You Are An Abstract Painting

YOU ARE AN ABSTRACT PAINTING

"Abstract art uses a visual language of form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world." - Wikipedia

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the
world." -  John 17:15-18

A blank slate. That's how we all come into this world. A canvas just waiting to be painted with the vision our creator has in mind as the master artist, and as time progresses, an abstract work of art is created that is beautiful....or is it? The funny thing about going to museums is hearing what people have to say about an abstract piece of artwork placed before them. Some see the piece as brilliant, while others may think it's mundane or lacking in creativity. And then there are others who just don't get it. To them, the art piece is  just a splash of colors over what was once a blank canvas. No purpose. No meaning. What each person sees is shaped by their perception of the piece, therefore it shapes their belief. And who knows.....they could all be right, partially right, or just downright wrong. The only person who knows the true meaning of the artwork, however, is the artist that created it, and to unlock the true interpretation of the artwork, one must speak to the one who created it.

We all are abstract paintings formed and shaped by God, and no matter what one's perception is about you, it is God, the master artist, who has set the purpose of your life before you were even born. Tap into who He is to learn the meaning of the art piece He has created you to be. Know your worth, learn your purpose, and strive to fulfill it each and everyday. Of course there will be times that are harder than others and you will come across those who will not be able to understand the meaning behind the artwork God has placed before them, but don't be discouraged by that. Everyone will not understand who you are and what your purpose is, and that's just how God intended it to be. LOL! Be confident in who you are and always remember - "You are an abstract painting.

Much love,



- MusiQ "the AfroCurly Chick"

Product Review: Tré Finé Shea & Mango Ultra Nourishing Hair Creme

Hey Curly Nation!
It's ya girl MusiQ! I know it's been a while since I've done a product review, but I want to talk about a product that is near and dear to me and that product is Shea & Mango Ultra Nourishing Hair Creme from Tré Finé Body Beautiful.

Tré Finé Body Beautiful is a company located in Chesapeake, Va that specializes in hair and skin products and  believes in the idea of a "simply beautiful lifestyle." Founded by Melissa Burnett,
Tré Finé Body Beautiful is a company that believes in infusing natural ingredients into the products, while also promoting a healthy and natural lifestyle from the inside out, a characteristic that definitely makes Tré Finé Body Beautiful stand out among other companies in Beauty and Cosmetics.

I purchased this product at the Embracing Your Beauty Natural Hair Etravaganza May 21, 2011 and have since used it many times and am very pleased with the results. This product has a very light and fluffy whipped texture and has an earthy herbal scent. I like that although it is very light in texture, it is not so light that it can't be used as twisting agent. I absolutely LOVE the ingredients in this butter.  Among all of the ingredients listed, this product has my fab 5 which is Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, and Argan Oil just to name a few ingredients (full ingredient list below).

Ingredients: Shea Butter, Mango Butter, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Argan Oil, Red Palm Oil, Provitamin B5, Sodium PCA, Fragrance, Wheat, Jojoba, and Honey Enzymes, Marshmallow Root Extract, Tamanu Oil, Leucidal (natural preservative).

The consistency is that of a whipped butter.

Emulsifies into an oil when rubbed into the hands.

Ways I Use This Product
Although this product can be used as a twisting butter, I often use this in conjunction with other styling products especially on my ends when twisting. I also use this product alone to retwist my hair at night after wearing twist out.

One of my most frequent uses of this product is to seal in moisture. I use this product on my shampoo days after using my leave in to seal in moisture and during the week when I need to remoisturize my hair and need a sealant. As much as I love using oils (primarily olive oil) as a part of my moisturizing routine, I've found that much heavier products like pomades and butters work best for my hair and the Shea & Mango Ultra Nourishing Hair Creme has truly become my go-to product for this reason. I truly love this stuff!              

Cost
This product is very affordable. Although it is $10 for a 4oz., it is very rich, so a little goes a long way. I didn't have to use a great deal of product which meant that it took a while for me to actually use it up, which is great.

Will I Repurchase This Product?
Absolutely!! I am a firm believer in using what works and this product works for me, so I will definitely keep it on my list of staples and continue using it. 

What Product(s) Do You Plan to Try from This Company in the Future?
Although I am on a "no buy" policy right now, I still haven't found what I would consider to be my ultimate conditioner, so I plan to try the Honeylicious Hair Conditioner in the future. It caught my eye, so I will be giving that a try. A review of course will definitely be in the works for this one.

