Curl, Bye!!
I am noticing more and more that a vast majority of African American women have started a journey to embrace their own natural hair textures. So many of us have never quite known our real hair texture until making the decision to switch over from using chemicals and excessive heat. Not that anything is wrong with having a good ole relaxer, some of us made the switch just out of curiosity of what our natural hair would look and feel like.
Now that we know what our true textures are, there are some days when we just wanna say, “Curl, Bye!!” At this point, the option of protective styles come into play. I am guilty of being tired of rocking my curls. Yea, I said it!! If you wanna know the truth, the everyday manipulation of styling and the environment can really take a toll on our hair. With that being said, the next time you get frustrated with your hair, just put it away. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor.
Some of the advantages of wearing protective hair styles is convenience and promotion of hair growth. Not only that, it’s always nice to have an overall refreshed appearance.
Check out these protective style ideas…
Alnita Vaught opted for custom-cut faux locs. To achieve this look, I cut the crocheted dreads and resealed the ends at staggering lengths so that they would look more realistic.
Natasha McKinnon opted for a wavy bob. To achieve this look, I layered the crocheted extentions so that they would frame her face while remaining full in the crown.
Teresa Jones opted for a sew-in faux hawk. To achieve this look, I focused on giving her lengthy bangs and height in the top while keeping the nape area tapered.
Tamika Samuel opted for long cornrows. To achieve this look, I braided in the shape of her hairline to accent her face. I also designed a braid pattern in the crown to add something interesting to the style.
Sheryta Samuel opted for long box braids. To achieve this look, I chose not to cut the bundle of hair in half, giving the style added length.
Autumn opted for long copper tone tresses. (Extensions were already colored.) To achieve this style, I made sure the braid pattern was appropiate for long straight hair. She will be curling this hair for her senior prom.
Amy Williams opted for a short curly bob. To achieve this style, I stacked the crown for fullness, gave her long bangs, and tapered her around the nape area.
Bae, You Make Me Better!
Dear Bae,
I am writing this letter to express my true love for you. I don’t think you understand how much you give me life! The thought of going one day without you makes me weak, flushed with fever. Every cell in my body yearns to have you. Please believe me when I say, “I would just die without you.”
SMH…Some of you actually thought I was talking to my husband, didn’t ya? I must admit that I do love him too, but the Bae I’m referring to is WATER, H2O, Agua!! Lol!
Seriously, I am astonished at how many people I come across who would rather reach for something other than a good tall glass of water. I mean, how can you not like something that does your body good? Water aids in good digestion; protects your tissues, spinal cord, and joints; and prevents you from becoming dehydrated.
Water can also help you lose weight, but you have to do a whole lot more than rely on it to do so by itself. When it comes to hair growth and strengthening, water flushes out toxins faster, which can make your hair grow a lot faster.
I love drinking water daily. Not only is it essential for my health, it helps moisten my vocal cords, clears up my skin, and it fills me up. I, unlike others, truly enjoy its quenching taste. (I can hear some of my friends saying, “WATER AIN’T GOT NO TASTE!” Lol! Well, my friends, do yourself a huge favor and try to chug some down anyway!!
“When life give you water, don’t go and make lemonade.” –Sheryta Spears Samuel
Mo Betta Year
Left- Jan 2016 — Right-Nov 2016
As I reflect back on what I looked like a year ago, I say to myself, “Wow, I had no idea.” “Girl, look what you’ve done to yourself.” “Girl, bye!!” Lol!
You know how it is when the garbage in your house smells, but you can’t smell it? Well, that’s exactly what happened here. I was completely unaware of the stinch.
So one day, it finally clicked. I decided it was time to treat myself better. It’s been months in the making, but I can now proudly say that living a healthier lifestyle is the best thing that I’ve ever done for myself.
You can take control too by educating yourself on nutrition and believing that hard work ALWAYS pays off. Make up your mind to treat yourself better in 2017 and I promise you’ll feel and look better for as long as you stay committed.
Left-Jan 2016— Right-Dec 2016
Happy New You…and Me! 😉
The New Nutty Buddy
Do you have any idea what a handful of natural raw ALMONDS can do for you? Here’s why I gave it the nickname…”The New Nutty Buddy.”
- Almonds are low in carbs, but high in protein and fiber and healthy fats. Studies show that eating almonds (and other nuts) can increase satiety and help you eat fewer calories. Combined with the hunger-fighting properties, it makes sense that nuts are a great addition to an effective weight loss diet.
- Almonds are high in antioxidants that can protect your cells from oxidative damage, a major contributor to ageing and disease.
