This past weekend Nefertiti, Shawny, and I attended the World Natural Hair Show in Atlanta and had a BLAST.  We shopped, reconnected with old PJ’s (and created a few new ones),  met lots of vendors and talked shop with many of them about current and new products!  We had such a good time, that it has taken SEVERAL days for me to recover and finally get this post up (so please excuse my delay).  As expected we each have a bit of a different perspective on how the World Natural Hair Show (WNHS) went overall, but we did agree on  several things.

What we loved

1. Seeing Lolakinkz and Wynterbaby:  Lola has known all of the Platinum PJs since the very beginning and loves to grace us with her hauls and reviews over on the forum.  So seeing her is always like seeing that favorite cousin that you love but because of distance you don’t see to often.  Since the last WNHS, her family has grown and we were finally able to meet baby Wynter, and she is just the CUTEST darn baby EVER.  Don’t believe me, then check out the pics below or on her facebook page.
2.  Seeing our old Curltalk buddy Rochelle Graham-Campbell (BlackOnyx77 from back in the day) witnessing the growth and progress of her natural hair line, Alikay Naturals.  We’re always ecstatic to see ladies who started their natural hair journey progress to the point of entrepreneurship and helping other ladies on their journey.   I picked up some products, and can’t wait to try them and let you all know how they perform.
3. Meeting the charismatic creators of several new product lines: Bel Nouvo, Obia Naturals and Ankh Holistic Healers. This is the one aspect of attending the WNHS that stood out. Whenever you have to chance to talk face to face with a small business owner, it seals the product shopping circle. You are finally able to put a face with a company name.  Each and every owner took time out to greet us and engage in conversations that generally touched us by the warmth and genuineness  that they exuded.
4. The annual PlatinumPJ dinner which was attended this year by Karen Tappin of Karen’s Body Beautiful! We’ve been hosting this small intimate dinner for the past 2 years for PJ’s to get together, chill/decompress after the hectic day, and just generally “talk shop”.  We extended the invitation to attend this year to Karen and she was gracious enough to accept.  We cannot go on enough about how humble and sweet she is! It was also wonderful to see all of our friends and supporters. We appreciate YOU!  We had a fantastic time!

Room for improvement

A few things occurred on the way to the hair show and once we entered the arena that we’d like to talk about as constructive criticism which we hope can be used to make a great event even better for next year.

1. Ticket purchasing/Advance ticket sales:  Those of you that were at the WNHS on Saturday morning can attest to the fact that the lines to get in were outrageous!!! I think it’s understandable that the same day ticket purchase line is off the chain and I fully expected that, but the line for people that purchased advanced tickets was TWICE as long!!!  I had to buy my ticket, vs. Shawny and Nefertiti who bought theirs months in advance, yet I had my wristband on within minutes while they were still on a line that extended OUTSIDE the GICC! What exactly is  the benefit of purchasing your ticket in advance if you STILL have to stand in a super long line and wait to have your name checked off a list?  It is 2013, the age of computerization…get it together.  We understand WHY this is done, but there HAS to be a better way.  Perhaps going through ticketmaster or even using some sort of barcode scan system would help.  But standing in line for 2 hours when you’ve already paid is ludicrous.  I’m pissed on behalf of everyone that stood in that line!
2.  Vendor selection: The vendor selection this year compared to last year was interesting.  I’m excited that I saw lots of new vendors this year, especially my smaller companies, but we all agreed that overall the vendor selection wasn’t as good as in years past.  I really think the price to vend at the WNHS was a deterrent to a lot of companies. We’re almost sure that this also played a role in the deals/specials that each vendor was able to offer to customers.  Hopefully next year this will change, and we’ll see a few more of our beloved companies return, along with more incentives to buy. Our hauls were certainly not at the level they were last year–Not even close.
   
