Saturday, November 30, 2013

The Frugal naturale.

Penny pinchin' yet up for some fab hair and ooooohs and aaaaahs over my mane, it can get expensive keepin' up the 'natural' lifestyle. Doesn't have to be tho! There's walmart n target n cvs n places like that whose products work just as well - without the big dent in your wallet.

So on Friday  I changed up my routine a wee bit. Used a different combo of my products (do you really want to see the baskets of my hair care junk? Nope!). 

I wash n condition every 10 or so days. Used to do every week but honey, there's more to life than just hair. Like movies and husbands and girlfriends. Every couple of months, I deep condition at Pauline's - My hair dresser. If I have a weave or braids I wash every two weeks. Hono is amazing. My other hair dresser. The one I cheat on Pauline with. Lmao!!! One is good for sets, color n stuff; The other for protective styles. What can I say, this African girl can have it ALL!! 

Anywho, first the shampoo .....
Cheap stuff. Bought them for 99 cents each at CVS this summer. Still going the mile!! With my hair soaked and lathered up using the shampoo, I applied Africa's best herbal oil to my hair. Shampoo strips your hair of dirt, oils, etc so for me, I feel I need to replace that not just at the styling stage but at the beginning. Not the dirt! The natural oils. Just a palmful. I gently massaged it in and boy did my hair feel good! Then a rinse. Warm to lukewarm H2O they say, is good for your hair. Sorry I don't follow that rule. I love my water hot! Change is a-coming and one day I will turn down the water temp. 😜
Followed by the moisturizing conditioner. Lots of it! Slobbered my hair with it. See, cheap is good for something! And I do not give up quality for quantity, if that's what you are thinking. This stuff is good and smells so yum!! This time I also added the little hair mayonnaise I still had left. I was not going to fight with the Black Friday mad folks at walmart just to get my organics hair mayo tub. Uh-uuhm!! 
Massaged the combo into my hair and scalp and left it for about 5 minutes. Wrapped with a walmart plastic bag. Yeh, I'm hood like dat! If you have  conditioning cap, go ahead with your bad self! Use it! I was too impatient to wait 10 minutes I had planned on....
Some neo soul on my tube-in radio didn't do much either to make me chill and let it flow 🎢🎢🎢🎢.....And I haven't invested in a steamer. Wish someone would peak at my Amazon wish list.....😜

Then a quick rinse and pat with towel. Rubbing breaks my hair so bad and gets it in knots. Divided the mane to two parts for easier management... The hair bands are the kind that are not supposed to break your hair..... They are almost 100% what they claim to be. πŸ˜„ I see a couple of strands on mine. Not too bad!

Hair still damp, I grabbed my knot today leave in conditioner and detangler  (kinky curly line of products. 11 bucks at target, whole foods, or urban beauty if u are in KC. Most Asian hair stores carry them now) and generously applied to each section. Silky goodness!!!! Immediately followed with some Moroccan argan oil to seal in the moisture. This oil is so light!! Love it. 
See the difference? No frizz! And my natural waves n curls are more defined. 

By the way, no brushing!! Breaks my hair so either a wide toothed comb or my fingers......
Like so, using my thumb to gently free up any stubborn sections my fingers encounter. 

Hmm. Keep the pony or not?

Not. I'm not 10 years old. πŸ‘Ž

Then I got to the twisting part. 
Divided the hair in sections then double twisted. Stretched, my hair is actually long!!!

Shrinkage is a hot mess! I prolly have 50% shrinkage. Poof! Goes my ponytail! Lol! I'm being silly.

Here are the twists.....
With no filter...... iPhone pics can make one look soooo fabulous!!!! πŸ’ƒ

When I was done twisting, hair was air dried pretty much. A dab of the Moroccan argan oil to the ends of the twists (oldest part of your hair - super fragile!). Just a little extra loving ......

My intention was to undo the twists later that day to finish the do I had in mind..... Decided to rock the twists to work..... They are still intact, and with no gel or nothin'! Tomorrow is Sunday. Will unravel them for my Church look! Super fro!
So you see? It doesn't have to be a cold turkey all organic, all natural hair products affair. All I used prolly totals 25 bucks, 30 tops and all last a long while! And oh, in my opinion, safe to use!! It's not like I suddenly have Indian silk on my head just coz I quit the hair crack and went for the big chop. It's just hair people. Just be kind to it, love it, live it, rock it!!!

Tomorrow I will add the picture of the twists unravelled. Wait, that could be a title for a book, or a movie!! Twists Unravelled. No? Okkkkkkay πŸ˜’. 

Tick tock!

Tick tock!

Today Is tomorrow! I mean it's yesterday's future.... You know what I mean.....

Twists unravelled.

A little moisture by wetting my hands and running through my hair. Twist sections finger combed. 
Followed with a little bit of that argan oil. Sometimes I finish with the herbal oil too.
Off to church! Running late.... Hate it!
After church session....

Ciao people and have a blessed week!!
The Frugal naturale. 

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Mizizi - Intro

Mizizi. That is Roots in Swahili. Some people say they experienced redemption, others say they found their identity when they chopped off the fried (oops! permed) hair they wore for years. Others say it was a break from the enslavement by hair crack. I don't know about all that. I believe each person has their own reason to go natural. Correction, go BACK to being natural. After all, that was the original form, right?

Come to think of it, I really do not know exactly why I decided to chop my chemical-treated hair. Was it the money I kept shelling out for the sets and styles? I shell about an equal amount whenever I go to a natural hair stylist if not more. Was it the broken hair strands I kept seeing on my comb and sink that drove me to the shear? I still see those same hairs when I do not take care of my natural mane well enough. Was it a desire for a different look? A different appeal? I think I look fabulous either way. Oh, did the million blogs that exist and peer pressure convince me to go for the big chop? Nope! Matter of fact, I was sure going natural was not going to be necessarily easier for me (much as my tangles are easy to manage).

I just know that one day I was tired of my edges that a horrible full lace stylist 'lined' to create a hairline I did not ask for. I wanted my natural hairline (all around) back and I did not have the patience to wait to nurse it back while hiding it with more damage (weaves and more full lace wigs). So I went for the big chop. Exhillarating! In the mirror I saw the high school girl I was 13 years ago. Soft, natural, curly brown hair. I smiled...... I am still smiling.