Events

Morning all!!

This weekend I have a couple of Events I will be attending, but first lets back track to the previous weeks Events.

2 weeks ago, I did Dulwich Festival, Goose Green. Initially I wasn’t going to bring much hair stuff but on the morning of the Event, I decided to quickly make some leave in conditioners and Shampoo. I’m so glad I did as I had a great response. I assumed that there wouldn’t be much afro haired beauty’s so was going to concentrate on the Bath & Body Range but I was wrong!

It was a really good day, the weather held up and everyone who had attended previous years said it was the busiest year yet! My Friend Yo came down and helped me for the day! thanks girl!! Would definitely do it again next year.

The following week I was asked to bring my Wares to Hilton Olympia for a Summer Ball so I made a selection of products and headed down there with my 2 trusted chicks:

We dressed for the occasion as we were going to be staying on for the Dance later:

We ended up having dinner which we hadn’t planned for, due to a few no shows so that was a pleasant surprise:

All in all, a very pleasant evening!

A week later brings us to Curlfriends Day Out! This Event will be tomorrow at Crowne Plaza, Docklands if you haven’t already heard!!

I didn’t get to do this Event last year so am really looking forward to this year. If you have a look on YouTube, you can see last years Event where they did live Big Chops!

The line up looks amazing:

We’ll have lots of goodies on the Shea Decadence/Kinks Stall like our: Kinky Girls Essential Kit which consists of – Jamaican Black Castor & Nilotica Conditioning Shampoo, Mineral Rich Clay Hair Masque, Fusion Finishing Rinse and Cocoa Frappuccino Leave In Conditioner. Excellent if you want to try the range. The Kit comes in 100ml size and is excellent value!

Tickets can’t be purchased on the door so if your planning on attending, you need to secure your ticket quick!! As of midnight, there were only 46 tickets left.

And that brings me to the last Event. Either Sunday or Monday, I will be attending Afro Hair and Beauty Show. I received complimentary tickets from ORS (Organic Root Stimulator)! The complimentary tickets admit you to their VIP Bloggers lounge, meet ORS ambassador, the renowned cosmetologist Dr Reginald Mitchell aka Dr Hair, where you can ask him your hair care questions and blog live from the stand. Bloggers VIP entry also includes FREE refreshments, free wireless, and a FREE ORS Goodie bag worth £25! So thank you very much ORS for the tickets!!

I haven’t attended the Afro Hair and Beaty Show in years!! And that’s because it was always geared towards weaves and relaxers. But now, with the upsurge of all things natural, it promises to be an all new experience so we shall see!! I will be blogging and keeking away and taking lots of pics until my phone/camera dies on me!

So if your planning on attending either Event, do make sure you come and say ‘Hi’ if you see me xx

Upcoming Events

Good morning all. Just a quick update regarding upcoming Events.

Shea Decadence/Kinks will be exhibiting at The Dulwich Festival (East Dulwich) on Sunday 12th May 2013. Kicks off at 11pm. There will be food and entertainment galore and a variety of stalls to peruse! So come chill with us if your local to South East London.

Be sure to make a date for Curlsfriend Day Out, Curlvolution the place to be for all things hair related!! This great Event is on Saturday 25th May. Lots of treats on the day like live Big Chops! See the flyer for more details.

If your planning on attending either event, do make sure you come over to the Shea Decadence Stand to say ‘Hi’

Hope to see you there!

Tittle Tattle

I haven’t forgotten to update my results on the 3 month hair pledge. I just need to wash my hair 1 more time before I do so. I must admit I’ve  been slacking a bit. I haven’t pre pooed as regular as I should’ve and I don’t always get to wash my hair every 1.5 wks. When I routinely do the Black Tea rinses, I definitely notice less shedding so I will continue to incorporate those in my regime.

So what have I been up to since the last time I posted?? Well it was my birthday on the 16th which fell on a Tuesday so I didn’t do much midweek just spent some quality time in the evening chilling ;0)

On the Saturday, I went out for Thai and Cocktails with an old friend, and on the Sunday I got together with my Chicks for food and Cocktails. My Friend was kind enough to open his Wine Bar exclusively for us and cook us a meal! A number of people had to be turned away as the Bar wasn’t opened to the public. How sweet is that?? I must remember to put some things in the post to him from the Decadent Mens Range as a token of my appreciation!!

So I was a busy little bee last week! My partner was away so I had a bit more time on my hands than usual so took the opportunity to spend time with friends and family. My dad is currently over from Jamaica so I went and spent the day with him, spent another day/evening with a friend whose unwell, chilled with my mum, sister, niece and her kiddies and went out to eat yesterday with another of my sisters!!

