~Coiffure and All things NATURAL~

Silent, But Still Here

2011-08-19T03:38:00.001-05:00

Hey guys! I just wanted to drop in and say hello to you all. I realize that the blog has been rather silent for awhile and honestly will remain so for a little while longer, but I wanted to pop in for a quick minute. God has been blessing as always and I am simply very busy. Well initially I was simply being lazy and taking my annual unintentional blog break,lol, but now I am truly busy. Things should slow down within a month or so and I look forward to blogging again. I completely missed sharing my 3 year anniversary with you guys and plan to do a giveaway in honor of just that upon returning. Get ready!! I hope you all are well and are embracing all things natural. Be sure to ask any questions that you might have in the mean time. I'm sure that I will be able to do that. Also, I have a friend that I will be introducing you guys to and she will share a post or few with you guys while I'm gone. Stayed tuned for that. Until then see ya.

Success!!! All Natural Deodorant

2011-06-02T08:23:00.003-05:00

I went through the two week antiperspirant detox process and my old recipe was still not working to my satisfaction. I was sick of having to carry alcohol pads around with me everywhere and finally decided that it was time to tweak the recipe.

Here's what I used:

~4oz. Coconut Oil
~1oz. of Beeswax
~1/2 Cup Arrowroot powder
~1/2 Cornstarch
~2-3 Teaspoons of any essential oil with antibacterial properties. I used lemongrass.

I simply melted down the beeswax (use a double boiler if you have one) and added the coconut oil. Next I added the arrowroot powder and cornstarch. Finally, I added the essential oils and transferred it to my jars. I believe this mixture made about 12oz. This should last quite some time. I use small plastic jars to put my deodorant in and I rub it on my armpit with my finger but you can always use an old antiperspirant bottle or purchase deodorant jars from here if you'd prefer.

I used beeswax for firmness since coconut oil melts at 76 degrees. Beeswax melts at around 86 degrees. I used a half mix of arrowroot and cornstarch but you could simply use 1 cup of arrowroot or 1 cup of cornstarch . I only mixed the two because I ran out of arrowroot powder. Also I can not tell you how much I love the lemongrass scent. It leaves me smelling so fresh and clean. I have used this for a little under 2 weeks now and I have not had to reapply it throughout the day. I even used the Stairmaster for 25 minutes and my deodorant was still hard at work. I am so pleased!

Buyer Beware: Tangle Teezer

2011-06-02T07:59:00.001-05:00

If you read alot of blogs or frequent many hair boards you may be well aware by now that the Tangle Teezer has been met with less than flattering reviews after extended use. Some have said that the Tangle Teezer has resulted in breakage and some have reported that they have many more single strand knots.

I would like to say that this has not been my experience with the Tangle Teezer. I have not had any adverse effects from using it that I have been able to tell, but I thought it only fair to share this info with my readers who possibly purchased the Tangle Teezer based on my review.

I have to admit that I am more skeptical of using it now. I use it only when I have a horrible tangle situation on my hands now. This past weekend I had to pull it out and it was a true time saver. I was so completely happy to have it at that time because I probably would have had more breakage than could result from the Tangle Teezer if I was left to use only my comb.

I admonish you all to use this product and any other styling product with caution. If you are met with unfavorable results from any product by all means stop using it. Don't feel the need to jump on every bandwagon or highly raved product especially if it doesn't work for you. At the same time what doesn't work for one may work for another.

All Natural Toothpaste

2011-05-09T20:24:00.001-05:00

Now we move on to toothpaste. I decided not to go into the whys of not using conventional toothpastes simply because I didn't feel like it. Lazy? I know. It's interesting stuff though. You should really look into it. Haha. Seriously though. This is a good resource for more info.

I have been using a homemade toothpaste for about 2 or 3 months now. I cam't quite remember when I first started. I have gone through a total of 3 different recipes and although I like the last recipe I think I will combine the 2nd and 3rd recipes for my next batch. I am going to totally omit the very first recipe I made just because I wasn't at all happy with the taste though I'm sure it would have done a great job cleaning my teeth.

First recipe (which is really the 2nd recipe):

2 Tbsp coconut oil (I suppose it's not necessary but I used extra virgin coconut oil)
3 Tbsp baking soda
1 small packet Stevia powder
20-25 drops of peppermint oil (you can substitute this for spearmint or cinnamon oil)

I actually enjoyed the taste of this one the best but the problem I ran into with it is that I had the mixture in a tupperware like container and because of the coconut oil it would solidify making me have to stir it upon every use. I was concerned about keeping it free from any bacteria so I bought a box of disposable spoons to mix it every time. How wasteful is that? Not to mention just plain inconvenient. I put the mix in a squeeze out bottle but it again would solidify when the temperature in the house dropped making it hard to get out of the bottle. This is what prompted me to try the 2nd (really 3rd) recipe.

Second recipe (which is really the 3rd recipe):

I should say that I made enough of this one to be used my my whole family so you could totally cut the mix in half.

6 Tbsp baking soda
1 Tsp salt
1 pack Stevia powder
3 Tbsp glycerin
40 drops peppermint oil
1 Tbsp distilled water

With this second mix I totally solved the dispensing problem. I sometimes have to shake up the bottle in the morning to amalgamate the mixture, but otherwise it works great. The only problem I did run into with this recipe is with the salt. I felt that it was a bit too salty. My husband also commented that the salt upsets his stomach sometimes. Neither me or my children have had that problem, but I just wanted to include that info.
As soon as we finish this batch I plan to make a differnt recipe that is a blend of the two. I want to include the coconut oil from the first recipe. I think it added an element of flavor not to mention it has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. I also plan to omit the salt in the next batch. I figure that the baking soda is enough of an abrasive anyway.

**Let me also add that I have definitely noticed that my teeth and gums are much more healthy looking and feeling. I have even noticed that my teeth are getting whiter. Although this toothpaste does not taste like the conventional toothpaste it is not bad. You just have to know that you are using it to clean your teeth. It's not breakfast. :) My children quickly commented after only about 4 or 5 days that they were getting used to the toothpaste. By the end of two weeks they were coming to show me how they thought their teeth were getting whiter.

Both of these recipes are simple to make. All you need to do is simply mix the ingredients. There is no need for detailed how-to instructions.

These are all the ingredients I use to make the recipes. Also shown are the bottles (pink and blue) that I used to put the paste into and dispense. You can find them at Walmart for under $1.00.

Protective styling

2011-04-27T11:29:00.001-05:00

Protective styling is arguably a key component to any successful hair care journey. For this reason alone I'm surprised that I have never talked about it here.I'll attempt to do that now.

Protective styling is simply put, styling your hair in a manner that protects your strands from the harsh elements of the cold, windy, and icy weather as well as just plain over manipulation that we put our hair through when it isn't in protective styles. What do I mean by this? Well I know for me that it took a long while into my hair care journey before I finally got over having my hands in my hair every 5 seconds. Some go even further and comb and brush their hair every single day to several times a day. The problem with this is that our hair strands are much like fibers. Over manipulation of them will cause them to lose their elasticity, thickness, and strength. Because we are striving for (most of us) long and thick healthy hair we have to be mindful of keeping our hair as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
Any style that keeps you from manipulating your hair for a good length of time while the ends are covered or tucked can be considered a protective style. This can be two strand twists, braids, buns, or even wigs and sew-ins. Earlier in my hair journey I used kinky twists as a protective style quite often.

One school of thought on the issue of protective styling is that "I'd rather wear my hair out and enjoy it rather than keep it put away all the time just to obtain length". I totally understand this and at one point even wrestled with this line of thinking myself. To that I will say, as I find myself saying so often, there is a healthy balance that can be struck. I fully intend to enjoy EVERY stage of my hair growth on the way to my goal length, whatever that is. Having said that I want to actually be able to reach that goal length with healthy hair. My fear for people who only protective style until they reach a desired length is that once that reach said length they won't know how to style it in a manner that promotes health because all they've done is protective style and they will lose the length that hid for so long. (Does that make sense?) In my opinion the right place to be in somewhere in the middle of the two extremes.

Reflection and Revisit: Natural Deodorant 2

2011-04-26T10:19:00.002-05:00

You know how you can be fully aware of something and then you share this awareness with others and it's like you're relearning what you have just shared? That has been my experience after posting and rereading the "All Natural Deodorant" post. I had gone back to antiperspirants until I could perfect my recipe. I don't know what I was thinking because now that just seems foolish. At the same time though, no one wants to running around town leaving their "mark" LOL. Still, that caused me to do some reflection.

As I sat and thought about the two deodorants I made I knew that #2 was the one I wanted to improve upon. I figured I'd add a bit more baking soda since that is the deodorizing property and the tea tree oil since it is anti fungal and anti bacterial. I figured I'd add more peppermint because of it's antiseptic properties and also because I like to add peppermint anytime I use tea tree oil as I don't particularly like the smell of the tea tree.

Before I could even tweak my mix though, I ran across some information that I think is very important to pass on. Apparently, once you stop using antiperspirants your body may go through a detox process in which it will rid itself of the toxins that have been trapped by the antiperspirant use. This will cause you to perspire a bit more than normal and may even make you natural deodorant seem ineffective. This calls for patience and should last only a few weeks at most (or so I'm told), So with that in mind I have decided to use the #2 deodorant as is for few weeks and hope that this information holds true.

What in the world do I do in the meantime though? Exfoliating the underarm area while you shower can help speed the detox process along. Also, wiping your underarms with rubbing alcohol a few times a week can help. Alcohol can cause irritation if applied too often so use sparingly. I plan to carry my deodorant in my purse for the next several weeks to be sure I'm as fresh smelling as possible. One more important thing to note is that your underarms should be clean when applying any natural deodorant so if you do reapply you also clean your armpits again.

What others have tried:
There are many, many natural ingredients you can use to make your own deodorant and I will list a few that others have tried with great success.

Mineral salts- Some very common natural deodorants have employed the use of mineral salts in their formula. I thought of doing a spray using some form of this.

Milk of Magnesia- Yes you read correctly, I mean the stuff used for constipation. I have heard really incredible things about this one.

Baking Soda- Some people choose to use baking soda alone as a deodorant, but others have problems with skin irritation.

I didn't list any commercial natural deodorant brands but there are plenty out there.

More Info on Antiperspirants

2011-04-18T15:23:00.001-05:00

I shared a link with a reader after receiving a comment and I thought that the information contained was so useful that I should post a link to the site for you to read as well. It has a wealth of information that sheds much more light on the subject than I have.

