Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Shrinkage...Tee hee hee

Shrinkage -  I'm sure everyone has it. I get reduced to a 14 year old boy when I say it lol. I'm not as mature as I would like to believe I am.  Sometimes I am amazed at how much shorter my hair is when curly. When pressed my hair it near shoulder length but in a twist out its near my ears. I see that some people put it in a bun like then when they go to bed and their twist outs gain length the older the style is.  I  can't really get mine in anything. I'm not really sure how to maintain my style or gain any length. So if anyone out there has any ideas please send them my way.

Is anyone even there? Anyone? Crickets? Hermione?

Monday, August 22, 2011

Excuse me while I stand on this soap box

Why am I on this box? Well, I'm glad you asked cause I'm about to say it anyway. Today's rant is about hair types. You know the ones. Type 1 to type 4 hair and what it means.  This typing of hair seems innocent and evil to me all at the same time. I'm totally new to this "natural hair" movement so I may be totally out of line but here it goes....

When I started to read blogs and watch YouTube videos on how to take care of your hair everyone was making mention to their particular hair type. I had no idea what anyone was talking about. So I started google-ing it. I found a chart on a forum and quickly decided that I must be a type 4.  I read the descriptions of the subtype and couldn't for the life of me figure out what the difference was between 4a and 4b.  So then I started looking up pictures and everyone and their mother was a 4a with sprinkles of 4b. They would show a picture of their 4a along side a 4b and frankly some of them looked the same to me.  I went from thinking I was a 4a to thinking that I was a 4b but I totally was not seeing these z formations or whatever they were talking about. So I figured I must be a combo of them too. I understand that this classifcation system is a great way to find people with similar hair so you can do similar thigns to yours. As a way to help people it makes total sense. What didn't make sense was how everyone in cyber land was a 3c or a 4a

Here's where the "evil" part comes in. Everyone appears to want to be closest to the gold standard type 1 hair. Why is my hair type 4 anyway? Everyone wants their hair to have the easy curl that requires no manipulation to achieve. I think goes back to our unconscious quest to be part of the majority. This is probably why I had felt the need to flat iron my hair to have type 1 looking hair. The reason why keratin treatments are getting so popular.

But as I type this I can also see the other side of a possible argument. We all want what we don't have. Girls with curly hair want straight hair and girls with straight hair dream of curls. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence

Ok, I'm getting off the box. I don't think I know what I'm talking about. I think I am only going to be concerned with myself and being me. Yeah, that's right people ...be  yourself! Erm.. ok I'm really getting down now

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Quick Twist Out - Success!

Hello everyone who may potentially be out there in cyber space!

It's been pretty humid around here so I decided to try out the twist out again. I used Shea Moisture's Organic Curl and Style Hair Milk and their Hold and Shine Mist. Both are part of their Coconut Hibiscus line. They were  only $10 each at my local Walgreens. Can't really beat that and the reviews were great. I must say  that I was pleased with the results especially seeing that I didn't really give my hair enough time to dry.

Here's what I did.... I got up pretty early this morning with the baby and decided a twist out was in order. I sectioned my hair into 4 sections - back, two sides, and the front. Then I started from the back and wet my section with the hold and shine, added the hair milk to the part I was about to twist, combed through, and twisted. I put roughly 4 twists in each of the sections. I should mention that I did this all on dry hair. I went about my business ( ie - ran behind the baby) and four hours later decided to take the twists out. The back was dry but I felt the middle was a little damp so I put on my my soft hair drier cap while I washed bottles. After I finished the dishes I took the twists out. Not too bad if I do say so myself. Just a little bit more practice and I'll be able to put the twists in quicker.

Here's a pic of my results

I thought it was kinda cute ;)

Every Journey Begins With a Step

Welcome to my blog!

I started this blog to document my progress as I embrace my naturally curly hair.  I have been "natural" for a long time. Most people wouldn't even know! My last relaxer was in January 2007. I was going to Miami to meet my then boyfriend's (now husband) family. My stylist and I had decided that that was going to be the last one. I was a little nervous but he assured me that I could continue to achieve my relaxed look with flat ironing. And I did! I wore a weave for a little bit wile I was on my exercise kick before my wedding and after the wedding I only wore my own hair. By that time it was as long as the weave had then.  I knew I was addicted to my weekly salon sessions but I was ok with it. I was in and out of there in about an hour


Relaxed Days

Miami 2007



My weave
Relaxer Free


I moved farther away from my salon in June of 2009. It made my visits a bit more time consuming but I was still able to work it out. Sometimes I would go after work or my husband and I would make a day trip out of it. But around this time I was not blind to see that my hair was starting to control my life and affect my plans


In November 2010, I had my son. He is my everything and as a result everything changed. A few days after delivering him I began to have night sweats ( I didn't even have this while pregnant!). A press and go girl cannot be sweating at night. So I decided to braid my hair during my maternity leave. During my leave I started finding YouTube videos on natural hair styles. These girls looked great. I'm not embarrassed to say I didn't even know what a braid out or a twist out was before this. I always like the way my hair looked after I had braids in it but i never thought that anyone did that on a regular basis. Dumb, I know! My little boy was born with a head full of hair and I wanted to know how to maintain it and maybe even manage my own.  My own hair was suffering. It would look hot for a few days and then bam! not so hot. I also noticed that it was actually breaking a bit ( gasp) and as a result losing length.

 
Admiring my length 2009


Me and my beautiful son

Is this a braid out??

So I took the plunge and tried a twist out. On a Thursday and figured it was going to have to work cause I had to go into the lab the next day. I am happy to say that I was quite pleased with the results. My coworkers loved it.  I took a picture of it at the bathroom at work to see what my mom and sister thought.  They like it too! But most importantly I liked it!! 

Famed Bathroom Shot


I tried again a month later but the result wasn't as good. Beginners luck I suppose. But I decided I will persevere! I currently have hair appointments booked all the way to December (I told you I have a problem)  and as of right now I plan to honor (most) of them. When the new book comes out on November to plan for the next year I will try to refrain from filling it up. In the coming months I need to learn hot to rock my fro and love my hair. I vow to post regular updates to keep myself accountable. I want to regain time, money, and myself. I don't even know my texture. I've never been a girly girl who can whip something up. I don't even like how a mirror is the opposite  view ( lame huh) I comb the wrong way haha. In a years time I will know my hair. And if I even have a daughter she will know hers too.

Stay tuned!