Jomilla’s Hair Diary: My Hair Wants vs. Needs

A rare good hair day captured in a photo

Before I get into this hair diary I just want to apologize for not writing lately but after you read this you’ll see why.

As many of you know I’m newly natural so the struggle is so real for me. I knew that styling and rocking my natural hair wasn’t going to be easy but oh my GOD! I was not ready! Natural hair requires a lot of maintenance. For example washday is insane! All the washing, conditioning, deep conditioning and detangling is so time consuming. Not to mention styling because with hair like mine, ain’t no wash n go’s bih. That whole process can last up to 8 hours to complete just for a hairstyle that MIGHT last me three days! I can’t! I’m a new mother, a newlywed and I have a job in newspaper…I just don’t have time to be doing my hair every three days like that…I just can’t!

So that’s why I said forget it and bought me a wig. It was an Italian yaki wig that resembled my natural hair if I blow dried it so I felt a little better about myself. 

Purchased this wig off of Aliexpress from Luffy Wig Store 

But the whole time I was wearing it I felt like I was cheating.

When my wig arrived in the mail I was so excited. When my husband saw me in it for the first time he said, “Weren’t you supposed to be natural?”

“I am natural!” I shouted back.

I was offended! How dare he ask me that? I was still natural! Right? That’s when the guilt sat in. Maybe my husband was right. Maybe me wearing this straight, down my back wig was defeating the point. But really what got me is the fact that I was a slave to flat irons yet again. I was putting heat on my hair everyday! And that was the complete opposite of what my hair needed.

I thought back to the reason why I went natural in the first place…it was because I needed to. My hair wasn’t in good shape due to too many relaxer touch ups and heat. The front of my hair had just grown back and there was no way I wanted to go through losing it again.

When your hair finally grows back so you gotta stunt on IG #throwback

I needed a change. I needed to stop spending money on overpriced extensions from God knows where. I needed to deep condition my hair. I needed to put oil in my hair. I needed to feel my scalp. Basically I needed to take care of my hair and I needed to be a good example for my daughter and show her natural hair is beautiful.

Whittle baby Jaden and I 

So with all those needs outweighing the obvious lone want…length. I decided to go back to my curly fro.

I still want length but if it compromises the health of my hair I’m good on that. I have been doing some research on how I can satisfy my want of length while keeping my hair healthy and I came up with these options: faux locs, Marley twists, crotchet braids, box braids and kinky curly wigs.

I will be getting one of those soon and telling you all about it in my next hair diary.

Roots & Rhythm: Beyonce - "Get Me Bodied (Extended Version)"

Every time I see a picture of Beyonce's new hair cut, I instantly hear "Get Me Bodied" in my head.

"I ain't worried, doing me tonight."

The style created a love it or hate it reaction even though she's worn bangs of various lengths in the past.  A few stylists even warned against women trying it because it could go very wrong for them.  Despite our opinion of Beyonce's latest style, we really see that level of authenticity often.

Protective styles have always given us the opportunity to explore and have fun while giving our natural hair a much needed rest.  Amber got creative with a custom color for a client recently that met filled her request.

Custom color and style by Amber.

Amber and Melissa have connected before and used color, texture and braids for styles that had details authentic to Melissa, making the style unique to her.  For Fall, she's wearing her hair straight causing you to forget her last style included shaved sides.

Melissa's Fall Style.  More here.

Candace went with Marley twists to protect her hair a while ago and had some fun of her own.  Adding a bit of color switched up her twists and she even channeled a bit of Janet while experimenting.

Candace in Marley Twists

 Go ahead.  Play!  Experiment! Enjoy your protective styles.  If it goes wrong, it really is just hair.  Take it out!

Candice's Hair Diary: Return of the Mini Twists

Happy Monday!

Let me preface this by saying that these mini-twists were not my idea.  I was forced coerced nudged to revisit this style by Melissa. I had been considering the style prior to the suggestion, but I decided against it. My hair has gotten longer, and I thought that it would take entirely too long to install mini-twists.

The top right is the beginning. The top left is the finish line.

In short: I was wrong. It took nearly the same amount of time that it did the last time I did mini-twists. If I exclude the breaks I took during the install (to eat, talk on the phone, and choose movies on Netflix), I spent between 6.5-7 hours on my hair. BUT... I've had them in for 3 weeks. I still have about a week left before I take them out. I've curled them and I've washed them; even the wash and set process only took about 15-20 minutes. Hair in this protective style is very low maintenance, but even a protective style needs a little TLC to stay in tip top shape. I used water and aloe vera gel to moisturize. I followed that with coconut oil or shea butter to seal in the moisture.

