Going Natural (HAIR)!

[izayoi]

A lot of women of African or mixed African descent have decided to or are in the process of going natural and stopping the use of chemical relaxers to straighten their hair. Lets post tips and info for those that are transitioning or natural and struggling because they never learned to care for and appreciate their natural hair texture.

Tip 1: Feed your body well if you want healthy hair.

One thing that burns me up about hair blogs is how women can be uber obsessed with what's on their bodies, and then they search for a magic potion to grow healthy hair.
Take a holistic view of hair health and know that most times hair health reflects your physical and emotional health in general unless you have an acute, localized problem (ex. a fungal infection of the scalp or traction alopecia. See a dermatologist ASAP!).

I want to highlight part of a post by BGOL visitor Luciano:
The reason why blacks have a problem with hair is because the majority of us don't eat foods that will help our hair grow or prevent from becoming dry... Black people don't eat a high amount of foods such as nuts, seeds, beans and leafy vegetables which provide the minerals, carbs, fats, and proteins needed for the hair to grow and have a nice shine and be soft. We mostly eat foods high in saturated fat(the wrongs kind because it is from animals which have the same type of fat humans have therefore making it harder and longer to metabolize)and foods high in sugar which dries out your hair and skin.

Good post. Leafy greens, quality starches like plaintain, yam, brown rice, and lean proteins are the foundation of a good diet. If you are like me and are allergic to too many nuts and seeds consider avocados, and a quality cold-pressed fish oil supplement instead of nuts.

Tip 2: Coconut Oil is Awesome (tastes good and leaves your hair supple too!)

I can't say enough good things about coconut oil.:) If your hair is fine, then a little goes a looong way. Also, oils have a tendency to seal in moisture rather than create it. If your hair is dry and you put oil over top of it, it will probably just make it drier. Keep your hair clean, moisturize it with a good conditioner and then apply a little oil to the hair as a final step. Personally, I don't oil my scalp at all. When I eat right I don;t have a dry scalp. However, I know some people struggle with dry scalp. Monitor your diet and visit a dermatologist if need be. Mild fungal infections are the root cause of a lot of dandruff complaints


A few more interesting words from Luciano

Once you learn how the body works you realize a lot of shit sold on the market is just that, shit...Coconut oil is the only oil that is known to penetrate the hair shaft... If a woman ate a lot of nuts and seeds along with applying the coconut oil and exercising daily, her hair would be a huge, soft afro or if she were to straighten, be down her back. All done without chemicals. Unfortunately that is a dream because most women won't really change their diets that much to see such a huge and fast improvement.

^^^ Very thought provoking. Hair length may be in part determined by genetics but to what extent is debateable. Also, natural hair can suffer from heat damage if heat is abused, but occasionally I still flat iron (with coconut oil) and have not had a problem. What I DON'T do is a hot heat from hell blow dry and flat iron. I think constant blow drying is likely more damaging to natural hair than an occasional (not daily!) flat ironing.

[Cleopatra_J]

Great post izzy ...

You & Luchiano are right about people not being aware of how what they put in their bodies and how it affects things like hair & nails... Most people consider hair a "dead" entity and don't see it that way...

Very good info

[OnyxFemme]

I feel so bad........I havent had a perm in 3 years...I was going to get it loc'd:smh:



I broke down and permed it yesterday now I have to wait before I can even get my hair in my micros that have become my signature look............


Dayum you pregnancy hormones that make me so indecisive!!:angry:

[sevenatenine]

ah onyx the locs would have looked good on you.

[izayoi]

Great post izzy ...

You & Luchiano are right about people not being aware of how what they put in their bodies and how it affects things like hair & nails... Most people consider hair a "dead" entity and don't see it that way...

Very good info

Thanks Cleo- you have beautiful hair!
Hair may be "dead" but it reflects the condition of your scalp and hair follicles that are very much alive and being fed by your bloodstream.

It's funny though how personal and political hair is, but something like nails isn't. Humans are strange creatures. :lol:

I feel so bad........I havent had a perm in 3 years...I was going to get it loc'd:smh


I broke down and permed it yesterday now I have to wait before I can even get my hair in my micros that have become my signature look............

