Natural Living

This is a new segment that I will be introducing.  Natural Living is more of a "Green Lifestyle".
I am slowly but surely pointing in this direction.


A change that I am making is to use a more friendly type of deodorant.  I am doing this for more than 1 reason.  In my family, cysts on lymph nodes are somewhat common.


My mom gets them all the time and they are never cancerous.  So when her baby sister, my favorite aunt, got one in October of 2009, we knew it would be like all the others, NOT CANCEROUS.  My family was in for a RUDE AWAKENING.  It was cancerous!


My aunt is so special to me, my mother had to tell me about my aunt's diagnosis.  I think it was to soften the blow.  I was driving and when my mom said the lump was cancerous, I had to pull my car over.  I lost my breath!  I really couldn't breathe.  I had just left my aunt in October.  For the longest, I couldn't even say the word cancer!  I just couldn't- I felt like if I said it, I gave the cancer the power.  I know that GOD has the POWER! and i do thank HIM so much for healing my aunt!  

Here we are at the top of the Empire State Building.  

I am on the right!  Auntie is on the Left!

She hates heights and went up there for little ole me! My aunt has finished CHEMO and there is no more cancer.  To all the families that are going through this, my prayers are with you.  I know, that this disease affects the ENTIRE family!   


Back to the subject at hand...I made my own deodorant based on the fact that one of my mom's doctors told my mom, to stop using deodarant and see if that lessens the cysts on her lymph nodes.  So far, so good for Mama Coils!!


Here is the recipe that I used:




2T Cornstarch
1 1/2T Baking Soda
1T Coconut Oil
1T Coconut Oil
10-12 drops of each essential oil you choose- I chose Rosemerry and Ylang-ylang


Note to self:  Should I be doing this now, with this southern heat?????


I will keep you coils, posted! 


What are you doing to live a more natural life?
Is it working out, using less chemicals, or changed your lightbulbs to fluorescent?

Coil of the Day?

Coil of the Day?

You know the one of the myths concerning Natural Haired People is...

We are all into Neo Soul.

Let's perpetuate that myth...

Who is your favorite neo soul artist?

One of my favorite concerts would have been

Jill

Maxwell

Anthony

Lauryn

It still aint too late for this!!!  (wink)

However, last night I was lurking over on facebook.  I saw the flyest fro, on Conya Doss.  After seeing this fro!  I had to  know what does she do???

She is a singer with an awesome voice.  Coils, don't sleep on this.

Conya Doss

After listening to Conya, I came across Jaguar Wright.  Can you say OMG, Jaguar????

Her voice is so smooth... Kind of reminds me of a Chrisette!!  Real smooth!

As if, that wasn't enough, I stumbled across Sy Smith!!!  I am on the floor at this point.  Someone has knocked me off my feet.  It has to be SY!  When this was all said and done,  I had a NEO - Hangover!!

Coily Encounters- June 14th

Coily Encounters- June 14th

I actually encountered 3 Natural  Haired women, today.  We were at the park.  Football practice is now going on!  I had to take my nephew, Chase!  


There was 2 sisters. They have been locked for over 2 years.


Antonia (right) and her lil sis is on the left.  Lil sis is looking good.  She is going to have a baby in August!

They made being natural look like a walk in the park!  

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!

Hair Quotes

Lately it seems as if I am drawn in by hair quotes.


Here are 2 of my favorites:


Beauty draws us with a single hair.  ~Alexander Pope



Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair...  ~Susan Polis Shutz


Do you have a favorite quote about hair?

Meet Recent Big Chopper- Adam's Eve

Introducing Adam's Eve:

Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter, Friend, &
 Business Partner

I have met this lady and she has such a warm , wonderful spirit. Enjoy her story


1..How long have you been natural?


I've been totally natural for less than 1 week, and I'm loving every minute of it :)


2.Did you transition? If so how long and why? 


Yes, I transitioned for approximately 7 months.  


