There’s been a bit of a movement over the summer to boycott Six Flags Amusement Park in Maryland because they “refused” to hire a woman due to her hair style choice.  The hair style choice in question was Dreadlocks.  This decision set off waves of protest throughout the African-American natural hair community who saw it as a civil rights infringement and an act of racial discrimination.  I have been on the fence concerning this primarily because from a personal point of view, Six Flags would not be a place I’d personally apply for employment whether I was natural or relaxed.  But being that I can’t assess a national movement based on my personal perspective, I held off on my opinion, and/or support, because I know it’s bigger than me and my hair per se.  However as the months rolled on and more naturals began to join the campaign I felt drawn to speak on it via comments on certain forums and posts.  I could not understand how this could be tagged as a racial issue, which I expressed at some length on this entry on Change.org’s Race in America Blog:

I am wondering, considering dreadlocks can be worn via more than just African-American hair types, is the rule strictly related to African-American women with locks or locks period?  While I understand there are a lot more African-Americans who wear the style than whites or other races, since other races are capable of wearing the style isn’t it somewhat pretentious to make this strictly about race?  It would only be considered racist if a person of another race was hired for the position while wearing locks and the African-American woman was not due to wearing them.  Honestly, locks are a style choice, not how African-American hair grows naturally.  Had the woman been denied employment for wearing an Afro that would be another argument altogether because that is how African-American hair grows and it’s not a style that can be authentically duplicated by other races. 

Quite honestly, we need to look at this for what it really is.  Six Flag and other corporate entities have a standard for the employees they wish to hire, and according to that standard they have a specific "grooming" preference for representatives of their enterprise.  This is not discriminatory, this is business, and while it may leave a select subset of society out of consideration when it comes to hiring, it is that companies right (especially if they are a private corporation) to hire who they feel looks the part.  This is no different than a physical dress code issue from my perspective.  I don’t understand how we can look at this as an infringement on the civil rights of an individual without also seeing it as an infringement on the right of the company to hire (or not hire) whoever they choose based on their standards.  Just as we have a choice to wear our hair however we want, companies have a choice to not hire us if our choice is outside of what they deem acceptable. *shrug*  This is not to say I side with the company but if I were in there position I know I definitely have a certain ideal of how I want my employees to represent me.

I say all this as a proud natural hair wearer who sports a blossoming TWA to my workplace ever single day and have never heard a peep from supervisors.  As a matter of fact, I interviewed with the exact style I wear every day and made sure more emphasis was place on the skill sets displayed on my resume than the follicles that sprouted from my head.  Quite personally, if I were faced with the same exact situation I’d take the denial as proof that I didn’t need to be employed by such a closed minded corporation in the first place because if the are petty enough not to hire me simply because of how I wear my hair then there is sure to be more drama than a little bit on the other side of the employment divide.

Call me a “race traitor”, revoke the Black card I already gave away many years ago and stop following me on all my social media mediums but, all I’m saying is, Mohawks are also forbidden at Six Flags… I don’t see anyone boycotting that as racist agenda.  Or maybe it’s just me. 

I don’t mean to belittle anyone’s feeling for this plight or to say fighting for it is a lost cause, but in my opinion the premise is a bit skewed.  I think we use the R-card a little bit too loosely.  Quite realistically the Six Flags policy is a bit antiquated but to call it racially discriminative is a bit unfair.

What say you?

Healthy Hair Wishes!

I’d heard mention of this somewhere in the hallowed halls of Facebook but didn’t really pay much mind to it, but seeing as I hadn’t noticed any other Blogs or naturals speaking on it I figured I’d check the story out and post it for the natural community at large.

Seems Australian scientists have discovered a “curly gene” and with that discovery comes the possible invention of an oral supplement which might do away with chemical and heat straightening methods once and for all.  As a December 2009 The Daily Mail reports:

Scientists who discovered the ‘curly gene’ are developing a treatment which could spell the end of hair straighteners.

It is hoped the breakthrough could lead to a pill to make hair straighter or curlier, rendering the must-have beauty accessory redundant.

The discovery will also make it possible to predict whether a baby will have straight or curly hair.

And it may even help police, with DNA found at the scene of the crime indicating how wavy a suspect’s locks are.

Researchers in Australia identified the trichohyalin gene as being mainly responsible for creating curls.

Although it was known to play a role in the development of the hair follicle, Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientists have discovered its role in curliness.

SOURCE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1234012/Feel-like-straighter-hair-Just-pop-pill-developed-discovery-curly-gene.html?ITO=1490

In 2005 The Daily Telegraph posted a report on a similar discovery by researchers in Paris, with a hint that L’Oreal Paris has been working to develop a pill that will accomplish the curly to straight feat biologically as well a treatment that will eliminate the need for colour treatments.  So far these two articles seem to be the only “official” word on the topic and the responses have been mixed on both sides of the coin.

