Asian Suggests Hairstyle

I went to pick up my dry cleaning today. The owner, I presume, says he likes my hair and proceeds to describe it as a NY style. Then he goes further and draws me a picture of this style he thinks I should try with curls coming down in the front and something else that I couldn't quite understand. Interesting. I just smiled and nodded. Wow.

I bought the famous Denman Brush - the D3 model. I'm trying an experiment tonight. I read it on NP - blowout without heat. Although, I'm not sure what I hope to achieve, I figured I'd try it and see what it looks like. I wet the front and top a little, brushed it with the Denman and tied a scarf around it. Okay...I just took a peak and the first inch or so of my edges is straight. What in the world? I don't know what I have on my head. I mean, I know it's hair, but it never ceases to amaze me. I'll have to check it out in the morning. I can't wait until it's longer and I can wear a ribbon as a headband and it will be long enough to stick up high and have true dimension.

Pressing

Found this on NP. It's taken from another source. The author is responding to a question about damage:

However, as you witnessed, this process is not without risks, especially on fine, fragile hair like yours. Pressing combs typically have a temperature range of 350F to 500F, which is intense heat when you consider that water boils at 212F! The more resistant your hair is to being straightened (as is true for most African-American hair), the more heat (and tension) is needed to achieve results. What can happen when the pressing comb comes in contact with the hair, especially if you leave it in one place for too long, is that the water inside the hair shaft literally boils, which causes the hair to break or rupture in that area, resulting in patches of frayed, broken strands. It also burns away the hair shaft's protective cuticle layer, exposing the fragile cortex (the inner portion of the hair strand) and making it more vulnerable to damage. And this type of repeated damage to hair adds up quickly.

Oyin Update

I really wasn't impressed with the products, but I luuuuvved their smell. Mmmmm!!! The mango butter has been most moisturizing. I've recently been adding olive oil and aloe vera gel (the same one I use on my face) to the mango butter.

Random Thoughts

I went to the library today and the librarian, a really nice white lady, said, "I like your hair. I wish I could wear that style." I said, "Thank you," and proceeded to my car thinking...If you hair was tightly curled/coiled, I could bet you lots of money that you would not like it. Interesting, I thought, quite interesting.

I went to a Christmas party last night and saw some people who I haven't seen since by BC. They were surprised and I received the same positive feedback that I've continued to receive...thank goodness. I'm so afraid that the moment someone says something ignorant about my hair, I will show my black azz. At any rate, I am still quite curious about people's reactions to my hair in a year.

It's actually growing quite nicely. I have 3 inches in some spots. I think my fro has a chunky look. I think I'll just have to accept the level of chunkiness I get from a wash and go. I love Bai's chunky fro the best, but texture plays a role and the diversity of the texture from head to head and even on one head is so amazing. It's all beautiful, versitile and eye-catching.

A girlfriend of mine remarked that she didn't want to sweat out her press and curl. I declare I cannot adequately express the joy that I feel because I have freed myself from that existence. Whoo!

I just read a really good thread on NP about heat. It discussed it from a scientific point of view and was really informative.

I had someone say that they couldn't even remember what I look like with long, straight hair...Good, cause you'll never see that again :) I'm still really excited about my growth. I need to do a deep conditioning treatment tomorrow. I'm going to visit my daddy later this week for about 1 week. I'm going to start packing tomorrow, so I don't forget anything. I must have all of my hair products - shampoo, conditioner (regular and deep), mango butter. I can't forget my olive oil and aloe vera gel for my skin either.

Another Experiment

I ended up using all of the Oyin products by 3:00 p.m. today. Not the plan. They all smell wonderful. I don't think the Shine and Define or Greg's Juice provided enough moisture for me. I added the Whipped Pudding after the fact, then spritzed my hair with water...then I got this idea to twist it. So, I flat twisted the front and did individual twists in the back. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to see if the twist-out looks like anything. It was pretty easy to twist it wet, which is what I thought. I think it will look pretty good when it's longer. I hope to have plump twists.

My Oyin Arrived!

Woo hoo!!! I'm deep conditioning this morning with the Honey Hemp Conditioner with Aloe and Silk. It smells sooooo good. Everything smells really good. I want to try one product at a time so I can get a good idea about how my hair likes them. The Whipped Pudding is first. I'll be back to report my findings.

A Cautionary Tale (not mine)

In the 'heat' (pun intended) of all these burning the hair straight/blow-drying threads popping up, thought I'd add my own cautionary tale.

I am pretty new to this site and before I found Nappturality, I had this mindset that my natural coarse hair had to be tamed into submission with blow-drying, but not burning the hair straight, oh no, because that would damage my hair and I didn't want that...

So every week, or every time I took down my extensions, I'd heat up that blow-dryer to the *hell* setting, saturate my hair with moisturiser and fry my hair, of course, it would be just a teeny-tiny bit brittle but that didn't matter because I was going to protect it under those extensions. HELLO - THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE!

So, if you want to blow-dry your hair regularly, remember what will happen:

1. You will LOSE YOUR NAPS

Yes you read that correctly, you will L O S E them! Now, I used to think I didn't have naps, that I just had course afro hair that was a bit wiry on a bad day. Then I found NP and decided to give up the heat and learn to be kind to my hair result, softer, coilier hair. Granted, I'm a 4-a but there is a bit of a kink in there. But I digress.

About a week ago, I was looking in the mirror with my hair all combed out and I notices that while the roots were nice and healthy, the ends were limp and wiry. Then it dawned on me: it was heat damage. This made even more sense because I had a couple of patches in the middle with short stubby hair and some limp bits hanging out - and I know I hadn't taken scissors to any patches in my hair. Now I realised the truth, I'd been too blow-dryer-happy on my hair.

2. Your hair will break and split

In addition to the limp ends, I had the most a atrocious breaking, with split ends going all the way up the shaft. Some split ends had splits; some splits even began right in the middle of the hair shaft! So when I pulled out a clump of hair to gauge the length of the healthy hair, I had nearly two inches of breaking splitting ends!

