If you have frequented any natural hair care site or Blog I am sure you have seen the praises of this compound, known best for its moisturization benefits.  Being that I recently procured a container for myself:

I figured I’d feature it here to help get the word out to more Napturals who may have wanted to try it yet haven’t taken the leap yet.

I happened up RA Cosmetic‘s brand of shea butter one day while at Ye Olde Shoppe of Beauty, and picked it up on the premise of trying it out in a few recipes I’d discovered online.  For those unfamiliar, shea butter is a natural fat derivative of the Shea/Karite tree, which grows in the savannah belt of West Africa. Used largely in cosmetic and hair care products here in the states, shea butter is also used for cooking in certain parts of of its native continent.  In addition to its moisturizing and culinary properties, shea butter is also good for fading scars and dark spots, treatment of burns and eczema, improving muscle stiffness, and as a sunscreen. Other benefits, as outlined on the Treasured Locks Website, are:

For skin: Shea Butter nourishes the skin with Vitamins A, E and F.  Vitamins A and E help maintain the skin and keep it clear and healthy.  They are particularly helpful for sun damaged skin. They help prevent premature wrinkles and facial lines.  Vitamin F acts as a skin protector and rejuvenator. It soothes rough, dry or chapped skin and helps soften dry or damaged hair.  Also, Shea Butter easily penetrates the skin allowing the skin to breathe and not clogging pores.  Shea Butter has a high level of cinnamic acid, a natural sun screen.  So, it provides some degree of protection from the sun.  Shea Butter is also anti-inflammatory making it useful in treating rheumatism.

For hair: Shea Butter provides moisture to dry or damaged hair from the roots to the very tips, repairing and protecting against weather damage, dryness and brittleness.  It also absorbs quickly and completely into the scalp to rehydrate without clogging pores.  It is particularly beneficial for processed and heat-treated hair.  It is an excellent treatment for dry scalp. It restores luster to damaged hair.

So it is a multi-use product from every source I’d read, but how would it work for me was the question.

I was taking back by the initial appearance of it because I’d assumed it would be whipped and smooth like… well… butter.  But it was all good since I was sure it had to be easy to work with for some many people to use it in homemade products.  Once I got it home I found that like cocoa butter, shea butter comes in a semi-solid consistency that could be easily broken down and melted.  After learning it could be used on its own, however, I decided to forgo the recipe additions for awhile, and my introduction to the emollient turned out to be used in place of lotion after showering.  The effects were almost immediate (ie. softness, silkiness, and a sight glow to the skin) and long lasting (I applied it last night have not had to moisturize again yet), giving soothing relief to the dry, itchy skin that comes with the winter season.  Unlike commercial lotions, the butter didn’t instantly evaporate or become soaked into the skin, leaving it feeling as if I hadn’t applied anything.  Shea butter leaves a thin coating upon the skin, but unlike petroleum based moisturizers or baby oil, it’s not slick, overly greasy, or pore clogging.  It is the perfect moisturizer, especially for women of colour, and while it will take a minute to see the “fading” effects shea butter holds, I can attest to the pain relief qualities it holds too.

In the hair department, I have used pure shea butter on my edges after letting my hair air dry to “tame” them into laying down, but one of my favourite dressings — Carol’s Daughter’s Healthy Hair Butter — contains a good portion of the compound, and I can attest that it does soften the hair and help it maintain moisture.

Since this was just my first experience with shea butter, I thought I’d ask a few of my associates and friends who have used it for some time now, their thoughts on the product, and here is their feedback:

Jordayn offers: I use it on [this] dry skin of mine as of recent.  This winter brought out my severe dry skin.  I tried putting lotion on, I tried baby oil… I tried everything!  But when I tried the Shea., it lasted for me and made my skin a lot better and it was no longer dry.  My lotions were drying out during the day too.

Jacqueline says: I use unrefined shea butter.  It makes my skin super soft and all glowy like. I use it in my hair before washing to soften and after to shine.

Michelle, owner of Pegasus Soaps shares: It works better than anything I [have] ever used.  I like how it makes my skin feel smooth and the appearance of my skin. I also use shea butter in my homemade lotions too.

and Tanya adds: I have never used it on my hair, but I use it for the heels of my feet.  [It's] one of the cheapest, longest lasting products, and it works.

So the general consensus is, this is a product that is well worth the purchase, and offers amazing results for dry skin and healthy hair.  On its own or as a chief ingredient to your homemade and commercial products.  While there are many retailers who offer shea butter,  there a few things one must consider when purchasing it for themselves:

1. Shea butter should only be yellow or a creamy colour, ranging from white to gray or beige.  It should never be green.

2. When considering the type of shea butter to purchase or use, unrefined is best, as if is pure and natural.  Unrefined would be next on the scale because although it has been bleached, it still retains most of its natural components.

