My fifteen year-old cousin asked me something the other day that positively delighted
me—“How do I grow out my relaxer?” My excitement could barely be contained! Here
was a young woman, one that I am sure is constantly bombarded with images of straight-haired
beauties in magazines and on T.V., who has made the tough decision that many women
twice her age grapple with. I was proud and eager to give her some pointers.
As
she asked me about different styles and techniques that could possibly make the
process smoother, it occurred to me that maybe I wasn’t the most qualified to explain
how she should grow out her relaxer. Our textures are different. My hair is
such that, with a little gel, a twirl around the finger here and there, and a bit
of patience, it was often times difficult to tell where the new growth ended and
the old processed parts began.
So, I gave my cousin
what few pointers I could, and I
ultimately sent her to The Coil Review website for
better tips on how to embark on her new journey.
Looking back at my transition, there were few times that I felt like caving in and getting a touch up—normally
when my hair products disrespectfully betrayed my new growth. But in general, there
were very little growing pains with growing out my perm. However, I have friends
whose hair texture is different, and the growing out process was a bit more challenging
because their new growth was blatant, and breakage was a problem.
After speaking to my cousin and sharing some of my hair stories with her, I began to think more about the differences in texture
for black women, and how those differences can determine the needs of the hair, in terms of products, care and styling methods. Before I was introduced to this site, I thought very little about the different types of natural hair black women
have. I thought, I have no relaxer—you have no relaxer—therefore, to that fact,
and in conclusion, we are both natural! However, after having written and done
research for this site, it is becoming more apparent that just because we are relaxer and/or texturizer-less,
doesn’t mean we have or require the same types of
maintenance for our hair.
For those of you who may not know, hair textures have been broken down into categories
by letters and numbers to identify various hair types, which is actually a part
of the curriculum in cosmetology schools. So, for the newbies, take notes, and for
the vets, here’s your recap.
These are the categories of coily and not-so-coily hair
types. But please know that this will not be an exhaustive list. If this were a novella
and not an e-mag, only then would I be able to get into the depths of our natural
hair types
and patterns.
We are that diverse—isn’t that grand!
______________________
HAIR TYPES
The Break Down
OK, so there are four basic types of hair. Type 4 is coily, Type 3
is curly, Type 2 is wavy, and take a wild guess at what Type 1 is. You got it—straight.
Within these types are subtypes, with the exception of Type 1 hair, which is pretty
much straight forward and is just that…straight! Most black people fall within the
last two categories, Type 3 and Type 4. So for the moment, we will only be focusing
on these last two larger categories.
Within Types 3 and 4, there are subcategories
designated with the letters ‘a’, ‘b’, or ‘c.’ These letters denote the measure of its coil/curl pattern,
with ‘a’ being
the loosest, and ‘c’ being the tightest. Complicated enough yet?
Well, wait--there’s
more!
Type 3
Type 3 hair runs the gamut from somewhat loose 'S' shape curls, which can be the size
of one of those tall shot glasses, to tight corkscrews, which can be the size of
a straw. Suddenly, I’m in the mood for a margarita!
Type 3 hair, when properly taken
care of, can shine nicely and be styled quite easily as well. If you want to imagine
what this hair type looks like, think of Joan from
Girlfriends (Tracee Ellis Ross),
or for a quick throwback, Freddie from
A Different World (Cree Summer).
Type 4
Type 4 hair encompasses the coily genre, in which the strands are tightly
curled and densely packed together. In some cases, the coil may not be a perfect
circle, but more of a zig zag-coily combo. This type of hair, though it may appear tough,
is actually the most delicate, because of the fact that it has fewer cuticle layers and
more intricacies to the texture than other hair types.
When this Type 4 hair is healthy,
it has a natural sheen to it, giving off a healthy glow.
When conjuring images of
those who have this hair type, think of the big, bold and beautiful styles that hair-mavericks
such as Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and Yaya DaCosta have worn.
See It To Believe It What better way to really drive this home, but to have you see it
for yourself!
TYPE 4
TYPE 3
TYPE 2
TYPE 1 *Note: Some photos are out-dated to show their true natural texture
Hopefully, this small glimpse into the hair type department will provide a basis
for understanding the rainbow of differences that natural hair encompasses. We all share
in the commonality of being free from chemicals that straighten and strip the buoyancy
from our tresses. But we’re all outstandingly unique as we come in many colors,
shapes and textures. So be a more informed product consumer and maintenance provider
to your special natural texture, and re-learn your fundamentals—the abc’s and 123s…and
don’t forget the fab 4s.
Wannabees & Jiggaboos: Are
School-Daze, Days of the Past? By: Felicia Jourdain
The idea of women debating about “Good"
or “Bad” hair may seem very far from
reality to some,
but the topic of discussion has been around for as long as I can remember.As if it were yesterday, I can clearly
recall my
grandmother pleading with my mother to perm or press my hair because it
was so “bad”. And after all of the back and forth in my house about what was growing out of
my head, how do you think I felt about the whole thing back then? Simply put—disdain
for my texture.
