Battle of the Butters | Showdown #1

 As a natural hair vlogger that reviews a handful of new products on a regular basis, it is expected that I am bombarded with questions related to my favorite or staple products. Unfortunately, I don't like to play favorites when it comes to my products. It's just so hard to pick "that over this" when it comes to certain brands. So instead, I decided to start a "Battle of the Butters" post that will showcase my favorite butters and my results when wearing 'dos styled with these products. Since I get a ton (literally) of questions related to Original Moxie and Entwine Couture, I'm going to feature them in this post along with my newbie favorite brand for butters, Afroveda.
I hope you enjoy and if you like these type of posts let me know in the comment section and I'll be sure to do more! 

First up: Butters by themselves.
Original Moxie's Lux Locs VS Entwine Couture's Jelle Styler

As you can see, the Original Moxie's Lux Locks gives me a BOMB twist-out the first and second day of wearing the style, but if I don't re-twist (which I did not do on the third and fourth day, which is normal for me), my twist-outs turn into a big and undefined fro. This is pretty much expected if you don't re-twist with virtually any product, but since I'm a busy gal, I refrain from using products that makes it mandatory to re-twist to still obtain a nice looking twist-out throughout the week. 

                           

Now look at Entwine's twist-out using their Jelle Styler. I can get away with getting a nice twist-out without having to re-twist it at all! I even picked out my hair after wearing the style for three days and my fro looked light and fluffy (I definitely got a load of compliments when wearing this oldie but goodie style (for-hawk). However, my hair is not as soft as Original Moxie's Lux Locs makes it, but to be completely honest, when I'm on the go, that's the last thing I'm thinking about.

Now let's take a look at butters with their "sister" product.

Is that a smile, CharyJay?

I don't usually smile in my pictures, but I am so excited about this new series that will soon debut on my channel, I couldn't help but expose my rarely seen big-cheeky grin.

As you can see my hair is down in these pictures, which is another rare seen, so just imagine my excitement! I don't want to give away too much, but just know that I'm going back to the beginning (well, my beginning).

This doesn't mean I'm going to stop creating protective style up-dos! After all, I'm still showcasing simple 'dos for the styling challenged over at CurlyNikki.com (If you missed the last one, click here). I'm just going to offer more lovely styles that can appeal to more of you lovely ladies! I wouldn't want you to get sick of me or ever feel as though you know what's going to happen next. I have to keep you guessing and keep the content fresh. Why else would you watch?

One more thing before this post comes to a close. With this new series will come even more giveaways and a chance to communicate with me and see me like never before. Stay tuned. I'm pretty sure you won't want to miss this!

-CharyJay

Know Your Worth!

Sometimes when we are presented with an amazing opportunity, we jump at it instead of taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture before making a decision. I know I used to always do that. For some strange reason, I always felt like the underdog in everything I did. I was always totally surprised when people said great things about me, recommended me for certain opportunities or wanted me to be in charge/take control of a project because they “believed in me.”

As I mentioned in my latest video, I didn’t start off making YouTube videos for no other reason other than to improve my editing skills for videos that would go along with my articles I wrote for a local newspaper. So when I was approached to make videos for a company, I was thrilled! I had no idea how much to charge them for my work so when they came up with a figure, I happily accepted; still shocked that I would get paid to do something that I already enjoyed doing.

Once more companies approached me to do their videos, I stuck with that same figure since I had no other information to go off of. But this year after I was presented with another job offer, I knew I had to take a step back and look to someone for advice. I then remembered this guy I met at a photography studio last summer. He was a very successful videographer and filmed episodes for various popular TV shows on the Travel channel and Food Network. I had no idea if he’d remember me, but it was worth a shot.

Cotton Candy Playground author, Nicole Updegraff Interview & T-shirt Giveaway!!

  

Back in October, I had the fabulous opportunity to attend the “Natural is… Beautiful” event tin New York City and represent Original Moxie. While I was there I met the amazingly gorgeous and talented Nicole Updegraff. At the event she was selling these FAB tees that sold out soon after the event started. I didn’t get a chance to cop one, but luckily for you and me, Nicole mentioned she wanted to do a giveaway of her shirt with me in the future and now is the time!

To make this giveaway even more special, I’m teaming up with one of my new found bloggers, Curl Rehab! This chica is hilarious! Her tweets on Twitter constantly cracks me up and her weekly “Side eye of the Week” posts are simply hysterical (especially that picture of Mrs. Huxtable!!! This girl is just too much). We’re both going to be offering a t-shirt of Updegraff’s, but in different designs so check the end of this post to find out how you can enter!