3. The longer it has been shelved, the less healing properties remain present, so try to avoid buying “old” shea butter.  If you purchase unrefined shea butter and either  has no odor to it or is rancid smelling, more than likely, it is old and should not be used.

4. When buying commercial products that claim to contain shea butter, READ THE INGREDIENT LIST CAREFULLY!!!  There are many manufacturers looking to make a quick sell based on the shea butter buzz, yet use very little of the compound in their products.  Make sure shea butter is one of the first ingredients listed to ensure you’re getting the most shea butter possible for your benefit.

Need to know more?  Well, a great resource for information on shea butter can be found at the American Shea Butter Institute, including reputable retailers by grade, as well as The Organic Shea Butter Website, which lists the various uses and benefits of using the substance.

Prices for shea butter range according to quantity (I believe my 10 oz. container was close to $4), and can be bought in bulk for both personal and commercial use.

So there you have it!  A veritable cosmetic wonderkind for both hair and skin, that is well worth its weight in natural beauty gold.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

Hey Hey World!

It has been a minute since I was able to check in with commenters and respond to reader’s questions, so since I have the opportunity now, let’s get that, shall we?

In response to Journey Feature — Bucket ‘O Bulletz, Suni herself offers:

Thank you for choosing me for this interview. It was a lot of fun. I appreciate you looking up those resources for me and will be checking them out very soon!

No, the pleasure and appreciation was all mine!  Thank you for agreeing to do the feature.  I hope to feature you again soon and also hope those resources have worked for you!

***

Following Suni on the same post, Lisa Marie Mary adds:

What an interesting interview – I learned a lot! And I’m so glad …or more than that — I don’t know quite how to say it — it just warms my heart and makes me feel so good to hear people say things about hair and the importance and spiritual nature of it, [which] I have felt for so long and never quite been able to voice.

Thank you so much Lisa!  I think it works well to view the process of hair care as a spiritual process, to keep you mindful of just how important and closely linked it is to holistic well-being.  Being Native, I know Suni’s view of her hair and her transitioning process is a sincere extension of her faith and heritage.  I will be sure to pass along your comment.  Thanks for reading.

***

Nappily Yours had this to say about Journey Spotlight 02 - Nappturality:

I’m going natural right now… I’m still in the very, very early stages… lol, but this website seems really interesting and informative. I hope that it’ll be worth it!

When I first started out I frequented, and became a member of Nappturality and learned a great deal of foundational information to get me started.  While I am still a member, I have not been active there in quite awhile because my Journey has taken a different direction than what is represented on the site.  But I will always recommend it as a great resource for vets and newbies alike.  I hope you enjoy your time there and learn a lot.  Thanks for reading!

***

To Hi Hi!, Brenda writes:

Glad to see that you haven’t given up blogging! I’d just assumed you’d taken a summer vacation!

Hey there!  Yes, I was forced to take a “vakay” for a few months, which pained me greatly.  But here I am again.  Still not as regularly as I’d like but it’s still wonderful to be back in any capacity.  Thanks so much for continuing to check on me.  It is very much appreciated!

***

After reading Journey Guest 08 – On a Mission to Transition, Tyka commented:

Hello, I’m so happy to have stumbled [upon] this article because my quest for my natural hair has not been a [successful] one. A few months ago I decided that I was going to grow my natural hair out, my mom was fully behind and so were my friends. However, after 5 or 6 months I got completely discouraged. My hair was a mess I had [no] clue what to do with it so I got it relaxed and told myself that later on I would try again. But this time just a few short months later [I have] decided to start all over and this time isn’t an attempt. I’m not one to NOT follow through like I did the first time, but I really had no idea what I was getting into. (Did I mention that I’m 16?) This helped A LOT.  [It’s] been three or four months since my last relaxer but I still flatten my hair after every shampoo and condition.  I plan on changing that and setting up some kind of plan for my hair (like getting my hair done regularly in straw sets, braids, etc.). This has completely convinced me to go the natural way. (Again)

It always does my heart good to hear that any part of my Journey has inspired someone else, so thank you so much for your comment.  Although the article was not written by me personally, I added it because there are very few resources out there for straight transitioning.  I am glad it helped you return to your efforts, and I wish you much luck and love in the days to come.

***

Lovely Lady Luxe sp0ke her piece in response to Special Interest – Natural Terminology:

This glossary will definitely come in handy! I’ve been natural for over 8 years and I know when I first started out, I would hear some of these terms and I’d be like “Say, huh?”. The terms can be kinda confusing to a natural hair newby.

