Updo with Cornrows *Easy Tutorial*

Brown Girls Hair

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Yes, We've done it again! A super easy to follow tutorial of a updo that is perfect for almost any occassion as long as water is NOT involved! LOL!

*Styling Tip* If your childs' hair isn't long enough to wrap around the ponytails, just do 3 sections in the middle and leave them out with afro puffs! That would look amazing!

Hair Accessory SALE!

www.snapaholics.com

Hey Girlies! It's the perfect time to stock up on hair accessories! Our freinds at Snapaholics are having a 20% off sale now. It's the perfect time to try the Bead Barrette and other cool accessories.

The sale is from September 23-26, 2014. Use coupon code "fall2014" at check out to get your discount!

Head over to www.Snapaholics.com Now! You don't want to miss this sale!

Naturally Me! *Book Review* by Crystal Swain Bates

First let's talk about the Author. Crystal Swain-Bates is a native of Atlanta Ga. She is an author and owner of Goldest Karat Publishing, a boutique black-owned publisher that aims to fill the diversity gap in traditional publishing by providing readers with high quality books featuring characters of African decent.

The book that we are reviewing today is Naturally ME! This book can be purchased HERE!

Brown Girl with her autographed book Naturally Me!

I love, love, love this book! Mainly because it includes our BOYS!! Yeay!! It instills confidence in our natural girls and boys by showing them in beautiful illustrations that it's perfectly ok to be you!

The story line is fabulous, the pictures are fabulous, this BOOK is totally fabulous! We are huge Crystal Swain-Bates fans and she has certainly done a great job once again. This book was written in a fun whimsical kind of way that keeps kids interested from page to page.

It is a very easy a quick read for kids of all ages. And did I say the pictures are totally awesome? You can't go wrong buying this book because the message is what every kid needs to understand that it's ok to be you. You don't have to be like everybody else to be perfect and great!

The video review done by Brown Girl, (posting soon) will show you a few of the beautiful pictures in the book as well as give you here opinion of the book!

If you haven't purchased a Crystal Swain-Bates book for your little one, you are really missing a treat. Crystal's books include the self-esteem boosting children's books "Big Hair, Don't Care", "The Colorful Adventures of Zoe & Star", "The Colorful Adventures of Cody & Jay", "Supermommy", the natural hair inspired coloring book "Color My Fro", and the natural hair resource guide "How to Go Natural Without Going Broke".

We have reviewed several of her other books HERE.

Here's where you can connect with Crystal Swain-Bates:
Buy Her Books HERE
Like Her on Facebook
Read Her Blog 
Tweet Her @CSwainBates
Follow Her on Instagram @goldestkarat

Swim Natural Hair Care

Brown Girls Hair

Summer Swim Natural Hair Care

Items Needed:
Cowash/Conditioner
Leave In Conditioner or/and Moisturizer
Gel (optional)

I suggest if your child will be swimming daily or weekly to co wash instead of shampooing after each swim. Co washing is when you wash the hair with conditioner instead of shampoo. Shampoo it as needed verses everyday.

Shampoo strips the hair of everything. If your child isn't swimming often, shampooing after each swim along with conditioning and moisturizing is fine.

After co washing, I add some leave in conditioner, then I smooth down her edges with gel. You can add moisturizer in addition to the leave in if your child has very dry hair.

This is a very simple way to keep your child's hair clean and moisturized during the fun filled summer months.

Back to School Hairdo!

Hi Girls,

Well summer break has come to an end for my little Brown Girl! Today was her first day back to school. Why they always start on a Friday where we live, makes no sense to me! But anyway, since she has been in braids for the past 3 weeks, we washed her hair and she requested a simple bun for the first day of school.

I was happy to hear that because her hair needed a break from the braids, I didn't have to come up with a style, and it was super easy to do!

Here are some pics of her first day in 4th grade. She's growing up so fast!

Brown Girls Hair

Here are a few tutorials on how to do a sock bun below!






The video below shows you how to make the bun with an old sock. Then it shows how to make the sock bun.



Be sure to share your back to school hairstyles with us on Facebook or Instagram! Use #browngirlshair on Instagram or tag us @browngirlshair.

Twists~Styled Wet & Air Dried

Brown Girls Hair

This is another twists style that I did on her hair while it was wet then I let it air dry. I washed and conditioned her hair with TRESemme' shampoo & conditioner. I used As I Am Twist Defining Cream to style her hair.

This style was done 2 weeks before the wedding. You can read that post HERE.

I choose to do it because I knew that I was going to use heat on her hair for the wedding and I didn't want to use any heat on it at the time of this style.

This style was done on June 1, 2014. The wedding was on June 15, 2014.

You see a more detailed video on How I do Twist HERE and How I Maintain them HERE.

What products do you use to do your daughter's twists?

Don't forget to share your pictures on Instagram by using #browngirlshair OR post them on our facebook page!

Girls Natural Braids 1 Hair Style with 4 Looks!

