How I Retwist My Locs + How I Style My Protective Style

This post is not sponsored, however it may contain affiliate links. I may gain a commission if you shop through these links. These views and opinions are my own and I will always give an honest review.

Hey dolls,

Today I’m finally going to share how I retwist my locs, and the products that I use to get the job done.  Disclaimer: this is my first video so please bear with me regarding the quality and editing. I’m sure that I’ll improve as time goes on but you know, we all gotta start some where.

There are pros and cons to DIY loc retwisting. The cons for me are that the more my hair grows, the longer the wash, condition and retwist process as well. Trust me when I tell you that it does not necessarily become less time consuming with practice… because MOOAARR HAIRRR! Lol. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to tackle all this hair when I need to, but it ain't gonna wash, retwist, or style itself.

The pros for me outweigh the cons, especially when I’m in the mood to DImY.  I save money. I know what is being used on my hair and scalp. I honestly do not feel pressured to style or wash my hair every two weeks (when I’m not working out).  There's no one to get mad at but myself if my hair isn’t done the way I like, and because I don’t like being mad at myself… you see where I’m going with this. Maintaining my hair myself has also given me an intimate knowledge of my hair and what it needs from day to day. It's also been a learning experience. If I don't treat my hair with love, it wont be healthy and this will show - a lesson that applies to life in general.

I go as in depth and detailed as I possibly can (given my novice status with video editing). In this video I share:

🌸 My retwist method:  Spoiler alert: I palm roll! I get as detailed with this as I can, and I also share tips on how to minimize stress & tension on the hair which can lead to breakage.

🌸 My special retwist method for my edges: My method is not necessarily revolutionary, however I’ve found my method to help keep the strays in the loc and not flying everywhere (can we say edges laid). If you like gelling down your baby hairs I have to let you know right now, my method ain’t for you.

🌸 An easy protective style for locs, and a couple suggestions on how to style that protective style. IT’S A LOC STYLE INCEPTION!!!

Please bear in mind that this is how *I* reloc my hair.  This is what works for me and my type & texture hair. Watch the video and check out my product list.

Retwist Product List:

🔼Scunci Hair ties: http://amzn.to/1YQH8jn 

🔼Goody hair ties: http://amzn.to/1Ud6xon

🔼Large Hair clips: http://amzn.to/231G7GC

🔼Small Hair clips: http://amzn.to/1YQGYJ2

🔼Spray Bottle: http://amzn.to/1YQGToD

🔼Fruit of the Earth 100% Aloe Vera Gel: http://amzn.to/1YQHruA

🔼Nature’s Essential "My Everything" Oil: http://www.naturesessentialoils.net

🔼My homemade oil mixture: I'll do a post on this soon

Uneven Double Buns... Whatevs!

What’s your favorite product to use for retwisting? Leave a comment below.

*This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. This means that I'll earn commission if you purchase on Amazon through any of the links in this post. My reviews and recommendations are based on my honest opinion and experience.

Must-Have Items You Need to Cop This Black Friday/ Cyber Monday Weekend!!

This is a short list of must-have items you probably don't know you need. They are gifts that keep on giving! I've fielded numerous questions relating to all the products I mention below, so this post is long overdue.


Q: What do you use to retwist and style your locs?
Fruit Of The Earth Aloe Vera 100% Gel for Sunburn


Ok clearly it's not July for us here in North America, so I can imagine you'd like to know why the hell I'm recommending a remedy for sunburn. I promise it's not a cruel joke. This alcohol-free gel *is* good for relieving sunburn, and calming the sting of mild burns and irritations. It's also exceptionally great for retwisting and styling #locs #naturalhair. I usually mix it with a few drops of hair oil before retwisting my locs, and I find that with normal maintenance and care my style can hold for 3-4 weeks at a time. . . Not that you should go that long with a style, do what works for you.

If you're looking for a rock solid hold that sounds like you're knocking on someone's car window when ever you touch your head, which usually means dry hair due to the presence of alcohol, this is not for you. I've never had an issue with this product flaking either. So if you're looking for a good restyling product, try this.