Indeed! That is exactly why I chose to include the terms because I was so lost when trying to research resources, style techniques and products.  Just wanted to help make it as simple for other Naptural virgins coming up after me. *smile*

***

Journey Special Interest – Wrap it Up! garnered this comment from belle cheveux:

Great post! I always wanted to learn how to do a wrap with a scarf.

One of my claims to transitioning “fame” has been my ability to keep my hands out of my hair, and it is because of my bun wraps that this has been possible.  I love the versatility hair wraps offer, and the protection they offer and figured others could benefit from the how-to videos.  I’m glad you enjoyed this post.

***

Roni had these words to say about In the Mix Fridays - Results:

Wow, I love those [recipes]. I’ve gotta try that ACV Rinse w/ rosemary. I like to [use] those but I forget about them, lol. Trying new things on our hair is what is soo fun about being natural.

I so miss my In the Mix Friday experiments. *sigh* It’s really fun to get in the test kitchen and get my hands into products I know are good for my hair and skin.  I personally swear by the ACV/rosemary rinse and keep a mason jar full of it on hand.  It never fails to leave my hair and scalp free of product build up so my pours breathe and growth is promoted.  I am glad you enjoyed the post, and hope you join me for more in the future.

***

Happy to be Nappy? inspired Kimmy to share her thoughts and experiences:

Hi,

Interesting blog. I have natural hair, and have never (ever ever) straightened or relaxed it. I really feel sorry for the black women in the U.S. who are only now ‘going natural’, because they should have never gone unnatural in the first place.  I’m happy to live in a (Caribbean) country where natural is normal, and that, while relaxing hair is done, we are not pressured to do as a means of fitting in, and twists, braids, and so on are seen on a regular basis (I always wonder though at the many girls here who DO relax their hair to make it more manageable only to have it fried in the hot Caribbean sun).

My hair has been about mid-back for… for…ever! (I’m exaggerating, I’m only 16, and I’m pretty sure it was longer when I was younger) and I’m wondering about a few things:

If I stay healthy and take amazingly good care of my hair, how long should my hair be by the end of the year? Is it possible for my hair to reach waist, or even hip-length, or am I stuck at mid-back? If it is possible, how long should it take?

Do you believe hair skin and nail vitamins really work?

Is it necessary to trim split ends? I trimmed off the ends of my hair (for the first time in my life) a couple months ago and when I look I already have splits, so I get the feeling all I did was shorten my hair by about a quarter of an inch uselessly. Does it matter if I trim?

Good luck on your journey.

You have said more than a mouthful Kimmy. *lol* Ya know, it was a Caribbean man who “convinced” me to go natural, and I use quotes because I’d always wanted to get out of the vicious perming cycle, but never felt supported enough to do it.  So I am grateful to him for that, and truly understand where it is you’re coming from.  It is truly sad that American women of colour are just now fully embracing the natural beauty of their coils, kinks and curls, but I am hopeful this trend is changing currently… one nappy head at a time.

To answer your questions, from what I’ve read, hair grows at a rate of 1/2 an inch a month on average, so how long your hair is capable of growing within a year’s time truly depends on how quickly your hair grows.  Yes, healthy habits are a factor in hair growth, and while I have seen many an article about preventing hair loss by maintaining and healthy diet, I am not sure it can change your hair’s natural growth rate.

Do I believe hair/nail vitamins work?  Well that depends.  You have to treat supplements the same way you treat your hair care products — READ, READ, READ your labels.  Vitamin compounds that are specifically good for hair are “B complex, biotin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, iron, zinc, flax seed oil, black currant seed oil, kelp and silica” (Casey, Bonnie, 5 hair Care Secrets, www.salonweb.com/features/hairarticle_101804.htm), so any supplement slated for hair should contain one or more of those elements.  Also, do your own research in lieu of simply picking up a bottle with “hair” on the label.  Learn the best vitamins and minerals for hair on your own, that way you can experiment with what works best for your hair type.

Trimming, from what I have read, is an essential factor for maintaining healthy hair, although I have heard that it doesn’t cause hair to grown any faster than it normally world.  Consider the fact that each strand of hair is like a string of rope.  When you begin to unravel the rope at its end, what happens?  It eventually unravels all the way to the other end.  If left untrimmed, split ends can become split shafts, and split shaft become split roots, making the damage worse.  The only way I know of to prevent split ends, thereby preventing the need to trim them, is to take excellent care of your hair.

I hope this answered your questions, and I think you so much for reading.

