MySexySassyBanginAssBraidout

OK. Here goes braidout attempt numero dos! LOVED it. I've been searching for the perfect natural style that makes me feel just as fly as when I rock a fresh press and by golly I think this one's a keeper! Turned out exactly how I wanted it to from day 1. Big. Full. Fluffy. Shiny. Great definition. Lots of compliments!

By day 3 tho, I made the mistake of going into the loo to take off my head scarf too quickly after a steamy shower. All hell broke loose atop my head! I still tried to make it last but my ends became so dry! That's mos def a deal breaker for me so... Tonight I guess I'll give it another wash to get ready for anotha sexy sassy bangin-ass braidout! ;o) YAY!!!!

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My Dry-Arse, Tangled Up, To'Back Twistout... TRAGIC!!!

OMG guys! I just came to the unfortunate realization that my last twistout was a TRAGIC MESS! After 3 days of wearing my twistout, I decided to declare a state of emergency and wash that *ish out immediately. It was sooo dry, frizzy with no definition, messy, dry, and oh, did I mention DRY!?? Ooooooo Oooooo oooo!!! That is my #1 hair pet peeve... Dry arse hair! ARRGH!!! A good deep conditioning and oiling quickly resuscitated my lifeless hair and then it was back to the drawing board!

The good news tho? Since at 1st I didn't succeed, I tried and tried again and am now proudly rockin a soft, fluffy, well-moisturized, sexy, sassy, bangin-*ss braidout. I'm in lub! Lots of pics to come so stay tuned!

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Something New

Been kinda stuck in a rut lately so I thought it'd be nice to shake things up a bit. Need something NEW... Life. Love. Something. Everything. First up? Hair. Now, I never Ever EVA change my protective styling routine so for me this is BIG stuff. Last week I did the twists. Made me feel like a twelve year old with plaits so ... yeah, ummm keepin it movin... this week, it's on to the twistOUT. I must say, I kinda likey. Maybe if I tweak a few things... Hmmm. This style just might be a keeper. Just a few technical difficulties though. Too much oil, Hair not completely dry, rollers falling off the ends while sleeping... That may be why my twistout resembles more of a 1982 jherri curl but hey... Still not too shabby for my 1st try.

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Get It Twisted!

As of late, I've been rockin the straight look (pics coming soon). I tried my best to make it last as long as possible, but with the 80 degree weather & humidity, pressed hair becomes a crispity, crackely, crunchity, stir fried, frizzy, bushy MESS. I finally decided that it was really gonna have to be a wrap on that for now.

This weekend I tried something new. A lil' mix of water, conditioner, oil, and shea and... VIOLA! The result was some soft, shiny, well moisturized twists! I'm usually very anal about leaving my ends exposed (esp. in summer) or leaving real conditioner in my hair but so far so good. I don' know but leaving in the not-so-leave-in-conditioner is kinda changing the game for my hair. Jury's still out. Oh and shrinkage is a biotch but hey, life is still good! Happy Easter ladybugs!

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Growth Galore

This pic was taken during my Month 14 wash and trim. I ♥ my natural hair. I'm even more in l♥ve with its health, growth, and thickness. Achieving long, strong, healthy natural hair is hard work at times, but for me it's a labor of love! Can you believe that just a little over a year ago, I was practically bald!? What do you love about your kinks and curls?

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Month 16 Progress Report

Well, it's time for me to check back in for my Month 14 Progress Report. At first I was getting a bit antsy, feeling like my hair really didn't grow as much as I'd hoped for this time around... that is, until I saw the progress pics. Alright, alright... I take it back. In only 2 short months I DID in fact experience considerable, VISIBLE growth. That's whassup! Ya see, a few months back, my hair barely covered my ears (marked by the pink line). Now my hair falls well below my ears! But man... it just really makes my butt itch... ya know, the fact that it's SO hard for me to show you the progress... The longer my hair grows, the shorter it looks (yup, shrinkage is still a biotch!). And nope nope nope, straightening it is def not an option (atleast for now). I guess for all of us kinky-curlies trying to achieve growth, we just gotta stay positive, be patient, stay consistent with our routines, and try not to get our panties in a bunch! Happy Growing, ladybugs!
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Shrinkage Is A BATCH!

