Hair to There

Straightening the Kinks...

2011-01-28T12:42:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking long and hard about straightening my hair (permanently). I hear the audible gasps, so let me run down my thought process - these are the questions I've been asking myself:

Do I want to stay natural and KNOW for my hairtype I'm going to have to always twist or stretch it in some way to style it?

My plan is to wear it straightened once I hit shoulder length by blowdrying and flatironing, so is it worth it to stay natural?

Are the negatives of relaxing worth the negatives of keeping it natural?

I think w/ relaxed hair I know how to take care of it better and I can neglect it more w/o adverse effects. It sounds backwards, but it's true for my hair. Relaxed all I have to do is put on a satin cap at night and maybe wrap it and I'm good until the next wash time. I’m a beast at rollersetting (or at least I was) so maintenance is easier for me and with my new role as a single mom, taking grad school courses, a new demanding job - with twice a month travel; easy is what I need.

My Hair Circa 2008 - Rollerset

No matter what I decide, I'll document it all here, because whether I'm natural or relaxed...I'm still a Very Kinky Girl!

Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Trio

2011-01-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

This weekend I went to Macy's to take back a Christmas present that didn't fit and while I was there I decided to pick up some of Carol's Daughter Hair Milk. Well, lo and behold the Hair Milk has gone through a transformation, they say that the formula hasn't been changed, but the bottle has, it now looks like an old fashioned milk bottle and holds 2 oz. more than the original packaging. The saleswoman asked me if I used the whole "system", well previously there was no system just Hair Milk, but now there is also a shampoo and conditioner! I told her no that I was currently using Taliah Waajid's products for that and she recommended I try the system. First, I told her I would next time, but then curiosity got the better of me, so I purchased it ALL!

According to the website and the sales woman this is how it should be used: Give your curls what they need! First cleanse with Hair Milk Curl Perfecting Shampoo. Repeat as needed. Follow with Hair Milk Curl Perfecting Conditioner. Rinse. Use a t-shirt to remove excess water and reduce frizz. Apply Hair Milk The Original Curl Definer to hair. Dry and style as usual. The sales woman stressed applying the hair milk with your fingers, but I will most likely use my denman. Now, I do not have "curls" in the usual sense, so I'll see what this does for my hair.

I'll update y'all when I wash!

Trimming My Hair...

2011-01-08T19:36:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to do it, but it really needed it so I am. I'm using Rustic Beauty's method and although I'm sad to see some hair go, might as well start off the new hair year with better ends. CURSE YOU HAIR COLOR!!! *and not deep conditioning* LOL! I'm trimming about a half an inch all around, that's like a month's worth of growth *pours out a little conditioner for my homies*!

Here's how I trimmed my hair.

*this is not me; I WISH my hair was that LONG!*

Even though I was in denial, here is how I know that a trim was needed:

When I twist my hair the ends were very frizz-a-licious!
When I would manipulate my hair, even damp, my ends would feel drier and not as smooth as the (uncolored) length of my hair.
When I blow dried my hair the comb attachment kept snagging on my ends, even with a detangling with my Denman.
When I blow dried my ends were WAY frizzier than the length of my hair.

This year I am going to do my darndest to make sure that my hair does not get so dry this year. I plan on deep conditioning at least every two weeks and using a butter mix to twist my hair from now on. The water and the air here in the Shenandoah Valley is extremely dry, I mean Ashy McAsh could be the nicknames for my boys and me even after a shower and thoroughly lotioning up, it's CUH-RAZY! So, it's no surprise that it's drying out my hair as well. So, I will now not leave the house without a satin scarf or turban on my head, especially under winter headgear. I will not try to be cute in the house with my hair out, hello scarf or turban again. Hopefully, these measures will result in moister, non frizzy ends by the spring time. I do not plan on trimming again until my year or after the first six months of the Mop Top Maven challenge.

New Year, New Hair Regime...

2011-01-02T16:10:00.000-08:00

This year I'll be joining the Mop Top Maven Hair Challenge. Okay, here's my starting pics and I did not start off with a trim because I don't want to lose any length right now. First I said that I'd trim at a year natural, but now I think I'll trim a (very) little bit at a time. I'll be doing the natural and ayurvedic routine, mostly natural, but using Henna occasionally. I will also be deep conditioning, protective styling, and sleeping on satin more.

Before the blowout.

One side blown out.

All blown out.

YouTube Vid on My Hair Progress...

2010-12-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to make a short video about my hair progress. I've been natural since the end of the July, so it's been five months total. You can see my previous post on my BC to show where I started and where I am now. So, enjoy the video and be nice because it's my first (published) one.

QT: Stretching for Bed

2010-12-08T18:11:00.000-08:00

I'm currently wearing my hair in a twist out, in order for my hair to not shrink into oblivion I decided to do some quick and dirty flat twists. I call them that because I parted with my fingers and didn't comb or detangle my hair at all. These are not meant to be pretty, only functional. In the morning I will take them out and shape my hair and throw on a headband.

Consider yourself lucky that you are seeing me in such a state! LOL! Here goes nothing!

Inspire & Desire : Waist Length 4A/B Naturals - #1 Sera

2010-12-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

My ultimate goal is waist length natural *Lord God hear my prayers* and I know some people erroneously think that 4a/bs cannot get to waist length. Well, lemee tell you something, chile! We Can and We Do! Now, that's not to say it's not work, but it happens. So take a few cues from the following natural 4A/B waist length ladies.

#1: Sera

If you are natural and you haven't heard of her you must not own a computer. And if you don't own a computer how the hell are you reading this? LOL! In five years she went from a TWA to Waist Length, don't believe me? Check the vidjo!

And check out the fotki album!

Protective Styles: Sexy Up Dos

2010-12-07T13:31:00.000-08:00

This is a post on Kinky Curly Coily Me! that I wanted to share with everyone on how to do various up dos with natural hair. I've always thought up dos were sexy and wore them quite frequently when I was relaxed. I can't wait until I get a bit more length so I can rock some, especially now that it's winter!

These styles in this post would be great for a holiday party, going to work, or even just out and about with your girls.

Here's one that I really like:

Quick Tip

2010-12-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

Quick Tip (QT): When I want to give my hair an extra boost of moisture, I wear a plastic shower cap at night under my satin bonnet. When you wake up your hair will be damp and moist. However, it dries quickly if you're worrying about wet hair before you step out the house. You can do this with loose hair or wearing a protective style. Note: This process will lead to some shrinkage because of the moisture, but your hair will thank you for it!

Make Up Haul, e.l.f

2010-12-04T19:08:00.000-08:00

I am trying to incorporate a quick and easy makeup routine into my life. Usually I don't wear any makeup at all, mainly because I was never taught how to apply it. But I think that makeup can make you look polished and just enhance your natural beauty. So, tonight I went out to Target and picked up a few products from e.l.f (eyes, lips, face) I chose this brand because it is CHEAP! Most of their items are only $1! I have a lot of MAC products and I swear I only wear them about once every two months or so, so I didn't want to spend a lot and not use it much.

So, on to what I bought:

I got the Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Maple Sugar & Pink Lemonade.

e.l.f. Essentials Luscious Liquid Lipstick

therapy is here. Intensive hydrating agents along with natural pigments leave lips with long-lasting color and moisture. This luscious liquid lipstick creates wearable color that flatters a multitude of skin tones and looks.

The color payoff is minimal which is why I guess it's flattering to a multitude of skin tones. I'm not mad at that though because since I'm not a regular makeup wearer it's neutral enough for me to pull off everyday and it doesn't scream MAKE UP! The Maple Sugar is a nudey bronze color and I like it a lot. The Pink Lemonade is a sheer pink that's like my natural lip color pumped up. The only downside with the first use you have to turn the applicator A LOT of times for the lipstick to come up to the applicator. A plus is that it smells lightly of mint.

I also bought the e.l.f. Essentials Hypershine Gloss in Honey.

Hyper, glass-like shine infused with micro-mirror technology to reflect light. Smoothes lips on contact with a conditioning shine that lasts for hours. Create that natural lip stain of color that's sheer, subtle and beautiful!

What's funny about this, is that it's got more color payoff than the so called lipsticks. I love this color it's a browny-gold that always looks great on my skintone and I buy it in like every brand that exists at least once a year. There is a MAC lipglass that this is a dupe of that I will NOT NEED TO BUY ANYMORE because it's EXACTLY like it. This also has a vanilla smell that I love!

For my cheeks and eyes, I bought the e.l.f. Essentials Shimmering Facial Whip in Toasted.

