Old Spitalfields Market

Ready for business...

On Saturday my online store Naturally Nourishing had a stall at Old Spitalfields Market as part of The African Market, hosted by cultural arts company Open The Gate.

My lovely sister Charlene accompanied me for the day and
I was truly excited about the prospect of selling gorgeous natural goodies there. Spitalfields is such a well known gem of a market and the location is fantastic. It didn't disappoint.

I loved the vibe and the amazing selection of artsy, quirky and eclectic stall holders, not to mention ALL THE FOOD....we ate like queens ALL DAY..(not quite sure that was a good thing lol).

The market was great because not only was I able to connect with and have meaningful conversations with my customer base, but the other stall holders were so lovely and I made some great contacts, who I will most certainly be keeping in touch with. The sense of community after only a few short hours of knowing one another was really special.

Two of our lovely customers. Such stylish sisters.

So will I be doing Spitalfields again? Yes I believe so, business was a little slow, but this was only my first time and the second time the African Market had been there, so it's definitely a case of building a presence and getting established. The African Market will take place at Old Spitalfields on the fourth Saturday of every month, so do come on down. I'm excited about the future, watch this space!!

The African Market at Old Spitalfields -
every fourth Saturday of the month

The perils of over-moisturising your hair

I never realised my hair could be OVER moisturised...but yes, that's what I've been doing it seems. I'm the kind of girl who doesn't like her hair to feel or look 'dry', so I overcompensate by adding a little too much of everything.

Often we forget that our scalps naturally produce oils to keep our roots healthy, hence why when applying products, a little really does go a long way and we should concentrate on the mid and end section of hair as this has been around the longest and requires the most care.

Recently I was left horrified after I got my scalp analysed by the Curls unleashed team at Curlvolution. They used a probe, similar to one that would be used to check your ears, (if my memory serves me correctly). Once the probe had been safely nested in my hair an image of my scalp popped up on the monitor in front of me. I was astonished to see my scalp gleaming before me looking VERY greasy and oil logged LOL......right around my follicles there were puddles of oil. IT DID NOT look good, and I was quite embarrassed. To be honest the night before I'd probably been super heavy handed, spritzing each section of hair with water before adding hair butter and castor oil then twisting. I loved the twist out the next day, but to be honest it did feel a little bit greasy.

The lady carrying out the analysis said despite the oil slick my scalp looked healthy, and there was no evidence of dead skin. I asked what the negatives were of having an overly oily scalp and she said that when the follicles are pooled with oil as mine were it blocks the area, which in turn does not allow your hair to breath or grow and can cause infections. To counteract we must use clarifying shampoos to thoroughly cleanse and wash the scalp and hair of dirt, grease and impurities, and only apply oils and butters to the ends and mid sections of the hair as these are the oldest and driest points. Our follicles create their own special oils which take care of the root, hence why we do not have to apply products directly to our scalp very often.

Needless to say I have heeded this advice and I have been careful to only apply product to the end and mid section of my hair and I must say I am thoroughly pleased with the results. My hair has felt and looked a lot better since.....

Still loving my easy, breezy Mum bun - Lol. Learning to keep
my ends and mid sections nourished.

HAIR CRUSH!! - This is my goal.

Don't forget to visit my online store www.NaturallyNourishing.co.uk to get your hands on gorgeous natural, hair, skin and body products that my family, friends and I have grown to personally know and LOVE. I'm so excited to announce they'll be new lines added soon so watch this space. You can also keep up to date by following on Twitter, Instagram (@NaturallyNou) and Facebook.

Curlvolution 2013 baby!

Well where do I begin? Curlvolution happened on Saturday and let me tell you it was a blast!!

Last year I was an attendee in the audience, this year I exhibited as a vendor...my, my, my God is so INCREDIBLY good!! From the venue, to the location, to the content of the show, to the mix of people....Curlvolution has it going on and then some. It's unlike any event of its kind in my humble opinion. The vibe is one of inspiration, encouragement and love. Seriously, to see black women and men come together as one and celebrate who we are, what we are doing and what we are about to do is awe inspiring and I thank God that the black community is coming together in such a positive and progressive way.

