Instagram Mail! Fishtail Braid

Miss A's hair was recently straightened. I did a quick fishtail braid before bed. Stay up to date on her hair happenings by following us on instagram- @beadsbraidsbeyond

Also, stop by and "like" our Facebook page!

Looking forward to seeing you there!

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Little Girls Natural Hair Style: Flat Twist Ponytails with Twisted Bangs & Rainbow Beads

By: Carrie Fay of Amaro Baby

With hair as amazing as Violet's, it's easy for me to get carried away with new styles.  Sometimes I lose track of the fact that my daughter is only 3 years old and does not (in my opinion) need to look any older thanks to the too-fancy styles that I can't seem to resist.  So it's refreshing when we find those styles that are simple enough for me to do, sturdy enough to last a week or two, and CUTE enough to make her look like the adorable 3 year old that she is.  

This is one of our "go to" styles:  Flat twist ponytail(s) with twisted bangs and rainbow beads.  

Flat twists have always worked better on Violet's hair than cornrows for keeping the fuzzies away, and some type of bangs just seem to suit her.  It adds a feminine touch and protects her hairline better.  Beads aren't something we normally do, but when we do them, it's usually a "color explosion" kind of thing.  (Once, my five year old son asked me, "Can we just put Violet's hair back the way God made it?  You know, with rainbow beads??")

We opted for heart snaps at the end of each twist this time.  Last time we did beads, we used rubber bands and saw a bit more breakage on the ends than I would like to see.  Snaps fall out occasionally, but I'd rather that than cause damaged hair.  

Anyway.  This is our style for the week.  The pigtails and colors suit her fun personality and her age.  And most importantly, Violet is a happy camper.  She loves her rainbow beads, skipping and jumping around the house to feel those pigtails swinging (and as a direct result, we can hear every. single. step she takes... another wonderful perk of a head full of beads!).  

Have a great week, everyone!  

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Top 10 Most Popular Natural Hair Styles for Little Girls

Braids, twists, cornrows, twist outs, beads, oh my! I know how overwhelming it is looking for natural hair styles for little girls on our blog with hundreds of styles to choose from. I'm here to share with you the top 10 most viewed (on Beads, Braids & Beyond) natural hair styles for our curly and kinky haired gals!

Number 1 - Natural Hair Styles for Little Girls: Cornrows & Twist Out - Flat Twists & Twist Out
I guess it's no surprise that a simple but pretty hair style like this one is number one at 44k+ views. This style is very easy as long as you know how to cornrow. Basic cornrows with a twist out topped off with some cute bows from Gymboree and your little lady is good to go! Read more...

Number 2 - Little Girls Natural Hairstyles: Twist Out's + Puff with Twisted Bang

With 28k+ views and counting this post showcasing three completely different little girls hair types comes in a strong second. Cornrows, twist outs, puffs, what's not to love here? Read more...

Number 3 - Half Cornrows & Twist Out

Over 21k+ views! As you can see, cornrows and twist outs are very popular for African American and biracial little girls. I'll echo what I said for number 1, this style is very simple as long as you know how to cornrow. The cornrow pattern is slightly different here but nothing too intricate. Read more...

Number 4 - Side Cornrows into Sister (Rope) Twists

One of my personal favorite hair styles for my little girl! Coming in fourth at 20k+ views. Inspired by singer and actress  Jill Scott and the beautiful Tiashauntee of Her Best Hair. Not only is this style cute, but it stays put for up to two weeks if cared for properly. We love protective styles for little girls as long as they are not done too tightly. Read more...

Number 5 - Natural Box Braids

Ah, yes. Back to the basics. Over 18k+ views, natural box braids comes in at number 5! What little girl doesn't love to swing her braids? Not a care in the world. Dress the braids up with beads or barrettes or keep it simple with bows or a headband. Curl the braids. Put the braids in ponytails. The possibilities are endless! The best part? They can last 4+ weeks with proper care! Happy mommy and child! Read more...

Stop by later this week to see the remaining styles in our Top 10 Most Popular Natural Hair Styles for Little Girls series and see if your favorite style made the cut!

Of course these are just the top 10 most viewed styles on our blog so these may not be your top 10 hair styles for natural little girls. 

I'm curious to know; did your favorite hair style make the list? If so, which one? If not, what is your favorite natural hair style for your little girl? Better yet, feel free to share pictures of your favorite style on our new Facebook page, Beads, Braids & Beyond. I look forward to seeing you all there!

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Introducing New Guest Blogger: Carrie Fay

By: Carrie Fay of Amaro Baby

I never in a million years thought that "cornrow" would be a regular part of my vocabulary.  Seriously.  Let alone flat twist... beads... bantu knots or the hundreds of other words that float around our house.  

But then Violet joined our family and my world was turned upside down in a thousand perfect ways, not the least of which is caring for her amazing hair.     

With practically no hair on her head the day she turned 11 months (also they day we met!) she and I have learned this process together, step by step.  Slowly, steadily, and to both of our great delights.  Now we eagerly anticipate hair days.  We collaborate on styles, colors, and the movies to include in our movie marathons.  (Hair days are fun for lots of reasons, people!)   

I get a little too excited talking about hair, can you tell?  So excited that I forget to write about what I'm SUPPOSED to write about:  A little about myself.  I am a proud mama to Violet (3 years old) and Daniel (5 years old).  I am a wife to the most ridiculously amazing husband out there.  I have experienced motherhood through adoption and through pregnancy.  I am a photographer and am relentless in my attempts to stop time (or at least slow it down!) through photography.  I am totally in love with Jesus.  Also, ice-cream.  I am a part of a family where no one matches - four skin tones, four hair types, four different stories - and we love it.  I began homeschooling our two kiddos a few months ago and am daily floored by the experience - it's beyond my wildest expectations.   