Multipurpose, on-the-go whipped colorant is vitamin B, C and E packed to instantly brighten and sooth skin with no greasy after-feel.

I have yet to try this out so I can't give a review yet, on here it looks a little lighter than it looks in the package. I thought it would give a nice UMPH to my eyes and cheeks, so I'll try and give a review later this week.

Last, but not least I bought the e.l.f. Essentials Regular & Waterproof Mascara Duo in Black.

Revolutionary Liquid-Flex™ Technology – Long-Lasting, Smudge and Smear Proof. One side is regular mascara, but turn over this tube, and the other side contains waterproof mascara so you are prepared for any occasion, place or type of weather!

Will review later.

Product Haul, Taliah Waajid Products

2010-12-04T15:29:00.000-08:00

I made a product haul this past weekend, since I hadn't seen my natural hair in a minute and I was all out of my usual stuff. I decided to purchase mostly Taliah Waajid products because a natural stylist used them on me before and I really liked them then. Also, Taliah Waajid is really the Mother of natural hair products, not Carol's Daughter as some might like to think.

So, I bought her Total Body Black Earth Shampoo, The Great Detangler, and Protective Mist Bodiphier.

Total Body Black Earth Shampoo

Total Body Black Earth Shampoo is excellent for normal to dry, damaged, or over-processed hair. Total Body cleans while softening and making hair more manageable.

This shampoo made my hair nice and moist and didn't feel stripping at all. I believe I will make this my staple shampoo. I used it after having twists for 7 weeks with minimal initial detangling and it made my hair feel as if i didn't even need any conditioner. In fact, I only used a leave-in conditioner afterward. I've also used this on my sons' hair, one is a 4A and one is a 3B and it worked great for them as well. I highly recommend this shampoo for all kinky and curly hair types! ***** 5 STAR RATING!

Protective Mist Bodiphier

Moisturizes & Conditions
Coats hair, Stops Breakage
Softens for manageability
Detangles, Removes braids

This is a spray that almost feels like an oil instead of a water based liquid. This is a good thing because it moisturizes withouth giving a lot of shrinkage. This is a good spray to refresh a loose or protective style as well as a good spray to use while detangling. I have used this on all of our hair as well and I'm a believer. I also really like it's light coconut smell.
**** 4 STAR RATING.

The Great Detangler

Eliminates tangles on contact. Softens hair, defines curl pattern. Stops breakage while combing curly, kinky, coily and wavy hair. Hair Detangler is rich with moisturizers, protein and conditioners. Coats and protects hair while softening.

I didn't use this on myself, but on my son. He has curly hair that I detangle every morning from his wild sleeping and this worked well on his daily tangles. I will give this product a *** 3 STAR RATING for now, but only because I haven't used it enough to give it a thorough trial.

Long time, BC, and updates.

2010-11-25T14:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I made an EPIC FAIL of my transition! But do not be scared; I failed because I just did a BC instead, so still no relaxer for me! YAY ME! I ended up doing the BC on July 29th, so I didn't transition long at all. Here are pics from the big day:

Since then I got my hair put into kinky twists on the weekend of October 1st and I just took them out last weekend, Nov. 20th. These are pics of the week before I took them out:

Now, I felt weak this past weekend and almost relaxed my hair, but I DID NOT! I took to the net and visited BGLH (my go to site for fly natural hair nowadays) and was inspired to keep on keeping on.

So, after taking my hair out this weekend I was flummoxed as to what to do to my hair next. I kind of want twists again, but a different kind, but I decided to give my hair a break and rest, so my hair is out. I wore it out in a puff to work this week, but today I decided to put it into twists. I went to my "go-to-style" which is flat twists in the front to the side (secret: I do it to the side that I'm better at twisting on, my left) and two strand twists in the back. I will post pics later, my camera is on the fritz, plus I need to do a product review on my latest natural products.

See you soon and I promise not to go this long between posts again!

Surfing...

2010-07-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

*Twist & Puff circa '09

I've been surfing through my old pics and natural hair sites for inspiration and here's what I've found:

Inspire & Desire

2010-07-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Source: http://lecoil.tumblr.com/post/616499307/ty-states-represented-by-sutherland-models

In Transition...

2010-07-25T18:58:00.000-07:00

Main Entry: tran·si·tion

Pronunciation: \tran(t)-ˈsi-shən, tran-ˈzi-, chiefly British tran(t)-ˈsi-zhən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin transition-, transitio, from transire
Date: 1551

1 a : passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another : change b : a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another
2 a : a musical modulation b : a musical passage leading from one section of a piece to another
3 : an abrupt change in energy state or level (as of an atomic nucleus or a molecule) usually accompanied by loss or gain of a single quantum of energy

Right now, in so many ways, I am in transition. This will be new for me, this will be challenging, like any transition, there will be good parts, bad parts, easy parts, and hard parts. But I will emerge different, new, and hopefully better. Let's raise a glass to transitions!

Loc Update

2010-01-06T17:45:00.000-08:00

I washed my hair today with Bee Mine Peppermint & Tee Tree shampoo. I've used it while I was loose, too. I generallylike it, love the smell, love the tingle, and it cleans well without stripping. I also liked that it rinsed well, no errant foam and what not in the locs. This is my first shampoo since starting, but I've rinsed two other times in the past week and a half. I believe that water HELPS the loc'ing process. Yes it will increase fuzziness, but I'd rather have fuzzy clean hair, than stinky neat hair. I'll take a pic on Friday when I plan on rinsing again.

Loc Style Vid-jo!

2010-01-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

I love this style and have just subscribed to this lady's youtube channel!

Locs Again...

2010-01-01T17:26:00.000-08:00

I'm starting my locs again, by two strand twists again. I will not give up this time; I am already mad at myself because my locs would have been a year old had I kept them. Here's a pic of my start (started them on 12/24/09 I rinsed them on Wednesday, 12/30/09 already):

I will be updating with my progress and routines! :)

A Letter to My Hair

2009-12-18T19:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Hair,

I am so sorry for neglecting you this year. After I cut you I must admit I did very little. With school, pregnancy, a full-time job, and a toddler at home you just weren't at the top of the priority list. Deep conditioning became a distant memory and professional styling never came into the picture. Oh, I washed you often, but then a quick moisturizing and a run through with a comb was my M.O. most days. Many a time I slept on cotton with no scarf to be seen, but oh have I reaped what I sowed! My hair growth in the past 4 mths. has been the slowest ever! My ends are a bit crispy and screaming for a deep conditioner!

Hair, oh wonderful hair, I promise to change my ways. 2010 will be a glorious year for you. I promise!

Love,

Me

Oops I Did It Again...

2009-08-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

I'm back on the nappy side, it's funny but my hiatus wasn't even that long, but I've had three different relaxed styles and lengths since my last post in March!

Here's a visual representation of what my hair has been doing since March:

I'll be taking pics at least once a month again. My plan is to start locs again, but I'm not sure whether I'll be doing it sooner or later. While on hiatus I've found some really great natural sites I'd like to share:

Busy/Lazy Lady...

2009-03-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

I haven't blogged in about two weeks, but I've been really busy with life stuff, but I am still sorry I haven't kept in touch. Because I've been busy I've also been really lazy with my hair. Well, except for the fact that one wknd. I got it braided into a faux-hawk (pics in my fotki). So, for the past week I've been doing the nappy lazy girl hairstlye...a puff! I'm loving it though, the only issue is it tangles like the bejeezmus, so when detangle time comes there's a lot of detangling to do. I also henna'd my hair last week. I got my henna from Mehandi.com and I got their Henna for African Hair. Here's a description: This henna has the finest sift for easy rinsing from fragile, damaged, chemically processed hair. This henna is produced for us in the Indus Bhera and Mailsi henna growing regions. This henna is ideal for relaxed, damaged, and fragile hair (whether or not you have African hair). It is the only henna I recommend for locks because it is so easy to rinse out. This henna has good gray coverage, leaves shimmering red highlights on dark hair.
And it was true to it's word, easy to rinse out and a lovely red tint to my hair. Pics to come of the process and my hair. But before I leave, let me tell you one thing, DO NOT USE PLASTIC BAGS in the place of plastic gloves when henna-ing your hair! LOL!

TTYL!

A Little History Lesson: Afro-American

2009-02-18T12:29:00.000-08:00

The origin of Afro-American is NOT based on the hairstyle. I've "seen" many blacks on the net have issues with the term Afro-American because they said they didn't want to be named after a "hairstyle". Now, Afro-American is a passe term for most for whatever reason, but don't get offended because you believe it's a name derived from a hairstyle rather the opposite can be surmised.

