Long Story Short (LSS), I am SICK AND TIRED of wearing a bunny bun every single day. So, I've been researching lots of really cute, everyday or go-out, up-dos, and what I am finding is AMAZING. *Side #1 - See my past blog on Protective Styles to figure out why I'm wearing my hair in this said bun.
I have already tried a little something something the other day and am planning on doing a few more to add to a cute little up-do blog.
Stay Tuned!
*Side #2 - My Right Now Resolution is to stay on top of this blizzog ;)
*Side #3 - Here's a recent pic of me and JaNelle. JaNelle with her wave-iron style, and me with my regular wash-and-go.
Umm, yeah. I have neglected this blog for a while, so it's time for some updates...
**I am still a Karen's Body Beautiful addict!!
**I am no longer co-washing. I find my hair and scalp does better if I just wash. If I'm going to wear my hair out, washing gives it more body and movement. Co-washing can actually weigh my hair down, even with the lightest condish.
**I am still bunning. My hair is in a bun most days, hugely due to laziness. It's easy. It's cute for work. It's classic. It's protective. I love it.
**My hair routine (or lack there of) now:
I wash when I feel like my scalp needs it - usually every 4-6 days. I don't put washing on a strict schedule. I use Karen's Body Beautiful Ultimate Conditioning Shampoo and Deep Conditioner, then put on a bit of Karen's Super Silky - my hair has that great 'seaweed' feel with just a dime-sized amount of Super Silky. Then I use a tiny dab of Aubrey Organics B-5 gel or Oyin Handmade Shine & Define on the front of my hair and twist it back in a bun.
I also wash if I'm going to wear my hair out (which I don't do nearly as often as bunning), even if my scalp isn't saying, "Wash me!!" My wash-n-go is truly a 'wash'-n-go. A fresh wash is necessary. I use the same products, but detangle with a large tooth comb in the shower before rinsing out the conditioner, and apply Aubrey Organics B-5 gel all over my hair (after the Super Silky) before letting it air dry. I can get 3rd day hair, and wash on the 4th. After wearing my hair out it feels more dry than when bunning, so following 3rd day hair, I leave all of the conditioner in and let it sit while my hair is in a bun as a lazy deep conditioning treatment (if I am returning to a bun, which I usually do). I also have to detangle thoroughly after wearing my hair out for a few days.
If I am going to straighten (really rare), I wash with Karen's Body Beautiful Herbal Conditioner and condition with her Herbal Conditioner. Afterwards, I apply a very small amount of Super Silky on the ends only.
So that's it. For the most part I listen to my hair. If it feels on the dry side, I don't rinse out my conditioner, just bun it up with the product in there. From time to time I will also use a heavier product than Super Silky, either the Sweet Ambrosia (formally known as Hair Milk) or Hair Nectar, but ONLY when bunning.
When I deep condition (using the amazing pink, heated deep conditioning cap Rachel got for me), I use Karen's Luscious Locks Hair Mask. I should do this more often. It's been a few months...
Stay beautiful!!
Pic 1 - 3rd day wash-n-go hair - traveling and tired!!
So, on a few occasions this year, I have decided to take my natural to another level and rock a classic afro. The idea started as something fun to do for a 70's party, but I liked it so much that I was constantly looking for an occasion to do it again.
Little did I know, it seems that the AFRO IS BACK, and there are so many Sistas out there showing love for the fro. Given this, I thought it would be fun to look into the history of the hairstyle, and give some deets on how I achieve my fro....
History (side - Wikipedia is the best!): Did you know that The Afro dates all the way back to the 1860's? Get this - There were a group of women called "Circassian beauties" -- "A fairly extensive literary history suggests that Circassian women were thought to be unusually beautiful, spirited and elegant, and as such were desirable as concubines" (oh snap!). Further, these Circassian beauties originated from the Northern Caucus region, the region where the concept of a Caucasian race was developed. So, yes ... if you are following me, the original afros were rocked by Caucasians! Now, if you know your history (like I do now thanks to Wiki), the term "Caucasian" is historically used to describe the entire population of people from the regions of Europe, N. Africa, Horn of Africa, W. Central, and S. Asia, in relation to physical type and not necessarily skin tone. I'm starting to digress a bit, but what I'm trying to say is that the Afro dates way back than what I thought, AND it was worn by the original Caucasians, who I would not say were "white" but have come to be associated with that today. Here's a pretty hot pic of one of these Circassian Ladies rockin the fro (what they called "Moss Hair" back then).
Following this, it's no secret that the Civil Rights Movement of the 60's led to the newly found appreciation of African American hair in it's natural state (Black is Beautiful!) ....which led to the Afro that most of us know. Thinking back, there have definitely been some resurgences of the afro since the 60's... and like I said, I think it's making a comeback right now :)
How I Get My Fro: First - I must mention that my hair is Type 3C, so I'm not thinking I could simply pick my hair out and it would mold into a perfect fro of my liking (though, maybe I'll try this once). So, to obtain my Diana Ross Fro, I use a blow dryer with a comb attachment. And given the damage that constant blow-drying can create, I only do the fro look every now and then.
