3 Things That Inspired Me To Go Natural

Hey there Curlies!

I'm really excited about this post so let's dive in! I'm finally at a point in my life where I'm happy with my curly crown.  So below are the top 3 things that inspired me to go natural.

1. Needing a change

This picture was taken a few days ago :)

When I decided to go natural I was transitioning from a season in my life I wasn't truly happy with.  Before making the physical choice to go natural I had to make the mental choice; and that took a very long time to come to terms with.  I was so set in my ways of straightening my hair day in and day out, that no matter all the warning signs, and how much my mother nagged about the damage I was causing my hair I couldn't stop, because for so long I thought I wouldn't be accepted if I didn't straighten my hair. I cared more about my perception of what other's thought, that I wasn't being true to myself.  Thankfully my life took a turn for the better.  The people who truly cared for me started encouraging my transition and I began to build the confidence I needed to just be me.

2. Curlista/Naturalista Influencers

This was definitely my second step in recovery thank you Youtube & Instagram.  After getting to a place where I decided to accept the crown of curls God blessed me with. I did some research and  realized there were other girls who had the same struggles as me at one point in their lives and then overcame them.  Alba from SunkissAlba,  I feel, is the godmother of all curly girls in our social media generation.  She had all the goto videos, tips and tricks.  I watched and continue to watch her channel faithfully because she was my virtual cheerleader.  I also enjoy watching Hifelicia and SweetSandy on Instagram.  It is truly inspiring to see these girls use their platforms to encourage other curly girls to embrace who and what they were meant to be.  Curly hair is so unique, fun and versatile.  It's something to be proud of, not something to be embarrassed of or try to change to please others.

3. Becoming a Product Junkie
(this was the fun part)

This one is totally a selfish reason, but I found an excuse to buy and try new products.  

What girl in her right mind would give up an opportunity like that? 

I went on a product shopping spree and tried everything and anything tailored to wavy, curly and coily hair.  I was beginning to nourish the relationship between my curls and I.....  I was wooing my hair lol.  I spent A LOT of unnecessary money at times, but I was willing to try and do whatever it took to make my curls happy.  I am giggling while writing this because of how ridiculous it sounds but its so true.  Over the last two years I have found products there is no way I would EVER put in my curly crown again and also my holy grail staples (which I ALWAYS have in stock) lol

I can honestly say I'm happy.  I am happy because I am comfortable in my own hair.  My curly crown is crazy at times but I wouldn't have it any other way.  It is part of who I am and I refuse to hide it.  

I am Confident & Curly.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.  What motivates you to embrace who you are? (Curly girl or not. ALL are welcome)

Mia

The Best Conditioners for Curly Hair (Prt. 1)

Hey there Curlies!

When I started my hair journey I did the same thing many curly girls do.  I ran out and bought every conditioner advertised for curly hair because I knew my curls needed moisture and LOTS of it. Some products worked and some didn't.  It was all trial and error. I quickly realized I had to condition (see what I did there) my hair to return to its natural state. Some products that were my holy grail when I started this journey are no longer in my shower with my must haves and that is perfectly fine because my hair is changing and reacts to certain products now better than others. Here are two conditioners I have been using steadily for the better half of this process. 

1. Shea Moisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Grow Leave-In Conditioner

This product was a total game changer.  Not only was I able to use it to detangle my curls in the shower but I was also able to leave it in for styling afterwards leaving the softest & bounciest curls possible behind. 

 This Leave-In contains Organic Shea Butter which moisturizes and conditions the hair and scalp, the Jamaican Black Castor Oil is loaded with omegas that promote hair growth and Peppermint which stimulates the scalp.  

I love to use this leave in product when styling my hair because it truly does work and my curls love it.  I especially like to use it after having my hair straight for a week while I transition back to my curls. The scent was not my favorite at first but it grows on you and the effects of the product absolutely outweigh the smell.  This 16oz bottle retails at most locations for $10.99.

2. Silicon Mix

This little baby is a Dominican staple which makes me a bit proud of my heritage.  My mom used this in my hair when I was a little girl.  The scent brings back such fun memories.  I know there is a lot of controversy as to wether you should use silicone products in curly hair but it works wonders for me and truly helped speed up the restoration process.  

It's an intense hair treatment that I like to leave in my hair for about 30 minutes wrapped in a towel to retain heat.  I like to use this treatment once a month. When I rinse my hair it's left smelling wonderful, feeling soft and silky.  

If used as a styler you might have some product buildup left behind because of how intense this treatment is. I don't usually use it to style other than what's left in my hair after my shower. I am able to just add water on second and third day hair and easily revive my curls. I purchased this 8 oz. trip down memory lane for $5.39 at Target. 

