The Infamous.......Terressentials-In Review

This will be my review and thoughts on the infamous, the one and only, highly sought after, all around terrific hair mud wash-Terresentials.  I purchased this product after reading many reviews, watching countless YouTube videos, and hearing the testimonials of close friends who used it and fell in love with it.  To date, I have not heard any negative reviews, and have heard very few (and I am thinking hard to remember that it was two) people who thought this product to be just okay.  My opinion of it is not very different.  In fact, since I first used it, all I can do is rave about it.  I've been using this product now for a little over a month, with no complaints. You can find everything you need to know about the product from cost, to ingredients, to which variety to get for your hair type and everything in between, at www.terressentials.com. 

Let me tell you what it did for my hair.  After scouring the site for info on which one would be best for my hair type, I decided to purchase two for comparison:  Left Coast Lemon and Cool Mint.  I tried the Cool Mint first as I'm partial to all things minty.  It had me at hello.  My hair was left soft, cleansed, and well moisturized.  I have gotten this from other cleansers, I will not lie.  But what I didn't get from those cleansers was great curl definition.  Yes, my curls were super defined, without having to add any other product-just from a mud wash cleanser!!! It blew me away.  I heard and read reviews where people mentioned not having to deep condition their hair after using this product because their hair felt just that soft and moisturized.  Admittedly, my reaction was that of doubt.  I thought to myself, yeah, right..um, ok, me not deep condition after using a cleanser..not gona happen.  Lo and behold, after using it for the first time, I had to say to myself, open mouth, and insert foot, because I did not feel the need to deep condition after using this kind.  Not. At. All. 

On the next wash day, (which was a week later) I tried the Left Coast Lemon.  The results did not vary much.  Although, I must say that I did feel the need to deep condition after using this kind.  It didn't feel, for me, as soft and mositurized.  Other than that all results were the same.  Great curl definition, fresh clean hair, and I did get soft moisturized hair..just not overly soft and moisturized as I did with the Cool Mint.

To summarize my application process, I wet my hair with warm water.  I then squeezed a whole heap of the product into my palms and worked it through, focusing on my scalp.  I repeated this process until, my strands were covered, and had this product massaged well into my scalp.  I rinsed then repeated. I used both varieties the same way.  I did not part my hair into sections; I never do.  My first application, using the Cool Mint, my scalp did feel a strong tingle.  Every application after the tingle was slight.  I didn't feel a tingle at all using the Left Coast Lemon. The mud wash rinses out very easily; not extra time is needed; therefore no extra water wasted.  After, my rinse, I styled my hair as I normally would and only deep conditioned when necessary.  My hair was very easy to detangle after as well.  My fingers and/or comb just glided right through.  I narrowed down my product use to about a quarter size per wash moving forward.

Now I will say, I did not follow the detox recommendation..I used it as I would my normal shampoo.  I must warn you that, as someone that went from using a shampoo that lathers (sulfate free shampoo), to one that does not later at all, as the Terressentials, when I first started out, it was easy to go overboard with the application.  It's just human nature.  However, it did not affect my results at all-you really can't go wrong using this product.  It took me a few applications to figure out the perfect amount. 

One added bonus when using this product (that I learned in my research) was that many people used it to cleanse their face as well. I'm all for a two in one product.  I used the Left Coast Lemon variety as a face mask with no problem.  Skin felt clean, and I moisturized as normal afterward.  However the Cool Mint was a no go.  My face stung the minute I applied it.  I thought, hey this will probably go away once I let it sit, but it didn't.  There was no way I could let it sit on my face longer than two minutes; I had to rinse it off immediately.  So, perform that treatment with caution.  Do a skin test unlike the one I did..LOL.

I give this 10 out of 10, five out of five stars, a 100%, an A+.  There is only one other product that I prefer cleansing my hair with, outside of the Terressentials mud wash.  I'll save that for another review. 

For more information, or to purchase Terressentials, go to www.terressentials.com

Please note:  I am not being paid to do this review and purchased the products with my own money. 

While you are on the net searching and what not, please also visit www.returnofthecurls.com for information on upcoming on the fabulous natural hair expos this Spring and Summer in Richmond, VA and Greensboro North Carolina.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!~DREAM A LITTLE DREAM WITH ME

I'm excited to bring you my very first blog giveaway!!!!! *loud applause*!!!! That's right; Return of the Curls has been generous enough to sponsor this giveaway allowing one fabulous person two tickets for entry into one of their awesome expos coming up this Spring and Summer.  Please see flyer above and visit www.returnofthecurls.com for more information.

The contest rules are short and sweet.  Here they are:

1.  Must follow my blog:  http://cnw2.blogspot.com/

2.  Must follow Return of the Curls on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.  Links to those sites can be found here:  www.returnofthecurls.com

3.  Leave a comment on my blog letting me know what your dream vacation spot is. No, you won't win a vacation as part of the giveaway, but it's fun to dream..LOL

That's it!!!

