Hair Help

My hair looks like this

I really wish it did!  I am having a bad hair day!  

Puff to the rescue!!

What's your go- to style? 

The Science of Black Hair

I went to my library yesterday and asked to see if there was a copy of " The Science of Black Hair" by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy (Author).

Guess what they told me...that I would have to apply for a book request.  It would then be sent to the main library in my town for review.  WHAT THE WHAT!!!!!
Looks like, I am back to building my personal library.

Satin Scarf Braid Out- Day 4

It's Day 4!!  My hair is still looking and feeling good!

Here's the video on how I preserve this look at night

Spoken Word

Here is a Piece that I like...

~Our Nappy Hair~

Our Hair is Nappy 
cause the Universe is in 
coils, just like our hair, which 
makes for a connection of "Positive 
Energy" that we receive and give back 
to the Universe, our Life Force. Our Hair 
grows upward, not downward like Caucasian and 
others. Our alluring bold powerful Hair does this because it is 
pure natural Protein that needs the Energy of the great Universe and 
our surroundings. Our exquisite immaculate Hair grows upward to receive 
the rays of the Sun and all the Energies of the Moon and Stars. Magnificent

Sistahs, our immaculate beautiful nappy hair is good hair, strong hair, 

our crown

Time	Sunday · 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Location	1 East Coffee Street, Greenville, SC 29601
Created By	Coily Encounters- Natural Hair Group (Found on Facebook)
More Info	Coffee and Poetry happens every Sunday evening at CU and features renowned regional poets and open mic. Doors open at 7:30pm. $5 cover. In the words of SALT & PEPPA... C'mon COILS, let's go show the PERMIES that we know How to become number one in a hot party show!!! Looking forward to seeing my COILS!!

Protective Style Contest ...sponsored by Zipporah Beauty

Protective Style Contest was sponsored by Zipporah Beauty

The winner of the contest will receive a 4 oz Package of Cocoa Delight. 

Here is the winner Mrs. LynnieLoving

I like to kid Mrs.LL by saying that, she could style her hair with swamp water and chicken grease... and it would turn out FLY!  The contest consisted of protective styles. The picture with the most comments won.  

Lynnie won, with over 17 comments! 

 I would also like to say thanks all the contestants that entered,

 as well as the VOTERS!!

I will be announcing the next contest on Tuesday, July 27, 2010.  

Afro Independence Day

On Facebook, we had a contest for the FRO with the most comments.  

The winner was Summyr1988 with 6 comments

Here is another photo of her FRO

The fros ranged from a TWA to WAY PAST A MJ FRO!!!

Chrs

Loving the Flower and the Earrings!!

PUFF!  Puff on Lynnie!

Reppin for the TWA is Gail!  

Only in New Orleans will you see anything like this!

Miss Jones, always looking REGAL

Lil Miss Jones

Miss Jones' Baby Girl

Side Note Lil Miss J**makes her own hair accessories,

 perhaps we can persuade her to open an ETSY!!

Look at Curls Galore and Ms Nina, Showing OUT!!

Nakeisha, the owner of Zipporah Beauty.com

Kara, Looking like she don't have a Kare in the World!

Peep out D.A.B.!  Yall know, I am loving the SHADES!!

The owner of Koils By Nature.com

Looking FUNKY FRESH with her Chunky FRO!!

To Flower or Not, that is the question.

Flower, it is!!

Here I am...Even My shirt was ROCKIN a FRO

The winner of the fro was Summyr with Lynnie and Miss Jones coming in a close 2nd place.

 Summyr had 6 comments (not including her own comment) and Lynnie and Miss Jones had 4!

Thanks to all who participated!!!

The winner will be awarded a prize from Zipporah Beauty of (http://www.zipporahbeauty.com/) 1 Vanilla Mint Moisturizing Hair Serum.

Hair & Travel

Hair and Travel

Having just left NYC after a week, I realize one thing:  I really have got to do better with my hair and traveling.
I packed all the right things:  I had conditioner, shea butter, Koils By Nature, bobby pins and shower caps.
I found myself staying at 2 different houses and left most items at the other house.  When it came time to do my hair, GUESS WHAT.  Every thing was at the other house.


Styled my hair with shea and water!  It came out good.  However, today I sit with a deep conditioner on my hair under the dryer.  Nyla, my hair, deserves the best.

Deep Conditioner Mix consists of:


Conditioner of Choice- Tresemme & Aussie Moist with just a smidge of Herbal Essence- Hello Hydration
Avocado Oil
Grapeseed oil


Grapeseed Oil - is excellent for hair breakage


Avocado Oils-Avocado oil has a number of nutrients that can benefit the growth and the health of all kinds of hair, especially dry hair and African American hair. It contains essential nutrients like proteins, vitamins A, D, E and B6, magnesium, copper, iron, amino acids and folic acid, all of which is extremely essential for hair growth and nourishment. It is also a rich source of Lecithin which gives it good penetrative qualities. It is also known to have natural sunscreen properties that can protect the hair and scalp from the damage caused by the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. It works better when blended with other oils like almond oil or olive oil which are also very good for hair care. 

Meet Gail** Natural of the Week

Meet Gail

Natural of the Week

Elder, Wife, Sister, Aunt, Friend, and a Mentor to Young People.

Hair:

1.How long have you been natural? This Friday it will be 1 month. 6-25-10. Yayyy Me!!!

2.Did you transition? If so how long and why? I transitioned from a relaxer for two months. I always wore my hair short with the spiky look, so in the midst of the transitioning period, I just wore it like that, straight on the top and natural looking in the back. Due to the fact my hair was tapered real low in the back all the time, it gave me the opportunity to wear it kinky/wavy.

3.Did you have any support going natural? My husband was and still is my biggest fan. I have one person, Lori Bolden, who I have been following her natural journey for quite some time now and she has been my inspiration as well as a big support person.

Negative experiences when going natural? No

4.What is your regimen?  Since I am fairly new to being natural, I am trying to find what works for me, right now I use a hydrated shampoo and use Tresemme conditioner for co-washes. Deep condition every other week and To moisturize the hair, I use Loboshea, which is an all natural product made from various oils, I also use crème of nature leave in conditioner and eco styling gel for defined curls.

5.What is your nightly routine?  I have a satin pillow case when I don’t want to wear anything on my head. I also use a satin cap.

6.What is your go to style? My style is wash and go since I am sporting a TWA.

7. What is the best thing about being natural? The best thing about being natural is: It is inexpensive. (Real talk). And the other best thing about being natural is: It helps me to embrace the fact that I have beautiful hair no matter what texture it is.

Life

How did your coworkers respond to your Big Chop? Everyone liked it. So they say!!! LOL. But it didn’t matter to me, because I was fine with it and it made me happy, so anything else wasn’t a concern of mine. 

Recently, I came into contact with a straightened natural who told me that she wears her hair straight because natural hair is not professional. What is your opinion of that statement? I feel if a person who wears their hair natural, should be able to be versatile in the work place. For instance, in the workplace, one may wear a flower to enhance an outfit or to make that look professional. I also feel whether a person wears their hair straightened or natural, you are who you are. You are not who you are because of what texture of hair you have, but because you are who you are because God has made you fearfully and wonderfully!!!

As your hair grows, Do you think there will be styles that are not appropriate for work? Yes, I will take into consideration of wearing my hair to compliment the environment of the work place. I work for The Workforce Commission and we always have visitors coming into the office from the higher level, such as the U.S. Secretary of Labor, so therefore, I will always compliment the work environment.  

What was your co-workers' reaction to your various styles? They always say, oh I like the flower to compliment that new look.  LOL!!!! If I do not wear a flower, some would pull me on the side and say, I really love how you decided to wear your hair and embrace being natural, free and confident.

