Product Rave: Argan Oil

Argan Oil is the bomb.com. The brand I use is One n' Only Argan Oil.

This is the only product you need to use on your Virgin/Remy Hair Extensions. It leaves your hair smooth and frizz free. I previously used John Frieda's Frizz ease on my extensions but it did nothing for me and my extensions would still get frizzy. Argan Oil also works great my own hair. I love finding products that work effectively on my extensions and my real hair. This is definitely a product that does. The bottle is small but it  lasts long. A little goes a long way and I use a dime size each time I use it.

I bought mine at Sally's Beauty Supply for $13.19 CAD (excluding tax). You can find it online on Ebay or Amazon.

Hope you dolls are having a fab holiday xoxo

Spotlight: Lacefront Wigs

 I have a pet peeve for horrible hairlines courtesy Lacefront Wigs. Wearing lacefront wigs is hard and even celebrities get it wrong.  Bottom line is, you do not want to look like you are wearing a helmet.

Prior to jumping on the " Remy and Virgin Hair" bandwagon, I wore a lot of synthetic lacefront wigs and this past summer, i wore a Brazilian Remy lacefront wig so everything I say is simply from my own experience or from what I have observed. The purpose of this post is not to offend anyone.

 Lacefront Wigs: Donts

DO NOT glue down your lacefront wig.  I have seen people wear their lacefront wigs and the residue of the glue is still visible along the hairline. A lot of people use glue but I wouldn't recommend it just because I worry about the long term effect the use of glue could have on your hairline.

DO NOT wear the wig way in front of your natural hairline, this will create a very unnatural looking hairline and that helmet look you do not want.

What I used to do: I would part my hair from temple to temple leaving some hair out in front. Then I would attach the lacefront to my hair using the combs and then comb the left out hair over to cover the lace front. This would create a more natural looking hairline because from the front it is my natural hairline showing. Also it gives you a little bit more parting room since a lot of lace front wigs do not come with a lot of parting room.
One good thing I can say about lace front wigs is that they are a good protective style. But other than that, I would not wear one again because it is hard to make them look believable without leaving some of your hair out in front. This eliminates the "purpose"... I might as well have worn half wigs.
I would recommend Glueless full lace wigs because I have seen a number of nice ones on Youtube and they do not require you to use glue and can be parted anywhere.

Hair Extensions Debate: Does Brazilian Hair Really Exist?

Here's a funny pic someone sent to me on BBM last week.

There's been a lot of debate on black hair forums, YouTube etc. on the origin of Virgin Brazilian Hair Extensions. Brazilian hair is probably the most sought after type of hair extensions for African (American) women at this very moment. This is because the texture blends well with the texture of  African (American) hair.

So the debate is on the true origin of Brazilian Hair. A lot of people would argue that "Brazilian Hair" is not from Brazil. Some argue that it is originally Chinese/Indian hair that is processed to a texture that is then referred to as "Brazilian Hair".

Where do I stand on this debate?
Real Brazilian Hair does exist, but it is very pricey. What I'm sure of is that it's probably not available in mass quantities like Indian Hair. We all know that there is a large number of consumers of Brazilian Hair and a equally increasing number of companies selling Brazilian Hair. So it's pretty obvious that not all " Brazilian Hair" on the market is collected directly from Brazil. I also think that Indian Hair is often processed to different textures: Brazilian, Malaysian, Mongolian, Peruvian hair etc.

Next is the "Virgin" debate.  Hair is often steam process the hair to get a certain wave or curl pattern and some people say this means the hair not "Virgin". So the Virgin aspect depends on what your own definition of Virgin is.

I jumped on the "Brazilian Hair" bandwagon a little over 2 years ago and the origin or "Virgin" debate doesn't bother me at all. What is important to me is that the hair extensions I purchase are good quality, tangle & shedding free and blend well with my real hair.

Conclusion is if you want Real Brazilian Hair, it doesn't come cheap.

THIS YouTube video inspired this post.

If you have anything to add, please do so in the comment section :)

Final Update: My Brazilian Hair 3/4 Wig

I got a fresh relaxer on December 14th and I re-installed the 3/4 Wig on December 17th.

Dec 18th: No heat curls using 5 Bendy Rollers

 No heat curls using 5 Bendy Rollers

 Hair styled with 5 Bendy Rollers

I complained in the previous post that this hair is silkier than my previous Brazilian hair extensions but the hair when curled does not appear silky at all. People actually think it is my hair.... when I say people I mean people who know I wear extensions and have also seen my real hair. The length is very believable and the volume looks natural.

