Let's Talk Tresses Friday: How Do You Adorn Your 'Do?

When I first started wearing my natural hair without braids, I was all about the accessories. I had flowers in every spectrum of the rainbow, headbands a plenty, and pretty much every other accessory under the sun to accentuate my hair.

Me, newly natural. Can you believe this photo is well over five years old?!? Wow...

Over the last few years, I stopped. Why, I don't know. But I guess I am missing the inclusion of accessories, because at the recent Curl Crush event, I managed to snatch up two adorable hair bows from QuellyRue Designs. I've yet to rock 'em, but I have a feeling I will!

Do you still rock accessories in your natural hair?!? What are your favorite adornments? Where's the best place to score bedazzling beauties for your fro? Let's Talk Tresses, Ladies!

Let's Talk Tresses Friday: What's your Favorite "Go To" Product?!?!

While I love trying the new, shiny, great-smelling product on the market, I admit to having staples: tried and true products that I know will make my hair very happy and most important, healthy.

My favorite staples are Carol's Daughter Healthy Hair Butter, Mixed Chicks Gentle Clarifying Shampoo, and Karen's Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Hair Mask. What products are tried and true for you?

D-I-Y Nappturaliciously: My First Rollerset!!!

Spring is here in NYC, and I have been in a bit of a rut when it comes to my hair. I was super duper tired of my usual braid outs and sucked up a bit of courage to tackle my very first rollerset.

Going into this, I was very very nervous about using heat on my hair again (I haven't done that in ages, which I attribute to my hairs improving health.) so I decided to do some research on technique, product suggestions, the whole nine... which meant a lot of YouTube time! One of the best videos I discovered is from Trenellm's You Tube Channel and her great 40s inspired rollerset!

The genius part of my plan was that I did it Friday night, after working all day, and after first putting away a mountain of clean laundry.... I am so smart, s-m-r-t, I mean s-m-a-r-t!! LOL Suffice to say I was tired as holy hell when I was done!


From Top Left: Diane Magnetic Hair Rollers, Diane Magnetic Snap-On Rollers (Get the snap-on, they work better!), Creme of Nature Argan Oil Foaming Wrap Lotion, Dabur Vatika Hair Oil, Remington Wet2Straight Flat Iron, Gold N Hot Ionic Soft Jumbo Bonnet Dryer, CD's Healthy Hair Butter, Got2B Guardian Angel 425F Heat Protect Flat Iron Balm... all of which is available at the *NEW* Miss Moon's Musings Shop (Powered by Amazon.com), which you can visit by clicking here - All of the items (and more) can be found in the D-I-Y Nappturaliciously Tab.

After doing my usual wash, condition, deep conditioning and detangling, I separate my hair into four sections and first applied a liberal amount of Vatika Oil and HHB to my hair. I then added the Foaming Wrap Lotion and applied the curler, taking my time to make sure that my hair was wrapped in the curler as best I could with spaghetti arms from hanging up clothes! LOL

I discovered that the Snap-on Rollers work a lot better, and regret buying less of those. Around 1:30 AM (!!!) I was done...




You can see the difference between the snap-on rollers and the ones I clipped to my head. You have to have arms of steel to get them tight. LOL


I think I have the "Jilly from Philly" seal of approval, don't you think?!?

I joyously returned to my bed, where my Gold N Hot Ionic Soft Jumbo Bonnet Dryer was prepped and waiting for me.


I was amazed that I was able to fit all of the rollers under the bonnet without any strain...
My intention was to leave the dryer on my head for about an hour and a half, but fatigue took hold of me and I promptly fell asleep!

I woke up around 4:30 in the morning, burning up from the dryer. I turned it off, and too tired to look for my satin cap, I opted to keep the bonnet on and went right back to sleep (No shame in my game, y'all.. Mama was tiyaaaaaad!!!! lol).

About an hour later, I woke up again, because the rollers were super uncomfortable, and I couldn't take much of it anymore. So I stumbled into the bathroom to take them out. I didn't get a chance to snap a photo of the de-curling.... well, because it was around 5:30 A.M.!!! LOL

I pinned my hair up as best as I could, covered it with my satin cap and I took myself right back to bed.

When I woke up later that morning (Okay, it was 1 in the afternoon)after showering I decided to finish my hair. I am so afraid of heat damage, so I was not looking forward to flat ironing at all.

I first made sure to apply a bit more Vatika oil to my hair, just because I know my hair loves it, and separated my hair in 8-10 sections. I then sprayed each section of hair with Got2B Guardian Angel 425F Heat Protect Flat Iron Balm and applied the flat iron (I decided to use one of the lowest settings, which actually did a great job!). I didn't experience too much of that "frying bacon" sound, which was my fear, and when I finished here were the results:


For the most part my hair seems to be cool with the change, though a few sections were totally "No she didn't!!!!" on me! LOL


The initial responses from my family were varied. I got a "Well, I'll be damned..." (From Mizz Lennid aka Mum), A Shocked Open Mouth Stare (From Big Sis), and a couple of dirty propositions from my honey. He said he liked seeing my hair different, but he did express a preference for my curls!! I told him, "Good.. because the curls are my preference, too!")

What's my response?