In the year 1890, Afro-American was the term of choice in the African-American publication Advance, which advocated "obtaining for the Afro-American an equal chance."

Afro-American was prominent along with related terms such as Afro-American studies (1970), Afroism (1971), the hair style known as the Afro (1968), and music known as Afro-beat (1974) and Afro-rock (1977).

Afro-American was first used as an adjective in 1853 in a publication in Windsor, Ontario, Voice of the Fugitive. The OED2 lists examples of Afro-American and Aframerican from 1890, 1898, 1910, 1934, 1939, and 1944, the last being a use of Aframerican from an article by H.L. Mencken.

New Do Coming...

2009-02-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

I will be getting this hairstyle (hopefully this weekend) I peeped on Goapele from Natural Belle's blog. I've also been inspired by BGLH's blog and her series on African hairstyles this week; I've been told that the Goapele hairstyle is a Nigerian hairstyle called "clap". I'm guessing because it looks like two hands coming together, you see the fingers are the cornrows...oh this is my interpretation of the name, so if anyone knows the real one please feel free to drop a line. I've been trying to google it for more info, but to no avail.

Here's some more Goapele pics:

Shea Butter, Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol, and Carol's Daughter

2009-02-08T19:01:00.000-08:00

Shea butter is an excellent moisturizer for my hair. I currently purchase mine from a natural/vegetarian restaurant near my house, called Everlasting Life. I get a 16oz. tub for only $10.00. It is unrefined and I am inclined to believe that this has an effect on it's moizturizing qualities. I've bought refined shea butter before, but never felt like this about it. The only downside is that their is a shea butter odor, my son said it was "stinky" (he's 2), but the you can't smell it on your hair (or skin) when it melts in, so it doesn't bother me. Another thing I like about it is the fact that I can also use it as a skin moisturizer.

HOW I USE:

After I've washed/conditioned/sectioned my hair, I apply about a pea/dime size amount to my palm, rub it in to melt, and apply to the section of damp hair. I then apply a pea size amount to every section in halfs (halve each section when I am about to style). I do not apply any other product to my hair after this.

I'm not a bandwagon jumper, but one of the natural blogs I frequent mentioned Lustrasilk Shea Butter Cholesterol conditioner and I decided to try it. Although, the blogger has a different hair texture than me I thought I couldn't really go wrong as I've used cholesterol conditioners in the past with good results. I had also been searching for a new thick deep conditioner and figured this would be a good one to try. I actually bought a HUGE 64oz. tub for $10 at my local beauty supply.

I feel that it does what it is supposed to do, condtion the hair, gives me adequate slippage, and smells nice, what more could you ask for.

I am still using Carol's Daughter's Black Vanilla leave-in as an everyday moisture spray and I love it. The hair milk is still almost full and sadly a dud for me. :( This pic is my hair with the Black Vanilla spray in it, look at that shine. :)

Hair Updates...

2009-02-06T09:38:00.001-08:00

Last weekend hair:

Alvin Ailey hair:

State of the Nappy Union…

2009-01-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

My BC was May 27, 2008 and today is my 8th month of nappiness! I am very excited and proud of myself, if I recall correctly, the 8 month mark is where I’ve usually faltered, but I have no desire to relax or otherwise chemically alter my hair! I will say that I pretty much have a comfortable routine down and I am not deluding myself into thinking my hair can do things which it cannot, nor am I measuring my hair for growth every other day, which I think definitely helps with staying on the nappy wagon. Too many times we get frustrated out of hair envy, growth chasing, and unfortunately lack of support from our friends and family members.

This time on my journey I find myself seeking out hair inspirations that have hair types/textures similar to my own; this helps with seeing exactly what my hair CAN DO versus being hung up on what it CANNOT DO. I think this is a good tip for newbies and vets alike, in embracing your own texture it helps to have idols that look like you. As for growth, I believe my hair is growing very well because of my decision to wear mainly protective styles in the form of twists. I know for some the word protective styles can equal boring, but I find ways to rock my twists differently and add accessories to spice it up. I wore my hair out when it was too short to twist, but since I’ve been able to twist I have been doing that on a consistent basis. I think I can count on my fingers the number of times I’ve worn it in a puff since then. It also helps that it’s winter and in the winter I like to protect my hair as much as possible anyway because of the harsh conditions. Lastly, I am happy to say that my husband loves me whether my hair is straight or nappy. In fact, at work he was talking to some women at his job about his own hair (which is loc’d) and they asked him if his wife was natural, too. When he replied, yes, they then go on to say, well she wasn’t natural when you all got married was she, he says no, but I am happy that she is the type of woman that can go natural and isn’t afraid of her natural hair. I am sure you can guess as to what their responses were on why they could not go natural, I’ll give you a hint, their response had the word NAPPY in it! LOL! My family I guess is used to me doing different things with my hair now, so it’s basically business as usual.

In the coming months as I approach my one year mark, I hope to master some new styles/techniques…cornrows maybe? I also plan on having a nappiversary party for myself because it will be a very happy milestone for me; I have never made it to the one year mark being natural, but I feel that this is the year that I will!

My Hair Regimen: Washing & Conditioning

2009-01-26T08:51:00.000-08:00

Hello ladies!

I always wonder what people do to their hair on a daily basis; I mean like the littlest things because sometimes I feel so inept until I know what someone did to get their hair exactly like that! LOL! So, I'm going to practice what I preach and be more detailed in my blog and fotki. So, here goes:

Wash Routine:
I usually wash my hair only once a week and I only do it when I am going to do a totally new style. I do this because #1 nappy hair should not be washed a lot because it leeches the natural oils out, #2 I like to manipulate my hair when it is wet or damp to reduce frustration and breakage. When I wash I was using Elucence Moisture Acidifying shampoo (mainly because I have a 32oz. bottle and I'm only half way through it), but I will now limit that to once a month washing. I just started using baking soda as my "shampoo" and so far I like it, in fact just last night I used it on my son's hair and I liked it for him as well. After washing my hair, mainly focusing on cleansing my scalp, I rinse well and under the shower stream and detangle using my Jilbere shower comb. I then add my conditioner (currently using: TRESemmé vitamin E moisture rich conditioner) to my damp hair *see damp hair on right.

I then step out the shower and section my hair for my "detangling puffs". To do this I use a wide tooth comb to part my hair, I like to part my hair according to my hair types as well, i.e. the sides of my hair are tighter than the front and middle, so I make two sections for the sides. I grasp the ends of the hair and use my Goody (fake Denman) brush to detangle, making sure to detangle the ends first and then brushing from the scalp to the ends. After I detangle a section I put on a Goody ouchless rubber band on the section to make a puff. *see pic to the right
I will ALWAYS section my hair like this when washing/conditioning/styling my hair. Here is why:
#1: It stretches my hair a bit. *see diff. in puff pic length and washed hair length pic at beginning of post
#2: My hair is freshly detangled and separated this way.
#3: Easier to moisturize this way.
#4: Keeps unstyled hair out the way.

After this is done, I lightly rinse my hair under my sink to get out any globs of conditioner, my goal is not to rinse all the conditioner out, but to rinse enough so it's not noticeable in my hair. I then move on to moisturizing my hair. I moisturize my hair by adding whatever moisturizer to each puff section as I style my hair. My favorite moisturizer right now is raw shea butter that I get from a health food store near my son's school, but I also use Qhemet's Heavy Cream, and Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk.

I will post more details on my styling methods in a later post!

Naked & Unashamed...

2009-01-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

My hair that is! Here is my damp, naked hair. I'm on the lookout for hair twins and cousins, is it you?

Mighty Morphing Puff!

2009-01-14T07:04:00.000-08:00

What can you make out of one hairstyle with out re-combing or re-wetting? We shall see, the first experiment starts with a humble puff and morphs into????

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Learning by seeing...

2009-01-09T18:48:00.000-08:00

I am a visual learner for this reason I am in LOVE with YOUTUBE! There are so many great nappy hair tutorials on there. Here is my current favorite:

Although there is a difference in our textures, I will definitely be trying a modified version of this. I'm thinking about going with flat two strand twists instead of a simple flat twist and maybe two strands with the loose hair.

Twist Out to High Puff Transition

2009-01-09T18:27:00.000-08:00

This is a puff that I made from an old twist out. The day before I had a twist-out with a headband, I slept on that, then in the morning I doubled up a headband and pushed it up. I then sprayed it with my Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Leave-In and rubbed some Hair Milk in it. This is at the end of the day.

Nappy New Year!!

