The above title should pretty much explain what this post is about. It was also the cute quirky name of the event I was invited to hosted by Motions Hair and their Global Brand Ambassador, celebrity hair stylist — Ursula Stephen. 

In case you don’t know, she’s the hands behind Rihanna’s fabbbuuulooouuus hair. Here recently she’s done the red carpet looks for Kerry Washington and Gabrielle Union. So I was pretty stoked and I will brag and say that I sat next to her. We chatted it up about hair tips, relationships, and we even got a chance to get a sneak of VH1′s Storytellers with Jill Scott before it aired. 

During the event, Motions asked us “When did you first fall in love with your hair?” Check out my video of some of the blogger’s answers and chime in (via my comments) and let me know when YOU 1st fell in love with your hair. 

The post [watch] Curls + Cocktails + Conversations = #MOTIONSMEETUP appeared first on GorgeousInGrey.com.

My natural hair will not get the best of me! This is what I’m chanting to stay away from the creamy crack aka relaxing my hair. You readies know that it’s been a struggle and my naturalistas can relate even more. It seems like I’m constantly trying new product and my curls are always changing — daily.

So I was kinda excited to be one of 10 bloggers invited to a luncheon hosted by Motions Naturally You products and their global ambassador, celebrity hair stylist Ursula Stephens (yep I got to meet Rihanna’s hair stylist). 

After a few cocktails and hor d’oeuvres we sat down for a brief presentation of the new products. The Motions Naturally You collection includes a Moisturizing Cleanser, Smoothing Conditioner, Deep Conditioning Masque, Curl Defining Cream, Curl Hydrating Pudding, and Radiating Gloss (Don’t worry I have extras so I will be doing a giveaway soon). The products will be available in February at Walgreens, Walmart, and online at select retailers with a price point from $6.00-$7.00. We even got to ask questions and we each had a little personal chat with Ursula. Her biggest tip for me was to deep condition my hair, often.  

SO WHAT DID I LEARN.
Whether you’re wearing your natural hair in tightly-coiled curls, loose ringlets, flowing waves or super straight, new Motions Naturally You products are specially-formulated to moisturize your hair with essential natural oils. Embrace the incredible beauty of your natural hair with Motions Naturally You. For more information visit them at http://bit.ly/zxbd4g.

Check out a few images from the event courtesy of Glam Media.

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Q. Don’t be shy, share your natural hair tips below in the comment section.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Motions via Glam Media.  The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Motions

The post [event recap] Motions ‘Naturally You’ Luncheon at the Mondrian Hotel in NYC appeared first on GorgeousInGrey.com.

Every day I walk outside my door and enter the world outside people stare at me. Well, really my hair. Even more so now that my hair is short and currently naturally curly. Although I am kinda use to it, it can be really annoying to catch folks in the moment of gazing at my hair. Some totally deny it and look away the minute I give them a smile. Others begin to grill me with crazy borderline stupid questions that they believe no one has ever asked me before?! So I’m complying a short list of misconceptions about my hair. Maybe people will stop asking me now (doubts!) … 

1. No ma’am/sir it’s not a wig. My hair is really thick at any length. Contrary to what most people think, thick hair isn’t always course. My tresses are super soft and are a marvelous combination of fine and course.

2. To my knowledge I am black, and I don’t have good hair – just manageable hair. I know it’s really hard for some to believe that my naturally curly tresses came from two very brown parents and a heap of really brown aunties and uncles. I was taught at an early age to take care of my hair. Meaning, my mother did not allow me to perm/relax my hair until I was in high school. And I when I did get a perm it was usually at the end of winter and the beginning of summer. My mother actually still practices this routine. She always made me wear a scarf and/or rollers at night (I’m now horrible at this) and I didn’t curl my hair every day. I’ve only had braids ONCE. I’m allergic, lol. And I’ve never gotten a weave. I had those filler track thingees once and I swore to never do that again. 