It's a salty feeling to finally reach the hair length you've worked so hard to attain, only to have it shrink into a stingy 2-inch teeny weeny afro at even the mere thought of water. Shrinkage and natural hair go hand-in-hand. Sorry Toots, but there is just no getting around it! I was recently taking my Month 14 progress pics when I realized that even though I had achieved growth, my hair looked shorter than my last pics! Shrinkage is a friggen batch, man! I'm going to have to change the way I update my growth progress pics. Because now the longer it gets, the shorter it gets (if that makes any sense). In the above pic, you can see exactly what I'm talking about. I must say that I'm really happy with the growth I've achieved thus far, especially considering that only a year ago I was pretty much bald. But really... doesn't shrinkage just drive you mad?

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Protective Styling

Have you ever wondered why someone who has been natural for less time than you has achieved considerably MORE hair growth than you? The difference is often protective styling. Protective styling is simply wearing your hair "up" in a style that doesn't expose the fragile ends of your hair, and doesn't require daily manipulation. This includes styles like braids, twists, weaves, wigs, and buns (with each style having its own pros and cons ofcourse).

This pic shows the protective style (a bun) I used to rock before I cut my hair. I'm rocking the hell out of those waves, huh? Can you believe this lady at my job asked me if I put all of those waves in my hair one by one with a curling iron? She was dead serious! LOL! Anyhoo, people also used to ask why I never wore my hair down. I tried to explain that if I didn't wear my hair up to protect it, I wouldn't have all that hair to begin with. Protective styling does take commitment. It can often be monotonous and quite frankly a pain in the tooshy. But no pain, no gain, Toots! Believe me, it can be the difference between waist length hair or still having a teeny weeny afro even 5 years after you're big chop-a-roo. Are you routinely wearing protective styles that promote growth?

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Progress Report: 1 Year Hair Anniversary Update Pics!

Ok yawl! My short bout of laziness is over and I've finally got the goods! Peep my update pics! The first pic shows my long, waist-length, natural hair in 2007. The 2nd pic shows my hair after the big chop-a-roo on August 23, 2007. Pic 3 shows my length at month 10 (June 2008). And finally, pic 4 was taken in August 2008, my 1 year anniversary! Each curly pic was taken after washing and "wide-combing" it out, so you don't see much curl. And since shrinkage is a *batch*, you're not really able to see its full length. Even when my hair is waist-length, it still shrinks up to the length of a short, stingy bob when wet. Shrinkage. There's just no escaping it! LOL! But notice that in pic 3 my hair reaches the bottom of my ear and in Pic 4 it goes well past my ear. It does give you an idea of just how much growth I obtain every 2 months between washes. Yup, you heard me right. 2 months. That's the only time I "manipulate" my hair. Yeah, I know it may sound stankish, crazy, funky, or (****insert your favorite adjective here***) but here's the thing... it works! Cross my heart!

I'm currently in the "grow out" phase so right now I'm just focused on my focus. For me, styling and rocking the latest hairdo will have to take a back seat for the sake of growth, atleast for the time being. Just trust though, it will soon pay off. The only way to find out is to stick around and see for yourself. I'm still cooking up a post that gives you blow-by-blow details on my current personal hair routine. So stay tuned and keep it locked!

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Happy Hair Anniversary To Me!

I think I may have mentioned that my natural hair anniversary was about 1 month ago. My first big chop was way back in 2000. By 2007, I had grown waist length natural hair! Then last year on a whim, my fingers got itchy so I decided to grab a pair of scissors and do the big chop-a-rooni AGAIN on Aug. 23, 2007 (shown in the above pic). In this blog, I will be tracking my progress from time to time to show everyone how easy it is to maintain, care for, and grow out natural hair. All it takes is a lot of love and a little bit of time!

I wanted to make a post in celebration of my recent 1 year anniversary, but I was just too lazy to get the progress pics together. Well, I wanted to give you an update today. The update is that unfortunately I'm STILL just too lazy to get those progress pics together! LOL! No worries, though. Next week I'm going to hit you back with all the goodies. So stay tuned! In the meantime, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE if you haven't already! Happy Growing, Ladybugs!