2009-01-08T09:15:00.001-08:00

Well, it’s a new year which means it’s time for RESOLUTIONS, but not just any resolutions HAIR RESOLUTIONS. So here we go!

I resolve to:

Experiment more with styles on my hair.
Switch the majority of my products to natural ones.
Start using henna quarterly.
Use shampoo only once a month.
Find my holy grail conditioner.
NEVER detangle on anything but soaking wet hair.
Always section my hair for detangling.
Pamper myself at least every other month with a professional stylist.

Nappy, What's in a Name?

2009-01-07T08:58:00.000-08:00

The title of this blog is Nappy: The Other "N" Word and you may be wondering why I named it this. Well, I feel like the word Nappy has gotten (does get) a bad rap. Nappy is the "N" word, that most people don't want to be called, oh sure drop a few niggas on a song and no one cares, but call someone's hair nappy and they want to fight you. I'm sure we all know why this is, if you don't here's a quick history lesson:

We are colonized people, the colonizers made us believe that what was most like them was good and was most naturally like ourselves was bad, i.e. They made us hate ourselves and love their wealth - Nas, just replace wealth with skin color, hair texture, hair color, eye color, etc.

This also reminds me of the whole Don Imus Nappy Headed Hos comment. I believe (black)people were more upset that he called them nappy headed, that hos. I say this for two reasons, number one: black women get called hos all day everyday and most people aren't up in arms, on tv, on the radio, on the net, on the street, name a place and a black woman has been called a ho there. Secondly, I had a conversation with a group of black people, men and women, about the whole incident. A black man (Af-Amer. Studies type) said that he believed most people were upset about the whole nappy issue and not the ho issue and cited his mother's chagrin of the use of the word, he says that shouldn't have been an issue because nappy hair is just nappy hair, neither good or bad (only thinking, makes it so - Shakespeare). Another black woman stated she didn't want anyone calling her hair nappy, that it was insulting. And there you go, call a woman a ho and she's pissed, but say her hair is nappy and she's insulted. Of course, I am being dramatic with that last part, but it's partly true. So, this blog is a reclaiming of the word nappy, it's not a bad word, it's not an insult, it's just nappy.

Main Entry: nappy
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): nap·pi·er; nap·pi·est
Etymology: nap
Date: 1785

kinky: closely twisted or curled

Natural Hair You Tube Vids

2009-01-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

I am a newbie to viewing natural hair you tube videos, but I am really excited for this to be my newest internet addiction. I'm a very visual person so this will be a great resource for learning how to do new things with my hair and to see others routines.

I thought this girl was just so cute and genuine sounding that I wanted to share her video:

I also have loved this girl's hair on Nappturality.com; here's her video on how to detangle:

I will be highlighting my favorite You Tube Vlogs/Vids each week now and maybe one day I'll make my own!

Product Junkie

2008-12-30T13:20:00.000-08:00

You may not know this, but I'm a reformed product junkie (aka PJ). It's been a while since I've bought something new, but I have just bought two products from Carol's Daughter. One product is an old favorite of mine, Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk. I've always loved the smell of this and nursed a sample bottle for like a year. I decided since I love this so much I HAD to buy it again. Luckily the Macy's near me has a Carol's Daughter section in the cosmetics/fragrance section! I have not found this in another Macy's I've been to so far, holler at me if you know another Macy's that has this. So, I bought that and her Black Vanilla Leave-In conditioner. I've been using the leave-in as a daily moisture spray while I'm in my twists and I have definitely found a new favorite. Most other moisture sprays for naturals have so much glycerin in it (good for moisture bad for the ick factor), but this one doesn't. I cannot stand anything that makes my hair feel sticky and most sprays do and then I end up watering them down, but not this one. All the moisture, none of the sticky!

New Year, New Me!

2008-12-25T20:40:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's an early start to the new year, but hey! I was happy on my loc journey, but the other day I just decided I wasn't ready to loc. I've neve gone longer than 9 mths. natural in all my incarnations and I'd really like to see myself natural and loose after 1 year. So, on Dec. 23rd I took down my locs and deep conditioned by applying olive oil to my damp hair and wearing a plastic shower cap (and two scarfs holding it down on top). The next day I washed with Elucence Moisture Acidifying Shampoo and conditioned with a Tresseme conditioner. I then went through my hair with a wide tooth comb for an initial detangling, I then seperated my hair into 5 for puffs and ran through each section with my Goody (knock-off denman) brush, all this was with conditioner still in my hair. After I put each section in a puff I lightly rinsed some of the conditioner out. I then started with the lower back puff and added shea butter to that section and then just grab and twisted it up.

My master plan is to stay in protective styles for most of the time, since my locs were that essentially and I retained a lot of growth. So my regime for the winter months are to wear a protective style for two weeks (rinsing or co-washing in the protective style after one week ) and then wearing my hair out for no more than 3-5 days, then back into the protective style. I will wash every 2 weeks until the warmer months. I plan to continue to try and use mostly lighter and natural products, that's one thing that having locs taught me I don't need a lot of thick heavy or chemically products in my hair.

SURPRISE!!!

2008-12-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

I went to a salon and got loc maintenance yesterday! I really loved my experience, my stylist's name is Stacy and I would definitely recommend her to ANYONE! She works at Urban Nature Salon in Silver Spring, MD. (If you decide to go to her, please tell her Kenesha referred you!)

Without further ado, here are the pics!

BEFORE

AFTER

hang time LOL!

Rocking the Loc-Puff!

2008-12-03T15:50:00.000-08:00

Hello all,

Lately I've been rocking what's known as the loc-puff. This means that my roots are puffy and the ends are loc'd, it kind of looks like a twistout when I wear it with my headband. I kinda like it, but I know to the uninitiated if they looked at me, they'd never think I had "locs". This loc-puff is the result of rinsing everyother day and not having a retwist for a minute since I still have baby locs. I'll take a pic and post it tomorrow. I'm just really loving the low-keyness of maintaining my hair right now.

Pic 1 is 12/5/08 and pic 2 is 12/08/08

P.S.

I have a surprise in store coming next week...STAY TUNED!

Living la vida loc(a)

2008-11-23T19:52:00.000-08:00

Okay, long time no post, but grad school is kicking my behind and I had to get a tooth extracted from a botched root canal. In more pleasant news, I am still chugging along. I actually just did a wash and re-twist yesterday. I am still rinsing almost every other day and I am also budding in the back most definitely and trying to bud a bit uptop. The top of my hair is still fuzzy-wuzzy and comes mostly aloose during washes. I've decided to not keep two-strand twisting the top when they come a loose and instead am doing finger coils there. I believe (whether in truth or error) that continually re-two-stranding them would be futile in the progress of them locing faster. I also have shrugged off the notion that I should re-twist less, my reasons are #1 my re-twists aren't really tight in the first place and #2 it's essentially the same as someone who washes and fingercoils or twists everyweek since my locs are babies, this means that there is no re-twistsing of previously twisted area, I'm always twisting loose hair.

I will try and take a picture of my locs tomorrow, this time I have a side part instead of my usual middle part. I cannot wait until my hair is longer so I can do a re-twist and then bantu knot the twists instead of using clips, this will both make things easier with my re-twist and give me a new style. I might actually try that with the next re-twist since it is getting a bit longer.

Oh last, but not least, as the wife of someone with extremely manicured, shop locs I sometimes feel my husband looking at my head like WTF! LOL! It's funny because he hasn't said anything since that one time he mentioned maybe I should get them restarted at a salon. I guess he learned I wasn't really listening in that regard. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that sometimes I get the urge to go to the salon just to see what the difference is and I might act on that impulse sometime this month or next month. I however will never stop my continual process of rinsing and "watering" my babies, the thought of my short locs looking plastered to my head is not something that excites me in anyway, I guess the thing I like the best about shop locs is the presence of clearly visible partings, which is usually non-existent on me. LOL!

TTYL!

Just chugging along...

2008-11-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

I'm just chugging along here on my journey. I did a re-twist yesterday and wonder of wonders I wore a scarf to bed and DID NOT rinse this morning. LOL! These are firsts for me. Anyway, I'm loving the journey from the retwists to the rinses to the washing. The only question I have is, when I wash and re-twist those that come apart, should I retwist them as two-strand twists or should I just finger coil them like how I retwist my roots? Does re-two strand twisting them impede the locing process? Other than that, things are fine. I can't wait until they all fully loc. I'll add pics later tonight.

It's my ONE MONTH loc-aversary!

