Hair After Braids...

So...I took my box braids out a few weeks ago. They did not make it as long as I would have liked for two reasons. One, they were super heavy and I felt like I kept hitting my baby with them! I was constantly swinging them out of my face, so much so that I felt like vintage Cher. Two, the ends were cut very blunt and straight across. To me they looked like the ends of shoe laces when they lose that plastic tip. Not cute, imo. Alas, I spent the better part of two days undoing braids, in between baby feedings, changings, and naps.

After the take down, I washed my hair, conditioned and detangled. Before I got the braids, my regimen would then have me set my hair in two low buns to stretch and dry. But I decided to do two-strand twists on wet hair for a defined twist out instead.

Because I am dying to try some new products, but vowed to use up the old ones I have first, I pulled out my jar of Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding to set my twists.

I did medium twists all over, applying a generous dollop of product to each damp section. I only used my fingers to part but I used my denman to smooth. After twisting all the hair I poured a small amount of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in my hands and smoothed it over all the twists. I sealed each end with a tiny spot of shea butter.

I air-dried the rest of the day and that night. The next day, I took down each twist and voila!

Here I am a few days later with a bun (and the baby!) I retwisted the front few twists to redefine in case I wanted to wear it down again.

(Baby and I both LOOOOOVE our green Moby wrap)

Plans for 2011: Hair & Beyond...

Happy New Year wonderful Naturally Leslie readers! I hope you had a super safe and fun holiday season. I tried not to eat too much or spend too much but I must say I definitely indulged with the family when I could. It was so great to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday as well as my first Christmas with the hubby. It was also fun to see snow back in NC and I got to spend a lot of time with mom and some old friends.

I don't know about you all but 2011 promises to be a big year for me! I'll post some pics below to see if you can tell what's in store...

Maybe you can see in the puffy cheeks...

Or the expanding girls (ahem) and gut!!

Noooo it's not too much holdiay food. I am excited to share that the hubby and I are expecting our first little bundle of joy! He'll be making his debut in early March and I can't wait. I feel blessed to have had a great pregnancy thus far including the typical nausea at the beginning and feelings of uber chunkiness here near the end. In the pic above I'm painting letters to hang on the wall behind his crib. (I'd forgotten how much fun arts and crafts can be...not to mention soothing!)

With all the thoughts, fears, worries, anxieties, etc that come with impending motherhood, one thing I don't want to zap my time and energy is my hair! I posted earlier about the changes to my regimen and while they are working wonders for my hair, I can't imagine having a spare moment for my strands immediately following the birth. I would rather be cuddling my little boy than detangling and twisting!

In thinking about what I wanted to do with my hair for the delivery and first months of his life I thought back to my afro twists from 2009. I LOVED them but I also remember they were a bit bulky. That was cool at the time but I think I want to go with something a bit sleeker. When I was in 7th grade, I got box braids a la Janet Jackson from Poetic Justice. I think that is what I'm going to go with, albeit updated for 2011, for the birth and some time beyond.

I'm inspired by these looks:

I loved Jada's braids that she sported back in '09.

Solange recently rocked long braids for New Year's Eve. I love the look but won't go this long:

I plan on using the crown and glory method to take care of my hair while in the extensions. I will post more about that routine along with pics once I get my hair done a few weeks before my due date.

As for posting, I still want to share my trip to the Oyin store in Baltimore as well as my review of the products I purchased while there. Also, I would love to hear what is on your mind! There are so many blogs about hair and beauty nowadays that I would like to know what topics you all interested in. I am open for suggestions and ideas!

Finally, what are your plans for the new year? Did you make any resolutions for hair or beyond? Do share!

Love you guys! ;-)

~Les

Scalp Exfoliation Step- By-Step

With all the conditioners, styling aids and other products we slater on our hair, sometimes the scalp can get really dirty with buildup. Of course, if you wash well every few days or so, you should really be fine. But just like the skin on the face and body benefit from a good exfoliation session, so can your scalp. Check out this routine below. You can exfoliate once a week or less depending on your skin's sensitivity.

Remember not to be too rough! Your scalp is delicate and you don't want to irritate it from too much rubbing or scraping with finger nails. I would personally use this step before I do my wash-conditon-oil regimen each week or week and a half.

