Hibiscus Honey Mask

I have a fabulous Hair Mask Recipe that I made last night. I'm not sure if I already shared this will y'all, but here it goes:

* 2 tbsp of organic hibiscus powder
* 1 1/2 tbsp of brahmi powder
* 2 tbsp of organic amla powder
* 1/4 cup of Tresseme Remoisturize conditoner
* 1 teaspoon of honey
* 1/2 tsp of aloe vera gel

Mix well and apply to hair. Leave on for 30 min to an hour. Co-wash or shampoo out mask. This is important as hibiscus powder tends to settle on the hair and not want to let go!!! Your hair will have a burgundy tint to it that shows more intensely in the sun. Most importantly, your hair will be moisturized and conditioned as hibiscus powder, when combined with water becomes mucilaginous which provides TONS of slip (which aids in ease of detangling) and softness. Try it today!

Have a great week! :-)

Feelin' Myself

Hey Lovelies! I have definitely been MIA for a while. Lately, I have been contemplating continuing the blog or just making it outfit and hair posts only. Between two jobs, unforseen financial issues (just in time for X-Mas...geeez), and love troubles my plate has been overflowing. Yet, somehow, I still have time to look pretty. :-) This hair style started out as a super-defined bantu knot-out on lightly flat-ironed hair, but ended up as a poofy super fro due to the insane humidity that morning. It actually GREW as the day went on, but I dug it nonetheless.

Observe:



If it look like I am feelin' myself, it's cuz it's true!

Have a great week and Happy Holidays!!

Snapshots

Life is crazy now, but in the midst of it all, I still manage to treat my hair and nails special:





Hope you all are doing well. Peace!

Review: African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion

Whenever I used to think of the brand African Pride, I always had a flashback to to troubled times when I used to wear extensions 24-7. African Pride braid spray was the isht back then, but the smell was...umm..jheri curlish. lol. After years of wearing extensions, I got tired of being braided up and started to explore my natural hair. Needless to say, this was the end of my African Pride affair.

Flash forward to 7 years later during my second time going natural. After flirting with the African Pride Olive Miracle Moisturizer Lotion for about 6 months, I decided to give it a go to style for a braidout. The first thing I noticed was the texture and the smell. It is a creamy oil-based moisturizer, but water is the first ingredient, so it made my hair very smooth when I was applying it. I styled my hair in 5 flat twists and OMG my twists were so shiny and soft! Here are the ingredients:

Water (Aqua,Eau) Glycine Soja (Soybean)Oil,Propolene Glycol,Olea Europaea (Olive)Fruit oil,Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Cocos Nucifera (Coconut)Oil,Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed oil,Persia Gratissima (Avocado)Oil,Panax Ginseng Root Extract,Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary)Leaf Extract,Equisetum Hiemale ( Horsetail )Extract,Melaleuca Alternifolia ( Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Hydrogenated vegetable oil,Steareth-2 Steareth-20,Polyquaternium-37, Propolyne Glycol,Dicprylate/Dicaprate,PPG-1,Trideceth-6,Phenyl Trimethicone,Laneth-15,Lanolin oil,Dimethicone, DMDM Hydantoin,TBHQ,Methylparaben,Propylparaben,CI 19140 (FD&C Yellow #5) Parfum (Fragrance)


Here is my twist-out puff after using moisturizer:



Because shea butter is one of the first few ingredients, it helps to be light-handed with this product. A little bit goes a long way! Also, lightly misting the hair with water definitely helps before using the lotion because it is oil-based and you want to trap the moisture in.

P.S. It is good to be back (again). :-p

My First Giveaway: Silicon Mix Bambu Nutritive Hair Treatment

I am so excited to host my first Adventures in Bayarealand giveaway!!!

I do not recommend products that I am not passionate about and this one has me over the moon! I have used Silicon Mix Bambu Nutritive Hair Treatment a few times and my hair has been feeling strong, soft, and in-control. Lemme not even start on the smell! My hubs couldn't stop sniffing my hair last nite after a fresh wash and deep treatment with the Silicon Mix Bambu Nutritive Shampoo and Treatment. I am still catching whiffs of it today when I get up from my desk.

This will definitely be in EXTREMELY heavy rotation in my wash routine as I believe that I have found one of my staple moisturizing protein treatments. Aaaand I know I am in very deep trouble since the beauty supply down the street has it in abundance.

Wanna win? You must do the following to submit your entry:

* Must be a follower of my blog.
* Must leave a comment below detailing how you will use the product.
* Please include a valid e-mail address in your comment so that I may contact you.
* 2 entries - Repost to your blog. Please leave link to your posting. I will check!

