Subscribe to Subscribe to 's comments

Archive for the ‘natural hair care’ category

I found out about this process/product from a helpful poster on on a hair forum. Its called Clairol Luminize and its said to be a gentle conditioning lightener. It lifts hair one level per use so its very gradual.

I really did thorough research on it and it really seems to be the real deal and not particularly harsh on the hair

Now that I’m wearing and enjoying this afro extension style with auburn and copper highlights on the crown and brown underneath….I think I’m ready for the real deal and ready to do this on my own natural hair. I need a change and its time for me to step out of my box.

It will be scary as I’m used to always being super conservative with my hair and not having to do much to/with it….but I really want a change and to challenge myself to step outside the box.

I’m gonna go for it….wish me luck everyone! I’m buying it today!

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Tree Braids was a protective style I’d been looking forward to tackling for some time now. My mom didn’t want any straight hair or loose curls…she definitely wanted kinky or curly….so we decided to use Brazilian braid hair in Auburn and Brown and it came out absolutely spectacular.

One thing I love about the technique of tree braiding is that it provides a much smoother flatter finish then other techniques making the extension hair appear to be the persons own naturally growing hair that much more.

Let me know what you think of the look! Here are the pix ;)

Mommys Tree Braids 002

Mommys Tree Braids 005

Mommys Tree Braids 006

Mommys Tree Braids 007

Mommys Tree Braids 008

Mommys Tree Braids 012

**If you’re interested in getting this style done, leave a comment below to be contacted with additional information**

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +1 (from 1 vote)
  • Share/Bookmark

Welcome to my bold, colorful Sabina Karlsson inspired look!

I absolutely adore it and will be returning to this look regularly. I blowdried my hair throughly on hot and high and braided my hair down in this pattern:

BlackMasterPieces New Summer Styles 005

BlackMasterPieces New Summer Styles 006

Fluffed each piece out and attached the hair and Voila!

BlackMasterPieces New Summer Styles 068

BlackMasterPieces New Summer Styles 042

BlackMasterPieces New Summer Styles 049

BlackMasterPieces New Summer Styles 050

I used Marley braid hair. On myself I simply did them as crochet braids….on someone else I would do a combination of tree braids along the hair line and crochet in the rest.

The maintenance is almost non-existent with this style, I clip it up when I’m going into the shower (no shower cap) and I just lift one side lay my head down and go to sleep at night (no scarf).

At first it was a bit of a shock because I didn’t expect it to come out so light. But I grew to appreciate it. When I went to the city on Monday all I got were rave reviews, men showering compliments and questions on just how I pulled this off.

I really feel like this may be “my color” and I will go for this color combo with my real hair in the near future.

Let me know what you think about the color, the shape the size….anything! Thanks for reading guys.

**If you’re interested in getting this protective style done, please leave a comment to be contacted with additional information.**

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 4.0/5 (6 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +2 (from 2 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Hey everyone! Just wanted to share some of my latest work. This time we used freetress bohemian curl hair in 4/30. She wanted it shorter so I did this beautiful layered curly fro look for her which she loved. The copper highlights looked absolutely stunning on her we couldn’t be happier with the results.

Anywhoo here are the pix! lemme know what you think! I just ADORE the layers.

In the Process of attaching

Latest Extension Sensations 005

All Done!

Latest Extension Sensations 006

Side Profile

Latest Extension Sensations 007

How it looks from the Back

Latest Extension Sensations 008

Isn’t she lovely?

Latest Extension Sensations 009

Latest Extension Sensations 010

Latest Extension Sensations 011

*Anyone in the NYC area interested in getting this style done please leave a comment below to be contacted with additional info*

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 4.7/5 (3 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +3 (from 3 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

As you all know, I love creating fresh new protective styles that let you stay fabulous while you protect your strands and retain length. I quickly fell head over heels in love with the idea of doing temporary dreadlock extensions that look 100% legit as a protective style.

After doing tons of research for tutorials on youtube I found most of them pretty lacking and more geared towards nubian twists; which are really nice looking, but look super shiny and pretty blatantly fake. So I took small tips from several tutorials but when I got down to it I found that I had to come up with my own techniques for this style and thats just what I did!

This was my first attempt at loc extensions and it was a raving success. I was really happy with the results and did them to be removable.