***

Additionally,  Pascale commented on the aforementioned post with:

Hi,

I like your blog. I too have natural hair, which I am crazy about, btw. More and more women are going natural, that’s an excellent thing considering the pressure to live up to the chemical standards of our time.

Thank you so much, and I totally agree with you!  It is a wonderful thing to see so many of us breaking the chemical shackles and being proud to rock and learn our very own brand of beauty.  I applaud you in your love for your tresses, and you continued affinity for it in the years to come.

***

By way of encouragement to Twist & Shout: Twist Out – Take Two, nofakees shared:

You look cute with this style!! It really fits your face. I say go on out and face the world HAPPY 2 BE NAPPY!

Danke schoen!  I really have fun with the twist outs, although I love the longer version I have now in comparison to the short.  But the humble begins were a wonderful training ground. *smile*

***

Last but not in the least bit least, Suni and ladymsw tag team responded to New Year, New Me! by saying:

Suni: GURL Your hair has really grown! I am so proud of you! YAY US!!! So, your new stuff sounds good. I am using cocoa butter in my homemade butter mix. I am about to get castor oil and [Crisco] *yes i said CRISCO* to try out, since hearing so much about them. I want to compare the results between castor vs. olive, regular soy oil vs. [Crisco’s] cottonseed and soy oil mix… It should be interesting

ladymsw: Hi. I like your blog. Next month will mark two years since I stopped being a slave to the perm and I couldn’t be any happier with the “new” me. I used to live in Ann Arbor and yes, Metro Detroit is the processed hair capital of the world. I’m actually on my way to Sephora to pick up some Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk. If you’re interested in homemade stuff, a friend told me that mixing raw shea butter with a small amount of beeswax and any oil of your choice will do wonders. Good luck to you.

Suni - This has been such a wonderful experience for me, and having encouraging supporters like you.  I can not wait to see the result of all your experimenting. *wink*

ladymsw – That two year mark is a sight to behold, isn’t it?  I am so glad to finally gotten my hands on some CD Hair Milk, and love every drop of it, but will try the shea butter/beeswax/oil recipe and see how that works.

Thank you ladies both for reading and commenting.  It means a lot!

Healthy Hair Wishes,

In  continuing the celebration I am having about my successful twisting progression, and in light of the change I’ve made in the product I use to create the twists, I figured I’d do a comparison of :

I’ve had almost a year of practice with Two Strand Twists now yet really didn’t do any major experimenting with various products in order to get the process of twisting down to a science.  Now that I’m pretty much a vet in the twisting game I felt it necessary to branch out a bit and see what else was out in the natural hair ether that I might want to try or recommend.  So first up:

I’d started out with Natural Hair Care Organic Root Stimulator Lock & Twist Gel simply because I’d seen it in Family Dollar and didn’t know any other product to use to accomplish the style.  I’d read various sources that stated using aloe vera gel works, as well as simply twisting the damp hair upon itself sans any sort of product, but I wanted to make sure my twists stayed twisted… especially since I had no clue what I was doing.

First consideration, of course, was ingredients and making sure none of the components made the “Don’t You DARE Put This In Your Hair” List from Nappturality.com‘s forum.  The list of suspects read as such:

Water Aqua , Coconut Milk (Cocos Nucifera) Extract, Soybean Oil (Glycine Soja) , PVP* , Polyquaternium 37*, Propyl Paraben, Methyl Paraben , DMDM Hydantoin, Propylene Glycol, Fragrance Parfum , Sucrose

* Polyvinylpyrrolidone

* A fatty alcohol which promotes body

That first ingredient is exactly what I was looking for, since I know water is hair’s first love, and the second caught my eye because I have fallen in love with how my hair reacts to coconut milk.  The rest didn’t seem too harmful so I took the plunge.

NOTE: When it comes to hair care products, it is good to be aware of what you are putting into your hair, thereby putting into you system… However, do not make the mistake many Napturals who take avoid certain products to the extreme because there are one or two ingredients on the “danger” list in your products.  Chances are, the amount of said ingredient is low (keep in mind that ingredient lists are compiled from chief to lesser active).  So shop smart, read labels and do research of your own before writing certain products off completely.

For the most part I was pleased with this product.  It’s petroleum-like consistency combined well with water (since it is water based) and held my twists well enough without dripping all over and resulting in a sticky mess.  Once dried the gel did not flake or cake up on the portions of my scalp like a lot of gels have been known to do, but I did notice that the longer I kept my twists in, the drier my hair became, which I did not like at all.  When it came time to do a twist out, I did not like the fact that they were generally semi-straw like to the touch, making it necessary to add an additional moisturizing product to each wavy strand and at times turning the curl into a frizzy poof.  This was not the case each time I used the gel, since I began to learn the proper balance between product and water which worked well for my hair, but it was the case more times than not.

