Why is my hair breaking??

People always say to me "I'm moisturing with X product, I've stopped doing X , I'm being gentle...why is my hair breaking?!"

1) You haven't learnt how to moisturise your hair properly.



Most people think that their hair is moisturised when it's laden with grease or oil. Uh-uh...water aka H20 is your cheapest and best-est (:-)) moisturiser. When I moisturise my hair I :

• Spray a mixture of  with water and vegetable glycerin on my hair. (roughly 70% water 30% glycerin)
• Apply a leave in/ water based moisturiser, 
• Finally seal with an oil e.g Castor oil, Coconut oil etc.

 Generally, it's important to do all 3 of these steps or your hair won't be properly moisturised. Sometimes, I don't need to seal with an oil if my moisturiser is good enough, and in the summer if my hair is in twists/ braids, I can sometimes just spray on  mix of water, glycerin and conditioner and be good to go.

Also, if you're using products with petroleum, lanolin, mineral oil, or a lot of silicones, your hair will be moisturised at first, but after a few days/ weeks will become dry. Check out my post on products for more info http://thatgirlwiththefro.blogspot.com/2011/03/products.html.


2)You're manipulating your hair too much.

 

Ever noticed that guys hair grows at astronomical rates, and they seem to do NOTHING to it ??. Precisely. Along with a little added help from testosterone (which apparently gives hair growth a boost), guys hair grows longer because they braid it and leave it be. No playing, excessive styling etc.

• Stop playing in your hair all the time.I repeat. Stop.Walk away from the fro.
• Keep your hair in protective styles as much as possible. (twists, braids, extensions, loose buns, updos etc)
• Treat your hair gently..less combing and brushing, gentler detangling. Check out my vid on this ----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCvcOvItohA

3)You haven't got the correct moisture/protein balance.

 Your hair is made up of water and keratin (a protein). If either one is off balance, your hair will break. Hair that needs more protein is mushy feeling, the strands are very stretchy and elastic and it's lifelesss and flat. Hair that needs more moisture is brittle and hard and the strands aren't very elastic or stretchy.

To get more protein, use products that have : Hydrolysed Wheat Protein, Silk Amino Acids,  and Soy Protein. Plant based proteins aren't as strong as animal based ones, so soy is quite a good light one to start off with. Most conditioners have a light protein in them and you can get deep reconstructors like Aphogee.

If you're unsure what your hair needs, err on the side of more moisture. To get more moosture, follow the mosturising tips I stated in point 1, and avoid products with moisture zapping ingredients, and hrash shampoos. Remember, your hair loves water, but that doesn't ,ean you have to wash it all the time, just that you should try to spray or dampen it with water or use water based products regularly.

That's all folks..if I think of anymore, I'll do a part 2.....Peace, Love and Hair Grease  :-) xx

Hair Abuse

"Can I touch it?? Ooooh, it looks so good!!! It smells good too!....It looks like a puffy cloud..you don't mind if I touch it do you......do you??!!....."

*black woman side eye*. Uh...maybe I do? Maybe you're in my personal space?

 I had an experience in Atlanta when I was sitting in church, and out of nowhere, a grown man - yes, 6 feet tall and 'err-thang, thought it was cool to put his hands (unsolicited) in my fro, massage my scalp and say "Wow...aaawwessome", like this was normal, everyday behaviour. Sorry, what!!?? Are you aware of what you just did?! Mmmm...you can't be aware. Wait, you are aware? And you're smirking like this is cool?! Unfortunately, I'm not the only one.....

(CNN) -- Tamara Winfrey Harris tells a story of being in a chain restaurant with her husband when their names were called for a table
Just as the couple rose to go, a middle-aged white woman standing nearby reached out swiftly to touch Winfrey Harris's hair which at the time was styled in natural twists.
"She missed by mere seconds, she was actually going to grab my hair as I walked past her," recalled Winfrey Harris who runs the blog What Tami Said. "I turned around and she said, 'Oh, your hair is neat.' It just floored me because who does that, just reaches out and touches strangers?" (CNN.com)


What is it about afros or curly hair or natural hair that makes people feel they can just touch it?? Everyone knows a black woman with a fresh perm does not appreciate your hands all up in there. SO why don't naturals get the same level of respect? Why are we exotic zoo creatures to be petted,  and poked and prodded?  I understand that our hair is somewhat unusual in the sense that a lot of black women straighten their hair, and don't get me wrong, I sometimes like people playing in my hair (puts me to sleep :-)), but close family and close friends only. Not the general public and random strangers or vague acquaintances! Why can't people get this?


Is there some deep psychological reasoning behind this madness...let a girl know, please...


