EXPRESSIONS HAIR BOUTIQUE

On yesterday, Ms. Solange Knowles rocked a blow out while she attended the 5th Annual DKMS Gala in NYC. Take a look at her, she's getting more and more beautiful everyday, and she's representing for us Naturals. She's about two years natural now. Looks like she's loving it too.

Putting a cold teabag on top of each eye everyday reduces and prevents having dark circles around the eyes.

Some can't go 9 weeks w/o a chemical. I've been 9 months w/o 'em and love it. I'll never go back.
I love my curls ;-)Do you love your curls?

I will be exactly 9 months Natural tomorrow, April 28th!
I am so excited, because I've seen so much growth and time is racing.
In the beginning of my journey a fellow Natural told me that it'll zoom by...it really has. I remember my 'Big Chop' like it was yesterday. I absolutely love my hair, and I'm so happy that I made this decision 9 months ago :-)

Well, Here are a few pics along my journey. I hope it inspires someone out there. Love + Natural Hair = Healthy Hair  

P.S. I have serious hang-time. lol
Do not let the Shrinkage fool you.
Naturals, y'all know what I mean!

Remember: Clothes don't make you, they complement you.

The newly natural has a new hairstyle.  Chrisette was seen a couple days ago rocking small individual braids.
What do you think of her new style?

Hmm, I'm not going to say a word! What do you think of this outfit that Beyonce was caught wearing today?  

I love big hair, and Yaya Dacosta does it again...with her side bang, twist-out updo! Very classy.

Thanks to Going Natural 24/7 I recently tried the Curly Magic product by Uncle Funky's Daughter, and I absolutely love it. It keeps my hair well moisturized, soft, and my curls are defined. This product is great for wash 'n' go's. I found one of my favorite vloggers tutorial on the same product to give you all a different opinion on the product. Take a look!
Uncle Funky's Daughter is an all natural product line. Please Click HERE for their website.
I am not a spokesperson for this company. Just a fan of this particular product.

Before going natural I was a 'SQ', yes I was a Salon Queen. Before deciding to go natural I went to my beautician often, and if I wasn't in the salon, I was doing my hair at home or having my sis Latashi do my hair. At the salon I would spend at the least $40 for a hairstyle that included a wash, sitting under the dryer for about 15-30 minutes, after that I'll be waiting to get into my stylists seat, which took at least a hour, then sitting in the chair for however long the style took. Most of the time over a hour. The longest I've been in the salon was about 6 hours. Crazy HUH?! lol but my beautician always did an excellent job. I walked out looking like a model.  The truth is, my hair was being damaged. To keep the style up I would go home, and flat iron my hair a couple days later, or whatever to keep my look up. (Heat is a huge no no!) I never let my beautician perm my hair, so the $40 was just for a style. If I thought I needed a perm, I would go to Target, a …

I am honored to feature the "Hair Story" of Mrs. Faith S. or what most may know her as NotoriousLYNappy1 through her YouTube Channel.  Faith was so kind to let me interview her to discuss her lovely Hair Journey. Be sure to Comment & Subscribe I know you will be inspired! Visit her YouTube Channel Or Friend Her on Facebook...just click the links below 
YouTube Channel & Facebook Page Natural Expression: How long have you been natural?
NotoriousLYNappy1: Almost 2 years! I big chopped  during the summer of 2009 on June 18th.
Natural Expression:What made you decide to go natural? Why?
NotoriousLYNappy1: I was twenty-something and I got tired of people imposing on me their expectations formy hair. My attitude towards my hair was virtually care free and I couldn't see the point in continuing the unpleasant experience of getting relaxers for "special occasions" or family events when I knew, outside of those events, I wasn't going to maintain that straightness in …

April 28th marks my 9th month being natural. During this journey I tried to blow dry my hair once (7th month) and it was a hair disaster. So I knew that heat was not for me. So that was the first & last time I will use heat for a while. I've learned a lot and used many products. I've learned that Curls products work great on my hair! Praise God. Well, all I can say is... I love my hair.
Look at the growth. The 2nd pic was 2months after my big chop, or 2 months natural. The 1st pic is current.

Keep your hair out of your face to prevent having pimples and other blemishes.