Style Photo: More Bitty Braids

2011-04-17T16:58:00.001-05:00

My First Attempt: All Natural Deodorant

2011-04-16T03:06:00.009-05:00

For the first installment in the "all things natural" addition to the blog I have tackled...well attempted to tackle a homeade deodorant. Why deodorant? First of all I have always had problems wearing "deodorant". No matter what brand I use whether it happens in a few weeks or a few months of purchase I eventually break out and itch really bad. It is unfortunately something I have come to get used to. Sad huh? Well typically when we purchase "deodorant" from our local stores we are not only buying and using deodorant we are also getting antiperspirant. This leads to the second reason I decided to make my own deodorant.
The problem with antiperspirants is that as the name suggests it keeps you from perspiring. God in his infinite wisdom designed our bodies to rid itself of toxins through perspiration. The main areas our bodies use to eliminate toxins are behind the knees, behind the ears, groin area and our armpits.
When we use antiperspirants we are inhibiting our bodies from eliminating these toxins which in turn causes the body to deposit them into lymph nodes. Eventually all these toxins build up and cause cell mutation. This is also known as Cancer.
Now before I continue, allow me to say that there are reports that will conflict with the information I have shared and it is within your right to do what you will with this information. I am sharing why I am choosing not to use antiperspirants anymore.

So what did I do next? I searched for a some all natural deodorant recipes and found two that I was interested in trying. I will post the ingredients to both recipes below. I will say that I planned to be very detailed with you guys and do daily checks and log every detail. Well that never happened. It's ok though. I am still sharing the results with you guys even if it is months later. Lol.
I started out using one deodorant on my right armpit and the other on my left armpit. A few hours later the first one had checked out for the day. LOL. The second deodorant lasted several hours but not to my satisfaction. I plan to tweak the second recipe and try it again and I will do a better job and bringing you in in the whole process this time. Unfortunately I am using antiperspirant again until I find a recipe that works well but I have to tell you typing all this up has really motivated me to stop using the stuff once and for all.

Deodorant 1(the one that quit after 2 hours)

1 Tbsp Arrowroot Powder (This can be substituted for Corn Starch)
1 Tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp Coconut oil
1 Tbsp Shea Butter
1 Tbsp of Cocoa Butter
2 drops of Peppermint Oil
2 drops Tea Tree Oil
2 drops of Lime Essential Oil

In hindsight I would do a few things differently with this recipe. For starters I would eliminate the Cocoa Butter altogether. I hate the smell and the recipe just seems to contain too much butter. I would also probably double the amount of baking soda I used. Baking soda is a great deodorizing agent, but it can cause also cause irritation if you use too much. This is why I was conservative in my use of it. Lastly, the Lime Oil was purely for fragrance and let me just say that it did not go over well with the scent of the Cocoa Butter.

Deodorant 2

4 Tsp Coconut oil
1 Tbsp Shea Butter
1/4 cup Arrowroot powder
3 drops Tea Tree Oil
3 drops Peppermint Oil

I'm not entirely sure just yet what I would do to tweak this one. We'll see. I plan to do a "second attempt" within the next week or so.

Additional info: I have edited this post to add a bit of info that might be helpful in case any should try to make your own all natural deodorant. It is important to understand that if you do make a true deodorant (not antiperspirant) you WILL still sweat. The purpose of the deodorant is to eliminate any foul or offensive odor. I realize that this a new concept for most of us and everyone will not like this. I'm finding that when you choose to embrace things that are natural versus chemical laden you will have to adjust your expectation a bit. The health benefits in this and many other cases far outweigh the small inconveniences.

Style Photo: Dry Braid Out (The Cure For Shrinkage)

2011-03-26T07:52:00.003-05:00

Shrinkage is an inevitability in the life of one who has decided to embrace their natural hair. Having said that there are ways to reduce the amount of shrinkage one gets. There are many ways such as banding, the ever controversial heat training of the hair, and even just plain straightening it. I have tried a few of these but the one method that I use most often is simply styling my hair once it has already dried. Seems simple enough and honestly it is, but it took me a long time to get to the point of doing so. I guess because you have to wait for the hair to dry and I usually just wanted to get done with my hair and be done. I'm glad that I finally found a system that works for me because I simply love it.

Here is what I do:

I usually wash, condition, and detangle my hair and then follow up with my aloe vera juice as a leave in and then apply my shea mix. After doing this I usually put it in about 4-6 twists and pin it on top of my head in some way and go about my day.

Once my hair has dried about 85-90% I begin sectioning my hair into 5 parts being sure to place my part where I want it. I then french braid my hair and leave it to dry overnight. I want to add that even though I usually do this on 85-90% dry hair you can absolutely do it on 100% dry hair. It will take a while longer to take on the braid out texture though. This is why I like doing it on slightly damp hair.

Once I take it down, which is usually the next day, I get beautiful results that are elongated much more than normal. I love the volume. It's just fantastic even if I do say so myself. Btw, I have no idea what was happening with my blush that day so please know that I know it was a bit off :). I put myself out there for you guys. Crazy looking makeup and all. Lol.

I maintain this braidout by remoisturizing it with my shea mix and then rebraiding each section. I know it may seem like alot, or maybe not, but it is so worth it because the style will last much longer. I used to be opposed to any style that required me to retwist or rebraid at night but since this is only about 5 braids I decided to try it out and it really wasn't so bad.

Coiffure is Expanding

2011-03-20T04:06:00.005-05:00

In my quest to find healthier alternatives for hair care it seemed silly to have such high standards for my hair and not my body. I have to care about what I'm putting on and in my body as well as my hair. Just as I have shared my natural hair care journey with you I'd like to share this journey as well. I hope you don't mind.

I am expanding Coiffure to include all things natural. I truly believe that God has provided all that we need in nature. I also believe that God has gifted us with minds that are able to conceive witty inventions and create ways to make life easier for us. Having said that, when have we gone too far? Our society is so greedy for monetary wealth that our physical health has taken a back seat. It's sometimes too much to take in when you read or hear about what else "they" are putting in our food or body products. I'd find myself tuning things out for sometimes because the gravity of it all is so heavy. I'm sure some of you have done this as well. It's so much.
How do you totally revamp your life and only buy things that you know are safe for your family? Do you just stop eating meat? Buy all organic? Make your own body products? If so how do you afford this new lifestyle?
I most definitely don't have all the answers, but I am again embarking upon a journey and you are most welcome to join me or just read as I share. :)

ETA: I will be updating the design and name of Coiffure so please bear with me if you stop by and you don't recognize the place.

Tangle Teezer!!!

2011-03-19T23:58:00.002-05:00

If you haven't heard about this product then you need to listen UP! The Tangle Teezer is AMAZING! If you can't tell it is a brush/comb used to detangle hair. I have had my own Tangle Teezer for about 2-3 months now and I simply can't say enough about it. I will say that the only reason I use a comb any more is to part my hair. IT'S THAT GOOD!!
I believe the Tangle Teezer works so well because it has so many small teeth and it is able to get the small tangles that our combs are not able to get. The bristles of the brush are also flexible so that it doesn't tear your hair out like a comb or Denman brush will. I will say that just as with any other styling product you still need to be gentle and take your time.

In my use of the Tangle Teezer to detangle I part my hair into 4 section s and then break those sections in half. Altogether that's eight sections. I tell you this to say that you will still need to do semi small section s to get the best use of of the product. I also, just like with a comb, start from the end and comb (or brush) to the root. I have heard people say that they can even start at the root but I didn't try it. The Tangle Teezer detangles on wet and dry hair, but in my experience it works best when I am detangling under running water in the shower.

I purchased my Tangle Teezer from Sally Beauty for around $10. If you haven't tried this product I HIGHLY recommend it!

UPDATE 6/2/11

All Natural Shampoo Reviews

2011-03-05T06:19:00.002-06:00

I have been on the hunt for a new shampoo. I know I've told you guys over and over how much I love my beloved CON shampoo and it is true, but I just haven't been feeling it lately. It still works fine. I think I'm just interested to see if I can find something more natural to cleanse my hair with. I have tried several different ones and I figured instead of doing different posts I'd do them all together.

First I decided to make my own shampoo. I had purchased some African Black Soap for my face awhile back that turned out to be a bit too drying for my skin. I decided to turn that into a liquid shampoo by using distilled water and adding some moisturizing ingredients. Let me first say that I was so proud of myself for the work I put into it. I mean it wasn't hard (at all), but 3 years ago I would have never imagined myself making a shampoo. Black Soap in general smells very woody and smoky so I'm sure some people will hate the smell. I however don't mind it at all. If you know anything about black soap you know that it lathers very well and this one was no exception. After trying it out for about a month I finally admitted to myself that it just wasn't that great. LOL. It wasn't moisturizing enough and while it did clean my hair it also left it feeling just plain stripped. I will say that this mixture with a few extra ingredients added makes a fantastic face wash. I've been using it for about 3 months and just recently made a new batch so it wasn't a total loss.

Next I came across "Yes To Carrots Nourishing Shampoo". The local HyVee where I found it, sells sample size bottles so I thought I'd give it a try. The smell is hard to describe because it doesn't really smell like anything I've smelled before. Whatever the smell, I enjoyed it and for some reason after you wash your hair with it your hair smells even better. WAIT...wait..before I go on let me say that this shampoo has an ingredient that I wasn't too sure about. It contains sodium coceth sulfate. I was like WHAT?! Upon doing a bit of research on it I don't think that it is as harmful or harsh as your typical sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is said to be derived from the fatty acids from coconut oil and then modified using something called ethylene oxide. This ingredient is also said to be an organic compound but organic compound or not I wasn't impressed. Being that in the last post I reminded you guys that I'm nobody's chemist you need to research the rest yourself. My brain hurts. Lol. If anyone else knows more feel free to school me. That being said I didn't feel that thrilled with using it since I am looking for an all natural shampoo with the hopes that it will be better for my hair and body. I am taking baby steps though so I continued using it. :)
I actually did like it. It had a decent lather. Not as much as some shampoos, but good enough. It again smelled great and made my hair really soft when washing it. Once I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair I was a bit let down that it didn't leave it as soft as I thought it would. It was okay though. I really thought it worked well on my youngest daughters' hair. It also has a really good price. It's around 8 bucks for a 16 ounce bottle. Not bad. Even still, my search continues.

