Blending, Blended- More About Faking It With Nazuri Curls

Hi guys!

Eku Tuesday!

As you know, I recently took down my sew-in weave with Nazuri Curls extensions. This last time, I didn’t actually wear the weave to “switch up my look”. That’s one of the things I like about extensions, though. Currently eyeing a purple and grey wig on Shop Zlanche, but where will I wear it to? Christmas is coming, maybe I should look foreign for Christmas? JK JK. Seriously though. As soon as I can get my makeup skills to match such exotic hair, I’ll be good to go. Lagos get ready! Def can’t wear it to work, so- weekends. Anyway, back to the post.

I was saying that I didn’t put on my Nazuri Curls to look different this time. I was effectively protective styling, but in a manner pretty close to my own hair- so close that I really didn’t know what to answer when people asked “Is this your hair?” “This really can’t be your natural hair right?” It was like people were convinced it was so natural, but they didn’t want to believe because of how thick or full it looked. I always wanted to add “but my hair is pretty close to this!” after I smiled and said no. Because people gotta know that African hair can flourish and prosper.

With blogger boos Titi & Sandra 🙂

To successfully fake it with extensions, your options are as follows:

Plan A: sacrifice a West African twin chameleon (amongst other things) to TY Bello, the Chief Priestess of the blending gods. If you don’t know where to find a chameleon or TY Bello, then listen to Plan B! 😛

Hairspiration! : Tosyn

Hey! 

My name is Tosyn Bucknor and I am a wordsmith (I love to work with words). I sing, write, and also host the morning show on Top Radio 90.9 as well as vlogs and podcasts. I stay busy! I live and work in Lagos and wow, I have done that all my life although I do love to travel!

I also love experimenting with my hair, health, face, etc. So I am one to try new diets, beauty tips, etc. I once tried the lemon water thing, the no-carbs diet, and even washed my hair with coke… Yup! You can read all about that on my blog www.tosynbucknor.blogspot.com

Have you always had locs? What inspired you to get them? 

I had my hair relaxed when I was in primary school, so no I have not always had locs although my dad and sister were born with natural locs. I hated salons, relaxing my hair, braiding etc. Like it took too much time and just stressed me out. Plus my hair was so tough that I could put relaxer on, sleep, wake up and it still would not have relaxed.

Hairspiration! : Glory

‘Ello baes!

Have you missed us? We have missed you!

To kick off the long Sallah weekend, Glory’s kinks are here to give life in abundance. Please, enjoy!

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Bantu knot out

Hiiiii please tell us about you!

Well hello! I’m Glory, a software developer living in Lagos. Besides software, I have a wide range of interests; from Nigerian politics to gourmet cuisine, photography to minimalist design, healthy lifestyles and so forth. But this won’t be complete without stating just how much of a natural hair enthusiast I am! I adore natural hair of all textures, densities, colors, etc. I have a keen interest in natural hair care.

On My Mind: Bob Box Braids

Last year, I fell in love with these bob box braids on Whitney Madueke (above)

Inspired by Cleopatra or the 90s, depending on your point of reference, this is a different, very pretty,  retro-chic way to wear box braids.

     

The good news is, anybody can look good with this + it’s pretty easy to achieve. I tried getting it done at my braiders’ on Monday, and it was a big big flop, I took it out the next day. After much reflection on the experience and YouTubing, I think I have it figured out, hear hear!

Bob Box Braids: What You Should Know

1. Your braids should not be thin. Medium sized – fat braids are the way to go.

2. The length of your bob should be carefully determined by the shape of your face, for best results. (I love all the pictures in this post, but the first girl’s face is shaped like mine. I could be daring and cut it lower, but I’d begin with cutting it at her length)

3. When preparing your extensions, do not measure them for the exact length you want your braids. This is what spoilt my attempt. Measure them for longer braids, and then cut off when you’re done. Why? Because the thickness is everything, without it, you have no shape, no bob. You know that as you braid hair normally, it tapers down and gets thinner toward the bottom of the braid. The point at which you cut your braid should be just as thick as the point you started- meaning, your bob braids should be uniform in thickness from top to bottom.

4. Seal the ends of your braids. You can burn them individually with a flame from a candle or a lighter. Very 90s I know! After burning, smooth with your fingers. You can also band the end of the braid (with tiny rubberbands) when you get to your desired length, and cut off the rest of the extensions, as Whitney did. See below:

5. Don’t sacrifice your hair at the nape! This is a bob right? What about the back of your hair? If you have a very teeny weeny afro, you don’t have to worry about this. For me though, in my awkward length phase, I’d definitely end up chopping off my hair at the back, following this process. For the back, what my hairdressers did (and which makes sense, really) is that they braided the back of my hair up into one zig zag cornrow, for about three lines- and made the rest of the box braids long enough to cover that space. The braids stopped at my neck, and did not expose the cornrow beneath. Got it?

Still not convinced?

Here’s an idea- the next time you get box braids, when you’re ready to loosen them, cut them in a bob shape first and see how you like it.

I was really unhappy with my hair- so upset. So upset that I can’t show you the pictures I took LOL sorry. Let me just put it this way- when done wrong, “bob braids” can have you looking like you’re in A-Levels, or like you’re a certain kind of 40 year old. Make of that what you wish ( ._.) I showed them what I wanted over and over, and they assured me they knew what to do. I was visibly upset after it all so, they offered to redo it for me. My poor fro suffered. All the manipulation! Still not convinced about letting them do it, I decided to get long braids instead. After a few weeks, when I’m tired, I think I will do the cutting myself.

