|
Towards the end of last year, I straightened my hair quite frequently. I invested in a new blow dryer, flat iron/hot tools, heat protectant, etc.. I think I first straightened my natural hair last September or October, and I straightened it through December as often as once a week. At first I was really bad at my technique, then I got really good at it, and it was a lot of fun straightening my hair. My natural hair texture stayed the same for a few times after, but then my natural curls slowly started to loosen. This is normal when you've straightened your hair as often as I have, but I do prefer my curls to my straight hair and the people close to me do as well, so I'm taking a long break from straightening my hair and embracing my natural texture.
That being said, the hair growing from my roots is virgin hair and is a tighter texture than my hair that's been straightened, so it'll take a while for the looser curls to pop back. However, before straightening my hair, I had different textures in it anyways, so that'll probably still be the case. I don't know the next time I'll straighten my hair, but if I do straighten it again, it'll be a long time from now. That being said, to embrace my natural curls again and to restore and strengthen my hair, I've invested in a few new products that I want to share with you all in this post. 
I used a variety of hair products when I was straightening my hair, and one of the things that stuck with me was deep conditioner. I've gone through endless packets of deep conditioner, so I decided to invest in a container of deep conditioner as the value outweighed the price to me in comparison to the individual packets of deep conditioner I was buying. This deep conditioner is from Eden BodyWorks (one of my favorite hair care brands), and it's paraben free, sulfate free, cruelty free, etc., and it's made with coconut oil, jojoba oil, caster oil, tea tree oil, vitamin E, and more. The ingredients are incredible, and it's excellent for natural hair especially damaged natural hair.
The second product I picked up is also by Eden BodyWorks, and it's a leave in conditioner. My hair loves leave in conditioner, and this leave in conditioner is also paraben free, sulfate free, etc., and it's made with coconut oil, avocado oil, hydrolyzed keratin, and more. The ingredients in this product are also incredible, and all of Eden BodyWorks products smell amazing.
Last but not least is a holy grail product that I've been using since I was in the 8th grade, and it's OGX's argan oil. It smells absolutely divine, and my hair loves it. After I apply my leave in conditioner, I apply this oil to further seal in the moisture. Did I mention it smells incredible? It's one of if not the best smelling hair products I've ever used. It's divine.
I included the products mentioned in this post below for easy access. This post is not sponsored, but the links are affiliate, which means I earn a small commission for your clicks/purchases. Thank you!
Thank you for checking in and reading this post! I hope you enjoyed it and/or that it helped you in some way.
What are your tlc hair products? R'Nelle CyRe' Collins
0 Comments
Hello lovelies and welcome back to my blog! I'm still figuring out my blog schedule, so please bear with me. Also, I seem to be stuck on writing on my fashion and beauty blog page lately so I hope you're enjoying these posts! Enough chit chat; let's get into the post!
Today's post is all about one of my favorite new beauty products: The Love Beauty and Planet Deodorant Stick. This deodorant is a gem. Recently, I've been getting into more natural/better products, and most recently, I was looking for an aluminum free deodorant. There's so much controversy over ingredients in cosmetics and I'm not going to get into that today. I just personally don't want aluminum or parabens in my deodorant, so I went on a quest to find one to meet my needs.
After endless searching on the internet, I discovered that I could pick up a 'healthy' deodorant at Target, so I hopped in my car and went to Target. I was going to get a deodorant by another brand, but then I saw that Love Beauty and Planet had their own line of deodorants that were even cheaper. I chose the Coconut Water and Mimosa Flower deodorant, and it is honestly the best smelling deodorant I've ever had. On top of all of that, it's vegan, plant based, and it only costs $6.99 (plus tax of course).