The movie School Daze brought this similar debate to the silver screen in a controversial
musical scene called, “Madame Re-Re’s Salon”. This dramatization by Spike Lee was
brought to life by the jiggaboos--dark-skinned, natural
hair; and the wannabees--light-skinned, processed straight hair. These two groups depicted the conflicts between those with straight and natural hair, and highlighted the color complex between light and
dark skinned black women.
In the present day, School Daze is considered a classic Black Film, depicting the
roles in which certain college figures assumed, as well as stereotypical images
and social injustices. Do The Right Thing and
Jungle Fever, other "Spike Lee Joints",
addressed racial conflicts and cultural differences, and School Daze was not much
different in that regard. However, the distinct divergence would be that the conflicts
and differences were resident in the same cultural group. This group was segregated
by shades of blackness to the skin, degrees of length and straightness to the hair,
and in some cases, levels of struggle, in terms of economic wealth, or a lack thereof.
Much of this was recognized through the identification of affiliation; affiliation
being that of Greek Lettered Organizations.
In “Madame Re-Re’s Salon", the Wannabees and the Jiggaboos went at it, making snide
comments about each other’s intelligence and intimate relationships; yet the main focus
was on their aesthetic beauty, with a spotlight on hair texture and length.
Now you know how movies are mostly based from some type of truth, right? Well "Spike
Lee Joints" make that piece of general knowledge, that much more of a reality. Keeping
things as real as possible, Wannabees represented a black sorority, historically
known as the pretty light-skinned girls, and the Jiggaboos represented a black sorority,
historically known as the brown to dark-skinned, earthy girls.
But the key word to take note is, “historically”, i.e. past tense.
Over the years, our perception of
beauty has changed. As a result, women do not have to feel confined to a specific
look. Who says straight hair makes you more beautiful? Who says natural hair makes you more deep or conscious? Take an evaluation of your yard. Ask your kids what the
environment is like on their campus today. What do the typical 'pretty girl' sororities look like; and what do the typical 'earthy girl' sororities look like in
the present day? The truth is, many college age women are at a point where they are re-inventing themselves; not in the sense of forgetting who they are, but
taking the time to formulate their own opinions and creating their own identity and look.
I’m glad to
say that we have come a long way from the old school days. Sororities are beginning
to break away from their traditional stereotypes and are redefining their image,
taking pride in the fact that they have members that come in a variety of shades,
shapes and hair textures. Although I stated that times have changed, there are still many who play up to their
organizations traditional stereotypes. You can see these distinctions emphasized
at step shows or stroll competitions. Organizations use those stereotypes that have a negative connotation, and play it up as part of showmanship. They may act dainty
and prissy, or go to the extreme of behaving rambunctiously, according to their organizations typified image. But
hey, why not have a little fun!
The bottom line is, if you wear your hair in its natural state, it's your own texture,
so no one should put you in a "type" category. And if you don't wear your hair naturally,
you shouldn't be typecast either. All of us have the choice to wear our hair how
we desire. Just know that opting to rock your natural texture takes both
discipline
and commitment, much that of the requirements when pursuing affiliation with a historic
black sorority. But as we all know, nothing that is worthwhile in life ever
comes easy.
Enjoy being the true you, and look out for those pigeon hole traps. They might be
planted on your very own yard.
Back in Session with
Oraje: Parabens By: Oraje Nefertum
Hello Dear Friends. In this session, I will touch upon
Parabens.
I’m sure many of you have heard to avoid this word if seen in your personal care
products. But do you even know why to run for the hills when parabens are in sight?
Well here’s the low down...
Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used to form a broad spectrum of preservatives
in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. These chemicals can be found in anything
from shampoo to your toothpaste.
There are many types of parabens, and here are some of the most common ones you may
see in products: methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben.
Now here is where the big debate begins.
Although many scientists believe that parabens are safe because of their low toxicity
profile, and their long history of, so called, 'safe use' in the food
and cosmetic industries; others however, believe differently. A few recent studies on this matter have begun
to challenge this view.
One scientific study reports that parabens were found in samples of breast tumors. Pretty
scary, right? However this is still highly debated.
There are on going studies of
parabens and their safety, but it’s my opinion and many others, that they should
be avoided for the time being until hard proof is released, showing that without
a shadow of a doubt, parabens pose no threat to our health. I also believe that time, will not arrive any time soon. So continue looking out for those parabens in
your products.
Till next time.
~Live to be divine
_______________________
Readers have been sending in questions for Oraje, since he's an expert on products
and natural hair. We thought it would be great for you to see what others are
wondering since you may have similar thoughts or concerns. These are a few of their questions.
Tanya - Charlotte, NC
So I'm thinking of going natural. I'm really frightened that I'll
be dealing with those childhood days of combing and crying. How can I comb my hair
to prevent the pain and the breakage?
Oraje Here are some key tips when it comes down to preventing pain and
breakage from combing your hair. First, make sure you have all the right tools in
place to make it easy for you when combing your natural hair. A wide-tooth comb,
and a leave-in conditioning or hair moisturizer with detangling properties. Apply
the leave-in hair conditioner/moisturizer to your hair before you begin combing.