Next post will be on my holiday hair. I want the bombshell look for Christmas & New Year so think longer, more voluminous hair... I'm excited!

Have a great week y'all :)

DIY: First Look at My Brazilian 3/4 Wig

I know what y'all are thinking and the answer is YES!! I am a Weave-A-Holic.

I had some free time on my hands yesterday.. it was my day off and while I was organizing my storage, I found two unused bundles of Virgin Brazilian Hair 16 inches . One bundle was a Brazilian Body Wave (Natural Black) and the other bundle was straight with a slight wave (Natural dark brown). I decided to make a 3/4 Wig with the two random bundles. When I started thinking about switching to Brazilian hair, I ordered samples from different companies and the two bundles are most likely samples from different sellers.

I used the natural dark brown bundle on the bottom and the natural black bundle on top and this created a very subtle Ombre effect which is hard to see in the pictures :(
I was so eager to make the wig that I forgot take a picture of the bundles prior making the 3/4 wig and I finished the wig in a  little over two hours. I am getting pretty good at this :) I am never going back to sew ins... ever!!

I am loving the shorter length and as you can see two bundles is enough if your are using 16 inches or shorter. I made the U-part much bigger on this one because I intend to leave out a lot of my hair. I have not experienced any shedding.. like none at all which is awesome!! This is the hair I will wear prior to Christmas and New year before switch to my longer 3/4 wig from this post: http://poshpearls.blogspot.com/2011/11/first-look-at-my-new-brazilian-body.html


The 3/4 wig is not sewn to my hair yet and that is why the last picture does not show the top of my head. I am 4 months post relaxer and my roots look cray cray. I am getting a relaxer next week :) :)

Here's a sneak peek:

Front View

Back View

Top View

Update coming soon!!

Ebay Haul

Can't believe it is December already. This year went by super fast!! I am really behind on my Christmas shopping and I have to get a move on asap.

I have been doing a lot of random searching on Ebay to find some things I couldn't find elsewhere online or in stores. Below are the items from my recent Ebay Haul. 

** All the sellers ship Worldwide so you can purchase the items from anywhere in the world **

If you want anything, anything at all, you can probably find it on Ebay.. the selection is craaazyyy!! 

1.   Thermal Cap

I bought this because I have wanted a deep conditioning cap for as long as I can remember but I was a bit eerie about buying one that needed to be plugged in so I am glad I found this alternative. I hope it works!!

Buy it Here

2. Big Bendy Rollers

I need Big Bendy Rollers for more voluminous curls. The ones I have currently are smaller sized.
Buy It Here

3. Satin Sleep Cap

This is another item I wanted that is way overpriced in stores in my area. Satin sleep caps are a must, they keep your hair from drying out. You should also wear them over your real hair and also when you have Remy/Virgin hair extensions installed.
Buy It Here

4. Eyelash Applicator

I don't know about you but I suck at applying false eyelashes and I have never worn them as a result. But I came across this eyelash applicator in a Youtube video that "supposedly" makes the application of falsies easier so I decided to purchase one. *Fingers Crossed*

Buy It Here

5.   Braided Headband

These are hard to find elsewhere!! I bought one in black and I am stoked to see what cute hairstyles I come up with using this headband :) 
Buy It Here

DIY: My Second 3/4 Wig Using Brazilian (Body Wave) Hair Extensions

Second time is the charm!!

I am done making my new 3/4 wig with the Brazilian Body Wave Hair Extensions from my previous post.

This time I did a much better job and it took me less time than the first time. I did not cut my wefts at all, not even in the front, unlike my 1st U-part wig.Practice does make perfect! This is my 2nd attempt at a 3/4 wig and I have to give myself kudos on that note.

I used a black Dome Cap & Foam Head

I sew around the tracks with  a loop stitch, I never sew through the weft.

Front View 

Back View

Top ViewU-Part

Closer View of The U-Part

Semi-Finished Look

 I used Angela Simmons' hair as the inspiration for this look and mine is not nearly as full. I can achieve a more voluminous look with bendy rollers. 

First Look At My New Brazilian Virgin & Remy Body Wave Hair

I received my New Brazilian Body Wave Hair Extensions yesterday. Instead of buying the lengths individually, I bought a 3 bundle combo. My combo had 3 bundles of hair:16 inches, 18 inches and 20 inches. They have different combos to choose from.

