We are 4 women bound by blood, 3 sisters and their mother. Our goal is to help each other become the best we can be. Helping each other we can improve our intelligence, image, health, wealth, talents and abilities. We are each magical and powerful when we stand alone, but we are amazingly powerful when we stand together, and the results are out of this world. We talk about our natural hair, our weight, fashion, food, parties and living well. We make the ultimate Mother Daughter Team.
Love Yascone Twist Out
with Organix bamboo fiber-full
Yes, I said it I don't like twist outs. I was so happy when Solange said she didn't like them either. Usually when someone tells me I need to do a twist out it is someone really telling me they don't like my "grade" of hair. Insulting me to my face in the guise of helping me out, yeah I see you. I have never liked twist outs. The look is just blah! That said I did manage to do a twist out on myself that I don't hate and let's face it eventually there comes a day that I don't want wet hair. This week I don't want wet hair. Although it took two and a half days for my plaited hair to dry I think it turned out okay. I think using a hair thickener, Organix OGX Bamboo Fiber-Full, helped a lot (although the smell is over powering). I don't like the smell or the soy protein Ogx! What I do like is the way it made my hair easy to play with and tangle-free. Okay I did a video talking about this so just watch that. I also did some slice of life videos too so I included them as well. Heck, there is no need to be bored in this day and age.
Love Yascone Twist Out
with Organix bamboo fiber-full
Love Yascone Twist Out
with Organix bamboo fiber-full
Love Yascone Twist Out
with Organix bamboo fiber-full
Love Yascone Twist Out
with Organix bamboo fiber-full
Love Yascone Twist Out
with Organix bamboo fiber-full
Okay I say it all on the Vlog so go ahead and just watch. I decided to do a different style everyday because I entered a contest (looks included below). Playing with my hair has made me happier. I don't have time to just hate on me because I am spending time enjoying being me. I decided I wanted to enter like 8 styles and then I thought I am I only posting this on someone else's site. So, I decided to post it here, too. I hope to keep adding to this particular post from time to time. I talk about the products I used on the NaturallyCurly.com site. Just look up My Royal Family 4.
Ok you know you are having a day when you lose everything you just wrote!
Yes, this is my second time writing this. No, it is not going to be better than the first draft! I am sorry but I am lazy! I was supposed to write this a week ago and I am just now getting around to it so...Yeah lazy, depressed whatever. Let's get to it shall we.
Two weeks ago I decided to runaway for a little while. I left with only the clothes on my back and no hair products! Oops, I decided I didn't want to look like a total basket case, so I went to Target because Target always has a good selection of hair products for natural/kinky/curly hair. Now for over a year I have been avoiding AS I AM hair products because I thought they were all marketing and no...what is the word I am looking for? Oh well, I thought that it was going to be a waste of money. Even though AS I AM is reasonably priced I thought it can't be as good as some of my favorite hair products. Boy was I wrong! AS I AM has a whole line of products that are perfect for natural hair. I tried the Coconut Co-wash (smells like coconut), The Leave-in Conditioner, and Curling Jelly. I loved this combination of products. The co-wash felt good, cleaned my hair and I could detangle my hair using the co-wash. The Leave-in Conditioner was rich and made my hair feel healthy. The Curling Jelly helped define my curls and the combination of the three products made my hair feel healthy-silky-soft. I couldn't stop touching my hair which is a problem because curly hair gets frizzy when it is touched to much. The product made my hair feel and look good for days. I really enjoyed using it on my hair. Heck, I really enjoyed my hair. What a surprise!
Note: I loved it so much I bought it for my mother and sister Faith. I also had Faith try the detangling conditioner and I hope to get her to do a one minute video about the detangling conditioner at a later date.
Second big surprise of that week was Avon. We had a party at our house. It was a Family get together/18th birthday party for my cousin. Now my Aunt CC gave away gift bags with Avon and I was lucky enough to get Avon's Skin So Soft signature silk body lotion. I have extremely dry skin and the signature silk worked wonders on my dry and itchy skin. It made my skin look healthy and feel healthy. I was so surprised. Avon really made a product that works on extremely dry skin. I really love it. Let's face it if I didn't love it I wouldn't write about. There was a time when Avon was not cool but it works so...I will admit I love it and would buy it!
So I have soft hair because of AS I AM and soft skin because of Avon.(www.youravon.com/cecekelly)
So those are the ingredients I am using to make my hair look great for summer. It is my hair diet.
