Thursday, November 20, 2008

When the Smiles Came Out.

Yesterday I washed my girls hair and braided it in cornrows while it was wet. I let it air dry and they went to bed with their hair like this. They they liked their hair in the cornrows. I think it was simple for them. They also knew their hair wouldn't be tangled up with Bed head in the morning. Both the girls don't like to have their hair fixed. So I'm trying to find easy hair styles that does not involved heat. Here is what the Cornrows looked liked. I also did this to my hair the day before. I have my roots twisted but they don't.
This afternoon I took their hair down after their school day was finished. It's thick and wavy. I don't have the Tomoka's Twists yet so I took two hairpins and pushed the sides up and back. I'm excited to try the Tomoka's twist hair accessories. They are so cute! So here is what they look like now with their big wavy hair. They are so happy about their hair now. All the smiles came out when they looked in the mirror. It feels good to like your hair!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Guiding Encouragment.

So I got up today and decided to braid and band my hair. The first two times I did inside braids. This time I did outside braids and it came out wavier than last time. I’m not sure if I like it yet. I think I’d like it to be some where in-between. This is a good hairstyle for my transitioning. It’s giving me some practice on the braiding and banding. So far so good. My hair is growing well. I found the hair growth guide in the Going Natural book interesting. Last week I took a strand of my hair and laid it on the guide. I placed a clear cover over it to take a picture of it. It s been about 4 months since I made the decision to go natural.


According to that guide I have about 2.5 inches of natural hair growth. Now my question has been asked but not answered, is this how you measure natural African American hair? I’ve seen some stretch it out and wondered if this was right. The hair in the photo is not stretched, just flattened for photo sake. I've also noticed the different textures on my head. I don’t think I will be contacting a consultant just yet. I want a bit more growth before going to the consultant again.
I have found this time around I don't have that urge to perm at all. My husband has been a great encouragement to me in this whole process. He's told me he likes my hair and is happy to see me with my hair like this. He says he loves the texture and how soft it is. It is weird because I have to get used to him having his fingers in my hair now. I'm not used to it but love it when he reaches over and feels my hair. It is such a blessing to hear his compliments on this journey. I am enjoying this journey. So far so good with the transitioning!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Reading up

Ok, so today I had sort of a bad hair day. It wasn't bad I just was blah about my hair. I couldn't decide on how I wanted to wear it today. I started out with two braids in the back then decided to just wear it pulled back on the sides. Yesterday I had it all curled and felt good about it. The mist from the shower made my curls fall. So I had blah hair today. I'm still wearing the twists.
I bought some natural hair books. I got

Curl Talk: Everything You Need to Know to Love and Care for Your Curly, Kinky, Wavy, or Frizzy Hair

Hair Rules!: The Ultimate Hair-Care Guide for Women with Kinky, Curly, or Wavy Hair

Going-Natural: How to Fall in Love with Nappy Hair [Illustrated]


Organic Body Care Recipes


Locs for Life: The Root to Well Being for African-American Women

I just finished Locs for Life. I read this whole book on a plane from Los Angeles to St. Louis. It was a short good read. I did learn a bit about locs. The author talks of her experience with her natural hair. I think most women with kinky hair can identify with her struggles of dealing with hair and fitting into society's views.

I haven't started reading the other books just yet. I did thumb through the book Going-Natural. It has an hair growth measurement guide that interested me. You can see the measurement guide it if you click on the link and view the book online.

I'm excited about the Organics Body Care Recipes books since reading The Green Beauty Guide. I've become interested more in the green sort of living. One of the things I think about is just how much damage has relaxing my hair done to my hair and scalp over the years. The chemicals that are in the relaxers are scary. That just makes reading about natural choices and alternatives more appealing.

Aside from the books, I did see a website that was interesting. http://naturalsuccess.ning.com/ it is a wonderful site!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Happy Again

Tonight I did some more SL blog surfing looking at photos of others that have blogged their Sisterlock journeys. This has become a favorite past time now! Am I obsessed? I don't now but I like looking at the various styles others have done. I ran across a site that has become my new found inspiration. Her locks are so beautiful I had to mention it. Take a look at Taylor Made Locks gallery!