The winner must be a resident of the United States. He/She will be chosen on Wednesday, September 21st at 3 pm Pacific Standard time by a random number generator. He/She will receive an 8 oz tub of the treatment.

Good Luck!

As if I haven't been doing it already...

...I need a little break! I am taking this break time to refresh and become inspired again as I work A LOT these days and have little time to myself to actually become inspired. :-p

I will be back next week with updates, pics, and maybe even my first GIVEAWAY ever! I love a good giveaway and have won quite a few to make me a believer. I can't wait to spread the love!

I see you new followers! Check out some of my favorite posts from waaay back when:

Yummy Homemade Facial Treatments (still using and loving these!)

Ready, Set,Go (rollersetting)

Prepping for Crockpot Week (crockpot recipes)

Creamy Dreamy Hair Treatments

Show and Tell: Divine Inspiration (ladies who inspire me)

A snapshot at my third attempt at a flat twist-out on a roller set:



Ignore my husband's Harley in the back. I've been trying to get him to fix it up or get it out but he just won't listen!

Enjoy your weekend!

Hair Snapshot

Thank GOD the weekend is here! I get paid today and I had a good heart-to-heart talk with my hubby that has me content. Speaking of content, I had a great hair day yesterday. I co-washed with Organix Cherry Blossom Ginseng conditioner and roller set my hair using the same conditioner as a leave-in. I sealed with Creme of Nature Argan Oil Polisher and put just a smidgen of shea butter on the very ends before I roller set my hair. After an hour under the dryer, I put my hair in 6 flat twists.

I love how big it turned out! My hubby was mighty pleased too:



Have a great weekend!

Bitty Boss xxoo

Monday hair share

Check out my sexy puff! I did a braid out on damp hair and swept into a puff for work today. I used Tresseme Climate control conditioner as a leave-in and used Softee Stimulating Growth oil (see last week's post) to seal the moisture in.





Please excuse my shiny forehead and gratuitous footage of the bathroom in the background.

Gracias <3

Bitty Boss

"They call it stormy Monday..."

Welll, it's not stormy, but it feels like there is a storm in my brain. Not the good kind, either. You know how you have those days where you feel like you "cain't get right?" Work is kicking my butt as I work at a call center and Mondays can be downright TERRIBLE. Everyone calls in with their complaints that they have been holding and perfecting all weekend and MAN are their issues complicated.

Anyway, I just had to get that off my chest. Ow. My head is starting to hurt, but lunch is just a few minutes away and I am looking forward to my meatball sub. Now, on to prettier things:

My nails today!



Colors are courtesy of Wet and Wild. Looking back, I should of added one more coat. I must apologize to Santee, my beloved dollar store polish. I needed to look elsewhere for polishes last weekend as the dollar store down the street had just been robbed and was closed for a day. Who would rob a dollar store?!

Oh yeah! And I found a blog that I adore and is right up my alley. This little gem is called The Retro Natural (http://theretronatural.blogspot.com/). She features retro styling tutorials as well as her view on vintage cars, clothes. MOST importantly the tutorials are for retro-inspired styles on natural hair. I love flaunting various vintage styles from the 30's through the 50's with a natural twist and I believe I have officially hit pay dirt with her blog. I may even attempt a few if I am not dead tired after work this week. Check it out!

Have a great week!

Bitty Boss

Review: Softee hair growth stimulating oil

I LOOOOVE it when I find a cheap-ass product that works wonders.

Lemme just say I am super-excited about this oil! It is waaay cheap, has great ingredients and is effective in making my hair soft. The BIG deal: It is available at your local drugstore! I picked up this bottle from Walgreens a few weeks ago and it has not done me wrong yet. I use it to seal in moisture when styling right after a good deep condition. It is light, smells good, has a lot of great ingredients in it and it is supposed to assist in hair growth without the irritation that can come with other stimulating hair growth products. Sorry for the lack of decent pics, but I am at work and today is a horribly busy day!

Here are the ingredients:
Soybean Oil , Meadowfoam Seed Oil , Shea Butter Extract , Capsicum Extract , Black Pepper Extract , Coffee Extract , Rosemary Extract , Safflower Oil , Wheat Germ Oil , Retinyl Palmitate , Tocopheryl Acetate , Cholecalciferol , Hops Extract , Balm Mint Extract , Chamomile Extract , Yarrow Extract , Nettle Extract , Horsetail Extract , Neutral Henna Extract , Fragrance , Red 17 , Yellow 11

Sounds yummy right?!

