Lady Mika--The Locs Start HERE. (lol) Leaving the interwebs for a while.

Hey LMika! Your braids look great!!! You did them yourself?? Great job! Get some rest and enjoy the rest of your holiday! Holla back, chica!

Curly_Aquarius wrote:MUDDY WATERS!!! Grew up with my grandma and grandpa slow rocking to his blues!! I swear I hear him and Clifton Chenier (Zydeco) in my sleep sometimes.

I love the braids on you Mika!! I wish I could stand extensions in my hair I would so attempt these. You did a excellent job

Thank you CA! They do take a little getting used to, but after a couple of days it's business as usual.

krazy coils wrote:Hey Lady Mika,

Stopping through to say hi and your braids are lovely!

Hey Krazy Coils! Thanks for stopping by.

ktoliver5303 wrote:Your braids are very cute. I understand how you feel with sitting down non stop for 12 hours. I would have been watery eyed tired by now.

Thanks KT. I was actually falling asleep while braiding at one point. But I'd rather do it myself and fall asleep than pay $100+ at a salon and let some strange person put their hands in my hair (and lose my edges to those hands).

CurlsGalore wrote:Hey LMika! Your braids look great!!! You did them yourself?? Great job! Get some rest and enjoy the rest of your holiday! Holla back, chica!

Hey CG. Yep, I did them myself. I just can't bring myself to trust a stylist in my hair anymore, so I do practically everything myself now. Although, I'll have to find someone to start my locs for when I hit 30. (Even though I can probably do that myself once my hair gets long enough... Need more research.) Hope you had a great weekend!

Hey Mika your braids look great!!!!! Do you have any advice on catching the hair and keeping the braids close enough to the scalp so they don't slide out???

Hey LadyM...

You did a very good job on your yarn braids!! Waist length!! WOW...so what do you do with it at night?

KNH

mstokes2008 wrote:Hey Mika your braids look great!!!!! Do you have any advice on catching the hair and keeping the braids close enough to the scalp so they don't slide out???

Thank you! As for advice, the best I can offer is to do the braids on DAMP hair. Not dry, not soaking wet, but DAMP. You can stretch your hair with a wide toothed comb depending on its length while it's damp, and get closer to the scalp. Or, you can LIGHTLY blow your hair out (which I've never done, but if the hair is partially stretched, it'll make "anchoring" the braids a little easier). A way I use of measuring how close you are is to use your fingertip: if you can fit your entire fingertip between your scalp and the beginning of the braid, you've got too much room. If you can't get it in there at all (or if you can get it in there a LITTLE), you're good. Try to wait about a week before styling your braids; your will be a little tense for the first few days. Hope this helps!

KinkyNappyHappy wrote:Hey LadyM...

You did a very good job on your yarn braids!! Waist length!! WOW...so what do you do with it at night?

KNH

Hey KNH!

Thank you so much! At night, I spray my aloe grow mix, my KCKT mix (for moisture) and oil my scalp with castor oil, jojoba oil, and a few drops of Rosemary oil (in a 4oz applicator bottle). I wear a satin scarf--tied loose--around my head to bed. When I get up, I do the same thing: spray, spray, oil and go.

I like the braids! And I went back and read some of your recipes. I'm trying to use up some of this stuff sitting in my cabinets so I'll definitely be giving this a try.

LadyMika wrote:Just dropping in to post pics of my yarn braids, since I know a few people were waiting to see them.



I typically pull the front away from my face so I can see. But it makes a simple, but professional look for work.



Tired Ol' Stink Face. (12 hours of braiding non-stop. I was dead tired.) Just like the FIRST set I installed last October, these are WAIST LENGTH. I can do more styles with this length than I can BSL.
I'll post about the regimen I'll be using after I get some sleep. I am
KAPUTSKY.

Good night everyone.

Your braids are dope!! It reminds me of Janet Jackson's braids in Poetic Justice! My plan was to do braids this holiday weekend but I chickened out, I did not want to do my hair all weekend! So good for you!! Do you plan on spraying your braids and scalp with the Shea Aloe Gro mix?

Wow Mika! Your braids look great and after 12 hours! Whew! I don't think I could have made it. Kudos to your patience! I have none! I attempted mini twists and after an hour- gave it up. Can't wait to see your styles!

Juices-n-Berries wrote:I like the braids! And I went back and read some of your recipes. I'm trying to use up some of this stuff sitting in my cabinets so I'll definitely be giving this a try.

Thanks for stopping by! Let us know how your mixes turn out.

poeticlyspkng wrote:Wow Mika! Your braids look great and after 12 hours! Whew! I don't think I could have made it. Kudos to your patience! I have none! I attempted mini twists and after an hour- gave it up. Can't wait to see your styles!

Thanks! Believe me, I was tempted to go to sleep with my hair half done. But it was either get them done NOW or keep putting off finishing them (which I have done before). I'd like to see you sport mini-twists! I think they'd look very nice.