Straightening my twists after curls was as easy as 1. wash, 2. condition, 3. pin

and set

My twists are definitely coming down this week. I've seen what can happen when you leave mini-twists in too long. I don't want to have to deal with the tangles and knots that come with twists that try to become locs. It's been a good ride so far. Also, my urge to cut my hair has been quenched. I've been wearing my twists either curled or slightly shrunken. I LOVE rocking shorter hair. Especially since I've been craving a cut and my face is slightly more "short hair compatible" lately.

Short hair and loving it. Results of a flexi-rod set on mini-twists

I've already said that I'd never do mini-twists again because 1.) They are so time consuming to install. 2.) My arms get tired. 3.) They are so time consuming. But truth be told, I spent 6.5 hours on my hair. Before it's done, I will have gotten a whole month of super low maintenance styling. I think that it's a fair trade. Actually I come out on top doing mini twists. So... yes. I wouldn't have done this style again without some urging from a friend. But I may do them again I might do them again before the length of my hair makes them a little less worth the time of the install. Plus... PLUS I got to rock hats during the winter. Big-haired naturals are all too familiar with the hat struggle. It seems small, but sometimes it's the little things that make it all worth while.

I'd say this is protective style is a win in the winter or summer. What's your favorite protective style?

5 Natural Hair styles for Halloween!

I've never been one to go ALL OUT for Halloween, but I have to admit, I've seen some pretty cool and intricate costumes in my days. Each year, people get more creative with how they dress-up to celebrate. I got to thinking, some people might think it's difficult to get your Halloween on when you have natural hair. But, I've found several ladies who've rocked their natural curls, coils, and locs while celebrating this ghoulish season. Take a look and be inspired:

Chescalocs Halloween Medusa-locs

Rihanna just rocked British GQ's cover as Medusa and it immediately made me think of Vlogger, Chescalocs when she created this Medusa-locs look last year. She teamed up with six other natural hair youtubers to create cool natural hair looks for Halloween. Her Medusa-locs style was a hit and a GREAT way rock locs for Halloween.

CLICK HERE for her Medusa-locs tutorial and links to the other bloggers tutorials

Toya as Janelle Monae

Of course, one of the easier natural hair looks to rock for Halloween this year is the Janelle Monae. In 2011, Toya rocked her hair in Janelle's classic Pompadour. There's 100's of tutorials on YouTube on how to get the Janelle Monae pump in the front, so click here to be inspired.

Mel B, aka Scary Spice, rocking curls in the 90's

Since the 90's are back in full effect - why don't you get four of your best friends together and be the Spice Girls! Mel B, aka Scary Spice, had the best natural hair of the 90's! Her cute, two buns in the front, fro in the back look would be super easy to recreate. Then get a animal print dress or jumpsuit, combat boots, and get your Halloween on! Check out this Scary Spice Hair Tutorial on YouTube.

Be the SUPA-FREAK!!!

For laughs and giggles, you could always go as Rick James. If your hair is long enough you can braid it up for the night or you could buy a braided wig. Hey, it's a cool protective style and you can rock it for the rest of the weekend. Through on some leather leggings, over the knee boots, and a biker jacket, and you WIN! Don't forget the fake mustache!

OMG! Please someone, anyone, be DA BRAT for Halloween! You'll be comfy and warm in those oversized boy clothes, plus you can band your hair and it will be stretched for the weekend. This has got to be the EASIEST Halloween costume for season - and it's cool!

Happy Halloween! Celebrate safely and tag #naturalinNash on Instagram so we can see you Halloween Natural Hair!

HAIR LUST: Loc'd to perfection

OOH - LOOK! These amazing FAUX locs are a great choice for you fall protective style. You tresses can be protected for up to four months AND it's a great way to see if you like locs on yourself. So why not? Try a set of faux locs on for fall 2013!

Ashiya's Hair Diary: Long Hair Must Care

One thing I've realized is I am constantly adjusting to the length of my hair.  As a matter of fact, a large part of my frustration was treating my hair like I did when it was much shorter.  I really do love leaving my new routine of using coconut oil as a leave-in conditioner and when I opted for my last hot oil treatment, I had to do something about the plastic cap struggle.  It was real.  So this happened:

Braided out.

