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


                  

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Is The Natural Hair Community Being Taken Advantage Of??

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ and today I have a question for all of you out there in the natural hair community.  It seems like every day, I'm hearing of a new product line that just hit the online market. Even well-known and established hair care lines in the African American community have created new hair care products that cater specifically to natural hair. And now there's even talk of a natural hair sorority! What next? All this sounds well and good "on paper", but is it really ALL good? Throughout my entire natural hair journey, I have heard reports of issues with certain businesses that cater to those with natural hair from price hikes to undelivered orders. Even products coming out the GATE with insane prices before they've even established themselves as a reputable company, and we (or at least some of us) buy into it. This brings me to a question - Is the natural hair community being taken advantage of or is it all fair game in "the pursuit of happyness".....? Let me know what you think. Til next time Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

My Process on Achieving The Most Accurate Product Results

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ! Well, my quest for the perfect conditioner continues on with a group of conditioning products to try from the Darcy's Botanicals line, and I am so excited! I won't be diving into these products, however without adhering to a few basic criteria to ensure that my results are at least accurate if not favorable:

Clarify my hair:
Clarifying my hair with a sulfate shampoo will not only remove any build up, but ensure that what is going on with my hair is a result of the products that I'm currently using and not results distorted by other products that have built up on my hair.

Exclusive Use:
As much as I like to switch things up, for the time being I will stick exclusively to the new products that I'm trying so that I can gain some insight into how they actually work. This leads me to my last and final point....

Sufficient Testing Duration:
In other words, I won't use a product one time and think that I've sufficiently learned all that there is to know about the products. An extended period of time will ensure that I have accurately assessed the performance of the products that I am trying. I tend to try products out for at least a month in different ways and then give my final verdict. The only reason I would consider not using a product a great deal of time is if I experience an allergic reaction or other adverse effects. Thankfully, I never have. LOL!


Well folks! I hope you enjoyed reading about how I like to experiment with products. Til next time Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ

Monday, August 22, 2011

08/22/11: This Week in Natural Hair

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ! It's that time again!! Click on any one of the events listed below for more information on some great meetups and mixers in the natural hair community:



Friday August 26, 2011
  1. Happily Natural Day - Atlanta, GA & Richmond, VA
 
 
Saturday August 27, 2011
  1. Happily Natural Day - Atlanta, GA & Richmond, VA
  2. Karen's Body Beautiful 10th Anniversary Haute Hair Affair - Brooklyn, NY 
  3. Natural Hair Support Group - Oklahoma, OK
  4. Respect the Fro' - London, UK
  5. Styling Party and Product Swap - Charlotte, NC

Sunday August 28, 2011
  1. Glamzini's Glam Fab Get Together - St. Louis, MO
  2. Happily Natural Day - Atlanta, GA & Richmond, VA
  3. No-Lye-N-It Natural Hair Meetup Part II - Delkalb, IL


Til next time Curly Nation!


Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ

Product Review: Aloe 80 Organics Daily Conditioner-Lemon & Rosemary

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ and today I'm coming to you today with a product review of a conditioner known as Aloe 80 Organics Daily Conditioner-Lemon & Rosemary. Aloe 80 Organics Daily Conditioner is a product that is a part of the Lily of the Desert, a brand that consists of various aloe vera based health & beauty products. I found out about this product through a search that I was doing on Vitacost's website (Love this site!).  The conditioner is thick in consistency and has an herbal smell that is reminiscent of the Khoret Amen Hair Smoothie from Carol's Daughter but less strong and much more pleasant. So, what did I think of the product, you ask? Check out my overview along with the final verdict below:




Ingredients:
The ingredients in this product are absolutely wonderful. In addition to having certified organic aloe vera gel, it also has certified organic natural shea butter and contains no parabens, artificial colors, synthetic fragrances, or animal by-products. For all of you who tend to buy products on the more natural side, you definitely be impressed with this list of ingredients:

Certified Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Behentrimonium Chloride and Aloe Vera Gel, Cetearyl Alcohol and Aloe Vera Gel, Cetrimonium Chloride, Certified Organic Natural Shea Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Organic Natural Shea Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol (and) Caprylyl Glycol (and) Sorbic Acid, Certified Organic AloeSorb, Lemon (Citrus Medica Limonum) Peel Oil, Jojoba (Simmondsia Chinensis Seed) Oil, Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf) Oil, Potassium Sorbate, DL Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Chamomile (Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower) Extract, Soybean Oil, Hybrid Safflower Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Biotin, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E).

Price:
The price was quite affordable. I purchased a 16 fl oz bottle from Vitacost for $9.18 including shipping (The price has changed since then.). Not bad considering the fact that even using a generous amount for an entire month, I still haven't even used half of my bottle of conditioner. Now THAT's what I call getting more bang for your buck!

Slip:
Even though the product is thick, the slip was virtually non-existent. For me, this would not be the type of conditioner that I would detangle with right out of the shower after a shampoo.

Multipurpose Use:
I tried this conditioner as a deep conditioner in combination with a hot oil treatment as I often do when I condition my hair and my results were as follows:

Using Heat:
This conditioner worked well with the use of a hooded dryer. I deep conditioned for 15 minutes, and my hair was soft an much easier detangle. 
Without Heat:
I conditioned my hair overnight, detangled my hair, and then rinsed it out. Unfortunately, I did not get the softness and ease of detangling that I received when heat is applied.
Verdict:
 I would say that this conditioner is definitely worth trying if you want an organic conditioner that you could use as a deep conditioner without paying deep conditioner prices. The only catch is that that you would need to use heat to get the best results. Personally, I would not buy this again, because it did not have great slip and it seemed to produce the optimum results only when heat was applied.

Til next time Curly Nation!


Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ

Monday, August 15, 2011

08/15/11: This Week In Natural Hair

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ! It's that time again!! Time to check out what's happening this week in natural hair. Wanna mix and mingle with other naturalistas in your area? Click on any one of the events listed below for more information on some great meetups and mixers in the natural hair community:


Tuesday August 16, 2011
  1. Natural Beauties Monthly Meet and Greet - Bowie, MD

Friday August 19, 2011
  1. DCN Presents: Curls & Cocktails #3 Moisture Sponsored by NAS - Louisville, KY
  2. Healthy Hair Care Workshop - London, UK

Saturday August 20, 2011
  1. New England Natural Hair Care Expo - Hartford, CT
  2. Natural Hair Care Meetup / Pamper Party - Mobile, AL
Sunday August 21, 2011
  1. Natural Hair Competition "Natural Cutie of the Year" - Memphis, TN

Til next time Curly Nation!


Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