90 Day Hair Growth Challenge

90 Day

Hair Growth Challenge

 

Join me pictures will be posted here and on my KurlyGirl08 FB page and free gifts given to participants

 

 RULES:
-  take ItWorks HairSkinNails Nourishing Complex supplements
-  drink at least 8 glasses of  water each day
-  take weekly photos of your growth progress (try to take pics in the same place wearing the same shirt)
-  email pics to contouredcurves@gmail.com
(subject: HSN Challenge)

 

 

Hair Skin Nails Nourishing Complex

only $33/ month

(3 month commitment/ loyal customer) Regular Retail price $55

 

Sign up as a Loyal Customer with me http://www.getcontouredcurves.com

 

Benefits:

healthy cell growth

boosts collagen and keratin productions

enhances skin elasticity

increases support of the body's defense against free radical damage

 

Pre-Register so I can get your Hair Skin Nails ordered

Email your name and telephone number to contouredcurves@gmail.com

Subject: HSN Challenge Registration

Wash Night!!!!!

been rocking my curls for a few weeks since I took out my mini twists and I think I have gotten past my dry spell, bout time for a Wash and Deep Condition and to give my tresses a break.

Lately due to excessive dryness due to changes in my body chemistry, when I shampoo I have been adding aloe vera juice to my Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle Shampoo. I prepoo'd with a mix of coconut oil, olive oil and Trader Joes Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner. After my wash I used my new Smooth & Repair Nourishing Hair Masque (I add in coconut oil and honey) Deep Conditioned for about 15 minutes with Steam and Rinsed.

To my dismay I am all out of my favorite Conditioner (a trip to the Vitamin Shoppe is in order!) So I lightly applied my Trader Joes Nourish Spa Conditioner as a leave in then applied Jamaican Black Castor Oil to my edges and to seal my ends, detangled and decided on a protective Goddess Braid for the week. This is my first attempt at said style as I am not a great braider but I am pretty satisfied with the results and looking forward to the braidout that follows :)

TTFN Kurly Girls! Laters XO

PS I will be posting my official review of the new Shea Moisture Smooth & Repair Nourishing Hair Masque  soon, stay tuned :)

Resolutions

As resolutions are set, gym memberships are puchased, savings plans put into play, meals planned for diets. I have resolved to get back to the business of beauty in 2014. So I am back in the blog circuit and intend to post regularly. So here we go....

REVIEW: Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque

Shea Moisture as a line is definitely one of my favorites. I get new and transitioning curlies all the time who ask me for recommendatins. This line is one that I tell them consistently. I primarily use the Coconut and Hibiscus line from Shea Moisture. I decided to re-try the Organic Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque as it is silicone free and sufate free and claims to be for dry, damaged hair. While my hair isn't damaged it is colored and I am attempting to prevent dryness and damage which is notorious for Color-treated hair. This is my second review of the product which I tried over a year ago before I colored my hair. My hair wasn't really feeling this product the first time but I figured I should give it another shot #fail.

I really really wanted to love this product the way I love the other products I have tried from Shea Moisture but it just wasn't happening. Despite the wonderful ingredients (below), it didn't feel moisturized at all before or after I rinsed it from my hair. I still felt that this product stripped the mosture from my hair and left is feeling like pinestraw. I salvaged my hair by using another conditioner afterwards. But 2-3 years later I am still going to have to go with my original verdict on this one. This product is a definitely no go for me.


Ingredients:
Deionized Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Argan Oil, Vegetable Glycerin, Emulsifying Wax, Sea Kelp Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B‐5), Essential Oil Blend, Avocado Oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower (and) Lonicera Japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) Flower extract, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, Soybean Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil. *Denotes Certified Organic Ingredient.


Original Review

 

Kurly Girl Healthy Hair Growth Challenge

In my ongoing quest for healthy hair growth I have decided to issue a challenge to you my friends to practice healthy hair care to encourage hair growth and retention. This Challenge will run February 2013-February 2014.

 

Our mission: to achieve maximum growth and retention in  2013.