Peace, Love and Hair grease folks xx

Product Review: Kuza Shea Butter

Kuza 100% African Shea Butter, £2.99.

Hey folks, just a quickie product review. Kuza Shea Butter is they claim, 100% natural, unrefined Shea Butter which is hand poured. It's a yellow colour, and the texture is similar to.....well, butter.... Having used other unrefined shea butter brands before, this one is a lot creamier and less hard to manipulate which I assume means that they've whipped it before, because shea butter that hasn't been tampered with is never that smooth.

Despite that, it definitely smells like shea butter and when used on my skin made it suuuper soft. My hairs in yarn braids at the moment, so I can't give a 'full hair review', but I used it on a little section at the back, and it made it smooth and soft and shiny. :-).



Pros:

• All natural, unrefined
• Cheap.
• Don't have to buy it online.
• Made my hair soft.
• Can be used on hair and skin.

Cons:

• Has a nutty scent that SOME people may not like.
• Could lead to build up as it very thick.

Overall, I give this a 4 1/2 out of 5, it's a great product and at a great price too. Check out your local black hair shop to see if it has it!

Natural Spotlight: Charlotte Bramble

Hey guys, had a little hiatus....the lovely Charlotte agreed to do a natural spotlight for me, she has some great advice, so enjoy :-)

Hi Charlotte! Thanks for agreeing to do this, can you tell us a little about yourself?

Hey Shade Great to be on your amazing blog! Ok, so a lil about myself… well first and foremost I am a child of the loving living creator God! (Just like you :D) I’m 22 years old and I’ve just finished my second year of a Psychology and Education degree at the University of Northampton. I really enjoy singing, reading (though I’m rubbish at finishing books :/), playing the guitar, psychology, being with my family and friends and in nature I also have a random love for Volkswagen camper vans! Lol. They are just the coolest looking vehicles ever! Add to that that the fact that that you can travel and sleep in them too! Just amazing 

How long have you been natural for?
Hmmm… well I think I’ve been natural for about 9 months (since Sept 2010). Technically that’s how long it’s been since I cut my texturised ends off, however it’s been longer than that since I had my last texturiser. I stopped texturising about a year and a half ago I think… Those who know me will have seen my natural hair since January of this year (2011) 

Why did you decide to go natural or what inspired you?

Since about 2006/7 I had been texturising and straightening my hair probably every 3 months or so. It started off looking and feeling really nice and I was looking after it (the best way I knew how). Eventually however it began to break a lot. It became very thin and lifeless and wouldn’t grow longer than about the bottom of my neck before it broke off. I just knew something had to be done… My best friend (Leah Sweeney ) sent me someone’s YouTube video tutorial for crochet braiding and by mistake I fell upon a few natural hair videos. Some of these girls had longer and healthier hair than I had seen before in afro textured hair! I began to realise that it is possible for me to have longer, stronger, beautiful and healthy hair and that this was the way that God had designed for my hair to be I actually became a bit of a natural hair YouTube addict during that time. No joke.
I also went to Willesden church towards the end of last year and was shown a presentation by Natasha Briscoe about the health risks of using relaxers and other chemical treatments! I was further convinced that natural really was the way forward for me!  

How long did it take you to transition? What were the main problems you found while transitioning?

It was about 2/3 months transitioning from my last texturiser to when I cut my straight ends off. I then put in extensions and crochet braids so my FULL transition from last texturiser to exposed natural hair (no extensions or crochet braids) took 7 months. Because I used extensions or crochet braids for most of my transition it wasn’t too traumatic or frustrating. The only frustrating thing was being patient. I was so excited to be natural 

What styles did you use to transition with?

Whilst I did contemplate doing the famous Big Chop aka the BC, I then decided to go for the less TRAUMATIC option (lol) of transitioning using extensions and crochet braids. There are some people who look great with a TWA (Teeny Weenie Afro) but I was pretty sure I was not going to be one of them. Using braids to transition was ok for my hair but was not nice to my fine edges. Once my natural hair had grown out about two inches I then cut off my straight ends and…. Put them in crochet braids. Yeh, I still wasn’t quite brave enough to rock a TWA. So I wore them for about 4 months (one month at a time). In January I finally decided that my hair had grown long enough for me to be seen outside the house. Lol. It was so exciting styling it!

What were your favourite products while transitioning?
Water and glycerine all the way! I kept my hair and scalp hydrated with this combo in a spray bottle. I washed my hair with shampoo and deep conditioned in between crochet braid applications but not while I had them in… this worked for me and I got about 2 inches of growth during that 4 months
What are your favourite products now?
Shea butter! Yes my hair loves it! Also water (economically friendly lol) and glycerine (vegetable I’ve been told is the best), olive oil… anything natural and cheap to purchase. I’m still trying to find a leave-in that I love. Using At One with Nature at the mo… it’s ok.  