Hope you enjoyed this post and have a few products to look into.
What conditioners do you find help restore and keep your curls?  Any product recommendations?

Come back next week for two more conditioners I've also been loving!

Thanks for stopping by!

Mia

Curly Hair Check In

Hey there Curlies!

I hope you enjoyed my last post and are having a great year so far.

Today's post is about

 I wanted to take a moment to catch you all up on my curly hair progress. It's been  a little bit over a year since I started taking proper care of my hair.  I've been using products made especially for curly hair as well as keeping my hair curly 70% of the time.  I like to straighten it once every two months for about a week to check on my length.

For a while I felt like there was no growth or improvement.  I was using all the right products, washing 1-2 times a week, co-washing and doing deep treatments but it wasn't until about 4-5 months into it that I actually started to notice a difference in my hair.
During those first few months, because I was terrified of the words "Big Chop", I trimmed my hair every month a bit at a time where I thought it needed it the most.  Then at about the 6th month I finally did it.  I didn't care how many inches were coming off I grabbed the scissors and never looked back.  I cut every single strand of hair that looked the slightest bit straight.  I remember thinking if I'm going to do this I'm going to do it right although I hated how short my hair was.
I hated even more trimming it every month and never being able to see any progress. 

 The first few months since the BIG CHOP I noticed that my curls were shinier,  bouncier and more defined, I wasn't shedding nor was my hair breaking as much as it used to on the ends.  I was super excited but even then I didn't notice any growth.  Little did I know that my hair was in fact growing but it was more so repairing itself from the inside out.  

So I kept with it. 

Making sure I was eating healthy meals, taking my vitamins, drinking plenty of water, using the right products and using protective hair styles.  I was finally at a place where I was happy with how my hair looked when it was curly.  And when that happened, I kid you not, I started to notice growth. I started writing down my hair length measurements every other month making sure to measure the bottom, mid section, sides, top and my bangs.  I wanted to see how it was all growing because I knew not every section was the same length.  Sure enough my hair was growing half an inch to an inch every time I recorded it. It's grown a total of 5-6 inches in 8 months.  

I am one happy Curly Girl! lol

I write all this to say, that I hope this post will be able to inspire anyone who is struggling with their curly hair and who would like to make 2017 the year of your curls.  It's definitely a slow and frustrating journey at first but it will be so worth it in the end.  We were given such beautiful locks and they deserve to be cared for and shown off.  Don't be afraid to take that leap of faith.  I promise you wont regret it.  

Below are a few progress photos of my journey. Hope you enjoy!

My next post will be about some deep conditioning products I have found to help lock in moisture and that help with curl definition. Be on the lookout for that post if you're interested in some new products.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mia

New Year New Goals

Happy New Year Curlies!!

I know it's been a long time since I posted on here but all of that is about to change.

2016 was a tough year for me for various reasons.  But this year I dont want to start out like other years and say "New Year, New Me" I'm the same girl I've always been I just have greater goals and have decided to stay committed to those goals so that I can end this year with as much energy and enthusiasm as I started it. So, here we go!

1. Staying Organized

I find that my biggest struggle is often quite simple, staying organized.  I have all these great ideas and things I want to do but instead of writing them down and breaking down steps on how to fulfill or accomplish these goals I get overwhelmed trying to do them all in one go; or I just forget what my great idea was in the first place. lol  

My bestest chum must have known this somehow because one of my Christmas gifts from her this year was a Planner.  Aaannnd I love that thing!  When thinking of how to set up my planner so that I was productive and staying on task I decided I would set up my current monthly calendar with basic things such as date nights, birthdays, paydays and appointments.
But am only detail one week at a time.  

Setting a small goal such as completing all my tasks for one week will encourage and give me the motivation for the following week and will prevent me from setting myself up for failure.  I am not sure how this will work seeing as we are only in the first week, but so far I have accomplished 20 tasks I set for Sunday - Wednesday with blogging being the 21st task so I would say I am on a pretty good roll.  And none of those tasks were work related.  They were all personal and baby steps to help me stay on target this year.  If you haven't invested in a planner for 2017 I highly recommend it.
It's so much fun crossing something off of your to-do list once you have completed it!

2. Being Present

I have come to find I can be consumed by my electronics; my iPhone, iPad, MacBook and all the apps that come along with.  But this year I want to challenge myself to being present.  Truly enjoying the company of those around me.  There is nothing wrong with checking in with social media or browsing YouTube or the TV but when it consumes us life becomes unbalanced what will our memories be about? I would much rather spend a night playing a game of cards and chatting than sitting in front of a TV watching other people live life.  There is so much beauty around us and so much we can learn from the people within reach that sometimes I feel we lose sight of that and I for one want to get that back and make meaningful memories in 2017 by unplug from time to time. 

