Introduce yourself!
L: My name is Laisha, and I’m from Cali.

Why did you make the decision to go natural?
L: This journey found me! I started coloring my hair too much. Every time I saw any roots, I had to color. To keep a long story short, my hair starting drying out and falling out. After buying tons of products that claim to save your hair from breakage and even going to the salon a few times for a haircut, I had enough. One day while in the shower using those products that claim to save your hair (and this was right after a china doll cut) I thought, “Why are you trying to save this dead hair?” I remember thinking as soon as I get out of the shower I’m going to cut my hair, and that’s what I did!!

I starting cutting the front first because I knew if I started in the back I would find myself at the salon trying to save my hair. At the time I didn’t know I had big chopped. I was just waiting for my hair to get long enough so that I could start having it pressed again. While waiting for my hair to grow back I found YouTube after googling a protein conditioner. Videos of women with natural hair started popping up, and I starting watching those videos and started to fall in love with all the beautiful natural hair. I knew I wanted to try to wear my hair natural. So thank god for YouTube ;-) It’s been 2 years and 10 months.

How would you describe your texture?
L: I don’t use the a b c d e f, 1 2 3 4 5 6 system, but I would say 3c. My stands are medium and I have low porosity, medium density, kinky hair.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
L: I get bored easily, so I sometimes find myself changing my hairstyle, but I’m not style savvy so thank god I’m a true wash and go girl. I can turn a wash and go into a casual updo, to a fancy updo, braid out or twist out. As far as products I love trying new products, but I don’t think of myself as a product junkie. I’m sure the hubby would say different, LOL! When I want fly hair I always reach for one of my HG products; products that always have “Bitchin” (my hair), looking her best. My Hg list: https://www.facebook.com/notes/makeupanbeautyjunkie/hg-list/219998678116700.

What does wash day look like for you?
L: I like to keep things simple when it comes to nourishing my hair. I shampoo my hair once a week or when needed, and deep condition once a week. Depending on what my hair needs at the time I give myself a monthly protein treatment to strengthen it, or use an intense hair nourisher for moisture. I use cleansing conditioner three times a week and I always seal my hair after moisturizing. It’s hard for me to name products since I’m a vlogger. I’m always trying new products, but when my hair needs a bit of tlc, or if she misses her fave products I always reach for my staples https://www.facebook.com/notes/makeupanbeautyjunkie/hg-list/219998678116700.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
L: This is easy. I always go for the updo because I feel like it’s one of those styles that you can dress up or down, so updo for sure!

How do you combat shrinkage?
L: I don’t. I embrace my shrinkage, but it wasn’t always that way. I never found anything to combat it.

Tell us about your hair color?
L: As far as my hair color, I have no idea of the name of the color in my crown area. I have a stylist that colors my hair now, LOL! The back and the lower sides of my hair are still its natural color, dark brown.

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
L: I always pay my ends extra attention. I might not seal throughout my hair, but I always seal my ends to “reduce” not prevent, single strand knots.

What are 2 do’s for your texture?
L: Use lots of conditioner when detangling and sleep with a satin pillowcase or scarf.

What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
L: I never ever detangle on dry hair and I never use a small tooth comb to detangle with.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
L: Yes. I’m MakeupAnBeautyJunkie on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. I’m MbeautyJunkie on Twitter ;-)

You know how you get an itch and you just have to go through with whatever it is? Well I had this “itch” to color my hair a couple of weeks ago. So what do I do? I walk in to a random salon that said “walk-ins welcome”. Well they said I was welcome no?

Oh my gah!! I should have known better when she said she’s never dealt with my “hair type”. I really should have known better but I thought color has nothing to do with texture so as long as she can color as she says she can, I’ll go ahead and have her blow my hair out to eliminate the texture factor.

I think it would have worked out except for the itty bitty fact that she knew zero, zilch, nada, nothing about hair coloring concepts and techniques.

