Friday, December 30, 2011

Christmas Day Hairstyle

We started our blessed day of Christmas by opening gifts then having breakfast and going to church, followed by three family dinners and then quality family time at home.  Needless to say we were on the go from sun up to sun down and we always dress up for Christmas and go all out in Jesus name as Christmas is really in honor of his joyous birth.  This is why we celebrate Christmas and THIS YEAR was extra special because Jesus Birthday fell on a Sunday and our church had its service in his special honor and it was nothing short of a breath taking experience to be in the house of the Lord on his special day! 

We woke up and sung Happy Birthday to Jesus and proceeded on with our day.  We got ready for church and off we went so the switch up style that i did on Diva R's pony tail and cornrow style with finger curls was one that was simple and quick. I had to throw in our new red Sidewinders alongside our white and clear for the candy cane color representation to add a splash to her whole ensemble. These were the 2 inch size hair holders and i secured them each on with a small pony bead rubber banded at the ends.



Notice the amazing Christmas Bow that my sweetheart is wearing? It matches her dress to a T and was perfectly big for the occasion and not to mention its was a blessing from my friend Mommy A for my Diva specifically. (For your chance to win a bow of this quality stay tuned for our New Years Giveaway Bash to be 1 of 3 winners of your choice in bow!!!) This was the perfect topper to her whole outfit <3 In the above picture we were in church waiting for the service to begin.

Here is a side profile...


 I just simply braided the what were previously finger curls into regular braids which i ended with Sidewinders and the cornrows were left as is and just ended with Sidewinders. Total i used 20 hair holders and 20 rubber bands and this switch up took about 20 minutes.


Her hair is growing before my eyes! I am so proud of our amazing journey!

Here is the back profile...


Front...


 Here is the Diva in action on Christmas day doing one of her fav parts of Christmas Day <3

 

Diva R's Mommy-Kim

Christmas Eve Hairstyle

Well Christmas came and went as we are so busy through the holidays my idea to style Diva R's hair was to style it in a fashion that i could change it up between a few days while still maintaining the same blue print style.

This style is very self explanatory so i will spare the detail :) I call this style a pony tail and cornrow style with finger curls.  This is my sweet Diva R on Christmas Eve :)



Here is a back/side view of the style. As you can see i parted 16 squares from the beginning of her hair line in the front until nearly the whole back of her head. Then i parted 4 cornrows at the very nape of her neck. I left this style neutral looking and didn't jazz it up with any accessories as my plan was to achieve an elegant yet natural look. 


I used our distilled water spritz, Bee Mine Curly Butter and Shea Moisture Spritz and used them respectively. These curls displayed are her NATURAL curls and as the day went they sprung up slightly more and more and i did not use anything but my finger to amplify her already in place ringlet curls. I found that some parts of her hair doesn't like to curl uniformly with the surrounding curls. I keep finding different texture curls and reverse patterns of curls all throughout her hair, this may be challenging at times to tame just right for some looks and within styles like this i find that sometimes making several or a few finger curls in one pony tail or grouping's this helps to keep the pattern flowing <3

I love styles like this because they are versatile, suitable for any occasion and can be a unisex hairstyle with minor tweaks as well as them being simple and quick.


I went with symmetrical parts this time and as i went i formulated the following days changes that i planned on doing so that it was more jazzed up for Christmas Day <3



Here is the back view of the style and you can see the cornrows underneath her curls...


 All in all this style took about 35 minutes.

The rubber bands i use and LOVE now are these pictured below... I bought them at the local beauty supply store and have noticed over time they changed brands so the last few times i bought some they were ok but snapped often as well it was hit or miss. These rubber bands are great and have withheld all tests and have not damaged her hair at all and in fact they are very giving on her hair and have yet to snap <3


Stay Tuned for the next two switch ups of this style...

God Bless and a Happy New Year to all!!!!

