OBIA Naturals And Hair Goals

OBIA Naturals is helping a woman reach her hair goals this year.

For the past few months, I have been enjoying OBIA Naturals, an all vegan, cruelty free product line founded by chemist Obia Ewah. Although I was finishing off the rest of the Shea Moisture Shampoo, I started using the OBIA Naturals Coconut Shea Shampoo Bar this week. This amazing addition to my new routine took a while to find in stores (found at a Dayton, Ohio CVS for $9.99) and is a whole different experience using a soap bar as a shampoo.
The $35 Detangle and Seal Box came with the Babassu Detangling Conditioner, Argan Rose Oil, and Sweet Almond Heavy Cream aka the LOC (leave-in-conditioner, oil, and cream) Method. I love how soft my hair feels before, during, and after conditioning, the healthy sheen from the argan rose oil massage, and the extra oomph from the heavy cream. In using this line, I noticed and appreciated treasures my hair rarely experienced these past few years. Obia just really understands our unique hair texture and these products celebrate/enhance the beauty of it.
I will definitely continue incorporating more OBIA Naturals into my refreshing hair journey, for the goal is stronger, healthier, growing hair. In addition to these great products, I am using Jamaican Black Castor Oil on my edges and an apple cider vinegar/tea tree oil pre-shampoo scalp treatment (for dandruff) once a week.

OBIA Naturals gives a nurturing shine. Hair looks and feels good-- inside and out. 

Loving my braid. 

Here is to achieving all hair dreams in 2019.

Lip length in three months? Maybe sooner? 

Styling & Protecting Two Strand Twists

2017 is the year of committing self to a hair appreciation and health.

A few weeks ago, I received my first trim of the year, a deep conditioning treatment, and two strand twists at Syreeta Scott's Duafe Hollistic Hair Salon, the amazing natural hair salon chosen by celebs such as Janet Jackson and Jill Scott. It's a nice, comfortable atmosphere. Camaraderie between the stylists especially engaging among the hypnotic, bumping tunes of Nigerian born musician Yemi Alade. There wasn't a time where patrons weren't laughing or dancing in seats, reading magazines under hooded hair dryers or having locs twisted during this pleasant excitement.
As my hair received much needed TLC, renowned NYT's bestselling author/nutritionist J. J. Smith conducted a book signing of her latest book "Green Smoothies for Life." I didn't get to see her speak, but she passed through the salon a handful of times, glowing and exuberant. Maybe I will do a cleanse sometime. It has crossed my mind.

To keep my hair healthy and shiny, I alternate days between massaging coconut oil and Jamaican Black Castor Oil (on the scalp). 

Side view.

Partial back view. I love the parted arrangement. Geneva did a wonderful job again!

The back.

Amusingly enough, on my way out of the door, I discovered The Sable Collective, a funky, hip art gallery and shop-- recently reviewed by Philly fashion writer Elizabeth Wellington. Opposite hair salon, the eclectic space sells custom art, handmade jewelry, catchy slogan t-shirts, Black Girl Magic flasks, and vegan lipsticks by The Lip Bar (stay tuned for beauty product reviews!). I talked to the very kind co-owner, Shanti Myers (she runs the popular Around the Curl blog) and hope to soon be putting up drawings and paintings to sell there. After all, natural hair is a huge context in my work.
Below features a few post-salon care shots.
In the meantime, I'm using my favorite Shea Moisture brand products (the vegan ones without honey or silk, etc.), drinking plenty of water, and keeping my sweets consumption to a minimum (hard, hard, hard when you're self-certified doughnut girl). Also has anyone ever tried out Deva Vegan Hair, Nails, & Skin Vitamins pills? They're currently out of order on Amazon. I'm thinking about investing....

For a simple smooth back style, I used an old purple braided hair extension (yes, I kept a whole bag of old braids) and pinned it on the back so that it wouldn't fall by the wayside.

Scrunched faces are just another way of showing great joy for an easy style.

I also braided the purple extension in my hair too-- for that awesome pop of royal color.

At work, enjoying museum sights (like Jacob Lawrence!) and wonderful architecture.

Another style, especially for swanky events like NYC gallery openings (where one can meet amazing artists such as painter Kehinde Wiley), a satin scarf with a stylish cheetah cat print (a thrift store find) atop of head with a few curls sticking out or some baby hair magic is a definite plus.

On days that I want to bring out a beautiful printed Africa headwrap, I first tie on a satin scarf and then loosely secure on desired cotton fabric look of the day.

Sayonara for now.

A Birthday Pictopost

On a horrific week that started with cleaning out discarded property and a lost uninsured phone, nothing was more pleasing than Google opening the day with special inedible yet fancy colored treats and a personalized "happy birthday."

And Twitter came with the profile balloons popping.

In North Philadelphia, I checked out Duafe Hollistic Hair Salon with Shea Moisture's dandruff line. I loved the minty smell of both shampoo and conditioner, feeling my scalp cool and desensitize under hairdresser's ministrations and gentle cruelty free healing. Fresh hairstyle by Miss Geneva, this new hairstylist (one of the friendliest chicks ever) who created this sophisticated open ended crown, is quite wonderful.

Cornrows up and around. Not too tight either.

It's such a beautiful, complicated design that I myself wouldn't have thought up. In fact, this wasn't what I had in mind, but in the end, I fell deeper and deeper in love. Superb.

