Privacy Policy

At Beads, Braids and Beyond (www.beadsbraidsbeyond.blogspot.com) the privacy of our readers is very important. This privacy policy explains the types of personal information that is received and collected and how it is used.

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If you would like to disable cookies you may do so through your web browser options. Instructions for doing so and for other cookie-related management can be found on the specific web browsers’ websites.

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If you require any more information about our privacy policy, please contact me at beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com

Friendly Reminder

I wanted to remind everyone of the Giveaway I plan to do once I reach 100 followers.

If you're anything like me, you bookmark blogs instead of following them. GUILTY AS CHARGED! Ok, I don't do that anymore! I promise! :) Please follow the blog. The Giveaway is only open to those of you who follow Beads, Braids, & Beyond! Again, it will just be something like some cute hair accessories, nothing major, but hey- it's free! haha

I would like to thank all of the followers we have so far! I truly appreciate it! I would also like to thank those of you who have spread the word about this blog! Thanks so much everyone!

I also made some buttons for the blog. (to the right) Please feel free to use the code on your website!!

Diva Spotlight!

I'm going to add Diva Spotlight to the blog. Basically I will just interview mother's and ask them different questions in regards to their child's hair. What kind of products they use, their routine, to share some pictures. You get the idea!

If you would like to be a part of Diva Spotlight please email me at beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com

Thank You

Also, on to other news, I would like to do a giveaway once I reach 100 followers. Seems like long ways away but who knows? Nothing major, just some cute hair accesories and things like that. Just wanted to let everyone know!

Walmart

So, thanks to Cassie (told you I'd blame you too) I went back to Walmart (very rare, I go maybe once a year) to get some cute hair stuff. I spent almost $30. I got almost 2 packs of everything. Hey, she has a lot of hair! I had to stop myself because I could have easily spent close to $100 on hair accessories. They actually have some really cute, cheap stuff!!



Check them out! You should be seeing some of this stuff in upcoming posts.

A's Hair Care Routine

Routine has been modified- Will be updating with changes soon.

If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to email me: beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com


This post is still a work in progress.

Weekly Washing & Detangling:

• Shampoo scalp 1x per week with sulfate free shampoo. I shampoo her scalp 1x per week whether she has her hair out and free, or if she has a style in. I only add shampoo to her scalp and massage with the balls of my fingertips. Lately I have been using Bee Mine Shampoo, but I use other sulfate free shampoos from time to time. I'm not very picky when it comes to shampoo! As long as it's moisturizing and sulfate free.
• After shampooing, rinse hair and scalp well, then immediately apply moisturizing conditioner to hair. I usually use Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner. I say immediately after rinsing because her hair soaks up water pretty quickly so I want to apply the conditioner on soaking wet hair. Leave conditioner sit for 5-15 minutes (with or without plastic cap) while she plays then do a quick, light water rinse over the hair and begin detangling.
• I start parting (with my fingers) a small section of hair straight across in the back, then tie the rest of the hair off to get it out of my way. The first step in detangling is finger detangling. I finger comb her hair, gently removing all knots and tangles. I smooth my fingers over sections of her hair, if they feel "lumpy" I will focus on that section and gently pull apart the strands of hair. If the strands of hair (or knots/tangles) are not coming apart easily I will rewet the section, add some more conditioner, and gently try to work my way through it. I do not snap the hair apart, which causes breakage. After I finger detangle that section, I comb through with a wide tooth comb, at this point the comb should easily glide through her hair. I then twist or braid (if I have the time) so it doesn't tangle back up and move on to the next section. I usually have about 6 sections total.
• I (usually) rinse the conditioner out (with a large cup) while her hair is braided/twisted in 6 sections. Once again, I do this so her hair doesn't tangle back up. I gently squeeze the braids/twists to remove any excess water or conditioner. If I didn't have time to braid/twist each section then I just rinse the conditioner out of her (detangled) hair as is. I do not towel dry her hair.

This is usually what her hair looks like after being washed and detangled:

• After she gets out of the bathtub we go to her room, I put on one of her favorite shows (Sprout or Noggin) and I begin to unravel one braid/twist at a time and apply a leave-in or moisturizer. We are currently using Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer. I apply about a quarter sized amount (or more) to each section, focusing on her ends. I comb through with a wide tooth comb and braid or band the section. Lately I have been banding. Since I usually wash her hair on Saturday, I like to braid/band it up after washing to stretch it out a bit for styling on Sunday. Banding works much better for us than braiding/twisting each section, it keeps the hair detangled so when I go to style we don't have any of those little "snags" or any knots/tangles, therefore no breakage. I make sure the ponytail holders are not too tight and I only use the Ouchless or No Damage ponytail holders. I find that the cloth covered Goody Ouchless ponytail holders work best. I usually band her hair in 3-6 sections, I leave 1-2 inches out of the bands on the bottom and I braid the ends.

What her banded hair usually looks like after washing and applying moisturizer:

• The entire washing, detangling, and banding process usually takes 40 minutes to 1 hour
• I try to cover her hair each night with a satin bonnet.