I decided to braid my hair for the hot oil treatment and allow it to air dry as usual in hopes of taming my hair. It's probably just because I had a curl at one point that I can't handle the water constantly running down my face. (Yes, you read that right.  At one point in life, I had a curl. It really happened.)  I was also hoping to add some volume and texture to my locs.  Because they are so small and long, just a small wave can make a huge difference when I wear it down or in simple styles like buns or ponytails.

Unbraided and happy. 

Because I finished up late at night, I sat under the dryer to kick off the drying process and let the braids stay in for a few days.  I would have gotten more mileage out of them if I had braided the front differently.  I did not make it easy to create cute updos at all, but it was a great process for washing my hair and protecting it during the hot oil treatment.

Unbraided and happy.

I'm happy with the results.  I plan to vary the size of the braids next time I do a hot oil treatment to see if I can create a different look.  I've braided my hair many times before, but now I'd like to see how many different textures and patterns I can discover.  I'm enjoying a few more "good hair days" and can appreciate it after so many bad ones.

#naturalinnashville

If you're on Instagram, check out #naturalinnashville to see how creative I can get with this braid out and send me your styling suggestions if you have them!  

Roots & Rhythm: India Arie - "Cocoa Butter"

India Arie gracefully moved past allegations of skin bleaching to release her fifth studio album, SongVersation, last month.  I'm excited I finally have a day to enjoy my first listen.  India is on of my favorite lyricists and in the first release "Cocoa Butter" she sings beautifully,

"I show you my burns, you show me lessons learned.  I show you my scars, you show me works of art.  I show you a blemish, you show me God's not finished.  With every imperfection, you showed me your blessing.  You've got a way of making it all ok."

Yoga Journal featured India on the September 2012 issue and I noticed her turban and thought it was great way to control her hair for the shoot.  As she moved closer to the album release, it seems she's fallen for them again.  In the interview, India shares how yoga helped her find her voice and I heard the influence during a quick preview of the album.

From her album cover to promotional events, India has opted for a vibrant array of turbans and wraps for her hair.  I do love the energy she brings with them, but I am curious to know what is going on underneath. After my first run through SongVersation, I'm sure India will bring me back to the reality that she is not her hair.

If you've had a chance to check it out, how do you feel about India Arie's new project?  Don't forget to share your favorite track!

PRODUCT REVIEW: Aphogee Deep Moisture Shampoo

Some time ago, I discovered that some of the products I used when I had a relaxer, continue to work well for me now that I'm relaxer free. Aphogee Deep Moisture Shampoo is one of those products. From the website:

This creamy formula is enriched with humectants to help retain moisture as well as protein and smoothing agents to improve manageability, shine and softness. ApHogee Deep Moisture Shampoo helps styles last longer and imparts elasticity and vibrancy to dry, lifeless hair. Safe for daily use as well as on extensions, weaves and hair color. 

I've been a fan of ApHogee products for a long time. My stylist would use the two-step protein treatment on my relaxed hair. My hair loves protein, so if your hair is protein sensitve, you may not want to try this line of products. The ApHogee system is designed to aid in giving you hair strength after environmental damage. I often recommend Aphogee products to friends who have color treatments, breakage, and/or dull hair.

Curly Extensions installed using the crochet method

So, I've had my hair in a protective style for a better part of the summer. Using synthetic hair for your installation is great way to cut costs and have a fun style. Extensions are a great way to play with color as well. Above, Amber (our new writer), installed these curly extensions using the crochet method. My hair is cornrowed underneath and the pieces are intertwined to achieve the fullness and style I wanted. But with using extensions, you must remember to take care of your REAL HAIR. That's why I turned to the ApHogee shampoo.

The formula is EXTRA moisturizing and I knew it could get within each cornrow, cleanse the hair follicle, and add moisture and softness. Plus, the shampoo smells really good, the formula is super creamy, and washed out easily without leaving residue. And, ApHogee Deep Moisture Shampoo is suggested to use on synthetic and human hair extensions! GENIUS! I follow-up with Pantene Natural Conditioner and a homemade coconut & castor oil mixture to seal in the moisture. This routine lets me know my hair is conditioned and clean under my install.

ApHogee Deep Moisture Shampoo is available at most neighborhood hair stores and Sally Beauty supply. The price is around 5.99 for a big 16oz bottle. One bottle usually lasts me six months - you don't need a lot to get the cleansing results. I will say that this is NOT A NATURAL shampoo. It has lots of sulfates and a high fragrance. If you are going the more natural route when dealing with you hair, this is not the shampoo for you.

