Curly Nikki | Natural Hair Styles and Curly Hair Care

Just Another Brazilian Pictorial

2012-05-24T08:28:00.001-04:00

Warning-

For those of you that require, I don't know... a coherent story line or a motif of some sort, this post may not be for you. I don't need no hook for this ish! No theme here, just a bunch of random pics- some captioned, others not. Enjoy!

These vans are all over the city. I assume it's some kind of an additional taxi system?
But imagine it's your first day in Rio and you're walking to the beach with your friend. While waiting to cross the street, a speeding van screeches to a halt right in front of you, just in time for a guy to throw the door open and start yelling at you in Portuguese. Yeah, so Melissa and I nicknamed it 'the kidnap van'. #TheresGottaBeABetterWay

#SandCastleWars

Naturals I saw while exploring Ipanema--

while snapping pics of the girls above, dude started yelling at me from the beach below and struck a pose, like, 'me next!"

#AndForTheLadies

Yesterday's coverup and big ass hat from Forever 21

I think I paid all of 6 bucks for that romper!

#YoGotDamn

and at the beach... day 3 of my wash and go

rocked my mommy scar hard yesterday #CsectionChic

Made another friend. His name? Anderson Beyonce! He spoke no English but fabulousness is universal! We swapped hats and snapped a pic.

It's time for the percolator...

While we're at it, let's do another giveaway! Told you this post was a hodgepodge!

To get your hands on this backless dress + a $50 gift card + a mystery freebie, sign up on Romwe.com and in the comments below, tell me the best thing that happened to you this week!

Next Monday, one lucky curly will be randomly chosen to receive the goodies!

That's it!

The dress comes in Black, Blue and Pink and the contest ends on May 28th at 5pm EST!

Good luck divas!

No Organic Food Options in Your Neighborhood?

2012-05-24T06:12:00.001-04:00

Me and Leika Suzumura of Seattle Tilth. She hosts monthly community dinners in “food deserts” bringing farm fresh food and cooking with kids in the neighborhood.

by Sherrell Dorsey of OrganicBeautyVixen

Do any of you know exactly what a food desert is? According to MarketMakeovers.org

“Food deserts are all over the US, in urban and rural areas, sometimes in places that ironically used to grow food, and usually in low-income communities. Sure there’s stuff to eat, but it’s probably not food you should be eating regularly (plenty of calories, few nutrients). Fast food signs dot the landscape, but you can drive for miles without seeing a healthy place to eat. There are few supermarkets and a lot of land in between them. Residents buy food and drinks from local markets selling unhealthy stuff with an unnaturally long shelf life. Junk food ads surround you. As a result, folks are overfed but undernourished, prone to overweight, obesity, diabetes and chronic illnesses.”

From Skyway to Newark, Harlem to the Bronx I’ve lived in plenty of food deserts to know that it’s not always easy to find healthy options. I remember long rides on the train journeying to Newark, New Jersey after a trip to Union Square’s Trader Joe’s. It was a hassle but the food was cheap, organic and healthy. The options in my neighborhood at the time? C-Town (please burn down, please), Rite Aid and a Pathmark that was at least 5 miles away.

Fortunately, I lived with lots of health conscious and proactive neighbors who worked at the urban farm across the street and discovered a great way to support their local growers and community via the use of a co-op. The way it worked was we paid $26 per week and received a big box of fruits and veggies. It was always a surprise as to what we would receive (typically anything in-season) and whatever we didn’t want we just traded each other for.

Are you dying to get on a green and organic diet lifestyle but don’t have a lot of resources in your neighborhood to support your mission? Here are a few resources that can literally be delivered to your door, or public neighborhood location for inexpensive produce you’ll feel good about eating:

Local Harvest – I’m all about delivery. That means it saves me a trip to the store or eliminates an errand I have to run. Local Harvest brings the products of family farmers home to you with over 11,000 products. Check them out at www.localharvest.org to purchase groceries online, find a co-op and restaurants.

Cooperative Grocer – So you might have to do a little digging and find a co-op as close to home as possible. Co-ops are awesome grocery store alternatives, are supported by the community, build jobs and promote sustainability. Search for a co-op in your area or work in your community to bring one into your neighborhood.

Full Circle – A friend on twitter turned me on to this awesome service. It’s currently only available in the North West. You can customize your produce, select the size of your box dependent upon the size of your family and pay weekly ($22 – $45) or in advance (with a 5% discount). Best of all the food comes from local farmers which is great on the environment and great for sustaining the local economy.

Growing Your Own – Another popular new trend in this green and organic food system has been the advent of home gardens. You can literally grow your own food. Now I’m not going to lie and say that I’m the one to get down and dirty with some lettuce but if I had a more stable lifestyle, I’d surely give it a shot. If you’re interested in growing your own produce check out how to start your own garden. Even if you’re in a small space or an apartment you can also get in on the healthy action. Click here for more.

Additional Resources:
Food Desert Locator

Are you fed up with not having healthy options in your neighborhood? What have you done to go organic or make changes in your community?

Sherrell Dorsey is an eco-glamour expert, writer, speaker, social entrepreneur and creator of the blog OrganicBeautyVixen.com - "A Brown Girl's Guide to Eco-Glam Living". Sherrell believes that going green with your beauty routine doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your fierce and fabulous style. Connect with her on twitter and facebook for all things beauty, green, eco-friendly, organic, sustainable and of course... Eco-glam.

8 Ways to Avoid Living With Regret

2012-05-24T05:58:00.001-04:00

by GG of PeaceLoveandPrettyThings

If you're reading this, you probably have a desire to maintain a positive perspective on life.  You get up everyday with the intention of living your life to the fullest. You don't want drama or chaos to invade your mind. But you have some regrets - and surely some bad habits as well.   You're constantly having to make choices and sometimes it's hard to keep yourself happy without disappointing others and vice versa.

I'd like to share eight principles to help you simplify your life and live mindfully. The key to living without regret is being true to yourself - plain and simple. Everything falls into place after that.

Save. We all know that rainy days are sure to come but knowing that you have a nest egg to fall back on is immensely comforting. A disciplined approach to saving will do wonders for your peace of mind. Even if you can only save five dollars here and there, be consistent about it and increase the amount when you can.

Spend. Don't take yourself so seriously that you save all of your fun for some far off day in the future.   Why not appreciate your hard work now? Treat yourself every now and then. Wear your sexy panties, just because. Save up and buy yourself a designer bag, just because.

Be honest. First and foremost, know thyself. Then, say what you need to say. Ask what you need to ask. Don't be afraid to change your mind and speak up about it. Wave your flag confidently, no matter what color it is.

Go to the doctor. Nothing is more distracting than an ignored health concern. Don't put yourself at risk because you are afraid of what you will find out. Stick to your periodic wellness visits and have problems checked out promptly.

Stay in touch. I'm sure you're busy. I know that I am. Don't get so busy that you forget to connect with your loved ones. Tomorrow isn't promised.

Don't procrastinate. Unfinished tasks cause unnecessary stress. How many times have you waited until the last minute to do something and realized that you need more time? Or that the resources you need are now gone? For me, this has been one of the most difficult habits to break. I struggle with this on a regular basis. Got any tips?

Don't overpromise. Be realistic about your priorities. You can't put yourself at the mercy of what everyone else needs from you. If you don't have boundaries and a good amount of self-awareness, you will end up disappointing yourself and others.

Forgive and let go. The biggest distraction from today's joy is the pain of yesterday. How much time do we waste feeling victimized? Plotting revenge? When you forgive, you are proving that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Yes, pain does indeed change you. It makes you more beautiful, if you let it.

What are some other ways that we can avoid living with regret? How does it hurt you when you continue to carry it with you?

PLPT is co-authored by Kim Jackson and GG Renee with the intention of connecting with women through messages of self-love and personal freedom. We believe that true beauty starts on the inside and radiates outward, so maintaining emotional health and balance should be an essential part of every woman's beauty regimen. We use this platform as an opportunity to share our personal experiences, and to help other women who are seeking guidance to find their own truths and live fabulously.

Current Giveaways!

2012-05-24T05:00:00.000-04:00

Hola Chicas,

We've got so many damn giveaways going on I thought it'd be helpful (for me, lol) to have them all in one place!

(1) Haute Hair is drawing to an end... only a few days left but you still have chances to win! There are TONS of product giveaways from your favorite brands. Check it out!--http://www.naturallycurly.com/giveaways/enter/haute-hair

(2) Win some CURLS products by answering a silly question or two! Click here!

