Contact

Product Reviews: While I do accept products and samples, please keep in mind that all products received are for review consideration only. Sponsored posts and videos are evaluated per inquiry from the brand.

For business or yoga instructor inquiries, please contact me at dupeblack@gmail.com.

Thanks!

 

 

***************************************************************

This policy is valid from 19 March 2019

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. For questions about this blog, please contact the owner.

This blog does not accept any form of cash advertising or paid positive exposure. However, we will and do accept and keep free products, services, travel, event tickets, and other forms of compensation from companies and organizations.
The compensation received will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. All advertising is in the form of advertisements generated by a third party ad network (via YouTube or WordPress). Those advertisements will be identified as paid advertisements.

The owner(s) of this blog is not compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely those of me, Elle. If I claim or appear to be experts on a certain topic or product or service area, we will only endorse products or services that we believe, based on our expertise, are worthy of such endorsement. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider.

This blog does not contain any content which might present a conflict of interest. All personal pictures posted on this blog are owned by the blog editor and reposting is not allowed without permission.

To get your own policy, go to http://www.disclosurepolicy.org

185 thoughts on “Contact

  1. Roni says:

    Hey Elle,

    I hope life is good doll. If anyone will know, I know it’s you. Do you know if Shescentit is a black owned company? I can’t seem to find any public information confirming it. I asked the company but I am waiting on a reply. It has been 2 weeks since I asked. Thoughts dear? Please help

  2. Brandi Isadore says:

    Hey! Is it possible to add the Super Wet Natural Look Gel to your matrix? Either way, I really appreciate your social platforms!

  3. Sarah Jones says:

    Hi Elle, I attempted to comment on the black owned businesses list but the comment section does not appear on that post. I just wanted to let you know about a company I discovered here in Michigan. It’s called EverButter. Here’s the website http://www.everbutter.com/. I met the owner and her husband at a natural hair expo and they were very personable and I purchased their chocolate souffle leave in conditioner. It was wonderful with great ingredients. I thought you might like to give it a try and perhaps your subscribers would too.

  4. Smariej says:

    Hi, I’ve been looking at some of your older videos and absolutely love the many cuts and shapes, especially the shorter ones about 5 years ago. I equally like the shape of your hair now that it is longer. I searched your videos and blog to find more information about your haircuts but didn’t see anything other than trimming your bangs. Can you tell me more about who cuts your hair? Also, is your hair cut in its curly state or straightened. I’ve gotten both types of cuts and haven’t been totally happy for different reasons. What do you recommend?

    • Elle says:

      Hi there! I actually don’t get my hair cut – I hate the salon especially after the cut I got a few years ago. All I do is trim my hair every few months or so either curly or straight and in 2-4 braids. No technique really, that’s why I never did a video.

      • Smariej says:

        Thanks for the quick reply! You are doing a great job. Your hair, blog and reviews are awesome and very helpful. Take care.

  5. AJ says:

    Hello! I’ve been a fan of your videos for the longest! I notice you tend to primarily wear wash and go’s in your videos and your hair has continued to thrive. From experience how have you been able to achieve growth while primarily doing wash and go’s and not doing much protective styling?

    • Elle says:

      Hi there! I actually have a post about that! It’s “How to Retain Length Without Protective Styling” or something along those lines – it should come up in a search. I also have a length retention and hair health playlist on my YouTube channel that should provide a lot of information!

  6. AJ says:

    Hi Elle – Did you end up purchasing the Bekura Beauty Tonga Mousse during the Black Friday sale and if so what were your thoughts on this product?

  7. Melissa says:

    My trying to locate the product Ohm Body Sweet Hair pudding. Can you help me on this product I heard nothing,but good things.

  8. D says:

    I also did a big chop and I’ve been fighting a mental battle for 2 years now. Got a brazilian on the very front and left the rest natural. My hairstylist is encouraging me to get a texturizer. My hair is like yours. I was wondering what are the drawbacks of having a texturizer? Will my hair break or have split ends or lose shine? Will it change color? I’m not sure if I want to do this but I hate it when people look at me like I’m a homeless person because of my hair. And I’m spending so much on haircare products I can’t afford to eat!