However, if you are open to trying a shampoo with a good mixture of chemical support and natural ingredients, try this product. The formula touts Evening Primrose oil as one if its natural ingredients.

Let me know if you give it a try!

Roots & Rhythm: A Tribe Called Quest - Bonita Applebum

As we settle into the last Friday of the month, let's take another look at a hairstyle we gained a true appreciation for through an artist: braids.

Thanks to Janet Jackson's portrayal of Justice, the "box braids" as I know them, were a must after the release of John Singletary's Poetic Justice.  Were we calling them protective styles then?

Janet Jackson as Justice in braids.

With Regina King as Iesha, both ladies wore their braids in a way that seemed authentic to their characters as well as themselves.  

Iesha (Regina King) and Justice (Janet Jackson) in braids.

Here Janet helped to revive the trend this year with a throw back her classic look from 1993 in an elegant bun.

Janet Jackson.

Regina King chose cornrows for her bun in this recent picture.  Apparently Janet and Regina made a pact not to age in back then.

Regina King

Flashing back to Poetic Justice, memories of the times came rushing back when I remembered Bonita Applebum by A Tribe Called Quest was on the soundtrack.  The best hairstyles and music are always timeless, so I gotta put you on.

HAIR LUST: Protective Updo

We've finally transitioned  into the summer! When I first moved to Tennessee from Massachusetts, I had never experienced heat like the hear we have. It's that DRY heat with a cloudless sky that almost feels like you living on the desert. When I transitioned to the natural life, I realized I could experience more growth if I kept my hair moisutrized and protected during the summer. Plus, I hate when I have hair on my neck! So updos are my friend.

I love the updo this model is sporting. You get to have your hair protected, off your neck, but with a bit of flair in the front. The perfect look for a hot summer day. Enjoy!

Candice's Hair Diary: Weave Preparation

That's right. The title of this hair diary is "weave preparation". And no, I'm not revealing what type weave I will have installed. That will be in a separate post. I will say this... I am slightly
nervous about getting my first real weave.

I've been doing some research and I've seen some things. Scary things. I've seen some things underneath weaves that I definitely don't want to happen underneath mine. I REALLY don't want to be like the pictures of weaves gone wrong that happened on the internet. But, bad things happen underneath weaves when they aren't maintained correctly. I want to get the full wear out of this hairstyle. Also, I want this style to last, but I also want to keep my edges (and all of my other hairs).  So I've been preparing my hair for battle. 

A crown of tucked and pinned twists.
Google really should not have started creating .gifs for me. HA!

I've been doing deep oil treatments, and I've kept my hair oily and moisturized. I've definitely been co-washing more than ususal, and I have been liberal with the amount of coconut oil I use  after cleansing. I have also sprayed with water more often than normal. This has resulted in me walking around with frizzy afro hair, but it's definitely been softer and more moisturized. Plus, I don't have to worry about my hair getting too dry in the recent, hotter temperature. There is still an inch or so of color on my hair and it craves oil and water in the summertime. Also, I've been wearing my hair tucked away lately.

I cross and pin the twists, or just tuck them. This has been a recent go-to
protective style.

Me and my prehistoric friend. Hair STILL tucked. See?
I LOVE my afro but I'm serious about my hair not
falling out.

As of the date of this post I have about 24 hours left until I tuck my hair away for a while. I'm taking extra steps and hoping whatever happens under there is magic and not tragic. But I feel pretty prepared. I've decided to take my hair on one last curly ride today. I'm wearing it big and out. I'm excited about this new hair adventure and I'm going to be even more excited to post vacation pictures when I get back.

Have you had your first weave yet? How did/do you prepare your hair for an install?

CELEB STYLE: Solange rocks havana twists at recent concert

Solange hit the stage at The Roots Picnic this weekend looking totally CUYUTE!!!! The lady responsible for bringing 'Poetic Justice' box braids back in style rocked Havana Twists as a protective style for the concert. The natural hair world was buzzing when images of Solange's new look hit the net.  Do you love her new summer look? Click the link below to see more photos:

Discussion: Why Protective Styles Are Not For Everyone

Protective styles are considered to be an essential part of hair growth. If you are new to natural hair, a protective style is a style that protects the ends of your hair shaft. The ends are oldest part of your hair, so they are the first to become fragile and split or break or knot. When the ends are hidden from the weather, and they receive minimal manipulation and friction, the style is considered a protective style.

Cute. But this is not a protective style.

Cute. The hair doesn't move, and the ends are put away.
This is a protective style.

