dang girl where you been?

Hey ladies, first let me start my saying wooooooow *in my flav voice*
it's been a long time since iv'e blogged on either of my blogs and I truly miss it.
I hope everyone reading this is doing well, and continuing on their healthy hair journey.
I wanted to blog several times, this summer but between working full time, modeling the boys
and starting a new relationship, I bearly had any time on my hands=(
 everything  seems to be calming down a bit, so I'm ready to get back in to the swing of things =)

So where do i start....well i did quite a few runway and hair shows this spring and summer
let me start by telling ya'll some of these hair shows were a trip, i had a blast but my hair went through a lot, with that being said I also learned alot as well.
what i couldn't believe was how many white folks were literately obsessed and loving my natural hair.

I had other white models tell me that they wish we could switch hair textures for one day lol.
i had white hair stylist, dang near argue over who would do my hair in several shows.
it amazed me how many other races were intrigued and genuinely loved my hair.
unfortunately we still  face ridicule from Some people the balck community,
 hence the Gabby Douglas situation....

if i can stress one thing to any black hair stylist PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE
learn to take care of and style natual hair clients.
other races are capitalizing on natural hair and learning how to take care of OUR
hair textures, one stylist told me he had to learn to do natural hair when he realized turning away black women was hurting his pockets. i felt where he was coming from, and he hooked my hair up!
he's about his money and what ever he needed to learn about black natural hair, he learned and learned fast, he is willing to take on any hair texture, hence why he is making great money at his salon.

In the month of june i did a hair show for mizani. it was an all day affair -____-
i wasn't feeling the twisting of my hair in a bunch of small twist, the stylist was kind of rough
and their products left a bunch of white residue in my hair. lets just say i washed it all out the very next day, the look just wasn't  for me, but it was nice to see what i would have looked like with
sister locks lol.

I'm gonna post a few pics from a few hair shows that i did this summer. With the exception of
the miziani show, everyone who styled my hair was white and they all did a wonderful job
i was happy to see that they weren't scared to take on the challenge of my natural hair!
i made some great connections, this summer it felt good to get back on the runway after all theses
years =)

                                                    my mizani sister locks look

                                        the stylist untwisting my hair, the audience was very intrigued lol=)

                                                         the back of my hair !

on stage modeling at the paul mitchell hair show.

after my fro was washed and condition they picked me to get styled in stage!

this is the back of my hair, a white stylist name justin styled it on stage in 10mins!

at home after a long day=)

this style lasted a week in a half i loved it!!

modeling  at the  Aveda hair show.

Rocking my afro for a 60's inspired look for a twin cities designer.

This was me 2mth ago i did some modeling for twin cities the buzz on channel 9!

A hair show i did for the urban garden in march!

I loved the hair and the funky make-up.

natural hair photoshoot

lovely hair growth products are finally on sale

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!

It's been a while, but if you're a facebook friend, a youtube subscriber or a twitter follower, then you know why I've been M.I.A. lots of things have been going on in my personal life,

but over all 2011 was a great year, and I hope and pray that 2012 will be just as blessed.

After 3 yrs of making products for family and friends and a few subscribers.

I have decided to make my products available to everyone.

I made 2 recent youtube videos about my hair products, and how i use them.

I will be posting the videos in this post. I'm also gonna share the product list

with you guys, since so many people have asked me where they can find it.

In the 2 weeks since I posted this video, I've sold more products then I anticipated=)

now I have only a few jars of shea butter and hair oil left, BUT I will be restocking soon!!

If you are interested, you can email me on youtube or at lovelyhairgrowth@gmail.com

make sure the tile says "PRODUCTS" because I get tons of emails,

and I don't want to miss anyone's order...I sell by first come, first service

I don't hold products for people sorry=)

here is the product info sheet:

All natural hair and body butters~ Consist of a shea butter base

with 12 different carrier oils: Almond, coconut, and jojoba are just 3 of the wonderful oils staples that I use.

I also infuse pure argan and emu oil in to my mixtures as well. All of my products have proven results in helping repair and keep skin healthy, along with growing and maintaining you're hair.

I have tried and tested these products on myself, family and friends, and I hope you enjoy

the holistic benefits of my products.

My Natural Hair Butter (4oz) $8 ~ consist of the shea butter base described above.

Along with a few essential oils. 2 of those oils are peppermint, tea-tree.

The fragrance used is a rose sent, the smell blends nice with

the potent smell of the tea tree and peppermint oils.