As I was a vendor with my store NaturallyNourishing.co.uk this year I didn't get the opportunity to watch the show in its entirety, like I did last year, but I could hear a lot of what was going down. Action Jackson was again hosting with his unique mix of straight talking motivation, encouragement and laugh a minute jokes. The man is truly one of a kind and he does a great job at hosting the event and getting everyone fired up.

There was an interview with the actor Jimmy Akingbola aka Dr Antoine Malick from Holby City and American blogger Afrobella, for more details about the show you'll have to pop over to other blogs because I'm sure to miss out the juicy bits. It was so good to catch up with all the fabulous bloggers out there; the gorgeous Nicola of BelleNoirBride and her beautiful bump, Leilu from online hair and beauty product store and blog Afro Deity, Michelle from Cherished Crowns blog, Neffy Fro Fro aka Laila-Jean of Fusion of Cultures vlog, Crystal Afro aka United Kinkdom blog, Stacey of The Naprika vlog, Ketishia from Sugar Kinesis, and Elle and Neecie from the mighty Natural Hair Daily, every single one of them completely gorgeous and lovely (I'm quite clearly in gush mode, but it's all truth).

A special shout out goes to Curlvolution extraordinaire Bukky and her husband Tola...you guys tore it up!!! Thanks too to my little sis Charlie B who swopped her days so she could get time off of work to help me out, thanks sis and thank God for little sisters, without whom I'd be totally and utterly lost.

As a vendor the experience was equally as inspiring as it was when I was an attendee last year. All the other vendors were absolutely lovely too; superfunkyme selling customised jewellery, my girls Mane Diva's with their own line of hair products, as well as weaves and tropic isle lines, lovely Imanmade and her wonderful homemade skin sensitive body butters, root2tip and iloveafro with their amazing natural hair product ranges, Sheabutter Cottage, Beunique Hair Care, Ayamour, it was so great to see so many budding and established black businesses pulling together and supporting one another through networking, planned future collaborations, awesome conversations, so inspiring. I was there selling the products I love by Anita Grant and Fountain oils, they were so well received and I did really well. I also got an opportunity to get up and speak and plug my new venture; www.NaturallyNourishing.co.uk I can't quite believe that the seed that was sewn a few years ago is finally coming to fruition. In a few short weeks things have just come together so smoothly and my table looked so professional I felt shocked and proud that the good Lord has enabled little old me to step out and do what for many years I couldn't see how I would be able to do. I'm telling you guys, through Jesus Christ anything is possible. Praise be to God and God willing Curlvolution 2014 here we come !!

KCCM Castor oil challenge - week 5

Excuse the creased top.
Ironing isn't my strong point lol

Week five of the KinkyCoilyCurlyMe castor oil challenge and it's length check time. I'm enjoying this challenge not only because I love Jamaican Black Castor oil, but because it's really allowing me to closely monitor the progress of my hair growth and thickness.

Styling still isn't my strong point. On Christmas day I achieved my best ever twist out, but I'm still not convinced my hair is thick enough to carry it off.....so needless to say I ended up throwing it into an updo/ mum bun.

I must say I am definitely noticing a difference in the thickness of my hair and my length check photo below certainly shows some growth. That was exciting to see, one of the great benefits of all the diligent photo taking.

In the coming weeks, I'll probably be putting my hair in twists to protect it and promote growth around my edges and at my crown; areas where I've been having issues with breakage.

The end of January will mark two years of being natural. I can honestly say making this decision has been one of the best I've ever made.

It's too late to join the winter challenge now, but if you want to discover more about all things involving natural hair just hop on over to the fabulous KinkyCurlyCoilyMe blog here.

Growth

KCCM Castor oil challenge - week two

Just checking in to give you guys the low down on week two of the KinkyCoilyCurlyMe castor oil challenge. I've been using Jamaican Black Castor oil or JBCO on my hair everyday, as well as a little bit at night when twisting for bed.

I got my JBCO from www.AfroDety.com who are doing a fabulous buy one get one half price or buy two get one free offer at the mo. Great value for money.