Although the protective style is chic and adorable, I'm convinced that it is not for everyone. The lady in the protective style picture above has little to no texture to her hair. It has either been heat styled or she has relatively straight hair. Most natural hair looks NOTHING like that without being straightened with a high temperature styling tool. With that amount of heat styling, it defeats the purpose of the protective style. Here are just a few reasons why protective styles may not be for you.

• I'm natural but, I don't know how to flat twist or braid.
• I'm natural but, I can't wear my twists out because my hair shrinks too much.
• I'm natural but, my hair is an awkward length and I can't bun it or pull it up for an up-do.
• I really love showing off the length of my hair. I don't do well with shrinkage.

Now, before anyone begins to insist that all of the reasons above are fickle reasons that anyone can "get over", remember that at some point we all had to learn how to prioritize our hair rules. We all love to look like what we feel is our best self. That's like someone giving you a muumuu to wear 4 days a week. Personally, I never got over the fact that I love showing off the length of my hair. I will wear my twists out, but usually it's tucked away under a beanie hat. My type 4 hair shrinks a ridiculous amount. Although my hair is shoulder-length, my twists barely touch the middle of my neck. And it takes prayer, planning, and a mountain of products to get my hair to lay down for a bun. So unless I spend hours doing fairly small twists OR I heat style before twisting, in my mind I end up looking like young Celie.

I have come to learn and live with my extreme shrinkage (I'd say it's well over 50%). And it used to be a problem for me. I understand a woman working hard to grow her hair but never knowing how long it is because it's always curled over on top of itself. And when you twist it, you have these short, stubby, twisty knobs of hair. Being pressured to leave your hair like that makes you give a side eye to the natural hair community. And now that more companies have decided to stick their hands in the natural hair money pot, there are a plethora of products that claim to reduce or even eliminate shrinkage. I haven't tried a single one of them that work for my hair. The point is, it's okay if you don't like to wear your hair in shrunken twists. It's okay if your twists aren't long enough to pull back or pin up. If you are not funky enough to wear a braided mohawk style, don't. Don't force yourself to look like anyone other than yourself because of your hair.

Cute. Protective. Not for everyone.

This doesn't mean that all of your hair will fall out or that you will never reach your length goals. However, it does mean that you have to be extra generous when caring for your hair until you find a protective style that makes you feel like the best version of you. You should know that if your hair is always out and exposed to the elements, you shouldn't also go home and sleep on a cotton pillowcase, nor should you constantly fiddle with your loose strands. Take extra steps to keep those fragile ends moisturized. You might even have to twist your hair before bedtime. But if it makes you more comfortable in your skin, go for it.

I love seeing this look on women.
But when I try to do this side-bang on  myself, I'm always unimpresed.

The hair rules for natural hair weren't etched in stone on a mountain. This is my opinion, so tell me yours. Have you ever felt pressured to wear your hair in a way that doesn't fit your style or personality?

CELEB STYLE: Brandy rocks a turban

 

Brandy is just my favorite! She's so pretty and such an AMAZING talent - I can't even take it. IN the photo above, Brandy is looking 'easy beezy' rocking a cute turban, embellished tunic, and ultra-mod Celine bag. I'm here for the whole look of mixing hi/low pieces and adding a dash of cultural style. 

We've talked about turbans plenty of times on the site and the turban trend is here to stay. Natural divas have another choice in protective styling as the warm months get close. You can pop on a turban on and add a stylish touch to any look while protecting your strands from sun damage. 

Take a look at the video below for easy turban tying techniques!

Candice's Hair: Annoying Hair and Weave Fails

On the positive side: I recently wore real lipstick in public. Not  lip gloss, not lip glass,  and not lip tint.
Real lipstick color. I was satisfied with myself.

I'm still nursing my color damaged ends. I've said it for months, but sometime soon I will cut off the remaining 1 1/2 to 2 inches of damage. But I am definitely not ready for that to happen yet. I'm being a baby about saving my hair, but within the next 2 months I promise you will see an overly dramatic post as I have the rest of my damaged kinks removed. I've put it off long enough. But on less than stellar hair days I usually keep my ends hidden (like in the picture above).

In other hair news, my hair was SO annoying last month. I was super annoyed that I keep getting single strand knots and that my twist outs were not turning out right about 50% of the time. I was also annoyed that it seemed to take longer and longer for my hair to dry. But I'm having more success nowadays. I've made it my goal to keep my hair stretched as much as possible. I mean, I love a good afro, but it just doesn't serve me well when it comes to meeting my hair goals. And  it's an even smaller deal when I think of my long term goals of school and graduation and my future career. I would much rather be a super-success and have my hair twisted back than be less successful with a FANTASTIC 'fro.

