Healthy Hair Habits: Part 2

It is important to establish a healthy hair care regimen that is simple to approach and easy to maintain. If you can afford it, make sure to find a professional stylist who knows the most current information when it comes to caring for and styling your hair. But, if you can’t afford a stylist, here are some tips to help you get started on your healthy hair journey. Whether you wear your hair natural, curly, relaxed, or if you wear it straight, these tips are straight-forward and can be used by anyone regardless of your hair type.

Make sure to ask yourself these questions, as you consider what approach you want to take when it comes to starting healthy hair habits.

1. How often are you applying heat to your hair?
2. Are getting your ends trimmed every 6 - 8 weeks?
3. Are you taking a daily multi-vitamin and drinking plenty of water?

Minimize the use of heat

This has to be a no-brainer, right? Heat causes damage. There are other ways to dry and straighten your hair besides using blow dryers and flat irons. Get creative! If you’re not interested in wearing your hair in more natural styles then try other alternatives when it comes to straightening. A good roller set can last up to two weeks before it’s time to do another one. Protective styles, like a bun or a ponytail are also good ways to stay away from heat. If you have to blow dry and/or flat iron your hair, make sure to use a heat protectant. Keep your hair wrapped up at night with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet; this reduces how often you need to use heat.

Trim ends every 6 - 8 weeks

This should have been listed first in how to start new healthy hair habits. Some people who wear their hair naturally curly may dust their ends less frequently than those who wear their hair in straightened styles. Dusting is when you would cut a little less than ¼ of an inch from the ends of your hair. Because damage is more inconspicuous in naturally curly hair, some may opt to not dust or trim their ends as often (mostly to save length). Trimming is important, not because your hair will grow faster, because it improves the overall health and appearance of your hair. Ever straighten your hair and all of it but the ends was silky and manageable? And once you trim those straggly ends--the entire look was smooth, right?

Take a daily multi-vitamin & drink plenty of water

No need in spending a lot of money on hair, skin, and nails vitamins. Just take a daily multi-vitamin. All the minerals contained in a multi-vitamin are sufficient when it comes to maintaining healthy hair. There’s no magic pill that will increase hair growth. However, if you take care of your hair by creating a regimen that is simple and easy to stick with, take a multi-vitamin, eat healthy, and drink water, you’re already on your way to achieving the kind of hair you’ve always dreamed of having. Stop obsessing over your hair! If you’re doing the right thing your hair will let you know.
　

How to Start New Healthy Hair Habits: Part 1

If you’re interested in having hair that is manageable and has the appearance of health, how you maintain it is essential. From daily regimens to bi-monthly maintenance, the ways in which you handle your hair and the products you use are key.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you consider what new healthy hair habits you want to develop as you find ways to manage your hair.

1. Are you handling your hair more than necessary?
2. Do you use shampoos that have harsh cleansing agents?
3. Are your conditioners laden with silicones?

These questions are just basic questions, and how you answer them determines a lot when it comes to the health of your hair. Let’s tackle the first three questions, and get you started on your journey of healthy hair.
　
How to handle your hair

• Depending on how you wear your hair, natural or straight; you need to make sure that you are protecting it. This means, wrapping/covering your hair with a silk or satin scarf or bonnet while sleeping. Using a silk or a real satin scarf or bonnet--which is derived from silk is best for your hair. If it’s important to you, make sure to invest in a real satin or silk scarf.
• Wearing your hair in protective styles, (e.g., braids, twists, up dos, etc.), may also be essential if you don’t want to incur breakage or damage by handling your hair too much. Combing and brushing your hair can also cause damage. So make sure that you’re handling your hair only when necessary. Only use a wide tooth comb after washing and conditioning when detangling.

Use a sulfate-free shampoo

• Are you one of those who believes that when your shampoo has a rich, lavish, soapy consistency to it that it means it’s really doing it’s job and cleansing your hair? Not true. In fact, that soapy consistency is stripping your hair of essential oils.
• When searching for the right shampoo, the main ingredient you need to make sure is NOT in it is: Sodium Laureth Sulfate. But really, all you need to do is search for a shampoo that says it’s sulfate-free. Shampoos that are sulfate-free will boast about this on its’ labels.

Use “no cones” (silicones) conditioner

• If you read my last article about silicones, then you know that silicones are not good for the hair. I look at silicones as being a temporary fix, but not a substance that should be relied on as a mainstay in your hair care regimen.
• Silicones can build-up on the hair over a period of time, and you will have to use a harsh shampoo to get the substance out of your hair. It’s kind of like a vicious cycle. It can make you dependent on using shampoos that are not good for your hair.
• There are some silicones that are water-soluble and can be used over a period of time, but if you don’t want to take out the time to learn which ones are OK to use and the one’s that are not, just make sure that whatever conditioner you use does not have a word on its’ label that says “cone” at the end of it. Here’s an example of what a product may have on its’ ingredient list, if there are silicones in it. Dimetihcone.

Knowing Your Hair Type: Curl Pattern vs. Hair Texture, What's the Difference?

As a natural hair enthusiast, or, as I like to call myself--a Naturalista, I believe it is important for all those who are considering making the transition, the big chop, or who have transitioned (from relaxed to natural hair), or have made the big chop to know the challenges you will face when it comes to making these, in many cases, life altering decisions. I know this all sounds very dramatic, and for some it is. So, for the sake of entertainment--and, if it will keep you reading, then let’s continue with the drama. For those of you who have no clue on where to begin, let me say this: The internet and blogosphere is saturated with naturalistas like myself who have taken as much, if not more time to learn all there is to know about how to care for our natural hair.

If you care enough to do the research yourself, you will find that the market for this particular niche is very appealing to those who seek to make a profit. Of course it’s because many of them know that women of color will spend all that we have on our hair. There is nothing wrong with making or spending money, but why spend endless amounts of money on products that are no good for your hair? Just because a product claims to be for natural, kinky, curly, frizzy hair; it may not be for your particular natural, kinky, curly, frizzy hair.

As I would sift through the sea of information on natural hair care, I kept saying to myself that something wasn’t right with all these questions asking: what‘s your hair type, what’s your curl pattern? Once I figured out what my hair type/curl pattern (I think???) was, I learned later that my hair had many types and patterns, and they all ranged from a 3a to a 4a--seriously.Then, I would seek products for those types/patterns and would never really get the results I desired. As I searched I still couldn’t figure out what was really wrong. Why wasn’t anything working?! I just knew that there was more to this mystery than curl patterns and hair types.

So, I decided to do a Google search on the difference between curl patterns and hair textures, not types and realized that my thinking was on the right track. The truth is, a black woman and a white woman both can have the same curl pattern (e.g. a 3c pattern), but have completely different textures. Now, is this starting to make a little more sense? When I think of textures, I think of how something feels to the touch, to the taste, and even to the sight. Some textures are smooth and silky, while other textures are rigid and rough. Then, there’s this whole thing on porosity. I won’t go into detail about porosity, but just know that if you’ve relaxed or dyed your hair (and haven’t chopped it off--sounds so drastic, doesn‘t it?) then more than likely the porosity of your hair is high. The porosity of your hair determines how your hair may react to certain products because of its‘ ability to absorb or emit any kind of substance

Please educate yourself. It’s not enough to take someone else’s word as bond. It’s OK to take advice from those who are passionate (like myself) about natural hair care, BUT many of us are NOT professionals. We can only stand in support of your decision to go natural and offer you our stories to help you get through your journey. It’s recommended that you seek the advice of a professional and arm yourself with knowledge. Finally, the most important thing you should do before you make any moves (at all) is to know the curl pattern, texture and the porosity of your hair. Based on this information, your own personal research, support from the natural hair care community, and the recommendations of a professional; you are now prepared to take on this journey!

To help you determine your hair properties: curl pattern/hair type, texture, density, and the porosity of your hair, make sure to check out the following link.

