Newly Natural? Don’t be Afraid of Scissors!

I would like to give a big thanks to Sunshine Abuwi of Natural Sun Shine. She wrote a great article on rocking a TWA (tiny weeny afro), and agreed to letting me share the article on my blog. Read below to see her great variety of style and recommendations.  

Newly Natural? Rocking a TWA? Don’t be Afraid of Scissors! 
Posted by Sunshine Abuwi on September 19, 2011 at 9:00m

"For many a natural, the TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro) phase can be the hardest one to get through. The short length and lack of style options leaves many running for the closest wig store, regretting their decision to go natural (so soon), or just down in the dumps feeling not as attractive as they once felt.  I wish to encourage those of you who have found yourself in that position to not be afraid of scissors. For many, the reason they feel sobad with their TWA is because it is just a mound of shapeless, styleless hair sitting on top of your head. I don’t care what texture your hair is, if it is just sitting there with no personality or style, it is bound to get you down. I recommend getting the sides and back tapered to create a style. Transform your blah TWA into a cute cut by shaping it. You would be amazed at how much better your TWA would look of your sides and back were a little faded.

Remember, even as you are growing your hair out, you are still alive! You still have places to go and people to see. Today! You can’tjust allow your hair to sit on top of your head shapeless and lifeless while you look forward to that day when you reach a longer length and then are able to style it. Is your life on hold until that day? Didn’t think so! Enjoy each step of the way . Don’t be on some fast paced race to bra strap length. Because even if you stand at the mirror, tapping your foot, pointing at your watch demanding your hair to grow, it is going to take time. Why not enjoy it and your life even while your hair is growing? Getting a little shape up is a great way to do that! When I grew out my hair in 2009, I always either went to a stylist and got my hair shaped or I manipulated it to look like it was in ashape. Have a look!

 

I recommend going to barber (because it is less expensive than a salon and they are less likely to try to talk you into relaxing) andasking them to give your hair a little shape. Tell them you do not want a line in the front (unless you do) and that you want the sides and back tapered so your hair has more of a style while you are growing it out. I recommend you go on a week day if possible or first thing on a Saturday morning (to avoid all the men). All of you who have used this method while growing your hairplease post pictures or your two cents on this!" - Sunshine Abuwi, Source

Loctician Hair Tips from Nyesha Samuel

Natural Black HairCare Tips

When it comes to the gentle care of African American skinand hair, there are various ingredients that well-made products contain. Theseingredients will help to rejuvenate your skin and hair and replace thenutrients that are lost in day to day living.

 

Shea Butter Cream

Shea butter cream has long been known for its effectivenessas an emulsifier and a moisturizingcream. It is especially valuable in treating wrinkles, skin discolorations,dark spots, blemishes, dry skin, acne, burns and for fading scars. Shea butteralso helps to provide natural protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun.It is easily absorbed into your skin, and it won't leave your skin feelinggreasy, as some other types of products can.

Shea butter cream helps to soften your skin, and maysometimes

be found in hair conditioners in its butter form. It helps torevitalize and rehydrate brittle or dry hair. It will also keep hair frombreaking as easily, and make it softer to the touch.

Shea butter aids in evening skin tone, and gives your skinback its natural luster. Since it absorbs quickly, it can penetrate deeply topromote the growth of healthy skin cells.

Herbal Shampoo Conditioner

African American women often tell me that they have adifficult time finding hair products to satisfy the natural needs of theirhair. Many of the products you see in magazines or commercials cater to womenwho have colored or relaxed hair. This isn't helpful for those withunmanageable, curly, thickhair. An herbal shampoo, conditioner or rinse can help to revivedry and brittle hair. It usually has a clean smell, which makes it easier touse. It helps to promote a healthy shine, and aids in getting rid of frizzies.

There are other products that combine herbal shampooconditioner and nut oils, which can be very helpful for dry, dehydrated hair.Your hair will drink in the moisture, and the proteins in the conditioner willadd shine and a final luster to your hair. They will also leave it soft andmanageable.

Organic Hair Oil

Many African American women have found that organic hair oilcan help to leave their hair nourished and revitalized, and more protected fromaging's effects. They may have experienced some level of hair loss, due tomicrobial effects on the roots of the hair and on their scalp. An antimicrobialoil will break the glycerol bonds that leave your hair weak and moresusceptible to thinning.

