1Blessed Natural Mag

Hey everyone, In November, I did an afro style with beads. I've been wanting to do twists with beads, but I did not have patience until I saw MahoganyKnots' video " Beady Bead ". I jumped into the time machine and became a little girl again lol. Hair Preparation  I washed and deep conditioned my hair. Then, I applied Giovanni's Leave-In Conditioner , Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie , and Coconut Oil to my hair. After applying the products, I banded and two-strand twisted my hair.   Installing the Beads I purchased 4 packs of black, white, and clear beads . I also brought snag-proof elastic bands . Snag-proof elastic bands have a shiny coating as opposed to regular rubber bands that are dry. I purchased them from Dealz for $1.00 (500-pack). I used a bobby pin and the bead wan to install the beads. *WARNING*- Please check the beads for snags because they may break your hair. All edges should be smooth. It will save you the time and...

Twist Out: You can see.. my ends are still healthy Happy Sunday everyone, I hope you all had a great week. Today I wanted to talk about celebrating and thinking about the positive things in your life. Philippians 4:8   "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." We have clear instructions in God's word that says we should think about the positive things in our lives. Yet, many times we dwell on the negative things, even when they are small. For example, it's Monday morning and you forgot your umbrella. The skies open up right before you get out of the car. But you can't run the risk of being late, so you hop out of your car and run into the building. Your clothes are soaked and afro is shrunken. When you get into the office, your boss motions for you to come into his office.  He s...

Hey everyone, On July 1, 2013, Google Reader will be gone. If you are using Google Reader to view my blog, you will need to subscribe to it to keep up with the updates. There are some sites where you can combine all of your favorite blogs and/or websites into one place. 1. Feedly 2. Bloglovin 3. StumbleUpon Follow me on the following social networks: 1. Facebook- 1BlessedNatural 2. Twitter- @1BlessedNatural See you there!

   Happy Wednesday everyone! The process of beautification for us entails different things. We always hear the famous quote, "Beauty is pain." Back when I still permed my hair, I hated sitting under the dryer. But it was a necessary evil. As a natural, I dislike the amount of time it takes for me to wash and prep my hair for the week. However, I've managed to get my time down to 45 minutes on a work night. Thank God! lol. This week's question is... What's the one thing you dislike about maintaining your natural hair?

Lauryn Hill (photo courtesy of flickr.com - Lisa Liang) This week, several media outlets reported singer, Lauryn Hill was being sued by her NJ landlord for back rent. Today, Hill took to her Twitter and Tumblr pages to set the record straight: " YET ANOTHER MEDIA INACCURACY... I’d like to set the record straight: I am not squatting, and I do not owe any money to my landlord.  I have always stayed current on rent.  I was raised in South Orange, which is why these allegations are not only false, but insulting.  I am in talks with the town about resolving an unrelated issue, regarding how I use my home to work on my music, which has nothing to do with my financial obligations.   Won’t it be great when real journalism returns to replace inaccurate tabloid harassment." -   Lauryn Hill's Tumblr page There you have it folks! I wish her many blessings . Who's ready for another Lauryn Hill album?

If you saw my last post, then you saw the length check of the back of my hair. I've finally found a hair regimen that works for my hair. I learned so many new things about my hair, and I'm still learning :-)  Castile Soap & Tea Tree Oil You all may know I don't like to use shampoo often to cleanse my hair. I like to use my Castile Soap mixture. Recently, I've added Tea Tree Oil to the soap to treat dandruff. I originally discussed using the oil nightly, but I have not adjusted to the smell of 100% pure Tea Tree Oil. As a result, I've opted to use it in my cleanser when I wash my hair every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. I apply the Castile soap mixture (with Tea Tree Oil ) to my hair and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes, then I rinse it out. My scalp has been a lot cleaner.  This past week, I decided to shampoo my hair for the first time in 1-2 months. My hair was really dry. Since I have been moisturizing and sealing my hair every night, my hair has been he...

Small length check of back portion of my hair Hey everyone! It's Monday. I scrolled down my Twitter feed and found this tweet from Joyce Meyer: Meyer reminds us that when we repent and ask God for forgiveness, we are forgiven. God does not hold those things against us. The devil may try to reach into your past and bring out the things God has forgiven, in the form of guilt. But, guess what? It's been forgiven. Forgive yourself! Keep walking in the Lord's light :-) 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Act 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of  refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"  Remember that we must forgive others... Matthew 6:14-15 "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:  But if ye forgive not men their trespa...

Hey everyone! I found a couple of photos of my finger coils when I was about 5 months natural. Finger coils were my favorite style. However, when my hair got longer than a few inches I had to stop doing them because my hair would tangle and lock. Have you done finger coils?

  Happy Sunday everyone! This weekend I was cruising the aisles of Family Dollar when I saw the purple Turban with Flower by Distinctly Basics - Rachael Rose. I wasn't too thrilled with the way my fro looked in it. But, I think I'm going to try diffferent ways to wear it the next time I two-strand twist my hair. My niece said I look like a pirate lmbo, and I have to agree with her lol. I apologize for the low quality picture below. I have to take a better picture when I get my camera replaced.         Do you wear turbans with your natural hair?

