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![I've Had Sew-Ins For 6 Months. This Brand Helped Me Embrace My Natural Hair.](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzE4Mjc4Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTc4MjY4NjU3MH0.PjAVEuJee4u28U1QR6BolYSsCVyneQzBoDKJdIR85g4/img.jpg?width=1200&height=600&quality=90&coordinates=0%2C282%2C0%2C1522)
I've Had Sew-Ins For 6 Months. This Brand Helped Me Embrace My Natural Hair.
Both my acrylics and my bundles are long gone. My mustache is growing back with a vengeance, and it's safe to say that the quarantine has humbled me.
For the first time in a long time, I've been forced to take a good, hard look at my natural self and the woman I see looking back at me is upsetting me and my homegirls.
The ability to book a pedicure, wax, or silk press pretty much put my beauty routine on cruise control and now that I've lost it—your good sis is struggling. I am your good sis. Although I'm able to paint my own toes and put my wrist to work with a razor, the task of taming my tresses has been another story entirely. Now that my third sew-in in a row has reached its expiration date, I've come to find that my twist-outs never quite twist out and my wash-and-go makes me happy to stay at home.
Heat damage and bleach have pretty much fried, dyed, and laid my curls to the side, but just when I was about to give up hope, I received a package from Mielle that got my tresses together expeditiously. Before playing around with the products, I tapped my stylist, owner of Denver hair salon, Booji Beauty for a virtual consult where she gave me five must-have tips when it comes to perfecting my twist-out:
- Make sure to deep condition and rinse thoroughly before any protective style.
- Detangle from roots to end.
- Make sure it's completely dry before untwisting.
- Separate coils with oil on your fingertips (avoid over-separating).
- Be patient.
After my virtual consult with Jasmine, I tried Mielle's Rosemary Mint Collection for a Flexi-rod twist out on my fussy, chemically damaged hair.
Here's what happened:
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Step One: Activate Hydration
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After shampooing my hair thoroughly with Mielle's Rosemary Mint Strengthening Shampoo (Target, $10), I dove right into the deep conditioning process. I sectioned my hair into parts and applied Mielle's Rosemary Mint Strengthening Hair Masque (Target, $10) from root-to-end and began detangling. Then, I put on a shower cap and allowed this to sit for about three hours. I'd probably even sleep in this mask if I'm having a really bad hair week (which is pretty frequent for me).
Step Two: Rinse & Detangle
Next, I make sure I this masque is rinsed out completely (per Jasmine's instructions) and sectioned my hair to make sure it was completely detangled. Since where I live in Denver is EXTRA dry—and so is my hair––I applied Mielle's Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil (Target, $10) on my scalp and mildly split ends during this process.
Step Three: Get Twisted
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My least and favorite part of this process is getting twisted, which took me about two hours to get right. While my two-strand struggle was real, Mielle's Multivitamin Rosemary Mint Styling Cream (Target, $10) had enough slip for my grip to snap even the most unruly curls into shape. I then applied Flexi rods at the ends of my twists and went TF to bed. I allowed my twists to stay in for about two days, and no mom, I didn't go anywhere with these rollers in my head.
And then, it was judgment time.
The Final Results
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As a naturalista-in-training, I wasn't sure what results to expect from this experiment, but if all else failed, I could rest assured that my hair smelled good as f*ck.
After applying a generous amount of Mielle's Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil (Target, $10) to my finger tips, I unraveled my twists and discovered a curl pattern that I forgot existed. While I would suggest adding a leave-in conditioner to this routine to help curls stay fresh longer, and I still need some practice before perfecting my twist-out, this collection gave me the hydration and definition that I needed to say goodbye to my bundles for a while and finally embrace my natural hair.
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Featured image courtesy of Pretty Honore/xoNecole.com.
Taylor "Pretty" Honore is a spiritually centered and equally provocative rapper from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with a love for people and storytelling. You can probably find me planting herbs in your local community garden, blasting "Back That Thang Up" from my mini speaker. Let's get to know each other: @prettyhonore.
This article is sponsored by Hulu.
UnPrisonedhas returned for its highly anticipated second season, delving deeper into the complex dynamics of the Alexander family.
The series premiere comes a year after its debut season garnered rave reviews from fans and critics and earned record-breaking ratings for Hulu's Onyx Collective brand. UnPrisoned's success can be attributed to its raw, relatable themes and comedic appeal.
Inspired by creator Tracy McMillan's life, the show follows Paige (Kerry Washington), a therapist and single mother whose life takes an unexpected turn when her father, Edwin (Delroy Lindo) --who was released from prison-- moves in with her and her teenage son, Finn (Faly Rakotohavana).
Throughout UnPrisoned's first season, viewers witnessed how Edwin's incarceration deeply affected Paige's life and relationships. In the series, Paige unpacks her trauma through interactions with her inner child and her online followers. Meanwhile, Edwin is overcoming specific struggles with his own past that led to his life of crime, including a dysfunctional upbringing and his mother's arrest. As the Alexanders attempt to reconcile, new challenges arise.