I am honored to feature my friend Amber Frank's "Hair Story". You may know her by her blog name "luvmykynxx" , or through her YouTube Channel.  Amber was so kind to let me interview her to discuss her lovely Hair Journey. Be sure to Comment & Subscribe I know you will be inspired! Visit her YouTube Channel Or Add Her on Twitter @LuvMyKynxx
Natural Expression: How long have you been natural? I have been natural for a total of 31 years.  I wore my hair relaxed from age 15 to 21, transitioning twice during the 6 years. Now I feel like I'm transitioning a third time, this time from heat damage instead of chemical damage.  I haven't used heat on my hair in a year this May 2011.  My hair is twice as dense looking, much softer, and more elastic than it was before. 
Natural Expression:What made you decide to go natural? Noticing how my new growth grew in prettier then the straight relaxed hair.  Not to mention You Tube. I started watching natural hair You Tube vid…

I want to take this time to THANK all of my blog visitors (please subscribe), my new and old blog Followers in which I call my friends. You guys are all Awesome. I'm going to keep inspiring and informing you guys in all things natural hair!Much love to you! :-)
PEACE / LOVE / & SOUL ...lol

One of my Naturalista friends featured my hair story. Click HERE to read! 

The Chunky Twist-Out!
Once you're making your way into that lovely Natural Hair stage that's a little after the TWA...this style will be great for you. It's unique and classy. The method is basically the same as a normal twist-out, but add more hair to the twist. BE sure to use a moisturizer while do any hairstyle.

Product Buildup:
Greasy build up occurs for many reasons. Heavy conditioners & styling products are the most likely suspects, followed by medical conditions that stimulate excess sebum production. Natural hair oil can build up on the hair if the hair is not shampooed properly, but a couple of intense shampoos usually takes care of the problem. Actual build up is more difficult to remove, and requires a few clarifying treatments given over the course of a few weeks to resolve the problem.
NOTE: If you are a severe product junkie, you might want to chill out a little. Do not put all the products on your hair at once. I honestly believe 3 products at one time is enough. Try not to extend this amount, if you do, be sure that you're washing your hair regularly to avoid buildup. Please Remember, less is more when dealing with your natural hair. You do not want product build-up.
Dandruff: Dandruff can be considered aesthetically displeasing and often causes itching. the shedding of dead …

This is my girl Rodgerika. Her YouTube Channel is - IAmSoNotMyHair be sure to visit. This is a video of her creating the Fro-Hawk when she was 6 Months Natural. I covered her "Hair Story" Click HERE to read.

Okay, So I found out that there are people who still grease their scalps. My question to you is...Why? There is no need to grease your scalp like mama use to do, that was never needed. Sorry to say, but it wasn't. Yeah, our hair grew, but think about it...products were much different then, than they are now. Say no to the grease all together...especially those containing  mineral oil, lanolin, and petrolatum. Repeat after me...NO NO NO!

These products  clog the scalp. You know what happens when the scalp is clog? Well, your scalp can not breath. Therefore, you will not see growth. Your scalps pores are blocked. Your scalp needs to breath. So, If you're trying to get rid of dandruff, try another method. Adopt a new regimen. Wash your hair with a natural shampoo weekly or biweekly, deep condition weekly, and moisturized daily. Also, try using jojoba oil...this oil is great for the scalp. In which, our scalp produces a similar type of oil (sebum), therefore, this oil (jojoba oil)…

Your hair wants to grow...So Let It!

Hey Beautiful, I thought this would be a great time to address the polls here on Natural Expression. If you haven't taken any of the four, go ahead. They're located on the far right side of this page. I wanted to address what visitors and my fellow Natural friends have answered, and give my opinions, etc. So Okay, Let's get to it! :-)
1st Poll Question:
Are you Natural? 143 people chose, Yes and I love it (85%). 23 people  chose, Thinking about it (13%). 2 people chose, I don't know about going natural (1%) 2 people chose, I will never go natural (1%) 0 people chose, What is natural hair? (0%) My Observation/Opinion: Well, I love what the majority answered, and it makes me smile, because I know that our hair is finally being accepted and worn with pride. I am also excited to know that more than half of the people that have came across Natural Expression can relate to what I post. I love knowing that my fellow Naturals are being informed, and that's my mission. Much love to …

It's all about Vintage! Source

Our favorite hair gel is on sale!
Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling GelThanks to my sister Anjel (follow her on Twitter @AllAboutAnjel), She texted me and said, "Shren, Eco Styler is on sale for $2.99 all month." lol Through the text I knew she was excited...lol I was like WOW! I need to let my fellow naturals know this one.
So Sally's Beauty Supply stores are having a sale for the rest of the month.
The gel is normally priced at $4.79 - 32 oz. (tub) is now on sale for $2.99 until the ending of the month. So if you like this gel stock up, if you've heard of it and wanted to try it out, now's the time. I use this gel for wash & gos, flat twist, etc. It's not heavy, it holds, shines, and it's all natural :-)
Description:
No flaking, no tack and anti-itch Contains 100% pure olive oil Safe for all hair types Alcohol-free Eco Styler Olive Oil Styling Gel contains 100% Pure Olive Oil for deep down conditioning while maintaining maximum hold. Contains UV Protection and …

Never take anything or anyone for granted.  Appreciate those who appreciate you & give the ones in doubt a reason to.
-Shren

25 yrs. ago on this day God created an angel who soon became my best friend. From the day I met this angel...I knew he would be a blessing in my life, and that he was. I soon adopted the perfect title for him. I called him, "My Bro". He lived up to the name. He loved me unconditionaly, and respected the decisions I made. We had so much fun together.