I will choose a winner randomly and announce in a separate blog post on April 1, 2013. Winners will have approximately 72 hours to contact me before I choose another winner.  I look forward to your responses.  Happy dreaming!!

~XOXOXOXOX

Fashion Files

So it's that time of the year where we trade in our winter coats, and "fall like" colors, for lightweight jackets and pops of pastels. Nothing wakes up an outfit more than an accessory, and one of the most versatile accessories is the scarf.  You can utilize a scarf in a number of ways.  Here are a few:

First you can use it as a head wrap.  Here is a quick reference for your viewing pleasure showing you a number of ways:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcRWFEzrzMQ

Secondly, you can use your scarf as a cute necktie to jazz up that nautical look you've being eager to put on.  It would look great paired with a plain tee, jeans, and boating shoes.

Third, you can add a scarf to another accessory; like a handbag.  Placing it around the handle or straps of a handbag adds a nice flare.  If you're headed to the beach, tie one around your beach bag.  It will not only be cute on the tote, but will give you something to use should you need to tie your hair into place.

Lastly, you can use a scarf in place of a belt.  Sometimes belts can be too structured and plain.  So instead of putting a strap of leather through your belt loops, use a scarf to add that bit of edge to those jeans or slacks.  It works for both casual and sophisticated looks alike.

Hope those tips helped and remember to keep it cute and have fun with it. 

Remember to visit www.returnofthecurls.com for more information on upcoming events, giveaways and information on everything beauty, fashion and natural hair.

Curly Nikki Book Signing-LIV Nightclub Washington DC

Ok, so there are natural hair meetups and events all the time right? You learn great info, get great hair advice, meet some cool people and may get a couple of sample packs of hair products if you're lucky.  Well this past Saturday, March 9, 2013, I had the pleasure of attending a celebration of sorts; an event to rival all events.  Mrs. Nikki Watson, aka "Curly Nikki" came to the nations capital along with Shea Moisture as part of her book signing tour for her novel Better Than Good Hair.  It was a great event!!!  Organized, fun, informative, and chill were all the words that came to mind as I recapped the event in my head, the very moment it was over.  When you got there, you were greeted by two young ladies on the Shea Moisture team who made sure you were on the RSVP listing-one in the front of the line; one in the back.  This made for a cohesive way of entering. When I arrived, I was excited to find that there was no line.  They showed you indoors, and you were then greeted by another young lady who welcomed you and explained all the going ons inside.  The first thing I saw when I walked inside was the beautiful Nikki herself standing on the purple carpet smiling and taking pictures.  She kept this smile the entire time as she greeted, mixed, mingled, signed books and the like for over three hours.  She was truly a gem.  There was a bar open for drinks, (you had to be at least 21 to get into this event). There also was a beautiful dj adorned in her Beats by Dre spinning on the 1's and 2's.

Upstairs you would find a buffet for snacking, and a set up for attendees to give their take on why they became natural-the Shea Moisture crew was using the footage for a segment they were doing, and you had to sign a waiver and all that good stuff to particpate.  They also gave one-on-one consultations for those wanting to know more about their specific hair needs and/or Shea Moisture products. There was also a station for you to purchase Better Than Good Hair (if you hadn't already) and have it signed by Nikki.  I had the pleasure of already having a personalized signed copy in my possession as I won a contest for it hosted by Marisol aka "MamaNaturalista".  Speaking of Mrs. Marisol, I got a chance to chat with her as well.  She is really such a sweet and kind women.  I see her at all the local events (and all over the net)and she is a riot and is always a pleasure to see and hear in person.  At this particular event, I got the chance to sit and chat with her, about everything, from her hair, to her home life, to attending events and such.  It was great to have that curltalk/girltalk with her. 









There were a lot of natural hair bloggers and vloggers in the building.  I recognized so many of them from YouTube and Instagram (and all the other social sites). I was a party of one so I looked forward to meeting and greeting and met some wonderful naturalistas along the way.  Even after it was over, I had a chance to chat with some women outside about how great it was that Shea Moisture gave away full sized products in their goodie bags, and just how pleased we were with the event overall. Shea Moisture also conducted a live Instagram giveaway where you had to post a picture of yourself at the event, tag them, and Curly Nikki, and use specific hashtags.  The person(s) with the most likes won..that was pretty awesome; think there were three winners for that. Congrats to those that won.  Shea Moisture really knows how to show appreciation to their customers.  I've always loved and patronized the brand, but this event just solidified how far they've come and will go in the beauty/natural hair industry.  Kudos to them for putting on such a wonderful event for Curly Nikki.  It was a great time had by all!!!  See ya at the next one.