Overview:

To exfoliate the skin is to remove old, dead skin cells from the surface of the skin to help maintain and rejuvenate the skin. Most people benefit from an occasional exfoliation of the scalp. Besides removing dead skin cells, it relieves scalp itchiness and product build-up, leaving your scalp refreshed. If you use hair products, like mousse, gel and hairspray, exfoliate your scalp once a week.

Step 1

Mix 1 tbsp. of either brown sugar or quinoa with 3 tbsp. of conditioner and a drop or two of your favorite liquid oil. Brown sugar is an inexpensive natural exfoliant and you may already have some.

Step 2

Massage the exfoliant gently into your scalp using a circular motion for about one minute with the pads of your fingers. Make sure to avoid using your nails which can scratch and damage your scalp.

Step 3

Rinse your hair for 10 to 15 minutes while continuing to massage your scalp with lukewarm water. Too hot and you can irritate and dry your scalp!

Step 4

Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar, diluted with 1 cup of water over your hair into a bowl. Pour the vinegar rinse over your hair about 15 more times, using two bowls and switching them. The vinegar removes any remaining build-up or exfoliant. (You can modify this to suit your needs.)

Modified from HERE.

So there you have it! Who out there already implements scalp exfoliation in their regimen? What are your results?

Routine Tweaks!

For the past few months, I have been trying some new things with my hair routine and thought I'd share. Now, I don't measure my hair but when I last straightened it about a month ago, the back was slightly below my bra strap and the front stretched to about the collar bone. It seems that as my hair gets longer, it gets harder to deal with and I was beginning to dread wash days.

While it was straight, I took the time to cut out some single strand knots. It seemed that for a while, they had become the bane of my existence! I was getting more and more of the little buggers and did not know what to do. On top of that, my scalp was not reacting well to the cold weather. I felt like a hot mess!

So, I decided it was silly to continue doing the same things to my hair and expecting different results. But the last thing I wanted was to devote more time to doing my hair. I abhor sitting under the dryer for long periods of time and the thought of spending my entire Saturday walking around deep conditioning seemed out of the question. (I guess you just get lazy and lose enthusiasm after a decade?) So I decided to try some other tweaks to see if they made a difference.

Here's what I've been trying lately:

1. Wash in two halves. Simple I know. But for some reason I have resisted the wash/condish in sections mantra that seems to be so useful for other naturals. Well, it has made all the difference in the world. When my hair was shorter, washing my whole head with all my hair loose was no big deal. But as my hair gets longer and longer, washing one half at a time really cuts down on the tangling and knotting. This is a must for naturals once hair gets past sholder-length for sure!

2. Detangling in the shower. Well, after I wash each half I apply a slippery conditioner and run a bit of water over the section to make everything even more slippery. I take a wide toothed comb and detangle one half at a time. I used to be obsessed with using my denman or a detangling comb to go over every inch but now as long as I get the big tangles out, the rest I can work through as I twist. My detangling time went from 30 minutes to about 3. And yes, that is without me ripping or breaking a bunch of hairs.

3. Apply oil to my scalp after I apply the conditioner in the shower. Well, once I have detangled and both sections are secured with a ponytail holder, I just take one down, take a bottle of oil (olive, almond, grapeseed, whatever) and apply oil to my scalp. I section off portions of my hair with my fingers to expose the scalp and simply add the oil. Once I have gone through one half of my head, I massage with the pads of my fingers then twist the section up, securing with an elastic. I repeat this on the other side then proceed to finish the showering process. Finally, when I rinse I am left with super conditioned hair as well as a lubricated scalp which eliminates me having to add oil when I get out and style. This step has really helped with my dry scalp issues over time. I read on one site that too much added oil could actually feed the bacteria that cause some scalp problems, resulting in even more flakes. I feared I was excessively oiling my scalp and exacerbating the issue. Now, my scalp is lubricated and flake free without being overly oily.

4. Stretching the hair. Again, when my hair was shorter, this was a step that felt very optional. Now it is required to keep me from losing hair and my sanity. I don't bother anymore with doing small twists while my hair is wet. I do about 12 total, working on one half of my head at a time. Again working in halves has saved my hair and my ends. I lose far less hair and styling is done in about 30 minutes versus the 1-1.5 hrs I spent in the past. I was over detangling and over twisting. Now, once the 12 large twists dry, I can twist in smaller sections if I choose. Also, drying hair in larger sections means less coils to get tangled on each other. Bigger equals looser and that equals retention for me.

