International Natural Hair Meetup Day Colorado Re-Cap

The Denver metro area looked more like Seattle during the month of May.  However, the sun finally   decided to make an appearance this weekend.  This made for great weather and a big turnout for the International Hair Meetup Day Colorado (INHMD) on Saturday.

Fashion Show Segment

 The event was an annual celebration of natural hair and this year Colorado was included as one of the participating locations.  The meetup was presented by Design Essentials and coordinated with the help of local group, Colorado Urban Naturals, which is led by Phaedra High.  It was apparent that a lot of hard work and care went into bringing this event together so kudos to all who helped out.

Andrea Grady of Colorado Urban Naturals

There were people of all ages present and lots of natural hair styles to admire.  I was there to participate in the Bloggers and Stylists panel discussion.  I enjoyed sharing information with the audience but also learned some things that may help me on my own hair journey.

Upper left; My Mom and I having fun at the event. Upper Right; Me speaking on the panel
Bottom; Rhonda Lee and fellow Bloggers on the panel
(upper right Photo Credit @NaturalCharisma on IG)

Lovely Naturalistas Asia and Kenya
with their gorgeous locks

It was also nice to speak with other naturals whether they were vendors or attendees. There were so many business owners there who really knew their craft and I loved hearing more about their products.  There was jewelry, bath and body, wellness products and more.  

Tanya with Ajaya Body Inc.
who makes bath and body products
Thanks for the Shea Butter!

FOLLOW CURLY IN COLORADO ON FACEBOOK FOR EVENT UPDATES

Having a little hair talk with Marilyn after the panel discussion

Tiara Beasley (CEO) and Micah Curtis (Co-Counder) of Chic Love Naturals
It was lovely speaking with these two about hair products

The event schedule moved along smoothly with the help of emcee, Carolyn King.  On the Blogger & Stylists panel we briefly discussed our natural hair journeys then covered a few topics.  Rhonda Lee, the meteorologist who joined the panel was delightful.  She reminded us of the importance of giving encouragement to those who are starting their hair journey.  I enjoyed meeting Naomi of @CoilyCulture, Abena of @NaturalCharisma and @TuffCurlz.  I also had a chance to chat with Sabrina Perkins from the blog,  Seriously Natural, whom I worked with before on another natural hair event.   

Carol Richardson and Dana Simmons of
Succulent Sensations
who were food vendors for the event

The discussion was followed by a live performance by Ebony Lion and then a fashion show.
There was even a live demo of a crochet braids install at the Glam Bar.  

I was so happy to speak with Micah Sims who is a
Hair Stylist who specializes in Natural Hair
She does braids and starts locs too
email mrsMicahSims@gmail.com

Overall the event proved to be a very positive one for local naturalistas and for the black community as a whole.  If you missed it be sure to follow Colorado Urban Naturals on Facebook for upcoming events.  It looks like they are currently working to bring us another Denver Natural Hair Expo in September.  Be sure to watch this space for more on natural hair tips and event updates!

Upcoming Natural Hair Event by Colorado Urban Naturals

It's a new year and we can expect lots of new events by the local group Colorado Urban Naturals.  This is the same organization that coordinated the Denver Natural Hair Care Expo last summer.  The event will be a smaller workshop on how to make a head wrap using your own fabric.  There will also be some discussion on natural hair color options for natural hair.  Tickets are still available for this event which is only two weeks away!

NATURAL HAIR EVENT BY 

COLORADO URBAN NATURALS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH

6:00-8:00 P.M.

at Pangaea Salon 4924 E. Colfax Ave.

Purchase tickets at www.uniiverse.com/headwrapsandhaircolor

FOLLOW COLORADO URBAN NATURALS 

ON FACEBOOK FOR UPDATES ON THIS EVENT

Learning How to French Braid Natural Hair

French Braids on my Natural Hair

Recently I posted a Youtube video on how I french braid my natural hair.  I have been wearing my hair braided up more often recently as part of my No Heat Challenge.  It has made things a little easier for me because the weather is cooler these days.  My hair can get really big and full so the french braids make it possible for me to get a hat on my head whenever I want.  I also use the braids to protect my hair while I'm sleeping at night so I won't have to wake up to tangles in the morning.

