Natural Hair Rules!!!: my hair

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Just In Case You Missed Natural Hair Rules Live Q & A!!!

Re-Cap of Live Q & A with

Natural Hair Rules!!!

If you missed this very informative Live!!! Interactive Question & Answering Chat, I hope you will be able to participate in the next one. Below is the video from Thursday, Sept. 2nd Question and Answer Session. Vast array of topics were discussed and addressed from Tips for Transitioning, Maintaining your Natural & Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize.

Do you still have questions? Don't worry!!! Natural Hair Rules offers One on One Video or Phone Question & Answer sessions. Email info@naturalhairrules.com for detail. Price May Vary!!!

The video is fifty-nine minutes. Below is outline of the different segments.

Who is Natural Hair Rules!!! (NHR)

Number one Beauty/Natural Hair Blogger in Texas
Resident of Houston, Natural for almost 4 yrs in October
NHR began in Oct 2008 as a resource for those natural or transitioning
Begin natural hair journey as self discovery to define one's own definition of beauty
Definition of Natural-chemical free, unaltered but unrestricted to any particular texture or ethnicity
Simply Advocate of Healthy hair & living. Nurturing from the inside out
Commonly Asked Question: Hair Color Dark & Lovely Honey Blonde

Tips for Transitioning

Make-up your mind that this is something your want to do.
Research the process and products in order to develop a plan of action.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different styles & products
To minimize tangles wash your hair in the shower
Increase your moisture level: incorporate more natural products (sulfate & alcohol free), deep condition weekly or bi weekly, use a great leave in conditioner and all natural moisturizers such as butters and sealer like olive & coconut oil
Trim your hair regularly at every 2 or months while transitioning or as needed
Don't compare your hair to others

Maintain Natural Hair

Make friends with your hair
Invest in Natural Products as your staples
Detangle Hair Only When Wet
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Protect Hair tie up at night and protective style in the winter months.

Do you have an upcoming event? Promote your event on Natural Hair Rules!!! for optimal exposure in the Natural Hair and Beauty Community. Contact us for more information.

Two Strand Updo

Products and Use:

Shampoo- Organic Tea Shampoo

I shampoo my hair maybe once a week or every two weeks with either this shampoo or Dr. Bonner’s Peppermint Castile Soap

African’s Best Organic Hair Mayonnaise – Deep Conditioner

Giovanni Direct Leave-In Conditioner- Leave In conditioner

Olive Oil- Seal moisture in the scalp

Curl Soufflé - Moisturizer Newest product from Mrs. Roberta at The Original Fragrance Shop

Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel- Styling Product

Brief How-To

I did all my twist including the flat twist in the front and the two strand twist in the back. This time I styled the hair wet. After completing the twist I section the hair in half and began to roll the very back up after I secured that I incorporated the rest of the hair and secured with bobby pins. If there were any fly away twist I simply tucked them into the bun. I will probably wear this style for a week. I will refresh it with a mixture of water, vegetable glycerin (that I got from Whole Food’s) and essential oils. I also oil my scalp with olive oil to keep my dry scalp at bay.

After the week is up, I will take the bun down and co wash my hair with the two strand twist. I really like this effect you can read more about it here.

My Two Strand Twist Out

My Aunt in Law hipped me to washing my hair with two strand twist. Of course initially I thought this was CRAZY but I love the results so I gave it a try and I’ve been doing it ever since. You're hair will curl at the end of the twist. I'm curious to see how this looks on other natural so email your picture and description of how you achieve the style to info@naturalhairrules.com Here’s a brief description.

I wore my hair in two- strand twist for about 1 week. This is just to give myself a little variety. I change my hair every week. I shampooed and conditioned just lather the scalp mostly. I rung out excess water, applied Giovanni Leave-In Conditioner, olive oil to the scalp and Shealoe from root to tip. I scrunched in a little Aloe Vera Gel. If your completely natural the ends of your hair will curl which prevents the hair from completely unraveling. If they do unravel you can simply retwist and allow to dry. I sit under a hooded dryer for about an hour and then tie my head up with a satin scarf. If hair is completely dry I proceed to unravel the twist for my "twist out". This should last another week or half a week.

You can read more about my hair products here.

