I know…I know…It’s been forever since I’ve updated my blog! I got a little caught up with work and just life in general, and I completely fell off of with my blogging. Well, I’m back! I must say that I’ve definitely missed talking hair, style, food and whatever the hell else I find myself rambling about on here. That’s what I love most about blogging; it gives you a platform to share the things you love and your experiences with the world. With that said, let’s talk hair. 🙂
To straighten or not to straighten? I’d been contemplating this for a good while. I couldn’t recall the last time my hair was striaght…maybe late 2011 or early 2012. Boredom was starting to set in and I was itching to try something different with my hair. I know, I know – there is no such thing as being bored with natural hair, right? WRONG! I needed a break from my go-to style, my wash n’ go. I really wanted to see my hair in its stretched state and get a good idea of how much my hair had grown in the last couple of years, but the thought of straightening it literally terrified me! Blow dryers, flat irons, tons of heat, pulling and tugging on my gorgeous coils I had worked so hard to maintain and strengthen…OH HELL NAW! I’ve read countless stories of Naturalistas suffering from heat damage due to straightening and this was my biggest fear. Not to mention, no one else’s hands had touched my hair in years. I’ve always been pretty good with styling and caring for my own hair, so I never felt the need to spend tons of money on hair care.
Hey there, Naturalistas!
I get a lot of questions regarding my hair care regimen, so I wanted to share it with you all. My regimen below details how I care for my hair on a day-to-day and week to week basis. Check it out!
I set aside one day a week to pamper my hair. My schedule can get pretty hectic at times, but I ALWAYS make time to pamper my hair once a week. I do EVERYTHING to my hair in sections. Sectioning my hair into four ponytails makes it a lot easier for me to work with my kinky/curly texture. I begin my pampering session with a pre-poo or pre-shampoo. A pre-poo is a treatment that is applied to the hair prior to shampooing to add moisture, soften the hair and make the cleansing process easier. I normally pre-poo with a combination of conditioner and oils by mixing the two together, applying the mixture liberally to my sectioned hair, covering my hair with a plastic cap and letting it marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. Heck, sometimes I leave it in for a few hours or pre-poo overnight. By the time wash day rolls around my hair is dry, tangled and yearning for some TLC. Pre-pooing helps tremendously by adding moisture to my hair follicles, softening my hair and making it a lot more manageable prior to shampooing.
I was a little hesitant to try this product since I’m not an avid cowasher. I do not cowash my hair often, maybe once or twice a month at the most, when I’m short on time and my hair needs a quick refresher. I’m not really the biggest fan of cowashing; it just doesn’t give my hair that clean, fresh feeling I get when I wash my hair with a good moisturizing shampoo. The whole idea of washing the hair with conditioner is a little puzzling to me and I always felt that it contributed to product build-up and did not rid of it. What can I say? I love a nice sudsy shampoo that doesn’t strip the hair. That gives my hair the ultimate “clean” feeling.
Hey hey, Naturalistas!
So, let’s talk protective styling. If you aren’t familiar with protective styling, it’s any hairstyle that shields the hair from harmful elements such as extreme weather, heat, and stress on the hair strands caused by daily styling and manipulation. Sometimes it’s just necessary to give your hair a break! Protective styles allow you to give your hair a break and tuck your hair away for an extended amount of time. It reduces and/or eliminates the need to comb, brush, pull, tug, and apply heat to your hair, which in turn minimizes the amount of damage to your hair, and allows your hair to grow freely without any added stress.
Buns, twists, braids, and sew-in weaves (when done properly), are just a few examples of protective styles. Although some of these styles are made to last for months at a time (braids) while others may last just one day (buns), they all aid in protecting your hair from harmful elements we encounter on a regular basis and minimize or eliminate the need to manipulate the hair. Low to no manipulation, protection and proper upkeep results in hair growth and length retention.
For the past few years in the natural hair community all the rave has been about hair steamers. While most Naturalistas are used to the “cap and hooded dryer” method of deep conditioning, many are now using the steaming method of deep conditioning. Hair steamers emit steam to infuse and hydrate hair strands with water a.k.a moisture. The warm steam is supposed to lift the hair’s cuticle to allow moisture to penetrate the hair strands intensely and quickly. Applying a conditioner and/or essentials oils to the hair prior to steaming is said to enhance the steaming effects.
I received a Huetiful Hair Steamer for Christmas two years ago and have been using it faithfully every week (sometimes twice a week), so I feel compelled to share my experience, the good and the bad, with you all since I’ve been using it for two LONG years.
Earlier this year Shea Moisture introduced its new line of permanent hair color. I was ELATED (insert “happy dance” here)! As you can already tell by scrolling through my product reviews, I am an avid Shea Moisture supporter and fan. Their products are packed with awesome natural ingredients and carry a very reasonable price-tag. So, I had to give the Shea Moisture Hair Color System a try.
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve colored my hair in my lifetime, and it’s always the same color – jet black. My natural hair color is a dark, dusty brown. I’m not the biggest fan of its color, so several years back I decided to experiment with jet black hair color. I guess I’m not the most adventurous spirit when it comes to my hair color (LOL), but I fell in love with the jet black hair color. It compliments my skin tone perfectly.
Hey TNC Fam! 🙂
There are a lot of ladies out there who have taken the plunge and made the decision to go natural. I’m sure you have a lot questions regarding the transitioning process, what to expect and how to handle the hair fiascos that will have you on the verge of smacking a relaxer in your hair (don’t worry…the hair fiascos are sure to come). I’d like to share with you some helpful tips that I learned throughout my transition that made the process a lot easier and enjoyable.
The Naturalista Chronicles 