Byond Natural Beauty Bar

BYOND NATURAL BEAUTY BAR OPENING AT 502 GRAYSON PARKWAY, GRAYSON, GA - APRIL 29, 2013. CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT! AMPLE PARKING.

We're excited to announce we are opening our first Beauty Bar for all your natural beauty needs. Byond Natural is an all natural hair, skin and nail studio using only high quality, natural, organic and holistic products in servicing our clients. Schedule your appointment today! 470-246-5794 or email at byondnatural@gmail.com

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Training Day

Today's blog isn't going to be long, overstated or even further explained.  This is one of those subjects that really needs no further explanation or definition.  It just requires quiet reflection and honesty with ourselves, and then change on our part.  Ready.......................In the journey of life, we train others how to treat us. 

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

What's your impact on this earth?

Every single thing we purchase and use has some impact on our earth, and our health.  I recently changed all of my cleaning products and laundry detergent to eco-friendly products.  I also use soy candles with lead-free wicks to scent my home, eco-friendly hair and skin care products and I purchased wash clothes instead of paper towels to dry our hands in the bathrooms and then wash the filled basket as needed.  My husband and I made a decision to go completely eco-friendly because our son has allergy induced asthma and we wanted to illiminate all potential fumes and allergens. 

As a woman of color, I have a vested interest in living eco-friendly.  African American children have the highest rate of asthma in the United States.  Communities of color have the highest levels of air and noise pollution (American Lung Association).  Schools in communities of color have more building deteration issues, lack of proper maintenance and lack of proper resources to correct issues.  Indoor air pollution, lead, water leaks, aesbestos, etc. are all still serious concerns in schools in communities of color.  These issues deserve to be addressed at the local, state and federal level and we have to raise our voices to be advocates for our families health.

What can you do today to make a positive impact on our earth?  These are just a few ideas that are easy, money saving and effective.

Purchase eco-friendly cleaning products and laundry detergent for your home.

Use eco-friendly hair and skin care products that include natural and organic ingredients.

Use natural light when possible during the day and turn off lighting when leaving a room.

Use eco-friendly lighting inside and outside your home. Try indoor solar lighting.



Apply dimmers to lighting throughout your home.

Create a grocery list to keep you focused when shopping, saving money and gas.

Use wash clothes instead of purchasing paper towels to dry your hands.  Place a basket in your bathroom for used wash clothes and then wash as the basket fills.  This saves paper and trees.

Consider purchasing a steam mop.  No more detergent, no more chemicals, extra clean floors.

When purchasing new appliances always look for the "energy star" label.

Set your dishwasher to run after midnight when water usage is low and run on "energy saver" cycle.

Purchase glassware instead of plastic when possible.

Consider installing a cooling/heating ceiling fan in your bedrooms.  They circulate cool air in summer and warm air in winter and run on pennies a day.

Purchase eco-friendly bed linen (organic cotton, bamboo and recycled materials - yes the thrift store items count as eco-friendly:)

Shop thrift stores for your childrens summer clothes, and truth be told you can find great school clothes as well.

Pack up all unused or unwanted clothing and donate to Goodwill, Salvation Army or a thrift store.  You can also make a little extra money by selling your old items to a consignment shop.

Open your windows on comfortable days to allow fresh air to circulate through your home and disapate indoor air pollution.

If you drink coffee or tea, purchase "fair trade" products to ensure your dollars help sustain the villages the product comes from.

Do your shopping locally when possible.

Shop local farmers markets for your fresh produce.

Get to know your local butcher and fish monger.  They will know where their product comes from and how fresh it is. 

Make sure your home has good quality insulation and check your home seasonally for leaks or general maintenance.  Leaks can cause mold growth which can be a terrible health hazard.

When making additions to your home or remodeling use as many eco-friendly materials as possible - everything from flooring to fabric can be eco-friendly and affordable.

When we make positives changes for our families, our children take notice and we leave them a legacy and a love for the environment around them.  They take interest in caring for our communities and great pride in living in a community that's beautiful and healthy.

For more information, products and ideas to help you make a positive impact on our earth, check out http://www.evo.com/

Monday, September 14, 2009

Life more abundantly!

Over the past four years I've learned alot about myself.  Most importantly, how I treat myself.  I'm a wife (and every now and then "sexy' wife:), mother, business owner, PTA officer, church volunteer and friend.  Seems pretty managable..........but my life had been managing me, so it was exhausting.

I'm a helper at heart.  I enjoy helping others and watching them succeed.  I also enjoy cooking and feeding my friends and family when I can.  If I could just entertain and cook for a living I'd be set. LOL!!  I developed a bad habit of not knowing when to say no.  So I trained those around me that I'm always available, always able and always willing.  Problem is none of that is true.  I was overextending myself and sometimes for people that didn't appreciate it. 

