So after the Tomoka’s Twists unique chic post, you bellas have made her sales go through the roof! MiMi, the designer behind the unique hair accessories contacted me and said the orders have been rolling in so fast, she’s out of stock on some items. She also wanted to explain how to wear them.
“Everyone wears the TTs differently. They are just that versatile. The beads are so cute and the wire makes it interactive for the wearer. I went to a meet and greet in Raleigh and the ladies would have the same one and say, “Look how I did mine.” Let the ladies know that I am tickled by all the support they have shown. I’m always coming up with new beads and to check Thursdays. I’m a weekend buyer so my beads usually come Wednesday and the site updated by Thursday.”
So there you go, ladies. And by reader request, here’s a pic of me in my living room, wearing my Ivory Tower Tomoka’s Twist. It’s kind of an overflowing puff with the twists to the side. Forgive the MySpace angle. I also took note of the hair products I used and the makeup I’m wearing, because I’ve had readers ask me about that as well! Here goes.
I styled my hair with Dr. Miracle healing leave in conditioner! Shocked? So am I. It’s a long story, so a big ol’ review of this product line is coming up this week. I also used some of the new Creme of Nature organic leave in… why is this product not on their website? OK. Creme of Nature has a new leave in conditioner/creme hairdress that I’m loving. It’s not yet on their website, but hang tight — it will be in my next giveaway!
As far as makeup is concerned, I’ve got on Cover Girl Queen Collection foundation, Booty Parlor Get Flushed blush (more on this fabulous product later), Valana Minerals Sparkie Lips in velvet pomegranate, Milani eyeliner, and Physician’s Formula shimmer strips as eyeshadow. Oh, and Cover Girl Lashblast mascara. And that’s all. Damn, I use a lot of products!
I have a new camera now, so look out for hair and makeup pics of me every now and then. I’m slowly trying to get more confident about putting my pics online, and how better to show you if a hair product works or not, right?
Bella you look great in your pic. After your post on Tomoka Twitst I bought 4. I can’t wait to try them on my locs. I always have a hard time finding hair accessories. Now I’m glad I can stop using rubber bands.
so i take it doctor miracle really does the hair good? your hair looks great! but wit those cheesy commercials i wasn’t too keen on trying out the line…
awaiting ur review
What a cute pic. I’m going to have to look into the Cover Girl makeup. I still wish there was a “series shot” on the site, you know, like step one, step two, step three, step four, and voila! your puff do. I’m seriously challenged in many ways, and something like that would be a big help.
I love your hair in this pic. So is it one big holder-thingie gathering your hair together, then the twist thingie? Lol, excuse me but I am so basic; I just wear my hair down/out because I don’t know how to achieve anything else. Oh yeah and *feels your living room walls* is that bamboo? Grasscloth? It looks nice!
Cute picture!! I am definitely going to get one of Tomoka’s Twists. By the way, have you ever reviewed any concealers? I did a search through your old posts and I couldn’t find any. I’m really looking for a new concealer (really the only makeup I wear) and I want to try something good.
You look great Bella!
Hey Afrobella,
Thank you for including the products that you are wearing! I was going to ask you what color lipgloss you were wearing!
You hair is gorgeous! I am currently locking mine and your picture made me miss my curly hair even more. I don’t know if I will be able to continue on my lock journey . . . your post about Miss Jessies gave me a strong feeling of nostalgia 🙂
Bella…you are pretty damn cute….love the hair
love the hair! your cheekbones are fab by the way… keep up the great work!
-a dedicated bella
You go girl! your hair looks great.Bella, do you clip the ends of your hair on a regular basis?Recently I had to clip about two inches of my hair off ,because there was so much kink on the ends that my hair would’nt grow.It is a lot shorter now ,but it will grow back.I have made it my buisness to really keep my hair moisterized ,and happy.
Love the review! I don’t have natural hair. I wish I did in seeing how cute yours looks, although I never could find a product that made my hair curl naturally.
I love the product review too, and can’t wait to read the blush review! I’ve been looking for a good blush for women of Color and would be in
P.S. Did I miss the announcment of the winners of the Queen Collection Cover Girl Giveaway?
Ok. just received my twists in the mail at work. i put it in immediately. it’s a long low guage wire, with a smooth coating and the beads, dodads at the ends. i twisted it around a ponytail of locs. Voila!!! All of my locs are pulled back and my edges are hurting. I love this!!!
That’s a lovely pic! That lip color is fierce. I love how we try to position our self-portraits in such a way that you don’t see the big arm coming from the bottom of the camera. You handled it, Bella.