***********************************
In order to moisturize your situation, I pulled together a few of my fave nourishing and conditioning products and nicknamed it the CurlyNikki Conditioning Cocktail! It includes Original Moxie's Hair Bling, Aubrey Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner, Curl Junkie Rehab, Oyin Juices and Berries, CURLS Whipped Cream OR CURLS Curl Souffle, Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo, and a Detangling Comb. Every month, you'll have three chances to win! Get the deets below!

*The basket usually includes a Hair Therapy Wrap, but until they come back in stock, I added Moxie to the mix!*

**1st chance to win**

*Comment on every post!*
For eligibility, all you have to do is participate in the discussion under each article! At the end of the month, I'll pick an article from that month, and randomly select two commenters to receive the goodies! The more articles you comment on throughout the month, the better your chances! Even if you comment anonymously, be sure to leave a name so that I may identify you... email addresses would rock as well, but aren't necessary!

Good luck!

________________________________________

**2nd chance to win**

In order to be entered into the monthly drawing, all you have to do is fan me on my new Facebook page! Every follower (old and new) is automatically eligible.
On 5/31/2012 (after 5pm EST) two FB fans will be randomly chosen to receive this PJ's dream!

_______________________________________

**3rd Chance to win**

In order to be entered, you must submit one of the following spotlights prior to 5pm EST on 5/31/2012:

-Articles from Guest Bloggers (original pieces, or re-pub from your blog)

-How-to styling videos and/or bulleted tutorials with pictures (send links to the best natural hair youtube videos!)

-Curl to Curl questions (ask your most burning, thought provoking question!)

-Journey to Natural and Hair Idol Interviews

Participate and be feature on #NaturalMoment Mondays!

Send your submission to contests@curlynikki.com, and use "Basket" as the subject line. The contest closes on May 31st at 5 pm Eastern. I'll be giving away 2!

Good luck chicas!

Pork-Cow- Rio Day 9

2012-05-23T09:22:00.002-04:00

Every morning around 7, I get up and head for the roof to check in with you dolls. Mornting!

So the above is day two of my Wash & Go. It was snapped yesterday morning after taking down this pineapple--

this ish cray

I don't pull the hair above my ears into the pineapple because the curls fall flat, they pull straight and it leads to disaster. #KnowYourTextures

My hair in the back is thicker, tightly coiled and prone to shrinkage. The hair in the front is finer, hangs longer and has an s wave pattern not a coil pattern. So even without this bomb ass cut, my hair would dry in the shape of a bob—long in the front and short in the back.

Check out the view from yesterday, May 22, Rio Day 9--

still on the balcony here... LOVE this high/low shirt. It was gifted from ASOS, along with the incredibly yellow jeans. I was a lil' bright...

Hubby turned me onto Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods a while back and his Rio episode inspired yesterday's excursion to Porcão- a carnivore's dream. They should've called it Pork-Cow 'cause that's exactly what's coming to your table on a stick. You pay one price for access to their decadent buffet that includes cold and hot appetizers, salads, seafood and creative sushi rolls. But the real show starts when you take your seat. They give you one of these--

It's a little paper circle, red on one side, green on the other. If you give 'em the green light you'll be welcoming an incessant string of waiters bearing the most beautiful cuts of perfectly grilled meat you've ever seen. From lamb to veal to sirloin to chicken hearts... it was damn amazing. They walk over, give you a closer look and if you're still interested, they'll carve a slice or two off for you. The best part is trying to glean what animal the meat came from and which part. At one point I resorted to charades (flapping my arms like a chicken) and moo'ing like a cow, to which the waiter with the rump steak responded with a smile, 'sim, mooooo'!

Yep, again with the chicken hearts! I'm pretty sure I've now reached my limit though. Hubby was like, 'I think I've had like 20 chicken hearts the last couple of days'. I was all, 'no boo, you've had 'the hearts of 20 chickens', doesn't that sound much more grotesque and ridiculous?!'. The ones at Porcão were super fresh, relative to the street version that I raved about... these tasted much more like chicken and much more like heart. After the fifth one, I was like, 'I just... I can't'.

As an aside--I've yet to see a chicken wing here. I told my dad about it and he said, 'I suppose they send all the hearts to the Black folk in Brazil and send us all the wings!'

My plate as I quickly reached my limit. #INeedAnExtraSomach #Stat

The dessert cart. Oh my damn. I was stuffed when hubby ordered fresh mango sorbet...

They whipped it up on the spot. And of course they brought out 2 spoons... so I had to partake.

Porcao just so happened to be on Ipanema beach so we took a stroll and enjoyed the view--

potty break... sorry for the graphic nature of this pic, but for why would one need a cushiony seat on a public, pay-to-play, toilet? I don't even like the one at Granny's. #thatisall #WhoSits

the hair was shrinking fast...

and feeling dry as a cactus...

dudes in their panty draws...

Every time I saw magnificence, I'd walk over, touch my hair, point to the camera and then point to their hair. It was bizarre how no one said 'no', looked unsure, or questioned it. It was unspoken, 'I know I'm beautiful, of course you can document my FLYY!'

You know you couldn't do this in the States, let a random tourist walk up to you asking to take your picture. Not happening... #ImTooGrown #BoutToPutThisGirlOnTwitter

these are microbraids!

and later--

what the sea spray did to my hair... had to puff it!

some moonshine the guys picked up... that's whole fruit in that bottle!

Respond to at least one of the following questions in the comments below for your chance to receive a bottle of CURLS Cashmere Curls-

1. How the hell did they get whole kiwis and apples in that bottle?!
2. Would you let your baby go naked on the beach? I’ve seen lots of 2-4 year olds with nary a stitch of clothes… there are some places you just don’t want sand.
3. Where’s your next vacay? Why?

Respond below with your first name, last initial. On the 25th at 5pm, 10 curlies will be randomly chosen to win a full size bottle of CURLS Cashmere Curls Leave-in!

Perceptions of Beauty and Diversity in Books

2012-05-22T20:22:00.000-04:00

Susan writes:

Among the many discussions on CN focused on hair products, styling etc, there have been just as many on self-image. We discuss the effects (both positive and negative) that images in movies, music and magazines have had on how we see ourselves. Rarely have I seen articles on how books have shaped our thinking. And until today I had not given this much thought either. That is, until I saw a post by blogger Kate Hart on the "Color Distribution of Young Adult(YA) Book Covers". The lack of diversity in beauty magazines is often talked about. But it turns out that the publishing industry, at least the YA segment, is also plagued by similar issues. According to the analysis by Kate, 90% of the characters on YA book covers are white, while 10% featured character of ambiguous race or ethnicity. Minorities comprised just 3%; broken down as follows: Latina-1.4%, Asian-1.4% and Black-1.2%.

Of-course we are often told not to judge a book by its cover because what is in the pages is more important. There is also the argument that the cover is simply an advertisement, that diversity-in whichever form-can be omitted on the cover but revealed in the story. Authors such as Sharon Fluke call for the inclusion of a more diverse set of protagonists, while some advocate for excluding cover models altogether in favor of graphic covers. Others still, are trying to break new ground such as Miss Gee whose Kickstarter campaign aims to raise money to publish coloring books featuring curly haired characters of darker hues. Childhood and the teenage years are a formative stage.

How did diversity or lack thereof in the books you read growing up influence how you see yourself and the world today?

Ashley is Naturally Glamorous!

2012-05-22T17:05:00.000-04:00

by Alex of TheGoodHairBlog

A couple weekends ago I went to Philly to visit some of my friends and had the pleasure of meeting a beautiful natural named Ashley! Of course after seeing her hair I had to spark up convo about styling, hair care and other good hair things. I swear, meeting fellow naturals is always great and a learning experience in it's own. It was great chatting with Ashley and exchanging hair stories so of course y'all know I had to have her featured. Below you can learn a little bit about her and her gorgeous crown, enjoy!

Please, introduce yourself!

My name is Ashley Coleman. I am a songwriter from Philadelphia. In addition to my love for music I just love to write. I have done journalism, written bios, short stories and I also write my own music industry blog. I work for The Recording Academy Philadelphia Chapter which sounds like German when you tell people, but basically, I work for the organization behind the GRAMMY Awards.

What is your current hair care regimen?
That all depends! Sometimes my schedule is ridiculous so I can’t always keep up, however I try to wash my hair at least once every two weeks. In between I like to do co-washes because it leaves my hair feeling soft and gives me the opportunity to detangle. During the winter months I blew my hair out a lot, just based on the fact that I couldn’t wash and go in the cold. But during summer months, I like to wet my hair, throw some Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk or Hair Honey in it and go. Two strand twists are also great because they last a while and you don’t have to worry about your hair every morning.

What is your hair type and what works best for your texture?