Overall, the reviews I've seen on this product have been pretty good, but some argue that it doesn't really work or that they stink after a while. This product offers 24 hour odor protection, and I personally can attest to it. There's also talk that one needs to detox from aluminum for a product like this to keep them smelling good for a long time, so I highly recommend giving it a chance for a bit before ruling it out. Also, I know I review a lot of products, but none of these reviews are sponsored or gifted to me unless stated in the review. :) Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this post or that it helped in some way! R'Nelle CyRe' Collins The past few months, I've gotten into taking really good care of my hair. I've gotten all new shampoo, conditioner, hair oils, etc., and I've also invested in new hair tools. In this post, I want to share one of my favorite new hair tools that has changed my hair game completely. This tool is so dynamic that I use it when my hair is curly and straight. That tool is the Denman brush.  There are a lot of Denman brushes out there to choose from, but the one I'm talking about in this post is the D4P All Black 9 Row Styling Brush. I picked this brush up from Sally Beauty for $16.99 (plus tax), and it's on the Denman website for $20.00. It's hands down one of the best styling tools I've used, and in this post, I'm going to share 10 reasons to invest in one. Also, this is not sponsored; I just really like this product!  1) You can use it to detangle your hair.
I have naturally curly hair, so detangling my hair is very important and used to be a daunting task. This brush detangles my hair in no time and works better than any wide tooth comb I've ever used. I love to bring it in the shower and run it through my hair after I've applied a heaping amount of conditioner to my locks. 2) It helps distribute product evenly throughout your hair. When applying leave in conditioner or gel to my hair, running this brush through my hair prevents my hair from getting tangled and helps me make sure that all of my hair is receiving the product(s) I'm using. It also helps eliminate frizz. 3) It helps define your curls. Something about brushing the Denman through your curly hair just gives you the most bouncy and beautiful curls. It just does. 4) You can use it on your blowouts. Using this brush while blow drying my hair has allowed me to blow dry my hair so much faster, get it completely dry, and get it straight with no tangles. I like it way better than blow dryer comb attachments. 5) You can use it on straight hair too. I love using this brush on my hair after straightening it to get it super sleek. I also use it to wrap my hair after straightening it. It's probably my favorite hair tool to use when my hair is straight. 6) It works just as good as a comb. Often I use it in place of a comb when my hair is straight because it does the same thing but better. 7) It's highly rated. I don't know everywhere it's sold, but everywhere I've seen it so far has 5 star ratings across the board. I'd rate it 5 stars too. 8) It's affordable. Compared to some high end hair brushes and tools, $20 is a really fair price for this brush. 9) You can take it apart and wash it. It's true; I've seen videos and tested it myself. You can slide out the rubber pad, take out all of the combs (the bristles), and wash everything including the brush base. Then you can put it all back together and it looks brand new. This allows it to stay really clean and prolongs the life of the brush! 10) You can remove some of the combs if it's snagging your hair too much. In step 9, when putting the combs/bristles back together after washing your brush, you can simply skip every other row to space out the bristles which will be easier on your hair if it's too much tension. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this post and/or that it helped you in some way. What's your favorite hair tool? R'Nelle CyRe' Collins I like straightening my hair, and I also like blow drying it. This review is interesting as I've only tested out two blow dry creams so far, but the second one I tried (which is the one I'm reviewing in this post), had my hair looking and flowing in a way I didn't know was possible but wanted. This blow dry cream is by Ion, and it's their Blowout Solutions Shine Crème. This blow dry cream is a heat protectant that says it's lightweight, enhances shine, etc.. I used this product prior to blow drying my hair and then I straightened it after. The final result resulted in my hair being super shiny, soft, beautiful, flowy, and super light. My hair floated in the air with every step. It was like someone was blowing a light fan in front of me. It was magical. Part of me thinks that technique and the amount of product used also played a part, so I thought I'd walk you through my wash, blow dry, and straightening process to share how I get my hair super luxe with this product. Let's get into it.  I start by applying a deep conditioner to my dirty hair. Whether my hair is in its naturally curly state or is straightened, I start by applying deep conditioner all over my hair as well as my scalp (with a sulfate, silicone, and paraben free deep conditioner/masque sometimes mixing two different ones), and then I apply hair oil to my ends and scalp as well as the outer strands of my hair. I let that sit for 20-30 minutes covered by a shower cap, then I move to the shower.