This will help to soften, condition and detangle your hair, which will make it so much easier when combing.
One of the reasons why most people with highly textured hair experience
so much pain when combing their hair is because, for the most part, combs were
not made for this hair type. But if it’s a comb you must use, I recommend a wide
tooth one. The teeth on a wide tooth comb are set further apart, which helps make combing your
hair less painful, and will cut down on hair breakage.
Desperately Seeking Moisture - Birmingham, AL
I have a huge issue with dryness. I wash it, it gets dry. I moisturize it, it gets
dry. Everything I've tried hasn't worked. Help please!
Oraje Dryness to your hair can come from many factors. Not enough water
in your diet, not enough omega fatty acids in your diet, and the wrong hair products,
coupled with bad hair practices. But first things first, dry hair like anything
else needs hydration. Hydration comes from water and products that contain water.
Most people believe that applying some sort of grease to there hair is them moisturizing
their hair, and this is not the case. Petroleum base products lack the ability to produce moisture. All they can do is lubricate at best. Furthermore, they also have a tendency
to clog, and over time, dry out the hair. Avoid these products.
If you are having
a problem with dryness, try incorporating a steam treatment into your hair care regimen. There are many ways you can do this. One is by wearing a plastic cap on
your head after your hair has been washed and conditioned, followed by a water-based
moisturizer to help seal in the hydration. The other is to sit under a hair steamer
with a leave-in conditioner in your hair, for 20 minute. Following these tips should
help with your dryness.
Jenni-Bennie - Los Angeles, CA I've tried all the curl enhancers or stretchers, whatever you call
it. But they just don't work for my hair. I have very, very tight coils, and when
I use those products...it's just not a good outcome. Is there something that I can
make on my own? Something natural I can whip up, that actually works nicely?
Oraje I hate to be the bearer of bad news my dear, but these kinds of
products are not meant to work on your type of hair without some sort of chemical,
like a texturizer or a mild relaxer that has been quickly passed through your hair
to release your tight coil into more of a curl. See, the key fact to understanding
how these products work, is the fact that they are only curl enhancers, “not” curl
creators. Your hair must already possess somewhat of a slightly
loose curl to begin with in order to see results.
There are many products you can
whip up at home that would add moisture to your hair, and would even make your hair soft. But none will give you the miracle results of loose curly hair you are looking
for. This is a classic case of, “Not all products are made for all hair types”. If
your hair has a very tight coil and you want it to look curlier, you can follow
theses tips for better results.
Tips for highly textured hair.
1) Wash hair with a moisturizing
hair cleanser
2) Follow with a hydrating
conditioner for 15 minutes
3) Wash conditioner out and
follow with either a moisturizing hair mist or moisturizing leave-in hair cream/oil
4) Massage product into your
hair, from root to tip
5) Part hair into sections
6) Start double strand twists
all over your hair into medium sections
7) Allow hair to dry
8) Once hair is fully dry,
start gently taking out the twists
Your end result should be a head full of wavy coils.
The moment Ayo's voice begins to penetrate
your eardrums, you are struck with a gentle melodic bullet of a voice that is soft
enough to soothe you to relaxation. However,
her sound is still blunt and powerful enough to make you
recollect truly human instances that you experience before
putting your game face on for the world.
Ayo, a singer from Germany, yet of Nigerian
and Romanian decent, explores many topics that any individual
can relate to, on her debut album, "Joyful". From yearning to mend a relationship with a cheating lover, to paying
homage to the backbone of the family, to letting the world know that she
lives candidly, Ayo shows that the downfalls and successes of human-kind are universal.
One may appreciate how Ayo bleeds through her music, with genuine expressions of
raw feelings, which can make you feel like she is your long lost friend who has
been with you through the good and the bad. In the song "Down on My Knees",
she releases the sound
of a heavenly hummingbird, scorned and pleading for her lover not to leave her for
the next woman. In Life is Real,
one of my favorites on the album, she exclaims how
she is living her life with no facade attached, despite people's desires to attack
her character with negative critiques, fueled by envy or genuine, but unhelpful, "advice". She exclaims
in the chorus:
"I live my life the way i want, I've got nothing
to hide/nothing at all/ life is not a fairytale/ they should know that life is
real"
This further establishes the theme of the song and the album, where she successfully
unveils the truths of life, while being positive and aware of reality.
Setting out with her boheme style of dress, guitar, and a gorgeous curly afro, Ayo's
look alone invites you to inquire, "what is SHE about?" Very in-tune with her Nigerian
Roots, her style is authentic and gentle, yet powerful, without compromising femininity,
all much like her music.
Donning soft and flowy dresses, with her guitar strung
across her torso, defined bone structure to compliment a gorgeous face, and her beautiful textured fro, Ayo is an enchanting musical
artist destined to touch the souls of many across the globe. For a dosage of good
quality music that can soothe you to bed like a lullaby, provide positive theme
music for your social gatherings, or cry with you in your time of
vulnerability, Ayo's "Joyful" is a must have in your music collection.
