I finger detangled in three sections, two strand twisted the front, and that's it. :)
You like? 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days natural.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Pictures of the Day
In my hair: Herbal Essence Hydralicious Reconditioning Conditioner
I finger detangled in three sections, two strand twisted the front, and that's it. :)
You like? 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days natural.
It's nice and voluminous and defined. I know my front facing camera sucks, but you can at least see how big it is. :)
I finger detangled in three sections, two strand twisted the front, and that's it. :)
You like? 11 months, 3 weeks, 6 days natural.
Back On Conditioner Only... For The Time Being
So, I know I've said this before only to go back to gels and leave ins, but I think I'm sticking with the Conditioner Only / Tightly Curly Method for a while. I just finished re-reading Curly Like Me: How To Grow Tightly Curly Hair Long and Strong (what a mouth full!) by Teri LaFlesh. Everything in it reminded me why I initially stuck with just leaving conditioner in my hair after my big chop. It was just so simple, cheap, and logical. If rinse out conditioners have the same main working ingredients as leave ins, only in higher quantity (which I take to mean more moisturizing), then doesn't it make the most sense to take advantage of that for my naturally dry hair?
The last few days, I've been styling my hair with just Tresemme Naturals Vibrantly Smooth Conditioner. No oils, no butters, no serums, no nothing. Just the conditioner. And it's been great! My hair has stayed moisturized, my curls were defined, and it was just a good couple of hair days in general. What I noticed about using just conditioner in my hair is that even though my curls are defined, they're kind of a frizzy defined. But surprisingly, I liked it! When I use gel in my hair, it takes a whole lot to get the definition I want, which has the tendency to leave my hair really hard. Even if it doesn't turn out that crunchy, it's always sort of stiff. I don't need to tell you how unattractive that is. With conditioner, the definition is there, but the crunch isn't.
I stopped using the Tightly Curly / Conditioner Only Method mainly because I couldn't stretch my hair days. But now I know that was because I was always playing in my hair before it finished drying, which didn't allow my curls to properly set. So, there was no way I could expect my hair to stay all nice and defined when it wasn't even like that from day one. Plus, I didn't have my night time routine down (I was still trying to make bonnets work for me... which they don't... at all. -__-), and my hair was a lot shorter. As it's grown, the natural curl has become more defined, and I can get wash an gos to last much longer. Today I have Herbal Essence's Hydralicious Reconditioning Conditioner in my hair and I love it! My hair is nicely fluffy, defined, and fragrant. I think COM will work for quite a while. :)
The last few days, I've been styling my hair with just Tresemme Naturals Vibrantly Smooth Conditioner. No oils, no butters, no serums, no nothing. Just the conditioner. And it's been great! My hair has stayed moisturized, my curls were defined, and it was just a good couple of hair days in general. What I noticed about using just conditioner in my hair is that even though my curls are defined, they're kind of a frizzy defined. But surprisingly, I liked it! When I use gel in my hair, it takes a whole lot to get the definition I want, which has the tendency to leave my hair really hard. Even if it doesn't turn out that crunchy, it's always sort of stiff. I don't need to tell you how unattractive that is. With conditioner, the definition is there, but the crunch isn't.
I stopped using the Tightly Curly / Conditioner Only Method mainly because I couldn't stretch my hair days. But now I know that was because I was always playing in my hair before it finished drying, which didn't allow my curls to properly set. So, there was no way I could expect my hair to stay all nice and defined when it wasn't even like that from day one. Plus, I didn't have my night time routine down (I was still trying to make bonnets work for me... which they don't... at all. -__-), and my hair was a lot shorter. As it's grown, the natural curl has become more defined, and I can get wash an gos to last much longer. Today I have Herbal Essence's Hydralicious Reconditioning Conditioner in my hair and I love it! My hair is nicely fluffy, defined, and fragrant. I think COM will work for quite a while. :)
Saturday, February 18, 2012
My Second Deva Cut
Yesterday, after I was done with class, I went to have my hair trimmed at Fiddleheads Salon in Dupont Circle. The last time I went was about eight months ago, on June 28, 2012. The first time I had my hair cut was on the four month anniversary of my Big Chop. It was badly needed because my BC was done all by yours truly and was really uneven. I couldn't have let my hair continue to grow out that way and expected it to look good. My hair stylist was named Vicki and she took her time cutting my curls, curl by curl and evening my hair out.
The styling however, was not at all what I wanted. Rather than define my curls, Vicki put all of her energy into separating and fluffing them out. Not the kind of look I go for at all. I don't like the afro look. Some people consider Black hair to be an afro no matter what, but I don't. To me, an afro is a hairstyle achieved by picking out and separating the hair's natural curls. Yes, they may look cool but afros are not good for my hair. Without having my curls defined, my hair loses moisture much quicker and is prone to bad tangles and knots.