I (kinda) blog about hair so it wasn’t too hard to find a picture to show her that I wanted my hair exactly like it was before I dyed it black a few months prior. In fact, I found a thousand and one pictures and walked her through how I just want the top bits colored and how I want three different shades to create the highlights/lowlights combo I had prior.

Like So

and so

Exhibit A: after color application, wash and conditioner. I dunno what happened but my hair looked so freaking dull. I think she didn’t use the right developer? So the color didn’t show up. But she said she can fix it so I say maybe all is not lost.

Exhibit B: lady woman here decides that bleaching will solve things.

Exhibit C: she bleaches it a second time to get it to the right “tone”

Exhibit D: she puts a toner over it which is supposed to give me a coppery red color because at this point I had given up on my highlighting dreams and a coppery red color was something I could live with.

Exhibit E: she puts an orange based toner over the bleached hair. And from my Google search, this was the worst thing you could do if you don’t want to end up with orange hair. You need a toner with a blue base to cancel out the orange. But of course my illustrious colorist had no clue.

Okay this is a really long post but I think it mimics exactly how long I was there at that salon. A whopping 5 hours!!!!

In conclusion, I left 5 hours later with orange hair. That.i.paid.for. Because I felt bad for her!!

So after the 5 or 6 hours I spent at the salon, I came home and started Googling like a mad woman. My searches went something like: ”how to cancel out orange hair color”, “hair color gone bad and turned orange how do you fix it”, “my hair is orange how do I fix it” etc. I’m a horrible Googler but I was fortunate in that this is a common occurrence when the wrong based toner is used or when bleach is not left on long enough. The most common response I got was to use hair toner with a blue base or but “ash brown” box color to go over the orange and that should greatly reduce or cancel out the orange tone.

Armed with this info and a desperation (I had Bible study the next day and didn’t want to look terrible), I went to my local CVS to buy the ash brown hair color. I debated getting a semi-permanent color or a rinse to go over it but I nixed that idea because I didn’t want the color fading over a few washes only to be back to square one. So I went with a permanent color which I was fully cognizant meant more damage to my already fragile strands. But you know, you gotta do what you gotta do. And so I did and while I can’t say I’m 100% pleased with the results, it is a marked improvement to the alternative.

I actually went ahead and made an appointment with a trusted stylist (which I should have had the patience to wait for anyways) and we’re going to see about getting some highlights in the crown and front area to brighten up the tone and hopefully leaving me very pleased.

I took some pictures and recorded a video of what it looks like today after I did my usual wash and go. Enjoy!

In the sun

Wow. This is truly a salon nightmare!!! Ladies, have you ever had a nightmarish salon coloring experience? Please share! And to keep updated with Chys as she navigates her hair color situation, check out her blog ChysCurlz.com and her YouTube channel ChysCurlz.

How cute is this?! Singer and actress Jada Pinkett Smith posted a childhood photo of her natural ponytails on her Facebook page today with the caption:

The world has been heavy for me lately. I needed something to make me laugh. Can you say, “apple head”? HA! Find a reason to laugh a lot today.

The adorable picture quickly went viral. The Smith family has often served as natural hair inspiration, from Jaden’s huge curly fro (that he recently cut) to Willow’s colored fades. Now we see where it all comes from :)

Introduce yourself!
F: My name is Franceta and I was born and raised in Toronto, ON Canada. I am a recent Fashion Design & Techniques graduate and current Graphic Design student at George Brown College. I’m slightly cray in every way, pop-culture obsessed, a self proclaimed queen of all things inappropriate and aspiring everything.

What is your style philosophy?
F: Wear whatever you like and don’t apologize for it. There will be people who love it, there will be people who hate it, but at the end of the day, all that matters is your opinion on how you view yourself. Dress to make yourself happy, and no one else.

How would you describe your sense of style?
F: Eclectic and ever-changing. It seems as if every 6 months or so, I head in a completely new direction style wise, so I’ve tried not to box myself into a single style category.

