I was a Napturally Me! Lurker-In-Resident for a very long time, just to get a feel for the dynamics of the group.  In my experience over the years I’ve had the misfortune of meeting up with pretentious naturals (read: Nappy Nazis) and those encounters made me apprehensive when it came to forming alliances.  But because I know the way to benefit from any experience, especially from a networking standpoint, you have to be active within it, I took the plunge on the 20th and attended my first NM Meetup event — a potluck viewing of “Good Hair“.

Although I arrived “fashionably late” and halfway into the screening (my apologies to anyone I bumped while making my way to the back of the pitch black room *lol*) I was overjoyed to have made it and amazed by the turn out.  Partaking in the festivities was an impressive number of 30 nappturals, which doesn’t even fully represent the 81 member roll!  No disrespect to my culture and heritage but… Ya’ll know unless it’s a club function, church service or give-away, turn out for social functions can be painfully low.  Having founded a couple of writing groups in my time I know this to be painfully true.  So to see so many fellow naturals in one room just for the fun of connecting with other naturals was exhilarating, to say the least.  While I know I’m not alone in my journey thanks to my wonderfilled connections with nappy heads via Facebook and Twitter, it’s always to know that I have access to support in my life outside the Net.

In addition to the pleasant surprise I received from the number of attendees, I was also amazed at just how good “Good Hair” was.  Well… the half of it I saw. *lol*  Going in my expectations were that the movie was going to be a celebrity spearhead fluff piece comparable to Textured Tresses.  Because the Black hair debate has raged on for centuries with very few dips below the surface of texture, type and style issues, I was not anticipating a noteworthy expose from the likes of Chris Rock.  In that, I was not disappointed.  For the record, “Good Hair” will not answer the age old question of just why hair is such a big issue within the Black community.  It is not a dissertation on why natural hair is best, why the “straight standard” has prevailed for as long as it has, or why Black hair is so politically charged.  What it is is documentary of one man’s search to find the answers to those queries in order to know what to tell his daughter about her hair.  It was Chris Rock‘s quest to understand for himself (and for his wallet) how to help his daughter take pride in her hair.  It was not meant to decry the use of perms, as many expected, so based on the merit of Chris‘s intention, it was a good film.  In the end, hair is what it is based on each individuals perception of what it means to them.  There’s no way to blanketly label it, which is the movie’s conclusion.  To paraphrase Ice T at the film’s end, no matter the enhancements, as long as a woman feels good about her appearance her it’s all good.  I have to make it a point to cop a bootleg *ahem* rent a copy so I can catch the part I missed.  Oh, and for the record… Jason Griggers really should have won the hair show. *snap snap*

Following the screening was an engaging discussion between NM members, about the movie and other hair related topics.  The atmosphere was one of compassionate sharing and educating, showing the roots of everyone’s journey.  Again, it was refreshing to be in the presence of so many like minded individuals without the pretensions of natural “rules” and dogma.  Much to my surprise, Kendra, the groups Organizer, enlightened me to the fact that you don’t even have to be natural to be a member of the group.  As long as you have a love for natural hair and an interest in learning more about it (how to style it, how to keep it healthy) you are more than welcome.  Suffice it to say, I have found my local nappy home and plan to attend many more Nappturally Me! functions in the near future.

Shouts out to our gracious hostess Amber for organizing such a great event, to Akon, Sarai and Chele for the wonderful conversations, and to DaiRita for that kick ass “Black Ass Cake.” *lol*  To all the ladies who provided the delicious and bountiful dishes, thank you oh so much.  I look forward to kicking it natural with all of you again soon.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

(click image to visit site)

The Savvy Brown Blog is the hot spot for those of us who want to live healthier, but with the state of the economy as it is, also want to do so on a budget.  With sections containing tips on maintaining hair, body and household, The Savvy Brown Blog is the one stop Net spot for cost conscientious shoppers wanting to make a change to a greener lifestyle.

