The 'Baggy' Method

Retaining moisture while growing natural hair can be very trying at times. Wash and Go's can seem wonderful until you're in your 4th hour at work and your hair feels like a paper bag. I have heard many good things about the "baggy" method. Even though it is ok, no you do not have to actually use a plastic bag for this method, shower caps work exceptionally as well.

Steps To A Successful "Baggy" Method Attempt:

Things Required

• plastic bag / shower cap
• leave-in conditioner / hair oil
• silk bonnet / scarf
• spray bottle of water (optional)

Step 1. Either you're coming strait from washing your hair or you spray your hair with a spray bottle; make sure your hair is moist to the touch, without product applied.

Step 2. Apply your leave-in conditioner and/or hair oil to hair. Saturate from root to tip and seal ends with desired hair oil or product.

Step 3. Put plastic bag loosely over hair, securing with a knot. If using a shower cap this should already fit loosely. To secure the shower cap you could use a headband if desired.

Step 4. Cover head with silk bonnet or scarf. The bonnet is preferred simply because this allows room and less chance of ugly bed head in the morning.

The Big Chop

Martin Luther King Day marks a day in history for me. Not just because of the great MLK and his many sacrifices that he made for each and one of our very lives, but because... I did the Big Chop!!! I've been 2 months post relaxer and I would like to results more obvious, so I did it! I took hair shears, co washed my hair and before rinsing, I stretched the curl and cut off the relaxed ends... and I feel.... BEAUTIFUL.

                                                     Here is my first length check: 

Along with the natural hair tips

that I have been providing, I will 

also allow you all to follow 

me while I embark on my, now, 

All Natural Hair Journey!

My Hair Journey Begins Here

We Are The World 25 For Haiti (YouTube Edition)

My Views on Hair Concoctions in the Kitchen

Unless you ARE a scientist... Ladies, leave the conditioner cooking, to the conditioner cookers. I love the fact that you can use produce from the earth in order to achieve natural bliss but I do believe that it becomes too much, almost an obsession, when a woman who wants to achieve longer, fuller, natural hair, goes out and buys 23 lbs of powered MSM to mix it with store bought ingredients, create a paste, and apply it topically to her scalp. This is your hair ladies, meaning you only want to put the best in it, on it, and around it. Am I right? I do believe that it is a trial and error situation when finding the right products but if you begin creating these concoctions, or try to imitate a store bought item and something goes wrong; you have no one to point a finger at but yourself. These people in the hair industry are professionals for a reason, they know what they are doing. Anything that you bought that might have not worked for you hair, you must understand it isn't the products fault, you must simply try another. 

I do on the other hand believe that it is beneficial to use natural products sold that are intended for hair and not digestion. Many product lines offer all natural products that are especially geared to the health of your hair. Please use these ladies to assure yourself that what you are putting in your hair and in your body is not only effective, but safe.

Products Lines That Do Not Contain Chemicals That I Recommend:

Beauty4Ashes

TreasuredLocks

Just Natural Organic Care

Tropical Traditions

Split Ends Blues

Do you have the split ends blues? Have you read somewhere that clipping your damaged ends will make your hair grow leaps and bounds? Well, I am here to tell you that you do NOT have to trim those ends EVERY MONTH! Find yourself a good oil based product to use as a "sealer" that will protect your ends and aid them in splitting all the way up the shaft of your hair. THIS along with minimal trimming, or dusting will help you retain length.

A Closer Look At Split Ends

This is what split ends look like... Scary isn't it? It looks like a creature from a horror movie. Split ends, or as the hair experts call it, trichoptilosis, is a common problem for many people. Split ends occur when the protective cuticle is destroyed at the end of the hair. The hair will then split into two or more strands. It might look like nothing now but once your natural curls begin to become more apparent those frayed ends will become more obvious; but DON'T PANIC! 

Products GotCurls? Recommends For Split Ends

AG Hair Cosmetics Split End Spa Repair Serum 

Rejuvenate tired strands and delight damaged locks with this sweet treat. AG Split End Spa Repair Serum is the secret to soft hair, ease-free blow drying and long lasting style, loaded with a potent blend of herbal extracts, meadowfoam, sunflower seed extract and AG’s color and radiance enhancing complex. Show hair some love and reward it with a spa treatment it will never forget with AG Split End Spa Repair Serum.