How have people responded to your new look?
You know what… I’ve received nothing but compliments since I went natural. It actually really surprised me. I mean I did hope people would appreciate it as I was growing to appreciate it, but I wasn’t expecting such rave reviews. Seriously I haven’t heard one bad word. Praise the Lord for that but honestly others opinions really shouldn’t be the basis upon which you should decide to go natural. Compliments are a bonus though (Just don’t let it big up your head and remember who made you!)
Have you got any advice or words of wisdom for other new naturals or transitioners?
Yes I have! Ladies… ever heard the phrase love the skin you’re in? Well…

1. LOVE THE HAIR YOU GOT!  Seriously, learning to love the hair you were made with is sooo liberating! I always felt a lil uncomfortable with feeling ‘prettier’ with hair that was not mine (although yes I did buy it lol) or that was not my natural texture. Whilst I understand that there are a number of legitimate reasons why we decide to relax or do other things with our hair, my reasons were not legitimate and actually held me hostage to destructive, false thinking and ended up damaging the hair I had!  So for those who are en route to naturaliciousness (yes I did just make up that word) don’t let anyone discourage you and keep your head high.  
2. Don’t mess in your hair too much. I’m learning that hair really does thrive when it is resting so give it a break once in a while and put it in a protective style (I’ve got mine in crochet braids at the moment). If you don’t give it a break it will give itself a break… by that I mean it will come out in your hands. Not cool
3. Last thing… YOU ARE NOT YOUR HAIR! Don’t let it take over your life (trust me it so easily can if you let it). God cares about your hair but He cares much more about your heart! Keep that balance yourself and you’ll do great.

Updo

Pompadour

What's the deal with hair gel part 2...

Onwards and upwards. Literally. (In price and quality). So I copped a couple natural hair gels from natural shops. Literally a couple cos they're kinda pricey.

 1) Komaza Care Coconut Curly Pudding
This stuff is good. But expensive. But lasts ages if you're using it for your edges and holding down the front of your hair. But expensive. But lasts ages. See the dilemma??

 (Pic copyright  is www.britishcurlies.com)

Pros:

•  Smells like coconuts. Yum.
• All natural.
• Minimal flaking.
• Good hold.
• Doesn't make hair really stiff (I only use it on my edges).
• Didn't get spots from it. (you know how hair gel can make you breakout around your forehead?)
• 1 pot is lasting me a good year. (I hope it hasn't gone 'off')

Cons:

• Pricey, pricey, pricey. For hair gel?? I think I got overexcited and imagined I was a BALLER.
• Can't use it to define curls (which is what it says it does), without a moisturiser underneath, otherwise you get hard hair.
• Did I mention it was expensive? (cop this joint at www.britishcurlies.com (if you're from the U.K))

 2) Holland and Barret Aloe Vera Gel

This stuff is meant for your skin, but can be used on hair. Picture copyright H and B. Before they come and sue me. I guess any Aloo vera gel would work, so US and Canadian version would be like Lilly of the Valley Aloe Gel.

Pros:

• Cheaper than other natural hair gels. (£4.99 for large size, £2.99 for small).
• Natural ingredients.
• Good for skin and hair (double use product..this is GREAT at clearing up skin, I try to remember to use it regularly)
• Moisturising.

Cons:

• A bit flaky, left white gunk.
• No yummy smell :-(.
• Hold isn't great

Overall Hair gel verdict:

Natural hair and gel dooo go together, but you have to find the right one for your hair type, budget and combo of products. If you use a lot of products in your hair, you will might white goop and potentially flaking.
Unlike moisturisers etc, there are some shop brands that are just as good as the natural ones, and they're pretty affordable. However, the natural gel I use the most (Komaza) is great and I like the smell and ingredients. Having said that, I also regularly use the Organic Root Stimulator lock and twist gel, and found that to be great as well.  Natural hair doesn't have to be expensive...It's up to you!

Peace, Love and Hair grease folks x

What's the deal with Hair Gel? (plus reviews) Part 1

Who remembers the days (I'm hoping they're long gone), when everyone used to gel down their fringes to the side of their face, one eye peeping out from behind, and inevitably acne erupting from the goop slathered on...? I can't lie and say i never attempted to do it, but my poofy hair just wouldn't lie down flat no matter how much JAM I used. So what's the deal with natural hair and gel? Should you use it? How often? What type?

