Night Out, Big Hair and Ta-Ta's

I went out last night to downtown Delray Beach (if you're from South Florida you should be familiar) to a place called 75 Main.  It's a pretty happening place but a bit of hike from where I live.  Anyway, I was invited out by friends to a restaurant I had never been.  They had a few things going on last night that you will see and read about below but it was definitely an interesting night.  And, I have to admit I don't often see many naturals around in South Florida.  The culture here in South Florida doesn't lend much to big wild kinky/curly hair but last night I was impressed to see quite a few natural haired ladies really representing... gorgeous hair!  I had a hair crush for instance on the lead singer in the band.  She reminded me of Corinne Bailey Rae from her jazzy soulful singing to her big hair, to her petite frame and even her features.  Photos are below.

Me and the Corinne Bailey Rae look-alike AKA Moonchild

The band

I was totally hair crushing on this other lady here as well but didn't get any photos with her

Oh yeah, the manager of the place is also natural and was rocking a blown out fro that was just beautiful.  No pics of her unfortunately. 

Hold up, wait a minute!  Did I forget to mention the burlesque dancer??  Oh it was a wild night!  i certainly was not expecting to see any ta-ta's last night but there you have it.  

"So what about my hair?" you may be asking.  Well as you can see my hair was in a boring ol' bun... it was that kind of night.  I actually got ready in 15 minutes for this event and my hair was looking all kinds of crazy so I just had to pull it up in a bun with some loose pieces around the sides for a touch of elegance.  It was alright I guess.  But these ladies inspired me to step up my hair game.  You can read about what's been going on with my hair and how I intend to get it right in my next post!

Embracing your texture

Natural Hair and Music: Nayanna Holley

So I discovered this new artist, Nayanna Holley recently.  And by discovered I mean I came across her profile (she is a "facebook friend" of a friend of a friend) and was drawn to ... her HAIR!  lol.  And the reason is she has hair that looks similar to mine and many other women/girls out there who feel their hair is too "nappy" to be beautiful.  But her hair is so beautiful and she wears it so well, I was immediately intrigued.  So after cyber-stalking her for a while, I finally listened to some of her music and was impressed by that as well.  You can cyber-stalk her too on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NayannaHolleyBand

Keeping It Real

I have gotten a lot of questions about being natural from people who are considering going natural and I feel the need to keep it real for all of those people because there's nothing worse than a rude awakening.
I love natural hair!  I feel most the way God intended me to be with my natural hair and no one can argue that that's not beautiful.  There's something unapologetically bold about a head full of big fluffy kinky curly or whatever hair.  There's something stunning about just letting something be what it is and that goes for whatever kind of hair you may have.
Now on the keeping it real side:
Having natural hair is not "easy" unless you have the kind of hair you wake up shake and go and let me tell you I don't have that kind of hair.  It takes patience and to this day over 2 years in I still wonder why the hell I'm doing this some days.  And then I think of the alternative.  Chemicals, hair damage, scalp burns, etc. ... all for straight bland hair (at least it was bland on me).  And I have to acknowledge that I've become part of something more than just hair.  People have looked at me and commended me and changed their mind about certain things because they didn't know letting their hair be the way it grows out of their heads was even an option for them.  And that makes me feel great.  What would I be saying if I went back?

I'm a low maintenance kind of girl.  Even with relaxed hair, I would avoid the hair salon like the plague.  So the thought of spending an entire evening on my hair is hard for me and that's essentially what I do at least every other week.   It tangles, it frizzes, I feel like it hates me some days.  And other days I feel like I'm wearing a crown!  So at the end of the day is it worth it?  For me, yes.  But there are many who have gone this route and turned right back because it "wasn't for them"... as in they weren't committed to it.  So think long and hard about what you want and how you want to go about it.  And then, if you still feel compelled to do it, then jump right in!  For me, I'll say there is no turning back despite my whining some days.  I love my natural hair!

Product Review: Cantu Shea Butter (versus Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie)

I ran out of a few products recently and decided to try some new products to try to save some money, still sticking with all natural good quality ingredients.  I decided to replace my Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie with Cantu Shea Butter leave-in conditioning creme (which can also be used on dry hair as a hairdressing moisturizer).  And here are my results:
Let me first say that I loved Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie and have been using it through most of my natural hair journey.  It smells great, has quality ingredients, makes my hair soft and moisturized, and is relatively inexpensive (compared to some other natural hair products).  My only reason for trying Cantu Shea Butter is the possibility of getting same results for less cost (roughly $3 difference).  But this is not what I got.
The scent of Cantu Shea Butter does not compare to that of Curl Enhancing Smoothie.  It is a lighter, less sweet scent (which for some people may be a good thing).  But I liked the scent of the smoothie better.  As far as texture, both are thick and creamy but the smoothie is creamier and richer.  The Cantu Shea Butter seemed more water based or less concentrated. 
As far as the effect on my hair, there is no comparison.  The Cantu Shea Butter added moisture and moderate softness to my hair (though nothing like the Curl Enhancing Smoothie).  However after a few hours my hair is back to being dry.  It is not lasting effect.  Whereas the softness and moisture from the smoothie lasted at least 24 hours after application.  I was not happy with my results from the Cantu Shea Butter.  I am so dissatisfied as a matter of fact that I have definite plans to go back to Target and get my Curl Enhancing Smoothie and leave the remainder of the Cantu Shea Butter unused in the back of my cabinet or give it to someone who may have finer, thinner hair and wants something lighter for their hair.  For my thick dense, porous strands, I need a little more.  I need a LOT more.  So Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie is a clear winner for me.