Most types of organichair oil will also contain vitamin E, which will help to keep your hair andscalp healthy and rejuvenated. Natural oils help your hair to retain moisture,since they don't break down easily, nor do they evaporate. Natural oils willkeep moisture within your hair, leaving it soft and manageable. Hair can also benefit from organic hair oil that will meltwhen it is heated, and then condense on your hair as it cools. You can apply itto your hair and it will evenly spread throughout all areas of your scalp. African American women will benefit from the combination ofShea butter cream for their skin, and shampoos and conditioners, along withnatural oils, that leave their hair full and healthy.

Healthy Scalp, Healthy Locs

Nyesha Samuel, Publisher/Master Loctician, healthylocsblog.com

Natural Hair Inspiration - Chime

Name: Chime Edwards ( my first name is pronounced the same way wind chime is :))

Q: When and why did you decide to start wearing your hair naturally?
A: I realized the actual reasons why I was relaxing my hair. I did not think kinky hair was as appealing as straight hair, because this is what I had been taught my entire life. Being natural was never an option for kinky-haired girls. Something just clicked; I would never live up to the European standards of beauty. I was longing for this bone straight hair that was not meant for African Americans to have. My hair was breaking off rapidly because I was using a chemical to force my hair to do something that it was never meant to do. One day I just had an "Aha moment" and I decided that I had to go natural.

Q: Did you have any big fears about going back to your natural texture?
A: Yes. In the beginning I was scared that my hair would be too nappy. Then I realized that it was okay if it was. Nappy hair is not bad hair. I had to reprogram the way I thought and everything I was taught about good hair and bad hair. I stopped hoping to have a not so kinky grade of hair and I began to pray to except and love my hair for whatever it was.

Q: What are three products you can't live without for nurturing/styling your hair?
A: Giovanni's Leave-On Conditioner, Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner, and Jason's Biotin Shampoo.

Q: What would you say to someone who's thinking about embracing their natural hair, but scared about being rejected in various parts of their lives?
A: You have to go into it knowing that many people have never seen stylish natural hair and they are going to go off of what they think your hair is going to look like. Just realize that they don't understand now but most will eventually get it. And many people who may dislike your hair when you do the big chop will love it later on. Keep the reasons why you are going natural at the front of your mind. You did it for yourself and no one else. You should have a "I don't care what anyone thinks" kind of attitude:)

Q: How can we keep up with you and your journey i.e. blog, twitter, facebook, fotki, tumblr, personal or professional website?
A: I have a YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/HairCrush

 

You can follow me on twitter: @ManeChick10

And I have a fotki page: http://members.fotki.com/lifesacatwalk/about/

 

Kids Corner – Make your Conditioner!

Natural Ingredients Hair Conditioner

By Ms. NB

One of my lovely daughters (age 12) has recently discovered a passion for trying out homemade conditioners, shampoos and even face mask!  This past weekend, she made her own conditioner, with a natural ingredient recipe that she found online.  She used if after shampooing her hair and loved it.  I asked if she wanted to share it on my blog and she said yes. 

Here is the recipe she tried:

1/4 cup water

1 egg

1/8 cup baby oil

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

"Mix these ingredients until smooth. It may be watery, but that is ok. After you shampoo your hair, rinse it out well. Then part your hair into 3 to 4 sections.  Work the condition mixture into each section by rubbing it in all the way."   Leave the conditioner in and style while wet or when dry.  I have not tried this recipe myself, but her hair was very soft after using the conditioner that she made using the ingredients above.  Here is what she had to say after using the conditioner. "Your hair will feel soft and will make people behind you want to touch your hair. It is especially good for ladies with curly or wavy hair.” –  Ms. NB

Beads, Braids & Beyond

Nikki from Beads, Braids & Beyond  has a great blog where she shows how to create cute hair styles for little girls, along with useful styling tips and kid friendly product information. She also highlights a lot of her readers children and their hair styles.  Look below for my interview with Nikki -

What inspired you to create the Beads Braids Beyond blog?

The lack of information on Biracial/African American children's hair care inspired me to create the blog. I remember being "the clueless mom" and not knowing where to start when it came to my daughter’s hair. I remember goggling and goggling and never being able to find a lot of information on my daughter’s hair type, or being able to find styles that I could. I found countless blogs for children with naturally straight hair, "what about our children?" … I thought. Don't get me wrong, I love those other blogs, but I wanted to see a blog dedicated to natural Biracial/African American children’s hair. I wanted to see our children’s hair being embraced. 