What is the process of deciding what to wear in the morning?
F: Oddly enough, I’m a “night before” kind of girl because if I picked my outfits in the morning, I’d be late for absolutely everything! I usually look at the weather, pick shoes and then plan an outfit accordingly, but when the weather isn’t an issue, I pick the majority of my outfits based upon mood. If I’m feeling great and overly confident, I will try something new. If I’m feeling sort of shitty, I will opt out for all black basics. It’s a day by day process.

What are the three favorite things in your closet?
F: Only THREE? Yikes! I would say that my three current favourites would have to be my New Look black and beige tie-dye pencil skirt, the 5 pack of grey, acid washed t-shirts I just grabbed from H&M and my black and white Nike Roshe Run’s that I have been living in for the past 2 weeks, straight… Seriously, no over-exaggeration.

What are some of your favorite shops/websites for clothes, shoes and accessories?
F: I do a lot of local shopping in independent shops around Downtown Toronto, but my most frequent purchases come from the stores listed below: ASOS.com | NewLook.com | BarefootTess.com | BaubleBar.com | SimplyBe.com | DorthyPerkins.com | NastyGal.com | Forever21 + | H&M | Urban Outfitters | Old Navy | eBay & Etsy.

How long have you been natural?
F: My last relaxer was in 2003, so 10 years now, wow!

How and why did you transition into natural hair?
F: I transitioned into natural hair because I was sick and tired of stylists trying to “FIX” my “bad hair.” I come from a household where black hair care was never really discussed. My parents did a fantastic job dealing with my crazy hair as a child, but when the time came for me to take matters into my own hands, all hell broke loose! As a teen with no clue how to handle a head of matted, multi-textured hair, I walked into a black hair salon, told them to “fix my hair” and never questioned a word they said for 5 years. I didn’t know how to deal with my hair texture, I didn’t do any initial research before relaxing, and I honestly had no clue what I was doing to my head. All I knew was that I could comb through my hair with ease and it was a simple “fix.” After 5 years of chemical damage my hair started falling out at the root. I decided that enough was enough and this “fix” just wasn’t working for me anymore. I started looking for healthier hair solutions, I changed salons, and I chopped off 7 inches of fried, chemically damaged hair. It’s been a long and continuing journey, but I am happy that I finally came to the conclusion that there was nothing actually wrong with my hair to begin with!

What is your signature hairstyle?
F: The wake up, shake and go… No I’m kidding, sort of lol. I’m known for my huge, unruly, frizzy head of hair with the center part!

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
F: I can never stick to ONE method! It’s an ongoing process and I’m constantly trying new things, but my most recent method works on a weekly basis. On Sunday I wash my hair. Before washing, I will finger detangle using jojoba oil for the bulk of my hair, and tea tree oil for my scalp irritation and dryness. After an hour or two of the oil soaking into my hair, I wash using Herbal Essences Honey I’m Strong Shampoo and Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner. I’ve tried a bunch of non-lathering, natural based shampoos and conditioners, but I never enjoyed the smell or felt that my hair was clean enough after my washing process. I wash my hair upside down because I find it gives me more volume, and when I am done, I rinse with ice cold water. Once I am out of the shower I section my hair into 6-8 pieces depending on how tight or loose I’d like my curls to be, also keeping in mind where I want my part to remain for the week, and I two-strand twist my whole head. I use Dove’s Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment Conditioner for my twist-outs and it seems to be working for me thus far. My twists come out smooth, defined and the ends (no matter how damaged they may be!) end up curling into themselves. The rest of the week is pretty easy. I finger detangle when needed, dampen my hair, and add some more Daily Treatment Conditioner or Shea Moisture Organic Curl Enhancing Smoothie if needed. I sleep with my hair in pineapple formation, and during the end of the week I start wearing my hair in buns and braids until my next wash. Repeat weekly! :)

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
F: For sure! You can find me most frequently at www.francetajohnson.com and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/francetajohnson! :)

