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.

Alopecia Has No Control

I woke up this morning doing my normal morning routine to get ready for the workday, and as I was cleansing my face that's when I noticed it! I small chunk of my bottom lashes are gone...they just said see ya, bye bye, I may come back again. So what's a girl to do?? Of course...run to her cosmetics container and find the right products that will camouflage the missing lashes. For those who do not know my story, I have had all three stages of alopecia, starting from alopecia areata in 2000, alopecia totalis in 2005, and alopecia universalis in 2008. My body has been slowly recovering from alopecia universalis since 2010. The products that I used to fill in the missing lashes were Maybelline's brown eyeliner and Rimmel's Glam Eyes mascara in Brown black.

Having Alopecia makes you become your own Makeup Artist. I am always trying different cosmetic products that will make my lashes look fuller and eyebrow look a little natural.  I am a stickler on my outer appearance because not only am I the CEO of Couture Lace Crowns, but I am also a Corporate Diva (Accountant) and have many faces to see. So I always want my first impression to be a fabulous & stylish one! If you have Alopecia, do not let it control your life. We have some many products in the market that will help us camoflouge the hair loss and keep it moving.


Eyelashes grew back in December 2011 from Alopecia Universalis

 

Missing chunks of eyelashes as of May 23, 2012 

Taken May 25, 2012 showing I control my life, not Alopecia

Stay Positive & Blessed

Nicole

Brandy Looking Stylish at the Billboard Music Awards

This is one of my all time favorite looks for Brandy. She was in complete glam mode for the Billboard Music Awards. I think I love her more in curly styles versus straight. There is defiantly a huge movement in transitional styles everywhere with ladies going from straight to their natural wavy/curly hair. This is where having Alopecia is fun because we can slide right into that movement as well with a full lace or lace front hair system and still rock the same curly & wavy styles.  If you are experiencing hair loss and feel that you cannot wear today's hair styles, I am here to tell you that you are wrong! If you want to rock the natural curls like Brandy contact me today to design your Kinky Curl hair system and in no time you will be able to look & feel like the celebrity that you are with full of confidence!

Summer Care for your Hair

After spending the weekend with the family seeing the Armed Forces Air Show in DC this weekend, I thought I would do a post to give tips on how to care for your hair during the summer. I spent majority of my time outside on Saturday to watch the Military air craft do amazing things in the sky and I did not have to worry about sweating under my full lace hair system. I choose to wear my lace system without any glue or tape and survived the whole day with no slippage or readjusting. My secret...Shower-to-Shower powder. This is my weapon I use throughout the summer to stay dry & cool in the heat, so I thought I would rub some on my head. To my amazement it worked and I felt great all day! Okay let me stop babbling and get to my summer hair care tips.

Summer Care for Your Hair
Ladies when we are out in the sun having fun, it's important to properly care for your hair because summer activities can damage your tresses. The keyword this summer is MOISTURIZE! If you do not regularly moisturize your lace systems in the summer, they will become dry & brittle. Below are some tips to keeping your hair looking healthy and summer ready:

1. Use a very light moisturizing spray everyday.
2. Alternative between two hair systems to extend the life in each 
3. Stay away from hair products that contain alcohol, gels, and mineral oil. 
4. Wash your hair in lukewarm or cool water for hot water dries the hair out.
5. Use a heat protectant prior to using any types of curling irons & flat irons
6. Use flexi-rods when trying to achieve curls & waves
7. Wear a satin bonnet/scarf nightly to protect your tresses from breakage & dryness
8. Apply a light conditioner to the hair prior to swimming to reduce absorption of chlorine/salt
9. Wash hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove chlorine and salt from swimming
10. Spray hair with sunscreen protection if staying outside in the sun for an extended time period
11. Wear your hair up in buns or twists to protect your tresses from overexposure in the sun 

Following these tips will help you survive through the summer months with beautiful gorgeous hair! 

Remembering Donna Summer 1948-2012

It touched me in a way, when I heard the news that we lost yet another great one. The Queen of Disco, Donna Summer passed away on May 17, 2012. Donna's music will forever live on. I remember when I was a child, my mother would always play Donna's songs, especially "Love to Love You Baby" while cleaning the house. This is still one of my favorite songs today! Along with her music, Donna's gorgeous voluminous hair will also be remembered. Donna knew how to rock those sexy high volume curls and waves, and always looked so classy and fierce. Donna's style and music has and will continue to forever inspire us, and most of all she will be missed. So ladies, in remembrance of Donna, let's rock our sexy voluminousness curls and waves!

