Friday, September 30, 2011

In Review: Curls for a Cause Charity Gala

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ and today, I want to share with you my review on a fabulous event that I had the pleasure of attending called Curls for a Cause sponsored by Its Me Monchhichi and Waterfront Millionaires. Curls for a Cause Charity Gala was the brainchild of Natural Hair vlogger/blogger Jonna Scott-Blakes of Its Me Monchhichi and was designed to bring women in the natural hair community together in support of the Menchville House, a transitional facility for homeless women and children in Newport News, VA. Although this event was the "clarion call" to naturals to make their curls count, the event was also open to women (and men) of all hair types to come and support this worthy cause.

The Curls for a Cause Charity Gala took place on Friday September 23, 2011 and from beginning to end, this event was classy and sophisticated. Every person in attendance was greeted at the door and offered to have their picture taken by, professional photographer Dana Haskins of Azulita Imaging before entering the event. Each person in attendance also received a goodie bag filled with various items from Nature's Gate body wash samples to Jessicurl sample packs, Mosaic hair picks, Goody's hair accessories, and more. What a treat!! The beginning of the event consisted of a mixer where everyone could get a chance to mix and mingle, enjoy food & drinks, and just relax all while enjoying the music that was provided by the DJ for the night, none other than DJ Boogeyman.

The event then moved forward to an official welcome followed by a word from a representative of the Menchville House, and a testimonial from a former resident of the Menchville House which was very moving.

The Gala was a colorful combination of hair, music, and fashion. This was evident in the diverse group of vendors that were represented during this event including Mary Kary, The Queens Jewels, Alodeuri Jewerly & Accesories, and Posh Retro just to name a few. Posh Retro also took part in one of the three fashion segments that took place during the gala along with Marshall's and N'Btwn Boutique. If I could sum up the beautiful pieces in two words, it would be "Urban Chic". Each piece was elegant and stylish but still displayed a hint of urban appeal. We were also graced with the musical stylings of Crystal Styles and E'boni, two singers who definitely moved the crowd with their performances! In between each segment there were giveaways including hair products, hair tools, and a beautiful art piece by Toronto Natural Hair Vlogger Toni Daley. It truly was a night where the phrase "give and it shall be given unto you" took on a whole new meaning.

Several members of the press were attendance including Natural Hair Vlogger/Blogger Brandi Turpin aka Thik and Kurly, cofounder of Embracing Your Beauty and Sheora Harris of She.Unique Photography who both covered the entire event that evening. Their coverage from the event can be found on both Facebook and Youtube.

I truly enjoyed the Curls for a Cause Charity Gala and congratulate Jonna on a job well done. She pulled off a fabulous event and raised awareness to such a charitable cause in the process. "It looks like we're gonna have to" is what she said with a smile. You heard it here folks. LOL! Til next time Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ



Monday, September 5, 2011

Length Envy

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ and I know this is a topic that a lot of us in the natural hair community can relate to. When I took the plunge and went natural, I would take pictures to document my hair growth and do length checks during the course of my journey. From one group of pics to the next, it was plain to see that my hair was growing, which made me excited. Unfortunately, all of the excitement would soon go out the door once I had checked out other people's progress on Youtube.

I would watch Youtube of course to gain knowledge on how to take care of my hair, and to watch other people's natural hair journeys. Everything was fine for a while, until I would see the growth a lot of these women would achieve in 6 months to a year. I'm sure you all know what happens next - COMPARISONS! I began comparing my hair to other naturalistas, and for a minute there, I thought that maybe I was doing something wrong. And then....it happened! I started to experience what I know many of you have experienced during your hair journeys - LENGTH ENVY! I just knew that there must've been something wrong with my hair and that it obviously wasn't healthy because the rate of growth was not as fast as what I had seen. As time progressed, I've finally come to several realizations:

EVERYONE'S HAIR IS DIFFERENT
On average, human hair grows a 1/2 per month. The rate of growth, however, varies from person to person based on such factors as heredity, the environment, and hormones to name a few.

EVERYTHING IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS
Oftentimes, when a naturalista says for example that she is "6 months natural" or "one year natural", that may actually only include the time spent fully natural (post Big Chop), and not the time she spent transitioning. In this case, a person who might be 6 months fully natural may have actually been transitioning 6 months or more prior to BCing.
With this in mind, the best person to make comparisons with is yourself. Compare your hair growth in one picture to your hair growth in another, and if you sincerely believe that something may be hindering or stopping your hair growth, consult with you doctor.

Well, that's it for now ladies! Hope you all enjoy your holiday. I know I will!! LOL! Til next time Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