Daily Archives: August 28, 2012

Aug28

I Love Ya But

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by Weusi

This is in response to Shelli’s post last night and her hair last week …

I LOVE Shelli … like … I love her-love her … like … there really aren’t ANY words that can explain it.

She’s smart, hard-working, mature, a great communicator and just an incredible woman. And you’ve seen the pictures … she’s got a smile that makes the sun jealous!

She’s creative and a logic wizard that engages life with a zestful vigilance that makes my heart smile.

Then there’s the but … that’s not a typo … everyone has a but and a butt.

Shelli’s “but” is … is … is … is … that THING! That THING in life that I can’t tell you how I feel about, because there are no words to describe it! Just know that it’s not right … I love your natural hair …

YOUR natural hair … not the hair of someone else that you purchased, so it’s in your possession right now. I love you and YOUR hair. But, ummm … nah … I have no love for the hair extensions!

And no, I don’t hide it. But, she knows that I don’t dig that thing. It kinda creeps me out. I saw a piece of Chris Rock’s movie, Good Hair. That hair is someone else’s natural hair! That’s not cool! That’s creepy! Hair extensions are not right! And is there any federal regulations around hair? You don’t know if that hair is healthy! And according to that survey I did (see here), that was a major reason that people were wearing their hair natural. Why would you put sickly hair in your healthy hair? It’s SO not right! Wait … there’s more!

Actually … I don’t know what else to say except to warn you …

If your S.O. likes your natural hair, they will not like your hair extension … and, come on … you can’t really be mad at them about it, can you!?!

Now, the reality of the situation is that we know that you are gonna do what you do, so we will tolerate it. But, supporting the use of it … NAH … not even in a ponytail!

And, for real … isn’t this the best title of a blog post ever?!?! I think it’s hilarious!

Oh, and for the record … I’m not a butt man. I was so oblivious to Shelli’s butt that it took a gay dude to point out her curves to me! I was caught in the glow of her smile and the mystery of her eyes.

But now … it’s her wisdom too.

What? Did you think that I was gonna objectify this queen and talk about her butt? I told you already, I’m not a butt man!

SHiNE

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Aug28

July GOC Update: Krystal K. (#12)

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by Krystal K. aka KaliGirl1980

Hair
So I have been sticking to my old regimen for the most part (except I’ve really slacked on the henna). I am a Tightly Curly Method fanatic and I wear my hair in a TC Method WnG 90% of the time. I still straighten my hair once a month to check my progress. I’ve gotten back to where I was before the dreaded hair cut. The one thing that I have changed significantly is that I’m using a leave-in conditioner that works well with my hair for WnGs, rather than the traditional rinse-out conditioners. I’ve been using the generic brand version of Paul Mitchell’s The Conditioner thanks to MahoganyCurls on YouTube. I got the generic brand from Sally’s and I love it. I use that instead of rinse-out conditioner when doing the Tightly Curly Method.

I did a video on my slightly modified Tightly Curly Method that cuts the product application time in half for me:

What I really love about this natural hair journey is that I now prefer my hair in its natural state, rather than the stringy straight hair that I was wearing a year ago. I feel much freer and more confident in myself. My hair is really thriving in its natural state and starting to look full. At this length, a stretched WnG is starting to look different on me than it did a year ago. There is a lot to be said about experimenting with your hair at every stage of this process, because the styling techniques and methods really do look different as your hair gets longer.

Health and Fitness
Not much change right now. The summer heat really puts the brakes on my workouts, because it’s too hot after 10 am for me to work out. I don’t like the large evening crowds at the gym, so if I don’t get my workout in before work or before I start my day on the weekends, it just won’t happen. I think that maintaining is a good goal for this kind of heat. We’re regularly in the low 100’s out here. I’m swimming regularly and still running at least once a week. I have really committed to incorporating strength training into my workouts, so I’m not sure how much of my weight is muscle rather than fat.

As far as diet is concerned, I read a book called Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman and I really like what he has to say about us getting the majority of our nutrients from fruit and vegetables. He suggests eliminating all animal products, but I’m not going to do that. I like eggs and yogurt too much. But, they now only make up about 10% of my diet. I find that following his eating plan is simple in that he recommends a pound of raw fruit and veggies and a pound of cooked veggies each day, as well as limited beans and grains (including tubers like sweet potatoes). While the plan is easy to follow, it means that I have to make sure that I visit the grocery store more often than I like. Other than the frequent trips, I’m enjoying the experience. I’m experimenting with a variety of seasonings to keep things interesting and have started incorporating tofu into my dishes. I’ve really been pleased with my results.

