LBS Beauty Review: Karen's Body Beautiful + Giveaway

Ever since I went natural back in November 2010 (for the last & final time), I've been on the continuous hunt for products that treat my hair well without harsh chemicals or ingredients. One of my absolute favorite all-natural hair collections is Karen's Body Beautiful. I received a few of their samples in a goodie bag a few years ago and I've been a fan of the brand ever since. Once a small shop based out of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, KBB's fans and consumer base have grown over the years due to their amazing product lineup.

So when KBB reached out and told me they were branching off into mega-retailer Target, I was beyond excited. Their products are now available in select Target stories nationwide. Major! Here's how I wash, condition & style my hair using Karen's Body Beautiful:

Step 1: Moisturize with Hair Blossom Moisture Mist

Starting off with dry hair, before attempting to shampoo & condition I first mist my hair with a moisturizing spray so I can lightly finger detangle. The moisture helps prevent breakage, especially on my ends.

Step 2: Detangle hair and twist hair in even sections

I normally stick to 8 twists (4 on each side) and I shampoo my lightly detangled hair in these sections. If they unravel, I just retwist after conditioning.

Step 3: Shampoo in sections

I like to cocktail different products with my regimen. So to start off, I clarify with a clarifying shampoo and follow up with a moisturizing shampoo. Next, it's time to deep condition!

Step 4: Deep Condition with Luscious Locks Hair Mask

This might be one of my absolute favorite deep conditioners. With all-natural ingredients like Aloe Butter, Jojoba Oil, Rosemary Oil and Vitamin E, this stuff smells & feels like heaven on my hair.

Step 5: Rinse & apply Sweet Ambrosia Leave-In Conditioner

This is another KBB must-have. It's great as part of a weekly wash regimen but also works wonders on refreshing dry curls when they need a pick-me-up. It also smells like heaven in a bottle.

Step 6: Seal in moisture with Super Duper Hydrating Hair Cream

One of the things I've learned along my natural journey is that moisture don't last always! You have to seal it in with either an oil or a butter after applying leave-in condish. If not, your curls will undoubtedly be brittle before you know it. Trust me, I know.

Step 7: Style using Hold It Hair Gel w/ Argan Oil

Next, I two-strand twisted my hair using the Hold It Hair Gel. Formulated with Argan Oil, Aloe Vera and Hydrolized Silk Proteins, it sets a style and nourishes hair at the "same damn time". This gel is super light and allows for flexible hold. If you want to set your style without the "crunchy" effect, this is a great gel styler.

Step 8: Air dry & release twists using Butter Love

Final step! I placed a dime-sized amount of the Butter Love in between my palms when taking down my twists to keep the curl pattern in tact and to add an extra layer of moisture.

Volia! Verdict is in - my curls love some Karen's Body Beautiful! 

Because I love them so much, I'm giving one of you a chance to win a FULL SET of KBB products, the same ones I used above. Instructions below:

Rules
1. You must be following LoveBrownSugar on Facebook and/or Twitter to be eligible.
2. You must be a fan of Karen's Body Beautiful on Facebook to be eligible.
2. Leave a comment in the section below.
3. For bonus entry, tweet @LoveBrownSugar @KarensBeautiful with a link to this post.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LBS Beauty: Winter Lip Care Regimen

As you guys may know, statement lips are my favorite fashion accessories. Whether it's bright red, punchy pink or matte plum, I love how statement lips can take your beauty look from drab to fab in a matter of minutes. Last year, I wrote a post Talk That Talk: 5 Tips For Kissable Lips that highlighted some key tips for making sure your lips are soft & kissable through the winter.

This time around, I'm giving you guys a list of my personal favorite lip care products. As my favorite beauty accessory, I treat my lips with care. The same way you maintain your favorite leather bag or fur stole, you should pay special attention to your soup coolers especially in the winter months:

The Tools:

1. Bliss Fabulips Treatment Kit, $45.00, 2. Thank God I'm Natural Shea Butter Lip Balm, $5.00, 3. Karen's Body Beautiful Butter Love, $18.00, 4. Lip Brush, (similar here for $18.00)

 Bliss Fabulips Treatment Kit

The best way to keep your lips in tip-top shape is to exfoliate them and make sure they're treated regularly. I really love the Bliss Fabulips Treatment Kit because it has everything you need from a lip cleanser, to an exfoliating treatment, a lip plumper and a moisturizer.

 Lip Balm

This is going to sound weird, but I apply lip balm every morning after getting out of the shower, washing my face, brushing my teeth, etc. I keep it right next to my face moisturizer so I don't forget to apply it. This lip balm from Thank God I'm Natural is really great. It has shea butter and other goodness in it that keeps my lips super soft on the daily.

Lip Butter

For those of us who need a little something "extra", especially during the harsh winter months, lip butter works wonders. It's richer and more concentrated than lip balm. This Karen's Body Beautiful Butter Love (Unscented) is actually supposed to be used as a hair butter, but the all-natural ingredients make it perfect for any part of your body really. I use this on my lips on especially cold days, or after a long weekend of statement lip after statement lip. The lip color removal process can be stripping. I smooth some of this on before bed, and in the morning my lips are smooth and soft.


Lip Brush

The lip brush is a staple everyone should have in their makeup kit. Not only does it help immensely with precise lip color application, it can actually help preserve your lip color for longer. Using a brush, less lip color is actually necessary, because it spreads the color around. You'll find that you go through your lipsticks less quickly with use of a brush.

So there you have it! The top 4 products in my arsenal for winter lip care. Stay tuned because later this week I'll be posting about my favorite winter lip shades of the season (the one featured above is part of it!).

How do you keep your lips kissable & soft? Any favorite products?

Top 5 Natural Hair Tips For Travel

As the Spring Break season is in full swing, and many of us will be planning spring and summertime getaways in the coming months, it's important to highlight proper haircare when you're on the go. As someone who adores travel, I've had my fair share of natural hair WTFs while on the road. From leaving for a week-long excursion without a leave-in conditioner, to extreme after-swim shrinkage. Yep, you name it, it's happened to me. Jet-setting naturals, arm yourself with these super quick & easy tips for a stress-free vacay and healthy curls...

Flavor of Friday: TribeCalledCurl + Karen's Body Beautiful

Calling all my NYC ladies! If you're naturally curly and looking for something to get into this Saturday night, I highly suggest you hop on over to Karen's Body Beautiful in Brooklyn for a chic holiday shindig hosted by TribeCalledCurl.com, complete with bites & beverages (my fave!) for your delight. Check out the deets below!

Flavor of Friday: Huetiful Pop-Up Shop at Karen's Body Beautiful

You guys remember when I tried out the Huetiful Steamer (HERE), right? I've been a steady fan since first trial. I literally use it every week when I deep condition my hair. For those of you in the NYC area, the folks at Huetiful will be in town this weekend to demonstrate how to use the product. Head over to Karen's Body Beautiful in Brooklyn and check it out on Saturday, July 2nd!

Hope you all have a lovely holiday weekend. What are your weekend plans (so I can be jealous, since I'm stuck in NY)? Soundoff below!