30 Day Challenge | Goodbye my beloved flat iron and hello curls!!!

My hair is naturally curly.  As a child growing up I embraced my curls and was content with my hair and all was right with the world.  Then entered adolescents and I wanted to look like my friends...they had straight hair and I though it was beautiful.  I wanted my hair to look like theirs.  Luckily for me, my mother refused to let me get a relaxer however she was not opposed to me having my hair straightened by my soon to be new best friend, the pressing comb.  The process of washing, blow drying, and pressing my hair soon became the norm.  So after years and years of heat abuse, my hair was severely heat damaged and very unhealthy.  I knew something needed to change but what?  Should I cut off all my hair and just start all over?  I just didn't know what to do.

Jess AKA Mahogany Curls

Then last year, I started adopting a healthier lifestyle which included being active regularly and the hair issue resurfaced once again.  When I work out I sweat on my head and that means by the end of my workout I'm rocking a curly afro (and no, it's not like those cute ones you see in a magazine).  Still not know what to do with this hair of mine I decided to consult with my best friend YouTube to see what I could find on curly hair.

Then I found Mahogany Curls YouTube channel!  When I saw her videos, it was LOVE at first sight.  I enjoyed how she talked about the products that she used and showed me step by step her process.  She was following the Curly Girl: The Handbook (I also bought the book) which was developed my stylist Lorraine Massey.  After watching a few of her videos, I thought I would give it a try.  I quickly bought the products and surprisingly I liked the results!

My first try at going curly using the CG (curly girl method)

I wore my hair curly for quite a while and just recently found myself going back to my old ways of blow drying and flat ironing my hair on a regular basis.

(Hey old habits are hard to break!) 

But that got old quick (the whole flat ironing thing).  So I'm saying good bye to the flat iron and hello to my curls for the next 30 days.  That's right, I am going to try and refrain from applying direct heat to my hair see what effect it has whether positive or negative on my overall hair health.  I thought about trying to do it for an entire year but thinking about NOT doing for something for 365 days seems a bit intimidating and slightly overwhelming but 30 days, well that is something I can do.

30 days with no blow dryer or flat iron, I can do it.   During this journey I will blog about my experiences and all of the products and techniques I've tried.  It should be fun...at least that is what I keep telling myself.

If you have been thinking about embracing your inner curly, wavy or kinky girl, then I encourage you to join along!  And remember it's only 30 days!

So let the curls begin!!!

Product Review | April curlBOX

Okay okay, I know I'm late with this one but better late than never right???  April's curlBOX theme was all about spring and revamping you hair to get it summer time ready!  Once again, Myleik and the curlBOX Crew provided it's subscribers with a variety of full-size and sample size products to take your hair from winter time blah to hello spring!

Include in this month's box:

• Doris NY MUD minerals pack treatment 
• Mizani Shine Spray
• Design Essentials Natural Curl Enhancing Mousse
• Lustrasilk Moisture Max Hydrate Therapy Deep Conditioner
• Anu Essentials Moisturizing Curl Cream

This Sunday was hair day for me, so I had the opportunity to try both the Doris NY MUD minerals pack treatment and the Mizani Shine Spray and I loved them both!  The MUD minerals pack left my hair feeling very soft and tangle free.  After applying my styling products and allowing my hair to air dry, I then finished the look with the Mizani Shine Spray.  Now I typically try to avoid any spray oil products because they tend to weigh down my hair however I didn't experience this with the Mizani Shine Spray.  For me a little went a long way.  The product left my hair with just the right amount of shine and bounce and did not weight my curls down.  

Talk about a score!!!!

I am looking forward to trying to other products that came in this month's box later this month and will let you know my thoughts.

So what are some of your favorite products for natural/curly hair?  Are you a curlBox subscriber?  If so what are your thoughts of this month's box?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

**Please note that I purchased all products listed in this review as a part of my curlBOX subscription.  curlBOX is a subscription service where every month subscribers receive a beautiful box with 5-7 quality hair care product samples for $20 a month.  For more information on how you can receive your very own curlBOX check out their website.

