Happy New Year!

Happy New Year folks! I realized I needed to blog when I had the urge to write an entire paragraph on instagram. My last post was August right? after a failed attempt at blogging every day? I think I was thinking too hard and thinking too business-y with the blog. I'm going to keep this blog low key from now on...although I have been thinking a LOT about dying my hair so that adventure will surely be here. Also I'm getting married this year. Also I'm hoping to get into grad school this year x__X

Speaking of which, applications take  f  o  r  e  v  e  r  r  r  r  r. I'm applying to four schools: Rochester Institute of Technology, UMass Dartmouth, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Louisiana State University. One school wants a statement of purpose. One wants a letter of intent. One wants both. Some of them require two applications with two separate fees. Some want writing samples. One of them wanted three drawing examples from life out of the precious 20 images we're allowed to send in the portfolio and i'm like wtfffffffffffffff. It's not like I can't do a still life; my drawing skills are on point (or should I say fleek? What is fleek? Am I old now?). I figured by grad school you wouldn't have to prove these things anymore. SO NOTE TO THOSE APPLYING TO MFA PROGRAMS: photograph EVERYTHING. Even the still lives and crappy line drawings. It may save you later on; I'm so glad I did because I did NOT feel like drawing a damn thing. I'd like to know if anyone has had any experiences with these schools or areas. Let me know how they are! How is Baton Rouge? How about Richmond? Rochester? Come august I'm outta CT!

So if you only follow my blog (bless your heart) you haven't seen my dyed hair, as pictured above. Since I couldn't keep the locs because of my chosen dusty career path, I decided to color it! I'm starting with blond-ish since I know whatever color I want to do I'll have to lighten it anyways. I did the color myself and I have to say I really love how it came out. What I really want though are the wild colors. I want purple, lavender, pink, a rainbow of pastels, maybe even teal...Lemme show you my hair crush:

This is Mermaid Nef. She has gone through almost the entire rainbow and I'm in love. She's also into Sailor Moon and other kawaii things and she's just super rad. This purple with touches of magenta is what I think I want to try next. 

I also want to mention my super serious intention of losing weight. I know this is the time of the year that everyone makes new year's resolutions; I've never really been the type. I've been making small conscious decisions to improve my health since moving to our new apartment. Now that the holidays are out of the way I can really commit to something. I'm getting married and then there's two other weddings happening this year; one of them I'm a bridesmaid. I got a Jawbone UP band and it's really been helping. My complex has a gym so I'm already set in that regards. Here's to a less flabby me!

If you don't already, you should follow my instagram. It's my most updated social media and I'm posting more of my ceramics work there now than I have in the pass. Also right now I'm doing a give away on there of a cute lil' kitty mug soooo...... get on it :)

Dying my hair.....PURPLE!

I love love love how this came out! I have to get rid of it by the time my wedding comes around since I'm choosing to please my mother, It didn't come out quite like Nef's, but I'm alright with that.

I used fuschia and purple from Ion's semi permanent collection, sorta feathered and blended the two so I had two colors throughout. I liked doing it this way so as my hair grows I won't have a harsh line.

Cant wait to try another color!

How I took out my Locs

As I type this I still thoroughly miss them. I fill this hole in my heart with marley twists, which is great but it's not permanent. Any whosies, on to the tutorial!

T O O L S :
Hot water in a mug
hair tie
An abundant amount of cheap conditioner
Dental tool
Netflix

Each loc took about an hour, and I had a little over 100 locs so I literally spent the whole summer taking them out, 2-4 a day.

1. I found it easiest to put all of my hair into a high pony tail and pull out one loc from the back at a time.
2. To the best of your ability, dip the loc into the mug of hot water and hold it for at least 10 seconds. The heat opens up the loc to receive the conditioner and eases the detangling process.
3. using a quarter-size dollop of conditioner, squeeze it into the loc so it's super saturated.
4. Using the dental tool, gently pick away from the bottom up. Your hair will separate and the process will amaze you because if you're like me, you thought this was impossible.
5. once completed, I combed and twisted it out of the way.

MORE TIPS

Each week I washed my hair, keeping my loose hair separate. I kept the loose hair in twists neatly tucked away in a bun or a ponytail. I worked at a camp full time 6 days a week and at a pharmacy for 14-20 hrs a week, so I was quite the busy lady. Just know it's possible!

I went to a salon the moment I was done because I didn't know if my hair was damaged, if I would have to cut it all off or what. I got my hair professionally washed and trimmed by a salon who knows natural hair. To my surprise, only about an inch was trimmed off! *happy dance*

This process can be done at any stage of locked hair because at the end of the day, locs are just beautifully organized knotted hair. Good luck!