As luck would have it for us naturals, TSBB is helping us keep our tresses properly coiffed by sponsoring The Savvy Brown Kinky Curls Giveaway, offering one 8 oz. bottle of KC‘s Knot Today Leave-In Conditioner and one 8 oz. container of KC‘s Curly Custard at a price even the most frugal of us can afford… FREE!

The product descriptions are as such:

KINKY CURLING CUSTARD gives moisture and curl definition, hold and brilliant shiny hair all in one product!

It reduces bulk, defines & elongates your curls helping them to ‘hang’ better. CURLING CUSTARD will bring out the natural curl or wave pattern you never knew you had! It is an advanced botanical formula made with ALL NATURAL ingredients that nourish and strengthen the hair. Utilizing the humectant properties of the Agave Nectar, CURLING CUSTARD will give weight to your hair, define your curls, remove frizz, provide long lasting hold and shine without ever being greasy, crunchy or drying to your hair. This high performance product is very concentrated so a little goes a long way.

KNOT TODAY is a creamy herbal conditioner and detangler designed to smooth the cuticle and remove knots, snarls and tangles from thick curly textured hair. After washing hair, apply KNOT TODAY generously and work through troubled areas with a wide tooth comb.Can be used as a regular rinse out conditioner for wavy hair or as a leave-in for thicker curlier hair types. An excellent product to use after removing braids and extensions.

For more information on Kinky Curls products, you can visit their site at www.kinky-curls.com.

Now while the cost to you is free, there are a few painless requirements entrants have to meet in order to be eligible. Still interested?  Well then surf click the above link and start the process already!  And while you’re there be sure to browse through the wonderfully informational bank of posts Savvy Brown has to share.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

The decision to transition hair from chemically altered back to its natural state is one that does not come easy. It’s a process that involves mentally breaking through antiquated beauty standards and reeducating yourself from the roots of your hair up. Unlike in the beginning of this most recent natural boom where information on going natural was sparse, there is now a multitude of Blogs and Websites dedicated to the art and beauty of cultivating natural hair. But if you’re starting your journey like most – especially if you live in an area where the natural wave has not caught on yet – the wealth of information presented can be overwhelming. Do you automatically launch into locs, twist your tresses or break out the scissors for a BC? And what exactly is a BC anyway. Well for naturals in Columbus, the answer to that question and many others could be as close as your neighbourhood bookseller.

The Knotty Truth is a 140 page natural hair guide that breaks the transitioning process into bite-sized portions that even the greenest natural newbie can digest easily. Written by Columbus resident M. Michele George, The Knotty Truth offers insight on every leg of the journey, covering the beginning of Black hair history and providing myth-busting facts to help make natural hair care maintenance a breeze.

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

When I first started out on the natural path I had sooooo many misconceptions about what to expect.  Of course there were the negative myths that had been committed to memory over the years that everyone on this journey has to break through at one time or another; black hair isn’t “good” hair, straight hair is professional, natural hair equated to poor hygiene practices.  You all know the roll.  But those weren’t the misconceptions I’m speaking of.  Once I’d gotten to the point where I knew that my hair was just as beautiful in its natural state as it was when chemically relaxed, I began creating delusions of epic proportion that my maintenance practices would automatically result in Jill Scott type glory.  Having admired Jilly from Philly‘s tresses from a far for so many years, not because of the beauty of her styles but because of the apparent pride that emanates through her curls, when I stopped perming I was hyped up about getting to the stage where my hair could achieve such grandeurous states of design.  It wasn’t just Jill‘s coils I coveted, though.  Anytime I turned on the TV or saw a print ad that featured a woman rocking a well coiffed twist or braid out, or saw a natural sistah on the street sporting a fluffy fro or perfect puffs, I’d smile to myself and think, “Yeah…  That’s going to be me one day.”  But no matter how I manipulated my locks, how well I cared for them or how much I nurtured them, I just could not duplicate Jill‘s or Erykah‘s or even the lady on the Walmart commercial’s look on my own head.  Either my hair wasn’t long enough or it was too soft to hold the style, my curl wasn’t defined enough or the product didn’t work as promised.  The disappointments at not being able to get my hair to “act right” caused me to hate my hair for awhile, and for a very hot minute, had me undressing the yellow and purple Motions containers with my eyes whenever I saw them at my local beauty supply store. *lol*

