QIYAMAH SINGLETARY'S STORY

Hey all,
I ran across this article and wanted to share for several reasons- 1 being an inspiration to someone, 2 being she's from my hometown , and 3, it's an article about natural hair :o)....ENJOY

In the latest installment of our "Natural Hair Diary" series, Afrobella.com's Patrice Grell Yursik profiles Qiyamah Singletary, a beauty entrepreneur with a luscious, full 'fro.

NATURAL WOMAN: Qiyamah Singletary

CITY: Newark NJ

OCCUPATION: Honorably discharged veteran and owner of Immaculate Collections, a bath and beauty line

HAIR JOURNEY:  After years of relaxers and heat-styling, Qiyamah decided to go natural in October 2009. Instead of transitioning, she chopped her locks to a quarter of an inch. "In order for me to embrace my natural texture, getting rid of the chemically treated hair was a must," she says, adding that the new look was a hit with her family and friends. "I actually influenced my mom and cousin to go natural. My daughter has been natural for 7 years."

Qiyamah sees her natural hair as an expression of a holistic lifestyle. "I love rocking my fluffed-out 'fro, but going natural wasn't just about a hairstyle," she says. "It was also a major step in me embracing a lifestyle change. Healthy eating, exercise, prayer, and meditation are all incorporated in my daily life. Now, I'm more conscious of what I put into my body and my hair."

FAVORITE PRODUCTS: Immaculate Collections Cocomango 3 in 1 Hair Butter ($12, immaculatecollections.bigcartel.com), Jamaican Black Castor Oil ($6, amazon.com), herbal tea hair rinses and essential oils.

HAIR ICONS: Ayo, Tanika Ray, Esperanza Spalding and Lauryn Hill

ADVICE TO ASPIRING NATURALS: "It's okay to become a product junkie initially -- you have to play around with different products in order to find out what works best for your hair. But then fiind a regimen and stick to it! And keep in mind that no two curly heads are the same."

Lata,
 Chan, PJ-1

BENEFITS OF CLUB SODA

Happy MLK DAY,

So I was watching Dr. Oz's show the other day and I caught a segment regarding using club soda in your hair to eliminate/decrease frizz. It also removes impurities including chlorine, leaving your hair beautiful and shiny.

Things You’ll Need:

* Shampoo
* Club soda

Step1
You have two alternatives here. You can shampoo first with a mild shampoo and then use club soda, or simply use the club soda as your shampoo. Since the carbonation in the soda works to loosen impurities from your hair, unless your hair is exceptionally dirty, you should be able to skip the shampoo.

Step2
To make things easier, pour a couple of cups of the soda (or more depending on the amount of hair you have) into a container such as a large plastic cup or measuring cup.

Step3
Holding head over a sink or while in the shower, pour the soda over your hair, drenching well. Thoroughly work through hair including the roots applying more soda if needed.

Step4
Rinse hair well with lukewarm water or you can make it your final rinse.

((Apply conditioner afterwards- optional))

Lata,
Chan, PJ-1

FASHIONABLE FRIDAY

Happy Friday,
      So, if you haven't noticed by now, I get REALLY  bored with my hair REALLY fast. I've changed my hair to 3 different colors since the blog started, a few different hair styles, tried several products, and the list goes one.....So what I want to try to do is maybe try some hair accessories to accentuate my hair instead of actually doing something different to my hair.
     I'm almost 1 week in with my twist out and I'm still trying to stick with my NY's resolution of not adding heat to my hair (this is gonna get hard). I been very obedient to my hair- henna, deep conditioning with heat (which you couldn't have paid me to do before), etc....So hopefully in the long run I'll see some healthy results.
     I went online to find some accessories and here is what's the latest is hair fashion. Check it out:
P.S. Some of them I have no comment for...lol

Ponytail holder w/ crystals

color bands

Head scarf

Head band

Head band

Head band

Elastic head band

Flower head band

Hair bun attachment

hair clip

Ummm, thats HOTT!

very popular head bands for 2011

Vinatge peice

Anchor head peice

Used to make buns

So we've seen head bands, scarves, pins, ponytail holders, bands, clips, and hair attachments,....What are you doing to your hair to assessorize it??? Holla at me.