My Natural Shea Body butter $8 (4oz)~consist of the shea butter base described above.

But the best part is, you get to choose your very own fragrance.

Here is the list of the fragrances to choose from:

black raspberry vanilla~ *similar to bath and body works*

pure seduction~ *similar to victoria secrets body spray scent*

intuition for men~ *similar to Estée Lauder men's cologne*

peach zifandel, strawberry smoothy, cherry vanilla, strawberry jam,
fresh cut roses, melonberry, blueberry poundcake, raspberry blitz. Juicy Mulberry, Gardenia Flowers, Mango-Papaya sorbet, sweet Island Nectar

My All natural hair oil~ (2oz) $6 consist of 12 different carrier oils and a minimum of 4 essential oils, The fragrance is a rose scent as well.

Off the runway~All natural foot cream (4oz) $5: This natural foot lotion consist of a sweet rain fragrance, along with peppermint, tea-tree oil and a few drops of mixed carrier oil.

this foot lotion is very relaxing, you will feel a slight tingling as it helps to relax and sooth your feet. You can use it after a shower, before bed, or after a long day on your feet.

Medicinally, peppermint oil stimulates blood circulation and works as an antifungal and antiseptic. In addition to making your feet smell nice, peppermint lotion works to kill odor-causing bacteria as well.

My all natural body lotion (4oz) $5~ consist of a natural lotion base mixed with 12 carrier oils and your choice of the above fragrance.

all payments will be billed via paypal, the shipping cost will depend on the amount ordered.

$5 for small shipments, and $10 and up for larger shipments. I use "if it fits, it ships" through usps.

feel free to contact me on youtube or at lovelyhairgrowth@gmail.com

Product video:

2 years of natural hair growth....and counting!!!

Wow it's been a while since I posted on here,

so much has gone on with my hair that i don't know where to start=)

well i guess i can start by saying, it's the official 2 year anniversary

of when i cut off my relaxer and decided to go AU NATURAL.
I still remember feeling over whelmed scared and,

nervous of what others would think of me and my hair.
to go from straight midback length hair,

to a small ear length afro was CRAZYYYY.

I remember looking in the mirror after i cut off my hair,

and feeling that i looked like a little boy...

this was taken right after i cut and washed my hair....

After the initial shock of what i had done had wore off,

i felt good and I felt free, I was no longer a "slave" to my hair
i didn't have to keep my hair straightened 24/7,

and i could just let it be, that aspect alone made me feel great.

people ask me all the time, what i did to get my hair to grow back so fast?
i literally went from ear length hair, to APL hair in 2yrs.
the thing that helped me the most was letting my hair be and keeping it simple.
i found and made natural products that worked for MY HAIR, i also made sure to co wash my hair with filtered clean water...even though i washed my hair everyday to kept it clean,i made sure not to strip my hair of the nutrients that it needed.

I believe that everyone's hair journey means something different to them.
I am grateful for everything I've' learned over these past few years,

not only did i learn that black hair could grow and be healthy,
like any other race, this journey also taught me to find the beauty within my self...

for so long i hid behind hair weaves and relaxers, i hated my forehead and hair texture.

this wonderful journey taught me that i was OK, just the way God made me, I'm not "perfect"

nor am I "Beyonce pretty", but I'm ok in my own way.

this journey forced me to look in the mirror and except,

and love each flaw that i had or i thought i had...

if i could say 2 things about the 2 hair journeys that i went through, i would say this...
1. i found myself and i like the person, that i found underneath the hair weaves and relaxers...
2. the hair that i hated so much as a kid, is now my greatest asset=)

last but certainly not least...
thank you all for supporting and encouraging me as well,

you all saw things inside of me that i couldn't see myself.
i am forever grateful for every positive message,

words to encouragement and/or advice, that i received from

people all over the world.... man technology is a wonderful thing,

it brings the human aspect to a whole new level.
to know that the same issues i faced in a small town usa,

are some of the same issues, that so many young women went through,

growing up going simply amazes me...

so once again thank you for reaching out to me sharing your stories with me,

on here and on youtube, each email holds a special place in my heart.

ti

here are some random pics=)
finally getting used to my short hair lol.




this was my first time going out rocking my short hair=)



This was the one year after i cut my hair off...my I/T nerd look=)


this summer 2011...







This was taken last week...





this was taken thursday oct 6th 2011...i can now put my hair ponytail=D




2 years of natural hair growth....and counting=)

Hide Yo Weaves' cus they robbing everybody out here!

