Get Sprung on Spring Colors

It looks good on you. You just think it's pretty. We all get attached to a specific color from time to time. I used to only wear black. Admittedly, I still have a lot of black in my wardrobe but I've always been adventurous in the nail polish department.

According to Fashion Trendsetter, this Spring 2009 comes with new hues for you to try. Color lovers get ready. For the color resistant, take a cheap risk by buying a cheapo nail polish from the dollar store.

Remember, your hair alone can't make you look great. Bring together the total package and get out of your style rut. Glam up your nails, accessories or overall wardrobe with one of these colors...

A High-Top Braid-Out Updo

Love updo's? Sometimes they are all about trial and error. See my video on how I created this style.

It took some time and a few mistakes but I left them in for you to see that you're not the only one who has to work a little for the look you want.

Africa's Best Product Review

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I found an old bottle of Organics by Africa's Best She Butter and Tea-Tree Oil Moisturizer. It was from an old relazer kit I had so I decided to use it instead of throw it out.

Pros

1. Great natural ingredients.
2. No flaking.
3. Works well as an oil to seal after using a moisturizer on wet hair.
4. Good for straightened hair.
   

Cons

1. I can smell the olive oil ingredient and it's not nice. Frankly, it stinks.
   
2. It doesn't make my hair feel very soft. It's more of an oil.
3. Not great for kinky, natural hair.
   

Hair Color for Spring

Hair coloring doesn't have to be a damaging process. It can actually be a treatment and I'm not talking about the boxed dies that lie to you about being healthy for your hair.

Henna is used by some as a hair treatment but many use it gradually or slightly lighten their hair.

The color you will get will depend on the color of your hair. Do you have grays? They may turn red. Is your hair black, It may be a little difficult to go very light.

Henna with lemon juice will give you a richer color than henna mixed with water. For more details on dying hair with henna, visit hennaforhair.com for quick guide to henna for hair dying and color charts to ensure your preferred results. The site has great manuals available.

Click here for a free e-book on how to henna your hair.

Don't be afraid of damaging your kinky hair this Spring. Try henna and keepitkinky.

The Resident Kinky Makeup Artist

In keeping with KeepItKinky's mission to keep you kinky haired and beautiful, Canadian professional makeup stylist, Nicole Webster is now our official Resident Makeup Artist.

See things through her talented eyes as she writes and designs looks to keep you up to date on the latest makeup trends. This blog isn't just about natural hair. It's about all the things that you can use to accentuate your natural beauty.

Your hair is your crowning glory. Now you can enhance your face as the perfect compliment to your crown.

Check out her blog at http://naturalendlessbeauty.blogspot.com/

Sister Twists/Rope Twists Tutorial

I've had quite a few people ask me how I've gotten my twists to look so coily and my twist-outs to be so defined. The secret?


Rope Twists! That's what they are called in Jamaica. I've heard them being referred to as sister twists in the USA. They give excellent twist-outs that last for days if done with the right products.

I recommend using some sort of holding gel or aloe vera for even more hold. You can always spritz them a bit if you want them to shrink more.

Click here to view tutorial video I created YouTube on how to create these twists.

Give your Curls Some Spring

Forget the corduroy headband and embrace something a little more fresh. It's Spring after all. OK, so maybe some of us in the cold climate regions are still struggling with fluctuating temperatures. But you can still embrace a little flower power when it comes to your accessories.

Pick something from your blossoming garden or go the cheap route. Pick up a multicolored floral arrangement piece from your local dollar store, cut off the stems and secure a flower of your choice to your hair with a hair pin. Have fun with your hair and keep it ever fresh and kinky.

How To Flat Twist

Your Blog is Fabulous Award!

I was very honored to receive a
"Your Blog is Fabulous Award"
from A Girl Can Mac. Thanks for choosing my blog for the award girl.

Here are the rules for recipients:
1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which you think are fabulous.
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

You asked me to keep these awards going so here are my top ten...

1. Scandalous Beauty
2. Concrete Loup
3. Black Girl Long Hair
4. Couture Candy
   
5. Young Black Fabulous
   
6. Coarse Hair Diary
   
7. Reflections of Beauty
8. Urban Curlz
   
9. A Girl Can Mac
10. The Fashion Bomb
    

How To: Olive Oil Hot Oil Treatment

The Pin-Up Queen

Keep It Kinky dubs 26 yr old EbonyPrincessH The Pin Up Queen of Natural Hair.

This young lady did her big chop in November 2006 but didn't wait until her hair was long to experiment with updo hairstyles. She has worn mini or micro braids for what seems like most of her natural journey and always does a pin-up style.

Ebony pins it all too - box braids, twists, loose hair. She can rock a pin-up no matter what style her hair allows. Check out her Fotki albums here.

Hot Cinna-bun Hairstyle

Cinnabun Hairstyle Tutorial Part 1



Cinnabun Hairstyle Tutorial Part 2

Five Secrets to Long Natural Hair

Amy McKnight, owner of NaturalHairCareGuide.com is giving away a free book about natural hair! Yes, you heard right. It's free, and it is entitled Five Secrets to Long Natural Hair.