How do you come up with so many creative styles?

All of my style inspirations come from other women and mothers. I browse a lot of different forums, blogs, and other hair care sites and I try to tweak a lot of styles so they are appropriate for my daughter’s age. There are so many talented women out there so I definitely owe my style inspiration to them.

How old is your daughter, and what does she like most about being the star of your blog?

My daughter is 4 years old. I think her favorite thing to do is seeing all of the other children featured on the blog. My daughter is the only child with curly hair in her class so I think it's a nice change to see so many other natural children with curly hair.

She seems to love participating in the styling process. Most kids don't have the patience! What keeps her interested showing off her cool hairstyles?

Well, depending on how long the style takes, we might take breaks. Snack breaks, run around the kitchen table breaks, restroom breaks, etc. I think I keep her interested. We talk the whole time I am styling or washing her hair. If we're watching one of her favorite cartoons/movies I make it a point to sing along with her and dance. Her current favorite is The Princess and the Frog. The songs are really great and when mommy gets into them....it's over! She definitely gets into it and forgets her hair is even being styled! I think the styling process is all about mother and daughter bonding time. It's important for me to show her that doing her hair is not a chore, that I enjoy it, and we should enjoy this time together.

You have a great following. How long have you been blogging?

I started Beads, Braids & Beyond at the end of October 2009. I think it's amazing that the word got out so quickly. This goes to show that people were waiting for something for our kids. I mean...I was waiting myself! I couldn't wait any longer. I actually asked some moms on another hair board if they would make a blog but it seemed like everyone was too busy, so I took the plunge. Your styles and post have been great inspirations to other Moms.

What has been one of your most cherished moments as result of sharing your knowledge through your blog?

Probably all of the emails and comments I get. So many mothers (and non-mothers) email me thanking me for taking the time out to create this blog. Some moms find the blog and are like me when I first started, clueless. They tell me how much the information I provide helps and show me pictures. They tell me there are no more tears during "hair time" and that they now look forward to the mother and daughter bonding experience. I have also had emails and comments thanking me for my Texture Softener post because they were going to use it on their child. I am always happy to hear that they changed their mind about relaxing their child’s hair, or that they are transitioning their little diva.

What are some of the products you use regularly for your daughters hair type?

Right now we are experimenting with products. We have tried lots and it's funny because most of her staple products are pretty cheap: Virgin coconut oil, unrefined shea butter, Herbal Essence Hello Hydration conditioner, Giovanni Direct Leave-in, ORS Lock & Twist Gel. I currently love Blended Cutie Down & Out Styles for her hair. There are other products I really like for her hair but those are the main ones we use.

What is your advice for styling curly hair?

Don't try to fight it! It will fight you back. If your hair wants to be big, it will be big. LET IT BE BIG! A lot of people email me asking how to get "the wet look" and in my opinion, you cannot get the wet look! You can define your curls but it definitely will not look like it does when it's wet once it dries. I don't care what product you use. If the hair wants to be frizzy one day, let it be frizzy. Don't keep chasing your child around the house with a spray bottle filled with water. I am going to take a quote I see in so many forums..."Let it do what it do!"

Beads, Braids & Beyond 
Nikki's You Tube Videos

Loc Socks?!?

My hair is getting pretty long. To the point where regular large scarves do not cover my ends. Because of this, the bottom of my loc's are always exposed when I go to bed. This has caused a lot of thinning on the bottom.
As far as I know, the only other option is Loc Socks. And these things, from what I have seen are not exactly sexy bed time wear. I got a man and I want to keep him! Kidding y'all... lol. I am sure my husband would not mind if I wear the loc socks knowing that its good for my hair. But I would like to find something that doesn't look like I am wearing a big baggy sock on my head.

I did find one site that was put together nicely:  Dreadsockonline.com

I also believe that Lynjonta.com has loc socks, but their only store is temporally closed. But I saw this interesting loc shower cap (picture below), so I will be going back when they reopen their online store.

Cheaplocksocks.com seems to have a large selection, so I may check them out as well. A lot of their socks are priced at $7.00, but they don't cover the ends. 

There's also, SocLocSoc.com. 

