haircuts!

finally, the man got a haircut (given by moi)! we decided to make a day of it and he gave the munchkin her first trim as well.

the man's hair

the munchkin- pre hair trim

daddy did a great job!

the munchkin- post hair trim

product review and perfect curl technique: kinky curly spiral spritz

i took a trip to whole foods and of course, made a bee line to the kinky curly products. ive been wanting to try the kinky curly spiral spritz for some time, so i bought some. this is the product description according to the website (www.kinky-curly.com):


The perfect styling product for individuals with fine or wavy hair types.

SPIRAL SPRITZ is a wonderful natural alternative to silicone serums.

This lightweight Aloe based spray is made of all natural ingredients and contains
vitamin B-5 to add moisture to your hair and completely eliminate frizz!

Can be used to style wet or dry wavy hair and provides a flexible hold..

Works great to smooth, moisturize and re-fresh 2nd day hair and remove frizz on all
hair types.

**TIP - Use SPIRAL SPRITZ TM to reactivate your style when you do not wish to re-wet and re-style your hair with the Curling Custard TM. Spray lightly when using to refresh your style. A little goes a long way!

the first time i tried it i detangled/brushed out baby girl's dry hair. i sprayed the spiral spritz in my hands, smoothed it onto her hair and then combed to reclump her curls. fail. it looked like a bird's nest.

on my second attempt i wet her hair and added her leave in, then i smoothed on the spiral spritz like i did the first time. the result was beautiful ringlets with a gentle hold (which ive been looking for).




id compare it to a gel, rather than a hair refresher or spritz of any kind. its great for anybody who is looking for definition, frizz busting, and hold. i havent the foggiest idea on how to use this stuff on dry hair, but if i figure it out, i'll definitely report back. despite that, i still like this product. kinky curly has done it again!

long time, no see!

not much has been going on with me and my hair. im still in the process of growing it back out to BSL (bra strap length) and i can proudly say that ive stayed away from any random haircuts. and we all know thats a huge accomplishment for me!

ive started using gel again, just to switch up my look. my hair doesnt look too much different with or without gel, but using it does give me a tiny bit less shrinkage and a bit more control. in general, ive started using a bit more product in my hair. i had just been using elucence mb conditioner + castor oil. i would just mix the two in my hands and rake it through my hair. most recently ive been using the same conditioner and oil, but ive been adding a bit of veggie glycerine to that mixture. its been raining ALOT recently, so i figured it would be a great time to use glycerine. after i mix the conditioner oil and glycerine, id apply my gel. ive been shingling the products through--first the conditioner/oil/glycerine and then the gel. all in all, it still takes me less than 10 minutes to do my hair, but by the end of the day i still have a controlled look. at night if i go out, i can fluff my hair to get the volume i like, without frizz or humidity being an issue. here are some recent hair pics:







the first and third photo are at a packed club. without gel, my hair would just be a shrunken poof. i constantly had my hands in my hair and it looked that good thanks to good ol' fantasia ic gel w/ sparkelites.




moving on to the munchkin. i flat ironed her hair (bad mommy) just to get an idea of how long it was. she looks just like a geico caveman with straight hair, so thank God her curls finally came in (she was born with straight hair and didnt get curls until late in her infancy). as you can see in the pics, i didnt try to get her hair bone straight. just one swipe of the flat iron. i did it right before she went to bed and then i wet her hair first thing in the morning. i love her curls!





the munchkin stumbled across a great hair moment as seen in these pics:




i had given her a bath and used burts bees super shiny conditioner as her rinse out. then on her towel dried hair, i applied herbal essences long term relationship leave in split end protector for long hair and combed it through. she ran off to jump on our bed, took a nap, and then woke up with this gorgeous hair. the long term relationship leave in is something i use in her hair once a week. i use it sparingly because it makes her hair feel product-y and stiff if i use too much. i like for her hair to move, so i prefer to use only a small amount.



i think thats all thats been going on with our hair recently. i am considering coloring my hair again. i have a gift card to a local salon and spa so im deciding whether or not im just going to go for color or use it to try some ojon products. either way, i'll keep you posted!

ponytails

ive said it a million times an dim going to say it once more: i suck at hair styling and further more, i dont like it even if i were good at it. but i wanted to spice up the munchkin's ponytails. so i did brigitte bardot inspired side pony (deep side part, teased a bit at the crown for a bit of height). simple. age appropriate. super cute.




i love this look on wavy/loosely curled hair.




