SoFrolushes Hair Chronicles

Dr Miracle's Tingling Intensive Deep Conditioner

2012-01-23T22:55:00.000Z

I have noticed that my hair care was lacking deep treatments. When I was younger and permed my entire school life I would get my hair steamed in between touch ups. Roll on to the natural hair me and I have surely slacked in this area. For the last few years I have only had a deep treatment once a year at the salon when my hair is being trimmed professionally. On a whim I bought a few treatments and so far have only tried one. I do not know why these treatment packs just do not come in a bottle or a jar. Would be so much cheaper than paying 99p or more per treatment.

The Dr Miracle's Tingling Intensive Deep Conditioning Treatment claims to help breakage and dry scalp. As you know I have suffered from breakage and I am slowly recovering. My breakage has slowed but still anything that says it will help breakage is a good thing so I hope.

I left the treatment on for 30 minutes. It tingled as promised but the sensation was not annoying to me. Once rinsed out my hair felt really soft and well conditioned. My hair is often dry so this feeling was a welcome relief. I will definitely try this product again at some point. However if there is a jar or bottle equivalent or similar I would prefer that.

It is clear to me I need to improve moisture levels in my hair. Still working on that moisture and seal. Surprisingly using products I have is working okay. Any good conditioning tips and moisture retention balance etc suggestions? I want to have at least 1 or 2 regular products to use for deep conditioning my hair.

Hair thoughts and support

2012-01-05T22:54:00.000Z

I am considering joining Long Hair Care Forum. When I first went natural I joined many hair sites and began to follow many blogs. Except now I only really visit one forum, though always check out the bloggers and vloggers. Months and months ago someone tweeted to me that LHCF would be a nice place for me to be as anything I do with my natural hair would not be condemned. There is a natural hair website that to me is quite militant so I only really browse there these days.

Now with LHCF there is a small fee. Which I do not mind paying as due to currency conversion is spare change. I was reading EbonyCprincess's blog which featured a lady who although relaxed has gone from neck length hair to mid back. When my hair was relaxed I only suffered breakage when I did stuff to it like bleach and dye. The areas of my hair now where I suffer breakage are new to me. I have no intention of relaxing my hair right now. Only because my scalp built up an indifference to relaxers. Nowadays my scalp just wants to be cleaned regularly as in once a weak where possible and the noo poo method is not a friend of my scalp.

One thing I noted I do not get treatments as often as I feel I should. I have bought a few and will definitely share what my thoughts are on them. Income is low so although I would be tempted to buy products I need to use what I have and make it work for me. Except I will invest in some Jamaican Black Castor oil. I would like to improve moisture, growth and hairline. I love the moisture and seal method. My hairline has always been fragile it does not need any traction to break. It goes through a break and growth cycle. I could be wrong but I have never had to tempt it to grow back.

The Science of Black hair sounds like it would be a good read but at nearly £20 is a bit steep for me. I have just discovered it is on Kindle for just over £7 and wonders whether this type of book is best suited to hardcopy. Are there any other useful books out there?

World's biggest Afro

2011-09-17T15:58:00.000+01:00

I was browsing Concrete Loop and saw this video. It is about Aevin Dugas who according to the Guinness World Records has the largest Afro in the world. It measures 4ft. Wow. 100% natural afro kinky hair. In some other videos I have watched she says the afro is not her everyday style and she usually opts for a more simpler style.

If anyone know what her youtube channel is if she has one please let me know

Here is another video where she is interviewed on BBC news.

I got hair huh!

2011-07-27T22:35:00.000+01:00

When I took my hair out of the weave I caused damage to my hair. It is not too bad and I know better next time. I accidentally cut my hair at the back whilst removing the thread and tracks. So that means a whole length of hair is gone. Now because the X-pression hair mirrored m own it was hard to tell. Thankfully it was at the back so no one will see.

I took this picture after combing out my hair after the weave was taken out. I shampooed my hair and conditioned it and used Miss Jessie's Sweetback Treatment. However I feel although I love that product I need a better product that is cheaper for deep conditioning treatments. This pictue lets me know I have a whole lot of hair. Just do not be fooled. It looks thick and lush. But it is simply dense and fine. my plaits have no oomph to them which is why I stopped doing twists and braids on my own hair unless it is bulked with extensions.

One of my friends who shaved off her hair and wore a TWA for over a year has been growing her hair out. She wears it in a fro with pride. I used to think my face would not suit such a style. However I took my hair out of big plaits and it was styled like a chunky curly fro. I looked in the mirror and thought wow it looks good and would be perfect for this summer with a maxi dress on. However the summer in the UK is not quite here.

If you know of any good hair treatments that can be done weekly or bi-weekly please let me know. If it is not sold in the UK I will find a way to get hold of it.

All weaved up!

2011-07-13T19:23:00.001+01:00

After going to the hairdresser I decided that I wanted to leave my hair alone kind of. I have tried sewn in weaves before and always hated the experience. My scalp would itch and at times feel as though it was on fire. This time around my experience is different.

I have a friend who does hair and she does not charge me an arm and a leg for her services. so as she was super affordable I thought why not. Now I did not want to have any hair left out so I got a full head weave. My natural hair at times can be very resistant to heat and reverts quickly whether that be summer humidity or winter rain and snow. I am always cautious of my edges and thankfully she does not apply any noticeable tension on my edges or anywhere on my head.

The base is a standard circular canerow/cornrow base. She used a small bit of X-pression hair to thicken my own hair out for the base. The only part of the whole process was the closure. I got jabbed in the head a few times by the needle point. Other than that it turned out lovely. Unfortunately I have not got the best of pictures as the hair turned into a mess way too quick.

I used two bags of Sleek Spanish Weave hair. Two of my friends did say this hair does not last long and indeed it did not. I feel like I could get a further 2 weeks out of this sew in but the hair has served its purpose. Right now I am wearing it in a bun until the weekend when I can take it out.

To care for my scalp I used The Organics Root Stimulator Anti Itch Oil. I found this useful and my itching was not that bad. Also to keep my scalp clean I bought their Dry Hair Shampoo but found because of the braid patter would not be practical and I simply washed my hair with the weave. I think my scalp was grateful for a bit of clean.

Now the spanish weave hair jumped back to life in the shower and detangling was easy. However once dried it matted back up and needed to be untangled again. I know people who are serious about weave will probably tell me it is what you paid for but surely at £32 per bag, it could have been better. Next time I will try a straight weave. I am just trying to grow my hair back and gain additional length. I will also not neglect getting trim when I am supposed to.

Hannah Pool Black Hair Documentary.

2011-06-27T20:29:00.000+01:00

I saw this small documentary on Black hair by Hannah Pool. The link was posted on the Black Hair magazines Facebook page. It covers the usual discussions on identity and culture but alas it concluded it was about personal choice. I do feel more black women are informed about their hair these days. You simply just cannot tell a Black woman how she should wear or style her hair or whether its okay to wear weave or au natural. If she does not feel the choice is hers she will not care what you think.

Hannah Pool Black Hair Documentary

Trimmed and treated

2011-06-16T00:10:00.000+01:00

I was not able to take pictures yesterday. However I finally went to the hairdresser and sorted out my split ends. The breakage was so sporadic that he had to trim what needed to and then blend where was necessary. So for now my hair is at different lengths or layered. My stylist took off 1 1/2 inches. I also had a deep treatment too which was much needed.