3. Yep my hair is grey and I damn sure didn’t do it on purpose. About 60% of my hair in the front is grey and it’s been that way since my 20s. No I wasn’t born with grey hair and it’s not my birth mark. It hasn’t been a traumatizing experience for me to go grey either. Both my mother and father were grey at a young age. A few of my aunts are as well. So for me it was totally normal and I looked forward to it. I did dye my hair like every other chick growing up. Red, blonde, black – even a purple(ish) color. But it severely damaged my hair. And since I have a fear of being bald I completely stopped dying my hair 10 years ago on my 25 birthday. 

4. I can’t go natural with good hair. <— Can you believe someone actually tweeted that to me? Are you as confused by this statement as I am? What the —– does that mean. Like my hair isn’t kinky or nappy enough to be natural. Do we really equate natural hair with having nappy hair? Let me guide you back to light of truth. Natural hair simple means the hair hasn’t been chemically straighten. Plenty of girls get their hair pressed out and choose not to wear their hair curly BUT they still have natural hair. Some even sport weaves over their natural hair. Ask Oprah and Beyonce. Sure there are those natural girls who only use eco friendly products, stuff where animals have not been tested and such – but I am not and never will be that extreme. Natural for me just meant I stopped getting those 2-3 perms a year.

5. Because there’s product in my hair, it’s not natural. I know some of you all are thinking where am I getting this from. This was probably one of the biggest twitter debates I’ve had. If I do a wash and go with no product my hair is curly/wavy but frizzy when it dries. I did the BC (big chop) in August, and I have found that my hair is just as complex as my personality. I’m still searching for a product that won’t leave my hair crunchy and wet looking all day. But I think it’s safe to say that most natural girls use some kind of product to free their tresses from daily frizz and for styling purposes. We all don’t want a big 70′s fro.

Q. So tell me, are you a struggling naturalista like me? What’s your hair regimen? And I’m dying to know what silly natural hair myth you’ve heard?

The post Common Misconceptions About (My) Hair appeared first on GorgeousInGrey.com.

THE TASK: No one ever really tells you what to be prepared for when you take that daring leap to transform your previously chemically induced mane into one with a more natural existence. Whether you’re in it to get healthier hair or you’re a trendy diva following the natural hair wave, the results are the same. 

It’s been maybe 2 months and I will be honest and say I’m not SOLD on being natural. Some days my curls are fresh and I love them, other days they’re just not really feeling me and they decide to take a break I guess.

One of the biggest and hardest adjustments was how my overall appearance changed. Because my hair is now much shorter I feel the need to ALWAYS be glammed out with foundation, gloss, and mascara. I absolutely have to have on some type of dangling earrings or a sequin head piece. Without my crutching accessories I feel like a little boy. Regardless of your I LOVE YOUR HAIR comments I’m reminded daily of how much I miss my long tresses. 

THE PRODUCT: In the beginning finding the right product to “enhance” my curls was becoming beyond annoying. But my fav bank teller at Wells Fargo has a similar hair texture to mine and swore by Shea Moisture products. After doing a poll and visiting the beauty supply stores, I realized that the trendy products like Miss Jessies or Kinky Curly were just not in my budget. And beyond that, my hair is thick and takes A LOT of product. It just doesn’t make sense to me to spend $32 for a 16 oz product that I will go through in a week.

So for $11 (sometimes $9) I purchased the Curl and Style Milk by Shea Moisture and I LOVE IT to pieces. I usually buy two bottles at a time so I am never without it, smh!

I also love Jane Carter shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo I brought is a tad bit tingly and I love it! I think that’s the “invigorating” part of it, LOL.

And here’s my hair all combed out (or up) with NO product. I had just gotten out of the shower so excuse the extra bare face & specs! IDK what SLS is but it’s free of it. 

THE JOY: I will say that it’s NOT ALL BAD! I love playing in my little curls all day. Twisting them is such a mindless action that I do throughout the day. It also gives great 2nd and 3rd day hair volume. It’s amazing to me that I have about 20 extra minutes in the morning that I don’t spend on hair styling and nearly 2 hours is saved after washing it since I don’t have to blow dry my hair. My boyfriend plays in my hair now more than ever before now. Which is kinda odd but I still love it. He says he can mess it up and it goes right back to normal, (lies but ok!).