Today I was exhibiting at a Corporate Event in Paddington, and tomorrow I’m suppose to be doing a Market! Perhaps i’ll get to rest up on Sunday!

You may remember a few weeks ago I posted some pics of the Heat free hair movement click

The most realistic weave I’ve ever seen! Never before have we had a weave mimic our texture so!

On further research, I came across a site called Finger Comber.  Again this hair matches the texture of afro hair perfectly. You can buy it as a wig:

You can also buy it on the weft so you can make your own wig, or use it in a weave and you can also buy it loose to use for Havana braids etc.

The site says “can be worn in twists, twist outs, braid outs, bantu knot outs, or even full-blown afros.  The man-made sustainable fiber closely mimics natural hair”

Have a look at the application here

So what do you guys think? I think it looks very very realistic. I would definitely try it!

Let me know what you think.

 

 

Birthday Gift to Y’all

Hey, it’s my birthday Today! But don’t worry, you don’t have to buy me a gift…I’m actually going to give you a gift….free P&P on all UK orders no matter how much you order!! And it’s not even your birthday ;0)

From midnight Monday til midnight Tuesday

http://www.sheadecadence.co.uk

Some goodies:

Stock up on all your faves!!

5 Minute Protective Styling

Hey!

Just wanted to show a quick idea for a protective style.

I bought a pony piece when I first started wearing my hair natural some 4yrs ago….. I picked a piece that was similar in texture to my own, although a lot more smaller curls/corkscrew. I never did end up wearing it though…..

I’ve seen ideas with the Marley hair, used to create updos so that got me thinking about this pony piece. I retrieved it from my box of weaves and combed the curls out…way too tight. That got it looking more like my texture. Then I simply put my hair in a high ponytail with my ends tucked in (look at me all protective styling and ish!) and secured the pony piece over my now pony bump. Used some bobby pins and the combs in the pony piece to make sure it was secured properly. I also flipped the pony around so the longest piece (the back) was now facing the front.

I played about with it until I got something reminiscent of a pompadour.

There’s quite a few styles you can do with this piece such as a Mohawk. I will be playing about with it some to see what I come up with.

What do you think??

And the back view:

When all else fails, I just throw on my wrap!!

Hair Talk

Hey Kinky peeps! How y’all been keeping?? I’m sure this dreary weather hasn’t had anyone feeling very spring like of late…..Hopefully we’re coming to the end of this bout of crap weather! Does anyone’s hair regimen change in the spring/summer months? I tend to wear my hair out more often. Autumn and Winter I basically live in my hats/caps but that look doesn’t quite work with pretty summer frocks ;0)

Some of my Winter headgear

Aside from wearing my hair out, my regimen doesn’t really change, I still use the same products which is basically my Hair Latte followed by a small bit of Cocoa Frappuccino and either my butter or one of my balms to seal. If I want a more defined kink, then I use a bit of Flaxseed Gel. I find that the Golden Flaxseeds are less drying to my hair than the brown ones but also a lot thinner in consistency so I usually make some kind of Flaxseed Custard adding amongst other things Guar and butters to thicken. This produces a very nice twisting custard which cuts down on frizz and really elongates your curls. A welcome side effect I don’t always welcome…….

If this weathers been taking a toll on your delicate strands  your still struggling to maintain moisture levels in your hair then you should consider using Castor oil. I’ve been using Jamaican Black Castor oil on the whole length of my hair lately instead of just on the ends and have found that this really helps with moisture retention! Significantly! After twisting my hair, I basically pour a penny size amount in my palm, rub together then run hands down each twist. That’s it! The following morning my hair is so moist. This lasts for a good few days afterwards. I don’t moisturise my hair everyday so I really notice 2-3 days later when it’s still moisturised. The only thing is Castor oil is a thick oil so your hair will be a bit greasier. Only a problem I suppose if you wear your hair out….. Another way of retaining moisture is by doing the L.O.C method. The idea is to use a Liquid, Oil and Cream/Butter. So your liquid would obviously contain a water-based product: Spritz, Aloe etc. Next you add your Oil of choice and lastly your Cream/Butter based product. Has anyone tried the L.O.C method? Have you noticed any difference in your hairs moisture levels? Read more over on the Curly Nikki site http://www.curlynikki.com/2012/05/loc-method.html

Have you guys seen these pics doing the rounds on social network sites??

     

Heat Free Hair Movement

Can you believe these are all weaves?? Amazing right?

These take protective styling to a whole new level!!

As the forerunners in most things hair related, as you would expect, these come from the US. For me to get the length I would like, similar to my own, it would cost approximately $160 per pack and they suggest 2 packs. Add P&P at around $40 and its not cheap….. But it looks so good though!……..May have to treat myself….

Head over to my girl Shelli of Hairscapades for more info.