In the shower I apply shampoo to my hair as well as a little water, then I scrub the shampoo in and clean my scalp and rinse all of the product out of my hair. After that I soak my hair with water (cool water), then I apply my conditioner (I tend to stick to OGX shampoos and conditioners) and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. After letting the conditioner sit in my hair, I rinse it out, dry my hair a little with a microfiber towel, then move on to my blow drying process. First I section my hair and detangle each section with a Denman brush. After sectioning my hair I apply the blow dry cream to each section, only using a small amount of the cream to cover the hair but not saturate it. I use just enough. Then I grab a Denman brush and brush out the sections individually while blow drying the hair. I also use the brush to hold the hair as a sort of tension method to blow out the strands. I start at the top of my hair and move to the bottom as well. After my hair is blow dryed, I put my hair into a clip or two and take itty bitty sections and flat iron it over 400 but below 450 degrees with about two passes for each section and using the chase method (using a rattail comb to get your strands silky straight and smooth). That's it! I picked up this cream at Sally's and it was around $7 bucks. I tried another one by Shea Moisture, but that one was really heavy and left my hair feeling greasy. It was also more expensive. If you'd like a full review on that product, please let me know! Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this post or that it helped in some way. R'Nelle CyRe' Collins
Hello and welcome (back) to my blog. I'm sure many (or all) of you have heard of dry shampoo. I've never used traditional dry shampoo as I have really curly/kinky natural hair, so my hair tends to get dry really easily. Traditional dry shampoo will do nothing but dry my hair out more which is why I've stayed away from it. While I was out and about a few months ago, I found a dry shampoo for natural hair that I decided to give a shot that works wonders. The most interesting thing is that it isn't even a dry shampoo; it's a dry co-wash.
Before I start talking about this product, I want to go over what co-washing is as a noun and a verb. Co-wash as a noun (and this is a general definition that I'm making up right now) is a product composed of mostly conditioner with a little bit of shampoo to cleanse your hair without drying it out and stripping it of natural oils. It also aids in conditioning your hair. Co-wash as a verb (again, this is a general definition that I made up), is when you wash your hair with just conditioner in an effort to cleanse and condition your hair without drying it out or stripping it of its natural oils.
Now lets get into the product. Sometimes I straighten my hair. When my hair is curly, I co-wash it daily and shampoo (with sulfate-free shampoo) a few times a week to keep my hair moisturized and hydrated. I used to not co-wash my hair daily, so I bought this product to aid in that. I don't use this product anymore when my hair is in it's naturally curly/kinky state as I don't need to. Instead I use this product when I straighten my hair as water will revert it back to its natural state, and this product conditions my hair, doesn't alter the texture, and helps keep it hydrated which is exactly what my hair needs when it's straight. I deep condition my hair before straightening it as well as when I'm getting ready to transition my hair back to it's natural curly state, but while it's straight, I need something to help keep it conditioned and hydrated without the use of water or water based products, and this product is perfect for that. On top of it all, it leaves no residue, doesn't weigh my hair down, keeps it shiny and eliminates frizz, and it's free of mineral oil, sulfates, parabens, and silicones. It's one of the coolest hair products I have. So, if you have a really dry texture and you're looking for a product that will keep your hair conditioned whether it's straight or curly, I highly recommend this product by Cantu. You (most likely) won't regret it. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post and/or that it helped you in some way. R'Nelle CyRe' Collins
Styling one's hair is one of the many fun ways to express oneself. One of the biggest hair debates is whether one should straighten their natural hair or not. It has been made an issue and is often looked at as right versus wrong. There's so much info on how to straighten your hair, how to prevent heat damage, the ethics of straightening one's hair, etc., but there's not much info on helping someone decide if they should straighten their hair based on themselves as an individual and what they want and are/aren't okay with as a result of altering their hair with heat. Today I'll be discussing these topics and breaking down the pros and cons of straightening your natural hair to help you decide if this beauty routine is something fit for you.
Let's start positive and talk pros. There are many pros of straightening your hair. These benefits include: having an easier and more accurate way to trim your ends, being able to switch up your style/look, seeing your hair's actual length, taking a break from washing your hair (depending on how long you keep it straight), easier ways to style your hair, no tangling, etc..
