The Halo Braid

Sometimes I get really tired of wearing buns as protective styles so the second quickest style I turn to is the Halo Braid! I think the halo braid is the most popular name for this style although some do not incorporate any braiding and instead substitute flat twisting. I am one of those people. I achieve the halo braid by doing two big flat twist around my head. Here is a video of how I do it!

How I Did it: Flexi Rod Set on Dry Hair

In this video, I share how I achieved heatless curls with flexi-rods. Enjoy!

Flexi Rod Set on Dry Hair

Last night I tried a flexi rod set on dry hair. I had been air drying my hair all day in a bun and decided I wanted to do something with it. I looked at all the flexi rods I have that I rarely put to use and I gave them a try. I moisturized, sealed, and detangled my hair with Elasta QP Olive Oil and Mango Butter Moisturizer and Grapeseed Oil. I then set my hair using 1 inch rods for the back of my hair and smaller (I don't know the exact sizes) rods for the front of my hair. I used 12 flexi rods in total (six on both sides of my head).

 I didn't have enough of one size of the flexi rods so that is why I used three different sizes. When I took the rods out in the morning it was pretty obvious that I used different sized flexi rods. But it was all good, I still liked how it came out! Looking at the different curl/wave patterns I think I would've liked the style even better if I used the blue rods all over my head...maybe even the purple ones all over my head--but the orange rods gave me curls/waves that were too tight.










I did record how I did this and I will post it here on the blog as soon as I edit it! I'm glad I found another way to achieve heatless curls!

Oh and by the way flexi rods are NOT comfortable to sleep in at all!

Product Review: EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner

I purchased this deep conditioner  from Walmart for $9.47. This was NOT an impulse buy! Instead, I think it was a very wise purchase. I was in the process of figuring out whether or not I wanted to make that trip to Carol's Daughter and repurchase the Monoi Repairing Hair Mask (reviewed here), when i decided to see if there were any products out there that had similar ingredients (specifically Monoi), gave great results, but were a tad bit cheaper. After browsing through YouTube videos and blog posts, I came across the EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner. I read some great reviews about it and I was impressed with the ingredients so I made that trip to Walmart. 

Here is what the makers have to say:
EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner is formulated with coconut, jojoba and monoi to replenish hair's strength and restore its natural beauty from overprocessing, damage and dryness. Fortified to balance the hair's moisture level, it results in stronger, healthier, more manageable hair. It is an excellent deep conditioner for all textures and hair types. EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner was made without sulfates and contains no mineral oils (petroleum), dyes or parabens and is cruelty free.

Ingredients:
Water (Aqua), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearalkonium Chloride, Coco Nut Oil, Tiare Flower, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-11, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Anthemis Nobilis (Camomile) Flower Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol , Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid

What I Liked:
I really love how thick this conditioner is! In my opinion the consistency favors a relaxer...maybe a little thicker. I love thick conditioner because I feel like they coat and condition my hair much better than thinner conditioners. This conditioner was no different! I didn't have to use too much of the EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner to coat all of my hair. This was great for me because I am usually heavy handed with conditioner. I  have used this 16 oz. product five times already and I think I can get two more uses out of it. I tried the deep conditioner on both dry hair and freshly shampooed hair with and without heat and I think i like it better on wet hair with heat. 

After deep conditioning for a couple of hours, I don't see very much of the product on my hair. This is great because it means that a lot of the product has penetrated my hair. There are some really good ingredients in this conditioner and they are all natural, so the fact that the conditioner really penetrates my hair shaft sits very well with me! 

After washing out the EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner my hair is so soft and easy to detangle. I have been finger detangling in the shower this winter and this conditioner makes it so easy for me! It makes me feel like I can stretch my relaxer the whole winter with no problems at all ( I am currently 10 weeks post). While rinsing the conditioner out my hair my tangles literally feel like they are melting away from each other. As soft as my hair feels, it also feels really strong. I also do not experience too much breakage while detangling after using this conditioner. Looove!

I also really like the packaging. The jar will make it easy for me to get every single ounce out when it's time. 

What I Don't Like:
I don't really care for the smell. It's not a bad smell, but it's not really too great for me either. It smells like a strong essential oil but I can't really pin point which essential oil it is. The first time I used it, the strong smell gave me a headache, but that was the only time this happened to me while using the product. 

I don't like how the conditioner doesn't penetrate my hair as well if I don't use heat while deep conditioning. Sometimes I don't have time to use heat. The product definitely conditions and strengthens my hair really well without heat, just not as well as when I use heat. 

All in all....
I will definitely be repurchasing the EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner. I won't go as far as to say that I will make this my staple deep conditioner (only because I like trying new conditioners all the time) but I will most definitely keep it in rotation and recommend it to anyone! 

In comparison to Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask, the competition is tight! I think I like the smell of the Carol's Daughter Monoi Repairing Hair Mask muuuuuch better. But, I think I like the application of the EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner better. It glides on so easily! Both of the products have similar moisturizing and strengthening properties, but when it comes down to actually making a repurchase, $9.47 for 16 oz. (Eden) definitely beats out $29.00 for 7 oz. (Carol's Daughter). 

