Introducing... [&] by SuzieCurlMichael: An All Natural Body & Hair Care Line

Needless to say, it has been a long time since I’ve posted a blog… But I’ve been busy in the lab (insert, conscious rapper voice here). I’ve been painstakingly researching, mixing, remixing, testing (and repeating), for the past few months developing what has become  [&] by SuzieCurlMichael (pronounced And by SuzieCurlMichael): An all natural line of multi-purpose beauty products designed to nurture your body & hair naturally. 

Been So Looooong (Mystikal Voice)...

The first time someone mentioned to me that they hadn’t seen a Suzie CurlMichael post in a while I thought, “You’re right! I need to post something soon.”

When the second person asked me whether I was still writing my blog I replied, “Of course! I have a few things in the can.”

When my straight(haired), and curly(haired), and male(haired), and vanilla(haired), and chocolate(haired) friends alike began asking what was going on with my blog time and time again, I realized that I needed to devote some time to consider why I hadn’t been writing…

OUT OF STOCK… But Not Out of Options

I believe that I am nothing if not loyal (to a fault at times). I am loyal to my soil (thank you E-40). I am loyal to my friends. I am loyal to my family. I am loyal (and here is where fault begins to rear its head) to my hair products. Since I big chopped in 2008 I have been a faithful user of the Hair Rules line (see my review of my favorite Hair Rules products here). I’ve maintained that there wasn’t a thing in the world that could gently cleanse my hair like my Hair Rules Daily Cleansing Cream. Nothing quenched my curls like my Hair Rules Quench Conditioner. And nothing could whip my curls into shape like my Hair Rules Curly Whip.

On The Road Again... Traveling While Curly

Preparing for a trip brings about a laundry list (oh boy, I almost forgot that I had to do laundry) of items that need to be done prior to heading for the airport. This Thanksgiving my family and I headed to the east coast to mix it up with our east coast fam-bam. While my cousin perused her menu taking names of who was making their famous whatnot, and my mother called time and time again to tell me about the deal she got on a new sweater and her east coast winter worthy boots, I stared at a shower, cabinet, and vanity filled with products that were not going to make it past TSA without confiscation. As my anxiety began to rise (DARN YOU whoever decided that a quart sized bag of 3.4 oz containers was a reasonable limitation to impose on Curly-travelers) I had a “let go and let flow” moment. I pulled out my luggage, unzipped the expander, and began packing the full-sized quantities of my products. I was not going to let “The Man” and his Anti-Curly National Security Regulations get me down.

A Tale Of One Transition...

Once Upon A Time… (No, too Disney)

It was all a dream, I used to read Word-Up magazine… (Nope, too gangsta)

It was a stormy night. You know the kind when the lightning strikes? And I was hanging out with some of my artsy friends… Ooohweeoooohweeeoooo (Hummm… That sounds about right... Now Playing Appletree by Erykah Badu)

Product Review: The Ebonnet by EboniCurls

When Ray Charles sang, “You know the nighttime (night and day) is the right time (night and day) to be (night and day) with the one you love” I am sure that he didn’t have The Huxtables… or my Double Lined Charmeuse Satin Bonnet by EboniCurls in mind. But, what I love right now (almost as much as I loved The Cosby’s in the 80’s) is how this bonnet has changed my Curly-life.

My nighttime hair regimen is as integral to the health of my hair as my daytime no-pooing, conditioning, detangling, hennaing, so my hair can grow regimen. However finding something to protect my hair from my curly-drying cotton sheets hasn’t been easy…

Product Junkie… I Know You Are But What Am I?

Product Junkie |ˈprädəkt ˈjəNGkē| n. a person with an obsessive compulsive habit of trying and collecting new hair products.

As the daughter of a bona fide Product Junkie I cannot help but worry if my aimless perusing of the beauty isle, adding more and more items to my “must try” list, and ever growing shopping cart containing natural hair products at Amazon are signs that I am headed for trouble.

How Do I Love ACV? Let Me Count The Ways...

Throughout the years Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) has been touted for a multitude of uses such as a digestive aide, weight loss enabler, silver cleanser, and salad dressing component. My first experience with shots (shots shots shots shots SHOTS SHOTS, EVERYBODY! – LMFAO voice) came at a very young age when my Aunt Gladys would offer up a shot of vinegar as a preventative measure after I consumed fish just in case I happened to have swallowed a bone while I was throwing down. While I am no longer a toddler at risk of asphyxiation by hidden fish bone I have recently found another way for this miracle potion to save my life... One curl at a time.

Here Come The Curls… Wedding Day Hair Edition

Weddings are joyous occasions that bring with them their fair amount of anxiety. Achieving the perfect “Wedding Day Hair” is up there with finding the perfect dresses, securing a venue, finalizing the guest list, and choosing those all important dance songs. 

