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 first became acquainted with “Going Natural: How to Fall in Love with Nappy Hair“ a couple months after I first decided to go natural three years ago, but when I initially saw the original cover art I was almost immediately disinterested in reading the book for even educational purposes.  I know it makes me sound a bit like a book snob (which to an extent I am *lol*) but the cover gave me the impression of low quality publishing, and unlike what happened with my initial reaction to “No Lye” by Tulani Kinard (which came years after I first saw Going Natural) I was not willing to not judge the book by its cover.  Well time passed and we arrive at the year 2010 and while I was doing research totally unrelated to books I came across the revised cover and my attention was piqued.

Publisher/Author Side Note: Any publisher worth its weight in book revenues will tell you your book cover design is your most important marketing tool. While the old adage tell’s readers not to do it, most every reader makes their first assessment of your work based on what’s wrapped around it.

So with my interest struck I placed Drs. Mireille Liong-A-Kong‘s work on my must read list when my budget would allow it.  Well as synchrodestiny would have it, I received an Email from Mireille inviting me to work for Going Natural Magazine and offered to send me a copy of the book for initial compensation.  I heartily accepted and had the slim volume (a total of 120 pages) in my happy little hands a couple days later.  Wanna talk about a blessing!  I immediately cracked the sleek and attractive cover open and began reading almost as soon as I received it.

The book begins with an foreword by Patricia Gains, founder of Nappturality.com — one of Liong-A-Kong‘s early influences when deciding to go natural — which heralded “Going Natural” as serving “a wonderful purpose” by expressing “that this soul freeing experience is one that is also were felt by other Black women who for years have oppressed there hair and their minds into believe there was something ‘wrong’ with them.”  All of that was a bit “heavy” for me since I didn’t “go natural” to free myself from any oppression.  I merely couldn’t afford the touch up every four to six weeks.  But that notwithstanding the foreword was sincere and well written and a testament to the comprehensiveness of the book.  Following the foreword was a note by Mireille herself which outlined her personal experience and gave base to her reason for compiling this publication.  After yo-yo’ing through her college years between perming and wearing braid extensions to “cure” the breakage caused by perms, Mireille made the choice to stop perming for good when she discovered a widening bald spot.  She transitioned using her beloved braid  extensions and saw her hair flourish to it’s former glory once again.  Unfortunately, after being stood up by her regular braider and being unable to find a suitable replacement, Mireille once again found herself in the salon chair awaiting application of yet another perm.  It was after this experience that Liong-A-Kong decided she’d learn as much as she could about natural hair and natural styling so she’d never be at the mercy of “creamy crack” again.  And from the enlightenment she received from her research as well as styling  trial and error, “Going Natural” was born.

Starting from the first chapter which advises readers of their transitioning choices and explains how to begin the journey with style goals, “Going Natural” goes through through each stage of the process using simple, everyday language and demonstrating amazing clarity.  As is standard with publications of this nature, Liong-A-Kong provides basic information on hair types, information on how to pick proper styling tools and products, and style tutorials as well.  But unlike its counterparts, “Going Natural” provides nine practically written chapters that are broken into sections which remove the overwhelming complexity often associated with the transitioning, proving it to be the perfect springboard for newbies who are unsure how to get started.  In short, “Going Natural” does an excellent job of condensing all of the elements necessary to start the natural journey without leaving readers scratching their heads and more confused than when they first cracked the book open.

The best element about Mireille‘s book is, she leaves her personal story in the introductory note which allows the reader to focus on the nuts and bolts of transitioning.  Each chapter and section provides “the facts” about cultivating a glorious head of natural hair as the author has come to understand them, allowing the reader to pick and choose what may work best with their set of circumstances and available resources.  While it is great to be able to hear and relate to the author’s story, sprinkling too much of it throughout the publication can give the impression of the author forcing his or her ideals on you.  Another eloquent aspect, although Liong-A-Kong makes references to the unique culture and heritage that serves as the foundation for Black hair, she steers clear of making the book “political” which again keeps the spotlight on the brass tacks of the topic at hand: understanding natural hair and what it takes to transition.  This may be due to the fact that the author was born in South America and remained in the Netherlands after graduating from college there.  Whatever the reason, this gives “Going Natural” a fresh perspective that is all about the hair.

I think you get the gist of my overall impression of Drs. Liong-A-Kong‘s freshman work.  I LOVE it!  While I peg this as a simple, uncomplicated publication, it’s is one that has the ability to engage newbies and veteran’s alike without boring them to tears or leaving them with the impression that they are missing something.  Even after being natural for three years even I learned a few elements that I hadn’t uncovered before, like the actual breakdown in maintenance time between chemically treated hair and various natural styles.  Another attribute of the book is it is so well organized you need not read the entire book from cover to cover to find the information you need, and the pictures used (primarily of the author’s own styles) are detailed and demonstrative of competent styling results.  Economically priced at $10.98 on the Going-Natural.com Website and $10.26 on Amazon.com ($7.99 for the Kindle version), “Going Natural: How to Fall in Love with Nappy Hair” should be an addition to every natural hair lovers library.  If there were a college course on the topic, this should undoubtedly be the text used to conduct it.