Dayum you pregnancy hormones that make me so indecisive!!:angry:

Awww don't feel bad. Your hair will grow fast anyway since you are preggers. If you decide to loc later, you have plenty of time or you can try sisterlocs. You can sisterloc with relaxer in your hair. I've straightened and/ or texturized my hair out of boredom many time since I first went natural, but I really enjoy my natural hair so I end up cutting it off and growing it back out. In some ways that's very renewing. A fresh start.


Tip 3: Henna! Smells herbally, but works good.


If natural hair needs a boost try Henna powder!
A body art quality henna will not turn your hair clown red.
It will smooth your hair and provide reddish highlights in sunlight. Its a great conditioner for fragile hair. I find that henna naturally relaxes my curl pattern a little bit making my hair much easier to deal with and it covers my grays (yeah I got some :angry:). I follow all my Hennas with a deep moisturizing conditioner as henna can make the hair feel stiff initially.

Henna has an earthy smell some object too. I mix mine with cloves to address that.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE CHEAP OR COLORED HENNA. Henna comes naturally only in one color- a greenish powder that releases a reddish dye. There's no such thing as "black" henna. Often those cheap brands have metallic salts that can interact BADLY with chemicals on your hair (relaxer AND color). Use only a quality BAQ (Body Art Quality) henna without additives. If you want black hair try a henna and indigo mix. If you want some conditioning without the red tint I've heard good things about Cassia. I've never tried Cassia though so I cant vouch for it.

Allergies to Henna are rare, but it can happen. Do a patch test.

www.hennaforhair.com is a great place for info and ordering.

This chick www.curlynikki.com swears by henna and her hair is beautiful. She also has a tutorial on her blog.

[ladyscorpio]

already natural

http://i28.tinypic.com/2ywb8m0.jpg

[OnyxFemme]

Izayoi-What are sister loc's??? Sounds promising!
On the way to google now!

That is such a beautiful picture-look at your hair:yes:
already natural

http://i28.tinypic.com/2ywb8m0.jpg

[izayoi]

already natural

http://i28.tinypic.com/2ywb8m0.jpg

SMH--there's always one hair flipper that has to come in a thread and stunt. That would be you! :hmm:




:lol:

[ladyscorpio]

:cool: wut :) thread sed GOING natural well I can't go natural if am already there :D

LMAO @ hair flipper :lol::lol:

[izayoi]

Izayoi-What are sister loc's??? Sounds promising!
On the way to google now!



Onyx if you like micros you will like sisterlocs! They are expensive to start though and like micros it takes a long time. However, once they are loced they are really lovely. Many women start them with relaxer still in their hair. Your hair is basically latched with a tool and they will not unravel. As your hair grows out you cut the relaxed parts off. You can do a cheap knock off version with braidlocs. There used to be a lady that sold a manual online on how to braidloc your own hair but not sure if she is still around. You can google "latching method" for locs and see what pops up.

Tip 4: Going Natural is only as Hard as YOU make it!


Sistas there are a bazillion hair blogs and sites. Some have a lot of good info like www.nappturality.com and www.tightlycurly.com but inevitably even on the best blogs/forums you will get a list of whoa is me tales about how hard it is to go natural, how everybody hates "nappy" hair, and my favorite "why can't my hair look like XYZ's hair."

First off its YOUR hair- stop trying to live your hair life in someone else's ass crack. It's not that serious! The way your hair grows out of your scalp is uniquely yours so embrace and enjoy it or change it! That's the best part about it being just hair. You can change it however you see fit including relaxing again if you choose. It's YOUR choice.

Remember, opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one and they all stink so what are you REALLY worried about? If you are struggling with feeling attractive, consider that there may be some other underlying self esteem issues. No shame in that, because we ALL have them! Don't make your hair the scapegoat.

Can't meet a man because you have natural hair...EXCUSES! There ARE men that enjoy natural hair. Plus, I thought the point of selecting a mate was finding somebody who accepted you for all you are and aren't? If you are strongly positive about your natural hair, shouldn't your man be too? :confused:

If you live in area where there aren't many naturals some folks may stare and say something ignorant, but what do they know?
Likely, these are the same people with extra bottles of emergency weave glue in their purses and paint brush phony pony tails. They have a right to their hair choices too. :cool:

Just like when you were relaxed, some people are going to like it and some are going to hate it...It's not right, but it's ok :yes::yes::yes:

[Cleopatra_J]

Thanks Cleo- you have beautiful hair!
Hair may be "dead" but it reflects the condition of your scalp and hair follicles that are very much alive and being fed by your bloodstream.

