Assorted pics from google search.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Hair inspirations- curly edition
Assorted pics from google search.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
My journey to healthy hair
I received weekly deep conditioning treatments by my hair stylist, and my hair slowly started to recover. I again scoured the internet to look for ways to grow my hair. I just refused to believe I could not achieve the same hair length my extensions provided. I convinced myself the impossible could become the possible, and I found my holy grail to healthy hair, Long Hair Care Forum. This website has been instrumental to my hair growth and health. I am pretty sure I would not be transitioning to natural if I wouldn't have found this website. I realized I knew absolutely nothing about my hair. I had entrusted my hair for years to stylists, usually getting my hair done every 1-2 weeks. I hadn't needed to know about my hair. I decided it was time for me to start listening to my hair.
A few things that I learned from her:
1.Only use heat occasionally. I used to use heat on my hair daily, with no heat protectant. I now only use direct heat once a month. I get my hair professionally straightened once a month. My current hair stylist does a great job with my 2 textures (relaxed and natural).
2. Water is key. I condition wash my hair every 2-3 days when its curly. This means that I use only conditioner on my hair. I shampoo my hair once a week. I also deep condition my hair twice a week under a hooded dryer for at least 30 minutes.
3.Moisture, moisture, moisture. I use a leave in conditioner after washing my hair, and a moisturizer once a day until the next wash. I make sure my ends stay moisturized, since that is the oldest part of the hair. I then seal with an oil. (The oil prevents you from losing moisture.) I have just about used them all, but I am currently loving grapeseed oil.
4. Protective styles. I usually wear my hair up 5 days a week when curly. Hair rubbing against clothing is more prone to breakage.
5. There is not a one size fits all for hair. My SIL has beautiful, midback length, thick natural hair. She can use heat several times a week without problems. My hair would be a mess. Do what works for you, and stick with it.
A few things that I learned from her:
1.Only use heat occasionally. I used to use heat on my hair daily, with no heat protectant. I now only use direct heat once a month. I get my hair professionally straightened once a month. My current hair stylist does a great job with my 2 textures (relaxed and natural).
2. Water is key. I condition wash my hair every 2-3 days when its curly. This means that I use only conditioner on my hair. I shampoo my hair once a week. I also deep condition my hair twice a week under a hooded dryer for at least 30 minutes.
3.Moisture, moisture, moisture. I use a leave in conditioner after washing my hair, and a moisturizer once a day until the next wash. I make sure my ends stay moisturized, since that is the oldest part of the hair. I then seal with an oil. (The oil prevents you from losing moisture.) I have just about used them all, but I am currently loving grapeseed oil.
4. Protective styles. I usually wear my hair up 5 days a week when curly. Hair rubbing against clothing is more prone to breakage.
5. There is not a one size fits all for hair. My SIL has beautiful, midback length, thick natural hair. She can use heat several times a week without problems. My hair would be a mess. Do what works for you, and stick with it.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Transitioning, my story
I initially began my transition not by choice. Long hair was something that always eluded me, but when I was planning my wedding, I decided that I wanted to have long hair on my wedding day. My last experience with extensions was as a teenager when I asked my mom if I could get braids like Janet Jackson in Poetic Justice. I remember sitting for about 8 hours to get these braids. After wearing them for 1/2 a day, and having the worst headache/scalp pain of my life, my mom cut them out of my hair the next morning. (Thanks mom!!) So fast forward to two months prior to my wedding, I found a hair stylist online who could put in extensions. I must say I loved them. I'm not exactly sure how they were put in, but basically the extensions were just weaved in with my own hair hanging down. I loved how it looked. I became pretty good at many different heat styles. I went on YouTube frequently to check out different styles and received almost daily compliments on my hair.
My wedding day came and went and it was time to go back to her to get the extensions tightened again. I have not felt pain like that since that day years ago. My hair was so matted with the extensions, she ripped through my hair with a fine tooth comb. I looked in horror at all the hair on the floor. I touched the hair on my head, and to my surprise, my already fine hair was even finer and shorter than before. I had gone from almost armpit length up to shoulder length hair. With tears in my eyes, I let her put the extensions in my hair again (yes, what the hell was I thinking). A few days later, I noticed a quarter size bald spot on my scalp. The extensions were removed the next day.
In tears, I headed back home. I hated my thin, limp hair. I didn't want my new husband to see my hair like this! I called to warn him it was bad. He promised that it was not as bad as I thought, which he reiterated when he saw me. He has been my biggest supporter through this. Of course, I didn't believe him. I saw my hair stylist a few days later, and was again in tears. She also promised me it was not that bad. She gave me a fresh trim and told me we would not color or relax my hair until my hair got healthier. Thank goodness for her! This new hair was so foreign to me, not only because of how it now looked, but I had been relaxing my hair every 10-12 weeks for 20 years. I started coloring my hair in college for fun, then out of necessity when I noticed my first grey hair around my 30th birthday.
My last relaxer was April 29, 2010.
My wedding day came and went and it was time to go back to her to get the extensions tightened again. I have not felt pain like that since that day years ago. My hair was so matted with the extensions, she ripped through my hair with a fine tooth comb. I looked in horror at all the hair on the floor. I touched the hair on my head, and to my surprise, my already fine hair was even finer and shorter than before. I had gone from almost armpit length up to shoulder length hair. With tears in my eyes, I let her put the extensions in my hair again (yes, what the hell was I thinking). A few days later, I noticed a quarter size bald spot on my scalp. The extensions were removed the next day.
In tears, I headed back home. I hated my thin, limp hair. I didn't want my new husband to see my hair like this! I called to warn him it was bad. He promised that it was not as bad as I thought, which he reiterated when he saw me. He has been my biggest supporter through this. Of course, I didn't believe him. I saw my hair stylist a few days later, and was again in tears. She also promised me it was not that bad. She gave me a fresh trim and told me we would not color or relax my hair until my hair got healthier. Thank goodness for her! This new hair was so foreign to me, not only because of how it now looked, but I had been relaxing my hair every 10-12 weeks for 20 years. I started coloring my hair in college for fun, then out of necessity when I noticed my first grey hair around my 30th birthday.
My last relaxer was April 29, 2010.
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