Why did I start locs....and then comb them out 9 months later?

Real talk. My hair has grown to be very important to me. At the time that I was contemplating locs, my hair was already past my shoulders (when reasonably straightened), thick, and mostly healthy. However, detangling my tresses was a beast. I've always loved box braids and my mini twists and knew without a doubt I would love to have them for as long as I can; so to me that meant locs.

I was hesitant to go to a salon because finding a reputable salon in CT experienced with natural hair via google searching is quite near impossible. I also couldn't get a clear answer as to how much it would cost me. I saw estimates on forums ranging from $80 to $300+. Not knowing any salons to call and ask, and knowing the longer and thicker your hair is the more money you spend, I had my sister and good friend help me install them. 

I loved them. I'm not gonna lie, they were awesome. I didn't mind the process of retwisting although there were a few times that I really didn't want to. I went to a salon twice within my nine months of having locs--once was through word of mouth in a sketchy cash only establishment, and the 2nd time was a prize I won at a natural hair event. 

6 months in they were definitely maturing. i never had a problem with how they looked, and they were finally really locking. With all the positives why would I go through the painstakingly long process of combing them out?

Right around 7 months, my scalp would not stop itching. My scalp felt slightly irritated ever since month 3 or 4, but it was nothing I couldn't tolerate. I washed my hair every other week, just like I did with loose hair, and did a few rinses in between wash days since I work in a slightly dustier than average place (clay does that). I would make sure to never go to bed with damp hair, have been using simple products I knew I wasn't allergic to, and only retwisted once every 3 to 4 weeks. I've tried a few different remedies to try and alleviate it but nothing worked. My scalp just felt terrible. and was only getting worse.

After hours of searching I finally found contact information for two salons that I thought might help me redo them. One offered extensions (cutting off my current locs and then installing fake ones) and the other said that it is possible to take them out but it's a very long process so they don't offer the service. They were nice enough to offer a free consultation and let me know all the tools and teach me how to do it. I am forever grateful to them even though I was never able to follow through and meet them due to my hectic schedule. I then found a super helpful youtube video and started the process July 4th. As of today I still have about ten locs left.

I'll explain how I did it in another post, but yeah. That's my loc story. Sad to see them go but I'm happy to have my fro (almost) back. It's actually a little bit longer than when I started so I'm hoping after a trim it wont be too much shorter. I might be insane for not just cutting them off and being done with it but I really didn't want short hair for my wedding. Such a simple reason for the madness, I know. 

TTFN!

OOTN: For his Birthday!

A couple of months ago I treated Zack to a Jim Hall Concert in NYC at Birdland for his birthday. It was loads of fun! I haven't listened to jazz in a while since I've been on this kpop jpop cpop (Korean, Japanese, and Chinese) kick. Jim Hall is a wonderful guitarist and a funny old man.

When I go to the city I try to avoid heels because it usually means lots of walking whether we take the train or drive in. The parking garage was pretty close to the venue so I decided to risk it and wear heels. I survived! Since this was a jazz club, I wanted to look mature but not old. I think I managed ok! The top is feminine and timeless, but the accessories and hair I think made it more me even if I'm a crocheting old lady who enjoys tea and an early bed time on the inside.

D E T A I L S :

• Pink top: Talbots
• Skinnies: Kohl's
• Heels: probably Payless; they're really old!
• Sparrow earrings: Target
• Chain earrings: Charlotte Russe

M A K E U P

• Urban Decay's Dangerous palette - Mildew, Virgin, Oil Slick
• Urban Decay's Primer Potion
• Urban Decay's 24/7 Eye Pencil - Oil Slick
• Ulta's Lash Blow Out Mascara
• Revlon's ColorStay liquid foundation
• Hard Candy's Hide & Glow cheek tint - pillow talk (316)

I really have to do this hairstyle again! It was relatively easy, and my first updo. When I do this style again I'll be sure to make a video/blog post :3 This style lasted a couple of days and I even got a few compliments *brush dem shouldas*

TTFN! <3

-Avé

P.S. You can use code TENBLOG through December 23rd at Kohls.com to get 10% off! It can be used to stack savings with one other department level code as well. Hot stuff!

My Hair Regimen

In case you didn't know, my hair is not like everyone else's, so it requires a different routine Shocker right?  Many folks going natural jump into it not knowing everything about taking care of it, but that's OK! I'm going to break down what I do when it comes to basic hair care. This may not work for everyone, but who knows? maybe this info will be helpful to some! I know I get lots of questions from people of all hair types, so this post will be good for that too.