Here's the instructions on the bottle:

Apply to hair and scalp (damp or dry) and massage gently. Great for daily moisturization and shine or use in your weekly beauty regimen. Deep or hot oil treatment: Apply a generous amount to your hair, comb through for even distribution, cover with a plastic cap and heat under the dryer. Rinse or lightly shampoo if necessary..

And now for the best part...It's only $3.49 at Walgreens! You can hunt it down for a cheaper price at your local beauty supply, but it just doesn't get any better than that people. I am waiting for it to appear at my local dollar store, but I digress.

Pssst!I have even used this on my feet and skin with the same results! You can find out about more of their oils and products at www.softeeproducts.com.

*The only thing that I would advise is this: This oil has a lot of stimulative properties to it, so if you have high blood pressure be cautious or advise with your doctor.

Check it out today and enjoy your weekend!

Bitty Boss

Show and Tell

Happy Thursday!

I have been a busy mofo for the past week but alla that hard work has definitely paid off. I will be starting a new job next Tuesday that I am over-the-moon about. It is at an amazing women's clothing comapany that is right up my alley. Although busy, I did manage to keep my beauty game tight!

Here is a snapshot of my roller set the other day. It turned out bouncy, silky, and strong. Sorry I only have this one pic as my arms were a wee bit tired after all of that rolling and detangling.



Products used for roller set:

Silicon Mix Leave-In
Creme of Nature Argan Oil Gloss and Shine Polisher
Grapeseed oil

I also went on an instant gratification trip to my favorite ghetto dollar store
down the street from my house. I cannot stress how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE this color!
Don't sleep on dollar store nail polishes! I am going back this afternoon to pick me up a few more of these babies. I believe the brand is Santee.



Have you seen this brand before? I know I haven't, and I thank God that I did.

I am sooooo looking forward to this Fourth of July weekend. Time to throw on a sundress and enjoy an ice cold beer!

Adios! :-)

Tuesday Hair: Twist-out with Enzo Naturals products

I have been taking a big break from heat lately by roller-setting with the "cool" feature on my hooded hair dryer and styling on stretched hair. Last night I was excited when I finally got my Enzo Naturals package/prize from the Newly Natural giveaway. It included the Marshmallow Root Twisting Pudding as well as the Olive and Honey Hydrating Hair Butter. Both smell and look devine! I used the twisting pudding to create 6 flat two-strand twists on stretched hair. I then used the hydrating butter on my ends to keep them happy. To top it off, I added a perm rod roller to the ends of each flat twist and this is what I happily woke up with this morning:





The results are weather-proof, shiny, bouncy hair!

Have you ever tried anything from Enzo Naturals?

Creamy Thursday

Lemme just start by saying that my husband's fam is THA BOMB as they must've read my mind. Yesterday, to my pleasant surprise, a greeting card came in the mail along with...wait for it...a $100 gift card for Wal-Mart! That's right. A hundred bucks!
Now that may not be all that much to some folks, but for my broke ass it saved the week! I jumped in my hood-mobile and jetted as fast as I could to the nearest 'Mart' for a mini spree. Among the many, many rows of merchandise I found this little gem:



Let's just say I went a little crazy today and started to get inspired. o_O

First Inspiration? Hair of course! I whipped up a hair mask with some yummy ingredients:
*1/2 box of Kara Coconut Cream
*1 container of banana baby food
*2 tbsp of honey
*1 tsp of grapeseed oil
*2 tbsp of Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Conditioner (to thicken)
*1/2 tsp of hibiscus powder
*1/2 tsp of brahmi powder

This concoction is sitting on my head as we speak. My scalp feels soothed and tingly. I can't wait to see how my hair looks!

Second Inspiration? My morning coffee! Since I wanted to damn near eat the mixture I put on my head, I thought, why not put some of this yumminess into my coffee? This mixture is soooo good if you love a little coconut flavor with your coffee. The taste is very mild and adds a dairy-free richness that is divine. I encourage you to try this with your next cup of coffee for a little
extra treat to your morning.

Third Inspiration? Fashion! I really, really want to flaunt at least one of these coconut-inspired numbers this summer. Let the clothes speak for themselves:






















This is too cute. I adore this flowy, creamy dress from Lulu's. It looks like it would be so soft and romantic. Available at www.lulus.com.























I love this 1960's cream-colored wiggle dress by FemaleHysteria at Etsy. It is a knit dress so I know my curves will be nicely accentuated. Sexy!
This can be found at http://www.etsy.com/listing/63270816/1960s-beaded-cream-knit-wiggle-dress.