For many women who have lived with straight hair all their lives this discovery induces excitement about the prospect of being able to pop a pill to create texture and body.  For women with curlier grades, being able to achieve desired straightness without “chemicals” or heat would be considered a blessing.  Not surprisingly, most of these types of comments come from women of Caucasian heritage.  From the African-American natural hair community, the responses are much less positive.

“This is a hot mess but I bet it would sale like hot cakes to black women specifically,” Tafari, a loc’ed photographer, on Black Voices Hair Talk’s article on the subject. “I guess it’s great to have the option to poison your body from inside or outside in the name of European beauty.”

A few commenters have wondered about the side effects of such a treatment, which I personally think should be the real factor in deciding whether this is a good thing or bad thing.  All cosmetic aspects aside, altering the texture of your hair, from curly to straight or vis versa, involves changing certain parts of your DNA and there has to be some long term reactions to such a treatment.  There’s also the issue of how permanent the treatment will be or how often one would have to take the pills to have the desired effect.  I’m far less concerned with someone’s style preference because we all love to experiment with different looks, and I’m no stickler for the whole “you’re only truly natural if your hair is curly”.  What matters most to me is whether it’s a healthier option for hair and body than straightening methods already on the market.

So what do you think?

AFTER THOUGHT: With the advent of genetic hair manipulation, how do you think this will fit with women of colour who desire “curlier” grades of hair than what they are graced with?  How do you think it will be marketed?

Healthy Hair Wishes,

I have known today’s feature since we were both “freshies” at Miller Middle School back in the mid 80’s, and ever since then I’ve been in awe of her hair.  Dana Marie is of bi-racial heritage so on the surface she has what most would term “good hair”, but that was never really my reason for admiring her hair.  Growing up partially in Canada I was well aware of the differences in textures between my white friends and my own, but with Dana her hair seemed a direct expression of her personality.  Whether “stick straight” and bobbed or fashioned in a curly wet-set, Dana’s hair always broadcast her moods and her spirit.  At least to me.  When most think of bi-racial hair they think “easy to style”, “easy to manage” or “effortless to care for”, but little do most know, women with hair like Dana’s experience some of the same difficulties as women with hair like mine.  This became especially evident to both of us when she decided to go natural in February of ‘09, and here she shares how story with you.

AM: When did you start perming your hair and why?

DM: I started at 12 behind my mom’s back because of my friends and wanting to achieve super straight looks and certain “in fashion” styles.

AM: How did your mom take it?

DM: Well when I asked her if I could get a perm she just said “no”.  No explanation, no discussion, just “no”.  She always wanted me to wear my natural hair.

AM: I can imagine, because for as long as I knew your mom she always had long, beautiful natural hair.

DM: Yeah, for as long as I can remember too. *lol*

AM: Why did you decide to go natural?

DM: I got tired of being a slave to perms and constantly getting touch ups.  I was also tired of making a mess of my hair with breakage and split ends.  Then to, I began working out and knew it would be difficult to maintain a permed style.

AM: How did you do it?

DM: I tried to transition by growing it out but suffered too much breakage, so I decided to BC.

AM: Have you had to deal with any self esteems issues since BC’ing?

DM: Not really.  You know I’ve had my hair short before so it wasn’t really a bit thing.  It was either texturized or permed then though.  Now I feel freer.  I don’t feel a slave to style.

AM: So, of course our experiences with “going natural” are different because of our hair’s make up, but I know there are specific challenges when it comes to bi-racial hair in its natural state.  What have been some of yours?

DM: My hair does something different every day, even if I use the same technique and products as I did the day before.  When I first started perming I did it not to straighten my hair but so that I could have a fuller texture to hold styles.  So my challenge has been to find products that worked with my texture and to just go with the flow and let my hair do what it wants.

AM: When you made the decision to no longer chemically straighten your hair did you have any trepidations?

DM: Yeah, a bit.  Since I work in a salon there was at least once beautician there who had a somewhat negative reaction.  I wore my hair curly one day and she asked if I was going to wear my hair like that and you could tell it wasn’t a GP type of question.

AM: Toledo doesn’t seem to be a place that support natural hair very well.  I remember when I was there and first started wearing my hair out, this chick at Sally’s made a snide remark about me really needing to be in the beauty supply store.  It’s not like Detroit.

DM: No, Toledo is not the place for natural hair.

AM: So have you gotten the same reaction from all stylists or just that one?

DM: Actually the white stylists where I work like my curly hair better than when it’s straight.  They say it looks more natural.  But I think the reaction is more based on the stylist’s regular practice… Whether they’re primarily used to working with natural hair or hair that been relaxed.

AM: What have you learned about your hair since you stopped relaxing it?

DM: I now know that my hair is thicker than what I thought and that I actually have a lot more hair.  I already knew my texture but I have learned to do more with it now and what products work to achieve certain styles.

AM: Do you use a lot of product?

DM: Yes, but only to achieve curl definition.  Without product all my hair does is frizz and it ends up looking like a cotton ball.

