Good to Know

Summer is in full swing and I have realized something that would have been really good to know. When two girls are around all day long, and are so over naps, mama has much less time for things like writing. Instead, I am taking two chatty children to activities, play dates, and other summer fun. I'm also working on remembering to pack the sun screen, and the water bottles, and the Bandaids, and the bubbles.

I've decided to send our Good to Know feature on a summer vacation. (I hope it goes somewhere with cool breezes and fruity drinks served in coconuts!) Don't despair though, I'll be sharing styles and care routines and other topics I hope you will find interesting, although they may be posted at odd times. I hope to have a style gallery up very soon. Yay! No more searching through old posts for style ideas! As always, if you have any topics you'd like to see covered here at Happy Girl, don't be shy, go ahead and email me.  If you'd like to be featured in a Saturday Spotlight, I'd love to hear from you too!

Hair Moods

Have you ever noticed how clothing and accessories can change your mood, or even influence your behavior just a bit? In the days when I had to show up at an office every morning, I remember how polite everyone was on the days we dressed up for important meetings. These days, there is a huge difference in what I can accomplish on the days when I make an actual effort to wear something semi-presentable, rather than pulling grungy jeans and and old T shirt off the floor.

My husband was the first to notice that the girls' behavior changes ever so slightly depending on their hair style. Choosing a style from our repertoire is kind of like choosing clothing, so it makes sense. The behavior changes are subtle, and it may be that only my husband and I notice, but they are real. It's a lot like the way clothing can tweak our energy level, shift our mood, and alter our behavior and self-image.

With loose hair, Little B is just a little sillier than usual and she might be heard telling knock knock jokes.

Little R is bit of a trickster, and loose hair brings out her impishness even more. She is way more likely to look for a moment when I have let my guard down to play an audacious trick on me that leaves us both laughing.

When Little B's hair is worn close to her head, she carries herself differently. We can see she feels elegant, and she can be seen putting on every piece of plastic jewelry she owns.

You'd think that two pony tails would make Little R feels playful, but they actually make her more serious. I swear she listens better and is far more studious with her hair in this style. 

Half up/half out styles like halfros or this cornrow with a big puff seem to be the most natural fit for Little B. Her behavior tells us she feels confident, playful, and peaceful.

Bantu knots and one big pony tail on top of Little R's head make her feel great. She is super confident with either of those styles. We can tell she thinks she's pretty cool.

What about your little one? Do you notice a subtle, or not so subtle, behavior change influenced by her hair style? Which styles affect her mood, behavior, or self-image most?

Mixing It Up With X Parts

Hair time was a little different today because I didn't wash hair this morning. I did a really good wash and condition last Thursday with a quick co-wash yesterday morning in order to have wash and go hair for family photos. Today, I started out with hair that just needed to be detangled and styled.

This week all of the girls' summer activities begin, so I was looking for some low-matinence styles. I began by spritzing Little B's hair with a mix of water and PMB. I would like to have given her a hair rinse with the shower head, but she hates drips so much that I didn't want to subject her another complete wetting. Instead, I sprayed a section at a time, tested out a new detangler, and clipped each section as I finished. The detangling itself was a snap, but oddly, even though I clipped each section as it was detangled, it shrunk and tangled a lot in the half hour of so between detangling and styling. That's never happened with any other detangling product I've used, so I'm a bit puzzled. I think I need further testing!

I intended to part Little B's hair diagonally starting with an X part from temple to neck, but the strange tangling made it really challenging to get my lines even. Although the parts did not come out as exactly as intended, I wasn't willing to subject her to much part adjustment. I switched my plan a little instead. I thought she'd have swingy box braids, but I ended up gathering the braids up in four sections. The box braids were completed using a moisturizing styling creme and without bands at the base. We are both happy with the style and the little ponytails cover up the parts that weren't quite right. I wasn't too fussed about the change, because it gave me a chance to use the new Goody Ouchless bands I just bought and the wooden beads we both like.

I detangled Little R's hair with little effort and gave her an X part as well. Little R's tolerance for sitting to get hair done is not as high as Little B's, so I went with something quick. I banded each section at the base and then split each ponytail in three. Each section got one braid, one rope twist, and one three strand twist. It's simple, festive and fun. It will also allow me to see which style hold up better during this week's busy schedule.