One thing though. My stylist does not believe that you can grow your hair by following any set routine. He feels that from his experience your hair will grow to its own desired length then stop and brake off. I think he meant natural shedding. I have however seen otherwise on others. I should sort out my hairs breakage and prove him wrong. But more so show myself with a little determination my hair can grow longer and healthier.

What home treatments do you recommend?

A few textured hair pics

2011-05-30T16:42:00.000+01:00

lightly blow dried

I wash my hair yesterday and thought I would take some textured hair shots. I used Tresseme Naturals moisturising shampoo and conditioner. I find this one feels less stripping to my hair and definitely moisturising. Anyway I took this as an opportunity to share some textured pics. My hair is not yet in the best condition but it is getting there. I am finding that my hair needs washing at least once a week to help it's moisture levels. I could be wrong who knows but that is what I think. I need tips on moisture breakage prevention. As soon as I am able I am going to a professional to take off about 2 inches just to ensure all split ends are gone. I just still cannot work out why right in the middle of my head I have the strangest breakage. Some of pics are taken without flash as the hair was not showing up as I could see in the mirror. So I may need to work on my camera technique for the next time.

with flash

I've Decided

2011-05-02T23:08:00.000+01:00

I've decided that I am not going to relax my hair just yet. At the back of my mind the thought will remain but for now I will no be doing so. I had a good talk with a friend who is natural and she suggested that I level my hair off to one length and use a protective style like singles braids. Now giving my hair a cut is no problem to me. So hopefully in a months time I will start wearing single braids or rather twist extensions. I know i will have to be careful with my hairline.

Its such a shame I have so many products I will not need. Some need to be thrown out so I will be doing that the moment I sort my hair out.

DM comment about Beyonce

2011-04-20T15:25:00.001+01:00

I saw this comment in the Daily Mail. It is a newspaper I read only to see who they and their readers are slagging off. Sometimes they do have interesting stuff to read about but that is as and when. Beyonce always features in the DM and the reader comments always centre around her skin tone and and the validity of her hair. We know she wears extensions as do many white women. Beyonce even has a video that shows how her hair is canerowed prior to a weave so I doubt she dislikes her hair. If I was a celebrity I would weave it up myself and let my hair be free when I am not working. Oh and the blond hair argument is so defunct. I have black friends whose hair is naturally blond. Not Beyonce blond but blond indeed. Anyway check out the comment. Someone made the comment and someone's has quoted them and responded. Interesting to see that white people are beginning to appreciate natural hair too but at the same time acknowledge a woman's choice.

What do you think? I for one note that they always say African American women. I for one am not American. But I understand what they mean.

Comment from Daily Mail article

Thinking about Relaxers again

2011-04-17T00:20:00.000+01:00

I consider myself to have been a natural hair sister since 2005. In 2002 shortly after I was married I experienced a very bad scalp reaction to my regular relaxer. For years I found my scalp was becoming indifferent to them. Sensitive scalp formulas offered no relief until I discovered a local salon that answered my dreams. However my scalp decided enough was enough.

Twist out

My scalp was covered in thick yellow chunks of dandruff. The salon was so nice and offered me free treatments to correct the problem, but after my 4th free weekly treatment I decided to try something new. So it was not the burns that you get. After all I was trained to recognise this as part of the process since I was 5yrs old (could have been 4). My journey to natural hair began at 22yrs old.

To transition I wore my hair in extensions, head wraps (which I miss wearing), twist outs, braid outs. I googled natural hair and initially stumbled upon Black Hair Media, Nappturality, Motown Girl, Roshini whose current site is now Glamazini and not forgetting Afrobella. I had various resources and attitudes at hand to help shape me. I never entered any challenges I just took style ideas product junky pride and did the best I could. In between home styling I would go to my hairdresser and get a treatment and a trim until all the relaxer was gone. So in 2005 I declared I could not see anymore straight ends and welcomed it. I embraced my hair for what it was and have pictures of me out in town drinking with my friends.

Twists

Throughout this I discovered half wigs. Wow they transformed my look in an instant and my friends could not tell it was a wig as opposed to a weave. The curly hair styles became my staple. Imagine an accidental discovery becoming the go to look. Yes I have experimented with lace fronts but not for everyday wear. I just can not do that right now. Not knowing my hair was in a protective style it thrived. I gave birth twice as a natural and had no problems.

I coloured my own hair unevenly all over and here is where I think it went wrong. The process dried out my hair to an extreme. Felt like straw afterwards. Took awhile to get it back in shape. 2010 I realised edges were thin and braking. 2011 I realised that from my hairlines to the middle crown of my hair it had broken off. So the remainder is longer at mid shoulder-ish when straightened, whilst the middle is not doing much.

To make matters worst my hair feels so try. Now I do not know if this is down to me not washing my hair more often. I wash and condition my hair every week to two weeks. I tried co-washing but that process irritated my scalp. I used to use Castor oil to retain moisture. Maybe I need to re-discover it.

Canerow and afro puff

I just feel like right now my hair is dry, breaking, and my style options are stagnated. When my hair was relaxed I can only remember one time I suffered breakage. So that is once or twice in 17years. Whereas now it happens regular. I know relaxers are have negative effects. I am even considering a texturiser. Or maybe I should see if I can discover the natural laxers that don't sound natural.

Maybe a real return to protective styles such as twist extensions and a sew in weave. Well weaves never last long with me. I often wonder if I consciously made a better effort to lose weight if that would help. I personally feel I look better with certain styles when I have less fat on my body. 6 years of being chemical free is a long time. It is the only time besides birth in my life when my hair is as is. As much as I do not want to quit on my hair I want to be free from it. Surely natural hair was supposed to be the easier natural option. But it clearly is not for me at present.

Middle breakage but why?

2011-03-21T22:33:00.000Z

I have noticed over the last 2 months that the middle of my hair is breaking. The texture of my hair feels weird there too. The roots are coarse and the ends are softer. I do not know if this means my hair texture is changing or my hair is suffering for some reason.

My current routine is very simple. I am wearing protective styles. I wash my hair every 1-2 weeks. I am trying to improve my diet and become more active. This bit is slowly happening. I just do not know how to eliminate what is wrong with my hair and how to stop it breaking. Should I wash it more often, put it away in a weave so it gets no manipulation at all. Visit my hairdresser to get his opinion on what I should do. I just do not know.

I guess I need to trawl the hair boards to see if someone can help me. Any suggestions would be great.

Soft Hood Dryer

2011-03-01T00:28:00.000Z

I bought this a few years ago for about £20. Now I could be wrong by a few or many pound coins. It is a Vidal Sassoon soft hooded dryer. The soft hood is made of some durable plastic that when you attach the dryer part to it, the hood inflates and distributes hot hair to your head. I like the fact that it is something that can be tucked away unlike the traditional hood dryer that is on a stand. I used it a few weeks ago to give my hair a deep hair treatment which it has not had in a long while.