Q: What other healthy stuff do you use a magic bullet for besides drinking your vegetables?
Magic Bullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender Mixer System


You've probably seen at least one Nutribullet commercial by now. I'm all about the convenience and efficiency of a liquified serving of veggies and fruit. Even if you aren't into exercise, incorporating Nutribullet recipes into your diet by replacing one or two meals a day can get you on the right track to healthier living. You can even try out the Hamilton Beach Personal Blender,
 a more affordable, less powerful option. But what I really love about the Nutribullet are the endless possibilities. Feel free to browse through my Instagram for smoothie recipes. Here is another idea for your Nutribullet:

A wet seasoning mix that you can store in the fridge for about 6 months. Try blending these fresh ingredients: garlic, onion, basil, thyme, mint, scallion, a fresh spicy pepper like scotch bonnet (optional, ground black pepper or cayenne powder may be used instead), basil, parsley or cilantro, oregano, a couple Tbsps of water to keep mixture moist, finely ground sea salt (to taste - you can always mix in more at the end, a pinch of clove (optional). This is easy to whip up when we run out of our Bajan Seasoning at home and need something to tie us over. Feel free to add other favorite herbs like rosemary, fennel, turmeric, dried chilies to experiment. Try to use as many fresh herbs as possible. The benefit of making your own seasoning is that you know and control what goes in it. This seasoning is great on meats, fish, in soups and sauces.

Q: How do you get your makeup to look on point but still look natural?

Like this?

Maybelline The Nudes New York Eyeshadow Palette


A significant part of my au naturale makeup is due to this palette. If you follow me on Instagram you already know how I feel about this palette. It really is EVERYTHING! I've been using The Nudes for over 6 months now and I have absolutely zero criticisms of this palette.


- This palette is suitable for all skin tones. ALL. And is great on dark skin from cocoa to coffee bean and beyond.
- Mattes and shimmer for day to night, or subtle to glam.
- Great for travel. Literally the only palette you need when travelling.
- If you're creative, resourceful, and really into packing light, you can highlight and/or  contour with select shadows in this palette. I really can't rave enough about it.

Q: What are you using on your face?

Dermatouch Natural Skin Care Skin Perfecting System:

This is my #1 Black Friday recommendation. Why? Because it's effective, it actually rotates, it does the same thing as the hundred dollar spin brush systems, DOESN'T COST $100, and it works! I use this spin brush religiously to exfoliate my face, and alternate between the soft and firm brush heads depending on what my skin needs.

Frankly, every skin type can benefit from exfoliation. As a matter of fact, the brush pictured is the men's brush, which is basically the brush ... in black. Fellas, exfoliation is essential to diminishing ingrown hairs, keeping your skin smooth and your facial hair situation looking and feeling good. #beardgang membership stays intact.

If you've been looking for a spin brush to test before you splurge on an expensive brand, simply can't afford to splurge (no shame there), or if you are doubtful whether an exfoliating brush will work for you, this is a good place to start.

My Bonus Recommendation? My oil cleansing recipe to improve skin found here. This oil cleanse recipe works well in conjunction with regular exfoliation with the Dermatouch, to help fade blemishes.

Have you tried any of these products? Leave a comment and share your experience.

From Good to Baaaddd Ass Kicker Circuit Work out

Hey loves,

Every Wednesday/Thursday I go to the park & do circuit training with an awesome workout partner that I met through a Facebook fitness group for women only called From Good to Baaaddd. It's a safe space and supportive community with women at all levels and at different points in their fitness journey. No men allowed because we post pics and speak about lots of health concerns specific to women. This group gave me the motivation to get up, take control of my life and take fitness seriously.

If you're interested in joining shoot me a message. But anyways, this week my workout partner couldn't make it so I had to get my juices flowing and create a workout for myself. Below is the result. Feel free to download & add it to your regimen and let me know how it goes. Also feel free to adjust for your level of fitness, just remember to go hard!

7 DAY AFFIRMATION CHALLENGE

Hi Lovers,

I hope all is well with you! The last year or two have been difficult for almost everyone I know in one way or another. However, what we all seem to be in general agreement about for this year is that 2012 is the year of betterment, progress, success and accomplishment. This is the year that a positive attitude, stick-to-it-iveness, and hard work join forces and make all your dreams a reality.