I am beyond thrilled to guest post on one of my all time favorite hair blogs.  Violet and I owe so much to the online community of natural hair care supporters/educators and it's my hope that I can encourage the mamas out there who are just starting out, just reaching out for information about natural hair.  You CAN do this!  One cornrow at a time.  

Now, if you'll excuse me.  Hair day is tomorrow and Miss Violet is in the next room, trying to decide on bead colors for her yarn twists.  It might not be the most important decision we'll make all week, but I wouldn't miss it for the world.  

New Blog:  In the works!

Old (Outdated!) Blog:  www.amarobaby.blogspot.com 

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Unknown adoption, african american hair, afro, bantu knots, beads, braids, carrie fay, cornrows, guest blogger, photography, yarn braids

Beads, Braids & Beyond FACEBOOK! What happened?!

I'm sure many of you are wondering what happened to Beads, Braids and Beyond's Facebook page, truth is, I don't know! Apparently Facebook deleted it. SIGH. Please go like and share the new page, thank you!

https://www.facebook.com/BeadsBraidsBeyond
https://www.facebook.com/BeadsBraidsBeyond
https://www.facebook.com/BeadsBraidsBeyond
https://www.facebook.com/BeadsBraidsBeyond
https://www.facebook.com/BeadsBraidsBeyond
https://www.facebook.com/BeadsBraidsBeyond

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Reader Mail! "Just an appreciation for your website"

Crystal's girls

I just received this email from a reader, Crystal. I absolutely love it and had to share. Her girls are complete dolls! :)

I love hearing from you all! If you would like to share something email me at beadsbraidsbeyond@yahoo.com

-Nikki

Hi my name is Crystal, I have two daughters (6&8) both with natural hair. I do not know their type but to me it's a headache. In the pictures I sent, you can see the various styles I try on their heads n this is just a few. Every summer I give them braids w/beads because it's easier and less maintenance and they r on a swim team so its easier for the pool. During the school year it's mainly ponytails ranging from 1-20. I do their hair every morning. I have been searching for the right hair products since their age of 2. Looking for the right grease that does not dry out the hair, shampoo that does not leave the hair in a tangled mess, and the right kind of moisturizer that will keep their natural curls for the day at least. 
I am soooo happy that I found your website that can guide me in the right direction for not only my girls hair but mine too. (Now I can stop asking people on the street 20 questions about their hair) :-) Thank you so much for your concerns for others and their hair. 
-Crystal

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Unknown african american hair, afro, beads, beadsbraidsbeyond, big hair, biracial hair, braids, cornrows, hair

Bantu Knot-out

I recently posted a picture of a gorgeous bantu knot-out done on shorter natural hair on our Facebook page.  I haven't done a full bantu knot-out on Miss A since she was about 4 years old and it didn't go very well but I felt inspired to try it again and although we had some issues this time as well I still love the look and she does too! 

Bantu Knot Instructions:

1. I began by working on freshly washed hair. For her full routine, click here.

 2. Using a wide tooth comb, I parted a medium to large size section by her forehead. I added a small amount of Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer to her wet/damp hair then added a little Bee Mine Curly Butter from root to tip.

3. I began to twist the entire section to the right, all the way down to the ends.

4. Once the entire section was twisted, I started to twist the section into a circle near her scalp. Each time I twisted the section around, I tucked it under the previous one. I tucked her ends under the entire bantu-knot. Please be careful not to twist the section too tightly. I actually hold on to the knot and twist the entire bantu-knot the opposite way just to make sure it's not tugging on her scalp.

 5. There you have it! A bantu knot! Continue parting with a comb and twisting until you're done.

Bantu knots complete!

 The back view.

I gently removed the bantu knots after a few hours. Here's the end result of her bantu knot-out:

I like the results but it didn't come out as I expected. Next time I will work with dry, moisturized, stretched hair (from banding). You can see some of the parts in the back began to frizz up, this is because they were still wet. I will also use less product next time. I'm going to try another bantu-knot out on her within the next month to stay tuned!

Now it's YOUR turn! I'd love to see your bantu knot-out's! If you have pictures, feel free to post them on our Facebook wall. I'd love to see them!

Let me know what you all think of the new look. I changed a few things. Hopefully it's easier to find what you're looking for. I'm still working on it and I'm totally open to suggestions. Also let me know how you like the picture tutorial. Was it helpful or can you do without? 

 Don't forget to like us on Facebook!

 www.facebook.com/beadsbraidsandbeyond

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Unknown african american hair, bantu knot-out, bantu knots, biracial hair, black girls hair style, black hair styles, curls, curly, Little Girls Hairstyle, long hair, waves

Big Carefree Natural Curls

I received several questions on our Facebook page about how I got Miss A's curls to look like this and how she was able to achieve her second day hair so I thought I would make a quick post explaining how we achieved her big carefree curls.

After washing and detangling her hair, I applied a generous amount of Bee Mine Luscious Moisturizer through her wet/damp curls with my fingers, from root to tip. I did not brush the product through. I continued to rake the product through (raking is key!) until I felt it had been evenly distributed. 

Once her hair dried it looked like this:

Later that night I gathered her hair in a loose ponytail on top of her head and created a messy bun, tucking the ends under. It's important for her to not sleep with her curls out. Once she lays on them they will tangle up terribly and become matted pretty quickly. When we want second day hair I will either place it in a high bun or put a few loose braids in her hair. 

The next day I removed the bun and her curls looked like this (see picture below). The only change I made was pinning the middle section of hair back for a different look.

Please note that if you try this (just using a moisturizer and raking) the curls will not be perfect. There will be frizz. Embrace it and learn to love it! As you can see, it's a beautiful thing.

Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/beadsbraidsandbeyond

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