16 inches, 18 inches and 20 inches
This is how the hair looked straight out of the package (all I did was take off the rubber bands) .

The 16 inch and 20 inch bundle are a Color 1 and the 18 inch bundle is a (Natural Black) 1B. The 16 inch and 20 inch were dyed to a Color 1 so they are not Virgin but the 18 inch is Virgin.

I initially wanted 4 bundles but I changed my mind last minute and decide to stick to my usual 3 bundles. I want it to look similar to Angela Simmons' hair in her Peta Ad. I also know I can achieve more volume with flexi/bendy rollers or a curling wand.

My Initial Thoughts:
I love it so far. It is so soft and I have been running my hands through the bundles and it doesn't shed a lot so far (I got about 4 strands from running my hand through all 3 bundles). It is so so soft which is impressive because it was dyed and sometimes when hair is dyed it can get dry.
I intend to make my second 3/4 wig as soon as possible.

Stay tuned :)

Product Rave: St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

I bought this scrub from the Real Canadian Superstore for 3.77 CAD (taxes not included). It smells great and it clears breakouts. It is oil-free so if you have oily skin or combination skin like me you can use it without worrying about it leaving your skin oily.

This cleanser has replaced my other favorite scrub St. Ives Apricot Scrub. It is gentler and it leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh.I have been using it for a month and I love the results.

Please try it if you have acne or experience breakouts.
5 stars for sure :)

Back To Hair Extensions :)

 #Happydance

I've been wearing my own hair for about a month now and I was determined to wear it until the excessive shedding stopped. It's officially winter so I was hoping that would happen soon so I could go back to wearing my hair extensions. So yesterday on the bus, I bumped into two friends I haven't seen in ages and they said my real hair looked "Luscious and Healthy ". That was my cue that I can now go back to hair extensions without feeling guilty about the health of my hair. The egg protein treatments did wonders for me!!!

So Christmas is almost here and I've been going back and forth on what I want to do to my hair. I haven't made up my mind but I know want to look fabulous!!

I never thought i'd say this but....

After seeing Angela Simmons' drool worthy hair in the Peta Ad, I'm considering using 4 bundles of hair for the first time because I really want to recreate this look but I don't want it as long as she has it. The longest I will consider to get this look is 22 inches. I'm guessing she probably has on 30 inches and 6 or 7 bundles, peep her picture below:

My Brazilian Wavy is still in good condition but I want new hair, so I intend to buy brand new extensions Brazilian or Indian in the coming week. I want to buy them in advance because I know that come December, hair companies will be super busy.

I'm really indecisive but I'll let you know as soon as I make up my damn mind lol

Virgin Hair Extensions: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly Truth

This post is strictly concerning "Virgin" human hair extensions. I have read a infinite number of opinions on forums, watched several videos on youtube and even discussed this topic with my friends. I came to one obvious conclusion "There Is No Such Thing As Perfect Hair Extensions". First of all, you need to have realistic expectations when buying hair extensions so you'll not be disappointed. No matter what company you buy from or how much you pay per pack\bundle, no hair is 100% perfect.

The best way to find a good company is to do your research or ask your friends/family for referrals. As much as I love YouTube I will not buy every hair a guru recommends simply because one person's experience may be different from mine. I also understand that what is "good hair" to me may not be "good hair" to you.

My Personal Definition of "Good Hair Extensions"?

1. The hair has minimal shedding.
2. The hair has minimal-no tangling.
3. If the hair is "Virgin", then the color will not run when I wash it.
4. The hair is good for multiple installations (lasts at least 8 months-1 year). 
5. The hair returns to it's natural state when washed.

The Good 

• Virgin Hair extensions allow you to experiment with a lot of different looks without causing damage to your own hair. They are very versatile; coloring and styling options are endless.

The Bad

• Blending can be a problem. Heat is often required to blend your own hair with your Virgin Hair Extensions. Prolonged heat usage can cause damage to your own hair.
• "Virgin" hair extensions can come with weird odors that can be hard to get rid of.

The Ugly Truth About Hair Extensions 

•  ALL HAIR EXTENSIONS SHED! (regardless of price there will be shedding) but good hair extensions should have minimal shedding.Think of it this way,the hair is wefted and there is no way every single strand of hair will adhere to the weft. So there will be some loose hairs. Besides, your real hair sheds, so why wouldn't your hair extensions shed?! Shedding and hair go together like bread and butter lol. If you want to reduce or eliminate shedding, SEAL YOUR WEFTS!!