AM: What’s the difference in the products you used when you first went natural and now?

DM: I used to think I could just wake up and go with water and conditioner because of how my hair is.  That is far from the truth.  Now I go for products that are designed for curly hair specifically.

AM:  What are the products you use the most?

DM: For styling I use CHI Pliable Polish Weightless Styling Paste which give me control, especially around my edges.  I also use Redken Ringlet 07 which keeps my curls separate and defined without making my hair hair like some gels do.  For definition of my ends I use Carol’s Daughter’s Kizzy Stay Put Pomade…

AM: I’m mad at that name! *lol*

DM: I know right! *lol*

AM: What do you use for cleansing and conditioning?

DM: Mixed Chicks Shampoo and Deep Conditioner . I also use their Leave-In Conditioner.

AM: What’s your regimen?

DM: I wash every two to three days, condition every day and apply the leave-in every day.

AM: That seems like a lot of washing.

DM: Well my hair has the tendency to become very oily so I wash often and use very little oil based anything.

AM: What styles have you experimented with or would like to try?

DM: I’ve done wash ‘n go’s and had it straightened.  I couldn’t wait to wash my hair to get it back to being curly though.  I would like to try Bantu Knots, various braid styles and flat twists with a ponytail.

AM: What advice would you give to natural newbies, with either bi-racial hair or with typical African-American textures?

DM: Be willing to do a lot of research to find what products and styles work for you.  Don’t be afraid to play with products and styles and learn your hair

~@~

Dana Marie’s Progress in Pictures

(click each image to enlarge)

Would you like to hear more from Dana? You can contact via her Facebook page, or if you are in the Toledo, OH area and are in need of some top notch nail art, call Shear Designs Image Studio for an appointment.

###

Dana Marie, it has been a pleasure featuring you, and it’s been a looooooooong time coming since I can be such a slacker. *lol* Best of luck with the rest of your journey and I can’t wait to see where you and your curls go from here.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

Wow!  It’s been a months since I updated because I really haven’t been feeling the whole “natural hair thing” much lately.  All the pomp and circumstance and ceremony and making life revolve around products and styling just became too much to want to deal with.  And the energy in some of the “communities” is just draining with the on going debates of what is natural and what isn’t or who is more natural than who and the cult-like following of what celebs are jumping on the natural bandwagon.  We all “go natural” for our own reasons, and I don’t want to be the one to say one person’s motivation is more “worthy” of note than another’s but… Well… I didn’t want to be a part of the superficiality of it all.  My life is about more than just the kinky mop that sits atop my head and I was ready to break out of the box.  In tandem with that, I really wasn’t feeling as if I was paid much attention to anyway, outside of a handful of my nappy peers (yeah I’m looking at you Sistah Chick, Chele, Njemile, Laquita, Dawn and Jaye!) so I figured i wouldn’t “waste” the energy anymore.  Of course those aren’t the only reasons for my “break”.  There were more than a few pressing personal matters that needed my full attention more than this Blog or my Examiner column did, so I had to step away.  And that meant stepping away from all aspects of the phenomenon, including Twitter, the Napturalite Radio Community and Facebook.  Even my Email account was getting the shaft.  I just didn’t want to deal with it anymore.

But a funny thing seems to always happen when I want to step away.  A random reader contacts me with “news” that makes it all worthwhile again.  I’d gotten a notion to check my Email to see if anything inspiring had floated my way and indeed it had, in the form of a reader writing to let me know that JB2M was featured as one of Spa Beauty Schools’ Top 50 Hair Blogs.  In addition to that, Mireille Liong-A-Kong had contacted me about a paid opportunity to contribute to Going Natural Magazine.  Kinda gave me a Michael Corleone type sensation but both Emails where just the perk-me-up I needed to become motivated again.  Seems the Universe is reminding me that I do have something worthy to contribute amidst the natural hair madness and there are people out there who look forward to it.  Even if I never really see it.  So I guess that means I gotta pick up the virtual pen again and get back in the swing of things, which I will do with pleasure!

So what’s been up with me lately?  Well… As you can tell from the above pic my hair is almost back to pre-BC length, which I would have never realized had I not had the inclination to press it a couple of days ago.  That there is ~5’of new growth from the ~1’ in started with back in September of ‘09, and ~2’ from where I was in February of this year:

