New Link

I would like to thank Autumn at Curly Chronicles for posting a comment on this site. I think she has a wonderful vlog with some great examples of styles that I’m going to try out. Just when I thought I had nothing more to post about my hair, along comes her comment to save the day.

So now that I’ve seen some of her videos, I think you should too. This video is of the style I’m going to try next. I will post pictures of the results. (I’ve got to go buy some foam rods today!) I’ll also be posting a link to her YouTube page on the side for all of you to enjoy!

Invest in a Good Comb

For those of us with curly hair, we often find that the regular drug store products are just not made for our hair. Sad, but true. With so many varieties of hair, it’s a surprise that we are often forced to use tools that are suited for one type.

Anyhoodles, I went shopping for a comb and found a good one on Honey Fig. $16 seems a little pricey for a wide-tooth comb, but it’s worth it. It’s strong and has a uniformed body, which means no snagging or tearing your hair. If you wear your hair out, would like to have some curl definition, and keep your hair from breaking, I suggest you comb it while in the shower and have loads of conditioner or moisturizer in it. That ensures that your hair is not fighting to get around the teeth of the comb.

If you plan on twisting or braiding it, you can still use this comb to achieve your style – just start from the ends and work your way up the section. We’ve been taught to use a fine-tooth comb to achieve our braided and twisted styles, but my experience has been that using a slightly wider tooth comb will still detangle but leave your hair on your head.

Check it out.

Okay, Fine!

Sometimes, somethings are a bad idea. I’ve decided to continue on with this blog and leave it as is. I will link to my other blog from time to time. I will try my best to update it regularly.

Happy blogging!

I’m Back! Kinda…

Okay, so I’ve been away enjoying the summer as much as I could and now that it’s over (I’m crying inside), I’ll have more time to blog…kinda. The beginning of the school year is here and I want to make sure I keep the momentum going and not get distracted by the interwebs. So, when it’s not assignment, test, or exam time, I’ll be here.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer…all 6 hours of it!

And for your viewing pleasure, I’m posting a pic of my new hairdo!

Been Away

Sorry all, I’ve been away for a little while.  It’s been a little busy.  I will be back soon…

Her Hair: The New Yorker Cover with the Obamas

Here’s an interesting post over at Lots of Thinking…and seeing as it has to do with hair…

Is it any wonder why black women have reservations about wearing (or exposing) their natural hair? And for those that do wear it natural, is it any wonder where people get the impression that they are militants? And in wearing it natural, one has to constantly defend their right to wear it that way? And one has to overly demonstrate one’s professionalism? And secretly wonder if a job call-back wasn’t received because of something so simple as hair? (More…)

Natural Hair in the Blogosphere

There’s a really great post over at Anti-Racist parent about the experience of having naturally curly hair, especially with those of West African roots.  Although I don’t agree with using the term nappy or kinky to describe my hair (as they derive from tragic historical roots), Tami makes some good points about how we are raised to not love our hair.

They learned that having black hair cared for naturally hurts. And they learned that the tools used to care for straighter, finer hair should also be used on hair with West African roots. They learned to trust companies whose minimal knowlege of us doesn’t stop them from wanting  to make a buck with beautifying (and damaging) miracle lotions and potions. They learned and they passed that “knowledge” on to us–their daughters. And we continue the cycle of pain and struggle against our hair.

When some of us do try to turn things around and go natural, we don’t even know how to take care of it and end up following hair rituals that are not designed for curly hair (loose or tight) and ziggy hair (z-pattern).

My own experience of going natural has shown me that loving your natural hair is a process that doesn’t happen overnight.  It takes a lot to continually deconstruct society’s messages and my own internalized negative understanding of my hair.  For me, once I begun to see that there is nothing wrong with my hair and that treating it differently doesn’t devalue the beauty of it, I was able to feel good about my new look.

It will take a long time before the magazines begin to reflect the way I look.  It will take a while for society to begin to accept and appreciate all kinds of hair and beauty.  I am by no means a pioneer, but I am happy to be able to reflect my natural beauty and acceptance for myself every day.

Thinking a Little Differently About Hair Care

I have noticed that going natural this time around has required that I think differently about caring for my hair.   What has improved is my understanding of the ingredients used in shampoos and conditioners and what works with the body’s pH.  Trying to improve my overall health has led me to understand more about what is healthy for my hair.