I think all new naturals go through that stage.  As with anything, it’s really easy to foster unrealistic expectations of an experience if you’re only seeing the end result of it.  That is especially true when it comes to the natural hair experience.  It’s really easy to become discouraged when you put your time and effort into creating dynamic styles only to have them come off less than the perfection you desired.  I think this is part of the reason for the belief many hold that natural hair isn’t for everyone.  But the point many naturals (and non-naturals as well) miss is there is no one natural journey that is alike.  Because each of us possesses a different hair type and texture, it is our hair that has to be the standard when we style and maintain our hair.  Because each of the hairs on our head are as diverse as our individual spirits, we can only hope to get close to another’s results in their journey, and must learn to appreciate the ability of our hair for what it can do, not what we’d like it to do.  This can only be achieved by embracing the “now” of your journey and spending time to appreciate it while learning your hair at each stage.  Only through knowing your hair will you be able to realistically achieve styles that compliment you while displaying the unique glory of you.

During an interview with M. Michele George, author of The Knotty Truth, Chele, who has a head full of beautifully formed locs that lay well past her shoulders, we touched on this topic.  She recounted the numerous compliments she has received on her hair as it is now, and the various times she’s heard someone  say “I can’t wait till my hair gets to that point.”  While she appreciated the compliments, Chele never hesitated to keep it real with the commenter, advising them to go back and view the various pictures that showed the progress that led her up to the gorgeous locs she sports now.

“Whenever I tell someone to look at my progress during each step, they always thank me.  What many don’t realize is it’s all a journey.  In order to get here I had to go through the ‘unpretty’ stages of forming the locs, learning to tighten and maintain them… It was not easy, but it was going through those stages that brought me into an appreciation for my hair on its terms.”

There is nothing wrong with loving up on a fellow natural’s style and waiting to achieve it for yourself, but be mindful that your results may not be the same as hers (or his) because you are two different people with two different heads of hair and a multitude of other differing factors.  This goes quadruple for envying the style of your favourite celebrity, who has an entire glam squad in their employ to help them achieve their styles.

As with all things on the journey styling comes with patience, practice and knowing your hair.  Staying mindful of this will help keep you from getting discouraged when your attempts miss the mark of your expectations.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

At the start of any transition there is bound to be a period where you have to try different “shoes” on for size before you know what works best. This is especially true when you’re learning to care for natural hair.

With so many products on the market boasting promise after promise of growth and health, it can often be difficult for natural newbies to know exactly which product to trust their maintenance routine to. While it is recommended that you initially experiment in order to get your hair care arsenal just right, over experimentation could prevent you from developing a beneficial hair care niche, and instead turn you into a product junkie.

With a plethora of products seeming to call your name from store shelves, how can one quell the urge to create their own personal beauty supply at home?

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

It’s been over a hot minute since we’ve had a feature, but I’m really glad to be back to it because I’ve introduced to some wonderful natural ladies via the Twitter natural hair community.  One of which I’d like to introduce you to is Veronica, founder of the My Natural Me hair Blog and V’s Cookin it Real foodie Blog.  V and I became acquainted during the Twitter Natural Chat a couple days ago and from that moment its been a napptralpalozza between our tweet streams.

And without further ado, here’s Veronica‘s story.

AM: what made you want to “go natural”?

