Just A Quickie

Hey my good people! Hope you are all enjoying your summer, family, friends, food, beaches, vacays, significant others, jobs, and LIFE in general! I certainly thank God for mine!:)
I also am enjoying my protective style for the week. Yes, I said week 😄. I just needed something cute and quick to get me by a few days, to keep me from pulling it all out at the roots, with my bare hands.

NO SERIOUSLY.

I must say, this is one of the best hair quickies I’ve done and the first I’ve done with added hair.

Day #3

I did this style earrrrly Saturday morning.
For this style I used a bit of pre-used Marley hair that I’d kept from marley twists I’d previously done. I didn’t need a full pack though;).  I kept the hair product to a minimum, using only a little grapeseed oil to rub through my hair and massage into my scalp, and a spritz of Moroccan Argan Oil leave-in conditioner by Creme of Nature. I absolutely loooove their new line!! It makes my hair really soft and smells amazing!
I was careful not to WET my hair though. I only needed a light moisturizer so I wasn’t working with totally dry hair. I used a little of my Eco Natural Eco Curl ‘N Styling Cocktail for blending my hair in the marley hair. I like it because it’s light and doesn’t flake. It smells yummy too!

Remember, you need protection within your protective style.;)

I started at the bottom and worked my way upward and toward the front, flat twisting but using two strands. Basically cornrowing but using two strands of hair instead of three. I fed in the marley hair at the very start of the twist, (as soon as I held two strands of my hair to begin). I proceeded to twist all the way down the shaft until reaching the end, twisting the very end around my index finger in a looping motion.
Voila!! That’s it!;)

There’s very little maintenance (which I’m all for). I simply use a bit of Blue Magic coconut oil on my scalp and complete hairline, massage it in, mist my oil/water spray bottle ONCE onto the actual shaft, pat it a few times and satin scarf it at night.
I didn’t get to take immediate pics when it was freshly done so the ones you’re seeing are from the following Monday lol.

I’m still deciding on what hairstyle is next. I REALLY want a nice full weave with some good ole 3c-4c hair. Like Diana Ross huge😁.

Are you rocking any protective styles nowadays or “just letting it all hang out”?😜

Thanks for kicking it with me! Appreciate you suga!!!

BLESSINGS,
THEEstonidee

Braids… Fresh and Clean

It’s summertime! Pools and beaches are popping and so is the salt water and chlorine.
Protective styles are in high gear and we’re looking good but is that scalp and hair right within those braids/twists?

Solange Knowles sporting individual braids. Great protective style!

If you’re rocking a protective style, particularly braids, it doesn’t mean install and done. There’s a bit of maintenance that goes with it to ensure your hair is healthy. After all, that is the whole point of protective or low maintenance styling.
So, you’ve been swimming or sweating or both. Your scalp is dry (from chlorine/salt water/sweat) and itchy. Not to mention the mild funk coming up from that mug. Dang girl! :p

It’s time for a wash.

But how? My hair is bound and intertwined in these braids!
No worries, I’ve got you covered. 🙂 You’ll need a few things:
1.  A hair spray bottle

2. Shampoo and conditioner of your choice.

Pantene Relaxed and Natural

Shea Moisture

3. An oil to seal in moisture and nurture the scalp

Raw/Organic Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Grapeseed, etc...

Got that?
Next, you prep the braids by releasing them from any hair ties or pulled styles so that they are lying downward and loose hanging.  Go through your braids checking for lint or debris. Pick out if found.
Then, you fill your spray bottle with warm/lukewarm water and  pour a quarter sized amount of  shampoo into the water. Shake the contents until mixed well.

Now, you spray your scalp and hair generously and evenly. Don’t miss a spot.
*Make sure you have a towel, not for your hair, but to catch the drips of water that may run down into your face*
Scrub your scalp, applying pressure, but not vigorous where you create a world of pain, fuzz and frizz. Your goal is to lift any product, debris, old skin cells, dirt, chemicals, salt and odor from your scalp and hair. Slide your hands down your braids firmly being careful around the outside perimeter of the head, aka the edges. You don’t want to neglect the actual hair shaft.

