Hola Chicas,
This is so my time of year. I love everything about it… the joy, the giving, the food, the music, the fellowship… and with all the company parties and family gatherings, I have a legitimate excuse to ‘get cute’. So, I’m on the lookout for a holiday hair style. And while I’ll more than likely fall back on my classic Twist n Curl or that new-new, ‘retro french twist w/scarf’, I’d love to try something different! So, whatcha got? Dish below… remember, I’m a bit challenged, so keep it simple!
In the meantime, peep this bantu knot-out I’m rocking today. After dry detangling, washing and conditioning my hair, I made 7 twists (middle part– 1 twist on each side to frame face, 1 twist above each ear, two in the back and 1 at the crown) using Lacio Lacio Leave-in to set. To keep the twists from shrinking, I pinned them… the twists on the right side, I wrapped over and pinned on the left side, and the twists on the left, I stretched over and pinned on the right side. I let that dry for several hours while cleaning and dancing to Ultimate Motown Christmas… get it Donny! Once my hair was about 80% dry, I took one twist down at a time, added a little Dax and tension blow-dried and twisted back up. On a whim, I rolled the twists into knots, passed out, and this is what I woke up to–
Share Youtube vids with your favorite styles!
**headband from H&M, comes in black too!-$5.99**
Nikki, I am so in awe of how you can do your hair "by accident" and it STILL comes out looking AH-mazing!! Thank you for the hair-spiration!
I love your beautiful black hair, I just died my hair black a week ago. I hair long 3C S type curly hair and wear mine in a ponytail alot. I would like to wear my hair out but I feel it is too full and I am still trying to find the right products for my hair. I use One and Only "Argan Oil" and Curls luscious moisturizer.
Hello Nik, your hair is beautiful and I love the bow. But I really love the beautiful shine your hair has and I believe it is from the Henna. I am waiting now for my order to come in for my first attempt at henna (Jamilla the body art quality). Wont lie a little nervouse about the color but will try and pray for good results. Just want my hair to be strong and healthy with a pretty shine. Thanks love the site!!!! Pam
OMG! Your hair is sooooo cute! I wish my hair was long enough to rock this style. I may try it with my half wig–I don't know. I have a Christmas Party tomorrow and Monday and most of next week we have Christmas programs until Christmas Eve, so no matter what I wear has got to last a week with minimum setting each night. I'm thinking of twists. My hair just got long enough to do them. I'm going out to hunt down some Dax. My mom used to use it on my hair-pre relaxer and my hair was long and healthy then.
I might still wear headbands with my twists though….Anyway your hair looks sooo pretty!
Any natural style with "hair candy".
My favorite youtube style that I've seen recently is this one, by MsVaugh: http://bit.ly/sMS2wl. I think you can modify it to your liking and hair length. I can't wait to try it!
Nice hair, Nikki! 🙂
I'm getting crochet braids done this holiday 🙂
Bunning…I am way too lazy for anything else these days!
This is beautiful! and very fluffy!!
absolutely love it!
Absolutely beautiful!
THIS! Too cute Nikki, I vote for this style with the headband!
Cute, i love the little bow!
Love this. I always think my hair is too thin to rock Bantu knots but this is makes me want to give it a try.
So far this holiday season I'm wearing my hair in twist and curls
Ms. Nikki you are KILLING me with the bantu knots. Holiday Hauteness!! I love that you and other fine head naturals can set use things like leave-in conditioner and grease to set your hair and it will actually stay. If I try that with my thicka than a snicka strands, my hair will straight up laugh at me!! I guess that's why Eco Styler and other heavy gels are my bffs, lol. But I will give the tension blow drying a try though, and maybe I will revisit the bantu knots after I stretch. I really should keep my hair stretched more often these SSKs are really a bother!
Neesha Cherie
So pretty Nik! Your hair looks so soft and light and love the headband!