I am happy to feature, my new friend, Ms. Nayomi's "Hair Story".  The face of the blog My Kinks And Curls She was so kind to let me interview her on her lovely Hair Journey. You will be inspired! Please be sure to visit her website, and follow her on twitter. Information located below. If you would like to ask Shila anything, you can reach her through FaceBook.

Natural Expression: How long have you been natural? Nayomi: I've had natural hair for a year now. I cut my relaxed hair in March 2010 but I had my last relaxer in August 2009.
Natural Expression: What made you decide to go natural? Why? Nayomi: There are several reason why I decided to become natural. My mum had gone natural before me and I was secretly jealous, so she inspired me. Also I was becoming more aware that worldwide there is a bias to western beauty ideals like straight hair, lighter skin etc. And that really shouldn't be so because should be seen as diverse beauty is diverse. In addition my hair wasn&#…

April 16, 2011 (this Saturday)
If you're in the area, Please Attend!

Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Co. presents
2011 Women of Color Expo Metro Technology Center in Oklahoma City 10am - 5pmFREE to the public for more info. please call 405.425.4100
Empowered Magazine Going Natural 24/7 & Natural Expression will be there

Mrs. Beyonce is rocking out the Natural Hair look in the Let's Move Flash Workout, and she looks great. Check it Out.

As you know R&B singer Ciara, Ci-Ci, is all about her tracks/lace fronts etc. She should stick to the lace fronts, because his past weekend she was spotted with a pony-tail and her sides are thinning pretty badly. I'm trying to figure out why she's even pulling her hair up in the first place. Her hair stylist should know better, but stars really don't care, or do they. I mean, if I was her stylist I would kindly tell her, "Ci-Ci, you can't get the pony-tail today sweetheart. Not until these sides are back fully." Maybe that's just me. Stop putting so much stress on your hair by pulling and tugging on it. Cute jacket though.

Oh Yeah! You have read Right. The "Hair of the Day" goes directly to the fade. As you know this is the beginning to many Natural Hair Journeys. This is the "BC" when someone do not wait for the new growth. This style displays confidence, and beauty. I applause every woman who does this style to start their beautiful Natural Hair journey. Big ups to you!

Attention beautiful naturals, I know you want to wear those pretty curls out. The weather is changing and it's becoming more and more lovely outside. You can wear those curls out, just be sure that your hair is moisturized well. Now, onto my point...headbands are a great way to express your personal style. There are all types of colors, designs, etc. You can personalize your own by making them yourself...add a flower, or you can buy them, I'm actually rocking one right now...but I wanted to give the medium length to longer hair naturals an idea that has been done before, but I haven't seen in a while and that's your own hair braided from the back and wrapped around like a headband. Yes, use your own hair as a headband. This isn't hard to do, and it doesn't cost a dime. If the braid doesn't stay in place, use bobby pins to keep it in place. This is a great vintage way to style your hair. Try it out. I love this look!

I want you guys to laugh this afternoon. I love Jamie Foxx, but this picture is hilarious. The coat is very nice, don't get me wrong, but why did he zip it up like that..lol, look like he's choking himself.

Well, I had my kinky twist (with weave) up for about a month. I thought they were lovely, but didn't really want them to begin with, should have listened to myself. I only got them to protective style my hair for a little while and keep my fingers out of it...Never again, I'll protective style my hair another way. I took them out and my hair was severely wrapped around the weaved hair. I had knots. Yes, I know! Well, I learned my lesson. I'm just not getting these again. I'll get something else next time. Maybe it was the braider/twister who did it...an African lady someone referred to me. Well, thank got I didn't leave them in any longer. I do not want to discourage anyone who want or have them, they are not for my hair type I guess...this is just my vent and I wanted to let you know. I had to bring my hair back to life by washing it with Curls all natural hair shampoo, deep conditioned it with Shea Moisture Hair Mask, and Uncle Funky's Daughter hair butter/ge…

I will be guest co-hosting on today's show. Click Here to tune in 5pm cst / 6pm est
I'm so excited! Let's Go

I really like this look. It looks relaxing, but dressed up at the same time. If that even makes sense, lol. She did a nice job by adding the pink round toe suede pumps to hype the outfit. This comes to show that anyone can turn an outfit's unique volume up by choosing the right shoe, and she did well.
What do you think?

I had to add this...Beyonce's Christian Louboutin pumps she put on earlier this week were Killer fierce! Her legs aren't that flattering though.  Pic Source