And the Winners...

... of the first ever Kinky Coils & String GiveAway are!

**Drum Roll**

1. Eve Knits
2. Afiba (Ms. Lina)
3. Sonya

You ladies were selected using a random number counter program so as to make it as fair as possible. I will be contacting these ladies over the next couple of days to get their choices. Eve Knits gets 1st choice and so on. Hopefully each of you will get what you want. They are all great products!

If you get to me before I get to you, please email me at kamikak at MSN DOT com.

Thanks to all who entered and please stay tuned for those hair updates. I'll need your input! Also, hopefully you'll come back to be inspired to knit, crochet, or take up a hobby to bless your self with. As women we need to start doing things for us that will birth out creativity and help us to relieve stress. Knitting and crochet does that for me and so many others, maybe it will do it for you too.

Kamika

GiveAway Update!

The Hair GiveAway is almost over. You have just over 5 hours to enter if interested otherwise I have to move on to my next for my stringfellows. The contest is over at 11:59:59 pm Pacific Standard Time. My Time!

Stringfellows, all I have to say is, "Lorna's Lace." Some of you have begun to salivate I'm sure. So stay posted.

I will post the winners of the Hair GiveAway on Wednesday. I have a full day tomorrow and don't think I can do it sooner. I do want to say that I appreciate all who entered as well as all of those who just stopped by. You ladies have provided me with a lot of great topics to discuss in the future concerning our hair. I'm planning to make Friday's Hair Day so stay tuned!

Kamika

The More You Give...GiveAway!!

Here it is! My first ever giveaway and the beginning of something great! I had planned to do my first giveaway at my blogiversary in March but decided that I wanted to draw some folks out of lurkdom and spread some New Year good cheer! I want to set the tone of this year for giving as much as I can to others. I believe that the more you give the less you lack.

I have been blessed to find some of my holy grail products to help me love and nuture my natural kinky coils. I try to limit my use of products to only those that are necessary so that I can tell what works and what doesn't for my hair type without wasting my hard earned cash. My sure-fire grails are easily gotten from your local beauty supply shop or grocery store and include Castor Oil, Olive Oil, Let's Jam gel, Honey, and the Trader Joe's Nourish line. Yes, fruits and berries baby, fruits and berries.

GIVEAWAY #1: $10 in HoneyMoney to spend on anything you like @ Oyin

On occasions I splurge and allow my hair some treats like those made by the mixtress, Jameelah herself over at Oyin Handmade. I absolutely love the Greg Juice. It leaves my hair feeling so soft and moisturized. I recommend it to anyone who has a problem with dryness be it on natural or relaxed hair. Greg Juice has become so popular that they created two additional scents with the same beneficial formulation called Frank Juice and you guessed it! Fruits & Berries! I also like her Shine 'N Define for smoothe edges and twists without the dry feeling of gel and the Honey-Hemp Conditioner for a luxuriously good conditioning wash. Hopfully Oyin will be your spoil as well!


GIVEAWAY #2: one 4oz bottle of Wild Growth Oil

Let's keep the ball rolling and get on to number two! In the hair world some sistahs just can not live without Wild Growth Oil. They scream about how wonderful it is for hair growth and how they grew nine inches in 24 hours. J/K! Ya'll know how I am about the "magic in a bottle" faithful. I'm a strong believer that products don't grow hair they just help to create the ideal environment for optimal hair growth. **Don't sleep on this basic truth** You will save a lot of money and heartache if you stop running around trying to find your magic growth bullet in a bottle or pill. **off my soapbox**

I will say that recently when I got my hair pressed it did provide a nice non-oily shine to my hair. Applied properly it wasn't heavy and didn't weigh my hair down. It was applied by my stylist and she raved about it. I decided to try it for myself and give a review of it later. I bought two bottles and so I'll share one with you. Be forewarned that many users warn of the strong scent. Mine wasn't strong but then again I like medicinal smells. So here it is.

GIVEAWAY #3: one 12oz bottle of Surge Plus 14 Moisturizer

Blow the trumpet loud! My last giveaway is what you've all been searching for. At least that's what my Feedburner stats tell me. Some of you may remember my post about Surge Plus 14 Moisturizer and how it helped my scalp to heal from nearly 3 years of Alopecia. Well Surge has been discontinued (for whatever elusive and unfounded reason) by the manufacturer and practically unattainable unless you want to pay in upwards of $30 a bottle on eBay. EGAD! That's over a 400% markup. Well I have a few bottles (and I didn't pay $30 for them) and I'm willing to give one away. So dun duna dun!!

