My First Semi-Successful Braidout

Braidouts were my staple style through my transition. But ever since my big chop, I had not been able to achieve the tight crimps like I used to (twistouts have also been a DISASTUH, but that's another story). I began to feel like my hair was meant for wash-n-go's almost exclusively, but I need more styles that will lessen tangles and breakage. Thanks to tips from the lovely ladies at HappyCurls, today I had my first semi-successful braidout on my natural hair!

Last night, I shampooed with Trader Joe's Nourish Spa Shampoo, conditioned & detangled with a blend of conditioners including TJ Nourish Spa Conditioner, Moisture Maniac & Pantene Relaxed and Natural conditioner and rinsed thoroughly. While still in the shower, I applied castor oil and SheaMoisture Shea Butter Leave-in and rinsed again (rinsing oily/buttery products really helps them to adhere to my hair).

While my hair was still dripping wet, I started braiding. No parts other than my main side part and no further detangling. The biggest mistake I was making before was detangling while braiding. I didn't realize I needed my curl pattern to help form the crimps. I added more Shea Butter leave-in as needed. I had a spray bottle with water handy but my hair stayed wet without any additional spritzing. I ended up with about 25 small to medium braids. I sat under the dryer for a few minutes and went to sleep. In the morning, I could tell they were still a bit damp but I took them down anyway. I ended up with loose crimps but I still had nice definition even in my frizzy crown hair. I fluffed at the roots and was very pleased with the results.

And the Winner of the Sarenzo Beads Giveaway is...

Congratulations #10, EmpressRi! I will try to contact you via email to get your address. Thank you to everyone who entered and special thanks to Sarah of Sarenzo Beads for the beautiful hair tie!

Sarenzo Beads Giveaway!

Yay! My first giveaway! One of my new Twitter friends, the lovely Ms. Sarah Elliott of Sarenzo Beads, is offering Naturally Junky readers a chance to win one of her gorgeous hair ties.

Sarenzo Beads features necklaces, hair ties, hair clips, headbands, earrings, bracelets, sunglasses and beenies. Through the month of January, she is offering free shipping on all orders over $25 using the coupon code "Happy Holiday". She is also donating 100% of the proceeds of this Haiti keychain to Haiti relief.

This brown & white giraffe hair tie is perfect for pulling back loose natural hair and locs. To enter to win this hair tie, simply leave a comment on this post! Comments will be open until January 27. The winner will be chosen at random. Be sure to sign-in or leave email address when commenting. I will notify the winner when the contest is over.

Click here for more information on donating to Haiti relief funds.

Reformulation Domination: The Smooth N Shine Curl Activator Gel Edition

How do you express anguish? When I discovered yet another of my staple store-bought products has been reformulated, all I wanted to do was wall slide like Awesomely Luvvie. How dare they do this to me again!

In troubled times like these, be wary of new packaging. I actually admired the new packaging in the store, but it did not dawn on me to check the ingredients until I was about to put this in my hair. Funny how the aloe vera plant is now very prominent on the front of the jar but there is less of it in the ingredients. There is a possibility that this ingredient change may go unnoticed in my hair, but the increase in the chemical soup makes that seem unlikely.

Old Ingredients: Water , Glycerin , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract , Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein , Hyaluronic Acid , Panthenol , Oleth-20 , Carbomer , Triethanolamine , Benzophenone-4 , Disodium EDTA , DMDM Hydantoin , Fragrance , Ext. Violet 2

New Ingredients: Water , Glycerin , Propylene Glycol , Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract , Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein , Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch , Carbomer , Oleth-20 , Aminomethyl Propanol , Methylparaben , Phenoxyethanol , DMDM Hydantoin , Disodium EDTA , Benzophenone-4 , Fragrance , Ext. Violet 2

Moisture Maniac Conditioner

TIGI Bed Head Moisture Maniac Conditioner has surpassed all others to become my favorite conditioner. It is the only conditioner that I can use a co-wash, conditioning conditioner, detangler, and leave-in conditioner. In fact, it is the only store bought rinse-out conditioner that I can leave in my hair, period. All other store-bought conditioners harden into a dry, flaky mess if left in my hair.

Whether I leave it in or rinse it out, I use this conditioner every time I wash my hair. It layers quite nicely with other conditioners, oils and butters when I do deep conditioning treatments. I can also use this conditioner to make an intensely moisturizing homeade spritz (equal parts distilled water, vegetable glycerin, and Moisture Maniac). Part of the effectiveness of Moisture Maniac is the Behentrimonium Methosulfate, which I have started seeking out as a highly desirable conditioning ingredient.

The 750 ml bottle of Moisture Maniac is regularly $22 but they are currently on sale at Ulta for $9.99! I just stocked up on 6 bottles today. (Don't judge me...it is a really good deal!)

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Cetyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Acetamide MEA, Cetrimonium Bromide, Stearyl Alcohol, Parfum/Fragrance (Fragrance), DMDM Hydantoin, PPG 2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Pentaerythrityl Tetracaprylate/Tetracaprate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Silk Amino Acids, Orange 4 (CI 15510)

Peajai's Plus-size Fashion Picks: Flip Flop and You Don't Stop

Britney Flip-Flop, avenue.com

My size 11's love summer because it means my toes can finally be free and flip-flops are the next best thing to being shoeless. I got these flip-flops at $1 sale at The Avenue a few weeks ago. The price is now $8.90 but still an excellent deal for the most comfortable flip-flops I have ever owned. The bottoms are a perfect 1" thickness that just feel like foam happiness on my feet.

I spent my entire Independence Day weekend in a couple of pairs of these flip-flops and come Monday morning my feet just did not want to be contained. So I wore them to work too. My toes were painted so I dont think anyone was offended.

My Michael Jackson Favorites

My favorite MJ song, Lady in my Life.



My favorite MJ videos, Remember the Time



and You Rock my World.