Cons of straightening your hair include: Heat damage if you don't know how to prep, take care of, and/or straighten your hair, change of curl pattern, not being able to wash your hair as often, hair drying out, etc.. What to know before straightening your hair: Don't straighten your hair because someone told you you should or because of society. You'll regret it. Straighten your hair because it's what you want first. People may love your hair straight. Whether it's your significant other, friends, or family, people may love the way your hair looks straight. They may love your natural hair texture as well as when it's straight. They may even prefer it straight. These are just some things to keep in mind. Are you okay with these possibilities if you straighten your hair? People may not like your hair straight. Your significant other, friends, or family may not like your straight hair and prefer it natural. These are also just some things to keep in mind. Are you okay with these possibilities if you straighten your hair? Everyone's hair is different, so be sure to research how to protect your hair type from heat damage. Invest in the proper tools (heat protectant, blow dryer, flat iron, etc.) to ensure that you're straightening your hair properly and effectively. How do I feel about straightening my natural hair? This December, I'll be 3 years natural. When I big chopped my hair, it was to my scalp. My hair was about a half inch. A few months ago, I had to cut quite a few knotted pieces out of my hair as I learned that there was a lot I was doing wrong with my hair. I am taking really good care of my hair now, and I recently decided that I wanted to start straightening my hair about 1-2 times a month. When I had a relaxer, my hair was damaged and I could barely get it to grow past my ears. My hair is so much healthier now that I'm natural, and upon straightening it, it is just past shoulder length already after cutting/trimming it. I debated on whether I'd straighten my natural hair for the longest time, but I'm so happy I did, and I'm excited to include it in my beauty routine from time to time. I love my curls, but I also love my hair when it's straight. I love that my hair is so versatile, and I love styling it in different ways. My natural hair is very coily/kinky, aka, type 4 hair, and these videos helped me upon straightening my natural hair. I don't follow this process to a T, but I find it very informative, and it helped me a lot.
I will also link these videos to the resource page under this blog page for you to access.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this post and/or that it helped you in some way. R'Nelle CyRe' Collins
Today I want to talk about a fashion rule that I break all the time and that you can too. That rule is that you can't (or shouldn't) wear leggings as pants.
I'd first like to tell you why you can indeed wear leggings as pants. You can wear leggings as pants just because you want to wear them as pants (if that's what you want). I've personally never seen why wearing leggings as pants is a problem unless you're trying to wear them to the office or if you're in school and it's against your dress code, etc.. Now if you just want to wear your leggings out when you're going grocery shopping, to brunch, date night, etc., go for it!
I think that many people who are opposed to leggings as pants are simply uncomfortable with leggings, and what I mean by that is the way that they look on other people. Leggings are form fitting and a sexier piece of clothing, but they're still clothes. Honestly, there's not much of a difference between tight fitting jeans and leggings. Hey, we even have jeggings as well as leggings that look like jeans, so they're all pretty similar. Of course, wearing leggings is inappropriate for certain environments, but if you're just wanting to wear them in your day to day life, do it! Now, if you're going to wear leggings as pants, here are some tips on how to do it and look unbelievably stylish while being comfortable at the same time. If you're looking for a more modest look, wear a tunic, oversized sweater, shirt, hoodie or top, or dress over your leggings. This will keep your butt covered and keep you modest. If you're comfortable with your leggings showing your figure, you can wear a bodysuit with them for a chic, sexy, and comfortable outfit, opt for a crop top or cropped hoodie (fitted or loose) for casual and cool girl vibes, or wear a regular sweater or shirt with them and rock them as regular pants. Shoe options can include chic tennis shoes, fun fashion sneakers, pumps, ankle boots, over the knee boots, riding boots, etc.. In other words, almost anything goes with leggings. Thank you for reading, and I hope this post helped you in some way or that you enjoyed it. Also, starting next Friday, a new blog post will be up on December & Rose every Friday at 12PM EST, so mark your calendars so you don't miss new posts. Topics will range from any of the topics I blog about. Follow me on Twitter @_RNelle for updates. R'Nelle CyRe' Collins I would like to start by