Getting Creative with Box Braids!

Guest Blogger, Aisha shares how she styled her daughter's box braids for the first two weeks of school while still being creative!


Day 1: Freshly done box braids.


Day 2: Curled box braids.


Day 5: Half up, half down curly box braids.


Day 7: Headband with loose curls.


Day 8: Bun


Day 8: Later that night, before bed. Cornrowed box braids.


Day 8: Top view


Day 9


Day 10: Removed cornrows for the crinkly effect.


Day 12: Two ponytails


Day 13: I decided to start taking her braids out. Since I made her box braids kind of small, it will take awhile to take them down completely. I removed the braids in the front and decided to do cornrows.


Day 14: Box braid out.


Day 14: Back view

Winners of I LOVE My Cotton Candy Hair!

Now is one of those times where I so wish everyone could win. I enjoyed reading each and every one of your comments, they were very touching. Thanks so much to those of you who took the time to enter the giveaway and another big thanks to Nicole Updegraff for this wonderful giveaway!

The winners are...

who said...

who said...

who said...

Congrats to all three of you! Please email me your mailing address along with your childs first name by October 1st. beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com

For those of you who missed the I LOVE My Cotton Candy Hair book review please check it out here.

You can purchase I LOVE My Cotton Candy Hair from Amazon.

Giveaway: Three Signed Copies of I LOVE My Cotton Candy Hair!

Win one of three signed copies of I LOVE My Cotton Candy Hair!

Guest Blogger, Aisha recently reviewed a new children's book called, "I LOVE My Cotton Candy Hair!" It is the first release in a new children's book series which aims to foster a love of reading and a love of self by introducing stories that champion the principles of absolute self love and acceptance. The author has generously offered to give 3 signed copies away to our readers.

You can check out the book review here.

I love these types of books for our children. I feel like they really send a positive message and reinforce to our children that they are beautiful just the way they are, cotton candy hair and all.

I would like to thank Author, Nicole Updegraff not only for the wonderful giveaway, but also for writing this book for our children.

Enter the Giveaway:

• You must follow Beads, Braids & Beyond. To follow the blog simply look to the upper right column. There's a little button that says "Follow". Easy peasy!
• Leave a comment telling me who the book will be for and why you would want this book for them.

Example: I follow BBB and the book will be for my daughter, A. I really want this book for her because I think it will reinforce that she is beautiful just the way she is. -Nikki G.

That's it! Please only leave one comment.

Three winners will be chosen on September 22nd, 2010 using Random.org

Good luck! Another big thanks to Nicole Updegraff. Check out her website here.

Two Three Strand Twisted Ponies

I was very short on time this morning so I did a quick 5 minute style for school. Although this is a quick style, I adore this look on little girls! 1-2 thick twisted ponytails is cute and age appropriate. :)

Instructions:

• Start with completely properly detangled, well moisturized hair. I used Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer to detangle her hair.
• Part hair from ear to ear. Gather your top section in to a side ponytail and do a three strand twist. Use ouchless ponytail holders to tie off your ponytail and hold the ends of the twist.
• Place back section in a ponytail and do another three strand twist. All done!

Side Twisted Bun

We decided (at the last minute) to go to a Hispanic Festival over the weekend so I did a quick style on A. I simply gathered her hair in to a side ponytail and did a large three strand twist then wrapped the three strand twist around the ponytail holder. I used three bobbypins to hold the bun in place and added some korker bows.

We had a nice time at the festival. A was up out of her seat dancing the entire time. A photographer took the photo of the kiddos below. Although Lil Man wasn't in a picture taking mood, it still came out nice. Don't mind the quality, I took a picture of the picture with my camera, lol.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Hair Share!

I want to thank you all so much for continuing to send in pictures for Hair Share. I've gotten so many great pictures that I decided to split them in to 2-3 posts so if you do not see your photo here then check back next weekend. :)

If you want to see your pictures here next weekend then please make sure you send them in! Click here to see how you can participate.

Kristen sent in these pictures of her beautiful daughter, Avi.



Side ponytail with Bee Mine Lusious Moisturizer & Jam


Dry double strand twists with Bee Mine Curly Butter




Kristen also sent in this picture of her younger daughter, Ava. Pictured on the left with her Bee Mine Products and on the right with Bee Mine Curly Butter & Bee Mine Juicy Spirtz in her hair.


Guest Blogger, Aisha, sent in these pictures of this gorgeous style done on her daughter, Anisa.








Dionna sent in pictures of this cool braid-hawk style she did on her friends daughter.




Dionna also sent in these pictures of her cute god daughter, Jayla. This was the first time she had given Jayla cornrows.




Janice shared this style (connect rainbow ponies) done on her American Girl Doll. Check out Janice's blog here.


Last but most certainly not least, Kimberly sent in this fabulous style done on her daughter Shiloh. A mix of bantu knots, cornrows and box braids.






Once again, thank you all so much for sending in pictures! Keep 'em coming!

She Wants to Comb Her Own Hair

A has been very interested in learning to comb her own hair lately. Her cousin was over last weekend and asked A if she combs her own hair. She replied, "No, my mama will teach me." then her cousin went on and on about how she combs her own hair.

A thinks all the "big girls" comb their own hair. She thinks she's a big girl so decided to give it a try. Pictured above are the end results.

Looks like I will be working with her a little more on the combing. I'll let her give it a try next time we wash her hair.

Still...I'm a little sad that she wants to comb her own hair. lol Does that sound silly? I knew it would happen, but not this early. I am happy she is showing interest in caring for her own hair though.

For those of you with older girls, how did you teach them to properly comb their hair?

Half Cornrows with Three Strand Twist Out

Instructions:

• I placed A's freshly washed hair in 10 large single braids for a day to stretch her hair out a bit.
• The next day I took the braids out and added a generous amount of Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer to her hair. I finger detangled a bit then used our modified Denman Brush.
• I parted her detangled hair from ear to ear then tied the back off to get it out of my hair.
• I began parting with the end of my metal rat tail comb at a slight slant starting on the right side of her head. I added a little Bee Mine Curly Butter and cornowed that section.
• If you do not know how to cornrow, check out our Cornrowing for Beginners post.
• After cornrowing the first section I split the top section of hair right in the middle, then began parting at the very front of the middle part. I continued to part down at a slant and cornrowed that section.
• I then parted about an inch back from the second cornrow, once again, at slant.
• I continued parting at a slight slant until I got to the middle of her hair. I parted those sections a little more straight back.
• I went to the left side of her head and did the same exact thing.
• I also want to note, as I finished each cornow, I braided about half an inch down.
• After I was done cornowing the top section, I gathered the first three cornowed sections on the right side of her hair, sprayed her hair with a little water then added a little Bee Mine Curly Butter and began doing a three strand twist with those three sections.
• Click here for our three strand twist video tutorial.
• I went to the left side of her hair, gathered the first three cornows on that side, and proceeded to three strand twist those sections as well.
• Since the other cornrowed sections were a little larger/thicker, I simply wet each section, added the curly butter, and three strand twisted each section alone.
• I then took down the back of her hair, sprayed it with a little water and started grabbing large sections to twist. I did not use a comb for these sections, I just used my fingers.
• In the morning I took her three strand twists out and she got a nice, soft and fluffy twist out! I took a wide tooth comb and fluffed the roots up a bit and she was all ready for school!

Total Styling Time: 1.5 hours


Here's what her three strand twists looked like after sleeping on them. They flattened out a bit because I didn't put them up.




Anyone notice anything different in this picture?


She had a great day at school.