OOTD 24

OOTD of the week!

If you are interested in seeing more of my fits before it’s here (brirosecurly) follow my Instagram: @brirosecurly. Details are in the post below. Enjoy!

Top: Bodysuit Forever 21 (something similar)

Shorts: Windsor Store

Shoes: Macy’s (something similar)

Thanks for reading!

Bri Rose

June 28, 2019June 26, 2019 by brirosecurly

5 Tips to Save on your Grocery Trips

Anyone else have hungry hippos for children??? I do!!! And feeding them on a regular basis can become quite expensive. What if I told you that there are ways to cut your grocery expenses down. I’ve tried this method out for a year and it legitimately works for me, so there is a chance that my method may work for you as well. Here are my 5 tips to save on your next grocery trip.

1. Plan your Meals

This step is the biggest way to save you some coins! Print a calendar for the month, write down the biggest meals for each week (breakfast, lunch, dinner).

Example;

Breakfast: eggs, sausage, grits

Lunch: grilled cheese, apple slices, chips

Dinner: bbq chicken, broccoli, rice

Snacks are last on my list and majority of the time they are healthy choices (fruit, and veggies).

2. Read the Sale Add

Each store has their own sales add highlight the sales for that week or weekend. Circle what is needed in these sales add according to what is on your calendar, pretty simple. Now however majority of the main stores (Sams’s, Meijers, Walmart, and Jewels) have apps that all you have to do is tap the picture on their sales add and it will automatically create a list for you, pretty convenient right!

3. Designate a Certain Amount Per Month

Delegate a certain amount of money per month and do not budge from that amount. If you have money leftover (congrats to you!!) either save those funds and apply it towards your savings, or that family trip or roll it over into the next month for your grocery budget.

4. Start Couponing!!!

This is a new step for me but it is a well needed step. My grandmother was hands down the coupon queen. She had her coupons sorted by categories and then expiration date. In Chicago majority if not all the coupons are in the Chicago tribune paper, or the Chicago Sun-Times (retailmenot). Now though there is an app called Ibotta.

This app can be compounded on top of the coupons that you use, its like having rebates for everything. I just started using this app in the middle of May and I’m already at $12.45.

5. Download Grocery Store Apps

Now I’ll admit I was one of those moms that refused to sign up for store apps. But stores have gotten quite crafty by putting their coupons in their app and if you do not have the app you will not get the coupons. Needless to say I have and entire category of store apps on my phone.

Planning my meals in advance has saved me money, time and has given me patience. I literally use to dread going to the grocery store, but now that I have a game plan in place I do not dread it all. One last tip!!! If you have to take the kids with you, feed them a snack before you go that will eliminate them asking for any type of food and impulsive buying.

How do you save on your grocery bills?

June 3, 2019May 28, 2019 by brirosecurly

Chicago Curl Collective

I recently went to the lovely Chicago Curl Collective located close to downtown Chicago. Now mind you I normally go to my favorite hairstylist Dawn (@designsbydawn_1) to get the usual; wash, condition, flat-iron, and ends trimmed. However, this time I made the BOLD decision to try out the DEVA CUT!!! You might be asking yourself at this point what is a Deva Cut? A Deva Cut is a special technique for cutting curly hair, the cut is executed on dry hair so the stylist sees how each curl will fall and each individual curl is shaped (naturallycurly.com). So I put a PSA on Instagram looking for a stylist in the Chicagoland area whose Instagram or Facebook page I could literally STALK before booking. Luckily a friend of mine recommended Daria (@dariathecurlarist) who happened to also be the owner of Chicago Curl Collective. I stalked her page from August 1st to September 1st eventually booking my appointment for the second week of October.

The Prep

Fast forwarding to the day of my appointment I washed my hair and let it air dry putting no products in my hair so that she could see my true curl pattern as well as the length of my hair. I ended up bringing my daughter along because at the time her favorite happened to sick. The commute was not that bad due to the fact that my appointment was at 11:30 am. When I arrived Daria greeted me right at the door and in the inside I was praying that this salon was not one of those places where kids was not allowed. Luckily it wasn’t she greeted my daughter and played with her making her feel comfortable, she also gave her little tasks to do like washing my hair which was the cutest thing to me and it made me feel comfortable as well.

Daria asked me what shape I was aiming for, I showed her a picture of @jewejewebee whose shape I totally adore! She explained to me that in order to achieve her shape I would have to chop of a significant amount of my hair and that wasn’t what I was trying to do she also further explained that our hair types were different as well as my hair may not fully imitate her shape. She pulled out her tablet and pulled up her pinterest board giving me a plethora of options to chose from. I ended up picking the shape of Jade (@lipstickncurls) because her curls were somewhat similar to mine.