I have no idea which classification my hair falls under but I think it’s in the 4 something range. It’s kinky. No ifs ands or buts about it. Lol. I am thankful that I have some type of curl pattern even in the midst of the kink. It allows for me to rock it in a variety of ways. I’ve noticed that my hair thrives stretched with twist outs and that type of thing. And my hair loves water. And though I have a tighter hair texture, my hair is really soft, so I have to stay on top of trimming because it splits very easily. Super due for a trim as I write this.

What reaction did you get when you first decided to go natural or have you been relaxer

free all your life?

I went natural in college. And the funny thing about it is that it was so normal in college. I went to Temple where a lot of girls had natural hair so it didn’t seem that strange at all. And I was pursuing a career in the music business so there were a lot of natural girls at certain events I went to. The problem came mostly with family and after college. My mom is from an older generation that was all about frying their hair. So when I was transitioning into being natural, she was like “I don’t understand…” And then after college I realized I was around a lot less people with natural hair. And I have had really long hair all my life so it made me a little insecure to see other girls with flowing straight hair (some of which wasn’t theirs but still.) It took some getting used to. But after learning more products and getting some styles together … YouTube … it got a lot more comfortable. And my mom loves my natural hair now. She always says I changed her opinion, although she’s team perm. Lol.

Did you big chop or transition, for how long? If you’ve always been natural, did you ever have any curly hair girl insecurities? If so, what helped you adjust to having naturally curly hair over the years?

I actually did the transition. I couldn’t bring myself to chopping all of my hair off. As I mentioned before, my hair was long all my life, so I was having a little separation anxiety. It took me about a year to feel like I was comfortable enough to cut my hair. It came to a point where I washed my hair and my boyfriend at the time and I were both trying to comb half afro, half permed hair. Lol. And he was just like, “I think it’s time.” So I went and got the entire perm cut off, which resulted in a nice short bob, which was refreshing. The first time I actually did something different with my hair. I kept it straightened for a while though and the first time I washed my hair I had the “What the hell did I do?” moment. I definitely had insecurity about it. I wanted my hair texture to be looser, I would see other girls with natural hair that was finer than mine. But once it got a little longer, I was like ok, I can deal with this. I still occasionally see girls and I’m like “I want that hair,” but I’m positive my kinks keep me humble. I probably wouldn’t know how to act if I had fine wavy hair. Kidding. But nonetheless, it was really a process of learning that my hair was ok and beautiful just the way it was. I NEVER even thought I had a hair complex until after I went natural. Because I was the black girl with permed long hair, I never thought about how attached I was to that. It helped me to realize that I was beautiful, not because of my hair, but because of me.

What makes you love your kinks, curls and coils?

What I love the most about my kinky curls is that it reminds me of my favorite baby picture of myself. Because my hair was permed at a very young age, I asked my mom while transitioning, “Well what was my hair texture like?” because I didn’t know. I think I had a kiddy perm since like 5 and in defense of my mother, she was unfortunately unable to manage my natural hair based on a health issue so … she had to do what she had to do. But when I asked her that, she would just say “Well … it was really curly…” And it would just hang there which made me so nervous to see what it was really like. Haha. But now when I wash my hair and step out, I laugh because it looks exactly like my baby picture and I feel some weird connection with that time. That may be too deep, but it always makes me smile to think of that.

Where can we find you on the web?

You can find me on my website … www.writelaughdream.com, it chronicles the music industry and different stories etc about my life as a songwriter. And also “like” my Facebook page www.facebook.com/writelaughdream.

Anything EXTRA you want us to know?

I just want all little black girls to know that they’re beautiful. I wish someone would let them know. No matter what we see on TV or music videos, we have to define ourselves. I’m not saying that everyone that wears weaves or perms their hair doesn’t know they’re worth, but I am saying that when I looked back, I realized that I wanted to be something other than what I was and I HAD NO IDEA. I hate that kinky and tight curls often have a negative association. It’s who we are. How did we begin covering that up and why?

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My name is Alexandra Smith, I am 22 year old single mother of one, full time Media Journalism student and business owner.I share my curly girl experience and other kinky haired goodness on my site "The Good Hair Blog." My overall goal of blogging for the natural hair community is to bring us together,men included by spreading knowledge, inspiration and love about our diverse heads of hair.

Make New Friends- More Brazilian Fun!

2012-05-22T09:22:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, Nina invited us to, ‘Zimbauê Celebration & Trançando Idéias’. Uh huh. Yeah. Again, no idea what to expect. So when her and her friend Jane picked us up outside of our condo I asked, ‘where are we going?’, to which she responded, ‘the party, of course!’ How's that for clarification! Forty five minutes later we rolled down on something magnificent. There was the intoxicating aroma of homemade Feijoada in the air, and people were dancing, playing cards, singing, laughing, eating... there was beer flowing and little kids running around cutting up… I’d say it was like a family reunion, but no body was flippin’ over the spades table. Although pretty much no one in the bunch spoke English (save for Nina) we immediately felt welcomed. We were not guests, we were family, no side eyes from anyone, just lots of hugs and love from everyone. Check out the view--

on our way to the partay!
Cool pic, that's Jane in the foreground and me in the backseat taking in the views of the neighborhood

Nina explaining to me the purpose of the party. I was able to gather that they were celebrating the 23rd year of their organization... and that she just so happens to be 'The Queen'! Like, seriously. She's the Queen and head dancer of this very large group called Afro Zimbaue. #HBIC

I also concluded that just like Black folk in the States, they need no reason to party... it was clear that it was going down, anniversary or not!

Adorning the Queen...

Nina exudes confidence and power. She owned the moment when she was up there dancing... masterful and inspiring.

There were people of different ages dancing for their family and friends... kinda like being in a church play and your family is looking on all proud and stuff.

bad ass kids dropping ish off the balcony

Dude's hair was everything.

Hair braiding station...

She demanded to see the picture #LilDiva #MyBrazilianBoogie

There was what seemed to be an endless supply of food and I swear, every time I sipped my beer someone was filling it back to the brim. There was a very communal feel about everything... no 'there ain't enough to go around' sentiment. It was refreshing.

pigging out... I believe this was my second plate! Best Feijoada ever!

and of course we partied into the night... we were there for 8 hours and as we packed up, folks were setting up more microphones! #Gangsta

MONDAY, May 21

After getting to know Nina and her friends, I decided it was time to revisit the wash & go, adopting their model of ' simplistic beauty'. With the humidity rising and our frequent beach visits, it was a good idea in theory but the thought of the tangles, knots and dry ends had me sweating bullets. I hopped in the shower, rinsed, applied Redken’s Smooth Down Butter Treat, rinsed again and then, while still in the shower I applied AG Fastfood in a raking motion, gathering clumps of hair between my fingers to encourage a curl pattern. I got out of the shower, blotted my ends with a scarf, got dressed and rolled out. We headed straight for the beach and I was rocking a full on ‘ramen noodle’. I hate the feeling of wet hair on my neck and dripping down my shoulders about as much as I hate soggy socks, but I embraced the feeling and resisted the urge to fluff or manipulate the curls as they dried. Once my hair was 80% dry and shrinking, I fluffed a bit to rid myself of the soulglo situation and was pleasantly surprised at the results. It only got cuter as the day went on and I think I may even get second day hair!

80% dry

The awesome beach chair and bartender guy, Jose, from what I could surmise, asked in broken Spanish if I was in 'novellas' or music. With his hands, he made the shape of an afro around his head, gave me the thumbs up and pretended to sing on a microphone. Then he came in hot... and of course violated the curls, but his intentions were good so I rolled with it :)

Later we made new friends and asked Jose to snap a pic, which turned into a bizarre and hilarious photo shoot!

None of them spoke English and we only know 4 Portuguese phrases between the 3 of us, so it was cool how we connected and had a full conversation for like an hour!

She taught me a new way to dap... we also sang Beyonce songs... and they showed us their Samba skills

My hat became sort of a prop, and yes, that's a gold tooth.

giving face...

Jose stayed snapping portraits of himself between shots of us!

Hair was 100% dry, 6 hours later!

curly beauties I found while exploring...

The waves were SICK and the tide kept surprising us and flooding our little chill space. Of course my shoes and jacket were carried out to sea...

Ocean 2, Nikki 0

#NoShirtNoShoesNoService

And later that night we went back to the same spot for Feijoada. Two Caipirinhas later, toward the end of the meal, the waiter brought out the desert.

My response?

A hearty, ‘gracias!’

He did a double take, laughed and said, ‘that’s Spanish not Portuguese dear! Maybe after one more Caipirinha she’ll be speaking Russian!’ #ShitsReal

Wondering who that handsome couple is? Why that's Hubby's good friend and Kappa brother Brandon and his gorgeous wife Tammy. #YoGotDamn #Nupes

So I was thinking... when you travel to a new land, you have to make a friend to truly experience the culture. Otherwise you’ll never get past the barriers, and be trapped in tourist purgatory. We made a friend in Greece (our host, that we still FB frequently!) and I’m proud to say we now have friends in Brazil. They welcomed us with open arms and I truly feel blessed for the experience.

