My TOP 10 TIPS on Transitioning from Relaxed to Natural Hair

Easy Warrior Twisted Leather Ponytail "Natural Hair" #SWATHLOOKS

Hey Guys!

I'm so happy you enjoyed last week's video post! I had so much fun making this video. It was definitely a lot of work and planning, but I was happy to see the final product look how I hoped it would!

This Easy Warrior Twisted Ponytail with a Leather Wrap was inspired by the New Snow White and the Huntsman movie! In the movie, Snow White is fearless and strong. She's not your typical fairytale princess, which I love so much! She fights for herself and is the true meaning of natural beauty and female power.

Photo Courtesy of Universal PicturesI was inspired by her knightly look with the high ponytail, but wanted to make it more wearable and conducive to the texture of natural hair. So I came up with the edgy twisted look that can be worn as high or as low as you'd like, depending on the statement you're looking to make!

Photo Courtesy of Universal PicturesSo it was a lot of planning and filming, but I wanted to make sure the video wasn't just about the hair tutorial. I really wanted to set the mood for the movie, which is a bit dark, a bit fairytale-like, and has a ton of action and suspense.

Photo Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Photo Courtesy of Universal PicturesOne of the theme's of the SWATH Film is "Beauty is Power." In the film, the Evil Queen literally needs beauty to survive and rule the kingdom, so she literally sucks the life out of young girls. When I first saw the trailer for the film, I was drawn in by the beautiful cinematography, action, and the new take on a classic fairytale. But as I began thinking about it more, it dawned on me that this film can be an analogy for life in general!

Photo Courtesy of Universal PicturesSnow White, to me, represents the "Every Man," born with innocence, fearlessness, and zest for life, which to me, is her natural beauty. But when the Evil Queen threatens to take all of that away from her, she becomes afraid and runs for her life. In the case of the "Every Man," I feel like we all have dreams and aspirations, but sometimes life gets in the way. We become fearful that if we continue to try to achieve our dreams, we might fail and be worst off, so we run from our fears, and settle for less. But in the film, Snow White decides to fight back! She confronts her fears, stops running, and goes to war with the Evil Empire. She knows the power of her beauty and she fights to protect it... and I love that about her.

Photo Courtesy of Universal PicturesIf you haven't yet checked out my take on it, take a look! I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed creating it! And of course, don't forget to check out this beautiful film, Snow White and The Huntsman, in theatres June 1st!

XoXo Nap

Photo Courtesy of Universal PicturesSnow White and The Huntsman Family-Friendly Events and Contests!

1) SWATH Inspired Pinterest Challenge and Chance to Win Prizes! : Official Rules Here

2) SWATH Pop-Up experience in LA. Go and see some of the costumes, the inspired artwork and make custom tee-shirts and messenger bags.

- Costumes from the film’s three-time Academy Award®-winning costume designer, Colleen Atwood

- Snow White and The Huntsman - Inspired mixed-media artwork from artists (amateur to professional) around the globe

- Create Snow White and The Huntsman memorabilia with on-site screen printing. Attendees will have the opportunity to receive T-shirts, messenger bags, posters and more. Fans of the film may also bring an item from home to customize.

May 19 through  June 3 (Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM PDT)

7710 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA

Get On His Level Man! | Naptural85 Vlog

10 Ways to Tie A Silk Head Scarf

Hey Guys!

Summer is right around the corner! Time for relaxed, laid-back clothes, and cute head scarves! Here's 10 quick and easy ways that I like to alternate my head scarves! Whether it's to protect the hair from the summer sun, cover unflattering twists, or fix a bad hair day, you'll be sure to look great this season! Hope you give it a try!

XoXo Whit

Meet Bobble Head! | Naptural85 Vlog

How To Get Your Best Twist Out Ever "Natural Hair"

Flexi Rods vs Curlformers | Heatless Hair Styling Options

Hey Guys!

I recently uploaded my Updated Curlformers Method on YouTube, and since then, I've received lots of questions about which I prefer more, the Flexi Rods or the Curlformers? Some people are just curious and wondering, but I also realize that some people want to know if the investment in Curlformers is worth it! While Flexi Rods and Curlformers both produce similar results, as hair tools, they're completely different.

Flexi Rods are the foam rollers that bend and lock in place. You're able to create a barrel curl by rolling your hair around the Flexi Rod, and rolling it all the way up to your roots, bending the rod in place so it doesn't move. While it's possible to set your curls in Flexi Rods without heat, they're really made to be used with heat.

Setting your Flexi Rod curls with heat, under a hooded hair dryer, blasts the hair dry quickly, creating a smooth, tight curl, without frizz. If you opt to go heatless, the curls are forced to dry freely in the air. The curl is less tight, less shiny, and is subject to frizz due to slow air-drying and possible humidity. A great curl can be achieved without heat, as seen in my Heatless Flexi Rod Set video, but you have to do some extra steps to achieve it and make sure the curl is as smooth, tight, and frizz-free as possible.