Photo courtesy of google search lol

You can rinse either in the shower or by filling a large cup with water and pouring. Repeat shampoo step if needed. Once you’ve shampooed follow the same steps using conditioner this time. That means you have to dump the shampoo contents and replace (with water and conditioner). Instead of rinsing directly after, leave conditioner in for about 10-15 min, then rinse.
Squeeze and blot using cotton tshirts. You’ll definitely need more than one.

*Towels tend to leave pieces of terrycloth and lint in the braids*

You’ve cleaned and rinsed everything out. It’s time for reinforcements. 😀
Spray your hair with your choice of leave-in conditioner and seal in with an oil, like coconut or olive oil. 🙂
Annnnnd your DONE! 😉

Protective styles aren’t NO maintenance but LOW maintenance. You can’t skip the essentials. 😉

Hope this was a “helper”. Enjoy this lovely, HOT weather and your protective styles (if you wear them)!!
I’ll talk to you soon!

Blessings,
THEE Stonidee

Letting it all come naturally 🙂

Maintaining My Protective Style… #1 of my protective style challenge

Hey guys and cirls! 😉
This is actually a few days late but better late than never is what they say. 😛
So I’m getting ready to start week 3 of my protective style (marley/havana twists) and wanted to share with you how I maintain the style.
First, I use a dry/wash by Duafe Hair Care because I won’t be actually shampooing with this style in. The dry wash is a spray containing water, rosemary, witch hazel, tea tree, sage, and vegetable glycerin. It feels really refreshing on my scalp and the fragrance is just as refreshing though it’s strongest when it’s first sprayed. Very mild after.
I massage it all throughout my scalp and stroke it down each twist, focusing on where my hair starts and ends within the twist. Then I use a cotton tee to rub out any residue. Being that I don’t go crazy on product in my hair the only thing I basically had to remove was my own dirt from sweat lol. 😛
Then I follow up with a few spritzes of water with my new water bottle I also got from my Curlkit! I didn’t soak my hair so as not to disrupt the neatness and blend of my hair with the marley hair used for the twists. I only needed to mist my garden, not hose it down lol.
Next came the oil…well oil(s). I used my favorite combo of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and coconut oil and applied it to my scalp (which had drunk up both the dry wash AND water) and rubbed some(very little) in my hands and went through stroking each twists downward again, so as not to disrupt the direction and flow of the twists with my own hair. I didn’t go “ham” with the oil on my HAIR because I knew I’d be following up with my last step. A butter for my hair. I used the Nourishing Hair & Body Butter in Marvelous Mango by Koils by Nature. SOME of the ingredients are Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Avocado Butter, Mango Seed Butter, & Sweet Almond Oil. It’s really thick but my thick, coarse hair LOVES and responds more to butters than oils. It smells yummy too! Yet ANOTHER goodie from Curlkit!

ARE YOU A CURLKIT SUBSCRIBER???

If not, you’re in luck (I don’t really believe in luck but it sounded good)! There are many links within this blog post for you to check it out. If you want to try out products (many not in the general public marketplace) for healthy hair, you DEFINITELY want to look into their service/product site. There’s a bit of something for EVERYONE!! I share some of the body samples with my brother-in-law! 😀

So yeah, I do the maintenance on my protective style only once a week (so far twice).
Now here’s the thing. My birthday’s coming up this Saturday and although I’ve been sort of in a slump lately, I’ve been wrestling with whether or not I’m going to keep my style in to complete week 3. I’ve stated before that it definitely wouldn’t get to 4 weeks this time but if  I DO keep them in for 3, I may as well do one more, right?

DECISIONS, DECISIONS…

You all will know the outcome within the next couple of days. As soon as I find out lol. 😉

I hope you all are enjoying your weekend! Be safe! God BLESS!

THEE Stonidee

*DISCLAIMER* I was NOT paid, cohersed, or influenced in ANY way to advertise or mention Koils by Nature, Duafe Hair Care, or Curlkit. I did so solely on my own effort and out of my satisfaction with the products and/or service.
I am a Curlkit Affiliate so I have permission by Curlkit to post my personal affiliate link, given to me by the Curlkit company.

