Top-Knot...Luv This!

The Holidays are a-coming. Learn to do this Top-Knot - Gorg!

http://www.essence.com/videos/

Have Y'all Seen This....I'ma Hafta Try This Here!!!!

Ummmm....have I been living under a rock for the past year or is this getting to be pretty common. Insanity, it looks soooooooo Reeeeaaaaaaalllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And the Beat Goes On.....One Year Later.

"My journey into the world of fake hair continues and will probably stay that way for a long while because I want my length back. Volume, I have aplenty but I'm length starved." quote from me in 04-02-2011


One year later, the quote still holds true. Still wiggin' out, wiggin' it up or whatever you wana call it. Mostly half wigs. If its a full wig, it will have bangs. My hair is still braided up in its little pineapple shape underneath.


Haven't had a real good blow-out for a true length check but I don't need one to tell me my hair's grown - a lot.


The ultimate goal is hip length. Only time will tell how much patience I have to achieve this length. I think I want to spend the rest of my 20's and 30's with long hair (sans relaxer!) and then cut it "Halle Berry-pixie short" when I'm forty. Once again, only time will tell, I tend to get scissor happy....

The Similarity is Striking

http://www.facebook.com/rihanna

One Year Later: A Trip to the Hair Shop

So, last year I made a vow to never put scissors on my hair as a means of retaining length....Well fast forward a year later, lets just say the split-ends were nagging me and I had to make the trip.

Went to the Hair shop today, don't really have a usual stylist since I do my hair myself so...it was a new lady who did it, claimed to do natural hair as she was natural herself. Yes. she was natural but....never again.

Don't get me wrong, as sweet as sweet can be, but....she didn't know her products - at least when it came to heat + natural hair. The past 2 stylists I've been to in the past, have been able to cut through my thick hair with their blow-dryer like a warm knife through a cold stick of butter.

Yes. she used a heat protectant spray but nothing specially formulated for blow-drying. While both former stylist refused to disclose the name of the product that made blow-drying my hair such a breeze, I do know for sure that the product had some conditioning properties. I repeat, this was merely a heat protectant spray - my hair needs more than that. Heat protectant with softening agent = easy hair.

Needless to say, she had her work cut out for her. My hair neither bent nor broke to her wished. She pulled, she tugged, she yanked....and so on. She did the best she could and trimmed the edges per my request.

The ordeal was over after 30 minutes of hair and scalp abuse. My hair was standing straight-up in a blown-out afro with crinkly ends. Though, I did not expect my hair to fall down after blow-drying, I DID expect it not to have crinkly ends....a testament to her not knowing her products.

Once again, if she did the blow-dryer + right product its capable of straightening the thickest hair from root to tip. Obviously not bone straight like you'd get with a flat-iron. But, straight - as in no curly crinkles at the end.

Any she charged $30 and I gave her $40.....I guess you could think of it as a goodbye tip. Never again. The lesson learned is - I have enough resources at my finger-tips via Youtube and google that I CAN and Need to be my own hairdresser from now on. The goal of the salon trip was to get my ends trimmed. That could have been accomplished right here in this house.

All I'd have to do was watch a few videos to know what products to get....just like I do when my hair's in its coily state. Lesson Learned. .....@ least it was a decent way to gauge my length. The hair is right on track. Growing thick. strong and wonderful.

Baking Soda: Shampoo

So, why don't naturals use baking soda to wash their hair??And if they do...Im just Now getting in on it.

I've used it for 2 weeks now and lets just say....I Will Be Stocking Up On Baking Soda ASAP. PRONTO.

1. Clean- Sparkling Clean Scalp and Strands
2. Soft - Detangles while washing - SOFT!!!! I'm talking almost don't-need-no-conditioner-after-washing- SOFT!!! Heaven knows a product that achieves this feat on tightly-coiled curls....deserves some Spotlight.

Well, don't know if the reviews are out there already or not (I'm sure they are cuz us naturals be slapping e'rythin on our heads @ least ONCE) But here's another one!

Hair Growth Update: Wigs + Braids + Hair oils

@ Amasha - I used Gogo Curl hair by Freetress for my crochet braids.

Update: I took my crochet braids out about 3 wks ago now. Henna'd it and braided it by itself no fake hair added in an upward kinda pineapple shaped pattern for 2 wks.

I took out the braids yesterday - Crazy growth!!! Then I conditioned with banana + molasses + magnesium mixture. Slapped it on my head and went to sleep. Washed it out in the morning and it made my hair feel very strong, full and thick. Plus it looked darker and shinier...Lord knows I luvs me some dark hair.

So I have transitioned from crochet braids to wigs. Because I realized that I like easy access to my scalp for when I oil it every night and just even for fresh air and what not.

The secret to my success so far is not only the ultimate protective styling of braids + wigs but OILS. My current mixture is Castor oil + Brahmi/Alma oil + Hempseed oil + Flaxseed oil and a kitchen sinkful of essential oils including Peppermint & Eucalyptus oil.

