*Build Your Natural Hair Care Library*

Thursday, August 27, 2009

My Castor Oil Challenge results were featured on HairliciousInc's YouTube Channel!

The challenge ran from April 22 - August 22.

I began the challenge on April 20, 2009 and continue to use Castor Oil today. It will forever remain part of my regimen.

Part 3 will begin on Sunday September 2 and run through Sunday December 2. This will be the final challenge in 2009.

You can get a 20% discount on Jamaican Black Castor Oil from Sams Carribean Marketplace through September 15, 2009 using code "HAIR". After September 15, the discount will be 15%.

Join the Castor Oil Challenge Part 3 group on Hairlista now.

Check out the video below or by clicking "here".


Sunday, August 16, 2009

Grow It: How To Grow Afro-Textured Hair To Maximum Lengths In The Shortest Time by Chicoro



I was recently contacted by the beautiful Chicoro, the author of the book Grow It!: How To Grow Afro-Textured Hair To Maximum Lengths In The Shortest Time. As a thank you for featuring her wonderful book in Build Your Natural Hair Care Library promotion at the top of the blog, she's sending me one of her beautiful tote bags.


As a special thanks to beautiful Chicoro, she deserves a blog post of her very own.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Grow It! is the first book in Chicoro's Beautify Bit By Bit Series. The primary focus is on "how to gain, retain and maintain length that you grow on afro-textured hair."

The list price of the book is $15 but it can be purchased at Amazon.com for $13.50.

Please check out Chicoro's web site Beautify Bit by Bit.

Also check out her blog Beautify Bit by Bit.

To see details of her nautural hair journey, you can view her hair care album at http://public.fotki.com/Chicoro123/hair-care/.

See blog reviews below:




Monday, August 10, 2009

Sound the Trumpets...We have a Winner!



The winner of the Trendy Tee'z giveaway is Milan of A Grl Can Mac! Stop by and check out her wonderful blog that focuses on beauty, natural hair care, and style.

CONGRATULATIONS Milan.

Please send me your Trendy Tee product choice from Trendy Tee'z web site along with your size and mailing address information via email to rcarson@triad.rr.com.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Don't forget to enter the Trendy Tee'z giveaway

Entries are being accepted through Friday at midnight.

Dymesha has introduced two new colors in the Natural Beauty line this week and is also seeking feedback on a beautiful new design called Natural Diva so stop by and tell her what you think.

You can find details of the giveaway at http://kinkyrhonnie.blogspot.com/2009/08/trendy-teez-giveaway.html.

Also check out her new blog post Ways to Wear your Tee. It's HOT!!!

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Trendy Tee'z Giveaway!

Dymesha Wheeler, the owner of Trendy Tee'z has graciously volunteered to host a giveaway.

The winner will receive one Trendy Tee of choice out of eight wonderful options.

The two lines currently available are the Afro Diva and the Natural Beauty.

The Afro Diva Tee and Tank are available in your choice of black with a silver image, black with a gold image, white with gold image

The new Natural Beauty Tee is available in white with a black image or white with a brown image.

All of the Trendy Tee'z are beautiful and classy as you can see from the images below.

To enter the giveaway, you must leave a comment below stating the "FIVE THINGS A NATURAL MUST DO TO HAVE HEALTHY NATURAL HAIR". You must be a follower of the blog to qualify. Entries must be received by Friday August 7th at 11:59 pm to qualify for the giveaway. I have asked Dymesha to select the winner.

If you wish to purchase a Trendy Tee'z tee or tank, contact Dymesha directly at dwheeler013@yahoo.com. Visit the Trendy Tee'z blog at http://trendyteez.blogspot.com/. Trendy Tee'z online Etsy store will be opening in the near future.

Please also pay a visit to Dymesha's first love, her beautiful stationery, at Anaya Grace Designs.

NATURAL BEAUTY



AFRO DIVA





Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Review: Darcy's Botanicals Madagascar Vanilla Styling Creme


PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Our hand whipped Madagascar Vanilla Styling Creme is an all natural hair butter cream for moisturizing, styling and conditioning your natural coils.

It absorbs instantly into hair to replenish much needed moisture, provide softness, sheen & encourages health hair growth.

This highly moisturizing creme is very thick & concentrated so a little goes a long way. It is perfect for type 3-4 naturals:)

It has a very thick concentrated buttercream consistency with the sweet smell of gently infused African Madagascar Vanilla that is truly heavenly! Our customers love the scent. Many say it smells like vanilla ice cream, some say it smells like a sweet bourbon vanilla, depending upon how long we infuse the vanilla:)

Once you try it, you'll be hooked!

PRODUCT INFORMATION
-------------------
HOW DOES THIS WORK?
Our Madagascar Vanilla Styling Creme is a luscious blend of all natural oils that will provide healthy conditioning, add sheen, softness & moisture to your naturally curly hair.

WHAT'S IN IT?
Organic Palm Oil, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Madagascar Vanilla, Vegetable Emulsifying Wax, Candelilla Wax, Organic Castor Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil and Potassium Sorbate.

HOW DO I USE IT?
*Use it as a hair moisturizer to naturally condition dry curls, locs & waves.
*Use as a styling butter for twists, braids, afros, and locs.
*Use to promote healthy hair growth
*Many of our customers also use it as a body butter!!! Works great as a multi-purpose hair & body butter:)

REVIEW
If you are a fan of hair butters, you will probably love this product because it is the texture of a thick creamy butter.