Shampoo Recipe:
2.5 Oz of Coconut Milk
3 oz Aloe Vera Gel
Mix it together (no lumps) and that's it. I of course will be making a larger batch.
ph of hair is 4.5-5.5
ph of this shampoo is 4.5 allowing the hairs cuticles to close properly and you hair to shine. This is great to control frizz, strengthen damaged hair (relaxers and heat) and stop shrinkage of every type of curly hair.
Coconut Milk and Lime Hair Treatment:
There are simpler recipes for this treatment and originally it was just coconut milk and lime and sometimes sunflower oil but I like adding things I think my hair needs so...
Big Batch
Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream (I use the cream and milk) 5-6 cans
2.5-3 cups of Lime and Lemon juice.
I squeeze both my limes and lemons and strain to remove pulp.
I use more limes than lemons. In fact of the 3 cups there is only the juice of 2
lemons total combined with the limes.
I add Jojoba oil and coconut oil for a total of about 1/4 cup of oil.
Cornstarch at least 5 Tablespoons
Cornstarch is not just a thickener it also helps give you hair shine so flour won't do.
1. I blend all the ingredients together and cook over very low heat to thicken. (20 min)
2. I place the mixture in a container and place in the refrigerator over night or at least 4 hours
3. I put mixture through my entire head of hair, massage my scalp for at least 3 min and then place a
plastic cap on my head. Leave it on for 1-2 hours.
4. I then rinse my hair and then co-wash with Wen or Herbal Essence Conditioning Shampoo
Okay so we are all worried about swimsuit season and summer fashion. Many of us are on a diet and working out. Many of us are failing at diets and our workouts, lol. We can't just concentrate on our body people. Remember your hair is your crowning glory. Frankly it doesn't matter what size you are or how your hair looks but your hair is something you can improve and not suffer in the process. (I'm on a diet right now and I am suffering. This sucks but working on my hair is fun.) What makes beautiful hair beautiful? For me beautiful hair is healthy, soft, has a personality, and enhances everything beautiful about your face. I know if I take care of my hair this Spring I will have beautiful hair this summer. My hair goals are as follows:
1. Cut down on the frizz
2. Cut down on the shrinkage
3. Stop shedding and breakage
4. Healthy in looks and feel (soft and thick)
5. Shiny
You know there is only one major thing I have to do besides eat right to get the above results. Keep my strands hydrated!!!! I can't slack off. I must be diligent. First of all I am changing my routine. I am not going to do the caramel treatment this spring. Don't get me wrong I love this treatment but I want to do something a little less labor intensive. On the same day years ago that I found the caramel treatment I also found (on the same site) a coconut milk & lime treatment. I chose the caramel treatment because the coconut milk lime treatment was a relaxer. I don't want to relax my curls I want to hydrate them so I never looked at that recipe again until last week. I know that the more hydrated my curls are the looser they are that's why I love Kinky-Curly products. My mind started thinking people put lemon and lime in their hair all the time. Lime isn't a relaxer. Coconut milk provides protein and adds softness to hair but it is not a relaxer! Oh snap said the blind woman who couldn't get pass that word relaxer! The coconut milk & lime treatment is not a relaxer!!! It is a serious hair hydrator.
Okay so I made up a batch for every woman in my family. Tested on my mom's 2c-3a combination hair first. She never takes care of it so it is always dry. I worked it through her hair and her hair was absorbing it all in and loving it. She left it on for an hour, washed it out and bam! Her hair looked healthy, shiny, and shrinkage was cut by about 25%. Oh and frizz was like way down. Did it relax her hair? No! Her curls or waves are still there. So, coconut milk & lime is a super conditioning protein treatment. I next tested the treatment on myself and since my hair is a 3b-3c-4a combo I thought I needed to leave it in my hair longer. Problem is I have healthy but not very hydrated hair. I left it in for 3.5 hours. It did not relax my hair. It made my hair soft and less frizzy but I feel like I got too much protein. I had to really use a lot of conditioner to fix that over protein feeling. Too much protein on healthy hair can make it brittle. My hair wasn't brittle but I could just tell I left the treatment in too long. Bottom line this is not a relaxer. It is the hydration that loosens the curls and stops shrinkage.
Let's be honest the four of us have been in mourning for a very long time. Taking care of our hair has taken a back seat to mending our souls. Mom and Joy are lucky they have an ability to at least give some attention to their hair. Plus mom has wavy hair so, her hair never really tangles as bad as mine. I have the type of hair that really needs to be detangled at least twice a month and it can be a hard job. Now picture a woman who has been having a hard time just getting into the shower, yep, that's me, lol. Detangling my hair rarely happens these days. My hair is neglected but I do know how to detangle it. I know how to save it.