Upon researching the product a bit closer via OragnicRootStimulator.com, I learned the company the makes the Natural Hair Care Organic Root Stimulator line is Namasté Laboratories, LLC, an Illinois based company that has been in the hair care business since 1996.  Beyond their Website, I couldn’t find very much information on the company itself, but here is their mission statement:

Organic Root Stimulator™ products were conceived, developed and marketed by Namasté Laboratories, LLC.  Namasté is a Hindi term which means “to bow to the divinity within.”  At Namasté Labs we interpret that to mean “to serve the beauty within,” which is accomplished through a new and exciting hair care system — Organic Root Stimulator™ — that gets to the root of healthy hair.

Namasté Labs was founded in 1996 to address the needs of the health-conscious, multi-cultural consumer market.  Namasté is dedicated to identifying holistic, innovative remedies for the healing and renewal of hair, skin and body.  This philosophy has made us a leader in natural, therapeutic health and beauty aids.

Namasté boosts and impressive product line, catering to both natural and relaxed hair, despite me never having heard of the company beyond the products I see in stores.

All in all, Natural Hair Care Organic Root Stimulator Lock & Twist Gel works as it should, and with a price tag of $3.99 per 13 oz. tube it is a highly affordable option that will last for a good amount of styles sessions, dependent your hair length and how much you use per twist.

Now, I didn’t switch products out of necessity, because the NHCORS brand was working pretty good for me, but one day while I was out, I happened on the Murray’s Loc-Lock Gel and felt the need to check it out to broaden my product knowledge base.

Upon first look, the ingredients between the two gels are relatively close:

Aqua Water, PVP, Soybean Oil, Fruit Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Triethanolamine Carbomer, Panthenyl Ethyl Ether, Kertin Amino Acid, Parfum

Again, water’s the chief ingredient, so I was good on that, and although like the aforementioned gel there are two “danger” ingredients, I was really liking the tri-oils at the top of the component list.

Next, I took a look at the actual product and was further impressed with its actual gel-like consistency, which I knew would prove to be lighter than Natural Hair Organic Root Stimulator‘s brand.  Upon usage, because it to is water based, it worked well with the water in my hair, but I didn’t have to use as much water because I didn’t have to break the Murray’s down hair the way I did the thicker gel.  When applied to the hair I was not left with a slick, greasy feel on my fingers, and it seemed the gel was immediately absorbed into the hair upon contact.  Holding of the twist was apparent all the way down to the tip of the hair shaft, and the gel dried clean without flaking.

So far it seems both gels are equally par for the purpose of twist, locs and braids… and for the most part they are.  But what gives the Murray’s brand the advantage is it did not leave my twists with the dried straw feel once they dried!  I didn’t use any moisturizing agents prior to twisting, although I did coat each twist with a bit of Carol’s Daughter’s Healthy Hair Butter yesterday, but prior to that, my tresses were soft and fluffy-like as if I’d submerged my hair in water!  And when I did my twist out… AY DIOS MIO:

I cannot believe how lusciously defined each ringlet is, as well as moisturized and frizz free!  So performance wise, the Murray’s brand will be my twist gel of choice in the future.

On the company side of this product, I am extremely familiar with Murray’s Worldwide Inc. from growing up seeing their orange wave pomade tins around the house (any of ya’ll out there with brothers who were brush wave die-hards like mine was knows what I’m talking about).  Additionally, it’s a Michigan based company — Metro-Detroit, to be specific (Oak Park) — that has been in business since 1925 (first in Chicago then in Detroit in 1959), which speaks volumes of Murray’s product line to me personally.

The philosophy of the company, per MurraysPomade.com, which has been the same since C.D. Murray started selling the products out of his barber shop in the 1920′s, is yet another reason I feel in love with the gel:

Murray’s is committed to producing high quality products, that consumers demand, at fair prices. We will operate our business with honesty, integrity, and treat all of our distributors with respect and fairness.

You can’t beat longevity when it comes to a company that produces something as intimate as products you use on your hair and skin.  Evidently, they’ve got to be doing something right to have lasted so long.

Price wise, in comparison to the NHCORS brand, Murray’s is a bit more expensive considering you’re paying an average of $3.40 for each 8 oz. jar.  But personally, considering how well it works with my hair and the fact that I only need to use a dap per twist strand to receive maximum results, I don’t mind the quantity difference for the price.  I have had a tub of the NHCORS brand since May 2008 and am just now close to depleting it, but haven’t made a dent in the Murray’s yet, so that tells a lot about the quality, which is far more important to me than quantity.