How Can I Find Out About This Product?
If you would like to learn more about this company or purchase some of their products, simply go to http://www.trefinebodybeautiful.com/ and you can also connect with Tré Finé Body Beautiful on Twitter (@TreFine) and Facebook (Tre Fine Body Beautiful - Natural Hair & Skin Care).

Hope you all enjoyed this review. Til next time Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ

Influenster Holiday Voxbox

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ! Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and excited about the upcoming New Year that is to come. A few weeks ago, I was so fortunate to receive a Holiday Voxbox from Influenster. Influenster is a website that people can join to potentially try out products for free and give their honest review. Based on certain surveys and badges received, Influenster determines who will receive these Voxboxes and then it's up to you to review the items that you receive. It's an amazing way to try products that you may or may not have heard of and possibly gain new product favorites to purchase in the near future.

The products I received were in various categories from cosmetics to food items. All were nicely packaged and very appealing at first. The items are as follows:

• The imPRESS Press on Manicure by Broadway Nails
• NYC Liquid Lip Shine in “Nude York City”
• Mentos  Pure Fresh Chewing Gum in Mint
• The Softsoap Coconut Scrub Bar Twin Pack
• A Sample of Montage Jeunesse Face Mask in Strawberry
• A Larabar Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bar
• A Coupon for Larabar Energy Bars
• A Coupon for imPress Nails

Products that I've tried so far:

SoftSoap Coconut Scrub

The SoftSoap Coconut Scrub had an amazingly awesome smell, but oddly enough, it did not smell a thing like coconut to me. lol!
It has a very fresh and scent that I kind of reminds of watermellon jollyranchers only much lighter in scent. I find it to be a very pleasant scent.

What the soap had in scent unfortunately, it lacked in performance. This soap does not create a deal of lather which leaves you feeling the need to use more soap, which could eventually lead to the soap being used up much more quickly than other soaps in theory. The only other positive about this soap is that it doesn't leave your skin overly dry.

NYC Liquid Lip Shine, Nude York City

NYC Liquid Lip Shine's Nude York City is a lip gloss that is perfect for all complexions. It doesn't take much to give your lips a lasting shine that for me did not need to be reapplied for several hours unless I ate or drank something. It's not sticky which is a plus (I HATE sticky lip gloss. Ugh!). Definitely on my list of repurchases once it runs out.








Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum, Mint

The Mentos Pure Fresh Chewing Gum in Mint Flavor was a burst of freshness in your mouth that last for quite a while. As the first hour past the gum still maintained a level of freshness even though it was not as strong as it was when I started chewing it initially. After the second hour, the gum STILL had a fresh taste. By this time, my other gum has the yucky stale taste that you throw away or get another piece by this time. Very effective and worth buying. Looks like I'm gonna be switching. lol!





This concludes my review of the Holiday Voxbox for now. Once I try the other products, I will definitely give you and update. Have a safe and Happy New Year and til next time Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!




~MusiQ



Where Have You Been Girl?!!

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ!! *gasp* Yes....it's me. lol! I apologize for my recent hiatus for over a month. I had a lot going on with the start of a new job along with some personal events that have occurred in my life that really rocked my world in 2011. It's been a very interesting year to say the least, but I wouldn't change a thing. I hope you all are enjoying the holidays as I have and are looking forward to an awesome new year. I will be reemerging with some updates on my current regimen as well as some reviews that are long overdue. Til next tme Curly Nation!

Live Free! Live Natural!



~MusiQ

The Beauty Boudoir Fall Fab Giveaway

Hey Curly Nation!

It's ya girl MusiQ and I coming to you today with my very first giveaway sponsored by The Beauty Boudoir!!! The grand prize is the fabulous earring and bracelet set below known on the Beauty Beauty Boudoir online boutique as the "Jackson."

The rules for the contest are as follows:


1. Like both the "Diary of an AfroCurly Chick" and "The Beauty Boudoir" Facebook pages.

2. Subscribe to the "Diary of an AfroCurly Chick" blog.

3. Like @AfroCurlyChick and @TBBBoutique

4. Leave a comment or respond to a topic on The Beauty Boudoir Boutique Facebook fan page.

5. Type "Enter Me" along with your  Facebook Username, and Twitter Username as a comment below. DEADLINE IS SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2011 AT 11:59PM!!

Don't miss out on your chance to win!! Til next time Curly Nation

Live Free! Live Natural!

~MusiQ

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

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