3. Counterfeit Product Vendors:  OK people, let me be frank here–  MAC Cosmetics only has THREE places where you can purchase their items: the website, a MAC store/counter, and The Cosmetics Company Outlet Stores.  MAC doesn’t have a distributor program nor do they wholesale to ANYONE.  If you are buying MAC from clear plastic bins with a black and white PAPER “MAC” logo above it…it’s not legit.  I know some people are like so what but I personally feel like it cheapens the “WNHS” brand and taints the event when counterfeit items are sold (We also saw  fake handbags and shoes for sale as well).  Also, let’s not forget that selling counterfeit items is ILLEGAL for a reason.  We don’t know the ingredients or the manufacturing process associated with these products and women will be smearing this stuff on their skin and could be absorbing all kinds of toxins and chemicals into their bodies.  I just have to question WHY the WNHS would keep allowing these people to vend and sell these questionable items to their patrons?  Is $900 in booth money that important?
4. Transaction troubles:  Due to the quality of the wi-fi/cellular reception, there were many cases where vendors had  a difficult time processing purchases through credit card. This doesn’t necessarily reflect on the creators of the show, but a large part of execution is making sure that the proper conditions are in place to facilitate vendors and consumers. Having vendors constantly waving their phones and other credit card processing devices in the air hoping for your purchase to go through doesn’t help anyone. It was frustrating and time-consuming on both ends. Perhaps in the future a discussion with the GICC staff regarding those specific needs will help alleviate those issues. Having their representatives on hand to troubleshoot tech issues for vendors wouldn’t hurt either.

Overall, the good as always outweighed the not so good, but it wasn’t as great a show as last year. There is always an understanding that despite this being one of the largest shows in the world, it’s not infallible, but we hope that it will continue to be a work in progress.

Of course, we’ll be there next year– with bells on!! We promise to bring more t-shirts too. They were certainly a hit!

Now for the pics!

 Pics

The reserved advance ticket holders in line waiting OUTSIDE the GICC

Shawny and Nefertiti waiting on line at the show

Shawny, LolaKinkz, and Wynter!

Nefertiti and Lola!

Wynterbaby!!!

L-R: Hillery, Nefertiti, LolaKinks w/ Wynter, and Shawny

L-R: Nefertiti, Mr. Bel Nouvo, and Shawny

L-R: Nefertiti, Shawny, Rochelle Graham-Campbell of Alikay Naturals, and Hillery

L-R: Shawny, Karen Tappin of Karen’s Body Beautiful, Nefertiti, and Hillery

L-R: Hillery, Adachi DaDa creator of Ankh Holistic Healers, Shawny, and Nefertiti

Adachi’s awesome locs!

Nefertiti and Tonya Martin at the PlatinumPJ dinner

Shawny hugging the heck outta of Tonya because we LOVE our PJ’s!

L to R: Nefertiti, Dorothy, Hillery, Shawny, and CocoDej! <3

LolaKinkz brought her BFF Stacy with her beautiful hair!

Shawny showing CocoDej and Dorothy extra <3!

The whole gang with Karen!

A candid shot with Karen, bc us PJ’s LOVE to have FUN!!

One of the things us here at PlatinumPJ love is that beauty is one size fits all. No matter what you look like, where you’re from, or where you wanna go, beauty can be at your fingertips. To that end, we want to make your experience here FANTASTIC and among your favorites!  Here’s what we’re doing to stay connected with you:

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March has come “in like a lion and out like a lamb” and it’s now April and spring is officially here…at least that’s what my calendar says even if the weather man doesn’t agree.  The temps in March here in DC have been up and down…nice warm balmy 60 degrees one day and a freak snow storm the next.  With such weather fluctuations, it can be difficult to find products that work in both weather extremes.  Here is a quick look back and round up of some of my favorite products from March.

• C. Booth 4-in-1 Multi-Action Body Lotion: This lotion works equally well in warm and cooler weather by delivering great moisture without leaving you greasy.  It also has AHA which helps sloth off dry scaly skin to leave your skin soft and even toned.  Check out my more in-depth review of this product here.

