{Beauty Product Review} Anastasia's Brow Genius in Brunette

Hi Beauties. Last month, I treated myself to several beauty gifts and one of them was the Anastasia's Brow Genius Kit in Brunette. I purchased this product at Sephora's for $24. I read in a few reviews that this product was perfect for Alopecians because it is waterproof so I had to try it. See below to see how it turned out.

Celebrating National Alopecia Awareness Month

Yes, Beauties! It's that time again to celebrate women, men, and children who have been affected by Alopecia. Living with hair loss and its unknown causes is a difficult journey to travel, especially if you are a woman or child. Unexpected hair loss can cause many different types of psychological issues and I feel that it is important to surround yourself with people who are experience the same or similar type of hair loss. Coming together as a community helps to build the first steps of self-esteem to know that you are not the only one suffering from hair loss. Over the years, the number of friends that I have increased quite a bit and majority of us have alopecia. We actually refer to each other as Alopecian sisters. 

Today,  the social media world is full pack with alopecia groups all over the world and it was not like this when I was initially developed alopecia back in 1999. If you or someone you know is living with alopecia refer him or her to one of the alopecia groups and organizations below. I highly recommend these groups because they are responsible for helping me to accept alopecia and move forward in my life. 

Double Dipping Your Makeup Brushes

Hi Couture Beauties! This post is about thoroughly cleaning your makeup brushes not just so you start with a clean brush with each new makeup application, but also to avoid those nasty eye infections. If you have Alopecia like myself and have or started to lose your eyelashes, we are more prone to eye infections because we no longer have those lashes to protect the dirt & dust from getting into our eyes. So it's very important that we keep the eye area free from dirt and always always always deep clean our makeup brushes.

{Video} About Hair Replacement Systems & Challenges People Face When Dealing With Hair Loss

Awesome informational video about hair replacements, types of hair loss, and the challenges that we face as hair loss sufferers. Also in the video is a beautiful Alopecian by the name Rosemary Janeiro, who gets to try and give her opinion on the different types of hair placement systems. Check it out below and share your thoughts in the comment box.

Best Alternative To Ease Into A Short Hairstyle

Hi Couture Beauties! A few weeks ago, I did a post on celebs with short hair that inspired me to go short.   For the past two weekends, I've been wearing my Sensationnel Bump Human Hair Wig - Fab Fringe in color Champagne. I actually had to change the color because the base was jet black and made my complexion look pale. I will do another post on how to lighten jet black hair because it was a huge job and involves multiples to avoid damaging the hair.

If you have long hair and want to experience short hair, wigs are the best alternative to achieve that style you've been dying to try. If you're an alopecian such as myself, it's so much fun to wear various wigs that are short & long because it gives us so much personality. I haven't went short in a long time and this style was just perfect! I was able to switch my bangs from left to right and liked it both ways.

Now I'm ready to design a lace hair system with a short style so that I can part it and have a more natural look. I have to admit that the Sensationnel Bump Human Hair Wig - Fab Fringe felt bulky because I have such a small head, but I love it anyway :-).  This is a great wig to try and see how a short style will look on you and a prep before going short with your natural hair or a lace hair system.

Couture Lace Front Hair Systems & How Long They Last

Hey Couture Beauties! Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions about the life of a lace front wig. Determining how long a lace front wig last all depends on the how often it is worn and the care of the unit.  I've personally wore my lace front wigs for well over six months before the hair started to shed aggressively from the track. By sealing the track you able to extend the life of the lace front wig because this process decreases the shedding of hair. Another reason why I stretch the life in my lace front wig is because I was going to get my money's worth. Let's get real Ladies...lace wigs are an investment that needs to be protected, so our money is not wasted.

My Hair Is Thinning....What Should I Do?