Generally the main ingredients in hair gel are (according to wikipedia) cationic polymers, that bind to the neagtive anions of hair keratin (bit of science for ya..), so that the hair can be moulded into shape. Hair gel often has non-curly friendly ingredients such as drying alcohols, mineral oil or petrolatum, polythene glycol etc.
So should you use hair gel? Well, it's up to you.

Pros:

• It can make edges look neater/ more presentable.
• It can provide better hold for styles such as twist outs, braid out, two strand twists etc.
• It can give greater styling options and variety.

Cons:

• Depending on what type you use, it can dry out your hair.
• Gels often don't mix well with other products, leaving a white goop, or flakes.
• Regular use of hair gel around your edges can lead to spots, and clogged pores.

Shop Bought Gels

I've used a couple of these.You can buy them in any normal black hair shop and don't have to go online or go to a health shop to get them...

1) Let's JAM Shining and Conditioning Gel
So this hasn't got airplay in years, mainly because it has mineral oil high up on the ingredient list, and secondly because as I recall, it didn't work too well on my hair, and my hair was a looser texture then than it is now (due to blowdrying etc).

 Pros:

• It is a lot less prone to flaking etc than other hair gels,but can be a little greasy. 
• It doesn't seem to leave hair very hard.
• I quite like the smell..like sweets. Some people might find it a bit sickly sweet.
• Isn't water based. I know my cousin used this because water based gels would just make her hair frizz. 
• Cheap

 Cons:

• Bad ingredients. Mineral oil, basically nothing natural.
• Will melt in fervent heat. Lol. Be prepared for a nice oily halo.
• Doesn't have great hold.
• Isn't water based. I personally like water based gels.

2)Elasta QP  Feels Like Silk Design Gel

 I used this once for a wash and go when my hair was shorter. I remember my curls being defined, but kinda crunchy and hard.

Pros:

• Good ingredient list - no alcohols, no silicones, no petrolatum. Thumbs up.
• Good hold
• Non - greasy
• Cheap

Cons:

• Made my hair a bit crunchy
• Not moisturising
• Has parabens (if you avoid parabens - I'm try to, but I'm not too stringent about it)

3) Organic Root Stimulator Lock and Twist Gel

This is a gel to use when twisting, plaiting or locking the hair. I really love this stuff. It's cheap as well and you can get it from any black hair shop.

Pros:

• Mostly natural ingredients.
• Reaaaaly moisturising
• I like the coconutty smell. (I have a thing for coconut)
• Black owned company (from what I last heard....yup, it's good to support black business, folks)
• Will leave shiny twists.
• Good with extensions as well.
• Cheap

Cons:

• Holding power isn't as great as other gels.
• Could get a bit greasy if overused.

In part 2 I'll review some of the more pricey gels I've used (only 2 or 3 to be fair) and weigh up whether it's worth the extra cost....

Peace, Love and Hair Grease folks! x

Natural Hair Accessories

Sooooo...natural hair is never boring in my opinion. But - there's alway a million and one more ways to make it look even more afrolicious. Hair accessories are a great way to liven up a boring style, or to switch a look up from daytime to evening styles.

Scarves

This is a really fun look with polka dots. The way the scarf is tied seems quite intricate though..might see if I can figure that out another time..

For a retro/ quirky vibe a red bandanna can be used to make a simply ponytail look different. I like the way she's added a quiff at the front...

Sometimes, there are those bad hair days when all you ant to do is hide your hair....a colourful printed scarf  can even be good wnough for evening wear/ going out ...I think Tracee Ellis Ross looks lovely.

 This is just me with long kinky twist extensions.....the edges were getting messy and looked like peppercorns, so the scarf was neeeded...

I wouldn't usually use a pastel colour like this, but I like the way she's swept her fringe under the scarf..

Hats

This is just simple. Side ponytail with a hat at an angle.

This is a really casual look...good for when you want to completely hide your hair and just slum around.

Not sure if I would be brave enough to rock this one, but Solange manages to pull it off...

This was just before I went on holiday to Jamaica a couple years back. I had my hair in two strand twists (small ones), and just jammed a straw hat on top..

More of a turban than a hat.

Flowers

From www.weddingbee.com - a great style for summer, and something that could be replicated on looser or tighter textures and look cute.

This was for s hot I did for Afrocenchix (www.afrocenchix.com)...I did my hair in a side ponytail, and added a flower at the side...

www.madamenoire.com ....Simple curly afro look with a flower.

If you have any inspirational photos of you rocking a natural accessory, share them! I'd love to post them up....

Peace, Love and Hair Grease folks xx