All together I’m looking at ~6’ from root to tip all the way around.  This discovery actually shocked me because I had no idea I’d gained that much growth in such a “short” span of time.  On average, hair growth at a rate of 1/4’ per month so the gain proves my hair grows way faster than average.  I’ve had people comment that my hair grows fast, to which I pretty much said “peeshaw”. *lol* But to actually see it with my own eyes is utterly amazing!  And to think, I was on the cusp of performing another BC because my growth had changed the “pattern” of my curls and WNG’s weren’t working as well for me anymore.  As much as I don’t like to do the “heat” thing, I’m glad I gave in to the urge to press my hair or I may have never really known how much was up there. *lol* My routine has stayed pretty much consistent with me alternating avocado-coconut milk conditioner washes with shampoo’ing and conditioning using Kinky-Curly’s Come Clean and Knot Today, spritzing every morning with water and Yonnea’s Natural Beauty’s Honey Hibiscus Leave N Condish and finger styling with a bit of Going-Natural’s Silky Shea Aloe Butter.  Every now and again (maybe once every other week) I’d oil my hair with Yonnea’s Natural Beauty’s GPS Oil (review coming soon) and smooth my edges down with Going-Natural’s Herbal Styling Gel, but other than that I’ve pretty much kept my product usage to a bare minimum.  The only time I applied heat to my hair were on the two occasions documented in the pictures here and my style has been WNG’s.  I really haven’t trimmed my ends very much at all since doing the BC but did so when I pressed my hair both times and I have experienced very little shedding (well, no more than usual) and absolutely NO split ends.  Can’t really say any of this was a magic combination or anything but I can say a key element was keeping my hands out of my hair as much as possible. *lol*

So it’s almost been a year and I can honestly say the whole process was enlightening.  In the past ten and three quarter months I have learned what my hair likes, doesn’t like, how it grows, my curl pattern and what products work as it grows.  I’ve also learned a lot about myself and my perception of beauty which dispelled a lot of myths in the “long hair signifies femininity” department.  So it’s been an experience in self discovery from the inside out and I’m glad I mustered up the courage to undertake it.  It is a leg of the journey I highly recommend if you are so inclined.

What’s on the horizon for my natural hair “career”?  Well along with the features I plan to do, I still need to do a review of Chris-Tia Donaldson’s “Thank God I’m Natural” as well as a review for Lori Johnson’s “A Natural Woman”.  For my Examiner column I have an article featuring Minister Theresa Cloud Eagle’s Divine Essentials® Aromatherapy & Empowerment Tools on deck, will be covering the Nappturally Me Meetup Group’s one year anniversary as well as changing of name (they are now known as Ohio Naturals) format and organizers, can hopefully start an article about the Natural Sistas in Ohio Meetup Group, and just maybe, now that I have a job and can afford to see a stylist, can produce an article about the Synergi Salon experience.  I also may be revamping the Blog’s look and Twitter page as well as the CNHE Facebook Page.  So there’s big things in the works and I hope you all stick around for it all!

Healthy Hair Wishes!

Healthy Hair Wishes!

It’s been about three weeks since I first started using Kinky-Curly’s Come Clean shampoo and Knot Today Leave In/Detangler, and honestly my feelings on the products are mixed.  Coming from a strict weekly co-wash regimen I was a bit reluctant to go back to using a shampoo in any form because I was hyper content with the fullness and texture definition that co-washing gave me.  Since I’m not a style maven I’ve taken to primarily wearing WNG’s with occasional twist outs, and those are styles that work best with hair that has a lot of body to it.  But I was curious to see what effect Come Clean would have on my hair since it’s far and away different ingredient-wise than my Garnier Fructis Wonder Wave shampoo which contains a touch of sodium hydroxide.  I usually only shampoo once or twice a month, or if I’ve been experimenting with different products, followed by a deep conditioning in order to combat the “stripping” effects of the shampoo, but felt the experience with Come Clean would be different since it didn’t contain SLS and I’d be find returning to a shampoo regimen.  As I’d stated before, I was a little less enthusiastic about the shampoo since it’s a gel and my hair doesn’t seem to like gel cleansers all the much, but after reading the ingredient list I wasn’t as skeptical.

Because I’d played around with the KC Curling Custard and Spiral Spritz earlier in the first week of receiving the products my first lather up with Come Clean produced disappointing lather results when using just a half dollar sized dollop so I found myself having to add more which I wasn’t too pleased with.  This may have been due to the fact of my having other products (primarily my homemade conditioner which I co-wash with and YNB’s Honey Hibiscus leave in which I use for daily refreshing of my WNG) on my hair in addition to the KC products which contributed to build up that the shampoo couldn’t quite “overcome” in such a small dose.  I typically skip the “repeat” part of shampooing because I know the second cycle is really just a marketing ploy only get you to run through your product quicker, so I was none too happy with having to repeat with the Come Clean in order to feel as if my hair was actually clean.  In addition to that, as I’d predicted, my hair did not react well to the gel shampoo, resulting in a tangled mess that I was not pleased with.  I also wasn’t all that thrilled with the “squeaky clean” feel of my hair once the product was rinsed away.  However there was a significant difference in the feel of my hair with this shampoo as opposed to when I’d used other gel based shampoos in the sense that my hair felt silkier and not at all brittle and dry, which gave me hope that I’d have a different result with prolonged use of the shampoo since it can take several cycles of use for hair to get acclimated to new product.  This is why I didn’t want to review the product right off in addition to knowing that product work better in tandem with other items from the same product line.  I figured the shampoo would have a different effect once I was only using Kinky-Curly products to maintain my tresses.