You have to hold a square dryer attachment in your hand or you can use the the strap to keep it out the way I guess. The hood gets really hot on the 1st setting alone. I am not able to manage the heat on the second setting unless I have a towel placed on my shoulders. For convenience this is quite good. Though I will probably one day invest in a traditional hooded dryer. Just because I am very conscious of the fact the dryer attachment lays by my chest and I am not overly keen on that at all. However it does what it does. I have not used this to actually dry my hair, just for treatments.

The original Good Hair

2011-02-16T23:31:00.001Z

Books by Lonnice B Bonner

Many years ago i decided to grow out my relaxer. It was not for any spiritual or cultural reason. it was simply because my scalp suffered severe dandruff. I am talking the yellow thick dandruff you could see a mile away. So although the salon I went to gave me weekly treatments, i decided enough was enough and thought I would forget about the relaxers.

So in my quest to understand my hair I did what I love to do and made google my friend. I looked up natural hair care and came across forums and blogs. On these sites I was introduced to an author called Lonnice Brittenum Bonner. Many ladies swore by her books Good Hair and Plaited Glory. As i was in the UK, it took me a moment or two to find it. The ever resourceful Amazon came to the rescue. I purchased both of those books back in 2004. The gave me a wealth of information and pretty much helped me along the way to my natural hair care. I have slacked quite a lot with hair care so I figured no harm in revisiting what was useful to me.

Good Hair: for colored girls who've considered weaves when the chemicals became to ruff. Originally published in 1990

Topics covered: Attitudes to hair, hair anatomy, hair tools, washing, maintenance, breakage, transitioning, styling step by step. There is also a bibliography at the back so if you wish to do further reading you have a great way of finding more resources.

Plaited Glory: for colored girls who've considered braids, locks and twists. Originally published 1996

Topics covered: signifying hair, parental guidance, preparation, salons and how to choose stylist, braiders, hair extensions, styling, nappy edges, care and taking down styles and how to styles with diagrams and pictures. There is also a small bibliography.

I have not listed the contents word word rather gave descriptive listings where needed to make it easier to understand what each book contains. Both of these books contain the basic guidelines you need to follow to care for your hair whether you are transitioning or simply trying to maintain your hair. The styles in these books are still popular today amongst many naturals such as twist outs and bantu knots.

I highly recommend both of these books to new and old naturals. The author has two other books that i know of. One is called Kitchen Beautician and Nice Dreads. I am definitely considering buying Kitchen Beautician , but it looks like I will only be able to get a used copy which I do not mind at all.

Practice makes perfect

2011-02-02T23:50:00.000Z

I am quite pleased with this pic. No not the state of my edges but the canerow. Yes I was raised calling them both canerow and cornrow and used both. Anyway I have been practicing putting canerows in my hair for a while now. I am getting better. I can see that what I need to do is actually make smaller sections and maybe ease up on the tension. My hair is very fine so unsure how it will look. Just think if I can perfect this skill a bit more I could go on to try crochet braids or even a natural curly style weave.

From previous advice and YouTube I need to work on my moisture levels. I wish Shea Moist was available in the UK as that looks like it would do the do. I have been told to try Bee Mine sulphur hair serum to help rejuvenate and strengthen my edges. They break and grow back in without me doing much. Though I must give it some TLC.

Stylistic - Loc's

2011-01-28T20:11:00.001Z

I saw this while browsing pictures at Jamaican based dances. The photographer was just as amazed and in awe as I am when I saw it. I have no idea how this style is created. Maybe some silky loc's basket weave. I don't know but it looks very pretty. I can imagine many heads turning to stare and wonder at this beauty.

My Curls review

2011-01-15T17:34:00.002Z

I was given the opportunity to try a new UK based natural hair product range. The company is called My Curls. The website states that these products are for natural and afro hair and come without many of the additives found in mainstream products.The company came to be out of the need for more UK based natural hair care products. I tried the Cleansing Cream and the Curl Smoothie.

The cleansing cream is a very nice shampoo that comes filled with Aloe Vera, Panthenol and oils from sunflower, lemon and tea tree. I am not the best with scents but it smells pleasant and is not over bearing. When I washed my hair it was laden with Miss Jessie's products and this shampoo did the job. It took three shampoos to get a massive lather. I use this as a sign of how clean my hair has become. I could have settled with the second shampoo but I like to wash my hair three times when it is being washed. It was easy to wash out and my hair felt clean and not stripped. Overall this is a good product which does what he says it will.

The Curl Smoothie is a moisturiser which also contains many natural ingredients which are all listed on the My Curls website. After applying my usual conditioner I applied the curl smoothie to my hair whilst damp. I did not add anything else as I wanted to truly see how this product works on its own. I blow dried my hair and it came out soft and bouncy. Although I could feel some product not fully absorbed into my hair when I applied a small amount to my hair when dry. I think this is due to the glycerine. I am finding that many products that contain glycerine react this way with my hair. I did not need to add more to my hair the next day. Curl Smoothie is very light an did not weigh down my hair.

Very cute packaging My Curls Products

Overall I would say My Curls have the beginning of a very good product line. My Curls also do a conditioner called Coco Curly Conditioner. All three current products are now priced at £10.25 and can be purchased from their online shop.

I hope to see more UK brands pop up so us consumers can buy more instead of pay huge postage cost.

This post contains products sent to me for review!

Culture of weaves and wigs

2011-01-14T22:49:00.002Z

I spotted this video over at Black Girl With Long Hair. I found it interesting. I like the fact our hair is being spoken about so much these days and what I am hearing is positive. The debates in America are definitely ahead of the UK, but with so many UK based blogs and websites dedicated to natural hair popping up I hope to read more good stuff.

I used to switch between protective styles to wearing my hair out to wearing head wraps. Now I mainly wear protective styles which I will start to discuss. However I have a goal for my hair which once achieved I will wear my hair out more. What are your thoughts on the discussion?

Miss Jessie's Curly Buttercreme

2011-01-03T23:52:00.002Z

I would like to think that I am kind of frugal but having discovered the wonderful site British Curlies I slipped up a little. They sell many products all aimed at naturally curly ladies. I will do a review of them in a later post.

As I browsed their shop I came to find that they were taking part in the Miss Jessie's BOGOF deal. So this would mean I could try a few products of theirs and kind of get a bargain deal. I bought the Curly Buttercreme and received Curly Meringue free. I also bought the Super Sweetback hair treatment and received the Curly Pudding free. I chose these products based on what ladies with similar hair types to me had used and what I thought I could achieve.

The Curly Buttercreme has minty menthol like scent. It is not a classic hair product scent that I am used to. However this is a minor to me as I was not bothered by the scent. I decided to try a twist out. I have not done these in years as I do not feel twist suit me. Anyway I applied the product on damp hair which I spritzed with water after a fresh shampoo on the areas that dried quick. Then applied product and twisted away. As I am twisting I realise not all my hair feels like the same texture so all the twists came out different.

In the morning I unravelled the twists. The twists were well defined and smooth until I separated them into smaller sections. The ends appeared frizzy and where I had dyed my hair previously the ends looked not so good. Though I believe it is the ends of my hair that need a good trim.