5. Shea butter for my ends when wet/damp. I'll admit it. I got lazy with this one step and my ends have screamed at me in protest. They were splitting and knotting like crazy! I kept wondering what the heck was going on and now I know I was not taking the time to seal them after each wash. Now, I make sure I apply a pea sized amount, melted between my fingers, to the end of each big twist as I prepare the stretched style. When my ends dry, they are smooth and less likely to tangle on each other or knot up. I cannot neglect to do this or it's back to splitsville.

So, long story short, these few tweaks have totally changed my hair. Less time spent, less energy wasted, healthier scalp, and better ends and length retention. I feel like I'm back in control of this mane and it no longer controls me....or my weekends!

What if any routine tweaks have you recently made that you can share for the good of the group?

Henna-Take Two

This weekend I decided to skip the Amla and dive right into my henna treatment. I mentioned last week that I went to a local Indian grocer and found some Dulhan henna. I bought 200 grams and on Friday night made a mix to use on Saturday.

The last time I did henna was months and months ago. Part of the reason that I have not done it again is because I ordered the henna from the internet. I HATE ordering things from the internet because I am impatient and like the instant gratification of picking up something from the store. So, I was glad to find some henna so close by and I think I will be doing treatments more often as a result.

To prep my henna mix, I followed this video by the lovely Mop Top Maven.

I used the following:

~ 1/2c Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner

~1c Lustrasilk Organic Cholesterol

~2c hot water

~A few squirts of Vatika Coconut Oil before applying

After mixing all my ingredients I covered the henna with plastic wrap and left in the fridge overnight so the dye would release. It was a green sludge when I put it in and a brown sludge with orange-ish droplets on the surface when I pulled it out the next day. I mixed in the Vatika oil right before I applied the henna to my hair.

After mixing in the Vatika, I proceeded to the bathroom where I covered the floor and counter with a dark towel (this stuff gets everywhere so please cover any surface that you don't want ruined!). I parted my hair in 4 sections and started applying it with my gloved hands to the back right section. My hair was dry and had not been washed for a few days. I did no prep to it whatsoever.

Here you can see where I rolled the right side into a bun and am working on the left back portion.

After the henna was totally covering all sections, I smoothed it all together and piled it on top of my head, covering with a few shower caps and then one of the towels. I left the henna on for about 3 hours total. The application process was much easier than the first time I henna'ed because of the conditioners I added.

I made sure to clean off all of the skin around my face and my ears so they would not be stained orange! Clean-up was tricky because henna manages to end up in places you would not even imagine. If it is your first time, you may want to put down extra towels or newspaper. Gloves are NOT an option!

After a few hours passed, I rinsed my head in the tub, using the pressure of the water to loosen the paste from my strands. I gently finger-combed and separated my hair to rinse all the henna out. It took about 10 minutes to rinse clean. Then I followed up with Aussie 3 Minute Miracle DEEEEP conditioner, covering it with a plastic cap. I would have deep treated with heat but my table-top dryer broke the day before... :-(

My hair after rinsing out the henna..curls were definitely defined!

A few strands near the front...

After rinsing the conditioner out, I braided my hair in sections using my CocoShea mix (half shea, half coconut oil) and IC Fantasia gel. You can see where I had a grey hair and it turned orange-ish copper from the henna.

I let them dry overnight then took them down this morning and separated with my fingers. They were not completely dry so I lost some definition but that is ok. I re-twisted tonight with some shealoe mix and hopefully I will have a nice twist-out in the morning.

So there you have it! I plan to henna more now that I know where to get it locally. I am hoping to have stronger hair as a result. What have your henna experiences been like?

Moms and Daughters Bond Over Hair

Photo from Essence.com

Moms and daughters often have a special bond. It is usually an unspoken thing that is cultivated and nurtured through times spent together talking, shopping, cooking, etc. One of the most universal activities moms and daughters engage in is the ritual of doing hair.

I can vividly remember back to my first house as a child, where my mom would sit me down on the floor between her legs before work to do my hair. She would wet it with water from a spray bottle and apply some kind of grease, brushing it up into ponytails that she would plait or twist. In every picture I have from my childhood, I notice my cutely coordinated outfits and tiny shoes. But most of all, I can't help but to notice how fresh and neat my hair always looked. My mom would spend a great deal of time and patience parting and braiding, adding barettes and bows to make my hair look cared for and loved.