2008-10-27T01:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, I am super-psyched because it is my one month anniversary of putting my hair into twists and starting my locs. I've had mostly good days with my locs and it hasn't really been hard. My only negatives were the first time I rinsed and just wanted to see how a re-twist would look and I freaked when it didn't look like all the lovely re-twists on fotki. Then I went to NP and relaxed after some much needed advice. I then went to you tube to search for some loc maintenance vids and found out how to do it (I'm a visual learner). My next negative actually happened two days ago, my hair hadn't been re-twisted in a while & I know it probably looked a little "wild" and the DH suggested I go to a loctician to have them start my locs. I was blown to say the least! For a while I actually considered it; I then thought about how far I've come and how my babies in the back don't even unravel and I was like to HELL with starting over! I just went, washed my babies, and did my own re-twist. He hasn't said anything else about it, so I guess he just wanted me to re-twist. The thing is, he is a "shop dred" he's had locs twice now and he's always been dependent on a loctician for his washing and maintenance. Where as I want to be a DIY-er. I don't particularly like salons, don't really trust stylists, and like to be in control of what is going on with my head. But because he is a shop loc-er, his aesthetic is definitely more controlled than mine is. In fact I HATE for my babies to be lying down, I think they look better when they're "puffed up", they have more life & character in my opinion.

Anyway, I'm just happy my first month is down. I'm learning and loving it each day! These pics are the result of a water rinse and ACV rinse this morning.

First Re-twist

2008-10-14T05:23:00.000-07:00

Morning all!

I did my first re-twist this weekend, at first I was a little anxious on how it would turn out, but after visiting You Tube and searching for loc maintenance videos I felt more confident. So, I went to Macy's to visit the Carol's Daughter counter (which I didn't know even existed until a week ago!). I initially wanted the Hair Milk (I love the smell) I thought it could be a good moisturizer and/or something I could dilute and use as a spray for my locs. Well, of course they were out of it, but they did have a product called Hair Balm. The consistency of the Hair Balm is like a gel/oil consistency, but it melts in your hands almost immediately. Because of this, I thought it would make a great re-twisting agent. I'm kinda cool on using a gel because I'm afraid of build up. I washed my hair before so for the re-twist I decided to just dampen with my diluted Greg's Juice (by Oyin). I actually took two days to do it, but it was because I took my time and several breaks.

Pic: During The Process (Top is the "before" pic LOL!)

Pic Finished

I also rinsed them this morning because I don't like when they lay all flat and I like them a bit "puffy"; I'll post pics when I get home this evening! :)

Party Like a Loc Star...

2008-10-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, I have started my locs. No, I did not go to the salon. I did them myself; I'm a do-it-yourself-er at heart and why start something with a pro, when I plan on maintaining them myself anyway? So my loc babies were born on Sept. 27, 2008!

The Process:
It took me about 4 hrs. altogether, usually twisting takes me two hours, but I wanted to make sure that the horizontal parts were pretty straight. I also tried to make the rows in the brick laying pattern, so my locs would lay a certain way as they mature. I used Barry Fletcher thick and slick custard to twist. It's a pretty natural product and doesn't cause build up or flaking. The top part of my hair is the loosest and the ends like to splay and not join, so they will probably take a little longer to loc and they will definitely frizz the most. I am making peace with that. To see more pics, please visit my fotki album!

Almost 1 week in:
This morning I rinsed my locs while I was in the shower. The DH thought I had retwisted my hair, he said it looked good. I told him that I just rinsed them in the shower, it brought some life back to them. I'm still trying to figure out what my nightime routine will be. During this week I've worn a du-rag, a loose "wave" cap, and nothing but my satin pillow. I don't like the flatness of the du-rag, but I don't like the total freedom of the pillow. I'm thinking about getting a satin bonnet thing or just doing a loose satin scarf. For daily maintenance I've basically been doing nothing, every other day I sprayed it with some water in a spritzer bottle. Low maintenance and LOVING IT! :) I plan on washing and re-twisting the weekend of Oct. 11th. I will update then!

Let it do what it do...

2008-09-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Long time no blog. I've been so caught up with life in general I haven't had time to really do much or think much about my nappy hair. LOL! Well, I've decided that I am going to loc up my hair! Yay me. Here's how I pretty much decided, #1 I am lazy. I feel like locs will be pretty low maintenance. #2 I want my hair to show length, to do that as a natural I would pretty much have to wear it twisted all the time, which clashes with my #1 because I am too lazy to twist. So, locs seem like a good answer to that. #3 Have you ever noticed whenever you're reading an article about hair (not in a black hair magazine of course*) that the first thing they say is to think about your hair type before you pick a style and that the best style is one that works with your hair, not against it. Well, if you've never noticed, that is what they say. I personally think that my hairtype would work great with locs. The nappiness should help with the locing process and hopefully I will be fully loc'd by month 6.

I plan on going to Noire Salon, the owner has GORGEOUS locs and she comes highly recommended. My only thought right now is as to whether I want to start with comb coils or two-strands. I like comb coils because they look "loc-like" immediately, but they unravel easily during the washing process. I like the two-strands because they do not unravel as easily and I believe that they take less time to loc. I think I will defer to Noire or maybe not, I see myself really leaning towards the two-strands, the more that I think about it. I also hope that, whomever does my hair sees that they can indeed two-strand my hair.

Once upon a time, I went to another natural salon in the DC area (name witheld) and when I came in, with probably more hair than I have now, and asked for two-strands the stylist was like, "Your hair is too short for two-strands." So, then I say, well I just did some last week. Then she goes, "Oh." What natural hair stylist doesn't know about SHRINKAGE! I mean I came in there with a bohemian fro that was dry, how in the H-E-double hockey sticks, would you know how long my hair is from that? That should have been a sign to bounce, but I didn't. I got my two-strands, but they were MICRO (I did not ask for micro two-strands) and she used a product that was greasier than fried pig fat. But, I digress...

Locs it is, I will hopefully have pics of my starter locs up this weekend. I have yet to make my appointment, but I'm calling in today. This is an early birthday present to myself (Oct. 6...the big 2-9!).

*Nappy Note: Working with your hairtype is an anomaly in the black community because on the whole most of "us" work so hard against it by relaxing it or pressing it to make it straight.

ETA: My dream locs

Watched Pot...

2008-08-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

They say a watched pot never boils, so is that why it feels like my hair is growing slower than molasseses?

I KNOW that I'm starting off with shorter hair this time than my last BC, but it's still frustrating that my hair seems to be stuck at a certain length! I'm ready to do a puff and my butchered hair line area (1 inch in) is so short I don't know when that will be able to lay down. Also my Qhemet is not living up to my earlier hype and my hair is not as moisturized as I'd like. I think I'm about to order some avocado butter, I believe that did the trick before. I should have kept better notes when I was natural before because I can't remember what was the best butter for me. I'm thinking either the avocado or the shealoe (not the homemade kind).

I do know my hair is growing though because I was able to twist it, so I know it's getting there. I'm just being impatient!

Nappy Updates...

2008-08-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

As I type I am twisting my hair....yes at work! LOL! I am currently half way done and will take pictures when I get home tonight.

I am still thinking about locs, but will wait at least a year before making a final decision. I would like to reach my napp-limit, that's the time when I usually get frustrated and UNFORTUNATELY relax my hair. I think my napp-limit longest has been 9 mths. I plan on surpassing my napp-limit and enjoying a lifetime of nappiness!!

I will also not be trimming my hair until I reach my one year mark and I will be buying new trimming scissors for that occasion. I plan on twisting and trimming when that day comes (no loose trimming).

For my birthday I will be getting my hair "done" at a natural salon. I haven't chosen which one yet, but I think I will be getting some jazzy two strands.

I finished my hair yesterday at 3:00 pm because I wasn't doing them constantly. I added pics.

Edited to add pics taken (8/15/08)

Shake Your Beauty Natural Posts...

2008-08-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

I love Tia Williams' blog Shake Your Beauty and this past month she has done two posts on products for natural girls. The first is about Carol's Daughter's Hair Milk, which I've used before and loved (esp. the smell), but I haven't used lately and the second is a hair routine of one of her natural friends (she looks like a nappy to me, Tia is a curly).

Enjoy the posts!

Tia Williams is a beauty blogger and former magazine beauty director, and is currently a writer... she also co-wrote Iman's beauty book.

