Like Mother, Like Daughter

Here's a pic I snapped last year while Keyanna and I were on vacation with some friends of ours. We were camping and Key decided to use one of the plastic forks and pick out her friends lil fro. His mom and I thought it was too funny, I guess she wants to do hair like mommy when she grows up :)

Sidewinder Hair Holders Review + Giveaway!! **Winners Posted**

Price: 4.99/set 

Set Includes: One 3", Two 2", Two 1"

I have been seeing Sidewinder Hair Holders everywhere lately, and have been wanting to get my hands on some for a while now.. so I of course jumped at the opportunity to do a review for you all! 

4 Strand 3D Braids With Sidewinders 

(We learned how to do these from Goldilocks*N*Me!)

Sidewinders Hair Holders are a fun alternative to beads, they definitely spice up even the simplest style and give it a unique look, I love it! When we first received ours in the mail I couldn’t wait to try them.. putting them on was a piece of cake! You can see how its done here. For Keyanna’s hair (which is on the thin side) we did have to use a band, or a bead at the end of the Hair Holder on some styles to secure it and keep it from slipping off. If your hair is thicker or you are using larger sections of hair then I wouldn’t see a need to do that at all. 

The Hair Holders come in 3 different sizes (1”, 2”, and 3”) and 26 colors, each 1 is 2 pieces so they are interchangeable with each other. I love the fact that there are so many colors/combinations to match any outfit, and unlike beads they are honestly so quick and easy to put in you could switch out the colors daily if you like. I definitely plan on getting a few more sets for our collection in the near future.

Here are some more styles we came up with using our Sidewinder Hair Holders 

2 Strand Twists With Sidewinders

 Simple Braided Ponytail With Sidewinders

Twisted Braid Ponys With Sidewinders

(This is a AllThingsCuteAndGirly inspired style!)

Braided Faux Hawk With Sidewinders 

For more style inspirations using Sidewinder Hair Holders you can check out their gallery HERE 

Or purchase your own set HERE 

GIVEAWAY!

Susie From Hairholders.com has generously offered  three of our followers each their own set of sidewinders! 

There are lots of ways to enter.. do some, or all of them for extra entries


**WINNERS**
Please send me your color choice along with your shipping info to KeyativeStyles@yahoo.com

Time To Get Rid!

So I am asked a lot "How do I know a product has gone bad??" 

Well here are just a few tips and examples of when its time to let go....

1. Mascara. I can't stress enough how important it is to not keep your mascara longer then 6 months as it can gather a lot of bacteria and can irritate your eyes. For this reason don't waste your money on high end mascara go for cheaper drug store brand.

Top tip: Give the mascara a good sniff, if it smell like funky fish then it's best to let go.
Clean you mascara wands often to get the most out of your mascara.



2. Lipstick/Glosses/liners. Lip products need to be use in about a year, only if they are used and open.

Top tip: Check your make-up stash before opening new products to make sure you don't have some thing similar that needs to be used.

3. Foundations. Powder foundations (powders in general) can last for about two years where are liquid foundation last any where between one to two years. However if you haven't really been using and its been over a year you may consider throwing it away.




4. Eye-shadows. Cream shadows will last about a year or so.  Powder shadows last for about 2 years.

Top tip: If you have found a cream that you love or you spent a lot on, try sampling it in a pot and keeping the original container tightly closed to prevent it from going off or gathering bacteria.

Give your make-up a fighting chance

Keep it out of direct sunlight.

Keep it in a cool dry dark place, meaning out of bathrooms that steam up.

Always keep the lid tightly closed.

Clean your make-up brushes regularly.

Try not to use finger tips to scoop out products, use a clean plastic spatula.   

Spa Shower

How to make the more of your daily shower!

Showers are just a daily routine but here are just a few tips to get 

the most out of your shower.

1. Face First - Steam from the shower can do wonders for the skin, so make sure the steam is working on clean skin to get the best results.

2. Shampoo - Work shampoo into the hair for a few minutes, think Herbal Essences ads - all that massaging actually does some good by boosting circulation.

3. Condition - Apply conditioner from the ear length down, this will prevent it from weighing down the hair and adding excess oils to the roots which can contribute to greasy hair. (Wash out the conditioner at the end of your shower)

4. Exfoliate - The steam from the shower has had time to soften the skin this is a great time to exfoliate and get the best results. Use exfoliating wash/gloves/loofah. (Click here to see what I love to use)

5. Shaving - The best time to shave is after exfoliating not the other way around as it can irritate the skin. Exfoliating the skin first can give a closer longer lasting shave.

6. Switch to Cold - Sounds crazy but switch to a cooler temperature to finish off the shower, this will boost circulation and tighten the skin but it also adds shine to the hair as it "closes" the hair follicle.

Top Tip 

Spend more on the right shampoo as most conditioners are the same except treatments of course. 