Brown Girls Hair

This is a cool and quick tutorial of how I turned one natural braided hairstyle into 4 different looks! This style is perfect for big girls better known as pre-teens or tweens! Look 4 was done after she had worn the style for a week.

Click HERE for Look 3~Roll & Pin (How to Make flower with hair) Tutorial!

My "MUST HAVES" Natural Hair Survival Kit!

Happy Thursday Brown Girls!

Conditioning with TRESemme'

I had one of our lovely Moms, who follows our channel, to send me a note today on Google+. Here's a small excerpt of her issue:

I am currently raising an 8 year old granddaughter and am not very hair savvy and with so many products to choose from and such a tight budget as I currently have, it has been very challenging trying to find the right techniques and products. Thanks to you and a few others who make little girl hair care vids, I have finally gotten her hair and scalp a little healthier, (scalp used to be extremely dry). Now I am working on her hair texture. Having difficulty keeping the moisture in. But I was amazed when I washed it this past weekend at how "thick it has gotten! Please continue doing your videos because I am so very tempted to get this child a perm!....lol! But every time I look at your vids, I am encouraged, it is just difficult when you can't really afford the products, at least I am not out just spending willy-nilly and finding out that things that I spent a mint on don't work for her. Today I was looking at the As I am and the Shea moisture lines. I am still confused about these curly pudding and curl meringue products. I am always thinking these manufacturers are just trying to get you by making the product sound like yummy foods. If you have any suggestions of what main items I should get, I appreciate it.

I responded to her, but I also told her that I would put more information in a blog post. So here it is!

These are my suggestions of MUST HAVE PRODUCTS for girls with THICK COURSE NATURAL HAIR. Because this is the type of hair that my daughter has, I am going to share with you the products that I can't live without. Let me repeat, These are the products THAT I can't live without.

With that being said, I know that my list will not work for everyone, but I am sharing the must haves that work best for US on our journey :)!

Please READ the paragraph below FIRST!

**I am NOT including any high end product on this list which means that this list does not contain ALL of the products that we NEED, it just contains the products that I would want if we were stranded on an island somewhere. This list only includes inexpensive products that I keep on hand at all times. When my money is funny, I can survive with these items! LOL**

Hair Products

1. TRESemme' Conditioner- makes detangling a breeze period!

2. Just for Me Moisturizer- when all else fails, this always works for us! Clears up her dry hair with the quickness!

Hair Supplies

1. Wide Tooth Comb- it's impossible to detangle her hair without one!

2. Rat Tail Comb- to make straight parts.

3. Goodie Outchless Ponytail Holders

4. Satin Bonnet or Head Wrap

That's really it! You notice I don't have a bunch of hair products on my list. Why? because it really doesn't take all of that to survive. Sometimes the basics are enough.

What are the MUST have items for your daughters hair?

Spring Break Braids

Brown Girls Hair

*VIDEO* of Crystal Swain-Bates Book Review

Here is the video version (my daughter's point of view) of the 3 books we reviewed by Crystal Swain-Bates. You can read the written version (my point of view) HERE!

Brown Girl enjoying Color My Fro

Click HERE for the written version!

Let's Get Twisted; How to do Twists/Out Part 1

Brown Girls Hair Twist Out

Products used to accomplish this Twist Style:
TRESemme' Shampoo & Conditioner
I mixed the conditioner with Apple Cider Vinegar
As I Am Leave In Conditioner
As I Am Twist Defining Cream
Wide Tooth Comb
Goody Vent Brush
Hair Clips
Rubber bands

As of today, this style is still in her hair. Today makes day 10. I did this style on December 30, 2013. This is video 1 of a 3 video series. I will post  video #2  next week showing how we are maintaining her twist to keep them moisturized and looking fresh! The following week, I will post video #3 taking the twist down for the twist out look!

Written Style Instructions

Step 1- Wash, Condition, and Detangle the hair

Step 2- Separate the hair into 4 sections

Step 3- Start at the nape of the neck in one of the back sections by parting the hair making a small box.

Step 4- Add leave in and twist defining cream (or any curl custard etc that you choose) to the boxed section.

Step 5 (optional)-Use vent brush to aid in stretching and it also helps to work the twist defining cream through the hair.

Step 6- Two stand twist the hair and finger curl the ends.

Step 7- Repeat until each section is completed.

Step 8 (optional)- Braid the front portion as desired, add rubber band to hold, then twist the remaining hair.

*Styling Tip* If you start your first two strand twist by twisting from left to right, do all of them that very same way. I always twist from right to left.

Thanks to all of you who requested this style tutorial on our facebook page. Be sure to like our page so that you can share your hairstyle pictures and join in on the conversations and fun!

Click HERE to see how we moisturize and maintain her twists!

Click HERE to see her TWISTOUT Results!

As I Am & Curlformers on Natural Girls Hair

This video shows me using As I Am products with curlformers! You can view the written product review here.  It gives more details about the products used and how they effected our hair.

November Hair Goals + October Goal Results

Brown Girls Hair

October Goal Results

I can't believe October is gone. It went by so fast. My daughter got her box braids on October 4th (Goal #1) and the journey with them has been very successful. She still has them today. They have remained fairly neat all of this time.