Lauryn Hill (Photo courtesy of flickr.com Bastomas) Yesterday,  TMZ  reported singer, Lauryn Hill was being evicted from her NJ home by her landlord. In addition, this week several media outlets reported that Hill pleaded to a judge to give her probation to pay back almost $500,000 in back taxes. If the reports are true, it has been a hard week for Ms. Hill. I pray that God uses all of her situations for her good :-) I just want to send her my well wishes. We're praying for you and your family Ms. Hill! Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." 4/22/2013- Check out Hill's response to the eviction rumors: Lauryn Hill's response . Please leave some love below, for Ms. Hill!

(photo courtesy of office.microsoft.com) Happy Wednesday everyone! Thank God we are making it through this week! It's time for this week's question... Scenario #2: When I went natural a little over two years ago, I did a lot of online research. I searched for natural products, styles, and techniques. One day, I went to the log-in page of my email and there was a young black girl with an afro lol. Coincidence? I think not. I know many websites use cookies to track your online footprints.The tracking is often used for target advertisements or personalization of the website to fit the customer. I was laughing and thinking to myself, "No they didn't...!" lol How would you feel in this case?

Tyler Perry's Temptation original movie poster (photo courtesy of movieinsider.com) Synopsis In the movie Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor , Tyler Perry takes us through a seemingly predictable plot. The truth is, you're in for a big surprise . The movie is centered around the main character, "Judith" (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) who is a college graduate that always dreamed of becoming a marriage counselor. However, she finds herself working as a consultant for a dating service. Although Judith is married to her childhood sweetheart "Brice"(Lance Gross), she is seduced by a rich man named "Harley" (Robbie Jones). She ignores the warnings by her boss "Janice"(Vanessa Williams) and her mother Ella Joyce , and indulges in the temptation of Harley. As a result, she finds herself dealing with irreversible consequences. My Review I really enjoyed this movie for a number of reasons.The cast wasn't just a group of w...

Hey everyone, Meet Ibtihaj! After transitioning for 7 months, she did her Big Chop a little over 3 weeks ago. Current Hair Regimen: Ibtihaj uses a hot oil treatment once a week and cowashes with Vo5 Moisture Milk Conditioner. She also deep conditions with Creme of Nature leave-in conditioner. After applying the products, she uses the heating cap for 15 minutes. Favorite Products: Ibtihaj says she loves essential oils (especially Coconut Oil), water, Eco Styler  gel, and  Aloe Vera gel. But she is still searching for the best products for her hair.   Welcome to the natural world, Ibtihaj! Who else has recently B'Ced?

I haven't given you all a hair update in a while. I'm glad to report that I am retaining my length. My curls have come back since I cut the heat damaged strands. I've continued my nightly routine of moisturizing, sealing, and twisting my hair. My current challenge for myself is to continue, as long as possible without needing to trim my ends. I have learned that I currently cannot wear my hair in regular Bantu knots. I have to do two-strand twist, pin curls instead, because my hair is fine and tangles easily. I also have to be careful when installing flat twists because my hair will tangle if I do not keep consistent sections when picking up the hair. My hair thrives better when it's stretched. It is also best if I do not sleep without twisting or banding my hair. As a result, I have been experimenting with different stretching styles. The style above was created using two banana clips: one at the top and one at the bottom. I split the hair in the middle o...

   Happy Sunday! I like to use Cocoa Butter sticks on my face to remove blemishes. It can be difficult to push the Cocoa Butter out. I usually run hot water over the tube for 2-3 seconds to loosen it up. Do you use Cocoa Butter sticks?

Product: Giovanni Direct Leave-In (TM) Weightless Moisture Conditioner Place: Whole Foods, local beauty supply store, drug store Price: $7.89 First Five Ingredients:  Aqua (Purified Water), Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5), Citric (Grapefruit) Extract, *Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leafe Juice... The back also indicates that some of the ingredients are "* USDA Certified Organic" The back of the bottle also reads, "We do not add parabens, lauryl or laureth sulfate, or dyes to this  product". Because I ran out of Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk Lite Leave-In Moisturizer , I decided to try the Giovanni Leave-In Conditioner. I heard many things about it. I applied it to my freshly washed and deep conditioned hair. I love it! It's very light. I only use a small amount on each section of my hair, and it leaves my hair soft and moisturized, but not greasy. I will definitely be using this conditioner in the fut...

   India Arie (photo courtesy of Philip Nelson on Flickr)  This question of the week is for all of my fellow India. Arie fans. In celebration of her new song " Cocoa Butter ", being released on iTunes , I am asking for 1-5 of your favorite India. Arie songs. You can also include songs in which she was featured.  Mine include:  1. "The One" 2. "Interested" 3. "Timeless" from Timeless by Sergio Mendes 4. "Private Party" 5. "Nature" What are 1-5 of your favorite India. Arie songs?