So much for protecting the hair while blow-drying! I thought if I put enough moisture on my hair it would protect it. Think about it: when you put oil on food and apply heat to that food, does the oil protect the food? No, the oil helps it to fry!

3. You will lose length

It's no biggie if you're not going for length but I was. The hair on my longest side was reaching then end of my neck, now with all the trimming and levelling a rocking and almost gown-out TWA. So much for getting a BAA by the end of the year! Still you live and learn, and I'm glad I learnt my lesson sooner rather than later. So please remember, blow-drying can be just as damaging as burning the hair straight and the damage can be irreparable, so look after your God-given naps.

My Oyin Products Have Been Shipped!

I'm very excited. My sample pack was shipped on Tuesday, so I hope to receive it by Friday.

Failed Experiment

It wasn't a total failure. I just think it needs to be longer to pull this off. My wash and go is best for now. I did stop using the aloe vera gel. I wasn't too fond of the hardness after a while. I'm not dying for curl definition or anything, so it's whatever. I like the soft, fuzzy feeling better.

Twist Experiment

I was talking to a fellow napptural about her chunky fro and she explained that she twists it in large twists at night to achieve the look. I honestly didn't think my hair was long enough to twist, but low and behold--despite their appearance--I twisted my hair last night while I talked on the phone (had it on speaker). They look like crap, as you can see, but I reallllly want to avoid no-pooing every day as it gets cooler. I don't know if I should untwist it before or after my shower.

As an alternative, I also made a watered down conditioner spritz...another suggestion from the board. Worst cast scenario, I'll have to no-poo this morning and keep experimenting.

Are They Really Concerned with Hair Health?

I used to think my stylist was concerned with the health of my hair more than styling and the profit she made from applying caustic chemicals to my hair and scalp. However, that is clearly a contradiction. We recently had a discussion on NP about Beauticians Not Knowing How to Do Natural Hair. The OP witnessed a young girl getting her hair blowdryed in a salon as "big clusters of hair was FLYING all over the floor. "

A few poignant notes:

• Think about it. Why aren't there any nappy-headed mannequins? (AuNappturale)
• When I went to Cosmetology school, natural hair wasn't something that was taught. There was a section in our book called Thermal Styling which showed how to press natural hair, but nowhere in the textbook did it have a section on natural hair care. It was a shame cause we had 4 black instructors and none of them could tell you about natural hair. When I told one of them I wanted to go into natural styling, she looked at me like and told me more money was in relaxers and weaves. Its a shame we have had to use relaxers so long we have lost touch with who we are. (Trickie Tam)
• Stylists TODAY don't know about hair health or how to do natural hair. I don't ever remember this type of hair drama when I was little. My mother (who is 69 and a beautician) knew how to do natural hair. She is the one who told me how to grow my hair out and what products to use when I experienced breakage, etc. Old school stuff that she used back in the day to get hair to grow and be healthy...not motions or affirm or any of that. (WildlyBeautiful)
  
  

Oyin Handmade

I just ordered a sample pack from Oyin. I hope I like the Whipped Pudding. I would like to be able to use just one product. I like the Mango Butter, but I go through it so quickly.

I'm still suffering from impatience with my hair growth. Tryce has had wonderful growth in a year. It's so inspiring, but it just adds to my impatience problem.

2 Things

1 - I want a new digital camera...which may be what I request for Christmas. 2 - I REALLY want my hair to grow. I'm so bored with it. I love playing in it, but I'm ready for some options. I'm sure I'm looking at May/June before I can really do anything fun with it. The only protective style that's available are coils and I'm really hesitant to pay what he's going to charge. I'd be willing to spend $40...maybe. I'm still not positive that I'd like them. I like them on other people, but I'm just not sure about me. I feel the need to do more protectives styles, but I'd like to be able to do it myself. I know I'll be able to handle twists, but my hair seemed like it wanted to do its own thing when I attempted the coils. I'll have to practice on a weekend.

Everyone Has Their Issues

I was at a restaurant with some friends and later that evening, my friend said to me, "I was the biggest person at the table." Mind you she is not obese or anything, just concerned about weight as may women are. I later thought to myself, "I was the only person at the table with acne."

I spend many days looking at people's skin in envy. My mother had BEAUTIFUL skin...just like a baby's bottom. On many days, I truly believe that I got slightly jipped in the creation process. So while other people worry about their weight, I worry about my skin and work diligently to heal it. I think I'm making progress, but it's just sad that this is something I have to deal with at age 30. I'm really hopeful that in 3 months, I will see a tremendous improvement. Other than the Glycare Cleansing Gel, I'm working with all natural products that have centuries of victories behind them. I'm remaining faithful and as consistent as I can. After all, I am only human...

Homecoming Update

Homecoming went well. My new do was well received. My skin was another issue. Earlier that week, I was in a killer 3 hour meeting. Sitting in one spot for that long makes me a little antsy if I'm not fully engaged. At any rate, I recall leaning my face onto my shirt or something. I know it wasn't my hand, because I truly no better than to touch my extremely acne prone face. I don't know why I thought the shirt might have less dirt on it than my hands...so I ended up with about 3-4 pimples on the right side of my jaw. But...I was determined not to let it get me down even though I was really conscious of it. So homecoming came and went. My face wasn't as clear as I wanted it to be but at least my cheeks were pimple-free.

These products are my staple at the moment. I know I keep hopping around, but I think I've settled on these. I'm going to stick with the Glycare Cleansing Gel because it was my saving grace years ago. It cleared my skin without any other products. So, I doubt it's harming me now. I know it does a good job of exfoliating and dead skin cells are famous for clogging pores that result in acne. The aloe vera gel has worked a miracle. If I wasn't so self conscious, I'd post a before and after of my left cheek. I'm sticking with it. I'm using the Vitamin E oil as a moisturizer in the AM and the shea butter in the PM. I'm still looking for a daytime moisturizer that doesn't look so greasy and that is natural. I think it does an okay job of absorbing into my skin, but I don't like that greasy feeling.