Ingredients: water, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone crosspolymer, dimeticonol, PEG-12 dimethicone crosspolymer, inulin lauryl carbamate, cocodimonium hydroxypropyl hydrolyzed keratin, amodimethicone, cetrimonium chloride, trideceth 12, panthenol, butylene glycol, helianthus annuus seed extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, lavandula angustifolia extract, trifolium pretense extract, pinus palustris leaf extract, dianthus cariophyllus flower  extract, cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride, 1,2-hexanediol, 1,2 octanediol, tropolone, hydroxyethylcellulose, tetrasodium EDTA, parfum/fragrance

Shea Moisture Raw Shea Restorative Trauma Masque

• This rich treatment deeply moisturizes and repairs hair, while providing a protective barrier for the hair from heat and styling aids
• After shampooing, massage into wet hair and leave on for 5-45 minutes and add a plastic cap and moderate heat for deep penetration 

• 
  
• Ingredients: de-ionized water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea butter) (denotes certified organic ingredients), Argan oil, vegetable glycerin, emulsifying wax, sea kelp extract, Panthenol (vitamin B-5), essential oil blend, avocado oil, Lonicera Caprifolium (honeysuckle) flower and Lonicera Japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) flower extract, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Hyssopus Officinalis Extract, Salvia Officinalis (sage) leaf and Equisetum Arvense Extract, soybean oil and Daucus Carota Sativa (carrot) seed oil

BioInfusion Olive Oil Shine Serum

BioINFUSION olive oil shine serum protects you hair from the daily stress of environmental elements and heat styling. BioINFUSION olive oil shine serum eliminate frizz by wrapping damaged hair in nutritious, silky shine. The lightweight formula provides smoothing protections improving your hair's overall appearance. 

Ingredients: Cyclomethicone, Dimethiconol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Fragrance - Parfum, Olive Oil - Olea Europaea, Phenyl Trimethicone, Vitamin E - Tocopheryl Acetate, Bee Balm Extract - Monarda Didyma, Carrot Extract - Ducus Carota Sativa,Sunflower Seed Extract - Helianthus Annuus, Wheat Extract - Triticum Vulgare

The Importance and Variety of Protective Styles

Weave: Let it Help than Hinder

I know you are by now beating yourself in the head for wearing maybe 7 lbs of weave on your head and giving yourself a slap on the wrist for all those micro braids that yanked out your roots, but at times like these during your transitioning period, these style that once damaged your hair can help protect it if you take care of your natural hair underneath.

This means while wearing those micro braids, continue deep conditioning, oiling, and moisturizing. This won't only keep your braids soft and smooth but will also aid your hair's health and growth while not being combed and brushed frequently resulting in breakage.

Sew-ins or Wigs are also a well known protective style that is used to hide women's natural hair AND damaged ends that need extra care from the elements and stress of daily styling. Imagine if you are not yet comfortable with your TWA or where your hair is transitionally, you can rock a sew in that might resemble your hair goal length! While the braids underneath the tracks or wig cap can keep moisture in if you spray them often with a water based moisturizer and/or an oil based moisturizer.

Popular Protective Styles for Natural Hair 

Many African American women that consider going natural start going natural by doing the BC or Big Chop. The Big Chop is when you or a salon professional cut all the RELAXED HAIR leaving you with your natural, chemical-free hair. Some do the BC right away leaving them with a TWA, or teeny weeny afro. Others begin their transition by growing out their natural hair and either trimming away the relaxed ends periodically or cutting off the relaxed ends as soon as they reach their desired length of natural hair. 

While waiting for their natural hair to grow, many women who do not want to wear weaves master in protective styling. Here are some style that are my personal favorites:

                                    

Bantu Knots 

Corn Rows w/ or w/out Extensions 

Two Strand Twist 

Some tutorial videos of great protective styles for your natural hair:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRwRgtjtRKk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0YdY1X1dEY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6yZXQstCxg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCjY-dFcwus&feature=related