So today I want to share with you an affirmation challenge that my bff (entrepreneur at Fierce.12 ) came up with to propel our progress.  It’s simple and easy to begin with – a week only requires 7 days of commitment – so I urge you to tweak it to fit your needs or schedule for the week, as in this case what is most important is that it works for you.

We chose a week to pace ourselves. I am often guilty of overextending myself and jumping in head first and trying to do too much too soon. But what I have learnt is that it is important to be ambitious but also be realistic in an optimistic way. Yes, step out of your comfort zone and push beyond the limit, but in a situation where small victories lead to big success it is important to know how to set yourself up to win. So here goes:

THE 7 DAY AFFIRMATION CHALLENGE

• Write/create 10 positive affirmations about your life –  career, business, relationships, goals, etc.

Positive affirmations are positive present tense statements. A good way to start is to imagine life or a certain aspect of your life the way it would be and how you would feel, once certain goals are reached. Think about things that you wish to improve upon and goals that you are working towards right now. Write a statement that embodies a truth about that future state you wish to be in. e.g. If you are shy or sometimes suffer from social anxiety and would like to be more outgoing, your affirmation may look something like “I am a joy to be around” or “People are drawn to my energy and find me interesting.” If financial success or independence are goals you wish to have in the future (whether through business, or more responsible personal financial behavior) your affirmation may look something like “I am a money magnet!” or “My wealth lasts generations beyond me.” 

• Make your affirmations visible and easily accessible.

It’s the power of paper/hard copy. Print your affirmations and tape ‘em to the wall, next to the bathroom mirror, save ‘em to your smart phone notes app, or email them to yourself.  A good tip is to set an alarm on your phone reminding you to read your affirmations.

• Each day, take the time to recite and visualize/meditate on your affirmations. 

I promise it’s not as hard as it sounds. This doesn’t require an hour, half hour, or even 15 mins of your day. You can take as little as 5 mins and attribute 30 secs to each affirmation (I’ll be doing the 5 min focus). If this is too much for you, feel free to tweak it. However, I highly recommend that you allot at least those 5 mins to visualize, or recite the affirmations. Why? It’s great to recite the affirmations and even commit them to memory, but visualizing is great because it can function as a sensory road map for your goals. When you really get into the process of feeling what it would be like to be where you want to be, to the point where you can almost taste how real it is, it connects the rest of your energy to what is happening in your mind.

Tip 1: My bff recommends twice a day: once first thing in the morning, and again the last thing before bed.

Tip 2: If a number of your affirmations are focused on building self esteem, confidence, or decreasing social anxiety, try reciting your affirmations while looking into the mirror. During the morning grooming process is a really good time – two birds with one stone ;-). 

•  Invite someone to participate in the challenge. 

Share affirmations with each other, and check in once a day, like a buddy, to see how it’s coming along or just to remind them of their commitment to the challenge.

When the week is up you can challenge yourself to continue for another week if you so desire. They say it takes 28-30 days to form a habit, and this is as good a habit as any to form.

My buddies and I are starting the challenge today Monday April 23, 2012. Feel free to start along with us or on any day you choose. If you decide to participate comment below and let us know, and share one of your affirmations if you so desire.

Peace & Love,

Nikita

This is my Confession... Kinda

Hi Lovers!

I hope all is well and you are feeling fabulous for 2012. It has been way too long since I posted here and I wanted to share why – as a way to keep myself in check, a cathartic experience, and because I love you all.

I’ve spent too much time tinkering with this post but I have to just let it flow. Bear with me.

For the past 7 months I have been present and absent all at once. I have, admittedly, neglected my business with La NomRah to some degree. I haven’t designed or created anything new in these past six months. I’ve thought about all the things I wanted to do, steps I wanted to take and projects I wanted to complete but I simply could not manage the personal demands and demands of business the way I had imagined I’d be able to.

In October 2011 I relocated temporarily. It was something I knew I’d have to do; actually I volunteered to do it. Yet still it was a surprise. It wasn’t a choice to relocate that comes when you fall in love with a person or place and envision a picture perfect life there for the rest of your existence. No.

