Tag Archives: women

BEAUTY, FASHION, NATURAL HAIR, SELF LOVE

Oooh SNAP!

Leave a comment

The January issue of Natura Magazine is here!  With the gorgeous Kerry Washington gracing the cover I am even more proud to say that I am a part of Team Natura.  With a focus on self empowerment, this issue is full of inspiration and encouragement for women to be who they are which you all know is right up my passion alley!

As a contributing natural hair blogger expert for this amazing online publication I always look forward to seeing the finished product that founder Malia Brown and team have worked so hard to produce.  I highly encourage you to go check it out! From natural hair care, fashion and health, it is 188 pages of Awesomeness! Click the cover below to see what the January issue has to offer. You won’t be disapointed!

You can also check out my weekly blog posts for this great publication here.

NATURA-JAN-2014-cover-791x1024

Advertisement
BEAUTY, NATURAL HAIR

Get up and go hair!!

Leave a comment

It took me a good two and a half years of being natural but I can finally appreciate the ability to get up and not do anything to my hair!

Yesterday was my undercover deep condition and baggy day. I put my hair in 6 chunky twists under a baggy and beanie and went on with my day. I took the twists out last night and basked in the awesomeness of super moisturized hair.

I went to bed without twisting my hair or anything, just a satin scarf. This morning I got up took the bonnet off shook out my hair and pow!! That was it. Spent all day enjoying my get up and go big hair.

There I go, being true to me @tjluvsbeingnatural. Indeed I do!

Here is my last night freshly deep conditioned hair and my get up and go hair. Be you beauties!

20140104-182741.jpg

20140104-182805.jpg

BEAUTY, FASHION, NATURAL HAIR

Undercover Deep Condition & Baggy

Leave a comment

I have never been one to leave the house in a shower cap or bonnet. It’s just not my style.  Part of my 6 month natural hair growth challenge is to deep condition once a week .  This tends to be a bit of a challenge with my schedule.  Fortunately, I can still get it done and go about my day without worrying about having to complete the entire  process before going out in public, because I’ve found a simple way to get my weekly deep condition and baggy done undercover!

Yesterday I deep conditioned with Creme of Nature’s Intensive Conditioning Treatment for several hours after co-washing .  I was able to baggy my hair after applying the deep conditioner and topped it off with a beanie for a suitable daytime look.  My hair was able to get the treatment it needed while I did what I needed to do for the day.  A face beat and casual chic outfit helped to complete the day’s style and I was more than satisfied with the overall look.

After my deep condition process was complete I finished the night off with one of my go to protective styles, small twists.  They came out extremely moisturized!

So naturalistas…no more putting off your deep condition routine because you’re too busy.  Just deep condition, baggy, beanie and be you beauties!

20131227-221527.jpg

20131227-222401.jpg

20131227-222415.jpg

BEAUTY, NATURAL HAIR, SELF LOVE

Behind My Face Transformation

Leave a comment

My husband has always said that he loves my smile, that my face completely transforms when the sides of my mouth curve up. Frankly, I never really knew what to make of that. Did that mean that my every day “I’m just chillin” kinda face isn’t as appealing. Women have a tendency to overthink things and there’s no doubt that this has been one of those overthought topics for me.

Needless to say, I’ve spent a lot of time comparing numerous smiling photos to non smiling photos trying to figure it out. Maybe it’s my eyes. I’ve always had big eyes and they tend to appear smaller when I smile. Maybe it’s the subtle hint of dimples that occur when I smile, or the nearly perfect teeth that spent 3 years in braces. Maybe it’s that.

After going through all of the major and minor differences I finally realized that the true appeal in my smile is found in what lives behind it. Not just the simple feeling of being happy. Don’t get me wrong, happiness is great. But, happiness is only predicated on what happens. It’s more than that. It’s joy. And joy only comes from one entity. Holy Spirit. So now, I do my best to smile a little bit more each day in hopes of sharing The Comforter with someone else who may truly need comforting. In case you happen to be that someone today, this smile is for you.

20131213-112204.jpg

BEAUTY, NATURAL HAIR, SELF LOVE

Feeling Myself

2 Comments

So, my growth challenge has got me really feeling myself!  Feeling incredibly encouraged and excited about my potential to reach my waist length goal, not necessarily within 6 months but perhaps in 12.  It’s amazing to me how one small initiative like a hair growth challenge can inspire you and build up your confidence.

I’ve been taking my all natural vitamins twice a day, playing with protective styles and trying to be more active. The big challenge this week has been drinking more water. Gotta find a way to get it in!

I did get a few new products that I’m really excited to try:  Cantu Grow Strong Strengthening Treatment, Bioinfusion Curl Cream, Motions Define My Curls Creme, and Motions  Hydrate My Curls Hair Pudding. Super excited about trying these products!

Check out my YouTube video below to find out more about my growth challenge as well as these products and how I plan to use them.

Well…one thing is for sure, my self-love is definitely on overtime!  I suppose the natural Be You Beauty thing to do to maintain  such a healthy level of confidence like this would be to find more positive, healthy initiatives to take on.  Who knows…this could be the beginning of something Be-You-tiful!

BEAUTY, FASHION, NATURAL HAIR, SELF LOVE

Mad Morning Essentials

Leave a comment

It’s hard not to feel good about yourself when you’ve had an opportunity to genuinely apply yourself in the morning. You’ve paired a perfect outfit for the season, created a new hairstyle sure to turn heads and finished it off with a sensational face beat. Unfortunately our realities don’t typically run this smooth. So, how can we assure self confidence in our appearances on those days when we can’t find anything to wear, our hair doesn’t cooperate and we struggle to find time to even apply foundation? Here are my essentials, especially for days like this:

1. Self love on point: this is where loving who you are really comes into play. Recognizing my natural beauty allows me to be confident even on days like this.