I like it... not crazy over the moon about it (It's still too new), but I think I did a fairly decent job for a first try. I plan on pampering my hair when the week is up by deep conditioning with a couple of Anita Grant's Rhassoul Deep Condish Hearts, and then two-strand twisting my hair, which I will leave in for a week.

Have you experimented with rollersets and/or flat-ironing? What are your favorite tips and techniques?

I'm REALLY Diggin': Avon's ADVANCE TECHNIQUES Dry Ends Serum

So My Mum (Mizz Lennnid) is THE, I repeat THE Avon Queen.... so please feel free to address her formally as Queen Mizz AVON Lennid. LOL

She has so many unopened boxes and bottles of goodies that she could very easily open a small store, or at least a kiosk somewhere and make a grip on the stock she currently has.

About a month ago, I wrote a blog about Winter Hair Regimens and around the same time she was raving about ADVANCE TECHNIQUES Dry Ends Serum from Avon and was suggesting I try it out. I was still in the process of putting together my routine and figured I would try it for a few weeks to see if I like it on my braid outs, which (as I've mentioned before) get very dry at the ends by week's end.

I've been diligently following this routine for about three weeks now and WOW!!! My hair is shinier, healthier and I am actually starting to see just how much my hair has grown in the past few months!

My routine is a simple variation of my normal one, with a few twists. I am thinking of doing a picture tutorial blog to show you what I do with my hair during the course of 7 days and would get to it if there was an interest for it (Let me know!)

For more information on Avon's Advance Techniques Dry Ends Serum, go to http://www.avon.com/1/1/990-advance-techniques-dry-ends-serum.html

D-I-Y Nappturaliciously: Winter Hair Regimens.... What's Yours?

That little bit of an Autumn we had in New York City has definitely made a speedy departure, and winter is SHO-NUFF here.

As always, I am the queen of procrastination, and I haven't figured out what I am going to protect and nourish my hair.

I have my ritual for the rest of the year, I just haven't settled on one for when the months are colder.

My dry hair aches for moisture, so I know enough about what I need. I am just looking for advice on what you use on your hair. Hook me up, y'all!!!!

:::drools::: FANTABULOUS fro hawk!!

I am SOOO attempting this style in the near future!!! Have funky dangly earrings, will fro-hawk!!!

*picture courtesy of the fantastic natural hair inspiration blog, natural-belle.

I'm getting Kinky Twists next week...

This summer's humidity has been straight up hell on my hair, so I've decided to give it a rest for a few months and invest in some kinky twists. I've never had the style before, so I am very much looking forward to getting them done.

I've braided my own hair for the past 10+ years, and I was considering doing them myself (armed with the numerous YouTube how-to videos), but I haven't gotten my hair done by a professional in almost a decade, and I thought it would be a great spirit boosting, self affirming, "I deserve it" kind of treat.

In my mind, I picture a Tracee Ellis Ross (Joan from Girlfriends) sort of do with kinky twists. I am not even sure this is possible. I've been scouring the web searching for pics that convey this vision, but to no avail.
























Of course, if I wasn't unemployed, I would probably opt for something more daring like these, but I figured I would keep it conservative the first time, ya know?


























After I take them out, I plan on following this regimen I scouted online via the Long Hair Don't Care website about Shikai-Co Washing, and I thought I would try that, coupled with deep conditioning to see how I like it.

So, I'm finally watching THAT Tyra Banks episode....

... my Nappturality fam will know exactly what I mean when I say THAT episode... the episode entitled "What is Good Hair"?

I've been purposefully avoiding that episode because I knew it would raise my blood pressure, but I was inspired to watch it when I read Coily World!, a blog about natural hair that I am really enjoying (the authoress has become my new hair idol.. I am trying to reach her level, man!. I really wanted to gain an understanding of the show and I suppose a morbid curiosity got the better of me, so I sauntered off my high horse (ha!) and decided to watch the episode on You Tube. I am up to Part 3, and I had to pause that bad boy to write this blog!!!



I worked last year for several months for Carol's Daughter as a Customer Service Representative (so if you called or emailed in that time, maybe you got me!) and that was 99.5% of all the calls... women saying they want "good hair" for themselves or for their children. I cringe every time I hear that expression: "good hair"

As long as your hair is not leaving your head and committing random acts of violence on the community... it's good. And (much to my supervisor's chagrin) I didn't hesitate to tell my customers so. I would always stress to them to first embrace the natural texture of your hair and to love yourself exactly as God made you. If you decide to put a relaxer in your hair, so be it.. but be safe and take care of your hair. And if you mention relaxing a child's hair to me.. don't be surprise if you get a lecture. LOL

Believe me, I wasn't always so evolved. I transitioned from getting my hair pressed by my Mum in the "pressing chair" to enduring a relaxer at the beauty salon when I was eight years old. I put my last relaxer in my hair at age 17, and my hair has been natural ever since. I wore it in braids for years out of sheer laziness, so much so... that people who have known me for YEARS had never seen my real hair.

When I was approaching 30, I decided to do my version of the "big chop": I took my braids out, having no idea what I would find in there and with no idea on how to take care of it.

Blessed with internet access, I armed myself with oodles of info on products, techniques and advice. It's been almost two years and a lot (!!!) of mistakes later, I feel like I am starting to understand what my hair needs, and it's growing like a weed, so I must be doing something right!

I think what really started this process was not looking at my hair like a burden, but as something natural and wild that I can have fun with!!