I knew weaves were big business, but I had no idea that it was this big.
There is a crazy trend going on where folks are jacking super expensive hair weaves,
it's starting to become a big underground business smh.

Today the New York Times published an article about a disturbing new trend in the hair industry—human hair theft.

According to the article, over the past few months salons and beauty stores across the country have experienced a rash of thefts involving human hair extensions. In many of the robberies thieves bypassed seemingly valuable things such as flat screen TVs, cash registers, and digital cameras and went straight for the hair.

From Texas to Michigan to California and all parts in between, thieves have been breaking into stores and taking Remy hair, one of the most valuable types on the market.

“In addition to the $150,000 Houston robbery this month, thieves have recently taken $10,000 in hair from a San Diego shop; $85,000 from a business in Missouri City, Tex.; $10,000 from a shop in Dearborn, Mich.; and $60,000 from a business in San Leandro, Calif.”

Hair theft has become one of the easiest types of crimes to carry out. Not only do thieves rake in thousands of dollars worth of hair on each heist, but many are also able to quickly sell the hair on the street or on the Internet to turn a fast profit.

In recent months, the NY Times reports, packages of hair have been showing up on the streets of L.A., Houston, Philadelphia, and in the Bay Area and are selling for $25 per package as opposed to the retail price of $80 to $100.

Police suspect many of the thieves have been taken custom orders for the hair, and have even sold the stolen hair to stylists and customers.

“They’re selling it to stylists who work out of their house, they’re selling it on the street, they’re selling it out of the car,” said Ms. Amosu of My Trendy Place. “People who don’t want to pay the prices will buy it from the hustle man. It’s like the bootleg DVDs and the fake purses. But this is a quality product.”

Because of the profit margin involved in the stolen hair racket, police have seen an uptick in violence. One storeowner in Michigan was murdered and others have been assaulted.

The New York Times reports:

In Dearborn, Mich., Jay Shin, the owner of Sunrise Beauty Supply, was killed during a holdup on March 15 by gunmen who stole 80 packages of hair extensions worth about $10,000. Two young men have been arrested.

Assaults have been reported even when only a small amount of hair is involved. In West Palm Beach, Fla., a 16-year-old girl sprayed a clerk with pepper spray last year as she made off with extensions. And in Lawton, Okla., the police said a customer who ran out of a store with extensions tried to escape with the storeowner clinging to the hood of her car.

The violence has prompted many shop owners to hire security guards and install expensive alarm systems, but this has seemed to do little to deter thieves, many of whom approach salon owners they have robbed to try to sell them the stolen hair.

Stylists are rightly worried, not only about their inventory, but also for their safety. As the demands for hair extensions continue to grow, thieves will continue do just about anything to cash in.

This is a damn shame, but like anything eles i'm not shocked...

where there is a demand, there will always be a side hustle.
I would just hate to get 10 years in prison, because I stole a bunch of hair weave smdh!

here are 3 disturbing videos:

My commentary:

Locking Tim's hair

I have been pretty busy locking and re-twisting a lot of hair lately,

word really spread plus i don't really charge too much,

I have done whole heads for $20 it's something

I don't mind doing if i have time on my hands lol.

In this video i'm doing one of my family members' hair, his name is Tim...
I had also done a friend's head earlier, but he didn't want to be on camera lol.
Anyways I ended up putting Tim on camera since he wanted locks as well.
It's been about 3 weeks since i made this video, I saw him tues after the tornado hit our city.
his locks are just about ready to be washed and relocked.
I will be making another video, to show everyone how to wash baby locks,
I will also be re-twisting his hair as well.

Wiz Khalifa water marbling nails

My first nail tutorial, hopefully there will be more to come=)

Carol's Daughter Spokesbeauties Introduce New Line

Solange Knowles, Selita Ebanks and Cassie pose together at the Carol’s Daughter Spokesbeauty & Monoi Repairing Collection launch at Sephora on Tuesday (May 24) in New York City.

The first 250 people who purchased a Monoi repairing gift set had an opportunity to get their picture taken with the “spokesbeauties.” Monoi oil is a 2,000 year-old sacred, tahitian ingredient that undoes and prevents damage for fewer breaks, snaps and splits.

Solange, Selita and Cassie were announced as the faces of the Carol’s Daughter’s new polyethnic ad campaign back in April.

I finally realized that Solange rocks afro wigs....

this is her real hair in april either way she looks good.