More pics later!

nik

p.s.

what I wore-

Mustard Yellow Skirt and Pink Tank- Forever 21

Beanie- Gifted from Threadmill

Flag tank- Gifted from ROMWE

Denim Shorts- Gifted from Romwe

Comfortable in Your Own Hair

2012-05-21T07:42:00.002-04:00

Kennedy (not pictured) writes:

After just washing my hair and doing some really quick braided bantu knots, I wondered, "When did I become so comfortable with my hair?". Just last year, I was scared to wear my first twist out to school. A lot of my classmates laughed and talked about me because of "all that hair" and made remarks like, 'your hair is too thick' (I'm a sophomore in high school and kids just don't know what to and what not to say).

For the past couple of months, I haven't straightened my hair at all and have no problem keeping it that way. When I did straighten it, I almost immediately washed my hair because I didn't feel like myself. I've recently been receiving comments on my hair like, "I love it", "it smells SO good", and "I wish my hair would do that". Even my dad, who was against my natural hair for the longest, tells me how soft and nice it looks. I love my natural hair and I'm not ashamed of it anymore. I even rock my "bad hair days" to the fullest. So my question for the rest of you natural hair ladies is,

"When did you become comfortable with your natural hair?"

Transitioning: Holding Onto Those Ends

2012-05-21T07:32:00.002-04:00

by Bonnie of The Culture Pine

After watching countless ‘big chop’ video’s this weekend on YouTube, I couldn't help but feel the itch to finally be all natural, as I got caught up in the excitement of each big chopper I witnessed freeing themselves from their relaxed ends. Although I want to get in on the action at the time, it soon fades as I get real with myself; 'Who are you trying to kid? You know your not reaching for those scissors yet!' You know the feeling?

Now, I originally planned to hold on for around two years before I end my transition, but today I had a thought: 'am I becoming to attached to my relaxed ends?' You see, at the moment I actually have an equal amount of natural hair as the remaining relaxed ends, and in some areas, my new growth has in fact more length than my straight ends, which is what I wanted before I snip away. My concern is that; I will keep putting off cutting my relaxed ends to maintain as much length as possible!

Unlike a lot of others who simply can not stand dealing with the two textures, I actually do not mind so much. Seeing as this is often one of the main reasons that encourages transitioners to let go of their ends, it doesn't seem to be looking to good for little old me. With this in mind, I have decided to take the wheel and reduce my transitioning time before it get's to 6 years down the line and I'm STILL transitioning.

I love the texture of my new growth, and how much fuller and healthier it is to my thin, straight ends. So, I guess that it is not so much the relaxed ends I want to keep, but the added length they provide that I don't want to give up. For the majority of transitioners, we choose this route to achieve natural hair because length matters to us, so it can be hard to let go...

Have you experienced this during your journey?

Feijoada and Street Meat- Brazilian Eats!

2012-05-20T11:05:00.000-04:00

Hola chicas!

By now, y'all know I love food, especially trying new and exotic ish while on vacay. Last night, at Nina's recommendation, we had the best restaurant experience to date. The name- Brasileirinho. The ambiance was dope, the servers were attentive and the host basically gave us a history lesson.

After quickly flipping through the menu, the host sold us on Feijoada, considered their national dish. It was brought to South America by the Portuguese. It takes forever to prepare but was worth the wait!

The name comes from feijão, Portuguese for "beans". They started us off with black bean soup and brought out a pot of hot pepper sauce to kick it up a notch.

The best part-- you see that shot glass? They serve the meal with endless rounds of cachaca (a liquor made from fermented sugar cane juice). It was intoxicating yet refreshing? My kinda people!

The spread that followed shortly thereafter...

Chopped fried couve... basically greens but lightly sauteed in garlic. Best damn greens I've ever had in my life and it wasn't even boiled in bacon fat!

Ha! Almost didn't get a picture of these little piggy bites of savory delicousness! We went in rather quickly. I'm a sucker for pork skins and these mugs were FRESH! I was loudy crunching away all night.

Fried Cassava... this ish?... delicious!

And the main attraction...

Sausage, bacon, pork tongue, pork ears and jerked beef swimming in a jacuzzi of smoky broth and black beans #WhenInRome

They served it with (the best damn) black beans and rice (I've ever had in my life)!

The stew itself was kinda like gumbo on steroids...

That powdery cornmeal looking stuff is called cassava flour and has been served with almost every meal I've had here. Bomb.

No idea what the name of this dessert is, but yeah, that's coconut, banana, caramel and pumpkin...really, really, ridiculously delicious but sadly I only have one stomach and had run out of room shortly after killing much of the pork crackling and fried cassava.

The cool thing is that we'll be attending an event later today where Feijoada will be the main course. The difference? It'll be prepared by Black folks and you know how we do! Excited isn't even the word. I haven't had breakfast in order to make room for the deliciousness that's about to take place.

Later that night---

We headed back to the street that never sleeps... Lapa and shut it down with some of the most beautiful women on Earth. It's not a myth y'all, the asses are rotund. It's truly amazing. That is all.

Finally, no night of partying is complete without... STREET MEAT! After window shopping we decided on the vendor with the longest line. A very beautiful Bahian woman who was also a visitor to Rio, told us to try the chicken hearts... yep, chicken hearts on a stick. And we did and they were everything, so good in fact, we bought a second skewer!

only have pics of the second one cause we inhaled the first!

Beat the beat up!

What I wore--

Shirt- gifted from ASOS, get it HERE

Tights- gifted from Romwe

Shorts- Forever 21

Boots- Steve Madden

Hair- Old frizzy Twist-n-Curl

Lips- MAC Russian Red (matte)

Meanwhile, back in St. Louis--

My sister syl and her boo Perry took Gia to the zoo and apparently taught her to ride a tricycle! *ugly cry*

Family Reunion- Meet Your Brazilian Sisters

2012-05-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

When Nina (of Estimativa) invited us out to an evening 'tea party', I had no preconceived notions, as much of her description of the event and what we were to expect was probably lost in translation. I heard, 'dress pretty, wear comfortable shoes, you'll meet some of my friends'. To sum up what became an epic night, I'll leave you with these three points:

* Simplicity, 1, Doing the Most, 0- Our curly Brazilian sisters have very limited access to products. Not only are they scarce on the ground, the cost and time to order on-line is quite prohibitive. Along with exorbitant shipping costs, they have to pay taxes to the tune of 30 to 70 percent (say it with me now…DAYUM!). We shared a lot of commonalities, but product junkyism, yeah, not one of them. Every beautiful head of hair you see below, every style, was achieved with water, fingers and little coconut oil and/or shea butter. How's that for keeping it simple? Give’s a new meaning to ‘juices and berries.’ Perhaps all the twisting, braiding, banding, rolling and knotting is not always necessary. These girls are achieving disrespectfully huge, non TSA friendly fros (who gon' check me boo!) with once a week washings and minimal manipulation. Their hair made my hair want a hat!

* We're Not So Different You and I- So there was an obvious language barrier and everyone's excitement to share and learn was a bit overwhelming for Nina, the only one in the bunch who spoke both Portuguese and English fluently. Much of everything from either side had to be filtered through her. At one point she grabbed the bridge of her nose in frustration, and speaking above the ladies asking her to relay questions to me, she smiled and said, 'Woo! We get excited when hair is the subject, but this is ridiculous!' Somehow we talked about everything from relationships, to music, to the way Black women are portrayed in the media and were surprised that, and not to be cliche, it's the same old song. Solidarity.

* Meetup Deja vu- It was cool how the tea party turned in to what for me was a very familiar and comfortable situation.. a natural hair gathering... complete with product talk, styling technique and folks sharing and chatting it up... hair touching and what not. I loved the diversity of styles and textures and hearing about how they too go through the same stages of insecurity and worries when transitioning-- 'professionalism' and 'attractiveness', etc. Y’all know.

The ladies wanted to stress that the room was not an accurate representation of the hair situation in Rio. Natural hair is the exception and although, like in America, it's on the rise, the beauty standard remains bone straight or maybe even looser curls and lighter skin. They're spearheading the campaign, the revolution in Brazil, which is majority Black (like the second largest Black population in the world), to not only accept but embrace their bodies, their hair, their skin... their natural beauty. I found it very interesting and inspiring how much these women do for their community with such limited resources. The programs they organize are bountiful, offering discussions and informing on self-esteem, health, natural hair, violence, and the history of Black women that have contributed to the construction of their society. They work with both children and adults.

