May 1, 2013 Natural Hair Progession: Stretching TWAs and Nautral Hair Styling

Below are photos of my natural hair progression.My hair is steady growing and I am learning how to care for it, such as what products to use, when to wash etc. I have a mini hair regimen.I wash 1-2X's a week, alternating co-washing and clarifying washes. I say mini because I cannot seem to stay consistent lately. I am still experimenting a lot with different hair products. Ultimately, I will probably make my own products. I have tried a few brands (Shea Moisture, Soultanicals, Ynobe, and few others). Those brands are just so so. I will probably not find a definitive brand for my hair. My curl pattern is 4b/c (very afro-ish, kinky hair) and it needs a lot of moisturizer and oils. I have yet to find the right combination of moisture and oil but I am not fretting yet. As my hair grows,the needs of my hair will change. So it is best to practice flexibility and patience when handling black, natural hair. Now I am not saying that I never get fed up with it (those days I just pick my hair into an afro and keep it moving), I am learning to just chill out because at the end of the day it just hair! 

Natural Hair Styling Methods:
 
I have not had much luck with braid, twists or Bantu knot outs. I will experiment with those when my hair gets longer. No need to try and manipulate it into styles when it is at the length. Instead,when I feel a need to spice things up a bit, I add accessories such as bejeweled bobby pins, clips and flowers. 


Methods used to Stretch TWAs:

Pineapple Method: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlL3Ek5bfz0)

Banding method: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8knyj27pG8

I do not use these methods all of the time. I may do a stretching technique a day or two after washing. I do not want to cause any unnecessary tension on my scalp, especially around hairline. 
 

May 1, 2013

May 2, 2013

Update: Big Trim and wearing my hair free!

Ok so I have been needing my hair evened out for months now. I never had the time to go to the salon. I would take down my twists extensions and redo them a day or two later. I got a Major trim and decided to Not add any extensions. I just want to be free. I have had a mixed reaction. My friends and family have been super encouraging!! Thanks everyone! However at work I have been getting compliments and strange looks. I really could car less about the strange looks. I really want to stop and say "this is my real hair people and I Love it!!". I had a co-worker who told me that her sister, who is natural, uses a product that makes your hair curl up. I am not worried about my hair not being curly. My hair texture is Coarse, 4c/d. My hair Will Not curl up with out manipulation such as twists outs, braids, perm rods, or whatever. Instead of getting indignant with people, I will have to school them. I will Not be straightening my hair anytime soon. It's a New Day up in here and as a black woman with a black daughter, I will wear my hair natural and be Proud of it. I will teach my little girl to love her hair. I will embrace my Lovely Kinks!! If Anyone has problem, take it up with someone who cares.

Natural Sisters Unite!!!

New update!

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. But yes I am still natural. I wear puffy twists exclusively now. My hair has grown a lot. I have started using the LOC method to maximize moisture for my hair. The LOC method is basically 3 steps: liquid, oil and cream. This method will seal in moisture. I will also use the GHE/bagging method using olive and grape seed oil once a week. It's a bit hard to keep my hair moisturizer with added extensions but I a, working diligently to keep it moisturizer to minimize breakage when I take down and redo my twists. Here are a few pics:

Afro Puffy Twists (I will do this style MYSELF) :-)

I ordered 4 packs of #2 (dark brown) Nafy Collection Afro Puffy hair. I wanted #1B but they were out. I will attempt my first set of puffy twists in about 2 weeks. I need 2 days to do them so I have to be off an entire weekend. I have watched a ton of YouTube video tutorials. I know how to attach the hair, I just need practice on actually twisting the hair. Currently, I have in kinky twists that I did myself. I have touched up the edges but other than that have been wearing bun styles for about 3 weeks.

Here are links to some to the videos that I will use to help install these puffy twists:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmefAjTCfKg&feature=g-like

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td5mIzPPv-A&feature=share&list=PL625FBD975C449329

 I purchased off of www.ebay.com for $10.95 a pack. I will try and keep these in for 4-6 weeks. Will update with pics of the hair once I receive the package.