The opinion of some involved was that I wasn’t “employed” so I was a best fit to go to MD. My opinion was that since I could travel with my business, going to MD to help however I could was a no-brainer.

So I moved to Maryland to care for my aunt who was diagnosed with a rare case of MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) Lymphoma, a non- Hodgkins Lymphoma, a form of cancer.

MALT is so named because it typically manifests as an infection of the mucosal tissue that lines many organs in the body, commonly caused by a particular bacteria, and most commonly occurring in the stomach. It may also affect the lungs, thyroid, bowels, salivary gland. Bacteria induced MALT may be treatable with a course of certain antibiotics. MALT also typically manifests in a particular area, almost like a cluster. (Source)

Being my aunt of course she had to go breaking all the rules. Her case was rare because:

·         at 42 she was way younger than the typical age of onset , 60.  

·          My aunt’s manifestation of MALT was not the typical kind caused by H. Pylori bacteria and so was unresponsive to antibiotic treatments.

·         My aunt’s case of MALT did not just manifest in the stomach, she also had cancerous areas show up in her intestines.

When she first called and told us of her diagnosis I remember sitting for hours on the toilet, staring into space, with “Why?” on repeat in my mind. I sat on the toilet for so long that I lost all feeling in my ass cheeks. 

Any one close to me will attest that I am not the crying type, but I was crying myself to sleep at night, bursting into silent tears behind my sunglasses on NYC public transportation while listening to Jay-Z and Kanye rap about their hip hop opulence; and there I was sitting on my friend’s stoop one sunny summer afternoon on a quiet street in Harlem ugly crying . . . in front of him. Real. Visible. Tears. Sobbing. Runny nose. And worst of all no tissue.

To say the least I was having a hard time of it, and yet weeks passed before I was able to bring myself to call my aunt, to simply ask “How are you?”

It sounds selfish, and it was. This fact was something that I was able to acknowledge once I moved to Maryland. I watched as something that was happening to one of us, became something that was happening to all of us. We (my uncles, mother, cousins, and I) were each trying to work out how we were going to deal with this individually..

What I later realized was that this selfish reaction was to be the first in a long list of “Things they never tell you about Cancer” (a whole other blog in itself).

Ultimately it is the fragility of life, a bitter pill that is hard to swallow, that is plastered across your everything and forced down your throat. You start to think of death as a real thing… not just something that happens to someone else, or another family,

The mental process was difficult for me. I’ve always been the person who never asked for help; the one who was skeptical of expressions of empathy that come across as pity. Neither of these attitudes helped as I opened up to people who tried to be supportive.

I was angry. Just mad as hell! When you say, “my loved one was recently diagnosed with cancer.” And someone responds with “I’m sorry, (insert more apologetic /sympathetic/empathetic/pity speech here” what does that really do for your loved one? How does that actually concretely fix your situation? Well that’s what internalized anger and frustration sometimes looks like – internalized passive aggressive thought at its finest.

I observed that while we as a family were eventually able to come together to form a band of support for and around my aunt, and each other, this joining forces (almost like an episode of Captain Planet) was only able to happen when we got a grasp of the bigger picture - that dwelling on things we have no control over was not just pointless, but counterproductive.

Anger doesn’t allow you to accept all the love and support that may be there for you because you are so wrapped up in being mad. Looking for someone to blame is always an option, but when that person doesn’t exist… what then?

I’ve learned plenty about myself and my family as individuals and as a unit over these past few months. Not to be cliché but we are closer now than ever; still a family with ups and downs, but closer none the less.

If I had to tell you anything I learned from this experience it would be:

·         We are all stronger and capable of way more than we give ourselves credit for.

·         Do not wait until a tragedy or illness to reconnect with loved ones. Pick up the phone and just call.

·         Self-care is of the utmost importance! You cannot be there for others if you yourself are not well

·         Find at least 1 thing to be grateful for everyday. Then, thank the Universe/Source/God for that thing.

My aunt just had her follow up surgeries done a week ago and soon enough we’ll know for sure if the chemotherapy was successful.

In the meantime I’ll do what I can …maintaining a positive attitude about the outcome.