• Philosophy “The Present” Clear Makeup:  Philosophy calls this clear makeup but it’s really a primer…and a darn good one to boot!  Nefertiti and I like to call this “makeup glue” because whatever makeup you apply sticks to it and lasts ALL DAY.  It’s great when the weather is cooler because it locks in moisture from your moisturizer, but when the weather warms up; it keeps your makeup in place and prevents the “melt down”.  I’ve been using this daily for the past few weeks after taking a break from it to test and try other things and I couldn’t be happier to have it back in rotation!

• Ulta Super Blending Sponge:  I never really got the hype over the beauty blender…I always thought it was just an overpriced sponge and surly my makeup brushes provided just as good application or better.  While pursuing Ulta one day, I decided to try this “generic” version and now I FINALLY get it!  I have been using this sponge daily for a few weeks and my foundation has gone on sooo smooth and flawless.  The real selling point for me is that I get coverage without that “heavy” feeling that some foundations can leave.  This blends out the tiniest amount of foundation perfectly and my skin looks like skin and not “foundation on top of skin”.  LOVE this thing and I’m going to pick up a few more!!!

• Hairveda Almond Glaze:  I haven’t been doing much lately with my hair other than twists and puffs.  My hair has grown out of its pixie cut and I’m on the fence about cutting it short again, letting it grow, or locing so I’m just letting it be for now until I decide.  After washing and conditioning, I apply my leave in de jour and seal in the moisture with this.  I LOVE that it’s all natural yet shields my hair from the temperature fluctuations.  It leaves my hair soft and shiny without being too greasy (unless you over apply).  I can apply it directly to my scalp in areas where it gets tight and dry or I can apply it to the ends to keep them from drying out.  My jar is almost out so I’ll be picking up 1-2 more to add to my stash!

•  Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15: If you know me from Curl Talk or any of the natural hair forums, then you know I’m a HUGE fan of Kiehl’s products, especially their facial moisturizers.  I have extremely oily acne prone skin and it can be difficult to find a product that adds the perfect amount of moisture without causing a breakout.  I have found that Kiehl’s products perform exceptionally well for my skin in this regard.  As the days have started getting longer, I wanted to add in a lighter SPF to my routine (I use SPF 50 in the summertime).  This product provided enough moisture on those bitter cold days, without being too heavy for the nice balmy days we’ve had in March.  An added bonus is that the SPF doesn’t leave that dreaded white ashy cast to my dark skin.  I’m not sure if I could use this in the summer as it might be TOO heavy once the humidity sets in, but for late winter/early spring usage I have found this to be a winner. 

What products have you incorporated into your routine over the past month?  What are your standout performers or favorites that have amazed you?  Share them with us in the comments.

Here’s an interesting hair scenario. Maybe you’ve heard it before:

“You’ve gone natural and you love it, but your friend (who has gorgeous naturally curly hair) hates her curls and hides them with blow dryers, flat irons, and buns. You want to convince her to go natural. CAN you??”

I will give you the short answer: Nope, Never, No siree bob. You can’t convince her. Sorry to say it, but that’s the real skinny.

Why? It’s simple: the motivation/decision to go natural has to come from within and not from any outside forces. To be honest, it’s not an easy decision to make and as such, isn’t made overnight. You debate; you toss and turn, and weigh pros and cons. You have some panic attacks about the big chop and you have panic attacks over not chopping right away. You also worry about how people will see you and what they’ll think of you if your curl didn’t come from a curling iron or a rod set.

What can you do? Perhaps influencing by example can help.  Let me tell you my own true story:

(Part) of my hair story

My grandmother was exactly like most young girls growing up and hating their hair. Instead of hating her hair for 20 yrs or so, my grandmother’s perception of beauty has been influenced by 72 yrs of press & curl, perms, etc. She’s half-Chinese also, so her familial influences growing up (in addition to being West Indian) had dark, long straight hair.

Her hair isn’t like that though. It’s curly– and beautifully so with S shapes ending in ringlets. It’s a lion’s mane that cascades down her back like a dream.

It’s a nightmare for her though since it never took to the press or the perm. Her mane would just become an even frizzier hot mess. No matter what she tried, it wouldn’t ever be completely straight.  It just wanted to curl and be happy. She hated it.