- Almonds are among the world’s best sources of vitamin E. Getting plenty of vitamin E from foods is linked to numerous health benefits.
- Almonds are extremely high in magnesium, a mineral that most people don’t get enough of. High magnesium intake may have major benefits for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Low magnesium levels are strongly linked to high blood pressure, indicating that almonds can be beneficial for blood pressure control.
- Eating 1-2 handfuls of almonds per day can lead to mild reductions in LDL cholesterol levels. They do more than just lower LDL levels in the blood. They also protect the LDL from oxidation, which is a crucial step in the heart disease stages.
So the next time you visit your local supermarket or convenience store, pick up a few bags of natural raw Almonds. Keep a bag in your car, in your desk drawer at work, and in your kitchen cupboard. Make almonds your new Nutty Buddy and hunger will be a thing of the past.
Sources: Authority Nutrition. All rights reserved and Stock Photos. All rights reserved.
Compromise Saved The Day!
Oftentimes, I forget the best way to settle a dispute is through compromise. Just this morning, I asked my husband if he wanted me to make some homemade soup and his answer was, “You can make YOU some soup.” SMH
Here’s the problem… While I am focused on practicing a healthier lifestyle, my husband is going off the deep end with his eating habits. My biggest concern is the chance of my eating habits taking a turn for the worse if I make his taste buds top priority. I didn’t say this out loud, but my initial thought was, “You’re gonna eat this soup today or starve.” I then thought to myself, “How much time will it take for me to just create two separate dishes?” I also thought, “Do I really want to expend my energy being mad today or at peace?”
The fact is, after a little creativity, it didn’t take me very long at all to create my healthy choice meal and his hardy man meal. I used the same basic ingredients to include ground turkey, onions, peppers, and chopped spinach. Of course, I opted for zucchini noodles for my soup and I incorporated white rice into his dish.
At the end of the day, It was a win win situation!! It was just that simple…because I chose to compromise and create two similar styled meals, I didnt have to compromise my peace of mind on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. 😉
Definition of Compromise
Shorty Hits Forty!!
You’re probably saying to yourself, “Dang, that’s all!” I thought she was way older than that!” Truth is, sometimes I feel older than that. Let me give you the rundown… I’ve been blind every since 1st grade. Lol! Uh, I’ve had bad knees every since college. That comes from being late for class everyday and bumping my knees on those small desks. What you looking at me like that for…? Ok, you got me… That comes from dropping it like it’s hot!!! Perhaps, I may have a little arthritis in my back and shoulders from standing out in the cold in that long line wrapped around Xanadu’s with hardly anything on trying to be cute. (That was the spot back in the day BTW …Myrtle Beach). I also noticed that I can’t run as fast as I used to. I reckon that comes from my days of hanging out at Solid Gold in Atlantic Beach. It never failed, I always had to run for my life, no shoes or nothing Jesus!! (Sweet Brown) Lol! Well, to sum it all up, I have a patch of grey hair right smack in the middle of my head and laugh lines from here to Cali. I guess that’s all the clues you need right there. I’m officially a grown woman! Happy 40th to me!! #NewYearsBaby #BetterThanBlessed
Natural Hair Photo Shoot and Styling Tips
Not only do I like the look and feel of my natural hair, I am easily intrigued by every woman I see wearing their natural hair. As a service to all of you ladies out there who are contemplating taking the Natural Plunge, here is a slide show of a recent photo shoot featuring myself and two natural beauties, Alnita Reaves-Vaught, and Sade Allen-Steele. I hope you enjoy!!
Four Years Natural (Sade-Allen Steele)
How They Achieved The Look
“This photo shoot style was achieved with flat twists and just oil. I prefer a flat twist out when styling my hair because it’s less work for me and the style is already in place. This style gives me extra body and volume. When I’m not in the mood for big hair, I will do a tuck and roll. My hair products of choice are…Taliyah Waajid Healing oil, African Pride Moisture Intense Leave-In, and Shea Moisture Hair Milk. I shampoo my hair only if it’s really nasty and dirty with Aussie but the majority of the time I co-wash using Aussie conditioner.” –Sade Allen-Steele
Six Years Natural (Alnita Reaves-Vaught)
“To achieve this photo shoot style, I used these Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk products: Leave-In Moisturizer, Styling Foam, and Styling Butter. I did smaller flat twists for more twist definition and longer hold. I also like flat twists for protective styles. I shampoo approximately every ten days, unless I’m in the gym during the week. In that case, I co-wash at least once a week using Wen cleansing conditioner. My go-to style is the pony puff when my schedule is tight.” –Alnita Reaves-Vaught
Two Years Natural
(Sheryta Spears)
“Normally, I pull all of my hair up to the top of my head because humidity and I don’t get along very well. When I do video and photo shoots with my band, Tru Sol, I can wear my hair down because it’s only a couple of hours. For this shoot, I did a regular mid-sized twist out with a spritz of oily water (olive oil or coconut oil) and my favorite hair product, White Sands Orchid Oil. When I shampoo my hair, I use White Sands Shampoo and Conditioner. These products are sulfate free and leave my hair soft, smooth, and manageable.” –Sheryta Spears
Girls Gone Natural (Behind The Scenes of Photo Shoot)
Do you recognize the hair? Watch behind the scene footage of this natural hair photo shoot.