• Paperback: 110 pages
• Publisher: Sabi Wiri Inc; 1st edition (December 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976096102
• ISBN-13: 978-0976096108
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Average Customer Review: 4 1/2 stars

• JBTM Review:

Healthy Hair Wishes,

And here we are, once again, as I share with you my thoughts on selected titles devoted to the care and maintenance of black natural hair!  As previously stated, I started my natural quest with very limited access to materials that specifically dealt with just “how” to “go natural”, since it seemed a very weighty task from all of the information and media stereotypes I’d been fed over the years.  My initial idea was to start a natural hair library, but after two years of going it “on my own”, my goal then changed to perusing the available list of books on the subject in order to research what’s offered for my own book project, as well as help other naptural newbies by providing info on which books I think will best assist them along the way.

I started out with Textured Tresses by Diane Dacosta, which I did not find all that helpful, and moved on to:

My first impression of the front cover design set up was less than favourable due to the elementary font choice and the sub-par type text alignment and what seems to not be enough image bleed to account for the edge cut (my friend Mark often calls me a book snob, and I guess that would be part of the reason why).  While the back cover boasted blurbs from life coach and author Iyanla Vanzant, as well as singer, composer and social activist Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagan,  it still wasn’t enough to get me hyper-fired up about what I’d find inside the publication.  But they say you should never judge the whole of a book by its cover (which is most cases is not true; low quality covers normally denote low quality books) so I looked past the topical “imperfections”, cracked No Lye open and gave it the looksee it deserved.

Since I had no clue who Tulani Kinard was, I held very little expectation of what I’d find within the pages.  I was a bit apprehensive that, judging by her name and the cover art, No Lye would primarily focus on braids and braid-like styles, and I was not disappointed (it was the first bullet point on the back cover).  However, in light that the book is only eight chapters long I was delightfully amazed Ms. Tulani made sure that the foundational chapters of the book actually focused on the care and maintenance of natural hair as a whole!  It was way more than I’d anticipated which left me pleasantly surprised.  Turns out this truly would be a natural hair care manual worth recommending.

Getting into the book, the Introduction presents a concise history of Tulani‘s personal experience as a former permer, natural hair wearer, and graduation into professional braider who worked to establish legislature governing braiding and other natural hair care salon practices.  Formerly a cosmetology student who worked primarily with chemicals, Ms Kinard reveals that through her braided styles and learning the various techniques of natural hair sculpting, she was brought into deeper reverence for the natural beauty contained within “nappy” hair, and African-Americans as well.  It was through the transformative process of taking hair that had been damaged by chemical processes and improper braid execution to healthy vibrant tresses, that Tulani gained the inspiration to write No Lye, and further fight to ensure that future practitioners receive the proper licensing.

The first chapter makes short, yet intensive, work of defining hair composition, shape and texture using everyday language and descriptive illustrations.  Explaining such components as the hair follicle, sebaceous and papilla, as well as each elements function, Tulani educates readers not just on the make up of hair, but how and why each strand reacts to various products such as chemical straighteners and even shampoo.    In describing the hair’s shape and texture, Ms. Kinard separates what most cosmetologists lump into a blanket category of “hair type.”  She illustrates that the shape, which is the form the follicle takes when forming into the papilla, is what is known as the S-pattern of the hair (curly, wavy or straight), while the texture (fine, medium or course) is determined by the diameter of the hair strand and layer of cuticles on the surface of the hair shaft.  This inclusion may seem an elementary and tedious inclusion on the onset of reading when you want to get to the meat of what it takes to “go natural”, but proves very necessary because until you can understand how your hair behaves, there is no way you can understand how to keep it healthy.