The title speaks for itself. If you are interested in reading her book, check out her site here.

Quick and Simple

A side cornrow and plait makes this style simply elegant and effortless.

Dread Beehive Tutorial

Jenteel from NY, reppin’ Haiti!

KiK: When did you go natural and why?
Jenteel: I went natural in May 1998. It was a suggestion from my best friend who was going natural herself. I starting thinking about how I had always liked my natural hair. I only relaxed because I had just started doing my own hair because my mother didn’t know how to do “cool styles”. My hair was such a chore to do before school! I didn’t know much about products so I just used grease and water. I just wanted a ponytail that “hung” and the hot comb presses were scary and tedious. So as I thought back, I wondered why I was relaxing in the first place. I always loved the thickness of my natural hair so the idea stuck. After eight months of natural hair, I relaxed my hair again because there was one style I had never done: short relaxed hair. Once I was done with that, three months later in May 1999, I was natural again. In May 2009, I will be celebrating 10 years of being natural :).

KiK: What have you loved most about being natural?
Jenteel: Being different and looking different. I love the textures of my hair! I wore my hair short for a while which was quite liberating. I felt so sexy! Now it’s all about the “bigness” of my hair! When I wear it out, I love feeling my hair fluffing up and down in the wind! Also, the attention. I am more comfortable with that now. I also love the fellowship of natural sisters, it’s like a sisterhood.

KiK: What have you liked least?
Jenteel: Being stereotyped: assumptions of what I may or may not be. There are a whole lot of ideas for what a natural woman may or may not be like. Most of it is positive, but sometimes you are depicted as a caricature - a “militant-vegetarian-bohemian-tree hugger” which I can be :), but I am multilayered just like any other human being.

KiK: What's your best advice for people transitioning to natural?
Jenteel: As far as haircare, this is the advice I gave to someone recently: Have patience. It will take time to see growth, but it will happen, especially when you're not paying attention! Take time with detangling! Never ever rush with your hair! Try protective styles so that you are not manipulating your hair too much. Establish a regimen. Maintain a proper moisture-protein balance with your hair so that you nourish the delicate line of demarcation (where relaxed and natural meet). This way you can avoid breakage of the relaxed hair. It is good to get into this routine anyway, because you will follow it while you are completely natural also. If you are worried about length, cut off the relaxed ends gradually so that it's not as traumatic at the end.

Mentally: Don’t listen to others unless it’s positive. If ever you hear a negative comment, remember why you are going natural. It’s a personal decision. You do not need permission from anyone. Chances are other things are changing too. Use this time to focus on you and other changes that may be going on in your life. Embrace change! Remember that we are ever changing, always growing and it is an amazing thing.

Find her online.
http://public.fotki.com/jenteel/
http://jenteel.blogspot.com
http://blackgirllonghair.blogspot.com/ (occasionally)
For Photos: © 2009 jenteel

Creative Cornrowed Beauty

Tell me natural hair isn't beautiful and I'll tell you you're insane. Ladies, it's time for us to get really creative with our styling. Experiment. It's a lot like shopping for a new dress. You never truly know if it fits you unless you try it on. Try on a new hairstyle. This blog has over 90 hairstyle inspiration posts and many tutorials.

Thanks for the picture and hair inspiration F2X!

An Inspired 'do

IStillHaveJoy from Youtube copied one of the 5 minute hairdo's but she did it on twists. She's a perfect example of how you can be inspired by a style on this blog and make it your own!

I love to see when people send in their pics. It makes my time spent on this blog all worthwhile.

To see pics of the style when i originally did it, go to... http://keepitkinky.blogspot.com/2009/02/5-minute-hairstyle-tutorial.html

Sera of Sierra Leone

Sera, originally from Sierra Leone is my Fotki Friend. She went natural in December 2003 because of hair damage caused by relaxers.

KiK: When did you go natural and why?
Sera: I went natural in December of 2003 because of damage from relaxing.

KiK: What have you loved most about being natural?
Being able to go short (letting shrinkage take over) one day & long the next (by stretching or straightening) Detangling has been my least favorite part of my natural hair journey.

KiK: What's your best advice for people transitioning to natural?
Make sure you research & get as much info as you can about being natural & taking proper care of natural hair. Also, make sure you are doing it for the right reasons.

KiK: What is your best advice for people who are trying to stay natural?
Sera: Keep working with your hair, be patient & gentle when handling your hair & always take good care of it - with time, you will rip the benefits.


KiK: What are your top three products and why?
Sera: Shea Butter - keeps hair moist & helps with ease of detangling
Jojoba Oil - is close to sebum & helps with sealing in moisture
Castor Oil - helps with smoothing & with sealing in moisture.


See her regimen here
http://public.fotki.com/Sera252/all_about_hair/regimen-1/regimen/


And her old product choices here
http://public.fotki.com/Sera25/natural_pics/products_i_currently_use/

Find her on the web

www.fotki.com/Sera252

www.fotki.com/Sera25

www.nappturality.com

How To: Keep Natural Hair Moisturized

Black Women's Hairstyles Politically Unacceptable?