The product has a very pleasant fragrance that is rich but subtle. It had great hold for a two-strand twist setting but my hair requires a bit more moisture. I had already used a natural leave-in conditioner under the product. I probably could have gotten better results if I had used a creamy moisture on top of the leave-in.In addition, I'm not a fan of waxes so I could have passed on the Emulsifying and Candelilla waxes.

If you are fan of butters, I ask that you give the product a try for yourself because we all know that different heads of hair thrive on different things.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Natural Hair Community Entrepreneur, Sonya of Epiphany Frostings


I first met Sonya on Nappturality. She is another one of my online friends whom I quickly to a liking to as she often came to my fotki hair album to leave the nicest comments.

Sonya radiates a warm spirit in addition to be funny and very personable. She has developed a fabulous line of natural products called Epiphany Frostings that can be used from the top of your head to the tip of your toes.



Current offerings include:
Aloe Butter Frosting, Mango Butter Frosting, and Muscle Rub. Cocoa Butter Frosting will be offered in the very near future.

You can request a choice of essentials oils in a scented/unscented base.

All products are made using 100% organic ingredients.

Products are currently available in a 2 oz. sample or 4 oz. 8 oz. jars are coming soon and I can't wait.

Be sure to stop by Sonya's Blog A day in the Life of a Bored Nappy. You can also visit her hair album at http://www.fotki.com/diman99.

On to the interview!
********************
What would you like the natural hair community to know about Sonya?

I am one of the coolest, laid back people you could ever meet! I'm a single mother of 1 awesome 10 year old boy. I work full time as a debt collector, and part time as a skiptracer & repo woman. I dont really meet any strangers. Some years back I started saying hello to each and every person I met (because I was really shy), after that I would stop at least 1 person a day to compliment them (ya know, just pay it forward). Since then I think I've become a bit more outgoing and extroverted. I love to see people smile, so I do my best everyday to make that happen!

What motivated you to start your own online retail store?

Well, I went natural August 21, 2007. From that point I became a lot more mindful of how I took care of myself. I frequented several hair boards each and every day for tips and pointers. Everyone was looking for their own "holy grail" product lists, so I would buy as much as I could afford to get perfect hair & skin. I tallied up my receipts and realized that I had spent hundreds of dollars on products and the great majority did NOT meet my expectations. Everything was so expensive. My hair and skin was becoming high maintenance & I didn't like that. I started by trial & error making my own "concoctions" that would double as hair & skin moisturizer (just to try and save some money). I started giving jars away to my mom & best friend and they loved it. One morning, while playing kitchentian, I just felt a sense of peace & I felt so excited all of a sudden. I just felt the phrase, "if it's meant to be, everything else will fall into place." I called my mama and she said, "I think it's time to start your company." What I had was my "Epiphany" and what she gave was my "Confirmation." I started giving out more samples and I got really good reviews, and "Epiphany Frostings" was born.

What will one find at Epiphany Frosting?

I feel that each and every person who tries "Epiphany Frostings" will find something they can appreciate in it. You will find a product that looks like whipped frosting, but feels like silk against your skin. It doubles as both a hair and skin moisturizer. Most of the women that I meet are looking for something to give the perfect amount of moisture and shine but doesn't cost an arm and a leg.. No one likes cluttered closets, so with this product you get everything you're looking for all in one jar. It's something the whole family can use. I'm also offering a muscle and joint rub that may not cure your pain, but it will help to lessen the pain. The ingredients are all natural and I will add scent based on the individual's specifications, so you won't have to walk out of the house smelling like a medicine cabinet. I'll also offer a Total Body Care Oil again that can be used from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet. This oil can be used as a massage oil, bath oil, moisturizer and in hot oil treatments.

Where do you hope to see the store a year from now?

A year from now, my goal is that "Epiphany Frostings" will be a household name. I want to know that people everywhere are using my product and their skin and hair is thriving because of it. I would love to be able to focus my attention full-time to the creation and preparation of new products. I plan to also expand my product line to offer all natural hair & body shampoos and conditioners and to also offer bath salts and soaps.

Anything else you’d like the readers to know?

No tree nuts will be harmed in the making of these products! lol I am severly allergic to nuts as well as so many others in the population. It can be daunting to find a product that doesn't include nut oils or butters. Because I want everyone to love this product as much as I do, each batch is made just the way you want it. This is like my baby. Everything I do is by hand, no mass production, so if you have a specific allergy and you express that to me, I will definitely take that into consideration when you place your order.

My review!
********************
For me, a true test of a fabulous moisturizer is one that it not greasy and that you can still feel at least three days later. The aloe butter frosting that I tried was all that and more. I had Sonya blushing when I told her that the whipped texture very much reminded me of Karen's Body Beautiful Hair Cream. Of course, Sonya found that statement to be quite flattering.

When I first received my sample, I quickly opened it and the energizing smell of mint flooded the air. I was so tempted to dig in to the product for use on my old twists but waited until the weekend to use it on a fresh set of twists over alba leave-in conditioner and castor oil to seal in my moisture. I air dried and later used my homemad spritz to moisten and the fabulous frosting to twists. A moisture test for me is to squeeze my twist and see if I feel and see moisture on my fingers. With Sonya's frosting, I was still able to feel and see the moisture on day three, which was wonderful.