Instead of hiding her hair in fuzzy buns, she just wanted long, flowy, “pretty” hair.  She “made” it happen for her daughters, and for me–her only granddaughter. Relaxers were the standard growing up.

So, when I went natural, she was one of my greatest adversaries. It was a total departure from what was acceptable, and of course she hated it. I didn’t listen to her– but I also didn’t judge her. It would have been too easy to do, but for her it’s not about not loving herself. It’s about hating her hair. Some folks think it’s deeper than that on a grander scale, but for most people, it really isn’t.

Anyway, she watched me struggle with my hair (transitioning twice, going CG with the Curly Girl method, etc), heckling me all the way. When I finally chopped off my long hair (heat damaged crap) I almost gave her a heart attack.

 Actual comments about my hair from my Grandmother…

“Oh My God! It’s not going to grow back now”

“I guess you’re still pretty”

“What are people going to think?”

“You’re a doctor, it’s not professional.”

“Why do you need all this product crap on your head?!” (Ok…point taken. LOL!)

Despite my own hidden doubts, I ignored her and was patient with my hair.  Through trial and error (and more trial), I learned how to take care of it. So when it (finally) blossomed and I was rocking this and that style, and using this and that product with success, she ALSO noticed.

This led to a slow curiosity, which over time became “Can you style my hair curly for me if I wash it?” Now, she’s curly 90% of the time and loving it– vs. the 90% she was for 70+ yrs, and hating it. Her favorite products are from Karen’s Body Beautiful and Koils by Nature. She nosily rummages through my stash on occasion and is considering branching out more this Easter when the barrage of sales comes.

So based on my experience, leading by example is the best thing you can do. Be as supportive and encouraging as you can, but you have to allow people to live as they see fit. Perhaps it will work, or perhaps it won’t. In the end, it’s all about personal happiness anyway. Happy is hair leads to a happier you!

This really made me happy though! My Grandmother’s hair is beautiful!!!

My Grandmother’s hair styled in a Wash & Go using Karen’s Body Beautiful Sweet Ambrosia Leave-In Conditioner and Koils by Nature Soothing Herbal Curl Defining Gel

Do you have a similar story or hair struggle you’d like to pose to us PJ’s? Tell us all about it and we’ll do our best to help.  We wanna hear from you!

My hair in a braidout using Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Smooth-n-Hold Pudding

So… you’re transitioning from chemically straightened hair to natural or past the transition, working with your curls, kinks and coils; but your hair still feels or looks “dry” to you. What do you do?

Well, the first thing that you need to know about curly hair is that it doesn’t reflect light well.  Unlike your previously straightened locks, curly hair is 3-Dimensional (like a helix or spiral). Due to this, curly hair is often misinterpreted as “dry” when that’s not the case. Curly hair simply needs a little more help (serums, pomades, etc) to bring its luster through.

Alright, but what if it’s not a trick of the light and your strands are in fact, dry?  If that is the case, here are some things you should consider trying to remedy the issue:

Use a thicker leave-in conditioner (LI): We often don’t realize how thirsty our natural hair is for moisture especially early on in the transitioning period because we’ve been depriving it with all the chemical processes, sulfates and silicones. For any curl to thrive, moisture has to be present. Establishing this as a base to your styling routine is essential. Now, gauging how much or how heavy a LI you need can be tricky. Only you can predict that based on your hair’s properties, but overall I would consider investing in a LI with more natural/moisture laden ingredients (Shea butter, coconut oil, Aloe vera, Avocado butter/oil, etc).  Hair milks are also a great investment. They’re not just for styling, but can be used as rinse-out conditioners or for leave-in conditioning when additional moisture is needed.