Overall I do like this product. My hair felt nice and well moisturised. My hair naturally has more of sheen than a shine. So my expectations of the appearance may be a little off. I also need to work on my styling as if I had arranged my twists differently I would have had a nice wearable style. Practice makes perfect.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T22:17:00.000Z

Merry Christmas and many blessings for the coming New Year!!

Hair update

2010-12-19T19:50:00.002Z

Freshly shampooed conditioned and blow-dried somewhat

I thought I would share a picture of my hair. The angle this picture has been taken in can be deceiving, but it show how uneven the length of my hair is. I have always had problems with the sides of my hair with breakage. My current reliance on protective styling such as half wigs and extensions may be the cause or my past dye job as its only the ends with colour that break. Please note that my hair is not thick at all. It is very fine textured but dense. When I relaxed my hair, it had no body and that was because it is naturally fine.

When I dyed my hair ages ago it became really dry, though I managed to get the moisture levels back in order. At present my hair has a colour that is not pretty but once I have visited my hairdresser I will see what he thinks I should do. I am actually going to let him take about an inch off. I have not trimmed my hair in over a year. I have spotted split ends so I need to get them removed.

Although I have suffered from breakage I really want my hair to be in Senegalese twists. People are charging £60-80 for that and at present is a lot for me to pay. Especially when right now there are some material things I really wish to buy like a new car.

I guess for the new year my aim will be to correct the colour and research and perfect the moisture levels in my hair. I am also about to place my order for some Miss Jessies products from British Curlies, while the offer is still on. I will also try out a product from Darcy Botanicals.

If you have any product suggestions or routine tips or general advice please share. I am all for learning if told in the right way.

I love my hair

2010-10-17T13:29:00.000+01:00

Aww this is such a cute video. It is a video about loving your hair using a sesame street puppet.

ORS Olive Oil Edge Control

2010-08-19T22:29:00.002+01:00

I saw this when I was browsing the very limited Afro-textured hair section in my local boots. It cost me £2.99 and is a little cheaper than the hair shop. It says on the box

Contains no alcohol
Gives superior hold
No flaking
Great for relaxed and natural hair!

The directions say all you have to do is smooth on with your fingertips to get the desired hold. My hair is 100% natural. I would say its fine in texture and not all gels can tame it when it needs to be. This gel is amazing. It really does hold down my edges. However I would say you need more than your fingertips. As it can appear very shiny. I find using my pocket size bristle brush slicks the edges down perfectly with this product. It does remind me of QP Elasta glaze but is definitely more tacky which I believe is why it hold the edges down so well.

Ors Edge control on edges smooth down with slick brush

In the picture above my edges look almost straight and yet my hair is 100% natural. This is good stuff.

If you use any other product for your edges please let me know? I love buying products and trying out new things.

Black Beauty Natural Hair feature

2010-06-24T23:15:00.000+01:00

I bought this magazine well over a month ago. It is published bi-monthly and is one of the best known UK Black hair magazines. I am more of an occasional reader as my obessesion with hair magazines was not good. It was not like I was trying to achieve any of those styles in there. Plus as my hair is natural they no longer really cater for me the way the blogs and YouTube does.

To my surprise this edition contained pages of articles about natural hair care. As usual you get the hairstyles that no one would wear outside of a hair show or photoshoot. Such as the edgy afro pics. Afro's with sharp chunks cut in/out. Then the feature contains a 2 page spread about bloggers and v-loggers who share their tips and tricks tried and tested routines for styling their natural hair.

The article could have included more wearable natural hairstyles. If someone skimming the pics for hair inspiration I do not think they would be inspired. They would be amazed how beautiful natural hair looks and what you can achieve but little on style. The articles make up for this. It would have been nice to see two makeovers. As they chose to use a model whose hair is about a 3a/b/c very loose curls as opposed to someone with Kinky curly curls in the range of 4a/b/c. Overall a good natural hair feature

Top 5 sites suggested in the magazine to visit are:

Curly Nikki

Hairlista

Nappturality

Pretty Dimples YouTube channel

Kawright1005 YouTube channel

Pretty Dimples mentions me one of her videos as I sent her a copy of the magazine all the way from the UK.

Sometimes I just feel so inspired and appreciate what these ladies do. I will be checking out the other sites which I do not frequent as much.

My Grey strand

2010-06-19T23:54:00.000+01:00

I have had this one grey strand of hair for years. Since I was a teenager in my last days at school. So it has seen relaxers, canerows, extensions, weaves and more. Now it's just a curly bit of colour less hair. My grey strand does feel stronger than the rest of my hair strands. I have no idea why that is. Just thought I would share my grey.

My curl pattern

2010-05-16T22:47:00.000+01:00

I do not really do much to my hair . This pic is my hair freshly washed and somewhat air dried. So this is what my curls look like. The picture was taken a few months ago and I have since checked my curl pattern again and it looks pretty much the same like this.

Oh and as you can see the redhead that I was is all gone. Now its this brownish colour. As crazy as it may sound I just might go and get some highlights done professionally a little colour correction. I tried a full head weave recently and my head was so tender I removed it after 2 weeks. I will try to post pics soon.

I always think of my hair as a 4a/b. It always looks deceivingly thick but its quite fine in texture just very dense. What would you class my hair as? What products would you suggest?

Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner

2009-10-19T22:36:00.006+01:00

I have been hearing about the wonders of Herbal Essences Shampoos for ages. So when I was in Sainsbury's I thought I would give it a go at a only £3.97 and buy 1 get 1 free. So I bought the set for dry hair in the blue bottle. I was so surprised at how little I needed and how lather rich the shampoo was. My hair felt amazing and the conditioner was so perfect. I will definitely make a point of using this shampoo and conditioner regularly and I have since discovered I can buy it cheaper elsewhere too.

Red Hot Rhythm - what !

2009-09-07T20:38:00.004+01:00

I bought 2 boxes of Dark and Lovely's Red Hot Rhythm permanant hair dye. I actually bought the dye to late because I was supposed to dye my hair at the start of summer and then wear some nice styles showing it off. I have many friends who are hairdressers who did not want to dye my hair as I do wear pieces too. So anyway I just dyed it. check out the pictures and have a look. The only thing is the colour did not come out even so next time I will start from my ends then my roots or something. I might even get a different shade all together. Do you have any tips on doing your own hair dye? What products should I use. I might even go for a more of a mahogany brown/red or something next time. How do I get the colour to take on the ends better?

YouTube Hair bloggers

2009-08-20T18:28:00.003+01:00

Just saw this over at AOL Blackvoices. The beautiful Patrice aka Afrobella compiled a list of YouTube hair bloggers. They are definitley worth a look. I have shared a video or two by them on here.

Black Voices top YouTube bloggers

As for my hair. I think I will try to do Kinky twists again or Senegalese twist. Looking for more tips.

My gorgeous fro

2009-05-25T21:29:00.003+01:00

Just look at that hairline. It looks atrocious. I think it is because I wear a lot of pieces and my hair is always pulled back. Having said that though. My fro looks gorgeous in this pic. I often think my hair does not look nice when indeed it does. In this pic my hair is freshly washed and blow dried. It is just doing what it does. I now need to get serious about taking care of my hair.

Though I wonder if I should purchase a membership on Long Hair Care forum or make use of the many blogs and Youtubers out there. I need a routine that is simple and consists of no more than 4 products though they can be varied.