Hi Couture Beauties! I hope you all had a great weekend. I had to do my dance mom thing with my daughter who had a hip hop performance over the weekend. Being a dance mom is a lot of work and I'm not even the one dancing...lol. Anyway, a question came up last week from someone I met on if I would recommend hair extensions for thinning hair. It really depends on the method used to install the hair extensions. If the hair extensions will be sewn to the your braided hair, my response would be "No". I understand that hair extensions are a huge trend because you see them being advertised everywhere, but they will only lead to more damage and hair loss when sewn to hair that is thinning. The hair extensions weighs down on your natural hair, which pulls it from the scalp and ultimately leads to hair loss.

Protective Styling for Thinning Hair

Lashes Galore & New Sexy Gloss by Victoria's Secret

Finally Mastered Applying Faux Lashes

Yes, it took me while in applying these lashes, but I fianlly got the hang of it. I tried applying lashes back in 2008 when I had Alopecia Universalis (total all over body hair loss), but I ended up with glue in my eyes and gave up...lol. The lashes shown in the pic are from Eylure Naturalites #116 purchased at Ulta for $5.99. They are a little too long for me and I was scared to trim them, but they are fancy. Next step is learning how to apply bottom lashes where I need it! Wish me luck on that one Beauties..lol  



On my lips is Victoria's Secret New Limited Edition Sexy Kiss Aphrodisiac Gloss in Dedandent Berry. This is going to be my favorite go to gloss. It smells so good, very glossy, shiny, and just the right sparkly for me. I love the packaging too...very girly.

Have A Glamourous Weekend Beauties!

XOXO, Nicole

5 Ways To Love Your Scalp

Essence did an article in their February issue on 5 Ways To Love Your Hair, which gave great tips on how to create volume, staying hydrated, embracing the gray, reducing styling time, and minimizing a bad hair day. Even though the article was a good one, it just did not relate to me or my fellow alopecians who have little to no hair as well as those going through medical treatments (e.g. Chemotherapy) that will lead to hair loss. I created a list of 5 Ways to Love Your Scalp, and this is something I do on a day-to-day basis.

1. Cleanse - Nothing is more important than a healthy & clean scalp! Our scalps need to be deeply cleansed on a daily basis to remove dirt, oil, and grime from our pores. Use a natural clarifying shampoo infused with peppermint oil such as Eden BodyWorks Peppermint Tea Tree Shampoo to help increase scalp circulation, revitalize, and refresh your hair follicles.  
2. Hydrate - Even without hair it's still important to keep your scalp hydrated at all times to avoid dryness. Use natural oils like Simplicity Hair Oil Blend to keep your scalp moisturized. Click to read the review I did on this superub natural hair oil.
3. Massage - Massaging your scalp nightly will help increase the blood flow to the hair follicles, promotes relaxation of the mind, and reduce stress. Use natural oils while massaging your scalp.  
4. Protective - I'm very big on protecting my scalp and you should too. When facing hair loss, do not continue exposing your hair or scalp to anymore tramua such as hairstyling that involves pulling & tightness, overexposure of the sun, and harsh enviormnet. Cover your head with a scarf, hat, or a wig such as a Lace System that mimics real hair growing from your scalp. Visit www.couturelacecrowns.com  to learn more about Lace Systems commonly refered to hair replacement systems.
5. Embrace - Embrace your God-given natural beauty. If your new to experiencing hair loss or is a warrior in your hair loss journey this an everyday process and we will succeed in embracing our beautiful looks.  
   

Image Source: Tumblr.com

Be Bold. Be Beautiful. Be You with Confidence.
Nicole

Alopecia Awareness Inspiration

Inspiration: Over the past month, I have been truly inspired by a woman named Sandra Dubose who is living with Alopecia Universalis. Watch the video below to see why I am so inspired. Sandra is such a beautiful woman inside & out. Guess what...Sandra also wrote a book that was released September 1st called "My Crown and Glory, It's Not About the Hair" Six Fundamental Principles to Heal Emotional Wounds and Build Healthy Self-Esteem. I know this is going to be a great book and I can't wait to read it. The book can be purchased directly from her site. 