The Experience

The cutting process begin, she snipped my ends which were bad I must admit because I have honestly been neglecting my hair. Daria shaped my curls, then she washed my hair, deep conditioned it for 20 minutes, washed it out then steamed my hair. During the consultation I expressed to her that my hair was extremely dry and I asked her why? She explained that the weather does play a major part in how our reacts. So if its dry and frigid outside your hair will reflect that so you have to add moisture back into your hair with deep treatments that are moisturizing. I asked her a million and one questions ranging from how often should I get a trim, to the proper way of deep conditioning, literally picking her brain apart (lol). She answered every question I had to the tee and didn’t get frustrated with me at all. I sat under the dryer for about 20 minutes after the two products were put in my hair, my daughter finally fell asleep, after my time was up she blow dried the ends. My curls were super defined, I’m talking defined to the point where I have NEVER seen in my entire life off of TWO PRODUCTS!

Would I recommend The Chicago Curl Collective? Highly! I loved the ambience the customer service and my hair.

UNFORTUNATELY they have closed their doors after being in business for a couple of years. HOWEVER Daria (@dariathecurlarist) is still in business feel free to go to her instagram and check her bio out about scheduling.

Thanks for reading!

Love Bri,

June 6, 2018May 28, 2019 by brirosecurly

DevaCut is Not for Me!!!

Welp! This is definitely one of those cases where I learned a super valuable and very important lesson. Everything is not for everybody, and the DevaCut is not for me. Lets start with the basics, what is a DevaCut? A DevaCut is customized to work with your unique curl pattern. The hair is cut dry, curly hair and its spring factor can be misinterpreted while wet. The stylist cuts the hair in its natural form, while dry, curl by curl. This unique innovation allows the stylist to sculpt each client’s hair, according to their individual curl, look, and style because no two curls are alike. (Curltopia).

Now let me be very clear, this has nothing to do the person who did the actual cut. She did a wonderful job, my hair was super soft had bounce, body and definition and it had the shape I was aiming for. However a month or two after the cut my hair did not lay right at all. It looked super gap (ish). The layers grew back weird, it was just a hot mess. I thought at first it was the color that I had, because color can make things look gap (ish) as well. But nope, that was not it because I dyed my hair the all the same color (black, originally had highlights ) and it still looked gap (ish).

After looking at several pictures I came to the conclusion that it was the DevaCut itself. My hair has two curl patterns the back of my hair is looser than the front and the middle. So normally I would cut the back shorter than the front to compensate for the curl pattern difference. I would literally go to the shop just for a trim but would make sure that my hair would have a super blunt cut to where flat ironed it was the same length.

With the DevaCut it is the complete opposite approach. To begin with, your hair is already in its curly state so you can’t possibly get a blunt cut that would be impossible. You’re also instructed to not put any product in your hair so that they can see your true curl pattern. Well…that doesn’t work for me either, because with no product in my hair I really don’t have a defined curl at all.

So with all that being said, I came to the conclusion that I now have to grow my hair out yet again. It’s not fun for me to basically start all over again because I already achieved the length and the body that I wanted. It just sucks because I wanted a shape that could only be achieved by being cut curly, and I was willing to compromise length for the shape but it truly backfired.

This is my starting point yet again. I will be looking for some hair growth gummies, giving myself hair massages at night to stimulate growth (inversion method). I will also resort back to monthly hair length checks, to grow my hair back. No I will not have regular trims (every 2 months) for me I don’t feel like it is necessary to do so at all. I will only trim my hair as needed.

Have you tried the DevaCut? How did your hair grow afterwards?

May 23, 2018May 28, 2019 by brirosecurly

ACV Rinse, The End of Flaky Scalp!

Time to be honest. . . I battle with dry flaky scalp and buildup. I have been dealing with this issue for a very long time, looking for products to alleviate my issue for years (as well as my dad) with little relief. I remember as a little girl scratching my dad’s scalp so I asked him, “hey dad do you still have dry scalp?” And he said “not anymore.” So I asked him what do you use? His response was Apple Cider Vinegar rinse (ACV), and he hasn’t had an issue with his scalp since.

I was genuinely shocked something so simple, so accessible and so cheap, I could’ve been using this method years ago! Now, the only thing I totally despise about the ACV rinse is the God awful smell. At this rate though I rather have a flake free scalp, I will figure out a method to get rid of the smell eventually.

What is an ACV Rinse?

It is a mixture that is used to relieve the scalp of inflammation and dandruff. Some natural queens use the ACV rinse weekly, others every two weeks, others once a month. The usage of the rinse depends on your scalps needs just like any other product. Essentially ACV is an anti-viral, anti-fungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory, that helps the scalp.