‘Her hair is long because of her genes.’ It is a very common comment that you will see especially within the natural community. It is a provocative statement that kindles passionate arguments for and against it. Some will be adamant that the statement is ignorant and others will emphatically argue for it, pointing out how the person concerned may have a looser texture or other factor that may be responsible for length. The truth is…….long hair actually is genetic, here is why:

1. Long Hair IS Genetic
The length your hair will grow to is determined by how long it will stay in the anagen or growth phase. In order to get to APL/BSL, on average you will need your hair to keep growing for 2-3 years. In order to get to waist or hip length, you will need your hair to keep growing for 4-5 years on average. Simply put, your genes will determine whether or not your hair will keep growing and there is pretty much nothing that you can do to change that.

2. Does This Mean Some People Are Bound To Have Short Hair?
Actually, no. Although many people quote the hair growth phase as lasting 2-6 years, the truth is that mathematical calculations estimate that an average normal growth phase may be as long as 12-14 years (J Cosmet Sci, pp 367-378, 2003). This would correspond to around ankle length for many. It would therefore be actually more accurate to say long hair is genetic and most people are genetically disposed to grow very long hair.

3. What if Nobody In My Family Has Long Hair?
We need to separate the hair’s ability to gain length from the person having the hair being able to maintain it for long enough to showcase its length. Often poor hair practices limit the ability for hair to showcase its full potential length. If you inherit those practices, then you inherit those limits too.

4. Why is it that people with long hair tend to have one of the following – looser curls, less kinky hair, hair that can be heat treated repeatedly and easily or locs?
In all the cases listed, hair has a low predisposition to tangling, knotting and breakage when manipulated. Hair that can be heat treated repeatedly without obvious damage is less susceptible in general to physical damage. Locs are the ultimate protective style and hair incurs very little breakage. It therefore stands to reason that those with hair in the categories above should be able to showcase its full potential length with very little damage and breakage along the journey.

If your hair requires gentle treatment even with minimal manipulation, it stands to reason that your hair may break a little more often or require more trims in order to be in the best condition. It does not mean that your hair cannot gain length or grows at a slower rate; it just means that you have to be have to be more diligent and possibly factor in a little more time in order to achieve the same results as hair that does not break as easily.

Ladies, does this provide some clarity for you? Have you ever believed that black women couldn’t grow long hair?

Is it possible to use heat safely on natural hair? I have been asked this question a numerous amount of times, but what’s the answer? Before we get into that, if your initial response was something along the lines of “What?! I hope that this lady isn’t about to give advice on how to heat damage my hair. It is my mission to preserve every ringlet that I was meant to have and anyone who’s ever used heat on their natural hair has sacrificed the health of their hair”, then you will want to skip this blog post. It takes an open mind to realize that every hair type isn’t the same and no one should be bullied into a certain type of hair care.

There are different porosity types, strand densities and personal tolerance levels that will determine how easy it is to style and care for your hair. A huge element that’s missing from any hair typing system I have come across is the ability of the hair to tangle. What if I have a busy life that doesn’t allow for frequent 1+ hour detangling sessions? What if I had to trim my hair more frequently per year NOT blow drying compared to blow drying due to single strand knots and broken hair that come with trying to style and maintain my hair? It would be great if everyone could style their hair with great ease, but when something interrupts with that dream, it’s important to know your alternatives and the best way to utilize them. Continue reading with an open and receiving mind to discover the best ways to use heat on your hair if you’ve been considering doing so or have been too scared to use heat due to negative experiences in the past.

All hair before heat usage should be washed and conditioned with a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Moisturized hair and damp hair prevent overheating, allowing appliances to distribute heat evenly throughout the hair. Product buildup will prevent you from achieving a bouncy blowout and also can cause breakage, buildup on your heat appliances and smoking/overheating of your heat appliances.