Among all these things, I’ve gained a new community to love. I’m noticed by every natural hair diva I pass and we always share our stories. I’ve got a new set of virtual sisters via #TeamNatural that are always here for support, they keep me abreast on the new products, and they scream what didn’t work. SO for now my decision for natural tresses will stay.

Plus I would feel like a quitter if I gave up now. I at least have to grow a ponytail! 

The post Naturally Me: The Task, The Product, The Joy! appeared first on GorgeousInGrey.com.

Let’s start at the beginning. In April,  I decided it was way too hot to apply more heat to my tresses. Standing in my bathroom under my vanity light sweating like a pig in a sauna. It was just unproductive. I would have to wait at least 30 minutes to cool down before I could apply my face. To top that off once I went outside … POOF! I achieved an instant attitude from the magnitude of frizz I continued to have.

So here we are nearly 6 weeks later and I’ve chopped my hair 3 times. Looking back on it all, I really should have just did the big chop intially but I was a punk. Slightly crippled by my hair, the task just seemed overwhelming. And I am not even sure why, I’ve had short hair before. Albeit I was 22 y/o and 20 lbs lighter.

I am a card carrying “race matters” kinda chick but I never noticed how much my Black culture affected me. I never even realized how much prettier I felt with straight hair. Even with all of the comments and praise from my #NaturalHair fam via social networking, I was almost in tears at the sight of my new short somewhat “nappy” curls. Could those images of skinny video girl vixen models with 24 inch weaves really be affecting me?

I confess that I’ve never had a weave but only because my mother forbidded it and once I turned grey well … the fake (or what they claim to be real) grey hair is uber fake. 

What I learned most about cutting my hair in general (not just doing away with chemicals) was that beauty really is about confidence. I had to learn that nothing about my face or my body changed. It’s just hair, that grows really fast for me. My hair story has taught me to appreciate ME .. all of ME! The bad hair day me. The me with the big pimple (hush up BFF!). The me that loves to laugh but hates when the joke is about me. I really do love me but I forget how much sometimes. So today I promise myself that I will love myself – NO MATTER WHAT! Short hair, long hair, 50lbs less or not.. It’s the only me I’ve got and I love me!!

Q: Tell me … Do you LOVE my hair?

The post I chopped ALL my hair off — NO LYE appeared first on GorgeousInGrey.com.

Back in April 2011 I shared that I was considering going back to my natural hair with plans to eventually do the CHOP! I even gave tips for folks struggling with the transition. Looks like I need to take my own advice now because I feel the struggle!

After leaving The Diva Lounge Monday night with a new product to try I was pumped. I blogged about it … immediately. I left the gym last night, took a hot shower, washed all the nasty icky sweat from my roots and conditioned my hair. The instructions on the bottle are really small SO I kinda skipped them and went straight to applying the product.

I ended up twisting my hair as I was applying the product (which took forever and left my arms achy) because it was the only way to ensure that the product be distributed throughout my head. An hour and a half later I have created little twisty thingees and I am off to bed. I wake up today and after a little blow drying and plucking this is what I have…

I did a little goddess twist on one side and stuck a rose pin on the other. The front of my hair (about an inch of the ends are still relaxed) just wouldn’t curl right?! Which the product claimed to do?!

The back of my hair which is completely natural did curl a lot better. But still not quite what I was expecting. And please don’t ask what I was expecting because I haven’t a clue!

Now… here is my hair straight!

If you know me (or even “sometimes” read my blog) it should be more than obvious which style I love more! BUT I’m a trooper SO I am still on the hunt for the perfect style/product for my hair. No matter what I won’t be getting a perm but I am considering a Keratin Treatment (once I completly understand what it is, and if my hair will fall out O_o … of course I will blog about it).

Q: Obviously I blogged about this sooooo I wanna know what you think of my new hair? Like it, Love it, Hate it, Don’t care? Let me know!!

The post Styled Straight vs Curly appeared first on GorgeousInGrey.com.