Choosing the Right Hair Type for Your Lace System

The other day I was in a conversation with an beautiful Asian young lady who was explaining to me that she has had a difficult time in finding the right wig that matches her hair type. She has Alopecia Universalis and it was important for her to wear a wig that matches her ethnicity. All the places that she bought her wigs from were all made with Indian Remy hair, and this hair type just did not agree with her background ethnicity. Indian Remy is the most common human hair in the weave & wig industry, so when a customer walks into a beauty supply store, that is usually the only choice of hair they are able to purchase. I told her about Couture Lace Hair Systems, and I was amazed that she was not familiar with lace wigs as I explained the details to her about the wigs.

Today, women have a number of hair type choices to choose from that matches their ethnicity and backgrounds when they are customizing their lace system.  *Remember when a lace system has been permed and/or color-treated, it is no longer Virgin because it has been processed.

Indian Remy - This is the most common hair on the market.  The Indian texture is versatile for different cultures. Hair is naturally thick, less tangling, and the straight texture waves up when wet. Its soft waves texture mimics European hair. Great for processing into a yaki and kinky texture. Virgin Indian hair is naturally dark.

Chinese Remy - This is the second most common hair type next to Indian. The hair is very straight and coarse. Hair is naturally dark and not as shiny as the Indian Remy. The natural straight texture waves up when wet.

Malaysian Remy - This hair type is becoming more popular for women of color because it resembles permed hair and is replacing the "Light Yaki & Yaki" textures. When a wig is stated to have a yaki texture means it was processed to obtain the texture. The Malaysian Remy is highly recommended for women of color who want the relaxed hair texture. The hair is thick, soft, and silky to touch. The hair have the same density as Indian but does not have a natural wave when wet.

Brazilian Remy - This hair type is unique because is it comes in various textures and colors. The texture is smooth and soft as well as having a lot of body. It is more heavier, thicker, and dense compared to the Chinese and Indian Remy hair. Has less shine than Chinese and Indian Remy. This hair type can be expensive because of its texture and uniqueness.

Mongolian Remy - Hair texture is straight with a little body to it and comes in a natural brownish black color and is similar to European hair. The hair is very soft and silky to touch. Will hold great curls in its natural state, less curls when more textured. This hair type can be expensive because of its texture and uniqueness.

European Remy - This hair type is lighter and thinner than all the other hair types and is butter soft and silky to touch. This hair type can be expensive because of its texture and uniqueness.

It is already devastating to any woman who has lost her hair to Alopecia, cancer, or any other type medical condition. It is even more devastating when she cannot find the right type of hair on a wig that resembles the hair that she lost. Choosing the right type of hair for a hair system requires a specialist who is knowledgeable in the wig industry.

If you are ready to customize your lace hair system. Contact Me today! I will walk you through the process and explain everything to you in detail so that you can be on your way to being bold, beautiful, and face the world with full of confidence. You can also visit my CoutureLaceCrowns.com to see my collection of luxury lace hair systems.

Gone With The Waves

This Memorial Day weekend, I wore my hair in a wavy style. At times the straight hair gets a little boring. So to acheive this style, I used a 3 Barrel Waver, heat protectant, and Moroccan Oil treatment for my ends. To my Alopecians, this is show you that you can still have tons of fun with hair even if it's not yours. Want to have a style where you can go from straight to wavy Contact Me today to design you Couture Lace Hair System.  You can also visit CoutureLaceCrowns.com to see our collection of instock units.

Is A Lace System For You

If you experience hair loss from Alopecia, cancer treatments, hair thinning, Lupus, other medical hair loss, or in the transitional phase, then the lace system is for you. The lace system will provide you with the most natural look and feel as if the hair is growing from your scalp. You will also have a seamless hairline when the lace system is properly attached. No one will be able to tell that you are wearing a lace system. You can wash it, curl it, cut it, color it, and style the hair any way you want! If you want to conceal your hair loss with a natural looking hairstyle then the lace system is for you.

I highly recommend that you schedule a consultation to learn more about the lace systems prior to purchasing a unit from the website. Call me 703-651-2593 today to discuss your dream lace unit!

Happy Mother's Day!