Summer Waves & Curls...What's Your Style?

Summer time will be here before your know it! This is the season where I will either rock the waves or a short hair style. This year I will be doing loose waves with color. There are so many other wavy & curly styles I love. This is one of the benefits of wearing a lace system because you can change the texture of your hair any time you want! I do get a little over excited when talking about lace systems and when I design them especially the curly units. The most important thing about owning a wavy or curly lace system is how to care for the hair properly to make it last a long time. Remember your unit is an investment & you have to take care of your investment. Follow these tips to keep your waves & curls looking great every day!

Caring for your Wavy/Curly Lace System

Tip 1: Always wash your unit on a mannequin. This will prevent tangling and gives you control over washing the unit properly.

Tip 2: Use a Fortifying shampoo for donor natural curly hair. If hair was processed with curls, waves, and color use a shampoo designed for chemically treated hair that is sulfate-free. I recommend using Mixed Chicks Sulfate-Free Shampoo.

Tip 3: Whatever you do...DO NOT brush or comb the hair while wet. This will cause frizzing and damages the tresses over time. Use a wide tooth when the unit is fully dry.  Try to only comb the hair a few times a day because obessive combin will lead to shedding and frizzing.

Tip 4: Keep the moisturized daily with water-based moisturizer that can be made at home. To make the water-based moisturizer, you will use mix together 1/3 of conditioner and and 2/3 of water in a spray bottle. A small amount of Moroccan Oil treatment is good for wavy/curly hair. Stay away from heavy oils.

Tip 5: Do not use any heat on the tresses for this will weaken the hair and cause it to break. If you must use heat for a staright style, do it once a month. It's good to have a curly unit & straight unit, that way both uses are being cared fo properly.


Are you ready for your summer hair? Call me 703.651.2593 today to design your wavy or curly lace system!

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

Alopecians...It's Time to Breathe & Let It Go

This is for those who have Alopecia with severe bald spots. What I am about to say is coming from pure experience because I have been there and I know the journey that you are on. Ladies, if you have excessive bald spots in your head and the injections & creams no longer work...do yourself a favor and shave everything off. Just breathe & let it go. Hanging onto the hair that is left will only make you even more depressed.

When my Alopecia progressed, I cried every time I looked in the mirror. One day I was looking in the mirror and could not believe how much hair I lost. It looked like something out of the movies. Instead of having bald patches, I had small to medium sized hair patches scattered over my head. I wanted to cry so bad, but couldn't. I guess my body was thinking that crying was useless. I built up enough courage to grab the clippers and shave off what was left. I had all kinds of feelings after everything was said & done. I can say I felt like a whole new woman ready to face new beginnings. I have yet to sport the bald look, but soon I we be ready to walk that journey. I am so in love with my custom lace units and having a smooth head just makes it so easier to attached.

Visit www.CoutureLaceCrowns.com today to customized your lace unit.

Want Hair Like Christina Aguilera!

Christina is one of my favorite music artists. I always feel that she does not get the shine she deserves. Well she will get it here on my blog! Along with Christina's beautiful voice, I love your overall style and most of all her hair. She has a very classy and sophisticated look about her. Since being on The Voice, Christina's hair is always looking Glamorous! Christina is the true platinum blond bombshell and you too can achieve many of her looks with a full lace or lace front unit. Call me to design your lace unit today!

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.

Accepting Alopecia & Stopping all the Treatments

This video is about me accepting Alopecia and putting a stop to all the shots, lotions, and potions. This is my second video I have done so please bare with me. Hopefully the more I do, the better I will get. In this video, I am wearing a 14" Malaysian Remy Light Yaki Full lace wig that I layered & styled myself.

Wig Tip: Moisten Ponytail Holders with a Leave-In Conditioner to Avoid Hair Breakage

One of the benefits that I love about wearing lace wigs is having the ability to style my hair into a ponytail... especially on relaxed days. Remember you are to treat Remy human hair the same way you would treat your natural hair. Some ponytail holders can caused hair breakage, such as the metal and rubber ones. Also remember not to wear a tight ponytail for this will cause the hair to break and loosen the knots on the lace wig. I like to use Goody Ouchless Gently Elastic Holders. What I do is moisten the ponytail holder with a light leave-in conditioner that way it will keep the hair strong and avoid breakage.

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!