See pictures below.

My Hair-Update

I've been getting a lot of questions recently about my hair regimen. All of my tips and product recommendations (that I recommend on the http://www.naturalhairrules.com/) are products and techniques that I have tried and use. I hope this clarifies the questions.

First, my regimen consist of the following:

I think my regimen is pretty basic. It’s pretty frugal too. I recommend all natural products and not worrying about your hair because hey it’s natural. I forgot to mention that this is a weekly regimen. I will give details about my daily regimen later.
I shampoo with castile soap or Organic Tea Shampoo from The Original Fragrance Shop in Houston, TX. I condition with Hair Pudding Conditioner from The Original Fragrance Shop. A good leave-in conditioner is a must. I’m currently using Giovanni Direct Leave-In. The most important product in my regimen is my moisturizer and I recently started making Shealoe which is a combination of unrefined Shea butter and Aloe Vera gel. (You can find the recipe on my site.) This doubles as my moisturizer and styling product at times. I have dry scalp so I seal my wet scalp with olive oil.

Weekly, I deep condition with a moisturizing deep conditioner, Hair Mayonnaise and biweekly I do a hot oil treatment with olive oil. Most importantly I cover my hair every night with a satin scarf or sleep on a satin pillowcase.

Styling

In the pictures above, I did the regimen above. I style my hair wet most of the time I ring out excess water but I let it air dry after styling. In the picture with the puff. I brushed my hair back with my Denman brush and smooth the edges with a medium bristle brush. I using use elastic head bands to secure the puff. I also tie a satin scarf around me head to lay down any fly aways.
In the other picture, that was my wash n go with Sunsilk mousse. I was experimenting with mousse vs. gel. I like the mousse.

(the earrings of karmasoul international)
Read more at http://www.naturalhairrules.com/

I'm Protective Styling!

(My lil sis, Veronica and me)

I'm wearing two strand twist as my choice of protective styling. My goal is to promote the growth of my hair by maintaining moisture scalp and root to tip. In the pictures above it the two strand twist and two strand twist twist out, in respective order. Updates later.

My Signature Look

My Natural Hair

I have type 3b/c. In the front and left side my hair tends to be a little more wavier than the curly back and right side. What I have learn from my hair is humidity = frizz? It is delicate and doesn't require alot of moisture as long as I co-wash or use other "no-poo" methods. I don't need expensive products to make my hair look good just the right techniques and natural products.

That's just I little of what I've learned so far...

My Arsenal

These are my weapons of nap destruction :)

From Left to Right.

My big detangling comb and my best friend, the Denman brush. In the back row, regular extra virgin olive oil. I use braid sheen to freshen and moisturize my hair during the week in between washes. The next two products are all natural "Hair Pudding and Organic Tea Shampoo" made by the owner of The Original Fragrance Shop in Houston, TX.

Front left IC Fantasia Gel, Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner (it smells so good), on top of the Cantu is Nature's Indulgence Norishing Hair Butter by Dionne(http://www.naturesindulgence.net/) The Hair Butter is one of the best moisterizers I've found. The last product is Paul Mitchell Lavender Lemongrass Moisturizing Conditioner. The Paul Mitchell isn't one of the items that I keep but I am currently using it for my "co-wash" until I run out. I don't really have a favorite condition for "co washing". The last product is the Proclaim Hair Glosser for added shine. Last pictured is my blow dryer with diffuser*.

*Never apply heat daily, its to drying to the hair.

Story of the BiG ChOp!!!

I'm so proud of my progress...
For those going natural the unfamiliar is always scary at first. But everything God made is Good including your hair regardless of texture, grade or length...

In the Summer of 2006, I decided to grow my relaxer out or transition to natural. I usually went about 3 month without a relaxer so I figured I could go natural and look alright. So I transitioned for 5 months by wearing styles that masked the 2 or 3 different textures in my head such as roller sets, straighten with the flat iron and twist outs. The first 3 months was fairly easier. The 4th and 5th I started to notice a more visible difference between the 3-4 personalities in my head.