3. My Walk With God

I've noticed that when things get tough I tend to internalize and shut down and that is exactly what I have done over the course of 2016.  When things got tough instead of running towards God I slowly drifted away and my walk with him and spiritual life suffered for it.  I am not saying I was always in the valley but I know for sure I wasn't on the mountain top nearly as much as I could have been.  I was lost somewhere wandering around on the mountain lol. 

For Christmas I gifted my two best friends a bible reading journal and got one for myself too. It has truly helped my walk with God so much in the last two weeks.  Because it holds me accountable and it bugs me when I miss a day and have a blank page or the dates aren't consecutive.  I want to strengthen my walk with my Savior because He is my source of strength and things just work out so much better than I could have ever imagined when I put my cares in the hands of the one who loves me more than anyone in this world!  

4. Blogging

I started this blog to track my hair growth journey and to help girls who were as scared or as skeptical as I felt when I did my big chop. But I think I only posted a hand full of times and my desire for 2017 is to recommit to my blog and post on a more consistent basis.  I still don't know how often, I just know that I would like to continue documenting my curly hair journey as well and reviewing current products I am loving.
And just as a quick update, its been 13 months since I decided to focus on making my hair healthy again and I am very proud to say it's grown 5-6 inches since the big chop and my curl definition has increased so much! I am truly looking forward to putting a post together detailing my progress. 

5. My Health & Fitness

This one is very special to me and is my biggest goal yet.  For the last 10 years of my life I have been struggling with some very frustrating health problems.  Not only was I unable to do the things I wanted but I was flying in the dark.  I had no idea what was causing me to struggle with some of the most basic functions so many take for granted.  It has truly been difficult for me and very discouraging but I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and although I have some pretty big fitness/health goals.  I plan to achieve them over the course of this year by setting small goals that will help me reach my overall goal because I refuse to set myself up for failure.

I'm so glad I got that all out there lol.  Less clutter in my brain :)
I hope you all enjoyed this post and that it encourages some of you to set some goals for 2017 that are important to you and that will set you up for the greatness you are destined for!

I'd love to hear some of your goals for 2017.  Feel free to post them down below or send me a link to your blog.  I am always looking for girls to inspire and motivate me.

Thanks for stopping by!  See you all next week!

xoxo Mia

My CurlKit Gift Review

Hi Curlies!!

So sorry I've been MIA.  Today I'd like to do a bit of an exciting product review.  About two weeks ago while spending some time on twitter I came across a twitter chat. If you aren't familiar with this term a twitter chat is when a person(s) or company announce on their page that they will be hosting a conversation using a specific hashtag to interact with people they follow and their followers.  The only thing you need to do to be a part of this conversation is add the designated hashtag in your tweet. 

Now, onto my very first experience!! I was browsing on my twitter and noticed that CurlKit, a page I follow, was hosting this chat and since I'm very new to the online curly community I thought this would be a great way to connect with a few of you and get to know some great people.  It was such an awesome experience because they asked some very good questions and were genuinely interested in finding out what the curly community finds helpful, sharing our tips and tricks with each other and also finding out which products we enjoy most.

I felt the chat enabled us to help one another and encourage each other in our own journeys which I really loved.  So much so, that I was supper active in my responses not only to CurlKit but to other people as well.  I was able to connect with girls that I would have never connected with otherwise and because of that, at the end of the night CurlKit announced that I won a special gift for being an active participant!! First, let me just tell you how much I fangirled for being tweeted by a curly hair company that I follow and admire.... and secondly that I had actually won something for just being an active participant! ME... I won something!?! Thats pretty cool..... I had no idea there was anything to be won so it made the experience all the more amazing.  I was on VERY happy curly girl that night!  A few days later I received my package in the mail and below are my thoughts on some items I'm currently loving.

1. Dove's Quench Absolute

This product is just absolutely amazing! I was totally blown away by Dove with this one, not only is the product super thick and moisturizing and smells absolutely breathtaking but when it's worked into my curls it absorbs so nicely that my curls are left feeling light and bouncy. I am really enjoying this product. It is a top shelf item that I will be purchasing once my sample runs out. 

Well done Dove, well done!

2. Green Olive & Lavender Scalp Oil & Nourish Spray

I normally don't stray from my usual home made oil treatment with coconut, avocado, tea tree, horsetail, jojoba and almond but this little treasure was a very sweet surprise. The green olive and lavender blend is very refreshing. I love doing my bedtime routine with this product, using a few drops to massage my scalp before heading to sleep. The lavender is a very calming scent and my hair is enjoying the treatment at night long. 

