Transitioning Update & Big Annoucement!!

Hey Bella's!!


Hope all is going well in your world. School is B-A-N-A-N-A-S, but I'm hanging in there!! Marketing Degree here I come!! Anyhoo, I was about to blow out my new growth yesterday, and I realized that my hair has made a lot of progress. To me, this growth seems to have happened all of a sudden, but since I've been transitioning since March, I was bound to see some definite progress by now. I was so shocked that I grabbed my camera, and took a pic:

I'm so proud of myself!! Transitioning isn't easy, but I haven't regretted it yet! However, the upkeep (shampooing, deep conditioning, blow drying, & flat ironing) is really time consuming......so I have decided to switch it up! I'm getting a WIG!! Yep, I am really stepping out of the box with this one! I'm going wig shopping next week and I’m super excited!

Wigs seem to be the natural progression for me. I like to wear my hair down, so buns and updo's aren't really an option for me. But at the same time, I'm really getting tired of dedicating 4-5 hours every Sunday to doing my hair. Wigs will allow me to protective style, while still being able to wear "my" hair free and flowing.

These are some of the styles I'm thinking about:

I LOVE this one!!

And this one too!!

As you can see, I definitely have a style. I figured that these styles would make blending my real hair in, a little easier (since they are half wigs.) Lace front wigs would be a great option, but I’m kinda scared of the tape and glue element associated with them. Also, I have yet to see a lace front wig in person that looked natural. And since this is my first try at fake hair, I decided that an $18 investment would be for the best, just in case I don't like wearing a wig.


So, Bella's what do you think? What's your wig experience? Any advice?

Be Fabulous & Happy Growing!
-SouthernBella

Product Review- Pantene Pro-V Style Texturize! Texture & Shine Defining Pomade

Hey Bella’s!

First things first, thank you to everyone that has subscribed to my little blog. I really enjoy logging on and seeing that I have a new member. And to the non-subscribers, thanks to you too for being interested enough to visit my page at all. :)

Now.....on to the review!!

Lately I've been searching for a new product to help smooth my edges back. I had been using Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner, and sometimes Elasta QP Mango Butter, but I HATE the way both of these products smell, so I've been on a mission to find a product with a soft, non-waxy hold, that didn't offend me with its scent. Last week at Wal-Mart I found this pomade by Pantene. I opened it and took a whiff, a light baby powdery scent, nothing too heavy. Into my shopping cart it went. And that brings me to the topic at hand; I bring you the product review for Pantene Pro-V Style Texturize! Texture & Shine Defining Pomade.

Your Frequently Asked Questions:

*How Much Was It?      $3.99 for 1.7oz @Wal-Mart.

*Girl, What's In It?      "Water, Ceteareth-25, BIS Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate 2, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Propylene Glycol, PEG 8 Methicone, PEG 7 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PVP, Polysorbate 20, Panthenol, Glyceryl Sterate, PEG 100 Stearate, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben."

*What does it Claim to do?      "Pantene TEXTURIZE! Texture & Shine Defining Pomade is a water-based pomade designed to define hair for chunky and tousled hairstyles. Most effective when applied to dry hair where you create texture with your fingertips. Hair is left shiny and soft to the touch."

*Where Can I Find It?      Walmart, Target, and most drugstores. Basically you'll have to look for this product. I bought it at Wal-Mart, and I've noticed it at Rite Aid and Ulta.

*Directions from the Container:      "Apply to dry hair. Rub a pea-sized amount on fingertips until spread thin. For definition, start at roots, using fingertips until spread thing. or definition, start at roots, using fingertips, pull or twist product through to the ends of selected pieces of hair. se more as needed." BTW- I DON'T use this product this way. LOL

*My Personal Review:

This review is pretty straight forward, before I cross wrapped my hair for bed I put a dab of this pomade on my edges and brushed them back with my boar bristle brush. I then wrapped a satin scarf around my head and I put on a satin cap. (I sleep wild so the cap is for added protection, and if all else fails I also sleep on a satin pillowcase too. LOL)