I posted the video because I wanted to offer a visual to other naturals of how to do french braids.  I see a lot of comments online from people who have never learned how to braid their hair in this way.  I learned the technique from my mother who braided my hair every week when I was younger.  Sometimes she would do a fancy braided style on my hair but later on she just did one or two french braids with a little bang in front.  When I was about ten years old she taught me how to do it on my own hair.  She also taught me how to do the inverted method which was basically the opposite of french braiding.  I was frustrated with it at first because my braids just didn't look as nice and tight as when she did them.  I eventually got the hang of it though.

CHECK OUT MY VIDEO ON HOW I FRENCH BRAID MY NATURAL HAIR

Having this styling technique in my arsenal made it that much easier when I went natural.  When my hair grew past the TWA stage I knew that I could braid my hair up for a braid out or protective style.  I can see now that I'm also saving money because I've never gone to someone else to have them braid it for me.  Hopefully more people will learn the technique so that they'll have more options when styling natural hair.

What My Hair Has Been Up To

I know I haven't been posting very much lately but I wanted to share some of the styles that I have been rockin' the last few weeks.  I have actually been wearing my hair straight a little more which I think is coming to an end this week.  At least until I can get my hands on a flat iron that has a heat dial so I can adjust the temperature setting.  My FHI Technique G2 straightens really well but only has one setting...400+ degrees!  I know that a lot of you are thinking why use heat in the first place?  I know, it can be damaging but, I'm one of those Naturals who likes to use it occasionally.  Anywhoo, enough of the straight talk and on to the pics. . . Enjoy!

Corkscrew Braid Out
at the Denver Art Museum

Flat Twist Up Do
My current favorite during the week
to keep my hair protected

Corkscrew Braid Out
with Satin Scarf Headband
with Eco Styler Gel on my edges

Corkscrew Braid Out
Back View

Straight Hair in August just
before Trim

Wash n' Go at City Park

Clairol Semi-Permanent Color Rinse Results

Applied the color rinse
in sections to damp hair

In my last post I talked about doing a Dark Brown color rinse on my hair to help tone down the burgundy red tones from using Henna.  Unfortunately, I have not had much luck with the Beautiful Collection product by Clairol.  I don't think it's the product itself but my regimen that does not work with color rinsing. 

The first thing I didn't like is that I had to apply the product all over whereas with something more permanent you're just re-touching the roots after the first application.  I just figured I would start with this to see if I liked the color on me.  The other thing is that the product rinses out easily with conditioner. 

See what had happened was. . . Prior to applying the rinse, I decided to shampoo my hair so that it was free from any build-up.  Then I applied the rinse and left it on for the suggested amount of time 25 minutes (10 minutes of that was under the dryer).  I rinsed until the water ran clear and then did a deep conditioning treatment which sent me back under the dryer.  I think this is where I went wrong.  When I rinsed the conditioner out in the shower I saw a lot of the color rinsing out with it.  I followed up with an ACV rinse to close down the cuticles of my hair strands and towel dried.  I was planning on wearing my hair straight so I let it air dry overnight and flat ironed the next day.  When I went out into the sun...STILL BURGUNDY!  I was up all night doing my hair and the color didn't even take but like I said, the deep conditioning with heat is probably what did it.  I thought that maybe the hair cuticle opened up because of the heat from the hooded dryer and the color released.

My hair color the next day...still burgundy

 

I figured I would try one more time a few weeks later and this time just rinse the color out, apply conditioner in the shower, detangle and leave it at that.  I mean, I know Clairol doesn't think I can shampoo, apply a color rinse and not use conditioner to get my hair back in order do they?  Well, apparently I'm the crazy one because the color (after detangling and rinsing the conditioner out with cool water) came out again! 

The product in question
Clairol Beautiful Collection
Semi Permanent Color Rinse
in Darkest Brown

Part of me keeps thinking back to when I told my mom about adding deep conditioning treatments to her routine.  The semi-permanent color rinse by Clairol is the very reason why she wouldn't (or couldn't).  She explained to me that the color kept rinsing out when she tried to deep condition so she stopped...Hmmmm.  Well, anyway I can see now that I'm going to end up going with something more permanent next go 'round.  Maybe the 2 step Henna/Indigo is the right choice for me after all.  To be continued.