My hair styled without heat, using Flexi Rods. To be fair, my hair was previously styled before taking this picture, causing a lot of the frizz, but you can still see that the curls are a bit puffy, frizzy, and undefined. I still loved the results, but the difference is clear. I wish I had a picture of the fresh Flexi Rod set right after removing the rods for a better comparison, but if you want to see the immediate results, you can check out the video!Curlformers are the orange and pink rubber, aerated tubes that come with a hook rod for installation. You're able to create a barrel curl by placing the hook through the aerated tube, grasping your hair with the hook at the root, and pulling the hook, with the hair, out through the aerated tube, where it will remain until the curl has set. Again, with Curlformers, you can set the hair with or without heat, but the difference is that Curlformers are specifically made for heatless styling. Locked inside the aerated tube with tiny holes, the wet hair is forced to dry flat, evenly, and without frizz. But you can also decide to use heat! Whether you decide to sit under a heated hair dryer to speed the process, or not, your hair dries smoothly, without frizz, and remains shiny. There's no extra steps or precautions to take while setting the hair without heat, and your results remain consistent every time.

My hair styled without heat, using Curlformers. This picture was taken on fresh hair that had not been styled, but either way, the curls are nicely defined and shiny.Because I'm currently a girl who prefers heatless styling, my clear favorite is the Curlformers! I have tons of videos where I've used them to set my curls before styling. They're just so easy, quick, convenient, and hassle-free. If I used heat styling, I don't know if my favorite would change or not, I've never tried the Flexi Rods with heat before, only heatless. I'm sure setting the style with heat would be much quicker and convenient, but I'll never know until I've tried it! So for now, to answer the question, I prefer my Curlformers for my heatless curling, but Flexi Rods are also a great option… but, my second option.

For those thinking about whether to purchase Curlformers or Flexi Rods, think about what your preference is! If you prefer heatless styling, I'm confident that you'll have the most success using the Curlformers. But if you don't mind using heat, maybe you'll want to save a bit of cash and go for the Flexi Rods instead!

In regards to the price of the Curlformers, I agree, they're pretty expensive! But it's a hair styling tool that you can use countless times, over and over again! Similar to a blow dryer or flat iron that can cost between $50 to $200, depending on the features, Curlformers are a one-time buy that will last for years. In my opinion, they're a better investment than a blow dryer or flat iron because they give you that blown-out/curly look, without damaging your hair with heat! But that's just my opinion of course, I was pretty skeptical of them too, when I first bought them. I'm not sponsored or affiliated with Curlformers at all, it's just my honest opinion based on my experience of having used them for over a year now!

So I hope that helps answer your questions regarding which of the two tools I prefer more! Happy styling guys!

Talk to you later!

XoXo Whit

Young Flirty Updo for Thin Hair | Prom Wedding "Natural Hair"

Hey Guys!

As promised, here's the second formal updo perfect for events, weddings, and the prom! This natural hairstyle is perfect for girls with thin hair that want to make their hair seem more voluminous! It also looks great on girls with thick hair as well! I hope you give this young and flirty look a try!

XoXo Whit

Deciphering an All Star

Nostalgia:

I love this song for two reasons:

1) its goofy, fun tune reminds me of high school, full of carefree fun and irresponsibility. And most importantly,

2) the message of the song is surprisingly inspiring and encourages you to think outside the box and go for your dreams without fear of failure. It really hits a personal chord with me and my own life experiences so far.

Don't let the goofy costumes, random video content, and pop tune fool you. Remember this song came out in the age of boy bands and pop fluff, so it needed to have some "bubble gum" to break into the mainstream audience and be successful. But if you listen closely, you'll see that Smash Mouth really hits it out of the park with the lyrics. It wasn't until adulthood, when I could see past the smoke and mirrors of the random video, that I was able to fully appreciate and understand the message in this song.

Here's the video with the lyrics posted underneath. Take a listen and read for yourself! What do the lyrics mean to you? Let me know in the comments! If you're not getting the message, let me know too, I might do a follow up with my interpretation if there's enough inquiry. 

Enjoy the song and Carpe Diem guys!

XoXo Whit

"All Star" by Smash Mouth Lyrics

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me
I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed
She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb
In the shape of an "L" on her forehead

Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb

So much to do so much to see
So what's wrong with taking the back streets
You'll never know if you don't go
You'll never shine if you don't glow

[Chorus:]
Hey now you're an All Star get your game on, go play
Hey now you're a Rock Star get the show on get paid
And all that glitters is gold
Only shooting stars break the mold

It's a cool place and they say it gets colder
You're bundled up now but wait 'til you get older
But the meteor men beg to differ
Judging by the hole in the satellite picture

The ice we skate is getting pretty thin
The waters getting warm so you might as well swim
My world's on fire how about yours
That's the way I like it and I'll never get bored

[Repeat Chorus]

Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas
I need to get myself away from this place
I said yep what a concept
I could use a little fuel myself
And we could all use a little change

Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running
Didn't make sense not to live for fun
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb
So much to do so much to see
So what's wrong with taking the back streets
You'll never know if you don't go
You'll never shine if you don't glow

Easy Textured Elegant Formal Updo | Prom Wedding "Natural Hair"

Hey Guys!

Here's an insanely easy and elegant updo perfect for formal events, including weddings, galas and proms! This natural hair style is so quick and easy and can be done on fresh silky hair, or day-old hair for a more textured look! It's up to you! Hope you give it a try!

xoxo Whit