So what did I do to change how I was operating?  I started to manage my time more wisely.  Before my head leaves the pillow I thank God for another day for me and my family, then I spend 20 minutes with Him before doing anything.  That's my time for prayer, Bible study, reflection.  This change in the start of my day has made a world of difference about how I value my time.  I manage my client schedule in a way that allows me to spend the time I desire with my children and gives me the opportunity to volunteer at their schools.  Creating a legacy for my family became priority, not just taking as many clients as possible.  I have a date night with my wonderful husband once a week - just me and him doing whatever we want.  I purchased a dry erase calendar, put it on my frig and fill it in with my families activities for the month so I don't over schedule any of us.  I make time to do "nothing", whatever my nothing is I plan to do it.

Now that I take time for myself, I finally have a chance to listen to my body, notice things I had glanced at but never paid attention to.  I listen to my husband and children and make an effort to ensure that I actually hear them.  I perceive what's important differently and I value the small details that make a big difference.  I changed my business to ensure it matched up with what I value, I'm facilitating healing with my clients.  I talk to them, learn about their lifestyles, family, issues, etc. (You'd be amazed that 90% of scalp problems have nothing to do with the scalp itself - marriage problems, worrying about children, financial difficulties, job stress, poor nutrition - its so not about what it looks like, so my discernment has heightened.)  I give my time and make concessions of my time for those that I know truly do value me, my family and my time.  I make my home a peaceful, restful place for my family and I don't allow drama, people or otherwise, into our home.  If I find that when in the presense of an individual, I'm drained when we part ways, I don't spend my personal time with that person.  If being in someones presense is work, its not enjoyable.  I love being around positive people and I enjoy being around people that I learn from, that add to me as a person.

When I started to re-evaluate how I treated myself and the outcome I was getting when I treated myself well, I truly began to live life more abundantly.  My money hasn't changed, some of my circumstances didn't change, but my perspective did.

Blessings,

Natural by Nature

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Moisture is a girls best friend

I remember as a young girl my mom would wash and condition my hair and then grease it to the nines with Vigirol (you remember the blue grease).  My freshly washed hair would be greasy for days, and Lord forbid if I decided to scratch my scalp, I'd get a fingernail full of mess. lol!!!

As I got older we kinda started to get that moisture came from water based products, but for that moment it was in the form of Jeri Curl moisturizers like Care Free Curl.  Something interested happened during that time, folks with Curls hair began to grow, and grow quickly ---- Water Based Moisture.  Then something even more wonderful started happening.  The natural hair culture came of age.

As a natural hair culturist when I tell my clients to use water based products there's almost disbelief.  Use water on African American hair?  Yes, yes and yes.  Natural hair is curly hair and curly hair needs plenty of moisture.  Yes, no matter how tight the curl, its still a curl:)  I have tight, nappy hair too and proud of it, but it still needs plenty of water. 

Your hair care products should not costs a small fortune, reasonably priced product can have a price point up to $22 and be awesome.  I've spent $30, $40 on product, only to have to give it away or throw it out because it didn't do what it says it was developed to do.  The ingredient list is very important.  Conditioners  should contain water as the first ingredient followed by fats, proteins, vitamins and essential oils.  A good styling agent that provides hold for twists, locs, sets ect. should contain the same, but also contain a holding agent for real hold.  FYI - butters and natural gels such as aloe are great for keeping the hair soft and conditioned, but are not good at holding locs or twists, they need a good holding agent like a carbomer.

Oh, I almost forgot the mention, don't be mislead into thinking that you can only use products targeted to African Americans for your natural hair care.  Paul Mitchell Instant Moisture Daily Shampoo and Instant Moisture Daily Treatment are the best moisturizing shampoo and conditioner I have ever used, personally and professionally.  Keepin It Real Sculpting Gel is the absolute best curl definer with great hold, no buildup and excellent shine after drying that I've professionally.  Additionally, with Keepin It Real Sculpting Gel you can rewet your hair daily with a water based moisturizer (Care Free Curl, Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist, Curls Quenched Curls, etc.) and the curls will spring back to life for up to four days - a great money saver.

Last, but certainly not least is steam.  Steam's small molecules penetrate deep into the hair shaft to make your conditioner do double duty.  It also assists in pushing essential oil scalp therapies deep into the scalp to nourish the hair follicle, making your scalp therapy treatments more effective.  Steam is also great for the skin.  You don't have to go to the salon to get that great steam conditioning.  Your shower can serve the same purpose.  During your shower, don't cover your hair, let the steam moisturize your hair for about 10 minutes once a week and see the difference in how it feels.

Blessings to all, and don't forget to follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/locsbytanya

Welcome to Living Byond Natural

I'm so excited about my new blog on natural hair care, holistic health and everything in between that impacts the health of women of color and our families. 

We're going to debunk hair care myths, give good solid information relating to your hair and scalp health and your overall health, and discuss topics like health care, stress, family issues and education.  Yes, we're covering the gammit and getting to the "root" of getting healthy and staying healthy.

Visit us regularly for new information, and interesting articles to help us live a more holistic lifestyle.

Blessings,

Natural by Nature