Let's Talk: All about MY natural hair

 So, I have been receiving many questions about my hair's growth and the products that I use. Before I get into what I use, I wanted to do a little background on my hair first. I decided to go natural October 5, 2012. I began transitioning with kinky twists for several months before accepting health over length, no longer clinging to my damaged hair I finally grew tired of dealing with the two different textures, that's when I decided to big chop. I had at least 3 to 4 inches of hair after I big chopped, now in 2016, I have about 11 inches of hair from just keeping my hair regimen very simple.
 

My natural hair journey has definitely been a learning experience full of trial and error. Regardless, I did my research and paid close attention to my hair's wants and needs and these are the products that I use on the daily basis: 

Shampoo: Through my journey, I have learned that without a clean and healthy scalp your hair will not be able to retain any length. The shampoo that my hair loves is the Shea Moisture 10-in-1 renewal shampoo. I love this shampoo because it cleanses my hair and scalp without stripping my hair of it's moisture. It's also a plus that this shampoo is sulfate- free!

$10.59

   When it comes to styling my hair and keeping my hair moisturized I follow the L.O.C method. L- Liquid (water) or Leave-In, O- Oil, C- Cream. The liquid or the leave-in is to put moisture into your hair while the oil is supposed to keep the moisture sealed into your hair. Lastly, the cream is only used for styling purposes being that my go-to style is a twist-out.

I purchase most of hair products from the Camille Rose Naturals line. I stick by these products because my hair responds very well to them and also I know that most of the ingredients in these products are NATURAL. I try to avoid putting products in my hair that contains harsh chemicals.

 $13.99

Leave In: Camille Rose coconut water leave-in detangling hair treatment.

Target- $6.99

Oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil to lock in
the moisture of my hair. I have used olive oil since I first began my natural hair journey so this is definitely my staple.

(left to right) Camille Rose Almond Jai twisting butter- $15.29, Camille Rose Moisture Milk- $13.59, Camille Rose Algae Renew Deep conditoner- $17.99

Cream: I use the Camille Rose Curl Love Moisture Milk and the Camille Rose Almond Jai Twisting Butter. There's no particular reason why I use two different creams I just simply like them both. Both are great for moisture and maintaining styles.

Deep Conditioner: As you can tell the key to natural hair is MOISTURE and deep conditioning is a must for my curly tresses. I use the Camille Rose Algae Renew Deep Conditioner.


I hope this helps those who have been asking me about what I use in my hair. I would also like to add that these are products I have purchased with my own money and I have been using these products for years. I am not saying these products are the cause of my hair's growth, these are just products that help me retain length. There is a DIFFERENCE between hair growth and length retention. If you are considering going natural, it's best that you find which products work well WITH your hair. Most importantly, going natural is an all around learning experience so enjoy all steps of your journey and never be discouraged! If this was helpful to you make sure you share, comment (yes, I am friendly^_^), and Follow!  Also, stay tuned for my next blog post on my tips on keeping your hair healthy to ultimately retain length. Until next time. -Keke

Stylin' it up with Keke: Bombers&Booties event!

About two weeks ago, I went to the Bombers and Booties event. During the event, I was able to network with fellow fashion bloggers in the city of  Detroit and of-course the required attire was bomber jackets and booties! Since I love fashion so much, I thought I'd tell you all about what I wore the night of the event! Enjoy!

Dress from Forever 21 ($32) Shoes from Pay-less ($30)

I'm the type of fashionista who loves to plan way ahead of time of what I want to wear to an event so I was set on wearing a dress. The type of feel I wanted to go for was dressy meets street so that's why I decided to go with this black dress. The dress is my style because it is simple yet it has little details that make it stand out from the rest! This little black dress is from Forever 21 and it was thirty-two dollars. This dress is sleeveless and body-con like being that it hugs to your body. The dress overall has an elegant look to it and you can dress it however you want if  the all around elegant look is not what you want to go for- which is what I did. I bought these super cute black booties with golden detail from Pay-less about 3 years ago for thirty dollars. They are made of suede material and the heel is a wedge so they were super comfortable to walk in.

Bomber Jacket from Clothing Obsessed Company ($40) 

Bomber jackets are definitely in for this fall season so even if the attire wasn't bomber jackets and booties, I probably still would have worn a bomber jacket anyway. I love bomber jackets because it gives a nice touch to any outfit. I paired this jacket with my black dress because I love the copper color it has plus the golden detail in the jacket matched the golden detail in my shoes perfectly! If you want to go for that effortless street look I suggest adding a bomber jacket for sure! 

Earrings from H&M ($12)

These triangular-shaped gold and black earring were my go to for the evening. The details in these earrings are the reason they should worn with an updo.  I did not wear an updo the night of the event and I regret it because  having your hair down simply does not do these earrings justice!

Necklace from Charlotte Russe ($10)

Who loves statement necklaces as much as I do? I bought this statement necklace from Charlotte Russe about six years ago and the necklace is still in great condition! I have to admit this necklace is my staple necklace, I pair this necklace with just about any outfit to make it POP! 

That concludes my outfit details of what I wore to the Bombers and Booties event. I enjoy getting dressed up and of course I love to share my own personal style with others! I hope you all enjoyed this post and make sure you are following my blog to stay updated on what I post! Until next time! -Keke

Undefined

There will come a time in life where you are constantly labeled and placed in boxes without your approval. Being labeled has simply become a way of life, unfortunately. People love to come up with their own ideas of how one should speak, dress, act, etc. in order to be ‘perfect’. We are simply living in an unrealistic illusion where every being on this earth is not perfect yet some love to take it upon themselves to teach you how to be perfect? Constantly being told you have to change the things that make you who you are is just a bit overwhelming- okay not a bit overwhelming, very overwhelming!

 Change is inevitable but it has to come naturally. No one can teach you how to change yourself, only you can! You have to take time out for yourself and decide on what you feel needs to be changed from within. From my experience, changing for others instead of yourself has never been beneficial in any way. Often times, people will tell you to change things about yourself to benefit them while passing it off as if they are looking out for you! I have personally vowed to never change for anybody other than myself because of that reason but that’s not the only reason. Another reason is because I simply wasn’t happy about it. I felt as if I wasn’t able to truly be myself; I was being something I was not. 

Honestly, you will learn in this game of life, there is only a small percentage of people who truly have your best interest at heart. Another thing you will learn is that the only person who would truly look out for you through thick and thin is YOURSELF! I refused to be labeled by other’s standards and in the process I not only learned to accept myself but I was also inspired to make a movement for myself as well. A movement in which I identify myself as being undefined. I no longer live by other’s standards and I no longer entertain anyone else’s opinion on me and the things that I do unless I feel it is beneficial for me. Self-reflection has taught me to love myself unconditionally no matter what! 

Photographer: William Britton

Most importantly, self-reflection has taught me that I am NOT perfect and like everyone else, I am a work in progress. Finally putting your foot down and not submitting to being what society wants or feels you should be is a BIG step. You will most likely be misunderstood and even hated but if by me staying true to myself is what will trigger hate in others, who needs the love? All in all, it is up to the individual to figure out if being free from society’s standards is worth it to themselves or not. Will you lose yourself or will you be undefined?