Pictures

I'm Feeling Lazy So Here's A Link To A Photo Gallery Of Celebrities With Awesome Hairstyles....... Enjoy! :)

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Summer Time is HERE: Tips for Natural Hair

FINALLY summer is here family!  I have been waiting, and waiting and waiting to the end of the semester AND for the sun to come out.  Well I finally got my prayers answered all.  As the warmer weather draws near, I wanted to give my readers some helpful tips to get you through the next few months; as it relates to natural hair.  We know the importance of using sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun, but is also important to protect our hair from environmental factors such as the sun and chlorinated water from pools.  It is especially important to guard those natural curls (which are prone to being dry) from these damaging elements. Here are a few summer hair care tips for living life to the fullest:

• Saturate the hair with water (and moisturize it if possible) prior to getting in the pool, if the hair is wet it will absorb less of the chlorinated water.
• Natural oils (extra virgin olive, coconut, jojoba) are good to apply before exposed to the pool water, they create barriers, locking in the moisture and keeping the chemicals out.
• Use a swim cap or put hair up in a bun for added protection.
• After swimming spray the hair with water and baking soda (1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in 16oz of water), after a few minutes rinse, this cleanses the hair without over drying it, shampooing daily (or after each swim) can dry the hair out.
• Keep the hair well conditioned and moisturized.
• Wear hats!  When out of the pool wear a hat.  Hats provide the scalp, hair and face with protection from the sun.

All the outdoor activities and fun in sun can be hard on the hair, but we can lessen these damaging effects by taking a few basic precautions. 

Feel free to add your own summer hair care tips below!

10 Reasons For Black Women To Wear Natural Hair

Black women typically chemically alter their hair for a myriad of reasons. Some do it for the look, some do it for social reasons, and others do it for professional reasons. Here are the reasons black women should wear their hair in its natural state.

10.  It grows in that way. If your creator meant for you to have straight hair it would be straight.

9.  You can do fun and versatile things with black hair. Unlike straight hair, black hair (naturally kinky) can stand straight up, can be braided into complex designs, can be temporarily straightened without chemicals, and worn in its natural state again the next day.

8.  It is in style. Natural black hair is more and more acceptable every day. It is just another fashion choice; therefore, there is really no reason to go through great pains to change it.

7.  Straightening chemicals are dangerous. If not applied correctly, it can cause burns, hair damage, and temporary to permanent hair loss.

6.  Hair chemicals are really, dangerous. The food and drug administration says, “Hair relaxers and hair dyes are among its top consumer complaint areas. Complaints range from hair breakage to symptoms warranting an emergency room visit”. Also” In February 1994, FDA and the American Cancer Society released an epidemiologic study involving 573,000 women. Researchers found that women who had never used permanent hair dyes showed decreased risk of all fatal cancers combined and of urinary system cancers.

5.  You never know when it might go wrong. Just like food, allergies show up over time, so do hair chemical allergies. What worked fine two years ago, might cause a bald spot in two years.

4.  If it went wrong before, it will very likely happen again. If you had a bad reaction to a perm, do not do it again. Nine times out of 10, the chemicals are just as much to blame as the stylist.

3.  Pride: Your hair is an identifying symbol of your race. If you are proud of your race, you should also be proud of your hair.

2.  The work place cannot discriminate against your hair. There was a time when wearing an Afro, dreadlocks or braids, your job could say you were going against the dress code. This is illegal. Do not tolerate it.

1.  Time savings: Over time, you will learn to shower, wash your hair and get dressed just like people with straight hair. It is just a matter of time until you find a natural style that works well for you.

Source: http://strawberricurls.com/2012/02/29/10-reasons-for-black-women-to-wear-natural-hair/

Eight Rules of Natural Hair

We All Know That There Are Many Ways Persons With Natural Hair Choose To Take Care Of It.  I Use Gel In My Hair, Normally Gel Would Destroy Hair But For Me It Makes It Longer..... :D 
However There Are In Fact A Few Mandatory Things That Natural Hair Needs That Are Often Overlooked, Natural Divas Should Be Sure To Include The Following Caretaking Tasks As Part Of Their Regular Regime.