A Confident Stance: I found this Jones New York vivacious purple dress at Philly Aids Thrift for a whopping $1! A solid steal! Definitely one of the best hidden rack treasures of the year. For a whole day, I didn't feel discomfort about body shape. I loved the color, the form fit, the bit of gold embellishment-- overall perfect for me.

A big thank you to my high school art teacher. She sent me this beautiful pink box of meaningful gifts.

A new scarf, journal, and trinkets were sweet, but the growing herbs carton (thyme, basil, oregano, and more) had a gazillion happy positive raining in my head. How I have always dreamed of growing an herb/veggie patch! I hope this works out.

Stopped by Dottie's Donuts (naturally) to indulge in true love. Just in luck, I grabbed the last pumpkin pie donut with cream cheese filling.

Heaven.

Lunch at Govinda's treated by my friend/co-worker. Note to the wise: not all vegan cheese are created equal. We were disappointed in the wet, soggy cheese fries. I took them to go and melted Field Roast Chao on top. Now that made those fries the bees knees.

Evening ended with a sweet phone call to my mother, an early time off work, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, the latest episodes of "Queen Sugar" and "How to Get Away With Murder," and Ava DuVernay's new release 13th, which surprisingly enough contains powerful moments from various people speaking at Black Portraiture [s] this year. I highly recommend that you all watch this gritty insight on prison systems and the truth behind wording of the 13th amendment. Nothing is ever as it seems.

This special birthday card signed by staff and friends (along with some kind social media messages) made the day magical.

Turban Style Files

This is the pretty Corialle-- lots of bright pink and shimmering gold featuring bold, intricate pattern. Sadly, it's no longer in the site shop.

Yay! Check out the first new turbans of the year!
Thanks to Africanly Fab, formerly Eva's Headwraps--one of my favorite black owned businesses to support-- for killer chic styles amping up any "outfit of the day" decisions with imported Africa flair.  The refreshingly revamped shop features signature imported headwrap fabrics, but also has handmade jewelry at times created from those very amazing fabrics.

Uber complicated turban knot-- top shot.

Perfect with a Basquiat crew neck (always look at the shirt tag to make sure it's an authentic "Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat" brand logo).

This clearance headwrap is pale yellow with sepia accents and rounded pattern. Plus it's still up on Africanly Fab for  the price of $18!

Side view!

Matches $6 Forever 21 crop sweater from Philly Aids Thrift and $8 old Candies overalls from Village Thrift Outlet.

Purple Streak Box Braids + Thrifty Fashion = Easiest Math

The purple streaks were good for a while. It doesn't mean the end. I recently bought Manic Panic's Purple Haze.

Purple is the best color on the planet. The end.
Box braids had an amazing run. Amazing. I enjoyed the compliments, the feedback. It was a refreshing, enjoyable experimental experience that fulfilled some inner bucket list. Yet I do want my afro to have purple streaks. Right now, I'm softening and conditioning with a surging commitment because to color hair, mine has to be at top notch strength.
I must give a commendable shout out to the Goodwill, Philly Aids Thrift here in sweet ole Philadelphia, and Cure Thrift in New York City. These great thrift shops made it so easy to match chic hair to a frugal wardrobe. I found wonderful modern pieces and some retro flair that still matches my fashionable spirit and of course-- my retro specs! It's incredible how having purple streaked braids made me value my glasses so much I didn't put my contacts on during my whole purple hair experience.
Please do take the time to find indulging gratification in life's supreme joys: family, friends, summer, thrift shops, hair dye, good books. It's too short. Far too short.

$1 sequin color polka dot shirt with this $1 ruffled purple jumper dress and $3 floral printed purple scarf from Philly Aids Thrift made a pretty statement!

Proud lady getting the selfie smile down pact!

My friend gave me his hat- 100% straw which coordinated well with a $4 white blouse with surprising bit of lace around collarbone area and $5 floor length blue polka dot skirt looking skort from Cure Thrift. The suspenders were a long ago purchase from Hot Topic.

Box braids and retro specs did not hurt one bit!

I'm going to be a private detective one day.

Also looks killer without the hat.

Chic, very adorable $10 Forever 21 vintage style dress from Cure Thrift matches the bow I bought at Forever 21- $3.50 for a bow two pack. Scarf is from Eva's Head Wraps.

These nifty cat earrings (which tried so desperately to match the real life sleeping Siamese baby fluff cat) don't hurt either. You can find these at Books a Million.

It happens to be my one month anniversary of being employed at school in the museum's visitor services department. Yay me! Great to be able to take an hour break painting, enjoying sandwiches, and having oils splatter my nose. Oh this dress was $3 from Philly Aids Thrift by the way. Terrific pattern.

It's not sweater weather, but this is a thin light weight powder blue "I Am What I Am" long sleeved shirt that I found for a $1 at Philly Aids Thrift-- their Dollar Heaven is no joke. It's incredible the amazing items I keep finding!

$1 for a knee length turquoise off shoulder dress from Philly Aids Thrift? Really? Yup.

And of course working out wearing another $1 Philly Aids Thrift find- chocolate brown t-shirt featuring a happy cat about to enjoy an ice cream cone. Motivation right?

New artwork to come? Sniffs a little.