Who shouldn’t use heat
Hair that is visibly broken and damaged will worsen if heat appliances are used. In damaged hair, the protective outer layer (cuticle) is either stripped or lifted. When the cuticle is stripped, your hair “wets” easily and typically no matter what you do to it or put in it, it won’t hold moisture. When the cuticle is lifted, usually a product with a low pH, no lower than 4.0 can act to seal your hair’s protective layer. Damaged hair is positively charged and negative ions from a ceramic flat iron will shift your hair to a neutral charge and the hair will appear healthier, but unfortunately over time its condition will worsen and you will need to trim or cut depending on how severe the damage is.

The safest way to use heat for styling
Before deciding to use heat on your hair the most important thing to consider is what your long term goals for your hair are. If your long term goals are to wear curly styles frequently and you don’t want to change the size of your curls, then it would be best to stay away from heat. If you fall into this category but you’d like to straighten your hair for a very rare and special event then opting for a blow dry with an ionic blowdryer with even heat distribution and very thin sections are your best bet. You can follow up your blow dry with a higher end ceramic flat iron on a setting that exceeds no more than 300 degrees Fahrenheit. An ionic blowdryer will break up the size of the water droplets on your hair strands allowing your hair to dry more quickly, and thin sections will decrease the chance that you overheat one section of hair — which often happens when large sections are blow dried at a time. Something that most people aren’t aware of (and I wasn’t aware of until starting cosmetology school), is that the stoves used in salons to heat tools such as a pressing comb or Marcel curling irons are designed to reach temperatures up to 1000 degrees. Hair will burn off way before reaching a temperature that high, and the heat produced by these stoves are not as even or predictable as a ceramic iron, with the ability to change temperature settings.

The safest way to use heat for manageability
If you want to use heat to speed up your day-to-day styling and make your hair easier to manage it’s important to understand that the texture of your strands and ends will differ from your new growth to some degree. But that’s the goal after all. Note: It’s also possible that your hair texture can become looser from frequent wet detangling or brushing, particularly if there’s a section of your hair you brush more than others. While your hair texture will be looser than new growth, the degree to which will vary depending on the density of your hair, the size of your strands and the temperature and frequency of the heat you use. To achieve the most minimal damage when using heat for manageability, you must:

• Prevent your hair from overheating by blow drying your hair on the cool setting
• Make sure your hair is detangled and you are able to comb it from root to tip prior to blow drying. This prevents spot over heating when you encounter tangles. If you do come across a knot or tangle turn off your blowdryer, detangle with a comb and resume blow drying once you have removed it
• Avoid surpassing 400 degrees Fahrenheit on your ceramic flat iron and for hair that’s mildly (but not visibly) damaged avoid surpassing 300 degrees
• Blow dry at least 5 inches away from your head
• Use moisture shampoos and conditioners as a preparatory step before using heat
• Partially air dry your hair (50% or more) to reduce the amount of contact time the heat makes with your hair
• If you have a goal of long hair and you care greatly about retaining your hair pattern, I don’t recommend using heat more than once every 2 weeks
• If you notice that your hair is pretty manageable except for the roots don’t use heat on them as they will continue to loosen over time
• Realize that your texture should never change overnight and if it does, the heat setting you’re using is too hot. The hair won’t curl back and will have to be cut off
• Take small sections so that you distribute heat evenly through your hair

My Heat Regimen
I have found that I can go at least 1 year without requiring a trim if I flat iron once per year on 330 degrees Fahrenheit and blow dry no more than 12 times per year (once per month). I have over 60% shrinkage when I allow my wet hair to air dry and when my damp hair is blow dried, it’s still approximately 30% shorter than my hair flat ironed. I still have my natural curl pattern and no straight ends or areas that have loosened. I consider hair that is bone straight to be heat damaged because even hair that is properly relaxed is only intended to remove 85% of the natural curl pattern, not 100%, which is what heat abuse will do.

In Conclusion
It is possible to have great results, maintain most of your curl pattern, grow your hair long and have more styling options using heat, if you desire.

Have any of you incorporated heat styling into your regimen? Do you use heat mainly for styling or manageability?