    • Elle says:

      So…people look at you like you’re a homeless person because of your hair and it’s like mine? Oh…okay. Anyway, a texturizer is simply a weaker relaxer, so it will have the same “drawbacks.” You will have to get touch ups unless you want to start transitioning again, and will need to baby your hair more because they do weaken the hair shaft. Also, overlapping is often an issue with texturizers b/c you don’t want the hair to get totally straight, and after awhile the hair may straighten in places over time, depending on how skilled your stylist is. Good luck!

  9. jocsphotography says:

    Hey! I’m a photographer from North Carolina and family friend with founder of the National Natural Hair Meetup Day Adeea Rogers. I had the honor of being the photographer at HER NNHMD event! Check out my blog for sneak peeks & updates!

  10. nicaola says:

    Hi my name is nicaola and I love products that smell like cake there is one problem though I can’t find them but I watch you on youtube and I noticed that you also like the smell of cake and I would like to no how can I go about getting some of the good smelling products that you use

    • Elle says:

      I can’t think of any that smell like cake at the moment besides the Reve I just reviewed, but I go over scent in detail in all of my reviews.

  11. Monique says:

    Hi! So, your YouTube videos just turned my world around. I had no idea that I was neglecting my hair so badly. So a) THANK YOU! b) I see that every now and then you have shared favorite non-hair related products etc., so I wanted to ask if you might be doing more of that. I’m OBSESSED with your flawless make-up and I’d love to know what your favorites are. If it’s not in the cards for future vids, could you share some of your go-tos? I’m clueless with this stuff, so anything would be awesome. Thanks again either way! ~Monique

    • Elle says:

      I have a skincare video and often talk about makeup in my fave videos. However, I also plan to do videos on the makeup I use but they are lower on the list, as hair is the priority of my blog (and more people are interested in that, I’m not very good at makeup, lol).

  12. Ashley Hughes says:

    Hello!
    I’ve been watching your recent videos and i am in LOVE with your hair color and i had a few questions. For the video you recently posted on heatless curls on flat ironed hair, your hair was sort of in an fading ombre style and i was wondering if that was natural or something you got done. I want to recreate it :). Also, do you have pictures of your hair that color curly/straight so I can show my hair stylist?

    And then in your review of the Camille rose moisture you hair seemed to have more of a burgundy tint and I was wonder how you achieved that and if you had some close up pictures.

    Thanks for your time in advance!

    Ashley

    • Elle says:

      I have several posts/videos on my color – if you search for “dye” or “color” they should show up. It was all actually a mistake, so I can’t really tell you how to recreate it (I actually dislike it). There are several pictures of my hair on my Facebook – http://facebook.com/qftpc. The redder tint is from henna I did a year ago.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Elle,
    Have you ever tried Tree Naturals, treenaturals.com? The ingredients in the dc and leave-in look great. Just wondering if you ever tried them because I love and trust your reviews.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Hi Elle,
    I’m getting ready to do my BC and I just wanted to know how I should prepare for it and what what helped the most during the process of growing your hair back out.

    • Elle says:

      I didn’t prepare for my BC – one day I decided I was going to cut it, then I cut it the next day. I have a video with tips for after you BC that should be helpful, as well as my two year video with lessons learned.

  15. Pamela Portia says:

    If you wouldn’t mind, PLEASE HELP ME!?! I have a bad case of the frizzies, I now live in Georgia, and my hair always becomes a mess. I work 2 jobs, which I am required to pull it up above my shoulders, but when I want to wear it down and curly ((leaving in conditioners such as HE or GF)) My hair still goes *poof* and dries out! I have been using this shampoo called “Organix Tea Tree Oil Shampoo”. I found the conditioner to be okay, but pretty pricey, as I go through the conditioner quite fast. I’ve tried each and every Suave and Vo5 I could get my hands on, but even the moisturizing ones seem to be too watery for my type of hair. I’ve also been using a Conair paddle brush. In the shower, I was with shampoo, rinse throughly, ring out all the water ((so my conditioner won’t drip out)), apply globs of conditioner, massage, brush, and then clip up; yes, ALL of that in the shower! By the time Im dressed and ready to deal with my abomination, it starts frizzing in different parts and I have to brush it ALL OVER AGAIN!!! Help?! Please?!