2. Mandatory JC check in: usually on days like this I’ve gotten off to a rough start which can have a negative impact on the rest of my day which shows! Getting some prayer/devotional time in during the morning and sporadically throughout the day helps to keep me positive and peaceful.

3. BREAKfast: Even if my rough morning has caused me to run late I always make sure to eat breakfast. A hungry tummy will only contribute to any festering negativity.

3. GLOSS: it’s amazing what a little lipgloss can do. On days when I don’t have time for a complete face beat I rely on my lipgloss. I find that it keeps me looking fresh throughout the day even when the rest of my face is naked.

That’s about it! Those are my mad morning essentials. The next time you’re facing a mad morning of your own try some of these ideas and see if they don’t help get you back on track

Be you beauties!

BEAUTY, FASHION, NATURAL HAIR

Mirror Mirror in the Handicap Stall

Leave a comment

Sometimes, going to the bathroom has absolutely nothing to do with going to the bathroom.  That’s probably more true for me than most other people.  I go to the bathroom several times a day just to look at myself.   No, I’m not narcissistic and yes, I have a healthy level of self-esteem.  My reasoning is completely rationale, at least for me.

Part of my Be You Beauty is my love for makeup.  Doing an incredible face beat always makes me feel good.  They say that when you look good you feel good and it really is true!  Despite what may be going wrong in my work day all I have to do is take a trip to the ladies room, lock myself in the handicap stall and look at myself.  I know that probably sounds crazy but in addition to some chat time with JC, it really helps me get through!  I figure hey, it’s ok to have a rough day, but don’t look like it.  And you know what I’ve noticed, the way that I look has a positive affect on the people around me too.  I can’t tell you how many conversations I have a day with different people about my makeup, hair, clothes or nail color.  I think that the effort I put into my appearance inspires others and encourages them to separate themselves from their every day grind.  This is not at all my primary intention but it makes me feel good to have a positive affect on others nonetheless.  Anything I can do, consciously or subconsciously that encourages women to embrace their Be You Beauty is part of me walking in my purpose.

So tomorrow if things get rough, maybe you should take an extra trip to the bathroom.

IMG_1794

BEAUTY, NATURAL HAIR, SELF LOVE

Done Fearing the Fro

1 Comment

After being natural for going on 3 years now, I’ve FINALLY started to embrace my hair in its fullest state.  I know a lot of women who are transitioning and terrified of the fro, feeling like it’s a style that they just couldn’t wear and look good.  I felt the same way for a long time.  In addition to not thinking I could pull it off, I was under the impression that the fro hadn’t been in style since the 70s.  I honestly thought, “Who really wears fros anymore?”  Little did I know there was an entire movement of naturalistas fiercely rocking their Be You Beauty.  To my defense, when your hair has been relaxed for more than half your life this is the kind of mentality you can be subject to.  So even after I decided to take the leap and “somewhat” embrace my natural hair I’d always make sure it was prepped so that it had some type of curl definition whether it was in a braid out, twist out, or defining my natural curl pattern with gel.  Well, I am proud to say that the days of feeling the need to do that are gone!  I have officially embraced my fro, adding yet another liberating experience to the book of my natural hair journey.

I have to admit there are some key products that have played a big roll in me embracing and loving my fro.  The Cantu Leave-in Conditioner and Cantu’s new Hair Lotion have made my fro experience incredible. I am loving these products and have gotten tons of positive feedback on my results.  Now, whether it’s actually the look of my fierce fro or the new level of Be You Beauty confidence I’ve achieved that’s bringing this feedback is undetermined and frankly irrelevant.  The point is…I feel fearless rocking my fro!

Fo details on how I achieve this fro, check out my YouTube video below.  Be You Beauties!

IMG_2013

SELF LOVE

Go get pampered woman!

Leave a comment

“When was the last time you pampered yourself?”  I asked myself this question and completely ran a blank. Between my 9 to 5 and home life I have not really taken any time for myself.  Good old meaningful self love me time.  Time that I can just relax my body and mind. Time to get pampered.  I’d have to say that I am overdo.  Am I floating lonely or is any body else in this same boat?  I spend 10 hours of my days on a marketing grind at work, thinking up strategies, putting out fires, trying to execute against ridiculous time lines…blah, blah, blah.  Then for AT LEAST 3 hours of the day I’m answering the same timeless sweet call “Mommy!”. Love my baby boy to pieces but omgeee! Then I’m trying to get in some genuine QT family time, followed by hubby time and then…it’s repeat time. Oh, and of course there are my few quick 10 minute breaks I use to chat it up with Jesus or escape into my next blog or YouTube concept.

Yep!  That’s my life. Pretty awesome actually.  But it’s definitely time for some pampering, after all…you can’t take care of anything or anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself first right?

Pampering yourself is a big part of self-care that easily gets lost in between being a mom, wife and building a career.  Most women do these three things on overtime, pretty much all the time.  So, something has to be done.  I have got to schedule some time to love on myself.  A massage, facial, spa treatment….something! So, this is my official mental note….it’s time to get pampered woman!  And if you’re overdo too…that also goes for you!  Do what you need to do in order to keep BEING YOU.