Giveaway!! Earrings & A Hair Clip!


The creator of www.glaccessories.etsy.com  has offered to sponsor a giveaway on the Naturally Beautiful Hair Blog.  In  order to win the contest, reply to this post with your comment, answering the following question -

If you could only give one reason, to someone who is thinking about going natural, what would it be?

The winner of this contest will win two items!  A purple crochet hair flower/brooch and a pair of cotton earrings!! The contest will end in two weeks, on Tuesday August 9th at 11:00 pm.  The winner of the contest will be chosen by the jewelry designer. Once the winner has been chosen, I will given an email address to where you can forward your ship-to information, to claim your prize.

To learn more about GL Accessories, go to her page on Etsy and on Facebook.

Great post from Nikki!

Check out Nikki's Beads, Braids & Beyond blog post today, on how to change your daughters doll hair from straight to a natural texture.  Nikki's Natural Hair for Dolls Tutorial takes you through the process you step by step. 


 

I soo love this post by Nikki! She also list some great links to sites that show how you can change a barbies hair to loc's. If any one tries this, please let me know.  To see barbie loc's how to, check out - Play Barbie and Corsetkitten.

Diedre's Hair Story

Fellow blogger Diedre Callam talks about her Natural Hair Story -

"I created my blog,  keepitkinky.blogspot.com, for those who want options for managing their natural hair in any way that they desire.
I'm quietly emotional and extremely expressive. My often hidden explorative personality constantly oozes out of my scalp, nurturing the myriad of hairstyles I have done in the past five years. I've been locked-natural thrice, loose-natural about 4 times and relaxed about 2. Oh yeah, and I don't play with ideas of cutting my hair off. I just do it. I'll say what need not be said though, natural hair generally wins for me and is my preference. Right now I am newly braid-locked and loving it. If I could give a newly natural one piece of advice, it would be to love yourself. I don't mean the you that people see, I mean the you that is stripped down and clean every morning after a shower. Love that you and embrace your assets and your flaws. Self acceptance is the key to accepting more than just your natural hair but the natural you."  To learn  more about Diedre, check out her blog Keep It Kinky

Loctician Hair Tips from Nyesha Samuel


Natural Black Hair Care Tips

When it comes to the gentle care of African American skin and hair, there are various ingredients that well-made products contain. These ingredients will help to rejuvenate your skin and hair and replace the nutrients that are lost in day to day living.
 
Shea Butter Cream
Shea butter cream has long been known for its effectiveness as an emulsifier and a moisturizing cream. It is especially valuable in treating wrinkles, skin discolorations, dark spots, blemishes, dry skin, acne, burns and for fading scars. Shea butter also helps to provide natural protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It is easily absorbed into your skin, and it won't leave your skin feeling greasy, as some other types of products can.

Shea butter cream helps to soften your skin, and may sometimes
be found in hair conditioners in its butter form. It helps to revitalize and rehydrate brittle or dry hair. It will also keep hair from breaking as easily, and make it softer to the touch.

Shea butter aids in evening skin tone, and gives your skin back its natural luster. Since it absorbs quickly, it can penetrate deeply to promote the growth of healthy skin cells.

Herbal Shampoo Conditioner
African American women often tell me that they have a difficult time finding hair products to satisfy the natural needs of their hair. Many of the products you see in magazines or commercials cater to women who have colored or relaxed hair. This isn't helpful for those with unmanageable, curly, thick hair. An herbal shampoo, conditioner or rinse can help to revive dry and brittle hair. It usually has a clean smell, which makes it easier to use. It helps to promote a healthy shine, and aids in getting rid of frizzies.

There are other products that combine herbal shampoo conditioner and nut oils, which can be very helpful for dry, dehydrated hair. Your hair will drink in the moisture, and the proteins in the conditioner will add shine and a final luster to your hair. They will also leave it soft and manageable.

Organic Hair Oil
Many African American women have found that organic hair oil can help to leave their hair nourished and revitalized, and more protected from aging's effects. They may have experienced some level of hair loss, due to microbial effects on the roots of the hair and on their scalp. An antimicrobial oil will break the glycerol bonds that leave your hair weak and more susceptible to thinning.