  16. Pamela Portia says:

    OMG! I am so sorry. Im pretty embarrassed about that. But, maybe you can help, well, if you’re not offended by the mix-up?? :/

  17. Pamela Portia says:

    Hey Teri. A guest of mine actually recommended that I check out your site “tightlycurly.com” but I could not find any contact for you; so, I typed your name in my search engine and this site came up, as well as “lightskinnededgirl.typepad.com” and FINALLY I found a way (yay!) I am also mixed ((Filipino, Black, Native American & Cuban)) with curly hair that dries out. Now, I have been alternating between herbal essences ((when mentioning the “sodium hydroxide” I was relieved in NOT finding it in there)) and Garnier Fructiis… But no matter what, my hair frizzes. I am going out tomorrow to buy a denman and I JUST, just purchased your book about 20 minutes ago online, but I wanted my hair to be pretty for my birthday ((the day after Christmas)) and my book is said to be arriving on Dec 30th!! Help???

  18. CurlySue says:

    I actually need help!!! I have been natural for less than 60 days, and I absolutely love my natural curls. However, when I use curling creams they show up as a white film in my hair. I have tried using less product and it does not matter my hair turns white. Please help!!!!!

  19. Anonymous says:

    I am fairly new to the natural world and I came across ayurnaturalbeauty.com and purchased some items. I saw that you recommend products on this site so I was more happy about stumbling upon it. But anywho my question is, is it okay to mix jamila, hibiscus, and the herbal henna powder together? And if so do you know what color I might get by adding the herbal henna powder? thank you so much I love you channel and you blog. =)

  20. Angie says:

    Hi Elle,

    I am new to your blog and youtube video’s and I think that they are all so great and really informative. I’ve found so many new products….and although I consider myself a minimalist, I have added a few new staples to my cabinet with a few more I can’t wait to try. Now, I did my homework, and looked through the video’s and I know that I would personally be annoyed if I spent SO much time addressing things and someone asked me the same question; so that is my disclaimer as I ask this question (that I hope you haven’t already discussed *gulp*). I am really interested in doing a cherry lola treatment and I’m also interested in looking into some of the Ayurvedic herbs you use, particularly the Cassia tx. While I’ve been using these oils in my homemade products for years, I have never tried the powdered versions and I think I will really like them. That being said, question: What would be your recommendation on a sequence of treatments that wouldn’t be too overwhelming for the hair? I imagine that doing the CL treatment followed by a Cassia treatment would make the most sense and be the most beneficial since the cuticle has been slightly raised, but what are your thoughts? What if I incorporated a henna/indigo treatment….what would the sequence look like then (all obviously spread out over a short time span)? Lastly, what are your thoughts about following a CL tx with a step to seal the cuticle and trap in the moisture?

    • HB says:

      Personally, I would not do a sequence of treatments like this – I always would spread mine out (like, one a week) because I don’t want to do too much to my hair. I also stopped using ayurveda b/c my hair is already low porosity and these treatments are usually acidic. I never sealed my hair after CL tx except with my regular conditioning and never had any issues, but some people follow up with an ACV rinse.

  21. xoxosoleil says:

    Dear Elle,
    I just discovered your blog and you are doing a great job. You are beautiful too.
    I have a short hair cut ( just cut all ), 4B and of course I am kind of lost ! I am looking for a good regimen : leaving conditioner+ moisturizer+ curl definition+ shine. I am open to any suggestion.Thank you for your time.

    • HB says:

      My current regimen and holy grail products are listed on the blog as separate pages (at the top of the page) – that should be helpful. I don’t really focus on curl definition, but Blue Ecostyler is a heavier gel, which can help with definition, and an oil or pomade can help with shine. Carol’s Daughter Hair Balm and Hair Elixir are both very good and absorb well into hair.

  22. Kristen Smith says:

    I need some major hair HELP!! I have been natural for 4 months now and my hair is about 4 inches (im really not feeling this short look), but I just have no idea what to do with my curls! Its like my hair looks so beautiful once its wet and then once it dries it doesnt look as good and it feels hard and scratchy. I flat ironed my hair a month ago and got my ends trimmed for the first time since my hair cut and the lady told me that my ends were really brittle, do you think that is from wetting my hair everyday or from not having my ends cut in 3 months? Now with my hair its soo hard to even comb it without water and it gets so tangled by the end of the day, so what do you think I should do in order to style my hair by keeping my curls and keeping it as healthy as I can?

  23. Miquella (@DearMiquella) says:

    Hey Elle! I just did my big chop last night. I’m still not used to it as I’ve never had short hair in my life. Plus, it’s more “afro” like than curly. So I was wondering, what cheap products do you use to make your curls pop after the BC? Or, even better, what methods do you use?