In addition to the twist gel, I also picked up a bottle of Murray’s Liquid Beeswax Anti-Itch Formula to correspond with the gel for retwisting, if I wanted to keep the twists in longer than my normal four days.  I used it yesterday and was pleased with the results… no stiffness, maintained softness, no frizzies, and glorious sheen!  A wonderful combination of beeswax and essential oils provides a light and healthy dressing that aids in keeping your twists or locs “tight”.  A great companion, indeed.

So there you have it.  Two gels designed for the same purpose, and my personal pick between the two.  As I said previous, both gels get the job done, and the result that I had with them both may be different for someone else with a different hair type than mine.  But both are well worthy the purchase if you wish to twist.  You may even want to do a comparing experiment of your own to see which one works best for you.  If you do, I’d love to hear your results here, or via email at amichelle@journeyback2me.com.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

As for the look, as you can see from the picture above, although the twists looked properly executed, the twist style that I used wasn’t very flattering to my face shape (in my opinion, anyway).

Twist Take Two, which came just three weeks after Take One, wasn’t any more successful than my first attempt, but I was getting better with manipulating the twists and had perfected the skill of moistening each section as I got to it.  Visually, I still was not pleased with the result, mostly due to the length I lost as each twist dried, which further contributed to the “picaninny perception” I had of  the style.  Furthermore, I was still having the problem with twisting the base tight enough so that it would not unravel, which made necessary my third attempt:

The third time was very much the charm for me.  I like the appearance of the twists, although I was still disappointed by the natural shrinkage once they dried.  I’d enlisted the use of steel clips to aid in keeping the strands from unraveling so much at the base of each twist, as well as to keep each twist straight, which resulted in neater rows throughout.  I also added the element of a side part. Following the side part I was able to control the direction of the twists a bit better, and I could style them from center to side instead of simply from front to back.  I was pleased enough with this effort to wear it on short excursions to the outside world.

Twist set four was sublime perfection!  In just two months from my third attempt I’d gained a bit of length, which graced me with thicker twists from  base to tip and helped give a  fuller look to the style.  By three months into the game it was pretty much old hat, so I could pattern the twists however I wanted to.  I pretty much stayed with the regular so that I could achieve this:

A head full of thick and luscious corkscrews, which was part of the reason I’d started working with two strand twists in the first place.  When I’d first started the journey back to natural I’d envied twist out and braid out styles I’d seen on celebs and other Journeyers, which reminded me of times when I was younger and loved the crinkle wave look of my hair when it was unbraided.

It’s funny, now that I look back to my beginnings of dealing with this style, to see how nervous I was at the start of trying twists on for size.  I saw it as so complicated and was scared I’d do it wrong, resulting in being ticketed by the Naptural Hair Police for “perpetrating a fraud” because my nappy virgin efforts were so removed from what two strand twist “should” look like.  I was scared to wear them too far from home because I wasn’t sure I’d gotten the process down right, and for the most part they still reminded me of Buckwheat.  Now… I see it as a process in learning my hair, learning the style and learning not to compare myself to media images I see represented on celebs and models who have had their twists professionally styled.  It was also an exercise in patience… knowing my hair would not look how I wanted until it regained health and length, and until it did I’d have to make peace with what I had to work with.  And I did.  I cared for my hair as best I could, kept my hands out of it, which was my promise to myself, and learned to deal with it on its terms.  Three months later I was blessed with this result of my labour:

So there is my Twist Transformation, from start to “finish”.  It has been both frustrating and fun and helped me to learn my hair, so I would not trade any moment of it for the world.  It’s been a beautiful struggle.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

I have heard tell of the wonders of Carol’s Daughter’s products on ethnic hair, but thought it was all hype.  I mean not hype overall, but hype in the sense that because Jada Pinkett-Smith was one of the spokespersons, and most of the models that I’ve seen looking either bi-racial or of the “good hair”/celebrity variety.  So understandably, I was really skeptical of exactly how it would work with my hair type.  Keep in mind, I haven’t known what my hair grade was since I was about twelve years old, and being mired in misconceptions about black hair, I was sure my tresses were the consistency of steel wool when it wasn’t “tamed” by chemicals.