for the second twist on a regular pony, i just wrapped a small section of hair around her ponytail and bobby pinned it in place. it looks twice as cute when done on pigtails!

product review: mixed chicks leave in conditioner/styling cream

a while back i posted an email i received from an acquaintence singing the praises of the mixed chicks product line (http://subbrock.blogspot.com/2009/04/mixed-chicks-products-testimonial.html). now im not trying to knock anyone's hustle, but the major thing that turned me off from the mixed chicks line in general is their marketing strategy. i personally feel like theyre capitalizing on mothers (white mothers in particular) of bi/multiracial children with curly hair. but i guess thats a-whole-nother issue...

i had the opportunity to sample their shampoo, leave in, and deep conditioner but i decided to go only with the leave in (the shampoo has SLS). i tried it on both myself and the munchkin.
pros:
- it smells yummy
- it has an element of hold to it
- left munchkins hair shiny and frizz free
- definitely gave our hair some bling (munchkin had blinging curls that lasted all day. mine were blinging at first but once my hair dried 100% no bling)
- depending on where you live, you can get it locally

cons:
- hate their percieved marketing strategy
- the ingredients are definitely not CG friendly. the shampoo has SLS, and both conditioners contain non water soluable silicones. the leave in has emulsifying wax (my hair hates waxes) and multiple parabens. many chemicals ive never heard of are listed in ingredients.

baby girl's hair styled with leave in + curl keeper:



my hair styled with only the leave in (no oils or gels added). i used my modified braid out technique (http://public.fotki.com/subbrock/2009/winter/pony112.html)to style instead of my usualy wash n go.





you can get mixed chicks products at www.mixedchicks.net (check their store/salon locator to see if they have a retailer near you) or www.curlmart.com

product review: herbal essences none of your frizzness smoothing leave in creme

the little one and i went to the beach and i realized that i had left her/the man's leave in (generic paul mitchell the conditioner) at home. so i was forced to buy something (anything!) from the grocery store. i decided upon herbal essences none of your frizzness smoothing leave in creme.

pros:
- cheap
- love the smell
- leaves her hair very soft
- lightweight

cons:
- the ingredients. it contains dimethicone (im not opposed to this silicone)and its no where near natural. most of the ingredients are chemicals ive never heard of. also, it contains 5 different alcohols.

im still on the fence about this one. like i mentioned before, it left her hair extra soft even after full days of swimming in the salty ocean water and chlorinated pool water. but im worried that over time, the silicone and alcohols will leave her with a hair disaster. im going to finish this bottle and possibly repurchase one more time before i give it my seal of approval/disapproval for the munchkin. my hair gave it a seal of disapproval. too light to be effective on my dry 3c coils.

here is her hair with the none of your frizzness leave in + curl keeper:


the pics are kind of crappy but i wanted readers to note (a) the lack of frizz, despite the fact that we're at the beach and (b) the bling aka how shiny her hair is.

link to product info: http://www.herbalessences.com/us/collections/none_of_your_frizzness/creme.jsp

product review: burt's bees super shiny conditioner

ive tried burt's bees conditioners on my 3c curls and in general, theyre too light to do much for my hair. but ive been on a quest to find great products locally, so i decided to revisit burt's bees for my daughter's 3a/b curls.

ultimately, i went with their super shiny grapefruit & sugar beet conditioner because it does not contain protein.
pros:
- relatively inexpensive
- can be purchased locally
- natural/CG friendly ingredients
- leaves the munchkin's hair unbelievably soft
- good for co-washing

cons:
- doesnt "melt" tangles away
- not heavy enough on its own to tame frizz

im not in love with it, but i dont hate it either. if youre still experimenting with products, its deinitely worth a try.
here is a pic of baby girl's hair using the super shiny conditioner:



for more info, check out this link to the product info at burtsbees.com: http://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/hair-conditioners/super-shiny-grapefruit-sugar-beet-conditioner.html

fotki update

laziest blogger ever checking in :)

i added some new pics of my hair (as well as the munchkin and the man) to my fotki. check it out....

http://public.fotki.com/subbrock/

perfect curl products: standing the test of time

ive stated before that im not a product junkie (at least i think i have) and the main reason that im not a pj is because i use products that stand the test of time. i might tweak my routine a bit every so often, but ive seriously been using the same products for years. and the ones ive just fallen in love with keep on working their magic!