Review-The Hair Stopper

The Hair Stopper
at Walmart for about $4.50

I recently bought an item that I thought would help with the shedded hairs that collect in our bathtub. This may not be very pleasant to discuss but I still thought I would share my experience with a product called, the Hair Stopper.  My husband has long straight hair and washes it almost daily.  I like to co-wash a couple times each week and also detangle my hair while under the running water of the shower.  I won't go into detail but we were in need of something to help with the hair that kept building up in the tub.  I found the Hair Stopper at Walmart for about $4.50 USD and was really hoping that it would work for us. 

How it works is you're supposed to remove the little grate that already covers the drain in the tub.  Then insert the Hair Stopper, which says it should fit most household drains, into the drainage hole.  It ended up fitting so I figured all things were a go.  Did it work you ask?  Well, let's just say that it did stop. . . the WATER from going down the drain!  I felt like I started out taking a shower and ended up wading in bath water.  I mean what gives?!  I tried to tweak it a little but it still acted like a plug and not a catch-all.  I planned on returning it later that week, but of course, my crazy dog, Grover, thought it would make a great chew toy.  Needless to say, it's back to the drawing board on this one.

How I Style My Heat Damaged Hair for a Wash n' Go

A plait in front helps to
blend the straight pieces
with the rest of my curly hair

Even though the majority of my hair is still nice and curly, the front of my hair is practically straight when I wear a wash n' go because of heat damage.  I've been doing lots of braid outs and twist outs to help add texture to that area.  I finally figured out how to blend the straight pieces in with the rest of my hair when I wear my natural curls.  I feel so silly for not figuring it out sooner but hey, better late than never.

Gel of Choice
for my Wash n' Go styles

Basically, I apply product to my hair the way I normally would for a wash n' go.  I use leave-in conditioner on wet hair (usually Suave Coconut Conditioner) and then seal with oil.  Right now I'm lovin' African Royale's Hot Six Oil, which is a Bronner Bros. product.  Then I apply Argan Oil Eco Styler Gel to my hair in medium size sections starting with the back and rake it through.  When I get to the front, heat damaged area, I still apply products in the same way.  Then I take that section and braid it up in one plait.  Sometimes I'll do a two strand twist with a roller on the end.  Since I start my wash n' go's at night, I usually pull the rest of my hair back into a puff and cover my hair with a satin bonnet.  The next day I take down the puff and spritz with my leave-in spray mixture.  Then I shake my hair out to bring the curls back to life.  Lastly, I take down the plait or twist, which is usually a bit damp but is now wavy in texture and blends in better with the rest of my hair. 

The front now blends with the rest of my hair

Wavy bangs are better than straight for this look

Back/Side View

Sale This Week at SamsBeauty.com!

I just found out that the already reasonable shopping on SamsBeauty.com is going to be even better this week with their 4th of July Sale.  Some things are still "Buy 1 Get Free," even though it says Saturday and Sunday only.  I've been browsing through the Synthetic Lace wigs on sale and there is a lot to choose from.  Other items include jewelry, cosmetics, skincare and hair products.  I got the heads up from one of my favorite YouTubers Dezi1016 in a video where she is talking about some of the things that are for sale.  There's even a clearance section.  Check it out!

Click here to see Dezi1016's video

Godrej Nupur Henna Review

I've been using henna for the past year and a half now and can say that I have tried a few different types.  I use it to blend my greys with the rest of my dark hair and keep my scalp issues at bay.  Previously, I ordered it online but now purchase it locally from an Indian Grocery store.  Recently I picked up a new brand from Ananda Bazaar in Aurora, that I heard others rave about in the hair forums.  It's called Godrej Nupur and is actually a mixture that includes brahmi (promotes hair growth), shikakai (cleanses hair and scalp), amla (darkens hair and prevents scalp infection) and bhringraj (conditions).  Finding all of these in one package is quite a deal.  I figured at $1.49 (USD) per package, the Nupur henna was definitely worth a try.