The second chapter breaks down the science behind the process of chemically altering hair, and illustrates how it can be pinpointed as the culprit for many women’s hair loss. Through a review of historic beauty culture development, Ms. Kinard establishes how relaxers and curly perms facilitate breakage by thinning the hair strand structure and promoting dryness of the hair and scalp.  In addition to that, the causes of alopecia are outlined, as well as foods and supplements which promote growth and health, and tips on how to keep “baldness at bay.”  Throughout this chapter, an emphasis on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, as well as avoiding chemical processes, as a way to prevent pattern baldness is presented, and Tulani also offers “cosmetic” suggestions for concealing extreme hair loss by way of braids, and/or weave styles which work with a braided foundation and promotes healing to the damaged hair and scalp.  While I am not a “fan” of braiding for my own purposes, I was amazed with the sculpture photos that were used within this chapter as examples of how to “hide” hair loss, especially the style created by Nicole James which created a beautiful basket weaved type style for a woman who’s hair loss was so excessive she only had hair along the sides of her head:

After readers are boned up on the basics of hair make up and how chemical processes work on the natural structure of hair, Ms. Kinard provides no-nonsense facts about the proper cleaning and grooming of hair in chapter three.  She begins the section by describing the purpose of shampoo and conditioners and how to know which is best for your hair type and cleansing/conditioning needs.  In addition to these products, attention is paid to the types of oil that contribute to scalp health and how to apply them, the proper way to dry hair using both air and heat drying methods, how to properly comb natural hair to avoid damage, and common scalp disorders that may hamper health and growth.  I found this chapter to be an excellent resource following the first two chapters, because now that you’ve identified your hair structure and specific type, it is of extreme importance to know which products work best for you.  The part I found particularly helpful were the natural oil recommendations (I have become a fanatic for using natural products over the past year) and recipes for antidandruff solutions.  For those of us who are partial to homemade products over commercial brands, these are a nugget of naptural gold.

Chapters four through six focus largely on the art of braiding and loc’ing, so I pretty much skimmed this group since I am not interested in these styles for myself.  But I admire the way Tulani details the 4,000 year old history of braiding as an African tradition, as well how braiding has evolved here in the United States through the differing techniques of East coast and West coast stylists.  Additionally, Ms. Kinard explains how braiding with extensions can help protect hair while growing, compares the pros and cons of the different extension fibers used for each braiding style and conducts a brief tutorial on how to braid using extensions.  Chapters five explores alternative styles such at two strand and flat twists, while offering simple instructions on how to achieve such styles.

I dug a little deeper in to chapter six than its predecessors — though not by much, admittedly — because it deals with locs and I have been courting the idea of starting some in the near future.  In the same fashion as she began each chapter, the author provides a personal story dealing with the emergence of locs into popular culture, and a dynamic “history lesson” of the style’s progression.  Further in the chapter she reveals that the length of time it takes for hair to loc depends on the curl pattern of the hair (wavy and curly hair tend to loc best – the typical time period is six months to one year), but that certain styling techniques can help shorten the length of time.  Tulani also shares the various methods and necessary tools that can be used by women wishing to start their own locs (ie. braiding, twisting, palm rolling), as well as techniques most used within the salon and how to properly maintain locs.  I found this portion of the three chapters very enlightening because it simplified and demystified the process, and gave me a lot more to consider concerning my loc’ing decision.

Chapter seven deals with adorning braided and locs styles with elements such as beads and jewels (it is noted that adornments of this nature help promote blood circulation in the scalp), and introduced me to the technique of hair wrapping, “which incorporates the use of thread to wrap braids or loose hair , to create hair sculptures.”  And lastly, chapter eight contains advice on how to properly maintain the natural hair of children, giving a condensed version of the entire book as styling and grooming relates to their tender scalps.  At the end of the last chapter, Ms. Kinard provides a few words of wisdom, using her own children’s experiences with natural styles, on how to choose the right style for your child and possibly combat any negative reactions they may encounter while wearing them.

Overall, I love this book and would not mind having a copy for my personal library.  Despite the focus the author places on braids, I feel that the naptural novice will get a lot of much needed, and well researched, assistance in making their personal transition, even if they are not considering braids.  Being that the book is twelve years old there are probably new developments when it comes to the topics covered within the pages of No Lye, but this publication is a more than adequate place to start natural training and education.  Well worth the original list price of $12.95 (or Amazon’s price of $11.16).

Book Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin (September 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312151802
• ISBN-13: 978-0312151805
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Average Customer Review: 4 stars
• JBTM Review:

Healthy Hair Wishes,

When I began my journey I was extremely green.  Not green in the earth friendly way, but green as in I had absosmurfly no clue what I was doing.  Because I didn’t want to go the BC route and couldn’t afford braids or locs, I’d pretty much decided early on I’d take the growth/cut method.  I’d heard all the many horror stories about hair loss so naturally I was scared, but I was determined to successfully transition from the chemical shackles of constant relaxing.  To prepare myself I piecemealed a plan together using articles I’d found on the Web, advice from friends and natural hair forums such as the ones at Napturality.com.  I’d also had in mind to start a natural hair care library starting with a few titles I’d found online.