HOW TO WIN:

Just leave me a comment telling me what you would like to see more of on my blog that will help you to love your beautiful hair. It could be hair inspiration spotlights, hair care research, style tutorials, or even more great links to other helpful sites and hair albums. You name it and tell me what you would like to see. I don't want to reinvent the wheel and in saying that will not duplicate the efforts of those well known sites. You tell me what's missing and if I have knowledge about it I will try to share it here.

I'll leave this open through the weekend and randomly select 3 winners on the evening of Monday, January 26th. You must live in the continental US to participate. Be sure to provide me with your email addy otherwise I will not be able to reach you. The first to respond to my email will get first choice and so on.

Good luck!

Kamika

Product Review: Surge Plus 14

As of late I have been neglecting to do any posts focused on hair. I don't know why other than I didn't want to be redundant and write what was already on the web. I also didn't have a clever way to list any tips or recipes or even pictures for that matter. My goal has been to not make KC&S solely about my hair or show a lot of pictures of myself. I have a hair album on Fotki for that. I'm also NOT a Product Junkie. I stick to what's tried and true and only add new products to my regimen when I have researched them and then only if they make sense. So pardon me for the neglect. As I adjust my regimen for the seasons and for the increased length I'm sure I will have more to write about.

For healthy hair growth and maintenance one must know that there is no magic pill in a bottle. Healthy hair is a combination of genetics, proper diet, proper maintenance, and nurturing. No one product is going to make sure you "Don't Be Bald" or "Doo Grow" or even give you a "Mane" the length of a "Tail." Products can't do that. They only aid in growth and enhance the condition of your hair and scalp. DON'T FORGET THE SCALP! In your daily routine, your mantra should be "scalp first then hair." Why? Because proper hair growth must come from a healthy properly conditioned scalp first.

Today I present to you Surge Plus 14 Hair Revitalizer. Surge is a mixture of Biotin, Keratin Proteins, Aloe Vera and Muccopolysaccharides (Sulphur). Biotin and Keratin are proteins used to prevent split ends and breakage. Muccopolysaccharides condition and stimulate the scalp as well as strengthen the hair shaft. Aloe Vera is a healing agent that softens the hair and scalp. It comes in a 12 Fl oz bottle and can be purchased at some beauty supply stores and Walgreens. Here in So Cal I had to order mine as none of the stores I went to carried it. You can reach them at (888) 816-8144. I ordered mine from Allure Beauty for about $6.50 (I think).

I had heard a lot about Surge through Nappturality and the Long Hair Care Forum, two sights dedicated to the growth of healthy african american hair. The reviews were a mixed bag. I suspect the negatives were from those that didn't know how to use the product properly. But then again, everything isn't for everbody. Surge is NOT just for black hair!

I started using Surge because I have been suffering from Alopecia in the nape area. For a little over 3 years I have had sparse growth in that area, mainly due to improper relaxer applications and terrible maintenance. For a season I tried a mixture of Tea Tree Oil and conditioners. Tea Tree oil is a natural disinfectant and helps to heal the scalp. I saw a little growth with this but more so less itching or dryness on my scalp.

Since using Surge for a little over a month, I have seen significant growth in that area. I'm really excited that I won't have to make such drastic cuts to the back of my hair. The unaffected areas in my nape fall to below my shoulders, but because of the glaring baldness in the affected area I have had to use the longer hair to camoflauge resulting in my hair looking a lot shorter than it actually is. I recommend it if you have been having problems like I have. Surge along with a healthy diet and proper maintenance may just be the answer you were seeking.

Beg - May 25, 2007

Mid - June 23, 2007
End - July 5, 2007

My Routine:

1. Daily or every two day co-washing (conditioner only rinses)
2. Spray Surge directly to the scalp all over twice a day
3. Apply your favorite oil or moisturizer to the scalp and hair directly afterwards
4. Reduce heat and styling applications

The only caveat I found is that Surge can be drying to the hair. That is why it is so important to apply your favorite oil and/or moisturizer after use. This will prevent any drying. Be careful with oils. They are NOT a moisturizer and too much can dry your hair out and make it greasy.

Hit me at kamikak AT msn DOT com if you have any questions or check out my hair album.

Kamika