Issues regarding race relations have been on the rise with the increasing news coverage on police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement, Trump Ideology, and more. With all of the coverage relating to "Black" -vs- "White", the concept and accusation of Cultural Appropriation has spread like wildfire.  Seeing all of the hoopla surrounding this term, I thought it was good idea to weigh in on Cultural Appropriation. So what is Cultural Appropriation? According to   Cultural Appropriation and the Arts , Cultural Appropriation is the adoption or use of elements of one culture by members of another culture. Well okay, this doesn't seem so bad... or does it? When I read this definition aloud, the words assimilation, or acclimation come to mind. People often have to adapt to their environment in order to survive or deal with a given situation or scenario.   So what's the big deal? The problem comes in when someone adopts elements of a culture ...

I walked outside this morning and was dramatically smacked in the face by a cold gust of wind. How Rude! Lady Winter has definitely showed up to the fight and is not holding back any punches. Unfortunately the cold temps, snow, ice, and winds that winter brings can be very damaging to your natural strands.  Without proper care, your hair can suffer from breakage.  Hopefully with the tips below you should be on your way to WINTERIZING your hair  and protecting it from whatever this winter has in stored for us. Photo Credit: Rihanna -I-D Magazine Flat Iron-Chi **Results may vary** ...

The Product Junkie in me is filled with excitement about my November curlBOX.  This is my first shipment from the curlBOX subscription service.  I have previously ordered some products that were not included in their monthly subscription.  To read about that experience click  HERE .  The November box featured products from PAUL MITCHELL. Read on to find out more about these featured products. Box Breakdown  The products came wrapped in hot pink tissue paper and was placed in the signature black box with gold and pink lettering.  Included inside: Paul Mitchell curls - Spring Loaded Frizz-Fighting Shampoo.   This is a pretty small bottle with only 2.5 fl. oz. Paul Mitchell curls -  Spring Loaded Frizz-Fighting Conditioner.  The conditioner is much larger than the shampoo with 6.8 fl. oz. Paul Mitchell express style- Round Trip. This is a liquid curl definer and it has a pump attachment.  The appearance of this product is like a liquified gel/serum. The size of this produ...

It all began once my hair had drifted beyond my shoulders (when stretched).  I had never had these problems before.  Although my hair was making strides towards achieving my lofty length goals, I was getting ready to embark on a new nightmare (cue horror music) Single Strand Knots.  Have you ever found yourself yelling at the female-lead in a scary movie? You know they are walking into a dangerous situation and you are screaming for them to turn around and go back.  That's me, right about now.  I know better! I know that I should wear protective styles, and detangle...but I haven't been doing these necessary tasks, lately.  My inner voice is screaming at me, and I still fail to listen.  I have never regretted this as much as I did yesterday. Saturday was my WASH DAY and I was forced to live through the horrifying consequences of not heeding my own advice. As I began to detangle, I noticed that the tangles and single strand knots had violently attacked my thick curls!!! I ...

Too often, we hear how our kinks, curls, and coils are unprofessional, unkempt, unclean, embarrassing.  The list of negative adjectives used to describe us natural folk are endless. Don't get me wrong #TeamNatural has grown by leaps and bounds.  My concern, however, is that Naturalistas are still subjected to harsh criticism from not only corporate America but also from those that claim to love and care for us. We as a people have been systematically brainwashed into believing that your hair and your body must resemble something unnatural in order to be considered beautiful. I should not have to put harsh chemicals in my hair in order to be accepted in a professional environment. I should not have to be as slender as a high-fashion model to have the beauty within me recognized. I say all of this to say that my  Curls and my Curves are a part of me. While neither define me, they both add a beautiful layer to my being. If you are not afraid to rock your hair naturally AND love yo...

 Well Sorta. I have been seeing advertisements for curlBOX for awhile. I decided to check out the site and see what all the fuss was about. What is curlBOX, you ask? According to www.curlBOX.com , it is  "an affordable, exclusive, and effortless way to explore new products". It is basically a hair product subscription service.  The exclusive subscribers receive new hair products featuring a different brand every month for the fine price of $20/month.   Their site is pretty simple to navigate.  Unfortunately, their signature curlBOX subscription was closed, so I signed up to receive notification once their subscription list opened again.  Since I could not sign up for the subscription, I decided to purchase some items that were available on the Shop Now tab.  I selected the #cBdopedeal for $25 .  I also paid $5 for shipping. (Yes, I paid for this product with my own money.) The curlBOX came quickly, so I was very happy about that. Product Information Product Brand...

Let's first address the elephant in the room... I haven't blogged since the beginning of this month. I have a really good reason why... I promise.  The school year has officially started and I needed to take a short break to ensure that I was well prepared for my students. Now let's jump right into it.  I recently had the "pleasure" of using the product shown on the left of your screen. I went to get my hair styled in two simple feedin cornrows and my stylist prefers to use 'Creme of Nature Argan Oil Perfect Edges'.  I must admit, when I first walked out of the shop I was impressed.  My hair was laid to perfection and there wasn't a strand of hair out of place!  As you may know, my hair can be extremely unruly... I always feel bad for the stylist that decides to try to tame it.  I was definitely a happy customer, because my braider, Ashley, has hands blessed by God!!! Three days later, my daughter hopped into my bed and began looking at my hair. ...