If any one has tried Loc Soc's from any brand, write in and let us know what you think of them, and if possible where you got yours. And if any one has found a way to keep their long loc's protected in another way, let us know your ideas and tips.

Healthy Hair Tips

The online October issue of the The Coil Review, published a great article on Healthy Hair Tips (article by The TCR Editor) for hair styles that include coils and curls. But some of these tips can apply to any one. Here is some information to get you on your way to a healthier head of hair:

"There are so many frequently asked questions out there about our natural hair. Some answers are obvious, and others not quite. What I've chosen to do for this month's Natural Tips is to give you a list of quick facts and tips that will help address FAQs about natural coils and curls.

Get familiar and follow this list of quick facts and tips.



1. If Mineral Oil, Petrolatum or Petroleum Jelly are in the list of ingredients of your products, discontinue using it. They are cheap substitutes of healthy emollients. They are known to coat the scalp/hair and clog the follicle, countering healthy hair growth.



2. Avoid combing your hair while it's dry and do not comb too often. Use a moisturizing hair cream or even water to make it easier to run the comb through your coils and curls. Your hair will be more susceptible to tangles and breakage if combed completely dry." (*If you have loc's / dreads - please do not use a cream based conditioner. See below for more information.)



"3. To maintain a healthy scalp, use a light oil like olive oil, drink lots of water a day—up to 8 glasses, and take your hair, skin and nail vitamins regularly—preferably all natural and food-based.



4. Do not scratch your scalp. When you do, you're damaging the epidermal layers of your skin which need to be handled with care. Damage to the skin can effect how the hair grows and if it will grow.



5. Yeast levels produced by your sebaceous glands can rise abnormally for many reasons, which can cause hair thinning and even the development of an alopecia condition. One of the reasons that can do this is not washing the scalp for long periods of time. Maintain a clean scalp. Build up of oils and dirt can effect healthy hair growth.



*This applies to women with both loose and locked hair. "



From Karen - *Note: Cream based conditioners are not healthy for loc's or dreadlock wearers. It can cause buildup and or loc discoloration (It can look like lint or white coating on loc's that's hard to remove). Look for clear or liquid type conditioners with natural ingredients.

Kind of freaked out a little...lol

Last night, I was on the computer with one of my daughter's, playing a learning game. My lovely husband came by and wanted to see how we were doing. So things are going great. Then I realize something. He is holding our cat in his arms, standing above my head. Nothing wrong with that right? Well it would have been cool - if my cat wasn't shedding up a storm. So while my husband is petting my cat above my head, all this cat hair is just falling on my head... Aaaagghhh!!!

I love my cats. But cat hair and loc's do not mix. If cat hair gets in loc's/dreadlocks, it can get embedded in the hair and become a part of the loc. My husband is usually very careful about that kind of stuff. But at that moment, he didn't not realize how much our cat (Jazzy) was shedding. So he helped me get out all the cat hair that was visible to the eye. But after that, I also spent about 10 minutes brushing my locs, just to make sure that all the cat hair was out. Crisis averted... I can breath again.

The Lint Fix - for Loc's!

Good morning! I am barely awake. But I wanted to put together this quick post before starting my day. One of the only unfortunate parts of having loc's/dreads, is that once in a while, we get lint stuck in our hair. This happens because we don't brush our hair daily (as far as I know this is the main reason. Feel free to let me know if there are any other reasons why this happens). Having lint in my loc's is very embarrassing. It has nothing to do with how clean your hair is. You can wash it every day, but the lint will find its way in there some how, from sweaters, towels, blankets... you name it. It's not often, but it happens. For me, its my biggest pet peeve, when it comes to my hair, because I am such a neat freak. I don't ever want to give the impression that I am not a clean person, because I am!

Most of you will already know this quick fix. If you are unable to get the link out, by using your fingers, or tweezers - please do not kill your loc's by breaking them apart, to get the lint out. If you are breaking open your loc's for this, you are weakening the loc and it will eventually fall off. If you are not able to get the lint out, simply use a sharpie marker to mask the color of the lint. All you have to do is quickly dab the small area where the lint is, and the marker ink will cover the color of the lint. And it will no longer be visible. I know leaving the lint in sounds gross, but if you can not get it out - its better to cover it with sharpie, than to kill your locs in the process.