Diva R's Mommy-Kim

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Shea Moisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Shine Kit

Shea Moisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Curl & Shine Kit


For those of you who've conversed with me in the past know that i wasn't really keen on branching out into the Shea Moisture realm and I've had my reasons. BUT after stumbling upon some Shea Moisture while at Walgreen's i decided to check it out. There were a handful of Shea products on the shelf which surprised me because i have never been able to find any up until this day. I picked up one by one reading them entirely and off bat a few were eliminated because of Almond and Macadamia nut oils :( I really wanted the Curling Souffle but opted for the Curl and Shine Kit because there were 4 of the Shea products that we could try in place of buying just the one. These are all 4oz sizes...



I have been reviewing these for a few months solid and i have used them solely, in combination with each other and with other products. The reviews i express are from my trying the products on my dear Diva R and the views were collectively gathered over time for a more accurate and thorough reviewing :) Here are my reviews on each of the 4 products from the Shea Moisture Curl and Shine Kit...


Shea Moisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Hold and Shine Moisture Mist 4oz

Product Description
Our all-natural moisture mist eliminates frizz, while hydrating hair and creating brilliant shine and curl control. For thick, curly hair.
  • Coconut oil: Hydrates and protects hair from heat and chemical damage
  • Silk protein: Reduces breakage, strengthens hair, adds smoothness an silkiness
  • Neem oil: An age-old ayurvedic oil that strengthens hair and provides brilliant shine
  • Provides moisture and body
  • No parabens, phthalates, paraffin, Formaldehyde, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, PABA, synthetic color, DEA, animal ingredients, or sulfates
  • Ethically traded ingredients, sustainably produced
  • Cruelty free, no animal testing
Made in USA

Shake well, natural ingredients tend to settle.


Ingredients 
Contains de-ionized water, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter)*, silk protein, essential oil blend, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) seed oil, algae extract, Hyssopus Officinalis extract, Salvia Officinalis (sage) leaf and Equisetum Arvense extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract and Tocopherol (vitamin E). *Denotes certified organic ingredients.

Our Review

Color: Clear
Scent: Coconutty/Pina Colada
Texture/Consistency: Thin liquid in spritz form
Cost: The Kit Cost's $14.99 for all 4-4oz products
This was one of the first Shea Moisture products that i had come across when looking into trying the line out. I am always in need of a new braid mist or spritz moisturizer it seems we can never have too many kinds and i like to use some spritzes for different types of styles over others. I had first read through all of the ingredients 3 times in a row making sure that i didn't miss any nut ingredients before purchasing. I was surprised that this mist's label claimed it was natural and organic but i had also noted that there were no nut oils! This always comes as a surprise seeing that almond oil is in near everything.  

I was anxious to get home and try it, i could tell that the moisture mist had a bit of cloudiness to it and that it was thin in nature comparable to waters' texture. I like mists generally that aren't loaded with oil and ones that do not have particles floating in them. I didn't know what to expect from the scent of the curl and shine kit so this was a big gamble since there weren't any on the shelf of these specific products in the bigger sizes that i could open and smell.
The label indicates that this is a multipurpose mist indirectly so i figured it should perform decently either way we go if that is what it was going to do or just the opposite.

Ive found that with consecutive use on her wet hair after the bath or pre-styling it seems to moisturize and lock in moisture very well. The scent was very nice and tropical like it really reminded me of a nice frosty Pina Colada. It was very light and settled in quietly as well. Diva R LOVED this "fruity" fragrance. It pleasantly lasted all day in her hair.  The feel of the liquid as i sprayed it in my hand and fingers was of a near water texture feeling with a slight slip to it. If you shake the bottle you can see faint swirls throughout as liquid moves about. 

Another proven fact of this Mist's claim was that it is a moisture mist that "hold's and shines". The way that this mist comes out of the nozzle is just perfect, it is really a light yet generous plume like mist, it has a nice range of coverage with just one spritz as well.  I do believe that it provides a nice shine, especially to styled hair and it acts as a great moisturizing refresher in styles that you plan on leaving in for a few days at a time or better.  I didn't find myself having to re-apply this often either it really did its job and lasted as long as i needed it too each time. Per each application to her wet or damp hair i found myself spritzing maybe 3 mists total. Her curls bounced with joy!
On her dry unok because i didn't buy this in hopes for a holding product. I do believe this is great for all hair types from straight to coily.