Check out the view-

Nina introducing some of the ladies to the CurlyNikki community. They were most excited about the 'on the couch' interviews!

Some of the executive staff. Among them is an economist, hair stylists, two TV producers, a videographer and educators. All affluent, all beautiful, all curly!

They gave us so many wonderful gifts!

*drool* Nina's magnificent fro...

The banner for an event ("Braiding Ideas") we will attend on Sunday. Stay tuned!

Fluff, fluff, fluff!

To contribute to the cause and support Estimativa's community efforts, we provided translated CurlyNikki articles and Mahisha of CURLS donated hundreds of amazing products (including their popular Curlicious Cleansing Cream, Coconut Sublime Conditioner, Quenched Curls Moisturizer and Curl Gel-les'c) for them to distribute to their partners along with Portuguese instructions for application. Estimativa is also gladly accepting donations via paypal. The funds will go to support their community programs and aid in purchasing personal care products, food and the like, for the women they work with in the community. They'd appreciate any support from you! Send charitable donations to - estimativa2012@gmail.com.

Later that night, they kept the hospitality train rolling and took us to what can only be likened to a Beale or Bourbon street in downtown Rio. The party was all the way live... kicked it with bof' feet. I very quickly learned why Nina suggested comfortable shoes, a warning I didn't heed. These girls dance ALL night. They stay dancing and I think I kept up! Fun was had by all.

Today... sunglasses and advil. #MadReal

As for the attire--

Gifted from House of Dereon, here

Shades from Steve Madden

Shoes gifted from ASOS, here

the hair-

Same product combo from the Rio Travel Kit article, minus the AG Fastfood. I twisted on 90% dry hair and rolled the ends for a Twist-n-Curl.

The ladies of Estimativa had a ball scrolling through pics of you via Facebook, the Forums and the 'On the Couch' tab. They wanted me to share with you that we have one lovely community with beautiful hair. They'll be checking this post so be sure to leave them a message below!

Black hair in Brazil: A Revolution in the Making

2012-05-18T09:09:00.000-04:00

by Marques of BlackWomenOfBrazil

Gone are days when kinky/curly hair was synonymous with mistreated and laborious hair. Nowadays in Brazil, kinky/curly hair is increasingly associated with self-assertion, self-esteem, behavior and femininity.

Mirella Santos

Globalization and democratization of the media has greatly increased the speed of information. This is not just a fad, but trends and intervals increasingly shorter. A black woman can explore all this democratization of fashion, mixing with curly hair with braids, weaves, straight and permanent afros.

Erica Barbosa

The dancing rhythm of the Disco Era was a turning point for the black woman, with her naturally curly hair, ethnic ornaments and bell-bottom pants. The lacquer was a product often used to maintain the volume. It originated from a change of behavior in a changing society.

The revival of culture and the appreciation of black people has come along with their aesthetic, and one of the most relevant in this respect is the hair. In the not too distant past, the kinky/curly tresses were seen as a fragile part of black men and women, so much so that the shaving of the hair during the era of slavery was common. For the slaves, however, this act was tantamount to mutilation, since the hair was a hallmark of their identity. And talking about kinky/curly hair is certainly going through the social, cultural and political aspect of the history of black people worldwide. It was with these references that the hairdresser Luciana Maia, author of Força negra - a luta pela autoestima de um povo (Black Power - The Struggle for the Self-Esteem of a People) held a showcase in Taboão da Serra, São Paulo, with the region's youth, and presented a retrospective of hairstyles permeated by the musical rhythms of each era. The idea of a hairdresser (this article features young people from Sierra Taboão) was to show that, regardless of prevailing fashion, kinky/curly hair can adapt to any style. Just use creativity and good taste! “It was like remembering the good times when we liked the “Bailes Black”(1). The ritual was never the same, we were in our style, we had our clothes and shoes, and the hairstyles represented everything that was hot,” says Luciana.

Hair stylist Luciana Maia, author of Força negra - a luta pela autoestima de um povo

In the era of the 70s that Luciana speaks, it is important to remember that black Brazilians were in a struggle for their very acceptance in a country that their African slave ancestors had built. The dominant ideology in Brazil was to strive to be white or as close to white as possible. African features (hair, dark skin, thick lips, etc) were not considered "acceptable" and if one could not "fix" these features, they should try to marry with a white or lighter-skinned partner so that their offspring were not also "cursed". In the second half of the 20th century, it was still common for black Brazilians to be told something to the affect of "we don't do THAT type of hair here" when going to salons in search of hair care. Because of the shame that accompanied having "that" type of hair, it was common for black men to shave their heads extremely close rather than facing certain discrimination because of having "cabelo ruim (bad hair)". Because of these dominant ideals in Brazil, the global visibility of black American entertainers was extremely important in the development of black pride in Brazil.

When international black singers began to have success in Brazil, the "bailes black" began to spring up everywhere and there were several event organizers that helped to disseminate, besides the music, the aesthetics of black people. Everybody waited anxiously for the great dances of the event organizers known as Chic Show, held once a month with the presence of black Brazilian artists like Jorge Ben Jor, Sandra de Sá, Tim Maia, Djavan, Bebeto and Claudio Zolli, while the big screen played videoclips of international stars like the Jackson Five, Michael Jackson, Jimmy “Bo” Horne, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Johnny Rivers ...“I am very proud to tell my daughters that I was part of this story,” emphasizes the hairdresser (2).

Elinelma Rosa da Silva

Besides the style known in Brazil as “Black Power (afro)”, women wear different types of braids. The diversity allows black women to create classic hairstyles that can be used in any environment and occasion, showing elegance and creativity.

Cássia da Silva

The Black Power movement was a watershed moment in relation to the appreciation of black culture and, consequently, its fashion and aesthetics, which combined the concept of beauty to a political and social struggle. The dances served as meeting places, where the language and expressions, born in salons, began to gain ground in the consumer society. “Those were hard times, in spite of blacks starting to show their identity, Brazilian society was not used to that kind of behavior. It was very common for police officers to ram their hands into our hair thinking they could find drugs,” recalls Durval. In this era, Brazilian elites were very concerned with the idea that black Brazilians would begin to adapt the posture, attitude and revolutionary spirit of their black American counterparts. Brazilian Soul singer Tony Tornado (who had visited the US in the 1960s and recorded music with a strong James Brown influence) remembers being at parties where the police would often interrupt the festivities because there were no white people present!

But over time, the "black power (afro)" hair style was becoming a trend and it began to be copied by the white population that searched the salons specializing in black hair in search of the afro permanente (3), all so that they could have curly or fluffy hair. “Today things are different, everything is very mixed, before it was only at the dances and black salons where we felt strengthened. The media did not show the great black icons, we had no references, and what brought us together and dictated our fashion were the parties.”

Kinky/Curly in every way!

With the appreciation of black beauty and its natural texture, kinky/curly tresses were taking the streets and today are displayed in everyday life in different ways by men and women, thanks to a series of products specially designed for this type of hair and even more adapted to the Brazilian population. It was not always so. “Before the 1970s, we had no option to treat our hair, unless straightening and in a extremely primitive way. We used products that had caustic soda as an ingredient and this caused burns. The professionals didn’t have too many techniques. I remember a friend made a pick out of a bicycle rim! I liked the idea so much that I decided to make one for myself, and this is how I entered the world of black power (afro),” says Durval, a hair stylist that has specialized in black hair for 30 years.

With the achievements of blacks in society, the aesthetic industry has evolved and there are now many options for black hair like creams to make the hair more manageable whether curly or straight. Now, the black woman especially has options! “A woman executive can safely wear an afro on a daily basis, adjusting the look with a plethora of available accessories, in addition to buns and various other styles that, besides letting her be stylish and trendy, shows a genuine attitude and self-appreciation”, says Luciana Maia.

Mara Campos

The Mohawk hairstyle was widely used in the ‘70s, representing a time of Rock n’ Roll rebellion combined with the Samba. Thus was born the mixture of the Samba-Rock. The style has become fashionable again.

"Today it’s common for my clients to come to the salon to recover their natural locks. Many are opting for extensions in an attempt to rehabilitate their hair and stop straightening."

Victoria Regina

The accessories were the big thing of the hippie era. The lack of commitment to society ran contrary to the personalized hairstyles. Long hair, usually parted in the middle, were often used for generating peace and love, and adorned with banners and hangers, whose symbols of flowers and butterflies represented respect for nature.

“The use of chemicals is just one of the options, not a necessity as it was thought of in the past. With a lot of research, I developed a line of products in accordance with the needs of kinky/curly hair.”