Simply, all I do is wet my hair in the shower and apply something like a hair milk, leave-in condish, or cream as a base coat and protectant from the blow drying. Then, I will blow dry in sections, making sure to NOT blow dry too much, cause I don't want my hair to be straight! I might also add something to give a little *shine to each section before blow drying. Just to add a little *sparkle* :) ... Then finally when each section is done, I like to wet my hands a little and fluff up the hair, just to bring a little curl back and to give some shape. And voila! I have a Fro :) .... Adding a little pin or flower also adds some effect:
And there you have it! History of the Afro, and my Afro, and I love it! Happy Fro Styling! Power to the People!
JaNelle and I usually just talk about curly products, but I've recently started looking into specific styling methods. Idea - once you have a really good product, how do you apply it? Well, apparently there's lots of styling methods out there in Natural Hair Land. I'll mention a few of them below.....
Finger Styling - Turns out this is what I do already (after experimenting for years, mind you). Basically, make sure your hair is wet all over. Next, you just grab sections of your hair and apply the desired product from root to tip, while running your fingers through to make sure the product penetrates. This style is "quick and easy" though it's the reason my shower time is about 20 minutes :)
Curlisto Method - This style was introduced by the Curlisto Product line, so of course they suggest you use their products, but I'm thinking this can be done with any leave-in/hair milk, hair cream, and gel of your choice. I'll probably try this with a base of KBB Hair Milk, then apply one of my hair creams with Aubrey's B5.
Method: 1. Apply base (leave-in, hair milk) all over your wet hair
2. Part hair into 5 sections (nape, sides, top, middle back), and clip each section to hold
3. Apply a mix of cream and gel to each section, from root to tip, running fingers through and shaking the ends to stimulate your curls.
4. After applying all over, put duck bill clips in the roots of your hair (down the middle and one on each side), kind of lifting up the roots.
5. Finally, diffuse until dry
6. Curlisto suggests you apply their "Unruly Paste" to smooth any fly aways, then apply a glow spray and some other stuff, but not sure if you really need to. I don't like to mess with my hair too much after it's dry.
Curlisto - Sounds Cool. Perhaps I'll try this on a weekend or day off, because who has time to diffuse until dry. Really.
Shingling Method - This method was introduced by Miss Jessie's. It's similar to the Curlisto method from what I've seen. Seems like you would apply your product all over your hair, then take smaller sections and comb more product through. Ideally, you would then sit under a dryer until your hair was fully dry (~1 hour!). Finally, "fluff" it out for volume. Again, sounds do-able, but who's sitting under a dryer for an hour? Actually, WHO has a sit-under dryer!? (I may get one, *wink!*)
Braid-Out/Twist-Out - This style is exactly what it sounds like. Basically, you would braid or twist your hair in sections (after applying some product all over), as small or big as you like, let your hair dry, then carefully take each braid/twist out. Then fluff to your liking :) ... My rugby twin Ashley does this and her hair look gorgeous when she does.
Note - Almost all of these styling methods start with you applying product while your hair is wet. It helps with detangling and makes for easier application. Like I mention, I do my Finger Styling while I'm in the shower, but in most of the demo videos for these methods, the ladies are doing this in front of a mirror, using a water spray bottle to keep their hair wet during application. I may try this.... or, I could invent a "Shower Mirror" that sticks to your shower wall and doesn't fog up during the shower. Genius! (Don't steal my idea!)
Speaking of demo videos .... Miss Jessie's has REALLY nice vids on their site, which demonstrate Twist Outs, Finger Styling, and Shingling. Definitely Checkoutable:
There is a song titled "I Am Not My Hair" by India Arie, that is SO great, I felt a blog needed to be dedicated to the lyrics. It pretty much explains everything :)
I Am Not My Hair, By India Arie
Is that India.Arie? What happened to her hair? Ha ha ha ha ha
Little girl with the press and curl Age eight I got a Jheri curl Thirteen I got a relaxer I was a source of so much laughter At fifteen when it all broke off Eighteen and went all natural February two thousand and two I went and did What I had to do Because it was time to change my life To become the women that I am inside Ninety-seven dreadlock all gone I looked in the mirror For the first time and saw that HEY....
I am not my hair I am not this skin I am not your expectations no no I am not my hair I am not this skin I am a soul that lives within
What'd she do to her hair? I don't know it look crazy I like it. I might do that. Umm I wouldn't go that far. I know .. ha ha ha ha
Good hair means curls and waves Bad hair means you look like a slave At the turn of the century Its time for us to redefine who we be You can shave it off Like a South African beauty Or get in on lock Like Bob Marley You can rock it straight Like Oprah Winfrey If its not what's on your head Its what's underneath and say HEY....
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person? Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? Oooh Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity? I am expressing my creativity..
Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy Took away her crown and glory She promised God if she was to survive She would enjoy everyday of her life ooh On national television Her diamond eyes are sparkling Bald headed like a full moon shining Singing out to the whole wide world like HEY...
