Loving My Natural Self Mixer
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Hair Care, Natural Hair
I attended today a great mixer today at a coffee shop in Tampa called the Loving My Natural Self Mixer, hosted by London James of Sooo Chic Accessories. It was a small intimate gathering of maybe 30 beautiful naturals looking to get information and networking.
The biggest concern was dry hair. What was important is to check product ingredients. Use oils thin enough to get into the hair shaft and seal in the water….johoba oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil, etc. WATER is always your friend…in your hair and in your body. One thing said that is extremely true….your body, your skin, your hair will reflect your diet. What you consume comes to the surface.
Also represented was Glaccessories with crocheted and earrings ans Lamik Makeup, a natural makeup line.
Check out photos from the gathering….
Natural Styling
Natural Stylist
Lamik MakeupEnjoying the event
Glaccessories
You Tube Channel TCSNEWLYFE
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Flip Camera, tcsnewlyfe, Video, You Tube
I did it!!!! I posted my first 2 You Tube videos. Go check them out, tcsnewlyfe.
So what did I learn about the process? I have already been recording myself for a month now, under various lighting and settings to see how I looked. My home office by sunlight turn out to be the best setting. I have a Flip camera but I tried the web cam just to see. Flip was far better quality and easier to use. I have Windows Movie Maker on my laptop and as of last night had no idea how to edit a video. I played with it until I did and am so proud I added the photos and comments. So for a first Vid, that was awesome. The process is very time consuming……
Upload the video on the Movie Maker. That take close to the time of the video. Then you can split the video pretty much to the second and cut what you do don’t want. To insert pictures, split the video and add picture of additional video. This will lengthen your time. Keep an eye on that. Now first error I made but I realized it soon, I marked the time on what I wanted to cut before cutting. Once you cut the first thing, the time changes. The only way to split and cut is while you view as you go. I have learned for future to have a beginning and have an end.
The best video happens the first time around, the first take I should say, so if you can edit, that is best. Follow up takes wont appear as genuine.
Okay so then save the video as a movie. That takes time, again about as long as the video. Once there, file it in the video files. Go over to the You Tube channel and upload. The video has to be under 15 minutes. It takes about an hour to upload. While it is uploading complete the comments and title, etc. Once it is done, the video goes live.
I started the videoing process from sitting in front of the camera at about 4 PM and going through all the steps and learning the editing, the video went live about 2 AM the next morning. The second video was much quicker. But I can see this is a once a week thing.
I will definitely video on my good hair days. My intro vid was not my best hair day as it was a failed attempt but I was in a creative mood.
Any questions on the videoing process please ask. If I do not know, lets figure it out together.
Video
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Video
Okay….this is related to this blog because I recorded two videos for this blog. Only to find that they are far too large for the site. One was an intro and 15 minutes and the second was on a review of Shea Moisture Products. From what I am seeing this site is only conducive for photos because even a moment of video is more then 25MB which is the max file to upload. I believe if the video is really good quality like those I make with my Flip cam, then the MB are larger. BUt I want good video. This was my way of seeing if I could produce good video and if it is really something you all desire. So I can either buy into more space which I will probably do or post on You Tube. We’ll see.
Mini Twist / Protective Styling
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Argon Oil, Black Hair, Hair Care, Natural Hair, Taliah Waajid, Wash and Go
Mini Twist in an updo style
I decided to try my hand (head) at the mini twists. I shy away because of the time involved in doing them and the take down. I am always afraid I will miss one.
I co-washed my hair with Suave Conditioner and used Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie as a leave in over argon oil and let it dry in a wash and go for the day. I thought about the fact that my hair had been down a while and needs to be in a protective style. I have been dealing with drying and knots. So at 01:00 in the morning two nights ago, I started twisting.
I twisted with water and Talhia Waajid Curl Sealer. Once I got a quarter of the way through, there was no turning back. It took me almost 3 hours.