How cute are these bands!?  I picked them up at Target for about $3.50. I liked them so much I got two packs. Squee!

Saturday Spotlight

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, where we enjoy styles done by Happy Girl Hair community members. Today, we are highlighting Mommy D and Little A. Here is what Mommy D has to say about their hair routine,

In celebration of half-done hair and crooked parts, I thought I'd send in these pictures. As a pregnant (1 mth to go!) working mom of a 2 (almost 3) yr old in a household where Daddy just started working looooong days, our hair time is down to 1/4 what it used to be. And I think it'll stay that way. We're just gonna forget about those fancy do's because... who cares!  Little A is cute no matter what.

I'll start with some pictures from 2 mths ago when I used to spend 4 hrs over 2 sessions of braiding hair. I took her out to play after doing her hair as shown in these pictures and another mom asked me if she was going to a party (she wasn't being sarcastic). I guess that's one sign that I'm overdoing it.

Now this is what Little A's hair looks like. This is the day after I've done her hair and she's spent a day at pre-school and napped for 3 hrs on it. Hence, the dangling bantu knots. This was a mid-week hair-do and I freshen up her bantu knots in the morning while she's eating breakfast. I started this do expecting to do cornrows across the back and two bantu knots in the front.

Well we barely got through half the back when Little A got fed up (washing, conditioning, detangling, applying product, styling) and my back and hips couldn't take it anymore. So the rest ended up in bantu knots. Except the front right bantu knot kept pulling no matter how I placed it so that turned into a braid that got incorporated into the bantu knot behind it. Thick braids strain her scalp so the end has to be anchored somehow. I want to point out too that the parts are crooked and one cornrow near the middle of her head strays to the side of the section. But I think I'm the only person who noticed and everyone said her hair looked great :)  I won't argue =D

Oh! And I HAVE to tell you about those beads!! I ordered these online from Birdy Boredom Busters and this was my first time using them. They're parts for making bird toys.  They look like lifesavers. Yummy! And it allows me to use bigger cornrows and still use beads. Little A's curl pattern is looser and her hair is so fine, it takes beads or doubled up hair bands (ie hair band, fold hair ends over, then another hair band) to keep the ends braided. These beads are the mini round rings. They have a generously sized hole and because they're rings, they're lower profile than a pony bead making it so easy to get them on the hair. The rubber band is a little tricky because it kept slipping off the last ring as I tried to wind it around the hair, but by the third time it got easier.

Those are some cool beads! Thanks for the tip, Mommy D! Hair time so often does have to change with our changing schedules and although it's easy to feel bad about less time spent, as long as the hair is cared for and the child is happy, I agree that it doesn't matter if the style is simple.

Mommy D sent this to me back in April, so by now her newest little one has arrived. Congratulations Mommy D!

Style Update - Or Not

Instead of posting a style update today, I thought I'd share a few of the cute little hair accessories I've chosen for our upcoming family photos. We rarely have family photos taken, so when we do, it feels special and important to us. I don't often shop at Gymboree, but couldn't resist the cuteness I recently found there.

This corker and headband go with this striped and flowered long

skirt. They'll probably wear the corker with the skirt and the headband

with something else, but then again, maybe not. BTW, the skirt

and headband are on sale now and are quite a deal.

This corker goes with a very sweet dotted sundress
that is also on sale now.

Okay, this one is for me. I probably won't wear it as

a hair accessory though, I'll just wear it on a white jacket.

 I might pop it into the girls' hair in turn if I feel inspired.

Later today, I'll wash the girls' hair, detangle it and moisturize. On picture day, I'll probably do a quick co-wash so they have wash and go hair. For these photos, I really want to capture their essence, and that includes their hair texture in its most natural state, with a few little accessories. It will be fun to see how much their hair has grown and matured since the last time we did professional family photos. It's funny, but for school pictures, I like the exact opposite for hair. I love to see their hair in a style that reflects that time in their lives. I think it's the difference between capturing an era in the life of our family and capturing a very specific and fleeting moment in the girls' lives.

How do you style hair for photos? Does it vary with the occasion or type of photo?