My "unconscious" transition began September 2009 after returning from vacation in Miami & Key West, FL.  I decided after that last touch up that I wasn't going to put another chemical in my hair because no one could tell me why my hair was thinning.  I'd always had thick, big hair, but over the years my hair was thinning, but the stylist would always tell me my hair was healthy and treat it with a Mizani deep conditioner.  I knew it was healthy, but since I knew my hair, and thinning had never been a problem, I knew it was time for me to take matters into my own hands or risk being bald.  


Baldness wasn't an option for me so I began researching the causes of thinning and started treating my hair with Nioxin products to combat the problem that was causing my thinning.  It worked and I saw less hair on the floor!  That's when I knew I was on to something and could care for my hair myself with positive results. 


My hair was flourishing and I wanted it to stay that way so I decided that I would not put another chemical in my hair to straighten or color it since those were the only things that I'd done to harm my hair over the last 27+ years.


I knew that I was going to have to BC, but I wasn't ready to let go of my BSL hair.  So, on May 14, 2010, I went to my stylist to get long layers.  It was a disastrous cut and I fell out of love with my hair.  Over the next 2 weeks I woke up disgusted and unhappy with my hair.  So, on the morning of Saturday, May 29, 2010, I decided to cut it all off!

3.Did you go to a professional or did you Big Chop yourself? 


I didn't have the nerve to cut my hair myself and I wanted to make sure the cut was neat.  So, I went to Latrona Sims of Kut N Up in Spartanburg, SC, to allow her the honor of doing my BC.  However, before I let her put her shears in my head I asked her a ton of questions to make sure that she understood & embraced natural hair.  I also made sure to let her know that I knew how much new growth I had and what my expectations were after the cut as far as my length.  Basically, I drilled her to make sure I wasn't going to walk away with a shaved head and lose my gorgeous new growth.  After my last cut I was weary of anyone cutting my hair so I had to make my needs and requirements crystal clear.


We videotaped the BC and took some great before & after photos.  She did an excellent job!


4.What or Who influenced you to go natural?


My decision to go natural was an effort to save my hair.  Second, I wanted the freedom of not having to worry about my hair getting wet in the rain or if I wanted to go swimming.  Third, I wanted to see if my hair would perform like my daughters' hair.  Fourth, I wanted to see my natural hair again.


I remember hating my big, wavy hair as a child.  No one knew what to do with it, and as I grew older I didn't either.  My mom would always put my hair in one or two ponytails or keep in braided so I never got a chance to really play in my hair to learn to embrace it.  As I grew older I wanted to be like everyone else with cute styles so I talked my Mom into allowing me to get it pressed.  After I had my daughter in 1983 I promptly got a perm and never looked back.

5. Did your Big Chop affect your self-esteem?


WOW did it ever!  If I had know the BC would make me feel sexier than I've felt in my entire life I would have done it a long time ago!


I've always been confident in my appearance, but the BC stepped up my confidence in a major way.  For example, I would have never gone out of the house with my hair in bantu knots prior to transitioning to natural.  It's not that I didn't think the style was banging, but because I thought people would look at me like a fool.  


Guess what?  The first style that I rocked in public were bantu knots!!!  My husband couldn't believe I left the house with my hair in the bantu knots.  He didn't care for them, but I LOVED THEM.  In fact, people couldn't stop staring at my hair.  One girl at McDonald's even forgot to take my money because she couldn't stop staring at my hair LOL!  


Now that I've BCd I noticed that my head is held higher.  My walk says, "I'm the bomb & I know it".  My attitude has always been like a line in Whitney Houston's song, My Name Ain't Susan, "You ain't got nothing on me", but now I truly feel it!  


I'm not conceited, just so much more confident in my beauty so that it now matches my inner beauty.  You can't beat that!  The BC was the most liberating event of my life!


6.Did you have any support going natural? or negative experiences when going natural?


My support has been from my husband and children as well as a few friends & family members.  However, my husband did not want me to do the BC.  He prefers long hair so he wasn't feeling the idea of me not having my BSL hair.  


