Styling Tip: Steam Rollers

At the Bobcats game

On Monday, hubby and I attended the first Bobcats game of the season. We went horseback riding a few hours before the game, so I had about one hour to get ready (i.e. shower and style my hair). If you are short on time or only have a few steam rollers, here is a great way to get fabulous results with only six steam rollers. 

Top 5 Posts of 2011

With the year coming to an end, here is a look back at the most popular posts in 2011.

1. Winter Wig Regimen
2. Natural Detangler: Aloe Vera Juice
3. Natural to relaxed and back to natural!
4. Natural Hair Styles in Jamaica
5. Splitting with Split Ends

What was your favorite post in 2011? 

Product Review: Argan (Moroccan) Oil

When I washed my hair this weekend, I tried this free sample of Redken Argan Oil that I got from Beauty Brands. This was my first time using Argan Oil.

Follow Up - I Untwisted My Hair!

All made up for church! Probably my first post with makeup.

So, a few things I learned as a result of that last hairstyle.

1. Humidity ain't no joke, son! Granted, the heat protectant I used claimed a 24 hour humidity free style, but I got much less than that out of it. So my hair started to puff up immediately.

An Un-Curly Christmas

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! Although I planned to wear my hair curly, things didn't work out that way. I flat ironed my hair on Christmas morning and did pin curls. 

Argan (Moroccan) Oil

I just went to Beauty Brands to use a gift card and they gave me this sample Argan (Moroccan) Oil from Redken. I'm about to wash my hair, so I decided to use it as a pre-shampoo treatment. I will keep you posted.

I actually got a sample from another brand but never used it.

Have you used Argan oil? How did it turn out?

High Bun Day

My office closed for the holidays today, so I went to have lunch with hubby at his office. Here's how I wore my hair today. I threw on a red jacket to show some Christmas cheer.

I Have Split Ends

Click to enlarge

No matter how healthy your hair or your hair habits, split ends are a reality of most people with relaxed and natural hair. It has been several months since I've done a "Search and destroy" for split ends. So when I washed my hair this past weekend, I decided it was a good time to trim my split ends. 

December Update

Christmas tree shopping!

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the impromptu hiatus. It has been a very busy month with the holidays, work, my book, etc. So here are some pictures of what I've been doing the past few weeks (with pics of my hair of course). 

My Stylist, My Inspiration

Here is a recent video that my stylist Reniece posted about her hair journey. I was brought to tears when I watched this, honestly. She has been such an inspiration to me over the years. Especially at the beginning of my hair journey when I needed it the most.

Ah, The Power of Gel

... and strategic curl clumping. For Thanksgiving, I wore my hair down and used gel to define my curls. I will post details on the products I used to create this style soon. So my fellow naturals, how did you wear your hair on Thanksgiving day?

Preserving my Style Under my Hat

One reservation that most of us have about wearing a hat during the winter is the threat to our hair style. No one wants to remove their hat and reveal helmet hair. 

It's Hat Time!

I love wearing hats and now that the temperature is in the low 30s, it's time to break out the hats. This is the silk lined hat that I wore today. I briefly wore my hair down but quickly made a bun and tucked all my hair under the hat for added protection.

What's your favorite winter hat?

Thanksgiving Style - Faux Bangs Tutorial

Before

After

Here's the recap with tons of pictures on how I styled my hair with faux bangs this Thanksgiving. (Excuse my blank stare in the "After" picture LOL I was getting tired of taking pictures and ready to go eat...that's my "I'm hungry" face).

Thanksgiving Style Preview

I took down my Bantu knots and used my faux bangs to style my hair today. MsNastassja wore her hair down and used gel to define her curls.

I took several pictures while styling the bangs so I will post a tutorial tomorrow.

How did you wear your hair today?

Throwback Hair Picture: Braid Out

Here's a picture of my braid out in August 2008. This was taken one month before my stylist induced setback. My hair had a blunt cut and was mid back length. I'm still trying to get my hair back to this thickness. This was my regimen during that time:

MsNastassja's Hair Today

I just took a quick picture MsNastassja's hair. She used gel to style her hair and promised to write a post about it later.
I will be ambushing her and taking pics of her hair all week.