Product Review | February curlBOX

Did I mention to you how much I LOVE my curlBOX subscription????  Well if I haven’t then let me tell you now.  I absolutely LOVE this subscription.  This month was about celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the curlBOX and boy did they knock this one out of the park!  As many of you may know, I am new to the whole curly movement and I am still trying to find out the best products that work well with my hair so this subscription works well for me.  So let’s get to what is inside the box!

First off there were not one but 5 full size products in this month’s box!  {Whoo Hoo!}  Four of the full size products are from Pantene’s new Truly Natural Hair line.  From this line we received

• Deep Conditioner
• Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner
• Clarifying Shampoo
• Defining Curls Styling Custard

The products have the signature Pantene scent which is fine with me.  I’m not sure if all of their products are Curly Girl friendly (will have to look closely at the list of ingredients) but I think are worth giving a try. 

Also in the box was full size container of the Dark & Lovely Au Naturale anti-shrinkage 10-in-1 Styles Gelee.  The consistency of this product is more like a light jelly and it has a nice fresh scent.   I have wanted to try doing a twist out on my hair for a while now but wasn’t sure what product to use.  So this couldn’t have come at a better time for me. 

Included in the box were some samples from the Dark & Lovely Au Naturale line of their Coil Moisturizing Souffle and Curl Defining Crème Glaze along with Hair Rules quench ultra-rich conditioner.  These are all products that I have never used so I am eager to try them out.

In addition to all of the awesome products in this month’s box we also received a coupon for some of the Crème of Nature products.  And of course it wouldn’t be a curlBOX without getting their cute magazine with the adorable McKenzie Renae on the cover.

So once again Myleik and her crew have out done themselves on this month’s curlBOX!  Five full-size products plus a few samples…WOW! 

Now if you don’t mind, I think I’m going to go wash my hair!

**Please note that I purchased all products listed in this review as a part of my curlBOX subscription.  curlBOX is a subscription service where every month subscribers receive a beautiful box with 5-7 quality hair care product samples for $20 a month.  For more information on how you can receive your very own curlBOX check out their website.

Product Review | January curlBOX

This past summer, I decided after wearing my hair straight for all of my adult life, to put down my flat iron and embrace my curly hair.  Now don't get me wrong, it's not like I didn't like my curly hair, I just didn't know how to maintain it (i.e. how to stop it from making me look like a big frizz ball).  It wasn't until I stumbled on a YouTuber by the name of Mahogany Curls that I learned about the curly girl method and how using regular conditioner as a leave in will help you define and preserve my curly locks.  Who knew? After watching all of her videos on YouTube, I wanted to know more (boy there is a LOT of great info on YouTube), so I watched video after video and read blog after blog; learning about hair type, different styling techniques and how shampoo is not a curly girls friend.  It was also during my research that I found out about the great subscription service called CurlBOX.

   

CurlBOX is an affordable and easy way to explore new hair care products delivered to your door every month.  The subscription service is $20/month, which wasn't too much and well worth giving it a try.  Plus I had heard so many good things about the service that I couldn't wait to sign up.  Lucky for me, I was able to snag a subscription when they became available in December for the January 2013 box.  I received mt first box this weekend and baybee I was NOT disappointed.

This is what came in my January box:

• First Line Deep Stimulating Brush made from 100% boar bristles.  Since I wear my hair curly I try to stay away from using a comb and a brush, but I will use this on my daughter's hair or when I pull my hair back in a sleek style.
• Creme Of Nature's Sulfate Free Shampoo, Argan Oil Intensive Conditioning Treatment and Perfect Edges 
• Elentee Soy Organics Anti-Breakage Moisturizer
• Mizani Supreme Oil
• Oyin Handmade Hair Dew

This couldn't have come at a better time too, because I was planning on deep conditioning my hair this week.     I am happy with my overall experience with curlBOX and the quantity of products in the January box.  Now it's time for me to try them all!  Check back later with my thoughts on each of the products.

Your curly hair friend!

Erika