Protective Style Challenge #1

K guys,  this will be rather short being that I’m a bit under the weather. This back and forth weather needs to get stable…and FAST!!
I’ve officially begun my 1 Year Protective Styling  Challenge. Yesterday, September 20, 2013 , to be exact ;).
The style I’d wanted to start it on just wasn’t working out so back to my marley/havana twists it is.
That’s not at all a bad thing though. I was pleased with the end results the last (and first) time I’d installed them. The only thing I had to do was keep my scalp oiled and hair (especially roots) moisturized. Annnnd they lasted 4 weeks with very little retouch

I’m bending a rule for the sake of a special event. My birthday. The protective style is supposed to stay in at least 3 weeks. My twists will only be in 2 1/2 – 3 weeks because I want to change my hairstyle for my birthday. 😛
My birthday is Oct. 12 . 🙂
I want some WHOA HER HAIR IS FREAKIN’ HUGE hair! 😀
I’m talking Diana Ross, Foxy Brown, Don’t Sit Behind Me hair! 😛

I also used some of my goodies from my September Curlkit. I’ll be blogging on that some time tomorrow evening or Monday. 🙂

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend! I’m going to finish resting and doctoring myself up so I can be 100%.
I appreciate your reading my blog. If I’m writing/sharing for just one person, I’m just as grateful as if I had thousands. That “thousands” sounds darned good though!!

THEE Stonidee

Get READY! Get SET! GOOOOOO!

That’s exactly how I’m feeling right now 🙂 . As soon as I finish typing, I’ll be removing my Havana/Marley twists and it’ll be a happy wash day for me! Oh you better believe I’m going allll the way in on this poofy puppy baby!

I’m also happy to say I’ve acquired about an inch of new growth. Yaaay me! It’s really easy to see because of my blonde dyed front vs my natural medium/dark brown hair color. Here are a couple photos I just took.

You see that? Okay, okay it is a bit rough looking but that new growth is all that! 😉 I’m definitively pleased.

After my hair is all clean and moisturized, I’ll let it breathe for a few days and begin my 1 Year Protective Style Challenge this coming Monday 🙂 .

Here are the rules:

1. Low manipulation hairstyles maintained no less than 3wks. (If you can go for 4 weeks, even better but no less than 3wks)

2.Two 1week freebie/rest periods to relieve hair of pressure from any added hair/styling weight (this can be used as two consecutive weeks or split, either way is fine. I’m spacing mine out though. This will be my first 1 week and I’ll use the 2nd week at the 6 month point.

3. MUST remain clean and moisturized throughout the challenge. (When in protective style a dry shampoo like ORS or Duafe dry wash will do the trick. NO SEABREEZE! It is waaaay too drying on the hair. I’ll also be using my 2 free weeks for 1 wash day and remainders cowash days as well.) This will help keep product buildup to a minimum since we’ll be moisturizing throughout. I don’t plan on using heavy products anyway.

4. Switch up the styles! Don’t shoot yourself to instant boredom by doing the same hairstyle over and over. You’ll surely not last the challenge ! 😀

I’ll be posting hairstyles, wash days, freebie weeks, and new growth pics. If you’re doing the challenge with me, I’d LOVE to see some of yours! 🙂

GET ON YOUR MARKS! GET READY! GET SET! GOOOOOO!!!!

LOVE to you ALL,
THEE Stonidee

Talk about protective!

Hello my good people! This will probably be the shortest post I’ve done so far 😀 , as I am almost on week 3 of my protective style. That’s right! My eagerly awaited Havana twists are totally agreeing with my hair and I. AM. LOVING. IT.

                             HERCULES! HERCULES! HERCULES!

This is what they looked like on Aug.5th, the day I installed them.

This is what they look like today lol

                                                  New growth 🙂

                             And the hair twins, Frizz and Fuzz

I’m not complaining though. I’ll be refreshing my twists tomorrow and it’ll be all good! Next Monday will be my week 3 mark :-). Almost a month ya’ll!! My goal was to keep this protective style for a month (4 weeks) and no earlier than 3 weeks, so I’m doing well.
Once I remove them I’ll be ready to begin my very own 1 Year Protective Style Challenge. I want to see what growth results I’ll get from a year of low manipulation geared hairstyles while focusing mostly on the scalp.
If YOU’D like to join me let me know! I’d love some company! 🙂

Maaaan, I almost went a whole month without a blog post smh. Shame on me! 😛

Thanks to my followers for showing a sista love and support! I REALLY appreciate it.
I’ll be incorporating a bit more onto here, like a few of my clients and friends and family who appreciate HEALTHY HAIR and understand the struggles that come and go along the way to it, whether natural or chemically processed.
SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTING!!!