 

Method: Adopt the Curly Girl Method (Lorraine Massey) Tried and true, and able to be altered as needed (everything doesn't work for every body). Begin the challenge by clarifying/ cleansing your hair and trimming damaged/ split ends as needed. I plan to limit washing to no more than once a month, if that. Cowash only.

 

Length Check: Take note of where you started so you can see how far you go :)

 February 1, 2013 (WnG) after shampoo and trim

Front Middle 13 "

Front Left 13 "

Front Right 13 1/4"

Middle Top 12 1/4"

Middle left 13 "

Middle right 13"

Back Middle 12 1/4"

Back Left  12 "

Back Right  12 1/2"

 

 

Drink lots of water: Our hair needs water inside and out so make sure you are feeding your hair from the inside. Try to drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. Your hair and your body will thank you for it.

 

Eat a high protein diet. Feed your hair from the inside out. Also make sure your diet is rich with vitamins & minerals

 

Supplement your hair diet with a good hair growth vitamin or supplement. Some good options are: Biotin, Viviscal, Hairfinity

 

Protective styling is an excellent option for retaining length and protecting your hair for the duration of this challenge try protective styling as a 75 % of the time. During the week pin it up and protect those ends. On the weekend let your hair down :)

 

Oils: Great oils to use on your hair that promote growth include EVOO, Coconut Oil and Castor Oil to name a few. I will be using each of these

 

Some of My Staples during this challenge:

• Viviscal Hair Growth Supplement
• my homemade hair mist (to refresh moisture)
• Jamaican Black Castor Oil (sealing, scalp massages and treatment); olive oil and coconut oil
• CoWash- V05 clarifying conditioner, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, Aussie Moist
• Conditioner Options- Aubrey Organics, Deva One Condition, Trader Joes Nourish Spa
• Deep Condition- TBD
• Leave in- Cush Extreme Protein Leavin Conditioner, Givanni direct leave in
• Moisturizers- Cush Creme de Palm and Huile Supreme, more TBD
• Sealants- Mango Pomade, homeade shea whip mixture

 Other Things to Remember:

• Limit how often you wash/ shampoo your hair, remember shampoos tend to dry the hair out, try co-washing (Condition Washing) instead
• Try finger detangling, limit combs and brushes to prevent breakage.
• Precondition your hair using the oil of your choice
• Deep Condition your hair weekly.
• Little/ No Heat this will help prevent damage to your ends and breakage
•  

Happy growing Curly Girls! I hope you will join me. If you join the challenge reply here and post your pics and updates here so we can see your progress. Sponsors of this challenge may send me some giveaways to share with participants so I can only share if I know who you are ;)

 

Laters Curlies!

 

 





The Curly Girl Method Revisited- 28 day review

As a part of those New Years Resolutions, one of mine was to take better care of my hair. This is one resolution I have every intention of keeping. I have fallen victim over the years as many other curly girls of hating my curls and relaxing and straightening to make it 'easier'. But when you learn better you do better. My hair was dry and damaged. My hair seemed its healthiest when I committed to the Curly Girl Method. I decide to reach over to my bookshelf and blow the dust off my copy of Lorraine Massey’s Curly Girl: The Handbook. I have had the book for some time and have read it a couple of times but it was time for me to go back to basics with caring for my hair. My goal this year is long healthy hair in 2013. Part of my growth plan includes increasing my water intake internally and re adapting some of the basic principle of curly hair care I found in this book. Over the next 28 days I will style my hair using the Curly Girl Method and evaluate my results Here are the basic steps of the Curly Girl Method as outline in Massy's book.
 

Step 1. Clarify with a shampoo before beginning in order to remove and silicones and build up from your hair . This will cleanse your hair of any silicones and other ingredients in hair products that are not water soluble

Step 2. Start with freshly trimmed hair to eliminate split and damaged ends. Because my hair is Color treated I watch for this regularly and just trimmed my ends a few weeks ago around the middle of January.