Style Tip: Bantu Knot Out

Hubby and I are on vacation this week and I plan to wear a Bantu knot out during the week. Here's a tip for a natural looking style:

Advanced Tension Blow Dry Method

Before

When I washed my hair yesterday, I decided to use a paddle brush and blow dryer concentrator attachment to do the tension blow dry method. Using the paddle brush is "advanced" because there is an increased chance for breakage and tangling if too much tension is applied.

After

Pre-Shampoo Steam Treatment

My wrist finally felt well enough for me to wash my hair. If you were counting, that means I went 3 weeks without washing my hair. Needless to say, my scalp was icky.

Although I've been using the Neutrogena T-Sal Shampoo as needed to remove and prevent scalp build-up, I was pretty confident that even this amount of scalp build-up would require more scrubbing that I'm comfy with to get a clean debris-free scalp.

Professional vs. Drugstore Hair Dryers

Image Source

I'm considering getting a professional hair dryer. The Revlon hair dryer I have now is great, but it is not as powerful as a professional brand. I bought mine at Walmart several years ago for less than $30. The hair dryer that I'm considering is made by Sedu and retails for $159.

Heating Things Up (sort of)

Well, I did it.

I straightened my hair.

See, what had happened was... I was getting very frustrated with the length of my hair. With shrinkage, you can't even tell the difference in the length between now and maybe 2 years ago. At least that's how it seems (I can probably dig up some pictures later). So I thought that perhaps the solution to this was to hack it all off. Some begged me not to, others threatened bodily harm if I did. Ms Kibibi said regardless of what I did, I must write a post about it...and include lots and lots of pictures of course.

My Inadvertent "Bangs"

It occurred to me at my last relaxer that the front pieces of my hair were significantly shorter than the rest of my hair. I wasn't sure why, but then I realized the cause this past week.

Injured Wrist + Dirty Hair = I Need a Local Stylist

My wrist is still very sore, and doing simple things like turning the doorknob is painful. During times like this, I wish I had a local stylist. I haven't had much luck finding a local stylist. The first stylist gave me a setback in one visit. The second stylist did a great job with my wash and blow dry/flat iron, but then decided that my hair was too much for her to handle.  

Now that my hair desperately needs to be washed, and I'm in no position to wield a blow dryer or flat iron, I'm considering going to a stylist. 

Free Shipping from HatSoMe!

Image Source

I love silk lined hats and scarves for the winter. They are a great way to protect your hair and stay warm. The challenge is finding fashionable silk lined items. Well HatSoMe has a new collection with several new items that are very chic.

New Addition to my Regimen

I picked up another bottle of my liquid multi vitamins, and decided to get a liquid vitamin b complex. I used this brand a few years ago and I'm not sure why I stopped taking it. I like it because it taste like raisins and it gives me a boost of energy.

Winter Regimen Prep

Wig I wore last winter

The weather has been tolerable for us, especially considering that DC and NY has been plummeted by snow. Alas, the pleasant weather isn't going to last for long. We are expecting snow this week. So I need to start finalizing my winter regimen.

Hair Care on the Go

This weekend, hubby and I attended a beautiful wedding a few hours from where we live. The wedding was on Saturday and we drove up on Friday night. Unfortunately, my hair was a mess from riding on Thursday, and I didn't have time to wash it before we left. So I washed my hair at the hotel.

Growing Grey

I have a confession... I have grey hair. There. I said it. (I thought confessions were supposed to make you feel better).

Coming to a Book Store Near You...

I'm so excited about the progress I've made with my hair book. I got the final edits from my Editor and am working towards finding a publisher. This has been a labor of love and I'm elated about sharing it with you all. This book will help everyone - newbies and fellow hair "gurus" alike - with their own hair journey.

My Morning Hair Routine

New Apparel!

You asked for it and so here it is. The most popular hair-inspired designs are now available in a camisole tank top! Visit the store now to order your own shirt.

As always, Kibibi Hair appreciates your support.

Relaxer Results (Video)

Night on the Town

I went out with a few friends last night and this is how I wore my hair.

Relaxer Results Preview

After 1" cut, ends "bumped" under

Relaxer day went great. I did cut 1" because my ends looked thinner that I liked. This probably means that I won't make waist length by the end of the year, but we will see. 

Countdown to My Relaxer: 16 Weeks Post

This has been my longest stretch and things went surprisingly well.  I'm super excited to see how much length I've retained, and I hope that my ends don't need anything more than a light dusting. For my new readers, here's a recap of what I do the week leading up to my relaxer.