Check out our list of recommended ionic blow dryers and ceramic flat irons:

Introduce yourself!
S: Hi my rooted people, my name is Sheila Attah and I was born and bred in London, UK but I’m of African descent (Ghanaian to be precise).

Why did you make the decision to go natural?
S: Well I didn’t ‘go natural’ as I have always remained natural, however initially it wasn’t by choice. I was so determined to relax my hair when I was younger, as that was the only way of combatting the stigma attached to my hair and lessening the pain of feeling like an outcast. My mum didn’t even give the idea a second thought and just like that my dream of looking like Rapunzel was shattered. Being a dancer really illuminated how much I wasn’t looking after my hair. I’m actually quite embarrassed to share this, but I’m hoping no one will judge me, lol. *Covers face* There were a few occasions where I would inadvertently leave my hair for weeks on end, total neglect. Please take a moment to imagine the amount of sweat and dirt accumulated in my hair from dancing, and we all know the effects sweat has on our hair. JUDGED!!! I saw how much my lack of care was damaging to my hair, and decided to take the necessary steps to deal with ‘natural hair care’. I soon learned how to embrace and love my napturalness.

How would you describe your texture?
S: I would say my hair falls in between 3C and 4A. It is quite thick and dense. Mainly the back of my hair is 4A, as it is a lot thicker back there. I do have a few straight strands here and there, but I believe my hair is still recovering from heat damage.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.
S: My main protective style is twists, yaaaay to my twisty tresses!! My hair takes forever to put in twists so I have to prepare myself mentally and physically. *Breathe Sheila* I always twist on washed hair. I start off with sectioning my hair into about 8 parts and then apply one of my three main oils (coconut oil, avocado oil and jojoba oil) or my shea butter mix, and comb out with a wide tooth comb before twisting the 8 sections. Lastly I wrap with my satin scarf overnight, ready to put in twists the next day – I would actually consider this as my stretching technique. When twisting my hair the next day I seal my ends with my homie Shea B!!! I love experimenting when my hair is in twists, to doing fancy updos, or putting it in bantu knots and curling rods just to give my twists a hint of undulation and groove. If my twists are looking a bit dated I will turn it into a twist out do. So before taking out the twists I mildly spritz my hair with my aloe vera water mix just to revive my hair, then I will apply some oil to my finger tips and gently take out the twists. This is mainly to help smooth down the frizz. Once all the twists are out I will style it to get my desired result and there we have it, Twist & Out!! If my hair is not in twists or a twist out then my hair is in the famous bun. I think I am known for always having my hair tied back in one with the ends tucked in to ensure they are protected. Sometimes if my hair doesn’t want to go in a bun then I will just leave it out, it’s so stubborn. I am also a massive fan of head wraps as it makes me feel somewhat regal until I take it off and then I’m just plain old Sheila again lol.

What does wash day look like for you?
S: I have to dedicate a whole day to this… Okay, so I start off with a deep condition. The state of my hair that month determines what sort of deep condition will be considered. So it could be a protein boost, which would be my typical egg, mayonnaise, honey and avocado oil, or I would use Rhassoul clay, or my staple conditioner Aussie. Before I put in the conditioner I spritz my hair mildly with water, not too much water otherwise it becomes very messy, but just enough to help with the detangling. Once the conditioner has been distributed evenly across my hair I cover my hair with a plastic bag (yes I said plastic bag, I’m trying to economise here) and then wrap my satin scarf on top. I will then prance up and down my house for about 45 minutes to 1 hour before rinsing out. If I’m using the egg mayo concoction then I will rinse my hair with luke warm water so that I don’t end up with scrambled egg in my hair. After rinsing out the conditioner, I will wash my hair with Crème Of Nature Argan Oil Sulfate-Free Shampoo and comb my hair with a wide tooth comb to comb out the last knotty parts of my hair. I know that a lot of naturalistas finger detangle, but I have noticed that it doesn’t really work for me and I end up getting my hands tangled up in my hair, very dignifying. Next, I use the Aussie as a leave-in conditioner (my hair is unequivocally and undeniably in love with Aussie). Lastly I section my hair into 6-8 parts and apply my homemade fluffy shea butter mix (which contains shea butter, olive oil, jojoba oil, coconut oil, avocado oil and a drop of peppermint oil) to my hair and twist the sections before wrapping with my satin scarf. If my hair isn’t in dire need of a wash but needs reviving, then I would rinse my hair with Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) mixed with water and then co-wash with the Aussie Conditioner.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.
S: My quick go to hairstyle is tying my hair back in one. If I want to be a bit experimental then I will do a quiff to jazz it up a tad.