Johnson Products back to black

2009-05-08T21:51:00.004+01:00

Johnson Products has gone back to black ownership. Read more in the link below

Johnson Products Black hair care line

Crunchy hair

2009-05-04T15:22:00.003+01:00

When you go into the bargain stores, some products are worth a try. I bought two Tony&Guy products. One being the Jamelia model me conditioner and the other high gloss blow dry lotion. These were selling very cheap in Home Bargains so I thought I would give it a go. The conditioner is lovely and I will continue to use it untill it finishes.

However the High gloss blow dry lotion is horrible. It made my hands sticky and also caused my 100% natural hair to feel crunchy. I am certain some residue is there because I can see something falling like dust out of my hair when I comb it. Now I will need to wait to wash my hair for at least one weak. Now I know not everything is worth trying.

Hair Wrap

2009-03-20T17:03:00.004Z

I am so addicted to YouTube and subscribe to a few people. Although I have a Youtube account I have no videos as I am working on getting a camcorder. However I will eventually begin doing still picture videos

Anyway I so wish my hair looked so lush after wrapping like this

She has beautiful hair, clearly a different texture to my own. So I do know that I cannot get the same results. It looks gorgeous. There a couple of other videos where she does roller set and shows you her technique on a doing a silk wrap

Check out ItsMsHeatherNicole's YouTube Page
<

Kinky twist no

2009-03-11T18:49:00.003Z

I so want some self styled Kinky Twist. The dvd is ok. It is a very simple dvd. My problem was that no matter how I twist tight etc. The hair would look loose and not together. I mean where my hair was the twist was loose but the extension looked good.

Practice sister. I have not given up yet. I have a suitcase full of hair to play with

Braids by Breslin kinky twists

2009-02-08T00:42:00.003Z

I have known abot Marqueta Breslin's DVD's for years. My friend bought some where as I procrastinate. I have always wanted to buy at least one. So just on a whim I have purchased the above DVD which says is for beginners and experts alike. What is even more useful it states that you will learn both the braid in and the twist in method.

So now I will wait to get the DVD and see if it will teach me the skills I need. Whereas I will not be doing other people's hair I will be doing my own. Will give a review when I get it.

Find out more on what she offers at the Baids By Breslin website.

Kinky Twists Tutorials

2009-01-26T19:58:00.003Z

I think I need to do more for myself in 2009. My hair being one thing I need to do more of myself. To be honest I do love my instant weaves for versatility but I love Kinky twist extensions even more. If I could teach myself and perfect this skill then I could do my hair whenever I want it done. Back in 2004 I was making myself proud and doing my hair. I can do it. I just need to apply myself better. I have quite a few bags of Marley braid to use.

So for 2009 I am setting one of my hair challenges as being able to do kinky twist extensions all by myself. I have been watching YouTube videos constantly. Afterall I improved my makeup techn
iques this way.

Check out these tutorials.

2009 - ya see mi

2009-01-05T22:38:00.003Z

Well 2009 is here. What can I say about my hair. My edges need tender loving care and I am over due for a trim. I do bad things to my hair like gel it down for the week when I just cannot be bothered.

But there is hope. One of my favourite hair bloggers is back with a new blog showcasing her talents and her beautiful hair. Her old site www.roshini.net can now be found here http://www.glamazini.com/ and get this....she has a YouTube channel. I do too but no videoes as I have no video camera. So go check her out.

It is my birthday this month, so I am just trying to figure out what to do with my day or the weekend before. I must treat my hair to some TLC. I need to try new products too. I am getting bored of my Instant Afro weaves etc etc. It is just the styling that is the problem for me. For some reason I went from being able to say yes to twist outs to nah they aint for me.

Lets see if my attitude changes. Maybe some hair dye might help.

wash and blow dry

2008-12-12T22:01:00.004Z

Okay I think I am okay with my hair. Whilst I was having my hair canerowed. My friend suggested I leave the back out. I didn't but it looked so fab. Now I feel it is too cold for my hair to be out over here. So when it gets warmer look out for my new colour and bravery. I do need to let my head of hair breath.

Anyway here are some pics of my hair freshly washed and towel dried. The second picture is blow dried but not salon blow dried. All this hair and I still cant think what suits me. I guess I am stuck in how I see others as opposed to what suits me.

Any style suggestions please leave a comment.

My hair my blog

2008-09-19T21:02:00.003+01:00

I think I have been brainwashed or shamed into believing that I can only wear my hair one way. In its unaltered natural state. But is that me. Is it really who I am. No it's not. I like the fact that my hair is 100% natural and I am no longer limited in what I can do. But........I like change. Don't panic. I will not be relaxing my hair again. Decided that because of the constant style changes twists braids extensions canerows weaves you name it. Such a move would be unhealthy.

I do intend to try harder to get to grips with natural style more often. However if I want to put on a curly or straight hairpiece that is what I am going to do. I love single braid extensions but I can not stand them after a month. Nor can I afford to get them done so often.

What may be best for me to do. Is to use this blog more effectively. I will develop it so it is not just my hair journey and more a place to find out what can be done with natural hair. Showcasing my love hate relationship with my hair, and inspirational folk. My fave YouTube videos and blogs etc.

Yeah I think I will take it there. Once that is in motion properly I might need to tweak my blog name.

Now if only I could create an html worthy banner for all my blogs

Urban Therapy

2008-09-03T21:23:00.002+01:00

I am indeed a bit of a product junkie. But I am trying to slow down on that. So far I have not bought anymore hair grease and wil just use what I got for now.

Anyway I was in a store called Home Bargains. They sell branded goods really cheap. I came across a few products by Urban Therapy, their twisted sister range. One of those products was a relaxing straightening creme. I also bought their curl activator and 30 second curl spray.

I have only tried the straightening creme. It feels nice in my hair and smells nice too. I just used it to blow dry my hair and then flat ironed using my FHI ceramics. I didn't add any further products and I am pleased with the results. But we have torrential rain and I am not going outside.

I went out the other day and everyone thought I had styled my hair out. I will be styling my own hair for daily wear but as you may have gathered I do not seem to be doing too well on the DIY hair styles. Even more so the hair magazines are not catering to me. Plus my young gifted hair braider is at college so I will struggle to get my hair did.

Might end having to get twist extensions for winter but will see. Any style suggestions please let me know. My hair when blow dried is shoulder length or just below.

My lush braids

2008-08-21T20:51:00.002+01:00

Just a short post to show off my braids. This is the best picture I could get hold of. I used synthetic hair called Bulk Ultimo by Aftress.

Why oh why

2008-08-14T22:40:00.002+01:00

I really do love my braids. They are longer than what I generally like but they look so good on me. H0wever I am going to have to take them out. Those white bulbs are showing on my hair line. So I guess they got to go. I really wanted to keep my hair in braids for a while. But I will have to give my hair a break.

Then again I might change my mind in a few weeks.

Braid it up

2008-08-04T21:42:00.003+01:00

I have had my hair in single braid extensions for 2 weeks. I have been fed up with styling it or doing nothing do this will do. I might even rock this look throughout the coming winter. All depends as my mood often changes with my hair.