I'm Jamaican and wore my afro and other natural hairstyles while teaching in Jamaica without any criticism for years. All hairstyles however are not appropriate for all settings. It's not about the hair texture, it's the hairstyle. Just as some clothing are left for partying, the same goes for hairstyles, and that is for all hair textures.

Please watch hes video clip I found on Youtube from a segment on Black Entertainment Television (BET) and tell me: What do you think?

Straight Natural

Brown Sugar Betty from Fotki is working this natural hairstyle. Yes, it's natural flat-ironed hair. She cut it in this choppy, modern style that shows off her beautiful facial features. The best part - she can wash her hair and have her curls in a few hours.

Now heat is tricky. You have to know how your hair handles heat. Repeatedly heating can alter your hair texture but with the right protective products and tool, you can easily have the best of both worlds.

Still think natural hair is boring?
Keep it Kinky!

Sized Inspiration

Varying the sizes of your flat twists or cornrows like F2X is an easy way to switch up your style. You could even mix cornrows and flat-twists together. Have fun styling and always remember to Keep It Kinky.

Be Inspired by Inspired Coils

Loc Loops Product Review

*****/*****
5/5 stars

I love Lock Loops. Scroll down to read its pros and cons.



























Pros
1. They are very comfortable. No problem sleeping with them in.
2. They are soft and light. No heavy head for you.
3. They give great medium curls.


Cons
1. They are made of foam and might not be very durable
2. I'm not sure foam and water are long lost friends. Will they withstand constant wetting?


See the video version of the review here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui0eD6JW9nc&feature=channel_page

A Natural Haired Pokahontas

Pokahontas, United States

KiK: When did you go natural and why?

Pokahontas: I started transitioning around 2001 because I no longer wanted harsh chemicals being used in my hair. My hair was very damaged when I was relaxed and I was wanting to focus more on my hair's health. I also no longer saw the point of using a relaxer because no matter what my curls always came back so I was still having to do the same things to my hair then that I do to it now as a natural.

KiK: What have you loved most about being natural?

Pokahontas: Everything! Most of all I would say the versatility and health of my hair. I just love my curls and all the styles I can wear curly or straight.

KiK: What have you liked least?
Pokahontas: The ONLY thing I can say I don't like is the knots I get on the ends of my individual strands...."Pixie Knots".

KiK: What's your best advice for people transitioning to natural?

Pokahontas: When I transitioned I didn't know what I was doing (no hair boards or internet) but I did do all the research I could and I would strongly advise that. Now there is so much information out there to help you so just do your research. I would also suggest regular protein and deep conditioning treatments to keep the line of demarcation strong. This was my main focus while transitioning.

KiK: What is your best advice for people who are trying to stay natural?

Pokahontas: Experiment!!! I've done so many styling experiments on my hair to get it to do what I want and now I can pretty much manipulate it to do whatever I want it to. Just don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with it!

KiK: What are your top three products and why?

Pokahontas: Coconut oil because the shine is amazing and it's one of the few oils that penetrates the hair strand.-Qhemet Amla & Olive Heavy Cream.....probably the best moisturizer I've ever used.-Sabino Moisture Block......this serum keeps my hair straight even in humid weather.

KiK: Where on the web can you be found?
Pokahontas: http://members.fotki.com/Pokahontas/about/

Céce's Natural Twisted Hairstyle

Céce is wearing a unique and inspirational twisted hump. Dare you try it? Check out more of her pictures here.

Keep Hair Kinky with Jenteel.

If you're a natural hair addict like me, you've probably seen her around the natural hair scene. She's an inspiration to many, so KiK decided to ask her a series of questions that she was nice enough to take time out to answer. I'm happy she did. She has great advice to give.

KiK: What is your best advice for people who are trying to stay natural?

Jenteel: Keep your haircare simple! After years of being natural, my regimen is the simplest it’s ever been. The night before I wash I do a ayurvedic oil treatment with amla and shikaikai oils, then set my hair in braids. The next day I cowash (conditioner wash) in the braids, deep condition, moisturize, braid it in four braids for a braidout or wear it curly. It’s quick, simple and easy. I do a deep conditioning with every wash and protein treatments when necessary. I just started henna-ing, which I love so I may do that in lieu of the protein. I make my own products now because I know what ingredients benefit me the most without the irritating or dangerous fillers.

It’s fun to try out new products, but if you find something that works, stick with it unless it stops working. Next, as Oprah says, “run your own race”! Meaning, don’t worry about “such and such” who went natural around the same time as you. Her hair may be longer, shorter, thicker, etc., it doesn’t matter. Concentrate on your successes and your goals. Find at least one thing about your hair that you absolutely love (hopefully more than one :) ) This is so that whenever you get frustrated you can always relish in that. Also, establish a signature style that makes you feel beautiful and confident. Have fun with you hair! Don’t get stuck in a rut! Above all else, remember all the wonderful reasons why you went natural!

© 2009 jenteel
http://members.fotki.com/jenteel/about/