Images from the Bootcamp "pilot", August 2012

Hi all! As promised, here are the pictures from the Bootcamp "pilot" last year. We actually took loads, it was quite difficult whittling them down.

Enjoy, and hope to see you at the next one on Sunday.

Whipped Batter samples

 

Oils... pre-branding

The obligatory cupcakes...

...which everyone quite enjoyed, apparently

First everyone had a chance to mingle and settle in

Some of the faces at the event...

Getting down to business: talking through the order of the day, and finding out what topics in particular everyone wanted covered

Any questions?

Talking everyone's ear off

And out comes the cling film. I have no shame!

Showing both how to wash in sections and how to wash in twists

Out comes the cling film again, as I leave the conditioner to marinade

My next victim (Ozzy from the 4Aces) conjures up some Dutch courage with a glass of pink champagne

Gave her a quick shampoo (after DC'ing first) before talking through and demonstrating options for stretching post wash, giving tips on twisting, and moving on to dry styling options

Erm... no Flo, that's not how you use a banana clip

THAT'S how you use a banana clip!

Had a bit of time at the end, so showed a couple of 5 minute styles that can be done with banana clips and bobby pins

Shame we had no black pins

Ah well. Next time

And a great time was had by all!

Lagos natural hair bootcamp this Sunday - May 12th, 2013

Who remembers last year when I referred to a "very public wash day"? I promised to expand later, and while it might have taken almost a year, I always keep my promises!

That day, we were testing out a new format of workshops. After getting feedback from our customers on our past events and other events they had attended, the general consensus was that they would benefit from smaller, more focused workshops so we decided to test this out with a focus group of around 20 of our oldest and favourite customers.

With the help of some very lovely hair models, I talked attendees through building a regimen from start to finish (that's me washing Ozzy's hair in the picture above), and some quick style ideas. I even demonstrated how I wash my own hair, bending over the salon bowl, hence the deep conditioner in public... an experiment best left unrepeated, I think we all concurred.

It was such a fun afternoon, and everyone agreed it was a success. So we have now decided to hold these events every two months, increasing to every month.  Each workshop will have a maximum of 30 people.

I'm pleased to announce that the first will be this Sunday, May 12th. Details as follows:

Date: Sunday, May 12th

Time: 2 - 6:30pm

Venue: Cheveux Beauty Salon, 2 Raymond Njoku Road, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi

Theme: Building your regimen and styling tips, with live demos. 

You will also have the opportunity for one-on-one product consultations, and to discuss any hair issues and questions you might have

Price: N1,000 redeemable against product sales. Includes light refreshments

If you would like to attend, please send an email with "Bootcamp" in the subject and including your phone number to events@thekinkyapothecary.com.

Again, there are only 30 spaces, and they have already begun to fill up through word of mouth, so don't delay in dropping us an email if you would like to attend. It's first come, first served.

Hope to see you ladies then!

(Pictures of the first event up here!)

A little bit of housekeeping on the Kinky blog

Source: unknown

Hi all!

I mentioned there was a lot going on behind the scenes, hence again my lack of blogging. I'm sure I'll be forgiven when we finally manage to get everything sorted here at Kinky Towers. Anyone who's been on our Facebook page or following us on Twitter would have heard rumblings that we're about to open our second concession, this time in Ikeja. Look out for details, the launch is set for June. Also, we've got a couple of events lined up, so watch out for announcements on that too.

Just wanted to quickly point out a number of changes on the blog... apart from the updated look of course. I've hopefully made it a bit easier to navigate now with new tabs for all the "Kinky Hair 101" posts, and our FAQs. I often get asked questions on topics I have already posted about, so I'm hoping this new tab will make it easier to find the answers you're looking for. Also I will be organising blog posts by topic in due course, making it easier to locate old posts you might be looking for.

Finally, I know people have been waiting for some products that have been out of stock for a while. I'm pleased to announce that most of them are on the high seas currently making their way to us, and will be back on our shelves very soon. We also have details on new brands recently stocked or coming in, which I'll post up with the updated price list this week.

Please keep emails etc coming in, I will get back to everyone in due course. And of course orders carry on as usual.

As always, thanks for being such great supporters of The Kinky Apothecary and keeping us busy!

And for anyone who's wondering what's been going on with my hair since you last saw me, update coming up...

Miss us?

Hi all,

I realise we've been silent for a while, but we've been working on a couple of changes to be revealed very soon!

If you miss me, have you liked us on Facebook, where we post loads of kinkspirational pictures every day? Or are you following us on Twitter, the easiest way to get me to interact and respond to questions? If you aren't, why not? Come over and join the party!

Be back on the blog soon.

xx

Valentine's Kinky Shorts, by Geraldine The Great: Softly Swept

Happy Valentine's everyone!

Do you have plans tonight but still haven't decided what you're going to be doing with your hair? Never fear, Geri's back with this great style idea. So whether you've got a hot date or are just hanging with friends, keep reading...  

Softly Swept

If you're feeling particularly kittenish this Valentine’s Day, and you're looking
for alluring hair that offers coy hints of romance or more, take a look at our February Kinky Short!