How do you combat shrinkage?
S: I used to blow-dry my hair to combat shrinkage, now I don’t use it at all and if I do it will be once a year. Now after washing my hair I put in 8 large twists and then wrap my hair overnight. To be honest I actually don’t mind shrinkage as it reminds me of the many wonders that my hair carries, such as versatility, flexibility and resilience. The beauty of shrinkage is that there is that element of surprise when I blow-dry or straighten my hair. Who would have thought that those tight curls by your ear lobes could end up half way down your back!

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?
S: The front of my hair in comparison to the rest of my hair is very thin. As you’ve all learned already I have a habit of tying my hair back a lot. This can cause a lot of trauma to the front of my hair resulting in receding of the hairline. So now when I tie it back I use a Ghanaian medicinal hair balm and apply that to my edges just to take the pressure off.

What are 2 do’s for your texture?
S: I have to make sure that I use my satin scarf when going to bed otherwise I wake up with tangled hair and it’s a lot harder to deal with. It is also a must for my hair to be moisturised (especially when I’m at dance) otherwise it is prone to breakage and we can’t have that now, I’m trying to retain length.

What are 2 don’ts for your texture?
S: My main ‘don’t’ for my hair is just not to neglect it, listening to my hair, and responding accordingly is vital otherwise it spirals out of control – literally.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
S: My sister and I just recently set up a Vlog on YouTube called Hair The Beat. This is our space to have fun, incorporate our love for the arts and most importantly to share our hair tips and experiences: www.youtube.com/hairthebeat. You can also find us on Twitter @hairthebeat.

Also I’m calling out all my house lovers and dance lovers to come and join me at my weekly Afro House class where we touch base with Africa. It’s all about taking it back home, with music that will reveal your inherent groove, footwork that will navigate the way and grooves that will remind you of your roots. Class updates will be on Twitter!! Embarking on this journey has not only taught me about my hair, it has become more of a lifestyle and has permitted me to embrace myself as a whole. Lately I have been really sensitive to the ‘misconceptions’ that are considered synonymous to natural/afro hair. Many women shy away from embracing their natural hair due to a lack of information and negative connotations that surround it. The easiest option is usually to conform to the colours of society, to ensure acceptance, and to avoid the complications attached to natural/afro hair. These misconceptions will continue to exist if we feel threatened to be the very person that we are meant to be. To be honest the question is not if natural hair is for us because we were born with it, the question is whether we are willing to embrace our hair in a society that frowns upon it. Curlfriends don’t be afraid to be you, because we are all beautiful.

By Chinwe of Hair and Health

Porosity.  What is it?  It is a measure of how easily water and other substances can enter and exit the hair strand.  Depending on the condition of the hair’s cuticle layers, the porosity can rank from low (i.e., the result of flat, tightly bound cuticles) to high (i.e., the result of gaps or lifted cuticles).  Highly porous hair is more susceptible to moisture loss.  On the other hand, low porosity hair is more resistant to moisture loss … and also more resistant to moisture uptake.  If you have low porosity hair, check out these techniques for getting moisture into your strands:

1. Steam your hair

Some naturals with low porosity strands benefit from this routine.  The process is fairly simple and involves sitting under a hair steamer for 15-30 minutes.  Even if you do not own a steamer, you can still perform this step by being innovative (e.g., soak a towel in warm/hot water, wring slightly, wrap around your hair, then cover with a large plastic bag, and sit under a hooded dryer).  The purpose of this step is to lift the cuticle layers and infuse the hair strand with moisture.