My hair is so soft and shiny, I'm really loving what it's doing after just a week of dedicated, deliberate usage. I'm encouraged to see how my hair health improves over the coming weeks. I'm especially looking forward to seeing a vast improvement with the growth on my thinning temples. We'll see.

Today I co-washed and twisted my hair, so I can forget about it for a few days. Think I need to address my hand in head addiction, it's real guys. My hair feels so soft and coily, I can't leave it alone. Protective styling helps with that.

You can find out more about the challenge over at the KinkyCoilyCurlyMe blog here. The winter challenge is now closed, but the spring challenge opens on 1 March 2013.

Stretched crazy hair. Feels so soft though.

Loving the kinks and the texture of my hair. The thinning temples
not so much, it is growing back though. I've put in twists for this week to
give myself and my hair a bit of a break.

The Kinky Curly Coily Me! Castor oil challenge

Woah 1st December already!!! 2012 is nearly over peeps......

You may or may not  know that  I completely love castor oil. Jamaican Black castor oil to be exact. My hair absolutely LOVES it. It leaves it feeling silky, soft and shiny, plus it has many health benefits for your scalp and overall hair health too.

Crystal Afro mentioned on her blog that she was taking part in the winter castor oil challenge run by Jenell on her KinkyCurlyCoilMe website. It got me thinking, it's December 1st, so a good a time as any to give this challenge a go. I love what castor oil does for my hair already, so why not start to document the progress properly?

I had BIG problems with Post partum shedding after all three of my pregnancies. I lost ALL of my hair at my temples, slowly it is growing back. Thank the Lord! I also seem to be having issues with breakage or slow hair growth in the crown area, so I'm intrigued to see if dedicated usage of castor oil will help in these areas. I have fine hair which seems to be different lengths all over, so I really want to promote healthy hair growth and a healthy luscious head of hair. Bring it on! Thank you Jesus!

Shedding at the temple, now growing back.
It was bald at one point.

If you want to take part in the Castor oil winter challenge you have until Friday 7 December 2012. You can click here, which will take you to Jenell's website for more information on how to participate.

My little sis has big chopped

Last Friday my little sis big chopped, and when I say big chopped, I mean; Big. Chopped...in its literal sense. As in, cut all her hair off.You may think this isn't too much of a big deal, but this girl is a self confessed glam queen. She likes, for the most part, her hair to be long and straight, which would usually mean she'd be rocking a weave of some sort. She is very experimental too, so they'd be colour, tracks, shaved one side, short and relaxed, you name it she's done it.

When my other sister and I went natural, we'd drop hints that she should join us, and she wouldn't regret it, but she was having none of it. She complained that her hair was 'too hard' and she couldn't deal with a 'fro' and natural hair wasn't for her, but slowly her opinion began to change. I also think she was becoming discouraged with the health of her hair. She had been trimming frequently to remove the breakage, but still relaxing and colouring, so the health of her hair wasn't really improving. It was dry and weak and I think she just got fed up, so drastic measures were required.

Fast forward to last Friday and I accompanied her to her local salon where her hair was snipped to about an inch from her scalp. The transformation was fantastic. Her natural hair is so soft and black and glossy, I think she was in shock with how good it looked. I was so proud.

Well done little sis for jumping feet first into your natural hair journey and embracing the hair that God blessed you with. The journey will not always be easy but I promise you, you will not regret it xx

Twist-outs are not my friend....yet!

So yesterday my hair looked like a ball of frizz. A combination of being too pre-occupied to properly moisturise and the torrential rain left me with a dry looking, fluffy mop which was trying to break free from the mum bun. Thoroughly embarrassed with the state  my tresses were in, I set about lovingly restoring it's inner lustre. 

Firstly I spritzed with my trusty water and Extra Virgin Olive oil mix, immediately my coils came to life and felt supple and bouncy as opposed to dry and fuzzy. I then locked in the moisture by applying Coconut oil and BeUnique Mango twist.  Then I  flat twisted into approximately ten sections and bantu knotted the ends after sealing with Jamaican Black Castor oil. I was rather impressed with my flat twists and I had high hopes for the subsequent twis-out, but alas it was not to be. YET!