My edges are fine so far. I have been applying Profective Anti Thinning creme. I am also making sure that I do not pull my hair back non-stop.

I will probably get bore and need a change soon. But I am determined

Thinning edges and new products

2008-07-17T22:23:00.002+01:00

I am having that problem again. I am kind of addicted to the versatility of instant weaves as and when I need a quick style. I have yet to make my hair look effortless. My friend M has been natural for a while now and she rocks her natural beauty in all its glory. She was a fashion student and has that quirkiness that fashion folk have. It spills over to her hair.

My hair does not form a nice fro no matter what I do. But I guess I need to keep trying to do something with my own hair as best I can. I looked in the mirror last week and woah where did that come from. My edges have thinned out and dropped out. Luckily hair is still there so I might be able to save it once again. The maddest thing is that I will be putting my hair in single braid extensions. I should be okay. My hair stylist will go gently on my edges.

The last time I had this problem I canerowed my own hair for a few months and let it be and it recuperated. This time I will be using some product assistant. not sure if it works but will see.

Whilst in London last week I bought some products. I can get carried away and my friends think I am addicted to buying hair but I am not. I just like to stock up when I can so when I want canerows I can have them done or singles.

Anyway products I bought 'Profective Anti Thinning Circulation Stimulant'. Its thick and creamy. It says to apply twice daily. Well a little goes a long way. Other items I bought were for hold and sculpting and moisturising. They are 'Organics by Africa's Best...Shea and Tea Tree Oil Moisturiser and the 'Olive oil twist and lock gel'....'IC Fantasia ice pomade' ( recommended by another natural hair sister so I thought I will try)...Dark N Lovely Naturally Calming tress and hold gel.

I have tried both gels and they do hold my hair in a way. The other gels I have bought just slide off my hair but these seem to add moisture and hold at the same time. I wonder if I can use them with water...mmm. I do love the moisturiser. Its not another pink oil that sits on your hair. It does add moisture.

I am interested to know what works for people too. Will update and hopefully get some more pictures soon.

Scalp is on fire

2008-07-03T23:26:00.002+01:00

I did enjoy the twist out while it lasted. However I had to comb that out so that I could attack my scalp. For a few months now I have been experiencing dryness that creates sores which scab over on my scalp. I have been looking into what I can use to combat this.

Many product suggestions have tea tree oil. I tried making products from scratch but not sure if I am that committed. I just want to buy it in a tub and not pay customs tax. I hope customs haven't taken any products I ordered. Those brutes.

If you can think of any decent product that will help my scalp let me know. If I go out tomorrow It will be to purchase one or 2 products I saw mentioned on Afrobella.

Twist and Shout

2008-06-28T20:17:00.001+01:00

Ok as you know I am not the greatest fan of twists. However I have been wearing my hair in twists for just under 2 weeks. I have kept my hair under wraps though wearing cute hats etc when out and about only because I seriously believe twists do not suit me. If my hair was longer and thicker or even just thicker maybe I would like them on me. Also there is my weight issue. So sometimes I feel certain hairstyles make me look um not so good. I do wear instant weaves and hair pieces and just about all my friends and more have seen my hair out and about.

Anyway the picture you see if the resulting twist out. This time around I washed and blow dried my hair. Oiled my scalp with Organic Root Stimulator Jojoba oil. For my hair length I applied IC Fantasia Frizz Busting Straightening gel. I applied Anita Grants whipped butter also.

When I took out the twist I rubbed through some more of Anita Grants whipped pudding. This time I wore it all out. I just put a headband on as the front was not looking the way I hope. Once dye my hair I think I could rock this style on a regular. The twist out that is.

Not sure if I can maintain

2008-06-24T23:09:00.001+01:00

Ok so I have not really been keeping my hair journal up to date as I should. I have reached a cross roads with my hair. I go to a hairdressers for deep conditioning treatments once a month and also to have trims when required. She is really good, however I always leave feeling that I should relax my hair.

I asked my wonderful friends their honest opinions regarding me going back to the chemical process of relaxing. They were unanimous in saying that I have been natural for so long and they felt that I should just stay as I am. Arguments being the long process to get of a relaxer and other hair options opened to me. Such as pressing when I want a straight look, instant weave or natural hairstyles that are maybe more adventurous than what I have tried before.

I was lucky to be selected as one of the winners on Afrobella for the creme of nature competition. I just hope customs are not red eye and deliver my goods to me etc. Whether I recieve them or not one thing for sure it does mean to me maybe I should try a bit longer.

I have twisted my hair. I am not a fan of twists. Simply because I do not believe they suit me. I also do not like my weight right about now. I see twist on sisters on youtube and various blogs and think wow they are cute. But the twist have done are simply so I can do a twist out. I have a few more days to go. If I dont like the twist out I will just comb it out. What I do to my hair then I just do not know.

I think I need to get a ghana braid or weave or just some singles to mull over my hair for a while.

treatments please

2007-03-09T23:43:00.001Z

Ok well i want to dye my hair. I'm thinking of 2-3 shades of highlights all over. My friend says my hair is long but its just shoulder length when stretched.

my aim for the next 3 months is to have treatments every two weeks. I am not sure which treatments to do or try. The easiest would be hairdresser as i am due a trim and dont like snipping my ends myself.

I would love some colour suggestions

style challenge

2006-11-13T21:03:00.000Z

Right now my main style is canerows. i do love the curly fro pieces that are about. big hair

but its soooo cold in england right now
so its strictly protective styles now

canerow every week

2006-09-15T23:32:00.000+01:00

Not much in hair land
i have tried out anita grant's wonderful products.
trying to save to buy more

i am on the look out for something to soothe my scalp. its dry it flakes and if i dont wash it before it begins to itch i am suffereing.

i was addicted to my curly fro instant weave. but i have let that go.

i found when i was on my hols in caribbean i did no need any oils. the heat just brought out my natural oils

anyway i will give this a better update soon

canerow tension

2006-01-12T06:12:00.000Z

My friend canerowed my hair for me just before christmas. Which i was grateful for. As you can see from the pic the point parts were also along the hairline and her grip was tight.

However when i came to take them out there were oads of white bulbs around my hairline. My hair was basically being pulled out from the root. I thought at first it was a product i used. but no. Anyway my hairline is damaged. Though one of my friends says its not bad and could be worst.

I told my friend who did my hair about the damage and she was apologetic but at the same time i should have said to make it less tight.

Traction alopecia is no joke. some people recover some dont. so you know i am now on nappturality reading there alopecia forum to see what is what.

Do people learn lessons mmmm who knows but I intend to get a weave for my birthday. I have never had one. plus i dont wish to straighten my hair and a weave is just a style option I',m gonna see if i like it.

If when your hair is done you cant smile cause of the pain speak up and say lessen the tension my dear.

twists to go

2005-12-10T02:50:00.000Z

Since my hair was in need of some TLC from the micros i did the following.....

I detangled my hair combing through ends to root. section at a time. Then i lavished my hair with Vatika as a pre-shampoo treatment. I left it on for half and hour. Then I shampooed with creme of nature shampoo. I have yet to find and alternative..suggestions are welcomed. Usually i use my Lush conditioner bar its a green one but cant remember the name off hand.