I added green tea and juice from

half a lemon

One package of Godrej Nupur henna holds 60 grams so I used two packages for my hair which is past shoulder length and very thick.  I kept my mix pretty simple and just added green tea and juice from half a lemon.  I added enough water to make it into a yogurt like consistency and let it sit for a few hours.  Before applying it to my hair, I added a little more water so that it was creamy enough to work with.  One thing I noticed is that the texture of the henna is a lot smoother than some of the others I have worked with (i.e. Reshma and Jamila).  This made it very easy to apply.  The color took very well and did a good job of staining my greys that were starting to peek through. 

Added plain water until the
henna was a yogurt like
consistency

I have used the product twice since purchasing it and can definitely say that my hair appears to be darker which is more to my liking (I found out last year that my adding honey to my henna applications caused it to lighten my hair a little).  I was looking for a darker result so the Nupur henna works for me.  Even so, my hair still looks a deep burgundy color when I'm outside.  For this reason I'm currently looking to do the 2 step process where you apply henna and then indigo to go completely black.  Overall though, I enjoy using the Godrej Nupur and will make sure to keep it stocked in my ever growing henna stash. 

Denver's Natural Hair Meet-Up is Almost Here!

I can't believe that the Denver Natural Hair Meet-up is finally coming up this Saturday, June 25th.  Naturals, transitioners and anyone considering going natural are all welcome to join us for what will be a "Girl's Night Out" style gathering.  We'll talk hair and swap stories while enjoying some great food.  We'll each be paying for our own eats but hopefully we can pick-up a sponsor for future events.

Sabrina of the blog, Seriously Natural, has done a great job talkin' the event up to local stylists who we hope will also be in attendance.  She has even gathered samples of hair goodies from companies like Kinky Curly and Carol's Daughter!  I'm excited too because this will be the first hair meet-up I've been to.  Hope to see you there!

Source: SeriouslyNatural.org

Don't Forget to R.S.V.P.

seriouslynatural4@gmail.com



Celebrating 2 Years with Natural Hair

This week marks my two year Natural Hair anniversary.  What does that mean exactly?  Well, it was two years ago this week that I decided to go ahead with the Big Chop and finally let go of the last of my relaxed hair.  Since then, I have tried many different styling techniques and hair products hoping to find what works best for my thick and curly hair texture.  There have been some hits and surely lots of misses but it has been a learning experience all the same. 

The reason for all of my trial error is because I wore my hair straightened by chemical relaxer since age 11.  Before that, my mother styled my hair so the last two years have been my first experience with doing my hair in its' natural state.  Not only that, my hair is beginning to grow past the shorter lengths I am used to which means I'm also learning how to maintain my length. 

So proud of my TWA
in 2009

Still, even after all of the research, hair forums, YouTube videos and my own personal hair trials, I am discovering that I still have a long way to go before I can claim that I have mastered my hair.  My natural hair journey hasn't exactly been easy but it is still something I wish that I had done sooner.  It just makes so much sense to do my hair without all of the extra manipulation that comes with heat styling and chemical processing.  I don't run inside when it rains.  I enjoy my fro and my big hair.  When I get that itch to wear it straight, I can do that too.  I love my natural hair and I can't wait to see where it ends up in the next two years. 

Goody Brand Hair Accessories at the Dollar Store

Rockin' my new headband
from the dollar store

I was recently watching a YouTube video by one of my favorite online naturals, ItsMeMonchhichi, and found out that the Dollar store sometimes carries Goody Hair bling.  Of course, as with everything else, I had to check the Dollar Tree in my 'hood because Colorado can sometimes get passed up on products. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find headbands, ponytail holders and mini clips manufactured by Goody.  I love to look at these in stores like Walmart and Target but can never bring myself to pay $5 or more for headbands.  When I saw some at the dollar store I quickly grabbed them up.  I also grabbed a pack of four mini clips but one of them broke on me.  I still have three left so I'm not too worried; they were $1!  Now I know where to go when I need something to spiff up my puff or wash n' go styles but still want to keep a little money in my pockets.