I am so excited about the growth I’m seeing in my free-fro ever since I cut my locs. I’m really excited about trying Tomoka’s Twists as my hair grows. I’ve got quite a ways to go… I’ve only got about 2.75 inches right now. *sigh!*
Hey, do you ever use cream blush? I’m interested in trying it, but I wonder if it will just melt away in the Southern heat. I tend to be kind of dewy/oily at the end of the day anyway.
Hey Bella, Bell…….
you look wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bella you look gorgeous. I love, love, love your hair and skin is beautiful!
You look fabulous! Gorgeous skin, beautiful hair and your makeup is just right. I really do suck in the makeup department because I never wore it but i’m trying to learn. Keep doing it girl!
Luv your hair and the make up is perfect. I went to purchase the hair ties and the ones that I wanted are out-of-stock 🙁
You ladies always make me blush! I will try to answer all of these questions one by one.
Bebroma — I will work on a step-by-step photo guide thing… but my hair doesn’t even take a lot of steps to do! LOL. For this look, I come out of the shower with it wet, add product, bend over, twist Tomoka’s Twist around hair, stand back up, fluff it up, et voila.
Tamz — not sure what that wallpaper is!! I suspect grasscloth. Our place is very Seventies, and I love that. It was like this when we moved in. The bathroom is done in shiny foil wallpaper! Love it. And the twist is one long wire coil with pretty beads on either end. You twist it around your hair and leave the beads jutting out. The designer actually left a comment on the Unique Chic post.
Here’s what she says — “All you do is wrap the TT around your head (for a headband) or wrap it a few times for a ponytail. Then you twist the ends however you please to hold it in place. Here a few links to ladies wearing them different ways. The last link is of me with loose hair and a few locks. One lady proves that you don’t have to have long hair to wear them. Another lady with waist length locks proves that she can do an updo in no time with Tomoka’s Twists and still look good. Thank you all! Thank you so much afrobella http://carmennc.blogspot.com/2007/12/charlotte-meet-greet.html
http://carmennc.blogspot.com/2007/12/people-will-wear-them.html
http://carmennc.blogspot.com/2008/01/take-down-eleven-left.html”
— Pejai, yes! I’ve reviewed MANY concealers. Click on my “skin” category to see. Maybe I should change the name of the category to “face?” Or you can do a search for concealer in the handy-dandy search window at the top of the page. Currently I like the Cover Girl. I also like Clinique, and I have been a longtime supporter of Philosophy the Supernatural… but I’m kinda getting away from the mineral makeup foundation kick. More on that soon.
— Ms. Aja B — sadly, yes. I announced that last week, I think. Here’s a link — http://afrobella.com/2008/02/03/new-year-new-look/
My big Creme of Nature giveaway is coming up soon! So keep reading and commenting and entering.
— Mrs.Mckinzie — I trim the ends of my hair ALL the time! Probably more than I should. But I get these big nasty knots at the ends of my curls, so I cut them out if I get too frustrated to condition and comb.
— Shones — fret not. The length will come. I’ll do a post on hair length soon, it is definitely an issue many bellas deal with. And the blush I’m wearing in this photo is a cream blush! I like it, and it’s the second or third I’ve tried… isn’t the L’Oreal HIP blush a cream? I think it is. And I like it. I definitely get dewy… yeah, let’s go with dewy (LOL) by the end of the day. I’ll need to monitor my situation more closely to see if this totally melts off. I’ll let you know!
Thanks so much for your kind words!! I’ll do some step-by-step makeup tips soon!
Your family says “Wow!”
Bella you are ADORABLE!!!! and your hair is stunning. I’m struggling with my tresses right now and you are an inspiration. Thank you for helping me fight the dead of winter Chicago blues. Keep up the excellent work.
Bella, you look so adorable!!! I’ll have to check that site in a couple of days. =)
Oh, bella, I didn’t mean for you to post a series of pictures!! Like you don’t have enough to do! I mean the TT site…like you know how the Miss Jessie’s site has pictures to guide you through the whole pudding application thing. Anyway, those links helped a lot!! Especially the one with the sassy sistah with the short hair. Maybe I won’t have to wait 1 or 2 years before I can wear one.
But my head is kinda big, so Awn kno!!
As a color freak, LUVS IT. I am currently auburn, burgandy, blond and brown. Nice winter colors. You wear them well!!
pam
you’re so pretty Bella!!!
and don’t worry you don’t use a lot of products…i thought i did too!
Bella, you are absolutely beautiful. You’re glowing. This pic made me smile.
I’ve been wearing synthetic twists FOREVER since going natural about 4 years ago or more. I’m ashamed to say I guess I have some kind of fear about letting my hair out and free. Seeing pics like this increase my confidence. Please keep them coming.
That Lashblast is the best!
Thanks so much for answering my question Bella.I thought it was just me who had those kinky knots on the ends of my hair.I am going to make sure that I keep triming atleast once a month instead of waiting so long from now on.
