Big Chop AGAIN!!!

Alright ya'll I big chopped again sorta. Its not like I did it to correct anything. I just wanted another change and to be quite honest, I wanted a hair cut. But I couldn't think of a really cute cut that wasn't a mohawk.

So I grabbed my little brother and told him to cut it for me. Of course he was like no. But I told him, "I know I worked really hard to get my hair to this point, but I know that I want it cut and I know that I can do things even better the second time around."

So he started to cut it centimeter by centimeter and I finally told him...enough is enough. I grabbed the scissors and chopped it off like Angela Bassett in Waiting to Exhale! I hope that ya'll like it.

I really love it ladies. And I hope ya'll do too!!!!

Natural in a small town....

Alright so, I don't know how many of ya'll live in small towns like me where:
A) there aren't there many naturals
B) the black shops have all their clients looking like Halle Berry in B.A.P.S.
C) you can't find things like unrefined shea butter, vegtetable glycerin, or black products!

I live in Rock Island, IL which is about 3 hours west of Chicago. I told ya'll how I got my hair dyed but my roots are showing. So I'm planning on making a 3 hour drive (with these high ass gas prices LOL) to the Chi to get a trim, my hair re-touched, and tons of products including this infamous unrefined Shea Butter. Also, my little brother has to get locs tightened. But the problem is we've never ever ever been to Chicago so we have no idea where to go. So I've been looking around and calling around and I'm going to go on a leap of faith and try this shop Kuttin Ege. They seem very professional and their clients hair always looks so healthy.

Anywho, I'll keep ya'll posted about this journey....

Yellow Nails!

Okay ladies...today I went to go get my nails done. I decided its summertime. Like I mean straight up hot weather. So I usually stick to my nude or beige color but not today. Oh I went all out...okay well as I described my usual nail color is bland so its nothing over the top for most. But I got yellow nails. Thats right...YELLOW!!!! And then I decided I wanted just something a little cute, so I got a tiny flower on the corner of each nail. Ladies I must say, just seeing myself with a bright color on my hand just makes me smile and feel so good. I know what you're thinking...it sounds a little g-h-e-t-t-o! But its not at all...please trust! LOL!

Summer...

Ah, the weather is getting nice, birds chirping, sweat rolling down your face, and ice cream trucks passing by every 15 minutes! I don't know about ya'll but...ITS SUMMER! And I love this season!

I love summer because my color finally comes back and my skin never stops glowing.
My clothes are always super cute...along with my shoes!!! LOL!
And for the 2nd time in my 20 years of living....my hair is soaking it up!

My hair loves the 80+ temperatures and to me it just seems like it never stops growing. And with summer comes a whole new hair regimen.
I cut back on all the products with unnecessary chemicals. I also don't use my cantu. I use the Motown Girl Leave In Conditioner!!! I love it so so much! My hair stays all bouncy and loose and shiny non-stop! If ya'll haven't discovered motown girl....please do. Thats Motowngirl.com and its the best website in the world for our hair. The homemade recipes are awesome!!! I don't wear any protective styles during the summer because my hair doesn't respond well to it. My hair loves the heat and I think part of that is living here in Illinois where are winters just seem to get colder and longer. So I think my hair is just rejoicing. I wash my hair every single day during the summer also. I do this because my hair loves water because for me...not for everyone...its the best moisturizer and the cheapest! LOL! But anywho...summer is here and not that I have length I'm going to incorporate as many hairstyles as I can.
Love ya'll!
Briah Briah

Hair Color!!!

So, I've been natural for a year and 5 months and I'm loving that I can finally wear it in different styles. Whenever I would go out with my friends I would usually buy a rinse to get a hint of color but being here in the midwest with the weather and sun finally coming out...I needed a change.

So I went in and got my hair colored by one of my friends. And some of my friends were worried because I was letting a white girl color my hair, but I'm actually kinda thankful that I did, but that was because her salon uses CHI coloring system and these dyes are made of corn syrup.

Anywho....Tamika Ray was my inspiration!!! I love how much confidence she has and how funky her colors are. So the pictures are of me with my new color!!! Hope ya'll enjoy!

Why?

I remember when I got my big chop. I walked in with my relaxed hair that was to my mid back and told Cheryl to chop it all of. And since then December 16, 2007 I've gotten one question over and over...why.

At first I would go into great detail with people and tell them why I had to step away from the creamy white crack, but as time has passed I ask them why not? And they are stopped in their tracks. I don't feel the need to have to justify why I chose to go back to my roots and stop putting such a toxic deadly chemical in my hair. I felt like if anyone, others should explain to me why I would want to put a hazard on my body just to try shying away from God's blessing.

Now, let me say this...I don't hate on women who have relaxers, that's your choice. But I do wish that these women would think about what they're doing and what type of image they are passing on to their daughters. Natural hair can be straightened, its been done for ages. But suddenly, its more important to teach your daughters to wear someone else's hair, or to get lyed to and straighten their hair. If more black women were to look at these older black women who've been lyed to, they would see that relaxers are not a good choice for your hair. That's why so many older black women wind up wearing short hair cuts or rockin a TWA because of the effects of relaxers. Once it came time for me to pay for my own hair appointments that's when I decided to go natural, because it was finally my choice. So, no this isn't written as me trying to be hypocritical, just honest.

We as black women are so quick to talk about other ethnicities of women with their botox and collagen. We talk about them needing to embrace what God gave them and to stop putting these dangerous chemicals on, near, or in their bodies....But there is an over alarming amount black women who do the same thing every 6 weeks with their hair. Its like back in the day when darker blacks were told to buy skin bleaching cream to make them lighter...thus making them more attractive. Its the same thing if not worse to me. You pass that same 'not good enough' mentality to your children.

Let me stop before I start preaching...I'll try writing a new post tomorrow.
With Love....
Naturally Random

Those products...

First post so I'm just gonna be honest...

• Kinky Curly...ya'll I hated this product when my parents bought me a jar for Christmas. It just wasn't what I thought it was hyped up to be. But...then I got the brilliant idea not to comb the product through...and use it when I do my wash n go....I LOVE KINKY CURLY!!! And you get a lot of product for the amount of money you spend. So to the Kinky Curly keep making that sweet soft curling custard!
• Miss Jessie's...I've got to say that I don't like the Curly Pudding. But the stretch silkening creme...its a nice product. But here's the drawback...it just cost too much! I have to use so much of the product for one style that its not worth the cost. And I can only use it in conjunction with my cantu shea butter. So its cool, but not worth the cost!!!
• Giovanni Products...if you haven't been introduced to these products you should be. I swear by their conditioners. They keep the curls in your head from the moment you apply in the shower and detangle. I can't lie to you...its costly but its well worth the money.
• Denman brush...Invest in it ladies! My hair gets so tangled...that this is the only thing that works on my hair! I love this thing!

Well, thats about it for right now! Next time I'll talk about my favorite products!