More about box braids soon, but this is all for now.

What do you think about this look? Have you tried it? Will you be rocking it anytime soon?

Love,

AB,

xx

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Pictures of Whitney Madueke were taken from her Tumblr and YouTube

All other pictures in this post are from Pinterest.

 

Hairspiration! : Toyin

Hello! My name is Toyin .C. Akinjiola.

I’m 20, a Gemini and I stay in Lagos. I recently finished my Biochemistry undergrad programme at the University of Lagos so I’m eagerly but not so eagerly awaiting NYSC. I currently spend my days blogging, reading and catching up on all the dramas I possibly can.

What inspired you to go natural?

I haven’t always been natural. I became fully natural in 2014, March to be precise. I was bored with my hair to be honest, during my relaxed days I was always wearing weaves. When the weaves came off, I was usually at a loss with what to do with my heat damaged and scanty hair. I felt going natural was a chance to start anew and also experiment with my confidence, I needed some serious balls to go from long weave to team no hair.

How did you do it?

I transitioned from December 2013 to March 2014. During my transition period, I literally stalked your blog and every 4C natural hair blog to gather all the information I could on kinky hair. I initially planned on transitioning for a year, so that by the time I did my semi big chop I could wow my mum and everyone I knew with my Solange like mini fro, this did not happen. A fine day in the month of March, I went to the salon to install box braids. As the stylist combed the life out of my hair, I just told her to cut all the relaxed ends off instead of braiding it. That’s how I became natural.

Tell us about your hair! Does she have a name?

Nope, my hair doesn’t have a Name. I’m a 4C natural I believe, but I truly do not have any idea when it comes to the curl science of my hair.

How do you care for your hair? Do you have a regimen? Any staple products?

I wash my hair approximately every two weeks , I’m currently trying to find a good shampoo so I just sub with Black soap at the moment. I plan to stop using this as soon as I can, because it really dries out my hair. To combat the dryness, I deep condition my hair usually overnight with a mixture of Vo5 conditioner, random conditioners I have, olive oil, coconut oil, castor oil and Shea butter.

I try to keep things as simple as possible with my hair, so it’s basically wash, deep condition, seal and style all the time. This plan is simple and affordable for me at any time. My staple products are my Cantu Shea butter leave-in-conditioner, ORS Olive oil smooth-n-hold pudding, Shea butter, olive, coconut and castor oil. Most importantly Water. My hair is dull-ish brown in colour, so when it’s extremely dry it isn’t a pretty sight.

What are the things your hair cannot do without?

Water , Cantu Shea Butter Leave in conditioner and olive oil.

What have you realised your hair doesn’t like at all at all?

Hairstylists that love to play tug of war and lack of moisture.

How do you like to wear your hair?

I love to wear my hair as high as it can possibly go. My to go style is usually a bantu knot out, although sometimes it comes off as a bantu what-i-don’t-know! I’ve never tried a bun or updo, I don’t think my length is there yet and I’m really not an updo person, never was. My favorite styles obviously are my bantu knots and knot outs because they come out the best or leave me with something I can work with. I’m a box braids girl, when it comes to protective styling. I’ve tried yarn twists and I loved it. For the past year I only fixed my hair twice and I was really uncomfortable. I used to love weaves. Really.

Yarn twists

How do you feel about shrinkage? Do you fight it? Do you embrace it?

When I think about shrinkage , I think versatility. It’s amazing how my hair can look like I just did a big chop one day and the next I have a mini to medium fro. If I ever need length I fluff and finger detangle my hair or stretch with a scarf, then I move on. I absolutely embrace shrinkage, it keeps things interesting.

Have you received any negativity from others towards your hair? How did/do you deal?

I have been asked questions mostly by older females about my reason for going natural , then they proceed to lecture me about how it doesn’t look good , my aunt once told me I looked like a ruffian one time and how guys won’t like it , then most of them offer to pay for my hair . As a student I’m always in the mood for “osho free” so, I always accept. So now when I’m in need of a protective style I just carry my 4c kinky ruffian hair like that and visit them and I listen to them , then they offer to take me to the salon. I’m confident in my 4c hair and the choices have made thus far, so I usually laugh off any negativity directed towards my hair.

Are you facing any hair challenges right now or bad habits you’re trying to break?

I have scanty edges , and this is not due to bad hair care but genetics . Some days I feel no amount of JBCO can help, but to be truthful I never remember to use it.

Do you have any hair goals?

My short term goals would be to straighten my hair and to try more styles, its time I stopped doing the same style over and over . I’m the most boring natural ever. My long term goal is to achieve a fro worthy of the fro wall of fame , also to keep loving my hair and whatever curves it throws.

Any last words to anyone considering to go natural or a new natural?

If you decide to go natural , before you do check out your reasons for doing it , and don’t do it unless all your reasons are pointed towards you . It’s always good to find out as much as you can but no knowledge is like you trying things out first hand, so be calm, don’t overload yourself with information (it is not jamb) and just go with the tide. When Natural, you can learn from others and even make them your point of contact, LOL. What you shouldn’t do is compare your hair in all its glory to theirs and feel inferior. As all fingers aren’t equal, I believe no two fros can be.

More Toyin?

Visit her blog: lifewithcassandra.wordpress.com and follow her on Instagram : toyiin_a

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Thank you so much Toyin for sharing with us! 🙂

If you’d like to be our Hairspiration sometime, just email hello@thekinkandi.com. Have a great weekend guys!

Love,

AB,

xx