I use the brown marker. It works best for me because I have about three shades in my hair - black, brown and brownish red. So not matter where, the brown will do the trick for me. I don't have to use it often, but I try to carry this with me in case of any emergencies. To cut down on lint, always cover you hair when you sleep at night or when you are cleaning. And also try this brushing technique before washing your hair. It helps to get lint out of your loc's. If any one else knows of any great fix it tips, let us know by replying to this post...

or emailing me at naturalhairbeautfy@gmail.com.

The Big Fix

Ok, so I had no idea I was going to need so many pictures, to show the steps of how I fix my broken loc's. A lot of you will probably already know this tip, but I thought I would share it any way. I would also like people to remark on the fact that my hair "fix it" includes adding hair, which is often a no no, if you are natural... But, I really wanted to find a way to fix fallen, broken or weak loc's without combining loc's. And this works for me. But I am open to hearing your opinion on this process. I also apologize in advance, because this post is so long! If you read my previous post: Poor babies, you already know that I had four loc's that broke off and why.

If you want to try this process, you will need Human Kinky Hair (in a color that matches your locs), a thick thread (also in a color that matches your locs), and a needle.



Follow these steps (see pictures for each step):

1.Needle is inserted into the head of the broken loc.



2.After pulling the thread all the way through, re-insert the needle into the same area, so that the needle comes out of the head of the broken loc (please see picture).



3. Insert needle into the loc, that the broken loc came from.



4. Pull thread so that the loc and broken loc meet together.

5. Take a small amount of the Human kinky hair.

6. Wrap the hair around the section of the loc where it was sewn together.



7. Use the loc as a third piece, as you braid the kinky hair in, to cover the sewn together section. Once you have finished braiding the hair in, it should completely cover the whole section that was sewn together. If there is a little bit of hair human hair left after braiding it in, just wrap the excess hair around the loc.

8. After this is done, your loc should be fully connected. But I would recommend waiting to do this process when you are not planning to wash your hair or do a major style. You want this newly fixed loc to be able to reconnect, and it needs a few days to re-adjust to its new home. Also, after finishing the repair, your loc may have a bumpy appearance. This is easy to fix.

9. Simply use the palm roll method to smooth out the loc. And you are done!

So this is how I fix my locs. With this method, I can avoid combining locs and still save each individual loc maintained, to keep fullness. Let me know what you think of this process. Would you try it? Is it worth it to you, to add hair, in order to avoid combining loc's? And thank you for reading this post. I know.. it is way to long :-).

Poor Babies!

Aww yes... The fallen ones!

No ones loc's or hair is perfect. Me - I am a full time mom, wife and I have a full time job. With this, as most of you know, comes the need to workout, so I can be healthy enough to see my children grow, and to meet and care for my future grand children. I also have to run a household and I have the (sometimes unrealistic) desire to make everyone happy at all times. This means, I am always busy. From 6:00 am till 11:00 pm, I am on the go and always needed by someone, somewhere. This is the life of a working mom and wife, as I am sure most of you are aware of this. I love my family, so I will not complain.

But, I often neglect myself in the process of taking care of everyone else. So that's where my fallen loc's come into play. A little bit of stress, lack of constant maintenance and a crazy crazy schedule has caused me to not only ignore a few week spots, but to just push aside locs that have fallen out!! Man o Man.... Ok, so its time for damage control. I will work on this today and take pictures showing how each of these loc's found a home. Stay Tuned!!

Such a bad habbit... :-(

I just realized that I have been doing something that's damaging to my hair, without even realizing it. If my roots are not freshly twisted and I have fresh new growth at the base of my loc's, I will run my fingers through my hair and pull out little naps when I am bored or stressed. I use to do this once in a while, but just realized that I have been doing this like once or twice a day. This is not a good habit to have. Especially since once I wash my hair, the little naps will loosen up and help to keep the base of my loc's stronger. I need to keep my hand out of my hair. If I keep this up, my hair is going to start to thin out and cause my locs to be thinner and weaker. So I think I just learned my lesson. No hands in my hair unless absolutely necessary...

Finally!

Happy Easter yall! Well I finally washed my hair this morning. And it felt great! I used my favorite shampoo, which is the Dark & Lovely Peppermint Shampoo. I also decided to mix it up and do a second lather with my daughters Herbal Essences Totally Twisted shampoo for curls and waves.

I read somewhere that its good to changed your products every few months to cut down on build up.

I decided to braid my hair so I can get some crinkles. And pined it to the side for Easter dinner.