Step 3. Once your hair is trimmed and clean, saturate your hair with a hydrating conditioner free of silicones. Finger detangle your hair gently while your hair is wet. (wide-toothed shower comb is optional). In an effort to eliminate breakage and shedding for this duration of this challenge I have decided to eliminate combs and brushes from my hair’s diet. It is best to untangle hair while wet to prevent damage and frizz. I find with finger combing/ raking my hair I am able to clump my curls together and get great results

Some great inexpensive options are V05, Aussie Moist, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, and Tresseme Naturals just to name a few

Step 4. After your initial WASH, revert to a No Poo method Sulfates in shampoo’s are extremely drying and as a result, damaging to our curls, leading to frizz and breakage. I only use a shampoo (sulfate-free/ no poo) in my hair once a month at the most. Other than that I use my conditioner to cleanse/ co-wash my hair. This keeps it nicely hydrated. Was your scalp with conditioner.

While in the shower with wet hair massage silicone free conditioners onto the scalp and the hair rake conditioner through to keep hair detangled. Scrunching and lathering hair leads to tangle=headaches and breakage. Once you distribute conditioner evenly through hair, section and detangle the hair and rinse with cool or cold water to decrease frizz and shine. Make sure to rinse conditioner completely from scalp to prevent buildup. Some people co-wash everyday. No more than 2-3 times a week works best for me. You can leave a little on the hair specifically the ends to continue to aid in keeping hair detangled while styling. Rake and scrunch hair while rinsing.

Distribute conditioner throughout all of your hair and untangle gently. Use your hands or a wide-toothed comb. Start by untanglingbottom sections of your hair and then gradually move upwards. Let the conditioner sit in your hair for five minutes or so for extra moisture. You also may want to part your hair at this point with a comb. It's recommended that you part your hair to the side to prevent "triangle-shaped" hair.

Apply products to your hair and style as desired. Follow directions some products suggest being applied while hair is wet, while other suggest applying to damp hair. Section hair off and rake products into your hair section by section. I start with a leave-in conditioner or silicone free conditioner to eliminate the frizz factor then apply a product that aids in definition. Gels and mousse’s are optional depending on what kind of hold you prefer. Once my product is apply I seal the moisture with an oil or butter. Curls can be defined and shaped by scrunching them with your palms or finger curling them

While drying gently scrunch your hair with a t-shirt or microfiber towel to remove water and prevent frizz. Other drying options that help with volume are plopping and diffusing. During my growth challenge I am limiting heat, so diffusing will be done very sparingly.

You can also us clips at the roots to lift and add volume as well as the ends to weigh the hair down and eliminate shrinkage.

A few of my favorite things! for Naturals and Transitioners

In the spirit of the holidays just thought I would share a few of my favorite products and product lines for naturals and transitioners. As I said everything doesn't work for everybody, but here are SOME things that have given me good results.

CUSH COSMETICS www.cushcosmetics.com
Who am I kidding I haven't tried anything from this line that didn't work in my hair but here are a few of my top picks that I keep in rotation in my regimen.

• Mango Pomade to lock in moisture and tame the mane
• Extreme Protein Leave in to help decrease shedding and breakage. I love this because it is a leave in product and it works pretty much instantly. My hair responds really well to it.
• Moisturize Me Leave in Conditioner great for detangling helps me to keep my hair hydrated and curls looking crisp and fresh
• Creme de Palm Moisturizing Cream smells delish, makes hair feel especially soft and manageable and moisturized, does not weigh my hair down AT ALL

KOMAZA CARE www.komazahaircare.com
Another great line that has done nothing but great things in my hair. Need to place an order now

• Coconut Curl Hair Lotion/ Shea Butter Hair Lotion Both smell amazing and keep my hair hydrated and curls defined ridiculously. I use the shea butter hair lotion mainly when I am naturally straight to aid in keeping my hair moisturized while it is straight and in preventing head damage.
• Olive Moisture Mask- great hydrating deep conditioning treatment
• Komaza Scalp Conditioner- feels like heaven on my scalp lots of yummy ingredients to encourage growth and prevent dry scalp
• Honey Comb Hair Rejuvenator- to worked great to slow shedding/ breakage and encourage strengthening the hair shaft