What I Recommend

Look at the ingredients ALL the time.  Even if you don’t go the all-natural vinegar/olive oil route that I’ve gone, it is good to try replicating the effects.  Alcohol, sulphates and phosphates in traditional beauty products are not at all good for your hair and scalp.  You should avoid them at all costs.  Manufacturers add the ingredients to create that lather you see in shampoos, or to increase the speed at which gels and creams dry.  You end up paying for it with your hair’s health.

Marketing is used to convince consumers that their products are the best for each type of hair.  That’s just not the case.  No matter who’s face is on the bottle, look at the ingredients inside the bottle.  If they don’t provide you with that information, don’t buy it.  The good news is that more consumers are asking for products that do not have these ingredients and it is becoming easier to find them at the local pharmacy, so things are changing for the better.

What About Oiling the Scalp?

You should also avoid putting any type of oil or grease on your scalp, as it clogs the follicles and blocks the natural oils from reaching the shaft.  For some, the excess grease mixes with trapped skin cells and ‘flakes’.  If your hair is too dry, try washing it less often and find waterless cleaning products. Twist at night or buy a silk/satin pillowcase to keep the oils in your hair and not on your pillow.

Also remember that the type of hair curls you have determines how dry your hair is.  It being more dry that other types of hair does not necessarily make it a bad thing.  Love your hair for what it is.  What you need to watch out for is split ends and breakage.  Dryness alone shouldn’t raise concerns.

As Promised! Pics!

With that being said, here’s a side profile picture of my hair when I let it out of the twists.  The products I used for that was the vinegar/olive oil to start and I finished with the Blended Beauty’s Natural Hair Oil.

This is what it looks like from the front.

Okay, I’m done with the pictures. It’s not working well with my shyness…:-)

Product Review: Blended Beauty’s Styling Butter Creme

My last experience with a curl butter had left me a little apprehensive about using another product like it.  But, for the sake of beauty, I decided to try Blended Beauty’s Styling Butter Creme, also known as the Curl Styling Butter.

After washing my hair using my new hair regiment of vinegar and olive oil, I put a generous amount of the butter in my hair.   I was delighted that it allowed me to comb through my hair much more easily, but was surprised to realize that as it started to dry, it began to feel like it had some gel-like ingredient.  I watched to see if it would start to clump and bead but to my surprise, it seemed to be more of a moist hold than a stiff flaky hold.  I can actually touch my hair and not have it crunch.

So overall, I liked this product because:

• It had a soft hold
• It did not flake or bead
• air-dried fairly quickly
• allowed me to touch and move my hair without losing its hold
• gave me relatively good curl definition for such a light-hold product
• did not parch my scalp

- The Style I Used With This Product -

The style that I used for this product was the finger twirl.  I took small sections of my hair, put a little bit of extra butter to the areas that need it, and twirled the hair around my finger to get it to coil a little.  I did the entire head like that then let it dry.  Afterward, I took each coil and separated them.

I will be posting pictures of the finger twirl soon.

Product Review: Blended Beauty – Natural Hair Oil

I’ve ordered three products from Blended Beauty via Honey Fig and the Natural Hair Oil is what I’ve decided to try first. I was looking to have a moisturizing product lighter than olive oil for in-between days when my hair needs just a little bit of an emollient on the ends.

The product website described it as a light-weight product that doesn’t clog follicles. They say it can also be used as a hot-oil treatment.

This product is wonderful. Here are some of the reasons:

1. Fast absorbing – this oil is like no other I’ve tried. It was quickly absorbed by my hair. I had it on my hands and it disappeared within a few minutes – like body lotion. Wow.
2. Smells great – and I don’t mean the artificial smell produced in labs, but the natural smell of the oils it is comprised of.
3. The application bottle – although it is in a squirt bottle, I didn’t want to squirt it in my hair and drench it with oil. But the bottle type did made it easy to squirt a little bit of oil in my hand quickly and touch up some areas that needed it.

This is something I will be ordering again. I’ve noticed that since I’ve been using it, my hands have never looked better. I think it may have more uses than just hair oil.

My next product reviews from Blended Beauty will be their Styling Butter Creme and their Quenching Conditioner.