Now what do I do with them. My hair hangs when braided and twists. So twists for me look lifeless and flat. My hair appears thinner. I knew I would tire of a ponytail or bun and it still needed to look professional.
Twist, fold, pin……..
So in the picture, I separated out the top front. Holding my head over, I kind of basket weaved the back….take some from one side, then the other up to the crown. I rolled the top over and pinned all the ends under. The front I simply separated into 2 sections and pinned each of the 2 ends back and up into the roll and that was it. I pulled a little twist in the back just for a soft look.
I tied it in a satin scarf before bed and put on a bonnet and I refreshed with water spritz and rubbed coconut oil across it before work. I will keep until I need a change and then I will restyle in another protective style. This look is great for work.
The photos are day 2 hair. I have taken down on Day 3 for a new twist style.
Cruise Hair
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Black Hair, Hair Care, Natural Hair, Wash and Go
I learned last year’s cruise that the humidity and sea water will simply swell your hair up and aint much you can do about it. The key is to style for the conditions. The products that hands down I always take is my water bottle, my Shea Moisture Curl and Style Milk and my shea whip. Every night I twisted my hair and seals the ends. Fortunately the formal dinner night is usually a sail day, so you can keep your hair up until dinner. This is mega photo time.
Large scarve/wraps are must have when cruising. I had a large wrap that started around my neck for the morning touring the island. By mid day, it went around my head. By evening, back on the ship it was a wrap around my bathing suit.
Bobby pins for up-dos are a must for medium to long hair. You will need to get it together quickly and some times styling time is not available.
Always wash and condition hair after being exposed to chlorine. Incorporate a wash and go style into your evening.
Here are photos from my recent cruise on Carnival…
Hair up after afternoon in hot tube
Two strand twist out
Be versatile and let your hair do it’s thing. Add makeup and earrings and your baddest dress.
50th Birthday Photo Shoot
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Natural Hair, Taliah Waajid
I have read in the past and have seen video where some women feel the natural styling of a woman’s hair as unprofessional and not mature. They believe using straight styles, by chemical or weaves or wigs make a person more professionally accepting.
Here are 2 examples of professionalism and youthfullness at a time I need my youth and freedom to speak for me.
This was the same day. I decided to go with stretched hair. Actually, it was in a state that I would have washed it but I wanted to keep the stretch so I defined it with water and Taliah Waajud Curl Sealer. I got fullness.
I am professional and youthful and to make that claim at 50 years old, I am rocking my natural hair.
Taliah Waajid Product Review
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Hair Care, Natural Hair, Taliah Waajid
I went to my old stomping ground beauty supply store because I could not get the Taliah Waajid Curl Sealer near home. Well it is a popular product. Sold out.
So to not waste the trip and because I liked the Curl Sealer so much, I got the Black Earth Shampoo, the Enhancing Herbal Conditioning and the Curly Curl Cream.
This shampoo was was not lathery, smelled okay and left my hair shiny. It is a Total Body Shampoo to it is to clean skin….scalp to toes. I will use again.
The conditioner….I actually thought I used it wrong. I used in shower and I put my conditioner in, wash my body, then rinse hair. When I did this, there was very little slip and it was extremely oily. I thought in that instant it was a leave-in, I used it wrong and proceeded to use another trusted conditioner. I reviewed the label and I did in fact use it correctly…as an instant conditioner. It can also be used as a deep conditioner. I will try it again later in that manner for a fair review. But as an instant conditioner, absolutely not. NO SLIP. Way too oily.
I then followed with the Curly Curl Cream. A cream, it was like the Jane Carter Curl Defining Cream and the Smooth-n-Hold Pudding. Great for wash and go, twist outs come out defined but over the day the twist out hair swells, but is moisture sealed. It is a different look from how you start the day. The difficulty with these products is only that if you have a look specific you want throughout the day, the only way I am finding to do this is with a gel or totally dry style.
Note….I just read the shampoo, after this meetup Saturday and it does have sulfates. Keeping it down on the body.