Even after I started transitioning and knew my hair type a bit more intimately, I was unsure about how my hair would react under the care of Carol’s Daughter.  From what I’ve read, the products are all “au naturale”, made without a lot of the additives and preservatives of other commercial products (ie. petroleum, mineral oil and all the “cones” natural hair enthusiasts warn you about), and I was convinced it would take a more industrial type product to keep my hair healthy and looking its best (even if all I did to it was wrapped it up, for the most part), especially since I suffer dry scalp issues.  But the more I got to learn about my hair, and the more I heard praises of Lisa Price‘s brainchild — not to mention finding out Shawn Corey Carter is one of CD‘s investors — I decided I would give the line a try.  Only problem was… I had no clue where to find CD products in the metro Detroit area.  Selena, a long time user of the Hair Milk, let me know Sephora carried the line, but the only Sephora store I knew of was three to four cities away from my house.  Now as much I am loving my hair, and as adamant as I am about maintaining proper care of my tresses… there was no way I was going on a multi-city trip to by a $18 bottle of hair product.  My momma could have made it and I still weren’t gonna do it.  Well lucky for me, after an excursion to buy a new digi cam (a multi-city trip in itself but… it was for a camera which is totally different *lol*), I just so happened to drop into Macy’s in Oakland Mall and right across the aisle from the Godiva Chocolatier section was a Carol’s Daughter kiosk!  How cool is that?  So I swagger walked on over to check out the haps, and with the assistance of Henrietta I acquired a bottle of the highly coveted Hair Milk, aaaaaaaaand a container of Healthy Hair Butter!  An over $40 purchase combined, but considering the price of beauty and manageability for me is often steep I was not at all adverse to forking over the duckets… especially if the products did what they promised.

So I carted my treasures home, hopeful — yet still still skeptical — and eager to step into the Journey Test Kitchen.  The day after, I washed and conditioned my hair as normal with Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo + Conditioner (Anti-Drandruff) , a process that involves lathering up the tresses then combing through them with a wide tooth comb (I make it a point to NEVER disturbed the natural growth pattern of my hair by rubbing the shampoo throughout my hair in a willy nilly fashion), rinsing with tepid water, then clarifying with my ACV/rosemary elixir.  Once my hair was clean, I gently squoze my hair dry in order to leave it dampened, then — as per the suggested directions — added a generous amount of Hair Milk to the roots, shaft and ends of my hair.  I am not sure what I initially expected the result to be, but I can tell you… they were better than I could have ever hoped!!!

My hair remained soft and virtually tangle free.  As you can see, my natural curls were defined in wonderfully soft “poofs” that haloed my head, beautifully!  There was no “greasy” after-feel like I’d experienced with other products, and although my hair drank the milk in, it was still moist and soft to the touch!  Its light in consistency, smells absosmurfly divine, and this magic potion even seems to have conquered an issue that is common to Nappies the world over — SHRINKAGE!!!  Not that it prevents it, because there is nothing curly hair knows to do better than curl and “shrink” lengthwise.  But the milk works with the shrinkage factor, preventing my curly ends from curling up on each other and causing kinks and snarls.  So one product down, with stellar results… one more to go.

The day after the usage of the Hair Milk — because I don’t regularly practice the art of tying my hair up at night — I noticed I needed something to “pump” my hair back up after a night of laying on it.  The moisture from the milk was still there, but the wash out was matted.  Although I know some who use the milk whether their hair is wet or dry, I wanted to see what good the Healthy Hair Butter could do.  So I applied an ample amount to my hair, finger combing it through and BOOYAH:

The fluffy tufts were back in effect with the same manageability as the day before!

Now, I had used the butter on my edges the same day that I used the milk (Henrietta stated that for some, if one product doesn’t work it is perfectly fine to combine the products since they work together harmoniously) to keep them soft and “laying down” without using alcohol laden hair gel which would dry them out, but I was really impressed with how it did not weigh the rest of my hair down like other moisturizing products I’d used (ie. the oils I’d been using).  My scalp didn’t feel oily, and after dressing my hair my fingers did not come away as if I’d eaten six pieces of Church’s/Popeye’s chicken!  Again, there’s a delicious aroma to the butter that’s not too flowery or “herbal”, just clean lemongrass, which is a staple in my bath potions so I’m good with it.

Needless to say, both the Hair Milk and Healthy Hair Butter, will be staples in my hair care regimen from here on out.  Because I know any health and beauty care line works best with corresponding products from the same line, I would love to try the Rosemary Mint Shampoo and the Black Vanilla Leave-in Conditioner for my cleansing and conditioning needs, but as the “single” mother of four it might not be in my budget at the moment ($11.50 for 8 oz. of conditioner is a lil bit outta my league).  But for now, the milk and butter do me just fine and have served a wonderful introductions for me to the Carol’s Daughter line.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

Hey there fellow Nappies, and welcome to 2009!