This new season promises to further explore their unconventional family dynamic. Here are several compelling reasons why season two of UnPrisoned should be on everyone's watchlist.
The Alexander Family Life Is Still In Shambles
UnPrisoned's second season resumes where the series left off, with Paige grappling with the fallout from her troubled therapy practice and Edwin navigating life independently after moving out. Meanwhile, Finn faces his own challenges. The teenager is battling anxiety and seeking information about his father—a topic Paige avoids discussing.
The Alexander Family Are Attending Therapy To Resolve Their Underlying Issues
Amid the chaos in their lives, the Alexander family decides to mend their bond by confronting their past traumas. They seek professional help and attend therapy sessions with a “family radical healing coach,” played by John Stamos, a new cast member. This collective effort aims to unravel the complexities of their shared history and strengthen their relationships.
The process of unraveling each character's internal conflicts and their potential impact on future relationships may clash with Paige's textbook therapy approach. While Paige is used to being in the therapist's seat in both career and family, this forces her into the unfamiliar role of a patient during therapy sessions. This shift would compel her to look in the mirror and try a radically different approach.
The Alexander Family Learned A Big Lesson During A Therapy Session
In therapy, the Alexanders are tasked with addressing their individual traumas to salvage their remaining relationships. One of the family therapist’s eccentric suggestions was an exercise involving a family wrestling match. During this session, Paige faces tough questions about her refusal to share information about Finn's father.
While it's unclear whether this scene is reality or fantasy, the image of the family duking it out in the ring certainly makes for hilarious yet compelling television.
Paige Tries Dating Again Following Failed Relationships
Amid her life's chaos, Paige decides to step back into the dating field. However, her many attempts have left her with mixed results. The dating apps have turned out to be a fail, and an outing with her ex Mal (Marque Richardson), who is also her father's parole officer, doesn’t go quite as expected after he brings an unexpected guest – his new girlfriend.
The situation takes an awkward turn when Mal's new partner learns why the former couple split, partly due to Paige's self-sabotage.
UnPrisoned Is A Perfect Balance Of Comedy And Drama
As a dramedy, UnPrisoned takes a comedic approach to its heavy subjects. The show takes us on a ride with Paige's dating misadventures and navigating a friendship with her ex.
Other lighthearted moments include Edwin's attempts at CPR based on online videos and, of course, the antics of the Alexander family's unconventional new healing coach.
The second season of UnPrisoned is now available on Hulu.
UnPrisoned | Season 2 Trailer | Hulu
Feature image courtesy
Actor Jessie T. Usher reveals his secrets for maintaining his physical appearance while filming Amazon Prime's The Boys.
The series, which spans four seasons, follows vigilantes as they battle corrupt superheroes. In The Boys, Usher portrays Reggie Franklin, also known as A-Train, a superhero with incredible speed.
During a recent Men's Health magazine interview, the 32-year-old spoke about his diet and workout regimens. These routines help Usher stay in shape for the show's stunt work, which involves intense cardio to match his character's super-speed abilities.
In the discussion, he revealed his workout regimen consists of resistance training and cardio. On rest days, the Shaft star incorporates yoga and stretching into his routine.Jessie On What He Eats In a Day
Regarding his diet, Usher shared he typically eats three meals daily with minimal variations. He begins each day by hydrating and waiting an hour or two before breakfast. On production days for The Boys, Usher opts for eggs with herbs and seasonings, accompanied by fruit.
The Dangerous Lies actor keeps it light for lunch with protein-rich options like quinoa bowls or salads with lentils, chicken, and vegetables from CAVA. Dinner is his heartiest meal, featuring chicken and fish (particularly sea bass or salmon), after which he refrains from eating for the rest of the night.
Usher focuses on protein intake for all his meals rather than counting macro calories to support muscle growth. He boosts his protein with peanut butter shakes. While maintaining a disciplined diet, The Almost Christmas star allows himself occasional indulgences like Funyuns or Nutter Butters. To round out his health regimen, Usher takes daily vitamins.
Jessie On His Diet And Workout Routine For "The Boys"
When asked about adjusting his diet or workout routine for his role in The Boys, Usher explained that his health-conscious lifestyle eliminates the need for significant changes.
“Honestly, no. Because by the time I got to The Boys I was already health conscious. Very much aware of what I was putting in my body and how,” he said.
Regarding his workouts, Usher revealed he tailors his routines to include more diverse cardio exercises. This approach ensures he's physically prepared for the scenes he shoots for the show.
“A day of working out for The Boys is a little bit different. I feel like I added more variations of cardio work,” he stated. “When [you’re shooting] you just have no idea what they’re about to throw at you. I just want to be ready for all of those challenges, especially the cardio things. I just wanted to have the endurance to be able to get through whatever type of scene that I would possibly be shooting.”
Season four of The Boys is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Everything ‘The Boys’ Star Jessie T Usher Eats In a Day | Eat Like | Men's Health
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Feature image by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures