Twist Love:

These pics were taken three weeks ago. 

My hair is has grown a lot more since then

So, now my hair is long enough for protective styles. YAYAYAYAYAY! I am really excited about it and am loving the new growth. It wasn't too long ago that I was grumbling and pouting about it not growing fast enough, but look at it now.  Its kind of like our  mothers use to say.."A watch pot never boils". It was my professor who commented, "Wow, your hair is growing. Does it usually grow this fast in the spring?" That was when I took not of its growth. I am so enjoying this experience.

My style of choice these days is the double stranded twist. The pictures below are from two weeks ago and they are single twist. I decided against single twist because it was tangling up my hair. Now that my hair is long enough, I am only doing double stranded twist to decrease locking, tangling, and breakage.

This hair style has been very beneficial for me, especially when I go running or when I need a changed up. This style has also lowered the manipulation that I place on my hair such as: using the pick, detangling, running my fingers through my hair, removing knots, and so on and so forth. Having my hair in double twists have allowed for my scalp to breath, for me to apply the natural oil directly on to my scalp, and not worry about styling it. I am totally enjoying this bit of freedom.

Well...lets see I started this in January, so this will make it....4 months natural. YAYAYAYAY! I'm almost to my half a year mark. Wow, how times flies. Like many natural's have stressed, the first couple of months are the hardest. But once you start seeing the growth and allow you hair to "just be", things will begin to happen. I am finally allowing things to "just happen" and the journey has been amazing.

I am still taking my vitamin regimen which includes a multi-vitamin, biotin, and I use vitamin E gel capsules on my scalp twice a week. I am continuing to use the Alaffia hair care system until I run out. I want my hair to grow out a bit more before I start trying other hair care products. I am interested in Carol's Daughter products as well as Kinky Curly. There is just so much out there, but I think it best to keep what is working for me before I try anything new.

Well, Hope you enjoy the pics

The Lost Girl

Protective style

Natural hair can be very professional. 

Yest, I did these. It took me two hours to do.

Double Stranded twist take about the same time.

Finals Time

That is not me......but it could be in the future

It is CRUNCH time for those of us who are attending school. Crunch meaning "finals". Please forgive the delay in new post. Don't worry, I will be back before you know it, sharing my thoughts, struggles, happy moments, growth results, pictures, and wild rants as soon as I bust through all these papers, presentations, and reports.

All good vibes, well wishes, blessings, and positive thoughts are welcome.

Thank you

The Lost Girl

What is " Natural'?

  After doing the "big chop" in January, I have gone through a plethora of emotions. Some days I am excited about my original God given hair, other days I hate it, and in between those periods..."I just forget about it". It has helped me in my journey though to see other women starting to join the "unrelaxed movement" by sporting their natal locks. But, I digress. There is a purpose to this post. As you may have noticed, I am no longer using the word "natural" to describe myself. Let me explain why.

Lets first ask ourselves, what makes one "natural"? The definition for natural is "something that is present in or produced by nature". But when it comes to hair, I am finding it hard to separate the two, the natural and chemically treated hair idea. Maybe it is so hard for me because of the rift between the chemically relaxed faction and the unrelaxed patriots fighting  over this term. There are those with chemically relaxed hair that believe that it is " natural for them to relax their hair" and their hair has adjusted to this state, hence this is now their natural hair. And then there are the unrelaxed who feel that since their hair is in the original state without the aide of chemicals, then they are natural. Personally, why can't we just get along? Does it really matter?

It was a salon owner who made a valuable and beautiful statement that made me reconsider my  idea on "what is natural". He said, " That in about six months or even a year, I will probably want  my hair flat ironed and temporarily straightened. It will still be in its natural state, but I will have to use certain products and styling tools to achieve the desire style. It is no different than with chemically treated hair. For those who have relaxers, they use it to maintain their hair. When their new growth appears, they use certain things to achieve and maintain their hair. So in the end, hair ...is hair.

The difference is "What You Make It". What you are comfortable with. What rocks your world and brightens your day. This may be with a wig, relaxed hair, lace wig, unrelaxed hair, weave, or whatever you think makes you beautiful and happy. I just don't think it fair or right to dismiss someone because their idea of beauty is not the same as yours. 

I enjoy my natural hair more than my relaxed style because of its freeing nature. It fits my personality and lifestyle. Also, I just couldn't do relaxers anymore....my scalp was just too sensitive.  But those are my feelings and these feelings work "for me". So I will not judge those who choose not to be as myself. Everyone is different and have to do things that best suit themselves. We are allowed to be our own selves,  rock our own styles, and do what makes us happy. 