This morning I was in my usual rush, battling to get three children up, washed, dressed, watered and out of the door by 7.45am. I suppose that was my first mistake. I was in a rush. Taking out twists and being in a rush apparently do not mix! Despite oiling my hands and unravelling each twist from the end, they still seemed to snag or get caught up. 

I think this may be due to me not twisting with two completely separate sections. Sometimes a stray hair will creep in from the other section leaving a befuddled mess, which leaves the twist out susceptible to a lack of definition and subsequent frizzing. Maybe I need to introduce a bit of gel?? Who knows? It's all trial and error I guess, but I'll keep on trialling and erroring (that's not a word, but you catch my drift). Practice most certainly makes perfect. But until then I've always got my reliable friend the UPDO!! Thank you Jesus!

Last night's flat twists.
I had to achieve greatness with these babies right?

The twist-out. OK I suppose.
Beautifully moisturised, but not a beautiful twist-out.

Evidence of another failed twist out.
For now the updo is my friend. 

My faithful friend. The updo!

Trimming my ends

I came across a lady called Ambrosia Malbrough via the Curly Nikki blog last week. I fell in love with her almost immediately because for the first time since starting my natural hair journey, I'd found a fellow naturalista who appeared to have the same hair texture as me. Woohoo.  Although Ambrosia's hair type seems to be identical to mine, her tresses are longer, (she's been natural for 4+ years) and seem thicker (I'm currently having issues with shorter hair around my hairline due to post partum shedding.) It's something I experienced quite badly with all three of my children and it is growing back, but the fact remains; I have quite inconsistent hair lengths all over my head - Pah!

Nevertheless Ambrosia's You tube channel got me very excited because suddenly I was presented with a whole host of styles that my hair type can achieve. My discovery couldn't have come at a better time as I was in desperate need of trimming my ends and I really wanted to do it myself. Well I needn't have worried because Ambrosia has a video detailing how to trim your own natural hair. Perfect. You can find it here. (I tried to embed the clip, but it completely confounded me o_0).

Last week I followed Ambrosia's method and trimmed my own hair and I was really pleased with the ease of the process as well as the results. I will definitely be using this method going forward, well until I can treat myself to a professional trim. 

Thanks Ambrosia.

A frizzy mess

Two thirds of the way though

All trimmed and twisted. Shame I haven't perfected the art of taking out
twists. The results were not good, so no pics this time. Soon though. I promise.

Products my natural hair loves

I've been natural for nearly two years now (well 20 months to be exact). In that time I have built an itinerary of products that really seem to work wonders in my hair. They are products I swear by and would recommend wholeheartedly to anyone else on the look out for hair products. Of course not everything I use on my hair will have the same results for yours, (it is trial and error after all), nevertheless I'd like to share in the hope that someone out there will benefit from my nuggets of information. 

Anita Grant - Creamy Cafe Latte; Vanilla:

I came across Anita Grant when I first started blogging nearly a year ago. I was perusing the fabulous Natural Belle blog and noticed that Anita's products are featured quite frequently. At the time I was on the look out for oils and butters that would help me with the dryness I was experiencing whilst I transitioned from chemically straightened to natural hair. I got in contact with Anita Grant on twitter and asked for a recommendation as to which products in the line would work best to combat the extreme dryness I seemed to experiencing. A representative was swift to get back to me and recommended the Vanilla Cafe latte butter. I was also really pleased to discover they have a whole range of samples that are fabulously priced, so I set about ordering around £30 worth of samples. It was like Christmas when it all arrived. Straight away I got stuck into all the butters, creams and oils. All of them were great and really nourishing but the vanilla Cafe latte really stood out for me. It smells devine (just like chocolate). Everyone I use it on completely falls in love with it. Even my fiance who prefers to use nothing on his hair or body (strange guy!) has been converted and lovingly applies it to his hair and skin most days (woop, woop!). I mostly use it on my hair when it's damp and it always leaves it feeling soft, nourished and supple. Not to mention smelling scrumptious.