Styling:

• As previously stated, I usually wash her hair on Saturday, moisturize and band it after washing, then style it on Sunday.
• She usually has 3-4 styles per month.
• I remove all Ouchless bands from her hair, apply a little more Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer, finger detangle her hair again, then use a wide tooth comb or Modified Denman D3 Brush. I gently start from her ends, working my way up to her roots. Her hair must be stretched and well moisturized for "dry" detangling.
• Lately I only use Bee Mine Curly Butter to style her hair. Whether it's braids, twists, cornrows, buns, etc. Before using Curly Butter I used Unrefined Shea Butter mixed with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil and a little Organic Root Stimulator Lock & Twist Gel.
• Most of the time, I leave her styles in for at least 1 week. Cornrows and box braids can last us up to 2 weeks, box braids can last us sometimes close to three weeks.
• While she has a style in I am sure to moisturize her hair. I spray her styles daily or every other day with Bee Mine Juicy Spirtz and moisturize her ends with Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer or Bee Mine BeeLoved Hair & Scalp Moisturizer each night. I focus on her ends, edges, and nape area. Before using Bee Mine I used Giovanni Direct Leave-in and Unrefined Shea Butter mixed with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.
• I make sure her styles are not too tight. No tight ponytails or braids, etc.
• If you do not know how to cornrow, please check out our Cornrowing for Beginners post.
• My current favorite product for defining her curls (when she wears her hair out) is Blended Cutie Down & Out Styles.

Accessorizing:

• I absolutely love to accessorize her hair! I do try to limit accessories though.
• When I use rubberbands or elastics I soak them in Extra Virgin Olive Oil or melted Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. If I do not have time to soak them I will quickly dip then in and use them like that.
• I am sure not to make any ponytails too tight and I also do not wrap the rubberbands around her ends (when she has beads or barrettes in) too many times, wrapping them a million times is unecssary.
• I try not to keep rubberbands in her hair for too long. Whether they were soaked in oil or not.
• Lately I have been using hair snaps on the ends to hold beads in place of rubberbands.
• I only use certain ponytail holders to band her hair, and I only use certain ponytail holders for ponytails, buns, puffs, etc. All ponytail holders are not created equal!
• Check out this post I submitted to CurlyNikki for more info on accessories and using them properly.

A's Swimming Routine:

• Rinse the hair with water before getting in the pool.
• Apply a light leave-in. Giovanni Direct Leave-in, a little Herbal Essences Hello Hydration, or Bee Mine Deja's Hair Milk. Focus the leave-in on her ends.
• Coat the hair with Extra Virgin Coconut Oil.
• If possible, put the hair up in a high ponytail or bun with ends tucked under.
• Braids and cornrows hold up very well in the water so try to incorporate those at least 2-3x per month during the Summer.
• Cowash (washing hair with conditioner only) with Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner or Bee Mine Avocado Conditioner after swimming. Leave conditioner in for 15-30 minutes, sometimes longer, with a plastic cap. I will continue only shampooing 1x per week (see above regular routine) unless I feel it is necessary to shampoo more often. I will let you all know if anything changes.
• I am going to try to incorporate a deep conditioner (specifically made for deep conditioning) 1x per week. I will keep you all posted.
• Apply Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer to hair after rinsing conditioner out, focusing on her ends.

If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to email me: beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com

Style Gallery

View our Style Gallery on Facebook!

Participate

We love for our readers to participate! We love seeing all of the beautiful hair and styles so please feel free to email your submission at any time: beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com



Subject: Diva Spotlight

To copy & paste: Highlight text, press CTRL + C on your keyboard, then paste it where you want it.

Fill out the questions below. Please Limit 10 pictures, less than 10 is fine but no more than 10. Thank you!

Tell us a little about yourself & your daughter: (example: name/nicknames, age, hair type if you know it, maybe a family picture)

What is your daughter's hair care routine? (example: how often do you wash & style her hair? how long do you leave her styles in? do you do anything special for bed? etc.)

What kind of products do you use on her hair?

Have you ever used chemicals on her hair? (if yes, why? and will you ever do it again? why/why not?)

Can we see a few of your favorite styles?

How did you learn to do all of this?

How does your daughter feel about her hair? Can we see her favorite style?

If you had to share one hair care tip, what would it be?

Subject: Littleman's Lounge

To copy & paste: Highlight text, press CTRL + C on your keyboard, then paste it where you want it.

Fill out the questions below. Please Limit 10 pictures, less than 10 is fine but no more than 10. Thank you!

Tell us a little about yourself and your son: (example: name/nicknames, age, hair type if you know it, maybe a family picture)

What is your son's hair care routine? (example: how often do you style? does he get hair cuts, if so how often? do you do anything special to his hair at night? etc.)

What kind of products do you use on his hair?

Can we see some hair pictures?

How does your son feel about his hair?

If you had to share one hair care tip, what would it be?

Subject: Hair Share!

Please limit 4 pictures each week. Hair Share is posted on the weekend so be sure to have your pictures in by Friday. Hair Share can include any pictures you would like to share. A new style, an old style, all natural, etc.