The next morning my edges were straight, flat, soft, and shiny. I could comb through them if I wanted to, they were just that soft. No waxy build up, and crazy mango shea butter smell, no hard dull hair. Yep, this is some good stuff. Even though the ingredients don't contain the most hair friendly elements, its still water based, and that's all I really care about. It also smooth’s my edges back without me having to let it "set" overnight with a scarf. I could totally use this in the morning and get the same results. I haven't tried using it while doing a bun or a ponytail yet, but I am assuming that the results would be equally satisfying. I really like this pomade, now my only wish is that Pantene doesn't do something crazy like change the formula or discontinue it. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I think I may buy 4-5 jars just to be on the safe side. :)

*My Final Thoughts:

This pomade is my new staple for the following reasons:

* The price is right! 4 Bucks ain't bad!
*It's easily available. I get so sick of driving all over the world for my products.
*The smell! No more smelling like a fruit salad!
*The consistency and texture.....it's thick and creamy! It distributes very easily.
*No waxy buildup!
*It's water-based! No flakes or dryness.

So....if you're transitioning like me, or maybe you're just stretching your relaxer and you need a product to help smooth those edges down, try Pantene Pro-V Style Texturize! Texture & Shine Defining Pomade, it really does the trick for me!

Thanks for Reading,

Southern Bella

Speaking of Coconut....Product Review- Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner

Hello All,

I had some spare time before class one day last week so of course I found myself all up and through my favorite store, ULTA. While I was browsing through the aisles, looking for nothing in particular I came across the words "Pure....Coconut....Oil....Conditioner!" Truly, these are some of my favorite words so I stopped in my tracks picked up the bottle. First I smelled it. Coconut smell? Check. Then I read the ingrediants. Protein free? Check. Then I checked the price. Below $10? Check. In my basket it went. And now,  72 hours later, here is my review for Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner.

Your FAQ:

*How much was it? $5.99 for 16.9oz @ Ulta

*Girl, what's in it? aqua, cetearyl alcohol, stearalkonium cholride, cetrimonium choride, coconut oil, fragrance, magnesium nitrate, methylchloroisothiazolinone, magnesium choride, methylisothiazolinone, citric acid.

*What does it claim to do? "Smoothes hair & adds shine. Contains 100% Pure Coconut Oil to smooth and nourish dry, damaged hair. Super-rich, yet light formula will leave hair glossy, shiny and superbly soft and manageable."

*Where can I find it? Ulta is the only place that I have ever seen this brand. It is imported from the UK, so you may have to search for it if you don't have an ULTA near you. ULTA for some reason doesn't even sell it in their online store. (Boo!)

*Directions from the bottle: "Massage into damp hair after shampooing. Leave in for 1-2 minutes then rinse thoroughly with warm water."

*My Personal Review:

First I did a quick shampoo with Keracare Hydrating and Detangling Shampoo. After I rinsed the poo out I didn't towel dry my hair, I just squeezed the excess water out and applied the Inecto Conditioner to my hair in sections and pinned it up. After about 5 minutes I rinsed the conditioner out and detangled with my shower comb while using the shower stream to help the comb slide through. The comb slid through like a breeze!! My hair felt soft and moisturized even when it was dripping wet ( if that makes any sense.) I didn't use any leave in conditioner, I wanted to feel how my hair felt without anything else in it. I let my hair air dry overnight in flat twists. When I took my hair down the next morning my hair was soft, bouncy, shiny, and moisturized. Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner is a KEEPER!

By the way, this conditioner has a white color with a milky, kinda watery consistancy. And the smell is a cross between coconut and baby powder. (at least to me.)

*My Final Thoughts:

I like Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner more than I like Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner for the following reasons:

1. I prefer Inecto's squeeze bottle to the Organix bottle. I find it difficult to squeeze the Organix bottle with one hand. The design of the Organix bottle is awkward, especially when you're trying to get the last bit of conditioner out. Cowashing is supposed to be quick, with the Organix Conditioner I am always wrestling with the bottle.
2. The Inecto conditioner has a more natural coconut smell, the Organix kinda smells like imitation coconut extract or coconut candy. A little too.......pina colada-ish. LOL
3.The Price... Inecto is $5.99 for 16.9 oz, the Organix is $6.99 for 13 oz. Nuff Said!!!

So, if you want a moisturizing coconut smelling, yummy, cowashing conditioner, I recommend Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Conditioner. It's great! Bye-Bye Organix!