Tuck and Roll style done with banana clip and bobby pins We all try to please people at one point or another. We may try to please our parents, friends, co-workers etc.  When you try to please people, you may become disappointed. The reason is they may not react the way you feel they should. For example, you may hold the door for someone and expect a thank you, but you may not get one. You may become mad or upset at the person's reaction. When I was a child, my grandmother would always say, "You can please some of the people, some of the time. But, not all of the people, all of the time." The quote was said to be attributed to Abraham Lincoln , but there is much debate behind it. My grandmother's favorite quote was true. You can never please everyone. What is the point in trying? The truth is God did not put us on this earth to please people. He put us on this earth to serve him. We are supposed to glorify Him. ' Let your light so shine before men, that ...

I know you may be wondering what is going on with my new layout. I wanted the blog to be in a magazine format. I also wanted to make it easier to navigate and read. Thank God I found a new layout :-) Please take a second or two and take the poll located on the first black tab, located at the top right hand corner. Explanation of Location of Items and Format Adjust my blog to your preferred reader format with the drop down menu at the top left.  Choose your destination page using the green bar.   1. Home 2. Celebrity Interviews 3. Be Featured! Black Tabs on Right include the following: 1. Poll 2. About Me 3. Blogger Friends 4. Popular Posts 5. Subscribe The Search Bar is located in the top right hand corner. Please don't forget to take my poll! Thank you to everyone who reads this blog. Thank you to all of my guests! I really appreciate YOU ALL! God is good :-) Thanks again.  -1BlessedNatural

Being happy does not mean you have it all...(photo courtesy of Lisa Raye's Facebook page) Good morning everyone, I saw the photo above on Lisa Raye's Facebook  page and had to share :-) I love this drawing because it reminds us we don't need to have the world to be happy. It's all about the little things. Philippians 4:11-12 'Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know how to be abased, and i know how to be abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer in need.' Enjoy your day everyone!

This week, I became tired of twisting my hair every night. So, I flat twisted it. I kept the flat twist, swoop bang . I parted the back section down the middle. I started twisting at my edges, all the way back to the part. I did that for each side. The ends were two-strand twisted and  pinned down to cover the part. I wasn't thrilled about bang with this style. Next time, I might try the style without the bang. I kept the flat twists in for two days. I rocked a flat twist out for about two days afterwards.

Happy Sunday everyone! I met Aleah on my way crossing the street, and her hair was beautiful. Both of us commented on the others hair at the same time. We both agreed on the coolness of natural hair. Aleah added that she also liked the convenience. By the time we got to the other side of the crosswalk, I let her know I had a blog and asked her if I could take a picture. I know she was probably thinking, what? lol. But, she was a good sport about  it. Here's a picture of her beautiful fro:  Thanks Aleah :-)  What is the best thing that YOU love about natural hair?

    Happy Saturday everyone, Yesterday, I walked into a well-known supermarket chain to get a few items. I left the store with a few items and urge to pray for someone, lol. I'm serious though. Here's what happened: Myself and another customer were standing in the self-checkout line. There were 4 stations, 2 on each side. There was a station attendant standing in front of the stations. On the right of me was a woman who had a bag of fruit, and she was having trouble ringing it up. The station attendant appeared to just be staring at the struggling woman. This was my first clue indicating Extreme Rudeness was coming.  I said to myself, "No, she's probably doing something on her screen." I figured this was the case, because I couldn't see the customer's screen from the angle I was standing. The customer continued trying to ring up her items until a male customer assisted her. I was still standing in line waiting. The station atte...

Deborah L. Tillman is best known as THE parenting expert on Lifetime's   hit show, "America's Supernanny" . Along with being America's favorite "supernanny", Tillman is also the owner of 3 childcare centers in Alexandria, Virginia, and the author of the book, Stepping Out on Faith: How to Open a Quality Childcare Center. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Master's Degree in Early Childhood Special Education. Last week, I received the blessing of interviewing this inspirational woman. Although Tillman is not natural, she says she will get there one day. Because she has a soft hair texture, she only gets a perm every 4-6 months. But, she doesn't like them at all. They do help her get through the summer months. Tillman says when she goes natural, she will be visiting my blog to find out what to do. I'm going to hold her to it. 1BN: So, about "America's Supernanny"... There's s...

"No Make-Up Barbie" (Photo courtesy of imgur.com - Eddi Aguirre) This week has been an active week for photos in the news! First, there were questions about India. Arie's photo . Now Barbie has gone natural? I don't mean "natural hair." I mean "natural" as in no makeup. Today, a digital cartoon photo of a Barbie-like character popped up on the internet and has gone viral. The photo called "No Make-Up Barbie" was said to originate from Imgur.com credited to Eddi Aguirre. Not only is natural Barbie not wearing any makeup, but she also has freckles, frizzy hair, and braces.  There were several comments made below the photo. One of the comments was made by one commenter saying, "Barbie, real life edition." Although, the photo has been made a joke by many, I think it's a good representation of what "normal" looks like. She actually looks like a real person.  There were comments made about the bags under her eye...