Jamaican Black Castor Oil

Oh my, this stuff is amazeballs. Sorry to have to use this word, but I think it is rather appropriate - ha. When I first used this oil I was a bit put off by the thickness and the smell, but once applied to my freshly washed, damp hair it seem to penetrate every single strand and leave it feeling and looking ultra soft and shiny. I get the same results when I use on my children's hair too, although I do find it a bit heavy for my youngest daughter's hair (which has more of a curly/coily rather than kinky texture), so  the smallest pea size amount will suffice for sections of her hair when divided into four. When I use JBCO on my little boy, it turns his frizzy curls into a soft, nourished cloud of loveliness. I can't get enough of this stuff, not only does it soften and nourish but it has healing properties and stimulates hair growth and yes you guessed OH loves it too. I purchased my first bottle of JBCO from Akua Wood at The Shea Butter Cottage when she was exhibiting at the Curlvolution event in June. I also purchase JBCO from Hair9.

Pure Coconut Oil

Coconut oil I love it. It smells just like coconut, I'm sorry to state the obvious but for some reason I didn't expect the smell to be so rich. It also solidifies when cold and becomes a very runny oil when warm. Out of all of the oils I've ever used coconut oil is very temperature sensitive. I find it extremely light and nourishing and I use it on freshly washed, damp hair. It is not heavy like JBCO but it still leaves a fabulous shine on my hair as well as my children's. I also use coconut oil for pre-poo treatments if my hair is feeling particular dry. I'll apply it and leave in over night then wash my hair with conditioner (Co-wash), the results are a head of soft, supple coils. YES m'am. Coconut oil is also fabulous for use on the skin. I use on my kids after a shower or bath and their skin glows for hours aftrewards. Even my sister recently commented how good their skin looked and I let her in on the secret. lol. I buy my coconut oil from Holland and Barrett, it's quite pricey at  £14.99 a tub, but the tub is large and Holland and Barrett are great for their buy one, get one half price and buy one get one for a penny deals.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Like coconut oil EVOO is great for pre-poos. I also use on my hair when it's damp or mix it with water in a spray bottle, so I can revitalise dry hair daily with a a quick spritz. EVOO is great for skin too. I use it all of the time on all of my kids all over,  it is definitely a staple in our household. EVOO is really easy to find as it is available in all supermarkets, it is also really affordable if you are on a budget.


TRESemme Naturals Nourishing Conditioner

Where do I start? This is hands down the best conditioner I have used EVER.  There are other conditioners in the TRESemme line I use and they give me good results too, but I think the fact  this conditioner is silicone free and includes aloe vera and avocado make it top of the bunch for me. I hardly ever use shampoo to wash my hair these days, unless I've been for a swim or there is a lot of product build up. TRESemme Naturals conditioner is great for detangling and nourishing and it always leaves my hair feeling clean, soft and silk like. I use it on the kids too with the same amazing results. LOVE! I buy my TRESemme Naturals conditioners from Tesco, Asda, Superdrug and sometimes Willkinson, who all have great special offers on the TRESemme line from time to time.

Beautiful Textures Curl Defining Pudding

I used the Beautiful Textures Curl Control Defining Pudding a few months ago on my first ever wash and go. I was always a bit dubious about curl defining products in the past because I felt they over manipulated the hair, leaving it crunchy and dry. Not so with this product. I apply to freshly washed damp hair that has been oiled with either EVVO, JBCO or coconut oil, then I put the pudding on top. It really gives my curls a defined looked which I am confident enough to wear out in public. It also works wonders on my son's hair. I swear by it in fact. Whenever I use on his freshly washed, damp hair, his curls come to life and everyone always comments on how good it looks. Will have to post pics soon. I received the pudding in a goodie bag after attending the Beautiful Textures UK launch a few months back. I have however seen it sold in most black hair shops, so I'll no exactly where to go when I run out.

So there you have it, the products I'm currently using and loving. Which hair products are you currently relishing?

Sunshine days and dry hair

The gorgeous sunshine we have been experiencing in the UK this past 5 days has wreaked havoc on my hair. It's as dry as peppercorns or parchment paper, as my beloved mum would put it. I think I may be in need of a trim too because it has been feeling like straw. Not nice.