*

Here is the product, I would love to try it...it's kind of pricey though=)

Here goes cassie on the Carol's Daughter' Ad.

healthy hair snacks

Here goes a few great snacks, that can help maintain your hair from the inside out!!

Almonds

Even though almonds scare me....this small snack is packed with vitamin E,

which is great for circulation to the scalp.

Almond oil is extremely useful for treating all sorts of hair problems as well.

Almond oil helps as a cure for treating hair loss,

dandruff it also prevents graying of hair as well.

I don't eat Almonds or walnuts, the only nuts i can eat are peanuts.

with that being said sweet almond oil is the business, i use it quite frequently in my hair=)

Walnuts

Great source of vitamin E which improves blood circulation on the scalp.

Walnuts are source of zinc. A zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding.

Most nuts are good for skin. walnuts help to maintain a nourished and smooth complexion.

walnuts for hair include stronger hair, more conditioned and moisturized hair.

Also, walnuts contain micro nutrients which prevent hair loss from occurring.

Sunflower seeds

Sunflower seeds are high in protein, biotin, potassium, zinc, iron, B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium and calcium. Hair is made of proteins so this tasty snack will strengthen your hair... even the BBQ'd flavor ones can benefit your hair. Don't feel to guilty if you would rather eat those, instead of the plain ones LOL.

Figs

Figs contain iron, magnesium, vitamins A, B & C, folic acid, zinc, sodium and potassium. They are 80% higher in potassium than bananas. Iv'e never had a fig in my life, the closest Iv'e come to a fig is bath & body works Brown Sugar & fig lotion lol. after researching their benefits i may have to eat one...I wonder how they taste?

Apricots

Apricots contains iron, essential for hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying pigment in red blood cells. Iron deficiency leads to anemia, pale skin, hair thinning, and undernourished hair.

I rearly if ever eat Apricots, but Apricot kernel oil is a staple of mine.

Apricot kernel oil helps in making the hair soft and shiny.

the oil moisturizes and nourishes the hair from root to tip.

Regular application of organic apricot kernel oil is known to promote hair growth too.

Bananas

Bannans contain an amino acid named tryptophan, it's an essential amino acid. This means the body needs it but can’t make it...so we have to eat it. bananas also contain natural oils that soften the hair when applied directly. Potassium adds softening properties to the hair shaft.

Anemia is deficiency of red blood cells that help to carry oxygen in the blood to various cells and tissues of the body. Deficiency of iron causes reduced production of hemoglobin and other important nutrients required for producing red blood cells. Thus, bananas being high in iron are some of the best foods to treat anemia.

Some More Banana Benefits

Eating banana benefits your brain by increasing your thinking ability and brainpower.

Bananas are best natural remedy for curing hangovers. Simply prepare a mixture of banana, yogurt and honey and have it to soothe the stomach after a hangover.

Bananas help to neutralize the acidic level in the stomach and hence, are best home remedies for treating ulcers and heartburn. They coat the intestine with a protective coating and act as natural antacid.

Researches have proved that eating banana benefits a person to quit smoking. Potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and B12, present in banana are useful substances that help in recovering from the withdrawal symptoms of nicotine.

Bananas are high in B-complex vitamins, which help to improve the functioning of the nervous system.

Eating banana reduces the risk of stroke by 40%.

Eating cooked flowers of bananas helps to alleviate the menstrual cramps and also controls excessive bleeding.

Rubbing the banana peels over the skin, helps in reducing the itching and swelling caused due to mosquito bites.

Tryptophan is an amino acid present in banana and helps to treat psychological problems like stress and depression.

The high amount of electrolytes present in banana helps in preventing dehydration.

I drink a strawberry and banana smoothie, almost every morning

I definitely notice a big difference, when i haven't had my smoothie =)

strawberries

In United States, strawberries are rated as one of the best foods for skin care and weight loss. Studies have shown that regular intake of strawberries can improve your skin and hair conditions. strawberries are rich in a number of vitamins, copper and manganese as well as Omega 3 essential fatty acids. this is great news, if your a vegan who doesn't eat salmon.

Nutrients found in strawberries include vitamin A, C, E and B6, fiber, potassium, folate and various antioxidants and flavonoids. all of these things help the circulation of blood to the scalp. Your immune system needs these fighters to protect against diseases related to heart and cancers.