What advice do you have for an aspiring natural/transitioner? I would advise a natural/transitioner to view others’ journey as being a natural by looking at Youtube. Read a lot, ask questions if you are not sure about something and take one day at a time. Learn your hair, because it will teach you a lot. Actually, sometimes my hair speaks to me and it tells me “I don’t like that”!!! LOL

Listen, Rome was not built in a day and your hair has stages it will go through, but just be patient with it and at the end of the day you can say, I have made it through another day of being a natural beauty.  ; )

 Gail before going Natural

Meet Lynnieluve!!

Meet Lynnieluve

Wife, Mother, and Physical Fitness Queen!

I met this lady over a year ago on Curlynikki.com

She is such a beautiful spirit, always there to extend her helping hand. Lynnie has the most beautuful styles.  I tried to copy one with NO LUCK at all!!  Enjoy the read!

1.How long have you been natural? As of June 9, 2010, I have been natural 10 months. 2.Did you transition? If so, how long and why? Yes, I transitioned 4 months.  I wanted to transition just long enough to about an 2 inches of hair.

Also, what was your transitioning process?  I washed my hair once a week.  I wore curly styles most of my transition...roller sets, straw sets, bantu knot outs, twist and curls.
 

3.Did you have any support going natural? or negative experiences when going natural?  The only person's support I was concerned about was my Hubby.  When I told him I wanted to go natural, he told me to do what makes me happy.  When I told my mom I was going natural, her exact words were, "Your hair is going to be nappy."  I told her that was what I wanted. LOL!!  I am happy to report she is now natural too.  She transitioned 5 months and big chopped Easter weekend.   I have not had any negative experiences since going natural.
 
3B.In the words of Michael Baisden...What did your huzz-bun think? My hubby supported me from the beginning. 

4.What is your regimen? I recently finished a six week twist challenge and found out Roxie (my hair's name) loves to be shampooed every week.  So this regimen is fairly new. 

Shampoo once a week
Co wash if I feel I need a mid week wash
Deep condition once a week (rotating between moisturizing treatment and protein treatment every other week)

5.What is your nightly routine? I wear my scarf and/or bonnet every night.  Because I wear two strand twist about 90-95% of the time, I only have to moisturize once or twice during the week.  I also try to apply oil or shea butter to my ends twice a week.

6.What is your go to style? Two strand twist/twist outs

 

7. What is the best thing about being natural?  The best thing about being natural is the versatility.  I can start out with two strand twist on Monday, twist out fro on Tuesday, add two strand flat twist to one side on Wednesday, pin back both sides for a twist out fro hawk on Thursday and turn it into a twist out puff on Friday.  I wouldn't do that but I could if I wanted too. 

LOL!! 

 

8.What advice do you have for an aspiring natural/transitioner?  The best advice I got was to do my research.  I always pass this advice along to others.  I would also suggest getting to know your hair before you big chop.  Learn how to do some of the styles you would like to wear once you become 100% natural.  So many times I hear of ladies transitioning with kinky twist, micro braids, sew ins, etc their entire transition and when they big chop, they dont have a clue what to do with their natural hair. 

The last thing, which can be so hard, is not to purchase every product you hear/read about.  I made this mistake while transitioning.  I went out and purchased almost $100 worth of products.  I didn't use most of them until I was fully natural and they didn't work for my hair.   Purchase the basics (shampoo, conditioner, styler), use it for a month, if it doesn't work, then move on to the next product

Let's talk life...

I notice you are into physical fitness.


How do you find the time to work out?  Being a stay at home mom, finding a time to workout was hard for me.  Hubby's schedule is so unpredictable...he would get home at 5pm some days and 10pm on other days. 

First I started trying to workout after my son went to bed, but at that time I was ready to go to bed myself (LOL!).  Once the scale hit 172 pounds and my size 10 pants were getting too tight, I decided I had to do something different. The only time for me to go to the gym is 5 am.  That's before my son wakes up and Hubby is home with him. 