What you'll need:

Creamy moisturizer

Bobby Pins

Light Oil

Step 1:  On dry to damp hair; moisturize and seal with an oil.
Braid hair into 8 to 12 sections.  You can opt for more sections for defined curls, or looser sections for a fuller effect.  Set braids on cold rods, and set for at least 4 hours.

Step 2:  Coat fingers with oil, and undo the braids.  Gently tease out hair to cover visible partings and to create volume, but be careful to limit frizz.

Step 3:  Sweep hair over to the left, and secure with a pin.  You might need to secure your hair with multiple pins for this step.

Step 4:  Swoop front portion over to the left, and pin.  Pull tendrils of hair down across the forehead to create a sloped finish.  Fix and adjust hair as you desire.

In four deft steps, you'll be eliciting dreamy second and third glances from passersby to your special someone.

We hope you'll love!

And don't forget to hop over to her blog. She's got a recent post with some invaluable tips on Harmattan hair maintenance that you don't want to miss!

Natural Hair Calendars: February

February's Natural Hair Calendar is finally here, just in time for Valentine's. Download yours here!

Natural Hair in the Nigerian Diaspora...Aina

Hello peeps!

The week is really flying by. I thought "hump day" would be the perfect time to introduce our first Nigerian Naturalista of the year, Aina Fadina: model, business developer, and general mogul. Keep reading for her experiences with natural hair. 

Photo courtesy of subject

 
About me
 
I am a Nigerian/American Fashion and Commercial model, Aina Fadina. I also host and produce my online web-series iofafrica, currently in production. Finally, I do Business Development/ Creative Consulting for designers and e-commerce fashion sites. Oh forgot, I manage Dj Chief Boima. A Sierra Leonean/American DJ. I know...Wayyyy too many hustles. That's the Naija in me.

Photo courtesy of subject

I was born in Lagos, and moved to the United States in my pre-teens. Grew up between NYC and Philadelphia. Moved back to NYC 7 years ago.

Photo courtesy of subject

My natural hair journey

I have been fully natural since my sophomore year of College, 1999. (I am dating myself here). I went natural for a number of reasons: NOT because of any militant reasons, or that I didn’t like relaxers, or was trying to make any political statements. I hated sitting under hair dryers, the thought of going to sit at a salon for hours on my weekends, didn’t sit well with me, and needing someone else to help me maintain my hair.

Photo courtesy of subject

I used to bounce between braids and relaxing in High School. Once I got to senior year of high school, I wore braids a lot more due to my heavy schedule. Braids were easier to manage, and I needed my extra 20 minutes of sleep in the morning. I knew how to braid a little, so during my sophomore year of college, I started doing my own micro braids, because I wanted to use the money my parents gave me for my hair towards my clothing allowance. So I knew I had more money to shop. So, it was simply out of laziness, pain of hairdressers, time, and vanity.  As my natural hair grew out, I began to appreciate my curl pattern, and started to learn how to wear my hair naturally. Also, living in Philadelphia, during the beginning of neo-soul music movement with Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, The Roots, Music Soul Child, Bilal etc, I started seeing more black people wearing their hair naturally. There was a small community that was slowly developing, and it made my transition easier.

Photo courtesy of subject

My hair and my work

As a model, my hair changes sometimes daily. For example, when I started in modeling in 2005/2006, my hair was about a really good length. At the time, natural hair was not mainstream AT ALL. I was one of the only few girls that had natural hair working in high fashion. When I say natural, I mean natural hair like mine, not the one you could easily blow dry on the spot or bald.

Photo courtesy of subject

My first/only tragic story was in 2005, when I started modeling in Philadelphia. I showed up to a job (a fashion show), and this woman precedes to blow dry my hair (dry with the “white girl” brush). Let's just say she FRIED my hair. The next day, I went to Duafe Salon, a natural hair salon in Philadelphia, and got a cut. It was that damaged. I started bouncing back and forth between natural hair weaves, my own hair, straight weaves (flat ironing the front), and hairpieces based on what my clients wanted. Also, I had to make myself marketable as a fashion model and commercial model. In the fashion industry, black girls were either bald or wore straight weaves. I was able to pull all these looks off based on my flexibility with my own hairstyles. I know what client likes the clean look, what client the big edgy afro look, the cute commercial mini TWA, the client that loved the long weaves. I had a hairdresser that specialized in natural hair care, one that did my flat iron, and other that made my weaves/pieces for me. So, my hair changes based on what client I am working for. I had to study this. It is a constant battle, but it is part of the equation. It is my job, and I have to do what I need to do to maintain my profession.

 

Photo courtesy of subject

Has it affected me in getting jobs?  I am sure, but it hasn't stopped me from being a "working" model in NYC.  I try to show up so clients don't have to worry about “what to do with her”. Plus, my portfolio shows my diverse looks. I definitely see an increase in clients being comfortable with natural look especially when it comes to commercial work. So, let's hope it is just not a trend.