    I recently bought Eco Styler Gel, Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner, and hair oils if that helps (I’m 18, a college student, and need cheaper products lol). Any advice would be helpful, thanks!

  24. luvmylocs says:

    hey girl, no need to post this. just check in on you and saying hi. hadn’t seen you online as much the past couple of weeks so just touching base. by the way, i sent you an fb request. it’s from stacy l.

  25. Sukari says:

    Hi Elle,
    I just want to let you know that you are my favorite vlogger/ blogger and I’ve added a link to your page to my website http://makingsofabetterme.com. Thanks for all of the great natural hair advice. When I saw the video on dew points, that was it for me…. I said this chic is SMART! I hope you don’t stop until we at least get to see that butt long hair you’re on a Quest to achieve. 🙂
    ~Sukari

  26. RnMechel says:

    Hey Elle,
    I have a question for you and your subbies. I have super thick hair and lately I have been considering having my natural hair thinned out with scissors. When I was relaxed I would do this from time to time but I have never done this on my natural hair. The reason that I’m considering this is because as my hair grows it is not showing length it appears to be getting wider. I would love for my hair to hang down and actually show/see the length that I am achieving. I am in my 40’s so I’m not worried about my hair thinning with age I would embrace it if that happened. I’m also a college student that obstructs the views of everyone who sits behind me in class, no one can see the board if they’re unlucky enough to sit behind me. Have you ever done thinning, know of anyone who has or just have an opinion.
    Thanks a lot

    • HB says:

      Depending on your texture, thinning your hair may not make it hang more, In fact, if it’s shorter in some places it could shrink more and look bigger.

  27. Shannon says:

    Hey Elle!!

    I was perusing through your vids and went allllll the way back to some of your very first vids on product reviews (it’s amazing to see how your hair started out to the length it is today). I noticed that some of the products you really liked. Would you consider revisiting some of those products (i.e Beija Flor Naturals, Koils By Nature, etc) today and do a product review on it? I’m curious to see if Izzy would respond the same or differently.

    • HB says:

      I revisit some products, but for the most part I don’t because I don’t like to repeat things on my blog. Also, how a product reacts doesn’t have anything to do with the length of your hair, so when I retry products I’ve used in the past, they usually act the same.

  28. luvmylocs says:

    elle, i thought i couldn’t do a wash and go. i don’t like gel and my hair shrinks a lot. i was mostly doing twists and twist outs. i want to give wash and gos another try. i don’t like gel in my hair. that said, can you give some tips for those who thought a wash and go wouldn’t work for them? what i tried today was a leave in conditioner and a pomade product mostly on the ends (for weight). it looked okay when it was still wet but as it dried it shrunk a lot. maybe that’s just the way it is until my hair gets longer. it’s soft but greasy (because of the pomade). do you think wash and gos can work for anybody? do you think your hair evolves and gets better with time if you keep up a wash and go regimen? any tips would be appreciated!!

  29. Josie says:

    Hi Elle! First off, I love your videos and your blog! You’re so smart and stylish! And even though I’ve been natural longer than you, your hair seems healthier and is probably longer than mine! But I’m slowly getting the hang of all this hair stuff, partly thanks to you but mainly it’s thanks to actually doing some research and listening to my hair instead of taking every ones word at something (I think I also learned that from you! Lol). So enough small talk, I saws’ video where you said you had just gone bike riding and had helmet hair… I thought it looked really nice for helmet hair and was wondering “what’s your routine when you bike ride? Do you bun it up? Do you apply products? Let your hair dry first? Pull back “dirty” hair and just go? My hair always looks a mess when I try wearing a helmet and I can’t gather it all when dry and force it under a helmet… It just won’t fit! I’m trying to avoid rewetting and restyling my hair because it takes a day and a half to dry… =/

    • HB says:

      Hey!! Thank you for the compliments. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to be much help on this one – when I wear my bike helmet, I don’t do anything – I just put it on. if I’m wearing my hair out that day, I just tuck it behind my ears so it’s not in my face; if I’m wearing a bun or ponytail, I just put it on. If my hair has already dried for the day, great, but if it hasn’t dried yet, I’ll still put it on. Basically, my helmet has nothing to do with my hair routine. I will say though, I got a bigger helmet in order to accommodate my hair – I bought a large and without my hair my head is probably a medium, but I wanted to make sure my head would fit with my hair. There is also a noticeable difference in fit between when my hair is out and when it’s pulled back.

