My (lack of) hair growth

I am NOT one of those natural hair girls who keeps track of their growth on a regular basis.  From time to time I'll  kind of just eyeball my hair to see what kind of progress I am making toward my length goals.
Something told me that my hair growth had slowed to a crawl over the past the year or so but I thought maybe I was just being paranoid.  I would still get the occasional comment that my hair looks like it's growing well but recently when I looked back at some old pictures in my phone I came across a picture of me exactly one year ago a little after Thanksgiving.  I was taking selfies in the bathroom and I happened at the time to do a length check where I stretched the front of my hair down and took a picture of where my hair came to which was to about my top lip. Looking back at this picture, I realized that my hair is at this point the exact same length it was on that day about a year ago.  I did the same length check which confirmed my suspicions.  This was very disheartening because I have put a lot of work into my hair and I haven't been doing anything differently. I have been protective styling and finger detangling. I have not applied any they or color to my hair and I have tried to be very gentle with it.  I came to the conclusion that I have reached a hair plateau and I may never reach my hair goals.  However, the optimist in me decided instead that it is time to rethink my hair regimen and to put a little bit more effort into reaching my goals.  What I have decided to do after reading suggestions online and looking at some YouTube videos is to start using my biotin again, start using castor oil on my scalp and doing scalp massages regularly.  I will also haba a more stringent  moisturizing regimen.  I have decided to try this for 3 months and see if I have made any progress. If so, I will continue with these practices for the year to see if I can get closer to my hair goals.  If not I will have to think of a new strategy or I might as well just go back to my regular regimen and accept that this is the length my hair will remain and just focus on maintaining health instead of gaining length.  Here it's a photo of my hair now.  I will keep you guys posted.

My faux bob

I decided to do a faux bob on my hair after many months of yearning to cut the back of my hair into a bob. I haven't done this because it is a big commitment to cut the back of my hair short considering that I need and want to wear my hair up do hairstyles from time to time and having short hair in the back would make this difficult so instead I tucked the longer strands in the back of my head under using a bobby pin and was able to create this bob look.  What do you guys think?

My Love for Knit Hats

I love my knit hats.  I have a knit Beenie and the one pictured.  There are certain days when you just need a hat.   Today for example I reluctantly started twisting my hair...a 2-3 hour process.  The only way i can get through it is to take breaks...usually at least one long one.  I may go do things like run errands or take a walk and a hat comes in handy when rocking half twisted hair.  I love these hats because they are cute and comfy and they fit my head!  Turns out i have a big head (i like too think it's because of my brain) and having big hair on top of it doesn't really help.  I've tried to fit many a fedora on my head and ended up looking very awkward with it because no matter what I do it just won't fit.  Anyway I'm hoping to increase my collection of knit hats.  Oh and i know your wondering and yes i do wear them in the summer too.  Don't judge me ...i love my knit hats!

How to Stretch Natural Hair

I have gotten a lot of questions from people whenever I wear my hair down about how to avoid shrinkage.  So here it goes:

To avoid shrinkage, after I wash my hair, I immediately braid it in 4-6 braids.  I braid it to almost the end and then twist the very ends being sure to pull the hair taut.  The braids will of course shrink but when I got to bed, I pull each braid straight and you can either secure it with a pin to keep it stretched or just tie it down to hold that stretched position.  After my hair is dried like this, I then twist my hair DRY.  I moisturize with a few sprays of water and some oil and/or cream to seal and I twist it in small to medium twists.  The night before I remove the twists, I separate my hair into sections of 4-6 braids again (while in the twists of course) and I stretch them just the way I did after my wash.
I take the braids out and then each twist and my hair is very stretched to the point where I actually want some shrinkage which I inevitably achieve throughout the day or the next day.  At night to maintain my twist out, I again section and I braid loosely as not to disturb the curl pattern.  Just like above I braid it about 80% of the way and twist the ends and pull it stretched and tie it down or pin it down in the stretched position. 
Eventually the curl pattern will be gone and my hair will shrink to where I can't effectively maintain it anymore and that's when it's time to start the whole process over. 

I hope this helps you guys! 

Is There a Natural Hair Movement?