I am so excited to do another full head of braids. Practice makes perfect..no more shelling out hundreds of dollars to a stylist when I can learn how to do them myself!

Pics of the hair: Nafy Collection Afro Puffy Twists

Finished style: 

So I love the end results!I did the twists big because I didn't have the time to make the smaller and I hate taking extensions down. This style took about 5 hrs to complete. I could have did it in 4 but I took multiple breaks and my daughter was interrupting constantly! LOL 

I will keep these twists for 4-6 weeks. I used a leave in hair conditioner mixed with twisting gel so I am certain the twists will hold up.

I have Big Chopped!

Well I Big Chopped (BC) August 20, 2012. I was trying to wait until Spring 2013 so that I would have enough length to be comfortable wearing my natural hair but I could no longer handle the two textures. I took down my genie locs and proceeded to condition and comb out the tangles. I thought I did a good job but the next morning my hair was a matted mess. I was schedule to get kinky twists but I could not comb out my hair. I calmly went and got my shears and cut off my straight, relaxed ends. I love cutting my hair! This is third time I BC (1st time to get locs, 2nd time to cut off locs, and then now to cut of relaxed hair). It felt great! However I feel it was too short for me to wear comfortable. I got the kinky twists, took those out and put more in myself. Yes I said it...I braided my own hair!! I studied YouTube videos and it took 2 days to do them. They are just ok. Not to bad for my first time. I had issues curling the ends but I did not have perm rods. So I just wear buns. I need to work on my twisting technique but the twists are wearable. I will attempt Nubian Twists in about 2 weeks. Will post an update then. Here are the pics:

Genie Loc Styles

I am loving my Genie locs! They remind me so much of my locs that I had 2 yrs ago. I may just grow them back. Here are a few pics of twisted plaits into a high bin. I will add more once I think of new styles.

May/June Update

I have been busy and/ or too lazy to update my Hair Blog.

But here is a May/June Update:


May 2012-  I pretty much wore half wigs and I got a sew in bob (with an invisible part). Sorry no pics but I kept the sew in for almost 4 weeks, the longest I have ever kept a sew in. The hair I used was Janet Collection King Yaky. Very realistic looking hair but it shed A LOT by the 3rd week. Also my hair was growing and the invisible part was spreading so it was time to take it out.

June 2012- In the first half of June I wore a half wig that I made using Pro 10 Bohemian Curl hair, 12 inches. I tried to make a full wig but the cap size was too small, so I wore it as a half wig. I love this hair. It is really soft with a spiral curl. I revived the curls using a water, protein conditioner, and Argan oil mix.

 

Half wig- Pro 10 Bohemian Hair, 12 inch.





Genie Locs/Yarn Braids

Health Hair Journey Talk: I am still very much on a Healthy Hair Journey (HHJ). Whether I am wearing a weave, wig, or braids I still take care of my hair on a daily basis.

My current HHJ Regimen  is as follows:

1. Co-Wash once a week (wash with conditioner only) with various conditioner but mainly VO5 or Creme of Nature Argan oil conditioner. Clarify once a month with shampoo (mainly Creme of Nature Argan Oil Shampoo or black soap from www. nasabb.com to remove product build up).

2. Deep Condition once a week (w/o usually apply a DC early in the morning, put on a plastic cap and wrap with hair scarf, and rinse in the evening.  

3. Use Giovanni Direct Leave in Conditioner and Organic Coconut oil- plait my hair or make small braids throughout my head. Air dry.

4. Daily Hair Spritzer mix- water, Castor oil (Jamaican Black Castor oil or regular Castor oil), almond. Change mixture weekly

5. 2-3x's a week- oil scalp using Herbal hair oil from BSS.

- that is my standard Regimen. Some times I use different products but the main idea is to use a hair spritzer daily, moisturize and seal (with oil) daily to every other day as needed, DC weekly, use a clarifying shampoo monthly. Limit heat and no chemicals.

- I will have a length check update when I take down my Genie Locs (probably end of August). I did trim at least 1/2 inch off before getting the Genie Locs. I am not too concerned with the length of my relaxed ends. I am concerned with keeping a healthy scalp which promotes healthy new growth.