1. Moisture 
How do you add moisture, you ask? Well, there are different ways.

• The easiest and cheapest is water. Please be careful about where you are living and what elements reside in your water. Some elements, like lime, actually work against your hair. So, purchase a spray bottle and spring water. Spray the mist lightly over your hair at night if you can’t do this in the day. If you want a scent, put a drop of your oil of choice in the spray bottle. 
• The second option is to purchase a purified water based product. 
• Pure aloe vera juice is another option I have heard of that can be extremely beneficial.

2. Deep Condition

3.  Yes, Clarify It
WARNING:Please read this portion carefully because clarifying shampoos can be an absolute asset to your natural hair styling, or it can ultimately make your hair dry, damaged, and unmanageable. Let me explain further. For your average individuals, not swimmers, or any other natural diva that may need to constantly use clarifying shampoo, it should be done NOT more twice a month. The purpose of this is to remove the chemical build-up from the products that you use. I have noticed that a build-up of products on natural hair specifically, helps to induce tangling, especially at the ends and then drying and breaking occurs.

4. No Sulfates
During the week that we are not clarifying, we are using regular shampoo. For the natural divas that have not received the telegram, THIS JUST IN: SULFATES ARE NOT OUR FRIEND! Certainly, I was addicted to the tiny, white, frothy bubbles too, but it is time to let them go. They are responsible for the drying of our hair in addition to carcogenic properties that that threaten the health of our eyes and scalp.  List of sulfate-free shampoo here: http://urbankinks.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/sulfate-free-shampoo-list/

5. Petrolatum
Do not use at all or use sparingly, in mixed form, and not on your scalp. I hope I don’t receive any slack about this one.

6. Natural Oils And Butters
Read the back of the bottle carefully. Look them up online and see what else is there. They may be okay, depending on the product, but this is not always the truth, some can contribute to drying, breaking, unhealthy hair.

7. Be Weary Of Weaves, Extensions
To summarize, I am not a fan of extensions when while wearing natural, unstraightened hair- if you don’t know how to give your hair what it needs. I have always been a fan of the natural hair without extensions so can’t offer any advice to the women who choose to wear them, but I have seldom if ever seen good results. So, just like rules 1-6, be weary of what you add to your hair.

8. Be Proud
This the most important rule of them all. Although this is the 21^st century, in many parts of the world there still exists a negative stigma regarding black women wearing their hair in its natural, curly, kinky, nappy conditions, whatever it may be. This sentiment can tear away at your self-esteem, self-respect, and feelings of worthiness- if you let it.  Others have said the same. We must love ourselves, inclusive of our hair, and what we perceive as its attributes and imperfections first, before others can love us for who we are.

Source: http://vegavallari.hubpages.com/hub/8-Rules-of-Natural-Hair-Care

Caring For Your Natural Hair Based On Type

Every hair type has different needs. When selecting a product, keep a couple things in mind.                 


Type 4

If you’re a type 4, you’re looking for moisture and curl definition. Any product you select, should help with either or both. If not, you’re wasting some serious money.

For Moisture, I suggest the following products:

• Oyin Handmade Whipped Pudding
• Organic Jojoba Oil
• Carol’s Daughter Healthy Hair Butter
• Shea Terra Certified Organic Shea Butter
• Water

Tip: Look for products that contain glycerin, honey, shea butter, and propylene glycol. Some naturals have even created their own mixture of oils and water to create the perfect moisturizer. Try water and coconut oil if  you’re on a budget.

For Curl Definition, I recommend:

• Oyin Handmade Style & Define
• Eco Styler Gel with Olive Oil (Use an additional moisturizer)
• IC Fantasia Gel (Use an additional moisturizer)
• Kinky-Curly Curling Custard
• Beauty Blended Curl Styling Butter

Type 3

If you’re a type 3, you’ll need to focus on tackling dryness and frizziness. So you’ll need products that moisturize, as well as products that manage friziness.