Remember some resources may use the words curl types/hair types and textures interchangeably, but texture is something different. It can be a little confusing. That’s why it’s so important to do your own research. Oh, and one last thing. Many sites have many different types of hair type charts. Some have so many sub-categories that you would wonder if they were just made up. I have not found one hair type chart from any site that impressed me enough to give you a clear understanding of what your hair type may be. I have posted a chart on The Kink’s (Home Page) website.

http://www.curlwizard.com/ Click the Hair Properties link.

The Truth About Silicones and Their Effect on Natural Hair

Lately I’ve been on this quest to find the perfect hair product. I’ve learned that there is no such thing. And, if there is any one product or products that come close to perfect; it can only be close to perfect for one person. YOU. This is why beauty is big business. We as consumers will keep pushing until we find the one…or, maybe it’s that one…no, it’s definitely this one.

I’ve been relaxer-free for almost four years, but I recently became a naturalista--as I like to call it. I’ve been on a quest to find products that are natural and if they’re not 100% natural, I try to find those that will have the least negative impact on my hair. I have found several products that I absolutely loved, but later learned that my love affair with them had to end because they contained ingredients that were potentially harmful to the long-term health of my naturally curly hair.

Products that contain silicones happen to be the ones that I loved the most; especially the conditioners. Imagine my disappointment, but mostly fear when I realized that I had to find alternatives that could still give me similar, if not, the same results. Rather than go on this blind hunt for silicone-free products, I decided to do a little research. Besides, what good is it to buy silicone-free products if the other ingredients were potentially just as harmful? I’ve learned that there were quite a few ingredients in these products that were potentially harmful, but we can discuss those another time.

I wanted to make sure if whether or not all silicones were created equal. No, they are not, but does that mean that some are better than others? Apparently there are. At the end, you decide if whether or not using silicones are worth the risk. And, really how much of a risk is it?. I’ve found that there are some who feel the risk is worth it. However, those who take the risk and use silicone-based products have made educated decisions to do so. Remember this discussion is geared towards those who are interested in using natural products. If you’re only interested in what works--and, that’s OK too, this is not the article for you.

Silicones: Natural Hair’s Enemy

When I search for a new product I can stand in the store aisles forever trying to make sure that the product I’m looking for doesn’t have at least one of the ingredients we naturalistas have been told is BAD for our hair. Silicones. I’ve read countless articles that tells us that if a product’s ingredient list includes anything with the word cone at the end of it, then we should not use it. So, silicones are the enemies to all naturals, or at least one of the many.

Remember, natural hair has inherent enemies. On any given day its enemy could be any one of the elements; which launches a whole host of attacks, including: Dryness, brittleness, frizziness, and other types of damage. Another natural hair enemy can be ourselves in the way in which we handle our hair.

Silicones have been disguised as natural hair friends. They’re here to help combat the elements’ torture on the hair and to alleviate some of the pressure we place on ourselves. But after awhile we learn that the use of silicones only prolongs the inevitable and can make things worse. One of silicones’ deceptions is that they can trap moisture and they serve as a humectant. Humectants are great for dry hair. It’s all about moisture, right? Dry hair needs moisture.

The Problem with Silicones
The problem with silicones is that they are not water-soluble, which means that over time they can build up in the hair and they are really hard to get rid of. In order to get rid of this build-up, we have to use really harsh sulfates (shampoo) to rid our hair of this mess. We have learned that shampoos that contain these sulfates are not good for naturals because they strip our hair of all that is essential to maintain its health.

I’m still not really sure of what long term damage silicones can cause, but an uneducated guess would be that as we continue to use silicones the use of harsh products to get rid of them is what can cause the long-term damage. Also, another to consider is if silicones are good at trapping things such as moisture, then I’m going to assume that they can even trap impurities and that could also be where the issues occur.

This is really too bad because silicones really make the process of finding ways to tame our natural tresses a lot easier. It’s true, silicones are a quick fix. I search to find more natural solutions for my hair that can give me similar results as silicones but it’s not easy…

But, Wait…There May Be Hope!
I have found that there are some silicones that may be OK for us naturalistas to use. If the silicone has Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) listed in front of that nasty cone containing word then it may be OK to use on natural hair. PEG is a water-soluble silicone and does not cause product build-up. This means that those of us who use less harsh shampoos or co-wash our hair with conditioners are able to continue with these products or methods to keep our hair clean and moisturized.