It's funny though how personal and political hair is, but something like nails isn't. Humans are strange creatures. :lol:



Awww don't feel bad. Your hair will grow fast anyway since you are preggers. If you decide to loc later, you have plenty of time or you can try sisterlocs. You can sisterloc with relaxer in your hair. I've straightened and/ or texturized my hair out of boredom many time since I first went natural, but I really enjoy my natural hair so I end up cutting it off and growing it back out. In some ways that's very renewing. A fresh start.


Tip 3: Henna! Smells herbally, but works good.


If natural hair needs a boost try Henna powder!
A body art quality henna will not turn your hair clown red.
It will smooth your hair and provide reddish highlights in sunlight. Its a great conditioner for fragile hair. I find that henna naturally relaxes my curl pattern a little bit making my hair much easier to deal with and it covers my grays (yeah I got some :angry:). I follow all my Hennas with a deep moisturizing conditioner as henna can make the hair feel stiff initially.

Henna has an earthy smell some object too. I mix mine with cloves to address that.

CAUTION: DO NOT USE CHEAP OR COLORED HENNA. Henna comes naturally only in one color- a greenish powder that releases a reddish dye. There's no such thing as "black" henna. Often those cheap brands have metallic salts that can interact BADLY with chemicals on your hair (relaxer AND color). Use only a quality BAQ (Body Art Quality) henna without additives. If you want black hair try a henna and indigo mix. If you want some conditioning without the red tint I've heard good things about Cassia. I've never tried Cassia though so I cant vouch for it.

Allergies to Henna are rare, but it can happen. Do a patch test.

www.hennaforhair.com is a great place for info and ordering.

This chick www.curlynikki.com swears by henna and her hair is beautiful. She also has a tutorial on her blog.

Thank you!

I might look into the henna.. my hair needs some color. In the summer, i get great reddish tints on the bottom, but with trims in the winter it goes away. How long does the henna tint last? and I'm all up for taming my curls, they are soo tight ..

and how much does it cost?

I can't wait for the weather to cool up (first time ever!) because I need to get my hair straightened....

[izayoi]

Thank you!

I might look into the henna.. my hair needs some color. In the summer, i get great reddish tints on the bottom, but with trims in the winter it goes away. How long does the henna tint last? and I'm all up for taming my curls, they are soo tight ..

and how much does it cost?

I can't wait for the weather to cool up (first time ever!) because I need to get my hair straightened....

Cleo my henna tint lasts "fresh" looking for at least 2 months and I wash my hair at least once a week and wet it more often than that if its frizzy to perk it up. After a few months the tint fades (doesn't disappear just cools) and I re-henna. The fade is very natural and I don't get color all over my towels every time I wash my hair. The slight relaxing effect lasts me a long time actually. Again the relaxing is very subtle, but my hair is noticeably less frizzy and smoother looking (my hair is curly, but it is very coarse). Henna basically just coats your hair shaft making it a little heavier and smoother. It doesn't break down the hair structure like a chemical texturizer.

Important thing to keep in mind is what color your hair is to start. If its a little sandy colored then it will look more red all over. My hair is dark brown and naturally I have red undertones so my hair doesn't pick up the tint to the extent that I end up looking like a full red head unless I'm in sunlight or under a lamp.

Henna is not expensive at all. I pay like 6-8 bucks for a 100gs and that works for my hair. You may need more for your long hair. You can also find it cheaper at Indian or Pakistani grocery store BUT if you go that route make sure its 100% henna (no additives/ no colors) and that its safe to use on the body. I would definitely patch test. I have also found that some of the Indian store brands have lots of twigs and crap in there (like cheap weed :lol:) and it's hard to rinse out. However, some ladies do fine with store brands.

I order from here:
http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hairhenna.html

I order the Henna for African Hair because it is very easy to rinse out of curly hair, but people I hear do well with the Punjabi prime too. That site is pretty good quality overall.