What a Pleasure

It was such a pleasure to dine with my nappy sisters. There were 15 of us and it was really nice. The food was pretty good, too. My pictures didn't come out that well. I'm convinced that I don't know how to work my camera and it's kind of old. I'm looking forward to the next one. A year from now would be great; we'll be able to see everyone's hair growth.

My First Napptural Gathering

I am soooo excited. I haven't been in the presence of more than 3 nappies since my journey began...that I can recall anyway. I hope to get some helpful information. I'm taking my Suave 2-minute conditioner to give away or swap. I should take this Suave Coconut too, but I like using it in my spritz, so I'll just keep it. At this moment, I'm deep conditioning. The jar said no heat required, but they say that heat helps the conditioner to penetrate the cuticle or something like that. Hopefully, the heat from my body will do something.

I really enjoy nurturing my hair. I was taking a look at the different textures and it's just amazing what God can create. I really wish my mommie was here to see this. I have no idea what she'd think. We were both natural for quite a while; she probably wouldn't really care as long as it looked neat. I remember her hair being a lot straighter than mine in its natural state. Maybe her hair was more the texture of the back of my hair. We could be taking this journey together; that would be so cool.

Anyway, keeping with the positive spirit of this post...I always feel regret or something like that when I respond to people's question, "Why?" I don't feel like I'm telling them the whole truth, but I also don't feel the need to get into it. I remember reading an article where someone asked Erykah Badu why she cut her locs and I think her response was, "It's personal." It really is. I totally feel her. The response is personal and because it's so personal, I don't think many people could relate anyway, so I just give a vague response about a lot of self reflection and realizing that relaxers are damaging. Sometimes, I don't even say that. Part of me doesn't want to step on anyone's toes, because my answer could imply that the choice that they've made is not a good one.

So...some reasons...

• Relaxers are caustic chemicals that alter your hair and can cause great damage. There are countless women walking around with limp hair that breaks off every second because of the chemicals and their reckless use of heat.
• I decided to stop believing the lye that the slave masters instilled in us that our hair is not beautiful in its natural state. This lie has been perpetuated through the generations. Talk of good hair makes my skin boil. All hair is good hair if it's healthy. So what, if it doesn't curl...it's not supposed to. It's supposed to do what it does.
• I decided to stop fighting with my hair to make it something it isn't and was never meant to be.
• I have decided to embrace what God gave me. It's about self-acceptance and self love.
• It's political. I reject the European standard of beauty that African-American women have adopted.
• Once I asked myself the question, "Why am I putting these dangerous chemicals on my hair and scalp?" "Why do I want my hair to be straight?" I realized that could no longer be my truth. It didn't take long for me to see the light. It was a paradigm shift.
• After spending time on NP and hearing others declare their love for their hair, the path to self-acceptance and self-love seemed easy. In every day life, there aren't a lot of people you can talk to about these issues. Oftentimes, other people who are natural aren't also napptural. It's encouraging and empowering to spend time with likeminded people, even if it's in a virtual world. It's a state of mind that is often uncommon.

Definite Improvement

I definitely see improvement with my skin. This may be the first week in a month when I haven't had any new pimples. Hopefully, it will stay that way. I added shea butter to my routine yesterday. I replaced the vitamin E oil. I've read wonderful things about the shea butter and hopefully it will help with the blemishes, but more than anything, I hope that it will make my skin soft and supple. In 3 months, I should have beautiful skin...I hope. My pictures definitely show improvement in the past month. In 4 more weeks I hope to see more improvement since I could possibly run into someone I haven't seen in a while. By homecoming, next week this time, I may not see a big difference. But that's okay, because I'm no longer disgusted when I look in the mirror.

Still Waiting

I am still anxiously awaiting growth, although I know it is futile. I sent an email today and realize that it hasn't even been one month yet. Geez. I need to let this go. I just keep seeing all of these hairstyles that I'd love to have and I can't until I get more hair. Plus, I'm easily bored and although I love the ease of this TWA, I wish I could change it up a bit. I'd at least like to have enough hair so I could tie a scarf around it or something. IMO that would look a bit silly at this stage. I saw a picture of Tryce today after 10 months of growth and it was definitely significant, so I know I'll be pleased. By that time, I should have at least 6 or 7 inches. I tell you, I know I better stop thinking about it, because I can already tell this stuff is probably going to be dense.

I've really been thinking about the overmanipulation and protective styles thing I keep reading about on NP. I know some people wear their hair out all the time and don't suffer any damage. I wonder if there's a difference between those people who are outside and in the elements versus people like me who are inside most of the day. I'll just continue to keep the ends moisturized and see how it goes. Luckily, I don't have to deal with tangles at this point. I'm hoping that I can detangle with my fingers for a little while before I need to purchase that famous Denman brush. We shall see...

I'm Guilty

I changed my routine again. I am now washing with a strawberry yogurt and honey mix. The lactic acid should do the same thing as the glycolic acid, so we'll see. I hope I'm not making a mistake. At this very moment, I have no pimples. The few I've gotten have flattened out without growing into monstrosities. In 2 months, I don't want to see any dark spots...let's cross our fingers.

Mist, Fog and Rain

I'm no longer afraid of what they might do to my hair...that is just sooooo great. It's been misting a lot here lately too.

http://www.loccorg.com - My new project. I did the web design for Pookeylou. I was so happy to do it, because she had posted a topic on NP last year. I just knew she was already on a roll. I need to send an email to friends to get them to take the survey. I wish some of these online survey services weren't so expensive, but it's probably well worth it if you do a lot of them or have a lot of people taking it. $350 is a lot if you're not using it a lot.

