A Naturally Twisted Sip and Swap
Story by: Serena Holmes Photos by: Brian Robinson
fruit, decadent desserts, and, of course, a dazzling array of beverages to sip that never ran out. Entry to the event was absolutely free for those who brought with them a bottle of wine or sparkling non-alcoholic beverage to share. Complimentary bottles of spirits were also provided for the event by Bauknight Winery. D J Sweet T played a constant stream of old school and new school hits, creating an atmosphere of finger snapping, “chair dancing”, and squeals of “that’s my song!” throughout the venue. And when the hits became too hot to resist, spontaneous line dances erupted in the salon, which was spacious enough to accommodate both spectators and the laughing dancers who took center stage. Dozens of jars and bottles in a variety of sizes and colors were swapped by women wearing natural hair styles that were just as diverse. And as they sipped and excitedly poured over their product finds, they mingled throughout the salon, chatting about product reviews, hair care tips, and style ideas. Sipping, swapping, dancing, mingling, and collecting prizes, many women expressed how much they enjoyed the event not only for all that was offered by the staff, but also for how well it was executed. It could be argued, then, that Kearney and her fellow staff aren’t just masterminds of hair care, but of creating a sensational event experience, as well.
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he August 2013 Sip and Swap event hosted by Naturally Masterminds Design Studio in Greensboro, NC was Traona Kearney’s answer for “product junkies” who felt stuck with hair and beauty products that they were no longer using, but couldn’t bear to simply throw away. It was also a way for women to try new hair and beauty products without the dreaded possibility of wasting even more of their precious, hard-earned money, a problem that Kearney says many of he "6?V?G2W?&W72F??W"F?BF?W??fR?F?R?GW&???7FW&??G2FW6?v?7GVF???2F?R?GW&???"6&RF?f?6????bF?R?7FW&??G2FW6?v?7GVF???v?VB'?6?W&V??Rv?ff?&B?v?ff?&B?V?VBF?RF??'2?bF?R6???F?V?fV???V&?W?( ?27&VF?fR6??6WBf?"?V?G&?7G??6?ff?"F?BG&WrGFV?FVW2g&????W2&?V?B?FW7?FR?f??rF?6??FV?Bv?F???6?V?V?BvVF?W"?V?FW"?V&?W?( ?2F?&V7F????F?R7GVF??v2G&?6f?&?VBf?"G&V?G?6????r?B6?6?????rW?W&?V?6R?F?R?GW&???7FW&??G27Ffb?FRF?R7v??r?b&?GV7G2?76?R?g&VR'??&v???r??F?f?GV?7FF???266?&F??rF?&?GV7BG?R?v?F?w&?GFV???7G'V7F???2?7FVBBV6?7FF???&?f?F??r6?V"FWF??2????rF?7v&?GV7G2&6VBW??v?WF?W"F?W?vW&R?b&?fW76?????6???W&6????"vV?W&?2w&FR?V6?'F?6??Bv??F??FVB&?GV7G2F?7vv2?77VVBF?6?WG2F?BvW&RFWFW&??VB'?F?RG?W2?b&?GV7G2F?BF?W?'&?Vv?Bv?F?F?V??&?F?F?RF?6?WG2?BF?R&?GV7G2vW&R6???&6??&F??FVBf?"V6R?bG&?6fW"??B???rv?F?F?R?FV?F???V?g&???gFW&?????b7v??r6?RF?RFFVB&??W2?b?76?fR&?GV7Bv?fR?v?g&??vV?????v???W2??R??????W&6&R?6?GR?v??G??F?R7W&?6???V7F????FW?GW&R?v???V?F??W&R???f?V?6R?FW6?v?W76V?F??2??BF?RFV???''W6?6??????ffW&??rWfW'?F???rg&???Wr??"66W76?&?W2F?gV???6??VB&?GV7B??G2?6WfW&??V6??v??V??6?v??6?fWFVBv?gB6W'F?f?6FW2f?"g&VR?"F?66?V?FVB??"6W'f?6W2'??V&?W??B?W"fV???r??"6&R7V6??7G2?F??67F?fW"?B?F?6?6?&??v?gB6W'F?f?6FW2f?"???6W'f?6W2vW&Rv&FVB'??F'6????&R?b6???"FW6?v?2?2vV????B&V6W6RF??2WfV?Bv6?( ?B7G&?7F?&?WB'W6??W72?GFV?FVW2vW&R?W&VBv?F?g&W6???wwr?'&V???F??f6?????6???f?"??&RFWF??26?V6??WC??????wwr?6???V?WfFR?6???wwr?6???V?WfFR?6???????