Have a blessed weekend and enjoy the festivities of the end of summer. It’s here already! Can you believe it? Geeeez!

Always love,
THEE stonidee

It’s All Good!

Hey Guys and Gals! I just wanted to say hello and share a quick five minutes with you :).
It’s Friday and a rather laid back one for me. I’ve been running errands since yesterday but now I’m finished and happy :).
Even my hair is laid back…literally. I’m rocking five thick straight back two strand flat twists and that’s all folks! Nothing fancy but after I throw my threads and earrings on, it’s alllll good!

Seems like every time I’m ready for a long term protective style, I end up doing a style that holds me over well :D.
But hey, who’s complaining?  Not I!

Enjoy your weekend my good people! Appreciate your support! Till next time!

God Bless!

THEE Stonidee

Humidity Hair

This heat has been pretty consistent and doesn’t seem to be letting up. While I’m enjoying my thick natural hair and the creative styles I’ve come up with these days, the humid air is taking quite the toll on my hair’s “fly longevity”.

Break it down for them, Stone.

“Fly longevity” is basically how long my hair (or yours) maintains a “fly”, cute, or decent appearance. 😉
A hairstyle could be considered flawless during the beginning of the day, but as the day progresses and climate changes occur, that “fly” hairstyle could morph into something altogether… DIFFERENT. 😛

Well the Tri-State region is currently experiencing a heat wave. For me, that means look forward to a frizzy, Peter Cottontail-ish mess of a fluffy creature sitting on my head, even if it’s in one of my normal cute updos. 😦

The puff is real and goes EXTRA hard ya’ll!!! 😀

*Superhero voice* THIS CALLS FORRRRRRRR… HUMIDITY HAIRRRRRRRRRR!!!! *triumphant music*

That’s right girls! Time to hit the store and prepare to rock a SERIOUS triple protective style. Triple does these three things:

1. Protects the oldest part of your hair (the ends) and promotes hair growth retention

2. Keeps your hands out altogether or very minimum (it’s too hot for all of that!)

3. Puts the fly longevity back on its “flyest” 😉

Now, the big part… decide on exactly what type of hair and style I want!! 😛

Stay cool (literally AND figuratively), check up on your Grands or any Seniors you know, and be blessed. 🙂

Pick a flower on me 🙂

THEE Stonidee

The Beginning

Well hello my dears!! It’s been a few, huh?
Good news!! I’m no longer in the hair slump I’d been trapped in a couple of weeks back 🙂 .
When I think about it, the remedy was actually pretty simple! No real drastic measures needed to be taken. I only needed to add a bit of spice to my kitchen. Well, not exactly the ‘kitchen’ as in the African American/black community’s use of the term.
(For those who may be unfamiliar with it, we call the area at the nape of the neck where the neck starts THE KITCHEN.)

I was not talking about that area. It just sounded cute to go with ‘spice’ 😛 . But we learned what the kitchen is! LOL

I haven’t enhanced the length of my hair or fullness of my hair with a weave or extensions. I haven’t done an intricate style to my tresses. It’s not even in a super protective style… YET.
All I did was change the color of a smedium (small medium) section at the front of my head. But what a difference it has made! The only color other than my natural, I’ve ever been SEEN with is red. From wildfire (manic panic)

to the auburn and maroon family by various Clairol Professional lines of color.
But NEVER blonde 🙂 … except for double processing for manic panic. No one has ever seen me wear it as accessory to my hairstyle though because I never HAVE LOL.

UNTIL NOW 🙂 .

