2010-12-15-carol-of-the-bed-intruder