Fabio Santos, Cauan Almeida, Ismael nascimento, Marcos Leonardo and Ricardo Xeba

Hair, Roots and Culture

And it was in the early 90s that American products invaded the shelves of the Brazilian market, bringing the promise of perfect straightening. The demand for these products was huge. Until then, the afro permanente was the great outlet for many women who complained about the work needed to take care of kinky/curly hair. Many opted for miraculous formulas to 'work something out with their hair.' But even with imported products, hair loss and permanent damage to the scalp often happened because of the inadequacy of the products being used for the hair texture of black Brazilians. Even so, when one visits large Brazilians cities where there are large concentrations of African descendants, the number of ethnic salons sprouting up is impressive quite. Thus, whether you happen to be in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo or Brasília, it's nice to know that you can find places that know how to take care of "that" kind of hair.

1. "Bailes Black" or Black Dances are parties or dances that cater to a specifically black Brazilian audience where black style, fashion and music are the dominant aesthetic.

2. For more on the importance of music and dance in the development of a black pride in Brazil, see this article on singer Negra Li

3. Somewhat reminiscent of the Jheri Curl hairstyle

Based on an article by Claudia Canto in Raça Brasil magazine

All Curled Up and Nowhere to Go

2012-05-18T08:56:00.000-04:00

Tammy Goodson of CurlyChics

Do you ever have one of those great, off the charts, knock your socks off hair days and no one gets to witness it except the person staring back at you in the mirror? Don’t you hate when that happens?! I’m talking curls with charm and laced with dopeness. Basically you are just feeling yourself to put it bluntly. Not in an obnoxious, arrogant way but in a pleasantly aware of yourself kind of way. When it comes to natural hair, each day is a surprise and when the surprise is a good one, you want someone else to see! Here’s what to do:

Preserve the moment - Take a picture! Nothing is better than a physical image to capture the essence of the look. It will serve as inspiration for achieving yet another great hair day as well as physical proof of how fly you were.

Create a blueprint – Chronicle the exact steps taken to achieve this gorgeousness that is your mane. It will be easier to recreate if the entire process from start to finish is documented. Everything from the pre-poo phase to the products used and method of styling are important. Trying to recollect these details at a later date will prove challenging.

What do you do when you find yourself loving your look but have no plans so the outside world can see?

Sharing hairstories and life experiences from a curl’s perspective. Find Tammy at her blog, Curlychics, on Twitter, and Facebook.

Rio Day 3- Here Comes the Sun (More Pics!)

2012-05-17T18:00:00.000-04:00

Last night my good friend Melissa FINALLY arrived... first thing out of her mouth- "how do you say, 'it's about to go down' in Portuguese?"

She must have brought the sun with her because we hadn't seen it in days, so we hit the beach!

Hubby secured some fresh coconut water...

while Melissa and I opted for Mango Caipirinhas, traditional Brazilian drinks

They slice and crush the mango and add ice, sugar and...

vodka, of course!

It's all fun and games 'til you find yourself chewing your drink... ish was delicious but chunky

How's this for the world's cutest swimsuit cover up? Gifted by House of Dereon, look HERE.
Also, this is Day 7 hair!

Melissa showing #NursePride

Later, hubby convinced my non-swimming ass to come out into the water

You may not be able to tell, but I'm in this pic... that's definitely me UNDER the wave.

Panic. I came up after what felt like an eternity all discombobulated, gasping, coughing, eyes burning. #fail #LostaLung

Needed a drink

And later...

Food!

Strogonoff de Camaroes

Instant. Itis. Yes, that's bacon, a fried egg, cheese and filet mignon in the form of a sandwich. #WhyTheHellNot

One more round of Caipirinhas... this time more authentic (and stronger!) with lime and Cachaca

#GreatScott!

Melissa grew ever tired of the chunks and resorted to a rudimentary but effective straining system

I powered through #gangsta

My hair is completely dry in the above pic... it's nearly 7pm here and along with labored breathing from my near drowning, I feel dusty. The hair is cute and fluffy but I need to wash it before I lose control of the situation. The last thing I feel like doing is twisting my hurr, but it needs to happen.

I'll check back in later!

nik

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DAY 4

We got up bright and early, despite the 'rainy' forecast, threw on our clothes and hailed a cab, headed straight for, Cristo Redentor, aka, that famous Jesus statue, a must see on the Brazilian tour circuit.

-Melissa on the cab driver whipping the van up the mountain... '#INeedAnAirbagStat'

2300 treacherous feet later...
beautiful!

#OhMyGodBeckyLookAtHerButt

-Shirt gifted from Romwe

-Shorts from Forever 21

-Tights from Macys

-Boots- Madden Girl (wear them every got damn day!)

Our awesome tour guide and host!

When asked for his nombre/name, he responded, 'rocky balboa'. So dope!
#BowBaBaBowBowRockyBalboa

Rocky took us to a restricted helicopter pad for the view

#LockedUpAbroad....correction #LockedUpTwoBroadsATourGuideAndAPoliSciProfessor...#Abroad

and later...

#INeedAnAntacidStat

Melissa on the pigeons pecking at her white toenail polish- #INeedARabiesShotStat

Me on a bumble bee in hot pursuit of my caipirihna 'don't kill it... it'll get angry' #MomLogic

Our new friends from Paraguay... had the best conversation that we've had with anybody and none of us spoke Portuguese. #BrokenSpanish #Charades #MommyDaddyTalk

Melissa on the beach eye candy... "#INeedAContraceptiveStat"

3 caipirihnas + Nikki equals... #INeedAMop #Stat

Melissa finds STL natives everywhere she goes...

Brazilian anthem... #AssAssAss

#ThugLife

'bout to set it off #jadapinkett

Headed out for a lil samba with the ladies of Estimativa! Check back in soon!

********************************

Last night we accompanied Nina to Trapiche Gamboa Restaurant in downtown Rio. The ladies pictured below performed regional and black traditional music - samba, jongo and maracatu. The drums were SICK. Like, 'shake shake shake Senora', good. And...

the rhythm got me out of my chair! Sorry for the terrible pic quality. The magnificence and furry of my fancy foot work couldn't be captured.

Never quite mastered the samba... so I resorted to my usual and sometimes off-beat hip swaying and botched Dougie

What Have You Given Today?

2012-05-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

by Sherrell Dorsey of OrganicBeautyVixen

Let me be 100 percent honest with you OBVs. I’m trying really hard to balance my spiritual life with my natural desire to collect pretty things. Gilt.com is one of my favorite shopping sites (thank you for my new DVF wallet) and as soon as I can track down that H&M cobalt gown from their conscious collection in the Seattle area, that will be all that she wrote. While I spend time focusing on my next look for the next season, millions of children in America will go to bed hungry tonight before this post even makes its way around the internet. Even more children will die from cancer and other diseases due to our environment and lack of access to quality healthcare. Families will be evicted from their homes and one more individual will lose their job that was already barely making the rent.

With all of my love, compassion and free the world banter, I can’t help but feel guilty as I take a spin around my bedroom and re-consider all of the clutter that makes up my life. I have everything that I need. So what is this desire to want more? My life isn’t perfect. I’m no longer in my gorgeous Harlem apartment living above it all, shopping trips to 34th street nor evening rendezvous with my girls on a nightly basis. Between student loans, working on my independent projects and simply surviving through this “recession” I don’t have it to foolishly spend on “stuff”.

I’m sure that we are all guilty of putting ourselves and our needs before that of others. But to whom much is given much is required, so where do my personal values fit in to play? When I survey my life I realize that I have not given much. I give my voice, my words and my encouragement for all to witness via social networks and my random encounters with friends and family. But is that really enough? Absolutely not!

My goal is to step up my giving in 2012. Whether it’s through my time, my skills, or sharing a portion of what I have to help lift someone else up. It’s hard out there folks and sometimes all we need is the compassion and love of one another.

Let’s start each day by asking the simple question: “What do I plan to give today?”

How do you plan to give back? Do you support a cause? Share!

Egg Frittata with Roasted Red Peppers & Spinach

2012-05-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

Egg Frittata with Roasted Red Peppers and Spinach

Recipe by Chef Huda

3 eggs
1/2 cup roasted red peppers-store brought (12oz)-thin slices
1/2 cup spinach-rough chopped
1/4 of cup of mozzarella cheese-shredded
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper

~Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees~

Please Wash your Hands…

Okay, now we are ready to start….

Let’s start with our Frittata. Place a medium non-stick skillet on medium heat.

Add in oil, roasted red peppers, spinach, salt and black pepper. Whisk together eggs and milk then add to pan. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and place in oven. Let cook for around 10 minutes until golden brown.

Now, let’s make something Pretty and Delicious! Once your Frittata is done, plate it. Now, all you have to do is Enjoy!