Of course, I'm not putting up the crazy, fuzzy hair days.
I only take pictures on good hair days. Enjoy!

But being honest, I do have hair goals. And I know that keeping my hair stretched will help me reach my hair goals faster. That way, I can rock my super afro occasionally. In the meantime, I've been trying to try some new things with my hair. Below this paragraph, you will see reasons that I won't be sporting havana twists until I get a lot more practice in. Installing extensions is not as easy as youtube makes it look.

I just.... I don't understand how a twist could  turn out THIS horrible. 

So... I will continue working on my weave installation skills. Right now they are HORRIBLE. But maybe one day I will learn to install hair. I'm always open to tips and suggestions. I'm trying to expand my hair options that do not include going to a salon. Am I the only one who is a fish out of water when it comes to extensions? Who is your favorite Youtuber for extension tutorials?

LINK LOVE: Chescalocs' Petaled Loc Fro Tutorial

Franchesca Ramsey of Chescalocs does it again with clear, simple directions that create a complicated look.

The Petaled Loc Fro is not only beautiful, but it could double as a protective style as the winter months approach.  I'm definitely adding this one to the "must try" list.

BABY LUV: Two Strand twists on a 2 year-old, tips & tricks

4 new bows and headbands from Adorably Bowed - she was excited!

Last year, I posted about how difficult it was to comb and style my two-year old goddaughter, Thalia's, hair. She just wasn't down for it! But now that she's a little older it's a bit easier to do her hair. But her mother and I have some tips and tricks to make the experience a bit easier. Below are pics of Thalia's first two strand twist and the story on how it came to be.

This time around, we came with another approach for getting her to sit for an hour while I detangled and twisted her hair. I'd just came from the African Street Festival, and I had a bunch of pretty new bows from Adorably Bowed for her hair. Thalia is all about clothes, shoes, and bows, so these new accessories bought delight to her two-year-old heart. All she kept saying was, "Hair, aunty? Hair!" So I asked her if she wanted me to do her hair and she said "yes!"

Giving a 2 year old a choice is a big deal. She understood that she wanted to wear her new bows, and she knew that she had to sit down for this process to happen. So, we got her chair, put on a movie, and got to work. Moms and dads, you have to put on that favorite movie. That favorite movie will get you at least 15-20 good minutes of detangling time.

Next, you have to get a good dantangler. My favorite detangler (for kids) is Soft & Beautiful Just For Me 2-in-1 Conditioning Detangler (above). The Just for Me detangler is the best detangler I've used for children's hair! It brings shine and really helps to separate any knots or kinks. Thalia's hair is past her shoulders when stretched, but her 4b coils shrink right up to her ears when wet. Braiding her hair causes her to have more knots but 2-strand twists have proved to protect her curls, make the mornings easier for styling, and keep away knots.

By the half-hour point, she was restless. The movie wasn't keeping her attention so I had to resort to another technique: SNACKS! Cookies & Cream Goldfish Grahams and a sippy cup full of juice gave me another 15 minutes to start the back part of her hair. When installing a time-consuming style like 2-strand twists, this is the time to allow you child to have treats they don't normally eat. Doing this makes the experience special and she'll want to do it again.

The last 20 minutes were torture (in her toddler mind)! The snacks were gone and the movie was done. Her brother had went out to play and she wanted to go too. So, I gave her a break. A 15 minute break to go play. I also took this time to give her encouraging words, "You are SOOOO pretty! You hair is gonna be GORGEOUS! Aren't you being a BIG GIRL!" We, then, revisited those new bows. You have to remind toddlers of the goal. She didn't want to sit back down, but we powered through and finished the job.

Another technique I used was letting her twist her own hair. Although her coordination rendered no result, the feeling she had from helping me do her hair was undeniable. She kept saying, "Twist, twist, twist!" and I could tell this simple action was increasing her independence and her confidence. 

So, the whole process took about an hour and half (with breaks and a short crying spell), but we finished. This was the first time she'd had her hair in a style that she could shake. She was swinging her hair back and fourth loving the feeling of her individual twists. Since then, she's been wearing her hair twisted consistently. She even wore her hair twisted for her birthday party at school. I hope this story helps you when you have to braid, twist, or style your little one's hair.