Overall, I can't say that I had any negative experience other than the disastrous haircut that actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  For the most part, people know that I'm going to do what I want so there really wasn't any debate or discussion about my going natural or deciding to BC.


7.What is your regimen?  


Marci, that's a loaded question.  Since I've only be a natural for less than a week I'm still tweaking things to determine what's working and what isn't and when to do what.  I have given the regime some thought however, and this is what I'm contemplating doing going forward:


1. Poo weekly on Saturday evening w/ either Miss Jessie's Sudsy Shampoo or Kinky Curly Come Clean (KCCC)
2. DC weekly w/ LeKair Cholestrol Plus
3. Co-wash at least 2x week w/ AOHSR
4. Leave-in Conditioner = Suave or other light weight conditioner
5. Spritz hair 2x day w/ mixture of aloe vera juice & EOs (rosemary, clary sage, lavender, tea tree oil, & ylang ylang mixture)
6. Moisturize hair w/ shea butter mixture (shea butter, jojoba oil, EVOO, honey, & EOs) when wearing my hair out.
7. Massage & oil scalp w/ EOs 2x week to promote growth
8.  Protein Treatment Monthly w/ mayo, eggs, & honey


I may add the following to my routine on a monthly basis:


1. Detox hair w/ Bentonite Clay
2. Henna application (as needed)


What products are you using:


1. Carol's Daughter Hair Milk - Leave-In Conditioner on twists, bantu knots, etc.
2. Darcy's Botanicals Transitioning Cream - Leave-In Conditioner on twists, bantu knots, etc.
3. Carol's Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey - Great for shine, moisture, & frizz control.
4. Ecostyler Olive Oil Gel
5.  Essential Oils, i.e, rosemary, lavender, clary sage, ylang ylang, & tea tree oil
6.  Homemade whipped shea butter blend w/ jojoba oil, olive oil, aloe vera jel & EOs


8.What is your nightly routine? 


Currently I'm spritzing my hair with my aloe vera juice & essential oils mixture and applying my homemade shea butter blend to keep my hair moisturized.


I always, always sleep in my satin bonnet as well.


For those nights when I'm wearing my hair loose I'm using the baggy method to seal in moisture.


9.What is your go to style?  What style would you like to try? and why?  what is preventing you from trying this style?


I don't have a go to style yet, but I do like my hair in the wash n' go TWA because it accentuates my beautiful curl pattern.  Now all I have to do is figure out how to prevent the crunchiness and make it cottony soft!  


I'd love to wear my hair in a long twist chignon because it's classy yet casual.  However, I'm going to have to get some length before I'll be able to try this style out!


10. What is the best thing about being natural?


There are so many things that I love about being natural, and the first thing that comes to mind is the ability to walk in the rain without fear of messing my hair up!  I did that yesterday and it was so much fun.


Second, I'm not paying someone to play at caring for my hair.  I'm actually caring for my hair and getting positive results without shelling out $30-50 every two weeks.


Third, I'm not held hostage in someone's salon listening to pointless gossip and the like.


Fourth, I can try so many different styles on my hair that I wasn't able to pull off with relaxed hair.


Fifth, I don't have to worry about someone putting in the wrong relaxer and burning my scalp, my hair, or both.


11.What advice do you have for an aspiring natural/transitioner?


First, don't wait to do your BC!  It's a major step, but it's worth it and so liberating!  I know it's scary going from having lengthy hair to having short hair, but it's just hair...with the care and love you give to your natural hair you'll have long hair in no time!


Second, learn as much as you can about natural hair.  Participate in the forums, read books like Curly Like Me by Teri LaFlesh & Grow It by Chicoro.  Visit YouTube and look at the wonderful videos of other sisterfriends who are transitioning and/or have already BCd to learn how to handle your hair.


Third, EMBRACE YOUR GOD GIVEN BEAUTY!


Fourth, listen to your heart and not what everyone else has to say.  Some mean well, but at the end of the day you need to be happy with you.

Here's an additional photo of Adam's Eve:

This one she is a permie!