The Benefits of ACV Rinse

Restores the natural pH of your hair.
Flattens the cuticle causing the appearance of shiny hair.
Makes hair manageable.
The natural alpha hydroxy acid exfoliates the scalp of build up, dead skin and sweat.

The Mix

It is extremely easy to make a ACV rinse mix, it only contains two ingredients Apple Cider Vinegar and water, that is it!

Two tablespoons of ACV
Fill the rest with bottled/purified water

Directions

Part hair in four sections.
Spray water detangle.
Pour the ACV mix on scalp section by section massaging into the scalp working the mix down to the tip. Or use a spray bottle which I have found to be easier.
Twist the completed section into a bantu knot and let the mixture marinate for 10 minutes with a shower cap.
Rinse hair, and continue with your normal wash day process (shampoo, condition).

*When I deep conditioned my hair the smell was no longer in my hair.

The Results

My hair was noticeably shinier, very manageable and the flakes were no longer existent. I have completed this ACV rinse for the last two months, and after each rinse finishing with my normal wash day plus deep conditioning there was no overly strong ACV smell. Just to ensure that the smell would be nonexistent, I spray my hair with a hair fragrance from the SheaMoisture Collection (Manuka Honey and Mafura Oil on the go Conditioning Hair Fragrance). Or Carols Daughter Black Vanilla Oil Sheen. Both of these items work in hiding any smell your hair has. The ACV Rinse will definitely be a staple in my regimen.

Have you ever tried an ACV Rinse? If you did, was there a noticeably difference in your scalp and hair?

May 8, 2018May 2, 2018 by brirosecurly

Pros and Cons of Goddess Locs

Spring season is finally here! With spring break and vacations planned naturals are looking for protective yet cute hairstyles to last for their trips. Goddess locs, faux locs whatever you want to call them is currently a trending protective hairstyle. So I figured I would give this style a try. I started looking at YouTube videos to see if I could mimic and achieve this style. Fortunately it was not that difficult to replicate. You basically section your hair, braid your hair with the braiding weave that has the type of tip that you want exposed, and then you wrap the faux hair around the braid. Easy to achieve right?! HOWEVER there is a dark side to goddess locs that only one YouTuber exposed, but I unfortunately did not think to google the cons until after I experienced the cons for myself. It was a major reality check for myself, and a valid learning lesson. So lets start with the pros!!!

Pros

Get Up and Go

I work Monday thru Friday and if you include motherhood, I basically work non stop. So having the ability to literally get up and go was literally the best feeling in the world! You can literally change your hairstyle in a couple of seconds without the hassle.

Endless Possibilities of Styles

You can create so many styles with goddess locs. I was on Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram looking up several hairstyles. And the hairstyles are not that difficult to recreate, and it sometimes only requires bobby pins. Very effortless yet beautiful looks can be created with locs.

Gives your Hair a Break

Goddess locs is definitely under the umbrella of a protective style (depends on how tightly the style was executed). Protective styles give your hair that well needed break from the elements that could possibly hinder your hair from growing.

Cons

Time Consuming, Putting In and Taking Down

My patience is very small however it does take a long time to put goddess locs in and to take them out. Make sure you have something to do because either way (taking down or putting in) you will be sitting for more than three hours unless there are multiple people doing your hair.

Hard to Sleep

I love my sleep, but for some reason I found it extremely difficult to sleep at night with this hairstyle. I literally took a long stretchy piece of fabric and put it on my head so that the locs were off of my neck, and I was able to move my neck around freely.

Washing your Hair

Washing my air is a must for me. I have a buildup that just naturally occurs even though I barely use products on my scalp. But washing with goddess locs in was definitely a hassle. You only want to focus on your scalp because the rest of the locs truly do not need to get wet. If your locs do become wet you will literally spend hours trying to dry your hair.

Lint Buildup

I never understood how lint buildup occurred until I put goddess locs in my hair. Just imagine every time you lay down, every time you change your clothes that pass over your head lint literally becomes trapped in the front and back part of your locs. I tried getting it out with a small parting comb and I felt like my hair was breaking in the process, so I stopped immediately.

Tightness

Since I did mine myself I was able to make sure that I was not twisting or braiding to tight. This to me (tightness) is the difference between goddess locs being a protective style or a damaging style. You are paying your hard-earned money, do not be scared to speak up and say something. I’ve literally seen people take pain meds and just wait until their hair “loosens up” aka new growth to turn around and lose patches of hair. Frequently what is next to occur is traction alopecia. Again if it is tight speak up and say something.