Chef Huda’s Healthy Tip: Eggs are an amazing food and a good source of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamins B1, B5, B6, B-12 and protein. Vitamin B-12 and protein are essential for strengthening hair.

*************************

Celebrity Chef Huda, owner of Pretty & Delicious, is a chef like no other, with an 1950’s Hollywood starlet flair, she has undeniable style and class, and a gift to create beautiful dishes that keep people craving more, She believes, “Not only should food taste good, food should be ‘Pretty and Delicious’ at all times.” Chef Huda’s delicious culinary creations have received national rave reviews from A-list Hollywood celebrities to Political Leaders. Multi-talented Chef Huda is also a food writer, food product reviewer, restaurant consultant and entertainment correspondent.

How to Avoid Being an Emotional Cutter

2012-05-17T09:00:00.000-04:00

by Kim Jackson of PeaceLoveandPrettyThings

Have you ever heard of teens who physically cut their bodies as a way of dealing with emotional pain? They are called cutters. They commit this physical act of hurting themselves as a way to focus; thinking that they won’t feel the emotional hurt if they are focused on the physical pain.

It’s not always a logical connection, but in many ways adults can be cutters as well--emotionally. Have you ever felt that “fight or flight” emotion? Ever felt like there was something you needed to do, but couldn’t get motivated to do it until you were backed into a corner? You know—not getting your finances together until you’ve spent 6 months close to being evicted from your apartment; or not getting a job until you’re so severely in debt that it will take you years to climb out; or quitting your job without having a new one because you feel like that will force you to do the search.

Holding off on making a change until the very last second is, in a sense, punishing yourself emotionally--like a cutter would punish his or herself physically. So how can you avoid getting to this point? With two very important things: planning and patience.

Planning

Figure out what your goal is, and then write down the logical steps to get there. Give yourself a time limit: can you do this in a week? One year? Five years? Set reasonable expectations for yourself and be adamant about working consistently toward your goal. You won’t see progress overnight but you will be able to track that change weekly, or monthly or yearly—if you stick to it.

Patience

And that’s where the patience comes in. Yes—you’re frustrated at your circumstances, but knowing that you have a plan in place to change them gives you the upper hand. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, just take a look at how far you’ve come, and then update your plan; this gives you something to focus on other than what’s upsetting you.

Have you ever felt like you were an emotional cutter? What other tools did you use to turn your frustration around?

*************************************

Taneica’s Inner Beauty Mask Recipe

2012-05-17T07:50:00.002-04:00

by Taneica of ShatterProofGlassDolls

I did it. This week, I finally caved and bought The Most Beautiful People Issue. While paying for my magazine at the register, I was sure to tell the cashier that I was actually supposed to be on the cover, but was not available for the shoot in enough time, so they reluctantly went with Beyonce instead. The cashier and I shared a giggle and I was on my way. When I got home and began flipping through the magazine, I was inundated with tons of tips from the most beautiful celebrities in America. There were tips for the perfect amount of sleep one needs to make “beauty sleep” effective, how much water must one intake to achieve a glowing complexion and fabulous figure, and what lotions and potions they use to diminish laugh lines and crow’s feet so that you look forever 21. I read all of this with amusement and fascination. As I read the last page and shut the magazine, I wondered what tips would one suggest for inner beauty. Let’s face it, no matter how many times you go under the knife to perfect your figure or how many expensive serums you use to tighten and lift your skin, unless we get to the “inevitable alternative” first, we’re all going to get older and our youthful looks will fade. However, this doesn’t have to take away a drop of each of our authentic, beautiful, inner selves. We can still remain breathtaking even at 92 if we follow as strict of an inner beauty regime as we do an outer one.

I pondered a long time about what my inner beauty regime would consist of, and I came up with a recipe for an inner beauty mask. The cool thing about recipes is that you can follow them down to the last teaspoon, or you can add a teaspoon extra or another ingredient so that it is more appealing to your pallet. Please feel free to add whatever ingredients you need to this recipe to make it most effective for you.

2 cups of Confidence
2 cups of Self Respect
1 oz. of Humility
2 teaspoons of Optimism
3 teaspoons or Gratefulness
1 cup of a Sense of Humor
1 cup of Awareness
3 quarts of Forgiveness
A dash of Adventure
A pinch of Manners
1 gallon of God’s grace

Combine all ingredients and apply liberally with prayer and self affirmations at least twice daily. This recipe makes me feel beautiful every day….even when I look like I need a makeover. LOL!

What ingredients would you add to your inner beauty mask recipe?

Shutting Down the Haters!

2012-05-17T07:42:00.000-04:00

Hola Chicas,

It's Thursday which means we've officially taken over Essence for the day!

¡Viva la Revolución!

Check out my latest installment, where I give advice on shutting down the haters. Go over there, check it out, 'like it', share it and comment! Also, leave questions of your own for the next article!

Thanks divas!

Later Gators,
Nik

Welcome to Rio- Partying with a Purpose!

2012-05-17T05:00:00.000-04:00

And the winners are...

Carla

Tiffany A Woods

DivaDeb

TraciB

Lisa Michelle

Zaralynette

Brooke B.

Bobby

Congrats divas! Email Mistie@curls.biz using 'CurlyNikki Winner-Jelly' as the subject line!

Thanks everyone for participating and stay tuned for more ways to win!

Hubby and I've been grinding nonstop for years- skipped vacations, put college degrees before tropical degrees, birthed a baby, forgone club hoppings (mostly)- and concluded that we need some shade and a vacay. From what we can tell, we're about 5 vacations behind and have decided to play a serious game of catch up. Looking for motivation to determine our next destination, I remembered the posts from Marques about race and hair relations in Brazil. I heard about an organization called Estimativa (means 'esteem' in Portuguese) that works primarily to empower women of color and couldn't help but want to do a little more.

Now, if this was a movie, we'd just fade to black, and *poof* bring the women and their members here...but this ain't no movie, and I ain't Oprah. We ain't got it like that. *Yoouu get a trip, and youu get a trip!* Nah son.

So then I thought perhaps I could go to them... bringing the CurlyNikki community with me, armed with curl knowledge and translated articles to share. I called my good friend Mahisha at CURLS and she too wanted to get in on the action and donated a TON of products. I plan to work a little, play ~~a little~~ lots, soak up some sun, the culture and take in the sights... specifically, all the curls! I'm even thinking about starting the Brazilian Butt Lift (*work out plan girl!*) so I can convert my spongebob into a donk, or at least whatever my skinny genes will allow!

So here we are...

Stay tuned for more ways that you can contribute and get involved too!

g-chatting with Boog...

I 'ugly cried' shortly thereafter.

I always feel grown when I'm making the reservations and then feel guilty/sad/like she'll forget me as the trip gets closer. #neurotic

...the first thing I did after our 10 hour flight? Jumped online to check in!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

Of all the articles on CurlyNikki.com over the years, leave a link to your favorite one below in the comments... or the one that you most believe will benefit the women of Estimativa.

On Wednesday, May 16th at 5pm EST, 8 winners will be randomly selected to take home one full size bottle of CURLS' Cashmere Curl Jelly!

Confessions...

2012-05-16T10:47:00.001-04:00

Shanti of Around The Way Curls writes:

*Takes a deep breath. Fiddles with hands nervously*

I only use "brand name" hair products

*drops head shamefully in hands and dramatically sobs*

Antoinette and I have been fortunate enough to receive some really awesome, stuffed gift bags from recent hair events that we were invited to. Within the bags are a great mix and mingle of hair products from the heavy weights and well known name brand products (Kinky Curly, Oyin, Mix Chicks, SheaMoisture etc) and then the not so well known brands that are trying to make a name for themselves. I am being really honest when I say that if I have never heard of them, I don't bang with 'em. I avoid trying the product out at all costs. I give them away some times! Uggggggh! I am so ashamed! I hate myself! But I can't help myself!

I am brainwashed and only when it comes to hair products and maybe nail polish (big ups to Essie and O.P.I) But in other areas, I don't give a damn about brand names like shoes, clothes, bags, etc.

I am writing this hoping that maybe someone will (in no particular order)

1)Chastise me for my boofoonery

2) Be gentle afterwards and explain they too suffered from brand name brain washing

3) Offer some words of advice and a process in which to liberate my mind and open myself up to some fabulous, promising hair products from the genius of small business.

Can you relate?

Working Out With Natural Hair

2012-05-15T13:00:00.000-04:00

via The Good Hair Diaries

You recently decided to take responsibility for your health and start working out. But giiiiirl....what about your hair? You worked so hard to maintain your natural hair. I mean it's no small feat achieving 3 and 4 day hairstyles. Don't fret my pet! I'm going to give you a couple of tips that could save your luscious coils and encourage you to continue getting your body right.