I squeezed excess water from hair and sectioned it off into four sections and applied to each keracare essential oils, keracare moisturiser, glycerin (which i have found that i need to buy a vegetable based one) and castor oil. each item listed i only use a small amount as the water that is still in my hair helps to spread it through easily. Due to time constraints I had to use a blowdryer. I dont blow dry my hair straight.

Then i just oiled my sclap using organic root stimulator jojoba oil and twisted my hair all over. My hair needed trim so i snipped the ends as explained by Motown girls diary. Oh yeah the front i flat twisted as my canerow didnt look good. I took down my twists just before i went out. The pic looks good. I recieved loads of compliments with this twist out. So looks like me and twists have a new relationship but just for twist outs

tight micros and lesson learned

2005-12-09T18:03:00.000Z

My good friend Mary did these micro braid extensions for me. She says there is no excuse for a mother not to have her hair styled. Bless her.

If they look tight that is because they are.

My hair has been braided using Jazzy Kanekalon fibre. It is only braided about an inch and half which meant lots of my own hair is left out. Then the hair is braided into 5 or 6 big tight braids hence the extra tension on my scalp.

Then the hair is dipped into boiling hot water for about a minute. This curls the hair or gives it a waved crimped look. Now when this was done in my hair the hair was unraveled wet. Which meant when it dried although moisturised my hair frizzed up, Next time my hair will be left in the big braids untill completly dry so that my own hair stays in that style shape.

Now i have taken these out but found one of the braids came out by itself. From my investigation it was on my hair line. Which feels tender. Lesson learned. Next time i will insist my hair line is not braided so tight and that i take them out sooner.

Oh yeah please note yet again it took me over a week to take these out even though it wasnt plaited down to the length of my hair. micros and newborns are a no no. if it wasnt for another friend i would still be taking them out now

twisted

2005-10-06T03:20:00.000+01:00

These twists were done all by me in august 2005. I got a bit lost as to what to do with them. The picture makes them look better than i thought. Though you can see the gaps which only reinforces my hair being fine. but hey. i did get loads of comments when i wore my hair this way. i think i just ran out of ways to style it that i felt looked good on me. practice makes perfect i say.

progress

2005-08-04T05:20:00.000+01:00

Well my hair is au natural now. I dont have any set routine. Yes i do wear my hair in braids and canerows. but i also wear my hair out. right now its just in a pony puff but i am finding my ends are getting knotty. any solutions much appreciated.

Looks like i will be twisting my hair up tomorrow as i will have a busy friday.

I love the castor oil. but it is thick. so i use it sparingly. I wore my hair in a twist out to church and everyon was so in awe. so i know that is one style to keep using. but rain and mist caused frizz. mmm solutions

wearing my own hair

2005-05-10T18:03:00.000+01:00

Yes thats right. I am wearing my own hair and have been for the past week. This is week 2. i have it styled with canerows in the front and the back is left out. i usually do a braid out which i am am so proud of or i put in a pony. I never realised people could be so obsessed with my hair. quite shocked that some people asked me if it was my own hair. they werent black those that asked.

my two newest purchases have been organic root stimulator jojoba oil it came with a free sample of soy oil and palmers frizz ease serum. now i use the frizz when i set my hair as it makes the style look sharp.

my scalp is still flaking up so i may have to wash it more often. unsure really.

to be honest i thought wearing my hair out would be bad but it is really nice. i am loving it. now i just need to work out how i am gonna do an afro puff for summer.

micro madness

2005-03-07T00:07:00.000Z

I cannot believe that it has taken me 4 days to take out my micro humain hair extensions. I cut my own hair as i forgot my hairs lenghth. It was just pure madness. Luckily my friend helped me with the last few.

Now i am in style limbo. So my hair was seriously dry that my hubby pointed this out to me. So i gave my hair a pre-shampoo oil treatment. of coconut oil, amla etc. its called Vatika and indian hair treatment 100% natural. it felt nice in my hair i am tempted to use it as a daily pick me up when my hair needs it.

After my micro hell i am considering canerows som much easier to take out. I did try doing my own hair myself but i cant canerow backwards the way i would need to make the style work.

Well as they say practice makes perfect

discovering natural remedies

2005-02-19T05:20:00.000Z

Well I have been looking at natural hair remedies. Let me tell you the ladies on Nappturality know their stuff but so does my friend. She is indian and she has been telling me of natural remedies that they use
First there is Shikakai which is a natural shampoo.

"Shakakai" which means fruit of the hair and is a low ph balanced fruit used as shampoo and conditioning. the stuff i read on the web says that it promotes hair growth and helps prevents dandruff basically the powder form is mixed with water to make a paste and used as shampoo

Fenugreek which is a herb, she says that I should mix it with plain natural yoghurt and apply to scalp and that it does good stuff for scalp and hair.mmm yoghurt in hair...recently found that people use mayo in hair so i am assuming it cant be that bad

Though my first natural remedy will be a product called Vatika. My friend gave this to me. The bottle says that it is premium coconut hair oil enriched with Henna , Amla and Lemon(oil). You apply to the scalp and hair. The bottle says best results leave overnight but i am going to use it as a pre-shampoo treatment. I am sure there many other ways to use this.

I also have in my natural collection - pure coconut oil, coconut oil (not pure as mixed with other stuff), Castor Oil, Glycerin and Coco butter oil...Its like i never knew afro hair shops sold most of these. well i cant waut till i BC so i can use them all depending on style.

Must not forget Aloe Vera gel...the thing is though how do i know if i am getting 100% pure stuff i have an aloe vera plant(single bible) mmm...on a mission to find out how.

Kinky Twists

2005-01-26T01:50:00.000Z

Well i do like kinky twist i think they look really regal. so in say a month or two when my micros come out i will be getting either kinky twists or canerows.

my scalp is still flaky ish so i will be going to the hairdressers to have a extensive scalp treatment. If i cant afford to i will just do it myself at home.

anyway i am off to find some afro kinky hair for the kinky twists as i do like to store my hair in bulk so in those days when i am broke i can still do my hair.

dry scalp

2005-01-04T03:00:00.000Z

Happy new Year !

Right now my scalp is suffering. Its dry and flaky which is not good when your hair has been immaculately braided by someone else. My friend suggested lavender water whih i never heard of. I am a bit scared of using an additive as such. i have considered many things but feel the best i can do is get a cloth damp it and wipe my scalp clean. Then oil my scalp again. This time i will use the dry and itchy. I am tempted to go and buy sulphur8 though if i do i will buy the light formula.

i was going to keep my hair in these micros for 3 months so that i wouldnt have to re-do my hair for my holiday. But i will take it out and get some canerows styish ones at that.

human hair

2004-12-26T09:10:00.000Z

Got my micros done. Which i must say i am so pleased with. This is the first time i have used human hair to do my extensions. My aunty chose the hair type which is wet n wavy. i bought two 14 inches but turned out i needed one 14 and one 16 inch as my hair was longer than what my aunt thought. Her back is not too good but she braided my hair for me in what could have been done in a day but left the last hours work till the morning. It is shoulder length. she had some red 16inch hair so she used that to top up mine. in all it worked out that we only used one bag of hair roughly.