stating that I know it has been a hot minute since my previous post. Thank you for your patience; enjoy. I love upgrading my favorite products or trying new ones. Recently I've added a few new/upgraded products to my makeup, feminine care, and beauty collection(s). I thought I'd share all of these new products in a post as they all are pretty magical and have lived up to or surpassed my expectations. Let's start with makeup. I really enjoy high-end makeup. Some of my go-to products are from Tarte, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Too Faced, Julep, etc.. The thing about high-end makeup is that it is expensive. That being said, I've being working on adding drugstore makeup to my collection to save money and explore new products without breaking the bank. Below is what I'd recommend (so far). For foundation, I chose L'Oréal True Match foundation in the shade W8. I’ve been wanting to try this foundation for about a year now but haven’t as I’ve been hooked on my foundation by Fiona Stiles. My Fiona Stiles foundation is a good match, but it’s a really hard foundation to find, and it’s not a perfect match for my summer shade. The color range is also very limited, so there’s not a lot of room to find a shade for every season. L'Oréal True Match has an assortment of shades for cool, warm, and neutral undertones, so I was confident that I’d find a shade perfect for me.  My skin is warm, so I have yellow undertones. That being said, I ignored the neutral and cool shades and focused on the warm selection. My shade often changes little to none regardless of the season, so the foundation I chose is just a hair darker than my Fiona Stiles one. The shade that looks like my skin the most is W8, and it's an incredible match.  n addition to purchasing a new foundation, I also got a new concealer. I picked up the Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in the shade Caramel which I use for brightening the under eye area. It has a nice consistency and full coverage. These claims are not things I’ve read from the product but my own opinion based on my usage of the product. I also love how the packaging is lightweight and discreet; it’s about the size of a small lipgloss.  One makeup product that I must always add in my makeup looks is eyeliner. For eyeliner, I picked up the Wet n Wild Proline Felt Tip Eyeliner. I love the way black eyeliner opens up my eyes more and amplifies my mascara; I also love felt tip eyeliners as they're easy to apply and tend to be long-wearing. I've only worn this one a few times, but I love the application as well as the wear time. Also, it's under five bucks.  Last but not least in makeup is a product I've used a few times before but is worthy of mention and is the NYX Professional Makeup HD Finishing Powder in Translucent. It's mattifying, long-wearing, and a little goes a long way. I also want to share that I have very sensitive skin and have not experienced any breakouts from any of these products. This powder is a gem and an important part of my makeup collection. I highly recommend it. Next up is fem (short for feminine) care!  Shaving is a substantial part of my routine to glam myself up. I've been using Gillette Venus for years now and I love the easiness of changing the blade cartridge and keeping the same durable handle. I also love being able to mix and match Gillette Venus razors and blades based on my preferences. I recently picked up a Gillette Venus Swirl (which I've never used prior), and it has changed everything. It's got five incredible blades and though the rotation of the silver ball isn't much, it seems to move in every direction I need it to in order to shave. It's just fantastic. Also, the handle feels like one of those pencil grips that I used to use as a kid in school so it doesn't feel like it's slipping out of my hand.    In addition to picking up a new razor, I also picked up my first ever bottle of Gillette Venus with Olay UltraMoisture. I'd describe the consistency as a shaving cream with gel or a gel/shaving cream blend. It's thick, a little goes a long way, it smells amazing, shaving is so much easier, etc.. I could go on and on about how great this stuff is, but I won't because I don't have the energy    Last but not least are Cora Period Liners. These liners are basically just panty liners, and they're great if you've got a really light flow at the start or end of your period. I would not recommend these for a heavy period day. Do not do that to yourself. These liners are soft, the packaging is very discreet, and I highly recommend them. Check the photos below to see more about them.     Thank you for stopping by and checking out this post. If you currently use or are going to try any of the products above, let me know which ones are your favorites.
I hope this post helped or entertained you in some way or that you found something aesthetically pleasing. Also, (almost) all of the products mentioned above can be found on my shop page. Thank you for reading, R'Nelle CyRe' Collins |
AuthorR'Nelle CyRe' Collins Archives
January 2019
Categories |
RSS Feed