My hair is super thick, lots of shrinkage (I don't like that word because it sounds so negative; can we say extra coily or something? I'll work on that), and on the coarser side if I don't moisturize it. My hair is actually past my shoulders if I were to straighten it! This is just to give you an idea of how much hair I'm dealing with.

EVERY DAY

• When I wake up, I spray my hair with water and/or Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner. Then I rub some of my Mango Shea butter mix through my hair and fluff out my fro. Time: 5 - 10 minutes.
• Every night I spray it with just water fairly lightly and wear my satin cap (when I remember) Time: less than a minute

EVERY 3 to 5 DAYS

• I try to make sure I rotate hair styles about this often. By style I mean hair clip, pulled back, pinned, etc...Time: style depending, but these styles usually take no more than 10 minutes
• I co-wash about this often. Depends on if I sweat or product build up; basically if I have to wash anything out between washes. Time: 20 minutes in the shower

EVERY 10 to 14 DAYS

• I Shampoo, condition, and detangle. If I shampoo any more often than that, my hair will seriously feel stripped of moisture and bounce. Since my type of hair is dry and it will never get oily on it's own, I really don't need to shampoo any more than that! Time: 1 to 2 hours

EVERY MONTH

• I try to twist my hair once a month (always after shampoo and conditioning). It's the best way to really get the butter through my hair so it's nice and moisturized. also the best way to detangle since I'm working with smaller sections. Time: 3 hours

EVERY 4 TO 6 MONTHS

• Trim! I know it's time to trim when I get a lot of single strand knots at the ends of my hair. I do this as I do my twists. Time: 4 hours (including twisting)

Thats about it! I hope this was helpful. If you have natural hair, what do you do differently? Feel free to ask questions :3 Of course, life gets hectic and I don't always follow this to the T; but for the most part it's pretty manageable!

TTFN!<3

- Avé

Thinking about going natural?

Before i decided to go natural, I went back and forth toying with the idea for months after transitioning for over a year. I hadn't the slightest clue what I was doing before I started looking further into it; the whole thing was overwhelming! I didn't personally know anyone who had natural hair and I had no idea what I'd do with it or how I would make the next move. After two and a half years of fro, I've come up with a few things to consider if you're thinking about going natural...

Why do you want to do it?

If your sole reason is to jump in on the trend (although I hate calling it that, but right now it seems like it is), that may not be the best reason. Trends come and go in a matter of months, maybe a year or two. Hair growth takes much longer than that. Whether you're transitioning or doing the BC, it's much more of a commitment than a fad.

The best reason is because YOU want to. simple as that.

Why I did it:

• My scalp was getting worse with each relaxer I got. (Bad reaction, redness, scabs, maybe my scalp is sensitive? allergic? who knows.)
• The older I'm getting, the more I want to eliminate harmful chemicals from my life.
• Genuine curiosity! 

Get ready for attention...

Good. Bad. Stares. Glares. Questions. Comments. You will not believe the increase of attention I gained when I chopped off my hair and started growing my curls. Unless if you currently have an already out-of-the-norm hairdo, you will gain more attention. Although the number of natural dos is growing, it's still a minority within a minority. Most of the attention is positive and/or curiosity. For instance,  the most common question I get is, "How does your hair do that?" To which I reply "It just does!" However, I still get negative glares now and then. I think a few of those from older generations are firmly under the impression that "nappy hair is bad hair." I just shrug it off; what can you do? 

You'll be spending more time with your hair.

In my opinion, natural hair is generally easier to maintain. HOWEVER, everything was new to me my first year of naturalness. My mom was my hairdresser and natural hair was uncharted territory for her--and many hairdressers I might add. I have yet to find a hairdresser who knows how to manage natural hair. In fact, I don't think they learn in school how to do anything with fros except how to straighten them. If you live in a metropolitan area (especially Atlanta) you might find a salon that caters to your hair, but I'm not that lucky.

This means you will be left to discover your own hair. If you're used to salons, this might be a big jump for you. Take advantage of the growing natural hair community among the interwebs! I suggest doing the BC (if that's what you want to do) during a time of year when you're not too busy, like winter break or summer vacation. This will give you ample time to play around with your hair and figure out what you like in terms of products, routines, and maintenance. 

Get nerdy, do research 

This sort of plays off the last topic. There is a wealth of information available on how to take care of natural hair. Like I mentioned before, this is a minority within a minority, so most people dont know what to do with it. But there are some lovely hair gurus and more experienced natural ladies (and gents) that can help you out! You'll most likely be using a whole new set of products and tools, so it's good to start learning about what you want/need for your hair before you go natural.