I finally managed to get around to trying some of the BeeMine products. This was well over 4 months ago so I'm reaaally late in updating you guys. Sorry about that, but better late than never right? Anyway, BeeMine has an all natural shampoo called "BeeMine Peppermint and Tea Tree Nourishing Shampoo". I was so prepared to love this whole line and I am sad to say that I just did not. This shampoo for me was not bad it just wasn't great. I don't really have too much good to say about it. For the bad: I absolutely hated the smell. It smells like hazelnut which I love, but it was mixed with peppermint and tea tree. It came together to make the oddest smell and I simply could not deal with it. I tried several times so that I could atleast give a fair review but I just did not like it at all. Each time I would sniff the bottle I'd think, "Oh, it's not that bad", but once I applied it to my hair it would just get worse. Whether the shampoo is good or not hmm...I can't truly say because I couldn't past the smell. I know that the owner of BeeMine will sometimes do custom orders so I suppose it's possible that she would mix this with a different scent. I actaully just looked on her site for the shampoo and do not see it. I'm not sure if she is no longer selling it or if it's backordered or what.

Finally, I am now using "Giovanni Smooth As Silk Shampoo". I have been using it for about 3-4 weeks and I am...well let me just say that I will probably finish the bottle but I won't be repurchasing it. It cleanses fine it doesn't make my hair hard, but it sure doesn't make it "smooth as silk". I like the price and I like the ingredients, but when it comes to my products I'm not going to stick with them unless I absolutely love them. I did not love any of these so I am still on the hunt. I have 2 recommendations that I am really excited to try and I will keep you guys posted. If you guys have tried any of these products and have had a different experience please leave a comment in the comment section. I'd love to hear from you.

All Natural Leave-In Conditioner

2011-02-27T04:42:00.002-06:00

It has been a great and beautiful journey for me these past few years learning to embrace my natural hair. I have over that time learned many things about what works best for my hair to make it achieve a certain look. Most people experience a phase of PJism (Product Junkie-ism, lol) where you purchase any and everything that is recommended, sounds good, has a pretty label (ok, well maybe that last one is just me, lol). I went through this phase and I loved it. It was trial and error and I learned ALOT. The next phase was a narrowing down process. I sort of grew up. I became more selective with products. I wasn't as quick to jump on every bandwagon. I slowly began to shift into a phase of less is more.

Somewhere along the line, I'm not quite sure where, I became concerned about the ingredients I was putting in my hair. No cones, no parabens, no sulfates. (I will share more on this subject later for those who are unaware of these chemicals listed) It can get quite overwhelming reading labels and let me just say right now that I am NOT well versed in reading them. I know a few things to watch out for and that is it. I even went through a phase where I decided, "forget this labeling reading stuff, it works on my hair so I'm going to use it". Well that didn't last too long. I couldn't in good conscience continue to blindly ignore what I was putting on and in not just my own hair but in my families hair as well.

I again ever so slowly began to try more all natural alternatives to hair products. I told you guys in a recent post about an all natural leave in. I won't keep you in suspense. The magic in a bottle (or plant) is none other than ALOE VERA JUICE (AVJ)!!

A well known youtuber sang the praises of a leave in that she concocted using several ingredients. One of the ingredients was Aloe Vera Juice. I tried her leave-in with few alterations and wasn't thrilled with the consistency. Eventually I decided to simply use the juice alone. Let me first tell you what aloe is supposed to do.

I have to give a disclaimer here: I am not a chemist and I don't have a lot of patience and time for looking into too many things in depth (unless I'm called to) so I will just tell you what I have "heard" and then I will tell you MY experience with it. If you are really interested I encourage you to conduct your own research.

When we shampoo our hair the cuticle (outer layers) of our hair are lifted up and enables the hair to be fully cleansed. This can be a harsh process for our hair. Once the hair is rinsed the job of the conditioner is to then moisturize the hair and lay the cuticle back down having it well moisturized and resulting in beautiful healthy hair. This doesn't always happen. Alot of times we have products with cones (silicones) or proteins in them that make the cuticle appear to be closed. Now back to the AVJ, this all natural product is said to be able to really close the cuticle of the hair as well as add another element of moisture.
PEOPLE let me tell you....it WORKS! Since I have been using the AVJ I have experienced such a difference in my hair. It is MUCH softer. The ends of the hair which we know is the oldest hair on our heads, is even smooth. It literally feels as if the cuticle is now flattened.
I did a post last year where I documented in great detail, the woes I have with my oldest daughter's hair. If you are not familiar with this click here. I washed her hair and used this beautiful product that God provided for us and ran out of time. I had to do the dreaded puff as we were on our way somewhere. A few days later when I had time to cowash her hair, because rewashing is necessary in these situations, I did just that. I was all prepared for the detangling session that was sure to be at least an hour. Let me tell you I applied the AVJ and proceeded to detangle her hair in 10-15 minutes! Yes, you heard me correctly. I was SOLD! I was using Cantu Shea butter leave in prior to this and I don't think I ever did a review on it but I was completely happy with it. It was great. I felt kind of bad not using it anymore. I had just purchased a brand new bottle of it, but I just couldn't justify using all those chemicals when I had an alternative that was chemical free and found in nature.

I personally use this kind, but If you're interested I suggest you just try whatever you like. I would suggest using one without any additives and you will need to keep it refrigerated. I keep mine in a spray bottle. This particular brand is a bit pricey as it is a whole leaf concentrate. There are conflicting reports on whether or not this is any better that the inner gel filet of aloe juice. I don't know the answer to this concern as I have only used this one kind but my sister in law has used the inner gel filet AVJ with great success. Please let me know if any of you try this and have a testimonial.

Repost: It's deeper than just hair.

2011-02-19T01:27:00.000-06:00

I wrote this post back in May of 2009 and I have to say looking back on it, I am proud of it. I truly meant all that was said here and I wanted to repost it as I realize I have new readers who may not have ever read it. Enjoy and feel free to share your thoughts.

Making the decision to go natural for me was not a great call or something that weighed heavy on my heart. Quite simply, my cousin/best friend made the decison to go natural and made the comment that it would be great if I were to go along with her. I thought about it for a little bit and decided that it wasn't a bad idea. I'd always had fast growing hair so if I hated it I would just grow it back out and relax it. No big deal. So I told her yes. That is how my journey began.
Well in this process it has become a sort of passion for me. Wearing my natural hair has changed my life in more ways than I ever imagined. For starters it has turned me into a true do-it-yourselfer. I have learned sooooo much about how to care for my hair in the past year, from my transition to now; 10 months natural. I love being able to think of a style and attempting it on my own hair. I love that I know when my hair's moisture/protein balance is off. I love that I know how to take care of my own hair and I actually prefer it.
One year ago I was clueless about my hair. Yes my hair grew fast, but I would always have breakage in my crown area. If I wasn't going to the salon my hair was a mess and I hated wash days. That's like my favorite day now. Or should I say days, considering that in the summer I cowash atleast 3 times a week.
Over time being natural has allowed me to embrace a me that I didn't realize I was denying. Not just me "Shara". but me black woman. I quickly began to be offended when hearing the term, "good hair" or "bad hair". I can't stand to hear, "they need to put a perm on that girls nappy hair". It is so offensive to me for a person to be considered less attractive if their hair isn't straight. Now granted there are some unpleasant looking natural heads of hair that need to get it together or mom's that need to learn how to care for their daughter's natural hair, but that is the same for relaxed, texlaxed, and the like. It is so sad to see a beautiful little black girl walking around with pretty, straight hair in some nice bun but the outer edges have been eaten away due to over processing of harsh chemicals or weakened due to the same. And before I go any further I want to say that I do not think relaxers are the worst thing in the world. My issue is when people think that straight hair alone equals beauty.
The main reason for my post is yet to be discussed. I am making this blog post in honor of My Lord. I have through the journey of becoming natural have found a truer understanding and appreciation for God's handiwork; ME! I AM HIS CREATION. He made me with kinky curly hair. He made me with different textures in this head of hair. My big nose that I have always hated and wished away; Yep he hand crafted that and placed it right above my full lips. He thought he did a great job yet here I am having the nerve to call what the Masters hands created, too big. WOW. That's audacious! I'm learning more and more that my being placed here is simply for HIS glory. I was created for his glory. He made me exactly how he wanted me to be and I am learning to see the beauty in what I once saw as less than.

After the break.....

2011-02-15T02:22:00.004-06:00

After quite the break I am back! Sorry to have been gone for so long but I had a ton of things going on (still do really) and I just plain needed a break. I hope you guys are well and are having a great time with your hair.

It has never been my intention to have a blog that was updated daily, but somewhere along the line I got caught up things and forgot that and began to feel guilty for not doing so. I want to update regularly as I always have something to share, it just may not be your idea of regular. Now that that's out of the way let's move on to updates.

I have undergone quite a transformation since the last time I have talked to you guys. I have moved into more of a natural hair care journey in every sense of the word. What I mean is that I have slowly been incorporating more natural hair products into my regimen, eliminating one's with harsh chemicals. I have not totally eradicated all chemical products from my stash but I am doing well with it.

I have mixed my own shea butter for quite some time. Almost for my entire natural hair journey. Have I ever mentioned that before? Hmm...I don't recall. Anyway, that was perfect for twists and such but I really needed a lighter moisturizer as well. I went on a search and tried many things. Both commercial and all natural products. I will do some reviews on the ones I have tried soon. I will say that I have finally found one that works.

I happened upon an all natural leave in that is a MIRACLE WORKER!!! I am very excited to tell you guys about this one. Some of my followers will have already heard me rave about this product but for those of you that haven't be prepared for a life changing product. Well that's a bit dramatic. Let's not place hair that high on the importance scale. But really it has definitely made my life easier.

Another product I have used since before I even completed my transition is my glycerin mix spray. I use this as a moisturizer before sealing with my shea butter. Clearly it works well since I have been using it for almost 3 years.

You guys know that I don't stray in the area of shampoos from my beloved CON (Creme of Nature) but I did find myself searching for an all natural substitute. I have tried several poos and yes am still on the hunt. I will still do a review of the ones I have tried. They are not all bad. They just didn't fully satisfy me.

I am still using the same conditioners as always which are ORS Replenishing Conditioner as well as ORS Hair Mayo. For cowashing I am still using V05 Moisture Milks and Herbal Essences Totally Twisted. Those have not changed but not for lack of trying. I simply haven't found replacements. I love those conditioners. If you're in the market for a new conditioner try one of these.