On average it takes 5 minutes for hair products to be washed fully out of the hair which is why it should be one of the first things you do.

Moisturise right after showering, locks in moisture and is very important after shaving.

Length Check!

So after a convo with my sister about keys length we decided to measure it and find out just how long it really is........... 22 inches! I measured just before I trimmed her ends so its roughly an inch shorter now (She was in desperate need of a trim, we hadn't done one in some months). 

Note: Both of these pics are from before the trim 

Throwback: Our First Twist Out!

Here's a pic of Key rockin' our first attempt at a twist out. She was around 3 years and I had just started doing her hair. 

FLAT TWISTS WITH BEADS INTO ROPE TWIST PONIES

So for this style I had originally planned to do her whole head in flat twists going into a mohawk, but after starting I realized it was a lot harder to add beads into the flat twists and keep them looking "neat" than I had imagined. So we settled for 3 flat twists on each side going into a high pony, and then 2 more ponies in the back. I did rope twists with all of the loose hair and ended them with more beads. Even though it's not what I had originally pictured doing I thought it came out pretty cute :) 

To add the beads into the flat twists I first parted out the hair I was going to use, I then took a little bit of hair from the beginning of that section and added a few beads with my beader, I then continued on doing the flat twist adding the hair back in as I went. 

PRODUCT REVIEW: Sharmooz

Product Description: Sharmooz Satin Bonnets will sooth your hair's transition from night to morning.  Wake-up feeling confident your hair is protected with the sensually soft Charmeuse satin. Our contemporary style, Satin Bonnets are perfect for natural,  straight,  synthetic (hair extensions) and "curly" hairstyles. Hairstyles will maintain curls, moisture and style with 4 unique choices.

NEW "stay-on" Satin Bonnet For GIRLS

• Double sided charmeuse satin for durability
• Fits from ages 3-10
• Adjustable velcro enclosure
• Attractive "CUTE" puff accessory
• Protect hair styles while they sleep

Our Review: When I first started doing Keyanna’s hair (at age 3) my boyfriend at the time suggested I wrap her hair with a T-shirt at night to keep the frizz down, he even showed me how and it worked great! Similar to the way she does it in this video. Since then I have tried many sleep caps, satin wraps, etc.. and NOTHING stays on her head all night. 

Well, a few weeks ago I received one of the Sharmooz sleep caps to review. The sleep caps are “one size fits most” and our first night using it I realized just how tiny my baby’s head really is. Lol. I had to tighten it all the way to fit. I was very surprised the next morning when I discovered it had stayed on all night. BUT, what really blew me way about this sleep cap is that I was able to put it on her head while she had her curlformers in, I haven’t been able to do this with any of the other caps I’ve tried. 

We have been using this to sleep in since we put in her mini braids and it had been working great….. until a few days ago. This cap is adjustable in size by Velcro, and when Keyanna woke up one morning she pulled it off of her head herself and a few of her braids got stuck in the Velcro. I ended up having to take down about 3 or 4 braids to get them out and it definitely caused a little breakage.

So its back to the T-shirt wrap for now. But I love how soft the satin is and it doesn’t seem to suck the moisture from her hair like the T-shirt tends to do so I will be trying to figure out a way to make this cap work.

Side Note: I LOVED the zebra design, there are also 9 other colors/designs you can choose from. Our bonnet also came with the puff accessory mentioned in the description and Key chooses to wear in in her hair rather than on the bonnet.

Disclosure: These product(s) were provided to me at no cost for the purpose of review, all opinions are my own.

HEART SHAPED CORNROWS

This was a style I did on Keyanna last valentines day, but I love it for anytime.. What little girl doesn’t love hearts? You may have seen this style already if you are on our facebook page, but i thought i would do an official post with instructions on how i did it.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. I started by parting her hair right down the center (front to back)
2. I then began parting a heart on the right side, after the heart was as close to perfect as I could make it I tied it off with I rubber band and did about 3-4 braids with the loose hair. (you may or may not have to do more depending on the thickness of your daughters hair).
3. Now that the shape of the heart was established I started parting around the heart  (sort or creating an outline) with this hair I started the cornrow at the top of the heart and came around to the bottom, I repeated for the other half of the heart. 
4. With the remaining hair at the top of her head I created bangs by doing 2 cornrows going towards her forehead.
5. With the remaining hair under the heart I did 1 cornrow going back towards her ear.
6. Repeat steps 3-6 for the left section.
7. After finishing the front I gathered the remaining loose hair in the back into a pony and did 8-10 hanging braids.
8. I then added beads to the ends of all her braids. 

STYLE SPOTLIGHT

Here's a style Jamie did on her 3 year old daughter Caliyah.

I'm loving the creativity <3 Thanks for sharing Jamie!