Hi Bella. I also bought 3 from Tomoka’s Twists (would have gotten 4, but the natural wooden beads design was sold out). Good looking out! I also love the scarves you’ve posted about (and that Andrea also posted about on flygirls.typepad) but the one I wanted was also sold out. This is a great way for us to support black designers and their businesses. Thank you!
Thanks for answering all of our questions. I know you’re really busy, so I think I can speak for all of us in saying we appreciate you taking the time to do that!
I’m glad you mentioned the mineral makeup thing in your response email. I’ve been using Bare Minerals for more than 2 years now. I like it, especially how it somehow seems to look better as the day goes on (I always get the most compliments on my makeup about halfway through the day). I’m curious to hear why you’re starting to lean away from minerals. Thanks again.
Great photo, you look very bella!
Hey Shones! This week… oooh wee. I am busier than I’ve been in a while! Besides my usual work deadline (today) we’re in the midst of a big annual project we work on, my husband’s out of town so I gotta do around-the-house stuff solo… this week is crazy. But I’m making more of an effort to answer questions in the comments. I had a fantastic interview… TWO fantastic interviews with well known makeup artists this week. One of them agreed with me on minerals, and gave a really interesting response. Will post it very soon!
Gorgeous bella, simply gorgeous!!
Thank you for posting pictures. I was curious & clueless, but was willing to purchase and work that twist until I got it correct. 🙂 With the hint from MiMi to wait until Thursday for her new beads, I am going to do just that. She is sold out of the twists I originally hoped to purchase.
I have two questions for you bella:
1. The Creme of Nature leave in, I am assuming this is available in drugstores?
2. When you trim your hair, do you blow dry your hair first then trim? I have not trimmed since ummmmmmmmmm July (I should be ashamed of myself).
Thank you if you get the opportunity to answer my questions. Have a great day!!!
You are beautiful! Awesome make up. And I’m glad you actually explained what an Ivory Tower is. Now that I know TT’s twist is holding it up and and not a big rubber band, I will support the idea. Thanks so much for the valuable info. Oh, and I also appreciate you telling us about the knots. I thought I was the only one who gets the knots too. But now I know for sure, its from a lack of daily moisture. I’m not big on spending a lot of time on my hair daily. But now I understand that daily moisture and finger styling leads to less knots!
Hey Bella,
I wrote you a detailed email about the organic Creme of Nature Line MONTHS ago when I found it in my local Wal-Mart store and used it with success. Maybe you didn’t get it. I’ll try to go back and see if I can retrieve it.
Thanks bella! I’m going to try that Iman Second-to-None Stick Foundation, if I can find it locally.
you hair and your makeup look beautiful! I’ll take your advice with more than a grain of salt from now on! 😉
OMG, I love Cover Girl Queen foundation (and this blog too)!
Great photo–I love Creme of Nature’s stuff…..standby for those earrings:)
n:)
You look great! I would wear more makeup other than just the lip gloss/lipstick I wear everyday if I could just perfect the whole ‘five minute face” thing. I’m still curious about mineral makeup foundation. I haven’t tried it and I still use my good old MAC NW45.
You look great and your hair is fabulous. Dr. Miracles you say? interesting…
hairsmystory.com
Your hair looks awesome! I’m looking into Dr. Miracle for my daughter’s thirsty curls.
bella, you are super cute. that is all. oh yeah, happy valentine’s day!
I know everyone else has expressed it but I’ll underscore it, you do look gorgeous and right when I was thinking…I wonder what products she is wearing, you answered. That is why I absolutely LOVE your site! And congrat’s on the 2007 Black Weblog awards. I keep checking back to vote for you on webby.
Can’t wait, like everyone, to hear about the blush post & minerals. On my to check out the hair products….Stay sane & make sure to breathe!
That’s my beautiful Afrobella!
You look fab dearheart, simply FABULOUS!!!
Much love
Anita
Hi Bella.
I have hair sort of similar to yours, and the Miss Jessie’s products didn’t work out for me. Yesterday I bought the 2 products you mentioned in this post, and while I haven’t tried the Dr. Miracle yet, I LOVE the Creme of Nature leave-in….it is very moisturizing.
Thanks for the tip, cause I have a hard time finding products that work for me (lots of wasted cash) 🙁
Looking good bella, the blush and lip color really compliment your complexion nicely.
As a sisterlocker I love the Tomoka Twists they are great to hold up my locks which are growing very fast. Check out my website for beautiful jewelry!!! http://www.Beadafuldesigns.com all my jewelry is handmade with semiprecious stones and crystals. I use only sterling silver. Any questions you can email me. Thanks everyone!!
Link exchange is nothing else but it is simply placing the other person’s webpage link on your page at
appropriate place and other person will also
do same in support of you.