This is also an amazing after shower mist for my hair. I must admit i use this too and i don't know who i like it more for the Diva or myself.  I have replaced the Curls Lavish Moisturizer with this one and it goes great hand in hand with all products that i have on hand that have been in contact with it. No residue, no films, no greasy after effect, no disappearing acts and no yucky chemicals.  Ive read lots of great reviews on this mist and haven't come across many bad ones. This was a good find in my opinion.

Shea Moisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk 4 oz
                                                       


Product Description

Apply as a no-rinse protective and styling cream to dampened, towel dried, or dry hair as needed.

Detangles, conditions and controls curl, while restoring body and shine.
  • Coconut oil: Hydrates and protects hair from heat and chemical damage
  • Silk protein: Reduces breakage, strengthens hair, adds smoothness an silkiness
  • Neem oil: An age-old ayurvedic oil that strengthens hair and provides brilliant shine
  • Provides moisture and body
  • No parabens, phthalates, paraffin, Formaldehyde, propylene glycol, mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, PABA, synthetic color, DEA, or animal ingredients
  • Ethically traded ingredients, sustainably produced
  • Cruelty free, no animal testing
Made in USA

Shake well, natural ingredients tend to settle.


The label also reads " Thick, Curly Hair" Moisture Body and Shine

Ingredients

Deionized Water , Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) , Cocos Nucifera Oil (Coconut) , Sugar Starch , Silk Protein , Essential Oil Blend , Melia Azadirachta Seed Oil (Neem) , Caprylyl Glycol , Sorbitol Esters , Algae Extract , Hlyssopus Officinalis Extract , Salvia Officinalis Leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract (Sage) , Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil (Carrot) , Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract (Honeysuckle and Japanese Honeysuckle) , Tocopherol (Vitamin E)

Our Review 

Color: White
Scent: Coconutty/Pina Colada
Texture/Consistency: Medium textured yet liquidy mix between a lotion and a cream
Cost: The Kit Cost's $14.99 for all 4-4oz products


After seeing many raving reviews on this Curl Milk i had also set out to try this one from the Shea Moisture line. We have only had one hair milk that we have ever really loved and that being Bee Mines Dejas Hair Milk, i thought it may be hard to find one to compare.  One thing that deterred me in the beginning from trying this was the labels stating that it is for thick curly hair. Since my Diva R doesn't have thick curly hair i thought this may not be worth trying or that it may be too thick for her thin locks of curls.

Since this was part of the Curl and Shine Kit I was near sold on buying it right away.  I feel that you cant knock a product for a statement like that in particular, as more products than expected turn out to be suitable for a wider variety of people.  

I noticed its creamy consistency right away through the bottle and i had to shake it for the milk to move around.  The scent was just like the hair mist's coconutty tropical pina colada.  These products were identical in smell. I liked the smell and it wasn't beyond a perfect hint of paradise.  the texture is unique, as it looks thicker than what it is in my opinion and it seems to get smoother as you apply it.  I like how this isn't your average liquidy hair milk that will pour out like water from a faucet. The consistency is thin enough to not way the hair down yet creamy enough for it to provide a protective moisturized coverage and stay in place styled or not without much need for re-applying.

I usually apply products like this right when Diva R gets out of the bath. This is the time where her pores are open and her hair follicles are very receptive.  My first experiment with the hair milk began with being used on her wet hair right after being shampooed and conditioned as the final moisturizing component and the ONLY leave in component in her hair.  I was able to glide my fingers through her hair with ease, i could feel her hair just lavish the milk and i applied it from root to tip with the plan of letting it completely air dry over night. I was impressed by Diva R's  luster there after application and her curls seemed to be very receptive to it as well.  









The next morning i checked her hair out to see how much if any moisture was left in her hair and how her curls appear along with any signs of tangles/knots or "matted-ness". She sleeps on a satin pillow case and interchangeably uses satin hair bonnets for less friction while sleeping as it is.  I found that in the morning her hair needed minimal detangling and it was over all soft had a slight fluff to it and had a nice left over fragrance of the Coconutty paradise. I was pleased with the results and can say that the texture of this hair milk is very nice on my daughters hair and if of my near ideal preference of a fav hair milk.