Thin Hair After Take Down

My hair is already fine by itself, but after I took out my locs my hair was super thin. Thin to the point where I became concerned with the overall health of my hair. After two weeks of deep treatments and letting my hair literally breathe, my hair finally returned to its regular state.

Again let me just say FOR ME there was definitely more cons than pros. I’m pretty sure my experience is just centralized to me, but I would be remiss to not inform my readers of the possibilities on what could occur when you have goddess locs.

Have you worn goddess locs before? What was your experience during and after (takedown)?

April 11, 2018April 11, 2018 by brirosecurly

The Necessities for a Natural Hair Regimen…

Routines require consistency, and goals to what you want out of your hair. Yes this process will take time, trial and error. But the end result is you learning your hair, which is always a win! So let’s get to it. The purpose of a routine is to see what product work, and what products don’t.

Why set your hair goals?

Youneed goals to have focus and a direction of where you want your hair to grow.

Seasonal Regimen

When the seasons change so should the maintence of your hair. In Chicago the weather is brutual and recks havoc on my hair, the products I use have to be rich in moisture in the cooler months and humidity fee in the hotter months.

The Basics in my Hair Regimen

1. Detangler

Dampen your hair with water and then add conditioner that has a lot of slippage (makes your hair easy to detangle) to it.

2. Cleanser aka Shampoo

I experience buildup and have a flaky scalp, it is essential for me to rid my scalp of any buildup and flakes. I use any shampoo that contains tea tree oil, and the only focus is the scalp. With tea tree oil you will definitely feel the tingle and it soothes any itch you may have. My shampoo of choice is Mielle Organics Babassu Conditioning Shampoo and Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Shampoo.

3. Conditioner

Finding a conditioner that adds back the moisture that was just stripped from it. You want to balance your hair ph back with your conditioner. My conditioner of choice is Mane N’ Tail Conditioner.

4. Deep Conditioner

Deep conditioning in the colder months is a weekly occurance, in the hotter months it is a biweekly occurance. Either way it is needed to repair or moisturize your hair. Deep conditioning is a beneficial step to catapult you closer to your hair goals.

5. Leave in Conditioner

This step is a once a week occurrence to keep the hair moisturized, soft and manageable a very required element in a regimen.

6. Moisturizer

Once you have gotten some of the water out with 100% cotton towel and your hair is semi damp you can add your moisturizer, from tip to root smooth the moisturizer on your hair. Normally my hair is in four sections which makes it easy to saturate all strands.

7. Oil

Depending on your scalp/hair needs at this point oil should be added. I use jojoba oil or almond oil and massage it into my scalp to ensure that my scalp will not become dry. I also apply it to the tips of my hair after my moisturizer has been applied. Adding the oil to the tips seals your cuticles and retains the moisture that you just added, very detrimental.

8. Styler

This step is optional, I use to go without it but now it is a must for myself. Finding a styler took a lot of trial and error and I spent a pretty penny to find what my hair needed. Some stylers are a two in one (moisturizer and styler) so adding a styler won’t necessarily feel like an added step.

Example: Winter Regimen

1. Detangler: dampen w/ water and conditioner

2. Cleanser: Mielle Organics Babassu Conditioning Shampoo

3. Conditioner: Mane N’ Tail Conditioner

4. Oil: Jojoba Oil

5. Deep Conditioner: Mielle Organics Deep Conditioner (once a week)

6. Leave in Conditioner: Mielle Organics White Peony Leave In Conditioner

7. Moisturizer: Kinky- Curly Original Curling Custard

8. Heat Protectant: Aphogee Heat Protectant (if blow drying or using any types of heat)

*Tip: When you are testing out new products (shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, and moisturizer) give it a month. It takes at least 30 days to see the true effects a product has on your hair. Trying out stylers on the other hand is easier and quicker process. If the styler does not do what it promises (cut frizz, add definition) then start looking for another one. I’ve also learned that some stylers work better in different weather types. Since you have already spent the money hold on to it and revisit it when the changes. Also if its possible buy samples! Samples are so much easier to chuck in the garbage, or give it to another natural, see if they benefit from it.

What does your regimen look like? Does your regimen change when the weather changes? What steps would you add?

March 7, 2018March 8, 2018 by brirosecurly

OOTD 23

Sorry to have been M.I.A, but I have ALOT going and I’m trying out new ventures which have pulled me from my first love which is blogging. Now that I have a consistent schedule you will be seeing more of me! To keep up with me feel free to follow my Instagram: @brirosecurly and my Facebook page: Brirosecurly as well. Moving forward as usual the details to my fits are posted below, if the item is no longer for sale I will let you know as well!