The Washington Post beautifully captures the intimacy of the mom and daughter hair ritual in their piece by Lonnae O'Neal Parker entitled Balm: By styling her daughters' hair each morning, she was attending to something deeper than a beauty ritual. The piece is one mother's reflection on the experience of sharing time with her daughter during their daily grooming practice. She even reflects back on her experience as a child, getting her hair done by her mother before work.

One passage really struck a chord and brought to mind what it used to be like for my mom and me as we struggled through my massive bunch of kinky coily locks in the mornings before school and work.

My mother, a Chicago schoolteacher for 33 years, combed my hair and my sister's hair for 35 minutes every morning in her slip so as not to get hair grease on her work clothes. She reminds me of how much those mornings used to hurt. "You'd want to turn around and look at me with all this woe on your face so that maybe I would stop," Momma remembers. "But, you know, I couldn't stop, because you had to have your hair combed." And she had to get to work. And every two weeks, when she washed my hair, "it would be all over your head, like you had an afro the size of a small umbrella and that had to be pulled back down in something I could reasonably deal with."

The piece is accompanied by some lovely images that sweetly capture the essence of this bonding experience.

The article is touching and I am sure most of you will find some part of yourself in it. Read it and come back to let me know your memories of getting your hair done by mom (or whoever raised you).

Mallorie's Tips for TWAs

Let's try this again.....

I love it when other naturals find a system that works for them...and then they share!!! I wish I had someone to look up to when my hair was first growing out. I was clueless and had no "role model" to follow. Fortunately for you all, there's Mallorie! Isn't she adorable, btw??

Mallorie sent me this email and I just had to share it with our NL community. Check out her routine and fabulous results.

Lately, I have gotten tired of the wash 'n gos, and I can't seem to preserve a twist out for the life of me... probably because my hair is not long enough to put in a high ponytail at night ;-) Since the weather is getting colder, and my hair is growing a bit, I have been on a protective styling quest. I wanted to share this protective style that I developed for TWAs, inspired by your twisted updo that you had for the recent photoshoot you were in.

1st pic (above) shows the length of my hair untwisted

2nd pic is shrunken and curly (1 and 2 are for those who doubt their hair is long enough)

3rd, 4th and 5th are the twist style

6th pic is my day 6 and 7 twist-out look

I wash, deep condition, detangle, and twist on a Sunday. This style lasts the whole week. I take the twists out on Friday night or Saturday, and wear a cute twist-out look (ex:mohawk) look until Sunday evening rolls around. This is my 5th cycle of doing this, and I have been getting so many compliments. People can't believe that I did it myself. To twist, I use Cantu Shea Leave-In and then dip my finger in Carol's Daughter Loc Butter, Raw Unrefined Shea Butter, or Aloe Vera Gel (I have tried each one on different occasions and they all work equally great). I make small to medium twists all over my head, and then strategically pin them back with bobby pins to the desired look... basically until they are all up and accounted for. By day 3, I like to add headbands like the Goody Stay-Put athletic bands, or even fun regular handbands with feathers or jewels.

I encourage all of my fellow TWAs to try this... who says that we can't play around with protective styling this fall too?!

I love her creativity and the results look great! Thanks for sharing this with us, Mallorie!

A Natural Indulgence: At-Home Scalp Massage

In this recession there are many indulgences we natural ladies have had to skimp on. But, lucky for us, there is one simple indulgence we can hold on to that can be done daily in the privacy of our own homes. I am talking about a soothing, stimulating scalp massage!

Many naturals swear by it for relaxation and hair growth so I am thinking about adding it to my normal routine. If nothing else, it will be a soothing way to unwind before bed after a long day at work.

So here's what you need to know about scalp massages:

A properly done scalp massage can increase blood circulation to the hair follicles, increase relaxation, decrease stress, condition the scalp, and boost the strength of the hair roots. The kneading pressure applied by massage warms the skin and opens up blood vessels to increase flow and boost circulation. Increased circulation means that the cells of the hair follicle will receive more of the nutrients necessary to optimal hair growth function. The rubbing motion promotes relaxation and feels good, thus increasing the production of "feel good" chemicals that work to lower levels of stress hormone in the body. Lower stress levels allow your organs to function more efficiently, thus boosting your hair follicle's ability to grow hair.