Increase the frequency of your deep conditioning treatments (DC): Are you possibly skimping on your treatments? This would be a no-no, so this is something to correct right away. No matter what phase of your natural hair journey. You need these treatments to prevent breakage and help preserve curl structure. As a rule of thumb, I believe that because of the repeated stress on the hair from prolonged use of chemical processes, that anyone transitioning from those practices to natural hair should use a DC weekly. Your new tresses will thank you for it.  After the transition is over, this can be tailored according to your individual hairs’ needs. Personally, when I was transitioning I used a DC weekly and after the transition, biweekly. As the years passed, and my moisture to protein balance improved, I didn’t need to lean on these treatments as much. I do them about once a month now.

Don’t overuse protein: Is every step in your hair regimen protein dominant? While protein helps strengthen and maintain curl structure, the use of too many protein-laden products (Examples: oat, wheat, keratin, and hydrolyzed proteins, silk amino acids) in succession can lead to dry and brittle hair over time. Check the labels on your products to be sure. This problem is easily remedied by scaling back on the protein and using products with more hydrating ingredients toward the top of the ingredient list. As most products contain some element of protein, try to use products where its lower on the ingredient list.

Use a product that seals: Adding moisture means nothing unless you’re willing to take that extra step to lock in the moisture. This step can be done with wash n go styles as well as protective styles. Consider sealing with non-occlusive oils such as: jojoba, olive or coconut, or even styling with butters. Depending on the formulation, butters are a great way to retain lots of moisture while lending a natural hold to your style. Examples of great butters include shea butter, mango butter, aloe butter, kokum butter, avocado butter, murmuru butter and jojoba butter. If you’re using gel, make sure that hold is sufficient enough to keep in the moisture.

Depending on the combination of products you use, the moisture in your hair may last anywhere from a day to several days. Even when doing everything right, the weather and other factors may require repeating the moisture and sealing processes. Every few days, I revive my curls with a refresher spray and follow with a moisturizer or oil.

You can make your own spray at home to keep your hair in good condition. An easy thing I do is in a spray bottle, mix in one part water and two parts conditioner with oils and use that as an all-in-one. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add aloe vera gel into the mix for even more moisture benefits.

Above all, hang in there! It really does get easier, and the benefits and freedoms you’ll experience with a solid hair regimen will be worth it.

Till then, live curly, and live free.

If you want fabulous curls all year long, then like your wardrobe, your haircare routine needs to change from season to season.  The key to maintaining your favorite styles is taking into account the dew point, or the amount of the moisture in the air.

The dew point is given a numerical value from 1-100 and can be looked up on The Weather Channel. Higher dew points, 35 and above, typically occur in warmer months and indicate a higher amount of moisture is in the air. On the other hand, lower dew points, 30 and below, are the hallmark of colder months and mean that there is less moisture in the air.

Simply put, your hair needs MORE moisture when it’s cold and less in the summer when your hair can draw from the elements. Humectants are best for summer; they need water in the environment in order to attract or bind moisture to your hair.

But be careful, humectants are great until the dew point goes above 60. Then the risk of frizz with humectants is much higher. The attraction of moisture into the hair shaft when the dews are higher than 60 is too much of a good thing, causing the hair shaft to swell. You know what happens after that– “big, undefined, frizzy hair.” We’ve all been there.

It is in these cases that using harder hold gels or anti-humectants make a difference. Anti-humectants provide a barrier between the elements and your hair to repel water. As such, a good anti-humectant should NOT contain water. Some examples include castor oil, beeswax, some silicones and shea butter. Most sealants are great anti-humectants.

On the other hand, products with humectants (ex: Panthenol/B5, Honey, Propylene Glycol and Glycerin) may actually be a hindrance in the colder months. There is little to no moisture in the air when it’s cold, so humectants will allow moisture to evaporate from the source richest in water– YOUR HAIR. This results in frizziness, breakage, and other negative effects of dry hair. Now you know why your hair seems drier and loses its curl pattern in the colder months; it all comes down to moisture.

In the colder months, ADD MOISTURE, SEAL and eliminate or drastically reduce humectant use.