Strawberries surpass super fruits like apples, oranges and bananas, in terms of providing the most nutrients.For example, comparing the vitamin C level in 100g of strawberries and 100g of oranges, strawberries exceed oranges by 10mg. Best of all, they are low in calories and absolutely fat-free!

Oranges

Oranges contain vitamin C, a necessary nutrient for your body to keeps the fibers that create each hair together. Plus, beta carotene, found in other orange fruits and veggies is needed for cells to grow.

Raisins

Rich in iron, raisins help keep oxygen flowing in the blood. The hair follicle needs all the nutrients it can get from circulation of healthy blood to the scalp. raisins help to promote hair growth, all the while preventing hair loss.

Skim or soy milk/ frozen or regular low fat yogurt

Cow’s milk naturally contains vitamin A and B12. It also has biotin, a protein that will help strengthen your hair, which is made mostly of proteins. Low-fat dairy products like skim milk and yogurt are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth. They also contain whey and casein, two high-quality protein sources.

what are your favorite hair snacks?

new study says 30% of black women are permanently BALDING from hair weaves

A recent study of middle aged black women reveals that nearly 30% have sustained permanent scalp and hair damage, possibly due to tight braids and weaves.

Black women often maintain these styles for long periods of time, and the stress they exert on the scalp can lead to the development of pus-filled bumps, says the lead researcher, Angela Kyei, M.D., a dermatologist and chief resident at the Cleveland Clinic’s Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Institute. “Over time, these bumps can develop bacteria” that can lead to scarring, she explains.

To make matters worse, women who are already losing their hair are more likely to get a weave or braids because they think they help disguise thinning hair.

The study stated Black women should consider refraining from using these hairstyles on young children, and they need to think about the consequences and damage that they’re doing to their hair.

This is a 3year old girl from the show "Toddlers and Tiaras" she is getting a
full sew-in...

I got my first sew-in at age nine, I'm not really sure why i think my aunt needed someone to practice on and my mom needed a break from braiding my own hair once a week.

It wasn't a Beyonce weave, it was shoulder length, silky straight, and jet black.
My aunt is a beast when it comes to braiding and sew ins, I've told ya'll this in the past...
I remember when I came to class with it in, everyone was shocked and awed,
people loved it...including my teacher at the time LOL. all the black girls were like OMG,
how did you do that? anyways long story short, after 2 weeks my mom took it out,
and i literally wanted to die smh.

My real hair was neck length at the time, but it was not silky straight, even with a perm in it...
it definitely was not as thick and "gorgeous"as I thought the weave was,
not to mention i got teased once everyone saw i was wearing my real hair again...
i remember people saying to me all day, "what happened to your hair?"
"i do not like your hair like this." "where is your long hair?"
talk about a self esteem crusher LOL!

The good thing is kids get over stuff pretty quickly, by the next day it was bridge under water.
my point for sharing this, is we need to teach young girls,
especially black girls how to love and embrace their own REAL hair...
weaves and constant hair braiding is not the answer.

when i wore my weave that was a rear thing and it was only for 2 weeks,
and i never got another sew in again until i was 16...now a days all i see are
young girls rocking everything from extensions, to glued in weaves,to sew-in's...
I don't know why, but it makes me sad.

maybe I have no room to talk because as ya'll know I have 2 boys,
so it's a little easier, i get they're frohawks cut once a month, and that is that.
sometimes i think if i had a little girl, would i let her get braids?
how far would i let her push her individuality...
I let my son's express themselves by getting designs on the side of their
frohawks,as long as it's age appropriate i do not mind.


Sometimes I think about stuff like this, when I see my nieces, little cousin's and my friends' daugthers, with a head full of hair weave. I always wonder if these hair styles will have a negative affect on them gowning up? meaning will these hair styles make them feel insecure once taken out of their hair? I also wonder if they will get caugth up in the same cycle that many of us women have been caught up in,
so many of us go to the shop every 2 weeks like clock work.

what do you guy think about this topic?
do you all let your young daughters get sew ins, glued weave jobs, or braids?
if you do, is it for convince? i think for my mom it was more of a convince thing.

I can count on one hand, how many times before the age of 16,
that i got braids or sew-in's. You couldn't have told my 9yr old self,
that one day I would be rocking a huge natural fro.
I would have been like YEAH RIGHT! LOL.


are little girls, growning up too fast?
Are they being set up from early ages,
to continue the cycle of weaves and braids?
Here is beautiful ten year old willow Smith,
with a face full of make up, her nails and hair
are done up as well....
leave your thoughts, and have a great week=)