I plan to share all these things with you guys in detail in future posts. Don't worry, I will do them very soon.

I LOVE MY HAIR!!

2010-10-15T01:20:00.010-05:00

Do you ever stop and look in any given place where there happens to be a lot of black women and notice these days how many of us have finally decided to embrace our natural hair? I do, and it makes me so happy and proud to see this happening. The church I attend is bustling with "naturals". I have found myself from time to time counting the many women I see when I'm there. It's beautiful.
Sometimes I hear people referring to women embracing their natural hair. They say things like, "yeah, everybody is trying to be natural now". I don't guess they mean any harm, but it bothers me because when people say these things they are turning something beautiful and highly significant into something meaningless and nothing more than a fad. Not to mention, "you do know that's how her hair is supposed to be right?"
I'm sure that not everyone who decided to return to natural had some deep call to return to oneness with nature or whatever,(I know I didn't) but the mere fact that women are becoming comfortable enough to embrace what much of society calls ugly or simply not the standard of beauty is huge. Enough women embraced their hair that one woman decided it was okay to do the same and then another and another.
If you are a regular reader of my blog then you know that I have 3 daughters. I bring this up because I feel like the more we embrace our natural hair we show future generations that our coils, kinks, and napps are beautiful. Our daughters won't feel it a necessity to relax or straighten their hair to be beautiful. They'll be able to appreciate the differences in their hair and see it as beautiful.
In essence we are changing the standard of beauty. Don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that straight hair isn't beautiful. I'm saying that kinky, curly, nappy hair is beautiful. Simple as that. Not too or also. It just is. All by itself.

I found a very cute little video that I just had to share. It is my hope and prayer that our little girls will truly grow up feeling this way.

My Straight Hair Regimen

2010-09-20T03:39:00.005-05:00

I don't straighten my hair very often, but when I do I have a different set of products that I use to achieve and maintain my look. I have learned some things through trial and error and other things from the wonderful women from youtube and other sites and forums. This is how my process goes:

Step 1: Shampoo my hair. I always shampoo before I flat iron to make sure that there isn't any build up on my hair or scalp. I don't suggest co-washing before you straighten.

Step 2: I ALWAYS deep condition before I straighten using a moisturizing DC. I typically use ORS Replenishing Conditioner. This is a light protein as well but I have found it to be very moisturizing on my hair. I make sure to fully detangle my hair at this stage with a wide tooth comb. I follow the comb with my Denman brush making sure to get any shed hair that is left behind. I do this to ensure that once I begin to flat iron I don't have any snags. After rinsing the conditioner I move on to the next step.

Step 3: I apply my heat protectant. I use FHI Hot Sauce. I simply love this product. It isn't heavy or oily but it adds moisture. I apply this in about 4 sections.

Step 4: I am now ready to blow dry my hair. I have found this to a VERY important step in this process. I learned my technique from this video:

I will say that I had a hard time getting the technique down of holding the blow dryer and Denman at the same time. I lack coordination, but I'm getting better. Also, my hair is a bit thicker than hers so it didn't go through the Denman as easy as hers did, but I started to get a rhythm . My results show the difference. I'll show pictures from when I first learned this technique and blow dried it. Check out part 2 of that video as well.

This is from January. Clean towel dried hair.

These are blow dried using her technique.

Step 5: Finally, I flat iron my hair in small sections using another VERY useful technique by SalonCabelo:

This comb chase method is so key. At least for me. I've straightened with and without this technique when I was trying to rush things along and my hair wasn't nearly as straight or silky.

Again these pics are from late January.

Maintenance: I don't use alot of product on my straightened hair because I don't want to weigh it down. The only thing I use to moisturize while straight is coconut oil. It is very light and adds a nice sheen. If I want a bit more shine I will add a few drops of Kemi Oyl to it.
I do this nightly before going to bed and sometimes in the morning depending on how it looks and feels. I wrap my hair at night, but I don't know how to explain how I do it. It's not the traditional one way wrap. My hair would always stink after a few days of doing that. I know you know what I'm talking about too. :)
Hmmm, how can I explain this. Ok, I take my hair in 4 sections. Two in front and two in back and first start with the left front and swoop it around the back to the right section and bobby pin it down. I do the same with the ride side pinned down on the left side. Then I take the back left and pin in around to the front of the right section and same from back back right to left. I hope that makes sense and doesn't sound too complicated. It's super easy. So much so that it feels foolish to even explain it. Anyway, I do this because it leaves the hair room to breathe so that it doesn't stink and also because it doesn't stress the edges or cause that unruly hair on the side that you swooped the hair when doing a traditional wrap.
Don't forget to wear your satin bonnet to bed.

Here's another picture of my hair straightened from late August. I kind of rushed through it and am in need of a trim here, but you can see my growth.

If anyone had trouble understanding the wrap technique (or anything) be sure and let me know. I'll do my best to explain it better.
Btw, I think I'm going to stick with this new page design. I hope you guys like it as much as I do.

In Case You Were Wondering...,

2010-09-14T16:29:00.003-05:00

If anyone is wondering about the many recent changes being made to my blog design the short answer is that I've been having some technical difficulties in that area and am trying to find the right fit. Sorry if it's getting a bit hard to deal with.I don't desire to have a different design every week so once (hopefully soon) I find the right fit, it will remain that way for awhile.

Braid Challenge #3

2010-09-12T21:46:00.006-05:00

I have completed my 3rd braid challenge and am moving to the 4th. Unfortunately I never took pictures of dd's hair on this one. All I did was braided it into a ponytail except the ponytail was kind of going a spiral if that makes sense.
I'm finding that her braids aren't lasting as long as I'd like them to. I was hoping to allow each set of braids to stay in for two weeks but after a week they've been looking pretty fuzzy. I'm not sure if this a "her hair" thing or if it's my lack of experience in braiding that is causing this. I am doing some searching online to find some ideas for new styles because I'm really not that creative when it comes to thinking of styles. If anyone has any suggestions please share them.

I'm going to post a picture of last weeks style that I talked about in the last post. Remember, I shared that it was kind of similar to the first style except that I braided the back down? Here are pictures of that.

Notice on the last picture how the braids are not nearly as neat and put together as the second picture. I see some areas that need improvement. It's exciting though because soon I'll be able to look back and see how I've improved.
Stay tuned for challenge 4.

Braid Challenge #2

2010-09-01T03:16:00.002-05:00

On to the next assignment... I actually completed the seconf set of braid in my dd's hair over two weeks ago but have neglected to post about it. Forgive me. I have to say though that I kind of did a variation on the first style.
I washed and DC'd her hair while in braids this time and then unbraided the hair and rebraided it. The only difference between this style and the last is that I braided the back down and put the top in a bun.
My hope is to be much more adventurous as I go along. I still have several months to go so I'm sure things will be getting more exciting. Beacuse I waited so long to post challenge #2 I should be posting # 3 soon after this one.

Braid Challenge #1

2010-08-08T00:54:00.010-05:00

I finally started the challenge I set forth for myself about keeping my daughters hair in braids. I must say it went SO much smoother that I had expected. I had built up this horrible experience in my mind where it would take forever. Where I would simply have force myself to complete the task. It turned out nothing like that.

I guess all my obsessing about it is what helped me though. See, what I concluded upon completeion is that it worked out so well because I planned everything in my head many times over. I had a plan! :) I'll tell you what I did.

First of all, I washed her hair on Monday night and let her DC overnight with ORS Hair Mayo (Man, I love that stuff). Tuesday I rinsed the DC and immediately detangled her hair and parted it into sections.

I put the hair in knots so that it would retain the moisture longer. I did this because the second her hair starts to dry I have to detangle it again. That being said, once I got to each section I blow dried it for a few minutes. Just enough the knock out some of the moisture and elongate the hair.

I moisturized each section as I got to it using EVCO (Extra Virgin Coconut Oil). I then braided the back section and continued on the next section repeating the blow dry, moisturize, braid process until I reached the front section.

Once I completed the braids I twisted the front section into two strand twists.

As you can see I knotted the hair in the back. Although I forgot to take pictures I eventually took them down and let her wear it curly.

I will take the front twists down for a twistout once it's been up for a week.

My Bitty Braids

2010-07-23T05:30:00.002-05:00

I shared in a previous post that I randomly started braiding my hair in small sections. I started on Thursday and finished on Saturday. That's all I can truthfully tell you about how long it took because I really didn't pay attention. I just braided here and there whenever I got free minute.

If I just had to guess I would say that it took me somewhere between 5 and 8 hours to complete it. That's pretty vague I know. When I have styles that take a while to do I rarely have time to do them in one sitting.

I did stop every few section a and snapped a few photos. These shots are not posed in any way just so you know. I was all over the place doing these things. Lol.

I've had the braids in for 3 weeks now and I LOVE them. They're so care free and cute. I had plans to do all types of different things to them but I have just enjoyed wearing them down. They're finally srtaring to look a bit old to me but I promised myself I'd leave them in for a full 4 weeks so I will. I think I'll do bantu knots on them and see how that turns out. Stay tuned for that I'll be sure to post pics.

My Dilemma Update : Braid Challenge Postponed

2010-07-14T03:09:00.003-05:00

I planned to start my new challenge this past Monday but I failed to take into account that my children would be starting swimming lessons again so I decided to postpone this challenge for a few weeks. If things go as planned I should start the challenge on Monday July 26,2010.

My Dilemma, My Plan.

2010-07-10T04:22:00.004-05:00

As you all may know, I have three daughters. Theirs plus mine makes four heads of hair that I'm responsible for keeping together. I have to tell you, as much as I love all things hair related, it gets quite overwhelming. Not to mention we all have different hair types so I am dealing with 4 different textures. Six if you count the three different types I have in my own head.

What you may may not know is that I work full time and homeschool my children as well. That doesn't really leave a lot of leisure time so I don't always stay on top of the hair like I should. My youngest two daughters have fine hair that is prone to frizz, so there are very few styles that will last longer than a day on them. This means doing their hair quickly, every day and spending more time, less often on my oldest daughters' hair or vice versa.

My oldest daughters' hair is very tightly coiled and very prone to tangles. When I wash her hair it is an absolute must that I detangle it while it's still wet. If for some reason I don't get a chance to detangle it then I have to rewet the head of hair before continuing.

