"National Natural Hair Meetup Day is an annual one-day event. Its purpose is to allow the opportunity for women across the country to meet in their own communities while networking, sharing and meeting (virtually) other women across the country participating in meetups on the same day. Natural hair meetups are events designed to share information, techniques, inspiration and products to aid individuals in their natural hair journey." Click here to learn more about International Hair Meet- Up Day! Also find a meet-up to attend in your location!
"National Natural Hair Meetup Day is an annual one-day event. Its purpose is to allow the opportunity for women across the country to meet in their own communities while networking, sharing and meeting (virtually) other women across the country participating in meetups on the same day. Natural hair meetups are events designed to share information, techniques, inspiration and products to aid individuals in their natural hair journey." Click here to learn more about International Hair Meet- Up Day! Also find a meet-up to attend in your location! If you plan to attend the International Natural Meetup Day Event in Indianapolis, you can purchase your tickets in advance by clicking here www.indynaturalhair.eventbrite.com. Natural Diva Apparel will be available, so make sure you stop by my booth to purchase a t-shirt!!!
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How it was: For so many years I hated my hair. I could never get it to do right. Well, lets be honest, I could never get it to do “white”. Every standard of beauty I saw growing up was a Caucasian woman with long shiny tresses. A relaxer and weave could get me the illusion of that but it was so much work to keep up the façade. Every time my natural hair would peek out from beneath a relaxer or weave, it had to be “tamed”….**sigh** I hate even thinking about those days. Water was my enemy because water in any form (snow, humidity, swimming, water guns, rain, fog,…ANY form) could destroy $30 to $60 worth of salon work. Then on top of that every three months I would have to spend about $80 on a relaxer. I had to tie my hair up tight to bathe or shower. I needed to be set free. In 2008 I had decided I had had enough chemicals and I refused anymore relaxers. I still got my hair straightened because I did not know how to keep and moisturize my curls. So I still had to avoid water. I loved the look of my natural hair when it was wet but once my hair dried, it drew up into dry tangled mess that made me want to cry! So wearing it natural was out of the question unless it was in a pony tail. The Epiphany: Then one day I was sitting in my hairdressers chair about to get flat ironed AGAIN. When in walks Miss Natural Diva herself, Kisha Fisher. She and I had not seen each other in awhile. When I looked at her I could not stop staring at her hair. There she was standing there with the curls I saw on my own hair when it was wet. But her hair was dry! How in the world!? “Girl! I LOVE your hair! We have GOT to talk!” I exclaimed. She just smiled and said “You have beautiful hair, why aren’t you wearing it natural?” That was it. She gave me websites and ideas and pointers. I left the beauty salon UNIRONED and my life was changed forever. Crossing over: I read everything. I started with Kinky Curly products. I bought everything they had and used them all wrong. It took a lot of trial and error. I would load my hair down with product and it would be all stiff and flakey. Or I would not put enough in and it would puff in one area and have defined curls in another. But I eventually figured it out and began to see and love my natural curls. Also I decided not to big chop. Call me a chicken but, I was in no emotional place to have that kind of big change look me in the face in the mirror every morning. So I mini chopped. Since I had been without a relaxer for a few years already my curls would loop beautifully. However some patchy areas (about 2 inches from the end) would stick out straw straight and fuzzy. So one day after about 3 months of trying to use curlers on the ends (and getting a very different curl pattern and texture) and getting frustrated with trying to hide the straw ends. I mercilessly chopped those two inches off and never looked back. My curls immediately sprung to coiled perfection! How it is now: Today I love my hair! I have the most amazing curls! And they are MINE. My hair the way God put it on my head. Everyone loves it. (especially my husband, he says my hair makes me look very exotic) I have never heard an unkind word about my hair. I wear it any way I please. Out and wild. Single or double clipped back with curls cascading down the back, a top fountain of curls…you name it. As of this writing I am wearing braids a bit longer than shoulder length (unstretched) my braids end with pretty pencil width coils that keep the braids in place. How I do it:
