My H&M Post

Good afternoon all!

This is just a quick post that does my heart some good. I am blown away at the overwhelming response to the H&M post. I don't think I even knew the half of how big this company was when I applied or wrote that post.

After 2 years with the company, I am still just in awe of how amazing this company is. When I first applied, I applied for the Department Supervisor position and was turned down, I later went back and applied for the Part Time Sales Advisor position, interviewed for that and got it. Excited I was, but after three days of classroom training, had goals in mind. I advanced fairly quickly and I am now a Department Supervisor!

If you are thinking about applying to H&M I recommend that you do. If you have applied and didn't get the position you wanted, apply again. I think I appreciate my position more since I had to start from the bottom and work my way up.

Thank you all for the questions and interest in the original post. I had no idea how big that one post would become. Keep the questions and comments coming. I may not be able to respond right away, but I will respond.

Again, thank you for the love, lol. Take care.

Always,
B.

*AS ALWAYS, THIS POST AS WELL AS ANY POSTS IN REGARDS TO H&M ARE SOLELY MY OWN VIEWS AND OPINIONS AND DO NOT REFLECTS THOSE OF H&M. I AM NOT A SPOKESPERSON OF H&M.*

Havana Twist: My New Old Protective Style and Product Review

Ok, now that you have read about my hate for box braids I want to tell you about my new/old protective style, my havana twists. I love these so much mainly because they are easy to take out and reinstall when I want to deep condition or whatever my hair. And I can do them myself!

Real quick let me tell you about the hair I used, its called Bally and I used five bags 3 in a #1 (black) and 2 in BUR ( burgundy). I used the color underneath. I love this hair and I love the way it came out. The only thing is, the color hair wasnt like the black. It didnt stretch right, something I dont know. But anyhow, like I said, I love the look. I used three strands to make them full. I didnt do the invisible knot look, I am not a fan. I just think the grow out is messy and I really dont care about them looking natural, I did it to protect my hair. 

 

My next installment, I think I will have to use more bags just because cutting the hair in half, my hair is as long as the half once I bend it to twist.

So now a short product review. If you recall I did a unboxing of my December Curlkit and one of the samples was from a company called Naturalista Cosmetics. 0

It was a whipped shea butter situation. I was so excited to try it. So I used it as a moisturizer for my hair before I added the Bally hair and right away I could see the shine.

When I initially got this sample there wasnt any info on the ingredients, but I got onto the website and ingredients include, shea butter, aloe vera, castor  jojoba oil, avocado oil, hemp, coconut oil, olive oil and glycerin. This stuff smells amazing, like cookies. I literally smelled it every time I used it.

The site says it is not to be combed through your hair it is just for a styling add. I used it so my hair can have some moisture while its on its hair-cation.

Pricing: 4oz $12.99, 8oz $22.98 and a 16oz $ 45.98. Shipping in the US for the item is $7.40 and $22.99 in other countries. I didnt see it on Curlkit's website but that doesnt mean it's not there. I am loving this product. Especially for something like a protective style. 

My Box Braids: 2nd Installment No Bueno

Good morning beautiful people. This post is a rant, a rant about my 2nd installment of my box braids. It could get long, I will try and keep it short. First and foremost, I want to say that this has nothing to do with the person who installed them, my niece, she did a wonderful job.

Now, let get into it. Box braids are a great way to protect your hair especially during the winter months, which is what I am doing. My 1st installment went great, I kept them in for 7 weeks with no problem. I dont know what happened with this 2nd set, they lasted 3 weeks and I was over it.

I didnt do anything different this go round, but the thought of keeping them things in for an additional 4 weeks drove me crazy. My head itched like fucking crazy. I couldnt get happy with any style. I didnt have the time to refresh them, especially around the edges. It looked messy and I was done! 

Yea, I don't know, I do know that I will never have box braids again. I believe I had more breakage because of these damn braids. The only up side is my ends were good and my hair was moisturized after I took them down. And dont even get me started on the take down. It was hell and I had to employ my husband to help. A season of the Tudors later, and my hair felt like a new man out of prison. I shit you not. 

Box braids are a great protective style and one you can wear for up to two months, but I have now been reminded why I stopped getting them after 8th grade.  