Hair Growth

I think I have 2 inches. It's barely 2, but it's 2. Now, I'm just waiting for these sideburns to grow in. I can't believe I agreed to that...what a nut! I'm going to follow everyone's advice and I EXPECT to have a total of 3 inches by December...no less.

I know I shouldn't be focused on length, but rather health. However, I think length can be an indicator of health...

Chlyric on Hair Growth

Question

Hello Everyone!!I've been natural for about 7 years and my hair isn't even shoulder length. When I pull it almost reaches my shoulders but will it ever get any longer? How long have you guys been natural and how long is your hair?What rituals do you guys do to get your hair longer? Are you taking vitamins? Are you drinking certain teas? How often do you wash your hair? I'm just a bit frustrated right now. Don't get me wrong I Love MY hair but sometimes I wish it were longer.. Any suggestions that don't include adding hair?

Chlyric's Response

Sounds like it's damaged. 7 years of growth would have my hair sweeping my butt. No magic teas or vitamins either.

You don't wash your hair enough too. I bet u money if you wash your hair twice a week or even everyday you can grow it down your back.

Two weeks of not washing creates a buildup that doesn't promote growth. There's a reason why people who only wash once a month usually have a teaspoon of hair.

Cut off three inches. Wash and shampoo every other day. Don't brush it anymore and only detangle in the shower. Your hair will be twice as long this time next year.

My Comments

This makes a lot of sense. I don't think I ever thought about it that way. Something else that other people said was NOT to comb/brush our hair while it's dry...only detangle when it is wet and saturated with conditioner. I bet a lot of people's hair is just snapping off. I always think it is interesting when I see some people who have been natural for 4 years and others who have been growing their natural hair for 2 and the latter group's hair is longer.

I know we tend to think that our hair doesn't grow, but it does; it's just popping off at the same rate or faster. We have to remember that although our hair appears to be strong, it is actually quite fragile and we have to treat it like fine silk. Every coil, bend, zig and zag is a potential breaking point.

A Book Idea...or an Annotated Bibliography

It looks like there some pretty good books out there on the topic of the "Black Woman and Her Hair." One, by a professor at Tech, even includes studies. It looks like she did what I was thinking about doing. My question is...how do we effectively share the message, the stories. I think I'm going to at least write an annotated bibliography. I just ordered 3 from Amazon and 1 from the library. I want to be able to reach the others, but I'm almost positive that a book isn't the vehicle. I'm pretty sure that leading by example is the best way to get the message out, but it just seems like a slow process. And maybe it is and will be and maybe that's okay.

Napptural Gathering

I'm on the list to attend my very first Napptural Gathering on the 22nd. I'm very excited. I can't wait. One of my sorors who is also a member will probably go with me. Isn't that dandy! I can talk about hair, see hair and we can all fill the room with the love of our hair. I'm insane...I know. I really think we need to start a revolution, but since I know nothing about those things I wouldn't know where to start. Although I think we can do a lot by example.

Acne Update
No new pimples. I still have the sore spot on my right cheek but a pimple has not surfaced, thank God. However, my cheek is a little red/brown where the sore spot resides. I'm looking forward to taking a picture today, not because there has been drastic improvement, but because the pimple is gone. I am truly hoping that in 3 months my skin will be dramatically clearer.

Does the Absence of a Comment Equal Disapproval?

I went out to dinner with a girlfriend of mine last night and she never said anything about my hair. I suppose I am just used to people making some comment when they see it for the first time. She was one of the few people who expressed disapproval about my decision, so it wouldn't surprise me if she doesn't like it at all. It was just a little weird because it was a different reaction. You wait...a year from now, it will be a totally different situation.

Pimple Status

Well, I peeled off scabs last night and they bled....but, I kept cotton pads with toner pressed on them for a while and it looks like they are finally flat. I did the honey mask this morning as well. I've got to figure out what will dry them up quickly. The aloe vera seems to have done a descent job of making sure the new ones didn't grow into full blown pimples. That big one I got last week was a handfull. I'm not sure what I should have done differently since I kept changing my routine every other day or so. I did the neosporin, the honey and then just the aloe vera. The honey seemed to bring the blood up or something....I don't know; it's all gross. So the goal at this point is NO NEW PIMPLES. I'm going to remain consistent with this routine:

AM
Wash with Glycare
Either - Strawberry Yogurt Mask or Honey Mask
Tone with Neutrogena
Moisturize with Aloe Vera

PM
Wash with Glycare
Tone with Neutrogena
Moisturize with Aloe Vera

Pimple Update

Yes, it is still there. The one on my forehead is pretty much gone; you can see the skin tightening around the area and there's a tiny scab. The one on my left cheek has a larger scab on it, which I hope will fall off by the end of the week. I was hoping it would be gone by today since I go out of town tomorrow, but I can't sweat it too much. All healing takes time. Now, sadly, I have a new arrival. I did the honey facial mask last night and reapplied aloe vera gel to all of the pimples around 3 this morning. The new one is rather small; I was trying to catch it before it grew at all. I felt the soreness yesterday. I'm going to try to remain consistent with my routine and hope they are all gone by the end of the week. I may continue doing the honey masks for a few days. I wonder if you can overdo it with the honey? I've been skipping my moisturizer and just using the aloe vera gel. My skin is much less oily that it usually is during the day. I bet I touched my face where this new one is, yesterday. I know I didn't leave it there, but I bet I touched it mindlessly. My skin is so sensitive and I suppose my hands are pretty dirty touching paper and the keyboard all day. I'm determined to hang in there and wait for the results that have to come. My goal is to have a pimple free face by Homecoming - end of October.

Awapuhi Trial

I think I like it. My hair may have felt softer...you know I'm not positive, but I'll stick with it. I added olive oil to my spritz too.