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Hair Tip-a-roo: Combing It Out!

I Never NEVER EVER "dry comb" my hair! Yeah, so, Ummm... did I mention NEVER? This means that I NEVER nebber ebber comb out my hair unless it is thickly coated with conditioner. This allows enough "slip" so that your wide-tooth comb can easily slip, slide, and glide through those beautiful curls and kinks without pulling, tangling, or damaging them. Go ahead and try it! No doubt, this is sure to make your weekly wash-outs a breeze!

This pic (above) was taken during Month 10 of My Natural Hair Journey. Right now I'm on Month 12 and at the end of this month, I'll be celebrating my 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY since the big chop-a-roo! WOOOOOHOOOOO! I took this pic right after a good wash/comb/trim. I still have conditioner in my hair. It hasn't even been a year yet and I have experienced pretty good growth. You can't tell with all the shrinkage, but if you stretch a strand of my hair straight out, it's about 3 times as long as what you see here. The back and sides of my hair have the loosest curl pattern and I have tight curls poppin off on the top and in the front. The curls don't really show as much in this pic because I had just combed them out (although you can kinda see them in the back). I'll have more pics for my 1 year anniversary update. Anyhoo, I just ♥ my natural hair!

Click to read about "My Natural Hair Journey" and "My Big Chop-a-roo"!

Click the picture above to see a larger view!

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Hair Tip-a-Roo: It's A Wrap!

Did you know that you could be damaging your precious locks in your sleep? Many don't realize that the cotton sheets, pillows, and pillowcases that you sleep on every night can quickly wreak havoc on your hair. As you toss and turn, your delicate ends rub against the fabric, therefore drying, splitting, and damaging them. And if you sleep as wild as I do, then it's definitely a wrap! Your hair doesn't stand a chance! You'll be forced to say good-bye to all that glorious growth you worked so hard to retain.

Here's a quick fix. Before bed, try wrapping your hair in a silk scarf. You can even switch it up and use a silk pillowcase. So instead of getting snagged, your hair will remain protected. Oh, how I ♥ my silk scarf! I bought mine from a store that used to sell Indian garb and we haven't parted ways since. Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about my precious silk scarf. I'll admit, I have somewhat of an unhealthy attachment to it. Even ask my 10 year-old nephew about "Auntie's scarf" and he'll quickly inform you that "Auntie don't play!" My scarf was sent from hair heaven and there's no telling where I'd be without it!

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The Power of Poo

Some naturals prefer to cut shampoo completely out of their hair regimen (a.k.a "no-poo"). They find poo-ing extremely drying and unnecessary, therefore, eliminating it from their routine. Although I do understand the reasoning for doing so, I currently choose to include it in mine. Because I saturate my hair with so much oil, shampoo is the only way to remove it so that I don't accumulate buildup. Buildup can weigh down the hair, gives it a dull appearance, and makes it look like...well, let's just say, another kind of poo! After a good shampoo, my hair is clean, light, and shiny again! Also, I don't shampoo often so I'm not really concerned about the "drying effect" it can sometimes have.


Since shampoo does tend to dry out hair, it is really important to choose one that isn't so harsh. Here's how you can tell if it is or not. Shampoo your hair and then wash it out. Immediately feel your hair. Your hair should not feel like a big bundle of rough, dry straw. If it does, go get your money back and start looking for a new shampoo ASAP. Like finding a great conditioner, searching for a gentle shampoo can also be a matter of trial and error. But hang in there! Taking the time to find the right one is well worth it.

I currently use V05 Split Ends Shampoo with Panthenol. This shampoo formula, like my favorite V05 conditioner I told you about, has been discontinued, reformulated, and repackaged. I was devastated! The new one does not work for me at all. Lucky for me, though, I found a store that had some of the original formula on clearance. In utter desperation, I bought the whole shelf! So now I have a little more time before I'll have to go 'poo shopping again.