Easter Weekend Free Shipping!

Hey guys

Hope your enjoying your Easter. To make it even more enjoyable, were offering free shipping on all UK orders up to midnight Monday.

Stock up on all your favourites or treat yourself or someone else to something new!!

Enjoy your weekend x

www.sheadecadence.co.uk

Diet & Nutrition

Ive been on a health kick lately to see if my internal nutrition reflects in my hairs health…..this is a nonsensical rhetorical question as obviously it does! Your hair and nails get the remnants of whatever nutrition is left after the more important organs get choice pickings, so If you don’t have enough of the necessary nutrition to start with, then your hair and nails are at a disadvantage….

I’m not sure why my hair shed/s as much as it does/was. I say was because since I’ve been doing the Black Tea Rinses and using the Black Tea infused JBCO and Coffee products, my shedding has drastically cut down. I don’t know whether my shedding is caused by a lack of a particular nutrient or 2.

My diet isn’t bad, I don’t live on junk food and as my partner is vegetarian, I cook and eat a lot of Salmon. I do eat meat but rarely cook it. So perhaps I’m lacking in Iron?? Who knows…….

Anyway, to ensure I’m getting all my vital nutrients, I’ve decided to make smoothies. Now, in the past I would always juice fruit and veg. I did the Jason Vale 2 wk cleanse where you basically have juices for 2 meals (breakfast/lunch) followed by steam fish and veg or couscous etc in the evening. You also had to cut out salt and sugar for those 2 wks. The juices contained everything you needed to supply your body with all your nutrients, and because it was raw and in juice form, your body was able to assimilate it a lot better. It had things like Avocado, avocado is known as a complete food, basically if you had nothing else to eat, you could live off of avocado for a while. Also contained Spinach, Pineapple, Apple, Carrot etc. Might not sound appealing but believe me it was very sweet tasting and delicious.

So how did I fare on this challenge?? My skin positively glowed and was so soft….I remember my palms and feet bottom being particular soft not that they were hard or calloused to begin with. All in all it was a very pleasant experience and I felt exceedingly healthy! I wore a weave at the time so have no idea whether the results were noticeable in my hair. I carried on the challenge for longer than two wks but slowly stopped over time as the juicing was very time consuming. I use to get up at 06:30am every morning to get it done and cleared away before I left for work.

Now that I’m freelance, I have more time on my hands so its the perfect time to incorporate juicing and smoothies into my diet. When I say diet, I mean my day to day consumption as I have never actually ‘dieted’ in my life in an attempt to lose weight.

Everyday, I’ve been having various smoothies like spinach, Kale, Banana, Pineapple, Avocado, Celery etc and adding the Superfoods like Organic Chlorella, Organic Spirulina, Organic Hemp Protein Powder etc. Just to give you an idea, Hemp has more protein than Beef! It contains 37% protein, 43% fiber, no net carbs. It also comes with the benefit of 9% beneficial fats (omega-3,-6, and -9 plus GLA), chlorophyll, vitamin E and iron. Not something to be sniffed at!

Chlorella and Spirulina are also in a league of their own when it comes to Minerals etc.

Chlorella is a nutrient-dense superfood that contains 60% protein, 18 amino acids (including all the essential amino acids), and various vitamins and minerals. More than 20 vitamins and minerals are found in chlorella, including iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, pro-vitamin A, vitamins C, B1, B2, B2, B5, B6, B12, E and K, biotin, inositol, folic acid, plus vitamins C, E and K.

And Spirulina – about 60% of spirulina’s dry weight is protein, which is essential for growth and cell regeneration. It is a good replacement for fatty and cholesterol-rich meat and dairy products in one’s diet. Every 10 grams of spirulina can supply up to 70% of the minimum daily requirements for iron, and about three to four times of minimum daily requirements for vitamins A (in the form of beta carotene), B complex, D,and K.

That’s just the tip of the Iceberg with these Superfoods. Google them and have a ganders.

The best thing is that they are not synthetic man made vitamins which mean your body is readily able to assimilate and use the available nutrients. Our bodies cannot make use of most man made vitamins so unless your taking raw wholefood supplements, most of what your taking is ending up down the drain, quite literally…….

I think I have a few pics of my various smoothies:

This one is: pineapple, mango, banana, mixed berries, hemp powder, Camu Camu powder, Milk Kefir, Coconut water (drained from coconut), squeezed orange juice and a bit of Raw honey! Very tasty!

This Green Power Smoothy was Coconut water and blended coconut, pineapple, apple, pear, grapes, squeezed orange juice, celery, spinach, Plain yoghurt, hazlenut milk, cucumber, chlorella, Spirulina and hemp powder.