Next came the Knot Today, which I slathered my hair with under the premise that its “thin” consistency would not work on my hair’s thickness in small doses.  Almost immediately the conditioner worked to define my curl pattern and I found it very easy to finger comb through my strands despite the tangled effect of the shampoo.  The feel of my hair was soft and “sleek” and not at all weighted despite using such a large amount (slightly larger than a half dollar) of the solution.  Although I know it’s a leave in product I did rinse a little out of my hair (as suggested on the company Website) just to make sure it would not take forever for my hair to dry as well as to make sure there wasn’t a lot of build up in combination with using the curling custard.  But even with rinsing some of the product away, once my hair dried I noticed a white coating on some portions of my hair which let me know I’d underestimated just how much was necessary to coat my hair type.  A liberal spritzing with water and further finger combing remedied the build up problem and the after drying result of the product on my hair was this:

Very  “nice” definition and a somewhat looser curl effect than what I experienced using the curling custard for WNG styling which I was very pleased with.  My hair was soft and supple, easy to finger style and smelled great.  As one might expect I did not like how it reacted with the curling custard for WNG styling, however, but on its own I loved my hair’s reaction to the leave in and decided it would be my product of choice for wash ‘n goes from then on out.  Of course I couldn’t comment on the actual condition of my hair as a result of using Knot Today since it was my first experience with it, but just on the aspect of styling alone I pegged it as a winner.

Come the second week of usage of the two products, single cycle use of Come Clean was easier and my hair didn’t tangle as much but I was still dissatisfied with the “squeaky clean” feel of my hair once it was rinsed.  I made it a point to used only a quarter sized amount of the Knot Today while my hair was soaking wet in order to make sure the modest amount was evenly distributed and again my curls sprung to life and finger combing was extremely easy.  Initially I didn’t apply any other product to my hair because I was fine with the result of the leave in, but later in the week I opted to try the Spiral Spritz to see how well it worked with the Knot Today after a couple of days of having the conditioner in my hair.  As one would suspect, I wasn’t impressed with the combination, but I’ll leave the full details of that till next week when I submit my assessment of Spiral Spritz.

Week three and by this time my tresses were used to the cleansing/conditioning combo and I could actually see a difference in the surface condition of my hair.  While the difference wasn’t overwhelming I can say that I experienced less frizziness and a “smoother” appearance of my hair.  I was still on the fence as far as Come Clean was concerned because of the “squeaky clean” effect but by this time my hair hardly tangled at all when the shampoo was applied and lathered.  I would like to note too that the shampoo itself took very  little effort to rinse away each time I used it whereas I’d have to rinse other brands away two or three times before I was sure my hair was “free” of the bulk of the shampoo.  Again, using the Knot Today was a delight.  Since I’d planned to two strand twist my hair this week I applied a more generous amount to my hair to compensate for having to wet my hair once I twisted.  It took me a couple days to actually get to twisting and my hair held up just fine with my morning water spritzes and moderate styling.  Unfortunately, however, when it came time to twist my hair was a “dry”, tangled, matted “mess” that was difficult to comb part despite me finger combing and wetting it earlier that morning.  I can’t necessarily attribute this to the product itself but just mentioned that to say that the “detangler” claim of Knot Today is only relative to initial application on wet hair.  At least this was my experience.  It wasn’t a horrible experience by any means, just difficult enough for me to not wait more than a day after application of the conditioner to twist my hair.

So with all of that being said, I will chalk my experiences with these two products up to positive at this point.  Although Come Clean would not weigh in as one of my favourite cleansers it did work well in cleaning my hair (maybe a little too well) and in complimenting my texture once my hair became used to it.  I am not sure how it would work with a conditioner from another product line, but in tandem with Knot Today I can say it did better than I expected for a gel shampoo.  As for Knot Today, this is definitely a product I would be willing to invest money in and place in the JB2M Conditioner Hall of Fame.  Like with the shampoo I’m not sure how it will work with other products from a different brand, but I love the effect it has on my hair and its detangling effects.  I love the smell of both products and the fact that it doesn’t take a whole lot of either in order to receive likeable results.

And the JB2M rating?

Come Clean Natural Shampoo

Knot Today Natural Leave in/Detangler 

Come Clean would have received five picks if it were not for the “squeaky clean” feel, but provided it does as it claims and is very gentle on the hair as stated via Kinky-Curly’s Website I wasn’t going to hold my personal pet peeve against it.  Each 8 oz bottle is reasonably priced at $12 plus shipping and handling and worth every penny in my opinion.  Knot Today, an Essence Magazine Best Seller, is also available in a 32 oz. size via the Website for $44, which is a $4 savings that if you’d buy four of the 8 oz. bottles.  And much to the delight of many who don’t cotton to the idea of Web-exclusive products, the Kinky-Curly line is readily available at various Whole Foods Stores, which is another plus (I’m not sure of the pricing there yet).   Another plus.