Please share the work out routine
I currently workout 4 days a week (still trying to make it 5 days a week)....45mins to an hour of cardio and light weight training.  My fitness journey started at the same time as my natural hair journey.  I have been working out consistently a little over a year now.  I decided this couldn't be another "Get Sexy for Summer" weight loss.  It had to be a lifestyle change.    

What recommendations do you have for someone starting a physically fit lifestyle. Based on your PERSONAL experience.
I know how hard it is to start working out and keep working out.  We go consistently for about 2 weeks and then we stop again.  When I started this time, I decided I would take baby steps and I would not deny myself the foods I love.  I started out working out 3 days a week for 30 minutes.  I increased my water intake.  I cut down on my portion sizes. Instead of french fries, I get a salad or fruit.  I cut back on red meats and pork.  Instead of purchasing ground beef, we now eat ground turkey.  Instead of white bread, get wheat bread.  I cut back on fried foods.  I started eating 5 meals a day...breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner.  The foods I love, I eat them in moderation.  The 100 calorie snacks were a lifesaver for me because I love junk food. LOL!!
My advice would be to take baby steps.  Implement realistic things for yourself.  You can't eat tuna, salads and drink water only for the rest of your life.  LOL!!  Plan your meals.  When you don't plan your meals for the day, it's hard to make healthy decisions, especially when you are hungry.  Now with taking baby steps, you can't expect "Biggest Loser" results.  STAY OFF OF THE SCALE!! It is NOT your friend.  LOL!!  It's best to assess your weight loss with the way your clothes fit.  My original goal was to loose 20 pounds (pre baby weight).  I got down to 152 pounds but now my weight hovers around 154-156 pounds....but I am smaller now (clothing wise) then I was before I had my son.  Before I got pregnant, I was in a size 10.  I am now a size 8.  So don't totally rely on the scale.

Lastly, it's good to have a workout buddy but in the end, every thing falls on you.  I tried the buddy system and didn't work for me.  If my buddy didn't work out, I didn't either.  Learn to be self-motivated.  Once you start working out about a month straight, it starts to get addictive...which is a good thing.
Is there anything special that you do to your hair before a work out? After a work out?  

I work out with my hair in two strand twist.  I've worked out with my hair "out" a few times and had a mess on my hands afterwards.  I only wash my hair once a week but I have a aloe spritz (water, organic aloe vera gel, tea tree, peppermint, and rosemary oil) I apply to my scalp to keep it "fresh.

Here are some additional photos of Lynnieluve!

This one is my personal fave!
Pin-up Twist

Corrine Bailey Rae Inspired Twist out 
Another one of my faves

Braidout

Coils 

Twists

Hair HeadBand
The one I tried to copy with no luck!

Natural in the Workplace

Recently, I had the honor of listening to Nappturalite Radio.
  
The discussion was Being Natural in the Workplace.


This is interesting to me, I currently am unemployed.  I know one day, I will need to return to work.
I am just thinking, how will I wear my hair for an interview.


I have gone natural 3 times....


Previously, I would wear my hair pulled back, then attach a fake bun. 
One day, I had a black co-worker, in her early twenties, ask me, "What is under that bun?'
Then she said,  before I could even answer, "I bet it is the prettiest hair!"
The next day, I wore MY hair to work.


I wore it in a ponytail!  


The next time I went natural,  I wore a weaved string ponytail, over my hair to interviews.


Currently, I am working on a project with a stylist, (AP)  who is natural.  Some of her clients are NOT!


AP was telling me that, several of her clients are natural, they don't want to wear an afro to work.  
They are corporate and it wouldn't go over well.


I really want to meet these ladies.  All I can say is in the words of :


Michelle George,the author of "The Knotty Truth", she said it best, You have to be comfortable with you and others will accept that!