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Queens, the name Phorbe and the first draft of the logo were created February 2017. Yet, at that time, I wasn't comfortable with calling myself a Queen. I thought people would take that to mean that I'm conceited. I thought about how members of the LGBTQ community would feel excluded and, quite frankly, the confidence to call myself a
Queen just wasn't there.
While these things were legitimate concerns I know in my heart that the idea of calling us Queens is more of a mindset booster than fuel to feed our egos. Also, I make it a point, except on #WomenSupportingWomenWednesdays, to never use a specific gender to describe the Phorbe Queendom. There are many people in the Phorbe Queendom who prefer to be Kings or just Royalty and I'm down with that.
Yet, the confidence issue wasn't an easy fix, or so I thought. On April 2, 2017 when I quit my good paying job to pursue Phorbe, I decided it was time to put the Queen in Phorbe to the test. From that day on, I promised myself that I would always wear a crown on my head. My crown would be a reminder for me that I am worthy and important enough to call myself a Queen. It would also be a good way to invite new people into the Queendom. Even to this day, people see me walking around with a crown on my head and they ask why and I gladly tell them.
For the most part, I have kept this promise to myself. How? By twisting my hair into a crown on my head every day. Now, let's be real the confidence to call myself a Queen is in full effect and I can get extra with it. I have no problem walking around for weeks with an actual crown on my head.
When I need to mute my extremeness, I will fix a headband to my head to my head as a makeshift tiara.
But most days, I just wear my natural, god-given crown. I'm going to use the rest of this #Beauty post to show you how!
Goddess Braids
The technical term for these hairstyles is called the Goddesss Braid. However, I just love the look and feel of a flat twist over a braid. It's looks more regal to me. Should you feel differently, each of the hairstyles below can easily be modified from a twist to braid.
There are many different ways to rock your natural crown. I'm going to show you my four favorite ways. These hairstyles are not only super easy to do (each one takes less than five minutes to do), they are also great protective styles that help keep your hair moisturized.
Items Needed
Boar Brush - Best brush to use on natural hair
Moisturizer - of your choice
Leave in Conditioner - of your choice
Hair oil - to seal in the moister
Hair Gel - of your choice
Bobby Pins
Hair Tie- for Puffs
Prepping Your Hair
I like to start off the week with freshly washed and conditioned hair. Then throughout the week, I may change up the hairstyle or just keep it the same.
With freshly washed hair, you'll want to de-tangle your hair with your fingers. Apply moisturizer, leave-in conditioner, and a tad bit of hair oil to seal in the moister. Then you'll want to add just a little bit of hair gel to the edges all around your head.
Flat Twists
Before we move forward, it's important to make sure you understand how to flat twist your own hair. For this tutorial, I've outsourced to youtube for some help. Check out the Queen of Fantastic Favor's tutorial for flat twists below. I chose this specific video because it both shows and explains clearly each step of creating a flat twist.
Full Crown
To get the look of a full crown around your head, you will want to start by brushing all of your hair from the middle of your head towards the edge. All of the hair on the top of your head should be covering your forehead like bangs. All of the hair on the sides and back of your head should fall over your shoulders and back.
Next, depending on which side you favor more, you'll want to part your hair (with your fingers) at the highest point of either your left or right ear. This will be your starting place. Don't worry about making the part super straight as it will be covered up eventually.
Use a bobby pin to hold the hair behind your ear back and out of the way. Then, starting with the hair at the top of your ear, begin flat twisting your hair all the way around the crown of your head. When you reach the hair behind your ear, remove the bobby pin and continue your braid. When you run out of hair to add to the twist, twist the excess hair and bobby pin it behind the beginning of twist (above the top of your ear).
For the best results, you want to make sure that you twist the hair in the front and back of your head as close to your edges as possible. This will give the twist more volume.
Elegant Parted Crown
To achieve this look, you'll want to start again, by brushing your hair towards the edge of your head. Now, this time, depending on which side you favor, you'll want to part your hair (again with your fingers) right above the arch in your eyebrow on either the left or right side. For the best results and a layered look, slant the part towards whichever side you are parting on. So, if you're parting your hair above your right eye you'll slant the part towards the right. Vice versa for the left.
Next, you'll want to part your hair in the back down the middle. Your part should go from the top of your head down to the middle of your neck.
Once you've completed your parts, bobby pin one side of your head to keep the hair out of your way. Then continue to flat twist the hair on your right towards the right and around the back and the hair on your left towards the left and around to the back.
When you run out of hair to add to your twists, twist the excess hair to the very end. Once both twists are completed, you'll want to bobby pin the tails around the nape of your neck. I usually bobby pin the left twist's tail to the right twist and vice versa.
Crowned Puff / Parted Crown Puff
When you're ready to switch it up, you can combine two great hairstyles into one regal masterpiece. To achieve the crowned puff, you'll want to start out by brushing all of your hair towards the middle of your head. With your fingers, you'll want to section off a small portion of the hair in the front of your head. I like to use my ears as a guide and part from the front of my ear on one side to the front of my ear on the other side. Pretty much side burn to side burn.
Bobby pin the sectioned hair so that it is out of your way. You'll thing want to gather the rest of your hair into a puff on the top of your head and secure it with your hair tie. Then flat twist the sectioned off hair from one ear towards your other ear (depending on what you prefer). Once you run out of hair to add to the twist, twist the excess hair and bobby pin it above your ear towards the puff.
To achieve the parted crown look you would follow the steps above, but after creating your puff, you would part your sectioned off hair. You want to part this hair just as you would part your hair for the Elegant Parted Crown. Then, you'll just twist each side towards it's designated ear and bobby pin the end above the ear and towards the puff.
Finishing Touches
For those of you who like the look of snatched edges you can go back and attack your edges at full force slicking them down with your favorite edge control. I usually just add a tad bit of gel to the top of my head to smooth down any stragglers for the full crown and elegant parted crown looks.
Now you know the secret behind my signature hairstyle. Let me know in the comment section below, which style you'll be trying out first.
It's a beautiful day to conquer the world, so go forth and slay!
-Queen Maree
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 20, 2018