1. The Pineapple is your best friend

Wearing your hair up in a pineapple means that you can still preserve those precious braid-outs, knot-outs, twists and roller-sets that take a few hours to achieve. The curls will still be maintained through the length of the hair. Tie a satin scarf around your edges and place a sweat band around that. Your edges will lay down and you can fluff the rest of your hair and go.

2. Freshen up your scalp

Who has time to co-wash after every single work out? I know I don't. If you sweat profusely or just don't feel comfortable working out and not washing your hair try an astringent. Hit up your local health food store and ask for a natural astringent. Soak a cotton ball with the astringent and wipe just your scalp with it. Be sure to follow up with your favorite natural oil on the scalp to prevent a tight and dry scalp. This should keep you fresh and clean until your next wash day.

3. Rock a bun!

It's pretty cold in my part of the world at the moment. Cold weather always means protective styling time for me. Why not rock a bun during your workout? It can be a high, medium or low bun, and you can still use the silk scarf for your edges and the sweat band on top of that. Want an added benefit to your hair? Consider baggying your ends while in the bun. The ends of your hair will be happy and moisturized while your body gets tight and sexy.

4. Make a workout schedule

I know it seams like a no brainer but it must be said. If your doing cardio 2 to 3 times a week, then make sure it coincides with your co-washing days. You can weight train or rest for the remaining days, and you shouldn't be sweating too much, so washing your hair is unnecessary.

As always remember that every head of curls is not the same. Listen to your own hair and make an educated decision. Try not to allow your hair to rule your life, and remember to have fun!

How do you manage your hair and your work-out routine?

My Rio Haircare Kit

2012-05-15T09:10:00.001-04:00

My 'poo's missing! My CURLS Cleansing Cream along with the products donated to Estimativa are currently held up in customs. Put a pin in that.

Note the full size bottles. I can't do samples *shrugs*.

I knew it'd be ridonculously humid in Rio and that I'd be here for a minute, so I packed accordingly. I'd rather have a heavy bag and product to spare, than to be looking like Martin from that episode (that I saw recently for some reason, lol) where he runs off and joins a cult... with his hair all half braided. So without further ado, the winning products and why they made the cut-

Redken's Smooth Down Butter Treat- An overpriced (18 got damn dollars) deep conditioner that I've been using for about a month now. I like the fact that I can get it on the ground and love the fact that it rinses clean while leaving me with detangled, smoother, softer, stronger feeling hair. I first read about it on LongHairCareForum years ago, and while (unnecessarily) perusing the hair aisle at CVS a few weeks back, felt compelled to put it in my cart and I'm happy I did! I've learned that if my hair is saturated with moisture during the washing and styling process, that it is less likely to pull from the atmospheric moisture, which prevents shrinkage, rough cuticles, frizz and tangling. For those of you that enjoy a product that works double duty, the directions claim that you can also leave a little in if you're super dry.

AG Fast Food- A leave-in recommended to me by the one and only Wanda Sykes. I tried it two weeks ago (gifted) and was surprised at (1) how much hold it has on it's own, (2) how moisturized it left my hair, and (3) how little I needed for it to be effective. Slip for days! I use it alone or underneath the Ouidad Hydrafusion. I love this stuff!

Ouidad Hydrafusion- Y'all already know how I feel about this one. I love that the ingredients, upon research, are supposed to really help to stave off the rough, dry, swelled hair thing I get from humidity. So far so great! It's super moisturizing, smooths and holds without that icky crunchy feeling. Also, neither the Hyrdrafusion nor the Fast Food contain glycerin (at least not in the top 5)... I avoid it because of my highly porous hair, it only adds to the 'swell'. See THIS ARTICLE for more deets.

Mineral oil- I know, I know... you're like, 'nikki, shut your mouth when you're talking to me'. But look...

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curly-hair-care-methods/coily-manifesto/using-mineral-oil-for-hair

http://www.curlynikki.com/2011/10/closer-look-at-mineral-oil-natural-hair.html

http://www.curlynikki.com/2011/08/mineral-oil-or-coconut-oil-for-hair.html

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlreading/curl-products/mineral-oil-versus-coconut-oil-which-is-better

It was that first article that pushed me right over the edge. I bought a bottle of cosmetic grade (for 3 dollars... 8 ounces! What?!) mineral oil and I promise you, hand over my heart, my ends, my hair, has retained more moisture than ever before. My Twist-n-Curls usually dry out after 2-3 days and I've been successfully getting to day 4 and 5 without the need to re-moisturize. It smooths my strands, adds shine, locks in moisture and also helps with humidity... all without being greasy or heavy. I'm super lighthanded and haven't had any difficultly washing it out with a milder, cocobetaine containing 'poo (like Elucence or Giovanni).

Below is a pic from last night. Three things to note here- (1) that's Nina, one of the founders of Estimativa... the girl is dope and so is that puff, (2) we walked through the rain, umbrella-less to get to that restaurant, and (3) I'm on day 5 hair... that's hair from BEFORE my Carolina trip and yes, I used the product combo above!

My hair on day 4... last day in NC before we jumped the plane to South America

For those of you that crave the details--

I apply the Butter Treat in the shower and leave-in during my shower rituals.
Rinse and detangle under the shower stream
Wring hair of drippies and allow to air dry for 10 minutes or so
Apply AG Fast Food (quarter-sized amount to each side) throughout
Section and twist, applying a pea-sized amount of Ouidad's Hydrafusion to each section
Add a nickel-sized amount of mineral oil to ends, distributing leftover through the length
Roll ends on flexis

Do you have any experience with the above products? Share!

What are your musthaves when you travel? Are you a full size girl or a sample girl?

Shelli's Secrets to Length Retention

2012-05-15T07:51:00.000-04:00

by Shelli of Hairscapades

Last week, I mentioned that I was getting quite a few questions about what I do/did to get my hair to its current length. Usually when I get asked that question, I’ll point to my regimen post. But, to be honest, that is ever evolving and what I may be doing or using today may be totally different a week or two from now. So, I started to think about the various Tips and Tricks that I’ve shared over the last year. Then, I grouped them into categories of things that I consistently do to retain as much length as I can.

Right now, my hair is the longest that it’s ever been in my life … not ADULT life … my ENTIRE life. Although I have what is viewed as a “looser curl,” and some assume that length automatically comes with that, I was not one of those little girls with a thick, long ponytail hanging down her back until the yearning for a “perm” set-in and destroyed her long, luxurious mane.

Instead, my hair was fine, frizz prone and armpit length was probably the longest it ever was pre- or post relaxer. All this to say that, at 40 years of age and 12 years natural, my hair is the longest that it has ever been … EVER.

Now here’s the disclaimer! LOL! This post isn’t to say that I’ve got this length retention thing down to an exact science, that my methods are the only ones that work, that I don’t have setbacks or that I have a perfect head of hair. I am trying to grow out a shorter, dryer, coarser and more breakage-prone crown, a shorter nape, transition out henna-loosened ends and recover from the amla induced “Great Shed of 2010.” I don’t have a perfectly even, thick perimeter and although my longest areas have reached waist length, not all of my hair has (I’m testing Chicoro’s “Lead Hair” Theory and the goal point method of trimming). So, yeah … my hair is a work in progress and I hope some of the things that I learned and began incorporating late last year will help me to achieve healthier, thicker, stronger and longer hair in the twenty twelve!

So, without further ado, here are the 3 things that I am doing to “grow” my hair long or, more accurately, retain the length that I grow!

1. MOISTURIZE: Every week (or two weeks at the most), I pre-poo with Vatika or coconut oil, deep condition, apply a leave-in conditioner and seal with an oil. I re-apply a water-based moisturizer and seal between wash sessions, as needed.

2. PROTECT: I’m not just talking about protective styling. I think about protection as everything I do to reduce stress on my hair and prevent “premature” breakage. I finger detangle, use gentle hair accessories and tools, search and destroy to trim knots and splits that can cause “collateral damage” to adjacent strands, sleep on a satin pillowcase, wear a satin scarf or bonnet every night and wear low manipulation/protective styles that tuck away my ends 5-6 days a week.

3. STRENGTHEN: Throughout most of 2011, this element was largely missing from my regimen and I think it resulted in preventable breakage. But, I rectified this in November 2011, learned how to use protein correctly and began incorporating strengthening protein treatments every 2-3 weeks, or as needed. I also use henna. But, as I do roots-only treatments due to curl loosening caused by repeated applications, it isn’t sufficient as a strengthening agent alone. So, it became imperative for me to begin using protein to reinforce the “structural integrity” of my strands.

Here are a few pictures that show my progress from 2008, when I had my hair cut to ear length straight, to present.

Sept 2008

Feb 2011

Feb 2012

What do you do to retain length?