I was definitely in need of a deep condition to help regain some moisture so I set about to work last night. I started off with a pre-poo treatment. A pre-poo is as the name suggests, a pre sham(poo) treatment. You can use almost any type of oil or homemade concoction to coat your hair before washing and conditioning to help lock in moisture and nourish the strands. On this occasion I pre-pooed with Pure Coconut Oil. I sectioned my hair and after drenching each section with Coconut Oil I twisted. Once my whole head was twisted I wrapped in cling film and left for a few hours. In this time I made myself useful by preparing dinner, clearing up and getting the children ready for bed.

Once all was quite in the household I washed out the Coconut Oil using TRESemme Naturals Conditioner, otherwise known as a co-wash because you are washing your hair with conditioner as opposed to shampoo. This was important for me as I didn't want the oils to be stripped from my hair which shampoo can often do.

After co-washing I added Organic Root Stimulators Replenishing Conditioner. I made sure that every strand was covered and massaged into my hair. I then sectioned into four and twisted, then wrapped in cling film, covered with a scarf and left overnight.

This morning I washed out the conditioner. My hair felt light and springy. I blotted with a towel then added Anita Grants Vanilla Café Latte whipped butter and sealed with Extra Virgin Olive Oil after flat twisting into sections.

I can happily report that my hair no longer feels like straw. It looks and feels thoroughly nourished and moisturised. Next step is to work on styling, but with three little kids to tend to it ain't that easy. Hey ho I do what I can.

Some pics of the products I used.

Some attempts at pics of the hair. As you can see my eldest was clearly in her element sabotaging my shots lol. And flat twists before bed.

My natural hair - What I am learning

In the 18 months since my last chemical relaxer I have learnt a lot about my natural hair. I have learnt about its texture, its thickness, how well or not so well it reacts to certain shampoo's, conditioners, oils, butters and moisturisers. I still have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to styling, but that's mainly because I'm at that annoying halfway house stage.

The mum bun has been my go to style for quite some months, but I'm getting bored of it so I'm starting to experiment with different things. Last week I tried some curl rods but the outcome wasn't great. I will definitely try again as my hair gets longer.

Yesterday I tried a wash and go for the very first time and I was really quite pleased with the results. I washed with Curls Unleashed sulphate free shampoo and conditioned with TRESemme Naturals moisturising conditioner. I allowed my hair to drip dry for 15 mins then I added Beautiful Textures curl defining pudding. My hair was still very damp, so it soaked up the pudding. I finished with some Jamaican black castor oil, to seal in the moisture.

I loved the way the defining pudding accentuated my coils. I left my hair to air dry and after a few hours it still felt soft and moisturised without feeling greasy.

I must admit I haven't felt comfortable about wearing my hair out, because I don't like drawing attention to myself and a big ole fro would definitely do that. This wash and go however has made me feel differently. It was so quick and easy and completely fuss free. I would feel confident enough to leave the house rocking this style. And in actual fact, yesterday was the first time in 33 years that I have been out in public with my hair OUT. That, for me, is a breakthrough in itself and so liberating. Pat on the back. Sounds crazy because it's such a basic thing, when you think about it. This natural hair stuff is deep. Anyway before I forget here are the things I have learnt about my hair so far.

My hair is fine. I don't know about the type. Frankly I find all the 4a,b,c,z stuff quite confusing and unhelpful, so I don't concern myself with it. Whilst transitioning I used to think it was quite thick and very dry. But since cutting off all my chemically straightened ends (big chopping) I have noticed that it doesn't really tangle easily, and even when it does I just have to spritz with water and detangle with either my fingers or a comb. I prefer my fingers.

My sister often tells me she has to wash her hair in sections or plaits to avoid tangles and make the whole wash process easier for her. She has lovely thick coily hair. I find washing really easy and quite enjoy it. I don't need to wash in sections or plaits. Maybe this will change as it grows longer, maybe not. It'll be interesting to find out.

