My name is Nicole, however many know me as Ivycharlaine which is actually my middle name. Ivy came from my late great-grandmother. My parents are Jamaican but I was born in Scotland and raised in New York. I’m a wife, mother, sister and friend and I LOVE every role. I’m a hard core researcher and slightly obsessive with learning everything there is to know about things that I’m interested in. I truly cherish and hang on to every moment I’m blessed with, especially with my son and husband.
I have actually been relaxer free since 2002. I just got tired of my scalp burning during the process. However after that, I became obsessed with keeping my hair super stick straight by flat ironing it every two weeks. I had no clue that my hair was even curly.
I finally decided to return to my natural state in 2009. I had dyed my hair blonde and it was so severely heat and dye damaged, that it started breaking off and felt as crispy and hard as hay.
I was so curious about what my natural hair looked like, that I put down the flat iron, locked it up, threw away the key and ran away from it. The past 5 years have been fun with my hair, I dyed it and cut it several times, but I have learned to love my curls!
My hair routine
I’m all about being low maintenance. I’m a wash n go type of girl. I wash my hair once a week, put in my leave in conditioner/moisturizer and sometimes an oil (depending on the weather/season”> and l just let it air dry.
I have a few staple products that I alternate between depending on the weather. For cleansing I use either SheaMoisture Moisture Retention Shampoo or Aussie Moist (for co-washing”>. For a rinse-out conditioner/detangler I use Aussie Moist or SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Restorative Conditioner. For a leave-in conditioner or moisturizer I use either Kinky Curly Knot Today or ShidaNaturals Moisturizing Cream Detangler. Sometimes I use a little bit of coconut oil or almond oil to seal the moisture in if my hair seems really dry. At night, I always either sleep with my hair pulled up in a pineapple and a satin bonnet or on a satin pillowcase. My hair is naturally jet black. However, I have been getting grey hairs since I was in college. So these days I normally use the Clairol Beautiful semi-permanent collection in either dark brown or black.
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Surprisingly, I do not get tired of my natural hair! I looooooove my curls, especially when they are in their healthiest state.
What I love most
It’s super important to make it an actual lifestyle and not a temporary change for a short term fix. A lot of people make the mistake of saying “I want to lose weight for the summer or for my wedding” You have to consciously make the decision to simply live a healthy lifestyle–eating clean, exercise, prayer, meditation, having a positive outlook, etc. It can be very hard to commit, but when you do, you will see such a huge difference in your overall self inside and out.
I started making videos on my Ivycharlaine YouTube channel in 2010. I didn’t know what to expect, but I’ve been truly blessed by all the love and support I’ve received. I don’t know if I consider myself a successful vlogger. I don’t do it for success or fame or recognition. I have shared my life experiences with my viewers from natural hair to pregnancy to being a mom to a son with curly hair. I simply vlog because I love it!
Wow, I love inspiring and motivating others! I recently uploaded a very transparent and open video on my Ivycharlaine YouTube channel talking about why I started vlogging. I truly shared my heart, and the outpouring of love that I received drove me to tears. I couldn’t believe how many women had gone through similar stories as mine. Knowing that I gave them hope and that I lifted their spirits through my story was extremely fulfilling to me.
The sun, moon and stars are the limit. I don’t know what’s next but I’m excited and open to new opportunities.
Beyond YouTube
The sun, moon and stars are the limit. I don’t know what’s next but I’m excited and open to new opportunities. I would love to be on TV or maybe an online show. My passion is motivating and uplifting others, especially women and mothers.
So we’ll see what the future holds. My advice to other vloggers: Just be YOU! Viewers love authenticity. Be as transparent as you are comfortable being. You want viewers to be able to relate to you.
I’m always on the lookout for new business opportunities. I actually started writing a book a few years ago, maybe I’ll put the pen back to the paper. I have a lot of new motivation due to recent life experiences these past few years.