If I wasn't rocking Afro twists until the end of January, I would totally wear either my banana clip faux hawk or this romantic updo with a shimmery gold headband (i.e. fabric trim!). Both start with a TnC:
http://hairscapades.com/2011/06/14/the-banana-clip-who-knew-repost/ (Nikki, this one is sooo easy, you just need a banana clip and a couple bobby pins!)
http://hairscapades.com/2011/06/15/special-occasion-updo/
(Also really easy)
However, since I'm in twists now, think that this will be my go to for holiday parties:
http://hairscapades.com/2011/12/08/afro-twists-cinnabun-tube-dresses-at-work/
Major hair crush!
@CurlyNikki – Thanks for the heads up! I haven't used a blow dryer on my hair in almost 10 years , but when I do, I will make sure my hair is mostly dry for the reasons you stated.
I detangled and twisted it immediately following the wash and condition to establish the 7 sections. I then let it dry for a while to make the blow drying process quicker and less damaging (less water means less heat exposure)… having it separated makes it easy to remove the twist, blow dry and immediately re-twist. It saves me a bunch of time and headache from re-tangling. Also, I initially pinned the twists to prevent shrinkage. Hope that helps!
So yes, you could definitely, just hop out the shower, wring dry, and commence tension blow drying, but in my opinion it would take longer and tangling could be an issue.
Thanks!
Very Cute! Now, did you need to twist it while it was wet when you were going to tension blow dry and twist it again anyway? Couldn't you have just skipped the first twisting step?
Thanks ladies! I got the Lacio Lacio from a dominican hair salon.
@MissJoiful, yay!!! Glad you're loving it as much as me!
Gorgeous!!!!!!
I live in Jamaica and I ran out and got me a jar of DAX as soon as I found that you AND the oh sooo FABULOUS Folake of StylePantry use it. Girl….that stuff is the BUSINESS! I used it for the first time a couple of days ago for a twist-out along with Kinky Curly Knot Today as my leave-in. I've gotten THE best twist out to date and my hair has never been this shiny, soft, or my curls this defined!! Whenever I wear my hair out I get knots and tangles on the ends before you can say 'who dat?!'…..(Jamaican for 'who is that'…lol). Well listen, I've got no problems with DAX man! I've re-twisted with it for the past three nights or so and my ends just separate with ease. I LOVE this stuff and wish I had discovered it sooner. I LOOOOOOVE your blog!!
Love the bantu knot out too….oh soooo pretty!
Nice! Please please do an update on Rajasthani!!!!!!!!!! Is it still difficult to wash off etc? urgently needed.
Luscious! I can't wait for my hair to get a little longer, the first thing I'm doing is a twistout!
Beautiful curls 🙂
Where do you get the laciolacio from? I love your hair!
Very pretty.
Beautiful knotout Nikki. How much grease did you use? It doesn't look weighed down?
I attended my first holiday party of the season last night. I wore my hair pinned up and falling to one side. I twisted the hair from my bangs over to my right here and let set while I got ready. When I untwisted I had voluminous sexy hair. Finished it off with a feather and rhinestone fascinator.
you can see it on twitter @queenbjmarie
Just lovely!
I love the Bantu knot out. It is full & your hair is blinging.
I'm doing a bantu knot out right now!
I'm a long term transitioner though lol…so I hadn't considered shrinkage.
Oh well. I'm still excited to see how they'll come out. And I'll brag to my momma, who still doesn't believe I'm serious about going natural.
@ Nik – thanks, I will try your wonderful lead. Fingers crossed for similar fantastic results. But, first must find Dax — must find Dax — must find Dax.
Gorgeous results!
@Rhonda, so that I didn't need as much heat and my hair was already detangled. Just makes the blowing out process super quick and less stressful.
Thanks ladies!!!
HEAD WRAPS….I am obsessed lol
Nik, DEFINITELY I'm expecting a report back on the Ultra Sheen (blue jar). Might need to 'fess up that I had a jar that must be as old as I (well, not quite…but it's old). I blew the dust off and tried it on my daughter's twist out and it was the business. It gave shine and definition incomparable to the barrage of all'natural/organics stored in every closet I own.