Peace

Unboxing : December Curlkit SPOILER

If you have yet to receive your December Curlkit and DO NOT want to have the surprise ruined for you then STOP! Do not read on any further, because beyond this point I will be going over the products in my Curlkit for this month.

If you are at this point it's because your curiosity is getting the best of you OR you're interested in Curlkit, either thanks for stopping by. Now before I go on, allow me to be clear that this is NOT a review, this is an unboxing so to speak. I just received my box today and wanted to share with you it's contents. So please don't look to this post for any kind of product review, because this is not that. However I will let you know if a particular product is not something I will be trying

Unboxing: November Curlkit

November is over! Wow, that was fast right? I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, mine was amazing.  Nothing like being entertained by a 2 y.o performing every scene from the Temptations movie. Always a great time.


But for the post. Even though November is over, it is time to share with all of you and unbox in a way my November Curlkit. I get so excited about my CurlKit when it comes, it just feeds the product junkie inside. For $20 a month I can try all kinds of products at once!

So what did I get...I got my four regular size products and a few sample sizes. Also as always my Curl Life, which is a mini pamplet on each product, editors notes and a couple of stories. Love it.

Just to talk a little about the full size products:

Kandy Kurls Lemoncello Daily Refresher: It is a mix of Shea Butter and Aloe Vera. It is used to keep your hair refreshed all day.

ORS Uplifting Shampoo: It has nettle, menthol and horsetail in it. It cleanses and removes dirt and build up from the hair and scalp.

ORI Essentials Moisturizing Leave In Conditioner: It contains avocado oil and wheat germ oil. Keeps curls soft and frizz free.

Haute Textures Organic Shea Butter Shampoo: Contains tea tree and peppermint oil. It is a sulfate free shampoo that stimulates and revitalizes the scalp.

Overall I was happy with this curlkit. I will be posting reviews on the products I have used, I will also post the link so you can begin to get your own CurlKit. 

Let me know if you have tried any products listed above and what you thought about them. 

Until the next post...

Unboxing: October's CurlKit Unboxing

With the November kit gearing up.to ship next month, I thought it was safe to go a head and reveal my October CurlKit.

Now, if you havent hears of CurlKit, it is a monthly subscription box for natural amd relaxed hair. You get real sizes of products along with sample sizes. You also will get a little pamplet detailing each item and answering hair questions.

The box...

Products I received: Lotta Body Foam Wrap Lotion,  Cantu Coconut Curling Cream, Eco Styler Cocktail, Organix Shampoo and Conditioner, Blue Magic Aragon Oil Hair and Scalp, Moisturizing Mousse

Washing Your Box Braids

So you decided that you wanted box braids as your winter protective style. Good choice btw. But once they're in, your stuck with the choice to wash or not to wash.

I have now had my box braids in for about three weeks or so and aside from my new growth, they are holding up just fine. Protective style or not, you must maintain a healthy clear scalp, but how was I to do that without making my braids look like a hot mess? Youtube of course!

Below is a vid I found on how to wash your braids without making them a frizzed out mess. It works. I also do my conditioner this way.

Check out the vid. Let me know this method works for you. Let me know if you have your own way of washing your braids without them becoming frizzy.

B.

How To Wash Box Braids Without Creating Frizz HIG…: http://youtu.be/7zjWTENmSh0

I Am Back!!! Well Sort Of...

The blog is back..but I have some work to do to it. So stay tuned...

Review: The WAH Nails Book of Downtown Girls

When I got the email to review The WAH Nails Book of Downtown Girls (book2) I was excited. I am a true fan of nail art and WAH Nails has not failed me yet.

Book 2 is a little more in depth than book 1. It gives more tips on how to be a successful blogger to what you should have in your nail kit. Book 2 does still offer step by step instructions on how to create their nail arts.

How easy are these nail art to recreate, I am by no means an expert and I can recreate them. Of course they are not as good as the WAH Nail girls themselves, but they I like them.