So, define your naturalness your own way.....

Peace and Blessings

The Lost Girl

A Tale of Two Colors

Highlights...are just not for me quite yet.

I had written not too long ago that  I was going to get highlights. Well I did...and I quite didn't. You see, I went to the salon, picture in hand, idea in mind, that I was going to walk out a new woman, hair emblazoned with a halo of bronze highlights and black base, all the while maintaining a professional, yet high fashioned look. 

Well, that wasn't the case. My hair did not take to the highlighting process as I thought it would. What I was hoping for, did not happen. My hair is very porous, and although my black rinse had worn away, it would  have taken some time to bring black (or dark hair) to a lighter hue without damaging it. So instead of highlights, I received what would be considered a red low-light.

Instead of bronze, my hair had a bit of blonde highlight in the front and red at the root. Although I didn't request red, it was subtle. I was happy with the color, at first....but once I left the salon, I had a change of heart. Inside, I had an "idea" of what I wanted and I felt that ...well, I looked the same. I noticed that no one commented on my look, no one noticed anything, and I think....if you are any black woman who has just gotten her hair done...you expect someone to say something right.

Well, after careful consideration, I felt that I should have stuck to my gut wrenching hesitation about highlights and just not have gotten them. I asked my neighbor, who is a beautician, when would it be feasible to have it colored back to solid color. Once checking my hair, I was informed that it could be colored to a "natural dark caramel" within four to five days. This would my scalp and hair to adjust and adapt. She used  "Organic Hair Color Curl Hair Dye" to restore my hair to a dark but softer color brown. Organic Hair Color  /Dye is ammonia free and is not damaging to the cuticle or proteins that develop the melatonin (or natural pigmentation) in my hair.

So now I am happy with my hair. There is no damage, but I have been prescribed to condition it heavily, increase my warm towel treatments, moisturize, and seal in the moisture for a week or two to maintain it's balance and elasticity. I am also keeping my hair in double twisted knots (as you see by the pictures) as a protective style to minimize any breakage.

 I twisted (double stranded twist) my hair myself. It took at least two hours. It would have taken longer if I had done smaller twist, but because of the fragility of my hair, I thought bigger twist best. Also, the double stranded twist allow my scalp to breath. I prepped my hair with with water and Alaffia Shea Butter Lotion. Whenever my hair felt dry, I would spray water on my hair, which seemed to reactivate the Shea Butter lotion, and twist away. I added Lusti's Organics Gel to tame my edges once I was completed.

My "deer stuck in the headlights" look:P 

"The organic dye did wonders"

Now its time to keep it moisturized and sealed.

What I have learned from this experience is that at this time, I am just not ready for highlights. I think I will do this after a year or a year and several months worth of growth. At this time, I just want to maintain moisture, keep protective styles, and enjoy my "natural color". 

Happy Growing and Peace of Christ

The Lost Girl

Styling my TWA ( My Teeny Weeny Afro)

How I rock my curls

  With a teeny weeny afro (TWA), you feel at times the only styles that you are limited to is a wash and go and pick out. Well, although that is a good and "healthy" style to have for everyday wear, it doesn't fit every look. Also, there are times that you would like your natural hair to be defined, to do what you want, and look a certain way. 

    Although I can't wait for my ling natural hair, I am learning that the

 I am use to wearing my hair short, I feel that my TWA period is the most interesting and fun period in the natural hair growth process. Yes, at first I hated it. I loathed it. I even wanted to just slap a relaxer in it and be done, but now I am enjoying it. I am learning that I can achieve the same short spiked look that I was use  to wearing when my hair was relaxed. Instead, I didn't use heat, harsh sprays, and it took less that twenty minutes to achieve.

  Above is a picture of my night on the town look. I achieved this look with

Lusti's Organic light gel (or if you prefer a styling pomade)

Alaffia Shea Butter Lotion

Doo Grow Oil

Blow Dryer with diffuser

Spray bottle with water

After washing and conditioning my hair with Alaffia products, I spritzed my hair with water in the water body and added the Doo Grow and Alaffia Shea Butter Lotion. I wanted my hair to be wet because natural hair is more pliable and easy to work with when wet. Well, for me it is. But I digress, Once soak, I place a teaspoon sized amount of Lusti's Organic Gel in my palm, rub it, and place it all over my hair. If I wanted a part, I would pre part it before I applied the gel to decrease breakage. 

