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!!!