Veronica: I would also see other natural beauties rock their curls and natural doos with confidence and I wanted to give it a try myself…I really got tired of the same limp look of relaxers. I find that I have much more versatility with natural hair..I could NEVER rock a puff or fro with a lazy relaxer lol.  I also have always been curious to what the real texture of my hair is…I am seeing it a bit now, but I am sure I will do a serious 2nd BC when the time is right!

AM: did you have any trepidations to overcome when making the step?

Veronica: I did! I really was nervous about how my boyfriend would react! He has locs now and I maintain them for him..I know that when I first attempted to go natural, he didn’t like it and I understand why. I didn’t have the confidence in myself to transition all the way and that spoke for itself…now that I am able to style my hair in various ways..he LOVES it!  I also was conscious about the professional world, but I get more compliments now that I am natural than when my hair was relaxed!

AM: How long have you been natural?

Veronica: I’ve been relaxer free for two years and two months. That’s how long I transitioned.  I self BC’d on Dec 29 2009!!!

AM: Wow… You transitioned for two years? How did that work for you?

Veronica: It was a journey and a struggle. When I first decided to go natural I wasn’t used to how my hair reacted.  It was straight in some places and curly in others. I was really afraid of how my kinky hair would look  so I opted for Dominican blowouts to keep me comfortable.  I tried the puffs for a while but it just wasn’t working for me.  I was still using the same products on my hair that I would if I had a relaxer so I really couldn’t manage it.  Therefore back to the straight style I went!  I had convinced myself that my har was still healthy because I didn’t have a relaxer but the heat damage was horrible.

AM: Is that when you decided to BC?

Veronica: I decided to BC when I did my first Mohawk with two strand twists. I was so sick of the straight edges so six days later I cut three inches off all over my head!  And the rest is freedom and history.

AM: How do you feel now about sporting shorter locks?

Veronica: At first I was very hesitant.  I definitely was not used to the shrinkage! I got over that pretty quick thanks to having the support and inspiration from other natural divas out there!

AM: What is your maintenance routine and what products do you swear by?

Veronica: Well now I am doing a twist challenge so it is a bit different. What I usually do is cowash weekly with Herbal Essence’s Hello Hydration Moisturizing Conditioner and seal with my shea butter/tea tree oil/EVCO* mix and style.  Every other week I deep treat with Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner & EVCO with 30mins of heat for penetration.  My staple products are the Herbal Essence’s Hello Hydration and Totally Twisted conditioners, shea butter and EVCO.  I also do a leave- in with the Totally Twisted conditioner after I co-wash and deep treatment.  I haven’t tried alot of produtcts. I am still trying to figure out what my hair likes.

AM: How do you normally wear your hair and what is the twist challenge you mentioned?

Veronica: Right now because it is winter I am wearing protective styles.  I found out through much, much research that that is the way to go in the winter.  This includes twists for the most part.  In the summer I will be rocking the puffs, curly fros and twist outs.  By then I may have done another chop though, so maybe even Wash n Go’s may be in the mix. *lol*

The challenge is with Milan from AGrlCanMac.blogspot.com.  We are are wearing our hair in twists until April 1st with our regular wash and treatment routines in between. I may extend mine til the end of April but we will see. I would love to see how much my hair has grown after the challenge.  I may extend mine til the end of April but we will see. I would love to see how much my hair has grown after the challenge.

AM: When you made your transition were there any resources you found helpful?

Veronica: OMG yes! I stayed on Curly Nikki’s Forum and Natural Sunshine Community was also very helpful!!!  The first blogs I became addicted to were NaturalChica.com and CurlyNikki.com along with AGrlCanMac‘s Blog!

AM: Did they inspire you to start My Naturally Me?

Veronica: They really did, especially Mae from Natural Chica.  I got so inspired from her features and I also wanted to share my story and those of other divas!

AM: What are some of the thing you cover in your Blog?

Veronica: Right now I am just covering natural hair [wearers] and their stories.  I will have a makeup and skin care tutorial coming up soon, as well as a chemist who will become a regular contributor for product reviews and advice.  I am taking suggestions for more of what my followers want to see, so feel free to send them my way!