The reason for that was I simply didn’t like the color on me. I’m a red girl. But my spontaneous self got the best of me in a moment of boredom and a need for change.
I didn’t like it (as I’d anticipated) right away. However, I was prepared to lay a rinse (semi permanent color) over it so there was no biggie. I still wanted to style it so I redid the style I’d had in previous to coloring.
After styling and allowing it to air dry awhile, I tied a satin scarf over it to lay it down a bit more. But something happened after I’d removed the scarf and looked in the mirror…

I liked it!!!! I REALLY liked it!!! 🙂

I wouldn’t be needing a rinse after all! Finally I’d become satisfied and all it’d took was a little change. I didn’t have to color my entire head or double process it.
Bam. Boom. Done.
Short and sweet! Wanna see? Ok. Here goes!

It’s like a light honey color. (Matches my cowgirl boots 😉 )

For the color… I bleached it. Yes, bleach. This is not the first time I’ve done so. In fact, I used to frequent this technique of coloring when I used to double process my hair using manic panic.
All of the salons I’ve worked in used Clairol Professional for coloring and I truly have never ever been let down on quality hair color from this brand, from bleach to semi permanents and permanents.

I used two scoopfuls of Clairol Kaleidocolors tonal powder (blue) and about 1 oz Clairol Professional Soy 4Plex 40 vol. Pure White creme developer  for quick processing and high lift.
I used the applicator brush and bowl technique (and a bit of fingers) wearing gloves of course.

Honesty moment: I did NOT use a skin protectant. No excuse. I just didn’t. I’ve been color processing others and myself for many years, but ALWAYS used a skin protectant  cream/lubricant and have NEVER skipped this VERY IMPORTANT part of coloring or ANY chemical processing. But I knew how to NOT make contact with the bleach to my skin (from how much to apply to the applicator brush and where and how to apply the applicator brush to my hair). I would NEVER do this to someone else though. I’m NOT reckless… on others. I have REALLY tough hair and it stands firm and strong against anything (except when I’m stressed 😦 ).

*****DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY COSTLY ACT!!! *****

*****ALWAYS SEEK A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COLORIST OR HAIRSTYLIST FOR ALL COLOR/CHEMICAL PROCESSING OR FOR HELP DOING IT YOURSELF!(Especially if you’re unsure of what you’re doing.)*****

So yeah, I live on the wild side every now and then 😛 . And this is only the BEGINNING 😉 .

Now that I’ve added a bit of ‘suga’ from the spice cabinet to sweeten up the mane a bit, I’m marinating on a good protective style to add to it!! This should be fun 🙂 .

Are you rocking any color or will you be? If so, what color(s)?
What techniques have you or your stylist/colorist used to achieve your color(s)?
I love feedback so give me some!

Thanks for stopping by! Appreciate you and your time! Till next time!

                                                 THEE Stonidee

My Elective Is Protective!

Hey hey hey! (in my Rog from ‘What’s Happening’ voice).
I feel missed! It must’ve been you! Have you missed me suga? :*
It’s only been a few days! 😛

So the other day I expressed my lack of enthusiasm of the humidity. Well this week it has cooled a bit but the humidity is still very present. My inner weather girl says it probably will be for the remainder of the summer. Which honestly doesn’t bother me greatly outside of my hair.
So I’m opting for protective styles all summer with a couple weeks (literally) of rest. By rest, I mean loose hair don’t care :P.
Earlier afternoon yesterday, I gave myself a two strand flat twisted protective updo. I was feeling like doing everything BUT my hair so I kept it simple with only 6 chunky flat twists going upward around the perimeter of my head and a few medium single ones in the front.
From there I pretty much overlapped the ends in no particular fashion. More like wherever my creative hands landed. 🙂 There were a few “oh nooos” and smh’s but once I became totally satisfied I walked away and didn’t look back…well except to give a lil shimmy and wink ;).

The end all result is hair that I won’t have to do (only moisturize) for HOPEFULLY two weeks. I usually get antsy after the first week because it gets fuzzy and I start ‘feeling it’ less :P.
When I take this down I’m installing Havana Twists. I’ve been itching to rock them for awhile now!

What are some of your protective style favs? Are you planning on rocking protective styles for the summer too?
TALK TO ME!  I want to hear from YOU!

Always appreciative of you! Stay cool San Diego! ( from ‘Anchorman’ duuuh lol)

Til the next,
THEE Stonidee