Have a style you would like to share? Send it HERE 

OR 

If you would like to participate in our Fan Feature Section of the blog, you can do that HERE

TUTORIAL: How To Add Beads To Braids

I get a lot of people asking me how to add beads to the ends of braids, so I thought I would just do a quick photo tutorial for those of you still learning.  

You are definitely going to want to purchase a beader, it makes the process a lot easier and quicker. You can find one at any beauty supply store. This is what it looks like… 

Step 1: Add your beads to the beader in any color/pattern you like. 

Step 2: Take the end of the braid and slip it through the opening of the beader, slide the beads upward onto the braid. (sorry, forgot to take a pic of this step! But I’m sure you get the idea..)

Step 3: Loop the very end of the hair around the last bead.

Step 4: Wrap the rubber band around the hair just above the last bead. You may need to slide the band upward a bit so the remaining beads will slide over it easily. 

Step 5: Slide the rest of the beads over the rubber band and you’re finished!

BECAUSE I AM A GIRL

BECAUSE I AM A GIRL On the 22 September 2011

I was recently flicking through my favourite Irish magazine “U Magazine” (100% Irish) and I came across an amazing article about the international day of the girl on the 22 September. (www.becauseiamagirl.ie)

"Because I am a Girl" is Plan’s campaign for fighting gender inequality, promoting girl’s rights and breaking the cycle of poverty. I was blown away with some of the facts that U magazine highlighted about the way girls are suffering at the very bottom of the social ladder. 

(all facts to be found on page 10/11 in the 25 September 2011 issue.)

In times of economic downturn and poverty girls are most likely to suffer. As a girl it breaks my heart that in 2011 when some of us have iPhone’s, Laptops, a warm bed, food to eat and a safe home to sleep in, there are girls all across the world suffering from malnutrition because their brothers are fed first, living on less than $1 per day, denied access to health services and education and face extremely high levels of violence and abuse.

Doesn't seem fair does it? So how can we help?

Follow the campaign on twitter (@PlanBIAAG) and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/planireland  

Follow and read the weekly updated Because I am a Girl Blog http://becauseiamagirl.wordpress.com/

Sign the petition please - http://plan-international.org/girls/get-involved/sign-the-petition.php

Sponsor a girl - https://plan.ie/online-forms/child-sponsorship-form

Donate to the girl’s fund - https://plan.ie/what-you-can-do/support-an-appeal

And spread the word, on the 22 September why not set your status on your social network to “because I am a girl….) and add your own ending.

Some of the influential women in Ireland have already given their thoughts on being a girl, why not do the same on your blog and social network to spread the word? Here are my thoughts on being a girl.

Because I am a girl I ask….why can’t every girl in the world live happy healthy lives and be given the same chances in life to live the life they want.

Because I am a girl I hope….one day women won’t be forced to live a life chosen for them. They will be able to marry who they want, have the careers they want to have and earn the money they deserve for the work they do.

Because I am a girl I like…..that we are born with all the best skills, the ability to read others emotions, to be sympathetic, loving and compassionate. To read situations that our male counterparts can only dream of understanding.

Because I am a girl I dislike....how we can be our own worst enemies. We need to unite not pull each other apart. 

Because I am a girl I feel….grateful for the chances I have had to a loving home and family because I know it could be very different.

Because I am a girl I….am glad to be part of an extraordinary club, a huge worldwide club of females. We are awesome!   

Comment below with your own "because I am a girl" answer...

Nice and Natural

Another lovely natural hairstyle, embellished with flowers and jewels.



Source unknown.

9/11 REMEMBRANCE: STAR PART + RIBBON BRAIDS WITH BEADS

I wanted to do a patriotic style on Key today in rememberance of 9/11 and this is what we came up with.. 

This style was pretty basic.. I started out by parting a star on the top of her head, I then banded that off and did about 3 or 4 braids adding beads at the end.

Then, from each point on the star I made a part going down, I banded off each of those sections and added a few braids with beads. 

For the ribbon braids I took a piece of ribbon 2x the length of the hair I was braiding, tied it around the top of the section and instead of braiding with 3 sections of hair I used 2 sections of hair and used the ribbon as the 3rd section.

This was our first time doing ribbon braids, and key and I both loved how they came out.. they are one of her new favorites!

THROWBACK: CRAZY BABY HAIR!

Was looking through some old pictures the other day and came across this one, just wanted to share with you guys :) She was around 18 months.

Best Foundation Ever!!

I found it!! I found it!!!

Okay so for the longest time I have been looking for foundation that works in Natural lighting, Evening lighting, Artificial lighting, and the dreaded dread FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY!!

At last, after years (hmm yeah!) of searching I have found it!!

             The best     

                 Foundation 

                     ever found is

                             Drum Roll please......

Rimmel 16 Hour Lasting Finish Foundation!

Yes you have heard me right! This super cheap drugstore foundation has beaten high end and low end foundation!

LOOK!! 

 As you can see, the foundation doesn't change, no moon face in flash, not washed out in natural day light!