Lata,
 Chan, PJ-1

HAIRFINITY RESULTS

Hi All,
 So I know I'm a little late with the results of the 30 day test of the Hairfinity pills but here they are. Now as I stated before in a previous post, I had my hair trimmed in the process. So the results are a little off. Over all, it looks like my hair is about the same length after 1 month (including the trim), which mean it did grow about 1in, which is about how much was cut off. The before pics are the ones that I'm wearing the yellow sweater (taken December 2), and the after pics are the ones with the white sweater (taken January 8)

I plan on taking the Hairfinity pills for another month...That should get my hair to its original length before I went natural.

Dec. 2, 2010

Dec. 2, 2010

Jan 8, 2011

Jan 8,2011

COLOR OF THE YEAR 2011

So the votes are in by all of the RELIABLE source for 2011's color of the year: HONEYSUCKLE

A Color for All Seasons
Courageous. Confident. Vital. A brave new color, for a brave new world. Let the bold spirit of Honeysuckle infuse you, lift you and carry you through the year. It’s a color for every day – with nothing “everyday” about it.

While the 2010 color of the year, PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise, served as an escape for many, Honeysuckle emboldens us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigor. A dynamic reddish pink, Honeysuckle is encouraging and uplifting. It elevates our psyche beyond escape, instilling the confidence, courage and spirit to meet the exhaustive challenges that have become part of everyday life.

“In times of stress, we need something to lift our spirits. Honeysuckle is a captivating, stimulating color that gets the adrenaline going – perfect to ward off the blues,” explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Honeysuckle derives its positive qualities from a powerful bond to its mother color red, the most physical, viscerally alive hue in the spectrum.”

Eiseman continues, “The intensity of this festive reddish pink allures and engages. In fact, this color, not the sweet fragrance of the flower blossoms for which it was named, is what attracts hummingbirds to nectar. Honeysuckle may also bring a wave of nostalgia for its associated delicious scent reminiscent of the carefree days of spring and summer.”

Honeysuckle is guaranteed to produce a healthy glow when worn by both men and women. It’s a striking, eye-catching hue that works well for day and night in women’s apparel, accessories and cosmetics, and in men’s ties, shirts and sportswear. Add a lively flair to interior spaces with Honeysuckle patterned pillows, bedspreads, small appliances and tabletop accessories. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Honeysuckle for a dynamic burst of energy in the family room, kitchen or hallway

- www.pantone.com

Honey suckle lipstick by Bobbi Brown

LATA, CHAN, PJ1

MY FIRST HENNA EXPERIENCE

Happy New Years,
 So I finally tried henna! I'm definitely not a big fan of the process but I did like the results. My goal was to treat my hair as well as to darken all one color to match my natural hair color which is probably a 1B (natural black). So let me give you a run down of what I did:
- Sunday around 12pm I mix a half pack of henna with green tea to the consistency of yogurt.
- I let it sit for 11 hours...(direction said to let sit for 12 hours or over night but I was getting sleep :-))
- Around 10:30 I washed my hair and I mixed up the indigo powder (2 packs) with 2 teaspoons of salt and water...
- Once that was thoroughly mixed, I mixed the henna and indigo together...and mixed some more....and a little more... (The purpose of this was to lighten up the indigo just a little...enough to eliminate the 'blueish/greenish' tent from the indigo)
- I then sectioned my hair in four and started applying the henna and indigo mixed from the back to the front . (If you ever try this be sure to lay down some newspaper and wear an old top that you don't mind messing up)...Man, by the end of applying the 'green mash potatoes' I had a mess on the floor.
- I gathered all of my hair up to the center of my head and began wrapping it with plastic wrap. I put a scarf on, covered my pillow with a towel and went to sleep.
- When I woke up this morning I uncovered my hair and began rinsing this stuff out....I then shampooed my hair and then conditioned to detangle.
- I then applied a deep treatment conditioner and sat under the dryer for 20 mins with a plastic cap.
- After that I rinsed the conditioner out, blow dried my hair, and flat ironed it.

Now I know I totally went against what I said I was trying to do for the new year but I have to take the 'after' picture for the result of the Hairfinity pills (which I totally screwed up b/c my hair was trimmed in the process).