Normally I use a wide tooth comb while in the shower to detangle my hair. The force of the running water actually helps move the comb through my hair with ease. Plus I use a ton of conditioner so normally this is all I need for proper grooming. Using a brush on natural hair is almost always a no no. Grooming for me, is always a wide tooth comb and my fingers if my hair is in good shape.
Wide tooth hair comb for curly hair
Right now my hair is not in good shape. My hair is a tangled mess. This is when I must use a brush. Never use a small tooth comb to detangle your hair. Always use a brush that is 100% nylon. Never brush you hair dry and always use conditioner on each section of hair you are brushing. I use a brush that is 100% nylon because it does not tear my hair and the bristles detangle my hair with ease when wet and full of conditioner.
100% Nylon Hairbrush
Note: I also like Michel Mercier Ultimate Detangling Brush for thick hair. It really detangles my worst tangles but the bristles bend. Even so, they do not seem to break. It really works and when you are in matted hair hell this brush will save you. I just don't know how safe it is for my hair but it really does work and cuts down on detangling time.
My detangle plan:
1. Get in the shower wet hair down completely
2. Apply a large amount of conditioner to your hair and use you finger to "comb through" your hair
3. Rinse hair and apply a second coat of conditioner. Use wide tooth comb and start to detangle your hair. Detangle as much as you can with the wide tooth comb.
4. If you are having a hard time with tangles, place that section of the hair under the running water of the shower and comb with the wide tooth comb. The force of the water should work with the comb. Usually your hair should be without tangles after using this trick.
5. Okay, you have some really tough tangles. Wet your hair down completely again. Then get out of the shower. Take a section of your hair (soaking wet), apply conditioner to this section and brush this section of hair with 100% nylon brush. Use the conditioner with the brush to remove any remaining tangles. This takes time. Be patient, don't rip your hair. Do this section by section until all tangles are gone.
6. Do not rinse, leave conditioner in your hair. Use a wet T-shirt to remove extra conditioner sitting on the top of your hair.
Faith Note: We use t-shirts because it prevents our hair from frizzing. A towel is too drying. So if you need to dry your hair use a dry t-shirt. Use a wet t-shirt to remove/manage excess product in your hair.
My mother told me to remind everyone: Having the proper tools is half the battle. Try different shapes of brushes to find the right one for your hair.
The original recipe can be found at The Caramel Treatment – A Natural Hair Softener. I always love to tweak recipes and make them my own. I do it for food and hair recipes. I know my hair isn't one size fits all so I studied different versions of this hair treatment. I suggest you try different oils that suite you. The recipe below was my latest batch. It is enough for four applications. Important note: DON'T USE BABY FOOD FOR BANANAS!!! You need real overripe bananas.
This recipe does work. It needs to be repeated every 3 weeks or whenever you just need a little help. The treatment helps with the frizz situation. Your hair will still frizz but not so drastically. My hair shrinks a lot and it does help with that as well. I do this in the summer because well it helps with summer hair. I heard this works well for transitioning from relaxer to natural hair as well. *Everything in parentheses is a measurement for a single batch. I make the treatment for four people and you may only need a single batch so use those measurements.
Honey – 1¼ cups (single batch
6 tablespoons)
Olive Oil – 1¼ cups (6
tablespoons) note: mixed grape seed and safflower oil with the olive oil.My personal touch.
Bananas – 7-9 (2-3) overripe
and very soft
Molasses (Treacle) – ¾ cup (3
tablespoons)
Water – 1 cup (4-6
tablespoons)
Apple Cider Vinegar – 3
tablespoons (1 tablespoon)
Cornstarch – 6-8 tablespoons
(1-2 tablespoons) depending on how thick you want the mixture to be (also helps with shine for hair)
Wheat germ oil – 3
teaspoons (1 teaspoon) – This can be substituted I add all ingredients to a blender (Ninja) and blend away. Then I warm the mixture over low heat just to thicken it to a pudding consistency. I leave the treatment on my hair for at least 4 hours. I put a plastic bag on my hair to help with the treatment but I don't always use a plastic bag. I rinse my hair after but I never shampoo. The treatment coats your hair strands and you don't want to strip that away.