AM: If you could change one thing about your transitioning process, what would it be?

Veronica: You know that is a good question.. I don’t think I would change anything about my process.  I say this because the struggles that I have had with my natural journey has given me all the confidence and self support that I have right now.  I now have a story for other natural divas who are transitioning or think that there should be a time limit on it.  I waited two years because I wasn’t comfortable with myself.  I did it when the time was right for me.

AM: What’s in your natural future?

Veronica: I believe that my natural future will bring another BC, maybe three to four inches in length all around.  I also am getting into making my own jewelry, cowls and other crafty things.  I have really found “My Natural Me” hence the title of my Blog.

AM: Do you have any advice for others who’d like to go natural?

Veronica: My advice is to do it when the time is right for you. There may be pressure to do it from others or even rebuttals from the nay sayers, but when you make a commitment to do it for yourself, you will be much happier.  Be patient with your hair and your process/progress and utilize other naturals to keep you motivated!

~@~

Veronica’s Progress in Pictures

(click each image to enlarge)

Would you like to hear more from Veronica? You can contact via her Website at www.mynaturalme.blogspot.com.

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Veronica, I thank you so much for allowing me to share your story and sites with my readers.  Much success with the twist challenge and all your other natural endeavours.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

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

Nothing beats the look and feel of hair that is fresh and clean or a scalp that is free of buildup. Styles hold better, the hair takes on a lustrous, well nourished appearance and the scalp itself is free to breathe. Like their chemically straightened counterparts, many natural hair wearers subscribe to the belief that clean hair is the foundation for healthy hair and make hair washing the cornerstone of their daily maintenance routine.

According to an NPR article by Allison Aubrey, Proctor and Gamble statistics show that Americans who style their hair at home shampoo an average of four times within a week, whether their hair is natural of chemically processed. This is a relatively new adage, Aubrey states, evolving from the early 1900’s when the average wash increased from once monthly at the advice of a New York Times article believed to have been created to improve bath products sales. While we all agree washing is necessary, can “serial poo’ing” (washing more than once or twice a week) be causing undue stress to the hair?

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

As per my normal routine I was meandering through the Web gathering information for articles and Blogs when I discovered a tweet about Nappturalite Radio.  Ironically, a few days earlier I’d happened on a Website for a new natural hair book by author Chris-Tia Donaldson titled “Thank God I’m Natural” and as luck would have it, Ms. Donaldson was scheduled to be the guest on the next NLR show.  Well since I’m always on the lookout for new resources to share, as well as opportunities to support/promote other natural hair media, I bookmarked the show’s page and made a mental note to tune in during its next broadcast.

When the time for the show rolled around and I tuned in, full of excitement and ready to be enlightened.  The show opened with a very profound, poetic intro (I think it’s called “NappyMuse” and it can be read HERE), followed by a welcome by the show’s host Dawn Yerger.  After the welcome Dawn played “Lovin Me Some Nappy Nappy“, a lyrical homage to natural hair by Spoken Word artist Kamal Imani aimed at putting listeners in the mood for the discussion to come.

Kamal‘s piece was followed by a bit of technical difficulty which resulted in about a five minutes lull of dead air, but once Dawn resolved the problem she played another Spoken Word piece enitled “Nappy” by author Charisse Carney Nunes and from there the the show proved its merit with a splendid interview.