My friend Makini is having an absolute blast with them she washes almost every day. Her hair is completely protected and surrounded by the extension hair so she’s not concerned with her hair rubbing against anything and drying out. She even has the freedom to sleep with her hair fully loose if she likes. As for how I did them its way too involved to type so I promise I will explain all my styles in a video tutorial series coming up super soon.  The pix are next followed by the FAQ’s and their answers enjoy! ;)

Before

kinis b4

After

BlackMasterPiece_Lock-ext-03

BlackMasterPiece_Lock-ext-09

BlackMasterPiece_Lock-ext-19

BlackMasterPiece_Lock-ext-43

BlackMasterPiece_Lock-ext-44

Here are some FAQ’s and my Responses

Are they permanent?

You can make this style either permanent or temporary

Do you use Glue?

For temporary loc extensions I definitely do not use glue but for permanent loc extensions I might have to. I’ve found that most want them temporary thus far anyhow.

Do I have to use Human hair?

You are not required to use human hair for this look. The set I did on Makini was done with synthetic afro kinky hair

Is this style okay if I have shorter hair/transitioning hair?

This style would work just as well for short/newly natural/transitioning hair….there are even relaxed ladies getting this done as a protective style.

Will it look real?

It looks 100% legit, you go from your current look to looking like you’ve had locs for a decade overnight….its pretty awesome

Can I wash my hair with them in?

Absolutely Makini washes almost every day with no issues

How long can this last?

You could keep this in for up to 4 months, it has the same staying power as a weave. Whats nice about it, is that your new-growth will blend flawlessly with the extension hair…as it is the same texture.

Can I go in the water at the beach with this?

Yes you can absolutely go to the beach and get in the water with this.

What Brand/How many packs of hair did it take to do?

It takes 3-4 packs of hair depending on length

How long does this style take to complete?

This style takes allll day long to do lol you have to start in the morning and be finished by the night

This is one of many styles I’ve been doing this summer I have SO much more in store (including the redesign of my site!) and I plan to share them all with you! Let me know what you think!

*If you’re in the New York area and interested in getting this style done leave a comment below and I’ll promptly get in touch with you*

Thanks for reading!

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 4.9/5 (9 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +2 (from 2 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Hey guys! So my Cousin decided she wants to enjoy the feel of having bangs and jet black hair without changing her own actual hair so she asked me to make her a wig and thats exactly what I did. It was a quickweave based on a stocking cap. We used human hair blend cheap hair and I’m happy with the results for my first try. I am making it my top priority to start rolling out tutorials for you guys regularly and I promise they’re coming up soon! Without further ado….here’s the pix!

Cookies Custom Wig 006

_____________________________

Cookies Custom Wig 010

________________________

Mid-way through

I laid the tracks in a U shape untill I reached the crown…once I got to the crown I started laying them in a circle.

Cookies Custom Wig 008

__________________________

Cookies Custom Wig 003

______________________

Cookies Custom Wig 013

________________________

Cookies Custom Wig 014

_________________________

Cookies Custom Wig 015

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 5.0/5 (5 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +3 (from 7 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Hey BMP readers! These are mini twists I did last weekend so that I could have an easy-going wash & go hair-style for these last three weeks of the semester. I did this on my dirty pressed hair because I wanted to avoid applying heat again, save on time and unnecessary manipulation of my strands. Rather then wash my hair, DC then blowdry (which would have contradicted my goal of taking a break from heat).

I twisted my hair tightly by employing the twist and turn method which you can watch here….secured my ends….then washed my hair three times with Trader Joe’s NourishSpa, added Aussie 3 Minute Miracle and left it on for about 10 minutes rinsed then added a generous amount of Aussie Moist conditioner and left it in as a leave-in. My hair dried buttery soft and felt clean and moisturized.

Anywhoo here are the pics of my twisted pressed hair and my shrunken hair after the wash. My shrunken twists land halfway between shoulder blades and Arm Pit Length….I’ve come to realize that twists shrink more then Pixie Braids….but I opted for these because they’ll be way easier to take down in three weeks. So far I’m co-washing every 3 days and falling more and more in love with is with each passing day. Here are the pics.

My Mini Twists 004

_______________________________

My Mini Twists 009

___________________________

My Hair Shrunken After the Wash

My Mini Twists 007

____________________

My Mini Twists 005

________________________

My Mini Twists 002

_________________________

My Mini Twists 006

_________________________

My Mini Twists 011

____________________

My Mini Twists 013

____________________

Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have *any* questions :)

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 5.0/5 (9 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +5 (from 7 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Hey everyone! So my brother has been rocking a low fro lately, he finally let me style it for him….I think I broke him down lol

I was inspired by a picture of an actor with beautiful comb coils and my brother agreed that it would be a good look I used a barber comb…..I did longer rectangular sections in the back and on the crown I did small individual coils.