No i like human hair but for curly styles though. Me, I just need to work on my grip to be able to take up those small curls on my neck

shampoo...style

2004-12-15T00:45:00.000Z

Well i finally gave my hair a thorough wash and condition whilst in the shower. My hair feels lovely. I plan to try my first conditioner wash prior to putting my hair back in extensions.

my hair was doing this puffy thing at church so i got out my flat irons just give some control. Th effects of a flat iron dont last long in my hair as within a day my hair is back curly/frizzy. i do like it still

By the end of 2005 i hope to have done my BC. fingers crossed emotions ready....

Twists

2004-11-30T02:45:00.000Z

Well I was truly a bit reluctant to have my hair out. My aunty said she would twist it up for me. So the two of us took down my red extensions which i started to dislike, and she canerowed the front of my hair and twisted the back. The ends unravelled a little but it looks nice still. Gives my hair movement. I like it. just wish hair was thicker or had more body.
sofrolushes indeed!!!

the finishing touch

2004-11-10T03:45:00.000Z

Although I have mastered doing my braid extensions. I am not entirely satisfied with them. The middle gives way to centre part and for the life of me i can not correct it right now. So I am hoping and praying that I do get to fix it soon.

I used the shea butter by organic root stimulator it really moisturises my roots and scalp. I will see what the condition of my hair is when i take down braids. My mission is to find some hairstyles to put my braids in. Also i am starting to like the sound of that dominican blow out. But heat control - I will need to make sure it is only done once ever so often.

Been trying to get onto nappturality to top up my natural haircare knowledge. But due to some site upgrade i cannot get in. fingers cross it is sorted by the weekend.

Practice makes perfect

2004-11-08T02:45:00.001Z

I can say that i am now fully fumctioning in self dependence. I love the fact that i can do my own hair in single braids. they are not as neat as i would like or dont have the finish i love. but practice makes perfect. sorry no digital camera so i cant show you any pics yet.

I recently bought organic root stimulators shea butter for braids locs and natural hair. it was reccomended to someone else so i thought i would give it go. seems okay. anyway my next challenge is to be able to do canerows and canerows extensions.

My key terms today are Dominican blow outs and twists.

nappy ever after!!

transitioning times

2004-11-07T18:18:00.000Z

I originally posted this poem on a forum. it somes up my journey.

Transitioning times

woa is me for these are transitioning times
my scalp is sore my
scalp is over dry
why or why lye
got so used to the creamy crack
thought i couldnt turn back
the abuse that society induced
felt like i was one step away
from injecting the lye to keep my hair in line
now blessed be He who has shown me love for the napp
my hairdresser seemed distressed
whilst my hair is becoming diverse
two textures i have at war
curly roots through to straight limp ends
pass me the shea butter and my wide tooth comb
curls today twists tomorrow
a revolution is amongst us
watch the manufactures scramble
to entice me to buy natural hair care
however now i can make my own
stay blessed forever nappy and loving it!!!

extensions by me

2004-10-09T08:00:00.000+01:00

Well it has been a long time since I have written in my hair diary. I just stumbled on it today. So here is what’s new
I have successfully put my entire head in single braid extensions. So proud of myself. Basically I have always wantd to do this but finally decided aftr some events words that I need to stop depending on people to do my hair. I should only be spending the cost of the hair. Plus those who do my hair for free I often feel it’s a chore to them. But anyways I am very happy. When I last took my hair out and was blow-drying my hair I felt rough hair at the line of demarcation. Its what is called scab hair. Its texture is in such contrast to the rest of my hair , well at least it will get rimmed off eventually.
My next task is to be able to do extension canerows in my hair. I am gathering info on home recipes for hair care.

single braid challenge

2004-04-09T18:36:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I tried to do all my hair in single braid extensions. I managed to do most of the sides and some of the front. In the end I got my friend Stephanie to finish it off for me. She did a good job too as it looks lovely. I just have to make sure that I oil my scalp as I do not want that to get overly dry. She told me of a ginseng spray that she has used whilst her hair was in braids. I am going to invest in one.
When I was trying to put my hair in braids in I realised how long my journey will be but yes I am determined to succeed.

progress

2004-04-03T09:32:00.000+01:00

Okay so now I am making progress with my hair. I have discovered many natural hair sites. Some of them are www.nappturality.com whereby all talk of chemical treatments is met with harshness. The site is strictly pro natural. Also other sites www.euronaps.com www.roshini.net http://motowngirl.com www.cornrows.co.uk . Another site which is not just about natural hair but caters for all types and style choices of black hair and beauty is www.blackhairmedia.com .

The other day I spoke to my aunty . I told her I was going natural, which she is already, she said many girls in London are going natural. I find my hairdresser pretty much pro relaxer. Though now they except some what that I intend to grow the chemical ends out. They suggested that I come back every two weeks for treatments. I cannot afford to do so. A sister has bills to pay. Plus I can always slap conditioner on my head and go in the bath or steam room at the gym and get the same effect.
Today I was meant to put my hair in single extensions by myself, but a combination of me babysitting from the night before to getting the small things done meant it just was not gonna happen. So I have rescheduled for next week Thursday and good Friday. I cant wait. I have bought bags of hair.
I am also learning new phrases and words in relation to natural hair. Seems like I have been missing out on loads. One that I found interesting was ‘no poo’. This basically means that instead o using shampoo to cleans the hair you just use the conditioner. From what I have learned. Shampoo often contains many harmful chemicals that do more bad than good to your hair and the conditioner can clean your hair just as good. I am not ready to try this out yet, but will make note. Another phrase is a TWA or teeny weenie afro, which speaks for itself. Other phrases are twist out and braid out.
My main aim whilst transitioning is to learn many techniques to help me manage my hair myself.

Transitioning begins

2004-02-26T06:30:00.000Z

Today my hair is styled in flat twists at the front and the back is left out. On Saturday just gone I began my intensive treatment regime at the hairdressers. My hairdresser assessed my scalp as I have been experiencing dry itchy scalp. This has been intense since my last relaxer. So fingers cross my hair will be fine. By the time my treatment program ends it will be April. I am also going to the gym. I wonder if this will have any effects on my hair. I am told that I will need to do weekly hair washes as opposed to fortnightly. I will just have to see how my hair turns out when its au natural
Funny thing is that whilst telling my friends about my adventure into the natural sisterhood many are shocked many amazed others just say that they have heard this before. True. But I am determined. This is just another of those things I am doing for self.

Decision time

2004-01-07T20:00:00.001Z

Back in October 2002 I had decided to grow out the relaxer and become a natural hair sister. When I say natural , I mean without any chemical treatments. I have grown up not knowing what my own God given hair was like except that when my hair grew my roots were curly. In the current state that its in its fine in texture . I hoping that by going natural it will be thicker and much more exciting. I still love straight hair with sweeping bangs Aaliyah style but I guess I can get an accessory to do that. I am also hoping that I will have more styling options. I had my hair cut and grew it out with extensions for a year and then relaxed it back. So far I have tried growing my hair natural 3 times and gave up. But I am hoping that I can do this. It will be a challenge. I have also got someone to give me tips in doing my own singles braid extensions. Oh yeah when I say I am going back to my roots, I mean my natural hair.