OOTN: Pretty & Paisley

Here's a quick OOTN: 

Blazer: Talbot's (Thrifted), $4.99

Black Dress: Ross, $9.99

Pearl Handband: Forever 21, $4.80

Gold Chain: (Thrifted) $2.99

Hair: Milky Way Wet'N'Wavy, Jherri Curl, 12 & 14 in.

Not Your Mother's Curls..

So lately, I've been rocking the infamous wash n go's to eliminate some of the manipulation and to get better accustomed to my natural curls. I like the easiness of the style and I cannot wait to retain some more length so that my shrinkage won't continue to drive me up a wall. I think for the summer this will be my staple style and if I want to switch it up.. I can always twist up the back and rock a fabulous up do (like the one I'm wearing below which I debuted at my uncle's retirement party)

I might upload a video to YouTube showing how I achieved this look (even though it's really basic and simple) so be on the look out and make sure you subscribe to my channel if you haven't already (shameless plug, I know lol) CLICK HERE.

I'm really loving seeing my natural curl pattern. It's so gorgeous! I before thought that my hair texture was a mix of 3c/4a however after seeing this curl pattern chart on NaturallyCurly.com I think I'm definitely a 4a up and down. Their depiction of 3c is what I always assumed was 4b/4c (the more zig-zag curls) however it's a looser definition. And my hair is just coily like the girl they used as the model for 4a except my curls are a bit bigger than her curls and their definition of a 4a'er. But nonetheless the advice they give for the 4a hair type is great for my hair texture so that's what I'm sticking to. If any of my readers would like to help me determine my hair type, feel free. Below are the best pictures I could find to show off my curl pattern.

The first is a wash n' go  before I defined the curl pattern. The second is a twist out. And the third is (an old picture)my hair freshly washed.

I plan on posting a complete post about my hair, my regimen, and all that jazz sometime next week (possibly Monday).  But let's get to the bread and butter of this post. I'm going to list some great curl defining products I've used lately and tell you which I thought worked best for me and my hair.

The first product has been a staple in my natural hair care journey and that is:

I love my Olive Oil Eco Styler gel but when using it alone I find that my hair is more crunchy and harder than I would like for it to be. I learned a long time ago that even when using it for twist outs and braid outs it MUST be paired with another product. 

The second product I tried was:

I like it when used in conjunction with the Eco Styler gel however the downside it the consistency was a bit messier than I'd prefer as well as I didn't think it did much for softening my hair with the Eco Styler gel --which is what I was looking for. I like the product though. I think I'll be using more so as a leave-in or to revive my wash n go's, twist outs, and braid outs in the morning. I used about two quarter size portions to fluff in the morning and I liked it for that purpose more so than I did for the actual defining and softening of my curls. Plus, my curls lasted about 2-3 days before they started looking crazy.

And thirdly, I just started using:

I love, love this product! Especially in conjunction with the Eco Styler gel. I would suggest using both products in a 1:1 ratio because if you overdo either you might find the Smooth-n-Hold Pudding can leave your hair a bit greasier than normal and more gel can give you the crunchy curls. Now I have read on a few sites that many naturals don't like it because it does contain mineral oil, I haven't really experienced any negative effects from that factor. I would say if that's your concern then I would recommend moisturizing and sealing your hair before applying the product and that might help a bit. But like I said I love it. It gave me soft, shiny curls that held up for about 4-5 days. So I'm staying with it (at least until I run out lol).

Here are a few curl defining products I'm looking forward to trying in the near future. If you have tried these let me know what you think of them:

Let's JAM Custard Flexible Hold Cream Gel

Moroccanoil Curl Defining Mousse

SheaMoisture Organic Coconut & Hibscus Curl & Hold Smoothie

Anyway everyone, I hope you all are enjoying your weekend. Leave feedback! And happy curl defining!

Happy 101 Founders K A Psi!

                This really is going to be a short post. But no better way to get it out than easy, breezy, and quicker than Cassie’s career.

I remember when I was a little girl I used to get so excited when my daddy talked about his fraternity. At the slightest mention of crimson and crème, my daddy would run to grab his nicely wrapped cane, twirl it around, and start with his never ending Kappa chants. Needless to say, by the time I got to college to experience Greek life with my own two eyes, I had developed a bias and an endearing love for the men of K A Psi. My daddy is a Kappa (crossed Zeta Omega, Spring ’86), my uncle Eddie was a Kappa (one of the founders of Zeta Theta), and countless other friends and family members share that brotherhood. I admire Nupes because all that I know personally are upstanding, hard-working men striving for achievement and that is something we all have to agree is admirable.

So I said all this to wish the wonderful brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated a very Happy Founders Day and many more years of achievement and success.

2012 Hair Goals

Yes, it is that time again. New year, new me.. new resolutions I'm hoping to keep. So I think I might as well go ahead and map out the game plan for this big, scary 2012 year (okay, maybe it's not exactly scary but it is seemingly excited).

So let's talk hair goals.. Currently the back of my hair is a past SL (shoulder length) near my last year's goal of APL (armpit length). However the front of my hair reaches the bridge of my nose and my sides reach my jaw. I am very impressed with my hair growth seeing as this past summer I cut several inches of damaged ends off and attempted to even out my length. My hair is a lot stronger now and a lot healthier. So my goal now is to retain that health and retain my length. 2012 will be the year I reach APL. Here is what I plan to accomplish:

In Other News..

I hope to soon be starting a series in which you all will be able to meet up with some great people in fashion and beauty. Some will be different YouTube gurus, others might be people you've never heard of before.. But I think the medley of those I'll feature will be a great opportunity for you all to gain exposure on how different trends are being interpreted on the street or even different blogger to follow and learn from. If you all have any suggestions as to who to interview tweet me: twitter.com/clairehuxtable_

I'm excited! I hope you all are as well.

Stay blessed, Stay encouraged, & Stay connected!