Hair Maintenance

Our hair comes in many different lengths, textures and hues.  It will therefore need its own unique regimen that will cater to it and help it to grow.  To maintain a healthy head of hair, we need all need some of the same basic things in our arsenal:  a healthy diet, plenty of water, and exercise.  Everything else we use to give our hair shine, bounce, or definition, like the latest product or technique that we've come across, is completely selective, and may or may not work for your hair like it will for someone else's.  Another thing that we all need to maintain a healthy head of hair is to protect our strands at night.  Using a satin or silk scarf and/or pillowcase at night, will not only perserve that style you've just perfected, but it will also help protect your hair from things like breakage, frizz, and dryness. For instance, I find that for my own hair in particular, as it relates to maintenance, setting my hair in a style while it's wet will yield the best results.  That style will last longer, and not require a lot of maintenance.  Conversely, I find that if I style my hair dry, after a blow out, I will need to re-twist every night, and apply product daily.  I almost always cover it in a scarf or bonnet (there are nights where I get lazy and I paid for it in the morning trust me..lol) It really all depends on your hair's needs.  It's very important for you to get to know your hair in all its uniqueness to determine what it needs and what styling methods will work for you.  There are many products out there that will help your hair to stretch or shrink, look curly or sleek.  Love your hair enough to find out what those things are and have fun with the process.  Your hair will thank you.

Please visit www.returnofthecurls.com for information on upcoming expos.

Hair Maintenance

The topic of hair maintenance can be as fun or as boring as you make it.  If you allow yourself to get bogged down with attempting to remember scientific terms, various hair lingo and terms and/or hair typing systems, it can be a bit boring and overwhelming.  However, if you take the time to feel, touch, and know your hair, use sensory awareness to really develop a relationship with your hair, you will find that hair maintenance does not have to be a complicated thing, and that it can be quite the enjoyable experience.  Our hair needs certain things to thrive.  Moisture is one.  Moisture provides our hair with a basis.  It protects our hair.  It keeps our hair from drying out and breaking.  Secondly, our hair needs oil.  Oils help to nourish our hair and seal in moisture.  It provides our hair with a barrier against harsh conditions like the elements and heat styling (if that's your thing).  Lastly, it needs the support of internal nourishment.  Don't however limit yourself to thinking that proper hair maintenance is achieved only by what you do to your hair strands.  Hair maintenance also begins with what you internally do to nourish your body, not just how you take care of the strands on your head from the outside.  When you drink plenty of water, eat your vitamins and mineral via fruits and vegetables, and get plenty of exercise, your hair too will thrive and benefit.  Those are things you just won't find bottled up and packaged pretty.  Styling your hair is the easy and fun part.  There is a plethora of information and self help videos all across the World Wide Web to help you along your journey.  Have fun with different styles, accessories, and hair tools.  Don't let anyone tell you what is best for your hair.  Learn what is best for your hair; let your hair tell you.  Your hair will thank you.

Please visit the website below for information on upcoming events and information for Return of the Curls:

http://www.returnofthecurls.com/

Embrace The Shrinkage

Okay, so we all knew that going natural was the best thing for us.  We knew that we would have this great head of chemical free hair.  However, if you've been natural for a while, in retrospect, you knew that there was a lot you didn't know.  Like how important moisture would be to our hair (especially since we stayed clear of any liquids with our relaxed hair).  We didn't know about twist outs, or braid outs, that gel could actually be used to style and not just slick, and we also did not know about (or at least think about)...shrinkage.  Love it or hate it, embracing it is part of the natural journey.  You have to know that natural hair shrinks.  It gives a false impression of the length of our hair and for some, that is a hard pill to swallow.  My question is: Why should it be?  You've come this far.  You've took on the mental, emotional, and sometimes even spiritual challenge of loving yourself for who you are by returning your hair to it's natural state; you've accepted the hair on your head; now chemical free. So why look at shrinkage, (or any other characteristic of your hair) as a negative.  Embrace your shrinkage.  Love that your hair draws up when wet.  There are so many ways that you can combat shrinkage if you want to that it shouldn't be a second thought.  You can do the styles I mentioned before (twist outs and braid outs).  You can naturally color your hair with henna, which often loosens your curl pattern, which in turn gives length.  You can style your hair in puffs and updos to show off it's length, and yes, you can even straighten it.  However, for those days when you just want to wash and go, embrace that head of hair that no longer hangs and is elongated.  Love that it's out of the way, and enjoy the no muss no fuss hairstyle.  At the end of the day, you have a ton of options with natural hair, you don't have to live with shrinkage, however, there's nothing like coupling confidence with a cute curly fro that you know is chemical free and healthy, even if it does show 75% of your true length (you know you've given your shrinkage a percentage..LOL).  Bottom line, having a healthy mane is what is most important.  Everything else, is just that-everything else.

Please visit the website below for information on upcoming events and information for Return of the Curls:

http://www.returnofthecurls.com/