Be
assured that you will see much more of this face in the near future. She is also
a recent implant to the U.S. of A., so we send a joyful, "Welcome" to our
beautiful natural CoilStar of the Month, Ayo.
So What Are You Saying?: Reviews
on Book Reviews By: Carole Brinkley
The library of natural hair books are ever increasing,
and since this month is all about higher education, how appropos would it be to
review books about your hair? But I'm not just going to provide
my opinion only, because more than one opinion always makes a review that much more
credible. I'm giving reviews on book reviews! The books that I've chosen all have
reviews written from readers that loved the books, and those that didn't.
Let's check out my reviews on book reviews.
Textured Tresses by Diane DaCosta and Paula T. Renfroe The editorial
review of this book was quite favorable elevating the author, a renowned hair care
professional, to the status of “master designer of natural hair”. With her highly
recognized clientele, any
review should make you want to run out and buy the book. And this review tried to
do just that, giving good insight into the book's composition.
This review at least left me intrigued so I give it a Coils Up! Ironically for
a book written by a natural hair guru and published in 2004, the number of customer
reviews was scandalously low; however the single review on b&n.com gave enough
detail to make me not count this book out of my possibilities.
Reviewer's Quote(s)(snippets) *I'm in the process of growing out of my relaxer and this book offers advice
on hair products to used to keep the hair conditioned and looking good in the process.
The book is also filled with lots of wonderful pictures to give you an idea of
how you would want to wear your hair styled in its natural state. (b&n.com)
Hair Rulesby Anthony Dickey – Hmm. The most significant point
made in the b&n.com editorial review was that this is not a book just for African-American
women. (Anthony) Dickey seeks to advise all women with non-straight hair, regardless
of ethnicity. And seeing as the Amazon.com editorial reviews were written by two
Caucasian actresses and one African-American model, I understood. Coils Up! to the
b&n.com editorial review for its honesty, but the Amazon.com editorial review
gets a Coils Down. The readers, however get a Coils Up! because they either loved
it, or didn’t care much for it at all, and said so.
Reviewer's Quote(s)(snippets)
*From a natural hair care specialist point of view it was an excellent resource
for my clients and myself.
*Ok, this book was more of a guide for women with kinky hair. The author speaks
about chemical processes, not something I wanted to read. I want to work with my
hair not against it especially with chemicals.
*Most information is for kinky and/or coarse hair. It claims to be helpful for all
types of curly hair, but most information relates to African American and Latina
women's hair. But even so, I knew most of these 'secrets' already from my African
American and Latina friends. This book contains mostly 'don'ts' but not very many
'do's', especially when it comes to specific product information. That non-straight
haired women should sleep on a satin pillowcase is the only helpful tidbit that
I did not already know.
Hair Story by Ayana Byrd and Lori Tharps – As I reviewed the reviews
for this book, I began looking for the shopping cart to place my order. The reviews
for this book were thorough in their coverage of its content and historical perspective.
And even though it was not totally complimentary, it was honest. And I
must thank the 19 Amazon.com readers who provided their reviews, all of which were
thought-provoking in their own way. The writers obviously got it right because none
of the readers’ reviews was less than four stars. This book gets a great big Coils Up!
Reviewer's Quote(s)(snippets)
*This is a subject that really has my attention lately and this book by Tharps and
Byrd is a winner!! It discusses our culture from its beginning (pre-slavery Africa)
to present day America.
*I'm not black, but I am a hair junkie--wanted to go to beauty school but was forced
by my parents to attend college (WRONG CHOICE!). So I probably knew more than the
average marshmallow about black hair, but this book was really enlightening! By
the time I got to the text of the "My hair, your man" ad--which left me completely
perplexed and clueless up to now--I felt like that ad was a personal slap in the
face. It took me that long to realize what a personal issue hair is for black women.
Don't get me wrong, most white women hate their hair too, but it's not such a hot-button
topic.
*Man oh man, the things we go through when it comes to our hair! This is a very
informative journey of black hair from the 1400s in Africa, all the way to the new
millenium. Byrd and Tharps go into detail about the ways we "tamed" our locks from
home-made concoctions to cultural and political aspects to the booming business
of today's barber and beauty shops. There are many pictures of styles, old and new
and I found myself truly intrigued as well as shocked at reading the different experiences
our people went through in the quest to straighten their hair. This book is a must
have. I highly recommended it for anyone wanting to know about the "roots" of their
tresses.
Good Hair by Lonnice Brittenum Bonner –
Amazon’s site sought out a favorable review from Booklist. Using words like
“funny, funky and eminently practical”, this review gave great
insight into the
book's content and direction. For the 66 customer reviews
on Amazon.com,
I give this book a Coils Up! for their degree of expression about
the book. To the b&n.com readers who started telling their
own stories, this is not your 15 seconds of fame.
Reviewer's Quote(s)(snippets)
*This is the first book I read while I was considering going natural.