Yesterday was a complete repeat of the hair cut I got eight months ago. I went into Fiddleheads rocking a twist out, so Vicki was able to get through my hair much quicker than the first time, and I was only in the salon for about an hour. But the fro she gave me wasn't at all what I wanted and I washed it out today. Lesson learned. From now on, if I go somewhere that is supposed to cater to curly hair, I won't just assume they'll know how to define my curls. Or that I even want them defined. I'll be bringing pictures of my hair in a variety of styles so whoever is doing my hair can have a sense of the kind of definition I like to achieve.
The styling however, was not at all what I wanted. Rather than define my curls, Vicki put all of her energy into separating and fluffing them out. Not the kind of look I go for at all. I don't like the afro look. Some people consider Black hair to be an afro no matter what, but I don't. To me, an afro is a hairstyle achieved by picking out and separating the hair's natural curls. Yes, they may look cool but afros are not good for my hair. Without having my curls defined, my hair loses moisture much quicker and is prone to bad tangles and knots.
Yesterday was a complete repeat of the hair cut I got eight months ago. I went into Fiddleheads rocking a twist out, so Vicki was able to get through my hair much quicker than the first time, and I was only in the salon for about an hour. But the fro she gave me wasn't at all what I wanted and I washed it out today. Lesson learned. From now on, if I go somewhere that is supposed to cater to curly hair, I won't just assume they'll know how to define my curls. Or that I even want them defined. I'll be bringing pictures of my hair in a variety of styles so whoever is doing my hair can have a sense of the kind of definition I like to achieve.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Closing Out My First Year With Natural Hair
If you had asked me two years ago if I'd ever "go natural," I don't really know what I would have said. Wearing my hair any way other than straight was not something I had ever considered. "Curls? What curls? My hair is nappy," is probably how I would have responded if someone had tried to convince me I had curly hair. But the little curly, wiggly locks of hair the sprout from my head would argue otherwise. And the same can be said for a lot of Black women who have never worn their hair in its natural state. The fact that they actually have curly hair would probably amaze them.
Some people try to argue that there is such a thing as non-curly, plain ole nappy hair. I disagree. In the past 11 months since I cut off my relaxed ends, I've learned that the further hair moves from stick straight strands, the more inherent curl there is. Without the hair curling in some way, there wouldn't be all the glorious texture that Black hair is known for. They may not be perfectly shaped "S" curls, but they are indeed curls. What else can you call them? Certainly not naps, because that would mean short sleeping sessions. And no one grows short sleeping sessions from their heads.
As I get close and closer to my one year anniversary, I just can't help but feel a little saddened that more women of my race don't try to know and understand their hair without chemically altering it. I understand that this is something that has be ingrained into our culture for generations now, and isn't likely to change on a mass scale any time soon, but I still wish that wasn't the case. Our little girls are accepted with their natural hair, but our grown women aren't. And our women are often discouraged and ostracized for wanting to wear their natural hair.
If I can make a wish for my anniversary, it's for more Black women to stop hating natural hair so much, and instead embrace it. Natural hair isn't for slaves. Natural hair isn't for poor people. Natural hair isn't for overly Afro-centric people. It's for everyone. Because it's what you were born with. It's how you were made. No matter how many times you slap that chemical on your roots, they will keep growing in with the texture your genetics determine you are supposed to have. It's just who you are.
Now, there's nothing wrong with switching up your style and wearing your hair straight, blue, purple, or pink. But to permanently alter your hair to be so is... just a little sad to me.
Some people try to argue that there is such a thing as non-curly, plain ole nappy hair. I disagree. In the past 11 months since I cut off my relaxed ends, I've learned that the further hair moves from stick straight strands, the more inherent curl there is. Without the hair curling in some way, there wouldn't be all the glorious texture that Black hair is known for. They may not be perfectly shaped "S" curls, but they are indeed curls. What else can you call them? Certainly not naps, because that would mean short sleeping sessions. And no one grows short sleeping sessions from their heads.
As I get close and closer to my one year anniversary, I just can't help but feel a little saddened that more women of my race don't try to know and understand their hair without chemically altering it. I understand that this is something that has be ingrained into our culture for generations now, and isn't likely to change on a mass scale any time soon, but I still wish that wasn't the case. Our little girls are accepted with their natural hair, but our grown women aren't. And our women are often discouraged and ostracized for wanting to wear their natural hair.
If I can make a wish for my anniversary, it's for more Black women to stop hating natural hair so much, and instead embrace it. Natural hair isn't for slaves. Natural hair isn't for poor people. Natural hair isn't for overly Afro-centric people. It's for everyone. Because it's what you were born with. It's how you were made. No matter how many times you slap that chemical on your roots, they will keep growing in with the texture your genetics determine you are supposed to have. It's just who you are.
Now, there's nothing wrong with switching up your style and wearing your hair straight, blue, purple, or pink. But to permanently alter your hair to be so is... just a little sad to me.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Eddy - Cheech Presley
This is a music video from my friend OJ. If you like it, support him by subscribing to his channel, loudpresley. Thanks, loves. :-*
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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