We Moved!

Thank you for visit Kibibi Hair! Please visit the new KibibiHair.com group blog for women with relaxed and natural hair. You can also learn about my new book, The 5 Hair Archetypes, at 5HairArchetypes.com

Thanks For Your Support!

Thank you for showing your support and voting to help Kibibi Hair qualify for the Chase small business grant! We received more than enough votes and submitted the application before the deadline.

I Still Need Your Help!

We're half way there and only have 2 more days to go. Please show your support by taking 15 seconds to vote now. 

To vote, visit www.missionsmallbusiness.com, log in with your Facebook account, search for "Kibibi Hair" and click "Vote."  That's it! It literally takes 4 clicks.  


Thanks!

MsKibibi Needs Your Help

For the past couple of years, I've done my best to help my readers achieve their hair goals. Well now, I need your help in achieving one of my goals!

Please take 15 seconds to vote for Kibibi Hair to qualify in the Mission:Small Business grant. We need 250 votes to qualify and we currently have 42 votes. The deadline is June 30. 

To vote, visit www.missionsmallbusiness.com, log in with your Facebook account, search for "Kibibi Hair" and click "Vote."  That's it! It literally takes 4 clicks. 

As always, I appreciate your continued support.  

So, I Gave Myself a Haircut

A very unscientific length check

So I decided to cut my hair. I felt it was getting a little unruly and needed to be shaped up. Here are the pictures showing how I did it. 

Up To 73% Off on FHI Flat Iron

My apologies for not posting as frequently this month. My book is the the final stages of production and this project is the proverbial jealous mistress - it demands all of my time.

But I had to post about this awesome deal on the FHI Flat Iron. I personally use a Sedu, which I'm very happy with, but FHI is the brand that my stylist uses on my hair. 

To purchase, visit gma.fhiheat.com and use the promo code "GMA." 

Enjoy!

In My "Birthday Suit"

In case you missed it, yesterday I celebrated my 30th birthday. Hubby has several surprises for me, the first of which was a 1920s Casino Royale themed event. The only instruction I had was to dress up. Well, I decided to exercise some 'birthday girl' liberties and step outside of my comfort zone with my outfit choice. I might as well have been in my original birthday suit.

The End of an Era: My 'Roaring' 20s

Me and hubby at our law school graduation

I knew that I wanted to become an attorney since I was a freshman in high school. Law school was the most challenging time for me academically. But it was also the most rewarding. A hard earned "A" is much more satisfying that an easy "A." There were no easy grades in law school. I also started my hair journey when I started law school and graduated with my goal of full bra-strap length hair.

30 Things You Don't Know About Me (Part 3)

Me and hubby riding on the beach at Kiawah Island last weekend

You can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

1. I don't eat ice cream in the winter. My husband thinks its strange but if its cold outside I'm not eating ice cream.
2. I've been using eye cream since I turned 18. I'm not taking any chances, even if "Black doesn't crack."

My 'Terrible' Teens

Me, MsNastassja, our parents and our dad's high top hair cut (Miami)

In a recent post, I shared about the first decade of my life growing up in Jamaica. Now I’ll share about my t’ween and teen years.

It's My Birthday!

Me at my birthday party

I'm so excited that today is my birthday. I have plenty to be thankful for and look forward to during this next chapter in my life. My hubby has a weekend of surprises planned for me and I will tweet about them as they happen.

This has been a very busy month with my book, so I haven't been posting as much (Sorry). I didn't forget about my promise to share more about my life. I will post a few times today, so I can finish up during my birthday month.

Happy Birthday to my fellow May babies and Geminis!

30 Things You Don't Know About Me (Part 2)

At my friend's surprise birthday party, a few weeks ago.

You can read Part 1 here.

1. I'm a procrastinator. I try to convince myself that I work best under pressure (which is true), but the fact is it's usually self-induced pressure. 
2. My favorite color is green. I used to resist the fact that green was my favorite color because I always felt pressured to like pink. My birthstone is emerald and I remember not liking any emerald jewelry my parents gave me growing up. But now I've embraced it. 