Over time the results haven't changed and I plan to keep this product in circulation. Using this on her dry hair provided slightly differing results.  I noticed that this feels like putting a hair lotion into her hair when it is in its dry state. Hair lotions have never worked for us in the past for various reasons and that was the type of feeling i got from using it on her dry hair time and time again. I would section her hair and begin applying it until i covered her ends and learned that this will use up more product than necessary when if water is spritzed on prior to applying the hair milk on dry hair some of the need for more product will be eliminated and the chances of more moisture being distributed and sealed in will be higher as water is the best and most healthy form of moisture for our hair and scalp. I opted for using it on her wet and damp hair and it was a positive addition to our circulation. I do believe that this product would be suitable for more hair types than just thick and curly as it worked very well on my daughters hair being thin and loosely curled. 

Here are the results of a morning after use of the hair milk...





Id say this is an overall good hair milk and worth the price as well. The fact that it can be bought locally is also amazing. I liked the stain free settling in of the milk. No residuals left nor did i noticed any build up styled or not. This is a lighter textured product and because of this i felt that it covered a decent distance per application. I project this bottle lasting maybe a few more months.  This isn't a children's product but i would say that its kid friendly.  

I really liked the results using this when doing braid outs and bantu knots. 

Shea Moisture Organic Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo 4oz

 
Product Description
 
Gently cleanses, hydrates and detangles hair for bouncy and healthy curls. Thick Curly Hair, Moisture Body and Shine.

Ingredients

Contains de-ionized water, Decyl Glucoside (sugar beets), Cocos Nucifera (coconut) oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter)*, aloe vera leaf juice, vitamin E, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) seed oil, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate (coconut oil), Panthenol (vitamin B-5), rosemary extract, silk protein, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract. *Denotes certified organic ingredients.

Our Review

Color: Shimmery Gold
Scent: Plant-ish/ Herby
Texture/Consistency: 
Cost: The Kit Cost's $14.99 for all 4-4oz


This shampoo feels different than your regular thick sticky like shampoo, in a GOOD way.  From first glance i noticed the shimmery appearance and thought it looked "pretty".  I could also tell that this shampoo has a lighter consistency and surprisingly it doesn't have that sticky thick feel to it which usually leaves residue and a heavy feel behind. My assumption initially was that this shampoo was going to be light and refreshing with minimal or no residue left behind and that it wasn't going to have that weight feeling. 

I had used this for a few months solid and had found that a little goes a long way so at each interval we didn't have to use alot, in fact i used about the size of a quarter and this covered her whole head with a nice lather. Here is a view of what her hair looked like right after the bath with just using the Shea Moisture Shampoo...




I liked the fresh after fragrance which was lightly in place it was almost herby with a splash of  something fresh and pleasant.  I was surprised at how this shampoo didn't weigh her hair down as i suspected it could have because of the texture and the "for thick and curly" claim.  I liked how easily spreadable it was and it seemed to cover a long distance very well with the small amount i chose to use each time.  I didn't feel that her hair was stripped of its natural oils at all and her hair seemed very nice and smooth thereafter use even before leave in application.  I would say this is an overall decent shampoo and since i can buy it locally makes it worth checking into again if need be. But we still prefer our current shampoo over it since it is a moisturizing shampoo specifically.  

I must say this kit was worth the money over all, i probably wouldn't have paid the full $19.99 for it though but 3 of the 4 products worked for us i just wish that the curling souffle was included versus the smoothie that we cant use because of its Macadamia ingredient. (This curl smoothie in its brand new 4 New Years Giveaway Bash!!!!) Stay Tuned!!!


Diva R's Mommy-Kim


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Proclaim Rubber Band (Clear) Review

These are the rubber bands that are "specifically" made for hair styling and braiding that lots of people have been raving about. For some time now i have tried the Proclaim bands at various points for various styles and have tried the colored ones as well as these clear ones pictured. I decided that it was time to review the bands so that i can give some insight on them for those interested in buying these and those who have or have had these.