My favorite products are the Shea Moisture Products, mostly because I am lazy and I can pick them up locally (and pretty cheaply when I find it on sale at Walgreens). Cleansing: I co-clar. Which means I co-wash and clarify. I use any really cheap conditioner the same way I would use shampoo. I do not use shampoo. And I also use OACV (organic apple cider vinegar) to clarify and cleanse my scalp periodically. Conditioning and Daily Regimen : I L.O.C my hair daily, but also immediately following a cleansing. LOCing is a method of locking in moisture. Each layer of moisture locks in the previous one keeping my hair shiny, moisturized and protected. L.O.C L= Liquid (water, spray on conditioner,/moisturizer, etc.) O= Oil (any clear oil, jojoba oil, EVOO, Neem Oil, etc.), C=Cream (any creamy, smoothie, thicker styling cream) First I spray my hair down with water and spray-on moisture. Then I put in a clear oil and run it through. (This locks in the liquid I just sprayed on my hair) Then I apply a layer of a thick conditioning cream, my favorite is Shea Moisture Smoothie, and I run it through (This locks in the oil I just put in) Now my hair feels heavy, thick and greasy (like a Jeri curl from the 80’s) but as it dries the moisture locks in and my hair absorbs the moisture. I had to learn to trust this process! Once dry my curls are shiny, beautifully defined and not at all greasy to the touch. Growth: I wanted my two inches back. I use GHE (Green House Effect) and Monistat. I heard about using Monistat for accelerated hair growth. It had been the buzz for years in forums, hair loss chats, and medical sites. Several theories may explain why some experience accelerated growth including: it kills fungus that inhibits growth on your head, hair growth is effect of the cream itself and it oxygenates the scalp allowing more blood to flow, hence longer hair faster. No official study has been done but whatever the cause, thousands of people have caught on. So I did the controversial thing and tried using it. (about $4 at Walmart for a generic tube). I apply it to my scalp at night before I GHE (green house effect) which is put on a cheap plastic shower cap and a du-rag over that before bed, causing a natural green house effect on my scalp. My two inches grew back and more. I am now very happy with the length, very happy with the results and above all very happy being a natural girl! If you don't already know... I absolutely LOVE youtube, especially when it comes to natural hair styling. While Simplyounique and Charyjay are a few of my favorites, my Vlogger Crush is Pretty Dimples. She was one of the first Vloggers I started following since 2009. I have accomplished several of her DIY (Do It Yourself) styles and have had GREAT success with her styling tips. While surfing youtube today, I decided to visit Pretty Dimples Channel......I watched the video below and OMG, this hairstyle is just GORG!!!!! I had to share it!!! Straight Hair Naturals Get Love Too! Even though we envision natural hair as being kinky, there are natural women who choose to wear their hair straightened. As a result, there is a growing controversy rather these women are choosing the “European Look” over the “Kinky Texture Look” and by choosing the latter, frowned upon by some in the Natural Hair Community. In my opinion, natural hair is natural hair, its relaxer free---straightened or kinky….. Some natural women just prefer having straight hair; this doesn’t always mean they don’t accept their hair in its kinky/curly texture. It’s all about educating ourselves and learning how to manage our kinks/coils without using harsh chemical relaxers. Essentially natural hair women should embrace any form of natural beauty and their natural sisters rather she straightened, loc’d or sport kinky/coils. As for me, I support natural women who choose to wear their hair straight based on “preference” not because of fear to wear kinky textured hair. We all have preferences based on our individuality and shouldn’t judge others who decide to do something naturally different with their hair, such as straightening. Below are three beautiful natural hair women, who enjoy the diversity of wearing their hair straight. They have accepted their natural beauty and taken time to learn the importance of caring for their natural hair while straightened. Meet Radio Personality Fawn "Fantasee Blu" of Detroit Kiss 105.9I have been wearing my hair natural for 14 years now!!! Seriously, cannot believe it's been that long. The funny thing is, when I moved to LA and found someone to style my hair, I was very surprised to learn that most of the stylists in LaLa Land encouraged their clients to go the natural way. In Los Angeles! Of all places, right??? Same thing I thought. Anyway, her name was Felecia and she worked at the shop around the corner from where I lived. Crazy, I still remember being terrified and hesitant when she suggested the change. At my first appointment at that!! Sitting in her chair, needless to say I was irritated! Until she swung me around, placed a hand held mirror in front of me all I could say was, "Wow!"