Diamond Dolls Beauty New Salon Launch Event

I recently attended the launch event for Diamond Dolls Beauty Salon in Derby. I tried to vlog a little but ended up taking pictures most of the time. The launch event was fun even though I did not win any prizes from the raffle. Prosecco, Shloer and cupcakes were on offer throughout the day. It was a nice turn out with many people taking advantage of the launch discounts.

Diamond Dolls Beauty is owned by Dee McIntosh. It started out as a home based salon catering to the various needs of customers. Dee qualified as a Beauty Therapist a few years ago and has never looked back. She quickly established herself as the go to person for amazing Nail art and designs. Her attention to detail shows in her work. This also lead to her gaining advanced hair qualifications allowing her to give clients a complete transformation.

With the salon's new location, Dee is joined by Nathan who specialises in European haircare whilst Dee does both Afro and European hair. She also is a qualified Hi Brow technician. Diamond Dolls offers various Hair, Nails and Beauty treatments and is located in Derby. I look forward to seeing this business continue to grow.

Take a look at the video below.

Visit their Website

Like their DDB FB Page

Rocking Purple Hair

I decided that I needed some purple hair in my life. Purple is my favourite colour after all so why not. It is the perfect colour for autumn and winter season. I did love the red hair I wore in the summer but I definitely prefer this purple look. It tends to look more purple in the light or close up. So it is kind of like Purple grape or black grape but with more purple. There are close ups in the video below.

Rocking Red Hair

Single braid extensions can set you back a minimum of £50 upwards. So I decided I would do what I had not done in years and and do my own braided extensions.  I think they turned out alright. Anyway check out my video for more information. Oh yeah I know I have not got the best edges but I address that in the video. Stay Blessed x

Big Hair Don't Care | Crochet Weave

I am so happy I got my hair done using a technique called Crochet weave or crochet braid. This technique is basically done by creating a canerow or cornrow base and then the hair is looped through the canerows using a crochet technique. Some use a latch hook or a hair beader. 

For this look I used 4 bags of Model Model Water Wave hair. I also used a new hairdresser as my usual one does not do crochet. Check out my video. 

Lupita Nyong'o Braids Hair

Check out this video that was made for Vogue where Lupita shows off her hair braiding skills. She explains that she had a bad experience in America with her hair so when she was back in Kenya her Aunt showed her how to braid hair. This became a talent that she would use to style the hair of her friends.

It is definitely nice to see an African celebrity who is one of Hollywood's current darlings showing off Black culture to the masses. Hair braiding is a very old tradition that is passed down the generations. As the years go by more creative ways are developed. Mothers daughters aunts teach the younger ones to do this. Nowadays if you are not able to braid hair there is a plethora of tutorials online to show you how. Some traditions are just meant to be for eternity.

Yes to Lupita showing off African cultural tradition! 

Restyling Sythetic LaceFront Wig

This is a video of my 1st attempt at restyling a synthetic lace front wig. I added rollers and placed in boiling hot water. I then left the rollers in until the hair dried. It turned out okay for a first attempt.

Loving the Natural Hair in Hellmann's Advert

Saw this Hellmann's Mayo advert online and now on TV. What I love about it is that on UK TV there is an array of natural textured African-Caribbean hairstyles on display and even being styled in a salon. Well done to the casting team.

Please note that I am not affiliated with Hellmann's in anyway!

The Latin Good Hair Bad Hair Debate

I spotted this documentary called Negro : Pelo Malo or Black : Bad Hair on Alice in NappyLand's blog . It gives a broader look at the whole good hair bad hair debate that has plagued the African Diaspora. This documentary share stories from many African-Latinos and the experiences they have gone through regarding the perception of their hair. (I would normally only post hair related posts on my natural hair blog but felt this debate is always worth sharing with everyone.)

It is quite interesting I have come across this doc as this week I had a debate with some friends. Some have daughters who have begun reading about what is in a Relaxer and have begun transitioning back to their natural hair texture. Of course their parents likewise always say "my child has bad hair and just cannot cope with it" as a reason why they want their daughters to keep relaxing their hair. I also found one who would do twist outs to get back some curls in her hair. 