♦

Want to see all of the Krystal’s updates? Just enter her name in the “Search” box on the upper right >>>>! The results will return all of her updates (and guest posts)!! See where it all began and how she’s progressed over the course of the challenge!

Aug28

Hair Crush: Valerie’s HairStory

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Describe yourself in 100 words or less.
My name is Valerie. I have been natural for 3 years. My whole life I was told that I had unruly unmanageable hair.  It has been a long hard journey. Once I thought I had everything down pat with the “Curly Girl Method,” I discovered that something still was not right. Well ladies, as if caring for curly hair isn’t hard enough, I discovered I am protein-sensitive as well. So, right now, I am on a journey to find what works best for my hair sans protein.

How long have you been natural and why did you chose to go natural?
I have been natural for a little over 3 years. I decided to go natural because I finally wanted to see what my REAL hair looked like.

Did you transition or big chop?
I transitioned.

How did others (family, friends, colleagues) react to your decision to go natural? What was your response to them? How do they feel now?
My mother was shocked at the fact that I actually went through with it and my older sister was negative about it (she is relaxed). I simply told them that I love the hair God gave me. My mother decided to go natural with me. My sister likes my curls, but always comments on how she liked my straight hair better.

What is/was your biggest hair challenge/obstacle?  How did you overcome it or what are you doing now to try to address the problem?
My biggest obstacle is the fact that I am protein-sensitive, which doesn’t allow me to experiment with a wide range of products. The way that I am overcoming this obstacle is reading the ingredient labels on products before I purchase them. A small obstacle is the dry patch of hair at my crown.

What do you love most about your natural hair and/or about being natural?
I am not going to lie … I love the attention I get because of my hair. Before, I felt almost invisible and insecure. Now, I can’t hide even if I wanted to.

What is your current regimen?  Has it changed in any major way since you first went natural?
**I do not use sulfates, silicones nor proteins in my hair.**

  • Wash 1 or 2x a week with a sulfate-free and protein-free shampoo; I wash in 2 sections.
  • Detangle hair in front of mirror with conditioner (saves water). I use a paddle brush for ends and a wide-tooth comb for my roots. I detangle in 8 sections, 2 sections in each quadrant.
  • Deep condition 1x a week with my Hair Therapy Wrap.
  • Put in leave-in conditioner (5 sections: 2 in the back, 1 in the crown and 2 in the front).
  • Seal with a oil or butter (I stop at this step if I want to achieve a twist out).
  • Rake and shingle in gel (for WnG).
  • Apply finisher.
  • Diffuse for a WnG or air dry for a twist-out.
  • Protect hair at night by sleeping in a satin bonnet.

What are your Holy Grail and staple products?
Shampoo: Cream of Nature Argan Oil Sulfate free Shampoo
Conditioner/Deep Condish: GVP Conditioning Balm/Curl Junkie Rehab
Leave-inL SheaMoisture SheaButter Leave-in, CJ Smoothing Lotion
Butter: Oyin Burnt Sugar or Sugar Berry Pomade
Gel: Koils By Nature Peppermint Gel
Satin Bonnet: Ebonnets by EboniCurls

What is your “go to” style? Do you wear protective and/or low manipulation styles? If so, how often and why?
My “go to” styles are twists and a beanie, WnGs and twist-outs.

How often do you cut/trim your hair? How do you cut it (salon, DIY, straight, curly, in twists)? If you go to a salon, would you recommend it?
I try to trim my hair every 6-8 months. My hair is trimmed while it is in its natural state by Luisa V., the owner of Luma Salon, 397 East Altamonte Drive #114, Altamonte Springs, FL. I would recommend her 100%. She has beautiful curls herself.

Has going natural impacted other areas of your life (i.e. health & fitness, style, environmental consciousness, etc.?) If so, how and in what ways has it affected your lifestyle?
No, not really.

Do you have a “hair crush?” Who do you follow online (i.e. blog/website, Youtube, Fotki, etc.)?
I am my own “hair crush.” But, I do follow a few people for their wonderful advice like DenimPixie and Naptural85.

Where can we find you online?
You can find me on my blog, Curls2Envy.com, and on my Facebook page, Curls2Envy.

What advice would you give someone who is contemplating going natural and/or becoming discouraged with their natural journey?
It’s just hair. It grows back. Do what you want with it. It’s your hair, no one else’s.

Anything else that you’d like to add?
I love my curls!