(This is a picture of her hair texture)

Once I've detangled her hair, which usually takes about an hour, I style the hair. This usually takes at least two hours. If I'm low on time there is no quick protective style for her hair. My only choice is a puff. Her hair is too thick for anything else. The problem with that is that even though I've spent an hour detangling her hair, one day or even a few hours in a puff undoes that whole process so the next day I either have to rewet or co-wash the hair and spend the combined 3 hours detangling and styling ir or simply re-puff it and worry about the "worsening by the day" detangling situation that's happening on her head later. I usually go with the latter.

I know these long detangling sessions when I allow the puff to remain for more than a few days, cannot be good for her hair no matter how gentle I am. I haven't even gone into full detail of the trouble I sometimes get myself into with the two younger girl's hair. In short, when I'm super busy I tend to re-puff or ponytail their hair by brushing and geling the edges without detangling the length. I know, I know. It's a disaster in the making and we both pay for it later. I've also noticed the stress that all these ponytails and puffs put on the edges.

Miraculously my children are not bald and do have edges but I know I owe that to the routine deep conditionings I do weekly or bi-weekly as well as using good moisturizers on their hair consistently. Still, I want to find ways to take better care of their hair.

Now that I've shared my dilemma with you I also want to share my plan with you. I guess I should mention another small dilemma as well. This one is easy. I feel like my job could be easier if I french braided my eldest daughters hair more, but simply put, I'm not a very good french braider and I don't particularly like doing them. I'm not terrible but I could be so much better. Especially when you consider that I have three daughters.

This leads me to my plan. I have decided to create a challenge of sorts for myself. I want to begin doing weekly or bi-weekly french braid styles on my oldest daughters' hair in an effort to better protect and take care of her hair as well as to perfect braiding. I am also focusing on length retention.

I plan to chronicle this journey/challenge right here on "Coiffure". It should be fun. If any of my readers have a situation that is similar to mine feel free to join in with me and don't hesitate to share any results, progress and even pictures as I share mine with you.

Here is my plan:
-Shampoo the hair
-DC the hair with heat for at least 15 minutes.
-Blowdry the hair with a good heat protectan. (Blowdrying isn't necessary but I plan to so that the detangling process will be easier and so that her hair will be elongated.)
-Braid the hair.

I'm hoping to redo this process weekly or bi-weekly depending on the condition of her hair after the first week. One more thing; I plan to continue this process for a full 6 months. If things work out as planned I will begin this process on Monday July 12, 2010.

Stay tuned!!!

2nd Natural Anniversary!!

2010-07-08T14:45:00.001-05:00

It was 2 years ago yesterday that I officially returned to the natural state that God created me in. So exciting! I planned to do many fun things to celebrate this day but I didn't calculate the fact that I would be out of town right up until this came so....yeah that didn't really happen. That said, it is still my anniversary and I want to atleast acknowledge it.
I initially planned to straighten my hair for a length check and even purchase some goodies for my hair. All these things never happened. Booo. I suck. Lol.
On to other things; today I just randomly picked up a small piece of my hair and started braiding it and when I looked at it I thought, "wow, this is really cute". So I decided to do my whole head, Now the thing with this is that the braids are reeeeally small so it's gonna take me forever, but I'm game, so I'll update with pictures as soon as I finish. I'm hoping to keep these in for atleast a month, washing them while I have them. It should be a good rest for my hair.

Product Review (Suave Almond and Shea Butter Conditioner

2010-06-22T04:15:00.002-05:00

I've been procrastinating on reviewing this product for months. For no reason in particular. I just have. I only mention it because when I planned to review it the product was fairly new on the scene. By now everyone has probably already tried it and really has no need to hear my review. That said, I'm sure some of you haven't so I'll give my review anyway.

First let me say that the price was great. I got a 32oz. bottle from Walmart for $2.84 although I was there a week or so ago and I think they raised the price a bit. Not by much. It's still in the $3 range.

Anyway, the smell is very pleasant. It's a light vanilla-ish scent and is not overpowering at all. The consistency is pretty creamy and thick. I have used this conditioner to condition about 4 times as well as to DC after having added EVCO (extra virgin coconut oil) and honey to it.
I have to say that it was not bad. Especially for the price. It didn't leave my hair feeling the best it's ever felt (I mean it's no "Totally Twisted") but I think it did well and I can also tell that this is one of those that would probably work great on someone else's hair.
It has good slip so it's good for detangling. My only problem with it is that I need a conditioner to feel like it really penetrated my hair and I didn't get enough of that feeling with this one. However, and this brings me back to what I said earlier, I can tell that this is one of those conditioners that some people will die for. I probably won't buy it again but I think it's worth trying out if you are the market for a new conditioner. Let me know if any of you have tried a it and what you thought about it.

EZ Combs

2010-06-08T03:20:00.001-05:00

I'm sure everyone has seen these hair accessories around enough to be a little familiar with them. I had seen them many times and even stopped to look at them in the stores but I guess I figured my hair was too thick to really be able to use them. Well Sally's had them on sale a few weeks ago for around four or five dollars. SOLD...to the woman with the giant 'fro. Lol.
So I got the EZ Combs home and sat with me them for a weel or so amd finally one day after I had done a braid out I decided to give them a try. Here is the result. I personally thought it turned out fabulous!

The next day I pulled this bang back into the ez comb in a hump. It looked even better but I didnt get a pic of that.

Ugh!! Shame on me.

2010-05-16T17:09:00.005-05:00

I've always been of the mindset that hair is just hair and it will grow back so I never agonized much over cutting my hair. If I wanted a cut little bob or whatever new style struck my fancy at the time I just cut it. Since being natural that has changed. Yes, hair is still hair, and yes it will grow back, but I guess I just value it more. I grew this hair from 1 inch long to now around APL with great love and care so I won't be just haphazardly chopping it off. The BIG chop was enough for me to last quite awhile.

Having said all that, the other day I really considered it. Even it was for a split second. I also considered becoming a natural head who only wears her hair straight. I thought on that a little longer.

Why did I consider these things? Tangles! That's why. Ughhhh! I can't really be mad at my hair it was just doing what it normally does. I was just being a lazy bum. I started out with a a fro and over a couple of days ended up putting it in a puff. The problem is I've been working some extra shifts at work so I've been low on time and I was just pretty much halfway doing it and leaving. I wasn't fluffing it out or moisturizing it. On top of that I was sleeping like a comatose patient all over my poor hair. So again my hair was doing exactly what it should've done in that instance. It tangled and curled on itself something horrible. By the time I sat down to detangle it I just wanted to cut it.

Wanna take a guess at how long it took me to detangle it? Well I couldn't really tell you. I detangled some fell asleep and started again but I guess it was somewhere 4-5 hours. I KNOW right! Unbelievable. I will never let my hair get like that again. I hope. So I'm sure you know that I'll be in protective styles for a minute now. I put some small (not quite mini) twists in my hair last night.

Ladies, hear me and hear me well. Don't do this to yourselves. Take the extra few minutes to properly care for your hair.

Twistouts!! Kids Edition!

2010-05-02T22:59:00.007-05:00

I wanted to share some VERY special people with you all. I had the idea to begin showing different hairstyles that I do on my girls from time to time. I actually have a fotki album dedicated to them but it hasn't been update in quite some time. Today the styles featured are twistouts although I assure you that they wear braids, puffs, and pigtails on a regular basis.

This is my firstborn! I've featured her in a post awhile back about kinky twists.

This is my middle little girly!

This is my wittle baby!

>

The Puff!! (Style Photo)

2010-03-30T03:58:00.006-05:00

That's all :D

Embracing the FRIZZ!!

2010-03-28T05:29:00.004-05:00

Do you ever see photos of women with natural hair and it's very...organic....frizzy...almost messy but OH so gorgeous? Whenever I see those photos I am inspired to experiment with my own hair. Now fast forward to me actually doing my own hair and it's a totally different story. I for some reason feel that my hair has to be really defined with no fly aways or frizzed edges. Forget about a chunky fro. It either needs to be purposely textured or fluffed out. No middle geound. Now why is that? On someone else it's beautiful. On me I feel like it looks like I either didn't finish styling it or the style got ruined. When that happens I usually just wash it out or comb all the texture out and end up with a fro or a puff.
Well that was the past. I've decided to EMBRACE THE FRIZZ people!! I want to look organic and afrocentric too. I think one of the most beautiful things about having natural hair is embracing new forms of beauty even within the natural hair community. That's just something that's been on my mind and I wanted to share that with you guys. I'll leave you all with some beautifully "frizzy" and or "organicly messy" coifs.

Style Photo: Bantu Braid Out

2010-03-19T04:41:00.007-05:00

How I acheived this look:

*Washed with "Creme of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo" this time. This is the first time I've tried this one. I actually purchased it by accident but it wasn't bad. Not quite as good as the "CON Detangling Conditioning Shampoo" (which is my usual)but to be fair I should probably reserve judgement until I've tried it more than once.

*DC'ed with "Organic Root Stimulator Replenishing Conditioner" for 30 minutes under my homeade heating cap.

*I applied "Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioner" which I absolutely LOVE. If you haven't tried this you should definitely do so. It's very cost friendly and makes my hair sooo soft. I applied this in sections and twisted as I went along. I've found that this leave in works really well if you allow it to sit for a few minutes.

*Next (and this is really 2 steps) I applied a tiny bit of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil to the section followed by my shea butter mix.

*Finally, the styling was simply braiding my hair in approximately 15 sections and bantu knotting them. I allowed this to dry overnight and when I took them down I was VERY gentle with unbraiding. I ever so slightly and gently pulled the braids apart and used a pick to lift my roots to cover up the parts. I really like how it turned out. It felt very dramatic and VA-VA-Voomish. Lol.

Oh I guess I'll post this pic of what it looked like after I unknotted and braided it but before I pulled it apart. Fair warning though: I look a bit rough. Dry lips and all. Lol Normally I put photos in successive order but I couldn't let that be the first photo ya'll see when you stop through. I might scare people away. Hahaha. Ok. Enough of all that. Enjoy, and if anybody tries this look I'd love to see pics and post them for others to see.

Recent hair discoveries

2010-03-16T15:28:00.003-05:00

Since going natural I've become the ultimate diy-er. I do a lot of research on good hair practices and I get tons of tips and good info from forums, hair blogs and video sharing sites. With all that said, some things are learned purely through trial and error.
One of the most common hairstyles you'll find in natural hair are twists and twistouts. I personally LOVE twists. I am obsessed with them so you must understand that when I wasn't able to achieve a good set on my own hair I was rrally bothered. But as you will see I had many strikes against me.