generic paul mitchell the conditioner- as far as ive been concerned, this has been the man's product. i dont mess with it and it doesnt mess with me. well, we were running low on my beloved elucence moisture balancing conditioner and i decided to give old paul mitchell a go. i mixed it with some castor oil and applied it to my hair as usual and i was pleasantly surprised at how well my hair held up. soft, moisturized, but light.


baby girl is also running low on california baby calming conditioner and is completely out of kinky curly knot today so i desperately needed to use something as her leave in. i gave the paul mitchell a try and it made her 3a ringlets sooooooooo soft. like buttah. this may be one of her new staple products.

its a great price and you can buy it at sally's. woot woot!

castor oil- castor oil can do no wrong as far as im concerned. if youre working with 3c/4a/4b/cnapp hair and havent tried castor oil thus far, what are you waiting for????? one of the beautiful ladies at naturallycurly.com started this thread after my recommendation: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/showthread.php?t=80691 thank you SBB for the shout out.


curly hair solutions curl keeper- looser haired curlies, if you havent tried curl keeper yet, what are YOU waiting for???? :) this is an HG product for about a blabillion wavies/curlies. type 2s/3a/3b please try this stuff if you havent already! and tighter curlies, it wont kill you to give it a whirl either. curl keeper is my daughter's HG product. if youve read any review ive written about this stuff, i always mention how you can revive and refresh the product by rewetting the hair. well this is a pic of my daughter's 2nd day hair:

oh yeah. 2nd day hair on a two year old. and id like to mention that this is her hair as shes playing in a tent that is misting water. humidity is no match for curl keeper (thats because glycerine is one of its ingredients)! i gave her a bath the night before and put in a leave in + curl keeper and the next morning i spritzed it with detangling spray to get the rouge tangles out and voila--gorgeous curls.

ouidad climate control gel- i love this stuff. and foxycus is enjoying it too: http://www.naturallycurly.com/curltalk/showthread.php?t=80565

more celebrity curls i love

two words: laurie berkner


if you have a little one or have had a little one in recent years, i probably dont have much explaining to do. and if you do have a rugrat, you probably feel like youre going to gouge your eyes out if you hear the song "googlehead" one more time as well...or is that just me? :) seriously though, laurie berkner and her band a great for small kids. and while my daughter is bouncing around to the music, im mesmerized by her wonderful hair. i cant help it---i love curls!


i found this pic of her on her website http://www.laurieberkner.com/ told you her hair was awesome....

subbrock hair pics

here are some pics of my hair as well as the munchkin's that i just uploaded to the fotki.



http://public.fotki.com/subbrock/2009/summer/



http://public.fotki.com/subbrock/2009/baby-curls/

summertime product!

summer is almost here! i usually dont switch up my routine or products much with the exception of something to protect my hair from the sun. in the past i had used redken's uv rescue. they had an awesome oil spray. but to my dismay, the uv rescue line has been discontinued. *sad face*



last year i used ouidad's sun sheild leave in conditioner for myself and for the little one. here is the product description from the website (http://www.ouidad.com/Sun-Shield-SprayIn-Beach-Conditioner):

The sun is not only dangerous to your skin but it can also wreak havoc on your hair—causing its color to turn or fade and drying out already thirsty curls. Sun Shield/Beach Pool Spray from Ouidad protects against sun damage with effective UVA/UVB blockers, which form an invisible breathable shield to lock out the elements. Spray on prior to sun exposure and any time by the pool or beach when you want to create softer, smoother, shinier curls.

Also effective against damaging environmental factors like wind, salt and chlorine, Sun Shield’s blend of special proteins and amino acids seal in moisture and nourish hair while shielding from overexposure to the drying and stiffening elements common to outdoor activity. Now you can love being outside and love your curls!

i'm a fan and i will be repurchasing. so if youre looking for something to protect your curls from all that summer fun you'll be having, give it a try.

product review: jane carter solution, devacurl, lush

like many curlies, im constantly on the quest for even better products than what i already have. in general, im disappointed with my new finds and realize that elucence moisture balancing conditioner is truly my HG (holy grail) product. but that never seems to stop me from trying. here are a few things ive tried recently:



jane carter solution twist and lock

product description: This lock cream will help to re-moisturize your locks while adding shine to your hair. If you twist or lock your hair, this product was created for you. Once you use it, you will wonder why you haven't been using it all along. No longer do you need to use bee's wax or that gooey brown gel. Twist and Lock is made with natural butters for shine and a light polymer for hold. Mix with Nourish & Shine for best results. Twist & Lock does not flake or leave residue. It does not attract dirt and dust and it rinses water clean.