Lastly, have fun!

It's your hair, you can do whatever you want with it. Natural hair is fun! But so is relaxed hair, and braids, and wigs, and weaves, and whatever else. Do what fits for you, your style, and your life. Don't listen to the debbie downers out there either. There's bits of controversy even within the natural community; like using heat or combs or certain less potent chemicals; but don't let that bog you down. In due time you'll figure out what you like and don't like. 

Hope this helps! Any other naturals have any tips to make the decision?

TTFN<3

OOTD: Colonial Cook Out

This outfit was too cute NOT to share! I love this dress! Although I'll have to admit somewhere between when I bought it a month ago and now, my boobs got bigger. Thus, the dreaded button gap >_<; but a nice cami can solve that issue. This dress has lovely lace details that remind me a bit of the colonial times; perfect for the holiday! I think this outfit could work for non-patriotic days, too.

D E T A I L S :

• dress - H&M
• cami - ?
• belt - Goodwill
• leggings - Target
• shoes - Payless
• necklace - Kohl's
• earrings - Claire's
• bracelet - Gift from Zack when we went to Hawai'i

M A K E U P :

• Revlon foundation
• Naked palette - virgin, buck
• Sephora liquid eyeliner
• Revlon lipstick - abstract orange (026)

I wore contacts so I could wear sunglasses (also I haven't worn them in over a year :O) The leggings certainly helped prevent the bug bites, even though I got a couple around my ankles. I wore this outfit to church and then to a 4th of July cook out this past sunday. I have one more today and then another one tomorrow! Today is my city's fireworks, so I'm looking forward to that.

Happy 4th!

TTFN<3

OOTN: yellow and thrifty accessories

D E T A I L S

• yellow shirt - JC Penny
• skinnies - Dress  Barn
• Shoes - Payless
• Necklace - goodwill
• earrings - H&M
• scarf - savers

M A K E U P

• Revlon foundation
• Urban Decay eye liner
• ULTA mascara

I LOVE this shirt! I feel like I don't wear it enough. I got it earlier this year but I haven't worn it until recently. I particularly enjoy the little ruching near the shoulders. I know the sheer top is a trend right now, and this one suits me just fine! If you've never gone thrifting before or are a little hesitant, start off with accessories. You're bound to find something you like in this category.

I wore this outfit to my cousin's graduation party. Now she's off to UCONN *tear of pride in little cuz* good luck Kimber!

sidenote: I love how big my puff is getting!

TTFN<3

For more on my style, clickity here!

The Quintessential "Hair Journey" Post

You might be thinking, "what the heck, a post about your hair?" Why yes! it's one of my most prized possessions. Having natural hair as a Black woman is a kind of big deal. For centuries, Black women in western countries have been straightening their hair. Natural, kinky hair was/is not proper and seen as demeaning and unkempt. This view on hair like mine is still prevalent; but the whole Natural Hair Movement is changing that. Thank goodness!

I am half Black, half Puerto Rican. But as you can see, my hair is all fro. Ever since I can remember my mom has used products to straighten my hair. Nothing too harsh; mostly those Just 4 Me kits that looked so awesome with all the pretty colors. This is basically the norm for every little Black girl with thick curly hair. I'll admit I had A LOT of hair that was incredibly thick. It'd be a chore to manage my hair without this nifty little relaxer, so thanks mom for all the wonderful styles! Although this picture doesn't quite showcase that... I was too busy having fun at the beach down the street from my house that day.... 

christmas party,  2008 ~ Also my last relaxer

As I got into my teens I never kept up with my hair; I'd get a relaxer twice a year and have my mom braid my hair most of the time. I was very active with sports and band all year round and pretty much a tomboy until I graduated high school. I was the princess of ponytails, wearing my hair out twice a year, right after my relaxer. Throughout this time I noticed my scalp not fairing too well with scabs and redness, so my mom and I tried a few different brands; but nothing worked. So by the time college came around, I just stopped. 

June 2009; before I knew what transitioning was...Same beach as the 2nd pic!