* First of all my hair doesn't stay twisted in the back. About 10 minutes after I twist them they start to unravel. Whoever said that natural hair doesn't unravel didn't know my hair. I didn't want to use rubberbands and I tried for a long time to figure something else out but I eventually had to. That resolved that issue and you can barely even tell. Nothing too hard.

* Next, my hair would look beautiful in twists but once I'd untwist them for a twist out it would look like locs. Very coiled. It is actually beautiful, just not the look I was going for. Well at some point I realized what the problem was. I do kinky twists sometimes and when doing these there is a little bit of a difference in technique. You must twist the hair as you are twisting it. If that doesn't make sense I'm sorry. I'd have to dedicate a whole post and a video to that. Anyway, I somehow had started using that technique even when doing regular twists. So in other words. I was twisting too hard. Lol. I should really be embarrassed about that one but I'm just happy to finally get a REAL twistout. Well then another problem arose.

* My twistouts would frizz out after like 2 hours. Seriously! I went through the agony of leaving these twists in (beautiful as they are) for like 3-4 days just for them to frizz up in hours. All definition GONE. BTW: I say agony because for some odd reason if I have twists or braids in my hair I NEED to take them down so I can see the definition. I don't know if that makes sense but there must be atleast one person out there who understands where I'm coming from. But back to the matter at hand...and this is a HUGE discovery. For me anyway. I really struggled with this one. I didn't know what was wrong. I realized that the glycerin mix that I use on my hair was causing my hair to frizz out. One day when I had run out of mix and was being lazy I left that out of my routine. Magically, my hair didn't frizz out. I had a real twistout that lasted for several days!!! It makes total sense though since glycerin is a humectant, meaning it attracts moisture to your hair. I dont know that all humectants would cause frizz but glycerin does for me. So while I love love love my glycerin mix and will always use it for other things I won't be using it when I want a braid out or twist out.

I hope this helps someone as much as it helped me. I no longer have any issues with twistouts and braid outs and it only took me like 2 years to figure it out. Lol. But seriously, as I stated earlier I've learned so much from others who have documented their hair journeys and have made their own discoveries through trial and error. I hope that I am doing that for someone else.

Micro twists, twistout, and style.

2010-03-15T15:17:00.012-05:00

I put micro or mini twists in my hair about a week and a half ago. For some off reason I didn't take a very good picture of it so the picture I'm showing now was a set I did about a month or so ago. They pretty much looked just like this.

After a week I took the twists down and had a fabulous twistout.

A few days later I was headed to church and decided to attempt to style it somehow. After a few bobby pins and some gel this is the result.

(For some odd reason I couldn't get my page to format properly so the pictures are all grouped together but I'm sure you'll understand the pictures just the same.)

My hiatus is OVER!!!

2010-03-09T03:26:00.013-06:00

Yes, I am finally back. I was gone for a good little minute but never did I once forget about my humble little blog or my followers (be they few). Thank you to all of you. Even those silent readers. I truly hope that I provide some form of assistance or inspiration to take charge of your hair care and embrace your hair and make it as healthy as possible.
Needless to say, I have tons of updates and many hair pics to share with you guys. It's true that I wasn't blogging but I made sure to take photos so that when I returned I would be able to share them with you guys. I won't even try to do all that on one post but I will definitely be sharing those sporadically. This is going to be a short post but I will be back soon and regularly.
I recently straightened my hair and it turned out great. Here are a few pics. I'll post my straight hair regimen soon.
This is my hair washed, DCed and towel dried

Blowdried (I don't know what that goofy look on my face is. lol)

Blowdried side angle (whew that's a bush)

Blowdried back angle

And finally....

Well, I'll leave you with that. I hope everyone is blessed and doing well. I'm so glad to be back. YAY!! Ok, I'm gonna go calm down now. Lol

Declaring an official hiatus :(

2009-07-23T04:00:00.004-05:00

I have decided to take an official break from my much loved but severely neglected blog. My life is so hectic right now that I just have not been able to devote the time and energy that I want into "Coiffure". So rather than promise to do better I've decided to officially halt things. What's sad is that I have tons to share. Just no time. I am getting some things in order in my personal life and I PROMISE to be back soon in full force with tons of info and things to share. I hope you guys join me when I come back. Oh by the way before I go I just want to let yo guys know that I did reach my 1 year anniversary and I straightened with my new FHI falt iron and my hair has grown by leaps and bounds. Of course, no pics, but just wait. I will be back!

Almost One Year Natural!!!

2009-05-31T01:11:00.003-05:00

So guess what's coming up!?!?!? On July 7th, 2009 I will have been completely relaxer free for ONE YEAR. How exciting. For my anniversary I've been thinking that I am going to straighten my hair. That will make the second time I've straightened since being natural. I wonder if I need a trim. Hmmm...I don't know. None of my ends are split that I know of so I guess not. I think I'll be able to better tell once my hair is straightened.
So anyway, I just wanted my plans for that day. Maybe you guys can let me know if you have any ideas of ways to celebrate my big day. Oh that reminds me that I am hoping to purchase me a new flat iron before then to straighten my hair with. I've had my eye on the "FHI Runway", but...umm...yeah..won't be paying $400 retail for something that heats up unless it's a clothes dryer sooo.... I've decided to go just a step down and get the FHI Platform which retails for $195.00 but I plan to use Ebay where they can be found for around $115.00. I've heard as well as read awesome things about it and I can't wait to try it out on my hair. I was thinking of having someone straighten it for me, but I've been on this whole diy kick and I do want to perfect that skill myself so, I'll be doing it myself. Well me and my Sabino (heat protectant)so as not to damage my precious kinks and curls. For more info about FHI you can visit their site at www.fhiheat.com

Random Quick Style

2009-05-28T02:50:00.004-05:00

Ok so I couldn't take it any longer. I took my twists out and I have to say that I really see growth. The odd thing is that when I stretch my hair out I can't tell as much but what really makes me notice my growth is seeing how much larger my 'fro is. I will post comparison pics later. So on this day after I got out the shower I seemed to have been lacking curl definition (sigh) and although I love how big my 'fro has gotten I wasn't in the mood to wear it out and I was short on time. This is the style I came up with. I really liked it. So did my husband. Whaddya think?

Style Photo (from February)

2009-05-26T06:54:00.004-05:00

Ok so this is a going to be a short post. I simply wanted to show you a style that I had a while back. I loved this style so much. I didn't braid this myself because I'm not that good at french braiding/cornrowing but that is a goal of mine for this summer. I do know how to braid, but I want them to look crisp and neat. I am going to be working on it. I'm gonna start with my daughters hair. With three daughters you'd think I'd be the best braider in town but I'm a little on the "just aight" side when it comes to braiding. So you know what that means. If I'm just "aight" on someone else's hair chances are doing my own hair will suck. And it does. Hopefully I will post a beautiful picture of freshlly cornrowed hair on MY head in about 3--4 months. Hmm, we'll see. Anyway, I look kinda mean on this picture but I'm not. I promise. Just look at at the style.

Updates, Staples, Stayed tuned....

2009-05-16T01:34:00.006-05:00

Hello out there to anyone who may still happen to be following my few and far in between posts. How are you? Lol. I just wanted to give you guys a quick update on my hair as of late. I always say I am still enjoying my hair but I haven't really given any details lately. My excuse for absence is simply this; my main computer where I store all my photos is down and I also have been incredibly busy and I hate to just not let you guys see photos of what I'm doing to my hair. I do have a couple of back photos that I promise to upload soon but in the meantime I'll just give some updates.
I have somehow become obsessed with length and I have been unhappy with the growth I've acquired thus far so I decided to put my hair up so for the last 8 weeks I have been in kinky twists. I am on my second set in a row thus far. I (unfortunately) didn't take a picture of the first set but I will get a picture of the set I have now. I am getting much better at them by the way. My hair is growing and I am excited to get this next 3-4 weeks out of the way because then I am going to be having a GRAND time playing in my hair.
I am learning what products work for my hair and that in itself is so freeing because it frees me from trying every product that is raved about on the scene. And there are ALOT. There will always be a new, exciting, and amazing product or line of products. Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't try them or anything but I just find a comfort in knowing that I have some staples in my hair life. Huh? What are my staples? Oh. Sure I'll tell you what staples I've acquired thus far.

Staples:
-Shea butter- Hands down one of THE BEST moisturizers ever. Atleast for my hair.
-Kemi Oyl- Omg! ya'll already know. I dedicated an entire post to this product awhile back.
-My Homeade Spritzer- Now this is my own recipe. It's a very simple, no measure (for the most part)Mixture made of 1 part glycerin (or veggie glycerin. I've tried both they work the same to me) to 2 parts water. I then add a bit of jojoba oil (you don't have to use jojoba) and finally about 5 drops of peppermint oil for prservation and scalp stimulation. I just can't tell you how much my hair loves this. I use this as my braid spray while my twists are in.
I also have some other staple shampoo and conitioners but I am always on the lookout for a great conditioner so I guess the PJ in me lives to fight another day. :P

It's deeper than just hair!