Well, I've just been wearing the twist and curling the ends. I did discover this weekend while re-twisting that I'm halfway to the 2 inches I want to get the sisterlocks. I know they say 1 1/2 inches but I want to grow 2 just to make sure. Now my question to any of you that had relaxed ends when you got your sister locks installed is, did your sisterlock consultant lock your relaxed hair? I can say I notice my thicker natural hair more verse the thinner relaxed hair. This is not the first time I have gone natural though. The first time I transitioned with braids. I've seen my natural hair texture and I like it. It's sort of spongy and curly. I had braids all during the transition stage. When I felt comfortable enough with the length I began cutting the permed ends off. Eventually it was all natural. I liked it but didn't know how to maintain it so I relaxed it again. That was in 2007. I have to say every since I got it relaxed I have regretted that decision. My dh says that my natural hair is softer than the permed hair. I think my cousin described the relaxed hair as Hay head. When it was relaxed sometimes it would feel like hay then it would soften up. I'm tried of "needing a perm" so now I'm on the road to being all natural again. I'm happy. I think the been there done that was a good experience to make my decision to get sisterlocks a solid one. The ladies on Lockitup have been a great inspiration for me too.
Today I just sprayed my roots with an oil and water mix I made with the Carol's Daughter Lisa Hair Elixir. I wanted to be able to get some moisture in it with a spray bottle. I didn't want to go on a hunt for all new products. So far so good! I'm liking this transition. I guess I'm doing better than my last post!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Hair today, gone tomorrow...

Well I sit here looking funny. I've washed my hair and put it in braids. I did the banding thing like what the SL consultants advise you to do. I didn't want to redo these twists. This is my second time doing this. The first time it came out great. I loved the waves it gave. This time not so good. I'm kind of blah about it waves now. I'm supposed to go to a place today with friends so I do want it to look better. Why doesn't hair come out the same time each time!? Oh well. I need to go fix it up better. I'm not as thrilled today about my hair as I was a couple of days ago. I hope tomorrow will be different. I'm going to go and try to fix it so I won't feel uncomfortable tonight. I'm feeling a little crabby about hair at the moment.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Transitioning Do's

Since no relaxers have touched my hair, I've had to come up with some sort of style that I felt comfortable with. At first I thought about putting the micro braids back in for a time. That always gives my hair a rest from daily styling, but my husband prefers my natural hair. I did want something different to break my usual cycle of hair styles. It's kind of odd to find something to do with only a half inch of natural hair. It's just the beginning. I've been searching the web for transitioning hair styles. The TWA isn't something I'm bold enough to do. Instead of doing the big chop I'm doing two strand twists. Here are a few photos I took of my hair with the two strand twist. They are loosely done. Of course the hair being relaxed at the ends will not hold a twist long. I have to keep twisting them. So far this style has been fun to experiment with. I have about a half inch of natural hair and about 5.5 inches of relaxed hair. I can't seem to stop playing with the roots of my hair. I'm liking the texture more and more. I remember not liking the texture, and saying I needed a perm long before I had a half inch of new growth! Oh boy and I happy I'm on the road to getting my locks. I'm so excited about it!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Welcome

So I have officially started to blog my journey. Journey to having natural hair. Yes I've finally decided to have sisterlocks installed in my hair. I've wanted locks since 2004 or so. I even went for a SL consultation years ago. I wasn't quite sure then. I loved the look of them but I wasn't ready yet.

Since then I've gone through my usual cycle of hairstyles. I wore braids for months. I'd get tired of those, take them down and relax my natural roots. I'd get an itch for a change and cut my hair. After wearing it cut for a while, I'd get tired of the daily styling with heat and put braids back in.

My interest in natural hair started in 2004 close to 2005. I did decide to put the micro braids in to grow it out. The micro braids were always an easy hair style for me. I must say I liked the wash and go simplicity of them. It saved "getting ready" time in the mornings. I took them down in 2006 and had wonderfully natural hair. My downfall was not knowing how to deal with my natural hair. So I went to a salon to have it permed. Why I had to go to a salon when I had been relaxing for years myself I had no idea! I went, she permed, she blow dried, and cut my hair off. I was horrified. She claimed my ends were damaged. They were not, in fact it was they way she blow dried my hair. What was I thinking?! Soon after, I put the Micro braids back in. I took my Micro braids out back in May of 2008 and permed my own hair again.

Well, I'm ready to get off that cyclic lifestyle. I'm finally ready for my sisterlocks. I've step foot on that path and I'm quite excited about it. The last time I inquired about the locks I was unsure. I am now. I've been sisterlock blog surfing and enjoying the Lockitup Yahoogroup and the Locked Hair Blog Exchange. These two sources have kept me encouraged and well educated about locks. I've seen lots of different locks and styles. They are all very beautiful.

I started my journey of going natural in August 08. So far I have about 6 inches of relaxed hair and maybe a 1/2 inch of natural hair. I plan to grow it out past the 1.5 inches required to get sisterlocks. Maybe I'll try 2.5 :) I'm excited!