Needless to say, I'll be sticking to this regime for a long while.

@ Kay

Thanks for the helpful tip Kay! I'll be sure to get out my measuring tape or ruler next time I take out the weave to start documenting my hair growth.
Honestly...the way my hair shrinks, its like magic right in front of your eyes. 7inches-to-1inch in the blink of an eye - Abrakadabra for real!!!

Aussie Moist Conditioner: To Keep yo' Weave from Lookin' Tired

Tip of the Day:

For anyone out there rocking a weave, wig, wig-a-weaver, whatever. When your all of the above starts looking tired. Go get you some Aussie Moist conditioner (in the purple bottle) and your wig-a-weave or whatever will spring back shiny and new.

Looks like the same concept that works for natural hair works for synthetic hair as well. Just rake the Aussie Conditioner through your situation and head out the door. Bounce and Shine...You'll have everybody thinking it sprouts straight ouch yo head.

That's my tip for the day. Peace & Afro grease...much luv in the middle eas'

P.S. I'm seriously contemplating Biotin....

Growth: The Verdict is In

The weave lasted almost 2 months. It was looking a tad tired and rageddy so it had to be gone. As for my hair underneath, the result is still a mystery in mind.

When I was unraveling my cornrows my hair was nice and soft which I attributed to my alternate days of oiling my scalp and the periodic washing of my entire head in those 2 months. But it didn't look like it grew any. It just looked like it looked before I braided it.

Then when I washed my hair, it was super-super-super coily. Like it went back to its original state for real. I'm talking coils straight from the mother land. My hair shrunk so much after I washed it, got me thinking maybe I lost hair instead of getting some.

But while I was combing sections of it with a rat tail comb so I could braid it and start the process all over again, it did look a tad longer.

So, the conclusion is .....idk. Maybe it takes a bit longer than 2 months to see an apparent growth in length. I'll just have to wait and see the result after this new one I just put in.

One Big Con: The Itch

One con of this crochet hair deal: the itch from hell.

My journey into the world of fake hair continues and will probably stay that way for a long while because I want my length back. Volume, I have aplenty but I'm length starved.

My crochet braided hair is still going strong only because I found a cure for The Itch. Four days into my crocheted hair and my scalp was not having it. It was an itch that I cannot describe, like a gazillion lice eggs were dumped on my scalp and they all spontaneously began to hatch at the same time. Even describing it right now makes my scalp itch.

Anyhoo, I couldn't take it anymore so I mixed some cups of vinegar with water and poured it over my head, then I stuck my head under the spout and turned the water on full force...All I can say is, it was almost like experience nirvana...ecstasy like no other.

Then I stumbled upon...Peppermint oil - my saving grace. I added it into my already made oil along with whatever else was in their. For my scalp, it was like biting into a york peppermint pattie...you know that sensation of icy-cool that your taste buds get when you bite into one, well imagine that feeling on my scalp!

In between oil applications, which is pretty much nightly, I apply my ready made vinegar+water mixture. Spray it into a paper towel or cotton ball and gently rub it on my scalp.

These tips have been the saving grace for my scalp with this crochet braids. If not, 4 days later, I'd have pulled out the scissors and chopped off all the hard work I'd accomplished just 4 days before. I'd have been a shame. Thank God for the inspiration.

Excellent Technique: Crochet Braid Video

This is the Youtube video of which my attempt would not have been possible without.
It's the technique she used that made my attempt so much easier....It still took me forever because I did it in stages, starting with braiding the hair on day 1.

4 Days & Countless Hours later....Crochet Braids Done

I managed to crochet braid my hair. It was a daunting task to say the least. But I'm reaping the rewards. It came out really nice. Virtually undetectable except to the trained eye of black women. They may not know what I did but they know it ain't my hair its just a matter of narrowing it down....is it a wig? a weave? a wiga-weave? So long as I keep 'em guessing then its a job well done.

I will post the youtube video of which my attempt would not have been possible without. Thank the Lord I stumbled upon it before I started or else I'd have given up at the first try. This is a picture of the hair I used. I didn't use the hair the already manufactured way, I split it into two and used half with each insertion.

Crochet/Tree Braids: The Next Step in Transitioning for Length

While looking at braid styling options online, I stumbled upon something called Crochet braids or Tree braids. It looks like the easiest most wonderful braid option ever. I plan on getting them done in about 2 wks. Below is a video of Crochet braids.

Thought of Today

The Definition of My Hair: Densely Populated Follicles



Happy 100th Post to Me!!!

Esperanza Spalding: Re-Post on 2009 Post

Nope. The Grammy's got it wrong. There's nothing "new" about Esperanza Spalding cuz this chick has been around for a minute. Just cuz they're now acknowledging her talent doesn't mean she's "new."