Contact

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, maybe you would like your product reviewed, or maybe you would like to sponsor a giveaway for our readers, whatever it may be the best way to contact me is through email. You can email me at:

beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com

Other contact info:

Facebook (add us!)

Twitter (follow us!)

Youtube (subscribe!)

About

Miss "A" & "Lil Man"

My name is Nikki, I have two children, "A" (5 years old), and "Lil Man'" (2 years old). After searching high and low for a blog catered to Biracial/African American children's hair care and coming up short I  decided to create my own. I want to showcase a variety of natural children's hairstyles and show other moms that yes, your child does have options. I know some mothers think their children can only wear braids, while another may think their child can only wear a puff, and while that is cute, I don't want you to ever feel limited because your child has natural hair. I truly believe natural hair is the most versatile hair out there. Embrace it, don't fight it.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional by any means. This is a hobby of mine and we use "hair time" as a bonding experience. We talk, laugh, crack jokes, and just have fun.


If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions, the best way to contact me is through email: beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com





If you find the information here helpful and/or would like to contribute to our blog or the kiddos piggy banks, please feel free to make a donation of any amount.

Your donation is not required but is very much appreciated!

Advertise

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Thank you for your interest in advertising with Beads, Braids & Beyond. With your advertising purchase, you will also be added to our rotating list of favorite pages on our Facebook Fan page (21,000+ fans) and receive a Facebook "shout out" once a month. 

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I am currently only doing reviews and giveaways with our advertisers. 

If you would like to advertise with us, please see our rates below.

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Please email me at beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com if you would like to begin advertising. I will also email you a copy of our most recent Google Analytics report.

Thanks for your consideration and support!

The Basics

I wanted to make my first post about the basics of caring for Biracial/African American hair. I want to point out that I am not a professional. Believe it or not, I just learned how to properly care for and style my daughter's hair this year. (Around January 2009) I have done a lot of research on Biracial/African American hair yet I am still learning something new every day. I hope this helps someone out there!

Basic tools needed:

A rat tail comb for parting. I prefer metal. A spray bottle, and a WIDE tooth comb.

Washing:
Wash the scalp with shampoo once a week. No need to apply the shampoo to all of your child's hair. Gently scrub the scalp with the balls of your fingers, NOT your fingernails. Depending on how thick your child's hair is, you may find it easier to work in sections. Try 4 sections. When you are done, rinse the hair and scalp thoroughly.

I personally condition my daughter's hair once a week as well. Many people cowash (washing hair with conditioner only) a few times a week. Whatever works for you.

When you add the conditioner, it would probably be best to apply it in sections. After you apply the conditioner on one section, take your wide tooth comb and starting from the ends comb through, work your way up. Be gentle! Try finger combing first if you have enough time. It makes a huge difference. The more coarse/curly the hair, the easier it is to tangle, tangles = breakage because many people do not know how to get those little tangles out. If you do come across a little snag, I suggest getting it a bit more wet and applying a little more conditioner to the tangle and just try to work it out as best you can. Do not pull the hair apart, it will break off! Detangle the rest of the hair the same way. Next, it is your decision to rinse the conditioner out, or leave it in. I personally use Teri's method of not rinsing the conditioner out. (it leaves A's curls looking great!) Now, you can't just leave in any old regular conditioner, she has a list of recommendations on her website.

Now, you will probably be tempted to dry your little one's hair with a towel. I suggest doing light dabs with a towel, or just go section by section with your hands and squeeze out the excess water.

Time for bed? If your child does not have their hair styled I suggest doing 4-8 big twists/braids in the hair so it does not tangle over night. Have them sleep on a satin bonnet/pillow case if possible. In the morning, take down each section one at a time, grab your spray bottle (which should have a conditioner or leave-in conditioner mixed in) shake it up, spray the section of hair, if you want, add a moisturizer and finger comb that section, or use a wide tooth comb, repeat on each section of hair. This should be done in no time at all! It really saves time in the morning if you do that before bed time.

If you have a style in your child's hair, it would probably be best to take out any hair accesories before bed. (beads, barrettes, bows, rubberbands, etc) I personally do not do that all of the time, even though I should. I'm working on it.

On days when A's hair is down and it needs detangled I just use my handy dandy spray bottle with conditioner mixed in and a wide tooth comb.

On days when I style A's hair I usually soak the rubberbands in olive oil first. (If I even need to use rubberbands)

I usually leave A's styles in for one week.

We currently use Organix Coconut Milk Shampoo, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration, & Giovanni Direct Leave-in.

I currently use Organic Root Stimulator Moisturizing Lotion to style A's hair. (Braids, cornrows, twists) But I recently discovered it has petroleum in it, which can dry the hair out so after this bottle is gone I will no longer use it. I am on the hunt for something new!

Determining Hair Type:
Curly Hair Salon, Naturally Curly, or Blended Beauty

Other Cool Websites:
Tightly Curly
Biracial Hair Care Guide from Treasured Locks
Naturally Curly
Caring for Kinky Curly Hair
Learn to Cornrow *This is how I learned!