For moisture, I recommend:

• Oyin Handmade Frank Juice
• Oyin Handmade Honey Wash
• Oyin Handmade Honey Hemp Conditioner
• Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk
• Kinky-Curly Curling Custard
• Curl Junkie Coffe-Coco Cream
• For frizziness, I recommend:
• Blended Beauty Curly Frizz Pudding
• CURLS Curl Souflle

Type 2

If you’re a type 2, you’ll need to tackle frizziness, as it will be your greatest obstacle.

I recommend:

• Jessicurl Confident Coils Styling Solution
• MOP C Curl Defining Cream

While it’s good to know about your hair texture and type, it’s definitely not an issue for you to obsess over. The reality is, we all have a combination of different hair textures, and we all have unique hair in some shape or form. No hair type is better than the other, since every hair type is God given.

Personally, I’m not big on the hair type method, but I do think it’s important to learn what your hair likes and despises product wise. When you learn about your hair, it’s easier to find products and ingredients that will work. I’m a type 4, and my hair loves moisture. Moisture alone will define my curls, so I seek products that have lots of moisture. To lock in the definition, a light gel works well for me. Some need expensive products to get the results they desire, while others do not. Trial and error will be your very best friend when it comes to natural hair.

Source: http://urbanbellemag.com/2010/10/your-natural-hair-type-and-how-to-manage-it.html

Types Of Natural Hair

Natural hair is a fabulous thing, but to get the most out of your hair, you’ll need to learn your hair type, and choose products and hairstyles that work for your particular curl pattern.  For the newly natural, it can be a confusing ordeal to learn your hair type, but once discovered, it can make your life as a natural diva fairly easier.  There are several hair types of natural hair, and all are classified by curl pattern and texture.  This type system was created by hair stylist, Andre Walker, but I suggest you don’t get too obsessed with this system or your particular hair type.

Type 4

Type 4 hair is considered kinky hair.  This particular hair type is tightly coiled and extremely delicate. It requires lots of care, and is known to lack in shine, even though it may be in a healthy state, but it does have a natural sheen. This kind of hair is usually soft, and fine by nature.

Although described as kinky, do not be mistaken, as this hair type has curls. These particular curls are very tight, and require much attention. 

The are two sub types of type 4 hair: A and B.

4A hair is tightly coiled. When stretched, it has a S pattern, which is very resembling of curly hair. 4B hair is less defined than 4A hair, and resembles a Z when it is stretched. It doesn’t bend or actually curl in traditional forms, but instead bends in very sharp angles similar to the letter Z. It also has less moisture than 4A hair, hence, it has a more wire like texture.

Example Of Type 4 Hair

Type 3

With this particular hair type, when wet, it will appear straight.  Once the hair dries, a curl pattern will become visible.  Humidity seems to make this kind of hair curlier, and in most cases, frizzier.  When it comes to body, this hair has lots of it, and tends to be pretty easy to style.  It can even be easily straightened with a blow drier; and is shiny, with small curls and plenty of elasticity.

This hair type has three sub types.  

3A type hair is very loosely curled, and usually shiny with bigger curls. Length is a factor in its curl definition, as shorter hair tends to be straighter, and long hair tends to have a tighter curl pattern.  3B type hair has medium sized curls to tight corkscrews. It is usual to see a mixture of both in one head full of hair.  3C is the final subtype, which is usually described as tight curls in corkscrews. These curls can be tightly curled or kinky.

Example Of Type 3 Hair

Type 2

A relatively unusual type, wavy hair tends to be coarse, with a definite S pattern to it.

There are three Type 2 subtypes: A- Fine /thin, B -medium-textured, and C - thick and coarse.

Type 2A is very easy to handle, blowing out into a straighter style or taking on curlier looks with relative ease. Types 2B and 2C are a little more resistant to styling and have a tendency to frizz.

Example Of Type 2 Hair

Type 1

Naturally straight hair.

Sources:

• http://urbanbellemag.com/2010/10/your-natural-hair-type-and-how-to-manage-it.html
• http://www.bvhairtalk.com/2008/06/12/understanding-your-hair-type-and-texture/