Peace
Tampa Area Naturally You Meet Up
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Black Hair, Hair Care, Natural Hair, Naturally You Meet UP
I have know idea how this meet up came to my attention, I just wish I had found it a year ago. I had a great time and what I loved about the meet up, it was not a “hair show.” This was a gathering, we sat and we learned, as a group.
The meet up yesterday was held at Rasmussen College, here in Brandon. It started with a very cool salsa lesson with a gentleman from Dance Motion in Bloomingdale. He taught us a simple basic step, that I am sure with much practice (on my part) would look fabulous.
We then sat to listen to Tiffany Anderson (the curl whisperer) and her team from Live Curly Live Free. They do a complete analysis of your hair and what your hair needs to make is strong and healthy. They break down the foreign language of label ingredients. For more information and to order the ebook, go to www.livecurlylivefree.com.
Andrea, of Natrually You Meet Up, with the Live Curly Live Free Team
So what did I learn personally, and I have not reviewed the ebook yet but I am getting it….
* Avoid Sulfates and Silicons
* Fine hair needs protein to strengthen
* Thick, tightly coiled hair does not need protein and has the potential to break the hair.
The gathering was a learning experience.
Live Curly Live Free, can either in person or you can send a sample of your hair to analyze, can tell you, based on the weight of the hair, how it hangs, what it does in water, how it stretches, what product line works best for you. They can streamline your product use to the best for you. They also cut and style hair. They are located in Gulfport, Florida (Pinellas County). I am going to go and get my first professional cut since I wore a short fade back in the day. I am looking to get my length even. I will do a before and after shot to show difference. They cut the hair dry and by the curl. This will be totally something I have never experienced. When properly done, they say you only need one or two cuts a year.
As for Naturally You Meet Up, they are going to 6 meetings a year next year(2012), every 2 months. They will mingle in some social events for the off months. The group is a very sisterly positive gathering and they found that once they gathered, they noted the networking, socializing and fellowship has risen to the surface and though this stemmed from the natural hair, they group wants to feed the needs to the whole spirit of the sisterhood. I am looking forward to seeing how this will develop out and where it will go. There were several new Tampa transplants, so this group has served to make community connections.
I will blog future events prior. I need to figure out a calender for you all here. And then review the events with photos. So please stay tuned for that.
Also follow livecurlylivefree.blogspot.com
Peace.
Concert Night…..Kem
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Argon Oil, Black Hair, Hair Care, Jane Carter Curl Defining Cream, Natural Hair
2 strand twist/ bantu knots
It’s concert night and like any special occasion night out, the hair has to step out too.
I had in a wash and go yesterday with Jane Carters Solution and I personally never layer styling items. With that in mind and I am trial a erroring today.
I stretched my hair just a bit with a cool blow dry and made 4 big twists and went to sleep. Now up, I sectioned in small sections and rubbed Jane Carter Solution into my hands and stroked in a down motion root to tip. Apply products in the direction of the hair shaft. On the tips I spritz a leave in conditioner and sealed with my shea whip. I twisted into bantu knots.
With argon oil, I took the hair down and separated the upper portions of the twist but not to the ends. Hair held well. At least until a hot flash or 3 hit, crowed concert and the theater is near the river. Humidity fluffed my hair. It got bigger and less defined as the hours went. Jane Carter works better for me at a wash and go product and short term styling.
The photo in the restaurant shows shone and definition. That last is the end of the evening….fuller. Shiny still but fuller and less defined.
I spritz with water/conditioner mix and smoothed in my shea whip and retwisted for bed.
Tried to get close up to show texture
By end of concert
Natural Sunshine .ning.com
Posted by newlyfe | Filed under Black Hair, Hair Care, Natural Hair
Like I need one more hair site to add to my list but I love this. It’s a hair community site….go check it out join and add your style to the rest of the beautiful flowers on the site. I am loving it. Peace