• You may experience tangling in the nape area because your hair rubs against your clothes etc.. But then again this should be very minimal and easy to detangle. If the hair gets matted then that is a big NO NO and means the cuticles are not aligned.

• The color of Virgin hair will probably not match your real hair color perfectly since the color varies. Remember wefts are made using from ponytails from different donors.  But you can always dye the hair to any color you want.

• You'll probably find grey hairs in your bundles but if the grey hairs are excessive it just means the donor was older or had a lot of grey hair. I inspect all my bundles prior to installation and I use tweezers to remove any grey strands.

• Virgin hair often requires maintenance so take care of your extensions like you would your natural hair. The lifespan of your extensions depend on how well you take care of them.

I could go on and on about this topic .. but I choose to end here and I hope I helped someone in some way!

Real Hair Update!!

I mentioned in my previous posts that I was experiencing excessive shedding with my natural hair. So right now I am not wearing a weave or a 3/4 wig because I want to nurse my hair back to health. I intend to have my extensions back in, just in time for Christmas

My Current Hair Regimen:

• I shampoo and deep condition my hair once a week
• I Prepoo and Co-wash once a week
• I moisturize and seal daily ( concentrating on my tips because they are so brittle)
• I massage Virgin Coconut Oil onto my scalp 3 times a week
• I do a egg protein treatment once a week( this is probably the part of my regimen that has helped the most, my hair feels stronger after each treatment) Do make sure you deep condition after each egg protein treatment to make sure the hair is moisturized.
• Also I wear my hair in protective styles (e.g Buns). The weather is cold and it my tips are fragile so it is vital to protect them when I am out and about.

So far so good I am seeing a big improvement and the shedding has reduced. 

I will have a detailed explanation of my regimen and a list of all the products I use in a future post.

Enjoy your week guys :)

Reveal: My Real Hair

I like wearing hair extensions but I am also passionate about taking good care of my Natural Hair. I have always had "good hair" or that is what people always tell me. What I know for sure is that growing long black hair takes a lot of time and commitment. I am originally Nigerian and I have been relaxed since I was 14.
I relax my hair every 4 months (3 times a year). I use Soft & Beautiful Just For Me Kids Relaxer. This is the same relaxer I have used since I was 14 and I continue to use till date.

For the past year, I have been too busy to dedicate a lot of time to my natural hair and it shows because I am experiencing a lot of shedding, breakage and I have split ends. I also think wearing weave extensions led to a lot of breakage because the extensions were directly sewn onto my hair.

So I am making a brand new commitment and starting my Hair Growth Journey over and I pledge to take care of my hair and get back to my hair care routine. This routine includes deep conditioning once a week ad moisturizing and sealing every night before I go to sleep.

My hair at its best was Bra Strap Length (When Flat ironed straight),with healthy tips and edges.

My hair is freshly shampooed, conditioned and air dried in this picture (April 2010)

Right now my hair is quite a few inches above my bra straps, my ends are thin and I am experiencing a lot of shedding to the extent that I am afraid to comb my hair :(

My Hair Now: October 2011

To kick of my new Hair Growth Journey, I have decided that I will only wear 3/4 wigs from now on. It is fall season now and the weather is colder so I will use 3/4 wigs as a protective style. They are much more versatile than sew-in extensions because you can take them off as often as you wish to tend to your natural hair.

UPDATE: I tried a Egg Treatment on my hair on October 10th, 2011 and my shedding has reduced. So if you are experiencing excessive shedding you should try the egg treatment. All I did was whisk one egg and apply it to my scalp and hair. Then I covered my hair with a disposable shower cap and left it in for 1 hour. After that, i rinsed it out with lukewarm water and applied Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Conditioner to my hair. I left that in for about 10 minutes then rinsed out with cool water.


My next step is to cut off about two inches . The split ends have to go!!!!
Update coming soon a month from now in November 2011!!

DIY: First Time 3/4 Wig (U-Part) using Virgin Brazilian Hair Extensions

There is a first time for everything :)

I watch Youtube videos daily and after seeing a number of videos on 3/4 wigs, i decided to make a 3one for myself. I was looking for an alternative to regular sew-in weaves since sew-in weaves are too damn itchy. After a week I already want to take my weave out.