Full article with natural hair maintenance tips and photos coming soon at MoBettaU.com. Stay tuned…
My Top 5 Hit-Up List
I am by no means a shopaholic, but I do have a few favorite places that I have to hit up in order to release some feel good hormones. 😉 Check out my Top 5 places to visit:
1. I could eat at this spot everyday for the rest of my life!! When we drive past a McAllister’s, I’m reminded of when we were kids and how we would get all excited when we saw all of those beautifully lit restaurant signs. My momma would drive right on past them, somewhat like Mr. Dorian Samuel. If they don’t serve rice, he’s not interested. lol That’s okay, I’m perfectly fine with stopping in and eating solo. I am praying one hits Conway, SC soon. What a day of rejoicing that would be… 😉
2. Call me a good fool, but I get caught up looking at all of those neatly stacked reams of paper, cute desktop organizers, and electronic gadgets that Office Depot has on display. I find myself walking up and down the same aisles picking up the same things over and over again. Yep, it’s hard to make a final decision. Don’t judge… 😉
3. “Oh my goodness,” in She-nay-nay’s voice!! When you know you want something good to eat and can’t quite put your finger on what it is, stop by Tropical Smoothie Café and get yourself one of these bad boys. Hey, it relaxes your nerves… no joke. Whenever I get my hands on one of these fruity babies, I’m good to go. Whether it’s for breakfast or lunch, it’s a sure pleaser!
4. What girly girl wouldn’t want this to be her current situation right about now? Ulta Beauty knew what they were doing when they established this entrapment!! Lol! We are often held hostage to their endless variety of cosmetics. If you’ve never been there, it is a must to test out their host of fragrances. I am known for hanging around in the smell good department until I literally run out of places on my arms to spray. Oh and might I add that this top 5 pick is like paradise for all of my skincare lovers. You gotta love the fact that most of their skincare products have sunscreen in them? Let me stop, I could go on and on about this place.
5. My final place that I love to hit up is Walgreens! Gotta have some Walgreens in my life! I can’t count how many late nights I’ve spent up in there. Just about everything you think you’re gonna need in the near future is in Walgreens. Lol! When I leave this earth, I want my Walgreens card to go with me. Ain’t nobody spending my hard-earned points. Lol!!
Go-Go Juice
Photo Courtesy of Sheryta Spears
The one thing that I have to be conscious of on a daily basis is the health and strength of my voice. As a singer of Tru Sol Band, I would say I’ve probably sang over 5,000 songs this year alone. I’ve been on the band for 10 years, so you do the math. 😉 People ask me all of the time, “How do you do it?” All I can say is, “By the grace of God!” Also, I’ve found a few remedies along the way that keep my vocal cords fine tuned.
One product that I’ve discovered to be really helpful is Emergen-C. In my line of work, I freak out at the mere sign of a scratchy throat. When I feel the sensation coming on, I immediately stop what I’m doing and go grab my Emergen-C packets. I kid you not, in less than 24 hours, I notice a big difference. My scratchy throat symptoms are gone.
Not only does taking these packets help my throat, this stuff works wonders on my immune system. I actually take it daily as a multivitamin. I really enjoy the taste and how it supports my day-to-day energy. I feel better about my health when I drink it, and know I am taking better care of my body at the same time.
Here is a list of all of the different flavors Emergen-C has to offer:
- Super Orange
- Raspberry
- Tangerine
- Cranberry-Pomegranate
- Tropical
- Lemon-Lime
- Acai Berry
- Pink Lemonade
- Blue (Triple Berry)
- Planet (Dragon Fruit)
- (New) Coconut – Pineapple
- (New) Strawberry- Kiwi
Emergen-C also offers specialty formulas for joint heath, heart health, kid formulas; and other formulas concentrating on immune health. For your own free samples, visit https://www.emergenc.com/free-sample.
MoBettaU 