I found it funny and entertaining, and I read it cover to cover three times. The
book was recommended to me by a hairdresser who had given up relaxing her own hair.
When I talked to her about possibly going
natural, she said that some people still
"texturized" once or twice a year. While reading "Good Hair", I noticed that the
author also talked about texturizing hair as an option, and in fact texturized (lightly
relaxed) her own. I felt somewhat disappointed by that because the main reason I
wanted to stop perming was so that I did not have to rely on anyone to do my hair.
*I toyed with the idea of natural hair since the idea first entered my head, about
five years ago. I'd noticed more and more sistas with natural hair around me - and
not just in dreads, locks or braids. That was important because I didn't favor any
of those styles for myself, personally. Finally, after seeing enough 'nappy and happy'
alternatives, I started looking for a book to introduce me to natural hair care.
(Isn't that sad, that any of us need guidance to care for our natural hair?) But
I'd been perming since puberty, and didn't even know what my natural hair looked
like or even what to expect from it. I got a lot of encouragement from the book,
along with good advice and that cultural connection that Ms. Bonner establishes
with her readers. Unfortunately, she doesn't exhibit natural styles in this book,
her hair is texturized - but that's my only complaint.
The Truth About Black Hairstyles by Kamau and Janice Kenyatta –
The compiled Amazon.com editorial review was complimentary but repetitive. And the lone customer review – no detail. However, my editor
loved this work. She says that this book really opened her eyes to the history of black
hairstyles from locks, fros, braids, and more. It revealed the real story behind
how the relaxer was invented and why. It blew her away. With her review alone, I
think it's safe to say that The Truth About Black Hairstyles deserves a hearty Coils
Up!
Reviewer's Quote(s)(snippets)
*Love it!!! So much TRUTH REVEALING!!! A must read not only for African American
individuals but every race. Top of Page
Natural Hair
September 2, 2008
Back to School Checklist
By: Kali Blocker
So,
as I am one year removed from graduating from college, I recently had a flashback
as I've been seeing all of these back to school ads. I am remembering a time when I had to
create my large “to buy” list before venturing back to the dorm.
For naturals,
especially depending on the location of your college/university,
it may be a challenge to get to a good hairstylist,
due to a lack of resources by your
schools. In addition, you may not have as much time
as you would like to, nor the
money. Let's not forget, you're a college student after all.
So here is my checklist for must have items to keep your mane in check! Lack of time or money is no excuse to step out to class
with lack luster tresses--so let's
start off with the first on the list.
1. Wide Tooth Comb
A wide tooth comb is an essential for any natural to deal with detangling and styling
the hair. I highly recommend that you only comb and/or detangle the hair while it
is wet, whether it be after washing out your conditioner, or moistening it with
a spray bottle. Detangling the hair while it is wet will aid in preventing breakage
from snapping the hair at tangles.
2. Moisturizing
Shampoo
A moisturizing shampoo is essential for hydrating the hair, and maintaining the
moisture to keep it healthy. To promote health and growth for you hair, moisture
is necessary; and locking in the moisture starts at the shampooing stage and/or
when the hair is wet. If you are curious about what brands to use, you can pick
and choose from the Product Info section of this site.
3. Moisturizing Conditioner
A moisturizing conditioner is very necessary after a shampoo, to
restore and lock in the moisture of your hair. If this is left out, you will feel a significant difference in
the elasticity and texture of your hair. Every 3-4 weeks, you should treat your
hair to a deep conditioner. Some of your regular conditioners can be used as a deep
conditioner when you wrap your hair and sit under a dryer for 10-15 minutes. If
this is the case, it will be included in the instructions for how to use the product.
4. Light Cream Moisturizer
You want a daily styling agent that will moisturize the hair for daily usage.
It should be light enough to give you versatility in styling.
5. Essential
Oil Fusion
Keep an essential oil fusion product handy to put on the scalp. I recommend massaging a small
amount of a blend of light essential oils, with a
base oil of course (castor, olive, etc.), into your scalp after you finish washing and conditioning it--and
when needed thereafter. Some people opt for oil treatments occasionally to replace
a deep conditioner to add shine and moisture to the hair. If used as an oil treatment,
you should rinse the hair once the treatment is done.
6. Clips
When you are washing, detangling, or even styling your own hair, clips are helpful
tools to get the job done. There are different styles of clips, and you should pick
the clip size and/or style that is most practical for the length and thickness of
your hair. I have very thick hair, so I use the clips with the comb ends that clamp
together.
7. Silk Bonnet or Scarf
To uphold your hair style, retain moisture, and prevent it from breaking due to
friction from your pillow, you will want to have a bonnet and scarf handy. A bonnet
is good for styles that have volume and/or curls to maintain them with little
flattening. The scarf is better for flatter styles, or styles that include twists
or braids. Whatever you do, STAY AWAY FROM COTTON SCARVES. You want a silky textured
scarf to retain moisture, instead of drying the hair out like cotton does. Also, it will not snag the hair like cotton has been known to
do.