This is Gross

I put honey on these pimples along with the aloe vera gel last night and I don't know why, but this pimple on my cheek is starting to turn black. It's like the blood that is in the pimple is drying or something. It looks disgusting. I'm continuing to do my research. It looks like I should have rinsed it off or something??? I figured it couldn't hurt and again, it may be fine, just drying up since I haven't popped it or anything. This may be the first time I haven't popped a pimple, so I wouldn't know what it would do. What if it's becoming a black head???! I never get those, so I don't know what they are like, but I thought they weren't raised. Hopefully, it will dry up and fall off in a day or so. The good news is the one above it that was trying to rear its ugly head looks like it went back down. The skin is still read, but it's not tender anymore. Maybe I can do the honey mask once a week and the yogurt mask once a week.

New Conditioner

A lot of people on NP speak highly of the Suave Awapuhi Conditioner, so I have to try it and see if I can feel a difference tomorrow. I've been using the coconut and then the 2 minute. I'm going to try just the Awapuhi tomorrow and see if my hair feels different. I love the fact that it's so cheap, because I don't feel so bad about buying a new bottle when I haven't finished the one I have. I will have to empty my travel bottle if I like this.

Honey and Weight Lifting

I just found out that honey had antibacterial properties and I saw a post that said to dab a little on the pimples with the aloe vera gel. Well, I'm adding it to my regimen. I don't think the neosporin helped much and benzoyl perozide dries my face too much and I don't even think it works. I also bought a few more white washcloths. I think I'll switch up every few days. I had already stopped using the same one for my face as I do for my body. I swapped them all at the end of each week. I will be out of town on Friday, so I won't be able to take another progress picture until Sunday. By the way, I broke my no popping rule this morning. It was disgusting and it hurt. I couldn't take it. By the end of the day there was still a small white head there, but I won't bother it anymore. Hopefully this honey and aloe vera gel will do the trick.

Weight lifting increases testosterone which can apparently cause breakouts. And didn't I say that I hadn't had any problems until this year...well, I started weight training in January. I also stopped in May, so maybe my horomones are having a hard time getting back on track. If I am going to breakout from strength training then I WILL NOT do it. I don't have time for this mess. I have no hair and my face looks like isht. Not cool.

TWA Grow Out Challenge

I joined this challenge earlier in the month. It lasts through November 1. I may go longer. I figure, if I am not putting heat on my hair and not combing it, I shouldn't get split ends...right? Well, I'm so afraid to lose any additional length that I may wait until January or so and make my schedule every 4 months. By the end of January, I should have an additional...2 inches. I know I should not obsess about length, but I really cannot help myself at all. It's an illness. I just want big hair and right now it's pretty small :) And you know my little head is going to be really cold with no hair, so we need more to keep me warm. By the way, I've got to remember to start scoping hats so I can get them lined.

$250 To Eliminate Pimples in 24 Hours

The Zeno - This may be what I request for Christmas. I'll have to continue to think about it and research it. This ad in O is the first I've seen of it, but I do remember reading about some type of light therapy on Dr. Knight's website a while ago.

Inspiration in Person

Oh my goodness...I saw some beautiful natural hair yesterday! I went to DC to celebrate a soror's birthday and 3 people there were natural. I was so excited. I had one of my soror's begin the conversation to find out how long they had been growing their hair. I think both of them said that it has been 2 years. They were gorgeous....so inspirational. I mean, it makes sense if I take care of it that I will have 12 inches in 2 years too. I think I did notice that I had better curl definition after I shampooed yesterday, but I can't be sure. It's definitely not there today. I wonder if I did something different...even something small. Maybe I didn't use as much product as I normally do. I really can't wait until I have another half inch. That barber cut some of my curls and I miss them. Hopefully, they will be back by homecoming. It will be one month on Saturday since I cut my hair! Woo hoo!

Adding a Topic

I'm going to add my skin care/battle against acne to this blog. I referenced the problem when I BC'd a few weeks ago. The no hair thing makes me even more aware of my skin. I'll keep pictures in a private album to track my progress.

My skin had been relatively clear for years until this year and I am only breaking out on the left side of my face. I'm trying to flip and change my pillowcases more often, but I think I may know a reason. Like many acne sufferers out there, as soon as I see a whitehead, I pop it. I even bought a "tool" from the drugstore to aid in getting rid of this unsightly crap on my face. Well, as I read yesterday, that can spread the bacteria or something beneath the skin and cause more breakouts. That definitely looks like what I've done, because earlier in the year, once I got rid of one, I had another pop up nearby. This is what's happened this time as well. Well, in order to avoid the label neurotic, I made a conscious effort not to pop these 2. I've been pretty consistent with my skincare regimen and doing really well with water Monday - Friday for the past 2 weeks. Someone did tell me that neosporin helps heal whiteheads so I've been using it for the past 2 days and the white part itself is gone, but I still have one red bump. I'm promising myself I will be patient and not think about how gross my face must be to look at.

The Regimen:

AM: Wash with Glycare Cleansing Gel with glycolic acid, tone with Neutrogena Clear Pore Astringent with saliclyic acid, apply a thin layer of aloe vera gel to left side of face, moisturize with Oil of Olay Total Effects.

PM: Same as above, but moisturize with Vitamin E oil

I'm also taking zinc which they say could help. I've also stopped using my foundation.

I know this big red bump will eventually go away. I just wanted it to go away yesterday. But since I probably created it, then I'll have to live with it. The aloe vera gel is supposed to help with the scars and it's received rave reviews on NP, so I figure it can't hurt. I may have noticed a difference, but really it still doesn't look like I want it to look so...I guess I'll document it weekly.

They say it may take 3 months to see improvement, so I'm going to hang in here and try not to be so self conscious. It took a lot not to put foundation on yesterday to cover up this crap. I even went to work with a light layer of neosporin on the bump. I am really trying to get rid of it and I would LOVE to be left without a scar this time.

Homecoming is about one month away and I am really not trying to go back and have my skin looking jacked. I do know, however, that I will take my foundation to Harrisonburg. Let's not get crazy. I wore it to the wedding Sunday and I'll probably wear it to church and remove it as soon as I get home.