Here is what the rubber bands look like up close...


These are the transparent "non-breakable" hair bands.

Product Description
  • Extremely flexible

  • Soft and gentle

  • Will not break hair

  • Will not snag

  • Easy to remove


  • Proclaim Professional Braiding Rubber Bands helps to braid hair, keeping braids tight and neat.

    Proclaim Professional Braiding Rubber Bands won't snag or pull on hair and won't cause breakage. Soft and flexible for easy use when styling.

    Our Review

    Color: Clear
    Texture/Consistency: Glossy and smooth
    Cost: $1.19 per 250 count (at Sally Beauty)

    Ok so we have used this for cumulatively several months over the last few years and have been bought mainly for curiosity purposes, convenience, and for certain style ideas.  We have put these to many tests and have used them enough to provide a thorough review.  I have seen good and bad reviews on these all over the web and found it interesting how many people prefer and recommend these. See below this picture of the maximum length that these rubber bands can be stretched to... I decided to show the length beside a wide tooth comb so you can get the general idea of its stretching capacity.


    One may think that this is generous by looking at the picture.  I will begin by saying that in my opinion these rubber bands are fair priced and since I'm a beauty club member at Sally's i got these for .99 cents for the 250 count pack so i felt either way i couldn't complain. This clear pack of rubber bands i bought particularly for some of the wacky hair day, holiday styles which required "concealing" of the band colors. 

    I can say that i was really counting on these bands to hold up especially when i used them for beading and when constructing a style that i didn't want to move out of place.  I am displeased at the fact that these snap at a drop of a dime, not only do these not function 100% like regular rubber bands used in hair but i found that they are not reliable to use when using beads, fellow accessories or for securing either.  It didn't matter whether i chose to use products alongside using these bands or not these snapped each and every time applied. When i was trying to use these as pony tails i found that their wrapping power is very minimal and in fact lots of times they snapped in mid wrapping.  I began to double wrap the bands using two bands and they STILL broke.

    I can believe the non-damaging to hair claim because of the slip they provide grip-wise BUT with one easy tug on the hair or snagging on clothing these can snap right out of place and will undoubtedly lose any beads regardless of tension applied.  Most of the time i couldn't even get to finish the style i was working on before they started snapping. I couldn't even wrap one of these rubber bands around my hair twice without it snapping seconds later. I can say that i had the same problem with the brown, black, colored and clear proclaim bands separately as well. They couldn't withhold any test and i sure couldn't depend on these at all to last at all.

    I'm unsure as to what the hype is all about with these as i am positive that these are terrible in performance and endurance and are partly un-true in the claim that is made.  I will not make the mistake of buying these in the future regardless of convenience.


    Diva R's Mommy-Kim

    Saturday, December 24, 2011

    Magic Leverag Curls On Diva R

    Ive been asked alot about my daughters hair and "how i create her ringlet curls" amongst many other variations of that questions so here is the answer as plain as i can give it to someone. I do NOT create her curls her curls are the curls she was born with and God is the creator of them. With that being said there are only a few exceptions and things i have done to "create" varying curls aside from her God given blessings.

    This is the ONLY type of exception that i will make when it comes to creating variations naturally on her hair as we are opposed to heat, chemicals and permanent alterations. I have yet to venture out into the pipe cleaner or nylon curls but i was intrigued by the Curlformers set and was even more shocked that there were knock off versions of those. When i found this news out i ordered some of the knock off sets since i really didn't want to splurge and end up wasting alot of money like i have in the past.

    So i went on Ebay and found some of the Magic Leverag Curlers and in case you missed the results and the experiment on myself from shortly after we got them feel free to reflect here...

    So i have concluded that these are NOT damaging and proceeded to try them on my sweet daughter. Since i thought these were uncomfortable sleeping with i nearly knew she wouldn't go for it so i decided to give these a whirl in the mid day so that they would have time to "set" and i could remove them before bed.