      • Josie says:

        Thanks. I might have to just pull it back into a sleek pony because I tried on my fiancee’s helmet yesterday after pulling my 4 day old wash and go into a loose pony and I was barely able to get it on…. I think I might have more hair than you unless women’s sizes are actually bigger than men’s, which I doubt! Lol.

      • HB says:

        No idea, but mine is from the UK and I know their sizes are different. So I just got the biggest one they had, lol.

  30. Cheryl says:

    Hi Elle,
    I know how you are about looking up stuff first before asking but I have been looking. =)
    I am 1 month in from a BC and use to use KKCC now have switched to Eco Styler (Olive Oil) which gives me cute little curly coils that don’t shrink up as much. I usually shampoo, wash out conditioner, (sometimes DC depending on the time), either use a leave in (Cantu) or moisturizer (Hawaiian silky 14-1), gel and maybe Oil spray (Carols Daughter Tui). My question is what happens day 2? I usually hate to sleep (satin pillowcase) bcuz my volume has gone down. Do people usually rewash and do it all over again or should you wet it and put more gel or use moisturizer or maybe it is what it is? IDK I usually spray a little water mixed with jojoba oil in it and a little moisturizer but then I get the frizz. Other times I just try to puff it back up with nothing and spray some sheen on it. Sorry this is hella long.

  31. Sissy says:

    Elle, please help. Any tips on damaged colored hair? I really screwed up by dying my hair too light then immediately putting another dye on top to darken it. I now have more shredding then usual AND it feels hard and straw-like. Without having to chop it all off again, any suggestions on how I can get it soft again? thx!

  32. Anonymous says:

    Hi Elle! I love your hair and wish I had it, but I’m white with straight hair, so Oh Well! But my daughter does have awesome hair. Wish I could have her hair as well. So I was wondering, if you had to have a HG list of things that you, and the majority of us, could only get on the ground, what would they be?

  33. Mercedes says:

    Hey Elle, I apologize for this being out of message thread order but, would you mind sharing your hibiscus to henna ratio? I purchased 100g packages, but I have fine hair so I don’t think I’ll need that much. Thanks Elle!

    • HB says:

      I didn’t really measure, but it was about a tablespoon in my henna indigo mix. I have never used just hibiscus and henna.

      • Mercedes says:

        Oh ok! So I misunderstood your video….you mixed the henna, indigo and the hibiscus? Adding a tablespoon of indigo and hibiscus to the entire packet of henna?

      • HB says:

        No, I mixed 75g of henna + 1 tablespoon of hibiscus, let it sit for like 20 min, then added in 75g of indigo (it was a lot of mix). Henna is not exact science though so your amounts will vary based on your hair.

  34. Rhea says:

    Hi Elle,

    I am so crushing your hair. How do you get all that volume and height? I hate to ak you and hope that you wont take offense to my question, are you biracial? I just want to know b/c I hope my hair will look like that. Have you used Design Essentials Natural Hair care line? I like but my scalp itches when I use it , what do you think it is. I so love your vids and your hair. Keep up the good work

    • HB says:

      LOL, thank you! I get volume and height well…because…I have a lot of hair on my head (it’s pretty dense and b/c my strands are coarse they’re thicker as well), and I touch it too much and it just grows and gets bigger and bigger. And since you put the disclaimer on, it’s all good, no worries (at least you know that this question can be offensive, when people act like it’s the same thing as asking what time it is, I give insta-side eye) – no, I’m not biracial. But, your race doesn’t really have much to do with your hair – I have seen black women with looser curls, and biracial women with curls tighter than mine. It really just depends on your genetic makeup, and of course recessive genes can come into play. I’ve never used Design Essentials, I didn’t think I liked their ingredients? Does it have mineral oil or silicones? Those can clog your pores, which might make your scalp itch. Also, if you aren’t clarifying properly your pores can get clogged – which is why I’m no longer a fan of cowashing. My fave shampoo is the new Creme of Nature Argan Oil Moisture and Shine poo, it reminds me of the old formula which was the bees knees. Also, tea tree oil can help with itchy scalp, but I would only resort to this if you’re clarifying at least 1x a week and still battling itchies. Glad you like the vids and hope that helped.

Thoughts? Let me know!

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Twitter picture

You are commenting using your Twitter account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s