So there you have it.  I recommend both products for all textured hair types, but only when used in tandem with one another.  Maybe in the near future I will try them with other products to see what the effects are, but for right now I’m content to use them exclusively as a duo.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

Just when you thought the kinky boom had reached its promotional zenith with being seen everywhere from big screen to small screen and even on Hollywood red carpets, two Chicagoland natural are working to pool their talents and enthusiastic love for textured tresses to provide a tag team new media platform that informs, encourages and inspires.

After a bit of low key promotion via the natural hair Twitter community The Nappturalite Radio Show broadcast its first episode in February of this year and showed promise right out of the gate. Presented on Blogtalk Radio each and every Sunday at 6 PM CST, the original vision of the show was born after natural “newbie” host Dawn Yerger shared her BC story on another Blogtalk show she co-hosted with her friend Jaye Reliford.

“As I shared my experience, I thought about how fun and inspirational it would be to share my new journey with others on a radio show dedicated to natural hair,” Yerger shares with Laquita Thomas-Banks in a Clutch Magazine interview. “Immediately, I asked Jaye, who had been a natural for 10 years, to join me as a co-host.”

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

In the beginning of my regular visits to Columbus The Lion took me to visit the Urban Spirit Cafe, a jazzy little coffee house in the historic King-Lincoln district which is owned and operated by Columbus natural Charity Martin-Via.  I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and my Method Mocha while whipping The Lion mercilessly at a game of Scrabble and musing to myself the stereotypes that seemed to surround me.  I mean come on… Open mic fliers were prominently displayed, all of the drinks were named after jazz legends, both the owner and the barista were loc wearers.  All that was missing was incense and 70’s era velvet Afro art to make it all seem nothing more than a well orchestrated gimmick to the casual tourist.  But realistically, the vibe was more authentic than any stereotype could ever impose to be, reaching back to the time when the King-Lincoln was the cultural hub of the black community.  The whole scene reminded me of the stories I’d read of Detroit’s Black Bottom and Paradise Valley days and made me feel so much in my element — so utterly natural in more ways than just can relate to my hair — that I instantly fell in love with Charity’s venture. *lol* And what made it all the more attractive to my creative spirit was a quaint little book store that’s adjacent to Urban Spirit called The Book Suite, which pulled it altogether ever so perfectly and let me know I’d found “home”… Even if it was to be temporary.

You may be wondering what all that has to do with today’s book review choice, other than the tie in of the book store.  Well as I was giving the entire set up a once over I happened to spy a copy of “The Knotty Truth” perched in the Book Suite window, seeming to flirt with me behind the single paned glass.  Now this was around the same time that I was looking for titles to build my natural library and this title had not come up in any of my online searches.  Believing in the Law of Attraction the way that I do I knew this was further proof that I was in the space I was purposed to be.  Especially when you consider Columbus doesn’t exactly seem like the place where a book about African-American hair (natural or otherwise) would be written or marketed.  Unfortunately, as my luck would have it, I had just missed an in store book signing with the M. Michele George earlier in the week, but I was intrigued enough to jot down the book information so I could learn more about it on my own.  At the time Mrs. George did not have a prominent Web presence so I couldn’t find out much, but blessedly I was able to learn she was a local author which meant I’d have the opportunity to find out more in the near future.  A couple months later after I’d bought my very own copy of the book at Book Suite, I was introduced to the Nappturally Me! Meetup group of which Michele was a member.  I officially met her at the group’s screening of Chris Rock’s “Good Hair” and from there Michele and I have become knotty acquaintances who share an affinity for natural hair and the desire to spread the “good hair” news in the Columbus area.  Since that original introduction Michele has launched an official Website and released a second edition of “The Knotty Truth”, both of which help her to carry out her mission of educating and encouraging other in their journey.

The presentation of the book is simple and direct, which photos depicting the diverse beauty of natural hair styles while not overloading the senses.  The back cover displays a blurb by Nappturality.com founder Patricia Gaines which seems a condensed version of foreword she wrote for “Going Natural”, but still grants the reader a knowledgeable hint towards what to expect within the book’s 140 pages.  The book itself is organized pretty much the same others in its genre would be: starting with a personal statement by the author, moving into the history and make up of tightly coiled hair, providing a breakdown of how chemicals breakdown the structure of hair and outlining the various tools and styles that will help with transitioning and cultivating healthy natural hair.  But where “The Knotty Truth” differs from other works of this nature is Michele’s efforts to include the spiritual aspects of “going natural” and addressing the cultural obstacles that need to be traversed before one can truly take pride in their unaltered hair.  While a lot of natural hair books produce the technical and aesthetic elements of the journey, Michele takes the time show how edifying the soul and tuning into The Creator is just as important to the process as knowing what to put on your hair and into your body.  In this way, she presents “going natural” from a holistic perspective, showing how all part of the woman (or man) play in making a successful transition. 