    The size that you see were the only size available when i purchased the set so aside from the real small ones which were included, the ones pictured are the biggest of the set. The set is not long enough for Diva R's hair so i had to improvise the best i could and i decided to make sure that i covered her ends and as far up as i can go with the curlers.  If your curious as to how these go on or any of those types of specific questions refer to my above linked reflection post for more detail.



    I used a total of 19 curlers and i put these in with her hair being completely dry and with no use of special products. I have read tons of reviews that say that the best results come from using the curlers on dry hair without any special alterations or products.  I have found from using these on my own hair being wet and dry that the hair being wet just doesn't set well with these. So earlier in the day i had applied some curly butter and distilled water after she woke up for curl revival and detangling purposes and throughout the day her hair was un touched up until i applied these. 


    I loaded these individually onto the hook and in about 10 minutes i had all 19 in place and ready to rock and roll. My sweet Diva really liked wearing these and couldn't help but shake them all about.  She LOVED these as a matter of fact and couldn't wait to see what they were going to do. I left them in for a few hours and they stayed in place very well without help or re application. 
    When bed time came around this was the real test as i have heard of kids not minding these in over night as they slept.

    I put her cap on and she went to bed. About 3 minutes later she was calling for me so i went in and she said she didn't want to sleep with those in her hair that they were uncomfortable. I tried a few repositioning's and took off her cap and interchanged the cap with the satin pillow case and it didn't please her so i had to take them out and below are the results of what the curls looked like after having a few hours to set in... The first picture is before i separated and tossled them...


    As you can see if the curlers were longer she would have had vibrantly created curls from root to tip.

    I began to play with the curls a bit and separate them to try and fill in the gaps...


    Next time i will use alot more curlers and experiment with end wraps and maybe setting lotion to see if we can get some varying results.  Either way she was pleased and i think that if i would have pulled these up in a pony tail style they would have been like loose barrel curls, cute and different from her adorable sharpie size beauties.


    I kind of believe if we had the curlformers we would have had better results as well, you kind of get what you pay for.


    This was a fun and simple and quick experiment which we will continue to have fun with and now i am on a hunt for longer ones!


    Diva R's Mommy-Kim

    Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Solution Review

    Back a few months ago we received a few Jessicurl product samples from the amazing Naturally Flyy Detroit's Anniversary Meetup and this time around i am reviewing the Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Solution




    Product Description

    "Confident Coils is one of my favorite products, largely due to how it came to be. Jessicurl fans all over told me loud and clear that they loved the curl enhancement provided by Rockin’ Ringlets Styling Potion but that they needed something with more hold to go with it. So in 2004, after months and months of testing with my very eager customer testing group, Confident Coils finally hit the market. It was even named by a Jessicurl customer through our Name That Product contest. This product truly was a group effort and as a result, it works for a variety of curl types and patterns."

    "It’s a creamy styling product with a consistency thin enough to make it easy to distribute through even the tightest, kinkiest curls. It creates amazing definition and provides excellent humidity protection. By itself it’s not super curl enhancing, which makes it great for tighter curl patterns looking to elongate rather than enhance curls. For those with looser curls, using it with Rockin’ Ringlets will give you all the bounce, definition and frizz control you need."

    Ingredients

    Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, VP/VA Copolymer, Polyimide-1, C 12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60; Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt), Diazolidinyl Urea (and) Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate 

    Usage

    Use Confident Coils with Jessicurl Rockin’ Ringlets or Gelebration Spray for extra curl enhancement or alone to give tighter curls definition and hold. Distribute evenly through soaking wet hair and scrunch to encourage curls or finger-comb to elongate. Air dry or dry with a diffuser. This stuff is pretty concentrated, so less is more. If your hair is fine and gets weighed down easily, use a very small amount at first and increase from there if you need more hold.  Check out my product demo videos in the Curly Care Center to see Confident Coils in action. 

    Our Review

    Color: White
    Scent: Lotiony
    Texture/Consistency: Light, creamy, silky
    Cost: $14.95 per 8oz


    I received a sample size packet and this is what it looked like...