Product Review: Qhemet Biologics Karkady Tea Replenishing Mist

2008-07-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

Qhemet's Karkady Tea Replenishing Mist is a spritz for natural hair made that is a water based herbal infusion that nourishes the scalp and restores moisture to dry, brittle hair. And it does just that. I can use nothing, but that on my hair and have soft hair all day. My only problem with it was that the original recipe was too sticky, however as of 3/27, they created a new non-sticky formulation with all of the same ingredients in an adjusted ratio. I have not used the new formulation yet, but I will be purchasing it soon because I am getting LOW on my mist!

Nappy University

2008-07-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

Saw this and love it!

Welcome Alumni!

Educating the African Diaspora since 1419, Nappy University is guided by a need to redefine the collective pasts of those of African origin, while shaping our academic, social, and economic futures. Nappy University is a school of thought.

We develop minds, examine the age old question of "What is Black?" and create Afrocentric mindsets through the process of BLACK LIFE. The lives of Black folk are our classrooms, and our students never miss a day. They have already received their B.A.s because they are born alumni. Now they are simply going higher in their education (i.e. higher education).

We are dedicated to the preservation of the history of the African Diaspora. We believe that all races and all nations have been richly blessed by our alumni.

We seek to progress the agenda of NU though a number of initiatives, most notably, Nappy University Clothing. We welcome all alumni and supporters of NU.

GO FIGHTING BROWN SHEEP!!!

Buy Something HERE!

To Loc or Not To Loc?

2008-07-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

That is the question!

I am really considering locing my hair soon (within the next month). My doubts are this:

If I start with combcoils now I'll have a lot of thin locs, which I'm not sure I want. However, I can always combine some if I want them thicker later.
I have a hard time commiting to one hairstyle and although locs can be styled, because mine will be shorter for a while there won't be much I can do in way of "styles". However, I can thrown on different headbands I guess the loc equivalent of a TWA with a headband...
The commitment that locing requires, as I said before I have a hard time with hair commitment and locs are a high commitment style. I guess if I didn't want them anymore I could always un-loc (although that's a heavy time commitment) or BC again.

I also have some questions about what method I'd like to use, so right now I'm researching on NP.

P.S. I stopped my hair growth experiment with the MN; I am too low-maintenance/lazy for that. LOL!

C Napp...

2008-07-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

What's a C Napp, you may ask? I was wondering, too. From some of the posts on NP (Nappturality.com) I thought that a C Napp was someone with "cottony" nappy hair, which I don't consider myself having...cottony hair to me is light and fluffy, although may have no defined curl/coil pattern, however many people who rep C Nappiness had hair like mine, so I decided to investigate further and I now classify myself as a CNappy minus the cotton, with a coil pattern that is hard to define while dry. (pic is my hair Sept. 2006, 5 mths. post BC)

C Nappy Hair as definied by the creator is:

... nappies whose hair would never be mistaken for "good" hair. It's not wavy nappy or curly nappy...it's just plain 'ole nappy hair. We're most likely to be told that we are too nappy to go natural. We're also the ones who at some point in our lives have felt that we had the nappiest hair on earth and wished we had "good" hair.

The most defining characterists of tightly coiled, kinky strands of product-free cNapp hair is that it has no defined curl or wave pattern when wet or dry. In other words, when shampooed, you'd never wonder how to define your curls or cute little ringlets after your hair dries because you don't have any to begin with. Instead, our coils all take their own route and when our nappy hair is loose, freshly washed and product free it takes on the appearance of a thick fluffy, cottony cloud of naps; hence our nickname cNapps.

With the right products and tools, our hair can be molded into styles that define our naps. Comb coils and finger coils are a few styling techniques that come to mind as they're easily done on cNapp hair and can hold these styles quite well. In addition, the ends ouf our twists often coil up, giving the hair a wonderful finishing touch. Other characteristics of our hair is that it's usually thick (but it doesn't have to be), coarse and very reactive to moisture. As a result, many of us experience MAJOR shrinkage. Our hair is inherently dry and extrememly prone to breakage and craves moisture all the time. We often have problems retaining length and cNapps with really long/big hair can be hard to come by mostly due to frustration and a lack of understanding about how to care for our hair. In addition, most of us cannot tolerate mineral oil and petroleum-based products, which can contribute to dry, brittle, breaking hair as well.

Finally our hair has no natural shine to it. The twists and turns of our kinks don't allow light to reflect off our hair, instead our strands absorb the light. However, once again, the right products can make our hair have a healthy sheen, think like a suede material as opposed to a high shine like the sun bouncing off a hard wood floor. While none of these characteristcs are mutually exclusive to cNapp hair, they all come together to give us what we have, the nappy hair that in many instances, no one would ever want. But as cNapps, we've learned to embrace our unique hair and accept it for what it is - and that's "good hair." We've redefined beauty and and the term to mean hair that's growing strong, healthy and thriving. If you can relate to this, you're a cNapp...

Re-training my self...

2008-07-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

I have realized I need to retrain myself in how I manage my hair. You would think that with the 3rd BC I would already know that, but I obviously forgot. The past two days I've been having issues with my hair, breakage to be more specific. Why? Because I was just combing all willy-nilly, although I was doing it on wet or damp hair, I was combing too fast and definitely not taking the time to detangle. So, today I just sat down and sprayed my hair in sections with my trusty Surge Hair Revitalizer Plus 14 (side note: WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED WITH THIS PRODUCT? This is my last bottle and I will CRY when it's gone!) and then combed out with a medium tooth comb, this time NO BREAKAGE and no pain, DUH!

In the mornings I'm usually running around trying to get myself and my son ready at the same time that I rush my hair prep time and this is at the detriment of my hair's health and length retention. But, no mas! I think I will start detangling and then baggying my hair at night, which will help retain moisture and hopefully make styling in the morning much easier.

Confession is good for the soul...

2008-07-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make...

I am a certified hair album stalker, yes I am. I love to stalk random napptural hair albums, not only that if I'm in one album and I see a comment from someone with hair I like, I click on her link and stalk her album, too. I can't even count how many fotki "friends" I have.

Okay, major confession...I have a spreadsheet containing my favorite inspirational nappys! Hey, you can't depend on something like just adding them to your friend's list, you need something quick, immediate and with notes. Yes, I said NOTES! I put in notes like, "possible hair twin", "dream hair", and "definitely twin"!

Maybe one day I'll post my complete list, but for now here's a teaser.Fotki Member Sera25...she started almost 5 years ago with a BC and a TWA and now has almost waist length NAPPTURAL 4A/B hair!She is so freaking inspiring and where I want to be in the next five years. If you've ever thought to yourself, secretly in your little nappy heart, my hair will never grow really long because I don't have "that type" of hair...pish-tosh! She is living proof!

Okay, start at the beginning so you can really admire her journey, this is the first year.
Then hype yourself up to see years 2-4...

You can thank me later! :)

Hair Types & Texture, what am I?

2008-07-10T05:57:00.001-07:00

According to Andre and an addendum from NaturallyCurly.com I am a Type 4a.

Type 4: Kinky hair
If your hair falls into the Type 4 category, then it is kinky, or very tightly curled. Generally, Type 4 hair is very wiry, very tightly coiled and very, very fragile. Like Type 3 hair, Type 4 hair appears to be coarse, but it is actually quite fine, with lots and lots of this strands densely packed together. Healthy Type 4 hair won't shine, but it will have sheen. It will be soft to the touch and will pass the strand test with ease. It will feel more silky than it will look shiny. Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg and the actress Angela Bassett are all Type 4s.Type 4 hairs looks tough and durable, but looks can be deceiving. If you have Type 4 hair, you already know that it is the most fragile hair around. Why? Type 4 hair has fewer cuticle layers than any other hair type, which means that it has less natural protection from the damage you inflict by combing, brushing, curling, blow-drying and straightening it. The more cuticle layers in a single strand of hair, the more protection it has from damage. Each time you damage your hair — fire up the curling iron, fry it with chemicals – you break down a cuticle layer, robbing your hair of much-needed moisture. I cannot emphasize this enough. It's like taking a wire and bending it again and again. Eventually, it's going to snap and break.Many women with Type 4 hair rely on chemical relaxers to make hair easier to control. In its natural states, sometimes Type 4 hair doesn't grow very long because every time you comb it, it breaks. (Of course, if you have dreadlocks and never comb them or keep them braided, your hair can and does grow quite long.)

There are two subtypes of Type 4 hair: Type 4A, tightly coiled hair that, when stretched, has an "S" pattern; and Type 4B, which has a "Z" pattern, less of a defined curl pattern (instead of curling or coiling, the hair bends in sharp angles like the letter "Z"). Type 4A tends to have more moisture than Type 4B, which will have a wiry texture. But what if your hair has been chemically straightened? How can you tell which subtype you belong to if your hair is relaxed? You'll need at least one inch of new growth to tell. Pull at the roots. If you can see a definite curl pattern, then it's an A, if not, then it's a B.