...my hair was super gorgeous!!! The texture, the amount of body and shine, truthfully that first natural moment was the BEST my hair had looked in years (shame on my mom for giving me a perm at 8 yrs old)! But from that moment on, I didn't go back to the creamy crack! Although I'm #teamnatural, I straighten my hair just about every 3-4 weeks (depending on my outings of course). The key for me is NO hard presses! Also, during off salon weeks, (another great technique Felecia introduced me to 14 yrs ago) I like to pin curl my hair to maintain body. Another great trick I learned, wrap your hair in the opposite direction every other day for a week and you'll wake up looking as if you've just stepped out of the salon (that's if the scarf stays on your head overnight!). Catch Fantasee Blu on Detroit Kiss 105.9 Monday-Friday 10am-3pm. Click here to listen live online: http://kissdetroit.com/listen-live/. Chaquetta, A Gorgeous Diva & Elementary Teacher in Abu Dubai I've been natural for 7 years now..... To keep my hair from being heat damage: I would NEVER put any extra heat on my hair once I left the shop until I went back 2 weeks later! Each night I pin curl my hair and tie it with a satin scarf! However, now that I live in another country I don't wear it straight as often as I use to. Instead of getting it straighten every 2 weeks I now only add heat every 2 months. I make sure to use natural oils on my wet hair to lock in the moisture so the extreme heat doesn't fry it. I always read the ingredients on my hair products! I look for alcohol (SD-Alcohol 40) because I know that would dry my hair out... The Beautiful Dr. Danielle also an Educator in Abu DubaiI have been natural for the past 11 years. Although I only wear my hair "straight" from time to time, I make sure I keep my ends clipped and get protein and deep conditioning treatments. To assist with preventing heat damage, I usually get my hair rolled and sit under the dryer instead of using a blow dryer. I also only straighten my hair once every two to three months. I make sure that I use a heat moisturizer that helps to prevent heat damage. Click HERE to check out Danielle’s Natural Hair Story! I went natural after over processing my hair. I damaged my hair to where it was several different lengths and had to cut off. Once I cut my hair and it started to grow back, I fell in love with the "natural" texture of my hair. From that point on, I decided not to put chemicals in my hair. It was definitely a journey getting to the point where I absolutely loved my natural hair. I was previously a "slave" to my hair. After getting my hair "fried, dyed, and laid to the side"done, I would sleep in a chair and/or wake up with a crook in my neck just to save my hair style for the next day. As I got older/wiser, I realized the importance of sleep and how unimportant "saving" my hair style was in the grand scheme of things. After over processing my hair and having to cut out the rest of the perm leaving my hair shorter than I wanted, I thought going natural would be easy. I was wrong! I sweat in my hair, so once I started on my journey, my hair styles would only last a day or two in the summer and maybe three to four days in the winter without snow. After repeatedly going to my stylist, my hair became "trained" and began to last two weeks. The "training stage" was hard, but I made it through. Now I'm at a different point in my natural hair journey. I am learning to embrace my hair being curly, out and free. I am now learning different natural hair styles to try and different products to use. I love two strand twist, bantu knots, and now curly and free. I havent tried a lot of products because once something works for me, I keep using it. However, the products that I have tried and respond well to my hair are: Mixed Chicks, Miss Jessie's, Uncle Funky's Daughter and Shea Moisture. My favorite hair style is the two strand twist and my natural hair straightened (pictured above). Routine at Salon: Wash, deep condition with hydration, Protein Treatment, sit under dryer, flat iron and style. Natural routine: Wash, condition under dryer and style. The hardest part of my journey was getting through the training stage, and my proudest moment is when I wore my hair out curly for the first time and didn't feel self conscious about my hair being "big." This Fabulous Diva is an avid runner and health fitness guru! She runs in numerous marathons and a member of "Black Girls Run" (Atlanta). Dr. Calhoun currently resides overseas in Dubai where she is focused on teaching, encouraging and making a difference in the lives of native students. Hats off to Dr. Calhoun for being passionate about the education of youth abroad! We wish you well!!!!
Natural Mane Divas of Marion, Indiana |