The book is written in uncomplicated language that is void of all the high-falouting “nappy-speak” that can confuse newbies.  Nowhere in the text are the standard hair type charts many naturals treat as the holy measuring sticks that place a new spin on the “good hair vs. bad hair” debates.  And although there is a spiritual element to the book, Michele does not overwhelm the reader with the “holier than thou relaxed heads” like a lot of natural veterans do in their approaches.  In the Knotty Notes that are sprinkled throughout the book, Mrs. George takes to task encouraging her readers in uplifting communiqué as if she were sitting face-to-face with them affirming their decision.  In that respect, “The Knotty Truth” provides a guide that informs and allows the reader to transition at their pace and comfort level.

Because I used to be a serial wrapper, one of the best sections in “The Knotty Truth” that I have not seen in any other natural hair book is the addition of wraps as a style, complete with demonstrative pictures of how to create one.  In my opinion this gives naturals an alternative to adding hair or wearing wigs as a way to protect the hair as they transition, or are just experiencing a “bad hair day”.  Wraps offer a way to keep hair free for manipulation and experimentation in between “rest” periods.  Another helpful section is chapter six in its entirety, which is devoted successfully trim your own hair.  While there is much to be said about allowing a trusted professional to perform end trims, Michele offers readers steps on how to get good results should they choose to perform the procedure at home.  Most books of this nature strictly advocate enlisting a licensed cosmetologists when it comes to cutting even as much as a quarter of an inch of your textured tresses.  But the emphasis of “The Knotty Truth” is encouraging naturals to rely on their own wisdom to properly care for their hair.  This is not to say Mrs. George denounces enlisting a stylist for such a purpose, and she proves that by presenting tips and points to help you determine if DIY trimming is right for you or if your needs would be better served at your local salon.  And lastly, the “Quick Solutions to Common Problems” section towards the end of the book is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in any other book about “going natural”, providing no-nonsense help to combat issues like how to avoid damage while wearing hats, dealing with dry TWA’s and how to get matted morning hair to style right.  With seeing so many of these issues pass through my Twitter stream it’s a comfort to know that Michele has included them in reference form that can be used when you’re away from sources of support.  This also works to make newbies aware of little spoken on yet highly common hurdles that may crop up but are just another natural part of the process.  Oh wait… I can’t forget the chart that recommends products according to high and low end budgets instead of sticking to one product that the author herself swears by.  Now that’s what’s up!

All in all “The Knotty Truth” is a terrific resource for those starting out on the natural journey, or readers who may need assistance in caring for the natural strands of a loved one.  It’s comprehensive and Michele worked to include every vital stepping stones to help make the journey carefree and easy to handle.  Through the text the reader is assured that the author has done her homework in compiling the content presented, and took every precaution necessary to ensure no stone was left unturned or without resource.  In short, it is very much like the element I discovered the book in – comfy, cozy, artsy, jazzy and poetic with a feel of home.  But there are a few drawbacks, at least to the version I have.  Because the pictures are small presented in black and white, a lot of the detail is lost in translation.  While this may seem an element of nit-picky proportions, when dealing with a book that focuses on textured hair, being able to actually see the textures presented is important.  Likewise, the Knotty Notes are presented as small black font upon a dark background which can be a bit harsh on the eyes.  Fortunately, for only $5 more than the black and white edition price Michele offers the book in a colour version on her Website, which may eliminate these as issues.  Of course these trivialities aren’t enough to detract from the overall goodness of the book and may even be overlooked as issues.

M. Michele George’s debut work is available for purchase on The Knotty Truth Website for $12 for in black and white and $17 in colour (as of this posting there are only five colour copies lefts).  as Amazon.com for $12.99 and Barnes and Noble stores $17.09.  stores.  Additionally The Raisin Rack here in Columbus carries the title at its Westerville location, and if you just have to have “The Knotty Truth” right now you can download the e-book version from Lulu.com for $12.99.

• Paperback: 140 pages
• Publisher: Manifest Publishing Enterprises, LLC. (January 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0578014130
• ISBN-13: 978-0578014135
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 stars
• JBTM Review:

Healthy Hair Wishes,

I have no doubt that from the above picture each and every one of you recognizes today’s feature.  Those signature curls belong to none other than Alexis, the Atlanta natural who founded the Curls, Coils and Kinks Blog and is one of the foremost inspirations in the virtual natural hair community.  Through her Blog and Youtube Channel Lexi, as she is known in the Napposphere, has delivered advice, product reviews and styling tutorials to those wishing to achieve curly success with their own locks, as well as impressed the importance of loving your hair for its own unique beauty by featuring other curly girls all across the texture span.  Even when her coveted coils were straightened for an appearance on BET’s “My Black is Beautiful” Lexi seems to make going and being natural an effortless effort, but just like the rest of us her journey has not been flawless as she worked to learn her hair and create her look.

Here is her hair-story.

AM: How long have you been natural?

Lexi: I have been natural for almost seven years

AM:  What inspired you to "go natural"?