So my result weren't what I expected but I'm not complaining. It's still not one color but its darker than what I started out with. I think in order to get black hair period, I'd have to do the indigo by itself. Over all, I like the results of the henna. My hair was soft and somewhat of a natural shine...I'm not sure if it loosened my natural curl but I guess time will tell if I keep doing it.

So here are the results! The only product in my hair is Profectiv moisturizer (which was applied right before I flat ironed my hair)

 LATA, CHAN, PJ1





MY HENNA HAS ARRIVED!

Hello all,
 It's been a minute since I've made a post but just wanted to check in real quick....So the results are in from the poll question and it seems like people are more concerned with hair care these days....Everyone that voted chose henna over chemical color. Although I chose chemical color in the past, I'm looking to make some changes in the new year. (not just with my hair :-))
Speaking of henna, I just received my henna kit in the mail today! YaaaaY! I am going to try to sit down over the weekend and apply it and post pictures of the results. I've read the directions about 3 times already and I think I have any 3 or 4 times more to go. lol For some reason, it seems like there are so many steps and so many different substitutes to use. I just want to make sure I get it right. From reading the reviews from the people who used it already, I am going to get hooked.
If you would like more information on henna, visit http://www.mehandi.com/

TTYL,

PJ1- CHAN

UPDATE ON MY HAIR

So I am off to get my hair done for the first time since Labor Day weekend. I  am in dying need of a trim. I don't want to get it done right now b/c it's gonna mess up the results of my 30 day Hairfinity test BUT the trim is more important.

My next two obstacles that I look forward to trying are the henna and no heat styling. One of my new years resolutions is to try to maintain hair styles that requires no heat. I don't know how long I can go without my hair being straight but I am about to put myself to the test. My hair probably would have seen more growth but due to frequent coloring and heat, I may have stumped it's growth (although it is growing).

Oh, also my next product that I'm going to pick up and try my twist out with is Deva Care One Conditioner. I am hearing nothing but great reviews about this stuff....so I have to try it for myself. They have a whole line of products.

So I will post pics of my hair when I leave the salon.....CHOW,

 FRONT VIEW (IDK WHAT IS WRONG WITH THESE PICTURES)

 SIDE VIEW

BACK VIEW

PJ1, Chan

GROWING UP TRYING TO KEEP MY GOOD HAIR..

For my whole life I have always measured my beauty on my hair. When I was a child I wanted long, straight, beautiful "white" hair- which is a tall order considering I have curly kinky hair by nature. So the better part of my childhood was spent in a salon chair, with a straightening comb burning my hair and ears...lol. When I was 15, my grandmother sent me to the hair dresser with what she thought was my mothers blessing to get me a perm...LOL...My mother had no idea and when I came home she was so mad at both of us but I did not care GIRLS...MY HAIR WAS SOOOOO STRAIGHT AND I WAS HOOKED EVER SINCE then TO THE CREAMY CRACK. As the boys LOVED IT TOO And the compliments never stopped coming about how pretty I WAS AND HOW BEAUTIFUL MY LOCKS WERE.... It was a falsehood as it was not my hair  it was  limp and fine no life in it at all. I killed my hair when I was 14. Im a murderer...LMBO
And then there was my braid phase, and although braids are easy for day to day living- literally wash and wear- having to sit in a salon chair for 8 hours while synthetic hair is fastened to my head and the resulting migraine, is not for the faint of heart; neither is the $350 price tag.
After years of braids and hair loss, I had the loveliest WEAVES ever; they were beautiful. But because the hair gods love to tease me, it did not last long. Somewhere along the line, my hair started to break, and my once beautiful hair became a broken, tangles mess; and when the hair was gone, so was my confidence. I realize how foolish it is to allow something as simple as hair to dictate how I feel about myself, but since I was young I have always craved "good hair"; and taken drastic measures to achieve it- why else would I put relaxer ie. lye in my hair.?
One day I just decided to do it and cut it all off; the thought running through my mind being " what would I be without my hair?" And that thought stayed with me for weeks. Why do I feel the need to be defined by hair? I am a mother,  friend, and daughter; I am creative, witty, stylish and happy. None of which are measured by the strands of waste sprouting from my head.
I am TAHIRA-PJ-4; I am not my hair.
I know this because I cut it all off!!