  Styling is the fun part. I usually take my time by accentuating my curls and framing my face with my baby curls, I even add thick twist to create a spiky look. I try to also allow my hair to do what it does. If  it starts to dry, I spritz more water from the spray bottle. Once happy with my style, I used the blow dryer (with diffuser) to set the style. I place the blow dryer on low heat. Here is a tip, if you are wearing white, dry it completely. If not, its okay to partially let dry  enough that the style is set.

My hair retained its softness, moisture, and manageability. After the evening was done, I did wash my hair. I don't like leaving gel products in my hair over night.  

Anyway, hope you like the look. I did. Will try again...

Blessings

The Lost Girl

   

Red, Bronze, or Blonde Highlights?

April 27th is highlight day:-).

 Below are some of different highlight ideas that appealed to me. I still feel a bit of trepidation concerning having my hair highlighted. I don't understand how the highlighting process works, but am interested in finding out. I am wondering whether my stylist will match my skin tone or use my skin tone to decide the color or maybe utilize a color scale like the ones you get when you are buying paints. I really don't know. I'm used plain ole trued and true solid  color hair dye...you know blacks and browns. Sigh,  I feel at times I should just stay with black, but at other times I feel a little color will only enhance  my natural hair experience. Anyway, I will have pictures of the final product next week.

Pray for me:-) Hope I don't chicken out.

Highlights or no highlights?

HMMMMM! What color should I choose?

So, I'm getting highlights......maybe...I don't know

I am a little bit concerned and fearful because I have heard too many horror stories about how hair color can damage your hair, how it can look unprofessional, that people have spent so much money only to dye it back to the color that they had before, and other things. I have heard it all, seen the ugly truth on YouTube, and have actually been through it myself. Even though I am going to a professional (Natural Alternatives Hair Salon), I am still a bit scared.

Now, I'm feeling I should just keep my natural hair color...but I wouldn't mind a bit of blonde or bronze here and there to bring in the season. When I was relaxed, my hair was plum and bronze and I have also had blonde and reds, but with natural hair...I have never had a professional color. I did color my hair when I was natural last time, and it was orange (Picture below). I refuse to do any self experimentation ever again.

Yes, I did not know what I was doing.

Here are my hangups? I am in a professional field and am afraid that my hair will distract. I am already standing out by having natural hair, so I don't want to stand out more with a color that seems to not fit me. I am also concerned that I may not like it. I trust my stylist, but I don't trust myself. I am known to buy dye with a quickness if I don't like something.

So, what color should I get? A red? Burgundy? Bronze? Should I just leave it alone. I have until April 17th, to decide. I wonder if many other natural go through this anxiety? I guess, I'm afraid of messing up all my hard work.

Sigh...Decisions Decision

The Lost Girl

Shrinkage aint no joke

"Uggghh, WHY WONT YOU GROW!"

I am learning a lot about natural hair and shrinkage. There are times when I feel like my hair isn't growing even though I logically  know it is. I find myself looking at the mirror and thinking, "UGH, WHEN WILL YOU GROW!"

Well, my schedule has recently changed and is more hectic these days. I haven't had the time, like many of you, to do my checks or focus on my on my natural hair growth, and so on and so forth. So far its, wake up, take a shower, wet my hair, slap on the the Alaffia lotion, leave in conditioner, and out the door. At night its, finish up whatever I'm doing, wet my hair, take my vitamins, grab the Alaffia, and tie my hair up. That's its. That's all I have time to do because I have just been so busy. There are some days I just don't even pick out my curls and form my fro (Using the less is more mantra). But in my mind I'm thinking...it's not growing.

So today, I decided to sit down and remove the negativity from my mind. I took the time to moisturize, set, and dry my hair. And then I did a length check. A length check is when you take the time to untangle and stretch your natural hair in order to check how long it has grown. But I digress. I took the time to take pieces from the different quadrants of my hair and check the length. Once I took the time to do this, I was astounded at how much it has grown since growing natural.

Basically, shrinkage ain't no jokes folks. Sometimes, when you feel there is nothing happening..and it will be that way, you just have to slow down and check. Take the time to untangle and check because what you see isn't always "what you have". I am seeing lots of naturals with short tight TWA's stretch their hair and its like long. I would not have ever fathomed that with a tiny afro. Sigh, natural hair just blows my mind.

Well, I better go...

Happy growing...

The Lost Girl