Wen vs Ren; Wen vs Balding; Co-Washing vs Clarifying Shampoo
I added this Jan 8, 2017
It is easy to mistake RenPure (Ren) for Wen. Their packaging and labels are very similar. They are also both called cleansing conditioners, but this is where the similarities end. Ren is a cheaper product than Wen, but Wen is a far superior product. Everyone in my family agrees Ren is not a suitable substitution to Wen. Wen detangles my hair, making it easy to get a comb through my natural hair. My hair feels silky and soft to the touch with Wen, and I can also leave the product in my hair as a styling product. Ren, on the other hand, leaves my hair extremely tangled, hard and waxy to the touch and suds up like a protein treatment. You are not supposed to leave protein treatments in your hair because it can make your hair hard and dry. Hmmm, that is oddly similar to how Ren makes my hair feel. If you used Ren before ever trying Wen thinking that they should be the same, I am telling you now they are not. Please do not judge Wen by how your hair reacts to Ren; they are different, and to me Wen is worth the price. I like touching my hair with Wen, but Ren made me hate the feel of my hair. It was depressing. I realized that some people out there might think the two products are the same, and I just want you to know that they are not!
If you can't afford Wen, then co-wash but don't use Ren. I received some extremely good results co-washing with the list of conditioners below, but Ren was one of the worst results I have ever had. I know some of you are thinking well her hair is kinky-curly I don't have that problem. Let me tell you even the straight-haired man in my family hated Ren and loves Wen. My mother has wavy hair; she went off about her results with Ren. I prefer Wen to co-washing because my hair results in no tangles, but when I can't get Wen--and there are times when I can't--I co-wash with conditioners because using Ren is not a good substitute. If money is an issue, co-wash with these products they work, and many times I leave them in my hair to make my curls pop:
Kiss My Face Herbal Essence Aussie Moist Organix Coconut Milk Sauve Naturals
I am planning on doing a vblog to show you the differences between Ren and Wen. I cannot repeat enough that Ren is not worth the money. Maybe those who have never used Wen would think Ren is okay, but that is only because they have not experienced their hair on Wen.
Note: I have since found Herbal Essences Naked Cleansing Conditioner to be a great alternative to Wen. Read more by clicking the link above. P.S. You can find out more about hair products and DIY hair products by clicking on the Hair Page. This note added June 7, 2015.
When I was a little girl, my hair was constantly compared to the hair of other women in my family, and to hear other people talk I was born with the least desirable grade of hair. Back story: My grandmother was born with straight hair; not even a wave graced her hair. This made my grandmother and her sisters' lives easier than the lives of other women with varying grades of hair.
My grandmother and her sisters pin-curled their straight hair and went about their days, three sisters with beautiful and easy to work with hair. My Grandmother's daughters would not be so lucky. They were born with mixed grades of hair. My mother had the easiest hair to deal with because it was mostly wavy. Noticed I said mostly. My mother was born with three grades of hair. She has mainly waves, but she has also large curls mixed with extremely kinky, frizzy hair. My mother's hair can look wavy and curly, but it takes a little more care and a lot of moisture. Still, my mother's hair is a breeze compared to mine. Her hair uses very little product. My mother's hair just needs a little love, but because it doesn't take that much effort she really doesn't do anything. Let me say this: neglecting your hair can destroy even the best hair.
My Grandmother and Mother May 5, 2013
My sisters and I have curly-kinky hair. Faith has the perfect spirals when her hair is well cared for, but she also has 3 different grades of hair. Joy is lucky; her hair is very strong and she has only one curl pattern. Her curls are small but perfect. I, like my mother and my younger sister, Faith, happen to have 3 different grades of hair, but that is the only thing that is similar. I have a lot of hair, and every strand is very thin. Even when I take great care with my hair it can snap easily.
My sister's Joy and Faith.
The Solutions
Okay, so this blog is about making sure that my family and I become the best we can be. Hair is one of those image things that matter. It is easy to point out what is going wrong with your hair but hard to find solutions. I don't know what solutions will work for you, but I can tell you there are a ton of vlogs (video blogs) that you can use to find what is best for you. Best advice I can offer is for you to watch videos on how to use all products. I know you think you know how to use conditioner and gel and hair oil, but really you may not be "doing it" right. Doing your hair is like having sex. Yes, you can have sex by having basic intercourse, but I can tell you awesome sex comes only with knowledge and passion. In other words great hair and great sex may require a video or two.