my experience: i dont like it. i initially bought this product because i was looking for a daily moisturizer i could use on my dry (as in not wet) hair. granted i neither wear my hair in locs nor twists, but i figured the products wouldnt know. it didnt leave my hair noticeably shiny and it doesnt leave my hair feeling moisturized either. it does leave my hair feeling product-y. it also has a VERY strong herbal smell. i think it stinks. the best results i ever had with it were when i applied it to my damp hair. my hair did feel soft and moisturized once it dried. not sure if i should try to sell it, give it away, or chuck it out of the window while im driving to get another product. if anyone has any insight on how to make this product work for me, please let me know!

deva curl one condition

product description: It's all in one! This super-rich conditioner will keep the moisture level of hair and scalp balanced to perfection. One Condition restores, hydrates and neutralizes detergent and product residue with the fresh scent of lemongrass.

my experience: not completely sold. ive heard good things about this conditioner, so i decided to give it a try. as a conditioner, it doesnt really qquench my thirsty curls. but when i use it as a deep treatment, im fairly satisfied with my results. as i sit here now im using it as a dt. i melted a bit of honey, olive oil, veggie glycerine, and shea butter together in the microwave. then i added the one condition. while the mixture was still warm, i put it on my hair and then put on a plastic cap. i'll rinse it out in about 30 minutes. i did let the man try it out (coarse, thick, dry hair) and he said it left his hair feeling like straw too. ive used it on the munchkin and it works beautifully on her hair (fine strands, dryness isnt an issue for her). this conditioner does contain amodimethicone. so if youre on a strict CG hair diet, youre going to want to skip this product. i wont repurchase, but im not kicking myself for trying it out either.

lush seanick solid shampoo bar

product description: Orange blossom scented shampoo bar makes limp, lifeless hair buoyant. Don't let Seanik's compact size fool you. This little puck of joy buffs and shines like no liquid can. A couple of swipes worked up into a lather to moisturize the scalp, breathe life into the lifeless, and shine your hair like a champ. Economical and easy to use, Seanik's citrus and seaweed combo enriches and enlivens while its fragrance entices all who cross your path. Now proudly SLS-free.

my experience: ive used this shampoo for nearly a year on my daughter with wonderful results. its long lasting--im still on the same bar that i bought last july. its vegan. it does contain a sulfate, but its a gentle sulfate (sodium coco sulfate). for the first time i finally used it on myself and i had the same great results as my daughter: bouncy, shiny, soft, clean hair. very awesome. the closest luch store is about an hour away from me, but i like this shampoo so much id be willing to make the drive or pay for shipping. and that says ALOT since im not made of money!

cool hair video

im a big fan of short, easy, hair tutorials. this video is by trenell, who has awesome hair. its a how to showing a creative, yet simple spin on the ponytail. it would look great on any hair type (curly, wavy, kinky, straight) so give it a try!

not so perfect curls

most of the time people post pics of their decent to great hair days. i decided to switch things up a bit and show you our bad hair days. the reason being, is ive looked at tons and tons of pictures of people and said "wow, they have gorgeous hair" or "whoa, shes beautiful," thinking it wasnt something i could attain because my hair didnt look like that at the time. finding the right products and routine makes all the difference.

i'll start. this is my hair last weekened. i refused to detangle it for at least 3 days and wore it in a bun/ponytail the entire time because i didnt feel like dealing with it.




the man:
im not exactly sure what happened to his hair. maybe he fell asleep on the couch so he didnt have the beenfit of sleeping with his satin pillowcase.


the munchkin: the first pic is before i found products that actually enhanced her curls. back then i was just using detangling spray and no styler or leave in conditioner. the second pic is her morning hair. notice how the curls are still in tact, due to sleeping on satin.



just because you dont wake up with perfect curls, doesnt mean you cant attain them!

perfect curl products: kinky curly

my little girl had an awesome hair day using kinky curly knot today conditioner and kinky curly curling custard.

here are product descriptions of both products directly from the website (kinky-curly.com):

KNOT TODAY TM is a creamy herbal conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from thick curly textured hair.After washing hair, apply KNOT TODAY TM generously and work through troubled areas with a wide tooth comb.Can be used as a regular rinse out conditioner for wavy hair or as a leave-in for thicker curlier hair types.An excellent product to use after removing braids and extensions.**TIP- When using this product as a leave-in, apply in the shower and rinse with a little water to evenly distribute the conditioner.