Enlightenment...

One of my NP friends (MsPebbles) posted this today: A lady walked up to me and asked me what made me "go natural." For the first time it came to me that I didn't go natural because I was born with this hair . I did "go straight" for years and years, but now I'm not "going" anything anymore. I am as I was created. The next time someone ask you why did you go natural tell them you were born natural and then ask them why did they go straight!

Profound, if I don't say so myself. Never again will I tell someone that I "went natural," because I was most definitely born natural. I love it!

Note to Self

Note to Self: When you go to get your next trim (in November) request that he NOT line up anything. I am really waiting for these little hairs to grow back around my hairline. If I wore my hair blown out, maybe it would be cool, but I do not like it. I've got this little bump in the back. I don't have a raggedy hairline to begin with so it's really not necessary.

Naturally Curly Showcasing Unnatural Curls

I was browsing naturallycurly.com and they had pictures of Oprah in their gallery.

I had to email them...You have several pictures of Oprah on your site, but I am almost positive that she is not natural. Those curls are created with a curling iron. Do you confirm someone's hair status before posting pictures?

Their response...That would be impossible. We take it as a positive that she at least is wearing curls and sending a message that she thinks curls are attractive, stylist, etc. I know where you're coming from, but we decided the message was enough.

The message for who? White girls...maybe for white girls the message is enough, but definitely not for Black girls. Black girls think that curls are attractive; we know that. We will sport a rollerset, strawset, etc. in a minute, but we won't sport our natural curls, coils, and kinks. Thank God for NP! I just wish we could really get the message out to a greater mass. I guess the best we can do is the each one reach one strategy and that may mostly be by example. Talking is oftentimes ineffective...

A Monday

It feels like a Monday. I got a few compliments on my hair yesterday at the wedding, but not too many. I did see a few fellow nappies there, and that made me feel better. You always see older women with TWAs, but very few rocking a longer style.

A Loss

I lost my transitioning buddy yesterday to the creamy crack. I think I took it personally and felt like I should have done more to prevent it. However, when I look back, she constantly mentioned the crack, so I guess I should have seen it coming. I think she'll come around one day, though. I'm convinced that once people see my hair...after it grows, they will want a head full of healthy, natural hair too. It can be really inspirational, it was for me.

The Love of My Life

Looking at all of these BAA pictures makes me miss my mommie. She had a gorgeous fro back in the day. My dad's wasn't too shabby, but Betty's was definitely rockin'!

Like Cotton

My response to the topic on NP: Ohhh It Is Soft, Yes I know....

This is probably going to sound real ignorant, but I just had the same reaction to my own hair today. I went to the barber to get my TWA shaped. I had a colleague cut it a week and a half ago, but I knew it wasn't even all over. Anyway, he washed it, blew it out and shaped it up really nice. As I was driving home, I touched it and I couldn't believe how soft it was.

I had been wearing wash and go's since I cut it. It was way softer than my blown out relaxed hair ever was. I remember the day I had it cut, I blew it out and didn't bother smoothing it down with a curling iron, which I had to do to get it looking "silky smooth"...oh how far I've come. It was no where near soft...so now I can't wait until this stuff grows and I can rock a big, soft, fluffy fro! Who knew...I didn't until today. Just my 2 cents...

Here's a picture, but of course you can't reach out and touch the hair, so you definitely can't get the same effect. By the way...I'm STILL working on my skin. I don't know why I only break out on one side of my face.

Yep, I'm Definitely Addicted

...to NP. I am living on this damn forum and I think it is not healthy. I explored other areas of the forum and have just been living it up...lurking more than posting, but truly enjoying the conversation. It's gotta be a girl thing.

I'm wondering if I should go to a barber to get my hair trimmed or something. I'm concerned that it may not be even all over, but I have no proof. The textures vary so much that it's hard to tell. I still have these random stray pieces that stick up when it's wet. Someone said that clippers give you split ends, but that can't possibly be true. I also want to go to the spa to get a scalp massage. It's only $25 and it just sounds so enticing. I'm going crazy...I just want to do something...

Hmmm...

I wonder if my longer hair will resemble his...

Thank God for Nappturality.com

My name is Michelle and I'm addicted to nappturality.com. The ladies there are so wonderful and supportive. The founder of that site should be applauded. I bet she's probably not even making a lot of money from it. I'm going to pay in a few weeks to support the cause. We nappies don't really have a large support group. Everyone has been pleased with my new do, but what will they say as it grows? I'll probaby get, "What are you going to do with your hair?" I'm still quite curious to see what these coils do as it grows. I'm thinking that they will just be longer, which will suit me just fine. I may find that the whole twist thing requires more work and effort than I'm willing to expend. Once it gets pretty long, I think I'll twist it and leave the twists in for a few days, but I know I have a while before I can even really begin thinking about such a thing. I may go ahead and make an appointment with the stylist at Haywood's for next month some time. Maybe that way I can get an early one. I'll just want a trim and some ideas as I grow it out, taking into consideration this unique texture on my head. I may do that next week.

It's Nice to Know...

It's nice to know that I don't look crazy with this TWA. The compliments just keep coming. It's crazy, because I TRULY didn't know what it would look like and didn't really think it would look cute...but I had to do it for my hair...and she loves me for it.

It's Never As Bad As You Think

I had definitely braced myself for far more negative reactions when I returned to work yesterday, but I was pleasantly surprised. I received many positive, startled reactions. Just wait and see what they think as I grow my new head of natural hair...

Easy Peasy...

This wash and go thing is pretty cool. I'll have to try not too get too used to it. I'm not sure if I'll still be able to do it when my hair begins to grow. I haven't received any rude comments...yet. Tomorrow, I return to work with my new do. We'll see if people act like they have home training. I really like it. It get kind of dry by the end of the day and I haven't been putting anything on it at night. I'm not sure if I need to since I spritz it and moisturize it each morning. I'll research routines and see if anything strikes me. Everyone seems really curious about what I'm going to do with it...let it grow and what? I keep telling them I'm going to let it do its thing. This is probably the most tame it will look. I'll probably experiment with twists when I get 2 more inches. I like it; I'm happy; Who woulda thought...