My Hair Today

Me and hubby

...well technically yesterday.  My brother-in-law graduated from college yesterday (Woohoo!) and this is how I wore my hair. It's been two weeks since my relaxer and I have yet to wash my hair. I plan to wash it today after my riding lesson.

30 Things You Don't Know About Me (Part 1)

My outfit/packing chart

1. My favorite drink is grapefruit juice. We always have at least 6 cartons in the fridge and my husband is on a mission to find another human being who likes (let alone loves) it as much as I do. I drink grapefruit juice with everything - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 
2. I make charts for my outfits when I travel. I hate to overpack (or worse under-pack) so I use a chart to help me pack and plan my outfits for the entire trip. The photo above is from my trip to Jamaica in March.

My Life in Jamaica

Me as a toddler. I still have that stuffed dog toy.

In my last post, I shared that my 30th birthday is this month and I planned to celebrate by sharing more about myself with you. Well I figured the best way to do that would be in a three part series, with each series covering each decade of my life. So this first series will cover my life growing up in Jamaica.

30 in 30 Days!

Blowing out my candles at my 7th birthday party

My birthday is in 30 days and I'll be turning the big 3-0. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it yet LOL. I don't feel 'older' per se; I still feel like myself. [I just realized that the outfits we wore 23 years ago is now back in vogue (i.e. stripes and polka dots)].

My Hair Today

I'm keeping it pretty simple today and just wearing my hair down. The pin straight look isn't going to last long though because I like lots of body. So I will likely add some curls in a couples of days.

I'm tempted to get a set of hot rollers. I love my steam rollers but I think the hot rollers might be faster to install. If you own both, which do you prefer?

My First Dressage Show!

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you already know that I went to my first Dressage show this weekend! I had an amazing experience and actually came in 4th place (out of 7 riders) for my test. Here is the video from my ride.

Tip of The Week: Wash Day Detangling

13 weeks post relaxer

To help reduce tangling on wash day, I wash my hair in braids. Normally, I do 8 braids total. However, during this long stretch (and with skipping wash day last week), I needed more control of my roots while detangling to minimize breakage.

Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave...

When we decide to skip wash day at 12 weeks post relaxer.

The past two weeks have been extra busy with the book tasks and my first riding show. So I decided to skip wash day last week in part because I was simply exhausted. My relaxer appointment is on Saturday, so I must wash my hair today.

I've been wearing my hair in a low bun (for riding) and haven't detangled my hair in far too long. The combination of loose shed hair and my thick roots are a formula for disaster. Fortunately, I've been able to avoid a setback by doing the following:

How To: Janelle Monae Style

I created this style without watching a tutorial. I spent more time figuring out how to create the style, than I did actually styling my hair. Here is the secret to how I did it.

Janelle Monae Inspired Hair Style

Hi everyone. I know it's been a while. Well, last night we had our school prom and I decided to attempt to recreate Janelle Monae's gorgeous updo. Mine didn't turn out quite like hers, because instead of watching a tutorial on how to do it, I just made it up myself. I think it turned out nicely, though, and I got compliments on it all night!

How to Add New Products to Your Regimen

New product I plan to try

We all love the thrill of trying new products. The promise of using something innovative that could potentially deliver soft, manageable, shiny hair is alluring. Well before you slather your strands with that promising new product, take the following steps to ensure you have a successful experience.

Tip of the Week: Swimming

Jamaica, 2011

Now that the weather is warming up, we will all be hitting the beach and pool soon. Whether your hair is natural or relaxed, you can enjoy the water without worrying about your hair. Here are some tips for minimizing any potential damage from swimming:

My Newest Hair Fascinator

I love hair fascinators and wish I could wear them more often. Sadly, such hair accessories are frowned upon in a corporate work environment. I bought this fascinator to wear to my grandmother's funeral this past weekend. I'm not sure what the age is when women can start wearing hats to church, so I opted for a veiled fascinator.

