Then & Now - Grab a Paddle Brush! + The Giveaway Winners Announced!

Then:
2009

2010

NOW

Here are the winners from last weeks giveaways! The winner of the MAC Giveaway was Jlowman1, please email your name and address to: nikole@themoptopmaven.com please also include your MAC color [for example NW40, NW45] -

Little HBIC was our winner in the hair products giveaway, please also email your name and address to nikole@themoptopmaven.com.

Thank you to everyone who entered, these were two of the most popular giveaways on my blog yet, and now that I know what you all like, there will definitely be more to come! :-) 

I was checking out some pictures of my hair over the weekend, and I realized how completely different it looked in comparison to the beginning of my hair journey. Back when I first embarked on my natural hair care journey, I was concerned about what people would think of my hair, so I maintained styles that were neat and defined. Now that I am more comfortable with wearing my hair in it's natural state, I long for big, wild, unapologetic hair.

Here are a few of my favorite techniques that get my hair as full as possible after a braid out, or twist out:

If I had to attribute my "big hair" to just one change in my regimen, I would have to say it was the paddle brush. Invest in a paddle brush! - Focus on brushing the roots of your hair to create additional volume. Simply take medium sections of hair, and brush starting at the roots. Don't bring the brush all the way down to the ends of your hair, you really just want to focus on the roots, and the first 2-3 inches or so. Don't worry about brushing out the curl, it will look more natural, and will give you MUCH more of a fuller look.

Take out your twists or braids when 95% dry - I find that doing this creates a ton of volume because  your hair s w e l l s as it completely dries. If you decide to do this technique, make sure your ends are in good condition [if not they sometimes will have a thin, ratty appearance], and your hair has been conditioned well, so that it appears smooth, shiny, and silky.

Go easy on the products - You don't want to weigh your hair down by using too much product. To give your hair more of a natural, fluffy look, use smaller portions of your favorite curl defining creme or butter. Too much product gives me neater, flatter hair. In this case, less is definitely more.

Separate as much as possible - To get rid of see-through areas, and create additional volume, separate each curl into five or more sections prior to brushing with a paddle brush. I find that it is easiest to separate the hair as you take down the twists/braids.