Natural STARSSS!

Finally here is my first edition of "NATURAL STARS" where i feature a natural that i know personally and ask them a little about their natural hair journey. This week i interviewed someone very close to me! My Mother! LOL Obviously she has never done an interview about her natural hair so her answers are a bit short! But nevertheless she gave a good first try! Thanks MA!

Before: Permed days!

What made you want to become natural? It was something I always wanted to do, and I was on deployment so I didn't have anyone to impress.

What's your regimen?/Staple Products Daily moisture and wrap with silk scarf or bonnet, I use shea butter, and vegetable glycerin in a spray bottle, and natural oils.

Tell me about your hair journey, and you goals. I've been natuaral since Feburary 08, my goal is to find the perfect product that makes my hair curly, and wavy.

Did you BC or transition slowly? I tranisitioned slowly and clipped my ends regularly.

What are your least favorite products?
Kinky Curly Curling Custard because it leaves a sticky film.

ITS BACKKK!!!

Deep Condintioning is back! Haven't done it in a while. Not to say my hair is dry, but i just like that butter-ry feeling that it gives my hair! LOL i look silly in this one, but hey its all for the love of hair right?! Until next time ladies! :)

BULLDOG BASH!

Really wish there was a better picture of my hair, but basically what i did was a lil faux hawk, with a flower on the side.

PLUS ME AND THE ROOMIE ENJOYED JASON MRAZ & LUC & the LOVINGTONS :)

New Workout Reggi!

I want to make this clear, this is my blog so im going to put what ever i want on here, my life doesn't only focus on hair and this post isn't about hair in the least bit. Just wanted to put that out there!

ANYWAYS. Any one who knows me since i've been as MSU knows that i've been working out like crazy. I think living natural doesn't only mean in the hair sense but body as well. I'm really concious as to what i put into my body, that is one of the main reasons i am a vegetarian, BUT anyways i was in the shower and i was thinking "i need a new workout regimen" and i kind of set up a new one while i was at the gym today. While i was working out i kept saying, "circut training, circut training" So thats what i'll call it!

What do i do at th gym you might ask?! Well its a combination of things, first i do cardio for about an hour, but i just don't do one machine. I rotate between three different machines, and they aren't any particular machines just the ones that i feel like doing that day. My favorite is the elliptical, and this other machine and i don't know the name of it! So after an hour or so of cardio i start hitting the weights.

(I do about 15 to 20 reps of each)

In no particular order i (dont know the actual names of things) lift a ten pound weight over my head and start to bend my arms at the elbow.

Then some bicep curls

Then some leg lifts with the ball inbetween

A bar behind my neck and start to twist. LOL

AND REPEAT about two times
i seem to burn alot of carolies this way.

We will see how this works!

Hopefully ill have a body like BEYONCE :)

Twist Out!

All i did was take out my usual two fat twists on the side. Quick and Easy just like it like it :)

*PS this is one of my bestfriends who is transitioning to be natural! YAY FOR NATURALS! :)

Being Curly On Campus

I've noticed something in the four weeks that I've been a college student. One that a lot of African American women don't know how to properly take care of their hair, and two that every time i turn around i see a natural head walking toward me (this makes me very happy!)

College is hard no doubt and it is very time consuming, as is any other things in life. We as African American women are setting an example for generations to come to attend college and make something of our selves. Why can't we set an example with our hair?! Also while we are here we have the opportunity to do great things, meet fantastic people, and change our lives. I know for me not only am i getting a phenomenal education, I'm working on being physically fit as well, because i have a place that's accessible for me to go and work out at my convince (I'll do a post on that later) BUT one thing that we can not neglect is our hair! Don't scream at me when i say this, I'm going to make a valid point.

By neglecting our hair i don't necessarily mean getting a perm. I've also seen plenty of African American women on this campus with healthy permed hair. i mean giving it the attention that it deserves, by listening to your hair and treating it like any other part of your body. Now i know for many the transition to becoming natural is a tough one, its on the back of manys mind, and many don't want to take the intuitive forward. My advice?! Do it! Although you might get some funny stares, its completely natural. I also believe our society as a whole is becoming more acceptable to black women with curly hair.