DEVA CURL www.mydevacurl.com (sold at Ulta and in several salons)

• numero uno The Curly Girl Handbook, the name says it all
• Deva No Poo my sulfate free cleanser of choice.
• Deva One Condition one of my two ultimate favorite conditioners. I also leave a little in as a leave in conditioner. Leave hair soft and manageable and makes my curls pop!
• Set it Free refreshing spray, refreshes and rehydrates my curls
• B'Leavin Leave in Conditioner- for great curl definition and to maintain moisture in my hair

HUETIFUL www.behuetiful.com

• Huetiful Hair Steamer cannot live without it
• Huetiful Hydrating Hair Masque- does exactly what it says and you can feel it stimulating your scalp while you steam

JANE CARTER SOLUTION www.janecartersolution.com (sold at Target, Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreens)

• Jane Carter Wrap & Roll my secret for great roller sets and rod sets
• Jane Carter Revitalizing Hair Mist another fabulous refreshing spray
• Jane Carter Nourish & Shine love this for when I do twists/ twist outs

KINKY CURLY (sold at Target & Walgreens and online)

• Knot Today great detangler

CURLS www.curls.biz also sold at Target and Sallys
this line works really well in my daughters hair

• Creme Brule great moisturizing lotion
• Souffle hair cream. My hair loves this as a styling creme

MISS JESSIES (sold at Target, in most beauty supply stores and online)

• Quick Curls great for hold and curl definition

CURL JUNKIE www.curljunkie.com
another great line with great conditioning and deep conditioning products

• Repair Me!- Reconstructive Hair Treatment great protein treatment
• Hibbiscus & Banana Deep Fix- smells delish and restores moisture fabulously
• Curl Rehab- definitely one of my favorite deep conditioners

AUBREY ORGANICS (sold online and in Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods...)

• Honey Suckle Rose Conditioner the other one of my favorite contioners that I also sometimes leave in

CAMILLE ROSE www.camillerosenatural.com
another great line I want to try more of

• Algae Deep Conditioner smells like cake and definitely another favorite in the way of deep conditioners
• Almond Jai Twisting Butter great for twist sets

JAMAICAN BLACK  (sold at most beauty supply stores)

• Jamaican Black Castor Oil, great for nourishing the hair, apply to hair and scalp to promote growth and thickness

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• promotes a healthy scalp and strenthens hair shaft

Virgin Coconut Oil

• moisturizes hair shaft, great for detangling

In Living Color-Healthy Color Treated Natural Hair new regimine

• Cleansing

cut down co washing to twice/ week, although color treated hair needs moisture I also recognize that the more I wash/ cleanse my hair the quicker my color will fade. In addition to fewer washes, I use cooler water which will 1. decrease the fading of my color and 2. lock the moisture from the conditioner in better. Because I know the conditioning effects I am locked into using Deva Care One Condition and Aubrey Organics Honey Suckle Rose conditioner as they are safe for color treated hair

• Conditioning

In addition to my cleansing conditioners (above) I am also committed to a weekly deep conditioning is an absolute MUST no question as is a balance of protein and moisture to prevent breakage- I am rotating between Curl Junkie Curl Rehab and Camille Rose Algae Deep Conditioner. On order right now so I am also doing some recipes including egg treatments and avocado hair masks including my moisturizing conditioners and  oils. I will definitely be continuing with my Extreme Protein Leave In from Cush Cosmetics

• Moisturizing

I am currently trying with much success using Cush Cosmetics Creme de Palm moisturizing cream and Komaza Care Shea Butter Lotion to apply moisture to my hair during this time. The both last pretty well in my natural hair and Cush Cosmetics Mango Pomade to lock it in

• Revitalizing Moisture

Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Hair mist all day!