Addendum: NaturallyCurly.com type 4 readers have found the above description limiting, and somewhat misleading. We offer the following addendum: Type 4 hair can range from fine/thin to wiry/coarse strand texture. Generally, this hair is densely packed to give the appearance of very thick but fragile hair. 4a hair has a clearly visible curl and wave pattern that ranges from pen size curls to pen spring size coils. 4b hair has a tighter wave pattern and kinks of various size. This texture does not exhibit the shine or silkiness of looser type curls, but instead has sheen, and a soft, almost cotton-like feel. As with other types of curly hair, showing the true length can be an extra challenge, as the hair may grow “up” or “out” before starting to hang down. In its unlocked/unbraided state, type 4 hair is known to shrink up to 75% of the actual hair length. With the proper care and technique, type 4 hair is indeed resilient, manageable, durable, growable and easy to control.

According to the LOIS System I am an OS, Spongy, Medium to Thick hair strands.
LOIS HAIR TYPE SYSTEM:
OurHair.net has devised a simple system to define hair types and to encourage healthy hair as well as a healthy mindset. Their system is called LOIS, which takes away the need for a strict hierarchical hair system that separates good hair from bad hair.

Before you begin, please keep in mind that a healthy, undamaged, virgin hair strand, meaning one that is not processed, relaxed or colored, is needed. Examine Your Hair Strand: Select a single strand of the most common type of hair on your head. Aim for 70%, so if you have different textures, use the most common texture on your head. The hair should be freshly washed without products applied to it and rinsed in cold water. Or, gently rinse a single hair with a little dish detergent and rinse in cold water. Allow the hair to dry on a bit of paper towel so that you can look at the pattern without touching it.

Find Your Pattern:
L - If the hair has all bends, right angles and folds with little to no curve then you are daughter L.
O - If the strand is rolled up into the shape of one or several zeros like a spiral, then you are daughter O.
I - If the hair lies mostly flat with no distinctive curve or bend you are daughter I.
S - If the strand looks like a wavy line with hills and valleys then you are daughter S.
You may have a combination of the LOIS letters, possibly with one dominant. If you cannot see one letter over the others, then combine the letters. Example: LO or IL or OS.

Find Your Strand size: A strand of frayed thread is about the thickness of a medium sized strand of human hair. If your strand is larger than this, then your hair is thick. If your strand is smaller than this, hair is thin, or fine.

Find Your Texture:
Thready - Hair as a low sheen, with high shine if the hair is held taut (as in a braid), with low frizz. Wets easily but water dries out quickly.
Wiry - Hair has a sparkly sheen, with low shine and low frizz. Water beads up or bounces off the hair strands. Hair never seems to get fully wet.
Cottony - Hair has a low sheen, a high shine if the hair is held taunt and has high frizz. Absorbs water quickly but does not get thoroughly wet very fast.
Spongy - Hair has a high sheen with low shine with a compacted looking frizz. Absorbs water before it gets thoroughly wet.
Silky - Hair has low sheen, a very high shine, with a lot or low frizz. Easily wets in water.

Shine is a sharp reflection of light while Sheen is a dull reflection of light

Napptural Celeb: Esperanza Spalding

2008-07-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

If “esperanza” is the Spanish word for hope, then bassist, vocalist and composer Esperanza Spalding could not have been given a more fitting name at birth. Blessed with uncanny instrumental chops, a multi-lingual voice that is part angel and part siren, and a natural beauty that borders on the hypnotic, the 23-year-old prodigy-turned-pro might well be the hope for the future of jazz and instrumental music.“She is an irresistible performer,” says The Seattle Times. “She sings and plays bass at the same time and does a sort of interpretive dance as she plays…Her analysis of what’s going on in jazz today is perceptive.”

Check her out!

Growth Scheme...

2008-07-08T14:15:00.001-07:00

I am not usually one to immediately jump on growth scheme bandwagons, I bought MTG about 3 yrs. ago and only used it once because of the smell, I've used Growth Specifics Sulfur Oil and I liked that pretty much, but the price has gone up a lot, so no. So, now I'm going to jump on a very controversial hair growth bandwagon.

MN (Miconazole Nitrate) also known as the active ingredient in Monistat...yes THAT Monistat. Now you might be thinking, esp. if you're new to this hair business, what does Monistat have to do with growing hair? Miconazole Nitrate is an anti-fungal ingredient (like Sulfur), the theory is that there is a fungus on our scalps that inhibits hair growth, when you remove the fungus your hair grows more.

What really motivated me to jump on this bandwagon after hearing about it for at least two years is this woman's fotki: http://public.fotki.com/thecreativelady/my-mn-results-revea/ Her before and after results CANNOT be denied. I will not use the exact mixture that this woman does, I believe the cayenne is not needed and I will not add any sulfur products to gauge the efficacy of the Miconazole Nitrate without any other added "growth aids". I plan to mix mine with Hollywood Beauty Castor Oil (ingredients: Castor Oil, Mink Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Jojoba Oil, Paraffin Oil, Safflower Oil], Lanolin, Cocoa Butter, Propylparaben, Fragrance).

I plan on using it every other day after I co-wash my hair at night. I will keep everyone updated on my progress! :)

Nap Love During Independence Weekend

2008-07-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went over my bff's house and her mother-in-law told me that I look younger with my hair like this. :) She also told me that when she is 60 (65?) that she is going to cut all her relaxed hair off and wear her hair very short. She also told me that her son is always getting on her about having relaxed hair (he is very pro-black).

My bff has gorgeous locs and so does her husband. oh and now her brother is growing out his hair to loc as well. And on a personal note, my husband has locs as well. I've definitely been thinking about locing my hair in the future, but it will have to wait until after my 1 yr. nappiversary. I've promised myself, no cutting, dying (with chemicals), or locing until after 1 yr.

On another note and kind of unrelated, I feel like my hair is not growing as fast as it used to. I don't know if it's because this time I started off with the least amount of hair I've ever BC'd to and so the month by month comparison is thrown off OR if my hair is actually growing slower. I dunno.

Pics of my hair immediately post BC (May 13, 08) =====>

Nap News: Entrepreneurs reclaim black hair care market with niche products for newly coveted kinks

2008-07-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

Entrepreneurs reclaim black hair care market with niche products for newly coveted kinks
By: DIONNE WALKER - Associated Press Friday, February 29, 2008 7:32 PM PST

BALTIMORE -- Hunched over folding tables in their Baltimore basement, Pierre and Jamyla Bennu put the "hand" in Oyin Handmade, meticulously squeezing droplets of oil into amber-colored bottles of "Juices and Berries" hair tonic. They spend up to 18 hours a day concocting products aimed largely at black women who've abandoned hair straighteners for their natural locks -- fragile coils easily dried by many store products. Blacks have long bristled at figures showing the billion-dollar black hair care products market led by white firms. But as black women frustrated with chemical damage reconsider straightening their hair, black-owned mini-companies like Oyin have emerged as go-to sources of organic products, capitalizing on their firsthand knowledge of ethnic hair to return the market to its roots.

"There's an empowerment aspect," explained Jamyla Bennu, who started out making products for her own "natural," or chemically untreated, hair. Oyin's products average $10 and rely on shea butter, honey and other cupboard ingredients. The Bennus ship more than 100 orders weekly, each averaging $40.

"I used to go to the post office once or twice a week on my bicycle," she said. "(Now) three or four times a week, the post office picks up five or eight bins of packages from us."
Krika Bradsher began her business, My Honey Child, after years styling natural hair in her Raleigh, N.C. salon. "I found out using a lot of commercial products, that they weren't really designed for our hair ... We don't have any say so in designing them," said Bradsher, who earns $3,000 a month selling products like soy moisturizers.

The brands are relatively small, marketed largely through black-aimed Web sites, salons and festivals like Atlanta's annual World Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Show. Vendors ballooned from 25 at the outset of the 11-year-old show to 110 on average, said founder Taliah Waajid. About 10,000 consumers are expected in April, mostly women lured by the increased versatility of natural hair. "You have a lot of younger stylists coming up, and they're adding creativity and creating styles that can work in the workplace," Waajid said, pointing to Sisterlocks, a popular version of slender, easily curled dreadlocks.