As much as I am obsessed with WAH Nails, I am a little disappointed that they are solely based out of the UK. Yes, they are a UK based company which means all their supplies are based there too and last I checked they weren't shipping to the US. Oh did I mention supplies? Yes, WAH Nails has available (to my UK readers) nail art pens/paint, sticker sheets(which some are included in book 1) t-shirts, nail wraps and of course book 1. Book 2 will be available to order worldwide on September 10th, but I am going to give you a sneak peak inside book 2 as well as which of the nail arts I am currently wearing.

Review: Agadir Aragon Oil

I was sent about a week ago, some products from the Agadir line. Now I had never used this line prior to receiving these products. It may not be a new product line for some, but it is to me. So lets get right into this review.

Hair: Shea Moisture

Let's just go on record to say that I am loving all things (at least what I have tried) Shea Moisture. I am trying two new products, not new to the line, new to me. This is not gonna be a review as much as it is me talking about what I like about these products. *PRODUCTS WERE PURCHASED WITH MY OWN MONIES.*

The first product is Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Foaming Milk & Body Wash. This stuff is the bomb. A little goes a long way. It gives good lather and the smell is good. No it doesn't smell like Play Do if you were wondering. I haven't tried it in the tub as a foaming milk bath, only in the shower and this is my new thing. I had been back on bar soaps since coming home from Basic, up until then I had use body wash, but all we could have, all the PX sold was bar. After trying the bar version of this I was done with my old bar soap. But this body wash, I am done with bar soap period. Yes it is that good, that I won't go back to bar soap. It leaves my skin soft and it feels moisturized. I purchased this at Walgreens for $9.99, but I think it was on sale two for something, I can't remember.

The second product is Shea Moisture African Black Soap Deep Cleansing Shampoo. I had been eye balling this shampoo for a minute so I FINALLY decided to buy it. I don't know why, but I was kind of worried it would have some kind of smell that wasn't right, but to my surprise it didn't. The scent was very pleasant. This is a sulfate free shampoo. I always love when a sulfate free shampoo gives you suds like a sulfate shampoo. I know some females worry about cleansing, they associated suds with cleansing. You don't need suds to get clean hair, but if you're looking for a sulfate free shampoo that will lather up then this is your product. My hair felt clean, it didn't feel stripped or dried out. I will say that if you are expecting a thick creamy shampoo, then this is not your stop. Again, I do believe this was on sale. But regular price is $9.99 which at bad for such a great product.

Overall, I have been very happy so far with all of the Shea Moisture products that I have tried. I do intend to try all the other products in the line.

10 Tips To Healthy Hair In 2013

EXCITING! My first guest post. Today's post comes from registered herbalist for Hair Essential, Paulina Nelega.

Are you looking to grow your hair longer this year? Or maybe you’ve always wanted thicker, shinier, more lustrous locks? You can be successful in achieving healthy hair in 2013, with these ten tips!

1      Eat smart! A fresh, whole-food diet is your foundation for beautiful hair. It’ll keep your scalp healthy and nourish your follicles with the nutrients they need for growing thicker, stronger hair, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids:

●  High-quality protein: provides essential amino acids for building stronger hair. Healthy suggestions: beans and legumes; cold-water fish (salmon, halibut, mackerel, sardines); lean poultry; eggs; yogurt; quinoa; hemp seeds and other seeds; nuts and nut butters.

●  Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs): from wild salmon and other cold-water fish, along with a daily omega-3 supplement.

●  Colored fruits and vegetables: eat a full spectrum of colors for a wide array of antioxidants and micronutrients.

●  Avoid processed and ‘fast foods’: these can cause inflammation in your body, including the hair follicles.

         

2      Keep your body hydrated. Pure water, herbal teas, and green tea are all great choices.

3      Use a water filter/softener in your shower to remove chlorine and hard minerals that can build up on your hair, leaving it dull and lifeless.

4      Avoid overwashing, overstyling, and overprocessing. Try washing your hair every-other-day, instead of every day. If you blow dry your hair, keep the heat setting on low, and the nozzle at least 6 to 8 inches from your scalp.

5      Use the best quality hair products (you can afford). Harsh detergents can strip your hair of its natural oils, and chemicals are damaging to the hair and follicles.

6      Give yourself a scalp massage before showering. This will exfoliate old cells, get waste byproducts out to the surface for removal, and invigorate your scalp with fresh, oxygen-rich blood.

