Updated Pictures - 8/08

This crazy combed out afro shows just how "big" my hair has gotten...and I am LOVING it!



At some point I gave up on the idea that I had, HAD, to define my curl pattern and there's such a freedom to truly accepting my hair's texture instead of fighting it - which is how I felt when trying this product and that one to make this head of hair curl. I do let it go curly some days, but most days I'm in a protective style or an afro.


It's growing pretty quickly, although I'm at a point where it's not long and it's not short. Which is why I stick close to protective styles so I don't have to even think about it too hard!

To Dye or Not to Dye - That is the question

"You're not natural if you put chemical on your hair - ANY chemical," said the hairstylist mother to the daughter with newly natural hair.
"Well I'm not wearing this gray, so let's get to coloring!" I told my mom.

Because the work vs. stay-home debate among women isn't enough to argue about. Or light-skinned women have it easier than dark-skinned women. We as women have more than enough to discuss amongst ourselves, but when I heard the insanity of to dye or not to dye I knew I had surely heard it all.

In short, very short, I decided to go without relaxer because getting I wanted to be able to do what I wanted with my hair like wash it daily after hitting the gym. Simple as that. Over time it has become so much more about loving the hair texture God gave me. At 29, and since I was 16, I have no desire to be as gray as I am. Therefore I color. Period, dot.

I do me, and that means I do semi-permanent every six weeks or so. And once I find a color I think I'd like I'll make it a lighter shade of brown. If you like henna to dye your hair, more power to you, if you take natural to the fullest degree, even more power to you. I'm sure when I'm older I let the grays fly free, but today? Today I will chemically alter my hair color and I remain natural because for me, that means free of relaxer. Need I say more?

Castor Oil? Who knew??

My hair was indeed a hot, fiery mess earlier this month but I got a wild hair and decided to try out the unopened bottle of castor oil I purchased months ago. I poured some into my hand and thought, "Oh gross, what could this do for anyone but loosen the bowels?" It was almost sticky and tough to apply to my hair, but I got it done and tossed on my head rag and waited.

About an hour or so later I decided to shampoo (Cream of Nature's Moisturizing) and condition (Silk Elements Luxurious Conditioning) and hope for the best. And the best was just what I got. My hair was so soft and manageable, where usually I have a lot of tangles I could slide the comb through my hair post-castor oil treatment. I was so excited about that that I decided to twist my hair because it was just so easy to work with. A day or so later, once my twists had completely dried I looked closely at a twist and noticed...what's that?...something I haven't seen since my relaxer days?....oh SNAP, is that SHEEN? I was th-rilled. I didn't think my hair could shine, but man did it ever with that castor oil.

I have worn my twists and currently a twist-out since last Wednesday, almost a week now, and have not had my usual "itchies" or temptation to co-wash to get that product build-up feel out (there hasn't been any!). I don't know what will happen on my next treatment with castor oil, but it makes me so happy I could dance! Who knew it'd work for anything more than the grandparents' remedy for tummy aches? SNAP!

A Hot, Fiery MESS

It's early August and it's hot. It's too hot for a 'fro, it's too hot to keep the wild-child suspended beneath a bandana. So what's a girl to do? This hair of mine it a hot, fiery mess and I don't know what to do with it anymore!

You should see it, it's an untamed 'fro that just needs some help. There's no curl definition - my trusty product seemed to dry it out - and again, wearing a hair-hat aka 'fro is just not an option when we're in the mid-90s!

I'm off to Mexico next month and as I look ahead I'm going to try out some styles now and see what I decide on for my vacation. From cornrows, no synthetic hair added, to comb coils I've got to find something to help get me through the hottest time of the year. I'm sure the hubby and the kids are sick of looking at my hair wondering, What is she gonna do with that mess? After all, I know I'm sick of wondering the very same thing.