These brown and cream espadrilles by Prada are reaaaalllly cute. They look comfy too, which is always a plus when you are tryna maintain your sexy.

Ahhh there's the sunshine! As I write this I am drinking my coconut coffee with coconut mask running down the side of my face. The sun finally came out, I'm happy as hell, and I know it's gonna be a good day.

Happy Thursday!xx

In the midst of the craziness, there will always be music

These past few weeks have been CRAZY! Cash has been tight and I locked my keys in my car today..again. Oh yeah, a special thanks to the two extremely friendly and hunky firemen who helped me out. Well, I guess today hasn't been THAT bad with the eye candy and all.

I have been on full throttle with my job hunt lately which leaves little time to blog when I would like to. But I will be coming up with some goodies for you in the next few weeks, so keep yo peepers open! I have been silently inspired by many things in the past few days and I look forward to sharing them with you in future posts.

Oh yeah, something that I found solace and peace in last week is music and hairstyling, as these things always calm my spirit. Check out some of the You Tube vids that I have bookmarked:

HAIR: Because it does matter!


I can't wait until my hair is long enough to do this. Six more months to go!


Here is how she created the waves.


This is how I have been wearing my hair for almost 2 weeks now. Can't go wrong with easy, soft curls!

MUSIC - Dance like nobody's watching!


Hot damn. This song is freaking monumental.


I feel like rockin' a beehive and some extreme cat eye liner when I hear this song.


Woooooooo! How can you not smile when you hear this song.

Enjoy this lovely Tuesday! It's another sunny day in The Bay...

Review: Shea Moisture Goodness!

This product is simply d-e-v-i-n-e.

Sniff, Sniff:
The texture is dreamy creamy and the smell is that of fresh cupcakes.*drool* Who doesn't love cupcakes? Although a little thick (imagine a heavy hand cream), the product melted right into my hair. Another plus that I did not expect was that it provided light detangling! ALL of the ingredients are natural and it contains organic coconut oil, silk protein, and neem oil. These ingredients all work together to strengthen and soften hair.

What I Did:
After conditioner washing and a deep treatment, dried my hair overnight in 6 braids. This morning, I took down the braids and applied a pea-sized amount of Shea Moisture Organic Coconut and Hibiscus Curl and Style Milk to each section and put ten braids in my hair for a braid out.

The Results:
The angels were singing! My hair was buttery, bouncy, and shiny. Take that!
Mind you, this product offers very little hold, so it is best used for soft styles, as a heavy moisturizer, or as a styler for ponytails and buns. A little bit of this product goes a long way. I have fine hair, and I will probably use a little less next time. Oh yeah, and my hair is smelling so fragrant, my hubs can't stop touching and smelling it.

The Deets:
Ladies with thick, coarse, curly, wavy, or dense hair will benefit the most from using this as it provides moisture, frizz-reduction, and mild control. You can purchase this style milk at Target or your local Walgreens. Try it today!

Happy Wednesday!

Review: Hollywood Beauty Hydrating Hair Mask enriched with Argan Oil

After a grueling 2 hours at the DMV I decided to reward myself with a hair goodie from Target. I just got home from a weekend in Ukiah and it was freezing! The cold air tore up my hair and I believed that it was time for a miracle. The mask was $10.99 for 7.5 ounces.

Here is the claim on the jar:

"Hollywood Beauty's Hydrating hair mask enriched with Argan oil from Morocco is ideal for hair that is dehydrated, severely damaged and/or chemically treated. This restorative mask improves hair's health by deeply penetrating the cuticle for intense repair and conditioning."

The Results:

Shiny, soft, and hella smooth.lol.

This one is a keeper! It is very thick and creamy and does the job in a pinch. Usually I DC for an hour, but I was rushed for time and only left it on for ten minutes. I was scared to rinse because I thought that the mask wouldn't do anything in ten minutes, but to my suprise, my hair felt like I had left the mask on for 45 min! Cherry on top: It only has no petroleum or mineral oil!

Verdict: Buy it as fast as you can before everyone else does! This is kind of a "under the radar" product, as it just came out a few months ago. I will be returning to Target to buy up the rest of these jars when I get paid.

Happy Monday!

Show and Tell: Divine Inspiration

Even though it's only Wednesday , I feel like it has already been a long ass week. Sooo, let's focus on more pleasant things. Pretty things that make us happy need to be discussed.

I get my fashion and beauty inspiration from some interesting ladies throughout history. Because my parents are significantly older than most parents (My dear dad is 77!), I got a lot of inspiration from my dad's music: Songstresses from the 40's swing, 50's doo-wop, 60's lounge, The California "cool jazz" movement, and a hearty helping of 70's funk/soul. So without further ado, I would like to give you a peek inside the fashion sensibility of Bitty Boss. I'm such an old lady.