8. Stylish Hair Accessories
For obvious reasons, you want to have a few options for hair accessories to add
that extra sass to your mane. This could range from colorful headbands, to seashells,
hair clips, and the list goes on. Just make sure that you don’t sacrifice
the hair’s health for style, ie. pulling too tight on the edges with a headband.
9. Head Wrap or Crochet
Snood
On those days when you just didn’t have time to do your usual hair routine, your
hair isn’t falling quite right, OR it’s exam time, and the LAST thing on your mind
is your hair, you still can’t step out looking a hot mess. This would
be a good time to pull out the head wrap or the knit hat. When using either, I highly recommend you
cover your actual hair that the wrap/cap will be covering with a silky textured
wig cap or wave cap. Knit materials can also cause major breakage and dryness
for the hair.
Alright natural beauties--that is my checklist of things to equip yourself with
for your first semester of the new year. While it is important to be able to maintain your healthy tresses,
it is just as important to get your hair treated and trimmed by a professional,
at least every 3 months.
Good luck this school year, be a trend-setter with your hair-do (trust me, you are
inspiring people to go natural when you don’t even realize it), and have fun for
me-- the post-graduate going through undergraduate withdrawal!
The College Transfer
By: Christina Souvenir, Roz J., Marissa,
Angel Williams, Jennifer Sanoh,
Africa Hannibal and Carmen Davis
Now more than ever, since the days of the ‘I’m Black and I’m Proud’
movement, college students are making the switch—going from chemically straightened
strands to re-born coils n’ curls. It could just be a growing trend that
may not last long. But then there could also be more behind it than that, showing
evidence of potential longevity. We should let them tell it.
These are some TCR readers
that have decided to tell their college transfer stories.
Christina
I've gone natural 3 times during my undergraduate years. The first, during freshman
year, was by accident (I had braids in for a year and a half). The second time I
was natural for about 7 months before regretfully going back to a relaxer. Finally,
I've currently been natural since December 2007. The hardest part was the second
time going natural. I got a lot of negative comments from guys, and some from my
old fashion Haitian family, about my appearance. My mother told me I'd never get
a job! Being 19 years old, it did take a toll on my self esteem. So I went back
to the relaxer. Now that I'm about to be 23 years old, I've grown to adore my natural
hair style, and wear it with the confidence and grace that we as Black women should
feel regardless of how we look. I'd never go back- the chemicals, money, burned
spots, and constant wrapping at night it not worth it!
Roz J.
Ok...so yea, I attempted to go natural if I can remember my freshmen year,
but that was very short lived. Then, going into my sophomore year, I tried it again.
This period was extrememly difficult. I wore it in braids- I had a friend who lived
upstairs who would braid my natural hair. Like I did it in a mohawk style (that
was real cute) but mostly I wore it "krinkleys" ( I have a pic...its on my facebook
profile pics) Kinkleys for those who don't know is wetting your hair and corn-rolling
it back...take it out in the morn, and you're good to go...lol. As time went on
I'd get cornroll extensions and then eventually just got micros. If I didn't have
a friend tho that could do hair I don't know how I would've done it b/c its hard!
And doing the krinkleys every night is a pain, especially when you have classes and how
and tests, work, etc. So I was completely natural I'd say by that May ('06)-that's
when I cut a few inches of my permed hair off.
Natural, I'd wet my hair and wear it curly. At first, I used some curl activating
stuff-but not for long, i didn't like it too much cuz it was kind of greasy. So
I'd just mainly wash it and let it dry that way...throw on a headband or a scarf
and keep it moving.
I was natural until Aug 07-so last year (natural for a year or so). I permed my
hair because my parents didn't like it-I was tired of hearing their mouth-especially when
I'd wash my hair, twist and let it air dry. That left my hair looking a lot more
kinky ("nappy") and they didn't like that. Me, personally-I loved it.
Although being natural offers a lot of versatility, in the summer time, being natural
is extremely frustrating. If you want it to wear it straight, with the sun and humidity
it difficult to maintain. I also decided to perm it because I noticed everyone was
doing it....I like to be different. I think it was becoming a fad...and I'm personally
not cool with that...that's when I was in Philly tho.
I would love to go back..there's nothing more beautiful than being natural! My skin
was clearer too I noticed as well. Not sure if there's a correlation between the
two.
Marissa
I did it because I didn’t think my hair was growing like it should have
been, senior year, the hardest part is the beginning stages, when their is still perm
on the edges, and if you sweat in your hair the difficulty in keeping the roots
straight. I won’t go back, Im used to it now.
I made the decision to go natural my freshman year in college due to the fact that
my perm was not helping in the growth of my hair and it began to just be stagnant.
As I began to learn more about myself physically and spiritually it became apparent
to me that the right step for me was to go natural and I just woke up one day and
cut it all off and began to wear twist. It definitely made me feel awkward socially
because from a young girl it is instilled in you that socially natural hair doesn't
equal beauty so I did feel unattractive for about a year.