Most types of organic hair oil will also contain vitamin E, which will help to keep your hair and scalp healthy and rejuvenated. Natural oils help your hair to retain moisture, since they don't break down easily, nor do they evaporate. Natural oils will keep moisture within your hair, leaving it soft and manageable. Hair can also benefit from organic hair oil that will melt when it is heated, and then condense on your hair as it cools. You can apply it to your hair and it will evenly spread throughout all areas of your scalp. African American women will benefit from the combination of Shea butter cream for their skin, and shampoos and conditioners, along with natural oils, that leave their hair full and healthy.

Healthy Scalp, Healthy Locs
Nyesha Samuel, Publisher/Master Loctician, healthylocsblog.com

Go Diva!

One of the great ways to enhance your confidence is to take class that help you embrace and love being a woman. 

"GoDiva Studio is an exotic dance studio located in Bloomfield, New Jersey that specializes in pole, belly and erotic fitness dance classes.  Founded in 2010 by three friends, Ty Smith, Nikki Philip and Sonya Miller, GoDiva Studio strives to assist women in discovering their sensuality while simultaneously confronting the negative stereotypes associated with exotic dancing, and using it for a positive purpose."
 
Not only have these ladies successfully put a spin on erotic fitness, they proudly represent the natural hair community while doing so. For more information, visit the GoDiva’s website at Go Diva Studio.


Natasha - Making That Natural Step


 Great photos from Natasha, author of Making That Natural Step and creator of the Journey To Nappy blog.

Interview - Erika from Empty Locket

Introducing Erika. Fresh faced natural beauty! 

Q: What is your hair story?  What kind of hair styles have you rocked, before embracing your natural hair?
A:  My mother permed my hair at the tender age of 5. I started out with two long, kinky, beautiful braids and ended up with brittle, bone straight hair up to my ears by the time I was sixteen. I was in high school when I began experimenting with various products and black rinses. One day I showed up at my childhood dominican hair salon and the stylist who gave me my first perm looked at me with a sad face and she goes "Ay mami why you hair look so bad?" 


I was ashamed of my hair ever since. I struggled with my hair all throughout my teenage years and it was shedding more by the day. I began to get braids which I hated. They'd pull and tug at my scalp. I hated the smell of the green gel they used, the smell of weave and burned hair and grease and throbbing headaches after I was done. A few years later, I cut my hair off just out of the blue one day.  I grew out an afro that was big enough to wear in a small puff, but it was still shedding. I was using vegetable glycerin and I had no idea what I was doing with my newly natural hair, I didn't know how to care for it at all. One day, my coworker and I were having a conversation about hair and she simply asks "why don't you get dreadlocks?" I thought about it all day and that night. I decided to do my research on locs and how to care for them. I wanted to go to a reputable salon to get them and I decided on Deeply Rooted in Atlanta, GA. I printed out two photos to show the stylist exactly how I wanted my locs to look :-P.  I drove 4 hours to Atlanta and my locs were born.

Q: Did you have any big fears about going back to your natural texture?
A: I have always been comfortable with natural hair but since it was so short, I didn't feel like it fit me or my personality. Some women look beautiful rocking a fro, but I did not and I knew that. I was especially afraid of how others would view me, but I quickly got over that and began to make the best of my hair as it was :).

Q: What are three products you can't live without for nurturing/styling your hair?
A:  I don't use many products on my hair anymore at all. For me, the health of my hair is mostly internal. So I'd have to say water, a good diet and my aloe vera gel.

Q:  You have a great  natural hair blog. What was your inspiration for starting the blog? And what has been the most rewarding part of your blogging experience?
A:  EmptyLocket initially started out as a personal blog where I had planned to talk about my love life (or lack thereof :)). But I  quickly realized that I was a lot more comfortable and interested in talking about my hair. A lot of my friends at college were interested in going natural and would always come to me for advice. I enjoyed educating them and seeing their faces light up when I'd give them transitioning tips, etc. It came as second nature to me and I decided to turn my blog, into a hair blog.

Q: How can we keep up with you and your journey i.e. blog, twitter, facebookfotkitumblr, personal or professional website? (Optional)



Your shade of Beauty

 
 
 
 

"Our beauty comes in many shades of browns. Our textures are unbelievably unlimited. There is wisdom and knowledge that shines from within us all. That beauty, knowledge, wisdom and heart connects us all in away that can never been taken. Know that there is power in the beauty of our beautiful brown skin and in our amazing hair textures - that carries our history, pride, power and strength."
                    -  Karen, Author of the Naturally Beautiful Hair Blog