One night, I was watching "America's Next Top Model" Cycle 7 the makeover episode. Jaeda's makeover was one of the most dramatic. Her long bra strap hair was crop drastically to the short sexy Halle Berry cut. I loved it. She looked so gorgeous. So from there I said "I'm going to do it, I'm going to cut my hair". I finally had the nerve. I identified with Jaeda, we had similar lengths in hair and I related to her story. I too was always the "pretty girl with long hair". I wanted a change. I needed to know who I was absence of what others said I was. Define my own beauty.

The next day I called my hairdresser who then informed me she was moving, I figured I need to get it over with sooner than later. I couldn't let anyone else in my head with scissors.

I went to her apartment, so she could cut my hair. I wanted the Jaeda hairstyle. She made play sniffle sounds as she asked "are you sure about this? When I cut above the ear there's no going back? I replied "yeah doing it!" I looked at long strands of hair as they fall to the floor and thought I could've donated that.

After she finished, she said "Gurl, this stuff is curling up back here." I said "let me see" I walk to the bathroom mirror. "Oh my God, it's gone." That was my response. "I look a hot mess. What did I do." I was so terrified of my natural texture. It look NOTHING like Jaeda's cut. What was I going to do? Gentry, my stylist, smiling says "well, you wanted to go natural".

"But what am I going to do with this?" "I gotta run up the street to let my husband see?" If he doesn't like it I'm going to perm it. Ben, my husband, don't know I was getting my hair cut that day. He worked at a school about 10 minutes away.

I called him from the car. "Please come outside" I asked. He thought something was wrong. I was pouting and whining the words "Is it ok? 'Cause if not I'll relax it"

"No bay (cause we from down south so we say bay), its ok; its kind of funky, he reassured me.

Okay, my husband's ok with it. I had to get a second opinion. I had to ask Mrs. Greenwood, a friend I knew wouldn't lie to me.

I hid behind the door as I told my husband to ask her to step into the hall. She was like what's wrong, are you ok? Then she noticed "Oh! You cut your hair, Its cute Ms. Tamara. You did it! You really did it!" was the response I got.

I love my husband and Mrs. Greenwood but I know they were lying to me but it made me feel more confident anyway.

Here's a picture from the day after my BC. In photo: me and my husband, Ben. Oct. 2006

I wore straw set to hide some of the straight relaxed pieces... I was too scared to go any shorter.

I'm so proud of my progress...

For those going natural the unfamiliar is always scary at first. But everything God made is Good including your hair regardless of texture, grade and length...

Be Encouraged...

My Natural Hair Journey

This is my natural hair timeline thus far...

This is me before the BiG ChOp. I tried to transition. Matter of fact I went perm less for about 5 months. Here I got a really good Chi. (I know I look high in this picture. I'm not.) Aug. 2006

This is a month after the BiG ChOp. I really didn't know what to do with my hair so I would just straw set it every week. Nov. 2006

Ok. I wanted something different so I got the front braided and the back blown out. Mar. 2007

I finger coiled my hair with Twist and Lock Gel. Oh Look at my handsome husband with his Half Black/Somalian self. Apr. 2007

This was Easter that's why all the drama! Finger coils with Twist and Lock. Apr. 2007

A few months before this picture I went to have the rest of my relaxed hair cut off and the lady completely bald me. This is after my hair grew back a little. Thats my honey again. Jun. 2007

I decided to let the color grow out. I did flat twist or plaits to the scalp and took it down when it was dry to achieve this look. Aug. 2007

To get a spiral/waving look I two strand twisted the hair into medium size plaits. After it was dry I took it down and pined up the sides. Sept. 2007

Wow! i Just Realized how fast my hair grew. This is a longer version of flat twist taken down. Dec. 2007

Flat twist again. I don't know why this came out different. I think I used a different product. Kinky curly instead of Twist and Lock. Jan. 2008

This is my first press since going natural. Look at those layers their natural too. Apr. 2008

This is the next day after wrapping it the night before. Apr. 2008

This is my afro puff. May 2008

Finger coils again but this time with length. I love this style it stays cute for up to two weeks. May 2008

I finally mastered the wash n go! It only took 2 years. Aug. 2008

This is my birthday shot. I did two strand twist and rolled on rods and took down when dry. It turned out so cute. Ok so I guess the formal name for it is the 'Twist n Curl' Nov. 2008