1.  Change your conditioner and conditioning habits:

• Use heavier, richer, thicker consistencies with more emollients.
• Consider adding cowashing to your routine and decreasing use of shampoo/low poo formulas.
• Use a heavy conditioner during your rinse-out step to ensure the hair follicle is smoothed after the cleansing process.
•  Use a heavier leave-in (LI) conditioner.
• Consider switching from gels to jelly type or creamier stylers.
• Ramp up your deep conditioning regimen and think about adding heat via caps, steamers, steam rooms, or saunas.
• Continue your protein treatments to avoid over-conditioning and keep the moisture to protein balance stable among your strands.

2.  Increase use of moisturizers and sealants: These form a protective barrier and prevent the hair from losing moisture. These are products formulated with:

• Amodimethicone, and various silicones
• Natural oils (ex: Coconut, Jojoba, Mineral)
• Aloe Vera
• Vitamin E
• Various butters (ex: Shea, Mango, Aloe, Murumuru).

In the warmer months, the dews are more forgiving and all the moisture in the air gives you the freedom to:

1. Switch to lighter weight conditioners.
2. Consider decreasing the frequency of your deep conditioning regimen.
3. Use products with humectants when the dew point is 60 or below. At this point they work more effectively.
4. Return to cleansing exclusively with shampoo, or other low-poo formulas.

The dew point is only one of the many tools used to get to know your hair and put together the right combination of products to keep it looking its best. As you get to know your hair, you will discern, through trial and error, how much moisture your hair needs and which products deliver the best results.

‘Till the next PJ’s, be well!!!

Yours in curls,

We’re Celebrating – Platinum PJ Style!

Welcome! We’re thrilled to have you as a guest!  We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, with your family and friends. If you missed subscribing to our mailing list, do it now. The Platinum PJ newsletter mailing list quick form is at the very bottom, to the right. It takes seconds to complete, and you’ll stay informed about  all Platinum PJ happenings. Be sure to read our Disclosures and Privacy Policy, so you’ll feel at ease with providing your contact information.

We’ve got several giveaways for you to enter – see the complete list below,  or click the ‘Contests and Giveaways’ tab at the top to see everything at once (just scroll down the page). Follow the instructions for each giveaway, so your entries won’t be disqualified. Our community forum is open, and the discussions have already started. Join us!  Registration is quick and easy. We look forward to chatting with you about the latest, and no-so-latest products for hair, skin, body and nails.

Today’s Giveaways:
Note: Winners will be announced on Saturday, 12/1/12

• Ayurvedic Hair Spa
• Curl Junkie
• Entwine Couture and Sarenzo Beads
• Murad and Philosophy
• Huetiful Steamer
• Indulgence by SV Soaps
• Josie Maran
• MAC
• OCC and Illamasqua
• Oyin Handmade
• Sephora Fragrance Sampler
• Threadmill
• Zoya

So, sit back, relax and take a tour- see what you think of our new home!  Leave us a comment – we’ll be online all day. Enjoy!

The Platinum Product Junkies
Hillery, Kemberli, Nefertiti, Shawny and Tlynnsmith

Hi,

My name is Nefertiti, and I’m a product junkie.

Style and beauty ran rampant in my family as I grew up in a house with 3 generations of women that I watched with awe and wonder. They were all so uniquely beautiful and sophisticated that observing their rituals made me strive to be the same. So, at the age of twelve when I went behind my mother’s back to buy and wear my very first lippy I knew from the smile on my face that there was a pleasure factor to beauty. I reveled in it.

Fast forwarding to age thirty-something, I am now surrounded with products that allow me to transition into whatever I choose. I set the tone, and I set the pace. I refuse to discriminate between my head, toes, or in between. No matter what, I have the power to transition from gorgeous to gorgeous.  There are no requirements or prerequisites to beauty. I love the skin I am in and THAT, in a nutshell, is why I’m a product junkie–Platinum edition.

So, as I enjoy and share what I feel are all the finer things beauty has to offer, try to have an open mind. If you are a kindred spirit, this is easy; but if you’re the curious Georgette (or George) I hope you also gain something positive from my journey. Above all, have fun in your own!

With that being said, welcome to our world!

Shamelessly and unabashedly,