Good to Know: Fragrance-Free Hair Products

Our discussion about the Seattle third grader who was removed from class due to the scent of her hair product got many of us thinking about how to manage fragrance sensitivities while using hair care products that work for curls and coils.

There are several fragrance-free products available, but before I list some options to explore, let's talk a bit about what fragrance-free means. In the cosmetic industry, companies can use terms like organic, natural, hypoallergenic, unscented, and fragrance-free without meeting any specific standards, simply because there are no standards in place for those terms. Unscented and fragrance-free generally mean that no additional fragrance has been added to alter or mask the scent of the other ingredients. It doesn't mean that the product doesn't have any scent at all.

Even though a product may be labeled unscented, ingredients such as essential oils, carrier oils and butters can impart their own unique fragrance that may be too much for someone with severe allergies or sensitivities. Unfortunately, finding a product that both works for the hair and is tolerable to the person with allergies can involve a lot of trial and error.

If you need products that are low scent, here are a few products to investigate. There are many more companies that offer fragrance-free products, however, I've tried to weed through those that, according to reviewers, have strong natural scents. Don't forget, a fresh dab of conditioner can be used as a detangler and/or leave-in.


Shampoo, Conditioner, Gel:

• California Baby Hair Conditioner - Super Sensitive (may have a light natural scent)

• Earth Science Fragrance Free Shampoo and Conditioner

• Free & Clear Shampoo and Conditioner

• Jason Natural Products Shampoo Daily Fragrance Free and Conditioner

• Magick Botanicals Oil Free Fragrance Free Shampoo, Conditioner and Gel (these get great reviews from people with very serious allergies)

• Real Purity

• Tate's The Natural Odorless Shampoo and The Natural Miracle Conditioner, available at Truly Pure and Natural, a company owned and run by a lovely Happy Girl Hair community member!

Other Products:

• Darcy's Botanicals Daily Leave-in and Curl Detangling Milk (choose unscented in the drop down menu)

• Jojoba Oil (great for sealing in moisture and for the scalp)

• Refined, Bleached and Deordorized Coconut Oil (may have a very slight coconut scent)

Do you have a favorite natural low scent/no scent product? Let me know and I'll add it to the list.

Two Tea Tree Conditioners

I recently bought a bottle of Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner because I've wanted to try it for some time now. At another store a few days later, I happened by a travel size of Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Conditioner. I've long heard that the Trader Joe's Tea Tree Conditioner is essentially a knock-off of the Giovanni product. I bought the trail size of Giovanni because I couldn't pass up the chance to test these two out side-by-side.

Product Details:

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner contains: Aqua (purified water) with *Tea Tree , Peppermint Oil, *Eucalyptus Oil, Nettle Oil, *Thyme Oil, Birch Leaf Oil, *Chamomile Oil, *Clary, *Clotsfoot Leaf, *Yarrow Oil, *Mallow, *Horsetail Oil, *Soybean Protein, Cetyl Alcohol (Plant Derived), Tocopherol, Trace Minerals, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxymethylgycinate, Grapefruit Seed. *Organic.

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle comes in a 16 oz bottle, and sells for about $5 a bottle. It's a very thick conditioner with lots of slip. The scent is very pepperminty. This conditioner is recommended for all hair types and claims to clarify and moisture the hair while alleviating dry scalp.

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Conditioner contains: Aqua (Purifed) Water, *Tea Tree Leaf Oil, *Peppermint Leaf Extract, *Eucalyptus Oil, *Thyme Extract, *Nettle Extract, *Coltsfoot Flower Extract, *Sage Leaf Extract, *Rosemary Leaf Extract, *Lavender Leaf Extract, *Horsetail Extract, *Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, *Yarrow Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Panthenol, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Menthol, Polysorbate 60, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexyglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum) (includes essential oil), *Certified Organic (by Guaranteed Certification Services).

Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Conditioner comes in an 8.5 oz size (or a 2 oz travel size), and retails for about $8. The scent is a more mellow peppermint and the conditioner is very thick and creamy. Giovanni claims this conditioner for all hair types, "increases scalp circulation for a refreshed, renewed feel; strengthens hair with a three-organic-oil-blend to stimulate, condition and calm; alleviates dry, flaking scalp with organic tea tree botanicals; and encourages natural shine and resilience."