I understand there are times where life calls for what works right now. I also know that sometimes being at your best requires spending a little more than what you can afford. There are products out there that are silicone-free and are great at moisturizing the hair. You just have to do your research to learn what those products are. At the end of this article there is a list of the silicones that are found in many of the products we use.

This is for information purposes only. As always, make sure to do the research and choose products that are best for your hair. I provide this information to those who are interested in using natural products who may not have the time or simply would rather buy their products than to create them on their own.
　
Different Kinds of Silicones
Note: Not all silicones are created equal. Some are more water-soluble than others. They will be listed by NOT water soluble, slightly soluble, and water soluble.
Not water-soluble: Cetearyl methicone, Cetyl Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Amodimethicone (and) Trideceth-12 (and) Cetrimonium Chloride, and Trimethylsilylamodimethicone. Note: Trideceth-12 and Cetrimonium Chloride are only considered a silcone when both are combined with Amodimethicone.
Slightly water-soluble: Amodimethicone, Behenoxy Dimethicone, and Stearoxy Dimethicone.
Water-soluble: Dimethicone Copolyol, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Hydroxypropyl Polysiloxane, and Lauryl methicone copolyol.

Resources　
http://thebeautybrains.com/2007/01/23/what-silicones-do-for-your-hair/

http://www.naturalwellbeing.com/learning-center/Dimethicone

http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair

http://www.wikihow.com/Follow-the-Curly-Girl-Method-for-Curly-Hair#Warnings

http://thenaturalhaven.blogspot.com/2011/01/ingredients-dictionary-dimethicone.html

http://motowngirl.com/index.php/ingredients-to-avoid.html

　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　
　

Why I Chose to Go Natural: Living the Natural LIfe as a Spiritual Journey?

I started this journey almost 4 years ago. Initially, I just stopped relaxing my hair. I would still use heat: blow drying (without a heat protectant) and using a flat iron on a regular basis. I can't give you an exact reason at that time I decided to stop relaxing,. I can't even say that this is the place I one day knew I would be--au naturale. I just think I came to the conclusion that I really had no use for chemicals. I always knew that they (chemicals) were not good for my hair, but I don't think I made the distinction that the heat was just as damaging.

I will say that I did know that I could get the same results with a flat iron as I had been getting with a relaxer. I also knew that it would be more work, BUT, I thought I was doing the right thing for my hair. I was very naive. I hadn't done the research. I would go by word of mouth about certain products that could possibly be good for my hair. I would watch YouTube videos and get the latest info on what black women were using to get their hair to grow--notice I said grow--but, did not mention what they were using to get their hair healthy. I didn't really care. I had and still have very strong hair. It's always been thick and it would grow--but not fast enough apparently.

I look back now thinking about the countless YouTube videos I watched, spending money I did not have on all kinds of products. I watched these wanna-be experts; basically the blind leading the blind give advice and product reviews on products they weren't really sure if they were working or not. I even found videos with huge followings that claimed that a product for horses that is sold in feed stores had amazing growth results (on human hair). You ask--was I one of the one's who shamelessly walked into my local feed store asking for this product and actually bought it? Yes, I was and I did. I will say no more.

In the end of all the madness I was just as confused and clueless as I was in the beginning. Needless to say, I did not see any improvement in my hair for the two plus years as I was mindlessly washing and stripping my hair with shampoo that was not even for my hair type; conditioning with whatever product I had on hand, and just forget about styling products. I will say that even with all my missteps, the end results were always fabulous. I would get so many compliments on how beautiful and thick my hair was, but I knew that I could not continue like this for much longer before my hair started showing signs that there were some real problems.

It wasn't until June, 2010 that I decided to do the "BIG CHOP" and start from scratch. Well, I have to admit that usually when my life is going through some type of change, or turmoil, my hair is always on the receiving end of some kind of assault. Looking back, I felt like as if whatever was happening emotionally on the inside of me was displayed outwardly in the strangest of ways. I decided on a whim that I needed to clear my life of some things and start making healthier life decisions. The first decision was to clear, or should I say chop all of my hair off  (almost) down to the root. My hair was definitely a symbol of all things that were damaged in my life, and in order to get right I had to let go of all things that were holding me back, down, captive, prisoner....you get the point, right?! And, that included my damaged hair.