It was really interesting styling his hair, realizing that he has coily hair on the sides and back curly hair on his crown.

Anywhoo onto the pix! :)

Before

Bens Comb Coils 004______________________________

Getting started

Bens Comb Coils 006

_______________________________________

lol! posin for the camera

Bens Comb Coils 009

____________________________________

Bens Comb Coils 003___________________________________

Finshed! :)

Bens Comb Coils 001____________________________________

Bens Comb Coils 007________________________________

Bens Comb Coils 002

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 4.9/5 (15 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +11 (from 11 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Woohooo!

I’d like to dedicate this song to my crochet braids…you been so good to me boo! lmao! ;)

____________________________

This has been an absolutely wonderful month and the freetress water wave hair has aged like a fine wine. I’m actually going on 5 weeks and I’m still getting compliments (not to mention catcalls ;) ) left right and center. I went to the beauty supply last week to get some more of the hair to redo them for my mom and the ladies at the beauty supply were in amazement, one of them stepped out from behind the counter and told me how gorgeous it looks, her eyes were gaping lol it was really nice.

I had an adorable moment with my brother after having them in for a week he turned to me and said I really like your hair….is that a protective style? I was grinning from ear to ear I was like “You really listen to me! Thats so sweet” and he was like “yea ok relax” lol that was sweet.

One day on the train this one girl got on and the second she did she said wow I love your hair and immediately asked to touch it lol not mention all the kind words and encouragement from my friends, family and all of you lovely readers its been a blast and I’m gonna just reinstall them.

Okay heres what I’ve learned about the hair over this month:

- You can definitely wash it the traditional way…with shampoo….just focus the shampoo on your scalp where all the buildup is and rise. Dont rub or tangle the hair just gently get your fingers between the braids and rub, not too vigorously but just enough.

- You can condition the hair too

- I wash weekly add a quarter size of conditioner to the hair a generous amount to my cornrows add a heaping handful of gel and let it air dry….its awesome

- I moisturize the cornrows themselves with something light like conditioner and a little extra virgin coconut oil…I’ll be using Organic Root Stimulators Olive Cream Moisturizer to moisturize after a wash for my next install.

- Daily you should shake the hair out in the morning and keep the curls separated from eachother….this part is hard to explain and thats why theres a video coming down the pike for this style.

- You must go on matt patrol weekly. Every week you should go thru the hair and search for small matts when you find them simply cut them out to keep the hair well defined and fresh

- If you have really short hair at your edges then you should add a tiny amount of hair to start off the cornrow and anchor the hair better, make sure its a very small undetectable amount.

- To make it last longer as a style it would be a good idea to cornrow the back in continuous circle and the front straight back….that way you can redo the front without having to redo the entirety, this is also helpful for those like me with longer hair to have more of their hair away and protected from the elements.

- You *must* sleep with a satin cap every night to keep it in the best condition. I grab both halves of my hair criss cross them across the back of my head…throw my satin cap over it at night and sleep however I please.

Well without further ado, here are the pix of my crochet braids over this past month:

Week 2

My Crochet Braids one month later 002

__________________________

My Crochet Braids one month later 003

_____________________________________

My Crochet Braids one month later 012

_____________________________________

Week 3

My Crochet Braids one month later 011

_______________________________

Week 4

My Crochet Braids one month later 001

______________________________

And there ya have it! Additional pix can be found in my Fotki. Hope you enjoyed sweeties! :) Cuz I sho am! lol

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +5 (from 5 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark

Hey guys! So these are the pix of the first week of my crochet braids and the premiere of my Fotki! http://members.fotki.com/BlackMasterPiece/about/

You can find the complete album of the Crochet braids in my foki album but I’ll post a few of the best here.

All I do is sleep with a satin bonnet and shake and go in the morning

So this is me getting started on the cornrows

My Auburn and Brown Crochet Braids 012

__________________________________

All done! :)

My Auburn and Brown Crochet Braids 001

_____________________________________

Finished the crochet braids! Voila!

My Auburn and Brown Crochet Braids 071

_______________________________

I used Auburn on the top and dark brown on the bottom

My Auburn and Brown Crochet Braids 006

_______________________________

My Auburn and Brown Crochet Braids 011

________________________________

My Auburn and Brown Crochet Braids 063

VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: 3.9/5 (7 votes cast)
VN:F [1.7.2_963]
Rating: +2 (from 2 votes)
  • Share/Bookmark