How We Tested Them:

I parted the girls' hair in the middle and used the Trader Joe's conditioner on the left and Giovanni on the right. We co-washed, rinsed thoroughly and followed up with our normal leave-ins. We also used each conditioner alone for co-washes on Little R's hair. I co-washed my own hair with each several times as well. We used the Trader Joe's conditioner for detangling a few times.

The Results: 

It's interesting that both of these conditioners claim to help alleviate dry scalp because Little B and I both have dry scalps and we had the same experience with both of these products. We got really itchy by the next morning. I rarely see Little B scratch her head, so it was surprising to see her using both hands to scratch what looked like a pretty bad itch. I tried these on myself a few times to test that reaction, and found it was the case every time. I only tried these on Little B once, there was no need to subject her to an itchy scalp again. Our very dry hair was, well, still very dry. Neither product provided as much moisture as we are accustomed to.

Little R's hair and scalp were fine with both products. The results weren't spectacular, but they were okay. Her hair was pretty soft the day after washing, and ever-so-slightly softer with the Giovanni conditioner. I wouldn't go out of my way to use wither of these on her again, and I probably won't finish the bottles on her hair because we have other products that give us wow results.

None of us experienced any tingling sensations with either of these, but the scents were pleasant and the feel of each conditioner was quite nice. They were both creamy and easy to work with. Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle has great slip, much more so than Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat, so we tried it as a detangler. I really like it for detangling. It helped with both finger-detangling and aided the comb in sliding through the hair. However, it's so slippery that every time I have detangled with it I've had to let the product dry on the hair before I could begin styling.

The Rating:

Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner (for scalps that are not dry):


Giovanni Tea Tree Triple Treat Invigorating Conditioner (for scalps that are not dry):


Trader Joe's Tea Tree Tingle Conditioner used for detangling:



Have you used either product? What are your thoughts?

Double Dutch Braids and Coils Revisited

Happy Father's Day! We are off to do all the things Joyful Dad would like to do today, so we did hair on Friday. It did not go exactly as planned. Well, in Little R's case, that's not quite accurate. It didn't go exactly as I hoped, because there really was no plan.

I co-washed the girls and detangled as usual and that part was fine. Little B was a snap to detangle since her hair was in cornrows last week. After we were done with washing, detangling, and moisturizing, it all kind of went downhill. I thought I'd do coils in back for Little B with some cute coil bangs and a section of halfros between the bangs and back coils. What is it they say about the best laid plans? Oh yeah, they often go awry. And so it was my friends. And so it was.

I took one look at Little B's center section once everything was neatly parted and just gave up. It didn't want to be cornrowed. I could tell. Instead, I did some big, chunky piggyback braids. I coiled the rest, using my fingers and generous amounts of styling creme to twist random small sections. The coils came out  okay, but when I finished the bang section, I just didn't like it. I tried pulling it back and it looked odd. I took those coils out and put another piggyback braid in. I wasn't what I intended, but it's not all that bad. I finished it off with a flower barrette right behind her ear. I love to see a flower of any kind just behind Little B's ear, it fits her personality.

I had no plans for Little R when I began styling. I started randomly sectioning boxes in front and on a diagonal. I braided the hair in each and then tied the braids from the sections together, then tied them again and banded them. I don't know what possessed me to do that, but I kind of liked the way it looked, so I went with it. I brought all the braid ends back and combined them in a Dutch braid, or inverted French braid (see video below). I made another Dutch braid with the back of her hair that diagonally in the other direction. That gave us double Dutch braids.

I kind of like the Dutch braids and I think I'll use them more often. I've made a little video in case you are wondering about the difference between a French braid, a Dutch braid, and a cornrow.




No-plan or changed-plan hair days can produce some odd styles, but they can also lead to creativity. Even when a particular style doesn't work as anticipated or is a half-formed idea, I like to publish it anyway. I know it might spark an idea in someone else, or inspire me when I look back at old photos. It's a joy to be able to take a little nugget of an idea, play with it and refine it.