CURLING CUSTARD TM gives moisture and curl definition, hold and brilliant shiny hair!You get Moisture + Hold + Shine in one product!An all in one product which will simplify the styling process!This high performance product is very concentrated so a little goes a long way. It reduces bulk, defines & elongates your curls helping them to 'hang' better. CURLING CUSTARD TM will bring out the natural curl or wave pattern you never knew you had!It is an advanced botanical formula made with ALL NATURAL ingredients that nourish and strengthen the hair.Utilizing the humectant properties of the Agave Nectar, CURLING CUSTARD TM will give weight to your hair, define your curls, remove frizz, provide long lasting hold and shine without ever being greasy, crunchy or drying to your hair..**TIP- This product is designed to work alone but ultimate curl definition and length can be achieved when used with KNOT TODAY TM as a leave in conditioner.For best results apply CURLING CUSTARD TM to soaking wet, freshly washed hair.For very kinky and tightly coiled hair use KNOT TODAY TM as a leave-in conditioner then apply CURLING CUSTARD TM to soaking wet hair in small sections. Smooth each section with fingers from root to tip.

ive never used knot today as a rinse out conditioner, and until i started typing this post, had no clue that you could even use it as a rinse out conditioner! ive always used it as a leave in for the munchkin and her 3a/b curls with great results, as you can see below. to achieve this look i started with clean wet hair and applied the knot today conditioner. i combed it through to make sure it was evenly distributed. next, i took a small dab of the curling custard (too much will make the hair crunchy) and rubbed it in my hands and raked it through her hair with my fingers only--no comb. then we air dried.

i got a little envious of my daughter's awesome hair day so i figured id give the knot today and curling custard a try. ive used the curling custard several years ago, and really liked it. but i never repurchased because i found fantasia ic gel w sparkelites (its cheaper and i felt like i had similar results).


for my 3c coils, i started with clean wet hair and raked the knot today through. no comb. then, i parted my hair in three sections, from ear to ear. starting at the bottom section, i raked the curling custard through with my fingers once again, and braided the section of hair. i did this until all 3 sectoins were braided. after about 5-10 minutes i released the braids. this modified braid out helps clump my curls together more. after unbraiding i usually shake my head a bit because i like fuller hair. i try not to touch it too much, if at all, because the hair is still wet and i dont want excess frizz. once my hair dried, i wasnt sure if i liked the results. i definietly need more moisture than what the knot today seems to be able to deliver. my hair felt kind of dry. in the past ive used the curling custard on top of a heavier conditoiner (elucence moisture balancing conditioner) and my hair didnt feel as dry. i was also pretty haphazard with my application because i wanted a more voluminous look, which i got. here are my results:










im going to revist the curling custard one last time to see if i can get the amazing results i had in years past, but i will say farewell to the knot today (for myself, not for my daughter). i would love to try the rest of the product line, but i'll have to save up my pennies before that happens :)

for those interested in purchasing kinky curly products, they can be bought online and in some whole foods stores. check the website to see who's selling it near you!

3A perfect curl combo

i used california baby calming conditioner and curly hair solutions curl keeper to get these perfect ringlets.

its taken me a while to get the hang of curl keeper, but with her hair type the keys to getting good results with it are raking it through her hair and to use it sparingly.

here is what i did:

-start with clean wet hair.

-apply california baby calming conditioner and comb through hair to make sure that it is evenly distributed.

-put a small amount of curl keeper in palm of hand and then rub hands together. rake the product through with fingers, not a comb or brush.

*ive found that when i use too much curl keeper and/or comb it through her hair, it makes her hair straight. with a fine haired curly, start off with an amount that looks like its not going to be enough so you dont weigh the hair down and prevent it from curling*

-air dry

why i like california baby calming conditioner:

- its all natural/good ingredients

-its rich enough to moisturize her hair without weighing it down.

-does double duty, it can be used as a regular wash out conditioner AND a leave in

-easily accessable and decent price. its available at target and other stores that sell natural products.

why i like curly hair solutions curl keeper:

- ingedients (no parabens, no protein, no silicone)

- good price

- combats the frizz without making her hair look like it has product in it

-great shine

-doesnt need to be reapplied daily. can be refreshed by spritzing with water, detangling spray, etc.

click here to buy curl keeper:http://www.curlmart.com/Curly-Hair-Solutions-Curl-Keeper-p-28.html