So, my decision to go completely natural wasn't planned. There was no countdown to the final date; not a moment to think it over. Once I decided to do it--it was done. The journey up to this point has been life altering--literally. I know that sounds a bit dramatic but this whole experience has given me a different outlook on life, who I am, and how I want the world to see me. Accepting the fact that my hair is as pure and natural as it was when my mother use to wash it and plait it as young girl means that I have accepted who I am as I am, and have decided to live a life that is pure, natural and free. Living the natual life is still a process and my journey is far from over. I am still learning how to care for my hair as I learn to care for my heart, my soul, and my body.

Website: http://www.thekink101.weebly.com/

Liberated: Inspiration for those considering making the transition to natural

After I made the BIG CHOP over a year ago, because I did do it on a whim, I thought--"Oh, my God, what did I just do!" Yeah, yeah, in my previous blog (Why I Chose to Go Natural) I talked about how this transition was like a spiritual journey, out with the old; in with the new type thing. And, while all that is true, I panicked initially. It took me awhile to get used to this new journey. As I have mentiond before, I have been relaxer-free for a couple of years or so before deciding to chop off the rest of my damaged hair two summers ago.

Now, that I have gotten used to this change, I have to say it has been very challenging. I do not want to mislead any of you who are contemplating making this transition because it is a committment. It has taken a long time, AND, I am still trying new and different things to figure out which products are best for my hair. I did a lot of research. I learned my curl pattern, tried products that were supposedly good for my hair type, and learned that what was initially thought to be bad for my hair actually is ok. It is a lot to learn, but that is the beauty of this journey. As you learn, you find what is right for YOU! And, you may decide at a later time that what was right for you then may not be right for you now. That is ok! Remember it is a process. I have to admit I love the process. The process keeps me interested and it has given me the passion to learn all things natural, especially when it comes to my hair.

I feel like a child learning something new for the first time. Every time I read a product review about a new product, or shopped the ethnic haircare aisles at the local Wal-Mart and shamelessly bought something just because the bottle promised--in so many words--FREEDOM! FREEDOM from drying out my hair, FREEDOM from frizz,  FREEDOM from (essentially) never having to use another product again, and then later become disappointed that it did not deliver on its' promise. This was all cool though. I was learning, and anyone who knows my educational background, KNOWS I love to LEARN and love to TEACH what I know, and in this case-- teach what I have learned and learning.

Regardless of how many products I have tried, and there have been many. I do have some old stand-bys that always do the trick. Even if--wait for it--they are not the natural and organic products. I make a lot of home recipes with olive oil, eggs, honey, you name it, but when I do not have the time to experiment I use what works for the time being; always with the thought in mind that I have to live by what I promote. For the most part I do, but sometimes you have to make room for what is convenient. I always want to keep it 100...lol.

There is no question about it there is freedom in being natural. Yes, it is a lot of work, but I have never felt more LIBERATED in my entire life. The choice I made to go natural, once I got a clue, was all about me being who I am without the worry of what others thought of me.  There were people, mostly family who did not like the choice that I made. I almost felt pity for them because I instantly felt how paralyzing it must feel to think that we as women of color in our naturalness have to censor who we are just to make others feel comfortable. I admit that I have felt, whether it is true or not, that some people would overlook me because of my newly natural state. I found that I had to put myself out there to get recognized otherwise some people would look right past me. Like I said, I am not sure people are aware of what they do at times, or if I may have been a little uncomfortable in my own skin (in the beginning) and just thought this way.

Needless to say, I stuck to my guns and I remained faithful. Imagine the freedom in that! Now, when people see my hair; quite a bit longer than it was over a year ago, they compliment my wild curly curls, and they love the color. Yep, I had to add a little flair. Honestly, I would not care if they liked it or not. I am owning this. I am free, I am liberated!

website: http://www.thekink101.weebly.com/