I had the esteemed pleasure of serving as a bridesmaid in one of my best (and longest) friend’s weddings this past weekend. Wedding Day Hair Anxiety (WDHA) set in almost immediately. Would I straighten my hair for the big day? If so, would my curl pattern be forever changed and I be left with permanently straightened (and scorched) strands? If I wore my hair curly would my curls cooperate under the pressure of such a special occasion? I know I wrote that I have stopped trying to control my curls in They're Gonna Do What They're Gonna Do, Baby but on this day, I really, really, REALLY needed them to behave (and obey).

Hair Rules Review (The "Special Offer" has Ended)

Living the Curly (Curly, Curly, Curly)… Liiife requires a certain amount of dedication. One moment of weakness can set you back weeks, months, and sometimes even years. One trip to the salon to “see” how long my hair was when straightened left me with strands that just wouldn’t get curly and right again. One long weekend where I abandoned my nighttime braiding and satin head wrap ritual left me in single strand knot city. A week (or two) without a deep conditioning session and my hair reaches desert level dryness with frizz to match. This year, I made a commitment to my hair: I was going to maximize its care so that it could reach its maximum potential.

My newfound (or re-found if I am being totally accurate) commitment has led me to explore new products, invest time in new processes, and express appreciation for my hair by treating it with my best possible care… While I have stumbled upon some new practices (such as The Pre-Poo) that have left me (and my mane) forever changed… there are some things that just don’t require fixing. My commitment to Hair Rules (yes, Hair like H-A-I-R and Rules like R-U-L-E-S) is one of them.

Have You Pre-Pooed |pre poo ed| Lately?

Pre-Poo |pre po͞o| v. To treat your hair with a mixture of moisturizing conditioner and/or oil prior to shampooing or co-washing.

We all have our tell-tell signs that we need to take a moment away from the hustle and bustle, that is life, and get our ship back in order. For some of us the sign might be the laundry piling up. When someone asks you, “is that shirt new?” and you “hmmm and ahhh” because you don’t want them to know that you have resorted to pulling clean clothes out of the “For Goodwill” bag. For others it’s a stranger writing, “wash me” across the back window of your car because it is way past time for you set a date with the carwash. My “pause for the cause” indicator rests atop my head.

My hair is, at times, reminiscent of a baby in need of a nap. When I’ve pushed my curls to their limit they revolt in extraordinary ways and none of my attempts to band-aid the situation (applying additional product, co-washing, head-banding, twisting-out, or braiding-out) are going to mask the inevitable freak-out my tresses are preparing to unleash on me. In moments like these, my hair won’t hold a curl, twist, crimp, or braid, it tangles at the drop of a dime and shrinks to the teeny-weeniest of afros. When my hair refuses to compromise any further, I know its time for a special session. One of the easiest ways to bring my curls back into alignment is with a good old pre-poo.

Introducing: “The Becky” |THē bek-ee|

Perhaps the most frequently asked question about my hair (other than, “can I touch it?”) is: How do you achieve those perfectly coiled curls? While straw sets, twist outs, braid outs, and finger twists are all methods I have employed at one time or another, my daily go-to is a tried and true wash ‘n’ go… A 6-step style I have affectionately nicknamed “The Becky” (|T͟Hē bek-ee| n. a convenient hair style completed while in the shower. Also known as a "wash 'n' go").

A Vitamin (or 5) A Day… Helps Your Hair Grow Long & Pretty (read: |pritā|)

“Take your vitamins” and “drink lots of water” are words of advice often given to those trying to achieve optimum health, skin, hair, and nails. I have found that my vitamin regimen is at its best the weeks leading up to my annual appointment with my doctor (aka my eat meat, take your vitamins, get on birth control, nope too late you better have a baby now, iron supplement pushing medical professional).

They're Gonna Do What They're Gonna Do, Baby

The BIGGEST lesson of my curly-journey (|kərlē ‘jərnē| n. The course of exploration, awareness, and acceptance one travels through as related to their hair) is realizing that my hair is going to do what it’s going to do. The mantra “let go and let flow” often comes to mind when I am faced with a finished style that leaves me a little underwhelmed (to put it mildly). People often look at my hair and think that I’ve got it made. They say, “It must be nice to just wake up and go” or “your hair must be so easy to do”… Not exactly.

Birth of a Blog...

I cannot count the number of times a random passersby has stopped, chased, touched, over-talked, interrupted, honked at, (did I say touched?), yelled at, questioned, complimented, pointed at, praised, smiled at, stared at, and TOUCHED (yes, again) me JUST to tell me something about my hair.

They like it.

They love it.

They want to know how I do it.

They ask how long I’ve had it.

They wonder what’s in it.

They touch it.

They ask to touch it (some people… sometimes).