Being natural on campus can be one of two things i believe. it can be liberating, and inspiring. By liberating i mean it gives you the opportunity to finally become who you are, and now what others are making you to be. it can also be inspiring because you see those women with the dry, brittle, broken off hair and say to your self, "i don't want to be like that".

I haven't worn my hair out in its completely natural state here yet, because of my protective style challenge, but as soon as i do i plan on making a BIG statement. So what am i trying to say?!?! That being curly on campus is a good thing.. LOL :)

Sleep Time!

Showing off my satin bonnet that keeps my hair perfect during the night! :)

Can You Tell What Day It Is?

ITS TUESDAY! & THAT MEANS WASHDAY!! IM SO EXCITED! MY HAIR IS IN NEED OF SOME TLC!

MY HAIR IS SO MATTED IN THE BACK ITS RIDICULOUS! & FROM THIS PICTURE YOU CAN REALLY SEE THE HEAT DAMAGE FROM LAST YEAR BUT IM SLOWLY GETTING RID OF IT. MY CURLS ARE COMING IN REAL GOOD, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THEM IN THIS PICTURE!

UNTIL NEXT TIME!

-ASHLEE

Cutesy Headband :)

I made this headband and i constantly get compliments :) Maybe one day ill do a tutorial on how i made it...

until next time

-Ashlee

My Favorite Natural Blogs, Websites, & Youtubers

So, anyone that knows me, knows that I love my natural hair websites, and YouTubers. And when ever i have free time i run to those to catch up on whatever i have missed over the couple of days, but usually i don't wait that long check up on them.

My first and definitely favorite is LongHairCareForum http://www.longhaircareforum.com/

It's a basic forum, but it has different categories like hair, skin, nails, fitness, politics. Everything under the sun. It's a great place for African American woman to come and socialize. That's where i am apart of several challenges. 120 days of fitness, HYH and no heat till Christmas. I absolutely love this site. You don't have to be a member to look at the site, but if you want to become a member its only six dollars a year. I would encourage every woman to become a member of this site, you will benefit greatly from it!

Second is CurlyNikki http://www.curlynikki.com/

Above is a picture of Nikki herself, who the site is named after and who basically runs it. She has the most beautiful hair, and she is really informative. I absoultely love her site too. She just had a baby and she is goregous! She has several giveaways, other naturals are featured regularly, basically everything natural is on there. Styles, how tos, DIYs, everything under the natural sun.

There are many other websites, probably millions, but those two are my favorite the ones that i frequent the most.

Now on to Youtubers.

I suscribe to a handfull of natural youtubers, but some of them i don't watch all of their videos, but the following are my favorite. (in no particular order)

PhillyDiva19154 http://www.youtube.com/user/PhillyDiva19154 I love her, she is hilarious, and always shopping! I have learned so much from her, she always keeps her hair in a protective style, and did i mention she is hilarious? If you don't suscribe to her i suggest that you do.

Kimmaytube http://www.youtube.com/user/kimmaytube
KimmayTube is very informative. I've learnt so much from her, i love her so much that i have adapted her hair washing regimen. Lol, yea i got it from her, i also got the Apple Cider Vinegar rinse from her too. She is a genius, some don't like her others love her. I'm in the bunch that adores her! :)

BeautifulBrownBabyDoll http://www.youtube.com/user/BeautifulBrwnBabyDol
Now i really have learned alot from her, she does great tutorials, she also talks about fitness, which is my new obbession. She also has a new website: http://www.beautifulbrwnbabydol.com/ Check it out! If you want to learn how to take care of you body and hair suscribe to her!


Taren916 http://www.youtube.com/user/taren916
Love her! Thats all that i can say, i've learned so much from her too.

There are so many more:
BlackOnyx77
Lexiwiththecurls
longhairdontcare2011
prettydimples01


If you haven't checked out the people or sites that i have mentioned what is wrong with you?!

Until next time.

-Ashlee

Natural Hair Must Haves

So I've been thinking about what some new naturals would need, or what old naturals should have. You don't absolutely need to have these things, but they are what I think every natural should have. In no particular order.