7      Use a wide-toothed comb to gently detangle your hair after washing it.

8      Choose the right brush for your hair type. Natural bristles help smooth down the outer cuticle of hair and distribute your scalp’s protective oils evenly.

9      Indulge your scalp and hair with a weekly hot oil treatment. Try coconut oil, Morrocan argan oil, shea butter—or a combination!

10    Get moving! Even a little exercise improves circulation to the scalp, providing fresh oxygen and nutrients and removing waste buildup.

With these ten tips, 2013 will be your year for healthy hair!

Paulina Nelega is a registered clinical herbalist for Hair Essentials and has been assisting individuals facing hair loss for almost two decades. Hair Essentials is a breakthrough proprietary blend of more than 20 herbs, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and other nutrients. Hair Essentials can only be purchased online at www.HairEssentials.com or by calling 800-536-9353.

Hair: Organix Revisited (First Impression Review)

I haven't used the Organix brand since I've been relaxer free and it will be three years this summer. It was one of the first conditioners I tried. It was the Coconut Milk conditioner and I remember using it as a co-wash and not liking the results, incidentally, that is what put me off to co-washing until recent.

Anyways, I was online looking for different hair products, mainly rinse out conditioners and concluded that I would just stay in the Tresemme family. So how'd I end up with Organix, well that is because no Walgreens or Walmart sold this specific Tresemme conditioner, so I remembered that my cousin tried this conditioner and loved it so I said what the hell, I'll give it a try.

The following thoughts & opinions are mine and mine alone....

Books: The Honor Series

This is a review of The Honor Series by Teresa Mummert so far. There are currently three books released in this series with the fourth one set to release August 15th, 2013. I went on Amazon looking for something similar to Fifty Shades/Crossfire and ended up finding this series and fell in love.

Natural Hair Rant

Ok, so here is where I am on this natural hair situation. I was watching a vlogger on YT and as I was watching I just happen to scroll some of the comments. She (the vlogger) had responded to a comment about how she no longer refers to herself as “natural” because there are all these so-called rules you must follow in order to be considered a natural. So some hating ass female decided to take it personal go in on how the vlogger was mad cause people were commenting on her heat damaged hair. Mind you these vlogger has some beautiful hair.

What pisses me off is the fact that this natural hair community is full of haters. Not saying all naturals, but a great deal of them. Going natural is a personal decision. How can you make up rules for the next female’s hair. Just cause she can use product a, b and c and still have healthy hair and you can only use product “a” doesn’t mean hate.

I know FOR A FACT that you do NOT have to follow these natural hair rules in order to have healthy hair. Not only do I know from my personal experience, I have the photos to prove it. My hair has never had a growing problem. I’ve always had strong hair. Do I consider myself natural, according to the natural hair bylaws, no. I am relaxer free. Besides, I don’t associate myself with haters and people who want to do nothing but make people feel bad, and a lot of females within the natural hair community do just that.

Yes ma’am I use color (not henna), I flat iron my hair more then twice a year, I use sulfate shamps, I use cones. And what…? Because all your products are organic and mine aren’t your somehow better then me? When in for real life my hair is probably healthier then yours.

The purpose of this rant was to get off my chest the fact that life, for real life, is simply to damn short to be worried about the next chicks hair. Yes you can grow healthy hair with a relaxer, Ive done it. Yes you can have healthy hair without using 100% organic products, I have it. Get out somebody else’s life and get your own.

…and end rant.

B.

In Memory...

I recently just lost my Aunt, she was the last of my family to pass on. What you are about to watch are a couple of videos I put together in memory of the ones that made my childhood and my adulthood such an awesome experience.

This is dedicated to:

George

Ellen Bernice

Thelma Marie

Elsie Marie

Mary Ellen

Duke the Dog

And the rest of my family who looks over me now.

They maybe some tear jerkers. I hope you enjoy. 

Always,

B

Love Your Body

Whether you related more to the Victoria's Secret "Love My Body" campaign or the Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign, love yourself.