Updegraff is not only a designer, but also an author. The married mother of three (soon to be four as she is now preggers), created “I love my Cotton Candy Hair,” written for children ages three to eight and focuses on confidence and self-acceptance. Take a peek at the interview below and find out how you can score TWO of Updegraff’s tee shirts!!

http://www.cottoncandyhair.com/#!childrens-books

Entwine Couture Giveaway! One set of full size products - Two Winners!

 

There’s a new Nazi in Town

Not only are the “Natural Hair Nazis” attacking those naturals who straighten their hair or those who refuse to abide by the unwritten rule of only using natural products. No. Now they’re taking on new prey; the natural women who choose to wear make-up.

Here are a few quotes I’ve heard around some blogs and video comments: “I choose to wear a fresh face.” “Wearing make-up covers up your natural beauty.” And my personal favorite: “If you’re natural, you shouldn’t even wear make-up anyway.”

While I was not always the biggest fan of make-up, my curiosity has peaked to new heights. This has lead to me wearing make-up in a few of my videos and pictures. Then that spilled over into pleads for make-up tutorials. As someone who always tried to keep it “chill” on my channel, I always shed away from talking about make-up because I didn’t feel like dealing with the backlash that I knew would soon come.

(SN: I now know people will complain about anything so all of that has blown out the window lol*)

But I’m not the only woman who wears their hair natural who’s gotten attacked by the new Nazis. One friend of mine got into a heated confrontation with someone who kept saying she was no longer natural because she chose to wear that “unnatural mess on her face,” and I’ve seen countless FaceBook statuses (what would the world be like if we didn’t have this great thing to tell the world when someone was piss us off?) of people going off on that “chick who needed to take several seats” when talking about what natural women put on their face.

While I think women, natural or not, should do whatever makes them happy, I do see one of the new Nazis’ point. Some of those women who complain about paraben this, or silicone that, are not concerned with those same ingredients that’s in their cosmetic bag.

This discussion will be continued. But until then, what do you think about the new Nazi? Have they come after you? 

"She doesn't seem like a Go-Getter."

l-r Interviewing Ms. Vaughn and Meechy Monroe with Tisha (Feb.), Getting my make-up done for the Huetiful Hair Idol Shoot by Celebrity Make-Up artist, Parra Thomas in Atlanta (Aug.), Hosting a show in Chicago (Dec.), After my interview with Rachel of Original Moxie (Nov.), After my interview Karen of Karen's Body Beautiful in New York (Dec.), Getting my faced beat for the first time with Tisha in Atlanta (April), Meeting Chescaleigh for the first time in New York (Oct.), Meeting Alex and Natural Chica for the first time in Atlanta (April), After the BGLH Meet-up in Chicago (Feb.), Last day in Atlanta for the Huetiful Hair Idol Rockstar Experience in Atlanta (Aug.)

This is what someone said about me around five years ago when I disclosed I wanted to become a journalist. I was discussing all of my dreams and aspirations during an already uncomfortable dinner and later, I heard, “this is basically what they thought of you.”

I was crushed. Let it be known that I wasn’t at all closed to these people, but their opinion of me (unfortunately) mattered. Looking back though, I can’t say that I blamed them for thinking that. I was painfully shy back then and sometimes as a journalist, you have to get all up in people’s faces (literally) to get the story.

Fast forward one year later and I got an amazing opportunity to do a piece for my university’s alumni magazine, where I worked closely with the editor along with two other students. Apparently unlike me, the students didn’t think so highly of this arrangement because they skipped out on most of the meetings with the editor. For me, this was a blessing because I got to hang out one-on-one with him and pick his brain. There he told me the one thing I will never forget. “If you want to be a journalist, you have to get over your fear of talking to people you don’t know. How else will you get the story?” That along with a few other two to three hour conversations with him did it for me.

Welcome to CharyJay.com!!

Hey y’all!

I am so very happy to finally have this website up and running! Every since I got rid of my old website, I’ve missed speaking to you all about things that matter outside of the hair world.

I know since my YouTube channel is geared towards natural hair care and styling, many may feel like that’s all that I do and care about. Contrary to popular belief, hair is not the only thing I’ve been focused on.

For starters, late last year, I embarked on my weight loss journey for the second, err, third, errr,..the umpteenth time (but who’s counting anyway lol) and actually seen results. Since so many of you’ve asked for updates on my journey, I’m going to discuss that here. I also liked to talk to you chicas about what’s goes on behind the camera when making YouTube videos and how I feel about being a vlogger in general.

Lastly, but certainly not least, I want to discuss how you all feel about certain topics that I’d bring to the table. Some of them might be hot button issues, while others are light-hearted.

Whatever the case, I want this website to be a place where you can come and get tips on hair, beauty, weight loss, discuss issues that matter, and leave with a peace of mind.