Spray bottle: Definitely should have a spray bottle, water is our friend! Don't be afriad of it and often throughout the week we need to spray our hair throughout the week to jazz up our hair and keep it looking fresh if it isn't in a protective style.

Satin Cap: Everyone likes to sleep, but no one wants to mess up their hair in the process. The satin cap is a perfect way to keep your curls in tact! Plus they are really inexpensive instead of getting a satin pillow case.

Plastic Shower Caps: this is really usefull because of all the deep condintions that we do as naturals. this is really effective for when you want to steam, dry, or how ever you do your deep condintion. these is also really cheap

Wide tooth comb: We all know that we can not use a small tooth comb on our hair, it just wont work. We also know that we can't comb our hair dry if we don't want extreme damage. So why not get a wide tooth shower comb? I have this one, its really handy I hang it right in my shower.

Hair Clips: This is an obvious one right? When doing those cute styles, we need something to keep our hair out of the way, and we don't always want to use a hair tye. So hair clips seem more reasonable because they are easy to take out and put in.

Bobby pins, hair tyes, head bands: These are other obvious things, every person with hair on

thier heads will probably need one if not all of these things.

Bonnet Hair Dryer: Ok, so it doesn't necessarily have to be a bonnet hair dryer, but i think that a bonnet hair dryer is more effective than a hooded one. Its portable, its soft, its easy to use. I use it for several different things, styling purposes and my dc's. I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT! Mine doesn't look exactly like this, but its really cool, my friend calls it a spaceship.

Thats it for now, got anymore? Add them in the comments below!

-Ashlee

Protective Style

My staple protective style, gets me through the week ;)

Updated Reggi!

I know, I know it has been a minute since I have set eyes on this blog, and I could blame it on getting adjusted to the college life but that wouldn't do any good. I'm not going to sit here and make promises that I'm going to blog everyday or on a weekly basis because to be completly honest I don't have the time, and I don't mess with my hair as much as I did before i moved up here.


But I'm here nontheless at MSU -- Go DAWGS! -- I have no neglected my natural hair in the least! I'm still in my HYH (Hide Your Hair) challenge to pretty much the end of this semester so no cutesy styles this semester! Plus it's going to be cold soon and I want to prepare for the winter and protecting my hair as best as possible!

But on to my regimen! It hasn't been updated that much but I just wanted to let you know the products that I've been using since they've changed since the last time I've blogged.




I have been using Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo! I absouletly love it! I think I've found my staple shampoo! It is a bit on the pricey side but if you want silky clean organic, this is the way to go.





As far as conditioners go I've been using Tresseme Naturals. This was a last minute purchase but I jazzed it up with some honey and my oils and it was good to go!.





This is what i do: first rinse my hair with water, then seperate into two sections and slowly pour down some Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for a better rinse to get out all the gunk from the week.

From that I then seperate my hair into four sections leaving three pinned up with clips i leave in the shower. With the section that i've left out i then finger detangle so that it wont pull out that much hair when i detangle with the comb. I then proceed to detangle with a wide tooth shower comb i leave in there for those purposes.

Once the hair is detangled i take about a dime to a quater size of shampoo -- because a little goes a long way -- and then thouroughly wash my hair! Here is a tip that i picked up from my girl Kimmaytube, instead of rinsing the shampoo out i just squeeze it out, that way there is still some in there when i put the condintioner in! That way my hair gets all its nutrients and what not! LOL.

I then apply a generous amount of condintioner to the section flat twist and begin the next! Because detangling takes so long im in the shower for about an hour, 45 mins of it washing my hair! I then put a plastic shower cap over and proceed to wash my body. Then sleep overnight with the condintioner in. This is a dc for me, but if you want you can sit under a dryer (like i did tonight!)

The next day I hop in the shower and rinse and style as ususal, usually in two big fat flat twists, and go about my buisness! but i do apply some of my shea butter which keeps its moisterized throught the week until the next wash session!

I usually wash my hair on tuesday nights! I dont know why its just become a habit!


But thats it ladies!, How it was useful!

-Until next time
Ashlee.!