• Oils

Sticking with my favorites.... Jamaican black castor oil on the scalp and ends daily, prepoo with EVOO, conditioner with Coconut Oil and Honey Added.

other plans for my curly hair especially now while its cold outside and my hair is adapting
- weekly steam treatments for Deep Condtioning
- low manipulation styling twist sets, rollersets, silk wraps

excited about my new color and continuing maintain healthy growing hair!

Tips on Transitioning WITHOUT a Big Chop

so in my inbox this morning I had messages from 3 different people asking me about transitioning... tips and products.... so I figured it best if I address them all at once.

Let me start with this disclaimer, when I transitioned NONE of these products were on the market and there was no such thing as transitioning, so there was no method to my madness. It just was what it was.

How I Did It
The first year of my 'transition' I was expecting and nursing a newborn, hence the reason for my deciding not to do any chemicals. During that time I mostly did rollersets and rod sets pretty much weekly. I drank alot of water and NO sodas. My diet overall was pretty good during that time because as I said I was pregnant and being very conscious of those things. After that I just continued with rollersets and flat ironing. I kept my ends trimmed regularly, eventually all the relaxed ends were gone and I never gave it a second thought. Now I am not trying to make it sound simple at all but the key is to find the right style for you that allows for low manipulation. The less you have to deal with your hair the easier transitioning is to deal with.

Low Manipulation/ Protective Styling
One thisng is that you definitely have to learn to love and appreciate natural hair, you never know what lies beneath so start experiementing with natural hair styles and looks. Manipulate your relaxed hair to make it look 'natural' Try rod sets, straw sets, buns, updos, braid outs, twist outs, sew ins and braided extensions are also an option, but don't overdo it you don't want to put too much strain on your hair, which can lead to breakage. Flat twists are always great for keeping the new growth down and tamed.

Products/ Moisturizing your Hair

• One main reason for breakage and not retaining length is due to a lack of moisture. However if you are experiencing excess breakage and shedding I highly recommend you seek a consultation with a licensed cosmetologist expereienced in healthy, natural hair. I say this because not everyone is comfortable dealing with natural hair or transitioning so do your research. You get what you pay for.
• Pre-poo. Pre-pooing is the process of moisturizing your hair before you shampoo. This strengthens your hair and helps prevent breakage. This can be done with an oil (like a hot oil treatment) One of the best ones to use is extra virgin olive oil EVOO. You can put on a plastic cap and hot towel, hood or hair dryer or just sit under a steamer to allow the oil to penetrate your scalp and hair. Then use your fingers to detangle the hair before cleansing.
• Cut back on Washing/ Shampooing your hair. Cut back on shampooing your hair with harsh shampoos choose cleansers with NO sulfates. I have been successfull cowashing regularly with a clarifying conditioner and shampooing every 4-6 weeks as well to prevent build up. (cowashing as an alternative to shampooing is where you wash your hair using a conditioner instead of a shampoo)
• Deep Condition. At least once a month (now every week since I have color) I deep condition my hair as well. This helps to keep my hair soft and manageable and helps to control the shedding and breakage.
• MOISTURIZE I know I have already said this but its really important so I am saying it again! Start with water, product and then seal the moisture with a natural/ essential oil.
• Experiment with products. I can and will share some of my favorite products but be mindful that everything doesn't work for everyone, so get recommendations from other naturals but don't be discouraged if you don't get the same results. The only way to determine what works for you is to experiment. I recommend joining and participating in local meetups and natural hair events, product swaps, get samples to determine what your hair best responds with. Distribute the product from root to end

Just Say NO To Heat
stay away from direct heat on your natural hair. This will lead to breakage and damage to your natural hair. Your hair could be heat trained and unable to hold your curl and worse heat damaged and ultimately dead hair. I experienced this first had from flat ironing my hair to the point where when I decided I wanted to try to embrace my naturally curly hair texture I had over 4 inches of heat damaged ends that had to be cut off. So put down the flat irons and blow dryers. There is a better way.

Trim your hair regularly.
Trim your hair every 2 weeks- 1 month trim off  a little maybe a 1/2 inch. Your hair is growing because you are practicing healthy hair techniques so eventually all your relaxed hair will be gone and you won't even know the difference.