My hair is dry as the Sahara right about now, so I might be give the Ultra Sheen (blue jar) or Dax (if I can find a jar) a whirl.
One question…why did you twist and dry to 80% just to tension b-dry? Could you not have skipped the first step? Just curious. Do tell.
I love that style on you!! It's soo adorable! I can't wait until my hair is long enough to wear in pinups and twists…
sooo cute!
Thanks ladies! I've got a Christmas party tomorrow and plan to wear the pinup!!
Love it Nikki!
That is so freakin cute! Love it!!
Cute hairstyle, Nikki! I will have to copy that look real soon! 😀
Bomb.com
I love it!
AfreekingDORABLE, and love the headband!
as you've said before…drops the mic and walks away! so damn cute! ummm i was just at h&m a couple of hours ago and didn't see this cute headband but i did pick up a hair flower!
One word, CHIC! Wear that for Christmas!
Very cute!! Looks like you already found a holiday style.
I'm keeping it simple….loosely twisted rope across the front of the face connecting to the back. I'm trying to get delivered from "over-manipulation"
I love bantu knots! It's my favorite style because they are predictable. I do mine on wet hair though. No matter how you style all that pretty hair, I'm sure it will be beautiful!
Love it!
I've got that headband!
Too cute! I say where that!
LOL @ Rhonda!!! OMG! That's insane! Maybe we should buy some stock in Dax, lol. I'm still liking it… it keeps me protected and moisturized and works as a great styler/pomade. My mom has some Ultra Sheen (what I was raised on) and Blue Magic at the crib, so when I get home, I'm going to compare them. I'll report back!
I believe I am going to follow your lead and try out your twisted-tension dried-bantu-knot out! Just need some Dax. BTW, I forgot to share this little story related to Dax.
Shortly after your big reveal–I rushed out to Sally's to get the deets on Dax (probably the only chicklet who had never heard or used the product). I get to Sally's and the spot where Dax was to be – was bare! "Pardon me, where is the Dax?" The salesperson says, "I dont know what's up, but we had a run on Dax these past few days and we sold completely out! I didnt know Dax was that popular!"
I thought to myself – "Hmmm…I know what happened! Nik put the word in the wind and everyone grabbed up a jar".
Nik, I declare, you have become the Oprah of the natural hair community – seriously lol!
OMGosh Ronnie that's so flippin' cute! You were hot and I see you working that boobage, lol! Let me borrow some! I've got this super cute top that would be perfect if I was working with a little more. But yeah, LOVE that hair style!
Cute!
this is sooo pretty…see how long the bantu knot out lasts.
Retro pin up all the way Nik, you rock that like a pro! As soon as I get the length, it'll be the first style I try!
I recently went to a Holiday Party and did a perm rod set. After washing and deep conditioning my hair I sealed with a castor oil/grapeseed/almond oil blend. Put my hair in large twists and let dry overnight. Following day I flat ironed my hair on the lowest setting of my iron (300) and then used perm rods. I styled using barbie pins for a cute little updo. You can see the photo on my facebook fan page http://facebook.com/thecandyshoppe under the Holiday Party album.
Twist and Curl! It's your usual but it's pretty. I'm wearing it to my corporate get together.
Straight.
My vote is for the knots! That's gorgeous on you!
I just want to lighten my deep deep brown with my hints of henna red so maybe an auburn. Decisions Decisions
Very cute Nikki! Could you try a different updo, or those fish tail braids? Love those!
Thanks Curly Film Chick!
@KJ, what color?! How exciting!
Cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am planning on doing a protein treatment maybe even putting in a dye and flat ironing my hair this weekend…Planning though I may only wash and put in some jumbo twist. we shall see!
Wish me luck!
KJ
KJ
I love this bantu-knot out! I've been rocking them lately as well. Nice job