My hair situation turned into a big fluffy afro last night!!! Everyone loved it including my hubby! Check out my pictures! Some are little blurry....Damn Iphone! 4 more days of Paradise!!! I´ll check in tommorrow.....Gotta go get ready for the Sweet Dreams Party!!!!! All White Foam Party at the Resort!!! Had soooo much fun dancing in the bubbles!!!!!! Enjoying the Beach!!!!
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Yesterday, I had my hair washed, straightened and cut 2 1/2 inches. To prepare for my trip, I twisted my semi-straightened hair and added white rods. Today, I'm at the Atlanta International Airport with a 2 hour layover until my destination flight to Cancun. My hair situation today is flat, non-eventful and nothing spectacular. I'm sure it will fluff out more once I get into the humidity.
I’m preparing for a much needed Vacay to Cancun, Mexico celebrating my husband’s 40th birthday and our 10 year marriage anniversary. This is my first time to Mexico and very nervous about my hair situation. While my favorite hairstyle is a twist-n-curl, I’m not sure the humidity will be friendly or if I will have enough time to twist my hair. So I am preparing for the best and the worst! Products: I will be doing a lot of swimming in the ocean and pool. To prevent dry brittle hair I will be taking Shea Moisture Shampoo and Deep Conditioning Treatment Masque. For de-tangling and softness after each wash, I will be using As I Am Leave-In Conditioner. For styling and locking in moisture I will use Eco-Styler Gel (not pictured) with Jamaican Black Castor Oil mixed with water (pictured in the yellow spray bottle). To add a little shine to my hair I will apply African Royal Hot Six Oil. Styling Techniques: I’m planning to start the trip with a twist out on dry hair. As the week goes by, I will attempt to utilize my rods. According to our itinerary, it doesn’t appear as though I will have time to twist and rod my hair, so I may rock out my Afro for part of the trip….We shall see. Accessories: I made sure to pack tons of accessories (some pictured above) to accessorize my fro and give it a little tropical/Caribbean flow. Lastly, if all else fails and/or time is limited…. I will be using this drawstring pony-tail, more so to protect and avoid possible breakage from pulling/manipulating my hair all week. I'm not fond of wearing fake pony tails but if I get desperate, I'm rocking it!
I will keep you all posted on the Diaries of a Traveling Natural Diva. I remember when I started my natural journey. I did my research every day; I wanted to learn how to care for my tresses. I read so many blogs and articles that were totally against the use of certain ingredients such as mineral oil, petroleum, silicones, ect. After reading the same information over and over again, I became very militant about my products. I used all natural ingredients and turned my nose up at any product with “bad ingredients”. I was afraid my hair would be unhealthy if I used anything other than natural ingredients. I found myself standing in the hair aisles of Tarjay (Target) for hours reading the labels of hair products in trying to determine what ingredients were bad or good. After 2 years of purchasing overpriced natural ingredient products and spending countless hours trying to find magical potions to tame my hair, I said “FORGET IT, I’m gonna do what works for my hair!” I stopped reading labels, if I want the product; I buy it and try it. If my hair hates the product, I don’t use it again. I have used countless products with mineral oil, lanolin and silicones, and guess what? I still have growing, thick and healthy hair. I do what works for my natural coils. I don’t care about labels anymore; I focus on what products make my hair thrive. Of course I make sure the product isn’t one to alter the natural state of my hair, but I’ve gone as far as using Dax and Murray’s pomade (Click here to read my post on Dax).
Some naturals frown upon the use of “bad ingredients”. I say this... not all naturals have the same texture of hair. Mineral oil might causes issues for another natural, but it doesn’t cause issues for me. My hair regimen is determined by products that make my hair look and feel good. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still get in the kitchen and mix some concoctions for my hair using natural ingredients. Furthermore, I still purchase a few natural ingredient products here and there. But it’s not my focus. I enjoy trying new products with or without “bad ingredients” and if they don’t work , I just keeping it moving. Doing “what works” has proven to yield the best results for my natural hair. My protective style for the next 2 weeks to give my hair a little break from styling. A Two strand twist using As I am Leave-in conditioner and some Eco Styler Gel. I even braided the side myself, yay me!
A sad story of people in society ruining the self esteem of our little girls with their lack of tolerance for natural hair. A Tulsa school sends Tiana home because of her loc's, implying her hair was not acceptable and distracting. Tiana is visibly upset, trying to understand why the school "doesn't like her hair". Clearly, this little girls loc's are neatly tucked in a pony tail. But the school policy forbid loc's, afro's and mohawks or any faddish hairstyles. Telling a black child or any black person they cannot wear their hair in its natural state is like telling them they can't have black skin. Our hair grows in an afro texture, its not a choice. Mohawks are fads, natural hair is not. When will society stop dictating black hair and what it should look like. This is nothing short of the same situation with Sheryl Underwood and her degrading comments about natural hair. Even though she did apologized, the damage is done. I would hope Tiana can move on from this situation and be encouraged to love herself. On "The Talk", Sheryl Underwood made some very disparaging remarks against "nappy "afro" hair during a discussion regarding Heidi Klum saving her children's hair. Klum's children with Singer Seal have afro textured hair. After hearing Klum saves her children hair, Underwood goes on a tirade about saving "nappy hair". She went on to state you don't hear of a woman in a shop requesting "curly, nappy, beady" hair. When co-host Sarah Gilbert added she saves her children hair, Underwood interjected by saying "its probably some beautiful, silky stuff". The idea that black hair is bad continues to plague the black community. Its sad and unfortunate that our very own continue to degrade natural hair. This excerpt is from one of my previous post with added commentary: The concept of Good hair/Bad Hair is traced back to slavery years of ancestry. Blacks were consistently ridiculed for their hair to the point it was inscribed in their minds by White people. Furthermore, whites implied their hair texture and skin color were superior to that of Blacks. …. Leaving most blacks to long for lengthy/straight hair, to hate their own skin color and hair texture. Eventually, blacks began sowing that negative connotation into generation after generation ruining the self-esteem of our black women from youth. In today’s society most of our white counterparts no longer take interest in the texture of our hair, or even mention the mere idea of blacks having bad hair, blacks are doing a better job at it.... (SHERYL UNDERWOOD). Even though the media is increasingly exposing natural hair in a positive light, most blacks (like Sheryl Underwood) have not come to terms with the idea of black women sporting their natural manes. Most blacks consistently argue that natural kinky texture hair is unprofessional, unruly and just “Bad” discouraging women from going natural. I have had many conversations with women about natural hair and I find it disheartening when I hear one say “I can’t do the natural thing, I have bad hair”. I would much rather she feel good about herself and rock whatever hair styles she wants because it’s her preference (rather it be relaxed or natural), not because she thinks she has“bad hair”. "Good hair” is hair that is taken care of regardless the texture. Bad hair, on the other hand, is NOT hair that consists of very tight kinks/coils or happens to not be defined. Bad hair is hair that looks bad because its owner doesn’t know how to take care of it. MY ADVISE TO SHERYL UNDERWOOD ....Stop manifesting this concept that Kinky/Coily hair is bad, your damaging the esteem of our young girls and future generations. |