If you use nourishing oil (like grapeseed, coconut, or jojoba) during scalp massage the oils will condition the scalp, reducing the occurrence of dandruff and dry skin that can interfere with the hair growth process. Oils also condition the hair shaft and root lessening the chances of brittleness, hair strand breakage, and split ends. (Info taken from HERE)

Follow these tips for great scalp massaging technique:

*1. Start from the forehead hairline along the arteries in the front, side, and back of the head, making small circles with your fingertips.

2. Work your way toward the top of the head as if drawing a circle.

3. Massage your hair/scalp for just ten minutes a day: once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Do not give up after a few days. Make it a habit! You can also massage your scalp when shampooing your hair.

*Info from HairBoutique

Reader Question - Aphogee Treatment

One reader asked:

Hi, I had a quick question. You blogged about using the Aphogee 2step treatment in January. I know you liked the results, but did you ever do it again? I am looking for a intensive protein treatment.

Well, like I told her in my response email, NO I did not use it again. The real reason has nothing to do with the results. I cannot stand the stinky smell of that stuff. I figure if I feel the need to protein-it-up again I can find plenty of other sources. Plus, I had a cut on my finger and it burned the living daylights out of me! I felt like I had acid on my head and I was fearful of getting it into my eyes. Many people love the stuff and if you do, great! I just won't be going there again.

Before you do protein though, take a look at this vid. I thought it was interesting because, like InspiredCoils, I did the treatment not really feeling sure that I actually needed it. She raises good points about looking at what you are already using for protein content.



This video is great. She gives a shout out to a bunch of my fave products, Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner, Infusium 23, aloe vera gel, vegetable glycerin, castor oil, and coconut oil. She also sort of addresses pj'ism by talking about trying to use all products in the cabinet before buying new ones. Again, this is a great rule, but she brings up a good point. If it ain't working, DITCH IT!!!! It is not worth sacrificing the health of your hair to save a buck.

A lot of people are talking about protein but here are a few links to some blogs I found to be pretty helpful:

http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com
and
http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2009/06/size-matters-protein-conditioning-part.html (check out parts one and two)

http://www.curlynikki.com/2009/02/protein-sensitivity-revisited.html

http://motowngirl.com/

40+ Naturals - Meet Marci!

Hey guys! I have not posted in about a week, things are wrapping up with school and I am super busy.
But please allow me to introduce our second 40+ Natural...Marci!

Marci, a lovely 42 year old natural, graciously agreed to do the interview and sent us some great pics of her hair. I think you will find that Marci is a wonderful inspiration and full of effervescence. Her story is a testament to the fact that sometimes it takes a few "go's" to go natural and stay natural but when you do, it is so freeing!

When did you decide to go natural and what led to that decision?

This is my third attempt at going natural. This time is the final TIME! I am more relaxed when I am a natural. Curling irons or a flat iron is NOT my kind of thing. My natural is so much easier to style! I am not good at styling my hair. The very first time I went natural, was because my ex-husband told me I was his Jill Scott and he liked her look! I loved it. I was trying to get a new look with my natural and got a haircut! BIG MISTAKE!!!!! It was shoulder length, at that time. The stylist, (unfamiliar with natural hair), basically gave me a low cut fade. I ran back to a perm for fear of a TWA. (teenie weenie afro). The last time, I was so tired of the curling iron! This time, I ran back to my NATURAL, the hair that I am most comfortable with. Finally, I did the big chop and am happy with my look!

Did you transition or big chop to natural? How did you make that decision?

I did a little of a transition for 4 months. I went in for a big chop and have not turned back. It was easy, since this was my third time being a natural.

What are your favorite products and styles?

Miss Jessie Curly Buttercreme and Miss Jessie's Baby Buttercreme, Shea Butter, Darcy’s Botanicals- Madagascar Vanilla!

I wear twist outs or coil outs. I also love to make homemade concoctions with shea butter. I have one that has sheabutter, castor oil, honey and peppermint oil. My hair loves this!!!

Currently, I am using Kinky Curly Curling Custard. Or a co-wash and apply the Madagascar Vanilla.

If you just recently went natural, what were your expectations, fears, or concerns beforehand? How did you feel after you made the transition?

I was afraid that my hair wouldn't grow. This is my third time and I guess I didn't really pay attention to how my hair grew the last 2 times. I never did the Big Chop before- I would transition using micros, this is my first time doing the BC. I am loving my hair so much this time! and discovering all these cute ways to style my hair!