I also have a friend who went back home to Nigeria for a family event. She usually wears a small curly coily fro which is growing all the time. Her family told her she needed to do something with her hair as in it's natural. Luckily for her they were satisfied with a natural protective style as opposed to chemicals.

The real problem is that far too many people in the worldwide Black community lack knowledge in how to care for their own God-given hair. I myself grew out my relaxer years ago. My scalp did not like it. I have gotten lazy with my styling but as tempted as I am to go back I doubt I will. When someone says they or their child has bad hair they most probably need to re-think how they actually treat and care for their hair. In the explosion of the Natural Hair Movement  the wealth of knowledge is out there and no more excuses. Nowadays there are even forums which are multi-cultural and dedicated to people simply with curly or kinky hair. 

I am not against choice so if you relax your hair that is fine. I am just against ignorant dated comments. That if you were to check the origins of those thoughts and sayings you may find it was not your ancestors who originally coined those terms which have since been embraced en-masse by a whole nation of people.

One more thing the documentary made a good point. A lady said when you think of bad hair what they really mean is African hair. So the closer your hair is to African texture the undertones of the argument means its too far from Europeans and means less progression more primitive looking etc. How sad. Yet if any person cared to look at African countries from North to South they would come across multiple hair textures as so it should be the case for the Motherland. 

A parody of reality

One of the people I follow on twitter tweeted this video by @Chescaleigh. It is called "Shit white girls say to black girls". Now I have seen some response videos that completely miss the point whilst others have expressed that it has been an eye opener. The part of this parody I relate to the most is the hair issues. In previous jobs schools I have had question after question thrown at me about my hair. These hair questions and the want to touch come hard and fast whether I wearing my own hair or extensions I bought. I have no qualms telling people when I have extensions that it is not mine but it becomes tiresome when everyday you are asked the same questions. Thankfully the last group I worked with had a more mature attitude and did not have desires to get in my hair with their fingers. But imagine even if it is not yours it is attached to you. I have had hair issues with other non African Diaspora races too. Having said that I know a few Black people that did not realise I had so much hair. Shame on them!!. 

Trivial things that have been said to me is that my own hair reminded someone of their pubic hair. Another lady touched my hair and was like "oh its so soft", as if it was not going to be. Anyway if you have not seen this video take a look. It has gotten 3million views so far. The original video that has started  whole wave of these videos is called "Shit girls say" and is also worth a look.

Jessica Ramsey aka Chescaleigh explains her reasoning behind the video on Huffington Post

If we can't laugh together we probably can't grow together. Thoughts?

My Curls Products

I was given the opportunity to try a new UK based natural hair product range. The company is called My Curls. 

The Cleansing cream is a very nice shampoo that comes filled with Aloe Vera, Panthenol and oils from sunflower, lemon and tea tree. I am not the best with scents but it smells pleasant and is not over bearing. I found this product very easy to use and wash out. My hair felt clean after use. The Curl Smoothie is a moisturiser which also contains many natural ingredients which are all listed on the My Curls website. I found this product very good for blow drying my hair. The glycerine makes it harder for the product to absorb in my hair as do other glycerine based or ingredient content products. I liked how my hair felt after it was blow dried using the Curl smoothie. 

Overall I would say My Curls have the beginning of a very good product line. My Curls also do a conditioner called Coco Curly Conditioner. All three current products are now priced at £10.25 and can be purchased from their online shop.

For a more detailed review please check out my hair blog here.

This post contains products sent to me for review!

Tag! – What are You using right now?

I always see that people have been tagged on YouTube and on some blogs. So when Yinka of Vex in the City tagged me in her post I was like (all smiles) okay. Let me compile my list and keep this going. So here goes.