My Napptural Journey Begins...

Actually it began on September 1, 2005. I am so excited about growing a healthy head full of natural hair.

I DID IT...I DID IT!!!

I did it. All of that permie stuff is gone and my coils love me for it. I can feel it. I have named them Irene after my deceased mother's 60's-70's afro! We are really going to enjoy each other. Okay, so here are pictures...I gotta work on that ridiculously big smile and my skin, but other than that...I'm pleased. Here's to a new healthy hair beginning!

Oh My!

No, I haven't done it yet. However, within 3 hours, all of my hair will be gone. I'm guessing I should have a minimum of 8 inches. I was hoping I'd end up with at least 10 so I could donate it to Locks of Love. Maybe I will have 10 in the back. I marked the spot with a bobby pin and may cut it so I can't chicken out :) I'm definitely nervous and haven't even spoken to my transitioning buddy about my hair appointment. She's going to be floored. The last message I left her said that I would probably be cutting mine around November, when she cuts hers...here goes nothing folks!!!

Getting to Peace

I must say that I've felt more relaxed since I made the decision to BC. I didn't even spend an excessive amount of time on nappturality.com today. I'm still a little nervous and I think I will write that every time until the time comes, but I know it's the best decision for my hair.

I had begun obsessing over this thing and that is not good. I remember when I'd obsess over stupid men and I always felt better when I just said, "Michelle, cut it out. Just call." And I'd always feel better than I did when I had imaginary conversations in my mind and went through 50 possible scenarios.

I do need to get in the bed...I'll touch base tomorrow. I'm contemplating not going to work, because I refuse to curl my hair and I blowdried it so it will be in good shape for Locks of Love. I know my ponytail is going to look a hot mess. I have sick days, so I will let ya know...

I Have an Appointment for the BC!

Tomorrow (9/1/05) after work, I am getting all of this hair cut off. Can you believe it? I know I am going to get a bunch of backlash from people who are enamoured with long hair. However, this is not a decision based on aesthetics. I want healthy, natural hair free from chemicals. My natural hair is so much thicker than this permed stuff. I can't wait. Of course I'm nervous, like I've mentioned everyday, but now is as good a time as any.

I've received tremendous support on nappturality.com. They make me want to cry and I just can't wait to get to know this hair so we can begin our life-long love affair...

I Found Someone to Cut It!!!

I've been looking around and talking to different people about who could do my BC. I've even looked at shops in DC and MD. And then I thought, "One of the faculty members here recently cut off her relaxed ends and her hair texture is probably similar to mine." And so I called this morning to ask her who cut her hair. She responded, "Me." I'm so relieved and excited. My search is over. I asked her if she would be willing to cut mine and she said sure. She's going out of town this weekend, so I told her that I would probably touch base with her next week. I'm still trying to make sure that I am ready, but the truth is probably that I'll never be all the way ready. I'll always be a little nervous, apprehensive, anxious. However, one thing is absolute and that is...I do not plan to relax my hair again.

I never thought about the toxins and chemicals involved. This is a good article on the issue.

BCing Earlier?

I am truly contemplating BCing earlier. I posted a question on nappturalty.com this morning, asking how long your hair needs to be to twist it. I received several responses. Some people said that you can twist short hair; it just takes more time. Someone else made an interesting point...that I should cut it when I'm ready, but it will probably be easier to learn 1.5" of hair and work with it as it grows, than to have 4-5" at one time and not know what to do with it. That is not a direct quote, but it's the jist of it.

Another series of posts, entitled, "If You Knew Then What U Know Now..." has me contemplating the BC earlier. A number of people said they would have BC'd earlier. Dealing with 2 textures is no easy feat, especially if you are trying to preserve the health of the natural hair. I don't even have that much new growth and it's a struggle to deal with. I've still got to locate a stylist that I can trust to cut it. I am not going to the hair cuttery with this stuff. If I had really coarse hair, I would because it would be easier for them to see the difference. Even when I had a short cut with the back short, Erline uses scissors, not clippers. My hair grows funny and does interesting things. I can't take any chances. I'll have to find out what I need to do before going in. If I need to blowdry it, so it's easier for them to see the 2 textures, that's fine. Then I can maybe get a wash and go. I'll figure out what to do with it from there.

BAA

Check out Angela's Bad Azz Afro...It could be a weave, but it sho' looks good :)

Pictures of Twist-Out Ponytail

A view from above

The ponytail came out pretty well

To Poo or Not To Poo?

I'm considering no pooing for a while. It's all the rage among the nappturals. Everyone keeps talking about how they wish they had done it earlier. As long as I don't use too many products, I should be fine.

My goal with this twist-out is to keep it for 5 days. The less I mess with my hair, the better. We'll see how it holds up. The good thing is that I can re-twist it and dampen it mid-week if necessary. I can definitely live with this style...at the moment. We all know how fickle I am, so time will tell.

Did I mention that I cut another piece of relaxed hair out this morning? I didn't mention the first either? Oh...so this is what happened...there was this little coil that wanted to be alone and free. She did not like living beside the permie and who could blame her? So...I freed her and she was so happy! When I examined the permie, there was a bit more hair there than I thought, but it's okay. She was really holding the sista coil back and we can't have that. Part of me is itching to release all of my hair, but I want it to stick up and it won't stick up if it's too short. I'll just have to be patient.

I think I'll just wear a twist-out updo for the wedding and pull out a few strands to hang in front. I love having texture!

I really need to stay away from the curling irons and blow dryer for as long as possible. Maybe if I leave it alone, it will grow faster...and I can cut it sooner!