I didn't really know what I was getting into; I just knew I didn't want another relaxer. The picture above was a very popular hairstyle for me. *Wash condition, mousse, scrunch, air dry* It'd last a couple days, was super easy, and hid the fact that I have two very different textures going on. If it wasn't this, It was blow dried and pulled back into a bun or a ponytail, like this picture over here on the side.  This was actually the last event of pictures with my hair still relaxed, taken January of 2010 by Zack when we went to see Yankee Stadium. He's a huge fan. Also notice my rad warhol bag that I still own and love

I started looking into how to care for natural hair towards the end of 2009. There wasn't very much information so it took a while. But alas, YouTube had all of these hidden gems of natural hair vloggers, tutorials, and encouragement. It was overwhelming. I would literally spend hours every night watching videos. The vloggers that helped me decide to do the big chop (in the natural hair community, the moment you cut off all the relaxed hair) are NaturalChica, Naptural85, and BlackOnyx77. Late one night (March 5, 2010 to be exact) I went into the bathroom and just cut off all my relaxed ends. I went to bed grinning from ear to ear.

That morning I woke up to my mom yelling "WHAT'S ALL THIS HAIR DOING IN THE GARBAGE?" I sort of just looked up, pointed to my head, and clonked back out. The only person I told about it was Zack, and he was pretty nervous to begin with. My dad was totally shocked and my mom kept touching it and said, "well it's her hair she can do whatever she wants."

Whatever I want. :)

I've gotten an unbelievable amount of positive comments when people found out. I felt a little insecure, but I knew this was definitely for me. Everyone loved it!

The only other major thing I've done since is dying it this reddish color in September 2010. After I had my fill of this color I've been trimming the red out slowly but surely. You can still see it in the tips, but for now, I don't mind it.

Two years later, I haven't stopped looking into videos, tips, ideas, and products for natural hair. I've found out a wealth of information and only realized this after talking with one of my sister's friends about going natural. I told her I will share with her information on how to go natural, transitioning tips, talk about the BC (big chop), products, and anything else I know about hair like mine. I'm not turning this into a hair blog or anything, but my hair is a very important part of my style. My fro has gotten so many compliments and has become a part of who I am; I really think it reflects my style all on its own.

Now when you see a hair post, don't think it can't apply to your hair type. Lots of the hairstyles and products can be used for any hair type; especially the home made products I like to make and the masks for some TLC on your lovely tresses. 

I look forward to sharing with the world (and Nancy) all I know about hair. I love talking about it so much! Most importantly I love my hair. (in case you couldn't tell) 

TTFN<3

DIY Beauty: Greek Yogurt Hair Mask

When my fro is looking tired, dry, and down right deprived, that's when I know it's time for a mask. I've tried one with a mayo base, but it was too drippy and it smelled (although the benefits were almost worth it). I did some searching and I know yogurt is another popular base, but I couldn't find much on Greek yogurt. Since that's all I have, I decided to give it a shot.

For this mask, I used:

• 1 cup of yogurt. I found that the the Greek yogurt's superior thickness worked great my thick curls. However, Greek is not mandatory. Yogurt in general has lots of anti-fungal bacterial that will naturally cleanse your tresses. Also, the protein in yogurt strengthens your hair, which helps your curls stay curly and controls fly-away frizzies. This is a great mask for the summer because it's cool and soothing; also great for soothing an itchy scalp.
• 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil for shine and moisture. If you're not going with the egg, I'd go with 4 - 6 tablespoons.
• 1 egg for shine and moisture. This is optional. I found with this mask shine is not the main goal, like the mayo mask. I get weary when I use an egg because I freak out at the thought of scrambled eggs in my hair if the water's too hot when I rinse it out.
• 5 drops of vitamin E to help heal damaged hair and promote hair growth. How you may ask? In short, vitamin E is important to the cell membranes in your hair follicles in order for hairs to grow properly. Yay science!
• 3 drops of rosemary essential oil, which also promotes hair growth and just smells great! 

*I have extremely thick hair that's about medium length, and this was barely enough; so adjust the amounts to suit your hair :) *

Wear the mask on your hair in a plastic cap for thirty minutes to an hour (no more than two hours, though!) and rinse in the shower under cool water. Then follow up with a mild shampoo and conditioner and continue like you normally would for your routine. If you don't have a plastic cap, you can use a regular shopping bag and use the handles to tie it snuggly around your head. I used my Jane Carter Solution shampoo and conditioner and then my shea butter mix I made myself. 

The results from this mask are still in effect several days later! It made detangling my hair a breeze, helped define my curls, and has kept my hair soft days later without having to apply anything else (I usually find my hair craves the shea butter mix almost every day; it's been five days :O). My hair felt extremely clean and fresh; more so than with just shampooing. Any natural products I make contain vitamin E and rosemary and I can honestly say I think they're helping with the hair growth (I'll talk about this more when I tell you lovelies about my shea butter mix). After this mask my fro was so huge it was too intimidating for work; I pulled it back :P

I will definitely be doing this mask again; I'm glad it worked out for me! Let me know if you try it too!

TTFN <3