Back to Regular Posting ...

... this Friday.  Stay tuned!

Volumizing Shampoo Giveaway WINNER!

We have a winner for the Volumizing Shampoo sponsored by Shielo haircare line! 

Thanks to all the ladies who shared their comments.

Our lucky winner is:

Chrissy. M.!! 

Use the "Contact Me" form to claim your prize. Please respond by March 12, 11:59pm EST.

Healthy Hair Feature: MissAlinaRose

1) Are you natural, relaxed, texlaxed, or transitioning? (And how long?)
Natural; It will be 3 years from a shaved head on March 8, 2011

2) What mistakes have you made in your hair care journey?
a. Not detangling properly (It took a lot of trial and error for me to figure out that I like my hair combed on damp hair after my whole wash process. The shower detangling is a no-no for me.)
b. Leaving protective styles in too long. I've learned that whether my hair was in twists, braids, a twistout, a wash n' go, or a fro my hair would grow and retain length all the same.

3) What is your current HEALTHY HAIR routine?
a. Wash and condition every 7-10 days
b. Moisturize when my hair feel it needs it
c. I've slowly incorporated minor dosages of heat (blow dryer) that has left my hair incredibly soft!

4) Do you have a HEALTHY BODY routine? If so, what is it?
My boyfriend is actually a personal trainer!! If anyone is in Houston and needs help hit me up and I'll relay the message. Also, I have recently returned to college and I basically walk everywhere. It is one of, if not THE, largest unversities in the country. I burn a lot of calories, but I also stay hydrated with the h2o. Currently I am trying to gain weight. I don't think I've ever weighed over 105 a day in my life...and I'm tired of looking 14 when I'm 24!

5) Do you have any advice for those seeking healthy tresses?
a. Don't listen to everybody...including me. If someone can add heat to their hair every 2 weeks or wear braids for 6 months straight and retain all their length don't assume your hair can. Always keep in mind that experimentation involves taking risks so take proper precautions and research!
b. Protective Styling is not the only avenue. I know I know. Don't stone me. I love protective styling with braids, buns, twists, etc. But wearing your hair out or having your hair touch your shirt will not kill you every once in a while. Enjoy your hair, keep it moisturized, wash it when you feel it should be washed, and find styles that suit you. It is as simple as you make it.

You can find MissAlinaRose at:
http://www.fotki.com/missalinarose

3in6: Ending Month #1

See "3in6 Challenge" details here.

Okay, ladies, we are concluding the first month of the challenge.  Wow, how time flies.   My hair has been twisted the entire month; I spent almost two weeks in small twists then transitioned into bigger twists for two more weeks.  These big twists will stay in for another two weeks, and then I'll see what to do next.  Last week I retwisted the perimeter after a prepoo, wash, and condition.

In other news, yesterday I purchased avocados, spinach, and carrots to restock on vegetables.  I may try to get bananas later this week.

How did you ladies end Month #1?  What styles do you plan to do in Month #2?

Volumizing Shampoo GIVEAWAY!

 Shielo is an established haircare line that has become popular in salons across New York, Paris and Sao Paolo.  All products created by the company are sustainably sourced and cruelty free.  In sponsoring this giveaway, the company is offering a FREE Volumizing Shampoo to one lucky winner.

Product Description: This modern volumizing shampoo is designed to remove residue and product styling build-up, without stripping hair or fading color to provide an optimum environment for thicker hair. Fights free radicals that damage and weaken hair. The results are thicker, healthier, more beautiful hair.  (Click here for ingredients listing.)

So how do you enter the giveaway contest?  Well just leave a comment below stating how you feel this product will benefit your tresses.*   The entries will close on March 3rd at 11:59pm EST.  On March 4th, one luck winner will be announced.

*Only subscribers to (or followers of) the blog will be allowed to enter.

Why Organic?

Here are some of the many reasons I prefer organic ...

10 Dirty Fruits and Veggies

Interview with a Fine-Haired Natural: Session II

3. What styles do you prefer to wear?

Currently my preference is for styles that have a lot of volume and texture because like many naturals, I prefer 'big hair'. Therefore, I usually am wearing a 'quick dry' braid-out, a flat twist-out/bantu knot-out combo, or a wash n' go bun. In the summer when the humidity does not allow me to stretch my hair, I prefer mini-twists since I can still enjoy the volume of my hair, and then unravel the twists after a week or two for a fuller twist-out.


4. How has being fine-haired affected you? What are the pros and cons to being fine-haired?

One con of having fine hair is that the density of your hair in its natural state does not always translate into fuller styles outside of an afro. Many of the styles I see may look great on the person wearing them such as medium twists, box braids, and twist and braidouts, but when I try them, they do not come out with the same lushness. I am now more critical of whether or not I decide to try a new style that I see on another natural and I consider if and how I can recreate it on my own hair. Another con is the problem of tangles and split ends. Most naturals have to pay special attention to their ends because afro hair is fragile, but it is at a different level of care when you have fine hair that is fragile and the ends can break and thin out easily. Finally, I find that my fine hair prevents my styles from lasting very long. My hair tends to frizz quickly in protective styles and styles look fresh for a maximum of one to two days before I need to re-set the style. However, this has been helped by using better styling aids and silk scarves to minimize frizz.

Some pros of fine hair are that the density is not the actual thickness so a daunting task such as detangling, putting my hair into braids after washing, or the drying time for a large mass of hair actually takes half as long as most naturals with coarser strands. Another pro is that I can achieve both a sleek look and a voluminous look with one style, such as my mini-twists before and after unraveling for a fuller twist-out.

5. How do you manage with fine hair?

I've learned my hair over the years and found some tricks and shortcuts to manipulate it into certain styles, but at the end of the day, I've found that working with my hair gets me the best results. I take advantage of my hair's shrinkage when styling for volume, frizz when going for a textured bohemian look, and lack of volume when I do not want 'big hair,' but would prefer a sleeker style.