Hair: Coconut Cream "Relaxer" (Deep Conditioner)

As I was on Youtube I came across this "natural hair relaxer". After numerous vids, I decided to give it a try. Some say it's just a DC, others say it softens or loosens their curl pattern. Either way was cool with me.

Here is what I used:

 Coconut oil, plain nonfat yogurt and regular coconut milk

8oz of yogurt (16 TBSP)

1 1/2 TBSP coconut milk

2 TBSP coconut oil

This is what it looks like

I sectioned my hair off into four sections and applied it just like a relaxer. It was lumpy and Im not sure if it was the coconut milk or the fact that my coconut oil had almost solidify.

This is what it looked like in my hair. You can see the lumps in my hair. I didnt notice any elongating at this point.

Rinsing was easy, even with the lumps, the "relaxer" came out with hair water. Once it was out I noticed my hair felt almost stripped. It wasnt hard or crunchy or anything like that. Im sure it was the coconut milk. My hair felt like this once before.

I did condition with my Tresemme Naturals and my hair felt normal again. Still didnt notice any elongating of my curls, however it does look like it maybe softened my roots, now it doesn't look like I have two different hair textures. It feels stronger.

Will I do it again?

Yes I will. I might try it with a lighter coconut milk and see maybe it that changes the way my hair feels afterwards, or maybe trying it on dirty hair.

Hair: BMarie's Favorite Inexpensive Haircare Products

If going natural has taught me anything it is that my hair is not as snobby as I thought it was. My naturally kinky curly hair does not need high end products to look and feel amazing, which is great cause we aint baller status over here. I used to use nothing but salon quality products which was fine when I was relaxed, but these same products didnt transition as well as my hair did.

H&M: The Hiring Process

Ok, I have been waiting to do this until I knew if I got the job or not. So obviously if I'm posting this it means I got the job. YAY!!!!! I am so excited.

During this whole process, I would look online to see if there was any information about the whole hiring process and while there was some, it wasnt detailed enough for me. So in an effort to help the next person who is inquiring about the process, I am explaining it in this post.

There were a total of three (maybe four) interviews. Confused? Let me explain:

The initial contact I had was over the phone. This is pretty much a phone screening that will either qualify you for the next step or not. The questions were basic, kind of vague. He wanted to know a little bit about my work history, nothing in detail at this point. After I answered his questions he set me up with the first face to face interview.

The first interview (or second) took place at a local bagel shop because our store has yet to open. I interviewed with a store manager and a recruiter. These questions were a bit more detailed. He (manager) went over my resume, he wanted to know why I wanted to work at H&M. I was asked to give examples of a time when I had to make a difficult decision. I had to give an example of when I gave great customer service. It was also at this interview where availability was talked about, wages were talked about. I read online that H&M likes open availability, which maybe be true, however I am not available all day Sunday and they were fine with that. I also had to feel out a background check form. I will assume (and I could be wrong) that this is a sign of the next step. I was then set up for yet another interview.

The second (or third) interview was with just a store manager (different from above). This interview was pretty much the same questions. She went a little more into detail about H&M. She informed me of the dress code, which is very relaxed, she interviewed me in jeans. She expressed how strongly H&M feels about personal style. After answering like I said, pretty much the same questions, going over availability and wage, she informed me that there would either be a email telling me that they've decided to go another way or I would get a call for the third interview/job offer. That would take like 2 weeks.

So after waiting two weeks, hoping and praying I don't get an email, I got the call on Monday that they wanted me to come in for the third interview/job offer.

The third (or fourth) interview wasnt really or at all a interview. We went over paper work and there was a lot. I signed my job offer paper. I got my Growth Guide which has everything you need to know about H&M in it. We went over training and since our store here will not be open until my birthday, my store training will be down in St. Louis.

Granted every store's process may vary, everybody's experience will be different. Thats why I didnt go over questions in depth. I can not tell you how excited I am to be a part of H&M. I might do a "day in the life of.." type series. I dont know just yet. I will however try to post sales, new items and such.

Again, this is just my experience and my views. 
  
*THIS POST IS THE PERSONAL OPINION OF B.MARIE AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWPOINTS OF H&M*
 
Official Start Date: 10/16/2012
New Store Opening: 11/15/2012

Next: H&M: Training