Anyhoo, here's a re-post of the post I wrote on Esperanza back in 2009. She inspired me then and still inspires me today. Still rocking her fierce natural hair in 2011 this time with Grammy award in hand! Nothing short of Natural. Hair. Fierceness.

She drew me in with her divalicious afro and captured me with her voice. So I was just walking down the ailes of my local library a couple days ago, waiting to use a computer, when the cover CD of an afrolicious beauty caught my eye, the name - Esperanza.

Of course I immediately picked it up if only to look through the CD booklet to see more pictures of almighty afro, very impressive, but what was even more impressive was her music. It's basically a fusion of latin and jazz which I have never listened to before, at least not on purpose.

Esperanza is definitely an inspiration to me now and should be for the whole natural hair community and I'm pretty much in love with her music. It took me a second to fall for the music, but I did, hard.

Beautiful Pics of Braids...Courtesy of Essense.com

While browsing on Essence.com guess what I ran across right after I wrote the post on braids.

Hairstyle File: The Evolution of Braids

Simply Gorgeous ---Enjoy:








While browsing on Essence.com guess what I ran across right after I wrote the post on braids.

Hairstyle File: The Evolution of Braids

Simply Gorgeous ---Enjoy:

A Second Transition...This Time For Length

This picture is an example of the paragraphs below: Cornrow Backwards
I gave myself a 3 weeks with my hands-off hair and clip-on ponytail challenge. And I am actually amazing myself!!!

I've actually been able to keep my hands of my hair except for 1 day a week when I re-braid it and slap on some more conditioner + glycerin + H2O!!!!

I didn't know that I would be this excited about letting my hair be @ peace and rest but I am....And I'm actually learning more from my hair being at rest than I thought I would.

For example I took a closer look and noticed:
My hair grows, backward to forward
So, I wash my hair from the back to the front (I've actually been doing this for the longest but now I'll really keep doing it)

Also, if my hair grows back to front, I'll style it in a way that accommodates its growth pattern. Basically, what I want to do eventually is braid my whole head, not just the ends, in a kind of a basket shaped pattern. The way my grandmama used to do it when I was a young'n.

My hair was thick (still is) and luscious when I was a child mostly due to heredity and partly due to the fact that my grandmama always had it braided up in this basket shaped pattern.
She'd cornrow the back of the hair up to the crown, or center of my head then she's cornrow the front of my hair to meet the center or the crown of my head.

Of course, I didn't appreciate the style at the time but I do remember that my hair grew like a weed.

What I'm coming to the conclusion of is that I'm slowly getting into my second transition. The first time, 3 years ago, I transitioned from relaxed to natural in about 3 months, now I feel like I'm ready to transition for length. I'm transitioning for a true re-birth of my hair's potential.

Now that I've gone past the 3-year experimental phase of trying all kinds of potions and lotions, mixtures and concoctions, and killing my hair several times over with flat irons; I am ready to tap into the full potential of all that my hair can become. I am ready to transition for real growth. Something tells me wigs and clip-ons will be my new best friends for a couple of years.

But I do have a question, if I no longer reveal my natural hair everyday for the world to see and keep it under wraps for a couple of years, does that mean I'm no longer a natural hair purist?

Yes! I Rocked the Ponytail For a Week

Well.....except for the one day when I wore the turban on my head but, my hair was still safely braided and tucked underneath.

I'm definitely patting myself on the back that I was able to keep my hair underwraps for a whole week. I wasn't tempted in the least to play with it until today.

My simple routine has just been unraveling it, rubbing in some conditioner and Castor oil, and re-braiding it again. I've done it twice this week.

Its pretty simple and easy and I'm sure my hair's enjoying a well-deserved break from all the twisting and tugging.

Rocking the Ponytail

I got me a ponytail for $7.99 at my local wig shop! (I bought a very similar piece to the picture that you're looking at). I've been feeling sorry for my hair lately. Why? because, if you got twirled and twisted -- poked and prodded everyday, you would be tired. So, I'm on a quest to give my hair a break for a while (even though I'll miss my beloved bantu-knot outs).

A few posts back I wrote something along the lines of, "if you want straight...go buy some," well I should've added curly hair to the list...to be specific, a medium length curly ponytail. I just brush my hair back and braid the ends and tuck it underneath the ponytail.

But I rock my own curls in the front of my hair. I put the front hair in curlformers like I do...pretty much everyday this gives it a nice touch of 'realness.' It gives an extra dimension because its not just your average hair slicked back and ponytail clipped at the end. My curls in the front give it some 'umph.'

Don't know how long I'll be rockin' the ponytail, knowing me and the fact that I get bored so quickly when it comes to my hair. But I want to rock it for at least 3 weeks. If not 3 weeks in a row, then alternating weeks.

I'm sure my hair appreciates a break from being touched everyday and protection from the elements.