Product Review: Pretty AnntoiNet's Silk Hair Lingerie

A few weeks ago, I misplaced my silk hair bonnet. I think its in the house, but I can't find it (although I fear I may have inadvertently thrown it away). The website I bought my old bonnet from years ago went out of business. So I ordered a new bonnet from www.prettyanntoinets.com.

Kinky Hair Pride!

MsNastassja and I were in Jamaica last week for our paternal grandmother's funeral. It was a bitter sweet trip, but I'm happy we both got to spend quality time and reconnect with our family.

She wore her Kinky Hair Grows shirt and reenacted one of her favorite childhood poses in front of our house. We took lots of pictures and I'll be posting them soon.

Party Pics Preview

I'm heading out to MsNastassja's engagement party and I snapped this quick picture of my hair. I used Caruso rollers to create the style.   

MsNastassja's Hair Today

We just picked up my favorite sister from the airport. This is how she wore her hair. I will be taking ambush pictures of her hair all weekend.

When "Life" Gets in the Way

Hi friends!

Gosh, I've missed you guys. It's been way too long since my last post. What have I been up to you ask? In two words: a lot.

My Book. The book is coming along splendidly. I had to find another Copy Editor because the first one I planned to used was no longer a viable option. But everything happens for a reason and I'm practicing patience with the writing process. The release date will still be this summer.

My Hair. I've been wearing my wig for the past six weeks and I'm loving the freedom from having to style my hair everyday. I'm also loving that I don't have to wash my hair every weekend. My scalp has been behaving well enough that I can successfully wash the leave-out hair only and not experience itching.

This weekend is the first time that I've worn my real hair out. I'm down in Florida for MsNastassja's engagement party and didn't want to risk feeling hot. It is great being able to rub my scalp, but I got used to not worrying about the wig LOL. I have to actively remind myself about cotton and handbags straps with my real hair.

So how about I lost my silk hair bonnet. I took it off when hubby got home one day, and can't remember where I put it. It's in the house, but its been two weeks since I've misplaced it, so I'm going to order another one this week. Any website suggestions of where to buy a 100% silk bonnet? The website I used back in 2008 is sadly out-of-business now.

My Life. Life has been good, but busy. I was sick for about one month with a horrible cold. I've taken up yoga at the suggestion of my horseback riding instructor. My wig is actually comfy enough for me to wear during yoga. I'm planning to enter my first riding competition next month. Work is work; not as much fun as my book LOL.

So what have you been up to these past few weeks?

Wig Care Routine

Wigs, weaves and extensions in general need the same TLC (tender loving care) that your real hair does. Why? Because just like your real hair, the extension hair is prone to damage and needs to be repaired/replenished in order to continue looking fabulous.

New Video! Update - Relaxer, Wig, and Hair Book

Product Review: Nature's Therapy Mega Moisture Conditioner

A few weeks ago, I used this conditioner to co-wash my hair. My mom used this in my hair when I was in high school and it was great. Back then, my hair was relaxed bone-straight and the conditioner made my hair super soft. I was interested to see how my texlaxed hair would respond to it.

"My" Hair Today

I washed Jorjayna yesterday and set with curlformers. This is how it turned out.

Wig Wash Day Routine

I'm trying a new technique for my wig wash-day routine. Normally I would remove all of the cornrows and wash my hair every weekend. Well my scalp is actually doing pretty well right now, no itchiness or flaking. So I decided to see if I can go two weeks between washing my hair. 

Swig Cap (100% Silk Wig Cap)

I ordered the Swig Cap last week and was so excited when it arrived in the mail yesterday. It's 100% silk and has a good amount of room in the cap. 

"My" Hair Today

My winter wig regimen is in full swing! Here is how it looks today.

I keep forgetting it's a wig and try to rub my scalp lol. I hardly feel it on my head.

What do you think?