Dawn asked pointed questions which allowed Chris-Tia to give listeners a clear idea of what to expect from her book, as well as describe her natural journey which started in 2002.  The flow of the interview was casual yet informative, touching on topics such as the proper way to comb natural hair and the L.O.I.S. Hair Typing System.  At the tail end of the interview Dawn‘s co-host Jaye called in to greet Chris-Tia and share her 6 Powerful Tips for Loving the Natural You, after which Dawn played a funky, soul track called “My Afro” by Marva King a song that is destined to be number one on every nappturals playlist.  When “Afro” was over, listeners were invited to call in and share their favourite tip for a chance to win a copy of “Thank God I’m Natural.”  Lucky for me, I was the winning caller which tickled me pink because I’d been adjusting my budget all day so that I could try and snag a copy myself. *lol*

All in all, despite the technical issues, I truly enjoyed tuning in and plan to do so again next week.  Nappturlite Radio is just three episodes old, but in my not so humble opinion, it will prove to be a valuable natural hair resource for newbies and veterans alike.  The show is broadcast each and every Sunday at 5 PM CST/6 PM EST via the Blogtalk Radio Website, so make plans to surf on over, tune on in and show your love and support.  I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

.

I have been working my petite patootie off researching topics for JB2M, Examiner.com and my natural hair book project.  Working so hard, in fact, I have totally knocked myself off my hair care square!  Since chopping my locks back in September I have grown real lax in my maintenance routine.  Beyond washing, conditioning and dousing it with coconut, grapeseed or sweet almond oil every other day, I have neglected my hair in the worst way.  I’m surprised that it hasn’t jumped up and left me behind my ignoring it. *lol*

One would think that after being on the journey as long as I have there would be very little to learn about the strands that span across my scalp.  After three years I have my product arsenal on lock, I know my curl pattern and I know how my hair reacts to the various seasons.  In the time that I’ve been natural, I’ve had the opportunity to know without question what my hair likes and dislikes and how to get the best out of my natural experience on a mind, body and soul level.  While it might seem logical that by now there’d be no more miles to travel hair wise, realistically there are still many, many more ahead of me as I learn to keep my cropped curls healthy and growing.

Since I’ve never had to deal with my hair this short while natural, I’ve been getting a crash course in just how coiled my coils are and the difference that makes when it comes to styling and maintenance.  I find that while it take less oil to keep my hair properly moisturized now, I have to use it more often than I did when it was long (haven’t figured out why yet, but that’s coming).  In a discovery that wasn’t exactly an exercise in rocket science, I learned that while my styling options are limited to twists or fro, even those styles take on a different execution than when my hair was longer.   Fact is, my short natural hair has a totally different personality than my long natural hair, and with that comes a whole new process of learning.  But alas, with all the virtual ripping and running I’ve been doing over the past couple of months, I really haven’t made time to give my hair more than a cursory glance.  Well that ends today!

Now that all my work is done for the upcoming week, I’ve done my domestic moving and shaking as per my Sunday ritual, today my tresses will get a bit of VIP treatment.  I picked up some fresh avocados and a can of coconut milk from the Walmart earlier and will treat my hair to a deep tropical conditioning and a hot olive oil treatment.  Once my stands are all clean and fed and loved up on, I’ll twist it up, cover it up and let it rest for a few days.  I’m going to keep up with my bi-weekly cleansing and conditioning, but in the mean time and in between time I’ll take more of an effort to give my hair the QT it deserves to keep my hair fro’ing and growing.

So today is the the restart of my TLC treatment when it comes to my hair and getting back to the foundation my started the Blog, my Examiner.com column and other natural endeavours… my actual, natural hair.

Healthy Hair Wishes,

After years of chemical dependence, embarking on the journey to cultivating healthy, natural hair can be an overwhelming endeavor. Since natural hair behaves differently than its relaxed counterpart, it takes time and patience to find just the right maintenance routines, products and styles that make the process fruitful. For most natural novices, the starting point of their journey back to natural is filled with questions they are clueless to answer on their own, which can make the experience a frustrating one. This is where belonging to a knowledgeable and compassionate support group can be the difference between standing strong in your natural decision and finding yourself in the “relaxer aisle” of you local beauty supply store.

Here in Columbus, Nappturally Me! eliminates the point of natural contention, giving newbies and veterans alike a communal safe haven to learn, share and form bonds that extend beyond their hair.

Read more HERE.

Healthy Hair Wishes,