An inspirational naturalista, Solange, newly chopped

Over the past year or so, I've been hearing a lot about a natural hair movement.  At the time that I went natural, I certainly was not joining a movement.  No one I knew personally was natural and no one was really talking about it.  I felt like I was definitely going against the grain and was so nervous about how people would see me.
I got questions like: "Are you extremely religious?" or "Did you have a bad break-up or something?" as if to say being staunchly religious or going through some crisis involving a man was the only reason someone would cut their hair off and start over again natural.  I say this to point out that up until recently, there was nothing anyone would mistake for a "natural hair movement".  So whenever I read someone referring to a movement, I mostly just rolled my eyes and kept it moving.  But I'm starting to notice a pattern myself.
Going natural isn't just for the afro-centric extremist or some other exceptional group of people.  It's for everyone.  I've seen a lot of just normal everyday black women rocking their natural hair and it makes me smile.  At my job, there are 5 black women, 4 of which are natural (including myself).  Just the other day, I was admiring how we are all natural but so different in our styles.  I was rocking my go-to protective style for work, a twist updo, one of the ladies was wearing a puff, the other a twist out and the last one also a wash-and-go.  I feel like it's now normal and not an exception anymore to be natural.
Well, I was never sure how I felt about this so called movement because truthfully I like diversity.  I like that my look is a little bit different and that someone else may have straight hair, and another person may have long extensions or whatever.  I dont' feel like everyone has to conform.  But guess what?  It's just an affirmation of our beauty as black women that we can proudly go about with our real natural hair and have it be not only OK, but beautiful... and still quite diverse.  So, I'm embracing the "movement" and encouraging everyone to be themselves whatever that means for you.  Diversity is good but self-acceptance?  Even better!

Giant Goddess Bun hairstyle: How To

Pull hair into a puff in the back.  Separate hair at center of puff so hair is all around in a circle.  Start at top with the loose hair and make a large circular flat twist (rolling inward and grabbing more hair as you go until hair is twisted all around) Tuck loose areas and secure with bobby pins.  Tuck the end and secure with bobby pins.  Use headband of your choice to slick hair back and hold in place... and voila!



The back doesn't look perfect, I did this in a hurry on hair that was not detangled but you get the idea.  Good luck!

Springtime

Spring is here!!

I love spring.  Pretty colorful dresses,and accessories and all things feminine.  And it is a great time to wear my hair out.  It is the precursor to the summertime when humidity makes it impossible to wear your hair out without inevitable frizz and shrinkage (at least here in Florida).

I bought a pair of these hair flower clips at Ulta months ago although I rarely feel like I can pull of girly hair accessories like this because they make me look like ... well, a little girl.  But I couldn't help myself.  They are made of a silky fabric in beautiful pastel colors.  I'm sure you can find plenty of beautiful hair accessories perfect for spring in your local accessory store.  Don't be afraid to dress up your twist out or you fro or your up-do for an extra dose of "pretty" and put a little spring in your step (pun intended).

Natural Moments

Recycled picture of my sis Sonya

I went out with a coworker who rocks straight sleek relaxed hair.  I had my twist updo in as usual.  As we walked out of the building, we felt a slight drizzle.  “Oh my hair!” she exclaims covering her hair with her hands.  And that’s when I offered her my umbrella and realized I just had a natural hair moment.

My boyfriend and I can sit and waste almost an entire day looking at pictures of fellow naturals on tumblr.  And he has an opinion on every hairstyle.  He went off the other day on a whole soliloquy about TWA’s.

I live in perpetual dread of “wash day”.  Almost an entire day spent doing stuff to my hair … (shudder)

The other day, my boyfriend came across my written day to day to-do list pertaining to nothing but my hair.  He notices my hair is still in twists and  proceeds to lecture me saying, “According to your written schedule, today is supposed to be an ‘out’ day.  You’re a day behind!”.   He was right, I had gotten too lazy to take down my twists and my whole “hair schedule” was thrown off.

I often find lint, dog fur, twigs and other unrecognizable objects in my hair.

I literally cringe whenever I hear someone use the words “good hair”

My friend who has always been the same height as me said the other day, “I’m trying to figure our how come you’re all of a sudden taller than me”  We both pondered it for a minute and simultaneously came to the realization that it was my hair that made me look a full inch taller!