Feedback on Twist-Out in Ponytail

My dean noticed that I did something different. I think he liked it. My boss saw me and didn't comment. That could be a good thing...

Roshini.net

I read this on Roshini.net and was like...yeh, that's true...

So, I think it's the freedom and the empowerment because those of us who are natural we have taken the extra step. It's like an extra step of self confidence because it takes a lot to stop wearing perms. We have been grown and bread to believe that we don't look like jack unless you have a perm…and we never question it. My mother took a picture of me before I started getting perms. My mother blew my hair out …my hair was out…like this (arms stretched out over head) …and then she pressed it and it was like... Then she was like 'We need to get this child a perm ' and you don't question it.

I thought that perms were like a right of passage. I remember thinking that when I got to a certain age and they considered me to be almost an adult that's when I would get a perm.

Exactly, "I'm getting a perm now and I don't have to deal with my kinky hair my nappy hair"

Disappointment

Happily Natural Day was a huge disapointment. I don't know why black people can't get it together. The lectures were scheduled to begin at 12 PM. They had not begun at 1:20 PM. I had been there since 11:00 AM since the website said that activities would begin at that time. In actuality, vendors began to set up at 11:00 AM. I did order a DVD, because I wanted the information, but I was not going to sit there and wait for another minute. I was soooo hungy and knew that might be an issue. I ate some Nilla Wafers on the way and figured that I'd be so into the information that I might be able to make it until 1, maybe even 2 since I also ate a later breakfast. At any rate, that was a big disappointment.

I'm going to wash my hair and set in flat twists. We'll see how that looks in the AM. Of course, I will check one before I go to sleep to make sure it's okay. At this point, since I have quite a bit of length, I can put it up if it's not quite right.

Considering Shortening Transition Time

I'm considering shortening my transition time. I spoke to a friend yesterday and she said that her hair was only about 3 inches or so when she cut off her relaxer. I remember that I liked her 2-strand twists at that length. I'll assess the situation further in December. By then I "should" have at least 3 inches. Of course 3 inches of stretched hair could be 1 inch of naturally curled hair. If I flat twist it, I should be able to see what it's going to do and know if I'd like more length or not. If I BC in December, then maybe my transitioning friend and I can do it together. I'm still concerned about who is going to cut it, because I believe the cut is important to the shape. We'll see if I find out about anyone tomorrow at the celebration.

Still At It

I'm still on nappturality.com...today's research topics are cutting, olive oil, clarifying, and flexirods. The site is really acting up though, that's irritating. I decided to go to Happily Natural Day on Saturday in Richmond. I'm hoping to get information about stylists in the area. I looked at the site and they listed two from previous celebrations, but then when I tried to find them on the web or in the yellow pages, they were no where to be found. There has to be more than one shop in Richmond.

I was reading an earlier post and they made some good points about the lack of training among African-American hair stylists in the area of natural haircare and styling. That of course enables the few natural haircare stylists to charge an arm and a leg. That really sucks. I'm pretty sure that it will be essential for me to get my hair professionally cut once it's time. I want a cut that I could wear straight as well. A well shaped fro is essential. Although, I'm not sure that I'll be that brave off the bat. I'm so conflicted, it's a shame. I guess it will depend on what my hair does.

I really want to wear protective hair styles during this transition phase. I think I'm going to experiment this weekend with a flat twist-out and roll the ends on flexirods. I'll definitely post pictures. I need to start getting used to the new growth which will ultimately be what I'm working with. It's crazy that I've never attempted to style my natural hair naturally, but I guess it's not so crazy since that was not the style back in the 80's when I was natural.

Discussion Forums are GREAT!

I spent 3 hours last night/this morning on nappturality.com's transitioning forum. It's nice to know you're not alone. I spoke to Danielle today, who's also natural, and she told me about 2 other sorors who are also natural. I suppose it is definitely trendy; however, I know no one who has gone natural and then back to the "creamy crack." :) Apparently, on nappturality.com, if you type relaxer, it automatically changes to "chemical fire cream." Harsh, but pretty true. That's funny!

Abandoning the Rollerset

I think it's the setting lotion. I cannot find one that I like. I hated the way my hair felt and blew it dry. I curled it too, and used the Satin Creme Press that Kristen recommended. Now, it feels like my hair. Hopefully, blowdrying and curling once a week won't damage it too much. I like it better this way, because it doesn't get as tangled. I think it will be better in the long run. Even with the braid-out, I feel like it gets really tangled and I'm pulling my hair out. I still want to try the straw set.

Reasons Behind My Obsession

I have noticed that I have a tendency to tell people about my new journey anytime someone mentions my hair. I'm thinking that I keep bringing it into conversation to gauge people's reactions. A lot of my dialogue is also an attempt to work through my psychological issues. I read this morning that you do have to undergo a psychological shift to truly accept your natural hair. It is kind of deep what our culture has done to us.

Article on the Topic

Inspiration

Today's New Growth

And here's the new growth, which I do realize doesn't look as bad as it does in person, says me... I should have taken a picture of the front before I straightened it this morning. Oh well, there will be plenty of picture taking opportunities in the next year.

The Rollerset

Okay, I realize these pictures do not look as bad as I thought they would.

The rollerset...I know this looks okay, because it is a concealing style...

And my face is blocked out, because I am NOT photogenic. I don't care what people say :)

Concerned About New Growth

I am getting worried about my new growth. I washed my hair this weekend and I am positive that my new growth and my relaxed hair are fighting. The relaxed hair was definitely more tangled. Even when it seemed like the pick was making it through the strands with little difficulty, an attempt to pass a finer tooth comb through told a different story. My arms were tired and I couldn't imagine how much more difficult it will become as it continues to grow.

I straightened the front with the curling iron and couldn't believe the amount of new growth. When "they" say that hair grows 1/2" a month, I think "they" are telling the truth. It never seemed true before, but I definitely have 1" of new growth, if not more. I'll have to post a picture later.