[OnyxFemme]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WJHF5u4WuM4/SCOLORAfA_I/AAAAAAAAAOM/sp08P6bZ6Ck/s320/Sister%2BLocs%2B018.jpg
http://khamitkinks.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/anu-prestonia4.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_EyCA6TjvWv4/R92PAFHKpeI/AAAAAAAAA1w/ceAurAEAY7o/s400/ok+041.JPG

Also a cool blog I found......Yep I am sad...I wish I wouldnt have permed my hair...
http://docslocs.blogspot.com/2008/12/sisterlocks-photo-essay-months-1-to-10.html

[izayoi]

That's a really nice blog!
Wonderful pics and hey no worries Onyx- after the baby and a few months of new growth sisterlocs can be yours if you want them.:dance:

[CT's Finest]

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f15/2jzmk3/Forum%20pics/2h6twg1.gif

Don't mind me ladies. I'm just passing through...

[izayoi]

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f15/2jzmk3/Forum%20pics/2h6twg1.gif

Don't mind me ladies. I'm just passing through...

Hi CT!:dance:

Tip 5: Don't be a product junkie (at least not indefinitely)

You may or may not be able to use a lot of the same products on your natural hair as your relaxed hair...but that's a big MAYBE.
Natural hair may need more moisture and your curls and squiggles may suffer from those too heavy with oil concoctions that are common in most commercial black hair products. This doesnt mean you have to break the bank finding all natural products OR spending all day in your garden growing your own (though thats always a great thing if you have the time and resources).

Some Basics:

Good rinse out conditioner (I LOVE Honey Hemp by www.oyinhandmade.com but Aussie Moist is a cheap and effective drugstore brand)
Good Leave In conditioner (Giovanni Direct Leave-In is a great brand easily found in Target and Rite Aid)
Gentle, non-drying shampoo (optional for some, but I use any cheap one in a diluted state)
Coconut or Shea butter (optional but some people need a little oil. Shea butter is terrible in my hair but many women do well with it mixed with aloe, or whipped into a cream.)
Apple Cider Vinegar (optional-makes a great clarifier if you have product build-up)
Wide tooth comb

That's it. There are loads and loads of different styling cremes and gels that you may want to try. Have fun! Just dont feel like you have to go broke looking for a magic hair elixir. I use my leave in conditioner to style my hair 95% of the time.

You may find yourself collecting hair accessories like a fool, but that's ok. :)

[CT's Finest]

^^^ Hey Izzy!!! I hope you ladies don't mind me passing through... But to speak to the topic, I know a few ladies who have decided to go natural. I think it's a good look. Whatever works, and looks good is OK with me. Props to all the ladies out there. Keep doing your thing whether you have natural hair or not. Rock what's best for you...

[izayoi]

^^^ Hey Izzy!!! I hope you ladies don't mind me passing through... But to speak to the topic, I know a few ladies who have decided to go natural. I think it's a good look. Whatever works, and looks good is OK with me. Props to all the ladies out there. Keep doing your thing whether you have natural hair or not. Rock what's best for you...

Exactly CT! Wear what makes you feel good and honor other people's choices. I think its only a problem when women look down on other women for how they chose to wear their hair.

I would also hope that most men feel the way you do because so many black women have insecurities about black men not liking natural hair. Certainly there are some, but I think most men are really not all that concerned about it as long as what you are wearing looks good on you!

[Cleopatra_J]

I love me some Carol's Daughter Hair Balm.. I need to get some because I'm all out & been using Optimum's Oil Moisturizer and it makes my hair feel sooo heavy :(

[izayoi]

Cleo I used to LOVE Carol's Daughter but as coarse as my hair is I still find it a little heavy for me. I prefer Oyin.
Their "shine and define" has a light whipped texture and light hold- it sucks for a wet set but it's really nice for twists and to set damp (but not soaking wet) hair. It makes a great light lotion too.

Carol's Daughters scents are awesome though. I really loved the smell of her Loc Butter and her hair Milk.

They sell CD at Sephora now just in case you didnt know!!

[mcguyver]

WHOOOHOOO booty

[essayyweb1]

Great post! I am glad I finally found some info about healthy hair. Your tips for healthy hair are really good and easy to apply. Thanks..

[Pole11]

In my opinion, when you go natural it's a bit better but way harder to control. I still prefer doing various chemical treatment to hair and still you can have a healthy relaxed hair, if you know how to take care of it.