My hair responds well to olive oil and Jamaican black castor oil. When applied to my damp hair they leave it feeling very soft and looking very shiny.

I twist my hair most nights to keep it stretched. Also speeds up styling for the next day.

I don't always cover my hair with a scarf at night, because i'm either too tired to care or I just can't find the thing. My satin pillowcase, (a pressie from li'l sis. Thanks sis) works wonders and really helps keep frizz to a minimum.

I am yet to master a twist out. I am finding products which greatly help with definition, but my hair can be quite fluffy and flyaway, so wash and go's have been more successful so far.

Speaking of wash and go's here are some pics of my first ever attempt yesterday, that I then wore out shopping.

This is not a sponsored or review post. Just me, sharing my personal hair journey with you.

Grecian style/two bun flat twists

My dear mum taught me to canerow when I was 12 years old and ever since I have loved to plait hair. My own as well as others. 


You'd think that since I have two daughters of my own, I would be in my hair braiding element, but alas they are a nightmare when it comes to anything hair related, so I have to keep things very simple when working with their young tresses. The screaming and carrying on, although slowly improving is still quite soul destroying.


Luckily for me I have family members who help me to fulfil my joy of plaiting without all the nonsense. In particular my  sister who has a full head of luscious, thick, kinky, gorgeous natural hair. She is very compliant and always jumps at the chance to let me experiment with styles on her. She loves, being the guinea pig, I love doing the braiding. It's a win-win situation.


On Thursday she came over  to mine with freshly washed, damp hair and I set to work creating a little bit of magic. She had already conditioned and added Jamaican black castor oil, so I added some Curls Unleashed curl defining cream mixed with a little more Jamaican black castor oil, then parted her hair into small sections and proceeded to flat twist each section, sealing with Anita Grant's creamy vanilla latte as I went. I flat twisted her hair into two distinct bundles ready to join up into two chunky flat twists.


From start to finish it took me about two hours, (that included numerous interruptions from my little boy, who in typical baby fashion wanted all of my attention when I had something else to be getting on with.) The beauty with this style is that it is quite versatile. After I finished I wrapped each section into cute buns, but my sister wanted something that would stay in for a bit longer, so I flat twisted each section down. If she likes she could even wear it all down or pin the front up and leave the back section of flat twists out. 


I must say I loved the finished result and so did she. What do you think?

My sister's freshly washed and conditioned hair
before I started

The finished style from the front

Side/back view

View of the back

Beautiful Textures UK launch

I've been so busy going to all these fabulous events, I almost forgot about the Beautiful Textures launch I was lucky enough to attend at the end of May after winning a pair of tickets on Crystal Afro's United Kinkdom blog.

The Beautiful textures UK launch was an invite only affair so I was chuffed to bits to win the tickets especially as this was the first hair event I have attended. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint. 

I don't have any pics because I was too busy eating (all drinks and canapés were on the house. It really was a swanky affair) and chatting to all the lovely bloggers and vloggers I met, but the event sponsored by the lovely Lukwesa of Gidore was amazing.

As soon as my sister and I entered the VIP room at Bar Soho we were handed goodie bags which contained Beautiful Textures tangle taming leave in conditioner and curl control defining pudding, along with shampoo sachet samplers and a Beautiful Textures t-shirt. We were like kids in a candy store gasping with delight and grinning from ear to ear.

Marketing Guru Charlene Bastien gave a detailed run down on the product lines and rather impressively each product within the Beautiful Textures range does not exceed £5.00. Now that was really good to hear, especially since many natural hair products are rather on the pricey side due to the small size of the businesses behind them. Beautiful Textures comes from the same company that produces well established brands such as QP Elasta and Keracare, so it stands to reason that they are able to sell their products for that little bit cheaper.

Celebrity stylist Felicia Leatherwood shared hair advice and also demonstrated how the products work by using them on a selection of models with varying hair textures. So far I have used the tangle taming leave in conditioner on both of my daughters and I am very pleased with the results. With my second daughter, it definitely enhances her curl pattern, with my eldest it has really nourished her hair and made detangling easier.