Lexi: I decided to go natural because I was desperate to be different… I first wanted to go natural in middle school. I wanted curly hair and realized that when I didn’t get a perm for awhile, my roots were wavy.

AM: How did you transition?

Lexi: I attempted to transition in middle school [but] after being teased I promptly went back to a relaxer. In college, it was the easiest time to transition. I was broke/cheap and didn’t want to pay stylists to relax my hair. After about eight months, I did a BC.

AM: What were some of the products you entrusted your hair to while transitioning?

Lexi: Honestly I’m not sure about what products I used. I was still using commercial products. Probably Motions.

AM: Have they changed any between then and now?

Lexi: They have changed TREMENDOUSLY. I no longer use Motions… I tend to go towards the  brands that target women with natural hair such as Miss Jessie’s and Jane Carter.

AM: What’s your normal maintenance regimen?

Lexi: My normal routine is to wash with WEN – I don’t wash my hair with any sulfate shampoos anymore. Any type of sulfate free shampoo is best for me. I tend to wash my hair in the summer every 2 or 3 days, sometimes even just a rinse to get the curls back. I then use some sort of moisturizing product like Cantu Shea Butter Leave In or Miss Jessie’s Curly Buttercreme . Every week or two, I try to sit under the steamer with a deep conditioner.

AM: What are some of the products and styling implements you absolutely can’t live with out?

Lexi: I cant live without a paddle brush. This is the easiest styling tool to get the tangles swiftly and safely out of my hair.

AM: What styles have you experimented with and which would you say are your favourite?

Lexi: Flat twists. I have been doing flat twists since 2000 when I was in high school on the dance team. We all used to do this every week before the football games to get big curly hair. I was relaxed then. We used to do flat twists then put perm rods on the end. I have been changing my style so much with Twists sets — how many, how fat or thin, what types of rollers, etc.  Now I don’t do them straight back,I do them from the middle out if that makes sense.

AM: Tell me a little about your Blog and its mission.

Lexi: I started my blog CurlsCoilsandKinks.com around this time last year. My whole goal was to inspire women of ALL races who had curly, coily, and kinky hair. I wanted to showcase women with different hair types, styles, etc.  It is much easier for me to type then to make videos so now I also use it as a way to update people about my hair, like doing HOTD (Hair Of The Days) posts. It is much harder than I thought having a Blog [and] now I understand why some other blogs have several people helping them.

AM: What inspired you start making Youtube videos?

Lexi: I started watching YT vids to learn about different products and styles. I had a hard time finding someone with my hair type so I said, “Well someone else might have the same problem so why don’t I make videos?”

AM: What part of your natural hair journey have you enjoyed the most?

Lexi: I have enjoyed learning about new methods and styles. Also the fact that the more you practice, the better you get. Now I can actually say I don’t have to go to a salon to style my hair. No more salons!!

AM: Is there anything you would change about it?

Lexi: The one thing I would change is the detangling. Whew!! My detangling times… I sometimes spend 45 minutes in the shower JUST detangling.

AM: What are some of the resources you have found most helpful?

Lexi: NaturallyCurly.com was my first resource that was super helpful and even looking at people’s Fotki [albums]. Now I spend most of my time on Long Hair Care Forum.

AM: In addition to Blogging and creating your videos, are you engaged in any other natural hair endeavours?

Lexi: I put together Natural Hair Meetups in Atlanta. The first one I did had over 40 people and the last one I co-hosted with Mahogany Knots and we have over 100 ladies and even had Jane Carter and the owners of Uncle Funky’s Daughter’s come to speak.

AM: What advice do you have for other women looking to take up the journey to cultivating natural hair?

Lexi: Patience is the main thing. You have to have patience and it may sound weird but don’t have expectations of what you want your hair to look like. You don’t want to be disappointed because you were hoping for something else. I hear more women complain about their hair type because they had expectations of another hair type. If you don’t have expectations of a certain type, thickness, etc. then you can appreciate your own hair.

~@~

Lexi’s Progress in Pictures

(click each image to enlarge)

Would you like to hear more from Alexis? You can contact via her Website at www.curlscoilsandkinks.com, follow her on Twitter via @CurlyGirlLexi, check out her YouTube Channel or “like” her Facebook Fan Page.

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Lexi thank you for honouring my humble Blog with your natural story.  I wish you and your curls much success in encouraging others.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

NOTE: All pictures used are property of the individual persons featured, unless otherwise noted.  All rights reserved.

Cultivating healthy hair is greatly attributed to diet, water consumption and the type of products used upon the hair. Taking into account the specific chemical makeup of human hair, cosmetic companies use all their scientific know-how to formulate products that clean, fortify and return our keratin strands to their proper pH level. While no beautician worth their weight in styling spritz would advise using anything other than goods sanctioned by the FDA specifically for human use, many natural hair wearers are coming clean about trusting their textured tresses to an equine product line that they say works wonders.

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,