CocoEuro wrote:

LadyMika wrote:Just dropping in to post pics of my yarn braids, since I know a few people were waiting to see them.



I typically pull the front away from my face so I can see. But it makes a simple, but professional look for work.



Tired Ol' Stink Face. (12 hours of braiding non-stop. I was dead tired.) Just like the FIRST set I installed last October, these are WAIST LENGTH. I can do more styles with this length than I can BSL.
I'll post about the regimen I'll be using after I get some sleep. I am
KAPUTSKY.

Good night everyone.

Your braids are dope!! It reminds me of Janet Jackson's braids in Poetic Justice! My plan was to do braids this holiday weekend but I chickened out, I did not want to do my hair all weekend! So good for you!! Do you plan on spraying your braids and scalp with the Shea Aloe Gro mix?

Thanks and yes, that's my new nickname at work. "Hey Justice, what's up??" Silly co-workers. Yes, I spray my hair with the aloe gro AND my KCKT mix (water, Knot Today, and essential oils). I also oil my scalp before bed. I should post a full regimen on this like...today. While I'm doing next to nothing for now. Damn my laziness.

Hay Lady M!

How was your weekend? Your hair looks fab. I've never tried yarn braids, I always use synthetic hair. I don't see the purple, did you do the highlights? And since you did waist length, how do you keep the length out of your way while sleeping? Do you put it in french braids or anything?

FemmeFox wrote:Hay Lady M!

How was your weekend? Your hair looks fab. I've never tried yarn braids, I always use synthetic hair. I don't see the purple, did you do the highlights? And since you did waist length, how do you keep the length out of your way while sleeping? Do you put it in french braids or anything?

Hey Femme!

Thanks for stopping by! My weekend was pretty good. I had to work yesterday, but it was no big deal. My job caters for federal holidays, AND I get TIME AND A HALF. Can't beat it with a stick. I actually didn't do the highlights this time. I just went for a natural look for this set. I can always take out a few and replace them with the purple (a bit tedious, but doable), but for now, I like the solid color. I pull them back into a single ponytail with a Goody elastic band and wear a scarf on my head. When I shower, I just stuff the pony into a satin bonnet.

Girl, you need make yarn braids your side hustle cause you are good at it Mika! I was thinking about after I finish my degree(s) to take a class at being a nail tech because I can acrylic my own nails and did my daughter nails with tips and her friends were asking me how much I charge! I really enjoy doing nails it is some much like art! I think if I do get certified I will def make that my side hustle.

Curly_Aquarius wrote:Girl, you need make yarn braids your side hustle cause you are good at it Mika! I was thinking about after I finish my degree(s) to take a class at being a nail tech because I can acrylic my own nails and did my daughter nails with tips and her friends were asking me how much I charge! I really enjoy doing nails it is some much like art! I think if I do get certified I will def make that my side hustle.

Thanks! I've thought about it, but I can't fit the time into my work schedule. I work weekends, which is when everyone will want to get their hair done so it's not feasible. But, over the next six months, I'll be changing jobs anyway (because I'm going back to college next year) so I may be able to fit something in. Nails are a BIG side hustle: you should do it! Especially with the young girls, you know they love to look cute all the time. I've thought about doing nails too or becoming a makeup artist. Meh, we'll see what the next six months bring.

LadyMika wrote:

Curly_Aquarius wrote:Girl, you need make yarn braids your side hustle cause you are good at it Mika! I was thinking about after I finish my degree(s) to take a class at being a nail tech because I can acrylic my own nails and did my daughter nails with tips and her friends were asking me how much I charge! I really enjoy doing nails it is some much like art! I think if I do get certified I will def make that my side hustle.

Thanks! I've thought about it, but I can't fit the time into my work schedule. I work weekends, which is when everyone will want to get their hair done so it's not feasible. But, over the next six months, I'll be changing jobs anyway (because I'm going back to college next year) so I may be able to fit something in. Nails are a BIG side hustle: you should do it! Especially with the young girls, you know they love to look cute all the time. I've thought about doing nails too or becoming a makeup artist. Meh, we'll see what the next six months bring.

Girl you work weekends! O.M.G. I would die if I had to work weekends again, when I was in retail I worked weekends and that killed me everything I wanted to do was on a WHAT??? You guessed it Weekend! But anyhoo, I really should stop being so flighty and take some classes as a nail tech. I could make BIG dollars in just two days of work. If I every do tho' I might donate some of my time to doing women in the shelters nails for job interviews. We(You and me) should DEF look into this Mika!

Hello ladies!

I was planning on going into Union Square to go to Trader Joe's, but
that got nixed because 1) didn't get up early enough and 2) got
sidetracked by going to the grocery store. No loss, it'll be there
another day. Besides, I need to curb my spending until payday.