Curly girl goodness- Avocado Hair Mask Recipe

So in this never ending quest for healthy hair I am making sure to be extra careful in treating my hair these days with the harsh coldness of winter weather and the added strain of my desire for color. I was grocery shopping and saw avocados on sale and decided I'd go home and make some fresh guacamole and picked up an extra avocado so I could finally try an avocado hair mask. I have hear so many good things about avocados for hair and had beeing dying to try.

Here is what I used:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• rosemary essential oil
• tbsp raw honey
• 2 tbsp real mayonaise

mash avocados and mix. After finger detangling, I applied the mixture to my hair from root to end, massaging it into my hair and scalp. Once I had saturated my hair in the mixture I sat under my steamer for about 20 minutes. You could also use a plastic cap/ hair dryer, steam from the shower, whatever works for you. Then I got in the shower rinsed my hair good and shampoo'd and appied a moisturizing deep conditioner immediately to replenish moisture to my hair. Left it in for about an hour with a plastic cap on while I tuned into Scandal. Afterwards I rinsed and proceeded to style :)

Results: I feel like my hair has alot of shineand body. I didn't notice alot of shedding or breakage when I detangled and styled which was good. I will absolutely be repeating this mask. I am thinking of rotating between this and an egg mask. One or the other each month.

from www.avocado.com
Avocado contain many essential nutrients, proteins, vitamins A, D, E and K, B vitamins, magnesium, copper, iron, folic acid, potassium and amino acids. These ingredients help to repair and replenish dry and damaged hair.
The proteins, vitamins B and E found in avocados can also increase the strength and elasticity of hair, giving it a healthy shine and texture.

Naturtint- review

Happy Thanksgiving curlies. I finally got my something new! Red it is after lots of research and conversations with Kelly J of NGR and celebrity stylist Felicia Leatherwood, they both recommended Naturtint to me.

I purchased Naturtint from the vitamin shoppe for about $16/ box. The colors are mixable so I chose a red and a blonde. The blonde to lift my hair enough to take the the red. The process took approximately 30 minutes Afterwards I deep conditioned my hair under my steamer to restore moisture I know that breakage from hair coloring comes primarily from dryness so it is going to be very important to keep my hair properly moisturized. Overall I felt like the color took pretty well and best of all, NO BLEACH:)  I'll wait a month or so and go one more time since my hair is lighter now, the color should take a little better.

Naturtint^® Permanent Hair Color
Natural plant-based ingredients nourish and protect your hair while providing vibrant, long lasting color.
• Specially formulated for people who want a healthier way to color their hair.
• Free of harsh chemicals that
can damage hair and leave it dull,
dry and brittle.
• Includes botanical extracts
that revitalize hair.
• Pleasant smelling -- no ammonia,
no parabens, no resorcinol.
• Covers gray in one application.
• 29 mixable shades, so there's
a color just right for you.

Natural lightening result

The difference is very subtle. I think these are probably better to use in the summer when u can spend the day in the sun.

The color if my hair is a little bit brighter. But the more you repeat the procedure the better your results. Not sure I really have the patience for this right now i want a big change but I will definitely revisit this in the summer when the sun is plentiful. I will keep repeating for now though to make the coloring process easier

Curly girl experiments

So in my quest for something new I will be trying some new things with my hair. I have been researching natural hair lightened and have come across quite a few lightened that you can find in your home.

-hydrogen peroxide (in the sun or with a blow dryer
-lemon juice  (works best in the sun)
-olive oil
-honey                        
-cinnamon

Bored with my hair

Cut or color. I've been itching to do something new with my hair. I really don't want to cut it but I need a new look so I am contemplating a color change it will be blonde or red hot. My biggest concern is that I don't want to damage it. I work hard to keep it healthy. I definitely don't want to have to start over so stay tuned :)

GROWTH! Castor Oil Challenge update

Check out my Current Wash n Go and the one right at the beginning of the challenge I am so excited about my growth from this challenge!!! Worst side effect of the challenge has been the itching at the beginning but once that went away all was well. My hair has been very hydrated and obviously, growing :)



current Wash n Go 10/21

Wash n Go 9/2012

Natural Girls really do rock!

