Plus-Size Gals Go Glam…
Posted on: August 10, 2011
Recently on my twitter page: @citygirlbeauty, I got contacted by ElleX Clothing. I was very interesting because I am a former model/hair model. It is always good to see our plus-sized beauties have affordable and stylish clothing for everyday and special occasions.
I believe the fashion industry is realzing that we are the future although, we have been here all along. Popular clothing lines like Igigi, DKNY, Svdoba, and New York and Company are expanding. I can’t leaving out the up and coming lines of Nakimuli, Jibri, and Joe Browns (UK).
I went surfing on ElleX Clothings website and saw alot of great pieces that could go great in your fall wardrobe. You can check out the preview of the fall collection on their site at http://www.shopellex.net and while you are there reserve some pieces for yourself, I know I will be.
Sew You In…
Posted on: July 18, 2011
Ah, the mighty sew-in is one of the go-to styles for natural and women that like minimal stress in their daily morning routine. I, for one do not appreciate spending like an hour on my hair even after prepping at night. Struggling and battling with your hair day in and day out. The stress-free solution: Sew-In. I know it is just amazing how far we have come from ironing our hair with ( real clothing irons) and your mother/grandmother putting the hot comb on the stove and burning the mess out of your scalp. It just brings back so many memories. F.Y.I I’m only 21 but, my mother and aunt have told me all kinds of horror stories about hair, ick!
Sew-in’s come in the forms of tracks, lace front wigs, whole lace wigs, and even wigs with baby hair/natural hairline. I was looking up different brands such as Outre, Milkyway, Freetress, Sensationnel, and Pro 10. On the models they look so realistic and very versatile to withstand heat up to 400 degrees. You can curl, flip and twirl your way to the ideal hairstyle.
The ideal time to wear sew-in’s are in the winter if you have natural hair because the harsh winds are very drying. I can attest to the midwestern winters are just downright brutal. I am talking swirling snow, snow drifts, blizzards, and black ice. I will be getting a lace wig sew-in this winter to save my beautiful coif.
It is also very important that you take care of your sew-in. If you use a lot of hair spray that can ruin the hair. It clogs up the hair and makes it become clumpy. There are special washes for weaves (synthetic and human).
Here a few sew in’s I found:
Freetress Lace Front Natural Hairline (Style:Pace)
Freetress Natural Hairline Whole Lace (Style: Sapphire)
Freetress Lace Front Equal (Style: Showgirl)
Question: Would you ever consider getting a sew-in?
Natural Hair In The Workplace
Posted on: July 16, 2011
Is Natural Hair really accepted in the workplace? I know for many years that this has been a dispute and even considered ” offensive”. I am not just talking about African Americans either. It could be another race that has naturally curly, kinky, or hair with loose waves.
I actually googled this topic because I recently had gotten a job and wore a wig because I was having a bad hair day. My natural hair just did not want to lay down and it was very humid here in Chicago. I do not wear it all the time but, this was a necessary. I was yet to get a trim and a good wash to give my hair TLC. My hair tends to get very puffy when it is humid outside but, still manages to stay wavy at the roots.
Natural hair is acceptable in the workplace depending on where you work. I got hired at an office supply store so, I think I could get away with a natural style as long as it is neat. If you work at a gym as an instructor, a natural style would come in handy because you will just sweat that relaxer right out. In a office setting natural hair might not be well taken depending on if you were dealing with the public or not. It is some workplaces that are more flexible than others. I would consider talking to your boss to see if they allow natural styles.
If all else fails: Try a Sew- In.. It may be a little costly but, It lasts for 6 weeks which saves you about 3 trips to the salon for washes and trims. It will have you 6 trips if you go weekly.
Here is a video talking about natural styles in the workplace:
Sew-In Review:
Enjoy and Comment!
I recently went to ladies and gentlemen salon and spa which was a very pleasant experience.. Here in Chicago it is located in Block 37 across the street from Macy’s on state street. I spent about 4 hours in the place because I still had a “permed hair” frame of mind. I wanted a rod set but, she ended up giving me a roller set.. It turned out horrid so, she tried the curling iron on my hair and it was a no go.. I finally said “enough!” (in my head of course) and asked her to completely dry my hair with a blow dryer and make it bone straight. She was such a sweetheart to not stop until I was happy. I warn you that you pay for your happiness here though..