Sunday will mark the first FULL week with my braids in--but I WILL NOT
wash them on that day. I'm going to extend the wash until Tuesday, my
usual wash day, and just wash my hair with the braids in TWICE. Right
now, Gypsy is too short for weekly washing, and the braids will slip
right out. I've already re-braided a few. However, I do believe the Aloe
Gro IS doing its job (as well as the low-to-no manipulation): my edges
are filling in like CRAZY. Little spirals are popping up every day. I can't wait to see what my hair will look like after I take
these down.

As for washing, this is what I'm going to do:

--Cleanse with my black soap OR diluted castile soap (which I've done
before).
--CONDITION. Yes, you can still condition your hair while it's in
braids. In fact, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it. It'll restore some moisture to
your hair and scalp that it may not be getting from regular spraying
with a mix.
--WRING/SQUEEZE excess water. I somehow end up with water in my yarn
braids ANYWAY, so I wring them out first in the shower, starting from
the bottom and working my way up. Then, I squeeze them with a towel and
wrap it around my head for about ten minutes to soak up any water that
may still be at the roots.
--Spray Aloe Gro & KCKT/Yes To Cucumbers mix (more on that after
wash day).
--Oil scalp with mix of Castor oil, Jojoba oil, and Rosemary essential
oil.

I did this routine the last time I had my braids in, and my hair looked
and felt fresh for the entire month. If the crown and edges looked a
little fuzzy/furry, I simply re-braided them with fresh yarn. (Main
reason why I keep the excess strings.). Since Gypsy is still short, I'll re-braid any that feel as though they'll slip out (mostly along the front, the crown, and the nape). I'll also do this only TWICE, to give myself a break in between washings.

As far as daily maintenance go, it's very simple. I do the same thing I did when my hair was out. I spray my scalp with the Aloe Gro, the conditioner mix, and then oil my scalp BEFORE getting in the shower so it can soak up moisture from the steam. I keep a smaller 4oz bottle filled with the same conditioner mix in my bag in case my scalp looks a little dry.

That's it! Nothing fancy, nothing complicated. In my case, I find that the simpler I keep my hair routine, the happier Gypsy is (and the happier *I* am for that matter!).

Well, that's all for now.

Hope everyone is having a great, COOL afternoon, cuz it's HOT.

Until next time.

Looks like you have a pretty solid reggie while your hair is up. I may come and get some advice from you when I get all braided up!

You got a good routine, I bet Gypsy is lovin it Mika!

hey LMika, girl if you can do those braids im more than sure you can start your locs. Those braids look great!! I need to learn how to do some braids in my hair...*hint hint* someone should do a tutorial

FemmeFox wrote:Looks like you have a pretty solid reggie while your hair is up. I may come and get some advice from you when I get all braided up!

I'm no expert, but I'll try to be as helpful as I can.

Curly_Aquarius wrote:You got a good routine, I bet Gypsy is lovin it Mika!

I did a length check while re-braiding one of the braids today: Gypsy is definitely GROWING.

BrownSkinDiva wrote:hey LMika, girl if you can do those braids im more than sure you can start your locs. Those braids look great!! I need to learn how to do some braids in my hair...*hint hint* someone should do a tutorial

I mentioned it to my boyfriend and he said "Go for it. I think locs would look right sexy on you Love." (Then again, he'd think a potato sack would be sexy on me.) We'll see within the next few months. I'm glad you like the braids! I dunno about a tutorial though. I can barely take a picture. A video? I dunno...I'm video-shy.

I did a length check while re-braiding one of the braids today: Gypsy is definitely GROWING.

Yay, for Gypsy, girl I am so happy for your healthy growth!

Hey Chic!! I missed a lot. Love the yarn braids. Can you pass me some guitar skills? I really haven't picked it up since my dad bought it.

Hey Lady Mika!

So this morning I whipped up a batch of your Shea-Aloe mix minus the Mango butter(didn't have any). I've tried it on my skin and I really like it so far. I will try it on my hair tomorrow. Thanks and have a great weekend!

SheeTacular_Napps wrote:Hey Chic!! I missed a lot. Love the yarn braids. Can you pass me some guitar skills? I really haven't picked it up since my dad bought it.

Thanks for stopping in! And you have a guitar and you haven't been playing it? Don't make me come over there. Seriously though, the best advice I can offer you (besides practicing everyday) is to just pick it up and play around with it. Playing gets easier if you're physically comfortable with the instrument. And of course, play everyday, even if it's Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Every little bit DOES help you get better.

krazy coils wrote:Hey Lady Mika!

So this morning I whipped up a batch of your Shea-Aloe mix minus the Mango butter(didn't have any). I've tried it on my skin and I really like it so far. I will try it on my hair tomorrow. Thanks and have a great weekend!

No problem! Butters N Bars sells mango butter that's fairly affordable. You'll find your mix lasts you a LONG time--I made mine more than two weeks ago and I'm still not even half way through it. Glad you enjoy your mix! Have a great day!