Loc's of Discrimination

BEING NATURAL

has most certainly taught me to take hair for what it is.

JUST HAIR.

We have all seen it.

We react differently.

But do we judge?

>>>> White People & Dreadlocks <<<<

( via http://regnskysex.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog)

This blog topic definitely just hit me randomly...

I was searching through blogger looking at random blogs and I came across this blog

A white girl experimenting with different dreadlocks stylings...

Being at a PWI (Predominantly White Institution) I have seen many "differently raced" individuals wearing  dreadlocks. This always gives me an uneasy feeling. I always feel bad for these thoughts because being a natural haired african american female, I always feel as if my hair is being judged. How could I look upon another race and feel so weird about their tresses?

Dreadlocks have always been viewed as a tie back to african traditions. It is supposed to represent a connection to your "roots". To me, those who choose to rock their loc'd tresses show a great deal of pride and connection to their african american roots and pride in their culture as well. I believe that is why I take such pride in my natural hair. Even though I have no intentions to ever loc up. 

I feel like it is a disrespect to our culture and our heritage to have other ethnicities walk around loc'd... They are not embracing their culture, nor does it have any other emotional stake hold, that I can see. I don't understand why they do this. I try not to discriminate or make judgements, but I feel like this is another way for other ethnicities to exploit our cultural heritage. I mean they are constantly trying to talk like us, walk like us, listen to the music we do, dress like us, copy our style and language, and now our hair too? They can't have our kinks and coils, but they are locking their hair.

Is this them trying to take our hair like some african american females are trying to copy their straight shiny hair via relaxers and weave?

Corkscrew Curls

So recently I tried something new with my hair. Same style different product.

If you follow my blog you know that I love the 'Fro Hawk :)

This time I tried different products for my twist out in the middle.

They gave me these LOVELY corkscrew curls!

I am still in search of my favorite twisting products so if you have a favorite

PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!

To achieve this look I used 3 products:

Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Split End Protector (Leave In)

Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curling Mousse

Africans Best Ultimate Herbal Oil

Via Natural Conditioning Styling Gel

I started with freshly co-washed hair

I used the Long Term Leave in to moisturize

Then the Herbal Oil to seal in the moisture

After two-strand flat twisting my sides up to my 'Fro Hawk

I started on my twists.

I used the Totally Twisted Mousse to twist each two-strand twist.

Now a lot of naturals don't care for mousse due to its ingredients containing alcohol

But it doesn't bother me. 

Im not sure if anyone else has the problem of twists coming undone and having

a fraying effect at the end. I HATE IT! My twist out will be beautiful until

the ends are undone. This is where the styling gel comes into play.

After I finish each twist I sealed the twist with my Via Natural Kiwi Gel.

It only has a hold of 5 so it doesn't harden my hair it seals and curls the end of each twist.

That made my twists have that endless coil from root to ends. 

I absolutely loved this curl!

It lasted for a couple of days after twisting out

And I will definitely be using this method again :)

Inspiration

When I think back to the day that I decided to go natural It was not a good day.

I was Frustrated. Angry. Depressed. Ill. Any other negative emotion you could think of.

I was in a very low place in my life.

No hope for the future...

I decided I was going to make some positive changes in my life.

One of the first things I wanted to do was,

Cut the Negativity Out of My Life!

Now we all know doing anything cold turkey is very hard.

Hence, my 3 month transition.

Then cutting off my permed ends signified me cutting the negativity out of my life.

It was so much more than just going natural to me.

It was a fresh start.

A new me

Mentally, Physically, & Emotionally.

I have never really shared my natural story with many people.

But here lately some of my friends said that I was their

Inspiration

for going natural.

I am truly honored that I could inspire a positive new chapter in someones life.

The little things like this make me happy to call myself Natural <3

Straight Natural

Soooooooooooo.....

This is the first time that I have straightened my hair in NINE MONTHS!

It feels so smooth and silky!

I honestly believe that I look Blasian...

Im not sure how I like the look on me, but Im glad I got to check my length and play with it

I shall be straightened all week, if I can last that long

I MISS MY CURLS ALREADY!

I actually intended to make this post my take on "Naturals and Straightened Hair"

But I am too bubbly and not in the mood

But its coming :)

What is your viewpoint on straightened Natural Hair?

Uggggh

So I can honestly say tonight is the first night that I have cursed my fro.

I think that is good considering I have been relaxer-free for 8.75 months....

I was trying to go out with a friend tonight and couldn't do ANYTHING with my hair!!

I only had a short matter of time to do my hair,

Too cold to wet and style...

Hair too thick and unruly to wrap it in a scarf!!

I was getting P.I.S.S.E.D.

I ended up just wetting my hair, leave in conditioner, and a headband....

(-____-)

Not the look I wanted to go for.

But its like that sometimes...

Thanx for listening to my mini-rant!

What do you ladies do to your hair when you are pressed for time starting at ground zero?!

Dry DC

So the other day I was reading the #NaturalHair hashtag on twitter and I read about people DCing on dry hair. This really intrigued me and I had to see what the hype was about. 

After researching for a little while I decided to give it a go.

What I used:

Basic conditioner

2 Tablespoons Honey

2 Tablespoons EVOO

Mix it together and apply to sectioned areas of the hair.

Cover with plastic cap.

I DCed around my house for about 5hrs before rinsing.

My body heat warmed up the DC and allowed the oils and honey to work their magic :)

This was actually my hair after DCing for about 5hrs before I rinsed it out.

Look how wavy and elongated my curls are!

As I rinsing the conditioner out I could feel how soft my hair was!

I love the way my hair felt and I didn't have to go thru the long process of co-washing, DCing, rinsing, AND styling. My hair looked and felt amazing after this DRY DC!!

Have you ever tried this?

Henna'D

 So I have been talking about Henna-ing for the LONGEST time and I am

finally getting the chance to do it! I have heard so many positive things about it

in the natural hair community especially on Curly Nikki and other reputable blogs.

What I will be using:

                                                     ➦ LUSH Cosmetics Caca Noir Henna

                                                     (Persian Henna, Cocoa Butter, & Indigo)

                                                     ➦ 100% Clover Honey

                                                     ➦ Gloves

                                                     ➦ Hair Clips

                                                     ➦ Hair Color Application Bottle

                                                     ➦ Plastic Cap

                                                     ➦ Deep Conditioner

                                                     ➦ LOTS OF TIME!

Part I :  Mixing your Henna

Since I am using the LUSH Cosmetics Henna Bar, I do not really have a lot of prep to do.

The bar is already mixed, all I have to do is break it down and melt it.

Since my hair is not long I only use 2 blocks (And I still ended up with too much)

I used a cheese grater and shaved down the 2 blocks of henna. This ultimately made it

easier to mix, but you don't have to shave it down if you don't feel like it. I also should have 

worn gloves, but it did not stain my hands as I grated it.

Next I added about 2-3 tablespoons of honey to my shaved henna 

(which by the way smelled like green tea) & added my boiling water, I know

when using the powder they say use something acidic such as tea, coffee, or lemon juice

but I just used water as the directions instructed. Then mix until you get a thick, runny paste.

I am not sure if you can tell the consistency, but I tried it with the flash to give you

an idea of the thickness. I would compare it to pancake batter.

But the color was a deep hunter green.

Honestly, when I first mixed it, the smell was reminiscent of mary jane, 

But maybe thats just me...

Part II:  Application

Once it was mixed while it was still warm I poured it into my color application bottle

It was an 8oz bottle and as I said before It was a lot of product. It all didn't even fit.

Now while that is still warm and cooling off....

Time to section your hair off. I did about 8 different sections just so my hair wouldn't get in my way.