I want to wish all the Mothers a Happy & Blessed Mother's Day. Motherhood brings out the true beauty in a woman and Beyonce can contest to that! Aside from the beauty, this is the perfect time to reflect on our purpose which is the gift of Motherhood. Women who are fighting the battle of hair loss, keep fighting and press forward to not let the battle overcome you. Lean on God for your strength and confidence to defeat the hair loss battle. We have many options and alternatives for hair loss solutions. As Mothers we cannot allow the loss of hair to stop us from living the best life we can live. We need to show our children that when they are faced with different battles in life they do not give up. Our purpose in the Motherhood journey is being the best Mom we can be and raise our children to the best of our abilities by showing them that they can achieve any of their goals and dreams regardless of the obstacles that come their way.


Have a Bless & Beautiful Day,
Nicole

Customizing Your 1st Lace Crown

Lace crowns are commonly referred to as "wigs", but they are much more than that because of the multiple styling options you have, they can be bonded to the head, they are undetectable the visible eye. I referred to them lace crowns, lace systems, units, and hair systems. Lace crowns are a luxury item that are to be handled with care just like with your natural hair. In Essence's November 2011 issue, lace wigs were referred to as the Rolls Royce of wigs, so that says it all. I do not sell wigs, I sell crowns!

Customizing your 1st lace crown can be an exciting and nervous process all at the same time. You will be excited because you have finally find your solution to covering your hair loss and looking forward to the new you! The nervous feeling is how you will look in the lace crown, is this the right solution for you, and is anyone going to notice. I can tell you that I personally felt all of these feelings when I purchased my first lace crown. I was wearing regular wigs initially until I met a hair stylist who introduced me to the lace hair systems. My job as your hair system consultant/designer and as a woman who has personal experience with hair loss is to be there with you every step of the way. I will answer all of questions and thoughts you may have about wearing lace systems. I receive many wonderful comments when I wear my lace units and these people had not clue that I was wearing a unit. I even had my face done at the MAC store and had a lady ask me who was my stylist. She was blown away when I told her that I was wearing a lace system. You too can have the exact same comments when wearing your unit. The lace system is the best solution for any stage of hair loss. They will help you regain your confidence and enhance your outer beauty.

The key to making the lace system look undetectable and naturally yours is by having it customized.  Not all heads are that same measurement or shape, which makes us all unique from one another. The best way to achieve the exact head measurements is by making a template of your head using saran wrap, tape, scissors, and a sharpie. I will walk you through the process of making a template through a consultation appointment. The lace systems last up to 1 year or longer depending on how your care for it. I always recommend that you have at least two hair systems to alternate between to extend the life of them. Lace systems are well worth the investment!

The first step to purchasing your customize lace crown is having consultation with me, which can be done by phone, email, Google+, or Skype. During the consultation, I educate you on our lace crowns and how to properly care for them. We will discuss what you are looking for in your lace crown, hair type, density, color, cap type, length, and how to make a head template. I do recommend that your first lace crown be a replica of how your hair looked prior to your hair loss. That way you will easily become comfortable with your unit. In the second step, you will do your template and mail it to me to be sent to my manufacturer to have them make your lace crown. This process will take up to four to six weeks. The finally step is having your lace crown delivered to you.

Going through the process of hair loss is enough stress, so you will not be pressured into making a quick purchase. I will work with you at your pace and make you feel as comfortable as possible with your any decision that you make.

Benefits to Wearing a Lace Wig

When I first developed Alopecia Areata it was easy to hide my hair loss by wearing ponytails. But over time my hair loss became extensive to the point where there was nothing I could do to hide it besides turning to a wig. My initial thoughts of wearing a wig scared me because all I knew at the time were the regular synthetic ones. I was filled with so many emotions from losing my hair that I thought I was losing my identity of who I was. I was literally forced into a wearing a wig because I could not leave my house or go to work in the corporate world without a decent hairstyle. Within a day I went from having medium length natural hair to a short synthetic two-tone color wig. This wig took all my confidence a way because it looked just like a wig and everyone knew I wearing one. Years later (2008) I was introduced to lace wigs from a friend. My whole world changed and I could feel my confidence coming back everyday from wearing my first lace wig made with real remy human hair. I could not believe all the things I could do with my lace wig! I was able to wrap it, curl it, restyle it, color it, put heat to it, throw it up in a ponytail, and people actually thought it was my hair. The lace wig was also much lighter on my head compared to the regular wigs. Most of the time, I forget that I am even wearing a wig. I received so many compliments wearing my lace wig than I did with my regular wigs. I actually had people ask for the stylist name that did my hair. Now that blew me away!