This weekend I hosted the second annual Carolina Natural Hair Expo, Taylor and I had our hair styled for the hair show :) We had a pretty good turn out in spite of competing that day with a big football homecoming and the state fair. Overall it turned out really well

Castor Oil Challenge pics

wash n go beginning of the challenge



Week 1 mini twists

another hair challenge...

So in efforts to learn what works best for my hair and to meet my hair goals I have decided to participate in yet another hair challenge. This one is the Fall Castor Oil Challenge hosted by Kinky Kurly Coily Me. Stay tuned for updates pics and results

Cruisin with the Curly Girls!!!! All Aboard

Hi Curlies!!!! I am so excited that this Spring I'll be going on my FIRST ever cruise!!!!!! Even more excited that will be with fellow curly girls! I'll be a guest blogger on the The Curly Cruise. The Curly Cruise Sets sail April 25-29, 2013 from Miami, FL and visits the Western Caribbean with stops in Key West, FL and Cozumel, Mexico. Hope to see you there!!!!

UrsulaSKelly.com presents The Curly Cruise: An annual cruise geared towards individuals and groups who have natural hair and a natural way of life. It’s a celebration of freedom, beauty and moxieThe Curly Cruise is sponsored by Curls.
On board The Curly Cruise, participants will take part in workshops given by top notch professionals from across the country, be entertained by a hair show and other curlvents, win door prizes, be able to shop in our very own Vendor’s Fair and most of all mix and mingle with other naturals from all over.

In addition to uniting naturals, the mission of The Curly Cruise is to highlight and support small businesses. We are providing local vendors with the opportunity to Vend on board the cruise as well as network to expand their businesses. Vendors interested can request a packet from our website at www.thecurlycruise.com.

The Curly Cruise encourages participants to arrive in Miami, FL the night before on April 24, 2013 where they will be invited to our Official Welcome to Miami Reception.

The prices for the cruise are as follows:

Inside Stateroom : $500.44 pp based on double occupancy

Oceanview Stateroom: $540.44 pp based on double occupancy

Balcony Stateroom: $ 640.44 pp based on double occupancy.

Prices include: pre-paid gratuities, all curlvents and workshops, admission to the Vendor’s Fair, all meals, transfer from hotel to ship port and more.

Hurry and book your cruise with a $50 deposit per person at 1-888-202-4136 before August 15, 2012. After that the rates are subject to increase!

30 Day Protective Style Challenge!!!!!

Okay folks. I am placing myself on a 30 day protective style challenge. Anyone of you who would like to join me is invited. 30 days isn't too bad, last year we went the whole Summer! So here we go:
PROTECTIVE STYLES ONLY!!!! Low Manipulation styling does not count (braid outs, twist outs, bantu knot outs, roller sets...) For those of you who know me you know this is definitely a challenge for me especially during the summer time, WnGs are my best friends LOL

So What Is a Protective Style?
from NaturallyCurly.com
Protective styles are ones that don’t consist of most, if not all, of the hair being worn loose. Wearing the hair in a protective style requires that the ends, the oldest and most fragile part of the, are usually tucked away and sealed with some kind of moisturizer. Popular protective styles include but are not limited to braids, twists, bantu knots, and shrunken afros.

Protective styles can be achieved with just about any hair length. Those with TWAs can wear shrunken fros, or opt for coils if they have enough hair to twirl around the end of a ra-ttail comb. But with more length, there are more options. These include but are not limited to braids, locs, twists, bantu knots, and buns.

I'll give you a free pass if you want for the 4th if you want rock your Fro for the Fourth. The challenge officially begins July 1-31. I am starting a little earlier (tomorrow) Since I already have some plans the weekend of the 28th and want my hair out ;).

Okay, ready, set, go!