If I wanna shave it close Or if I wanna rock locks That don't take a bit away From the soul that I got If I wanna where it braided All down my back I don't see what wrong with that
Is that India.Arie? Ooh look she cut her hair! I like that, its kinda PHAT I don't know if I could do it. But it looks sharp, it looks nice on her She got a nice shaped head She got an apple head I know right? It's perfect.
I've been gone for waaaaay too long, and its time to update what's been going on with my hair lately. I think I'll go back to the blog I wrote about "Zhara's Hair Inspirations" where I outlined 6 things I wanted to start doing with my hair. Let's see if I've actually done any of them ...
1. I have realized that I NEED MORE OILS in my hair. UPDATE: Well, back when I wrote this, it was the beginning of March and still pretty chilly outside. Because of that, I needed to put a lot of oils in my hair. BUT - now that it's June and humid, I don't need as many oils. In fact, if I accidentally go crazy with some of my oil-based products, my hair usually comes out VERY greasy and not cute. Conclusion - I was definitely successful in using more oils. I've used organic coconut oil, Karen's Jojoba oil, & an assortment of Anita Grant's oils and I love them all. I just don't need to use them as often in the summa-time.
2. I will do an all over oil treatment to my hair at least once a week. UPDATE: Again - Back in March I was really good at keeping this up. But as the weather got warmer it wasn't needed. Maybe once every 2-3 weeks these days. Moisture is still important!!
3. I will wear twists or braids, perhaps put up into a bun, at least once a week. UPDATE: Sooooooo.... I started off REALLY good at keeping this up. It was perfect because I had rugby games every weekend, which gave me more motivation to do braids or twists or whatev. But sadly, since rugby had ended, I have been very delinquent on my protective styles. I need to read my own blog about this to remind myself of the benefits and get back to it!!!
4. Use Aubrey's B5 Gel. UPDATE: Got it and Love it Love it Love it!! For anyone willing to try it - it's called a "gel" but its not really a gel. This stuff holds my curl beautifully without the scrunchy hard feeling of a traditional gel. A little dab'll do ya, because I've had the same bottle for MONTHS now and I use it almost everyday as a top coat after applying my other products. Especially on hot, humid days. Loveit!
5. Try Different Styles. UPDATE: Hmmmmmm..... I want to say that I have TRIED a few different styles occasionally (side parts, hair pinned differently), but I seem to always come back to my part down the middle. I just think it looks best that way. I also like to pin up a little piece to the side after my middle-parted hair is dry, like at the end of the day or something. But that's it. I still need to be more creative. Someone help me!
6. Hair Does NOT Have To Be Perfect All The Time! UPDATE: Negative Ghostwriter. I still have an obsession with perfection. Yet, I still have people telling me I need to let it go and be wild and big and decent.... just hasn't happened yet. I think the problem is I use so many products in my hair that weigh them down to perfection. If I try not to use products, I gain volume, but I also think it looks frizzy. I need to do more research in this department.
So, looks like I'm about 3 or 4 out of 6 for the above goals. Not too shabby. Overall, I would say that I am SO happy with my hair right now. After a good trim about 2 months ago, my ends are healthy, my curls are gorge (gorgeous), and my hair is soft to the touch (not greasy), yet it still looks shiny. I can definitely say that my hair is at least 10 times more healthy than it was a year ago, before I went truly natural (products, etc...).
All in all, I am happy and still have more things to achieve... details to come :)
On top of updating this Blog, I need some good pics of my hair. Nonetheless, here's a pic of me impersonating a nerd. I think my hair looks pretty good in it :)
Up until the past few months, my daily hair routine was a simple "wash & go." I get into the shower, wet and detangle my hair, then apply whatever product I feel like using that day. These days it's usually a base of Karen's Hair Milk, then a top coat of 1 of my Darcy's cremes (which I LOVE!). Then, maybe some Aubrey's B5 if I think I need a little extra hold. And that is my "wash & go," ... please note this does not consist of any washing/shampooing (I don't shampoo my hair too often; see my previous blog on co-washing). In general, I think everyone's W&G definition is different....
But anyway, the moral to this story is that I just recently started to try more Protective Styles on my hair. For a simple definition, Protective Styles are any type of hair style that protects your hair from being exposed to the air and snagging/rubbing on your clothes. As I was looking at other women's blogs and seeing how beautiful and healthy their hair was, it was evident that ALL of them wore their hair in Protective Styles most of the time.
Examples of Protective Styles: 1. Twists 2. Braids (I like to do braids, pulled back into a bun) 3. Simple Bun 4. Wearing some type of scarf or hair wrap
Benefits of Protective Styles: 1. Helps your hair to accumulate length. 2. Locks moisture into your hair (Especially when I use natural oils when doing my style! I like using Organic Coconut Oil). 3. Keeps it from drying out - gotta keep those oils in for them to work! 4. Prevents splits ends. 5. Needs less combing and brushing (which can lead to split ends). 6. You can keep a style in for days, and it's ok!!!
Overall for me, I would like my hair to grow because I feel like it's been at the same length for years! Additionally, playing rugby can take a toll on my hair, and using protective styles will definitely help :)