Each week I would moisturize her scalp (Goal #2) with the grease concoction that we posted here. She doesn't have any dandruff flakes and her braids are in very good shape. She could probably keep them for at least another week. I did use the braid spray a couple of times, but not enough to give a far review on it so I will reserve that review for later.

Sock Bun Nov 1, 2013

This past weekend, we went to Memphis to celebrate an accomplishment with my big brother.**He was inducted in the Hall of Fame for 26 years of service with his job.** We are so proud of him!

I decided to redo the braids in the front to make them look neater for the Hall of Fame event that we were attending. I ended up doing half of them because I ran out of time. Her hair still looked nice.  I decided to style it in a bun for the event. (pictured above)

Although she could wear them for another week, I will be taking them out this weekend. Both of us have immensely enjoyed not having to comb hair every week. We will certainly be doing these more often. The six hours it took for her to get them here was well worth the 5 weeks she has worn them :)!

Styling her braids (Goal #3) was very interesting. I will have a video posted soon on some of the styles that we did. I wanted to be more creative than doing the traditional 2 plaits, flexi rods, etc. and I found that to be a little challenging because when I did the styles, they didn't look the way I wanted them to :(! I did manage to do a few styles so I'll have to put them in the video series as promised. It will post sometime next week.

November Hair Goals

I am still working on getting my daughters hair back in tip top shape. We have tackled the dry hair and dandruff issues. Now I want to keep the focus on her hair staying healthy. Her hair thrives when there is no manipulation (combing) so I'm going to keep it in a protective style for this month as well. 

I plan to take out her box braids this weekend, wash and deep condition her hair, moisturize it, get her a trim, then put it in twist for the next few weeks in November. (She got her last trim in May). This year I'm trimming every 6 months instead of once a year.

What are your November hair goals? Would you like to join me with our protective style challenge?

Here are a few pictures of the Hall of Fame event.....

Brown Girls Uncle

Brown Girls Grandparents

Just Us

Halloween & Party Hair

This a very easy way to add color to the hair without using chemicals or items that have to be washed out of the hair. You can use ribbon, but it's more expensive. 

Items Needed: 

Yarn(soft) or Ribbon & Scissors

This is perfect for parties, halloween, and sporting events!! 

How To Do It

1. Prepare the yarn by cutting pieces twice the length of the hair. 
2. Add it to the hair by putting the midpoint of the yarn close to the root of the hair and tie a knot (see video).  
3. Style & Go
4. To remove it, if you tied a knot, cut it out being very careful not to cut the hair. If you made one single tie, gently pull them out.

Weekend Box Braids

Brown Girls Hair

As I stated in our October Hair Goals, I had a close family friend name Thalia ,that I refer to as my sister, to put box braids in my Brown Girls Hair. She did them on this past Friday night. It took about 6 hours including a few 10 minute breaks. I got the part inspiration from Tweeny Hair Blog. She's not blogging anymore : (.....I miss her!

I am so thankful to Thalia for doing these for me.....I will be having her braid my daughters hair all of the time now. :)! She has given me some great tips on how to keep Brown Girls Hair in tip top shape. I will be sharing all of them with you.

I plan to keep her hair in these box braids for at least 3 weeks, more if possible. I am going to do a style series on her box braids that you can watch on our channel as well as here. I am so excited because I have come up with some very unique ideas along with some styles that were inspired by some of my favorite youtube natural hair guru's.

I would have posted this on last Friday or Saturday, but I wasn't feeling too well and had to take a little time to nurse myself. I really ain't got time to be sick!

Anyway, stay tuned for the box braid series that will start next week and don't forget to share your Brown Girls Hair styles with us on facebook.  Please follow us on Instagram @BrownGirlsHair and Use #BrownGirlsHair and we will feature your pictures on there and here ---------->>>>> in the sidebar!! Look at all of the cute Brown Girls Hair rocking our instagram page!!

Check out the video of her getting the box braids HERE!

Jazzy Ponytail Hairstyle for Girls

Brown Girls Hair

You can view a live video of this style here!

Easy Natural Cornrow Hairstyle for Girls

Brown Girls Hair

This hairstyle is very easy to do. Just make 3 sections and start braiding the two front sections straight back and stop braiding at the mid part line. Then continue plaiting the hair to the end. Do that for both front sections.

Then create a pony tail for the back section and include the two front plaits in the ponytail. Then 3 strand plait the back ponytail and wrap it around like a bantu knot. That's it! 

I made the 4 small cornrows around her edges because they keep the edges neat longer to help make the hairstyle last for a couple of days. It also prevents her from playing with her edges (a bad habit that she has).

If you want to do the 4 cornrows around the edges, do them first, then do everything else.

Perfect Song for Natural Girls!

I grabbed this video after reading one of my favorite blog posts of Talking With Tami. I like the song so much that I had to share it too!

This is now officially my blog theme song by Alicia James! Love Me So Naturally. So perfect. So right. Love it!