Natural Hair Style--The Corkscrew Braidout

I'm finally all finished with my Corkscrew Braidout video. When I blogged about this style a few months ago, I realized that the process may be easier for other naturals to follow if I just illustrated it in a video on my channel. This has become my go-to style for special occasions because I don't have to use any heat to get a fluffy, curly look. The other reason why I wanted to get this tutorial up is because I noticed that there aren't that many videos on natural hair styles that use setting lotion as the main holding product. I never thought to use it for a braidout but it works great while leaving the hair soft and lightweight. I'm just glad to have finally found a braidout method that is pretty much fool proof and delivers every time.



 
See more of my videos on my channel "mitchellzee" on Youtube.com

I Did My Own Big Chop

My hair after 9 months of Transitioning;
Relaxed ends and lots of new growth

I have been doing my own haircuts and trims ever since I graduated from high school.  Still, I wasn't sure if I could successfully do the "Big Chop" myself.  I transitioned for nine months so it was very easy to see where to make each cut.  I guess I was mostly concerned that I would end up with a fro without the right shape.  I had never worn my hair shorter than ear length so the shape of my hair was going to be pretty important to me. 

For awhile I considered going to my Dad or Brother who are both trained barbers.  I even asked if they would be willing to do it when the time came.  I could tell that my Dad was not going to give me a buzz cut because he's so used to seeing me with longer hair.  My brother however had done the Chop for a few other ladies who were starting their journey so he was up for it.  Before I made my decision though I decided to check out some videos on YouTube to see how other naturalistas got it done.  It seemed to me that having someone do it at a salon meant getting a little more length taken off than I wanted.  This was because of the shaping that was done after the relaxed pieces were cut away.   That's when I decided that I would just do it myself because then I would only have myself to blame if I there were any mishaps.  Anyway, I could always have my brother fix it if it came to that. 

My hair the day after the Big Chop

During my transition, I made it a point to cut off a little each month so that I wouldn't have very much relaxed hair left to part with.  I started out by putting my hair into small sections and cut the first piece right in the front.  No turning back!  My fro was bigger than I expected which was a plus.  The following day, I used some Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Leave-in Conditioning Cream, aloe vera gel and shea butter on my wet hair to encourage my first little curls to come into view.  I was so proud of my new hair and how the cut turned out. 

Countdown to Thanksgiving

I'm making my list and checking it twice.  We're having a few family members over on Thanksgiving which means that I have a lot on my to-do list this week.  I can't forget about my hair though.  In the past I have done curly styles for special occasions like roller sets and twist-outs.  For this Thanksgiving I'm gonna go ahead and wear it straight.  I've been participating in a couple of Growth Challenges with the ladies at K.I.S.S. and can finally take this opportunity to check my progress. 

This month I also started doing deep conditioning treatments twice a week.  This is another challenge that was started last year or the year before.   Someone on K.I.S.S. decided to get it going again.  Basically, I'm doing it for the extra moisture my hair needs during the winter months.  This week though, since I'm going to use heat on my hair, I'm probably going to make sure and do something with protein.  I have the Aphogee 2 Minute Reconstructor which works good but the ingredients include Mineral oil and silicones.  While I'm out buying my turkey and veggies for Thursday, I may just pick up the GPB conditioner by Aubrey Organics.  I have always liked their Honeysuckle Rose conditioner for when I need moisture so I'm pretty confident that this one will work for me as well.  Either way, I always like to prepare my hair with a deep treatment so that I won't end up damaging my curls when using heat.  Hopefully I can find the time for all the cooking and cleaning and still get dinner done on time.  Wish me luck!

Welcome to my Blog, Curly in Colorado!

I'm excited to have a new blog where I can share what I know (and am still learning) about Natural Hair.  I have been Natural for over a year now and transitioned for 9 mos before actually doing the Big Chop.

Why I started a Blog
I have a YouTube channel called mitchellzee where I post videos on how I do my own naturally curly/ kinky hair. Editing video is pretty time consuming so I'll be sharing some things here that I may not have time to put into video format.

Upcoming Posts
I really like all things hair and makeup. I plan on doing some product reviews on items that I have discovered that work for me. I'm also a mom...a little bit of a Domestic Diva if you will so I'll also be sharing some of what I've learned over the years raising my three sons (we call them the "Curly Hair Crew").

Stayed tuned for info on hair, beauty, shopping, food, and just plain tips on what I do to make it all work.