Dance Will ALWAYS Be Life

And this is truer than true. No matter how far I have strayed, Dance will always be at the core of who I am.

Dance has taught me more about myself and this world than I can put into one single blog post. 

I'm grateful for the late nights and early mornings. 

For the bruised toes.

For sprained ankles. 

Tendinitis.

Rotation.

Concussions.

(Yes, concussions.)

Blood. Sweat. And literal tears.

For it all.

One thing for sure, dance is not easy. That's not why we do it. There are no easy claims to fame. No fast money. And often times it can be a world full of rejection.

But we are FREE here. 

I say "here" and it can be kind of confusing, being that I don't really study dance any more. I'm not actively taking classes or performing, and to be honest I don't even remember the last time I thoroughly stretched. But every single time a song comes on, I'm moving inside. 

Every time, I want to give up on a simple task I hear the words of all of my former teacher-loves cheering me on; reminding me that complacency never gets cast. 

People who give up don't see the bouquet of roses. 

And that no matter what, you dance through it all.

From house lights to curtains, you leave your entire soul on the stage and for one moment you are both completely empty and drastically full.

For that moment, it is all worth it and you are breathing with your favorite song.

Dance has taught me that perseverance is the only way to make the curtsy worthwhile.

So even when times are tough, when the work is piling, the interviews are plenty, but callbacks are few...when it seems the easiest thing to do is fall and stay there,

Remember that, we have danced our entire life here.

The beauty is coming.

The beauty is here.

It's in the dance. 

DIY Avocado + Banana Deep Conditioner

Welcome back loves!

Alright, so I've taken out my Marley twists, trimmed my hair....and abruptly realized it is MORE DRY THAN DUST. As you all know, I've been on an all-natural journey to cleansing my mind, body, and spirit, but my hair should not be exempt.

We are taking it back to the basics with this easy, all natural deep conditioner that you can make from ingredients STRAIGHT from your kitchen! This particular recipe is inspired by the beautiful Naptural85.

The first thing I do is wash my hair with a sulfate-free shampoo. Then I apply the conditioner.

Here is what you will need: 

1. One Whole Ripe Avocado 

2. One Whole Ripe Banana

3. 1/2 Cup of Aloe Vera Juice

4. Two Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender. This helps smooth the chunks of avocado and banana so that you don't spend hours in the shower trying to rinse it out later. Next, I pour the mask through a small rice strainer and into a large bowl to completely eliminate the chunks!

*The Blender and rice strainer are OPTIONAL. You can always whisk the ingredients together and it will work the exact same!*

Apply the conditioner, generously throughout your hair. Be sure to coat EACH strand!

Wrap your hair in  a plastic cap, or Kroger bag :), and allow it to penetrate your strands for at least an hour. During this time, you can go for a walk, watch some episodes of Grey's Anatomy, or cry about finals LOL.

Once an hour has passed, rinse the deep conditioner thoroughly. I also like to follow up with a rinse our conditioner to ensure that all of the avocado and banana smell is out of my hair.

AND there you have it folks! Soft, Moisturized, and Defined Curls! Comment down below some of your favorite DIY hair product staples. I'd love to chat with all of you.

Until next time!

Stay happy, Stay healthy!

~Naturallykbiggie

Did Someone Say Hair Goals?

Welcome Back Loves!

 I think it's time we sit and reflect on all the good things that can happen in a year. I made the Dean's List. I fell in deeper love with ever single thing around me. 365 more days of my parent's love.

......OH, AND MY HAIR GREW!

 

I am here to show you guys my healthy hair journey since I did my second big chop last May. I also want to share an updated hair care regimen and talk about some goals for 2016! Let's get started!

 

Here Is My Hair Growth Since My Second Big Chop:

Updated Hair Care Regimen Tips:

Oddly enough, I haven't truly been caring for my hair the way I should. With such a busy schedule there were times I didn't sleep with a satin bonnet and  let days and days go by without moisturizing my hair. On top of that, I know I haven't been taking care of my overall health the way I usually do, but luckily I'm trying to get back on track. Hey, we're all human right?!

Here are a few things that I've recently added to my hair care routine:

 

 

1. Aloe Vera Juice

WHY: This has given my curls LIFE, okay!? I keep my Aloe Vera Juice in a spray bottle in the refrigerator up until my time of use. Aloe Vera contains proteolytic enzymes that help repair dead skin cells on the scalp. It also leaves the hair smooth and shinny, prevents an itchy scalp, and promotes hair growth. HOW TO: After cleansing and conditioning my hair, I spray the Aloe Vera Juice thoroughly

throughout my hair and seal with my homemade hair oil.

2. My Homemade Hair Oil

WHY: In the warmer months, I don't like to use heavy products. In fact, most times I spray my hair with Aloe Vera Juice, seal with an oil, and twist/braid on up. I combine Olive Oil (because its the cheapest), Coconut Oil, Flax Seed Oil, and Castor Oil in a bottle. The coconut oil and olive oil are the perfect mix of heavy and light oils that I know will penetrate my hair shaft. Flax seed oil is packed with omega-3 fatty acids and castor oil can help improve hair thickness and rebalance the scalp's ph. HOW TO: I will slap this oil all over my hair as a 15 minute hot oil treatment before cleansing. I also use this after cleansing to seal in my hair's moisture.

 

3. Scalp Massages

WHY: Mainly because college is hard and sometimes you just need a good rub down lol. BUT ALSO scalp massages are a great way to stimulate you hair follicles, encouraging more blood flow circulation. This helps with the continuous growth of new, healthy hair strands. HOW: Using my Homemade Hair Oil, I massage my scalp for about 5 minutes, at least twice a week. P.S. It's GREAT right before bed time.

 

4. Protective Styles

WHY: Like I said...college is hard lol. I know I used to LOVE wearing my hair out, frolicking around campus, but it is easier and way more efficient to rock a protective style. Protective styles allow for either your ends, or majority of your hair to be tucked away from the harsh air and stranger's wandering hands lol. HOW: I LOVE TURBANS, so sometimes I'll moisturize and twist my hair into some jumbo flat twists, slap on a bonnet, and tie up a scarf. I also love Marley twists and Box braids as a form of protective style. Some more easy mid-week protective styles could be a pin up-do, a puff or bun, or some good ole Queen Latifah Set It Off braids. Whatever suits you style!

FAV PROTECTIVE STYLES:

     

So What's Next?
As the semesters ends and I'm able to get a grasp on this life of mine, I plan on getting back into weekly exercise, meal prepping, and of course tons of water. Aside from that, I'm taking this summer for the ultimate self care as I re-center in meditation and prayer.

I plan to:
1. Continue Protective Styling while giving my hair a break in between.
2. Go to a salon and get a really good Trim within the next two months.
3. Invest in a hair Steamer to increase the moisture levels in my hair and skin.
4. Cleanse my scalp at least once a week.
5. Practice Patience and Enjoy My Naps every step of the way!

Share your Hair Goals for 2016 with me in the comments below. As always, thank you so much for reading!

Stay happy. Stay healthy!
~Naturallykbiggie :)