Here I am, a little over a month after my last entry, and happier than ever about my journey!  In approximately two months I will have survived two years sans chemical processes stripping my tresses of their natural glory… WOOT!!!  I’ve conquered breakage, I’ve defeated the overpowering urges to back track to the “ease” of the creamy crack, and I’ve given the virtual finger to all the negative connotations about natural black hair that played host to certain insecurities about my decision.  I have gained more confidence in just how beautiful I look sporting my fro when out and about in the world, and am now at a point where I can style my hair in two actual Afro Puffs… not Puff-lettes like before:

So one could say I’m free and clear of all the anxieties and stresses that come with making the full transition from permed to natural, and have reached Nappy Guru status, right?  *sigh* If only that were true.  I mean, don’t get me wrong.  I’m no longer pining away for “silky straight”, societal standard strands.  Fact of the matter I am head over heels in love with my natural texture and experience great joys in relearning my hair’s grade and habits.  But there are still days when my ends are embarking on a “Million Strand March” protest, or I wake up and don’t feel like either “taming” it or wrapping it up and am hard pressed for a reasonable style, and all I can do is sigh, shake my head in the mirror and resolve that the world outside my door won’t see me that day.  I still have my self conscious moments when I feel popular Midwest opinion is pointing me in the direction of relaxer aisle of my local beauty supply store (SIDEBAR/RANT: can we get some more BSes that carry products that are natural hair specific in the Metro Detroit area, please.  Kthnxbai!), and when I am sure a lot of people, men specifically, view me as either militant of Muslim cause I’m not “processed pretty” (I actually had a man ask me if the “rag” I wore on my hair was for religious purposes or if I was just having a “bad hair day”… insert “Whutevah Ninja” emoticon here).  Yes, even at close to two years the fear and conditioning eat away at my confidence, but I remain resolute and keep pushing forward.  It’s a step by step process… a journey without a specific destination beyond learning to love each strand as it was created to be loved, and in turn, learning to love myself in the same fashion.

For styling and maintenance purposes I have gained four new products in this new year that I am eager to take out for a spin.  Although I have not twisted my hair in quite awhile, I have opted to try out Murray’s Gel Loc-Lock instead of my usual Natural Hair Care Organic Root Stimulator Lock & Twist Gel for future twist styles.  A comparative look at the ingredients of both products the former has a bit of an edge over the latter, being that Murray’s utilizes a bit more commercial preservative agents than the other product… but I like the feel of Murray’s a whole lot better than the original product I was using (it’s lighter and more gel like while the other is thicker, with a consistency close to petroleum jelly).  I plan to try it out today or tomorrow and report my findings.

The second product is Nextimage Curl & Wavy Curl Defining Conditioner and Detangler… which I found on the lowest shelf in the farthest corner after damn near an hour of searching through EBONI BEAUTY SUPPLY IN HAZEL PARK, MICHIGAN (yeah… I called them out… their “natural hair care” section is less than two feet wide and two shelves deep… peeshaw!).  What I was looking for was something that helped me maintain the natural wave pattern my hair takes on when it’s wet.  I made the foolish assumption that I’d be able to find something remotely close to a Carol’s Daughter or Miss Jessie’s product at Ye Olde Neighbourhood Supply of Beauty, an assumption that was quickly thwarted when I remembered I live in the processed hair capital of the world. Well since I wasn’t at liberty to order from CD‘s, or travel to Flint or Farmington for MJ‘s, I figured I’d give this a spin.  While I haven’t used it yet, my daughter used it and the results were gorgeous!  Not quite the wash-out look I’d be going for, but the curl pattern of her hair was indeed defined.  I will be trying this on for size this afternoon once I wash my hair.

Next, I was able to find raw, bulk shea butter (can’t think of the brand at the moment because I don’t have it with me), the moisturizing  benefits of which I have heard lauded the Net over on various natural hair care sites.  I also picked up some Murray’s Liquid Beeswax, that I plan to use to maintain my twists for prolonged retwisting.  I probably won’t get around to using these products until at least next week, but will be sure to write a proper review of my results for posting purposes.

As for future entries here, while they won’t be as frequent as they once were, I have grand plans in the way of features, product reviews and the like.  I have been truly blessed and encouraged by the number of new peeps who are continuing to pick up the napptural gauntlet, and I really would love to share their progress with you guys… specifically Harmony who’s hair I have always envied for its luxurious length (at one point it was well past her shoulders!).

So that’s pretty much the latest and greatest here along this leg of the journey.   I’ve come so far, yet still have so far to go and I plan on enjoying each step thoroughly as I grow.  Hopefully my next update will come sooner than a month from now, but in the event that it doesn’t, best of growth to each of you, and thanks for all the feedback and support!

Healthy Hair Wishes,