What have been the reactions from family, friends, co-workers, peers?

My mom has always wanted me to wear my natural hair. My co-workers are another story. I am the only black in the office out of 8 people. One of the guys always compliments my hair when I wear the flower. The women want to touch it. I am tender headed so that is a NO! I think that also might be a reason I went natural! One friend asked, ‘Why I don't want a perm?’ I told her I guess the same reason, you don't wear a natural!

What was it like to go to work after the change to natural?

I really didn't care what they thought- I love me! If they didn't like it, oh well! I am ME! and I love my hair!!!

What has been the most unexpected change since you’ve been natural?

That I would learn how to really STYLE it in a bunch of cute ways! I want a fro hawk! and I know I could rock it, once it grows out some more!

What advice would you give another 40+ woman wanting to go natural?

40 is about being fun, flirty, and fabulous! Go for it!

Fly over 40!

Lovely Fro with Flower:

Kinky Curly Curling Custard:

Cute Puff:

Are you a PJ?? A Response to BGLH

I admit I had never heard the term product junkie until I started reading natural hair blogs last year. Of course it refers to someone who is constantly buying new products with the zeal of a "junkie", even if they already have similar items at home. It is an interesting term and so true for a lot of people, myself included at times. Black Girl with Long Hair did a great post about hair regimens getting out of control within the natural hair world and I just had to comment. It got me thinking about my own product-buying habits as of late and how I have felt influenced by the different blogs and You Tube videos online. I began to feel out of the loop on certain things when really what I have been doing and using works just fine for me.

I have been natural for a while now so I thought I was beyond that phase. But every now and then I relapse when people start posting about the amazing results they have with "such and such" product or this-n-that routine. And going to the natural hair show in Atlanta was another time I felt compelled to try new stuff. It's not all bad, sometimes you do come across a great product that really works well and fits nicely into your routine. But other times, you look up and realize you have 11 bottles of this or 5 jars of that and it is all sitting under your sink, collecting dust.

So I made myself follow one simple rule when it comes to product buying:

If I have one already, I can't buy a new one until it's gone.

This applies to anything - shampoo, conditioner, gels, combs, rollers, whatever. I have not always followed this rule but it helps when I stroll past a beauty supply store or the hair care aisle in Walmart. Here's another one that's good:

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

That means, if I like the conditioner I am using, I won't stop or throw it away just because someone else says it's bad. Or just because a certain technique works for someone else does not mean it will work for me.

Here are some more tips I found in this article. They refer to beauty products but work for hair stuff as well:

Only shop when needed. This may seem like a simple point, but think about the number of times you've gone into a store like Bath and Body Works just to "browse." You're bound to come out with a couple of lotions or sprays. Especially during sales. If you must go to the mall walk by those stores that tempt you. Avoid the beauty aisle in grocery stores. Don't even use it as a shortcut to another section of the store. You may be lured in by that new diet pill you saw on television. Bath and Body Works gets me all the time!

Don't read about new products. If you're facial cleanser is working beautifully for you, don't search for a new one. If the latest cleanser is any good, it'll still be available when you've finished the one you have. If you're bombarded with advertisements, blogs and forums raving about a project, tuck the review in the back of your mind and proceed to point below. I'm guilty of this guys...

Swap beauty products with your friends. It's like getting something new, but it won't cost you a thing. Swapping products also allows you to try out new things. This works best with other product junkies also looking for their next fix. This is fun AND free! I give my best girl friend lip gloss or eye shadows all the time and she loves it!

Sometimes trying new things is fun, especially when you are new to the natural thing. There is nothing wrong with trying a new look when you feel the time is right. But when it becomes a money issue or a competition-like "I'm trying to keep up with the other naturals" issue, it is a bigger problem. Considering I am still in "broke grad student" status, I'm going to do my best to take my own advice! So thank you BGLH for this nudge, I am back on my mission to spend wisely and focus on what works for me. Each head is so different so stick with that works for you. Good luck to you all and go check out the BGLH post if you have not already!

Reader Question!!!

Tamandra asked "can you tell us the steps you took to straighten your hair? what products did you use?" Sure Tamandra!