Wig Prep Results

Bantu knot - Dry set / wet set

In my last post, I shared how I did an experiment with a dry and wet set on my winter wig. I let the wig air dry and then removed the bantu knots and curlformers.

Winter Wig Prep

I know many of you have been patiently waiting for me to implement my winter wig regimen (Thanks for being so patient!). Well you may already know that the "trigger" (so to speak) for me to wear my wig is snow. Well guess what? It still hasn't snowed here (And "they" say global warming isn't real).

My Hair Today

I snapped these pictures today while at the office. The cell phone reception in the building is shaky, so I wasn't able to post them in real time. Today has been a long day, and I prefer to look fresh for my videos (rather than exhausted lol). So I'm hoping to record my relaxer update video this weekend.

Relaxer Preview Video

Relaxer Prep - The Night Before

If you follow me on Twitter (@kibibihair) then you already know that I am in DC to get my relaxer done.
To prep for my relaxer, I used the following products and techniques.

Shea, Oh Shea [Butter]!

I love shea butter for the wintertime. It is thick and heavy, which is perfect for sealing in my moisturizer. I completely forgot that I had some pure shea butter that I bought from coastalscents.com a couple of years ago. It occurred to me this week that it was still packed in a box. So I unpacked it and proceeded to slather it all over my hair and newgrowth.

Puffs of Rage!

This was how I wore my hair this week. I let my hair dry in a fro, then to sleep I pulled it into two puffs towards the top of my head so they don't get tangled from being slept on. The only product I have in it is "Curl Creme Brule" by Curls. That is also what I've been refreshing my hair with each morning.

You're never too old for some "Puffs of rage"! Do you wear afro puffs?

Are 'New & Improved' Products Better?

New Affirm Relaxer

Presumptively, yes. Automatically, no. Granted, improvements in chemistry/technology and the addition of new (and hopefully) better quality ingredients can lead to wonderful products that perform miracles for your hair.

However, It is possible that your favorite product will stop giving you the same results after the "improvements." Any change to the product formula means there will be a change in how it works on your hair. With that in mind, you can imagine my chagrin when my relaxer was recently revamped.

Relaxer in T Minus 7 Days!

11 weeks of newgrowth, I will relax at 14 weeks

If you follow me on Twitter, then you already know that I got extremely sick this past week. I'm not back to 100% yet, but I am feeling much better.

My relaxer is next week Saturday and I'm beyond excited. I will find out whether I made waist length in 2011. Now I know this is 2012, but since I only do length checks after each relaxer I had to wait.

Lessons from this Relaxer Stretch

11 weeks of newgrowth

After each relaxer stretch, I learn something new about my hair and how best to retain length. The lesson I learned from my last stretch was that 14 weeks is my absolute max. Anything beyond 14 weeks and I run the risk of damaging my hair with excessive manipulation as I try to achieve a half-way attractive hairstyle. The last two weeks between week 14 and week 16 of my stretch made enough of a difference that I had to trim my hair at my last relaxer.

I'm on Twitter!

Please click here to follow me on the Kibibi Hair Twitter page. 

I was up until 4am designing my page and I'm excited about having a more up-to-the-minute dialogue with you. Woohoo! 

New Year's Eve Style Recap (lots of pictures)

As promised, here's a recap of my New Year's Eve style. 

I Co-Washed!

Breakage and shedding after air-dry mishap

On Tuesday, I shared about my air-dry bantu knot malfunction. Well last night I sprayed my hair with aloe vera juice, gently detangled and twisted my hair to go to bed. I experienced more breakage than I'm comfortable with along with normal shedding.

So, I Had a Bad Hair Day

Yesterday, I washed my hair and then let it air dry in bantu knots. I had the best intentions to lightly blow dry and flat iron it in the morning before I went to the office. Well, I woke up and started working on the KibibiHair Twitter account (more details to come) and that took longer than I expected.

When I got around to styling my hair, this is how it turned out. Now I remember why I don't like to air dry in bantu knots, especially this far into my stretch. Sigh.