The following is a list of products I found work for me and the rest of my tribe. My choices I tried off and on for years, but my results were mixed because I never really watched a video on the best way to apply theses products. Now, the way I apply my products are unique to me, but other people's suggestions helped me develop my own technique.
Note: This list is really just to help me. We tend to get overwhelmed by which hair products to use for our natural hair (curly hair, kinky hair and wavy hair) and I want to remember what has worked for me and my family. Below I have listed what hair products work for each of us. These hair products are good for 2b/2c hair types, 3a/3b/3c hair types and yes all the 4 hair types too. So we are four different women with four different types of hair and we each have our own list of natural hair products. You may have your own hair products but this is what works for us.
My Hair Solutions
Natural Hair 3B, 3C, and 4A mix
My Hair is a mix of 3b, 3c and 4a
Okay, this pic is not my worst hair day and it is not my best hair day. There is no real curl definition, but the shrinkage is being managed, so... it is not a bad hair day. I would show you a bad hair day, but my family will kill me. I would show you a good hair day, but good hair days have not accompanied good body days. Plus my curls have yet to read well in a photo. Healthy hair, strong hair, is good hair. My hair requires a lot of moisture. Guess what? Oil is not moisture. Oil is a way to seal moisture, but it does not give your hair moisture and can seal out moisture if it is add first. I never shampoo my hair. I co-wash or use Wen or Rinse with apple cider vinegar. Okay, time for my list of products.
Feb 12 2017 note: There is a lot of controversy about WEN. At the bottom of this page I include a video addressing it. I still stand by co-washing and the WEN product and I am not paid by WEN at all.
Wen Six Thirteen
It is my cleanser, my hair conditioner, my leave in all in one. I get the 32 oz from QVC.
Kinky-Curly Knot Today
This is my leave in and styling product. If I need to look good and care free this is my product.
Kinky-Curly Curling Custard
I must look good. I must be perfect. I wash with the Wen, leave-in Knot Today and lock in my curl with the Curling Custard.
I seal my hair with vitamin E oil or almond/coconut/olive oil or Aloe gel from Trader Joe's. I dry my hair with a T-shirt. I hate twist outs on my hair but may change my opinion when my hair gets longer.
My Baby Sister Faith's Solution
Natural/Curly Hair 3A, 3B, and 3C
Her Hair is a mix of 3A 3B and 3C
Faith uses the exact same Wen I use Six Thirteen
Rituals It's A Wrap
Faith loves the product. Wishes she could use it everyday.
ELLiN Lavar PenetratingBalm
This is Faith's perfect finisher but it is always out of stock. So...we need to test some other balms. But the two above products give her the look she wants.
My Mother's Solution
Natural/Curly/Wavy Hair 2A, 2B, and 3B mix
Mom has 2A 2B 3B
It is hard to get a good hair and body pic cause my mom doesn't do anything to her hair. When she does her hair for pictures many times she has a roller set or blow out. This pic is one of the few with her hair down and curly.
Mom can use any Wen original or Six Thirteen. She uses Sweet Almond Mint because it is slightly cheaper than the Six Thirteen and does exactly what she needs. For styling mom is a Carol's Daughter girl. It is the first styling product she really loves.
Carols Daughter Hair Milk Original Leave-in Moisturizer
She loves this and needs very little to get results. When she uses it she looks perfect.
Carols Daughter Hair Milk Pudding Style
This allows mom to get through the day with a finished look. Her products last longer than most women with natural hair because her hair responds quickly to this product so she uses less of it. It is exactly what her hair needs.
Joy is the Middle Sister
Born with perfect 3C Hair
She has 3C only and her hair is strong
Joy can do anything to her hair and does. WEN keeps her hair in good condition.
She also uses Aveda. Joy's hair can take just about anything, so she plays with it a lot and rarely suffers consequences. The truth is I am not confidant that Joy is a 3C because her hair is super hair and completely bulletproof.
Family Event
At a family event last Saturday I realized more than 60% of the family has gone natural. We compared notes and there was one product that stuck out, Kiss My Face. Now I love Kiss My Face body wash but I have never tried their product in my hair. I must give it a try.
Focus
I feel that we all would have better hair days if we could remember and focus on what works. I know that my follow through could and should be improved in all areas of my life. If I can make my hair life easier I might have an easier time at other things. Image, talent, health and wealth are not easy to come by, but like momma always says,"How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." Hair is image and my first bite.
Wen vs Ren; Wen vs Balding; Co-Washing vs Clarifying Shampoo
