Hi Again!

I figured since I am at a place with a constant Net connection I’d update you all on my Journey and certain changes that are connected to it.

As you can see from the picture I am still Naptural and growing.  At present I am very close to 10 inches from root to tip all the way around, and am falling more in love with my natural texture with every inch I gain.  I have been amazed with how it reacts to water now, even as it air dries.  Since it’s too long now for the coils to wind themselves into themselves, I’m finding that my kinks naturally relax into soft waves at the roots, and I suffer less split ends and breakage.  The natural shedding process is still alive and well, but I have noticed it is a whole lot less than when my hair was chemically processed.

Style wise I am very content to let my tresses do what they do on their own, preferring to wrap it up most days, or simply pick it out and let it fro freely.  The style above is a warm air blow out, using the low setting on my blow dryer after having coated the strands with a minimal amount of Proclaim Glossing Polish Colour and Heat Protection serum.  While my hair has a tendency of growing very thick across my head as opposed to long, it maintains a very soft and lightweight texture when blown dry, instead of the dry, brittle, and stiff feeling my hair used to have when it was relaxed.  Shortly after taking this picture I took the hot comb to the tresses, and again, the soft, lightweight texture remained, which pleased me to no end.  In comparison with when my hair was relaxed, my natural hair responds so much better to heat, with less damage and breakage.  I still keep exposure to heat very low, which accounts for it maintaining a healthy balance of my its natural oils, so when I do decide to press it I’m not having to use outside moisture products which can aid in the frying of each strand and follicle.  I have gained more confidence to wear it picked out, blown out, and in twists/twist-outs outside of the house a lot more too, and thankfully the reactions have all been positive.

I’ve switched my cleaning products here lately after a trip to visit a friend, and have started using Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo + Conditioner (Anti-Drandruff).  Since I was using Garnier products before, I can’t exactly state that my hair’s reacted any differently, but I do like the convenience of cleaning and conditioning all in one process.  The product has a creamy feel that is less “slippery” than the shampoo alone, and rinses away clean, so I highly recommend it.  In between actual shampooing, I still use my beloved avocado-coconut milk recipe for co-washes, which is what helps maintain my hair’s natural oils and Ph balance.  I’m also keeping up with my ACV/rosemary rinses which keeps my scalp clean along with ridding my hair of commercial product build-up.  As a result, my Naptural journey has almost reached its two year mark and my hair is stronger and healthier than it has been since before I gave in under the pressure to relax! *smile*

You may have noticed, the addy of the blog has changed.  Those of you who know me know that I was blessed to have reached 35 years of age on December 2nd of this year, and with the addition of the extra year comes the need for change. Idadi was attached to a part of my life which, unfortunately, did not make it past 34, and so a transformation was necessary.  The new name reflects a return to the stronger, more independent me, which lay dormant since starting this journey, and so I thought it only fitting to tag this chronicle with it.

So that’s about it at this point.  Since I have not been able to secure Internet at home yet, I have not been able to return to posting recipes or showcasing my Naptural Peeps as I once had, but I am feeling confident I will be able to make a return relatively soon.  I would like to thank my Sistahs in Kink for all of their encouragement up to this point, and the process I have seen them undertaking in their own journeys: Sunita, Lis, Evelyn, Tanya, Alousionist, and Digi.  I also would like to thank Mr. Omavi Ndoto, formerly known as Penzi, who was the initial impetus behind my decision to go natural.  Although we are no longer together, I can not begin to express how appreciative I am for his initial suggestion, and the support he gave that helped me make it this far.

Well, since I have been sorely neglecting my other Net Traps, I shall close here.  For all my Naptural peeps… peace, love, and growth!

Blessed Be,