So here is what I did:
1. Washed with Taliah Waajid Total Body Black Earth Shampoo

2. Conditioned with Pantene Relaxed and Natural Mask

3. Sprayed slightly diluted Infusium 23 Leave In Treatment to my whole head

4. Applied Taliah Waajid Black Earth African Healing Oyl to my whole head (I got a sampe of this stuff from the hair show and LOVED it!)

5. Pulled my hair back into a low bun (like I had it for graduation) and applied a scarf - I do this to minimize the blow drying time and it straightens some of the roots in the front.

After these steps I let it dry a little so that the front would be pretty much be flat.
Then, I blew out my hair (on medium) in sections, detangling as much as I could beforehand. After that, I flat ironed in sections with a Revlon Ceramic flat iron . I could see where many of my ends had those annoying little knots so I took that as an opportunity to trim. I ended up taking off up to an inch in some places but at least a fourth of an inch in others. I then curled my hair with Revlon 3/4 inch curling irons.

At night I have been adding a little coconut oil to the ends, putting my hair in a satin bonnet and that's it!

What I would do differently next time:

1. Prep freshly washed hair with some kind of heat protectant before or after the leave-in.

2. Instead of pulling hair into bun ( I used to do this a long time ago when I straightened but since my hair is so much longer it does not work as well), I would make four braided sections to let my hair dry.

3. Not do it during summer since, duh, it's so freakin humid.

So that's it! Any suggestions???

I Luv Luv Luv BeautifulBrwnBabyDol!

Here's an update from You Tube's BeautifulBrwnBabyDol on what she does to her natural hair. She has worn her hair in twists for so long and it's nice to see her beautiful kinks and curls (check out her fotki updated with new pics). It's an update on her products and regimen, she uses a lot of Karen's Body Beautiful products. I have never actually tried those products but she says they smell soooo good and I LOVE that. Actually, that was one of the reasons I went natural- I could cleanse as often as I wanted and no longer had to deal with burnt smelling hair! Anyways....I love her spirit and joyful presentation. She's just fun to watch!

Glamazini's Conditioning & Washing Routines for Short or Long Naturals

Hey guys! You know I love You Tube and always looks to it for info, inspiration, ideas, etc. I love Glamazini's videos as well as her oh so informative site. Here are two vids she posted a few months ago about what she does to wash and condition her hair. I really like her alot and I remember her from years ago before she got married and updated her site. It has been cool to watch her hair progress. Her hair has gotten pretty long and she does cool styles with twists, braids and more. I also like that she features her husband's hair as well since he wears his pretty long. My favorite thing on her site is her wedding photos. She wore her natural hair in a beautiful bun with twists. Such a cutie! Check her out!

Short Hair (<5inches)


Longer Hair (> 5 inches)

Afro Twists Update

Hey guys and gals! This coming Wednesday, the 22nd, will make 6 weeks I've had my hair in Afro twists! I am still loving them and contemplating how much longer to keep them in. The stylist said three months but I seriously doubt I'll go that long. So far, they look pretty decent still. The parts have pretty much disappeared and I have lost a few around the front and back edges. For those pieces, when I wash, I just coat the hair with oil and curl around my finger to form a little ringlet. I actually think this makes it look more real since some of my hair is exposed. Also, some in the back "kitchen" area have slipped down a lot but are still hanging on. I think in the second pic below you can see one hanging down really farThey still feel very lightweight and have more movement since they don't fall the way my hair was initially parted.

These shots were taken right after I left the World Natural Hair and Health Show in ATL.



This has been my regimen overall:
1) Wet my hair under warm running water
2) Use Giovanni Smooth as Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo on the roots. (I just pour in my hands, and massage into my scalp with my finger tips)
3) Rinse really well to make sure all residue is gone from the shampoo
4) Apply coconut oil or Taliah Waajid African Healing Oyl (I got a sample from the hair show and LOVED it!) lightly to my scalp with my fingertips and massage in
6) Towel blot the hair dry
5) Spray Aussie Leave In Conditioner and/or Infusium Leave In to the twists
6) Lightly blow dry the rest of the way with a hairdryer and diffuser on warm

Overall, I would say this has worked fine. Some that have gotten a little fuzzy looking I just un-twisted to the braided part at the root and re-twisted. Here are what I perceive to be the pros and cons of Afro twists in case you ever considered getting them:

Benefits:
Protective style
Get up and go!
Less Products Used
No prep for gym workouts
Quick drying time
Looks pretty natural
No shrinkage when I wash

Drawbacks:
One style for weeks at a time (I get so bored so this has been a little hard for me)
Expensive!
The hair is a little scratchy, better than kinky twists, but not as soft as real hair (of course)

I like these a lot and the more I wash them the more I like them. In the future, I might consider getting them in the fall/winter since I don't like leaving the house with my hair wet when it's cold. I miss playing with my hair but I am enjoying this break!