The event was so good and I'm so glad I got to go. The natural hair scene is really gathering pace in the UK and it's great to witness and be a part of it. I aim to keep my twitter feed, Facebook page and blog updated with events I hear about in the future, so be sure to keep a look out as they are definitely worth attending.

BeUNIQUE Hair care - Mango Twist and Moisture custard

Now you must all know by now that I love to share my experiences of great products I am using and this post is no exception. I have not been asked to write about this product. I simply enjoy raving about splendid things. Alrighty then....


As mentioned in my previous post I purchased some BeUNIQUE Hair Care Moisture Custard and Mango Twist at the Curlvolution event I attended last Saturday. I was so excited about my purchase I used both products as soon as I got home and liked what I saw the next day, so I wanted to try them again when my hair had been freshly washed, hence this post.


Since my last relaxer 18 months ago and my big chop about 6 months ago I have slowly but surely been learning more about my natural hair. Being a busy mum of three I have also begun to realise that I am forever throwing my hair into a mum bun for two main reasons;


A) Speed and ease. I really DO NOT have the time to be faffing with my hair when I'm trying to get myself and three hyperactive kids out of the door and to the library for rhyme time.


B) Fluff and frizz. I'd wash my hair, add oils and moisturise, twist or braid, tie up, go to bed, wake up the next day, take said twists or braids out and be met with a cloud of undefined, fluffy frizzy hair on my head. There was absolutely nothing that could be done with it, so I'd simply tie or pin back to hide the disaster and smooth the edges with aloe vera gel and voila I'm good to go.


I must admit the mum bun is really handy, but even when I had natural hair as a child I always seemed to have weak points at my temples which were prone to hair loss. Fast forward 20 years and the mum bun seems to exacerbate it, by putting stress on my hairline, so I really wanted to achieve a smooth and defined twist/braid out so I have the option to either wear my hair out in some way or at least add some texture and interest to my updo's.....


I was at a loss as to which product would help me achieve this and I was steadily working my way through a mountain of creams and oils - then I bought BeUNIQUE's Magic I mean Moisture Custard and Mango Twist. They have worked a treat for me.


After washing my hair with Curls Unleashed sulfate free shampoo and conditioning with TRESemme Naturals moisturising conditioner I blotted excess water from my hair with a towel and whilst it was still damp I added a little bit of extra virgin olive oil to seal in the moisture. I could have probably skipped this step, but I love using oil on my hair. It really helps lock in moisture. I then went about sectioning my hair and twisting. To each section I added the Moisture Custard and then the Mango Twist on top. I was in a rush so my twists weren't the best, but this didn't matter because I was only planning to keep them in overnight.


At bedtime I tied with my headscarf and a few hours after I woke up I took the twists out and I loved the results. My hair felt soft and silky without being greasy, Each twist that I unravelled properly, i.e from end to root was silky and defined. The others were slightly fluffy because I rushed too much, but all in all I know this product provides me with the results I want. I just need to be more meticulous with my twisting and taking out to achieve a full head of defined curls and waves.


My hair is still quite short so my full twist out didn't really do it for me, especially as I wasn't able to tease and arrange it the way I'd like due to a crying baby who wanted his mummy's undivided attention.....but I will keep trying and eventually post some pics that I like. In the meantime here are the pics that made the cut (just about)...

The faithful mum bun.
Day before wash day.

Freshly shampooed, conditioned and twisted

To the side

Couldn't resist testing a section and taking out a twist
after only a few hours.
Tut. Looks good though.

Smooth. Did notice my ends need a trim though

Day two. Super rushed updo, with kinky/quiffy bit at the front.
No extra product added.Liking the texture.

Curls no longer as defined but the texture is still there.

So there you have it. I still have a lot to learn and I really wish I had more time to spend on styling my hair, but hey what's a mum to do?? My natural hair journey is still very much a work in progress, but I am enjoying finding products that are enabling me to experiment and achieve different things with my 'fro. That's what it's all about in my book.




UPDATE PIC - day 3 of the twist out;

Went out with a mum bun. Came home took it out and
this is what I was left with. I did NOTHING apart from shake
it out a bit. Still needs some work but not too bad eh?