My natural hair and Nigeria

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When I came to Nigeria in 2006, the comment of my visit was "why don't you put oshe in your hair?” “You should relax your hair, your face will even be finer”. Just all sorts of nonsense. But in my recent visits, I see more people with natural hair, which is nice. It is a lot to deal with when it comes to the heat/humidity, but I make it work. I know when I leave the house, my hair will look a certain way, but 30 minutes later, and sitting in that crazy traffic, here comes mushroom hair. But I am comfortable with the look. Also, I am not going to a 9-5 job, so I don't really care what people think. It is what it is. Due to the limited luggage allowance, I can't carry my products with me. So I get products from Blush boutique, Victoria Island (My sister Bola's store) or get cornrows done there, depending on how long I am staying for. Sometimes I get my straight weaves too.



 


My natural hair challenges

It can be a little annoying because you can't just wash, pack, and go. It takes time to get in your groove and finding out what style and products work for you. But what I find is that it is a mental game. You have to be comfortable. Just deal, love it, and go. Also, I have become addicted to buying products, which adds up financially. And it makes working out a pain in the ass! But hey, you find a way to make it work. People think natural hair is less work, not necessarily. When you chose to go natural, you have chosen a lifestyle.

Photo courtesy of subject

My routine

When work is slow, I keep my hair at about 4-5 inches. I have a great hairdresser that gives me the shape that fits my face, and makes it easier  for me to style on my off days. It is cut in a "mohawk" shape, and that keeps it easy for me to maintain. I trim/maintain cut every 2 months. I do an intensive conditioning once a month at my hairdressers. I am a little bit more aggressive about conditioning in the winter.

Photo courtesy of subject

I try to use only Natural products. Not always successful especially with work. My at home routine includes to pre-treat the night before with a oil scalp treatment concoction ( Jojoba oil, Peppermint oil, and coconut Oil), then wash once a week with Alaffia's Shampoo (found at Whole Foods). I condition with Alaffia's Shea honey nourishing conditioner. I deep condition weekly with Shea Butter Deep Conditioning Treatment. I like the Alaffia line because it is natural and all fair trade, encouraging gender equality. I am all about social Entrepreneurship (this is my only political movement statement). I also sit under a steaming cap.

I towel dry, massage my scalp to ends with melted Naija Unrefined Ori (shea butter straight from the market), jojoba oil/coconut/peppermint mixture. Then I use Jane Carter's wrap and Roll all over my hair, section part, double strand twist, and make into small bantu knots for a few days, then take out the Bantu knots and wear in an afro.

I also Jane carter's wrap and roll to smooth my edges/baby hair as well. and if I want to wear my hair in a funky style the wrap and roll is great to shape and sculpt. Paul Mitchell’s foaming pomade is fantastic for styling as well. My hairdresser also uses Design Essential that works wonders.

When I wear my hair out, I put a leave in moisturizer, and I twist at night before going to bed. Invest in Silk scarfs/hair bonnet. Also, invest in silk pillowcases.

I do try to limit the amount of heat I put in my hair, because when I blow out/ flat iron straight; it changes the tightness of your natural curl pattern. It is all about using the right products, and the hairdresser understanding how to really care for natural black hair. Also, they can't use the same technique for people with bi-racial curls, looser Lebanese/Indian curl, Dominican hair, white people). Our curl pattern is very different, and they have to treat your hair individually.

Photo courtesy of subject

I also use biosil and vitamins (for healthy growth. It sounds pointless since I keep my hair short anyway, but I want healthy growth).

Photo courtesy of subject

My natural hair idols 

I am obsessed with Diana Ross. OBSESSED. Granted it is a wig, but DAMNNNN I love that woman. Have you seen “Mahogany”? That movie is all about hair and fashion. I will also say my dear friend Kemi Awopetu. I think Jill Scott is stunning. Solange is doing her thing. She has been able to create her own brand. Finally, my mom. Growing up my mom had a mini afro, and I have always admired her beauty and style. She used to rock her mini TWA fro with fly ass glasses, and funky ass jewelry.

Photo courtesy of subject

People have asked will I ever get a relaxer? For the right campaign the answer is YES. It is hair, I can cut it off, and it will grow back. I wear my hair naturally, because I want to. I am not trying to make ANY political statement; I just love being natural and living relaxer free. Sometimes it does hurt not to get that job because they don't want to deal with my hair, but it is the nature of my business. You win some, you lose some. Am I opposed to straight weaves? As long as it looks good, as natural as possible, and not crazy looking (for example the 36 inch Beyonce blond weaves?? NO, thank you). No one should walk up to me, and say, "ohhh you are a sell-out". People can chose to do what they want to do with their hair, and how they wish to wear it. 

Photo courtesy of subject

Hair allows you to be somewhat of an artist/artwork. You are a blank canvas, it is your choice to do as you wish, just make sure it looks good, looks healthy, and fabulous. Also, it is the easiest way to change your mood, and the quickest and cheapest facelift/Emergency surgery. Also, it has allowed me to  experiment with colors when it comes to make up, and wearing unique jewelry as well.

Photo courtesy of subject

For more on Aina, check out the Muse NYC website
 
Click here to download one of Chief Boima’s mixtapes