2009-05-02T02:33:00.007-05:00

Making the decision to go natural for me was not a great call or something that weighed heavy on my heart. Quite simply, my cousin/best friend made the decison to go natural and made the comment that it would be great if I were to go along with her. I thought about it for a little bit and decided that it wasn't a bad idea. I'd always had fast growing hair so if I hated it I would just grow it back out and relax it. No big deal. So I told her yes. That is how my journey began.
Well in this process it has become a sort of passion for me. Wearing my natural hair has changed my life in more ways than I ever imagined. For starters it has turned me into a true do-it-yourselfer. I have learned sooooo much about how to care for my hair in the past year, from my transition to now; 10 months natural. I love being able to think of a style and attempting it on my own hair. I love that I know when my hair's moisture/protein balance is off. I love that I know how to take care of my own hair and I actually prefer it.
One year ago I was clueless about my hair. Yes my hair grew fast, but I would always have breakage in my crown area. If I wasn't going to the salon my hair was a mess and I hated wash days. That's like my favorite day now. Or should I say days, considering that in the summer I cowash atleast 3 times a week.
Over time being natural has allowed me to embrace a me that I didn't realize I was denying. Not just me "Shara". but me black woman. I quickly began to be offended when hearing the term, "good hair" or "bad hair". I can't stand to hear, "they need to put a perm on that girls nappy hair". It is so offensive to me for a person to be considered less attractive if their hair isn't straight. Now granted there are some unpleasant looking natural heads of hair that need to get it together or mom's that need to learn how to care for their daughter's natural hair, but that is the same for relaxed, texlaxed, and the like. It is so sad to see a beautiful little black girl walking around with pretty, straight hair in some nice bun but the outer edges have been eaten away due to over processing of harsh chemicals or weakened due to the same. And before I go any further I want to say that I do not think relaxers are the worst thing in the world. My issue is when people think that straight hair alone equals beauty.
The main reason for my post is yet to be discussed. I am making this blog post in honor of My Lord. I have through the journey of becoming natural have found a truer understanding and appreciation for God's handiwork; ME! I AM HIS CREATION. He made me with kinky curly hair. He made me with different textures in this head of hair. My big nose that I have always hated and wished away; Yep he hand crafted that and placed it right above my full lips. He thought he did a great job yet here I am having the nerve to call what the Masters hands created, too big. WOW. That's audacious! I'm learning more and more that my being placed here is simply for HIS glory. I was created for his glory. He made me exactly how he wanted me to be and I am learning to see the beauty in what I once saw as less than. I am so full right now that I could type for another 3 hours on this subject, but I digress.
BTW, I know I haven't posted in forver but life has been hectic for me lately and I can't even promise to update more often. Not now anyway. My desire is to do so but life is happening BIG time right now. I will say that I am still loving my hair and have many things to share and one day I hope to update you all with all that I have learned and different styles and product raves/reviews.

P.S I really wrote this post to the Lord but maybe it will bless you too.

Product RAVE!!! "Amala Cream Rinse"

2009-02-27T22:43:00.006-06:00

"Amala Cream Rinse" By Hairveda.... Well for starters I made my first purchase from hairveda.com over two months ago and I actually never ordered "Amala Cream Rinse" but some other products. Somehow I recieved this product in error. Well I contacted customer service who told me to just go ahead and keep it. Ladies, let me tell you, I would have never ordered this product because I just didn't need it. Conditioners and moisturizers excite me, but I never stray too away far from my "CON" shampoo. Anyway, like I said, I never ordered it and wasn't even really excited about getting a free product because it simply didn't interest me. Well about 2-3 weeks after having it I finally used it to cowash my hair. Ladies....let me tell you I LOVE it! It is very mild but I can tell that it truly removes residue from my hair without any stripping AT ALL. Imagine that. I can't really explain it but I'll say it has no special smell, it doesn't make my hair super soft, nor does it have any great slip to it, yet I just can't get enough of it. I feel like it does exactly what it's supposed to do without any extra fuss. Of course I use (and you should too) a conditioner afterwards. This is not a conditioner so don't purchase it with hopes of it transforming your kinks to soft waves. This is not what it does. All I can say is that I HIGHLY recommend it for cleaning your hair and scalp.

Scab hair

2009-01-29T01:33:00.006-06:00

Ok, so if you pay attention to the newest hair growth in the front of my hair (see picture in previous post), you know, the "dreaded" stubborn hair that won't do what I tell it, well anyway, I think the new growth is more curly and similar in texture to the rest of my hair. I guess it was scab hair. In case you don't know what that is here's a definition I've borrowed from Motowngirl.com
"scab hair- The hair directly underneath the scalp that has been affected by the harsh chemicals. Even though the hair is newgrowth it isn't "trained" to behave in it's natural state. The hair is still sort of straight, very dry and brittle. It usually takes somewhere around 6 months to completely grow out. Not eveyone experiences scab hair. The longer a person was relaxed the more likely they are to be affected."
I sometimes wish I had transitioned for about 5-6 months and then cut my hair down to about 1" and bypassed the scab hair. I say that because that scab hair was no joke to deal with during my teeny weeny afro stage. With that said, I still have enjoyed each stage of growth and I can't wait to take these kinky twists out and play with my hair again.

I'm back....

2009-01-29T00:36:00.006-06:00

..After what seems like forever. I have so many things to share with you guys but I'll try to split it up over a couple of different posts. So, the first thing to tell you is that I recently passed my 6 month BC anniversary!!! I thought about posting that day but...well that's another story. When the BC anniversary came around I was trying to decide whether to really call that my natural anniversary or the date of my last relaxer. After thinking about it I've decided to call my actual natural anniversary the day of my last relaxer; March 22. Still 6 months since my BC is a great accomplishment and my hair has really grown. I'm LOVIN' it.
Next on the agenda I guess I'd better give you an updated picture. The pictures below are of a washngo. I used some new products that I'm really excited about but I'll tell you about those later.

Ok so the last update I'm going to pack into this one post is something that I am so super duper excited about! I finally did kinky twists on my own hair. I think they turned out beautifully. Especially considering that this is my 4th time doing them and the 1st time on my own hair. I used color 1B/350 and "Janet Collection" hair. I hope to give several more posts real soon.

This was a good hair day

2008-12-03T04:44:00.006-06:00

So this picture was actually taken about a month ago at my DD's birthday party. After looking at the pictures I was like,"man my hair looked good that day". Lol. Whatever I did that day must have worked.

How did I ever leave you?

2008-11-25T12:36:00.010-06:00

Okay, so you know how we find something that we like, we use it for awhile, then we move on to something better? Well sometimes, we revisit that first thing and wonder, "How did I ever leave you?". That's what happened to me when I needed some oil for my DDs hair and I just didn't feel like going into the kitchen and running hot water over my coconut oil bottle for 2 minutes for it to liquify. So instead, I grabbed the small bottle of "Kemi Oyl" I had long since abandoned in the bottom of the barrette box. I added some of the "Oyl" to my babies freshly washed scalp and hair, just like I would the coconut oil, and WHEW, did it BLIIIING!! It was so shiny, not to mention her scalp just soaked it up. A little goes a long way too. I was on the last little bit of that small bottle, but don't think I didn't run right out and get the largest bottle I could find at the next opportunity I got.
Come to think of it I have picked up a couple of higher (for me) ticket products in the past couple weeks. Seems that PJ in me is coming back full force. I also just purchased a full size, 3oz. :( bottle of Sabino Moisture Block. SMB costs 21 bucks online and 6.95 shipping. I really wanted to get a bottle but I was not trying to pay 7 bucks for shipping.(Me and shipping rates do not get along) But luckily the nice lady from Sabino Hair: Diane, told me about a salon in my area that sells the product. I, of course, ran right over and picked up a bottle for only 20 bucks. Shoot I saved $7.95!
Anyway, for those interested in or ignorant of this product and what it does you can visit their site at www.sabinohair.com. I'm sure once I decide to straighten my own hair again, I'll be able to tell you more.

Oh, and just one more product I have my eye on... "HairVeda Whipped Cream" (description from www.hairveda.com)
Not too heavy, not too light! Whipped Cream has Just the right amount of moisture and oils to give you moisturized ends. Whipped (Baggy) Cream was originally formulated to work with the baggie method. However our customers reported that they use it for rollersetting, wash-and-go styles, sleek ponytails, and as a leave in conditioner. Just a dime size amount will do! It softens your new growth, adds unbelievable shine and gives new life to your hair! Your ends will love HairVeda's signature Whipped Cream.

Before, I leave I just want to say that my initial goal for this blog was and still is to provide atleast weekly updates, however I have had some changes occur in my schedule lately that have caused me to be off in my timing. I am learning to balance my time a bit better so I hope to update a little, or really a lot more often. I hope to add more updated pics as well. I am having a blast with my hair though. I just love all the new styles I'm trying. So hopefully I'll add a new post by weeks end. We'll see. Pray for me. I need balance in every area.

Touch up!

2008-11-12T16:53:00.006-06:00

So, I decided that since I am the one doing my daughters kinky twists, that I could retouch it instead of waiting for them to get old....then take them down....then redo the whole thing. I actually retouched them after 2 weeks of initially doing it. Her hair grows really fast. I only retouched the front outer layer because of time constraints. I also made the ones I retouched smaller which also took more time, but I plan on doing the next row and the back outer layers as soon as I get some time. I'll probably wash them at the same time. I'm hoping to be pretty good after a couple more attempts at doing them. Now I need to figure out how to do the ends. I don't mind the ends not being curled on my DD, but I have had a couple of people ask me to do theirs. I would like to know how to do that first.
I love that pic of her. She was being silly.

I can finally do "stuff" to my hair

2008-11-02T22:48:00.004-06:00

So my hair has finally grown to a length that I can actually do something other than just wash and go's. I guess I shouldn't say "finally", because it really has grown fast, but still, I was getting a little bored with my hair. Anyway, I decided to try a twistout on my hair. I'm so excited that that's even a possibility for me now.
So, I proceeded to do twists on my hair, which took all of 6 HOURS! I thought it would never end. But I sure did feel accomplished whwn it was all over. Here is the result. I really liked the result, but I need to get faster.

My second attempt at kinky twists

2008-10-14T23:10:00.007-05:00

I know that I've been terrible this past month on updating this blog. Please forgive me. I actually did get micros 3 weeks ago and never even took one picture :( but take my word for it, they were reaaaal cute. I was quite happy with how they turned out. I know these words are worthless without pics, but I'm getting my life together again and I'll be trying to update as much as possible. My hair is still in braids, but I miss my hair so I'll be taking these out in a couple of days. In the meantime I attempted my second set of kinky twists on my DDs hair. I am really pleased with how they turned out. Btw, these took about 7 1/2 hours. Beacause her hair is incredibly thick and prone to tangle, about 1 hour was spent on detangling. Anyway, tell me what you think.

I'm so over the whole "TWA" thing!

2008-09-12T13:55:00.003-05:00

Ok so I did it. I experienced it. I tried to figure out which products would work best for it. Now I'm over it. I enjoyed my short stint with the "TWA", but now it's over. I'm at a weird length that's in between TWA and BA (big afro. Some would add an extra "A" to BA, but anyway....I'm ready to just put this stuff up in some braids and revisit it in an inch or two. I'm planning on getting microbraids in a week or so but in the meantime I decided to blow it out and then straighten it. It was great the first day. It was a funky little rocker-do. Unfortunately, I didn't go anywhere so noone saw it, but I did take a picture. So here you go. Oh yeah, I plan on updating a little more often. I'm terrible with that I know. I'm going to do better. Btw, It doesn't look as good but it's still straight 3 days later. I attribute that to SMB (sabino Moisture Block) www.sabinohair.com. Check it out.