As I became more comfortable
within my own skin I think that the personal and social challenges that I thought
were apparent kind of went away but now that I have transitioned to dreads and am
now in the workforce I do see a change in the social aspect. I definitely think
that it is something that most people don't understand and they think that I am
just doing it for fashion or it is just a phase because I get questions like "are
you going to keep those forever?" when are you changing your hairstyle? and I am
like never this is it. I definitely feel that being natural is "ME" and that it
is a true expression of who I am and it helped me with my growth into the woman
that I am.
Carmen
I stopped getting relaxers summer '06. At the time I had been wanting to go natural
since my senior year of high school but I kept getting a lot of negative feedback
so I hesitated. I love natural hair and I believe a woman that wears her hair natural
that alone says a lot about her character. I think it states that you will not be
defined by any stereotypes and you love who you are. I enjoy being able to get caught
in the rain and not have a care in the world about my hair (lol). To answer the
last question I noticed I received a different response from men with natural hair.
Like I would be called Macy gray or buck wheat, and other little childish remarks.
Also, when I sought employment or worked at certain jobs and wore my hair natural
instead of straightening it my employers would act funny or tell me to try to control
my hair. All in all I love the transition that I made and I believe it completed
me in some way.
Angel
I decided to go natural after some experiences I had while living in the Dominican
Republic the summer before my senior year of high school. I lived in a rural community
full of beautiful, joyful and vivacious people who at their core struggled with
issues of self-hate. I remember being told how much prettier I would be if I stayed
out of the sun, or wore my hair (then in braids) straight. These women, who did
not have running water or electricity, would walk to a nearby stream to relax their
hair, to up hold this euro-centric image of what beauty was. It made me sad, but
it also made me realize that I was not entirely free from this. As I loved the
glow of my skin after a summer tan, I DID NOT miss my relaxer/touch-up appointments!!!
I decided I didn't need to do that anymore. From that summer on I went from braids,
to twists, to (my favorite) the afro puff and finally to locs. I have been wearing
locs since 2002 and LOVIN' it!
Jennifer The reason I decided to go natural was due to a stressful
period in my life. I had a love-hate relationship with my hair. I hated that my
hair was brittle and didn't grow as healthy or as long as I would like. As a result,
I would put in synthetic pieces in order to "tame" my hair and make it look more
"attractive" One day I had enough of the breakage due to putting in synthetic pieces.
I went to a hair salon in Brooklyn and told the stylist to basically do whatever
she wanted --as long as the hair style was natural. She cut some of my hair (which
was highly uneven in length). I began to quietly cry to myself and thought "OMG,
what have I done" and "no one is going to find me attractive now that my hair is
so short", "I'm going to look like a little boy!" As she finished my hair style,
she turned me around and she had my hair is twists, the twist were very small and
close to the head. I LOVE IT! However, I was still nervous about how I would be
received. When I tell you that I got so many compliments, it was amazing! Everyone
swore I was on an America's Next Top model or that they saw me in a magazine before.
To top it off, my boyfriend thought it was sexy as hell! He told me that he loved
my hair regardless, but when it's natural its like he's seeing an entirely authentic
me. He also quoted the musician and actor Common, who said, "Real hair and real eyes,
get real guys". I couldn't agree more! Now when people look at me or compliment me
on how I look, I know that there looking directly at me--not distracted by my hair.
Also, this is the healthiest my hair has ever been. I love how it feels and how
it grows! So from that day on, I been living by the motto "beautiful hair is healthy
hair", no matter what length, texture, or color it is! Africa I made the decision to go natural my freshman
year in college due to the fact that my perm was not helping in the growth of my
hair and it began to just be stagnant. As I began to learn more about myself physically
and spiritually it became apparent to me that the right step for me was to go natural
and I just woke up one day and cut it all off and began to wear twist. It definitely
made me feel awkward socially because from a young girl it is instilled in you that
socially natural hair doesn't equal beauty so I did feel unattractive for about
a year. As I became more comfortable within my own skin I think that the personal
and social challenges that I thought were apparent kind of went away but now that
I have transitioned to dreads and am now in the workforce I do see a change in the
social aspect. I definitely think that it is something that most people don't understand
and they think that I am just doing it for fashion or it is just a phase because
I get questions like "are you going to keep those forever?" "When are you changing
your hairstyle"? And I am like, never. This is it. I definitely feel that being natural
is "ME" and that it is a true expression of who I am and it helped me with my growth
into the woman that I am. Top of Page Natural Hair We have our winner!
Best Twist Out Look for this
month's 'Looks You Love'
Congratulations Shade'!
Shade' will receive a special package
filled with Indigofera products.
A plant based hair care collection.
Thedra McMillian just asked
Malaika. I am 61 years old and would like to have my hair locked, but my problem is that
my hair has thinned a the top. My hair is shoulder length, no perm or color. Can
you recommend a style that would compensate my thinning hair. Thanks
Malaika answered. At 61 years of age thinning is going to happen due to estrogen and monthly cycle changes. Also, gray hair
can be unruly and tend to do what it wants and when
it wants. But if locking is what
you want then locking is what you shall get. A
rule of thumb to remember when
pursuing locks is that the more locks you have, the
more styling potential you will have. Therefore, anyone who starts your locks must
create many small locks to increase the volume, and not make the hair appear as
thin as it may be. My suggestion to you would be to check out www.sisterlocks.com,
and find a sister lock consultant in your
area who has been trained through the
sister lock office, and get a proper consultation. This to me would be the perfect route
for
you. Good luck on your locked hair quest.