2. Baggy your hair

This process involves applying a moisturizer to your hair, then covering with a plastic cap/bag until water vapor builds up in the cap/bag.  Some naturals prefer to do this process overnight while sleeping or during the day with a beanie or head wrap to disguise the plastic cap/bag.  Either way, the purpose of this method is to create a humid environment in which the hair has no choice but to absorb some moisture.

3. Lather twice while washing

Some of us prefer to lather once so as to not strip our strands of its natural oils, but those with low porosity hair may benefit from lathering twice. Why? Well, lathering twice can better remove product buildup and improve moisture uptake by the hair.  Additionally, some naturals who have low porosity claim to benefit from mixing a little baking soda with their shampoo.  (Take caution with doing this latter step as baking soda may or may not be harsh depending on your hair.)

4. Use a curl activator

Do you remember the “jheri curl” or “leisure curl”? Curl activators were used to replenish and retain moisture to these chemically treated looks in order to prevent dryness and breakage.  Though naturals obviously do not have these chemical treatments, many of those with low porosity have found the use of curl activators to be beneficial in moisturizing their strands.

5. Apply your moisturizer to damp not wet hair

Many naturals who have low porosity find that applying moisturizers (and even sealants) to soaking wet hair is not as effective as doing so to damp hair.  This is probably because as the hair dries, water droplets on and in the strand have evaporated a bit leaving room for your moisturizer to penetrate (and your sealant to coat your cuticle layers).  Obviously, you do not want to wait until your hair is completely dry; apply these products when your hair is damp.

Do you have low porosity?  Have you tried any of these methods?

Today’s dose of cuteness. Blue Ivy sports a headful of pigtails while on tour with her Mom Beyonce. Cute.

1. Pale Pink
To get this color to pop, or if you have two toned lips, try putting some foundation on your lips first. Style Icon Leila shows how it’s done…

And so does Style Icon Jennifer…

2. Plum
Plum is experiencing an explosion now thanks to celebs like Azealia Banks, Rihanna and Megan Fox, and as Style Icons Elise and Denisio show, the color goes particularly well with honey brown/blonde natural hair.

Elise…

and Denisio…

3. Pastel Pink
Style Icon Denisio wows again with a bubblegum pink lip. This playful color is perfect for a night out with your girlfriends.

4. Dark Purple
Style Icon Miriam is serving face with a dark purple lip. The deep shade beautifully highlights the shape of her lips.

Now here’s where things get a little more… interesting…

5. Black
Black lipstick was hot back in the 90s and it’s experiencing a resurgence. Style Icon Kalae is giving us a totally 90s vibe with her black lipstick, silk bomber jacket, gold bamboo earrings and chunky jewelry.

6. Turquoise and 7. Forest Green
We love how Style Icon Rosco’s turquoise lip offsets her teal pants. Her friend goes for a light forest green. Green is an awesome lip color against brown skin. Try it in shades of emerald or mint. Think forest green sounds far fetched? Model Amber Rose rocked the color quite fiercely back in 2012.

8. Blue
By keeping her hair and makeup subdued, Style Icon Naima shows how you can rock a blue lip without looking ratchet. She’s giving us an awesome afro-mermaid vibe!

9. Peach
Style Icon Brene laid all her cards on the table with this showstopping monochromatic peach ensemble. Daring and ladylike at the same time, this look is not for everyone but we are certainly loving it!

10. Yellow
At the end of the day makeup is about self expression, playfulness and fun! And we are definitely getting a light, fun vibe from Style Icon Rosco’s yellow lip. We also love how it contrasts with the darkness of her curls.

And there you have it! Which of these lip colors would you try? Which would you never even consider? Share in the comment box!