The Earth's Nectar Nourish Spray is a very lightweight milky leave-in detangler.  I have only used it a few times but it has truly made the detangling process a smoother and quicker one. Formulated with aloe and vitamin e this product helps maintain my hair's strength and shine. Also a product I plan to purchase and add to my weekly routine.

3. Pomegranate Passion Hair Elixir

The last product I'd like to share is the Pomegranate Passion Hair Elixir. Not only do I really enjoy the packaging and love the fact that there are actual rose petals in this oil blend.  I have never used Pomegranate Oil in my hair but I really have enjoyed how my hair has taken to it.  The cherry pineapple blend is fruity but light, which if you're anything like me and love fruity scents in the spring you will most definitely enjoy this product.  It can be used to seal in moisture for your hair or warmed up a bit and used as a scalp massage. The Pomegranate and Rosehip are said to increase scalp circulation and hydrate your hair to prevent breakage and fallout.  

All in all, I would have to say I am extremely happy with my gift from CurlKit and once again THANK YOU for providing such a fun and interactive platform for curly girls to come together and encourage one another in our individual hair journeys.  I for one will definitely be getting my hands on a CurlKit to see what new goodies I can add to my collection.

Thanks for reading along.  I hope you enjoyed this post.  What new hair products have you been into?  

Until next time!

Stay Beautiful & Confident!

xo Mia

  

Lets Get Personal...Shall We?

Hello Curlies!

I'm sure you can guess that my blogs main focus will revolve around my hair and how I plan to be Confidently Curly! 

You see, only recently did I choose to accept my hair for what it really is at its core.  Right now it's recovering from years and years of heat damage, poor management, hair extensions and highlights. And after 4 eternal months I have seen a tremendous change in my curl pattern and the life of my hair.  

I simply looked in the mirror one day and said, I'm tired of my hair breaking off and smelling like burnt flat ironed hair!.... (we've all had those days) I didn't want to have to worry about taking hours to straighten my hair only to have humidity, frizz and the likes attack me in the most inopportune moments of life. 

I wanted to let lose and just be me!  Someone I had truly lost sight of over the years because I was too busy trying to conform to what I thought I HAD to be, instead of who I was MADE to be.  So on that very fateful day I grabbed the scissors and chopped about 4 inches off and each month since then I've been cutting a little bit more every time. Which brought me to this blog....

I feel as though curly girls all over the world have finally had enough! We don't fit societies norm, nor should we! Our curls are beautiful, unpredictable and absolutely wonderful. All they need is some love and attention and I would love to do nothing more than to encourage and inspire curly girls everywhere to accept who we are because WE ARE BEAUTIFUL and OUR HAIR IS BEAUTIFUL wether we have waves, loose curls, tight curls or super tight curls we have to own it  and we are the only ones who can! We have a story to tell.

Here are a few of the photos I could find of my journey. Please ignore the faces lol these were either sent to my hubby or my chummy during conversations .... haha (you gotta be able to laugh at yourself every once in a while)

       Years of straightening       Attempt to wear hair      Recovery & Pampering

         & using curling irons        "naturally curly"                     Process

So if you haven't already done so, but deep down inside your yearning to live a carefree life with your hair.... take the plunge!  There's no better day than today to embrace who you were meant to be!  I promise you wont regret it! 

But for those of you that are still weary, thats okay too, we all have to go at our own pace. I know exactly how you're feeling because I've been there too.

And so with that, I hope that no matter what stage you're at in your journey we can learn from each other how to love our hair, watch it grow and be Confidently Curly!

Thanks for coming over!

 Feel free to comment below. What are some of your struggles? Where are you in your journey?
Join me for my next post!

xo Mia

My Why for Blogging??

Hi There!

Thanks for joining me on my little space here on the internet. My name is Mia and I'm here to share my journey and encourage many of you in your own walks of life.

Sometimes, we all need that one person we know is in our corner rooting for us and that's what I want to be! It's part of the reason I chose to call my blog Confidently Curly.

I want to inspire those around me to be confident in everything you do!  No matter what the task is at hand, or how long it will take you to get to where you're going, I'm here to say keep on keeping on!  You've got this and you absolutely rock!

My own journeys will involve the regrowth of my curly hair, my health and fitness goals, my love of photography, and passion for all things makeup, fashion and beauty.  All of which I feel are a learning process, and all of which I want to excel at while helping others excel at too!

If any of those topics interest you, or you really just want someone to support you and encourage you to fulfill your dreams then stick around. Lets get to know each other because I don't plan on holding anything back!  The good, the bad and the ugly will all be here on display.  It's time for me to take that leap of faith and see where it takes me!  I hope you will too.

So come back and check in with me whenever you need a pick-me-up, tips & tricks or just some advice.

Thanks for coming over and welcome to my blog!

Feel free to comment below and join me for my next post.

xo Mia