My Inspirations:


Billie "Lady Day" Holiday - I fell in love with her sultry, smoky voice, and her trademark gardenias. To this day, gardenias are my favorite.


Sarah "Sassy" Vaughan - This lady was one of my favorite singers when I was a child. I had never heard anyone sound so, dare I say it, sexy. We both were chocolate-complexioned, and I had a new beauty muse that I could turn to for inspiration when most of the beauties I saw growing up (the 80's) were of a much fairer complexion.


Cicely Tyson - This woman has such an extraordinary, unique beauty. With her soft-spoken manner and doe-eyes she was an example the sensual beauty that I aspired to be.


Chaka Khan - A fellow Aries, Chaka is sultry and passionate by nature like me. When I first saw that hair, I immediately wanted mine to be that big. She has set the standard to how big my fro wants to be when it grows up. She has such a spicy, eclectic fashion sense and was never afraid to try something new or bizarre. I loved that about her.


Bettie Page - This woman rocked my world when I was a teen. I was drawn to her bold, naughty looks and ways. She was workin' that bad girl swag to the fullest!

Who are some of your fashion/beauty inspirations growing up?

Creamy Dreamy Hair Treatments

Hey divas!

If you like to style your hair frequently, your tresses probably crave some much needed TLC. Hairsprays, bobby pins, teasing, braiding, curling, setting...these hair helpers can all wreak havoc if over-abused. Below, I have listed some of my favorite hair masque creations to add some va-va-voom to your locks. These can be used as pre-shampoo treatments (left on for 15 min.) or deep conditioners (left on for 45 min. to an hour).

The Green Banana - For super dry hair
2-4 tbsp hempseed oil (ceramides, smoothing, shine)
1 container of banana baby food (Thanks Hell's Notes! Bananas add moisture and shine)
1 tbsp of honey (moisturizing, nourishing, adds shine)

Cinnamon Sugar Cookie - For dry, slow-growing hair
1/4 cup of your favorite cheapie moisturizing conditioner (V05, Suave, etc)
1/4 tsp of cinnamon (lightening, stimulating)
4 tbsp of whipping cream (softens, strengthens)
2 tbsp almond oil (moisturizing, emollient)
1 tbsp of honey
*Please do a skin patch test, as some are sensitive to cinnamon



Rosemary Coconut Creme - For dull hair and itchy scalp
1/2 can of coconut milk (smoothing, adds manageability & strength)
1/4 cup of Suave Naturals Coconut Conditioner (oldie but goodie)
2 tbsp of coconut oil (shine, nourishing, softening)
5-10 drops of rosemary essential oil (excellent for hair growth)

Sour Power - For oily hair and scalp exfoliation
1/2 can of coconut milk
Lemon juice from 1 large lemon (gets rid of excess oil, tones scalp)
1 tbsp of olive oil (moisturizing, nourishing)
*This recipe may loosen curl pattern



Everything you need can be found at your local grocery or health food store. Do you have any hair mask recipes that rock your world? Do tell!

Bonus Post: Tips for Creating Vintage Styles for Kinky/Curly Hair

Woo Hoo! Found 'em!

These are my favorite YouTube tutorials on how to recreate retro styles on kinky, curly, or highly textured hair. It's about damn time!

Enjoy!










I ADORE HER ARTWORK!:

Bonus Post:The Evolution of My Bun

F%^K YEAH!

I am sooo excited. My bun has finally grown up. lol.

Products I used to straighten for 2011 Bun:

Shampoo - Goldwell Kerasilk Ultra Moisture Shampoo (Thanks Moptop Maven!)

Deep Conditioner - Silk Elements Mega Moisture Treatment

Leave-in - GVP Concentrated Leave-In Treatment (Sebastian Potion #9 knockoff)

Sealant/Heat Protection - Creme of Nature Argan Oil Serum with a little bit of Vatika oil mixed in.

I am almost a year creamy-crack (aka perm) free! Natural hair rocks! That is all.

Observe:

October 2009..Couldn't even make a bun.


September 2010 Bun



January 2011 Bun


You can find the products mentioned above at the following stores:

Serum, Leave-In and Deep Treatment- Sally Beauty Supply

Vatika Oil- Local Indian grocery store or online at Ayurnaturalbeauty.com

Shampoo- Drugstore.com or your local beauty supply

Color- Reshma Henna found at your local Indian Grocery.

Happy Hair Growing!