Saundra just asked
Malaika. Greetings My Beautiful Sister! I have been wearing my natural for several
years. The main styles I wear are double-strand twists, twist-outs, and occasionally
I wear it tied back in an afro puff. Once in a great while I will treat myself to
a shampoo and blow dry at the salon, but I find this to last no more than a few
days (my hair is kinky so you know what happens when humidity/moisture hits it...).
And I don't like to waste my money. I wear falls when I want a new look - but not
for long because they tend to make my edges break around the whole perimeter of
my head. I consider my hair pretty healthy and I shampoo regularly, condition, and
use ACV as my final rinse.
I recently started to use olive oil and my heating cap,
and I have noticed a change in my hair texture (i.e., lighter, less kinky, more
spring - actually straighter!); I was initially concerned that my hair would not
be kinky enough to stay in twists - LOL! I am 47 years old, and am aware that hormonal
changes will be taking place any day now.
My question is: are there any warnings
connected to the use of natural henna (powder form) to color my hair? I have some
graying around the front edges and have been using a men's product that covers well
but doesn't last long. A friend scared me by saying that everyone she has known
to use this product has ended up with hair that had a green cast to it. Please advise.
Thank you in advance for your assistance. Wishing you Abundance & Peace!
Malaika answered.
Saundra Henna is a wonderful product to use. In fact, I use it
on several of my clients. It is just a hair food made from crushed leaves, and it
has no side affects what-so-ever. I have never heard nor seen any green tints from it.
Sounds like a myth. The problem I have with it is that is just tints the hair,
and it is hardly noticeable. So I looked and looked and looked for a product that would
color the hair and not change the texture, dry it out, or make it brittle, as well
as give me the colors that my clients requested. I found that Textures and Tones
works really well. You can pick it up from any beauty outlet, and it has no ammonia
and no peroxide. It is made for natural hair, and has an array of complimentary colors;
not to mention it is wonderful on gray hair.
Lorna Morris just
asked Malaika. Malaika, I have been ill and the meds that made me well took my hair out. I had bald spots that are now growing in however, my locs, what I have left, are
raggedy.
Can they be repaired? Also would you suggest putting some extensions in? Help!!
I love my locs. Friends are suggesting I cut everything off and start again. I don't
want to.
Malaika answered. Lorna, sistah, I give thanks and praises that you are now off the
meds. Now the hair will begin to restore itself. You will even notice a change
in your texture, coil pattern and density. Don't panic. Yes your hair can be restored. DONT PUT ANY EXTENTIONS IN YUOR HAIR!!! No excess weight-that
is just extended torture.
Right now, you need to adopt a healthy diet with plenty
of sleep. Take a daily multi-
vitamin. Seek a skilled loc-tech who will do some interlocking and/or loc reconstruction.
And if you email me the state that you are in, I can recommend
a professional in your area. Now is the time to exercise patience, and let God's own
natural healing process and time takeover.
Tara M. Pettiford
just asked Malaika. Malaika, I have natural hair and I want to color it myself, but I don't want
to use a chemical dye, what would be a good product to use to color my natural hair?
Malaika answered. Hello Tara it was wonderful to have you in my Loc-N-Tology class.
Your question is simple to answer. For a not so permanent color, try semi-permanent
rinses and or henna. For a more permanent color, use Textures and Tones.
Overall, you don't want
to use any color that has ammonia and or peroxide.
Maxine just asked
Malaika. Greetings! I have four months worth of locks, and want to take better care
of them...I just bought some Le Clair cholesterol. Is this good for locked hair?
My hair tends to be dry, and I want to improve the condition of the hair.
Malaika answered. Uh oh!! That product is a conditioner. DO NOT condition your premature
locks with that product. Conditioners are detanglers. You will hinder your
locking process and it will take a longer time to fully lock. Give yourself hot olive oil
treatments and stay on your maintenance schedule with proper shampooing,
and you will be fine.
The Truth About Black Hairstyles by Kamau and Janice Kenyatta –
The compiled Amazon.com editorial review was complimentary but repetitive. And the lone customer review – no detail. However, my editor
loved this work. She says that this book really opened her eyes to the history of black
hairstyles from locks, fros, braids, and more. It revealed the real story behind
how the relaxer was invented and why. It blew her away. With her review alone, I
think it's safe to say that The Truth About Black Hairstyles deserves a hearty Coils
Up! 
Now more than ever, since the days of the ‘I’m Black and I’m Proud’
movement, college students are making the switch—going from chemically straightened
strands to re-born coils n’ curls. It could just be a growing trend that
may not last long. But then there could also be more behind it than that, showing
evidence of potential longevity. We should let them tell it. 