Well with Life being as hectic as it was when I first started I didn’t get around to stocking my shelves.  But now with the help of the handy dandy the Columbus Public Library’s Westland branch I have started to thumb through the available natural hair titles (which aren’t very many).  Although I don’t need the books for my own personal edification, I was interested in seeing what I could use from them to help enhance my current project, as well as to provide reviews for those of you who may desire to bone up on all things naptural, but aren’t sure which publication you should invest your time in.  Starting with this title here:

As a writer I know that the first factor in getting your book read and/or sold is how it is packaged/presented, so from the cover design I was initially impressed with Textured Tresses.  Secondly, I was impressed by the author, Diane Da Costa, a well known celebrity stylist whose handiwork has appeared in the pages of Essence and Elle, as well as the heads of Lauryn Hill, Lenny Kravitz and Blair Underwood.  I thought this would be a great resource, since Ms. Da Costa has a totally 20 years experience, filled with tips and tricks galore.  Even though Tanya and the average three star Amazon rating the book received warned me I shouldn’t believe the hype, I was confident I’d be able to unearth something useful.

Really wish I would have listened.

I will not say it was a total waste of my time to have checked this book out, or that I would like a total refund of the cost I paid to check it out (peep sarcasm).  But I personally could have gotten more insight about natural hair and transitioning from the makers of Bone Strait No Lye Relaxer.  Yes, I am serious. Although beautifully packaged, with an eloquent foreword penned by Blair Underwood himself, Textured Tresses is nothing more than an overblown stylist portfolio of Ms. Da Costa‘s work.  As one Amazon reviewer stated, the title of the book “Should Be: Da Costa and the Celebrities’ Hair She’s Done. Period.”

Broken into two parts, one for maintenance and the second for styling, this selection barely skims the surface of the “how to” successfully transition from relaxed to natural.  In part one, Da Costa starts off by offering elementary descriptions for the five main textures presented in the book — straight, wavy, loose curly, very curly, tightly coiled — and pre-k comparisons to objects like silk, Persian wool and cotton.  In order to determine your hair type, Ms. Da Costa suggests that the reader simply compares the five black and white thumbnail pictures presented in chapter one and a couple strands of hair.  *blink blink* Personally, I think any woman who has had hair on her head for more than ten years already knows her hair type from those five choices, but maybe I could be wrong.  Further into part one, Da Costa offers a mixture of common sense advice, plugs for Aveda maintenance products and an abundance of  nods towards utilizing the services of a stylist, which is not much help to the naptural novice looking to go it on their own.

In part two, Da Costa offers suggestions for a multitude of natural styles, but accompanies them with more plugs for Aveda products and long drawn out instructions to achieve said styles (her instructions for a twist out involve eleven steps which include how to do two strand twists… which is a totally different style).  Interwoven through part two, Da Costa includes “celebrity memoirs” which boast what she did for muckity muck celebrity figure this or that, more plugs for Aveda products (she plugs a lot more products that just Aveda, but it was the one she referred to the most — the rest were just as “pricey” though) and celebrity mucky muck photos.  After about ten minutes into this section I seriously began to feel as if I were reading a copy of Hype Hair/National Enquirer rather than a Simon and SCHUSTER production.

Da Costa rounds the book out simply, with a listing of natural hair and braiding salon directory, a recommended products list (yes… Aveda is the first product included, but that’s only because the list is alphabetical), reference, art credits and acknowledgements.

So yeah, I didn’t enjoy the read but this is not to say the book did not possess any redeeming qualities.  In part one, Ms. Da Costa offers helpful information on common scalp challenges such a dandruff and psoriasis, and ways to effectively treat each condition.  In addition to this, she provides a list of products (general in nature ie. shampoo, conditioner and essential oils) and styling tools that will be promote growth and health.  Another part that I felt would be potentially helpful is Da Costa‘s tips on how to pick the right stylist and salon, for those who choose to go that route.  It’s kind of a no brainer that an entire chapter would be devoted to this topic, seeing as the author is a professional stylist, but for those of us not wanting to go the natural route on their own it is a very helpful addition.

For my personal use, I found the book a totally wash, seeing as the section I was most interested in (how to transition using the growth method) was merely two paragraphs long where she mentioned that conditioning and stress-less styles were the key to making it work. *blink blink*

In conclusion, using my usual scale of one to five Afro picks, I’d have to side with the average Amazon reviewer and grant Textured Tresses with three picks.  If I had to recommend it to anyone it would most definitely be the novice natural who is on the transition fence and doesn’t have a clue where to start.  This is not a book for the seasoned nappy, nor one who is intent on being styled and maintained by a professional stylist.  And it dern sure isn’t worth the $15 retail price printed on the back cover, so if you just have to check it out for yourself… Check it out from the library.

Book Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; illustrated edition  (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743235509
• ISBN-13: 978-0743235501
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Average Customer Review: 3 stars
• JBTM Review:

Healthy Hair Wishes,