That’s just to give you an idea, you can use as much or as little as you like.
Smoothies are so filling they easily take the place of a meal.

Does anyone else have smoothies? What do you put in yours??

New products online

Hi peeps

Just a quick post to let you know most of the new items are online (shea decadence site). I’m yet to put them up on Etsy Store (sorry to those who’ve been emailing). Endeavour to get that done in the next couple of days.

The new items posted are:

Mocha Latte Scalp Nourisher

Sweet Marmalade Pomade

Mineral Rich Clay Hair Masque

Spa Massage Candle

There’s still another 3-4 items to put online and I will be doing that over the next couple of days.

I’ve been experimenting with my new Coffee based leave in conditioner and I must say I’m liking the results!! Very defined coils, looks like I’ve used gel….watch this space!!

I’m also working on a Co wash (conditioner wash). It started out as a conditioner to be used for washing out my henna but noticed it would be a good co wash product. May need some testers so any volunteers will be welcome….

I forgot also Fusion Finishing Rinse (Infused Apple Cider Vinegar)

Catch up

Hi guys

I’ve been MIA once again these last few weeks. Preparation was full steam ahead for the 2inspire Ladies Day Event which was held at The Crowne Plaza, Docklands this past Saturday. I have more products in my range now so it took me a while longer to get everything made coupled with my day job. I didn’t get to bed til 03:45am Saturday morning and was back up at 08:00am to get ready for event!! It was worth it though! Was lovely seeing lots of my old customers who raved about how well the products are working for them and specifically came down to the event to stock up, and it was nice to meet lots of new customers!

Met up with Sianthenaturalhairedbaker have a look at her blog, it’s a great read. As the name suggests, she also bakes amazing looking cakes (I’m yet to sample).

I linked up with my partner in crime again Annette of Almocado. Our tables were positioned side by side which was great as I was a one woman show for most of the day.

Had lots of new goodies to showcase! I sold out of the Mineral Rich Clay Hair Masque which made its debut. I know many natural haired gals have used Rhassoul and/or Bentonite clay to cleanse/condition their hair, and most will comment on the softness and definition they get from using the clays. Rhassoul is excellent at cleansing your hair and scalp but not drying out your natural oils. It also attracts heavy metals and chemical residues, pesticides etc and replaces them with nourishing trace minerals. Couple that with Mineral rich Seaweed and soothing Aloe Vera and you have the Mineral Rich Clay Hair Masque. My SIL uses it on her relaxed hair as a deep conditioning treatment with great effect, so it isn’t just suitable for naturals. The great thing about this Masque is that there is no need to use a conditioner afterwards as Rhassoul is a cleanser and conditioner. This is why I love it, because it enables me to cut down on time spent washing my hair!

Another newbie which goes tremendously well with the Mineral Masque is: Fusions Finishing Rinse. This is an infusion of Marshmallow Root, Burdock Root, Horsetail, Coltsfoot, Nettle leaf in a base of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. This fusion takes place over a number of weeks to absorb all the nutrients of each herb. This rinse is then diluted (1tbsp) in 1 cup of water and poured over the scalp/hair. ACV helps to close the cuticles and bring the hairs pH level back to what it should be. Also gives amazing shine and softness and is good for treating dandruff and itchy scalps.

2 other products that made their debut were: Sweet Marmalade Pomade

This product is Shea butter free (for those that have been requesting it) and beeswax free, making it suitable for loc wearers too!! It’s a mix of Kukui Nut butter, Macadamia Nut butter, Organic Sunflower oil infused with Vanilla pods, Carrot Seed oil and a few other goodies thrown in for good measure. Great for adding definition to twist outs , braid outs and gives a glossy high shine especially when applied to dry hair.

Last but not least is the Mocha Latte Scalp Nourisher:

Now this is part of The Coffee Collection that has been formulated for shedding hair and hair loss. As my previous post on tea for shedding talked about, caffeine, found in both Black Tea and Coffee has shown promising results in reducing the effects of DHT which contributes to hairloss. Now I’ve been doing the Black Tea rinses in an effort to cut down my shedding which I think is excessive and I can honestly say that my shedding has improved by 75%…..I haven’t had no where near the amount of shed hair I previously had prior to doing the rinses.
The Mocha Latte Scalp Nourisher, is a deluxe blend of Coffee Butter, Emu oil, Organic Black Cocoa Butter, Jamaican Black Castor Oil (infused with Black Tea) and Olive oil infused with Coffee Beans). This is lightly whipped to aid absorption into the scalp and only a small amount of product is needed.

As well as the regular Jamaican Black Castor oil, we know also offer Black Tea Infused Jamaican Black Castor oil, again to address shedding.

Anyway, a few pics from yesterday’s Event:

Some of the nutritious treats pre Event: