Every New Year we all make resolutions and most of us break our resolutions within a month, according to scientists who study that sort of thing. This year, I'm focusing on 3 managable resolutions: flossing daily, getting more exercise, and being on time. So far, I'm flossing about every other day and I've joined a local adult basketball league (2 games each week), so those are going pretty well. That last one is gonna be a struggle, but I'm gonna keep trying! Anyways, we all make these resolutions for our health and our daily lives, but what about our hair? I've decided to make 3 hair resolutions this year as well:
Try more styles. In my first year of natural hair, I think I did pretty well in finding hairstyles that suited my length, personality, and profession. I did the basic fro, fro w/headband, twists, twists pinned up, twistouts, roll and tuck, and even some spontaneous Bantu knots (when my twists looked a little crazy). This year I wanna try at least 5 more new styles. At least one of my friends is getting married this year, so that'll be a good opportunity to try at least one new fancy style!
Replace my sulfate-free, silicone-filled leave-in w/ a silicone AND sulfate-free one. It's tough to find one that doesn't have either silicones or sulfates, AND has a pleasant smell, but a friend recommended Giovanni's Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture conditioner. I plan to test it out next time I wash my hair, but before I use up what I have (Herbal Essences Dangerously Straight and Aussie Moist).
Attempt the original Tightly Curly method on longer hair. I tried it when my hair was too short for a puff and it didn't turn out great. I'd like to try it again now that my hair has pretty much doubled in length. Hopefully it works out better. Until then, I'll stick to my modified version (I twist my hair, rather than define my curls).
In every natural's life, there comes a time when someone will be so overcome by the beauty and wonder that is your hair that they will feel compelled to TOUCH IT!! Those who have recently BC'd may say "no big deal", but those of us with some length and who wear our hair in a variety of styles (twists, coils, updos, or whatever) may shrink back in fear. For the time when you see people getting the itch to scratch your head, I've composed some suggestions:
Be clear and explicit in explaining how your hair can be handled by those closest to you. For some reason, a lot of people think that loose natural hair requires no styling and therefore is subject to random probing.
Explain to your significant other that your hair may come out of its style if fondled roughly. You know what I mean!
Try to refrain from utilizing martial arts in protecting your coif. This may be especially difficult for the aggressive natural.
Develop a good side eye. When someone attempts to touch your hair, and you wish they'd keep their hands to themselves, turn to face them, look them squarely in the eye and then SIDE EYE the hell out of them!
Decide under which conditions you will allow people to touch your hair. For me, I will let another natural touch my hair pretty much all day long; however, random folks get the case-by-case screening because some people get nap-happy.
Explain to your significant other AGAIN how to handle your hair w/TLC if s/he plans to handle you w/TLC. You may need diagrams. I pretty much allow my boo free reign unless my hair is up and tucked away, which he knows took me some doing. He knows that it's play time if my hair is in twists, a fro, or a puff, as long as he does not leave "holes" in my hair.
When all else fails, channel Ms. Sophia (from the play The Color Purple, not the movie The Color Purple) and state in a strong, clear voice "Helllllllllllllllllll, NO!"
I decided to write a brief post about a subject that has come up infrequently since I went natural and is very near and dear to me. I am currently in an interracial relationship and some people have been curious to know what he thinks of my hair (he's blue-eyed and brown-haired). In short, he LOVES it! He likes to smell it, touch it, play in it, and he even likes to look at pictures of my different hair styles. He has looked at countless pictures of me w/long, straight hair and always wrinkles his nose and says, "well, I like your hair however YOU wanna do it". When pressed further, he admits that he prefers my hair natural. I love that he loves my hair. When I first went natural, I was a little worried about the reactions of men and didn't want to look masculine. Other new naturals have voiced this concern, too. I noticed that I got one of two reactions from Black men. They either loved it or hated it. I actually had a Black, male co-worker tell me he thought I looked better w/straight hair and that I did not seem suited for natural hair. WTH!?! I heard a lot of talk of "good hair" and "at least you're light-skinned" and I also got a little weary of the "soul sistah" comments. I seriously need to have a shirt made that says "It's just HAIR!", but I digress. I love my hair, but I love it for it's uniqueness, not because it's a political statement or an expression of my Blackness (I was plenty Black with the creamy crack). I really appreciate that my boyfriend sees my hair as an extension of me and not a costume or an accessory. Even cuter, he remembers exactly how my hair was when we met (in a twist out pony puff, although he would never call it that). In general, I love when men are not only tolerant or accepting of natural hair, but wholly appreciative.
Happy Thanksgiving! In honor of the holiday, here is a veritable buffet of product and technique reviews! Don't get the 'itis"!
My routine is posted on another page, but it's as follows: Pre-poo, co-wash twice or poo & co-wash at beginning of month, deep condition, clarify at end of month. I only use shampoo once a month and I only clarify (with ACV-see review below) once a month, unless it's been a really product-filled month and I want to make sure it's build-up free or to give a product a fair shot.
Coconut milk/coconut cream :
I combined the review, because they are such similar products. I would probably use milk for finer hair and cream for thicker hair, but both of these make pretty good deep conditioning treatments. They're a little messy and you will probably want to pour this through your hair over the tub. I used standard soup can-sized cans which I picked up from Walmart for about $1.50. I have also purchased coconut cream from a local international grocery store for $1.75. I co-washed and thoroughly rinsed my hair. After squeezing most of the water out of my hair, I applied the can of coconut milk or cream to my hair, squeezing it through. After I thoroughly saturated my hair, I covered my hair with two plastic caps (you can also use a hat or a hot towel or you can skip that part, as the heat from your head naturally opens your hair cuticles up). After leaving the milk/cream in my hair for an hour, I rinsed my hair with cold water. My hair smelled nice, felt stronger, and retained it's softness. Coconut is a leading ingredient in many shampoos and conditioners and is often added in whole or part to products to add protein to them. My hair does not require frequent protein treatments, but I did not observe any protein sensitivity or brittleness. Enjoy!
PhytoMoisture hair mask
I picked this up at a local Ollie's Outlet store and tried it on a whim. I LOVED the scent (orange cream) and felt that it did a decent job of moisturizing my hair, but not necessarily better than any other product or concoction I've liked. I believe I paid about $6-7 for my jar, but it regularly sells for about $30. I would purchase this again on sale or at a discount store, but I wouldn't pay $30 for it.
DevaCurl B'Leave-In
Ick! This stuff made my hair dry as all get out. I really wanted to like it, because my favorite blogger Curly Nikki raves about one of the company's other products, Set It Free. Unfortunately, this was no love match. I tried it on freshly co-washed hair, old hair, and clarified hair to no avail. I applied it over my hair with another conditioner in my hair (which I always do anyway) as recommended by the company, as it's supposed to be more of a curl enhancer than a true leave-in and I swear it ATE the Aussie Moist up! The company suggests to use it in combination with another conditioning product and I used I got this product at Ollie's Wholesale Outlet for about $3 and it regularly sells for about $18. I wouldn't even pay the $3 again.
Dry hair product distribution (supposed to enhance curl pattern for 4A/B)
This is a great idea! Most of the time, I follow the routine described at the top, but this is great if you want to extend the life of your twist out or other set or if you have stretched your hair. I used this product on an old twist out. I have applied shea butter, conditioner, and olive oil EcoStyler gel to my dry hair and have noticed more enhanced curl pattern. I always like my hair to be extremely moisturized, so I do not use any heat styling with the exception of my bi-annual trims (my stylist clarifies, deep conditions, blows out, and silk wraps my hair in order to trim it).
Cinnamon/Honey hair lightener/highlighter I have used this recipe to slightly lighten my dark brown hair. I am not interested in actual blondeness or what I like to call "Black people blonde" (natural honey or wheat-colored hair), but I tried it for a little warmth in my hair, since my hair is so dark that it's almost black. I have used this recipe three times and noticed that my hair was about a shade lighter (still plenty dark, but a warmer brown color). Do not try this recipe thinking that you will get instant results. Depending on how dark your hair is to start with, your hair will lift about a 1/2 shade with each application. There are many recipes on YouTube and Google, but the recipe I used required 1/4 cup of cinnamon, one cup of a moisturizing conditioner (I used Suave's Almond and Shea Butter conditioner) and 2 TBS of honey. Mix well, and allow to sit for about an hour before applying. Apply to damp hair and squeeze through to make sure all hair is coated. Cover with plastic caps and allow to release for one full day. I put the mixture in my hair, cover it with the caps, and then put on a hat (allowing a few inches to show for style. Everywhere I went, people loved the smell (like fresh gingersnaps) and were excited to see the outcome. Message me for more info on this method.
Apple Cider vinegar rinse I use a water bottle filled about 3/4 with water and then top off with ACV. This is a multi-purpose rinse. It clarifies your hair, removing product build-up, cleanses the scalp, and enhances shine and curl pattern/definition. ***This will not actually change your curl pattern, but will give you a more prounounced version of whatever you have. For example, my 4A/4B hair clumps better to produce more defined coils and mini-ringlets. ***
Castile soap shampoo
I like to use Almond scented Dr. Bronner's castile soap that I purchased sample sizes of for 99 cents each. I use a water bottle that is mostly full of water and add a capful of soap to it. Shake it up and you have instant shampoo! It has no sulfates or silicones and is gentle on curly/coily/kinky hair.
Denman brush detangling (love, love, love)
I have a Denman brush and a Goody Denman-style brush. I love my Goody "Denman" because the teeth are wider spaced. I have modified my Denman slightly by removing every other row of teeth (easy to do, just slide the rubber base out, open it up, and pull the teeth tracks out) and use it for detangling when my hair has been in a twist out for a while and after washing, still has the twist out "look".
These are a few of my favorite protective styles. Protective styles are important in the colder months to protect your hair from the elements (literally, Earth (dirt), Wind, and Fire (the heat we use to keep us warm can dry out our hair). Also, the air is drier during the fall and winter months, and the clothes we wear are often dangerous for our hair (wool, in particular). Protective styles encourage moisture and length retention, as well as promote hair growth by preventing lost strands and discouraging split ends.
I love my twists, which is why I featured them two ways here, but I also want other options for protecting my hair until the weather warms up again. A lot of naturals feel that protective styles are boring, but I think these styles are perfect for protecting your hair and looking cute at the same time. I have several parties and other events coming up and will probably get a chance to test out more than a few of these styles. I can honestly say that I've tried every style shown here with the exception of the French braids, double buns, and the Janelle monet pompadour. I will probably be giving the French braids a whirl next weekend when I re-style my hair. Happy styling!
So, I tried this product and I really, really wanted to like it, for two reasons. One, I can always use a good moisturizer and two, my favorite blogger, CurlyNikki loves this product line (she likes DevaCurl Set It Free). I used it with less than stellar results. I tried it a variety of ways in the name of science and a fair shake. I used it on freshly co-washed hair, between styling sessions, and on freshly co-washed and clarified (with apple cider vinegar) hair. The results were the same each time: dry, crunchy hair. Sorry!
I have been using this as a pre-poo treatment and also as a light sealant when I mist my hair w/conditioner and water in between styling sessions. Here's what I have to say;
As a pre-poo treatment:
It softens and makes detangling easier in my opinion (I have thick 4A/4B hair that is about shoulder-length) and the softness remains after washing my hair. I have noticed no residue following washing sessions--I pre-poo w/a cap for several hours, co-wash twice (or shampoo and then co-wash which I do once a month), then deep condition for at least 30 minutes. Then apple cider vinegar rinse (1/2 bottled water, 1/2 ACV). Then I add my leave-in conditioner of choice and seal (since it's fall now, I'm sealing w/plain castor oil or a handful of the above pictured product). Then I twist it all up. Days later, my hair maintains it's sheen, softness, and finger-combability. (My whole routine, including twisting, takes about 1.5 to 2 hrs actively--with the pre-poo and the deep conditioner, most of the time is spent mult-tasking w/a plastic cap and a cute hat).
As a refresher:
This is my quick fix when my hair looks a little raggedy and I don't have time and/or energy for the whole wash/twist routine and I still want to look cute and like someone loves me (Hi, Ma!). It works well for managing frizziness and making sure that my hair stays soft and squishy (I'm not as heavy-handed as I used to be, but I like my hair to maintain it's moisture for 3-4 days between refreshing sessions and this product lasts until I re-style). Using this as a refresher, I have noticed a tiny bit of product build-up, which was remedied by refreshing only once before stylng again. I just mist my hair and then smooth a half-handful of this over and through my hair, concentrating on any dry spots. I then re-twist my hair in larger twists than the original style and that's it!
As a sealant:
I love my plain castor oil; however, one advantage of this product is that it contains several other good products
***Caution: contains a paraben which some studies have linked to breast cancer; however, research remains inconclusive as to whether the same levels of parabens exist in healthy breast tissue. If you are concerned about the existence of the paraben in this product, you could create a mix with some of the other oils and yield many of the same benefits. Castor oils, sweet almond oil, vitamin E, jojoba oil, safflower oil, and cocoa butter can be purchased at most drug stores, Walmart (ick), beauty supply stores, and health food stores for low to moderate prices. I have purchased castor oil and vitamin E oil from Walmart for about $4-5 a bottle and sweet almond oil from the health food store for about $4 a bottle. I have also purchased 100% cocoa butter from Walmart for $1 and have seen safflower oil in the cooking section for about $5 for a large bottle. You can add the essential oil fragrance of your choice to this mix.
A sweet place to share information about natural/curly hair, enjoy the sweet things in life, and be fabulously thrifty!