Have you used the EDEN BodyWorks JojOba Monoi All Natural Deep Conditioner before? How did you like it?

I've Been Nominated!: Liebster Award

I was nominated for the Liebstar Award by Lesley from Fresh Lengths and Bebe from Hairausforderung . Thanks for the nominations ladies!

How the Liebster Award works:
1. Each person must post 11 random things about themselves (optional).
2. Answer the 11 questions that the tagger set for you.
3. Choose 11 bloggers who you would like to give the Liebster Award.
4. Create 11 questions for the bloggers you have tagged with the award to answer.

Lesley's Questions:

1. You have to pick between wearing no make-up or having no hair products for the rest of your life, which do you choose?
No makeup- definitely
2. What hairstyle do you love to do the most?
Braidouts!
3. Your absolute favourite product? 
Castor Oil
4. Besides the topics you blog about, what else interests you?
Psychology research
5. Do you have any guilty pleasures? 
TV Dramas
6. How will you be spending this Christmas?
With my family
7. Giving or receiving presents? (be honest!)
Giving 
8. TV or books?
Both
9. Something you would like to do in the future? (e.g. travel, jump out of an aeroplane...)
Ride on a hot air balloon! 
10. What's your dream job? 
School Psychologist/Hair Consultant 
11. Why did you start blogging?
I wanted to document my journey and help others like I have been helped on my journey 

Bebe H.'s questions:

1. How old are you?
21
2. Where do you want to be with your career in 5 Years?
I think I will still be pursuing my PhD
3. Do you live in a rented apartment or in your own house?
I am still in school. So I guess I am renting a dorm room lol
4. What's your Favorite Song?
I Will Always Love You- Whitney Houston
5. Forever 21 or H&M, which do you prefer?
Definetely H&M
6. How many times do you changed your hair regimen?
I dont really change the regimen but i changed products often- i like to try new things
7. Your New Year's resolutions?
Overall consistency
8. What's your biggest fear?
Failure
9. How often do you shop for Hair Products in a Year?
Lol. Maybe twice a month...smh
10. If you could be Singer for one day,who would you like to be?
Beyonce
11. Why did you start blogging?
I wanted to document my journey and help others like I have been helped on my journey 

I nominate...

Nik from NikG Life + Style

Shanique from Journey to Waist Length

Andrea from Lengthening Locks

Yulli Blue from Caught Between a Cream and a Curl

Ashley from Ashley the Fashion Guru

Special K from Healthy Hair by Special K

Daisy from Just Daisy

Fiona from Love Your Tresses

Dabs from Naija Hair Can Grow

Miss Music from From Short to Long 

Amber from I am Just a Soul Whose Intentions are Good

Questions:

1. What is your favorite fashion trend?

2. What is the most drastic thing you've done to your hair?

3. What is your greatest accomplishment when it comes to your hair?

4. Do you have any New Years resolutions?

5. What is your favorite nail color?

6. Where is Waldo?

7. Juice or Soda?

8. What languages do you speak?

9. Do you have any hobbies? Share them.

10. Who is your hair idol?

11. Why did you start bloogging?

Heatless Curls: Bantu Knot Out

Interested in achieving curls without any heat? Here is a video on how I do my bantu knot outs! The only styling products I used were the Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter and bobby pins!

All Alcohols Are Not Created Equal

Too often I see people turning away from certain products because of alcohol ingredients. I used to be one of these people before I learned that all alcohol ingredients aren't necessarily bad for your hair.

The Good 
The ingredients that I see most frequently in products include Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, and Cetearyl Alcohol. When I see these on ingredients lists they are usually third or fourth on the lists. All three of these are natural fatty alcohols derived from coconut oil. They are widely used as emollients and stabilizing agents in conditioning and moisturizing treatments. These fatty alcohols give back that soft feeling into the hair by helping the cuticle to lie flat on the surface of the hair. They give our hair a soft feeling and manageability! Other good alcohols include Behenyl alcohol, Lauryl alcohol, and Isocetyl alcohol. These are also fatty alcohols that provide softening effects to the hair.

The Bad
The alcohols you do want to watch out for include SD Alcohol 40, Ethanol, SD Alcohol, Propyl, Propanol, and Isopropyl. These alcohols are used as solvent and they cause products to evaporate quickly. Because of this quality, these ingredients can be very drying to the hair. They can be the culprits of breakage and frizzy hair.

So before you decide to stay clear of products with alcohol in it, try and become familiar with the alcohols that are good and those that are bad. Once I became familiar with these names there were so many more products that I could try out (like i need any more products...). I like to keep a list of ingredients commonly found in hair products handy so that when I am out looking for new things to try out I can make sense of ingredients I do not recognize. The list that I keep bookmarked can be found here.  

The products that you are avoiding may be the products that your hair loves!