I also got an eyebrow wax which was phenomenal to say the least. It was by far the best wax I ever had . I usually pay $7 at the nail shop to get it done but, it was well worth the splurge of $20 to get my unruly brows perfectly arched.
I would say go here.. The regular style costs $45 but, they do charge extra for up-dos, dry treatments, etc….
Oh and you can even go and get something to eat on the pedway of the building. They have a Andy’s custard, which which (much like subway but, tastes way better), Beard Papa’s ( custard filled deserts), Simply Thalia ( Thai and Chinese food in an upscale setting), Starfruit ( Smoothie and Frozen Kefir), Godiva (Nuff said).. They also have your favorite shopping places. There is even a Foodlife like in Water Tower Place that is coming to the space and Movie Theatre as well… I can’t wait!!
Ladies and Gentlemen Salon & Spa
Frizzy Girls Anonymous
Posted on: July 14, 2011
please follow me via bloglovin’ which I will make a widget for. I will also take questions about going natural and how to keep up the hairstyles.. I will also post my regimen that I use… Here is a good tool to use for the natural curly / wavy hair.
Alot of women of all races face the battle of the frizz daily. The hair ranges from fine and lackluster to thick, wavy, and downright curly! There is a way to combat the battle of the frizz. This product is just one of the many ways that will make your life 10 times easier.
Conair Ionic Ceramic Styler Dryer is one of the best economic frizz fighters I have found. I know being a college student and a tough economy that every dollar counts. The Conair Ionic Ceramic Styler works with your hair by having negative ions. Negative ions prevent the hair from getting frizzy along with the use of a serum beforehand. It is also lightweight being under 3 lbs. The best features of this Dryer is that it has a cool shot button to lock in a style and it has a straightening pic to smooth out curls and frizz.
I actually got just this dryer two days ago and will be trying it out on my thick, curly, and wavy hair. My hair is hard to style at home so, I hope this dryer is up to the challenge since I am sans relaxer. This is the beginning of my relaxer free hair regimen.
Conair Ion Shine Styler Dryer
Get Natural With It
Posted on: July 14, 2011
Get Natural with it.. nah, nah, nah, nah…
Getting natural can be the biggest challenge ever even more challenging than your last final. For me I compare it with losing those last 5 lbs… When I decided to go natural it was because my hair was breaking badly and my hair just would not take a relaxer anymore. It was time to go through the “change”. I did not know how tedious that it would be. My hair was rejecting alot of products that I used before and was just staying dry. I was using Organics Root Stimulator Olive Oil shampoo, conditioner, and oil moisturizer. It was working for a while but, started to make my hair downright kinky.
It was on to the Pantene Relaxed & Natural line which consisted of the oil moisturizer, shampoo, and conditioner. I went through the same ordeal. It was reach and creamy and felt like it got my hair clean but did not detangle the way I wanted. It eventually led to me having single strand knots.
Finally after wasting a ton of money (I am a college student) I decided to try Creme Of Nature. Oh my was this a godsend, I got the smaller bottle to try out before I got the professional sized bottles of the product. The first time I washed with the Red Clover Shampoo and Chamomile and Comfrey Conditioner was great. It is creamy so, make sure you wash out your shower afterwards. It smells great and detangles well. You do not even need a conditioner all the time because the shampoo acts as a conditioner as well (3-in-1). It leaves my hair feeling absolutely feeling soft, hydrated, and manageable.
It was trial and error with these products and it may seem like you are wasting valuable money trying to find “the one”. If you want the easy way out you could always get a Keratin Blowout Treatment to make it more manageable and cut out drying time. It is completely safe and infuses your hair with proteins that coats the shaft of the hair preventing damage during combing and heat styling such as drying.
If you do not want to straighten your hair when you blow dry it then use a diffuser attachment and place it on your dryer. Place it on the curls and gently scrunch until dry.
Pantene Relaxed & Natural is great for naturals
Red Clover Shampoo: "The One"
City Girl Beauty 