Introducing Elizabeth

It's been a year since we've posted mostly because we both have been so busy but we are ready to share our experiences with you ladies. Gentlemen don't be afraid to check us out as well I'm all for the natural long hair man(curls, locks, etc). So to introduce myself to you my name is Elizabeth Im 29, 15 days away from my 30th bday. I'm in Atlanta where everyone here either has natural hair or weaves to their butts or in some cases both. I am also guilty of being natural and wearing weaves. Honestly I see nothing wrong with it for me its a great protective style and it helps me greatly especially during the summer when my hair doesn't know what it wants to do, Except frizz. It keeps me from adding heat to my own hair as well. Natural means different things for each person. For me its no chemical relaxers and minimal heat like once every three months. I'm still torn on the color thing while I don't have color now I used to be the honey blonde or golden blonde queen. Needless to say I'm starting to appreciate my multi colored hair and my few natural blonde highlights so I'm looking into natural hair coloring to try in the very near future. I don't want to try henna because I don't want to loosen my already very loose curls. I wash and condition weekly. I deep condition once a  month. I use whatever I have as far as shampoo and conditioner and that varies from every "natural" brand you can think of, herbal essence, tresemme, mane & tail, to regular baking soda and apple cider vinegar. LOL I don't quite have any "staple" products I use what works for me and I've tried MANY different products. As far as styling when I wear my hair curly I use Mixed Chicks leave in, Kinky Curly Leave in, Miss Jessie's Baby Butter Cream or the NEW Carols Daughter Hair Milk, and unrefined coconut oil to seal it all in, that's all on very wet hair. I don't dry my hair I squeeze the water out in the shower then apply products and comb them through individually first with a wide tooth comb then a rat tail comb to saturate every strand and it helps my curls clump better. I have several other products that I've tried and like and will use randomly. My straight hair days are surprisingly less complicated. I use Jane Carter's spray leave in, a small amount of kinky curly, yes I blow dry my hair and ceramic iron it out, then my coconut oil and wrap my hair up. But again this is rare in the summer and maybe once or twice a month in the fall & winter.  A little background story on me and my hair. I've always had the long curly somewhat obnoxious hair. Old easter photos show proof of how it had a mind of its own and I was 8. Growing up my mother "did" my hair which means put in ponytails with hair balls, barrettes, and in some cases banana clips. We never wore cornrows with beads. Anyway she did our hair every morning. Except when she forgot in 4th grade and my older Aunt who wasn't skilled at doing hair had to do it. Who knew you could braid MY hair to itself???? Can't describe what I mean definitely not a french braid or corn row. At any rate on holidays, picture days, and special events my grandma and Aunt did our hair. My grandmas product of choice was mane & tail, we sat under the dryer and my sister got her hair pressed mine just spiral or as we called it then banana curled. Fast forward to 7th grade when my mom finally let me do my own hair I probably broke it all off that first year wearing it in ponytails and buns daily. Using the tubs of brown or pink gel and spritz. 9th grade I poured a bottle of peroxide on my head and it turned orange. She made me keep it that way. I think by 16 I had a relaxer and color in my hair. My hair was thin, shorter than it should have been and just damaged. Remember the Gold & Hot flat irons yeah those probably burned my hair out through all of high school & college. All I used was motions, pink moisture glossier spray, pantiene, and Mizani. I was putting heat on my hair daily. 2003 I stopped the relaxer because I went super blonde I didn't bleach but it was light. So I would wear it curly and hated it and I'd straighten my hair again almost daily. That grew out I dyed it a lighter brown. Then got mad and cut my hair in a really short BOB in 2008 before my bday. Had not an inch of hair in the back and was short for me in general. So decided new years day 2010 to let it grow and to go natural. All this right after I put the relaxer in the day before. Which all I used at that time was elasta qp, and proclaim products. So fast forward to January 2011 when I start learning about my hair type and what to do with what I used to call "this mess" so I played around with twist outs, braid outs, bantu knots, all dealing with 3 different textures of hair. Some days I wanted to just cut it all off but I'm convinced my head is too big. Other days it took everything in me not to go to sallys beauty supply and slap some creamy crack in my head. But I made it and I'm happy I did 2011-2012 was trial and error with different styles, relaxer growing out, hair growing and me trying new products specifically for natural curly hair. My first product was Cantu. I was in Dillard's at the MAC counter buying lipglass & liners and the MUA's hair was like mine but gorgeous and long and her curls were amazing I wanted it. LOL so I asked her what she used and immediately went 2 streets over to Target(to my Atlantians I was in Atlantic Station) and bought the entire Cantu collection. I used it for a while felt OK about it but didnt think I was getting the results I wanted so I tried Shea Moisture. Mostly the orange and yellow items and I fell in love. Jan 2012 I had my first steam treatment and fell in love with Too Groovy Salon. Robin Groover the owner had my hair all kinds of shiny and amazing and bouncy and omg I could go on. Stopped going to save 150 a month. I started using mixed chicks(the entire line),  kinky curly(leave in conditioner), then Jane carter(love the clarifying shampoo & spray leave in), carols daughter(hair milk products and macadamia products and a few others), miss Jessie(baby buttercream and pillow soft curls), Talijah Wahid(curl gel I think.... I like it a lot) Lush(coconut shampoo amazing, henna conditioner super amazing) won't get into body products another blogpost for another day, and several other brands and products. I'm not stuck to one brand there are products that I love from each brand I use. I have pictures of most of them I'll post them soon. I can't wait to chat and get to know more of you.