    You can see that the texture sort of resembles thickened milk.  So i wanted to use this at the very best and most prime time so that i could make the best out of its use and get the best results from doing so.  With that being said i chose to use this right after my daughter got out of the bath with her freshly shampooed hair.  I ONLY shampooed her hair as i was planning on using this Styling Solution as a conditioner/moisturizer.  Upon first inspection i noticed that this styling solution has a really light and creamy texture to it which to me contrary to its description seemed to be perfect for my daughters thin and fine hair.  I could say that the feel was very soft and silky on my fingers before i applied it to her hair and it really didn't have much of a fragrance aside from being slightly lotiony smelling but not in a bad way. The texture sure didn't feel like your average lotion it was much nicer and lightly formulated.  


    I finger combed it through her hair from root to tips and used about half of the sample as i could clearly tell that this sample packet is good for 2 uses so i wanted to save enough for another application.  I could feel her curls absorb it and her curls began to spring into her varying ringlets rather quickly.


    As a few minutes began to pass i noticed her curls shrinking and becoming nicely defined on their own with no coaching.  This is where my curiosity came in and the testing of its "hold" without the crunch claim came to play.  With gels i could always expect that yucky crunch shortly after application which would accompany the drying and frizzing. This did NOT happen and i was utterly surprised at how soft her curls were and yet they had a great hold and her definition stayed very nicely throughout as if i just applied the styling solution.


    This claim proved to be true and work very nicely on her hair. Her curls were far from weighted down and considering that i used a decent amount to cover her hair there was not a bit of heaviness nor oily-ness in sight. even as her hair began to dry the results stayed the same. below is the best picture of her results and you can see for yourself how her curls reacted to this Confident Coils Styling Solution...


    The second use i wasn't able to take pictures of as my camera decided to act funny. But i will say that this styling solution is best when applied on wet or damp hair for us as when my daughters hair dries most products take doubling to achieved the same results as the results that were achieved on damp/wet hair.

    I was more pleased with how this worked on her wet hair and even through the night her curls maintained some bounce and softness. I made sure she used her sleep cap so that these results could be retained and the benefits still remained the following day. I really wish i would have received more of this as i feel i could have created a more extensive review if so. This is worth having in my opinion and it was a pleasure reviewing such a nice working curl definer.

    wearing to bed LOL I don't know why but she really loves wearing formal dresses as play dresses and pajamas :)

    Diva R's Mommy-Kim





    Friday, December 23, 2011

    Pony Tail Veil With Double Flip Braids and Sidewinder's

    I love to experiment and when i am fresh out of pre-planned ideas i feel this is the best time to break out a new experiment. The only pre-planned element of this style were the Sidewinders and hair bow.  I call this a Pony Tail Veil With Double Flip Braids and Sidewinder's, the long name thoroughly covers all aspects of this busy yet cute style.


     I gathered some of our random products alongside the rat tail comb, Tangle Teezer, rubber bands, six 2 inch Sidewinders in white and clear, a new and amazingly cute reindeer bow that my friend Mommy A made for my sweet Diva <3 and a brown elastic pony tail which blended in with her hair color well.


    I began by sectioning off the frontal section with the rat tail comb which i then parted out 6 boxes and rubber banded them off individually then i added the Sidewinders via our 8 inch beader and began smoothing the free hair along side the remainder hair with the SW's into a snug pony tail.


    Then i separated the pony tailed hair in two even sections creating a left and a right section. Then i braided each section into regular 3 strand braids, forming two hanging braids. Next, i simply "flipped" each braid upwards wrapping them around the pony tail once and then i grabbed the elastic band and secured the two loose ends around the top of the pony tail. This created super simple yet complicated looking double flipped braids.


    I adorned the top front part of the pony tail style with the reindeer bow so that the loose ends were hidden and it was complete! I spritzed the finishing light moisturizer of our choice and in about 25 minutes we were finished and ready for school.


     In case you need clarification, by looking at this above picture the leftmost braid is flipping over the rightmost and then wrapped once around the pony tail and secured on the top along side the right most braid which was wrapped around the opposite way.

    Simple quick cute and girly <3

    Diva R's Mommy-Kim