Saturday Spotlight

Who else is thrilled that Saturday has arrived? Anyone? I am, not only because it's the weekend but because it's time for another Saturday Spotlight. Today we have Mommy  K, and her five year old Little A, with us to share a style and some thoughts on styling. This is what Mommy K said,

She loves to have cute hair styles. Her hair is very thick, sometimes very dry, and very coily, but we've found lots of versatile styles to keep it healthy and cute!

This wash day, we tried some of the Carol's Daughter products for the first time.  We tried the Tui Herbal Shampoo, the Tui Hair Smoothie, Lisa's Hair Elixir and the Healthy Hair Butter.  Not bad -- no miracles, but not bad.  All these products smell great and I think it helps soothe the kiddo and put her at ease while I part the hair and detangle.

Those big twist are really cute and Mommy K makes a great point about how the smell of products can affect mood. Thanks for sharing your your Little A, Mommy K!

Our Girls Are Not Their Hair

While waiting for my girls at school a couple of weeks ago, another parent told me about an upcoming kindergarten event called Bubble Day. Our school does kindergarten graduation, so this is the end of year, goodbye to kindergarten celebration. Bubble Day is a rain or shine outdoor party where the kids get soaked playing with water, big bubbles, and stuff that goes by the charming name of goop.

Now I'm not going to lie to you, my first thought was of soap bubbles and goop in my girls' hair. Then I got over it.

After all, my girls are not their hair. They are kids. Kids who love bubbles with all their hearts. Kids who love sprinklers. Kids who love to splash and play and get muddy. They can be wet on a chilly 60° day, and teeth can be chattering, but as long as they are having fun they'll never admit to being cold. If they can do all of this during school time and it's sanctioned by the staff, well, my friends, that is the bee's knees.

The equivalent of dish soap in their hair might have been a pain, but it wasn't. Sand, grass, playground wood chips, and glitter may be time-consuming to remove, but so what? How much longer do they really have to joyfully roll down hills? Or to glue massive amounts of glitter to paper? They need to be experience all kinds of childhood fun and games without considering their hair. They wear sleep caps often during play and hats in the sandbox, and it does make hair care easier for me. But I now have to ask myself, is it really necessary? Truly?

As teens, and as grown women, I want them to enjoy all life has to offer without avoiding things that could have a perceived negative impact on their hair. Both of my girls love the beach, they often define themselves as "ocean girls." I want my ocean girls to grow up to be ocean women who enjoy the sun on their faces, a stiff breeze for flying a kite, and the feel of sand between their toes - and maybe even in their hair.




Be a hero to your kids! Make playtime goop!
Pour some cornstarch in a bowl or plastic container, slowly add water and stir until you reach the desired consistency. It should be kind of runny and, well, goopy. Add food coloring for extra fun! (You may want to put a towel or some plastic down to protect the floor while your little ones play.) Enjoy!

Style Update

It's a busy morning here, so I'll keep this update short and simple. Little B's cornrows and puffs have been so easy to care for all week. We've been spritzing daily with a water mixed with Protective Mist Bodifier and using a little shea hair butter on her hairline, some parts, and puffs every morning. Each day, we've added little hair pretties that go with her clothes. The cornrows are getting a little fuzzy, but that's normal. As quick and easy as this has been, we both feel ready for something else. I have a feeling these braids might come out this afternoon or early tomorrow.

We have been switching Little R's two pony tail style all week. After spritzing and adding hair lotion, we've done twists, banded pony tails, braids, and braid out pony tails. Today I didn't band the base, I just divided the hair in three sections and braided for a few stitches, using styling creme for a bit of hold. I banded the hair with a few ouchless bands and spritzed the ends to get them to curl up. I think it's kind of fun and puts a different spin on a basic style.

How do you decide when it's time for a style to come out? On a schedule? When you have time? When the style doesn't look good anymore? When the mood strikes? Talk to me.

Good to Know: Signature Styles

Every now and again, I get a question about how to manage weekly styling sessions with very limited time. Many moms want to keep hair looking great and styled, but just don't have big chunks of time to create elaborate styles. We moms are busy people and even finding the energy to come up with new styles, and dealing with the aftermath if they don't come out as planned, can be daunting.