Remember this is a dye, even though it is natural, so you want to be dressed in 

clothing that you do not mind messing up...

...I chose an old t-shirt of my ex-boyfriends that I needed to get rid of anyway ;-)

Now just apply. 

I chose to take each section down and apply like you would do regular color.

Make sure you get roots to end covered.

Once I had finished each section I just distributed whatever was left throughout my hair.

Kind of just smushing it through, like I was finger combing in conditioner.

I noticed that the henna was already curling my hair.

It was thick and pasty and the smell was very strong.

But I then put on my plastic cap. Then went around the opening with saran wrap

to cover up any hair that wasn't in the cap. And now I can prepare for bed.

I also put my satin scarf over the cap, its just a habit to go to bed with it on :-)

Now its time to let your hair absorb the henna... 

Goodnight 

Part III:  De-Henna-ing

So I woke up this morning and unwrapped my head.

I noticed that my hair appeared darker, 

but hey that could have been because of the thick dark paste in my hair.

I proceeded to get in the shower to wash out the henna...

Please Note: Unless you absolutely love scrubbing your shower,

use the bathtub method. I have a shower head with a hose so I could clean the "mold like" splatter that was all over the curtain liner and shower walls.

When youtubing a lot of people described washing out the henna as painstaking. 

I actually found it quite easy. Since I do have a detachable shower head I guess i could get it out with a higher pressure, who knows. I got the henna out with about 3 conditioner washes (I did not use shampoo).

Now I know I have to describe henna as a male. 

It was not a dick, but there were many balls!

Henna balls were everywhere in my hair. 

I got most of it out as I combed through while conditioning, 

but there was still residue when I decided to deep condition.

Most people said that they came out with the deep conditioner so I didn't sweat it.

Part IV:  Deeeeeep Conditioning

I am using Silk Elements: Mixed Silk Nourishing Deep Conditioner

'Natural Curls for Natural Girls'

(Love the motto)

I love the way it makes my hair feel. 

Hopefully it will add to the  effects of the Henna.

After about an hour and a half I wash the deep conditioner out of my hair

This time I successfully got all of the henna-balls out of my hair :)

The Noticed Effects of Henna-ing

It has been two days since I have henna-ed and I have noticed its many effects on my hair.

I have noticed:

                          ➦ My hair is noticeably darker therefore it looks very SHINY :)

                          ➦ My hair seems much thicker than before

                          ➦ My hair is incredibly soft

                          ➦ I did not notice much change in my curls, but they do seem more elongated

                                  

Overall I am liking the effects of the henna 

and I am very curious to see if anything else changes with time.

I do plan to try to henna every 4-6 weeks to see if there are more dramatic effects

This is my finished result after a chunky braid out:

I am not sure if you can tell but my hair is much darker

& There is definitely more of a shine to it

But there is no mistaking that it looks much more fuller 

Have you ever henna'd?? Are you considering??

Comment Below ^_^

Oh My Denman!

So this brush may be the most amazing thing to glide through my curls

(Yes even better than a mans fingers)

Ya'll... This brush made love to my scalp and made my curls pop orgasmically.

Sorry for all the "Colorful" language, but this is how UHMAZING this brush is...


Pricing:  $9.95 at Sally's Beauty Supply

Uses:  Primarily for Detangling & Shingling

I had never shingled my hair before and after many, many youtube videos
 I finally decided to give it a go...
The shingled look is the look that I have been wanting ever since I BCed
& the Denman definitely gave me the desired results:

So in conclusion I LOVE MY DENMAN and it has become a necessity in
Styling my natural hair.

Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Review

Product:  Aussie 3 Minute Miracle

Usage:  Deep Conditioner

Price:  $2.84

Ingredients: Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Dimethicone, Glutamic Acid, Fragrance, Benzyl Alcohol, EDTA, Melaluece Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract (Balm Mint Extract), Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone.

VERDICT:  Kurly Krys Stamp of Approval 

This product is absolutely UHMAZING! It leaves my hair very very soft whether I leave it on for 3 minutes or 3 hours. It is a great de-tangler and hair softener. It left my hair moist and shiny. It is not really a curl definer and if thats what you are looking for, you will not be impressed.

But the best part that I love about it is that it is a GREAT product for a reasonable price. Being a College Curlie on a budget, it helps to find quality products at an affordable price.

9/9/11 - 9/15/11 PS

I know, I know its been a while!

School can't lock me down though!

Anywhoo, I have been very busy so PSing has been a HUGE help to me.

Recently I have been wearing my curls as such:

Created By:

Starr Shelborne of Greenville, NC

Tranquility Spa Salon

(919) 340-3169

Flat twists swooping to one side into two-strand twists

This was a very lovely style that i will have to revisit soon :)

College Student PS 8/24/11

Hello All I hope everyone fared well through Irene!

A part of me wishes I had not gotten my hair done this past week.

I could've definitely sat around and finally Henna-ed and Deep Conditioned with my time off.

Tis Life though....

This is the style that I have been rocking since 8/24/11

It is braids going up into a 2-Strand Twist Middle

Created By:
Starr Shelborne of Greenville, NC
Tranquility Spa Salon
(919) 340-3169

This style was created using:
Design Essentials Daily Moisturizing Lotion & Design Essentials Natural Curl Stretching Cream
This is my first experience with these products and they worked very very well.

It has been a week so far and my style is holding up nicely :) 

College Student PSing

I am testing myself with Protective Styling (PS) for hopefully this entire school semester. I have a Full Load this semester including 13 course hours, Part-time job, Church, Extra-curricular activities, and sad to say that I will not have the time I had this semester to pamper my natural hair. I will document my regimen from here on out so enjoy my PS journey.

8-19-11 thru 8-24-11

I decided to create a 2 Strand Twist Faux Hawk Style for this week.
2 Strand Flat-Twists going back on both sides with the centered Faux-Hawk 2 Strand Twisted

Then of course I had to do a 2 Strand Twist Out after about a day or 2 :)

___________________________________________________________________

And now on today I have done an entire twist-out
Needless to say I have 2 totally different textures from the flat-twist out vs. the twist out

 Now I am off to see my stylist this afternoon
I have no idea what I will come back with
But you all will be the first to know :) 

All about Afros?

Since Ive been completely natural for 2 whole months and 6 days (Praise Dance) I have had many different reactions to my Curly Coily mane. I particularly want to talk about styling. I prefer to keep my curls showing in some shape, form, or fashion, but "to each his own" by all means. My favorite Curly Do is the Faux Fro Hawk :) I absolutely love the rebelliousness and the chic in this style:

But like most Naturalistas know, styling of natural hair takes effort and time. From shampooing (I still shampoo, all curly girls don't) to the very essential Co-Washing that all curly girls love, then deep conditioning, that can tire the most avid naturalistas. So what about styling?! That is when we go back to our basic instinct the ALMIGHTY AFRO! Its convenient, comfy, and very CURLY :)

Or you could go with the Half-Fro (As I call it) Which is 2-Strand Flat Twists with the Curls hanging out in the back :)

I notice that a majority of people who are not natural especially those who want to consider being natural always equate being natural with having an Afro and this is totally WRONG! Many people who choose the natural lifestyle do make use of the afro, but many do not. Its all about personal style and comfort. Many people feel that afros are too "ethnic" so they do not wear them. THAT IS PERFECTLY FINE! There are many ways to be natural :)

By the way, This is my Au Natural Best Friend... Never used Chemicals a day in her life:

Yes that was me when I used chemicals...The dark period in my hair journey ;-)

Big Chop - June 9th 2011 :)

The Day of my BC.... I was so nervous, but oh so glad that I did it and started my Au Natural Journey :)

[Perm Free since February 3] [All Natural since June 9]

LOVIN IT EVER SINCE!