Making a 3/4 wig is time consuming and I have to give myself kudos for my 1st attempt. It did not turn out perfect but i was satisfied with the results. I messed up a little in the front but I found a way to patch it up and it still turned out pretty. My friends raved when they saw my hair, they thought I got the extensions sewn in and were surprised when i told them it was a 3/4 wig. I actually think I'll stick to 3/4 wigs from now on.

I installed the Virgin Brazilian Hair from my previous post on a spandex cap.This hair is the bomb!! This is my 3rd install and I have never had better hair. Everyone thought I installed brand new extensions. It has minimal shedding and does not tangle at all. This is the best hair I have tried hands down!!!! If you want to try Virgin Brazilian Hair i would recommend you try this hair. I usually hate re-using extensions but i just realized it was  because I'd never purchased extensions that were good enough to be used over and over until now.

Drumroll please .... Here are pictures of my 1st ever 3/4 wig P.S: I love it!!!!

Front View
I installed my Virgin Brazilian Wavy Hair Extensions on a spandex cap using a foam head. To summarize what i did, instead of sewing the hair extensions onto my hair directly, I sew them onto a black spandex cap.

Back View

Top View
You can see where I made a  mistake but I managed to patch it up and make it work :)  

Top View
The 3/4 wig on my head before I cut out the U-Part 

Top View
After I cut out the U-part, I installed the 3/4 wig by sewing it onto my hair braided underneath . Then I covered the tracks with my leave out. You can control the amount of hair you leave out by making the U-Part bigger or smaller.

3/4 wig fully installed
(I did not curl my hair to blend it with the wig yet, just wanted to show the finished look)
Pls excuse the bags under my eyes, I do not get enough sleep :(

Side View

Back View

I may dye my 3/4 wig to a jet black color. The Virgin Brazilian extensions came in a natural brown color and I like the virgin color of the extensions but my hair blends ok but not perfectly, since my hair is somewhere between a color 1B.  I have no experience dying hair but I have been watching videos on Youtube (as usual..... lol) so I feel confident enough to try it out myself.
If I end up dying the hair, I will put up pictures so you can see my results.

I have been going back and forth on whether or not I should try the "Ombre Look". This is what Ombre Hair looks like:

I prefer dark hair for the cold months so the ombre look will have to wait until the weather gets warmer.

My first install of this hair was a sew in with an invisible part (none of my hair was left out), second install was a regular sew in weave and third install is this 3/4 wig. The 3/4 wig is my favorite. It is versatile and I can take it off as often as I want to take care of my real hair.

If you have any questions or comments,  leave them below :)

Best Affordable Products for Virgin Brazilian Hair Extensions

We all know that virgin hair extensions are an investment. So if you invest in virgin hair extensions, you have to use  the right products to maintain them, in order to get the most out of your investment. I'm narrowing it down to the products that have  worked best for me. 

At first I assumed pricier products would be better but the higher end products I use on my relaxed hair made my hair frizzy and harder to manage, so I decided to try more economical brands.

1) Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner
This is essential, avoid using just any shampoo or conditioner. It has to be a MOISTURIZING shampoo and conditioner.

Herbal Essences Hello Hydration 2 in 1 Shampoo + conditioner & Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moisturizing Conditioner. 

OR

 Dove Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Conditioner

 ** Tip: I co-wash my virgin hair extensions at least 2x per week. I shampoo once a month or less to clean my hair. When I shampoo, I use the 2 in 1 shampoo+ conditioner followed by the moisturizing conditioner and it leaves my hair buttery soft. Do not use the 2 in 1 Shampoo + conditioner on its own.**

2) Leave-in-conditioner
A leave-in-conditioner is not needed if you have straight or body wave hair but if your extensions are a deep curl, deep wave, kinky curl, tight curl texture it's a must. Basically the wavier or curlier your extensions the more necessary it is.

Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Split end Leave- in protector for long hair. 

OR

Motions CPR Triple Action Leave in Conditioner

3) Serum
A serum is a must for all Virgin hair extensions. I use it after I apply my leave in conditioner or as a leave-in by itself. It is not greasy at all and a little goes a long way. I apply a dime size and work it into my hair. Serums help control frizz and it doesn't weigh your hair down.

One 'n Only Argan Oil

 

OR

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment

4) Heat Protectant
Always apply a heat protectant before you apply any heat to your hair.To get your hair bone straight when you flat iron, I recommend:

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Flat Iron Perfector Straightening Mist

For blow drying, curling with wands, curling irons, flat irons etc. I recommend:
Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray

What are some of your favorite products to use on your Virgin hair extensions?