The Beauty Thesis : black hair care

Showing posts with label black hair care. Show all posts

I would call that my dream job. Why do I fit in that position? Because people who are transitioning from relaxed to natural need all the support they can get. Sadly, where can you find someone on call to walk you through your detangling, co-washing, stretching, protective styles, product addition, hair typing, apl, bsl, and all the frustration, determination and dedication required to stop lye-ing to your hair? Exactly!

I realised I have a knack for this yesterday whilst assisting a group of women and their daughters during a meetup. As they went round the room expressing their issues I realised they spoke things I had chronicled on my journey. It got to the point where, I who's very demure and reserved, seemed to be offering all the information.
I am not better, nor do I have the answers, but I have been there. I dealt with the breakage, the shedding, the twist out gone wrong, the products that didn't deliver, the hair crushes. In fact, yesterday I looked at the spoils of my trip for hair ingredients and it looked like I was making various salad dressings and vegan trays. The oils: tea tree, olive, garlic, almond, jojoba, vitamin E, and Amla. I had the butters: Shea, Cocoa, Almond, Coconut, and Honey. The produce: avocado, banana, garlic clove, ginger, organic cinnamon, and blueberries.
I use these to make products for girls at the foster home. It's far less expensive to make than purchase, and we have a time to bond and talk about things. Also, since they are freshly made with no preservatives or chemicals, they must be used within a strict time frame. I'm thinking about getting fragrance oils for scent, but I'm concerned about the impact on future endeavors.
Seriously, when I was in line, there was a pretty young lady who had an unfortunate wig on and it was due to her going back to relaxing and had a weave sewn in and her hair was damaged when it was removed. The hair dresser washed her hair prior to removing the weave, therefore causing it to mat and resulting in breakage. She had to cut her hair to an inch all around and still doesn't think she can "do natural" because of the "work" so...
It's not really work if you think about it. When you first start exercising, you don't see results, but you are exerting yourself and working hard. It's the same concept. You don't see immediate results because you are training your body to work differently. It takes time. When you have learned to manipulate your hair for 20, 30, 40 or more years, you can't figure out what your chemical free hair likes. You didn't have to listen to your hair because the lye allowed you a "crutch" to keep from working with it in its natural state. Make friends with your hair. Learn what it likes, but don't pressure yourself. Don't compare your journey to anyone else's. It's one thing to learn or share experience with products, techniques, etc. but you can't expect your hair to respond the same. Also, don't expect the many rules to be hard and fast. Some people grow hair faster but genetics, diet, hydration, etc. are all factors. Go easy on yourself and your hair!

Natural Hair Coach

by The Beauty Thesis on 9:10 PM

I would call that my dream job. Why do I fit in that position? Because people who are transitioning from relaxed to natural need all the su...

I wish I had a dollar for everytime I heard a person say that Afro textured hair doesn't grow. It's 2010 and guess what? Afro textured hair grows, and will continue to do so if you take proper care of it. I have never had long hair. My mum didn't really know how to care for my hair, and she didn't have the time to deal with it. So, I thought I knew everything and took the wheel and anihiliated my hair for the longest. The key to growing any texture of hair is knowing how to care for your own hair. I cannot tell you how many bandwagon products I jumped on. They had great reviews, were all the talk on forums and/or YouTube but for me they were usually epic "fail" for me. So, I have an arsenal of products I call my holy grails, a few essentials, and some items, I'm experimenting with. The experiments are not because I don't have faith in my holy grails, but Creme of Nature was epic until I found KeraCare for dry itchy scalp (tingles) as was Motions CPR until Avlon and Nexxus had things which worked better. It's difficult to let go, but the results have been learning to get products in the event my currents are either discontinued or reformulated or simply because the type of products on the market are improving (i.e. sulphate free). In addition, don't think people who are not your ethnicity can't have products that will suit you. Products marketed for Afro textured hair don't always equal success for me, just as many products for European/Caucasian hair work quite well. It's all about trial and error. Support helps also. I am in a hide your locks, no trim in 2010 but I may have to quit because I need to cut six inches of old tired relaxed ends off. I did buy some products from a hair trade show, and will give my 2 cents. I can usually tell first try how a product will work for me, but I try not to give a rave review until really testing a product for some time. To be continued...

(awaiting testing)

Black Hair CAN Grow!

by The Beauty Thesis on 10:04 PM

I wish I had a dollar for everytime I heard a person say that Afro textured hair doesn't grow. It's 2010 and guess what? Afro tex...

It's too cold to do these pics, but there are so many unbelievers in the world. Newsflash: African girl grows her 4c hair (with chemicals) and defies her naysayers. This is what I call my "trill talk" true and real. I have never had long hair. Yes, I went through a phase of wanting long hair. But, I had it ingrained that "black hair doesn't grow." Even white people believed black people hair grows to a certain length and stops. Well, at that time, I hadn't known what I didn't know. There were no forums, hair boards, and wealth of information like there is currently. But, I promise you you can grow your hair to great "lengths" if you take care of your hair regardless of whether it is relaxed, natural, texlaxed, etc. The rules: You must be patient, you must be informed, you must learn YOUR hair, and you must have faith. In the process of getting my hair to this length, I have been through many a sad day. The last one was the day I took this photo, which was Sunday (wash day). I wanted to shave it off and start over as a natural again. I miss having the fro, but what I remembered was, I didn't take the time for my hair in it's natural state. It was a lot easier, but I got lazy. There is a myth that natural hair is easier to care for than relaxed. For me, that's false. My natural hair may have been stronger, but it was a spiritual process and I had fewer people who supported my journey. I could tell you how I had to wear a wig that looked like a hat on my head to my job and not one lawyer would take my case. I could tell you I didn't get rude comments and the side eye at least twice a day. People talked about me, my sexuality, my ... let's not give negative energy to the past and accept people are ignorant and when you don't know something, you use humor to hide your lack of understanding. Well, the economy went on a free fall, I'd been terminated (there I said it) and needed a job so I texlaxed. It was scary. I felt bald, I thought I would open my eyes and have nothing on my head. What's more, I had so much face! Woah, who is that girl looking back at me. Still have those days.

So, here I am with my current waist length hair, and you know what? I'm still the same me. I don't get more dates, I don't feel more "black" and I don't feel like I sold out either. I feel like I learnt about my hair in one texture, and now know it in another. I care for it, but there are still those days where I want to give up, but when those days happen, I post on the boards, write about makeup, watch something inspirational, THANK GOD for his mercy and continue to "do me." I have had scalp burns, alopecia, psoriasis, burns from hot combs, flat irons, stress related hair loss and more, but let me encourage you to believe in yourself. Hair is not who you are, but it's fun. It's an accessory like everything else we don't need to survive, but I have learnt so much from so many strong women of ALL colors and I continue...that's my hairstory.

xoxo