Ion Heat Protectant: Upcoming Review

Last week, I went to Sally's to buy some hair pins and renewed my Sally's membership card. As a gift for renewing my membership, I got a free heat protectant.

The sales woman offered me two options: Ion Straightening Solutions Heat Protectant or Silk Elements MegaSilk Heat Protectant.

Back to the Future!

I moved last week and we didn't have internet until today. One week without internet felt like living in 1999 all over again. So now I'm "back to the future" and posting will resume as normal. 

How To: Curlformers (Video)

Click below to order the Curlformers that I used in the video.

20 Minutes Hair Style Recap

On Friday, my hubby and I attended a special prom for teens with terminal cancer. It was an amazing event complete with police escorted limos, red carpet with "paparazzi" photographers, and of course the crowning of the king and queen. I cried a few times during the night just seeing them enjoy themselves. It was a very humbling and touching experience.

Here is a recap on how I styled my hair in 20 minutes.

Before and After: 20 Minutes Hair Style

Before

Here's a quick preview of the hair style I wore yesterday. I did a bantu knot out on Thursday night, but got caught in the rain on Friday. So the "Before" picture is how my hair looked at the end of the day.

One Strand Twists

Hi everyone! I know it's been a while. Sorry!

So we had a three day weekend for labor day, so I decided to try something I'd never done before. I really had no idea what I was doing, but I think it turned out quite nicely.

Kibibi Hair Store Now on Facebook!

Exciting news: you can now access the Kibibi Hair Store and order your hair-inspired apparel directly on Facebook!

Simply click on the "Spreadshirt Shop" tab located in the left hand column, and you will access the store without leaving Facebook.

We appreciate your continued support!

My Hair Today

I did 4 bantu knots last night for a wavy hairstyle today. One great thing about doing bantu knots is that it camouflaged the fact that my hair was weighted down from me over moisturizing yesterday.

Stretching Update: 12 Weeks Post

I'm 12 weeks into my 16 weeks stretch and it has been an uneventful process so far. Uneventful is a good thing, because eventful usually means I had a setback.

Faux Bangs (Video)

I recorded this video back in August but just got around to editing and uploading it. I also recorded a Curlformers review/tutorial that I will edit and post this week.

I just checked and the bangs are now on sale for $12.99! I'm tempted to buy another one so I can get the textured look that I lost when I flat ironed it. Click below to buy the bang on Sally's website.

Previously, on Kibibi Hair...

Here is what we were blogging about this time last year...

1. How I Flat Iron (Video)
2. Roller Set Tutorial (Video)
3. The Missing Link
4. Having the Hair Blues

Seasonal Shedding

Shedding from last September

Hi everyone!

My apologies for the break between posts. I've been working on a few things for the book and career wise.  But I should be back to posting regularly after next week.

I've been experiencing increased shedding since about last week. You may recall that this time last year, I also had excess shedding, which as due in part to an allergic reaction to Mane n Tail Detangler and seasonal changes. Well, yesterday my sister-in-law asked me what she could use for excess shedding.

Reader Mail: How Do You Know Which Products Work?

Reader D.S. posed the following question on my Facebook page:


"I notice that you use a lot of different products. How do you know what works and what doesn't? Thanks!"

I have used numerous products over the course of my hair journey (almost 8 years now), but now I pretty much have my staple products because I know what works for me. However, I do try new products every few months to keep abreast of what's new and might benefit my readers.

Product Organization Tip

Before

When I travel with my hair products, I always put a plastic seal under the cap to prevent spills and just put them in a large ziplock bag. But eventually the products all topple over, and I end up having to "fish" for what I need.

My Emu Oil Mix

2.5oz of coconut oil

 In my last post, I shared that I recently bought a small bottle of emu oil. I decided to mix the emu oil with my coconut oil and use both oils on my scalp. Unlike essential oils (ex. peppermint oil), the emu oil can be used without being diluted. However, I diluted it because it is rather expensive compared to the other oils that I use. To recap, emu oil costs $5.75 per ounce, while coconut oil costs $1.09 per ounce.

Increased Hair Growth with Emu Oil

Emu oil is one product that I've read about for several years now, but never had a chance to try. It's purported benefits include being an anti-inflammatory, pain reliever, moisturizer, and anti-aging. For our purposes, I'm interested in its affect on hair growth rate.