I just named most of the benefits of wearing a lace wig, and the other benefits are:

• Longevity - Lace wigs are very durable and properly taken care of they can last longer than a year. 
• Price Advantage - I realized my cost savings with my first lace wig purchase. Prior to my purchase I spent between an average of  $80/month on regular wigs because they never lasted longer than a couple of days or weeks. My first lace wig cost me about $450 for a 12" Indian Remy, which included the cost of installation. I wore this wig for a year and half, which saved me $510! My stylist actually gave me a mini-session on how to apply & remove my own lace wig to save more money. So  as you can see, lace wigs can save you money. You can still visit your stylist to have your wig washed and styled for much less than it would cost for natural hair.  
• Versatility in Activities - You can play any sport (work-outs, swimming, boxing, basketball, etc) in your lace wig and it will not fall off. Experiment with color and protect your natural hair from the use chemicals. 
• Versatility in Hairstyles - I fell in love with this benefit of wearing lace wigs. You can switch your style quickly by going from straight to curly and back to straight. Lace wigs come in so many different lovely hair textures and colors. 

If you are in the process of deciding to wear a wig, I highly recommend that your first wig be a lace wig. Start with a style similar to how your natural hair was style, so it will be easy for you to become comfortable with it. If you are not ready for a full lace, try a lace front wig which will give you similar benefits as the full lace. The lace front only has lace in the front of the wig, while to back has the same design as a regular wig. Lace wigs offers so many great benefits, that when you wear one you will never go back to a regular wig!  

Are you suffering from Traction Alopecia?

Hair loss comes in many different forms of Alopecia. In this post I will be discussing Traction Alopecia, which is a form a hair loss that is caused by constant pulling and tension around the hairline. This type of Alopecia is most common in women who styles their hair in a tight bun, ponytails, cornrows, relaxers, weaves, and braids. Over time these types of hairstyles will lead to hair loss due to the constant pulling and tension on the hair. If the hair loss is not treated immediately, it will lead to excessive and permanent hair loss.
How To Reverse Traction Alopecia
Traction Alopecia can be treated in its earliest stages by washing, deep conditioning, and giving your hair an hot-oil treatment once a week. During the process of nurturing your hair back to normal, you can wear an glueless lace wig as an alternative protective style. Wearing a lace wig for protective styling will increase the growth of your hair because it is not being exposed to the environment. If you want to glue or tape your lace wig down, use a wig cap to protect your edges. The lace wig should only be attached between two to seven days.

How to Prevent Traction Alopecia
Take action immediately when you start to notice that your hair has changed at the temples, sides, and front hairline. Wash your hair on a weekly basis using an clarifying shampoo such as Carol's Daughter's Rosemary Mint Shampoo, condition with Carol's Daughter's Rosemary Mint Conditioner, and follow with an hot oil treatment with Moroccan Oil treatment. Avoid wearing hairstyles that involves any tugging and pulling on the scalp. If you choose to braid your hair, braids should be loose versus tight. Do the same with a ponytail and bun.

The products mentioned above are only recommended. The Carol's Daughter Rosemary Mint Collection (http://www.carolsdaughter.com) works as a detoxification of the scalp and the natural peppermint oil stimulates & re-energizes the hair and scalp. The Moroccan Oil Treatment (http://www.moroccanoilproducts.com) restores the hair that has been damaged by chemical procedures and environmental factors. This product can be found online and in various hair salons.

To purchase and customize your Glueless Lace Wig, visit Couture Lace Crowns Today!

**I am a Wig Specialist, not a Cosmetologist professional, my recommendation is based on pure experience and research because I myself suffer from Alopecia Totalis.