In June, Chicago market research firm Mintel valued the black hair care products market at $1.8 billion. That report named mainstream firms L'OrDeal USA, Alberto-Culver Co. and Procter & Gamble Co. the largest suppliers of hair products specifically made for blacks in the American food, drug and mass merchandising sector; brands include Just for Me, a line of products for children. Blacks, meanwhile, have dominated the entrepreneurial side of the industry back to Madame C.J. Walker's early 20th century hair treatments, explained Lafayette Jones, founder of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute, a Chicago association of minority-owned hair care companies. They've historically spotted street trends like the Jheri curl of the '80s, he said, marketing them and selling out when business reached critical mass.
But Jones said modern black entrepreneurs have more formalized business training than previous generations, a key to holding on to the reins. Black consumers, meanwhile, have more wealth -- and potential investment capital -- as well as a growing interest in keeping black dollars in the community.

Black buying power is projected to top $1.1 trillion by 2012, according to a July report by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia. It placed black buying power at roughly $845 billion last year. It's benefited firms like Carol's Daughter: Chairman Steve Stoute, himself black, credits investments from black entertainers and patronage from savvy black consumers with helping grow the company founded by a black New Yorker to a $20 million business known for organic products that pamper ethnic hair.
"I like to support our black business owners, so if I see someone who is offering a particular product, I'll give it a try," said Angel Shabazz, a Richmond, Va. woman who uses Carol's Daughter on her dreadlocks. Hair is a touchy subject for many black women. Most straighten their hair for manageability and social acceptance, beginning the monthly ritual as early as age 5, explained Venus Opal Reese, assistant professor of aesthetics/cultural studies at the University of Texas at Dallas.
"Natural hair historically has been related to as militant," Reese said. "If you go further back, it's been regarded as unclean and unkempt."

Attitudes shifted in the late '90s, as kinky-haired entertainers like Lauryn Hill challenged traditional black beauty ideals, Reese said. Also influential is the damage black women have seen from years of chemical straightening, said Sam Ennon, with the Black-Owned Beauty Supply Association, in San Mateo, Calif. "The new generation is beginning to go natural because they have lost their hair," said Ennon, who predicted the resulting change in product demands would continue. You're going to see more products for the natural type of hair style," he said.

The Mintel report predicted a 23 percent decline in sales of straighteners, or "relaxers," through 2011, while conditioner sales were expected to increase. Some credit an awakening among black consumers. Activist Duron Chavis said his annual Happily Natural Day, in Richmond, draws 1,000 consumers for an organic product expo and natural hair show -- a modest turnout, but one Chavis said would've been scant years ago. "People have become secure and affirming of who they are as African people," Chavis said. "... They're going natural to affirm their heritage."

Qhemet Biologics has tapped the trend. The Tampa, Fl. business markets Egyptian-themed mixtures of Indian gooseberry and other exotic ingredients under the slogan "ancestral hair care for modern naturals." "I see the renewed interest in natural hair and use of natural products as part of a larger process of rediscovery," said owner F. Butler. "It's a movement toward coming full circle."

On the Net:
Oyin Handmade, http://www.oyinhandmade.com/
My Honey Child, http://www.myhoneychild.com/
Qhemet Biologics, http://www.qhemetbiologics.com/
World Natural Hair, Health & Beauty Show, http://www.naturalhairshow.org/

Dr. Bronner's New Organic Line and Aryuvedic Products

2008-07-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

Someone on my hair board just told me about the new Dr. Bronner's All-One Shikaki Citrus Conditioning Hair Rinse and boy am I PSYCHED! I've always wanted to try a Shikaki rinse, but I've been too lazy/busy to buy and make one myself. As soon as I try this I will give a review!

About Shikaki:

Shikakai is a natural herbal powder derived from the fruit of the Acacia Concinna tree. It has been used for centuries as a hair cleanser. Because of its amazing benefits for the hair the name Shikakai literally means fruit for the hair. It is extremely mild and has a natural low pH. It is an excellent natural hair cleanser and astringent and also acts as a natural detangler. Used as a hair wash in lieu of soaps & shampoos, it promotes lustrous hair growth, removes dandruff and strengthens hair roots

From the Dr. Bronner's Site:
DESCRIPTION:Our organic conditioning rinse is nourishing and effective without synthetic ingredients, and is certified by the same National Organic Program that certifies organic food. The USDA logo is your guarantee of organic integrity.Organic Shikakai [“Shee-kah-kye”] powder comes from the seed pods of the small South Asian tree Acacia Concinna, and is widely used in India for soft shiny hair. Organic lemon juice, used traditionally in the west, rinses and tightens hair shafts for excellent manageability. Organic coconut, olive and hemp fatty acids moisturize for luxuriant hair.

INGREDIENTS:Organic Acacia Concinna (Shikakai) Extract, Organic Citrus Limon (Lemon) Juice, Organic Coconut Acid*, Organic Olive Acid*, Organic Hemp Acid, Potassium Citrate (made with Organic Lemon Juice), Organic Glycerin, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Organic Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Oil, Tocopherol (Vit. E), (* Certified Fair Trade by IMO) Our organic conditioning rinse is nourishing and effective without synthetic ingredients, and is certified by the same National Organic Program that certifies organic food. The USDA logo is your guarantee of organic integrity.Organic Shikakai [“Shee-kah-kye”] powder comes from the seed pods of the small South Asian tree Acacia Concinna, and is widely used in India for soft shiny hair. Organic lemon juice, used traditionally in the west, rinses and tightens hair shafts for excellent manageability. Organic coconut, olive and hemp fatty acids moisturize for luxuriant hair. INGREDIENTS:Organic Acacia Concinna (Shikakai) Extract, Organic Citrus Limon (Lemon) Juice, Organic Coconut Acid*, Organic Olive Acid*, Organic Hemp Acid, Potassium Citrate (made with Organic Lemon Juice), Organic Glycerin, Organic Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Organic Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Oil, Tocopherol (Vit. E), (* Certified Fair Trade by IMO)

My Hair Routine/Mini Product Reviews

2008-07-02T11:36:00.000-07:00

Currently my hair is in a TWA (teeny weeny afro) and I don't do much. I co-wash at least once a week with Tresseme conditioner, after that I add Qhemet's Olive & Amla Heavy Cream. I think this is a Holy Grail product, it makes my hair soft for days. On the days when I don't co-wash I spritz my hair with Qhemet's Kardaky Tea Spray, which I've diluted with about 1/3 cup water because it was too sticky for me initially. This product smells like maple syrup to me, but the smell dissipates. When I do wash my hair (whenever the mood strikes me) I use either Oyin Handmade's Grand Poo Bar (it's a shampoo bar and not a liquid shampoo) or Dr. Bronner's Magic All-in-One Soap in Peppermint or Eucalyptus, but those can be kind of stripping so I only use them if my hair or scalp seems super gunky.

This is my hair groove for right now, but I'm going to experiment with daily co-washing and see if it jumpstarts my growth, I believe it did before. I'm also in need of regular deep conditioning instead of doing it every blue moon when the mood strikes me. Honestly, I'm looking for a good natural deep conditioner and I have yet to find one, any reccs? I'm also going to start trying some more aryuvedic hair products as well.

About Me...pt. 1

2008-07-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

Hello world,

This is my third time "going natural". It seems like I do this every two years now, but I'm praying and believing that this will be my last time and that I will stay natural for the rest of my life. So, I guess the next important item to address is why am I natural.

I'm natural because:

I believe that it is healthier for not only my hair, but my entire wellness.

I believe that in this post-colonial society that natural black hair is vilified ESPESCIALLY in the black community and that maybe I can be an example of it's beauty.

In that vein, I want black people to see that ANYONE can and SHOULD return to their natural hair no matter their hair type, being as I don't have "good hair". (good hair is defined by those unenlightened in the African Diaspora as hair that is either naturally curly or wavy, i.e. closer to a Eurocentric standard - also known as a "good grade of hair")

I want my son to appreciate and love a black woman with her OWN natural GOD GIVEN hair because the most beautiful and important woman in his life has natural hair (that would be me, his mom).

If I ever have a daughter I want her to be able to wear her own hair "naked and unashamed" because she's seen her mother do it all her life.

Why I've gone back to the relaxer in the past:

Laziness (I was pregnant, couldn't do my own hair, and I thought it would be easier relaxed).

Black Hair Matrix* Re-lapse.

Extreme Nap-Hate from family members, specifically my mom who now has been forced to go natural because the perm ATE UP her hair **.

*The Black Hair Matrix is a term coined by Nappturality Member LaBellatrix to describe the lies that we tell ourselves and each other about black natural hair. I will expound on those lies in later posts.

** Back-story coming in a forth coming post.

P.S. My blog title picture is from my BC in 2006.