Here's the key to poo-ing:

• find a gentle shampoo
• don't shampoo too often
• focus on poo-ing the scalp to prevent dryness
• as you rinse, let the suds clean the length of the hair
• ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS follow with conditioner

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Mint Condition(er): Finding "The One"

One of the most important decisions you'll make in your haircare routine will be the conditioner you choose for your hair. Conditioner plays a key role in combing and detangling, maintaining moisture, adding overall "life" to your hair, and keeping it in mint condition. Finding the right conditioner is often a matter of trial and error. When I first went natural, I can't tell you how many conditioners I tried and tossed before I found "the one" that worked. I felt unthinkable joy when I finally discovered V05 Extra Body Conditioner. It left my hair moisturized, nicely coated my hair, and allowed enough "slip" so that I could easily detangle. It was everything you could ask for in a conditioner and at only 99 cents a pop! I used it for 7 years until V05 did me dirty and switched up the formula, along with the packaging. Needless to say, it was a wrap!




My hair became so parched and dry. I looked high and low, desperately searching for a replacement. In every grocery, hair, and convenient store, I left no shelf unturned. I knew v05 would be hard to match, but it was important for me to find a conditioner without drying ingredients like dimethicone. I finally found Aura's Cherry Almond Bark Conditioner and I must admit, I am really satisfied. I think it might be the bootleg version of Aveda's line but it works!

PROS: No dimethicone. Great moisture. Great shine and slip. Not as thick but detangles better than any conditioner I have ever tried!

CONS: It costs over $11.00 a pop at Sally's Beauty Supply. Dang, Sally! You're really breakin my balls here! (That is, if I had balls... ok, enough about the balls, already!) Overall, this has been well worth the splurge!

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ROCKIN THE "REPUNZEL"

Here's a pic I was able to dig up. I just had to laugh at myself here ... I was seriously rockin the "Repunzel" look in this pic! People often commented on my length but I guess I didn't realize just how long my hair really had grown until I saw this. It's probably because pretty much all year round I would leave my hair in a protective bun and not really pay attention to it. It felt kind of like I had short hair. Then when the weather cooled down I would give myself a hot press and all of a sudden I had all of this hair magically appear on my head. People were baffled!

While it's important to maintain a good hair regimen, it's equally important to just relax and let your hair do its thang-thang. Like I said, besides following my basic regimen, I barely paid any "extra" attention to my hair. I don't even know how long it was because I never bothered to measure it. I know yawl are probably looking at me like, "Whatcha talkin bout, Willis!", but allow me to explain. The growout process becomes long and frustrating if you are constantly measuring your hair, just sitting there watching it, waiting for it to grow. So like my homeboys,the Beatles, used to sing it, just "Let It Be"! (They sang that, right? lol!) Read More......

THE BIG CHOP-A-ROO

Hey everybody! Thanks for stopping through and checking out my page! I've been itching to start my own blog for a while now. So today I've decided to start one on a topic that I love and know a little 'sumfin-sumfin' about- NATURAL HAIR!

All my life I've had a love/hate relationship with my thick, natural, kinky/curly/coily hair. I was so lost and just didn't know what to do with it or how to care for it. Aaaargh! I remember how frustrated I would gt at times. I used everything from the juicy, drippy Scary Curl (a.k.a. Jheri Curl) to the frighteningly addictive Creamy Crack (a.k.a. Perm) before I finally came to terms with the hair God had given me.

In June 2000, I finally stopped fighting my hair and started loving it. And in return, my hair started loving me back. I started out with a teeny weeny afro (TWA). With lots of TLC, my hair grew thicker, stronger, healthier, and longer than ever before. I am proof that natural hair can be fun, fly, fashionable, and can thrive at the same time. The first pic to the left shows the growth I was able to achieve.


But here's the "gotcha gotcha", though... **UPDATE** In September 2007, I got scissor happy and did the old chop-a-roo, mowing my hair down to a TWA again. To be honest, it wasn't even long enough to be considered a TWA. This second pic is right after that big chop. I'm currently in my 11th month (updated pics soon to come!). Now before you pass out, let me assure you that MY HAIR WILL GROW BACK! I am so confident in the knowledge I have gained about growing natural hair that I don't even sweat it. Through this blog, I will share with you all that I've learned and now we can even take this hair growing journey together. Happy Growing, Ladies! Read More......