Check out my 'fro

2008-09-12T13:29:00.006-05:00

I have been trying to be a bit more adventurous with my hair. All that means is that I've been trying to be ok with wearing an afro. While I think they look good on others', I'm not as comfortable with it on me. I've tried it several times and really didn't feel good about it, but forced myself to rock it. Well for some reason on one particular day I actually loved it. Me and my 'fro looked good that day! :-). I've had days since, where again, I DID NOT like it, but...I had my one good 'fro day. I have to say that I don't think it looks as good in the pics but here goes anyway.

Totally twisted over "Totally Twisted"

2008-08-22T17:47:00.014-05:00

So for the past few weeks I had been trying to do some different things with my hair. Ok, so there isn't a whole lot I can do to my hair right now, I know but I was trying to get away from my regular curly wash n' go. I was basically just wearing it in an afro. I gotta say I'm not too fond of that look on my hair right now. Atleast not at this length, but hey, I tried it. I also attempted to twist my hair. By "twist", i just mean, taking a smal piece of my hair and twisting it until is stays. It was actually looking ok until I got to the DREADED front of my hair. It just flat out said, "NO, I'm not twisting". I don't know why I was acting all brand new like I didn't know what was up. LOL. I just figured it was a brand new day. (shout out to Keisha. LOL) Anyway, I guess by me wearing it combed for so long, my hair got used to it because after I washed my hair yesterday (using CON (creme of nature) and I even deep conditioned) it just wasn't behaving (of course you know I'm talking about my "bad patch" lol) at all. It barely wanted to curl at all. It was frizzy and straight so I just put a cut little flower in the front and went on about my day. So today I cowashed using my VO5 Strawberries and Cream followed by Herbal Essences Totally Twisted. I let the TT sit on my hair while I showered and by the time I washed it out, my hair was sooo soft. It was so puurty. I just love Totally Twisted!! It's not 100% but with a couple more washes it'll be back. Oh yeah, I bought this cute little headband at Walmart for $1.00 (see Nicole, I'm thrifty too.: )) from the Clearance aisle. I like how it turned out.

Tips and Tricks for the TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro) 1st edition

2008-08-03T10:07:00.012-05:00

I shared in a previous post that it's my intention to share all of my hair woes and successes with you all in the hopes that if any should have my struggles, you'll have some solutions. It's true that everyone's hair is different, but maybe, just maybe I can save you some trouble.
One of the unique (annoying) things about my newly natural hair, is that there are different textures in it. Now that probably wouldn't be so bad if the textures were, say, some small kinky curls and some larger softer curls. That is not the case with my hair. My hair has smaller soft silky curls in tha back and on the sides, while the front and top of my hair is almost bone straight and actually quite dry. Sure, when it's wet it slightly curls up into large loose curls but I can not manipulate them at all if I want to maintain the curl. The result of doing that leaves me with straight, frizzy, dry looking hair in front and on the sides and with beautiful moist looking small coilies everywhere else.
So in short my issues are lack of curl definition and frizziness. To that, this is my solution: After shampooing or cowashing (washing with conditioner) I do not, repeat DO NOT, towel dry it. I put in my hand a quarter size amount of cheapie conditioner, like VO5 ( I love Moisture Milks Strawberries and Cream... ummm) or Suave, or even Herbal Essences conditioners which I really like (esp. Totally Twisted in purple bottle) but you have to be careful to apply a conditioner that's not too thick because you'll have to manipulate the hair too much to get in into your hair thus making this all in vain. With the conditioner in my hand I add an equal part of castor oil and rub it together and put in my hair. I am still careful not to manipulate the hair too much. I find that the conditioner moisturizes well and the castor oil gives great shine. It can be a little annoying with the water dripping down but I just wipe the water off and soon it stops dripping. If I'm in a rush I'll spray my heat protector on my hair (that adds shine as well) and blowdry my hair on warm until it stops dripping.
Notice how the front is a completely different texture. This is what it looked like before. I don't have an after picture but it does help. (Click pic to see larger)

See how curly it is on the side versus the top. UGH!!

"All Natural" Growth Aid

2008-08-02T02:49:00.011-05:00

So I was on a hair forum that I frequent and everyone was talking about this "new" growth aid. Initially I didn't pay much attention because I try not to jump on every bandwagon, especially if it can potentially be harmful to my hair. There was one growth aid that's all the rage, where they use miconzal nitrate mixed with some type of oil and apply it to scalp. Oh, and in case you didn't

already know, miconzal nitrate is none other than the medical name for Monistat. Yes, you heard me right. Monistat. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not judging them or anything for using this. Shoot, they were getting results. I just didn't want to try it. I didn't want to risk it. But when I finally went in to read about this other growth aid called "MoeGro Growth Recipe", I saw that all the ingredients were all natural. I figured I could give it a try. So I purchased my ingredients and brewed me up a bath. I don't have any results yet but I will keep you all posted. It has been said that hair grows at an "average" rate of 0.5 inches per month. Just to let you know one member of the the forum reported 0.5 to .25 inches of growth in a week. She said she got more growth if she massaged her scalp nightly for atleast 5 minutes. So with that, I'll leave you guys the recipe. Tell me if you decide to try it.

MoeGro Growth Recipe
supplies:one glass jar, 6oz of jojoba oil or macadamia nut oil, 2oz aloe vera juice/gel, 2 tbsp of horsetail herbs, plastic squirt bottle (like the one for hair dye)

1. place oil and herbs in the jar
2. place jar in a pot of boiling water and allow the oil heat up
3. remove jar from water and place the top on it. Let this sit for three days so the herbs can infuse with the oil
4. strain oil in to squirt bottle
5. pour in 2oz of aloe
6.shake well and your ready to go

with this mix you will oil your SCALP (afterwards, I brush it through my hair) if you use Jojoba you may have to 6reapply every two days because your scalp will absorb the oil completely. With the mac. oil you will reapply it once a week depending on how fast your scalp absorbs the oil.continue to wash and condition you hair as usual just don"t pile on a bunch of other products. If you can don't put any thing else on you SCALP you dont want to clog you pores.

Some have substituted olive oil for the oil. I personally used coconut oil, but I now think it would be best to use jojoba oil. (It's a bit more expensive).

Updates

2008-07-28T02:03:00.003-05:00

Okay so I have many updates to share with you all. I want to be detailed as you all share in my journey so that, should any of you choose to embark upon this journey, and come across some of the same coifing issues as me, you'll have some suggestions and hopefully solutions. That being said, I need to do some serious prioritizing in my life and "Coiffure" is a little further down on the list. I have all this stuff in my head and not in my blog. Stayed tuned though. I have some uum uum goodies for ya'll!

I DID IT!!!

2008-07-27T14:58:00.004-05:00

Ok, so I got the itch (big time) and I scratched it. I DID THE BC!!! I am surprisingly, completely comfortable with it. I got it cut 2 days ago and I went to Starbucks last night with my cousin, which my first time out with my hair and I gotta tell ya, It felt completely natural (no pun intended). There was no self consciousness at all. My people have all been really supportive of me. My husband said he really liked it, but he said even more he liked how I just embraced the whole thing. That made me feel great of course. This is not something I would've ever thought I would do to my hair, but hey... you never know. I feel a little more grown up too. Lol. I like it even though I gotta say, I wish this hair up top would just act right. It won't curl. The back and sides are all curly while the top is just like, "NO, I'm not curling". What the deuce? (smile Chas) Hopefully it will begin to shape up soon.

written July 9, 2008

Can't wait until I'm "All Natural"

2008-07-27T14:21:00.005-05:00

So it's been a little while since I last blogged, but I'm back at the urging of my friend. I have had alot going on with my hair lately but writing it down is another story.
Where to start....Ok, so in reading my last post, I have to tell you that my ideals have changed a bit. I don't know that I'll be wearing my hair straight most of the time. I am in love with natural texture in people's hair, and get this.....I love afros on some people, so I guess you just never know.
I have been learning alot about hair health in the last couple of months and I have definitely been putting it into practice. Between my 3 girls and I, my poor overstuffed closet can't hold all the hair products I've been buying. I have become a serious PJ (product junkie). I have found some staples though. I'll blog about those later.
The problem I've been having is that it's so hard to deal with two textures of hair because the two textures need completely different products. My relaxed hair needs moisture, but not too much because I don't want to weigh it down, while my NG (new growth) needs all the moisture it can get. Ok, so how am I gonna cater to both. Still haven't figured that one out.
I had been contemplating cutting my relaxed ends off, so I cut a piece in the back to see the texture and I really liked it so I had my sis-n-law cut the rest of the back for me. Kinda like where it would be tapered at. I really like it. I've been able to play with it without messing up my style because before I cut it, I couldn't keep my hands off my NG and would ruin my styles. Now I just play with the back. I keep thinking about cutting the rest of the relaxed hair off. I'm pretty sure I'll do it soon. I'll keep you posted!!

written July 2, 2008

I'm Going Natural!!!

2008-07-27T13:47:00.007-05:00

Yep that's right, I'm going natural. I'm gonna grow my relaxer out. Now I don't mean "rough and stuff with my afro puffs" natural. I simply mean, "growing my relaxer out" natural. I'm sure I'll wear it straight most of the time... maybe curly sometimes..twists here, wild there, but the whole afro thing is not really my style. The hope is that my hair will be alot more healthy. It's not extremely unhealthy, but I have breakage problems in my crown area. I'm very excited about this and I have already been searching for products that will help me manage my mane. I wonder what it'll look like. I remember what it looked like as a kid but I've heard that after a relaxer, your natural hair texture won't be the same. I don't know if that's true but I'm just wondering. I haven't had a relaxer since March 23 of this year so I'm about 5 weeks in. This is the first time I actually want to see new growth. Most times people grow their hair out natural for a long time and then make the BIG CHOP, which simply means cutting off all the relaxed hair, sooo....I just shaved all my hair off..........

No seriously, I would never really do that, but I did cut off about 6 inches. I just decided to cut it up and get the ball rolling so that when I do decide to cut all the relaxer off, it won't be as dramatic. I was thinking of cutting it anyway. Aren't you guys excited for me !?!

Before & After

written May 2, 2008