Shout out to Essence

Hi Curlies,

I remember when I was a little girl, I couldn't wait for the day I could "get my hair straight" (that's how we say it on my island =D).  I got my first relaxer when I was about 12.  Then as a young adult, I would look at girls who still wore their natural hair and say to myself, "She would look so pretty if should got her hair relaxed".  Oh, but then I started doing the opposite while transitioning.  I started looking at people with relaxers and saying to myself, "she would look so pretty with natural hair, why won't she get off the creamy crack?".  Now that I further along in my journey, I can't believe how short sighted I was.  I guess that's one of the things that comes with age right...wisdom, tolerance and acceptance of self (hopefully, cuz I know some people that are still stuck in their teens).  

Whether you are natural or relaxed, ultimately it's about being happy and confident with yourself.  That being said, I am very pleased about seeing more an more commercials and ads with models rocking natural coils & curls.   Looking in my Essence Magazine this month I see that product lines for natural hair care are a very large percentage of their ads.  I love when a magazine, or any type of media really, recognizes their audience and incorporates things that I want to see and learn about.  Essence also celebrated National Girlfriends Day on their website and asked their followers to send in pics of themselves and their bestie then and now.  My bestie and I are both naturals and guess what......we made it on the site!  So instead of a picture in my blog this time, I will leave the link that takes you to the pic of us. 

Go Essence, go Team Natural, go Me!


http://photos.essence.com/galleries/national_girlfriend_s_day__girlfriends_then_and_now#!1402363

Hair Checkup / Check In

Hi Curlies,

I have been sooo lax about posting.  But I am newly determined to keep better track of my hair journey.  Since the last time I posted I finally did my BC and I love it!  I did transition for 7 months and I had every intention of going until the end of year.  However, I was hospitalized for a bout of pneumonia and when I came out I just didn't have the energy to deal with two hair textures.  On 7/20/12 I went to Shear Xtasy Salon here on my island and I sat in the chair ready to do it.  When I walked out of the salon, I felt so free!  Now my journey is focused on hair health, curl definition (moisture/protein balance) and length retention.  My daily regimen consists of: 1)water, glycerin & oil mist, 2) Quenched Curls leave in condition from Curls and 3) Whipped Cream from Curls.  At night: 1) water. glycerin & oil mist, 2) oil of my choice (coconut, Reconstructive Elixir from Shea Moisture or Champagne & Caviar Elixir from Curls) and 3) 100% Shea Butter.  I've also been co-washing twice weekly with Coconut Sublime Conditioner from Curls and I do a deep condition bi-weekly with Alikay Naturals Honey & Sage Deep Conditioner.  I will try to post pics of all the products in another post (I'm just too lazy & tired right now).  So far I have been getting excellent curl definition, and really great comments.  Tomorrow I am going to do a pre-poo with some cheapy condition and lots of oil (coconut & olive) and I may throw in some honey for good measure.  I will post pics of that process tomorrow.

Good Night Curlies.....here's to happy hair!

Know Your Hair Challenge: Kickoff

Hi Curlies!  So yesterday marked the kickoff of the challenge, but I didn't get to do anything hair related.  My BFF was receiving her pearls from AKA Sorority and I had to be there to support her.  Needless to say, today my hair is paying for the neglect and all I could do was pull it into a ponytail.  And now my body is paying me back for the ponytail with a ridiculous headache.  I have to find some time this week to show my hair some love.  In the meantime, enjoy your week curlies. 

--Peace & Hair Love

Beginning of my Journey

I am new to this blogging thing so please bare with me.  My bff turned me onto a the Natural Hair Journey that's happening on blogspot (http://curlsofjoy.blogspot.com/...check it out!)so I decided to join.  I have always had a love/hate relationship with my hair.  It's been relaxed since I as about 12yrs old and I have always combed and styled it in it's relaxed state.  But whenever it came time for my next relaxer, I HATED it!  The itching. The desire to scratch, but can't scratch.  The accidental scratch.  And finally, the burning.  I would always wait 3-5 months before I relaxed my hair because of this, and then I would get the customary lecture from the beautician about how I was mistreating my hair.   Fortunately I have always had what my family calls "growing hair" so I could always get my hair back to it's length.  I even chopped all of my hair off 2 yrs ago, but I immediately texturized it and then, when it got enough length, I went back to a relaxer.  At the end of 2011, I decided I couldn't take it anymore (after my last relaxer in December) and in January 2012 I decided to transition my hair back to it's natural state.  Why not chop it all of again?  Because my bf doesn't like short hair (men!). Changes in 2012....goodbye old me!