Are you are looking for a simple solution to make things a bit easier, but don't want to loc or try genie locs? Well then, I'd like to introduce you to the concept of the signature style. This is a style that is worn most of the time, sometimes with a little variation, sometimes not.

The idea is that the experience of creating the same style over and over will make styling much quicker and easier. The hair is washed, conditioned, detangled and styled on a regular schedule, except that instead of planning and executing a new style every week, the same style is used. A signature style can be used all the time, or it can be a nice solution just for a times when our schedules gets particularly hectic. A signature style should have these elements:

• It should be simple and easy to create.
• It should not put stress on the hairline.
• It should be a style the child likes and one that compliments her features. 

Twists, box braids, and large cornrows are all good choices for signature styles. While a signature style doesn't have to be a protective style, that will help keep the hair in good condition. Twists and box braids can be worn down or up in ponytails, or they can be gathered back with a headband or barrette to change the look from week to week, or even day to day. If braids or twists are being taken out of a pony tail, a simple rinse should unbend them and help them hang down.

Part lines of signature styles can be varied when the hair is restyled to help ease stress on the hair and scalp. Adding daily moisture to one of these styles may simply require a quick spritz with a leave-in. Taking style breaks with loose hair every now and then is a good idea too. 

If I had to choose a signature style for my girls, I would choose Halfros for Little B, and I would do a center part for Little R with two braids, twists, buns, or loose ponytails. 

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Styling really does improve over time without a conscious effort.
On the left are some of the first Halfros I did for Little B, on the 

right are much better braids I did just a few months later. 

It's easy to vary a simple style like this. 

Hair can be divided with a zigzag or wavy part. 

Pony tail cans be worn loose, braided, twisted, or in buns.

Does your child have a signature style? If not, what would you choose?

Thank God I'm Natural Book Review

Every time I order something from Amazon, I have to add a hair book. With the Amazon favorite list, and recommendations, and one click ordering, they just make it too hard to resist. Last time, I snuck in a copy of Chris-Tia E. Donaldson's Thank God I'm Natural--The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Maintaining Natural Hair.

It starts with the harrowing story of the author's wig melting at her annual Christmas party, as she retrieved appetizers from a hot oven. It's a compelling beginning and the rest of the book doesn't disappoint. In the first chapter, Ms. Donaldson tells the story of her hair life from childhood through her journey to natural hair. It's a really interesting transformation in both hair and self-image, but the real power of this book is in the subsequent chapters, which celebrate natural hair and teach us best hair care practices.

Thank God I'm Natural--The Ultimate Guide to Caring for and Maintaining Natural Hair is more than a book to read and enjoy; it's a reference guide. It's a book to keep nearby and really use, over and over. It is very well organized, starting with hair myths and a little hair history and moving through transitioning from relaxed hair to caring for and styling natural hair. There are plenty of transitional styles, loc styles and other styles showcased in small, black and white, beautifully photographed portraits. I loved the chapter on locs; it was both thorough and very informative. The same can be said for the chapters on coloring and blow outs. Obviously, we won't be doing either of those, but it was still interesting to read.

Throughout the book, Ms. Donaldson includes product recommendations. Generally though, there is only one suggestion per hair type or situation. Since product choice is so individual, and what works for one person may do nothing for someone else, I didn't find that aspect of the book too useful. I would have appreciated a few suggestions for each hair type or situation, or maybe an appendix listing reputable hair care companies that make products for curls and coils.

I did love that the book covered so many options for natural hair, including locs, blow outs, weaves, and wigs - without assigning judgements to those choices. Thank God I'm Natural includes product ingredient information, a natural hair FAQ, a glossary, a listing of additional resources, and a state-by-state salon directory. It's all very helpful information.

This book seems aimed at those considering going natural, those transitioning, and those who are newly natural. Although my girls and I probably aren't the target audience, I think that in addition to all of the useful information, it's a valuable book to have on the shelf simply as another example of all that is natural hair-positive. I can easily see my girls reading this by themselves in a few years and I hope it reinforces all they have been, and will be, taught about their beautiful natural hair. I'm so pleased we were able to add this to our growing collection of natural hair books. I hope you'll check it out.

I happily give Thank God I'm Natural five out of five star beads.