Hair >

Shampoo – Twisted Sister shampoo by urban therapy, Dove purifying shampoo and Keracare shampoo

Conditioner – Toni and Guy Model.me Jamelia Enriching Conditioner ( I bought in a bargain shop so thought I would give it a go), Creme of Nature conditioner

Styling products – Organic Root Stimulator Jojoba oil, Keracare essential oils, IC Fantasia Ice, Organics olive oil gel by Africa’s best, ORS Olive oil moisturiser( various other gels and products and oils but these are my main uses at the moment)

Body >

Cleanse – shower gels by Palmolive, Imperial Leather, Dove

Moisturise – Red Fox cocoa butter, Palmers cocoa butter lotion, Body Shop body butters (almond, shea, coconut, peach)

Deodorant – Roll ons by Sanex and Sure. Sprays by Sanex, Sure, Nivea, Palmolive.

Sun care – Calypso carot oil, Calypso aloe vera gel after sun and Nivea Sun Protection

Face >

Cleanse – Dermoligica, Clean and Clear, and sometimes just water and a dab of my shower gel (have very dry skin)

Moisturise – Nivea or Astral cream

Makeup >

Foundation – MAC Studio Fix powder NW43, Iman cream to powder Clay 5, Fashion Fair cream to powder Bruin Brown

Bronzers / Highlighters – Sleek’s One universal loose powder, Max Factor Bronzing Powder, Avon Bronzing pearls, Iman bronzer(but mainly used as a blush)

Blush – Iman sunlit copper, MAC Format

Eye Shadow – Sleek (especially the I=Divine palettes), Mac, Fashion Fair, Barry M and various other brands.

Eye shadow Primer – Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eyeliners by Avon Urban Decay Rimmel Sleek

Lip gloss – Sleek, Maybelline, Rimmel, MAC, (pinks and browns)

Mascara – Maybelline the colossal, Maybelline Great Lash, No7 Infinite Lash Defining and Diorshow mascara

Nail Polish - Any colour of any make that I like especially if it is a nice purple

Sorry did not list all colours for everything I just know that I use these products.

I tag : Aulelia, OndoLady,Figa DJ, Black Butterfly and all my lurkers, followers and subscribers.

So what about you?

Jamelia investigates the hair industry

I have just watched a documentary about human hair extensions. It is called "Jamelia : Whose hair is it anyway". If you was not able to watch it tonight do look for repeats or try the the BBC I-player online.

Jamelia is a UK R&B/pop singer who wears weaves for her performances. As part of the BBC's season on beauty Jamelia set out to investigate the human hair industry as well as the origins of the human hair extensions she wears. The documentary began at an elite hairdressers in London whose clients pay thousands of pounds for full head of hair extensions.

About her own hair she says this;

Although for a black woman I would be described as having 'good' hair - because it is long and straight - naturally, it is not luxurious, thick or sleek enough to meet the demands of the endless photo shoots and concerts I am involved in for my career. (source)

Black women have worn hair extensions going as far back as the ancient Egyptians and further. If you were to look at some tribes of modern day they are extending the hair. Both girls and boys grow up getting the hair done. Of course boys once they reach a certain age shave their hair off and some go through cycles of having hair and no hair. Girls often wear braided extensions, wefts of hair, pony tails etc with or without extensions. Both human and synthetic hair is used. I liked the fact that Jamelia mentioned the Jamaican belief that cutting hair before a certain age can cause speech problems.

Anyway, the documentary lead Jamelia to Russia where traditional folklore saw that women had long flowing hair down their back. A girl of about 13 yrs old sold her hair, which the hair stylist Jamelia travelled with simply cut the loc's of hair off with a scissors. Leaving the girls hair in a bob. She got paid what was equivalent to a months wage.

Jamelia also had her own human hair extensions analysed by a hair expert. Which brought her journey to India. In India it showed that hair was collected from hair brushes and from people of various ages. Temple hair being hair that was given up as a way to sacrifice ones beauty and to thank God. This hair is sold by the temple and money is used into the community.

I really found this documentary intriguing. When I was younger I thought human hair extensions was creepy but my friends wooed me over. So whenever I could afford it I would wear it. However these days if I wish to extend my hair it is strictly synthetic hair. Synthetic hair these days looks just as good in my opinion.

The documentary does make you think though. Hair is being sourced from anywhere possible so people can eat their daily bread. On the one hand it would seem maybe buying human hair is morally wrong if it has not been sourced ethically. On the other hand if demand drops and no one is buying, some people will not eat.

It was definitely thought provoking.