BeautifulBrwnBabyDol!!

If you're like me you spend a good amount of time digging through You Tube videos to see what other naturals are doing and saying. One day while I was checking out one of my favorite You Tube gals I came across BeautifulBrwnBabyDol's channel. This lady is fabulous! I love the way she talks and I love her personality. Many of her videos are about her own natural hair journey while others focus on her amazing weight loss!! This girl lost an incredible amount of weight all on her own using workout DVDs and by changing her diet. She is really positive and opinionated and I just enjoy watching her vids.

Check out her channel and her Fotki where you can see her step-by-step pictorial of her two-strand twist extensions.

I tried to do these myself before I decided on getting them done but I failed!! Now that I've seen someone do it in person I have a better idea of how I to do it myself. If you're thinking about getting some I suggest watching her how-to video and give it a try first.

Here is her two-strand twist extension tutorial video:

Coconut Cake & Afro Twists... an Update

Hey guys! Random ALERT: I LOVE coconut cake! There was some on the counter when I got home from internship today and I killed it. :)

I just wanted to say that I have had these Afro twists for a week and 2 days...and so far I LOVE them! It has been so cool to just get up and go without having to untwist, fluff, flounce, pick, wet or otherwise mess with my hair. I have not posted anything in the past few days because I have been so busy with school. This is my first real moment of "down time" I've had in a week.

So far I have washed them once. When the ladies twisted my hair, they put something on my scalp as they twisted. I could not see it but if my nose was correct I would say it was Let's Jam - you know, the slick gelatinous styling gel that is not really meant to go on your scalp! By the end of the week my scalp was done! To wash, I put my twists into ponytails, about 5 or 6 all over. The hope was I could get at my scalp without getting all the hair totally wet. I used a color applicator bottle to apply diluted shampoo and warm water to my scalp and I massaged it for a few minutes.

Then, I rinsed in the kitchen using the sprayer, again trying to get my scalp only. After I was done, I towel dried the hair that got wet and I used a blow dryer with a diffuser on cool to help dry the rest. I lightly applied some coconut oil to my scalp and braid spray/Infusium to the hair. Pretty easy! Now, they lay better and the ends are more curly. So far so good!

Afro Twists to the Rescue!!!

Hey guys! I hope your Sunday is going well, mine is rainy and gray! I posted last week about being tired of messing with my hair and needing a break. So on Wednesday, I went to G-boro to get some Afro twists. It took about four hours in total, there were two people working on me at once. I think they did a good job and they did not braid too tight. The base of each twist is a braid and then they began the actual twist part. The ends were left loose as opposed to twisting all the way down. The hair they used is from the Nafy collection and I think it is just Black. She made them about the length of my hair so I think it looks pretty natural, for the most part. To prep, I washed, conditioned/detangled, used KC Knot Today as a leave in, applied Sweet Almond oil to scalp and hair, then lightly blow dried my hair so they wouldn't have to rip through it as they parted. I think that worked pretty well and I did not lose much hair during the twisting process. I would definitely advise this to anyone thinking about getting any kind of extensions considering how they went through my hair obviously not caring about being gentle (at least not the kind of gentle my hair is used to getting from ME). The lady used a rat tail comb to section and 'detangle' any snarls she came to and she started from the root first (Aghhh :-/)! Luckily she did not have much 'detangling' to do so although I cringed as I watched her do it she did not seem to wreak much havoc.
Here is the finished product!

They did this diamond pattern all over my head which I suppose made the twists lay better:


Some back shots:


And the sides:



And this is my in my boyfriend's bathroom trying to get a shot in the mirror, lol.


So far I like them. I am definitely looking forward to a few months of no styling. I plan to wash my scalp as needed with a diluted shampoo and use Infusium/braid spray to mist the hair every few days or so as recommended on GrowAfroHairLong.com. I will use a light oil like Sweet Almond sparingly on my scalp if I feel that is needed too. My friend says these look better as they get older so I look forward to seeing what they will be in a month!